The Game Thread

[Prince Herb]

1.67 THE USUAL SUSPECTS

Nancy collects Zippy and heads off to the pub, stopping on the way only to place the completed Office of Shipping forms in a message capsule and send them off to the office to be processed.

Nancy happily leaves the police precinct, singing robot in tow.

[Corwin]

1.68: THE USUAL SUSPECTS

Not wanting to be left behind and spend more time than necessary with the cops, Sean follows the others.

Leaving after Finn.

[Ginrai]

1.69 THE USUAL SUSPECTS

George nods to the cop before heading out with the others to the pub.  Hands within pockets, he walks in a leisurely gait that gives the impression of having been out on a nice stroll the past few hours instead of being held in a precinct on the charges of murder.

Setting himself besides Gammel, light smile on his face, he comments, "Nice job back there.  Always helps to have friends who know these sort of things."

George leaves the precinct.

[Huitzil]

2.1: DUE DILIGENCE

You need not look long to find a pub, and soon you stand at the door of an establishment called "The Jolly Rigalia". The lights inside are dimmed, the pale orange illumination just enough to see the wide assortment of miscellaneous junk affixed to the walls -- starship parts, scraps of cerametal armor, bits and chunks of old computers, tires, and so on.

The bar itself is mostly empty, with a few stools occupied by thick-looking spacehands focusing their attention on the Verge League Baseball game being displayed on a 2-d video screen in the corner of the room. There are a few tables as well, and save for a laughing group of tourists with a pitcher of margaritas and a plate of onion wings they too are empty. From behind the bar, the bartender nods at your entrance, then looks back toward the game.

[Brian]

2.2 DUE DILIGENCE

Eyeing the group, and seeing that everyone has come along, even if some were initially hesitant, Gammel turns to the bartender, as no waitress is in sight. "Table for six, next to a charger or whatever for the bot, if you got it," he calls out. When the bartender pulls his eyes off the screen to look again, Gammel adds, "We'll take a plate of chicken wings, too, if you serve 'em."

Gammel is looking to obtain a table near the back where he can discuss the situation with the others, which gives him a good view of the entrance.

[Huitzil]

2.3: DUE DILIGENCE

The bartender cocks an eyebrow at your order of authentic chicken wings. "High roller, eh?" He punches some data into his register.

"There's a charger at the table right under the vidscreen, but I can move it if you want to watch the game -- the Bluefall Devilfish are playing the Penates Corsairs. People don't order chicken often, it'll take me a while to cook some up -- I'll have Diane bring out your plate when it's done, along with some drinks. "

[Brian]

2.4 DUE DILIGENCE

"Yeah, that's fine," Gammel says with a shrug. "Wheel it over -- we'll take that seat in the back corner." With his order securely placed, Gamel goes over to a corner booth, and sits, waiting for the others to join him.

[Prince Herb]

2.5 DUE DILIGENCE

Nancy takes a seat and powers up her dataslate, looking for reports on recent events, and for an obituary of the dead politician.   "If we're going to be stuck with these charges, I guess we might as well know something about the guy.   And right now, even the public newsfeeds are good, because I know nothing."

Nancy looks for basic information.

[Corwin]

2.6: DUE DILIGENCE

Sean eases himself into a chair opposite Gammel. Turning his head towards Nancy, he asks, "So, is there anything interesting about that Cole guy?"

[Dracos]

2.7: DUE DILIGENCE

Silently, Zippy follows mistress Harrison out of the police building to the bar.  Setting up near the table, he scans the room slowly and carefully, looking for anything that seemed suspicious or dangerous.

Edit: fucking tenses.

Dracos

[Bjorn]

2.8 DUE DILIGENCE

Slumping down in a handy seat, Finn stretches, and then interjects, "T' ot'er t'ing wort' lookin' for is anyt'ing on t' Clockwork pants-chaser, y'know.  Way I see i', eit'er he's bein' set up like us, or he wuz in on t' job.  Eit'er way, wortha murk."

[Edit: TRAVEL TO THE FUTURE!]

[Brian]

2.9 DUE DILIGENCE

Seeing that no chicken wings have yet been delivered, Jim leans back in a seat, and crosses his arms over his chest. "Anything's possible," he says in reply to Finn. "But," he turns to address those sitting at the table in general, "let's look at the facts first. Let's put everything on the table that we know without a doubt, and see what we can get from there.

"First off, I think it's safe to say we know it's fake, just 'cause we weren't there. Tony's good, though, I'm pretty sure he'll get us out of the jam. The more important thing to think about right now is just why this whole thing has happened. More specifically, why us?"

[Bjorn]

2.10 DUE DILIGENCE

Regretfully tearing her eyes away from the fascinating pile of hardware sitting near Harrison, Finn cocks an eye-plate at Gammel.  "Why us?  Why not us?  Whoever set us up prolly don' give a tanj who t' punc we are.  T'ey needed canaries, so t'ey wen' lookin' for meat on t' ark wit' t' sorta hist'ry t'at t' eyes'd cred, an' t'ey yemmed us.  Tanj in lit, y'know?

"Better question," she continues, leaning back and thoughtfully shaking her bolt in the general direction of the ceiling, "is wha' t'ey were rea'y shootin' for wit' t'is.  Why job Cole?  An' when y' scan it real good, t' real canary is VoidCorp.  If t' eyes cred the holo, t'en e'ryone's gonna t'ink VoidCorp's t' johnson.  If y' ignore t' li'l meatsacks inna way," she says with a sudden grin and wink, "t'en VoidCorp's t' one who's gonna rea'y deb, y'know?"

Serious again, Finn blurts out, almost against her will, "Hey, Harrison, doncha t'ink yer toas'ers lookin' like it needs a li'l main'enance?"

[thepanda]

2.11 DUE DILIGENCE

Opium stares unblinkingly at the screw chewing Finn from his stool, having sat down while the others were talking.

“Eheh, what did you just say?”

[Bjorn]

2.12 DUE DILIGENCE

Copper can't blush, but it can look flustered.  "Eh, sorry.  Tend t' speak a little rough when I get excited, y'know?

"What I was sayin' wuz that we're just random, unlucky guys," she continues, making an effort to eununciate clearly.  "Whoever killed Cole needed names to pin things on, and they picked us, at random, outta the list o' people on t' Lighthouse with backgrounds that the police'd believe.

"So it ain't personal, so we gotta find the one who did it, y'know?  And two things happened outta this:  Cole got dead, and VoidCorp got framed.  So find t' face who wants botha those things, and ya got the killer, y'know?"