FIVE 9

[18:14:56] <Cheese_Samovar> So, as we remember, our team is in Magic Lodge of Librarians. Big circular room, bookshelves, smell of aged books and wet cleaning.
[18:15:15] <Che> * alos pizza.
[18:15:19] <Che> **also
[18:15:40] <Cheese_Samovar> * don't you dare stain the pages.
[18:19:52] <Cheese_Samovar> In the bar runners are supposed to rob and destroy part of the Kerosene pirates force remains. You had time to look at most of them, though - and while Nebokhod only saw the extent of their essense damage, Che's minidrone saw them in the real world, and it does seem that for most part, the cyberware they have is, well, practical, not offensive. All those
[18:19:52] <Cheese_Samovar> cyberlegs, arms, and torsos in some cases, - are, to what extent you could see, are mostly cheap models aimed to counter disability, rather than enhancing the person. Bones and Silver look better, but it seems that for the most part, their augmentations are result of their brutal fight with Korny you heard about all this time
[18:20:41] <Cheese_Samovar> It does not mean they do not pack heat, of course, but somewhat lessens the dread of the possible fight.
[18:21:04] <Che> * hm, no latest logs on the ur-dnd?
[18:21:22] <Cheese_Samovar> * yep, if Heckfy or Fats could help, I'd appreciate that
[18:21:53] <@Fats> * I'm uploading right now; my chat-client throws an extra line break after each line :3
[18:22:17] <Che> * ah, thanks.
[18:22:17] <Nebokhod> * lame
[18:22:32] <Cheese_Samovar> Che's drone also was able to check out the aquarium your target is held in - it does look like a rather simple and massive lock, but nothing your standard break-n-enter tools couldn't deal with in a minute or two
[18:22:46] <Cheese_Samovar> * Pardon me, Heckfy?
[18:23:14] <Nebokhod> * fats's chat-client
[18:24:06] <Che> * that's some kind of specialized hacking tool. Telnet probably.
[18:25:05] <@Fats> * It's even called X-Chat, which clearly marks it as a XAXXOR's tool
[18:26:58] <@Fats> * updated my journal
[18:27:53] <Nebokhod> * hm, can you update LJ with x-chat?
[18:28:30] <Cheese_Samovar> Adding to the above, as much as Jelena can tell, mermaid himself is quite eager to leave the aquarium and does not seem to be as aggressive as your employer expected him to be. Which may also make transition from the aquarium to wherever you plan to pack him faster.
[18:29:09] <Nebokhod> * how much he weighs, btw?
[18:31:21] <Che> * ok, so what's our main plan? Assault on pirates or ambush for chineese?
[18:31:39] <Cheese_Samovar> Question, of course, still is whether you'd steal him from the bar (currently guarded by Pirates), during the transaction between Pirates and Needles at dusk (riskier), or from the Needles themselves during transit (which may give you a transport vehicle for free). Che's last aerial recon of the 'abandoned warehouse' seems to indicate there's significant
[18:31:39] <Cheese_Samovar> Needles presence on site, which makes snatching mermaid from there less practical
[18:32:02] <Cheese_Samovar> * Nebokhod, ~300 kg according to the data you have.
[18:36:03] <Che> - So, no one has other ideas except for assault or ambush, right?
[18:36:06] <Cheese_Samovar> Also from one of the talks you overheard on the base, Toha is more than eager to "never see this mermaid business ever again, may the Needles choke on it", with Alexa answering "Maybe we shouldn't have tried this - shame giving this guy to the narrow-eyed ones, but he doesn't seem okay here either"
[18:37:27] <Che> * hmmm, by the evening they'll be ready to call us themselves and offer mermaid for free...
[18:37:47] <Jelena> * to spite Needles?
[18:38:28] <Che> - Oh well, either way we need truck. Let's see if I can find us one.
[18:39:05] * Che starts checking his list of contacts.
[18:39:35] <Nebokhod> - So, can we reason with Pirates?
[18:39:59] <Che> - Should we reason with Pirates?
[18:40:51] <Che> - Ah, there he is...
[18:40:59] <Nebokhod> - Why not? It seems like there's no love lost between them and Needles.
[18:41:32] * Che calls his friendly neighborhood mechanic.
[18:43:43] <Che> = Hey, Gear, howdy.
[18:43:54] <Cheese_Samovar> Gear is as green-haired as ever, dressed in his environmentally friendly garb of unidentifiable origin and color. He's in the middle of the argument with a burly ork over efficiency of post-gasoline fuel, but is eager to chat two ways at the same time
[18:44:39] <Cheese_Samovar> - ...But think of it! Fuel - right from the crap your piggies crap out! Unbelievable! Heya, Che, howsitgoin?
[18:46:01] <Che> = Good! Im in dire need of small cargo truck - do you have any?
[18:46:50] <Che> = Preferably unconspicious and untrackable. You know the biz.
[18:51:02] <Cheese_Samovar> [to Che] - In dire need? [to the ork] No, I'd talking with a friend. So you see? Yes, it'll smell a bit in a short run, but you'll get used to it, and when our dear government ups the prices once more, .. [to Che] - Sure I do, the biz is the biz, - there's a great old-timey KamaZ, 57'th model, still going great, I've did some nice mods to dampen the
[18:51:02] <Cheese_Samovar> noise-factor, quiet as a mouse. [to Ork] - not yours, man, but I can upgrade yours as well for a reasonable..
[18:53:31] <Che> = Excellent! How much credits will lessen your pain of missing it for day or two?
[18:53:59] <Cheese_Samovar> * nuyen?
[18:54:09] <Che> * ... yes.
[18:54:37] <Nebokhod> * you star wars are leaking.
[18:55:41] <Che> * you don't know Gear as I am.
[18:58:08] <Cheese_Samovar> = It does depend on what state it will be in when you return it, Che, I did spend my time and love on it. Base 500 with separate pay for missing parts
[19:00:17] <Che> = Deal! I'll grab it today!
[19:02:11] <Cheese_Samovar> Gear emoticons you high-five, and immediately returns to the ork, who seems to be more interested in the deal now. In about 7 seconds Gear finally remembers to break the call
[19:02:52] <Che> - Looks like we have truck.
[19:07:17] <Cheese_Samovar> * What do you do, guys?
[19:07:39] <Che> * I'm waiting for some input from others.
[19:08:37] <Che> ** while they try to stuff that pizza into themselves...
[19:08:49] <Jelena> * I'm still blazed in illness over here, but I'm not coming up with anything. It all seems risky as heck
[19:09:00] <Cheese_Samovar> * poor you
[19:09:07] <Cheese_Samovar> * get better soon!
[19:10:25] <Nebokhod> - So, when we wiil try to nab, sorry, rescue the poor guy?
[19:10:56] <Jelena> - Is Needles going to pay for this mermaid?
[19:12:04] <Cheese_Samovar> [Klutz] - In terms of reasoning with the Pirates I have no issues with it. My days of being eager to get into a firefight ended long before I ended up here, so kudos to diplomacy. Just bear in mind that I am not a talks expert and the lady who is already did show her face to some people inside. I do have Silver's comm number, though. Anyone has any guesses
[19:12:04] <Cheese_Samovar> where they've gone?
[19:12:58] <Nebokhod> * who've gone?
[19:13:45] <Cheese_Samovar> * Silver and other part of the gang gathered and gone couple of hours after your astral bearfight
[19:14:11] <Nebokhod> * ah.
[19:14:30] <Che> - Can they be around bar preparing ambush?
[19:15:26] <Nebokhod> - Lena. why don't you try and have a chat with this Silver guy, i'm sure that our friend Klutz can protect your anonymity?
[19:15:53] <Che> - I'm not so keen on that idea, actually.
[19:16:15] <Nebokhod> - And whay is that?
[19:16:19] <Che> - So far we have some kind of surprise on our side.
[19:16:25] <Nebokhod> * -a
[19:17:24] <Nebokhod> - Nor really.
[19:17:31] <Nebokhod> *-r+t
[19:17:37] <Che> - An if we start asking them about mermaid, they can make that 2+2 calculation and up their defences, tip Needles, and all that drek will hit the fan.
[19:17:43] <Che> *d
[19:18:43] <Nebokhod> - And why would they do that exactly?
[19:18:44] <Che> - Yeah, they know about our magical probing, but what they don't know is what was the goal of that probing.
[19:19:24] <Che> - Becase they work for them? Or want some favors?
[19:19:50] <Jelena> - Unless probing has been a constant thing, it will be easy to guess why someone is interested in the area, even if it were just rumors of an awakened creature.
[19:20:17] <Nebokhod> - And the favours are what exactly? Another friend murdered?
[19:20:31] <Che> - At the moment we only have some overheard discussions of low ranks, but that's Silver who makes decisions, and we don't know his opinion.
[19:21:35] <Che> - But, if you all want to try that way, well, let's ask him.
[19:21:36] <Nebokhod> - The we should learn it.
[19:22:59] <Nebokhod> - Klutz, will you be able to trace them?
[19:24:22] <Cheese_Samovar> [Klutz] - Trace their steps to their current whereabouts, you mean? Yes, unless they switched-off city's Matrix by some means, which they didn't
[19:27:50] <Nebokhod> - Yeah, i would like you to trace them while Lena talks with them, that should simplify the matters considerably, yes?
[19:32:27] <Jelena> - It can, but we will loose any element of suprise we retain.
[19:35:09] <Cheese_Samovar> After a minute or so of concentration, indicating another one of electronic battles no one sees or hears, Klutz's eyes again focus on Lukas: - They're in the docking area closer to YNT, just a block away from Yakor. Seem to be waiting for two hours near old obschaga turned home. Deep inside Korny territory according to my current data. Silver just got out,
[19:35:09] <Cheese_Samovar> does not seem to be in a good mood.
[19:36:00] <Nebokhod> - True, but if there's a team of cybered individuals i would like to at least assure their neutrality, if not good will.
[19:37:53] <Nebokhod> - That's an interesting piece of information.
[19:38:37] <Nebokhod> - Is there a way to get an access to some mike in their area when they'll talk?
[19:39:23] <Che> - I can drop all of you there before going for truck.
[19:39:39] <Cheese_Samovar> [Klutz] Closeness to the Yakor indicates I'd like to have a talk with Michalych when this is over. Too close for comfort
[19:39:53] <Nebokhod> * faces and hackers are godkings of legwork.
[19:40:28] <Cheese_Samovar> * yes. They also require whole separate sessions for it, which makes me sad
[19:41:13] <Nebokhod> - Drop us? you want us to get deader than Eltzin?
[19:41:58] <Nebokhod> *- eltzin + Lenin
[19:43:04] <Che> - Can't you just walk around without getting into troubles?
[19:44:38] <Nebokhod> - In a gang territory? I'd just as not go into evening news as another victim of gang warfare.
[19:47:14] <Nebokhod> - Anyroad, Klutz, can you protect caller's anonimity?
[19:47:24] <Che> - Just tell them your on official Mihalych bussiness.
[19:47:25] <Cheese_Samovar> [Klutz] - Also they're on the go, so it is a bit harder to get mikes in. Silver seems to have got his commlink patched, but his guys' links do get some sound in. Sounds like he's deeply versed in the intricacies of russian obscenities, even my linguasoft stumbles at some of it. Lukas, check it out *he forwards you the feed
[19:48:10] <Cheese_Samovar> * Feed does contain half-pirate half-vory references in a deep and unhealthy relationships which each other
[19:49:40] <Nebokhod> - Wow, you don't say. Sounds like he's furious. Seems like a perfect opportunity to capitalize on that.
[19:51:48] <Jelena> - We tell him he can stick it to Needles?
[19:52:20] <Che> - What can we offer him?
[19:53:25] <Che> - Just an opportunity to drop EVO tail and get on a bad side of Needles?
[19:54:20] <Cheese_Samovar> [Klutz] - Anonymity - sure thing. I'll patch the call through. Voice can be masked, though masking voice or vid for someone else will require more time and efforts
[19:54:43] <Cheese_Samovar> * to appear like someone else
[19:56:36] <Che> - How much time do you need to mask it as call from Needles?
[19:57:16] <Nebokhod> - How about we just mention that we contact him as a person who've been both had a dealings with Needles and had been harmed by then, and we would really like to know if we can harm them in any way.
[20:00:12] <Che> - It's very moot point if he would like to harm Needles at his expense.
[20:01:34] <Nebokhod> - Then we will know where he stands.
[20:01:45] <Che> - One case is just to harm them without trails leading to him, and completely other is to screw them on things that's he is directrly responsible.
[20:02:02] <Che> *-r
[20:03:31] <Nebokhod> To be honest. i do not see the point of further discussion. These countless whatifs do not help. Lena, Klutz, make it happen, please.
[20:04:19] <Jelena> - Who am I playing as? Someone else wronged by Needles? If so, any idea of his past misdeeds
[20:04:21] <Jelena> ?(
[20:06:45] <Nebokhod> - Representative of some shadowy organization, that for example wants to move in on the market and wants to drop the Needles' shares somewhat.
[20:07:14] <Cheese_Samovar> [Klutz] - You could play Black Tide angle then, they do have a bad history
[20:07:58] <Nebokhod> Klutz, mask her voice and subsitute sun bear for her face.
[20:08:42] <Nebokhod> * at least, it's not a pink elephant.
[20:09:05] <Cheese_Samovar> * Well, you're still as ballsy as Orangeade was
[20:09:45] <Nebokhod> * all of us chaos mages are ballsy.
[20:09:56] <Nebokhod> * THE POWER OF CHAOS MAKES US STRONG.
[20:10:06] <Nebokhod> * BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD.
[20:10:50] <@Fats> * totally works IC: why shouldn't 40k exist in SR? Except a single mini costs two average monthly wages or such
[20:11:39] <Cheese_Samovar> * I'm sure it does. Also, rules are updated every 6 months and pirated two weeks before that
[20:11:47] <Che> * except some adaptations so metas are not offended.
[20:12:30] <Nebokhod> * orks are even more badass to appease sons of sauron?
[20:13:05] <Che> * and I think they don't sell minis physically anymore - just DLCs for their online game with central authorisation server.
[20:13:43] * Jelena (~foreverGM@jamespsx.plus.com) Quit ("ChatZilla 0.9.92 [Firefox 42.0/20151029151421]")
[20:13:48] <Che> * and only grognards play it in meatspace with 3d printed minis.
[20:13:58] <@Fats> * that's apparently offensive for Brits!
[20:14:00] <Cheese_Samovar> * Well.
[20:14:27] <Nebokhod> * nah, p2w currency for cartelmarket^W GWSHOP(tm)
[20:14:28] <@Fats> * Also, inb4 an IC wh40k game
[20:14:28] <Che> * and you can make a nice newyen for old original plastic minis from 90s.
[20:14:39] <Cheese_Samovar> * Jelena said (s)he's having migraines and not conscious enough for a game
[20:14:48] <Cheese_Samovar> * What do we do?
[20:15:09] <Che> * hang it on cliffs again?
[20:15:37] <Cheese_Samovar> * BTW, I'm sure WH40k will still be played with physical minis because Elite and all that shit
[20:16:01] <Che> * yep, that's what grognards like to call themselves.
[20:16:06] <Nebokhod> * cliffhanger. we need a face for that.
[20:18:10] <Cheese_Samovar> * ok. Well, sorry for finishing this up a bit premature
[20:18:26] <Nebokhod> * dunno, maybe i should make a face for this side of pacific.