>>>>>[Boss, you live through the purge?  It's your old rigger chum.  I
got bad news, though.  Silver got sunk.  The old troll got scragged.]<<<<<
        --  FM <18:23:04/09-20-56>

>>>>>[You made it, then!  Glad to hear it.  Dad's in surgery right now,
though.  A friend of Val's got himself hurt real bad last night.]<<<<<
        --  Diana, Mistress of the Night <18:25:25/09-20-56>

>>>>>[Who the frag is Val?]<<<<<
        --  FM <18:25:53/09-20-56>

>>>>>[Never mind....  You in town?]<<<<<
        --  Diana, Mistress of the Night <18:26:36/09-20-56>

>>>>>[Out in the Cascades.  Baby won't fit anywhere else, ya know.  I'll
be in town later.  Meet you at >>Encrypted<<]<<<<<
        --  FM <18:27:41/09-20-56>

>>>>>[Well, this is what the news said....

+++++ Include Trideo Download +++++

My name is Charlie Fingers, and I'm here in Bellevue, Seattle, where
several large explosions recently tore up roads in parts of Kirkland.
Lone Star is investigating and has apparently determined that part of the
Underground has streched this far east, and that it appeared to be gas
explosions caused by mining operations.

+++++ End Trideo Download +++++

Well, they're full of drek.  Gas explosion, not fraggin likely.  Dad told
me to tell all you folks what really happened while he's working on saving
a man's life.

Everybody's favorite chums, Smith, Klien, and French had been watching
Haven where Val gave Hermit safe haven, and they'd apparently backed off
after being warned by Val.  Well, Hermit felt well enough to finish the
third stage of whatever the frag it was he was doing, and headed off
toward the Underground.  Dad followed him, trying to keep him safe.
After all, Hermit's a norm(elf or human, we're not sure, or weren't until
today) and he was heading into orc and troll country.  Not that Dad
really qualifies, but still....

Well, they got to whereever and found that there were a group of humans
waiting there, wearing funky clothing, but none of them talked.  Then
Smith and co. showed up and Smith, the mage slitch, toasted Dad bad
enough that he reappeared and was out of the battle for a while.  Hermit,
however, went into melee and supposedly killed half of the humans there
before getting shot repeatedly by French and then spelled by Smith.  That
robe he wears that covers him head to toe must be really wiz fabric,
because he took a few bursts and is still alive(if only barely).  Well,
Smith drugged Dad and tied him up and then activated the explosives all
through chamber after leaving.  Somehow Hermit got them both out of the
chamber before it went ballistic.

But outside, someone nailed Hermit again, this time with Magic.  Dad says
that he saw a guy appear, cast a spell, and then disappear again, but
that it definately wasn't Smith.

That's about it.]<<<<<
        --  Diana, Mistress of the Night <18:44:43/09-20-56>

>>>>>[Uh, Mr. O'Kennedy?  Chums in the 'plex, wiz 'ware, newbies.
Watchawana us to do?  Binds null persp. fer the chums]<<<<<
        --  Davis <20:01:59/09-21-56>

>>>>>[Davis, I'll see what I can find.  Just keep an eye out on them, but
don't risk your chums to do it.  Thanks, though]<<<<<
        --  Valentine <20:02:17/09-21-56>

>>>>>[Pas de persp, Val, er, Mr. O'Kennedy.]<<<<<
        --  Davis <20:04:09/09-21-56>

*****PRIVATE:  Commander Drake
>>>>>[Sir, the new Special Ops base has been outfitted, armored, secured,
and staffed.  Interpol has confirmed your transfer orders as you
suspected.  Welcome to Seattle, sir.]<<<<<
        --  Agent <19:54:28/09-21-56>

*****PRIVATE:  Agent
>>>>>[My sub-orbital will be landing within 30 minutes and I expect to be
meeted.  But keep it cool.  Many of Special Branch's most wanted are here
in Seattle, and we don't want them to know I've arrived yet.]<<<<<
        --  Commander Drake, Interpol <19:56:21/09-21-56>

***** PRIVATE:  Avatar
>>>>>[Well, John?]<<<<<
        --  Velli <22:59:08/09-21-56>

*****PRIVATE:  Velli
>>>>>[Operations are beginning.  We should start getting results within a
week.  Our agent will be compromised, of course.  He will be discovered
and killed, but regardless, our other agents will be safe, and they are
far more valuable in the long term.  Should we begin the tertiary?]<<<<<
        --  Avatar <23:05:47/09-21-56>

*****PRIVATE:  Avatar
>>>>>[Of course.  Take care of that aspect of the operation yourself.]<<<<<
        --  Velli <23:06:24/09-21-56>

***** PRIVATE: Diana
>>>>>[ I hope AJ's all right...I know he's gotten out of worse scraps,
but, well, just let me know if there's anything I can do for him,
viz?]<<<<<
        --Moonwalker <T/D CORRUPTED AT SOURCE>

>>>>>[Damn, still haven't got that quite right...]<<<<<
        --Moonwalker <T/D CORRUPTED AT SOURCE>

>>>>>[Ah, there we go]<<<<<
        --Moonwalker <Starsin/Myeyes>

>>>>>[Moonwalker:  Thanks.  I just dialed him up (I think I interrupted him,
he didn't seem too happy) and downloaded a few good shots of the armor.  Not
good news.

It seems that he didn't do it, and he isn't sure who did.  He said there
isn't a "trademark" or "ego mark" on the armor.  He didn't know of any corps
that would sculpt armor like that, but it would take that kind of money for
the quality of work.  Apparently the blood-red armor is hyper-realistic, even
more than the others, right down to the finest microdetail.

Best guess?  These guys are working for the dragons.  We both figure maybe
Dunkelzahn, Lofwyr (doesn't really seem his style), Rhonabwy, or Celedyr (not
his style either).

I think it's time to lie low for a while.  Azzies, dragons, weird armor...I'm
taking a vacation.]<<<<<
     	-- Rage<11:19:23/9-21-56>

>>>>>[Hela.]<<<<<
    	-- Draig Un<12:23:28/21-9-56>

>>>>>[Capel?]<<<<<
    	-- Draig Dau<12:23:34/9-21-56>
     	   Draig Llwybr

>>>>>[Ydi.]<<<<<
     	-- Draig Un<12:23:44/21-9-56>

***** PRIVATE: Jason Stormwind
>>>>>[When you ask for information you dont mess around with the mundane`
stuff, do you?  First it was that nut case with the spirit and the motorcycle
then it was this wacko.

Ok, this is what I got:

This freak is definitely something to be very wary of.  From the mo you
gave me on the phone I would have to so this is your man.  Big religion
freak or something like that.  Leave crosses on the body or sometimes carves
them into the victim after death.  Carries weapons where the hilt is a cross
of some sort.  Has been linked to a couple of deaths where the victim was...
get this...crucified.  Some of them were just plain mutilated.

We've been trying to get ahold of this perp for a while but we cannot track
him.  Its so hard to track someone who doesnt have a SIN.  Go Fig.
But anyway  --  We have some speculation on his internals.
My suggestion...if this fragger is after you, leave the city.  Period.  Take
your wife and kids and leave.]<<<<<
        -- Sgt. Fuller<22:20:23 / 09-22-56>
           Night Desk
           Lone Star Security

***** PRIVATE: Sgt. Fuller
>>>>>[Hmmm.  I dont have that type of luxury.  I think this psychopath
is currently annoyed with me.]<<<<<
        -- Jason Stormwind <23:11:21 / 09-22-56>
           Field Officer
           Serenity Security


***** PRIVATE:  Jason Stormwind
>>>>>[Would you like me to waste some of your tax money to put a couple of
men on you to make sure you are safe?]<<<<<
        -- Sgt. Fuller <23:15:23 / 09-22-56>
           Night Desk
           Lone Star Security

***** PRIVATE: Sgt. Fuller
>>>>>[No, not yet.  I think I might need to handle this myself.  Besides, I
have a friend who is a little leary of security personel, if you know
what I mean.  Hey, by the way  --  I was 'recently accosted by a large group
of youths on motorcycles and they beat me up and took away my preditor II
side arm'.  If that happens to cross your desk, could you make sure it doesnt
cross anyone else's?  Its embarassing enough to tell people I got mugged, worse
to tell them that I had a gun and didnt use it...only to have it stolen.]<<<<<
        -- Jason Stormwind <23:16:01 / 09-22-56>

***** PRIVATE: Jason Stormwind
>>>>>[I tell you time and time again, dont bullshit a bullshitter.  Let me
see if I got this straight:

You have this friend, a troll, goes by the name of Doomsday, who was recently
taking care of some kids (and also recently sent put them on a plane) down
in the lower sections of the tunnels.  You went to see him and got into an
altercation with people sent by Zealot (You probably know him as Wanderer).
One of your security officers and yourself "defended yourselves as best you
can with the tools available to you" leaving no survivors.  One child died
Susan Sanders, aged 6, in the attack, no fault of yours.  Doomsday was
surprisingly missing from all this action (funny, huh?).  The other night,
while sending the children off, he was attacked by Ze..Wanderer but
made a hasty retreat.  If I am not mistaken, the weapon thrown to the
ground looked amazingly like a Preditor II.  Wouldnt happen to have been
yours, would it?]<<<<<
        -- Sgt. Fuller <23:29:23 / 09-22-56>
           Night Desk
           Lone Star Security

***** PRIVATE: Sgt. Fuller
>>>>>[What the hell?!  Are you keeping tabs on me or what?  How the hell
do you know this drek?]<<<<<
        -- Jason Stormwind <23:31:45 / 09-22-56>

***** PRIVATE: Jason Stormwind
>>>>>[Im paid to know things, m'boy.  Dont even think that the footage
posted on that BBS all those shadow runner wannabe's didnt find its way
to my desk.  For a measly 1,000 nY I had it, letter boxed, and subtitled
about 3 hours after you did.

As to the gun  --  I guessed and you rolled over on that tidbit yourself.
I knew you and Doomsday was tight.  I figger'd you gave him the gun when
you met up with him at the bar.  I also assume you already know that
transfering a weapon to a SINLESS person with no permit is illegal.  But
thats neither here nor there.

As I see it:  You owe me 3 peices of information, and one dinner.  I'd like
to collect on dinner saturday night after my shift is over.]<<<<<
        -- Sgt. Fuller <23:58:23 / 09-22-56>

***** PRIVATE: Sgt. Fuller
>>>>>[*looks for drons over his apartment*

You know if I find one of this damned lone star drones over my place I AM going
to spell it down, right?  And no dinner for you.  I have other things to
worry about this weekend.]<<<<<
        -- Jason Stormwind <00:01:23 / 09:23:56>

>>>>>[Rage, don't forget, it's not my style either...although I'm still not
too happy with Aztechnology...]<<<<<
        -- Ryuga (20:55:30/ 09:22:56)
           CEO
           Ryaka Science and Tech

>>>>>>[Drek, this shit is scary]<<<<<<
	-- GrimJack

>>>>>[If anyone remembers all that way back...I think I have discovered
who the blonde-haired, blue-eyed man is.  My decker friend inside Fuchi
picked this relay up and passed it along. Here and there his comments
have been added in parenthesis. Enjoy.

+++++Begin Transmission? (y/n) Y

Fuchi Corp -- Seattle, UCAS =+=
N-Mail Message, Received September 12, 2056.
From: Jonathon Cromby, Head of Fuchi Security Northwest -- Seattle
To: Ryan Smythe, Fuchi Corp Internal Maintenance
Cc:
Subject: Our mutual friend.

>>>Ryan, I have some more info on our mutual friend that may aid you.  He
is in hiding in a doss on the north side of Seattle at >>>ENCRYPTED<<<.
You will find him there.  He knows nothing of this.

(How they got this address, Chucky babe, I will never know.)

I suggest you go lightly armed.  Make it look like a gang hit, or
something as drekky as that.  But hit him hard.  How he got out of Fuchi
Sec. Operative without a trace we are still looking into.

(wink, wink)

Oh, one more thing...we checked...he does not know of your existence.  He
has never met you, nor has he ever seen you.  There are some things that
we keep secret from even a man in such a position as his.  He thinks he's
met them all...no matter.

(I'll get you a complete list of those you have not met, if you so desire.)

I trust this will go as planned.  Be careful.  Payment as usual.<<<<<

+++++End Transmission

Anyone heard anything about Ryan Smythe?  The man was right, I know
nothing about him...it seems, after some checking, neither does my decker
friend.  Help a fellow runner, screw the corps.  Also, if anyone can tell
me about "internal maintenance" I would also be much obliged, chumskies.
Sounds kind of strange, if you ask me...

Help fight oppression.  I'll pay.]<<<<<
        -- Crucifix (KingKong/DiedForYerSins)

>>>>>[Mr. Val, 8ball and X got fragged!  M.C. and Sky are scragged up
pretty good.  Can ya help us?]<<<<<
        --  Pater <22:41:26/09-23-56>

>>>>>[You know my reputation, Pater.  I'll do what I can]<<<<<
        --  Valentine <22:43:31/09-23-56>

>>>>>[Drek, Val-chum, the 'Weeners got dreked on tonight.  3 joyboys worm
food, 5 shot up.  Scan the deal, chum?]<<<<<
        --  Hallow'sEve <22:46:58/09-23-56>

>>>>>[Scanned and got.  Bring 'em Sanct, stat]<<<<<
        --  Valentine <22:47:08/09-23-56>

>>>>>[Mr. Valentine, some gangers not of the plex are interested in you.
We can't scan them, but they're trying to break the agreement by force.
They killed Michealson today and I'm nursing a shoulder wound.  They had
unusual accents I've only heard once or twice, and always in the
corporate downtown.  Someone's gunning for you, sir.]<<<<<
        --  Green & Blue <10:50L40/09-23-56>

>>>>>[Why would someone want me again?  And strange accents?  The last
time unusual accents were heard around here involving me....  No, she
wouldn't.  I've been declared dead to them....  Bloody hell.  I'm no
decker, and while my sources are extensive, they are limited to certain
realms.  Would someone please look into this for me?]<<<<<
        --  Valentine <22:52:03/09-23-56>

*****PRIVATE: Merrox, Kor
>>>>>[  Okay, Merrox, I finally got a chance to do some more digging into the
airline information that you needed.  There were several surprise landings on
the night in question, but I was able to track down the one that we're
interested in by the plane's serial numbers.

The plane touched down in the middle of nowhere in Indiana and promptly took
off again not long after.  I wasn't able to find out what is there, and I only
figured out where they landed by scanning through the radar logs for that night
from several different places.

Here's a copy of the run notes that I kept that you can look over, in case
there's more information.

+++++INCLUDE FILE:  flight_data   ]<<<<<
        -- Neuron Basher <09:16:45/09-25-56>
	
>>>>>[We knew it.  Somebody tried putting the squeeze on Freddy the
other night.  Pair of low-life thugs from the south side tried
getting into the room that DocWagon left Freddy in (before we moved
him and juggled the records at the hospital).

To make a long story short, Heckle and Jeckle got as far as the room
itself, when they stirred up a little present we left for just that
contingency - trip-wire activated NeuroStun VII canister (Jac wanted
to use 7-VII wargas, but it was a hospital, so we talked him out of
it).

But it gets weirder, after we collected the... bodies, we checked
their vitals, they were fine, but a coupla hours later - while they
were still sleeping it off - they started convulsing and just stopped
breathing.  Everything crapped out at once.  We ran quick medscans on
them and the box is still stuck.  It can't figure out what stopped
first to kill them.  Synapses started shutting down all over,
neurotransmitter levels are all wrong - not even natural, I'm told,
lungs filled with fluid, blood thickened up and - at the same
time - lost ability to carry oxygen.

We just dumped the bodies in the Bay.

Anybody having any luck?  Death Jestor, weren't your folks beating
the bushes around DocWagon and the SFPD?]<<<<<
       	-- Spark (07:55:12 / 09-25-56)

>>>>>[When in doubt, leave the bodies in the Bay.]<<<<<
        --  Christopher Tarleton <Dark/Angel>

>>>>>[Sneaky bastards thought they had me, but I got 'em.  Somebody
slipped a leech into my hardware.  Blasted thing would send off an
update whenever I copied something into my deck.  Figured when I was
jiggling numbers I wouldn't notice it.

But I got 'em pegged.

Somebody was leaking locations of my income to the payees and I was
taking it in the end.  It costs plenty o' nuyen to keep me at the
standard of living at which I've become accustomed.

Ooooh, it was a tricky bugger, too.  Hadta isolate my persona first.
Just let it sit for a coupla days - nothing happened.  Loaded a
copy of Super Cyber-Sam XXIV in and it went nuts trying to zip off an
update.

So then I knew where to look.  Started tearing apart storage and some
of my firmware and I got it.  The leech fired off into an off-shore
data haven in the Caymans.  Tried to run it down, but of course,
these things don't exactly exist in the real world.  Probably just a
switching station in any case.  The real computers coulda been
anywhere, Middle East, Africa, Ukraine, anywhere.

So, do any of you know about a Seattle corp that could be using that
kind of MO?]<<<<<
        -- Rumormonger (Always / Tuned-In)

>>>>>[Anybody.]<<<<<
        -- See No Evil (09:10:24 / 09-25-56)

>>>>>[Everybody.]<<<<<
        -- Hear No Evil (09:10:25 / 09-25-56)

>>>>>[Nobody.]<<<<<
        -- Speak No Evil (09:10:26 / 09-25-56)

>>>>>[  +++++Include Trideo Download+++++

Hello, I am Charlie Fingers and this is Seattle.  I am coming to you
from the metroplex of Seattle where the plot is thickening regarding
Saeder-Krupp's recent purchase of land in Redmond for an urban renewal
project and, it has recently been released, the creation of a facility
in order to increase the megacorp's presence in Seattle.

The government of Seattle, and of Redmond specifically, have already
agreed to work with Saeder-Krupp to assist in cleaning up the gang
presence around the newly purchased land.  However, there is a catch.
The recently purchases have been challenged by Mr. Patrick O'Kennedy, the
owner and operator of Haven, an orphanage, school, rehab center, and
sanctuary for all the youth of Seattle.  I recently had an interview
with Mr. O'Kennedy, and this is what was said.

+++++change of picture to Redmond, outside a large dormatory looking
building with a white picket fence around it.  You notice that of all the
surfaces around you, only this buidling and even the fence are clean,
without graffiti, stains, or anything.  The ever present homeless seem
content to sleep near the building, but not on the grounds.  While you
watch, a squatter gets up to relieve herself, but heads across the street
to do so where normally the nearest bush would have done.  Over the
double door to the building in brass is the word "Haven".

"This is Haven, and I've been asked to wait here for my host, Mr.
O'Kennedy.  As you can see, it is nearly a total enigma for the area.
It's clean, the squatters leave it unblemished and the grounds
unoccupied, and there is almost an aura about it of peace and safety.
Indeed, I even feel safe here, knowing that this is the locus for the
four major gangs in Redmond, as well as near the turfs of some 12
others.  Remarkable."

+++++As C.F(Charlie Fingers) is saying this, you hear an old-fashioned
school bell ring, signaling something, and not 10 seconds later, children
poor from the front door.  Like children everywhere should be, they are
smiling, laughing, playing.  They look just like the corporate educated
children of the nicer areas of town, but with one glaring difference.
Many of these children have scars, or are wearing clothing that looks
like it hasn't been cleaned for weeks, or are wearing gang colors and
waiting patiently for a shed off on the side of the building to be
opened.  The shed has the sign "Check all weapons here."  These are the
unlucky ones, the children of squatters, orphans, urchins, gangers, etc.
Striding toward C.F. is a relatively moderately tall elf dressed in a
button-down sport shirt, jeans, canvas high-top sneakers, and sporting
shoulder length red hair.  He appears to be accompanied by several older
children, most likely teenagers or high-schoolers.  It's amazing,
considering that one of them is an elf dressed in the colors of the
Ancients, another is a troll wearing Rusted Stilletto synthleathers, and
the third is a barefoot human girl who can't be more than 17, carrying a
sleeping baby.

"Mr. Fingers, I presume?  Excuse me for a moment, but I must see some of
my students off."

+++++Patrick proceeds to wander about the thinning throngs of children
and finally comes to one teen who stands there abashed.

"Ace, next time you jazz your teach, you're out.  Catch me, chum?"

"Yessir, Mr. O'Kennedy.  Ummm..., can I have the Special back?  My gang
will take it real personal if I don't have it."

"Yeah, Ace.  Just check it next time, ok?"

"Sure thing, Mr. O'Kennedy.  Thanks."

"Take off, Ace."

+++++You notice during this exchange that Patrick seems to be firm but
kind with the children, and also that he has a mild British accent.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fingers, but my children come first above all else."

"I understand, Mr. O'Kennedy.  And, please, call me Charlie."

"Of course, and please call me Pat.  I much prefer the informality."

"Pat, you've got quite a place here.  I'm surprised that no-one has ever
mentioned it to the press, especially considering what I've learned of
you and your history here in Seattle."

(Pat chuckles)"No offense, Charlie, but the world would much rather
forget that the people here exist than acknowledge my small steps to make
thier lives easier."

"No offense taken.  I noticed some of the children were wearing gang
colors.  And that they had checked their weapons at the shed over there.
Many of the kids were even talking to each other while the colors they
wore showed their gangs to be sworn enemies.  Would you care to explain
that?"

"Well, the shed is easy.  I don't allow weapons inside Haven, except
under special circumstances.  School does not qualify as a special
circumstance.  As for the gang colors, Haven is just what the name says,
a place set in the hell of Redmond where you will be safe, where you'll
never be attacked, always be able to sleep safely without having to worry
about anyone killing you for your jacket.  As for the gang animosity,
children connect with people who they understand and who are like them.
Many of the children in that situation are either nearly out of it, or
are leutenants in their gangs and so have some latitude with thier
peers."

"I wasn't able to find a listing of what Haven is here for, or it's
history.  Would you care to give some information as to why you created
it, and where you are now?"

"Well, how about we head inside while I answer that.  The residents
should have converted the rooms for dinner and sleeping by now, so we
should be safe.  I originally came up with the idea of Haven one day when
I tried to save a child that had been mugged and stabbed by a man who
wanted the half of loaf of bread the child had.  This was some 35 years
ago, here in Redmond as a matter of fact.  For all my healing magic, the
child was too far gone when I found her that I couldn't save her.  But
that showed me just how inhumane people were being to each other out here
on the streets"

+++++While Pat's been talking, the pair have entered Haven itself.  The
hallway before you is very long, lined with doors, and very much like an
old inner city school.  It also appears that Haven is signifigantly
larger than it would appear from the outside.  It is well worn, but like
outside, clean.

"So I decided to start a small home where I could help the children of
the streets.  I had enherited a large fortune from my parents, and had
even spent a good number of years myself working for several corporations
as a magical researcher.  That kind of work pays well."

"I don't mean to interrupt, Pat, but you've mentioned magic twice now.  I
take it you are a magician, then?"

"Oh, yes.  I am a druid, Charlie, attuned to the cycles of Luna, but that
is meerly my path.  I suspect you are curious because I am open about
it.  Well, being a pacifist as well, my magical talents are used only
occasionaly, and only then for healing and protection, or perhaps
entertainment.  I'm rather good at piano and Celtic Harp.  But I
digress.  Haven was formed in 2023 as a home where I could take in some
promising children and try to break them of the habit of the streets.  I
admit that in my early days I mostly limited myself to magically active
children, but in 2030 I had taken in so many children that I spent a
large portion of my personal fortune and bought this building.  Now even
it isn't large enough."

"But what was Haven formed for?"

"I'm sorry, I thought I said that.  I created it to save the children, to
provid them a safe place to sleep and learn, and to a stepping stone to
whatever their dreams could envision.  To that end I started the school.
You may not know this, but all those children are here not because they
are forced to be here, as they would be in a corporate enclave, but
because they all want more in thier lives than what the streets can offer
them.  They are learning because they want to, and that relates to the
weapons you mentioned earlier.  If they want to learn bad enough, they
are willing to go weaponless, even when they have lived with a knife or
Streetline Special in their hand since they were 5."

"How many studnets do you have here?"

"Over 1200 now.  The number varies daily, unfortunately.  Some come and
leave never to return.  Every day some student or two is killed in gang
activity, and I weep for them.  Innocent life fading away because of the
selfishness of corporations....but that's another topic.  Some new
student always replaces the lost ones, and the number is ever growing.
In case you are wondering, school here is year round with weekends off,
10 hours a day, and occasional extra days off, usually unannounced.
There's even an unofficial pool that some of my residents have where they
try to guess the next free day off.(smiles)  They think I don't know
about it."

"What about the residents, then?"

"Well, they are the truly hard cases, the ones who come from joyboy and
joygirl backgrounds, the ones I and my aids find nearly dead in the gutter,
or just the ones who seem to need the most help.  We bring them in and
keep them here until they are able to fare again on the street.  We feed
them, house them, etc.  But the rest of them are the ex-gangers whose old
compatriots want them dead, or children fleeing from their sanatized
corporate worlds and parents, or even the occasional personal favor.
Take this little girl.  Her name is Arial Borimer.  Her mother is a
wanted criminal, so she leaves her daughter in my care when she is unable
to care for her herself.  And this little guy(rubs a young japanese
elven teen's black hair) is an orphan who's parents entrusted me with
when they knew their past was about to catch up with them.(the kid smiles
a sad and lonely smile)"

"How do you afford all this?  I can't imagine the amount it must cost to
run this kind of outfit."

"Well, personal investments have always worked out well for me, but even
if I tried to run Haven on my own money, I couldn't.  It would fail
within a couple of years.  Mostly I get donations, both from true
samaritans as well as those people who owe me favors for one reason or
another, usually for caring for thier children at one point or another,
or even anonymous donation of money.  I don't ask where the money comes
from, and they don't tell me.  It's better that way."

+++++While walking, you've seen numerous children in the process of
setting up beds in classrooms, converting a school to a dormatory, and
even passed a large kitchen and cafeteria where children are cooking.

"I see that the children are doing most of the work here.  Isn't that
illegal, against the UCAS child labor laws?"

"Oh, Gods no.  No, they are all volunteers or the residents.  I have
given them the responsiblity to get certain things done, and the freedom
to determine best how to do it.  Within certain rules, such as no
extortion or bribes, etc.  But I endeavor to treat all the children here
as young adults.  You'd be amazed what the young minds here have come up
with.  They have thier own miniture congress and democracy.  It's
amazing, and it works far smoother than anything in the adult world.  The
UCAS could take lessons from my children.  And before you ask, I do see
them as my children.  I protect them as best I can."

+++++Charlie and Patrick have left the main hallway and have entered a
small office, furnished with an oak table, several bookshelves, and some
comfortable chairs.  Sparse, but totally functional and seemingly fitting
to an elf who dresses like some of his luckier wards.

"Getting back to the history of Haven, what were the first few years
like, and how did they set the stage for the present?"

"The first years were hell.  I literally put my life in danger several
times protecting my wards.  A couple of times I was shot, once nearly
killed.  The only thing that saved me was that the young girl I was
trying to protect from a mob happened to know some magical healing.
She's one of my teachers and aids now, as a matter of fact, even though I
couldn't stop the mob at the time.  But the most difficult thing was
stopping ganger from getting even with thier ex-members who had come to
me for help and safety.  I'd always advertised Haven as a home for people
with problems where you'd never get judged on your past, and ex-gangers
liked that.  One of the gifts I have, and with the aid of magic
occasionaly in the early years, I was able to get people to sit down and
talk.  So I'd sit the gangers down with thier ex-members and work out the
problems somehow.  There were failures occasionally, but not many.  And
as I continued to do this, I found that my magic was unnecessary to get
people to talk.  And more and more the gangers came to me to peacefully
work out some of the turf disputes, and when things looked to be bad
enough that gang war was a half step away, I always showed up and worked
to diffuse it.  Again, sometimes it worked, sometimes not.  But I gained
a rep, as some of my friends say, about being trustworthy, and honerable,
and fair, and being willing to put my ass on the line for them.  The
gangs had never experienced that before, not from an outsider, and some
of them expected me to break that and betray them as Lone Star and the
SPD always had.  I never did, and over time more gangs came to me with
thier problems and more of the children heard what I was saying, that the
streets didn't have to be a dead end if they didn't want it to be.
   Well, I guess I've been rambling.  But to shorten this somewhat, I
eventually became a person who was protected by everyone.  Not a ganger
in this town will harm me, and they all know me, if only by reputation.
I have even been offered an honor guard everywhere I go, but I always
decline.  I know that the gangs always tail me and keep an eye on me in
case I get in trouble, but I don't ask for that.  I've even had to stop
the tails once or twice from injuring squatters and criminals who marked
me as a target.  I don't hold with violence.
  With the honor that got me, I was able to declare Haven and the are
around it a safe area, where no-one harmed anyone else, where the gangs
could go to hold meetings on neutral ground, etc.  The Haven Safe Area,
as I call it, now is up to 10 blocks in every direction from Haven
itself.  Most of the children who attend the school here live within that
area, but prior to that they came from as far as Tarislar to get a fresh
start.  I've had children form Boston, New York, Singapore, London, even
Cairo who ended up stranded here in Seattle for one reason or another,
and came to me for help."

"How does this tie in with the recent lawsuit you've filed against
Saeder-Krupp's purchase of the land around here?"

"Well, they've purchased the only land that is safe in all of Redmond.
All the buildings in a 10 block area of Haven, except Haven itself.  I
simply wouldn't sell.  My lawsuit says that the children and families
here in the Safe Area have squatter's rights on all the buildings, as
according to Seattle and UCAS law.  Seattle declared these buildings, and
most of Redmond for that matter, unsafe for human occupation and
abandoned, even signing documents for each city map block.  Abandoned
buildings can be occupied by squatters legally, and so become the legal
property of the inhabitants.  Well, Seattle and Redmond sold the land out
from under the squatters without paying them a deciyen, and I am
maintaining that it's illegal."

"But you are going up against Saeder-Krupp itself.  How can you expect to
win?"

"I don't.  I just expect to make it difficult enough to make them think
twice and maybe stall them long enough that I can raise the money to buy
some of the land myself, or just to convince them to move over 5 blocks.
Knowing what I do about Saeder-Krupp and megacorps in general, I don't
expect anything to come of this ultimately, and I've even probably placed
my life in danger in the process.  But it's something I believe in, so I
feel that I have to do it."

"One last question for you, Pat.  What will happen to Haven if
Saeder-Krupp and Seattle get their way?"

"I can't know for sure, but I have my suspicions.  I suspect that Haven
will fade away as the gangers stop coming here due to the proximity to a
S-K facility.  I could probably rebuild elsewhere, but this location has
been Haven for 35 years.  I've spent a large portion of my life here, and
while I want to see the area be improved upon, I want the locals to do
the rebuilding, not some dragon-ruled soulless megacorp based in the
Rhine-Rhur megaplex.  Only the locals know what they want their future to
be, so only they have the right to make these kinds of decisions."

"Well, thank you for your time, Patrick."

"Not at all."

+++++The picture changes back to Charlie Fingers with the Seattle skyline
in the background.

Well, that is the history behind Haven and the current lawsuit between
Mr. Patrick O'Kennedy and the Seattle government and Saeder-Krupp.

+++++End trideo download+++++  ]<<<<<
        --  trideo Pirate <13:32:11/09-25-56>

>>>>>[Bugger me....  Would someone please look into why there's some new
gang hanging around Seattle and screwing up everything?  They've got some
heavy weapons.  does that help?]<<<<<
        --  Valentine <14:36:31/09-25-56>

>>>>>[Gotta watch them currents, though.]<<<<<
        -- Elvis Hoffa (12:40:22 / 09-25-56)

>>>>>[Would the gentleman responsible for running Haven please contact me
as soon as possible at >>encrypted<<?

Thanks for your time.]<<<<<
        --  Christopher Tarleton <Dark/Angel>

*****Private:Sparks
>>>>>[Sorry for not geting back to you, docWagon playes hard, Red Ronin, our
decker got flatlined by them, but we did get a sample of the BLT, and from what
we found, old Freddy is one luckly chummer, this thing is a KILLER!!!!
WARRING I'M NOW SENDING YOU THE SAMPLE BTL.
+++++INCLUDE:BTL//FILE.SAFETY.FULL//
Now to tell you what happened to us.
Red skiped in DrWag as an medical file update for an acount, if any decker can
use this trick for any reason to get your job done use it Red Ronnin would like
it. Well things were going ok for him untill he got the file and as he was on
his way out he must have triped some hell load of ICE or he got a taste of the
BTL and it flatlined him, as we (Rolling Thunder, Strikes Like Lighting and me)
booked out of the flat, we ran into a fast responce team, at first we thought
it was DrWag's but the patches were the Fraging Marienes and they damm near
bagged all of us. Now we found a new place to hide for now but it's not looking
good for us and we need a place to hide out, a safehouse and some major
healling.]<<<<<
        -- Death Jestor (9-25-56/18:15:20)

***** PRIVATE:  Christopher Tarleton
>>>>>[Yes, what can I do for you?]<<<<<
        --  Valentine <18:03:53/09-25-56>

>>>>>[ Good screen presence, Val, if I do say so myself. a pity
about those grainy portacam images, but that was a wonderful bit
with the schoolyard. Now if we can just arrange some photogenic
squatter mother-and-children-watching-as-their-home-is-bulldozed
footage, you'll have the public in your pocket.

Which as you know, means almost nothing these days. Suggest you
organize your students for defense; if there's a new gang in town
with heavy weapons it sounds like SK's trying to make your "safe
zone" look bad, viz? I'll look into it, but I'm not going into
the SK system without more evidence; that place scares the hell
out of me.

Have you considered applying for a federal grant? As a federally-
funded humanitarian organization, old Luftwaffwyr would have to
butt heads with UCAS directly over your territory, and they're
less likely to roll over and play dead for him than Mayor Schultz.

Just a few thoughts. Keep up the good work.
Oh, and get a better pair of shoes next time you're on camera.
You couldn't even see your reflection in those ones.]<<<<<
        --Moonwalker <superconductor>

*****PRIVATE: Patrick O'Kennedy
>>>>>[Mr. O'Kennedy, I would like to offer any assistance you require, during
you lawsuit against S-K and the Seattle Government.  What you are doing for
the people of Redmond is directly in line with my ideals, and I happen to
contribute a large amount to Haven.  Plus, you have worked in the past with a
person whom is someone I have been I have been watching over.  This person is
known to many in the Shadow community as "THE Nexus".  As everyone knows my
corporation is humanitarian in its outlook.]<<<<<
        -- Ryuga (09:10:30 PDT/ 09:24:56)
             CEO
             Ryaka Science and Tech

>>>>>[Etsy, Ildera dono calono Olorin Noldo.  Doershan comoloton immodo ile
shorla inmovdo; IMO doershan drolan corrodan dolin camo doershan indo.  Imo
corlan damo: Ildera, calo, alana INTERO dorman imnoto doershan; imdo Ildera
corvan corrodan.  Ildera cormo analan perlanto damo, ranna gormano fromanta
doershancomo tormanto; cambo imo doershan tormanimcoto.  Wonor zere samboran
ete lando, vorna dan doershan olmorcan ivdo doershancomo kamolocon, jornato
hamcor umno xerman?  Doershan quanto bante morlan doershancomo notran, imdo
yambe rotan zambate olondo corme dorzo.]<<<<<
        -- Olorin (21:50:30 PDT/ 09:24:56)

***** Private: Death Jestor
>>>>>[Marines?  Fraggin' Marines were tryin' to kick in your door for
poking around DocWagon's files on Freddy?  Christ.

Thanks for the help.  Sorry about your decker.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (04:22:39 / 09-27-56)

***** Private: Spark
>>>>>[You know the routine, start calling everybody we agreed on.
Tell 'em not to come into work today.  We're moving now.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (04:24:01 / 09-27-56)

***** Private: Christopher Tarleton
>>>>>[Allright, DA, we've got all of your projects on Uninteruptable
Power Sources and hooked into sat uplinks.  You've got... 68 hours
before the batteries crap out.  And if we have to get out of here in
a hurry, we'll just destroy them in place.

In that time, I want you to get yourself, your computers and the women
the hell out of Dodge.  Go to Seattle, Atlanta, New York, hell
anywhere but here or the condo in the Carib.

The game just changed.]<<<<<
	-- Jacamus (10:04:51 / 09-27-56)

>>>>>[Jacamus, you're a drekeating fragface.  You want to fill me in as to just
what is going on here?]<<<<<
        --  Christopher Tarleton <Dark/Angel>

>>>>>[Allright, Chris, Red Ronin - you met 'im around the time of the
bridge mess (weird, they always show up when we're tangling with the
Japs....) - burned himself trying to run down anything DocWagon, the
SFPD and the Marines have on Freddy's little incident.  He got into
something big and important.

DocWagon's system managed to trace him, but guess who shows up?
Marines.

Now make the connections.  Somebody's tried to put two hits on Freddy
and the Japanese Imperial Marines are defending the paper trail.

The rules are different.  You've got.... 66 hours and change -
move it or lose it.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (11:51:29 / 09-27-56)

***** Private: Death Jestor
>>>>>[Hey, we're running around kinda right now.  Here's some
numbers.  Try to get ahold of these people, they're good folks and
can help you get back together:

>>>contact numbers<<<

Sorry 'bout 'Red.  He was good people.]<<<<<
        -- Spark (11:32:22 / 09-27-56)

>>>>>[Where I'm supposed to put all that, I dunno.]<<<<<
        --  Christopher Tarleton <Dark/Angel>
,

*****PRIVATE: Jacamus
>>>>>[  Okay, Jac, where do you want us?  I have a strike team from Serenity
that is ready to back you up when you need it.  We've got a couple of mages,
two sammies, and two combat-trained hellhounds.  ]<<<<<
        -- Griffyn <13:02:12/09-27-56>

*****PRIVATE: Serenity Security
>>>>>[  Okay guys, here's what I need.  I know I've taken my time in assembling
the team, but I didn't want to pull you from other assignments until I thought
I was going to need you soon.   I want Shek, the combat monsters, and the
hounds
here with me.  Also, our new recruit should tag along as well, if you (Jason)
can get around the security licensing issues.  Maybe "in-the-field training"?

Also, is there any way that we can get one of our deckers to check out the
DocWagon files?  I'm curious about it if they've got so much heat covering the
files.  ]<<<<<
        -- Griffyn <13:06:53/09-27-56>

***** Private: Griffyn
>>>>>[If yer itchin', right now, I want to find out just how that code
got into the chip.

We're in good shape - for now (unless you wanna help move).

You up for raiding into MegaMedia?  The research we've been able to
do gives their main offices in Hollyweird and a buncha other crap.

Here, Spark's put together this junk on 'em, major stock holders
(a coupla megas own parts of it, but nobody's got control, they tried
to make a move on it simultaneously, and now they're just entrenched
to spite each other - fun and games), assets, big names, drekcetra,
drekcetra.

+++++ FILE: MEGAMEDIA.DRT

Maybe you can dig around and find the connection.  Then we grab
the drek for brains who started this.  I do it myself, but
we're too busy moving.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (13:30:22 / 09-27-56)

>>>>>[If you are interested, I have available numerous self-contained
decker havens within which you could distribute your projects.  However,
if you deem them sufficiently important and private that you would prefer
another matrixrunner, i.e. myself, not view them, I understand.  I owe
you and many others a debt of gratitude regarding your past actions in
the destruction of the Lucifer construct.  However, should you accept my
offer, I can give you my word of honor that I will not view or analyze
your projects directly or indirectly.  I would understand your refusal,
as paranoia would require such a response.  The nearest haven to San
Fransisco I am willing to offer is Las Vegas.]<<<<<
        --  Mercury <11:28:24/09-27-56>

>>>>>[64 hours and counting.  Plus I might have to melt it down
when things get out of control.]<<<<<
        -- Jacamus (13:52:22 / 09-27-56)

>>>>>[Let me think about it and I'll get back to you.  Probably within 60 hours
or so.  Be warned that the accompanying hardware is rather heavy.]<<<<<
        --  Christopher Tarleton <Dark/Ange>

***** PRIVATE: Serenity Security
>>>>>[This project seems to be a little more intensive than I originally
expected.

You can allocate whatever resources to this you need. The roster is yours.]<<<<<
        -- Jason Stormwind <17:37:41 / 09-27-56>

*****Private: Sparks, Frypp Security
>>>>>[ Hoi thanxs for the safe house things are better now. if you need ANY
help count on us and a team from Fung Security all hard men and loaded for a
big bear. They will be here at 24:00hr local time.
+++++WARING: SECURITY BREACH ZONES 1,4 AND 6
+++++SYSTEM INTERRUP INTERNAL NET//IMPORTANT//
+++++NEW USER:ROLLING THUNDER: Death Jestor chumm we got movement a bunch on
JIMmies and SFPD Swat we gotta slide on out of this place NOW I've got the
security system throwing snowballs at them but they are dropping a blizzard on
usssss nfbdhf n....dsfjhjn .....ohh frag they just droppped one of the dronns
i'm putting the ssssyyyytttennmm on ghjsdn...........
+++++LOST CARRER
FRAG SPARKS WE ARE OUT OF HEAR. CATCH YOU LATTER.....]<<<<<
	-- TERMERATED AT SCORCE <%@$/@$@#%>

>>>>>[I'm willing to help.]<<<<<
        -- Buzz (The one the Only...Human Bee in the Matrix)

***** Private: Death Jestor
>>>>>[Chirst, you guys are on a worst drek list than we are.  Maybe
we shouldn'ta sent you into those systems....]<<<<<
        -- Spark (16:12:33 / 09-27-56)