*****Private to: Tim Gartin >>>>>[Don't rush me, don't rush me. This is quality, novahot work here. I've eliminated one of the thre possibilities, and the other two are looking more and more suspicious by the clock cycle. I've also found a handful of poli- clubs that could be involved. +++++Upload: Formal Report and Data Log The free drinks are great, though, although you could use some Laphroaig.]<<<<< -- Christopher Tarleton >>>>>[ Hey, Jazz, sure -- carry some military-grade ECM in a self-powered backpack. But then, they might've thought of that, and it goes off when a signal is turned _off_. So you get a street doc to take it out, but hey, they thought of that too, so they rig it to blow if it's tampered with without having a weak signal transmitting to it nearby. Hmmm. Well, you can either do what they tell you, or else run against them to get the codes and THEN arrange for it to be removed. As for the Boosted Reflexes thing, I think I've heard of some corporations with a real painful process that'll reverse the damage. But then again, I also hear that it kills, like, thirty percent of the patients... Life's a bitch, ain't it? ]<<<<< -- Mike and the Mechanic (18:25:27/7-13-56) >>>>>Another problem with the ECM idea is the nuyen that sucker'll eat up. . . .Glad this isn't *my* neck we're talking 'bout. . . You gotta admire the cortex bomb. It's simple and low tech, but damned effective. It has finesse.<<<<< -- Jazz ( 10:39:47 / 13-7-61 ) >>>>> It's also essence friendly. Heh heh.<<<<< -- Jazz ( 10:41:06 / 13-7-61 ) ***** PRIVATE: Trixie >>>>>[Why do you immediately accuse me of selling out and not caring about my employees? Have I done something to make you feel as if I no longer care? On top of that you grasp on to an unfounded rumor before even bothering to ask me. You have my home phone number, you have my on-site phone number, you could have called me at nearly any time to talk. No, the company isnt being sold. If you could be patient enough to wait for the staff meeting on Monday (which I may have to phone in for) I will explain everything then.]<<<<< -- Jason Stormwind <15:39:18 / 07-14-56> Executive Officer Industrial Sound and Magic >>>>>[Ooooh, that I like....] -- Freddy Frypp (11:30:22 / 07-14-56) President Frypp Security, Inc. (CFSM Uplink #5150) ***** Private: Kor >>>>>[Yeah, yeah, uh-huh.]<<<<< -- Kabuki Man (10:22:51 / 07-14-56) VP-IN-C-OPS Frypp Security, Inc. >>>>>[Hey, I'm gonna hafta find that first band.... The dwarves sucked. Hey, J, we're leaving tonight. We'll be in town sometime tomorrow. Can you bring the band over tomorrow night so I can hear 'em in person?]<<<<< -- Freddy Frypp (12:22:41 / 07-14-56) President Frypp Security, Inc. (CFSM Uplink #5150) >>>>>[Can ya make a "Flaming Walenda"? Howzabout a "PPC"? Christ, I hafta scrounge work for the company, but as soon as I open a bar, they're crawling outta the woodwork....]<<<<< -- Freddy Frypp (12:00:00 / 07-14-56) President Frypp Security, Inc. (CFSM Uplink #5150) >>>>>[Hey, Kor, I'm gonna need somebody to keep a drink in my hands at all times. You know that. ]<<<<< -- Freddy Frypp (12:10:33 / 07-14-56) President Frypp Security, Inc. (CFSM Uplink #5150) >>>>>[I dunno how the rest of you can take this stuff. Explosions and fireballs and all of the other stuff just ain't my style. Blackmail. That's the way to get stuff done. I remember a quote.... "The best way to kill a general is with his own hands". That's the way to do stuff. So anyway, we're clear and away, been clear and away for more than a week. I just been playing with the editing. Might as well post this little montage. +++++ BEGIN VID: The inside of Rumormonger's van. Trash slides across the dashboard as the van heels in turns. "So , how did you guys find this place? Or is it some of the voodoo I don't want to know about?" A disembodied voice from behind the camera tells him, "He came to me. He told me where to find them. He wants back into the fold." "Uh-huh." The van's traversing a pretty rotten neighborhood. Your usual extreme barrens neighborhood, ash everywhere, no life, not even rats. "Well, I think this is it. Three blocks west of the address you gave me, T." Rumomonger kills the engine and reaches between his legs for his remote control deck. A lone ork steps out of the shadows and raps on the passenger side window. Marksenspensah rolls down the window. "Hey, Bone. Your people ready?" "Took ya damn well long 'nuff ta get 'ere. We're coffin' to death. Hurry yap." The ork pushes a gun back into his pocket and turns back into the shadows. Swearing and grunting are followed by a long procession of nearly a hundred orks and trolls, most of the brandishing primitive weapons and Molotov cocktails, but a few are carrying assault rifles and SMGs. "You heard the man. Let us sally forth." A new voice from the back grunts "Huh? Knock it off, Mark. We're not impressed." The view shifts to one of a series of drones moving away from the van. +++++ DALMATION #102 The drone buzzes down the street slowly gaining altitude. It finally breaks out of the urban canyon of abandon buidings and begins scanning the horizon. It's sensors lock onto the tallest building in the area. As it zooms into the rooftop, several fingures can be seen. The first to be distinguished is, of course, a dragon, trussed up with nets and chains. One of the chains connects the dragon to a woman wrapped in white, by a collar around her neck. A man, also dressed simply with a white cape blowing behind him, raises his hands to the sky. Watching are two inhuman figures, one Brimstone, whose flames seem to be flickering oddly, and a man dressed in the Eagle costume of a traditional Aztech warrior. Several other, more traditionally dressed warriors, patrol the perimeter of the rooftop, most of them looking inward more than out. +++++ CONDOR CALIFORIA This drone is following Mark, Teutone, GoD and Griffyn into the building. Mark and Teutone are both craddling silenced SMGs. GoD and Griffyn look to be unarmed, but.... "Gack, I hope this place ain't wired. We'd be screwed. Thirty-four flights of stairs and an Azzie rigger watching us climb every one of them ain't my cup of tea. Damn, wish I'da had a chance to check that out..." All three mages either grunt or nod. They're elsewhere, scanning the astral. A few flights of stairs later.... GoD blinks and shakes his head. "So you never told us what the orks were doing here." "Ah, they're doing the good old-fashioned Villagers-Storming-the- Castle-Gates routine. Worked in Frankenstein, worked in a buncha Dracula movies, I figured it'd work here." "So, what are they doing?" "You know, making noise, burning people in effigy, tossing firebombs into the building, stuff like that." "So if the building's on fire, how do we get off?" "Dunno, haven't gotten to that part in the plan." Mark reaches up to the drone and pulls off a headset. "Hey, R, how's Kor and the orks holding up?" +++++ DALMATION #102 "Well, they've gotten the attenion of the Condors up on the roof. And the building's burning pretty good. Hope you're right about where the smoke'll go.... The Condors're hanging over the sides firing down into them. Kor's keeping them from getting torn up too badly." The view from the drone pretty much backs it up. A few Condors are shooting and dropping grenades over the side of the building onto the orks below. Most of the bullets and fragments seem to be getting deflected away. An Azzie mage is hovering over the street, trying to drop Kor's defensive spells. "Hold on, I'll try to break them up." The drone rolls in towards the building to start a strafing run. Tracer pours into the Condors, scattering them, but not doing too much damage. Mostly they just drop back towards Vargas and the dragon, returning fire at the drone. "Well, that didn't work, now I've got minor damage on one-oh-two, and the Condors are pissed. Holy crap, they just hosed off a SAM! I'll be back." +++++ CONDOR CALIFORNIA Mark shrugs and replaces the handset. "Says they're doing pretty good." +++++ HUNTER Another drone loiters a more comfortable distance from the rooftop. Parabolic mikes concentrate on the rooftop. The priest, apparently Vargas, reaches behind himself for a huge sword. He walks towards the woman and slashes her across both cheeks, bloodying the blade. "What?! What's happening? I thought you loved me?" Vargas leans forward and puts his hand to her cheek, smearing the blood. "Don't you see? That's the point." +++++ CONDOR CALIFORNIA The four finally reach a door to the roof. Mark leans against the door. The mages seem even more agitated. Teutone is the first to say anything: "Vargas and his ally are too preoccupied with the ritual to notice us. Brimstone and the dragon have, though. They're doing pretty good at concealing it. We're still clear. There are two Condors across from the door throwing grenades over the side. Only one other mage present. I've got him." "Okay, Teutone's got the mage, Griff, why not keep an eye open for anything else, GoD, what do you say we pick up the Condors then Vargas' ally?" More nods and grunts. "Well, no time like the present." Mark chops his gun down into the door and rolls onto the rooftop, spraying towards the Condors. +++++ HUNTER A sheet of flame shoots towards the Azzie mage over the street. It engulfs him and breaks his concentration just enough that he drops out of the picture. Gunfire and combat magic explodes in a flash around the drone. It can barely keep up. After a brief eternity, the fight comes back. Several Condors lay in maimed and bloody heaps, but then Marksenspensah isn't looking too good either. Vargas' ally, the Eagle warrior, his on him, bashing him repeatedly with an odd looking club. Mark is gushing from quite a few ugly wounds and one arm is bent at an odd angle. The mages are trying to fend off several spirits the Azzies have called up as well as covering themselves from fire from the Condors left standing. Brimstone is just standing there, watching the spectacle unfold. Vargas holds the ceremony and adds his firepower to the mix, concentrating on Teutone. T's being beat back pretty hard, but he's almost holding his own. Brimstone finally acts, acting Vargas from behind, engulfing him in flames. The flames roll off of Vargas, who turns, disbelieving to the skeletal spirit. Combat magic flies between the two, neither connecting any damaging shots, but Vargas is beginning to fatigue. Griffyn manages to get to Ryuga, and begins trying to free him and the woman. +++++ DALAMATION #102 The drone is spinning and jerking wildly, cutting in and out of the builings. It spirals in a wide right, circling a building and diving towards the street. The SAM falters and slams into the street. +++++ CONDOR CALIFORNIA The drone lurks in cover, popping up for a rooftop view to see Ryuga rearing back. The dragon cautiously moves toward Vargas. The priest halts his attacks against Brimstone and turns slowly to the dragon. "Uh, can we talk about this?" "What is there to talk about? You nearly started a Corp War, you have murdered innocents, and you misused corporate assets. To me you are a criminal, to your masters you are a criminal, to the people of this city you are a criminal. Your activities end...today. When, everything is said and done, you will face the tender mercies of your masters. You know what they are capable of doing to your body and soul." +++++ HUNTER The drone begins to close on the building. In the street below, the orks are retreating, some of them dragging wounded behind them. The lower few floor of the building are in flames, but spirits can be seen holding the smoke into a screen for the retreating orks. +++++ CONDOR CALIFORNIA Vargas has disappeared, under the dragon, maybe? The three attacking mages are mopping up the last of the Condors, who've stopped fighting. Some of them are staggering around, like men lost. Others, the more level headed, are strapping themselves into Aztechnology ultra-lights and are fleeing the site. Vargas' ally is staring down the dragon, but doesn't appear to want to fight and fades away to enjoy his new freedom. Brimstone can be seen crouching over the lifeless form of Marksenspensah, saying something to him. For whatever mystical reasons, the drone can't hear him. Brimstone picks Mark up, cradling him in his arms. The spirit's motorcycle materializes beneath him, with Mark across the handlebars. The spirit turns to wave to Teutone before disappearing in a storm of fire, taking Mark with. +++++ HUNTER Vargas' ally appear on the street, alone. He leans into the building, actually shaking it. The four people left on the rooftop climb onto Ryuga, who lifts off into the night sky as the building begins to collapse. +++++ END VIDEO Kor says the Condor's must've been under a mind control spell, and when the dragon swatted Vargas it was broken. Weird drek. I'll never understand it. So here's the story: Years ago Mark, Vargas and 'Becca / M. Executor all worked for Aztechnology. The vicious little jealousy / love triangle got goin' and, well, Vargas snapped. Or at least that's the way Mark explained it to me before we left. Wonder what the frag happened to him?]<<<<< -- Rumormonger (Always / Tuned-In) *****PRIVATE: Jinx >>>>>[DC42 you are instructed to make contact with DCDen ASAP. Your basket MUST be delivered.]<<<<< --BBWolf <13:30:00 - 07-14-56> *****PRIVATE: BBWolf >>>>>[I'll be at *address* tonight at 20:30:00. Tell Grandma to meet me there on time or I scatter. I think I've got breadcrumbs too, so bring the Woodsman.]<<<<< -- Jinx <16:10:21 - 07-14-56> >>>>>[Heck, I can even make the famous "Red Tornado" which can only be made from a specially made, fortified liqour that comes only from certain parts of the Caribian League. You can get the ingredients in New Orleans or Houston if you know where to look, or in the right places in the Carribian League. However, it would be a real treat in Seatle as it would be one of the few restaurants to provide it, being on the other side of the continent and all. The only problem would be getting ahold of the ingredients. That would make for an interesting run, huh!]<<<<< -- Shade (24:57:09 / 07-15-56) PRIVATE: Kor **************** >>>>>[I could be kept on retainer if you need a spirit summoned or a critter identified. It is always useful to know your opponent, and then its weaknesses. I have even had experience examining a UB worker ant in my lab. They are most interesting, but die much too easily.]<<<<< -- Shade (1:17:07 / 07-15-56) *****PRIVATE: BBWolf >>>>>[Grandma didn't show. I had to bug. This basket is hotter than you told me, I want extra for this one. I'll be at *address of Freddy Frypps Bar* tonight. Have Grandma meet me there.]<<<<< -- Jinx <02:17:27 / 07-15-56> *****PRIVATE: Jinx >>>>>[DC42, i have bad news. Grandma is dead. Contact is now undetermined. Do NOT drop the basket. =Y=20,000 has been transfered to help with extra costs of this asignment. Keep the Basket safe. We are contacting MotherGoose for New Grandma. Lay low, and be carfull.]<<<<< -- BBBlackSheep <02:22:01 / 07-15-56> *****PRIVATE: BBBLackSheep >>>>>[BlackSheep, wheres Wolf? and What happened to Grandma? What the hell am I carying?]<<<<< -- Jinx <02:29:42 / 07-15-56> *****PRIVATE: Jinx >>>>>[Wolf is does get to sleep some times. Why don't you try it. What happened to Grandma and what you are carrying are not important. Just do your job, and your job is No Questions Asked Delivery.]<<<<< -- BBBlackSheep <02:32:01 / 07-15-56> *****Private: Christopher Tarleton >>>>>[I'll work on getting that in for you]<<<<< -- Tim Gartin <18:03:46/-7-15-56> Security Supervisor Red Lime, Inc. >>>>>[ Well, I have finally have found the time to post here again. Seems I need to ask a favor of you all out there. Has anyone seen DragonEyes recently? It appears I am in need of his services for a friend. ]<<<<< -- Scourge <20:20:05/7-17-56> >>>>>[ Hey Scourge! I heard there was a sighting of Doomsday and Shadowfox in Seattle. Seems they went to hear an old friend of theirs play at a club. Any clue as to why they picked Seattle to turn up at? ]<<<<< -- Ratspeak <20:22:50/7-17-56> >>>>>[ Yes and no. I have a video of something they stumbled upon, yet I don't really have any explanations. If it wasn't for the video, I doubt I would have had any contact at all with them. Shadowfox used the video as a trade for me setting a meet up for him. Strange. Normally he does that sort of thing himself. He looked real tired over the vid-phone. While the video does answer some questions, it has successfully managed to raise some more for me. I would post the video tonight, but I want to run some analysis on it first. Hopefully, I shall be able to air it tomorrow night. Until then. ]<<<<< -- Scourge <20:26:50/7-17-56> >>>>>[ I haven't heard of Dragoneyes anywhere recently, not since you folks partied in Japan. As things go, I've just been relaxing and watching in the background. Nothing much has really caught my interest recently. If it wasn't for all the 'For-The-Hell-Of-It' decking, I would say I was rather bored. Anyone need a rather bored decker for some low profile, low retribution legwork? Sigh, its been a while since I had any friends get into a crisis either. Things are slowing down way too much.]<<<<< -- Spirit >>>>>[ So what do ya call the small hell we raised last week?]<<<<< -- Circuit breaker >>>>>[ I know, we do stuff, even if partially retired, but it would be nice to have interesting stories to tell. Oh well, you can't have secrets and tell them too. So, who do you folks think will win the game today, I personally think Seattle will have a tough time against Portland.]<<<<< -- Spirit >>>>>[I concur, Portland is going to wipe the asphalt with the T-Wolves' noses. Anyone care to make a bet on it? ]<<<<< --Moonwalker (00:51:08/07-17-56) >>>>>[Hey, where'd my T/D hack go? oh, here we are. Sorry about that]<<<<< --Moonwalker (E/O) >>>>>[ +++++ start transmission. You hear a deep voice say, "I dink you will like dis place. Dey ain't family, but dey know what it is ta try start a new." The response, you note is a higher-pitched voice and a lot softer spoken than the first speaker, "Excuse me if I'm not just thrilled with the thought of not seeing sunlight for a while." The deeper voice laughs, "Oh ya will. In time." The other voice speaks filled briefly with pain, "Time. It always comes to that." There is a pause and then sad sigh uttered. --- "I don't like dis. No guards. Somethin' wrong." "Typical. Remember your vacation? Last time I was around and you took a vacation, we both ended up in more drek than we wanted. Learned a lot about Ganz though. Let's do a sweep. Maybe we can find the guards." "Ya take lead. Ya `re better at it." "Right.. Leave the major burdens here. We'll just have to try and come back for them." A deep sigh emits. "Damn it! I'm getting a really bad feeling about dis!" The softer voice replies, "Keep your cool. Be like ice." --- A large troll emerges from the tunnel. He is running full- tilt in full panic. There is a human skillfully trailing him. It looks like the human (an Indian) is doing his best to cover the panic-filled troll, while watching his surroundings. You think you hear him mutter, "So much for ice, eh?" The surroundings. Most curious, it seems to be almost an underground haven. The troll seems to be racing through a shopping area. The only lights seem to coming from gas- filled lamps. As the troll runs around a corner he skids to a stop and screams, "NNNNNNNOOOOOOO!!!" The human hearing the scream stops looking around at the scenery and runs up to the troll. He utters a soft, "Jesus. Even the fragging dwarves were better off than this. " The troll in obvious pain from whatever lies before them, says, "At least dey . . . dey . . ." The human puts a hand on the trolls back and says, "Doomsday . . . hang in there. I know. It's horrible. I . . ." He trails off. The troll, Doomsday you guess, says in an obvious attempt to control himself, "What now?" The human sighs, and says, "Choices. Options: 1) Clean up this. 2) Look for survivors. 3) See if the people who caused this are still around.." Looking at the ground ahead of him he snarls, and says, "This was done a while ago, I think. Let's see if we can find there are any clues as to what happened." Doomsday nods. "Maybe we should get our stuff first. We are going to be doing this for a while." The human sighs, "You are right on that one my friend. So right....." --- The courtyard, (for lack of a better word to call it) is a scene of pure devastation. It looks like someone (or ones) hoarded together a bunch of orks and trolls. It also looks like they were just mercilessly gunned down where they stood. Children, elderly, it didn't seem to make any difference. At the center of the massacre is the remains of a once-stunningly beautiful ork. She was literally crucified in front of everyone else on a raised platform. Her clothes are in a state that makes you wonder if she what she went through before she was stuck up there by knives that have crosses as hilts. You shudder as you start to consider what happened here.]<<<<< -- Scourge <19:00:00/7-19-56> >>>>>[ I cannot offer money for this one, but any one interested in checking out what happened there? I would if it wasn't for the amount of work that I have been buried under. ]<<<<< -- Scourge <19:00:05/7-19-56> >>>>>[ I would, but I am not exactly in a convenient place to work on this one. I will willingly help whoever wants to look in this. As far as DragonEyes goes, it appears he has pulled a complete fade. It is currently easier to find someone like Nightmare than DE. ]<<<<< -- Ratspeak <19:08:47/7-19-56> >>>>>[ I'll pay for information like a current location on Nightmare. ]<<<<< -- a Collector <19:09:01/7-19-56> >>>>>[ I -- I won't do that. Not on him. Living is a nice state to be in. ]<<<<< -- Ratspeak <19:09:30/7-19-56> >>>>>[ Perhaps. But as you have shown in the past, all men have their price. ]<<<<< -- a Collector <19:10:00/7-19-56> >>>>>[ Who are you? ]<<<<< -- Ratspeak <19:10:05/7-19-56> >>>>>[ Your nightmare . . . . ]<<<<<< -- a Collector <19:10:14/7-19-56> >>>>>[ Fragging cute, you bloody drek-head. ]<<<<< -- Ratspeak <19:10:22/7-19-56> ***** Private: Scourge >>>>>[ A Collector was the handle that hired me and some others to steal Powerhouse's sword a while back. Perhaps you should warn Ratspeak? ]<<<<< -- Nightingale <19:10:43/7-19-56> ***** Private: Nightingale >>>>>[ Perhaps. ]<<<<< -- Scourge <19:10:54/7-19-56> ***** Private: Spirit >>>>>[ If you are feeling truly bored, you could dig around and see why Scourge suddenly wants to find DragonEyes for a friend, instead of just trying to help him out of whatever was chasing him a while back. I would be very curious to know. Hell, I probably can even find you some money if it is truly good dirt. ]<<<<< -- Ratspeak <19:26:15/7-19-56> ***** Private: Sprinkler >>>>>[ I remember hearing that you are over in Europe. I was wondering if you could do me a favor. It appears that there is a certain persona that I need to find. He apparently lurks over in your woods and not mine. If you are willing to help me out, it can be financially rewarding. ]<<<<< -- Ratspeak <19:28:26/7-19-56> >>>>>[ Sorry. Guy sounds like a dead widget to me. Go bother someone else with your sob story. ]<<<<< -- Sprinkler <19:29:31/7-19-56> ***** Private: Scourge >>>>>[ Care to explain why Ratspeak wants me to do some digging for him? ]<<<<< -- Sprinkler <19:30:12/7-19-56> ***** Private: Sprinkler >>>>>[ Either he is spreading himself to thin, or he is afraid this a Collector may be too much for him. His traced failed after bouncing through a ltgs. Hmm. Got a job for you, dig up the info, and pass it along to me. Give him some false drek that looks good and let him chase up the wrong tree. If the 'a Collector' is a true threat, I will pass it on to him. Name your price. ]<<<<< -- Scourge <19:33:27/7-19-56> ***** Private: Ratspeak >>>>>[ Oh what the frag? I love chasing dead widgets. My price is >>encrypted<<. Deal? ]<<<<< -- Sprinkler <19:34:33/7-19-56> ***** Private: Scourge >>>>>[ Sounds like my kind of scam. Care to tell me why? If memory serves correct he saved your bacon a while back. My price is >>encrypted<< plus the answer of my question. ]<<<<< -- Sprinkler <19:35:39/7-19-56> ***** Private: Sprinkler >>>>>[ You have yourself a deal. But you only get paid for results. If I beat you to the punch, you don't get anything, chummer. ]<<<<< -- Ratspeak <19:36:33/7-19-56> ***** Private: Sprinkler >>>>>[ Let me say that it is time to repay Ratspeak for a service rendered to my bosses. Happened about a month and a half ago. Since he is a friend, I don't want to kill him, just merely inconvenience him for a while. Which of course means, you have to also keep him from getting the true dirt as well. Your price is agreed to. ]<<<<< -- Scourge <19:36:43/7-19-56> ***** Not To: Scourge, Ratspeak, a Collector, Kor >>>>>[ Someone know either Scourge or Ratspeak well enough to give me a good solid analysis of everything there is to know about them? I'm curious as to what sort of games they are playing right about now. Let's just say I'm guarding my back from being fried. My best guess is history and maybe a prediction of how they would act in various circumstances would be of vast aid in this endeavor. Willing to pay good nuYen for paydirt.]<<<<< -- Sprinkler <19:41:30/7-19-56> >>>>>[Scourge, I don't usually do charity work...but this piques my interest. Fragging cruel slots.]<<<<< -- Christopher Tarleton >>>>>[ Scourge, I'm game for that little excursion. I don't like it when fraggers start killing off my people by the dozen. Sick slots. Whoever is interested in going after these fraggers, let me know. ]<<<<< -- Tiny < 15:04:20/7-20-56 > ***** PRIVATE: Spirit >>>>>[I don't suppose your borded enough to be willing to "liberate" a few hundred K from Aztech, hmmm?]<<<<< -- Irish <13:22:21/20-JUL-56>