The Game Thread

[thepanda]

2.13 DUE DILIGENCE

“Ah, wellwell, that makes sense I suppose. But how would they have made such a convincing  holo in such short time? Even if the voices were off badly, the video alone is probably enough to find us guilty. That is, unless Mr. Gammel’s associate can get us out of that predicament. No offence,” Opium says, nodding to Gammel.

“Somehow this doesn’t strike me quite as random. Nono, not at all.”

[Brian]

2.14 DUE DILIGENCE

"None taken. I know my boy Tony, and I know he's good for his word. He makes good on his debt, and--" Gammel cuts himself off with a frown. "Anyway, call me Jim, I'm no one special, so you don't need to give me any title. Just think of me as another of the good ole boys. More to thinking, though, I guess we're pretty much out of facts, unless someone here is holding something back that they know," he states authoritively, shooting a speculative glance at Kodama George.

"So, I'm guessing Mrs... uh... sorry, I never did catch your name. Anyways, while it'd probably be good to know who's behind the whole thing. I'm kind of wondering why exactly we specifically have been implimented. There's something clumsy about the way that I'm not in that holo, and it strikes me a mite peculiar, if you catch my drift." Sighing, Jim places his hands flat on the table, and inspects his nails, not meeting anyone's eyes. "It seems to me, that at least one of us has to be hiding something to get stuck in this situation. Someone here is ... or has been ... doing something they shouldn't have."

Raising his head, Gammel eyes the assembled beings neutrally. "Question is ... which one of us is it?"

[EDIT: As mentioned before, board doesn't bold text for users when they clearly MEANT it to be bolded. Feh.]

[Bjorn]

2.15 DUE DILIGENCE

Finn shrugs, and then grins again -- it's seems to be the customary state of affairs for her.  "As t' th' first, name's Finn.  As t' th' second... I spent a year as a low-rankin' greasemonkey in a merc comp'ny.  Before t'at, I wuzn't nothin' but a Lison alley rat.  Past ain't clean, mebbe, but definitely not anyt'ing t'at'd make a face set up somethin' like t'is t' take me out, y'know?"

[Edit: Forgot the change in scene title.]

[Prince Herb]

2.16 DUE DILIGENCE

"Nothing really interesting in this breaking news...   Blah, blah, rhodium mining, blah, blah, heart condition, blah, blah, poisoning.   Someone who knows how is going to have to do a little digging, I think."   Nancy grimaces.   "As for the other matter, I only just arrived on the Verge.   I don't think I can have acquired a guilty past here with such speed, and I didn't have one back home."

[Brian]

2.17 DUE DILIGENCE

"Well, what about you two, then?" Jim asks, eyeing Sean and George.  "Anyone you can think of that'd try and pin something like this on you?"

[Corwin]

2.18: DUE DILIGENCE

"Someone with the resources to do all this, and would actually bother, on my account?" Sean snorts. "Please."

[Dracos]

2.19 DUE DILIGENCE

Beep.

"Mistress Harrison, they could have selected you and the others due to a lack of supporting background.  Without anyone here to raise a ruckus on your behalf.  No one would complain about the disappearance of a group of drifters new to the area.  Without infrastructure, you are vulnerable for use as a scapegoat."

Dracos

[Bjorn]

2.20 DUE DILIGENCE

"Listen to yer toaster, lady," Finn laughs.  "It might not be t' most charmin' chip on t' board, but at least it's thinkin' straight."

She poises her right hand above the computer gauntlet on her left wrist.  "Now, if y'll excuse me, I'll see wha' I c'n do about t'at diggin'."  With that, emerald fibrous snakes shoot out from her fingertips to caress the gauntlet, before quickly invading the circuitry.

Finn is going to use Computer Science: Hacking (16/8/4, -1 for interface,+1 because Zippy is just too damn cool and therefore distracting Finn; Good gauntlet, Good nanocomputer) to find out all she can about Cole, anything in the news on the party, and also to find out as much as she can about the Mechalus assistant (who he is, where he currently is, if he's been charged).

[EDIT:  I am not hacking Zippy, dammit!  If I was, I would be using a screwdriver and a welding torch, because I love hardware.]

[Bjorn]

2.21 DUE DILIGENCE

It's not long at all before the wires retract and Finn's eyes clear from the glaze of elsewhere-concentration.  "Couldn' find much about what ac'ually happened t' Cole.  They say he was poisoned by somethin' t'at messed up his insides wit' style, an' t'at's about it.  No mention o' us.

"His trip ta t' Verge's been a long time comin'.  Seems ta t'ink that poor ol' li'l Lison'd do better if t'ey just signed t'emselves over ta t' Riggers wholesale.  Turned down bodyguards ta make himself look like just another friendly face, 'pparently.  Tanj stupid, t'at, given t'at t' Concord Free Now was flarin' up about him pretty tanj nova.

"As for t' Clockwork pants-chaser, name's Nleer Alamein.  Gone all weepy and hidin' cuz he 'n' t' corpse were childhood buddies, and he ain't talkin' ta t' press.  But he ain't hidin' all that perfec'ly, since I figgered out where he's at.  Anyone wanna see if he'll wanna talk ta us, instead?"

[Corwin]

2.22: DUE DILIGENCE

Sean shrugs. "Might as well. Maybe he'll tell us who told him to treat his boss the way he had."

[Bjorn]

2.23 DUE DILIGENCE

Zippy beeps, and turns dispassionate lenses to Finn.  "Where is this 'Clockwork Pants-chaser'?"

A shrug.  "He's inna hotel.  Marriott. Got t' room number."

"Well, that's something, I guess, but what exactly's the plan?"  Turning his head to one side, Jim cracks his neck, then crosses his arms over his chest.  "And do we have any other leads to follow if this falls through, or something?"

Finn shrugs again, and shifts the bolt from one side of her mouth to the other.  "Way I scan it, two t'ings t' do right now.  One is t' talk to the pants-chaser, t' ot'ers to figger out where t' holo came from."

Beep.  "What about the holovid?" Zippy intones.

Eyeing the bot dourly, Jim dismisses the concern, "I know my boy Tony.  He's good for his word."

"Misunderstood.  Data requested about source of Holovid."

"Well, t'at can't have been easy t' fake, y'know?  And it had t' be done fast, cuz how long we all been on t'is ark? So, prob'ly someone on t' Lighthouse was t' person who made it.  Find t' person, gotta lead."

Jim blinks. "Huh?  Well, as I hear it, pretty much all of us landed today, right?"

Finn shakes her head.  "I been onboard for t'ree days or so, now."

Zippy scans from Finn to Jim and back again, an uncomfortably implemented parody of human body language. "Who gave it to the police?  That would be data point three."

"Eh, t'at's a good question, but harder t' get at -- not like the cops are gonna want t' talk t' us."

"Sure it wasn't the police who made it?" Opium blurts out, from the corner where he has sat almost unnoticed.

Zippy beeps again. "Unlikely.  No benefit."

"Nah," Gammel dismisses.  "If it was the police, they'd keep us once they had us."

Finn tilts her head up to stare at the ceiling."So, we got lookin' for t' Clockwork, and lookin' for t' holo-maker. Any ot'er ideas?"

Uncrossing his arms, Gammel drums his fingers across the tabletop.  "I wish I weren't drawing such a blank on this," he admits.  "But it sounds like you have the best ... well, only idea, I guess."

Zippy considered.  "Letting the cops know we are wandering around hunting would be a negative.  They would be likely to interfere.  Therefore even if they would work with us, it wouldn't be good."

Finn stares long and consideringly.  "Y'know, toaster, yer pretty talkative when yer boss ain't lookin'."

"These are not the droids you are looking for," Zippy responds.

"At the same time," Jim muses, utterly ignoring Finn and Zippy for the moment, "sticking together might not be the hottest of ideas, all told."

Finn shakes her head and tries to focus on business again. "Uh, right.  On t' gripper, we gotta worry t'at if we start pokin' around too much, the johnsons behind t'is are gunna come gunnin' for us."

Shrugging his shoulders uncomfortably, Jim agrees, "Well, they suspect we're all working together anyway, and now we really are."

"Still, 's a good idea not t' draw too much attention. Should split up, travel near but not t'get'er, y'know?  But which t' do first?"

"Large group not good for interrogation," Zippy addds. "Also too easy a target for cops.  Getting caught again would be counterproductive to protection of Mistress Harrison."

"Yeah, well, gettin' picked off one by one by t' johnsons would be counner-productive t' Mistress Harrison's breat'in', too."

"True," Zippy acknowledges.

"You seem to have the best idea about what we should do," Jim aquiesces to Finn.  "I'm quick on my feet and all, any maybe some say I got myself a way with words, but all told.... So, how do you think we should split up?"

Zippy interjects, "Most should go to search for the source of the holovid."

Jim snorts mirthlessly, looking between Zippy and Finn. "We're going to have to figure out who that is, first."

Finn, meanwhile, blinks and almost drops the bolt.  "Tanj, ya t'ink I know anyt'ing serious?" she demands increduously of Gammel. "Me, I'm just jettin' air, here."

"More than the rest of us, anyway." Jim half-smiles.

"I go where Mistress Harrison goes," the robot interjects. "I am not an interrogation unit though.  It does not lie within my skill set."

Pondering for a second, Finn asks Gammel, "You had yer fully Tony contact t' help wit' t' cops.  T'ink ya know anyone t' help us find t' holo-maker?"

Eyeing Nancy thoughtfully, Jim says, "You know, well, I do. Problem is, he's got his hands full debunking the same holo."  Turning back to face Finn, Jim continues, "And, anyway, if there are any maker's marks, Tony's gonna pull them up when he's done poking around inside whatever's in the durn holo."

Finn nods.  "T'en seems like t' place t' start is wit' t' pants-chaser.  'Specially since he might not stay in t' same place all t'at long."

"I guess we could go back to the law and ask who delivered the holo to 'em, too."  Gammel considers this for a moment. "There's no real reason we couldn't do both, is there?"

"Tanj, we c'n just give t' cops a call.  They ain't gonna tell us, though, y'know.  Still, wort' a shot.  Do t'at first, t'en head out fer some Clockwork?"

"Eh ... I guess I'm on the law's good side enough to try and get some word from 'em, but, eh, Missy Harrison here should probably go the other way.  I'm thinking the law might ..." Jim trails off, and considers carefully.  "I'm thinking she might want some space.  I'll deal with them, if anyone has to."

Finn grins widely and tries for a second to put her feet up on the bar, before realizing that the height differential is simply too much.  "Sounds good 't me.  Ya were handlin' 'em better t'an anyone else, and I ain't ashamed t' say it."

Switching to T'sa for a moment, Finn turns to Opium and asks, "Ya got anything to add?"

"Nothing I can think of. This is all beyond my normal sphere," Opium mutters darkly.

Finn laughs, and switches back to GalStand.  "Eh, don' worry.  Soon t' punc'll really be in t' wall, and everyt'ing'll be nice an' simple."

Jim looks slightly unnerved at the switch in tongue, and glances around in annoyance.  "Where the hell's that watron off to....  Distracted by the durn game, I bet."  He drums his fingers on the tabletop again, then shakes his head. Turning back to Finn, Jim nods necisively.  "Aright.  I'll go back and talk to the law, then.  Thing is, we should mostly try and stick together, just in case someone's gunning for us.  You, er....  Well, don't mean to be rude, or nothing, but you might be able to talk to wassisname better than me.  I think you should take Missy Harrison with you, and that means the tin man follows you.  What about the rest of you?"

"Kay, t'en.  You wanna chat face-to-face wit t' cops, not over t' phone?  Then I say we stop back at t' station -- we'll wait down t' street a bit, so's not t' make 'em antsy. T'en we can go ta t' hotel, talk ta t' pants-chaser... an' inciden'ally stop 'n' pick up any tools we might be missin', y'know?"

"Alright," Gammel agrees.  "You got something to take down a phone number?"

"Sure do.  Shoot."

Gammel presses the 'broadcast' button, and broadcasts his e-card through the i-net port on his phone.  "There ya go."

Finn watches as the data shows up on her optic screen, and nods.  "All set, t'en."


IRC conversation between Opium, Finn, Zippy, and Gammel.  To summarize:  Finn, Harrison, and Zippy (assuming Harrison concurs) are going to follow Gammel and Opium as they go back to politely pump the police.  Once they're in the station, and presumably safe, then Finn and co. are going to pick up whatever equipment they want, and then go to the Marriott to talk to Alamein.

Nancy, Sean, George:  If you have suggestions/complaints, speak up now.  Otherwise, you should specify which group you're going to go with.

[Corwin]

2.24: DUE DILIGENCE

"Sounds like a plan," Sean says. "I'd certainly love to hear the 'Clockwork Pants-chaser' explain the fast one he tried to pull on me."

[Prince Herb]

2.25 DUE DILIGENCE

"I'm cool with that.   I don't need to go back in that copshop, that's for sure." Nancy says.   "Finn, can you hold off from disassembling Zippy that long, though?"   She winks and grins good-naturedly.

Nancy follows the plan outline above

[Dracos]

2.25 DUE DILIGENCE

Beep.  Analyzing.  Determined correct action.

Zippy laughs at Harrison's joke.


Dracos

[Huitzil]

2.26: DUE DILIGENCE

It's the top of the seventh and Penates leads Bluefall 8 to 5 when the waitress -- Diane, her name tag says, a short, stocky woman who looks to be Nariac -- comes out with your food. One heaping plate of authentic chicken wings made from authentic chickens, deep fried and given to you with a honey-maple-ranch dip in the center. With a bit of ceremony -- and for a hundred and seventy-five Concord dollars, you had better get some ceremony -- she hoists them up high and places them in the center of your table.

"Atom Smasher Ale all around," she says as she passes out mugs of frothy intoxicant, "and a cola for the Mechalus, compliments of the house. Will you be wantin' anything else, or will this be all?"