[Irn0rchid]

<<If you managed to get Elaine out of the house for a little, that would probably be enough. The issue is that I'll need to send the drone in, have it come back out, download what it saw, then rinse and repeat with the new information. I guess the best way to do it is to try it that way, then if it gets caught, there's no link to us. If it gets to an obstacle it can't get past on its own, then we might have to try one of the other routes. Hopefully we can resolve it with technology, but sex sure does seem to open up a lot of doors... So are you going to let Elaine buy you something this time if you go shopping?>>

[Irn0rchid]

As the two of you are drying off after the shower, Robin nods.  >>Yes,
actually.  Elaine was showing me some of her toys and we were talking
about me getting a couple.  I could get her out of the house for that.
 She does seem to know her toys and apparently has an in with a local
retailer.  I am sending you the location of the vent now.<<  After
dressing, you go down to breakfast and Robin asks Elaine to go
shopping with her to get something "suitable".  Elaine laughs and
agrees, asking you if you want to go.  She is a bit disappointed when
you indicate that you want to remain in the house today, but Robin
brightens her by suggesting they get you one as a surprise.  As they
leave the house, Elaine warns you not to edge up your character in the
game, a sentiment echoed by Robin.

You are left alone in the house, except for the two maids who do the
cleaning and the cook, who disappears into the staff wing.

[Irn0rchid]

<<*More* toys? She already seems to have a never ending supply of them. What more could she want?>>

"I wouldn't even really know how to choose. You two seem to have a better idea of what would be fun to use, especially you, Elaine, so a surprise sounds like fun. I can't even imagine what you'd want that you don't already have... Have a good time though! I'm just going to relax and watch some TV. I promise I won't play the game while you're gone." Once the two of them leave, Rose goes to her bag and gets out the immobile Kanmushi drone. "Well, here goes nothing I suppose. It's a good thing I put in that speed upgrade or this would take even longer..." Running her 'jack cable to the drone, she boots it up into wireless off mode and uploads an image of the target vent. Commanding it to record a full sensory track, she directs it to enter the vent, follow it, and return once there is a fork, it ends, or it detects anything unusual, leaving it up to the pilot to determine how to evaluate 'unusual'. Releasing it onto the wall, she settles back to watch TV with an AR window up of the local Matrix activity and wait for its return. "I wonder how many trips it's going to take just to get it close to the room? I'm going to need to pay extra attention to the MAD output to watch for any odd traps or other sensors."

[Mercy Merchant]

Monday  11 June 2075  0830  Elaine's House


Elaine grins.  "Oh, the toys are not for me, dear, they are for you.  We might get a couple of other things as well, so we ought to be back in a few hours.  I hope that you are ready to play.  Either game."

The tiny drone takes off and soon disappears into the vent.  While you are catching up on your morning trids, one of the maids comes along to clean the room.  She is pleasant enough, exchanging greetings in a foreign accent, but seems mostly there to work, not chat.  The drone returns while she is still in the room.

[Irn0rchid]

"For me? Uhm... maybe I shouldn't let you two go without me." Robin laughs, "Too late! It will be more fun this way, I promise."

"Of course she decides she has to clean in here right now..." Rose leaves the maid alone in the hope that she'll finish quickly and leave but her hopes are dashed when she catches sight of the drone returning on the ceiling. "Ma'am, this is one of my favorite shows and it's getting hard to concentrate with you working in here. Would it be possible for you to come back later?"

[Mercy Merchant]

The young woman looks up, a bit of confusion showing on her face.  "Sorry?  No.  Mister Howard, he likes his cleaning just so and in such an order.  I dare not do different.  I will be finished here soon.  Very sorry for the noise."  She shrugs and continues her cleaning as your drone crawls closer and closer to you.  Fortunately, she is on the other side of the room when it gets to your location and drops into your lap.

[Irn0rchid]

"Whew, that was close. I didn't even consider the he maids. I'll need to be more careful if I'm going to succeed at this..." Waiting until the maid leaves to try and be less suspicious, she finally gets a chance to plug into the drone and download the recording quickly before pocketing it again and replaying the sensor recordings while pretending to o watch the trip.

[Mercy Merchant]

The video feed from the drone shows that it had little trouble navigating the narrow path, which ended at a vent into a larger room.  From the slots in the vent, you can see ambient light shining on a large number of pottery vases.  The angle is not the best, so you only get a small feeling for the size of the room, but you can see some of the bowls and vases on pedestals on the floor, shelves in wall niches, and in rows in curio cabinets.  It appears that some of the slots might be more than large enough for the drone to go through, but it had returned as directed after hitting an obstacle.

[Irn0rchid]

Smiling to herself that the drone made it all the way to the next room, Rose relaxes a little bit. Going through the MAD output she double checks to make sure there's nothing anomalous around the vent. Increasingly confident, shes still leery of getting caught by the maid, so she takes a trip to the bathroom in order to connect to the drone and reprogram it. Commanding it to return to the vent and then move to just on the other side of it, she directs it to take detailed recordings of all the objects in the room, especially with the MAD sensor and then to return, waiting at the return vent till it sees her rub both ears. "Not going to have it come out into the room with other people here this time!"

[Mercy Merchant]

Monday  11 June 2075  1130  Elaine's House


The drone disappears into the vent again and the waiting begins.  The young maid comes back to the living room and up to you.  "Please, Miss.  Madam call to say she is out later than expected for another maybe three hours.  Cook say to ask you what you eat for lunch?  She has very nice roast beef for sandwiches or can make a nice salad and chicken soup?"

As she is speaking to you, you get a message in from Robin.  >>Hey, lover.  We got a couple of nice toys for you.  Thought you might need a bit more time, so I agreed to let her buy me some clothes.  We will eat lunch out and be back in a couple or three hours.  You know how long it can take to try on sooooooo many outfits.  Why can't we have money like this?  It is just not fair.<<

[Irn0rchid]

"Salad and soup would be fine, thank you." "Once the food gets here they'll hopefully leave me alone fora bit so I'll see if the drone is ready then."

<<Great, this is taking awhile. The maid running around is making things difficult. Would you take Elaine's place in exchange for the money? That might could be arranged if so... *smirkemoji*

[Mercy Merchant]

Monday  11 June 2075  1140  Elaine's House


>>Nah.  Can't have the house without the money.  We'd never be able to pay the upkeep.  And right now I would not want any place that did not include you as part of the deal.  Talk later.<<

The maid will bring you some soup and a salad on a tray then leave you alone.  The food is surprisingly good.  You are waiting for the drone to return to the vent exit when you hear voices in the hall.  Turning, you see Howard talking to the maid.  "No thanks, Conchita, I ate at the club.  I am just here for an hour or two anyway."  The maid curtsies and disappears as Howard turns and comes into the living room.  He stops short as he notices you then comes to stand near the couch.  The man oozes charm as he says, "Hello.  You must be Elaine's other friend.  I am her husband, Howard.  How do you do?"  His eyes scan your form, staying on your chest for a few seconds before rising to your face.  He holds out a hand to you in greeting.

[Irn0rchid]

"Drek! I was hoping to avoid dealing with him directly. I supposed it was inevitable though. He certainly seems to be as described though..." Standing, she shakes his hand. "Yes, my name is Rachael, pleased to meet you. Thank you for letting us stay in your house and keep Elaine company. She's currently out shopping though if you were looking for her." Rose falls back on her habitual cold demeanor to cut through the charm.

[Mercy Merchant]

Howard smiles, apparently unfazed by your cold demeanor.  "You are quite welcome, Rachel.  And. please, call me Howard while you are living here.  I keep telling Elaine that she needs to get out and make friends.  She is in a shell and I would be quite grateful if you helped her out of it.  Stay as long as you like, please."  Now that you are standing, his eyes travel up and down your body again, obviously liking what he sees.  "So, I had a chance to spend a good bit of time with Robin and she told me lots about you.  She said you might be as much into having fun as she is.  Is that true?"

[Irn0rchid]

"Yes, she does seem to be in a bit of a rut. Seems like she's been having trouble pursuing her interests recently. Hopefully we can help her get more involved with her life." Raising her eyebrow at his appraisal, "I'm very much into having fun, but you're not really... equipped to entertain me."