>>>>>[Well, this is what happened from the guy who's on the scene...

*****Include Video Feed, taped*****
This is Charlie Fingers coming from the Metro Courthouse where today
began the presentation of evidence against Dr. Jackson by the
Prosecution.  But before we get to that, heres...
*****Remove Commercial, 23.57 sec.***** 

....In a bizare turn of events, just prior to the presentation of
evidence by the prosecution, the Judge informed the jury and the
courtroom that due to the multi-national and multi-corporate nature
of Dr. Jackson's presumed criminal activities, should he be found
guilty he would be sentenced according to the most severe penalty
for each guilty conviction delivered.  When no objection was put
forward, Dr. Jackson spoke in hushed but obviously irritated tones
to his lawyer, after which he stood and requested a new lawyer as
this one would not carry his wishes to the court.  At this, the
Judge politely informed him that it was too late to request new
counsel at this juncture. 

*****End Video Feed*****

Drek, almost got in trouble there...  Gettin back to you soon]<<<<<
        --  Slash(23:46:23/09-30-54)

>>>>>[Amazing. I got into NY alright. The Barron's Multimedia pass is
like a magic passport. You wouldn't believe how media-concious this
city is. So I'm walking around the city and the courthouse, checking
things out, the city is abuzz with this AJ trial. Dark mutterings
aplenty everywhere. Mood is hostile. Here's my notes ***AJ
RESCUETEAM*** The Courthouse some obvious magical protect ion via
wards and a half-dozen various watchers and elemeentals (just on the
outside) four mages are present just in the front entrance. Also
notice that NYPD and IP have cordoned of the intersections adjoining
the courthouse (north, south, east, and west. I also count 3 roving
hover vehicles that have medium armament.***** Also interesting is
the presence of Corp Court agents. They just seem to be roaming
around, generally overseeing the crowds. Other officials are also
here ***AJ RESCUE MINUS SOLARIEL*** The prince has got an entourage
of 6 here, 3 of the paladins seem to be keeping an eye on
developments. I also followed up on this angle. The Prince is not
staying at the Tir Consulate, but rather owns a private suite at the
Varianesti Essex House, which he is staying at*** Thats about
it]<<<<< 
           -- Sun (21:09:31/9.30.54)

>>>>>[Sorry about that, had a slight problem with the terminal...So
here we go again...

*****Include Video Feed, taped*****
.....Dr. Jackson appeared surprised and just shook his head slowly
as he returned to his seat.

Beginning at around 10:00 this morning, the Prosecution began its
presentation of evidence to the court, beginning on the easiest
charges of Public Menace and Possession/Use of Controled
Explosives.  With the blood tests given to Dr. Jackson earlier this
week and the expert testimony of the original discoverer of the
Human-MetaHuman Vampiric Virus, Dr. Jackson was shown to the court
to be a vampire, a condition that appears to have been determined
beyond a shadow of a doubt.  The next charge{Note:  Use of the
FAE's on Mil Tech property} was then shown by various forensics and
military explosives experts to have been the use of Fuel-Air
Explosives, or FAEs as they are called.  These are devices which
release a highly flammable or explosive vapor into the air and then
ignite it to destroy or light fires.  With the evidence presented
here, it is almost a certainty of his conviction on this count. 

Then, after a noon recess, the Prosecution began the length process
of proving the charge of Harboring a Known Criminal, a one Charles
Eagle Plume once in the employ of Ares Macrotech who left the
corporation illegally gam , taking with him several items of extreme
value.  To this reporter's untrained eye, the evidence here presented
was extensive, but still couldn't totally prove Dr. Jackson's guilt
on this count.

Finally, the Prosecution hit on the 9 counts of Destroying
Public/Corporate Records, including Pueblo, Carribean League, CAS,
UCAS, Seattle, New Orleans, NAN(Souix/Salish-Shidhe/Ute combined
charges), Mil Tech, and the Corporate Court.  They were still
presenting evidence when the Judge called an adjournmentuntil
tomorrow morning. 

In a not-unexpected move, Interpol agents removed Dr. Jackson by
helocoptor to the main Interpol Headquarters.

In related news, several small riots popped up over New York and
several other cities reported small mobs swarming down on suspected
vampires and literally tearing them limb from limb.  There have
been 18 casaulties in New Orleans alone, and another 12 spread
accross the UCAS and CAS.  The property damage caused from the
fallout of the mobs has been estimated at 250k nuyen and is
expected to grow.  The NYPD, Interpol, Knight Errant, and Winter
Security have been meeting in a closed door session since 18:00
this evening.  They are thought to be discussing calling out the
Metroplex Guard for emergency crowd control. 

Good evening, this has been Charlie Fingers.

*****End Video Feed, tape erased*****

The fraggin Metroplex guard?!!!!!  DREK!  This is gettin to be a
LITTLE out of my league...but a friend in need is a friend
indeed....when you get to call in the HUGE favor owed for this
one(evil grin)]<<<<< 
        --  Slash(00:35:58/10-01-54)

>>>>>[Whoa, Jaez. . .you look beat.]<<<<<
        -- RAMboy <03:56:38/10-01-54>

>>>>>[Mast blown, half the crew killed, leaking like a
sieve...yeah, you could say I'm a bit beat.]<<<<< 
        -- Jaez <03:57:21/10-01-54>

>>>>>[Where ya been?]<<<<<
        -- RAMboy <03:57:57/10-01-54>

>>>>>[The bowels of Shadowland, dude. That routing of Ganz's message
really bugged me. I decided to check out where it was being passed
through. Checked all the ports and subroutines; found a little
routine that basically monitors all the posts on this node and routes
them out. I have the address, but I'm too tired to check it out now.
Besides, I've got a ship to repair.]<<<<< 
        -- Jaez <03:59:28/10-01-54>

>>>>>[But we can't stop now! Won't Ganz get wind of this? I mean, we
could catch him by surprise!]<<<<<
        --RAMboy <04:01:29/10-01-54>

>>>>>[Don't sweat it. One, I nailed this routine and a couple of
similar ones at ports 4002 and 6721. I don't expect him to have
backups I missed. Two, I planted a neo-mailer that's gonna pump
some carefully edited messages to him for the next 24 hours, giving
us plent o' time to grab him. Jack out and hand me the lasolder,
OK?]<<<<< 
        -- Jaez <04:04:04/10-01-54>

>>>>>[Greymist -- Cat -- we're online and ready to rock.  Waiting out
at 'Maxwell's Demon', east of Dayton near the I-70/Reading Road
interchange. Waiting on your green light.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (5:57:48/10-1-54)

>>>>>[M and M -- my allies will be with you shortly.  Michael is to
go with Jackson-2,  Gabriel with Janice-4, Raphael with Max-2 and
Uriel with Betti-9.  Introduce your deadheads properly.]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[Yyyyessir.  Um, which is which?  I got four black kids
appearing in my place -- two males, human and troll, two females,
elf and dwarf. Which goes with....]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (9:35:48/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Introduce them, and you'll see, won't you?  Now get going --
you all have Nation-'protected' simsense parlors to hit.]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (9:40:22/10-1-54)

*****Encrypt Alpha Beta Zulu Solitaire_MPCP***** 
>>>>>[Solitaire, one of us in the decker squadron should go after the
NY Metroplex Guard system to frag up their messages.  I am not going
to volunteer for that system, though.  I should be able to handle the
IP system by myself without too many problems.]<<<<<
        --Buzz (The one the only...Human Bee in the Matrix)

>>>>>[[**Pirated Newsfeed, Dayton Daily News: 10:08:23

***Live Feed***

"This is Lowella Doni reporting for DDN from the scene of an
explosion at Dono's SimArcade, down on Hudson Street.  According to
eyewitness report, eight minutes ago the SimArcade detonated in a
massive fireball, spewing glass and debris into a early evening
crowd.  Firefighters have not yet arrived on the scene, and all
Lonestar officers are being kept out of the area.

"The organization known as The Nation has made a strong showing at
this location, and this reporter's suspicion is that the activity
is in retaliation against certain actions the Nation is suspected
of directing towards the gang known as 'Bouncing Demons', who
habitat near UCAS 35 East.  But currently, this is the scene at
Dono's...." 

*** Camera break from Lowella Doni, a rather attractive negro female
*** in her mid- to late-twenties, reacquire on a shattered and
*** burning storefront, several bodies visible through the heat and
*** smoke both in and outside the storefront.  A few rest across the
*** street, holding pads and hands to wounded parts of their bodies
*** -- most notably faces. The camera appears to be shooting from a
*** decent distance, perhaps forty meters away.

"There is some rudimentary first aid assistance going on, but no
major healing of any type.  None of The Nation's so-called
'prophets' have made any appearance....."

*** Camera picks up the sound of another explosion, and, far off
*** down the street, a distance-small firecloud rising into the air.

"My god.... Manny, did you catch that?  Ladies and gentlemen, it
would appear that another incident has occured furthur down
Hudson.  It is unsure whether or not these two incidents are link-"

*** The sound of whirring intercedes into the audio line, and a
*** small woman, perhaps 5'4", steps out of an alley two stores down
*** from Dono's. The weapon the figure is currently holding is a
*** minigun of some variety; momentarily, the hissing roar of the
*** firearm bursts into the scene, lipping fire at the crowd.

"Manny!  Drek!  An unnknown assailant, negro female approximately
mid-twenties, has opened fire upon the crowd outside of Dono's!

*** The bullets walk along the storefront, powering into several
*** glass windows and shattering them beneath their hypervelocitied
*** impact; several members of The Nation turn, their own guns
*** spitting steel- jacketed death at the intruder.  The bullets
*** spark off of some sort of shield in front of the woman, and
*** those wearing colors of The Nation lurch under the impact of the
*** minigun's missles. 

*** A man's voice comes in: "Lowella, get drekkin' .down.!!  Ass on
*** turf, girl!"

"Manny, you drekhead, I'm trying!  Folks, this may seem incredible,
but only those showing Nation colors are being hit.  This has .got.
to be a display of SmartGun circuitry.  The wielder of the machinegun
is being very specific, very fast, and very accurate...."

*** The minigun ceases firing, then stops spinning altogether.  From
*** the corner of the camera angle comes movement.  Lowella Doni has
*** risen, and is moving towards the assailant at a trot, calling
*** out to gain the woman's attention.

***Cut Live Feed***

      [**End Pirate Feed, Dayton Daily News.]<<<<<
        -- Video Pirate (10:10:51/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Drek!  I got a reporter over at Dono's, Cat.  QuikTips?]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (10:11:01/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Give some line about the black community not standing up for
this kind of representation any more, then get out.  What is your
casualty total adding up to be?]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[Explosion, estimated six dead, thirty wounded; estimate five
more casualties.  Vindicator feed: seventeen wounded, zero
fatalities.  More info later.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (10:11:15/10-1-54)

>>>>>[[**Pirated Newsfeed, Dayton Daily News: 10:11:15

***Live Feed***

"Miss!  Miss!!  Yes, miss, Lowella Doni here for the Dayton Daily
News. Are you responsible for the destruction here?"

*** The two black women stand about two metres apart, the one with
*** barrels smoking, the other with microphone and cameraman at the
*** ready.  The gunner speaks in a smooth, liquid voice -- most
*** likely artificial, you're .sure. of it.  Last time you heard a
*** voice that smooth was on the Maria Mercurial overdubs for that
*** used-cd store. 

"Naturally."

"Then you're accepting the fact that both The Nation and Lone Star
will be wanting you for assault, intent, and most likely...."

"Murder one, yes, I know.  The difficulty that both those peoples
will have, though, Lowella, is that I am a member of the black
community, a community which will no longer allow The Nation to
stand up and claim that which they want, in our name, claiming our
support.  It is time that we stood up against those who, like the
whites so long ago, took from us without considering the
consequences.  We will not be unjustly represented, and we will not
allow The Nation to represent the black community any longer. We
will now fight back." 

"Does your organiza-HUGGHHH!!!"

*** Visual of the woman shoving Lowella aside, a bullet singing
*** through the space which the newswoman had just occupied, whining
*** off of the assailant's bullet-revealed aura and flak jacket. 
*** Vindicator barrels whir again, and the gun is brought down,
*** sounding like the motion is undoing a gigantic zipper. 

*** A moment later, the gun stops, and is waved in the direction of
*** the victims. 

"He could be dead; we believe in .something. of a choice."

*** The woman turns, cradling the enormous firearm in her arms,
*** before she takes off down the street and turns into a different
*** alley than the one from which she emerged.  The reporter,
*** Lowella Doni, turns to the camera. 

"A citizen group deciding to take the war back against the streets,
back against the gangs; that is what this mysterious woman has
claimed.  Whether or not The Nation will fight against this
organization of citizens to take back the streets remains to be
seen." 

***End Live Feed***

      [**End Pirate Feed, Dayton Daily News.]<<<<<
        -- Video Pirate (10:15:22/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Jaez, give me that info, I'll trace that bastard Ganz down.
I've had to shut fully HALF of Moebius down because of sequence
poisoning from the data I've analyzed off of William 6174, and he's
STILL acting wierd.  I'll feel a lot better when we've got Ganz put
away, and I think a pre-emptive strike is in order.]<<<<<
        -- The (Dead) Wyrm Ouroboros (Here I'm not!/Nyah-Nyah-Nyah)

>>>>>[Eyeball, Skywalker, Slug, follow me.]<<<<<
        -- Ephasia (I:Don't:Remember/I-Don't-Recall)

>>>>>[This is Red-5, I'm going in.  Artoo, see if you can't lock
that power converter down...]<<<<<
        -- Skywalker (10:35:16/10-1-54)

>>>>>[I had asked if any of you would like to help me in my fight
with Katana, but I have recieved no replies...so it looks like I'm
going to have to break out my credstick.  To those of you on this
board: 50,000Y to each who aids me.]<<<<<
        --Mac (10:50:50 EDT/10:01:54)

>>>>>[So MacLeod, you are afraid of me...since you are hiring
so-called runners to aid you...Let those wimps who aid you
accompany you.  They will die like you will. HAHAHAHA!!!!!!]<<<<<
        --Katana (10:52:57 EDT/10:01:54)

>>>>>[I'm going to kill you, Katana, but i don't trust you.]<<<<<
        --Mac (10:53:52 EDT/10:01:54)

>>>>>[Metroplex Guard?  Oh, Goodie!!  Can I go, can I can I can I
.ppppppleeease, Eddie?!?]<<<<<
        -- Shockwave (10:45:54/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Eww.  What's gotten into .him.??]<<<<<
        -- Basic Instrumentation (10:48:15/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Toonville.  We can hope it's not terminal.]<<<<<
        -- Shooter's Rum (10:49:33/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Hecklers.  Where would I be without you guys.]<<<<<
        -- Shockwave (10:50:00/10-1-54)

*****Encrypt AJ'S_RESCUE v.7, Spirit/Circuit Breaker MPCPs*****
>>>>>[Why don't you two check out and setup the Traffic systems and
access terminals into New York for crashing/damaging.  This will keep
the NYPD busy as well as Winter Security and Knight Errant too, so
there will be no back-up calls to them that can be answered quickly.
Besides, with lots of people getting in easily that shouldn't be
getting in, and with small traffic accidentsall over the place(keep
them AWAY from the escape routes please), the cops will be all tied
up there and even if a call does get through, the cops won't be able
to respond to it.  Gods, I love technology....]<<<<<
        --  Solitaire(10:53:50/10-01-54)

>>>>>[Thanks, Harlequin.  Seems our chum has been busy, and all the
Metro General Ambulance crews have been issued self-defense weapons,
specifically those with hazardous duty, like your's truly, at the
courthouse.  Only using stun rounds, but still!  Better than
nothin.]<<<<< 
        --  Slash(10:57:08-10-01-54
*****Viral insertion--HPKING v.7*****
{Oh, the horror of Solitiare}
*****Viral code accepted, Slash MPCP*****

>>>>>[(evil grin)]<<<<<
        --  Solitiare(10:59:36/10-01-54)

*****Encrypt Operation Rescue Diana Solitaire Magical team Sniper
        team_MPCP*****
>>>>>[I 'ave come up with a position fer me ta get inta better use
durin' th' rescue.  I cou' pass myself off as a mage fer interpol
and whe' all th' drek starts ta fly I ca' be in good position ta
collapse wards and brng in My elementals.  tha way it would look
like I was bringin' 'em in ta stop th' attack.  What do ya all
thin' abo' this lil' idea o'mine?]<<<<< 
        --  STREETWOLF(Fire is an Elf's Best Friend)
                (11:06:30/10:01:54)

>>>>>[I see.  Very good.  Gabriel reported no magical interference;
did you note any other fluxes?]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[*laughs*  Sure.  The fluxes of those sachel charges going
off....]<<<<< 
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (10:28:57/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Mechanic.]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[Yessir.  Ah, Mike reports nothing unusual; it may have escaped
his notice, however.  He expects his elementals to be giving him a
completed report on the other locations fairly soon.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (10:29:33/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Very good.  Inform me immediately should there be any activity
from the Nation's prophets.  I shall be within my lodge.]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[Yessir.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (10:31:03/10-1-54)

>>>>>[Sorry Phoenix, must have been getting jumpy all this waiting, I
suppose. But, I'm sure it was him .....

That sword I got sent, you know the two handed sword thingy, well I
took it to the local Uni and let them have a look. Unfortunately, it
seems my Italian is worse that I feared and I was misinterupted
several times. Gosh, I thought to myself while being chased through
the university's ground, there's so much to discover in Rome.

I'll think I save asking any more question to latter. Oh, this may
seem odd, but I think the blade has some unknown power. The cold
metal bring me out in a cold sweat and makes my hands tingly.
Strange.]<<<<< 
        -WHAT(19:27:39/01-10-54)
        
*****Encrypt AJ'S_RESCUE v.7, STREETWOLF MPCP***** 
>>>>>[Ok, STREETWOLF, here's what I'd like you to do instead of
bringing down the wards yourself.  Get close to Dad and when he gets
shot by Nex and Kaneda, levitate over him as a good IP mage should
and raise a bullet/spell barrier, either-or.  Sun and Karen can
handle the other one, probably Karen.  Karen and Sun and I will
collapse any wards and then we all can call in the spirits and
elementals and Loa.  That way you and Karen can get out with IP cops
when they get Dad out, and Sun and I can get out with the rush of
folks leaving the courtroom in a panic from the arcane energies and
smoke flying through the room.]<<<<<
        --  Diana, Mistress of the Night(13:22:34/10-01-54)

*****Encrypt AJ'S_RESCUE v.8, Buzz MPCP*****
>>>>>[If the Plex guards get called in, we just need to haul ass and
get the drek out of the city as fast as we can.  Besides, I want
backups in every system to makesure the Boss gets out ok.  No
complaints either.  If you get dumped or flatlined or are even
involved in a polite conversation with a IP/ NYPD decker who
doesn't think you belong there, you can't keep up the normal
operations of making DREK sure that no signal from the courthouse
can get to the HQs, and that ain't good enough.  Sorry if I'm
treading on any toes, but oh well.  The King of Swords deserves
that.]<<<<< 
        --  Solitaire(13:28:37/10-01-54)

*****ENCRYPT Alpha Juliet Romeo 5.0***** 
>>>>>[sOLITAIRE, *VIRUSKILL7.2* oops.  Hate that problem.  I think I
came up with an interesting idea.  If you can spare me for a little
while I'll try to insert a virus into the GRIDLINK system hewre
*virusslayer 5.0* nuts, that will cause a small snafu
in the roads.  That might delay the corps, cops, and
guard.  On the down side, it could hamper our getting
out.  I await your reply.]<<<<<
                -Harlequin <Gee, a whole CITY to play with>
 
>>>>>[ Hmmmmm, WHAT, I am not sure about the sword-bit.  Perhaps we
should have Blitzkrieg and Firewraith look at it.  Aparently, Gawk
was soo distracted by someone else that he never actually met
Firewraith.  That could be real intersting.

Also the meeting is finally on.  I just got word 1 hour or so ago.
Remeber that building that I showed you two days ago.  No not the
tourist ones.  The one that was an apartment building.  That's where
we are meeting.  At high noon (in about 12 hours in other words).
I'll make sure Gawk gets there on time.  Firewraith was mumbling
something about it being ironic, but I didn't quite catch it.

See you soon.]<<<<<
        -- Phoenix <00:12:59/10-2-54>

*****Encrpyt Will Ren Push the Button!!  Solitaire/Harlequin 
>>>>>[ Harlequin, don't worry about Gridlink, thats mine and CB's
job.  You really wouldn't want to take our fun away from us would
you?

Solitaire, the system is cake, not a problem.  The big trouble is
that someone is going to have to moniter it at a few junctions,
especially for the Ambulance. As for the police, could you please
make sure that most of them don't hear about the rescue?  Police
tend to like action for the adrenaline rush, and if they here about
something BIG, they will go to it, sometimes even leaving those
little things like people going through a red light :).  Also
police enroute to crime scene can go through stoplights (they act
only as stop signs) and they might also have light changers so that
they can go quicker ( a fact which makes my job really fun, they
try to change the light; I   1- stop it 2 - let it change then
change it back  3 - change them all to green :) ). 

So our best bet is when the police do not know it has happened, so
please have whoever is on NYPD, Knight and Winter make sure they
stop those messages.  A frame might work nicely in that aspect. 
Also since I can handle Gridlink and such myself - what do you want
CB to do after she has helped me set it up? 

Aslo, Claw and Fox plan on having it so that the people in the
vehicles can't see, I really don't know how but they said something
about shadow.  Also Claw promises a cloudy day just to make it a
little more fun for the IP pilots. Oh, Lister and Kichanski have
the police car, so tell whoever has NYPD that car number ***CAR***
is on our side, and will be sent to the courthouse. 

Hey wow!! I can even send out roads crews from here to block roads!!
Am I going to have fun our what!!!.]<<<<<
        --Spirit < Of the Matrix >

*****Encrypt AJ'S_RESCUE v.8, Spirit/CB MPCP***** 
>>>>>[CB can do the Winter Security system, as they have concurrent
jurisdictionover the area of the Courthouse with the NYPD.  The NYPD
is just physically closer to the Courthouse, so they got it instead
of Winter.  Knight Errant is mostly out of the picture for the
immediate area, and with Lister and Kichanski in a cop car, a little
dis-information may be in order.  And we will all try to keep the
cops from finding out about the rescue-since it'll look like a
terrorist attack, they may not want to get involved even if the
message does get out.  Once the Ambulancers and the Backuppers are at
the piers, your job is over and you can take off, as can CB.]<<<<<
        --  Solitaire(21:25:24/10-01-54)

>>>>>[Here's the daily news report from everybody's chum, Charlie
Fingers. Those of you out there with any law knowledge can help with
the overall meaning of this drek.

*****Include Video Feed, taped*****

This is Charlie Fingers, still here at the Metro New York Courthouse
where only an hour ago ended another bizarre day of evidence
presentation to the court.

Today the Prosecution presented the rest of its evidence against Dr.
Alexander Jackson, attemptin to prove beyond all shadow of doubt his
guilt.  Electronic evidence obtained from various sources showed that
Dr. Jackson knew of the penetrations of various public and corporate
computer systems by a decker in his employ, a one Heather Patricia
King, also known as Solitaire.  Evidence of her damage to these
systems was presented and shown to be in excess of 23 billion nuyen
total.  This large sum was contested by the Defense and then accepted
after pointing out that electronic evidence could easily be altered
or downright faked with today's technology.

Then the charges of Murder, Conspiracy, and Treason were tackled by
both the CAS and UCAS lawyers who in another unusual judgement were
allowed to present their own cases before the court.  This was VERY
strange.  And by the end of the day, all the prosecution's evidence
had been presented.  In this reporter's humble estimation, it was all
highly suspect and totally circum- stancial.  Tomorrow will show
more. 

So, until next time, I'm Charlie Fingers, and has been my News
Flash. 

*****End Video Feed*****

Nothing on the fact the crowd is now estimated at 23000?  Or how
about when Max, Fast Track, and I reported to work this
morning(Frag I hate schedules) we were issued SMGs loaded with gel
rounds and Squirts with a variety of chemical rounds, including
Hyper and Mao?  Or the fact that they are now running drones around
the courthouse?  Well, I'm still goin in on Sunday even if they
mount an army against me!]<<<<< 
        --  Slash(21:38:27/10-01-54)

>>>>>[Red? You still alive out there?  After I dropped you off at
your doss, I started thinking about how bad you looked.  I hope
you're doing ok.

I must admit, you're not bad with that katana, considering what's
left of the dude you took on in the warehouse.  He didn't really
seem too pleased to have me there, guess you can just call me the
knight up the sleeve, eh? 

Well, chummer it's been fun, and the bruises will disappear, so if
you ever need me for more biz, just say the word.  One thing, do
your really call that music?  Ah, give me a tocatta and fugue
anyday.]<<<<< 
        --Gyrfalcon <22:15.15/10.01.54>

>>>>>[Hai!  I wirl acceptu your offer MacLeod-san!  I have faxedu you
my profile and hopu you find it to your satisfaction.  Plrease lret
me know your decision.  Doomo!]<<<<<
        --Nishimura Miyoko (01:36:31/10.02.54)

>>>>>[Well far be it for me to abandon the righteous cause for the
betterment of mankind, not to mention my own finances.  Mr.  MacLeod,
I have arranged for your representative to examine my credentials; I
trust they will be satisfactory.  Please give my regards to your
allies and I hope you will consider me personnel worth your
employment.]<<<<<
        --William Winchester III (02:27:31/10.02.54)

***** Encrpyt "TO the Tune of Winter Wondeland" - Mostly Everyone
>>>>>[Oh tha San, it was buggin'.  And tha IC, it was nothin'.  Just
floatin' along, singin' ah song.  Deckin' in ah WINTER wonderland!!!

All right!!!  Ah will admit that it stunk.  Ah just don't have tha
musical ability that Sheena seems ta be gifted with.  So sue me. 
Any way Ah been having fun in tha Winter Security Systems.  In
fact, Ah met two nice deckers in there while Ah was just wanderin
around after finishin my work.  Ah had been wanderin around, lookin
at things for a while when Ah noticed this other decker, with a
really nice shiny silver icon, in tha node Ah was approaching. 
Well Ah turned up tha stealth on tha deck, melted inta the wall and
just stood there watchin' him for about ah minute.  Well when he
was finishin up what he was doin he mumble somethin about NYPD
probably giving him ah raise for this piece of work. Well, since it
looked like he was about ta leave Ah decided he might be able ta
help me with the layout of the system. 

So turnin' of the stealth Ah said "Well sugar, what's a gent like ya
doing in a place like this?"  Ya should have seen him jump!!  I
swear, he almost awakend the IC.  Well he was not all that happy
about being snuck up apon, but atleast he didn't get all trigger
happy and make me hurt his cute little Icon.  He just stood there
for a second lookin at me, and tryin ta judge what Ah was up ta. 
Ah just smiled at him all sweet likea and said "Well ain't ya gonna
be a gentleman and introduce ya fine self ta this sweet southrn
bell?"  AH'm not sure but Ah think he actually smiled at that.  He
introduced himself as Star and asked who Ah was since Ah obviously
wasn't with Winter.  Ah told him Ah was Sparks, and that Ah was
just bored today, so Ah figured Ah'd go visit New York, ta see how
tha people up north were doin.  He laughed at that and asked if Ah
wanted a tour around the place.  Ah cooed that Ah would be delited
ta join him.  And off Ah went with one of New Yorks finest on ah
very illegal tour of Winter Security. He seemed ta know his way
around around tha place, and even had a backdoor or two. 

Well we were gettin along nice when I noticed ah suit of armor
coming towards us.  Well I melted back inta the wall and watched
what would happened since the armor wasn't IC and it wasn't a
Winter decker.  They were both really surprised when they saw each
other.  Ya could just see the sparks fly across the matrix. The
armor spoke up first and smiled "so Star ya bouncin around the
Winter Wonderland too today I see."  Star replied "was a good day
too until you showed up Metal."  The armor just shrugged at that
and said, "I always find it amusing that Winter, a very dangerous
place for us, is the only place we meet peacfully most of the
time.  I think it comes from the fact that neither of us is allowed
to be caught." 

Well Ah decided ta come out from the wall then, Star was good and
didn't jump but metal stumbled back few paces down the data stream,
and motioned as if ta start a program, but thought better of it. 
Star smiled and said, "Metal, my I introduce you to a nice southern
Bell by the name of Sparks, who is here in our fine city on a small
vacation get away."  Metal just stood there for a pico before
saying "pleased ta metcha.  An welcome ta beautaful New Yark."  Ah
said, "oh beautiful, now ah can be escorted arround tha Big Apple
by two of New Yorks finest." 

Well tha gents put away their differences and we headed out of
Winter ta see all the sights of New York, excluding Ares and NYPD
inc. of course.  New York does have a nice matrix life, and Ah was
gettin a lot of it.  It seems they were both somewhat freelance
deckers for the police, they would do tha less than legal
activities in the others matrix.  Ah told them Ah was from Atlanta,
and was bored today, so Ah figured on a journey to the Big Apple. 
Ah also told them Ah was curious about this NYPD/Winter/
Knight-Errant set up that New York had so Ah decided ta visit
Winter which was the closest ta tha RTG.  We had ah fun night
visiting the different sights but after a while it was gettin late,
so Ah decided ta take mah leave of the fine gents.  Ah gave them
both a small peck on tha cheek and thanked them for tha wondeful
day.  Then Ah went on my way back ta the base. 

Lister, ya and Kichanski are all setup as Winter police officers. 
Lister your Officer Patrick Moynahan  and Kichanski your Officer
Lissa MacHugh.  Have fun as the law, Spirit and Ah will keep tract
of your car and we will make sure ya get ta the Rescue on
time.]<<<<< 
        --Circuit Breaker < Live From / New York >

*****Encrypt CTHULU v.1, CB MPCP***** 
>>>>>[Really nice work, CB.  It looks like you got the insiders tour
too.  Must be nice to run into those actually galant(mostly) deckers.
They never seem to enjoy my little gypsy girl.  Must be the tarot
cards...  But anyway, glad it's set up.]<<<<<
        --  Solitaire(20:02:50/10-02-54)

>>>>>[From your shouldn't be on Prime Time reporter, taped from New
York, it's Charlie Fingers!!!!!!

*****Begin Video Feed, taped*****

In a surprising end to the testimony, the trial all but ended today
in yet another unusual trial precedent.

Today, the Defense's only witness was Dr. Jackson himself.  In a
surprise line of questioning, the Defense asked rapid fire whether
or not he was guilty of the crimes.  Here is a clip from our
internal crew. {switch to inside courthouse}

Def:  Did you, at any time order the destruction of public records,
specifically within the systems directly involved with your history
and possible criminal activities? 

AJ:  Never.

Off:  Objection.  The evidence has shown that Dr. Jackson did in
fact know about the destruction of his records.

Def:  This is not contested, your Honor, only the ordering of said
destruction, an act upon which all 8 Conspiracy to Destroy
Public/Corporate Records rests. With the court's permission, I
would like to have a court provided magician cast a powerful Detect
Truth spell on Dr. Jackson to determine his innocence or guilt.

Judge:  With the Defendants permission(AJ nods his head and says
"yes"), pleas proceed with the questioning.

{Court Truthfinder brought in}

Def:  Did you, at any time order the destruction of public records,
specificallywithin the systems directly involved with your history
and possible criminal activites? 

AJ:  Never.{Court Truthfinder nods an acknowledgement}

Def:  Did you ever thank the decker known as Solitaire for
destroying the records in the affected systems?

AJ:  I believe I said something like "I guess I should thank you...I
think..." {Truthfinder again nods ascent}

And the rest of the Defense's line of questioning proceeded along
the same linesas this.  Upon crossexamination by the Prosecution,
no new information was gotten from Dr. Jackson, and every time he
answered, the Truthfinder nodded thatyes, he was telling the
truth. 

But the Judge refused to allow any closing arguments.  Both the
Defense and the Prosecution objected to this, both having prepared
extensive closing arguments. The explanation provided by the Judge
was that it was in the best interests of the public, presumably
meaning the mob, and the court, presumably meaning thier safety
from the mob, and the defendant. 

At 15:00 this afternoon, the Jury retired for deliberation.  And
just before the judge called the jury back in for the adjournement
until tomorrow, they delivered thier verdict:

Guilty on all counts.

Sentencing will occur tomorrow at 10:00.

*****End Video Feed*****

Well, that's it.  Oh, and the recent crowd estimate is now up to
29000. Tomorrow is gonna be a busy day.]<<<<<
        --  Slash(20:30:38/10-02-54)

>>>>>[Thanks for the offer, Ouro. I assume you got the numbers from
the bonded courier? Go for it, dude.

Belle, Mind Throttle: Hang tough. I got your message. It's safe to
communicate on this board now; I tossed Ganz's link. I'll have the
documents you need to enter the Tir tomorrow. Meantime, LAY
LOW.]<<<<< 
        -- Jaez <19:35:28/10-02-54>

>>>>>[HEY! I got a partial fix on Cooper. This time for sure!
Somewhere in the South Pacific.]<<<<<
        -- RAMboy <19:46:21/10-02-54>

>>>>>[The SOUTH PACIFIC? Great. Do you know how many islands are
there?]<<<<< 
        -- Jaez <19:47:31/10-02-54>

>>>>>[Actually, I do, but quoting would be gratuitous. I don't know
EXACTLY where he is, but in a couple of days we ought to be able to
give instructions to anyone who cares to join in.]<<<<<
        -- RAMboy <19:49:21/10-02-54>

>>>>>[Well, then. . .the word is out. Any takers? That's an open
offer...]<<<<< 
        -- Jaez <19:50:38/10-02-54>

*****Encrypt FINALE v.1-23, All Involved MPCPs***** 
>>>>>[This is it.  Nex, changing of the guard is 22:00 hours.  Be
there.  Solitaire will get your weapons through the detectors at
00:00 hours in the rear entrance.  TC, get the Backuppers in
uniform(Crimson Sky) by 06:00 and on site by 08:00.  Check armorments
before arrival and make it look good.  You ARE Press techs till the
drek hits it.  Diana, get your people in place as soon as they can be
in place.  Absolute latest 09:00 hours.  Solitaire, you know what you
need to do.  All leaders, check in with your squads and give them
instructions as necessary.  It's time to pay the piper, and separate
the REAL runners from the DEAD runners-and if there are any dead
runners after this one, AJ'll kill you himself, got it?]<<<<<
        --  Slash(20:39:05/10-02-54)

*****Encrypt FINALE v.2, Magic crew***** 
>>>>>Sun, Karen, STREETWOLF: get yourselves in by 08:30.  I'll be
coming in at 08:45 and anyone I don't see eventually gets taken out
of the lineup.  We need to wipe only the real IP casters, and I DO
mean geek.  But wait until the stuff goes off, then Karen, you nail
the ward and bring them in.  STREETWOLF, you call in your elementals
and keep AJ safe from spells or bullets, Karen should take care of
the other barrier after getting the ward down.  Sun, take down a IPer
and I'll deal with the remaining somehow.  Watch it everyone, as I
suspect that the Big Eight and the Corp Court will have reps and
their bodyguards and thier magickers to keep them safe, so let's
keep the collateral damage to a minimum.]<<<<< 
        --  Diana, Mistress of the Night(21:14:54/10-02-54)

*****Encrypt FINALE v.3, Ambulance Crew*****
>>>>>[Ok everbody, here we go.  We relieve the real crew at 07:45 at
the courthouse.  They will expect us to bring our issued non-lethal
weaponry for personal safety, so bring along your favorite gel rounds
and/or your favorite chemical rounds.  Limit yourself to 1 clip
lethal rounds-it'd look too suspicioous otherwise.  Fast Track, I
hope you are done with the armor upgrade and the instalation of the
C12 demo pack and the HMGs in the ambulance.  You need to be there at
07:15 to check out the ambulance.  Roxey, tell Max to get there on
time and not to bring any liquor along(or Salish food...where he
found any in this town I don't know... and I'm gettin sick of it!).
TickTock, you and I need to arrive together per SOP the last coupla
days.  And make sure the rental is set up and hidden from thieves,
FT.  See you all tomorrow.]<<<<<
        --  Slash(21:22:41/10-02-54)

*****Encrypt FINALE v.4, Deckers*****
>>>>>[Go for it.  I'll be in the CH system by 22:00 tonight and stay
there till everybody gets out of the CH.  Buzz and Harlequin, you two
should alternate your posts tonight so you stay fresh for tomorrow.
We need one of you in the system at ALL TIMES incase the resident IP
commander decides to re-check the Snipe's IDs.  But come 09:00
tomorrow, both of you will need to be there. Spirit, glad to see you
got the traffic system set up.  You need to be ready by 09:30 and
start messing them up then.  CB, have fun in Winter.  You have the
same time sets as Buzz and Harlequin, but not the night duty.
Blinder, you will be running the NYPD system with Couch as backup if
you need him.  But ONLY if you need him.  So be careful.]<<<<<
        --  Solitaire(21:29:52/10-02-54)

*****Encrypt FINALE v.5, All Involved*****
>>>>>[Ahoy Maties!  Cap'n Silver aboard me ship Grunt, pullin inta
this God Cursed port in the dead a'Night!  I'll be awaitin for ye
at the Pier.  And good Cap'n Kaneda, I'lla suggest that ya bring
down your Airship XLV to the pier. Prof. Moriarity has leas'd the
warehouse next door to the pier for just this occasion, and I'll
keep awatch on it, as will me scurvy dog, Rotodrone]<<<<< 
        --  Silver(21:35:42/10-02-54)

>>>>>[Yeah, I'm still here. Needed a few days to recover.  Thanks for
being there, don't think I would have survived otherwise.  Just need
to finish healing and I'll be good as new.

So you don't like my tunes? Well the little girls love it, that's
enough for me. I'll keep you in mind if I ever need more help.
Thanks again]<<<<< 
                -- Red <10-03-54/00:10:13>

>>>>>[Actually, Solitaire, I think it's that habit you have of
flinging your cards at people somewhat....  presumptively.  You've
gotten a name for yourself.  And it's not necessarily good.]<<<<<
        -- Mundo Uno (20:06:45/10-2-54)

>>>>>[As the rest of the rescue crew are incommunicado, I have the
dubious honor of being the one to show you all the effects of the
rescue on the mob outside the courthouse while I wait nervously for
news on AJ's rescue. 

*****Include Video Feed, TAPED*****

This is Charlie Fingers, live from outside the New York Metroplex
Courthouse where only 15 minutes ago began the sentencing of the
now criminal Dr. AlexanderJackson.  The mood is very tense here in
New York as several private indiviudalswith extensive resources
have raised a public feed to the courtroom where the Judge is just
finishing his monologue and beginning the sentencing.  Let's go to
the courtroom... {visual switch from outside the courthouse to the
courtroom where can be seen large numbers of Interpol guards
ringing the area and Dr. Jackson as well.} 

voice of Charlie Fingers:  it appears that the big eight
megacorporations of Saeder-Krupp, Ares Macrotech, Mitsuhama
Computer Technologies, Aztechnology, Shiawase Corporation, Renraku
Computer Systems, Fuchi Information Systems, and ...Actually, it
appears that this reporter fails to remember the last of the big
eight.  But there are also representatives from Pueblo, the UCAS,
the CAS, the Carribean League, the combined nations of
Salish-Shidhe, Souix, and Ute, and also a large contingent from the
Corporate Court.  Ah, the Judge has begun. 

Judge:  Will the Defendant pleas stand{AJ stands with a grim and sad
look on his face}.  You have been found guilty on the following
counts:  Conspiracy to Commit Murder, 1st degree Murder, Conspiracy
to destroy Public Records for a total of eight counts, Possession
of Controlled Substances, Possession of Military Weaponry, Use of
Controlled Substances, and Menace to Public Safety. In accordance
with the combined laws of the Corporate Court and all the other
co-prosecuters of this trial, I sentence you to  the following: 

For Conspiracy to commit Murder, you are hereby sentenced to 25
years in jail, effective immediately.  For First Degree Murder, you
are sentenced to 50 years in prison with no opportunity for
parole.  For the combined charges of Conspiracy to Destroy Public
Records, you are sentenced to at total of 80 years in prison.  For
the Possession of Controlled Substances, you are sentenced to 20
years in prison.  For Use of Controlled Substances, you are sentenced
to 50 years in prison.  For Possession of Military Weaponry, you are
sentenced to 30 years in prison. 

However, you have also been found guilty of Treason against the
states of the United Canadian-American States and the Confederated
American States.  For this you are sentenced to death by lethal
injection. 

Finally, for Menace to Public Safety, I must digress shortly.  You
are a Vampire.  Your simple existance relies solely on the
consumtion of human and metahuman blood and life force.  You and
your kind are parasites{slow camera shot pans to AJ's face, white,
and a closeup starts} on the people of the world.It is for this
reason that I sentence you to the harshest penalty I am legally
allowed.  Therefore, for the Menace to Public Safety, I sentence
you to imprisonment in the Levinworth Maximum Security Prison in a
hermetically sealed cell, there to serve out your sentence of
death.  However, as a lesson to others such as yourself, you will
not be killed.  Rather, your own hunger for the inattainable food
of life shall be what, in the end, finally kills you. {A single
clear tear runs down the cheek of Dr. Alexander Jackson as he
closes his eyes in grief and bows his head to his chest} 

{a large hole appears in AJ's left chest as a massive explosive boom
rings out through the courtroom and a single searing beam of crimson
light peirces his lower left side and exits his lower right side,
penetrating the jury box and starting a small fire}

Charlie Fingers:  SPLIT SCREEN!  SPLIT SCREEN IT NOW!  It appears
folks that Dr. Jackson, criminal, has just been shot by a large
calibre weapon and some kind of laser.  Explosions are going off
all over{Internal video feed cuts out to static.  the last shot is
of a fine mist of blood and AJ falling in slow motion, peppered
throughout his torso by wooden shards caused by the exiting round's
partially shattering the wooden lecturn in front of him.  Smoke and
bright flashes and arcane energies of tremendous power fill the
courtroom} the courtroom...FRAG!  GET IT BACK!  Drek! 

Please excuse my language.  What's that sound?...Oh no!  It appears
that the mob outside the courthouse, specifically the front lawn
where we are now, has begun to rush the police lines.  There are
explosions going off all over the area, with large figures moving
through the mob enciting them to riot, which they are doing.  The
police, having turned to the courthouse when the explosionsand
gunfire started, are being forced back by the rioters.  Watercannons
and machine gun fire can be heard and seen all around us as the NYPD
is attempting to hold back the rioters.  More explosions and flashes,
seemingly from weapons somewhere in the mob, are creating massive
panic and confusion, but it is still pushing forward.  A{sound of
small explosion nearby immediately after a gunshot}DREK!  It appears
that the mob, estimated to be around 30-35 thousand today, has
obtained weapons and we are getting shot at.  The NYPD barricades are
being broken down and climbed over and removed and more and more of
the rioters are rushing forward toward us and the courthouse...the
hovercraft provided by Interpol continue to provide roving cover, but
seem more concerned with the safety of the NYPD officers that have
disappeared into a veritable sea of people. 

What's that whirring noise?....  Focus on the roof, John{camera
swings onto the roof of the Courthouse and focuses on the source of
the sound-Interpol agents, thought to be snipers, armed with
mounted Vindicator Miniguns}  Oh my God! It appears that the
Interpol snipers are in fact defense guards in the effect that this
riot ever began.  The external audio links are broadcasting that
the Courthouse is not to be attacked, that anyone doing so will be
shot or gassed! But it appears that the noise down here is too loud
for the rioters to even hearthe broadcast, and I could only really
hear it through the headset I am wearing.I can see the riot gaining
momentum and am hearing a second sound from off to the north side
of the building, where the ambulances are located...  But we have
no video feed over that direction. 

{sound of automatic gunfire from the roof, suddenly joined by
several more sounds, like a siren from the North and explosions
from the south}  Wait a minute, transfer to Video South!{camera
shot abruptly changes to the southern side of the building where a
press van is disgorging several uniformed figures} 

My God, they're shooting into the crowd and dispursing it.  That's
the sound of grenades going off...they're shooting at the guards
and the snipers on the roof too!  But they're clearing a path from
the doorway to the van. {Bright flashes come from the doorway as it
opens explosively outward, hitting and crumpling a IP guard to the
ground}  That was magic! 

{three figures, dressed in the same uniforms of those at the van,
rush out of the doorway with large amerindian bringing up the
rear}  What's he armed with? A machine gun!?  How'd he get THAT
into the courthouse?   {sniper fire from the roof begins to rain
down upon the cement around the feet of the three forms. The big
amerindian turns, raises the machine gun to his shoulder, autofires
at the roof and several screams stop immediately, although one
continues as a form in IP armor falls the five stories into the
crowd} 

My GOD!  HE KILLED THEM{the sound of sniper fire is signifigantly
reduced}!!!! 

Two of the three are now within the van and the two outside are
motioning the big amerindian into the van, and he seems to be
moving with inhuman speed! But...An elemental has just appeared
infront of the running amerindian and is blocking his path.  One of
the{video feed cuts off to static} 

NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!!  Oh no!  There are massive screams as the mob has
surged forward into a rain of bullets.  One of them has hit the
inside of our van here and they appear to be made of rubber-gel. 
Gas clouds and coughs are covering the lawn as more people rush
toward the courthouse.  The sounds you are hearing are the lifting
off of several helicoptors from the roof, removing the officialsof
the corporations and the Nations from this terrible scene.  {camera
lurches ackwardly} Huh?  We are leaving?  Why, for God's sake? 
This is the story of a lifetime!  "Live to see another morning?" 
Oh...... 

Well, folks, this has been Charlie Fingers{Static cuts out video
feed} 

*****End Video Feed, TAPED*****

Well, we got a taste of what has gone down.  I'm sure we'll get more
as the next days unfold and people show up again to report thier
group's success or lack thereof.  Overall, I would say that they did
ok...I hope...]<<<<< 
        --  Moriarity(14:41:10/10-03-54)

>>>>>[I suppose that may really be the problem.  You'd think that
everyone would want to know thier future...although most of the
other deckers I run into in systems(especially ones in target
systems) seem to have a lot of The Tower and The Devil and Death
cards in thier spreads....(evil grin). 

And after I sleep, I'll tell you how we did from my end...]<<<<
        --  Solitiare(15:12:58/10-03-54)

***** Encrypt RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT - AJ PEOPLE 
>>>>>[ Well I hope their ok, the people in the accidents I caused.  I
even was able to get three police cars recks.  The were all driving
rather unsafely to the courthouse so I decided that they needed to
slow down.  NYPD seems to be more interested in the court house than
Winter, but they seem to be making little headway towards it.  The
mobs our making my job a lot easier by blocking many of the streets,
Grid-Link thinks its being messed up by the number streets being
blocked.  Lister you and the ambulance will have open way along
**Route** Take it and everything will be okay.]<<<<<
        --Spirit < Of the Matrix >

***** Encrypt  Big powers in a tiny place - AJ rescue 
>>>>>[ Well it looks like Lister and Kichanski will make it as tha
ambulance escorts ta tha courthouse.  Winter now knows about tha
courthouse, they kind of heard some gun fire.  But all their people
are out taking care of trafic accidents and mob rioting and can not
go and help tha court house.  Oh, Claw's not so nice weather is
helping ta keep down the air support.  *****Weather report - 65
cloudy and windy, air travel is warned of dangerous up drafts.
Record for low smog count in 5 years.***** He does nice work doesn't
he.

Ah finally saw one of tha Winter deckers, he dressed like one of tha
streetcops you see around town.  Ah don't think he was a freelancer
like Star or Metal. He came out after some little decker in tha
system who triggered a passive. They tend to be a little bit jumpy
around here.  From the looks of it the other decker got caught.
Can't say Ah'm displeased though, Ah really hate working through
passives, they make things more complicated.  Well back to work.

Oh Lister, Lu say he will pick up StarBug1 over Upstate New York,
near Binghamton.  Who all is coming back with us - are Roxxy and
Nex - or are they going ta homebase?]<<<<<
        --Circuit Breaker < Live from / New York >

***** Encrypt Fragit    AJ Rescue 
>>>>>[ Lister we seem to have a small problem, ok a rather large one.
The route I gave you has now been closed by two accidents and
rioting.  CB is there anything you can do to help.]<<<<<
        --Spirit < of the Matrix >

***** Encrypt Look its snowing!!  AJ Rescue
>>>>>[ Well Ah'll see what Ah can do, I'll try ta get Winter
Security ta open up a path through the roits for emergency vehicles
only, that should take care of ambulance and the squad car.  But
Ah'm gonna need your help Spirit.  In fact it should be just like
old times.]<<<<< 
        --Circuit Breaker < Live from / New York >

>>>>>[Hello everyone I was wondering if anybody has seen my brother?
I just arived in Seattle from TNO to visit him but I found that he
wasn't at his appartment and that he hasn't been there fer almost a
week.  I believe this is the system that he showed me he used the
last time I was here.  He signed everything he wrote by the name of
STREETWOLF.  I am really worried about him seeing that he new that I
was coming to see him and it is really wierd to not find him around.
If you hear anything from him or if you know where he might be please
let me know.  Thank You.]<<<<< 
        --  Patricia O'Connor(18:45:15PDT/10:02:54)

***** Encrypt  The Boys   AJ Rescue 
>>>>>[ Well It seems that CB and myself have the little crisis taken
care of, the ambulance can safely go on its way without too much
trouble.  And here's a little look at the crowd for those interested.

***** Vidoe Feed WPIX News Drone - Chuck Digger with commentary
Well its a mad house outside the courthouse, the mob is in an
uproar.  The police seem to be having increasing trouble with
them.  Air support for the ground police having difficulty from the
bad updrafts of todays weird weather and some unknown magicians in
the crowd have been surrounding the air support and other vehicles
in black globes effectively blinding them. 

OH MY GOD!!! a very large Troll just came out of the crowd, and tore
down one of the barriers!!!!  All by himself!!!  It doesn't look good
around the courthouse folks, stay away from that area of town, the
rioting is getting worse. 

HEY WHAT HAPPENED TO THE VIDEO FEED!!!!

Sorry viewers but it seems that the drone is now effectively blind
from some unknown cause.  ***** End Video feed

Nice work Claw, CRUSH and Nightfox.  And Fox, just how did you get
to NY, I thought planes made you sick?]<<<<<
        --Spirit < of the Matrix >

*****Encrypt Escape all involved_MPCP***** 
>>>>>[Hoi chummers, well I got ou' of th' courthouse right aftre AJ
was rescued.  I didna see much sense hangin' arou' too long.  I
escap'd by turnin' myself invisible an' just walk'd ou' th' back
door.  I then decid'd ta hang low at a bar away from the Courthouse.
Aftre a few hours I decid'd it wa' safe so I left NY an' head'd back
tow'rds Seattle.  I am now in Columbus, Ohio just takin a break an'
checkin ou' th' sites.  I should be back in Seattle with'n th' week.
I am gonna start back up again real soon aftre I get a few winks. I'm
look'n ferward ta seein ya all again real soon.  Then we ca' discuss
what all happen'd.]<<<<<
        --  STREETWOLF(Fire is an Elf's Best Friend)
            (20:09:55/10:02:54)

>>>>>[This is gonna be long one everybody, so get your sleep before
you read it!  Just kiddin, mostly.

Well, we had no real problems gettin to the Courthouse at 08:30 and
we relieved the night ambulance at the North side exit.  We were
armed with our toys and had no real difficulty with the ID scans, as
Harlequin's work in Metro General was really effective.  Thanks for
that, Harlequin.  We owe you one.  And once Spirit started messin
with the traffic control systems, the Evac chopper was called away
too.  That chopper would have been a major problem had it not been in
use all mornin. 

Well, we were startin to get REALLY nervous when all of a sudden we
heard the shots and explosions from inside the courthouse, and we
knew we were on.  Well, we pulled our toys and readied ourselves to
rush in when called.  We again had to wait while IP checked our
badges for skills at treatin these kinds of wounds and I was ready
to start shootin our way in to get at AJ when we passed.  Guess
Buzz was a little long on sending back a positive or somethin, but
we made it ok.  I think that Fast Track was gettin a little nervous
or somethin as I heard him complain under his breath that the crowd
was gettin a little antsy.  I suppose it might have had somethin to
do with the snipers on the roof and dronesbein buffeted by Claw's
weather changes as the crowd, but oh well. 

Well, as we were headin down the main hallway, I noticed the three
Snipes that were gettin out with the Backuppers turn a corner with
Collussus in back for cover.  Well, we were gettin escorted by IP
guards and two of em took off after the three Snipes and Nex and
Kaneda joined us in their place.  Almost perfect timin as Nex slid
that ungodly long gun of his under the strecher in the sling we
built for that purpose and Kaneda popped the Emitter of his laser
underthe strecher too, takin a regular heavy pistol in its place. 
It would not have looked good to have them runnin alongside the
strecher, know what I mean? 

Well, we got into the courtroom and it was an fraggin UGLY scene,
let me tell you!  Smoke and gas was filling the air, with more
comin from the still active grenades and from small fires started
by whatever magic was bein thrown about by the Magic support crew. 
Glimmers of magic were still flyin around and numberous confusion
spells were hangin in the room too.  Spirits and Loa(Diana'slovely
contributions) and Elementals and watchers were doin battle in
manifest and astral forms, with their energies so nasty that they
were spillin over from the astral to the physical plane in ghostly
and oddly beautiful hues of inhuman color.  We were led toward the
center where a LARGE barrier or two had been set up to keep spells
and any other weapon fire off AJ.  The magic support crew was doin
a really good job as there was no real problem with STREETWOLF
hangin in the air over AJ's prostrate body and the IPs weren't
shootin him, even though they easily could have.  Musta been that
IP ID ever so visible on his pocket... 

There were WAY too many guards around AJ's body as we arrived. 
Switchin into my "paramedic" mode, I took over and moved people out
of the way, TickTock patched the really BIG hole in his chest up
with a compress(it looked to me that it had begun healin on its
own, but I'm not sure...) and I dropped an IV into his arm.  Kinda
glad Buzz told me about the anti-toxin that would counter- act the
effects of the anti-Mist/Anti-Regeneration drug they had been
controllinAJ with.  We hauled ass out of the place with Nex and
Kaneda keepin up no problem. 

Well, we slipped Kaneda and AJ into the ambulance and then Fast
Track made a BIG mistake-he turned on the siren.  When the crowd
heard that they KNEW that we were tryin to get AJ out alive, and
regardless of our reasons, they wanted us STOPPED.  Well, next
thing I know, Nex is out in the crowd for some really weird reason,
and AJ is regainin consciousness and has started to complain about
gettin shot, and then Nex is almost literally shot out of the
crowd, soakin wet, and Fast Track takes off. 

Unfortunately, we ended up with an escort, like I suspected we
would.  It turnedout to be two IP cop cars and a Winter cop car
too.  Well, once we are away from the immediate mob and we can move
along relatively safely, Fast Track decides that it's time to take
out the IP behind us and uses the assult cannon we had installed
onto the frame in place of the tailpipe and blows up the IP car's
engine.  Looked fine, no injuries, until the driver had a spit of
bad luck and spins the car at 80 km/h, knocks it into a fire
hydrant, and it does a barrel roll, finally stoppin on its top.  No
explosion though, so that was good. TickTock was about to toss a
small lump of C4 onto the Winter car when Fast Track practically
deafened us with his lovely yell of "DON'T!!!!!".  Seems it was
Lister and Kichanski with a little disinformation strategy.  Well,
while we're figurin out just what the frag Fast Track meant, he
goes and fires two autofire bursts into the car in front of us. 
Well, they musta figured out what we really were because we started
losin power from engine damage.  And the front IP car blowin up and
shreddin the tires with shrapnel didn't help at all either. 

Well, as we're transferrin from our ambulance, Max disappears after
finishin up his healin AJ(he is an ally, and he didn't bring along
any booze this time!) and Lister radios off to Winter and NYPD that
the terrorist orginization Crimson Sky just took out two IP cop cars
before we were lucky enough to hurt them bad enough that they took
off.  He said that the ambulance was goin off line for a while as it
was possible that they were trackin it by radio.  So we all pack into
the car and take off.  TickTock just gets this smirk on his face as
he pulls out his radio detonator and turns the ambulance into a
twisted hunk-o-fireball. 

Well, we reached the second van with no real trouble and took off
toward the pier.  Lister and Kichanski then left to cover
themselves and even had the good grace to accept the 2 kg of C4
that TickTock offered them to waste the "evidence" of the Winter
Sec. car.  I don't know what happened to them after that, but I
think they made it out ok. 

We took our own sweet time about it gettin to the docks, even ran
into a few tight moments when we HAD to go through some traffic
difficulties and Winter or KE cops waved us through, but that was
about it.  Silver'll deal with what happened at the piers tomorrow,
as he's sleepin now and the Ocean Commander is on autopilot.  But
we got him out of the Courthouse all right, alive and
kickin,although I don't know what happened to him after the piers. 

Night all, talk to you in the mornin!]<<<<<
        --  Slash(23:27:33/10-03-54)

>>>>>[Again, the "honor" is mine to bestow upon you the news "flash"
from NY about the rescue.

*****Include Video Feed, TAPED*****

This is Charlie Fingers again from New York where a Carribean
terrorist group known as the Crimson Sky attempted to assassinate
the convicted criminal Dr. Alexander Jackson during the last
moments of his sentencing.  The exact nature of his wounds, beyond
a gunshot and a possible magical wound, remain unknown attthis
hour, as do his current whereabouts.  Rumors abound that he was
killed and then the Crimson Sky took his body from the ambulance
that he was evacuated in. 

At this point, the mobs in New York still rage on in a show of
wanton destruction that hasn't been seen since the Night of Rage. 
The people of the less monied areas of NY have been on the rampage
since Noon.  It was all apparently started by the riot at the
courthouse and a brazen daylight robbery of Tiffany's. 

The Metroplex Guard has been active since around 10:30 when the
attack on Dr. Jackson took place, but as of yet their show of force
has resulted in little more than injuries and more damage. 
However, the mobs appear to be tiring after a day of looting that
experts have estimated at costing NY over 340 million nuyen
already, and this includes only building damage, not actual
thievery or looting. 

Area hospitals are filled to capacity and are sending their new
injured out of the city to nearby hospitals.  But even those appear
to be filling rapidly. Current casualties are around 6000, and most
are treated and then released.  But the numbers are expected to
rise in the aftermath of this Day of Terror. 

*****End Video Feed, TAPED*****

Oh drek.  6000 injured.  Not wiz, chummers, but at least it ain't us
it's gonna get blamed on.  Oh, another has just come on...

*****Begin Live Video Feed****

........the Day of Terror.  In late breaking news, a spokesperson
for Crimson Sky who expressed his wish to remain nameless reported
to us that they were not responsible for the attack on the
Courthouse today.  Interpol agents traced the call to a local phone
and arrested a Crimson Sky member wanted in connection to over 300
deaths in the Carribean, Aztlan, and the CAS.  This reporter
remainsskeptical of their non-involvement. 

The combined orginizations of Interpol, NYPD Inc, Knight Errant, and
Winter Security released a report recently stating that police
injuries were in excess of 30, with 12 dead.  These deaths have
been attributed to being crushed by the rioters at the Courthouse
and to the destruction of three police escort vehicles that
escorted the ambulance carrying Dr. Jackson.  Dr. Jackson remains
at large, although it is believed that a harbor battle between
harbor patrol and Metroplex Guard patrol boats involved Dr. Jackson
and Crimson Sky in some way. 

It must be said that the conditions for these riots had been
building for quite some time, and that the trial of a known vampire
and international criminal just provided the catalyst that eased
the riots into New York.  Here with us now is an expert in the
field of psychology, Dr. .... *****End Video Feed****

That's enough of that, I think.  Well, we aren't totally responsible
after all. It is rather nice to know that we were only the catalyst
of a set of riots that may destroy half of New York and cost WAY too
much nuyen.  I think I prefer London...]<<<<<
        --  Moriarity(23:56:49/10-03-54)

>>>>>[ And you thought you were the only ones having fun today:

*** INCLUDE: LIVE TRIDEO FEED

Ladies and Gentlemen, This is Charlie Fingers coming to you from the
embattled metropolis of New York City. As you can see from this
DroneCam footage, large sections of the city appear to be in
flames, as columns of smoke rise from all across Manhattan. Terror
is the watchword of the day, as every fringe group and radical
extremist uses this opportunity for violence to further their own
causes. 

cas from Rockefeller Center, blew sky-high today less than an hour
after the riots started at the trial of Dr. Alexander Jackson. The
number of casualties is still unknown, but is believed to be in the
neighborhood of thirty dead or missing, and another fifty to
seventy wounded. Damage to the historical structure, curiously
contained to the top twelve stories, is estimated at 14 million
nuyen.  But this is merely one example of the trag--***

Enough of this smarmy jerk. ]<<<<<
        --MOONWALKER (MessageIn/ABottle)

>>>>>[ That's It, Mon! THAT is IT! I don' CARE what Reg say, that is
the LAST time we are staying in the penthouse suite of a hotel! From
now on, I'm sleeping in the BASEMENT! ]<<<<<
        --Ralph (WalkingIn/YourFootsteps)

>>>>>[Well I'm feeling much better, I just wish some people would
keep their weapons clean.  Now I'm going to have a scar from that
little cut. 

<It's not that little dear.>

Ok so it's a big cut, just quiet down I'm posting. So does anyone
know a good cosmetic surgeon?

<There's L'Enfant's.>

I know, they fragged up my hair remember?

<I don't think they did that bad of a job.>

Alright, I'll be back later. Bliss wants me to go shopping with her.
Oh yeah our third single has just been released. Should be seeing it
on trids everywhere.]<<<<<
                -- Red <06:20:42/10-04-54>

>>>>>[Ahoy there!  Cap'n Silver here{voice in the background cuts
through-"Cut the pirate lingo, Silver, and give it to them straight,
k?"}  Oh, all right. Well, we on the boat got away...fraggin near
didn't, but we did.  And here's what happened from the time the
Ambulancers and the Backuppers rode up to the pier.

I was sittin in my Ocean Commander, waitin for the folks to get back
to the d docks with AJ so we could quit this plex and listenin ta the
radio(love them police and military band radios...).  Now, I had come
in the night before runnin under full ECM/ECCM and usin the small,
SLOOOOWWWWWW outboard electric and I set myself up facin out into the
harbor for a quick getaway.  And it saved our sorry asses too, but
I'll get to that...  Well, I knew that the Plexers had been called up
for riot control and given the option to use terminalprejudice and
gas if deemed necessary(Tear and Puke gas!) and that the cops were
ingaged in a search for the ambulance and the Winter car that
reported gettin them to safety.  Well, the found the IP cars, one
blown up and the other soakin wet, with three dead cops and the other
five injured(burns and broken bones).  Then the ambulance was found
not too far down the street, blown to shreds and still smokin, but
with no bodies inside. 

Well, the cops then called on the Plexers and their chopper to do a
full sweep of the city and find the "terrorists" who had taken the
paramedic crew and the Boss.  Besides, the Winter and NYPD were
havin a few minor troubles with thier computers, I guess(evil
grin)  And then the terrorist's escape van was found, destroyed by
explosives or gangs, although how a gang took out the terrorists
was unknown, but there were several bodies layin nearby, filled
with lead and dressed in the terrorist uniforms.  I did an ID check
on them and ain't one of them was any of the Snipes or the
Backuppers-musta been gangs{voice in the background:  yep, they
were a go gang that took a liking to our van and had chopped it
down already for parts}. 

Well, I heard a couple a bikes approachin from the docks and,
paranoia bein part of the job discription, I fired up the bow gun
and waited till I realized that it was the Backuppers on gang
bikes.  Quite a surprise, chumms.  Collussus came aboard and but
his "Big Gun" aboard(a MMG with underslung grenade launcher and
belted ammo-can you say 'OW'?) and then took off.  He was gettin
out of NY on his own, he said.  Mirage and Sabre set up for
defensive positions after runnin the bikes off into the harbor.  It
hurt me right...here... to see all that metal and engine go into
the water...  And then Nige started preppin the warehouse for XLV
lift-out.  After hearin what I had heard from the radios, DJ Scott
and Hellblast also set-up for defense and Foxey Foxey(sigh...) and
T.C. sat down to rest off some a the drain. 

About five minutes later, Foxey Roxey's(sigh...) ally MaxiMillion
shows up and ole Rox(sigh...) gets a LITTLE bit more relaxed.  She
had been really tense, worrin about Nex(growl...) I think.  Well,
just in time for us to see the rentalpull up, I get a Sensor alarm
that we got company.  A Plexer Wasp and Yellow- jacket comin up the
docks lookin for terrorists.  Max headed off to take care a one a
the buggers(big, toothy grin) but comes streakin back, screamin
like bloodly blue blazes and bein chased by a BIG manifest Air
Elemental.  Well, one a Roxey's(sigh...) Fires keeps it occupied
while TC called up a City spirit as an aid ta all them
ambulancers. 

Well, with the aid of a spirit, they showed up rather quickly as
garbage just moved on its own out of thier way, and Nex(growl...)
and Kaneda, armed up, hauled out of the back of the van.  Kaneda
takes off toward the warehouse where they had stored the XLV for a
while, and I tried to jam their radios.  Tried bein the operative
word, and then all the Plexers in the city and most a the cops too
knew where we were.  Well, they started tearin up the concrete with
their guns and even a ripple a unguided rockets did to the rental
what we were goin ta do ta it anyhow(I love an explosion in the
late morning).  I don't know why that nutcase Nex(growl...) did it,
but he goes out in the wide open space where there ain't no cover
for a LONG ways, puts that huge rifle a his ta his shoulder, aims,
and fires a single shot.  Now, in the rush to get it ready, he
forgot to set the fraggin stock correctly and bruised his shoulder,
but his shot was right on target.  The Wasp decided to start
a-smokin and headed down towards the docks, away from us.  No crash
and burn that we could tell, but oh well(sigh...). 

But all I could hear at the time was Nex cursin that he MISSED! 
Guess he was shootin at pilot...  But there was other folks shootin
up a storm and the choppers were gradually forced to land as they
couldn't get above the firing due to the weather(grin) and so got
plinked ta death.  About the time the last one went down(a second
Wasp had joined in from the other direction), the jammin went up
from the XLV(Kaneda's got some NICE electro in that baby) and it
lifted right out of the warehouse after everybody belongin aboard
got aboard.And with everybody on Grunt here, I took off too. 

I don't know what happened to the XLV, but here's where things got
interstin for those of us on Grunt here, and I'll up-load the
Sensory Feed...once I figure out how ta do it...]<<<<<
        --  Silver[Cap'n Silver ta you, matie] (14:16:02/10-04-54)

>>>>>[Rioting in New York. Racial tension in Quebec.  Covert warfare
between Aztlan and the NAN. And here I am, stuck in Portland, hunting
paladins. Gods I'm bored. Some people are SO lucky.]<<<<<
        -- Raven <Quoth the Raven/Nevermore>

>>>>>[Is she being sarcastic, or what?]<<<<<
        -- Six-Pack <14:17:22/10-04-54>

>>>>>[Not about the paladins. Shut up and make sure our pickup's on
schedule.]<<<<<
        -- Cat Dancing <14:26:38/10-04-54>

>>>>>[So THAAAAT's how you do it....  Cool!  Well, here it is folks.

*****Retrieve Sensory Feed, Grunt*****

You connect to your armed Military variant Ocean Commander,
affectionately nicknamed Grunt after you mom, and you are instantly
totally aware of your surroundings.  You know the XLV has just
taken off and, although your sensors are telling you it isn't
there, that it is right now heading up and over the city.  You feel
your engine running, longing to run hard and fast and long, and its
longing is yours as well.  But you must wait, impatiently, for the
lines to be cast off and the rest of your passengers to get aboard,
even as you sense that distant thrumming in your hull to be the
engines of impellers, heading in your direction. 

The last one gets aboard, a one DJ Scott, and a veteran seaman by
the way he avoids falling overboard as you gun the engine and take
off from the pier.  The look he gives your meat body as you
continue gaining distance from the docks andmaneuvering room could
maim if only you wern't a troll.  The feelings of the water
coursing by your hull tells you that you are reaching maximum
speed, and your sensors tell you that you are being followed.  Over
the thrumming of your own large engines can be felt as much as
heard the engines of at least 2 other vessels giving chase, but
gaining on you far too quickly.  Added to that is the fact that you
noticed a couple of hovercraft, Plexers in GMC-Beechcraft
Patrollers, dropping low over the water and rapidly overtaking the
chase boats. 

You feel a slight shift that comes from nowhere and then is gone. 
You don't know what it is until a giant wave reaches out from the
water and catches one of the hovers unprepared and downs it.  And
yet, even with the floating hull and sealed cabin, you know that
the spirit that just ate the Patroller will make sure that the
vessel never rises, although you notice the crew rising to the
surface, condition unknown.  Somehow, Slash had positioned himself
in the rear turret compartment and began firing the LMG at the last
hover, gaining quickly.  Enough rounds and it goes down softly into
the water as it's air cushion had sprung dozens of holes. 
Satisfied, you return your attention to escaping from the boats. 

Your experience identifies them as Chrysler Nissan Harbor patrol
boats and GMC Riverines, two of each coming in a pincer movement to
catch you between them. Before you realize what has just happened,
Fast Track has launched your only rotodrone remotely and sent it
after the closest Riverine.  He/it launches its only ripple of
missiles and shoots repeatedly at the Riverine and only finally
damages it when, taking too much damage, Fast Track crash lands it
into the Riverine, caving in the hull and blowing both up. 

Cursing at the loss of your only Rotodrone, you realize that you are
registeringonly two boats still in pursuit, and the closest Harbor
patrol vessel almost melting into the sea.  You realize that Mirage
chose that time to Acid Bomb it, and after recovering from the drain,
is now attending to the dumped Fast Track. Now DJ and Sabre have
taken up positions in the right and left microturrets with Slash in
the rear and you driving and using the bow small turret.  While you
are doing this, you notice a helicopter and another Riverine have
joined in the pursuit, a fact you are NOT thrilled to realize, but
not overly worried either. 

This time, having learned from their previous mistake, the Riverines
have taken up positions on each side and the last Harbor patrol
vessel begind.  You take control of the missile launcher in the stern
with Slash on the LMG and send not only a long autofire train but
also an AVM at the patrol boat.  You smile and grumble joyfully as
the patrol boat suddenly decides to become a rocket and arc skyward
from the blast of the missile.  But gravity decided that it wasn't
meant to go into orbit, and it returns to the bright water and
becomes splinters of steel and wreckage. 

The Riverines, seeing the sinking hulk of what was a boat, and
obviously knowing the limitation of the turrets on an Ocean
Commander, pulled further forward into the arc of fire of the port
and starboard miniguns.  And DJ and Sabre abliged them with a
raking of lead up and down the Riverines.  They were doing so well
that I was able to put a couple of rounds into the chopper and
force it to veer off and back toward land.  But it was not to be,
as Sabre, not used to high speed and rough maneuvers on the sea
turned green and fouled my lovely turret. 

But as we gradually forced the Riverines to fall off, so to did one
of them get through the extra armor around the engine compartment and
damage the engine,forcing a loss of speed and some worry on your
part. 

You safely get out of NY harbor and are almost to international
waters when you get spotted and attacked again.  Amazingly, DJ
spotted them visually just slightly before even your sensors did. 
They were a rotodrone, a Riverine, a Spotter Recon drone, and 2
Wasps, naturally all armed.  As soon as the drones are  in range,
you fire the only two SAMs you have and splash both drones. 
Poorplanning, as the wasps, knowing the limitation of your
weaponry, sit off out of range and begin to pepper you with
gunfire.  However, at the range they are firing from, they cannot
hit you anybetter than you could hit them. 

Then they decide to try a formation, to catch us in a wild triangle
where you will be forced to fire at multiple targets at multiple
elevations too.  You feel the synthetic pain as bullets penetrate
your armor, but the combined firepower of the turrets and missiles
bring down both Wasps and severly damage the riverine.  You have
escaped, not unscathed, but safe nonetheless. 

*****End Sensory Retrieval*****

Not as refined as FM's, but still better than explainin it all,
maties.  And First Mate Fast Track and I are repairin Grunt even as
we speak, so we should be underway shortly{a weak "yay!" sounds out
from the background}]<<<<< 
        --  Silver(15:06:11/10-04-54)

>>>>>[ Like, wow, this is weird. Neat colors and lights.  Oh, thanks,
almost forgot.  Well, our part went off almost without, like, a
hitch.  We had old DJ driving to the pick off-oops I mean pick up
point and Nige and Hellblast were checking their guns for the
umpteenth time.  Its not like I liked the shiny barrels or anything.
I just wanted to get a closer look at them.  Well anyway, we hit the
spot like we were supposed to, and no ones there.  No biggy, we'll
circle the block.  Well, they were there the second time.  Hellblast
jumped outta the vechile before we could stop.  Guess he was hellbent
on mayhem.  Nige was a little more restrained in his antics but none
the less just about everyone was keepen their heads between the
knees.  Except for a few idiots that, like, found cover. Well, Roxey
and I took care o that lil problem.  Then while we're all busy and
transfering the meat from one vehicle to the other, some lame-o
decides to get his friends to rush us.  Well, add a few more dollars
to the repair bill for the city.  That goo they call road is gonna be
hell ta fix.  By this time I'm just about gone so's Rox pulls me back
inta the vehicle and DJ waits all of maybe 2 seconds after we're all
in and floors it.  I ain't seen driving that horrible (I hate drain)
since riding with Maxine in the hearse.  Just as we're about to clear
the peoples some CS guy shouts "Thats not us.  We're not doing that!
We're supposed to be somewhere else!"  or somesuch.  I think he's ok,
it looked like DJ shunted him.  Oh well, anyone want toast with that
road jam?  Silver told the rest already.]<<<<<
        -Hard-to-Catch <17:14:43/10-04-54>

>>>>[Thank you all for sharing that wonderfull fact about my
abilities at sea.  Grr.  Grow up in the NAN, a nice STABLE piece of
ground, get shipped to NEW YORK, and get SEASICK.  My what a
wonderfull vacation. Come here Raven, I'm gonna pluck a few
feathers.]<<<<< 
                -Sabre <17:18:32/10-04-54>

>>>>>[Has anyone seen Harlequin?  With all of those nasties in the
Apple I'm worried.]<<<<<
                -Hard-to-Catch <17:19:52/10-04-54>

*****Encrypt NY, NY (courtesy of Spirit and CB)  AJ Rescue 
>>>>>[ Hey since all these riggers are tellin their stories I guess I
should download the edited version of my tapes.  We'll start off by
givin some info on what happened before I rigged in.  Lets see, the
car went BOOOOM; thats a good place to start.  The winter car went
boom, I sniffed - all that work just to blow it up, oh well.  Then
Kichanski and myself headed for StarBug1 which we was located back
towards the courthouse somewhat.  Well we were the first to get ta
SB1 so I just jacked in and started listenin to the radio.  They had
finally found out about the boat, but we really couldn't help out any
because we still had a few people to pick up.  I was happy to see
that they made it away safe. 

***** Edited Rigger feed

You feel the cold metal of the copter as your skin.  Kichanski is in
the co-pilots seat.  The engine is warming up, but is not yet
started.  Out of the haze comes a huge figure, behind him follow
several more.  There are four total, it looks like Nightfox will be
flying back with you.  Your blood starts to race as the engine
begins to run.  A large mass enters you, CRUSH is in.  A little
more mass follows, the door closes.  Your rotors spin lifting you
away from the earth.  Claw speaks up, he says that it will be
smooth flying and we will not be seen.  You ask Nightfox why he is
along on this ride and not the other.  He replies that he had to
stay in school until the weekend, and that his other way of travel
was rather tiring.  You take off into the air.  Wasps fly past you
about a mile away, but they do not see the plutocrat that is
quickly making its way north.  Other vehicles seems to have trouble
with the turbulance, but the only thing you feel is a nice tail
wind helping you along. 

After a while the sprawl of New York is left behind.  Claw says that
different friend is protecting us now.  The sun shines down heating
your skin.  A small buzz tells you that Red Dwarf is coming.  Finally
you see a small blip in front of you, pride surges through you when
it fails to appear to your mechanical senses.  Finally, it appears to
them, the image of a small plane.  How wrong they are as the flying
behemoth slows its flight so that you might enter. You smile as the
back opens up and you enter the cargo bay with room to spare. The
door closes behind you as your wheels touch the bay floor.  The first
one out of the copter is an unsteady and sickly looking ebony elf.
CRUSH and Kichanski leave next and start securing you to the plane.
The world fades as you disconnect.   *****End Rigger feed

What? I never mentioned the Dwarf, how forgetful of me.  Actually I
was trying to keep it a secret for a while.  Fuchi was not happy
about loosing Rimmer and Kryton, but they were furious about Holly
and StarBug1 and 2, loosing Red Dwarf really had them up in arms. 
The problem was they built her to good, when we took her they
couldn't find her to get her back.  The only part that saved us was
that we just took the vehicles,  we left them with all the plans;
we really couldn't sell them, they were WAY too hot.  I'm not sure
just how far along Fuchi is now on remaking the stuff from
project.  They have finally noticed that the plans don't totally
work, we left out all the little jury rigging and extras that we
added in off the plans.  I can take a little credit in the making
of my babies, but Kichanski is the wonder, she took everyones ideas
and thoughts and made them work, now thats the sign of a master
tech. 

Well, we got back to Seattle fine Sunday night.  Fox left right
quick looking like he was very happy to on the ground.  For a mage
who can fly using magic its a mystery why he hates to do it in a
plane.  Oh, and your right, I still haven't told you what the dwarf
is.]<<<<< 
        --Lister <17:44:02/10-4-54>

*****Encrypt Return All involved_MPCP***** 
>>>>>[Hoi Chummers again.  I am back on th' line again.  I jus'
arriv'd in Chicago.  I mus' say I am glad ta be ou' a th' eastern
coast.  Th' weathre there really frags, especially an area in
Pennsylvania tha' used ta be call'd Indiana.  It rained th' entire
time I was in tha' area.  Well I am gonna keep goin fer a lil' while
longer an' then I am gonna sleep fer a while ta get the kinks outta
my legs and body.

Well onta important stuff, ya have heard about the rescue.  Well
when I got inta th' courthouse I made my way close ta where AJ
was.  I got this close cause I was under the disguise of a IP
mage.  As soon as Nex and Kaneda hit AJ I levitated myself above
'im an' put up a spell and bullet barrier til the ambulancers got
'im ou'.  I also called in a few Fire elementals, tha' seem'd ta
'elp ou' a bit. 

Well anyways I should be back in Seattle in a few days.  Thank
Danna.  Th' sites are wonderful bu' I am start'n ta get really
tir'd from this trip.]<<<<< 
        --  STREETWOLF(Fire is an Elf's Best Friend)
            (21:17:53/10:04:54)

>>>>>[ Bloody drek, wandering around in the sewers for week almost
because Vanessa forgets which way we went in. We didn't even manage
to find Spirit, although we did run into a couple of true form ants.
Hmmm.., I'm glad to see that at least _someone_ found her, hey
Vanessa! ]<<<<< 
        --  Fenris <21:53:29/04-10-54>

>>>>>[ It's not _my_ fault you stupid overgrown bag of defective
human genes, I mean, I wanted to stick to the upper tunnels, but
ohh noooo, ant will be further down in the ground you say. WELL I
DIDN'T SEE ANY BLOODY ANTS DOWN IN THE LOWER TUNNELS. ]<<<<<
        --  SpotOn <22:04:48/04-10-54>

>>>>>[ Hmm.. looks like this Mac fellow is hiring, 50k too, ok, I'm
ready and willing. The Highlander himself should be able to vouch
that I am competent, umm if I can calm Vanessa down she will
probably be willing to assist you also. ]<<<<<
        --  Fenris <22:18:56/04-10-54>

>>>>>[Sean!  I must strongly warn you not to read that book! If it
isn the thesis, you may be placing yourself in peril.  I must insist
that you give it over to me, immediately.  My group and I are the
only ones capable of dealing with a mad Ant-shaman's thesis; for the
unwary or the unprepared, the consequences of exposure could be
dire.  Sean!  Answer me!  I'll search you out if I must, for your own
sake.  Sean!]<<<<< 
        --Brandon Lowe (19:09:29/10-4-54)

>>>>>[Opps, sorry Fenris and SpotOn about the tunnels, we never
really had much communication going with you guys about the rescue.
The drones you lent us were really helpful, but you didn't stay
around for the co-ordination (or its lack). After the CRUSH and
Spirit where safe, we sorta got involved with another helping out and
forgot that some of the people might still be n the tunnels.

By the way, has anyone heard from Raven TM and Nightstalker, I hope
their not in the tunnels still.  Well I have to get back to my card
game. *****Encrypt NY - Seattle by Spirit + CB   AJ rescue Ps has
anyone heard from the other AJ rescuers yet, besides Silver? At
least we know they made it out of New York in one piece.]<<<<<
        --Lister <21:24:02/10-04-54>

>>>>>[ Mr Lowe, though you helped in rescuing Spirit, I will tell
you that I do not trust you nor your ilk.  As to the mage you call
Sean, he is in good and trustworthy hands.  When I realized that he
had thesis from the shaman  I promptly contacted my fellow circle
members.  All of us have now had encounters with one of the
Insects, myself having the most and the most disturbing.  As such
we know that there are dangers in thesis but there are also things
that can be learned to help in hunting them.  Your "friend" was
extremely disturded by what he saw and experienced, and reading the
book has shown him the true terror of ANT can be like.  You need
not worry though for the experience has opened his eyes to the
dangers.  Or should I say that you need to worry Mr Lowe.]<<<<< 
        --Claw <21:30:10/10-04-54>

>>>>>[ Mac, As you are a friend of Highlander and seem to have a
worthy cause to fight, I offer my help in any way that you might need
it to stop Katana.]<<<<< 
        --Claw <22:00:04/10-04-54>

>>>>>[ Wow, two posts in one night, the man is being very verbose
tonight.]<<<<< 
        --Sheena <22:07:04/10-04-54>

>>>>>[ Hi again.  Dimitri here.  Just bored and decided to see whats
up.  Not much going on here at good old UTT, well except that test
N'Ralan and I got back today.  Here I am studing my butt off to get a
high grade, while he goes off somewhere with a friend, tapes class
but never watches it, and only scims the book, and gets a higher A
then I did.  Then he leaves for the weekend, and I am not able to
introduce him to a few friends of mine at college.  How in the heck
is the man supposed to have a college social life in he is never
there on weekends?]<<<<< 
        --Dimitri <22:13:17/10-04-54>

>>>>>[Well, well, well... This may be interesting for some of you...

Include : Audio-Feed

==...Today there was an incident in Downtown Seattle, where the Cosmetic
==Studio and Beauty Parlor of a Dr. Lester Philips exploded in a fiery rain.
==The explosion was so great, that windows shattered in an area of 200m
==surrounding the site. Witnesses claim, that a huge, metalplated humanoid
==hadd entered the Studio just minutes before, but no evidence has been found
==to support thist. As to now LoneStar has found the remnants of 18 bodies
==inside and in front of the Parlor and there are at least 45 injured.
==We will give you complete coverage in our LIVE AT 10 newsfeed.
==This is Joshua Edelbaum, Channel 64, Sky Radio News...

End Audio-Feed

What do you think? Is there somebody out there who hates Cosmetics
and/or one of the customers so much, that he nearly blows up a
street? Ahh... I thought I'd ask...]<<<<<
        -- Tumbleweed(Newsflash-on-the-Fly)<09:10:50/10-05-2054>

>>>>>[Interesting news, Tumbleweed.  Mechanic, are you running
anything in Seattle right now?]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[Not yet..... besides, that's not my style.  'Metalplated
humanoid'?? I mean, come on.... although that .does. sound like a
couple of drones I roasted a while back.  Let me try to remember
the company...]<<<<< 
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (6:43:27/10-5-54)

>>>>>[What?  'Metalplated humanoid' 'drones'??  Come on, this isn't
anime'.  I mean, it's not like we see the Knight Sabres running
around...]<<<<
        -- VidFreak (6:45:46/10-5-54)
 
>>>>>[Ah.  Corrison Mechanicals.  Out of Berlin.  Called 'em
'Boomers' after some old movie -- at least, that's what I caught
from the radio transmissions that actually decrypted.  Big things,
tend to rip the exterior 'flesh' as they go into combat mode.  My
own deadheads are a lot more elegant, I think.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (6:48:14/10-5-54)

>>>>>[What!!  You gotta be kidding me!!]<<<<<
        -- VidFreak (6:52:28/10-5-54)

>>>>>[About what?  The deadheads?  No, CM runs theirs just like that
stupid 'Bubblegum Crisis' movie/video thing that I saw that one time.
Things ripping their skin off, the whole nine.  Wish I could get the
concept through their heads that 'ugly' isn't synonymous with
'functional'.  Also wish I could get my hands on some of the onboard
weaponry they had.

VidFreak, it wasn't at the level of Bubblegum, but they were close.
And yeah, the Knight Sabres ARE running around -- they're called the
Knights of Harlech.  You should .see. some of those
screamers....]<<<<< 
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (6:55:56/10-5-54)

>>>>>[I'm not sure, Lady Jaez.  Who are we going after, here?  Is
this a retrieval mission on Cooper, or do you think it'll involve
actually wiping Ganz?  If the first, I may, though payment is
still..... a matter of discussion.  If the second, I will
participate with a much stronger show of force -- namely, I will
move as many of my deadheads as I can from their locations to
assist.  Payment will be accordingly higher, but I can conceive of
a discount under the heading of 'Removing Menace to
Society'.....]<<<<< 
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (7:02:31/10-5-54)

>>>>>[  Hi  chummers. I'm new on Shadowtalk. One of my decker
friends, Chip, informs  me that it is the best way to develop
contacts.  I'm searching some informations about Mara.  It's one of
my contact and  she disappeared 2 days ago. She was shadowrunning on
a  case about Aztechnology.  If you  need more informations about
that, contact me.]<<<<< 
        -- NightWolf < 14:43:52 / 10-05-54 >

>>>>>[Hey "Hard-to-Find"; if you think driving and shooting an SMG at
the same time, you come up and do it! Sabre, motion sickness happens
to the best of us.  Don't sweat it.  My first tour out, I went on
board and was thinking of all the guys I was going to smoke.  I ended
up puking my guts out on deck and missed the first mission.  It was
that big industrial puke too.  My last CO used to swallow jalapenos
when he felt queasy; said that gave him enough warning going up to
avoid losing it on the gun turrets.]<<<<<
        -- DJ Scott <00:33:23/10.05.54>

>>>>>[ What the bloody fragging hell happened to our hotel?!? I leave
you _Children_ alone for an hour and you manage to get our suites,
not to mention all our luggage, blown to ash! And furthermore--Oh,
dear! What happened to you? Dare I ask? ]<<<<<
        --Blindside (TeaIn/TheSahara)

>>>>>[ Wouldja believe, Regmon, that we decided not to wait for the
elevator? ]<<<<<
        --Ralph (Don'tStandSo/CloseToMe)

>>>>>[ You guys look like hell! What happened? ]<<<<<
        --Vixen (Miss/Gradenko)

>>>>>[ Luckily, I was toying around in the hotel system at the time,
so I noticed their decker coming in to shut off the intrusion alarms
and open the fire escape doors for their people, so we left the hard
way, and left behind a decoy body cast filled with nitro.  Cultists
fall down go boom. Where've you been, anyway? ]<<<<<
        --MOONWALKER (King/OfPain)

>>>>>[ Would you believe Breakfast at Tiffany's? ]<<<<<
        --Blindside (TeaIn/TheSahara)

>>>>>[ Wasn't there something about a robbery there this
morn--REG!!! ]<<<<< 
        --MOONWALKER (King/OfPain)

>>>>>[ Oh, be quiet. Here, have a handful of emeralds. Have two,
they're small. ]<<<<<
        --Blindside (TeaIn/TheSahara)

>>>>>[I'm a startin this bugger with a not-so-humble request.  Roxey
and Collussus have gone into the realm of the missin, and anyone with
ANY knowledge of them or Diana(she's missin too, and AJ is worried
BIG time) should get in touch with the net here.  We'll be hangin
around for another day or two, and then Nex and Hellblast and AJ will
be headin off to Cal Free in that new car a AJ's-Nice car too...

Well, I'll cut the lip-flappin now and get ta the point, though the
details will be comin out later when my sensory log is edited of all
them Frags and Dreks and Son-of-a-Slitches.  And besides, ma BABY
took damage, fraggin drek! I DON'T like doin combat with FB Eagles
and a Panzer... 

But first a little background on PSU so you know how we actaually
got away. PSU was originally a beautiful university, one of the
largest in the old US of A, and while not a MIT&T, still fraggin
good at what the taught, which was fraggin near everythin.  But all
that ended not too long after I was hospital- ized for becomin a
lovely picture of orkhood.  Yep, I was there on the Night of Rage,
when one of the oldest and grandest universities was reduced to
fragginrubble(a mild cracking in anotherwise steady voice). 

Well, I survived like so many other orks and trolls by hidin in the
tunnels thatPSU had begun buildin in the 1990's, and by breakin into
Wagner Buildin, the ROTC headquarters on Campus and runnin off with
what we could.  Even Police Services couldn't stop the mobs, so we
pushed them aside and took over thier weapons and held the
campus-from below ground.  Pattee Librairy was burned down and over
15 million volumes went with them, though we could save only a few.
The stadium was filled with bodies where once the Nittany Lions
played, and even half the team was dead(several of the linemen had
goblinized and thier friends and teammates were killed for bein
"sympthasizers").  But when the sun rose through the haze and smoke
after a light rain, we started to rebuild. 

And rebuild we did.  Old Main, whose belltower was blackened with
soot and whose chimes had long ago been replaced by speakers, was
rebuilt to look just as it had before the Night of Rage.  And we
closed out the world, specifically the town of State College around
us, an ultra-conservative and blatently racist town whose residents
had caused the damage in the first place.  And with the weapons we
had taken, and the debris from un-recaimable buildins, we raised a
fence even a troll couldn' tear down, and we placed guards.  And
work continued. 

As the old campus was repaired, we started to receive requests from
people who wern't orks or trolls to come and help repair the campus.
Shortly, in an amazing show of PSU Pride, hundreds of thousands of
nuyen were flowin into the reclamation fund and engineers and
scientists and architects and buisness people and philosophers came
back to the school that made many of them what theywere.  And those
who couldn't help with the actual designs did the actual labor,and
those who couldn't do either sent money, or their friends and
children and husbands and wives, and PSU rose from the ashes of the
Night of Rage.  Slowly, but with a knowledge that it would rise over
Central Pennsylvania again. 

And in little more than a year, we re-opened the school to the world
of meta- humanity.  State College, without our influx of nuyen to
maintain it, slowly died out as PSU expanded itself out into the
town.  The racists who couldn't handle the changes and the power we
"lesser" races had in the school moved away and in another year,
State College became University Park, the official "town" name of PSU
since the middle of the last century.  And classes returned and so
did the students and the teachers and the support that kept the
school open hasn't faltered to this day. 

One of the things that PSU eventually succeeded in doing was getting
a Corporatetag, granting the entire town of University Park
extra-territoriality and the right to run it's own affairs without
interference from outside.  When this happened, we gradually became
a nearly total metahuman college whose simple goal was to educate. 
Several times, we had to defend ourselves against people like the
Alamos20K, and the Fist of Five specifically, and Humanis and all
them polis, but for the most part we were left alone.  Until this
past weekend. 

On Sunday night, while we were waitin for the night to fall so I
could take off,the UCAS Army with air support attacked the PSU
campus, and our small security forces were overrun.  It was in our
defense that Roxey and Collussus disappeared and we fear for their
health.  I am a "citizen" of PSU, like most of the grads from
there, and yes, I want to know what happened to my beloved town and
school.]<<<<< 
        --  FM(16:07:11/10-05-54)

*****GNUEncrypt.DAWNSIODAEDD CATH.1290 
>>>>>[How are things in Portland, dear?]<<<<<
        -- Raven <Quoth the Raven/Nevermore>

*****GNUEncrypt.DAWNSIODAEDD CATH.1290
>>>>>[Jus' fine. The place was crawling with GTI paladins and the
occasional Peace Force adept. Now MTC goons are stomping
(discreetly) around as well. I wonder how they got in; maybe our
old friend Motomura has a duke or prince in his back pocket. I stil
can't believe they fell for your post about being in Portland.]
        -- Cat Dancing <16:30:03/05-10-54>

>>>>>[Can we get a secure commline back? Routing the stuff through
Shadowland is just askin' for trouble.]<<<<<
        -- Six-Pack <16:39:03/05-10-54>

*****GNUEncrypt.DAWNSIODAEDD CATH.1290
>>>>>[They'd be a lot more secure if you'd remember to ENCRYPT YER
FRAGGIN' POSTS!!! Idiots.

And we can't communicate directly until we launch the
telecommunications satallite from the Whale's poop deck. Yeah,
right. Stop whining and suffer, Six-Pack.]<<<<<
        -- Raven <Quoth the Raven/Nevermore>

>>>>>[ Umm, I'm sposed to give a message at this node to a Miss
Packard Belle, oh wow, is that, like a handle. Ok, anyway, Joshua,
oops, NodeFaerie, thats his handle, says that if you wish to contact
him go to Portland and ask around for a Daniel James Johnson. Hey
Vanessa, you got a date for Friday night yet, I met these really cool
suits last night, and well, are you interested.  ]<<<<<
        --  Clockwork <19:04:39/05-10-54>

>>>>>[ Wiz Tracey, I'll pick you up. Where is Nodie gone, do you
know, what sort of trouble is he in? ]<<<<<
        --  SpotOn <19:18:26/05-10-54>

>>>>>[ I have no idea, this note with the above message was sitting
on my desk this morning, nobody could tell me who put it
there!]<<<<< 
        --  Clockwork <19:32:53/05-10-54>

>>>>>[As long as you are keeping an eye on Sean, Claw, then I guess
everythin g is all right.  I would still feel better knowing that the
thesis was with those best equipped to handle such an item, but I
don't suppose that is too likely now.  And please, keep your wild
accusations to yourself, unless it is your intent to insult me.]<<<<<
        --Brandon Lowe (18:43:23/10-5-54)

*****ENCRYPT GAMMA OMICRON NU EPSILON  Rescuers_MPCP***** 
>>>>>[ Seems I have a few moments, here, in which I ken utilize th'
presence a my deck...so, here goes!

2200 -- Sniper squad arrived, to relieve InterPol guards on inner court duty.
       Identification checked-passed thru, with assistance of Buzz.  First half
       of shift uneventful.  Keneda & I staked out appropriate snipin positions,       traced escape route fer ambulance team.  Set Mirage, Sabre & Collossus
       on markin OWN path of escape.

0200 hrs. -- Identification re-checked.  Harlequin passed it thru.  Mirage &
       myself spent second half of shift explorin ARCANE security measures.
       What we found were watchers.  Not many, but th' number would be TRIPLED,
       by trial-time.  They wouldn't, however, pose much of a problem.

0600 hrs. -- Shift ends.  Day shift arrives, to relieve us.  Each member removes       InterPol armour...leavin us ready ta don Crimson Sky uniforms.  Armour
       stashed unobtrusively, at positions each had chosen ta secure.  Regrouped       in unused corner of courtroom foyer.  Mirage cloaked all in invisibility.       Each took turns at attainin an hour an' a half of meditaion or rest,
       excludin, of course, Mirage.

0918 hrs. -- Sabre discovered by courtroom guard.  He was quickly an' quietly
       dispatched...a regrettable action.  But, one which had ta be taken, ta
       secure th' success of our mission.

1000 hrs. -- All members secured their positions.

1018 hrs. -- Jackson gave us th' signal.  Colossus detonated diversionary
       grenades.  I placed a shot just ta th' left of Jackson's spine, with
       th' slug enterin his back, immediately above th' left kidney.  Keneda
       placed his shot even with my own, from th' left side.  Jackson fell, an'
       Keneda an' I donned our InterPol armour again, makin our way down inta
       th' crowd, where we joined th' party escortin th' "medics".  I concealed
       th' rifle beneath th' stretcher, which Fast Track had modified, fer th'
       purpose.

1022 hrs. -- We escorted th' "medics" from th' courthouse, via a side door.
       Th' crowd twas IMMENSE...twas difficult ta wend our way thru it.  But,
       we made it ta th' waitin ambulance, with lil' in th' way a trouble...
       UNTIL Fast Track activated th' siren...*sigh*  This RAPIDLY drew th'
       attention of th' crowd...AN' their WRATH! One of th' two guards with us
       spotted th' butt of th' rifle, then...an' believed he had recognized me.
       As he drew his weapon on me, however, I removed his feet from under him,
       an' he was dragged down by th' crowd.  They commenced ta tear him...
       quite literally, limb-from-limb, in their rage.  This removed ONE problem       guard.  Keneda & I used th' press of th' crowd, ta force th' remainin
       away.  Unfortunately, this man panicked, an' laid hold a my jacket,
       pullin me away from th' ambulance.  Keneda attemted ta aid me, but I
       ordered him inta th' ambulance, an' told Fast Track ta leave.  A bit
       reluctantly, he complied.

       I was forced inta a confrontation with several people in th' crowd, after       they had dismembered th' second guard.  Most assuredly, I would have met
       my demise at their hands, as well...if not fer th' arrival of some rogue
       mage's high-force water elemental.  It managed ta knock me offa' my feet,       an' seemed quite intent on engulfin me.  I have no doubts in my mind tha'       it WOULD HAVE, had Th' Baron not stepped in, at tha' moment.  Seein tha'
       he had th' situation under control, I left th' elemental with a partin
       shot...an' caught up with th' ambulance team.

       Jackson had since regained a measure of consciousness, an' was expendin
       his energy in a loud string a complaints...which I quickly asked him ta
       curb.  We then departed, ta rondezvous with Silver.

Thus ends MY report, chummers! ]<<<<<
        -THE Nexus <When:th':bullet/ hits-th'-bone>

>>>>>[ WHOA! So OFFICIAL, Nexers!  Yeesh!  Loosen UP,
Chum-pal!]<<<<< 
        -HellBlast (21:47:48/ 10-05-54)

>>>>>[ **SHCHNICK** ]<<<<<
        -THE Nexus <When:th':bullet/ hits-th'-bone>

>>>>>[ ULP!!!   heheheeh...uhhh...ye-ah...]<<<<<
        -HellBlast (21:49:51/ 10-05-54)

>>>>>[Not that any of you care, I expect.  Been busybusybusy here at
VirtFun!  Hey, there still reality out there?  If not, I'd be *real*
dissapointed...  {:]<<<<<
 -- SierraFL (1993 Oct 05 / 18:44:10)

>>>>>[Well, the editor just died after removin a record number a
Frags and Dreks and Son-Of-A-Slitches in excess of 500.  I'v
outdone maself this time. Well, hope this helps.

Kaneda and the XLV had dropped off Nige, AJ, Roxey, Nex, and
Hellblast out on the Eisenhower Parkin garage and taken off again
and nite was beginnin to fall.  Well, the PSU radar towers(in the
Watertower, Old Main bell tower, and Eisenhower Auditorium) failed
to pick up the Condor Recon drones and the Raven Glider commadin
them drones, so we really had no clue that we was about to get
nailed by the fraggin UCAS Army.  And who leaked that I was
affiliated with them is gonna get turned into a fraggin slab
o'meat!  Well, Radar picked up on the FB Eagles comin in at Mach 2
instants before they streaked over the campus. And then the
watchtowers in the rebuilt Pattee Librairy tower caught signs of
ground troops pullin through the streets a U.P. in armored
personelle carriers and a coupl'a Ferrarri Light Scout
Vehicles(LSVs). 

Well, PSU is well known nowadays for its curriculum that emphasizes
practical applications of all that is learned, but what is little
known is that PSU also has an "underground" school that teaches every
student to be more than just an engineer or philosopher, but also a
drek dangerous bodyguard.  Ya see, PSU has every student takin at
least 3 semesters a Self Defense and at least 2 of personal weapon
combat(knives, clubs) and every student must take a firearms class
every semester.  Magical undergrads emphasize heavily on either
illusion, combat, protection, or whatever.  You get the idea.
Needless to say, PSU grads are not EVER what they seem.  And neither
is PSU. 

PSU is an armed camp.  The Great Wall, built originally to keep the
State College resids out a campus, is now an 8m tall plastisteel
covered Titanium cored monofiliment topped and alarmed barrier that
could stop a 18 wheeler goin 100 dead without damagin the fence.  And
PSU is also cored out underneath, with underground tunnels(called the
Soo-Tees, or PSU Tunnels) that can get everyone from one buildin to
another without ever walkin outside or leavin a fraggin near
hermetically sealed environment.  And that ain't includin the bunkers
and armories...   I'm sure you get the general idea.

So the students just up and disappeared as the Army rolled up ta the
gates and had the fraggin audacity to DEMAND entrance!  Well, they
were refused and ended up bouncin their APCs off the gates.  They
were NOT thrilled and just started shellin the gatehouse
(autocannon-the hovertanks hadn't gotten in yet) till they got in
and moved up The Mall, tearin up the magically grown and very
beautiful elms in the process. 

Well, Nige was takin off from the Forum right about now, and the
sons-a-slitchestried to shoot his sorry ass down, to no avail. 
Seems his ECCM was up an runnin and them AAMs decided that the
Music Buildin was a more attractive target.  Well, I don't blame
the drekhead, but he just pulled up and out an headed out away from
PSU.  He was SEVERLY outgunned just by them Eagles, never mind what
showed up later.  But he took down a single Condor as he ran drek
intothe gasbag and tore it ta shreads with his rotors.  Didn't do
nothin to that chopper a his.  Good thing too.  Glad to see he was
away. 

Well, that's bout when the ground fightin started, tween the PSU
Sec. forces andthe Army.  PSU lost.  Bad.  Sorry guys, but ya
shoulda known that bikes and small armed hovercraft wasn't gonna
get to them armored mil spec boys.  Didn't even come close.  But
when they made the mistake of puttin a hovertank shell or 12 inta
the Old Main belltower and inta the Pattee Foyer, PSU got a little
fraggin unhappy.  Bout this time the shootin really got started. 

First thing that pops up is bout 20-30 permenently bonded
elementals.  Musta been dropped there by alumni(grin)...  And then
battle was joined.  Well, there was enough a them elemental types
ta keep the Army busy-till the fraggin Eagles came back.  Bout this
time I was in Baby and powerin her up... 

Drek!  Just realized how long this bugger was gettin...  Guess the
Sensory drek will get put up next
post...(frag...drek....bitch....gripe...)]<<<<< 
        --  FM(23:05:29/10-05-54)

>>>>>[ Figured I'd just sortuv take a coupluv minutes, here, to tell
ya what all happened, while we were tryin to get AJ into the
ambulance.   SOMEHOW, they managed to get AJ there!  Keneda and Nexus
were wrestlin around, tryin to get the stretcher in...when one of the
REAL guards mustuv seen Nex' rifle!  DAMN! Thought I'd done a better
jobuv "alterin" the frame, than THAT! *tsk*  Nex mustuv just not had
the time to hide it right...*shrug* 

ANYhow...the guy starts to let out a shout!  All ya hear, though, is
"HE--YOU'RE..." and his eyes get HUGE, as he's starin at Nex.  He
starts to draw his gun, and takes a step back, when...his feet just
went out from under him, somehow... and, the crowd just POUNCES on
him!!  Like damned ANIMALS!  The guy just screameonce or
twice...then, it was over...*shudder*   NOT a nice way to go!  HAD
to be done though...COULDN'T have him IDing Nex! 

And, Nex' expression never changed...he'd just looked at the guy,
with a face carved from STONE-- solid, cold, UNREADABLE...he went
back to loadin in AJ. But, the crowd just kept pressin in closer. 
Their bloodlust was up, I guess! YEESH!!  The OTHER guard hadn't
heard his buddy, I don't think...STILL, we couldn't have him him
taggin along, either! 

So, as the crowds pressin in on them, Nex & Keneda just LET em...the
whole time, pressin the other guard OUT!  As Keneda was climbin in,
the crowd got holduv the second guard--and started draggin HIM down!!
Woulduv been FINE... 'cept for ONE little problem--the guy
PANICKED...and grabbed a holduv NEX!! 

Well, Keneda was gonna jump back out, to help him!  But, Nex just
yelled at him...told him to get back in!  Then, he yelled for ME to
get movin...NO BACKTALK!!  Said he'd catch up, in a bit!  Well,
I've worked with THE Nex long enough to know you DON'T countermand
or ignore one of his orders! Besides, we'dubeen royally SCREWED, if
that mob had gotten a holduv US!! 

So, regrettfully, I started to move out.  But, the goin was slow...I
kinduv screwed up, when I turned on the siren! *sheepish grin*  And,
Keneda wouldn't close the back, hopin Nex'd get free, and catch up.
He had to keep fightin people offuv the back!  It got kinduv hairy, a
coupluv times! 

The mob got the second guard, rippin him APART!  And, they woulduv
done the _same_, to NEX...but, he fought back...and people kinduv
backed up, for just a second...enough to give him some room.  Then,
someone with a PIPE showed up, and Nex had a bituv a FIGHT, on his
hands!  The slitch DID hit him, a few times,...even had him down,
by takin his legs out from under him, while he was wardin off
someone from behind! 

Well, the guy goes to smack him upside the head--probably wouldn'tuv
done ANY damage, though *smirk*-- when, alluv the sudden, a coupluv
folks in the crowd screamed, and the mob moved back, a little.  The
guy looked up, behind Nex, dropped the blasted pipe, and backed
up--REAL quick-like!  Nex wasted NO time, gettin to his feet...but,
everyone'd backed away!  He stands there, a second, just lookin at
us--and we all have REALLY spooked looks on our faces.  His upper lip
just sortuv curls, at the left side, and he shrugs and shakes his
head, and we can see him mouth the word "WHAT!?".

THAT'S when he mustuv felt the "presence" behind him...cause his
back goes REAL straight, and he's barely breathin!  He starts to
turn around, REAL slow, his eyes half-closed, like he ddn't QUITE
wanna look!  But, he DID--and was facin this really BIG water
elemnetal!  It mustuv stood, like, 2.1 m...and it was just "lookin"
at him, swirlin and pulsin.  Then, it started to GROW-- actually,
it elongated...got taller, and thinner. 

Nex just stared at it, just followin it with his eyes.  By the time
it was 285 m tall, he looked up at it, his jaw droppin open.  It
wasn't quite human in shape, any more.  It looked more like a
crestin wave!  Nex just kept starin at it, whinin "Oh, DREK...I
canna DEAL with THIS!  NOT now...this hasNA been a GOOD week!" 
Then, Nex just closed his eyes, and we could hear him yell
"Ohhhh..._SHIT_!", as the damned thing came crashin down, OVER
HIM! 

It knocked him CLEAN offuv his feet...NO easy task, mind you!  And,
pushed him along, like a wave breakin over him, at the shore!  It
washed him against the far curb, slammin him into a lamppost, and he
hit his shoulders and head... HARD!  He just sortuv crumpled,
stunned.  The damned thing pulled back, a bit, fully intent on hittin
him ,again...probably engulfin him COMPLETELY, this time!  YEEK!!

But, alluv a sudden, there was THE BARON, standin in between them!
Don't know WHERE he whipped in from--and, I don't think NEX much
CARED!  I bet he was just PLENTY glad he wasn't gonna be drowned,
where he sat!  The Baron stood there, his arms raised, like he was
holdin it at bay, and said somethin to Nex like,"Get you goin, now,
Nexey-mon...I got dis handled, here, now..." 

Nex DIDN'T argue (amazingly!)--he got to his feet, RIGHT quick!  As
he was standin up, that creepy old black bone cane of The Baron's
sortuv..."GREW"... to 'bout the size of a joustin lance!  THEN, the
_Loa_ grew, in proportion to his cane/lance!  That sortuv confused
the other spirit, I guess! 

By THIS time, we were all screamin at Nex to haul ass!  Nex darted
around The Baron, cuttin in close to the elemental.   As he ran
past it, he half-turned, and struck at it with some martial art's
strike!  His hand passed right thru it--but, the thing actually
SHRIEKED, like it was mad...or HURT!  And, it sortuv rippled...or
shimmered! I guess he'd done some damage to it, with that "partin
shot"!  =>  Then, he ducked his head, and ran like HELL...down the
street, thru the regroupin mob, as The Baron hauled off, and
SMACKED that walkin water mark right upside the head", with his
trusty cane! 

That's all we saw, cause once Slash & Keneda'd grabbed Nex, they
hauled his sorry, soaked ass in, and slammed the doors shut!  THe
fun WASN'T over, though! Next, we had to get away from the CROWD! 
And, AJ was BITCHIN, the ENTIRE time! He was, like, "WHAT'S this? 
I've been SHOT!!?  LOOK at the SIZE of this HOLE! This HAD to'uv
been made by one HELL'uv a BIG gun...NEX!?!?!  You DIDN'T have that
BUFFALO RIFLE'uv yours, here...DID YOU?!?  WHY?  WHAT...!?! A
_BURN_!? HOW did I get BURNED?!?  Do you have ANY idea HOW LONG
it's gonna take, to regenerate THIS?!?  And SPLINTERS!  I have
SPLINTERS!  WHO'S bright idea was it, to use a gun with a range of
nearly _300 meters_...POINT-BLANK, in front of a WOODEN LECTURN,
_EINSTEIN?!?   And, NOW, I'm gonna get WET!" 

Nex had just been siitin there, starin blandly at him, drippin
EVERYWHERE, waist-length, red hair PLASTERED to his face!  ALL that
showed were his ears... and the tip of his nose!  He hadn't said a
WORD--until NOW....he just looked at AJ, and said, very low--almost
GROWLIN--and, VERY slowly, ENUNCIATIN each word, so as to make his
meanin CRYSTAL clear, 
                             "SHUT..._UP_..."

AJ paused, a LONG moment, then shifted around, uncomfortably.  He
kept grumblin and bitchin--MARKEDLY quieter...almost to
himself--till the sedatives they'd given him kicked in...

Looks like it's gonna be a FUN road trip!!! *GRIN* ]<<<<<
        ===Fast Track=== (23:18:36/ 10-05-54)

>>>>>[ Fragging Drek!  That Ganz is really out to get me.  Raven and
I have been dodging hitmen for the last five days!  I guess he was
worried that I might remember him.  Well guess what Ganzy-boy?  I
remember you. 

I remember meeting a Josef Keller who looks just like you.  The
face, the clothes, the jewerly, the fragging tie pin!  I got a line
on your slimely carcass.  The only think that disappoints me is
that I know that Keller is not your real last name.  It does seem
that your alittle too attached to your first name though, JOSEF. 
You must have used in in half of your false ID's. 

Hey Doctor Doom!  Do you think you can do a check through the
Deutche SIN database and see if you can get a lead on a Josef who
fits Ganz's description? 

We'll get you Ganz! ]<<<<<
        -- Nightstalker <20:39:57/10-05-54>

>>>>>[ Wow!  You guys really made a mess in New York!  I'm actually
glad that I missed out on this. ]<<<<<
        -- Nightstalker <20:40:55/10-05-54>

>>>>>[ I hope all of you are pleased with yourselfs.  6000 dead! 
All to rescue one man.  You can not hide behind the fact that the
tension was already there. You all lit the match with your
overboard rescue mission.  I am very, very disappointed with you
all. ]<<<<< 
        -- Raven the Mage <20:45:47/10-05-54>

>>>>>[Bitch bitch bitch. Geez, Rave lassie, you take all the fun out
of life.]<<<<<
        -- Cat Dancing <23:47:01/05-10-54>

>>>>>[Raven if your going to complain or want some sympathy it will
cost extra.  I'm NOT having a good week and lack of sleep is not
HELPING.  Sorry to be snappish but I AM STILL HERE!  I gotta get
outta this hell hole.]<<<<<
                -Harlequin <Feather Plucker>

>>>>[ Sorry for snapping.  Good friends are hard to come by.
Especially in this day and age.]<<<<<
        -Harlequin <Rough day/night/life/week>

>>>>>[ That is Raven, Cat Dancing!  Not "Rave lassie"! ]<<<<<
        -- Raven the Mage <21:13:03/10-05-54>

>>>>>[ Yes I also really an troubled by the loss of life in New
York.  I do not regret trying to rescue AJ in and of it self,
because he is a friend.  But I, and all the rest of the team, do
regret that our actions ended up causing so much pain and
suffering.  Yes I will say that we only lit the flames, but that
does not mean that there would have one anyway if we did not go. 
It all comes down to whether you want to make things right or
wrong.  Everyone my friends will make mistakes, you have to live
with them and make sure they do not happen again.  There is nothing
we can do that will bring the people who died back, they are gone
forever. 

Its over now, atleast for us, we must now pick up the pieces and try to do the
best we can to make sure it doesn't happen again.  One thing that bugs me though
is that it ever could have occured.  I for one do not like that fact, and it
disturbs me greatly.  Another part that disturbs me are the Corps - 6000
thousand dead and millions in damages - and what they are sorry about is the
money they will loose because of the damge and loss of customers.

I don't know, I really don't.  So what do you do?  Think about it.

'Yesterdays come and go, Tomorrow is yet to come' - Sheena.]<<<<<
        --Sheena <22:59:45/10-05-54>

>>>>>[ Not yet.  Not for me.  I still have to get out.  Any takers
that the toll will rise before I'm gone.  By the way, Lucinda, send
me my moonbeams in a box.]<<<<<
        -Harlequin <O to fly, free, and touch the face of sky>

>>>>>[On its way.  Federation Express, when it absolutely positively
has to be there ahead of the Romulans.]<<<<<
        -Lucinda <Gossymer was/is here>

>>>>>[Stop watching those old flats Lucinda.  And GOSSYMER STAY OUT
OF THE T/D STAMPS!!!!]<<<<<
        -Harlequin <Gonna rewrite her sometime>

>>>>>[Ooooowwiiieee, This is gonna stir some dust...

Include : Audio-Feed

==...I am standing here on the site of yesterday's explosion. The Parlor
==is totally burnt down and the building is listing to the right. It seems
==that the explosion damaged the supporting structure of the building itself
==and it might be feasible to demolish it completely and build a new one.
==Here with me is LoneStar Detective Daniel Sykes, the man in charge of the
==investigation.
==
==E.A.: Detective Sykes, what did you find out regarding this incident?

==D.S.: Well, Mr Argile, as far as we know, some fraggin' terrorists wanted
==      to do some damage and blew up a well-filled cosmetic shop, resulting
==      in 21 dead and 68 injured. We already had calls from three different
==      terrorist groups.
==
==E.A.: But what about this 'metal plated humanoid' the witnesses claim to
==      have seen?
==
==D.S.: There certainly was no such thing. We didn't find anything inside the
==      building that would hint the involvement or even existence of such a
==      'being'. We did find an unusual amount of illegal equipment and even
==      weapons, but they were probably owned by some of the victims and...
==
==[Sound of Voices from further away 'Frag!!', 'What's that?', 'Shit!']
==
==E.A.: Oh my god...look at that... Ladies and Gentlemen... A huge, at least
==      2.5 m tall figure, clad in steel sheeting, is emerging from the Par...
==
==[Sound of gunfire, rushing sound of Mini-missiles, explosions]
==
==E.A.: It is shooting at the bystanders. It seems to have...Shit!...[Thump
==      of reporter hitting street]...It seems to have a fair amount of heavy
==      weaponry stowed...[Ziiing... Ka-Boom]...DOWN!!...Whew! That was a close
==      one... Detective Sy...frag, He's dead...Get moving, Mario... Let's get
==      out...[Whoosh! Crack!] Yargh!...[Hiss of Static]

End Audio-Feed

Sounds  hot enough for me... Aw, shucks, Edward Argilewas an
asshole, but ... triple damn... So what do you think, guys and
gals? 

What is going on? I have no experience with those 'deadheads' of
yours, but do they work like that??... Next Newsfeed coming
soon...]<<<<< 
        -- Tumbleweed(Newsflash on the Fly) <10:12:50/10-06-2054>

>>>>>[ The things some guys have to do to get a message out these
days... 

Just wanted to tell the drek-head with the little birthday present
for me that, yes, my research has told me the best way to deal with
those frakkin' devil rats.  They make damn good road pizza.

I'd also appreciate you replacing the door to my cell.  I'm moving
all my gear to a Coffin, so don't even think you'll be able to get
your hands on anything that way.

If you'd like to sit down and discuss this like a reasonable human
being... metahuman being... person... whatever...  then, feel free to
talk to me over the Talk.  Dropping off a load of plastique and 15
demon rats somehow seems... tacky.]<<<<<
        -- Pendragon <8:00 / 10/06/2054>

>>>>>[Hey I saw this happen! In fact we were going to go over there
after getting a little bite to eat. The fireworks were great but now
I have to find yet another cosmetic surgeon. They seem to be dying
off on me. 

I took a look at that guy who blew up the place. I wouldn't say he
was plated. I'd say he was solid in some places. His body was showing
up brightly on the thermal but his arms and legs were blending in
with the surroundings.  The only time I've ever seen something like
this is one of those Niel the Ork reruns.

Could you chummers do me a favor? Keep that thing away from Pepe's
for another day. I'm going to get this scar removed if it's the
last thing I do.]<<<<<
                -- Red <05:25:18/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ Somebody had blown your door away and put devil rats in the
room. 

It's crazy...  Nonetheless, happy birthday Pendragon ]<<<<<
        -- NightWolf < 13:33:33 / 10-06-54 >

>>>>>[Crazy... hell, yeah.  'Course, it was good for research...
never knew that the little frakkers ate pewter before.  That's gonna
be tough 'plaining to my girl...  "Yeah, babe, I did appreciate that
little sword you got me, but, well, these guys broke in and... Chere?
Hello?" 
        
Sigh... dog eat... no, rat eat wizard world.
        
But, hey, I still got my credstick, my girl, my spells.  Now, I just
need to figure out what's going on.

Incidentally, anyone know anything about a small amulet with a kinda
pretty green stone?  It's set in a silver pentagram.
        
I'm sure that my having this item and my unusual surprise is sheer
coincidence.  Naaaaah...]<<<<<
        -- Pendragon < 8:47:21 / 10-06-2054 >

*****Encrypt MPCP Nightstalker only 
>>>>>[ Jesus Nightstalker !!  How much did you pay that guy at the
Grey Line to not give up his back up tapes eh ?  I offered the
fragger 5K for them, what sort of person turns down a free lunch
ticket like that eh ?  Well I had to leave after that cause the guy
really fragged me off so I started to use a bit of physical
persuasion when some fragging huge troll comes outta the back.  The
poor drek head was too slow, still I'm sure the manager will pay for
the troll's hospital bill.  I guess that that guy won't be letting me
back in, in a hurry. 

But as to these tapes, I'll get 'em have no worry.  Then we'll just
have to see what Cerise's price is .. he he .. and PH's.  ]<<<<<
        -I.B.A. (**:**:**/**.**.**)

>>>>>[ Drek !! I just realised PH's signal to say he was ok wasn't
on my comm this morning.  Punisher did you get any message ? ]<<<<<
        -I.B.A. (**:**:**/**.**.**)

>>>>>[ Not a thing, I thought I could trust you to not go and get
pissed so that you'd see it.  So what about the second message ? 
Has he sent in anything saying that he needs help ? ]<<<<<
        -Punisher (14:35:12/10.6.54)

>>>>>[ Nah .. nothing, I'm sure he's ok though ... I mean this Ganz
isn't really gonna try and trace him in the Carribean is he ?  I've
been checking the news reports and nothing seems to have
happened.]<<<<<< 
        -I.B.A. (**:**:**/**.**.**)

>>>>>[ Oh Christ IBA !!  You are bleeding hopeless sometimes, you
know I've spent the last few days hunting down Kentucky.  I did get
a line on him in the end, saw him meeting a chap called Joseph
Speirs from Renraku.  A couldn't get close enough to find out what
it was all about, but I did follow Kentucky into the Redmond
barrens till I lost him.  I think the little fragger knew I was
there. 

Right PH ! .. Check all news reports throughly, get onto the
Caribbean net, make a big effort to find out where he is.  If he's
dead cause we missed his message then I'll never forgive you
IBA...]<<<<< 
        -Punisher (14:50:52/10.6.54)

>>>>>[ Hey, big guy, I'm sure there's gonna be no probs.  But I'll
try and contact him anyway, looks like there's some drek going down
with that friend of his Sean Babrouk or whatever he's called.

Oh BTW you guys in NY nice party, yeah go for it, 6000 dead to save a
fragging vamp, I like your style ... NOT !!!!! ]<<<<<
        -I.B.A. (**:**:**/**.**.**)

>>>>>[ While those in NY may have gone way over the top in their
rescue of AJ the fact remains that they saved a friend.  PH is a
friend and unless you get onto his case he's gonna be a dead friend
... SO FRAGGING MOVE IT IBA !!!! ]<<<< 
        -Punisher (14:55:37/10.6.54)

>>>>>[ FM mate, sorry I took off like a bat out of 'ell, but you know
the Gull and you know that it is no match for what the UCAS was
throwin' at PSU. I 'ave grounded not too far from there and should
you need help just shout. Remember, the Gull is not all, I 'ave other
surprises up me sleeve. If I 'aven't 'eard from yer by dusk tonight,
then I am going to 'ead back ter Seattle. ]<<<<<
        -- Nige <16:20:03/06-10-54>

>>>>>[ IBA you have no need to worry about me or about Powerhouse.  I
have seen his aura and he is a most capable adept, indeed his magic
ability is stronger than mine though I have the abilty to weave the
metaphysical forces in ways which are not open to him.

Currently I am in the good care of Claw and his associates.  My fact
finding trip to the tunnels was a most harrowing one.  I returned to
a tunnel that Mr Lowe had seemed reticent about going down, the sides
showed signs or recent construction, and the tunnel was free from any
litter or rats that we had encountered earlier on our travels.
Eventually I reached the end, standing in front of me was a magical
barrier of a size I have not seen before.  All I can say is that the
casting magician must be very rich or very powerful.  I assayed the
barrier from astral space making a few futile attempts at trying to
break through when what appeared to be a watcher came through.  This
was unlike any watcher I had ever seen before.  Most watchers can be
considered to be part of the summoning magician's conscience, this
one was grotesque.  The eyes were mutlifaceted and mandibles replaced
teeth, instead of arms and legs 6 heavily jointed legs, the worse
thing though was the face and body which were still human.  The
watcher informed me that it had been sent on the instructions of it's
summoner, an associate of Mr Lowe, to help me.  I was told in no
uncertain terms that I was not welcome on the other side of this
barrier, and that any attempt to break through would be detrimental
to my health. 

After warning me not to try and break through the barrier the
watcher informed me that one who abused his power and his
relationship with Ant did indeed live in these tunnels.  It then
warned me that the approcach was dangerous and foolhardy, even for
one with my power.  Alas I didn't listen my thirst for knowledge
about these seemingly alien beings was too great.  Eventually I
tired of the watcher and won it over to my control, I then forced
it to give me directions to this other place.  Grudgingly it gave
me them, though I think now that it the information maight have
been given freely after all. 

The next hour led me to new tunnels, ones myself and Brandon never
even came close to.  Eventually I noticed the same formations on
the walls that I had noticed earlier, but there was a difference,
where the previous tunnels had been clean and well maintained,
these were dirty and unkempt.  Garbage and what appeared to be dead
animals were thrown together in untidy heaps and a putrid smell
assayed my nose. 

Following the smell I came across my first encounter with Ant
spirits.  They were what I think you call flesh form spirits as
they seemed slow and clumsy, the vague outlines of humans could be
seen underneath the chitinous skin and bulbous eyes, vague
remenants of clothing adorned their bodies.  A group maybe 3 or 4
approached me, clacking their mandibles.  I was forced to send the
poor souls to sleep, unfortunately it was a sleep they would awake
from, I was suprised though at how easily they collapsed under my
sleep spell. 

My progress through the tunnel I was in, was interrupted by more of
these creatures, I appeared to be coming across them by accident.
Then I rounded a corner and found myself in a large room.  I have to
say that even though I am old and have seen many sights, I was still
not prepared for what I saw in that room.  Around the room various
sacs were hanging containing what appeared to be human bodies, this
must be the flesh form merge I realised.  I then realised that the
humans inside these sacs could not have voluntarily agreed to such a
thing, if anyone ever saw those poor creatures I sent to sleep no one
would ever volunteer for such a thing.

I then saw the shaman, a small man running around between a large
book and a beuatiful lady tied and bound.  I called to him,
foolishly it now seems, he stopped and spoke to me, then started
screaming.  I tried to reason with him but he began to cast a spell
at me.  Fortunately I am versed in the metamagical skill of
shielding and so his spell only dazed me slightly.  Unfortunately
he called out his spirits 4 large ants appeared from astral in
front of me.  I had no option but to call all my elementals at once
and ask them to sacrifice themselves to save me.  This they did and
they killed all 4 spirits, they didn't however kill off the flesh
forms that had approached me from behind. 

I was captured and numb as one of them bit into me and I felt the
venom flowing through my veins.  I awoke later to find myself in
one of the sacs I had earlier observed, however my body was
completly paralized and when I tried to cast a spell my head seemed
to spin.  Below me was the one called Spirit she lay limp,
seemingly the victim of the same venom that I was.  At last the
shaman cried out as if in success, only to stop and scream when a
large troll came into the room. 

I remembered no more, then what seemed like a lifetime later I heard
voices, I looked around and found I was no longer paralized and using
an interesting spell I created an opening in the sac.  Struggling I
got out, coming into the room was a group of heavily armed
individuals, fortunately they did not shoot me though I can
understand their fears that I was the shaman.  I explained who I
was and luckily for me they had heard of me.  I then told them what
I had seen, they would not believe it, especially the part about
the troll.  They were convinced I was having delusions, I assured
them I wasn't but they were not convinced.  They did insist on me
coming with them and was about to go when I remebered the book the
shaman had been writing.  It was as I feared, the ant shaman's
thesis, he had just completed it when the large troll burst into
the room. 

I have been reading it, as have Claw's associates and it is
dangerous.  Some of Claw's friends seem somewhat disturbed by what
they have read.  Myself I have read of many horrors, Ant is a minor
one, I know that is hard to believe but the legends of the world
quite often speak of more dreadful things.  I will not speak of
some of the dreadful things that the legends hint at only that I
hope they are indeed legends.  Ant however appears to have been a
great power on the world at one time.  She seeks to regain that
power but something happned in ages past to banish Ant from the
normal existance of things.  It is this bridge that needs to be
crossed to bring those servants of Ant across. It appears that the
bridge can only be crossed with a human body, a merge. 

Reading through Powerhouse's report of Brandon Lowe to our group I
see that Mr Lowe inisited that merges left the subject in full
control of his or her body but with new powers of this spirit that
is summoned inside of them.  How can this be true, nothing in the
Ant shaman's thesis lead me to believe that such a thing was true. 
Flesh forms for want of a better word were termed in the Ant
shaman's thesis as the physical servant while those true forms
which can exist were termed as the true servants.  Is this how a
person capable of free will and expression is referred to ?  No, I
do not think so... 

What is more worrying is the references made to those who are
sacrificed.  I found the Ant shaman's script a little hard to read
at this place but references were made to agreements made between
the shaman and his queen and how she would help him summon more
high powered spirits.  The shaman went on to say "with the Queen's
help I will be able to summon greater force spirits, yes the true
servants and the Queen still has her sacrifice of flesh, with this
..." The text became a little hard to read at that point but I will
have it analysed soon by other members of my group. 

Claw and friends may I thank you for your help, I owe all of you my
life and I owe that great hearted fellow CRUSH even more.  Without
you I fear I would have been the victim of one of the ant shaman's
summonings. 

Brandon Lowe, you concealed much from me, I possibly know as much as
you know yourself, though I doubt it.  I will be taking the thesis to
my group to read after Claw and his friends have made a copy for
themselves.  The book as a whole is still quite powerful, alot of the
ant shaman's essence went into this creation and in the wrong hands
it could be used to pervert the natural flow of metaphysical forces
in some way.  Brandon, I realise that you are not a shaman but that
puzzles me, what do you get from your association with the insects ?
All througth the book I found concepts that were most definately
shamanish, only through my study into both fields could I understand
it. 

But Brandon I must warn you, I will be making this book available to
scholars in my group, I also work at the Univeristy and have
colleagues all over thew world who conduct the same sort of
research that I do.  I do sympthasise with your viewpoint, you just
want to be left alone and not have anyone interfereing in your
buisiness.   But oh Brandon, if you had seem those sorry looking
flesh forms, you would weep believe me you would have wept.  To
think that each of those was once a living breathing person, well
I'm sorry but words are just not enough.  Mr heart just goes out to
all those poor souls the shaman got his hands onto. ]<<<<< 
        -Sean Babrouk (16:17:12/10.6.54)

>>>>>[Okay, NOW I'm pissed.  While moving my gear to the coffin, I
found out that the devil rats also chewed through my collection of
Bowie tapes.  Not disks, not even compacts... TAPES.  REAL antique.
REAL rare.  REAL expensive.  And, to top it off, one of them was in
my old sterio to start with.  Okay, so I'm a mindless romanticist...
but theres something about the old tapes that makes it seem more
realistic. 
        
Sheesh, enough griping.  In case anybody cares, if you see anything
like that amulet I found, it's the good-luck charm for a lunatic
street mage called Talons of Blood.  Who, incidentally, has been
doing some research into all the little, teeny, tiny, deadly species
that've popped up 'round here. 
         
Like, for example, flameworms.  Didj'a realise that something a foot
long can make a 5 foot explosion of flame?  Real nasty buggers,
those... But, hey, I wasn't the one who stepped on them, so I guess
it's okay.  I don't need contacts... just me and my girl.]<<<<<
        -- Pendragon < 13:36 / 10-06-2054 >

>>>>>[Who is going to kill this drek-head!  NOBODY eats mon
chevalier's birthday presents without me showing up with my little
friend here...]<<<<< 
        -- Dead Kitten <13:38 / 10-06-54>

>>>>>[I love you, kiddo, but would you mind not pulling that thing
out in here?  I am paying for this stinking coffin, until I can get
rid of this stupid necklace...]<<<<<
        -- Pendragon < 13:40 / 10-06-2054 >

>>>>>[Hi.  I have the vid from inside the courtroom, via the court
cameras -- the shots, the wonderful exploding podium (you should see
it on frame-by-frame) and all the rest of it.

Diana has been kidnapped.  She seemed to go down from drain, came
back up to fry a currently un-IDed person -- that spell did
.something. to the fucker, 'cause he started to .steam. -- and
dropped.  If I get a chance to rest, I'll be able to tell you. 
Don't expect me for a couple of days, though; I've got two demons
twisting my tail, right now. 

Ganz, you fragger....

Oh!  Yes, Jaez, I got your courier's info.  Um, he's in Pago Pago.
15B-4 Honessy, at the Markin Hotel.  And if you get a chance to hire
Mike and the Mechanic, I'd suggest it -- they're very, very good.
They're also very very expensive, but if you need help in that
department, give Jesus at The Clearing House a holler.  Tell him I
sent you, and what you need...]<<<<<
        -- The (Dead) Wyrm Ouroboros (Here I'm not!/Nyah-Nyah-Nyah)

>>>>>[Deadheads .can. work like that, but it all depends on how
they're built.  2.5 meters... I wonder if it had any onboard
weaponry. 

As I said, some people like to be vicious and terrible.  Me, I like
to be unobtrusive.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (16:24:14/10-5-54)

>>>>>[Mechanic, tell Michael to prepare himself.  And bring in three
more of your boomers -- we'll need a certain show of force.]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[What, firing a minigun accurately without recourse to a
gyromount isn't a show of force?  Or don't you think they caught
that side of it?  They're deadheads, not boomers.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (16:27:37/10-5-54)

>>>>>[It's hard to pay attention to details when you're in pain. 
Now move -- how long will it take you to recall your boomers?]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[Deadheads.  If I pull from New York and Chicago, about eight
hours.  I have one in Cincinnati that I could pull, though I .really.
don't want to.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (16:31:11/10-5-54)

>>>>>[I like how 'boomers' sound.  If you get the Cincinnati one,
how long?]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[Four hours.  They'll be caucasian, though.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (16:32:56/10-5-54)

>>>>>[I can fix that.  Do it.  Recompense?]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[Travel costs, plus an extra 500k.  You're ruining an operation
of mine down there.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (16:33:33/10-5-54)

>>>>>[Done.  Now move, strike two of our operation is at
22:00.]<<<<< 
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[ Nightshade  ?  Are you out there ?  Where did the docwagon
take you ? I am recovered now and can magically heal you back to full
strength which is why I am up now.  Nightshade, let me know where you
are, we have to nail this case, go ahead with your plan.  The one,
you mentioned, regarding you know who, I think you're right there's
definately something in it. 

Ohhhhh Mama .. This has been a long weekend, Miss Lees I'm sorry but
as you can see the one named Nightshade is unavailable at the
moment.  We did however come closer to finding your missing man ...
The only thing is the price has gone up, it's now 10K a day each
compared to your ealier offer of 4K.  After what myself and
Monsieur Nightshade have just been through I think I can safely
justify asking that amount.  Oh and the medical bill is 20K for me,
I really have no knowledge of how much it is for Nightshade,
docwagon do charge so much though if he's not covered, so you'd
better hope that he's covered. 

Miss Lees, you are already aware of our run in with Mr Daehyon Kim.
Well he appeared to have under his control a toxic spirit of some
type.  Now I have checked all the databases since then and found
nothing ever quite like this spirit.  Some spirits have been found at
places of high pollution but they are normally malign beings and are
not under the control of anyone.  This one had, or so it appears,
been placed under the control of Mr Kim.  The spirit as you know had
the ability to inhabit the grotesque collection of animal pieces that
Mr Kim had assembled.  I will not bore you with the details of the
contest that followed as that has already been covered.

However it seems that someone really did not like your Mr Beaumont
as there was another spirit waiting for us at the farm that Mr
Beaumont hired shortly before he disappeared.  I know you said that
he was sacked from his company but we traced ownership of the farm
down to the Snohomish Farm Society which gives major research
contracts to Agrigen.  Something sound strange here ?  Yes well we
thought so as well.  Approaching the farm the first thing we
noticed was a large burnt tract about 1m wide but following the
boundary fence as far as I could see.  I slipped into astral and
was shocked by what I saw, on one side of this boundary everything
appeared normal, the fields were full of corn and wheat, admittedly
modern farming techniques rip something out of what should be a
natural process.  But on the other side there appeared only decay,
death and disease, yet the field was full of various crops that
with the naked eye appeared so healthy  and so plentiful.  But oh..
my, oh my, the astral was a sorry scene, cereals appeared as
twisted snakes, trees appeared as foul demons, everything was just
quite motionless and very malign.  I couldn't bear it any more so I
let my senses slip back to the physical plane and told Monsieur
Nightshade as to what I saw. 

He was just as worried as I was and had drew his gun imediately,
indeed I too prepared the shotgun that I recently purchased.  Well
we checked around the various buildings but couldn't find anything
that gave us any clue to where Beaumont might have gone.  Then in a
corner of the kitchen underneath what appeared to be a strange moss
we found some leafs from a book.  What turned out to be David's
diary, the rest of which we had found earlier.  Interestingly it
mentioned a human who had been given a growth serum by Agrigen, it
suddenly occured to me that similar experiments could have caused
the plants in the fields outside to grow so well yet appear horibly
mutated on the astral plane. 

Pocketing the leafs we checked the only building we had not been
into.  It appeared to be some kind of laboratory, various pot
plants seemed to have gone out of control.  Nightshade was getting
nervous as was I, neither of us had seen anything like this
before.  Then Nightshade noticed the still flickering comm screen. 
On it appeared the last entry of Mr Kim's journal, I've included a
section of it. *****

"I invited the Dr around eventually after my experiments seemed to
be going nowhere.  He said he could help had just the thing was
what he said.  He left this morning after spending the night here,
though I'm sure I heard cars come and go during the night.  He had
the drones spraying the fields all night with the stuff in the
barrels he brought, god knows what it is.  Still what do I care
Megson said to do what the guy told me to, who am I to argue. 

His parting words were 'You have nothing to worry about now, but you
need to leave the farm for a while as what I have done needs time to
develop.  I'll arrange for another tennant to come in and look after
the farm while you're gone.'

I'm leaving this afternoon, whatever it is, it's giving me the
creeps." *****

We found the barrels by the way, they were all labeled TOXIC or
BIO-HAZARD, not the sort of thing you spray on fields.  But I think
I know the reason know why it was done.

On leaving the laboratory I noticed a small red plant, on closer
examination I discovered it to be growing from the body of dead
field mouse, aghast I showed it to Nightshade who shuddered then
turned pale as he noticed red all over the farm.  We found a dead
animal at the base of each. 

Deciding to leave I took a plant, at this point the plant seemed to
come to life and tried to grab my hand.  Once free from it's carcass
though it died. But then we heard a wail and suddenly we found
ourselves under attack from the very grass we were standing on, it
was attempting to entwine us and drag us to the ground.  We ran only
to be attacked by bushes and trees as we went past, indeed I was
knocked to the ground and suffered a cracked rib as a branch swung
into my side.  If it was not for Nightshde the grass would have
engulfed me and eventually suffocated me. 

Eventually we made it to the yard where Nightshades car was parked, I
forced myself into the astral only to see a huge presence inhabiting
the plants. Screaming I told Nightshade what I had seen, he asked me
if I thought I could fight it.  I told him the truth when I said I
had never seen a spirit as big as that before.  We decided to leave
and ran to Nightshades car quickly starting it up.  We nearly made it
off the farm as well but the route out was suddenly blocked by a
terror so great you would not believe it.  I do not lie when I say
that this thing was surely conjured in the depths of hell.  It was so
evil, perverted and unnatural.  Trees came crashing down into our
path but the good driving of Nightshade saved us from crashing into
them.  Then maybe 50m from the scorched area the thing manifested
right in front of us. 

We were both so frightened that neither of us knew what to do when
the thing reached down and picked up the car, yes, picked it up. It
then threw it down on to the ground.  Amazingly I was thrown free
and landed a few meters from the burnt line.  Crawling over I saw
Nightshade trying to get out of the twisted wreckage of his car. 
The spirit seemed unaware of me as I lay on the grass with what I
now know to be a broken leg. 

The creature began to breath at the car, the paint began to blister
when I cast the biggest manaball I know at it.  After that I passed
out but on awaking Nightshade lay next to me his face burnt and
blistered, I could tell too that he'd suffered sever concussion.  I
broke the docwagon braclet on his wrist and lay there.  On the other
side of the boundary the spirit's influence was still there.  Somehow
Nightshade had made it off but he could not kill the spirit.

Not long after the docwagon came and took both of us, Nightshade
they took in a seperate van and I have no knowledge of his
wherabouts. 

So my plea goes out again does anyone have any knowlege of these
spirits.  I am sorely puzzled by their true nature.

Miss Lees you see our reason for wanting more pay.  We still have a
few leads to follow but it looks from the information we found that
David Beaumont did not stay at the farm for long.

I suspect he may be in hiding somewhere, don't worry we'll find out
where. ]<<<< 
        -Spice (17:57:43/10.6.54)

>>>>>[ Hmm, Deadheads.  Kichanski, do you if Fuchi has made more
prototypes for project Red Dwarf?]<<<<<
        --Lister <13:02:51/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ Not that I know of why?]<<<<<
        --Kichanski <13:03:21/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ Well the reports of these metal robots that have been coming
across.]<<<<<
        --Lister <13:05:32/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ I don't think that they are Rimmer models, their too large
and too bulky, and they lack the grace I gave him.]<<<<<
        --Kichanski <13:10:43/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ What about large Orks in the Kryton suits?]<<<<<
        --Lister <13:15:23/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ I don't think so either, they just don't move like a person
in Cyberarmor.  But then again, Fuchi may have changed the plans
since we worked there.  They might have gone to to the big and
powerful concept instead of the smaller, swifter and more
deadly.]<<<<< 
        --Kichanski <13:24:17/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ Hmm, too bad the system is offline, we could have Spirit or
Cb take a look.  Hey Highlander!!!!!  Have you heard anything new
out of Fuchi UK 

Anyone out there in Shadowland near England right now?  Interested
in a job on Fuchi?  Be dangerous.]<<<<<
        --Lister <13:30:01/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ Hey Claw, when are you going to take this new cat of yours to
your place, he's taken too sleeping on top of Talky and eating all of
CRUSH's to.. I mean bread, either that or jumpin in bed with us at
night.]<<<<< 
        --Spirit <13:32:34/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ Spirit, its not a CAT, its a panther.  And the reason why I
left it with you is because it is to dangerous for her to be with
me at the moment.  Also Shral'thala seems to like both of you.  So
if you don't mind could you keep the young one with you for a
while?]<<<<< 
        Claw <13:35:12/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ I thought Panthers were black, not smoky gray with
spots.]<<<<< 
        --Sharice <13:38:23/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ That Sharice is a large misconception.  The English word
panther most normally is used in certain parts of North America to
name Felis Concolour, also know as Puma, Mountain Lion, Cougar or
Panther.  It can also be used for the Asian Leopard, and sometimes
used for the Black Phase Leopard or Black Panther. Does that answer
your question.  And aren't you supposed to be in class right
now?]<<<<< 
        --Claw <13:40:43/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ It was boring so I left.]<<<<<
        --Sharice

>>>>>[Spirit tell your cousin, since she doesn't seem to listen too
me, that school is very important and that everyone should go.]<<<<<
        --Claw <

>>>>>[ Your no fun anymore Claw.]<<<<<
        --Sharice <

>>>>>[Kichanski, you a lover of 'small swift and deadly'?  You'n'I
could get along.  Wait a minute.  Fuchi?  .Fuchi.??  Fuchi's trying
to develop cyberarmor?  Frag!  They're the ones with the 1M bounty on
any of the Knights of Harlech.  Hmmm....

Thinking of the reports here and elsewhere, I'd have to suspect that
it's either a deadhead or somebody with four cyberlimbs.  'Cool
limbs' but a 'warm torso'.... think about this.]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (16:59:42/10-5-54)

>>>>>[Cool limbs and a warm torso?  But Ares and I(when I worked
there as a cybernetics scientist/engineer) developed a body(or 9)
that you pulled the brain and spinal cord out of the original body,
as well as the adrenal glands, liver, and a few other non-replacable
organs, and put them into a poly-ceramic bio-case and dropped them
into the body.  Instant Cyborg.  No real life-essence left, but
virtually indestructable.  Almost vehicles in the difficulty that any
opposition would have in killing the individual.

Even magic had but a limited effect on the individual, but most lost
their will to live or went insane and had to be terminated or if they
survived had little or no personality left.  They just were not the
same people they were before the operations, with a notable
exception or two.  Speaking of Collussus(one of the exceptions),
has anyone heard from him lately? 

And FM has asked me to tell you that she will be unable to upload
the remaining Sensory Feed for a day or two due to being sent off
on a delivery to somewhere undisclosed.  She'll get it out
eventually, and then you'll know why many of her friends are
worried about her. 

So, in conclusion, your 2.5 meter tall metalman may be a cyborg
developed by another, non-Ares affiliated corporation.  I know for
a fact that what you sent out as a trideo feed was not in any of
the project specifications as of my leaving the Corporation, seven
months ago.  And they can't develop a totally new Cyborg body that
quickly.  Not even Ares is that fast.]<<<<< 
        --  Wizard(17:43:54/10-06-54)

>>>>>[Ello mons.  Where be the Nex-mon?  He owes me a favor for that
little soaker that kinda darkened his day.  Oh, and call me Micheal
S. Baron.  That's Ba-rohn, not Bar-un.  And I'll be speakin through
this flesh ting here, calls itself Baron Samedi or Baron in this fake
world of yours.  So later, mons.]<<<<<        
        --  The Baron(17:53:16/10-06-54)

>>>>>[ Lover of small swift and deadly, no I'd say he's a lagger
guzzling beer bellied rigger with a love of machines that are swift
and deadly.  I just make the machines, Lister is the one who runs um.
Mind you though, just because they don't look tankish, doesn't mean
they can't take a licken.  Lister and I make sure that they are the
best they can be when we invent something. 

As too Fuchi developing CyberArmor, well they had one working
prototype as of 8 months ago called Kryton.  Needless to say that
they do have it in their possesion anymore.  They still do have
some of the older plans.  We didn't get around to putting down half
of the stuff we did until a month or two latter. Normally Lister
and myself would just fool with it until it worked then go on to
the next part, hardly and plans.  Most of the plans for the
cyberarmor was just reverse engineering onto computer what we had
already done.  We found it much easier that way. 

Of course now Fuchi is not all that happy with us, but they know
that we won't sell it so they have slashed the price on our head to
around .5 mil.  Who knows maybe if I need money I'll turn myself in
a collect the reward!!!]<<<<< 
        --Kichanski <15:02:58/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ Claw, kitty no play fair.  It keep on going poof.  CRUSH see
kitty. CRUSH not see kitty.  CRUSH see kitty.  CRUSH not see kitty.
Kitty keep on take CRUSH socks too.  Kitty take sock.  Kitty go in
sock.  Kitty roll on ground. Kitty rip sock.  CRUSH loose
socks.]<<<<< 
        --CRUSH < 15:16:00/10-06-54>

>>>>>[  3wv987534b 89 796 &9876y80y0^*5p98y-985 *609 &R% 0* &% 07(*6
6E ^49y 8ukgUT df5$ EuPOK-90 &*6tR8o ;bp9yT0 r%^r ihp97]<<<<<
        --CRUSH <15:16:30/10-06-54>

>>>>>[ CRUSH sorry.  Kitty jump on keys.]<<<<<
        --CRUSH <15:16:45/10-06-54>

***** Encrypt: CAT 
>>>>>[ This is a brief message - no time for introductions...  I'm
assembling an extraction team - need your special abilities - willing
to pay MUCH. Reply ato person given below...]>>>>>
    --  Quicks < 01:38:24 / 10:07:54 >

>>>>>[Ares .can. be that fast, Wizard.  Of course, I have several
questions about your 'cyborg' -- how much does doing that cost?  What
are the limits, strengthwise and such, of the body?  I know many of
the limits of the deadheads -- I'd better, I'm running the things.
Deadheads can be run at a vehicular level -- speed increases can
force them up to as fast as 100 kph, cannon shells won't put them
down for the count, so on and so forth.  They're fragging expensive,
though -- a lot more so than vehicles -- and that explains our base
costs. 

So how cost-effective .are. your cyborgs, Wiz?]<<<<<
        -- Mike and the Mechanic (19:37:42/10-5-54)

>>>>>[ I KNOW everything's been kinda' HECTIC, around here,
lately--I KNOW... `ard to believe, RIGHT?  *grin*  But, `EY...on a
sligtly _lighter_ note...it's my pleasure to announce that
BloodRunn's FIRST SINGLE...a cover version of the old Blue Murder
tune, "Valley o' Kings", is being released, for air-play, on Friday!

This track, which the guys `ad cut, for the Omega Benefit recording,
is being re-released, on the Arista-Virgin-Kyletech label, as a promo
for their up-comingLP release...and that really WIZ concert tour,
that we're gonna be going on, SOMETIME next year! *sigh*

Anybody know just WHEN Nexey-boy's gettin' BACK, anyway?!  He has
got a LOTTA work to do...and FAST!!  UGH!  Hope it's
SOON.....*sigh* ]<<<<< 
        ~Afrique Wylde~ <Don't:do:anything/ _I_-wouldn't-do;>

>>>>>[Hey all!  I have a job opening for available runners.  Its a
find and extract job.  Mr. Johnson is willing to pay well for this,
so if anyone is interested, let me know and I'll set up the
meet.]<<<<< 
        --Denim <17:07.32/10.06.54>

>>>>>[ We all await your marvelous wit Brandon, how will you rebuke
these latest facts, not the tired 'Oh we don't do that!'.  You claim
this, yet refuse to show that you do not, soon the truth will be
shown about you and your organisation, the truth that Wolf has
already shown me. When this truth is found many will rise against you
Mr. Lowe and Wolf will be amongst their ranks.  ]<<<<<
        --  Fenris <19:10:34/10-06-54>

>>>>>[I have wept, Sean, believe me, I have.  It is people like the
Ant Shaman that we must all fight, for all our sakes.  The path of
the Insect is not one to be chosen lightly.  More than one
individual aspiring to the Insect's power has lost their way and
gone mad.  You all know of toxic shamans; those who corrupt the
power and ideals of their chosen totem.  What CRUSH defeated in
battle was what it is best called a toxic Ant shaman.  His
reasoning, his methods, his goals, all were twisted perviersions of
Ant's nature.  His death cuased no mourning amongst myself or my
peers. 

You were right about Ant's loss of supremacy, Sean.  While I cannot
go into detail, suffice it to say that at one point, Ant threatened
all, and was dealt with by the other Insects for his arrogance.  Ant
no longer seeks to dominate, but co-exists, as do the rest of us.

I understand you r intent, Sean, and I cannot stop you.  However, I
would beg you to remember that you are in the possession of the work
of a madman.  Do not take his actions as a guide by which to judge
others of the Insect followers.  If I had my way, that book would be
destroyed, before it can spread yet more false impressions of those I
work with.

Yes, Sean, I am an hermetic, but do not seek to fit me with the
stereotypical hermetic attitude.  I believe that everything in nature
has it's place, and was drawn to the Insects, partially because their
hive structure appealed to the rationale in me, but also, I must
confess, because they were so mysterious.  I wanted to know more about
their structure, their motives, their goals.  I am fortunate beyond
words in the fact that they have welcomed my presnce and observations.
What started as simple curiousitly has since grown into devotion.
 
Finally, Sean, many people consider themselves to be servants of
higher powers.  Some Christians think of themsleves as servants to
God, for example.  It is a phrase signifying devotion, and the
acknowlegement of One greater than yourself.  It is not slavery,
but service. 

I await your reply.]<<<<<
        --Brandon Lowe (18:43:32/10-6-54)

>>>>>[Fenris: though I once fought beside you in the aid of
Highlander, you once again attack me.  I have tried time and time
again to convince you that I and my group are no threat to you, to no
avail.  I grow weary of your constant abuse, Fenris, and will
tolerate it no more. Though it pains me to do so, I will respond to
you in the manner you seem best able to understand.

Fenris, you are no true follower of Wolf.  You seek combat from one
who has not attacked you.  You turn on a former pack-brother with no
provocation.  No-one has threatened you, those you love, or your
domain, yet you continue to challenge.  Fenris, you are, in short,
rabid. 

Not only do you threaten me, but my pack as well.  This I cannot
allow. WE cannot allow.  We have treated you with respect, and
received none in return.  You wish to challenge us?  You have no
idea who it is that you're faced off with.  Do not look to Wolf for
answers; there are some places even he can't go.  Do not threaten
us, Fenris, for no-one will harken to them.  Do not attack us,
Fenris, for you will be destroyed, and let all bear witness that
Fenris was the aggressor. 

Remember, Fenris: "Wolf wins all fights but his last."  Don't let
your fear of the unknown push you into that final fight.  For the
final time, we mean you and yours no harm.  Leave us be.]<<<<<
        --Brandon Lowe (19:10:32/10-6-54)

>>>>>[No, I can't say I've heard anything from Fuchi UK about
anything resembling what's going around.  I'll keep an eye out for
info on the wee beasties, and see what I can come up with.

Fuchi & I seem to have reached a bit of a truce; I think they're
just a tad aploologetic over the whole FUK/Kurgan affair.  Not that
I'm off their hit list, but my C^2 deck is no longer cutting edge
(love that technology curve), and it's mostly form now.  The last
serious attempt on my head wasn't even remotely connected with
Fuchi, as far as I know. 

Speaking of Katana INd, I have a question.  Why would someone want
to turn the majority of the populace into vampires?  Answer: (all
right, it was a rhetorical question) He's insane.  If he ever gets
his HMHVV working, he'd be far better off with selective use,
making more Reitz's (nasty thought, that), then try & dominate the
whole planet. I think I'll try & plant a vrus into their virus
datapbase (ha!).  If he can't finish the research, he cn't begin
his attempts at "world conqust."  Sounds more like world
destruction, if you ask me, but since no-one is, I'll just throw as
money (er, many) bloody monkeys into his works as possible.]<<<<<
        --Highlander (19:25:32/10-6-54)

>>>>>[Nightstalker, Raven, it's good to see you two back!  This Ganz
is re4ally getting annoying, isn't he?  Take the lad down a couple,
'Stalker!  With so mahy people away playing "Escape From New York,"
there hasn't been too much going on around old Seattle.  I've got
Cerise all to myself!  Now, what do I do with her.....?]<<<<<
        --Highlander (19:28:32/10-6-54)

***** Hello my fellows.  

Mr Brandon Lowe, all of what is say is not true.  I do not know all
that has gone on with you and the rest of my fellows before I came
back, so I do not know how to judge you.  I do know though, Mr Lowe,
that Insect totems are a threat to what we value.  The aims of Insect
are beyond your comprehension, and I am sad to see yet another fall
prey to any one of their guiles.  Insect are never rabid, Mr Lowe,
for to be rabid the shaman must turn against what Insect stands for.
Yet, how can a shaman turn against the true meaning of his totem if
he does not know what its aims are?  With Fenris and WOLF, I doubt
that he has from the true path of his totem.  Remember, it takes more
than working along side an individual to consider them a
Pack-Brother.  A shaman follows his totem because his totem wants him
to, he follows the totem because it is who he is.  With Insect though
it is different.  Insects mold their shamans into what they want. No
one is born to Insect, they are corrupted to it.  The shaman summons
Insect into this world to gain more power, and Insect goes about its
plots.  No Insects are not evil, for that term would mean that they
are human.  The few who have met Insects are warry, Mr Lowe, for they
have seen horrors unspeakable.*****
        --Nightfox <Shadow calls, Star burns>

>>>>>[****Encrypt: CAT 

I'm listening.  How much are you willing to pay, and what's the
target?]<<<<<
        -- Cat (Who Walks/Through All)

>>>>>[ What do you mean by "what do I do with her.....?"?  I have
plenty of ideas of what you could do with me, but for now I think we
better help this Mac get rid of Katana.  Mac's paying good nuyen and
Katana is a pain.  What do you think, Cyberbrains? ]<<<<<
        -- Cerise <20:55:55/10-06-54>

>>>>>[Lassie, I've been a part of this whole Katana mess since the
begining, but I'd be more than glad to have you joining in!  No
decker should be without a mage, that's my motto.  And if they're
lucky enough to find one who's gorgeous, fun to be with, intelligent
and gorgeous (did I already say that?), so much the better....]<<<<<
        --Highlander (22:37:21/10-6-54)

>>>>>[And believe me, Cerise, after the last few days, I know what
kind of ideas you can come up with! ;>]<<<<<
        --Highlander (22:38:15/10-6-54)

>>>>>[This time I was there in person, and it is no pretty sight.
The site is a total mess. There were at least two dozen dead
bystanders and LoneStar cops around here. The whole street is
littered with debris and every building in the street is damaged. 
I asked some of the people living here and they said, that the
'humanoid' (I don't know what else to call it) had stepped right
through the wall next to the entrance (How it should have done
that, I'm not sure, 'cause this wall is still nearly intact, and
there is no hole big enough for a figure this size). Ah, the good
thing is, there was a guy here, some kind of amateur filmer, who
shot part of the incident, and 'lend' me the chip. Wait a sec... 

Include : Video-Feed

**[Sound of gunfire, screeming people and explosions. Camera is shaking, then
**it stabilizes. Zoom in on a big humanoid figure (Scale in view flashes HEIGHT
**2.8m) looking like a cross between a medieval knight and a tank. From the
**left shoulder and right forearm continous streams of bullets track through
**the street. Explosions boom around the figure. Bullets seem to bounce harm-
**lessly off the plates protecting the figure. His right shoulder opens and 6
**mini-missiles arc out to smash into two parked cars, which explode in huge
**fireworks. An explosion blooms on the figure's left hip, shredding some metal
**but doing no apparent damage. Camera flips to source of explosion, a smoking,
**but doing no apparent damage. Camera flips to source of explosion, a smoking,
**vehicle-mounted missile-launcher. LoneStar cop on top of car suddenly jerking
**back, scrambling for cover, Camera back to figure; hole in chest opens, re-
**vealing 2 inch red-glowing muzzle; coherent beam of light flashes out; Camera
**zooms back to car; beam bathes the launcher in a red corona. Then the upper
**part of the car explodes, sending cops flying.Camera zooms back, covering
**space between parties; Humanoid figure turns around. Laser fires on wall,
**ungainly writing something. Then the figure starts glowing red like hot metal
**and disappears in a flash. Camera shaking, then zoom onto wall; Letters read:
**           RED-HOT          ]

End Video-Feed

So guys, now what does RED-HOT mean, eh? And where the frag did that
thing go? By the way, the missile must have damaged the thing more
than first expected. LoneStar retrieved some metal plates and some
wiring and even a chip. What exactly my contact couldn't say, but
some letters on the chip read DIN 351134339043/548943/A     ...

Does anybody know, what those numbers mean?
Ok... next Newsflash after I get a decent night of sleep...]<<<<<
        -- Tumbleweed (Newsflash on the Fly) <10:20:30/10-07-2054>

>>>>>[Hey... is there somebody interested in laying their hands on a
blimp? 4 days ago I found a partially deflated blimp in an old
warehouse in Puyallup. It has no markings, the tank is empty and
there is nobody around. The only funny thing about it is some kind of
transportation cradle for trolls or such. At least that's what it
looks like. Ah... by the way... the roof has a big hole in it (the
cabin roof, that is) and there is a similar hole in the side of the
blimp. Probably the troll that was being transported got away and
didn't fit through the door... So... anybody interested?]<<<<<
        -- Steel Angel <11:15:15/10-07-2054>

>>>>>[Uh, guys, I don't want to seem ungrateful, but 6000 dead
because of me? That seems JUST a LITTLE excessive, don't you think?
And I'm still sore from that fraggin cannon disguised as a rifle of
Nex's...  And a LASER?!!!  That shot is going to leave a SCAR!  And
all those lovely splinters....Nex, I ____HATE____ wood.  And don't
flash those fangs at me, you know i'm not impressed...]<<<<<
        --  Action Jackson(08:48:19/10-07-54)

>>>>>[The Boss is back on-line!  Long time no hear(snicker), boss.
And no, we don't have any info on your daughter or Roxey or
Collussus yet.  We're lookin. And Solitaire may just have a gift
for you soon.]<<<<< 
        --  Moriarity(08:50:16/10-07-54)

>>>>>[Her last gift got me into the prediciment I was just gotten
out of forcefully.  And she's giving me another one? 
Great...]<<<<< 
        --  Action Jackson(08:52:05/10-07-54)

>>>>>[Hello King of Swords.  It is good to have you back again.  And
I've been doing some checking on those numbers of casualities, as
well as hitting the Big Eight for a clue or two on what happened in
NY.  Well, fully a third of the dead were crime related. 
Specifically, 34% of the dead were wanted by the three security
forces of NY for gang, Mafia, and/or individual crimes.  And fully
half were killed by the Metroplex Guard, Winter Security, Knight
Errant, and NYPD Inc.  Shooting investigations for all of those
police related deaths are in process even now, though I suspect
that they will go nowhere.  And the remaining 2000(due to overlap
from the police shootings and the gang warfared) were killed by
bodybuards, corporate security, other rioters, and vehicle
accidents(related or not to Spirit-she wasn't the cause of all the
traffic problems that day).  And besides, King of Swords, you and I
have both been dead before.  We know it is no big deal, so why
worry about the dead?]<<<<< 
        --  Solitaire(09:01:06/10-07-54)

>>>>>[Because, unlike you, I didn't enjoy the experience.  I'm
sorry, you don't enjoy flatlining, but it doesn't scare that one of
these fine days you won't come back.  Well, that scares the drek
out of me, Solitaire.  And I'm a doctor. I heal people, not kill
them.  So even though I wasn't directly involved in thier deaths, I
still feel guilty over them.]<<<<< 
        --  Action Jackson(09:03:47/10-07-54)

>>>>>[AJ, you're a free man.  All the charges have been dropped, even
the Public Menace(you can't be tried over for the same charge, you
know Double Jepardy?) as of this morning.  Seems your friend
Solitiare has been up to her tricks again, and this time to expose a
fraud or 12. 

Specifically, all the jurors were bribed(bought off for those of you
City Speak folks), as well as the judge and both the lawyers. 
Including yours.  The outcome was decided well before the trial was
even begun.  So, due to the laws of the UCAS, you are an illegal
alien, but you cannot be tried again for the same crimes.  Unless
new evidence comes to the court.  But with your friends, I
seriously doubt that will happen. 

I hope you realize I hold you no malice.  I was just doing my job to
the best of my ability.]<<<<<
        --  Commander Drake, Interpol(09:12:29/10-07-54)

>>>>>[No malice?  Ya, right.  Not likely.  Like he and his
Extraction Squad held no malice toward that guy you arrested for
decking crimes.  He had eluded you guys for 6 years and you held
him in the highest respect and "no malice" was directed toward him
when you made sure that the charges of police brutality were never
confirmed by geeking everyone who was there as a witness. No
malice...]<<<<< 
        --  Cop Drop(09:16:49/10-07-54)

>>>>>[HOI all, well I am jus' abou' ta leave th' North Dakota area.
It is really wond'rful out here.  Th' air is so crisp an' clean.  The
sites are marvelous.  I am 'njoyin mysel'.  I shou' be back in
Seattle sometime tommorr'w, an' then I can finally rest.  Thi' 'as
been a long trip tha' I will be glad ta get back from.  Be sein' ya
all soon.  Nex, got anythin' goin on when ya return?  I jus' saw
abou' th' recordin', mayhaps i can come an' watch yer recordin?]<<<<<
        --  STREETWOLF(Fire is an Elf's Best Friend)(11:11:00/10:07:54)

>>>>>[ Brandon, what you say does appear convincing, indeed your
suggestion that what we may have encountered was a toxic ant shaman
may indeed be true. 

Toxic shamans in my research have always been highly disturbed
individuals, they believe that they alone hold the key to the
worlds problems, most usually enact great calamities against
mankind so that the earth may be a little more healed from the pain
that man has caused it.  Others seem to be completely the opposite
physcopaths who revel in the destruction of human life and the
suffering that it causes.  This last type appear to take great joy
in going against everything their totem ever stood for.  The former
type pervert their totems needs much as the leader of a new
religous cult may pervert the teachings of an original religion to
their own devices. 

What you are saying Brandon about the Ant shaman is that he
perverted the wishes of his totem to his own desires.  At the
moment we only have your word that it is so, nothing in the thesis
that I have read so far indicates that anything the Ant Shaman was
doing was any different from what your associates may do.  In fact
the only evidence that I have is the condition of the tunnels that
I found, the one you warned me to stay away from was clean and well
structured, but the other was dirty and unkempt. 

But even this could be explained easily, we know that the Ant Shaman
had not yet summoned his queen and from his texts I saw that the
queen would be a very controlling influence, the shaman would
virtually become a servant to the queen which he had summoned.  Well
it is possible that it is the queen that controls such things, maybe
down the other tunnel a queen already exists and it is she that
controls the overall condition of her hive.  On this point the Ant
Shaman's thesis was a little bit vague, the Ant Shaman seemed to
suggest in one paragraph that he would serve the queen's every wishes
while in another paragraph he mentions the power which she would give
him and how he would go on to show those who still follow the way to
which we were bound. Though he seemed to have doubts that the queen
would go along with his desires on this last point.

Brandon you could prehaps pour some light onto this last point that I
just mentioned, about how the Ant Shaman said he would not follow the
way to which the others were bound.  I also found references there to
the days of power which is mentioned in several places throughout the
thesis.  In fact you yourself agree with me on this point, you
mentioned that Ant did indeed lose supremacy at one time, you then
say that Ant now co-exists.  I'm interested in finding out how your
associates deal with Ant and how Ant co-exists with their lives and
those around them. 

To comment on your closing points Brandon I can understand your
fascination with the insects, indeed the more I find out about them
the more intrigued I become, I too wish to find out all there is to
know.  But Brandon, I care deeply for mankind, I would not
voluntarily go into the service of another, rather I prefer to be
at the service of everyone so that I can help them understand what
magic truly is about.  Indeed I envy you that you have been
accepted so readily, but your acceptance has meant that you must
serve that which I'm sure you yourself do not fully understand. 

As to the book, you have no worries I will not allow it to come into
public hands nor will I be publishing extracts from it.  I cannot
allow it to be destroyed though as it's contents contain the first
solid information we have on the Ant totem.  I will be disussing the
book with my colleagues in both IMAS, with which you are already
familiar, and some of my academic colleagues at the univeristy.  We
will not use it to create false impressions of your associates but if
you wish to dispell that possiblity you must be more open about your
work, I would appreciate reading any other thesis' that your
associates may have written.  Indeed I would appreciate the
opportunity to talk to them, if what you say is true Brandon then you
have no need to worry, but in the meantime I must use what
information I have. 

Please prove to me that you are telling the truth Brandon, to think
that all followers of Ant are like the shaman who captured Spirit is
not only heart- breaking when I think of all the poor souls that have
lost their lives it becomes criminal on a massive scale. ]<<<<<
        -Sean Babrouk (16:14:53/10.7.54)

>>>>>[Senra, where are you?  I am really worried about you.  This is
the longest you have been away when you knew that I was coming over
to visit you. If you see this message get back to me as soon as you
can.  i am really worried about you.  Has something happened?

Has anybody who uses this seen my brother or heard from him
recently?  If so please contact me.  He goes by STREETWOLF.  It
would be very much appreciated if anybody could tell me anything
that they know about where he might be. Thank You]<<<<<
        --  Patricia O'Connor(11:36:17/10:07:54)

*****Encrypt MPCP Patricia O'Connor only 
>>>>>[ Patricia, someone by the name of Streetwolf has been seen in
Seattle recently, I also believe that he was involved with the
release of the notorious vampire Action Jackson.  Sorry I can't give
more information but I'm in a hurry. ]<<<<<
        -I.B.A. (**:**:**/**.**.**)

>>>>>[ Miss O'Connor, I have just arrived back from the East Coast.
Your Brother travelled there last week with me and after he had
finished with his business there he decided to travel back to
Seattle on his bike. He should be arriving around the weekend. That
is all the information that I can offer you at the moment. Of course
if you you have any more questions I am sure that we could discuss
this over dinner. ]<<<<< 
        -- Nige <17:08:09/07-10-54>

>>>>>[Trust me I had nothing to do with it. At least I don't think I
did.]<<<<<
                -- Red <09:55:43/10-07-54>

>>>>>[Nige!  Are you shameless or what?]<<<<<
                -Harlequin <I'm baaaaaaaaaack>

>>>>>[Wha?  How?  When!]<<<<<
                -Hard-to-Catch <Caught running>

>>>>>[You forgot where and why...well, you know why.  I'm back.  Just
came in a few minutes ago.  Spade is storing the Moonbeam for me at
the hanger.  I had Lucinda ship it to me.]<<<<<
                -Harlequin <Clowning around>

>>>>>[And wait until TYR gets the bill.]<<<<<
                -Lucinda <Goss was here>

>>>>>[Don't worry.  Oh, and to the betters, make it 6003.  Some
people took offense to what I assembled on their dock.  AND GOSSYMER
STOP PLAYING WITH OTHER SIG.LINES!]<<<<<
                -Harlequin <Last laugh the best laugh>

****Yessir*****
        -Gossymer Constuct

*****Encrypt Nexus MPCP*****
>>>>>[Still planning on coming to visit Nex?  Gonna be a long week
for Seattle.]<<<<<
        -Harlequin <Jester>

>>>>>[Ok, Nightfox, I'll set up the meet, but Mr. Johnson would like
a full team of runners.  She says the target is going to tough to
find and harder to extract.  Club Penumbra at 2300 hours on Saturday.
Let me know if you find any other runners for the team.]<<<<< 
        --Denim <12:51.45/10.07.54>

>>>>>[I'm still looking for runners for the locate and extract job.
Let me know if you're interested.]<<<<<
        --Denim <12:53.15/10.07.54>

>>>>>[Boy, I log on to check the latest biz, and there are treatises
on shamanistic practices of bugs.  Boy, some mages have no sense o'
humor. Lighten up guys!  Come up to the needle and I'll buy ya a
round. 

BTW, anyone know where I can get my Harley fixed?  I want top of the
line work, and maybe a few custom add-ons, Wakarimasu-ka?]<<<<<
        --Gyrfalcon <12:58.15/10.07.54>

>>>>>[  I reply once  again to your proposition  Denim because I'm
interested by your proposition, but it will be my last call. Give me
the place and the hour of a  meeting to  discuss the job,  like
'Gravity Bar'  downtown (  I know  the bar tender ), and I'll be
here.]<<<<< 
        -- NightWolf < 21:20:28 / 10-07-93 >

>>>>>[ CRUSH want Blimp!!! CRUSH want Blimp!!!  CRUSH want blimp so
CRUSH can float over city.  CRUSH just float and float and float.
CRUSH take up Spirit. CRUSH and Spirit have picinic.  CRUSH want
blimp.  Please.]<<<<< 
        --CRUSH <13:21:46/10-07-54>

>>>>>[Whoa, things are serious out there!  Sounds like some of you
guys could use a break from all the mundanities of street life; maybe
you should swing over to VirtFun!  {;  (This has been an paid
advertisement. VirtFun's paying for my online time, at least.)

Seriously, though, sounds like some bad karma out there.  You guys
take care, aright?  Sometimes I feel like yer my only link to the
Real World, or what passes for it.  {:  Just my motherly comment
for the day.]<<<<< 
        -- SierraFL (1993 Oct 07 / 13:36:25)

>>>>>[Ok, NightWolf, the meet will be at Gardano's downtown.  Mr.
Johnson (it's a she) is into class, so try to appear civilized.
Saturday at 23:00 hours.  If you can find some more runners, bring
'em.]<<<<< 
        --Denim <14:09.25/10.07.54>

>>>>>[Hey Gyr, I don't usually give out names of my contacts but you
helped out when I need you.

##ENCRYPT:NAME##

Here's a guy who's done more things to his bikes and cars than I
thought was possible. He's done work on my Rapier so I know he's
ichiban. Once passed a Blitzen on the highway, stopped at a little
shop and it passed by about 5 minutes later. Now I'm thinking of
getting a Blitzen and have him work on it. I love speed.

So give him a call and tell him I sent you.]<<<<<
                -- Red <15:27:23/10-07-54>