[Story]Shadowrunning, Part 2

[HRogge]

Dartz and me managed to write down the first parts of the followup story of "Shadowrunning"...

Operations Status Report
Operation Maulwurf: 12/02/15.
Posted by Jet Jaguar.

It has been two weeks since my last report. Since that time, we have continued to monitor communications between Roland and his handler. So far, there has been no indication that either Roland or his handler are aware their communications are being monitored.

First of all, it’s clear that Roland is little more than a useful idiot. It seems he inserted the security breach on his own, with the intention of fixing them when no-one else could. He was paid by his contact to keep them in the system, and add more system vulnerabilities.

Second. Now that we have records on where and how these vulnerabilities were inserted, fixing them should be no problemo. Still, for the time being, all Panzer Kunst are operating using external comms only. The SSC module is to be kept offline until we’re certain all the bugs have been swatted.

Third. It our intention was to find a link to his handler, their location and or identity if we were lucky. Cortana was able to get us a location for Rolands handler. A number of messages seemed to either be sent to, or received from 2462 Nehallennia, which is a minor Senshi outpost.

Our collected data is attached to this posting. In it, the hack as referred to as the ‘VSW project’. The meaning of VSW, I don’t know.

A second stroke of luck strengthens the link to Nehallenia. The Space Patrol is currently searching for two suspects whom they believe may have been involved. Ford Sierra was able to use her position as a Bounty Hunter to get information from the local patrol office. Both suspects were from Nehallennia.

While strongly suggestive of a link, it’s not a confirmation. Once is happenstance, two is coincidence, I decided to go looking for my third confirmation.

I made my way to Nehallennia and landed covertly on the asteroid’s surface under my own power, placing a small camera and radio receiver/recorder on the asteroid’s surface to record traffic coming in and out of the main landing bay. It’s something I did a number of times during the war. I retrieved it after letting it record for a week.

Analysis of the recordings confirm that Nehallenia is a Zwilnik waystation. At least three known zwilnik ships were recorded either arriving or departing. Also, several unencrypted radio transmissions seem to suggest Naoko Sato is present on the station. This is too interesting to be left unconfirmed.

While this is enough cause to order a full Great Justice strike, I would prefer to hold off at this stage. Firstly, we have only a strong suspicion that the robbery was ordered from Nehallennia. We don’t have any information as to whether the ghost hacking techniques originated from there also, or were developed elsewhere.

Our objective is to locate whoever developed this ghost hacking, and retrieve them and their research. Attacking Nehallennia too soon may spook the developer. We’d lose any links to them.

My Primary objectives at this point are:
* Confirm that Nehallenia is the location Roland is being controlled from.
* Recover information on who developed Ghost hacking
* Determine if it was developed at Nehallenia, or elsewhere.
* Find how far information on these Ghost hacking techniques have spread.
* If the hack was developed there, get the data. If not, find where and move on. Leave
* Preferably capture the Mad responsible alive.

As a Secondary objective
* Confirm Naoko Sato's presence.
* Find out what, if anything Naoko knows about this.
* If Naoko Sato is present, capture.

Tertiary objective
* Thionite runners handled by regular OGJ forces. Need a strikeforce on standby close enough to hit quickly...

We have come to the decision that the best way to achieve this would be to first infiltrate Nehallennia undercover to investigate. We can also attempt to gain access to Nehallenia’s computers. We can choose our next course of action depending on what the results of this mission are.

If we find that Nehallenia is the source of the hack, then myself and the Engel Gruppe will lead a raid against the base, preferable backed up by a more conventional force to handle thionite runners and prisoners.

If not, We’ll have to hold off taking down Nehallenia until after we’ve followed the trail to the end. We can’t risk spooking whoever was responsible. Getting Naoko Sato must take a back seat to getting a hold of this ghost hacking.

Ford Sierra and Cathy (SSAM 343-GS) have volunteered for the mission.

-Jet

---

Cathy wore a satisfied smirk as she placed the device on the table. A silver ring, large enough to go around a neck, with a single hinge, opposed by an adjustable locking latch.

“This is how we get information in an out!”

Jet inspected it.

“Cat collar?”

Cathy nodded, “The Boskonians used ones just like it to train catgirls, before they perfected their memory wipe,”

Ford looked at her a little bewildered. Why would she be so proud of having something like that? “So?” she said.

“Well,” Cathys chest inflated with pride, “it’s not just a collar anymore. It’s got a low powered radio transmitter, capable of sending text messages and regular data. It’s got a mapping device and a low powered onboard computer. It even has the original shock function... but at a much lower power.”

Jet smiled. “Sounds perfect.”

“And it’s got a valid reason to be emitting encrypted radio signals. It comes with biomonitor sensors, which constantly transmit back to the control unit,”

The original designers intention was that it’d give the catgirls owner a fair warning the they were in danger of killing their pets, rather than just ‘punishing’ them. Cathy used the biomonitor transmitters to transmit more data than the basic vitals. She modified the receiver array to act as a simple passive radar, feeding data to a small onboard computer, which slowly mapped out the base in concert with the controller.

Jet held it in her hand, inspecting with with almost giddy interest while she read through the specs Cathy’d given her.. “Now that’s just fucking cool,” she said.

“Don’t break it,” Said Ford.

“It’s nearly unbreakable,” Cathy assured.

“If you’re not able to lift a car,” Ford said, sardonically. “I’m still looking at Sato. Did you see the bounty the Senshi put on her?” She had a capitalist gleam in her eye. ”I heard whoever brings her in, automatic named sailor.”

Jet chuckled. “Sailor Bebop,”

“Beats Sailor Smash, Jet,” Sierra snarked back.

“It is just a rumour,” Cathy said, throwing cold water on the joke. “But they are really willing to pay a lot of money for getting her.”

“Well since I’m not getting paid for this, it’d be rude not to collect on it myself,” Ford said.

Cathy scowled amused, “But you two live together. Isn’t that a little.... improper?”

Jet shrugged, “It’s legal.”

It was a lot more complicated than she cared to get into really.

Cathy nodded. “Yes, I know... its funny to do the right things just because they are right... until the point where you suddenly cannot pay your bills anymore.”

Ford wore a mercenary grin. “If they’re willing to pay, I’m willing to be paid,”

Cathy took the collar from Jet. “I’ll still have to get used to wearing it,” She didn’t appear to be too thrilled at the prospect. “But once we’re in, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Ford sighed, and sat back in her couch. “You make it sound like getting in is the easy part.”

“Well, they are accepting landings,” Cathy replied.

Ford shook her head. “The thing with criminals.... the thing with organisations like this. You don’t just show up at the door... that just screams ‘cop’. You need an ‘in’... you need someone inside to vouch for you and say you’re cool. Understand?”

Cathy nodded.

“If we don’t have that, it’s going to be so much harder to get what we want. We need a little bit of trust on our side.”

Cathy nodded again.

“I was thinking”, she pulled Naoko Satos file out from under the gathering pile on the coffee table, “Sato used to be a major Sammie... that’s why they’re so pissed off at her. According to her bio, she still has that Sammie mentality. We might be able to use that. If she is there, we might be able to use her...”

Ford began to detail her plan.

[Dartz]

Note... it's kinda rough. We're posting this for comment while we're working on this thing.

We're trying to give Jet, Ford and Cathy a specific way of working, different to the other troubleshooters. We're using Naoko Sato and Nehallennia, just to make it clear that the story isn't happening in an island. We've done a lot more planning for this than part one, which was supposed to just be that short piece, and it was expanded quiet a bit a bit. Hopefully this'll come across a bit better.
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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[robkelk]

We've done a lot more planning for this than part one,

Which I've seen part of (because HRogge and Dartz wanted to make sure they weren't stepping on my toes - thank you again for that). I think folks are going to want to read the rest of this story...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Dartz]

And a little bit more. Hopefully we'll do the plan justice.

A green Ford truck was drifting through the darkness of the asteroid belt. Most of the cargo area appeared to have been shot up, with the tonneau cover hanging wide open, held on solely by on clasp. Sunlight shone through big holes, much like those which’d be caused by a standard Fen coilgun.

Spattered inside where the purple remains of a cargo of thionite, the vast majority of which had long since dissipated in the vacuum.

The lights in the cabin were dark, but still, there was life aboard.

“What do you think? How long will it take until they finally receive the radio signal and decide to look after us?” Cathy asked, her head laying in Fords legs.

Ford had originally been a little uncomfortable with it, but finally accepted that the catgirl had to have somewhere to sleep. Besides, Cathy was supposed to be hers now. Ford was in her usual getup, mechanics overalls under an armoured leather jacket.

Cathy was dressed in a sleeveless top with a 3WA writing and some really short hotpants. As long as Ford were petting her new pet often enough, she was okay with this.

“The batteries should keep it warm in here for at least another 12 hours.” Ford said, “And we’ve air for a day, unless their aim was that bad.”

Cathy groaned. “It has been 6 hours already.”

“It’ll take a while before they’re convinced we really need help and no-one else is coming.” answered Ford, “But we should be outside their range before we run out of power, after that, the Nova can pick us up if they don’t.”

She was still pining for her poor unfortunate truck. It’d just gotten a new engine and everything after the old one had blown on the way to the last convention. Ford had hated the part of the plan where the Nova had shot up the entire back end of her truck.... she hated it even though it had been her idea.

Nothing but real damage would do. Fortunately, that Senshi on the guns knew what she was doing. There really was nothing left to do but wait and listen to the radio, set to shuffle. It had settled on the suspiciously apropos Space Oddity.

“A song about an astronaut dying stranded in space, while we’re stranded in space.” Ford said, with a bemused snort. “Define irony,”

Still, Ford reflected as she stared out the window, it was humbling. They were only a few thousand kilometres from Nehallenia, but it was still lost in an infinite number of sparkles. She wondered which one was Earth. She wondered which one was Mars. She wondered if Jet ever felt this.... small.... when she was out in space on her own.

Cathy followed her look out to the starscape and smiled. “Thats why I named my craft... why I left Earth... maybe even why I never looked back.” She began to purr happily. “I don’t know how many hours and hours I have looked up into this dark sky.”

Sierra nodded. “Never saw the stars in Chicago, except when the power went out,”

Cathy nodded. “They just produce too much light... that’s why Astronomers were fleeing to the most remote places on Earth... and some of them up here.”

The radio in the front console suddenly beeped with the sound of an incoming radio signal.

“... on a light... unknown truck, please respond... if your radio is not transmitting anymore, switch on a light.” a female voice was calling over a short range radio frequency.

Cathys head shot up as she looked to the radio, curious if their waiting time was finally over. “I hope we are not accidentally rescued by someone else” she chuckled. Cathy jumped up and began to look through the screen of the trucks cockpit, curiously looking for the source of the radio call.

Ford glanced around, checking her mirrors. Bright lights shone from an unknown vehicle.

She started to flash her lights. One long flash, followed by one short one, then repeat the pattern. It was a simple pattern, but one that obviously pointed to life inside.

The radio crackled. “I see you. I’m coming alongside. Use the emergency channel if you still have radio.”

Ford selected the channel, “This is Cally Auron,” she said, “Aboard the Star One. There’s two of us aboard. Myself, and Teela, my catgirl.”

“Copy that,” the voice on the radio answered. “This is Nehallennia One. What happened to you?”

Ford looked at Cathy. Most rescuers normally gave their name. Unless she had reason to hide it.

“We got shot up,” Ford answered.

The lights from the rescue vehicle played across the battered shell of the truck, picking out the holes in the cargobay. Ford held her breath. Long seconds ticked by. This was the make or break moment.

“Great Justice did it?”

Great, let her draw her own conclusions. She’ll believe them more.

“Yeah,” she answered, “They shot me up and splattered my cargo across space. I was lucky to get my ass away and get this far.”

“Too bad,” the voice on the other end responded. “How much air do you have left?”

“About a day’s worth,” Ford replied truthfully.

“Great. We might be able to just tow you in to Nehallennia, instead of doing something more complicated.”

“To whom do I owe my survival to then, Miss mysterious stranger.”

“Sato, Naoko Sato. And trust me, I’ve been doing this for years.”

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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[HRogge]

We would like to hear about your opinion about using the "cover names" directly in the story... sounded less confusing than switching between two sets of names constantly.

Sato had been right. Soon after Fords truck was being slowly towed towards Nehallennia. Ford could give her that at least, it seemed she hadn’t lost any of her famous experience.

Seeing the open hangar Cathy had the terrifying realisation that this was all very, very real. Suddenly, she wanted to be anywhere else.

“Don’t worry,” Ford said softly, “It’ll just be a couple of days. Keep our heads, it’ll be no problemo.” she smiled, before reaching for the collar’s monitor. “Just remember, once we’re in that hangar... you’re Teela, and I’m Cally.” she took a deep breath, “And I own you. Just like we practiced,”

Cathy... Teela, she reminded herself, scratched at her collar. She looked almost forlornly up at Cally.

“I’ve done this before,” Cally said.

The change in gravities as they crossed the threshold to the landing bay sent Cally’s inner ear spinning. Stupid quirk. She braced herself against the steering wheel, letting it fade as she felt the wheels hit solid ground.

“It’ll take about a minute to pressurise the bay,” Sato warned. “Sit tight. You’re among friends here.”

It wasn’t that big of a bay... barely big enough for her truck and whatever was loading beside it. Cally looked out the window, watching a group of Senshi unload what looked like a very fast ship. Well... they were Senshi, but not Senshi in a way. It was hard to put her finger on exactly... but somehow it reminded her of mirror-universe Star Trek, with Spocks beard.

Just that little thing... a little darkening of the colours here and there... a tendency towards torn fishnets or the odd piercing and they suddenly appeared far more evil than their clean-cut counterparts. More ‘Goffick’, she snickered privately. They were trying too hard... an aura of deliberate and intentional gloom hanging over them.

If it wasn’t for the fact that they were unloading obvious bales of thionite off that ship, she wouldn’t even have pegged them as criminals. She started to wonder if maybe perhaps, they weren’t doing it from the money like everyone else, but because somehow crime seemed all edgy and cool and anti-Senshi.

They weren’t real zwilniks, not the actively malicious kind anyway. They were just playing at it.
Cathy herself took one look at them out the window and hoped they were.

In a way, it made the job a little less risky. It also complicated things a lot. They didn’t seem like the sort to develop ‘ghost hacking’, or whatever Jet called it. Which meant either someone was coming to the station to give Roland his orders, or there was someone else here working behind the scenes. An unknown factor...

Those were always fun. Cally sighed to herself, and took the collar’s remote from her pocket. She keyed in her code, and smiled lightly as it came up green. It was picking up Teela’s biometrics quite happily...

“Calm down, Teela,” Cally said. “If they wanted to hurt us, there’d be more of a welcoming committee.”

She hoped.

Teela took a deep breath. “I hope so... but we have clearly missed something during the planning. And I hope we did not missed too much. But lets get out of here, I cannot wait to stretch a little bit...”

“There’re always unknowns going in. Just go with them.” Cally said, before her expression darkened. “Now get out of my damn truck! It’s your fault this happened,” she yelled.

Teela put on a surprised ‘who me?’ face, opened the side door and jumped out of the truck, looking around curiously. Cally damn near slammed the door off its hinges as she got out, projecting fury.

“And see if there’s anything left of our load will ya!” Cally held up the remote.

Teela eyes widened and she hurried around the truck, graping a handle and pulling herself onto the trucks cargo area and looking through the holes of the hatch on the trucks side. She tried to open the tailgate, but it just fell off, clattering onto the steel floor of the bay. Teela stuck her head through the open ‘hatch’ to look at the cargo.

“That doesn’t look good Cally” she shouted back, finally vanishing inside the remains of the trailer.

“This sucks,” Cally spat, scuffing her boot off the ground. She pressed one hand against the cold metal. “My poor baby” she sighed, “what have they done with you?” Deep breath. “Great... truck nearly wrecked, cargo destroyed or gone... this is really my lucky day...”

Naoko Sato appeared beside her, still half dressed in her pressure gear. She took one look at the truck and whistled.

“Solid work... multiple coil gun bursts... one grazing shot over the engine, the others wrecked the wheels and the trailer. It is astonishing that it was still airtight.”

Cally nodded to her and smiled. “Duct tape, and God’s luck,” she said. “But explaining this lot to Vercetti’s going to be a pain,”

Sato raised an eyebrown “Vercetti? I can not say I have heard of him,”

“My boss,” Cally answered. She feigned a sigh. “And if I don’t find 40 kilo’s of thionite for him I got paid to deliver, I’ll be coughing up my own furballs.”

Naoko nodded, pondering for a moment. A business opportunity perhaps?

Teela reappeared from the remains of the trucks bay with something purple in her waving hand. “One survived Cally!”

“39 Kilo’s,” Cally corrected. “Good cat.”

“I think we might be able to come to an arrangement,” Sato said, still working the maths in her head. “It might not be cheap,” she warned.

“Better that than spending the rest of my life washing myself with my own tongue...” Cally replied, with a wry smirk. Judging by the look on Teela’s face she obviously disagreed. “I guess I’ll just have to take the hit this time.”

Naoko stroked her chin with satisfaction, “Then, I think we might be able to do a deal. Naoko Sato, Station Commander.”

“Cally Auron,” Cally offered a handshake.

Sato eyed her hand almost distastefully for a moment. She didn’t grip very tight at all.

“This way, Cally, we will talk more in my office.”

[Cobalt Greywalker]

Guys, you're going to have to change the quirk in Ford's artifical ear(s). A.C. wouldn't let a quirk like that off the Forge, not with someone who worked as Ford did. She'd consider it too dangerous. If it's needed storywise, change it to the fact of the gyro-balance being TOO good, and her body needing time to compensate.

As to using the cover names directly, I see no problem as long as they're in character.

[Dartz]

That's something that's been listed on Ford's fenwiki page as something originally thought to be hardware, but most likely a minor biomod. The sort you get when you forget you still have some handwavium residue on your hands, pick up a sandwich, eat it then carry on as if nothing happened and never notice anything different until months or years after the fact.

Although, I changed it in the doc to show it's something Ford believes to be psychosomatic, having had the work done within the last few weeks. (She only just started as a Bounty Hunter when the system itself was instated)

"The change in gravities as they crossed the threshold to the landing bay sent Cally’s mind through a loop. The gyros in her ear were just over a month old, and her brain still seemed determined to overcompensate for the differences between old and new. All tests assured her it was psychosomatic now, rather than hardware. It was still irritating. It faded quickly as she felt the wheels hit solid ground. "

How's that?
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[Cobalt Greywalker]

Just did another re-read of Ford's character guide. Yeah, it's mentioned. However, the implication I got from the story with my slightly rusty knowledge was that it came from the cybernetics. Given A.C. enjoys her rep as leading cyber-surgeon she works hard to keep it, and a quirk like that really didn't fit given she did the original work on Ford's ears. The depends on how bad the damage was. Looks like it was only hearing if she'd just had the balance compensator added/uprated, and if by someone other than A.C. I can see some lingering system integration issues causing it.

(It also means you need to update her write-up to take this into account.)

Depends on how much you want to change, how it fits with your timelines, and whether it affects your story. What you have deals with my original issue though.

Of course, at the point the bounty hunting system is set up, there are any number of upgrades available Ford might want.

[Dartz]

Hmmm... maybe I'll just remove any reference to any hardware being responsible. It seems the less complicated solution, especially since it's a natural issue anyway.

Upgrades would probably be simple stuff... better feedback, better battery life, and maybe a small space to store a Leatherman. Little useful tricks like that, rather than anything big and austentatious, or complex to control. Ford sees her Cybernetics as a tool, rather than a lifestyle choice.

And, more story. Prices are a bit off-the cuff, anyone got a better suggestion? The scene after this one introduces someone new... . I wonder if anyone can guess who... and what they are.

----

Sato’s office was strangely strange, yet oddly normal. Cally couldn’t really think of a better way to describe it. It certainly reminded her of any number of Sensh offices she’d seen... was that a Furby on the table?..... But it also lacked a certain something and it wasn’t something she could put her finger on.

Maybe it was colour.... maybe it was just a bad aura in the handwavium. It made her far more uncomfortable than she ever expected to be.

Teela had been just following Cally around, trying to keep close to her. Most people seem to not even notice her, except the few that smiled at her in a way Teela didn’t really liked at all. Even the few other catgirls she had seen had a strange look in their eyes. They tended to focus on the collar.

Naoko herself was seated behind her desk, her body language announcing to all that she was the one in charge.

“So,” Sato said, checking her monitor. “I can get you 39 kilogrammes, within 3 days. That should be long enough to fix your truck.”

Cally nodded. Three days should be enough to get what they want and get clear out of there. “How much?”

“Since it is a rush, it will be more expensive. Hmmm...” she made a show of thinking about it “About 70k, Australian.”

Cally winced. It wasn’t an act. “Shit... what I had in the truck was about 50, tops.“

“We can work out the details later,” Sato assured her.

“You don’t mind if I pay, when I get paid for this job?” Cally asked, with mild touch of hope in her voice. “I don’t have 70 grand on me right now,”

“Hmmm.....” Sato made a show of considering. She smiled. “20 percent a week sounds fair. I may be Senshi, but that does not mean I am a charity.”

“Bloodsucker,” Cally snarled through gritted teeth. But, she had to remember that she didn’t really have a choice but to accept. Deep breath. Look reluctant... it’s not like she actually had to pay her. “Alright,” she relented, exhaling a resigned breath. “I’ll have your money within a week from when I leave,”

Sato nodded her approval, “Good. I’ll throw in the spare parts for your truck for free.”

“Thanks,” Cally forced a forced smile.

“I’ll have someone show you and your pet....” Teela scowled. “.... to your quarters. Enjoy your stay.”

----

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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[robkelk]

I'd say $2k per kilo is about right for thionite, considering how difficult it is to obtain and how addictive it is. Sato's being nice and giving a discount... must be a "loss leader" price.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[LynnInDenver]

Sato's probably counting on the interest accruing if the payment is even ten minutes late. Typical loan shark behavior, get them when they're in a compromised position, and offer terms that seem like they might be handable... but turn out to not be after all, and you're suddenly and effectively someone else's financial slave, doing more and more unspeakable things in an effort to actually get out from under the debt.
--

"You know how parents tell you everything's going to fine, but you know they're lying to make you feel better? Everything's going to be fine." - The Doctor

[robkelk]

True. Sato is many things, but "stupid" is not one of them...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Dartz]

Which is what it's been edited to in the doc. After a week at 20%, it hops up to 84k, another week its over 95.

Though as we're writing her, we're positioning her as still very much Senshi in other parts of her mindset. She still has a gut reaction against killing herself. She's squeamish about pulling the trigger in person and willing to rationalise her way out of doing it for as long as possible, but at the same time she's happily setting a pretty dastardly scheme that could ruin one groups reputation, and get a good few innocent people killed. She still has some scruples after all, and pulling the trigger on someone you've seen and talked to is far harder than on someone you've convinced yourself you hate, and the results of which you'll never have to see outside an FNN broadcast.

It also lets us make her associate seem far more dangerous, while Naoko is putting the brakes on because she wants to be absolutely certain, and is trying to rationalise her natural instincts against what she knows a true Zwilnik is supposed to do. The hard part is doing it without making her seem like a moron....

I figure, if you'd put her in a room with Yayoi Fujisawa... rather than going for the throat, she might just break down and sob instead.

Maybe we've got it wrong... but it seemed like an interesting counterpoint both to her associate, and to Jet.
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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[Star Ranger4]

no, sounds about right to me, actually...
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Dartz]

Speaking of Sato...

And our second BBeG makes an appearance. Clearly taking a little after her mother in some respects...

Sato waited in her office until she was sure the catgirl was out of hearing range.

“Any signals?” she asked the Furby.

“Dah e-tah!” It answered. “Uno Big Lady! Small signal. Uno furby lady! Small signal secret!”

So, Cally was transmitting a signal. And the catgirl too. The catgirls was encrypted. Admittedly, it didn’t have to be encrypted much to confuse the Furby,

“Kah may-lah?” it enquired, it’s expression robotically curious. “Doo-moh?”

It cheered as she embraced it. She was smiling as she placed it back on the desk... It was the only thing that damned Stellvian hadn’t taken from her.

“U-nye-ay-tay-doo?” The furby enquired, concerned.

Yeah, she was. She sat there for far longer than she’d intended, letting herself drift on from regret, through bitterness and on through a malignant hate that burned deep. It brought her mind back to business. Somehow, she doubted Cally would be the type who’d be able to get so much cash within a week.

A courier good enough to evade an OGJ patrol with such a shot-up truck could be useful. Perfect.

Still, that signal was intriguing. She’d noticed the collar around the catgirl’s neck. A feral one? That’d explain the radio signals quite well. Still, it was something worth investigating. She keyed in a few commands into her computer. The projector on top came to life, a holographic screen appearing in mid air beside Naoko.

“Hi!” the image chirrped with a saccharine cheeryness. Pale brown hair, twin straight pigtails and shining round glasses hiding her eyes behind a reflection of the recorder... she still made Sato wince sometimes.

“I have something I want you to check out for me,” she said

“Oh?” the image answered, taking on a deliberately curious expression. “Could it be the newcomers?”

“How...”

“You forget,” the image smiled, “I’m the best.”

Sato sighed. “They’re both broadcasting a radio signal. It is encrypted. I want you to tell me what it is,”

“Shouldn’t be too hard.” answered the image. She seemed mildly insulted by the simplicity of the task.

“And,” Sato added the carrot. “One of them is a feral catgirl. I know you’ve been wanting one....and they will be needing a lot of money very soon.”

She started to twirl her hair between her fingers.

“Ooh!” The image suddenly perked right up. “Where are they?”

“Room number AE-85,” Sato said, trying to look down on the hologram.

The projected screen just drifted a few centimeters higher.

“I’ll make the pet’s owner an offer she can’t refuse.” the hologram responded with a malicious grin “Vivio’s near broken now anyway.”

The holographic screen disappeared before Naoko could get the last word in. She cursed under her breath. She may be annoying to deal with... and downright scary at times.... but once the plan came to fruition, it’d be worth it.

She glanced down at the Furby.

It stared innocently back at her.

“Boo e-day,” It warned.

No, it wasn’t,... but it was fair. It was vengeance. It was her right Gods dammit after having her life ruined by a bunch of arrogant, self righteous... she took a deep breath, shooting that train of thought clear in the head.

She sat at her desk and stared long and hard at her computer monitor. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.... but it’d all be worth it. Just keep convincing yourself it was worth it.

________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[Cobalt Greywalker]

...You want A.C., just tell her about our new friend. Damn.

On second thought, don't tell A.C. Unless you have no problem with delicate things being broken.

Like Nehalennia.

[robkelk]

I figure, if you'd put her in a room with Yayoi Fujisawa... rather than going for the throat, she might just break down and sob instead.

And, with Yayoi firmly in the "love" subfaction of the Senshi, she'd offer forgiveness.

That might be worth writing some time... but not today.

Speaking of Sato...

And our second BBeG makes an appearance. Clearly taking a little after her mother in some respects...

Noah, long after the fact and working from the Troubleshooter reports of this incident: "Mal, look at what she did to this poor girl. This is why I didn't want to release the entire Whole Fenspace Catalog - somebody would use things in it this way - but you talked me out of keeping it secret. I hope you'll help me pay the hospital and rehab bills."

...You want A.C., just tell her about our new friend. Damn.

On second thought, don't tell A.C. Unless you have no problem with delicate things being broken.

Like Nehalennia.

And Noah will hold A.C.'s coat until she's done... and then he'll clean up whatever's left. Assuming anything is left, that is.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Dartz]

----

Cally and Teela had found their way to a bar instead, ditching their guide halfway through in the process. It was a good place to talk... unlikely to be bugged, and loud enough that any conversation would be drowned out.

Just make sure your drink hadn’t been spiked before trying it.

Teela was still brooding about the discussion between Cally and Sato. On the first look the Senshi had been quite nice, but there was a smoothness with how she suggested the insane credit rates for Cally... or how easy the word ‘pet’ for Teela herself had rolled of her tongue. But at least the Furby had been a nice touch to the office. It was cute and humanising.

The bar itself was a rocky cave with a large counter and a number of small tables distributed over the area. Indirect lighting rising up along the edges was giving the whole bar a dim touch in the otherwise well lit asteroid station.

“Get me a table,” Cally ordered “I’m getting myself a drink,”

Teela watched her waiting at the bar for a moment, before picking a table towards one of the edges of the cave. She was hoping Cally would order her something to drink too. A few passersby gave her odd looks.

They probably weren’t expecting to see a feral cat in their bar.

Cally came back with a cheap looking beer, and a litre glass of rehydrated milk for Teela.

Teela smiled and pulled the glass towards herself, the long wait in the truck and later in Satos office had made her thirsty. It didn’t quite smell right, but then nothing in Fenspace did ever match the creamy goodness of Earth milk.

“Wait!” Cally snapped, sharply snatching the glass back. “Got to check it first.”

Teela looked a little bit puzzled, but then nodded, still staring possessively at her glass. Cally just popped open a small compartment in her right arm, taking out a Leatherman, and a small plastic dropper, and a tiny booklet of test strips.

“Thionite,” Cally explained. “They might’ve spiked our drinks,”

It wasn’t a case of being paranoid, it was a case of being paranoid enough. Even if they didn’t know who the pair really where, chances are they’d do it just to get ‘em both hooked on the stuff. It wouldn’t be the first time Cally’d heard of it being done.

First she tested the milk. The spot paper turned red. Cally snapped the red part off.

Teela looked alarmed for a moment. “Is that?”

“It’s okay,” Cally assured her. “Just means there’s iron in the water.”

Now for her beer. Take a small drop and place it in the box. It came up a slight pale yellow, tinted solely by the beer itself. Cally just nodded her head with satisfied approval.

“Also clear.” As well it should be, she saw him open it.

Cathy grabbed her glass of Milk a second time, sniffed at it for a last time and then took a large gulp. She hesitated for a moment, but then she took a second one.

“Thank you Cally...” she said with a smile.

“It’s cruel not to feed pets,” Cally answered with a hard grin. “Ain’t you glad to have such a kind owner?”

Teela put an arm around Cally, pulled herself to her side and purred loudly for a moment... Cally tensed up noticeably, looking a little uncomfortable for a few brief moments before remembering that Teela was supposed to be her ‘pet’. Forcing herself to relax, she started to stroke the catgirl gently under the chin.

God how she hoped Jet didn’t find out. That thought gave her the devils own grin.

“I see you’ve got it well trained,” An woman’s voice said. They both looked up, a little startled, pushing off each other.

Glasses, golden-brown hair and a pair of straight pigtails like motorcycle handbars. A blue bodysuit, a figure that suggested ‘biomod’ and a white cape with grey furred collar. Beside her, a bewildered looking tabby catgirl with weird boatlight eyes, stuck in what looked like well-worn overalls.

Cathy looked at both of them suspiciously, but stayed silent. There was something terribly wrong about their scent, and it wasn’t something she could easily place.

“Who’re you?” Cally demanded.

“Kua tro,” The woman answered with a cheerful smile. Her eyes were hidden behind Cally’s reflection in her spectacles. Cally saw the roman number IV engraved on a plate just beneath her collar bone, and assumed it might’ve been ‘Quattro’ that she’d said.

Beyond the Audi reference, it meant nothing to her.

“Whad’ya want then?” Cally snorted.

“I hear you need some cash,” Quattro answered, still smiling.

Cally quickly figured the whole cuteness was an act... but covering what? Something wasn’t right, not with that stylised lab coat. A zwilnik mad?

“What about it?” she asked, forcing herself to look uninterested.

“Well, I need a new feral, this one’s getting a little too worn out.” Quattro explained, still in that creepy alto-vivio of hers. “Vivio,” she snapped.

The tabby catgirl stared blankly at her. The lights were on behind her eyes but clearly, nobody was home.

“It’s not worn out at all...” Cally scoffed. “It’s blank.”

Teela looked like she’d bitten a lemon. The catgirl hissed at the newcomer in her bodysuit.

“And my, some spunk,” Quattro commented approvingly. “Just what I need!” she beamed. “I’ll give you 70 thousand Australian for her. I’ll even throw in Vivio here for free, since I need to get rid of her anyway and Sato doesn’t let me just dump them.”

70 thousand. Just enough to cover her debt to Naoko. Interesting.

“No deal,” Cally said quickly “Besides, I don’t know where that’s been.”

Teela was nearly on all fours ready to pounce.

“You might want to control that,” Quattro suggested, pointing a single finger at Teela. The catgirl’s hair was standing on end.

“Cool it, Teela,” Cally warned, making a show of waving the remote control. Even on the small screen, it was obvious just how pissed off the catgirl was.

Teela froze, eyes locking on the device as she scratched at her collar. Unnoticed by either of them, Quattro reached into her pocket, clicking a single switch with her finger. A savage grin spread across her face for a moment, before she clamped down hard on it.

Vivio just stared with blank curiosity at the world around her.

“75,” Quattro said, “Along with Vivio. It’s a good deal, ne?”

“Yeah,” Cally admitted, “But I’ve had Teela for so long, I can’t bear to part with her.” She smirked. “I’ve got her just right,”

Teela shot Quattro a smug grin as Cally began to stroke her just behind the ears. Teela started to purr quietly.

Quattro’s expression blackened into a vicious sneer, her sharp golden eyes penetrating through her glasses for a few moments. Cally was reassured by the familiar wait of her gun pressing against her chest. She slipped a hand inside her jacket, making it obvious she’d defend herself and her property.

She wasn’t afraid to shoot first. Her heart began to pound... just draw, aim and squeeze.

Quattro exhaled a sigh “Well, your loss,” she said, making it as clear as possible that it really didn’t matter to her. The madgirl spun on her heels. “Vivio,” she snapped, “Come with me.”

She marched from the bar trailing a chilling draft, Vivio following mindlessly behind.

“I think we might’ve found our ghost hacker,” Cally commented, keeping her voice quiet. She looked down into her beer bottle. Suddenly, she wasn’t very thirsty.

Teela was just breathing in and out, trying to calm down again. Yes, Cally was right, maybe they were at the right place. Teela found herself hoping she was wrong.

The other Gliesbies in the bar hadn’t even bothered to look at them.

----

Quattro exhaled a long sigh. “Go back to the lab, Vivio,” she ordered. The catgirl nodded and disappeared. Quattro herself was heading to Sato’s office, doing her best to ignore the useful idiots around her.

She pulled the device from her pocket, just a little PDA with a few choice...’modifications’ and began to smirk as she ran through the data it’d collected.

Low level radio signals from the collar. Responses from the controller. Collar signals were encrypted. She thought for a few seconds, considering it thoroughly, reading the raw data.

‘Dane encryption’ she thought, with a contemptuous sneer. “Like opening into a child's toy box.”

It didn’t take her too long to break.

She didn’t bother knocking on Sato’s door.

“What is it?” Sato demended. glaring at her from behind her desk.

“I have the information you wanted,” Quattro answered. “It wasn’t hard at all. Just a basic mundane algorithm.”

She spoke like it really didn’t matter to her, like it was trivial.

“And?” Sato pushed.

“Biosignals mostly like you’d expect” Quattro said. She smiled with satisfaction. She knew something Sato didn’t, and wanted to drink deep of that feeling. “And something interesting. It sends back location data to the controller.”

Sato raised an eyebrow.

“Mmmm,” Quattro nodded smugly. “You know what that means?”

“That someone likes to know where her catgirl is,” Sato answered, crossly.

Quattro scowled. “You’re too trusting.”

“And you’re too paranoid.” Naoko snapped back at her. “If it was sending something more complex maybe, but right now, it’s a reasonable precaution for an owner to make. I knew people who sold collars like this for years.”

“Position, connections and the memory of the catgirl... the result could be a perfect map of the asteroid” Quattro said coldly.

Sato hated when she talked down to her like that. “I know.” she snarled through gritted teeth. “And every single shipment coming in through the hanger could be a Patrol sting... but if I turned away each ship that you found something suspicious about, then the only thing that’d land here would be cosmic dust.”

Quattro glared.

Sato leaned back in her chair. “Remember, once is happenstance, twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.”

“If you even get three times. This isn’t the Silly Sailors.” she sneered.

Naoko shot her a hard glare. “I am responsible for making money to fund our operations. We have been unbothered by the Patrol for so long precisely because I have not given in to the same paranoia as all the other zwilniks. Bring me something concrete first.”

And by her tone, that was final.

Quattro snorted her contempt and left quickly.

----

Quattro's true nature is a mystery to all in-story, right until a specific moment that I set up way back at the shooting range in Part 1. Hopefully she's coming across as suitably malevolant and cutesy.... (Only got to ep 14/15 so far and neither Jet or Ford will be familiar with StrikerS because I had to specifically watch the show).

Jet's already got plans on hitting Nehallennia... ideally when Ford and Cathy have safely left with all the information she wants. The Nova isn't too far away at all... they're on a small asteroid within their passive sensor range, which really isn't that far at all. (The planned upgrade was cancelled in order to pay for the Melchizedek order.) They're within *plot* minutes in case things go sour and Ford sends an emergency signal. Which, this being something of a thriller, is always going to happen

Perhaps though, a stop by Prometheus to offload a slightly unwilling passenger may be on the cards towards the end?

Edit: Ack... ninja'd. What happens to the Nehallenians afterwards, I'm not sure.... most are just 'useful idiots' like Roland.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[robkelk]

Quattro's true nature is a mystery to all in-story, right until a specific moment that I set up way back at the shooting range in Part 1. Hopefully she's coming across as suitably malevolant and cutesy.... (Only got to ep 14/15 so far and neither Jet or Ford will be familiar with StrikerS because I had to specifically watch the show).

I think you've got a pretty good handle on her, so far, although you've underestimated her ability for cruelty. (Which is good, actually - Quattro goes out of her way to be underestimated.) Further comments would be spoilers...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Black Aeronaut]

Any survivors can be handed over to Benjamin, who will then proceed to 'interrogate' the prisoners in his finest Evilly Affable (not to be confused with Affably Evil) that seems so far around the bend that he almost comes across as a Stepford Smiler.
We can also have them play games like 'Wolf' with appropriately educated youngsters. *Evil Little Grin*

[Cobalt Greywalker]

Perhaps though, a stop by Prometheus to offload a slightly unwilling passenger may be on the cards towards the end?

Depends on the 'unwilling passenger'. Vivio might be salvageable, Sato would break down in fear, and Quattro? Depending on what precisely she is goes from rehabilitation to 'get Convention permission for experimental treatment'.

[Dartz]

Right.... Roughrider's strike force within about a half hour's/hour's journey then to mop up?

AC and Noah get Quattro on Prometheus to do their thing. Quattro's lab goes by a different ship because only an idiot would put a spark prisoner on the same ship as her lab. Daisuke might want to grab some of it to replace aging gear at Grunthal.

I have a scene with Jet in mind and Quattro on the journey to the Forge.

Cathy and Cortana want Vivio.... there's a specific plot related reason for it.

What else?
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[robkelk]

Adding what I've already mentioned, I think the only loose end left is the masses of Dark Senshi living on Nehalennia.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Dartz]

That's anyone's job, so long as they can bring medical help with them... and handle a few catgirls and the like. Most'll be alive and panicking at best

Sato's also taken care of in the plot. As is her Furby, Quattro's cape thing, and a lasersword.

What happens to Quattro after being dropped off is another matter entirely, and maybe another story... there's a lot of interesting stuff that could be done with her. It's a lead in the hunt for Agatha Clay after all.

We're probably going to end this with Cathy and Vivio making their way through space sorting a few things out, Jet explaining Sato/Quattro's plan to Alita while watching Jana train.... and Ford worried about something she saw in Jet that's a dark legacy of the Boskone war, and not quite sure what to do about it.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

[Black Aeronaut]

Hrm... For that many, 36 Atalante might actually be the best place for them. Ben would have planned for triage scenarios anyhow (he had planned for rendering R&A to Belter colonies once it became clear that they were being targeted), and that would entail facilities to temporarily house entire populations. Transportation would be accomplished by C-130 Space Hercs for the most of them. VIP prisoners can be moved via Blackbird to detention facilities on Luna.
EDIT: Security might be a bit of an issue.  I think help from the Banzai contingent would go a long way.  I'd also imagine that AC would also like to be present for any special cases that come up.
Thoughts on RR facilities:
Triage Central would be the Peacemaker Maintenance Hangar - It's a massive 'indoor' chamber.  How big?  Ben specified that he wanted it to be big enough to tear down and rebuild eight Peacemakers simultaneously.  Given that each Peacemaker is 162 feet (49.42m) long and has a wingspan of 230 feet (70.12m)... it could be surmised that it's a pretty damn big space.  Probably even big enough to have temporary housing in the form of converted cargo containers.