Echos of the Past

Introductions out of the way, everyone but Ebb piles into the limo while the dwarf loads the gear in the trunk. A few minutes later and they are on the way, the dwarf heading out of town and Ebb following on his bike. A gentle chime sounds inside the limo and a beep in Ebbs ear. The dwarf's virtual image appears, almost identical to the real-life form behind the wheel save that his peaked cap is missing, revealing the extensive nano-tats on his bald head. "Ebb, the link to you comm in encrypted, and the cabin soundproofed so we should be safe. Still, lets keep this reasonable short. I'm Riker, as I'm sure you guessed. It'll be about a half-hour to the ville. After I drop you off, I'll go ditch the limo and pick up something a little less obvious. Should be back in a couple hours. After that, I'm at your disposable. We can head to the site whenever you're ready."

In the meantime, when you are unpacking, there is a small black box. Its got hardcopy chips of the security team and a comm with the satilite link. The chips are delete upon read, so study them well. Anything you need, intel or gear wise, while I'm out?"

Pick doesn't like being the first one to speak, especially with people he hasn't fully sussed out. Still, the clock's ticking, and if the facility has been taken over, the invaders can use every additional minute to consolidate their hold and make an infiltration that much more difficult.

"It sounds like we have good combination of infiltration, magic and drone capability. It also sounds like we're less capable in heavy firepower and Matrix support. I think we'd be better-suited to a carefully-planned, quiet infiltration more than a frontal assault."

"I think our immediate need is intel," Pick begins, looking at each team member in turn. "The most important questions are 1) the internal layout of the facility, 2) what defenses are onsite, and 3) how many people are currently in the facility. I think we should set up visual, magical and drone reconnaissance of the site as quickly as possible. Simultaneously, we can look for regular deliveries or other covers to get into the site, as well as looking for construction workers or delivery people who know what the inside of the place looks like. "

Pick jots down some notes on a pad of paper, talking them through as he writes:


Team 1
Point-Man
Taur
Warden

Team 2
Jack
Ebb
Kieron

Recon
8-hour shifts?
When does the next satellite window start? (question to Riker)
Observation post
- camouflage netting
- water rations
- ghillie suits?
- tropical-weight clothing/armor
Watcher spirts
Use jungle spirits to ease foot travel through jungle?
If Ebb loans drones, Point-Man can use them
Drop off ~5km from the facility and walk to and from the observation post?

Matrix Intel
Regular deliveries
Construction, security workers/others that may know internal layout
Interrogate/mindprobe workers to get floorplan?
Sleaze the facility directly to try to find floorplans/security blueprints?

Skills needed
Point-man has skillwires if we can get skillsofts
- Camouflage (observation post)
- Jungle craft

Taur kept his eyes closed as the others joined him in the limo, but kept his mind open to good idea's. "Riker, a magic shop would be lovely if i could get a list of what they have, you never know when a good focus will help." He listened with intent to Pick drawing out his idea's for spying and taking over the base. "A proper base wouldn't have a regular delivery schedule, at least a sane coordinator wouldn't for fear of the thing which we are about to do, so keeping track over the next week would be a very good idea. Opportunity is another thing we should try to keep in mind for surveliance, if you can take a guards uniform and get away with it, the better, otherwise stay hidden."

Pick frowns his displeasure at Taur's broad-brushed request, but proceeds to write it down. "Maybe Riker can get us into some sort of underground bazaar or something during one of our off-duty cycles, Taur," 'Point-man' muses as he nibbles on the pen. "Sounds like you want to visit a talismonger more than having a specific need in mind."

"When we get to the villa, I think we should all doss down for about 6 hours, with Team 2 keeping watch, prepping spirits and villa security while Team 1 sleeps. 6 hours on surveillance, 6 hours off, Team 1 takes the first recon shift. How's that sound to everyone? Riker, does 6 hours give you a chance to pick up the immediate-need goodies for us?"

Anya practically fumed at Pick's dismissal of her capabilities, her background glow shifting into purple and even red as she raged inside Jack's head. <He doesn't believe me! He doesn't think I can handle our Matrix needs! Does he even know how much it cost the taxpayers to fund my creation? Of all the misinformed, miserable... ugh!> She threw her hands up, pacing on the seat angrily, contemplating jumping back on the holo projector to chew him out. Eventually her coloration faded back to a light blue, and she took the step up, once again creating the patch of shimmering air that solidified into her hovering form for all to see. "This unit," she laid a hand on her chest, indicating the black hologram surrounded by cyan light, "possesses an advanced surveillance drone available for the task of physical reconnaissance and on-site monitoring."

"Information on creatures we could encounter could be useful. Hate to be unprepared after getting bitten by a poisonous snake. Infiltration could be easier if shape shifted into a commonly occurring animal also", Kieron said to Riker.

Looking at Point-Man"I'm fine with that plan. Though I'd prefer if group two covered the outpost at night. I can deal either way though."

Pick reaches into his pocket and pulls out a battered pack of nicosticks. Lighting one and inhaling deeply, his eyes close in pure enjoyment of the carcinogens filling his lungs. Without opening his eyes, Pick smiles, "I hope no one minds; I've needed this since we crossed over Costa Rica."

"That's a mighty fine agent program you have there, Darkwolf, I mean, Jack," Pick says, leaning forward. "Seems to me that the agent program is reasoning out intentions, needs, and motivations, based on conversation." Addressing the hologram, Pick studies the image closely. "What should we call you? Agent Program 003 doesn't exactly roll off the tongue..."

Without waiting for a response, Pick returns to the surveillance plan. "Seems like we got the teams a little mixed up. Let's try these."


Team 1
Jack
Taur
Warden

Team 2
Kieron
Ebb
Point-Man

6-hour shifts:
10 PM - 4 AM: Team 2
4 AM - 10 AM: Team 1
10 AM - 4 PM: Team 2
4 PM - 10 PM: Team 1


"Riker, no offense taken. I wouldn't expect to use your wheels; we're just exploring options here..."

"You may call me Anya," Anya curtsied unexpectedly in Pick's direction, suddenly in a much better mood. "And I accept your apology." She didn't mention for what, but her glowing blue eyes gleamed mischievously. "Now, I'm eager to here how you plan on handling Matrix security. If our employer is to be trusted, our opposition stands to gain by bringing in a rigger, so we ought to prepare for one. And the thing about riggers is that they are, nearly without exception, far too confident in their own abilities. All it takes is one drone accepting one falsified signal and suddenly the rigger's security becomes his own worst nightmare," she paused to consider the statement, tapping a finger against her chin. "It's almost poetic, don't you think?"

Ebb didn't take long at all in responding to that question "I've got a few, their not fast movers though, but their small, hard to notice. Couple of are built for taking out other small drones but they could double as recon drones in a pinch. Even got a few with some ruthenium polymer coating and some stealth programs so they can slip in to just about anywhere. They don't have the sensor system of a full sized recon drone though, but I didn't exactly have the room to bring anything larger than that. But if we can steal a few I could probably modify em with a little work. Got most of the tools I'd need with me."

A visible sneer appeared across Warden's face as Point-man light up his atrocious death stick. He considered holding his tongue, but quickly dismissed the idea. "I do mind. That vile thing is an affront to the air spirits. As for your plan, I find it agreeable. As long as you respect the land, I will see that the spirits of the earth and trees look after us."

He wondered how well he would be able to keep that promise. If the facility had angered the spirits, he would be hard pressed to keep them calm. He knew there would be no saving them if one of his own defiled the land. It was a risk that had to be taken.

As the anger in Anya flaired, Jack could be seen holding his head, as if he had a headache. After Anya calmed down however, it looked as if his headache was relieved. "Ah y-yes, she's o-one of a k-kind." He smiled but it quickly faltered. As he thought about it, he slowly nodded. "Um, y-yeah. A g-ghille suit would be u-useful. I-I could d-definintally use o-one."

Pick looks over at the pixie in disbelief. "Boy, I'm glad I'm not on your team anymore..." he says as he carefully stubbs out his nicostick on his armor jacket.

"Anya, is it? Well, I'm no expert in the Matrix arts. What do you suggest on the Matrix front? Do you think you could get us a map of the facility layout?"

"As for the the gear, I think we've got enough to make the shopping list for the first run. That being..."


3 ghillie suits
Disguise or Camouflage skillchip
Field rations for 3 days
Camouflage netting
Datachip on animals we might encounter


Anything I'm missing? Does anyone need binoculars, night scopes, etc.?

The hologram of Anya rubbed its hands together, happy to be getting down to work. "If you can get Darkwolf close enough, I should be able to infiltrate an enemy rigger's network, so long as we're not looking at hardwired connection. But if there are drones roaming around, they're going to be talking with the opposition, and that's my way in. I can re-purpose any drone, any so long as the rigger isn't actively jumped in at the time, I can make it so there is nothing to give away my intrusion. The map though..." Anya sat down on the holo-projector's pad, leaning her chin on a fist as she thought. "It depends on what the enemy has done to the facility's network. If it's still up and running it should be an easy task finding a record of the building's blueprints, even if it simply designed to aid cleaning and maintenance drones in navigating the place. If not, I may be able to piece together something of a rough map from security cameras, but again, that depends on what our opposition has done to the building's network."

Riker rumbles down a paved road near the outskirts of the jungle before finally pulling up at the ville, followed by Kesslan. The team piles out of the limo and looks around. The place is nice - a dozen bedrooms, whirlpools in each, a fully stocked bar, and a private white sand beach. But maybe the most important is the extremely advanced and sensitive security system - no guard drones, but its got just about every other bell and whistle you could ask for. Riker runs everyone through the codes for the sec system, then heads out. You've got a couple hours to kill before he returns.

As the limo pulls up to the villa, Pick has to remind himself not to stare in amazement. Having grown up in the Seattle streets and then in Fort Leavenworth, he hasn't experienced many luxury accommodations in his life. Of those he has encountered, this one surpasses them all - by far.

The group gets out of the limo and starts unloading gear. Pick pulls Riker aside and says, "We have to be in position for first recon at 10 PM local time. Can you pick us up in in time to get us to within 5km of the facility and with time to walk to the site? Say it'll take us 1 hour to walk there..." Pick sets his internal commlink's alarm clock to 30 minutes before the pickup time to give himself a chance to prep and eat.

Walking inside, Pick doesn't spend much time looking around; there'll be time for that after the first recon shift. He dumps his two duffel bags in the living room and pulls a water from the wet bar next to the couch. "Kieron, Ebb, we've got first shift tonight. Kieron, conjure a spirit or two if you want, but more importantly, we need Team 2 rested." Pick also includes the pickup time suggested by Riker, and hands each team member a headset that he picked up the last night they were in Seattle. "They're encrypted and non-commlinked. Wear it every time you're in the field and stay in close contact."

"Jack, Taur, Warden and Anya, you guys are responsible for home base security. Jack, Anya: let's use this villa's security to the fullest. Warden, Taur: watcher spirits, jungle spirits or barriers would be handy. Also, please take a look around and see if there's anything unusual astrally. Once we're secure, you guys can hit the sack, explore the villa or see what you can find out about our target. Just don't stray too far - I'm sure there's awakened creepie-crawlies in that jungle."

Ignoring any whingeing, Pick kicks off his shoes and lays down on the couch. "Make sure that any watchers know to make loud physical noise so they wake everyone up..." he mutters as his eyes close. He's asleep within a minute.

The only reason Ebb didn't dispute what Pick was ordering everyone to do, really boiled down to the fact that he didn't know what the hell to do himself really. Since Pick seemed to have experience in these matters and Ebb was being paid apparently rather well for this job, he simply shrugs and went along with it all. "Sure thing, just let me get my babies unpacked and I'll set em up to beef up surveillance, and then go check out what kinda security system they have setup. See if there's any hook up for a rigger or not."

Of course he wasn't quite sure where to begin, beyond getting his equipment unpacked, so he started there, and once that was done he turned to the matter of trying to check out what ever passed for the controls of the security system, not to mention look into what exactly it was the place had in the way of security measures. While he was at it he paused to order his ruthenium polymer coated drones to setup near the exterior of the building while setting up his less stealthy and basic drones to cover the interior. It wouldn't offer much but even a heads up on potential trouble could help out if something happened.

Listening to pick and nodding occasionally Kieron says,"I'll explore the area and watch the astral side of it for a bit. Not gonna bother with spirits now though." He takes the headset and wanders off.

Kieron wandered the area taking note of entrances and exits. Once finished he walked the area percieving it astrally. He stops inside the front entrance and walks outside. Kieron passes by the beach and the edge of the forest. Once finished he proceeded to head inside and rest a bit.