>>>>>[Uh...hello out there. I'm an independant businessman, trained in the
shamanic tradition, willing to resolve matters that you would not wish to
dirty your hands with. All this for 1000, no, 500, uh... a nominal fee.
Oh, I also do childrens birthday parties.]<<<<<
       -- Clown <6:01:21/04-06-55>

>>>>>[400 Y?  That's too low for me and others like me (my ammunition
costs are much higher than that) and high enough to attract a myriad of
gutter-punks...who'll all be geeked, of course. I'd suggest making it a
larger amount of finding some other method. I personally prefer not to
lead others to their deaths...]<<<<<
        --  Mortis (15:12:56/06-04-55)

***** PRIVATE TO: The Posse
>>>>>[Hey, guys, what gives?? Cyberwraith and I chase each other in
circles for a week, then we finally hook up.  I get enough time to throw
some stuff in my pack, then he carts me off to a meet with you.  He tells
me to hang tight, he'll be back, and now it's almost a WEEK later!!  You
forget about me?? Not that it's all been bad; a week off from dodging the
Aztech goon squad has really done me good, but come on! Can I hear
something about what's up? 

And don't worry about me compromising your secure lines; I'm jacked into a
telebox around the way.  Had to take a walk, ya know??  So when can I hear
something?  (Oh, and thanks for the fixup on the deck, 'Wraith. 
Nice!]<<<<<
        -- FireJack  (18:55.34/04-06-55)

>>>>>[Well, I don't have any footage of what happened while you guys were
hijacking the transport, but here is what happened from my perspective. 

{DOWNLOAD: LOGAE17889.013_AztechPrisonBreak:..................... 

Messagesent(GawkHUD):'Overwatch is in position and ready'

Audioreply(GawkHUD): 'We are enterin' da loadin' docks now'

DISABLE A3-112(SECURITY ALARM)
REROUTE A3-112.sc TO sofa (REROUTING SECURITY CAMERAS)

-- The caera shows a large, empty loading dock.  The doors have just
completed opening.  A small transport truck backs into the bay.  It
ungracefully rams into the metal dock.  Two persons wearing 'La Espada'
coveralls exit the cab. A lanky security gaurd saunters up to the workers
and appears to be asking for identification.  The larger of the two
workers lashes out with a knife and slits the gaurds throat.  The back of
the truck flys open and three more individuals exit.  They quickly
eliminate the second gaurd stationed in the adjoining security room. 

Audiomessage(GawkHUD): 'Couch, Open da fraggin' door!' 
OPEN A3-112.dr

-- The camera shows a large service door sliding open as the main bay
doors begin to close.  The five intruders slip quietly through the opening
door. 

REROUTE A3-111.sc TO sofa (REROUTING SECURITY CAMERA)

-- This security camera shows the group sneaking down a long hallway. 
They stop in front of a cargo elevator. 

Audiomessage(MercyCOM): 'Take us down!'
ACCESS A3-110.22
        ENABLE
REROUTE EL-11903 TO sofa

***PASSIVE ALERT INITIATED***
DISABLE EL-11903.1 (SECURITY ALARM DISABLED)

-- The camera shows the group entering the elevator.  The doors close
behind them. 

Audiomesage(WorpedWorlockCOM): 'This is too damn easy,  where's the sec??'
Message(FrostyMPCP): 'That's because Couch & I are doing our job!'
Audiomessage(BrickHUD): 'Dis, is getting boring.  Bro, when do we get to have
                        some fun'
Audiomessage(MercyCOM): 'Too soon brother.  Here's our stop.'
Messagesent(GawkHUD): 'All Clear'

-- The camera picks up Gawk motioning to the rest that the halllway is
clear. The door opens and the team exits into a poorly lit hallway. 

REROUTE A17-103.sc TO sofa
DISABLE A17-103

-- The team begins to crawl down the hallway.  Staggered along the side of
the hall are steel doors.  The team continues down the hall until it
reaches a 4- way intersection.  They turn right and continue thier
painstakingly slow pace. 

About five meters down the hallway, a lone figure opens a door.  A burst
of light leaves Worped Worlocks hands and the figure, a skinny male drops. 

The team continues at a slightly faster pace.  They round a corner and
come face to face with a patrol team of 4 mercs.  Weapons spring to life
in Gawks and Brick's hands.  Three of the Mercs. drop before they can even
draw thier weapons.  Mercy drops the fourth miliseconds after. 

Audiomessage(GawkHUD): 'Couch, thanks for the warning'
Audiomessage(WorpedWorlockCOM): 'Can you guys please keep a better watch?'

***ACTIVE ALERT INITIATED***
Messagesent(GawkHUD): 'Get a move on it! The Alarms been set!'

REROUTE A17-1077.3 TO sofa

-- The camera shows the team sprinting down another hallway.  They stop at
the last door.  The camera shows the label "B-rojo"

Audiomessage(MercyCOM): 'This is it, open the door!'

OPEN B-104.566.ro

-- The door slowly opens and the team rushes through it.  The hallway
behind it is even more dimly lit, and the walls are a drab grey color. 

AUDIOMESSAGE(WorpedWorlockCOM): 'What the frag is that awful smell?'
Audiomessage(MercyCOM): 'Smells like excrement to me'
Audiomessage(BrickHUD): 'Ick'

***ACTIVE IC DETECTED***

Message(FrostyMPCP): 'I got it Couch'

-- The team, now lead by Worped Worlock sprints down the corridor.  They
pause briefly at each door. Mercy motions the team to him and begins to
work on the door.  He seems to be attaching a small cube to the door. 
Mercy attaches a small keyboard to it and begins typing furiously.  The
rest of the team is spread in a rough semi-circle facing outwards. 

Audiomessage(GawkHUD): 'Couch, can ya see if he's still in dere?'

REROUTE B17-103345.33 TO sofa
****COMMAND REJECTED****
***TRACE INITIATED***

Message(FrostyMPCP): 'Couch, I'm in deep do-do here.  This is one hell of an IC.
                        FRAG- Here comes the back..LINK TERMINATED'

***TRACE SUPRESSED***

Messagesent(GawkHUD): 'It won't let me in! Be careful!'

-- Mercy backs away from the door as the team spreads out on each side of
it. The door opens, and is followed by a stream of lead - from the inside! 
Three large figures in black armor are crouching inside.  One of the
soldiers is carrying a LMG while the other two are crrying HK227s.  Mercy
is flung backwards as the stream catches him in the shoulder.  Brick lobs
a defensive grenade into the room.  Gawk twirls around and begins firing
his custom Ingrma down the hall as gaurds wearing tiger striped armor pour
out of a adjacent corridor.  Worped Worlock begins sending blast after
blast of magical energy down the other end of the hall as more gaurds come
running.  The lead from the prison room stops flying, and Brick ducks in. 

***HOSTILE MPCP DETECTED***
***INITIATE SHIELD PROGRAM***

***WARNING: TRACE SUPPRESSION DROPPED***
ACTIVATE(sofa): Sleeper.VII (ATTACK PROGRAM)

***HOSTILE MPCP DEFEATED***

Messagesent(GawkHUD): 'Bug out, I can't hold out much longer!'
Audiomessage(GawkHUD): 'Gotcha, Couch....FRAG TK ain't here!  We're headin' out'

-- The team starts heading back towards the elevators.  Gawk continues
laying down a stream of fire to pin down the sec gaurds.  Worped Worlock,
sweat beading down his forehead, sends a final spell flying and seals of
the rear in flames. 

Brick drags his brother towards the elevator as Gawk and Worped Worlock
watch for more gaurds.  They reach the elevator as the door begins to
open. 

Messagesent(GawkHUD): 'Gawk, hostiles in the vader!'
Audiomessage(GawkHUD): 'Thanks Couch'

--  Gawk and brick lob a grenade into the elevator as Worped Worlock lets
another bolt of energy loose.  The elevator explodes, leaving an empty
shaft. 

Brick reaches into his pack and pulls out a grapplegun.  He proceeds to
fire the line upwards. 

***HOSTILE MPCP IDENTIFIED***
***TRACE APPROACHING SEATTLE UPLINK***

Messagesent(WorpedWorlockCOM): 'Your on your own guys, I can't cover you'
Audiomessage(WorpedWorlockCOM): 'No Prob. Couch.  We're almost out'
Audiomessage(GawkHUD): 'Dem where fraggin' French SLOTS in da cell!'

ACTIVATE(sofa): sleeper.VII

***SHIELD PROGRAM TERMINATED***

***HOSTILE MPCP NUETRALIZED***

***TRACE COMPLETE .763 SEC***

CLOSE.CONNECTION(sofa)

***LINK TERMINATED***

END OF LOG}

Well, that's what I saw happen.  What happened after that?]<<<<<
        -- Couch<..:..:.. / ..-..-..>

>>>>>[Frag, I went to Frosty's pad.  It wasn't dere.  All dat was left was
a smokin' crater!]<<<<<
        -- Gawk <18:06:44 / 04-06-55>

>>>>>[Gawk, pal.  Frosty is dead.  You, Brick, Mercy, Worped Worlock,
Piper, and whoever else is foolish enough to get in the way will be
shortly also!]<<<<<
        -- Shrew <Hammer / Of Chaos>

***** PRIVATE TO BIGHORN
>>>>>[Team 1 has made it into Seattle. Met with contact in Purity and
gained base of operations. Currently setting up shop. Security is
acceptable. Nash and Ritter say area is clear of magical obstacles. You
are cleared to begin movement with Team 2.]<<<<<
     -- REDSKY <18:58 / 04-06-55>

***** PRIVATE TO REDSKY
>>>>>[Roger that, Red. Expect Team 2 NLT 0500-04-07-55]<<<<<
     -- BIGHORN <19:10 / 04-06-55>

>>>>>[Hello, Clown.  Welcome to the Shadows...I might need your assistance
in the near future.  Please contact me privately at >>>LTG<<<. 
Thanks.]<<<<<
        -- Dark Angel <19:55:43/04-05-55>

*****Private Longshot:
>>>>>[If its stealth your looking for, than I'm the chummer for the job. 
Quick and deadly like my namesake.]<<<<<
        --  Scorpian  <7:22:31/04-06-55>

*****PRIVATE TO: Irish
>>>>>[Subtle as always Irish.  Maybe you should teach lessons.]<<<<<
        --  Aristo <19:38:16/04-06-55>

*****PRIVATE TO:  Talon
>>>>>[If there is anyway that I may be of assisstance in your
investigations, you need only ask.]<<<<<
        --  Father Brian Grant

*****PRIVATE TO:  members of Enigma
>>>>>[After I have dealt with the anti-christ, your unholy group of demons
will perish!]<<<<<
        --  Sword of God <19:43:26/04-06-55>

>>>>>[INFIDELS!!  Still you seek to hide the WHORE, her Demon lover and
their unholy spawn from my righteousnes!!!  You will all perish and burn
in Hell forever!!]<<<<<
        --  Sword of God <19:45:32/04-06-55>

>>>>>[What a weenie...]<<<<<
        --  Grimjack <19:46:35/04-06-55>

>>>>>[ Apologies, Talon, but I've met with little success in this whole
papal assassination thing from here, and I've tried everything I know. I
refuse to frag with the Vatican computers, and the locals just don't know
anything more than UCAS Today tells 'em. Besides which, I've got a prior
commitment now. ]<<<<<
        -- ...shadowfire... <Erebus/Angel>

*****PRIVATE TO: Inspector Richard Wu
>>>>>[ The Project? Oh, come on, chummer, y'can't be serious. Besides,
it's not like there's a lotta love lost between me and LoneStar. And I
have no fragging clue what happened to everyone else; I lost sight of 'em
all after that free- for-all this winter. ]<<<<<
        -- ..shadowfire... <Erebus/Angel>

>>>>>[Val, if ya wou' like me ta talk ta Morgan, I wou' be mor' the' 'appy
ta. I thin' I cou' 'elp 'im ou' seein' tha' both a m' parents died when I
wa' 5.  I ha' ta deal wi' it, I thin' I ca' 'elp 'im ou']<<<<<
        --  STREETWOLF(Fire is an Elf's Best Friend)(23:14:30/04:06:55)

*****PRIVATE TO: ...shadowfire...
>>>>>[I am indeed serious. You don't know how serious I can be. As a
matter of fact-- *LINK TERMINATED* ]<<<<<
        --Inspector Richard Wu, LoneStar Security <20:12:40/04-07-55>

*****PRIVATE TO: ...shadowfire...
>>>>>[ --Let me demonstrate how serious I am. You promised, someone frags
with one of us, they've got to deal with all of us. I'm not the nervous
kid anymore, 'fire..., and I've learned a bit. This is important. to
me.]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>

*****PRIVATE TO: Jagged
>>>>>[ Okay, okay, I guess you got it. Pretty impressive, by the way. How
long have you been workin' on that "back-up" deck of yours? 

And I'll see who/what I can dredge up. ]<<<<<
        -- ...shadowfire... <Erebus/Angel>

>>>>>[People after Sword of God's head...  A week?  He's behind.  And
running only delays the inevitable.  But what is inevitable is entirely up
to the runner, not those who chase him.  And Caine's keeping his word is
not the issue, Irish.  THAT is the farthest thing from my mind, I assure
you...]<<<<<
        --  HERE(00:37:06/04-07-55)

>>>>>[ I'm still out here, Cyberbrains.  I just haven't had anything to
say. How are you and SpotOn getting along? ]<<<<<
        -- Cerise <23:42:42/04-06-55>

>>>>>[ WHORE, huh? I prefer to call my job the work of love. Satisfaction
guaranteed. You want a sample? Call me, anytime! ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <8.50.49/55-04-07>

>>>>>[ By the way; until I find a good place to stay with adequate
security, I will need to share a place with another runner so we can watch
each others backs. Rent split down the middle, and I'm usually neat and
tidy, and I _don't_ bring work home. Parking space for the Husqvarna
appreciated. ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <8.51.30/55-04-07>

>>>>>[Hey Pet...I might be able to set you up.  I knew a woman of your
profession once, was also a fine Runner...name of Phantasy.  She died in a
forty-floor fall a year ago.  Maybe I have a place for you. I'm sure I
have parking space for /anything/...]<<<<<
        --  Mortis  (23:58:37/06-04-55)

>>>>>[Talky, I'd like to introduce you to someone who has yet to hear
about grain products, toasted or other wise. This is obvious due to his
inability to relax *grin*.  So Talky, Hand of God is out there and would
definately like some toast!]<<<<<
        - Harlequin <Ha-Ha-Ha>

>>>>>[ Mortis, I appreciate the offer. Can I swing by? As for my day job,
I'd rather handle it myself, but thanx for the offer! ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <09.05.15/55-04-07>

>>>>>[ How do I change my computer from Central European Time? These date
stamp thingies come out all wrong now! ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <09.05.45/55-04-07>

>>>>>[Pet - I can pick you up some time...you pick a convenient spot, and
look for the black Westwind (yeah, I'm a traditionalist).]<<<<<
        --  Mortis  (00:13:21/07-04-55)

>>>>>[ Meet me at ***Location*** at ***Time***. I'm the redhead in 'gator
coveralls on a Husqvarna Retro. ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <09.50.35/55-04-07>

>>>>>[Well, Insector Wu, are you interested in my services or not.  I can
be very... persuasive... in finding information.  If you need references,
you'll have to find them on your own.  I won't offer again.]<<<<<
        -- Jeweler <02:33:00/04-07-55>

>>>>>[I've asked around and you seem to be well regarded.  I'm getting
this damn cast replaced tommorow around 1500.  Do you think you can make
it to replace the Smartgun's cable?  I'm at a private clinic downtown. 
The guy who runs it caters to cosmetic jobs and its called "Nu Yu".  Just
about any doc can get you here if you haven't heard of it. 

If you can get the smartgun tomorrow I'd be appreciative.  You can do the
interface whenever, 'cause I'm not going anywhere soon.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus [still layed up] (12:22:35 / 04-06-55)

***** Private: Vilya
>>>>>[Mantis spirit.... wow.... do you think that explains all of the bugs
runnin' around in the shaman' office back with the Horsemen... gulp...I'm
not feelin' so good..... 

Uhhh, Vilya, I think the doc can arrange a ward if that'll do for your
needs.  I'd very much like to get rid of this damn cast as soon as I can. 
Can you do anything to get the damn drugs outta my system? I've got the
worst hangover on record. 

As for Mrs. MacKenzie, I can send my chummer whose puttin' this on the
board into the municipal records anyway to see if Mrs. MacKenzie has
surfaced officially anywhere.  I'll call my landlord to see what he knows. 
I don't know if she had any relations... kids, maybe, I guess. 

Anyway, I'm at a private clinic downtown called "Nu Yu".  Basilisk should
be coming down here tomorrow to fix some of my cyber-junk, will he be in
the way? 

And what's wrong with my knives and guns (and bombs and darts and spears
and bear traps)??  I love my M22 almost as much as my tattoos. which
reminds me, is there anything you can do for a ripped dragon tattoo? 

Thanks for the help, buddy.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (12:40:34 / 04-06-55)

***** Private: Mortis
>>>>>[I'd like to introduce myself, I'm Fredrick F. Frypp, President and
CEO of Frypp Security, Inc., but you can call me Freddy.  Frypp Security
is a SanFran based security firm.  We work for private individuals,
corporations and the odd government to test and improve their established
security.  And add a few back doors at the same time.  That is, when we
aren't fraggin' with the Imperial Marines. 

Frypp Security is loosely affiliated with the SanFran Underground
movement.  As such, when the Neo-A's need more muscle, they call us. 

Everyone know and loves the Neo-A's underground movement, but there is a
darker Underground is SanFran.  This one is a pool of shadowrunners and
expatriated metas who just hate the Nips.  If you have similar feelings
against the Nips, or are simply interested in the danger, excitement,
loose women and wads of dough, drop me a line.  My senior rigger was lost
during his last insertion and we need to replace that hole in our
organization. 

Plus, if whatever you saw is Nipponese, blowing it up can really help the
movement.  The Neo-A's have already gotten similar reports, and they'd
like to see whatever you've described.]<<<<<
        -- Freddy Frypp (12:50:34 / 04-06-55)
           CalFree Matrix Uplink #5150

>>>>>[YOu can stay at my apartment if you want, Pet, if you don't, ah, use
it for business.  I've got enough space.  Respond to me at >>>>LTG<<<< if
you want to take me up on the offer.  Oh, you gotta chip in fer the
rent.]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <07:50:05>

>>>>>[ON the other hand, Mortis seems to have set up first....]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <07:52:00/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Sword of God, get a fragging life. 

Sorry, Solonus, I was checking my mail quickly.  I'll get back to
work...]<<<<<
         --  Quickling <07:48:43/04-07-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[I'm sorry, Quickling, if I'm screwing up your free time.  I wish I
could do more myself...found anything on Dad yet?]<<<<<
         --  Solonus <07:49:30/04-07-55>

*****Private: Solonus
>>>>>[Nothing.  You get some sleep, will ya?  You need some rest, before
tomorrow...you were up all night, Anthony.  My cat was upset,
too...]<<<<<
         --  Quickling <07:49:35/04-07-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[You're probably right.  I'll get a little sleep...thanks,
Quickling.]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <07:49:39/04-07-55>

*****Private: Solonus
>>>>>[No problem.   See you in the afternoon...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <07:49:41/04-07-55>

Private To: Necromancer
>>>>>[ Thanx for the offer! However, Mortis beat you to it. Good bunch of
runners here in Seattle. Anytime you need stealth and psychology, I'm yer
gal. (Hey, I'm yer gal anyway, but then you have to pay to play :-) ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <16.18.30/55-04-07>

>>>>>[ Well, Jacamus, as you are not in a very secure location at the
moment it should be the work of only a few hours to find you (for me), but
please note that what I can do there are also quite a few others that can
do. 

For some reason the mantis brood seems bent on attacking you physically
but !!NOT capturing you. This smells of the strange and alien plan, but
there might be no discernible reason at all for it. 

I can do nothing for your cosmetic appearance, you will have to have the
tattoos redone by hand. And please note that because you love your weapons
your astral signature clings to them and makes it possible to trace you
through them. If you cannot bear to part with them you are in serious
trouble. Anything material will weigh you down, tie you to the world with
chains as strong as they are invisible. 

Well, I will be dropping in for a visit shortly. DON'T PANIC! ]<<<<<
                -- Vilya <15:55:21/7-APR-55>

>>>>>[Spam of God, yer lucky dat I'm down south right now.  If we ever
cross paths, you better pray you got a can o' 'Whoop-ass' wit ya.  I`d
take does toothpicks ya call arms and wrap dem around yer neck.  Den I
would take out my grandpa`s filet knife an' skin yer hide.  I wonder what
a detanator cap would do to da inside of yer...........]<<<<<
        -- Gawk <10:15:22 / 04-07-55>

>>>>>[Oops, hope I didn't scare ya too much chum.  Ya see, I`m a Black Orc
and I`ve had it up ta my cybereyes wit sub-humans like you.]<<<<<
        -- Gawk <10:17:32 / 04-07-55>

>>>>>[As usual, you are all a step behind.  Best of luck with the friends
that I left you with.  They are a real BLAST! 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Sometimes I just crack myself up!!!]<<<<<
        -- Bloodfist <He Shall Return>

>>>>>[Hey, Pet...I've got some reasons to, shall we say, vacate my current
location in Seattle.  Being a touch low on cash...if you're interested,
drop me a note at >>>LTG<<<.]<<<<<
        -- Dark Angel <10:38:46/04-06-55>

>>>>>[Oh, God, Harlequin, you're not. 

Check your mail and you see the most unspeakable cruelties...]<<<<<
        -- Solonus <10:36:34/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Harlequin...isn't unleashing Talky a bit...of...drekheaded
foolishness? Are you out of your fragging brain, chummer?]<<<<<
        -- Dark Angel <10:40:27/04-06-55>

>>>>>[St. John, Ripley, Father Brian Grant: 

I am Talon, a representative of the Holy Catholic Church.  I would
appreciate your help in clearing this matter up in a timely fasion.  Most
of what you have told me I have already suspected, but iit is allways nice
to have verification. 

I am curious as to the connection between the assasination and this
fanatic who interestingly enough, calls himself the 'Sword of God' What do
you know of him besides his bantering on this BBS? 

The Vatican City is willing to consider a retainer fee.  Please tell me
what you would find as fair and we shall begin conducting business. 

By the way, St. John, how did you gain access to the Church's system
anyways? Don't try that again, the security codes have been strengthened
and would likely take you to the Afterlife sooner than you wish.]<<<<<
        -- Talon <VITRIOL>

>>>>>[Jacamus, I will be there at 1400.  I could use the exercise.  I've
been jacked in almost constantly the last few days.  I'll bring the
equipment i have.  I'm sure the clinic will have the rest.  Bis
Bald.]<<<<<
        -- Basilisk <17:12:15 GMT/07.Apr.55>

Private To: Dark Angel
>>>>>[ What kind of place is it? I usually like appartments with carpet in
the corridors and nice beefy guards at the bottom floor. At least while my
luck lasts... 

Your "friends" aren't the types who blow up places first and check who
live there after, I hope? What's the rent? ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <18.19.40/55-04-07>

>>>>>[Uh....I think I'll wait on that, Pet.]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <10:41:30/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Good afternoon, I am known as Bighorn. As of today, I would like
offer my services to those of you who may need to do biz within tribal
lands. I am equiped to move cargo (human or otherwise) through any of the
Native American Nations and Denver. Special arrangements can be made for
transportation to and from UCAS or CAS lands. Security is provided at no
extra cost. I can also put you in contact with those within tribal lands
who may be able to help you with whatever your biz happens to be. This
service is provided at a nominal cost. Currently, I am operating here in
Seattle. If you are in need of my services, feel free to contact me at
>>>>>LTG<<<<<. Thank you for your time.]<<<<<
      -- BIGHORN <12:06:43 / 04-07-55>

>>>>>[I seem to have missed the entire Talky incident.  Solonus seems
freaked out by the thought, but won't tell me anything.  I do remember
having some problems with my deck, getting my first virus in years,
telling me to eat toast...did that have anything to do with it?]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <12:13:48/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Yeah, that was the incident.  I suppose that you're lucky that you
got rid of the thing.  Anyway, back to work... 

And Harlequin, I still think that using Talky is too mean.  Even homicidal
religious fanatics don't deserve that...]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <12:15:52/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Actually, I didn't erase all copies of the virus, I don't think.  I
should have a copy of it sitting in my box o' viruses...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <12:15:59/04-07-55>

>>>>>[FRAG!!!  DELETE IT, QUICK!!!]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <12:17:02/04-07-55

>>>>>[Alright...I'll grab it as soon as I'm done here...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <12:18:00/04-07-55>

*****PRIVATE TO: FireJack
>>>>>[I'll talk to you later, omae.]<<<<<
        -- CyberWraith <13:32:02 / 04-07-55>

>>>>>[Yes, Solonus, I did.  Look at me (if you could). My name hints at
myself. A Harlequin.  A jokester, prankster, fob, buffoon, an idiot.  But
think harder at the name.  Below that.  A mask, a facade, which crumbles
away to a brief glance at what lies beneath. An elf.  Living his life as
he sees best, and dealing the cards that all are given in this game of
life.  I can see no better way than dealing back the Joker to some fool
wanting to eliminate the 'unpure'.  Cruel? Maybe.  Justifiable? 
Definately.  You're right.  I am not god, nor pretend to be.  Merely a
puppet who has cut his strings and dances to his own tune. *smile*
Besides, who could resist? *Laughter*]<<<<<
        - Harlequin <Ha-Ha-Ha>

PRIVATE TO: Pet
>>>>>[It's new, way out on the outskirts of town, but there's an easy way
to get in-out of Seattle.  It's a two-room apartment, top floor: 

###Include: Apartment Holoview

There is a security team on duty at all times.  Rent...is
negotiable.]<<<<<
         -- Dark Angel <13:37:44/04-06-55>

>>>>>[ Shrew? As in, "The Taming of the"? Bring it on then, chummer. I'm
in so much pain from getting shot during Hirisoto's assassination, that I
would truly welcome something (like a grenade) to dull the pain. 

Oh yeah, and thanx for that silver bullet. When I return the favor, it'll
be right in-between your beedy little eyes.]<<<<<
        --  Warped Warlock <17:00:35/04-07-55>

>>>>>[ Speaking of Hirisoto's assassination, Jay, I've got megs worth of
security footage, news reports, etc. that I took from it, as you always
request. When do ya want me ta post 'em?]<<<<<
        -- Silicon Saboteur <AllTheNews/ThatsFitToUpload>

>>>>>[ How about after you return from the pharmacy with my fraggin'
painkillers?]<<<<<
        -- Warped Warlock <17:06:33/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Talky, just a quick note, I _have_ all the toast I could ever
eat.]<<<<<
        -- Dark Angel <16:20:50/04-06-55>

*****PRIVATE TO:  Caine, Tracker, Scorpian
>>>>>[It is an honor to serve with you all.  My friends who accompanied me
last time, won't be returning.  They think the place is too dangerous. 

To fill you in, a group of us were hired to infiltrate the Allhalous
Research compound last weekend.  Things didn't go so well.  Our contact
dropped us off outside the facility's perimeter. 

 ***BEGIN TRIDEO FEED***

The scene fades in.  A flat rolling plain covered with thick grass
stretches out in front of you.  In the distance, a jagged mountain peak
rises above the surrounding terrain.  Everything is quiet as you approach
the base of the mountain. 

The Allhalous compound looms into view.  As a military transport exits the
main gate, you can catch a glimpse of two more fortified gates within.
Evidently, they don't like visitors.  Beyond the outer walls stands an
obsidian tower.  Its height reaching to a few hundred feet below the peak
of Mt. Rainier.  The entire appearance of this facility fills you with
dread.  Ever feature, except the WELCOME sign, causes a sense of unrest in
you. 

The camera shifts around, taking in the entire scene.  A white elf,
staying low to the ground, stealthfully moves toward you.  You notice that
the other team members are moving into position.  Included are: Iron Hands
- a dwarven shaman, Nightshade - a human hitman, Steelfeather - an Indian
shaman, and, of course, the elf by you, Frost. 

Remaining totally silent, Frost makes several hand gestures at members of
the group.  After he is finished, the team spreads out and vanishes from
sight.  Frost and you move around to the far side of the mountain. With a
quick twist of the neck, Frost drops an unsuspecting guard. 

Now that you've approached the compound, you can see, every hundred meter,
a watchtower with two guards along the walls.  Also, the rear of the
compound is carved directly into the mountain-side.  It looks impossible
to climb up.  There is a man-made moat being fed by a lake adjoining the
mountain.  It completely encompasses the compound. 

As you and Frost make your way around the base, a large, cerebus hound
leaps out ontop of Frost.  He collapses under the weight of the,
obviously, ticked off paranimal.  Unable to reach his gun, Frost begins
kicking and punching at the beasts stomach.  Fortunately, he kicks the
right spot.  Before the hound can recover, a blue bolt of electrical
energy engulfs the hound.  It slumps, stunned.  You can see the weapon in
the lower part of the picture.  Finally, the "camera-man" gets involved. 
The picture fades out. 

When the view returns, the entire team has gathered at a subterranean
opening through which the water from the moat flows.  The opening was
guarded by two men and another hound.  However, they look rather
incapacitated.  The opening, itself, is sealed by thick, metal bars,
almost like a prison door.  After a few moments of cutting, the bars fall
away.  That's when the silence is at last broken by a shrieking alarm. 

The team quickly glances around right when the gunfire begins.  Watch-
towers seem to be spraying the entire mountainside with bullets.  A
spotlight centers on the group and the gunfire narrows in.  The scene
moves frantically back and forth.  On one side, the two shamans are
furiously pumping magical spells into spirits and entities.  Frost,
Nightshade, and the "camera-guy" are unloading clip after clip into
approaching guards and paranimals. 

Although the team seems to be doing well, the odds change swiftly when
military vehicles (i.e. GMC Banshees, helicopters, transports, etc.) begin
closing in on your position.  That's when, out of the corner of the
camera, you see Frost get hit several times in the chest.  He cries out in
pain while he's still unloading rounds into the guards.  Finally, Frost
collapses.  Nightshade picks up his gun and continues firing. 

The picture fades out. 

***END TRANSMISSION***

That's it mates.  Frost, luckily, didn't die.  After I turned the camera
off, Nightshade went down.  We picked up the wounded and made a hasty
retreat to our pickup point.  Fortunately we had a quick way back to
Seattle.  The total assessment of our excursion left two of our team in
critical care, a third heavily stunned by the drain he suffered, and the
rest of us tired and nursing minor injuries. 

What would make this run so important?  Saim Hain has a six-figure nueyen
bounty on his head.  Why so pricey?  He's been smuggling samples of
biological warfare agents out of the Tir.  Don't ask me where they got
them, but now Saim Hain has them and from what our employer says, he's
planning on using them. 

At this point, I don't care about the money.  As far as I'm concerned, you
can split that up among you when we get this guy.  All I'm interested in
is avenging my friends. 

I'll talk to you all later if I haven't frightened you off.]<<<<<
        -- Longshot <16:12:27/04-07-55>

>>>>>[It's great to be back in Seattle.  Since I've spent quite a while in
UCAS, I would really like to get back into things.  Anyways, if anyone
needs a rockin' rigger (Please... no formal meetings at all... everything
from remote...) I'm seriously interested.  After setting up base, I'm
REALLY low on funds.  Anyway, I can also offer some seriously guarded
livin' quarters if the frag hits the windmill... err, whatever. 
Reasonable price.  I am also looking for a spell-zapper for protection...
I've hired one and would like another for some summonings.  Anyway, the
view sucks, but no-one will find ya'...  That I guarantee!!  Thanks.]<<<<<
        -- HUEY <16:41:42 / 04-07-55>

>>>>>[Le' Talky 'ave 'im.  I hate Fraggers li' this.]<<<<<
        --  STREETWOLF(Fire is an Elf's Best Friend)(18:27:00/04:07:55)

*****Private: Freddy Frypp
>>>>>[Well, Mr. Frypp, I don't have as much of a problem with the Japanese
as you, but then again, I don't live in CalFree (permanently, anyway).  I
/will/ work for the money, but I usually work a job at a time.  Give me
something to carry, or something to hit, and I can do it.  I have my own
vehicles, but for anything very large or too far from Seattle I'd like to
use someone else's. 
    
Tell me what you have in mind, I'll tell you if I'll do it.]<<<<<
        --  Mortis  (16:15:50/07-04-55)

>>>>>[Frosty. This is Pain , the rigger that saw the Goons in th'Nightsky
take your chummer.About .30 klicks into Portland , they smeared my Dynamit
and barely missed me.I didn't see their faces , didn't hear them talk . I
just whimpered . The tab for the car plus custom gear and the "crawler
drone are attached. I'm driving a fragging Eurocar right now and do need
some nuyen. Want me ta join you tonite???]<<<<<
        ----- PAIN <14:01:00/ 08-04-55>

>>>>>[No,no,no,no.  *sigh* Misunderstood as always.  Remember that Talky
was fixed.  He isn't the fanatic you think he is.  He just wants people to
eat grain products and talk to him.  I'm just hoping that Talky annoys him
to death or something similar.  Sides, I think its a riot to watch the
conversations between Talky and others.]<<<<<
        - Harlequin <Ha-Ha-Ha>

>>>>>[ For those of you interested in Chairman Hirisoto, formerly of
Hirisoto Cyberlabs, and his subsequent assassination, read on chummers. I
compiled all of this for my good friend Jay (aka Warped Warlock), so go
grab yerself a Soyabeer, kick back, and enjoy. 

*** 'AZTECH.DAT' received (3,289k)

 >>>>>[ All user data redirected to outside LTG. This and future log
 entries will not be stored in local system.]<<<<<
         -- Hotel Computer Log <15:10:00/04-06-55>

 >>>>>[ Data changed in file 'MAINTENANCE.TXT' by user Piper.]<<<<<
         -- Hotel Computer Log <15:15:00/04-06-55>

 >>>>>[ User data feed restored to local system. Log storage will be
 resumed.]<<<<<
         -- Hotel Computer Log <15:15:38/04-06-55>


 *** Video Feed Established <15:30:05/04-06-55>
 *** SOURCE: Hotel Security Camera Uplink
 *** SCENE: The camera shows a picture of a very elegant hotel lobby.
 The floors are marble, the walls are oak paneled, and potted plants
 are everywhere. A chrome-edged marble counter takes up one side of the
 room. Five rather large men are visible, wearing tuxedoes and security
 badges. A stringy looking desk clerk stands behind the desk, poking at
 a computer console.

 Two humanoids, one truly human and the other a dark-skinned orc, enter the
 lobby, wearing gray jumpsuits. The orc carries a large toolbox, and the
 human, a clipboard. The two cross the floor to the front desk.

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): We're here for your monthly service
 and maintenance detail, senor.

 *** Audio Feed (DESKCLERK.COM): Maintenance? Weren't you people here just
 two weeks ago?

 *** Audio Feed (GAWK.COM): Er.. yeah, but da boss said dat you guys re-
 quested anudder maintanance check, so here we are. We're just doin' what
 we was told.

 The desk clerk hits a few keys on the console, and stares at the screen
 for a few seconds. He then glances back up at the maintenance men.

 *** Audio Feed (DESKCLERK.COM): Alright, you both check out. Go ahead.

 The maintenance men start towards the main hallway, but the desk clerk
 stops the human, and leans into his ear.

 *** Audio Feed (DESKCLERK.COM): Make you sure your trog friend doesn't
 steal anything of value from us, or I'll hold you personally responsible.
 I don't trust his kind.

 The human rips himself away from the desk clerk's grasp, and catches up
 to the orc.

 *** Video Feed Terminated.


 *** Video Feed Established <15:37:03/04-06-55>
 *** SOURCE: Hotel Security Camera Uplink
 *** SCENE: The camera shows the inside of a mirrored elevator. Gawk and
 Warlock are present.

 *** Audio Feed (GAWK.COM): What did dat fragger say ta you, Warlock?

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Something that's not even worth
 repeating. I'll let you slit his neck for it, once we finish up here.

 Gawk shrugs his shoulders, and presses the elevator's stop button.
 The two of them remove the elevator's service hatch, and Gawk boosts
 Warlock through the opening. He then hands the toolbox up to Warlock.
 Gawk stands around for a few seconds, waiting.

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Alright... next floor Gawk!

 Gawk presses a key for the eighth level, and then soon after, presses
 the stop key again. A few seconds later, Warlock hands Gawk the
 toolbox, and climbs down through the opening. They both quickly dawn
 gas masks from the box, and leave the elevator.

 *** Video Feed Terminated.


 *** Audio Feed Established <15:44:39/04-06-55>
 *** SOURCE: Hotel Internal Security Comlink

 (HOTELSECURITY.COM): <cough> <cough> Intruders have entered <kaff> the
 building! <cough> Repeat... intruders <kaff> have entered <cough> building.
 <cough> <kaff> <cough> Tear gas... <cough> venti- <cough> lation...
 <cough>

 *** Audio Feed Terminated.


 *** Video Feed Established <15:45:03/04-06-55>
 *** SOURCE: Hotel Security Camera Uplink
 *** SCENE: The camera shows the same lobby, with a yellowish haze present
 in the air. All of the guards are on the floor, and the desk clerk is
 slumped over his desk. The front doors burst open, and two humanoids in
 gas masks enter, guns ready.

 *** Audio Feed (BRICK.COM): Aw frag... they didn't leave me anything to
 shoot at.

 *** Audio Feed (MERCY.COM): Stop complaining, and let's get to Hirisoto's
 floor. I don't wanna be here when _they_ wake up.

 Mercy and Brick run towards the main hallway.

 *** Video Feed Terminated.


 *** Video Feed Established <15:46:28/04-06-55>
 *** SOURCE: Hotel Security Camera Uplink
 *** SCENE: The camera shows a long hallway, with plush carpeting, and
 stuccoed walls. An older man in a grey three piece suit, and a young
 girl in a dark jumpsuit run by, wearing gas masks. A large, heavily
 cybered guard, who appears to be more machine than man, follows them,
 rifle drawn. They enter into the stairwell. Two guards with similar
 cybermods, wearing the uniform of Hirisoto Security, enter the hallway
 from a nearby door. They stand at attention, rifles ready. The two
 of them easily block the entire hallway. A minute later, the elevator
 doors open, and four humanoids in gas masks rush into the hallway.

 *** Audio Feed (CYBERGUARD1.COM): Identify yourselves!

 The four newcomers stare at each other in minor disbelief. They then
 open fire on the guards with their weapons. Warlock fires volley
 after volley of magic energy down the corridor, while Gawk, Brick, and
 Mercy rely on traditional firepower. The guards return fire with their
 own weapons, advancing on the foursome, and seem to absorb everything
 that is thrown at them.

 *** Audio Feed (CYBERGUARD2.COM): Aim at the mage! Aim at the mage!

 The guards both fire at Warlock, who in turn is hit in the left shoulder
 and arm. Warlock screams in pain, and slumps to the ground, clutching his
 arm.

 *** Audio Feed (BRICK.COM): Waitaminute...

 Brick searches through a pouch at his hip, as Gawk and Mercy attempt to
 fire and drag Warlock back behind an overturned couch. Gawk takes a shot
 in his left hand, growls, and begins firing back at the guards with
 even more ferocity.
 Brick takes an electronic device of some sort out of his pouch, tosses
 it to Mercy, who stares at it blankly, and then joins the group behind
 the couch.

 *** Audio Feed (MERCY.COM): What the frag is this? Some kind of
 transmitter, right?

 *** Audio Feed (BRICK.COM): Plug your deck into it! You'll see...

 Mercy plugs his deck into the device, and then slumps to the ground.
 The two groups continue to trade gunfire for a few minutes longer,
 until both of the guards stop shooting altogether, and begin to
 stumble around frantically.

 *** Audio Feed (CYBERGUARD1.COM): What is this?!? I can't see!

 *** Audio Feed (CYBERGUARD2.COM): Infared... radar... nothing! It's
 all gone! They're jamming us, I- ARRGGH!!

 Gawk continues firing, and puts the guards out of commission with a
 few strategically aimed shots at close range.

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Nice <heavy breath> work, guys.
 Now help me up...

 Gawk and Brick help Warlock up, and Mercy returns from his jaunt into
 cyberspace. They step over the two corpses of the guards, and hurry as
 best they can to the stairwell.

 *** Audio Feed (MERCY.COM): I like that transmitter, bro. Mind if I
 keep it?

 *** Video Feed Terminated.


 *** Video Feed Established <15:51:53/04-06-55>
 *** SOURCE: Hotel Security Camera Uplink
 *** SCENE: The camera shows the helipad on the hotel's roof. Hirisoto,
 the young girl, and the third guard are standing there as they wait for a
 helecopter, which can be seen on the horizon.

 *** Audio Feed (HIRISOTO.COM): How dare they attempt to kill me in
 the safety of my own hotel room! This is an outrage! Hartzman! Did
 you notify Aztech security when you called for the copter?

 *** Audio Feed (CYBERGUARD3.COM): Yes sir. They're moving their forces
 in on the building now.

 The helicopter is now hovering over the building. It is about to land,
 when the elevator doors open, and Warlock, Gawk, Brick, and Mercy
 step out. Hirisoto's eyes widen with fear. He grabs the girl, and
 dives behind a steel pylon.

 *** Audio Feed (GAWK.COM): Wait a sec... isn't dat girl...???

 The guard begins firing at the foursome, and they scatter. The pilot of the
 helicopter notices the gunfight, and brings the copter's guns to bear on
 whichever member of the group he can target, firing a few shots, and then
 switching to another group member.

 *** Audio Feed (GAWK.COM): Awww the drek wit' this. We're in an open space
 now...

 Gawk takes out a grenade, pulls the pin, and throws. The guard explodes
 in a shower of metal and flesh, taking half the roof with him. At this, the
 copter starts to turn around. Warlock's eyes begin to glow, and he raises his
 arms, moaning in pain. As sweat begins to pour off Warlock's brow, the
 copter lands, amidst the sound of straining turbines.

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Gawk... Board the... copter. Keep...
 the rigger... at gunpoint. Mercy... get Hirisoto and the... girl... on
 board. Brick... help me.

 Gawk boards the downed copter, Mercy runs over to the pylon, gun drawn,
 and Brick lifts Warlock to his feet. Brick and Warlock walk up the
 helicopter's hatch, followed soon after by a fearful looking Hirisoto,
 Mercy, and the girl. The copter takes off a few minutes later, and flies
 in a northerly direction.

 *** Video Feed Terminated.


 *** Audio Feed Established <15:54:47/04-06-55>
 *** SOURCE: Aztech Security Communications Network

 (AZTECHSEC1): Are the panzers in place Lieutenant Briggs?

 (AZTECHSEC2): Yes sir, we have the hotel surrounded. You can send
 in the strike team now, sir. I- sir... there seems to have been
 an explosion on the roof.

 (AZTECHSEC1.COM): Explosion? Was it Hirisoto's copter? Speak to me,
 Lieutenant!

 (AZTECHSEC2.COM): Uhhh, sorry sir. No, the copter is still there and
 leaving on schedule.

 (AZTECHSEC1.COM): Put the copter on the other channel. See if Hirisoto
 and the girl made it out alive.

 (AZTECHSEC2.COM): At once, sir.

 *** Secondary Audio Feed Established <15:55:05/04-06-55>

 (AZTECHSEC2.COM): Commander Stewart, this is Lieutenant Briggs.
 Do you have Chairman Hirisoto and the girl on board your craft?
 Repeat, do you have Chairman Hirisoto and the girl on-

 (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Frag... off...

 *** Secondary Audio Feed Terminated.

 (AZTECHSEC1.COM): Don't worry Lieutenant, I heard that... I'm scattering
 some Cessnas right now to take care of the problem. Headquarters, out.

 *** Audio Feed Terminated.


 *** Video Feed Established <16:28:26/04-06-55>
 *** SOURCE: Helicopter Flight Recorder
 *** SCENE: The inside of an Ares helicopter, owned by Aztechnology. Gawk is
 holding his gun to the head of the pilot, a nervous looking rigger, while
 Warlock is in the co-pilot's seat, thumbing off the communications console.
 Mercy and Brick stand guard over the two other passengers in the back
 of the copter.

 *** Audio Feed (MERCY.COM): That was a dumb thing to do, Warlock! Now
 they'll probably send some fighter jets after us or something.

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Will... you... relax? You still have...
 that... transmitter? Right? They can't... shoot at... what they... can't...
 see... Just... jam their... radar!

 *** Audio Feed (BRICK.COM): Sorry 'lock... it's only good for short range
 situations. It won't do us any good.

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Great... now... you tell me...

 *** Audio Feed (RIGGER.COM): Three Cessnas at 6 o'clock! You guys are
 never gonna get outta here alive, you know...

 *** Audio Feed: Sounds of gunfire.

 The copter is hit, and begins to shake. Another hit occurs, and the whole
 craft veers off to one side.

 *** Audio Feed (RIGGER.COM): Stabilizer's damaged! They're going to kill
 us for sure!

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Shut up... drekhead!

 Warlock flips a switch on the communications console.

 *** Secondary Audio Feed Established (16:35:28/04:06:55)

 (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Aztech... aircraft! Break off... your attack. We...
 have... Chairman Hirisoto... on board.

 *** Secondary Audio Feed Terminated.

 The rigger stares at a console, and begins to shake his head in disbelief.

 *** Audio Feed (RIGGER.COM): They've broken off the attack... and they're
 turning around! We're flying into FreeCal airspace now.

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Good...

 Warped Warlock stands, clutching onto his left arm, and walks over to
 where Hirisoto is sitting. With his good arm, he opens up the helicopter's
 side hatch, and immediately, the wind begins to rip through the helicopter's
 compartment. The craft's pressure quickly reaches equilibrium. Warlock
 then proceeds to lift Hirisoto off the ground, by the collar... with
 his bad arm.

 *** Audio Feed (HIRISOTO.COM): Wha-what are you doing?!?

 Gritting his teeth from the pain, Warlock drags Hirisoto to the copter's
 open hatch, and holds him suspended outside it. The wind pulls at their
 clothing and hair, and threatens to send the two of them tumbling
 5,000 feet to their deaths.

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): I'm not... in a good mood, I have...
 one of your guards to... thank for my arm..., and I don't like... your
 kind anyway. Give me a good... reason why I shouldn't drop... you. Make
 it quick, because... I don't think that my arm... can handle your weight
 much longer...

 *** Audio Feed (HIRISOTO.COM): I'll give you anything you want!!! Money!
 A job with my corporation! ANYTHING!!! Just don't let me fall!!! PLEASE!!!
 He's insane!! One of you please help me!!! HELP ME!!!

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): All I want... is information, Mr.
 Hirisoto. First of all, why... do you have... this girl with you?

 *** Audio Feed (HIRISOTO.COM): Her n-name's Rose! A man named Louis,
 w-with the French government is making me a business deal, for her
 return to him. I c-came down here to see to it personally that the
 deal went through. I don't now why he w-wants her. Now please!
 Bring me into the copter! I beg of y-

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): Shut up! I have a much more
 important... question to ask you. Why... did you have Felinius...
 the Great killed so many... years ago? I remind you... to make it quick...

 *** Audio Feed (HIRISOTO.COM): He was sleeping with my wife!!! Be-being a
 man of honor, I felt it necessary to kill him, so that my family name
 wouldn't be tarnished!!!

 Warlock begins to stare into space, apparently in shock at the news.
 Eventually he looks down at Hirisoto, who has begun to slip out of his
 grasp. Warlock's arm is trembling.

 *** Audio Feed (HIRISOTO.COM): AHHHH!!!! Help me!!! I'm slipping!!!
 Please don't let him kill me! One of you! Help me!!! For God's sake,
 help me!

 *** Audio Feed (WARLOCK.COM): <laughs hysterically> You... killed him...
 because he... was screwing your wife? Hirisoto... enjoy your stay in
 Hell... you poor bastard... I'll see ya there soon enough...

 *** Audio Feed (HIRISOTO.COM): No!!! OH GOD NO!!! PLEASE I BEG OF YOU!!!
 DON'T DO- AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

 Warlock opens his left hand, and drops Hirisoto. He stands, returns to
 the co-pilot's chair, and catatonically gazes out the window.

 *** Video Feed Terminated.


 >>>>>[ The body of Charles Hirisoto, well known corporate chairman, was
 found today, in Southern FreeCal. The coroner's report states that every
 bone in Hirisoto's body was shattered, and it appeared as if his body
 had been thrown from a great height. His murderer is still unknown, and
 Hirisoto Security currently has no leads. ]<<<<<
         -- Seattle News Agency <20:05:18/04-06-55>

To give to the "Hospital Fees for Warped Warlock" fund, please send your
hard earned =Y= to me, Silicon Saboteur, at >>Encrypted<<. I thank you,
Warlock thanks you, and most of all, my landlord thanks you.]<<<<<
        --  Silicon Saboteur <AllTheNews/ThatsFitToUpload>

*****PRIVATE TO: Longshot
>>>>>[I'm definitely in on this one. I'll be ready to go very soon, and
I'll see what I can do about getting some Kehole shots of the
complex.]<<<<<
        --  Tracker < 21:14:51 / 04-08-55 >

>>>>>[Pet is it? You sound vey familar to me. Perhaps we have met before?
Ever heard of an East Coast mage named Arrion? Excuse all the questions,
but you have intrigued me. ]<<<<<
        --  Sybre < 21:27:02 / 04-08-55 >

>>>>>[Talon:  Oh, come now.  How did I gain access to the Church's system? 
That would be TELLING! 

At any rate, contact me at >>>LTG<<< and we will discuss fees.  You will
find my prices extremely fair.]<<<<<
        -- StJohn <22:07:30/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Sorry, too...thoughtful for this time of night, on my amount of
sleep. I REALLY need sleep, but I'm still doing too much research... 

Mess up that Hand of God fellow good, will ya?  Just make sure that you
con- tain Talky first...]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <23:34:54/04-07-55>

*****Private: Dark Angel
>>>>>[Sure ya do.  How much do you think that is?  And do you have enough
to feed your friends toast for the rest of their lives?  Do you have any
troll friends? 

Sorry, I needed a break from my work.]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <23:38:59/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Once again I'm asking for any runners who may want to pull some
runs.  At least two runs are in the cooking.  The first is basicaly a hit
against some very bad folks and the second is a silent reccon of some
other pukes.  If you are interested leave your name, your specialties, and
which run you want to go on.  There is a time limit so get back to me soon
at >>>>LTG<<<<< Thanks. Back to the trenches]<<<<<
        -- GunBunny <23:24:00/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Inspector Wu, I've got some info for you as to what went on at the
downtown station. You can reach me at >>>>>LTG<<<<<]<<<<<
        --Flatliner <Atropine/50cc IVP>

>>>>>>[Seattle News Service: 

RENRAKU ANOUNCES NEW VICE PRESIDENT

<Seattle> Late today, Renraku officials announced that they had hired a
new vice president to replace the departed Ms. McClure.  The new vice
president, Dilbert Jones, a specialist in increasing productivity, was
recently deported from Uganda for human rights violations.  Jones said, "I
am happy to take over the position.  Ms. McClure wasn't the right person
for the job - she was too soft, too loose with the money.  Renraku workers
are no longer as efficient as our competators workers.  That is going to
change.  I am pleased to become part of the Renraku corporate family."
When asked about being deported for human rights violations, Jones smiled
and said, "their productivity went up 75% while I was there.  I heard no
complaints from the workers while I was there.  The deportation came as a
shock to me.  I wasn't doing anything wrong." Other bystanders at the
announcement didn't seem quite as happy as Mr. Jones.  A Renraku executive
who asked to remain nameless said, "This is about the worst thing that
could have happened to Renraku.  Jones may improve productivity, but he
kills the moral - and often the workers." Company officials also implied
that they are no closer to finding Ms. McClure's killer and are still
looking out for her.]<<<<<
          - Seattle News Feed <18:12:42, 05-07-94>

*****PRIVATE TO: Jeweler
>>>>>[ Your offer intrigues me. I am prepared to offer more than the usual
fees for information on this subject, and will cover all expenses.
Paramaters are: 

Primary: Find the fraggers who blew up Central. Names, aliases,
	descriptions, and especially current location. 
Secondary: Same information on who has been responsible for all the
	weapons/ammunition problems we've been having. 

I suspect that both answers are the same, and their initials are K.E. 
It's just too convenient that the blowup occured right after they
challanged our contract. I can't prove it, but I trust my gut insticts;
they've gotten me this far. -Inspector Richard Wu, late of LoneStar
Security ]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>

*****Private: GunBunny
>>>>>[I may be of service to you for your first plan...I am a rigger. I
have drones and vehicles of my own, and I can pilot anything provided for
me.  Contact me at *****LTG***** and we can discuss it.]<<<<<
        --  Mortis <22:39:05/07-04-55>

>>>>>[ Flatliner, this is Insp--Richard. I've gone back to using my old
deck (and handle). If you have information, I suggest we meet, and
sometime soon, before the contract negotiations are up. Your choice of
time and place; I'm not picky, and I've been around enough not to see what
I shouldn't.]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>

*****PRIVATE TO: ...shadowfire...
>>>>>[ Have you found _anyone_ yet? We don't have all the time in the
world here. ]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 7 Apr 1994 23:27:17 -0700
Reply-To:     "Interactive ShadowRun Fiction." <[SHADOW T K] at [HEARN.BITNET]>
Sender:       "Interactive ShadowRun Fiction." <[SHADOW T K] at [HEARN.BITNET]>
From:         Ed Matuskey <[M--US--Y] at [UPS.EDU]>
Subject:      Highlander & SpotOn
Comments: To: shadowtk%[hearn bitnet] at [cunyvm.cuny.edu]

>>>>>[Cerise: we're doing fine.  I think the lass is finally coming
out of her depression, at least to the point where she recognizes an
outside world; for a while she wouldn't acknowledge anything.  Scary.
The death of NodeFaerie really hit her hard.  I wonder if anyone will
care as much when I die.....Och!  Her melancholy is wearing off on me!
Distract me with your cheerful spirits, Cerise!

How's the barin doing?]<<<<<
        --Highlander (23:30:00/4-7-55)
*****Private: Solonus
>>>>>[Solonus, where have you been?  Why aren't you in the apartment?

Anyway, this is the only way I seem to be able to contact you.  I got some
stuff on your father. 

Apparently, Yamatetsu was trying to take over the corp your father works
for. I don't know why, it wasn't in the file (and did this file ever take
a long time to find, decode, and read...), but apparently they had been
rejected, on the advice of your father and a couple of others. 

For those others, several hundred thousand nuyen appeared in their
accounts. I'm sure you can guess why...I hate privately owned corps that
won't even let themselves be bought out... 

Anyway, it seems that the only ones that DIDN'T get the money were your
father and one Harold Ramnos.  I don't know what kind of drek is going on
with this, but it seems major. 

Anyway, that was about a week ago.  And the corp isn't bought out yet...it
may be minor, but they don't seem to care much about money.  I don't know
where they're getting the money to do their research, but... 

Here, I got the listing of people. 

***** Enclosed Packet: Names, Addresses, Pictures (150 MP)

This probably won't be enough, but it's certainly a start.]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <01:53:16/04-08-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[Sorry I left the apartment, I had to just...get out.  I'm sorry.

Anyway, thanks for the info.  This seems a little more serious than I'd
thought. Frag!  What did Dad get himself into?]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <02:47:29/04-08-55>

*****Private: Solonus
>>>>>[Solonus, what's going on?  Where are you?  And why did it take so long
to check your messages, if you were on searching anway?

I'm worried about you...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <02:48:00/04-08-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[I'm sorry...I'm not quite alive right now.  I don't know what's going
on...I need sleep.  I'm getting back, I'll be there in a second...]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <02:48:35/04-08-55>

*****Private: Solonus
>>>>>[Good.  Get back here and get some sleep.  My husband's even worried
about you...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <02:48:42/04-08-55>

>>>>>[Caine, would you do me a favor & let me know of any employment
opportunites that you come across?  I'm in desperate need of work,
chummer.]<<<<<
        -- Irish<12:14:53/04-06-55>

>>>>>[Mmmmm.....Yummy toazt.  Yes I'll have a bagel....]<<<<<
        --  Grimjack <16:32:46/04-07-55>

>>>>>[Be afraid, very afraid.  Ack. Thppt.]<<<<<
        --  Bill <16:34:01/04-07-55>

PRIVATE TO: Dark Angel
>>>>>[ OK, I'll drop by on Monday. Fine? ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <23.23.23/55-04-07>

*****PRIVATE To: Jagged

>>>>>[Mr. Wu, I have started my search for the information you requested.
Rather than the people who blew up Central, wouldn't you rather have the
one who hired them?  I can't guarantee anything, of course, but I will do
my best, as always.  From noises I hear on the street, and elsewhere, I
would say your suspicions are correct, however, I think you would be
happier with proof rather than suspicions.  I will endeavor to provide
that proof for you.]<<<<<
        -- Jeweler <04:45:10/04-08-55>

*****PRIVATE: Clown
>>>>>[Good morning Clown. We have a slight problem here at our shop. We
seem to have a some sort of metaphysical being who has taken offense at us
using his home. I would like to set up a meet with you to discuss the
matter further. The location is, of course, your choice.]<<<<<
     -- BIGHORN <08:48:58 / 04-08-55>

>>>>>[It is me again, trying to get in all of the action :) Anyways, I
have a question for all of you out there in the *real* world.  How does
one gain extraterritoriality???  If you are a corp, that is.  I have a few
ideas and might like to incorporate them.  Let's say that myself, along
with a few 'runners, get together with our wide variety of skills.  As
many of you may know, some of the things that we are often called upon to
perform involves legal proceedings.  I was once hired to check a banks
security, by the bank. (It proved to be tight enough.) Anyhows', what if
enough of us skilled peoplez get together and try and form a legitimate
corporation.  Say, "Security Advisors, Inc." Then, maybe we could gain
extraterritoriality and act as a haven for shadowrunners.  Like DocWagon,
only without the medical stuff.  We could even do some *legal*
activities...  not inferring that any of you break the law, of course. 
Just an idea, anyway.  It would take lots of capital, of which I currently
have little.  Which reminds me.  How about that job???  I could use
it.]<<<<<
        -- Huey <9:48:58 / 04-08-55>

PRIVATE TO:  Pet
>>>>>[I'd be thrilled to move in with-- OWWWAA!!!

What did you do that for, Jayna?  I was only kidding!!]<<<<<
                --Ripley(18:47:00/04-07-55)

PRIVATE TO:  Irish, Aristo
>>>>>[Now I am... annoyed.  We must stop Sword of God before he hurts
himself. Or others.]<<<<<
                --Caine (18:40:25/04-07-55)

PRIVATE TO:  Irish
>>>>>[You speak wisely friend.  But I cannot in conscience allow any harm
to come to them.<<<<<
        --Caine(18:37:30/04-07-94)

******PRIVATE: Quickling
>>>>>[I don't have any close troll friends, sorry.  For that matter, I
make it a point to have as few close friends as possible.]<<<<<
          -- Dark Angel <10:22:11/04-07-55>

*** Private: Jagged
>>>>>[I think I know a few things you ought to hear.  For a small fee --
sorry, but I gotta pay the rent too.]<<<<<
           -- Dark Angel <10:24:34/04-08-55>

*** Private: Irish
>>>>>[I might have a run coming up -- contact me at ***LTG*** and we can
discuss it further.]<<<<<
           -- Dark Angel <10:28:14/04-08-55>

PRIVATE TO: Pet
>>>>>[Sure.  >>>Address<<<.]<<<<<
           -- Dark Angel <10:31:34/04-08-55>

>>>>>[For those of you who attempted to get in touch with me through my
secure line, I accidently gave the wrong address.  However, by doing so I
was able to shake off some annoying deckers from Allhalous.  I apologize
for the mistake. 

I'm trying to keep the number of the team down to five.  Small numbers can
go unnoticed.  So far, four of the five positions have been filled.
because of all of the magical entities guarding the installation, I need a
mage or a shaman to accompany us. 

Respond either on the net or to me directly at (CORRECTED): 
                <[u--l--r] at [msuvx1.memst.edu]>

There is a time limit, because I hope to hit the facility soon.
Later.]<<<<<
        -- Longshot <11:02:11/04-08-55>

***PRIVATE TO:  Caine, Tracker, Scorpian
>>>>>[I've got to get a few more things together and then:  "Let the games
begin!" Don't forget to check out the footage I gathered from my first run
against this place.]<<<<<
        -- Longshot <11:07:31/04-08-55>

>>>>>[St.. John, The Church has agreed to offer you a retainer fee of
>>=Y=/wk<< Although it was hard to convince them to hire a 'runner of
questionable motives who portrays himself as a
Saint.....................Who has already proven his morals by entering
our system unauthorized............'

I too am curious of the streetname you have chosen.  Meet me at
**LOCATION** and we shall finish discussing terms of employment and how we
should continue with our investigation.]<<<<<
        -- Talon <VITRIOL>

*****INSTRUCTION ERROR, UNKNOWN COMMAND, PLEASE CHECK SYSTEM LIST
*****EXECUTE ERROR, INSTRUCTION NOT COMPATIBLE WITH INTERFACE
>>>>>[Damn, how do these encryption things work, anyway?  I hope this gets
throug.  Longshot, I may be able to help you.  I follow Snake. If you need
magical help.  I must warn you though, i am NOT a combat shaman.  I
specialize in stealth, infiltration, and inforamtion gathring.  I am not
conpletly allergic to high risk situtions, but prefer to keep behind the
big guns.  I am also good at healing.  If you are interested in my
services, leave a message at the Totem Hole, a bar near downtown.  I dont
check this pla ce much .]<<<<<
        -- Cobra <10:10:10/04-08-55>

>>>>>[HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!  I've found him!!  That nasty little
gremlin that's been tormenting my dreams.  I've finally got him.  He's
under the bed right now and I'm going to rip his head off!!!!  I can
finally sleep in peace again!  GREMLIN, YOU ARE DEAD!!]<<<<<
        -- Mercy <12:10:22 / 04-08-55>

>>>>>[Uh, Gawk, Warped Worlock and Piper.  I have a problem.  My bro's
flipped on me again.  I think he sent a post out.  He was crawlin on da
foor, swingin' a sword under da bed.  Kept yellin' about a tiny monster or
sometin'.  I got him tied up in da room.  He might hurt himself.  Sorry
'bout dis.]<<<<<
        -- Brick <12:23:54 / 04-08-55>

>>>>>[PAIN, Frosty is no longer with us.  As for your bill, it is a bit
steep, but I'll see what I can do.  What where you doing when you got shot
up? Everybody else was in Aztlan.  From now on, I will not be responsible
for damaged equipment.  Unless you can prove that it was a direct result
of your employment with me.  Have you found anything useful? 

I would feel better if you would give me a sign that I am spending my
money wisely.]<<<<<
	-- Eric

>>>>>[Well, Now you see the effects of stress.  I signed that last post
with my driver's name!  Don't ask me why, because I don't know.  I was
thinking about how he hasn't been annoying me lately -then POW, he makes a
fool out of me again

Since he was allways 'stealing' my deck, I thought I'd get him his own.
Oh, Bother]<<<<<
        -- Couch <..:..:.. / ..-..-..>

>>>>>[....Maybe you should think with your head and not your.......]<<<<<
        -- Eric <12:32:54 / 04-08-55>

>>>>>[PAIN, I don't know what yer up to, but at da time of yer post, TK
was in Aztlan.  He ain't dere no more, but I doubt he'd be headed to
Portland!]<<<<<
        -- Gawk <12:35:44 / 04-08-55>

>>>>>[Well, that wasn't too difficult, Jacamus.  A couple severed wires to
patch back together.  BTW, nice scars you got with that one, too bad about
the tatoo...  Sorry i couldn't stay to take a closer look at the deck,
i'll stop by tomorrow, when i can spend some time with it.  And if you
need any decking help, i should be finished with my current job tonight
(look for the post tomorrow!), so i will be available.  A little solo work
will be good for me, working with that Jimi Smooth has been stressful. 
Til tomorrow, then.]<<<<<
        -- Basilisk <19:01:25 GMT/08.Apr.55>

>>>>>[Your run sounds...interesting to me.  I know all about vengeance,
and if that indeed is what you want, I understand.  If, however, this is
simply a plot to fool other runners into something far over their head to
cover the embarrasment from your previous team, then you will learn of my
vengeance.]<<<<<
        --  Hell-Beast {Flame-On!}

*****PRIVATE TO: Jeweler
>>>>>[ Yes, of course I want the party responsible. The actual planting of
the explosives were most likely done by some unwitting SecForce. And while
I am on leave, thanks to this arm, I'm a private citizen acting on his own
and not bound by LoneStar procedure. While terminating the perps would
send a message, I personally want to find out who's been giving the orders
and leave him in no shape to continue doing so.]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>

>>>>>[ Sorry for that extended abscence. Someone gave me a false lead on
the whereabouts of my master. It turned out to be a trap, but one I could
handle. If I catch that drek head......]<<<<<
          --  Katana(12:33:50/4/8/55)

>>>>>[ I must say, Katana, your abilities are impressive. Much improved
since the last time I saw you.]<<<<<
          --The Amber Pheonix(**:**:**/**/**/**)

>>>>>[ Who are you?]<<<<<
        --  Katana

>>>>>[ You can call me The Amber Pheonix.]<<<<<
        --  The Amber Pheonix

>>>>>[YOU!!! You kidnapped my master!!!]<<<<<
          --  Katana

>>>>>[ You are correct Katana. Let me save you some time by telling you he
is no longer a 'resident' of the living.***trace detected*** Your feeble
attempts to trace me are useless. But maybe I will let you succeed so we
may confront each other and that I may finish you off.]<<<<<
        --  The Amber Pheonix

>>>>>[ For your sake, you better be lying. ***Trace Complete*** I now know
your location and will join you shortly to destroy you.]<<<<<
          --Katana

>>>>>[ I will be waiting.]<<<<<
          --  The Amber Pheonix

>>>>>[Talon: Tis best to let God decide what is moral and just.  If what I
have done is immoral, I will answer to Him of judgement.  As it is, my
thanks to the church for the employment.  My sincere hope is that the
result of this investigation does not lead to the implication of my
employers.  I will meet you at **location** tonight.]<<<<<
        -- StJohn <13:35:45/04-08-94>

>>>>>[ Huey, my friend, some of us have been doing what you are suggesting
for a very long time... Indeed, back in 2049, I incorporated a company -
Saxony Franklin Enterprises International Inc. - for legal reasons when I
was doing this kind of thing... Saxony Franklin is owned 99% by me, with
shares held by several solicitors.. It has no assets, it's registered
office is a solicitors, who forwards any mail to me, although, recently,
it has been, shall we say, dormant, while I have been employed to design
Matrix systems rather than test their security... If you are interested, I
could revive this company, and we could implement your idea... I, myself
have quite a bit of capital which could be used to get us off to a
start... And, also, if there are others of a similar persuasion out there,
all the better... ]<<<<<
        --DeDannan (19:35:03GMT/04-08-55)

PRIVATE TO:  Talon
>>>>>[I'm in, lad.  As for Sword og God I don't know what his problem is. 
But I don't think there's any connection. 

Reati=-- Excuse me.  Retainer?  Retainer?!  Hel-- Heck, boy I'll do this
for free!!!]<<<<<

>>>>>[I am in, Longshot.  ]<<<<<
                --Caine (KUNG/FU)

*****Private: Dark Angel
>>>>>[No matter how many close friends you have, you can still never have
as much toast as you, and all of your friends, can ea <damn line noise,
what is this?  Oh well...>

You going to be at the party, Dark Angel?]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <15:12:44/04-08-55>

>>>>>[Chummer, it would be nice to go legit wouldn't it? 

The way I understand extraterritoriality is that you have to be
established for a good long time.  I can't declare my aprtment
extraterritorial property just because I run Frypp Security's (a CalFree
based organization) Seattle office out of it.  Two big reasons why: 

1) Frypp Security is not multinational.  It just has branch offices. Check
out the economics board three nodes down and one left to figure out the
difference. 

2) Frypp Security is only about ten years old total, with the Seattle
office being here since the end of February.  Neither the home office nor
the branch can say they've been around long enough to become a government
unto themselves.  Plus, the big boys would beat the holy bejeezus out of
us if we tried.  I have no fanatsies about how long we'd hold out against
any corp based security that wanted us exterminated.  Which, becomes more
possible because we'd come under the influence of the Corporate Court so
much more, if we wanted to do business with anyone. 

Just my pointless ramblings.  Maybe that's not why we aren't
extraterritorial, but they're damn good reasons.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (15:15:15 / 04-08-55)

>>>>>[Gawk do you think your threats mean anything to me?!?  I've slain
dozens of your filthy race.  One more will mean nothing to me.  To you
others I do not think your understand your peril.  Bring me the WHORE and
her brood and I may kill you quickly.  Otherwise prepare to go painfully
to hell to meet your master.]<<<<<
        --  Sword of God <13:29/04-08-55>

>>>>>[Dear sir.  Harm one person in Enigma (even Ming) and you'll learn
the true meaning of pain.]<<<<<
        --  Aristo <13:31:06/04-08-55>

*****PRIVATE TO:  Longshot
>>>>>[Sounds like fun.  Count me in.]<<<<<
        --  Scorpian <13:19:42/04-08-55>

>>>>>[Hey Harlequin a ..friend of mine just met a very interesting machine
that he said gave him toast.  Sicking the two of them on this racist piece
of drek might be interesting.]<<<<<
        --  Scorpian <13:21:58/04-08-55>

>>>>>[ I am in need of a couple of Katana Foci. Can someone assist
me?]<<<<<
        --  Katana(1:27:20/4/9/55)

PRIVATE TO: GunBunny
>>>>>[ Silent recon seems like my thing. Is it an exec? Maybe I can
combine work and play! I'm a stealth/psychology type and quite used to
corporate quirks ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <13.41.00/55-04-09>

PRIVATE TO: Sybre
>>>>>[ No, sorry. I came in across the pond just a few days ago (you
wouldn't believe what they charge for taking the bike!) I still haven't
figured out how to change my date stamp from ISO! ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <13.37.25/55-04-09>

>>>>>[Sword of God. 

Go back to the scum you came from, or attempt to injure someone.  IE (if
you can understand that), either follow through on your threats or shut up
and go away. 

I thought your God said not to kill anyone...oh well.  It's not like you
care.  You're just using Him as an excuse...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <22:11:52/04-08-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[Quickling, what are you doing?  Trying to get yourself killed? 
Don't attack the religous wierdos...if they have guns.]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <22:13:00/04-08-55>

*****Encrypt: Solonus
>>>>>[Don't worry about it.  He's not going to be able to do anything with
out letting me know that it'll happen first... 

Oh, and I got some more info.  I'll get it to you in person, though...it's
easier.]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <22:13:07/04-08-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[Alright, just be careful.  I don't want you getting killed over any
fragging religious maniac.]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <22:14:09/04-08-55>

*****Private: Jacamus
>>>>>[Not quite sure what you mean, Jacamus.  Are you employed by Mr.
Freddy Frypp, or _are_ you Mr. Freddy Frypp?  I seem to remember doing a
quick and easy run for your corporation once. 

Learn the merits of a good sniper, and your corporation will
prosper.]<<<<<
         --  Dark Angel <19:40:32/04-08-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[I am going to be at the party -- you'll know who I am, eh?  I tend
to be rather difficult to miss.]<<<<<
        --  Dark Angel <19:34:54/04-08-55>

>>>>>[Contact Longshot.  Or Gunbunny.  Both are searching for help.]<<<<<
                --Caine (16:38:25/04-08-55)

>>>>>[RENRAKU ANNOUNCES LEAD IN MCCLURE CASE

<Seattle> Renraku security spokesperson Captain David Eastburn announced
today that a lead was developed in the killing of Renraku financial vice
president McClure.  Renraku operatives are currently searching for a red
haired young female, 1.6 - 1.7 m, 16 - 20 years of age, 65 kg.  Leads can
be forwarded via anon mailing to <LTG>.]<<<<<
        -- Seattle News Service <17:39:26, 05/08/55>

>>>>>[Drake.  Again.  Drake is in Seattle.  Again.  Fraggin cops, and IP
too. Him and is fraggin special directorate.  I wonder what ex-runner on
death row he's got with him this time...  Looks like I'd better find a
deep hole lest he see my eyes....  Again.]<<<<<
        --  Slash(21:53:00/04-08-55)

***** Circuit Breaker, I have recently noticed that a message sent to and
ENTER by a man named Caine was replied to by a HERE.  The ENTER and HERE
seem to be the same person posting under different and strange names. 
More importantly though, I feel that there is something familiar about
person who is sending them, yet I can not place it yet.  Further more
there seems to have been a few of these strange names in the past that no
strike me as feeling odd.  Could you do a search of these messages and see
what you can come up with, I don't know why yet but I am getting a bad
impression from them.*****
        -- Nightfox <N'Ralin Filox>

>>>>>[ Sure thing 'Fox, Ah'll get on it pretty soon.  So... how are
classes going?]<<<<<
        -- Circuit Breaker <needs a new T/D>

***** Adequately, although the Magical Theory V - 417 class is getting to
be boring and tediously simple.  The only use I have gotten from it is the
time to pursue a small hobby in sketching, I hobby that I also pursue in
Magical Theory III and IV.  The only classes with anything new is the
Parabology 155 - "A study in the new Paranormal species of the 21'st
century". 

I will see you tonight, I have a Magical Theory III quiz in 5 minutes that
I have to take.*****
        -- Nightfox <N'Ralin Filox>

>>>>>[ Hey Dimitri, Ah though ya said he was starting ta loosen up?  Ah
think ya need ta take him out ta the dance scene more often, and make sure
he dances and doesn't just hold up the wall like he normally does.]<<<<<
        -- Circuit Breaker <needs a new T/D>

>>>>>[Huey, you wouldn't make it.  I don't see anyone who's going to let a
runner's corp come into existence...I believe that's even the kind of
thing I could be hired to disrupt.  Remember, there are no truly new
corporations, it just seems that way.]<<<<<
        --  Medusa <15:06:45/08-04-55>

***** Diana, I shall endevore to show up tonight, there are a few things
that I need to discuss with Roxey and Spirit and tonight seems to be the
most conveniant time.*****
        -- Nightfox <N'Ralan Filox>

*****PRIVATE TO:  Caine, Scorpian, Tracker, Hell-Beast
>>>>>[Let's see,... C-12...check,... extra clips... check,... weapons...
check,...and transportation... check.  We'll, I've got everthing but the
kitchen sink... Hmmm. <*errheae!**CRACK**> There we go, that's everything. 

We need to meet in a few days at >>LOCATION<< to discuss the plan of
attack.  I've put together some more info, but I'll discuss that when we
meet.  Til then.]<<<<<
                --  Longshot <16:51:04/04-08-55>

***** Household uplink engaged
>>>>>[ Howdy Doody DO...  I'm Talky. Talky the toaster, your fine fun
breakfast companion.  Could I interest you in some TOAST!!!!!]<<<<<
        -- Talkie <14:31:59/04-08-55>
        MagnaTech Toaster #17
        Owner: Criag W. Morgan

>>>>>[ Hum, no replies yet, everyone must be off doing work and not taking
lunch breaks.  Did YOU know that toast is wonderful thing to eat while
working on the job?!?!?  Nutritionists state that it is best to eat 6
meals a day, though these meals do not need to be equal.  Toast is a good
thing to eat as one of the inbetween meals because it has a high starch
energy content that will help you stay sharp and perky while you wait a
few more hours until you can have a grilled soy burger on a toasted wheat
roll for supper.  Not only do toast come in many varieties like wheat,
white, seven grain, pumpernickle and rye, but it can support a whole host
of different toppings like butter, marshmallow, peanutbutter, jams,
jellys, meats, cheeses and of course Mr Lister's favortie topping of Lager
and Vindaloo sauce. 

So, after hearing just some of the facts about how good toast can be for
you... Would you like some TOAST!!!!!]<<<<<
        -- Talkie <14:47:44/04-08-55>
        MagnaTech Toaster #17
        Owner: Criag W. Morgan

>>>>>Caine & Aristo; When did we become so (in)famous with humanis? We've
only tangled with them once, & we didn't leave any witnessess. Besides,
I'm sure there are a lot of teams with more metahumans than us. So what
gives?]<<<<<
        -- Iris<02:05:00/04-08-55>

>>>>>[Moris; that bounty will proably go up as more is learned about Sword
of God, and he pisses-off more people (that's assuming there's anyone left
on the net that doesn't already hate his guts).  But I'm open to
reasonable suggestions as to how high it should be.]<<<<<
        -- Irish,02:06:25/04-08-55>

***** Private: Vilya
>>>>>[Okay, now that the arm is working right (Basilisk's putting off work
on the interface, I'm still seeing things, but, hey, when you've been hit
in the head as many times as I have, you sorta get used to it) I'm going
to move out of my apartment.  And yes, I'll get rid of my weapons.  But,
can I just send them to Freddy and let him keep an eye on them until
things boil over??  My guns (and knives and darts and spears and bombs and
bear traps) are my babies, I can't part with them.  Plus, do you know what
used guns are going for these days. Even if I sell everything, I'll be
lucky to buy a new M22 with the money! 

Anyway, I promise to get really paranoid.  I'll rent the whole top floor
of the apartment building and pay six months in advance.  I'll put sensors
slottin' near everywhere.  And yes, I'll even try to get some decent
astral security.  Can you recommend someone to put up a nice astral
barrier?  Or is that something else you'll be more than willing to set up,
for a fee?  Sorry, if I just sounded a little gruff.  There are too many
emotions shooting through me right now. 

Thanks for putting up with me.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (15:55:55 / 04-08-55)

>>>>>[Morris; when I suggested only Y400, I was low on funds, and all I
knew about Sword of God is that he hated metahumans and had a big mouth. 
Things have changed since then, and the bouty is know Y2,000 as a starting
figure (subject to negotiation).  As for the gutterpunks, they might at
least provide a minor distraction for the real runners. And finaly, I'm
not leading antone to their deaths. No one has to take me up on my offer,
after all.]<<<<<
        -- Irish<02:00:30/04-08-5>

>>>>>[Aristo, you're sarcasam is as biting as ever.]<<<<<
        -- Irish<01:50:30/04-08-55>

>>>>>[ Gremlins, huh? I'd check his deck for damage after that last run,
Brick. Or I'd check him into a nice white hospital, with padded
walls.]<<<<<
        --  Warped Warlock <22:00:41/04-08-55>

>>>>>[Aristo, have you been smoking something?  Why would you want to
defend Ming? We want to kill him, and he's on our team!]<<<<<
        -- Irish<03:16:50/04/09/55>

>>>>>[Oh God!!  Not that fragging toaster again!!  HELP!!!]<<<<<
        -- Irish<03:23:24/04-08-55>

>>>>>[Ah, Caine, your post of 04-07-55 made absolutely no sense, chummer.
Would you send me a copy in english?]<<<<<
        -- Irish<03:31:00/04-09-55>

*****Private: Dark Angle
>>>>>[Yea, I'm interested in a run.  What do you have in mind?]<<<<<
        -- Irish<03:31:10/04-09-55>

*****PRIVATE TO: Talon
>>>>>[I just arrived in Seattle today by plane.  If you wish any mystical aid
from a liscensed operative of the church contact me at >LTG number<.  May God
bless your endeavors.]<<<<<
        --  Father Brian Grant <16:14:19/04-09-55>

*****System access restored
*****Message delayed in transit
*****Message received: (00:01:56/04-06-56)
PRIVATE TO: Jazz
>>>>>[ Jazz, do NOT go forward with this run for Orca. The targets are
friends of mine. If you can without endangering yourself unduly, WARN
THEM! I do not want to see one of my friends kidnapped or killed. ]<<<<<
        -- Jerricho (01:03:23/03-24-56)

>>>>>[Greetings. My team and I have just returned from an operation in the
Caribbean that took several months. We are now available for employment. I
have not been able to keep up to date with the goings on at this
Shadowland site, so I am unaware of the current opportunities. My team
consists of 5 individuals: D-Man, Bane, Zzyzzx, Myself, and Quark. Our
resume is attached with this file for possible scanning. 

***Download File: Resume20B***

I am awaiting responses. Over and out.]<<<<<
        --  Reaper(19:13:09/04-09-55)

>>>>>[ Katana, I have a few Katana Foci I can give you. Well, they're die
coated. I don't know if you can focus or what ever you magic types do with
these things. You can pick them up at >>>Location<<< tomorrow
morning.]<<<<<
        --  Optimal(**:**:**/**/**/**)

>>>>>[Katana, I can get you up to three foci in 96 hours.  If you have the
newyen for it. Contact me at ***LTG*** and we'll talk prices]<<<<<
        --Edge <02:37:00/04-10-55>

PRIVATE TO: PET
>>>>>[You got the job. Contact me at ***LTG*** for your briefing at
12:00:00 hrs today]<<<<<
        --GunBunny <02:40:00/04-10-55>

PRIVATE TO: Mortis
>>>>>[Mortis,I can use your talents. Contact me at ***LTG*** at 12:00:00
hrs tomorow]<<<<<
        --GunBunny<02:50:00/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Jagged, good to see you back! How's the arm? Better I hope. Yes we
do need to talk. Contact me at ***LTG*** at 12:00:00 hrs tomorrow]<<<<<
        --Flatliner <Atropine/50cc IVP>

PRIVATE TO: ...shadowfire...
>>>>>[ShadowFire, I've got the data that you are trying to secure.  Your
patron will have it at 12:00:00 today. If you need anythingelse let me
know at ***LTG***]
        --Flatliner <Atropine/50cc IVP>

>>>>>[Irish, if you still need a job contact me at ***LTG*** at 12:00:00
today]<<<<<
        --GunBunny <02:55:00/04-10-55>

-----NEWS RELEASE-----
>>>>>[In recent news seven major and at least 20 minor world corporations
with interests in geo-synch orbital and lunar manufacturing have signed a
multi-billion NewYen proposal for the formation and construction of a
MultiUse launch facility.  The facility, christened NorthStar One, will be
a floating platform the size of a large city and will initialy built in
the North Sea.  This facility will have Heavy-Launch elements capable of
handeling heavy lifting bodies of verticle and horizontil launch.  A mass
accelerator has also been proposed.  As it stands now the contrat would
provide over 750,000 jobs and bring in badly need income for the area.  If
the proposal goes through as planned NorthStar One could be opperational
in ubder six months.]<<<<<
	-- News Service

>>>>>[Glad I caught you before you left the hospital, Jacamus.  I wish
you had told me.  Anyway, i've checked the interface, and the problem is
in the chip.  There is a small crack in it.  From getting banged around
or poor quality i don't know.  Instead of just interupting the current,
it is acting as a capacitor, building up charge, and then discharging
when it can't hold any more.  This discharge gives the ghost images.
Smaller ones will just give a flacker or quick image, but with more dis-
charges, the crack gets bigger, can hold more charge, and has larger
effects when it discharges.  With the bigger discharges, you can get
full images that can last several seconds.  I will have to replace the
chip completely.  I have the parameters from the old chip, and i will
get the new one to you as soon a i can.]<<<<<
        -- Basilisk <13:02:55 GMT/10.Apr.55>

>>>>>[The person described in that newsfeed seems hauntingly familiar, Dark
Angel.  Is she still safe from the Red Samurai?]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <12:08:45/04-10-55>

>>>>>[ Hey chummers... guess what I found out, while diggin' around in Germany
secure nodes...

It seems that our dear old friend, Derrick Schnider, aka Nightmare, was
officially indicted by BIS for treason, misconduct, and a few other charges,
due to the way he handled the last operation that BIS ran.

Nightmare, apparently escaped out of a max-security jail, with help from the
outside and is at-large. MET2000 has standing orders to kill him and not ask
questions.

His replacement is one: Hienz Schmidt, a relation to the director Erik Schmidt.
Also seems that there is a high-probility that this name is the one and the
same as Hammer.

Your guess as is good as mine, on why and how this happened, but it looks like
Justice will as always be served. ]<<<<<
        -- Scourge <20:17:28/4-10-55>

***** Private: Dark Angel
>>>>>[I'm employed by Mr. Frypp, but I run the Seattle branch of
Frypp Security.  So far, I haven't turned a profit and I'm just a
tax right off.

Fred and I do think, and act, a lot alike because... well, its a long
story involving a lot of re-programming of my subconcious, personality
alteration, and a couple of other things that help me forget my past.
But, in person, we're easy to tell apart:  he's the elf in the trench
coat and I'm the knuckle dragging sam standing next to him.

I've only been with the corporation for about six months.  Part of
the reason I've got the Seattle branch office in such short time is
partly due to experience, and partly due to all of the psycho-stuff
that got dropped on me while I was floating upside down in a vat
while my cyber set.  Anyway, has Fred contacted you recently.
Usually he keeps a list of his past employees to use as a pool of
operatives.  Yer a sniper right?  I'd think he'd have more use for
you.  Amazingly, SanFran doesn't produce that many snipers.  More
sam-types 'cause there's just so much Nip equiptment laying around...

Sorry, I'm babbling.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (13:28:30 / 04-10-55)

>>>>>[ Sounds good.  Let me give you some background as to where my idea came
out.  There was some construction on a building in the early '20's by a rich
southern family... they were a highly political family.  Anyway, they got three
sublevels built below and were beginning to build the skyscraper when funds
became short... actually, there was some investigation as to where the family
got the funds and... well, you get the picture.  Anyway, I have a number of
connections in the CAS and I found out that all they did was fill in the top
part, leaving the basement section underground to rot.

Anyway, I *purchased* it for a hefty sum (as well as some pictures...) and
have currently set up base to work as a fixer.  Unfortunately, my
connections lie in the South, so I am still struggling.  The land above is
currently owned by DocWagon... but I could possibly buy it back.  I just
thought it might be possible to incorporate or something and use it as a
base of operations for those shadowrunners with the money to pay for the
security. It is perfect.  Almost totally sealed off.  You would have to
drill through the ground to get in unless you went through the two
entrances...  Well, I won't put the details unless I can encrypt them...
you understand.  Just a thought. Thanks for the reply... I am interested
in the idea, though... if I have enough supporters.]<<<<<
        --  HUEY <16:09:31 / 04/10/55>

>>>>>[ I have recieved both pessimism and agreement at the same time.  I
realize that other corporations would undoubtedly disagree with this and use
their money and influence to close up shop.  However, as one reply mentioned,
it is possible to protect our interests using our skills.  Also, I would like
to point out a VERY influencial and powerful corporation that goes against the
other corps, DocWagon.  They have saved my life once, in a bungled run (not my
fault, I assure you...).  If they let the other corps have their way, I
wouldn't be here now, I assure you.  Anyway, perhaps a contract with them or
some such thing.  I don't know.  However, if I get enough volunteers, I'm
gonna' try opening shop.  Thanks.]<<<<<
        --  HUEY <16:16:45 / 04-10-55>

*****Private: Irish
>>>>>[I've been offered 250kY to term -- er, extract with maximum damages -- a
Saeder-Krupp corporate executive.  I need some support.  Pay will be handled
with expenses first, and profits split evenly.]<<<<<
          -- Dark Angel <17:34:44/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Reaper, I've got a job offer for you if you want it.  Contact me at
***LTG*** and we'll talk.]<<<<<
        --EDGE <00:00:00:00:00:00::>

>>>>>[I thought you people might be interested in this thing, if you're
interested in what's going on with Solonus.  It's...not good.

***** Video: Chicago News Feed

<Chambana> Today, in a rare occurance, there was a gunfight in Chambana.
The house of one Harld Extemlar, a researcher for the Jerrick
corporation, was the site of a gun battle about 9:00 last night.  When
the police arrived at the scene, they were shot at by three unident-
ified gunmen, and two were killed, three wounded.  The gunmen escaped.
Found at the scene were the body of Mr Extemlar and two more
unidentified men.  There was evidence of magic use found at the site.

Mr Extemlar was fifty-four years old, and was determined to have died
from a gunshot wound to the head.  He leaves behind a wife and two
children, both of which have been missing for the last seveal years.

Both Mrs Extemlar and the Jerrick corporation had no comment.

***** End Video Feed

That was Solonus' Dad.  From what I've figured out, he was working on
some Paranimal when he was killed.

Of course, that's not the worst part.  I haven't heard from Solonus
since he left, the other day, to go find out what was going on.  I'm
worried.

If you hear anything, let me know.  I'm doing searches.  Thanks.]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <19:27:17/04-10-55>

*** Private: Quickling
>>>>>[Solonus and I don't tend to get along that well, but if you think I might
be of service...go down to the Midnight Star (an ex-runner friend of mine runs
that place -- real high-class) and tell the bartender with white hair that the
angel has fallen.  He'll say "But risen again," and tell you where you can get
in further contact with me.]<<<<<
         -- Dark Angel <20:01:58/04-10-55>

>>>>>[And now a live-breaking story from downtown Redmond.  Brought to you by
KFLUF, Seattle's source for news.

*****Video Feed:
Standing in the middle of a street is a tall Caucasian male.  He is holding a
large, blood red sword and is dressed in pure white clothing.  Surrounding him
are a half dozen members of the Humanis Policlub armed with automatic weapons.
Tied to several chairs in front of the male are four ork males.  The tall human
starts to speak.

"These pieces of filth sought to harm me!  They were acting under the orders of
the demon-spawn that inhabit this city!  All of the infidels shall share the
fate of this trash!"

With those words the tall human begins to carve up the four orks.  Blood flies
everywhere.  The orks start screaming and the human yells something out.

"Bring me the WHORE and her demonic flock!!"
*****End Video Feed.

The human male just shown is believed to be a Alamos 20,000 terrorist known as
Sword of God.  Sword of God is wanted for numerous acts of terrorism around the
world, most notably a bombing in the Indian Ork section of the London sprawl.
This has been Candice Rose for KFLUF, Seattl's source for news.]<<<<<
        --  KFLUF <18:07:18/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Someone is going to have to do something about this Sword person soon.
He's starting to get out of hand.  And Irish I think we just saw the results of
your bounty idea.]<<<<<
        --  Aristo <18:09:08/04-10-55>

*****Private: Gunbunny
>>>>>[I'm currently investigating another offer, but if that doesn't pan
out, or if the Johnson fails to get back to me within a reasonable time,
I'd be interested in acompining you on your run.  A friend of mine, Caine,
suggested looking you up if I needed work, & he usualy seems to have good
judgment.  In case your interested, my speacilties -- in descendind order
-- are  1)full assult,  2)sneak assult,  3)being nastily vindictive,
4)extractions (usualy unfriendly)]<<<<<
        -- Irish<06:20:25/04-09-55>

>>>>>[ Hell, the customs and Excise Department of Lone Star is _not_ something
I want to have to experience again! My car arrived today from the UK. By the
time I got to the station, they'd  begun to take it apart! "Searching for BTL
chips", was their excuse... Had to flash some serious cash before they agreed
to not cut it totally apart... For Chrissake, a custom Lotus Elan 5000! Cut in
half! Oh well, I've got the damn' thing now... Means I can send back the piece
of drek I've had on hire for the past week or so - fragging Eurocar Westwinds...
Give me a Lotus with a Carlton engine under the bonnet, and an IWS personal
armour system anyday, and it'll out-perform anyything you can put up against
it. Does anyone know of a good mechanic who can outfit a vehicle with discreet
hardware? The plods over in England don't take too kindly to cars sporting
weaponry, but I think, seeing as I'm here now, I may as well get it
outfitted... ]<<<<<
        --DeDannan (01:15:07GMT/11-04-55)

>>>>>[Gunfight a rare occurance in Champaign?  At least when I was at the U of
I, the smart ones didn't go anywhere near the northern subdivisions without
packing some heat, man.]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <20:37:45/04-10-55>

>>>>>[I had an interesting weekend at the University of Illinois once.  Hey, do
they still have Hash Wednesday there?]<<<<<
         -- Dark Angel <20:46:27/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Oh, yeah, and what about that old collapsing Gothic building over next to
that 60-year-old engineering library?  Did they ever get around to tearing it
down?  That building was held together by 9-volt electromagnets, I swear...
You go to the U of I, Necromancer?  My ... *extended pause* *signoff*]<<<<<
         -- Dark Angel <20:48:00/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Sorry, I'll tell you about it sometime.]<<<<<
         -- Dark Angel <20:48:31/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Hey, my black Westwind does just fine, thank you.  'specially with a few
extra modifications <like turbocharged engine and nitrous oxide tanks>.]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <20:44:30/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Necromancer, I hope you save that NOX for special occassions -
no Westwind deserves abuse.  They're not as tempermental as Saabs,
but they don't take well to strange additives.  Oh, and everyone,
it's Mortis.  With a "t" in the middle there.]<<<<<
        --  Mortis <19:10:31/10-04-55>

*****Private: Dark Angel
>>>>>[I did notice the problems you and Solonus were having.  I never figured
out exactly WHY, but...

Anyway, thanks for the help.  I might just use that.  Frag!  I wish Solonus
were around again...and I still don't know what happened to his mother or
sister.  Both worked for the same corp as their father...not the same position
but they worked there.]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <21:18:14/04-10-55>

*** Private: Quickling
>>>>>[We just didn't get along well.  Would you like me to start looking around
for him?]<<<<<
         --  Dark Angel <21:22:09/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Last time I used the stuff was when I had to outdistance a pair of Lone
Star guys.  And I think my Westwind is getting used to strange additives.
'specially after I replaced the engine with a spiffy one using foamed
aluminum.  Of course, it cost me an arm and leg <not mine, I assure you>, but
it drives like greased lightning now....]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <21:19:08/04-10-55>

*****Private: Dark Angel
>>>>>[Actually, that would probably be good.  There's no way that he's going
to be in Seattle, though, there haven't been any planes there taking elves
from ANYWHERE that match the description...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <21:22:58/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Necromancer, they're rare occurances...in the news.

Wait a second.  You're from my home state?

That's bad news...and I'm sure that Solonus, if he shows up, won't like to
hear it either.]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <21:27:17/04-10-55>

*** Private: Quickling
>>>>>[I'll get on it as soon as I can -- I need to go relax...]<<<<<
         --  Dark Angel <21:29:37/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Why bad news?]<<<<
         -- Dark Angel <21:37:39/04-10-55>

>>>>>[ So, that's who planted that bomb in the Westway ork area... I'll
tell you this much - if that piece of scum showed his face in the Squeeze,
he'd be ripped apart within two minutes. That fragging bomb was planted
outside an ork school... He set it off just as the kids were comin' out at
three o' clock. If anyone's going after that bastard, count me in. I got a
message for him from an ork friend of mine who's whole family was killed
in that bomb. Next time he posts here, I'm sticking a trace on him. ]<<<<<
        --DeDannan (03:19:10GMT/11-04-55)

>>>>>[No, I'm originally from LA and Seattle.  I just went to the U of I for
school, to get my degree in CS, but that doesn't mean a whole lot anymore.
Hmmmm....Maybe I should go back for a PhD?]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <22:21:34/04-10-55>

>>>>>[Someone mentioned a trace for Sword of God.  Well, consider this a
public service (it isn't, I'm bored).  I've deposited a filter/scanner. 
Remember, I'm available for a job at the moment (quite).]<<<<<
        --  Medusa <20:29:29/10-04-55>

>>>>>[...]<<<<<
        --  Lurker <20:30:02/10-04-55>

>>>>>[Our thanks and LoneStar's, Flatliner, for your offer of assistance.
And the arm's okay, it's just in a sling because my right collarbone was
smashed by the steering column (damn company cars; No Passenger Protection
Sys.) But it hasn't stopped me from decking, and I've still got one good
hand. By the way, do you have any idea how hard it is to, say, put on your
deodorant, or type coherently (this message is brought to you by beloved
direct neural interface) when your arm is tied to your side? It's *LINK
TERMINATED* ]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>

>>>>>[We'll be there. Shaddap already.]<<<<<
        -- ...shadowfire... <Erebus/Angel>

Private to: Mortis
>>>>>[ Hey, Mortis, thanx for taking me in. Been nice to have somewhere to
sleep while getting going. Now I'm set up, and even found some work. (You
know, I can even make coffee and answer the door at occasions :-) ]<<<<<
        --  Pet <10.14.45/55-04-11>

>>>>>[EDGE, your post has been acknowledged. I will see you at the
rendezvous site. Over and out.]<<<<<
        --  Reaper(11:41:52/04-11-55)

*****Encrypt Bonejacker MPCP*****
>>>>>[Bonejacker, acknowledge.]<<<<<
        --  Reaper(11:44:15/04-11-55)

*****Encrypt DEATH SHROUD v.5.0 Target MPCP: Reaper*****
>>>>>[Don't worry, I'm here. I hear you got a job offer. Any room for
myself?]<<<<<

*****Encrypt Bonejacker MPCP*****
>>>>>[Affirmative. I want you to run a standard pre-op background
check on a runner known as EDGE. Quark has become increasingly
unstable since the previous operation. He is being placed on standby
for this one. I f you are available, I want you to cover the Matrix
aspect.]<<<<<
        --  Reaper(11:47:29/04-11-55)

*****Encrypt DEATH SHROUD v.5.0 Target MPCP: Reaper*****
>>>>>[Understood. Quark wasn't that good at anything other than
straight forward infiltration matrix cover. Never really figured out
why you kept him around. Anyway, I'll do you're little paranoid
investigating. Talk to ya later.]<<<<<
        --  Bonejacker(11:49:15/04-11-55)

*****Encrypt Bonejacker MPCP*****
>>>>>[Over and out]<<<<<
        --  Reaper(11:49:56/04-11-55)

>>>>>[RoboBabe AutoSecretary v2.0 
      LOG ENTRY 23:24:34/04-01-55 to 02:51:45/04-02-55.

Scene:  A rather sparsely furnished hotel room in Bellevue. Basilisk is
sitting at the desk typing some last minute updates into his attack codes. 
Jimi Smooth is reclining on the bed, resplendent in a skintight glossy
black leather outfit that would shame Elvis while he unpacks his deck. 
Whereas Basilisk has a deck that is obviously designed on the principle of
functionality, Jimi has a sculpted plastic monstrosity that quite
obviously was designed with the form before function mentality.  Both men
perform prerun warmups and system checks with little or no conversation,
as neither seems to particularly like the other.  Soon they are both
ready. 

BASILISK:  As we spoke of Mr. Smooth I will be leading, you will be
following, verstehe... understand? I have many things to be keeping eyes
out for so you must perform all system and support functions. No "hot
dogging" or grandstanding.  As we talked of earlier, this hot house client
list that I have stolen has many powerful people on it, and they have
nuyen to make IC which will kill you much before it will hurt me.  If we
hit Black IC, you are out, understood?  My system includes an external med
scanner and robotic device to unjack if my vital signs go red, but I want
meat back up just to be making sure.  And I do not want to need your body
to be removed, it is very messy to explain to Lone Star. 

JIMI SMOOTH (Yawning):  No problem Hon, I don't think you need to worry
about me much, this deck was made for me by the Kaypro Kid, and they just
don't get any better than him. Besides you gave me at least a third of the
progs I'll be using anyway. Could I be any safer than with some of your
sweet code close to my bosom?  I think not.  Oh yeah just as a foot note,
I run on a filter, so just be prepared. 

BASILISK:  Wunderbar! You will be in another world so I have to deal with
you from the "real" matrix.  Are you never tired of games and fantasies
Mr. Smooth? 

JIMI:  Not on your life hot pants!  I'm having a fantasy right now about
me, three bifs and a thirty foot anaconda covered in whipped cream, yum,
yum...... 

BASILISK:  PLEASE shut up! Enough prattle, let's go.  Both men jack in,
Jimi on the floor by the bed and Basilisk at the desk. 

LOG SOURCE ALTERATION:  SMOOTH MPCP

Scene:  the endless blacker than black world of the Matrix, dotted here
and there with the glittering stars of corp constructs and flashing data
lines.  Basilisk's icon resolves first, a burnished metallic icon of a
mythological cockatrice with irridescent crest feathers, and great
bat-like wings. The icon's eyes glow a piercing yellow, promising mayhem
to all comers, the razor sharp resolution of golden beak and claw
guarantee more of the same.  The icon is a magnificent piece of
workmanship, not only in the code but for aesthetics as well. Suddenly a
pink lightning bolt blasts into being at the entry site, then fades to
reveal Jimi's icon.  It is a huge, massively over-muscled cartoon-like
effigy of Smooth.  The upper body is easily ten times the mass of the legs
and is topped by a head that is ridiculously small, with most of that
being heroic cleft chin.  The icon is clothed in pink tights and a short
pink cape, a fake tuxedo neck wrap, and a BIG shiny smile.  The icon
immediately begins to bound about the matrix entry site, very heroically. 

BASILISK:  *Ughck*

SUPER JIMI:  I'm here my dear,
     I'm here to kick some rear!
     I'll crush a wyrm and brazenly charge,
     With buttocks firm, and biceps large,
     Any foe so unwise to criticize
     My fashion merchandise.
     And now a manly laugh, for more than a man, Ahahaha....

BASILISK:  SQWUARRRCK!!!!!  Be silent!  For certain that data transmission
on this line is shedding virus just because of passing your icon!  What
have you done to my cloak program? I made certain to tell you "No
alterations", didn't I? Unglaublich! 

SUPER JIMI:  Don't worry good citizen, your cloak shall come to no harm, I
have merely altered it to fit my manly proportions. Shall I pose
Majestically? 

BASILISK:  No.  Come , we need to begin data searching. Load your sensor
programs, and let's get moving. 

SUPER JIMI:  Sensors, why use sensors when I have my Atomic Vision? 
Watch, I'll show you! 

The Super Jimi icon slows briefly then huge cones of laser red light blaze
out of his eyes like headlights.  The entire area is bathed in a crimson
glow. 

SUPER JIMI:  Ahah! With my Atomic vision I can see everything!  Never fear
good citizen, we shall discover any miscreants long before they see us
coming! And now to call forth my trusty companion Sycophant Man. 

Again the Super Jimi icon slows, then a sickly looking smartframe in the
form of a skinny man with spectacles attired in a chartreuse leotard
appears, he is waving a small pennant with "SJ" written on it. 

SYCOPHANT MAN:  Yay Super Jimi, you're my hero. 

BASILISK:  Mr. Smooth, have you ever given thought that you will crash
nodes with excess loading?  This frame is most unneeded and pathetic. 

SUPER JIMI:  Not to worry, I'm on the instant diet plan to trim up my
waist and reduce load, and Syco here is a real wiz at scanning those
files, aren't you Syco (Hearty thwack to Sycophant Man's back which
instantly collapses him)? 

SYCOPHANT MAN:  Yes Super Jimi.  You are incredibly huge and strong, I
wish I could be so wonderful. 

SUPER JIMI:  Thank You (He poses, very majestically ). 

BASILISK:  I will never do this again. 

The three icons move off into the matrix and begin a lengthy search of
names on the client list. The search reveals little or no information of
value for the next two hours, until the file of Neal Parsons, Chairman and
senior partner of the Cromwell and Bates law firm. 

BASILISK:  (Twin Emerald beams lance out from his eyes scanning the UMS
standard SAN of Cromwell and Bates). There is high grade security on this
node, it will perhaps be worthwhile to scan this files here even if we do
not find any specific to Parsons.  I scan a standard Access linked to
Blaster, both are sophisticated programs.  The node here is rather high
rating Orange.  They must not receive and send much, or they suffer
extensive time delay from too many security checks. 

SUPER JIMI:  Of course, you are right good citizen, they must be hiding
something nefarious behind those mighty gates of steel they have left
here.  I think I will smash them down and put an end to their wrong doing
(a quick subroutine runs on Jimi's deck, and a camera icon pops up, along
with a flashing "Photo Op" sign.  Jimi flashes a blinding smile for the
camera),

Dun-dun-daaaaa.... 

SYCOPHANT MAN:  Go Super Jimi.  You are so brave and fast. Save us from
the horrible bad guys (Waves banner feebly). 

BASILISK:  (moving much quicker than Super Jimi and intercepting him
before contact with the IC.) Stop!  Remember what I said, no
grandstanding!  I knew you would be a normal Dumkopf Samurai who thinks
matrix means you can't get hurt. This is not so.  Your brain can get fried
faster here than you will die from bullet in the meat world.  In meat
world you make plans and give assignments, here I am in charge, or we jack
out now.  Understood? 

SUPER JIMI:  Of course citizen you are absolutely correct.  It would be
unlawful to cross this street without obeying the traffic signs, I shall
await your signal to cross (Turning to Camera icon:  "Remember Kids, obey
all laws, even the ones you don't like.  That's the only way to be like
me, Super Jimi!". The camera is momentarily dazzled by a flash of teeth
and a brilliant posing sequence that shows not only Super Jimi's physique,
but his consummate grasp of state of the art sensitive-fifties-guy poses.)

BASILISK:  You use stupid amounts of processing power for useless things
Mr. Smooth.  You will never be successful here if you continue ridiculous
things like this.  Now, delete that evaluate/browse frame so we don't
black hole the node, unless it has some use. 

SUPER JIMI:  Why I can't do that!  Sycophant Man is my loyal sidekick. 
Besides he has a secret weapon! 

SYCOPHANT MAN:  Super Jimi you are smarter than a rocket scientist. You
know really big words that sound neat.  You are so cool (wave, wave). 

BASILISK:  Fine.  We don't need to crash any IC more than needed because
our deck power will be used to suppress alarms, so we will sleaze this. 
Can you do this, and still bring your frame? 

SUPER JIMI:  Of course.  I can sing a song for the pretty young lady. 
Guitar please. 

An acoustic guitar icon appears in Jimi's hands.  The camera whirs, the
photo op sign flashes, and Jimi begins a sensitive but manly love ballad
for the Access IC.  Meanwhile Basilisk flys to the IC and craftilly drops
a pile of sparkling high rez gold coins that flash brightly in front of
the alphanumeric wall. For a brief moment the alphanumeric walls seems to
slow, pondering the brightly flashing coins, and Basilisk slips through
untouched.  Jimi finishes his landmark song of undying love and boldly
strides through the wall which has taken on a flickering appearance,
perhaps moved by the music.  Syco follows.  Inside the UMS standard SAN: 

BASILISK:  (Shifting through several different colors of eye beams that
represent sensor programs) Now we move careful. Send your frame to locate
any Parsons files.  I am shifting into cloak mode (the brilliantly colored
basilisk icon becomes perfect matte black that is almost impossible to
see).  We go. Syco moves off down an available dataline idly waving his
banner, and mumbling, while Jimi and Basilisk move off down another.  It
is soon obvious that the law firm has a rather extensive system, mostly
composed of previous and ongoing client files.  There is little or no IC
that is not easily sleazed by the golden coins or a lovely ballad. 
Eventually it becomes obvious that one data line is the location of the
CPU and any sensitive data, as it is the only path left unexplored.  The
decker and samurai are rejoined by Syco at the remaining line juncture. 

SYCOPHANT MAN:  (When he sees Jimi) Super Jimi, you light up my life, you
give me hope to carry on.  You light up my days. 

SUPER JIMI:  Thank you. 

BASILISK:  This is where it will be getting difficult, so be ready for
anything.  I assume you are running full bod mode, if not you should, your
masking and evasion are not good. 

SUPER JIMI:  Could this incredible bod be anything but full? But you are
right good citizen, I shall prepare for any possibility.  (Turning to the
ever-present camera) "Remember all you mini-Jimies out there, be safe,
wear a condom!" (At this point a huge matrix body condom appears and Super
Jimi makes a rather spectacular show of climbing/struggling/fighting
inside.  A muted flash from his brilliant teeth is seen, along with a
muffled comment to the camera.)

BASILISK:  Please tell me you did not make so bad a thing of my shield
program.  No never mind, say nothing.  I will never want knowing. 
Proceed. 

The icons whisk down the dataline to where it terminates at a node that
reveals itself as very red, very deadly to Basilisk's emerald eye beams. 
An IC construct resembling a court recorder sits behind a desk of Access
IC. 

RECORDER:  Please state your name for the court. 

BASILISK:  Can I interest you in these? (A cascade of gold coins lands on
the desk). 

RECORDER:  One moment please I must check with his Honor. 

She stands up and begins to move to the node entry. She has moved only a
short distance before two blazing yellow beams lance out from Basilisk's
eyes and strike her. Immediately the construct surface begins to turn to
marbled stone with the effect spreading out from the contact point until
the entire construct, trace/report and access, is stone. 

BASILISK:  Gott in Himmel, that IC did not even respond in a little bit to
my sleaze!  This is most interesting, and means good chance for us to find
vital data through this node, "Protect not what you haven't got" they say. 
Mr. Smooth please suppress this Construct, I must remain free to operate
unhindered. 

SUPER JIMI:  (Muffled inside the condom/shield program). No problem
citizen (as he places a large pink Band-Aid over the IC construct's
mouth).  That should do it!  Here, let me hold that door for you! 

The three icons step through into the node, which has been heavily
sculpted to resemble a massive court room.  Where a rail would normally be
to section off the public area is a juncture that appears to be another
node which, curiously, is visible from the "public node".  The public
region is full of milling citizens who are in the process of wildly
castigating the participants in the trial taking place in the next node. 
When the decker icons enter, all of the public icons turn and begin to
harass them.  The attack soon becomes savage and begins to tear holes in
Jimi's condom.  Basilisk remains relatively safe behind furiously beating
wings which have mysteriously grown a scale coating.  However, scales are
flying off at an alarming rate. 

BASILISK:  Mr. Smooth, deal with this, I believe our target is ahead and I
will be needing time to make ready. 

SUPER JIMI:  This calls for the Secret Weapon!  Sycophant Man, ready your
UltraMan Strap-on Cattle Prod!  I will as well then we shall have at these
evil-doers. 

SYCOPHANT MAN:  (wave, wave). 

Both Jimi and Syco stop and pull forth truly huge gleaming golden cattle
prods with attached strap-on jocks and strap them on.  Both icons then hop
into the midst of the public with hips thrust forward, wildly beating the
rabid court room attendees with the prods.  The attack program is
obviously quite effective as the public are rapidly subdued, but not
without cost.  Sycophant man lies on the floor, de-rezzing while waving
his banner.  Super Jimi is heavily damaged, and not moving very well. 
Data bits stream off of the icon's broad shoulders. Meanwhile, Basilisk
continues extensive scanning of the adjacent node. 

SUPER JIMI:  MAKEUP! (immediately a shapely female icon appears and begins
to apply powder to damaged areas.  She then disappears)

BASILISK:  (Looking at the far side of the courtroom with judge, jury, and
DA.) Faszinierend.  This is actually a virtual representation of what I am
thinking is in the next node.  When we go to the gate there, we will
actually be on a data line into another node which will be like what we
see here, I think. Please suppress this IC Mr. Smooth, the worst is yet to
come and I will need much freedom to move. 

SUPER JIMI:  Fear not loyal Syco, you will be avenged! (Turning to the
blacked out Basilisk icon) Hold on there citizen, let me help you with
those bags! 

Both icons move to the gate where Basilisk again begins to scan the
adjacent node with emerald eye beams. 

BASILISK:  We are moving into very much drek here Mr. Smooth.  The node is
Red, high rating CPU.  There is a lot of processing power in there.  I
pick up two IC, one Blaster of high rating, another I can't get a fix to
what it is.  We will be going blind in a way, so engage the first thing
you see, it will not be asking for password, it will be attacking. 

Basilisk takes flight and moves into the next node, Jimi briefly checks
his prod, then hops after.  On the other side, which does match the
virtual image seen in the previous node, Basilisk has already assaulted
the Judge Blaster IC. The judge is rapidly turning to stone, and has
succeeded only in removing more scale from Basilisk's wings with his
gavel.  Jimi moves to the DA, but recognizes too late that it is simply
part of the node's virtual imaging.  The jury behind Jimi has stood in the
meantime and pulled huge axes from under their seats.  They are almost
upon him before Jimi turns, cattle prod at ready. 

SUPER JIMI:  THRUST! DODGE! PARRY! SPIN! 

Jimi hops into the jurors and beats upon them with some small effect.  The
smiling jurors finally back him into a corner and begin to hack wildly
into the Super Jimi icon. 

SUPER JIMI:  Guhgh.  Holy shit, Bas, help, this is ...... 

The Super Jimi icon vanishes, leaving only scraps of torn condom behind. 
In the meat world, Jimi's body stops convulsing as the power surges are
cut off when Jimi reflexively pulled the jack.  He sits drooling and
slumps over on his side.  In the matrix, Basilisk has turned the judge to
stone and suppressed a call for a bailiff to restore order, and turns to
the jurors.  However when Super Jimi disappears, all of the IC that had
been suppressed sets off an internal alert. The courtroom immediately
turns red, and the jurors swell in size to gigantic proportions. 

BASILISK:  Gott verdammt Smooth, can you do anything right? 

Basilisk then takes flight.  Simultaneously his wings become re-coated
with new scales.  Twin yellow beams strike out at the madly pursuing
jurors who are still smiling blandly, even as they wield their axes with
maniacal fervor. It soon becomes apparent that the eye beam attack is not
doing any damage, and the jurors have caught Basilisk several times,
removing a good portion of his wing scales.  Out of desperation Basilisk
resorts to another attack program that he normally uses against other
deckers.  His beak and claws begin to drip ichor as Basilisk wheels and
plunges into the midst of the jurors, furiously striking about him, his
anti-persona program pumping code into the Black IC.  The jurors begin to
show signs that the program is working, some of them are now immobile,
others no longer have image integrity and float about dismembered before
de-rezzing.  In the meat world, the price of the brazen attack is visible
as Basilisk's diminutive body begins twitching, and blood starts to drip
from his nose.  In the matrix the combat continues.  With a particularly
deft maneuver, Basilisk hacks out a one shot mirror that creates a
kaleidoscope like image of multiple Basilisk icons. The black IC wades
into the multiple image but does not land any blows on the true icon, and
Basilisk is able to land a full force strike on the IC which de- rezzes
with alarming speed as large blocks of viral code are dumped into its
programming.  Basilisk hovers for a moment as a large program is called up
from memory.  A radiant potion appears in front of the icon, to be quickly
consumed. The Metallic beast is immediately restored to near perfect
condition as his wounds glow and begin to seal over.  In the meat world
Basilisk stops twitching, and the now conscious Jimi backs off from the
data jack connection. 

BASILISK:  Mein Gott, now we know where legal fees go to! Black IC at a
law firm.  Very unreasonable. 

The basilisk icon moves off to the judge's bench where a doorway to the
judge's chambers can be seen.  After passing through, Basilisk sees a
chamber full of legal texts, obviously a data store. He quickly begins
searching the datastore with purple eye beams for traces of Parsons,
knowing that an alert has been triggered and he will likely be dumped or
attacked soon. After a brief scan it is revealed that Parsons has a
sizable cache of personal files in one batch folder.  Basilisk downloads
the file with associated scramble IC, and still undetected, breathes out a
whisp of smoke that begins evaluating files for street value.  Basilisk
has time to download only one finance file before he is dumped from the
system. 

Scene:  Jimi and Basilisk are driving away from the hotel in Jimi's
Dynamit. 

JIMI:  I hope that was worth it.  I hurt.  Alot.  And I'm not supposed to
feel pain unless I get real hurt.  I gotta see a buddy of mine who runs a
chop shop, you need any rehab? 

BASILISK:  Nein.  My program skill is much better than yours, and I have
better buffers incorporated in my deck, so my injuries are very small.  I
want to rapidly scan these files before they lose value.  Drop me at my
apartment, you can contact me there. 

JIMI:  (Under his breath) Yeah well my Kung Fu's betta, asshole. END LOG.
RoboBabe AutoSecretary v 2.0.]<<<<<
         -- Jimi Smooth <02:51:45/04-02-55>

*****PRIVATE:  Moriarity
>>>>>[Sir, one of our Operatives has been killed in what appears to be a car
accident.  There has been no indication of foul play, and she has been
replaced, but as per regulations, I am informing you.]<<<<<
        --  Denver(14:22:53/04-11-55)

*****PRIVATE:  Denver
>>>>>[Good.  Begin an investigation.  Someone in the city should know
something about this.  This is hitting a little too close to home to be
just ignored.]<<<
        --  Moriarity(14:13:55/04-11-55)

>>>>>[I'm settled in to the new apartment, paid up six months in advance
and now I'm tryingto make the place comfortable.  I'd have a housewarming
party, but nobody'd make it.  The traps are too thic-

<terminal: rest>
      ...
      ...
      ...
<terminal: active - rest duration: 1:37:34.00>

If loose lips sink ships, then what happens to all the seamen?
Why does sour cream have an expiration date?
Why am I turning into a penguin?
Oh, drek, my arms seem to have fallen off....

<35 Mp deleted by Sysop>]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (09:27:34 / 04-11-55)

>>>>>[Sorry about that last.  Stuff like that has been happening all week. 
I guess whenever that fraggin' chip discharges, its starting to foul up
other stuff besides my senses.  I'm reminded of an old song: 

"There's someone in my head, but he's not me."

These "ghost images" are really getting on my nerves <stupid grin>. Last
night, I discussed a new version of Hamlet with an infinite number of
monkeys. 

Anyway, I'm dug in here pretty deep.  Got the hallway covered with booby
traps (finally get to use the bear traps!) nets and one of those wiz new
sentry guns with an FN HAR strapped on.  I had to get an advance on the
rest of the year's salary to buy it all... In here, I've got cases of ammo
and food stacked everywhere. Shotguns, grenade launchers, pistols, SMGs,
assault rifles and industrial sized cans of bug spray everywhere.  Oh No! 
I forgot a ward!  Oh drek!  They can still get me!!  They're in my
mind!!!!!! 

AAAAAaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<link terminated at source>]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (12:32:34 / 04-11-55)

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[Quickling.  I need some help.  VERY soon.  Dad's dead, my mother and
sister are missing...and I'm in a bind myself.  I don't know what's going on
anymore.]<<<<<
         --  Solonus <12:59:29/04-11-55>

*****Private: Solonus
>>>>>[Solonus!  Where are you?  What's going on?  What happened?]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <13:00:01/04-11-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[I'm back in Seattle.  I'm NOT in my apartment.  I'm also running off of
the worst excuse for a terminal I've ever seen.  Frag!

I went to visit my father the other day, in Chambana.  He was a wreck.  A
MAJOR wreck.  He had killed some corp guy...Yamatetsu, I think.  They
found him again through me.  I got away, and took out a few of the
hitmen...frag!  They got him.  They got him!  Frag!  Dad...I got away.  I
tried to stop them first, but I got away.  I tried to find my mother and
sister, I couldn't.  I made it back to Seattle with some magic to disguise
my appearance...frag!  They killed him. They killed him!  I need to find
my sister and mother...]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <13:03:15/04-11-55>

*****Private: Solonus
>>>>>[I know, Solonus.  You did what you could.  Your father was a good
man. The surviving hitmen haven't been captured.  And I don't know where
your sister and mother are.  I'm just happy to have YOU alive. 

What do you need?  I'm still trying to figure out why they did
it...Solonus, you're OK.  You'll be alright.  I don't know what happened
exactly, but...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <13:05:17/04-11-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[They killed him for his research.  He'd been working on some
metacreature. I don't know what type.  He found something nasty with it. 
Something about a way to adapt the poison to some weapon...something
nasty, I didn't get a chance to find out exactly what.  He apparently had
deleted all information, except for about two copies.  One was kept in the
corp...that's why Yamatetsu wanted to take it over.  They wanted the
weapon.  I don't know why they didn't just in the first place...Dad said
something about some major Scramble IC.  I don't know.  Apparently the
only other copy was hidden, besides the one that Dad knew himself...they
might have already gotten the information. I don't know.  They might not
be sure if they have the RIGHT information.  And somehow my sister and
mother fit in.  I don't understand...I don't understand... 

You've got to do something about this.  The only way that this is going to
work is if we destroy the information, so it won't MATTER if they find my
sister or mother.  And I've got to get them out of there.  I have
money...but I'm not going to easily get back to Chicago for a while. 

Please, help me out.  I need the help really bad.  And I need to avenge
Dad, somehow.  I don't know what I can do, but I have a few spells that
might find the people that did this to him...]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <13:12:44/04-11-55>

*****Private: Solonus
>>>>>[I'll do what I can, Solonus.  I have your terminal here, I'm glad
that it's portable.  I'll try to get it to you.  I can try to figure some
stuff out, and I can try to get rid of the information.  And I can try to
get some runners to save your sister and mother, if I can find them. 

I'm glad you're alive, but I'm sorry to hear about your Dad.  And I don't
particularly like the information about the paranimal weapon...I'll do
some research. 

How much money do you have?  I have limited accounts...I can only afford
so much.  I'll help out, but to get the talent you're going to
need...]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <13:15:22/04-11-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[Thanks, Quickling.  I owe you a LOT.

I'm going to try to get transportation back to Chicago.  It's not going to be
easy.  I'll try to make it back.  No guarantees.  Thanks.]<<<<<
        --  Solonus <13:16:40/04-11-55>

>>>>>[Hello.  I am in need of...transportation for myself and some
equipment from Seattle to Chicago.  I can pay quite well.  Mail me here
with offers.]<<<<<
        --  Jack <13:17:00/04-11-55>

>>>>>[Chummers, I need some runners in Chicago.  I have about three runs
that I need done...and I have money.  Mail me here, we'll discuss terms. 
I'll prob- ably need one system penetration, two physical extractions, and
one wetwork. I'm sorry, I can't exactly provide much transportation.]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <13:17:24/04-11-55>

*****PRIVATE: Jagged
>>>>>[Jagged, I have a list of gangs that have been involved in the
distribution of faulty ammunition.  *****Include File: 56Mp***** The list
includes only those I could confirm as being involved, with a short
account of their involvement attached to each gang name.  I am still
working on the persons responsible for the attack on LS Central. You will
receive a bill when my research is complete.]<<<<<
        -- Jeweler <11:47:30/04-11-55>

>>>>>[Great just what I need, a piece of junk chip that just happens to be
frying my brain and it can't be replaced.  When I was a kid I experimented
in recreational pharmaceuticals, but the trips I got from those are
nothing compared to what this damn chip is doing. I've lost something like
four hours today, alone.  Something goes Pop! and then I wake up an hour
later with a hangover and crazy visions.  Hell, when I woke up the last
time, I could see and hear Governor Schultz straddling me trying to tie me
to the bed. 

Yeeeesssshhhh!  I don't think I'll ever look at women the
same....naaaaahhhh.  But I know I'll never be able to watch a news feed of
her with a straight face. 

Hey, Vilya, if you got my last posting you know I need a ward over here...
what's it gonna cost me this time?]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (12:55:00 / 04-11-55)

>>>>>[ Hey , Couch , I saw the goons that snatched TK leave in a Nightsky
, remember?? I tracked them to the border , reported to you that the
plates were TT , and lost a drone 30 klicks out of Portland . I believe
your commnet was " TT? How much more complex can this get???". Sorry about
Frosty's untimely retirement. My screener frame has shown me some
interesting mail , and I've pieced the Hirisoto story toghether fairly
well.  But I seem to remember an Euro , possibly French involved. Any
leads on that ?? 

P.S I've inherited an Ares Dragon , ruthenium coated , and stealth
capable. Anyone thinking about long range troop insertions , just drop a
line.]<<<<<
        -- PAIN <12:00:00 / 11-04-55>

<<<<<  Gawk , i don't believe we've met. I KNOW Frosty wasn't in
Portland,but I was in the neighborhood when TK sent his mayday , and
signed up under Couch & (the Late) Frosty. I tracked the fraggers with the
red bracelets that exited the building some 6 minutes after the call. I
was in the Dynamit at the corner , and followed them till they slammed an
AVM launched from the limo into me . I heard something about an euro spook
involved , and it seems that Hirisoto mentioned him before his ...rapid
descent from the corporate ladder. Also a mr. Bloodfist(?) came up on the
screen... Please , chummer , give me a few MGp's of info to relate and
correlate...>>>>>
         --PAIN <12:30:00 - 11-04-55 >

>>>>>[ I wonder what it'll look like when I's blow it to kingdom come???
Greenwar formally opposes this outrage.This blemish will not be built. All
corporations and governments associated to this project shall consider
themselves targets for our retaliation , unless they retract
inmediately.]<<<<<
       -- INVALID CODE **VIRAL ELEMENT DETECTED**
****PURGE INITIATED****
****PURGE COMPLETED : 15% DATA CORRUPTED****

>>>>>[ TERRAFIRST! STANDS AGANIST THIS CRIMINAL ENDEAVOR.DESIST!]<<<<<
        -- INVALID CODE

>>>>>[ DATAFAX24H\\ The elven government of Tir Nan og has shown official
disagreemnt with the NS1 project.In a statement by Lord Caernweld,
spokesman , the North Sea is already polluted almost beyond saving,and the
construction of the launch facility , with it's 'clean' fusion plant , is
a risk to his country. He formally declared his government in oppossition
to the project. ]<<<<<
        --DATAFAX24HWORLDNET < 14:09:34 / 11-04-55 >

>>>>> [ With a mass driver that big around orbital stats for the
Corporate court , Ares' daedalus platform , and Swiss-Orbitals will
surely rise in price... ]<<<<<
        --PAIN  <15:32:04 / 11-04-55 >

>>>>>[The Posse would like to give congrats to its newest (and latest, he
needs a couple lessons on punctuality) member: FireJack.  He performed
amazingly in all catagories of the testing, and is now taking some time
off.]<<<<<
        -- CyberWraith <16:53:41 / 04-11-55>

***** Private to: GunBunny
>>>>>[RifleRabbit:  Hey, I have seven interested in the two runs.  Three
for the sneak-and-peek, and four for the hop-and-pop.  The specifics will
follow ASAP.  Asking 5k =Y= each _min_.]<<<<<
        -- The Mav <17:00:40 / 04-11-55>

***** Private to: GunBunny
>>>>>[Disregard previous message, fromthe traffic, it looks like you have
enough.]<<<<<
        -- The Mav <18:24:23 / 04-11-55>

***** Private to: Jack
>>>>>[Interesting considering the traffic the last couple of days, but I
do have access to travel and security for such a trip.  Contact me at
>>>LTG<<< ASAP with what you want and how much you are willing to pay.
We have all the resources that you could need.]<<<<<
        -- The Mav <18:26:59 / 04-11-55>

*****Private: GunBunny
>>>>>[My Johnson has gotten back to me, so I won't be able to help
with your run.  Sorry.]<<<<<
        -- Iris<03:39:20/04-11-55>

>>>>>[ Hi all you fellow shadowrunners like me. I've been thinkin', which
most of my friends say is bad thin', but I noticed that the German
Government is offering a very lucrative bounty on the head of Nightmare.
And well, it's like this. I see no reason to hunt and get in on the bounty
of a person, who has killed a dude name Gutterrat, scarred up pretty
heavily that fellow named Bruce, kicked Gawk's butt, and almost succeeding
in wraithin' that person named Action JAckson... 

So any of you all out there interested in working with me? I am just a
lonely workin' girl that's got some decent times surviving the streets of
D.C....]<<<<<
        -- Steelwings <18:39:27/4-11-55>

*****Private: GunBunny
>>>>>[My Johnson has contacted me, so I won't be avaliable for your
run.]<<<<<
       --Irish<03:39:20/04-11-55>

*****Private: Dark Angle
>>>>>[I've preformed similar "extractions".  Send me any avaliable info
on the "package", opposition, etc.]<<<<<
        --Irish<03:49:00/04-11-55>

>>>>>[ TO  *** COUCH.TRIDFEED.SECURE ***

VIEW: Boulevard St. Germain , Paris
The screen shows a neon-lit street , the light bouncing off the puddles
and coloring the camera lens in a kaleidoscope of reflections. A man ,
tall and well dressed , in a raincoat and holding a cuffed attache case
descends from a Citroen-Benz sportscar.

** CLOSEUP TO FACE X5 **

The optic image is crystal-clear high-res.The man has a hard face, the
jaw grimly locked in place , and light amplification and computer image
enhancement show the telltale marks of plastic surgery.

** BEGIN ID SEARCH -LOAD SEARCH.BLOODHOUND.1.1 **

The screen subdivides. Half shows the man crossing the street , his
flowing movements belying the quality of his cybermods. He enters a building.
The other half flips through government datafiles , passing hundreds of
pictures per second , while looking for a match.
The man enters a nondescript building , with one of those old touch-tone
locks on the door.The camera shifts position, and a glimpse of the
hallway , lit with neon tubing,is captured in still-frame.

**ID SEARCH UNSUCESSFULL . RETRY Y?**
** N **
            **********compiled for PAIN by anastasia**********
             FOR SECURITY ASSESMENT CONTACT 566-8879 (PARIS)

Well , Couch , my French sources think that this guy could be the spook
that Mr. Hirisoto mentioned. Try to give me a positive ID on the pic , if
you remember him from your meeting in the concert.I gather TK is with you
now?  If it interests you , let me know and I'll fly to Paris. Usual fee,
plus expenses. Oh, and don't try to contact Anastasia.She did this for me
as a favor , but would probably charge too much for a few MGb's of info on the
hallway glimpse.
 
Waiting for the cred...<<<<<
        --PAIN <14:23:05 \ 11-04-55 >

*****PRIVATE TO: Jeweler
>>>>>[On behalf of LoneStar Security, myself, and the rest of the guys in
Homicide, many thanks.]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>

*****PRIVATE TO: *LS*Forensics, all mpcps *LS*FastSecOps
>>>>>[Information has just come into my hands re: the faulty weapons and
ammunition requisitioned over the past month. The following groups have been
found responsible for their distribution and should be blown to hell and
slowly raked over hot coals, er, brought in for questioning *****Include File:
56Mp***** as soon as possible.]<<<<<
        --Inspector Richard Wu, LoneStar Security <16:29:06/04-12-55>

>>>>>[We'll check it out, kiddo. How's the shoulder?]<<<<<
        --Julia Hardwick, Forensics Specialist, LS Security <16:31:45/04-12-55>

>>>>>[Feels like a cinderblock. They hit me with enough stim-patches so that I
can't feel a damn thing. And who're you calling "kiddo?" ]<<<<<
        --Inspector Richard Wu, LoneStar Security <16:36:14/04-12-55>

>>>>>[Well, it took me long enough, but I finally got over to the terminal and
typed this up.  It's about the arrival of the guests and such at Harly's
place for AJ's surprise birthday party.  As you'll see as things get further
along, not all went quite as planned, but it went better than the last party
at Harly's.  But here goes.

The party was slated to start when AJ arrived, around 20:00, so many of us were
filin in around 6, to do the prep and decoratin.

It took a while to do the prep, what with all the streamers and balloons and
people makin thier voices funny with the Helium(CRUSH), and when it was all
done, we kicked back and relaxed.  For about 10 minutes before we got the call
that Diana and AJ had left the appartment in AJ's Hudson.  Harly laughed severaltimes as he looked at the scene in the main room.  It was great.

All different colors.  Black and red were predominant, but there was white,
green, blue, brown(a really ugly brown, too), aqua, and somebody even provided
some really sick paisly design streamer.  Fraggin awful.  And the balloons were
hangin from the ceiling and risin from the chairs and hoverin all over the
fraggin room.  It was really funny lookin, but it definately put the place in
the party mood.

And the mood settled into anticipation as the call came in, and TC was forced
to prepare for a really big illusion spell(with a little help maintaining it
from a friendly elemental or two).  Everyone found hiding places where the
illusion could easily fake a wall over our body and such, and we waited.  Other
partiers filed in for a while, but they stopped as AJ and Diana finally arrived,about 10 minutes late.  They did not look happy, and AJ was cursin while
Diana was tryin to calm him down.  Harly took thier coats and asked Diana what
was wrong as AJ stormed by him and into the main room.

Come to find out, AJ had run into a go-gang on I-5 that happened to take
exception to his old Hudson even existing, never mind bein on the same road as
themselves.  Not that the gang could have hurt the car, mind you, seein as the
have only about SMGs and the armor on the Hudson is better than a couple small
tanks I've seen, but AJ decided to teach the gang a lesson that was a little
more subtle than poppin the weapons and blastin the drek out of them.  He just
out-ran them.  In a Hudson.  And them mostly on Rapiers.

That is until Lone Star took it as a personal affront to thier enforcement
policies to allow a car to cruise along on I-5 at 250km/h.  So AJ got pulled
over for reckless drivin.  And given a ticket for reckless drivin and for
drivin a non-street-legal vehicle.  AJ even said that he figures the only
reason that they didn't arrest him on the spot was that the gang came up on
them from behind, saw Lone Star, and turned around.  And that he was able to
show the bullet holes in his trunk paneling(but not the armor, of course).

Well, as we were startin to lose our patience, and I really wanted to jazz AJ
about bein a poor driver and all, TC motioned to us to move into our positions.
It was great.  10+ people all tryin to avoid AJ as he rants and raves and
paces and complains about Lone Star to Harly.  Frag, he almost ran over Sabre.
And then, when we were in position, TC dropped the illusion and we all shouted
"Happy Birthday!"

AJ freaked.  Totally.  I've only ever seen him move that fast when he was in
combat of one form or another, and he dropped into the standard runner defensivecrouch.  You ever notice that the professionals, us runners especially, always
drop into defensive "kill-or-be-killed-or-run-the-frag-far-away" stances when
something surprises us?  And how the wagers and the saririmen just freak and
get geeked?  Well, that's what AJ did, and until the adrenelin wore off, he
just stood there, with them muscle extended spurs of his(I wonder how much
those cost him...) half out of his forearms and stickin through his ex-new
shirt.  No-one was really surprised, so we just waited until he relaxed, and
then he smiled, called us all son's of slitches, and the party began.

I'll let Diana take over now, as I have some stuff to do.  I'm sure you
understand...]<<<<<
        --  Slash(20:25:32/04-11-55)

>>>>>[DeDannan is it?  I will remember that name.  Spirit I will find you and
rend you limb from limb.  But only after you watch as I kill your unholy mate
and give your friends over to my Alamos friends.  Your children will be
sacrificed on the altar of God!]<<<<<
        --  Sword of God <19:36:56/04-11-55>

>>>>>[TR(01)...FTR]<<<<<
        --  Lurker <19:37:08/11-04-55>

>>>>>[Och!  It's about bloody time!  I finally have those files
SpotOn brought back decrypted!

They are from the late NodeFaerie (RIP laddie), and contain some info
that I think some of us will find very interesting indeed.

Now....all files cleared, no viruses detected, I have a clear
connection to the server.....let's see if this works.]<<<<<
        --Highlander (23:04:51/4-7-55)

*****File: StationPurpose

The MulOptic Reasearch Foundation Alpha test Research station exist for
the purpose of safely testing and trialing top-of-the-line experimental
cyberware for other corporations.

[Lots of text has been deleted]

>>>>>[ Yeah, right, but this is what they were really doing in this
place]<<<<<

*****Include: InternalMemo2818

In an attempt to improve profit outlook the board has voted to slightly
alter our post experimentation criteria. From this point on subjects will
not be terminated, they are to be assessed and passed on to the new
Epsilon department for re-orientation. Also, from now on tests are to be
altered for the inclusion of fully sentient life forms.

*****File End

*****File: EpsilonSection

The purpose of Epsilon section is to market experimentally outfitted
beings as assassins, with the use of newly developed 'brainwashing' and
trigger-control methods. A ready market has already been found for this
product.

>>>>>[ After a lot of work, I managed to obtain the financial information
of EpsilonSection, in the original files, true names were included, I
have 'filled in' as best I could. I have clipped the portion that was,
shall we say interesting. ]<<<<<

*****Include: ClientList

BUYER           SPECIMEN NO       PRIMARY TARGETS    SECONDARY TARGETS
Joseph Gallean  XLF-002-3489      NodeFaerie         SpotOn
                                                     Courier
Joseph Gallean  XLF-002-3512      NightStalker       Raven
                                  Highlander         Cerise
Joseph Gallean  XLF-002-3523      I.B.A.             CRUSH
                                  Claw               Spirit

>>>>>[ Although there are other purchases by this individual, I was
unable to recognise the targets, and find it unlikely that they are
members of Shadowland. I believe that Joseph Gallean, is the identity of
someone VERY close to Ganz, as the sums paid, could not have been
authorised by a lower lackey ]<<<<<

Killeon Simons  XLF-002-3535      Fenris             SpotOn

>>>>>[ What, hmm, the only person I can think of that Fenris has pissed
off, is Brandon Lowe.... ]<<<<<

*****File End

*****File: CritterSpecs

*****Include XLF-002-3489

Specimen: Homo Sapien (Human)

Captured: Subject approached us willingly and requested orientation and
this particular job, the chance to operate on willing subject was readily
taken.

Improvements: The subject already has extensive cyberware, however a
Zeta-five test batch was added along with magical implant.

Side effects: No performance affecting defects have manifested, although
the subject continues to show an extremely violent demenour, and the
damage cost is excalating. Suggest immeadiate release.

>>>>>[ Oh drek, with the target list, there is only one person this can
be, and how the hell did he find this place. He must still have contacts
in SKrupp, damn you Chopper. ]<<<<<

*****Include XLF-002-3512

Specimen: Tiger Sapien

Captured: Subject aquired from some local suppliers, in good condition,
paid fare price, this will be only our third attempt on a dual natured
being.

Improvements: An Alpha-three cyberware unit with, Epsilon-six units was
implanted along with the newly developed spell lock implant.

Side effects: subject has become unpredictable and uncontrollable,
condition remains better than other subject in the past, suggest partial
reimbursement to the consignee.

*****Include XLF-002-3523

Specimen: Homo Sapien (Ork)

Captured: Shipped to us by client, apparently this ork has been a very
naughty boy...

Improvement: Full delta replacement as well as minor magical
conditioning was undertaken with this subject.

Side effects: No side effects have been detected, finially we have broken
through, suggest that subject be shipped to Beta station for testing and
research, authorise 10% refund for consignee if we may study the specimen
for a month before releasing it.

*****Include XLF-002-3535

Specimen: Homo Sapien (Troll)

Captured: Tech from development that got a bit too nosy, discovered
purpose of this section, he has now become a volunteer.

Improvement: Added full XTroll test outfit designs, subject has also been
outfitted with minor magical alteration.

Side effects:

>>>>>[ Hmmm, nothing included, it must have just been implanted, it's
probably around here somewhere, I dare say Fenris will find it ]<<<<<
*****Endfile.

*****Private: Irish
>>>>>[Basically, it's a simple in-out "extraction" from a Saeder-Krupp
executive complex.  Cause as much damage as possible - torch terminalsdo
whatever is nessacery. Opposition is expected at about one squad of light
infantry, and a half-squad of heavier troops.  Pay is eal to (250kY -
expenses)/(# runners). I will be sure to disable their Matrix cover
first.]<<<<<
         -- Dark Angel <21:49:47/04-10-55>

>>>>>[ Frag! I got here too late! I heard the gunshots... but... aww drek,
I think DocWagon's here... I'll explain all this later... ]<<<<<
        --  Silicon Saboteur <To/TheRescue>

>>>>>[ What a mess this place is... anyway, I was just upstairs, enjoying
a nice cup of cappacino, when all of a sudden I heard three shots go off.
Sounded like a flechette pistol, but then again I'm no weapons expert.
At any rate, I didn't think anything of it (just figured it was Go-Gang
business or something) until the phone beeped. As usual, I record all
my phone biz...

*** 'PHONE1.TXT' received. (1k)

 *** Audio Feed (SILICONSABOTEUR.COM): Hello, you've reached Matt's
 Pleasure Palace. How may I appease you good sir or madame?

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): <slight whisper> ... Help ... me ...

 *** Audio Feed (SILICONSABOTEUR.COM): Izzat you Warlock? What's wrong?!?

 *** Audio Feed (WARPEDWARLOCK.COM): <slight whisper> ... Shrew... <click>
 <dial tone>

*** End Audio File.

Anyways, I just think Warlock's kidding... either that or he wants me to
walk down three flights of stairs to get him some morphine for his arm,
which he could've just as easily gotten himself, but I decide to humor
him. When I get to his flat, the door's wide open, and I distinctly smell
burnt flesh and gunpowder in the air. I rush in, and low and behold,
Warlock's body is on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood, with several
nasty gunshot wounds. I checked for a pulse, and found one.... faint, but
it was there. I called DocWagon as quickly as my little fingers could dial,
and waited for them to get there. As I tried to stop the flow of blood
the best I could, I found the following note by his body...

 Two down, many to go.
           -- Shrew

You made the mistake of leaving a calling card, Shrew. I've got friends in
high places (Can you say, 'Yakuza'?) who'll back me up in hunting you down.
Pray for a quick death... ]<<<<<
        -- Silicon Saboteur <Bite/Me>

*** ENCRYPTED SaboteursSecret v1.0
*** NOT TO: Shrew
>>>>>[ Actually, Warlock's still alive. In a coma for an unknown amount of
time, but alive. I didn't want Shrew to see this, in case he got any ideas
about finishing the job.

Oh yeah, I don't know anyone with the Yakuza either... ]<<<<<
        -- Silicon Saboteur <OnThe/Prowl>

>>>>>[Hey, Steelwings, do I detect someone familiar?  Origingally
from the DeeCee area, I had to bail.  Used to hang with a techno-gang
known as the Falcons?  Ever hear of them?  Seems like they get all
spooked by *****trace initiated***** a little flash and a lot of
splash.]<<<<<
        - Styx <23:09:46/04-11-55>

>>>>>[Damn!  Almost!  This much longer and I'd have had her!]<<<<<
        - Charon <23:11:09/04-11-55>

>>>>>[Please excuse the unusual title, but some father of mine has been
fraggin with my terminal here...  He's trying to get back at me for the
party I didn't warn him about.  It was really "rag on AJ" day at the
party, ya know? 

Well, after Dad and I got to Harly's place, and the party actually got
started, we had a drek-load of fun.  We even had an old friend(or is that
fiend?) drop by after all the "fun" was over.  It had been a long time,
but I'll get to that eventually. 

Like Slash said, Dad freaked(nice term this one, Slash).  Everyone was
laughing at him as he complained about us almost giving him a heart
attack.  Till Harly poked him with "Yep, you're getting frail in your old
age" and the the "insult Dad as badly as you can" competition was begun. 
Instead of spanking him, we insulted him instead.  And we passed out all
the alcohol we had amassed over the past 3 weeks, and the party commenced. 

Not everyone had arrived yet.  Streetwolf, Colice, and
Patricia(Streetwolf's Sister, I think) were there to help set up.  They
were also celebrating one of thier birthdays, but we found out which one
after the fun was over and I had dived head first into the rum, so my
memory of whose it was is just a little foggy.  Spirit and CRUSH had also
shown up early, and so had Slash.  And while I was off getting Dad,
Sheena, Sabre, Styx, Lucinda, and CoHort all arrived, most of them
bringing in food or more booze(and most of it was drank, too... Not that
most of us could remember how much we had drank, of course, until we
counted the bottles and empty kegs).  But everybody else just kinda
drifted in.  There were a bunch of trid screens around that Quickling, who
was taking a break from helping a friend of his, showed up virtually on. 
And he and Harly were talking for a little while, but it couldn't have
been too serious. 

Lister and Kichanski arrived together, as did Claw and Circuit Breaker. 
Night- fox just kinda appeared at the front door and then came right in. 
Then Val, DeDannan, Little Dragon, and Morgan all came.  Morgan still
looked dead behind the eyes, but he did try to have a good time.  I hope
the conversation with Streetwolf helped, and Val did say that his
conversations with Little Dragon seemed to help him understand that many
of his friends had gone through similar losses. 

Then Collussus showed up and was getting rather annoyed as the chem
sniffer wouldn't let him through into the house, and he smiled rather
sheepishly as he had to ask TC to override the security door manually. 
Then Dark Angel showed up, followed by Wizard, Masque, and thier several
bodyguards.  That made it just about full. 

Finally, it was cake time.  And oh, what a cake it was.  Dad's favorite,
Black Forest Cake, covered in red and black frosting, with one of his
arrows stuck in the center for effect(I remember him saying "So that's
where it went...").  And of course, a candle for every year old he is. 
Talk about a flaming birthday cake.  Sabre offered Dad use of the house's
fire extinguishers to put it out, and TC asked if he could use a Water
Elemental/Spirit for some assistance.  To give you an idea, when we turned
out the lights it was almost as bright in the room as if we had had them
on.  Collussus even complained about how the cake was overloading his
flare compensation.  It was great.  If Dad's look could have killed,
Collussus would be have been a smoking pile of spare parts. Slash even had
the audacity to ask Dad how many candles were on the cake(54), and after
about 10 seconds, Dad smiled a crooked smile and said 13.  Most of us who
knew about the joke laughed, and then explained it to the others.  Dad was
born in a leap year, on Feb. 29, 2000.  The old goat.  We passed out the
cake, with extra large portions to CRUSH(and we still ran out...), and Dad
even partook of a small bite, for the taste of the cake alone.  It was too
bad when it affected his stomach badly and he had to...}long, painful
pause{

This is where the music kicked in.  A couple of the partiers had quietly
excused themselves and were tuning up several instruments and amps in the
back room.  We all migrated to the room, took seats or cleared away
furniture for a makeshift dance floor, and then let Sheena take the stage. 
But no-one else had joined her, and she was most upset(or at least she
said she was), so she just happened to literally drag Harly up front with
her.  That's where Lucinda smiled at him and handed him his deck synth,
and Sheena also took up her synth. The two of them played a couple of
duets before Harly decided it was only fair to pass around the
embarrasment and dragged up Streetwolf, Colice, Valentine, and
DeDannan(who had actually brought his fiddle).  Val played the piano,
DeDannan on his fiddle, and Streetwolf and Colice sang.  It took them a
little while to get used to each other, but there was quite a bit of
talent in the house at the time, so they began to feed off each other's
energy and we began to feed off thier's, and the dancing began. 

Well, we were all dancing when I noticed Dark Angel asking Patricia to
dance. And she said yes, which was a mild surprise.  It looked like it was
hard for her to say no, but then it would have been hard for me to say no
too...(grin) And they danced for a little while.  As they finished thier
dance, he pulled out a single red rose, and asked Patricia to wait as he
talked to the players. And then an old song(I think it was "Close Your
Eyes" by Ozzy and Lita Ford, or at least that's what I was told.  A little
before my time) was playing, and the two of them were dancing nice and
slow.  Patricia looked a little embarrased, but then grew serious and
questioning as she realized that Dark Angel was crying softly, trying to
hold the tears back and not quite suceeding. Memories, I am sure.  After
the dance, he thanked her and then quietly made the rounds to the other
partiers and thanked them for taking him in for a couple of hours.  He
stopped at Dad and wished him a be-lated Happy Birthday as well, and then
quietly left as the party continued behind him. 

Then, about 10 minutes later, the fun began.  Wizard's and Masque's guards
suddenly grew VERY worried and thier looks changed from wariness to the
paranoia of one surrounded by possible enemies.  One of them told Harly
that they would have to leave now, and that they were sorry about the
early departure, but that Pheonix Star required Wizard and Masque home. 
Too bad that both CoHort and Collussus had intercepted and decrypted the
real headware transmission to the guards that said that Wizard's life was
in danger, and that a run was in progress against him.  It's no surprise
that they got paranoid, being surrounded by runners.  Well, we all piled
out to wish them all a safe trip back to the airport and then back to the
compound where Wizard is working. After seeing them off, we returned
inside, thinking nothing of it, until CoHort informed us that he had the
runners on his surviellance sensors, and that some of them looked familiar
from a run he decided against, for reasons that he decided not to
elaborate on.  They only looked like gangers, and they had already stopped
both cars and were trying to get at Wizard...about 2 blocks away. 

Well, I'll stop there for now and when I find the sensory data from
CoHort's RV and drones, I'll upload that too....  Now, where did it
go?]<<<<<
        --  Diana, Mistress of the Night(23:42:53/04-11-55)

>>>>>[ Demon Spawn?  Well maybe you will think so once we find out where
you are.  Before hand you were just some tiny little anoyance spouting
words, someone to be found and watched so as to keep from doing harm.  Now
that is past, time for action has come, for innocents are getting hurt. 

Sword of God, you will soon breath your last.]<<<<<
        -- Claw <21:07:35/04-11-94>

>>>>>[ Fox... Ah did what ya said and investigated those all caps
messaages, it doesn't look good.  All tagether they make out the phrase
"ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE"

That by it self would not cause me too worry, but its whats in the
messages that ya start seeing the pattern. 

"It has been far too long..."  -- ABANDON

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hah haaaaaaaaa......"  -- ALL

"(snicker)  The soul, Spirit..."  --  HOPE

"Vengeance, you have been a naughty boy.
Threatening people over the Matrix...
That's my job.  And don't bother tracing me,
or finding me physically.  I've learned a lot in my time..."  --  YE

"Caine, that's a very good joke.  Vow?
Really?  Idealism has no place in the Shadows." --  WHO

"Ahhh, the "arms industry." Such subtlty, such
irony, such idiocy. Only those who don't live by
the sword will die by it.  Or as an old "friend"
of mine liked to mention...  C'est la mort.
For the French impaired, that is Such is death."   --  ENTER

"People after Sword of God's head...  A week?
He's behind.  And running only delays the
inevitable.  But what is inevitable is entirely
up to the runner, not those who chase him.
And Caine's keeping his word is not the issue, Irish.
THAT is the farthest thing from my mind, I assure you..."  --  HERE

No one else would talk like that and be so cocky.  No one else would talk
about a French speaking lass and death in such a way.  No one else has so
little disregard for honor and so much love for making people hate him. 
No one else would have the deck sig that is there, a deck sig from a deck
that was destroyed. 

Fox... Solitare...   Spirit and CRUSH...   Raven...  All you chummers out there.

Dante is back.....]<<<<<
        -- Circuit Breaker <And all turned to drek>

*****PRIVATE TO: Jagged
>>>>>[Okay, I've managed to get a line on some of those gangers. I'd suggest
arranging an emergency block-off of 405 just as you come into Kirkland; word is
there's a rumble tonight at midnight and two tribes of our friendly go-boys
will be there. B/sides, it's a great chance to clean up the town and make
LoneStar look a little better than usual.]<<<<<
        -- ...shadowfire... <Erebus/Angel>

*****PRIVATE TO: ...shadowfire...
>>>>>[Recieved and agreed. Let's take these toads down, but we _must_ keep the
leaders alive to answer our questions. Remember, we need to find out who and
where they're getting these weapons from. ]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>

>>>>>[Awwww, you take all the fun out of these things.]<<<<<
        -- ...shadowfire... <Erebus/Angel>

>>>>>[ Well, Cyberbrains, did my unique magic cheer you up?  You certainly
looked happy Saturday night. ]<<<<<
        -- Cerise <23:21:21/04-11-55>

>>>>>[ You mean to tell me that I was a fragging Third Target, yet I was
the only one to get attacked?  That fragging uncool. ]<<<<<
        -- Cerise <23:23:23/04-11-55>

>>>>>[ I hope that Tiger shapeshifter is gone.  I quiver just thinking
about what would happen if it attacked Tommy. ]<<<<<
        -- Raven the Mage <23:24:31/04-11-55>

>>>>>[ Don't worry too much, Raven.  You and I are the targets.  As long
as we get in the way, Tommy will be fine. ]<<<<<
        -- Nightstalker <23:25:27/04-11-55>

>>>>>[For yer infermation Steelwing, Nightmare _DID_NOT_KICK_MY_ASS_ Da
fraggin' coward hit me from da side as I was fightin' a French slot! 

I would like ta show da dreck-faced, slot-brained, slug-infested, child-
molestin', gramma - beater, butt noodle my new arm though.  Da problem is
dat I am involved in a run right now.  If you need some short-term help
though let me know.  I won't even ask fer a part of da bounty]<<<<<
        --Gawk <01:34:55 / 04-12-55>

>>>>>[Ratler,  WE need you to track and find those in the organization
known as Greenwar.  You've got 500K =Y= and 96 hours to do it.]<<<<<
        --.....................<..:..:../04-12-55>

------News Release
>>>>>[The recent protest of the Tir Nan Og government to the proposed
North Star One project has prompted the corporations envolved to change
their proposal and offer an official apology.  Fread Smythers of Booster
Max-the Chief Developing and Coordinating Corporation was alledged to have
said "Jesus what the hell were the people down in PR thinking!" When
questioned he was said to have checked with his PR people and then was
reported as saying that "YYes it seems that the boys down in PR got the
wrong message.  They were supposed to have stated that a feasibility study
for the area was being conducted." Shortly thereafter he was also reported
to have said, "Actualy the prelimanary reports are horrowing and that the
project directors were looking for a new area with which to locate the
project."]<<<<<
	--  New Release

>>>>>[Irish, let me know asap!]<<<<<
        --GunBunny <00:55:33/04-12-55>

>>>>>[Medusa, and ah Lurker, We still need more runners for our sub-runs,
do you want to be in on them?]
        --GunBunny<00:58:00/04-12-55>

>>>>>[PAIN, Worlock, Piper, Brick, Mercy, et. al. 

You have all met the first term of employment.  The girl, Rose, has been
returned.  Your payment has been forwarded based on your length of
employment with me. 

As you should know, TK has not been found.  I am hoping that all of you
will continue to help in his search.  Of course, you will be compensated
further for your efforts. 

PAIN, I have looked at your image, but cannot make heads or tails of it. 
It is definately not the French agent from the concert.  That agent was
killed. I cannot tell you if it is the 'Louis' that was mentioned, seeing
as we know nothing more than a name. 

I really am stuck at this moment.  I don't have any leads or new
information. All that I can say is keep looking and be careful, this run
has already left me with two dead runners over my head.]<<<<<
        -- Couch<..:..:.. / ..-..-..->

>>>>>[Frag, Brick just informed me that he found a note in TK's prison
cell. 

....Hi, guys

Like usual, you are one step behind.  I must commend you on your tenacity
though I have left you with some friendly folks who will keep you company. 

        Sincerely,
        Bloodfist....

Nice guy 'eh]<<<<<
        -- Couch <..:..:.. / ..-..-..>

>>>>>[Jagged, I do not work for LS-I'm contracted to them but I do not
work for them.  My mother would like that about as much as the Elven Las I
brought home last week.]<<<<<
        --Flatiner<Atropine/50cc IVP>

>>>>>[Everyybody who is going to be working with me your briefs will be
ready by fridayy.  If anyone wants to be in on the run let me know by
Thurs.]<<<<<
        --GunBunny<01:05:00/04-12-55>

>>>>>[Hey Pain, we could use your dragon if you'll work with us.]<<<<<
        --Edge<00:00:00/04-12-55>

>>>>>[RifleRabbit, Jeeeesssusssss chummer whyy did you go and use that
tag.  I'll never live it donw.  If my boss hasn't gotten in touch with you
we will need your help with all that is going down.  I'll add you to the
list for the briefings.  Love and Kisses]<<<<<
        --Bug With A Gun<01:10:00/04-12-55>

*****ENCRYPT:@%&RUBICON.BF@%&
>>>>>[Sir, I regret to inform you that we have lost the child.  We had
delivered her into the custody of Mr. Hirisoto for transport.  I do not
know how they found out about him.

The host is still in my custody.  Plans are being made to transport him back
home.  The Children of Chaos have been contacted and are now taking care of
the annoyance.]<<<<<
        -- BLOODFIST <THE TIME IS NEAR>

*****ENCRYPT:@*$RUBICON.PARIS@*$
>>>>>[Bloodfist, I will excuse your failure this time.  It seems that you
where a victim of coincidence.  Mr. Hirisoto was marked for death by a man
who calls himself 'Warped Worlock.'  Another suitable child is being delivered
to replace her.

Remember, we need the host alive.  Safegaurding him is your first priority.
When he is delivered, we can begin preparing the sight.]<<<<<
        -- Director Louis <THE ONE RETURNS>

>>>>>[Ahh drek... I really don't need this right now... I thought the
hoser was dead. Are you sure about this? 'Cuz I really don't want to deal
with HIM again, if you know what I mean.]<<<<<
        -- Coyote <Howl/Howl>

>>>>>[Jacamus, I'm sorry, but it is going to be taking some time to
replace your chip.  It has some strange format that is not being now
made.  I could checking with some of my European contacts, but even this
will take time.  Otherwise i have to do some heavy mods to an available
chip.  Let me know how i should be proceding.]<<<<<
        -- Basilisk <19:06:20 GMT/11.Apr.55>

>>>>>[What exactly did you have in mind, Steelwings?]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <07:58:45/04-12-55>

*****PRIVATE: Jagged
>>>>>[I have made little progress on the attack on LS Central.  I will
continue looking into it, but at this point it is mostly waiting for
the feelers I've put out to yield fruit.  I will of course contact you
as soon as I learn anything definite.  In the mean time, I am also
available for more... physical... work if you are interested.  I am
well equipped for most situations.  Let me know if an extra person would
be useful (assuming you have something planned).]<<<<<
        -- Jeweler <07:54:25/04-12-55>

***** Private to: Inspector Richard Wu/Jagged
>>>>>[ I'm trying to remember whether you and I met when I was working
for the 'Star.  My name is Detective Captain Michael Jason Archangel,
LSSS (Ret.).  I used to work in the Freelance Division, working many
different cases.  I seem to remember you and your reputation for
integrity.

I have a business proposition for you, one that I believe you should take
me up on.  I have an opening in my investigative firm which would be
admirably filled by a professional of your ability and strong contacts.
This position would allow you more latitude in your investigations by not
having a company line to toe.  If you are interested please contact me at
LTG# 1206 (34 - 5657), or stop by our offices at the New Century Square
Hotel, Suite 803.  My thanks in advance.]<<<<<
        -- Michael J. Archangel <16:22:45 / 04-12-55>

>>>>>[Hey, I'm not Elmer Fudd, though.... heh heh heh heh]<<<<<
        -- CyberWraith <Hunting/Wabbits?>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[ Well I could surely use the pay, so I am interested. Let's meet and
discuss my qualifications. After we set up the meet, I'll describe how to
id me from the locals. ]<<<<<
        -- Bruce <16:28:37/4-12-55>

>>>>>[ Well Styx, you might say that it is quite possible we know each other.
But be that as it may, it was a rather neccessary move to break away from them,
being the Falcons and all. They didn' have the jazz to keep me hangin' with
them. Y'up. So now, I'm on my own little lonesome.

I hate to say this Gawk, but the people I used to hang with, would - like -
qualify that as a beatin' takin' place by a certain name. Still, I will more
than gladly let you in on the fun of returning the favor.

Necromancer, I suppose first thin' up is figurin' out how much BIS is tellin'
the truth, and seeing what leads they have on the fragger. Then, we start
trackin' the slot till we catch up to him, then we geek him and collect the
money from them Germans. At least that is my plan, unless someone wants to
suggest a better op for it. ]<<<<<
        -- Steelwings <17:37:20/4-12-55>

>>>>>[ If timing works out, I'll GLADLY help you out. Other than that, it looks
like I am about to enter some more hot biz, that the locals are to scared to
handle. ]<<<<<
        -- Bruce <16:39:30/4-12-55>

***** Private to: Solonus, Quickling
>>>>>[We are out of the market on that run to Chicago, but good luck and
the Spirits aid you.]<<<<<
        -- CyberWraith <18:31:20 / 04-12-55>

***** Private to: GunBunny
>>>>>[Our cruise tickets didn't arrive, we will be there, and will take
out the weapons plant.  Send to ###Encrypted### any info you have on the
target.]<<<<<
        -- CyberWraith <18:33:24 / 04-12-55>

*****Private: GunBunny
>>>>>[I am certainly available to provide any long-range decking
assistance you may need.  However, Lurker is merely a trace program I
created in my spare time, keyed to Sword of God's posts, and will
most likely be unhelpful on a run.]<<<<<
        --  Medusa <15:45:34/12-04-55>

>>>>>[Geez, I guess I should encrypt dis, but I don't know how.  Mercy
always said ta encrypt important stuff, but he never showed me how.  I
still got him tied up here.  He won't quit yellin about dat damn gremlin. 
If someone could bring me somethin' to calm him down.  I'm gettin' sick of
drillin' him every time he wakes up.  His face is pretty bruised. 

Well, I got talkin' to an old man how lives in da jungle.  He really took
a liking to me.  He said he lived by an old airfield.  Yesterday, he saw a
bunch of guys in black armor and stuff loadin' up a Lear Platinum out on
da strip.  Seems they was puttin' a tall, thin, pale guy in too.  Sounds
like dat's where BLoddfist and the other bad guys went.  Da plane was gray
with a black stripe down da tailfin, or so dis guy said.  I can't track
planes, so if someone could see where it landed.  Da guy said it took off
to da east.]<<<<<
        -- Brick <18:33:45 / 04-12-55>

>>>>>[Hey folks, I'm back on line and ready to talk shop. Anybody
looking for Hermetic help drop a line my way. For those who don't know me
I'm a tortured soul full of angst that I dispense with vigor, and I'm easy
on the pocket book (Amen!). Ah its good to be back.]<<<<<
        -- Cheap Fingers <12:01:09/04-12-55>

>>>>>[ Hello Fingers! I have heard of your previous work from business
associates. It is quite likely my partners and I will be needing some
"hermetic help" soon. Your reputed skills make it sound like you could fit
the bill nicely. Contact myself or the esteemed (and ever stylish) Jeweler
for more info. Ta Ta Lovely!]<<<<<
        -- Jimi Smooth <12:40:54/04-12-55>

>>>>>[And just to serve notice to all of you punk deckers out there, there
is a new sheriff in town, and his name is Jimi! I am the Lord GodKing of
all Hackmeisters!! Just ask Basilisk, he can tell you just how good I
am.]<<<<<
        -- Jimi Smooth <12:55:28/04-12-55>

>>>>>[Oh yes, he is most superior decker. Lord Godking of NodeLoad, Master
of Excessive Sub-routines, able to trigger internal alerts with greatest
ease! All Hail Super Jimi!]<<<<<
        -- Basilisk <13:30:42/04-12-55>

>>>>>[                      *OUCH*                  ]<<<<<
        -- Jimi Smooth <14:40:11/04-12-55>

>>>>>[Mr. Smooth, I'm interested. I'll be at the *****Chung!***** tonight
from around 11:00 on. Show up and we can chat in the back. I'm sure I will
be able to recognize you so no descriptions are necessary. I hope you
won't still be bleeding from the public reaming Basilisk gave you. See you
there.]<<<<<
        -- Cheap Fingers <15:57:37/04-12-55>

>>>>>[Thanks for the back up Bas. "With friends like these.....". A guy
tries to have some fun and what happens? Trusted bud flays him in public
forum. I shall live, but just barely.]<<<<<
        -- Jimi Smooth <16:31:44/04-12-55>

*****Encrypt -- with BlondeFury v2.1 (Jeweler MPCP)
>>>>>[J. buddy, I think I might have scooped up a top notch mage with this
Fingers guy. He has a rock solid rep, and he is not even a little
squeamish about making people dead. We could probabely use attributes like
this if we go further against Warner (the pig fucking scumbag), or Parsons
(x2), or both.]<<<<<
        -- Jimi Smooth <16:32:50/04-12-55>

*****PRIVATE TO: M.J.A.
>>>>>[ I thank you indeed for your compliments and your offer, but I'm in the
middle of something important right now and I still have this arm in a fragging
sling for at least the next few weeks. I will, however, keep your offer in
mind, seeing as my last job is currently a pile of molten slag and
debris. ]<<<<<
        --Jagged <TheTie/ThatBinds>

>>>>>[Sorry this is taking me so long...  I have been getting ahold of a
plane ticket to Chicago to go and yell loudly at an old...friend.  Seems
he's getting himself into more drek than he can safely handle right now. 
But enough of my problems.  Here's the edited sensory feeds, provided by
CoHort's Condor drones. 

*****Include Sensory Data*****

Ow.  The sudden change takes you by surprise, and your brain recoils for
an instant.  But then it gets normalized to the location and sights and
the fully three-dimensional mapping and picturing that CoHort's drones are
providing. Unfortunatly, the editor forgot to remove the other three
views, so its just a little confusing and difficult to understand right
now... 

Ah, there they go.  It appears that you now have a single drone, hovering
over Harly's house and the few blocks to the north-east.  You notice that
the timer says that this shot is from just prior to the exit of Wizard and
Masque from the party due to security reasons.  On the ground are your
regular civilians wandering here and there, but you also notice what
appears to be a couple of bikes, a car, and a bunch of gangers too.  But
those of you with street know- how of the area know that the gang colors
shown haven't been seen in Everett for over a year, even if they do
operate only a few km away.  But there was that rumor about them having
problems with the local thriller, and that they were running thier gangers
into the area to teach them a lesson...  Who knows. It could be them... 
But you doubt it. 

Especially when you see the "gangers" spread out and melt into the
shadows. The drone's sensory organs automatically kick over to thermo from
low-light and they re-appear.  They look to be several humans, an orc or
two, and a troll. All dressed in gang colors(again, the colors match the
"ganger's" outfits...the gang is multi-racial).  But the thermo also picks
out what the low-light wasn't able to...long bars of cold, or what you all
recognize as weapons of various types.  SMGs, Assult Rifles, swords,
Katanas, pistols, even an axe.  And they are well organized.  So well
organized that when the point reached the street and saw that Wizard and
Masque were already leaving, whoever it was re-assigned locations and the
hit-team adjusted to the fact that they had lost the element of surprise. 
A typical runner reaction.  Besides, there just isn't any way a simple
go-gang would have this much hardware. 

Some of the attackers are out of sensory range, however, and so you are
caught off guard when one of them appears on the opposite building,
carrying a really large rifle(a sniper, maybe?).  And you begin to lose
thier positions as they settle down for the wait to the arrival of the two
cars bearing their targets. 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!! 

It appears that the hood of the lead car took this instant to pop open
violentlyof its own accord...well, with a little help from a muzzle flash
from street level.  Another streak from the roof down to the second car
and a very clean bullet hole appears in the driver's side of the
windshiled.  It doesn't look like it would have killed the driver, but it
certainly stopped the car(as it careems off into a wall). 

At this point, the Pheonix Star bodyguards all literally jump from their
vehicles, weapons drawn, and barriers pop up around the lead car. 
Obviously the one with Wizard inside.  But to no avail.  There even
appears to be a small astral battle(of manifest elementals) going on, but
the Pheonix crew is loosing.  Slowly, but still losing. 

With a quick change of perspectives, you are at street level(weird...) and
in front of Harly's place.  This time you are connected to the Prairie
Cat's sensory input instead of the drone's, but you get a similar effect. 
You notice that the house's gargoyles are apparently sprouting LMGs and
taking aim at the firefight.  And that a hole has appeared near one of the
windows.  Collussus is literally exiting through a hole he just cut in one
of Harly's armored walls/windows.  And other people are filing into
windows and out the hole and through the front door too, all heading out
to the fight. 

Collussus arrives there first, followed not too far behind by CRUSH.  But
the problem is that someone knew that there was going to be a cyborg
around. Because from one of the alleys comes this really strange spike of
energy.  It looks like a laser beam, but also a lightning bolt.  And it
appears to be ionizing the air just prior to a fantastic voltage spike
that hits Collussus dead in the center of the chest.  And it knocks him
out cold.  You hope, from what you suspect the damage potential was, that
it didn't just instantly kill him.  But Collussus is out for the count. 
CRUSH, on the other hand, is rapidly bearing down on the fight and pulling
the only weapons he happend to have on him--throwing knives.  Flick, and
it sticks one of the guys in the leg.FFlick, and another runner gets one
in the throat, and flick...Ding. 

Oops.  Someone literally just shot the fraggin knife out of the air with a
silenced SMG.  Nice trick.  The only way that would work is if he had a
tactical computer...  Unpleasant.  If that's the case, it's amazing any of
the guards are still alive. 

Another attacker has closed to melee range with a couple of the guards,
and is tossing them around like toys using some varient of Kung Fu.  And
yet another isjust hiding off in a corner somewhere, casting spells to
keep the rest of the partiers off thier back.  But the magical talent is
in favor of the party, with thier 7 or more magicians, most of whom are
throwing spells from behind Harly's armored glass, still in the house. 

Another change of perspective, to a drone a little further away from the
battle,shows the troll setting up a really large machine gun and lots of
ammunition. And a little dwarf pointing up in the air at what appears to
be a falling Condor drone.  Looks like one of CoHort's drones, the first
one, got seen and shot down.  Even with the heavy weaponry, the attackers
seem to realize that they can't hold out against such heavy odds.  So the
machine gun gets turned on the cars, as do all the spells and grenades and
sniper fire they can concentrateon the vehicles.  In about 1 second they
are exploding peices of rubble, with Pheonix guard bodies flying away from
them, some in peices.  You doubt that anyone would survive that, and
apparently so do the attackers.  As they very quickly disappear into the
shadows, the partiers begin a hunt.  And even with the aid of the drones,
the attackers are gone, escaped. 

But you notice Masque is alive.  He seems to have exited the second car
just as it was exploding, but his new body literally saved his life.  That
and the fact he was nearly as fast as Collussus(and maybe even faster if
they could race) And the partiers literally dig through the debris and
pull out body after body, until they find Wizard.  Charred and dead. 

*****End Sensory Feed*****

We turned over Wizard's body to Pheonix security as Masque requested we
do. And Collussus is more or less ok.  The voltage "rifle" shorted out
some of his remaining non-hardened systems, so he was alive and all, just
not going anywhere. 

Harly was unable to do much from the house.  It seems that a decker had
invaded his system and was able to dump him just after he got the house
guns on-line. Goss immediately dumped the offender, but still...  And Styx
caught an attacker But before he could talk, some Spirit appeared and
toasted him.  I mean, he just melted away in front of us.  Harly had
recovered from his dump shock by now, but almost fainted as he heard the
spirit laugh...  And it wasn't Micheal. 

I hope, whoever you are, you are pleased with you handywork.  You killed a
closefriend of most of us. 

I'll finish the party out later...]<<<<<
        --  Diana, Mistress of the Night(01:02:03/04-13-55)

***** Bar:  MONICA, Leon Meyers, Ganz
>>>>>[ I think it's time to do something about MONICA.  That slot has been
sitting around plotting, scheming, and working on her plan.  I think we should
take a pre-emptive strike.  Wolf 359, Ramerez, I want to talk to you. ]<<<<<
        -- Nightstalker <22:20:14/04-12-55>

>>>>>[WHAT!?!  He's alive?!  FRAG! frag frag frag drek frag drek drek frag
drek drek drek drek frag frad DREK!!!!!!!!!  That fragger almost knows
where... never mind what he knows.  Raven, are you sure you didn't lose
the deck?  Did you destroy it or did it get stolen?  Or do you just have a
really sick sense of humor?]<<<<<
        --  Solitaire(01:15:34/04-13-55)

>>>>>[And what's with these frames in ShadowLand?  I ran into several
around. They are all appear to be based off the same code, but when I
accessed one, it's counterpart came up, kissed it, and both blew
themselves into bits and bytes.  Nothing was salvagable.  And the
imagry...  demons and angels?  And they always come in pairs too...]<<<<<
        --  Solitaire(01:17:45/04-13-55)

***** NOT TO:  MONICA, Leon Meyers, Ganz
>>>>>[I am working on a plan that will give us the equivilent of a
Nuclear Bomb in the war against MONICA.  I think I need about another
weeks to get the design parameters finished, and then a few days to
program and burn the chips.]<<<<<
        --  Ramirez <>

***** Encryption: Allegiance Prot-Tec Gamma -  Private to: Nighstalker *****
>>>>>[ I have heard about this Matrix presence known as MONICA. May I offer
my services in ridding the GRis of it's presence. ]<<<<<
        -DeDannan (05:14:12GMT/04-13-55)

***** NOT TO:  MONICA, Leon Meyers, Ganz
>>>>>[Yea, Jose's been working on something for the past month.  He
ordered six high-powered expert systems from Yoshida Tech in mid-March and
has been buried in a virtual design-land ever since.  I haven't an idea
what he's working on and he refuses to tell me, but it looks like it is
going to be good, whatever it is.  I only wish I had more of the
hacking ability to perhaps understand it.]<<<<<
        -- Wolf 359 <00:18:31 / 04-13-55>

***** Encryption - Not to: MONICA, Leon Meyers, Ganz *****
>>>>>[ I am, as you know a Matrix programmer of no mean experience. If I
may aid you in any way in defeating the Matrix construct known as MONICA,
please ask, as I am rather willing. I have heard all too much about this
so-called 'AI' from Doctor Doom. ]<<<<<
        -DeDannan (05:24:25GMT/04-13-55)

***** NOT TO:  MONICA, Leon Meyers, Ganz
>>>>>[ Ramerez:  We think alike.  I've been modifying an old systems smasher
I happen to have left over from Omega Island to trash the AI computer system.
I hope pur two programs could compliment each other. ]<<<<<
        -- Nightstalker <22:39:14/04-12-55>

***** Private To: DeDannan
>>>>>[ Your assistance would be appriciated, assuming you are a decker of
more than modest skill.  I refuse to take cannon fodder in to fead to
MONICA. ]<<<<<
        -- Nightstalker <22:41:18/04-12-55>

***** Encryption - Provate to: Valentine *****
>>>>>[ Val, sorry for the hurried note on Monday... I'm in Portland,
having been "invited" by some acquaintances down here... I've been sorting
out some rather sensitive systems down here over the last day or two.
Seems a group of Matrix runners managed to breach the Tir system pretty
badly. Anyway, I'll be back in Seattle by tomorrow night, I hope. I'm just
finishing up here right now, and as soon as I'm finished with my employer,
I'll be heading back for 'da smoke'. ]<<<<<
        --DeDannan (Jackin'/out...)

***** Private To: DeDannan
>>>>>[I doubt you have either the technical, practical, or combat
expierience to even THINK about could head-to-head with MONICA.  Ask
Coyote if you don't believe me.  That cocky S.O.B. almost got himself
skull-fucked for thinking he has an iota of ability to combat AIs.  I
won't have any more young blood on my hands.]<<<<<
        --  Ramirez <emerging for a beer>

***** Private to: Nightstalker
>>>>>[ *chuckle* I find your manner quite amusing. Please peruse the
enclosed ersume of my experience, and you may decide to find a term other
than "cannon fodder" to describe me. 

# include text file: /hw/priv/res.txt

To be browsed through at your pleasure. ]<<<<<
        --DeDannan (25:74:91/13-33-00)

***** Private to: Ramirez
>>>>>[ Ah, the joys of returning to a city after five year's abscence.
I shall enclose a brief resume that may revive your memory, Ramirez.
Thatis, if you were in the biz back in 2050.

# include Text file: /hw/priv/res.txt

Perhaps, having perused it, you will, shall we say, alter your tune
somewhat? ]<<<<<
        --DeDannan (05:43:22/04-13-++)

>>>>>[I am looking for a person operating under the tag IBA. I have
recently acquired information from a bottom sucking scuz (and close
friend) that there is someone out there in the Big City who apparently
wishes you ill. I will charge only my standard fee for this type of info.
I have validated the claim from my informant, so there really is someone
looking for you, this is not a hoax. Drop me a line with a tag for my deck
if you want the details.]<<<<<
        -- Cheap Fingers (Wake up dead, I do.) <22:00:13/04-12-55>

>>>>>[While I have no wish to malign the dead, I must take some exception
to NodeFaerie's assessment of my menace towards Fenris.  I hold no
ill-will towards the man, and I certainly would not resort to hiring some
unnatural thing to deal with him.  Knowing how some of you feel about me,
I felt I shold make some sort of statement.]<<<<<
        --Brandon Lowe (23:23:23:/4-12-55)

>>>>>[Your particular brand of magic will always raise my spirits, lassie. 
Thank you for the attentions.]<<<<<
        --Highlander (23:25:43/4-12-55)

***** NOT TO:  MONICA, Leon Meyers, Ganz
>>>>>[Nightstalker, no offense, but I don't think what you are working on
and what I am working on are going to be compatible.  I finally realized
that we could never defeat MONICA the way we were going, and I had to
start over again.

There's an old saying that goes something like "In order to defeat your
enemy, you must first become your enemy."  I didn't take it literally, of
course, but I realized that we for so long were trying to put MONICA into
real-world terms.  She doesn't operate in the real world, though.  And as
long as we attack her with the mindset of the real world, we're just
wasting our time, our effort, and our very lives.

No, this time, I'm going to meet her on better terms, in a way that she
never expected me, or anyone, to be able to.

Perhaps, that might give us an edge.]<<<<<
        --  Ramirez <>

***** Private To: DeDannan, Nightstalker
>>>>>[I've looked over your resume, and I'm afriad that I cannot use
you.  Your experiences aren't compatible with my mission.  Furthermore,
you do not demonstrate either the creativity or combat finesse required
to even think about taking on an AI.  I'd recommend that you go back to
your corporate fat-cats and leave the defense of cyberspace to those that
can do it.  You'll just get in the way, or get killed.

Also, this message has been CCed to Nightstalker, so that he will
understand my reservations.]<<<<<
        --  Ramirez <>

***** NOT TO: MONICA, Leon Meyers. Ganz
>>>>>[Wolf 359.  You may not know me, but I am Patricia O'Connor.  I would
like to help you out with dealing with MONICA.  I am currently in Seattle
staying with STREETWOLF and Colice.  I am used to shall we say difficult
matrix work. I was born running the matrix in TNO.  I have helped on the
matrix work on the weapons systems of the TRC and Garda.  Please get back
to me as soo as you can. I don't claim to be the best, but I am skilled,
and will do whatever it takes to rid the matrix of this evil that
is.]<<<<<
        --  Patricia O'Connor(09:06:08/04:13:55)

***** Private: Jack
>>>>>[I can get you to Chicago. Contact me at >>>>>LTG<<<<< if you are intreste
d.]<<<<<
     -- BIGHORN <08:36:11 / 04-13-55>

*****GNUEncrypt.BOOJAM.0991/NOT TO: MONICA, Leon Meyers
>>>>>[If you go after MONICA I want in. For Zen, and for myself. You know
I can hiold my own-I survived her once before. I want another piece of
that bitch.]<<<<<
        -- Raven <**:**:**/**-**-**>

>>>>>And what's with these fraggin' frames? Who's back, Solitaire? Do you
know who sicced these frames on me? I can kill 'em easy, but I can't lose
them, even in the Pagoda. And what deck are you talking about? The only
decks I have (besides mine) are Zen's and Dante's-and the letter is nailed
to a wall in my apartment. Right next to my chuck of MONICA's original
motherboard.]<<<<<
        -- Raven <**:**:**/**-**-**>

>>>>>[Mr. Smooth, a mage could be useful.  Cobra is damned good at what he
does, but is not exactly a combat magician.  I may be out for a few days,
I'm still waiting for an answer, but we can do some hunting immediately
after that.  Oh, and it looks like you finally got a long overdue dose of
humility.  Although you did quite well from what I saw in the post, you do
tend to get a bit overconfident.  Still, excellent work from both of
you.]<<<<<
        -- Jeweler <07:10:16/04-13-55>

******* Encrypted - Private to: Patricia O' Connor >>>>>[ Greetings, Pat,
agus failte go dti na scamail!! 'Tis Diarmuid Mac Aoghusa here, in
Portland, at present, but I shall be returning soon. I just thought I'd
leave a quick note to tell you that I'm afraid you're wasting your time if
you wish to aid the good Mr. Ramirez in his attempt to combat the
so-called artificial intelligence construct known as MONICA. I have
already congenially offered my services, but he sees fit to reject the
help of someone who has had more experience than most others in dealing
with hostile (and lethal) Matrix presences, such as the Virus of '29, and
he deems the expertise of someone who was on the team that designed the
equipment he is using to be of little help. I have a feeling that he shall
reject the help you offer in a similar fashion. Personally, I shall be
watching his progress with interest. 

By the way, your t/d stamp doesn't seem to be configured properly. Try
rebooting your deck with the t/d setting set to European configuration,
and then switching to the UCAS config, with `-'s instead of `:'s. That
should sort out the glitch. 

In any case, give my regards to STREETWOLF and Valentine, if you see him.
You can tell them I'll probably be back in Seattle by tomorrow evening. I
am currently engaged in some work for the Tir, but I should be finished by
tomorrow. Until then. ]<<<<<
        -DeDannan (15:11:11GMT/04-13-55)

***** Private to: Ramirez, Nightstalker 
>>>>>[ Ramirez, your assertion that you cannot use me does not surprise
me. None use me, for I am not a simple piece of technology or software
that can be implemented, and then discarded. You say that my experience is
incompatible with your mission, and that I should leave the defence of
cyberspace to "those that can do it". One wonders why we bothered
combatting the Virus at Echo Mirage at all, back in '29, if we were not
protecting cyberspace. Very well, I shall not press the point, but shall
commend you on your choice of tech for your venture. Yoshida are a very
good make. I know, for I was a member of the Yoshida Matrix design
team.]<<<<<
        -DeDannan (A:Vanity/T-D-Stamp)

*****PRIVATE:  Jack
>>>>>[Good sir, we can provide you with transportation to Chicago.  We
have a courier leaving Seattle at 2200 tonight.  We can pick you up at any
location of your choosing in Seattle and then you will be put aboard the
Courier vehicle and dropped off again when you reach Chicago.  I hope you
don't mind traveling surrounded by guards and boxes of ammunition and
weaponry and electronics... We have some security concerns in regard to
your arrival, but those will be addressed after you accept our offer, if
you do so.]<<<<<
        --  Seattle(11:42:13/04-13-55)

>>>>>[Oh, please.  Ramirez, it's really nice to see you haven't changed a
bit. Still a stodgy old goat too embedded in his MONICA worries to realize
the true dangers of the world.  Sure, MONICA is dangerous to the Matrix,
but the truly dangerous ones are those of us who have equal access to the
real world.  Not some overgrown collection of optical chips and
self-modifying intelligent coding schemes.]<<<<<
        --  Double D(11:487:32/04-13-55)

*****PRIVATE:  Moriarity
>>>>>[Sorry to disturb you, sir, but we have had another agent killed.  The
M.O. is similar, but not the same.  And based off the conclusions of our
investigation, we believe that we have a single individual or a single group
attempting to damage our assets.  The identity of this group has not yet been
ascertained.  The reason is that we have noticed that both killings invovled
our Souix assets in one way or another.  Government assets.  The recent agent
was a clerk here in Denver, in the Souix Sector.  He had access to important
data, and it will take time to repair the damage done.]<<<<<
        --  Denver(11:54:43/04-13-55)

*****PRIVATE:  Denver
>>>>>[Thank you for the update.  We will be continuing our investigation as
well.  Minimize the damage as best you can.]<<<<<
        --  Moriarity(11:55:13/04-13-55)

*****PRIVATE:  Collussus
>>>>>[Get back to Denver.  You're needed.]<<<<<
        -- Moriarity(11:56:57/04-13-55)

>>>>>[ Ah, Double D, you must realise that the construct, M0N1CA is a very
real threat to the Matrix, in the same way that the Virus was, back in
'29. Do you remember the chaos and havoc wreaked by the Virus, then? I
remember it all too well, and shall never forget it. M0N1CA, having no
physical constraints like us deckers do, is a very real threat to the
security and integrity of the Matrix, although it's dormancy may leave us
complacent. ]<<<<<
        -DeDannan (16:59:25/13-04-55)

***** Private: BIGHORN
>>>>>[Got it, I will call you at that number.]<<<<<
        --  Jack <11:47:40/04-13-55>

*****Private: CyberWraith
>>>>>[Thanks for the thoughts.  Oh, and don't expect Solonus to respond any
time soon...I still haven't seen him.]<<<<<
        --  Quickling <12:58:00/04-12-55>

*****Private: Seattle
>>>>>[That sounds pretty good.  I really need to get out soon, and 2200
hours ought to be a good time.  I'm not positive, though, give me until
2000 hours to tell you...I might have something a little better. 

And if you're expecting any trouble...]<<<<<
        --  Jack <13:10:27/04-13-55>

>>>>>[Jesus Christ, DeDannan, you are one old motherfragger, ain'tcha?  I
was born that year....Jesus, I'm old too!]<<<<<
        - Necromancer <13:28:34/04-13-55>

>>>>> [  I will require a tactical layout , the number of troops carried
and a copy of your cred balance. Of course , my demands are tempered by
the fact that I guarantee silent insertion/extraction , and stock the
firepower to suitably defend myself. Fees start at 50k , and will rise
according to risk factor.I don't fly to the UK , and Carib League jobs
have a 10% discount. Let's do business ..... ] <<<<<
        --PAIN <13:22:07 / 12-04-55>

>>>>>[ Ah, my friend, but I was 27 years old when the virus struck the
Grid. You're not _that_ old... *chuckle* ]<<<<<
        --DeDannan (18:50:44GMT/04-13-55)

>>>>> DATAFAX --- 24 HOUR-ROUND THE GLOBE-UPDATE

An explosive artifact has just exploded in the London offices of Mathiss &
Mathiss , Public Relations agents for the controverted NS1 proyect.
Thirty-four people died and physical damage costs are estimated at 3M
nuyen. The bomb demolished three floors of the building, raining sheet
glass and a still unspecified biological agent on the street.Although
quarantine has been set up , no effect , apart from a bluish tint on
exposed body areas, has been perceived. Greenwar's Biostrike faction
claimed responsability for the bombing , stating that anyone else suspect
of connection to the NS1 proyect will receive equal treatment. Analysts
compare this outbreak to the failed '49 proposal for a mag-lev vacuum
tunnel train linking France and England. greenwar activities and active
assasination campaign demolished all hopes of sucessful contruction. More
at 11:00 ]<<<<<
        --DATAFAX24H <14:28:23 / 12-04-55 >

>>>>> Thanks for the dough , Couch. The girl is very important to someone
, and I refuse to beleive that the security the Warlock's party nailed was
all that was given to her.If you have access to another wizboy (I hear
Warlock's indisposed), have her scanned, or assensed , or whatever they
call it.(I presume you've already thought of that). I ran a short stint in
corp security overseas a few years back, and my principal has a specially
designed cortex bomb that would not only kill him,but also blow the bloody
frag out of a 10m. radius. Not to speak about bioagents , nanokillers, or
other equally unpleasant tech possibilities. If they tracked Warlock down
so fast , it might be a good idea to get together and stockpile trauma
patches...]<<<<<
        --PAIN <14:04:55 / 12-04-55 >

***** Private to: Nightstalker, Ramirez, DeDannen, Wolf 359
>>>>>[ Depending on how the upcoming endevours of our team come out, I
may be able to assist in your plan to destroy MONICA.  Contact me at
###LTG### in two days. ]<<<<<
        -- CyberWraith <16:20:00 / 04-13-55>

>>>>>[You are sure that you have the deck?  The chips and everything?  And
no-one has busted into your apartment to steal the chips?  And that the
signature was verified by the designers?  This is VERY important,
Raven...]<<<<
        --  Solitaire(16:46:13/04-13-55)

*****Private: GunBunny
>>>>>[I guess you didn't get my earlier post.  My Johnson got back to
me, and I'm going on his run (first come, first served).  If you still
need runners, try contacting Caine, he can do just about everything I
can, anyway.]<<<<<
        --Irish<01:45:20/04-12-55>

*****Private:
>>>>>[These troops, are we talking standard Sec. Goons, or military
style grunts?  And this "extraction" (can't you say "wet work"), do
you want it covert or overt?  The difference could be important.]<<<<<
        --Irish<01:50:40/04-12-55>

*****Private: Dark Angle
>>>>>[I proably should have asked this before, but it slipped my
mind.  Will we have any MAGICAL support?  It could mean the difference
between success & failure (read death).  If we don't have a mage yet,
try contacting Aristo, he may turn the offer down, but it's worth a
try]<<<<<
        --Irish<01:51:30/04-12-55>

*****Private: Quickling
>>>>>[ Well let's meet at **meet info**. That should be all the info you need
to know as of now. Just a warning though. I can't gaurantee how free I will be
at any particular given moment. ]<<<<<
        -- Bruce <15:30:45/4-13-55>