<> <> (Huway!) (Huway huway! Hijinks!) <> <> (Clearly, it's the 3WA sending in Betterfly.) <> <> (Man, I don't remember knowing half this shit. Well, okay, mainly that last part.) <> <<(Go!)>> * Hestia knows exactly what she's doing: checking up on the Supernova, since they're the third of the triad of puppet ships, and both the Breaker and the Orchid have been sent to their almost-dooms. (If he's an F-list celebrity, it shouldn't be too hard to find out that he hung around the Supernova.) <> (...well that's terribly convenient.) <> (The important question is, have they had a run in like the one we and the Orchid had with 'haha fly to planet OH LOOK BUGS') * Zeke is twiddling his thumbs as he tries to get up the courage to ask Tia out on a date. Or just standing there with his pad in one hand and being extremely helpful by not getting in her way yet. (I will disassemble you.) (If you find that hot, ask me out on a date.) <> (So now the question is: where did they go with Mr. Jackson?) (Did they not reg the planet?) <> <> (...so what was the planet?) (What?) (So what was the planet? If they went somewhere and regged stuff from it it's public recordish, yes?) (And if there is obviously nothing regged, then illegality.) <> * Hestia has her chin in her hand, idly typing with the other and the pad laid down on a table. "So, somebody's lying somewhere. We have to find out where he went with them." <> (...that is information I would have liked to have had before making the previous statement since it probably invalidates it.) (No, no. They went on vacation, then Mr. Jackson showed up and was happy.) (Your statement seems accurate to me!) (Exactly. Meaning that he's probably happy they accepted his proposal, not that they're hiding something.) (Or they went already.) <> (Not sure which happened yet.) * Hestia breathes out. "He's the lynch pin, and frankly I'm tired of sitting around playing Red New York Times Sunday crossword. I'd like to go out and actually do something." * Zeke's birdsect is standing on the table, looking over the pad. "Oddly... hands on, given how indirect things have been otherwise." * Zeke then nods his holohead. "His link to the fourth bidder is assured. Both he and the Theora Jones persona are the weakest points in the apparent cover story." He's hands on because he's either confident, or overconfident. A naming theme suggests an organization. It's the sort of low key, stupid thing people do because it makes them feel better, even though as covert operations go it's a really bad idea. Targeting the three ships with the 'weird luck,' starting with us and moving on to the Orchid and then the Nova. * Zeke pauses, then says, "I am no expert in covert operations, but that seems like significant exposure." Right. Hence: confident, or overconfident. Think about it. That moron who runs the Orchid didn't give it a second thought as a pattern, and I bet the crew of the Nova haven't either. And since the planets they send people to don't result in 'finds', just attacks, they're skittish about getting info to the public. You'd have to know what you were looking for, like us, to see the pattern. * Zeke tilts his head. "Therefore, confident, or overconfident. They want someone to see the pattern, or don't care." Exactly. Plus if he's doing the grunt work, Mr. Jackson's low on the totem pole. Although maybe not. Either way, we have to break into the Nova somehow and figure out where they went. * Zeke pauses, then says, "If they have fans similar to those that surround us, that may not be possible." Are you kidding? If they have fans surrounding them, that makes it all the easier. ( WE KILL THEM ALL AND BUILD A DUCK BLIND WITH THE BODIES) (It's called crowd cover.) (quack) Well, easier for me anyway. You'd stick out like a file server in a rose garden. (Zeke is a poor duck.) ("Oh, sorry. I was just listenign to the space duck." "Quack! Quack!" "What a majestic creature.") * Zeke tilts his head, then comments, "I am refining my suit. The timing is... good." * Hestia raises an eyebrow. * Zeke looks down at the pad before he adds, "But the work is not complete yet. So I will still stick out." * Hestia looks Zeke up and down for a moment, as if sizing him up for an outfit, then asks, in a seemingly innocent tone, "That thing have ECM and ECCM?" Correct. How good is it? * Zeke is silent a moment, then, "It was not sufficient to protect it from the entirety of the solar flare, as you are aware, but it is not easily disabled." * Hestia nods and stands up. "Good enough. I can make this work. When we get to the hangar, stay close to me and move when I move... and keep that electronic warfare suite running." * Hestia gets up and gets her jacket and buckles on her utility belt/gun holster. "Also, pray they don't have any psychics on their crew." (Aren't SCM Majors still registered?) (HA. Way to dredge up THAT.) (Seems useful.) <> * Zeke somehow gets that kind of thing checked! Sweet. He gets his suitcase, and his birdsect hops on his shoulder. << I will follow your lead. >> (Commsed.) * Hestia smirks, and hails a cab or fires up the lander, whichever is necessary. "Good call." <> (So we call a cab and get out a few blocks away.) (Are they actually docked here? You mentioned Red Vladivostok.) <> (I call a flying cab, this is the future, just blipvert us to Russia already.) <> (hooray!) (I am a fine flying companion.) (*starts spending CP to trick things out* This is actually a handy way of doing it.) ("We need [x] to happen." Then I buy the attribs required to do that.) (ARGH ) (I totally just lost all that typing wagh) (Ha ha.) <> (Zeke is Ershin and is forced to use Stand Out every turn.) (*sunflare*) <> (A hover dolly: possibility in the future?) <> * Hestia waits until the taxi is out of sight, then looks at Zeke again in that appraising way, stepping back a few paces, and then she stops and closes her eyes for a moment before opening them again. ...right. As far as any human eyes we run into are concerned, you look, feel, smell, and sound like a large metal crate on an antigrav shipping dolly. Thankfully Tomas isn't here so we don't need to worry about someone licking you to make sure. * Zeke blinks, then says slowly, ~ And you will push me? ~ (Well, comms.) (Boxes don't talk.) * Hestia starts walking. ~ No, but if you walk with me, it'll look like I am. ~ * Zeke walks with her. ~ This is extremely odd. An SCA power? ~ ~ Tell you what. We'll discuss the finer points of my abilities when you take off the suit. ~ * Zeke pauses in his speech, then replies, ~ I see your point. ~ * Hestia heads to the hangar! Special delivery! <> "'Ey 'ey 'ey 'ey! Hey! What's this shit?" * Hestia clears her throat. ~ Here we go. ~ Affecting as close to a 'working man' accent as is feasible, she waves over the person in the suit. "Somebody ordered some spare parts, looks like... you with that beaut over there?" she tacks on, inclining her head toward the Nova if it's present. ~ Can you scan the area without setting off any alarms? Knowing what's around wouldn't run amiss. ~ <> ".... are you kiddin' me? I'm the frackin' mechanic! I don't remember ordering parts! What the hell've you got in there?" < the digital manifest on the crate. Zeke, this happens to mean she's basically prodding you in the face.>> * Zeke and his birdsect look around slowly, trying to remain, uh, somewhat boxlike. When she starts prodding him he is immediately still. ~ She has made it difficult. ~ ~ Do tell. ~ (Must think of... technobabble...) "Flange converters? Reverse Harmon couplers? Three hundred feet of ... baling wire?" <> "I don't know. This is stuff I need, but I don't remember ordering any of it. Hey, whose name's on the manifest?" (Zeke can only scan so much!) * Hestia pretends to check a pad at her side; her pad, just illusioned to a slightly less expensive, more corporate-looking model. What she is actually doing is checking for the crew manifest of the Nova and their roles, if the website has it. "Let's see here..." ("...fuck it." Suddenly the box falls over on her. ~ ZEKE QUICK TIP FORWARD ~) <> (I shall appeal to higher authority.) * Hestia tappity tap. "Looks like Captain Przemo. Maybe he's just watching out for you, Ms. Petrovich." <> "That frackin' OCD.... yeah, alright, just drop it near the ship." <> * Hestia tips her imaginary hat. "Will do. Besides, I heard some jumper working for Calhoun jury-rigged a mole drive induction coil out of baling wire. Can never have enough baling wire." She starts walking toward the ship! Make it work, Zeke! Walk the runway! ~ Can you see any external computer access ports? Even a door control would be fine. ~ * Zeke has the moves. Which is to say the ability to move his legs. Does he see things! It is a mystery only god can answer. <> ~ The open bulkhead should provide sufficient access. ~ ~ There is a control line. ~ * Hestia nods slowly and starts heading that way. Hopefully she can see this line when she gets close! (Here is a question. How awake and interested are you guys feeling?) (Sorry for delay, sudden afk) (Mmm?) (Because we can do this the easy way or the hard way.) (Zeke's playing a box, so it is admittedly difficult for me to interact with the surroundings other than being on lookout.) (This is all I'm doing at the moment, so up to you.) (Sorry. You're a large mechanical suit. I can't exactly turn you into a puppy.) * Hestia grins faintly as she walks. ~ So... felt up by a hot mechanic. How was it? ~ (Well, you guys said you wanted tension! So!) * Zeke does not reply for a moment, then says, ~ My... faceplate is not particularly sensitive. ~ <> * Hestia tries her damndest not to turn and look at the 'box'. ~ Right... now I just need to take hold of that control cable for a moment. No problem, right? ~ <> ~ If that is all that need be done. ~ <> <> * Hestia is reaching for the cable! DUN DUN DUN * Zeke comms quickly, ~ Intrusion system. Freeze. ~ A split-second, then he adds, ~ They have an active intrusion system. ~ * Hestia stops moving, because she takes that sort of comment seriously, then slowly stands up. ~ Damn. I knew it was too good to be true. This would be the perfect time to sabotage their engines, of course it's protected. Damn, damn, damn... ~ * Hestia looks around. ~ Longer we stay here, the more suspicious this is. Any ideas? ~ <> "Hey, wow, you're good. Most people, they wouldn't have noticed that." ~ I was going to suggest I could converse with them directly, if you needed time, but the situation seems to have changed. ~ <> * Hestia glances up at the person who said this, endeavoring to wear her most innocent of I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about expressions. ~ Well, this is just perfect. It was such a good idea, too. ~ <> "Kinda lucky I was working on rewiring, you'd have gotten around the system, and stolen or uploaded who knows what.... that's a really good disguise, though, you look just like you work there." <> * Hestia sighs and shakes her head, putting a hand on her hip. ~ Might as well run with the ball. ~ "Look. I know how bad this appears but we're not here to sabotage the Nova, believe me." ~ At least he thinks it's just a disguise. Is he on their crew manifest? ~ * Zeke will check! (Sorry. I'm trying to keep having ways for you to do stuff, Mecha.) (Nod.) ~ He seems to have Tomas' temperment. ~ ~ You mean his brain's in orbit around a different planet than his body? Maybe, maybe not. ~ <> (How bad do you have to fuck up to get the pseudonym 'Termite'?) (Anything's got to be better than "Muriel") ~ Muriel Anderson. Pseudonym 'Termite'. System engineer. ~ ~ ...Termite? ~ <> "So, you're still trying to figure out what to do with me. I can see the EM from your comms, but I can't tell where it's going with just the goggles." * Hestia shrugs her shoulders. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She pauses, turning to look back at the crowd for a moment, before turning back to him. "Look, is there somewhere private we can talk? I have a couple questions about something important... that's the only reason I'm here in the first place." "Are you a reporter? You're totally being wasted on your job if you are." * Hestia smirks, and there's a genuine sense of bemused acceptance of that statement in it. "I wish." * Hestia raps a knuckle on the edge of the 'box'. "Say hello to the man. He knows we're here, anyway." * Zeke pauses, then responds, "Very well." GHOST BOX. "Holy cripes on toast, the box talks?" I usually can't shut it up. <> "Yeah, okay, hold on. Push that thing around the back and come up the cargo ramp, I'll meet you up there." * Zeke pauses, then smiles, not that Termite can see it. "I am very well made." "... no kidding?" <> * Hestia nods at the guy, then inclines her head at Zeke. "Come on, Mr. Box." <> * Zeke comes on. He also comms, ~ This is an interesting situation. ~ * Hestia shrugs. ~ It's not as good as in and out unseen but it's better than a shootout, right? ~ ~ It is harder to convince people of good intentions with violence. ~ <> "Whoo! Head rush." I bet. * Hestia takes a deep breath. ~ If he panics, hit him in the face. ~ "So who do you work for?" * Hestia makes a gesture, as soon as she's sure they're out of sight. "Well. Lemme open up Mr. Box, and then it should be obvious." * Hestia then drops the illusion! * Zeke appears! He comments, "I am not that much like a box." Pause, then, "But Termite is not much like an insect." <> "Daaaaaamn! You weren't kiddin', it's pretty clear who he is. Not who you are, but I get it, you're from the Fate Breaker." Nice to meet you too. <> "So what do you want badly enough you'd hack into my system to get?" * Hestia looks at Zeke for a moment. ~ Hey, it's you he likes, you tell him. ~ * Zeke looks over at Hestia, then back to Termite. "We are attempting to determine the patterns of action of Mr. Jackson with minimal... fuss." * Hestia taps her fingers on her thigh. "Good word there, 'fuss'." "What, that sneaky guy? I didn't really like him, but I think Leonard took the job anyhow. Why do you care about him?" So you haven't gone where he asked yet? "Nah, not yet. We wanted to finish our vacation first." Lucky you, believe it or not. ".... what?" ~ Inform them? ~ ~ Why not? In fact this is better than we might have thought. I mean, they might thank us for getting them out of a ton of trouble. ~ ~ If they reject the job without reason, the fourth group may become suspicious. ~ ~ Why is that bad? It could be our opportunity to trap them. ~ (Termite: "...guys?" "SHUT UP MR. BOX AND I ARE TALKING.") * Zeke's holohead nods and he replies, "It is likely, given his previous hirings, that the job will involve landing on a planet suffering a Bug infestation." Happened to us... happened to that jerkass on the Orchid too. Was pretty obvious you guys were next. <> "Hey, Termite, did you get the wiring set up with the degaussers.... hey, what the frackin' hell? That doesn't look like baling wire to me!"<> Yes, my wires are far more delicate. You don't know. Look at that face. There's baling wire in his ancestry. Don't be so insensitive. (Zeke is 1/5 baling wire on his mom's side.) * Zeke's birdsect is looking at Galia, while he remains looking at Termite. <> "I ... what? Hey, that doesn't matter! What the hell are you doing?! Dammit, Termite, we talked about security!" <> "But they're chainjumpers!" <> To be fair, it's not really his fault. We walked right by you, for example. (Hestia. Mistress of sensitivity.) (I totally also want to say "Coincidentally, I have a gun and the rest of you don't.") (Zeke has a gun.) (She doesn't mean you, Mr. Box!) (:|) "Don't think I forgot! This is my docking bay, and my ship! You can't just waltz in here and ... and do whatever it is you're doing!" * Hestia turns to Zeke. "And what were we doing, Mr. Box?" Informing Termite of the probable goals of Mr. Jackson. Oh right. And what were those goals, again? <> * Hestia turns back to Galia while Zeke presumably answers. To have you perform a chainjump to a planet suffering from a Bug resurgence, for reasons unknown. <> "I told you he was bad news bears!" <> "And just how do you big alien-finding-motherfrackers know THAT?" * Hestia sighs. "Look, I don't blame you for being angry but can you blame us, the crew of a rival ship, for not just knocking on your door and going 'By the way, this guy we saw around your ship is probably trying to get you killed'?" (AFK a sec, I need to get a drink( We have had a lot of time on our hands. I believe is how you would say it. Also he tried to kill us in the same way. "So? Even if you're right, and even if he sent you there on purpose, how'd you know we'd be next?" Technically the Orchid was next. You're third in line. "The Orchid? The BLACK Orchid?" * Hestia starts to get that narrow-eyed squinty sort of expression she tends to wear when dealing with fools. Hopefully Zeke will notice this. That is correct. Mr. Jackson seems to have a pattern of hiring notable chainjumpers for these missions. <> "I don't get it. It didn't work with you or the Orchid, why come to us? Why wouldn't he pick sucky chainjumpers? They're gonna die easier, right?" We are not certain of his goals. Clearly this is an inefficient method of murder. (.... possibly the MOST inefficient method EVER short of like, trying to breathe faster than the other people on the planet.) (Haha.) It might not be that he actively wants any of us dead, but it doesn't exactly seem like his motives are all sunshine and rainbows. <> "So how is YOU know so much about this guy, but we turned up nothing?" He hit us first and I'm naturally suspicious. * Hestia sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "The truth is we wanted to know who was behind our contracts. When I looked into it, there were all sorts of suspicious discrepancies when it came to Mr. Jackson and his likely associates." * Merilan has quit (Ping timeout) <> "Are you sure a little BIRD didn't tell you?" <> "Galia, come ON. Even GalReg says they didn't do it on purpose! You're just pissed because you thought it was a milk run!" <> (.... when did it become 11.) (12 minutes ago.) (yesssss) (MULTITOOL) (she knows it's a multipass.) ( I guess this is gonna run two sessions! That means two weeks from now I'm running splitsies. Sob.) (Are you typing, Todd?) (Haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw.) (I was gonna reply, but it would just be Zeke saying that idea was dumb in Zeke-ese.) (Actually someone IMed me with bad news on his front.) (Sorry, I got distracted.) ('sokay! Let me post next then) <> "So you didn't come here to warn us, or you'd have just done it and not bothered sneaking in. What were you trying to do?" <> "Steal info, or plant some kinda bugs, I bet." * Hestia just stares at the two of them for a moment, then pinches the bridge of her nose. We were not certain if you had gone, and were attempting to gather more information with minimal complication. "... oh" <<, they say, more or less simultaneously.>> ~ I'm just going to stand here while you logic them through it, or I'm going to end up killing one of them. ~ Since you have not, it is best you at least be aware. Did he request to go with you? <> "Yeah, which we thought was kind of weird." ~ We still do not know for what reason he repeatedly does that. ~ <> "What should we do, Galia? He's coming back at the end of the week, like he said." (Clearly, we should hide in the cargo hold.) (And then hold him upsidedown over the bug planet once we get there.) (I'm for it.) (The only thing I can think of is that he is actively resurging bugs.) <> "He's coming back *tomorrow*, Termite. Your memory sucks."" (That's what's in the suitcase: Bug Wakeup Box.) (But that's still intensely confusing.) Tomorrow... ngh. Not good. It's not like we can do much to help you with everyone else halfway across Mars. (ROAD TRIP) <> "We can hold him down and put metal shears to his crotch ourselves. But YOU can ask him better questions." * Hestia smirks a little. "Probably. What do you think, Mr. Box?" (I will make this name stick.) (At all costs.) * Zeke's birdsect looks over at Hestia. "I think that my name is Zeke Chezik. But otherwise your statement is accurate." <> "So we meet you back here tomorrow before he shows up at noon?" (Astonishingly, might still get to have a Zeke/Tia mini if you guys feel like it at some point this week.) (Your talkin': Crazy.) (Hurry up and accept, it's late) (I am an hour later than you, woman!) I guess so. <>