|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 1, 2010 17:39:18 GMT -5
OOC: Last Friday the count was at 187 views. Today it's at 239. People may not be playing but somebody is reading. I don't think we wrote over 50 entries out here since then. Hello Lurkers!
That Vulpine sure came through. The lawyers got the law to back off. Security got improved. I got a big check for my losses. I also collected an insurance check on my own. I do insure my stuff. I also got an insurance check from the building's insurer. Honest Pelchey it appears, has renters insurance. I was able to have 10,000 NuYen wired off to pay off my book. Now criminals wouldn't be hunting me down, just the UCAS.
Another thing is I got an upgrade in my suites both professional and private for one year at no cost. It appears the Security people have also offered to replace the equipment and medical supplies I use gratis, for a year. Man it's all pure profit. I immediately went to a private tailor well recommended by the Mayflower staff. I spent most of the morning replacing my ruined wardrobe and items. All gratis as well. I could get to like this.
It appears Honest Pelchey is not as tight-fisted with the cred as I was led to expect.
I had to laugh. The UCAS had jumped the gun. They went through my room and stuff and there was nothing there to find. If they had waited till I came back AFTER the ceremony they might have discovered the very expensive magical tie-pin I had prepared and that wouldn't do at all. Now I kept it safely hidden on myself at all times.
I headed for Izzy's room and knock on the door. She was in and told me to come in. It was almost time to make contact with Pelchey.
|
|
|
Post by Braddoc on Jun 1, 2010 19:21:07 GMT -5
I woke up coughing, the pain from my face, followed by my shoulder and leg, pretty much all my body too. My head felt like it was about to split open. The couch under me creeked. Taking my watch to my eyes, it was around 9:15 in the morning. That took out a weight on my shoulders; I survived, thanks to whoever knocked me out. They even bandaged my wounds pretty well too. Looking around, the place was dark, the windows seemed boarded up, but there was enough sunlight getting in to ‘see’. Kinda hard to see when everything’s a blur 3 inches forward in front of you.
I got up, at least my socks were still there. Dunno about the rest of my clothes, but I need a smoke. I limped to a table in what passed for the kitchen, I think. There was a bunch of crap on the table. My crap. No clothes yet, nor my weapons, but at least I had my smokes, at least half of what I had last night. And my sunglasses too. I was sitting in the kitchen area of a 5½ apartment, the place was rather clean, for an abandoned place. No Watchers or spirits or anything. Bathroom with water, if you can count a bucket of water near the can as utilities. An office with books, REAL books, cheapo build-it-yourself desk, posters of animal anatomy. Milk crates chair. My savior’s was into animal, lots of books about animal biology, anatomy, even a few papa-zoological tomes. Too pointy a library for just a fan of the lil’furry critters actually. At least it wasn’t a crazy cat person..just a crazy pigeon person. ‘Dunno if that’s better or worse.
Back to the bathroom, I checked up my face: The bandages was going around my head over my nose and forehead. My left eye was starting to turn black. I topped my smoke in the water and disposed of it in the toilet, even if there was no water in it. Drek! I hope the owner didn’t mind...too late for that. The other room was a bedroom, Queen sized bed, old bedsheets, again with cheapo drawers too. I glanced in the closet, just to see, With the 10 pairs of shoes of everything kind, too much clothing for one person it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what I was dealing with. Good, at least I might be able to pay with sex without feeling violated.
The door leading out was reinforced with metal sheets, padlocks and locks. It doesn’t look like much, but if there’s someone here, that means it’s doing the job of keeping the freaks out. I could see outside, up form the 5th floor of the building. The sun blinded me for a second before the eyesight got used to it. Yup, it was day outside. The owner had a few large opening in the boarded windows, enough to hang a rifle and take some pot-shots left and right. The hunters from last night were just blood and gear. The van was still there. Good.
Dragging myself back at the table, I checked my poc sec and my cellphone: no service in your area, please try again later. Fraggin’ death zone. I lid another smoke when the locks on the door began shifting. ‘Got nervous a bit, but it’s not like the undead or crazy ghouls can work a key. The woman entered, she froze for a second when she saw me, but got in and closed the door before getting her hooded longcoat off. She wasn’t that bad: ok figure, nice ass, and she was packing a Ruger, nice choice. If it wasn’t for the fact that she didn’t have a single hair on her head, was white a snow and had empty eyesockets, she might have been a good number.
Didn’t expect that one.
|
|
|
Post by Braddoc on Jun 1, 2010 20:52:37 GMT -5
We looked at eachother for a moment, until she spoke “Hey..hum..how’s it going?” I got my jaw back up and regained some composure “Hmm..yeah...ok I guess.. I think.” She slowly went to sit down at the table, I tried to back away, but the chair wouldn’t budge. She took a cig and lid herself up, exhaling deeply, like she was actually enjoying it more than smoking as reflex or addiction. “Sorry about taking half your smokes there, I was kinda nervous, I never really operated on a human being before.” I just wobbled my head like I didn’t care. “And..sorry about your buddies too.” That brought me back on solid ground.
“My what now?” She just gestured toward a window “Your buddies, the 4 other guys that tried their luck last night.” “Oh..yeah I’m..not with them, I...kinda got here by accident y’see..” Her brows jerked up, like she was rolling invisible eyes “Yeah right, bunch of guys with wires come and go in here but you’re the first fool who came here with magic; Don’t you know we can see you magic-types super-easy? You’re shining like the sun for us. Hell, you’re lighting up my place like I still had gas in the generator.”
“Like I said accident; I was chased by people and landed in here. And I’m no mage. I just got some spells quicken on me by a friend of mine.” She shifted sideways, I was ready to bounce on her, get her gun and blow her brains out if she even tried anything. Not that I could succeed without trouble, but better going down fighting.
“That’s..kinda stupid. Always shining 24/7. Can’t get anywhere without the watchers pointing you out to security.”
“I got a system to take care of that.” I made smoke, thinking I had to ask sooner or later anyway, might as well get that out of the way. “So huh..you gonna do what with me? Keep me until the night and have guests over for dinner or..?” She didn’t caught the joke. Granted it’s not like I was trying to be funny. “Do you think I WANTED to turn into a Ghoul? Do you think I ENJOY being a ghoul? Not be able to go ANYWHERE, hiding form the sun during the day, hunted down during the night, living in this..this FRAGGIN’ hellhole for the rest of my life, surrounded by crazies and zombies, with only some blood-suckin’ bitch around if I ever want to talk with someone? D’you ever think of that? HUH? Do you?”
“All right All right, sorry geez..put yourself in my place, what am I supposed to think huh? It’s not like ghouls are NOT known to eat the flesh of sentient beings, like HUMANS. So ok, you’re not one of those crazy yelling freaks, doesn’t mean you ain’t gonna say no to fresh human meat, right?” Maybe a credstick in her socket could allow me to get her gun.
She just looked away, pissed. “I got my pigeons, tastes like 2 day old chicken, but I don’t KILL people for food. Didn’t say I never done it, but I don’t kill people JUST to eat, it they attack me, I defend myself. If they die, might as well grab a bite. I won’t go out of my way to kill someone just to have something to tickle my palate. You’re living proof of that; I could have sliced you like a pig I’d be eating like queen for a weeks. Plus your blood had a nice taste. I’d rather suffer than to turn into a monster. I still got my conscience and my mind, I know what’s right and what’s wrong. Eating people was wrong when I was a norm. It’s still is now.”
“Ok..sorry I had to ask, kinda a first time I can talk with a ghoul and all, ‘least beyond screaming and yelling insults, or shooting them.... ‘Got an ashtray?” The ghoul got up and moved to the counter, I relaxed a bit as she distanced herself. Where the hell did she put my guns? ‘Kinda understand why she hid them thought; I should have searched around instead of playing tourist. “So what now? Am I free to go or..?”
“I guess so..I hid you guns for my own protection, your clothes too in case you ran off too soon..I didn’t talked to a real person in months. For what it’s worth.”
“Hm. So what do I owe you?”
“Owe me?”
“Well yeah; you saved my life, patched me up and didn’t eat me, I think I owe you somethin’..’least I could do.” Loud snarl for a lil’ lady “Yeah right, now I got to move or jsut live in fear that you’ll come back with your buddies to get easy money on my head. Just leave me that satellite phone and we’ll be even.” I raised a brow “What satellite phone?” “The one that was in you duffel bag. I went out to call my grandmother in Vermont. Turns out she died 2 weeks ago.”
“Oh..my condolences.” “Bull.” “No, I mean it. ‘think I don’t have a family too? I was born from a cabbage pack or I’m just like the spirit of Christmas? I got a family too y’know. Now if you want something from me, tell me know, and ‘ill bring it, for proof.” I pushed the hidden cam towards her “A vid from my last job. I’ll need it, so you know I,ll be back. Call it voluntary blackmail.” “What’s telling me you won’t come back with back-up and guns-aplenty?” I just grinned “My word, ‘better than money in some circles. Didn’t get my rep up with double-cross and backstabbing. I know I can trust you to not eat me when I’m down, so I don’t see why I shouldn't return the favour. Worse case just hide the cam, so it’ll be more work than just shootin’ you and searching your body.”
“Listen, you can just ask for nothing and stay in here with whatever you have, which doesn’t seemed like alot, or you can ask me what you need and I can bring it to you. So what will it be? Nothing for sure or maybe something? I’d recommend going for the ‘maybe’. Better than Nuthin’.” She seemed hesitant, and I would be more comfortable outside in the sun frankly. Time to finish up that deal. “Listen, you make up your mind, I’ll leave you one of my cards. Just call me Vince, ok? What’s your name?” She looked almost surprised by the question “Huh..K..Kate, my name’s Kate.” “All right Kate, just you got my contact information there, my spycam there, so I’ll be back before sundown today to get it back. That’ll leave you..about 8 hours to make up your mind on what you want me to bring you, all right? I..kinda need a shower, now could it be possible for you to bring me my clothes and guns so I can go?” The Ghoulette twisted in her chair, biting her lip. “Gas.” “What?” “I need gas. For the generator....and clean sheets, and grain for the pigeons..no wait, I want meat, red meat. FRESH red meat. Beef if you can get and” “Why don’t you get my clothes and make a list while I dress up huh?”
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 2, 2010 8:22:50 GMT -5
OOC: Four-Eyes gives new meaning to that old phrase.
I've just put on a chic new black Zoe skirt that goes to about mid-thigh. A nice white blouse and a silver headband to hold my hair back. Black heels that make me about an inch taller and bring out the shape of my calves real well and shows off the expensive hose. With my deck clipped to my silver belt, I'm ready for work. Just in time too. The Doc comes knocking on the door.
I tell him to come in. He's dressed in an expensive purple suit. I haven't seen anything this garish except on a pimp. Somehow, maybe because he's an elf, he pulls it off. Lavender shirt, lilac tie and suit, White fur boots that go to mid-thigh. Lace on the cuffs and neck. White fur belt. He tops it off with a wide brimmed hat with of all things fragging feathers! I think I'm going blind.
It's so awesomely garish that I stare in dumbstruck amazement. He must have taken my look for approval. Well at least we'll save on the light bill. He turns slowly, I guess to give me the full effect.
"This is the kind of suit that shows what's what." He remarked with a gleaming elf smile.
Yeah. What's what is either the most brain dead pimp in the Sprawl or he's looking to get a man. I'm not sure which. At this stage of the game. I don't want to know.
Whatever possessed him to wear such a God-Awful suit?
I remind him that we are going to be late to meet with 'Honest Pelchey'. He nodded and took my arm. The guards must have had polarized lenses in their shades. They were able to see the door to lock it when we left.
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 2, 2010 17:50:20 GMT -5
I'll admit it.
I like gold. The look the feel. The things it buys and the power kick it gives me. People kiss my hoop, and treat me like I'm the most important thing around. This contract with this rich doctor is going to bring me a lot of gold, NuYen, lucre, cold hard cash. I thinking gold when the doc breezes in looking like a fragging purple pimp.
I spit my drink. I coughed.
A fragging elf. No one told me it was going to be another fragging elf. An elf with no fragging fashion sense to boot. A giraffe's tongue of a twit with fragging ruffles around his neck, lace on his sleeves, white fur boots and belt. He even had a cape. Seat covers had died to make that cape, car seat covers from the Atzlan. The outfit was deadly. My dreams of gold went South faster than a north bound skunk.
The secretary was all right. Maybe I could hide behind her so I wouldn't get too sunburned from the glare. Her face didn't show it but I suspected she was in almost as much pain as I was. Why hadn't anyone warned me that this idiot in search of a village dressed like this?
Anything for gold. His checks had cleared. At least he was a paying customer. I bravely stuck out my hand. Luckily he could see and pumped it vigorously. I bounced.
"Honest Pelchey, Fragging glad to meet'cha." He said with all the hearty sincerity of the super rich. "Now where's that contract?"
I slid the thing forward hoping it wouldn't burst into flames. Luckily it didn't. The secretary gave the doc an electronic scribe so he could place his name on it. Luckily it wasn't in purple ink. I placed my signature on it as well. She inserted it into her deck and we soon each had copies. I carefully put mine aside to place in my vault area in the lair later. The doc carelessly tossed his copy to the girl. I assumed she would file it away later.
"Now that the biz is done, I got a present for you old boy." He handed me a tie stick pin. I had to admit it was pretty expensive looking and had a gem in it that caught the lights. I thanked him and offered to buy lunch but the doc seemed to be in a hurry. He took my hand and bounced me a couple of times and then the tornado followed by the girl left.
I clutched my pin in shock.
OOC: Did they make contact or not? MUA HAH HAH HAH!
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 3, 2010 7:31:38 GMT -5
Stated Addams as they carefully watched the video's of the contract signing. Janie nodded, "He's trying to distract our attention. Watch his hands."
Templeton had come whining to her about the cost of this operation, but the UCAS had him solid on income tax evasion. As a result, while his people were making a big show of finding all kinds of cameras and bugs, they were only pulling out the redundant ones, or ones they KNEW had already been located. As for the firings, well it was easy enough to create a back history for the new applicants and place her people right in the place.
Let the dwarf think he was making progress. She had a large budget on this one.
Addams motioned to the stick pin. "That's the only thing he has handed over. The room was magically shielded but we are certain it's magical. Outside of the handshake it's the only thing they passed to him."
Janie disagreed. "The contract itself and the copies. The pen they signed with came from the secretary and she left it on the desk. The electronic chip with the handwritten copy of the contract so that it could be electronically filed. Then of course the tie pin, which seems pretty obvious to me. Still obvious works sometimes."
"The costume was to distract us. It wasn't a bad attempt, but the elf usually dresses in Vashon suits. The cape, ruffles and lace, with that stupid hat are all to distract. The part that bothers me is he grabbed Gobwit's hand twice."
Addams nodded, "A smart cookie like him could be assessing the dwarf for his aura so that he can make magical contact. He had nothing in his hands that he passed. We slowed down the copy and checked it frame by frame. no sleight of hand there. We also watched the secretary and Gobwit. If they were the runners he doesn't give anything away that they are making any abnormal contact. It does seem to lead directly to the tie pin. Somehow it appears to be a trigger."
Janie sighed, "The secretary never actually touches Gobwit at all. She places things on the desk and picks them up, she catches the contract from her boss but doesn't touch him either. Have we got a more extensive background check on either of them yet?"
"No. It takes time to dig that deep and we are having to light fires under people in different sprawls. You know how it is when you mess about in someone else's pool. You're ruling out the secretary because she never made any kind of contact with Gobwit?"
"Of course not. She may be just a sideshow but she standing in the background while her partner is deliberately attracting attention. I want a frame by frame of her starting from when she walked into the office. Maybe she's planting something. We get that stick pin and let our mages check it out."
Addams nodded.
|
|
|
Post by Braddoc on Jun 3, 2010 21:09:57 GMT -5
OOC: Well, dealing with an Elven Mage, they can wiggle their ears and somehow manage to pass some magical message of some sort; that or it's the base of a double-cross. I would be leaning for the double-cross angle, but that's just me. Besides, it's not like someone with 'honest' in their name are NOT dealing honestly all the time right? Used Car salesmen use it all the time! There was no hokus-pokus trick here Janie, you're barking up the wrong tree! Oh wait..
Nothing beats feeling the sun warming your face, even when it’s bandaged. Kate brought me my guns and clothes, and off I went to last night’s battle. The keys were easily found, covered in blood in a pocket of once a nice pair of combat pants. It made a nice duo with the bloodied AK-97 I picked up, folding stock, laser sight, good gas vent system. The damn add-ons were worth more than the gun itself. Damn AKs, no wonder I never sold all of my FNs Assault rifles; now I’m stuck selling maybe one or two every odd day down at the Crime Mall; I should have known gangers were more into what looked good in the streets rather than quality. Oh well, at least the Mob care. Not enough to buy everything, but enough to lower my stock to get back in my money.
At least those guys almost made a profit: they got a bag with about a dozen flesh-eater’s heads in it. Bounty Permit’s in the glovebox too. Oh well, they won’t be needing it now. At least the engine’s started, and even half-a-tank left too.
I passed by the motel; my car was gone. My brand new used 2056 Audi. 8 months of gunrunnin’ down the drain. I should have put the alarm on, or at least my shock system. Great, now I have to go to my locker and get my Americar.
I head for one of my place that was in downtown. I had it under my real name, so whoever got to me last night might not be stalking the place. Whoever they were, it was a case of wrong time/wrong place, or they were after me specifically. I wondered who: it’s not like I have enemies out there; I used to, but they’re kinda busy being dead for years now. The spycam will have info. I’ll have it back tonight. The important thing now, I’m alive and I’ve met Kate; Kate who’s a ghoul, Kate who’s living in the dead zone, Kate who seems to know and talked to, a ‘blood-suckin bitch’ as she put it. Monster hunting’s a bit behind me, but who am I to spit at 250 000 Nuyen? Got to play those cards right, take my time too, but do it fast: that license I now have is still good for 28 days. Might as well save 20K.
Her list was short, maybe a dozen items, all easy: the Diesel for the generator might be a bit hard to bring back, 200 liters, that’s 10 jerrycans....Or wait; an oil drum’s 50 gallons or so, so that’s..220 liters.
Oil drum, Oil drum..I KNOW I saw some somewhere..hmm..my warehouse...no...that old factory me and the boys partied last month..no..it was a warehouse type place....I pulled in the underground parking. Nightshade’s bike was there; Good that means I won’t be stuck re-doing those bandages all by myself. Then a trip to Meg to get healed up all nice and proper by half a dozen mage and some Limey students then I'm hittin' the stores.
Meg! That’s it! I remember now, she took some to make dunking pools for when the students were forging those weapons. I had Chuck move the empty ones down in Max’s room, she bitched, but sucks to be an elf huh? Good times.
10 before 11. With any chance Nightshade will even make me a nice lunch.
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 4, 2010 13:57:16 GMT -5
The elf style Popsicle is gone. The room seems darker already.
I slotted the electronic copy of the contract, under my personal pass-code. It dumped the original and rewrote the original back onto the chip with some tough encryption. All information safely stored and registered I reset the chip back on the desk.
Wouldn't you just know it, about that time my current hoop holes waltzed into the room. Like they had been waiting for me to get done with the elf. It was going to be one of those fragging days. I picked up a silver pen the secretary had left, probably by mistake, who cares, it's mine now.
PigONE: "Still wearing Bill Blasted suits I see. The elf should have stuck with Vashon Island. That thing he has on makes him look like a badly dressed pimp."
I glared at them, "Now what do you two fraggers want? How am I supposed to get anything done if you keep coming in to mess with me? What's worse, you tie me up talking and wonder why I can't get anything done."
PigTWO: "The attitude hasn't improved much but we can cut you some slack. We want that pin, that pen and the original copy of that contract. Give us that and we'll let you have a couple more weeks. Give us a hard time, we take it anyway, and we start coming after you now."
I looked at them my mind racing. The pin looked to be worth some money. I wasn't going to let that go so easy. The original copy of the contract was already registered and under layers of ICE in the lair. I could just give them the chip and they would never know the difference. It would take them a while just to break the encryption. If they thought they could muscle money out of me with what was on the contract, they were too late. The pen was one of those silver things that corps always seem to give out when some chump retires. Nothing special, pricey, fancy looking but you always end up losing them anyway if they don't run out or leak on you in the first week. That got me to thinking more.
Now why would they want a fragging pen? If they were willing to back off on the time schedule to get it and the other items, then maybe I finally had me some leverage. The question is, how much?
"I can be reasonable, but the pin was given me by the Doc, it's worth quite a bit. He might be a bit miffed if I was to lose it or not wear his gift. As for the contract, since when does the UCAS want to see a standard contract? You boys planning to go into business for yourself? Trying to get a piece of the action or looking for blackmail material? I don't think your bosses are going to like that. As for the pen, I got a bunch. Tell you what, for a dwarf anythings for sale, make me a package offer. Two weeks and the cost of the pin? Or maybe three weeks?"
PigTwo backhanded me out of my chair. Seems I had no leverage at all. He pocketed the three items on my desk. Turned and walked out, followed by his girl friend.
PigONE, "You always got to do things the HARD way don't you." They slammed the door. I was pissed. I dialed Lone Star. "I been robbed. I'll pay a bounty dead or alive. 50% of the value of the recovered items if you kill the bastiages resisting arrest, another 50% if you recover the items intact." I sent them the feed from the sec cameras showing them backhanding me taking the stuff. I stopped it there. They didn't need any of the words. "I think they're armed. If you hurry you can nail them as they leave the building." Lone Star promised me an FRT probably two.
I smiled, maybe I was killing two problems with the same boulder. It would be worth the expense.
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 4, 2010 14:36:26 GMT -5
Fall and I had done well in our negotiations at the Templeton agency. It seems they needed some new faces pretty desperately. Fall got assigned to the team on the Doc's door. The one that had been robbed. They issued her a nice uniform and an Ares Special with armlamax rounds. I got the camera security for the floor. We each got panic buttons and comm units. They were going to assign us a room together right on the premises. Looks like my old landlord wasn't going to get that late rental payment after all. We had cleaned out the place, loaded it in my Aurora and we were gone in less than an hour. It would probably take him a day or so to realize we were gone.
As I pulled into the lane for the underground garage we were stopped by a Lone Star cop. I hit a button and the canopy slid back. "What's tox?" I asked.
Lone Star saw our Templeton Security Uniforms and badges pinned to our chest. He nodded politely, we were part of the fraternity, I could begin to like this job. Normally the Star goons would have been muscling us.
"Looks like another robbery. I swear the runners in this town have to be brain-dead. The place gets hit a day or so ago and they hit some High Level suit's personal apartment and trash it. You would think they would have robbed it and sold the stuff, but no, that's too much like work for the chip crazed hoop-holes. Now it looks like the same idiots just did it again but this time they went after Pelchey himself. We got the alert and we have two FRT's waiting for them when they come out of the building. into the parking lot."
Fall smiled, "You need TWO Fast Response Teams for this bunch? How many are there?"
"Just two, but they're going to be killed resisting arrest." He smiled. Lone Star just loves the chance to use those weapons. Two heavy FRT squads means they came in armor with At least two auto-shotguns plus missiles. That meant they were going to be geeked when they cleared the building enough so the damage would be light.
Fall nodded in agreement. "Hey maybe we can help, sort of be eye witnesses and tell the holo people when they get here. We get our faces on the news and make our boss happy and you got some righteous witnesses to make you all look good."
Lone Star nodded, "I like that. I'll let the Lieut, know. You girls just stay here buttoned up and you'll see the whole thing. Nice to see some citizens get even with the scum for a change and maybe we can work some deals later."
Fall nodded as he walked away and I closed the window. "Now we got a contact in the Star. That could be useful." I nodded. It was a smart move. I saw two suits with shades come out the door. I looked twice. Those guys looked like standard street dress for UCAS Secret Service. I didn't get a chance to say anything. They were hit from all sides at once. They had body armor. It kept them alive just long enough so they could feel themselves die. One guy even managed to clear his holster but he never got a shot off. The boss cop came up and looked. It was going to be hard to identify them. He motioned us over.
We stepped out of the car. Fallon picked up the UCAS cops gun with her gloves on and fired four shells at the ceiling. She tossed the gun back down. "No powder burns on your boys and they won't check me. Definitely, some desperate scum here. They deserved what they got." The Boss cop smiled but it turned into a frown. The hoop-holes stashed the loot somewhere or gave it to someone else. Frag IT! He turned to the team members. "Let the holo people in, and let's look good for the news We at least got half the bounty. It's still a win as far as I'm concerned.
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 5, 2010 14:36:58 GMT -5
Janie and Addams were watching the news. Some dwarf biff was being interviewed. She had on a 'Templeton's' Uniform. Several Lone Star officers in gold and blue armor that made them look like insects were working in the background.
Addams, "Those were our people that Lone Star just took down. Our teams saw it, but by the time they knew what had happened our guys were already down. We cracked into the Lone Star files, Gobwit said they robbed him. The fragging animal set them up. He offered a bounty."
Janie, "Lucas and Skater were stupid. They thought a badge was instant protection. Any animal will bite back if you push too hard. I'm more worried about the level of visibility. Lucas and Skater carried badges. Lone Star when they put the forensic people on it will find those ID's and badges. They will make queries. I've already had the files change to show those badges and ID's were stolen of two other UCAS cops a month ago. I'm also having the files replaced with phonies. We are going to deny ever having known the pair of them."
Addams, looking disgusted, "Then you are going to let him get away with this?"
Janie, smiled, "Not at all. Something you may not be aware is that Lucas at least remembered his field craft. After he left Gobwit's office he passed the items to another man to deliver to us. They just arrived in the lab. We may have lost two fools but we did accomplish what we set out to do. If those things contain some type of message to Gobwit from a possible Shadow team, and we suspect they do, we'll know very soon now."
Addams grimaced, "Given the fact that Gobwit just had two of our people wasted, have you considered the message was ALREADY DELIVERED."
Janie waved a hand in disregard, "He was never alone with it. I have the video from the cameras. He slotted the contract. We watched it registered in our files as a recorded contract. We know a copy went to the Lair. We could crack that copy but there is no need to and it might alert Gobwit that we can crack it despite it's security. He never touched the pin, and he did pick up the pen but nothing happened to it. He never acted like he got a message."
Addams looked at Janie, "You assume that they didn't get a message to him earlier, somehow. How many men have we lost this week? Two tonight, that made a primary contact with Gobwit. A five man team tracking the secretary in that riot. We know they somehow got a report that our guys were tax men looking to levy new taxes for the UCAS but no one knows who started it. Then their is the eight more wounded and two more dead trying to pull the team out. Not counting the civilians we wasted. The count on that was twenty-eight dead fifty-nine wounded. Are you really sure he doesn't already have the team and the three of them set this all up?"
Janie thought, "No, I'm not sure, now. Like you I don't believe in coincidence. We may have to change the game plan. If they already did let Gobwit know and he has hired them, we still don't have a clue as to any of the other possible team members. They might have some people on the Lone Star staff or even in our new hires. They could have infiltrated Templeton as well with all the new faces he has."
Adams smiled an evil smile, "Well you got what you wanted. If Gobwit has put together a first class espionage team how do you plan to ride that tiger home? We started with all the advantages, but we've taken a pounding this week and he has opened the operating space around him. We're starting to see gaps in the coverage where we can't monitor 24/7 what he is doing."
Janie smiled, "Good. We change the plan now. We let them hit at ghosts. We pull everyone out. Everyone currently on the project but, you, I, and people we know are clean stay, the rest get assigned out of sprawl to training units. Then we wait for Gobwit to pull his team into the open and make the next move. After someone pays him a courtesy call. I would suggest you hire some Spiked Wheels through a fixer. We don't want him dead, but we do want a message delivered. That will keep him on the case and he will make a run at our files. Let's see how far he gets."
Suddenly there was a huge explosion in the building. Luckily it was some distance away and the armored glass and walls of the office held. Alarms sounded. After some hours they learned several things.
1.) The tie pin when examined by a mage had exploded in a fiery blast that had killed everyone in the room.
2.) The chip had been slotted for examination, unfortunately, the teams never scanned it first. It contained a smart frame virus that infected the mainframe. The mainframe finding itself compromised promptly exploded, but the virus had deactivated the audible warning on the self destruct device.
3.) The pen turned out to be just a pen. It was later recovered in the lab and tested carefully.
Loosing two men on the News at Six was one thing, explaining the explosions and deaths on the News at eleven at the UCAS Central Government Facility was another.
It was going to take a little time to clear up the mess.
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 5, 2010 15:00:25 GMT -5
After I got back to my apartment, I caught a meal and shower. I had the clown suit given to Good Will. It had served it's purpose. I just knew the UCAS was watching and waiting. When you have to deal with stupid as often as they do you sort of get used to the idea that criminals do stupid things. I gave them what they wanted. A target. The suit was so obviously a ploy to attract attention that I just knew they would be looking for something. Then I gave them that something. The Stick Pin. You might call it the Stick-it pin. I wanted them to be suspicious.
You see I knew it was going to be darn near impossible to contact Gobwit at this meeting. They had all the advantages in personnel and tech. The answer? A booby trap. I watched on the early news the word of the robbery of Honest Pelchey. They even had some video of someone punching the dwarf and taking the stuff. Pelchey played it just like I knew he would, a greedy fragging dwarf. He wasn't going to let them steal something that valuable without a fight. No Sirree. Typical dwarf. They had to take it and that convinced the UCAS they were on to something.
Now the trick is if you steal or take something get rid of it as fast as you can. Which they did. Then they promptly got shot, but when I heard that Lone Star had yet to recover the items I smiled big time. That meant they were taking it home to the heart of their Lair to examine.
I had considered in this ritual that someone might have been using the UCAS as a front. It was very possible. It wasn't until the news at eleven when the explosion went off in the UCAS Government Center that I was finally sure the UCAS was really the culprit. After all UCAS badges and plain suits are easy to get. It MIGHT have been someone just using the UCAS.
The ritual was designed to not only make the tie pin a big fragging magical bomb it was also designed to mask that. It would become obvious that the pin was magical but not in what way. All it needed to activate was someone magically trying to penetrate the magical shield. KaBOOM!
Now I would take a couple of days to see what the UCAS would do. If they have backed off then I can easily make contact. If they get rabid, it's back to the drawing board for phase two. Meantime, I'm having some wine and eating some cheese. I'm afraid Lone Star will never recover the stolen item.
Never trust a mage.
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 5, 2010 15:18:14 GMT -5
A busy day. I had tapped into Honest Pelchey matrix connections today. I found the bugs and cameras in my room. They had to transmit somewhere the smartest way was to use Honest Pelchey's own matrix connections. They were now transmitting innocent stuff. Why remove them. When you have a pipe there are TWO ends, chummer. One was watching us, but the other was where the watchers were. I was going to watch the watchers for a BIT.
I know you're going to ask how I got into Pelchey's security. Remember that contract chip? Yep. Management is always the biggest security risk in any company. They think security doesn't apply to them. They have access to everything. When Pelchey slotted that chip under his password it released a smart-frame. I don't care how many times it was copied either. It copied the smart-frame with it. My bet was he wouldn't scan it before he downloaded it to his mainframe. Was I right?
Remember I told you my method of operation was to get inside the company and then hack my way in? This is just one of the ways. I had the run of Honest Pelchey's matrix. I was surprised how extensive it was. Seems this Building;ding was used for spy work at one time. Most of the records are still in here. Some after a certain point were wiped. I was doing data searches now on someone called Mao, Widow, BB, Freddie and others who seemed to be involved. The main one's though were a man called Smythe and a woman called Janie. Janie was UCAS. Janie was UCAS Secret Service. Bells and alarms were going off in my head.
It wasn't until after the News at Eleven that I heard about the UCAS bombing. If my smart-frame had been copied and it was taken and downloaded to the UCAS computer for analysis, it could account for that. UCAS SS booby trap there computers not only with the BLACKEST ICE but they physically booby trap them. You might get a decker trying to rifle files and you can take him out with the bomb in the works. The MATRIX may be slick tech but even slick tech can be destroyed trapping the person inside. When I heard the computer facility went up I just knew.
Frag it, now the UCAS will be out for blood. Should I stick or run?
|
|
|
Post by Braddoc on Jun 5, 2010 16:08:31 GMT -5
OOC: What did I say huh? Double-Cross. Never trust an ELVEN Mage’s the word of the day. That was written in the night sky for everyone to see.
It was around 2 when I left my place with fresh bandages and my belly filled with home-made Chinese food. For a Japanese, Nightshade knew how to make good Pineapple chicken. I wasted time answering my 24 messages, placing calls and thought of my story: bums with hand razors. Silly me of walking into gang territory. ‘Tssk Tssk Jack’ they’ll say, ‘you should know better.’ My scrapped clothes closet was now full again. That’s why I bought everything twice: I always end up scrapping my clothes and armour. Oh well, at least I still had my suit. Had to wear my dark blue shirt, but it actually makes me look better. I checked Kate’s list; most of it was easy, store-bought items, a few were odd or out of the way, mostly
-200l. Of Diesel fuel- I got Bishop working on having it filled, if he didn’t changed his mind along the way. -Medical reports on the HMHVV-Krieger Strain. Easy to see why she needs that but the fact she needs -This year National Veterinarian Report: makes me wonder what she hopes to accomplish, if she doesn’t have any biological knowledge. Maybe she does, she didn’t gave me all the details. Tartar sauce-Mixed with raw meat it must taste like drek. That thing’s only good with seafood anyway -Tampon-Nothing special there. It’s just that’s something I didn’t knew still happened after the change.
Lianna was on the vet report, she will have them on chip in a few hours. The Medical reports were easy to found using the Fortean Times’ archives. Another perk of the overcharged yearly membership. And knowing that Russian Elf and helping her do a few ground-breaking articles sure helped having top access as well.
I parked in front of the corp, Bishop was waiting for me at the gate. “Oi, Bish, what’s up man?” “Four’..what the hell happened to your face?” “Nuthin’ much, hand razors with a side of turf war. Serves me right wearing blue in the wrong part o’ town huh?” He was more or less biting. Or he was holding on for his life, he wasn’t the most emotional person “I’m surprised. You generally take care of such problems before they get close.” “Yeah well, they kinda had the jump on me, I was busy with something else and they bounced me. It happens. So, how’s everythin’? All’s fine?” He marked me and we got through the hidden machine gun kill zone and into the building “Yeah everythin’ dandy. That second group seems less idiotic than the first. Meg’s more calm as well; the pressure’s not the same when it worked once: Of course Shade is still acting like a dick; I had him and Stevey filled up the barrel." “Stevey?” “Yeah the one we hired when you left. He’s almost like you.” “Wow, didn’t know you were all sad of loosing me” “We weren’t, but he knows people. You might not like like thought.” “Why?....Elf?” The Limey just grinned. Bastard. “Frag well..he’s your trouble now. Anyway, they’ll be back soon?” “They should, yes. I’ll go inform you when they’ll be back. I suppose you want to see Meg to get your face fixed?” “Yeah I wouldn’t mind. That and my leg, and my back.” “Those gangers worked you well. Easy work got you soft.” “Shut up Bish. They shot me in the back with goddamn Ex-Ex and went all crazy with the razors. Not every day that happened. At least I’m still around to tell the tale huh?” "Shot in the back? That's the first time I heard you say that." "First time for everything Bish. Solo work's ain't the same as safe and secure corporate security detail."
|
|
|
Post by Braddoc on Jun 5, 2010 18:43:23 GMT -5
Things must be going well for Meg: her office is better furnished than when I was around. Even got a small living room corner, real-leather sofas, nice fancy-looking carpet, the works. She even had a pair of earrings, they looked like gold. It was shining magically; nothing surprising. “Meg, long time to see. You’re lookin’ great, as always.” “Four-Eyes, or is it Vincent now? You’re looked better. What happened?” “Ah, nothing much, ‘got jumped by a few gangers last night while I was shadowing a client. ‘Just one of those days huh? How are things for you?” “Very well; My sponsors were ecstatic at the result of my first graduation. Most already have found work back in England, the others were hired by diffrent corporations in Seattle. The new students are also showing very high promises. The corporations are banging at my door everyday to have first pick right after graduation. But as you may know, I’d rather let Oxford and my contacts who assisted me in their endeavor have first pick. Also, I would require some extra manpower for the next few months if you would be interested? You will have a higher pay and you’ll work under Bishop but y..” “No thank you, I’m happy being my own boss. It doesn’t bring truckloads of money, but I have room to move.” “Very well. My offer still stands, due to our history.” “Thanks for the vote of confidence Meg.” “Well, you proved yourself worthy of my trust. And you also have the ability to get out-of-the-way knowledge as well, either possessing it or acquiring it.”
She lounged in her large chair, like the one a CEO would have. Leather and wood, it musta have cost a bundle. “Now one thing I’m trying to understand, why would you need an oil drum filled with diesel petrol?” “I got my reason.” “Which is?” “My own.” “Something tells me you haven’t simply strolling in my office only to make small talk and touch base. Healing by itself is a natural process, but it’s a long process. Surely you can share you reasons, if it will help me to better..’convince’ Snake to heal you more rapidly and thoroughly?” I smirked. Damn Snake. I should have went to another Shaman whose totem isn’t about being thirsty for knowledge. Like any other one. ”All right, all right. You win.” She grinned, satisfied. Damn Snake. “I know someone who’s living in the ‘sticks, she needs diesel fuel for a generator.” “Who?” “I dunno, I only met her yesterday..’think she’s a veterinarian. She kinda saved me from my encounter y’see, so I owe her at least that.” “Still doing the noble and honourable action to repay your debts.” “I’m always doing that Meg, it’s was separates me from the rest of the urban wildlife. I give my trust where it’s due and my loyalty to those who deserve it. That’s why I’m telling you this. Not to get some healing, but because you deserve it. You said it yourself we got history. I’d hate to see all that time and work we did together wasted on nothing.” “As would I.” There was a knock at the door. It was Bishop informing us that Shade and that Stevey Keeb came back with the drum full of diesel. I threw him the van keys, asking him to get it loaded and secured with the elastic strap. “So Meg, how much do I owe you for the drum and diesel?..And the, y’know, healing.” “I will ask for the price of the drum and the diesel, the healing will be free of charge; as I said we have history and I’d hate to see you...’expire’ before your time hum? Let me see those wounds, I’d like a gauge of what the damage was.” I let her have a look at it, she wasn’t looking too confident. “Quite extensive. I am not certain that I will be able to make everything disappear, but I am confident whatever will be left won’t be of any consequence. But as it is not localized to a single wound, it will require some preparation.” “How long?” “Not long, an hour, perhaps 2.” I glanced at my watch. 2:54. Frag. “Fine, let’s get started then, I’m on a schedule. But, if it’s not too much a problem, ‘mind gettin’ your people to get a few things for me?” “They are not errant boys, you know that.” “I know, I’ll pay them for the things and their time, I just need those things fast, and that’s before 6. With the traffic being what it is, I don’t want to arrive late. Bad for business y’see.” “Very well. I’ll have Stevey d..” “No, no, I’d rather have Henry do it. I Don’t trust that Stevey.” “You know him?” “No, but I’d rather have someone I know do it. But at any rate, let’s get that healing under way.”
|
|
|
Post by Pelch Gobwit on Jun 6, 2010 13:37:18 GMT -5
OOC: A double cross implies you are betraying your allies. When people get greedy give them what they want, just not in the way they want it.
As the new kids on the block Fall and I got put on the Graveyard Shift... of course. No seniority. For her standing outside the mages door for the next 12 hours had to be the pits. You don't go anywhere, you don't do nothing, you just watch an empty fragging hallway and wait for an elevator to stop on your floor. Then you look all stony faced and chill. It sucks, but the pay is good.
My job sucked as well but it was a little more fun. I didn't have to stand. I laid back in a nice chair and plugged in a jack. I started out with a quick scan of the cameras and set them up to alert me if anything crossed their path. The other ten riggers hooked in beside me probably had all done the same thing. Then you get to run a drone for roving patrols. In my case I got a Cyber Designs Stalker 800. Not top of the line but serviceable. It looked like a spider about as big as a small puppy. It's job was to cover one side of the building, in this case the South side, outside, to make sure no one tried to come in from that angle. It gave a good view of the grounds and with the sticktite feet it could move around to watch for entry through windows. Each of the four sides had one and then they had a Cyber Designs Stealth 500 Condor Series with a foreman on over watch to monitor us and give useless orders.
The other five had interior positions and used different drones, combat models. One foreman, four other riggers all keeping an eye on the interior areas while staying out of sight of the customers. Since that is harder to do with combat drones, the senior people had those positions. They also got all the nude shots as they moved surveying from room to room. Seniority, they always get the Bennie's.
I flashed the telescopic eyes off to the street. Lone Star was doing some heavy no nonsense patrolling out there tonight. The boys in blue must be a little miffed at two attempts on the same corp building in one week. I established locks on the patrol vehicles just to keep me informed where they were in case I needed backup. Then I saw something that really honked me off.
Spiked Wheels. Trolls go-gangers. Way off their territory and staying out of sight of the boys in blue. They weren't doing a very good job of staying out of the spotlight of building security. When I touched base with the other four Stalkers they quickly picked up on them as well. The Spiked Wheels were obviously casing the joint. We all sent alerts to the foreman at the same time. The foreman started to establish locks on them and began feeding the data to the interior sec force. I had already alerted Fall just in case she was asleep and the cyber eyes were scanning for her. She was already awake and alerted her partner.
We all then watched and waited for our bosses to make a decision. You know those guys dithered like a bunch of old hens? No wonder the place kept getting broke into for frag's sake. They didn't want to make a decision. They tossed the question off to the Templeton HQ. The night people there didn't want to be caught making a decision either. It might be wrong and they decided they weren't being paid enough to make it anyway. They popped it up the chain of command and tried to call Templeton himself for a fragging decision.
Now get this. They couldn't reach the guy. For some reason his communicator was off so they couldn't trace him either! Our orders from these scru-ups was to stand tight until they could reach him. Take no fragging action. How stupid can you get? Did these corporate hoop-holes need a written invitation to realize that the Spiked Wheels were up to no good and that the best way to stop them is slap them down NOW, while they were still in the planning stages?
If I had had time to install a little extra gear here I might have had a backdoor they couldn't monitor. I could have alerted the Blue Crews as a favor and skated away with no one the wiser. This was my first night on though and all I had was the standard Templetons equipment which was monitoring everything that I used it for. Sure, I had my special Commlink V with scrambled circuit in my head to Fall but that would only go to her and she was in worse position to do something than I was.
It comes down to this. Take action using the Templeton gear and no matter how it turns out I get drek-canned for making a decision. Or do nothing and wait for the Spiked Wheels to tip their hand in such a way that I can legally take action then. Now if it was just my job, I might say frag it, but Fall is on the same job. I muck it up and she gets canned too and we need the fragging NuYen.
This corporate by the numbers drek really heats up my hoop.
|
|