# Descent into Darkness : The Remnants of the dead



## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 10, 2008)

The bar was quite seedy.  It had an oddball theme of Gravball and Muzzein Bang music.  There were giant screens everywhere showing the latest match with a loud soundtrack of the latest hits.  It was disturbing and obviously a bad business model; the bar was mostly empty.  That was likely to be the very reason why agent Hector Ramirez had chosen the place.  Sadly, the failing business seemed to be cutting on its energy expenses; it was almost as hot in the bar as it was outside under the harsh african sun.

The Hispanic man was small but wiry.  His thin moustache and fine suit gave him the air of one of the those sudamerican billionaire.  The image didn’t fool any of the five psions sitting at the table, facing him.  Ramirez had a very solid reputation, perhaps too solid to be involved with so many rookies who still had to make their proof.  

-''Thank you for your time, people.  Yeah, I know, this bar isn’t up to standard with a Trinity office in some exotic chapter house.  There is a reason for that.  The mission I want you to undertake is on the up and up as far as the home office is concerned, but I want to hide the fact that I’m going to send five psions on it.  Considering the priority level attached to the mission, it is overkill.  Rookies or not, some comp-jockey would probably try to squash what he would consider a misuse of Trinity resources and force me to send a lesser team.  Which is why I’m doing this off the book and using so many associates.  Take a look at this.  Take your time.''

Ramirez uploaded several files in his guests minicomp with a simple verbal command to his agent.  Once everyone read material, he resumed his briefing.

-''I’ll be blunt.  That Aesculopians connection that Triton found is weak sauce to me.  You should check it out for the sake of thoroughness but there is only one things that bothers me and it is barely mentioned in these files.  It bothers me so much that I have resorted to creative accounting to find the resources to assemble this here team.  The aberrant attack on Cantor station drives me nuts.  Two aberrants attacked.  When the psions reached the mine, every workers and guards were dead as well as one of the two monsters.  The Luna PD determined that the guards must have killed one before everyone else got butchered and the Norca and Orgotek patrol mopped off the last one when they finally arrived.  Fair enough, but not very likely.  There were only four guards and they weren’t packing heavy duty weapons.  It is unlikely they could have killed an aberrant powerful enough to travel through the vacuum of space.  But even worse is the John Doe they found...  There were only thirty-eight men on this station.  All bodies were IDed and accounted for.  How does a mysterious John Doe land in this mess?  Where does he come from?  And don’t get me started on these weird mutilations he is reported to have suffered.  This stinks and I want answers.  More than anything, I want an ID on John Doe and confirmation that there isn’t a sinister explanation to his presence on the site of an aberrant attack.

To that end, I have assembled an all-psion team including two seasoned investigators and a specialist in Noetics.  I know your specialty isn’t aberrants, Kerry, but you’re as good as I got.  And if the s**t hits the fan, I got two heavy hitters on the case.  

You know the rules.  You are Trinity investigators, you can be upfront about what you are looking for.  Thankfully, Luna authorities are on good term with us so you just have to be polite and not hurt people egos, you should get the cooperation you need.  But you aren’t law enforcement.  And if you decide to break a few rules to get what you want... well don’t get caught.
Some of you have other ideas as to what they would like to do right now.  Just remember that I will be very grateful if you pull this off clean.  A word from me to the right person can go a long way. 

Any questions?''

[sblock]You really need to at least read the briefing file from the link I gave you or this intro will make no sense.  The rest is at your discretion.  

You are currently in Kenya, near the Jomo Kenyatta's Spaceport.  Obviously enough, this is because you are flying to Luna from here.  Where you were before is up to you. Feel free to describe the arrival and this sort of things or jump right in with some question you might have.[/sblock]


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## kookalouris (Sep 10, 2008)

*Repost OOC*

OOC:
[sblock]I completely missed the link to this new thread and posted the following in the now obsolete (or at least secondary) thread.

*A question about telepathy and precognition* 
    Mal,

If the game is past tense and observed, how do we handle telepathy and precognition?

For example (minor spoiler):

Pat is uncomfortable around telepaths and clairsentients (a biokinetic can't disguise thoughts and no one is faster than someone who knew about your lightning reflexed sucker punch _yesterday_.).

Also, it is difficult for the grief-stricken youth to understand why all of the telepaths and clairsentients couldn't anticipate the Chromatic raid on Karoo, the destruction of the _Esperanza_ and the disappearance of the teleporters.

So, the arrogant Norca was going to 'test' the team telepath and clairsentient by mentally daring his thoughts to be read and his fast sucker-punch to the clairsentient to be stopped (it won't cause any damage, it is just a display of relative power).

Don't worry, the problem with playing a character who can be the occasional jerk is not to be a jerk as a player. As far as I am concerned, the involved players and you have _complete _control over the results.  I wouldn't mind the recklessness of Pat to be revealed and discouraged somewhat.

I assume internal thoughts and conditional outcomes would be dealt with OOC.

Let me know what y'all think...
[/sblock]


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## hafrogman (Sep 10, 2008)

*Carlos Ribera, Trinity Agent (clairscentient)*

Carlos listened quietly as Hector gave the briefing.  He looked over the files, leafing through the pages before looking back up at their handler.  Once Hector's brief introduction ended, he pursed his lips for a moment before giving voice to his question.

"Is there some particular reason to expect something to 'hit the fan', as it were?  Or are we merely being cautious?"


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 10, 2008)

hafrogman said:


> Carlos listened quietly as Hector gave the briefing.  He looked over the files, leafing through the pages before looking back up at their handler.  Once Hector's brief introduction ended, he pursed his lips for a moment before giving voice to his question.
> 
> "Is there some particular reason to expect something to 'hit the fan', as it were?  Or are we merely being cautious?"




The agent shrugged.

-''There were aberrants involved.  What more need I say?  If things go wrong, they go very wrong.''


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## stonegod (Sep 10, 2008)

Spaceports are crowded places. Busy places. Places where the bustle of humanity ground up against each other, bumping along to their destiny.

But not near Ghost.

There was a visible void, a deadspace where none feared to tread. Even the most busy traveler would suddenly look up from their vid to see... well, see _him_... and veer. There was just something unsettling about the man's presence. Even heavily clothed as he was with dark shades and a hood hiding his features, that sense of *wrongness* persisted.

If it bothered the solider, it did not seem to show. He purposefully walked to the empty bar, not caring a lick about the heat even under his layers.

Ghost was quiet during the briefing, studying the notes at length. He grunted noncommittally at several parts. When he finally does speak, his voice was heavy with a rural FSA drawl. No questins.


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## Velmont (Sep 12, 2008)

Kerry takes his minicomp and starts to read what Ramirez has uploaded on it while he listen to him. It seems to be an habit to read and listen to Kerry. He has done that in university, in his research lab, it is now in his nature.

"Abberant... interesting. It might not have been my main field of study in the last years, but when you have been working on such complex project as I have done, you need to have a solid base in every field surrouding your specility, that include abberant. I don't think there will be much a problem there.

Now, those report seems to point there had been two abberants in Cantor Station, one maybe in Freaky Alley. It is worst then a rat infestation. For the John Doe, where is the body?"


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## kookalouris (Sep 12, 2008)

*Pat McKnight, Trinity Agent (biokinetic)*

Around Pat, there were as many bottles as he could consume without straining discretion, cover or the expense account.  An ashtray, bong and other 'enablers', were nearby, showing the signs of as much indulgence.

Together the indulgences might have been the death of any single person or a night of terrible regret for a small group.  For McKnight, these were simply fleeting rememberences of  oblivion (and about a stone of fluid retention.).

He paid sufficient attention to Ramirez's briefing but his mind wandered slightly and the seeming of the screen's holovid star or the screen top athlete would subtly reflect in his features.  

The only real sign of emotion from the biokinetic was upon seeing the ghostly pale legionaire.  Whether Pat's skin blanched out of nervousness or mimicry was unclear and it passed soon enough, the biokinetic avoided the solider as much as decorum would allow.

Pat waited for a moment in the conversation and stated as quietly as the bar would allow, -"Mr. Ramirez, we have one of all of the available orders except for a vitakinetic, was that a deliberate choice?"


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 12, 2008)

-''Well, Mr. Joseph, the body of John Doe is at the Beaulac clinic's morgue.  The autospy report should be complete by the time you get there.''  answered Ramirez to Kerry's inquiry.

The young biokinetics cleared his throat and caught the agent's attention.
-"Mr. Ramirez, we have one of all of the available orders except for a vitakinetic, was that a deliberate choice?" he asked.

The agent appears a bit flustered by that question.

-''Well...  You read the briefing.  Triton is concerned that there might be a link between the Cantor station attack, the missing persons, the Freak Alley collapse and the Aesculapian order.  More precisely, with their Beaulac clinic.  

I am dubious that there really is a link, and the low priority level tagged to this assignment by the hgher ups says that they agree.  Still...  this is like a Hail Mary pass.  Usually nothing will come of it, but out of respect for the guys at Triton, I can't discount it.

Truth to be told, I would love to have a rex on hand to give us a second opinion on the autopsy.  But because Triton might be right, I can't use just any vitakinetic.  I'd need one whose loyalty to Trinity is undisputable.  Sadly, I couldn't enlist such a psion for the mission so you will need to do without.''


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## hafrogman (Sep 13, 2008)

Carlos purses his lips slightly as he reviews the facts presented, and the information available.

"It doesn't look like we have much to go on here.  I'd guess that we won't really have any idea how to proceed until we start poking around and get some kind of leads to work with.  When are we scheduled to go up?"


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 13, 2008)

hafrogman said:


> "It doesn't look like we have much to go on here.  I'd guess that we won't really have any idea how to proceed until we start poking around and get some kind of leads to work with.  When are we scheduled to go up?"




-''You're leaving a 2 am today.  Well, tomorrow actually.  And since processing takes up to four hours, I suggest you back your thing and head to the spaceport right now if you have no further questions.''

As the group left the bar, Ramirez gestured to Pat to stay behind a moment.

-''Kid, I just wanted to let you know that the first Jumpships have lauched for the colonies this week.   _Shaka_ left for the Karroo Mining Station five days ago.  It's called project _Recontact_ and it's somewhat declassified now that it is up and running. I'll do my best to get you a copy of the report of from the _Shaka_ recon team.  We expect it in a week or so.  

I'm not sure what we'll find out there, but I'll try pushing your file to the right people so that you can be on the next wave to Karroo.  Of course, it will help a lot if you perform well on this assignment...  They only take people with rock solid dossiers on these trips.  So if there's anything to be found on Luna, do whatever it takes to bring it to me.  We understand each other?''


---


The Trip to Luna was uneventful.  The _Mockingbird_ cruiser wasn't the most modern spaceship.  It was old, battered and probably cheap.  One more ploy from Rodriguez to keep the accountants out of his business.  The trip was also hard on the body and the nerve.  There was no artificial gravity whatsoever on this ship and there was no human pilot either, just a technician.  It was basically a drone.  While autopilots were perfectly reliable, even in the 22nd century most people usually appreciated the presence of a trained pilot in case something unforeseen occurred.

But nothing untoward occurred and our five valiant psions landed on Luna on time, fifty hours later.  Most came out of the _Mockingbird_ with the gait of people not born to LoGee.  The customs personnel was thorough but polite to the Trinity investigators and soon the were on their way through the LAMP under Mount Olympus, Luna’s capital.

That vast city states was home to 90 million people, almost a fifth of Luna’s population.  It was a sprawling metropolis were modern surrealistic towers built with the latest technologies in shielding and artificial gravity coexisted with the original warrens dug under the moon by the first colonist.
The Trinity Luna Office Branch was just off the beaten path, five minutes from the Mezzanine, Olympus cultural epicentre, just far enough underground not be hip but still a far cry from the underworld.  In Earthy terms, this was Long Island.

It was a huge complex.  Luna’s Office was the regional administrative center for Trinity’s operation in through Space, one of the most prestigious.  Once you got over the bland stretch of underground tunnels that led you to this place, you had to be impressed by the cutting edge security.  This was a bunker.  And once inside, you were confronted to a hive of personnel working industriously in conditions that had nothing to envy to Orgotek’s HQ.  The mood wasn’t relaxed, the business of saving the world was a serious matter.

The investigators, once past security, were quickly taken aside by a severe looking woman who meant business.  She led them to the Armory.

-‘’Gentlemen, I’ve been told you are already briefed.  My name is Joan.  I’m just here for logistical support and I have many dishes cooking at the same time so don’t ask me to hold your hand.  We have you covered as far as living facilities are concerned.  You bunk with the temps on floor 18, rooms 1878 to 1883.  I have uploaded your weapon licenses on your minicomp.  You are cleared for class 7c.  That’s a concealed carry permit.  Do not screw up with that.  We have great relations with the Luna PD and we don’t want trigger happy psions to ruin that.  Mind your training.  Class seven allows for most handguns.  Ballistic wise, we got the discreet Cyclone or the heavier Stavros handgun.  We got laser pistols too.   Here’s the Voss 63K or the Wasp 11.  The Wasp is biotech so you might like that because otherwise the 63K has better range.  We also have the Bulldog F-40.  It’s a flechette gun.  You go through your clip like crazy with this stuff but it’s deadly and has precious little kinetic energy so it’s safe against hard target.  It’s bio, too.  But the range is weak.        

All right, we also have fiberweave clothings, take what fits.  Not much protection, but better than nothing and you don’t look like a soldier wearing armour which is always a plus when talking to locals.  Well, that’s about it.  Oh yeah, I have also uploaded a Trinity Transport pass.  Not much cars around here.  With these pass you’ll be accepted by any and all means of transportation you should find around here, from LAMP train to Hoppers.  It’ll forward the bill to Trinity.  All right, good luck.’’

And just like that, she left the investigators just outside of the armoury, ready to plot their next step.


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## kookalouris (Sep 15, 2008)

*Earth, earlier ---*

At Ramirez's news, Pat positively beamed with  wonder and surprise that even a Norca might have trouble faking.

-"Mr. Ramirez.  Thank you.  On this mission, I will perform as if not just my team is at stake, but my family as well, which now they are.  We _do _understand each other."

Pat bowed to show newfound respect, the Asian custom was now at least universally understood, if not typically used.  The Norca would have shook hands (the teenager would have hugged) Ramirez but he didn't want to risk becoming the man's twin or otherwise offend.

With that, Pat positively _strode _out of the room to follow his team...

*Luna, now --*

Since Earth, Pat had been the essence of quiet observation and cooperation.  Outside the armory, Pat said quietly to his newfound teammates.

-"Should we split up or stay together?  For myself, I've usually evaded the law and kept secrets so I won't be the best at finding secrets or enforcing the law.  But, after Ghost, I'm probably the best 'muscle', so who and how can I help?"

OOC
[sblock]
I'll put some notes of Pat's equipment requests and other comments in the OOC/recruiting thread.
[/sblock]


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## Velmont (Sep 16, 2008)

Kerry put a fiberweave clothing as he looks at teh guns. He then choose to take two guns, a Bulldog F-40 as his main weapon, and in case things got really bad, a Stavros could always be usefull. He took extra clips for his Bulldog only. He put them both in a concealable holster to not show them to the average person and make them nervous.

"I think we should split. We will be able to cover more tracks. I would like to go to the Bealac Clinic. But I'm a doctor in Neotic and not medecine, and someone who have some skill in it should come with me."


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## Ithuriel (Sep 16, 2008)

Earlier in Kenya...

With her forearm mounted Stienhardt mini's screen flipped open, Suria scanned through the briefing documents wordlessly.  "I don't know about the "Beaulac connection" but I would say you are definitely onto something with the Cantor attack here Agent Ramirez.  This is absurd!  Four side arm toting security guards took out an Aberrant?"  She smirks, "Not likely.  And this Incident Report- what is this?  There is blame to go around I'm sure, but post-humously BLAMING an Aberrant massacre on loose radio protocol? An unidentified mutilated corpse pops up in the middle of a quarantined station, but doesn't warrant a mention in their Report?  I can't even believe what I'm reading here."  Shaking her head in disgust she flips the mini's screen closed and eyes Ramirez seriously, "No worries Agent.  If there is anything to be found here, we'll run it down.  I'm honored to make your short list."

On _The Mockingbird_...

Suria goes through the briefing notes for a while longer, before settling back to listen to some music.  While the music plays, she discretely takes note of her teammates- identifying and storing their psychic imprints in case she should need them.

At Trinity's Olympus branch...

"You have a point about splitting up Kerry.  You are the obvious choice for the clinic.  On the other hand- I could reasonably _encourage_ one of their doctors to be straight with us about John Doe since we don't have one of our own.  Maybe some of our military minds might like to take a look at the aftermath of Cantor Station?"

"To be honest though, I'm going to have to take some time tonight to shop before the shops close.  As much as I like them, I can't run around for the duration of this investigation in one set of clothes."


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## hafrogman (Sep 16, 2008)

Carlos selected a Voss laser and tucked it away in a holster under his arm.  A fiberweave suit was also grabbed and draped over one arm for changing later.  He leaned up against a wall and listened to the others disect up the tasks ahead of them.

"So that leaves the Freak Alley collapse and few missing people.  Ramirez wants the body explained, but we may as well take a look at everything while we're up here.  No sense in shoddy work.

There's enough to do that we could all go our own ways.  But I think that undermines the point of their being a group of us in the first place.  There should probably always be at least two of us on any given task.  Different perspectives on whatever we find."


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## Velmont (Sep 18, 2008)

"There is also Cantor," correct Kerry "but in that case, I would wait. It is too far form here."

"I suggest you go on the other team, Suria. Your power would be too easily detected with so many Vitakinetics in the clinic. I would rather go with McKnight. He..." Kerry look at Pat a moment, hesitating on the he or she terminology for Pat. "He has a good background in medecine and could confirm or infirm the result easily."

"You syhould go into teh Freaky Alley. You are very scocial and where you skills fails, you power can help. You should go with Ghost. He is a good figther and if trouble come, you'll have backup."

"For Carlos... I think we would need a bit more social skills on our team to have more cooperation from the doctors."


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## kookalouris (Sep 18, 2008)

Pat nodded in acceptance of Kerry's suggestions and smiled sympathetically at his teammate's pronoun confusion.  There were no gender-neutral pronouns in English but 'He' could be used generically as a poor workaround.

-"Kerry's ideas are better than anything I could come up with.  I am cool with them unless any one has other suggestions."

Post-related OOC
[sblock]
To not hold back the game, both this character (and this player) are cool with whatever the group decides.  Pat will go with Kerry unless other decisions are arranged at by the team.

Otherwise, should the group divide up any other way, Pat will go with the _smallest _group that will have him (should the groups split up evenly, Pat will go where Ghost _doesn't_, *only *because Pat and Ghost are the group's two major combatants, IMO.).  Players and GM may automatically write that into their posts if they want to...
[/sblock]


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## Ithuriel (Sep 18, 2008)

"Fair enough,"  Suria smiles and winks at Ghost, "That means you get to go shopping with me.  I bet you can't wait."

"Listen Kerry, since we don't have a doc, you could always pick up some software.  If you can find it you might be able to upload a medical forensics package to your mini.  Forensics might be restricted to cops,"  Suria shrugs, "I don't know maybe our liason here can help with that.  General medical though is pretty common for the ships and colonoes where docs are in short supply."

OOC: Kerry actually has no skills in Medicine or Investigation, but Pat has studied Medicine.  With a 3 he can probably pull off a decent second opinion autopsy if you need it.  Carlos has a little Investigation so you are covered there. But if you want programs to enhance your agent they are only one dot each and you buy them separately to add up to whatever rating you want.  They have to be specialties of a skill though.  So a 5 in First Aid or whatever is 5 one dot purchases.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 19, 2008)

*Beaulac Clinic*

The clinic, while fairly modern, was built along the old style of Luna constructions; it was dug into the ground.  A central lift connected the many sublevels of the clinic to the surface, in the Wroclaw Sector.  The walk-in led to the mezzanine, just below the moon's surface while The roof was a landing pad for hoppers.  The subsection 0 connected to its own dedicated  LAMP (Luna Automated MagLev Pneumatic) station that opened directly in the admission room.  It was that latest option that the investigators used to reach the clinic since Trinity's HQ were themselves located next a station.

The clinic was a madhouse 24/7.  The largest Aesculopian clinic in space and Luna's premier hospital, it saw hundreds of patients checking in or out at any hour.  The personnel had the harried look of people working in a war zone.  The room itself probably looked much the same as any hospital's admission area had for the poast two centuries, except for the biotech sample collector used to help in the triage and the integrated media/entertainment units fitted in the chairs of the waiting area.

Ramirez never warned the Beaulac clinic to expect investigator and so there were no reception committee.  A placid receptionist lady in her fifties or a young intern of african descent on duty for triage seemed the best available bet for an introduction.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 19, 2008)

*Freak Alley*

The challenge was to find the exact warren that had collapsed.  It was in none of the modern maps and short of making preparations worthy of an archeological expedition to find the old, pre-space brigade* plans, the best bet was simply to locate a local guide willing to take the investigators there.

At any rate, they had found the general neighborhoud.  It was near the Beaulac clinic but much deeper under the surface.  Life around here was unpleasant in the extreme.  It was a beggar's nest and a smuggler's haven.  The tunnels were poorly lit by jury rigged lamps with power stolen from Olympus grid and some corners were just pitch black.  

Still, there was reasons to be hopeful.  Given the nature of the homeless life, there had to be people around here who not only could direct the Trinity agents to Freak Alley, but who had been there when it collpased on the 29th of January 2020.  After all, this date might be a footnote to the upside citizens, but for others it had been the end of the world and human nature would draw them back.

_*the Space Brigade were the aberrants who conquered the moon at the height of the Aberrant War._


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## hafrogman (Sep 23, 2008)

Carlos shrugged slightly, turning to the others.

"I guess the straight-forward approach?"

Then he turns and walks up to the receptionist.

"Hello.  We wish to speak with your mortician."


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## Velmont (Sep 24, 2008)

Kerry nods to Carlos. "I'll leave you the talking. I think you are more used then me to these kind of relation. I used to talk to Qins more than humans lately." he tells before Carlos talk to the receptionist.

While Carlos asks his question to the receptionist, Kerry scan the area, looking at the people waiting.


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## stonegod (Sep 25, 2008)

At the office, the large Ghost took some gloves and fibreweave, and took a Wasp for backup, concealing it best he could. Saying nothing else, he followed   Suria down below.

~~~

On their trip downwards, the large man leaned over to   Suria. I could yous somm hardier armer. Could use some hooch as well. Can you find a market?

When there were surrounded by the dregs of the society, Ghost looked around silently. Waiting.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 25, 2008)

*Beaulac Clinic*

Etiquette Roll (1d10=1, 1d10=5, 1d10=8, 1d10=7, 1d10=2)  (2 success)

The weary receptionist took note of Carlos demand and forwarded them to a supervisor.  Showing their trinity credentials seemed to grease the wheels of bureaucracy since they only had to wait ten minutes before a pleasant looking man of african heritage met them.  He was a trained vitakinetics, though he was obviously Port-au-Prince trained*.

Carlos and the doc exchanged some pleasantries and the later obviously took a shining to the the claisentient.  He made no fuss about the request and waved the red tape as he led the investigator to the morgue.  It was a cold and vast clinical place.  There were at least ine hundred meat lockers on the walls.

Moment later, they were in presence of John Doe, displayed for their inspection.  Quite a sight.  The man seemed athletic and fit, which only made the mutilation appear more bizaree.  He had gaping holes in his arms, as if whole muscles had been removed.  The doc, who was named Charles Joseph, flipped through the digital data in his mini-comp and shared the info within.

-''So, John Doe.  Caucasian, 1'90 meter, 82 kilogram, late thirties.  Was obviously fairly fit, he must have exercised regularly.  My file says he was discovered by one Cesar Sweeney.  He's a Norca on the joint patrol that first reached the site and killed the last aberrant.

He was killed by a ''massive neural trauma concurrent with bioware feedback syndrome''.  That's what the autopsy says.  That's weird, what bioware?   Definitive cause of death couldn't have been established because some key nerves clusters have been removed or burned. Anyway, the dissection that you see was conducted post-mortem, obviously.  Biceps, triceps, trapezeus and gluteus have been removed cleanly.  Must have been done by someone with medical training.  That's about it.''


[sblock=ooc]* Some vitakinetics can't accept the scientific and medical approach to their powers as it is taught at Basel, HQ of the Aesculopian order.  These vitakinetic eventually leave the Basel academy and study in Port-au-Prince in Haiti where they learn a holistic and spiritual method of mastering vitakinesy.

They are the 'loyal opposition' to proxy Zweidler and are typically outisders in the hierarchy.  You'll never see such a doc in a position of subtsantial power within the order.[/sblock]


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## kookalouris (Sep 25, 2008)

Pat noticed the doctor's accent and other indicators of his alternate training, taking what care he could to not let that concentration flow into his features, which could be taken as insulting.

He looked down at the corpse, his body became suddenly weak as his subconscious began to imitate the surgical precision of the dead man's wounds.  He forced his reluctant muscles to flex and remember _themselves_.

Besides, _someone _had to state the obvious.  -"This...this seems _deliberate_, not just carnage..."


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 26, 2008)

Pat's Medecine check (1d10=5, 1d10=10, 1d10=10, 1d10=9, 1d10=5, 1d10=4) 3 success 

_OOC Pat: It appears as if the muscle never actually existed - there are no marks to show where they were removed, nor does any tissue remain behind.  Yet the arms and legs are of normal volume.  There had to be something there.  You have no proof but the only explanation you can conceive is that powers were used.  Either the Algesis mode or the aberrant equivalent must have been used in conjoncton with sophisticated surgical equipment to make such seamless cut._

Kerry's noetic skill check (1d10=2, 1d10=7, 1d10=6, 1d10=5, 1d10=9, 1d10=9, 1d10=3, 1d10=7, 1d10=6, 1d10=6) 4 success

_OOC Kerry: You are almost certain that there is no taint on this body.  And you agree that the body seems to have been killed by bioware feedback, but the power of this feedback was so violent that it couldn't have been a mere gauntlet or bioweapon.  It was something huge.  Given the state of the body, you suspect that his missing  muscles had been replaced by bioware equivalent and that these were then removed after death.

Replacing limbs or muscles with bioware is cutting edge and is usually done on handicapped people.  But such limb functions like the original are incapable of causing lethal biofeedback.  Beside, no one is born specifically without biceps, tricpes, trapezeus and gluteus.  These were deliberately replaced and these bioware must do something more than merely replacing natural muscle if they can generate such powerful feedback.

Carlos Awareness check (1d10=5, 1d10=5, 1d10=8, 1d10=8, 1d10=2, 1d10=5, 1d10=5) 2 success

OOC Carlos : A janitor seems to have been intently interested when you started examining the body and is now just as determined not to even look in your direction.

_


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## hafrogman (Sep 26, 2008)

Carlos looked over the body briefly, remarking briefly on the handsome features to his team mates.

"So he is fully human, then?  No chance of him being one of the attackers?"

But mostly, he left the body to those with more knowledge in the field.  The lingering janitor triggered something in his mind though.  He wandered off as if bored, but steered himself towards the janitor.

"Odd business isn't it?"


----------



## Velmont (Sep 28, 2008)

Kerry inspect the body. "Well, he is no abberant, that is sure. And the doagnostic seems good. He is dead by a violent feedback. Now, can he be one of the attacker..." Kerry stop to talk as he sees Carlos going to the Janitor. Wondering what Carlos is doing, Kerry give a quick look at Pat with questions marks in his eyes.


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## Ithuriel (Sep 28, 2008)

Back at Trinity HQ, Suria picked out a fiberweave jumpsuit and took a minute to try it on.  Being whatever was available for field agents it wasn't nearly as form fitting or stylish as the one she came in, but protection is protection.  And with that in mind she claimed a 9mm from what was on offer and tested it for weight before holstering it.  When the groups were preparing to split, she caught her fellow Triton agent's attention.  "So before we split up, Kerry you should know my Steinhardt has a built-in beacon. If anything goes wrong in the slums I'll activate it and you can find us on that frequency.  Right!  Good luck in the Clinic."

After the others left Suria examined Ghost seriously, but her face doesn't betray whatever she might be thinking about the creepy disfigured soldier she has been left with or his request for some hooch.  "Ok Ghost.  I want to grab a couple of things too before we head into Freak Alley.  Flashlights for one thing... who knows if power will be up again yet?  Maybe some food or medicine to get people talking.  And as much as I trust a 9mm in a pinch, I'd rather have something non-lethal as a deterrent while we are dealing the homeless down there.  Let's see what we can find."  Her voice was pleasant and soothing with a mild Australian accent. 

From HQ:
Fiberweave Jumpsuit
L-K Defender 9mm
Extra 9mm Clip

Purchases:
Orgotek Electric Eel Taser, Cost OO
Flashlight, Cost O
2 Glup packs (Core p 275), Cost O each
1 Bottle of Cure Alls, (Core p 276) Cost O
1 Pack of ant-pads, (Core p 276) Cost O
Then whatever Ghost wanted - a nicer armor, and some liquor.

After making the rounds, the mismatched duo set out for Freak Alley.  One a small, attractive woman of Indian descent- non-threatening other than the taser at her side and the tell-tale bulge of the 9mm under her jacket for those with sharper eyes, while the other was tall, disfigured and... unsettling to say the least.  Once she was reasonably sure they were in the right area, Suria slowed down and started looking for one of the little tunnel rat kids or an adult who might be approachable enough to deal with.


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## stonegod (Sep 28, 2008)

The big man doesn't say much, just keeps his eyes pealed. When they found a market—black, grey, or otherwise—Ghost was interested in finding some clothes with a bit stronger plating. Perhaps one of his buddies would know where to look. But the main thing he ask for: Glass (or similar) bottles of liquor. Strong liquor.

The stuff that _burns_.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 29, 2008)

*Freak Alley*

_OOC : the purchases are good, all of it legal for your characters and you are already near a commercial sector so it doesn't take much time.

Ithuriel's Savvy check (1d10=9, 1d10=1, 1d10=8, 1d10=6) 2 successes. Lucky roll, it's just what you needed.  Would have liked to see the alternative methods to elicit cooperation if this had failed.   _ 

---

The locals were wary of strangers.  Especially strangers asking question.  But Suria disarmed the paranoia of a mangy underground urchin with kind words and a bit of spared change.  He led the agents deeper in the labyrinth, chatting in a carefree manner.  

-"Don't hold it against the mole people.  There has been a lot of missing people around here so they are cautious.  Me, I try not to think too much about it.  Not much I can do about it, right?  Plus, it's good for business, sort of.  I'm turning almost into a tour guide!  You guys are the third group I help, the second to go to freak alley.  The other were reporters.  Are you reporters?  Nah, you have no cameras.  Oh, here were are.  Well, not much to see, eh?  It's just a collapsed tunnel from where we stand.   There are a few people around who witnessed the whole thing, though.  That's what you are looking for, right?  They all migrate back sooner or later.  We are like a village here and people from the same warren are like family.  Ah, here is one.  Mac!  Hey Mac!  Man, I hadn't seen you since the collapse.  Jenny said you made it out but I was starting to wonder."

The urchin was adressing a man in his late thirties who had a friendly face but confused eyes.  Too much intoxicants, probably.

-"Huh, ho, hey Jimmy.  How are you doin'?  Me, I was at the clinic.  I was pretty banged up.  Just got back.  Who are your friends?"

-"What?  When did you go to the clinic?  You weren't there on the day of the crash 'cause I was there checking on all the firends."

-"Oh... I went sometime later.  Not sure.  Like three days ago or something." he said confusedly.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 29, 2008)

*Beaulac Clinic*



hafrogman said:


> He wandered off as if bored, but steered himself towards the janitor.
> 
> "Odd business isn't it?"




The janitor almost jumped, startled to be suddenly addressed.

-"I wouldn't know anything about that sir.  I'm just a janitor."

Carlos tried to get more out of him but the man clammed down until suddenly the door to the morgue opens.  The Janitor looks on in relief as a tall man with distinguished gray hair and piercing blue eyes walked into the room.  He looked sternly at Charles.

-"Doctor Joseph, I know you people barely bother openening a book but it's no reason to ignore procedure altogether."

-"But... Dr Grabowski, these are Trinity agents.  I mean, I thought, what's the harm?"

-"That's why you are working the wards and I'm in charge.  This is a sensitive matter, the Luna Police Department is taking care of it and you can't have anyone examining the body of an ongoing investigation without one of their officer present.  It could contaminate the procedures.  This is over.  Get the body back on ice and everyone gets out of here."

Remembering their briefing, the agents knew that this must Dr Jerzy Grabowski, the head of the Beaulac Clinic.  His file indicated he was a powerful psion of Polish origin, one of the first triggered by proxy Zweidler.  He also obviously had  a mean temper.


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## Ithuriel (Sep 29, 2008)

"Perfect Jimmy, you read my mind."  Suria pulled out one of the glup packs and offered it to their guide.  "This is for you, if you'll stay with us a little longer and point out who we can talk with.  It's a glup pack.  If you ever find yourself hungry down here, you just pop it like an oyster and it will produce enough nutritional paste to take care of two people for three weeks.  Good for a year.  It might not be the tastiest, but it will get you by if you need it."

When Jimmy pointed out Mac, Suria quirked one eyebrow expressing her skepticism of the value of this contact to Ghost.  Then she greeted Mac warmly, "Banged up?  But the collapse was like ... 20 days ago.  Why wait more than two weeks to seek free medical care?  Would you like to get a drink or something to eat Mac?  I'm buying.  My associate and I are Trinity agents looking in to the collapse.  Trinity takes any mention of possible Aberrant activity very seriously and some members of your community were claiming their involvement in various interviews.  Unlikely, still- a structural collapse from an electrical surge is also unlikely isn't it?"

Rapport to determine if he is on drugs considering he just got back from the Clinic.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Sep 30, 2008)

*Freak Alley*

[sblock=OOC]_Suria's rapport check (1d10=8, 1d10=7, 1d10=3, 1d10=2, 1d10=8, 1d10=6) 3 success_[/sblock]

Whether the man was on drug or not was for a doctor to determine, but he was definitely very confused and judging by Jimmy's reaction, Mac wasn't being is usual self.   

-''Huh, yeah.  It was more than three days ago, I guess.  Doesn't matter.''

He perked up at the mention of food but his mood quickly dampened as he was asked question about the collapse. 

-''I...  I don't really remember anything.  It's post traumatism stress, the doctor said.''


[sblock=OOC]
Ghost's awareness check (1d10=10, 1d10=1, 1d10=5, 1d10=3)  1 success
Suria's awareness roll (1d10=2, 1d10=6, 1d10=9, 1d10=9, 1d10=5)  2 success

The difficulty was 1 with a +2 for Suria (It's a purely visual cue and the person focusing on Mac is unlikely to see anything else)

Ghost noticed a lone figure in a nearby connecting tunnel, roughly 20 meter away.  He was in the shadows and at first Ghost was worried that he may be spying on them.  He seemed to have been focusing on the agents though it was hard to be sure in the circumstances.  When Suria stated they were Trinity, he suddenly left in the nearby tunnel at a brisk pace.

If Ghost feels like catching up to this shadowy figure, he pretty much needs to start sprinting right now.  The man has too much lead and was moving too fast for anything more subtle.  Otherwise, just make a note of it.[/sblock]


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## Ithuriel (Sep 30, 2008)

"Don't worry about it Mac.  We'll sit down and have a bite to eat.  Once you relax a little and think about it maybe something will come back to you.  If not, no harm done.  Okay?"

Suria smiled reassuringly, oblivious to the watcher in the alley and focused on Mac for a moment trying to put her finger on what was wrong with him mentally.

Mal:[sblock]Spot Brainwashing
Psychbending o (Willfinder) + Empathy o (Sense Emotion)
Sense behavioral shifts whether psionicly or conventionally (drugs, torture, hypnosis) triggered.  By including Empathy I can sense what the mental alteration was by determining which reactions are most out of character.

Level 1 Effect = Normal difficulty
Spot Brainwashing (1d10=4, 1d10=8, 1d10=10, 1d10=7, 1d10=8) = 4 Succ

All Relevant parameters start at 1 (Level 1 effect) and extra successes will be used to bump them.

Target: O (One subject) 
Duration: O (Three turns)
Precision: O (Target in view)
Sensory: OOOO (Beyond standard detail, includes subjective or abstract data)

Because I don't need any successes beyond what I got on the roll, I think I can use this power without spending any Psi.  At least I can't find anything that says I need to spend a Psi to activate anything.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.  First time using the freeform system.
[/sblock]


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## hafrogman (Sep 30, 2008)

Carlos cast his eyes over the Janitor one last time, making sure to remember his face, and checking for a nametag in case they need to track him down later.

Then he turned his attention to the new arrival.

"Dr. Grabowski, nice to meet you.  My name is Carlos Ribera, and as your colleague pointed out, we are here as part of an independant Trinity investigation.  I'm apologize for the breach in protocol, but I see no reason for us to not be able to work together.  If we place a call to the Luna Police, I'm sure they will be cooperative, and send one of their officers over to observe."


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## stonegod (Oct 1, 2008)

Ghost grunted lowly to Suria, Bein' watched and then started to hustle after the figure. Those that did not naturally get out of his way were pushed with varying level of force or jumped over.


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## kookalouris (Oct 1, 2008)

Rapt in the study of the cadaver, McKnight didn't notice the new visitor at first.  His thoughts were simply spoken aloud without regard as to far the words would carry.

-"The missing muscles are some of the most powerful muscles in the human body.  But muscles act in entire _groups_, not alone.  And the skeletal structure has to be just as capable to support such power.  If the missing muscles were some kind of bioware, it could only have been for _study_, not application..."

With the sudden approach of Grabowski, Pat suddenly trailed off and bowed out of respect to the newcomer.

Post-related OOC:
[sblock]
While Pat is a student of 22nd-Century medicine and someone considers anatomical differences a fashion choice, his player can barely put on a Band-Aid.  So, team, if I am wrong in Pat's assumptions, _freely _edit my post  into correctness or oblivion.
[/sblock]


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## Velmont (Oct 2, 2008)

Kerry nods at Pat statement and adds nothing as Dr Grawboski enters. "I'm pleased to meet you, Dr. Grabowsky. We are sorry if we have broken any formal procedure that we wern't aware of."


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 2, 2008)

*Beaulac Clinic*



hafrogman said:


> "Dr. Grabowski, nice to meet you.  My name is Carlos Ribera, and as your colleague pointed out, we are here as part of an independant Trinity investigation.  I'm apologize for the breach in protocol, but I see no reason for us to not be able to work together.  If we place a call to the Luna Police, I'm sure they will be cooperative, and send one of their officers over to observe."




-''Then maybe you should have placed that call _before_ showing up.'' he shot back haughtily.  ''Now, please vacate the premises immediately.''

The doctor was technically in his right, though he was being very uncooperative and rude.  The embarassed silence of Charles Joseph underscored that evidence.  Still, the dismissal was unmistakable and should the agents defy his demands, he would then be within his right to call for security or even the police.  Yet there was little doubt that the temptation to dig deeper had just sky rocketed.  What would they do?

[sblock=Kookalouris]There are some good insight in your short post; Bioware replacement muscle typically can't be (much) stronger than natural one because it unbalances the body.  A super strong bicep exerting inhumane power runs the risk of breaking the bones it's attached to, for example.  So if the bioware muscle did something special, it probably wasn't increasing physical power.

Also, the notion that this might have been a a study, or to be more scientific, a _test_ of some sort strikes a cord with Pat.  He feels he is on to something with that line of thought.[/sblock]


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 2, 2008)

Ithuriel said:


> "Don't worry about it Mac.  We'll sit down and have a bite to eat.  Once you relax a little and think about it maybe something will come back to you.  If not, no harm done.  Okay?"
> 
> Suria smiled reassuringly, oblivious to the watcher in the alley and focused on Mac for a moment trying to put her finger on what was wrong with him mentally.
> 
> ...




[sblock=Ithuriel]His mind has definetely been tempered with though you are equally certain that telepathy wasn't involved.  You can't be sure exactly what means was used, though drugs and hypnosis are the most common altermative.

His behaviour hasn't been _directly_ tempered with as far as you can tell.  There is no secret 'Manchurian Candidate' type of brainwashing going on and his behaviour has only been modified in the sense that he is confused and has difficulty focusing.  Therefore you can guess by elimination that it's just a spillover from having some of his memory erased.  Whenever you attempt such a feat by means other than telepathy, you are bound to make a bit of a mess instead of a surgical removal.  

To get more details, a use of Mindshare 3 would be needed to be used to go pilfering in his brain and get a better picture of what seemed to be missing or perhaps even recover some mangled data than he is no longer able to readily recall.  

BTW : I accept boosting modes as per the PG though I double the penalty (+2difficulty instead of +1 by level boosted) and require the expenditure of 1 point of willpower every time it's done.  In my experience during my live campaign, just bumping difficulty by +1 was so cheap that just about everyone routinely used it.  

Since spending a Psi point gives 2 success, 1 time out of 2 it made little difference anyway in your management of Psi so you could as well have considered a psion with one mode at 3 as having all modes at 3 for all intent and purpose since it was so easy to boost the other modes at will.[/sblock]


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 2, 2008)

*Freak Alley*

[sblock=Ghost]All right, I started with the intent of posting the skill challenge between Ghost and the fleeing suspect, but it soon got ridiculous.  I'm talking a bucket load of dice and links.  The rolls are there somehwere on invisible castle and the result is that Ghost rolled poorly in the athletic phase of the chase.  The suspect initially increased his lead and awareness roll were made not to lose him.  Still in the end Ghost would have lost the suspect if I hadn't made him spend a willpower point for one automatic success at a crucial point.  Then after 4 atheltic check I switched to endurance and he eventually caught up with the suspect as his edge over him increased dramatically.

So Ghost, chalk up a temporary willpower point.

Now I should post a storytelling version of the pursuit, and I will!  But not tonight.  I'm tired.  tomorrow.

Suffice it to say that it ended with Ghost having cornered a mean looking yet frightened thug in a dark alley.  He is armed.  Will he go for his gun fight or plead for his life?  

Ghost can take a penalty on initiative to attempt a non-combat option or simply go on the offense.  Your call.[/sblock]


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## Ithuriel (Oct 2, 2008)

When Ghost broke into a run, Suria's hand strayed to her taser.  Her frown looked troubled, but she didn't pursue.  "Hmm. Well, I'm going to have to wait for my partner to make it back before I can make good on my offer Mac, but we'll be on our way in a few minutes I'm sure."  Addressing Jimmy and Mac she asked,  "How are the other survivors doing after the crash?"

[sblock]Digging through Mac's mind - Mindshare 3 (1d10=10, 1d10=3, 1d10=6, 1d10=8, 1d10=5) = 2 succ
 
L 3 effect with 1 Mode Boosted = +4 difficulty, parameters start at OO
PSI spent: 2 (1 point to match the +4 diff, and 1 point to use on the effect)
WP spent: 1 (to enable the attempt)

Target: OO (Two subjects) 
Duration: OO (10 minutes)
Precision: O (Target in view)
Sensory: OOOO (Beyond standard detail, includes subjective or abstract info)

Long as I can hit 2 subjects I'll make a scan of Jimmy too. 

With Mac - Digging for info about the collapse and who drugged him or whatever.
With Jimmy - Digging for any better leads and for visual images of the other investigators who hired him.[/sblock]


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## hafrogman (Oct 2, 2008)

[sblock=ooc]Is Dr. Grabowski the be all and end all of this clinic?  Does he have any superiors (that Carlos might know of), or is it just him on the Moon?[/sblock]


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## stonegod (Oct 2, 2008)

The big man loomed over their shadow. His hands were not on his weapons, but when he stood to his full height, the shear _wrongness_ of his appearance was clear as day. He looked dispassionate, his voice was cool, almost casual. You best be talk'n now. It'd be less hurt for both of us.[sblock=OOC]Ghost will try a social approach, using Intimidate (remember, his Appearance is treated as 5 dots when Intimidating from his Flaw).[/sblock]


----------



## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 3, 2008)

*Somewhere in Freak Alley*

Ghost bolted after the mysterious figures.  Noticing the chase, he accelerated and almost lost the legionnaire in a maze of concrete tunnels.  The fleeing man initially outpaced the larger man but Ghost dug deep and managed to maintain his target his sight, if barely.  As muscle fatigue set in, the sprint turned into a contest of endurance and the well trained legionnaire finnally started to grind down the lead of his prey.  Well over a mile later, the chase concluded as Ghost cornered the man as he fumbled in a dead end and had no time to get out.

The fleeing man looked like a local toughs, maybe a gang member though he was pushing thirty and was getting a bit old for the game.  He stared at the approcahing legionnaire.  His eyes were wide, panicked and his left hand was inching toward a suspicous bulge in the pocket of his coat.

The big man loomed over their shadows. His hands were not on his weapons, but when he stood to his full height, the shear wrongness of his appearance was clear as day. He looked dispassionate, his voice was cool, almost casual. 

-''You best be talk'n now.  It'd be less hurt for both of us.''


[sblock=OOC]
Ghost, Intimidate (1d10=4, 1d10=9, 1d10=4, 1d10=8, 1d10=5, 1d10=6, 1d10=2, 1d10=6) 
2 successes

Goon, Willpower (1d10=3, 1d10=4, 1d10=9, 1d10=3) 
1 success

Ghost wins by a margin of one.   The opponents isn't broken but is willing to talk his way out of it instead of drawing his weapon.  He doesn't actually surrender, though.
[/sblock]

-''All right, all right, no need for spillin' blood.  I was just keepin' an eye on you.  No harm's done.''

-''Why?'' growled the legionnaire.

-''Paid to.  Well, not to keep an eye on you.  On them.  The mole people.''

-''Don't make me pull answers from you the hard way.  Spill everything.''    

-''Look, I've been hired by a guy named Mauser, a fixer from the Pit.  Me and a few buddies have been hired to track down some of the mole people from freak alley.  We were hired last week, maybe a week after the collapse.  We have a list with names, descriptions and sometime photos.  Not all of these guys have made it out of the warren in their lifetime so some are real ciphers known only to their buddies.  I don't know who made the list.  Here, take it.''

The thug gave a few short orders to his beat up, last gen minicomp and it sent a signal to Ghost's.  He accepted the upload.

-''What did you do with the guys you found?''

-''We had to snatch them up.  Unharmed, I swear!  Then we had to drop em' off at the emergency ward at the Beaulac clinic.  Yeah, that's wacky, but the pay is good.  Look, I told you everything I know, now let me go!'' 

[sblock=OOC]At this point the goon expect you'll let him go.  

He'll fight if you try to bring him in.  You may either let him go, roll initiative and fight or try another intimidation attempt to force surrender.  This time you'll need to beat him by two success to force outright surrender and if you fail you'll forfeit initiative and act second in the combat round.

Later, when you check out the list, you see that it contains six names, four are marked as having been 'done' and one happens to be Mac.[/sblock]


----------



## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 3, 2008)

Ithuriel said:


> When Ghost broke into a run, Suria's hand strayed to her taser.  Her frown looked troubled, but she didn't pursue.  "Hmm. Well, I'm going to have to wait for my partner to make it back before I can make good on my offer Mac, but we'll be on our way in a few minutes I'm sure."  Addressing Jimmy and Mac she asked,  "How are the other survivors doing after the crash?"
> 
> [sblock]Digging through Mac's mind - Mindshare 3 (1d10=10, 1d10=3, 1d10=6, 1d10=8, 1d10=5) = 2 succ
> 
> ...




[sblock=OOC]Actually, +4 difficulty means 5 success (Standard difficulty is 1 success, diff +1 means 2 etc.).  As a shorthand, remember that you need as many success as the level you are going for (in this case 3) plus modifier (in this case +2) so you end up needing 5 success.

That leaves one bonus dot for a sensory 3 results.

From Jimmy you easily lift the requested information; Marcus Denver.  Actually, Jimmy only knew him as Mark, but you recognized him from his thoughts. 

Contacts + Wits (1d10=8, 1d10=3, 1d10=1, 1d10=4, 1d10=4) 

That guy is a local freelance investigative journalist.  You read a few pieces by him.  Good guy.  You could get the number to reach him with just a few calls.  You also see that Mark got lucky and nailed an interview with a witness during his tour.  He took him apart to protect his scoop but he talked to him for about an hour so he must have had a lot to tell.  You don't remember any extended interview with a survivor from Freak Alley surfacing in the media, though.  

Mac's mind is harder to delve in.  You look for information about the day Freak Alley collapsed and recent events but it's like looking in a muddied pond to see what is at the bottom.  You extract almost nothing of value except for two images; a flash of energy in a huge cavern that you guess was the warren.  Looks like some kind of blast coming through the wall, from the outside toward the inside.  The other is a fuzzy image of a man in white.  Hard to tell but the obvious guess is a doctor of some kind.
[/sblock]

-''Yeah.  Were' doing okay.  I mean, as good as expected.  It's like a bad dream really.  I don't remember much.''  said Mac.


----------



## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 3, 2008)

hafrogman said:


> [sblock=ooc]Is Dr. Grabowski the be all and end all of this clinic?  Does he have any superiors (that Carlos might know of), or is it just him on the Moon?[/sblock]




[sblock=OOC]
I also posted this in the OOC thread.  I'd like to keep background information request in the other thread though, please.

---

He's the head honcho at the clinic and there is no higher ranking doctor on Luna, or for that matter off-earth. His direct superior is Dr Gemma Fiosi, director of the clinic network, who in turn answers only to Proxy Zweidler himself. They are both working from the HQ at Montressor, Switzerland. All of this is common knowledge for anyone familiar with the orders and is otherwise available on your minicomp with a simple research; we're talking big shots here. 

Grabowski's file indicate that he was a close friend of Zweidler in the early days of the order though they must not be as close at they used to considering his current location. His current post is very prestigious, but Zweidler's inner-circle is at the HQ, obviously enough.[/sblock]


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## stonegod (Oct 3, 2008)

Ghost grunted as he looked over the list. He looked up, his pale eyes focused on the goon. But he did not let him go yet.

Well now. You and your boys may not know it, but you work for me now. Y'all find any more of these folks, y'all be ringing me up. No touch'n or fuss'n w'em, just ring me. I pay you double. And, if I find out you be playing both sides—gett'n me some, gett'n that other guy some of these—well, it'd be damn shame. A damn shame.[sblock=OOC]Assuming they weren't being paid *that* much, I'm going to assume my Resources should be able to handle it. If Ghost feels he needs to, he'll try to drive that last point home w/ Intimidate.[/sblock]


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## hafrogman (Oct 3, 2008)

Carlos's eyes narrow and the friendly smile fades from his lips as he is met by the doctor's stubborn . . . or guilty insistence on protocol.  He spares the doctor a searching glance, keeping eye contact longer than is comfortable before forcing the words out of his mouth.

"Very well.  Since you insist."

Unless his companions have any tricks up their sleeves, he will allow them to be escorted from the premises.  His immediate inclination being to seek out the Luna PD as soon as possible in the hopes of returning before whatever (if anything) the Dr. doesn't want them to see can be removed.


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## kookalouris (Oct 6, 2008)

Pat nodded and followed his team out, all the time watching Grabowski for as long as he could...

Post-related OOC
[sblock]
Please don't be dismayed by the shortness of this post.  In this case, Pat's teammates are doing some good work and Pat is learning a lot from the mysterious Dr. Grabowski's demeanor.  Besides, a united front should be put by the Trinity team.  If some kind of experimentation on the cadaver has been inferred by Pat, then that should be screamingly obvious to the good Doctor, and Grabowski's expected but strangely absent interest is very telling...
[/sblock]


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## Velmont (Oct 7, 2008)

Kerry decides to not add a word for now and follow teh others. Thinking twice, Grawbosky might be behind the dissapearing of the mucle and doens't want him to think his secret might be in danger.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 7, 2008)

stonegod said:


> Ghost grunted as he looked over the list. He looked up, his pale eyes focused on the goon. But he did not let him go yet.
> 
> Well now. You and your boys may not know it, but you work for me now. Y'all find any more of these folks, y'all be ringing me up. No touch'n or fuss'n w'em, just ring me. I pay you double. And, if I find out you be playing both sides—gett'n me some, gett'n that other guy some of these—well, it'd be damn shame. A damn shame.[sblock=OOC]Assuming they weren't being paid *that* much, I'm going to assume my Resources should be able to handle it. If Ghost feels he needs to, he'll try to drive that last point home w/ Intimidate.[/sblock]




[sblock]That's pretty clever, trying to turn the thug.  If you pull this off, I give you back your spent willpower.

And let's roooolllll the dice;

Intimidate (1d10=8, 1d10=9, 1d10=7, 1d10=2, 1d10=10, 1d10=6, 1d10=2 4 success

That's Ressource+Intimidate

Willpower (1d10=7, 1d10=6, 1d10=2, 1d10=5) 1 success

[/sblock]

The thug hesitates, then nods tentatively.

-''All right mate, I will if you make it worth my while.  I'll play it straight, I swear.''


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## stonegod (Oct 7, 2008)

Mal Malenkirk said:


> The thug hesitates, then nods tentatively.
> 
> -''All right mate, I will if you make it worth my while.  I'll play it straight, I swear.''



Ghost grimaced, which was what probably passed for a smile for him. He exchanged the data need for contact later. See. Knew you'd see it the right way.

Letting the guy go, the big man made his way back the way he came.


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## Shayuri (Oct 8, 2008)

As the team neared the door, a young woman with orange hair and a pretty, if harried-looking, face jogged up behind them and tried to wedge through the door at the same time. Curiously, for someone in such a rush, once outside she stopped and looked around, fretting all the while.

_The life of an intern was defined by stress. Even for a vitakinetic, who's future was virtually assured, the pressure to compete and to win the respect of those above (basically everyone) was unrelenting. Keeping tabs on one's progress in that regard was vital. Rochelle McKendrick had known the minute she made the first incision that this autopsy was a coup...one that could win nods from the Order, from the police, from all sorts of important people. Even better, it was a mystery. Her favorite. It had taken a little pleading, and a smuggled beer for the records clerk who had an inflated sense of personal power, but fortunately thought she was cute, but Roach got to see the paper original. The very report she'd filed, not an electronic reproduction or hardcopy. This was all-important, because doctors would often scribe notes, especially on the work of interns. She'd gain a few points if she could recite his opinions back at him when the time came to review. So she quickly skimmed her unusual, rather daringly speculative autopsy report, and there at the bottom was the scrawl of the physician... Her face paled as she read it._

As the team emerged, the woman turned to face them. She looked scared and conflicted and vulnerable in her intern's scrubs. "You guys are Trinity, right? Not from Luna or any of the Orders?"


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## hafrogman (Oct 9, 2008)

Carlos gives the young lady a curious look.  Still, if there was anyone willing to talk to them after Dr. Grabowski's little display of beaurocracy, it might be worth it to listen.  He flashes his Trinity ID at her question.

"That is correct.  My name is Carlos Ribera, my colleagues and I are with Trinity.  Did you have something you wanted to talk to us about?"


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## kookalouris (Oct 9, 2008)

Reluctant to interrupt Carlos but seeing possible apprehension 
in the woman's eyes, Pat quietly added,

"We can talk elsewhere if you want, confidentially if needed..."


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## Shayuri (Oct 9, 2008)

Rochelle glances between Carlos and Pat, trying to talk but with the words sticking in her throat. This would be a point of no return for her. It could very well change everything...and not for the better. But the implications of not acting would invalidate everything she believed in.

"It...I..." she stammers, "I heard that you were here...asking questions about an autopsy that was done."

And it had been pure coincidence that she'd heard in time. She'd been wandering, shellshocked, through the cafeteria and had overheard a pair of nurses chatting with fearful excitement about 'the Trinity people.' And she'd known then what she had to do.

"We need to talk," the intern confirms in a rush, and looks around. "But not here. Let me go ahead, and then follow me."

She nods, then turns and hurries away. The lame spy antics color her lightly freckled cheeks bright red...who did she think she was?...but she didn't want people in the clinic who might be watching to think there'd been more than casual contact with the team. At least not yet.

Rochelle heads to a corner cafe not far away and takes a seat at one of the outdoor tables with as few neighbors as possible. When the rest of the team catches up she puts an envelope on the smooth plastic of the table surface.

"This is a photocopy of the original autopsy report. It's not the original, but it hasn't been altered. I..." she shakes her head. "I shouldn't say anything yet. Just look at it, and I'll answer whatever I can."


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## Velmont (Oct 10, 2008)

Kerry grabs the photocpy and starts to read it. "Nothing we havn't found. We could have wrote that autopsie with our conclusion... but that handwrited note confirm my doubt. Good thing I didn't spoke to Grabowsky." He hands the photocopy to his teammate. "You see, the man have been killed by a violent biofeedback. I can assure you that guy is no abberant, I didn't saw any trace of taint in him. But that corpse had no bioware. He was missing some muscles too. The only known bioware that can replace muscle are made to help hadicaped people. Those bioware are not strong enough to cause such biofeedback. It needs to be a more powerfull device. 

I think our friends of Beaulac clinic knows exactly what replaced the mucles of our John Doe. That's why Grabowsky was so angry. He didn't want Trinity to find out. Grabowsky and Mangels, the one who has make teh note, are both known for there papers on the taint. I think our friends have made some research on the taint even if the scientific community doesn't like that idea. I wouldn't be surprised our John Doe was a subject with abberant bioware and as the guy died, our friends of Beaulac clinic have removed the bioware. That would also explain the clean removal of those muscles.

What do you think about that theory?"


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## Shayuri (Oct 10, 2008)

Rochelle gulps and stares wall-eyed at Kerry as she tries to keep up with him.

"Uh...so...you're saying you think this John Doe was a handicapped person, who had been fitted with some kind of experimental bioware to correct his condition, which killed him...and then it was removed surgically before his body was found?"

She considers that, forcing her nervous stomach to remain still, even though her mind and body both rebelled against the implications.

"It's...possible. But...the people doing the experiments would have to know that it was fatal. Non-psychics have strict limits on the bioware they can safely use. Exceeding that, especially with something invasive...well..." She waves at the autopsy. "Which means we're not just talking about covering up accidental deaths, but actual...murders. I don't know if..."

Rochelle shakes her head. "We're talking about a man who was trained by the _proxy_," she says in a strained near-whisper. "It's insane."

She takes a deep breath, then adds as an afterthought, "And I don't know what you mean by 'aberrant bioware.' Aberrants don't use bioware, they don't need to. Their 'natural'," she makes little scare marks with her fingers at that, "abilities make technology pointless for them."


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## Ithuriel (Oct 10, 2008)

Suria chatted amiably with Jimmy and Mac for some time while rummaging through their minds before she started to worry about Ghost.  "What has he gotten himself into?  Mac, it looks like I'm going to have to pass on lunch." 
 She pulled a pocketbook from an interior jacket pocket and drew out a 10 Lunar Yuan note.  "Get yourself something to eat, and take care alright?  You are a lucky bastard to live through the collapse.  I'm sure you'll be back on your feet again soon."

Suria put her pocketbook away and winked at Jimmy, "You still with me kid?  Let's go save my hideous bastard of a partner."  So saying she drew her taser and headed for the alley Ghost had run down.


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## Velmont (Oct 11, 2008)

"No, that's what Mangels and Grabowsky want us to think. What they have done, it is to take a person, gives him new experimentals bioware based on the abberant knowledge... yes, tainted bioware, and experiment on John Doe. As he died, they removed the experimental bioware before someone else find teh truth behind him. Tha would explain the abnormal trauma, the surgical removal of the muscle, the note on the note on the autopsy report and the behavior of Grabowsky."


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 11, 2008)

Suria met up with Ghost as he was on his way back from the chase.  They brought each other up to speed. 

Suria made a few call and got ahold of Marcus Denver, the colleague that she knew had been the previous customer of Jimmy after extracting that info from his mind.

Marcus was very cooperative and forwarded suria a copy of the paper he wrote after interviewing a witness.  It had been canned due to the content sounding too much like a tabloid abominable snowman story for a serious news outlet.

After this, the duo moves back topside and meet up with their coleague who are congressing with a clinic intern in a cafe next to the clinic.

[sblock=OOC]I anticipated Suria's call to Marcus for speed purpose.  I also expeditated the regrouping of teh team for the same reason.  It's time to tackle a new angle.

PS the link seems to have a problem with showing the image online but you can still download it.[/sblock]


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## Shayuri (Oct 11, 2008)

Rochelle watches Kerry skeptically, and says, "I don't know...for one thing, the body was found still in the process of decompressing, which means it couldn't have been there for very long. And for another, if the subject was using bioware that somehow used aberrant tissue, wouldn't there have been taint in him? Bioware implants are pretty intimately tied into the host. And...all that dodges the real question which is where would they get aberrant tissue to make this stuff from in the first place?"

"Do you have proof that this is aberrant-based technolo..."

She breaks off when the others arrive, introduces herself shyly, and is silent as she reads the new information.


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## stonegod (Oct 12, 2008)

Ghost told Suria about the ruffian and their scam. Somone be hid'n this. Mauser, in the Pit. Tak'n 'em to thar clinic. That messed up one came from thar after they dropped im off. Bet Clinic hired them to be messed with. Don't like it.

He grunted sourly after seeing the news report. Figgures. Them Docs be messen with sommin bad.

When they joined the others, Ghost's eyes narrowed the new Doc. After being vouched for, the big guy let Suria fill them in about what they found. Your friends be doing sommin they not supposed ta. Dirty business. Bet droppin the corpse at Cantor was for cover'n it up.


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## Velmont (Oct 12, 2008)

Kerry looks at the paper Suria and Ghost gives them. "Proof? 

1. We had a doctor walking around in Freaky Alley that had swelling muscles on the legs and arms. 

2. We have a John Doe with missing muscle in the legs and arms. The muscle have been so clean cut that it must have been done by a Vitakinesis. 

3. That guy died of a violent biofeedback that no known technology could possibly do something that is near that shock. It need to be a new kind of technology, like maybe abberant bioware. 

4. We have a clinic full of Vitakinetics, and some head of that clinic have written papers on the taint.

I might be wrong, but the piece of the puzzle are fitting too well. But we still missing some. We might find some in Cantor or in Beaulac, but I don't think Grabowsky will willingly help us. And there is still some missing people that doesn't fit in that picture. It might be unrelated, but Is tart to disblief any coicidence.

Rochelle, is there any of you doctor in vacation or missing? I wouldn't be surprised Grabowsky took one member of his team to experimente with tainted bioware. He need someone willing and be ready to keep the secret of such experimente.

And for the taint spreading to the remaining of the body..."

[SBLOCK=OOC]I want to know if Kerry has enough knowledge to know if the taint would srpead from a tainted bioware to an healthy body, or that's something out of his fields of knowledge.[/SBLOCK]


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## Shayuri (Oct 12, 2008)

"Look, no, I agree that there's something going on," Rochelle quickly notes, interrupting Kerry.

"I just don't see that this experimental bioware -has- to be tainted or based on aberrant tissue. It might be...I'm not saying it can't be..."

She sighs. "What am I saying, you guys are the investigators here..." With a guilty smile she puts the interview report down and shrugs. "Sorry. I get kind of...involved...but you know what you're doing. Um..."

"I can't think of anyone I know who's missing or on vacation, but I'm just an intern. It's not like I know all the doctors or even most of them. And they don't tell me their schedules, generally, even if I do. Hell, I mean, the only reason I even did the autopsy was because..."

Rochelle pauses and frowns.

"...the usual doctor wasn't in."


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 12, 2008)

Velmont said:


> [SBLOCK=OOC]I want to know if Kerry has enough knowledge to know if the taint would srpead from a tainted bioware to an healthy body, or that's something out of his fields of knowledge.[/SBLOCK]




[sblock=ooc]The body wasn't tainted.  If his bioware had been, he would have been too.  

The fact that both Mangels and Grabowski have conducted studies related to the taint is indeed weird but at this point there is nothing to indicate that the removed bioware was tainted and that abberrant were involved (beyond the attack on Cantor).[/sblock]


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## kookalouris (Oct 13, 2008)

Pat had been listening quietly, his teammates comments were insightful and well thought-out.  The poor vitakinetic they had drug along was no slouch herself.  He looked around suspiciously and whispered at a break in the conversation.

"What worries me is the _arrogance_ of what we have seen.  There are probably enough violations of experimental protocols on humans to close the clinic down or at least have it investigated.  But there's no _real_ effort to conceal any of it.  This means we are either dealing with fools or people with the power to simply do as they wish."

"And I don't believe we are dealing with fools..."


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## Velmont (Oct 13, 2008)

"Ok, maybe the bioware that had been removed wasn't tainted. You are right to say teh taint would have likely corrupted the body, but they might had found a way to contain it to the bioware... there is too many coicidence, and that much is too unlikely. Even if the bioware that ahd been removed wasn't tainted, they were experiemental. No known bioware could have created such feedback."

Kerry think a moment. "Grabowsky know that Trinity is investigating on case that can touch him. If we want to return to the clinic, we need to do it before he decide to react and eliminate some trace we could find... if the theory of his implication is true."


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## Shayuri (Oct 14, 2008)

"The problem with the clinic...well, there's several," Rochelle says. "For one, we don't have any real proof incriminating anyone, which means we can't expect any official support. And we really have no idea what we'd be looking for in the clinic. It was pure luck I found this before it was fixed."

She taps the interview. "But we have another lead here. The guy this reporter was interviewing talked about where the 'doctor' came out. Maybe we can find some physical evidence around there that will help us figure out what to..."

Abruptly Rochelle buried her face in her hands, blushing.

"God, I must sound like an idiot, talking like I'm on your team. I'm so sorry."

She looks up, redfaced. "Is there any more I can do to help?"


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## Ithuriel (Oct 14, 2008)

Suria listened quietly as the pieces came together.  When Pat stated that the Aesculapians weren't making an effort to cover their tracks, she interjected, "That's not exactly true.  You get used to dealing with a higher degree of skill after a few jobs with Triton Divivision... corporate malfeasance, governmental coverups, but the clinic heads appear to be doing what they can.  They just aren't quite the professionals we are used to dealing with."  

"We have Mister Implants on the scene of the Cantor attack- killed there, but with implants excised before the strike teams arrived.  Who excised them in the field?  With access to personnel files we could perhaps see which Beaulac surgeons or psions were working in the field during the hours of the attack, but just as likely those files have been falsified."

We have the autopsy report, which ostensibly should be buried.  We only have this much proof because of the timely intervention of a one of their interns.  We are lucky that she still remembers the autopsy at all considering what I found in Freak Alley.

You might recall from the files that Beaulac Clinic was offering free care to any Alley residents after the collapse whether they were injured in the collapse or not.  I managed to speak with one of those who was recently treated under that offer and took a minute to see what he remembered from the collapse."  She shook her head, "Not much.  I can't be sure what they used, but I'd guess drugs considering.  It can be done, but without the precision of telepathy.  Rather than remove exactly what you want as a telepath might, drugs just stomp the whole area leaving it hazy and indisinct- and unfortunately for Mac it also leaves its victim stumbling through life like a drugged zombie for some time.  Lucky they hadn't identified you as a threat yet Rochelle."  

"Still- I managed to see a couple of things.  It looked like the blast that caused the collapse came _through_ a wall- from the outside blasting in. So we have something blasting through the wall into a homeless warren causing massive death and prompting a cover up by the clinic which happens to be located directly above the incident. Test run or escaped subject?" 

Other than that I saw a glimpse of Mac with one of the docs.  Not clear enough to get an idea though.  Mostly I just recognized the labcoat."

When Rochelle mentioned the reporter who interviewed a resident of the burrough, Suria nodded.  "Ah- Marcus Denver did the interview- with the self-described Mayor of Freak Alley if I recall.  I could probably make a couple of calls and get in touch with Marcus about the article."


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## stonegod (Oct 16, 2008)

Ghost grunts.

Looks like some of y'all want to be jawin. As fer me, my little fishies will be gettin back to me in a few, so I shouldna go far. We could go back and look at where things be comin down in the Alley like the little doc said. Maybe sommin will pop out to ya mentalists. Give time for Suria to be gabbin up the reporter. Handle Cantor after.


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## Velmont (Oct 16, 2008)

"Where to search? I guess that Grabowsky or Mangels office could be a good start." tells Kerry "And for you being in the team, we are missing a vitakinetics with your skills, you have an eccess to one of the potential suspect organization and you heard already all we have found. You also gives us a document I am quite sure Mangels didn't meant to fall in the hand of Trinity members. If you are not here to double cross us, which I have a feeling and some reason to not think so, I think after this investigation, you might be able to join Trinity if you are willing to."

"So we go to Cantor later. Until than, what we favor? Missing people? Witness of Freaky alley that have been treated by the Beaulac clinic? Paying a visit to Beaulac?"


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## stonegod (Oct 16, 2008)

I was thinkn under the Docs, where the 'freak' supposed to come out. Maybe one y'all sensitives can sense sommin. Me, I no good at that. Best stay away from the clinic; they got yer scent.


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## kookalouris (Oct 16, 2008)

Suria's comments were well thought-out and expressed.  Pat nodded in welcome agreement.  "But don't we have enough proof _now _to go to the legal authorities?  Surely we can give the Luna PD sufficient material to force an arrest or at least intense scrutiny."


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## Shayuri (Oct 16, 2008)

A little overwhelmed, and perhaps even a bit breathless, from Kerry's offhand offer, Rochelle snaps out of her daze.

"I don't think anything we have yet is really 'proof.' It's all circumstantial, or based on questionable evidence and testimony."

She sighs and bats her hair out of her eyes.

"You guys have to understand what you're trying to say here. You are suspecting _Dr Grabowsky_, who is practically the Proxy's right hand, in a breach of medical ethics that wouldn't be out of place in Nazi Germany. If you go to the authorities with anything less than an airtight case he and his lawyers will eat your careers alive and might be able to put you in jail for harassment or something."

"If you really want my help, I'll do it...because I've seen enough to make me think something's going on. But to be honest, I'm still not convinced that Dr. Grabowsky's an accomplice. What I've seen so far...it could be a conspiracy going on without his knowledge. We really need more evidence before we start doing anything that might get us into trouble, like breaking and entering and snooping around. We need to be -sure-."

"I think the scene of the crime is where..." she hesitates, then smiles shyly, "...we ought to check. This guy who broke out of the wall came from somewhere, and it sounds like he wasn't subtle about leaving a trail."


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## Velmont (Oct 17, 2008)

"I agree with Rochelle. All are pieces of a puzzle that is far to be complete and we need to find more before handing it to teh authorities. If we go to the clinic, Grabowsky and Mangels must not know what our true interest in it. That's why Rochelle might be valuable.

But we are not forced to do it right now, we have other lead. Cantor, the victims of Freaky Alley and the missing people."


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## Shayuri (Oct 18, 2008)

Rochelle shrugs, feeling a bit swept up by events.

"I'll help you with whatever you want," she says. "This is way out of my league. Just tell me what you need me to do."


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 20, 2008)

*Cantor Station* 

Travelling to Cantor station wasn't quick or easy.  It was on the other hemisphere of the moon and the closest site to it was Napper Station, a thousand kilometres to the southwest.  Given the damage caused by the attack to the sole LAMP line leading to the station, the best method of transportation is to take a single hopper ride to site.  That was easily the worst traveling experience the agents ever had.  Hoppers were utilitarian little VTOL ship designed for Luna's gravity and didn't have much in the way of passenger's comfort.  They weren't commonly used for such long ride either.  They were mostly used for cargo and short range rescue team deployment.

The hopper finally latched on the airlock of Cantor station after a hellish four hours flight and the agents soon discovered that, along with the atmosphere generator, it was about the only thing that stills worked properly.  The patchwork job to reseal the station, seen from the outside, didn't inspire confidence.

Upon arrivals, the Trinity investigators were welcomed by the cops and two Aeroc representatives.  The former were finishing a last sweep of the facility before closing the investigation while the latter were there to assist them.  A lone engineer was the only other occupant.
The lead officer, Nic Salieri, saluted the agents politely enough and seems fairly cooperative but in a hurry to shutdown the case.  He shows them around and it is soon obvious that the mining station is basically similar to an open sky mine on earth but with a dome to seal off the atmosphere.  The whole reason for the site was that the iron was so cheap to extract.  Profitability had dropped lately and as a result, Aeroc Corporation is shutting down the mine rather than restore it.  A few kilometres of railings and a handful of elevators allowed people to move around.  They finally reached the site of the attacks.  There was a dozens marks indicating were people had been killed.  When asked about the others, Detective Salieri explained that those who had fled the conflict died when the life support systems of the station failed.  There were marks indicating where some people asphyxiated strewn across the rest of the mine.  There were blast marks all over the place, demonstrating that an intense battle had taken place here.

-''So, have a look around.'' Salieri said.

[sblock=ooc]Ghost's call is upcoming.  If your PC went to Cantor, just pick it up from here.[/sblock]


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 21, 2008)

*Back on Olympus*

[sblock=ooc]insert all the fun things someone can do when he has an indeterminate amount of time to kill! Note that we are on day 2, same with those on Cantor.  The call finnally come in the late afternoon[/sblock]

At last!  Ghost's minicomp indicated a call.  The soldier answered gruffly.  The voice of the man hunter came online, hushed and scared.

-''I don't have much time.  My crew picked up a guy, one of the last one the list.  We have to deliver him to a man, like the others.  You wire me 10,000 yen and give you the location.  Don't you do anything stupid while me and my crew are at the meet!  You can be sure I'll be on guard and if push come to shove I'll fight with my buddies.  If it works like the other meet, we withdraw first so then you do anything you want with our contact and his guards.  Got it?''


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## Velmont (Oct 22, 2008)

"It shouldn't be too long." tells Kerry to Salieri. "Where the abberant have been killed exactly?" he asks, wanting to take a look at the place where the corpse was at first, not sure who to sweep a crime site.


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## stonegod (Oct 24, 2008)

*Back on Olympus*



Mal Malenkirk said:


> ''I don't have much time.  My crew picked up a guy, one of the last one the list.  We have to deliver him to a man, like the others.  You wire me 10,000 yen and give you the location.  Don't you do anything stupid while me and my crew are at the meet!  You can be sure I'll be on guard and if push come to shove I'll fight with my buddies.  If it works like the other meet, we withdraw first so then you do anything you want with our contact and his guards.  Got it?''



Ghost grunted, an annoyed exhalation. Tha deal was ya bring em ta me, na some otter fool as bait. Not pretty. Ya be gettn half now, get ta rest we got wha we want. We got a deal?


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 26, 2008)

stonegod said:


> *Back on Olympus*
> 
> Ghost grunted, an annoyed exhalation. Tha deal was ya bring em ta me, na some otter fool as bait. Not pretty. Ya be gettn half now, get ta rest we got wha we want. We got a deal?




The thug laughed nervously.

-''Yeah, right.  You expected me to snap the target away from my unsuspecting mates and hand deliver him to you, all wrapped with a ribbon?  This isn't happening.  And I don't want to have to deal with you anymore so I ain't taking an half and half deal.  I smell trouble, here.  It's all secret agents and spooks in this mess!  

You give me the full amount, I give you the meet and then I leave Olympus.   Or you don't give me the money and then I just leave Olympus.  I wouldn't mind a little payday but I'm done with this cluster either way!''


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 26, 2008)

*Cantor station*

[sblock=OOC]I'm assuming Carlos and Rochelle went to Cantor because he has the higest investigation skill and she the best medicine.  Noetic, Investigation, Medicine...  Simple enough.[/sblock]

Carlos' investigation (6d10=37)  (Hum, rolled a sum instead of 6 different check, but if you check the link yoU'll see it's 3 success)

Carlos' Awareness (1d10=3, 1d10=1, 1d10=4, 1d10=10, 1d10=10, 1d10=7, 1d10=7) 

Rochelle's Medicine (1d10=5, 1d10=9, 1d10=6, 1d10=7, 1d10=7, 1d10=6, 1d10=2) 

Kerry's noetic (1d10=2, 1d10=8, 1d10=4, 1d10=2, 1d10=4, 1d10=9, 1d10=8, 1d10=2, 1d10=4) 

The investigator gets to work.  Only two thing really interest them at this point; John Doe and the abberants.

Carlos, checking the spot where one of the aberrant was supposedly gunned down, noticed tiny fragments in the concrete wall behind him.  He pointed out his findings to Rochelle, she tentatively identified the fragments as splinters from an aberrant's skull.  A sample was retrieved for ananlysis.  Carlos speculated, given the dispersal of the fragment, that the skull must have exploded from the inside, projecting the splinter in a 360 degree radius.

Meanwhile, Kerry noted the blasts pattern around the location where the aberrant fell.  They were attributed in the report to the aberrants and indeed their power seemed to have been brutal.  An aberrant would have been able to generate this kind of energy but, after studying the points of impact, Kerry concluded that it was more likely to be an electrokinetic blast.   

Carlos eventually determined that these blasts were fired from the location where John Doe was found.  

The conclusion of the team was that John Doe was firing highly powerful electrokinetic blast at the aberrant.  But the killing blow was more likely to have been a powerful Algesis (Vitakinetic) attack.  If these attacks all came from John Doe, he was likely using some very advanced and dangerous bioware to augment his powers.

[sblock=OOC]And there you go.  That's the info availbale at Cantor.  Note that unlike what you gathered in the Alley, this is physical evidence.  None of it is incriminating but it could open a few eyes at Luna PD.

I'll give you a chance to weight in on the info, and then a little surprise on the way back...[/sblock]


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## Ithuriel (Oct 26, 2008)

While waiting for Ghost's connection to come through, Suria dragged the poor soldier around through various shops in the Mezzanine while he plugged from one public port to another.  A few hours later she had enough new clothes to get by for the rest of this phase of the assignment and a couple of new holosims for fun.

During the call she stood by waiting to see where the meet would be.

[sblock]Ghost had to plug in to a public port to receive the call right?  I'm under the impression we can't call each other with our minicomps because cell lines are insanely expensive and regulated unless you are houseruling that.  Just want to clarify in case it comes into to play later.[/sblock]


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## Shayuri (Oct 26, 2008)

Rochelle is quiet for a bit, her face hard to read in the dim light of the transport's interior. Finally she speaks up.

"This is crazed. It's actually starting to make sense though. Some kind of...augmentation bioware, designed to make a noetic strong enough to go toe to toe with an aberrant. But something about it makes the user unstable, which means they also wouldn't be able to get approval for human testing...so they take it underground."

She leans against the window and stares moodily out.

"I wonder how far up it goes."


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## stonegod (Oct 28, 2008)

Ghost grunted, then punched in something on his datapad. Fine. Funds sent. Get me my place and we be done.

Once he has it, he looked at the two left. Hphm. Little man is goin to be settn this all up. They show the goods, then leave and let the other man do thar thing. Best we get thar first. Maybe Saria get some picures fer evidence latter. Get yerself a good scopin out point. Us two get behind, flankn. Ambush'd be best. Could try talkn, course, but not my specialty. What ya think?


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## Mal Malenkirk (Oct 31, 2008)

*Back from Cantor Station*

Mulling over their discoveries, the flight home appears shorter to the agents.
The exit at the Hopper landing pad and settle with their pilot.

But Carlos snaps to attention when he notices a suspicious shadow near the exit.  Focusing his psi power on his surrounding to project his sense around him he realizes in shock that the elderly guard of the small landing strip has been killed and the shadow near the exit corridor is an ambusher.  A rough looking man with a drawn laser pistol.  Scanning around he sees that the man has a nearby partner and a third one is dangerously close, hidden behind a nearby parked hopper.  

The hesitation of Carlos is enough to tip the attackers who are on edge and probably know they are facing psion.  The leader seems about to order the assault while the agents are on open ground.

Carlos returns his senses to his body and warns his colleague.

Carlos' awareness (1d10=9, 1d10=10, 1d10=8, 1d10=6, 1d10=2, 1d10=7, 1d10=9) 

[sblock]Taking a cue from Fengshui, I won't use maps in order to encourage imagination.  So feel free to improvise a bit about the exact location of vehicles and what useful items could be lying around.  The only rule is you can decide that there is an immediately harmful obejct to the opposition in a convenient location (So no, there is not a box of dynamit near the goons, and they don't stand under a piano hanged by a wire that you could conveniently shoot... etc.)  But there is no reason there couldn't be a wrench lying nearby when you need a melee weapon, for example.

You are currently in what amount to a sci-fi small airport of a minor local airport.  Hoppers are about as big as cesna but much more massive (you can't really squeeze under, there are good cover).   There are three other Hoppers between you and the exit, though they are on the sides and do not block the line of fire between your current location and the ambushed goons at the exit.

There is no other exit except the airlock leading outside.  

The only innocent bystander is the pilot.

There is plenty of mechanical tools lying around, no explosive fuel.

You have the time to declare one action before I roll initiative (I start running toward the Hopper with a good hiding behind, I draw my weapon etc.).

Carlos used one Psi point, but he can still project his senses around for the rest of the scene (though you don't want to be doing that while shooting or being shot at).[/sblock]


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## Velmont (Oct 31, 2008)

Kerry jump to cover bhind the nearest hopper, he then activate his energy awarness sense and start to feel his surrounding, to know if any vehicle is on, maybe sense the gun and pinpoint an hidden shooter, ect...


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## Shayuri (Nov 2, 2008)

When warned of trouble, Rochelle stares at Carlos with dawning horror, then rushes madly for the nearest cover...following Kerry blindly and crouching behind the hopper.

Once there she covers her mouth and tries visibly to keep herself under control.

"What do I do?" Rochelle manages to get out as she tries to calm her breathing down from hyperventilation levels. She then repeats the plea, even more desperately. "What do I do?!"

(OOC - Sorry for delay! I was hoping to see what more PC's did so I could take my cue from that. Rochelle is very much not a combatant at this point.  )


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## Mal Malenkirk (Nov 3, 2008)

Carlos Initiative (1d10=6, 1d10=2, 1d10=2, 1d10=2, 1d10=9, 1d10=6, 1d10=2) 

Kerry Initiative (1d10=7, 1d10=3, 1d10=2, 1d10=7, 1d10=9, 1d10=10, 1d10=5) 

Rochelle (1d10=1, 1d10=8, 1d10=6, 1d10=1, 1d10=10, 1d10=7) 

Goons (1d10=8, 1d10=7, 1d10=4, 1d10=10, 1d10=6) 

Kerry hits cover first, before the killers can shoot.  He stays completely hidden as he draws his weapon and focus his powers.  He senses plenty of energy patterns in the vicinity but the the access door for the exit immediately jumps to his mind.  Shutting it down would cut off the two assassins shooting from that direction.  Otherwise, there is plenty of wireless transmission and Kerry figures he could start the alarm.  There is no weapon on the hopper, though.  It is a civilian airport.

Rochelle reach the cover behind the same hopper as Kerry just in time to avoid getting shot.

Once there she covers her mouth and tries visibly to keep herself under control.

"What do I do?" Rochelle manages to get out as she tries to calm her breathing down from hyperventilation levels. She then repeats the plea, even more desperately. "What do I do?!"

Psi (1d10=3, 1d10=9, 1d10=8, 1d10=3, 1d10=8) 

Carlos ducks and weaves as he runs to cover toward in the opposite direction of Kerry.  

dodge (1d10=6, 1d10=7, 1d10=5)  +1 willpower 

Pistol, goon 1 (1d10=1, 1d10=6, 1d10=5, 1d10=1, 1d10=5) 

Pistol, goon 2 (1d10=3, 1d10=5, 1d10=5, 1d10=5, 1d10=5) 

[sblock=ooc]Err... I didn't design them to be top notch assassins but that's ridiculous!  First goon actually did a severity 2 botch![/sblock]

The two assassin hidden near the exit popped from cover and shoot at the running agent.  Confused, the younger assassin tries to track Carlos with his gun and ends up shooting his ballistic weapon near the face of his colleague, blinding him and probably causing a serious burn with the heated gas exiting from his barrel.

The third assassin is currently unseen, moving behind the rows of Hoppers near where Rochelle and Kerry are hidden.


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## Velmont (Nov 4, 2008)

"Carlos, what is the situation?" asks Kerry (using commlink if he has one, shouting if he has none). He then answer Rochelle. "Don't get kill, that would be a good start. Can you knock out someone from distance, or just make them dizzy? I need to reach the door command, but I'll need cover."

Kerry takes a quick look to spot all the possible door command.


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## Shayuri (Nov 6, 2008)

Rochelle stares at Kerry as if he'd just asked if she could juggle infants and chainsaws at the same time.

"Knock someone out? How? Throwing rocks? I'm a doctor! I'm..."

She pauses then, her mouth falling slightly open as she realizes something.

_I DO know Algesics. It's just to bone up for countermeasures, but I tested out and took the courses and the whole bit. No reason I can't put that to practical use. Except my oath, of course._

She looks at the Hopper, thinking about the men on the other side of it.

Do no harm. But do nothing, and prevent no harm. What's a doctor to do?

"I...guess I could try using biokinesis on them," Rochelle admits, her cheeks coloring intensely. "But it's very short range. A few meters, tops."


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## Velmont (Nov 6, 2008)

"Get ready to stun the guy who will come from the other side. I'll try to pin the other two where they are. And what is your skill with a gun?" asks Kerry before getting his head out. He then shoot at the first one he see beore taking back his full cover.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Nov 8, 2008)

The goon suddenly turned around the Hopper, gun drawn, point blank to the two agents.

Rochelle - Wits + Dex (1d10=7, 1d10=9, 1d10=4, 1d10=3, 1d10=1) 

Goon (1d10=1, 1d10=6, 1d10=8, 1d10=6, 1d10=2) 

But rochelle goes first and focus her powers on the assassin.

Psi (1d10=4, 1d10=10, 1d10=5, 1d10=5, 1d10=5, 1d10=5) (Bad roll, but let's spend 4 psi point to avoid getting killed!  That amounts to 9 success)

[sblock=ooc]a base of 3 success are needed to make a bashing attack against one man two metre away with alegesis, the rest goes in damage; 8 bashing level minus his stamina = 6 

I know spending 4 point is a bit overkill, but you suck in close combat so he needed to go down NOW.[/sblock]

damage (6d10=26) 

(Again messed up and ended up with a total, but if youc heck the detail you'll see three 7 or better, so 3 success.  Mooks go down at the 3rd strike, btw)

The mook dropped to the ground, convulsing as if he had a seizure.


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## Mal Malenkirk (Nov 8, 2008)

Kerry popped from cover and saw the assassin who had been blinded by his clumsy colleague still flailing about so he shot him.

+2 dice for formatted bio laser pistol (1d10=8, 1d10=8, 1d10=4, 1d10=5, 1d10=10, 1d10=7, 1d10=1) 

The assassin went down like as stone.  His colleague, suddenly alone, broke down and ran away.

It was already over, the agent had survived and even had a captive moaning at their feet to show for it.


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## Velmont (Nov 8, 2008)

Kerry see the guy falling under his shoot. For a quick moment, he is surprise. It was the first time he was in a real combat and he got a bulleyes at his first shot. He wasn't expecting that, but he wasn't far from complaining. He only hope things could turn like that each time.

"Great work, Rochelle." Kerry put back his weapon in his holster and grabs the one of the assassin and gives it to Rochelle "Keep him in aim. If he wakes up from wathever you've done to him, shoot him." he tells as he search the captive for any other weapon or any identity cards or thinsg that could give him more information. Once that done, he will try to find something to bind him.


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## Shayuri (Nov 8, 2008)

(whoa...y'all do combat differently than I'm used to. Most games have the PC's decide what to do.  Under the circumstances I don't mind, since I wouldn't have known those combat tricks, and finding out would have taken forever. )

Rochelle doesn't react right away to Kerry's words. She's staring, bug-eyed, at the man on the ground. Her hands accept the object he presses into them but she doesn't seem to really register what it is.

Dimly she was aware of a thin ache at the back of her skull. She'd lashed out with a great deal of power, driven by sudden panic at the sight of a man who meant to kill her. Knocking him down hadn't stopped the panic either. Her mind kept skittering around the same thoughts like a hamster in a wheel.

_Oh my god oh my god what if I killed him?! It was self defense! I used the power of healing to harm! I'll get kicked out of the Order! But it was self defense!_

Kerry's voice finally penetrates her haze and she looks at him desperately. "We have to call the authorities," she begs. "We have to tell them everything."

That's what sane people did in situations like this. Right? _Right?!_


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## Mal Malenkirk (Nov 8, 2008)

Shayuri said:


> (whoa...y'all do combat differently than I'm used to. Most games have the PC's decide what to do.




[sblock]Err... I thought your post indicated that you wanted to use Algesis on the goon so that's what I did.  Deciding how much PSI to use is unfortunate but is a side effect of the system and the medium since you don't know in advance how much you'll need.

Eventually I expect Rochelle will check up on the fallen assassin that she used algesis on and will note that he is unharmed, except for a few self inflicted bruises while he was seizing.  He'll likely be unconscious for a few hours but will be none the worse for it.[/sblock]


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## Velmont (Nov 8, 2008)

"Authorities would hinder our invetigation. That guys have things I want to know about, and he won't tell us if he is under custody." replies Kerry. "Man! That guy seems to be in a coma... when do you expect him to awake?"


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## Shayuri (Nov 8, 2008)

"I..." Rochelle looks down at her victim and takes a deep breath, locking the fear and the reaction away in the deep center of her mind so she could think rationally. She then reached out to take his pulse, pried his eyelids open, checked his breathing, and looked him over quickly.

Relief flooded her.

"He'll be fine," she reports with a rush of expelled breath. "The system shock knocked him unconscious and he suffered some minor contusions from the seizure, but nothing worse than he'd get from a fall. I expect he'll be out for a few hours or so."

She put a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes.

"Sorry I freaked out like that. I've never used my power like that before. I've never...nothing like this has ever happened to me. Do you think they were really trying to kill us?"


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## Velmont (Nov 8, 2008)

Kerry look at the unconscious man. "Hours... damn, we need to interrogate him, but we can't leave without warning the authorities. I don't want to quit that place with two bodies on the site."

Kerry decides to contact the Trinity headquater on moon. "Here agent Kerry Jospeh, I want to talk to Joan... thanks..." he wait a moment. "Hi, we are at Cantor spaceport. We just been target of an assassination attempt. One man got away, one has been knock out and a last one was killed. A civilian was killed too before we were aware of the presence of the three assassins. We want to interrogate our prisoner, but he won't wake up before a few hours.

I would like the authorities to be warned, but if you could pull a string or two to make sure we have someone very cooperative so our telepath can interrogate our prisoner by the time he wake up. Do you think you can do that?"

[SBLOCK=OOC]Try to use my background [Trinity 00] to have help from teh authotities on that case.[/SBLOCK]


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## Mal Malenkirk (Nov 9, 2008)

-''Sure.'' Replied Joan.  ''I'll call my contact at Luna PD.  Just do 911 on your end and don't worry about a thing.  Say, you found anything of use at Cantor Mine?  Oh, by the way, I have urgent messages from your colleague, Ghost.  Now that you are back on Olympus local grid, give him a call.''


[sblock=OOC]
You are not at Cantor Spaceport (there is no such thing, btw).  Cantor was the mine.  You are back at Olympus in a minor spaceport (akin to a regional airport).  I didn't name it because I couldn't be bothered.  Let's say Schulz Airport.

We'll have Carlos and Suria go interrogate the assassin and you will regroup with Ghost.  I retcon the timing of the call to match roughly with your arrival.[/sblock]


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## Velmont (Nov 10, 2008)

"Thanks." tells Kerry to Joan before hanging up. "Carlos, can you call the 911. Give him just enough so they send a squad here, Joan will send us someone friendly to us, and we will feed the detail to him."

He then turn to Rochelle. "Can you go to the one I killed and search him too. I want to know anything we can about these assassins before the authorities are here."

He then takes his phone and call Ghost as he follow Rochelle to teh otehr victims, prefering staying near her to protect her in case the other assissin still roam around. "Ghost, it is Kerry. Come to the spaceport if you can, we have been attacked by assassins. We got a prisoner, so bring Suria, we might need her skill to interrogate him once he come out of his coma."


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## Shayuri (Nov 10, 2008)

[sblock=OOC Clarification]I didn't mean my comment about 'usually getting to pick actions' to be snarky. Sorry about that. I was just surprised, but in hindsight I'm not displeased by how it went. In most games, the GM would have the assassin come into view, then wait for the PC's to post their actions (at this point I'd say I'm using psi and so on), and then post the results. Given that our actions under the circumstances were pretty self-evident, and that I wouldn't have known to spend extra Psi to help my chances, I don't have a problem with how you did it. Hope that clears things up. [/sblock]

Rochelle swallows sickly, but nods at Kerry and goes out to the one he'd shot with his laser. The killing wound was livid on the man's chest. She realized right away that the laser had seared a path through clothing and flesh and burned his heart into inactivity. She shivered. He'd done it without even hesitating.

Again, she forced extraneous thoughts from her mind and focused on the task at hand, checking the man over for ID, computer...anything that might be a clue as to who he was and who he worked for.


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## stonegod (Nov 11, 2008)

Ghost answered Kerry's call, his voice sounding distracted. Not good. Got sommin goin down here soon as well. Goin to be needin ya. Be thar soon.

When the big man arrived with Suria, he brusquely told them about the meet. How long this fella out? Cuz we got to be gettn to the other meet soon. Ways I see it, I'd like to set it up to let the drop happen, then intercept before the call goes out. Pinch that guy who knows stuff. Maybe have aone of us get to aride with the mark... Doc here'd do. What y'all think?


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## Velmont (Nov 13, 2008)

"OK, as soon as we have done with the authorities, we come to you. I'll make sure to have them contact us when he wake up. Joan told me she would make sure they send us friendly people." answers Kerry


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