NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC:

Well for what ever reason my RP fell through. It has yet to be transferred from the old server and I’m going to proceed under the assumption that it won’t be. I’d begun RPing with a terrorist nation but they lost interest, whether that is accredited to the server down time or something else, I don’t know. Regardless I’ve decided to change the format of this RP. I’ll play both sides and you guys can play off any info you want.

So to bring you up to date the NNAO agent Aaron Lewis had bribed a congressional official to change his vote on a certain bill, that bill would make the NNAO the head agency for all security and intelligence issues. Everyone except the military and the Black Thrones would report to them, including municipal and provincial police. It’d also rework the funding issues so that they’d be in charge of a much larger chunk of the budget, to handle their new issues of course. However in a large congress (like mine) one vote makes no real difference so they decided that more drastic measures needed to be taken to change the out come.

IC:

Aaron flicked his Patriot cigarette away from his lips. He’d waited too long in one spot, it looked like these guys weren’t the guys he was looking for. With a profanity muttered under his breath he picked up his attaché case and began to walk towards his black Noviet made SUV.
*bloop bloop* sounded the SUV as he unlocked it with the remote in his hand. The powerful twelve cylinder engine turned over and settled into a puissant purr as Aaron pulled the SUV out of the parking lot. I guess I’ll have to make due with my own methods and not rely on anymore damn foreigners.

OOC: Well that ties up the unfulfilled meeting of the last RP, now onwards with the thread!

IC:

It was late, Aaron yawned again as he sat at his desk in the loft that made for a temporary home. It had taken a few weeks to track these people down. Some were immigrants to the country but others were born and breed Noviets who just down right hated the government. They hated the audacity Nova Hope showed when dealing with other nations and were appalled by the alliance with seemingly moral less countries like those contained within The Directorate. Aaron smirked, if only they knew what he was planning now, they’d cry foul and point to him as the personification of everything that was wrong with this country. But this is not wrong, its oh so very right. This country is so open, so free. We allow people to do what every they fucking please, and yet they still complain. Aaron shook his head. The complaining was fine, that was their constitutional right, but when they took to violent action, they crossed a line. Groups like this, this, Hopian Army were the entire reason why the NNAO needs to have its hands untied. The people are given the tools to craft a free society, develop their own lives, and now they chisel away at the solid foundation that is Nova Hope. The structure may not fall, I am the custodian. Aaron chuckled to himself at that one. He knew many agents saw themselves that way, custodians. The ones who dirtied themselves doing the jobs that needed to be done, working in a thankless and invisible manner. It’s probably why the custodians at head office are so happy, every agent takes time out to introduce themselves. Aaron’s internal monologue was interrupted by the ding of his computer. His IRC program had prompted him that the person he was waiting for had arrived, a one ‘The Deliverer’. The Deliverer IMed him a server address and a channel with no other words he logged off. Curt isn’t he? Aaron picked up the phone and punched in an extension.
“Hi this is Agent Lewis, I’d like full octopus surveillance on a server.” He paused listening to the earpiece.
“Server ana.NovaHope.rch port 6657 in particular but port scan the server and see what else comes up.” Hanging up the phone Aaron joined the channel and was immediately pinged. The computer to his left brought up a prompt about a possible trace. Don’t disguise it, let them see your bouncing this around, your suppose to be a paranoid and wealthy anarchist. You wouldn’t be doing this from your home. As the trace began moving through the long list of servers towards the final connection The Deliverer messaged Aaron.
‘Your hiding’ Aaron pursed his lips Time to get into character.
‘Wouldn’t you be?’ He typed back.
‘I might think you have something to hide, maybe you’re the fuzz on my ass, the pain in my side and the reason I lose almost half of my income every year.’
‘And maybe this is entrapment.’
“So what are you going to do for me then cop?’
‘I’m not a cop.’
‘…‘
‘I have money.’
‘That’s a start.’ Aaron smirked, he wasn’t sure how well this would go at first, first contact was always risky. Looking over at the trace’s progress he could see that his new friend had narrowed it down to the continent but still had a long way to go.
‘I also have information.’
‘I’ll take the money first.’
‘What would it take?’
‘If your what you say you are drop 2 mill in this account 4355 4321 3653 5438 5434 I’ll contact you again when I buy what I want with no heat.’ With that said the server went down and the trace stopped. Aaron logged of and stroked his chin. Not bad. Could have been better but not bad. I’ll have to see what the techies have for me on that server in the morning. Aaron yawned and shut down his system. He knew he was being paranoid but he unhooked the patch cord from the tower, he didn’t do allot of wet work online and he didn’t want to be found out by a slip up on his part. As he trudged towards his bed Aaron cleared his head and tried not think about what this group was going to do with that money. My handler will have it in the account in a few hours, he’ll leave me to lay low for a bit then tell me what the HQ’s next step is. *yawn* but for now, bed.

OOC NOTES: 1)A credit exchanges for two United States dollars. 2) An asterisk means there is an endnote pertaining to that sentence. They are not mandatory but they might grant you a greater understanding.

The television displayed a corny corporate logo identifying the next segment of broadcast as an NWN bulletin. A female announcer appeared on the screen with that professional half smile TV personnel seem to develop. Clearing her throat she began to address her unseen audience.
“This morning our top story is the new bi-law in NHC giving carpooler’s with an excess of eight passengers the right to make a left hand turn on a red light. The bi-law has been in effect for almost a day now and it has already caused several hundred fender benders and twelve pile ups. Tempers are running high as police are investigating several incidents where people cut off by left turning carpoolers produced fire arms and have threatened the driver cutting them off. The worst incidence so far involved a Mr. A Genet when he wounded the offending driver with a hail of gun fire. The driver, who’s name has not yet been released, is in Hope General and is expected to make a full recovery.

Our other breaking story today the anarchist group The Hopian Army has struck again. The HA stormed a mall in Titanous and proceeded to destroy several popular chains and franchises. Spray painting messages such as ‘We must dissent’ and ‘Wind at my back, no yoke on my neck’ on the walls of the mall they have caused an estimated 450,000 credits worth of damage to the private property. When police responded there was a brief exchange of fire and the HA members managed to slip out via sewer access. When asked exactly how local police were so inept it was explained to a reporter of this network that they had removed their mandatory tracking chips and *CLICK*”

Aaron turned off the television shaking his head. I get them a million credits and they deicide that the best way to get people to take them seriously is to pipe bomb the food court in a mall in an industry town. Well no one said that this was going to be easy. Aaron rolled his chair over to the phone in his home office, well temporary home office. It fits the persona I’m playing. Aaron dialed the number that the tech boys had gotten him from observing the server. Apparently in an effort to avoid using the government subsidized fiber optics networks the HA were using dial up modems. These boys are committed, paranoid and about as bright as a bag of hammers. Aaron’s silent belittling was interrupted when someone picked up the phone and greeted him cautiously. Smiling Aaron thought Show time
“Is this the deliverer?”
“…
…
Who is this.”
“I’m your sugar daddy, I saw the news last night. Shooting a little low aren’t we?” It was a gambit, this person could simply hang up now and go underground. But Aaron was betting that insulting a ideologist’s personal beliefs would keep him talking.
“You call that low? We struck a blow against the corporations, they’ll think twice about spewing their herd cultivating filth into the minds of the people.”
“No they won’t. They were insured and all you did was create a market demand for security companies. Smooth, you’ve created more insurance agents, bureaucrats and security gaurds.” Aaron snapped. I have to keep this guy on the ropes.
“No, people know there’s another way now, they can escape the shackles of corporate dronage and drudgery. We made a difference man.”
“What are you stoned? This is why no one takes you seriously, you’re a hippy with a pipe bomb. If you were caught you’d be thrown in jail and studied by med students to see why you insist on rebelling against the perfection that is the Noviet way.”
“HEY MAN-“
“Shut up. Listen to me, do you want to hurt this government stop corporate oppression and free the people to remake society for the village and not for the corporation.” There was a pause on the other end of the line. Shit I hope I didn’t push too hard.
“…
…
…
…”
It felt like an hour to Aaron but he was sure it was less than a minute, the clock on his computer never moved, but the deliverer finally lamented, “Well, yea.” Aaron danced for joy inside his head, his voice however never betrayed his inner feelings.
“Good.” Sounding like the stereo typical personification of a cheshire cat he continued. “I need you to trust me then, can you do that? I’ve financed you and I have tracked you down. If I was the cops you’d be eating taser right now.”
“I’ll trust you, some.”
“Good enough. Go to the train station they are holding 300 tickets for The Frowning Jesters. You need to pick them up and you and three hundred men need to take the train down to Abbeyton with enough equipment to run a Guerrilla campaign, okay?”
“Abbeyton? But that’s far, what am I gonna tell my girlfriend? She’s already pissed that I didn’t talk to her for two days to get the weapons and blow up the mall.”
“Listen you pussy, do you believe in this cause or not.” Sounding indignant the would be anarchist responded with an unusual amount of backbone.
“This cause is just, and it needs to be carried out. I believe that this government is involved in cloak and dagger exercises far beyond what the average person expects. This is why they have become too corrupt to continue.” This kid might have some grit after all, its just too bad he’s on the wrong side, because now he is my pawn for my issue.
“Then you need to trust me, we can bring down these bastards, I’ll contact you when you get there.” Aaron hung up the phone and knitted his hands over his stomach. Well its done, I now have the tool I need to shape the congressional opinion. It’s a little blunt right now but I’ll hone it, wield it skillfully and use it justly. Standing up to make his way to the leftover donair* Aaron was alerted by the sound of his implant coming on line. After acknowledging the prompt the sound of his handler speaking could be heard, only by him, in his head as clear as if he was thinking it himself.
“We tracked the call and have confirmed the deliverer’s identity. He was one of the men who unloaded the weapons from the Allameanian freighter.” Aaron pursed his lips in thought. The HA had gone to the foreign market to arm themselves, it happened the other night. Aaron, and countless other agents he was sure, watched the rag tag group unload the weapons in international waters and race away in a plethora of speed boats. Aaron could only imagine what the Allameanians were doing arming terrorists but someone needed to do it or their plan wouldn’t work. Shrugging he chalked this one up to ignorance, either way they’d put tags on each of the men involved and an agent was assigned to watch each and everyone of them from the safety of the office via satellite. As they entered their homes or did personal banking or a variety of other things they were identified and their files brought up. Soon everyone in the organization would be identified and tracked in this manner. Aaron snorted thinking to himself And the accountants thought that paying the extra money for satellites that could continue to observe through modern construction was a waste. Aaron finished chuckling and picked up the donair to munch on continuing to listen to his handler.
“You ‘The Deliverer’ is a mister Jonah Abel formally Koris Visser. He had is name changed six years ago when he became the head of the HA. Using his old ID, which he failed to pass in he faked his death and never showed up to be re-implanted with his chip. Judging by his medical record I can see why, his schizophrenia is a touch on the paranoid side. And when I say touch I mean the kinda of touch that AMF would do, if you catch my drift. Refusing treatment he’s begun treating himself with a number of homeopathic remedies and non-medicinal narcotics. Lately he’s been starting to dip into the coke and I think that’s our in.”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, he’s running out of money, big time. He’s also got snow fever pretty bad so he’s not going to lay off the blow if he can help it. I can get you some uncut rocks and one of your errands for him can be to get him to sell it to Congressman Dumphy.”
“Why Dumphy?”
“Well Dumphy is voting nay on our pet bill. He also has a bad heart and the company has injected him with ½ of an arresting agent. I’ll lace the coke with the other half and it will be fine for everyone but Dumphy.” I see where he’s going with this.
“So you think that our boy will skim some of the rocks and sometime down the road come to me for some more.”
“Bingo. As for Dumphy the medical examiner will find that it was bad coke and some pusher will have three months for not following proper testing procedure.”**
“So when does it snow?” Aaron could here his handler chuckle over the link.
“I’ll have a case waiting for you when you get off the plane in Abbeyton.”
”Well, I guess I’ll hear from you when I’m in Hicksville Nova Hope Proper.”

Footnotes
*For you non-Canadians (and upper Canadians, and BCers and well, pretty much all non-Atlantic Canadians) a donair is a Halagonian (being of Halifax) invention. A greek immigrant was having trouble selling gyros so he changed the bread, sauce and meat. Calling it a donair he has permanently affected Atlantic Canadian culture..)
**Drugs are not illegal in Nova Hope merely regulated. Since the corporation would be dealing it would assume liability and not the person. The jail time would probably be because they corporation would try to dodge the bullet by blaming it on the incompetence of a worker.

Aaron stepped off the prop plane into the swirls of sand and dust. Instinctively he reached for his P-HUDD. Flipping the unassuming black sunglasses onto his face the custom made frames fit perfectly over the bridge of his nose. The P-HUDD OS came online and broadcast the status message over the lens of his eye before going idle. Looking around the parched runway Aaron could feel the dry heat already starting to bake him under his black full length trench coat, black slacks and black dress shirt. Jeez, I can’t believe we actually brought this god forsaken bit of country into the Dominion. It’s hotter then the ass end of hell here. Activating his P-HUDD Aaron took an accurate read of the temperature. 68.51 degrees Celsius, I think I’ll stick to my nice tropical 35 thank you. Walking towards the terminal he removed a handkerchief from his inside chest pocket and matted his forehead. Getting through customs was a simple matter, the security guard made a few jokes about the bricks of cocaine in his attaché but the process went smoothly. Once the NNAO takes over security no one will be able to smuggle explosives like I am now. Walking towards a lone cab parked on the deserted road he motion to his bags and the trunk of the cab. The cabbie tossed down his cigarette and opened the trunk. With a gentle heave Aaron had his bags in the trunk. Looking up at the cabbie her grunted,
“Trainstation.”

The trip into town was about twenty minutes down a long parched highway. It was odd to see because one moment you had a desolate waste land with oil wells on the horizon and the next you were in a green suburbia where every single lawn was plush and running sprinkler system. Aaron snorted Free market indeed. The price of produce would be half as much if these idiots would simply run less water. But, *sigh* it is not the government’s place to dictate that to these people, we’ll merely offer subsidies to food producers and track down imports for private companies. At the train station Aaron ran his barcode over the scanner inside the cab transferring 2.5 credits from his persona’s account into the cab’s account. Gotta love that electronic currency, we’d be screwed and a half if an EMP hit. Taking his luggage from the cab trunk he made his way into the air conditioned station. Sucking the cool air in through his nose Aaron’s chest rose and fell enjoying the temperature change. Walking over to the row of lockers he reached inside his jacket and produced a small tool. Running it over the scanner of the locker it clicked open with a friendly greeting, “Hello Mrs. Tokagawa, two tenths and five hundredths of a credit have been taken of your account to pay for this locker.” Working quickly Aaron opened the locker directly under this one as well. Stuffing one of the bags in the lower locker he placed reached inside and pulled out a thick coaxial cable. Replacing the tool in his left hand with another from his jacket he reached into the top locker and pressed the cylindrical looking object against the bottom of the locker. A muffled metal on metal noise could be heard and when he returned the tool to his inside pocket a small hole was revealed in the bottom of the locker. Running the wire through the hole he then reached into another bag and took out a small black box with nothing but the female connector for a coaxial cable. Placing the box inside the top locker he connected the box and cable. Closing both lockers Aaron didn’t know whether to smile or sigh. Yep, screwed and a half, now to wait for my little crack head and his buddies.

The train pulled into the station on time, a miracle in of itself. The HA members stuck out like a sore thumb from the other passengers. Burly oil workers, ranchers and small time business men were not any where near the ghostly white scrawny figures the HA presented themselves as. Jonah Abel aka The Deliverer stepped from the train, looked around and immediately put a joint in his mouth, attracted a few sideways looks from the other disembarking passengers. Aaron picked him out of the crowd almost instantaneously, as soon as he was in his field of view the facial recognition system in his P-HUDD flashed up projecting the information via microscopic laser onto the lens of his eye. Aaron knew Jonah’s bio off by heart, he’d studied it, but now he was checking for any additions into it and gathering more geometric points for the facial recognition software, though at this point if he walked out in public the NNOA could immediately identify him, but more was always better when it came to Intel. The HA stood around gawking at the desert city around them, as if they couldn’t believe it had sprung from the barren land. Aaron knew he could use his sub dermal implant and his P-HUDD to make the call but his persona needed to be maintained and someone as paranoid as he was suppose to be would not be using government technology. Pulling a small flip phone from his hip pocket Aaron dialed Jonah’s cell number and after a second of looking confused Jonah answered.
“He-hello?”
“The Deliverer.” It was more a statement than a question, Aaron was serious about this work.
“I’m looking at you right now. Don’t look for me, go to locker 45 and get the hotel information out of the locker. It will accept your barcode. I’ll meet you at the hotel.” Aaron hung up and true to Jonah’s paranoid amateur form moved as stiff as a board towards the lockers. Not betraying his disgust at The Deliverer’s ineptitude Aaron watched as he fiddled with the locker. Getting it open he removed the contents, a large black duffel bag, that looked exactly like the one Aaron had placed in the locker beside it moments before. Aaron patted his back mentally. Now if the shit hits the fan we have all the images we need to create an almost undetectable video forgery of crack head here planting the bag.

Outside the train station all three hundred and something of the HA milled about as Jonah read the information in the bag. Deciding they were too cheap for a cab they, all three hundred of them, decided to walk the kilometre and some to the hotel. Toting black duffel bags, which obviously looked like the were caring rifles, over their shoulders these pale young men looked like they had seen the matrix too many times. Each of them wearing sunglasses and ankle length belt less trench coats they walked in sixty Indian file lines of five. Aaron took a cab to the hotel, passing them on the way the cab driver pointed to them and asked allow
“I wonder if there is another sci fi convention in town?” Aaron looked at the odd army and shrugged.
“No idea, but that’s usually all they let those people out of their cages for.” The cabbie chuckled at that and continued towards the hotel.

It took a bit for the HA to get settled into their hotel rooms. Aaron was in his watching the monitors. Agents had been all through this hotel before he was, that way he could watch and hear what went on here. There wasn’t a location that wasn’t surveilled by a camera and microphone. I can’t imagine what they went through to bug the entire building without letting any of the staff know, then again I’m sure there are some who don’t want my job. Aaron chuckled at that, his position was considered one of the more dangerous and agents strived to move out of it. Aaron felt however he was naturally suited to do this job above all others. ‘Why not do what your good at?’ He’d always said when asked. Looking up Aaron could now see the Jonah was alone in his room, the opportunity he was looking for.

It wasn’t but a moment later he was knocking on The Deliverer’s door. Jonah looked at the door wide eyed and fearful,
“Pass code?” he managed to squeak out.
“Let me in Deliverer.” Aaron called out shaking his head. this guys is going to pop his top before the mission is done. With a glance down to the briefcase in his left hand he thought to himself, maybe after he skims some snow he’ll calm down. The door was pulled ajar with the security chain still on.
“How can I know it’s you?”
“Because I’m the only one fool enough to put up with this.” Jonah seemed to think about that for a moment before opening the door and admitting him. Aaron looked around the room. He’d already begun to turn it inside out looking for bugs. He even went so far as to remove the lights and mirrors. I wonder if he’ll figure out they’re in the dry wall and its got a special paint on it to be translucent to higher spectrums? *shrug* I suppose it all the better if he doesn’t find them. Clearing his throat Aaron addressed his pawn.
“Well first things first. As you can see here,” Aaron opened the case in a swift movement placing it on the coffee table, “I have quite a few bricks of white gold. The cause needs money so when your done here I want you to high tail it out to NHC and sell this off. They’re a congressman who’s elected in on family values, Dumphy is his name. He does the stuff but it’d kill him politically if it got out, so he’ll save us the trouble of being discreet. You got any problems with that?” Jonah looked like his mouth was watering, a man in the desert, well literally I suppose.
“I, I, I can do that.”
“Good. I figure you can use the money to get set up there. You got someone to stay with?”
“Yeah my…” Aaron stopped him there quickly.
“Don’t say it out loud,” then in a whisper he continued, “you never know who is listening.” judging by his face that just bought be some legitimacy Aaron then queried as if he was going on normally.
“So you want to know about your next job. Well I have that here.” With that Aaron passed him a note that he consumed with his eyes like a rabid dog. Well his eye widened, I guess he came to the part about blowing up the pipeline.
“I can do this.” hook line and sinker. ]
“Good I guess I’ll see you in NHC then okay?” Jonah looked like a raw cadet in the academy coming to attention, eager to please. Aaron excused himself from the room to make his way out of the hotel in a round about route. Pausing at the door he turned, “Read the rest of it, you’ll want to know how to do it. There’s a guide there.” He’d be out of the city within the hour and the HA would be the only face on the news. I need to get myself in front of a satellite uplink there is no way I couldn’t watch my advancing pawn.

Aaron was on a jet headed north after a transfer in New Houston. Now in a private leer jet of the NNAO he was accessing the network to watch the action. Bringing up the file he opened a new window to on screen to watch from an orbital perspective. Aaron chuckled as he watched Jonah’s unmistakable form sprint away from the oil tanks at the refinery towards the idling jeep, his friends on it waving him on. well they look quite frantic. I wonder if they’re afraid they’ll be late. With that there was a flash from the refinery and Jonah was thrown to the ground. Its too bad that there’s no sound on a satalite uplink. That explosion looked like Dolby quality. As a series of secondary explosions erupted over the complex Jonah struggled to his feet and collapsed in the jeep. Widening the view out Aaron could pick up the heat signatures of several jeeps fleeing into the desert, as well as massive blobs of high intensity thermal radiation around many of the oil processing sites and pipelines. Watching the fires burn white with the heat of the crude petrol Aaron smiled. They’re the candles on the birthday cake of a new nation, a better brighter Nova Hope.

NWN Broadcast
Today several refineries, pipelines and drilling sites near the oil town of Abbeyton are ablaze after the domestic terrorist group The Hopian Army detonated several incendiary devices. Officials are estimating complete losses as the fires are too dangerous to put out. Many local residents were going to be evacuated via train to save them from the gasses being emitted by the fires however the HA also detonated an electromagnetic device in the train station destroying the magnetic tracks the bullet train runs on for several kilometres by discharging their magnetic fields. The EMP has also disabled local communications and other aspects of infrastructure so we can’t report live from the scene. However we have reporters rushing towards the scene from New Houston and we expect to bring you live…
Signal Lost

Tag - good read, want more.

It took thirty three and a half hours for NWN to get their signal back up. Broadcasting on a digital signal did bring crystal clarity to the images but it did leave it open to malicious behavior. Aaron had lost the bet with his handler about how long it’d take them to restore the network but as was always the way his handler had some info he didn’t. The station was brought down by a hacker who, in simplistic terms, had brought the network to a crawl by forcing so much information through the limited bandwidth. It would never be discovered that the hacker was on the NNAO payroll, but such as is life in the NNAO, thankless and formless. The total damage done was still being calculated but Aaron knew what they’d conclude. The HA had bombed the oil facilities in the town and the magnetic train line had been deactivated by an EMP blast of unknown origin. The train station was destroyed by the explosion which had generated the EMP blast and rescue efforts were being hampered by the magnetizing of the debris. With half of Abbeyton in darkness because of the EMP waves that coursed down the power lines from the train station the HA operatives had managed an escape before the local authorities could organize to pursue them. Aaron scrolled through the menu screens on his P-HUDD, checking the state of the market. Yep down. More expectantly though the commodities index, especially of petroleum products, is inflating rapidly. Now with the congressman dead Dumphy dead of a heart attack its time to make our next move, have to keep the pressure on. Don’t let people forget this, they have to know they’re under attack, so they’ll realize their need for a defender as powerful as the NNAO.

Jonah was lazing about a small basement hotel room in NHC, waiting. He didn’t really know what to do, he was jittery, nervous and worrisome. His new patron hadn’t contacted him yet, and most of his men had gone to ground around the country. What’s worse is now with the cocaine he’d skimmed from the congressman gone he was starting to get the shakes and pangs of anxiety he hated so much. The entire reason he used the stuff was to be confident, loose, and charismatic. It seems so ironically unfair to him that if he didn’t get it he was worse off than he was before he had it. Every ounce of pleasure must be paid for with an ounce of pain, isn’t that the saying mother used to tell me. He shook his head, I have to clear my mind and centre my body. Moving the furniture about the room he cleared a spot for himself and began to go through his Yoga routine to ease his withdrawal pains. I just need to tide myself with this, I’m sure he’ll get me more.

It was a week of waiting on Jonah’s part before Aaron contacted him again. With the agency watching there no where that the Deliverer could go without the NNAO knowing, so it was by design that he skulked in his room his nerves over coming him. The contact was innocuous enough room service delivered him a letter. Well, almost innocuous, after being without human contact for a week and suffering from withdrawal Jonah pulled a knife on the teenaged boy who in turn threw him to the floor in an atypical aikido style body roll. The boy gave Jonah a sickening look of disgust and tossed the envelope towards his bruised body. Gathering his pride about him Jonah stood and opened the envelope, some what indignantly he read.

The Deliverer

I was impressed with your work in Abbeyton and have decided that you only need to do one more thing for me before I can call you my comrade in arms. I would like to stand with you atop the burning wreckage that was the capital building and see the dawn of a new Nova Hope, one where our progress isn’t measured by economic indicators. But I digress. I need you to go down to security room in the hotel, the passcode is included in the envelope. In there I have taken the liberty of storing a key for a Patriot sedan, a suit and a credit card. I realize that you don’t want to look like this but its necessary for you look affluencial if your to move about the capital without attracting attention of the unwanted variety. Once you are properly attired meet me in front of the exchange, I’ll tell you what our next target is.

Your Patron.


OOC: Sorry about the abrupt ending on this one I just felt I need to get something out there to keep it alive. And thanks Vastiva for the encouragement, it is so very much appreciated.

Jonah tried to keep his contempt hidden as he walked through the upscale parking area towards his meeting spot. A vallet had taken his sedan to be parked, and the vallet hated him. He knew it, it was the look he gave men that looked as he did now. Stopping to place his hand against the wall he steadied himself. Why am I dressed like this? Have I forgotten who I am and what I stand for? Jonah shook himself, there are mitigating circumstances, I need to do this. Renewed in his righteousness he continued towards the Liberty St. entrance of the NNE.*

This time in the crowd the software recognition program on the P-HUDD noticed Jonah first. It was hard to believe that this man striding towards him, a man who oozed confidence was the same he’d recruited online a few weeks ago. Stepping towards him Jonah jumped and the façade was broken, the looking glass betrayed its illusion. Jittery he shook Aaron’s hand while he tried, very visibly, to calm himself. He’s not there yet but he has potential. Clearing his throat Aaron introduced himself,
“My name is Stephan Sanders and it’s a pleasure to meet you…” Aaron motioned to Jonah and before Jonah could catch himself he let slip his true name,
“Jonah.” At that his mouth clamped shut and his eyes bugged out. Aaron held his face impassive as he mentally broke into fits of jocularity. He thinks that it’s bad that he just gave me his name when I just got a DNA sample from the skin oils in his hand.
“Well Jonah its good to meet you, I’d like you to come for a walk with me.” At that Aaron’s P-HUDD registered an increase in Jonah’s facial temperature by a full degree as well as an increase in heart beat. Oh shit he’s gonna bolt after a tense second Jonah relaxed and came along willingly.

After a quick walk and an elevator ride they were on the balcony overlooking the trading floor of the NNE. Jonah was reviled at what he saw. Men of all colours forsaking themselves to acquire and not for something, they didn’t quest for the tangible. Non of them wanted the coffee beans they bought, non of them wanted the oil or any of it, they simply wanted to acquire in the hopes that the next person wanting to acquire would bid higher. Jonah looked at the pandemonium of the floor and shook his head. This, the debasing of humankind, was the epitome of what he stood against. Which made ‘Mr. Sander’s’ comment so unbelievable.
“Isn’t it amazing?” With a cocked brow Jonah replied dripping with sarcasm,
“Yes the pinnacle of the frightening economy.” Unable to even make jeers at it he let his mood carry through.
“The whole floor makes me sick. People need to realize that they are better than this, they are more, so much more. When that bell rings its almost a Pavlovian response, they’re the greatest creatures on mother earth and they act like wild dogs.” Aaron could see that Jonah had more to say but he held himself back. Clearing his throat Aaron inquired,
“What are you fighting against Jonah?”
“Look below you.”
“Your fighting the building?”
“No, I’m fighting the ideal that the building stands to represent, it’s disgusting.”
“So what would you do to defeat it?”
“…, I’d burn it to the ground.”
“That tells me what you’d do to the building, you can’t burn ideals.” The two mean paused to look at each other, each staring through their expensive eyewear to try and size up the other, granted Aaron’s P-HUDD did give him a bit more information. After a pause Aaron continued,
“When you fight a war you fight a noun, a person, place, or thing. When you fight a crusade you fight against a verb, an act, an occurrence or a mode of being. These people are capitalists there is no question, but by killing them you kill them the noun, the mode of being remains to live on in another. You need to realize that a war on capitalism can never be won because it’s a verb, you need to crusade against capitalism.” Aaron paused to collect his thoughts, provoking a mildly confused look from Jonah.
“What does this have to do with my fight?”
“I’m getting to that. Crusades are ideological, sometimes theological but most importantly they are symbolic. When the English under Richard the Lionhearted invaded the holy land they wore the symbols of their faith, crosses on shields, all the while carrying about effigies of Mohammad. It was by this that the Muslims didn’t fight against England or any other European nation, they proclaimed Jihad, the holy war and tried to beat back the infidels of Christianity. That war was seen as Christianity versus Islam, yet both are formless, a Christian can wield a sword but a series of beliefs cannot. You have your weapons, you have your men and your plans for destruction of corporations, oil refineries and what have you, but you’re still fighting nouns. This country will always see you as the HA, it’s too dismissive of political issues. So you need to make yourself out to be the embodiment of your cause, live it. Have discussions with the people, see what’s needed and pander to the people who you want to help. Raise idols, while you make impotent your enemy’s. Call out to the masses while your enemy leaves them to fend for themselves, listen to them Jonah.” Aaron motions toward the floor below, “They are still people, and their soul cries for a better way even if their minds do not hear it.” The two men stood listening to the crowd below as the economics of the nations jumped and skittered a point of a point in either direction, causing the people to roar with buying and selling. On the next lull Jonah asked without taking his eyes off the floor,
“This will get messy if we do this.”
“It’s messy already.”

End Notes
*Noviet National Exchange

two days later

Jonah had rebounded, he scored some more coke through a contact that ‘Mr. Sanders’ had given him. With his beast fed he’d regrouped his mean and steadied his nerves. Drinking an expensive tonic and still dressed in his suit he addressed his most loyal compatriots in the HA.
“Look at me, I look like a whore, a sellout and everything we stand to defeat. But my conversations with our benefactor have helped me. We fight this fight because our enemies are immoralists who domineers the systems government in Nova Hope and enslave the proletariat.” Jonah looked about the room acknowledging the silent agreements of his friends and allies,
“They rule from their lazy boys high atop their gold trimmed ivory towers! And they do it well.” Jonah smiled a wicked smile and looked across the shocked faces, no one ever gives capitalists props, ever.
“They’ve managed to disenfranchise, enfeeble or make complacent anyone who might stand against them. When someone does overcome their diabolical machinations to keep the little man down they sick the government on them as dissidents, rebels and terrorists. Meaning they’ve perfectly insulated themselves in a system that is unbreakable,… until now.” Drawing smiles from the people about the room Jonah fed on the positive energy to keep his tirade rolling towards his ever sharpening point.
“They’ve shown us the way. They’ve installed themselves to power by crushing our spirit, now we have to crush theirs. They’ve built a religion on their market ideology, we need to find conflict ideologies to bring them down. We can team up with the Christian wackos, they’re raising idols for heavens sake. We can play to the parents, these guys are corrupting the youth. But first, what we need to do it make ourselves known. We need to strike at the economy, the market and more importantly the captains of industry. These are the foundations that the market is based on. We did a good job on that refinery but the analysts are already projecting a comeback better than ever. In fact the securities industry is taking a boost as other raw material sites hire some muscle.” Jonah stopped himself as he saw looks of futility tug at some of the faces in the room.
“Do not think poorly though! We are now crusaders for a cause, we cannot falter and we will overcome.” Jonah paused for effect and to let his words sink in.
“We’re going to receive training from a foreigner, Sanders is willing to cut a cheque, we just need to have the heart and the want.”

The stench in the room was horrific. Amy had trouble keeping herself from throwing up on the floor. Of course the wood was so stained by cat piss that it wouldn't have done much damage. And it looked like the heroin addict laying on the floor covered in some guys spoon wouldn't have noticed either.

Her eyes turned towards the man leaning against the door. "Black is day, and glorious is the death that comes this way." She rattled off with a tired air.
God these punks need to...well actually have sex...not this mutal f*** while intoxicated and drugged they seem to do.

"Hey b*** how about a..."

The youth said no more, he was jerked forward by Amy's left hand grapping his throat. "Do I look like one of your little heroin f*** ups do I. I came to see the Doc and that is what I am going to do. Now do I break down the door with your corpse or do you open it for me?"

His eyes said it all, weakness and fear filled them. His hand went back towards the door and he knocked three times then pulled it open. His throat still clenched in the merc's grip.

Amy let go and stepped forward looking up the old staircase. At the top sat a man with an AK-47 smoking a pipe. The smell of tobacco mixed with weed filtered down to her nose. She walked up the narrow treads, keeping her eyes on the man. He turned and looked out the old window as she passed him and knocked on the door at the top of the stairs.

"Come in..." could be heard through the old five panel door. She grabbed the knob and felt it roll around in the latch. She pulled and found the door was mounted like a screen door, designed to snap shut after she entered.

The space was identical in dimensions and features as the room below. Excepting of course that this was neat, clean and tidy. Several printers and computers sat on desks. In the center of the room was a large work table with the mousey Doc looking through magnification glasses at something on the table.

The Doc looked up at her visitor. "Ah, glad to see you Landcaster. I made up that paperwork you wanted. Ingenious really, I never realized...well you boys and girls from the Losts are notorius for being the best freelancers money can buy..."

"Less talk more show Doc. I ain't blabbing, and you know the terms..."

"Yes, Yes...alright here you go. As requested the paperwork for a woman named Erica Heart Kelly, Security and Loss estimate advisor, she primarily does independent contract work for Lloyds of London, and Met Life. And you will show up in several computer files at both places."

The Doc wandered over to a table and picked up a file folder. "First, your Lloyds of London access card. You'll note I used an old photo of you from the Bandon job, about thirty buissness cards with your home work phone number on them, British Passport with several visa stamps for the middle east, europe, asia, the Klatch, hell even Arda in there. The dates show up as right after big losses. Drivers licence, you live in Coventry. I think that is the city you wanted?"

Amy nodded as Doc moved over to the computer.

"Now for the creme'de la...oh hell...your Google search will pick up several references to speaches you've made on security and losses estimation over the years. Added to some fairly dull rotary meetings. Oh, and I edited in your picture for the Annual Lloyds Affair for 2001. Your half there, the person who runs the site hasn't checked it in ages. Similar results now for other web surf engines. Oh you have your own website but that is fairly hard to find. Nothing much just access numbers and an email address for you...."

Amy looked down and said, "Fine, I'll pay you the remaining fifty grand now..."
She pulled out a bank draft, showing the 45 under her jacket.

"I thank you...here is your packet...and mum is the word. I do still remember what happened to my previous employer."

Amy turned with her envelope and made her way back to the street level. The slums of Detroit were the worst places to be if one was white. Of course they were also just over the border from easy access Canada. Amy walked down the streets towards the bus stop. Her eyes watching the run down houses for any signs of hostile movement while part of her mind retraced the bus routes back to the Detroit Institute of Art and her rental car sitting in the underground parking ramp. From there it was back to London Ontario and her hotel room. Then she could pick up a flight out of Montreal...

OOC: Tg me that info if you would and this is a tag in some ways.

Tourist Pamphlet

Hello and welcome to The Dominion of Nova Hope, we appreciate your patronage. Nova Hope is a tropical nation with kilometres of long sandy beaches and they’re groomed with the discerning tourist in mind.

If you’re first arriving to our country then odds are you took a direct international flight to NHC or Nova Hope City. The seat of the Noviet government NHC is a gem of a city that accounts for 43% of the country’s growth annually. Having sustained that growth for many years has made NHC into the bustling megalopolis of 398,391,600 it is today. A thriving source of multiculturalism NHC is a city where one can walk down the street and hear more languages than they would care to count.

The airport that services this megalopolis is the O’Keefe with its massive 21 runways, 72 terminals and its countless number of commercial liners but perhaps the more impressive sight at this airport is that it employs several thousand employees to staff the multi level (12) mall, the five star hotel (capacity 1,200) and the other commercial institutions. Inside this airport at any one given time there are more people then the populations of a small country.

With this much overcrowding the average skyline is some 80 stories with many buildings exceeding that. Most of the city is connected with elevated pedways, roads and maglines, you can walk for days without leaving a building in NHC.

Crime may be a problem if you are looking to visit the industrial areas of the city but because you are granted all the rights and responsibilities of a Noviet citizen while you are here you may carry firearms.

Are you a professional duelist? Do you and your hommies want to put a cap in someone’s ass? Then Nova Hope is the place for you. With signed waiver you may engage anyone in armed combat to the death. The government provides well documented contracts that simply require you to check the applicable boxes and then sign. (Note you will be held responsible for the deaths of innocents, murder is a very serious crime.)

Airport Security

With the rise of tourists and visitors to our fair country having more and more of a problem coming off the planes and going through airport security this new section has been included to let foreigners know what to expect.

When disembarking from your flight your luggage is spread out before you on a carousal of conveyer belts. You select your cases and those left behind are forfeit.

Taking your luggage with you when you leave the embarkation area you will be shuffled into one of the following lines. Noviet Citizens, frequent business persons, trusted visitors, newcomers.

Noviet Citizens – You’ll be required to present your chip. You’ll be scanned and if you have no criminal record you will be waived through.

Frequent Business Persons – You’ll be required to present your government issued card and if your of good standing you’ll be waived through.

Trusted Visitors – These are people coming from countries that are on good terms with Nova Hope. You’ll be isolated in a room, washed in an EMP bath that is not harmful to humans (Note: Some nausea may occur). You’ll be x-rayed as well as given a mild does of gamma radiation to check both your luggage and yourself for contraband. While this is done you’ll be asked about the purpose of your stay, the process shouldn’t exceed 20 minutes.

Newcomers. – Should you be arriving from a country that is, for what ever reason, on a certain list in Nova Hope you’ll be taken into a certain room in the security section and the above process will be completed, as well as an interview and full cavity search.

ooc: Tell me if there was something else you wanted, I'd be happy to oblige, albeit perhaps not icly as doen here.

O'Keefe International Airport
Virgin Air Flight 1289 from Heathrow International

The passengers were a bit groggy from the red eye. And it was apparent no one liked the idea of the awaiting wash of gama and x-ray beams that was going to be pumped through their bodies. A likely reason that most of the people off the flight were from somewhere else, Brits didn't really like the idea of having a free radation therapy given to them without them having cancer after all.

The redhead third off the plane looked about the airport like anyone new to the place would. She wore a simple suit of dark grey, good for hiding coffee stains and the dirt of traveling. Elegant black pumps and a jacket under her arm and a black packpack on one shoulder rounded out her present gear.

Amy grabbed her suitcase, and a black breifcase. The breifcase contained nothing much, a sat phone, pens, files, nothing out of the ordinary there. The pullman type suitcase appeared to contain nothing either of intrest. Clothing, tolatries, well wait there was a long object that appeared to be a flashlight but didn't have any batteries.

The backpack contained several electronic items and gear. In amongst that was a thin case that was radar dense. Hell the gamma rays didn't seem to like trying to get through it.

"Name..."came out of some slightly bored guards tounge.
"Erica Kelly..." she responded in a dry tone
"Nationality..."
"British"
"Reason for coming to Nova Hope..."
"Buisness"
"What Buisness?"
"Risk Evaluation for Insurance purposes. It seems you have been having some nasty accidents recently..."
"Uhh..."
"Listen, I've been hired by some investors in major insurance firms to re-evaluate the risk factors some of those firms have taken on in terms of insurance."
"Oh..."
"Yes...anything else?"

When Amy had mentioned her business trip the guard’s eyes flashed a bit.
“Oh business is it? Well could I interest you in signing up for an FBP card? It will make your jaunts through the airport less time consuming and by signing up now we can sign over fifty thousand frequent flyer points to your account.”

OOC:

The security guard will let you go reasonably unfettered since you’re not flagged. Just to double check there are no explosives, radioactive material and/or shielded materials. (By shielded I mean things that would stop the flow of the gamma rays.)

Once inside this airport it is a behemoth. There are escalator walk ways all over the place (think Jetsons cartoon) My guess is you’ll be headed to the hotel right away. You can get on the proper escalator and go there without leaving the plethora of structures. Or you can take the subway, yes there is a subway in the airport. Or you can get out and try your luck with a cab.

Note; Wherever you go you will be harassed by ads, interactive holographic adds, salesmen and vendors alike. You will also likely be challenged to a duel at least once and odds are you will be pick pocketed twice (once as a joke and once as a theft)

She shook her head..."No, personally I didn't want this job but hey I've got to pay the mortgage somehow..."

OOC: The slim case likely isn't completely proof to the gama rays but you'd be getting a hell of a decay across it. In reality it is just a sheilded computer unit with a few special 'features' like acting as a sat-scram using a satalite phone.

IC:
(Er, I'll delete this part if needed)
Amy looked down at the directions she had recorded to a known gun shop. One that had regular buisness with specialty British gunsmiths. She had already called them to make sure they had the gun she required on hand for purchase.

The directions actually remained inside the mall of the airport. It seems they got a lot of use by buisness travlers from European contries who were more strict about gun ownership laws then here.

(based on what is going on I'd say there would be three or four gunshops in the mall for people from less 'gun freindly' nations to get a fire arm, but that is a guess based on your rampent commericalism and gun laws.)

The person's hand suddenly found itself in a nasty grip. "My father was a royal marine, now you tell your freinds I'm off limits because the next one I catch in my pocket will be dining on his own fingers. Understand?" She didn't raise her voice, just let the pressure of her hand around the youth's wrist make the promise real. Her eyes showed little or no mercy towards the kid.

The dualist problem was more fun to deal with. "Oh, I am sorry to offended you. Well as I am the challenged party I say pungi sticks tommorrow... Oh what are pungi sticks? Well they are the traditional dueling wepons of Terra Berung. What? You have never heard of such a place or such a weapon? Did you miss the news a few months ago when the revolutionary leader Rumbiak was killed in a dual using said stakes? No, well then how about Claymores? No, No the sword not the....You are the challenging party as such I have the right to...No, well then you are without honor and I shall not dual with some low life who thinks that the weapon choice is his. I do not take leave of you sir...you are without honor."

Amy just shook her head. Dueling was legal back in her home nation, but no one would have seriously considered attempting to start a dual with a complete stranger. No Sherrif would authorize the Feild Master to allow it in the first place. Hell no decent witnesses would allow such a joke to occur.

Someone didn't get the message. A moment later the pickpocket was laying on the floor screaming in pain. It appeared as if he had tripped and landed on his hand such that his fingers of his right hand were now pointing upwards at 90 degrees. It didn't help that his other hand had landed in the small opening at the inlet of an escalator.

The red head turned her head and watched the youth as she rode the up escelator. Maybe now you'll get the message pissant...

Amy had been the senior non-com for a group of individuals who were classified as permanent criminals by a state without any kind of prison system. Pickpockets, hustlers, prostitutes, con-artists. By the time they extrited themselves from the hell hole of Franando Poo, she well knew most all the tricks of criminals in the world.

OOC: You’re correct about the gun shops. Here is some quick info for you and the legality weapons in Nova Hope

Without a permit

- Any arguably handheld weapon of a semi-automatic nature (Includes almost every side arm in the armed forces.)
- Any revolver style weapons
- Bolt action rifles (less than .30 cal)
- Sub Machine guns
- All melee weapons
- Any purely mechanical weapons


Anything past that would require a special permit. However should you be willing to but in the time anything within reason is acceptable, omitting anti-air capable shoulder launched missiles. (Meaning RPGs are street legal should you be willing to get the permit.)

No armor piercing rounds, expanding rounds or explosive rounds

IC:

The shop was unassuming enough. A quaint shop with only a few extra cameras and security precautions to set it apart from the average knick knack store, that and the broad array of firearms laid out in transparent cases. The man running the store sat smoking a fat cigar that, to a familiar nose, had a sweet tang to it that was unmistakably marijuana. Coming closer, and again only with experience, you can notice the heavier smell in there as well. Taking stock of the odor you’re be able to recognize the three separate odors of tobacco, pot and hash oil. Looking around the shop you can see this particular one specialized in beautiful weapons. .50 caliber rifles adorn the walls, criss crossed with various melee blades. The cases hold a variety of nickel plated pistols, some with gold engravings all in all the shop was very impressive for anyone to acquire higher end weaponry. Looking up from his papers the man blows a ring of thick cancer towards you.
“Welcome to Bolts, Bullets and Blades, let me know if you need any help.” His eyes rolled over you lazily, trying to decide if you are another window shopping tourist.

OOC: Anything specific you want me to elaborate on shoot, I’m going out for dinner right now so this is short. I’ll be coming up with another post to advance the HA. (Don’t wait for me though)

"What have you got in semi-automatic 45s?" She asked ignoring the smoke.
Blasted druggies...the more I see the more f*** this s*** is... she mused as she waited for the man to show her some over plated peice of crap.
(OOC: I'm sure they make a good deal of money selling crappy firing but awsome looking weapons to dumb tourists...after all we are in an airport...)

OOC: I was thinking about just pissing off Amy a bit and having the stores sell crap but in a country where dueling weapons are a way of life, yes some people make their money by dueling and betting, they wouldn’t stay in business too long for selling things with sticky triggers or loose barrels.

IC:

The man behind the counter stood up, smoke streamed from his nostrils as he exhaled from effort. Leaning back he cracked his vertebras loudly with a grunt. His large key ring, looking like it should be holding freedom from a medieval dungeon, jingled as he came around the counter. Looking the woman up and down he tried to determine what to pitch her. Duelist, Tourist, Collector, or simply wants a gun. Well lets look at her shoes, elegant. Not overly practical but still allowing freedom of movement. Hmmmm lets go Duelist. Smiling around his thick stogie he tongued it to the side of his mouth to speak. With a mild cough he began in a different tone, a warmer one with fewer rasps.
“Well ma’am you came to the right place we have a good stock of domestics. You wouldn’t want to leave your trip here with out a souvenir and a functional one at that.” Moving to the main display case he motioned to it watching her face for a reaction. This pitch was to test the waters and the next would be based on her replies to this.
“This is one of our better end models for dueling. We custom fashion the grips, remove the safety, replace the trigger, and exchange the barrel. The new barrel is made of a refined titanium allow and is bored for an optimum target distance of 100m, which is the average pistol duel range here in Nova Hope. Now taking advantage of the lighter properties of titanium we’ve extended the barrel to increase muzzle velocity and reduce the tilt on the recoil, so you should be able to fairly accurately put several bullets into one spot. This gun is comes in several variants, to be able to use case less rounds. We also mount a laser sight on it, activated by the slightest force on the trigger.” He paused and tried to read Amy’s face, to see if she liked what she saw.
“We also shape the moldings and holster to fit your draw style,… of course if you want something less pricey,…”

Earlier That day.

Jonah strode purposely from the NNE building smiling his eyes hidden from the burning sun by the dark glasses. Straightening his ‘power tie’ he tightened his lips to a thin half smile, unable to fully belie his jovial thoughts. HeHe we’re going to be rich like kings, it’s time to finally take advantage of the tools these pigs of provided us with. Thinking back to what he’d just done he shook his head. He’d vowed never to play the market, never to succumb to the temptations of the wealthy, he was an avenger for the common good. Yet today he need to use the market as it was intended, as a tool, a mechanism for exchange. But he was going to wield this tool as a broadsword, his exchange would be elitism for egalitarianism. He’d just shorted several thousand penny stocks on the exchange. All computer hardware company’s in the NHC area they had one more coincidence then that, they were all receiving a shipment via the same warehouse block tomorrow, meaning four warehouses had all their wares for the next month.

“This is one of our better end models for dueling. We custom fashion the grips, remove the safety, replace the trigger, and exchange the barrel. The new barrel is made of a refined titanium allow and is bored for an optimum target distance of 100m, which is the average pistol duel range here in Nova Hope. Now taking advantage of the lighter properties of titanium we’ve extended the barrel to increase muzzle velocity and reduce the tilt on the recoil, so you should be able to fairly accurately put several bullets into one spot. This gun is comes in several variants, to be able to use case less rounds. We also mount a laser sight on it, activated by the slightest force on the trigger.” He paused and tried to read Amy’s face, to see if she liked what she saw.

She didn't really react just scowled a bit at replacing and lengthing the barrel with titanium alloy. The question is did the guy who bored the hole know what he was doing? Amy did know from experience that titanium alloys were a bitch to mill...expecially in closed quarters like down a barrel shaft.
(OOC: god I remember having to deal with a titanium reactor once...took forever to drill the thing out...)


“We also shape the moldings and holster to fit your draw style,… of course if you want something less pricey,…”


She held out her hand and took the gun from the man. After two quick minutes the gun was laying disassebled on the counter. She was inspecting the barrel and slide. "First, you need to get whoever does your rifling of your barrels to clean up after himself. This barrel has more burs on it than a beir patch." She shook her head as she reassembled the gun and scowled for a moment. It was obviously not the world's best feild peice in terms of puting it back together.

"I like the extended barrel, but the balance still isn't right on it yet. Alright what have you got with an extended barrel, thumb saftey, and standard clip?"

She looked at the place where the saftey had been removed, "I am not James Bond and I do like to have a gun that I won't go off if I drop the blasted thing." Her eyes were level and calm, although they seemed to fill with disgust at some of the crome plated tourist hardware.

The clerk looks at you and shrugs not taking offence to the comments. He respects your knowledge of the piece and appreciates you not flipping out at him. Perhaps she knows how it’s done, perhaps she’s merely patient, either way. With a chuckle he started counting keys on the oversized ring.
“Lady I agree with ya but we got ourselves a bit of a national sport with pistol dueling and the heroes of the sport remove their safety’s to get that extra millisecond, its precious, if ya follow that sport.” Taking out a key from the pile he checked it over while continuing.
“Now these heroes of ours don’t rightly use these tricked out pistols in anything but the arena.” He smiled to himself satisfied that he got the proper key. He began making the trek, all five feet of it, around the counter, huffing around his cigar a bit.
“But it’s been a top seller and the way business has been lately the odds are you were here for something like that.” Ducking down behind the counter he tinker and you could hear him pulling a drawer out.
“Where’d I put that damn,… Aha!” Standing up again he smiled at you and set out a piece of cloth to start putting weapon parts down.
“For the kind of barrel you’re looking for we have two options. The extended titanium that’s been manually bored out with a heated diamond edged industrial drill, or this baby. It was poured, we’ve never taken a tool to it but to measure, it’s perfect in every way. But you should realize there’s a very large price difference because the manufacturing process on this is a bit pricey.” Bringing out several other pieces you can see that he’s lined out some choices of the standard chrome, gun metal black and an odd blue steel colour. Puffing an odd looking smoke ring off he started up on his sales pitch again.
“Clip’s not a problem, the standard ones run cheaper. Thumb safety is cheaper again because we don’t have to bill for labor to remove it. We take off the nickel and chrome plating you save money there too. As for the balance, what are you looking for? We can weight the gun, replace an off kilter piece or port the slide for weight reduction. This is of course if a good scrubbing doesn’t do it.” He smiles at you reveling in his low key humor.

OOC:
The poured gun barrel is feasible, should you care its one of those things that is not practical (but doable) nowadays and I figured since I RP a little above today’s tech the cost would have decreased. As I stated this isn’t a poor man’s barrel.

(OOC: Ah, but the problem with any mold or injection even of metal is voids...)

"Touching something with a tool is not the problem, having someone touch the tool with the skill to know what they are doing is the problem." She looked at the guns. "I see no reason to chrome the outside of a gun. The chrome belongs on the inside of the barrel first before you make it flashy."

Chrome is for kids who want to look cool capping a fellow kid in the head. Great way of flashing a sniper where you are in the feild she thought to herself.

(OOC: Gun metal has bluish in tint actually...and you wouldn't use a hot tip on ti alloy...you use a liquid washed dimmond tip in most cases...it looks sort of like drenching the peice in pepto bismal actually...sorry Engineer at work)

"No, I would like to have a mat black actually. Less glare if you happen to be out in the sun."

She inspected both barrels. It was obvious that more care had been taken here than with the other peice.

"I think I'll get the poured barrel, it appears to have nice tolerances although the question becomes about how well powder adheres to to it compared with a drilled surface. And for balance I was always taught that a gun should balance just before the trigger"

OOC:


Ah, but the problem with any mold or injection even of metal is voids

True but I’m thinking nanotech. This is pushing when it comes to NS I realize but that’s what accounts for the increased cost. (Low supply (one shot one deal nanites) and high manufacturing costs.) (This is very low end nanotech its merely insuring uniformity of the metal in perfect conditions, no field application no nano swarms)

Sorry for rambling I’ve been blasted on this before


Gun metal has bluish in tint actually

I was trying to imply an overtly blue tint, as in one where care was taken to amplify the blue.


and you wouldn't use a hot tip on ti alloy...you use a liquid washed dimmond tip in most cases...it looks sort of like drenching the peice in pepto bismal actually...sorry Engineer at work

I was not aware. Learn something knew every day. Thanks :D

IC:

The store clerk grunts at you and starts taking the pieces not requested and wrapping them back up. Setting them down in the drawer he closes it and takes the remaining pieces in his arms. Holding them close to his chest he smiles,
“Be right back for ya sweets.” Leaning forward he lets his still burning cigar drop into an ash tray. Looking up at you he smirks,
“No smoking in the workshop.” Disappearing for awhile he returns some time later with the gun assembled and a pack of white sheets. Setting the piece down he starts to thumb through the paper explaining as he goes.
“Liability form, if ya shoot yourself we’re not at fault, another liability form, if you engage in criminal acts, it’s not because you were drunk on the power of owning a weapon, things of that nature. You can inspect my work if ya want. This one here’s the invoice. I didn’t mention it on the invoice but I’ll throw in a couple handfuls of extended clips, if your not dueling then you probably won’t mind the little extra bit o weight.”

OOC:

The invoice comes to 650 credits (1,300 USD) and reads as a custom built Patriot Rattler.

Amy took the rattler and checked to see if it was unloaded. A quick squeeze of the trigger, and an inspection of the barrel to make sure the guy hadn't switched them on her, she put the gun down and began to read the liability forms. Oh nothing like merchant's to cover their ass.

After reading through and signing most everything with an illegiable scrawl that sort of looked like Emily. She pulled out a bank card to a swiss account and said. "Fine, ah I need to pickup four hundread rounds too. I'm a bit out of practice..."

The keep nodded and began to take ammunition off the shelf behind him. “That’ll run ya about twenty credits.” He punched his fingers on the digital till for a few moments and brought up the total

650 crd gun
20 crd ammo
33.5 crd tax
703.5 crd total

“That’ll be seven oh three and a half miss.” He said as he passed you the keypad/card input.
"I can sell you some time on any of the the Patriot shooting ranges too. A month long membership is 30 credits."

"No, but tell me do you have a good quality edged blade on the wall? Oh, say something in the twenty five to twenty seven inch blade range. And don't give me something that doesn't have the proper balance." Amy wanted to have a symbol that was decidedly of her reclaiming her Freeman status in the world.

The clerk chuckled at that comment.
“On the wall no, unless your looking for a decoration, some of them are quite stunning. But I do have working models of all you see around you. In that range we have a lot of choices. I think before I start routing you need to tell me a little more about the style you want. This country has to many separate cultures, I would be here all day if I pulled out every sword that length. Your choices are Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Dutch, British, Scottish, American and French. And before you say something I have to offer the American swords because the US cavalry did use them so there are some available. If your looking for the best functioning blades then we do have an assortment of purely modern blades of Noviet design.” The shopkeeper let that sit for a moment before he put in again.
"Now we don't have all of them in the store right this second but they are in the city and we can get them to you in 6 hours if your in the city, 24 if your out.

She answered simply, "Enfeild Sword Bayonett"

“Ah-ha that’s a neat little item there, are you looking for the American civil war style or the original British model. We don’t have anything in a newer variety, so no laser crafted steel, but Patriot takes custom orders for that. It’d be ordered and delivered to the hotel for you.”

She shook her head, "No...if I wanted a really good one I'd order a used Alconian Marine Sword Bayonett. Those are indestructable almost...I need to be on my way. Have you any decent long knifes? Like those nice Soveit SAR's" She asked as she put away the gun and the bullets into one of her bags.

The store clerk pursed his lips at this.
“Lady I think there’s something you need to realize about Nova Hope, we’re a melting pot.” The clerk raised his hand,
“Hear me out. All I mean is that while a lot of culture gets exported into Nova Hope it rarely stays intact because Noviets seem to think they can improve on the original design, we’re arrogant that way.” The clerk smiled at his own joke.
“Heh, anyway, what I’m trying to get at here is that you can order a foreign piece of weaponry and I can get it, but it’s a collector’s item because most people here want the bastardized version of the original. If you just want a nice blade to cut someone up with then I recommend some local short swords. I have a twenty six inch blade here, its points are in a triangle and the dull edge is concaved, so when you insert in the chest and twist you form a vacuum seal, pulling the organs out when you pull on the blade. One hundred credits, for you ninety.” Watching Amy’s face again he shrugged,
“Nova Hope doesn’t have any agreements about weapons like this, we haven’t signed any of those pansy ass UN treaties.” The store owner looked at Amy again taking a long pull from his cigar. Blowing out a steady stream he looked almost contemptuous of the UN.
“Another high seller for duelists is this one,” he motions to the wall, “it’s not metal but a polymer that has conductive bands running inside it. When using it in a hold against someone with a conductive melee weapon, pretty much everyone who doesn’t have this weapon, you can activate the capacitor in the bottom of the handle. It will discharge and its only path will be through your combatant. The capacitor is a one shot deal but the fresh ones come cheap. It’s two hundred credits for the sword and a credit for every capacitor. But for you the sword is one hundred and eighty five credits.”

OOC: sorry about the delay and if this isn’t on the money. Uni started up this week and I’ve been distracted by the nuances of real life. :D

Amy shook her head, "some sort of bastardized Wakizashi right? Fine, I'll take it. I don't have the time nor the inclination to get a custom order on a blade for no good reason."

OOC:

Umm which one he offered two

Amy pointed at the one without the conductive bands.

The store clerk chuckled.
“Wakizashi eh, well I didn’t plan on committing seppuku but if your looking for a quick end I’d suggest the gun.” Punching up the totals again he spoke.
“Seven hundred ninety three and a half creds, unless there’s more.”

She handed over her card again. "I'll need a recipt...I think I can deduct these as buisness expenses..."

Tearing the printout from the machine he raised and eyebrow at his customer.
“Lady you got a generous employer if that’s a business expense.” He chuckles, flashing his yellowed teeth,
“What are ya an assassin?”

"Would an assain either have a tracable gun bought in a store? No, I'm a insurance risk investigator for Lloyds of London. After that little mess started by that group of radicals...I get to go looking at all the plants and facilities in this country and decide their risk to acts of violence. Of course after some people's insurance premiums suddenly quadruple, I may have assasins after me..."
She said the last bit as a joke...

(Somehow missed your update...sorry...)

The store keeper chuckles, not really paying attention to you anymore as someone else has entered the store. With the sale complete and the money in his account the clerk turns to you smiling.
“Thanks for your business ma’am, I hope you come again.” Eyeing up the other customer, a bookish looking man in his forties, his eyes darted around appraising him much as he had you some time before.

OOC: No worries, I was kinda wondering why you weren’t responding :D Off to the hotel now that you have your weapon or no?

bump

OOC: Writting burnout...I've been editing for the past month...

IC: The merc left the store and headed back towards the taxis. Amy stopped one, gave the hotel name and got in.


(sorry couldn't remember the name of the hotel...I'll go look up the details on that thread tommorow...I need to go cook dinner now)

Bloor Avenue was about a kilometre in length, and all of it tunnel. The hotel was built to encompass a single city block and rather than have its main entrance on the street it had a large archway over a road that bisected the building. A massive building it was easily two hundred floors. Shining white with gold trim the synthetic lime stone made the perfect compliment to the real gold that adorned the window sills.

As the taxi pulled into the giant archway the impressive high rises receded from view to be replaced with the view of the archway ceiling. A perfect enlargement of the Sistine Chapel painting the bright colours literally glowed, so much so that it took a moment to realize that there was no natural lighting, merely the perfectly natural looking translucence of the scene.

Coming to a stop at the midpoint of the tunnel the driver turned to Amy and smiled.
“I guess this is where you get out miss. No charge, the hotel runs a tab. I guess I didn’t realize insurance appraisers got paid so good.” Before a response could even be formulated her door was opened and a hand offered to help her out.
“Ahh miss welcome to The Metropolitan Lounge.” Helped into a standing position Amy could see that her bags were being unloaded and her driver paid.

As soon as her driver left the spot was filled with a limousine unloading a pretentious looking couple who wore an excessive amount of jewelry. Moving forward, whether from the surge of people or by her personal locomotion, it was hard to tell, the bustling disembarkation and embarkation area gave way into a beautiful lobby. With high rising ceilings and a grand staircase, escalator really, it spoke of one thing and one thing only. Luxury. The walls had mosaics of famous scenes in Noviet history, while the floor was a glasslike marble that depicted the Noviet national crest.

The lines of people gathered in front of the check in desks were services by waiters, deftly weaving about the crowd. Quick moving they processed people efficiently and with smiles plastered on the attendants’ faces.

Looking left from the entrance Amy could see a large dance floor, partitioned from the lobby via sound proof glass. Packed with people she had to check her watch to reassure herself it was three in the afternoon on a Tuesday. To the side of the club was a full service restaurant that, as far as she could tell, might’ve been a nudist establishment as about half of the patrons dined au natural. On her right was a full sized department store that leaked a trail of shoppers pushing carts from the door to the elevators. Taking in the establishment Amy must’ve looked lost, or rich, as a young man with a poor accent stepped up to Amy. Brushing a bead of sweat from his brown brow, as the Noviet weather, apparently, was too warm for the East Indians as well.
“Please can I help you much?”

Amy really did not recognize the fresco, or psudo-fresco. It did remind her of the cheap night lights one used to get at the Catholic Mission shop back home. And it was a bit disconcerting, as though it made no real sense on the massive transucent vault above*.

Okay...I seem to have gotten a room at the Hotel booty-call. was the thought that entered her mind...God, I am dealing with rich amatures at best...

Landcaster turned and looked at the man and raised an eyebrow. "Not at the moment thank you..." She turned and went up to the front desk. Now which one of these twits am I supposed to tip with a paltrey amount of money? She waited for the next available clerk.

*((Er, the Sistine Chapel cealing is actually a series of vaults that ends in a double vault at both the north and south ends. And the north end is actually a massive fresco of jugement day behind the altar. I happen to have a six foot photo of the cealing over my computer desk.))

The line, though expansive, moved quickly and Amy was seen within fifteen minutes of getting there. Coming up to the attendant the young woman behind the counter smiled sharply and spoke in a musical tone that belied the fact that she’d said it more than a thousand times already this shift.
“Welcome to the Metropolitan Lounge. Do you have a reservation or do you need to be processed?”

OOC: Shows my ignorance then doesn’t it :D

((blows up writter's block with a load of C4, actually I need to rewrite an entire class manual without ever having taught the class...I am popping asprin like they were m+m's))

"Yes, reservation for Erica Kelly..." she pulled out one of her other passports and openned it up to show the woman how to spell the name. It was somewhat old and tattered, Irish, and had several visa's from around the world, although Greece seemed to be especially prevalent.

A mexican peso, three american pennies and a euro fell out on the desk. "Sorry, about that...keep it as a tip..." Amy just gave a slight smile as she waited for the woman to respond.

((OOC: don’t worry about it school’s been claiming A LOT of my time. I’m just glad this thing is still progressing.))

The clerk looked down at the small coins exasperated as if this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. Exhaling upwards into her bangs she turned to a bell hop that had just become idle.
“Hey, take Ms. Kelly up to Room sixteen-oh-fifty-one, and make sure she get the pamphlet for the mint.” Turning back to you she smiled sweetly and in a voice that belied the cranked tone she just called the bell hop in she spoke.
“I’ve been instructed to tell you that the busses for the coin collectors convention leaves tomorrow at eight AM. It’s not mandatory that you’re on them but we’re happy to provide.” Having dealt with you all she cares to she’s now looking beyond you for the next customer, who’s trying to shoo you out of the way to get to the counter. The bell hop is reaching for your bags with a smile to lead you over to the hallway that seems possessed by elevators, by a quick count you see twenty, ten on either side.

Amy watched the entire scene, and the actions of the girl with apparent dippassion. She let the the bellboy walk her to the elevators and said nothing to him.

What the fu*** is going on...these people took this as routine...too damn routine...I am smelling a damn trap with these idiots.

OOC: Tsk Tsk paranoid much?
IC:

The bell hop eyed her up warily, she hadn’t even acknowledged his existence. Well I’ll never get tipped this way. Clearing his throat the young man turned to Amy and smiled.
“Those were some pretty neat coins there. Do you know that I’ve never touched a coin in my life? Maybe that’s why coin collecting is so popular here, in fact my father has a Griffin’s Claw, used back before we switched to the credit.”

"Hmm...that's nice, some cultures only use coins to this day, such as Iansisle. They really don't even trust paper money, let along electronic blips on a computer or a peice of magnetic tape. Now, I have to orginize my thoughts on the absence of Athenian coinage from 937 B.C. to 922 B.C. in world wide numismatic collections, and its implications to the study of the development of Greek democracy."

If I take the 45 and stick in his crotch, I wonder if he'll tell me where the camera and microphone are. I mean this place has to be under survalliance, likely the bloke who was trying to help me in the lobby. I mean these twits operational security is like a peice of twine on the outsdie of the back door keeping it from swinging open. I bet this operation is fully known about and they let this little operation keep operating because they might not know about the next one. These can't be the people who...
Wait there is a numismatic covention?...

"Er, how many numismatic conventioners are in the hotel this week?" She asked the bell boy, while staring at the elevator controls counting the number of floors.

OOC: Ah If only she knew who her employer was,… :D
IC:

You notice your button illuminated on the elevator as it’s only the two of you on it, miraculous considering the crowd, sixteen lets of a mechanical glow reminiscent of a nineteen eighties score board. Your eyes blur slightly at the sight of so much repetitive visual. Blinking the fuzz away you look again. Two hundred and fourteen small buttons line the side of the wall. Distracted by the bell hop’s attempt to answer your question, though it is obvious to you he is guessing by the way his eyes are rolling back.
“Weeell let me think about that. We’ve reserved two floors for the coin collectors and another for the dealers. We’ve had over flow on both so, at least three thousand rooms. But of course that doesn’t tell us how many guests.” Placing the luggage gingerly on the elevator floor the bell hop whips out a PDA and starts to swirl the stylus over the screen. Looking up at you again he smiles.
“Front desk has seven thousand four hundred and twenty five names as of five minutes ago.” Putting away the small device sporting the same logo as his uniform he smiles and picks your bags back up as the elevator slows to the sixteenth floor.
“This way please miss.”

Great, a mini city... she mused. She nodded in reply to the bellhop and followed him down the hall to her room, saying nothing.

OOC: Just think of this city (NHC) of having the overpopulation of Shanghai, The multiculturalism of NYC, the atmosphere of Toronto and the smog of Detroit and L.A. combined.
IC:

The bellhop continued to try and strike up a friendly conversation with you as he leads you down an upscale hallway. With thick carpets, rich in colour, the hallway gives off a comfortable atmosphere as you walk by the occasional portrait, landscape art and decorative sculpture. Coming to a door some walk from the central elevators the bellhop stops you. The door reads ‘16051’ in cursive italics that looks more pretentious than stylish. A heavy faux wooden affair the most interesting feature here was the small box that encompassed the base of the door knob. A heavy white plastic it had a concaved strip, a small red light and an infrared port. The only other marking was the same logo that was on the bellhop’s uniform and PDA. Smiling the bellhop turns to you. Placing your bag on the floor he whips out the PDA again.
“Give me a second and I’ll synchronize the lock to your card.” Pointing the top of the PDA at the white box he tapped the stylus a few times and the red light turned green with a *bleep* noise.
“Now if you’d run your card through here the lock will accept only your card and the master code, making your room secure. Though I have to warn you in the case of a fire alarm the lock defaults to unlocked, for safety measures.” Once your card was swiped through the strip the light flashed a few times and made a *boop* noise that the bellhop took for the affirmative. Picking up the bag he smiled and opened the door.

The room was fairly spacious, especially considering the cramped confines of the city. Twelve square metres in all the room included an indent for a closet and a sectioned off bathroom that included an upright shower, with a fold down sink, and toilet. Pointing the amenities to you the bellhop, ever smiling, made sure to emphasize the selling points of the room. The exterior wall was made of a solid transparent polymer that allowed you to look down into the street, though the view was obstructed across the street by an equally tall building. Taking out the remote control the bellhop showed you how the window could be ‘dimmed’. With the hold of a button the window slowly became more opaque until it matched the cheerful blue of the other three walls. With another press of the button he showed how the wall could be used as a television and a hotel services menu.
“Oh, and your welcome kit for the convention is on the desk. Any questions?”

OOC: Er, Detroit really isn't that smoggy...try Atlanta...

What the hell, do they think I'm going to host a reception up here or something. Amy looked at the bell hop smiled, and then threw him a coin. "Now then you can figure out how much that is worth..." She had an evil little glint in her eyes, as though the constant attempts to be social had definitly backfired.

After the bellhop had left, likely in a very unhappy mood, Amy walked over to the desk and opened the package

Damn it, I am sick and tired of this place already. Hotels the size of small planets with rooms that are a waste of space.

The package contained several pamphlets for local attractions and a schedule for the conventioneers, everything one would expect a tourist package to contain. At the bottom however was a small black computer. Opening the device at the seam Amy saw the small plasma screen and cramped key board. At sixty degrees a small click was heard and the screen came to life. The computer was eerily silently as it booted up, it was obvious to Amy that there were no disks or mechanics to speak of. As the system booted up the screen appeared black with a green text, reminiscent of a much older operating system.

(OOC: If you’re wondering why this is; The screen runs at an extremely high refresh rate. This is not for performance but for security. The refresh rate is high enough that the human eye sees a solid picture, though the picture never exists. (Though later when the screen displays more complex designs you’ll see flickering). The reason for this is because anyone who took a still picture of the screen or tried to record it with anything less than the highest quality camera would only see dots. The pixels are put on the screen on one refresh and take off the next, and put on a couple later. To a recording device you’d get dots or partial images, depending on the refresh rate of said device. To the human eye it’s a solid image.)

On Screen
System On
Connecting to network………
Connection established
Logging on as ‘warmole_1’
Access granted ‘warmole_1’
Two downloads in Queue
Downloading ‘Greetings’
Downloading ‘warmole_1_OS.exe’
Download Complete ‘Greetings.exe’
Executing ‘Greetings.exe’
Display Greetings
Break Greetings
***************************
All correspondence with you will be done under the warmole_1 alias. This will be your login. Your pass code will be ‘31172~X@mas^*)[jAs’. You will be prompted for it from now on when you access the terminal. All record of your doings will be removed from the terminal on system exit. The only files on this terminal will be the OS that allows you to access the offsite information. The terminal has 6 modes of connection and can be selected by the hardware switch in the back. Phoneline/WAN/ Microwave piggyback /LAN/WI-FI/Satlink. Power concerns are negligible. The terminal has an operating life of 2100 hours. Replacement terminals are available but will be deducted from your pay should we decide that it was lost in a frivolous manner.

This terminal will be your line to your employer. It will be updated with information we deem pertinent. Requests for additional resources, the status of your account, the status of your objectives, the bios of your team et cetera will all be accessed here.

Good luck and good hunting.
PRESS ANY KEY
********************
Greetings.exe resumed
Greetings.exe deleted
Executing warmole_1_OS.exe
………….
………….
………….
warmole_1 Operating System installed.
Restarting Please wait……
………….
Welcome warmole_1






1) Mission Status (new!)
2) Information Resources (new!)
3) Location of provided physical resources (no entries)
4) Payment Information (new!)
5) About Terminal
Input (1-5) ?

(OOC: The terminal is obviously waiting for user input.)

Amy disliked the thing instantly. Oh good, now I have a unit that might allow people to trace my communications...I will assume my employer at least has encoded transmissions on this thing.

She pressed the one and sat down on the bed.

OOC: sorry for the delay. Christ, between exams and I throat infection it seems I can’t catch a break. I am sooooooo looking forward to X-mas. A time to finally relax.

‘ ‘ signifies an “on screen” response. Also just to not drive you insane I’ll give you the results of either submenu (as you’d probably check one then the other.) The only difference would be that the word new disappears as each is checked.

A quick ooc question, I can easily detect your IC annoyance and perhaps its my own self conscience showing through but I just wanted to double check that you were not becoming bored/annoyed here. (With my tardiness and all.)

FYI a Credit (represented as CRD) runs at about 2 USD [fluctuation exchange and all that.]

IC:

Amy pressed the one button followed by the return key. The screen responded instantaneously.
‘
1) Milk Runs (new)
2) Initial Recon (new)
‘

(OOC: If one then)

‘Warmole_1 – Milk Run


Brief:
There’s been some conjecture inside the company that you might not be fully able to move in Noviet society without attracting some attention. It was with this in mind these tasks were devised. They’ll involve a variety of pick ups and drops that will assist your future team. While it is inconsequential who makes the deliveries and receives the packages it would acquaint you with the lifestyle inside Nova Hope City and some surrounding Polis’

-Nanny

Acceptance Bonus:
5,000crd
Maximum attainable secondary bonus:
25,000crd
Expense expectation
very low
Conflict Expectation
none
Resistance
n/a

back/accept?_
‘

(OOC: If two then)
‘Warmole_1 – Initial Recon

Brief:
This will be your first mission on task. It is a company policy to give our agents, contracted or in house, as much information as possible to allow for greater success rates in field. So it is with this policy in mind that you’ll recon your group in an effort to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. This should prove to be an invaluable teaching tool for you, and further our agenda as the group will take out a low priority target.

-Eagles

Acceptance Bonus:
20,000crd
Maximum attainable secondary bonus:
250,000crd
Expense Expectation
med
Conflict Expectation
low
Resistance
very low
-A private security organization on low alert for a target deemed unlikely to be terrorized


back/accept?_
‘

OOC: Oh, IC annoyance is my character's not mine...Amy really doesn't like the way your group is handling yourselves. Call it an issue of style really Alconians have tended to be the most Machivellian of the Klatchian nations, so they tend to view that things should be done in certain ways out of habit. That and staying in a massively large hotel has it's benifits as well as pitfalls.

She shook her head, "Trying to fit in makes no sense boys...acting like a bright eyed tourist who doesn't know jack s*** is likely going to be a good deal easier. Lets see what the boys and girls who I'm supposed to be running look like."

She accepted the second mission, although she didn't outright dismiss the first. But maintaining her present cover story after hitting a low priority target would be far easier if someone wondered why she was running all over the place. Hell insurance rates would be skyrockting and policy issuance would be at an all time high, even for low priority targets. Hmm, yes actually getting inteviewed by the cops would be a good idea perhaps...perhaps not...later judgement call...

A small window opened running the almost DOS like code that the system seemed to be based on.
‘
Current Mission Status set to Initial Recon
20,000crd transferred into holding account
Information Resources updated
Initial Recon Sitrep received
‘

Meanwhile the mission screen was changed, instead of the two options the text interface now sported a single message.

‘
Initial Recon

Greetings warmole, I am eagles. I will be your liaison for this mission; your requests for information, resources, bonus and expense coverage will be decided by me. The company will assign you tasks in this manner and you will work with a number of liaisons, each of which have their own conceptions and expectations for you.

Initial Recon is as it sounds, the initial recon. These series of missions, under my direction, will take you through the steps of observing and critique your group; and trust me they need the critique. The initial steps of this mission do not require the group to be successful, but your bonus will be inversely proportional to the amount of structure left to the target. The expectation is that at the end of these series of missions you will be in charge of the group with little or no questions of your authority.

But to be less cryptic; the group in question is the Hopian Army (HA). While this might sound official trust me, they are an NGO. The name was chosen for two reasons: they believe themselves to be the true army ‘of the people’ and many countries, without investigating, believe that this organization is legitimate. In fact some believe it to be the official army of Nova Hope. (As a note; you may be interested to know that the adjective for Nova Hope is Noviet, not Hopian.)

The HA’s cause is one of social reform through violence. Believing that the Noviet government has become corrupted by private interests, which arguably it has, they fight to institute policies of income equalization and negligible inheritance. While they are to be lauded you are there to destabilize the government and hold loyalty to the company, not them. We cut your cheques.

You’ll find a map of NHC in your information resources now. Marked on it is a particular electrical substation. While not in charge of any generation personally the substation provides regulation for the electricity provided to the HQ of an affluent financial brokerage. The HA’s intent is to increase the cost of doing business in NHC, as they hope the company will raise their rates to cover their losses. Realistically the brokerage cannot because it will be preyed upon by the competition, but this act serves our goals of destabilization. This is why so much of your possible bonus will be contingent on the successful destruction of the target.

Your first steps should be to stake out the area. If you notice your hotel is highlighted as well, the HA currently resides in a room there. This should simplify the process of tracking their movements and determining their route to the target. The team bios are provided pro bono in the information resources. Each bio includes their current alias, current residence and last known location.

You will be given full flexibility and autonomy within the guidelines of this mission, however the following must be seen to;

Primary Objective Do not make contact with the team until permission is granted.
Primary Objective Submit a report on the doings of the team once the attack on the substation has been attempted.
Secondary Objective Successful destruction of substation. If all parties believe that the HA destroyed it bonus is 95,000crd. Destruction with ambiguities means that a 15,000crd bonus will be given.
Secondary Objective If the HA do not perceive your presence then a 5,000crd bonus will be given.
Secondary Objective Should more than a million dollars of damage be afflicted to private businesses a 20,000crd bonus will be given
Secondary Objective Should the HA suffer no fatalities then a 5,000crd bonus will be given. If no casualties are suffered then a 20,000crd bonus will be given.
Tertiary Objective If all confrontation with the police is avoided a 30,000crd bonus will be given.

We will not incite the HA into action until you are prepared, I await your signal.
‘

Amy sat back on the bed. "So they want to hit an electrial substation inside the city limits? They want everyone to know this HA has done the job without their being casualties or fatalities to either side. And they want no conflict with the police."

She looked up at the cealing, "Now how in the bloody hell do I tell little mr. oversized sea gull that I will not be held responsible for any action of this HA without being in control of them? Hmmm? Where in the hell is the 'tell cut-out that his employer's have a really poor idea of what to base my friken bonuses on. Bleedin' twits..."

She looked at the map, on the screen memorized it. And then looked for a paper map in the tourist packet. In reality she wanted to look like a lost tourist for a moment as she 'cased' the area around the substation.

(OOC: Not sure how to reply to this. The map was not on screen it was in information resources, and should she have gone there to see that map the question she posed would be moot. For the sake of argument and expediency I’ll post the submenu for Information Resources [#2 on the main menu])

This one appears as a graphical interface much akin to the original windows. Navigating with the nipple between the ‘J’ and ‘K’ key one could activate any number of icons on the black wallpaper. Currently the icons include NHCmap, teambios, system, chat, missionsums, submit, missionspecs.

OOC: really me posing an OOC question ICly...
Amy noticed the "chat" feature finally. "Oh, how nice..."

She then pulled up the NHCmap to memorize the various target locations. After that she decided that she wanted to review the personel bios. After all she needed to identify who her real 'targets' were. After all she had to become their undisputed leader, and obviously not by just being assigned to them.

Bios

Hopian Army

A small group whose total membership is not known the HA is a very non-insulated group. While precautions are taken it is known that all information flows to and from the top.

The top is a small group under the command of Jonah Abel, biblical reference intended. Infiltration into this cell will give you access to all others and Abel himself is the one the company has deigned to deal with.

A petty annoyance to the Noviet government up until last month their activates were limited to petty mischief, misdemeanors and electronic warfare. Possessing an abundance of technical knowledge the group is eager to over throw the current Noviet government but lacks any real ability to do it.

The majority of their membership resides in the Polis of NHC but contacts have been traced to New Houston and rumors of finical backing from private sources in Regalia are too pervasive to ignore; though their liquid assists seem limited they posse computer equipment that implies a resource greater than their measly salaries.

Jonah Abel a.k.a. the deliverer
White male of Dutch decent; age 34 years.

Founder and de facto leader of the HA Jonah Abel is originally Koris Visser. Residing in NHC the former Nieuw Rotterdam citizen has a masters degree in Computer Science and a bachelors of telecommunications majoring in p2p warfare. Graduating on the Honour roll from NHCU Abel became disenfranchised with the current Noviet system sometime shortly after completing his thesis.

An idealist and an extremist Abel changed his name to suit the biblical metaphor of his ideology. Seeing himself as the tool through which a more fair and equal society will be delivered he frequently uses the web handle The Deliverer.

Naive about the workings of politics Abel was the company’s point of contact and will be the one advocating to the group that your training is needed. Willing to differ in the short term Abel sees himself as in control and fights for the position, sniveling when he can’t get his way.

Security systems, electronic and digital, pose no real deterrence to Abel, though it should be noted that one of his plans to halt the government was foiled when a high school bully mugged him (he was 28 at the time of the mugging.)

RedRum
White male of American decent; age 26 years.

Eric Clark is the second in command of the HA. Consistently wary of outside influence RedRum cuts meetings short, brandishes weapons and threatens bodily harm to avoid what he perceives to be undue outside influence. This amount of paranoia, as justified as it might be, is troublesome and will require action on either our or you part.

RedRum is a high school drop out, though not for lack of education. RedRum’s high school councilor’s file made mention of illness in the family and recommended that the boy be readmitted at anytime.

After further investigation the illness was found to be his mother’s. While the health care system in Nova Hope took care of her, and the welfare system would take care of him his younger siblings would’ve been split up and distributed about the child services infrastructure. Finding this unacceptable he became the ‘man of the house’ and moved the family from Abbeyton to NHC to receive more government resources and employment.

Three years ago the young man’s family was killed in a raid against the Rotovian Watchers by Noviet police forces. When he petitioned for reimbursement from the government on the grounds that they’d used excessive means he was given a manuscript on acceptable force and ejected from the court house. This incident drove a casual flirtation and communication with the HA to direct unadulterated involvement and then command.

There will come a time when RedRum will be too dangerous to have around, but for now he is the best physical specimen the HA has to offer and it is felt that his experience in the Noviet criminal element grants a classification of acceptable risk.

Mother Theresa
Female of Korean decent; age 25 years

She will not engage in direct interdiction and believes that violence is not a solution to the current political problems. Theresa is the closest thing to a PR agent the HA has. Trained as a lawyer at the Legal Academy of Saint Peter Theresa’s real name is Kum-Ja Jang and she has a mastery of Noviet law almost unprecedented in that country’s judiciary.

We are unsure of her motivations but after being appointed by her firm she successfully defended a notorious serial killer from prosecution due to technicality; this happened three times before the killer’s trust fund ran out and her company would no longer defend the man. While it is unclear what he actually did to those twenty seven people, the first three trials were sealed due to more skillful maneuvering by Miss Jang, his fourth time at the docket saw him convicted of a plethora of charges. To paraphrase he out fitted his genitals with some form of torture device and had his way with several federal employees causing them grievous bodily harm which resulted in death.

Apparently Miss Jang has been unable to come to terms with what she has classified as “… a debauchery of human dignity and a mockery of natural justice.” She has spent her time since her retirement from her former firm providing legal protection for the HA and promoting their cause using her, now dwindling, fortune.

It is not expected that you will have much interaction with Theresa, due to her pacifist stance, but she will be integral later when the much publicized HA attempts to gain some escape from culpability. For now it is suggested you don’t dismiss her, but at the same time practice a fair amount of insulation. The company can’t foresee any love lost between you, a hired mercenary whose tool is death, and an avid anti violence orator who will peruse a point to a point of irrelevance or victory.

Sergeant En Li [ret.]
Male of Han Chinese decent, age 54 years

Both he and the military believe that former Sergeant En Li is clinically insane, but that is where the stories diverge.

Li recalls a black ops operation, with some difficulty, that saw him inserted into a foreign country for the purposes of seek and destroy mission. The target, according to Li, was civilian in nature and he and his unit participated in the destruction of a humanitarian effort.

The Noviet military agrees that Li was put into the country in question but was in fact the relief effort in question. The effort was attacked by guerrillas and Li valiantly defended the post. Defeated and shell shocked he wondered through the jungle with a few survivors of his unit where the military picked him up. The Noviet military points to the fact that Li cannot recall any verifiable facts as proof and that these recollections are merely phantoms his damaged psyche. Conveniently the orbital monitoring platform for that sector went down just prior to that attack, coming online again the next day after ground station identified software problems as the source of the error.

Li plays more of a mascot role to the HA than anything. Incapable of any advanced computer applications and too damaged to be any good in the field the HA hold this man as the example of Noviet tyranny they fight against. Befriending him may gain you some brownie points with the others

Chem_Chem
Male of Japanese decent; age 19 years

Chem_Chem’s real name is George Otani, though after a short time the reason for calling him Chem_Chem will be apparent. Chem_Chem was a child prodigy and currently holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering. His education stopped at age 16 when he was ejected from a doctorate program for his political affiliations with the HA.

While nothing could be substantively proved the university believed that Chem_Chem had provided the HA with the chemicals used to destroy the server of a popular, corporately owned, cyber café. Chem_Chem spent a year appealing the decision but was turned away at all points of ingress; each bureaucracy referring him to another. One day he simply had enough and bombed a magline with a complex incendiary, which complicated the efforts of the fire department. Chem_Chem was taken in by the HA and Theresa managed to argue his sentence down to a misdemeanor.

Chem_Chem should be a great asset to you as he can provide the explosive we would other wise take off your bonus. As far as power struggles in the HA are concerned HA is neutral. As a personal note of warning Chem_Chem may suffer from an undiagnosed pyromania, though this is only conjecture.

Moses
White male of American decent; age 32 years

Moses is a born again Christian who likens his own life to that of the central character in the book of exodus. Moses, or Randal Calhoun, joined ‘The House of Respite for the Army of God’ after denouncing the ‘sins’ of homosexuality. Balancing between the mission given to him by god and the temptations of this world Moses seems to take what he sees as his own personal failures out on the ‘sinners’ of Nova Hope.

Originally Moses joined the traditionalist party to push his ideas onto government but he left finding them too docile (and catholic). His goal in the HA is to limit the influence of government on the people; leaving a vacuum which the church should replace. Moses saw the separation of church and state as the first step down to hell and the outlawing of faith based schools as an affront to God.

Moses wishes to bring about the prophesy in the book of revelation; see: End of Days, sweeping the sinners out to allow him to build a new god fearing society. While this might seem contrary to the other members of HA Moses find strong allies in Jonah Abel and Mother Theresa.

Seen as a ‘hot button’ in the HA currently his want to take the lead should subside as you put him to work ‘delivering heathen to their final judgment.’ As a note to you, do not play yourself off as any religion other than Christian, preferably Protestant, if you want to keep Moses in line. He will not take orders from someone he finds to be morally wanting.

Richard
Male of Transnapastaini decent; age 31 years

Very little is known about Richard’s past. An immigrant from Transnapastain it would seem his primary motivation for coming to Nova Hope was the establishment of a mission for the Church of God’s Will; The State Sponsored Church of Transnapastain. After being refused government funding for his mission, most likely at the insistence of the Transnapastaini government’s assertion that he was perverting their religion, Richard tried to go it alone, fund raising where he could. The mission is still in existence in Titanous, now funded by the HA. It is a suspected front for HA operations.

Gable Mather
White male of Dutch decent; age 42

A two bit player on the political scene Gable Mather (real name) once held the venerable title of Member of Parliament. Now an avid blogger and minor cracker Mather supports the HA vehemently; whether by espousing their principals to anyone who will listen or defacing cyberspace with the HA manifesto and contact information.

Jonathan Mallet
White male of ? decent; age?

A relative newcomer to the HA a proper bios has not been compiled. We are still searching to better inform you. A notable fact that seems to have basis in truth is Mallet’s prowess with the new server software from Flexware™.

Haley
femal of Japanese decent; age 26 years

Haley, or Sachi Tsuji, graduated from the Noviet Institute of Scientific Advantages (NISA) on the Dean’s list. After her graduation she promptly made the fatal mistake of leaving her ‘breeding ground’ open to the net. Some ignorant code bunny released one of her projects, a nasty self replicating worm, that promptly shut down must of the systems connected inside NHC.

Polis authorities placed her under arrested and proceeded to drag her good name through the mud. By the time she was cleared the prosecution had assassinated her character, and bankrupted her over legal fees, to the point that no company would hire her for her full potential.

Disgusted by the whole process she took a tech support job in Borden, only to grow more and more dissatisfied with the inability of the common Noviet to transcend class barriers. While she should’ve been the model case she was stuck in an unrewarding unfulfilling existence that drove her to the arms of the HA.

Further Notes

You should prepared for other HA ‘soldiers’ to come in and out of your circle as the HA’s top circle seems to be very flexible and lacks the discipline of other organizations of this caliber. The preceding was our best estimate of who you’re most likely to encounter.

Amy pondered her situation and decided to take a soak in the tub. She called room service and ordered a bottle of cabernet

So what I have is a quasi-religious orginization led by someone who want's to bring about a new equal society.... She turned on the water into the tub.

What I can not be is just some hired merc, I need to be one of them, someone committed to an equal society. She pulled out a small bottle of bubble soap and dumped it into the tub.

Now then, the best bet is a former member of the Terran Sphere Special Forces, likely worked in the Kandi.

She heard the knock on the door, opened it and took the bottle and glass, then closed the door in the servant's face. Amy began to undress as she thought out her opening moves.

Need an angle of why I find the Hopian Army more to my liking than my own homeland. Manipulation by the Dual Dutchy, poor ecconomic planning, and religious percecution, they deny the existance of any God, and I was found to be a practicing...ah...Society of Armed Freinds...yeah, the militant Quakers should throw anyone who asks for a loop. Hell there aren't any outside of the Klatch really.

As she slipped into the tub with a glass of wine she pondered her next move. "First, let's get my handler in the loop..."

She picked up the hand-held PDA and hit the chat key.

Item: 1. I will be assuming a background more acceptable to HA from here on.
Item 2. I will NOT be held responsible for any actions of the HA until after I have contacted them. I protest any attempt to link casualties caused by the HA's independent operations to my pay or bonus package.
Item 3. I will notify you when I have an plan of observation of the HA in hand.

"Bloody hell...I wish I had never, ever seen a deck of cards..."
She leaned her head back and seemed to relax a bit as she waited for a reply.

The chat window sat dormant for a minute. The little footer said that the message had been received but nothing happened for almost two minutes. Then the window’s footer, in a very MSNesque manner, changed to ‘receiving from eagles’.

Window
RE Item 1: This is of course your prerogative. Though for less inconsistencies in your appearance to the HA you might want to inform me of your new alias; as the company will be the one bringing you into contact with the HA. Unless of course you’d prefer to do it yourself, in which case I will differ to your experience.
RE Item 2: I assume this is in reference to your third secondary objective. The casualties refers to casualties in the HA. I have accepted that detonating an explosive in a city will cause casualties, I just don’t want the HA thinning their numbers before you get to them. Regardless failure in this objective, as it is a secondary objective and not a primary, does not result in penalization for you merely the loss of a potential 20,000crd.
RE Item 3: I await your discretion. Though it should be stated that while you have a few days the matter is time sensitive as I have reports that the HA is becoming restless ‘hiding out’.

OOC: Please reduce the size of that last line in your sig...it is quite annoying.

IC:
Amy shook her head and began to type.

Item 1: Formal Research needed, approach will be decided after intial observations.
Item 3: Will begin scouting area soon.


She pulled herself out of the tub and placed the unit on the counter. "Now then time to get moving again." Amy dried herself and then dressed into a bra with holster, panties and a sun dress. She put of a pair of comfortable pumps and looked at her figure...
"Well can't see the gun...now then let's take ourselves out for a bit of a stroll. But first I need a tourist spot or dining location in the area..."

She began to look through her packet and any other sightseeing materials in the room looking for the name of a restraunt or tourist attraction near the target site.

After finding a complimentary disposable PDA in her coin collector set Amy began flipping through the excess in advertising. After finally finding the search and filter functions on the tool bar managed to bring the applicable establishments to a neat list of five.

Teriyaki Tower

“… The T.T. offers an amazing selection of hand rolls and seafood that is grilled right in front of you. The T.T is an upbeat atmosphere that prides itself on offering a charged experience to the repeat customer or the first timer…”
(OCC: It’s on the 127th floor of the building that houses the substation. It’s the entirety of the top floor. This restaurant offers you a view of the area surrounding the substation but not much else. Its benefit would be in checking out possible approaches and getaway routes.)

Malone’s

“…Tired of the pretentious attitude that seems to permeate every establishment in the downtown area? Then Malone’s is the place for you. Authentic pub fare and good old fashioned Patriot™ draught are what awaits…”
(OOC: About a half a block away from the substation and on the ground floor this restaurant offers you a good view of the building’s exterior and traffic.)

Passioncorps™ Food court

“…The best cross sampling of the Novet experience Passioncorps™ have taken the nation by storm with their familiarity and diverse menus…”
(OOC: It’s on the third floor of the building across the street from the building that houses the substation. It’s on the opposite side from Malone’s. It also has a pedway between the two buildings a couple floors above the restaurant.)

Wrangles

“…New to the restaurant business we hope to cash in on the benefits of the new colony. Now no longer must we eat beef provided by foreigners, the Reeddorrow colony allows us to each domestic. Com’on in and sink your teeth into the bloodiest, most succulent meat you’ve never had yet…”
(OOC: This restaurant is by far the closest to the substation, externally. Positioned on a transparent archway over the intersection of two six lane plus median boulevards this restaurant offers a view of the main entrance, the ventilation garage, the loading bay, and the security entrance. It is also the most public and to observe all the mentioned would probably draw attention to you.)

Ming’s den of Irony

“…Styled after the opium dens of old this restaurant is a piece taken from history. Wood paneling and the finest recreational drugs nature has to offer give your meal a certain mystique that makes you warm inside. Come and try our specialty fish served with a warm absinthe…”
(OOC: This is in the lower levels of the basement. While the restaurant offers you no view to speak of the only way to reach it is either the escalator past the substation or by the main elevator, which feeds the substation too.)
(OOC: Yes Irony, it’s a Chinese guy running an opium den that is sapping the success and drive from rich white guys. *see china after opium wars*)

Also of note to Amy is a tour offered once a week of the city’s sub-structure. NHC is an impressive city with an impressive maintenance structure to match. Should she want, a tour is to take place in three days, one of the stops is the substation in question.

(OOC: when she starts moving about give me a chance to respond as I want to detail to you the city a bit better. Depending on how you move [VTOL, car, walk] the description will obviously differ.)
(OOC: Sorry bout the sig, just wanted people to see that I wouldn’t be around on the holidays.)

(OOC: So am I to assume this id dead and gone? I realize that a good portion of the inactivety may be my own fault but I need this thread to come to completion for some of my other threads to continue.)

OOC: Er...I fell off N.S. for a bit and then got mired in a lot of Klatchian threads...we can 'restart' this but I need to review again....

Your call but this needs to proceed. If you wanted to know more of what I was thinking you could hop onto ICQ and talk to me in real time (I know you don't like it much but I think better in real time.)

We...working on the inter-semester security patches...and I think the new policy is completely anti IRC at all. Too many lab computers being diverted for 'social' useses rather than 'learning'. (Rather than just my research subnet)

(OOC: Fair enough.

My plans thus far are this.

I want the HA to be trained and start to develop some good tactics. They’ll also pick up some contacts in a Vastivian terror network. Basically they’ll start to be more successful and then this cell will split up and begin training other cells with what Amy taught them.

Once they’re more successful I’m going to draw some of my allies into the fray as their intel agencies will attempt to determine the threat to them. With me having such a soft border they will be understandably worried as they have open borders to me.

So Amy’s job will see her moving towards a large target while avoiding the intel agencies. Amy’s contract will expire once the HA delivers a really large blow to my nation. (It will make the twin towers look like a pin prick.) I then hope to have a few ‘chase’ scenes where Amy then exits the country and disappears on the world stage. After the fact information on her activities will be released and she’ll be wanted in Nova Hope. She will be paid in full and the offer of immunity is valid but there are a variety of forces at work in my country so the left and right hand are not always aware of the other’s actions.)

*bump*