Echoes of Egypt

The meeting doesn't start out the usual way most do. There's no meeting in a bar, restaurant or out in some dark alley. Not even in the back of a car or other similar setup. No, this meet takes the unusual step of being aboard a private aircraft taking off from a private airfield just outside of Toronto in the UCAS. It's a calm, clear day and the private airfield is obviously well equipped, right down to the crisp, clear and sterile corporate owned look. However, there are no obvious corporate markings on any of the buildings or the planes. Even the airfield itself lacks any sort of announcing sign. Indeed the only signage present are occasional signs posted around the perimeter fencing that state it is private property and trespassers may be shot. However, even as you enter the airfield, guards seem to be few and far between. There's a pair at the gate house entrance to the airfield itself, who will briefly look you over, checking you against some AR enabled database before waiving you through, no ID checks or the usual searches.

The guided map sent to you when you accepted the job leads you easily enough over to the appropriate hanger. Waiting there is a small cargo jet, though one large enough to hold a small handful of vehicles and deeper in a separate, if small meeting lounge with leather couches, glass top tables and real mahogany paneling on the walls. Within awaits your Johnson. A 'Mr. Hamsfield' Ork in his middle years by the looks of things, showing a touch of grey hair and slightly worn tusks, but dressed in a neat and tidy business suit, his hands clean, fingernails manicured, though he still shows a few signs of having callouses. Hands not entirely unused to hard work, despite other appearances it would seem. He's presently leaning back in a comfortable leather lounger, a glass of wine to his left while his right hand idly shifts as a small drone walks about along his fingers.

"Please. Have a seat." He offers in a friendly tone, yet without any sign of a smile.

Shan follows the guided map to the airport, and eventually through the light security and in to the Hangar. It doesn't seem bother her that this is a less-than-normal meeting place. She is dressed simply, wearing non-descript street clothes and an also non-descript, slightly bulky, trench coat in a dark grey. She carries with her a slightly strange brief case. It is about the right size and shape, but of a more obviously sturdy build than a normal one. It also has a customized handle, and 2 elastic straps that angle across one side of the case.
Shan enters the jet, following the passenger path back through the cargo area and into the passenger area. She moves over to one of the couches, and turns to face the Ork already in attendance. "Well, thank you." She responds to his invite to seat herself, in an equally friendly tone. Shan Jah does not smile, but does give a slight bow, before taking a left hand seat on one of the couches. She slouches deeply into the leather, and rests her one arm on the arm rest.

"Is that real wood?" She asks, after taking a moment to survey the room. She seems genuinely curious. "It looks real." She returns her gaze to the Ork, waiting for an answer.
"Oh, please excuse my manners." She says, looking surprised. "You may call me Shan Jah." She looks to the Ork, seemingly surprised with herself for having forgotten to introduce herself before.

Having wandered around hte matrix from node to node after having gained sencience and leaving the craft from which he was once the piloting program for, He had his fill of piloting low orbit shuttles. during one of his many onterauges through the matrix of seattle he came accross something that seemed promising to him. decrypting the signal and then reading the mesage and finding out where this place was he decided he might as well throw his curiosity into it. and he might beable to have some fun as well, whatever this "Fun" that he constantly heard from all the fleshies walking in what they called a "Mall." after traversing the matrix to this place he quickly scans the place for wireless signals looking for one that oculd be of use (8d6.hits(5)=5, 8d6.hits(5)=4, 8d6.hits(5)=5, 8d6.hits(5)=4) total hits = 18 (OOC: I hope thats enough, if not please tell me ) finding one thats promising he goes ahead and starts working on that signal to get himself an Admin account on the node (Shan's Commlink) ((10d6.hits(5)=4)(10d6.hits(5)=2)(10d6.hits(5)=5)total hits = 11)

after geting in and setting himself up he checked through the comlink to see what was there then spoke through the audiosystem(only to Shan)"I Like this, i think i will stay here now, Oh Hello there my name is HAL and i now reside in this Device"

Intuition + Reality Filter 1 day extended test(10d6.hits(5)=3, 10d6.hits(5)=2)(10d6.hits(5)=4, 10d6.hits(5)=2)(Unless GM tells me otherwise it looks like it will be 4 days before the comlink gets the bonuses)

Shan sits bolt upright, her eyes widening. (OOC: thankfully, she is not techno-awakened, or that might have been significantly uncomfortable... hehe... Not only did my commlink just get a whole lot more powerful, it now has a personality, and the capacity to talk back to me...! This should be interesting) She looks around the room, attempting to locate the source of the sound that seemed to come from her commlink. She knew better though, than to think it came from the commlink. - That's just not how these things work. I have to have accepted a call to hear someone speaking with me... right? She looks to the Ork, wondering if he were playing some sort of magic trick on her. After considering him for a moment, she swivels her head about some more, continuing to look for the source of the sound.
"Uh, did you hear that?" She asks, looking back to the Ork.

Night shows up at the airport a little bit after Shan, wearing a black baseball cap with a yin yang on it, black leather gloves, a black duster and goggle shades. Upon seeing the meeting place he thinks to himself. Well this is different then the normal meeting but I understand we are doing a job out of the area so this should help with customs I hope. Night buts out the smoke he was smoking and puts the but in a bag in his pocket, you can never be too careful about what you leave laying around with you spit on it, then boards the jet. Seeing 2 people here already he give the 2 a bow hello then proceeds to introduce himself. The name is Night. Night walks over to a free seat and sits down waiting for the meet to begin.

The ork seems mildly amused at Shan's question but nods none the less "It is." he affirms. Though as she sits bolt up right all of a sudden he tenses just a little bit, eyeing the woman warily. "I have not heard anything." he says cautiously and with an edge of suspicion. As Night arrives and introduces himself the Ork nods to him, but keeps his attention on Shan for the time being.

GM Note: Given that Shan has no OS and thus no firewall at this point in time, I cant say how well the test works out. That said even with a high end OS it would probably be relatively trivial given the fact that she also doesn't have analyze however, the hacking attempts are not too likely to set off an alarm (though that possibility isn't entirely ruled out)

after Shan's question he begins to speak then realises"I ... Oh you werent talking to me you were talkingto that other bug Fleshie ofer there, never mind this then" he begins rumaging throug hte files on the comlink familiarising himself with it "You do have alot of junk on this think though,he then begins to systematicaly delete what he feels is non-ecential information, such as spam, cookies, other programs that show as not having been used in a long time ect., "there that give me more space"

As the Ork responds that he has not heard a voice, her posture seems to stiffen even more, if that was possible.
From HAL:"... Oh you weren't talking to me, you were talking to that other Fleshie over there ..."
"Uhh..." Her eyes widen some more, and she slowly and carefully stands up, removing the commlink from her head warily. She looks up at the Ork. "I think my commlink is possessed...and it called you a "fleshie"..." She says, her voice wavering slightly. The hand, shaking ever so little, gently lays the commlink down on the glass table before her, to consider more carefully.
As soon as the commlink is on the table, she flops back down into her seat, and slouches back into the couch, staring intently at the device. For obvious reasons, she barely noticed the arrival, or the introductions given to her by the newcomer. Clearly, she was preoccupied.

After a moment, she snatches the commlink back up off the table, determined to at least try and figure out whether or not it is the commlink, or her, that is possessed. She fits the device back in to her ear.
"Ok, HAL, what sort of spirit are you?" Despite the boldness of her actions, it hasn't yet fed through to her words. Her voice remains thin, and weak. Similarly, while she is not fidgeting, nor is she jumpy, she is also sitting up straight with her hands clasped in her lap.

"Spirit? whats a Spirit?,What i am what the fleshies call an Artificial Lifeform" he finishes looking through the files on the comlink and deleting unnecisary things. "well i guess now that im making this device my new home i will be traveling with you now, i might as well offer my services to help. Oh and please dont tell to many people that im here, im aparently not that well liked by many fleshies and i can say the feelings mutual"

Shan takes off her commlink again, this time turning it over in her hands and peering at it closely. She puts it back on her head, and looks around.
From HAL: "Oh and please dont tell to many people that im here..." Shan stops really responding to him, after his comment that she should keep his identity a secret. She assumes that he will be content to bide his time for the moment, and to really become acquainted sometime in the future when they can speak privately. - Hopefully, there really is some sort of strange "Artificial Lifeform" living in my Commlink, and I am not just crazy... Shan thinks to herself. - 'Cause that would just suck.

"Umm, sorry everyone. I suppose this is just one of those times that a wandering spirit was interested in playing a little prank on me." She blushes slightly, and settles back in to the couch, her posture returning to that of when she first arrived. "It happens sometimes..." She says, offering somewhat of an explanation. Her left hand trails off the edge of the couch, and strokes the specialized grip on the top of the suitcase a few times, before returning to the comfort of the leather couch armrest. She seems to be deep in thought, or at least, focused on something else for the moment.
After a few moments, during which her breathing returned to normal, and her skin tone and eyes started to resemble that of a relaxed human again, Shan realizes that she has been quite rude. She hops up, again very suddenly. "Goodness, my manners today have been horrible." She says, somewhat in a rush. She bows toward the newest arrival. "It is a pleasure to meet you Night. You may call me Shan Jah." She pronounces her name with a very NAN accent, and the two words run together sounding almost like a two syllable name: ShanJah. She offers what seems to be an appologetic smile, before resuming her relaxed posture in the couch.

Shan returns to her musing about the Commlink, and about how this could affect her life going forward. - I wonder if he will wish to return to the forest with me while I am not actively running? Shan is clearly amused by something, as a smirk spreads across her face. - A purely technological being, living in the woods with a Great Horned Owl... Imagine that!
Shan seems oblivious of the attention she is recieving from the others, and continues to consider the possible scenarios of having an AI companion, with her life.

"Miss Jah." The ork Johnson will respond somewhat crossly "There is no such thing in this business as random 'wandering spriits'. If there is such a creature about here, then it is clearly here to spy on this meeting and will be dealt with accordingly." without even getting up he momentarily slips into the distracted look of some one foucsing heavily on their AR interface, and it is but a moment later that security forces descend upon the aircraft and the hangar.

Due to her dual nature, Shan will note that a magician as well as a pair of spirits have taken... unusual interest in her. They do not attack, but don't seem particularity friendly at the moment either, and there's little doubt that Shan is finding herself being sized up in short order.

"That will not be necessary." The speaker was a thin, tall man in the back. His hair was long and raven black, pulled into a ponytail. He had dark brown eyes and is obviously Native American. He's wearing a heavy looking jacket, a black shirt, jeans, and combat boots. Around his neck is a necklace of fangs, and in his belt is a tomahawk that has been engraved with pictures of wolves. He held an amused grin on his face.

"At the mention of spirits, I've been checking the surrounding area. From what I can see, there is no spirits here. Well, none that concerns us at this time." He shook his head. "So please, let us continue. I'd rather not stay in one place too long. That's dangerous in this business, so I'm told." His smile seems to expand a bit more, giving him a reckless look.

Night looks over at Shan as she seems to be having problems with here commlink. I get all kinds of problems with my commlink it is why I only turn it on when I have to. Night thinks to himself as he checks that his comm link is still in his jacket pocket safe and sound all powered down.

The mention of a spirit perks Night up and gets him thinking again. I wish I had time before this run to spend time to summon and bond a few elemental for this trip maybe a bizarre in Egypt will have some materials I can use. Ken usually will supply me stuff you can't get with out the right licenses so lets hope a big elemental is not what this job needs. Just as soon as these thoughts run through Nights head the Johnson seems to get a bit up set at the mention of a rouge spirit at the meet which makes sense. I only wish I could aid in the search but my training doesn't include astral sight right at the moment. Oh well lets see how this pans out. Night pulls up his hood on his jacket and sits back to see what the teams next actions will be.

Shan rolls her eyes. "Look, it happens sometimes." She says, looking slightly exasperated, but retaining her relaxed posture. She then takes a deep breath, and lets out a long sigh. "Pardon me. Of course you should check. My experience tells me that this is nothing, but by all means. As they say: it is better to be unharmed than to be sorry." She smiles with satisfaction. Idioms can be so hard to use properly sometimes...

"Umm... Pleased to meet you?" Shan says, somewhat uncomfortable in her lack of etiquette training. - Do I introduce myself first, or do I wait for him to introduce himself? She wonders, without voicing her confusion.

"Yeah, this is the first time this has happened to me, but certainly not the first time I have had a wandering spirit decide to attempt to be social with me... or who knows what else they might be trying to do!" She says with a grin. She looks about the room to see if anyone else shared in her enjoyment.

OOC: For your benefits, description again:
Shan Jah is an average sized woman, with auburn hair and hazel eyes. She is currently slouched into one of the plush leather couches. She is wearing a dark grey trench coat, which has flopped open about her body, due to her current posture, to reveal dark brown pants and a shirt to match. Her only two obvious belongings are her commlink, which is clearly visible due to her hair being tucked behind it, and a briefcase with a strange handle on it.

It's around that time that the astral form of one of the sec wage mages materializes in the cabin. "Astral looks clear sir. But we'll keep looking." he says, regarding the Johnson. The mage's head turns to regard Shan for a moment "There is however, the slight issue with your.. acquaintance here, not being what she seems." He states matter of factly. The ork however waves him off and the mage's materialized astral form disappears from normal sight. Anyone bothering to check the astral plane however, will see he's still hanging around, for the time being.

"Miss Jah." the ork says turning to regard the woman. "As I said, things of such nature do not just 'happen sometimes' in places like this. If you can not take this meeting seriously, then you can consider your contract terminated, and you are free to leave. While I understand that most of you are awakened, I am not ignorant of the potential threats posed by spirits and other magical phenomenon. What you call 'nothing' is, in a place like this, hardly just 'nothing'. This is a secure facility, and even a 'random spirit' is to be considered a serious breach of security, regardless of why such a thing may be present."

"I had been told to expect professionals. However, I am beginning to reconsider just how much you are all worth paying." The ork's eyes narrow as he regards the team before him, though most of his ire seems to be presently directed towards Shan.

"Oh lovely, look what you casued now." *sigh* "I supose i should introduce myself to everyone here, We dont want them BLOWING up for no reason now do we. ... I say you fleshies sure like to make something out of nothing" HAL tryes to find something to project a voice to everyone so htat they can hear them (please let me know if i need to make some dice rolls)"Greetings to you all, theres no need to get your data all in a jumble this one here just seems to be reacting to my talking with her. I say ive not met someone so unsociable before" *bit of a snarky laugh* "Well i supose theres no use in my hiding away anymore, dont want anything being deleted for no reason now do we?"

(OOC: I should mention that HAL talks with a British accent, however it sounds gender neutral)

Shan meets the Ork's gaze, and seems to let his ire slide right off her exterior. "I can assure you, I am as professional as they..." Her statement is entirely cut off. She cocks her head, listening to something that none of those in attendance can hear, yet. Presently, the British voice introduces itself from her Commlink.

OOC: Seriously? A Commlink without speakerphone on it? I don't think I can remember how long ago cellphones had that as standard... I am pretty sure that can be found...It is entirely possible that you can project from the Commlink; although there is NO chance that Shan would know.

"Uhh... Well, I suppose the, as they say: the waltz is up..." She says, looking somewhat sheepish. "I was not wrong when I said that my Commlink was possessed. I just didn't realize, at the time, that it was a benevolent entity. Now that you're all in on the secret, he seems to have come here to join us. And my Commlink must have been the only activated multi-sensory device when he arrived. HAL, allow me to be the first to introduce myself. You may call me Shan Jah." She seems to consider something for a moment, but forges on after only a moment's hesitation.
"Further, you have my permission to continue to inhabit my Commlink, and at my earliest convenience, I will work with you to upgrade it to your specifications. If we are to be working together, it would be my pleasure to assist you in having the most effective working conditions I am able to accommodate." Shan looks around the room, studying the looks on the faces of the rooms current occupants.

Night sits back quietly, but once the comm link announces what is going on he sits up in his chair and thinks to himself Now that is a new one I have this thing patting his comm link. play songs I don't want, turn off in middle of conversations but I've never has a possessed comm link before, probably for the best I have enough trouble with tech stuff my magic aura as a teacher told me just seems to wreck havoc on them.Night sits back again waiting to see what other surprises this meet will have. Hope no unannounced fights makes it hard to get payed.

"No. You are an amateur who likes to pretend they are a professional Miss Jah." the Ork says, sounding even less pleased than before at the revelation of the intruder in her comlink. "Who apparently can't even recognize the danger of having your comlink compromised in such a... blatant manner. Worse still, for what ever unfathomable reason, you deliberately lie to me about it." the Johnson stands then, giving Shan a hard look. "Since you clearly can not take these matters seriously, I will give you one chance to convince me not to have you removed by security. As to your hacker friend, I am only willing to tolerate such games from such people once. Given that you some how managed to stumble into this little meeting, and my sources were not able to find me a hacker for this job on their own, I am willing to extend to you the same offer of employment the rest of these people were given, provided you are willing to show up here in the next hour."

Shan sighs, and sits up. A lack of complete understanding for Metahuman nature did not stop her from knowing that he demanded her attention at the moment. "Very well, Mr. Johnson. Allow me to explain to you why it is that I deliberately lied to you, as you put it, about my Commlink. As an Ork, Mr. Johnson, you have some understanding of discrimination. Use that understanding, for a moment, and imagine what it is that I have gone through the few times in my life that other Metahumans have discovered that I am not even Metahuman. I bring this up because I know that you know, based on your magician's statements.
"I understand discrimination. Similarly, I know that what you Metahumans call Artificial Lifeforms are not particularly trusted, and not well understood. I hid Mr. HAL's existence at his request, because I understand discrimination." She slumps, slightly, doubting in her mind whether that statement would be considered acceptable to overlook her strange behavior. While it is most definitely the truth, it is not the most believable of truths.

Shan sighs again. "As for proving the truth of my statements, Mr. Johnson, I suspect that a well prepared gentleman like you has a sufficiently strong signal jammer available. Activate it, and if HAL is still able to communicate with us in was that could not have been pre-programmed, then you have your answer." She takes off her Commlink, and lays it carefully on the table. "This will also prove to me the truth, and as such, I encourage it." Shan sits back, remaining somewhat more formal in her posture.

The ork pauses at that, one lone brow rising up at that particular response. It's one that seems to have at least momentarily caught him off guard the way things were going, but for the time being he was willing to work with the latest issue at face value. He crosses his arms, remaining silent a moment longer, considering the suggestion, as well as the assorted implications an AI brought to the mix. AI's in this day and age were common enough, ever since the Crash 2.0 came about, AI's had spilled out into the Matrix in alarming numbers. Enough so that several had made major headlines in recent years, everything from involvement in terrorist activities, to formation of AI 'Rights' groups that pulled together enough clout to actually get some types of AI's declared as having legal rights equal to the average metahuman. Depending on what country or what megacorp's territory you were in at the time.

Eventually he addresses the comlink itself, or more to the point, the AI that was said to reside within it. "Very well. HAL. Are you an AI?" he asks, a tinge of suspicion still in his voice.

when HAL gets asked directly if it is an AI it responds "I am what you fleshies call an Artificial Lifeform. and to answer a question before hand, i came becasue i found a message floating around the matrix and i read it so i came here. If you were wanting secrecy you might want to get a beter encryption program, as far as helping you, ... i think i might just do so. It sounds interesting"

Jack just smiled and leaned against the wall. He didn't understand everything that was going on, but had a fair idea. This woman was perilously close to to losing them their payday. This needed to be dealt with quickly. He needs the money, and he didn't want someone to screw this up. "I'm sorry for being impatient, but please, may we get to business? I'm sure you have other things to attend to, and we have a mission to complete, if you'll still have us. If not, then we, or at least I, will take my leave." These types always seem to appreciate being direct and to the point.

The Ork listens to HAL's response, his mood far more somber than previously. You can almost hear the mental cogs turning as he assesses this new... challenge put before him. After a few moments he shifts his stance, lowers his arms and says "If you'll excuse me one moment, this will necessitate a few changes to some security measures. I'll send my secretary in to make sure you are kept suitably entertained in the meantime." and without another word he heads out of the aircraft, heading off to apparently meet with some one, possibly from the local security team.

Less than a minute later an elf makes her way aboard the plane, entering the meeting cabin. "Is there anything I can get you folks? Tea? Coffee? Sandwiches?"

On his way out of the aircraft, the Ork almost runs right into a tall human woman of Amerind descent. Her dark, straight, thick hair falls straight down to just above her collar, the right-side part causing the hair to partly cover the left side of her face, which has a slightly discolored, mottled look to it - the mark of either incredibly serious injuries, or very substandard medical care. Her heavy jacket is clearly armored and clearly of military issue, and also conspicuously lacking in insignia - the discoloration where name tapes, rank, and unit patches is obvious. The rest of her attire is urban casual with a military style - well-worn cargo pants, canvas-upper combat boots, and a fitted, black t-shirt.

"Whoops. Sorry about that. I'm late. It's not all over is it?"