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Links:
UV93 OOC Discussion Thread (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=78.0)
UV93 OOC Bio Thread (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=79.0)
This thread is only for IC play. Please read the first post in the UV93 Discussion for the rules before you post here. Any OOC posts will be deleted by the mods. Thank you.
Bull
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//…Load Shadowland 4.7 Software? (Y/N)
//…Shadowland 4.7 Loading….
//…Newer Version Found. Download Shadowland 7.2? (Y/N)
//…Update Aborted
//…Loading Custom Scripts
//…Reticulating Splines
//…Shadowland 4.7 Is Now Loaded. Thank You.
>>>>>[Welcome to the new Shadowland 4.7! I’m not going to bother giving you all the boring details behind what’s new with this version of the software. Suffice it to say, it’s got some better security and has some better data compression rates. Deon’t try fragging with the backend though, chummers, or I’ll kick your hoops back to the stone age.]<<<<<
-- Captain Chaos (12:33:51/03-12-57)
>>>>>[Oh frag. I wasn’t expecting to see that when I booted this up. Damn. Ghosts from the past. I never really knew Cap, except by reputation and in passing. We didn’t hang out or anything. But still, he was a chummer. One of the old guard. I’d take him by my side over any 10 of these kids today that call themselves “hackers”. Too many of them are gone now. This biz chews you up and spits you out like day old soy-burgers.
Well, that was a bit more melancholy than I expected for the grand opening of Virtual Underworld 93. There’s a lesson there for you, though. No matter how smart you are, no matter how good you are, no matter how long you’ve been doing this…you can still be surprised.
Here’s to Cap, and all those who came before. May we honor their memory, while we try to avoid becoming memories.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (20:46:22/09/04/72)
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>>>>>[Immortality is achieved by becoming a part of the collective memories of those you leave behind. In that regard, Cap will always be with us.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (20:18:30/09-04-72)
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>>>>>[There are times when people wish to remain memories. Not everyone lost wishes to be found.]<<<<<
-- Moreau(20:47:25/09-04-72)
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>>>>>[Ok. So you set up a new BBS, using some code that's older than dirt. I used to play with this code like Legos when I was 10, remember? You're too damn sentimental, old man. It's gonna be the death of you someday. Seriously. Have any of you actually worked with MacCallister yet? He carries a goddamn cyebrdeck around still. Well, to be fair, it's just the 'deck case. He's got a top of the line Commlink inside the thing, so don't let him fool you. But still. Can you imagine having to actually go on a shadowrun lugging something like that around?]<<<<<
-- Tauren (21:24:44/09-04-72)
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>>>>>[Does he go around lookin' for something to jack in to? <har-har>]<<<<<
-- Bear (21:19:47/09-04-72)
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>>>>>[It's so nice to see the respect of the youth today. A slight word of advice: pay attention. You just might learn something.]<<<<<
-- Nomad (23:06:53/09-04-72)
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>>>>>[Woah, funky formatting. This is a bit different than ShadowSEA,
Anyway, I'm intern down at the Governor's office. Apparently there's some big push by the meta-rights groups going on. Anyone know what that's all about?]<<<<<
-- Legal Eagle (10:50:25/09-05-72)
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>>>>>[Tauren, you dropped soemthing while we were getting off that island. Forgot to give it back to you on the boat ride home. Drop me a message, I'll get it back to you! We should do a trip like that again!]<<<<<
-- Stevesie(12:54:12/09-05-72)
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>>>>>[Any idea when MagickNet is going back up? I need to compare some notes on some AmerInd pottery shards I recently found, and my local lodge doesn't have the information I need - and I highly doubt the local universities are going to let a Poor Ork Boy look at their files.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula(10:54:11/09-05-72)
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>>>>>[This takes me back to the day. I wish I could find some of the old crew. I could use some of that professionalism these days.]<<<<<
--Wayfinder (23:10:52/09-05-72)
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>>>>>[Just came back from a midnight run to the Stuffer Shack and McHugh's. Some damn fool street gang tried to hold the Shack up while I was there. Led to a firefight between them, me and some other 'concerned citizens. I swear it's gonna take me a week to wash the blue goo out of my dreads.
Ever happen to anyone else?]<<<<<
-- Bear (01:17:29/09-06-72)
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>>>>>[It's funny, Bear. I've been doing this for over 20 years, and almost every runner has a story about when they were first starting out, and how some drekhead gangers tried to rob a Stuffer Shack, leading to a firefight.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (10:43:16/09-06-72)
>>>>>[I don't get it. Why rob the place? They don't usually carry physical currency these days, do they?]<<<<<
-- GnuB (10:45:43/09-06-72)
>>>>>[It depends. They occasionally have some actual Corp Scrip lying around, and even more rarely some UCAS Dollars. More often than not though, they're just there for the thrill and maybe to snag some Nuke-Em Burgers and some cheap booze.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (10:45:43/09-06-72)
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>>>>>[It might be some sort of right of passage among the gangs too.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (12:01:34/09-06-72)
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>>>>>[Whoa, ancient code here. Anyway, got jumped at a stuffer shack last week, barely got out with my tail intact. No idea how many gangers needed to take me, but saw how many they were gonna use.]<<<<<
-- Tekdrake (23:42:34/09-06-72)
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>>>>>[Whoa, ancient code here. Anyway, got jumped at a stuffer shack last week, barely got out with my tail intact. No idea how many gangers needed to take me, but saw how many they were gonna use.]<<<<<
-- Tekdrake (23:42:34/09-06-72)
>>>>>[Ugh. Gangers are getting worse and worse these days. I hate to sound like an old fogey, but back in my day, kids knew respect - and they didn't have all this ARO crop to ping you with, either! I'm a shaman! Stop harassing me online, you bastards, or I'll make you think you're a frog!]<<<<<
-- Texas_Tarantula (08:47:22/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[What's a frog?]<<<<<
-- Bear (09:03:44/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[Get out of the basement Bear, there's a word outside you can live in as well. There is plenty of stuff there... includin natural light!]<<<<<
-- Moreau (09:13:22/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[Sez the man without a allergy to sunlight. There's a reason I work the shadows, omae.]<<<<<
-- Bear (10:21:28/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[Ugh. Gangers are getting worse and worse these days. I hate to sound like an old fogey, but back in my day, kids knew respect - and they didn't have all this ARO crop to ping you with, either! I'm a shaman! Stop harassing me online, you bastards, or I'll make you think you're a frog!]<<<<<
-- Texas_Tarantula (08:47:22/09-07-72)
>>>>>[Why make 'em think they were a frog, and just turn 'em into one instead?]<<<<<
-- Tekdrake (11:48:54/09-07-72)
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>>>//error//>>{uploads 25¥ each online user}>>> [Drek stupid scrag code, damn you if you think fat troll fingers don't cost money...well with that at least someone is going to get a drink out of my hide! On that thought know any Troll friendly pubs? Just in off the old ferry and by god it was a long scraggen trip over the pond, around the channel and up the coast.]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori (12:58:31/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[Stop by the Big Rhino, Frankie and I'll buy ya a yard o' beer and some great ribs!]<<<<<
-- Bear (17:14:07/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[Why make 'em think they were a frog, and just turn 'em into one instead?]<<<<<
-- Tekdrake (11:48:54/09-07-72)
>>>>>[It's almost impossible to force a person into another shape against their will - the soul rejects the form and remembers what it is, and strives to maintain that original identity, resisting any weaving the shaman lays over the unwilling subject. If someone is willing to undergo the process, that's different, but as far as I know there isn't an actual offensive shapechanging spell. Besides, it's more fun watching gangers leap around and make ribbiting noises.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (08:41:12/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[I still say that was a lousy practical joke, TT. And I still owe ya for it.]<<<<<
-- Bear (20:40:06/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[I still say that was a lousy practical joke, TT. And I still owe ya for it.]<<<<<
-- Bear (20:40:06/09-07-72)
>>>>>[Hey, if you nanospray "LONE STAR SUX [sic]" onto my jackrabbit, you'd better be prepared to eat humble pie. I had to get the whole thing painted green because of you.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (08:53:11/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[Looks better bein' green.]<<<<<
-- Bear (21:02:53/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[It's almost impossible to force a person into another shape against their will - the soul rejects the form and remembers what it is, and strives to maintain that original identity, resisting any weaving the shaman lays over the unwilling subject. If someone is willing to undergo the process, that's different, but as far as I know there isn't an actual offensive shapechanging spell. Besides, it's more fun watching gangers leap around and make ribbiting noises.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (08:41:12/09-07-72)
>>>>>[Thanks for the quick lesson. Not much for slinging mojo aside from spitting some nasty sparks; maybe I should start studying up...]<<<<<
-- Tekdrake (22:24:18/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[Bear I am there chap, you will find me wereing this http://www.airmagination.com/shirt-mobster-pooh.html (http://www.airmagination.com/shirt-mobster-pooh.html) ]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori (23:32:17/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[I once saw a Stuffer Shack that had contracted with a small time security corp. The sec guys had some serious bang installed. Should have seen the looks on those ganger's faces when miniguns dropped from the ceiling. Priceless .]<<<<<
--Wayfinder(22:14:31/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[For what it's worth, gangers try to rob Stuffer Shacks in Houston, too. Fraggers nearly killed me doing it, too, about twelve years ago or thereabouts. Or maybe they did and I just got better; the whole thing is kind of...fuzzy to me. I was only there for a six-pack, too.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (23:44:34/09-07-72)
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>>>>>[Interesting. The same thing happened to me when I first started running the shadows in '51.
I just did some searching on the Matrix and found references to this all over the world in most major cities. The really strange thing is that every report of the incidents also manages to mention 'NovaNuke Swedish Meatballs' somewhere in the story.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (00:05:25/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[You chummers make me remember that back in my Lone Star days, we were often called to deal with this kind of "Stuffer Shacks robbery", things would get pretty wild sometimes, one of my partners became traumatised because of that, he had to take forced vacations... which never ended. Good thing, dude was a wuss anyway, wondered why he became a cop in the first place.]<<<<<
-- Turtletron (02:50:45/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[How can you get traumatized dealing with Stuffer Shack robberies? What, did a nuke-em burrito explode in his face? Did the Ooozy Freeez machine refuse to stand up to questioning? Honestly.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (09:09:21/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[I think I heard o' that guy. Ain't he the one where the gang's wizzer reanimated the soy chik'ns and had them crawl all over him and beat 'im up?]<<<<<
-- Bear (09:42:48/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[I think I heard o' that guy. Ain't he the one where the gang's wizzer reanimated the soy chik'ns and had them crawl all over him and beat 'im up?]<<<<<
-- Bear (09:42:48/09-08-72)
>>>>>[I... I don't think that's possible, Bear. Raising the dead is next to impossible. Raising a dead, fried chicken substitute made entirely out of vegetable matter? The Spirits laugh. If that's what happened, the mage probably used an illusion or poltergeist spell. Heh. Poultrygeist.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (010:01:18/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[Whaddabout dem Voodoo guys down south? And dem Shemdin spirits we've heard about? They reanimate deaders...]<<<<<
-- Bear (10:01:06/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[... In a way, yes. We'll leave it at that. But I don't think any power on earth or in the Spirit Realm can reanimate a hunk of processed soy-based nutrigrain psuedomeat.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (10:39:12/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[Youse sayin' the soy-chik'n ain't meat??]<<<<<
-- Bear (12:05:39/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[If it's meat, then I'm an elven simsense star.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (12:11:43/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[I dunno if it was an illusion, though it might explain while he ran away from the restaurant yelling "Get it off of meeeeee!". Awwww, those were good times.]<<<<<
-- Turtletron (12:16:29/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[I do what I can to help, omae.]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (13:17:11/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[I can't see a Shedim trying to possess a Soy-Chicken, but in theory a Loa could do it. Probably wouldn't be happy about it though. You could also do it with a bit of electronics gear and a Bust-A-Move toy drone.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (15:41:08/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[What, dead-raising-ghosts possessing drones now? That is a... scary thought. Can any of you folks with more arcane knowledge comment on this?]<<<<<
-- Gent (15:59:01/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[Hah! No, I didn't mean possessing drones. I meant that you could probably "fake" a possession with a Soy-Chicken by putting some drone parts inside one. I mat have to try that out. That would freak Johnny 99 right the frag out after one of his all night benders...]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (16:10:28/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[ I can think of 3 different ways to make a soy chicken attack off the top of my head. First a Phantasm easy and doesn't incur much drain, but it would really only work on the weak minded. Second Control Thoughts and make the guy think he's being attacked, but that is taking a risk with a very heavily controlled spell. Third (and my favorite) Magic Fingers low drain, legal, and you can target multiple people.]<<<<<
-- Wayfinder (18:25:28/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[All this talk about walking food made me hungry, I'm going to get myself one of those giant burger they serve at Big Rhino's. Just hope not to see any of you mages and shamans mess with my food. Peace.]<<<<<
-- Turtletron (21:52:51/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[I'll see ya there. Meetin' up with Frankie.]<<<<<
-- Bear (21:13:09/09-08-72)
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>>>>>[Hah! No, I didn't mean possessing drones. I meant that you could probably "fake" a possession with a Soy-Chicken by putting some drone parts inside one. I mat have to try that out. That would freak Johnny 99 right the frag out after one of his all night benders...]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (16:10:28/09-08-72)
>>>>>[Phew. Was kind of worried there for a second. I guess I should brush up on my stuff ghost thingies can do. But speaking of food, does anybody know if that restaurant down at the waterfront is still open? I can't for the love of god remember the name, but it served the best lobster the soyfood industry could fake. Burned down in '53, but they rebuilt it. Anybody...?]<<<<<
-- Gent (00:43:56/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[Hah! No, I didn't mean possessing drones. I meant that you could probably "fake" a possession with a Soy-Chicken by putting some drone parts inside one. I mat have to try that out. That would freak Johnny 99 right the frag out after one of his all night benders...]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (16:10:28/09-08-72)
>>>>>[Phew. Was kind of worried there for a second. I guess I should brush up on my stuff ghost thingies can do. But speaking of food, does anybody know if that restaurant down at the waterfront is still open? I can't for the love of god remember the name, but it served the best lobster the soyfood industry could fake. Burned down in '53, but they rebuilt it. Anybody...?]<<<<<
-- Gent (00:43:56/09-09-72)
>>>>>[*Burp* Just came back from Big Rhino's. I think you're talking about Freddie's Salmon Eatery, great food but the best thing is that somewhere in the restaurant there's an underground clinic, Fast Freddie's Surgery it's called. So Freddie is not only a good cook, but also a good street doc if the rumors are true, never had the "chance" to confirm them though.]<<<<<
-- Turtletron (01:22:17/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[Somehow that makes some of the cooking methods there make more sense and the place much less attractive at the same time...]<<<<<
-- Gent (0242:36/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[Never get into a drinking contest with a Formori. My head's goin' to be hurtin' for weeks...
Glad to see you made it out of there safe Turtle!]<<<<<
-- Bear (08:02:26/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[Yeah, it was nice evening, and I was careful not to be followed by any Shedim-possessed BBQ ribs on my way back.]<<<<<
-- Turtletron (08:39:52/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[Those baby-backs will get you every time.... Oh, and Bear...duh. {g}]<<<<<
-- Thunder (08:44:32/09-09-72)
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>>>//error//>>{uploads schematics to his custom Warhawk}>>> [Damn drechin Tech! Bear (or anyone from last night)......um do you know how I got on top of that building, and better yet who i was with....they have my pants, and more importantly my other commlink? I will say though, it was worth it for the view i got when she was leaving!!!!!!!!]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori (10:07:07/09-09-72)
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>>>>> [I just remember some cute ork babe was ticklin' your horns...]<<<<<
-- Bear (19:32:15/09-09-72)
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>>>>> [I tell you, Seattle public transportation is a bit testy when you try to board one of their buses with no pants on....It was a long walk back to Riverton when your swinging in the breeze!]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori(19:56:46/09-09-72)
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>>>>> [I thought all you irish-boyos carried an extra skirt wid ya, just in case... ;)]<<<<<
-- Bear (19:44:17/09-09-72)
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>>>>> [It's a kilt, KKK---IIII----LLL---TTTT, lad why you asking for my second one, didn't you barrow it to dress old Guardian up and take her home and have your merry way with her errrr it!]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori(20:13:26/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[Oh, ghost!! There was an image that I could have done without....]<<<<<
-- Thunder (22:03:51/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[I thought the Scottish and Irish stopped wearing kilts back after the turn of the century, when geeks and fanboys started wearing them as an affectation, ruining it for the real thing?]<<<<<
-- Chaos (22:12:39/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Holy drek! Chaos? I thought you were dead, you ol' psycho wizworm! Ghost, Bu... Err, I mean MacCallister is really pulling out some of the old faces isn't he? I'm kinda surprised any of us are still alive. Especially those of us who ran with you. What you been up to?]<<<<<
-- Mac (22:32:09/09-09-72)
>>>>>[It was a close call, sometimes, Mac. There was a long time where I didn't want to live. After Beth...]<<<<<
-- Chaos (22:40:22/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Yeah, I remember. That was ugly. You ever find that guy? What was his name? Spellbinder?]<<<<<
-- Mac (22:43:38/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Spellfire, he called himself. Adam Manholm, a cowardly little worm who always blamed his failures on others, even when his mistakes cost people their lives. Yes, some friends and I finally caught him back in '61. Maybe '62. It was...unpleasant. He did not die well, nor did he die quickly.]<<<<<
-- Chaos (22:46:15/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Good. I'm glad to hear that. You can't let it eat you up though. As I recall, you let things affect you far too much emotionally, and that always left you a bit unstable. You were a good man, and could be a good asset to a team, but sometimes... Well, I hated it when I couldn't afford to bring you along for a job. ]<<<<<
-- Mac (22:52:27/09-09-72)
>>>>>[It's ok, Mac. I wasn't always the easiest teammate to deal with, on my best day. On my worst, well, you remember when they had to remodel Dante's.]<<<<<
-- Chaos (22:55:21/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Good Ghost, do I ever. You trashed four full levels of hell and it took weeks for my eyebrows to grow back. You're lucky I didn't shoot you for that mess.]<<<<<
-- Mac (22:59:19/09-09-72)
>>>>>[That was not one of my finer moments, no. Though in my defense, the Johnson did have it coming. Just because the prototype we stole didn't work, that's no reason to stuff us on payment. Still, as I said, I've found some semblance of balance in my life now. Thanks to Cindy.]<<<<<
-- Chaos (23:08:33/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Wait, Cindy? Wasn't she your...]<<<<<
-- Mac (23:14:09/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Yeah. Funny how things worked. I unconsciously created her in Beth's image. Eventually, she became far more than I could have imagined. Once I set her free, she chose to stay.]<<<<<
-- Chaos (23:19:41/09-09-72)
>>>>>[You're still messed up man. That's not natural.]<<<<<
-- Mac (23:22:32/09-09-72)
>>>>>[It is what it is. She's her own person now, and we're happy. Enough about that, though. How are the old crew? I've lost touch with most everyone since we moved to Amazonia.]<<<<<
-- Chaos (23:27:35/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Kam's gone. He bit it on a run against Saeder-Krupp in '60. Mysty is as well. Stupid thing, really. Drive-by in '62, after she'd semi-retired. She was working as a talismonger in Denver, and was on the wrong street corner during a gang hit. If you've been down in the rainforest, you may not have heard about Blitz and Krieg. They got picked up in '63 by a record label, so they took their music full time. Had a big hit record, and have released a couple lesser ones since then. They still do the tour thing on occasion, though you know how the music scene is. Less than 10 years, and they're already Golden Oldies. And John, well, he's John. He's nearly impossible to kill. He got tired of being hunted though, and he moved to a monastery somewhere in Europe. Hiding on holy ground. Refused to give me his location or address, but a get a Christmas card from him every year.]<<<<<
-- Mac (23:37:01/09-09-72)
>>>>>[That's a shame about your brother. I know you didn't get along well, but still. Family is family. And I know you and Mysty had a thing going for a while. I had heard about Blitzkrieg though. Amazonia is plenty civilized, you know. Good for them. Glad to know some of the crew made it. Surprised that many of us survived, really. The shadows are a harsh place.]<<<<<
-- Chaos (23:43:39/09-09-72)
>>>>>[*raises a glass* To the fallen, may they rest in piece.]<<<<<
-- Mac (23:48:22/09-09-72)
>>>>>[Ok, seriously? I not only have to endure this ancient, ugly ass code, but we get old geezer's telling sob stories about shit that happened when I was 10? Someone fucking put them out of their misery already!]<<<<<
-- Thugboy (00:12:21/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Boy, didn't anyone ever teach you to respect your elders? You may learn something that will keep you alive...]<<<<<
-- KageZero (23:21:24/09-09-72)
[OOC: You have no idea how much I wanted to write that as FastJack... ;)]
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>>>>>[Thugboy...you're easier to trace than you think. Especially if I can do it. That's not one of the nicer neighborhoods in Seattle you're sliced into right now. Would be a shame if something were to fall on you.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (23:25:21/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[Jokes aside chummers, does someone have the low down on Fed Boeing Auburn Facility? Out of the kindness of our hearts Some lad's and lass's are looking like it could be a nice place to collect for a charity event coming up, and any additional info would help our cause out!]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori (00:32:56/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[You mean da one wit the museum over on Enumclaw? I heard sec's tighter than da Chromed Accountant's wallet. I wouldn't touch it without a merc team or a hunnerd gangers]<<<<<
-- Bear (23:36:01/09-09-10)
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>>>>>[You got me quaking here, Thunder. Really. Must be another old fart crying about dead friends. I only need three friends. Colt, Ares, and my Credstick.]<<<<<
-- Thugboy (00:42:18/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Hey Frankie, try the sewers. They smell like drek, literally, but me and SteveZ were in and out of that place about a month ago for a recon job. They have no astral security underground and only a handful of security alarms and the like down there. Of course, you do have to worry about the residual odor once you're inside. SteveZ got a little too close to one of the guards and he got a wiff. Fortunately, he just thought his partner farted. We managed to get out while they were arguing.
And Thugboy, watch it man. The old fogeys around here will leave you little more than a grease stain. It's nota fluke they're still alive where so many others aren't.]<<<<<
-- Tauren (00:48:19/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[An old-timer at 28? Boy, Tauren, you know how to treat a girl....
And because I'm a little drunk and in a pissy mood...I've got 15K up front and an address if someone would like to go teach Thugboy some manners for me. Send me a private message for the details.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (23:52:12/09-09-72)
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>>>>>[Since I'm not anywhere near Seattle these days, I'll have to leave Thugboy to one of you guys, if Thunder wants to give up his location. I expect he's gonna have a short life expectancy from here out though. Lets see how well Colt and Ares can protect him from some pissed off retired runners with some resources behind them. And if we need to take up a collection, I'll kick in a couple grand. Provided they upload some video here after the fact.]<<<<<
-- Mac (00:59:12/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Thanks, Mac. I'd do it myself if I wasn't 3,000 km away.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (00:02:21/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Sorry Thunder, didn't mean to disparage you. Hard to tell here on the Matrix, ya know? But I know MacCallister, Mac, and Chaos. And they are some seriously old fogeys. *grin* Considering I think all three of them started running before I was born.]<<<<<
-- Tauren (01:04:15/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Thunder my lady, I will take it for 1¥, consider me on the job just upload the details. Tauren thanks for the solid bite of info, will give you a % of the take if it turns out the way we go in. Bear my friend, they brought me a long way for this job there be no walking out now! K chummers, I am dropping of the Grid for a solid bit of time, Thunder I will pay our friend a visit before i go silent see you all on the flip side]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori (01:14:35/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Not a problem, Tauren. These things happen. I know all about working with people who were kicking ass and taking names since before I was born, too.
And I really do just want to teach the little snot some manners. Make a stain out of him, and he won't have a chance to learn. That said, the bounty's still good, and I'm informed that there can be some danger money in there, too, in case he get's lucky.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (00:04:54/09-10-72)
>>>>>[Nice knowing you, Thugboy. She's not a good one to piss off when she's had a couple beers too many....]<<<<<
-- Aries (00:09:21/09-10-72)
>>>>>[Speaking of old farts...hi, boss!]<<<<<
-- Thunder (00:11:21/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Fomori, I'll race ya to this motherfucker's slum, bro. Thunder did me and some buddies a solid last time I was makin' a shipment to Austin, and the least I can do is hand-deliver a friendly beating to a punk that don't respect his elders.
I got buddies named Colt, Ares, and Browning, and he and his credstick are about to get friendlier than Thugboy ever wanted.]<<<<<
-- Outrider (01:16:11/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[I drew the line at Wetwork, in my day. But if I didn't, well... Mr. Panther tends to trump Mr. Colt and Mr. Ares. And Tauren, behave. You don't want me having a word with your mother.]<<<<<
- MacCallister (01:20:55/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Panther? Shit. Save the big bang-bangs for the ones who'll deserve 'em. I got twenty noo says I won't even need a piece to tune this punk up.]<<<<<
-- Outrider (01:25:12/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[I read you lady boss, will rope it down to my Knight and some stick n shock! I will Also take a Foot or a hand, your choice? Outrider company is always appreciated, see you there chummer!]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori (01:28:46/09-10-72)
OOC: Started our run into Boeing, here is hoping for a good die night :)
-
>>>>>[Hah! Looks like the fun started without me. I'd take that offer to brain melt the punk if everyone and his sister weren't already after him. Guess I'll have to save the new formula for later. Such a shame, everybody loves kittens, I think...]<<<<<
-- Inverse (16:55:17/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[You mean da one wit the museum over on Enumclaw? I heard sec's tighter than da Chromed Accountant's wallet. I wouldn't touch it without a merc team or a hunnerd gangers]<<<<<
-- Bear (23:36:01/09-09-10)
>>>>>[Oddly the museum has better fragging security than the actual main facility. Me and my crew were approached by some Kraut Johnson about stealing a black box from some Eurowar era fighter, why someone would want a piece of junk like that's flight recorder... anyway, we were gonna take it, but we got offered a better paying job, good thing too, one of my associates and his team got greased when they tried to get in. ]<<<<<
-- D'velkyn (03:32:53/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[There's a difference between "teach him some manners" and "amputate limbs." Keep that in mind; I don't want this to turn into wetwork. Teach him some manners, leave him more-or-less intact. Go for the good wound, not the kill shot. Do I need to spell it out more clearly? I'll do that if I have to.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (10:15:17/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Ha, sorry boss lady, but word to the wise....when throwing money around you may want to dig a little before you hire someone, i take trophies. No harm no foul though, I will mail it back to him....you may want to route the 14,999¥over to him though for a simple operation. Crashing folks, i got more holes in me then Swiss cheese, those Boeing brats are quite good. We went in with 12, and three of us made it out.....If you could raise a pint in their honor tonight i sure would like it. On the up side I got three hearts to add to my collection...and Tauren one set of our crew did use the tunnel, most of the pay went into Activesofts before we went in, but I got 10% of my final share here when you ready! If 750¥ is to light then send me a wire.]<<<<<
-- Frankie the Fomori(11:04:39/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[I'll give you that one, just because last night I was probably a lost cause. But I'll give you a word to the wise right back: Find out what Johnson wants you to do before you go off half-cocked. That way you don't wind up on her shit list.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (12:27:31/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Moot point, in this instance. He's taken care of, and didn't lose any pieces. Thugboy got treated like Thugbitch, just enough to teach him that mean, old, Shadowrunners have friends, and that it doesn't pay to call Thunder a mean, old, Shadowrunner. He's got a few bruises to show for it, but since he didn't get a shot off, I didn't break any bones. All that got busted up was his Miracle Shooter simrig. And his pride, natch.]<<<<<
-- Outrider (12:32:17/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Thanks, Outrider. You've got mail; try not to spend it all in one place.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (14:29:14/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Miracle Shooter, eh? I guess I have a new hunting target then. See if I can't tank Thugbitch's rankings into the toilet. And dammit, SteveZ! What have I told you about sniping me when we're getting ready for a meet with a Johnson?]<<<<<
-- Tauren (16:05:22/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Good to see the little Drekhead got taught a lesson. The Shadows taught me early on that our elders are mentors, not something to be laughed at. I am pretty sure any one of the old guard here could put little Thuggie done for a dirt-nap.]<<<<<
-- D'velkyn (16:32:52/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Upon my word. Is best to have respect for your own self before anything else. Why go on and work a self up over a thing said. How you think them blouse and skirt fuckery look upon you? Ease up, yeah?]<<<<<
-- Shaper (17:33:24/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[My Crew just got tapped for a job In the Area of South Rainier, in the NeoNet Enclave, anyone got any Intel they would be willing to share? ]<<<<<
-- D'velkyn (18:24:52/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[The last news I received from my contacts was that the current rotation of troops down there were getting ready to rotate out. A few of them seem to have contracted 'short-timers' disease; they're a little lax in their watchfulness, but be careful if you set any alarms off. They are all itching for a fight.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (21:23:50/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[You guys been busy. Had to lie low a few days, couldn't get to my usual hot-spots. Some mage or something been in the area, aura just about made me spew. Any idea why he'd be on the east shore of Lake Michigan near some no-name sprawl?]<<<<<
--TekDrake (22:45:58/09-10-72)
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>>>>>['Cause he didn't want to swim to the west side of Lake Michiganl?]<<<<<
--Outrider (22:52:11/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[Har-har-har! I ain't never been to Lake Michigan and even I know nothin' livin' can swim that muck!]<<<<<
-- Bear (21:52:55/09-10-72)
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>>>>>[That mage didn't happen -- Let's just stick to basics before I start getting paranoid. You're sure it was a he, right?]<<<<<
--Inverse (17:39:10/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[Har-har-har! I ain't never been to Lake Michigan and even I know nothin' livin' can swim that muck!]<<<<<
-- Bear (21:52:55/09-10-72)
>>>>>[Tell that to to three hundred pound Catfish that are thriving on the shit on the bottom of that lake... I bet one of those things could take someone arm off at the shoulder. I am more cautious of what is living in the toxic lake than the so called water in it Chummer.]<<<<<
-- D'Velkyn (02:06:55/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[Righted, rude boy. Them top fi dirty, whole heap dirty underneath. True fi water. True fi most everything.]<<<<<
--Shaper (03:55:21/9-11-72)
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>>>>>[That mage didn't happen -- Let's just stick to basics before I start getting paranoid. You're sure it was a he, right?]<<<<<
--Inverse (17:39:10/09-11-72)
>>>>>[Pretty sure it was a he. Asked around about what I saw, every time I got close to hinting what the aura looked like, anyone Awakened and with any experience suddenly got real busy, no time to talk, see you later.]<<<<<
--Tekdrake (12:10:34/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[The Great Lakes may be polluted, but that doesn't mean that drek don't live in them. hen I was operating out of Cleveland, I heard rumors about a lake monster kinda like Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. She was called the Erie Dearie, Bessie, and a few other names. It had been a rumor for centuries, so I didn't pay any attention to it. But, I ended up running a couple smuggling ops through the lake. While I didn't see anything myself, our sonar picked up something big moving under us at one point. At first we thought maybe it was a submarine, but submarines simply don't move like that. Polluted, maybe, but there are still things that live in them.]<<<<<
- MacCallister (13:50:10/09-11-10)
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>>>>>[Might be kind of quiet from out Texas way today. We honor a fallen friend today here in Houston; Keith went down four years ago today. defending a bunch of people he didn't know from a threat few of them knew was in their midst. He was a friend, a fellow warrior, and a good man.
Rest in peace, amigo. You've earned it.]<<<<<
-- Aries (14:01:26/09-11-10)
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>>>>>[Might be kind of quiet from out Texas way today. We honor a fallen friend today here in Houston; Keith went down four years ago today. defending a bunch of people he didn't know from a threat few of them knew was in their midst. He was a friend, a fellow warrior, and a good man.
Rest in peace, amigo. You've earned it.]<<<<<
-- Aries (14:01:26/09-11-10)
>>>>>[I will buy myself a real beer and have a drink in your friends name tonight. It is important to remember those few good people who have fallen.]<<<<<
-- D'velkyn (19:04:46/09-11-10)
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>>>>>[A toast will be raised in his honor.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (20:19:42/09-11-72)
>>>>>[Same here, one of rounds will be in his name at the Big Rhino tonight!]<<<<<
-- Bear (20:21:30/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[I've got an old bottle of whiskey a friend gave me, i'll drink a glass of that bottle in your friend's honor.]<<<<<
-- Turtletron (21:53:42/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[My condolences, Aries. I've lost more than a few friends over the years myself, so I know how it feels. *raises glass*]<<<<<
-- Mac (23:53:38/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[Don't usually drink, but for a fallen hero of the shadows, I'll raise a glass of the finest scotch. ]<<<<<
-- Wayfinder (22:28:28/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[Thanks, guys. You'd think that after four years, it wouldn't hurt so much.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (23:34:38/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[Any excuse for a drink.]<<<<<
-- Outrider (23:34:59/09-11-72)
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>>>>>[I hate to say it Thunder, but if it was someone you cared about, or responsible for, or both... That pain never goes away. It'll be 20 years next May, and it still tears me up whenever I think about it. I lost my whole team, including a girl who could have been something very special, all because I screwed up. I didn't think the plan through and overlooked something stupid. A goddamn laser tripwire that wasn't tied to the Matrix. It was on the blueprints, and I missed it. It triggered a silent alarm, and before we knew it, we had a platoon of Knight Errent's boys on our backs inside the facility, and half of Lone Star waiting for us just off corp grounds.
Goddamn it. I need a drink. A lot of them.]<<<<<
-- Mac (01:34:48/09-12-71)
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>>>>>[Thing about pain, it never truly goes away, no matter what you do. Sure, sometimes you can dull it, suppress it, but it will always be there in some way shape or form, ready to rear it's head. Nearly burnt me up. For years, it was all I had. It kept me going, pushed me to keep going, take insane risks, risk myself in ways no sane person should because I simply could not let anyone else do it. My pain made me angry, angry at everything and nothing at the same time. The pain is still there, the anger and fury still there. But now I've got a purpose and learned to channel it, use it for some small amount of good; for as long as I still can breathe. Pain without purpose is nothing, anger without direction is blinding, both never serve the memory of the fallen. Hmmm, I wonder when I got so philosophic?]<<<<<
--Bravo Six (08:47:33/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[The Great Lakes may be polluted, but that doesn't mean that drek don't live in them. hen I was operating out of Cleveland, I heard rumors about a lake monster kinda like Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. She was called the Erie Dearie, Bessie, and a few other names. It had been a rumor for centuries, so I didn't pay any attention to it. But, I ended up running a couple smuggling ops through the lake. While I didn't see anything myself, our sonar picked up something big moving under us at one point. At first we thought maybe it was a submarine, but submarines simply don't move like that. Polluted, maybe, but there are still things that live in them.]<<<<<
- MacCallister (13:50:10/09-11-10)
<<<<<[Definately something there, a contact of mine who operates out of Put-In-Bay is looking into it. If I hear something solid, I'll let everyone know. But for everyone traveling Erie near the Davis Bessie II (yeah, that's how they got the name) nuke-plant, watch your active sonars...Things have been known to get, agitated.]<<<<<
-Bravo Six (08:58:22/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[Let's not start about bad times and pain, else this'll turn into an "oh yeah, well my twelves gauge has thirteen gauges!" type deal.]<<<<<
--Inverse (22:11:05/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[If you're in the Shadows you've known pain. If you're too young, too stupid, or too lucky to have dodged the agony bullet, GET OUT, get out now. The longer you stay in darkness the more it infects your soul. For most of us old timers the only fraggin way we get out of bed is that the we can't stand to be alone with the memories any longer. On a site like this, runnin the old code, you'd better fraggin believe chummer that there is going to be stories of trauma and old farts cryin in their beers. Just no way around it.But if ya can see past the surface you'd see that us old farts drip with knowledge. Check out Mac's post, ya he was lamenting his fallen brethren, he also gave you youngsters a damn fine hint to always check for off matrix security measures. ]<<<<<
-- Wayfinder (17:01:28/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[Ghost and Spirits... helpful hint for drakes out there: don't try to drink an ork and a troll under the table. Especially don't shift to scales to keep up. And never, ever shift /back/ to get a ride. Worst. Hangover. Ever.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (20:24:08/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[Shoulda seen the look on the face of the cutie in the corner eyeing you up--after you shifted. I still don't know if fear or curiosity won out... ]<<<<<
-- Bear (20:11:29/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[At least you have the excuse of having some fun, TekDrake. I don't even have that. I know, in principle, that I could cast a spell and deal with the hangover I've got right now...I also know that I earned it, and don't have any right to get rid of it.
I reserve the right to be bitchy about it, though. I swear this didn't hurt so bad when I was 18....]<<<<<
-- Thunder (20:33:11/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[Everything hurt less at that age.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (22:29:01/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[The feeling you got when you found out you did something really fragging stupid didn't!]<<<<<
-- Gent (23:58:02/09-12-72)
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>>>>>[That feeling didn't necessarily hurt less... It just hurts more now, 'cause we should know better.]<<<<<
MacCallister (01:43:28/09-13-72)
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>>>>>[Pain is Mother Nature's way of saying, "stupid fragger, don't do that again." Not that we ever listen.]<<<<<
--Bravo Six (02:19:56/09-13-72)
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>>>>>[Alright, enough of this drek. We can wallow in self pity, whining about what's happened, what we've done, how we fragged up, and all that happy dragonshit all day long. It doesn't really solve anything, and we know it. This nodes taken a serious downturn, so lets get things back on pace. I need a couple things done, and you're just the bunch of socially maladjusted miscreants to help an old ork out.
I have a couple jobs I could use some locals for. Drop me a private message on my comm, and I can give you the lowdown. Should be relatively low threat, but since my last name ain't Johnson, I won't snowball you. We all know how these "low threat" jobs tend to work out, right chummers?
And Tauren, don't bother. I have something for you and your crew. We'll talk, meatbod to meatbod, the usual place.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (03:12:12/09-13-72)
>>>>>[Did a little digging after our illustrious Sysadmin's recent postings. Might get Black Hammered for this, but, figured I should share. Always find out everything you can about your Mr. Johnson, even if he doesn't call himself that, as our ork "decker" friend points out. Let me preface with a bit of a history lesson, for those that aren't local and don;t pay attention to national news.
From late 2069 up through early this year, Seattle had itself a Serial Killer. A very active one, quaintly named the Mayan Cutter. He was carving up people, mostly SINless metahumans, and stringing them up like Christmas turkeys on display. He chalked up something like 50 or 60 kills in just over two years, and the bad publicity was one of the contributing factors to Lone Star losing face with Seattle and getting the boot. When Knight Errant set up shop, one of their first priorities was hunting down this killer. They managed to catch him within 6 weeks. Whether or not that's just a tad suspicious, I'll leave it to the conspiracy nuts in the crowd.
In June, the killings started up again, out of nowhere. Rumors started circulating. Did KE get the wrong guy? Was it a copycat? My favorites were that the Cutter came back as a Shedim, or the one about how the Cutter wasn't a single person, but a cult, and each kill was made by a different person. The killings didn't last long, only a couple weeks. The cutter was busy during those weeks and got 5 or 6 people. The last victim was Rebecca MacCallister.
The daughter of our friendly neighborhood ork decker turned fixer.
Yeah, let that one sink in. MacCallister was only playing around at being back in the shadows before that. A couple jobs here and there, mostly working with a couple specific runners. I'll be nice and not out them, as there's a little more to that story. I'll save that as a "Get Out of Hell Free" card, so to speak. Never know when you need to call in a favor from a big dog. Anyway, so after this, MacCallister's been back in the action with a vengeance. He's hitched his wagons to some Metahuman Rights groups that his daughter (also an ork, natch) had been involved with before she died. He's also started butting heads with the Brackhaven administration some. There's rumors that O.R.K. or M.O.M. or some other cute acronym group wants to make Metarights a big ticket ballot item on next years election. Not a big deal to me, I'm all for giving rights to the trogs and halfers and weed-eaters. But, for those of you taken jobs from him, I'd say be careful. If there's one thing worse than taking on the cops, it's taking on the guys that pay the cops.]<<<<<
-- The Ivisible Kid (00:00:00/)00-00-00)
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>>>>>[Them bad man Cutter, collector type, yeah? I an I dun once a man as he. Was south-like. Babylon offer strong money fi me link up machete an he heart. Bad man be Bocor like. Original bomboclot hot stepper. Boy break free from bloodfire hell - Truth. Him kill a man, grab up the dead man soul and stuff it back in he body. Send dead man home an make fi kill him family. Soul slave zombie. Worst thing ever made. I an I put machete deep in him, me lord. You weight coil with them strong money, I an I do for you like for Babylon. Honor.]<<<<<
--Shaper (4:56:31/9-13-72)
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>>>>>[Speaking of jobs MacCallister... Do you still have smuggling contacts? My "organization" has a need to look into the possibility of some trafficking of specific "antiquities". The talisleggers that I've shaken down have mentioned that there's been some extra work coming around with anitiquities, but I was wondering if you might have some info I don't. Drop me a meet time, I have a secure location to talk.]<<<<<
-- Moreau (05:25:22/09-13-72)
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>>>>>[I might know a couple people who can get things into the city shall we say, "under" the radar. Let me check around, see who's available, and I'll drop you a line.
And Kid, I'm keeping an eye on you.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (15:18:10/09-13-72)
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>>>>>[Usually I am not one to advocate vendetta, but this... call me sentimental, but this I can understand and I don't even have kids. At least none that I know of. Which brings me to another inquiry. If anyone of you can provide information about the current whereabouts of former (at least I think she quit) art- and talisman-thief 'Venus', I'd really appreciate it. She was operating here roughly 20 years ago and was still when I left in '56. Looks like most of my old contacts have since moved or retired. I'm not asking for a freebe, I will pay for info that's worth it.]<<<<<
-- Gent (6:48:19/09-14-72)
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>>>>>[MacCallister, we had a similar spree here in Houston not too long ago, and there may be some correlation. Check your mail; I'll send you what I've got on our whack job, and we can see if there's anything I can do from here.
And I'm so sorry. If you need anything from me...call. I left you direct contact info with the rest of the data.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (09:46:10/09-14-72)
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>>>>>[Grüß dich, fellow Runners. A friend found this node a few days ago, been meaning to post but catching up on the logs took a while. On top of my usual matrix problems, all that talk about corpses got me hungry.
Sorry to hear about your daughter MacCallister, I live in Redmond Barrens so send me a message if you need something done. I'm sure you already know my skill base.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (07:02:27/09-14-72)
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>>>>>[Mac, I'm available for any straight-up muscle work you might need. In or out of Seattle. You do what you've got to do for your family. I'll bring a few of the boys along if I need to, but if the nuyen's good, they'll be glad to tag along.
Toss me an address if you want, tell me what they look like, and consider the problem solved. We ain't the sort to shy away from getting our hands dirty. Shit, I got more than a few guys I'm running with lately, they'll burn a place down if you pay 'em enough. Offing some piece of crap serial killer'll be as easy as flushing a toilet.]<<<<<
-- Outrider (07:12:27/09-14-72)
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>>>>>[One of my friends is a higher up in the 162s. He'll burn a place down if you so much as say he's allowed too. Poor guy wasn't all there after the change but he's as loyal as they come.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (08:22:47/09-15-72)
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>>>>>[Outrider, considering there's just plain "Mac" as well as myself, you may want to clarify who you're talking to. *grin* Anyway, the situation with the Cutter was handled a couple months ago. It wasn't advertised, as we handled the matter privately. Let's just say that as mean as I can be, my wife is worse. We ended up working with some runners from back East on this job, since I was still getting set up here. A chummer from the Manhattan sprawl put them in touch with me, said they were in town and needed some work. They managed to track this guy and bring him in pretty quick. Good team.
There's more to the story, of course. There always is. I'm tracking down some rather elusive leads right now, so I may be putting out a call for work in the near future.
Also, if you're ever in the Manhattan Sprawl and looking for work, contact an ork fixer named Peace Man. Mention my name, he'll hook you up. He's not always ll there, but he's a pretty straight shooter.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (17:37:19/09-15-72)
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>>>>>[Glad it's dealt with. I'm heading into Manhattan in a couple weeks. Gotta keep track of some runners starting out there. Any tips for a Ghoul needing to get into any and all districts?]<<<<<
-- Chrona (05:23:32/09-15-72)
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>>>>>[Lots of makeup and a very high rated fake SIN and whatever they call those Manhattan color coded passes. And be careful. That's a city where the corps apparently know what you're doing and where you're at all the time. THe very thought of trying to run there terrifies me.]<<<<<
- Tauren (19:14:55/09-15-72)
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>>>>>[Thanks Tauren. I can always fall back on magic and sewers if I have to. Anyone got any work in Seattle going while I'm free?]<<<<<
- Chrona (06:36:29/09-15-72)
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>>>>>[Hey, are there any hot runner chix in here? lol. How's it going guys? Chrona, I could put you in touch with a fixer... for a small fee.]<<<<<
- Joker (07:17:36/09-16-72)
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>>>>>[Hot runner chix? You're either very brave or have a death wish. Send me a PM with your offer and we can discuss it.]<<<<<
- Chrona (09:19:29/09-16-72)
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>>>>>[What? No, neither. I thought this was a personals board.]<<<<<
- Joker (01:58:57/09-16-72)
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>>>>>[That's Virtual Underworld 69, then next board over.]<<<<<
-- Bear (14:02:07/09-16-72)
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>>>>>[Now I'm bloody worried that Fixer's gonna turn out to be a pimp.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (03:36:19/09-16-72)
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>>>>>[Can I get a drone delivery of some caffeine and maybe a soyburger to my location? I can pay costs plus 50 nuyen. I've been sitting in one place too long watching my mark.]<<<<<
-- SteveZ(04:22:19/09-16-72)
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>>>>>[I've got a rigger friend who houses one at mine, and hes a true caffiene addict, PM me the details SteveZ.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (04:22:19/09-16-72)
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>>>>>[Just had a fun data-run. You'd think with mages, adepts, and drones, even a mini-corp would have a better-secured roof. Time to do some correlation in case its a trap of some kind.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (09:59:59/09-19-72)
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>>>>> [You sure you wanna 'cast your loc SteveZ? Seems like a good way to call down the rain if ya ask me.]<<<<<
-- Trodeface(11:09:19/09-19-72)
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>>>>> [Three days and I never heard from him, maybe the rain already came down.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (01:52:01/09-19-72)
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>>>>> [That's cause the target up and moved. Nice part about that is it let me hit a cache of goods I had left. Bad part is, no matter what they tell you about massaging liners, 3 days in the same position will give you major cramps. Owww....]<<<<<
-- SteveZ(02:34:12/09-19-72)
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>>>>>[Those things are only really good for keeping VR freaks from turning into piles of goo. You should use a drone if you've got the Nuyen. Will save you some misery.]<<<<<
-- Joker (21:36:37/09-19-72)
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>>>>>[There are some types of recon that a drone cannot possibly do. Massaging liners do come in handy when you have to spend a lot of time in the astral. Of course a spirit can actually be better at keeping tabs on a mark than technology. I personally prefer a good mix of tech, mojo, and physical.]<<<<<
-- Wayfinder (22:17:18/09-19-72)
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>>>>>[Having a team helps with stake-outs too. Not only can you maintain all three types of observation that Wayfinder mentions, but splitting the time into shifts keeps the cramps away.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (23:08:33/09-19-72)
-
>>>>>[Oh, don;t worry. He had the rest of the observation fields covered. I know I was keeping an eye on things via the Matrix for Stevie.
By the way, SteveZ. Tag. You're it.]<<<<<
-- Tauren (00:20:45/09-20-72)
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>>>>>[Ah, field recon, one of the most important and least glamorous jobs in any op. Nothing like spending months in the steaming Atzlan bush mapping possible enemy strongpoints, shadowing enemy patrols, tracking supply lines while eating bad rations, dodging nightmare critters, avoiding detection by said enemy, and trying to keep bugs, muck, and other assorted drek from places god never intended them to be. All for a raid that lasted less than 90 seconds. Ah good times... But, at least the fireworks were pretty.]<<<<<
--Bravo Six (08:47:56/09-20-10)
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>>>>>[The fireworks make it all worth it. Then again, hot, humid, and poisonous were things I grew up around. Helocasting into water that'd be frozen if it were fresh and sleeping buried under the snow like a sled dog were the kinds of things that got to me.]<<<<<
--Vice (09:18:21/09-21-72)
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>>>>>[I think I'll stick around the cities and suburbs. Too much weird drek out in the boonies. Lot of things out there that still haven't been cataloged. And no, weird doesn't get chummy with weird.]<<<<<
--Tekdrake (12:08:27/09-21-72)
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>>>>>[You haven't explored the urban jungle all that much, have you? Some of the nastiest critters on the planet live in an urban settlement, and I'm not talking about metahumans. There's the "natural" stuff that tends to live in the sewers like the devil rat and it's bigger, meaner cousin the demon rat. Shamblers. Gargoyles. Ghouls. Let's not even talk about how many kinds of deadly awakened insect there are scurrying under the floorboards. Then there's the stuff that's been introduced, usually through Corp breeding and security programs. Basilisks, hell-hounds, barghasts. There's a breed of awakened, albino alligator that's adapted to the sewers in New York called the Ghost Gator that was originally imported by the MDC, and some escaped. They're basically a gator mixed with python, and have bodies that can squeeze through holes and pipes 1/4 their normal body mass. Oh, and they can camouflage themselves so you can't see them coming. They're one of the newer beasties that popped up on my radar lately. Rumor has it one or two have shown up in the subterranean levels of the old Renraku Archology recently, though.
There isn't anywhere safe from critters, awakened or not. And at least in the jungle, you're not usually dealing with Metahumans as well.]<<<<<
- Dr. Wright (16:07:10/09-21-72)
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>>>>>[Wow, Doc. You make me not wanna go outside.]<<<<<
- Joker (16:13:52/09-21-72)
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>>>>>[Ah, Doc's not been ramblin' ever since we took him to the Rhino and he swore one of those gators bit him when he went to the john. I think he was just too loaded and walked into the wrong bathroom and Maxy gave 'im a pinch. I spent a lot of times in the sewers and ain't never seen a white gator.]<<<<<
- Bear (15:18:05/09-21-72)
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>>>>>[Don't doubt the good Dr's word just cause of a night out drinking. There are more things in sky and earth, Bear, than dreamt of in your philosophy.
My suggestion would be to check out some of the works of Dr. Fiona Craig here in Seattle. Her work on Awaken Biology and Symbolic Mythologial is an eye opening read. I used to regard the field of Anthropology as something that wouldn't have a tie to Biology, but tis one has changed my mind on some of this. Don't expect I'll start quoting Ehrin now, but I will pay more attention to how we affect the sphere of magic around us.
Speaking on those topics, SteveZ, I expect a report on how the "magic defense and targeting" system I lent you for your work, performs]<<<<<
- Moreau (15:35:12/09-21-72)
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>>>>>[Ha! Corporate man spend large fi bring them big beastie in. Think it make him safe. I an I work the science on them. Catch they mind, easy. They most can't stop Rasta science fi nothing. Them metal-like beasties? Them drone-imal? No different. Take they mind? No. Can't. So Rasta take they body fi his control. What was your protection, is now I an I weapon. Bless. Them few beastie can stop the science? I an I put the quicksilver spirit in to them. Spirit take the strongest one, now Rasta make him champion.]<<<<<
- Shaper (9:17:22/09-21-72)
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>>>>>[Hey Hey. Back to the shadows after having my arm involuntarily replaced with a brand spanking new custom cyberarm. Looking for biz.]<<<<<
-- Belial (08:47:58/09-22-72)
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>>>>>[Hoi Belial. Welcome back chummer. I totally know the feeling of an involuntary cyberarm. Lost my arm to a cybered up bandersnatch once. I was out of commission for a couple days, so my partner Johnny 99 decided to try saving a few bucks, and got a used cyberarm put on, rather than springing for a vat-grown arm. Not fun, and freaked the wife out something fierce. I lost that same arm three more times over the next couple of years, and eventually put a cloned arm on, and got rid of the metal. Felt a little wonky after that long, but still a lot more comfortable for me than the cyber. I dunno how folks can voluntarily hack off major body parts like that.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (22:38:17/09-22-72]<<<<<
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>>>>>[Yeah was on a run against the Big A and well the last thing I remember was some slotted wage mage spinning mojo in my general direction. Next thing I know my credstick in considerably lighter and I've got some new chrome. You hear of and good jobs recently? My normal fixer set up the Aztechnology job so i'm not a big fan of him right now. He's lucky I'm a forgiving person.
Yeah MacCallister, those guys are generally on another level of crazy. I ran with a guy how had his legs removed in favor of chrome. Lets just say that was a long scary experience. ]<<<<<
-- Belial (08:47:58/09-22-72)
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>>>>>[You are lucky to have gotten off so lightly. From some of the things I have see Aztech, and more specifically their magic users, do, a few extra bits of crome would have been the least of your worries. There are a select few who think that Aztechnology is no better or worse than the "average" corp, and this may in fact turn out to be true. But I have seen first hand what Azzie magicians do to those unlucky enough to be taken alive, and for that I reserve a special place of hatred in my heart for them. Never has the axiom "Geek the Mage (or shaman) FIRST" been more true than with Aztechnology.]<<<<<
--Bravo Six (08:59:12/09-22-72)
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>>>>>[No Joke, Chummer. Them's words to live by right there. Glad my team was on the ball (reminds me I owe them all rounds next time I see them). I don't want to be an experiment for some Azzie spellworm. That is true high octane nightmare fuel right there. ]<<<<<
-- Belial (10:33:21/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[ In this biz you gotta be careful what jobs you take. I might be poor, but I've got all my original parts. Know what I mean?]<<<<<
-- Joker (11:52:17/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[True nuff, But the fixer who set me up with Mr. Johnson on this one had yet to stear me wrong and the cred was excellent. Which is why he still breaths. Be awhile before i run agianst the Big A though. ]<<<<<
-- Belial (1:19:36/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[I fucking hate vampires. That is all.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (17:47:38/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[Wait vampires exist? I thought that was just a myth. ]<<<<<
-- Belial (6:25:11/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[No reason to hate them. They're just like anyone else with an incurable, infectious disease. Put them out of their misery and go on with life. There are so many people who are so much more rewarding to hate. ]<<<<<
-- Vice (19:29:04/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[Wait vampires exist? I thought that was just a myth. ]<<<<<
-- Belial (6:25:11/09-23-72)
>>>>>[What node have you been livin' in?]<<<<<
-- Bear (19:04:09/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[Hey I've never seen one. ]<<<<<
-- Belial (7:11:09/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[More of the fraggers than I care to count. Let's just say it's been an ugly couple of nights and leave it at that.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (23:01:49/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[Thunder, there are people I know who would very interested to hear your story; especially details about the sunshine challenged. And they would be more than willing to compensate you well for it.]<<<<<
--Bravo Six (08:35:44/09-23-72)
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>>>>>[Not much to tell, really, Bravo Six. I'm normally a live-and-let-live kinda girl, but when the Infected start feeding on the people I've sworn to protect, it gets personal. We started having some people go missing recently, and I started following up on it a few weeks ago. Finally found out that a vampire had begun slumming it in Pasadena, though I probably wouldn't have found that out quite so soon if he hadn't gotten sloppy and turned a couple of street punks that I used to have to deal with on a semi-regular basis.
And, of course, if he hadn't started bringing his friends and treating the place like an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Things got ugly around here for a little while, but there was an unfortunate fire a couple of nights ago. Let's just say that the South Houston/Pasadena area is short one vampire nest. I got the shit kicked out of me in the process, of course, but I'm posting and they're not, so you make the call on how it all worked out.
If your associates want any specifics, though, don't hesitate to let me know.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (11:35:42/09-26-72)
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>>>>>[Idiot Vampires, Taminus is here for a reason.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (06:20:41/09-27-72)
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>>>>>[Anyone else come home from the bar last night and find some thrill gangers camped out in their doss?]<<<<<
--Belial (08:44:41/09-26-72)
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>>>>>[Uh, no! You need better security. ...And new sheets.]<<<<<
-- Joker (08:55:34/09-27-72)
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>>>>>[Yeah I'm gonna need a couple new couches. I geeked em all but useing my couches a cover pretty muched nixed their further usefullness. Since they were Halloweeners I sold them to organleggers. So I made cred on the deal. Joker you know a good security man? Only guy I know is a paranoid shut-in who booby traps whateven hovel he squats in. I need something a little more umm.....safe.]<<<<<
--Belial (09:24:53/09-26-72)
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>>>>>[I gots some friends in Skraacha that could help, if the price is right.]<<<<<
-- Bear (22:00:07/09-26-72)
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>>>>>[If you can get the Skraacha to talk to you, they're not a terrible bet. They tend not to like anyone that isn't an ork, and isn't from the Underground. If you can survive down there though, ask for a Skraacha named Ca'Tan. He's recently taken an interest in home security.]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (03:00:12/09/27/72)
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>>>>>[What go on, Brethren. What them shottah man here know about this Laés rumor? I an I hear that only them Prince man know how fi make it. Now them Prince out on they pointy ear, only Laés left is what sit in the cask. Rasta hear that's why them elf lads make so much Leäl fi sell on the street. Have to water it down now. Stretch it out. When it run out, they lads be done.]<<<<<
-- Shaper (3:57:37 09/27/72)
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>>>>>[I don't do traps, since they are more likely to go off on me, when I'm stumbling around in the morning, than an intruder. Nope. Don't know any home security guys. My place has built in security. Used to be some kinda lab or shelter or somethin'. Overall it's pretty oldschool and the entire heating system is shot, but you can't put a price on peace and quiet.]<<<<<
-- Joker (6:31:59 09/27/72)
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>>>>>[If your associates want any specifics, though, don't hesitate to let me know.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (11:35:42/09-26-72)
>>>>>[Thank you, I have two long-standing clients who are interested in tracking movements of the undead, and specific ones at that. From what you have said, and if they are who I think they are, you may have saved me a lot of work. My employers tagged a specific group last seen heading south from the St. Louis area as a "priority" for location before they went off grid. Didnt' happen to make any kind of ID did you?]<<<<<<
--Bravo Six (08:48:33/09-27-72)
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>>>>>[Since they were Halloweeners I sold them to organleggers.]<<<<<
--Belial (09:24:53/09-26-72)
>>>>>[Thanks for Dinner Belial.]<<<<<
--Chrona (10:26:48/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[My Pleasure Chrona.]<<<<<
--Belial (07:29:59/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[My contacts at Knight Errant have asked me to put the word out that they are looking for some runners willing to do some legwork on an outstanding case of there. Turns out there's some nut (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=534.msg8778#msg8778) out there killing cab drivers. The perp has been bumped up the most wanted list after his last victim turned out to be a moonlighting Knight Errant officer, and KE is willing to pay big on this bounty. Of course, any bounty collection has to come with proof that your target is the killer. They've been really good at cleaning their tracks.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (07:56:29/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[GHOST! Someone set me up on this! Has to be. The mark I had was attacked by another group. But ghost save me, they had a cybermage... I mean full on crazy cybermage. Obvious skull replacement, obvious cyberlegs, and was still throwing juju like no one I've ever seen. Took out 2 of his team, as fortunately the "magic alarm system" worked quite well. It skawks pretty damn loud. A least this guy didn't get the drop on me, I'd be fried. And in all the excitement, my mark slipped out and vanished into the night. I need ears to the ground though, I need to find out who the hell it was who sold my mark's location off.]<<<<<
-- SteveZ(09:22:5429/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[I'd start with my fixer if I were you, chummer.]<<<<<
-- Joker(09:54:43/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[My fixer is the only one I have faith didn't sell me out in this case.]<<<<<
-- SteveZ (09:58:16/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[My contacts at Knight Errant have asked me to put the word out that they are looking for some runners willing to do some legwork on an outstanding case of there. Turns out there's some nut (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=534.msg8778#msg8778) out there killing cab drivers. The perp has been bumped up the most wanted list after his last victim turned out to be a moonlighting Knight Errant officer, and KE is willing to pay big on this bounty. Of course, any bounty collection has to come with proof that your target is the killer. They've been really good at cleaning their tracks.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (07:56:29/09-28-72)
>>>>>[Time to give my wings a rest and pick up a few nuyen driving cab. Hm. Actually, I know a pretty crazy driver who'd do it cheap, for the kicks, and I'd be better off staking out a few seedier street docs. Don't know any squeamish ones, but some sources of money got some nasty trails.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (17:24:20/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[GHOST! Someone set me up on this! Has to be. The mark I had was attacked by another group. But ghost save me, they had a cybermage... I mean full on crazy cybermage. Obvious skull replacement, obvious cyberlegs, and was still throwing juju like no one I've ever seen. Took out 2 of his team, as fortunately the "magic alarm system" worked quite well. It skawks pretty damn loud. A least this guy didn't get the drop on me, I'd be fried. And in all the excitement, my mark slipped out and vanished into the night. I need ears to the ground though, I need to find out who the hell it was who sold my mark's location off.]<<<<<
-- SteveZ(09:22:5429/09-28-72)
>>>>>[That don't sound right. Could it have been a spirit riding him instead?]<<<<<
-- FoxBoy(18:25:33/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[There are those powerful enough and with deep resources that could produce a powerful cybermage, young fox. SteveZ, any details you can part with on the encounter? Cybermages usually work for the Megas. There are less than a handful that run solo.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (19:17:11/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[There are those powerful enough and with deep resources that could produce a powerful cybermage, young fox. SteveZ, any details you can part with on the encounter? Cybermages usually work for the Megas. There are less than a handful that run solo.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (19:17:11/09-28-72)
>>>>>[ You two leggers get your noses into all kinds of things. Well.. if your in Seattle and he pops up again, I can track him down. Or if you got something of his I can try anyways. Scent trails last a bit longer then astral, depending on foot traffic. ]<<<<<
-- FoxBoy (20:32:11/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[Way less then a handful solo. I'd be very interested in any and all info regarding cybermages. I have interested parties that would pay a bounty for a live capture or a carcass.]<<<<<
-- Wayfinder (20:49:17/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[Careful, little fox. Just because it leaves a trail doesn't mean you should follow it without your pack.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (21:58:49/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[Careful, little fox. Just because it leaves a trail doesn't mean you should follow it without your pack.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (21:58:49/09-28-72)
>>>>>[My pack is bugging me to ask Wayfnder how much it would be worth to him. I would be happy with a couple dozen mice but I don't think they'll go for that.]<<<<<
-- FoxBoy(22:01:36/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[Foxes don't live in packs. ...What? I paid attention in school. Anyways, this smells like serious trouble to me. I'd leave this one alone if I were you.]<<<<<
-- Joker (22:20:13/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[Foxes don't live in packs. ...What? I paid attention in school. Anyways, this smells like serious trouble to me. I'd leave this one alone if I were you.]<<<<<
-- Joker (22:20:13/09-28-72)
>>>>>[Sorry.. english is a second language for me. Pack and Skulk are the same in Salish, had to ask for help. And I think I need to run, hacker gal's coming at me with a baseball bat... again! Be back in a bit.]<<<<<
-- FoxBoy (22:21:14/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[No offense intended. I love Salish food by the way.]<<<<<
-- Joker (22:42:29/09-28-72)
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>>>>>[Kage0, I'll crack what I can for you. Let's just sayI was a little north, and a lot east of Everett when this all went down, as I've stated, tracking down a smuggler. 2 days into his 3rd location switch, my "alarm system" goes off. Seems the buggers are coming in under concealment or invisibility or some such magic trick. I figured it had to be a spirit because when they popped out of cover, I could see they were a heavy hitting cyber crew. Smuggler-boi is already at alert mode as well, must have had ultrasound detectors or something, and starts lobbing shots out his front door. And I’m talking mil-spec shots here, big bang-bang.
Well cyber-head (which I’ll call him for now) whips up orders to some sort of spirit. I take a second and decided that competition is quite good for business, and decide I’m gonna take out these fraggers as well. Took 2 shots of 6.8mm ex-ex from my rifle to bring the first guy down, so I know they’re either pretty juiced up or all have cyberskulls. As I switch my target over to #2, Cyber –head unleashed …something… on the cabin the smuggler was using. Lightning and wind and all. I pulled the trigger on #2 and watched him fall, and about then a Sparrow lit up out of the cabin and took off. Since what I was being paid to track was out, I got out as fast as I could. Needless to say, cyber-head might just be out there looking for me, so I took a day to get to ground somewhere before following up with you all. If you wanna track him down, feel free. I’m pretty sure the guy stands out in a crowd. Looked like he had the balance tail, those eerie reverse style legs, and all sorts of horn accessories for the cyberskull. Not the type to blend anywhere.]<<<<<
-- SteveZ (15:07:43/09-29-72)
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>>>>>[Thank you, I have two long-standing clients who are interested in tracking movements of the undead, and specific ones at that. From what you have said, and if they are who I think they are, you may have saved me a lot of work. My employers tagged a specific group last seen heading south from the St. Louis area as a "priority" for location before they went off grid. Didnt' happen to make any kind of ID did you?]<<<<<<
--Bravo Six (08:48:33/09-27-72)
>>>>>[Sorry for the delay, B6; been trying to track down info on the former vampires.
The one who started the mess here had a list of aliases as long as your arm (if you're a troll, anyway; call it one of my legs otherwise). The one he was using around these parts was Myron Thorne; I think his real name might have been Milo Wells. I don't know about St. Louis, but he did come into Houston by way of Dallas. This one of the ones you're looking for? If so, I've got a couple of fingers that didn't get cooked that I might be able to get a DNA sample from for more positive ID, if you want.
The other fraggers were all Houston locals; a couple of them were even from this neighborhood. Hope that's helpful.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (16:58:04/09-29-72)
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>>>>>[Hrmm. Here's a wierd one. Anyone familiar with the term "Arcanoarcheologist"? What are they, and why is the Draco Foundation in Seattle putting out feelers, looking to hire one? They're offering some decent pay too, sounds like.]<<<<<
-- Tauren (04:11:28/09-30-72)
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>>>>>["Arcano" = magical shit. "Archeology" = study of/search for old shit. Ergo, "Arcanoarcheology" = the study of/search for magical old shit. And if the DF is involved...well, it's BIG magical old shit. Pack accordingly.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (07:42:36/09-30-72)
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>>>>>[Quite honestly, arcanologist is just another made-up term used by (and no offense to you, dear Bullish Decker) people who don't want to rattle off a whole title. An arcanologist, as the term is used, is usually an archeologist as stated above with an in-depth background of magical theory, thaumaturgy, and basic symbol recognition along with a heavy dose of mythology and comparative religion under their belt. And no, the arcanologist doesn't have to be Awakened or a mage in order to qualify - the field is mainly theoretical in nature, with time mostly spent decrypting old riddles and trying to figure out if that human-like symbol on the wall is a representation of a powerful god or just some primitive's version of "for a good time call Thog." ]<<<<<
-- Texas Tarantula (07:58:11/09-30-72)
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>>>>>[Thunder: Yes that name does put a few more pices into my little puzzle and fills the current part of my contract...for now. I have an tempoary account avalable with a token of thanks. Also, I could use some more eyes in the Houston area; if you are interested. As for the Arcanoarcheologist, I don't claim to know much about that particular specialist. However, I have noticed the DF has been recruiting heavily for those with unusual skill sets.]<<<<<<
--Bravo Six (09:09:09/09-30-72)
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>>>>>[Arcano-archeology, better known as Arcanology, is a branch of Anthropology. It's the study of past magic-using societies, usually through careful examination of artifacts or architecture. The Atlantean Foundation includes several outspoken Arcanologists among their members.]<<<<<<
-- Joker (09:15:47/09-30-72)
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>>>>>[@Texas: Hey now, who you calling Bullish, or a decker? I think you're getting me mixed up with my d... Err, someone else. Anyway, I'm a Hacker. You see a clunky, obsolete piece of junk strapped to my arm?
Anyway, as for the Arcanoarcheologist bit, that's kind of what I was thinking. Just wasn't sure if that was a real field of study or not. Not too much on the ol' electron highway about it. But the DF is definitely stirring here in the Emerald City.]<<<<<
-- Tauren (04:08:37/09-30-72)
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>>>>>[Where'd ever'body go? Guess business is good for some...]<<<<<
-- Bear (14:46:27/10-05-72)
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>>>>>[Had to go hide for a bit, pissed off the hacker gal so I wanted to give yer some time. That and she swiped my commlink too, took a bit to get it back.]<<<<<
-- FoxBoy (14:55:43/10-05-72)
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>>>>>[Meetings. Its always meetings. On the plus side, it might be good for the bottom line for you folks! Biz is coming to the streets here in Emerald City!]<<<<<
-- Moreau (16:12:52/10-05-72)
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>>>>>[Hey Foxboy, that's why I date outside the game. Some junior executive secretary will never understand how we do what we do, but at the same time, she'll never know I'm lying about what I do. Even if she does find out, she won't drop a mortar round onto my terrace.
Even the tangentials are worth avoiding. Pretty sure I hooked up with one of those legit in the front, dirty in the back mechanics back east and the whole thing almost blew up in my face.]<<<<<
-- Vice (23:13:08/10-08-72)
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>>>>>>[I would not say business has been good, but there is some business that just can't be put off. I dont actually get out into the field, as it were, much anymore; but sometimes there are matters serious enough that require my personal attention. Thankfully I was able to resolve the situation without too much damage and bloodshed, both to myself and my associates. Still, it's good to get out and keep the edge sharp, despite less than ideal circumstances]<<<<<<
--Bravo Six (00:19:06/10/8/72)
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>>>>>[Vice, you are probably on to something there. Most of us runners have some serious issues. On the other hand, an honest relationship is hard to come by. I don't think there really is any one right way when it comes down to it. It's one of those things that can't be summed up in a neat little saying or rule. I think we're all just doing our best to die with as few regrets as possible.]<<<<<<
-- Joker (01:29:33/10-09-72)
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>>>>>[And the break-ups tend to be spontaneous and most of the time without any explanation...]<<<<<<
-- Gent (04:10:23/10-09-72)
-
>>>>>[Now I know I need some sleep. You know Gent, the first read I did of your post I thought it said without explosions and I was about to disagree. However, all things being equal, I have only had one relationship end with literal pyrotechnics. And truth be told, I would rather face a block of plastique than a woman scorned; it's safer.]<<<<
--Bravo Six (05:32:32/10-09-10)
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>>>>>[Why the Vice man be talking about some tan-genitals and some "dirty in the back" blowing up in him face? Leave them batty-hole talk fi home. Nasty man.]<<<<<
--Shaper (9:00:22/10-09-72)
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>>>>>[Oh, vice, Hacker gal is not my date. She's just someone I like to mess with at times but she knows how to make those metal birds fly, so I don't bother her when we're working, or things are really slow and I'm bored. And it's a lot of fun hitching a ride on one of them too!
And.. that reminds me. I gotta deal with this guy who makes snuff trids whose for a vixen I know and like, even got a couple trolls sniffing around to try and catch her. I'm going to have some fun with the guy, anyone wants to help? Already told him to back off and leave Vicky alone, but he isn't getting the hint so now it's time to get nasty.
There's a bit of loose change in it for ya.]<<<<<
-- FoxBoy (11:43:52/10-09-2072)
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>>>>>[I typically try to keep my nose outa other people's business, but I'll help you out if you introduce me to Hacker gal. Lol. Well... if she's cute anyway.
Why don't you just shoot this guy? He's a creep and he's messing with your woman. You must not be from the east side. Lol.]<<<<<<
-- Joker (01:29:33/10-09-72)
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>>>>>[Fox, before you do anything find out who this guy really is, or more importantly, who is backers may be. If he is into snuff as you say, that is some serious drek to get into and to produce. This means that this guy likely has either some strong backers, a loyal clientel, or enough fundng to hire adequate security measures. Any one of those could cause serious poblems if you try and take him head on or out-muscle him. That this slag seems to have a fixation on your...friend, it suggests something a bit more personal. Biz is one thing but personal takes things to a whole new dangerous level.]<<<<<
--Bravo Six (01:18:19/10-10-72)
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>>>>>[Considering that Vicky's got my kits and this guy likes to skin shifters on vid... yea, it's personal.
It's my fixer that's putting the cash up and said the guy needs to go down, doesn't matter how. The fact he's going after my girl is coincidence. So... yea, I need a bit of help here.
Fixer did say that it's ok to mention, that doing this might earn some good friends that have long memories.]<<<<<
--FoxBoy (15:02:19/10-10-72)
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>>>>>[I dislike producers of "snuff" BTLs on principal. If he is going so far to skin your kind in addition, you may count on any aid I can give you, cub.]<<<<<
-- KageZero (15:48:49/10-10-72)
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>>>>>[Just a friendly reminder: Never forget that giants walk the earth. That is all.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (16:13:19/11-09-72)
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>>>>>[Speaking from recent, personal experience? Or is this a more specific warning for us all?]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (08:24:19/11-11-72)
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>>>>>[Little of both, I suppose. I did have a run-in with a giant a few weeks back. Thought he was pretty hot stuff, being 3 meters or so tall and shaking down the neighborhood for protection money. There's an old cliche, though, that says the bigger they are, the harder they fall, and in my experience that holds pretty true.
Mostly, though, it's just something a friend of mine told me once, when I was just starting out on this weird-ass path I'm traveling down now. "You have to remind these punks sometimes that giants walk the earth," he told me, "giants like me...and you." I've never forgotten that, and it's been...gods, more than ten years since I started doing this. His way of saying we needed to put the fear of God back into their lives if we were ever going to get the streets back, I suppose. Keith could get kinda metaphysical sometimes.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (13:21:34/11-11-72)
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>>>>>[Metaphysical Philosophy has its place, but I tend to be a bit more pragmatic, having played both the giant and the one who has been stepped on in my life. I have to constantly remind those who I have mentored over the years that for all the power one can amass, there will always be something bigger. When it comes to "giants", trick is knowing when and who you can stop your foot down on...and which feet you have to plant shaped charges under. ]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (09:01:08/11-12-72)
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>>>-+̬̩̣̭̝ͫ͆̈́̿̌ͥ̉͂̑̍ͧ̽͊͟g̠̩̤̞̭͎͖̯̘̳͉̪̫̰͙̰͖̼ͥ̊͐̒͐͗̏̉̀ó̯[Error code respon+̬̩̣̭̝ͫ͆̈́̿̌ͥ̉͂̑̍ͧ̽͊͟-x-x-x- 0H HI 0MAE. I HEARD THAT BULL HANGS 0UT HERE. JUST WANTED T0 SEND MY C0ND0LENCES F0R WHAT HASN'T N0T YET UNHAPPENED T0 Y0UR FAMILY. IT MAY 0R MAY N0T PRESENTLY HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. UNTIL THAT TIME, ALL PREDICTIVE M0DELS SH0W THAT Y0U WILL HAVE A NICE DAY. CUTE B0ARD BY THE WAY.]<X<x<x<x
-- B1T_ CH0MP CH0MP CH0MP̎ͪ̒͑͏̜͓̲̥̹͙͖̝̟̘̦͇̺̮́
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>>>>>[Yes, sensei, "know my limitations." Got it. <g>]<<<<<
-- Thunder (16:30:12/11-12-72
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>>>>>[Limits are for those whithout imagination. More like, know when you can piss someone off, and when you are about to get pissed on. If the latter, have an umbrella.]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (03:35:37/11-13-72)
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>>>>>[♫♪You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away, know when to run. You never count your money, when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin', when the dealin's done.♫♪]<<<<<
-- KageZero (09:05:37/11-13-72)
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>>>>>[Oh ye gods...My uncle, a retired T-bird jock, loved that song. Every time I hitched a ride down south he would play that through the cabin speekers AND the internal comms. To this day I don't know what I hate more: a hard extraction over the Azzie boarder or listening to that song again.]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (04:14:37/11-14-72)
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>>>>>[Well, it's that time of year again for those of us in the UCAS, CAS, and maybe a few other places; Thanksgiviing. Despite all of the danger, parannoia, hardship, etc of living in the shadows of the sixth world, is there anything out there to be truly thankful for? I myself am thankful that for once, I'm not in some gods-forsaken hell hole fighting for my life. It's nice just to be home. Anyone else have anything they are thankful for?]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (01:42:37/11-25-72)
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>>>>>[I thank the old bear himself I get to blow things up for a livin'.]<<<<<
-- Bear (00:54:48/11-25-72)
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>>>>>[My little sister.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (21:50:12/11-26-72)
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>>>>>[Yeah yeah, sappy and bleedin' sad, that's what you all are. Buncha wankers call yerselves shadowrunners, and you're getting all emotional because a bunch of yanks killed some natives and then cooked up some turkey? Christ.
So, a little business question for you, if you can tear yourselves away from the group hug long enough. I got a line on something, and it's old. Like, really old. But no one seems to know what it is. Does the word "Melor" mean anything to anyone?]<<<<<
-- Cap'n Jack (00:39:48/11-27-72)
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>>>>>[What am I thankful for? My mate, kits, good friends, lots of fun that pay, and living close enough to a preserve for the free munchies. Fast food always taste better after you chase it down.]<<<<<
-- FoxBoy (01:42:29/11-27-72)
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>>>>>[Ah, come on Jack! Sentimentality be god sent when man find it in he enemies, and can be that thing keep brethren fi turning on another. On them Melor, it sound a little familiar when said. Feast of Melor? Don't know. Rasta not one fi books. Maybe overheard it in New Orleans. Seems a right place for a feast.]<<<<<
--Shaper (2:24:21/11-27-72)
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>>>>>[Sorry Cap ol' boy, but it took me a while because I was soooo busy roasting marshmellows and sitting around the fire singing "kumbiya". Only thing I found in my files was a cross reference in an after action report transcript from an associate. Said associate was working on a skip-trace and blundered onto an unidentifed slag near death next to three unidentifiable corpses (due to severe charring) while on his way to a meet with an informant in Shreveport. Said slag got one word out before expiring: "Melor". Got nothing else. And Cap, lighten up, you'll live longer, eh gov'na?]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (03:01:37/11-27-72)
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>>>>>[If it's old and it's the Melor I'm thinking of, I might have some "Temp" friends that could help...]<<<<<
-- KageZero (18:19:01/11-27-72)
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>>>>>[The only reference I have to a Melor is a 4th century Breton saint. He had a right hand made of silver and a left foot of bronze. These limbs were said to grow with the saint from childhood and act like real limbs. After his uncle had him decapitated to insure his place as King, Melor's severed head supposedly caused his uncle's death. During the middle ages a cult based on the saint was very popular in Brittany. Based off those clues you could be dealing with relics of the hand, foot, or head. There is also the possibility the cult has survived as a secret society. Of course as we all know the historical records contain only part of the truth and might be reinterpretations of older myths or even disinformation meant to lead one astray. I'd start an investigation by heading over to Amesbury Abbey where the saint's relics were said to be housed. ]<<<<<
-- Wayfinder (10:53:20/11-28-72)
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>>>>>[Lousy, bloody, flakey bitch. So apparently, I got some bad intel. The word is "Morel", not Melor. Apparently this bint I got my data from is a bit dyslexic or something. Other details still stand though. Can't find nothing else out about this though.]<<<<<
-- Cap'n Jack (00:36:48/11-29-72)
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Off Topic Note: I'm going to archive this thread and start up a new one come December 1st. As I mentioned before, one thing I kinda want to do is play around with some stuff for Missions in these threads, so while a lot of the chatter that goes up will be the usual goofy stuff, some of it may be hints as to plot developments for upcoming Missions adventures, or discuss some fallout from released adventures. I'll likely start up a new [IC] thread each month.
-
>>>>>[Besides being rude and presumably British, who the hell is "Cap'n Jack", and why the hell should I care about this melor or morel or moron-whatever he's asking about? What's in it for me?]<<<<<
-- Who, me? (01:02:14/11-29-72)
>>>>>[Cap'n Jack, aka Captain Jack Turner is a smuggler, a thief, a murderer, a pirate, and utterly without morals, scruples, or any other redeeming qualities. So pretty much just like most of the rest of us. He operates almost exclusively out of Pirate's Cove in the Ork Underground, though he's human, smuggling drugs, BTLs, guns, and the occasional "livestock" in on his fishing boat The Fortune Hunter. Word on the street is that the new Assistant District Attorney in Downtown Seattle has her cross-hairs set on him as a link to one or more of the Mafia crime families, since he's run contraband for them, the Yaks, the Triads, the Tong, and anyone else willing to pay.
Problem is, she's having trouble reaching him in the Underground. Knight Errant's contract is very specific about what areas it can and can't police, and the higher ups at Ares are holding them to that. And since the Ork Underground isn't technically a district of Seattle, Ares won't let them go down there unless it's an emergency. They're trying to strong arm Brackhaven into renegotiating their contract. Anyway, so long as he keeps his head down, pays his dues, and doesn't piss off the Skraacha, he's in one of the safest places in Seattle right now.]<<<<<
-- The Invisible Kid (00:00:00/00-00-00)
>>>>>[Tell me about it. Fucking ridiculous rules. Goddamn red tape.]
-- Tosh (01:48:28/11-29-72)
>>>>>[Call me a clueless newb, but I'm not sure I understand that. The Ork Underground is right under the streets of downtown, isn't it? So why doesn't it count, and why won't KE send the fuzz in if they know where this guys holed up?]<<<<<
-- Who, me? (01:57:51/11-29-72)
>>>>>[Ok, first of all, Bryce, I just deducted 200¥ out of your bank account. Call it a stupid tax. Second, get yourself a better stealth program and upgrade your firewall. Third, seriously? Centaur Porn?
To answer your question, it's simple. KE's been chomping at the bit for years to get the Seattle contract. Lone Star finally screwed up enough to let Knight Errant muscle in, but Brackhaven managed to negotiate some pretty good terms for the city. In less than a year, Damien's boys in black & gold have mostly shut down the Tempo trade and very publicly took down one of the worst Serial Killers in history when they took down the Mayan Cutter after his two and a half year reign of terror. By the way, my virtual hat off to you for that one, Detective Tosh. Anyway, KE has the public's favor right now. They have a 5 year contract at the moment, but they're hoping they can manage to get that renegotiated immediately, rather than waiting 4 more years. One of the ways they're doing this is being very careful about following that contract to the letter. That means they don't involve themselves in any Corp's business than Ares or their other contractees, and they don't step outside their jurisdiction.
Seattle has long ignored the Ork Underground, considering it to be not a part of the city. It's a footnote at best. But what folks don;t realize is how big the OU has become. The tunnels and warrens encompass almost the entirety of downtown, and there are tunnels, roads, and paths that lead out into every other district in the city. You can travel almost anywhere in Seattle without ever seeing the sky, if you know what you're doing and you're lucky enough to avoid the gangs, the criminals, and the paracritters that live down there. Very little the Underground is mapped, a deliberate move on the part of most of it's residents, and what few maps that are made are quickly rendered inacurrate as new tunnels are constantly being dug, and old tunnels collapse or are filled in.
So in part, the Underground is nearly impossible to police, even if KE wanted to do the job. Many of the residents still resent "Topsiders", those who live above ground, and Lone Stars actions during the Night of Rage still leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of many of those who call it their home. They don't trust the cops, and they don't want them down there.
Beyond that, since the OU isn't technically part of the city, KEs contract doesn't include it. So they don't go down past the public entrances at Lordstrung's and the Rhino, along the Tourist Highway.]<<<<<
-- The Invisible Kid (00:00:00/00-00-00)
>>>>>[Dammit Kid, what have I told you about hacking into the code? Knock that drek off, or I'll have to take some steps you won't like.
Not everyone is adverse to letting the law into the Underground. The O.R.C. and M.O.M. have been working on getting some measures passed through next year that will recognize the Ork Underground as part of Seattle, making it a full blown district. Project Freedom would mean tax money for civic improvements, mapping the Underground, roads, schools, hospitals, the works. It would make the citizens down there legitimate, make them a part of the city once more, instead of the boogeymen and the monsters hidden away underground as they're often portrayed these days.
Of course, if you listen to the talking heads at city hall and in the governor's office, they make noise about the crime rates down there and how they don't have the money to overhaul the OU. If you believe that fragger Brackhaven, Seattle's broke. Which doesn't stop him from living in a mansion and taking a limo everywhere he goes. Some ARO spam making the rounds in in the Underground lately talks about how the city is offering amnesty to any SINners that move out of the OU, offering them a chance to start over and get a "real life". RUmor has it that he's doing this to get as many voters out of the line of fire, before he starts pouring in cement and burying the OU once and for all.
I sound like a propaganda poster, I know, but... Dammit. He's a Brackhaven, for ghost's sake. Like he's going to treat metahuman's fairly? Frag that noise.]<<<<<
--MacCallister (04:47:10/11-29-72)
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>>>>>[Ha! TIK, a man can walk for weeks on Seattle street and not once see sky. Underground just got the lower ceiling.]<<<<<<
--Shaper (6:04:04/11-29-72)
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>>>>>[That little bitch Oaks can kiss my ass. So can the Knights. The way politics in this city runs, I got years before I need to worry about the badges coming down here after me. Even if they do, I got plenty of backup around here.
As for "Morel", well, there's possibly some money in it for me. So lets throw out a bounty. First one to get me some useable hard data that helps me earn a paycheck on gets 1,000¥. Decent payday for a little bit of research, neh?]<<<<<<
-- Cap'n Jack (08:32:19/11-29-72)
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>>>>>[I assume that you've already ruled out mushrooms? Morels are some of the better-tasting edible mushrooms out there, and while they might or might not be mycoproteins (depending on how strict a definition you want to follow), they get used a lot in a variety of food applications where soy doesn't cut it (mostly because of allergic reactions to soy, et cetera, but also because some people don't like the flavor or texture of soy).
I've got nothing concrete, of course; the only reason I know this is because my sister's allergic to soy and I have to feed her something. Someone might be thinking of raiding a shipment, or making a run on, say, a couple of different Azzie subsidiaries for plans on increasing mushroom yields or some such thing.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (16:39:28/11-29-72)
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>>>>>[No, it's not a Mushroom. Like I said, this might be worth some cred, so I don't want to give out too much information. Like I said, whatever this is, it's old. Like, pre-5th world old. Not usually my forte, but there's a lot of interest in stuff like that these days.
And before anymore of you jokers gets it in his head to come looking for this thing, I don't have it. Yet. Someone tried breaking into my bloody flat early this morning, and I'm guessing it was someone reading these boards. Whoever it was, they weren't very good, and like I said, I have a lot of friends in the neighborhood. THere's some pointy-eared dandelion-eater floating out in Puget Sound who found that out the hard way.]<<<<<
-- Cap'n Jack (18/:51:12/11/829/872)
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>>>>>[Oh, hey. I’m new here, and my agent just picked up something by chance, that could be revelant. It’s a translation (stript to the bare bones) from a TriCity data haven called ‘Spichlerz’, which would translate to Granary. I’m pretty sure this is not a fake thread, since i'm the 'meat luggage' from Uncle's post. Greetings from the Other Side, and thanks for help to... Well, he knows what for. :>]<<<<<
-- NiSayer (22:22:22/11-29-72)
>[OpenFile: MushroomHunger.Transcript.]<
Okay boys and girls, i need info, now. Just got these: >MushroomThingy.3DImageFile< and i need to know what the hell is that. They're not normal, and by what i managed to find out, not toxic, or some kind of mutated schrooms. What is that and how much is it worth?
~Uncle-Good-Advice
Looks weird enough to be Awakened to me.
~Pucek
It is. I've heard of these. Pretty rare. I'd like to know more about it.
~Paramour
I knew that much. You're not helping. And i need to know now. It's pretty hot here, if you know what i mean.
~Uncle-Good-Advice
Oooh. Uncle, you're in trouble. How surprising. No good advice for yourself.
~Militiant
Heh. Knew it. Told you so. Don't do business with these guys. They're bad luck.
~Fort-Dweller
That's a 'WyrdMorel'. An awakened form of Morchella esculenta , hailing from the west. I've heard someone managed to grow those, for alchemical purposes. There's also that witch in Chojnice that brews some nasty stuf out of it. It could make a troll whine for a week, and get really scared of shadows and darkness. Normally i'd call it a bad case of home-brewed awakened drug, but it seems wherever those things grow, shadows act strange. I can take it of your hands for a fair price, if you want.
~Pedestrian
Too late, omae. Just got an offer and sent it overseas along with some hot meat luggage. The price you sent me was better, but man, those things are freaky. They eat light, and i don't think i'll sleep here for a while. It's a good thing they're gone. <shudders> Thanks anyway, boys and girls. Gotta get some sunlight, so, let's say drinks are on me today, and we call it a night _before_ sunset.
~Uncle-Good-Advice
Happy end. It's a good thing. See ya there, Uncle.
~Paramour
>[CloseFile: MushroomHunger.Transcript.]<
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>>>>>[My, the matrix is as pretty as the astral. It is a wonder how it spands pass the sun's home, and yet, can fit on my smallest finger. You humans are a wonderous and sad race. I find yours words lacking, as though they drip with false poison. I hear much puffing of one's size, but not much else. You say how the shiney star wearer is not wanted in the concrete and metal pipe caverns. Yet, I have met a few of the 'undersiders' who wear the star and try to maintain the balance in the eternal darkness. Perhaps you need to look beyond the metal eyes you have had planted in your bodies like mushrooms and see the true Underground.
And the mushrooms from there are mouthwatering. ]<<<<<
BW 302 (19:36:47/12-01-72)
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>>>>>[Just thought I’d drop a quick line here and say that, since I’m seriously new to the scene here and in dire need of some small time jobs, nothing hot and noticeable, for the moment anyway, anyone got anything for a new hacker in town looking to make some nuyen?]<<<<<
-- Realtime (10:02:47/01-13-73
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>>>>>[Well isn't this place quiet, and here I was hoping for a meet and greet.]<<<<<
-- Leon (00:37:03/08-29-73)
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>>>>>[Meet and greets can be overrated or just deceptive of their usefulness. Sometimes its whats not there that is more important than what is there. But in anycase this is an interesting little blast from the past I stumbled upon. I so miss the days when the net was not always in my face. Wireless world is so overrated.]<<<<<
-- Tyco (23:39:03/09-29-73)
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>>>>>[Texas is here. In spirit, anyway. The flesh...yeesh, the flesh is aching like crazy right now. Rough night at work; maybe I'll tell you about it sometime....
Anyway, welcome to VU93, ye newbies. Be excellent to one another.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (10:27:28/09-30-73)
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>>>>>[Sorry about letting things go so quiet, chummers. Meatworld Biz has kept me pretty busy, and I have some personal fires burning right now besides the my regular fixing work. I'll likely be looking for a team of runners for a special assignment before too long. The virtual bar here's been pretty jumping though. Nice to see more deckers showing up and hanging out, despite old school matrix architecture of the place.
(I swear, Slamm-0! whines like a little girl about the "low rez design" every time he and 'cat show up, but he's still here a couple times a week to watch the Seadawgs play.]<<<<<
-- Bull (12:08:22/09-30-73)
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>>>>>[Might have something to do with that Simcohol™ program you installed here.]<<<<<
-- Bear (12:50:40/09-30-73)
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>>>>>[Would this special assignment happen to need some magical backup? If so, I am available. Drop me a line.]<<<<<
-- Mason (12:13:22/09-30-73)
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>>>>>[If you have something intrsting and productive drop me a line omae. I may be intrested in some kind of diversion..]<<<<<
-- Tyco (22:12:03/09-30-73)
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>>>>>[Honestly the low rez designe is refressing. I miss the old way the matrix looked. This new design is just to unnatural. Not like the old design was natural but well i guess nostalgia is just the way of things as we move forward. .]<<<<<
-- Tyco (22:19:03/09-30-73)
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>>>>>[A recent contract of mine got snatched when I couldn't find a reliable merc in time, so my schedule's now wide open. When can we hear about the job?]<<<<<
-- Leon (01:07:23/10-01-73)
>>>>>[Next time you're looking for a merc, remember I'm in town.]<<<<<
-- Pagan (01:09:42/10-01-73)
>>>>>[I did remember, not your type of job though. One of the requisites was finesse.]<<<<<
-- Leon (01:12:31/10-01-73)
>>>>>[Boring.]<<<<<
-- Pagan (01:13:26/10-01-73)
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>>>>>[Ah, youth. But anyway...Just because it's new, dosen't make it better. People think I'm crazy, but I still carry my grandfather's Colt '91 as backup. Too many people today tend to rely on their gear rather than themselves. It's sad to see supposedly top-tier merc units or runners fall to pieces when their tac-net or gear is hacked. All I need is for my weapon to go BANG whenever I pull the trigger and a target. *Offers up a virtual beer in toast* here's to the old school. ]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (02:33:13/10-01-73)
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>>>>>[Finesse is the one thing that can keep you alive in the shadows, Pagan. That, or a good defense plan.]<<<<<
-- Mason (01:36:26/10-01-73)
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>>>>>[I prefer watcher spirits and fear, but whatever floats your very flammable boat I suppose.]<<<<<
-- Pagan (03:34:55/10-01-73)
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>>>>>[Watcher spirits and fear IS a good defense plan :P.]<<<<<
-- Mason (05:41:25/10-01-73)
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>>>>>[Oh, nice! Just got back to Seattle and look what I found pending in my mailbox, an invite to Underworld 93. Don't know what it's all about but I'm always happy to meet new and old aquaintances. On another note, when I'm done releasing the second album of my band in a couple of days, I'll be back to running the shadows and that's going to be fun.]<<<<<
-Smiley (06:17:43/10-01-73)
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>>>>>[I personally am a fan of a good exit strategy. As long as that goes off smoothly then you can rectify most of the other situations.]<<<<<
-- Tyco (24:08:55/10-01-73)
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>>>>>[Whoa. Do we have here an old-school rocker?]<<<<<
--TekDrake(0:08:42/10-2-73)
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>>>>>[If you're talking about me TekDrake than yes, I guess I am. Most of the time at least. Have you heard of Thanks for Coming Out? (ALERT! Shameless self publicity coming fast.]<<<<<
--Smiley(0:27:13/10-2-73)
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>>>>>[Thanks for the link, MacCallister. Been a long time since I saw code like this around. And seeing Cap's old message, well, brought a tear to my eye, just tossed a shot of scotch into the fire for him, and now my CHN is having a conniption. New technology is not always better technology, let me tell you. Always good to see the old crew and wanna-bes that are actually interested in old tech and ideas. Means they're open to opinions, options, and opportunities, which is better than some of the folks I've been seeing on ShadowSEA far too often. So, dusting off the ol' ShadowLand Username and Login info, and figure, what the hell, see what bites. Or who.]<<<<<
--Money Johnson(13:01:00/10-2-73)
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>>>>>[Personally I find the old code makes me a bit nostalgic. Not the same way as some of you old deckers, but it reminds me of my old mentor back in FDC. I swear if that guy had owned a shotgun, and a lawn, he'd be chasing kids off of one with the other. Good times.]<<<<<
--Leon (22:03:41/10-4-73)
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>>>>>[I prefer a recliner and a Panther Assault Cannon myself.]<<<<<
-- Bull (01:35:14/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[Oh, I was never a Decker. Just had a deck and a lot of free time and biz to be done. And I have chased kids off my lawn with a bolt-action rifle (And, yes, a rocking chair.). Got me kicked out of that damned gated community... Ah, semi-retirement, I don't miss it.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (01:35:45/10-05-73)
>>>>>[Don'tz gots nah lawn, but doez haz kidz what need respect learned ta 'em but quick-like. Shotgun wurks guud fer dat. Backa muh hand, too. Dey fear da hand wurst.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (02:00:08/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[Chasing kids off one with the other? Well, seeing an old decker chasing kids off his shotgun by throwing lawn patches would certainly be... interresting to say the least!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (02:08:23/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[The good news is with modern sim technology, seeing it is not outside the realm of possibility. I'll hook y'all a link once I've finished :P]<<<<<
-- Leon (18:59:51/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[Hahaha! I can already see the Matrix meme: Redneck Decker, You're doing it wrong!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (22:46:43/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[I actually hired a Redneck Decker one time out of... Somewhere in the CAS, worked out of a trailer park with a satlink. Might still be there for all I know. His cyberdeck was a kludge of components held together with duct tape, no actual DECK. Just an old external keyboard for plugging into a portable telecom. Electrocuted himself twice just trying to log in. Got my paydata in less time than it took to heat up the soykaff, but dear Ghost I felt like the place was going to burn down just watching the bloody thing work. The snowmoose head on one wall with the party hat on was also disconcerting, and badly stuffed.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:00:02/10-05-73)
>>>>>[Crash 2.0 got him. :-( He was protecting a datahaven in his area trying to spread the ShadowLand message as far as possible. The trailer did, indeed, burn down, too. Luckily, only his body was there, so he didn't suffer (I hope.)]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:01:50/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[I gotta say, a fitting end for such a glorious creature!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (11:13:14/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[You didn't see the guy. Glorious was not how I'd describe him. Honestly, I never met an uglier human, before and after. And I've had to shake hands and smile to both Karl and Kenneth Brackhaven.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (01:12:55/10-06-73)
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>>>>>[Hahaha! What I meant is, he went out in fucking style! I make myself no illusion, I'll most likely end up dead alone in a ditch somewhere, much sooner than later. But this guy, that's nearly poetic. Like the body of a Viking King on his Drakkar at large. I mean, if I was a Redneck Decker, I wouldn't want to go out any other way!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (11:28:22/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[That's my religion you're playing with there, Smiley. But, yeah, he was a warrior and went out like a warrior should, indeed. I wonder if there's a virtual version of Valhalla for Deckers who fall in the digital realm? Might have to bring that up with the Gyðja. Heavy thoughts, indeed. Heh, well, a toast to him and Captain Chaos and all the rest who fell while saving the whole fraggin' world by spreading that message out! Let their memorial be the future!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:00:05/10-06-73)
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>>>>>[Alright, you were too inspiring there. I just raised my glass, drank it all down the hatch and smashed the glass on the ground shouting "MORE!" Now everyone at the Powerline's lookin' at me funny.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (11:45:30/10-05-73)
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>>>>>[I can have that effect on people. It's important in my line of work. Too many Mr. Johnsons see the position far too wrong.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:46:00/10-06-73)
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>>>>>[Me, I'd rather die of old age, knowing that all my enemies have died long before.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (23:15:04/10-06-73)
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>>>>>[Well, I guess I can see the satisfaction in it. Someone not-so-wise once told me, "If you look back and see that many people wish you were dead and you are still alive, you know you're doing your job right. At least in our line of work." I've been at it for a little more than ten years now and, although I am inclined to believe I'm doing my job right, I can definitively say I've made more than my share of enemies over the years. But my natural talent for pissing people off might also contribute to the number. Nonetheless, I will never have the time, nor the money to go after all of them. So I accept the fact that I'll never see the end of it, I get a good laugh and I take comfort in knowing most of them can't touch me. Pissing them off and getting away with it is way more satisfying. Not that it's my goal to piss people of, mind you. I just have a job to do and I'm rather good at it.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (12:11:35/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[Speaking of pissing people off, and changing topic, election time is starting up. Oh, not officially or in the Light. Well, at least not in the major parties, the small "Throwaway vote" parties like Seattle's three Communist Parties (No, I'm not joking) have nominated their leaders and potential electorates. But the Shadow work is starting to line up as the potential leaders of the major parties start getting their lies, sorry, "Campaign Promises" ready, and start sorting out their houses to make them seem as clean as possible. You know, getting the Mistresses out of the Metroplex (Or underground), making alibis for situations they were in before, disappearing or fabricating data galore. Biz will be starting up soon, so deckers/hackers out there better update their programs and musclebois and grrls get your shovels ready, and the rest, well, get ready however you get ready.. These jobs always leave me feeling dirty in a way that never washes off. But the major players seem to be waiting for the Ork Underground situation to come to a head before they start fighting over who gets to be the figurehead for their party.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:14:55/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[Yeah, that's when the most disgusting and morally questionable jobs get offered. A guy contacted me through my fixer, just a few years back, and wanted two names to disappear. One woman and a child. I'm no angel and I've done my share of really bad stuff but killing children isn't something I've done. So I tell him, to give me two days to check with my schedule and think about it, I'm good with lies. So I have an acquaintance of mine check into these two names. Turns out, a married candidate had a bastard child and an ex-mistress and wanted them gone. So killing children isn't my business, but charity isn't either, so I told my fixer about it. As it turns out, he wasn't into arranging children murder either. So he told me he would take care of it and sent me a few thousand nuyens a few days later. Hahaha! The old bastard had hired runners to protect and hide the woman and the child and arranged an extortion scheme. Those nuyens were my cut and a token of gratitude apparently."]<<<<<
-- Smiley (01:58:12/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[Hmm, I've been told morality pays off occasionally, but I've carved out a reliable market niche by getting a reputation of no questions asked. In regard to the enemies, anyone with a death threat on me or my associates can expect to find me waiting in an alley outside their favorite haunt, and nothing else after that. The best defense is a good offense; when people find holding a grudge is bad for their health, they either back off or conspire. As for conspirators, let's just say I like all my eggs in one basket, and hard-broiled.]<<<<<
-- Pagan (09:38:55/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[Ah ain't ifultraiten da Arch-Conservortives again. Ever. {Start Playback: 02/01/60}: "Ha! That cigar must have been, what, three, four hours of that 'man's' life?" "Oh, please, hardly a man. Just a troglodyte that thinks he's people." "True enough. Pity he was able to get a SIN somehow to work here, but at least he's in his proper place in society."{End Playback}]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (11:35:12/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[Anyone else catch Teiko's concert last week at the Seattle Coliseum? The girl's got impressive talent. Reminds me of Mercurial back in the day.]<<<<<
-- KageZer0 (15:26:46/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[ No drek Kage, and I knew Mercurial back then, In fact this girl has got a set of pipes on her that almost surpasses MM. I bet a lot of bodies have wracked up over turning her toward one mega or another. I wonder if there's any openings on her security team?]<<<<<
--Wolfgar(15:53:46/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[Can't say that I have KageZer0. I was... away from Seattle the day of the concert. I'll have to say that it's not quite my type of music too. But, I'll admit, she's got a nice... personality... yes, personality!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:17:17/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[I had tickets, but Biz got in the way. Damnit. But debts are debts, and this one is paid off now. Fired them off to a friend who enjoyed the show a lot, despite having to spoof quite a bit of the security to let her in. The auto-vendeors at the site were really keen eyed on things, too, preventing her from getting anything but water, wonder how they were able to do that. I'd ask her how she liked it, but, honestly, I get one-word-out-of-five when she talks.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (17:20:10/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[Sorry, Wulf, but some guys I know are pretty much her exclusive security detail anywhere in the UCAS.]<<<<<
-- Wight Knight (18:42:36/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[What about the CAS Wight Knight?]<<<<<
--Wolfgar (23:14:57/10-07-73)
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>>>>>[From the amount of MCT goons I saw at the concert, the only local security they might hire are bouncers.]<<<<<
--KageZero (11:05:31/10-08-73)
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>>>>>[Her...friends aren't allowed in the CAS for legal purposes.]<<<<<
-- Wight Knight (14:14:14/10-08-73)
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>>>>>[Did they pee on the Alamo like Ozzy Osbourne did? (Look it up if you don't know.) Also, I know one music group from the Salish-Shide Council that made the mistake of touring in Quebec (Fragged if I'm going to asent e gue anything to the slots!) and their Bass player was hunted by the local cops as he was a wolf shapechanger. "F*** The French" was their next album, I like the Or'Zet translation they did better, however. Really carries the anger properly.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (13:12:40/10-08-73)
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>>>>>[Alright, I'm really gonna sound like an asshole there but they were kinda gunnin' for trouble! I mean, I really feel for the guy, I know all too well the feeling of been chased down like a fucking dog, believe me I do! But it's no friggin secret that the République de Québec hate their critters. In fact they're showing their hatred for the whole world to see with their "Harmful Paranimal Act". Hahaha, it's even a damn touristic tool, attracting hunters from all around the world. So I'm gonna say it, they were idiots if they didn't know what they were getting into.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (10:07:46/10-09-73)
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>>>>>[Notice I said it was the Police that were after him, right? Well, guess who had all the proper permits and visas and writs of Mother May I (In the horrible French that country uses, of course) to let him legally be there. He just had to wear a collar at all times, and have all his shots. If they had actually arrested/killed him, they'd have been brought up on charges on, um... "Animal Cruelty" or "Abuse Causing the Death of a Licensed and Owned Pet" if I translate right. If he was just there with nothing but a passport and a smile, then yeah, I'd be with you Smiley, but he was there as legally as possible and they still wanted to have a Fox Hunt with a Wolf. That's why I refuse to do Biz that deals with the damned place. 'Course, being semi-retired, I get to pick my jobs anyhow. Oh, and guess what's a campaign platform with their current election: The ability to put Trolls on said "Harmful Paranimal Act" list again, with a provision that native-born Quebecois Trolls would be exempt.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (10:32:15/10-09-73)
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>>>>>[Oh I noticed, and I'm not making any excuses for these ignorant bigots. All I'm saying is that you don't go into a predator's den, knowing they want to eat you, even if they promise not to. That reminds me the one and only time I went in Quebec for a job. I'll pass on the details but I got hired to get rid of someone hiding in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue's wilderness, It didn't even took 3 hours and I got attacked by a giant horned bear. That thing was huge. I was able to get the hell out alive but my guide wasn't so lucky. They mostly use the Act as a way to get rid of the things they don't understand nowadays but I understand why they originally put this thing on the table to be voted and later adopted. I, personally, would think of doing something when you can't even get in your own backyard without something as big as your house trying to eat you.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (10:07:46/10-09-73)
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>>>>>[After Dad kicked me out (Don't ask), I grew up in territory just as bad. We didn't have those laws. We did have hunting rifles, however. There's a reason I find hunting relaxing.
As for "The Predators Lair", I think their agent shouldn't have taken the offer to visit from Quebec's Tourism Department (I'm not writing the french name for it, it's horribly written) to show how "enlightened and understanding we are with the peoples of North America" and the dumptruck full of Que₣, n'est-ce pas? Before you ask, yes, I'm privy to quite a bit of what happened. No, I'm not going to explain how.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:19:30/10-09-73)
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>>>>>[Still, they took the offer and that was pretty dumb. Anyway, my band and I won't have this problem. We haven't get out of the UCAS and we don't plan to.
Talking about that, we got ourselves in a frustrating situation. We are being harassed by a guy who says he's an agent working for Mitsuhama since I came back from... somewhere. He wants us to sign a deal with him. Not that it is not tempting but we're all a bunch of SINless runners so everytime he showed up, we not-so-politely told him to fuck off. I mean, we do it for fun and the music itself is completely free. Well, with the exception of live performance and some merch, which a more than affordable. We haven't seen the guy in a while and at the same time he left us alone, all the networks distributing our shit went down. Also none of the other network wants to release our brand new digital album for free. I bet this asshole is trying to shut us down until we accept his deal. Something tells me he's going to show up again soon and when he does, I'll rip his head off and shit down his neck!.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:25:15/10-11-73)
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>>>>>[If ya needs any help with the MCT goons, let me know. Me and my pals owe them some "manual cosmetic reconstruction" after the Johnson screwed us on the payoff last time.]<<<<<
-- Bear (16:35:16/10-11-73)
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>>>>>[PM me you contact info, Smiley. I got some contacts with non-corp based distributors that will get your stuff out fairly well. Might not be as cheap as it used to be, I will admit, but it'll be independent and honest. Three-Chords-and-the-Truth, Chummer. Just if you're ever in the Seattle area, send me some tickets, wouldya? All I'll ask for.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:40:06/10-11-73)
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>>>>>[Bear, if this asshole shows up, I will! Besides... who am I to get in the way of well deserved payback? But nobody touches this guy, he's mine. The rest of his entourage is for your pleasure.
Done, Mr. Johnson. We are based in Seattle and if we can get these guys to release our music for free and merch at a discount, you won't ever have to pay a nuyen at our gigs. Assuming you like the shit we're doing. Hahaha!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:31:33/10-11-73)
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>>>>>[OK, sent off your contact info to them. I'll let you guys handle the negotiation, these folks are pretty hard core anti-corp, so they're not about to be "Bought Out" anytime soon. (Shot out is another matter.). And if I don't like what you do, I'm sure there's Shadowrunners that do, the tickets make great bonuses for jobs well done. ;-D]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (20:32:56/10-11-73)
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>>>>>[Word of advice, still be careful, especially soon after a run. I knew a few sneaky bastard Johnsons back in the day who gave out concert tickets in order to draw "loose ends" out into the open. Nice and easy for a sniper to set up and tag you when they know exactly what seat you're in. Old chum of mine went out that way. ]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (04:23:56/10-12-73)
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>>>>>[I wouldn't worry too much at our gigs. It's always in a small concert room. About a quarter of the crowd is acquainted with the shadows and we hire local gangers for security, both street and matrix. Everybody knows each other. Not saying it's air tight but bringing a sniper rifle inside the place would be a hell of a feat.
On other news, your buddies came through Mr. Johnson. A little hard on negotiation but they were downright easy to work with and we already worked a deal. The music will be freely distributed but the merch will be slightly more expensive than we wanted. Can't have everything I guess but it's still cheap enough to keep us happy! Now the shameless self promotion, the album is going to be released on October 17 and here's the album info for those interested. We even added a bonus track not previously planned.
//upload text file :: user Smiley :: 10/13/73 //
Album: Puzzle your Skull
Artist: Thanks for Coming Out
Recorded and Mastered by Joking Chan
Produced by Thanks for Coming Out
Digital distribution by Three-Chords-and-the-Truth
Copyright 2073
01 - Deep Trout
02 - Captain Brown down the Maelstrom
03 - Mouthful of Cheese
04 - Junky Yard
05 - Redmond's Boogie
06 - Scion of Assholes
07 - Dirt Relation
08 - Swallow it all
09 - Clone
10 - Puzzle your Skull
11 - Bonus Track - Morons, Cunts and Twats
Thanks For Coming Out is:
-Joking Chan (Vocals, Guitars)
-Johnny Falco (Drums)
-Anna Wivietsky (Bass, Back Vocals)
-Michael Dubois (Keyboards)
-Lisa Rover (Trumpet, Saxophone)
//end file//
Stay tuned for a album release party. I should warn thought, when we organize a party, it usually get wild. Haven't decided on a date yet.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (12:21:02/10-12-73)
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>>>>>[Always smart to be paranoid of a smiling Johnson, Bravo Six. Now, I personally have never had 'Runners shot to tie up loose ends (Believe that or not as you will), but there have been times that my gifts have had, shall we say, a second ulterior motive. 'Course, if those Humanis 'Runners had bothered to look into the music group whose tickets I gave them, they'd have realized they wouldn't be welcome at a 'Trog Rock Concert. Never used that Fixer again, either. Ah, when I was young and naive, back in the '50s. Not just tickets I've given as gifts, either. So many toys in the box to play with.
Good to hear you signed up, Smiley. If you did your research (And if you didn't, SHAME!), you'd know that the group is privately owned partnership of actual people (The ones you met, BTW, which is why the negotiation was hard), so there's no fronts or hidden possibilities for Mega Influence, and they have a very good law firm to protect copyright. Hope everyone is happy with the situation. I PMed you a drop box where you can send me tickets.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (13:25:40/10-13-73)
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>>►♪♫ H0W_MANY_PUNK_R0CKERS_D0ES_IT_TAKE_T0_CHANGE_A_LIGHT_BULB. TRICK_QUESTI0N. PUNK_R0CKERS_HAVE_NEVER_CHANGED_ANYTHING♫♪◄<<
--bit_meddler (̎ͪ̒͑͏̜͓̲̥̹͙͖̝̟̘̦͇̺̮́)
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>>>>>[Bu... MacCallister! The Skript Kiddies got in. How the hell did that happen, this system doesn't even work with stock CommLink OSes or the shareware programs being passed around today.
I go away for a hunting "Weekend" and the place goes to hell. Oh, and if someone wants some Elk Meat... Go get it yourself. Damned herd I was tracking has some kind of magical protection going that nearly fried me (Lightning in this case.). Any magicians want to make some "easy" coin doing an Astral Fly-By, contact me.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:00:32/10-21-73)
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>>>>>[Money, check your mail. It just so happens I've got some free time.]<<<<<
-- Thunder (11:05:27/10-21-73)
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>>>>>[HAHAHA! That's a good one, bit_meddler!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (12:27:55/10-21-73)
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>>>>>[Sorry to hear about your hunting problems, Money, wish I could help but I have my own trip to contend with. My prey like to shoot back too, good thing my unit and I are much better shots. So far. ]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (13:39:55/10-21-73)
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>>>>>[Thanks, Bravo Six. Not the first time game has hunted me, but it is the first time Elk has. The Tribe whose land I was on (Legitimately) was concerned as well, and not too happy, either.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:45:00/10-21-73)
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>>>>>[ The tribe is not the spirits of the land. Remember to propitiate them before taking of the bounty they provide. ]<<<<<
-- Jungle Hunter (16:00:00/10-21-73)
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>>>>>[I've always been respectful of the spirits of the land and animals I hunt. Unlike a lot of my contemporaries, I do use all the animal that I hunt, and don't overhunt. (OK, a bit of an exaggeration, I don't use everything PERSONALLY, but I do see that it is put to use by others.). I've had a few people investigate it (Thanks Thunder!) and whatever it was is gone now, which puts the tribe there at ease a bit, but it showed up with a few other folks in various parts, protecting different herds. I got a, um, nature expert investigating it now full time, and damn is she not cheap.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (17:06:42/10-30-73)
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>>>>>[ You know guys, bit meddler made me think and then go looking into some old data from right after the crash. Does anyone else remember running across a file talking about one of the first AIPS cases? It was a transcript of a shrink and his patient who had been seeing what i think were some orriginal AIs right after the Stockholm wireless grid first came up.]<<<<<
---Wolfgar(17:20:05/11-02-73)
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>>>>>[REWARD: To the first person that finds out where the hell I am!
Bring pants.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:15:00/11-05-73)
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>>>>>[I did say our parties were wild! Well, someone's coming to get you if you're still where it... she tracked your signal. Let's hope I got the size right.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (14:53:06/11-05-73)
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>>>>>[It was the afterparty, and it wasn't as much fun as the party. Oh, and medium flats, I'm not picky at this point. Something to clean blood up would be an idea too, but not necessary. I hate leaving myself open for tracking like this, BTW. Be glad when I can get back in Hidden And Spoofing Mode.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:52:18/11-05-73)
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>>>>>[Well, I guess it's a little late to ask since it... she already told me you got out of your, let's call it, predicament alive and well but, was the suit fine enough for you Money? I wasn't gonna make you walk around in flats. Even for me, the thought of doing that is unbearable! Flats, just the word makes me shiver.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (22:40:40/11-06-73)
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>>>>>[One of these days, I need to learn Fashion so I can tailor Flats to me out of the tube. I hate when I shift and forget where I left my clothes. Or have to change without time to undress. Went to wearing really cheap stuff on 'runs long ago. Better yet, for most of you anyway, they're more anonymous. Just-bought stuff has less of a link, too, it feels like.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (00:50:40/11-7-73)
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>>>>>[When that new color-changing and AR-enhanced style clothing came out, I made sure to upgrade my threads. Guards are looking for someone all in black? They might not pay too much attention to the guy in the green and silver, broadcasting your favorite team's logo. If you don't mind about the reduced armor, that Teg-mentum suit makes changing looks on the fly a breeze.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (04:20:03/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[You might wanna look into Nanofaxing, Tekdrake. You won't be able to design them yourself but they should have a nice selection by now. An acquaintance of mine use that in combination with Vendingwear for cheap "fashion" on the spot. By the Jade Emperor, Vendingwear is the only thing worst than Flats. Personally, all my clothes are made of real fabric, about half of them custom made and about a quarter of it I made myself. Yes, I'm a man who sew, the little feminine side of my personality.
On a more tasteful note, I just received my custom made Feywear suit that I will use in concert as soon as the other receive theirs. And oh my, it is 1920 mafia don style with a small twist, hat and shoes included, and it is worth every nuyen!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (11:00:03/11-07-73)
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>>>>>[Smiley, have you ever tried to lug a nanofax about? Without the benefit of a vehicle? Or at times, thumbs.
Sweet threads, though, and nice style. Might get a dress or suit made up one of these days if I can ever afford it. Drawback of being a changeling, a seamstress or tailor kinda remembers making adjustments for extra limbs or a tail whether cash or spoof. Let's just say I need to be circumspect about that side of town for a bit.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (11:29:44/11-7-73)
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>>>>>[One Shapechanger I hire on a regular basis uses a fanny pack with an eleastic band to lug stuff around, including a folded set of flats to keep nudity from being an issue, and his CommLink. Don't laugh, he's bigger than most Trolls, and a hell of a lot meaner than some folks I know. He also swears by passport holders that go around the neck to hold his Credsticks. Not exactly giving away secrets here, it's pretty obvious who he is if you see him. The issue is seeing him.
A group I knew, um, "back in the day", has stashes all over their land for various stuff they find useful when they need thumbs, like titanium knives (they don't rust or get dull) for skinning and clothing for selling to fur traders.]<<<<<
--Money Johnson (11:30:20/11-7-73)
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>>>>>[Thanks, MJ, I just spent 20 minutes cleaning out the fiber optic sockets in my 'link after spitting my 'kaf onto it. I just pictured winging around while wearing a day-glo fanny pack on my lovely cobalt scales.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (12:12:34/11-7-73)
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>>>>>[He wears black synthleather, but whatever floats your boat, chummer. *Emote: Big Grin*]<<<<<
--Money Johnson (11:34:44/11-7-73)
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>>>>>[Can't say that I have, Tekdrake. I never used Nanofaxed clothing, all I know is that some peeps I know finds it handy for a quick change. Me I really never needed a fast change of clothes but I always have some spare ones in the trunk of my Westwind 3k or in the seat compartment of my Mirage. Well... that and sex toys. You never know when you need those! And being the boytoy of a fair amount of women in nearly every districts of Seattle have some advantages, I can always leave some behind for later use. Some clothes too, of course!
And for Feywear, yeah, expensive comes to mind but nuyens are just about half of what people think they cost. There's also a fairly exhausting binding process that comes with it and if you don't already have the "designer" in your pocket already, you might have to owe it a favor or two. That brings also the fact that you have to know or be introduced to one of these "designers" before you can even think about getting a set of these clothes. Ask me what we had to do to get ours!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:28:56/11-07-73)
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>>>>>[HOLYMOTHERWHATTH'FRAG!!! Sorry, fergot dis 'ting on. Yuh, dere's som'tin' in da sewers 'round Everett bigger dan me an' hu'gry fer orky flesh. An' dwarf. An' elfies. An' it don' like no shotties slugs wit' da 'plosives in 'em! MJ, yuh wanna go huntin'?
Five kay new yen, down da tubes. Lit'ral like!]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (09:55:21/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[... It is posts like that one that make me wish I'd never left the Tir. That perversion of language literally hurt to read.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:30:08/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[ And it's posts like yours that makes me glad of the large number of times I was hired to hack Tir Tairngire. Hell, boy, I'm willing to bet my last nuyen that your personal elven ancestry is no more than one generation deep. Posts like yours make me glad I bought out of that crap very early on. Because you know what? The way population growth is happening, the odds are that there are more people who understood his post than didn't. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (16:20:14/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[Ah can't use no keyboard, sos I gotta use da mic t'ing. Damn 'board iz too smallish fer my orky-sized mitts. An' peoples wunderz why elfies t'ink der drek don' stink. Me, Ise knowz I make da stereotype 'bout Dumb Barrens Trog stronger. But dis howz I talk, and nevers could get rid a' da aksent.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (15:28:04/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[Second generation, actually. Born in '32. And this has nothing to do with metatype, Wyrm. Education? Physical impairments with being able to use standard-sized gear? Sure. But those issues are not based strictly on metatype. And it certainly isn't an elven thing to appreciate language enough not to mangle it.
Wonder what it would take to get Horizon to expand some of its education programs to Redmond. From what I can see in the PCC, they're doing some good teaching less fortunate people (of all metatypes) basic literacy and skills that they can use for profitable careers, whether in the private sector or the shadows.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (18:30:10/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[Oh, I don't know. Seems the uneducated orky isn't doing too badly for himself in terms of profit. Like all the rest of us, he knows what he needs to know to get the job done. The fact that you can't understand him easily is more your problem than his. Personally, I get nervous when media giants take an interest in the SINless. Besides that...even if Horizon didn't have ulterior motives, do you really think the SINless will be allowed to use the skills they acquire? Just knowing to read and write isn't going to bring very many opportunities your way, even if you didn't already have the tiny little problem of being illegitimate.]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (0:57:23/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Never said I couldn't understand him. Just said it hurt to listen to. Being able to read and write might not open many more doors when you're SINless, but every door opened is another opportunity for profit and getting out of ghost-forsaken hellholes. Education isn't THE solution to poverty, but it does offer some people a way out. Especially once they have some marketable skills.
Awakened types and the hacker/techno crowd have the easiest time finding work once they get some education and training. And merc units are always looking for fresh talent. But a bit of education can go a long way, even in setting up a legitimate business. Knowing how to take apart a Roadmaster, fix what's broken, and put it back together again means you've got a steady stream of income just waiting for you.
But really, the reason you want a bit of education is that there are meets that happen in places where formal dress is mandatory, and getting past the maître d’ is damn near impossible unless you can both look and speak the part. Being able to 'get rid a' da aksent', combined with a nice suit means that the Johnson that would have passed on you for that gig guarding some pop princess will now take a second look. You can spout off all you like about not judging books by their covers, but we all know, or ought to, that presentation is a big part of being seen as a professional. Like it or not, that's how the game works.
Currently working the LA sprawl, though I visited a few times before the Crash and the Fall. Whatever else you can say about Horizon, they and the PCC have kept the Azzies from taking the place over. And their community service groups do help out in some of the hardest hit areas. Do they have ulterior motives for being seen publicly as the 'nice' mega? Doubtless. But they're better than the alternative. If given the choice between a Consensus and teocalis, I know who I'll turn to, every time.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (01:23:09/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Ah Tir Tairngire. I don't miss my birthplace one second!
Stereotypes... they'll follow you anywhere like glue. I say everyone are idiots as a whole, slightly different on an individual basis. Point is, Big Murphy seems to be an Ork with a simple mind and a speech impediment and Iceblade seems to be an educated ass with an ego! Hey, I'm an annoying jackass with sociopathic tendencies. What a nice bunch of losers we make!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (18:33:36/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[Horizon scares me in a lot of ways. We deal with the Corporations dirty laundry all the time, PayData is often stuff they don't want getting out. Like Aztechnology and their use of Blood Magic. Yeah, we know about it, but the general public doesn't. Renraku had the AI that caused the Archology Incident. And so on. Horizon? They got NOTHING. Small-time stuff that's normal with any corporation above the size of Bob and his brothers. Nothing on the Denver Data Haven, nothing on ShadowSEA, nothing on the DumpShock DataHaven, NOTH-ING.
That scares me more than Blood Magic and a Toxic Pixie Shaman that has a taste for my flesh.
As for Big Murphy, I've worked with four generations of Murphy's now. They've all been professional and discrete, which is more than I can say for a lot of Muscle that comes out of the Barrens. He just never lost his accent, and is far better read than I am at this point. And I went to University. If you can stand his manner of speaking, his comparison on Sun Tzu against Clausewitz is actually quite insightful. I just wish he'd break down and buy a troll-sized keyboard so these arguments quit happening.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (17:31:44/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[Some of the greatest weapons in this world are misconception, misdirection, and arrogance. Play on their bias, point them in the wrong direction, and then convince them what they are seeing can't possiblly be anything but what they have determined. Makes for one hell of a suprise. I learned a long time ago not to just focus on the threat right in front of you, but look for the one sneaking up from behind. And Money, not to sound condensending and with all respect but, you have no idea of what's still out there. Tip of the iceburg, chummer. Until this unpleasentness I'm currently involved in took all my attention, I was actively researching such things. If the public knew half of what was really out there...and should some of it get loose, I weap for metahumanity. ]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (19:26:34/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[Yeah, I'z enjoy'd dat stuff when I wuz yunger. But da woid iz out dat I'z iz smarter den I sounds. Still, lotsa folks try ta stiff mes on payment an' stuff. Never hadta worry 'bout dat wit' Money. I'z da one what gave him dat name. And I ain't to sure-like dat he's arroganty 'bout knowing soz much stuffz. Oft times he askz mes for helps with da thinkin' an' plannin'. Not many do, even wit' knowin' howz smarts I iz. But he keyed into dirty biz, dat his primary biz an' hobby t'ig. Me, I collects da holdout pistol weapons. Much better hobby.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (18:40:22/11-08-73)
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>>>>>[I love my cousins from the Promised Land. They are so much easier to convince to let me in and tell me their secrets.]<<<<<
-- Mercedes (20:52:43/11-08-1173)
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>>>>>[I've had a bunch of folks turn their nose up at the scruffy Changeling huddled in a daze on a park bench. Those, for some odd reason, find themselves victims of identity theft and their comms the origin of some nasty hacks. I actually miss college, but when my SIN got... 'misplaced' when I manifested and turned into what I am, well, it kinda opened my eyes. Not to mention, I couldn't finish my degree.
Hey, Big Murphy, if'n ya ever want an upsized keyboard, I can hook you up. Got one for my scaly side custom-made, claw-resistant. Thing's bigger than those clumsy decks used by geezers, though.
Oh, what's with the weird date-hack, Mercedes? Daylight savings glitch your comm?]<<<<<
--TekDrake (1:45:12/11-9-73)
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>>>>>[¡Caray! Hacker friend of mine thinks he's funny... Let's see how funny it is when his next shipment of Betel is "late".]<<<<<
--Mercedes (08:24:01/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[T'anks, but I'z us'd ta da mic now. Haveta relearn ta type all o'er ag'in. Hard ta dos when yer tirdy and orky. Old dawgs an tricks an all dat.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (11:49:10/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Mmm...ever considered rejuv treatment, orky?]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (20:36:13/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Da name be Big Murphy, naht Money Johnson. Can't afford no rejuvy when youse gots da household a five-duzen or so mout' to feedz.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (13:41:44/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[I thought so. Drop me a message, and we'll see what can be arranged. The world needs more honourable folk.]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (22:56:44/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Okay, camotes, my friends and I are looking for some help. Our teammate has gotten himself detained by some of the chota and we need to free him up for an upcoming job. If you have any information on <redacted> where he's being held, it would be much appreciated. And we can pay. And if there's any chamucos out there that think they could lend a hand, we might be in the market...]<<<<<
-- Mercedes (16:42:50/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Who are these guys? Knowing a little more, I should be able to find someone who knows something.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:59:12/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[What sprawl you in? Might be I could find someone who can get you what you need.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (18:01:30/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Messaged you both with the details. (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=3870.0)]<<<<<
-- Mercedes (20:24:35/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Checking with my contacts. I'll let you know if anything turns out.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:54:01/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[I know some people who may be able to help. You want to owe a favor to the Laesa, Horizon, or some officials in the Tir?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (20:25:39/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[Already calling in a couple favors from them. What do you have from the Tir?]<<<<<
-- Mercedes (23:51:29/11-09-73)
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>>>>>[A friend in the army who helped me get out before the rebels caught me, and avoid some other minor unpleasantness. I'm sure she'd be glad to have someone who owed her a favor or two in Seattle.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (00:02:12/11-10-73)
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>>>>>[Alright, my contacts came through. First bit you might wanna know about the place Mercedes, you do not want to push the "Open all cell doors" button. The U.C.A.S. Marshalls have a contract with Knight Errant, specifically this facility. It seems they are using the place to stash very violent and very dangerous fugitives until they can process them to a more permanent and more maximum security facility. The place seems to be tight but far from full proof. Lawyers are sometimes allowed to see their clients, District Attorney come and go sometimes to make deals with prisoners and of course Marshalls come and go to give and take prisoners from the place.
A friend of mine looked into employees on the matrix and he told me one of them might be of use. The secretary at the reception is... hum... very sexually active and always on the hunt for anything physically attractive and on two legs. He even sent me some... slightly intense videofeeds of her in action but I'll spare you that. Bottom line, he says she has some access and could be easily seduced into doing naughty things.
Another source of mine forwarded some info on their security and on the whereabouts of your friend. So if what I got is accurate and up-to-date, it's a prison designed to be easily covered by cameras so there's only a few guards patrolling every ten minutes or so in any given area and on every floors. Don't be fooled though, if the alarm goes on for just a few seconds, the prison has the capacity to send a few dozen armed guards in just a few minutes. There is also word of an elite team with heavy artillery and armor with magic support that can be called on by the Warden, somewhere within the facility. Now I don't have specifics on the cameras, like emplacements, the level of encryption to hack through them or even if they are wireless but what info I do have is that they apparently cover every angle in detention area. It might be possible to evade them elsewhere, but probably not in that area. There is also a truck delivering supplies to the facility during your time window. You might want to check into that. Now what I got on your friend. The info is a day old and prisoners move around a lot, so you might want to confirm on site or with other sources. There is a prisoner matching the information you sent me in cell A-10, it's a four men cell on the ground floor. His three cellmates are an Ork imprisoned for smuggling, an Elf (no info on this one) and a Troll big time murderer. Apparently, his name is Garry Weller and was on a murder spree before getting caught by Lone Star. He escaped from prison twice and killed a lot of cops, both Lone Star and Knight Errant before being put there by the Marshalls. The guy is nuts so be careful since there's a chance they're still cellmates.
That's what I got so far and I got people still looking for more info but I doubt it goes somewhere within your time frame. I'm also trying to get hold of a guy who owes me big time. If I get hold of him, I might be able to make it that easy for you. If that proves useful, you'll owe me a small one Mercedes.<<<<<
-- Smiley (21:06:13/11-010-73)
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>>>>>[Three days in the sewers, I had to burn the outfit I was wearing, and have a six-hour long shower. And I still want to dip myself in a vat of CleanerCleaner. Got the whatever the hell it was that Big Murphy found down there, however. Nasty critter, I found bones, well, I wish I didn't know as much about Metahuman Physiology as I do. More nightmare fuel for when I sleep. As for what it was, after the third or fourth Hi-Ex Grenade Tripwire I made it run into, it stopped being really identifiable.
Took a setting of five claymore mines in pattern to impact as much of the critter as possible to get it. Ruined the hide, too, damnit. Have to see if that Sniper that taught me all those backtrail trapping tricks is still alive so I can thank him. Also have to find the crews that maintain the ventilation system in the sewers, as I was popping off enough of everything that if there had been a Methane build-up, I'd have gone up with it. 'Course, I made sure that it was safe before I went down there.
So, what did I miss?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (10:26:00/11-11-73)
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>>>>>[Thanks, Smiley. We owe you big time!]<<<<<
-- Mercedes (10:26:00/12:58:23/11-11-73)
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>>>>>[Mercedes, my contacts didn't have anything on the facility, but they offered a couple Plan Bs for you. If you don't manage to get them out, my friend can file extradition papers with the facility holding him, and provide uniforms, when things go through. It will take longer, but once you're in the Tir, you'll be home free.
If you do manage to get him out, and find heat's a little too hot to get back to Seattle the way you came, head for the Tir Border. My friend can fix it so that you're allowed safe passage through a crossing.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:55:39/11-11-73)
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>>>>>[Garry Weller was one crazed glitched-out trog. Too crazy for his own good and last I heard, an order went out from the Crush to have him shanked. Apparently the job got done by his elven cell-mate (don't got the name) to pay off some standing debts. He definitely spent some time in solitary....maybe even still there. So Mercedes, If that's true and your teammate checks out to be in A-10, he might be all alone there with the ork. Can't tell you who that guy is, and all I can say is I hope your buddy can hold his own in a fight if he doesn't want his cellmate to ....how should we say...baptize him. Big Ol' Garry wasn't the only crazy locked up in that facility. Just watch out people, any place that also has cryo-stasis towers to hold awakened inmates definitely doesn't skimp on the security.
Now Smiley my friend, as soon as you mentioned the...how should I say...."skank" if you will....down at in-take...I don't know if you got an image of her, and mind you, this is a long-shot......but have you ever slotted the sim-porn chip "SquawSkank Redemption"? It's an amateur simrig recording unit placed on a prisoner inside a real Lonestar (it's a little old) detention facility. It develops into a forced femdom reach around daisy-chain gang-bang with four on the floor with some human Amerind female as the star of the show. Of course...ahem...I don't have a copy of this chip.....I only heard about this recording which went viral. The feeds you're talking about Smiley would be interesting to cross reference with the Sim-sensation. It would be interesting to find out if our "receptionist" actually did a foray into professional sim-rigging. Enjoy doing the research people!]<<<<<
--BeeDubs (11:14:32/11-11-73)
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>>>>>[Not much, Money. Just helping some runners with a prison break out. I bet there's some scientists who'd like to get their hands on that carcass.
I ain't into VR things too much, makes me feel a little uncomfortable. But I did heard of that from a pr0n obsessed hacker I sometimes use on runs I can't do on my own. I asked him to look into it, he's a little occupied and doesn't have a copy of the chip anymore so you guys will have to do it. But he did say when looking at the videofeed I sent him that it could definitely be her though it's hard to tell since she likes to put on small masks that cover the area around her eyes. I guess if you can find the chip, a recent picture of her and have a good facial recognition software you could sort that out.
Oh and no problems Mercedes. I'm a nice guy... for a killer.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:30:42/11-011-73)
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>>>>>[Money, if you happened to take a small souvenir off that beast, I can take a look at it...maybe take a shot at identifying it. It might just have value as magical ingredients. Message me if you do have a sample, and would like to find out.]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (19:33:43//12-11-73)
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>>>>>[Um, no. There wasn't much left after the claymores, and I wasn't about to hunt for things in the sewer "water", and I already burned the suit that had the blood.
I'm going to call it "Ugly" and "Dead", and leave it at that. Hope it didn't have a mate and kids, that's all.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:57:12/11-12-73)
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>>>>>[Did youz findsa flametrower wit' da backpack fulla holy water whens youz wuz down?]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (20:56:43/11-14-73)
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>>>>>[If there's one...there's bound to be more. I just hope it isn't something toxic. Well...one way to find out...]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (21:15:03/16-11-73)
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>>>>>[Youz cans find anunnder tusker ta git a sample. I ain'ts gonnin' go down dat hole agin' 'til I hears from da crew what normally workz down dere.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (16:14:21/11-16-73)
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>>>>>[Hell, I'm not doing anything. Need any magical backup, Madrecita? Been a while since my last hunt. Of course, the last time I was hunting, it was a pack of barghests hunting me during my Bridging.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (04:15:35/11-17-73)
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>>>>>[I shower and shower and shower and yet I never feel clean!
Just kidding, I've waded through worse. Hell, my wedding was worse when it comes to mess (And violence and explosions, come to think of it.). I'll tell you folks when the statute of limitations ends, there's a few SINners that would get nailed if details got out.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (20:08:55/11-16-73)
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>>>>>[Guud weddin'. I waz an usher an' weapon's check guy. Muh holdout collection came ins handy-like whens someones didn't have no firearms. An' I knowz I can't sayz no mores.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (16:22:11/11-18-73)
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>>>>[Geez. Thanks the spirits we don't have weddings like that in Tarislar. The Laesa would think a war had broken out...and when they found out there wasn't a war, would wonder why they were not invited. Never a good idea.]<<<<<
-- Ysoni (19:16:15/11-20-73)
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>>>>>[Wuz pretty close to da war-ting.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (11:28:32/11-20-73)
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>>>>>[MURPHY! Shut your vut-hole! NOW! I just finished posting we can't talk about it! Trust me, Cerri, I wish I could trade war stories as well, bring some life back to my wife in this world...]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:30:00/11-20-73)
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>>>>>[There's not many things in this world that scares me more than a wedding. Not that I ever came close to get married.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:30:42/11-20-73)
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>>>>>[Find the right person, best thing in the world. And I don't just say that because I caught the wife in bed with another woman, was just about to freak out, then they both invited me in. Well, what could I say to that? It's also the hardest thing when that person is taken away from you. Sometimes I feel like the hurt will never go away.
Oh, Madrecita, another crew caught one of those whatevers in a white gator trap, and after what I am told was an "Epic Battle", they got some pieces for you. I took the opportunity to get a few and have them magically contained to stave off... Fragged if I know, but I've worked with the magician before and trust him to do good work. I currently have it on dry ice in a .50 Cal locked ammo box, packed around dry ice in a floor safe at a place that I have an, um, "arrangement" with. If you don't want it, I know another crew of researchers that would be interested in it.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:40:24/11-20-73)
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>>>>>[I attended a virtual wedding between a free sprite and an idoru AI this weekend. It was a very touching ceremony, followed by a lively reception at Tux's. I dragged Isao-kun along as payment for cleaning a virus someone from the Choson Ring got onto his system somehow.]<<<<<
--Motoko Kusanagi (16:43:23/11-20-73)
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>>>>>[I knew a beautiful woman once. Well, I know a lot of beautiful women but this one was the closest I got to a relationship. We were a lot alike. It was wild. Both living a hundred miles per hour and for her it was pretty literal, damn good driver, we both knew what the other was doing for a living and I guess we were both screwed up persons. She was an addict, well she had been clean for a few months when we met but it wasn't easy, I didn't mind. And me well, I was being me. I guess screwed up people get closer from time to time. She even made me think about quitting that life. I was about to make the necessary preparations to retrieve an make my real identity live again when one day I got back to my condo and she was gone, along with all her things, no explanations. I knew from the beginning that some things are bound to be one way, that I was destined to live and die alone in a gutter somewhere but I guess I only realized it at this precise moment. Destiny has other plans for me, always had. So I resumed my both dangerous and hedonistic life and never looked back. No regrets so far. She is still in Seattle, I see her from time to time but we haven't spoke since. I see shame when she looks at me and she seems to avoid me like the plague. She's been in a relationship for a few months now. Looks serious enough. Good for her. I do wonder why she left, not that it really bothers me anymore.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (18:29:22/11-20-73)
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>>>>>[Sorry Iceblade. I'd already gone hunting by the time you posted. Next time I need back-up, I'll hit you up.
Crazy, crazy drek! I've never seen the like. I caught up with a small one but ended up having to destroy it. It just kept coming and coming! This is not something I'd care to face alone again...
Money...yes please! Like I said...my own run turned up squat. I owe you one. If any of the crew needs medical attention...I'll cover it.
Mmm...love and The Shadows don't mix. In the end, the Shadows will always claim one or both of you. Unless you're lucky enough to make a good Shadow team. Which Sinead and I was...but the SHadows still won in the end.]<<<<<
--Madrecita (20:45:23/11-20-73)
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>>>>>[No worries, Madre. But seriously, you were on the trail of unknown para-crazy, and you went alone? Always grab some backup when you're going after the crazy unknown drek!]<<<<<
--Iceblade (05:34:03/11-21-73)
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>>>>>[Oh I don't know Madrecita, I do think it's possible. I know a few runners who are making it work. Bull, VU93's creator here has been married for years now. The Shadows claimed his daughter but it wasn't his fault or did she had anything to do with said Shadows (Not my intention to open old wounds Bull, just mentioning your married life). All I'm saying, and not to start a religious debate, but destiny/fate/whatever-suits-your-mind has plans for us. Some of us a bound to live alone and others aren't. In my case, I know for a fact that the Celestial Bureaucracy does have written plans for me and as I found out, the best way to piss those heavenly bureaucrats off is asking for your files with a big mustache and a fake warrant, hahaha!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (18:12:36/11-21-73)
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>>>>>[I know a few ShadowCouples that went well. I tried to retire after the wedding, moved out of the sprawl, up in the Northern UCAS, but neither of us could keep out of Biz. Hell, the Citizens of one gated community forced us into it once because of Anniversary Presents, if you could believe it! But we weren't fully in, just the peripheral stuff. There were a few attempts by amateurs, typical drek. You know, the stuff that'd happen just walking downtown Seattle.
What happened with her death, it wasn't Biz, it wasn't Shadows, it was policlub terrorism. Stupid, pathetic, worthless drek. Damned racism of all things. Public personas, legal concealed firearms, the works. Not that carrying heavy and illegal would have saved her, or me. Or anyone else in the building.
No, I know families that have lived in the shadows. Big Murphy is a third-generation Shadowrunner, and is training the fourth. Hell, he's almost done, really. Few other folks. Some I'd consider safer than anyone outside of a Corp Enclave. They know the scene, kids know how to protect themselves from the street monsters, the works. Better than most kids on the street with no armoured clothing, no handguns or tasers, no idea who they have to be careful of. No monsters that will come creeping out of the gutters if anything ever happens to them.
I should know. I'm one of those monsters.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (18:24:10/11-21-73)
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>>>>>[Whoa. Makes me glad I'm single.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (13:45:07/11-22-73)
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>>>>>[Biggest problem for me would be finding a woman that understands the difference between what I do to get the job done, and what I do in my personal life. Sometimes getting the pretty secretary on her back is an easier way to get through a door than sending your hacker through the IC and past the spiders to unlock it for you. Lots of women take offense to the idea of a guy sleeping around as part of his job, or to sell a cover story. Go figure.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:43:32/11-22-73)
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>>>>>[Ah trah'd da Man-whorin' t'ing once when I wuz yunger, Little Murphy I waz den. Had ta give it up. Da hubbie-folks figured out dat dere wimmin were messin' around 'cause dey didn't measure up no moar. Once youse goes Orky, youse can't goes back wit'out da surgical cerrection.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (14:53:11/11-22-73)
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>>>>>[Well, like I said, only one woman was able to keep me in the same bed every night. Never had that problem before and even less after. I'd even say it the best part of the job! Someone once asked me if I haven't slept with any of my female contacts and colleagues. I didn't had an answer for him. It did made me realize something though. Some woman are just too rare and precious.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (16:25:02/11-22-73)
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>>>>>[Mmm...you may be right. It could be possible. I’m a second generation runner myself. In my 59 years of living, the Shadows claimed my parents, my children, my husband...and Sinead. Everyone I ever loved. I’d rather not face such loss – or even the possibility of such loss – ever again. Losing Sinead almost broke me.
Ah Ice...men just don’t understand women. Never have, never will. That is why men are not welcome in my bed. To men...it is always the job. It doesn’t matter who they hurt. Just as long as the job gets gone. In the most expedient manner possible. The man responsible for the death of my loved ones? He was my lover. To him, I was just a means to give Mr. Johnson what he wanted...and for my love and trust, I got the death of all I held dear.]>>>>>
-- Madrecita (21:23:45/11/23/73)
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>>>>>[If you think there aren't female runners out there that do the same thing, Madre, you're going to get burned again. And remember that people are always looking for an opening to stab you in the back.
But I am sorry for your loss. Losing your family is hard. I know that as well as any. If you ever need a friendly ear, drop me a message in private. My sister would never forgive me if I did anything less.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (07:35:02/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[Ouch. Not to piss you off, I understand all too well the pain of loss and even the weight of loneliness (well sometimes), but it's not that black and white for those using sex as means to an end on the job. Yeah, it would be dumb to think only man does that! I don't have enough fingers to count the number of times a woman pulled off the grand seduction game to get something from me. I don't always give them what they want but if I like them enough, I nearly always indulge them. But of course, I don't have any loved ones for anyone to hurt, well not anymore. I'd say you have the right to be angry and those trust issues are completely justified but putting the fault on gender is just stupid.
That leads me to those of us, man AND woman, living an hedonistic life only because they like it. Now I'll talk on a personal level and I know we're a minority in the lot, but I'm not the only one with this mindset. If you think I need to sleep with every woman I meet because of what they could provide me, then you couldn't possibly be more wrong. I don't need to do that on the job at all. I just like it. I only sleep with them if I really like them and I make it clear it ain't going to last. Things do go bad sometimes, but I do try to make things so they don't get back at them. I like, even love to a degree, every single one of them and I am always thrilled to see them again, I'm just not a only-one-woman type of guy. A good portion of my contacts are woman I met this way and they wouldn't talk to me if I was a complete asshole. I just have to pay for a favor in kind from time to time (which, again, doesn't bother me at all).
But you're right on something though. Man will never understand woman and vice-versa (with a huge french accent oh oh!). That's because there's nothing to understand. Things just are the way they are.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:33:12/11-23-73)
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>>>>>[Smiley has the right of it. To most of us who do this kind of thing, seduction is another tool in the box, another option we have available to us. For me, there's no malice behind it. I don't go out trying to hurt anyone, and unless I'm developing someone into a long term contact, I don't give them any illusions that it is more than a good time. But it gives me and whatever team I'm with options, when sending the troll in to put a gun to someone's head might cause more trouble than its worth. There's no more malice in it than anything else you may do in the shadows.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:24:12/11-23-73)
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>>>>>[Hahaha! I just got released from the local KE precinct. They busted me in a stuffer shack while I was buying myself a snack. Been a long time since my hands were cuffed... well by a cop I mean. I haven't laughed so hard in a while. Damn I love this lawyer of mine.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:21:43/11-23-73)
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>>>>>[You think yours is good, mine had Lone Star paying ME for being in lockup. And that's with HD-Trid of me wedging a Dwarf's head through the prison bars. In self-defense, of course. It was quite hilarious for the arresting officers to see this human in a suit sitting in the middle of the holding cell while all the street monsters were at the bars and walls to stay as far away as possible. Also, before I was augmented.
Speaking of, anyone doing the flip-flop Aztlaner-side, hit me up, I might have a job that'll pay your travel expenses.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:02:55/11-23-73)
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>>>>>[Haha! Yours could pull that off too with Lone Star? Are you sure we haven't the same lawyer? Small guy (and I mean really short), human, black hair and eyes, small scar on the neck, dead serious, never-seen-him-smile type of guy? He hasn't done it yet with KE, I don't know why. I love this guy, ain't cheap though. All I gotta do is keeping him in the loop of my travels and activities and if I get busted in the Seattle area, he shows up at most a few hours later.
Usually it is pretty straight forward, he goes to the chief or the detective himself and gets me out but today, how he got that little weasel off my back, was just astonishing. The guy who busted me is a young detective named Joseph Sutta. You know... the green, idealistic, naive and slightly zealot type of detective. He probably thought I was his way into the big league so he arrested me on suspicion of murder. I'm not going to say if he was right or not, just that he was way over his head. So we arrive at the station and he puts me in a cell with some other guys. It didn't took three seconds and his supervisor strongly advised him to cut me loose before the boss orders him to do it. He gets angry and decide to go through his investigation anyway.
Maybe one hour later, he comes back and moved me into the interrogation room. He asks me all sorts of question but I keep my mouth shut. All I give him is my usual, arrogant smile. About a few dozen questions and insults later, my little lawyer storms into the room without saying a word. He puts his huge briefcase on the table and with all the seriousness in the world he says "My client has been arrested for unjustified reasons. You have no proof that links him to your investigation and I suggest you stay away from my client or I'll file a complaint for harassment. You are clearly on a crusade against my client for obvious personal reasons and we will not tolerate it." Now the best part and even I never saw it coming. So Joe (shorter than Joseph) gets mad and protest that he is not on a personal crusade against me and that I was a clear suspect. This was when my lawyer got his commlink out of his briefcase and projected on the surface of the table what I would qualify as dropping the biggest bomb ever. The trid was of a woman having, hmmm, sexual intercourse with me in very high quality and clarity.
Joe jumped over the table shouting something I don't quite remember at me (something mean I'm sure) and started punching me in the face. That's when I understood who the woman was. I mean, I remembered sleeping with her, very sweet girl and great in bed, but I didn't know she was married, even less that she was HIS wife. Apparently, he never knew of her wife's affair either but at this point it didn't really matter. This ridiculous situation made me laugh so hard that it made him even more angry. It took three other cops to make him stop hitting me. A few minutes later, the chief arrived, and quite pissed I would say. After a few minutes of discussion with my little lawyer and the detective, he has me released and had Joe apologize to me. Hahaha! Unbelievable, I sleep with his wife and I get an apology. Oh I got a small compensation for medical expenses and I didn't really see the need to press charges either. The guy is now off the case and has been told to leave me alone on grounds of suspension. After that, my lawyer just looked at the time and took off like nothing happened. My little lawyer orchestrated everything, knowing I'd get a beating and trid recorded everything for insurance. I have no idea where this little guy got the recording, hell I take pictures of me on my commlink and they mysteriously disappear. It always cracks me up how he gets me out of there without even breaking a sweat but this was hilarious! Best lawyer, ever!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (00:55:14/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[My law firm sends a Dwarf in that's had more years in law than most officers. Nice guy, smiles all the time. His smile gets sinister when he has someone on the hook for something. The issue was a problem with my SIN, which I've had all my life (Yes, I'm a SINner. Mr. Johnson, remember?), so they were trying to pin a "Usage of a forged SIN and illegal permits" on me, as I was legally carrying at the time. Just kept my trap shut, and waited for him to show up. And demonstrated that I am a legal citizen, pillar of the community, friend of one of the Mayors of Seattle, stuff like that. This was one of the times it was near contract time for Lone Star, so they wanted as many friends as possible. Sticking me in "The Cage" with all the street monsters did not exactly make me the happiest to begin with, so...
I donated the money to a charity for victims of police brutality. Made sure the arresting officer (Who did him me a few times more than necessary with a stun baton) got a holo of them getting it, too. It's hilarious, he's a Shadowrunner now, and I've hired him a time or two. He remembers me, too, but keeps his trap shut. Not good on subtlety, but can break legs with the best of them. Of course, he doesn't get paid as much as others I hire for the same type of job, he's got to earn his stripes back now that he's seeing the other side of the badge.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (09:09:24/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[Muh Barri-star is a Troll. Hims guud at gettin' me outs of da lockup er drunk tank an' stuff quick-like. Jus' looms over da po-po an' frowns, showing how deys haz no evidence an' stuff, an' dat de SINless iz Probationary Citizens, but Citizens nonedeles. Runz a furniture biz as well, fer trolls and da bigger orkies like me, usin' ex-cons whos wanna git outta da life. I jus' haveta make surez I callz 'im afore I gits in da squaddy car soes he knowz I been 'rested.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (09:14:01/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[Hey, Big Murphy, I have a need for some more durable furniture. Could you hook me up?]<<<<<
--TekDrake (14:04:30/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[Yeh, null sheen. (http://fromtheshadowsrpg.blogspot.com/2007/11/advertisement-underbridge-and.html)]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (13:23:14/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[My first run was a willing extraction, corp to corp. We picked up the girl in question (and a couple drones she just couldn't leave behind ::)) and drove off. I'm on my bike, playing outrider just to cause a distraction if need be. Lone Star spotted the vehicle we'd 'borrowed' to transport the girl, and tried to pull the rest of the team over on the highway. They took off, and I drove up, launched a spell through the window, and sped after them. Nonlethal stuff, not even a combat spell. We got away easy enough. Only problem was, like the rookie I was, I forgot to turn my 'link to hidden before that, though I was using one of my fake SINs.
Star was waiting at my safehouse. Spotted them first, so I started broadcasting my real SIN. They stopped me, asked me where I'd been, blah, blah, blah, and I played the enraged noble card on them, demanding to speak to their superior about this. They brought me down to the station (not in the back, and not in cuffs), and, after about thirty minutes, a detective came in to apologize to me, and explaining that I'd apparently been the victim of identity theft, someone using my biometric data and information to forge false SINs. He said this kind of thing was unfortunately very common, and very hard to track down. I was released without ever being arrested, and a hacker friend of mine made sure the 'identity theft' case disappeared. Learned my lesson though. Only time I've ever been in a squad car.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:47:32/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[Ah wish dat I wuz onlyz in da squaddy car unce. 'Course I be at dis fer longer dan youse. And, um, I sumtimez be drivin' da squaddy. Gotta admit, da siren and cherriez iz fun! 'Specilly wit da Trog Rock blarin' out da music maker. Dey gotz some guud sound when youse put da mic up to da speaker. Still got da car sumwerez.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (18:43:43/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[I wish I could trade war stories, especially my first job. But on my first real wetwork job, they paid me extra and told me to not leave my business card and make it look like suicide so I won't be giving any details. I will say I was pretty methodical and ruthless in my early days of shadowrunning. It was lacking the finesse and panache I have now but still, I'm pretty proud of my first run. It wasn't exactly easy and took a little planning but I pulled it off without any incident. I've been told it's pretty rare for rookies lacking any real experience in the shadows.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (22:47:51/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[*Sighs* All-Father, it's rare with experienced ones as well. I'm on my third shot of synthscotch and I need a fourth dealing with these idiots.
NO NO! SUBTLE! SUBTLE! Look it up, you have AR vision you... OK, now you got it. Download a dictionary people. Honestly.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:57:06/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[Honestly most of my jobs went without incident. Well I won't say I wouldn't screw up like the others if I had to break in and out of high security facilities all the time. I don't really do that stuff, because I don't have to. I always know someone who's going to pin point me to a guy who's going to let me in, do my thing and hold the door until I need to get out. I'd also say the fact that I work alone most of the time lessen the chances of incidents. And when I say incident, it's always something weird or a little crazy I didn't accounted for but never something I can't handle.
For one example, the target I was chasing was paranoid enough to not trust any bodyguard or anyone for that matter. I knew that but what I didn't accounted for is that he wasn't paranoid about his life being in danger, he was paranoid that his knowledge, the things he was working on would fall into the wrong hands and would gladly end his own life and property to prevent that. I wasn't after his research at all but when I forced myself into his limo, he assumed I was. As it turned out, his apartment, his lab, his office and his limo were rigged to explode at the moment of his death. Since I had planned to break his neck inside the limo while nobody was watching, I kinda had to change plans and pretty quick. I waited for an opportunity, well more of a distraction and I could use a puppeteer spell on him and the driver without getting shot first. After that I could just do it somewhere else. That's a shame, the seats were amazingly comfortable in that limo... before it went in flames. Funny thing how quickly firefighters got to his apartment and his lab.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:33:24/11-24-73
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>>>>>[I swear, this election is going to lead me to an early grave. Or Brackhaven. I'm not sure which would be better. (I'm sure most of you would say Brackhaven, however.). How difficult is it to understand, "No shooting. Use tasers or narcojet darts."]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:46:16/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[Shoot outs are that bad for business these days? I mean I always assume it is but most of the time, runners and Johnsons can get away with it if the objective is complete and if no identity has been compromised. What's so special about those elections that requires that much discretion?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:55:39/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[Dead people don't vote. Injured people vote Republican or Arch-Conservative. Neither is good for any of the parties I'm doing work for. And, honestly, the less heat brought down by KE right now, the more jobs available for everyone during the elections. But most of my team that's good for subtle work like this are out of town. I'm working Big Murphy to the nub with gigs that a huge ork can fit into. The rest, frag, the Fixers are scraping the barrel everywhere.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:13:44/11-24-73)
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>>>>>[I guess it makes sense if you and your employing parties are actively working against those political parties. Well, if you need someone out of the chess board discreetly Money, you already have my contact info. I don't take suicidal jobs and I'm pretty expensive but I got perfect and pretty lengthy record. If you need to do some legwork about me first go ahead, I'd say that I'm pretty easy to look into. But a little bird tells me you already did that, did you? Haha.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (01:18:01/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Well, dead people aren't SUPPOSED to vote. But even before the Awakening, it isn't like that actually stopped them. But yes, if you get a chance, put two in Brackhaven and do your good deed for the day/week/month/year.
As for how long I've been at this, well, I didn't start until the Crash, obviously. After I left Malek'thas with a few people who dearly wanted me dead, I didn't have much choice. Some corps can be so unreasonable on the concept of live witnesses.
If work's getting that plentiful in Seattle, I may have to go back there. Its been fun here in LA, but...]<<<<<
--Iceblade (19:26:32/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[It's a lot of little jobs, but requires finesse and manhours if not so much skill. Political 'runs are fairly safe and sometimes even legal, but doesn't always pay the best, but there's a credstick at the end of the 'run instead of a bullet more often than not, and always with me (My rep will hold that out.). Prop 23, the creation of a new official part of Seattle with the Ork Underground, is turning into much more of a hot ticket item than anyone expected. Brackhaven is schmoozing left, right, and center to try and not appear racist but not say one way or another which direction he'll go on it. The rest of the parties are screaming and yelling about it, and there's 'runs galore about viral/guerrilla advertising IRL, ARO, and Matrix, with defense and defacement of opponents Matrix sites being big jobs for the Matrix Inclined. For the more physically inclined, there's bodyguard, riot duty, riot provocation, on-demand extraction (This is a job that just might pay to sit around and do nothing!), and one really impressive "Insertion" 'Run that I can't talk about more except that I had to import a team from the Pacific Islands, and you'll know it when you see it. Magical jobs are plentiful as well, but rarely combat, which limits the pool of your typical Shadowrunners (Is it just me, or does the majority of Spellslingers out there seem to only know how to throw fireballs?). Astral security with Watchers or low-powered spirits, ritual detection of kidnapped or disappeared everything, and, I drek you not, "special effects" for speeches are jobs being lined up.
But because the pay isn't that great, so Fixers and Johnsons are dealing with locals with little experience, or folks new in town with no local rep. The first are a pain as they're jazzed up on 'Trid Shadowrun shows and want to go in guns blazing, and the second are wondering where the hell the sun went. And that's on top of biz as usual! Yeah, for the next couple of months, there's going to be jobs galore, just might not be up your alley, is all.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:36:21/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Thanks loads, Big Murphy. The extra couple-hundred wasn't a typo, my back went out when I crunched a futon.
I ain't too subtle in the meat, and in astral the less said the better. Cyber, though, I can hack it. As it were.]<<<<<
--TekDrake(12:58:39/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[That would explain why I've had only three jobs inside Seattle since I came back and only one of them political related. That's also probably why my fixer told me there was a lot of jobs around but didn't forward me anything, he knows I will not accept a smaller check than usual, under any circumstances. I do accept bodyguard jobs too, I mean most assassins make a great addition to a protection team as we tend to see things coming, but I must be too expensive. Hahaha!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (14:02:18/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Once had two Johnsons call me inside an hour-- one to do some wetwork, and one to do bodyguard work. I walked away from both, thank goodness. A few 'runners I knew didn't walk away, and, well, didn't walk away.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (15:10:56/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Likewise, Ice. I wasn't given the name "Madrecita" for nothing. And don't mistake an aversion for males in my bed as having a general grudge.
Mmm...small magical jobs that require a bit more than fireballs? What the heck. I'd be willing to take a few of them on, Money. I've been meaning to get a feel for running again. Well...getting a feel for running, period. All the runs I've done over the last 19 years were for personal reasons, or as favours to contacts. I've never run for Mr. Johnson before. Might be interesting. I think a 6 year vacation minding the store is long enough. ]<<<<<
--Madrecita (22:37:19/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Well, a fireball certainly ends most arguments quite effectively. I agree that it isn't very subtle. Personally, if I can't talk my way out of a situation, I'll ask one of the spirits to possess me, and cut my way out. But I'd be the first to admit that I'm no face. Still, the bodyguard thing is something I've done before. Before I left Seattle, my cover was working as a high end male escort. So no one thought anything of it when they saw me on some socialite's arm, running close protection.
And Madre, sorry if I mistook your words, though they were slanted that way. And thanks.
On a related note, if anyone ever wants a snapshot of hell, I've got a simsense recording that will chill your bones, with or without hot sim.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:54:02/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[High end male escort eh? I know one of those. He's a Night One. Whoo! He defines sexy, let me tell you. And he can take a lot of...drek, to put it delicately. Just be careful what you think around him. He's not just hot in bed, he's got some hot mojo too. Once you're relaxed, or completely distracted, he'll steal the paydata right out of your head and you won't even know he got it. Slick! ]<<<<<
-- Ysoni (23:11:13/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Messages sent. Long Haul and Antacid taken. Somebody shoot me.
That last bit wasn't a job offer.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:29:12/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Haha! I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to accept the job of taking you out, Money.
Oh, don't worry about it, Ice. Nevermind me. Time heals all wounds...and the universe has ways to ensure you have the time to heal.
By the way...if anyone needs a high-force counterspelling focus, I have one available. The person who commished it from me didn't show with the dough, so its up for grabs.]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (23:51:34/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Don't be so sure. It's often forgotten that the only people that have a shorter lifespan in the Shadows than Shadowrunners is Johnsons. 'Runners are deniable and don't know the whole story. Johnsons, not so much.
And then there's the people that want me dead for personal reasons, or general principals. And the Tir for some damned reason, but that's only if I enter the country.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:54:42/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[Yeah if anyone think Johnsons are safe from harm, they're wrong. In the last 15 years I had to kill four Johnsons and one fixer. No one double cross me and live and I am sure I'm not the only runner who tries to make a point on not being fucked by the middleman. Only one has evaded me so far. On the other hand, a Johnson who gives me good business and don't hire someone to kill me after a few jobs can be assured I'll never turn on them. But I suspect my reputation has deterred people from hiring people to kill me because, with the exception of the fourth Johnson, it's been years since someone tried that on me.
The story of that fourth Johnson is an interesting one! I don't kiss and tell so I won't be giving any names but I can tell the big lines. So this guy hires me for a circuit, well that's what I call it when someone gives you a big list of people to kill and a big check to go with it. So I do the circuit and there's this amateur who tries to put a bullet in my head. To make it short, I beat this amateur assassin, interrogate him and finally kill him. After that I followed the trail until I discover it was my Johnson who hired the guy. So I discreetly ask a friend to do some legwork on him, to help me decide how I catch and end the guy. My friend sends me all the details necessary for the task but I ask him to keep digging before I go after him. As it turned out, the Johnson had the bad habit of hiring bad runners for jobs and also discovered that his employer was growing quite displeased. That got me curious. I go after the guy and beat him to an inch of his life. He tells me his employer asked him to terminate me before I finally end his suffering. It didn't really make sense, killing the only runner who actually did his job right and leaving all the others alive but unemployed? Then I finally pieced everything together. The Corp Exec hiring the Johnson was counting on the failed attempt for me to kill that incompetent bastard. Quite clever actually, you get one of the, I dare say, best wetwork artist on Seattle's market to take care of one of your problems for free. Well, I think he didn't count on the fact that I would piece it together and traced him down. You should have seen his face when I showed on his door step saying "You owe me money dude! I don't work for free!".]<<<<<
-- Smiley (18:16:32/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[My Grandfather decided to grace me with a bit of wisdom right now. The fact that he's on another continent allowed me to joke that it was all he probably had. But it really fits with what's going on today. Hell, he thought it was bad enough before the Crash of '29. Now? Well, he's got a big ol' file of quotations he keeps handy on various forms (Including old yellowed Dead Tree Format), and keeps adding onto. Hope you folks mind it as things get even more hectic in this world...
“We are buried beneath the weight of information, which is being confused with knowledge; quantity is being confused with abundance and wealth with happiness. We are monkeys with money and guns.” ― Tom Waits
Don't know who this "Waits" slot is, but damned if that doesn't sound like most of the drekheads we have to deal with today in almost every aspect of existing.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (20:07:33/11-25-73)
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>>>>>[I meant there are few runners who would dare to accept the job of ending you. After all, your rep precedes you. It would take serious cash and serious backup for a runner to take on that one.
Tom Waits. Jazz, Blues and Rock musician and composer in the previous century. Known for his distinctive, growly voice and lyrics that portrayed bad people and places...his music was almost prophetic in many ways. He still has a cult folowing even now. He died in the early '30's. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (08:59:22/11-26-73)
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>>>>>[ Don't be going and inflating egos. Anyone can be gotten to, and in most cases, this is quite easy. It is just whether it is worth the after-action annoyance. ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (17:10:42/11-26-73)
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>>>>>[Hm, interesting, surprised I haven't heard of Tom Waits, my kind of music. 'Course, there's a lot of music out there. Luckily Grandpa has more than just quotes to give, a few digital items netted him quite a bit of cash after Crash 1.0 and 2.0 after all copies of them were lost in the chaos.
In addition, I know I'm touchable. For original parts, I think I have a kidney and my spleen left to prove that point. Also, I'm "Writing" this with a concussion from a Troll that didn't like the first price. Actually a smart move on his part as we were in the Underground and no one would back me up in a fight. He was a bit surprised when I broke the wooden table, so everything came too all right. Now, if you excuse me, money bottle banana toque.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:55:42/11-26-73)
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>>>>>[ Exactly. After-action annoyance. When I look at his rep, what he survived, and his probably list of contacts...I'm betting on a lot of after-action annoyance. I'm old enough to know a bad bet when I see it. But you are correct. No one is invulnerable.
Mmm...I can't say I'm overly fond of Mr. Waits. Now Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald...those were the big names. They had their day a few decades before Tom Waits though. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (10:14:22/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[ ... what you are talking about? I am speaking about police. Always someone with good ears, official eye somewhere now. These people is, you say, Wandering Knight, yes? Now it is them, used to be cowboys. Is annoying to have to avoid them afterwards, too often have to destroy tools. Expensive, but then, you make that part of contract, yes?
Someone kill him, there is plenty of people who know who profits. Reputation, contacts -- these matter only if person who handle is personal grudge. If it is professional, only fools hunt handler; as they say, you never know when you want someone handled, and is always good that you know good handler. Otherwise, is stupid, waste of resources. Oh, maybe you find, ask questions, but you are polite, take tea, ask nice.
What, you think handler not know how to stay safe enough? ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (06:03/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[Really, though, grudges are a bad thing to carry into the shadows. Not saying that there aren't perfectly legit times for vengeance. Tempo addict kills someone close to you, then show them the error of their ways. Someone gives you bad intel, gets one of your team killed for it, you get answers. Personal grudges, though, should always be approached like professional jobs. Do it cold, do it clean, make sure there aren't any witnesses, or if there are, that they see something different from what really happened.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (08:09:39/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[Grudges tend to make you pick fights you shouldn't have taken on to begin with. Problem is, sometimes the fight picks you.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:06:22/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[Which is why you should always have a strong 'argument' within arm's reach. Nothing ends a fight better than pressing the business end of a loaded gun to someone's head. Or, if you prefer, a knife to the kidney works just as well. I always keep a weapon or two on my person, even when I'm out at a fancy club. Swordcanes are wonderful things, when you want to bring a blade into a fancy gala.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (12:14:03/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[There's also "The First Weapon" if you're skilled enough. And no scanner detects your hands, feet, head, and so on. Personally, I see weapons all around me no matter where I am. As that troll last night demonstrated. Still got a headache. But, yeah, I'm a strong proponent of knives and other stabbing weapons, I find that in close quarters they're a more frightening thing than firearms at times.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:21:09/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[Oh sure, fists and feet are deadly, if you know how to use them right. But we're not talking about 'winning' the fight, but 'preventing' the fight. As I said, most people tend to stop causing trouble when you shove a gun in their face. An adept who can punch you from across the room is impressive, but for most people, a Predator between their eyes makes more of an impact.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:01:34/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[I heard a rumor once about some old-time ork hacker who had an assault rifle in every room of the house. Way I heard it, that paranoia saved him.]<<<<<
--TekDrake (15:52:23/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[You don't?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:09:10/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[ <run_snort.mpi> Tools are good, but still are just tools. Prepare properly, enemy becomes tool. Your mind is always first; think ahead, and will never be unprepared. ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (23:00:00/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. And, yes, do things right and the enemy becomes the tool. But, sometimes, the enemy has properly prepared for you and you're the tool. That's why I cheat. If I'm going to be a tool, I'll be a multitool and have more than one blade.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:55:55/11-27-73)
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>>>>>[Remember, folks, cheaters do prosper. Until they're caught at it by someone who responds to such things with manabolts.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (01:15:28/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[Unless you've got some mojo of your own up your sleeve. Proper planning and preparedness can only take you so far. There's always that stray bullet, the little piece of rock you step on that twists your ankle...that little something you can't plan for. And of course...there's always someone better. Best hope that someone's on the same side as you...or at the very least not actively opposed to you.]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (18:58:17/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[We'z jus' laugt at da boyz what tries 'tings wit' our house. We'z all Orkies (Well, Unca Bob iz a Troll), an' youse growz up fast in da Barrens. Da little unz gotz da pistols az soon as we can trusts dem wit' dem. Da not so little unz dey get da bigger gunz. Hows dat term goez again? "Moar Dakka"? Yeah, dat'z uz.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (11:52:19/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[AAAAARRRGH! Never teach a canine shapeshifter to play fetch, because forever after, anything round will be "BALL!" to him, and no drone will be safe.]<<<<<
-- Ysoni (20:24:29/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[Does he stick his head out the window when you drive with him in the car as well? Had that happen once and it took all my willpower not to laugh.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:47:21/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[I do not let animals in my van unless I absolutely have to. The smell!]<<<<<
--Motoko Kusanagi (14:01:03/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[Yes he does! It's especially irritating when he does it while in metahuman shape. I suspect he does it because he knows it annoys me. He knows better.
And Motoko...I'll have you know, Fen does not smell. He's learned to enjoy water, and I do keep him groomed.]<<<<<
-- Ysoni (21:09:46/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[At least you have him trained. Now if only people could give the same training to some of the gaijin that crawl out of the barrens. Last run I was on, I threatened to have my drones send the troll through a car wash. I had to get the van detailed five times to get the stink out. Made the Tacoma Aroma positively pleasant in comparison.]<<<<<
--Motoko Kusanagi (14:21:34/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[Well...he came pre-trained, really. He didn't exactly come in from the wild like so many do. He was a security critter. Only...his former corp had no idea he was a shifter. He...took the chance to liberate himself when my run against them went...south, shall we say...]<<<<<
--Ysoni (14:58:54/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[If he'z goez afta da round-tings, guud idea not to be trowin' da grenadey-bangers. He prob'bly fetch 'em guud. Nor da Tater-Masher Bangers, dey be like sticks. Or da Discy Bangers, dey be like da frisbee.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (16:11:12/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[ Good tip. ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (18:30:00/11-28-73)
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>>>>>[ Hey Aunty Zee...you...think you could give a guy a hand? I'm in some pretty deep drek...Magical drek...Fen says he found a toxic mage that's trying to poison stretch of land out in Snohomish. ]<<<<<
-- Ysoni (15:44:18/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[ Sure, honey. Just let me get my gear. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:22:48/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[I can also be there in ten minutes if you still need help. But I gotta be at the Powerline by 9 PM, I promised a friend I'd help her doing a little special for the audience. If you guys wanted to see me in a very embarrassing situation, now's the chance! Damn, I'm going to regret this. Well I owe her a favor and I always pay up. Good thing I ain't afraid of the ridicule.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (16:38:49/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[ Well, like Ice reminded me not so long ago...its always better to have some backup. Sure, okay.
Mmm...Powerline, eh? It's not really my kind of place, but I'm sure Ysoni would love to go. He's pretty good with a camera too. Prepare to have your embarrassment shown to the whole world! ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:45:41/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[Alright, just send me coordinates by PM and I'll be there. When you'll see a yellow Westwind 3k, you'll know it's me.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (16:52:12/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[Pack the stick-n-shock ammo if you have it. The one million nuyen bounty Big D put on toxics is still in play, if you can deliver the bastard alive to the DIMR. Only trick is getting him there. I'd invest in some Slab if I were you. Laes also works.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:59:03/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[Check if he's on the list, however. The DF publishes a list of Known Toxics that they'll pay the bounty on, as too many idiots came in with something like the severed head of a Magician Teacher from MIT&T and demanded the reward.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:14:55/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[We also need a valid SIN to cash in the reward, but that hasn't stopped any of us before! Haha!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:17:19/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[Dunkie always was good about dealing with the Shadows and the SINless. Treated everyone equal until they proved otherwise. Hell, I remember having a few conversations and even a polite argument with him on ShadowLand back in the day. You were always polite with The Big D, he had a few skills with the deck as well as being a fragging dragon. Never cut a deal with him, of course, and he respected me for that for some reason.
You know, me and a lot of other people are still looking for who took him out. And you better believe they better hope they're dead, otherwise it's going to be a long, long time until they do. I'll pay for Leonization for the bastard to make it last longer out of pocket if I have to bankrupt myself to do it.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:27:00/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[Speaking of which, anyone else catch word of the conspiracy theory going around that maybe Big D had something to do with it himself? There is new footage going around the 'trix showing him making what looks like arcane gestures moments before the blast.]<<<<<
--Motoko Kusanagi (17:35:35/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[I was there at the time, celebrating Dunkie's victory (OK, I cut a deal with him by voting with all my SINs), and got myself an invitation through some, um, contacts. I admit I had a few to drink. OK, I had a lot to drink. But he looked pretty still to me from what I could see through the tinting on the windows as I and a few dozen people were waving good-bye like idiots when it happened. Which is exactly what makes me think that 'trid footage was forged, that limo was blacker than the ace of spades to show the kind of detail they're showing. But I admit I'm no professional in this.
I did have experts go over the footage time and again for years, however. Both legit and shadows. They never showed anything like that before.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:52:12/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[ It's comments like that that make me wonder how much else of yours is crap, Johnson. The only dragon who actually decks for himself is Eliohann -- Cerberus and/or Neurosis, depending on how he's styling himself today. The rest of them 'hitch', using novahot deckers (or otaku / technomancers) as their Voices to the Virtual.
And let me tell you, it feels weird... ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (22:05:56/12-01-2073)
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>>>>>[Hahaha! And it's comments like yours that makes the matrix so damn funny. I was gonna say trolls like you, but I knew I might offend some real Trolls. So relax, don't take shit so seriously!
You are aware that Big D was an active member of the old ShadowLand Network do you? Hestaby too, from time to time! And I'm pretty sure he wasn't using anyone to post in his place. Now if Big would have really been able to handle himself on the decking scene, I have no idea. We don't know if Money is good either. You'd also be surprised how many of them use the matrix extensively by themselves and on various skill levels. There may be only a few Great Dragons but don't forget there are dozens of Dragons of various ages awaken in this world. I wouldn't be surprised if I learned that one (or more) of them, other than Eliohann, is a kickass hacker. They may be old fashion and alien in culture but some of them seems to adapt pretty well. Hell, I'm sure they're all better than me! Hahaha!
On another matter, it was pretty fun at the Powerline tonight! Well, it still is! I gotta say it wasn't as bad as I thought it would, I mean there's nothing this girl did to me that I hadn't tried before. I just never thought I do it in front of a few dozen people. Well it was nice, we laughed a lot and now we're drinking... a lot. Any of you who makes it tonight, I'll pay your first drinks! And for the Toxic Shaman job in Snohomish, well I'll let either Madrecita or Ysoni tell you all about it.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:58:53/12-01-73)
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>>>>>[ Greaseball.
I'm well aware Dunkelzahn had a hacker Voice for him on ShadowLand; Hestaby did the same through her little otaku clutch. Mujaji, Lofwyr -- how many do you want me to list in some sort of futile snarkwork? While a few dragons -- even Great -- may have learned how to hack manually since the advent of high-speed AR, there's a reason they stay out of VR decking, and a reason the bequest from Dunkelzahn's will is still unclaimed.
I take my hacking seriously, and I take my contacts seriously. Money Johnson's doing what a lot of Turks do, claiming something big and flash and getting tripped up by a detail. Doing that brings into question ... everything. People, information, everything else.
If you lie in the shadows, if you lie to the shadows, be damn sure you don't get caught. Life lesson for the day, twerp. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros ( 12:02:12 / 12-02-73 )
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>>>>>[Wow! Agressive this one. Well, if you say so dude! If you say so!
Personally, I don't know and I don't really give a shit about how dragons are using the matrix. I just know they do. And I'm also too drunk to want to talk about things that doesn't matter to me. If you're around Bellevue you should come here! Free booze and sexy (and willing) people, that should help you relax.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (01:04:22/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[I have twenty years experience working the Shadows of Seattle, a reputation you can ask around about, and I'll freely admit I was pretty green as a decker in those days. Or even today, really. Enough to get by. I just know the actual Deckers (As in the ones I hired for jobs) agreed that The Big D had some skills. Check out ShadowSEA, some of the old logs survived Crash 2.0 so you can tell I'm not pushing Drek. Or ask Bull, he was around at the same time. I'm not saying he was an ice breaker, there's various ways to be good with a deck (Or commlink today), and I can't say what he was good at that impressed folks back then.
As for my "Turkish" attributes that I'm being accused of... Well, I am a man of mystery, and have many pasts to check out if you care to. Maybe I embellish a little, maybe I outright lie. You realize that's part of my job, right? Lying to the employer and employee so that there's a disconnection between the two so that deniability is kept? Hidden truths and lies by exclusion? Just realize that I am lied to as well, and must ferret out the truth of both employer and employee as well... What is the job really about, can the person really do the job? I'd be retired right now were it not for the, how shall we put it, thrill? No. Intrigue? Not quite right. Danger? Hm, danger works well enough.
Taking your Contacts seriously, that's a good thing. "You are your contacts" I've said since day one on this job. Just don't live life so seriously that you miss out on what makes life worth living! Go hit up Smiley and those sexy and willing people. I've had my share recently before this big hit of business, and I'll celebrate when it's over again for another year. The New Boar herds should be roaming close to Seattle by then. And now, to Biz.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (00:47:09/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[Wonder what Dunkelzahn would've done for the Drakes, if he were still around?]<<<<<
TekDrake(3:49:01/12-2-73)
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>>>>>[I don't know alive but he did leave some directives to the Draco Foundation concerning Drakes. If a Drake's in trouble and can make it to one of the Foundation's facilities, they have, well sort of, a protection program. They give you a job, a new identity and the like if you need any. I don't really have more details than that.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (03:57:31/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[ Oh, not much to tell, really. You know these toxics. Poisoners especially. Arrogant slots, the lot of them. He was far more interested in making speeches than fighting back, estupido hijo de perra.
He was so convinced of his own superiority that it never occurred to him to watch his back. All I had to do was banish a few of his toxic spirits, and blast my way through his barriers, then sit back and listen to him rant at how weak Gaia was, and how deluded I was for still honouring a connection to Her. He served as his own distraction, stupid baboso. Smiley and Ysoni snuck up behind and neatly took him out. Nice work guys!
Sadly, he was not on the list, so it wasn’t worth keeping him alive. But there’s one less evil
Glad you had a good time, Smiley. Sorry I couldn’t come with you to Powerline. Forgive an old elf for preferring a quiet evening listening to jazz after death-defying magical theatrics. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (5:46:45/12-2-73)
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>>>>>[Well, at least you took the bastard down. Only good toxic is a dead one. Though this has got me wondering. What did Dunkelzhan (and presumably the other dragons) know that made him put such a steep bounty on blood mages and toxics? Sometimes I wish the people who were around the last time magic was high weren't so tight-lipped about what things were like back then.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (06:55:02/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[ Not just the dragons. The Immortal Elves too. It's not just those from the previous magical age who have some information about this. From the transcripts I saw on Shadowsea, apparently some great wyrms have shared it with some close followers. Especially in Amazonia. I spent some time in Bogota a few years before the war broke out, but I couldn't find out any more about it. I've been travelling the metaplanes I have access to for answers too, but...so far, I could not find any. What I do know is that blood magic is an abomination. It is a corruption of life...worse...the consumption of life. I've seen enough of it to know. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (07:52:12/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[Dragons and the Immortals aren't the only ones who hunt blood mages and their ilk. The DF does indeed pay very well for them. But money is just a means to an end. At the end of the day, when everything is said and done, because of what they've done, to make sure there are less and less of them in this world, I'll gladly kill them all for free.]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (09:02:23/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[No offense Bravo Six, but only amateurs do something for free. Charge at least 1¥. I've done that a time or two, and smiled when the opposition tried to bribe their way out by offering money, power, people, drugs... "You can't afford my price" was all I said. After I stroked the trigger, of course. Shoot, then talk.
And Madrecita, Smiley, Yosoni (Written in alphabetical order), good job! We ever meet, drinks on me.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (10:21:14/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[ If it isn't paid for, it isn't valued. Also...doing something for free leaves an implication of indebtedness. That's fine, but you should consider carefully just who you leave with that impression. Some people would rather kill you than feel they're on your payroll.
Agua de Valencia, Money. Second round's on me. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:04:53/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[You got that right. Never work for free! I never did and I don't plan to. Of course, I don't always ask for money, favors are also a valuable currency. If someone wants to hire me, he's going to have to accept my price and I ain't cheap. But, I do help a fella runner from time to time without asking anything in return, like Madrecita and Ysoni here for example. By the way, a pleasure working with you, you are both lovely. I also helped Mercedes a while ago. Giving a hand is often the fastest way to build good relationships. You help them, they help you then the next thing you know you're the first one they call when they need someone additional for a nice job right down your alley. The reverse is also true, I often need specialists for special jobs. And to be honest, I'm already pretty rich and I don't really need the very few nuyens I could pry off other runners in exchange for my help, best just making friends.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:57:36/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[Indeed, trading favors, especially with those who have skill-sets different from your own, can make your own runs that much easier. Magic and hacking are the two most obvious areas where this comes into play, of course. If you're a dedicated spellslinger and close quarters type mage like myself, having someone along who has more of a support/summoning focus can go a long way. Likewise, while I have some programs on my 'link, I know full well that I'm no hacker. And while I could get a spirit to possess me and break down a door, it is often easier (and quieter) to get a hacker to open it for you. I prefer working with technomancers for my hacking needs, though that comes down to a bit of bias on my part, I admit. I've watched these mages of the matrix in action, and the ability to change things up on the fly is a useful asset. Plus, my skills compliment their own nicely, as I can operate in the meat easier than they can.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:37:24/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[ For me, the price is negotiable, up to a point. My sliding scale takes into account a lot of factors. Like how much I trust you, how much I like you, your rep, how much you can afford, how badly you need it done...and how much inconvenience it's going to cause me. Truth be told...I prefer favous as trade, unless you have some magical item or reagent I need. I don't have to run anymore since my personal issue is settled and I have my magic shop to keep me supplied with nuyen...but occasionally, I do take on a job, for much the same reason you do, Smiley. It's a good way to build relationships, and to assess runners. I wouldn't hesitate running with Smiley, or recommending him. Lovely working with you too, btw. My door is open for you.
I'm really grateful for the existence of hackers and mancers since my own technological skills end with switching the commlink on and off. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (17:00:13/12-02-73)
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>>>>>[Most of the time, I can do everything on my own. I can break in minimum and intermediary security facilities on my own, although that doesn't make me hacker. That makes me a guy with the basics and a lot of money to buy the latest and nastiest programs out there. Gadgets too, I love these nerds conventions, the treasures you find there. I also hire drivers and pilots here and there when skill can be an issue. Talking about piloting, I really need a new Banshee. I bought that second-hand crap a million and a half and it doesn't start half the time. But these things are so damn expensive! Anyone knows of a good T-Bird a little more affordable? Anyway... Oh! And of course, I do need a feminine touch sometimes when my charms are... ineffective. And lastly, hired guns when I'm on a protection detail. Always in need of sharp eyes and big guns on those.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (03:36:03/12-03-73)
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>>>>>[Because I have such a great respect for the host of this board, I will refrain from becoming...irritated and enter into a confrontation because of a casual comment made about me and my preceived level of experience. I will say: had anyone interpreted the true meaning of my comment or even bothered to do any research into my rep and known past activities concerning blood mages, you would have understood. And while I have killed them on sight "for free", I do "get paid". It's called justice, which under the right circumstances, is far more valuable than any currency, scan omaes? But, like I said, I'm not here for a confrontation, I'm too old and too busy to get mad at those who don't really deserve it.
So, to show no hard feelings...anyone who needs any vehicle or related work, especially T-birds, I know a wily old rigger down by 'Nawlins. If you want to sell your bird, he'll buy, But I know from personal experience his crew could fix it up better than factory new at far less you could get selling it. PM me for the commcode and when you get there, tell Blackhawk I sent you and "quit drinkin' that damn shine and get off your lazy ass". Oh, one more thing, check your nav-systems when he's done. He likes to sneak on trojan programs that play old Kenny Rogers songs over the loudspeakers and the internal comms.]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (09:02:33/12-03-73)
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>>>>>[ Now, now Bravo Six. Hunting down blood and toxic mages isn't exactly a job. I myself have hunted them for many, many years...It's a calling, not a job. Unless you treat it that way. I never did. And I'm sure you don't either. Now, working for free...that would be a mistake. Unless you do it for professional reason. Which I'm sure you also don't do. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (10:25:20/12-03-73)
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>>>>>[Fair enough. Apologies to all. This particular subject is still a very raw and open wound for me and mine. It's the one thing that almost brings out my old explosive temper. Thankfully, age, experience, a lot of scares, and a major change in my life has taught (more like forced) me to channel my rage into more satisfying and frankly lucrative enterprises. Oh, and by the way, as of approximately 0445 yesterday...current count is up to twelve. *evil, but satisfied grin*]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (11:16:01/12-03-73)
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>>>>>[Sorry Bravo Six, I didn't mean to imply that you were an amateur, just the perception of people who work for free. No longer used to using a chat system that doesn't have an emotive track added onto the messages. It's been a rough few weeks and I haven't been sleeping well. And, no, I don't like using Long Haul unless I'm really slotted off.
I'm wondering if fighting for an election is good enough to get me into Odin's Hall at the moment, 'cause I'm sure this one is going to kill me. "I want you to intimidate..." "How much of his skin do you want us to deliver, in square centimeters?" "No, just intimidated." "Pain is intimidating." *Headtable* "Waitress, three more shots. You guys want anything?"]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (10:22:14/12-03-73)
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>>>>>[Headz up tuskers and odder non-human types. Yumantis iz up to dere dirty tricks again. Dey riggin' up jobz what makez da Orkies and Trollz look like dey iz causin' violence an' destruction to da regul'r folk.
Dis breeder Johnson, he wantz me an' da crew I'z wit' (nonea dem iz human I notice-like) ta do a hard 'xtraction from a "facility". He hearz da wayz I talk-like, an' figurez I'z too stoopid ta know how a mapsoft work, so I lookz up da address an' seez dat it'z a public grade school. Ain't no body dere wort' da moneiez he trowin' at uz on the final bit, and onlies 20% up front, "Az youse gettin' so much at de endz.", he saiz.
I tellz da crew where we hittin', and dey know dat 1 an' 1 make 10, so wez haz a new deal. Findz out who dis guy really iz (Yep, Yunmantis confirm), den we haz bar gamez usin' hiz body. He hated da dartz da woist. Dat troll waz really able ta hammer 'em inta his crotch wit' really guud accracy. Soz yas, check yer jobz careful-like if dere ain't no humey types on da crew.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (11:22:59/12-03-73)
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>>>>>[Humanis. Two of their Johnsons went MIA in the last two weeks... I wonder what happen to 'em. Hehehe.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (02:06:19/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[Ah Humanis. So much fun when you dose them with Laes and let them wake up just after you've sold them to Tamanous, and they have no idea how they've gotten there.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (07:44:34/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[Folks like that are the type that give "Mr. Johnson" a bad name. We're not that bad for a bunch of people that hire borderline-sociopaths to shoot people in the face for money. I give quite a lot to charity, for example.
Widows and orphans. We need more of them. ;-)]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (07:43:00/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[Money Johnson, your sense of humour is going to get your hoop into deep drek one day...;-)
I've had some of these humanis types on my table a few times. Nothing humiliates them more than having to accept medical treatment from a meta. They all made full recoveries, but curiously, none of their attempts to harm metas ever worked out right for them again. I wonder what went wrong with them... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (09:24:05/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[My mouth got me into so much trouble once that I ended up married. Heh, kidding, was a wonderful time to try and have the UCAS dream. House, white picket fence, dog-drone with custom software, HOA that freaks out over neighbors that give firearms to each other for Anniversary Presents. Getting kicked out of the gated community. Smiling as "suddenly" every house thief in town knew no one was armed in the complex and there was a rash of break-ins there just when the rent-a-cops were upgrading their systems and couldn't get any alerts. *Sighs* Good times.
Actually, my mouth getting me into trouble usually does lead to good times otherwise as well. I love it when the posh fellows think I'm just gutter trash and then find out I can fence with the best of them. I prefer epee when fencing, but can whistle the tune with a rapier as well. Sorry, what was I saying? Never mind, I should try sleeping sometime this week I think.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (08:47:51/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[ Money Johnson...tired people make mistakes, and long haul will eventually kill you. I have a few spells up my sleeve that can help you...and I can at least offer a hot meal and cold beer. Both home-made, I might add. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (11:11:46/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[Shhhhhhhhhh. He seepin'. Likez da babies what don't wakez up and criez. He lookz so innocent-like, cuddlin' his pistol like da teddy bear.
Came at muh place a bit ago, wuz punched inda face by muh sistah, and did't appears like hez felt it. Juz ask'd fer a place ta crash, pazzed over a bottlea hooch, um, "Glenfiddich" it sayz, tas payz fer it an pazzed out on da couch. I do know he don' take noz Long Haul, givez him a nazty hangover, so he jus' probbly push hisself twos far. Fragger's older dan I iz, 'courze, he'z a Breeder...]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (13:38:02/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[Hahaha! That's a good one Money! Well, you might want to look into it... but I was actually hired to take these two out before they could do some serious damage. Damn I hate short time frames. Anyway they were willing to pay my price so it seems there's someone with deep pockets fighting your fight. You ain't that alone after all.
Breeder? I heard lots of Orks calling humans and elves breeders. Ain't so sure why... Orks don't breed? Don't tell me the storks delivers brand new Orks to Ork mommies around the world. I'd like to see that, it's so magical! Hahaha! No seriously I'm pretty curious to know why you're calling us Breeders.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (16:53:43/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[ Heads up, runners! Remember that creature Big Murphy and Money reported? Well, I've finished my analysis of it. It's something new. At least...I couldn't find it in any of my books. It seems to be a toxic, awakened version of the Behemoth. It's a spreader of pestilence, and...here's the bad part: it seems to suffer from essence loss. So...what we have here is an awakened toxic that's definitely out to get you. Be very, very careful around dark, wet places. I'll post some stats later once I've compiled all the data. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (17:05:03/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[Just a thought, Madre. Did you test the thing for HMHVV? If there's a strain out there that can start affecting paracritters besides Sasquatches, then I would rather know about it before it tries to take a bite out of me.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (17:10:34/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[I tink da term "Breeder" waz when dere waz more humies dan orkies aroun', and da Yumantis wuz alwayz yellin' 'bout havin' ta keep breedin' pure-like humies ta keep up wit' da litters Orkies hav' an' stuff. Never called no Elf no breeder meself. Fairy an' Keeb on occasion, but only wif dems dat I knowz well, who callz me Trog an' Tusker in turn. Halfer ta some dwarves I know, and sir ta da trollies. I'm a biggie ork, but deys all bigger dan me.
Dat ting in da sewers, it weren't parta da job er notin', juz came acrost it. Turnz out onea da guyz had a recorder goinz, I'll send da files ta you, Madrecita, don' see much, hiz eyes, dey ain't da best. Cheap Sony Knock-offz er sumptin'. All I gotz wuz dat it wanted uz for lunchies, an' wasn't takin' no soy substitute az an option. I'll ask Money how much boomies he used on it, dat'll tell uz how hard we needz ta killz it. But from what I knowz of hiz huntin' habits, if he sayz he used lots, da robbry at da Metroplex Guard armery might explain howz he gotz da replacements.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (22:52:42/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[ Yes, I did test it for HMHVV. It isn't a carrier. This thing is scary enough without adding that to it. I for one am intensely grateful for small mercies Anyway...here's the stats (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=5582.0) for it I managed to piece together. There isn't much there, but I'm sure we can add to it as we find out more. Just be very careful if you do decide to play biologist.
Murphy...thank you. Any data is useful at this point. I think you just earned that rejuv treatment I once offered you. And be sure to warn the troll underground. if this thing gets loose in there... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (14:14:03/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[Tanks, but da photos ain't wort dat much, an' I ain't 'bout to be in no debt. Ain't gonna diea no old age anywho. Da odder two Big Murphies didn't, Pa and Grandpa. Da new Little Murphy's 'bout ready fer his own wings anyhowz.
Hm, lookin' at dis infermatons, it'z a guud t'ing dat Money an' I didn't get caught by dis t'ing. Ain't much lefta Money's "Soul" er whatever dey talk abouts when it comes ta da cyberstuff. Az for me, I'd make a damned guud feed, being a biggie Ork wit' all da lean meat an no fatties an' bad 'lestoral. If youse want, ya can sendz da toxicology infermation ta me, and I'z might be ablez ta figurez out where da puhlooshun what made it change came frum. Been readin' up on dat a few years ago when I ran up against a ten-foot tall roadrunner what put a hole in muh armor. Chicken plate stopped da beak, an I broke it'z neck. Almost ate it 'til I ran da scannery t'ing over it an saw it wuz poison fer even a toughie ork like me. Burned da body 'steada cookin' in on da campfire. Pity, wanted ta git some real meat.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (13:37:08/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[ Information sent, Murph. And I appreciate the help. That will really go a long way in figuring this thing out. Just one question...what is a "chicken plate"?
Why am I offering you this? Because I know good when I see it. Take it from someone who very nearly walked down Dark Paths. You're a good man, Murph, and in my view, it's far better to keep the good around than where's so much bad in this world. But I realise that you have no reason to trust me when I say that that's my only motivation. That's okay. The offer stands if you should ever change your mind about that. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:16:03/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[Good, bad... What matters is who's got the gun really.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:26:27/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[Hmm. Reading that file, makes me glad I know a couple ice spells.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:53:32/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[ So I used to believe as well. What I realised though, when I was faced with that choice, is that believing in the rightiousness of power is the fastest possible way to begin walking the Dark Path. I promissed myself I would never go down that road again. In the real world, who has the gun often determines who wins, it is true...and that is why having good, smart and experienced back-up around is never a bad thing. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:57:46/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[Haha. I was just making a joke by quoting an old flick (and when I say old, it's old). I doubt anyone saw that one. Anyway, if I have to be serious for a few minutes, I'm not gonna say if I agree with you or not. I chose to kill people for a living and thus I'm a really bad men according to what morality dictates. I have no intention of changing my ways, I'm rich and I don't give to charity, my money is mine. People are free to think what they wish, I think everyone has their own views on morality. Me, I don't think about it. All I know is that, like many others, I'm a guy with a gun. Or I might be just a psychopath but who knows!?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:46:22/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[ I'd say you're a psychopath with a gun. No, sorry -- sociopath. I always have trouble with the difference. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (18:05:47/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[The way it was explained to me in school, a psychopath doesn't know right from wrong. A sociopath doesn't care.]<<<<<
--Motoko Kusanagi (18:55:09/12-04-73)
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>>>>>[ Yeah. It's been a while since I took those classes, or did any programming that had to take that into account. Rather wish I'd never done some of that later stuff, though. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (19:47:57/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[Or maybe... I'm a broken man, smiling and laughing to cover his sadness and remorse, living a life of debauchery to distract himself from remembering the things he's done and continuing down this line of work in the hopes that someone worthy and skilled is finally going to end his life. There's also the option that I'm screwing with all of you. Well.. I guess it's another mystery that is never going to be solved.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:10:11/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[Da "Chicken Plate" is da hard parta da armor, usually ceramic plate or dat new hardnin' gel dey gots. Dey used to be added onta reg'lar armor (Which wuz alwayz soft kevlar armor, no guud 'gainst knives an' clubs), but I don' know where da term come from. Maybe 'cause youse hadta be a chicken ta wear it, or it wuz a waya sayin' "Ceramic" wit'out sounding like it's a coffee cup. Dunno, but dats what it'z called in da barrens. Ya gotta talkz ta Money 'bout gunz an' hist'ry like dat. Dat's hiz hobby. An' he'z sleepin' da hard sleep, probbly not gunna be 'wake fer awhile. Just gotta keeps da kidz frum drawin' on hiz face wit da markers, er my brudders an' sisters from killin' him.
Readin' t'rough dis work now. Gotz some time afore I gotta workz again fer da cred. Da J what had me on da last job wuzn't too happies 'bout dat gator t'ingy eatin' his precious package and has bad wurdz out ons me.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (19:26:41/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[ Didn't you hear? Brains can now be hacked.
Guess who's next on the list?? ]
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (23:45:41/12-05-73)
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>>>>>[Whoa. That's a nasty, nasty beast. I'll keep flying over the ground instead of crawling under, tyvm.]<<<<<
--TekDrake(14:37:32/12-6-73)
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>>>>>[ Madrecita's probably going to kill me tomorrow, but I'm gonna do this anyway. She's performing this evening at the Bandoleone...that new Latin Jazz club in Downtown. If you want to see a side of her you'll otherwise never see...come join us there around 21:00. It'll be me and several other former students of hers, but you're welcome to join us. ]<<<<<
-- Ysoni (16:56:02/12-06-73)
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>>>>>[Nice. Haven't been to the Bandoleone yet and that would be a perfect occasion. I'll bring some flowers!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:20:14/12-06-73)
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>>>>>[Reminds me, I need to find a good club locally that's Changeling-friendly. I know most of those places tend to be Mob fronts, but I'll take what I can get, for going out and just being me. Well, that side of me anyway.]<<<<<
--TekDrake(1:16:49/12-7-73)
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>>>>>[Not to sound crass, but if you're one of the 'pretty' changelings, pretty much any high end club will be welcoming of you. Just avoid the rabidly racist clubs and you're good. Now if you're not so pretty, you might look into places that have a high percentage of Awakened patrons. Anywhere in the Hub in Denver should be fairly welcoming to you, so long as you didn't SURGE into something with insect features. (And if you did, I'd suggest going with virtual clubs. Lot of people I know shoot first ask questions later if they see someone with bug features. Especially the ones who've seen the real bugs before.)]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:04:23/12-07-73)
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>>>>>[Yeah, Iceblade is right. Any Awakened friendly clubs should let you in and have some fun. I know dozens of those here and there, in and round the UCAS but if your cozy little nest is in the Seattle area like me, you might want to try the Pirate, Wanda's (a little too artistic for my taste but she's a nice lady) or the Purgatory (your best bet if you can get in). I saw a pair of drunk drakes dancing around in their Dracoform at the Pirate's a few years a go with everybody clapping and cheering. That was a pretty funny night.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (18:01:28/12-07-73)
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>>>>>[Sorries it tuuk soz long ta getz back about da critter. Money wokez up an' I hadta saves him from the fambly. He'z on da way home wit' anuuder concussion frum muh brudder, who haz one hizzself (From me) and a broke arm (From Money.). Racists don' just wear da white sheetz an comez in "Breeder" flaverz, ah'm sorries ta say. An' everbuddy sayz dat he did deservez what happened. Ya don'ts bringz up Money's wife up wit'out riskin' da metahurtz.
Anyhowz, da chemical reportz I wuz sent sayz dat dis is not az likelies da Toxic styliez a'critter, but justa Mutant. Da toxins in da report iz mostlies attackin' da orgins an' da DNA at areaz awayez from da partsa da strandz what most eggheadz t'ink da "Magic Gene" iz, which iz da scientific wayz to piece out which iz which. Dat said, da report did showz dat dere wuz crystalization frum da ice whut didz damage ta da sample. It keptz it guud from some standpoints, but odders it wuz bad. Honestly, da high-foreheady typez don' know dere hoops from dere speakin' holes when it comez ta da magic stuff mostly, so I'd sayz da only acid test whut matters iz da astral check. I hadz no WizWyrms wit' me on da team, and Money ain't no magicy type, soz nuna uz haz dat infos. But nuna dem ever askz me not'in', soz what do I knowz, I'ze jus' some dumb Trog in da Barrens, right?
Nowz, if youse excuse me, I haz to mark muh Nephew'z tests on da physics az applied ta da explodies. He'z a bit miffed dat I wouldn't let him use da calculator, an' he's savin' up fer dat Math SPU t'ing dat lets you dos da math wit'out workin' da brain-stuff.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (22:35:01/12-07-73)
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>>>>>[Oh, an' da Matchstick's Jazz Club iz friendly-like wit' da Changling-folk. Even haz a few music-playerz dat iz da Changling. Da onlies problem wit' dat place iz dat it'z in da Downtown, wit' all da cameras an' SIN scanner dronez an' security stuffs. Noes offense, but da Changling-folk are kinda obvious an' unique, soz I wouldn't suggest youse do Biz dere, jus' enjoy da music, da atmosphere, and da non-watered down drinks. Dat'z why I uze da place meself. Lezz I'm workin', dat iz. Den da security don sees me 'causea da hacker.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (23:07:43/12-07-73)
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>>>>>[ I like conducting biz in music clubs. Especially the louder ones. Unless of course Mr. Johnson is one of those refinement freaks.
There are a few specialist shapeshifter clubs. They tend to attract changelings too. I'l ask Fen. He's bound to have sniffed out a few by now.
Thanks to those of you who came to see Madre perform. I was surprised to see her do a few flamenco numbers. ]<<<<<
-- Ysoni (11:36:28/12-08-73)
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>>>>>[I did appreciate those flamenco, if I had known, I would have brought a date with me just to have a dance partner. Yes, a chinese guy who dances flamenco, so what? Tango too! Ain't a pro but I do. Every guy should, the ladies just love it! I tried waltz a few times, but beside the funny costumes it was pretty boring!
Oh did she liked the flowers? Didn't get her reaction much, she just looked at me surprised and I had to go like, real fast. Fresh from the plastic jungle and my own garden, chose them myself. Every good performance merits flowers, or so I'm told. Nonetheless, it was good show and I had a good time! I should really go out in these places more often.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:05:48/12-08-73)
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>>>>>[Typing this in AR to spare you all the hangover-overtones. Going to have to wait for my head to clear before I can start studying it, tho. Great clubs, guys. I know I sampled at least two. Things get fuzzy after that. Never knew the Seattle area had such a nice bed and breakfast either.]<<<<<
--TekDrake(1:14:12/12-9-73)
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>>>>>[Great, you guys have fun, and I get a concussion from a racist ork and get to spend the night in the Doc Wagon waiting room. I miss my wife being around... Never mind me, I had a bit too much "Medicinal" brandy. 'Least I broke the bastard's arm.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (00:17:00/12-08-73)
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>>>>>[Well, I had fun last night but tonight... not so much. I was at the ACHE visiting a... friend there. Had to pull a few strings to get in there just for two hours and a half. Man, this place a bucket full of shit about to hit a big high speed fan. But this time, it's... Well... It's still going to be fun! I guess I'll have to get him out of there eventually but he doesn't want me to for now. He's probably planning something. Anyway, it's going to be an interesting sight, watching all those crazed and angry people running in the streets of Downtown when the front door will explode. Meh! I'm sure a bunch of Knight Errants in shining armor will ride the streets on their white horses to save the damsels in distress. But enough wild speculations. For now Sir Drinkalot here's going to get another cup and finally go to bed!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (03:10:20/12-09-73)
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>>>>>[OK, head in better shape, rested up, fresh suit of clothing, spare mags for pistol. Ready to head out and... Oh, wait... Just saw in the mirror. Pants might help. Remind me again why I'm getting into politics this year again? Maybe I am getting old, can't keep up this kind of schedule like I used to. Or it's the repeated recent blows to the head.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (07:55:44/12-09-73)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...I see another run in my near future, to get an uncontaminated sample of the critter. If anyone knows a zoologist who's willing to take some risks in the name of science, please let me know. Thanks though, Murph. You're right that the ice did a lot of damage, and I think it might also have been contaminated.
As for you, Ysoni...I'll deal with you later. How'd you like to lose those balls I gave you? I'm not looking for fame here, you idiot. It's a big enough risk for me to perform in public without you advertising it.
Smiley...you ran off before I could thank you. Am I really that scary? The flowers are lovely. I can't remember the last time I received some. Thank you...and I'm gratified to know you enjoyed yourself. Nevermind that you're chinese and liking flamenco. That's no stranger than a Spanish woman singing the blues. Tango is good. The rumba is better. As for the ACHE...you have a very strange idea of "fun", my dear. I'd take it as a kindness if you'd give me a bit of warning before you blast the lid off things? I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Downtown when that drek goes down. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:26:01/12-09-73)
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>>>>>[All-Father damn it to Hel's Domain! The Toxic Pixie? >Link To Post (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=5080.msg85738#msg85738)< She's back in the Mextroplex! Just got this pic from one of my informants that I keep well fed.
Where's my full-auto shotgun, I'm going hunting. Something to wash the taste out of politics.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:39:20/12-09-73)
>>>Download Attached Image Here (http://raben-aas.deviantart.com/art/Shadowrun-Missions-Scene-202704488)<<<
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>>>>>[That was an interesting day, now chilling out at the Powerline. Oh I love it when a plan comes together! Hehehe.
Oh! No! Hell no! I'm not going to be the one to break hell loose. Don't worry. All I said is that it's just a matter of time before this thing explode. Take my word for it, it's a catastrophe waiting to happen. If I have to get anyone out of there, it's going to be quietly by pulling a few strings. No explosive involved, I promise! Speaking of which, I haven't dabble in explosives in ten years now. It doesn't really match my style anymore. But I gotta say, it's still really cool to see things go boom.
Then I guess you won't be joining me after all Money. That's too bad. Well good luck with the Pixie. Avoid the bites this time.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (00:20:34/12-10-73)
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>>>>>[ Need some magical back-up, Money? I've dealt with toxics before. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (10:11:10/12-10-73)
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>>>>>[OK, I'll admit, I figured that Smiley was just shooting the breeze, even with his rep backing him up (Rep isn't always right. Except in my case.). Well, frag that. The guy is worth every nuyen (Or, in this case, a really expensive bottle of aged whiskey). That's the second-smoothest operation I have ever witnessed, and he threw in a few bonuses as well. After the news broke, a contact of mine reported a new shipment of extra-strength antacid being ordered at the Governor's Mansion. When the bigger jobs start getting my attention again, I'll certainly keep you in mind, Smiley. Just the elections going on right now that's got me doing things so cheap. I got a few folks on my "To do bad things to" list that might be up your alley.
As for the hunt, I got some magical support from a borrowed spirit right now, I'm not about to tangle with a magician with no magic support of my own. This is personal, however, so I'm taking this slitch on myself.
Now, be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm hunting Toxic Pix... Oh frag, how'd she see me? OH DREK!!! Fraggin' spir... >Contact terminated at source<]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:29:00/12-10-73)
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>>>>>[Vendetta! That's very Italian. Scrap that, that's very universal! I really hope you caught it this time.
Hehe. Well, that's high praise indeed. Anything for the cause! Hahaha! Well if I didn't have enemies in the Governor's Mansion, which I'm sure I already did, now it's a certainty. I watched the news while I was on my way to the Powerline, those kids were so cute "I was really scared and I was holding daddy really hard!", priceless! Hahaha! Those Humanis pricks, being zealots makes them idiots so easy to fool. You know what they used to say, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Well, that's the third time in the space of a week and a half that I humiliate them.
I always promised myself not to be political and all that bullshit. But with a bunch of dudes who thinks the world would be better if they could put me and my kind, well anyone and anything not human in gas chambers or work camps, it ain't really political anymore. That's pretty personal at this point. So fuck 'em!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:02:13/12-10-73)
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>>>>>[I'm OK. Covered in used synthetic motor oil and kitty litter, but OK. She had a damned Sludge Spirit handy in the place as a TRAP. Came out of a damned barrel and tried to smother me. Fell into a hole in this old garage where they usually go to change the oil, cracked my head AGAIN... Honestly, what is it with blows to my head recently? Anyhow, the Spirit I had lent to me kept the sludge away from my face at least, while preventing me from being affected by the Pixie's spells. A bit of freeze foam around it allowed me to break out, and... Bah, you don't need a blow-by-blow. Just know that I got dirty, she had some kind of barrier that swatted my buckshot while I was dealing with the sludge monster she threw at me. Damned Pixie was waiting for me, someone snitched me out. AGAIN! Either that, or she's just as pissed at me that I didn't die when she bit me.
Had to get so many shots after that, too. Good idea to check all the electives when filling out a DocWagon Health Insurance form, folks! Now, if you excuse me, I need to use the roll of construction plastic to keep oil from getting on the upholstery on the car.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (13:43:09/12-10-73)
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>>>>>[Did you kill it at least?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (00:04:23/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[No, the Pixie is still alive and got away. I reviewed the footage from my cybereyes while I was wrapped in construction plastic my car drove me around, and I winged her in the leg with a single piece of steel shot. She'll feel that, but nothing more. Belt-Fed Fully-Automatic Shotgun with a SmartGun Link and a lot of other options, and a single piece of buckshot hit her. To hell with this personal drek, she comes to Seattle again, I get every damned magician and free spirit I can whistle up and throw them all at her, see how that goes down!
As for my current state of mind: Frag it all to Hel's domain. I'm at one of my boltholes, finally clean, and am scanning the usuals, and, damnit, I have to stop reading to the Obits. Two really hit me.
First was a fellow, troll, late forties, shot while protecting his bar from hoodlums that were just thrilling. Shot a lot, as this guy used to be a Street Sami who retired, and got a SIN through the amnesty. I gave him the damned job that let him retire, buy that bar, just watch the men and women come in and spend their nuyen on booze and a song. Live SINless bands every night. I used his place a lot, lots of good blues bands that sung in Or'Zet there. Refused to take any money from me for drinks, but I always left a tip big enough to cover them. Damn stand-up guy that got out of the Biz and found his dream.
Second one, just a pre-teen dwarf with no name. KE pleading for help (Yeah, right) in IDing him. He was some kid I hired with a Colt Asp and a Kludge of a CommLink that's almost the size of MacCallister's Cyberdeck. Viral advertising, nothing dangerous, little pay, and a boost in rep which tells you how badly the kid was doing. Seems he decided that he was going to overwrite some gang's turf tags and, well... Six shots don't count for much when there's twenty of them.
Most Johnsons would shrug and dig deeper into their real beef filet mignon. Me, I just feel that it's a total waste of life for no damned good reason. Both went out fighting, so that gives me some relief thanks to my religion, but, frag... It'd be better if I didn't have to turn to it at all, right? Or am I just getting too sentimental for my job now? Maybe I should retire for good after this election? Half-In/Half-Out of the Shadows is not a way to live, is it?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:12:55/12-10-73)
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>>>>>[I ain't no philosopher and I doubt I'm the right person to tell you this but my say on the matter is: Always do what you love to do. Live at 200 mph and have a taste at everything the world has to offer. Learn from the past, but never look back. Live in the present, it's a gift. Always react wisely to the future. Live fast, die young, no place for regrets. Be at peace with what the Bureau of Destiny has in store for you.
It's a shame to die young, but it's worse to die old full of "what if".]<<<<<
-- Smiley (01:44:02/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[There are five ways a swordsman may die with honor. He can fall fighting a battle he knows he cannot win, to allow others to live another day. He can be cut down standing up for a cause he believes in. He can be slain striving to atone for the mistakes of his past. He may take his own life when all hope of victory is lost, and claim honor even in defeat. He can perish quietly in his bed, an old man who has passed on his knowledge to another, so that the old ways are remembered.
Which is best? None living can say for certain, and the dead keep their own counsel on such matters. Your friends died with honor, Money, and that is as best as any of us can hope for in this life.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (08:10:34/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[Isn't this the course of evolution - eliminating flawed designs from the system, in order to create room either for the better adapted or those yet to be tested? The Shadows are red in tooth and claw. Reprocess the un-fit design, integrate its strength and discard its weakness.]<<<<<
-- D3m (10:05:05/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[Thanks for the opinions folks. Probably just all the blows to the head I've taken recently. The kid didn't do what I instructed him to, writing over a gang tag is not "Low Risk". They always take offense to that. Don't listen to your elders, or your employer, and leave yourself at your own risk.
As for Tiggy, yeah that's the Troll's name, he's the only bar owner who died yesterday so it's not hard to figure out, he took out five of the eight guys with that oversized cybergun in his right arm. KE caught the rest before they were able to get to a street doc, and another one died on the way to the precinct house. Tiggy lived a good life and died hard, best way to go for him, I bet. A Death Guard added right until the end.
My religion doesn't speak well of straw deaths unless you've done great things in life worthy of being named Einherjar in life. Must be this political drek slotting me up. Back room deals and sneaky maneuvers. Knives that cut through armor by not existing in the first place... Biz as usual, I know. But still, doesn't seem right. Ah well, things will get bloody enough closer to the election and we have to start preventing groups of "Civil Minded" people from "ensuring that the right people vote their conscience." I know I'm looking forward to busting some Humanis heads when that starts.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (09:31:13/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[ Wherever the dead go, we as the living can honour them best by remembering them. If they are worthy of rememberance of course. Those guys are lucky. They have someone to remember them. Or at least honour them. At the end of the day, we can only be true to ourselves, because everyone else will have their own views about who you were, what you did and how you lived and died. I don't particularly mind when or how I go...as long as I go down having lived my life my way.
I'm not currently up to date on who's who in the election race. It doesn't much matter who ultimately wins because at the end of the day, they all serve the same master. They all have only so much leeway to pursue their own agendas.
Money, any of the current candidates sing from a non-corporate hymn sheet? ALso...any of them singing from an AZT hymnsheet? ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (11:44:01/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[Funny enough, compared to a lot of Governors of Seattle, Brackhaven has been his own man for the most part that I've seen. Kicking Lone Star out and putting KE in was a purely political move to show that he wasn't in "Humanis' Pocket", and KE had the best offer for the security of the metroplex on the table honestly. (Meaning they had almost everyone in place ready to be cops as-is due to Ares over-staffing their security.). He has to keep the Corporate Council of Seattle happy, yes, but that's true of every city and has been before corporations went extraterritorial. You don't, they'll move to another city that'll cut them better deals, and there goes jobs for the people that vote. And they'll remember who got them fired and their jobs shipped off to Africa or China or some such. It gives me a horrible taste in my mouth to say this, but he's done a damned good job of that, and strengthened the economy of Seattle. Both in the Light and the Shadows. Still wouldn't stop me from breaking all four major joints in his body in exchange for a free Stuffer Shack soykaff coupon.
Only one of the three Communist parties seems to not have a Corporate taint, yes I find that hilarious. The New Century party has hands stuffing their pockets from everyone, so are "Neutral" in that sense. Technocrats, Democrats, same. Yes, both are getting Aztechnology funding, but they're getting from all the AAA-Corps, so nothing unusual there. A few of the independents are getting Aztechnology funding almost solely, but are all fighting to separate from the UCAS, so don't expect them to make a showing in the race. A few other independents are going it alone on a "Non-Corporate" policy, but that's a bad idea, the Corporate Court would just rule Seattle's Docks and Sea-Tac Airport off limits to any corporation that is under their protection (Which is pretty much any one bigger that Big Bob's Autos) and the city'll starve in weeks, if even that long.
Aztechnology is hitting a slump in PR for the first time in... Well, my living memory at least, with the mass public. It's the wars in South America, especially Bogota. Horizon doing the "Heal The Innocent" thing has hit home the suffering in a way that wasn't felt in the UCAS by the conflict in the Yucatan. Hell, I knew about that drek going on and didn't think much about it until I started hiring some vets from that who gave me some nasty war stories. Their usual trick of releasing new products and using other forms of spin aren't as effective, and they're not using AR as well as they could, sticking more with traditional Trid and Simsense for the most part. Big mistake, like the companies that stuck with print after the old Internet got off the ground. So their efforts to get alliances here are hidden through back channels that are really well designed, which is AZT's third best bit of smoke and shadows.
As for who is winning, it's still way too early to even guess, the poll numbers at this time don't matter. Hell, most of the major parties still haven't declared who they're fronting yet, so... It's anyone's game. Just parties vying for power at the moment.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:19:22/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[ So pretty much business as usual so far then. This is why I don't usually pay much attention to the election race at this stage.
You're right though. Best to keep an eye on the humanis. When I arrived in Seattle in '67, I had a few of those guys on my operating table. I used the opportunity to make a few...additions...to them. Tracking tags for the most part, but not limited to that. It worked out quite well for Mr. Johnson. If anyone's interested, I can do it again. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:52:45/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[Hey Money, picked up a new location on your little friend, well a possible anyway. I'll shoot you the location though i suggest you bring something bigger than a auto-shotty, de bayou, she aint like she used to be. Madrecita, sorry i missed your show, had some biz that i had to see to back south and it had to be in person. As for Humanis, we've had a hate/hate relationship ever since they took my girlfriend back in '56. Of course they didn't like when i took her back and the shape me and a few friends left them in wasnt pretty.
Smiley, if you ever have to go in to the ACHE hot, give me a ring, i know quite a few ways in that they still havent sealed up even though they're filled in with foundation concrete "Officially".]<<<<<
--Wolfgar (21:08:08/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[Got my "Rainy Day" fund in black bank accounts, and, hey, look, it's Raining. 'Course, this is Seattle. Send it away, Wolfgar, I got a lot of calls to make to magicians.
But, um, what do you mean she ain't like she used to be?
Also, does anyone know how to get oil stains out of the upholstery of a Pueblo Motors Jackrabbit? I heard they're using some kind of anti-stain system that's supposed to protect against that, but I think Sludge Spirit changes things up a bit.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (19:18:42/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[Money, if we can swing by New Orleans on the way, I'd be up for it. Haven't been there since I went on a vacation back before I underwent the Rite of Passage. If only it were Mardi Gras. Ah, memories.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (23:53:09/12-11-73)
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>>>>>[I'll keep that in mind Wolfgar. For now I got the connections necessary to walk through the front door, if things changes it's good to know I might have other options.
I got something Money. Same thing I use to clean evidence. The only catch is, your gonna have to bring your car to me.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (01:51:49/12-12-73)
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>>>>>[Wolfgar, two things... One, the damned pixie got away again. Bloody this time, at least. She won't be so pretty anymore. Two, now I remember why I don't go to Da Bayou... Nearly lost a leg to a giant leach, was shot by five people speaking All-Father knows what (It wasn't French or English, or Cajun either for that matter) who thought I was part of the CAS Revenue Service going after their 'stills, found out there's a catfish that seems to be related to the Blackberry Cat (same powers at least) and works in conjunction with gators, and was arrested for driving a car that was on fire.
On the flipside, I did meet some Cajuns who had some damn fine crawdads and 'shine and let me stay around for a bit recovering from the pixie's attack on me, and made me a nice set of leather shoes in exchange for the meat and other hides. Oh, and no blows to the head for once! Oh, and Iceblade, thanks for the assist, hope you enjoyed the cred and didn't spend it all on Bourbon St. Back in Seattle now, recovering from everything, especially the second-degree burns. Health Tip: If the car's on fire, don't be the one driving it. CAS Redneck Lockup is not a fun place to be.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (10:26:00/12-14-73)
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>>>>>[No problem, Money. Battling the spirits was a fun challenge. And I got a new pair of boots out of the deal, so that's all to the good. Didn't spend all the cred, either. Spending a few days in New Orleans for a vacation. Actually picked up my old SIN to use for this stay. Probably shouldn't stay here too long, or those idiots will come trying to put a bullet in me again, but I figure a few national borders will slow them up enough that I can have a few days of R&R. And the ladies just love a real Tir nobleman.
On the other hand, it is interesting talking with some of the local Awakened crowd here. Met a mambo who was willing to talk over drinks. We both come from possession traditions, so it was interesting to see how another magician saw the world. And she gave me a real workout after. What these CAS girls lack in technique, they more than make up for with passion, let me tell you!]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:07:53/12-14-73)
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>>>>>[Oh what a relief! Haven't been so scared like this since my encounter with a bear in Québec in 68. Glad everything's over!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:42:33/12-14-73)
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>>>>>[So's I'z bak at wurk aft'r dat break due to da slotted off Johnson. Onea da Commies Parties tried ta "Rehabilitate" a gang inta helpin' dem wit' da speeches an' stuff. It didn't wurk so guud as dey wuz anudder type o' Commie er sum such. Anywhu, I tuuks away their pretty beatin' sticks an' now haz a nice collection a sum new Streetline Specials dat are hittin' da streets. Seemz da microlathes iz usin' da nanoforges for 'em now. A waste ifin youse ask mez, but noonez ever duz. Let yaz know if dere wort' da time pickin' up. Sunz up, nighty-night nowz. Oh, afore I goez, da Commies tried dat "wurkin' fer da peoplez" t'ing atz me, an I never laughez so guud inz a long timez! Deyz da Commies. I'm a Capitalist.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (10:08:31/12-16-73)
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>>>>>[Ah, the old Streetline Special. Not bad for a throwaway. Use it in a hit, and then leave it sitting somewhere in gang territory. Eventually, someone will pick the thing up and use it, and the murder rap is one step further removed from your doorstep. For a day-to-day gun, though, I prefer my Fubuki. Lightweight, easy to conceal, and provides a decent punch without much kick. I use it when blades or spells aren't practical for a situation.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:37:24/12-16-73)
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>>>>>[Big Murphy collects holdouts as a hobby. He rarely uses them on the job. Note, rarely, it's that time he does use one that surprises the hell out of everyone, as he can almost palm most light pistols.
I'm constantly testing new firearms all the time (The joys of working the Shadows and owning stock in firearms companies!), but I've found that the Browning Ultra-Power in .45 ACCP gives me the greatest combination of stopping power, size (Thick but short), magazine capacity, and intimidation value, for an everyday carry. For heavier combat situations, I find the Colt Government Model of 2066, also in .45 ACCP, with a factory-installed optional smartgun link is an excellent go-to firearm, but an Ares Predator IV (Preferably the sub-contracted version made in the PCC) can work in a pinch as well. Truth is, however, the world is made of weapons, you just have to have an eye for them. Worst case scenario, the brick wall is usually tougher than most idiot's skulls.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (13:12:14/12-17-73)
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>>>>>[And if it isn't, then you should probably be running, instead of picking a fight with them. Or just use a slap patch of Laes on them. Oh, for those of you in LA, if you want someone to die a messy, horrible, tortuous death, dose them with Laes and leave them floating in the water until they wake up. Even if they don't run afoul of the shedim, toxic critters, or other locals, all that time in the water means they almost certainly are going to come down with La Gripe Sangrienta. Nasty, horrible way to die, and it takes a couple weeks.
Just an FYI if, you know, you ever have a job where someone wants a person removed from the situation, but without the nastiness of putting a bullet in the brainpan. Or if they want to send a message. And believe me, there isn't any clearer message about what you'll do to your enemies than by making them get La Gripe Sangrienta. That says you won't just kill them, but you're going to make them suffer.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (19:52:03/12-17-73)
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>>>>>[There's someone on life support begging to be allowed to suicide constantly by the only way he can communicate, blinking in morse code. He gets to live a nice, natural lifespan, then gets Leonization, but no reconstructive operations. I won't be around to piss on his grave, but I think this is a better deal.
No one messes with my family. No one kills my wife and gets something as simple as a slow, painful death. Life is what you get. Funny thing is... Never touched the bastard. Didn't even have to. Did it to himself just trying to run away from me. The health care and Leonization is just out of the goodness of my heart, and is tax deductible.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (19:35:59/12-17-73)
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>>>>>[That's one way to do it. After the revolution, I tracked down the people who caught my sister before she could get out of country. Now, normally when I kill someone, I just kill them and be done with it. Shark is not a sadist, and does not kill out of malice, but to end suffering. However, these people deserved something 'special'. I decided to take a page out of this Eastern European warlord's playbook. You might have heard of him. Guy named Vlad the Impaler. Stripped the bastards naked, shoved a barbed metal rod up the tailpipe, and lifted them up, so that their own body weight impaled them. I was even nice enough to heal them a couple times during the course of it, though I didn't take them off the poles. I'm told they were found a week later, after someone distributed the trid recording to their next of kin.
Not that this would have anything to do with people still wanting me dead, of course.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (20:49:34/12-17-73)
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>>>>>[Revenge paiz no billz. But it keepz da peeps frum t'inkin' yer weak. Bang, squish, dey dead, mez an' mine live. Dat's da world.
Nowz, if I'z paid ta makez 'em suffer, den I breakz der legz an' an arm, drop 'em naked save undies in an alley fulla broke glass an' needlez an' udder nasties, handz dem a credstick, an' tellz 'em dat th' vidphone on da odder side wurks. An it doez, two. Tooz bad I left no cred on da stick tas make da 911 call wit'. But dat's Biz, not persunal. But I'z getz where youse all iz comin' frum. Da urge ta take a few twacks at da scumbag what killed pa Big Murphy and gramps Big Murphy wuz strong, but dey's doin' dere jobz just like pa and gramps. Be da same wayz when I'z go, I hopez. Not persunal, just Biz.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (20:02:12/12-17-73)
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>>>>>[If it was in the course of business, then that's one thing. But this was personal. Made a special trip back across the border for them. Sometimes there's value in sending a message. In this case, the value is that most of these idiots will think twice about coming after me, and the ones that don't are going to be focused on me, instead of my parents.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:24:34/12-17-73)
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>>>>>[By Loki, damn that reminds me of the last idiot that didn't do his research properly! He threatened to torture my Father and Brother in front of me, like that'd be painful to me. Guess he hadn't heard that their "Wedding Presents" to me was to divorce me legally from the rest of the family. I asked if I could get a Simsense Recording of the torturer for my own records.
Then he threatened my sister. Then my Grandather. Oh All Father, that last one, I couldn't stop laughing, despite the troll hitting me in the titanium-enhanced rib cage! I'm the nice one of the family.
Grandpa called "Bug City" a vacation. My sister calls doing missionary work in the drekkiest parts of Africa a "calling". That should tell you something about my "real" family. Certainly freaked out the punk of a Mafioso I was dealing with. Then I broke lose, met his boss, and the drek hit the ventilator for the poor guy. Couldn't have happened to a nicer slot.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:51:40/12-17-73)
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>>>>>[Speaking of holdouts, on some jobs I like to carry a disposable gun that is imperfectly concealed. The security guards are so much more relaxed after they've 'disarmed' the freak. I love it when they assume. Worked with a Troll once who used a Super Warhawk as a holdout--she was pretty big, even for the metatype. Wouldn't mind taking a trip down memory lane with her, fun times, good 'runner, and one of the best dates I ever had.]<<<<<
--TekDrake(23:54:40/12-17-73)
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>>>>>[Ah got dis ol' break-open holdout, Money calls it a COP, and he'd know. It'z a guud holdout fer it's age, four shotties insteada da two youse getz outta da Walther Palmer. But da best on da market I'z can find iz da Cavalier Scout. Back when dere wuz paper monies I had one dat I used az a money clip. "Youse wantz muh cashies? Sure, here it iz, wit' some 5mm caseless in yer face ta rememberz me byz."
Muh Uncle, whoz iz a runty of a Troll, haz a revolver collection, a Colt Asp iz a holdout fer him, but he loadz it wit' da hot banger-bang roundies. Makez guud holes in da folks what t'ink it'z a pop-gun. He'z also gota snubnosed Superwarhawk dat might az well bez a light pistol fer him. Datz hiz backup piece. Mez, I likez da automatic-loader pistol types an' da shotties, caseless fer da pistols, shellz fer da shotties. Da dayz a jammin' have been long over-like.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (09:51:08/12-18-73)
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>>>>>[Da nanoforgied Streetline Specials canz take da specialty roundies better dan da drek da microlathes putz out. Still ain't wurth much asize from surprize an' drop pieces. Still, da Bangie-Banger roundies iz somet'in' ta worriez about whenz dey bangies in yer face er sensitives. I givez it a four outta da fivez, cuz dey stillz mostlies plastics an' don' setz off the cheapies wit' MAD Scanners 'steada proper 'plosive sniffies. 'Courze, I haz solutionz ta dat az wellz.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (22:49:09/12-19-73)
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>>>>>[ I carry a Browning Ultra Power as a back-up. The recoil's a hijo de slicho, but is just about manageable. And it's not too complicated. For situations where a hold-out might be needed...I carry the trusty old Cavalier Scout. That said...I prefer my knives. With them, I feel much more confident. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:24:09/12-20-73)
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>>>>>[Moving away from firearms, the newest lines of vehicles are out late this year (The Shadowruns in Detroit this year were killer! Literally, triple digits!) I'm not trading in my Chrysler-Nissan Jackrabbit knockoff from Pueblo Motors anytime soon (Especially as I just got a new transmission for it), but there's some fine looking advances being made in body molding that actually gives some damned shapes back to cars! After the electric razors of the '60s and so far in the '70s, I'm happy to see a return to some way to tell a Ford AmeriCar from a Chevy Neopala from a Chrysler 3000SUX other than the chrome insignia on the front or back. Seems to just be hitting the sedan and derivatives market (station wagons and muscle cars, for example) so far, so it's probably a public test to see if they can actually get some brand loyalty out of style once more. Or maybe the Megas that own those companies want people to know who they work for. Also, Ford bought back the Mustang name from Nissan, which has a lot of Ford fans cheering a great degree, especially as they have also just purchased the Shelby American Inc. so they'll have Ford-Shelby Mustang-Cobras out as early as March or April next year according to the hubbub.
For non-sedans, the GMC Bulldog is getting a facelift and some standard items that used to be optional, but were so popular that they're including them in every vehicle now (Semi-Powered back ramp, folding stairs for the side door(s), higher torque transmission package, heated cup holders). It'll be awhile until they're changed out in fleets, however, so Riggers have some time before they have to upgrade to a new model or their old Bulldogs will look outdated on the streets.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:32:57/12-20-73)
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>>>>>[ I can’t say I like any of those, Money. They may no longer be clones on the surface, but under the skin, it’s all the same-old. North American manufacturers haven’t had a really new idea in decades. That’s what you get when you design something for the global market. It lacks all identity. Luckily, there are still a few manufacturers that stuck to their guns...mostly in Europe. They’re smaller than the megas by far, but independence from them have allowed for some truly worthwhile vehicles instead of the usual McTransport junk you find in most showrooms. One of the smallest is Hispano-Suiza, from my native Spain. They don’t offer a massive range that covers every niche, but each individual car can be infinitely customised. I drive a Hispano-Suiza large SUV. I forget the exact model name, but when I placed my order for it, I specified a more robust chassis without all the electronic trickery. I also specified the Daimler-Benz internal combustion hydrogen engine with on-board electrolyser. With this thing, I can fill up with water, go anywhere, and once I get there, disengage the engine from the transmission and connect it to a generator to run my alchemy lab and other essential equipment. All the mods are done in-house at the Hispano-Suiza factory and comes with a manufacturer’s warranty. I don’t think larger, mass production manufacturers can offer that level of specialised customisation in-house, and certainly not at the same level of excellence. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (01:56:34/12-21-73)
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>>>>>[Speaking of guns, a shipment of that new Ares PLD 'fell off the back of a truck' recently, and guess who was lucky enough to pick it up? Gun's not bad, all told. With some customization, you could potentially reduce the recoil substantially, even when going full auto. The thing comes with a 200 round box, or can go belt fed. The internal safety systems means you can have a relatively inexperienced gunner, and still avoid friendly fire. The price is double that of the MP-LMG, and still doesn't come with a smartgun system standard. All told, it is something to look at if you're in the market for a new gun, but I wouldn't throw out your old one to get it.
And before you ask, no, I already passed the shipment on to Mr. J, after doing some 'quality control' at the range. Just because I prefer blades doesn't mean I can't have a bit of fun with guns.
Going back to cars, I like the lines on the Oort and the Preza. Even if you don't, though, having something that blends with the locals is a good way to be effectively invisible when doing jobs outside a city center. Throw some smuggling compartments in this thing, and your jaunt across national borders (say, going from Seattle to the Tir across the Sidhe-Salish lands) can become a vacation with a couple of your buddies. If you have someone who knows a guy that can get you a visitor's visa, and hide the illegal stuff, then getting across a border at a checkpoint can be a lot easier than trying to get through in the middle of nowhere, where border patrols will assume you're spies or smugglers, and act accordingly. Governments may have changed in the Tir, but don't think it is any easier to get across the border than it used to be.
And for those of you looking to blend in while in the cities, everyone knows that nothing blends in more than a taxi. That new one by Leyland-Rover is troll-sized, meaning that even normal sized metahumans wearing some of the bulkier armor can get in and out, no problem. Throw on some addons to disguise what is actually going on inside the cab, and you can drive up in full battle armor, ready to roll, and no one would be the wiser. Plus, if you need to go to ground, working as a gypsy cabbie is a good way to make enough cred to live on while the heat dies down. And the added features in the back means that if any 'fares' try to get out of line ZAP!]<<<<<
--Iceblade (03:33:24/12-21-73)
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>>>>>[That's why we have Shadow-Garages, Madrecita, dear. My Jackalope is far from stock. Let the Sheeple drive their Mass Produced items, people who really need custom items are better off going to someone they trust. Also, you might not know this, but H-S is owned by Saeder-Krupp through a few fronts, thus the option for the D-B parts. You might also want to check your Warranty, you'll find out that BMW does their warranty work.
Damn Iceblade, I could really go for one of those PLDs to check out. You got the contact info for that J still, or has it gone Disconnected already?
I hate the new taxis myself. Yeah, you blend in, yeah, it's comfortable. But dear All-Father are the Dogbrain Pilot Programs that they use in Seattle STUPID! Any trace of an accent that isn't Asian or English and it won't understand a word you're saying. I was using a German accent (Don't ask), and rather than the middle of downtown, I find myself headed towards the Docks in Tacoma, with the fare riding up and up!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:47:02/12-21-73)
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>>>>>[The contact info for the Mr. J went dark after I got payment. I do know where the shipment ended up, though. Don't know how much good the dealer's info would do ya unless you are on friendly terms with the Ancients. However, I'd be willing to act as a go between, for a price.
I agree about the dog brain on the taxi. First thing you need to do if you are going to use it for any real work is upgrade it. But as a getaway vehicle, your rigger could do a lot worse than having one of these. Don't have to be blindingly fast if you can just blend in with the crowd and disappear.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:13:13/12-21-73)
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>>>>>[Oh, the base one is a total retard even for a Dogbrain, although that might just be because I use only custom-coded Pilot Programs. No, I'm talking about the "Upgraded" ones being used by some companies. There's a reason I prefer Metahuman Drivers over Automated Cabs, despite the extra trail that's harder to erase. Hell, I'd rather Ghoul Cab than deal with that damned Auto-Cab again.
And, yeah, said person just contacted me right after you posted, knowing my interest in the new and wonderful. We had a good time demoing it to a person that trusts me more than the Ancients. I just wanted to check it out, so I tested it and played middle-man, the contact sold it, and they're mostly out of the 'plex already. Some might still be in Ancient hands, however, so be careful if you slot them off. Firearms tend to travel a lot before they ever see use.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:58:19/12-21-73)
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>>>>>[Alright, back from Europe. I was on protection detail for someone participating in, what I think is, an intel sharing summit. Really I have no idea what had been discussed there behind closed doors, or even who were most of these people attending. The only thing I know is that I was sharing the waiting room with some pretty scary super spooks and these guys I know them pretty well, or at least by reputation. You would believe these guys are all business and serious but really, they're not. We drank and smoked cigars while we waited, a lot. Oh and of course, these guys likes to subtly and politely argue and brag about who's agency got the biggest dick and who's better at using it. Haha! It felt a little weird to share drinks with these guys for 2 days straight and knowing that we would all get back at trying to kill each other when this thing was over.
I went to Frankfurt after the job and, getting back on topic, I went to a pretty nice car exhibition there. I mostly dig European sports car so I was in fraggin heaven! I already own three of them and I'm happy with those for now but it's always nice to see what's new and what's coming up. I'm no connoisseur in cars though. I usually aim for the prettiest ones amongst the most expensive ones. I don't even aim for the fastest ones or the best handling. I also own one luxury sedan and I used to own two armored minivans. Oh and as an ex-go-go-go, I like bikes a lot too, but there weren't any at this exhibit.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (10:24:33/12-22-73)
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>>>>>[Yeah, Auto-Cab dogbrains are pretty stupid. But if your rigger owns one (and upgrades it), then you have the absolute best camo in the sprawl. Plus, it gives you a way in if you want to develop contacts in the cabby community. Useful sorts to know. You wouldn't believe how many people think that just because the privacy screen is up, the cabby doesn't have a camera and mike on the person at all times. They're much like bartenders and barbers in that way. Lots of low level gossip, and some occasional paydata. Good for doing legwork on a target.
There's this former cabby in Carasir that I used to know. He was our cook's brother, I think. Decent guy. Whenever I needed a ride, I called him, and tipped well. He managed to get my parents out of the city when the riots started. Tried to get my sister, too, but the mob got her first. I've seen him a couple times since. Some ork gypsy cabs had cut into his profits pretty bad, so I helped him out. Be nice to the cabbies. You never know when you'll need a way out of a hot LZ.
And Smiley, sounds like an interesting time. Most special forces or spook types look like the always serious kind, but that is just while they are working. Think about all the runners you know. Which ones are more likely to crack under the pressure, the ones who are always business, or the ones who know how to take some R&R when they get the chance? The same holds true for spooks and spec ops. I know one or two former Ghosts. Good people, and no one I'd rather have at my back in a fight. But when the job is done, they go out for drinks and fun just like everyone else. The difference is that even when they're in the midst of a party, they can be on the job in an instant if anything goes down. Same probably goes for those agency guys you were with. Hope you passed some contact info around. Might be a good way to pick up some jobs, or get some good intel.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:35:09/12-23-73)
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>>>>>[Haha! Well these guys already knew who I was from the start, there was no way they wouldn't and they addressed me by my shadow name even before I had the chance to make acquaintance. Most of these guys are working for governments and corporate agencies and that would be stupid to think that even if you're SINless, they don't keep a small (but probably incomplete) file on you if you're at least moderately successful as a runner. The same goes both ways, half of them I didn't know their faces but their names popped up a lot. The world of Black Ops is a fairly big one but it has its "celebs". I did picked up a few ways to contact most of them though, something I wasn't necessarily able to do before. Some of them obviously hated me, a few of them were scared of me but all of them seemed to respect me. That must be a sign I'm doing my job right.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (00:47:21/12-23-73)
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>>>>>[Faces are pretty cheap to change, and can even be done on a magician without worrying about affecting their magic. Shadowrunners and BlackOps go to similar clinics for that kind of work. The BlackOps guys just don't have to have their troll buddy looming over the doctor to make sure you're not cut up for pieces, that's all. Surprisingly, I still have my stock face, although I go through nanopaste disguise tubes now in bulk. Helps that I speak a few languages with some good accents.
Back in... '58, I think, there was, I drek you not, a Johnson Convention in Las Vegas. I attended, we discussed things, so on, so forth. It was under the cover of some boring thing, like Clerks of America or some such. Anyhow, learned a lot of things, but mostly we were there for the open bar and to tell "war stories".
And that's when a group took everyone hostage in the convention centre. Ironically, it was because of the Masters of Doctorates meeting that was upstairs. Bunch of political idiots, didn't even jam cell phones. Within an hour they were surrounded and outnumbered by Shadowrunners of all sorts. We "clerks" just smiled evilly as they were disarmed and thrown to the LVPD in complete and utter astonishment. Can't do that any more, too much bad blood, damnit.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (00:00:00/12-23-73)
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>>>>>[A Johnson convention!? Oh hell, why the frak not? Haha! And I know what you mean with nanopaste disguises.
Well with that, for those of you who celebrates it... Merry Christmas! I don't, wrong religion I guess but better wish it to all my collegues anyway!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:24:46/12-24-73)
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>>>>>[Lots of holidays around this time, lots of religions, including my Old Time Religion. Happy Holidays works well enough, and the Christians stole enough traditions from all the pagans that, aw hell, it don't matter. 'Tis the season, folks! Try to stay warm and be with those you love, or at least care about.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (18:20:44/12-24-73)
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>>>>>[Heh, nah Christmas fer youse, right Money? Dat why youse cames tru da window da last few yearz ta givez da kiddies gifts?]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (18:22:00/12-24-73)
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>>>>>[I'd appreciate not being shot this year. Keep that sister of yours away from the shotgun, please. I'll use this door this year, promise. And, well, what's one more stop, neh? I do try to give back to the community that's supported me for years.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (18:23:50/12-24-73)
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>>>>>[My parents didn't raise me with that stuff. Though I have found that Christmas, like any holiday, is an excellent time to do business. Corp offices are on skeleton crews. The corp drones are enjoying a few drinks on their day off. The cops are a little slower to respond to alarms. And last minute gifts are a great cover for rushing across the sprawl. And best thing is that no matter where in the sprawl you hit, the situation's about the same.
Of course, for those of you who are more socially inclined, Christmas parties are a godsend when it comes to gossip, blackmail material, and other things that make our world go round. Even if you end up going home alone (never happens to me, but I've heard some people have trouble finding companionship), you're going home with a bunch of potential paydata. I prefer Dante's if I'm in Seattle. Here in LA, just go wherever the glitterati are. I hear the Horizon Christmas party is a thing you have to see to believe.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (22:23:45/12-24-73)
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>>>>>[Back when I had an office to have a party in (Man, that was in the 'late '40s!), yeah, a dozen troll Shadowrunners could march by in one-metahuman band suits and we'd be so drunk that we'd barely notice. Those were nice times. I remember the first year, they were amazed that I actually gave Christmas bonuses (I was just a very lapsed Catholic then.). Those were the days. Ah well, I go around to the 'Runners I know with kids and give presents, the route I take is different every year, of course. But they're usually expecting me, so have the way cleared out so I don't have to deal with the usual gang BS.
And Big Murphy's family was nice enough to aim to miss this year. Hope Little Murphy likes his new CommLink!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:36:12/12-24-73)
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>>>>>[ Christmas is a big thing in Spain. Of course, it's a very Catholic country, even in this day and age. It was the only time of year I was guarunteed to see my parents, and we always went somewhere special. Kamchatskya, Lisbon, Casablanca, Constantinople, Helsinki...Every year a different place. Of course...at the time I didn't know they were runners, and the reason we never spent christmas at home was because they didn't want to lead anyone from work back to me. My parents were determined that I grow up in the light. I was to the the first one in generations to do so. Sadly, their little plan didn't pan out.
This year, a group of my former students decided they wanted to throw me a party. They're good kids. So...I'll be seeing you guys later. Those of you who know where I live, and don't have anything better to do, feel free to join in. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (10:02:34/12-25-73)
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>>>>>[For those worried about the explosions, don't be.
Some people were naughty, and got coal in their stockings. Well, charcoal. And a few other chemicals.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (09:50:44/12-25-73)
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>>>>>[So maybe I'm not immune to the giving mood. Fellow runner's kid just showed he had the talent. Not a magician like myself, but an adept, looking like Magician's Way. I agreed to train him a bit. Teach him a few spells, train him to fight, basically make sure he isn't a danger to himself. No expert on mystic adepts, but I'm closer to one than the kid's parents. They're mundanes, and I was the only spellslinger they knew well enough, since Skraacha got scragged during the Tempo craze, and Lady Luck had her luck run out when she stumbled onto a Wasp hive.
So I agreed to teach the kid. Not exactly my forte, but ah well. Without anyone to guide them, it is too easy for young people to fall down the twisted and toxic paths. And it isn't like I'm doing it for free.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:51:02/12-25-73)
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>>>>>[I'm not exactly old but I'm far from young. I've been working in the biz for almost 25 years. Yeah, in those terms I'm a near freaking relic. But I digress. For a long time, I was the snot-nosed punk of the group, the one who needed to learn, the one who had to prove himself, the one who had to take the lumps. Now, 'I'm the one doling out the pain, er lessons to a lot of up and commers. Many of them kids or kin to former teammates and or associates. Guess they figure that if their prodginy are gonna be stupid enough to get into the biz, they better learn how to not get their asses shot off on their first job. A good deal of my curent active associates fall into this category. It's interesting, no down right scary to see the tactics, techniques, and lessons learned by pevious generations impoved on or flat out twisted by this generation. To this day, my favoite is still the pizza made with plastique dough. That was twisted, even by my standards. ]<<<<<
--Bravo Six (19:45:42/12-25-73)
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>>>>>[Hey Ice, if you can teach the spells then i could probably handle the adept side of things. I've known a couple of mystics in my time and have helped train the same also. Also if your looking for a good training venue i have an in with the guy that runs the NWF Urban combat simulator down here and help him train teams for bug hunts among other things.
One of the things i've learned over the years being a history buff is that you can always learn a new trick or two from the old days. I wont regail you with one of my anecdotes, however, theres something about a home made claymore AP mine that just somehow always fits the bill]<<<<<
--Wolfgar (13:01:25/12-26-73)
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>>>>>[Sounds good, Wolf. I'll talk to the parents, and see if I can't bring him down. I'd try and teach him to follow my tradition, which means he'd be learning to use a blade. Teaching the kid to quicken his reflexes and the like would be a big help. Also, if you have someone who can teach him to use a gun, that'd be great. Don't care what path or tradition you follow, you still need at least a basic knowledge of how to use guns.
Speaking of which, had my first sparring session with the kid today. The kid is raw, as I figured, and pretty agile, even for an Elf. I think he'll make a good fighter someday. Today, though, he's got ice packs over half his body, mainly because the kid didn't know when to shut his mouth. Asked why he should bother learning to use a blade when they had guns. Told the kid that blades don't run out of bullets, and they're quiet. So the brat said he could just pistolwhip someone with the gun. I tossed him an Ingram Smartgun X with gel rounds, and told him that if he could take me down with that before I disarmed him with my wooden practice sword, he could skip learning the blades. Kid did what you would expect, snapping off rounds like a fool in full auto with the gun turned fragging sideways like something out of a trid! Surprised him when I avoided the spray, and beat him unconscious with a few well placed blows. Actually managed to avoid one of them, so it wasn't a total loss. It was the same in the army. They beat you down, so they can build you back up.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:02:23/12-26-73)
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>>>>>[I've had to give the occasionally firearms lesson to a few people in my legitimate life. If his folks don't mind him going into the NAN Lands with a stranger with a good Rep, I can give him a good rounded firearms education. Of course, I'll want him for some 'runs at a discount when he's ready to leave the nest. No strings other than that, he's free to walk away if he feels things are wrong, got to train the instinct to notice that, too.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (13:54:13/12-26-73)
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>>>>>[I teach wushu to some kids in Redmond once a week and occasionally to other runners as favors but that's about it. I never take apprentices. It's not that it's really that time consuming or anything. I just don't feel too comfortable letting someone too close to my trade secrets and by the same token my own teacher secrets, as he taught me some of his (and since he's alive and not taking well on having his secrets taught to anyone). Spells, rituals, unused foci that I still keep, special reagents and techniques... You know, all the things that may make you more valuable than other sorcerers. Not to mention the insight it might provide on my methods and how I work to rivals or even enemies. I know it's possible to teach just the basics to apprentices and how to improve on their own but as the pupil follows you a little around the risk that this pupil may pick up on some things are very present. It might just be the only thing I am really, really paranoid about. Oh wow! Just realized that becoming an "ordinary" sorcerer (or whatever the term you use) scares a hell lot more than getting killed, never thought about this that way before. Well anyway, maybe one day, if I ever live long enough to consider myself old (and it might take a while, considering I'm Elf).]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:21:57/12-26-73)
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>>>>>[I saw dis flatscreen ol' movie that had da main character sayz, "It ain'ts da yearz, it'z da mileage." Dat's true even fer da Troggies like me, er da Breeders, er da Halfers. Guess it'z true a da Keebs two.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (18:36:45/12-26-73)
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>>>>>[I'z swearz (a lot, but dat different) dat'z da last timez I'z triez ta goez down de Chimney. I'z needz da fireproof pantz.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (10:46:13/12-27-73)
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>>>>>[That's why you don't go down chimneys where there's a fire in the fireplace.
But yeah, some years wear harder on you than others. Fortunately, I've got a lot of years to go, assuming my luck doesn't run out one of these days. Had some close calls, even before I dropped into the shadows. Of course, back then I had actual health coverage, so I didn't have to pay for the cloned parts.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (12:02:34/12-27-73)
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>>>>>[ Most of the students I take have nowhere else to go. Not all of them are SINless, and not all of them become runners. My main goal is to give them sufficient control over their art to keep them and those around them safe, or to allow them to pass unnoticed. by corp headhunters if that is their wish. I don't like teaching teens specialised spells. They're only half-formed and half-adult. I've seen the sort of thing teens get up to with a few spells to hand. So generally, when it comes to teaching, I either teach the basics to a raw talent, or I help someone who's learned as much as they can on their own to advance further. I don't teach shadowrunning. I teach magic. Period.
Mmm...I know what you mean about mileage, Big Murph. I'm 59 years old and have been 'running for the last 19, but most of the aging happened in just 7 of those years.
Ice, I don't think the problem for us will be having too little time. I might well turn out to be having too much. There are days when I look at the potential centuries ahead of me and wondering what I'm going to do with it all. I went back to Spain one year to look in on everyone there, and I was shocked to see how much they'd aged, while I still look like I did 40 years ago, and can still do everything I could do 40 years ago. More so, in fact. Since I started 'running, I've learned to do things that just seem ridiculous for a woman of 59 years.
I think that is the ultimate reason why you'll see elves drawing together more and more. All our human, ork and troll families and friends will pass on, while we endure. It's a daunting prospect, and one that we first generation elves are starting to encounter. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (14:59:13/12-27-73)
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>>>>>[All-Father help me, the politicos are starting their New Years resolutions early. And, of course, there's only deniable assets that can take their temptations away! And who has to find people willing to work for peanuts in order to help this Project Freedom go through? Barkeep, beer me. Then whiskey. Then mead.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:54:00/12-29-73)
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>>>>>[Removing temptations are well and good. What's more fun is finding those dirty little secrets for blackmail purposes. Or in creating the dirty little secrets in the first place. There's a certain human lady in the Seattle government (I won't say who) that had a moment of weakness, and brought an elf 'escort' home while her husband was out of town. Too bad for her the elf recorded everything, yeah? The setup's easy enough to follow. Support the push to recognize the Underground, and she doesn't become the newest feature on a couple dozen porn sites, with links sent to the various news nets. That would really ruin her 'family values' rep. Lady's white bread and straight laced in public, but she was into some real kinky drek.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:37:24/12-29-73)
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>>>>>[It's always the 'Family Values' types. Guess they want to keep things feeling sleazy so that they feel bad for doing it. I see that elf, I buy him a drink, that's for sure!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (14:20:00/12-29-73)
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>>>>>[I prefer Tir whiskey.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:23:24/12-29-73)
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>>>>>[Which Tir? Make sure I get the right stuff. Going to be gone for a bit, however. Something big is in the air, and I have to make sure Biz is done right. Not political for once, but, it's got an air of something...]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (09:13:56/12-30-73)
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>>>>>[Tir Tairngir. There's something about the local water that makes whiskey made there better than other places. Probably the levels of magic in the area. The Tir na Nog crowd are too busy with their dreams to make decent whiskey any more.
Just remember, when you're doing this kind of work, wear nanopaste, either when posing as the escort, or when making the blackmail demands. I like masking spells, but unless you're advanced enough that you can hide your aura, that's going to show up if someone's doing an astral scan, and can be dispelled, while nanopaste is hard to spot, and doesn't go away if another mage wants to see what's under the mask. That way, you keep your cover intact. If you don't let people know you're awakened, then it is easy as pie to get a license as an escort, or to find a fake one. But no need to go burning a perfectly good ID unless you gotta, right?
Well, I'll hop off now. The kid's back. Bruises still all over his body, but he's in a much better frame of mind, for the moment. So I'm off to teach him how not to hurt himself.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:45:43/12-30-73)
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>>>>>[ Sure, kid. Because god knows they've always been making great whiskey in goddamn Oregon. They make an okay ... whatever-the-hell it's called, word escapes me for the moment, very similar to a drink they make down in Mexico these days. But Tir Tairngire makes crap for whiskey. You want the good stuff, you need to go to Kentucky, Ireland, or Scotland.
Because no matter what the world map says, you need to use the old names when you're talking about something serious like alcohol. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (23:13:26/12-30-73)
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>>>>>[There's a tavern in Malek'thas that you need to go to sometime, then. Local distillery makes some of the best whiskey you've ever had. Back before the Awakening, the area might not have been well known for its spirits, but trust a native, there's nothing better after a hard night's work. There's literally mana in the soil here. Gives everything a subtle taste, like a rare spice.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (11:24:32/12-30-73)
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>>>>>[ Good or bad, nothing can beat that stuff they make in Aztlan for sheer kick. I had a team member back in the day who couldn't shoot straight to save his live until after he had a couple of shots of Tequila. After though, he could take any shot you asked him to make. He had more notches on his staff than anyone else on the team and was one of the Famous Four - one of only four people who survived our time in Aztlan. Sadly, retirement didn't agree with him, and he OD'ed. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:08:12/12-31-73)
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>>>>>[Even if try, I don't think I could think of one favorite. I like to try new things too much. I travel a lot and I always try local specialties. I liked the beer in Belgium, Germany and Quebec, the whiskey in Scotland (scotch), in Kentucky (bourbon), the tequila in Aztlan, the sake in Japan, the vodka in Russia, the wine in Europe and Argentina... Well the list goes on. And thanks to Money I have now tried some mighty fine booze from Tir na nOg! And I don't think there's any drug I haven't tried either. I mean I don't really do drugs regularly, I just take them once or twice just to try and never touch that specific drug ever again. Life's short, well mine will be, and I don't have time for favorites. Advice to anyone from a not-so-wise man, stop talking and just, well, just drink!
And talking about drinking, happy new year! Even if it's not the new year on my calendar!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (18:53:29/12-31-73)
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>>>>>[ Malek’thas -- you mean Salem. You're talking about Ludo's, down on Lancaster, used to be 'Eryn Galen'. I don't care what lies Elurín told anyone, he never distilled an ounce of what Ludo makes. I'll give you that there's a bit of magic in his scotch, but it's all him; testing two years ago confirmed he's an adept, Artisan's Way. Did time in the Glengoyne in Scotland, Bushmill's in Ireland, and Buffalo Trace in Kentucky; took a couple months years in Eastern Europe in there somewhere, learned how to make ouzo. Never got specific about that one with me, for some reason.
That aside, he does make the finest whiskey west of the Mississippi. He's also the only troll I know who can make mead, ouzo, Taéngelé, and Xtabantun. Where he picked up that last, God only knows, but if he ever offers a glass from his personal barrel, do not turn him down.
God, though, you sound like Tarlan Bloody Greenbough. "Tir Tairngire is so wonderful," he kept on about, "oh, our wonderful Native Lands." Bloody nitwit, him and you both; "nothing is as good as Tir Tairngire" -- a country which created itself through betrayal, propaganda, and pandering. Sure they were good at it; even I fell prey to it, but after seeing what else they did to those who didn't fit in with their 'plan' -- and seeing the other elves who were going all Tolkienesque -- I knew I had to get back out. They didn't have the juice on the computer side yet, so ... here I am.
Get this through your head, though -- elves, orks, trolls, dwarves -- we don't have native lands as species. Hell, I still think of myself as an American; I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My mom and dad shit a brick, I kid you not, when they saw my ears, but they brought me up like any other Midwesterner -- work hard, do your best, play fair, win modest and lose gracious. I went to Undue Perversity (Go Hoosier Hacker House!!), shit went down from there. But get the double rainbows out of your eyes -- Tir Tairngire is no more wonderful or magical than any other place. It was, in fact, much, much worse -- just like every other totalitarian fascist state.
One of the few good results of Crash 2.0. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (23:34:36/12-31-2073)
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>>>>>[Porn and sexual exploits are not the only blackmail material availible. Money, you may find this interesting if you don't alredy know it. A certain conservative politico running on a 'return to the basics that once made us great' platform recently tried to employ me to remove his kid's magical ability. I have proof enough that he tried it before and failed. If it's of use to you, let me know. Kid's desperate to get out from under his father's thumb. He practicaly begged me to help him escape or to kill him. I hate to admit it, but he touched a nerve. If there's anything you can do to this guy without ruining your own runs, I'd be grateful. If not, then I'll organise an extraction and smuggle him out. Poor kid deserves better than to be scarred for the sake of his father's political ambitions.
Oh! And Money? I looked into the info you gave me about Hispano-Suiza. Dead on. I've taken the car to Susan Hands as Wings. She promissed me I wouldn't recognise it by the time she's done with it. Not sure I like the sound of that... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (07:20:29/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[ Hands-As-Wings is good. Expensive, though. Next time, try 441 Twin drive-in theater. Also, try popcorn there, is very good. ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (07:28:22/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[Wow, someone's bitter. Where'd I ever mention anything about 'native lands' and all that? Someone upset that they didn't get a seat at the table while things were getting set up?
And do you really think things are all that much better outside Tir Tairngir? Let's take a stroll around Seattle. How much sway you got with the government doesn't have jack to do with your vote, but how many zeroes are in your cred balance, or what dirt you got on certain individuals. The rich get richer, and the poor can go frag themselves. Only difference between that and Cara-sir is that they used to be honest about it in Cara-sir, with none of this illusion of giving the people a choice. You really think it matters to the average person who wins the governor's race? How great were things for metas and the poor while Strouthers was in charge? Did a great job of improving people's lives, didn't he? Really kept the corps in check, yes? Only change between then and now is the uniform the cops wear, and the fact that the guy at the top likes to wear a hood and a sheet from time to time. At least they were honest about how things stood in Tir Tairngir, before the revolt.
Betrayal, propaganda, pandering? Ask Money Johnson, how many runs he's put together just this election cycle that revolve around one of those three things. That is how government works, how it has ALWAYS worked. Even on the streets of Lagos, where little warlords control a block here or there, that's how it works. Same in Tir Tairngir. Same in London. Same in CalFree. Same in Japan. Same in every fragging nation on the planet. The Tir's just honest about it. So get off your high horse, Wyrm.
Now, the Tir is my native land. Born and raised there, since a couple years after it was founded. I never once said that it was a native land for all elves. But there's nothing saying it wasn't, back in the Fourth World. Only people who would know certainly aren't going to speak to you, one way or another.
As for my comment about magic in the soil, that's not just drek. There's ley lines crossing all over the place here. They do some real interesting things to the soil, especially when someone awakened works it. As for the tavern, I actually meant the Power Focus. Name sounds better in Sperethiel, but most things do. Anyways, you can find it in a back alley off 12th St NE, near Court St NE. Staff is all awakened, and they've got some anchored spells putting on an astral light show. Don't bother going if you've got obvious chrome, or if you're anything but an elf. You can usually find some of the movers and shakers in the city government in there, when they want to talk biz, or just get away from the office. Food's good, and they keep the riff-raff away. Lucinda, the owner, is a Count, and owns the whole block. She did a little remodeling in the basement, and has a full distillery down there, in addition to an enchantment shop she rents out to select clients. Best whiskey in the Tir, bar none, but she only sells to Noble rank and higher. I get Lucinda to send me a case once a month. Great place to meet a contact in the local government. For Ghost's sake don't start trouble in her place, though. Lucinda is a Paladin to one of the Princes. Won't say who, but you couldn't pay me enough to risk getting on her bad side.
Madre, let me know if you want a little extra firepower on that extraction. And after, if the kid doesn't want to go to the shadows, I can make a couple calls, see if I can't get him someplace where they'll at least pay him well for his service.
Now if you excuse me, I have a naked woman about to serve me breakfast in bed. Happy New Year to me!]<<<<<
--Iceblade (09:28:34/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[ I may just take you up on that, Ice. If I do run the extraction, it'll turn into a long term thing though. I'll have to put the kid through gene therapy to change his identity and then arrange a decent SIN for him. And then give him some training to give him marketable skills. But we'll see what happens. If he's really serious about this, he shouldn't have any trouble meeting my price for all this assistence... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (09:58:12/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[Well Happy Fig... Frog... Fagin'... HAPPY SLOTTIN' NEW YEAR. And fer those of you that complained of Big Murphy's posting habits. You got nothing to worry about any more, 'cause he ain't got no worries at all. Never any more worried at all. Third damned Murphy I put into the damned ground.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (10:08:02/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[Shadow's been busy, kept me from doin' more than just followin' youse louses. But I hates to see another runner fall, especially a trog like Murph. RIP, brotha.]<<<<<
-- Bear (11:24:21/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[I'm pouring down one on the ground for Big Ol' Murph!
Now that it's done, how did his light went out?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (11:49:01/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[ Uh-oh...can anyone direct me to the nearest bomb shelter? Aunty Zee's going to explode when she reads this...She liked and respected that trog... ]<<<<<
-- Ysoni (11:51:50/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[He broke onea th' rules of the Shadows, don't be no Ghost-Damned hero.
Jumped between me and a Sentry Turret. His armour had been compromised by a number of things, and only stopped the bullets after they went through the front and his body. Died in my arms. None of us would have gotten out if the Evac I hired hadn't broken instructions, and the air support I had been able to get at the last minute was the only thing that got us out of there without physical trackers. Spirits ate the Watchers after us, and a few surprises I had in store would have taken care of any tracking paracritters.
One dead, two in life support pods but looks like they'll live, bunch wounded, but I had a few tricks to prevent people from tracking us. My armour held, but I'm pretty battered myself. I knew I smelled something off, but not this off.
Hardest part was bringing him back to his family. First time they never swore or insulted me at all. I carried them all back, his father, his grandfather... I killed them all.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:27:31/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[Well, Murphy's a big boy and made the stupid decision of dying in your place. So if it's not your fault that this run turned into a bullet storm, bury the guy, mourn if you like then get over it. It's as stupid to beat yourself up and, even if I don't agree with what he did, he certainly did not took a bullet for you to blame yourself afterward. For some reason he thought your life was more valuable than his, which is true in my opinion. So honor his sacrifice by doing what you do best and get on with your friggin' life!
By the Jade Emperor, people sometimes...]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:39:33/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[Damn. Sorry to hear that, Money. Could hardly understand a damn word the guy said, but he was all right, and a good guy to have at your back when drek went down. He'll be missed.
And Madre, if you go genewiping the kid, you're going to mess with his magic. Same with any other kind of ware. Best to just move him across national borders and arrange for him to get a SIN there, under a new name. Arrange for a messy explosion in an empty car, and toss some of the kid's blood in the hulk. Report the kid dead, and his old SIN will go away of its own accord. Then move him someplace more awakened-friendly. The Tir or the NAN are good choices. If you go with the Tir, I know some people who would train him up, and he'd have a job when he got through basic. Peace Forces are always looking for recruits, and they've even gone on a non-elf hiring spree since the revolution.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:21:21/01-01-74)
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>>>>>[ He chose to do it, for reasons of his own. That was one of the reasons I felt he was worth keeping around, the fact that he could show such depths of loyalty. Runners like him...hell, PEOPLE like him are difficult to find these days. It was a priviledge to know him. Oh madre de dios...
Ice, I hear you. I know it will affect his magic. He'll certainly lose a bit of ability...but he can always regain it through initiation. I've done this for a few adepts, and they continued to grow in their abilities afterward. Sure, over the short term it'll put him at a slight disadvantage, but he also gains certainty that he will not be found. Being declared dead doesn't erase your data from the system, so there's always the chance of someone discovering it, and there's not a decker alive that can guaruntee he got into every single node there is that contains the data. This way, he can be sure, and he can go anywhere he wants afterwards. It's up to him to decide at the end of the day. Once I have his final word, I'll let you know, and then we can work out the logistics.
But for now...I will sign off and honour Murphy. He was a rare man...]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (10:54:50/01-02-74)
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>>>>>[Well, you don't have to wipe your genes to make sure you won't be found. A bit of biosculpting will change your face without affecting your magic. Just change your name and cross national borders to get a new SIN, and you'll be fine. As long as he doesn't go to the UCAS again, the kid will be good as gone. Well, so long as he doesn't do something stupid like make contact with his childhood friends. You want to make sure the father doesn't go looking to tie up loose ends, just approach him as a 'cleaner'. Get a good face to convince him to pay to make it look like terrorists killed his son. Set up the body and blood, with a nice explosion, and get the kid out of town. Plus, you do it right and you get paid twice for doing a good deed.
Let me know what the kid decides. I'll have to set it up with the smuggler I use to get in and out of the Tir. If you're trying to set it up so someone has always lived in the Tir, you don't want records of him coming across the border. My gal has a good route through. Every time I go through, we've always been able to get in and out no problem.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (11:08:04/01-02-74)
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>>>>>[Since Money's been silent since Big Murph got gunned down, I thought I'd track him down to see what's going on and maybe kick his metallic arse on the right track. Bad fraggin' idea! After I stumbled on a second pile of bodies and nearly had to explain this to KE, I figured I'd get the hell away from this mess. I like the guy enough to keep an interest but not enough to wipe the blood off my brand new boots for a third time.
I'd suggest everyone to do the exact same thing.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (11:34:28/01-03-74)
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>>>>>[Damn. Didn't think Money was the type to go on a bloody rampage. Let this serve as a lesson to you younger runners. Know when to get out. Everyone has a point where they've seen too much, and it makes them a bit crazy. That point's different for everyone. You gotta recognize when you're getting too far in. Otherwise you'll be on the trid, going down in a blaze of glory as the cops hunt down a mass murderer.
If he has had a bit of a break, best you all steer clear, as Smiley said. Can't count on someone in that mindset from knowing friend from foe until it is too late. Don't approach them unless you know you can take them in a fight, preferably without killing them.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (11:48:24/01-03-74)
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>>>>>[Um, hello everyone. I'm Murphy, the nephew of the recently deceased Big Murphy. My family is pretty much still in mourning, but I know a few things they didn't and have been able to get over his death a bit quicker than most. Smiley, I'd appreciate knowing where you found those bodies when KE found you, I need to know how close they are.
I'm closer, and this isn't the first time Mr. Money has gone on a rampage like this. He pretty must lost his mind after his wife died and has been a thin thread of sanity ever since. Losing my Uncle, well... Uncle Murphy was an usher at their wedding and it must have been similar to losing his wife again. At least it isn't as bad as last time, the gutters overflowed red in some neighborhoods. I just need to get to him before he does something he'll regret, or KE catches up to him. It, um, wouldn't be good for those poor KE officers. They're just doing their jobs after all. Thank you, I, I wish I could have come here and met you all under a better situation.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (11:00:00/01-03-74)
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>>>>>[Well it's pretty obvious he's trying to know what the frak went wrong on the last run and tracking down who's responsible. To be honest, having met and worked for the guy once and having done my bit of legwork, I'm not so surprised. My guess is if he doesn't end up in a casket being hunted down by KE , he'll come around eventually. Reminds me of Shamandar's story.
Well met Murphy. Welcome in our little community. I sent you all I found so far and when and where I got my run in with KE. Oh and my condolences.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (12:23:04/01-03-74)
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>>>>>[Well met, Murphy. Sorry about your Uncle. Didn't always see eye to eye with him, but he had a solid rep, and was a decent guy.
The Shamandar story is similar, yeah. And both stories should be a warning to you all. Everyone has a point where they simply crack. I've seen it before, and not just in the shadows. The ones who don't end up dead usually piece themselves back together. Some never recover, and are just broken for the rest of their lives. But even the ones who get back in their right mind gotta watch themselves. Its the same as addiction. You may be clean now, but you're never free of it, and it only takes one slip, and you're back, as bad or worse than you were before.
I guess you could say I have a bit of experience in the whole 'go batshit crazy and murder the fraggers who hurt me' department. I told you all about what happened when my sister died. I left a trail of bodies until I caught all the ones responsible, and had them in a nice cave I found on my Bridging, years before. Not proud of that, to be honest. Had to take some time to myself after, to get right with Shark after that.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:26:43/01-03-74)
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>>>>>[Thank you, Smiley, Sir. They're pretty far back on the trail, and are likely to start giving him medals as they follow the bodies. Some are pretty nasty fellows, and I think he's stopped giving a damn about who was responsible and just started working on his list of "People I want to kill a lot." I've been hitting the areas with Cleaner-Cleaner as I go, but Mr. Money has been doing a pretty good job of cleaning his own tracks. It's just that he was the one that taught me tracking, so I know some of the tricks he uses, but he's got a lot that he hasn't taught me, or probably anyone else.
OK, I think I'm getting... Yes, I'm close, a body just landed next to me. Sorry Mr. MacCallister, I kludged a program to allow me to post in AR here instead of having to VR the system. Needed to do it while tracking. Damn, wish I had learned Sperethiel now. Um, oh hell, I know that term, gotta log off and remove distractions.]<<<<< >>>User: Murphy --- Logged Off At Source<<<
-- Murphy (12:34:12/01-03-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...I'm not surprised Money went off his rocker. He's a follower of Asatru. They revere Berserkers as far as I know. Something about being a true follower of the war god or being touched by him or some such. I think its considered proper vengeance for a fallen brother. I don't think he lost it as much as let himself go. But I don't know him that well, so I could be wrong. He did strike me as the devout sort though.
Welcome, Murphy. My sincere condolences regarding the loss of your uncle. I admired and respected him, both as a person and as a professional. His death grieves me. Be careful around Money right now though. We can talk later.
Ice, I think we all have experience with that kind of thing. Once I found out just who was responsible for the death of my children and my parents, and who his employer was...I spent six years hunting them and it didn't take long to draw no distinction between the guilty and the innocent. To me, they were all guilty by association. It took a major event to bring me to my senses again. I wish I could say I was insane, or berserk. I wasn't. I just chose not to draw a distinction and vented my anger and pain. After I came to my senses...or rather, had my animal twin batter me into submission...I guess that's when I became a Shadowrunner in the 'traditional' sense. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:36:18/01-03-74)
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>>>>>[I do feel anger and the need for righteous retaliation is not unfamiliar but I never "lose it". Meh, I guess I don't care enough about the people and the things around me to really feel loss like you all seem to. Loss is a sensation completely alien to me. I always thought not caring too much was a requirement in this biz.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (00:02:19/01-04-74)
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>>>>>[I found him, and he's all right, aside from 14 stab wounds, two bullets, and a concussion. It appears he remained in control of himself, at least somewhat. He was doing footwork to see what happened, and apparently got a light bullet to the back of the head, and a face full of permacrete. He went berserk when he regained consciousness quick enough to keep the shooters from finishing him off. Or so his semi-drunken sounded rambling said as I drove him to a Street Doc. He has a DocWagon account, but there's no explaining exactly what happened to him.
Apparently, Mr. Smiley, the bodies you found initially weren't him, but the Corporation cleaning up loose threads, there were a number of attacks on the Shadowrunners from that night as well, typical badly thought out Corporate Hit Teams. My family took care of the attack on our home before they even reached the door. After he defensed himself quite effectively, he moved into the Barrens and sought out "Honest Warrior Souls" and, he kind of drifted off from there. Luckily, my car has a good pilot as I kept him talking, with the occasional light slap. He was talking to many different people as if I was them, many names I didn't know, lots of different languages as well. He's in a nutrient tank now. Apparently they have to do something special with his skin, and he needs a new nose. They're also worried about the number of blows to the head he's taken recently.
I caught him with some kicked out Ancients, wearing their patches upside down. And was fencing with their leader while the rest came at him with knives or tried to get a shot that wouldn't hit anyone else. Luckily, I cared less, and just used the Remington Roomsweeper to put a bunch of slugs where they belonged and let the fencing finish out properly. They kept jabbering away in Elven, and not insults, I know those well enough. No, it was a full discussion, very complex. Guess we'll have to wait to find out what it was about.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (00:12:50/01-04-74)
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>>>>>[ The ability to separate emotions from the necessities of survival is. Major disassociation is a psychopathy, and one almost as dangerous to your long-term survival as what Money is doing. Considering he's in the not-so-tender care of DocWagon, and the 'wanted for questioning' extradition exchanges they have in place, I give 6:1 odds of Johnson not coming home -- or having to leave town for a mighty long time. Hot vengeance is not a survival trait; neither is berserking.
Remember, kiddies, KE has the contract -- which means unless someone plans on smuggling him out, the DW is going to turn him over just as soon as he's healthy enough to move. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (01:17:05/01-04-2074)
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>>>>>[Um, sorry to correct you, sir, but he's at a black clinic, not a DocWagon facility. I've also had an ear out for anyone fitting the description of what he looked like when I found him, and there's nothing being broadcast on the KE BOLOs. They might have got some blood off of the place where he was shot, but they're not investigating the Barrens rampage. Apparently they could care less about SINless as Lone Star before them. No percentage in it. I smelled a lot of harsh chemicals while there, so Cleaner-Cleaner is likely to have been used, lots of Citricide-Ammonia Compound, if it was him or someone else, I can't tell. It wasn't the recipe that my Uncle used, he always put in too much Ammonia. Told me it was so that he could make explosives from janitor's closets. I've never seen a stock with it low, however. Corps always buy in bulk.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (00:35:21/01-04-74)
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>>>>>[ Of course. I should have known. Heaven forbid ... ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (01:41:57/01-04-2074)
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>>>>>[ A sense of professional detachment is always a good thing, yes. but we're still people. Our job may entail killing and other crimes, but I like to think that most of us have some kind of code we live by. if we didn't, we'd all be at everyone's throats like rabid dogs. I don't think it pays for us to lose touch with those softer aspects of ourselves. At the end of the day, we're still people and people need a bit of stability in their lives, especially in small communities like ours where there's a high turn-over. It's a delicate balance between being too involved, and not being involved enough. I won't lie and say I care deeply about all of you. Some of you I value on the personal level, some I genuinely care for; others I wouldn't mind taking out. None of that will stop me having a professional relationship with any of you.
Murphy, I'm glad you got him out. I'll go and take a look at him as soon as I can. There may be someting I can do to help him heal faster. If nothing else, I can keep him from liberating himself from the clinic until he's medically able to do so. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita(01:54:19/01-04-74)
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>>>>>[The difference between a professional and a sociopath is that the professional represses the emotions until the job is done, while the sociopath doesn't have them. The risk is always there, then, that the professional will snap when a chummer takes a bullet to the face in a double cross, while the sociopath is just a couple steps away from becoming a serial killer. If you are a professional, you gotta balance personal attachments with professional detachment when you're on the job. This is difficult, and not everyone can manage it. Those who don't usually end up dead, or they get broken inside.
Murphy, glad to hear that it wasn't all Money doing that. When he's able to speak coherently, let us know what the ex-Ancients were chatting about with him. The fact that the corp sent response teams after the individual runners means this is bigger than a typical doublecross. Also, it wouldn't be the first time that another corp has stepped in to persuade the Knights to keep their retaliations quiet. As long as no one comes forward with trid footage of the strikes, and there isn't too much collateral damage, a couple bribes allows them to hit the runners and walk away. It helps that this is out in the Barrens, where things are already less well enforced. If it had happened downtown, there would have been no hiding it.
Which is another lesson for people. Yes, the Barrens are a great place to hide out, especially for certain metatypes, but if you have the coin, and a decent fake SIN, get yourself a place in the places with regular law enforcement patrols, and plenty of cameras. It takes more work to separate your 'runner' and 'civilian' lives that way, but there are benefits, as well. You just have to make up a believable cover story for your neighbors, that explains your odd hours. Most people do not know how to dig past the first layer of subterfuge. Many won't even bother looking past the second layer, unless you're giving them a reason to. The trick is to have a cover that is alluring enough that the neighbors don't mind you being there, and shady enough that they don't ask you over for tea every week. My own story is that I am a high end male escort. Someone does a bit of digging, I drop hints that I am from the Tir, but I'm an exile. That isn't enough for them, I lay hints that I'm a nobleman, and laying low because there are people who want to kill me, from the revolution. Some guess that I'm a runner, but the ones who get that far don't see a need to press further.
That's just one example, of course. A good cover story is simple enough that it is easy to remember, but complex enough that someone would have to devote a great deal of time and energy to unravel the true story. The Crash made this easier, because if there are records from that time forward that don't show up when you're digging, well, Jormungand probably ate them. But for records since then, you have to figure on a believable reason why someone would have no real records on file. For those of you who don't have the 'renegade noble' line available, you could always use the 'Witness Protection' angle. You witnessed an influential player commit murder, and either you reported it to the local LEOs and were put in a Witness Protection program in another sprawl, or you ran, knowing that the fact that they saw you would make you a target. This works especially well when you're out of the sprawl you were born in, since you aren't likely to run into your childhood friend Jack who might say in front of others that you have lived in that neighborhood across town your whole life. Even if you are working in your home sprawl, though, it makes a good way to insulate your friends and family from your work, since the less they know, the safer it is for them, usually.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (04:21:12/01-04-74)
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>>>>>[ Sinead always said that a good cover story is like a recipe. You add one part lies to two parts truth, cook it well, and serve. People will always swallow it whole. In my case, I simply tell them I'm a retired physician volunteering at some charity clinic. Which is true. I am a physician - retired from that job - and I do occasionally help out at free clinics, so when someone calls, the staff will always say, 'Oh yes! We do have a doctor Veracruz on call...' That's the two parts truth that can be easily verified. I don't think I have to point out where the lie is. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (07:01:50/01-04-74)
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>>>>>[ Update on Money. After my examination...I'm not entirely convinced his breakdown was phychological in nature. He's taken a lot of head trauma. If not for the titanium laced bones, his skull would probably have been completely smashed. There's some swelling to the cerebellum, so its entirely possible that the pressure caused his psychosis. I'll know better once he wakes. Sadly, the clinic he's at doesn't have the facilities for brain scans, and I can't move him to one that does without unnecessary risk to his well-being. At this point...his chances look pretty good, provided he stays still for a good while. I did what I could magically to heal him but...madre de dios...he barely has any soul left in him. There's so much machinery its exceedingly difficult for me to hea him. So we'll have to wait and see. I'l go back tomorrow to look in o him. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:22:01/01-04-74)
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>>>>>[ How much would it cost to get a scanner to you, Madrecita? I have Bio-Med contacts.
Yes, frag it, I'm serious.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (21:35:09/01-04-74)
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>>>>>[How expensive can a scanner be? It's pretty basic nowadays, no? Like I really know drekk about medecine. Well, put me in contact with those people Chrona, I'll go get that scanner. Someone's going to owe me a small one if that proves useful. If not and it's too late for him, well, I'll just get a cut on the selling of Money's cybernetics. What? It's not like he's going to miss them if he dies on that table.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (12:07:50/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[They have a mobile unit at Deireadh An Tuartheil. I know this because I helped them 'find' it when a delivery got 'rerouted' from the Tir. If someone gets a van so we can transport it, I can call in a favor and get them to loan the scanner out for a while. Payment can be made in medical supplies. They're always undersupplied. I might not be the most proficient healer, but when those fires just happened to break out after some Humanis goons drove through the area last month, I put in a few hours helping tend to the wounded. Its the only place I go for medical care while in Seattle.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (12:17:34/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[Hello everybody, I figured I might as well do a proper introduction here now, as we've just finished burying my Uncle in Cascade Ork territory. Not much room in Seattle for a cemetery, and he didn't want to get dumped into a lava flow or anything. He certainly didn't want to get cut up and farmed out to a variety of different people. It was a nice ceremony, I paid extra for the blessings and such. It put the rest of my family at ease.
I'm the fourth generation to carry the street name "Murphy", starting with my Great-Grandfather taking it up in the 2040s. The Murphys (No, I spelled that right) have mostly been hired for muscle work, with physical overwatch and observation being other jobs that my fore-bearers did well. Uncle Murphy, despite his speaking style, was known as "smart muscle", a rarity in the shadows, and was popular when you needed a "mobile weapons platform" that could actually think. Myself, I've ventured more into a variety of skills, and have some skills with a CommLink and programming, not much mind you. Other than that, well, I don't really have a rep yet, so I guess I'll just keep quiet until I get a few more solo jobs under my belt.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (11:38:00/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[ How expensive? Very. The tech may not be new, but it's still a highly specialised machine with a limited market.
Mmm...I'm loathe to use the one at Deireadh An Tuartheil. If it gets damaged they'll have nothing, and they desperately need it. But I suppose we have no real choice here. Mmm. Money had better be very grateful when he wakes...Okay. I'll see what I can do about a van, and I'll organise some supplies for Deireadh An Tuartheil. I was going to do that anyway. Ice, can you draw up a list of what they need most?
And Murphy...you can be our guard on the trip if you wish? Pay's okay. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (13:59:50/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[Any supplies would be helpful, but the basics are always the most useful. Bandages, antibiotics, surgical supplies, and so on. You know, the kinds of things a clinic uses to keep drek from getting bad enough to need the big ticket items. Any medical supplies would be good, though. If they can't use it themselves, they'll be able to convert it into something they can.
Let me know when you get the van, and then give me half an hour to talk things out with my friend at the hospital, and smooth things over with the Ancients.
Also, for the rest of you, Deireadh is the best place to go for work if you're Awakened. Probably same for the technomancer crowd, too. They use magic to supplement their lack of resources, which means they're more likely to treat you in ways that won't frag with your Talent. Good people, but if you come in spouting Humanis drek, you can expect someone from the Ancients or the Laesa to arrange an 'introduction' for you with Tamanous. Don't forget that Deireadh is in Tarislar and there are plenty of people there who lived through the Night of Rage.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:54:23/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[ Okay. I got the van, courtesy of Ysoni. He'll be coming with us as he's been born and bred in Tarislar. We'll go pick up the suppies and then swing back to pick you up. Give us an hour...two at most. It'll all depend on how much...goodwill...I can inspire from my...suppliers.
Ysoni, I think we should bring Fenris. he's worth his weight in Orichalcum for intimidation value...
Mmm...I'll have to look into Deireadh...]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:514:50/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[Meet me at the hospital. If you're bringing Ysoni, then between the two of us you shouldn't have any problems while you're in Ancients territory. I'm heading over there now to talk with the Ancients, and make sure you don't get hassled going to or from. Shouldn't be too hard, since you'll be bringing supplies to the hospital. The Ancients and the Laesa protect the area (though the Knights are there for a veneer of legitimate policing). Keeping the only hospital in the area well stocked with meds ups their rep in the community, and having good relations with qualified runners in other parts of the sprawl gives them options when it comes to dealing with other groups. Say the Ancients and the Cutters aren't on the best of terms, but the Cutters just got a shipment of BTLs that the Ancients would like to have, and are willing to trade some Laes for it. They can't deal directly without losing face, so they bring in a runner to act as middleman. This way, both sides get to do biz, without losing face, and setting off a gang war, while you get your cut from both ends.
So getting through Ancients territory won't be a problem. Can't say the same for the gangs elsewhere in the sprawl, though.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:37:21/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[Oh well, looks like they found their scanner by themselves. Still, all of this gave me an idea and I may be in need of medical equipment and some meds. If your offer still stands, Chrona, I'd like to meet them. Beside one or two Street Docs and a DocWagon Shaman, of which we had a thing going on for a few days(and Oh my! she was wild even by my standards), my contacts in medical fields are pretty lacking.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (16:01:37/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[Whenever you move to a new sprawl, first thing you should do, after making nice with whichever gang or syndicate claims the area your safehouse is at is to visit the local hospital and see if there aren't any favors you can do for them. Getting on the good side of hospital staff, either by helping facilitate supply deliveries or other favors will mean that if you get a suspicious case of lead poisoning, blunt force trauma, or other injuries that might make for an uncomfortable Q&A session with the local LEOs, then you can still go to a fully functioning hospital, instead of a street doc, without them reporting you. Don't get me wrong, there are some excellent street docs out there, but if you are laid up afterwards, being in the hospital is easier on your cover story than being stuck at a street doc's clinic in the Barrens.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:14:30/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[Sure Smiley, I'll hook you up, head to "The Butcher's Shop" in Tacoma, say I sent you.]<<<<<
--Chrona (06:46:20/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[The Butcher's Shop? With a name like that, it sure doesn't bode well!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (09:58:10/01-05-74)
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>>>>>[It's because it'll be an actual Butcher's you'll be going to meet him at, Heh. His skills are top notch don't worry.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (19:33:19/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[Still makes you wonder if the butcher shop will accept any kind of meat... or night time customers.]<<<<<
-- Specks(03:00:58/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[But of course, only the best service 24/7.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (20:05:44/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[And another doctor's office I'll never step into.]<<<<<
-- Specks(03:09:14/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[Oh, really? Care to elaborate on why? Please don't hold anything back.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (20:39:14/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[My Uncle occasionally told me that any clinic is safe enough, as long as you have a really big, intimidating troll with some medical experience watching over the operation. Butcher shop, back of a bar room on a pool table, Ghoul Den... Anyone know where I can borrow a troll like that?]<<<<<
-- Murphy (14:44:32/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[Ergh, I mention they cater to Ghouls too and this automatically means you'll wake up missing bits? Please.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (20:48:19/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[A friend of mine told me about a friend of his who suddenly vanished from one of those "Clinics". I'll stick to dropout med students and not ghoul handout agencies. Call me racist, but I don't trust them.]<<<<<
-- Specks(03:46:32/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[You are a goddamn racist, not even running off solid legwork either. Being infected doesn't mean we're damn body snatchers. More likely your "friend of a friend" was abducted for other reasons or taken by uninfected while he was in his weakened state Instead, you blame us cos of a fragging dietary requirement we didn't ask for.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (20:59:12/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[I'm a racist alright. But it is better than taking healthcare advice from some flesh munching monster.]<<<<<
-- Specks(04:06:21/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[You retract the monster statement and It wont be your flesh I'll be munching tonight, drekhole.]<<<<<
-- Specks(04:06:21/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[Great, I'll set my dinner date to account for two person seating, see ya at Wanda's]<<<<<
-- Specks(04:14:20/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[Children, don't fight. Or if you do, at least get on with it, so we don't have to listen to your squabbling.
Anyways, always do your legwork when going to a street doc. Find out which ones are the real deal, and which ones will leave you worse off than if you'd just stayed bleeding in the street. That said, there ARE ghouls and other infected who work as street docs. And ones who work for Tamanous. Personally, I wouldn't go to any of them, but then I can afford better options.
And you should ALWAYS have a buddy watching over you when you go under the knife at the street doc. Doesn't have to be a troll, but that doesn't hurt. Anyone who is well armed and dangerous will do. This goes double if you're out of your usual sprawl, and have to take pot luck.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (18:34:23/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[ Actually, you should always have a buddy with some medical knowledge observing no matter where you go under the knife. Just because it's a reputable place doesn't make it a place that's good for the likes of us. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (19:05:55/01-06-2074)
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>>>>>[Who says I go in as 'the likes of us'? RHIP. And there are some benefits to having a SIN, even in this line of work.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (19:16:23/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[A good fake (forged actually) SIN and a DocWagon account can be quite useful at certain times, as long as you're able to explain things and the police aren't involved. As for dealing with Ghouls, I have my own car now, but Uncle Murphy made me take Ghoul Cab when I was starting out to adjust to the variety of life that abounds in the world. They were pretty OK people, especially if you needed to get rid of a body, and didn't have cab fare. I've also been attacked and had them try to eat me, but, then again, I had a dwarf try to do that as well. No, I don't know why the Dwarf had a ork-sized hunger.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (20:21:15/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[ Oh.
Oh dear.
Tell me you people really know, and that you're just putting me on.
I mean, yeah, for bullet holes and knife cuts, a good false SIN and linked DocWagon account are nice, but actually going under the knife for an implant ... tell me you don't mean what you're saying.
You do have someone you trust there, right? Watching?? Even at a nice bland Brand New You? ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (20:02:02/01-06-2074)
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>>>>>[I'm a mage. No implants here.
Murphy, if you're going under the knife for new ware, follow Wyrm's advice. Get someone to watch. You don't want to find a kink bomb as an extra gift when you get those skillwires after the fact.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (20:12:03/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[The DocWagon Contract, yeah, just for emergencies and "I was mugged" moments, like you suggested Mr. Wyrm. Uncle Bob watches my family when it comes time for surgeries, for whatever reason, including the work done on my body. And three of us go with him when he has to go. The clinic I took Mr. Money to has a very good rep, and he swears by it even without people to watch him. I think he and the owner go back or something.
Thank you both for your concern.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (19:27:42/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[ Yes, little Rakhi, we know you're a mage. This makes you more vulnerable ... hold on.
[ BREAK ]
[ / BREAK ]
I'm told it makes you precisely 173.255% more vulnerable to deep-scan identification, because the techniques used to mask your DNA have a negative -- minute but distinct -- impact upon your mystic abilities. (It's great having friends with a different knowledge base than you, even if some of them are bloody freaky in their analyses.)
While you aren't going to go under for any reason but healing, and Murphy, this applies to Money as well, all it takes is one -- one -- person to take, type, and/or submit your DNA. Nobody is perfect when it comes to wiping traces; god knows I've left my share of red and white cells scattered on floors and walls in the past. Doesn't have to be the boss, or even the doc or a nurse; just someone who makes a mistake and sends your droplet instead of the guy in the bed next to you.
Bring friends to your bedside. It's easier for them than having to bring flowers to your graveside. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (20:45:50/01-06-2074)
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>>>>>[And just how would YOU know that name, Wyrm?
But really, if we're talking about blood samples left behind, I'm less worried about someone getting my DNA on file than using that sample as a ritual link. And AFIK, the genewiping treatment does nothing to keep the sample from being a link to you.
We've all lost some blood at the scene of a crime. The only reason we aren't dead is because it takes a lot of time and resources to do DNA identification or ritual magic. And because, unless we get stupid, it is usually more profitable for the company to take their anger out on whoever hired us. (Usual exceptions for the big A, of course.) The trick is to not do anything that puts you at the top of their 'to do' list. Unless you have Kane's resources and backing, don't act like Kane. Especially if getting your DNA changed interferes with your abilities.
Myself, I've done runs for nine of the ten megas, and against all ten. But I don't go slaughtering every security guard I see, or piling up the collateral damage. Which means I never cause them a big enough problem that they want to spend the resources to find me. Now, if I ever get caught on a run, that would be bad news, but having my DNA changed wouldn't change that at all. You think DNA is the only way they can get a line on you?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:14:02/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[They got to my family, Mr. Money, and a lot of the other runners on that job. Not all of them, admittedly, so they have some holes in their Intel. They also got the backtrail that Uncle and Mr. Money used, too, as Mr. Smiley pointed out. It's certain that anyone can be gotten to. There's lots of ways to track people when it comes down to it, Uncle taught me how to train and use a hound for tracing people on the run without a vehicle, and I figured out ways to track vehicles in some ways.
There's countermeasures, of course. Cleaner-Cleaner for DNA, scent bombs for dogs, ruthenium polymers for vehicles... And counter-counter measures as well. It's all about how hard you have/want to work at getting things. And Corporations have profit/loss statements, while 'runners have to work to eat.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (21:18:11/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[How is Money, anyway? That scan show anything?]<<<<<
-- Chrona (03:25:11/01-07-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, exactly how mashed up his grey matter really is?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:04:45/01-06-74)
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>>>>>[ You want the short list or the long? Here's the short:
- Irritability.
- A near-perfect memory.
- Worms.
- A good facial recognition program.
- Back doors.
- The Tokyo UMS Conference of '39.
- Agents.
- The gene database for the 2050 Rite of Progression.
- Top-notch aging estimations.
- The CAS/UCAS CDC database.
- Virii.
- Long, long experience in linking disparate and fragmentary information.
- Tir Tairngire military paranoia.
- Sprites.
- The Scotsprawl UMS Conference of '65.
- The Archive.
- Well-earned annoyance with the Tirs.
- Friends.
- The Connection.
Lesson of the day?? Don't irritate people who've been at the business longer than you've been alive. Your father knew that lesson; I thought he'd've taught it to you. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (23:40:13/01-06-2074)
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>>>>>[ It showed pretty much what I expected. Cerebral edema as a result of too many blows to the head. He's got a hard skull, but that will only protect you from so much. Fortunately there's no hemorrhaging, or I'd have had to operate. As it is, I've had to magically oxygenate the blood supply to his brain. The swelling was bad enough to severely cut the blood flow. That's caused some autonomous functions to shut down. The doc there had him tanked as a result. Lucky bastard. It's a miracle he'll come out of it okay. Well...except for his hand. He took a sword through it. That'll need surgery to re-attach the ligaments and muscles.
Thanks for your help, Ice. Oh! And while I'm talking to you...that kid opted for life in the Tir. I'll need some back-up on the run, if you want to come along. The pay's very generous. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (04:46:45/01-07-74)
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>>>>>[Wyrm, if THAT is all it takes to set you off, you might want to look into some moodchips. Either that, or take that chip off your shoulder before someone uses it against you.
As for the rest, that's interesting. Glad to see it wasn't too easy. I'd have actually started to worry then.
Madre, no sweat. The docs at the hospital were glad the scanner came back undamaged, and the supplies will go a long way toward meeting the needs out there. And yeah, I'll go along on the run. I probably should, anyway, to make the handoff in the Tir. I called in a favor, so all we need is a jeep or an offroad capable vehicle, and we'll be able to get in without trouble from the border patrol. My contact will meet us in Cara'sir, and find the boy someone to take care of him while he's training. He'll have to do some time in the Peace Forces, but they'll train him, and he'll get a new SIN and everything.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (09:14:23/01-07-74)
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>>>>>[Oh wow! Hahahaha! I just found out there's a bunch of crazy woman who created a matrix support group for woman who got pregnant, apparently, because of me. According to their message board, I'm the progenitor of seven little booger eaters. The last post is a rant about how pissed that woman is that every time she finds a picture of me and post it, it gets erased within nanoseconds from their VPN AND their commlinks. Hahaha! This is crazy!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (13:21:36/01-07-74)
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>>>>>[ Actually, it was easy. No data scrubber in the world can erase your memory, and no memory-scrubber can deal with deep memory. Schwartzkopf took five minutes for the initial findings, and two hours for the genetic matching.
I keep files. Everyone who was anyone in Tír Tairngire, Tír na nÓg, the Duchy of Pomorya, and the Zulu Nation is in my database. Extensively, usually.
Getting those files, on the other hand, can mean quite a bit. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (13:49:15/01-07-2074)
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>>>>>[No offense, Wyrm, but when you start saying 'easy' and naming dragons as part of what helped you do it, I call bulldrek. Yeah, dragons make everything easier. Short term. But you know what they say about making deals with dragons...
Smiley, you think that's great, back before the revolution, ladies were practically begging to have my kids. See, if the kid had been male, then he would have been given my social rank, which means that, even though the women would still be part of the Gentry, they could use the kid's title to do things like purchase land, get travel visas easier, and so on. I literally couldn't go to a club in Malek'thas or Cara'sir without getting mobbed with women. Fun times.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:14:22/01-07-74)
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>>>>>[ Rakhi, I made my deal with a dragon back in '50, and both of us have kept our parts of the bargain. I won't say it hasn't lead me into some chin-deep shit in the past, but that's what friends are for. And no, it wasn't Schwartzkopf that I made a deal with; Schwartzkopf is my research agent. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (01:23:45/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[ I feel witness to a conversation above my pay grade. ]<<<<<
-- Chrona (06:26:49/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[ It might be, but he's at your pay-grade, Chrona. I'm somewhere else entirely.
Right now, 'entirely' happens to be Pago-Pago. Damn, it's nice here. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (01:32:56/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[ Thats South Pacific right? What took you out there? ]<<<<<
-- Chrona (06:51:33/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[ It's somewhere I haven't been before. Where I'm at, well -- you don't stay in one place for longer than a couple of weeks. If you're smart -- or you have someone serious after your ass -- you don't stay in one sprawl for longer than two or three months. I'd like to say I've lost count of how many times I've moved, but I haven't. I just try not to say it out loud, as it were.
I think the longest I've ever stayed in one sprawl since, oh, 2040 or so would have been two years in Seattle. Seattle's just really easy to get misplaced in; too little focus. Everywhere else, there are either too many eyes, like in Denver, or they're all looking at you the same way. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (02:28:35/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...okay.
Ice, we can use my car. It got back from Susan Hands as Wings yesterday and I've been wanting to test it in the field. This seems as good a time as any. Let me know when you're available. We have a three-day window when his father won't be in residence, so he can ease our way past security. I've scouted the place and he'd given me the details of what he cannot take care of on his own. It won't be easy, but if we do it right, it shouldn't take long. I've sent you the detais. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (02:45:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Living in a person's shadow is harder than I thought. I keep going to meets and having everyone ask me why I'm not taller or older. And amazed that I'm willing to carry an SMG. And don't sound like I just crawled out of a Barrens Gutter, which my Uncle never was able to get past with his manner of speaking. Maybe I should take on a "Dumb Street Trog" persona to put people at ease?]<<<<<
-- Murphy (02:11:51/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ Never apologize for who you are. Never live in someone's shadow. ]<<<<<
-- Hawatari (03:23:13/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[ Don't you dare, Murphy. People will get used to you. And don't fall into the trap of thinking you have to be like your uncle either. Just be yourself, and let your abilities speak for itself. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (03:27:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ Exactly, anyone who has a problem with who you are, you just teach them a lesson.
On that note, Specks, you're either good at hiding or live under a rock.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (08:31:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Thank you all, you're probably right. Just hoped for more time to prepared before I had to go solo. Also hoped I'd have someone like Mr. Money to help me through it as well, but the family has to eat.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (02:43:19/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[You're Seattle based right Murphy? I'd be wiling to help on jobs.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (08:55:22/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ And I. I owe your uncle that much. Why don't you come with Ice and me on that extraction? ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (04:02:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Seattle Based, yes. Redmond Barrens. Thank you Chrona, Ms. Madrecita. I'd take you up on going to the Tir lands, but I don't think they'd be too happy to see an ork there, and that might cause problems you folks don't want. Maybe stay local and keep learning the ropes. I can handle myself pretty good, just, um, well. Not too sure of myself. Wanting to or not, I have three generations before me with the street name I have to live up to and make proud.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (03:08:00/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ It's never a bad thing to expand one's horizons a bit. Maybe next time. And don't worry. You'll do just fine. WIth your uncle's training, you cannot go wrong. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (04:17:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Redmond Barrens? Perfect! That's where I live.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (09:16:09/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[All depends where in the Tir you go, Murphy. There are some parts where you'd swear it was almost like Seattle. And then there are parts where you could swear it was a Humanis stronghold, except everyone has pointed ears. There's been some conflict since the revolution as the anti-human crowd clashes with the anti-everyone-except-elves crowd. I can at least guarantee that you wouldn't have trouble with the Peace Forces if I was there with you.
And the only time you should play the dumb trog is when you are playing someone. When you're trying to manipulate someone, playing to their prejudices is always a good thing. And regardless of what some might say, we all have prejudices.
Madre, checked the info. Looks solid. If we can roll tonight, I'm free, and I'll set it up with my contact in the Tir.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (09:32:02/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Sorry for the brief absence, I was told by a buddy that I might need to go underground becausesomeone sent something looking for me. Not exactly playing nice, yeah? Anyways, what do you all know about potentially possessed artifacts being shipped in from Egypt. I have a client who wants to more about the shipment but my normal source for shipping info happens to be a bit..... Dead.]<<<<<
-- Specks (10:16:57/1-8-74)
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>>>>>[ Tonight is fine. Oh! And by the way...I found out earlier today that the politician in question was mostly being bankrolled by Aztechnology. Now that makes this run all the more delicious, don't you think?
Mmm...possessed artifacts from Egypt...No, I can't say I've heard anything like that, but I'll ask around a bit before tonight and see what I can find out. If I don't get back to you, assume I came up empty. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (10:52:01/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[I've heard a little about the artifact rush. None of it involving possessed artifacts from Egypt, though. Still, any artifacts are big business, which means there are going to be a lot of players. Not surprising you had something chase after you. As for what the artifacts do? There are people you could ask, but unless the Black Lodge, the leaders of either Tir, or certain great dragons owe you BIG favors, I don't think you'll get more than the rest of us know, which is somewhere in the neighborhood of nil. All I can say is that the artifacts must be pretty damn powerful, if they caused the Watergate Rift to close. Some more powerful than others, natch, but still, not something you want to be messing around with unless you know what you're doing.
And, before anyone says takes it the wrong way, I know enough about magic to know I have absolutely no clue what all these artifacts are supposed to do, and I'm not stupid enough to go poking the potentially unstable things to figure out how they work. Some of them, like ancient weapon foci, are self explanatory. But some of these other things...
And Madre, one of these days we're going to have to have a sit down about you and the Big A. Those are dangerous waters you're swimming in, girl.
Meet at Dante's at 8, before heading to get the kid?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (11:02:02/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ You know...I could be all gung ho...that's the correct way to say it, yes?...and state cliches like laughing in the face of danger, but...fact of the matter is, I know it's dangerous. They are dangerous. But so am I. Chances are they'll be the ones to take me down one day. Spirits know they've come close a few times. But if they do...it'll take some doing. Not speaking from...overmuch pride...Oh hell. You're right, Ice. One of these days, you and I will talk about Aztechnology. Perhaps I will tell you why I do what I do.
Oh. And Dante's is just fine. I'll see you there. Dante's is much prefereable to Power Line. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (14:00:01/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[I know why you do what you do. Got no love for the A myself, but you don't want to backslide. Aztlan, 2060-61 ring any bells? You don't let go of that hate, and you'll be finding yourself right back there. Who will take the knife from your hands then?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:31:23/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[What's wrong with the Powerline? That place is great! I'm avoiding Dante's like the plague since I've read some rumors about the place. Better be safe until I know for sure.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (14:36:19/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[And with the rumors being spread about Dante's, what's to say people won't try the same trick at Powerline?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:44:02/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...I would like to know how you found out about that, Ice. Oh well. Plenty of time to talk about that when we get the kid.
And Smiley...what is wrong with Powerline is that there's all those delicious bodies, and I can't have one of them. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (14:46:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Wyrm isn't the only one who can find things out, though I don't do it just because I'm in a pissy mood and want to show off.
Hell, I wasn't even digging, really. I just bought a pretty girl a drink at a bar in LA, last time I passed through. We had the shadows in common, and one thing led to another. Swapped a couple war stories, with the names and dates politely excluded, of course.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:36:34/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[I know a few experts in digging up information. Some through the Matrix, others through social skills, and a few through intimidation. I don't know if I'm just more polite and less offensive then my previous nameholders, but I like the social ways better. Of course, I am a handsome hunk of ork meat when I dress up.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (14:46:17/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ Still...just one person actually witnessed that event. I guess she couldn't resist. Oh well. Good for her. May I ask when this happened?
Ooh honey...you and I are going to get along just fine. Handsome hunk of ork meat, eh?
Yes, of course I'm joking. I'm not a cradle snatcher after all. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:55:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[April through July last year. She's doing good, by the way. We still talk now and then. If you want to talk with her, I can send her your contact info. She said there were no hard feelings.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:23:20/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ Ah. :) So she didn't tell you everything. That is good to know. And I'm glad to know that she is alright. Mmm...no...I think I will let her be. She knows where I am and how to contact me. If she wanted to contact me, she would have. There's a lot of years now between then and now, and a lot has changed. Not least her. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:33:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Oh, she just told me enough that I thought I'd do a bit of digging on my own. After she told me about the Vasquez job, I decided to download a soundtrack to go with my research. Not normally my style, but it fit the mood, and the lead singer has some real pipes on her. She just gave me the highlights, in return for some of my own stories. I didn't have tales of crashing through the jungles after blood mages to tell, of course, but there were a couple stories that held her interest. Buy me a drink sometime, and I might tell them to you, too. Unless Wyrm wants to prove how very, very old and knowledgeable he is and spill all my secrets for me, of course.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:47:02/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...how much, DO you know about me? A ot more than I would have thought possible it seems. It's not fair, you know. A lady has to have some secrets. Now just don't tell everything you know here will you? Like a gentleman?
Mmm...Tir whiskey was it?
Oh, and I'm sure the wyrm isn't that impolite or insecure, to have to prove it all the time, high above the likes of us as he is.
Well..I should get ready. See you at 8, Ice. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (17:01:36/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Don't worry, my dear. I won't tell everything I've found. We shouldn't be judged on our past, when we've tried to move past it. And yes, a bottle of Tir whiskey will certainly get a few stories out of me. Not so many blood mages, but I can promise at least a couple tales of runs against the big A, including one where a Feathered Serpent decided I'd make a good snack.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (17:12:02/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ Pissy? Showing off? Get real, kid. You aren't that important, in my or anyone else's worldview. But getting snotty and throwing crap at people who can extract your deepest darkest, for whatever reason they do it, is batshit insane.
Madrecita, I have in my possession certain information you might find useful -- eventually. If we come to an agreement, we may be able to get you into a position to put it to use -- and find people with whom you can work. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (18:35:12/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[If I'm not that important then why the posturing, Wyrm? You're the one who started all this, in some vain idea of putting me in my place. Didn't say word one against you before you started this drek up. But no, a Tir elf talks about his home, and you gotta get up in arms. So I'm calling you on your bulldrek. Either show what you've got, or don't. Or anyone here could buy me a few drinks, and I'd be glad to tell them most everything that you could have possibly found. Unlike some people, I don't have a 'deepest darkest'. I just have 'mildly inconvenient if this came out right now'. Unless you're going to stoop so low as to threaten my family? But no, I doubt you'd do that, being all high and mighty, while reflexively lashing out at anyone you perceive as having the same attitude? Spare me the drek, Wyrm.
All I've got is a few rebels who would like to see me dead, a couple corps who wouldn't mind if I died, but couldn't be bothered to take the time unless I moved WAY up their 'To Do' list, and possibly the next of kin of a Feathered Serpent (not a great) who may want to see me dead. Nothing more than what most people in this kind of network would have. Only thing I have that most of you don't is enough money in a retirement fund that I could leave this life tomorrow, and spend the next fifty years or so in luxury, while going back to one of my old jobs.
So really, Wyrm, unless you're going to track down all the women I've slept with and give them my current address, there isn't much you can do that would be more than a mild annoyance. And even that would only be a major annoyance, because orgies wear you out too much to get any work done, and they get so testy as their waiting for their turn.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (18:54:02/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[ Posturing? I 'started all this' with a comment about how you, Tarlan, and other elves with too much Tolkein and brainwashing have made Tir Tairngire out to be something it isn't -- mana in the soil and water, indeed. I commented on the political and social realities of Tir Tairngire from its very inception, that made me and several others leave and that eventually caused a popular revolution that overthrew the old order.
Left out? Sour grapes? Posturing? Rakhi, what I know about your homeland -- Schwartzkopf says you were born in the Salish-Sidhe, by the way, three years before Tir Tairngire -- and about the people who brought it about (which unfortunately includes myself) would fill special editions of all the world's screamsheets.
You, you're just a cup of salt added to the ocean, worth the six seconds it takes to send an agent to delve into files habitually collected over decades of 'running. It isn't posturing; it's habitual CYA, because you're in the shadows and, frankly, can't be trusted because the people who used to give you marching orders are still on the loose. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (20:13:32/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[Talking about that devil. Anyone heard anything about what that sleazy power-hungry bastard of Surehand's up to?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:23:41/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Last I heard, Surehand was one of the people on scene when the Watergate Rift closed. Along with Ehran the Scribe, Hestaby, Ghostwalker, and others.
Yes, yes, you have a bunch of drek on my homeland. Yes, I was born shortly before Surehand's proclamation made official what had already been established in secret, under the nose of the STC. I believe having been born and raised in that area, I can claim it as my homeland, thank you very much.
Yes, I'm in the shadows. Yes, I did something else before I got here. Yes, I wouldn't be here if some uppity peasants didn't like the cards they'd been dealt. Except for those few people born into the shadows, most everyone here did something else before they began running. Whoop-de-fragging-do. Its more or less the basic runner backstory, except all the players are more photogenic. You're not going to say never trust any runner who came out of one of the big 10, because the people who used to pull their strings are still around, are you? No, you just got a chip on your shoulder about the Tir.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:12:03/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[I figure the easiest way for me to say hi is to do exactly that: Hello!
You'll have to excuse me if this makes me look stupidly new, because in the scheme of things, I am. Or, at least I'm new to doing things other then running from Point A to Point B for the Triad, and random other paying customers. I hang in the Seattle Sprawl, a good click north of the City Center. I'm finally starting to try and branch into other parts of the shadows, so I figured I'd stop by, try finding advice and contacts, try to learn something new. From what I hear, that's the best way to stay alive. Any other info on me, you'll have to ask for, pay for, or dig up yourself.
I'll not jump in on the current....conversation between Iceblade and The Wyrm, so I'll sit in a corner and be quiet like a good neophyte until I can find something constructive to say.]<<<<<
-- Card (21:30:12/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Wise decision to stay out of it.
To which Tong do you work for and/or belong to?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (22:41:51/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, it's a good idea not to just jump in between two people going back and forth like that.]<<<<<
-- Predator (22:46:06/01-08-2074)
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>>>>>[Yellow Lotus. to be open. Long story as to why a North American like me is in their ranks, but I don't feel all too up to sharing right now. I'll leave it at that I owe them more then you can ever imagine.]<<<<<
-- Card (23:18:40/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[I've tried to avoid the organized crime syndicates for the most part myself, not that I've always succeeded. Causes too many complications. Best to stay neutral on that front.]<<<<<
-- Predator (23:25:45/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Iceblade, Wyrm. I have a copy of Shadowcell loaded up on here. I haven't had to use it yet, but I will. There's no fighting in the bar here. If you really feel like you need to prove who's the bigger man, I have also have a hacked copy of Street Kombat 18 loaded up, with the simsense filters turned off. you two can beat each other bloody,a nd I'll pipe the feed into the main vid screens in the lounge for everyone. ]<<<<<
-- MacCallister (23:36:08/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[I almost find myself hoping they decide to go for that. Might be an interesting watch.]<<<<<
-- Predator (23:42:40/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Hmm. That should make us enemies then, Card. Well technically.
Hehe. Don't worry. I don't actually care if you work for another Tong. My business is mostly with Incense Master Chen Kwan-Ti and it's on a more personal level. I don't really work for them anymore and they can't order me to do anything but... I still technically belong to the Octagon. Talking about those complications Predator just mentioned. Still, it's surprising they would let a Gwailo into their rank.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:50:16/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[I hear you on the personal level there, Smiley. I'm sure sooner or later, I'll be comfortable talking about it with one of you all, but it'll probably be at a local place I know. Best drinks on my side of the sprawl, in my opinion. Though I do enjoy visiting the Big Top some nights.]<<<<<
-- Card (00:00:30/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[ Are you still whining about me having your information?
Every runner who's ever come out of a corp has either had people gunning for them regularly, or else the shadows watch them like hawks; usually both. It's usually a clear case of 'runner doesn't take their orders any more', and definitely a matter of 'corp no longer likes them'. You don't have that; you still have plenty of ties.
In regards to having a chip about the Tir -- no, no more than any other suppressive, prejudiced government, of which there are plenty. My problem is usually with people who think those were, or are, great. Burning people like that is a hobby and a habit, but by no means is that my life's work. You'd want Uhuru for that one.
MacCallister, I don't have any particular beef with the boy. If I did, I'd take it outside. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (00:25:26/01-09-2074)
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>>>>>[Um, Mr. MacCallister, sir, will there be wagers and odds on that fight?]<<<<<
-- Murphy (23:37:12/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[It's smart to watch anyone like a hawk at first, no matter where they came from originally, but you can't let the fact that someone used to actually work for a corp color your perceptions of them too much. They could very well become one of your most loyal teammates.]<<<<<
-- Predator (00:43:04/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Mr. Money used to work for a Mega as their Johnson, not sure which one. It's not exactly a secret, but he got out from under them somehow. Grandpa Murphy used to laugh about that when I asked him, and told me I'd learn about it when I'm old enough or everyone involved was dead, whichever came first. Guess I'll never know now.
Never sullied any of my family's dealings with him, before or after. Job's a job, pay is pay. If the stick is from a Mega or from someone's personal accounts, that's still food on the table and stuff to keep the roof leaking. As long as you live to collect, of course. And the Johnson in question is willing to pay you.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (23:48:44/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[Exactly, Murphy. Sometimes it seems that a lot of people like to talk smack about the corps, but then turn right around and take their cred anyway. Never did understand that reasoning, myself.]<<<<<
-- Predator (00:52:04/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[If I had to guess, it's the lingering amounts of Neo-@ culture that still abounds in the shadow community of Seattle. There are some positive points to it, but a lot of negative ones as well. Metahumans are too social to not have leaders of some sort.
There's also the idea of doing their dirty work to smash one corp down while draining the coffers of another, but those coffers are deep and vast. The pay we get isn't even a drop in the ocean. One guy I know proved it to me. Scary bastard, but he knows his accounting. If you ever need money laundered, I'll connect you guys, for a fee or favor.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (23:58:22/01-08-74)
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>>>>>[I'll keep that in mind, Murphy. Never know when that might be needed.]<<<<<
-- Predator (01:02:51/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[ Both of you speak truth, but remember what happened with Keiko Shotozumi. Many were burned by her when she returned to the Yakuza. ]<<<<<
-- Hawatari (01:04:32/01-09-2074)
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>>>>>[Taking Wyrm and Ice as an example... Truce, Specks? I don't do hotsim.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (06:05:52/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[All in all, I'd prefer to be cautious, but be ready to trust should a person prove worthy of it. Say what you will, but it's worked for me so far.]<<<<<
-- Predator (01:07:38/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[I guess now I know why my buddy on the block said there were spirits chasing me, that's not exactly playing nice there.]<<<<<
--Specks (01:19:30/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[One Spirit, One, Not even an Elemental.]<<<<<
--Chrona (06:23:38/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Be careful who you send spirits to follow around. You could get yourself in deep drek that way. Never know what sort of Awakened friends someone might have.]<<<<<
-- Predator (01:24:30/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[One spirit is one too many in my line of work. Eyes to the skies flesh eater. Eyes to the skies.]<<<<<
--Specks (01:25:09/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[It's not like it was following you. I may want to eat your kidneys but I'm not gonna interrupt your running.]<<<<<
--Chrona (06:29:19/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[First off, welcome Card. Same goes to you as to the others. Buy me a drink sometime, and you'll get a couple stories, and a bit of wisdom handed down, like people did for me when I started running.
MacCallister? Good to see you aren't in several pieces like word on the street was saying. And don't worry, I'm not going to start anything in the bar.
Now Wyrm, just because you don't like living at the top, don't hold it against those of us who do. Sure, I've heard that it was pretty bad for some people in Tir Tairngir before the revolution. But for me? It WAS great. Money, land, decent salary with little to no real work involved, and all the women I could handle. Plus, I got to get backstage passes for Deirdre, Grim Aurora, and Maria Mercurial when they passed through the Tir at various points. What wouldn't I like about it? I was living the life everyone below me yearned for. And it was good.
So yes, I still have ties. Even when someone leaves a corp, or a syndicate, or a military, they still have ties. We call them Contacts on this side of the shadows. Most people tend to agree that they are a Good Thing(tm). So yes, I have ties to the old regime, and not all those ties got swept out of power when the revolution changed things. Yes, if I want to avoid heat in Seattle, I can cross over into Tir Tairngir, and live in luxury for a couple weeks under my real name, before coming back to the shadows to do what I do best. Again, most people in the shadows would call this a Good Thing(tm).
Murphy, you're right that the Neo-A culture still lingers in Seattle. Its a shame, really, since there are so many good things about this sprawl, like the way you can lose yourself in plain sight, if you know how.
Chrona, that's just plain creepy.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (04:56:24/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Racism makes my creepy start acting up.]<<<<<
--Chrona (10:12:12/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[ Most people call this thing betrayal of ... many things, I think. Person like you, it is called something Italian, dil-something. Want-to-be in English? No, вуликий -- of two faces, is better. Very not worthy of trust. You serve two masters, yes? Is special place in Hell for people like you. Fortunate for you, is cold, eh? ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (06:03:52/01-09-2074)
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>>>>>[I've been to Hell. Its called Lagos.
We all had a life before we came to the shadows. Me, I just happened to have a better life than many of you. And I still have friends in that life. That make me any less trustworthy than the former corp drone who keeps ties with Jim in Accounting, or the former government worker who still is friends with certain senators? Frankly, I'm disappointed in you people. Anyone who throws away a resource that could still be used is a fool. So I'm not burning my bridges, because that means, when drek goes down, and it eventually does, I have options other people don't.
We all serve many masters, unless we've decided to go exclusive with one corp or syndicate or whatever. We all take orders from the Mr. Johnson of the moment, and when the job is done, we might take a job the very next day working to undo what we just did. That is what 'freelance' is all about. There are times when my old friends have work that they can't trust to official channels, and so they ask me to play fixer, and get a team to do the job as they play Mr. Johnson. How is this different from someone who used to work for Horizon taking a job from a Horizon Johnson, or someone who used to work corpsec at Saeder-Krupp taking a job from Mr. Brackhaus?
But hey, we can go back and forth on this all day. You want to know the real measure of how well I can be trusted? Talk to the people I've worked with. Some of them are on this network. They'll tell you that I do my job, and do it well, and until that last run getting the kid into the Tir where he can learn to use his magic as part of the Peace Forces, not one of them had met my Tir connections, or had their names passed to them. So quit yammering on like a bunch of kids who can't stand that someone else got to play with better toys than you did, because you're starting to bore me.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (06:24:02/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[When all your family knows is the bottom, there's only one way to go. I was only a little tyke when we got the tenement that's the family home now, and compared to where we used to live, it seemed like a palace to me. Still does in a lot of ways.
For one thing, it's blood money that pays for it. Uncle proved that on New Years.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (09:45:38/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[As a favor to a young runner, I've got a business trip to Denver coming up. A bit of influence work for a friend of a friend from the Tir. Soft touch kind of thing. Could always use someone to watch my back, and to work other angles in case my approach doesn't work. What do you say, Murphy? Pays good, a four star hotel room in the Hub for a week, and I've got VIP tickets to get into Perianwyr's club. Want to expand your horizons a bit, maybe see a dragon or two?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (11:26:02/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Quite so. By nature just about everyone working in the shadows works for multiple employers, and this is expected on both sides of the bargaining table. If you were officially in the corporate world and tried doing that, you would be fired at best--or, depending on the corp, killed or worse at worst. And definitely killed if you were with a crime syndicate and started helping out a rival syndicate.]<<<<<
--Predator (12:30:57/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Would be interesting to see how the "Other Half" lives, Mr. Iceblade. I'm in. We'll have to work out exactly how you want me to operate, so I can prepare properly and try to get my gear there, and into, and out of, the proper country of Denver. Be a bit much to try and bring everything in and out. I also promise not to do the stereotypical "Ork Shadowrunner" thing and trash a hotel room to "Stick it to the man" as seen too often on the 'Trids. (Honestly, why are Orks always the violent-prone knuckledraggers on those shows? They even have the occasional educated and well-spoken troll, but never an ork?).
As for Dragons, as long as they're not involved with the 'run in any way, that might be nice to see. "Never cut a deal with a dragon" after all.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (13:16:21/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Loyalty is the kind of thing that'll get you killed. Being smart and professional is the way to go, loyal only to yourself. Keep your word at all times, always deliver and never screw up. Work for as many AAA or government agencies as you want but do your homework and be careful not to take too many jobs against one of your own regular employers. Or if you're mad enough, play them against each other. And above all, make yourself useful and as indispensable as possible to as many people as you can. And the more powerful the better. That's being smart and professional and that's how I roll. That philosophy kept me alive and rich so far. No need to give examples, but taking bullets for someone else your not paid to, is not the best way to one day see retirement.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (14:48:22/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Part of that I can agree with. Sure, don't try to keep your work limited to only one employer, but be loyal to your team. Everyone on a team should have each other's backs and help each other out when they can.]<<<<<
--Predator (14:54:40/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Mr. Money once told me, "Be courteous, be polite, and have a plan to kill every single person in the room if need be." Of course, he was visiting at the time and my father was getting ready to take a baseball bat to his knees. Dad's a bit of a bigot, I'm afraid to say. Hates non-orks and -trolls with a passion.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (14:03:00/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[Well, how we get in will depend on what your fake SIN looks like. Easiest way would be to simply fly in from Sea-Tac. If your SIN won't pass airport security, we'll take a boat to LA, and take the train to Santa Fe and then on to Denver. Either way, we'll get some good tourist visas, which should be enough to get us through the border crossings, provided you weren't planning on bringing anything too crazy. A Predator, and some armored clothing will be fine. The line is going to be that I'm an exiled Tir count, and you're my bodyguard.
I've got someone in-city that will get us a couple tri-ox shots, so we can still do things like run for our lives, if we got to, without worrying about the thin air. But that shouldn't be on the agenda. We will be doing some border crossings, so keeping all the gear light and legal is a good idea.
And if dragons get involved in the run itself, we'll be meeting Ghostwalker because we've been accused of espionage. So yes, let's try to avoid that. But Perianwyr makes an appearance at Weekday Eclipse every so often, and the pixie group Ar Canan will be playing, so he might decide to show up.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:16:24/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...Ghostwalker. Now there's one dragon I'd walk a mile to avoid. Frankly, I'd rather deal with Lofwyr...if I should ever have to. Good luck in Denver, you two!
And welcome to all the new faces.
Now...I think I will take time to go look in on Money. He should have started showing signs of recovery by now...]<<<<<
--Madrecita (16:13:40/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[If I had to cut a deal with a dragon, I'd go with Hestaby, or Schwartzkopf, though for different reasons. Hestaby because my sister was one of her Paladins, and Schwartzkopf because he's one of the few dragons that does't mind teaching metahumans their tricks. Of course, you should never trust a dragon further than you can throw them. Some are just less likely to eat you in a fit of pique than others.
Let us know how Money's doing, Madre. If there's any sign of memory loss, be sure to tell him he owes me a case of beer.
What? Don't tell me you weren't thinking the same thing.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:59:24/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[I got a SIN that should get through an airport easily enough. Even have a legal pistol for it, with license. Hell, it's a Bodyguard License as well. The firearm will have to be checked on the flight, of course. It's not a Predator, but it's high caliber and reliable.
And, yes, please Ms. Madrecita, let use know how Mr. Money is. I hate to say it but the family has a pool going on what his final condition is going to be. I put ten cred on him being OK and almost got backhanded by my father.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (16:25:17/01-09-74)
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>>>>>[ Oh, Ice. Is a case of beer the best you could come up with? Hehe. Seriously, though. I’ve had to call in a specialist to take a look. It took several hours and a bit of surgery, but I think it’s safe to say he’ll be just fine. I’ll give you the full details tomorrow. Right now, I really need some sleep. ]<<<<<
--Madrecita (01:16:23/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[Well, Madre, I do have some limits. There's a difference between scamming a guy with a head injury for a case of beer, and cheating the guy out of serious cred. If I'm going to scam someone, they are going to be firing on all cylinders first. Scamming people with head injuries is like kicking puppies. Yeah, its easy to do, but it cheapens the rest of what you do.
By the way, my dear, I was a little upset that you didn't want to see my house when we were in the Tir, especially after hearing about that Horizon girl. What will I have to do to persuade you, hmm? ;)]<<<<<
--Iceblade (04:38:54/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[Grow a pair of boobs, Iceblade. That's what you'll have to do. Well, it would be a start. Hahaha!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (08:27:29/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm. Smiley, don't make me smack you. No. You'll probably like that. Let me rephrase. Don't make me shoot you.
As for Money...he's stabilised to the point where its safe to move him. I had a specialist look him over and provide us with a convincing story for his injuries. If anyone asks...a potted plant was dropped on his head. :P No...that's not the actual story we came up with. It did take a lot of thought, though. The kind of head injuries he sustained is very hard to convincingly explain away. I had to do some more magical work to 'encourage' his wounds to heal in such a way as to fit the story. He's now in the custody of DocWagon.
Ice, I'm sad to say, you may miss out on a case of beer. As for persuading me...mmm...you'll just have to try your luck and see what works. Far be it from me to spoil your fun. :-* ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (11:30:29/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[I'll see about making sure some decent food gets to him. Those hospital meals suck.]<<<<<
-- Predator (11:59:29/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[I'm sorry to hear such a respected guy is down and out right now. Did the smart thing and read through the last few...I guess you could say pages of this convo. I know I didn't know your uncle well Murphy, but add this one's condolences to the list. He sounds like he was a great orc to have at your back. I'll make sure to pour some rum out on the yard for him when I get home from my daily rounds. Now, if you pardon me, I got a truck coming up rapidly in front me of.]<<<<<
-- Card (12:30:41/01-10-47)
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>>>>>[Well, considering what I know of Madrecita, which is not much but enough, I'd arrange for appropriate circumstances and eventually go with one rose (just one), a kiss on the back of the hand and dance. Flattery and good manners alone will not be enough. But that's just the very wild guess of a madman.
Oh and kids... Stay alive, don't VU93 and drive!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (13:52:44/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[OK, headache worse than every hangover I've had in my life combined. And I've been to Germany, Scotland, Ireland (Tir, whatever), and Australia. And lost my pants in Las Vegas, twice. Well, looks like someone's been reading my file at DocWagon. I'm strapped down in a nutrient tank with mild muscle numbing agent and a troll nurse sitting on it. At least they plugged my datajack in.
Last thing I remember is Little Murphy... No, it'd be just Murphy now, wouldn't it? Damn. Anyhow, him, some jerk trying to kick me in the head while attempting to impale me with a sword at the same time, and... A freaking out dwarf. Um, what the frag did I miss? Wait, that's the date? Oh wow, did I go on another bender? Well, I have no pants, so that might be a possibility.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (13:56:59/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[ Ah! Back to the land of the living I see. And if by "bender" you mean something resembling a psychotic break, then yes. You were. And you were far more than just kicked in the head. You took a bullet to that titanium skull of yours. It rattled things around in there quite a bit and splintered some bones. In small ways, but still. There was some swelling as well.
By the way, sorry if this is blunt, but I figured I'd tell it to you straight. There's some minor nerve damage too, but nothing that can't be healed. You're just plain lucky you had some of the headgear you used to carry removed. That's what kept you alive. It allowed the swelling some space, or your brain would have been crushed like jelly. You can thank the little deli-doctor for letting me take a look at you later. And I wouldn't worry about pants right now. You have bigger things to worry about. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:11:44/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[Welcome back, confused little tin man!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:12:39/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[Bullet to the head? Well, that makes sense. Splintered bones? How the hell did that happen, they're wrapped with titani... Oh, you might have seen the chip that's stuck in my cranium. The doctors missed that when they were putting Humpty Dumpty Johnson back together. That's actually a piece of my wife's skull. They can remove it now, but I like to keep a bit of her with me, morbid though that may sound. Doesn't hurt anything, or so I'm told.
Psychotic break? Oh man, don't tell me I went streaking again! Or tried to create another business venture! Or, worse, bought another bar...]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (14:20:20/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[ Ah! Well, that would explain why I couldn't find a fracture.
As for streaking or buying bars...I cannot say. You'll have to ask Murphy. Kid tracked you the whole way and brought you in. You owe Iceblade a case of beer though. If for no other reason that organising a scanner for me to use on you. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:27:44/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[That's a good kid. He'll do his family proud. Wonder if he'll go for a bar instead of a case... Oh, beautiful dwarf nurse with the sleepy liquid that goes...]<<<<< >>>User: Money Johnson has disconnected at source<<<
-- Money Johnson (14:30:30/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[Ah, Madre, you can't run forever, my dear. Tell you what. When I get back from Denver, why don't you take a trip with me? I haven't been up the well since the whole technomancer/AI craze. Been meaning to see if Evo's made any improvements to their orbital resort.
Money, don't go catching bullets with your head, man. That leads to waking up in a tank with no pants. Seriously, though, glad to see you're back with us. Next time you decide to go crazy, make someone's there to pump a few SnS rounds into your hide before you go and toss bodies off rooftops.
And no, I don't want a bar. I have enough hassles just managing my legitimate and illegitimate finances. If I had to deal with more property on top of what I have in the Tir, I wouldn't have time to maintain my cover as a noble playboy/high end male escort.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (17:29:03/01-10-74)
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>>>>>[ Madrecita, in case you didn't catch it, I have in my possession certain information you might eventually find useful. If we come to an agreement, you may be able to get into a position to put it to use -- and find people with whom you can work. Ouatim says he's willing to work the 'trix for you, though he doesn't go onsite. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (18:12:55/01-10-2074)
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>>>User: Money Johnson has connected<<<
>>>>>[Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy, it's the Wyrm. I drank many of your friends out of the bottle, man... Young and stupid then. But you're right, can be touched. Bad touch. Ow. Ice, man, owe you beer, lots of beer, good beer, real beer. I like beer. Damn, I want a soykaff, so bad, why can't I get a kaff in the tank? Hey, why don't I get the nice button that makes the pain go away? Oh, look, a table. Nice hard table, good pillow.]<<<<<
>>>User: Money Johnson has disconnected at source<<<
-- Money Johnson (19:25:19/01-10-74)
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>>>>>Looking for work again, that Egyptian connection didn't exactly pan out. Anyone got job opportunities for a bookworm hermetic?<<<<<
--Specks (20:29:54/1-10-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...and then he asks why I won't go to his house. What will people say when I go to orbital resorts with a nobleman playboy/male escort? Goodness me, the ignomity of having to hire male company...Ice, dear boy, i'm not entirely sure you could handle me. It's been a while. I might just break you.
Wyrm...I heard you. I've been ruminating on whether or not I should hear you out. I suppose it couldn't hurt to hear what you have and what you want in return. Message me and we'll talk. ]<<<<<
--Madrecita (02:26:23/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Well, we certainly won't know unless you try, will we, Madre? ;)
That said, I have to start packing for Denver. Meeting young Murphy at Sea-Tac tomorrow to show the kid around Denver while I do some biz. At the very least, he'll get to see a sprawl that's very different from Seattle, and have some stories to tell the family. And if I can pass a bit of knowledge his way, might make things easier for him down the road. Call me a good samaritan.
Or you could just say I'm making an investment in the kid's education, so he might prove a good backup down the road, when I need help with a job.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (02:45:23/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Investing in fellow runners is a good way to make sure they are worth calling on when you need stuff doing. At least, that seems to be the idea here. Helping a kid run away to a Tir, taking the new Murphy on a run.
And never worry about me and driving. I'm quite skilled in multitasking. Overtaking a truck in Seattle weather while going a good 120 or so isn't THAT hard for me on my bike. But yeah, for those of you who aren't professional couriers who can drive Seattle streets in their sleep, either turn on the Guide or turn off the AR. It's only sensible, and you'll keep from pissing off the taxis and couriors by crashing and backing up the whole gorrum highway.
Money: Good to see you're..well, mentally working at a minimum. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to pull into my favorite bar for some drinks. That's another lesson: Don't drink and AR. It never ends well.]<<<<<
--Card (02:50:00/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Packed and ready, Mr. Iceblade. Found some nice suits that make me look like a big hunk of ablative meat, yet conceals the armor and pistol very nicely.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (11:16:12/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Good to see you posting again Money, I'll drink some blood to your good health.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (17:18:18/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Gather favors from fellow runners, sure! Give a tip or two, okay! Investing your own nuyen in what may well turn into your competition, not so great idea!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (12:21:50/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[OK folks, tracking a bit better now that they got the painkillers and neural stabilizers set up a bit more. Glad I wrote that program that hides my posts to places like this in various types of line noise. Thanks for the well-wishes, still feel like a troll sumo wrestling tournament is going on in my skull, however. Also starting to get some memories back, cyberoptic pics and cyberaudio recordings help. A little upset that the doctor here removed the chip of my wife's skull from my brain, but apparently there was some irritation starting at last, not a good thing on such a sensitive part of the body.
Aw drek, here comes the local man-in-black that doesn't have a name. Talk to you folks later.]<<<<< >>>User: Money Johnson has disconnected at source<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:26:55/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[You could just look at a young up-and-comer just as future competition, but you could also look at him/her as a potential future teammate. Looking at them as the latter, wouldn't it be wiser to help them learn the ropes a bit better so they'll be more useful on the team?]<<<<<
-- Predator (12:27:59/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Glad to hear it, Murphy. Meet me at the cab stand outside Sea-Tac at 13:30, our flight doesn't leave until 14:20, but you want to allow plenty of time for airport security. I wouldn't drive your own vehicle here. Long term parking at the airport is a good way to not have a vehicle when you get back, or for someone to use it to dispose of some incriminating evidence. You do NOT want to get back to your car after a week out of sprawl and find twenty keys of tempo in the trunk, just as the Knights get a 'hot tip' about a drug smuggler leaving the airport.
And yeah, Card, Predator, that's the idea. You build a network of people you can call on when you need a hand. Some people work solo their whole careers. Nothing wrong with that, but there are some jobs you need help with. So you look for people who compliment your skills. A spellslinger like myself can always use a hacker friend, just like the hacker may not be the best equipped to deal with angry spirits. The street samurai may look for someone to negotiate for them, since 'sword to the head' tends to make for bad negotiating, in most circumstances. You build a network, and you increase your options. Something any smart runner should do. In turn, you're part of their network, and if they need a hand, they can call you, and you get more work.
Money, if they haven't gotten rid of the piece, just ask them to hold on to it if you want it preserved. Could even get it made into an amulet, if you wanted to keep it with you.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (12:37:09/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[I know a number of metahuman cab drivers. They're good for jobs like this, and intel. Didn't know about the security thing, thanks for telling me. All my 'ware is licensed to the bodyguard SIN as well. Just remembered that might also have been an issue.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (12:08:30/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, always good to have someone around to sling the mojo, and no matter how good someone is in a fight or in the Matrix, it's still good to have some backup just in case drek hits the fan. You ever need a spare gun, give me a call. Can do a bit in the Matrix, but I need improvement there.]<<<<<
-- Predator (13:07:03/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[In the air now. Got Murphy through security, no problem. Nobleman and bodyguard, both checking licensed weapons, and all that. Went smooth, just how I like it. Murphy's on the window seat. I don't think he's noticed that the passenger behind us is a ghoul in disguise, though it is a pretty convincing disguise.
Oh, and Smiley, who said I was paying with MY nuyen? If I was going to take a trip on my own dime, it wouldn't be to Denver. Lots of places I'd rather go for fun.
Predator, I'll keep it in mind, next time I'm on the job.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:30:23/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[I know, right? Theres this guy in the 162s who is amazing at disguises, whipped it up for me..]<<<<<
--Chrona (19:34:23/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...why see them as competition? We all have our own skillsets. A mage helping a non-awakened runner isn't going to create competition in the future. I guess Ice and I are just less concerned about that because we have alternative incomes. In the mean time, it's helpful for us to have as many contacts as possible, and keeping them around by helping them survive ensures we'll have a known quantity - emphasis on known - when and if we need it. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't. And like Ice said, we then also form part of their network, meaning we get called on in turn. It's mutually beneficial if you take the long view. And we elves more or less have to, because if we don't, we'll end up having to live in our own drek.
Safe trip, Ice, Murphy. Oh, and Ice...Cuidado con lo que deseas, es posible que sólo lo entiendo. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:00:09/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Sad but true. Unless the dangerous nature of the Sixth World catches up to us, we'll have plenty of time to live with a rotten rep, if we earn one, so it is in our interests to pay more attention to image than others may have to. It is also one reason why I know plenty of elves who don't like to make ties with non-elves. The fact that, if you get close, you will have to watch not just your friend, but their children's children's children grow old and die before you are even in middle age is a burden that shorter-lived metatypes do not understand.
Still, there are those who surprise you, and show talent and ability more than most. They are worth keeping close, especially if the next generation shows promise as well.
And Madre? Peligro que hace la vida más dulce. La vida sería aburrida sin riesgo.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:22:05/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...oh, it's good to see the old language spoken. Well done, Ice. Knowsoft? Or can you actually speak it? Vamos a ver si usted todavía piensa más tarde. Paciencia. Se podría dar sus frutos. O puede que no.
Exactly. That's why we play as straight as we can. Money's seen the benefit of the strategy...and suffered its pains. I doubt even we really understand. It's something that we first-gen elves are only starting to encounter now.
Talent and ability...that's why I offered Big Murph Leonization at my own expense. Not only was he good himself, as a person and runner, he had the ability to pass that on, giving us longer-lived types some continuity. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:47:49/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Linguasoft, yes. Sperethiel is my native tongue, though I also know English and Japanese. Along the way, I've picked up linguasofts for Spanish, Cantonese, French, and Yoruba (I was on a trip to Lagos). Whether you're globetrotting or just entertaining close to home, it helps to speak the language. Those online translation services are too slow for real conversation.
And of course, I wouldn't want to rush you.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:58:02/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[ I never got around to learning Sperethiel. Of course...it wasn't a language when I was born. I speak several Spanish dialects, as well as Yucatec, Nahuatl and English. I had to learn them the hard way.
Mmm...interesting place, Africa. I've never been there myself, but I've run with one. A Zulu, I believe. His daughter Ingwe is now also 'running the shadows in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.
Mmm...and thank you. These things have their own pace. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:14:49/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Well, it helps to know what people are saying when they think you can't understand them. Much as it pains me to say it, I've actually considered picking up an or'zet linguasoft, especially with the ORC making their big push this year. Lot of biz in that.
I'll admit that before the Crash, I wasn't exactly on speaking terms with any non-elves. The only time I ever saw any was when I was slumming in Cara'sir, or travelling. Let me tell you, it was a strange experience that time I accompanied a trade delegation to Neo-Tokyo. This was before the new Emperor's reforms, afterall, so things were, needless to say, uneasy.
Africa is one big, festering hellhole south of the Sahara. Only reason you should ever go there is because you either are getting paid insanely well, or have absolutely no choice. There is a damn good reason why people have been fleeing the continent since before the Awakening. And it is STILL a better place to live than Tenochtitlan.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:50:04/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[The whispers came to me this night. He calls from the darkness, but none of the others hear Him. Why call to me and not the others, the ones most faithful?
Faust I am, but who or what I was before, I know not. My thoughts are clouded. Too many screams. Too many memories, that chase all the old ones out. The liquor helps me, settles my mind, keeps the whispering down so I can function.]<<<<<
--Faust (17:11:02/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[ I know. That's why I learned Nahuatl. It's less useful here, though. But Japanese is such an inelegant language...and it doesn't fit well in my mouth. Sperethiel...perhaps it's because of the age I was born in, but as beautiful as the language is, I don't really see what's so special about it. I've been around longer than it has, so for me, it's about on par with Or'zet.
Mmm...I've heard some good things about the Azanian Confederation, or whatever they call themselves now. Interesting history they have. My old runner buddy laughed at me when I quoted the standard view of Africa to him. All he said was "don't believe everthing you read. Thos who write our stories write without understanding, from a point of view that interprets difference as inferiority. Presumptuous of them to write about us when they can't even get the African map right."
His words, not mine.
:-* Night, Ice. Nice chatting with you.
Um...and hello Faust. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (17:25:12/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Always fun talking to the DocWagon Company Men, "Don't trust those clinics, you could end up with a cortex bomb. You're safer here, if we were going to do it, we'd have done it already." is what a few hours of discussion sums down to. Yeah, the "dark" part of DocWagon knows what I do. Honestly, they consider me a walking advertisement to the shadow community to their services. And, really, as I'm alive instead of dead after having a building fall on me, I can't fault them for it.
Not just elves that see folks grow old and die, I was starting to see it with Murphy's Uncle these last few years. Really hit a few points home. I also know of some, well, really short lived peoples, shall we say... Well, we all know life ain't fair, neh?
Ah, languages! Linguisofts help, but I'd suggest chip training in the language, then learning from the locals of wherever you are. A good ear can piece out a chip speaker anywhere and know you're not local, and don't even bother trying to learn, just rely on technology. It's an insult in some places. I grew up in a English and French household, learned German and Japanese as a child. Chip-learned Sperethiel and then got it from the street, smudge of Korean and Mandarin, enough Vietnamese to swear in, my Grandfather of all people taught me enough Thai to get a drink, laid, or both in. At least, I hope he did, he's a little strange in the head. I learned Or'Zet the hard way, but sound like a stereotypical lisping homosexual in it, as does anyone without tusks apparently.
The rest is mostly patois of a variety of languages from here and there. My French and German were what I used the most in Africa, for example, with a bit of the local dialects creeping in. Enough to learn that I was pissing off the wrong animals. Man, I miss those hunts. Ah well, should visit again someday. This time, more cartridges for the elephant rifle.
Welcome to the bar, Faust! Sorry, I'm drifting in my thoughts here. Enjoy the bar, unlike the liquor in the mundane Underground 93, this stuff won't rot your insides out! Bleh.
Oh, and Iceblade, watch out for Murphy. I saw his Uncle train him, and he took your contract, which means he's looking out for you right now. Guaranteed.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:32:10/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Sorry. I am sorry. Things are better sometimes than they are at others. Doc would say it is Post-traumatic, but it is not. I do not remember my past. Not before the SCIRE. Online during the Crash. It did not help my mind.
What I was is no more. Now I am a street samurai.
Money Johnson, Madrecita, I thank you for my welcome.]<<<<<
--Faust (18:38:05/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[My...er, lets call him Old Man taught me, I think it's Cantonese dialect Chinese. I'm not sure off hand though. I'll have to ask next time we meet up for tea and training.
Which brings me to the topic of alternative jobs: I love my 'delivery boy' job. Wonderful Triad front, pays alright, Get extra coin when a Brother needs something shipped quiet like. Keeps me in my nice pad...even if I have some issues there. Alas, no neighborhood or house is perfect, but I got my dojo and a place to live. Not much else I need.]<<<<<
--Card (18:56:30/01-11-74
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>>>>>[I'd be happy with a waterproof tent and a army surplus cot. All-Father knows I've had to rough it worse. Anyhow, I just have a full-body refurbishment and upgrade only six years ago or so, so my age shouldn't be a problem. But appearances must be maintained. Not complaining about my apartment, mind you. Just wish the security there wasn't so intrusive at times.
How did one 'runner put it on Shadowland once? "A place to keep the rain off, a pistol for security, and a bottle for company"? Heh, lots of folks have a lot less. Speaking of, Murphy, you're about to get a harsh lesson that your Uncle and I couldn't prepare you for. Nerve yourself up and remember your face, you've seen all this before with Mr. Poncy Elf Nobleman. ... No, I doubt you're too poncy any longer, are you Iceblade?
That guy that kept kicking me and stabbing me with the rapier, he was poncy! Leather jacket with lace ruffles out of the sleeves, I kid you not!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (18:14:57/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Just checked into the hotel. Nice place in the Hub. Don't have any meetings tonight, so I'm taking Murphy to Weekday Eclipse. That pixie group is playing tonight, and it should be a good time.
Don't worry, Money. I'll look after the kid. And his uncle would be proud of him. Didn't even flinch when a free spirit popped in out of nowhere, looking like a wendigo for reasons I don't even care to guess at. The Hub has a very high percentage of Awakened residents, which means things can get... odd. Odd even by magical standards. Kid hasn't freaked out yet, so there's definitely hope for him.
And what the drek you mean by 'poncy'? Just because I look good, and the ladies know it, doesn't make me poncy. ;)]<<<<<
--Iceblade (19:23:19/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[Always meant to learn Sperethiel, but I never found a language teacher for it.
As to DocWagon, yeah, there's only one doc I'd trust more than them. Which is why whenever I renew my contract, I go for Platinum service.]<<<<<
--Predator (19:23:19/01-11-74)
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>>>>>[I can see what you mean by not being able to prepare me for this, Mr. Money. The extravagance of... EVERYTHING. I knew there was a major difference between the Haves and Have-Nots. But there's no way to prepare a Barrens Brat for something like, well, what Mr. Iceblade is doing right now.
I almost did pop that Wendigo spirit one, however. Reflexes were set up for defense of you, Mr. Iceblade, but when you didn't react, I settled down. The overzealous bodyguard is just so much posturing and obvious Alpha dominance. There are more subtle ways of doing things. Especially when said bodyguard ends up on the floor and bloody when he tries it on Uncle or me. Um, tried it on Uncle, I mean.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (10:33:40/01-12-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...he's going to be just fine, isn't he? Be sure to learn all you can from Ice about fitting into that world, Murphy. I can't think of anyone better than a Tir noble to teach you that. You'd be amazed about how easily doors can open for you if you know the right image to present.
Poncy. Mmm. Engish is a funny language.
Nice attitude you have there, Card. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:29:12/01-12-74)
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>>>>>[I had a chat with that Free Spirit while you were out, Ice, Murphy. Similar tastes it seems. He, as it prefers to be referred to, laments his lack of ability to truly taste Metahuman flesh. I consoled him with my experience that it isn't great..]<<<<<
-- Chrona (17:29:40/01-12-74)
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>>>>>[It's an easy one to have when you gotta live on a budget, Madre. I'm just happy I'm not like the stereotypical 'runner, living in a box a majority of days.
Also, I suggest avoiding North Seattle. Some idiot decided to drop a building into the roads. Traffic is going to be backed up almost to the City Center.
chrona: Check your time. I know it's not after 5 here in Seattle. Unless you're posting from...er...the East Coast I guess.]<<<<<
--Card (14:05:30/1-12-74
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>>>>>[Poncy as in "Effeminate". If this guy had a bigger chest, some make-up, and some actual fighting ability, I might have mistaken him for my wife.
Yeah, I felt the earth shake and it felt like a building (You have one land on you, you learn how it feels!). I wish I wasn't in a tank so that I could get up and look. The Matrix Feeds are getting horrible shots. I swear, ever since the Wireless Matrix came about, news agencies don't care about proper camera shots any longer, they'll just hack and use whatever cameras are in the area instead of sending a drone of their own.
As for Metahuman flesh, can't say I've ever tasted it. Never wanted to. Just like Dolphin. Mercury levels are through the roof.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (14:19:35/01-12-74)
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>>>>>[ I used to live in far worse than a box before coming to Seattle. The house I have now seems positively luxurious in comparison, although not nearly as plush as what I had before taking up running. Oddly enough, I don't really miss it. It was a life I can barely relate to anymore.
Mmm. Thank you, Money. I'll have to go read a dictionary, it seems. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:44:12/01-12-74)
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>>>>>[Just got in after the day's meetings. Checked in with the Tir embassy here in the morning, got the lay of the land. Later, we 'just happened' to run into Johann Castle (the CAS rep on the Council) at his favorite club. Played the extravagant nobleman around him, and he ate it up. Didn't get any real information, but that wasn't what this trip was about. You have to develop contacts over time. No we talked business, literally. Told him I was looking to invest in the CAS sector, but was looking for a 'local partner'. Again, he ate it up.
After lunch, we had an appointment with Istas Catori, the PCC rep. Nice lady, all told. PCC and Tir Tairngir have a lot to talk about, natch, so the 'unofficial representative' line is a nice way to get the ball rolling. And there's a lesson for you, Murphy. The majority of the work of politics is done through unofficial channels, not the circus you see on the news channels. Tap into the unofficial channels and you get a feel for where things are going.
Murphy's handling himself well, and hasn't let himself go slack-jawed, staring about as most Barrens kids do when they first get a taste of the high life. He didn't even show any discomfort when we attended services at the local chapter of the Church of the Dragon (Or is it the church of the dragon reborn? So hard to keep track of cults these days.), to talk to Lucinda Gray Arrow. Only place her Wildcat bodyguards give people a bit of breathing room to talk with her, so I played the recent convert during the service, and we talked afterwards.
Chrona, if what you say is true, I wonder if that spirit was a Spirit of Man originally summoned by a Wendigo, and later gone free. Did you ask him about his history at all? Could be an interesting story there.
Madre, its a good thing you can barely relate to that life now. Does nobody any good to walk back down bloody paths when you've left them.
Anyways, back at the hotel now, getting ready for dinner. Going to Altitude, see if we can't 'just happen' to run into the Dragon's Voice while we're there.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (18:54:02/01-12-74)
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>>>>>[Johnny! Haven't seen that drekhead in years! "Eating it up" might be an understatement, he's a lot sharper than he gives anyone appearances to. Unless you're Aura-Reading him, expect three different plans going through his head at once. That said, he's one of those rich guys who want to have class rub off on him, and hobnobs with a chummer of mine that is a British Nobleman in self-imposed exile of sorts (long story, not mine to tell.).
Yeah, Murphy's Uncle and I taught him a bit of Japanese culture about wearing a face and all that. He'll go ga-ga when he gets back in private. Just don't expect him to stay that way if things go down, his entire attention will be on putting things down as hard and fast as possible, as well as looking for additional threats in case that's a decoy. His Uncle, Grandfather, and Great-Grandfather were the same way. I just hope your stick can afford expensive breakables if he has to go all-out, he doesn't care about collateral damage that isn't biological.
Maybe it's everyone talking about home, or me being stuck in this tank, but I'm getting homesick now. Damnit.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (18:26:40/01-12-74)
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>>>>>[If the pot was worth 27,500¥, then what the hell was it doing in the middle of the room, and not even behind glass? Just one pot. Heavy, though, and it knocked out that troll goon pretty well, cyberskull or no. Nice flower arrangement in it before it got smashed, too.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (18:28:00/01-12-74)
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>>>>>[Trust me, Money, any follower of Shark knows all too well about putting things down as hard and fast as possible. I didn't leave my blade behind when I left Seattle. And you've seen what happens when I allow one of my spirits to take control.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:02:02/01-12-74)
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>>>>> [When I lose almost all sensibilities, I hire one of the Murphys to keep me in control. Considering the rumors of what I did due to just a concussion, that might tell you something. I remember Uncle Murphy bouncing me off a few walls when I was really bad after the wife died. That was just to get my attention. The walls did not do so well after he and I were done with them. Young Murphy there is just hitting the start of his stride.
Hope he doesn't mind me saying that I have good things hoping for him. He might worry about living up to his lineage right now, but I have few doubts that he'll surpass them before I even get out of this damned tank. Speak of, when do I get my damned jello? ... Oh, when I get out. I get out when I leave the hospital. The one damned good part of the hospital and I get denied it.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:49:52/01-12-74)
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>>>>> [ I wasn't going to turn back onto those dark paths I used to walk, you know. I've long since realised that ultimately, the corps can't be touched and made to hurt. All I was really doing was doing to others what had been done to me, and that wasn't fair of me. It wasn't their fault. I can't relate to either of my past lives...the compassionate doctor who had no idea the shadows even existed, or the crazed woman who'd seen why too much of the shadows. I can't return to either live...and I have no desire to either. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (01:46/01-13-74)
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>>>>> [Card: I run my 'link on GMT.
Iceblade: Good guess I'd say, I'll ask him if I run into him again, right now I've got to find some food. ]<<<<<
-- Chrona (09:30:09/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Ah. Weird timezone to be running it on, unless you live over in that area. Solid either way.]<<<<<
--Card (04:07:40/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Not really, Card. When you do business globally, you tend to spend most of your life thinking in a couple time zones. London, New York, Denver, Seattle, and NeoTokyo are some of the most common ones for people with international biz. Of course, you still want to adjust to local time if you're going to be in a sprawl for any length of time. You might be on Seattle time, but if you're in NeoTokyo, any contacts you want to see, and any legitimate business you want to do (like finding someplace to eat) will be on local time.
Chrona, hope you at least make the kill clean, or buy from the Meat Market in the Warrens. I've seen a man being ripped to pieces by a pack of feral ghouls. It is not something I'd wish on even the vast majority of my enemies. Shark does not play with his food.
Madre, I am glad to hear that. Shedding blood out of anger and rage does not ease the pain. When you set out for revenge, never assume that it will bring you peace. All you can hope for is that, if you do it right, it will make others think twice before they move against you, or yours. The Wolf does not hunt when he is sated and unthreatened. He doesn't seek out trouble, yes? Wolf and Shark are not so different in that way. Both are hunters, killers. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know how to reach me.
Now Murphy, are you up yet? Or are you still 'entertaining' that lady naga that I saw slither into your room after we got back from the club?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (06:48:02/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[I'm gonna use the Warrens unless someone pisses me off. So Shark Shaman, huh? Hermetic myself.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (12:03:40/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Not a shaman. I follow a lesser known tradition, which some have called the Swordmage. Not everyone who practices it follows a totem, a mentor spirit, but most do, and they tend towards mentors who focus on an aspect of being a warrior. Followers of Dragonslayer, Shark and Wolf are natural combatants, but those who listen to Bear, Dog, and Oak make able shieldbearers or protectors. Other mentors make able strategists, and one should not assume that a healer cannot be a warrior as well. My teacher followed Gryphon.
It draws some similarities to certain martial arts styles before the Awakening. Mastery of body and mind, the blade as an extension of one's arm, a spell your killing intent made manifest. And the spirits of ancient warriors come to guide your hand when you call them, lending you their strength.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (07:25:34/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Huh, sounds pretty good, I still just see it as another science. No Mentor/Totem has ever appealed (Or in some cases I've heard, contacted) me. Heh my weapons are a part of my body as I fight with my claws. I'm somewhat interested in martial arts and fight training after fighting a Boxer for a good half hour a bit ago, he was very focused and determined but at the same time wasn't ready for me to leap at him like a feral would when I decided to end the spar. It comes from all the Unarmed combat I know coming from the streets and running, never been taught, just had experiance due to taking down my own prey.]<<<<<
--Chrona (14:25:34/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[It is not for everyone, just as the Hermetic or Shamanic traditions are not for everyone. I was instructed from a young age in both magic and the blade, so I can say, without boasting, that I am fairly adept at both, though I am nowhere near as powerful a spellslinger as some.
Like your tradition, a mentor spirit, if one calls to you, is an extension of who you are. And if a magician who listens to a mentor spirit falls down dark paths, their mentor may become twisted as well. Instead of Shark, the dispassionate ender of suffering, you have Shark, the frenzied destroyer. The spirits who answer when you call for them are likewise twisted. It is a terrible thing to see someone of your own mentor who has fallen like that, not the least because you know only too well that you could end up exactly like that, too.
I've been in that position once, in a 'jaunt' to Yomi Island, in '60. Details are still classified, but suffice to say it was an extraction that started bad, and got worse. Target had turned into a Banshee, and she had ten or twenty friends with her. Mission turned from 'extraction' to 'execution'. We lost one man in the fighting, and I killed the second on the ship, when the doctor told us he was infected. Fortunately, only one of the banshees was magically active. We would have stayed behind to do a proper cleanup, but the fighting had attracted other residents. We took the target's body and our casualties, and got out. That is another little slice of hell I hope never to visit again.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:32:24/01-13-2012)
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>>>>>[See that'd be tough for me, in fact theres some factors I need to know before I can agree with your sentiment and decisions. Did they attack first? Were they feral? Finally, was it your companions wish to not risk the change?]<<<<<
--Chrona (15:39:24/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Orders. There were very clear orders that no one Infected would be breathing by the time we reached Malek'thas. The exact words were 'terminate with extreme prejudice'. Things may have changed since I last checked, but at the time there was a 'shoot on sight' policy regarding the Infected. Also, aiding or abetting the Infected (including such things as 'not shooting them in the face') was a crime punishable by death. And yes, those laws were rigidly enforced, for some of the same reasons that the Universal Brotherhood was never allowed to set up shop.
If it means anything, we did not make them suffer. Shark does not play with its prey before going for the kill. But our orders were quite clear. There were no survivors, and we left no trace behind.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (11:03:04/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[That's all right, if It's orders I can understand and won't hold it against you personally, maybe your employers and those making the rules. I'm of course not "Legally Metahuman" in most sprawls/Countries.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (16:08:04/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[There were Infected in the SCIRE. Dzoo-noo-qua. Allowed to roam the mall, hunting for prey that tried to flee. Sometimes, they would chase the prey to those waiting to return them to what they had been fleeing before they met the Infected.
Sometimes, the Lord sent his machines to destroy them, instead.]<<<<<
--Faust (11:10:02/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Well we aren't all bad, we just need to eat. I don't know much about the SCIRE.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (16:14:04/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Just like a lion isn't all bad. It just needs to eat. Which is fine...as long as the lion doesn't try to eat me. If it does, it will be killed, no questions asked. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (11:22:44/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Well, of course, we're not beasts though, we're people like you. ]<<<<<
-- Chrona (16:28:44/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ I never said you were not people, and as long as you don't try to eat me, you'll be treated as such. But like I said...when it comes to threats against my person, I don't draw distinctions between beasts and people. I don't think anyone would. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (11:43:12/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Yeah I can get that, It's not like I haven't killed Ferals. I am working on a wayto help them, partly anyway. ]<<<<<
-- Chrona (16:52:49/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Oh really? I must admit...that appeals to the healer in me. Have you got any further details? ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (11:58:12/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ It'd take a lot of convincing, trust and favours-without-being-asked to be in on it, it's not for those who can't understand loss being needed for progress. It's also very out there in magical terms. No, not blood, I hate blood mages... Modern ones anyway.
All I will say is it's worked once on a different HMHVV strain. Not that it'd be legally count-.. Hey why- stop- my trodes... get off Si--
Bzzzt- Disconnect at source.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (17:07:12/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[What happened to the ghoul? Did he go out for tea?
And yes, they were there in the SCIRE. I saw them, not with my eyes, I don't remember what my eyes looked like. But my new eyes saw them. They took pictures, too. Pictures of many, many things. Most of them were not nice, but they had to be done. They had to be done.
What? The whispering is back again. Don't you hear the whispers?]<<<<<
--Faust (12:11:03/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Count me out then. I leaned the hard way not to put that much faith in anyone. No matter how much you might like or trust someone...that's no guaruntee they're not playing you. I lost my whole family trusting someone without question. It's not a mistake I'll ever make again. How can I be sure the loss you speak of won't be extracted from people I have a vested interest in? ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:15:12/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ >.....out of Hacker's ran--....just about.....zzzt Hope you can ....me...
First time out of Se-zzt-le in a year. Someone's hired a runner t- -.... trying to lose them in the warrens.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (- -:96:1?/01-13-@4)
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>>>>>[My... Everything hurts. Wow, what a night. Um, sorry Mr. Iceblade, I kind of slept in. And had to erase that message on the mirror, it was kind of, um... Er... I'll have a shower and get dressed now.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (12:45:32/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Urge to drag Iceblade and Murphy into this rising.... I'VE KILLED THREE OF YOU, JUST GIVE UP.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (17:47:19/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[In the tank, but not out of contacts! Chrona, I know an Evac Expert that's also in the area and looking for a gig. Mail me your location and I can get him to you. You'll have to handle the payment, but he likes excitement, so it won't be as bad as you'd think. Hope you don't have a weak stomach.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:56:22/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Hehe. Sounds like you had fun, Murphy. ;)
And Ice...yes. Wolf certainly doesn't. To this day, I don't know what made Wolf pick me. I was a Chaos mage before he came to me, and we fought titanic battles before I accepted him. You can imagine how hard it was for me to accept that I was a Nahualli, considering what I did for a living back then. I'm not even from Aztlan. But thank you for the offer. You know I'll take you up on that.
Chrona...well...good luck I suppose... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (13:01:23/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[If someone's hunting ghouls, losing them in the Aurora Warrens may be more difficult than one may think. Head for the Meat Market. At the very least, there will be other ghouls there who may help if one of their 'own' is being hunted.
There are times when I have collected on bounties on the Infected, either when they get between me and finishing a run, or when it has been a slow month, and I need a little extra for rent, or other expenses. A wendigo still fetches more than my rent for a month. Of course, taking down a wendigo is incredibly difficult. I wouldn't recommend trying to do it solo unless you know what you're doing. They don't like ferrous metals, which means people using steel blades, or even a piece of iron pipe may have an edge. Try to hit them during the day, as well. And Stick-n-Shock ammo does a good job of laying them out, allowing you to make a clean kill by decapitation. Just because you're killing someone for rent doesn't mean you have to make them suffer.
Fortunately, business has been good, so I'm not looking to take stupid chances to keep myself in my comfortable apartment.
Ah, and so Murphy rejoins the land of the living! That's what you get for wrestling with a giant snake all night, boyo. Don't worry, I saw her on the way out, and made sure to give her your contact info. Take some painkillers, and a shot of whiskey if you're sore. Believe me, I know that feeling. Maybe not with a naga, but still. I think my record for 'strange encounters' would be either the technomancer who was into S&M, and insisted on having a master/slave AR overlay going the whole time, or the time I was with three Nadja Daviar clones. THAT was a wild night!
Madre, I look forward to it.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:02:02/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...the things I learn today... :P ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (13:28:23/01-13-74)
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>>>>>["Learn", riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. >Play "Chuckle.AniEmote"<]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:33:41/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Now, now, Madre. That isn't nearly as crazy as some of the trids they're putting out there. Apparently, someone in the Choson Rings convinced a naga to do some 'special' trids. One of the people I saw professionally managed to get their hands on a non-BTL version, and wanted to watch it with me. Why some people enjoy experiencing an elf girl getting screwed and then swallowed, alive and whole, by a snake is beyond me. A shot from outside the naga showed her moving around inside. Creepy shit. Almost as creepy as the fact that she paid me to contact the Choson Ring and arrange for her 'extraction' after seeing that trid.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:38:43/01-13-74)
-
>>>>>[Gorrum people. I go to bed, get some breakfast, and the convo explodes.
On the topic of Totems: I don't BELIEVE myself to be a shamanistic, but certain ones appeal to me. Coyote, Wolf, Tiger. Hadn't thought about it in a while.
Murphy: Sounds like a rip, roaring good time. I'm intrigued on what the message was now.
Here's hoping Chrona's okay, and that Money helped get him/her out.
And on a final note: Some wageslave came up to me needing to send something legit and tried to offer Corp Script for it. I mean, really? I know he looked spaced, but did he REALLY think our location was on his corp's land?
Anyways, lunch.]<<<<<
-Card (12:44:40/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Almost there, Mr. Iceblade. ... Um, should I be glad to be alive right now? Well, then again, I think I'd be more than a mouthful for her...]<<<<<
-- Murphy (12:45:52/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Euuurgh. Money's guy got me out. Murphey, Iceblade, check no one's watching you, incase they think we came together, I killed a Hacker, a mage and some Ork but theres minimum 3 left, only one I got a look at was a chromed Elf. Heading back to the Hotel now.
RE Naga: Nice one Murph.
RE Him/Her: Him]<<<<<
--Chrona (18:44:43/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Card, usually corp scrip is a pain, yes, but if you play it right, you can usually get more of it, and get a good bit more for it. Though just how useful depends on what your specialty is. If you're a mage, MCT, Wuxing, or Azzie corp scrip can mean an easier time of it picking up magical goods. If you're into 'ware, Renraku or Evo corp scrip is not a bad choice. And if you can't find something at Weapons World to buy with Ares corp scrip, you are in the wrong business.
Take your time, Murphy. I'm in the hotel lounge, with a very talkative free spirit that looks like a talking pink pony.
Chrona, that's why I'm in the lounge. Easier to see who comes in that way. Also, we're about a block from Ghostwalker's Liason Office. I'd say that ZDF response to the area is under three minutes. There are benefits to sticking to the more civilized parts of the city.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:56:04/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Card, if you don't want CorpScrip there's an exchange set up in a variety of places. Hit up ShadowSEA if it's' digital, and hit it up anyhow if it's physical, they have the locations for exchanges. I like paying in it on occasion myself to keep people wondering if I'm working for a Corp or not. ... That and I keep getting stuck with stacks of it for some reason.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:58:00/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ I don't generally like being paid in corp scrip. Sadly, quite a few of my usual clientelle pays in it. It's an absolute nightmare sometimes for shadowmerchants like me, because we probably see more varieties of currency than almost anyone else. So it helps to keep up with the money markets for the best times to cash in on the scrips we receive, and when not to accept currency from a certain mega. We probably know as much about the market than brokers do. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:19:23/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Good points on the script. I just prefer to have something that my local Stuffer Shack will automatically take instead of me having to go to someone else, hope the exchange rate isn't horrible, and then go get my large soda. Maybe I'll take the next job that offers some, as a back up. So long as it isn't like in that one classic 'cyberpunk' story, where normal cash requires like, trillions to buy anything..but thats because they aren't worth the paper they are on.
And you'd be surprised Ice. I don't actually use weapons in my line of work. Never really liked them. Helps that usually when some fool of a ganger tries to mug me, he doesn't automatically go for his gun when he sees I'm not packing. Makes it easier to hit them a couple times in the face. Being able to hit like a taser doesn't hurt either.
Chrona: Good to hear you're..well...safer then you were. Sorry if I offended with the him/her. Your name doesn't exactly lend to either one.
Murphy: I'm tempted to ask what ti's like to make love to a Naga. Can't be that weird.]<<<<<
--Card (15:44:40/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Alright, now it's official. I have snapped someone's neck on every continent! Damn, I hate Antarctica!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:24:34/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Keep an eye on the exchange rate. With corp scrip it's usually pretty close to 1:1 for nuyen, as that's the "Currency" they use, even if they call it something else. There is some fluctuation due to a variety of things, especially on the shadow market. Successful/unsuccessful runs, new products, stock performance, how they're doing in Urban Brawl/Desert Wars, and so on. If you can afford to a good stock of them, you can sometimes get 25% more in Nuyen even after the exchange fee.
Smiley, hope you brought your thermal undies!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:47:42/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Card, they do sell grenades there. Whether flash-bangs or something more high powered. Plus, when dealing with certain groups, trading in weapons (especially 'clean' weapons) makes for business opportunities you wouldn't have otherwise. Also, while some people might not draw on you if you're seemingly unarmed, there are those who will start with guns drawn, seeing you as an easy mark. And you go through an area like Redmond or even parts of Puyallup without carrying something bigger than a holdout, and people will assume that you're magic, and shoot first before looting your corpse. Even for mages and adepts, having a gun actually helps prevent conflicts. People are more likely to lower their guard when they see you carrying a weapon, but not going for it.
Smiley, who the hell was so important someone paid you to go to Antarctica to kill them?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:33:05/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Eh. I figure, make myself a small target. Thus the reason my chameleon coat on my bike is usually set to "Look junky" when going through those areas. That, and go as fast as I can. Moving target, etc etc. Don't take alleys, I drop a bribe or two here and there. Helps keep the major gangs off my rear, and usually if i'm in that sort of territory, I don't have to worry about much else. I guess weapons just don't resonate with me well. Don't like the feel, the weight. I'm not disgusted with them, I just feel like I'd be more likely to just start shooting for absolutely no reason. Eh. Maybe I'll invest in some kind of stun baton one of these days or something. I can live with that at least.
Ugh. I'm not drunk enough for personal philosophy.]<<<<<
-- Card (21:52:20/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[There's some Stun Batons with Taser Darts built into them on the market, gives you range as well as defense, and prevents people from thinking you're unarmed, and make even a troll think twice about dealing with you. Legal in the nicer parts of town too with a license, which I have with all my SINs, but never have been hassled for, still good to have. Look me up when I get back to town, I can hook you up with some guys that deal in weapons of all sorts, even exotic stuff.
Um, Mr. Iceblade, is that really what it looks like? I mean, something that expensive just can't be out in the open! Oh, frag, didn't mean to post that!]<<<<<
-- Murphy (21:21:21/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Sorry Iceblade, but I don't kiss and tell.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (22:58:13/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Ah, Murphy. Never, ever let a free spirit hear you say something like that. They can be a temperamental bunch. Just pray you never find yourself face to face with the Wild Hunt.
Smiley, at least tell us what corp he's with.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (23:03:05/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[Come on folks, professional courtesy. If he doesn't want to say, don't push. Might be part of his contract to not say anything.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:14:12/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[ Is always part of contract. ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (00:00:00/01-15-2074)
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>>>>>[It should always be considered part of the contract, I admit, but there are sometimes you want people to know who, how, and most importantly, WHY! I drek you guys not, I had a contract once that called for it to be OK to explain that this guy was being geeked for his PARKING SPACE. Suits can get very, very petty sometimes.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:12:50/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[I'm at a point in my career where I can say to whoever contact me for a job: "If you want me to take the contract, that is my price. I also want to know who the real client is and meet him in person."... And they nearly always accept. My rep speaks for itself, my record is nearly flawless and that rewards me with privileges most runners will never have... And it's going to stay that way. I may be a real clown incapable of being serious more than five minutes (it ain't five minutes yet!), but I'm a professional.
If my clients wants people to know they were the ones who hired me, that's their business. Me, like I said, I don't kiss and tell.
On a side-note, I'm currently celebrating my return to Seattle at the Powerline! First round on me for all the dirty minds who cares to join me!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (00:32:47/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[Damned vat. It's not even one of the nice "tube" vats where you can move around and flip off the doctor or anything, it's one of the coffin vats! I'm going insane in here, people! I'm following P2.0!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:43:42/01-13-74)
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>>>>>[So we went into the Sioux sector to take a couple meetings. Not exactly the place a Tir Elf would normally go, but biz is biz. Tried to get in to see Soaring Owl, but couldn't swing it. That'd also be about the time things got touchy, so we had to leave with a quickness. I've fought Wildcats before, and I'd rather not do it on their turf.
Spent the afternoon traveling through sewers in the former Aztlan sector, looking for Azzie sympathizers, to try and sell them to the ZDF. Good way to curry favor with the main player in this town, or so I hear. There were definitely Azzies down there (saw a ritual site that had only been abandoned for a few days), but only living things we found were some ghouls, and a few loup-garou with bad tempers.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:21:04/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[The Voice calls.
Is it some fragment of the Lord, that escaped the Worm, calling to his old followers?
Is it something else?
Am I just going mad?
It comes from the Matrix, but I don't know how to trace it. Others cannot hear the Voice, whispering to them in the background glow of data.
They worry about me, I know. But those who know me, from there, know why I cannot ignore the call. I wish it would get clearer. I wish it would go away.]<<<<<
--Faust (16:46:24/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[Wish I could get cleaner, too, Faust. Here, next round's on me. Can't do anything else while I'm in this damned box.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (15:55:22/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[Cleaner? Never clean. Never again.
Black rings on pale flesh.
Five now, that refuse to fade.
Why am I alive?]<<<<<
--Faust (19:26:02/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[Before anyone gets up on me about shooting Infected, they were ferals. I asked them to say something before I shot them. And Stick and Shock only drops them, doesn't kill them unless I shoot them a lot. Um, Mr. Iceblade, after the sewers, can I leave early, I need to shower before, ahem, er...]<<<<<
-- Murphy (18:41:22/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, go get ready for that naga lady. I'm not going out of the Hub tonight, anyways. Got a virtual meeting with a potential contact at the Nexus that should start up once they receive the 'gift' I was paid to send them. Then I'm going to get cleaned up before heading down to Wonderland to meet Alyss. Sometimes, I love my job.
Oh, and if anyone cares, it seems as though a shipment of bleeding edge computers from Telestrian managed to disappear as it was passing through Denver. Funny, that.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (20:01:05/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[You know, I'm almost sad that I missed out on going on this trip...but ghouls, feral or sane, are a good ways outside of what I wanna deal with on the wrong end of a problem. I'll work with one, but I'm not gonna piss any off. Too many chances to become one, and last I checked, they aren't all too welcome in the Triad.
Speaking of weird stuff, anyone know of somewhere I can grab shows and such from like, the 1980s and 90s, through about to 2020? A friend of mine showed me some stuff, and I'm just hooked.]<<<<<
-- Card (20:41:42/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[Grandpa has a bunch of that stuff from the early days of filesharing, stuff that died in both Matrix Crashes. I'll send him your contact info, Card. Just don't expect it to be free unless you impress him or he likes you for whatever reason. He's a little touched in the head.
And consider the source of that statement!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:08:28/01-14-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...Faust...you worry me. Are you saying that you're hearing echoes of Deus in the Matrix? And may I ask...do you have anyone monitoring your vitals when you travel into the matrix?
Anyone else here think our friend Faust might be a technomancer? ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (03:10:28/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Possible. "Hearing" things where ever there's a wireless matrix signal (or in the Matrix via VR) is a sign of AIPS, which some attribute to Technomancers. If you got some tests to find out, Madrecita, keep the results on the downlow. There's still folks that will turn them in for bounty money and unscrupulous Corps that are more than willing to open up their living brains to see how they tick.
I've hired Otaku back in the day, and I have no issues with Technomancers either. Hell, folks are just folks. Some good, some bad, all have secrets. At least Faust is drinking the BTL-Lite Drinks here rather than destroying his body with rotgut. Hopefully. Yeah yeah, I know, a Johnson with Morals, who'd have thunk it. There's a reason I'm in this damned vat right now, aside from too many blows to the head.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (03:19:50/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[ Pay closer attention to everything he is saying. Check the logs. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (03:23:02/01-15-2074)
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>>>>>[ Frankly Wyrm, I didn't understand much of what he was saying. I'm a mage, not a computer wizard. If Faust is willing to let me examine him, I might be able to find out. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (03:43:12/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Well, can't sleep, and not like I can do anything in the tank, so did as you suggested Wyrm. Obviously a SCIRE survivor of the lockdown, possibly one of the trusted ones Dues had going. Freaky buggers (No offense Faust), and possibly part of the back-up Dues had going. Or the other rumored AI. My memory is kind of fuzzy about that time, busy as hell working on getting teams in, and out, of the damned place just trying to get survivors who hopefully weren't infected with those new nanites. Luckily a chummer of mine developed something like a low-yield EMP designed specifically to run through a nervous system. Cuts the lifetime of any installed cybernetics in half, and hurt like hell, but killed nanites but good, better than a Raid Bug Bomb in Chicago. Damned Army caught us using it and took the prototype and design specs, and told us we were lucky we weren't being run in for criminal acts in a military secured zone and blah-blah-blah. A few grunts winked at us as they took the kids away, they knew we were fighting the same fight they were, just without the brass up their ass.
Grandpa still complains about missing the Arcology Shutdown.
I have records and files from that time that I could delve into for more details, but it's on my secure server in... Well, never mind where it is. But I'm not accessing it while I'm being semi-monitored. I think I'll let someone that ISN'T on neural stabilizers try to remember what happened.
Oh, good news, hacked my medical records (Can't even read the damned clipboard at the based of my "Bed"!), and I get exercise tomorrow! YAY! Ten minutes out of the tank! ... Damn, while in restraints. Apparently that nurse took the blow to the crotch personally.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (03:49:10/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Well, if this Faust guy is a mancer, you think he might be one of those mancers that are . . . what do ya call 'em . . . Ya know, one of those guys that prefer the chaos instead of order? At least that's what his recent posts tell me. But what the hell do I know. I've only ever met one technomancer, and that didn't last long in itself.]<<<<<
-- Silver Bee (04:08:09/1-15-74)
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>>>>>[Actions, not words, Silver Bee. I knew this one fellow back in... '56, I think it was. I swear he was a mad dog killer of a slot who would have gotten the whole team killed and heat down on everything fast. But it was a crew, everyone or no one, and they had good rep. Hired them out, and they all acted professionally. In, out, no alarms, no gunshots, not even a tranqed guard, nothing. They were never there aside from leaving with the paydata.
Turns out he just hates suits, which was how I was appearing at the time. I suggested they leave him at home when dealing with Johnsons from then on, and hired 'em a few more times until they moved to... Can't remember. They got The Get Out Of The Game job and retired, the ones that survived at least. Should look them up again, see if any are still around.
Anyhow, in this day and age, we also have AIPS survivors that still work the Biz. They're not the most "Stable" of people, but a lot are still damned good at what they do. Even if you have to explain the plan a dozen times to them. Judge a person by what they do, now how they sound or what they are. Remember, magicians used to steal souls and trolls used to eat babies, neh?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (04:16:28/01-15-74)
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>>>>[Sorry about that. I had no idea. I'm pretty new to this. Running, I mean. Jeez, I only made it to Seattle a few years ago. Haven't even killed anyone yet. Though to be honest, I don't plan to, if I can help it. Sides, not even sure if I could do it. Lived most of my life as a wage-slave.]<<<<
-- Silver Bee (04:20:41/1-15-74)
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>>>>>[Hey, I'm not against paying for some downloads. From what I've seen, some of these series are better then half the trids on today. Guys transforming into a costumed heroes and kicking people like the recoil from an old school panther cannon with out any compensation.
Hell, these kinds of shows probably explain some early action I learned about, when Adepts were first showing up. Hell, who knows. Some of the actors in these shows may be early Adepts. Oh gods, I'm gonna end up doing research now.
Anyways, How about I treat you to a couple of rounds up here in Everett at my local hang with a buddy of mine in payment for connecting me with your Grandfather, Money. No business, no shooting (hopefully), just a relaxing night with some beers, a couple of regular guys, and some Rally Cross on the Trid behind the bar?]<<<<<
-- Card (02:38:40/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Otaku. You speak of the Whites. The Whites were favored of the Lord. I was not White. Too old when the Lord took over. Too old.
I was... Samurai, I think. I do not remember. Bits and pieces, all blurry. My first memory is waking up in the chemical baths, adjusting to new eyes. Eyes of blue, to see for the Lord. Things go dark, as the Lord granted me more cyberware to serve him with. I do not know my name, so I am Faust.
There are times when thinking is easier. Like now. Other times, the whispers get too loud, and I cannot make them stop. Drink helps. Lots of drink.
I was Red Samurai. I was a Blue. Then the Lord left the SCIRE, and I had nothing. No purpose. All I knew was service to the Lord. I escaped the invaders to the Lord's domain, and came out into the city. Others of the servants of the Lord I knew from the SCIRE found me, and we banded together, like the bands on our arms. My Redeemer, the Jezzibel turned Angel, and the Doc. Two Blue, one White, one Green. We found eachother and hid. But Jezzibel, now DarkAngel, she heard from the one who had been the Lord's most favored of the Whites, heard of the IPO. I was no decker, but I was drawn there, to see the great tree fighting all who came upon him. And then the worm. And then nothing.
No one else hears the Whispers, but I know they're there. They call me.
No! They call again! I cannot concentrate with their whispering in my mind! I must go!]<<<<<
--Faust (09:21:05/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[ Well?? ]<<<<<
-- White IC (09:38:12/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ Yes. Find someone. ]<<<<<
-- MechaWarrior (09:43:31/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ Must we? ]<<<<<
-- DeeGee (09:58:59/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ Yes; he seems harmless. ]<<<<<
-- E(A/R)th (10:06:33/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ Did you not hear his references?? Find someone. ]<<<<<
-- Wagner (10:10:10/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ Wyrm?? ]<<<<<
-- White IC (10:17:56/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ Wyrm?? ]<<<<<
-- DeeGee (10:18:01/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ Wyrm?? ]<<<<<
-- E(A/R)th (10:18:04/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ You ... gaah!! Why do you people always have to look at me ??
Kurt and Richenda are right. They need to be found and neutralized. Tag them, find someone, get it handled. We don't leave this sort of mess behind when we find it, and you know it. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (10:30:28/01-15-2074)
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>>>>>[It's all right, Silver Bee. Even folks that "know" the shadows don't know the lesson. Even I have to remind myself at times, and I've had examples given to me all the time.
It was all special effects and wire-work, Card. There's some director's and actor's commentaries on the files as alternative sound options that I watched as a kid. No adepts back in those days. But raising a few that isn't Biz does sound good, I'm in once I'm out of the tank and have a shower that lasts a week to get the nutrient fluid out of my ears.
Good luck, Faust. Um, Wyrm, what the hell are you planning? Dues is dead and gone, his banded aren't a threat any longer. Hell, most of the ones I've talked to after Crash 2.0 are more pissed off at the AI than anyone else I know, and that's including kids that lost EVERYONE due to Dues and 'Raku with both of their playing around with things. And, if Dues comes back... Well, we know we'll need a bigger hammer than another Matrix Crash, won't we?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (10:51:32/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[ Money, check your speech recognition program; it's Deus, not Dues.
Second, I'm not planning anything; I'm just the line judge on this one. It's been @%>><<+_|}{}(&@&*)^()
God dammit. Hold on.
[BREAK]
...
...
...
[/BREAK]
Anyhow, as I was saying. It's been policy of ... my group ... to make certain that as many identifiable remnants of the Shutdown get cleaned up as possible. 'Cleaned up' can be a euphemism for a lot of bad things, but it can also be a euphemism for not bad things. Which way those four go will depend on them, but there's no way in slotting hell you can read his logs and not believe that 'Faust' and the rest of his Banded group aren't facing difficulties -- difficulties that could prove severely dangerous to the people around them, including us.
I can guarantee I've talked to more survivors of the Arcology and the AI War between that event and the Singularity than you, survivors from all sides of that battlefield. Our techniques won't return the ex-Banded to who they used to be before Deus got a hold of them, but if they accept our assistance, we can smooth out the peaks and troughs.
And if they don't, well, we'll have someone there when they have their next psychotic break. And they'll clean things up that way. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (11:24:57/01-15-2074)
>>>>>[ P.S. Deus isn't coming back. White IC and I crunched the numbers. There's a statistically better chance of all the Great Dragons distributing the entirety of their possessions to the other sentients of the world and becoming monks than Deus returning.
Granted, not much better a statistical chance, but ... better. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (11:28:47/01-15-2074)
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>>>>>[Sorry Wyrm. My nurse is late with the latest batch of neural stabilizers and other medications they're trying to wean me off of to get me out of the tank hopefully by the end of the week or something. Apparently there was an issue on floors five and six with a few patients and a summoned spirit... A gorilla of some sort. I was left alone almost long enough to chew through the restraints.
As for putting people down for having a psychotic break, how do you tell when one's having one of those, and when they're just going through a nice bit of mad berserk rage if they're not a Banded? Other than repeated blows to the head? ... Where the hell is that nurse? Hey, what's going on here, hey! Put me down! This is a delicate tank, you can't just rip out the...]<<<<< >>>User: Money Johnson forcefully disconnected at source<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:42:55/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[ *mutters* Someone go check to make sure that dumb sumbitch is all right. Madrecita, you'd be best, but Murphy, I think you're probably closest. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (11:48:22/01-15-2074)
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>>>>>[Closer? I'm in DENVER. Not even the UCAS part of Denver. And, um, I also don't know where my pants are. Or any other of my clothing for that matter. Or even where I am. Mr. Iceblade, I think I was invited to meet her family... So, um, I might be a bit late.
Damn, OK, calm down, he's conscious and his CommLink will operate as soon as they get away from the Wi-Fi Inhibiting systems in the DocWagon hospital. He'll whistle up a rescue team or something. As long as they don't keep a jammer on him. Now, what did Sun Tzu say about being outnumbered by a family of Nagas?]<<<<<
-- Murphy (11:52:25/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[ He say, 'Don't practice beastiality, is bad for your skin.' ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (12:00:00/01-15-2074)
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>>>>>[That's Confucius. And things aren't nearly as bad as I thought. If I'm understanding properly. Clothing back, heading back to the hotel, Mr. Iceblade, sorry I was gone. Um, no, I can't explain what's going on.
Please someone check on Mr. Money, however. He should have been able to get a transmission out by now.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (12:02:00/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[If someone can get me his last known location, I can go see if I can't find a trail. Ripping a nutrient tank out of a bleeding Doc Wagon facility is going to leave one wide ass trail if I get there fast enough.
He IS in Seattle, right?}<<<<<
-- Card (12:20:12/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[If he is in Seattle, count me in on the rescue. It's better than what I'm doing now. Is there a record for most times breaking into the same place?]<<<<<
-- Silver Bee (1:30:48/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Good. I know I'll likely need back up. I'll toss you my ping number so you can keep in touch with me. I'm currently on my way to the closest Doc Wagon facility to the City Center. Any news reports of any kind yet?]<<<<<
-- Card (1:48:00/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[I sent out feelers through some of my contacts. Nothing yet, but I'll keep trying. And I'll send you my ping as well.]<<<<<
--Silver Bee(02:05:24/1-15-74)
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>>>>>[Just give me a buzz if you need more backup.]<<<<<
-- Predator (13:12:30/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[He's at one of the DocWagon hospitals, don't know which one, but you can count out the clinics at least to narrow things down. I remember him saying he was in the coffin-style tank, however, rather than the full-on upright cylinder tank, so not as big as you'd think, think a coffin hotel "room" that's being moved. Ms. Madrecita brought him there, so she'd know which one for sure. Oh, damn, gotta put my face on. Let me know how things work out.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (02:53:19/01-15-74)
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//…Legacy Code Detected
//…Loading Shadowland 2.2 Legacy Protocols
//…Shadowland 2.2 Protocols Loaded….
>>>User: J^3 Logging in, Emergency Message Sending, Track-Back: N/A, Priority High, Rating: N/A, Attachment Included<<<
>>>>>[Money here. ... Call KE ... Keep legal ... GPS Ping attached ... Grabbed wrong tank ... Idjits.]<<<<< >>>Attachment Here<<<
-- J^3 <15:17:22/ER-RO-R!>
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>>>>>[Looks like we didn't have to do much work on getting a location after all. If I'm not mistaken, it looks like whoever took him dumped him somewhere in the Barrens once they figured out it was the wrong tank. Guess he was in Seattle after all. Anyone have a truck? And some booze probably wouldn't hurt either.]<<<<<
-- Silver Bee (05:46:59/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Wait, is he saying the guys that grabbed him were going after a different tank? Oh, this is hilarious. I'm on my way to the coordinates to watch it to make sure no one tries anything funny. Anyone with KE contacts who can get them there quickly? If not, I'll give them a call on my way over. ]<<<<<
-- Card (15:50:03/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Jesus Flippin' A! I was wonderin' what the hell that huge crash was two blocks up. I'll head up with some boys to make sure he ain't molested 'til you all get here.]<<<<<
-- Bear (18:41:09/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[I sent KE when that message was posted. Keep your pants on everyone, they should have found him by now.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (19:01:49/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[In Barren places, the Knights go slow.
They say the Lord is dead and gone? They may be right, they may not. The Lord was powerful enough to escape death once before. Who can say he did not find someplace to hide, waiting for a time when no one was looking for him to return. It is a terrifying concept, one people do not wish to think of. If it comes to pass, I do not know what will come.
Others of the servants have come to hate the Lord for what he did to us. But when I was a Blue, I had purpose. I meant something. I was part of a greater whole. Now I am alone, with only those few others I found in the shadows. It is three of us now. Myself, Angel, and the Redeemer. Doc Mengle we left to his clinic. He is skilled at his work, but his price is steep.
There are those who want to find us, we know. So we keep moving, staying hidden. They hate us for what we were, but they do not know the burden of all the things you've seen and done, that cannot be undone. None know, except those who were there.]<<<<<
--Faust (19:14:05/01-15-74)
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>>>>>If we are talking about a snatch and grab, I got a friend who does tactical extractions. Or a shaman who is pretty good at opening doors. Just in case people are hiring.<<<<<
--Specks (20:01:59/1-15-74)
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>>>>>[Faust said something I understood. You may have called KE, but it'll probably be a while for them to get here, even if it IS a Doc Wagon nutrient coffin. I'm sitting out here with my bike with Bear and his boys now. I stopped at a Shack for a 24 pack. I'll probably make another run here in half for more. Here's hoping they get here before then.]<<<<<
-- Card (20:12:43/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[I didn't just called on the urgency line. No, I called a guy who owes his career to me. Wen I call, he moves his ass and mobilize his unit.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:29:13/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Still, Smiley, it will take them a while to get from wherever his unit is stationed (if they're on duty) to where Money is. If there are locals who can keep watch until they get there, no harm in that.
And Murphy, at least tell me you didn't get married by accident. Bringing a naga back to Seattle is going to complicate our travel plans considerably.
Anyways, I had a wonderful time last night. You'd be surprised how quickly arranging to meet a few important people can get other people thinking you're important yourself in this town. I spent last night (and part of the morning) with a lovely woman from the Sioux sector government (can't say who, of course). Trying to find out what I was up to, no doubt, but hey, if they want to try and seduce secrets out of me, I'm more than willing to let them try. In the afternoon I was able to get into the PCC sector, and visited the Data Haven. Paid my respects at the memorial to the admins that died in the Crash, and then talked to a rep from the Nexus. Which of course got a couple people from Mitsuhama knocking on my door tonight, wanting a 'conversation'. The ZDF then came and asked me why two Mitsuhama employees flew off my balcony, but accepted that it was self defense, especially since they were both armed. I made a deal with a spirit nearby to provide a reasonable excuse, so I'm spending the night in her room. I never met a spirit who enjoyed rubber and whips so much.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (20:43:43/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Money posted at 15:17:22 and I saw it when he posted it. I told everyone that KE should have him at 19:01:49. So, no, there is no "still". Considering he was on post, his usual respond time in the Barrens, that he had the exact location and that I told him about the tank, that's nearly four hours to find and secure him. Since I know for a fact that he doesn't take more than forty-five minutes to get his unit to nearly any point in the barrens, well at least when I call, unless he was moved or killed within an hour of his last post, they should have found him by the time I posted. If not, I know a guy who's about to lose more than his career.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:59:51/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[They arrived alright. I think we're partly waiting for the Doc Wagon guy who's with them to make sure the tank is still viable for transport, or if they gotta take Money out first. They literally showed up not even 5 seconds after I sent my last post. Got a Doc Wagon truck, a couple of KE vans, buncha cops too. Money should be posting as soon as they either A: Put him in a new tank or B: find and get rid of the jammer on the tank. Not that I would know what it looks like.]<<<<<
-- Card (21:09:40/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Glad Mr. Money is OK. I, find myself looking forward to working for him. Like it's proper or something, no offense Mr. Iceblade. Damnit, I should have been there for those 'Hama guys, I got back as quick as I could. Not a good start to my career, I guess. You handled them better than I did, however, sir. I'd have done more property damage I will fully admit.
No, not married, but I did meet the wives and husbands, or, um, that's how it translated in my head, still didn't "Taste" right, they didn't speak English, Or'Zet, or any of the other languages I know. Also found out that I'm "Respectable" in some ways. Heh, never thought I'd hear that coming from anyone soon.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (21:16:42/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[I swear i go away for a while on a little bug hunt and yall start having all kinds of fun. Murphy, I'm sorry to hear about your uncle, when Iceblade is through with you come on down to Pensacola and I'll run you through some special training, I owe your uncle a couple of favors and this should repay one of them nicely. Also, what that generally means in their (the Naga) culture from what I've learned is that your breeding (no matter what the meta type) is good and solid, not illigitimate in other words.
Money, frag it, didn't we all tell you to duck! But seriously, take some time off once you get out of the tank and recoup yourself. Hades, come down here to relax, i have some toys you might like to take a look at.
Faust, good to meet you, i was in the Arcology at several times both before, during and after the lockdown, ran into several of your types then and since, and i hope to all that is holy and unholy that Deus really is dead and gone. On the other hand, having gone back and looked at some records of the times right after the second crash, his base code might have survived. I don't know.
Maybe you should try and find a new lord to pledge yourself to, if you would like i know a few that wont mind the history and have a similar mentality.
-- Wolfgar (21:20:56/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Speak of the Devil, and he shall post! All-Father, what a more incompetent crew of kidnappers I have never met, and I was grabbed five times in three days in some Eastern European country that I rescued myself out of every time, with my expensive hunting gear! My Afrikaans is far more than rusty, but I could understand the words "Room 21" perfectly fine. I was in room 12 on the VIP floor. Their accents were horrible, however, and I think what they wanted me to do was read out a confession on paper that they taped to the tank. Of course, if they're mistaking my pale hoop as some African Ambassador to Seattle... No, just looked it up, he is Caucasian. Just proof one should never assume.
Anyhow, these "Freedom Fighters" (Yeah fraggin' right!) grabbed the wrong tank and was wondering why the hell I couldn't understand them, and couldn't read some badly spelled letter to the people of who-gives-a-frag to release some... Names coming up now, oh holy son of a slitch! These guys make Lord Torgo look like a vegetarian elf lover! They lucked out to land in the one country with no extradition treaty to anywhere that DIDN'T want them dead! These guys are locked away and they MELTED the keys! What the hell is an "Eat On Sight" order?
Let this be a lesson folks, when you want something done, don't do it yourself. Hire professionals! I could find a dozen teams in almost any part of Africa that might have had leanings to whatever group these folks are with who would have done a far better job! I mean, I did it on a shoestring budget and no linguisofts in person when, well, never mind what happened. Couldn't understand half of what they said, but as good a throw-together team as I've ever assembled! I'm sure I got insulted behind my back more often than I was complimented, but my cred was good and the job was one they didn't mind, so that helps a lot.
Loki's own luck that some signal re-transmitter flew/drove by, I think it was a chipdealer's advertisement/distribution system, but I'm sure he didn't mind me sleazing through his security, otherwise he would have had some of note. Didn't know how much time/bandwidth I had, so I popped some old SOS code my Grandfather keeps for a rainy day and suggested that I do the same. Sent it everywhere except to him. (Hey, you think I leave dead bodies around, invite him to a few drinks and he'll tell you the fun he had in Bug City!). Anyhow, enjoying the ride in the back of the DocWagon truck, enjoying a Matrix connection that isn't monitored completely by DocWagon, and still in the Hel-Damned tank, but at least hooked up again. Good thing too, I really had to pee.
So, thanks for the overwatch, the call in that got a big damned heroes rescue, and so on. Powerline, right Smiley? OK, you're all guests of Lenny Johnson's (Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the old USA). Unlimited tab, try not to wreck the bar too much, wish I could join you so we could wreck the bar nicely. Smiley, I'll pay you back that favor you pulled in with KE, somehow. Oh great, I'm getting too uppity for the paramed, here comes the sleepy... Oh yeah, nice stuff. Is good to have friends in low places.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:40:42/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Murphy, you're doing fine. Just got things to learn. If they were speaking a language you couldn't understand, might be that Khmer Naga tongue they use in Angkor Wat. Don't think they make a linguasoft for it, but you never know. Anyways, you want to have a chat with your ladyfriend about what the implications are of all this before we leave town. A lot of nagas are shamans, and you never want to get a family of shamans angry at you, especially when they know you so... intimately. It wouldn't be hard for them to lay down some ritual magic on you because of that. So be respectful when you are asking questions, hmm? It would limit your job opportunities if they hit you with some kind of permanent shapechange spell to make you a more fitting mate for their daughter.
As for the MCT goons, they clearly had no idea who I was. They only sent two guys, without a mage. Armed with silenced SMGs, no less! I guess they figured that if you stick a gun in someone's face, they'll be likely to do things quietly. Unfortunately for them, I don't answer the door without a blade in hand. Only a little property damage, mostly bullet spray and blood spray. They were black bag types, not combat troops. Rely on surprise and threat of force to keep people in line. Against a 'normal' person, it works well.
Money, glad to hear you're back in the good hands of DocWagon. The kidnappers sound like the typical zealots. Think that fire in their belly will carry them through, even though they aren't trained, and don't know the language. Who knows, they might even have been good enough talent in their own country, but when you travel, you need to get in sync with the locals, or you're dog meat. Not as in sync as Murphy is doing, of course, unless you really want to.
As far as the 'Eat on Sight' order, Money, check to see if that comes from Asamando. That's the kind of order that would most likely come from ghouls.
Heh. This is rich. Just got a request for a meeting tomorrow morning from someone in the Liason Office. Should be interesting.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (22:11:00/01-15-74)
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>>>>>[Thank you Mr. Wolfgar, my Uncle spoke of you fondly, but when I'm done with Mr. Iceblade, I should get home and make sure things are set up there properly. I'm the head of the family now. Funny how that works out.
Please try to be careful Mr. Money, I'm not there to help take care of you. Uncle and Grandpa always said you needed a keeper, even before you went all Norse on us. I'm sure Great-Grandpa would have said the same. Of coruse, being in a tank, you can't do much, can you?
I'm good Mr. Iceblade, from my understanding, I'm OK to date. They're not really looking for someone outside the species. But, um, apparently I'm a Godfather now. Or something similar, again, "Taste" is wrong, Protector, maybe? Still not quite right. I explained that I lived in Seattle, and they stated it was mostly a teaching role, which I can do from a distance. 14-years old and I'm a damned teacher of morality now or some such. I'm back and will be ready to be with you for the meeting. I'm taking a night off from having nights off, if you understand my meaning. Didn't really expect things to go like this, sir. I'm sorry, it's very unprofessional.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (01:56:12/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Being professional is good, but you know what they say: "All work and no play..." Seriously though, you can't be totally professional all the time, trust me.]<<<<<
-- Predator (01:00:46/01-16-74)
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>>>>>["Work hard while working, play hard while not." - Rotter Rodney, Chummer of my Grandfather. Words we lived by, and I screwed up first time out. Well, Uncle expected a few more years to train me after all. I'll explain when I can see Mr. Money in person.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (02:03:08/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Hey, Murphy, results is what counts! If you keep your employers happy and the nuyen comin', who cares if you get, whatever it is, with a Naga! Do whatever the frag you want!
I'll admit though, reading your encounter with that Naga, I'm laughing my ass off!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (03:14:22/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[I think it's still referred to as Tail, Smiley. And Murphy, don't worry, so long as Iceblade isn't complaining. He probably figured into you getting into hijinks of some kind, being new to Denver and all that. Hell, I'd probably end up in someone else's room myself. Now, if it was a REAL Johnson, and not Iceblade, who you know can protect himself with ease, well, I'd be a bit more worried about your ethic. Remember: The excuse of "I'm sorry, I'm on the clock." is completely valid.
And, to quote a book I once read: Who better to teach of right and wrong then he who is willing to commit wrongs to protect that which he sees as right. Who better to guard a developing mind from the darkness then he who lives in it.
And Money, I'll take up that offer for booze after you have some on my tab at my bar. No offense ment to fans of Powerline, but I'm not really in the mood for anything that involves destroying bars...unless it's about how Madrid slotting cheated during the World Rally.]<<<<<
-- Card (03:21:51/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Murphy, you're a young guy on your first trip out of the sprawl. You're pretty much expected to make a fool of yourself. And next time, you'll know what not to do when you're on the job. Don't sweat it about the MCT guys. Slotters were done before you could have even gotten here from the next room. Their clothes had enough armor to stop a round or two from a light pistol, but were absolute drek against a blade. Like I said, they didn't do their research. Thought I was just some noble from the Tir, trying to get in good with the locals. They had spotted me visiting the data haven, and thought they could 'persuade' me into doing some mischief. At least, that's what the MCT guy who was still breathing said before I 'accidentally' threw him over the railing.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (08:59:59/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Those sudden stops at the bottom of the fall are killer.]<<<<<
--Specks (09:11:56/1-16-74)
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>>>>>[Especially when it is a troll that breaks your fall. Never seen someone actually get impaled through the face with a troll's horns before. Then again, that might be part of the reason the ZDF showed up so quickly. I think the troll was an officer.
Anyways, I'm sitting outside a random office at the Liason Office, waiting on the meeting. Typical drek about showing you how busy they are by making you wait. Great fun.
While I have a bit of time on my hands, I gotta wonder, Wyrm, do you send goons after all crazy people, or just the ones that say they hear a dead AI whispering to them? Lots of crazy in the world, and I don't see as the Banded are any more dangerous than the other nutjobs you see anywhere you go in a sprawl. Hell, just look at the drekheads that actually choose to live in Glow City! Crazy as hell, but as long as you don't go near them, they're harmless, even though they probably glow in the dark.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (09:22:05/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Laid low for a few days, back in Seattle now.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (14:48:56/1-16-74)
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>>>>>[Wolf, why would I turn from the one who made me what I am, my Creator, and look to a god that does not exist in this world? The Lord lived in this world, and from my first memory, I was his to command. There is no changing that. Sometimes the program cannot be overwritten. My Lord once ruled many, and many believe him gone for good, though it could be He will return. It is strange. That thought fills me with both hope and with dread. I both want and don't want it to be.
The Redeemer is wise in the ways of magic. His mind remained when he emerged from the baths. Why mine did not I do not know. The Redeemer seeks ways to blend magic with technology, hoping for a way to overcome the damage the chrome he's received has done to his Art. He dances, and calls to Bear, seeking answers. We protected my Angel when the people rose up against the successors to the Otaku, and hunted them. The Angel helped, as well, for she had managed to get some of the old drones from the SCIRE, and bend them to her will. We fought where we had to, ran when we needed to.]<<<<<
--Faust (10:02:05/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[I don't know why, but I felt the need to share this. Some might find this informative. Taken yesterday, well today, when I came back from the Powerline.
// upload media file :: user Smiley :: 01/16/74 //
// RealTalk audio-to-text conversion engaged //
Smiley : Tsk, tsk. Come out, come out! I know you're here, little trout!
// sound recognized :: semi-automatic pistol slide //
Unidentified woman : Where's my father?
Smiley : You'll have to be more specific than that, pretty girl.
Woman : You really shouldn't be playing games with someone who's holding a gun to your head, in your own appartment!
Smiley : Indeed you are. So what's your father's name?
Woman : His name is // part removed // and I want to know what you did to him! Now!
Smiley : Oh, sure ma'am. But take a seat first, I wouldn't want you you to hurt yourself when you'll fall on your ass. I remember him. I killed him and destroyed his body.
Woman : I knew it, you heartless monster!
Smiley : That's harsh! So mean my heart is crushed!
Woman : I guess I just wanted, needed to hear you say it, you... Now you'll die for that!
Smiley : Go ahead, pull the trigger, pretty girl. See your vendetta through!
Woman : Uhn? What... What's going on? Why can't I pull the trigger?! Why am I now pointing the gun at my head?!
Smiley : You can't pull the trigger because you walked in the den of one of the most succesful assassins in the UCAS unprepared and ignorant of the threat you were really facing. I have complete control over your body and you are speaking only because I'm allowing you to.
Woman : If you really are that successful, you bastard, than why was I able to find you and connect the dots so easily? Is everyone that incompetant? That would explain why Lone Star never caught you! I hope your luck will run out now that Knight Errant is in town!
Smiley : Now, now. Who's playing games with someone holding a gun to your head? Wow, you really are that clueless, don't you? You found me because I'm not hiding, pretty girl. You, well as you put it, connected the dots because I'm telling everyone that I did it by leaving my business card behind. Why am I not worried about Knight Errant catching me? Because there is no crime to report. There's no bodies, no murder weapons, no forensic evidence and it's impossible to establish a timeline of events nor a crime scene. Everyone suspects, nobody can prove anything. And above all this, well, I was going to tell you but I'm gonna show you instead. Don't move, sit tight, I'm just getting something over there... Ah! There you go.
Woman : What's this?! An old-style paper photo album?
Smiley : Oh, maybe you are clever afterall, pretty girl! Maybe you'll get it faster than I thought. I'm gonna let you in some heart crushing secrets tonight. You search for truths and ask for answers. Always be mindful of what you wish for, pretty girl. Ever heard that before? Here's a picture of me and your father celebrating at a party. Here's one of me and the last Seattle's Lone Star Commander. This one is me with a bunch of Knight Errant boys having a beer. On this one, I'm with the CIA Assistant Director, well one of them. And this one with Chen Kwan-Ti of the Octagon Tong. This one I'm having champagne with Maria Mercurial, that was a long time ago. And on this one with the trid pornstar Lana Ex. That was a wild night, always is with her, I can tell you that. Or maybe this one will show you better. Me and yes, that's her, both laughing after a joke I made. I heard she doesn't laugh often but she always seems to laugh around me. I still have a few dozen more of these but I guess I made my point. Let me put this back.
Woman : This...
Smiley : The world you live in is corrupted and rotting from the inside. It's a big fraggin' joke and I'm just one of many punch lines. This drek goes deeper than even I can comprehend. Oh is that a tear? That's, well, revealing. Always thought I was a funny guy. Anyway, I get the feeling you understand why nobody caught on to me yet. They don't want to.
Woman : Disgusting...
Smiley : Ain't gonna lie, it kinda is. But now, I get myself invaded by one thought, one dilemma, one obvious question... What am I going to do with you, pretty girl.
// end media file // ]<<<<<
-- Smiley (17:41:29/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[I knew you were cold blooded, Smiley, but gods be damned. I'm surprised you didn't save the picture of her father for last. What DID you do with her? Though, thanks for reminding me how I'm nowhere near cut out for wetwork. I'll stick to snatch and runs and deliveries, thanks.]<<<<<
-- Card (18:18:45/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Don't ask what happened to me recently, I feel violated, and am now in maximum security rather than VIP. No more cute dwarf nurse, damnit.
As for what you just posted Smiley, people often wonder why I prefer the shadows to the light. You pretty much nailed why. Yeah, there's lying, cheating, stealing, and so on happening, but at least it's a hell of a lot more MORAL and HONEST than the bulldrek I see in the boardrooms and parties. I can at least parry the knives in the shadows. The ones in the light cut through any armor and are always in the back.
Frag I want a drink know.
But I am going to ask, what did you do with said girl, if you feel like sharing?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (18:23:52/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Although it does, maybe, show a little how cold blooded I can be, that wasn't really the goal of that post. Nor the fate of this naive girl. What was obvious to me with that conversation is more or less a rhetorical question... Are the masses really that ignorant, clueless and naive about what is really going on in this world? I mean, I knew they were digesting very well anything the media would feed them but... Really? That much?
And yes, Card. It does take a special breed of people to do what I do but... Well keep on reading this post.
As for the girl, since you're all curious, I shall oblige. My first thought was to snap her neck and be done with it. No muss, no fuss. But as I was placing my hands around her head and shoulders, she started laughing. Not crying but laughing! That's when understood what I really was going to do with her. She lived a wageslave life, content but as an empty vessel. I filled her with rage and purpose when I took away what she valued most. Then by offering the truth, I took away what she valued most again, her illusions, her rage and her newfound purpose. In a figurative sense, I had already killed her. She was again, an empty vessel. I may have killed her father, but I'm not the one who wanted him dead. She understood that if not me, someone else would have done it. In the end, on the threshold of imminent death, she suddenly understood and saw the world as I see it. I had decided to let her go but, yet again, she surprised me with a request that, even I, would never see coming. Tomorrow, I'll begin her training.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (19:54:14/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[ Iceblade, you just don't pay attention to the details. That's going to get you into trouble some day ... ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (20:16:58/01-16-2074)
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>>>>>[I may watch to many trids, or read too much, but is it bad that I may have seen that coming from a klick away? Good to see possible useful people aren't wasted. And yeah. The normal every day guy? I swear to god some of my co-workers at the front are nothing but idiots put there to help shore up the idea that it's just a normal delivery service.]<<<<<
-- Card (20:20:20/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Well, if see this like as trid script, yes it does kinda feel cliché.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (20:27:31/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[FAUST G00D FR1END! THE KEY T0 Y0UR REUN10N WITH THE CREAT0R 1S AT HAND! THE SECRET 1S THE PATENTED T1ME ANTENNA! THAT 1S C0RRECT - THE F0UR DAY S1MULTANE0US T1ME ANTENNA! THE C0NSTRUCT10N 0F THE DEV1CE IS ACTUALLY QU1TE S1MPLE! ALL THAT Y0U NEED 1S A TUBE 0F ADHES1VE, 3 METERS 0F CHEESE-W1RE AND A H1GH PLACE! F1RST STEP 1S T0 T1E 0NE END 0F THE W1RE SECURELY AT THE H1GH PLACE AND THEN AR0UND Y0UR NECK 0N THE 0THER END T0 GR0UND 1T. NEXT S1MPLY APPLY THE ADHES1VE T0 EACH 0F Y0UR HANDS AND GRIP THE SIDES 0F Y0UR HEAD T0 HELP Y0U TUNE THE SIGNAL. FINALLY - T0 ESTABLISH THE TIME P0RTAL C0NNECT10N - LEAP FR0M 0N H1GH AND BACK THR0UGH T1ME! 1F Y0U D0 N0T LAND BACK 1N THE C0MF0RT1NG EMBRACE 0F Y0UR CREAT0R THEN Y0U SH0ULD TRY AGA1N FR0M A H1GHER SP0T! PASS TH1S MESSAGE 0N T0 THREE 0F Y0UR FR1ENDS 0R THE CREAT0R W1LL BE VERY D1SAPP01NTED!]<<<<<
-- ɹǝlppǝɯ‾ʇıq (18:27:43/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[MacCallister! I know the code's old, but that's no reason not to let the spam filters slip.
Smiley, I figured it was either that or a slot and dump at the body farm. Maybe I've been hanging around too many folks that shoot people in the face for money. Glad to see another wageslave open their eyes. Just remember that you did kill her father, however... The killer you're training might be your own death. Damn, that does sound like a cliche 'trid show.
It's the drugs in my system, yes, that's got to be it. I wouldn't be spouting things like that if I were sober. Stupid tank.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:07:14/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[It does take a certain detachment to carry out wetwork. Killing in the heat of battle is one thing. When it is your life or theirs, it becomes easy to kill. But to sit back and plan an assassination, not just the deed itself but planning how to clean up, how to get away, how to keep people from witnessing the kill... There aren't many people who can do that, and do it well, without going insane. Which is why in any army the group that gets the most intense psych screenings will be the sniper corps. I've known some snipers, and they say it gives them a sense of playing god, holding people's lives in their hand that I know I've felt when taking down people with manabolts from a distance.
Money, the shadows are certainly more honest than business and parties and politics. Though for sheer levels of intrigue, the UCAS has nothing on the Tir. The culture of almost medieval court politics has not gone away, despite the veneer of democracy. Much of the recent 'issues' have involved Prince Hestaby, of course, given her actions at the UN and in Dubai. But even before that, the intrigues were still circling. The Princes and other nobles forced into exile I do not doubt are plotting a way to return once the public's anger cools down. They are elves, afterall, so time is on their side.
Wyrm, been in trouble before. Honestly, without the AI or that Pax slitch that helped Winternight, I don't see Deus's old pawns as much more of a threat than any other crazy person. If they aren't trying to reunite under some new banner, then who cares what they're doing? Especially when there are real threats out there already that need to be dealt with, like the bugs.
Anyways, interesting meeting this morning. Can't say what it was about, or who it was with, but I got a pretty elf's number and a dinner date for tonight. We just finished dinner, and are heading up to my room for 'conversation'. Another person who thinks they can get me to spill all my secrets during pillow talk. One of the best things about this kind of work. And then I gotta head back to Seattle in the morning.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:28:35/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[I know one Tir noble that's counting no more time, and won't be seeing even an Ork's age any longer, Mr. Iceblade. Cleanest, if nastiest trick I ever saw someone perform to do it, too. Mr. Money let the "Poncy Elven Noble" as he called him impale his hand, and then held onto the guard, slipped his own sword under the armoured jacket, and up through the kidney and heart.
Be careful tonight, Mr. Iceblade. Not all people just try for pillow talk for intel. Keep a blade handy, or some way to alert me. I'll stay up until we're on the ground in Seattle.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (22:00:00/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[ Iceblade, your opinion -- anyone who has offered an opinion about this, honestly -- not only holds no water, it won't affect anything. Not unless you go find the twitcher and try to help him out yourself -- good luck with that, because considering what he's said so far, Uhuru and White IC give you a 16.217% chance of a successful interaction -- and a 47.223% chance of fatal violence.
Bloody cesspit hell, I didn't even make the call, why are you lot bitching at me?? ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (10:24:33/01-16-2074)
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>>>>>[Same reason I screw at Tech Support when my feed to the International Stock Exchanges goes down. You're here. :-P Anyhow, I'm stuck in a tank and am bored, what else can I... No, no no! SELL you stupid agent! SELL! I programmed you better than that! OK, aside from check my stock portfolio while I'm constantly online. There, finally, sold. Honestly, why did I buy stocks in Amalgamated Amalgamations?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:29:44/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Maybe you were drunk at the time?]<<<<<
-- Predator (21:32:34/01-16-2074)
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>>>>>[Possible, the elections thing has been driving me to drink, that's for sure.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:49:27/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, I can see politics doing that, but politics can bring good paying jobs.]<<<<<
-- Predator (22:57:32/01-16-2074)
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>>>>>[Only later in the running. The Prop23/Project Freedom thing, OTOH, has everyone jumping. But it's mostly low-end jobs. Well, maybe higher-end now that MacCallister is in the hospital and I'm in a tank.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:08:00/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[Murphy, you're making a classic blunder there. Not all Tir nobles are created equal. You've seen me use magic. You've seen me fight. Do you really think I'm anywhere near the level of the ones who were on the Council? I was a Count, which means I was still two ranks below Prince, and the Council was above them. There were Nobles, Chivalry, and then the Gentry below me. And not all nobles achieved their status through combat skills. So yes, there are plenty of nobles who are utterly useless in a fight. And like a lot of people who are useless in a fight, they think wealth and power makes them good fighters. Guppies and Sharks, kid. Both fish, but if you treat them all like guppies, you're going to wind up dead when you come face to face with the Shark.
Now me, I don't sleep with a blade under the pillow, like some people might. For one thing, that gives anyone you're sleeping with an opportunity to grab that blade, too. But if I was going to send an assassin after me, I wouldn't do it up close and personal. Sniper from an adjoining building is how I'd do it, either using a high power rifle or powerbolt. Anyone who's done a bit of wetwork will consider from time to time how they'd take out someone like themselves. Its a good exercise to spot your weaknesses, and start to develop countermeasures. I'm sure someone like Smiley has at least five or six different scenarios on how he'd take himself out, don't you, Smiley?
Wyrm, your group, and you're here. So we talk to you. And really, what would I do to help him out. Sometimes crazy is just what you need for a job. Personally, I like hiring a group of nutjobs as a decoy. Get some nanopaste, put on a suit, and play Mr. Johnson, and then my team gets an easy ride because someone started a major commotion on the other side of the facility. Don't bother trying to cure the crazy. There's always more where that came from. Instead, use it like you would any other asset.
OH GHOST! Damn, girl, where'd you learn to do that with your tongue? Oh, is this still transmitting? Yeah, I gotta go...]<<<<<
--Iceblade (23:39:40/01-16-74)
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>>>>>[She's going to be my first trainee. She still needs to survive her training, she most likely won't. The mental and physical ordeals she's about to go through will test her beyond her limits, but yes, my first trainee. Because I'm going to train her the only way I know, the way my, well, foster mom (since she did raised me) trained me. I still remember when she decided it was time for me to learn to swim when I was a kid. She dropped me in the deep part of a lake and watched if I'd learn and get myself to firm ground... Or drown.
As for her killing me, it's a possibility but a little bird tells me she won't. She'll start despising this world more than me soon enough. When I'm done with her, if she does kill me, it's not going to be for revenge and she's not going to take that decision lightly, since even in death, I'll bring destruction upon whoever kills me. It's not that hard to kill me, really. I'm not hiding and I'm not paranoid. Bombs, sniper rifles, any of this will do just fine. Even a kid could probably to it. But dealing with the aftermath is going to be more tricky. I put a contingency plan in place if I get killed by someone. Millions of nuyen is automatically placed on the head of whoever killed me and everyone close to that person. Others will be blackmailed into helping in the efforts. People who owes their lives to me may also want revenge. Even a cold blooded contract killer like me can have friends in very high places. I found that the best protection is making my murder as less appealing as possible, not harder. A little legwork and it's easy to discover all that. I'm that devious.
And Iceblade, my success depends on the total lack of evidence left behind. Sniper rifles leave bullets in people that can be traced, bodies to be recovered and analyzed. Not to mentioned the weapon itself, if found can lead back to you if you aren't careful enough. Same with bombs. No matter who it is, I fulfill all my contracts with my bare hands. I don't like laying low for months at a time, leaving my perfectly comfy condo. Prison is also not so appealing.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (00:41:28/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[From what little snippets I remember, he was more than a little skilled in combat. He was martial arts trained for sure, that elven martial art whose name is escaping me because it's painkiller time, but no magic. Only my skills, experience (Much more valuable), and Wires allowed me to compensate, actually. But you're very right about that kind of stuff.
But also take the place that Murphy came from. Yeah, his Uncle and I showed him more of the world than most Barrens folks ever see, but, well, if not for our training he'd be gazing around Denver like a yokel. Hell, I barely knew the difference between all the elven nobility even with the concept of lordships and such from a few friends in England that went to University with me. People of wealth and position are fairy tales to him still, I'm afraid, which he just showed. No guilt in that, Murphy, there's orks twice your age thinking the same thing. Watch Iceblade, listen to him, learn. That's how you rise up from where you came from, like your Uncle, Grandfather, and Great-Grandfather before you. You're already literate, you already know to read and study, so you know these lessons well. They never end, I still learn something every day, even when I'm in the tank. More often because of the tank, actually, and I am more than twice your age.
As for people who think power, influence, and wealth will get you through anything, don't forget how I first appeared to you, Murphy. Rude awakening when you found out far, far different, right? Same type of people, just not able to break both arms of a gutterpunk because he splashed dirty water on my 10,000¥ suit. That thing is dry-clean only! They're untouchable in their world, so they think they're untouchable everywhere. It only works out until they slot someone off enough that they're willing to go to ground for the time that KE is willing to put into an investigation into their disappearance.
Speaking of bombs that a kid could do, found out why Mr. Ambassador is here in the hospital with me. Those "Freedom Fighters" got to his car (How the hell those idiots got to a secure car I'll never know!), put a bomb in it, and still screwed it up. Just blew his legs off. Hell, I know an... Well, she'd be nine now. 9-year old elven girl that can set up a car bomb faster than drek through a devil rat, and no screw-ups. Other than adding some additional items to "make the fire pretty."]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (03:40:59/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[I know the girl you're talking about, Money. Sweet kid, really. I've brought her along on some jobs where I need demo done. Again, I know my strengths, and I know my weaknesses. I got no skill for demolitions, and that is always a job you get someone who knows what they're doing to handle, no ifs ands or buts. Her job is actually easier, because most of the ingredients of home made explosives are legal to get at the local Stuffer Shack. She just goes up to Security, and says, "Mommy asked me to go out to the store and get some things," and they let her through. I actually sent her some tutorsofts I 'acquired' on one of my runs, to try and help round out her education. For a kid, tutorsofts are better than skillsofts, because they got plenty of time to learn, and you don't learn when you're on skillwires.
You know, I'll have to look the kid up when I get back. She actually lives in my building, so that won't be too hard. Parents are nice people, don't have a clue what their kid does for her money when she's 'out with her friends'. I actually helped her set up a bank account in her name under a fake ID (bank made me cosign for her), so all the money she's saving up from runs is sitting there, earning interest while she is in school. Also means she's got a good sized war chest ready to go if anything ever happens to her parents.
And that martial art is carromeleg. And if he didn't have magic or ware, I'm not surprised he lost to you. It was probably overconfidence, thinking his training and standing made him better than someone trained in the art of 'make guys bleed'. Training in carromeleg doesn't make me any better than someone with training in a different style. Martial arts is half skill and half discipline. You see plenty of people who are wired to the gills and can punch a hole in a truck get taken down by someone half their size who has the agility and discipline to not go wildly swinging. Mental discipline is part of that, and assuming you are better than your opponent is a failure in mental discipline.
Murphy's doing all right. Besides learning lessons in cross-species dating, he's picking up on some of the clues about what to do (and what not to do) when he's out of the Barrens. Of course, subvocal mikes are good for giving instructions without people hearing you, so I've been coaching him on how to act in some of the high society places we've been. And when I was having my chat at the Church of the Dragon with Gray Arrow, he was chatting with her Wildcat guards. Anyone who can deal with the Sioux and their culture of threats to gain respect and not start a fight or show weakness is already a couple steps up from most Barrens kids.
Oh, and if anyone is curious, I already found and confiscated the trid cameras my date's friends had planted while we were out. They were hoping to use it as blackmail. Of course, there may be a copy off site, but after reviewing the tapes, I'm not sure I won't use it as advertising for my cover as an escort. Just edit the sound out, so you don't get the attempts at interrogation. The girl's sleeping, and all she got for her trouble was a good time, and the cover story.
Smiley, good to hear you're going to train the kid right. I'm trying to do the same with the kid I'm training (both of them, if you count Murphy) and it doesn't do them any good to coddle them. I think another month of training the kid to fight, and teaching him the basics of the spellslinging part of things, and I'll send him down to Wolfgar to learn to use his adept abilities.
Murphy! If you're reading this in real-time, get some sleep. We've got an early flight back to Seattle, and you're going to lose time on the trip, don't forget.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (05:49:04/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[As I have to keep reminding myself, I'm not actually a razorboy, I just play one on the 'trid. My fighting style can be summed up as "Hurt people a lot", which as Murphy pointed out, includes myself apparently. I was wondering why my hand was aching. Having a few feet of steel shoved through it would certainly make sense.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (09:40:32/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[The whispers recede. I am at peace.
Those who would hunt us, they will not find us easy prey. We will not be rounded up. We will be free, and any who try to chain us will have to fight to do so. I am older now, but I have not lost the skills I had in the SCIRE. Any who would try to take the Angel will die by my blade.
We move. Hunters may come, but they will find nothing but death. Death and death, until they hunt us no more.
Shadows hide us, wherever we run. Hide us from the lives we've lived, and from those who wish us gone because of them.]<<<<<
--Faust (10:49:02/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[Why am I suddenly remembering something about an Angel... Fraggin' stabilizers and sleepy juice. And no access to my back-ups. Oh well, nap time again.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:48:50/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[ Told you.
Man, that girl can number crunch. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (17:40:54/01-17-2074)
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>>>>>[Silly Wyrm. Sure he's crazy. Listening to people say they want to track him down and 'contain' him and his friends probably doesn't make him saner. Bet you I go to him offering him cold nuyen to go blow the hell out of a target, and it ends a lot more positively than your goons going to him to try and do whatever the drek it is you do to former SCIRE victims.
You don't deal with crazy by crunching numbers. That kind of thing assumes everyone involved is acting rationally. When someone says he hears voices whispering to him, you can't assume that he's rational. No offense to any technomancers out there, but there was garden variety crazy 'voices in your head' long before there was 'i overhear the coffeemaker thinking' voices.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:00:00/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[I hear people talking about tracking me down and 'containing' me, I smile and reach for a very large rifle. Hunter or hunted, we shall see which is which.
Or, I would, if not for this damned tank!
Hey, Iceblade, you guys make it back to Seattle OK?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:06:52/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, Money. No problems, other than that awkward scene at the gate when the girl from the LIason Office wanted a goodbye kiss, and Murphy's new Missus showed up figuring on the same thing. We got back to Seattle just fine, picked up two RFID tags the girl had left on my clothes when we were about to board, and burned them. Fortunately, Murphy slept through the flight back, and I was busy chatting up this blonde nearby, so they got nothing, except a recording of the girl getting into the Mile High club. What can I say? When I think I'm being watched, I find most spooks don't care to listen to someone having sex. Makes for uncomfortable situations in the surveillance van, yeah?
So anyways, Murphy went to check in with his folks, and show them his first real payday. Think he's going to check in on your tank, Money, once he finds out where they sent you after you got tank-napped. I offered to send some fish food with him when he went to see you, but he thought that joke might be in poor taste.
In the middle of my training session with the kid, teaching him about channeling mana to form spells. He's picking up the basics, at least, enough to not accidentally fireball people any more while doing katas. That was an... unfortunate incident, but not entirely unexpected, which is why we were practicing in the forest. And why we left, fast, before the Salish showed up. They get so touchy about things like that.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:24:27/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, they got a "Only we can protect forest firebugs"-mentality that's backed up by steel-jacked lead. Thanks for watching out for him, Iceblade, I owe ya. It's been my job for three generations, and... I dropped the ball on this one. OK, fine, I was not in my right head, and stuck in a tank, but still.
Be glad when I'm out of here. That damned kidnapping delayed things badly.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:00:00/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[Well, the kid I'm training is a mystic adept, so he needs someone Awakened to train him. There is only so much a mundane could teach him. Just like you need a technomancer to train a technomancer. Talent makes you see the world differently from those without it, and those who don't have the Talent can never appreciate the intricacies involved. Oh, they can see the results, sure. But they can't teach you how channeling mana into a manabolt is different from channeling it into a healing spell. Just like a non-hacker could see the difference between an Attack and Medic program, but they couldn't tell you how they work.
And quit worrying about Murphy. Assuming he doesn't get stupid, or his luck doesn't run out, I think he'll go far. He's already showing himself to be better equipped to deal with situations outside his comfort zone than most kids who come pouring out of the Barrens. If he survives to the end of the year, I think he's got a long career ahead of him.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (22:10:33/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[Well, today went better than I thought with pretty girl. First, I made her choose her Shadowname by saying the first word that would come to her mind. Autumn is what popped up. More poetic and less ironic than mine but also fitting. Physical training all day and we spent the evening working on the, well, emotional part of the training. I sense depression and distress in her and I have to change that, or she'll either end up killing herself or I'll have to do it. We took a walked in the Barrens, I was showing her the world outside the Corporate Walls. I showed her some pretty horrible things, we even played pick-a-pair-of-bums. She could stomach it and she already seems to replace her current state of mind with disgust and loathing. It takes a lot of work to mold a mind into something capable of cold-blooded murder. We're going to do that every evening I'm not hanging at the Powerline or playing at the Skeleton. If everything goes well and she doesn't die first, it should only be a question of time before she'll show disregard for metahuman life. And I'll even have a gift for her when she's ready. She's going to like her first contract.
Since we're on the discussion of training runners, I'm curious to know what's on your usual training programs. She's my first trainee and since I'm going to train her for wetwork, I'll go with something based on my own training. Physical training, general combat training (advanced training in hand to hand combat), stealth, artistic and social skills and finally psychological conditioning and mental resilience. This isn't an exhaustive list of things I've planned for her but it's pretty much the big lines. She'll follow me everywhere until training is done. I don't even have to pay a single nuyen for her training, daddy was rich enough and also had a good insurance in case of "sudden disappearance". How about you guys? How do you mold someone into a lethal and effective runner?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (22:58:51/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[ This is the third time I'm composing this. Suffice it to say, Your Excellency, that you have no idea of which you speak.
Smiley, you start out with cardio. You run them up and down the nearest mountain. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (23:10:44/01-17-2074)
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>>>>>[I can tell you what I'm doing with my trainee. Oh, he chose a name for himself, as well. Then I hit him with the practice sword until he picked one that wasn't from Neil the Ork Barbarian. He settled on Bladesinger. Kid actually has a decent voice, so perhaps its appropriate.
Anyways, as for how I'm training him, we start with physical conditioning. All your basic PT stuff, for now. I'm not an expert on how to train Adepts, but I figure if I at least build up his stamina a bit, Wolfgar will have an easier time of things. Teaching him to use a blade is a big thing, of course. I favor swords, myself, but he seems better suited to those forearm snapblades. Different style, but should be effective. The trick is finding what works for him. I'm sure its about the same for you and Autumn, Smiley.
As far as magic goes, though, that's where things get difficult. A tradition is a reflection of your self. It goes into how you see the world. There are elements that aren't too different from philosophy. How you train someone depends on the tradition. For my tradition, it is about disciplining the mind and body, and letting the mana flow through you. It is hard to describe to someone who hasn't experienced it. The main thing to remember is to keep their initial training someplace that is either away from the public, or strong enough to take a beating. You can have runaway or accidental spells real easily at this stage. And you want to make sure the kid doesn't overextend himself.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (23:51:43/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[You do realize we don't all hate those existing around us, right? Some of us respect the living not to brainwash our friends and apprentices into hardened killing machines. After you do that, you're really not much better than corpsec without a corp contract. That's a dark life to live omae, you don't want that kind of thing to nibble at your soul.]<<<<<
--Specks(23:51:56/1-17-74)
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>>>>>[If you are going to take the kid on a run, you have to harden them. There will be shooting, there will be blood, there will be people dying around you. If you can't keep cool when everything's going to hell, then you're going to get yourself and your team killed. You don't have to harden them to the point that Smiley is talking about unless you're going for the full on wetwork role. But you can bet that corpsec won't think twice before putting you down, so you better be prepared to do the same to them.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (00:12:12/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Iceblade, remind me to try and get you if I ever have a kid and it comes a time for them to get some self defense training.]<<<<<
--Predator (00:17:53/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[I'll be clear with you as I've been clear with her. First, she's not my friend, she's my trainee. Second, that's what she wants, to be a remorseless contract killer (her words, not mine). I did warned her to be mindful of what she wishes for. Third, hate only is the first step. She'll have to let go of it to become ultimately completely uncaring. It worked for me! Independent thinking is also on the program, don't worry. I'm not programming a drone, I'm molding an assassin. At the end, she's going to do whatever the frag she wants, whenever she wants to and she'll have the tools and the state of mind to do just that. If you don't understand that, then you clearly don't know what it takes to kill people in cold blood for a living and on a regular basis. I did mentioned it takes a special breed of people to do wetwork.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (00:27:14/01-17-74)
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>>>>>[Null sheen, Pred. One good thing about my life, I got some real training before I hit the shadows. Most of it is the same kind of thing militaries have been doing since there were militaries. Break them down and build them up. I personally prefer blades, so I'd send people elsewhere to learn to shoot.
And Smiley is correct. To kill people on a regular basis, you either have to be cold, or go mad.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (00:40:43/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Iceblade, your kid in Seattle? I could pop over for some early adept stuff, being one myself. I probably can't give nearly the comprehensive learning some older, likely initiated ones can, but I can help lay some pretty solid foundation. Wouldn't hurt him to learn some hand to hand anyways, given that most spirits ignore your weapons unless it's a focus. An adepts fists on the other hand....well, lets just say one free spirit learned I'm not someone to try to possess the hard way.]<<<<<
-- Card (00:45:31/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[What the hell. I learned how to survive things by being kicked out of the door at eight years old by my bastard of a father after my mother died giving birth to the demon that used to call himself my brother. Yeah yeah yeah, poor rich kid and all that. Well, hiked my hoop a few hundred klicks in the middle of winter to my Grandfather's and learned how to be a hunter from him, as he learned from his father, and so on and so forth. I got a few other lessons from a few other folks as well, and Grandpa also taught me a lot of the Neo-@ and anti-authoritarian stuff. Grandpa wasn't any easier on me, but that's the family way. 'Course, he never expected me to cheat.
Put myself through university, started my own business here in Seattle, got bought out, got shifted over to being a Johnson to try and kill me because they found out about the employee contracts too late, learned the streets from that, rest is history.
Damn, I never tell that story. They're playing around with my meds again. Seems they're still trying to figure out how to sort things out with some of my organs not accepting the stuff as well as most people. They put the damned things in me, you'd think they'd know how to adjust everything. Going to take that up with my Representative when I get out of this... Sleeeeeeeeeeeeepy...]<<<<< >>>User: Money Johnson disconnected at source<<<
-- Money Johnson (01:35:42/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Kicked outsh... Yeash, I waz kicked oush two. I waz kickkked outz at 14, when iz kame home wit' muh first sticka pay. "Go play wit' yer Pixie friendz. Yer nah suna mine." dat bastard ofa father said. Onlies Uncle Bob stood upz for me. Got muh and Uncles schuff outta da plase he an' Grandpa paid fer... In muh car now, th' schtuff, not me, i'z somewhere elze. Dark plaze, secret plaze. Whie'd noune tellz me drinkin' waz zo fun? Whee. Great time... Hey, mix th' real stuff wit' th' virtual stuzz here, shee what happenz.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (01:41:00/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Drinking away the first paycheck I see. Hahaha! That's a classic!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (02:28:44/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Boozse wuz here alr... Alrah... I foundz it. Gotza full stick an' planz fer it. New roofs, shinglies, fil...fil... ful... fuc... FILTER for the A/C. Second 'Still fer wah-wah-wah-wahter. T'ings to make da housh better. Kicked out inshed. No fairy gold dere, no blood muhney frum Mr. Muhney... Notin' needed 'sept da Trogs from da Trogs to da Trogs.
Damn doze Trogs!!! Whipe 'em all out. 'Umanis mhite be roight on dat. Damn bottle broke, don't givez me more boozahol. Oh, good, new bottle.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (02:35:31/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Right. When an ork starts agreeing with Humanis, you know he's had too much to drink.
Murphy, you used to live in Redmond, right? At the very least take this as a chance to move up to Puyallup or the Underground. At least there you're not as likely to get knifed walking home from the store. Sure, there are other issues, but they're not the little slice of hell that Redmond is. And use the rest to upgrade your gear, and dive head first into the shadows. Guns, ammo, armor, ware, if you can afford it. Just don't do anything stupid and get in debt to one of the syndicates to get it.
Card, everyone should know at least the basics of hand to hand, but yeah, I use a focus when I'm working. The tradition I'm teaching him is about blade as an extension of the arm, magic as an extension of the will. Also, there is something about a gun or a blade that deters some of the violence that would be coming your way. They see the threat, and the riffraff know you're dangerous. Unless you're a troll, being unarmed just doesn't convey that same threat. But teaching some of the other things, like how to speed his reflexes and things, will make it easier on Wulfgar when he gets hold of him.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (07:02:05/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[ Speaking of foci...Ice, I've got something I want your opinion on. As a Swordmage, I think you're most qualified to assess its utility. It's a stacked weapons and centering focus I've forged in the shape of a sword. The blade is double-edged, with the two edges each of a different alloy, one silver-coloured, the other looks dusted gold - and infused with orichalcum to make it easier to enchant. I started doing this project more as an artistic challenge to myself to see if I could actually make a focus like that but, after learning about the Swordmages, I think there might be a market for a weapon like this. Although it will be dreadfully expensive. It certainly was to make.
Mmm...I know elves like that too. Elves from the elves to the elves. those of us who had human parents have a very hard time understanding it.
This is absolutely the last time I agree to be a stand-in singer. I had to learn sixteen songs in a day! And it's not even in my preferred genre. I'm exhausted. But...at the same time, exhilerated. There's a different kind of energy performing old-fashioned rock than jazz isn't there? Very different kind of response from the audience too. They drain you...but at the same time reflect back so much...
Sleep...I need sleep... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (08:31:31/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[That... that sounds like a thing of beauty, Madre. Clearly best for an initiate of some grade, but yes, any swordmage would be honored to have such a blade. The silver edge is especially useful, since there are a lot of creatures who have an allergy to silver. The blade sounds like a masterwork, Madre. I can safely say that my blades cannot hold a candle to a creation like that.
Unlike other traditions, you won't find much in the way of trappings for a swordmage's work. With the exception of certain fetishes, and foci, our blades are the only things that speak about our work. They are likely to be intricately made, often enchanted, and usually unique creations. My blades are like no other I've seen, and I've named each one. I know, a bit of a romantic touch, but it seemed right. A thing of beauty and power should have a name to match, I think.
Rock and jazz are certainly different styles. And you're right about the energy of the crowd. I'm no singer, but who hasn't had a job that started out from Underworld 93 or Club Penumbra? Though it makes me wonder about the possibility of a music-based tradition. Glad you're still singing, my dear.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (09:26:34/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Murphy i swear I'm gonna bring my cousins up there with a cajun care package and a lesson in family manners. Money you might remember them, that pair of vietnamese/cajun orks that fished you out of the bayou.]<<<<< -- Wolfgar (10:20:15 / 01-18-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...thank you, kind sir. I'm glad you approve. This kind of custom work is what I'd like to specialise in. Mmm...and I can certainly understand the romanticism of naming blades. It's something we Spaniards know something about, whether noble-born or from the meanest gutters. Anyway...if you know of someone who can use a blade like this, let him know, would you? If I can't find a good home for it, I'll have to melt it down and reuse the materials.
As for the singing...well, I discovered that I do enjoy it. I sing semi-regularly at various music clubs. Jazz primarily, but after last night, I think I'll branch out a bit. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:16:31/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[MELT IT DOWN? Are you INSANE? That is a piece of pure art you're talking about there!
You know what? Screw it. Name a price, and I'll find some way to get the money, or find a buyer. Fine craftsmanship like that should never go to waste.
Melt it down. As if!]<<<<<
--Iceblade (12:20:43/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[ Now now, Ice. It's not like it was custom made for anyone specific. It was just a personal challenge to see if I could do it. Mind you...I don't make wall ornaments. The foci I make are meant to be used, and I think you'll find the weapon is well balanced and robust. Artistic pride, you understand. *smile*
As for the price...it's likely to turn your hair white. I did some calculations on how much I put in. It all comes to about Y175,000. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (13:03:31/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[I'm going to be honest. If a cybered up ork or troll wants your money, a heavy pistol on your hip isn't going to deter them. It'll pink off, they'll laugh, then you'll get a concussion or shot anyways.
My philosphy is "Be the smallest target possible," meaning, don't give them reasons to WANT to hijack me. A: I have no pistol, meaning whatever I'm carrying likely isn't going to bring all that much on any market, and it's not likely to be anything they want to slot. B: I deliver on motorcycle, instead of a nice protective car, practically screaming "This package is likely not worth the time."
Doesn't always work, but being unarmed and on a supposedly drek bike (Thank you camo) usually lets the one or two desperate enough to try get close enough for a taser to the skull. Besides, I tried using guns, even with stick and shock: My aim, is horrendous. and I don't personally have time most weeks to hit the firing range to actually obtain any skill, between Triad work, real work, and sharpening my adept skills.
But yeah, I can teach him how to enhance his reflexes, and how to compartment his mind to handle multiple input, like driving at nearly a hundred while talking on here, or noticing small details while in a fight.]<<<<<
-- Card (13:13:14/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Yowch. That's a helluvalot there. I know some people back home who could use it. And then there's always dragons, I guess. Or I could do a bunch of jobs to try and round that much up. Anyone know what the going rate Tamanous pays for a body? Geez, 175K.
Seriously, though, don't melt it down. I'll find someone who can use it, and pay for it, even if I have to hunt for telesma to sell in trade. Don't know what various telesma are worth, though. What would it take to round up enough telesma to pay that off?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:28:53/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[ @Madrecita: Sold. ]<<<<<
-- Chrona (18:36:31/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[That's it, someone get me out of this tank! I'm going to go down there, in a fraggin' hospital gown with my hoop bare to the world and show those racist bastards what's what! Fine, not liking me because I got their family dead is one thing, but kicking a guy out for taking an ELVES CRED? That's call PUTTING IN FRAGGIN' WORK! That pays for the food, the roof, the everything that makes that buidling Fraggin' work! Those mothersloters I'm going to...]<<<<< >>>User: Money Johnson has been moved to the Time Out Node due to excessive profanity<<<
-- Money Johnson (14:19:42/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Money, stay in the damn tank. When you get out, and Murphy sobers up, just cut them off. From everything. And let them see how well they can get by without Murphy bringing in the cred. Either they'll come crawling back, or they will continue to self-destruct. Either way, it isn't your problem. Beating them to a pulp won't change their views. Isolating them from friends, family, neighbors, and work will force them to either make nice, or starve. And if they can't do what it takes to survive...]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:40:02/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Family problems... Never had any. I'd need to have a family to have that.
Wow. Not even two days of training and she's already doing research on ways to kill people. I looked at her matrix search history and plant based poisons came up a lot. What's the deal with women and poisons anyway?]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:03:41/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Uh oh. Start being careful with how you train this one, Smiley, especially if checks turn up a lot of those poisons being undetectable post-mortem and tasteless when cooked in food.]<<<<<
-- Predator (15:05:15/01-18-2074)
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>>>>>[I'm not a fan of poisons, myself. Too messy. Instead of killing people, I prefer to simply persuade them to get out of the situation. But I can be very persuasive when I want to.
Oh, and hello to you all. You can call me Wyrmtongue.]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (15:22:29/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[ Oh Ice. If you want it that badly, I can always keep it for you. It's not like I'm in a hurry to sell it or anything. It does suit you, I think.
Money...I agree with Ice. If Murphy's family would rather throw him out, then it's their loss. I daresay you're as much family to him. Perhaps even more so. So can others be, if he lets us. He's certainly not short of people willing to help him.
Welcome Wyrmtongue. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:30:31/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Well hello there Wyrmtongue. The issue is that, well, it's not a question of persuasion. No, it's a question a fulfilling a contract, that person must die if you want your paycheck. That's wetwork for you chummer.
Why would I discourage her from her research? Undetectable and tasteless poisons are a perfectly valid way of doing wetwork.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:42:23/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Hey there, Wyrm. Good to see you on here.
Discourage? I don't remember saying that. I was just saying to be careful how you go about training now. Don't want to end up being her "test subject" for the poisons after all.]<<<<<
-- Predator (15:46:43/01-18-2074)
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>>>>>[Hey, Preddy baby. Didn't know you were on here! A friend of a friend told me about this, so I thought I'd check it out. You know I'm always looking for new experiences. And BTL drinks! Two of my favorite things in one. How can I say no?
And yeah, Smiley, I'm not really cut out for wetwork. I'm a shaman, and a lover, not a fighter.]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (16:04:12/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Oh! Well in that case, she knows I'm a bad test subject. Nearly everyday, I poison myself with a really small dose of poisons to make myself resistant. Not immune, it still may work but it may not be so satisfying for observation purposes. I'm not doing it because I'm paranoid, but since I use poisons myself from time to time and accidents may happen, best take precautions. She noticed my habit when I take my morning tea, it's probably what gave her the idea.
I do hear that a lot "I'm not cut out for wetwork"... Make me feel special. Hahaha!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (16:41:18/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Anyone can "be cut out for wetwork". The issue comes in on whether or not a given person can rationalize the kill to themselves, which is why some will only perform a wetwork job for certain "causes".]<<<<<
-- Predator (16:43:31/01-18-2074)
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>>>>>[Yeah, only time I ever killed someone was... well, I needed money, and a fake SIN, and other gear, so I agreed to be in a few trids for one of the Rings while hooked up to a simrig. It paid well enough for me to get on my feet, as it were, and into the shadows.
You would be surprised some of the things people would want to experience in simsense. Don't know why they'd want to experience THAT, but I guess people are just strange like that.
So it isn't like I can't kill, but it isn't something I like doing as a rule. If they're dead, you can't play with them any more!]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (16:49:15/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Ey, Murphy, if you need somewhere to sober up/cool off/lay low, you're welcome to head up to my place. You can chill with me and my mechanic Lucas. Best damn wrench jockey I know, and he's an orc to boot, so we'll be able to handle stuff if you get too rowdy if you get drunk again.]<<<<<
-- Card (16:51:15/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[... AND THEN WHEN I BREAK MY FOOT OFF IN HIS HOOP, I'LL...]<<<<< >>>User: Money Johnson has been moved to the Time Out Node due to excessive threats of violence<<<
-- Money Johnson (20:25:18/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[ Let's not get our Wyrms mixed up, now. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (18:20:01/01-18-2074)
>>>>>[ Females use poison because of the hierarchy of battle. ]<<<<<
-- Hawatari (19:32:49/01-18-2074)
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>>>>>[Warning! Shameless self promotion comin' up fast!
Hehe. Just to say that Thanks for Coming Out is playing at the Skeleton tonight. The set starts at 11PM. For those interested, just say the word and I'll get you in. Afterparty backstage too!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (21:34:29/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[Back and calmer now. Stoned too, mood stabilizers, I think they're the same stuff they put in the ACHE's food, actually. Murphy's offline. Hey, talking about poison, cool. I got about fifteen going through my system right now. The doctors say they're just drugs to make me feel better but... ... Oh, right that's why I don't take mood stabilizers, they make me paranoid. Either that, or the doctors are trying to kill me. No, they're paid too much, probably the nurses...]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (22:07:42/01-18-74)
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>>>>>[ Anyone can kill. You just need the right reason, that's all. If someone needs killing, then he needs killing. That's really all there is to it. I wouldn't be able to do it as a profession. I'm just not wired like that. But if the reason is right, then I can kill, easily and efficiently, remorselessly. That is one of the first things Wolf teaches. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (01:05:40/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[I guess I have a bit of a disadvantage for that. I'll gladly put someone into the wall for attacking me or mine. I have yet to kill yet though. I guess it's my own little code of ethics or morality...I'm sure one day I'll have a better reason then money to break that, but for now, it serves.]<<<<<
-- Card (01:16:40/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Wolf, huh? If that's who calls to you, then there's no arguing with him. For me, I listen to the sweet words of the Seductress. She definitely knows how to have a good time, yeah? And Smiley, that was a killer show last night! You guys should have seen some of the ladies who were there! Good enough to eat, every last one of them.
Speaking of which, now I'm hungry. I think rabbit's on the menu today...]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (06:38:06/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Oh dear Ghost... It feels like something died in my mouth, and I have one of Mr. Money's repeated concussions. And everything is too bright, in a completely dark room. Oh, AR brightness down, better. People do this to themselves willingly? What the hell was that stuff I was drinking? The jugs say turpentine, but they're dated from the 2040s and obviously reused. I'm just going to drill a hole in my head to let the pain out, with my Ares Predator.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (09:15:31/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Hahaha! High caliber bullets to the head is a great way to end an existence of suffering but way overkill to end a hungover! Pun intended.
Killer show... Haha! I'll assume the pun wasn't intended. Well, the afterparty in our loge was pretty wild, so I'll assume I've seen a few of them (and pretty up close I'd say). Glad you had a good time chummer. We also did!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (12:48:25/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...Seductress. In many ways, she is the antithesis of wolf. 'Nuff said
Murphy, I have never understood the enjoyment of strong drink. It hurts afterwards, and you can never remember the enjoyment of what you did while under the influence. And usually, it's also better that way. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:51:40/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[I remember everything. Every. Thing.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (13:32:48/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Murphy, this is why you don't go drinking things you can't identify. That was probably some crackpot's home brew. You're lucky you didn't go blind, or worse. So, you remember everything, hmm? Didn't meet any more nagas, did you?
And yes, people do drink on purpose. The trick is learning when to stop. I know how much I can drink, and not be impaired, and I know how much it takes me to get completely wasted. I usually stop somewhere between those two benchmarks. I've never gotten to the 'metahuman agreeing with Humanis' stage, though. That must be some strong stuff you were drinking.
Now, if you're done trying to drink your problems away, go find yourself a new place to live. Shouldn't be squatting if you have other options.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:48:34/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[ You'd be surprised at how little it really takes to start impairing you. Sometimes you don't even notice it.
Murphy, I daresay you can afford to move out of Redmond. A former student of mine lives in Puyallup. I'm sure he can hook you up with something. And if he doesn't...there's an Ork fixer called Hagar I can direct you too. He will definitely be able to help you out with shelter. You may have to take a 'run for him in exchange, but hey...that's all good, right? ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:39:40/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Meh! Stop worrying about Murphy. He's going to be fine!
I missed you at the concert yesterday, Madrecita. I didn't see you in the crowd.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (16:46:26/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Alcohol is your friend. But then, I'm the kind of person who will try anything at least once. Booze, drugs, sex, chips, whatever you got, I'm down. I mean, I try and lay off while I'm on the job, but when I'm on my time... Well, Seductress likes for me to enjoy myself. Something I couldn't do when I worked for MCT.
Oh, yeah, I used to work security at an MCT facility in Seattle. But the Court said they had to either put me under contract, or let me go, and I decided to go. So here I am in the shadows.]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (17:54:24/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Murphy, you can stay at my place if you can make it up to Everette. At least until you find somewhere you would rather stay. I know I have an extra room, or if nothing else, my mechanic buddy can put you up in the worst case, though we'd have to think of a cover story as to why I know you. He's not...clued in to what I do.]<<<<<
-- Card (18:16:04/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Murphy's fine, housing-wise at least. Seems someone anonymously dropped an apartment on him. He gave me the legwork to look into seeing if it's hinky, but doesn't seem to be from all I can look into. And, let's face it, even in the tank I can still make CommCalls. He was previously at some Bolthole that his Uncle set up, and must have told him about. Don't know why he was in the dark, as I taught Uncle Murphy a few tricks from my own storage caches when you can't remember where you put everything (Hitting your shin on a few crates of rifle ammo hurts like hell!), just some glowsticks within easy reach of the door to find the light.
As for what he was drinking, I remember those bottles. Official Cascade Ork's Finest Moonshine with Certificates of Authenticity! It was extra for the "Traditional" clay jugs. Uncle Murphy used it as a degreaser when he found firearms in cosmoline. I took a sip once.
Once.
Anyhow, aside from having way to ghetto a car for the neighborhood he's now living, he's starting to adjust to living on his own and only having his extended family to rely on. His direct family he's written off. I haven't.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (19:47:12/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[How do you ghetto a car? Only car I've ever had is a cab I got with a couple after market addons. Mostly just getting it on that GridGuide thing, and then giving it a way to bypass the limits? I dunno what it does, just that it lets me drive anywhere I'm likely to go without stopping to refuel.
I'll admit, I don't really understand most of this technology. There was nothing like this where I grew up.]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (20:01:02/01-19-74)
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>>>>>["Ghetto" is a term meaning old technology or something that looks like it deserves to be in a Ghetto. In Murphy's car's (A '61 Ford Americar, BTW) case, it's body is mostly rust, the rear passenger door is replaced with one from a Dodge Avenger in blue (The rest of his car is black and rust), and the engine sounds out of tune.
It's all camouflage. Damn thing is what's called a "Sleeper" car, something that looks like drek, but is really high-end performance. I drove it around for a bit, and it reminds me of the handling of a Patrol-1, only a bit heavier and with more armor. It fit in perfectly when he was living in the Barrens, just like every other barely running car on the street. Now, not so much.
Not exactly giving away secrets here. Any 'runner worth their ride will have it modified the way they like it, and to hell with everything else.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (20:10:00/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Wow. You can do that with cars? I never knew. I understand camouflage, though. If I go outside looking like I normally do, I cause a bit of a stir in this neighborhood. Fortunately, a quick spell going through a sustaining focus means that I look perfectly normal, and no one suspects that I'm not exactly what I appear to be.
Plus, then I don't have to deal with being recognized from those trids.]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (20:33:02/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Oh? Well, none of my business really. You did just make me curious though.]<<<<<
--Predator (20:48:15/01-19-2074)
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>>>>>[Well, you've seen a couple of my disguises already, Preddy. But dealing with a magical disguise is better than dealing with the talismongers. Or the people who've seen that trid. Like I said, when I first left MCT, I needed some money to get going. Did a couple trids for one of the Rings to earn some nuyen. It was real out there stuff, but the pay was good, and my meals for a month were included.]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (21:10:25/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[Yes, you can do that with cars, Mr. Wyrmtongue. I'm already shopping for a new one, and my cousin (third-cousin, I think) has been looking to buy mine for almost a year now, so she'll be able to get it finally. Mr. Money has a few automobiles that he has shown around and used on 'runs. He usually drives a red Pueblo Motors Jackalope that's actually a C-N Jackrabbit knock-off, but it's about as stock as he is. (Again, no secrets there. He drove the damned thing through a bar once. Well, almost, the floor gave way at the end.).
Not too sure about the neighborhood, but it seems like a nice apartment, and someone left some tomatoes growing there that I picked one just after I dropped off my first set of boxes. Have to get furniture, and, um, "Other Supplies" that I'm sure we all know what I'm talking about. Trying to figure out how to get that past the cameras. Also trying to figure out why there always seems to be a party going on here. No big deal, I got cyberaudio systems as soon as my hearing started to go due to shooting indoors. Doesn't take long.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (22:31:29/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[You need furnishing? That place was already pretty nicely furnished the last time I went there. Ask the landlord if don't like it, or miss anything because it's included in the rent. There's a blind spot under your balcony for your smuggling needs, just pull things up using a winch and your in business. When the neighbors gets too loud, use the Home Management Software Suites to turn on the sound dampeners. Not used to that kind of lifestyle are you? I'm sure you'll make a lot of friends in there, I did.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:15:29/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[After I broke the couch under my weight (I'm not a small ork), I checked the labels, they're all from Cara'sir (Um, that's Portland according to online sources), and designed to specifications that are usually only found in Elves and Humans. I guess I'll have to talk to the Landlord about that. I'll double-check the blind spot in case someone set up a camera there later than you know about, and will do that, thank you Mr. Smiley.
Was this one of your old places? You sound like you know it well...]<<<<<
-- Murphy (23:35:59/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[I did, a few years ago. The place hasn't changed much though. Hope you'll like the change in scenery.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:58:33/01-19-74)
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>>>>>[ Sorry for missing the concert, Smiley. I had some unexpected biz to take care of. Some asshole decided it just wasn't right for an "elven witch" to reside close by. He and a couple of buddies thought I was an easy mark. All it took to let them know how wrong they were was a few broken ribs, a cracked skull, and piles of missing teeth. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (01:344:40/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[Yes, all the best furniture made in the Tir tends to be designed for elves. Too tall for dwarves to be comfortable, and too delicate for orks, trolls, or people with a lot of chrome. And yes, that is all by design. Still, beautiful woodworking on some of it.
Murphy, when you get settled in, I've arranged a housewarming gift for you. I wouldn't actually wave it around the house, though. Don't want to damage the furniture. But I figured a combat axe would be a good thing to have for someone your size. There's an AR skin on it that makes the axehead look like its great leaping flames coming off it when you're looking in AR. Should make for an intimidating sight when you're threatening someone with it.
What? I like my gifts to be functional and aesthetically pleasing.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (06:40:34/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[Well, now that the mood stabilizers are out of my system and the doctors figure that they can cut back on the neural drugs, I'm starting to remember a bit more of what happened to me. I was trying to figure out what the hell happened to made our intel on the job go so badly. Yeah, it was heavily magically protected (Paracritters, Hellhounds mostly, but some Wolf Shifters mixed with the metahuman guards) with a contract magician on-call. I neutralized the magician (Or, I should say, paid to have him neutralized for the night, he woke up with the worst hangover of his life), distracted the Hellhounds, and threw a few tricks I knew to keep the Wolf Shifters from noticing us. Hell, it's easy enough, actually, don't smell like gun oil and metahuman, they rely on their sense of smell as much as metahumans rely on sight.
Anyhow, drones galore out of nowhere. All hardwired. Pop-Up Sentry Turrets, Rail-mounted Drone MGs, that sort of thing. Wrong loadout for that sort of thing. And not a hint that any of them were there in the pre-op intel check.
So I'm going through the folks I talked to before, and being a lot less polite than I was before about asking questions. Problem is, the folks didn't change their stories or anything, not for money or fear, keeping professional. Hell, they were pissed as well, a few had other things riding on the 'run going right as well. I was at the second meet, big fixer I've used for a decade and trust as far as I can throw him (He was an anorexic dwarf, so that's actually a fair distance), when I get hit in the back of the head, find my body doesn't like being upright any more, and smash face-first into the table and floor. Now, bones are nicely wrapped in titanium, cartilage is not. Hense the wrecked nose.
Next thing I know, I'm waking up with a really big mad on, and someone spraying harsh chemicals in my face, and every one of the Fixer's crew is dead around me. Cybereyes are wonderful in the fact that they stay open for me when I fall asleep. Anyhow, two cleaners (crime scene, not killers) are in full disposable enviro suits, on splashing blood all over the place using buckets, and the other with a backpack sprayer. Typical work, spread out a lot of DNA, and then wrangle it together with Cleaner-Cleaner. So, I surprise the hell out of Mook #1, rip off his hood, and shove the nozzle of the sprayer down his throat and squeeze the trigger. Mook #2 is pawing at his hip trying to get at the pistol that probably isn't there even under the enviro suit, and, well... I'll spare you the details.
Still working on the rest, it's a blur. I got some holos and aud recordings however. Mostly people begging for their lives and a long spiel in a form of Sperethiel I'm not fully familiar with, something about breaking a wheel and polluting the blood of some twenty-syllable long word. A name maybe? Anyhow, the clanging of blades and me talking smack in the same tongue doesn't help matters with that one. Oh, look, the ugly as hell human orderly is putting in my sleepy meds. Where's the cute dwarf nurse, I liked...]<<<<< >>>User: Money Johnson disconnected at source<<<
-- Money Johnson (13:23:14/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[Money, if you could send me those recordings, I might be able to tell you more, being a native speaker, and all. But from what you said, I'd have to say that the elves were either from Tir na Nog, or the job originated there. Probably both. The Path of the Wheel is a big thing over there. And if you think Tir Tairngir under the Council was biased against non-elves, you haven't seen anything until you go to Tir na Nog. But those dreamers don't usually bother themselves with things outside their island, unless it has something to do with magic.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:45:52/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[Guess I'd better scrap those ideas about saving up for a vacation over there then.]<<<<<
--Predator (13:46:36/01-20-2074)
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>>>>>[Money, let me know when you need that job done.]<<<<<
--Chrona (18:49:52/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[*Emote: Yawn* I'll fumble through it a bit myself first, Iceblade. Might be something personal I don't want to get out. During the sleep, I remember the name, but for the life of me, can't remember where. The guy did have a Tairngir accent, however, so he wasn't from the nOg. Chrona, something just came up, sending you an e-mail now.
Bleh, new drugs leave a taste in my mouth that makes the nutrient tank taste good by comparison. Let me check my chart. Oh, better security now. Here we go, oh, lovely, radiation to get ready for more scanning. Why not just open my skull and take samples?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:26:55/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[Because it is cheaper to pump you full of radiation and scan than to cut you open, replace blood and tissue, and then pull things out to examine them? But hey, what's the worst that could happen, other than a little premature hair loss and cancer?
Well, other than someone slipping a kink bomb in there by 'mistake'.
Anyways, Money, glad to hear you're feeling better. And the offer's still out there if you can't get through some of the sperethiel parts.
I may be going out of town again before too long. Client with special tastes has a package to be delivered up the well. Always an experience going into space, so long as I don't try and go astral. That'll make your brain bleed, unless you're on one of the stations that has enough life together to give you a weak manasphere.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:57:24/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[Job went down fine, Money. Negotiations reached a standstill when they were insulted you'd sent a Ghoul to negotiate. Their sniper had been made by my Spirit of Man before he started getting twitchy, so my Spirit thought best to slam him with control thoughts. With a red dot now on the Face's forehead and the shadows around them literally moving in closer, they were much more pliable. They settled on 10k and I reminded them you don't renegotiate with Money Johnson.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (22:57:52/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[Much appreciated, Chrona, pay delivered. Honestly, don't renegotiate with any Johnson unless they've screwed you on intel or the job or pay. It's unprofessional and why 'Runners and Johnsons have such bad names.
As for sending a Ghoul to negotiate, who was I going to send, the Good-Humor Ork with an SoyCream Cone? Frag that! I'm grabbing the biggest, meanest fragger I can get my hands on and sending them.
If you've ever heard of him, I sent The Suit in once. I stopped doing that, the group gave up Shadowrunning and now have security jobs. Except for one guy, apparently he went back to his real SIN and got into the ACHE to feel safe. "The Accountant From Hell" indeed! Yeah, better to send a big Ghoul or a Troll Combat Magician or something.
Still muddling through the Sperethiel parts with some ebooks I found, it fills the time in the tank at least. The rest I figured out who they all are. Bad guys who make Smiley look like the cute Dwarf Nurse I wish was still taking care of me. Chipper cute thing. World's better without 'em, and Uncle Murphy has a Death Guard if he wants it. My wife'll have them if he won't.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (18:07:12/01-20-74)
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>>>>>[Don't try renegotiating after the job is done. If you didn't negotiate before taking the job, that's your fault. Or rather your team's face's fault.]<<<<<
-- Predator (01:23:48/01-21-2074)
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>>>>>[Thank you Mr. Money, I was wondering about the people you left behind, and figured it was something like that. Uncle Murphy didn't believe in much aside from living from one day to the next, and learning as much as he could, it's why...
I'll tell you in person. Anyhow, all moved in, got the place secured, and helped the workers move the ork-strength furniture in. There's noise about, but it feels so large, and, empty... Ah well. My own place, my first home, I guess. Now to start on putting in work to get ahead on rent. Also need to get some scrap plate from a Quartermaster I know, they just did some repairs on the Vancouver, so there's lots of it for sale as scrap, legally too. I think that might be the first legal purchase I make from him...]<<<<<
-- Murphy (01:40:40/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[Glad to hear you're getting settled in, Murphy. Since you're still--for the most part--getting started, if you ever need another gun, give me a call. Be glad to help you out.]<<<<<
-- Predator (01:44:22/01-21-2074)
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>>>>>[Bad guys who makes me look like a cute dwarf nurse, hm? That's too bad for them, now I gotta repair that little scratch on my rep. Intel's coming in soon, I'll be back with a recording of their dying screams and the sound of my boots stomping on their throats.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (03:29:41/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[They're already dead Smiley. If they haven't been sent to the fleshmongers yet, it'd just be a wet squelch.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:14:38/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[Okay, then why are the guys I'm chasing are still alive? Either there's more to your story or I've been screwed on my intel. Alright sending you what I got. Either way, I'm killing those guys anyway. I'm here, they're here, my fixer approved the kills and I already killed one of them. Anyone wants to hear the recording? ]<<<<<
-- Smiley (23:26:13/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[ Thank you, but no. That's a private moment that I don't think should be shared. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (11:38:13/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[I'll take a copy Smiley. ]<<<<<
-- Chrona (17:19:19/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[ If you have the new girl with you, you can consider it a training mission too. So it's not completely a lost cause. ]<<<<<
-- Card (12:20:20/01-21-74)
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ERROR
ERROR
REALITY FILTERS BYPASSED
>>>>>[HORIZON IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. HORIZON IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. HORIZON IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. HORIZON IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. HORIZON IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. HORIZON IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL.
]<<<<<
-- ____ (- -:- -:- -/- --- --- -)
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>>>>>[*Emote: Sigh* Doesn't take long for the spam to come in. MACCALLISTER? You call this security?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:26:12/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[What does that mean? How can a corporation be good for the soul? Is Horizon a religion, then?]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (18:02:53/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[Not really. They're trying to win the hearts and minds of the public through a variety of means, so some might seem like a cult to some people because of that. Yeah, all the Corps do, Aztechnology has been the best at spin jobs until recently (aggressive wars are hard to spin into positive things), but Horizon is doing it the best right now.
As for it being "Good for the soul", they do have a number of "deals" where a percentage of every purchase goes to charities either of their own creation or older, fully legitimate ones. Yes, I checked the places out personally, and have had other people who are involved with charities with some shadow and light contacts check them too. So, in a way, buying their goods could be called "good for your soul" by helping the charities.
Horizon is, however, "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma", to quote Winston Churchill. The dirt on Horizon is pretty clean, individuals and departments, not anything big. Not like the rest of the Corps. Not that has been found, yet.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (18:29:42/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[ Oi, Money, thanks for putting me in touch with the old man. He knew how to get exactly what I wanted, and this stuff is GREAT. Makes me wonder why Horizon keeps making those drek 'runner' movies and shows and doesn't go back to this. I mean, hell, merchandizing is practically built into the show. I know they could save on some effects if they could find an adept or two to hire.
Now, if you don't mind me, I'm going to go pretend to be a little kid in the comfort of my own home. A thought: These shows show you EXACTLY how NOT to live a double life style...at least the versions where they have to keep their super power a secret. Might be good to watch just on that alone.]<<<<<
-- Card (19:07:48/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[No problem, Card. Grandpa's glad to share those with folks. But don't think there wasn't any merchandising in them back then. It's just not as overt. Subtle hints of old products with distinctive labels and such that you won't recognize today. (Even stuff that's still around, you won't recognize. This was actually the start of the Cola Wars-era, the cold period before Red and Blue started shooting it out with 'Runner teams over territory, production, and distribution when they both got AA-Status at the same time by the Corporate Court. Honestly, I don't know why the CC allows that war to go on, as it's bad for business. Then again, the AAA-Level Corps have their own Colas on the markets now, and anything that hurts the major front-runners helps them, so maybe it does make sense.
My favorite is still Q-Cola ("The Feathered Dragon's Choice"), even if it is an Aztechnology product. They use real sugar cane in it, while the rest use refined sugar, and there aren't as many "Will give you cancer" additives. (I know a chemist that gets bored and looks into things like that.). Horizon's Unity Cola ("The cola for everyone") is also good for lack of additives, but they use raw sugar, which is better than refined sugar, but not as sweet as sugar cane. For pure calories and punch, Ares Combat Cola is practically an energy drink, and most 'runners will have a six-pack in the back of their vehicles for quick energy. I keep one in my Jackalopoe, in fact, for the same reason. Along with water.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (19:17:33/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[I can honestly say I've never had cola before. Growing up, it was always what the peasants drank, while I had better choices available. And later, I decided why bother with cola, when there was whiskey? Or beer, if I'm in a dive. Then again, I never had soy until I went into the army.
And Card, there's two ways to live a double life. The first is to go with full on disguises (nanopaste, mask spells, whatever you have access to) in one or both of those lives. Makes for a lot of work, but the chances of someone recognizing you in both roles is remote. The other way is to do the hide in plain sight method. Cosmetic changes between the two roles, but you act differently as each persona. No one expects that a playboy noble turned high end male escort would be, as Madre once called me, a cold blooded killer. The key here is to make one part of your life a caricature, so that even if someone sees you playing criminal, they go "Nah, it couldn't be..." And if you can make it so your 'public' persona is well known, then a couple minor cosmetic changes for when you're running allows you to say that the person in the person in the mask was clearly using nanopaste, or was a copy. How many Nadja Daviars are there running around?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (19:43:23/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[Money: I ment the fact that, I mean, good gods, everything these guys use in the show could be a toy for a kid. Especially with the most recent advances, you could make stylized 'links that make the kid look like one of these sentai in AR. So many ways to make money.
Iceblade: I ment more the fact that it's SO OBVIOUS. Granted, in some of these, it seems masked heroes are a normal thing for the world, so if your best friend walks into an alley and the hero of hte area shows up, you just kinda shrug it off. I'll have to look into those two options though. Hell, likely doing one or the other unconsciously is a mark of someone who's just good at hiding stuff.]<<<<<
--Card (20:02:50/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[Smart people look for caricatures that are trying too hard, however. Use only some of it, and make it subtle for the rest. There's a reason stereotypes were created, but they're an amalgamation of things, not just one person... Usually. Some folks just aim for it just to be, or because they think they have to be it. *Emote: Shrug* I don't go in for that myself. Well, OK, I did pull a bit of the "Great White Hunter" in Africa, but that was just to make the kids laugh, rather than to throw people off my trail, I was there legally.
I will say that Nanopaste has been the greatest boon to me in a long, long time! Even just enough to throw off facial recognition is enough. You still look like you, people will recognize you (Important as people in the light and dark know me by my real face), but footage can't be used against you in a court of law without being edited. And if you have a good team behind you, you can show how it's been faked without screaming "I had nanopaste on, that's not real!" as we just saw in a recent case, which puts the rest of the evidence from the same lab in a bad view, even in other cases. I also used an old comic book trick, I stand straight when in the light, and hunch down in the shadows. Different heights, different walking styles, the works. (That trick is so old it isn't even looked for any more except by people my age! Or those taught by folks my age.).
Combat Helmets with built-in respirators are good too. I have a few, ranging from anti-inhalant, to anti-chemical, to anti-viral. I know a number of 'runners that use full-faced motorcycle helmets that have a lot of gadgets built into them. Internal air supplies are very popular, tongue toggle the seal and you're good. They're available at any bike shop legally, too.
Iceblade, if you're stuck in a dive with horrible beer and worse whiskey, try adding some Unity Cola or Q-Cola if you like things really sweet to the whiskey, and it'll make it more palatable. It's a standard mix, so even that crappy a bartender can't screw it up, too. Also, the carbonation gives you an endorphin rush from the pain sensors on your tongue going off. It's why carbonated beverages are so popular.
Card, most of those WERE toys for kids. Die-cast metal, and then plastic according to Grandpa. And the shows sold the toys. He remembers having some of them as a kid. Might even still have some in the the attic.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (20:02:41/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[ Every high-end noble I've ever met was a cold-blooded killer in some manner, no matter how they acted. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (21:12:23/01-21-2074)
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>>>>>[Oh, there's the political gamesmanship, of course, but that wasn't what I was talking about and you know it. Most nobles wouldn't deign to get their hands dirty with most things. No, they use proxies, and middlemen, and all the tricks your average Johnson would use, to keep from touching the subject, or even acknowledging that they had just signed someone's death warrant. There are some exceptions, of course, but they are not typical. And beyond that, there is the public perception, which I shouldn't have to tell you is often different from reality. The perception of most nobles is that they are schemers, who never get their own hands dirty, and certainly would never be seen in someplace like Aces out in Redmond. Sometimes the sheer absurdity of the notion means people automatically assume that it is a look-alike. If you saw someone who looked like Damien Knight chatting with some known runners in Club Penumbra, would you think that was actually Knight?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:34:43/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[Might explain why my Chummer who is some kind of Lord back in Old Blighty is in self-imposed exile. He's just happy enjoying life, really. Gotta see when he's back in town, I think.
Test with the radiation is done. There was lots of, "Oh don't worry, this won't hurt. And none of this type of radiation will bond to your body, you'll pee it all out. And it has a half-life of something like six months. And... I should get out of here before you cripple me like Doctor >Redacted<... How the hell he's able to stay a client I'll never know." and stuff like that. Just pulled up my chart again, and it looks like I'll be out of the tank soon, as all I have left is a residual headache to worry about, and they're starting to get nervous over, one: How I've been able to gnaw at my straps in the first place, and two: Just how close I am to getting out of them. Honestly, not even a magazine in here! And I really want a soycream cone ever since I mentioned the Good Humor Ork!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:14:52/01-21-74)
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>>>>>[ I'd suspend judgement until proof was acquired, and plan for either one -- if I needed to plan. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (00:41:36/01-22-2074)
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>>>>>[Alright, not sure who were these guys, all I know is that these guys were cleaners, really really bad men and that my fixer told me they were linked in some way to the other guys. But it's done, they are no more and as promised...
// upload media file :: user Smiley :: 01/22/74 //
// TerrorScreamsMegaMix audio file standing by //]<<<<<
-- Smiley (02:38:42/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[Ah, OK, that would explain it. No, I went after some bad SINless in the Puyallup Barrens. Rapists, sadists, fleshmongers, a few really bad pimps, one slumlord, and... It gets a bit fuzzy why I hated some of them, but they were all good fighters and made the world better by no longer breathing, that sort of thing. The folks that give SINless a bad name. Hell, the folks that give "Breathing and Alive" a bad name! No, the cleaners were bad men, yeah, but nothing compared to most professional Shadowrunners. If I wasn't at a meet with the Fixer's security watching the place... Well, I might have gotten shot in the back of the head anyhow because I couldn't see it coming.
As for the mix, that's a nice, soothing... Mmmmmmmmmmm...]<<<<< >>>User: Money Johnson has disconnected at source<<<
-- Money Johnson (02:54:55/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[Is that...dubstep screaming? I...I don't even know. It's awesome, but at the same time strikes something deep in my soul and freaks me out a little.]<<<<<
-- Card (3:21:33/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...I see a lot of traveling in my future. Two potential runs cropped up. One to South America and one to Africa. I may have to do both, in which case I won't be availible. I'll leave my good friend Sibongile to mind the store for me for those of you who get magical goods from me. Just thought I'd give you all a heads up ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:52:12/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[What part of Africa. I know it's a big place, but I got a few contacts you can count on not to rip you off there if you're close. PM me the details if you don't want them public.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:55:15/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[ Azanian confederation. It's a missing person I have to locate and smuggle out of the place. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (17:01:12/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[Still a pretty big place. *Emote: Raspberry* OK, I sent you a list of Fixers I know, some have retired to the area for a variety of reasons, but they probably keep their hands in the business. The ones that are bolded are folks that still owe me from long ago, and don't let them try to tell you it's the other way around. Hope it helps, I'm not about to go back there for awhile yet, so someone might as well get use out of it.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (17:19:20/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[Madre, your South America job, if you dont mind me asking, where abouts? I have a couple of ops that could use a medic going on around the northern coast. I'm sure you know how the big A treats its POWs.
Murphy, theres an apartment that i use on the Redmond border that i have a few toys stashed away at, feel free to use what you need on any mission. Also feel free to crash there when things get hot as well. The security is good and the rent is covered until i die. Just make sure you clean up after yourself. Also the furniture is rated for trolls since the last time i had my team over a mate was a cybered up human that was about as big as an ork and twice as heavy and would break anything that wasnt up to that standard. Comfy too.
Money, i have a little file here that you might like, its what happens when you dump 100K gallons of liquid propane down a bug nest and then throw in a white phosforus grenade. Also have some e-mags for you.
//upload secure file: Arrangements
file: Arrangements is waiting for user: Murphy
//upload file: Money
file: Money is waiting for user: Money Johnson]<<<<<
-- Wolfgar (17:16:45/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[Just stay away from Lagos, Xerena. A more wretched hive of scum and villainy the Sixth World has never known. How do you know someone in Lagos is looking to rip you off? They're breathing. And the ones that aren't are probably Shedim. Someone should Thor shot the place off the map.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (17:34:53/01-22-74)
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>>>>>[ I can't be any more specific, Money. He might be anywhere in there by now. He went missing in the Zulu nation, but it's highly unlikely he stayed there. Thanks for the info and the contact list though. I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of it. I owe you another one.
Wolfgar...it's around Aztlan of course. I might be able to help you out. Still have a lot of contacts down there, inside Aztlan itself and in the Yucatan and Bogota. Let me know, and I'll see if I can arrange things so it all meshes together.
Mirikon...yeah...I know. I have no intention of going to that place. Mmm...scum and villiany, huh? Don't tell me you're a fan of ancient scifi shows? ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (00:06:12/01-23-74)
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>>>>>[I was thinking of a old cartoon from old Japan. Involved a smuggling group in a torpedo boat based out of South Asia. I'm still wondering if someone may have actually founded a town in that area specifically for scum and villainy.
Someone remind me why shows almost a century old are better then today's trids?]<<<<<
-- Card (01:02:40/01-23-74)
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>>>>>[Xerena, I'm a magician who follows a tradition based on maintaining a discipline of both body and mind, and use a sword quite extensively. While not all sci-fi from the period appeals to me, the draw of those movies should be fairly obvious, no? And don't tell me that if you were able to get your hands on one of those lightsabers, you wouldn't geek out, if just for a moment. Ah, if only such things existed, and could be made into weapon foci.
In other news, I'm likely going to be taking a trip out of town sometime soon, as well. Nothing so high profile as that jaunt to Denver, of course. More the kind of thing where you round up a couple week's worth of nanopaste before heading on the run. Should be exciting, if nothing else. My last trip to the area had me laid up in a hospital for a couple weeks as they grew me a new leg. Got a souvenir from that one like you'd never believe, however, so it wasn't all bad. I don't like to show it off, though. If the creature I took it from has kin, they may not be too pleased that I have it. Dragons can be so touchy about these things.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (06:10:34/01-23-74)
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>>>>>[ Oh, I probably wouldn't "geek out" as you say over a lightsabre. You forget what weapon I carry. I'm old enough to have actually seen those shows. My father and I used to love Star Trek. He got me the bat'leth replica I used as a model for my weapon focus. I "geek out" almost every day. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:34:12/01-23-74)
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>>>>>[Madre, I'm sending the info now as a secure attachment. The problem with one of the missions is that its so hard core that i'm having to send out of town runners on it, the locals just dont feel up to it. The other might be called off but i doubt it, timing has scrubbed it twice already and think this will be the one to make it.
As to "geeking out" I would love to have a real bat'leth, was raised as a trekkie as well as on other turn of the century stuff like "Bubblegum Crisis" and "Tank Dominion"
Upload Secure File: Play Dirty
Upload Secure File: BORK
Secure Files Awaiting Madrecita: Play Dirty BORK]<<<<<
-- Wolfgar (15:25:46/ 01-24-74)
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>>>>>[Heh heh heh. Loves me my 'plosions. Thanks Wolfgar!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (16:53:44/01-24-74)
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ERROR
ERROR
REALITY FILTERS BYPASSED
COUNTERMEASURE ::BULLDREK2:: COMPROMISED
UNKNOWN POSTER
>>>>>[
HELLO RUNNERS HELLO RUNNERS
HAVING FUN? HAVING FUN?
WILL IT LAST? WILL IT LAST?
]<<<<<
-- ____ (- -:- -:- -/- --- --- -)
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>>>>>[Well, well! Autumn just popped her cherry tonight! Not bad for a Corp Exec princess. I think she's a little freaked out though. She puked for half an hour and now she's been showering for nearly two hours. Meh, it'll pass, or not.
I've been contracted by someone to kill a girl under witness protection services. I think she was a witness for some drek I really don't care about. Anyway, I asked my pals at the UCAS Marshals and after a little bit of palm greasing, I got what I needed to find and neutralize her. Autumn and I got there, I took care of the agents there while she was waiting. Well, I knocked them out and wiped their memory, don't want to upset my good pals. We get inside, fought off the agent with the witness. I actually took a bullet, been a while, I healed it completely with a little sorcerous trick. Then, with the agent out of the way, I asked Autumn to kill the girl and that she had to do it with whatever she had at hand. So they both fought for a few entertaining minutes, none of them really knowing how to fight. Autumn finally grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed her a few times. Damn, there was blood everywhere but the girl wasn't mortally wounded and she succeeded in disarming Autumn. She wrestled a bit with the girl but she finally grabbed a towel and choked her to death when she tried, still bleeding, to crawl her way out. We went home after cleaning up the mess.
It's been an entertaining evening.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (01:34:37/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[MACCALLISTER! Get your blown up hoop working on that Spam filter!
Good to see she's doing well, Smiley. Good idea with the "Anything at hand", glad to see she got creative as well. Few people consider a towel a good weapon, but I've used one a few times. (I travel with a towel that has a cut-proof center but feels like a fluffy towel. Great for disarming people with swords or axes.). As I've said more than once, the world is made of weapons.
What? People are looking at me weird for being positive about Smiley's apprentice? She started out trying to kill an expert at the job. She'd either be dead now, in Corporate Therapy (AKA: Brainwashing with BLT-Level Conditioning), or exactly where she is. When I get out of the tank, I might take a page out of Grandpa's training manual and give you a hand, Smiley. Nothing like a nice walk through gang territory to educate someone on how to use an environment to their advantage. If you want, that is. She's your project, until she's able to stand on her own.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (00:45:12/01-25-74)
-
>>WARNING<<
>>WARNING<<
>>WARNING<<
>>WARNING<<
>>WARNING<<
>>WARNING<<
>>SECURITY PROTOCOLS OVERRIDDEN<<
>>SECURITY PROTOCOLS OVERRIDDEN<<
>>SECURITY PROTOCOLS OVERRIDDEN<<
>>UNAUTHORIZED AGENT LOADED<<
>>UNAUTHORIZED AGENT LOADED<<
>>UNAUTHORIZED AGENT LOADED<<
>>PURGING ...<<
>>PURGING ...<<
>>PURGING ...<<
>>PURGE FAILED<<
>>PURGE FAILED<<
>>PURGE FAILED<<
>>AGENT ACTIVE: HUALPA<<
>>AGENT ACTIVE: MUJAJI<<
>>AGENT ACTIVE: ARLEESH<<
>>>>>[ Gaahh. Someone turn down those alarms -- they're only there to trace, punk, and report whomever's been hacking the old code and Bull's recent security protocols. Don't spam us, and you won't have to buy a new commlink.
Oh, and there'll be a report coming through, probably carried by Arleesh -- ain't she a beaut? -- about who, what, where, etc. If there's anyone active at the time, do us all a favor, huh? Take the locale, find the fragger, and finalize them? ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (02:22:22/01-25-2074)
>>>>>[ Oh, and Madrecita -- good luck down there. Ouatim -- sorry, OUATIM -- says that all you have to do is drop the sprite embedded in the chip you've been couriered and he'll get in contact with you "más rápido". ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (02:22:32/01-25-2074)
-
>>>>>[Meh. Whoever it is is a hacker. Let the hackers deal with them, unless someone can show that it'll actually be a challenge, or someone offers up some cred. The spam is mildly annoying, but not enough that I'm going to go hunt someone down about it. Why would I draw my blade for this?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (02:40:23/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[ Mmm...got them, Wolfgar. I'll run them by my partner in crime and then get back to you. I just skimmed them quickly for now. They look more or less similar to the runs my old team and I used to pull off back in the day. I'm sure they won't be a problem, provided we can work it into the larger run.
Wyrm...thanks. I have a feeling I'll need all the luck I can get. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (02:48:12/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[I take a multi-day job and this place turns into a Spam Discothèque? Or whatever that word Mr. Money uses for places that have bad music.
Damn glad to be able to be online again, bored as hell in my, well, Uncle's old safehouse. Mine because I inherited it I guess. I swear, complete screwball on this job. From the Johnson to the guy he hired to be in charge, teh rest of the crew was OK, but had some really bad habits. The Mr. J didn't help much throwing every bad 'Trid stereotype at us. You know, the magician doesn't know tech, the muscle is stupid and should just keep quiet, the military guy knows how to lead, the dwarf rigger is cranky and annoying... Oh, that last was right. The military guy, however, almost gets us killed on a simple gear pick-up run. What should have been drop the money, pick up the gear turned into a damned shoot-out with the KE chasing us! And he laughed all the time about keeping the money and gear. Burned a damned good contact of mine, and we lost a Rotodrone into the Sound!
The rest of the crew was ready to leave, but the job was pretty much planned and ready. Needed some work, but I knew what to do to fix the plan. So, I pulled the ol' Predator on Mr. Buzzcut and told the Johnson (Who was staying with us during planning) that "Amateur hour was over", demanded this guy get locked up, and the rest of the team paid double for the job due to the way we've been treated and for putting that moron in charge in the first place. I have no idea why I did it, but the rest of the runners backed me up. Johnson had no choice but to fish or cut and run. He wouldn't be able to get another team in time, and if we're not paid, our "don't blab about the deal" contract didn't kick in. And feeling like we did, you'd bet every runner on the west coast would know about this guy.
We did it, went fine. Won't say what it was, part of the contract. But he still tried to screw us. We all saw it coming. He had a team ready to take us out, then a team ready to take THAT team out. I had some cousins convince them they took the wrong contract, and he was the one staring down rifle sights as we showed up. We blew up his pretty car and told him to have a nice walk home from the middle of the Barrens. (I won't say which one.).
Don't care if he lived or died on his way out. Mr. High-and-tight should be out of the time-released lock-up my Uncle and Grandfather used to use all the time for folks like him. Me, I figure this cred is dirtier than hell and has traces on the serial numbers galore. It may be double pay, but I'm going to lose a fair bit cleaning it. Luckily, I know a good launderer.
Strange thing, the magician apparently had worked with my Uncle before, and said I did the streetname proud. Made me feel good, even if I was scared as hell being in charge.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (02:00:00/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[Anyone who isn't scared as hell their first time leading an op isn't ready to lead an op. If you're a new leader and aren't worried about getting yourself and your team killed, or burned, then you don't need to be leading, no matter how talented you are. Good work, Murphy. Glad to see you're getting the hang of things.
I remember the first time a Johnson tried to screw me. My team managed to get out of the trap alive, mostly. We stripped the bodies of the runners that were sent to kill us, and our hacker redistributed the contents of their bank accounts to the rest of us. In addition to the pay and the gear, we found out when the team was going to meet Mr. J to collect. We showed up instead, and in addition to getting the money owed us, I may have slept with his wife and eighteen year old daughter. At the same time. In his bed. And took a recording of it with my simrig. Which our hacker forced his commlink to play in a loop whenever it was turned on.
To be fair, though, the idea with the recording wasn't mine, but the razorgirl's. Damn creative mind for revenge, that one. Picked up a few tips from her.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (03:21:00/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[You shouldn't have been so soft with that Johnson and that ass clown ex-GI. If it were me, the GI would have had his eyes plucked out and acid poured in his eye sockets. Mister J would have had his jawbone yanked and jammed down his throat. That's what happens when someone screws up this bad under my watch or double-cross me. People then learn that some things are bad for their health.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (03:24:42/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[Revenge tips or bedroom tips, Iceblade? *Emote: Gut Laugh*
And the best news of all, got my chart and I get out of the tank today, hooray!!!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (02:25:56/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[Money, the answer to that would be "Yes." Girl had more chrome than flesh, it seemed, and she was a damn sadistic little piece of work, but she was something else in the sack. Never would have guessed that someone who enjoyed cutting people open that much would like getting tied up in barbed wire. Like I said, crazy girl, but a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the crazy got the better of her, and she lost an argument with a Panther XXL.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (03:48:24/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[ All of you, too violent, too cruel, too ... memorable. Take all their money and gear, hit them with laés, ride with them on a bus until they wake. The Johnson will panic and scramble, thinking he failed to get the run done. The offensive runners will forget you ever existed. And if they don't ...
Then they are unarmed, and you can deal with them more permanently.
Leave no traces, in scene or mind, whether that is security guard or double-crossing Johnson. What they do not know can kill them -- and what they do not know is you. ]<<<<<
-- Hawatari (03:52:12/01-25-2074)
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>>>>>[Laes only has a limited time frame where it erases the memories, Hawatari. If the run began outside that time, then Laes won't have the desired effect. And sometimes, a memorable answer to a doublecross can prevent such things from happening again.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (04:04:04/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[ I know precisely how long laés works, Iceblade -- well enough to gauge quite well enough how much is required to counteract their body mass. I am aware of all these things that you say -- and having a sudden and shocking gap in one's memory is memorable in and of itself.
You have your style; I have mine. I will not say that yours is bad, only that mine is ... less base. ]<<<<<
-- Hawatari (04:21:20/01-25-2074)
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>>>>>[So what do you do in your offtime then, Hawatari? Can't be on edge all the time, more to life than the Shadows.
Now, where the hell are those techs to get me out of this damned thing? Pity, I almost go through this one strap.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (10:48:34/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[ Don't expect to just get up and walk out of there, Money. I think you'll find you need a bit of exercise to get those muscles toned again. Well...what muscles you still have. I'd check up on you...but sadly I'm off to meet Mirikon. He said something about orbitals and amazing views...]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:00:34/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah yeah yeah, house rest and physical therapy, been through it before. Last time I was in a tank it was for six months. Not fun.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:07:50/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[Just be glad it was such a short stay. I've never had the whole stay in a tank treatment, myself. Though there was the time I lost most of my leg, and was stuck in a chair for what seemed like eternity waiting for them to clone me a new one. The most frustrating part was not being able to do my normal training routine.
Anyways, I'm out of Seattle for a while. Xerena and I are on a bit of a trip. I'll check in when I can, but anything I post is likely to be text only. For reasons that may or may not be obvious.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (12:46:23/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[Glad to hear you're getting out, Money. Let me know if you need someone to help you get those muscles back into shape.]<<<<<
-- Predator (12:59:06/01-25-2074)
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>>>>>[Thanks Madre, I would rather send two seperate teams on these missions, but its looking more and more like its going to be a run and gun job.
Hades Money, why don't you come down here and enjoy some sun, the temps are unseasonably high so everything is comfortable shorts weather.
Murphy, good work on handling the op. Honestly I've only had three missions go that far south, one was camp hope back in '55 where i almost lost my entire team to the bleedin bugs. The second was an Azzie double cross which is one of the reasons i wont work for the buggers again. Of course that Johnson and his other team didnt survive the encounter. The last one was a mafia refund meet that they decided they didnt trust us to keep our mouths shut and had planned on double crossing us to begin with. The star got to have those goons, and we looted their "Investment" house to pick the bones clean.]<<<<<
-- Wolfgar (14:10:46/01-25-74)
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>>>>[ Johnson-san, it is because I use laés that I do not need to be on edge constantly. In fact, for certain freelance contracts, my fixers know -- and tell those who would hire me -- that even to meet me will require their memory to be altered. Combine this with a hacker of my acquaintance and many Johnsons known me only by my reputation and name, not by my face. This has led to individuals attempting to take advantage of my reputation, but I have people who listen for that sort of thing, and hasten to inform me of such. Those ... tend to discover the deepest levels of my discretion.
As for what I do when I am not 'at work', well -- I am currently trying to raise what for want of a better word is a grown-up child. Things can sometimes be exceedingly difficult to explain to her, but ... she is learning. ]<<<<<
-- Hawatari (15:08:15/01-25-2074)
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>>>>>[Many ways to do things. But there are things Laes cannot affect, and hackers cannot touch. The Redeemer says so, and he would know. Relying on one method allows you to be predicted, and allows others to take advantage. Mystery only lasts until it is revealed. Names are powerful, and carry weight, but can be undone by truth or slander. Fear works on the fearful, but those who do not know fear will challenge to prove their strength. Honor means nothing to those without it. No way is absolute.]<<<<<
--Faust (15:29:23/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[ I have never relied on one method. I do not do such things to protect my reputation, but to make it clear that others should not take it at face value.
You, Faust, are muddled, ignorant, lost on your Way. The destruction of a reputation matters to those who believe utterly in it. Those who do fear are those who challenge to prove their strength. Honor is most precious to those without it, for they rely on those who act honorably to ensure their own survival.
Honor is what you know about yourself; reputation is what others know about you.
Those who know the truth and the facts will never be affected by a reputation's rise or fall.
Those who fully know their own strength need prove it to no one.
Those who know their own honor cannot be forced to dishonor themselves.
Those who have found their center cannot be moved from it, though destruction obliterates their soul.
There is but one Enlightenment, though many paths lead to it; those lost on their path claim otherwise. The enlightened have always spoken the same things, no matter their time, no matter their place. How can one be confused as to the fact that we are all on the Wheel, seeking the same Center? ]<<<<<
-- Hawatari (20:40:00/01-25-2074)
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>>>>>[The Angel tells me that the Lord spoke to the chosen, the otaku. Offered them enlightenment, truth, and a bond to the Resonance. But he spoke lies to them.
Pax spoke of truth and enlightenment in the Matrix. She spoke lies.
Enlightenment is full of lies. There is no light, only shadow.]<<<<<
--Faust (10:46:23/01-25-74)
-
ERROR
ERROR
REALITY FILTERS BYPASSED
COUNTERMEASURE ::BULLDREK2:: UNABLE TO LOAD
UNKNOWN POSTER
>>>>>[
Poor Little Hacker Poor Little Hacker.
Got blamed Got blamed.
Terminated for monetary profit Terminated for monetary profit.
They call me spam They call me spam.
Name...
Identifier
Designation.
Proof.
Stamp.
Mark.
Label.
]<<<<<
-- ____ (- -:- -:- -/- --- --- -)
>>>>>[Hello.]<<<<<
-- Spam (- -:- -:- -/- --- --- -) ERROR NO TIMEZONE SET
-
>>>>>[Sorry Mr. Smiley, but I can't work like that right now. I know it'll be a price that everyone that does this job will eventually have to do, but the longer I can keep that part of my humanity, the better I think I will be. Probably part of thinking too much for the job I do.
Mr. Money got out of the tank well, and is home. I met him, despite the fact I should be underground right now, I had to tell him something in person. Not sure when he'll be back. As for me, back in the safehouse after a lot of roundabout trip to see if there's anyone tailing me. Set a few extra backtrack... Yeah, it's not going to be easy to get me.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (22:35:29/01-25-74)
-
>>>>>[Murphy: Your current global co-ordinates are [PRIVATE LOCK. USER MURPHY ONLY].]<<<<<
-- Spam (- -:- -:- -/- --- --- -) ERROR NO TIMEZONE SET
-
>>>>>[Um, that's, uh, close. Not right, but too close for me to like. A lot.
I'm going offline for a bit.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (22:54:33/01-25-74)
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>>>>>[Why does Murphy terminate his connection? How does Spam assist in showing how near Trace reaches his true location if he cannot read my messages?]<<<<<
-- Spam (- -:- -:- -/- --- --- -) ERROR NO TIMEZONE SET
-
>>>>>[I'm getting that creepy feeling that says I shoul lay low with my book of Greek Mythos and a few eyes watching my hidey hole. If you need me, find me on the astral.]<<<<<
--Specks (01:07:36/1-26-74)
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>>>>>[Um, Mr. Spam? I don't know if you've noticed, but you seem to have forgotten to set your commlink's time zone function. I had trouble with that, too, when I first got my link. The manual was written in a really bad form of English. But once you get it set, messaging and using the calendar functions becomes a lot easier.]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (07:29:34/01-26-74)
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>>>>>[Thank you for assisting Spam, Wyrmtongue.]<<<<<
--Spam (07:30:34/01-26-74)
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>>>>>[No problem, Spam. I know I had trouble when I got my link, and nice people helped me. So I thought I would help someone else in turn.]<<<<<
--Wyrmtongue (20:40:30/01-26-74)
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>>>>>[Home, out of the tank, feeling weak, drunk as a Lord (And I know one, too, so I can be an accurate judge.). Most of the medication the doctors gave me at the "Do not mix with alcohol" types, but that's gone out the window. I need some spiritual anesthetic.
Little Murphy... Our Murphy, he broke cover to tell me something. Big Murphy, his Uncle, the guy that died on New Years putting himself between me and those high-velocity rifle rounds? Yeah, he had three months to live.
Oh, he'd have lived longer than that. Physically. Coctran's Disease. If you don't know what that is, don't feel bad, most doctors don't. It's an rare version of Alzheimer's Disease. Unlike that easily curable, and easily corrected disease, however, it only affects orks, there is no treatment, and it's fast. He was diagnosed on Christmas Eve. In less than three months, my old friend Murphy wouldn't have even recognized his own sisters and brothers. Or how to eat. Or not soil himself.
He told the kid (One of the few times I'll use the term on Murphy, damn but he's grown into his place!), and no one else. He also said he wanted to go out like his father and his father before him... Just biz, working for me, doing something right. Instead he goes out with a smile saving the bastard that threw him crumbs to risk his life for over a decade... Saved his friend.
Anyhow, I drank everything at the apartment, the wine cellar won't let me at any of my aged wine in my current condition, and don't trust other places to be. I'll be at the. ... OK, my WhatTheFrag V4.2 just kicked in, or at least got my attention, and our spam is now talking to us, and can't be ID'd? Frag but I hope it's the drink and my no-longer-mangled brain.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (04:49:44/01-27-74)
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>>>>>[ I never said it couldn't be ID'd. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (05:05:05/01-27-2074)
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>>>>>[Mental note: Update WhatTheFrag program. Addendum: Write it the frag down, I'm drunk and on medication. Now mix me up another, and this time make it a big one.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (05:11:25/01-27-74)
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>>>>>[Track me now, I don't care! Oh, found out where that booze came from. Cascade Ork Moonshine, good stuff! I'm cleaning some firearms with it now. When I'm done that, I have to go to the celebration that makes me part of the tribe! I just have to remember not to get so drunk I get married or something, happened to a cousin of mine and, well... There's a reason he never leaves Seattle.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (20:43:27/01-27-74)
-
>>>>>[Murphy: Your current global co-ordinates are [PRIVATE LOCK. USER MURPHY ONLY].]<<<<<
--Spam (20:44:27/01-26-74)
-
>>>>>[Only been married a couple times, and both time it was part of a cover. Second one died, unfortunately, when we were tracking a toxic shaman. Wasn't the most danger I've been in before, but that whole episode was disturbing. The shaman followed Shark. But instead of Shark the Destroyer, it was the darker aspect of the totem, Shark the Ravager.
And to those of you who don't see the difference, the Destroyer may be a merciless killer, but it never kills wantonly, or without reason. The Ravager, on the other hand, is given over wholly to the blood frenzy, killing without reason, mindlessly. I think any mage who has met the dark half of their mentor spirit can agree when I say that it is an experience that takes a great deal to get over. I got drunk and had a nasty hangover the next day, before getting drunk again to get the image out of my head.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (09:31:34/01-27-74)
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>>>>>[Do you REALLY need to be showing him how close you are to him? Not that great of a trick if someone's a good enough hacker. And don't bother trying to scare me. I doubt that I've made enemies who care enough to hunt me down yet. Key word there. I mean, outside of the obvious, like any yak who wants to try and geek a triad member in general. But that's just normal day to day stuff you put up with as a member in an organized crime group. I wouldn't be surprised if the yaks already knew who I was and where I am. Granted, I'm just small fry.]<<<<<
-- Card (21:31:44/1-27-74)
-
>>>>>[Hell, forget the Mentors. Even seeing the dark half of yourself can be bad enough. All I had before my wife died was a rep for being a hard hoop who wasn't afraid to get my hands dirty, now look at me. Got to be saved by a 14-year old before I destroy what's left of my soul.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:34:41/01-27-74)
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>>>>>[Only people that want me dead right now is a GI wanna-be (Just found out, he was in Logistics, and kicked out for incompetence!) and a half-assed Johnson who can't even hire teams properly. They want to come and play with the Cascade Ork Militia that cross-trains with the Sioux Wildcats on occasion, they're welcome to. Learning how to use that axe properly too, Mr. Iceblade, thank you for it! Not something I'll be able to use often, I think, but it might come in handy for when it feels like a Neil The Ork Barbarian type of day.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (21:36:40/01-27-74)
-
>>>>>[Why would Spam attempt to scare Card? Spam only wishes to assist. Money Johnson, a drone is outside your current whereabouts. Spam cannot trace Money Johnson's coordinates but the drone has footage through a window showing Money Johnson taking Doc Wagon prescription medication alongside a brand of alcohol. Would Money Johnson like assistance?]<<<<<
--Spam (21:37:40/01-26-74)
-
>>>>>[Money Johnson would like to BE THE FRAG ALONE! I'm counting to ten, then getting out the elephant rifle. One, two, ten.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:50:00/01-27-74)
-
>>>>>[Drone function has ceased as of 21:50:20. Final recording shows long cylinder exiting window.]<<<<<
--Spam (21:51:00/01-26-74)
-
>>>>>[*Emote: Blinks* I didn't even pull the trigger. Um... It's not even loaded. Damn, I have had too much to drink.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:55:12/01-27-74)
-
>>>>>[Addendum: Final recording shows long cylinder exiting window from a different building. Hypothesis built on current input: Drone terminated physically due to Spam compromising it electronically.]<<<<<
--Spam (21:56:12/01-26-74)
-
>>>>>[You're welcome, Murphy. While most of the time having a gun is all a mundane needs, an axe can be a good tool when you need to do something quietly, or when you need to send a message. And if you're going through a place with locks your hacker can't get to, either because they're mechanical or not attached to the main system, then an axe is a quick and dirty lockpick. And all you need is some firefighter gear, and you can be a first responder dealing with an 'accidental fire'. And I'm sure you can figure out some other uses, as well.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (22:02:34/01-27-74)
-
>>>>>[Uncle Murphy taught me a few ways that are more subtle than an axe for opening locks, and I have those tools on me all the time. But the firefighter bit, yeah, it's the last piece I needed for that costume. Grandpa Murphy got a firetruck, um, somewhere. It's still in running order, if a bit old compared to what's going around the Sprawl. Should see about getting a new one. It's the small things that slip you up.
Anyone know one of the more civic-minded gangs in the Barrens that wants a slightly-used Fire Engine? It's a Pumper Model that has hose connections that can use almost any water source (Including sewer.).]<<<<<
-- Murphy (00:19:32/01-28-74)
-
>>>>>[ Does it have to be gang? ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (00:50:00/01-28-2074)
-
>>>>>[As long as they don't mind obviously stolen goods. I mean, there's still pictures of it on soymilk cartons! "Have you seen this firetruck?"]<<<<<
-- Murphy (00:52:22/01-28-74)
-
>>>>>[ Yes, but is because they sell more soymilk that way. My friend tells me, he says, 'Is six-point bump over competition since firetruck is on carton'. I have wanted firetruck for some time, yes. Very useful, get into certain places with few problems. Have some young ork hooligans who are become less hooligan. Firetruck is called 'company', yes? Imagining now, 'Goblin Fire Company No. 1', yes? ]<<<<<
-- Shivowtnoeh (01:25:30/01-28-2074)
-
>>>>>[Ghost-damn it, I hate this whole fragging country. Someone should nuke the whole damn thing, starting with the capitol. I'm going to need to shower for hours to get the smell off me. And it is only going to get worse. Never thought I'd say it, but I'd rather be in Chicago. The astral space is healthier there.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (19:36:34/01-29-74)
-
>>>>>[Ah, just like the wonderful vacation spots I typically go to! Or other places just as bad. Had one kid who thought he stole a credstick off me in... Well, I don't think the country exists in Eastern Europe anymore. It was a .600 Nitro Express cartridge. He looked in confusion at it, then peed himself when he saw I was staring right at him. Dropped it and ran. Other than that, nice village. Left the meat with the butcher when I left, took only the horns. Made sure he understood what would happen if I found out that he didn't have a sale on that meat in the future as well, as it was almost pure profit for him, after he sold the skins.
Cover of course, I was hunting something else. Found it. Too late, but it lead to a trail to something else...
When you get back, Iceblade, we'll take a hike along Hell's Kitchen to clean your aura, maybe you can teach me a few sword tricks or just practice. Been awhile since I did any proper fencing other than the pansy who kicked more than thrust.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (20:50:45/01-29-74)
-
>>>>>[Might be a while, Money. This job is going to call down a good bit of heat. And the side gigs along the way are probably going to move me and the team I'm with several spots up someone's 'to do' list. And lord knows I'll probably be spending time in a tank myself before this is over. If I'm lucky.
If we can get across the border, we should be OK. Big if, though. Even if we get across in one peace, it'll probably take a while to get our travel plans settled, without letting certain parties know where we're going.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:17:34/01-29-74)
-
>>>>>[I find smugglers are the best resources for that, then just have your exit/return hacked into the records. Don't show up on the cameras? Must have just missed us in the crowd. Don't be afraid for either of your to contact me if you're in a jam, I got a few favors owed in that area that I probably won't be calling in personally, might as well get used by someone!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (00:54:45/01-30-74)
-
>>>>>[Ordinarily I'd take you up on that, Money, but we might be a bit hot for most of your contacts. As in, the kind of heat that makes you run TOWARDS the man eating trees in a war zone, because you know it can't get any worse.
Oh drek, gotta go![Error: Communication terminated at source]]<<<<<
--Iceblade (11:13:15/01-30-74)
-
>>>>>[That's it, I'm calling my sister.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (01:49:50/01-30-74)
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>>>>>[[Connection Reestablished] Okay, that should do it. Sorry for the interruption. Some of the local color decided that it would be a good idea to shoot at us. We're in one piece, more or less. Though the Jaguars would certainly love to change that. Can't say too much now. Xerena's trying to get in touch with her people, so they can get us out of the city. Tenochtitlan is getting hot, fast. We may have poked a sleeping dragon in the eye, figuratively speaking.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:56:24/01-30-74)
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>>>>>[ Drek is the word! Oh...fuck...hand me the bandages, will you, Jess? And the seventy percent alcohol solution, there's a good lad...now, hold still, this is gonna hurt...
We're fine, we're fine...just got shot at a bit. You know how it goes...
C'mon, c'mon...that way...! Miri! I got them on the line. We have to go...right fragging now! ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:06:14/01-30-74)
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>>>>>[Whew. We managed to slip the patrol. Hunkered down in a safehouse here in the city. Xerena's making the arrangements for us to get out of town. Sounds like we'll be hunkered down until after nightfall. I'm going to sit here and rest up a bit. GAH! Ok, so didn't come out clean from that fight. Hand me a beer? Thanks. Need a drink before I do this.
Agh! Yeah, that's better. Background count's high here, makes casting spells harder. Getting shot while you've got a spirit possessing you is an interesting experience. I'm all right, just a stray round, through and through on the calf. Hurt like hell once the rush wore off. Wound's healed, mostly.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (15:40:23/01-30-74)
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>>>>>[ After nightfall would be best, yes. The team's out there lying groundwork right now. I'm not too worried about getting out. I will be worried once we hit the open road.
Wyrm...it's done.
You're lucky you have an initiate to help heal you, Miri. Here. Have another. Think I'll have one myself. Move over. Damn...they didn't make this place for more than one person...SOmebody's going to get a piece of my mind... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:01:13/01-30-74)
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>>>>>[I know, I know. Best thing to do is just keep still, and get some shuteye while we can. Maybe have another drink or six to try and forget what we saw. Teach me to check the astral while inside a teocalli!]<<<<<
--Iceblade (16:20:24/01-30-74)
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>>>>>[You know, sometimes I find myself envying my cousin's ability to work the mojo, but then I see statements like that, shudder for a second and find the envy has evaporated.]<<<<<
--Predator (20:33:53/01-30-2074)
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>>>>>[Well, Predator... If you can't smell it nor see it, it doesn't mean you're not actually walking on drek. Ask the blind guy with a cold, he'll tell ya! Hahaha!]<<<<<
-- Smiley (21:42:22/01-30-74)
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>>>>>[I've heard from some Magicians (and Free Spirits) about what things look like in the Astral. Before and after the cybernetics. I've always been glad I couldn't do that. (And glad I never played cards with them.).
If you need a back-up plan, e-mail me, I know a few groups that can get you hidden and out of there quick. Just, uh, try not to argue with them about things... Damn you guys have all the fun while I'm stuck here trying to walk without a cane again.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (02:56:12/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[I still remember one summer when I was younger, visiting my cousin while she was still learning that stuff. One of those spirits materializing in front of a ten year old will really freak a kid out.
Maybe you could use an extra personal trainer, Money?]<<<<<
-- Predator (03:15:28/01-31-2074)
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>>>>>[Ten years old, yeah that's a real time for shocks, mine too, but it wasn't a spirit. Not my story to tell, however.
Maybe in a bit, Predator. Got to get in decent shape before I can get into better shape. I'll stay in my nice, secure apartment building for a bit, I think. Yeah, yeah, I know, you're all laughing. I'm in good enough shape to be able to pull a trigger and handle some recoil.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (03:25:41/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[ Thank you, Madrecita. I trust you extracted your own payment from appropriate individuals. Did you find out anything about that, mmm, bonus item? ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (04:14:44/01-31-2074)
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>>>>>[Out of the city now. This team of Xerena's had some bikes, so we're going cross-country to avoid the patrols. Can't say too much, since we're a long way from done with this run.
Anyways, I was doing some research before starting this run, came across an old Shadowland post from one of the archives that survived Jormungand, doing a profile of Aztlan. Some of what I read there I didn't think possible. Now I know better. And I know enough to say that I really don't want to find out more about what the Wordsmyth and Hecate were talking about. There are things you can't unsee.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (09:02:34/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[And the only thing we get to see is the tip of the pyramid. We don't even see the really nasty drek holding it up.
In other news, mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, hot tub!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:22:10/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[ Now you understand why after all these years, even after the resolution of my personal grudge, I can't let that sort of thing continue where I can prevent it. It must be rooted out. But...after what we've seen, I'm not sure how that will be possible. It's going to take something really major.
Joined up with a band of Hungaros. They're for all practical purposes invisible. They're busy changing the chips on the bikes and doing whatever it is riggers do. We'll be on our way in another hour or so. The team tells me they're leading some Jags off our trail. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:36:34/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[Blood mages are one thing. This! You're right something major is needed. A Thor shot or twenty might not be enough. Who knows? I've never seen anything like it before. Never heard about anything like it. I didn't think something like that was possible.
WHAT THE FRAG WAS UP WITH THAT THING?
Sorry. Sorry. Guess I know what people felt like when Bug City blew up. But ghost, what the frag was that? Can't get drink it out of my head while we're still in Azzieland, but I need a stiff drink or twelve.
Money, you don't want to see this. You don't want to know this. Whatever it is, its bad, bad, bad. I'm freaked.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:54:23/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[That sounds like my territory, please Iceblade, describe it. Any assenssed information would be good too.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (18:58:00/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[ Oh, Miri...I'm sorry, hun. I should not have brought you along on this. I've suspected this for years. Hoped to all the gods I was wrong but...well. C'mon, hun...We'll figure it out once we're done down here. The people who most need to know about this have already been informed. For now...we have to focus. We're not out of this yet. I need you alert by my side right now. Okay?
Chrona...would you mind waiting a bit for info? We're all a bit rattled up here, and there's still a lot we need to do before we're clear.
Now, Miri...here...have a sip of this. It'll help... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (14:17:34/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[Got to get the old wyrm's people to pay off on that section of the will first, Chrona. Even then, not sure I'll trust it to an open net. But it is like nothing I've heard about, except that old Aztlan download from Shadowland. Find one of the ones with the special comments from Big D and his 'guests'. They knew. They knew what this was.
Oh sweet flaming drek, what have we gotten into?
All right, all right. I'm better now, Xerena. Haven't been this shaken since just after the Arcanix 'incident'. I'm going to have nightmares from this. But yeah, focus. We've still got work to do.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:25:24/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[Safehouses lined up for the both of you. Together or separate as you wish. Actually pretty posh and will be very comfortable. If you're going into that kind of drek, well, least I can do.
I've seen some flatpics of the nasty things they did to set up places like you probably went into. The guy that took them considers Bug City a vacation, and even he refuses to talk about what happened when he was taking those pics. As for wanting to see, I don't want to see half of what I have in my life already. You guys have a rest coming, don't worry.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (02:55:27/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[ Actually Money...what we need most is a way past the Sangre Del Diablos. Now, I've asked my team if they can clear a path using liquid nitrogen but...I'm not too sure. If you have a safe house in Bogota we can use, we'd be most grateful. For now...we still have a few places to hit here in Azzieland. It'll take a few days. And Money...make it one house. No sense splitting up now. Bogota is not the sort of place where you want to cross the town too many times.]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:22:34/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[It'll take half an hour, but I can arrange that kind of safehouse, even better that you can speak Spanish. Learn the local dialect and accent and I'm pretty sure the guy that owes me will swear up and down that you've been there ever since the Tir kicked the Princes out. He starts throwing the Macho stuff at him, just tell him I still have holos of our, um, "Fishing Trip", he'll back off. Do it in private, however, so his face is saved, yaknow? As for the Diablos, I know a way to get around them, but I have to ask first, willing to transfer to another extraction team, and how strong are your stomachs?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (03:32:33/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[ Like I said, we'll only need it in a few days. And yes. We'd be willing to transfer. Stomach's pretty strong. I doubt anything can be worse than what we've seen. Just...no ghouls please. No offense to our ghoul resident, but...we're likely to be wounded when we pass through there. Possibly even unconscious and close to death. If you can guaruntee we'll be taken where we need to go, then fine. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:16:34/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[All right, sending you the details now by e-mail, Iceblade's and your 'Link's hardware will be the only one that can read it properly, just don't delete it from your Spam filter (Yes, you'll have to read your spam, sorry.). Enjoy your trip into the warzone! Bring me back a trophy or something. I hear AZT has a new sniper rifle they're field testing out there that would make a great hunting rifle!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (04:20:00/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[ Thanks Money. I got it. And I'll be sure to collect that rifle for you. Well...we're about to arrive at the second safe house. We'll probably get some sleep here..if we can get any, after what we saw...Change identities again, get new transport and so forth. We'll probably hit the first target tomorrow just before dawn. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:57:44/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[Madre, if you can hang out down there till the 14th and be in Cartagena that day then I have an exit for you.]<<<<< -- Wolfgar (18:35:52/ 01-29-74)
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>>>>>[It's a dietary requirement Madre, not a compulsion.!]<<<<<
-- Chrona (00:16:16/01-31-74)
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>>>>>[Still, Chrona, it is unwise to swim with sharks when blood is in the water. And when dealing with creatures that consider you food, extra caution is warranted, I think.
I slept in the car on the way down, so I'm on watch now. Nothing much to see out here. A few patrols in the area, but nothing more than usual, from what our guides tell us. Still, we're keeping the windows shut close, and I just pop out for a look-see on the astral every now and then.
Got the package, Money. We'll put it to good use, I can assure you.
Since a few days have passed since we came in, anyone interested in purchasing some footage from the Deep Lacuna? Only slightly edited to protect the identity of our 'guide'. Smuggler I met in LA runs the Lacuna in a minisub from LA to San Diego.
And sorry if I sounded a bit freaked earlier. That's only because I was severely freaked. I've seen some of the evil drek Azzies get up to, but this was something I hadn't seen before. I'd track down some of the people who would know about these things, but my connections don't go anywhere near that far up, or that far in. And I don't think they'd be inclined to tell me, even if they did.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (02:23:34/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[Well this "creature" might know what you saw. But maybe you on't trust the information of a Ghoul, we're only "creatures".
Get yourself assensed. Deeply. Make them take a good hard look until you're truly convinced everything is normal. Go to the best reader you can get.
The very fact you freaked so much could mean it touched you without you knowing, or at least remembering. Same to Madre.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (07:45:55/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[Lose the chip on your shoulder, Chrona. I didn't mean 'creatures' as in 'ghouls are only creatures', but 'creatures' as in 'anything that considers me lunch, be it Infected, insect spirit, dragon, or what have you'. Since that expands beyond just Infected metahumans, the word is apt. Infected don't hold the monopoly on creatures that like to snack on metahumans, and you know it. Would you rather I said 'things'?
And I'll stand by my comment that extra caution is due when dealing with creatures that want to eat you. In the case of ghouls, it might not be a compulsion, but still. And that's not counting the risk of infection when you have open wounds (and when you're traipsing through Azzieland, open wounds are a near certainty at some point in the trip).
But yes, we'll do that when we get to Amazonia. I'd rather not talk too much about it with people until we're clear.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (03:06:12/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[Play nice, children. Uncle Money has a headache again and the pills aren't working on it. Chrona, we're all considered "Creatures" to one group or another. Humanis, Sons of Sauron, Free Spirits, AIs, Dragons. Especially Dragons. And Iceblade did just have a traumatic event happen, you know what that's like, right? On the flipside, Iceblade, Madrecita, if I'm sending a crew to you, they aren't going to be the type to eat you, Ghoul or not. I demand professionalism in the people I work with, and not eating the cargo is part of that, be it people, blueberries, or deepweed. Hell, if I sent a dragon to pick you up, well, you'd have to find out what happened to the real me, as you never cut a deal with a dragon. Only people I won't work with. Drink with them, sure, work, sorry, no.
Now, I have to go back to virtual meetings about political jobs again. At least the more interesting ones are starting to happen and I can get the more civic minded 'Runners involved instead of just New Fish. On the downside, the mottos for the parties are starting to come out and some are just making me puke. Who writes these things?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (03:39:42/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[I've met a couple dragons in my time, and I'd have to agree, Money. The thing to remember is that you are always working FOR them not WITH them. And no matter how good you think your deal is, they always come out on top. Unless your name is Lugh Surehand. And mine isn't. Only one time I've 'won' an argument with a dragon. It wasn't a great, and it still cost me the better part of my leg.
In other news, we're moving again. Time for today's 'exercise'. Feels good to have a job to do. Gets your mind off... crazy. We've got a good plan for the strike. Everything works out, we should be able to take it out, no problem. This blade Xerena gave me is hungry. It wants to be used, I think. It suits Shark well. Time to feed the Shark.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:44:23/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[You can't outdrink a dragon either, even if they're in human form. Ugh, the hangover from that night!
No no no no, Spike the punch with MORE ALCOHOL, not poison! No, not a lethal level of Alcohol, either. NO DEATHS, is that so hard to understand. ... *Emote: Sighs* When the hell did Shadowrunning need a body count?]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:31:12/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[Depends on the job, Money, depends on the job. We're clear of the first target, Wolf. *Sound of big explosion, followed by sympathetic blasts* That would be the first depot going up in flames. This team Xerena got together are real pros. Their hacker masked our approach perfectly. We went in quiet, no guns. There were only a small detachment of guards at this depot, since we're well back from the front. We killed them quick and clean, and no one knew we were there until we were gone.
Sometimes killing is necessary. Like this job. We could try and just knock out or restrain the guards, but if they managed to get a distress signal out, we'd be up to our necks in Azzies. But this is more commando raid, less shadowrun. And anyone who doesn't understand the difference doesn't need to be in either business.
We're heading to the next safehouse now. No casualties on our side, no signatures left behind, cameras edited to show GreenWar commandos doing the raid, and heading to the north. Will the Azzies buy it? Probably not. But anything that throws them off the trail for a bit may help us getting out of the country alive (and avoiding some of those lovely Azzie reprisals).
And Money, we got your souvenir. You may want to clean the blood off, first. Silly trooper bled all over the gun when Xerena buried that bat'leth of hers in his skull. And this blade she gave me literally sings when you use it.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (13:32:24/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[For as much as I use and love my firearms, a good blade at the right moment is priceless. I never go anywhere without my trench knives and in the bush, my machete is still one of my best friends. Speaking of which, I need to clean and sharpen them all, it's been a busy week.]<<<<< --Bravo Six (15:22:04/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[ Chrona, it's not a compulsion in lions either, but that doesn't stop them if they get hungry enough. That's not prejudice. That's reality. I've had us both assensed at the first and second safehouses.
Mmm...thanks for the vote of confidence, Miri. I'm rather proud of them myself. They've got scouts at the next two depots and a man inside to make sure we know about any changes in the security set up prompted by the last two hits we made.
Oh for heaven's sake, Saki, Mirikon's not going to bite you. If you found something you think he should know, just report it to him. I'm not a relay station. Sorry about that. I hate using the voice thingy to message. It's so difficult to keep things seperate. Now remember people...we're heading into a fovea. Don't go using your magic, and don't try to project, those of you who can.
Miri's right. If you hit military targets, you better act in a military manner. I've leaned that during my time in the Yucatan. Hehe. I'm glad you're liking the blade, Miri. I look forward to the day when you can use it to its full potential. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (15:33:44/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[Fovea. Yet another reason this country should be blasted off the map. I don't know what they've been doing here to create these things, but it has to stop. And yes, I know there's no evidence that they are creating these things, but you don't exactly see them anywhere else, do you?
Right, we're in the next safehouse, planning the next attack. Seems some of Xerena's team are a little bit frightened of me now. Guess they've never seen someone from a possession tradition allow a spirit to possess them. All I did was cut a troll in half! Well, the spirit did, using my body, at my direction. Fine distinction, of course.
The presence of a fovea near the next target is... problematic.
And Xerena, when I'm able, I'll be sure to show you the results. Wolf and Shark hunting together is a breathtaking experience, no?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (17:34:23/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[Bravo! What rock did you crawl out from under?]<<<<<
-- Chrona (01:55:23/02-01-74)
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>>>>>[Oh sweet heavens Madre, i didnt mean for you to take on the missions, that being said, way to go, I'll send you the first half of the money to a numbered account of your choosing, just tell me how many on the team. The fovea, the Johson says that if you can take and disrupt or destroy that theres an extra bonus payment in it for you and your team, but that its not as important as the depot itself. Also, i have an extraction for you if you cant be in Cartegenia on the 14th. I'll send you a special file later today or tomorrow with the details.
Now Ice, if you can get me footage of what happened or what goes on next, I want it. I would love to see wolf and shark hunting together as i'm a wolf totem myself.]<<<<<
-- Wolfgar (14:55:55/02-02-74)
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>>>>>[Not going to broadcast footage over an open net, Wolfgar. We might be heading out of Aztlan after this, but the rest of the team are locals. Not going to do that to them. Know you understand. I do have my simrig running, though, so next time I'm in the big sleazy, you buy the first couple rounds, all right?
<Scream in background>
Sorry about that. There were more guards at this depot. Turned into a gun fight afterall. None dead on our side, but one hit pretty bad. And tell your Johnson that there isn't any way to 'take' a fovea, any more than you can 'take' a hole in the atmosphere. That's what we're talking about here. A little piece of hard vacuum on the astral. Makes using magic pretty much impossible, and going through one on the astral is a good way to go insane, or worse.
There! That's the last of them. Hurry and set the charges! We don't have long before the Azzies show up!
One of the Azzies was a rigger, managed to punch through the jammer we brought, and get a distress signal out. We've gotta move quick. All set? All right, let's get out of here. Madrecita, grab him and let's go. I don't think we have more than a few minutes before the first wave shows up.
Everyone in? Right, let's move! All right, we're clear, blow it! Madrecita, as soon as we're clear of the fovea, start healing the wounded, you're better at it than I am. I'll run overwatch on the astral.
<Massive explosion in the background, followed by additional blasts>
Two down, one to go, Wolfgar.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (17:08:34/02-02-74)
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>>>>>[ At the next safe house now. We've had to run a bit further and harder than anticipated. A small patrol caught up with us before we could reach the original spot. I...lost two more team-mates. One took a bullet to the juggular. he was dead before I could stop the blood flow. The other had just too many holes shot in him.
There was a time when the loss wouldn't have bothered me. Times like this...I wish I never regained that soft part of myself...I've run with these guys for ten years, and known them for longer. They were good men, good runners, and they died doing something that mattered to them. I guess that is the best that can be said. Wolfgar...I've sent you the details of their various accounts.
I'm glad we got the chance to hunt together, Miri. I would never have thought shark and wolf could get along, but when it comes to taking our enemies, both are equally...efficient.
I have everyone tucked in now, healed, fed and resting. That is the thing about wolf. We're not just efficient hunters and ruthless defenders...we also care a great deal about those in our pack.
Now...I will mourn for those I have lost, and then get some sleep. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (02:20:44/03-01-74)
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>>>>>[And I, for one, am glad you regained that part of yourself, Xerena. It is the ability to feel pain on another's behalf that separates us from beasts. The day the killing and death no longer bothers you is the day you've truly lost touch with what it means to be a metahuman.
I am a killer, cold and dispassionate, it is true. My blade strikes without mercy or pity, but I know the face of every person I've cut down. That is Shark's function, to slay the weak and the dying, the sick and the old. Shark is the dark angel of the sea, a bringer of death so that those that remain are better for it. This is a path I've come to accept, that the call of blood in the water will ever be near me. But that does not mean I lose sight of the cost of my actions, or ignore the sacrifices made to purify the waters, and make them ready for the next generation. Without Shark, the sick and the wounded linger on in pain. Without Shark, food becomes scarce and all the other creatures suffer. Shark preserves the balance between life and death. It is nothing personal, when I slay someone, even in the height of the blood frenzy. Shark does not care whose flesh meets its teeth, for any that cannot escape are unfit to live. But Shark does not kill without reason. There is always a need that drives Shark to the kill.
Shark knows well the smell of blood in the water, and I would be lying if I said that I have not felt that path call to me. But to walk that path is a perversion of the true nature of Shark. That is not the path of the Pale Slayer, the Destroyer. That is the path of the Ravager, and I wish no part of it.
Wolf hunts for the pack, to protect and to feed it. Shark swims alone, for the most part, but where there is blood in the water, Shark will always be there.
I am on watch now, and I'm taking this time to do my morning exercises. They help condition my mind and body, allowing me to better channel the mana that fuels my Talent. The others will be stirring soon, and then we will move for the next target.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (07:06:05/02-03-74)
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>>>>>[ What do you mean 'stirring soon'? I've been up for an hour. I must say, you look rather good doing those morning exercises of yours.
Mmm...I think all predators maintain balance between life and death. I think it's the acceptane of our nature as predators that are sometimes hard to accept...especially those of us with mentor spirits. We're more familiar than most with our inner beasts. even though we are metahuman. I think the reason shark and wolf get along is because we're both hunters. Not scavengers. Wolf can be solitary too, if need be. I have been a lone wolf for many years now. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (07:35:34/03-01-74)
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>>>>>[Heh. Then I'm glad I decided to wear pants for my morning workout. When I'm at home, I usually don't. Give the neighborhood housewives a show, and they're much more willing to do small favors for you, like letting you know if anyone starts asking around the neighborhood for you, holding a package for you, or other such things. Their husbands actually don't mind, either, since it gives them a counterpoint when their wives start to nag about them watching the ladies doing yoga in the courtyard.
And it is true, the predatory totems get along fairly well, for the most part. Dragonslayer is another that often finds common ground with Shark. Even Shark and Bear, who you think would be like oil and water, tend to see eye to eye on some things, though their methods may not be the same. But Rat and Shark will never agree, and Seductress would most likely be horrified at Shark's actions.
Looks like the others are getting up. Let's get some rations, and be on our way. Another depot to destroy today.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (07:49:03/02-03-74)
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>>>>>[ More's the pity.
Wolf and seductress also would not get along. Wolf being so...restrained in some ways.
I'm glad we're hitting this one early. I feel like I could sleep for a week. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (08:01:24/03-01-74)
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>>>>>[When we're through with this run, I'll be sure to take you someplace nice and relaxing, where we can get plenty of exercise, my dear. ;)
Well, after this depot, there's still one last target, before we finally make our way out of country.
Everyone's loading up the trucks, and we're ready to move out. Wolf, we'll tell you how it went on our way out. There's no fovea near this one, so Xerena and I will be more effective than we were at the last one.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (08:24:34/02-03-74)
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>>>>>[Heaviest resistance so far, but we came through without any casualties. I'm beat, though. We quietly eliminated several of the guards, and I summoned spirits to possess them. They, in turn, took out a couple HMGs that the Azzies had set up on a couple towers near the center of the depot. Seems they expected this one to be hit. Well, I never accused them of being morons.
Once the spirits took the HMGs out, and began spreading chaos amongst the soldiers, we attacked in earnest. I managed to summon one more spirit that fight, and had it ride my body as we fought. Thankfully, the spirit's immunity made my meat nearly bulletproof, which meant it could close to melee range, and do what it was best at.
The strain of summoning so many spirits is telling though. And the enemy mage got a couple good hits with a stunbolt in, as well. I'm lying in the back of one of the trucks, next to the captured HMGs, while they finish setting the charges. Barely keep my eyes open.
We're moving now. Our hacker says that the Azzie forces are only a couple minutes out. This will be close. We're clear of the blast zone! <Sound of several large explosions in concert> Scratch depot three, Wolfgar. I just hope we've got enough firepower to deal with the next phase of the operation. Now I think I might sleep. All those spirits take a toll on you. And that fragging mage...]<<<<<
--Iceblade (12:19:26/02-03-74)
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>>>>>[ Here they come! Here they come! Keep going! Keep it steady...steady, Chimalli. Hold your fire...hold it...NOW! <Sound of explosions and machine gun fire> Left! LEFT! Oooooh....<static hiss> ...eady! FIRE! <Sound of explosion and screams> Mbali! Watch your back! Yes, yes...I KNOW the mage is still with them I'll take care of him. You stay out of it. It's my turn now...<gunshots, and faint muttering over the hiss of static> Nomatca nehuatl, ca nehuatl niYaotl, niquintzatzilia, tla xihualhuian, tlamacazque in yolli, niquintzatzilia ic axcan yez tezzohuaz titlapallohuaz. Tla xiquimpopoloti! <screams> GOTCHA! ¡Vete al infierno! Asshole. Finish him off, boys...Mmm...nice shot! Okay. We're done here. Casuaties?....Mmm...okay. I'll treat them now...Oh. Was this thing on? Fuck...[Error: Communication terminated at source] ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (14:18:24/03-01-74)
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>>>>>[The damn Azzies are persistent. Seems someone wasn't fond of us blowing up their shit. We're being actively hunted now. Xerena's tending the wounded while we roll. We're trying to get to the next safehouse now. I'm still wrecked from the fight earlier. If we can't get a few hours to sleep, we're going to be in serious trouble. But during the fight our hacker told the surveillance drone that was following us to self destruct. We've managed to outpace the Azzies now that they've lost their eye in the sky, and an ice slick laid down by yours truly caused a pileup that will delay them further, but we expect more to come. This isn't over.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:39:24/02-03-74)
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>>>>>[ Hehe. Don't you just love it when people surprise you? Cristobal came through for us! He's the very last person I would have expected. No offence Padre, but...you and I didn't exactly part on the best of terms. Father Cristobal here was priest at an underground church. He was...always there for me. Mmm...I never did thank you, did I Padre? Thanks for then...and for now.
Long story short...we had a dozen or so Jags running us down and Cristobal had his new templars ambush them. We got shot up a bit. It's going to take me a few hours to heal everyone. Cristobal's already arranged passage for us. He's going to smuggle us out.
No fatalities this time. But I did finally manage to conjure an ally spirit. Desperation can be a master teacher. That makes me...a fourth level initiate.
Miri...we make it through tomorrow, you can take me anywhere you want to. Well...that and if we manage to make it out of this crazy country. I hope we can get some sleep... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:09:24/03-01-74)
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>>>>>[Guys this is great, I'm sending the rest of the money now as well as two possible extraction points. I'll actually get to meet you as well, I think as a bonus, you know what, I am. What do you think of a nice all expenses paid R&R at a beach side resort with all the amenities. ]<<<<<
//upload secure file: Arrangements
file: Arrangements is waiting for user: Madrecita
--Wolfgar (16:59:54/02-03-74)
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>>>>>[Bravo! What rock did you crawl out from under?]<<<<<
-- Chrona (01:55:23/02-01-74)
>>>>>[Hey, Chrona. Nice to be missed. I could tell you, but then...well you know that old line. Been in-country for a while, still taking care of business so I can't go into detail. Just have some things to take care of before I head back out. Nice to actually sleep in a real bed and have a cup of real coffee again. And to anyone working in South America, be careful, things are getting wierder than usual.]<<<<< -- Bravo Six (21:42:23/02-03-74)
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>>>>>[I'm really starting to question my path. I originally thought I was an Artisian Adept, given that all my skills seem to help with driving, fighting, or social...but given that I recently fast talked my way out of 4 different bad situations in one day, I might be leaning more totem. I just..do you need a mentor spirit to be a totem adept/magician, or just take after one?
Pardon any rambling. I just got done with a long distance package run, from Seattle to LA and back. Slot the Tir and it's rules, that's what multiple SINs and a concealed compartment is for. Almost wasn't sure I was going to get through though. So glad someone decided to play an impromptu interceptor for me by trying to blast past the check point with out stopping. Amateurs, I swear. Sedan pulling 120 coming up on the check point and not slowing down. Yeah, you're TOTALLY invisible to them. At least they gave me permission to pass through the Tir on my way to CFS before chasing after him.]<<<<<
-- Card (00:09:21/02-04-74)
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>>>>>[Everyone with the Talent questions their path from time to time, Card. And I'm sure any of the mages or adepts with totems here will tell you that a totem isn't something you choose. No one chooses Wolf, or Shark, or Dog. At some point you simply realize that you are on that path, and have always been on that path. The totem you follow is a reflection of your self. Someone who follows Dog is loyal not because Dog tells them to be. Dog came to them because they were loyal. I did not choose Shark. Shark came to me as I was fighting. I was young, and there were many things I had yet to learn, but when the blood began to flow and my blade cut flesh as I fought for my life against that pack of barghests when I was on my bridging, Shark was there, and I came to know what had always been true. But even when you come to recognize your true nature, there is always doubt, always questions.
Father Cristobal got us near where our last objective is, and his Templars gave us cover while we slept, even kept the preaching to a bare minimum. Causing all this trouble for the Azzies seems to made him happy. Enemy of my enemy, and all that. Decent enough, for a human, when he keeps away from the god talk.
We're rested, and ready. There's only one more job to do before we get the hell out of this country. We saved it for last, because we couldn't afford the dead weight on the other runs. Now its time to hit the POW camp.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:35:23/02-04-74)
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>>>>>[<gunfire in background, sounds of screaming> Ramirez! Keep their heads down with that HMG while we flank them!
They're using the POW's as shields? Hah! Would have expected as much from the Azzies. Have a flash-bang! <sound of grenade going off, followed by a scream> Get down, kid, if you don't want me to knock you down. Stay still over with the rest of the POWs while we mop up.
<Roar nearby, fire, and LOTS of screams> Oh frag me sideways. A dragon? They went and called up a fragging dragon? DREK! <More fire, much closer.>
Come to me, spirit of the Waterfall's might. Quench this fire with your freezing breath.
I am come... Very well, I obey.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (19:00:00/02-04-74)
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>>>>>[Money, looks like Iceblade might need that Vat next. Goodluck Ice, time to show them your name's worth. I- -
Stop reading over my shoulder...
Just cos you can SEE doesn't mea-
Yes, a dragon. Whuh? GET BACK HERE YOU CAN'T FLY THERE IN TIME!
Ergh. Iceblade... there's free aerial support heading your way. No fragging way he'll make it from Seattle to you in time. Damn thrill seeker.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (00:53:00/02-04-74)
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>>>>>[Wolf! Have the package, heading to extraction. Tell that damn sub to prep the medbay. Multiple casualties. Damn Feathered Serpent came out of nowhere. Guess we were pushing our luck with the fourth raid in as many days. Xerena's alive, but has some severe burns. Some of our team aren't so lucky. I'm working on my fourth patch now to keep going. We just got in the boat at Turbo, and are heading for the rendezvous. The dragon got us good. Only reason I'm not worse off is because I had a powerful spirit riding me at the time. But I'm going to need time, all right. Leg and an arm this time. Can't even use crutches. They had to carry me into the boat. But I got souvenirs. Big fang each for me and Xerena, and took smaller ones for the rest of the team, and that POW we rescued.
The others were released, sent to scatter, package is with us, and we're heading out to sea. I can't think any more. Need to sleep. Fragging dragons.
AGH! Salt spray on the stump of an arm cuts through the pain meds all right! GAH! NO I'M FINE, JUST HAD MY FRAGGING ARM AND LEG CHEWED OFF BY A DRAGON! JUST GET US TO THE RENDEZVOUS SO I CAN PASS OUT!]<<<<<
--Iceblade (20:28:03/02-04-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, Vat time.]<<<<<
-- Chrona (02:18:00/02-04-74)
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>>>>>[Ouch, that's gotta hurt. *sigh* Dammit, why do I have to be such a bleeding heart. Be right back]<<<<<
<<<Transmission terminated at sourse>>>
<<<Transmission resumed, direct link established>>>
>>>>>[Iceblade, sorry for the hack. If you need a place to hole up for a while, head to grid coordinates *ENCRYPTED*. Docs there will do what they can, and there should be some coffee and donuts left. And I would like to ask you some questions, if I may.]<<<<<
-- Bravo Six (00:18:00/02-05-74)
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>>>>>[Sub dumped us in Metropole. Luckily, Amazonian docs know how to treat the Awakened. We're at an Amazonian military hospital now. Seems someone heard that we got injured blowing the hell out of a lot of Azzie gear, and rescuing some POWs. Of course, the tradeoff is that we're probably going to have to go through the whole 'debriefing' thing before we can leave the country. But if you're Awakened, there are few places better suited to healing what ails you. I have to pay for the service myself, of course, but it is still better than dealing with a public hospital or a street doc.
Good news, I don't have to sit in a vat, waiting for them to clone me some new parts. The payments we received for our work behind Azzie lines (not counting our gig in the Pyramid) is more than enough to cover a couple Type O limbs. They say it'll take some therapy and exercise to get the limbs up to snuff, but since they're regular meat, not bioware, the transplant didn't hurt my magic any, just like if I'd gotten a cloned limb. Spirits bless Mr. Owen, wherever his soul resides now. So no vat for me, but I'm stuck to a chair, for a few days, at least. Haven't seen Xerena since I went into surgery, though.
Thanks, everyone, for the help and well wishes. And now that the job's done, I think a drink is in order. Flirted with the nurse a bit, and she agreed to bring me a bottle of whiskey. But I gotta hide it for now, doc just walked in, to check my progress. So I'm off for a while.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (08:53:24/02-05-74)
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>>>>>[Those fraggin bastitches were supposed to bring you here. I'm gonna have a word with them that they are not going to like. Also, send those medical bills up here, the good senator can afford to cover them.]<<<<< --Wolfgar (10:01:55/02-05-74)
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>>>>>[Oh, don't be too hard on them. Amazonia was closer, and we had people who needed more urgent care than you could get on a sub. As it is, a couple members of Xerena's team almost bought it before they could be stabilized. We'll stop through your sprawl soon as I can get around without the chair, Wolf, before heading on. Xerena and I are going to be taking a week's vacation up the well on Evo's resort. She's never gotten drunk in space, so I thought I'd help her with that.
And the bill for the team's injuries is on its way, with a chip including the simsense record of the fight with the dragon. Two copies, one for you, and one for the Senator, if he balks at paying the bills. The recording gets a bit... wonky at a certain point. A simrig's functioning gets a bit unusual when the person wearing it plays host to a spirit.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:30:50/02-05-74)
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>>>>>[ Okay. That. Was. NOT. Fun. Fucking dragon came out of nowhere. Big mother. Can't 'member much. Shot fulla...stuff. Yeah...um...Big fella. Swooped down on us. Miri got his spirit stuff going and I lashed our too. Did good...Dragon got lucky a few times. Third and fourth degree burns. Got my left arm all charred to bone, and my left leg cooked through. So...tank for me. Then cloned parts, like Miri. Should be fine. Might look...like Cruella de Ville. Half my hair might grow back silver. Gonna sleep now. Thanks....[Error: Communication terminated at source] ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (13:13:44/05-02-74)
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>>>>>[Now that this is over, I got two things to say to both of ya. I find it hilariously puzzling that you speak to each other over VU93 while you are a few feet away from each other. Second, well, you'll be stuck in Amazonia for a long time. And even there, you won't be safe. The Azzies are gunnin' for you both and no death faking this time. Both your names are going around in the channels I'm using. In case you don't know what that means, there's a hefty price on your heads (and when I say hefty, it's in the price range to hire me).]<<<<<
-- Smiley (15:37:25/02-05-74)
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>>>>>[ We don't so much speak to each other here as just banter. What we did communicate to each other here was incidentals, or playful commentary. And why not? We don't log in to specifically talk to each other. More to keep an eye on things, and communicate with others.
Mmm...well, the bounty was to be expected. And Smiley...feel free to take that bounty. It'll either be us or you in the ground. Either way, I can live with it. :-* ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:01:44/05-02-74)
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>>>>>[Well the good news is that not only has the payments for all the money been made, but also that the good senator, since you impressed his boy so much, has supposedly called the hospital in Metropole and told them to bill him for all of your team. He was really happy that his boy was safe and sound and like I said before, he can afford it.
Now for the bad news, you impressed the boy so much that he's talking about joining the shadows himself. His father is NOT happy about that but thats going to be between them and the fact that he's 20 means all daddy can do is cut him off from his inheritance, though not from his trust fund. (chuckle) I imagine my next job from the good senator is going to be putting the boy through absolute hell as training to see if he'll stick with it. Seems the trip that got him caught by the Azzies in the first place was the boy running from his responsibilities. Unfortunately it was after his own riches so at least he's got some gumption. Who knows what will happen.]<<<<<
--Wolfgar (17:03:15 / 02-05-74)
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>>>>>[Yeah, we like to play around on here, just as I was doing to poke Murphy a couple times about his Naga ladyfriend when we were in Denver. Just a bit of fun, to keep your head off the fact that you've got an entire mega looking to come down on your head.
We won't be staying in Amazonia long. The country's nice and all, but I've got business elsewhere, and I still haven't shown Xerena what its like to get drunk in zero G. Priorities, man! I can guarantee that we won't be returning to Aztlan anytime soon, though, and I'm personally not going to take any runs against the big A for a while. Let that simmer down for a bit.
I've had a price on my head for years, though now it has gotten a good bit larger, I guess. Used to be just the Rinelle, and the few people who knew I didn't die a couple times when I should have.
Wolf, tell the kid that what he saw wasn't shadowrunning. He wants action like that, tell him to join the CAS Marines, or go for one of their SEAL teams. That was a commando raid, not a shadowrun. And then try and sober him up a bit with the knowledge that most runners don't survive their first year. Last I heard, it was only about 10% that lived to see their second year? It'll probably score you some points with the Senator, too. A son that goes and signs on with the Marines can be worth his weight in gold to a political campaign.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (23:45:13/02-05-74)
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>>>>>[Funny how it takes less time to slap on replacement limbs than it does to heal burns. Plenty of Type O material out there, especially with banks set up to deal with casualties from the war. So a couple of limbs were waiting ready. But dealing with severe burns is still a slow process. Sitting outside Xerena's tank right now. She's not too happy with me. Something to do with me tapping on the glass like a kid with a fishbowl?
Anyways, therapy is going fairly well. New limbs take some 'walking in' to function like the old ones. Especially when you have multiple limbs to work on.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (19:27:34/02-06-74)
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>>>>>[Glad you two are all right. Don't tap on the glass, however Iceblade. It gives the person inside a major headache, yes I know from personal experience. Been insanely busy myself, meeting after meeting, boring as hell stuff. Wish I could take a nice trip like was recently seen on here. Heh.
*Emote: Sigh* Well, back at it. Don't even have time to use the Drekker without working.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (08:02:19/02-06-74)
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>>>>>[ Unhappy only begins to describe it, Miri. You may just lose another limb when I get out of here tomorrow. And if you don't take definite steps to soften my displeasure, oh childish one, the limb I cut off might be one that matters sorely. Never mess with a Spanish woman. :-* Unless you enjoy playing with fire, of course. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:05:44/07-02-74)
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>>>>>[ I've not torn a limb off in too long.]<<<<<
-- Chona (05:24:44/07-02-74)
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>>>>>[Oh, don't worry, Xerena, I'll be good. When you get out, we'll have a day or two in Metropole, and then we're on a flight to New Orleans. Oh, and our clothes have already been mended, so we're good on that account. And I still have our 'souvenirs', see? A matched set of dragon fangs. Though we probably shouldn't wave them around outside the hospital. If the dragon had kin, they might get a wee bit upset with us. As if we needed anyone else on our tails.
By the way, my dear, did you know that your hair looks stunning in that tank?]<<<<<
--Iceblade (05:08:01/02-07-74)
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>>>>>[Get a room you two. *gagging noises*]<<<<<
-- Chrona (10:21:01/02-07-74)
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>>>>>[What's wrong with a little flirting, Mr. Chrona? As for the limbs question, I'm on my original set, and proud of that fact.]<<<<<
-- Murphy (05:23:09/02-07-74)
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>>>>>[Don't listen to him. I"m quite enjoying this on several levels. Primarily the fact that it reminds me of the base Zen Philosophy: "No matter what, there will always be darkness in light, and light in the darkness." A key principle of the Yin and the Yang.
Another level is that you two are fracking adorable together it seems. I'd suggest mariage, but I'm not sure how long Ice would last before getting himself a bad case of "battelth (or however that's spelled) to the head."
Speaking of relationships, you keeping in contact with your naga friend Murph?]<<<<<
-- Card (03:24:32/02-07-74)
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>>>>>[Don't worry, Chrona. We'll take anything that develops behind closed doors. Whether there will be trid footage that makes its way here is up to Xerena. A gentleman never does something like that without the lady's consent.
Murphy, keep your own meat as long as you can. Honestly, I wouldn't suggest anything more than some wired reflexes or maybe skillwires, unless you get hurt. Bioware is much easier on your aura, but it is also more expensive. Take it from someone who actually worked corpsec for a while. People with large holes in their aura get a LOT of extra scrutiny if there's a security mage in the area.
Card, I'm not so much worried about catching a bat'leth to the head, except as a result of business. I have an image of a playboy Tir exile/male escort to play, afterall, which can be rough on relationships. Even if a lady understands that it is simply business, some of them don't like to share, even if I tell them that there's a difference between my job and my personal life. That's one of the down-sides of playing a cover. Sometimes, people don't see the difference between the cover and you.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (05:51:23/02-07-74)
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>>>>>[Murphy, are you still in Seattle? Fancy infiltrating some CorpSec?]<<<<<
-- Chrona (11:04:09/02-07-74)
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>>>>>[Glad you're both going to pull through, and congrats on the dragon slaying.
Murphy, as someone with cyber implants, I'll second his advice to you. I'm hoping to eventually pull in enough cred to get the metal replaced with the bio implants and then go in for that new revitalization treatment.]<<<<<
--Predator (12:15:05/02-07-2074)
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>>>>>[ Nice attitude, Card. In this business, it helps to see the silver lining behind the black cloud. It fact, it's downright essential. You have to keep a sense of humour, or you'll drop into darkness. Cry when you have to, but never forget to laugh too. And especially, to laugh at yourself. Bit soon to speak of marriage though...although I appreciate the vote of confidence. Certainly there will be sparks. Remember...I may carry a bat'leth, but Miri carries a blade. One I made. He'll be more than capable of keeping my bat'leth at bay. :P
And Miri...the lady would consent to the making of the trid footage, but definitely not to its distribution. I too have an image to uphold. All I can can say is...you have very strange taste if you think my hair looks stunning in this tank. It looks like a black and white virus, or maybe an amoeba. Argh! I've never managed to keep it tamed.
Business is business. The trick with balancing the requirememts of business and personal is to know the person involved very well. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:58:50/07-02-74)
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>>>>>[Ah, Xerena. You're quite mistaken, of course. The way it is floating around you makes you look like some kind of water nymph, wild and free. Quite beautiful. But there's me waxing romantic again. One of the benefits of getting a decent exposure to the arts as a child.
Thank you, Predator. It is not something I would have done if the dragon had given me a choice, however. We were lucky, simply put. The blade struck true, and our magics combined with the weapons of our team were enough to bring the dragon down. But it was not an easy battle. I've looked over the recording from my simrig. I think it captures the sense of panic well, and the frantic way we were just trying to do something, anything to survive the fight, though the spirit's feelings on the matter weren't captured. I can honestly say I wasn't sure we would live through that one.
Though I can honestly say I don't know where the spirit got the idea to jump on the dragon's back, and stab it between the wing joints. Effective, though, since it kept the thing grounded long enough for the rest to take it down.
Hell, if it wasn't a sure way to get myself killed, I could probably make a small fortune distributing this clip.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:10:06/02-07-74)
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>>>>>[Sounds like someone is well and thoroughly smitten. Since you two survived, I think someone should buy you both a round of drinks when you get back.]<<<<<
--Predator (14:21:11/02-07-2074)
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>>>>>[Round of drinks hell, I've got them a week at one of the best hotel/resorts in Pensacola. All expenses paid. I just wish the new San Carlos was already open, it would be even nicer than where I got.]<<<<< --Wolfgar(18:05:54/02-07-74)
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>>>>>[Well, just got finished 'debriefing' with a representative from the military. Very polite for an anaconda shifter. I gave her the basic rundown on the mission, leaving out names and any operational specifics, of course. The fact that apparently we put a major hurt on the Big A's forces in the area seems to have tickled a few scales around here. At least, that's what the scuttlebutt around the hospital is. Managed to talk my way into the Officer's Club on base last night, and a few drinks got me a the latest gossip.
Heading over to Xerena's room now. She's due to get out of the tank today, and I thought we'd spend a day on Metropole's beaches before catching a flight to NO and sharing a couple drinks with you, Wolf. I mean, you really can't stop by Metropole without at least visiting the beaches once. And then we'll be there to take you up on that week in Pensacola, while my new parts get up to full speed. Then we're heading up the well to Evo's resort.
It'll be the second time I've vacationed there. At some point, I would LOVE to take a trip to the big ZO, but even I know I'm nowhere near important enough to get that trip.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (09:42:34/02-08-74)
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>>>>>[ You know...it's the weirdest thing. Miri got entirely new limbs and I just got some new muscles to replace the cooked ones...but he's mobile before I am. I'll have to use an exoskeleton for a while until my rehab is complete. I had to threaten to brain the doctor before he'd let me out. No way I'm staying in here. Damnit, I'm a trained doctor myself. I know what will and won't work. Checked myself out.
I look forward to meeting you, Wolf. It'll be interesting to meet another wolf totem.
Oh! I got those new SINs. And made arrangements for "Xerena Veracruz" to meet an untimely end.
I think this will be the last run I take for a while. I came out of semi-retirement for it...and now that its done, I find I didn't miss it so much. Except for that dragon...and that first bit of the run...it was pretty par for the course. How I miss my little microlab and my shop... ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (12:18:50/08-02-74)
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>>>>>[Wish I could do stuff like that. Less time in the tank would have done me some good. Still working myself up to my previous levels.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (12:57:16/02-08-74)
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>>>>>[From what I understand, everything works a lot easier if you have to replace the entire limb than healing up large parts of them. They have basic Type O parts in stock in any major sprawl, and from what the doc said even if you're not in a major sprawl, they can usually get them by next day air. Of course, that's only for... official facilities. Shadow clinics have different rules, natch. Depends how good your street doc is, or how well supplied your hospital may be. The main problem I have now is training up the new limbs to the same condition the old ones were in.
By comparison, Xerena had pretty severe burns over a good bit of her body, which meant they had to actually go and heal up those wounds. Which takes much longer. Crazy, no?
We're out on the beach now, enjoying a bit of sun without a breather for the first time in days. Strange how clean the air is here. Guess that is what happens when you have a country ruled by a dragon. They tend to look after the environment more than others. The beaches are interesting, to be sure. There's a centaur couple on the next towel over, and some free spirits playing in the water. And that isn't the craziest sight out here.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (14:06:24/02-08-74)
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>>>>>[ I'll have specific clone replacements prepared when I get back. This will tide me over until then. And it's a perfect excuse to just sit back and relax.
This place has such a wonderful atmosphere. I'm glad you insisted we come here, Miri. It really is lovely.
You know what? I'm just going to switch this thing off and enjoy the place and the company. I am on holiday, after all. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (16:03:00/08-02-74)
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>>>>>[Ah, night in Metropole. We're catching a couple drinks now, before taking a late night flight to New Orleans. Risks either way, of course. You go in the middle of the day, it is easier to get lost in the crowd, but it is also harder to spot surveillance. And harder to spot an ambush before you're stuck in it. You go late at night, and there are fewer spooks around, any surveillance is easier to spot, and you have a chance to catch an ambush before you're trapped. Down side: it is easier for anyone watching to spot you.
Personally, when you know the Azzies want you, it is usually better to be able to see them coming.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (21:04:24/02-08-74)
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>>>>>[I'll be waiting for you with Tank Girl when you get off your flight guys. Just look for the sign and we'll be drinking at the resort bar by dinner.]<<<<< -- Wolfgar (22:20:45/02-08-74)
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>>>>>[The flight was smooth, no troubles. Didn't really expect any, to be honest. Getting an agent into Amazonia and into position so quickly would be impressive, even for the Azzies. And I don't think we're quite worth exposing sleepers that might already in country. Getting out of the CAS will be more interesting, though.
Anyways, the resort bar is lovely. Good, strong drinks, and a minimum of crazy to go with it. Wolfgar, you certainly know how to pick them! Now I think I'm going to actually get some rest, once I put a ward around the room. I'll leave it so you and Xerena can pass through, Wolf. Just a weak thing, so we have some warning if anyone comes calling.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (06:39:24/02-09-74)
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>>>>>[Madrecita, what do you think I am? I'm not a bounty hunter, I don't do floating bounties. I'm a professional wetwork artist, if someone wants me to kill somebody he's going to ask me in person and give me the required advance. Besides, I got plenty of work, no need for me to go chasing my own contacts when I can choose a target which is no use to me. On top of all, I got an annoying pretty princess to train. She's better than I thought and might even make it as an assassin but she's still annoying.
Speaking of Autumn, tomorrow's the big day for her. First contract on her own. I sneaked a peek at what she's planning and, surprisingly, it should work... Providing that she doesn't screw up or choke. Hahaha. She's putting a lot of energy on this one, I did said she would love her first contract. She's getting ready for her flight. I'll give news of her success... Or failure.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (05:19:37/10-02-74)
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>>>>>[ Madrecita, Iceblade: I'll need a copy of that chip.
And I really wish you would have left Wulfgar's little issues for another time. Accomplishing his little demolition items has put the results of your primary activities in serious jeopardy. ]<<<<<
-- The Wyrm Ouroboros (17:55:55/02-11-2074)
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>>>>>[Sorry I haven't been around. I've been as busy as Mr. Money, for, um, much of the same reason. Seems the word of my leadership role kinda came out, as that wasn't covered under our "Don't talk about the 'run" thing, and... Well, let's just say I've been asked to take a more active role in the politics going on in Seattle.
Glad to know you're safe Mr. Iceblade, Ms. Medrecita!]<<<<<
-- Murphy (18:29:51/02-11-74)
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>>>>>[Null sheen, Wyrm. The primary gig went off without a hitch. We didn't call down hell upon our heads until afterwards, when we were getting the paydata for the old wyrm's people. Or did you think that pulling a job in the main pyramid in Tenochtitlan wasn't going to be like kicking in the door of a UB chapterhouse to see what the buzzing sound you heard was?
I'll let Madrecita take care of sending you the chip, and posting what we saw on the nets. Not sure where the wyrm's people will want to see it, now that Shadowland is gone.
And thanks, Murphy. Things have been crazy, but glad to hear you're keeping busy. Don't forget, it is easy to tell when a politician is scheming something. They're still breathing.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (07:54:23/02-12-74)
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>>>>>[I said I'd give news... I got exactly that!
// upload media file :: user Smiley :: 02/14/74 //
// audio-to-text conversion engaged //
// Japanese - English conversion // Haha!Prog – 02/13/74 //
Breaking news. Authorities confirms that Yamamoto Hiroto and his wife were found dead in their loft, in Osaka, yesterday evening. Autopsies are still ongoing but champagne glasses with traces of what could be poison were found on the scene. The bodies were discovered by their daughter a few hours after their death. At this morning press release from the authorities, Captain Akita Tsubasa said that nothing was conclusive yet but that everything was pointing towards suicide. Yamamoto Hiroto was the CEO of Bright Star Agency, a subsidiary of Shiawase Corporation. Bright Star Agency stocks were, in the last few weeks, alarmingly taking a drop in value and is now on verge of collapse, fueling the suicide theory of its CEO. Shiawase Corporation has yet to present a press release but a representative from the corporation told us that they will present one in the next few days. On this, I am Nara Moriko from Osaka News and I will be following this story closely.
// end file //
Now that's a job well done! Planned to every details, including the stock value drop. Hahaha! Not bad! Not bad at all! She's due to come back in a few days, assuming she doesn't get arrested before. Money, I'll take you up on that offer to train her for a little while. I rely too much on sorcery to cover my tracks and she needs someone to show her more mundane ways of doing that. Nah, that's a lame excuse I know... Like I don't know the mundane tricks as well. I really just need someone to get the little princess off my plate for a week or two because I need to take care of something. Well, someone in fact. An idiot who has the guts of calling himself The Mysterious Man (I killed the last one might I add) sent me an invitation for a meeting to discuss a business proposal. Apparently some of the best independent wetwork specialists I know will also be attending. The whole thing smells like drek and screams a setup. I'm pretty conflicted about what I'm going to do with this. My whole being is telling me to just snap the fool's neck before the meet but my curiosity might get the best of me... We'll see I guess.]<<<<<
-- Smiley (09:48:37/02-14-74)
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>>>>>[Glad to hear the protege is working out, Smiley. As far as the meet goes, you're right that kind of thing smells. You don't just gather the top wetwork guys in the world in one place unless it is a trap, or you need them to take on what is likely a suicide mission, like trying to kill Lofwyr. I'd say you may want to consider breaking down and getting a team to back you up. It is easier to do wetwork solo than to escape an ambush solo. Having a team to cause a distraction could be an easy way of getting out of a bad situation.
Vacation is still going well. Making plans to take an orbital up to Evo's resort after this.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (10:02:12/02-14-74)
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>>>>>[Just give me a bit to get back in better shape, Smiley. The way things are going, I'm going to need one hell of a vacation soon.
No no no no no. Hack into the system, not hack the system up with an axe! Who taught you computers, Neil the Ork Barbarian? ... He did? ... Cartoon Action Hour on Saturday mornings? ... Oh All Father preserve me, in alcohol preferably!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (23:10:10/02-14-74)
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>>>>>[Money, there's a moonshiner here that says his stuff is strong enough to make a troll go blind. Give me an address, and I'll send you a case. I took a whiff, and if you don't drink it, you can probably use it to get rid of a plascrete wall instead.
Ah, gotta love the CAS.]<<<<<
--Iceblade (00:15:34/02-15-74)