12:34:50 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Tony walked into the Landing, chill wind chasing him in the door as he blew on his hands to restore circulation as he recovered from the two block walk from his parking spot. Hope I fed enough change into the meter he thought, waving off the hostess from producing a menu from the pedestal she stood at as he ascended the stairs to the bar area. He’d made good time down to the waterfront: although traffic was never what he’d have called ‘good’, the combination of dog brain and GridGuide had steered him here in almost record time. Nothing like being early for being late he though as he climbed the creaking wooden stair as a warmup riff strode down the stairs from the trio playing.
The couple-block walk over was more testing; despite being swathed in synthwool and a pretty thick set of pants, Tony felt the stout wind from the nearby Sound wash thru him as if he was wearing the rags he’d seen on the street people down in Tacoma just a few hours before. Familes were out; the sunny day egged them out from their flats despited the cold and wind. He’d dodged a few kids roaming in front their parents as they window-shopped in front of the same stores he’d seen the night before. They’d probably get more of a reception from the Sony store than he had.
The upper level of the Landing had almost as many people as the lower level Tony saw as he crested the stairs. Zedya was in his usual spot, talking to someone Tony hadn’t seen before. Tough to tell from the back, nice clothes though he thought as he walked to the bar, ordering a draft beer from the neatly dressed ork barkeep. A well dressed human two spots down from him seemed engrossed in the football pregame show on the tri-d over the bar, an ork female and a human male made very interesting small talk in a few seats to the left. Reviewing his list and notes in his psec, Tony waited, pretending to pay attention to the tri-d occasionally, sipping his beer, feeling the hangover lessen and overhearing the risqué conversation between the ork and the human. Lucky bastard he thought, paging thru his psec and keeping a corner of an eye on Zedya
Full Version: Living in the Shadows: IC
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12:50:28 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Tony listens with half an ear as the ork and her companion's conversation continues unabated. After fifteen minutes or so, the stranger sitting with Zeyda stands, nods, and turns to leave. Just a hair taller than the average human norm, Tony can easily pick out the bulk of natural and augmented musculature beneath the tailored armored suit, the callouses on the knife edges of his hands, and the weapons tucked beneath his jacket. He follows the stranger until he disappears down the stairs before glancing back at the fixer. Zeyda shakes his head, taking a healthy slug from his drink before rolling out his shoulders. Rolling out his shoulders, he motions Tony over.
Tony listens with half an ear as the ork and her companion's conversation continues unabated. After fifteen minutes or so, the stranger sitting with Zeyda stands, nods, and turns to leave. Just a hair taller than the average human norm, Tony can easily pick out the bulk of natural and augmented musculature beneath the tailored armored suit, the callouses on the knife edges of his hands, and the weapons tucked beneath his jacket. He follows the stranger until he disappears down the stairs before glancing back at the fixer. Zeyda shakes his head, taking a healthy slug from his drink before rolling out his shoulders. Rolling out his shoulders, he motions Tony over.
12:52:40 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Tony watched the human leave while nursing his beer, thinking Damn, that’s a lot of hardware to be walking out on the town. Zedya summons brought him up off the barstool, and he walked over carrying his beer as the bass player went into his solo. Sliding into the still warm vinyl booth opposite from his fixer, Tony sat his pint glass down on a leftover coaster and opened.
“Apologies for rescheduling. I got caught out in the sticks and couldn’t make it back in time. So, about that list..” Tony said, pulling out his psec.
Tony watched the human leave while nursing his beer, thinking Damn, that’s a lot of hardware to be walking out on the town. Zedya summons brought him up off the barstool, and he walked over carrying his beer as the bass player went into his solo. Sliding into the still warm vinyl booth opposite from his fixer, Tony sat his pint glass down on a leftover coaster and opened.
“Apologies for rescheduling. I got caught out in the sticks and couldn’t make it back in time. So, about that list..” Tony said, pulling out his psec.
22:36:49 Tuesday, 09 January, 2063 - One Lincoln Tower
Silverbird smiles and shakes his head, holding up his right hand, palm facing Max, as if warding him off. "You owe me nothing. I am glad that I could be of service to a friend of my dear friend. Still, I realize that you have a noble character and will probably not accept this."
He rises gracefully to his feet, and adds, "You have talent in the Way. If you truly wish to pay me back, use your Talent to protect and help John. He has a long road ahead of him to redemption, and he will need help, for I do not know if he has the ability to walk it alone."
Silverbird smiles and shakes his head, holding up his right hand, palm facing Max, as if warding him off. "You owe me nothing. I am glad that I could be of service to a friend of my dear friend. Still, I realize that you have a noble character and will probably not accept this."
He rises gracefully to his feet, and adds, "You have talent in the Way. If you truly wish to pay me back, use your Talent to protect and help John. He has a long road ahead of him to redemption, and he will need help, for I do not know if he has the ability to walk it alone."
12:53:09 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Zeyda smiles, an normal enough expression but shimmering with the remainder of an unusual tension.
"No worries, business is business."
He scans through Tony's list without comment, pausing a couple of times to consult his own, private documentation. Passing it back, he flashes an apologetic frown.
"It's not going to be as quick as you'd like, the earliest I can have this stuff for you is going to be Monday night. It might be as late as Tuesday morning."
Zeyda smiles, an normal enough expression but shimmering with the remainder of an unusual tension.
"No worries, business is business."
He scans through Tony's list without comment, pausing a couple of times to consult his own, private documentation. Passing it back, he flashes an apologetic frown.
"It's not going to be as quick as you'd like, the earliest I can have this stuff for you is going to be Monday night. It might be as late as Tuesday morning."
22:37:59 Tuesday, 09 January, 2063 - One Lincoln Tower
Max nodded at Silverbird's words. "He is a good man and I think we are going to need to lean on eachother a lot before this is through. I will help him in any way that I can. He is a good man, regardless of what he has done in his past."
Max's words were true. He had a good sence of people and he knew that John was one of the good guys and even though they hadn't known each other long he counted John as a friend.
Max nodded at Silverbird's words. "He is a good man and I think we are going to need to lean on eachother a lot before this is through. I will help him in any way that I can. He is a good man, regardless of what he has done in his past."
Max's words were true. He had a good sence of people and he knew that John was one of the good guys and even though they hadn't known each other long he counted John as a friend.
12:53:50 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"Ok, Plan B then," Tony said, smiling faintly at his fixer's expression. He wasn't surprised by not having Zedya produce the items from his pocket, but he was surprised that it would take until Tuesday.
"How much of that can you get me by, say, tomorrow morning? Or," he said, leaning in closer to Zedya and lowering his voice, "what's it going to skin me to get it all by then?"
"Ok, Plan B then," Tony said, smiling faintly at his fixer's expression. He wasn't surprised by not having Zedya produce the items from his pocket, but he was surprised that it would take until Tuesday.
"How much of that can you get me by, say, tomorrow morning? Or," he said, leaning in closer to Zedya and lowering his voice, "what's it going to skin me to get it all by then?"
12:53:50 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"The flash paks are the only things that are readily available. The other two pieces of gear rate high on the security radar, so if you want 'em clean, it takes a couple of days. I can grease the wheels, though. Fifty percent over street will have them in hand Monday morning."
Zeyda shrugs, apologetic but without true depth to his emotions. Business was his business and it obeyed its own set of unalterable rules.
"The flash paks are the only things that are readily available. The other two pieces of gear rate high on the security radar, so if you want 'em clean, it takes a couple of days. I can grease the wheels, though. Fifty percent over street will have them in hand Monday morning."
Zeyda shrugs, apologetic but without true depth to his emotions. Business was his business and it obeyed its own set of unalterable rules.
10:38:07 Saturday, 13 January 2063 – Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"Personnel," said Vedic, "mage, shooter, and a hacker. But a mage most of all."
It was a little more than twenty four hours after his call, but he found it useful to hide amongst the business lunch crowd. The two of them were upstairs as usual, the bar vacant save for all but the most hurried of diners. And no Aria. She was potentially the only redeeming feature of the entire miserable establishment. His foul mood was not lost on Zeyda, although the fixer correctly surmised it was due more to the lingering pain from his wounds than any true animosity towards the Landing.
"That's all?"
"Work would be nice as well, funds are running low. I can't afford anything else at the moment." Vedic shrugged.
"Personnel," said Vedic, "mage, shooter, and a hacker. But a mage most of all."
It was a little more than twenty four hours after his call, but he found it useful to hide amongst the business lunch crowd. The two of them were upstairs as usual, the bar vacant save for all but the most hurried of diners. And no Aria. She was potentially the only redeeming feature of the entire miserable establishment. His foul mood was not lost on Zeyda, although the fixer correctly surmised it was due more to the lingering pain from his wounds than any true animosity towards the Landing.
"That's all?"
"Work would be nice as well, funds are running low. I can't afford anything else at the moment." Vedic shrugged.
22:43:52 Saturday January 13, 2063; The Fun House, Downtown
Ludmilla took a deep drag off of the cigarette as she dropped her lighter into one of the many pockets of her cargo pants. As she continued to watch the entrance, a group of rowdy patrons exited and headed loudly in the opposite direction. Above the doors and ticket window, the old-fashioned marquee read:
As she approached the ticket window, Ludi's enhanced hearing began to pick up the deep, muffled rumble of music from inside the club. To be audible all the way out in the street and through the club's extensive sound-proofing, she knew it would be deafening to anyone with cyberears. Adjusting the levels to compensate, she stepped up to the window and said, "One, po`zhaluista." She pushed the Taleinekov credstick towards a bored-looking dwarf girl sporting a number of facial piercings, then waited politely as the girl charged her credstick and buzzed her inside.
Sound hit her like a wall as she pulled open the door. She adjusted her ears further, as a mountain of a troll pushed-off from where he'd been leaning against the wall and motioned her to put her arms up so he could pat her down. He was wearing a mechanic-style shirt with the name "Joey" embroidered over the pocket. The sleeves were rolled up, and his beefy arms were covered in tatoos.
His huge hands moved over her quickly, surprisingly gentle. As he finished, Ludi could tell that he'd found her Predator but had missed the Colt. He confirmed this, as he leaned in closer to be heard over the music. Jerking his thumb towards the coat check, he said "You're gonna have'ta check that heater in the shoulder-holster if you wanna come in, doll."
Ludmilla took a deep drag off of the cigarette as she dropped her lighter into one of the many pockets of her cargo pants. As she continued to watch the entrance, a group of rowdy patrons exited and headed loudly in the opposite direction. Above the doors and ticket window, the old-fashioned marquee read:
- Saturday, Jan 13
BEHOLDER
M!NDR!OT
Cover:
20Doors: 9 / Show: 11
As she approached the ticket window, Ludi's enhanced hearing began to pick up the deep, muffled rumble of music from inside the club. To be audible all the way out in the street and through the club's extensive sound-proofing, she knew it would be deafening to anyone with cyberears. Adjusting the levels to compensate, she stepped up to the window and said, "One, po`zhaluista." She pushed the Taleinekov credstick towards a bored-looking dwarf girl sporting a number of facial piercings, then waited politely as the girl charged her credstick and buzzed her inside.
Sound hit her like a wall as she pulled open the door. She adjusted her ears further, as a mountain of a troll pushed-off from where he'd been leaning against the wall and motioned her to put her arms up so he could pat her down. He was wearing a mechanic-style shirt with the name "Joey" embroidered over the pocket. The sleeves were rolled up, and his beefy arms were covered in tatoos.
His huge hands moved over her quickly, surprisingly gentle. As he finished, Ludi could tell that he'd found her Predator but had missed the Colt. He confirmed this, as he leaned in closer to be heard over the music. Jerking his thumb towards the coat check, he said "You're gonna have'ta check that heater in the shoulder-holster if you wanna come in, doll."
22:51:37 Tuesday, 09 January, 2063 - Outside Zerikolopoli
When Samwell had said his farewell, John exited the restaurant, nodding to the bartender on his way out the door. He paused just outside, checking the area, then took a very circuitous route back to the van Finn had loaned him.
Reasonably sure that he wasn't being followed or watched, the old samurai started the van and cranked the heat. Killing the drum and flute drek that John Silverbird had running through the chip-player, he pulled out his cheap cell and dialed Max's number. While he waited for the call to connect, he put the van into gear and turned in the general direction of home.
When Samwell had said his farewell, John exited the restaurant, nodding to the bartender on his way out the door. He paused just outside, checking the area, then took a very circuitous route back to the van Finn had loaned him.
Reasonably sure that he wasn't being followed or watched, the old samurai started the van and cranked the heat. Killing the drum and flute drek that John Silverbird had running through the chip-player, he pulled out his cheap cell and dialed Max's number. While he waited for the call to connect, he put the van into gear and turned in the general direction of home.
12:55:06 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Fifty fragging percent extra, and it still won't be here in time Tony thought while examining his fingernails. The equipment itself was straining at the edges of this job's pay; the extra tacked on burst the seams entirely, and Tony wasn't sure that this Johnson would pay any extra. He certainly wouldn't have.
Plan C "Ok, I'll still take the flashpacks, but what's the likelyhood of you setting me up with someone that has equipment like that and can use it? " Tony drawled over his beer.
Fifty fragging percent extra, and it still won't be here in time Tony thought while examining his fingernails. The equipment itself was straining at the edges of this job's pay; the extra tacked on burst the seams entirely, and Tony wasn't sure that this Johnson would pay any extra. He certainly wouldn't have.
Plan C "Ok, I'll still take the flashpacks, but what's the likelyhood of you setting me up with someone that has equipment like that and can use it? " Tony drawled over his beer.
10:39:40 Saturday, 13 January 2063 – Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"Hmm...I had something for you on Wednesday, but..." Zedya's voice trailed off as he made a What-Can-You-Do gesture and paged through his psec.
"Option one is a little bit of physical work. Probably minimal risk, but the Johnson said that they didn't want the Star touching it. Not very high pay either." Zedya said, shrugging his shoulders and taking a sip of coffee. "Only reason I'm shopping it is that I owe this person a favor. Interested?" the fixer said, looking up from the psec's screen.
"Hmm...I had something for you on Wednesday, but..." Zedya's voice trailed off as he made a What-Can-You-Do gesture and paged through his psec.
"Option one is a little bit of physical work. Probably minimal risk, but the Johnson said that they didn't want the Star touching it. Not very high pay either." Zedya said, shrugging his shoulders and taking a sip of coffee. "Only reason I'm shopping it is that I owe this person a favor. Interested?" the fixer said, looking up from the psec's screen.
22:44:58 Saturday January 13, 2063; The Fun House, Downtown
For a lack of a better term, Ludmilla felt mildly disappointed that the troll found the Predator. Then again, she hadn’t really expected to be able to get it inside. It was, all and all, a rather large piece of hardware. At least, she still had the Colt… not that she really needed any sort of weapons to be lethal.
As she brought her arms back down, she gave the troll a rather respectful and nice smile. She appreciated the fact the man had been rather polite and professional about his job, and wasn’t treating her like some two bit loser. Nodding a little “thanks”, she walked over to the coat check, her right hand already unclipping the clips that were holding the holster to the shoulder rig. The girl at the counter said something, but over the music, Ludi simple couldn’t hear it. She leaned slightly forward, not even bothering to as her to repeat. The girl pointed to a series of little green baskets with numbered tags. Nodding in understanding, Ludmilla took a tag, deposited her gun and went on her way.
So… she was now in. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, letting the music flow thru and into her. The beat of the bass pounded inside her, making her feel slightly crushed. Most people didn’t like those sorts of sensations. They were too aggressive. Too primal. Too violent. Ludi… well… she loved it.
Opening her eyes back up, she briefly noticed the small red numbers in the corner of her field of vision. 22:45:49. She still had about 15 minutes before the meet. As she slowly “fought” her way to the bar area, Ludi couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous about the whole gig. The club was her sort of scene, at least it used to be. But the fact she had no idea “who” she was meeting made her uneasy. She didn’t even have a name.
For a lack of a better term, Ludmilla felt mildly disappointed that the troll found the Predator. Then again, she hadn’t really expected to be able to get it inside. It was, all and all, a rather large piece of hardware. At least, she still had the Colt… not that she really needed any sort of weapons to be lethal.
As she brought her arms back down, she gave the troll a rather respectful and nice smile. She appreciated the fact the man had been rather polite and professional about his job, and wasn’t treating her like some two bit loser. Nodding a little “thanks”, she walked over to the coat check, her right hand already unclipping the clips that were holding the holster to the shoulder rig. The girl at the counter said something, but over the music, Ludi simple couldn’t hear it. She leaned slightly forward, not even bothering to as her to repeat. The girl pointed to a series of little green baskets with numbered tags. Nodding in understanding, Ludmilla took a tag, deposited her gun and went on her way.
So… she was now in. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, letting the music flow thru and into her. The beat of the bass pounded inside her, making her feel slightly crushed. Most people didn’t like those sorts of sensations. They were too aggressive. Too primal. Too violent. Ludi… well… she loved it.
Opening her eyes back up, she briefly noticed the small red numbers in the corner of her field of vision. 22:45:49. She still had about 15 minutes before the meet. As she slowly “fought” her way to the bar area, Ludi couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous about the whole gig. The club was her sort of scene, at least it used to be. But the fact she had no idea “who” she was meeting made her uneasy. She didn’t even have a name.
12:55:24 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"Depends, what's the profit sharing going to be? It might be difficult to locate someone on such short notice, but depending on the money I think I may have a contact who is available." Zeyda smiles, a crafty look which overtakes the tension on his face. Tony gets the impression that it has more to do with the upcoming phonecall than any additional monies the fixer stands to make.
"Depends, what's the profit sharing going to be? It might be difficult to locate someone on such short notice, but depending on the money I think I may have a contact who is available." Zeyda smiles, a crafty look which overtakes the tension on his face. Tony gets the impression that it has more to do with the upcoming phonecall than any additional monies the fixer stands to make.
12:56:18 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Rock and a hard place Tony thought, considering the job and noticing Zedya's features; he probably would have chalked it up to normal on the job strain except for that. "Depends. I'll say up to half, depending on just how trustworthy he or she is and how much I have to beat them to get the job done."
Taking a sip of beer, he explained the last bit. "I've not had a great run with our more, shall we say, electronically inclined friends lately," Tony drawled, shrugging.
Rock and a hard place Tony thought, considering the job and noticing Zedya's features; he probably would have chalked it up to normal on the job strain except for that. "Depends. I'll say up to half, depending on just how trustworthy he or she is and how much I have to beat them to get the job done."
Taking a sip of beer, he explained the last bit. "I've not had a great run with our more, shall we say, electronically inclined friends lately," Tony drawled, shrugging.
12:56:41 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Zeyda chuckles.
"Oh, don't worry about that, this one likes to get her hands dirty. She's a good operator, but she's got some idosyncrasies you might find amusing. I'll give her a call and see if I can't arrange a meeting for tonight. Sound good?"
Zeyda chuckles.
"Oh, don't worry about that, this one likes to get her hands dirty. She's a good operator, but she's got some idosyncrasies you might find amusing. I'll give her a call and see if I can't arrange a meeting for tonight. Sound good?"
12:57:09 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Tony took another draw of beer, finishing the glass. Still don't know what time for Reign's thing, he thought as he set down the glass. "Sounds good, we'll set up the time."
"You ok? You look a little tense for someone that just made some nuyen," Tony said, grinning to take any sting out of the words.
Tony took another draw of beer, finishing the glass. Still don't know what time for Reign's thing, he thought as he set down the glass. "Sounds good, we'll set up the time."
"You ok? You look a little tense for someone that just made some nuyen," Tony said, grinning to take any sting out of the words.
12:57:32 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Zeyda nods, a momentary expression of puzzlement flickering across his face at Tony's question. He shrugs.
"Yeah. Believe it or not, some business meetings aren't as amicable as these. I have clients who are more like sharks than wolves. They won't eat you as long as you give them something tastier and easier to digest. But you're never entirely off the menu."
Zeyda nods, a momentary expression of puzzlement flickering across his face at Tony's question. He shrugs.
"Yeah. Believe it or not, some business meetings aren't as amicable as these. I have clients who are more like sharks than wolves. They won't eat you as long as you give them something tastier and easier to digest. But you're never entirely off the menu."
12:57:52 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Tony nodded, slowly twirling the bottom of the glass on the table. While the corporate 'sharks' he'd been employed by weren't as immediately dangerous as the ones his fixer ran into every day, they were just as ferocious in the long term. The guy immediately proceeding him looked like one.
“I’ll take being called a wolf as a complement,” Tony grinned, typing out a few lines on his psec. “Forgot a couple of things, since I’m not quite as broke as I thought,” he said, transmitting the revised list over to Zedya.
Tony nodded, slowly twirling the bottom of the glass on the table. While the corporate 'sharks' he'd been employed by weren't as immediately dangerous as the ones his fixer ran into every day, they were just as ferocious in the long term. The guy immediately proceeding him looked like one.
“I’ll take being called a wolf as a complement,” Tony grinned, typing out a few lines on his psec. “Forgot a couple of things, since I’m not quite as broke as I thought,” he said, transmitting the revised list over to Zedya.
10:39:55 Saturday, 13 January 2063 – Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Vedic nodded. He couldn't afford to not take the job, despite its obvious drawbacks. The incident at Domain had eliminated his ready cash reserves.
"Yeah, set it up. I can meet tonight if need be."
Vedic nodded. He couldn't afford to not take the job, despite its obvious drawbacks. The incident at Domain had eliminated his ready cash reserves.
"Yeah, set it up. I can meet tonight if need be."
12:58:07 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"36 hours is the best I can do, four frag and a pair of NS grenades. Forty nuyen apiece." Zeyda looks up from his pocket secretary, waiting for Tony's nod.
"36 hours is the best I can do, four frag and a pair of NS grenades. Forty nuyen apiece." Zeyda looks up from his pocket secretary, waiting for Tony's nod.
10:41:32 Saturday, 13 January 2063 – Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"Certainly. You'll get contact later this afternoon, say around 1600 or so?" Zedya said, typing some information into his psec. A few band members begain to show up on stage, unpacking various instruments. The sound carried in the mostly empty space of the bar.
"I'll have someone that you're looking for contact you before then if you want. There are a couple of people that fit what your looking for, I'll let them know you want to get in touch." Zedya finished, taking another sip of coffee.
"Certainly. You'll get contact later this afternoon, say around 1600 or so?" Zedya said, typing some information into his psec. A few band members begain to show up on stage, unpacking various instruments. The sound carried in the mostly empty space of the bar.
"I'll have someone that you're looking for contact you before then if you want. There are a couple of people that fit what your looking for, I'll let them know you want to get in touch." Zedya finished, taking another sip of coffee.
12:58:42 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"That'll work," Tony said, nodding affirmative after checking the time on his psec. Cutting it close, but it'll do, thinking of a time to hit the ersatz cyberclinic.
"That's all for me. You want the money now or pay on delivery?" Tony said, reaching in his pocket for a credstick.
"That'll work," Tony said, nodding affirmative after checking the time on his psec. Cutting it close, but it'll do, thinking of a time to hit the ersatz cyberclinic.
"That's all for me. You want the money now or pay on delivery?" Tony said, reaching in his pocket for a credstick.
10:41:49 Saturday, 13 January 2063 – Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"Excellent. If there's nothing else?" Vedic stands as he waits for Zeyda's reply, settling his long coat on his shoulders and glancing once around the bar.
"Excellent. If there's nothing else?" Vedic stands as he waits for Zeyda's reply, settling his long coat on his shoulders and glancing once around the bar.
12:59:02 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Zeyda shakes his head. "Cash on delivery, my friend, it's the only way to run a business."
Zeyda shakes his head. "Cash on delivery, my friend, it's the only way to run a business."
10:42:15 Saturday, 13 January 2063 – Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"Not unless you need anything," Zedya said, setting down his psec and looking up at the elf. The band members continued to unpack in the background, loud clacks from the stage almost hiding heavy boots walking up the stairs. A neatly dressed ork appeared from the head of the stairs, and went straight for the bar.
"Not unless you need anything," Zedya said, setting down his psec and looking up at the elf. The band members continued to unpack in the background, loud clacks from the stage almost hiding heavy boots walking up the stairs. A neatly dressed ork appeared from the head of the stairs, and went straight for the bar.
12:59:35 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"I hear ya. Shoot me over the name of the place to pick up those things and I think we'll be done," Tony said, zipping his jacket back up and trying to absorb as much warmth as he could before stepping back into the chilly afternoon.
"I hear ya. Shoot me over the name of the place to pick up those things and I think we'll be done," Tony said, zipping his jacket back up and trying to absorb as much warmth as he could before stepping back into the chilly afternoon.
13:00:28 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"Just stop off at the pick-up counter downstairs, it'll be under my name." Zeyda smiles. "If you're lucky, I might have 'em include a sandwich or something."
"Just stop off at the pick-up counter downstairs, it'll be under my name." Zeyda smiles. "If you're lucky, I might have 'em include a sandwich or something."
10:42:55 Saturday, 13 January 2063 – Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
Vedic shook his head.
"No, not at this time. I'll expect your call."
He nodded once to his fixer before making his way downstairs and into the chill of the day.
11:24:10 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
The digital clock on his bedside table read 11:24:12 when he finished cleaning. The apartment was spotless, gleaming in the dim light of midday. The last remaining antiseptic smell from the solvents he used was vanishing beneath the light smoke of sandalwood incense. All his clothes and gear were stowed away for once, his bed neatly made with fresh linens, the kitchen devoid of dirty dishes. He surveyed his work with a critical eye as he stripped off his sweat stained clothes, orienting himself to the purpose of the day.
Vedic adhered to no single martial arts tradition. It wouldn’t even be appropriate to call him a mixed martial artist, although that ‘style’ fit closer than any other. He’d taken footwork, strikes, blocks, and combinations from over a dozen different styles and adapted them to his own body mechanics. This wasn’t normally a problem, as his fighting ability was simply a tool with which to accomplish his goals. But what of the mental aspect of his training? Without an art to follow, he had no ‘spiritual’ grounding, no history of meditation or cleansing ritual to employ when he sought a moment of introspection.
His solution to this problem was as utilitarian as everything else about his life. After doing some research into the matter, he devised a simple ritual that he felt was appropriate. It hadn’t been as easy as he’d hoped, human beings have been seeking enlightenment since the dawn of the concept. The paths towards a higher spiritual plane were myriad, varied, and often contradictory. In the end, he dispensed with much of what he’d read online and gone with a minimalist approach that combined the aspects of who he perceived himself to be. All that was left now was to try.
With his home clean, it was time to clean himself. He showered deliberately, but not at his usual rapid pace. Speed was not the goal here, it was his movements inside the ritual. Naked, he moved to the mat set up in the center of his room. Vedic had chosen to orient himself so that he faced to the North. Many religions believed that direction played a key role during prayer. Muslims prayed toward Mecca, Catholic churches were oriented East-West. The Egyptians believed that the land of the dead lay to the West. He chose North, specifically magnetic North, for himself. If it some kind of geomantic power were to exist, it would surely have its maximum effect in parallel to the Earth’s lines of magnetic force. Sitting cross-legged on the mat, he cradled the shallow saucer of water in his hands, resting them comfortably on his thighs. Closing his eyes, he began.
Vedic began by making himself aware of his surroundings: the brush of air across his skin from the heating vent, the pressure of the mat beneath him, the sixty hertz hum of his telecom unit, the pulse of traffic through the streets outside, the voices shouting from the apartment below his, the rotor drone cruising down the alley. Then, one by one, he eliminated them from his sphere of attention. The world quieted slowly, meter by meter, until all he could hear was the regular tick of his heartbeat. He stepped away from his skin, leaving those last sensations behind. All that was left was the rhythm of his breathing and the blood moving through his veins. Gradually, he slowed that as well, regulating his autonomic functions with the precision of a metronome. Almost before he was done he could feel it, the globe of dark energy hovering just behind his breastbone. He watched it, fascinated, as if he were outside his body and staring through skin and muscle. It pulsed in time to the slow rhythm of his heartbeat, waxing and waning in brightness. With a touch of intellect alone, he cupped the singularity of will. In response, the globe expanded, washing outwards slowly like ink staining a cloth. It drooled down across his midsection, pooling outwards over his legs. It lapped upwards through his chest, a tide of living energy. It filled him, this black power, incandescent with possibility.
His skin crawling with the power of his mind, Vedic turned his attention to the surface of the water held in the saucer. It was mirror flat, reflecting back the image of his body lit from within by his willpower. As he watched, though, the surface of the water began to flake away, as if it were a mirror rusting through. The image revealed was one of pure Chaos, a vicious cacophony of energy. This was the World behind the world, the Reality underlying the universe. Vedic concentrated as if his vision were a microscope, closing in on the water until he could see a single molecule suspended in space before him. Reaching out, he touched one of the atoms, watching as energy leapt from his fingertip into the molecule. Responding to his touch, the energy states of the atoms increased, the frequencies of their oscillations rising. He added more molecules into his field of regard, exciting them as well, watching them begin to collide with one another in an increasingly frantic dance. Slowly, ever so slowly he stepped his vision out until he once again saw the surface of the water. The swirling energies it reflected, though, were not behind the surface, but contained within a column of boiling water.
Reaching into himself, Vedic systematically opened all of the barriers he’d erected around his psyche. All the doors of his soul unlocked at his touch, the dark truth of his being laid bare to the World. For a moment, silence filled him. Then, as if a circuit breaker had suddenly been thrown, power surged through him. The water column exploded into steam, the channel between the two worlds disrupting its cohesion.
Drawing a deep breath, Vedic opened his eyes. The last rays of sunlight filtered into the room, casting shadows across his skin. With care, he set aside the empty saucer and stood. Rolling out his shoulders, he flexed his arms and legs, feeling the energy coursing through him. He smiled, lips pulling back in a brutal expression of predatory joy and hunger. Sliding back into his stance, he ran through the angles once, slowly, then at speed.
Let the evolution begin!
Vedic shook his head.
"No, not at this time. I'll expect your call."
He nodded once to his fixer before making his way downstairs and into the chill of the day.
11:24:10 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
The digital clock on his bedside table read 11:24:12 when he finished cleaning. The apartment was spotless, gleaming in the dim light of midday. The last remaining antiseptic smell from the solvents he used was vanishing beneath the light smoke of sandalwood incense. All his clothes and gear were stowed away for once, his bed neatly made with fresh linens, the kitchen devoid of dirty dishes. He surveyed his work with a critical eye as he stripped off his sweat stained clothes, orienting himself to the purpose of the day.
Vedic adhered to no single martial arts tradition. It wouldn’t even be appropriate to call him a mixed martial artist, although that ‘style’ fit closer than any other. He’d taken footwork, strikes, blocks, and combinations from over a dozen different styles and adapted them to his own body mechanics. This wasn’t normally a problem, as his fighting ability was simply a tool with which to accomplish his goals. But what of the mental aspect of his training? Without an art to follow, he had no ‘spiritual’ grounding, no history of meditation or cleansing ritual to employ when he sought a moment of introspection.
His solution to this problem was as utilitarian as everything else about his life. After doing some research into the matter, he devised a simple ritual that he felt was appropriate. It hadn’t been as easy as he’d hoped, human beings have been seeking enlightenment since the dawn of the concept. The paths towards a higher spiritual plane were myriad, varied, and often contradictory. In the end, he dispensed with much of what he’d read online and gone with a minimalist approach that combined the aspects of who he perceived himself to be. All that was left now was to try.
With his home clean, it was time to clean himself. He showered deliberately, but not at his usual rapid pace. Speed was not the goal here, it was his movements inside the ritual. Naked, he moved to the mat set up in the center of his room. Vedic had chosen to orient himself so that he faced to the North. Many religions believed that direction played a key role during prayer. Muslims prayed toward Mecca, Catholic churches were oriented East-West. The Egyptians believed that the land of the dead lay to the West. He chose North, specifically magnetic North, for himself. If it some kind of geomantic power were to exist, it would surely have its maximum effect in parallel to the Earth’s lines of magnetic force. Sitting cross-legged on the mat, he cradled the shallow saucer of water in his hands, resting them comfortably on his thighs. Closing his eyes, he began.
Vedic began by making himself aware of his surroundings: the brush of air across his skin from the heating vent, the pressure of the mat beneath him, the sixty hertz hum of his telecom unit, the pulse of traffic through the streets outside, the voices shouting from the apartment below his, the rotor drone cruising down the alley. Then, one by one, he eliminated them from his sphere of attention. The world quieted slowly, meter by meter, until all he could hear was the regular tick of his heartbeat. He stepped away from his skin, leaving those last sensations behind. All that was left was the rhythm of his breathing and the blood moving through his veins. Gradually, he slowed that as well, regulating his autonomic functions with the precision of a metronome. Almost before he was done he could feel it, the globe of dark energy hovering just behind his breastbone. He watched it, fascinated, as if he were outside his body and staring through skin and muscle. It pulsed in time to the slow rhythm of his heartbeat, waxing and waning in brightness. With a touch of intellect alone, he cupped the singularity of will. In response, the globe expanded, washing outwards slowly like ink staining a cloth. It drooled down across his midsection, pooling outwards over his legs. It lapped upwards through his chest, a tide of living energy. It filled him, this black power, incandescent with possibility.
His skin crawling with the power of his mind, Vedic turned his attention to the surface of the water held in the saucer. It was mirror flat, reflecting back the image of his body lit from within by his willpower. As he watched, though, the surface of the water began to flake away, as if it were a mirror rusting through. The image revealed was one of pure Chaos, a vicious cacophony of energy. This was the World behind the world, the Reality underlying the universe. Vedic concentrated as if his vision were a microscope, closing in on the water until he could see a single molecule suspended in space before him. Reaching out, he touched one of the atoms, watching as energy leapt from his fingertip into the molecule. Responding to his touch, the energy states of the atoms increased, the frequencies of their oscillations rising. He added more molecules into his field of regard, exciting them as well, watching them begin to collide with one another in an increasingly frantic dance. Slowly, ever so slowly he stepped his vision out until he once again saw the surface of the water. The swirling energies it reflected, though, were not behind the surface, but contained within a column of boiling water.
Reaching into himself, Vedic systematically opened all of the barriers he’d erected around his psyche. All the doors of his soul unlocked at his touch, the dark truth of his being laid bare to the World. For a moment, silence filled him. Then, as if a circuit breaker had suddenly been thrown, power surged through him. The water column exploded into steam, the channel between the two worlds disrupting its cohesion.
Drawing a deep breath, Vedic opened his eyes. The last rays of sunlight filtered into the room, casting shadows across his skin. With care, he set aside the empty saucer and stood. Rolling out his shoulders, he flexed his arms and legs, feeling the energy coursing through him. He smiled, lips pulling back in a brutal expression of predatory joy and hunger. Sliding back into his stance, he ran through the angles once, slowly, then at speed.
Let the evolution begin!
22:46:26 Saturday January 13, 2063; The Fun House, Downtown
Nodding her head to the pulsating beat as she elbowed her way to the bar, Ludi spared a moment to glance over at the band. All four members wore black sleeveless shirts and black jeans, and each had long hair that whipped around as they banged their heads in time to the aggressive music they played. The lead singer, who might have been an orc, hunched in front of the stage, feet shoulder-width apart, guitar in hand, and growled into the mic, almost biting-off each word in a distinctive fashion:
"Lashing out the action, returning the reaction!
Weak are ripped and torn away!
Hypnotizing power, crushing all that cower,
Battery is here to stay!
"Smashing through the boundaries,
lunacy has found me,
cannot stop the Battery!
Pounding out aggression,
turns into obsession,
cannot kill the Battery!
"Cannot kill the family,
Battery is found in me!
"Battery!!!"
The crowd in front of the stage cheered and moshed in time to the music, many pumping fists above their heads as they did so. Periodically, the Funhouse's trademark black and white checked floor could be seen. As she turned back towards the bar, Ludi also noted that the walls were decorated with mirrors and other carnival-inspired items. The bar itself, and the walls immediately surrounding, were covered with thousands upon thousands of stickers, most from bands who had played there. Hanging high behind the bar was a large sculpture of an evil-looking clown. From a previous visit, the russian woman remembered someone telling her that the clown, nicknamed "Spike," had once hung behind the stage, but the owners had gotten tired of repairing and/or replacing it after particlularly rowdy shows.
Finally shoving her way to the bar, Ludi waited until one of the bartenders noticed her, then ordered a beer. After it arrived, she made her way back out onto the floor, to the edge of the mosh-pit. She had a few minutes, and intended to enjoy herself while she waited, though she did scan the crowd regularly for anyone who looked anxious or out of place.
After listening to several songs, she'd nearly finished her beer when she noticed two younger guys in similar dress making thier way around the edge of the pit, obviously looking for someone. One was an orc, the other human, and both had cyberdeck hard-cases slung across their backs. Finally, the orc spotted her and nudged his smaller companion, and they both made their way over towards her.
Ludi noted that neither looked particularly nervous or out-of-place. Despite their obviously young age, they walked confidently up to her. In the background, the singer belted-out another song:
Shortest Straw
Challenge Liberty
Downed by Law
Live in Infamy
Rub You Raw
Witchhunt Riding Through
Shortest Straw
This Shortest Straw Has Been Pulled for You
Pulled for You
Shortest Straw
Pulled for You
Shortest Straw
Pulled for You
Shortest Straw
Shortest Straw Has Been Pulled for You
As the two gangers finally came to a stop in front of her, the human looked at his friend then turned to her and said, "I's Byte, n' dis is Scratch. You da Russian?"
Nodding her head to the pulsating beat as she elbowed her way to the bar, Ludi spared a moment to glance over at the band. All four members wore black sleeveless shirts and black jeans, and each had long hair that whipped around as they banged their heads in time to the aggressive music they played. The lead singer, who might have been an orc, hunched in front of the stage, feet shoulder-width apart, guitar in hand, and growled into the mic, almost biting-off each word in a distinctive fashion:
"Lashing out the action, returning the reaction!
Weak are ripped and torn away!
Hypnotizing power, crushing all that cower,
Battery is here to stay!
"Smashing through the boundaries,
lunacy has found me,
cannot stop the Battery!
Pounding out aggression,
turns into obsession,
cannot kill the Battery!
"Cannot kill the family,
Battery is found in me!
"Battery!!!"
The crowd in front of the stage cheered and moshed in time to the music, many pumping fists above their heads as they did so. Periodically, the Funhouse's trademark black and white checked floor could be seen. As she turned back towards the bar, Ludi also noted that the walls were decorated with mirrors and other carnival-inspired items. The bar itself, and the walls immediately surrounding, were covered with thousands upon thousands of stickers, most from bands who had played there. Hanging high behind the bar was a large sculpture of an evil-looking clown. From a previous visit, the russian woman remembered someone telling her that the clown, nicknamed "Spike," had once hung behind the stage, but the owners had gotten tired of repairing and/or replacing it after particlularly rowdy shows.
Finally shoving her way to the bar, Ludi waited until one of the bartenders noticed her, then ordered a beer. After it arrived, she made her way back out onto the floor, to the edge of the mosh-pit. She had a few minutes, and intended to enjoy herself while she waited, though she did scan the crowd regularly for anyone who looked anxious or out of place.
After listening to several songs, she'd nearly finished her beer when she noticed two younger guys in similar dress making thier way around the edge of the pit, obviously looking for someone. One was an orc, the other human, and both had cyberdeck hard-cases slung across their backs. Finally, the orc spotted her and nudged his smaller companion, and they both made their way over towards her.
Ludi noted that neither looked particularly nervous or out-of-place. Despite their obviously young age, they walked confidently up to her. In the background, the singer belted-out another song:
Shortest Straw
Challenge Liberty
Downed by Law
Live in Infamy
Rub You Raw
Witchhunt Riding Through
Shortest Straw
This Shortest Straw Has Been Pulled for You
Pulled for You
Shortest Straw
Pulled for You
Shortest Straw
Pulled for You
Shortest Straw
Shortest Straw Has Been Pulled for You
As the two gangers finally came to a stop in front of her, the human looked at his friend then turned to her and said, "I's Byte, n' dis is Scratch. You da Russian?"
22:45:37 Tuesday, 09 January, 2063 - One Lincoln Tower
Max had scene to it that Silverbird made it out of the building without a hitch. He had found out as much as he could have this evening, but the night was far from over. It took everything in his being to not move on the information he had gathered from the evenings ritual. Instead he busied himself with checking and double checking the items he new he was going to need for tonight.
He hadn't enough time or supplies to bind any spirits to him, though he was in general loath to do such things. He didn't like forcing beings to bend to his will and prefered to call for services instead, but tonight was different. It didn't matter what he had to do, if Keira and Nora were in or had been in that wharehouse that was where he was going. With his gear ready and his ballistic armour clothing and armored jacket shrugged back onto his shoulders he walked back to the lodge on his roof. He was going to call for some help for this evening and wanted to have everything set when John called.
Max had scene to it that Silverbird made it out of the building without a hitch. He had found out as much as he could have this evening, but the night was far from over. It took everything in his being to not move on the information he had gathered from the evenings ritual. Instead he busied himself with checking and double checking the items he new he was going to need for tonight.
He hadn't enough time or supplies to bind any spirits to him, though he was in general loath to do such things. He didn't like forcing beings to bend to his will and prefered to call for services instead, but tonight was different. It didn't matter what he had to do, if Keira and Nora were in or had been in that wharehouse that was where he was going. With his gear ready and his ballistic armour clothing and armored jacket shrugged back onto his shoulders he walked back to the lodge on his roof. He was going to call for some help for this evening and wanted to have everything set when John called.
17:18:10 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
Feeling the newfound energy channel through him, Vedic went through his routine; only this wasn't how he normally felt. The snap of his hand against the air seemed crisper, the kicks seemed sharper, the wing blocks defending against imagined blows dropped into place as if by thought alone. Testing his body, Vedic's will allowed him to ignore the pleading of the wound in his leg as he shifted stances, finally giving grudging acceptance of its almost healed state as he placed his weight on the limb. Euphoria and the will to command this energy, to bend it to his will and master it overtook him as he shadowboxed around the small room.
Vedic suddenly snapped out of his trance, sweat beading on his body as he reached for a towel to remove it. Strangely not exhausted, he fell back into a meditative pose. The energy he'd felt was still with him, was a palatable object in the room alone with himself. He could feel it still running through him, even in the motionless state that he was in. Relaxing, he tried dissociating himself from his environment again, step by step as before. No further power or vision reveled itself, just this power, still speaking to him in hushed tones. Vedic, after some struggle, finally silenced the voice but could not reconnect to what he'd felt before. Yet it said. Not yet, but soon.
Feeling the newfound energy channel through him, Vedic went through his routine; only this wasn't how he normally felt. The snap of his hand against the air seemed crisper, the kicks seemed sharper, the wing blocks defending against imagined blows dropped into place as if by thought alone. Testing his body, Vedic's will allowed him to ignore the pleading of the wound in his leg as he shifted stances, finally giving grudging acceptance of its almost healed state as he placed his weight on the limb. Euphoria and the will to command this energy, to bend it to his will and master it overtook him as he shadowboxed around the small room.
Vedic suddenly snapped out of his trance, sweat beading on his body as he reached for a towel to remove it. Strangely not exhausted, he fell back into a meditative pose. The energy he'd felt was still with him, was a palatable object in the room alone with himself. He could feel it still running through him, even in the motionless state that he was in. Relaxing, he tried dissociating himself from his environment again, step by step as before. No further power or vision reveled itself, just this power, still speaking to him in hushed tones. Vedic, after some struggle, finally silenced the voice but could not reconnect to what he'd felt before. Yet it said. Not yet, but soon.
22:58:04 Saturday January 13, 2063; The Fun House, Downtown
Seeing the two young men make their way towards her, Ludi hoped that they weren’t simply two drunken kids looking to pick up some hair head. Her head still turned toward the stage, her eyes kept darting back and forth between the deckers and the band. After a few seconds, she was finally convinced they were indeed coming her way. She downed what little was left her tasteless beer, switching the now empty plastic cup to her left hand. Miki always said her right hook could down any men. Ludmila flexed the knuckles of her right hand, feeling them crack and snap.
I don't know why
I'm paralyzed
If you don't get it you never will get it
If you just don't get it get out the way
Move
Motivation
Get into the groove
Motivation
I'm hypnotized
I don't know why I don't know
Why should I try
If you don't get it you never will get it
If you just don't get it get out the way
Get on your feet
I don't know why
Judging by the way they behaved in the crowd, they looked rather confident and at ease… which calmed Ludi a bit. At least… they didn’t seem like total fresh meat. But then again, in the shadows, you never knew. Appearances could easily fool you.
"I's Byte, n' dis is Scratch. You da Russian?"
Over the music, even with her amplified and fine tuned hearing, Ludi could barely make out the human’s words.
You da Russian. They’re either careful not to say my name… or they just don’t know it.
She looked at both of them for a few seconds, not immediately answering Byte’s question, as if she was hesitating. Ludmilla’s green eyes did a rapid survey of the crowd around them, making sure no one was paying too much attention to them. Once the woman was satisfied, she turned her attention back to Byte. She leaned slightly forward, getting her mouth close enough to his ears for him to hear her.
“Da. What can I do for you?”
Seeing the two young men make their way towards her, Ludi hoped that they weren’t simply two drunken kids looking to pick up some hair head. Her head still turned toward the stage, her eyes kept darting back and forth between the deckers and the band. After a few seconds, she was finally convinced they were indeed coming her way. She downed what little was left her tasteless beer, switching the now empty plastic cup to her left hand. Miki always said her right hook could down any men. Ludmila flexed the knuckles of her right hand, feeling them crack and snap.
I don't know why
I'm paralyzed
If you don't get it you never will get it
If you just don't get it get out the way
Move
Motivation
Get into the groove
Motivation
I'm hypnotized
I don't know why I don't know
Why should I try
If you don't get it you never will get it
If you just don't get it get out the way
Get on your feet
I don't know why
Judging by the way they behaved in the crowd, they looked rather confident and at ease… which calmed Ludi a bit. At least… they didn’t seem like total fresh meat. But then again, in the shadows, you never knew. Appearances could easily fool you.
"I's Byte, n' dis is Scratch. You da Russian?"
Over the music, even with her amplified and fine tuned hearing, Ludi could barely make out the human’s words.
You da Russian. They’re either careful not to say my name… or they just don’t know it.
She looked at both of them for a few seconds, not immediately answering Byte’s question, as if she was hesitating. Ludmilla’s green eyes did a rapid survey of the crowd around them, making sure no one was paying too much attention to them. Once the woman was satisfied, she turned her attention back to Byte. She leaned slightly forward, getting her mouth close enough to his ears for him to hear her.
“Da. What can I do for you?”
13:04:02 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
"As long as it isn't the Tri-Tip leftovers from yesterday," Tony said, grinning and getting up from the booth. Making his way downstairs, he walked over to the pickup window, moving amid the clank of dishes and silverware and barely dodging a waitress carrying a tray that looked as heavy as she was as she spun out of the kitchen.
'Pickup for Zedya," Tony said to a couple of waitstaff that were lounging around the window.
"As long as it isn't the Tri-Tip leftovers from yesterday," Tony said, grinning and getting up from the booth. Making his way downstairs, he walked over to the pickup window, moving amid the clank of dishes and silverware and barely dodging a waitress carrying a tray that looked as heavy as she was as she spun out of the kitchen.
'Pickup for Zedya," Tony said to a couple of waitstaff that were lounging around the window.
17:36:07 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
Vedic leaned over the counter, stirring his bowl of noodles with a pair of chopsticks. The news program playing in the main room was silent, text scrolling past on the bottom of the screen. Instead, the harsh electronic strains of Speed Coma filled the small apartment. He still wore his workout gear, not having bothered to change before reheating dinner.
Images of what he'd seen and felt during his meditation continued to flash across his vision, half-formed memories of the dark power flowing through him. He hadn't expected this initial session to accomplish as much as it had, nor as quickly. If possible, he would have liked to dissect the experiment further, to refine and optimize the processes of his evolution. But too many variables existed, too many unknowns and not enough equations to get them all to fall out.
With a soft exhalation, he glanced over the notes he made while waiting for his dinner to heat. The page of script, sixty or so lines of his precise handwriting was as accurate a reconstruction of the events of the past six hours as far as he could remember. In time, he hoped to have a detailed enough journal to allow him to determine precisely the mechanism by which his meditation succeeded.
Finished with his dinner, Vedic set the bowl aside and went to shower. With any luck, Zeyda would call soon, and he could get on with the evening's business.
Vedic leaned over the counter, stirring his bowl of noodles with a pair of chopsticks. The news program playing in the main room was silent, text scrolling past on the bottom of the screen. Instead, the harsh electronic strains of Speed Coma filled the small apartment. He still wore his workout gear, not having bothered to change before reheating dinner.
Images of what he'd seen and felt during his meditation continued to flash across his vision, half-formed memories of the dark power flowing through him. He hadn't expected this initial session to accomplish as much as it had, nor as quickly. If possible, he would have liked to dissect the experiment further, to refine and optimize the processes of his evolution. But too many variables existed, too many unknowns and not enough equations to get them all to fall out.
With a soft exhalation, he glanced over the notes he made while waiting for his dinner to heat. The page of script, sixty or so lines of his precise handwriting was as accurate a reconstruction of the events of the past six hours as far as he could remember. In time, he hoped to have a detailed enough journal to allow him to determine precisely the mechanism by which his meditation succeeded.
Finished with his dinner, Vedic set the bowl aside and went to shower. With any luck, Zeyda would call soon, and he could get on with the evening's business.
22:59:54 Saturday January 13, 2063; The Fun House, Downtown
“Da. What can I do for you?”
Byte glanced at his companion before yelling back, "Z sen'chu, ka?"
Ludi blinked, taken aback by the cityspeak for a moment, before finally puzzling it out. "Da."
Scratch smiled. "Good. Can't be too careful, right? Let's go somewhere quieter and talk."
Ludi followed as the two gangers led her deeper into the club. Near the bar, Byte broke away and spoke with a bouncer-type who nodded and stood to open a door for the three. As she followed Scratch in, the slim russian glanced back as Byte slipped the bouncer something slickly. The decker winked when he noticed that he was being watched, then moved to lead the way past a cooler and a couple of storage areas to a small office. Once all three were inside, he closed the door and looked at Scratch.
The orc smiled at Ludi and offered her the lone chair. She declined with a quick shake of the head. Better to be standing if trouble started. Scratch shrugged and leaned against the cluttered desk, while Byte took the vacant chair. The small ganger promptly spun around in the chair, in a strangely child-like action.
Shaking his head at his partner's antics, Scratch turned back to Ludi. "So, uh, I guess if you're here you're probably interested in helping us out, right? Zeyda said that it was up to us to work out your fee, right? So what, uh, are your rates?"
“Da. What can I do for you?”
Byte glanced at his companion before yelling back, "Z sen'chu, ka?"
Ludi blinked, taken aback by the cityspeak for a moment, before finally puzzling it out. "Da."
Scratch smiled. "Good. Can't be too careful, right? Let's go somewhere quieter and talk."
Ludi followed as the two gangers led her deeper into the club. Near the bar, Byte broke away and spoke with a bouncer-type who nodded and stood to open a door for the three. As she followed Scratch in, the slim russian glanced back as Byte slipped the bouncer something slickly. The decker winked when he noticed that he was being watched, then moved to lead the way past a cooler and a couple of storage areas to a small office. Once all three were inside, he closed the door and looked at Scratch.
The orc smiled at Ludi and offered her the lone chair. She declined with a quick shake of the head. Better to be standing if trouble started. Scratch shrugged and leaned against the cluttered desk, while Byte took the vacant chair. The small ganger promptly spun around in the chair, in a strangely child-like action.
Shaking his head at his partner's antics, Scratch turned back to Ludi. "So, uh, I guess if you're here you're probably interested in helping us out, right? Zeyda said that it was up to us to work out your fee, right? So what, uh, are your rates?"
22:51:02 Saturday January 13, 2063; The Fun House, Downtown
Ludi eyed the two gangers. Somehow, she found it a bit strange that men like these would know Zeyda... especially after seeing Byte's behavior. She wasn't knew to eccentricity, especially not in this day and age. Zeyda knew his stuff; if he had sent Ludi in, it's because he knew the job was good, or at least that the ones offering it were somewhat serious.
With the tip of her fingers, she gently brushed a small strand of hair out of her eyes.
"I would like to get details of the job first. I was told you needed... how to say... insurances for some kind of deal, da?"
Ludi eyed the two gangers. Somehow, she found it a bit strange that men like these would know Zeyda... especially after seeing Byte's behavior. She wasn't knew to eccentricity, especially not in this day and age. Zeyda knew his stuff; if he had sent Ludi in, it's because he knew the job was good, or at least that the ones offering it were somewhat serious.
With the tip of her fingers, she gently brushed a small strand of hair out of her eyes.
"I would like to get details of the job first. I was told you needed... how to say... insurances for some kind of deal, da?"
17:45:07 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
Vedic was most of the way through his shower when he heard his commlink vibrating on the bathroom countertop. Reaching out with a soapy arm, he saw an LTG number come up that he didn't recognize.
"Is this Vedic? " a female voice asked, very tentetivly before he had the chance to identify himself.
Vedic was most of the way through his shower when he heard his commlink vibrating on the bathroom countertop. Reaching out with a soapy arm, he saw an LTG number come up that he didn't recognize.
"Is this Vedic? " a female voice asked, very tentetivly before he had the chance to identify himself.
13:15:40 Saturday, 13 January 2063-Outside Miner's Landing, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS
The waiters busied themselves for a moment, looking at the collected take-out bags. “Nothing here for him. You sure you have the right name?” a waiter asked. “May not be ready yet, I'll check back later,” Tony said, trying not to express any embarrassment at the violation of protocal. Idiot he thought to himself, walking past the hostess and out into the still chilly afternoon. The wind from the nearby sound burned his cheeks as he moved down the block to where his car was, hopefully, still parked.
Need to make some plans he thought, pulling out his psec and dialing a now familiar number. Hope she isn't getting any beauty sleep he though as he hit the talk button for Reign's LTG number.
The waiters busied themselves for a moment, looking at the collected take-out bags. “Nothing here for him. You sure you have the right name?” a waiter asked. “May not be ready yet, I'll check back later,” Tony said, trying not to express any embarrassment at the violation of protocal. Idiot he thought to himself, walking past the hostess and out into the still chilly afternoon. The wind from the nearby sound burned his cheeks as he moved down the block to where his car was, hopefully, still parked.
Need to make some plans he thought, pulling out his psec and dialing a now familiar number. Hope she isn't getting any beauty sleep he though as he hit the talk button for Reign's LTG number.
17:45:13 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
With his left hand, Vedic shut the water off in the shower, shaking his head once to clear the water away.
"Who's asking?"
With his left hand, Vedic shut the water off in the shower, shaking his head once to clear the water away.
"Who's asking?"
17:45:37 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
'My name is Vanessa. Zedya told me to call you about a problem I'm having," the voice said, more strongly than earlier.
'My name is Vanessa. Zedya told me to call you about a problem I'm having," the voice said, more strongly than earlier.
17:45:55 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
Vedic nodded to himself, opening a text screen on his phone to receive notes.
"I would prefer to discuss your problem face to face. Is there somewhere you'd feel comfortable meeting in an hour?"
Vedic nodded to himself, opening a text screen on his phone to receive notes.
"I would prefer to discuss your problem face to face. Is there somewhere you'd feel comfortable meeting in an hour?"
17:46:08 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
"Um, sure," Vanessa said, again unsteady and pausing for a moment. Vedic listened, but could not hear any background noise in the call. No rustleing of papers, none of the everpresent background sounds of the Sprawl.
"Can you meet me at the Paradigm Shift? That club over toward the barrens?" she asked.
"Um, sure," Vanessa said, again unsteady and pausing for a moment. Vedic listened, but could not hear any background noise in the call. No rustleing of papers, none of the everpresent background sounds of the Sprawl.
"Can you meet me at the Paradigm Shift? That club over toward the barrens?" she asked.
17:46:26 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
"The Paradigm Shift at 1900, then. Do you own a red scarf?"
He wondered at the lack of ambient noise in the transmission. He would have to ask her about it.
"The Paradigm Shift at 1900, then. Do you own a red scarf?"
He wondered at the lack of ambient noise in the transmission. He would have to ask her about it.
17:46:34 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
"No, but I do have a red hat. I'll wear that, and I'll be by the bar. You find me, I'll be there." Vanessa said. The same lack of ambient sound in the call came through, then ended with the call.
"No, but I do have a red hat. I'll wear that, and I'll be by the bar. You find me, I'll be there." Vanessa said. The same lack of ambient sound in the call came through, then ended with the call.
17:46:42 Saturday 13 January 2063 - 3500 68th St NE #206, Seattle, UCAS
Vedic held the transceiver to his ear for a moment longer, his head tilted to one side. Replacing it on the countertop, he turned the water back on.
What problem does Vanessa have that she needs someone with my talents to solve?
He stood motionless beneath the water, feeling it cascade over his shoulders. With a sigh, he shut off the water again. Towelling off, he reached for his phone again.
"Vanessa just called. If she isn't your contact, then we have a problem."
Zeyda's dry chuckle sounded over the welcome din of the Landing.
"She's clear. Anything else?"
"Status on personnel?" Vedic draped his towel over the rack, heading out into his bedroom to dress.
"Still in work. I'll advise as soon as there's a change."
"Out." Vedic tossed the phone onto the bed and began gearing up. It was always the same: Underwear, 5.11 tac pants, t-shirt, socks, boots. The Ikon went on his left forearm. His belt was woven carbon fiber, with a matte polymer buckle. Secured by a slim velcro strap was a second, triangular buckle. Rated for a thousand kilos, it served as a climbing harness. The Predator IV rode in a Blackhawk Serpatech holster clipped just behind his right hip, where it would be covered by his overshirt. A pair of clips balanced the weight of the weapon on his left hip. Tucked into his back left pocket, along with a new pair of bandanas to replace the pair that were burned after the shooting, was a Surefire E2D defender flashlight. The LED bulb was designed to give a brilliant shadowless beam, while the hard anodized aluminum casing served as a weight and fulcrum for hand and nerve strikes. In his left front pocket was his Benchmade folder, the tanto point Stryker. His overshirt came from the 5.11 Actioneer line as well, being a dressed up BDU top. The many pockets were tucked away behind velcro closures, preserving the illusion that it was a simple dress shirt. Finally, he settles his longcoat over his shoulders, checking to make sure his shock gloves were stashed in the pockets, ready for immediate wear. Gear up complete, he turned off the lights in the apartment, and headed out.
Vedic held the transceiver to his ear for a moment longer, his head tilted to one side. Replacing it on the countertop, he turned the water back on.
What problem does Vanessa have that she needs someone with my talents to solve?
He stood motionless beneath the water, feeling it cascade over his shoulders. With a sigh, he shut off the water again. Towelling off, he reached for his phone again.
"Vanessa just called. If she isn't your contact, then we have a problem."
Zeyda's dry chuckle sounded over the welcome din of the Landing.
"She's clear. Anything else?"
"Status on personnel?" Vedic draped his towel over the rack, heading out into his bedroom to dress.
"Still in work. I'll advise as soon as there's a change."
"Out." Vedic tossed the phone onto the bed and began gearing up. It was always the same: Underwear, 5.11 tac pants, t-shirt, socks, boots. The Ikon went on his left forearm. His belt was woven carbon fiber, with a matte polymer buckle. Secured by a slim velcro strap was a second, triangular buckle. Rated for a thousand kilos, it served as a climbing harness. The Predator IV rode in a Blackhawk Serpatech holster clipped just behind his right hip, where it would be covered by his overshirt. A pair of clips balanced the weight of the weapon on his left hip. Tucked into his back left pocket, along with a new pair of bandanas to replace the pair that were burned after the shooting, was a Surefire E2D defender flashlight. The LED bulb was designed to give a brilliant shadowless beam, while the hard anodized aluminum casing served as a weight and fulcrum for hand and nerve strikes. In his left front pocket was his Benchmade folder, the tanto point Stryker. His overshirt came from the 5.11 Actioneer line as well, being a dressed up BDU top. The many pockets were tucked away behind velcro closures, preserving the illusion that it was a simple dress shirt. Finally, he settles his longcoat over his shoulders, checking to make sure his shock gloves were stashed in the pockets, ready for immediate wear. Gear up complete, he turned off the lights in the apartment, and headed out.
18:37:09 Saturday 13 January 2063 - Paradigm Shift, Touristville, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS
Vedic glanced right as the bouncer checked his ID, having waited in the line for the better part of fifteen minutes. The oversized troll glanced him up and down before returning the card and waving him through the door. With a conscious effort to ease the tension in his jaw, and ignore the itch on the back of his neck, he followed the line down to the weapons check. Security sensors lined the entrance hall, artfully concealed but distinctive nonetheless. Backed up by the gillettes in suits, the woman manning the checkpoint flashed a flawless but emotionally vacant smile. Vedic set his pistol on the table, along with his knife. He glanced at the three security personnel. The razor on the left patted his left hip and Vedic held out the flashlight. The razor nodded, and Vedic stepped past the check and into the club.
Vedic glanced right as the bouncer checked his ID, having waited in the line for the better part of fifteen minutes. The oversized troll glanced him up and down before returning the card and waving him through the door. With a conscious effort to ease the tension in his jaw, and ignore the itch on the back of his neck, he followed the line down to the weapons check. Security sensors lined the entrance hall, artfully concealed but distinctive nonetheless. Backed up by the gillettes in suits, the woman manning the checkpoint flashed a flawless but emotionally vacant smile. Vedic set his pistol on the table, along with his knife. He glanced at the three security personnel. The razor on the left patted his left hip and Vedic held out the flashlight. The razor nodded, and Vedic stepped past the check and into the club.
23:02:19 Saturday January 13, 2063; The Fun House, Downtown
Byte snorted in laughter and spun around in the office chair. "Fra'gn en-sure-ance! Dedeye, ifz ya sezn'na hawdhewp g'lette ta buh-LAY-kit we'z ten'r nibblits! Jis from'n dis ta deedzb'n g'down wif'da J n'da p-dat, ka? Nut'nbut gee-lide f'rna nayl'z canny'cn k'nyaz. See-lawt'n ruhn, ka?" That said, the young ganger grinned and noisly wiped his nose with the back of his hand.
Stunned into silence, Ludmilla simply stared at the boy, noticing for the first time that he might have been 15. For his part, Byte didn't seem at all concerned with the scrutiny, and proceeded to spin around again. Finally, she shook her head and turned to the young orc.
Scratch's age was harder for her to determine, since orcs were physically mature at an early age. Still, if pressed, Ludi decided that he couldn't have been much older than his friend. The whole scene was starting to get on her nerves. "Ch`to ...what does he say?"
Scratch leaned against the desk, a crooked grin displaying chipped tusks. "Sorry, 'bout that. Byte takes some gettin' used to, right?" He looked down at his friend, who grinned and nodded. "He says that it's a simple data exchange. We need protection just long enough to make sure the J don't try and slot us, right? Simple. If you're as tough as Zeyda says, should be easy money."
Byte snorted in laughter and spun around in the office chair. "Fra'gn en-sure-ance! Dedeye, ifz ya sezn'na hawdhewp g'lette ta buh-LAY-kit we'z ten'r nibblits! Jis from'n dis ta deedzb'n g'down wif'da J n'da p-dat, ka? Nut'nbut gee-lide f'rna nayl'z canny'cn k'nyaz. See-lawt'n ruhn, ka?" That said, the young ganger grinned and noisly wiped his nose with the back of his hand.
Stunned into silence, Ludmilla simply stared at the boy, noticing for the first time that he might have been 15. For his part, Byte didn't seem at all concerned with the scrutiny, and proceeded to spin around again. Finally, she shook her head and turned to the young orc.
Scratch's age was harder for her to determine, since orcs were physically mature at an early age. Still, if pressed, Ludi decided that he couldn't have been much older than his friend. The whole scene was starting to get on her nerves. "Ch`to ...what does he say?"
Scratch leaned against the desk, a crooked grin displaying chipped tusks. "Sorry, 'bout that. Byte takes some gettin' used to, right?" He looked down at his friend, who grinned and nodded. "He says that it's a simple data exchange. We need protection just long enough to make sure the J don't try and slot us, right? Simple. If you're as tough as Zeyda says, should be easy money."
23:02:57 Saturday January 13, 2063; The Fun House, Downtown
As Byte spoke, Ludmilla could do nothing but simply stare at him with a confused expression her face. Mouth slightly open, brow furrowed, she stood silent for a few seconds once he was done talking. She had, of course, picked up on a few words here and there, but nothing that made any sort of sense to her.
When Scratch finally translated what his friend had said, some of his lingo started making some more sense to the Russian. Nevertheless, it got on her nerves… a lot. If the drek ever hit the fan, communication would be, at best, difficult.
Taking her pack of cigarette from one of her many pockets, she started hitting against her fingers to slide one out.
“There is never such a thing as” she pulled the cigarette out of the pack with her lips “easy money.”
Putting the pack away, she left the cigarette glued to the corner of her mouth without lighting it. Ludi wasn’t particularly new to the kind of job these two deckers were offering her, but she had rarely done any work outside of the Vory. The woman was about to ask for 500 a head… but was reminded of something Mikhail had told her: “Always ask for more than you actually want”.
Ludi’s eyes went from Scratch, to Byte, and back again. She spoke with as much detachment as she could.
“One grand a head.”
As Byte spoke, Ludmilla could do nothing but simply stare at him with a confused expression her face. Mouth slightly open, brow furrowed, she stood silent for a few seconds once he was done talking. She had, of course, picked up on a few words here and there, but nothing that made any sort of sense to her.
When Scratch finally translated what his friend had said, some of his lingo started making some more sense to the Russian. Nevertheless, it got on her nerves… a lot. If the drek ever hit the fan, communication would be, at best, difficult.
Taking her pack of cigarette from one of her many pockets, she started hitting against her fingers to slide one out.
“There is never such a thing as” she pulled the cigarette out of the pack with her lips “easy money.”
Putting the pack away, she left the cigarette glued to the corner of her mouth without lighting it. Ludi wasn’t particularly new to the kind of job these two deckers were offering her, but she had rarely done any work outside of the Vory. The woman was about to ask for 500 a head… but was reminded of something Mikhail had told her: “Always ask for more than you actually want”.
Ludi’s eyes went from Scratch, to Byte, and back again. She spoke with as much detachment as she could.
“One grand a head.”
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