[Csjarrat]

That could work. Especially if we can create a convincing backstory; Matrix pages, trids of songs and the like. Just enough to look legit if they ran a quick search.

[BrickyardBabe]

Iris grinned broadly. "That's the beauty of it. We don't have to." She nodded at Robyn. "She's legit, and my family and I have a history of patronage with the London Philharmonic."

[adamu]

"Well, seems ta work fer the mimes, so why not us'n as well?"

The damned place was so upside down and topsy turvy, Al figured the more cockamamie the idea, the more likely it would work.

"But ol' Al plays the roadie. Reckon I'm a Thespian, not some limp-wrist crooner."

[pistolgrip]

"I was just thinking we could cut the power and send a spirit somewhere to make a mess. We sneak in during the chaos, or maybe even act as a 'response team' or something." Jackhammer offered, taking a big bite of soybird. He nodded in satisfaction at what he was pretty sure was a good idea. A tingling in his brain told him that was from a scene in a trid, but he ignored it and owned the idea.

"Otherwise, I can play a bodyguard pretty well, being one and all." He said with a mouthful of food. "Er, formerly anyway. But I'm not great at playin' pretend. Didn't list that in my skills." With that, he washed down the food with some extra beer and waited for the inevitable protest from Mrs. Better-Than-Thou.

[BrickyardBabe]

Iris smiled disarmingly at Jackhammer. "You won't have to pretend. Until we get to where we can actually effect the heist, you will be exactly what you appear to be. A bodyguard is something Robyn will need, both in her capacity as a decker and a blind musician touring the sights Below."

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint nodded to Jackhammers suggestion: "Your idea has the benefit of simplicity - always a good basis for a plan. But a snatch and grab style attack should probably be plan B, as ideally no one will know that we took something in the first place. Less heat is always preferable."

At the suggestion with the musicians Isaint grinned beneath his mustache: "A tommy gun in a violin case. Not really new, but there is a reason it's a classic. Brass instruments to hide our equipment from MAD and Millimeter Wave scanners, so we'd only need a chemical seal for the ammo and the explosives.

I have to admit I'm not entirely comfortable with you both using your established identities for this heist. The chance that those would be burned is high.
A faked matrix profile of a hot and coming band touring the underground circle might be the safer bet.

If you give me an hours time I can convincingly learn to play any instrument you care to name - not good but passably to be a support."

#252

[Csjarrat]

So that's plan A sorted. Providing it gets us past layers one and two of security, what about the next layer? We'd need a good reason for a bunch of musicians to be walking out with a massive barrel of magic.[nods at jackhammer] that sounds doable as a plan c. Backed up with small ied's we could create enough confusion to cover us getting in but then we'd have to fight our way out, which is not really great as far as plans go.

[BrickyardBabe]

Iris thought for a second. "We could have our established identities front our fake ones. Look at me. I look like the type to pay someone else to take my risks for me." Isaint's mention of the gun in the case brought the grin back to her face. "Nice touch,  that." She told him. "As for the object in question, I'm not certain how much we can plan for extracting it, unless we can fake a writ from The Atlantean Foundation or Draco to cover the recovery of an object of historical significance." She looked at Robyn and Halfpint questioningly. "You two would know better than I if that's possible. Can we do that?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn has been thinking of the plan basics and nods at Iris' question.  "That thought certainly has merit, Iris.  I could certainly talk to them and see if there is any interest.  Any idea on what I should not say to them?  And it will likely mean bringing my cello down as part of the cover.  I hope you guys do not mind listening to me play.  And I would appreciate it if we got the instrument back to the Overworld without any bullet holes in it."

Looking at ISaint, she says, "What sort of instrument do you want to play?  I can play from a number of styles.  You mentioned a metal instrument, so how about some sort of sax?"

[Jack_Spade]

"Considering the size of the weaponry we need to hide... probably an 18th century organ.
On a more serious note, I was thinking drums and percussion. Those provide the most space to hide gear within.

And you might want to bring a reserve instrument and not a priceless one - because we might have to leave all the gear we don't carry with us behind at a moments notice", replied Isaint.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn looks thoughtful for a moment, then nods and says, "OK.  How about this.  A couple of years ago I did some cover work for a late twentieth century group called The Devine Horsemen.  I did it for the P and C, um, Pub and Club, scene and used my Alyce Krait name.  I did twenty-two covers and they took this long to pick up some steam.  I was rather proud of them as the originals were not done with a cello in mind.  I had an acquaintance do the drum work in the background so your idea would work perfectly and I am sure that I can work Iris and anyone else in without any problem.  Here, let me bring up one of my favs.  Actually, it is doing quite bloody well at the moment.  This is a live recording I did at a club in Chelsea just after setting it all down on paper.  Oh, and the vocals are me and a bloke I hired for the gig, so do any of you men sing?"  Robyn pulls up a triode of a small stage in a crowded club.  She and two men walk onto the stage, one headed for a drum set and the other to a mic.  She sits down with a cello and they begin "The Tenderest Kiss" to an appreciative crowd.  She really gets into the playing and the singing, and her long ponytail sways in time to the music.  Those with musical skill will realize that this is quite a difficult piece for a cello and those without musical skill might still appreciate the harmony of the two singers.  The song has a good beat and a number of the clubbers are dancing near the stage.  She is really passing the bow across the strings and turning out music that is rarely heard from a cello.  She is clearly sweating when done with the song, her face wet and her clothes sticking to her.  When it is done, she closes the trid and says, "Will that do to give us a cover reason to go Below?  Alyce could be looking to take her music there or be looking for new inspiration."

[pistolgrip]

Jackhammer thinks about all of his very large gear and frowns. "I won't be able to take my bow I guess." He curses under his breath and keeps thinking. "Probably not my full armor either. I guess as long as I get some shuriken, a vest, and a Ruger, that's... workable. But I'd love to have a grenade or two, even just the smoky kind." He looked at Iris with a sarcastically empathetic face. "For emergencies."

Suddenly he catches himself. "Oh sorry Robyn. Nice trid. Great playing." He said, wincing slightly for fear that his lack of musical understanding would somehow be obvious. Cellos were for rich people to be all better than the common rabble, or so he'd always thought. But he sure wasn't going to say that now.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn smiles,  "Thank you Jackhammer.  It was difficult to play that sort of music on a cello, but I wanted to try it.  It worked as I am getting requests to do more live shows now.  The pace of the music is much faster than what I normally play, but the crowds in the pubs and clubs do not really seem to mind the small errors I make.  But I do thank you for liking it.  And I do not see why you have to leave your bow behind.  I am sure that we can disguise it among the rest of the gear, if we even need to disguise it at all.  And the armor as well.  After all, you are going along as a bodyguard, right?  That sort of implies that you need to be armed and armored, especially against what be a threat Below."

She turns back to Iris and ISaint.  "My only concern is that people down there know who I am.  I can always say that my stage name is Alyce Krait and that should be enough.  But do you think so?"

[Jack_Spade]

"Well, your tattoo is kind of a giveaway in Below - and if I understood you correctly, you'd forgo a considerable amount of protection if you did not present it.

It's a more pressing concern in the Underplex - if we want to appear as musicians I'd recommend you take a stage name there that isn't connected to you already and you cover up somehow, so you aren't recognized. Another reason not to play your probably famous instrument there in the official part of the city. Call yourself a tribute artist to yourself would be my suggestion. It's said that Charlie Chaplin once took part in a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest and only made third place."
At an irritated look from the others he said.
"It's a famous slap stick comedian from 150 years ago. His best known role was his satirical portrait of Adolf Hitler... Never mind."
He turned to Robyn again:
"Anyway, don't forget we are here for a heist not to win the adoration of your fans - so we don't actually need your A-game as cellist. Getting away without notice is a lot harder if there are a lot of groupies around."

#254

[adamu]

Al's steak and ale pie arrived, and he set to. Emotional turmoil and boring planning sessions were the perfect combination to stimulate his appetite. A pint to the right of his plate, and a cigarette on the edge of an ashtray to the left and he was golden.

Apparently he was going to be a roadie for an alternative country cello ensemble covering his favorite act's work. Maybe he'd call his pal Mordecai back in Seattle for some tips. That guy had been on the road with some major bands back in the day. Of course, the mafia was probably tapping his phone in case Al called, but maybe Alyce could set something untraceable up.

Alyce.

All this stuff she was still carrying around from their short time together, it was either very wrong or very flattering. Well, since she was a woman maybe he'd have to just accept that it was both.

Glancing around the room between wolfish bites of pie, his gaze came to rest on the Princess, standing there with her...physique. And something else - she had some sort of magnetism it was impossible to deny. Maybe he should just switch gears and go for her. Everything would suddenly become so very simple.

Hah! Who was he kidding? He could never make that work.

He just wasn't that into blonds.