WillGM: Okay, there are four threads currently running. Again, let's start with the earliest, which at this point could fairly well qualify as "last night," since the other three are in the same day. WillGM: Fearless, UL, you two headed to the StoneWorks after checking out the TCS and meeting Shyla and Spitz. BA: 'k Fearless: roit WillGM: You arrive, Shyla and Spitz in tow. WillGM: ------------------ Game Start --------------------- Fearless pulls up, and gets out of his car, lighting another cancerstick. Edward: if it's not too much to ask, can you do Ed's scene right after this? I don't know how long the caffeine will hold. Finish this scene first though... WillGM: You are in the driveway; the front gate is locked, as would be the front gate of any daytime business this late at night. WillGM: Ed: check. Fearless: okay, there a doorbell around? WillGM: No, but after you have all gathered there Len comes up to the gate from the other side. WillGM: "Johnny, BA." He eyes the girl and the dog. "What can I do for you? WillGM: +" Fearless: remind me... Len was who again? WillGM: Jumper, a.k.a. Ofanite. Fearless: "Are Zeke or Rath in?" WillGM: "...Not at the moment." WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. Fearless: "I see... I have some information for them, you see, regarding a pair of people on the other side." WillGM: Len shines his flashlight on Shyla and Spitz. "Do I know you two?" Fearless lets Shyla field this one WillGM: Spitz jumps up on the hood of BA's car. "It's allright, brother. I am a Malakh, and the girl is aware. We met this night in the course of a common investigation." WillGM: Shyla bows slightly. WillGM: Len brightens. "Ah, good. Sorry for being cagey, Johnny, but I didn't exactly know who your friends were." Fearless: "That's alright, Len. May we come in?" WillGM: "Well.... Zeke and Rath are maintaining Role back at their houses, and I'm on guard duty. Wes is inside practicing." WillGM: "What's going on?" WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 14. Fearless: "I had a look-see around the True Connectedness Society. Following up a story lead, as well as other leads. I even met their leader, Swami Alashka ben Li, and another suspect, Terrence Winkle, there." Fearless: At this point, I'll go into detail about what happened there. Fearless: "Shyla here had a conversation with Winkle. Shyla?" WillGM: Shyla describes her own conversation with Terrence, the one BA recorded. BA hands over the CD. WillGM: Len takes the CD. WillGM: Spitz adds in his $0.02 about someone, at least, inside with Essence control. Fearless: "And it was at the same time I was with the Swami, and Shyla was with Winkle, right?" WillGM: "Just before you went in." Fearless: "Hrrm... Anything while we were in, specifically right after the crowd dispersed?" BA considers the different types of wiretapping methods, will have to outfit Fearless and company with something WillGM: Spitz shakes his head in the negative. "Nothing Disturbance-wise." WillGM: "Thanks for keeping us updated. Both of them sound like people you'll want to keep an eye on. I'll let Rath know about this the next time we all get together." Fearless: "Right. I've got to get to the office and start on the story... without mentioning angels, demons, or talking dogs, of course." WillGM: "What story, though?" Fearless: "Well, I am an investigative reporter. I had an idea of doing a piece on the Society the moment it came up on the search. I've done pieces on other orgs like it, so they should see nothing out of the ordinary. A simple piece warning people of the dangers of places like that, using them as an example." BA: "Sounds good. Whacked out self-delusion cults are a bugger." WillGM: "You know your trade, then." Fearless smiles, and tips his hat. WillGM: "Allright. Stick together and keep yourselves safe. We'll have your back if it comes to that." Fearless: "You, too." BA: "I always do. The way this city's police operate, you almost have to." WillGM: Len nods and heads off. Fearless: and I'm willing to leave this scene go. BA heads home WillGM: Shyla is tired as well, but she and Spitz will want to stay in touch with you, meeting tomorrow to consider what to do about the Society. Fearless: she has my office number WillGM: "Okay. I'll call tomorrow." She drives off with Spitz. WillGM: That should cover that, for now. (Finally. ;^) ) Fearless: and I'll prolly be on my fifth pot of coffee when she calls. WillGM: We move to the next day. Nicole, your scene with Bill Handel happens during this day. WillGM: Edward's earlier work, and the scene with Carver, also occurs during this day. Fearless: I thought Ed's scene was next? WillGM: That's what I'm doing, yeah. Fearless: ah WillGM: Having done the earlier work, the next definite event is Ed's pair of meetings with Dave and the 'Works angels. Those of you on campus, particularly Nicole and Ellis, may also want to be in on this latter, or touch base with Ed beforehand. WillGM: Let me know what each of you want to do at this point. (Ed, your meeting with Dave is first.) Edward: *nod* Edward has done some programming in the interim and managed to at least slightly recenter himself. Nicole probably should, just so folks know what's up. WillGM: Ed, let's begin in Dave's office -- different room than yours, same building, slightly better-appointed than yours, but otherwise largely similar. Nicole: (so I'll catch up with Ed afterwards and head over to the works with him) WillGM: That works. Edward: okay. WillGM: Dave is no longer relaxed or cheerful. He looks up as you enter. "How'd it go?" Edward: "Badly." WillGM: He leans forward behind his desk. "Details." Ellis: I'll jump in with Nicole. Edward slumps down into a chair *before* being told to have a seat. This is unusual since normally he respects Dave enough to wait for the 'at ease'. Edward: "I called her at the lab she was working on to confirm, and she said she'd graduated. And I believed her." Edward: "... I was *looking* at evidence that she hadn't, and it didn't even cross my mind to think that she was lying. I *swear*." WillGM: Dave blinks. Edward: "I didn't even think about what I was doing until five minutes later." Edward is disgusted with himself. A fairly uncommon emotion for him to show. WillGM: "That's not what I expected to hear from you -- though," he mutters, "it fits." Edward blinks. "Let me guess... Whoever rubberstamps her deferrals had the same answer?" WillGM: "I had a chat with Betty, the lady in the Bursar's office. Not a pleasant one -- she had no paperwork, no authorization, and no excuse for doing what she was doing. She barely remembered Laura at all. The Bursar is investigating, and it looks like there might have been collusion." Edward: "Oh, joy. Just what we need. Someone's infiltrating the university and the best explanation we can come up with is a Jedi Mind Trick? That'll go over well...." WillGM: "Well, it was Betty I suspected of colluding with Laura to allow her to stay. I didn't expect you to come at me with the same muddled frame of mind." WillGM: "You know what I think we're dealing with? A con artist. A really, really darn good con artist." Edward nods. "That sounds about right. Maybe with some hypnotism skill or whatever." WillGM: "I guess the only real question is whether Betty was in on it, or just a dupe -- and to what extent she bears responsbility for screwing with the records." Edward nods again. WillGM: Dave ponders. Edward: "So more concretely, what do we do about it? Not to sound arrogant, but if she could bullshit me that way, who's to say she can't do the same to whoever investigates her?" WillGM: "We need harder evidence. Nobody bullshits their way around a thick enough paper trail." Edward nods. Edward: "Although she's managed to bullshit her way through the total lack of any paper trail whatsoever when she needed one... Lessee. We've got a truckload of bills unpaid. Can we talk the Bursar into declaring the deferrals null and void?" WillGM: "Not ex post facto, but he's already sent her a DUE NOW demand. It'll get to her in a couple of days by paper. She didn't have an email address in the records." *** UpLink (pirch@ip68-104-59-212.lv.lv.cox.net) has joined channel #gurps UpLink: re *** UpLink is now known as BA Fearless: 're UL Edward: "... We can call the UMich and ask for either their files or a written statement that there's never been a Laura Lieder in their school...." WillGM: "Yeah. Get it in writing." Edward nods. "She does now. I made her one while I was out of it. LLD666, for some reason..." WillGM: "... Why the blazes would you do that? More electronic presence just gives her that much more legitimacy." Edward nods. "I have no excuse." WillGM: "Talk to Admissions. She doesn't have the requisite papers on file, and they'll boot her out in a flat second once people get their act together. Con artists can't pull their crap on a dozen people at once." Edward nods. "Will do. You're better at officialness than I am though, so maybe it's better if you ask the UMich folks for their part of the story..." Edward blinks. "And you might want to hurry... When she asked me why I asked I let slip that UMich didn't have her on file and she mentioned having to do something about that...." WillGM: "I guess I can do that. But I'm putting you on this case, Ed. I want one of two things to happen. Either Laura magically comes up with enough paperwork to justify her existence here, or campus security escorts her to the nearest exit. I want it to happen soon. And don't take any snake oil from her, you know better than that now. Got it?" Edward nods and tosses off a salute. "Jawohl, commander." Fearless: *snrk* BA: Not commandant? :) Edward: It's not funny if you don't mangle it. :) WillGM: "Allright then. I'll forward UMich's reply to you when I get it. And don't let anyone from Admissions pull turf on you. You found this and you're going to hunt it down." Fearless: "Jawohl, Lord Helmet." Edward: "Will do." WillGM: "Okay, beat it. I need to round up a bunch of staff and put them on tying authorizations into policies so this doesn't happen again." Edward nods. Edward beats it. WillGM: While he's still on campus -- Nicole, Ellis, this would be the time. Edward: *nod* Nicole nods. Edward walks down through the cafeteria, where a pair of familiar faces happen to be? Nicole: yeah, I'll be there. Ellis: Sure thing. Nicole sits at a table, staring at the flyer Bill gave her, and ignoring the sandwich next to her. WillGM: Sounds like a plan. Edward walks over to 'cole. "Is this seat taken?" BA: Is it a mutton.sandwich? :) Ellis sits down with a cup of coffee and a sandwich, sits next to Nicole and Ed. "Hey, you two." Fearless: story won't be printed for a few days... Nicole looks up and blinks. "Oh, hi, Ed, Greg...what's new?" Ellis: "Well... Ed, would you like to explain?" Edward: "We've confirmed two of the cases." Nicole: "Well, that's good news, no?" Fearless: depends on your POV. Ellis: "That depends." Nicole: I know absolutely nothing of what's transpired. WillGM: Remember, Nicole wasn't there at Carver's big scene. Nicole blinks again, and puts a hand on the table. "Depends on what?" Edward: "Well, I confirmed one by getting utterly bamboozled over the phone while looking at evidence to the contrary." Ellis: "On your point of view. If we were wrong, we'd be, well, wrong." Edward: "And for that matter, I'd have been way happier if all of them turned out to be false alarms." Nicole looks at Ed. "Oh...like Xav?" Edward nods. Edward murmurs, in such a way that it won't carry beyond the table, "Lieder, liar, pants on fire..." Nicole starts tapping out a rhythm with the hand on the table. "Damn. That sucks." *** Wizard (pirch@h0050da10c3db.ne.client2.attbi.com) has joined channel #gurps Fearless: oi, Wiz Ellis: "We were pretty sure there, anyway." BA: Baa Wiz WillGM: Hello, spectator. Wizard: oink all Nicole looks back at the flyer. "While you guys have found a couple folks, I just got this from Bill." Edward: "Not an experience I'd care to repeat. On the positive side, my super's gotten wind of this one and the lack of a paper trail is breathtaking. He put me in charge of taking her down and kicking her out." Ellis: "Good. A free hand with the campus network and administration will help." Nicole: "Yeah." Edward nods. "I'll also need to talk to Isaiah because no matter how much I dislike financial folks, Betty doesn't deserve the asskicking she's going to get over this." Edward looks over the flyer. WillGM: http://earl.of.sandwich.net/In_Nomine/KBLFlyer.jpg Nicole pulls the ticket out of her jacket pocket and lies it on the table. "And I think I'm going to go." Edward: "... I don't like the idea of a 'real dark ritual' taking place... Have you thought about asking for backup from the 'works?" Nicole shrugs, and begins tapping out a rhythm again on the table. "Not really, no. I just feel this is something that I have to do." Edward listens to the rhythm and attempts to place the song. Nicole: it's fairly random, if there's a song being tapped out, it's unconscious. Edward: 'k Nicole: "And to be honest, I'm not sure I want help." Edward: "Oh?" Nicole nods. "It's an interesting excercise, and this is what some people believe in. I'm all for new experiences." Edward nods in response. "Mmm. Just try to be careful, okay?" Nicole: "Yeah, I know." Nicole looks over at Ellis. "And what news from you?" Edward: "Anyways, I was going to head over to the 'works to discuss what we've found so far, maybe compare notes with Fearless if he shows up there..." Nicole: "I should probably tell them, no?" Edward nods. "Might be wise." Ellis: "News? Carver might have to find a new fencing instructor. But we'll talk about this later." Nicole nods. Nicole puts the ticket safely back in her jacket pocket. Nicole looks at the sandwich. "I dunno what possessed me to get tuna fish. Anybody want it?" Edward: "Thanks for the offer, but nah." Nicole: "Okay. So we're going to the Works?" Edward: "I am, you are, *looks at Ellis* You coming, coach?" Ellis: "No, thanks. And yes, that sounds like a plan." Ellis OOCly blinks at that typo WillGM: Off you go then. Edward: Nicole leaves the sandwich on the table and heads off. Fearless: anyone gonna ring Fearless, and let him know? I mean, that is why Vapula invented cell phones. ;) Edward: Jean did to make his cherubs happy. Edward has a sudden thought all of a sudden with no real reason, and phones Fearless. Fearless: "Your nickel, Ed." WillGM: Hey, Fearless was there earlier that day with Carver. It stands to reason he'd be on your mind. Edward: "Ey Fearless. We were just heading to the 'works. You want to come and compare notes?" Fearless: "Sure. Want me to ring BA as well?" Fearless: "I understand he's been revising plans for a motor for Nicole's wheelchair." Edward: "Why not? Might as well have the whole band of intrepid adventurers in one place..." Fearless: "Right." WillGM: Whoohoo, everybody in one room! %^) Ellis: "Hooray. I'll get my cycle and meet you there." Ellis: Yaaaaay! Fearless rings BA. BA: Hoodyhoo! Nicole: Nicole doesn't have a motor in her wheelchair, she pushes. ;) BA: "Utten utten." Fearless: "BA? Fearless. Up for comparing notes with the others at the Works?" Nicole: Ray Stevens, Shriners Convention. ;) BA: Nicole: BA's standard phone answer :) Fearless: he does that in RL, too... answers the phone "utten nutten" BA: "Sounds good. Have a few ideas to run past the boys." Nicole: heh, it's in that song, hence why I called the ref. :) Fearless: "Right. See you there." BA: 'swehere I got it from :) BA: -e BA climbs into the boat and tools on over Fearless emails the photos from the practice to the chief, and heads out to the Works. Nicole grins. Edward: BBIAS Nicole: o/~ maybe we are entertaining angels unaware o/~ Edward: Ellis: Vroom, vroom, travel time. Fearless oocly gets the mental image of all our cars crashing into each other, Simpsons-esque, as we all pull into the parking lot at once. Ellis: *snicker* WillGM: Rath, Pete, and Zeke are there. Wes is, of course, back on campus doing something involving keeping an eye on Carver, and Len is out as well. Fearless: "Man, I hate being right sometimes." WillGM: It is a little before 6pm, six days before Hallowe'en. BA parks in the 'Works lot and walks in WillGM: As you pull in, Rath asks Pete to go into the office and do something, to which Pete complies. Edward dismounts and waits for the rest to walk up before walking in. Ellis nods at Ed Fearless tips his hat at everyone. Edward waves at Fearless and BA, nods at Ellis Nicole hmmms. Did Fearless swing by to get me, because getting me on a cycle could have been a problem. Fearless: if you want me to, sure WillGM: Good point, both Ed and Ellis have cycles. Nicole: He had to. WillGM: *nod* WillGM: Rath stands up as Pete returns. "Welcome. It is good to see you all here again." Nicole: or I took the bus. Fearless: "Next time, the meeting's at my place." Nicole waves to Zeke. Edward nods. "Likewise. Although I'd prefer less reason to drop by, I think..." Edward: "Have you got a room free where we can talk?" WillGM: Pete comes over to Ed and says quietly, "I called Isaiah. He'll be here in a few minutes." WillGM: "Downstairs, as usual. Please..." Edward nods. "thanks." WillGM: Zeke comes over to escort Nicole to the freight elevator. Fearless takes the elevator as well BA joins the party Nicole smiles. "Thanks, Zeke." WillGM: You all regather in the room with the great stone relief. WillGM: Pete stays upstairs to keep watch. Fearless: "Well, this can be a welcome relief to the chaotic energy of the city." Nicole quietly nods to what Fearless said. WillGM: "That is what we use it for, among other things." BA: "You just need to spend more time on the Quake servers, Fearless." Edward scowls. "why does everyone keep yanking the puns out of my mouth?" Fearless: "BA has a knack for it. And I prefer Duke over Quake." Ellis sits down, relaxes. WillGM: Rath's mouth quirks a bit at the word "Quake." He settles down to a seat at the table. Nicole gets the flyer out of her bag and puts it on the table, looking at it again. Fearless: "What's that, Nicole? WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 15. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 6. Nicole: "Flyer for a party. Got it from Bill today." Fearless: "Party, huh. May I see it?" WillGM: Zeke and Rath both eye the flyer. Rath shows no reaction, but Zeke's eyes widen. WillGM: "Bill?" Nicole hands the flyer to Fearless. Edward: "One of the names on the list." Fearless takes a gander at it... Nicole nods to Zeke. "The guy on Ed's list. He's in my math class, we're acquaintances." Nicole: "But the party's not that important compared to other goingson. Nicole: +" Fearless: "Interesting.... You going?" WillGM: Rath look at Ed. "You know, you've never actually shown us that list." Nicole pulls the ticket out of her pocket, very carefully lays it on the table, and nods to Fearless. Fearless passes it back to Nicole Edward nods. "There's some privacy and confidentiality issues involved, and I'm not entirely comfortable with sharing the information I did to begin with..." WillGM: *to Nicole* "One of the suspects has invited you to a party, and you wish to go. ... May I see the advertisement?" Nicole hands the flyer to Rath. WillGM: Zeke quietly mutters, "Not good...." WillGM: Rath looks it over. "Oh. Dear." Fearless: "Do me a favor, would you? Take notes on that ritual? I'm starting a library on the subject at home, reference material. I'd like notes on it." WillGM: He hands the flyer back to Nicole. Nicole nods to Fearless, and takes the flyer back from Rath. BA: "About getting info like that. I can outfit you with a wiretap." Nicole: "Not worth it, I don't think. Besides, some folks are touchy about that sort of thing." WillGM: "I'm very much afraid that anyone close to this ritual would not be in a position to take notes. There is such a thing as 'hiding in plain sight,' you know." BA: "They'll never know it's there. Your wheelchair is mostly hollow tubing. Plenty of places to hide one." Nicole: "Anyway, as I said, the party's not that important compared to other goingson." Nicole looks pointedly at Ed. Edward nods. "We've already managed to confirm two of the names on that list. Wesley probably already informed you about Carver?" WillGM: "Yes. The last we heard from them, the two of them had followed Carver back to his dormitory, had found his window, and were searching for a place where they could observe unobtrusively." Fearless: "Depending on the floor he lives on, a roof or set of bushes, and equipped with a telephoto lens..." Edward nods. "And I phoned you about Lieder. The good news on that is that my supe's put me in charge of demolishing her 'con game' -- he thinks she's a mundane con artist. I haven't dissuaded him." WillGM: "Good. Break whatever ties she has to humanity, and it will be no problem to off her unobtrusively." Edward nods. "I've got my marching orders. Either she displays picture-perfect documentation of her entire past and present, or security escorts her out the door." WillGM: "Good." WillGM: "Carver will be a harder problem, as his identity is well-established. If nothing happens in the next few days to cause us to think he is connected with some deeper plot, I would favor carefully eliminating him as well." Fearless: "Just what is Lieder studying, anyway? She was listed as a grad student in biochem... in the hands of the other side, that can't be good." Edward: "Biochem. She's working as a lab assistant to one of the profs. Not sure what they're working on, though..." WillGM: "Is it possible to find out?" BA: "Sure. How legal do you want to keep it?" Edward: Not without asking the prof directly. Not something I'd prefer to do until Lieder's kicked out, since it will most likely tip her off that we're still investigating her." Edward: "Besides, ex post facto we have a perfect excuse as we debrief the people she's been working with -- find out what her 'con game' was, no?" WillGM: Zeke nods once, slowly. Fearless: "True." Nicole listens, but her mind is elsewhere. WillGM: "Edward, can I at least ask how many suspects were identified in your list, and how many have now been safely identified?" Fearless: "It'd make one hell of a story." Edward nods. URL to the Little Little List? I don't have my bookmarks... WillGM: http://earl.of.sandwich.net/AnalyzerSummary.txt Edward: Well, suspect #1 is sitting at this table right now, possible Hellsworn.... Fearless: *heh* Fearless: grow horns, coach. Ellis: Do I have to? Ellis: It's really a pain. Nicole blinks, and then laughs a bit. BA grins Edward: "There were seven in all. We've got positives on two of 'em now, plus whatever Fearless managed to find out about the TC folks. Nicole finds herself attempting to tap out a rhythm on the table. Fearless: "BA, play the CD." Ellis: "And a negative on one." Edward listens BA flips open his laptop and gets the file going Nicole tries to pull her mind back to the now and listens. Fearless: "The man speaking on the CD is suspect number 5." BA: "Sure you don't want a wire or three?" WillGM: Each of you hear Shyla and Terrence talking, with Shyla nodding every now and then. WillGM: After five minutes or so, the file ends. Edward: "The True Connectedness Society is being investigated by Lightning; I'll forward what Fearless found to them and request an update on what they know about it when I get home..." Nicole: "What's so wrong with something like that?" Nicole: "I mean, shouldn't people be allowed to believe how they want to believe?" Edward: "Well, their website alone is a crime against humanity and probably a violation of the Geneva Convention..." Fearless: "Its not the idea behind it, Nicole. The way the Swami was talking... call it a reporter's instinct, Nicole, but there was something not right about him." Edward: "If they believe what they want to believe, sure. If someone else is more or less force-feeding them that belief..." BA: "There's a point where personal rights end, kid." WillGM: Spitz speaks for the first time in the meeting. "If they chose this belief, it would perhaps be acceptable. There are elements of truth in that philosophy. Our worry is that their decision has not been their own -- that it has been influenced, by means of demonic interference." Fearless: "But... I need more mundane proof for the story, actually." Nicole nods to Spitz. "Fair enough, I guess." Nicole: "I'm just big on people choosing how they want to deal with the Divine." WillGM: "Did you hear him near the end? 'Connecting with the fundamental energies of the Universe' sounded odd to me, and not in the same way as the rest of it." You combine that with this..." he taps the Flyer. Fearless: "Fair enough. You should see the library I've collected recently." Edward nods at 'cole. "How or whether, but yeah." Nicole nods to Ed. "Not believing is a fair way." WillGM: "I'm wondering if we may be dealing with Sorcery instead of, or in addition to, demons." Ellis: "Not believing is... going to get me into a long argument." BA: *to Zeke* "What's the difference?" Nicole looks at Zeke. "But we're not sure if the two are connected." Nicole: "Bill did say something about Latin and an old book they found in one of the bookstores..." Fearless: "Which bookstore?" Nicole: "Couldn't tell you." Fearless: "Find out for me, would you? I may have been in it recently.... collecting." Nicole: "Okay. But if Bill doesn't wanna tell me, Bill doesn't want to tell me." Edward: "From what I've read, at least part of the whole sorcery gig was set up by Fate's folks..." WillGM: *to BA* "'There shall not be found among you soothsayers, or astrologers, or seers of times, or those that maketh their children to pass through the fire...' Sorcerors. Men trying to tap the power of the Divine, or the Infernal." Edward: if there's any elohim in the hall they might notice a twitch in Ed's emotions as he mentions Fate. BA: "Like I said, Zeke. What's the dif?" WillGM: "It's not necessarily an evil or selfish thing... but it slants heavily in that direction." Nicole: "Anyway, the short of it is that I'm going to that party. I have to." Fearless: "Fair enough. Don't push. I'll be out this weekend, anyway. There's a store in Allentown whose selection I want to check out. Calls itself 'The New Age Shop'. Want anything from it?" WillGM: *to Nicole* "You should be accompanied. It may not be safe there." Fearless: That shop actually exists... or it did 2 years ago. Nicole looks at Rath. "I don't know. I think I need to do this on my own." Ellis frowns at Nicole. "Nicole..." BA: *to Nicole* "At least let me get you a wire so we know you're safe." WillGM: "There is strength in numbers. What would you gain by facing this alone, where there are those ready to support you?" BA ponders ways of outfitting Nicoles wheelchair into a larger Speedbump Nicole: "I can't explain it in any way that would make sense. But it's always been, since the accident, 'You can't do this and this and this' and I'm going to do this by myself to prove there *are* things I can do." Fearless: "Nicole, that made perfect sense." Nicole: "If you insist I need one of BA's wires, then I'll take one. But I'm doing this on my own." BA: "She's got us there." Ellis nods and backs down. WillGM: "Very well then. Seek strength." Ellis: "Just for practical purposes, a wire would be good." Fearless: "At least keep a cell phone handy, just in case?" Nicole looks at Fearless. "Always." Nicole then looks at BA. "And no motorizing this thing, I have perfectly good arms." BA pulls out his notepad and flips it open to the sketches he's been making for wheelchair mods. "Gimme a couple hours and you'll be better equipped than James Bond." ;) Fearless: "Well, don't do anything I wouldn't do. And don't say you can't work under those restrictions." Nicole laughs at BA. Edward looks at BA. "No rocket launchers." BA: "Can I at least mount the tasers and smoke screen?" Nicole: "Actually, no secret weapons of any kind, I wouldn't use them anyway." Fearless looks at that. "You don't have room for both." BA: "You never let me have any fun." Nicole: "Actually, no weapons at all. And no motors. I agreed to a wire." WillGM: Rath hides a bit of a smile. Fearless: "Remember the swimming pool incident, BA? She couldn't brake." Fearless: "Although I still don't know how you managed to get the wheelchair on the diving board." BA: "I'll pull a couple parts I use for Speedbump. They'll fit nicely in the arms and back handles, so you'll have front and rear-facing cams. I can rig a transmitter or install a vid recorder. Your choice." Nicole: "Prolly best to keep radio noise to a minimum." Edward: "Maybe some kind of panic button, though... Edward: " BA: "Panic button's a good idea." Ellis: "Only if Nicole wants it." Edward nods. Ellis: *glare* Ellis: Probably more a stern look, actually. Fearless nods. "A panic button instead of a wire tap. That way, it'd be her call, not ours." BA isn't in college anymore and is self employed, so doesn't mind glares Nicole: "Yeah, I think I can deal with a panic button." Nicole: "If it will make you all more comfortable with the idea of going in by myself, then I'll do it." Edward: "It would." WillGM: Pete opens the door from the office. "Isaiah has arrived." BA: "Great. Swing by the shop tomorrow and we can get you wired and tested." Nicole nods. WillGM: Pete returns to the surface; in walks the tall, besuited man you met the last time you were all down here. Edward nods in greeting at Isaiah BA waves absently, starts revising a few sketches for the wheelchair Fearless extinguishes his cancerstick. Nicole looks at the newcomer, and puts the ticket back in her pocket. WillGM: Isaiah nods to Marmarath, looks at Edward. "You wanted to speak to me, Mr. Wong." Edward nods. "The short version is, we've discovered evidence of several demons currently in the university. One of them -- a confirmed Balseraph going by the name of 'Laura Lieder' and posing as a biochem intern -- managed to get by without paying a single bill in the past year through the simple expedient of 'convincing' the bursar's secretary to rubberstamp deferrals." WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. WillGM: Isaiah nods confidently. "You are clear. Continue." Edward: "My supervisor's talked to her about it and discovered she had no reason or excuse for what she did, and barely remembered meeting her at all. Now we all know why this is so, but that's not something we can tell the review board when they come to nail Betty's posterior to the wall for gross negligence of her duties..." WillGM: "Yes?" Edward: "And I may not *like* the financials dept in general, but I don't feel she deserves to lose her job over getting her mind warped." Edward: "I explained this to Rath, and he suggested calling you." WillGM: "Ah. I understand. Yes, it would be unjust to leave her suffering the consequences of coerced actions. I shall contact her." Edward nods. "Thanks." BA: "How about that. Heaven *does* have lawyers." WillGM OOCly wavers -- I need to be going to bed soon. Let me do one more thing.... Nicole: (Ah, gee, we get into good roleplay and the GM wants to go to bed.) ;) Fearless: "I guess Hell only gets the sleazy ones. That's, what, ninety-nine percent of them?" WillGM: Sorry, but it's insistent. BA: Bah. GM 'til you drop! Edward: That was not entirely True, by the way. Ed doesn't "not like" the finances dept, he's grown a mild loathing towards them for making him jump to a dozen hoops just to justify normal expenses, let alone critical upgrades... :) Fearless: Gary Jackson Play Till You Drop Hackmaster Tournament BA: Yep :) Edward: the not feeling that anyone deserves to get blasted for being Jedi Mind Tricked was True, though. WillGM: Well, a mild loathing probably counts as a dislike in sufficiently general terms that it didn't make Isaiah all scritchy. Nicole: Balseraphed. ;) Edward: More like a memory/disk expansion for the mail server when most of the staff refused to accept the proposal to clean out their damn mailboxes more than once per century... :) Fearless: i.e. he knew you were being respectful with the terms WillGM: "Very well. What plans are currently in motion? I have two of my troops on Carver. Isaiah here will be doing damage control for this Bursar's woman. What will you be doing?" Edward: "I've been put in charge of siccing the Wrath of UPENN on Lieder." Nicole giggles. Nicole: "The Wrath of the Quakers!" %) Fearless: "I'm doing more research and writing a piece on the True Connectedness Society. It could go either way, depending on the Swami." Edward: "That reminds me - how well does a balseraph's resonance work against a group of people at once?" Fearless: "You okay, Nicole?" Nicole: "And I'm coming up with a Halloween costume." Nicole nods to Fearless. "Yeah. The Quakers are Penn's mascot." BA: *to Nicole* "Sure you don't want to go motorized? You could go as Mario Andretti." Fearless: "Ah. You'd think I'd remember something like that." WillGM: *to Edward* "It doesn't. Unless they have time to work everyone in the group separately." Edward smiles thinly. "I'll just have to make sure she doesn't get that chance..." Fearless: *to Ed* "Well, there's the old police interrogation scene." WillGM: Shyla desires to continue investigating the TCS, and would like to join Fearless if he heads back there again -- otherwise, has the patrol route with Spitz. Nicole pokes the flyer at BA. "There's a theme." Ellis: "What theme?" BA: "How about a witch on a vacuum cleaner? :) BA: " Ellis snrks Nicole eyes BA. Nicole: "Actually, I was thinking black cat, but..." Fearless: "BA... stop it." Nicole: Ellis: "Typical Halloween stuff. Witches, wizards, familiars, etcerta..." Ellis nods. Fearless: "BA, you're too technologically advanced to know when a situation needs a low-tech touch." BA: "Nonsense! Sometimes low-tech is the best high-tech answer." WillGM: *to Nicole* "Just be careful, and keep an awareness of your mental state. If this ritual is Sorcerous, it could have surprising effects. We might want to stop it before it could be completed." Nicole nods to Zeke. "I'll be as careful as I can. I mean, I like living." Ellis grins. "That's good to hear." WillGM: *to Edward* "And finally, investigations will be ongoing as to the persons not yet definitively categorized, correct?" Edward nods. WillGM: "Very well then." Fearless: "Perhaps, Nicole, you can go as an urban primitive? I can get you some fake tattoos." Fearless: "Realistic ones, even." Nicole: "Naw, I think I'll stick to more traditional things." WillGM: --------------------------- Session End ---------------------------