[Marlowe]

Invictus - Summoning

Resist = 2 hits for 2 net services on the spirit.

The presence of the spirit fills the near-astral, and you see the insubstantial form of a tall, statuesque woman come just into focus near the edge of your vision.  Around her you hear the faint sounds of a locomotive moving in the background, one of the more unusual parts of your metaphysical construct for dealing with the air spirit.

Sorry I'm late, I got held up at a red light.

[Nobody]

Forgot to mention, activating Astral Perception as a simple action.

Each time I summoned her, she looked more and more like Angela. Perhaps I was just imagining it . . .

"Nonsense, Dagny. You're exactly on time, as always." I reached out and formally kissed her hand, reaching again into the carefully structured manascape.

[Ultra-Wideband Radar] Cryptesthesia (Extended) Force 8: 7 hits; Drain v. 6P: 5 hits

Pain shot through my lips when their contact released the spell. I tasted blood on my teeth as I succumbed to the temptation to channel more dangerous amounts of mana.

I reached out over our mental bond. "I need something from you, of course. You'd be insulted if I offered you the opportunity to affect the physical world without asking something of value in return." I called the FEMA seal to memory in exacting detail, "I need you to search the old Federal District of Redmond for a bunker with this seal emblazoned on it and report its whereabouts to me, as well as a detailed image of the area using the sense I've provided you as well as your astral sight. If the bunker with the seal isn't present, or you can't continue safely, the images and a report of what impeded your progress." I dropped her astral hand, "Don't take any unnecessary risks. I need you." For some reason that came out more tender than I had intended it, and I knew I was projecting emotionally. I shook off the creeping tendrils of the past to focus on the here and now. "Wait here until I give the signal. If you have any questions, you should ask them now."

I looked back at the group beginning their preparations. I spoke through the Mind Net, "You look perfect, Gray. I take it you'll be leaving the summoning for the Pritchard Park search to Iris? Whomever else is going to send a spirit, I'd be happy to cast some enhancements on it. Bullpen, I've got some spells to cast on you, too, before you go."

[fourclover]

Bullpen casually finishes the American "cuisine" and pulls out a can of chew. He pops a pinch in his mouth to replace the lingering flavor the food left behind. He curiously eyes Invictus as he sees him bow and then kiss a seemingly non-existent hand, but he figures it must be a mage thing.

"Go ahead and cast your spells on me, Invictus. I have no fear of your magic. Just tell me what you are casting and how long it will last. I will be ready to go after that."

[Marlowe]

Dagny smiled at the courtly gesture of your astral form.

I will search for this seal, although our definitions of unnecessary risk may differ.  How long do you want me to look?

You sense the usual impatience from the spirit as it wants to get your assignment over with.

[RHat]

Hermetics had always frustrated Iris - always seeming to presume their understanding of the magical world was complete.

"I believe I've already made my stance on asking such menial tasks of the loa quite clear."  Her voice took on a hard edge here, leaving little room to debate the subject.  "And while your disguise is well executed, Grey, have you considered that you'd have to play the part of an eagle wearing a human shape?  It seems it would be wiser to mask as a changeling - certainly seem to be a good number of them in the clientele, and at least that way you're not having to put on the appearance of belonging to a completely different species."

[Windmill Hunter]

Gray sighed, "Well I suppose I could cover it, I do have a few bound spirits knocking about, but go easy on the spells, I much prefer your brains inside your head."
He called Miasma to him, tugging on the bond between them,and as he opended his eyes to the astral, there stood a shifting roughly man-shaped form made up of mist and shadows. It bowed to him and looked up expectantly, waiting for orders. Breaking him in had taken some time, Gray reminisced, but it seems to have worked.
"You are to survey the Pritchard Park in Seattle, to locate a secret bunker, which may be identified by this symbol." He projeted the FEMA symbol through the bond. "But first you are to have spells of detection cast upon you by this mage."
Once he had dealt with his spirit, he turned to Iris, "This is getting into a bit of a theme isn't it, now please think about it for a second, Eagle shapeshifters suffer from claustraphobia almost to a man, and coupled with the fact that transforming into an eagle in the middle of a club isn't going to be nice at the best of times, it gives me a good excuse to deal with any confrontation before I attract any attention, and who would expect someone to disguse themselves as shapeshifters when there was the much easier option of a changeling? Plus, if our man thinks he has an advantage negotiating, he isn't going to make as much effort trying to scam us."

[MaxKojote]

After a little while, Fang was watching Bainbridge Harbour from the water taxi he had  taken for a faster trip. A shortcut as it were.  Certainly cut out the travel time of taking a passenger ferry. "I am approaching Bainbridge Harbour now. It should be a couple of minutes for me to meet up whoever is there." He had left his car and drone behind on the other side, no need to attract further attention than he was already doing.

[RHat]

"Your call."  She leaned back; she couldn't decide if that actually had been his plan or if he was just covering for a mistake.  She also couldn't be bothered to care at this point, seeing as he'd either prove to be worth having around or not.

[Nobody]

Across the bond to Dagny I let her know, "I know you won't be satisfied unless you give your best effort, and that's enough for me. If you've come up with nothing before 6:45am tomorrow, give me your report and then you may take your leave." With that, I gave her the mental signal to commence with her purpose.

I moved to the edge of my artificial background count and pulled the mana around me again. Extending my finger out of the bubble, I beckoned Miasma to touch it.

[UWB Radar] Cryptesthesia Force 8: 5 hits; Drain v. 4S: 6 hits

Next I gestured to Bullpen. "You'll be faster, more alert, and harder to hit. They'll last until I sleep, if you need them that long." Placing my hand on his massive arm, I continued to let mana course through me.

Increased Reflexes Force 4: 4 hits; Drain v, 4S: 5 hits
Combat Sense Force 5: 4 hits; Drain v. S:  5 hits

It was getting difficult to concentrate through the thrum of mana coursing through my astral form. If anyone needed any other spells, I'd let them ask rather than offer. If my spell load got any heavier I wasn't going to be able to make the wards last long enough.

As I cast, Fang's message came through. "Excellent. Any software the team should be downloading to make your job easier?"

The mindlink sent along the sense of reproach to accompany my words, for Iris's mind only. No sense calling her out in front of the group if I didn't have to. Yet. "Your attitude is counterproductive. Being uncomfortable with an idea is one thing. Refusing to help the team without suggesting an alternative is exactly the sort of thing that will erode the team's trust in your ability. Let's set aside the fact that critiquing an actor on his technique and creative license is tantamount to pistols at dawn. If here and now, at the first and easiest step of the job we're hired to do, you balk then what will happen when someone's life is on the line? If we can't count on you for the little things, how can we count on you for the big things? Whatever your hangup is, you need to either get ahold of it or go home so we can find someone who'll earn the pay you're getting. As it is, you're doing nothing.If you can't find a better way to help the team, then start helping me with the wards on this place."

The wards were going to be the most painful part of the process. I took out my penknife and began scratching a series of formulae in the corner, setting up my standard layering of alarm and polarized barriers.

[MaxKojote]

"No software is required to make my life easier. If desired, I can run a centralised Tactical Network for the benefit of the team. However this would require slaving your commlinks to m-my commlink." He stammered slightly, cutting himself off before he indicated that they slave their commlinks to him. With how things were at the moment, that would be a fantastically poor idea. "Slaving to my commlink would also provide protection from other hackers."

He throttled the feeling of anxiety as he left the water taxi onto Bainbridge Harbour. "I am now at the harbour." The voice coming from the commlink sounded nervous, tense. "For the person who is meeting up with me; understand that I was given the name 'Fang' appropriately. You will likely easily find me. " Hopefully before the more conservative residents decide to express their opinions.

[fourclover]

Once Invictus casts his spells, Bullpen dusts off his hands and heads to the door, saying "Time to go."

As he steps outside the building, he spits away from the door, getting some fair distance, and continues to chew as he heads for his bike. He sets his autopilot to take him to the meeting spot at the harbor.

[Windmill Hunter]

 Well of you go Miasma, return to me either when you find the location or 12 hours elapse, try not to kill so many gangers this time, you're making Id jealous. With marching orders given, Gray sauntered after Bullpen, picking up his walking stick and with the faint tapping of carbon fibre on concrete he departed the hanger.

 "Any chance of a lift" he said to Bullpen as he exited the hanger and spotted the minotaur heading for the bike." My leg isn't what it was, and being borne aloft by spirits isn't very nice this time of year."  gesturing to the cold, barren sky with his walking stick .

[Nobody]

Quick calculations of the space of the hangar told me that this would certainly be a one person job. The reproach cut from the mindlink to Iris. "Alternately, you can follow up on digging into our Johnson. I have a feeling you'll enjoy that one more. If this is a test, and I think you're correct, then it's important to know who's writing the syllabus if we're to perform."

Hearing Fang's answer I sent a mental message to Bullpen, "Swing the hacker by the hanger to set up the commlinks before you head out. And don't forget Ron. It's his introduction."

Aloud, to the commlink, I addressed Fang, "How long will it take you to finish shoring up our commlinks? The magical link won't help us when we separate."

[RHat]

"I'll be hitting the streets 'round both locations, too, see what I can scare up.  Need to find out what we're walking into.  Figure out if I can find anything for blueprints one the place, too.  Someone wanted to tag along as backup, can't say as I'd mind."

[MaxKojote]

"Setting up your commlinks into a protected network should only take a few moments of your time. After that they should be as secure as I can manage." Fang's voice came from the commlink. "After that I can travel back to Fenris Nacht on the mainland with whoever is going there."