Re: Between Seattle and Horizon, Clean Up and Planning-IC Thread 56

[Warpmind]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

"Hubris and fear I suspect, hubris over those who are not Awakened and fear for those who...have been."
Helena said with a shudder.
"But yes the Red Caps are vital it is a reason their Chantries was the first targets for the Order of Reason when they started the Ascension War back in the day."

Colin frowned, "Yes, that sounds about right... it's folly of a high order, really - it never pays to make an enemy of your logistics corps, and hubris, well... I suppose the Greek tragedies should be taught to a larger extent."

Everything seamed to be in order.

He nodded to himself and looked outside the shuttle to see if Nicole was getting back.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Anja's Post:

'Of course not; you're a doctor, not a psyops officer.' Nicole quipped with a smirk.

Anja's Post:

'Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be promoted soon, so you can simply get a copy delivered out of your Convention's bulk subscription.' giving a sly smirk. 'I heard it's one of the most popular reads with Iterators...' tacitly warning that classified or not, the news about the Progenitor origin was going to leak out, quite quickly - particulary with the Convention most likely to be sore over the issue.

'Well, I have a flight to catch...' giving a tiny smirk to herself as she left.

Having failed to give the Etherite more precise orders, Helena was going to get a plain latte with a couple of packets of sugar from a handy coffeeshop or stall en route. Wandered along the long taxi strip to the hangar in the misty, overcast morning, smoking a cigarette while the icy air bit into exposed skin. That and the comments from the doctor over dirty magazines made her think about fleshy pleasures... or more correctly, when flesh came with metals, ceramic and carbon fibre. She wasn't stupid, she knew it was one of those things that people said "it didn't bother them" but that non-bothered line stopped when it came to their bed. Would it bother her, for that matter? What was even the norms? Did her covering count as "skin" or "clothing"?...

Colin's Post:

Colin would soon enough see Nicole moving towards the hangar; her form too distinctive to be anyone else. Seemed to be taking her sweet time to get to the hangar, though...

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Colin frowned, "Yes, that sounds about right... it's folly of a high order, really - it never pays to make an enemy of your logistics corps, and hubris, well... I suppose the Greek tragedies should be taught to a larger extent."

"Indeed the Order would be in deep doo doo if the Red Caps decided to abandon us. They have allot of rights but they are still treated badly it is time that stopped."
Helena agreed with a nod.

Of course not; you're a doctor, not a psyops officer.' Nicole quipped with a smirk.

"Indeed."
The Progenitor agreed.

'Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be promoted soon, so you can simply get a copy delivered out of your Convention's bulk subscription.' giving a sly smirk. 'I heard it's one of the most popular reads with Iterators...' tacitly warning that classified or not, the news about the Progenitor origin was going to leak out, quite quickly - particulary with the Convention most likely to be sore over the issue.

'Well, I have a flight to catch...' giving a tiny smirk to herself as she left.

"well I am sure some will end up like lobsters in hot water."
The doctor said with a frown she understood your meaning then she sigh.
"Actually I have been offered several promotions but I like it here, I can make a difference here and the rules is a bit more...lax. Do not get me wrong I believe in the original ideals of the Technocratic Union, protecting sleepers by giving what your side would call magick to everyone though Science and technology, however power corrupt and when you lead a shadow government, well the opportunity for corruption...let us just say I prefer to stay out of the worst of it and just do my own thing here."
She said then she nodded.
"Safe travels Scientist."

Having failed to give the Etherite more precise orders, Helena was going to get a plain latte with a couple of packets of sugar from a handy coffeeshop or stall en route. Wandered along the long taxi strip to the hangar in the misty, overcast morning, smoking a cigarette while the icy air bit into exposed skin. That and the comments from the doctor over dirty magazines made her think about fleshy pleasures... or more correctly, when flesh came with metals, ceramic and carbon fibre. She wasn't stupid, she knew it was one of those things that people said "it didn't bother them" but that non-bothered line stopped when it came to their bed. Would it bother her, for that matter? What was even the norms? Did her covering count as "skin" or "clothing"?...

You saw Helena heading to the car when you where on your way to the hangar so you could get the coffee you had bought from a bored looking young woman with neon pink hair earlier. Helena smiled and said.
"Is that my coffee? Mr Wainwright is at the ship. What do I owe you?"

Colin would soon enough see Nicole moving towards the hangar; her form too distinctive to be anyone else. Seemed to be taking her sweet time to get to the hangar, though...

A couple of clearly cyborgs wearing the insignia of Iteration X, both looking rather drawn from the trauma of the sickness waved to you as they passed, clearly thinking you was one of their own. They where both men, one very bulky with quite a bit of work done, and the other having upgraded eyes and several ports viable on his head though his body otherwise seamed tall and sleek and human.

[Warpmind]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

"Indeed the Order would be in deep doo doo if the Red Caps decided to abandon us. They have allot of rights but they are still treated badly it is time that stopped."
Helena agreed with a nod.

Colin nodded, "Mercere, Orphans... there are a lot of people needing - deserving a bit of respect for making their way in our society... And using that leverage to extend a few diplomatic gestures to the Void Engineers, naturally in secret, we might stand a chance of turning the tide entirely."

Colin would soon enough see Nicole moving towards the hangar; her form too distinctive to be anyone else. Seemed to be taking her sweet time to get to the hangar, though...

A couple of clearly cyborgs wearing the insignia of Iteration X, both looking rather drawn from the trauma of the sickness waved to you as they passed, clearly thinking you was one of their own. They where both men, one very bulky with quite a bit of work done, and the other having upgraded eyes and several ports viable on his head though his body otherwise seamed tall and sleek and human.

He glanced toward Nicole, then at the cyborgs, then waved to Nicole and pointed a thumb toward the recently arrived ship, gesturing for her to chat them up about it.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Boston Later]

"It would not be illegal at all Sir, but it would be rude. It would be a lesser spirit so it could not do much harm however would you like it if someone just knocked on your door and said hey I just wanted to see if you would answer? Contacting spirits just as a game is generally considered to be bad form, it is rude to the spirits to contact them unless you have some actual need to put before them."
Kyle replied.

"Ahhhh man. No road spirit for me then. I was gonna ask him where the nearest Krispy Kreme was." Serge said looking a little disappointed, "Oh well. No use dwelling on them. How about that awakening stuff you mentioned earlier. You know, giving stuff a personality. Can you do that? I've always wanted to talk to my pencils."

[Nicole's Apartment, Evening]

'Well, I was bringing up the rear, and the gangers were on my ass by the time Jules got that door open and through it. And one thing was clear; if the tunnel idea was right, they wanted in too. Managed to close the door on 'em, but then one started to tug at the handle like he had the strength of ten, which unless they'd switched over or something, was some skinny-ass guy who barely looked twenty. Took Jules and a preppy everything to simply hold that door shut long enough for me to slap a couple of balls on the joins to weld it shut. Just in time too; cops gassed the lobby at that point.'

'We didn't let up; straight off went down them stairs into the basement, found the old steam tunnel – thank fuck, it hadn't been liked bricked up or something. And it was a fucking squeeze, I'll tell ya. Also, several tunnels with no directions or map or anything. Had to navigate using sounds of fighting and breadcrumbing. No ventilation, very webby and still lugging that fucking headless corpse. With only cell-phone lights.' giving a shudder at the memory.

'Finally, we hit another basement which ain't been concreted up, flooded or right on gunfire. We make a little recce, think it was the old steam plant itself. Finally, one of the preppies makes themselves useful by blowing off one of the  barriers over the windows, and we all climbed out into another waste lot.. in which we got to see the man behind the curtain... the fucking Union. On the other side of that lot, stood a couple of MiBs with who we think is the security chief of the Dearborn base. Having a meet with several cops, no more than... seventy-five metres away.'

'Couldn't really go backwards, only way forwards was obvious, we would be noticed the very moment one of them looked our way, nowhere to hide. And we knew blend fields didn't work on the Union... we were truly fucked. But then... the boss looked right at us, mon. Even nodded to us, he did. And looked away... and drew the MiB's attention in the opposite direction.' a short silence, a confused look on the Etherite's face as she drained her glass again.

'I still have no fucking idea why... but he let us go. Gave us just long enough an opening to get round the building, then out of there. Literally, called for an evac soon as we could get a signal. Needed to change the underwear for starters...' tone making it clear she was in no hurry to have such and adventure again.

"Maybe the Technocrat did not want to have to deal with the paperwork of capturing you and your friends."
Coawa speculated.
"I mean the Technocracy sound like a group that have paperwork for everything. Alessa would have loved it there, she loves paper trailsa nd order and systems but I am sure not everyone love it."

'Perhaps.. would explain why he distracted the two MiBs too. No witnesses to him seeing us and not acting. But not every like, Union encounter results in a scrap.' she replied, now pulling herself out of couch to get another drink. 'Anyone want anything? Everyone finished dinner?'

"Well if there are more..."
Coawa said hopefully.
"Otherwise I am good, it was delicious. And yeah I mean the Union are people to so they also have other things they want to do than paperwork."

Serge was quiet after the story had reached its conclusion, looking as if he was taking the time to absorb in everything he had heard. Eventually he said "That was like, a proper adventure! With twists and turns and everything! Multiple characters, obscure motivations, and open-ended mystery at the end."

He leaned back in his chair his eyes wide and a grin on his face. "I'm fairly you were doing something that Technocrat wanted you to do. Maybe he planned it out from the very beginning. Fuck maybe he was the one who planted that bomb in their head. And he let you go because he wanted to pass along a warning message about there power."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Boston Later]

"Ahhhh man. No road spirit for me then. I was gonna ask him where the nearest Krispy Kreme was." Serge said looking a little disappointed, "Oh well. No use dwelling on them. How about that awakening stuff you mentioned earlier. You know, giving stuff a personality. Can you do that? I've always wanted to talk to my pencils."

"Well Sir your phone can tell you that, and that is really the point. Spirits do not like to be treated as toys, for them to be dragged out of their day to answer questions you can easily find for yourself. You know that let me google that for you meme, it is like that, it gets a bit irritating if someone ask you to do something for them that they easily could do for themselves and spirits are the same way."
Kyle explained.
"Also I don't think we are stopping for snacks Sir. Now as for awakening things, no that is beyond me at the moment."
The young mage said.
"Sorry."
Helena chimed in at this point.
"You know Mr Yager your Cabal leader asked me to make sure you did not summon anything on a whim you know."
This make Kyle chuckle a bit.

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Colin nodded, "Mercere, Orphans... there are a lot of people needing - deserving a bit of respect for making their way in our society... And using that leverage to extend a few diplomatic gestures to the Void Engineers, naturally in secret, we might stand a chance of turning the tide entirely."

"The insane thing is that many speak of the age of our leader and how we have stagnated, but Red Caps got more respect back in the day than they do now. Orphans and Hedge Wizard though have always been looked down on unfortunately."
Helena replied.

[Nicole's Apartment, Evening]

Serge was quiet after the story had reached its conclusion, looking as if he was taking the time to absorb in everything he had heard. Eventually he said "That was like, a proper adventure! With twists and turns and everything! Multiple characters, obscure motivations, and open-ended mystery at the end."

He leaned back in his chair his eyes wide and a grin on his face. "I'm fairly you were doing something that Technocrat wanted you to do. Maybe he planned it out from the very beginning. Fuck maybe he was the one who planted that bomb in their head. And he let you go because he wanted to pass along a warning message about there power."

"Perhaps he was a double agent? I mean that happens right? There are often spies and double agents and such in the books that Tane writes so they must exist in reality as well right?"
Coawa chimed in.

[Warpmind]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

"The insane thing is that many speak of the age of our leader and how we have stagnated, but Red Caps got more respect back in the day than they do now. Orphans and Hedge Wizard though have always been looked down on unfortunately."
Helena replied.

Colin frowned and glanced around, then spoke in a conspiratorial whisper, "Yes, well, we do know a fair bit about where your dearly beloved leader's loyalties lie, and it's not his age that is at fault... And Linear Magi, too, deserve a bit more - they can get away with things you and I cannot, after all, and we'd be a lot worse off without them, I fear."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Colin frowned and glanced around, then spoke in a conspiratorial whisper, "Yes, well, we do know a fair bit about where your dearly beloved leader's loyalties lie, and it's not his age that is at fault... And Linear Magi, too, deserve a bit more - they can get away with things you and I cannot, after all, and we'd be a lot worse off without them, I fear."

"Yes well long may he reign and may he not tumble into the dragon's feeding bowls and end his days as Tass enrinced offal."
Helena muttered.
"I mean what are the chance of that happening? As for Hedge Wizards indeed so, and without them it would be hard for us, that aunt everyone have who do Tarot cards and who is actually accurate and that healer who manage to clear up your sinuses every time are the ones who keep a small belief in magic alive in the Consensus, as for more advanced Hedge Wizards indeed they are less flexible than we are but they can get quite powerful. I would not want to get on the wrong side of Chief Joakim of Morningstar's fire spells for example."

[Warpmind]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

"Yes well long may he reign and may he not tumble into the dragon's feeding bowls and end his days as Tass enrinced offal."
Helena muttered.
"I mean what are the chance of that happening? As for Hedge Wizards indeed so, and without them it would be hard for us, that aunt everyone have who do Tarot cards and who is actually accurate and that healer who manage to clear up your sinuses every time are the ones who keep a small belief in magic alive in the Consensus, as for more advanced Hedge Wizards indeed they are less flexible than we are but they can get quite powerful. I would not want to get on the wrong side of Chief Joakim of Morningstar's fire spells for example."

Colin snorted, "May he find great joy in taking up new hobbies, like island-hopping, for example... Hm, and I really need to check up on my own aunt when I visit my parents around Christmas. I'm not sure whether she's a Linear Mage, Awakened, or just an eccentric fluke, but I need to make sure she doesn't have some sort of panic reaction to Anna at first sight. As for Chief Joakim, he has... motivation for growing in power. I hope he can fulfill his wish to retire and settle down with a fat wife who is good in the kitchen..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Colin snorted, "May he find great joy in taking up new hobbies, like island-hopping, for example... Hm, and I really need to check up on my own aunt when I visit my parents around Christmas. I'm not sure whether she's a Linear Mage, Awakened, or just an eccentric fluke, but I need to make sure she doesn't have some sort of panic reaction to Anna at first sight.

"I mean there is one island in particular I might recommend."
Helena said darkly.
"A magic using aunt? Hum yes checking to see if she can sense what Anna is might be wise."

As for Chief Joakim, he has... motivation for growing in power. I hope he can fulfill his wish to retire and settle down with a fat wife who is good in the kitchen..."

"Retuering with a fat wife who is good in the kitchen is not a bad wish."
The ice maga said with a slight smile.
"And having a goal in sight make studying and building power easier. I assume the fat wife is not the end goal the Chief have in mind though."

[Warpmind]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

"I mean there is one island in particular I might recommend."
Helena said darkly.
"A magic using aunt? Hum yes checking to see if she can sense what Anna is might be wise."

Colin shrugged, "She reads the Tarot. Magic use, though... I don't know; she might just be good at reading people..."

"Retuering with a fat wife who is good in the kitchen is not a bad wish."
The ice maga said with a slight smile.
"And having a goal in sight make studying and building power easier. I assume the fat wife is not the end goal the Chief have in mind though."

He smiled thinly, "It is his end goal, yes, but not the reason for building power. He... has an old friend that he has to kill. But it's his story, not my place to go into further detail than that."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Colin shrugged, "She reads the Tarot. Magic use, though... I don't know; she might just be good at reading people..."

"Well lesser hedge magic is fairly common so it is not unlikely that is what it is, in addition to being good at reading people"
Helena replied.

He smiled thinly, "It is his end goal, yes, but not the reason for building power. He... has an old friend that he has to kill. But it's his story, not my place to go into further detail than that."

The ice maga just nodded at that and she did not pry further.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Nicole's Apartment, Evening]

Anja's Post:

Serge's Post:

'It's possible, s'pose... but that ain't the complete end of the story.' Nicole replied, taking Cowra's bowl from him and moving to put in the kitchen. 'News of the raid was on the Free Press website the next day; but that said the whole thing was the taking out of a cop-killing gang of general shitheads. In the general clean-up afters, we worked our contacts a bit; turned out the boss was rumoured to be impossible to kill and had a huge appetite for hookers.' now leaning on the kitchen door-jamb and lighting a cigarette.

'The cops took six casualties that night; two fatal. The Mirrorshades went in last, but finished the job... apparently.' taking a deep drag and then expelling the smoke in a direction which wasn't in the direct path of the other two.

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Anja's Post:

'Odd thing, that... my superiors also say the very same thing 'bout the ideals.' Nicole quipped while leaving.

Anja's Post:

'That it is. Don't worry 'bout it.' Nicole replied, pulling out the packets of sugar from her pocket and handing them over along with the drink.

Colin's Post:

Anja's Post:

Nicole noticed Colin's gestures and inwardly groaned; clearly the guy wanted her to scratch his itch. Oh well. On making the diversion, she wondered about her Union alter-ego; whether they'd have been put onto the conveyor belt and made into a soldier, only vaguely aware that her own Tradition had done similar. Between that and her own bulk hidden under cargos and a greatcoat, no wonder the pair had misidentified her...

On approaching the pair, she made a conclusion; 'no work which stops me passing the pool test'. Then a little frown; she'd not even been considering more... work. At least, not consciously. Inwardly swore; was she that suggestible? Memories of impaling her hand into the biting vampire before blowing their cortex out... had to admit, that was cool...

'Morning, gents – welcome to Boston. Jeez... was the flight in that rough? Or is this the look from living off two months of vomelet MRE's?'

[*slaps head* Continuity error; wrong gang name used - it was Bloods, not Crips. Corrected!]

[Pedantic point of the day; the spirit wouldn't know where the nearest Krispy Kreme was because there isn't any in Boston. In fact, as of 2015 there's only one in the whole of New England. We're in the homeland of Dunkin' Donuts, after all.]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Nicole's Apartment, Evening]

'It's possible, s'pose... but that ain't the complete end of the story.' Nicole replied, taking Cowra's bowl from him and moving to put in the kitchen. 'News of the raid was on the Free Press website the next day; but that said the whole thing was the taking out of a cop-killing gang of general shitheads. In the general clean-up afters, we worked our contacts a bit; turned out the boss was rumoured to be impossible to kill and had a huge appetite for hookers.' now leaning on the kitchen door-jamb and lighting a cigarette.

'The cops took six casualties that night; two fatal. The Mirrorshades went in last, but finished the job... apparently.' taking a deep drag and then expelling the smoke in a direction which wasn't in the direct path of the other two.

"So the Technocrats let you go because of rumors?"
Coawa asked sounding confused as he glanced over at Nicole.

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

'Odd thing, that... my superiors also say the very same thing 'bout the ideals.' Nicole quipped while leaving.

"Yeah well, I know some of the Cult of Ecstasy want to Awaken everyone but it seams to me most of your superiors are happy to have the power all to themselves."
The doctor replied with a shrug.

That it is. Don't worry 'bout it.' Nicole replied, pulling out the packets of sugar from her pocket and handing them over along with the drink.

"Thanks, the next one is on me then."
Helena said as she opened one of the sugar packets with her teeth and poured it into the coffee before taking a sip then giving a small smile.
"I needed that."

Nicole noticed Colin's gestures and inwardly groaned; clearly the guy wanted her to scratch his itch. Oh well. On making the diversion, she wondered about her Union alter-ego; whether they'd have been put onto the conveyor belt and made into a soldier, only vaguely aware that her own Tradition had done similar. Between that and her own bulk hidden under cargos and a greatcoat, no wonder the pair had misidentified her...

On approaching the pair, she made a conclusion; 'no work which stops me passing the pool test'. Then a little frown; she'd not even been considering more... work. At least, not consciously. Inwardly swore; was she that suggestible? Memories of impaling her hand into the biting vampire before blowing their cortex out... had to admit, that was cool...

'Morning, gents – welcome to Boston. Jeez... was the flight in that rough? Or is this the look from living off two months of vomelet MRE's?'

"Yeah...there was a class B2 entity out there, not hostile but dangerous if it get to close to the ship, and with that damn infection going on we have not been allowed to land before now, so we have been dodging the damn thing for days."
The tall thin man said with a groan. His far more stocky friend nodded.
"Much work for Jones here but nothing to do for me. B2's is not going to board a ship, so while the pilots had their work cut out for them I mostly sat with the other grunts twiddle thumbs."
The cyborg with he heavy augments said.
"At least the entity eventually left, it should be safe enough to leave Earth but it was seriously annoying. Still I guess we should be grateful not to be Earth side when the plague hit."
The grunt continued.
"What about you? Deploying? I hear that traffic is still not allowed out to MECHA."
The tall thin man said.
"Ah where are my manners, I am Irving Jones and the big guy are L7-49-00012, Trip for short. We are Iterators but we are stationed with the Void Engineers for now, you?"

[Warpmind]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

"Well lesser hedge magic is fairly common so it is not unlikely that is what it is, in addition to being good at reading people"
Helena replied.

Colin just nodded.

Nicole noticed Colin's gestures and inwardly groaned; clearly the guy wanted her to scratch his itch. Oh well. On making the diversion, she wondered about her Union alter-ego; whether they'd have been put onto the conveyor belt and made into a soldier, only vaguely aware that her own Tradition had done similar. Between that and her own bulk hidden under cargos and a greatcoat, no wonder the pair had misidentified her...

On approaching the pair, she made a conclusion; 'no work which stops me passing the pool test'. Then a little frown; she'd not even been considering more... work. At least, not consciously. Inwardly swore; was she that suggestible? Memories of impaling her hand into the biting vampire before blowing their cortex out... had to admit, that was cool...

'Morning, gents – welcome to Boston. Jeez... was the flight in that rough? Or is this the look from living off two months of vomelet MRE's?'

He smiled thinly and withdrew slightly into the shadows, keeping a wary eye on the exchange, but deciding not to scry on the conversation.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

He smiled thinly and withdrew slightly into the shadows, keeping a wary eye on the exchange, but deciding not to scry on the conversation.

"So far the Technocrats seamed jovial and friendly.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Anja's Post:

'Clarification; my Tradition's seniors.' Nicole shot back, just as she left the room.

Anja's Post:

'What, they like didn't divert you to a landing zone with quarantine facilities or something?' Nicole replied, looking a little surprised. 'Hmm... s'pose don't want to take the risk...' genuinely wondering for a moment. 'Or they hadn't towed that belly-flopped ship off the runway...' glancing over to the hangar which had the ship fly into back on Saturday morning.

Anja's Post:

'The name's Nicky.' giving a little smile. 'Nah, I'm a local; was 'bout to go on leave when it went FUBAR. Can't really complain, though; reminded a few folks why I am kept on roster here...'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Clarification; my Tradition's seniors.' Nicole shot back, just as she left the room.

"Interesting."
The doctor replied with a raised eyebrow.

'What, they like didn't divert you to a landing zone with quarantine facilities or something?' Nicole replied, looking a little surprised. 'Hmm... s'pose don't want to take the risk...' genuinely wondering for a moment. 'Or they hadn't towed that belly-flopped ship off the runway...' glancing over to the hangar which had the ship fly into back on Saturday morning.

"Yeah they did not want to take the risk and so just refused to let any ships land or leave Earth, it is not that I don't get it, the higher ups refusing to let us land potentially saved our lived, it have still been a tiresome few days."
The tall, thin man said.

The name's Nicky.' giving a little smile. 'Nah, I'm a local; was 'bout to go on leave when it went FUBAR. Can't really complain, though; reminded a few folks why I am kept on roster here...'

"You are local? From Boston Dynamics then? That Construct do some amazing work with robotics."
The shorter, stockier man said.
"Which ship are you shipping out on? And it is nice to meet you Nicky."
He said holding out a huge, augmented hand to shake yours.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Anja's Post:

'Tiring? Hell, at least it didn't involve beatdowns or getting shot at.' Nicole quipped, faux-snarkily. 'But at least I got to go for a beer after my shift... what were you doing? Long range patrol?' giving a glance towards their ship.

Anja's Post:

'Eh, just that shuttle.' she said nonchalantly, a moment's hesitation at the proffered hand before taking it. Hers could perform the vast majority of tasks fine, but shaking hands was one of the few which showed up the relative shortage of tactile sensors. Then she realised that chances are, he'd have a similar issue... 'Basically hitching a ride, like.'

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Boston Later]

"Well Sir your phone can tell you that, and that is really the point. Spirits do not like to be treated as toys, for them to be dragged out of their day to answer questions you can easily find for yourself. You know that let me google that for you meme, it is like that, it gets a bit irritating if someone ask you to do something for them that they easily could do for themselves and spirits are the same way."
Kyle explained.
"Also I don't think we are stopping for snacks Sir. Now as for awakening things, no that is beyond me at the moment."
The young mage said.
"Sorry."
Helena chimed in at this point.
"You know Mr Yager your Cabal leader asked me to make sure you did not summon anything on a whim you know."
This make Kyle chuckle a bit.

"Bit of strange thing for my Cabal Leader to ask. Considering I can't summon anything." Serge said chuckling along with the rest of the mages, "One day though....By the way how close are we to the port?"

[Nicole's Apartment, Evening]

"Perhaps he was a double agent? I mean that happens right? There are often spies and double agents and such in the books that Tane writes so they must exist in reality as well right?"
Coawa chimed in.

'It's possible, s'pose... but that ain't the complete end of the story.' Nicole replied, taking Cowra's bowl from him and moving to put in the kitchen. 'News of the raid was on the Free Press website the next day; but that said the whole thing was the taking out of a cop-killing gang of general shitheads. In the general clean-up afters, we worked our contacts a bit; turned out the boss was rumored to be impossible to kill and had a huge appetite for hookers.' now leaning on the kitchen door-jamb and lighting a cigarette.

'The cops took six casualties that night; two fatal. The Mirrorshades went in last, but finished the job... apparently.' taking a deep drag and then expelling the smoke in a direction which wasn't in the direct path of the other two.

"The boss who let you guys go? Huh, that guy might've been a double agent for the Nephandi. Trying to stir up conflict between everyone in the city. An appetite for debauchery and just general difficulty with being killed fits the Nephandic mold." Serge suggested, his mind still eagerly trying to piece together this remaining mystery.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

'Tiring? Hell, at least it didn't involve beatdowns or getting shot at.' Nicole quipped, faux-snarkily. 'But at least I got to go for a beer after my shift... what were you doing? Long range patrol?' giving a glance towards their ship.

"Beer is good."
The man with just a number for a name replied then he nodded.
"Yeah out into the deep researching fragmented reality bubbles or some such. We met one of those insane ships the Fallen use out there but it was not aggressive and passed us by, thank he Machine."
He said and his friend nodded and looked like he needed a drink as he shuddered.
"We have been out two months."
The tall, thin pilot added."

'Eh, just that shuttle.' she said nonchalantly, a moment's hesitation at the proffered hand before taking it. Hers could perform the vast majority of tasks fine, but shaking hands was one of the few which showed up the relative shortage of tactile sensors. Then she realised that chances are, he'd have a similar issue... 'Basically hitching a ride, like.'

You felt the hydraulic fingers close around yours, tenatively, you got the feeling the short, stocky man's augments was built for strength and not dexterity.
"Shuttle work? My first off world job was at a three person crew operating a shuttle transporting goods from MECHA to earth and back, this was right after I was re built, it can be rewarding but cramped."
The cyborg said.
"Good luck on your mission."

[Boston Later]

"Bit of strange thing for my Cabal Leader to ask. Considering I can't summon anything." Serge said chuckling along with the rest of the mages, "One day though....By the way how close are we to the port?"

"No but my brother can and I suspect your Cabal leader feared you would talk Kyle into something, but it seams he have the good sense to refuse."
Helena replied raising an eyebrow and Kyle just looked out the window.
"I can see the airport so we should be close."
Kyle said and Helena nodded.
"Yeah two minutes or so I would say."

[Nicole's Apartment, Evening]

"The boss who let you guys go? Huh, that guy might've been a double agent for the Nephandi. Trying to stir up conflict between everyone in the city. An appetite for debauchery and just general difficulty with being killed fits the Nephandic mold." Serge suggested, his mind still eagerly trying to piece together this remaining mystery.

"An agent of the Qyrl? Then he need to be eaten!"
Coawa chimed in with a toothy grin.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Nicole's Apartment, Evening]

Anja's Post:

Serge's Post:

Nicole shook her head to this. 'Nah. He let us go 'cos he was busy with another target – the gang boss. What's more, it's a target he knew we weren't related to; if it was Fallen I think he might have simply taken us out too and not checked afters.' the Etherite replied, continuing to smoke while propped up on the door jamb. 'He also involved cops. If it had been some nasty 'shifter critter or something big, doubt he'd have done that. The guy was a bastard, but not the sort who'd send people to die 'cos he didn't give a fuck.' a definite tone of grudging respect here.

'My personal bet is vampire. Or plural. Mirrorshade gives the SWAT teams 'special' ammo, armour and shit, gets them to do crowd control while they take out the boss... y'know, classic Matrix-stylee. We were just in the wrong fucking place at the wrong time.'

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Anja's Post:

'Eh, perhaps it was just a drifting hulk – you know how hard it is to properly blow them?' she replied. 'Though that requires you to be on the inside of the thing...' giving a little shudder.

Anja's Post:

'I hope so too. I've earned this leave after the shit I went through to deal with the plague.' ending with a genuine little smile.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Nicole's Apartment, Evening]

Nicole shook her head to this. 'Nah. He let us go 'cos he was busy with another target – the gang boss. What's more, it's a target he knew we weren't related to; if it was Fallen I think he might have simply taken us out too and not checked afters.' the Etherite replied, continuing to smoke while propped up on the door jamb. 'He also involved cops. If it had been some nasty 'shifter critter or something big, doubt he'd have done that. The guy was a bastard, but not the sort who'd send people to die 'cos he didn't give a fuck.' a definite tone of grudging respect here.

'My personal bet is vampire. Or plural. Mirrorshade gives the SWAT teams 'special' ammo, armour and shit, gets them to do crowd control while they take out the boss... y'know, classic Matrix-stylee. We were just in the wrong fucking place at the wrong time.'

Coawa scratched his head not seaming to get all of it but he gave a nod.
"Well you got lucky then that he did not bother with your group."
He said.
"I am glad you didn't die."

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Eh, perhaps it was just a drifting hulk – you know how hard it is to properly blow them?' she replied. 'Though that requires you to be on the inside of the thing...' giving a little shudder.

"Yeah could be. I mean they say at during the battle of Mus back in 93 there was five Dreadnaugts vs two of the Fallen's Battle Cruisers and the Dreadnaugths eventually won but we lost three of them and did not destroy the Nephandi ships they retreated."
The tall thin man said with a shudder.
"I don't know if they can be destroyed from within but who would want to go inside of something like that?"

I hope so too. I've earned this leave after the shit I went through to deal with the plague.' ending with a genuine little smile.

"Yeah I heard you had it pretty rough Earthside with the sickness...you go an enjoy your leave then, we plan on doing the same."
The stockier man declared.
"See you around then Nicky perhaps you can join us for beer sometimes."
He added with a friendly smile.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Anja's Post:

'Here's a tip from me; take very strong mints. They usually reek of... not sure exactly. Rotting, but more dry rot than wet. And staleness. Ain't like it would get much ventilation in there, is it?' making it rather obvious she was one who had been inside.

Anja's Post:

'Yeah, was part of the team which cracked it. But no parade for little old me...' she said in a melodramatically sad tone. 'Oh, and if anyone says to visit Plymouth Rock, decline. It's literally a rock. In Plymouth.' giving a laugh and bidding the pair farewell.

Having done enough conspiring with "enemies of Ascension" for one day, she headed towards Colin, wondering how long it would take for them to learn they'd actually been talking with one of their "renegade" kin.

[Warpmind]

[Umbrial Port, Earlier]

Having done enough conspiring with "enemies of Ascension" for one day, she headed towards Colin, wondering how long it would take for them to learn they'd actually been talking with one of their "renegade" kin.

Colin gave Nicole a small grin as she reached the shuttle, "Much obliged, Nick. Any good intel? Shuttle looks untampered with so far - not checked engines and exterior yet, was about to get to the landing gear."

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