[StarManta]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:52, The Edge, Elven District, Seattle Downtown, UCAS

Leather Face savored his wine for a few minutes. As it was nearing emptiness, he pulled out a commlink and a small pile of credsticks.  One by one, he slotted each into his commlink, loading them up with cash, then deftly slid each across the table to the group - the team, now - each receiving their due.

He pulled out one more stick, a datastick. "This contains the encrypted message and a low-level Agent. Once inserted into a computer in the nexus, it should automatically send the message where it needs to go. In case that goes wrong, I've included the recipient's commcode on the stick as well, and the few surveillance photos I took a few days ago, In case you find use for those. He placed the datastick on the table near Eliza.

"Now," he looked over to Sharp, "I haven't heard of anything unusually valuable there, but being a communications hub, I suppose there would be logs of data transactions and such. I can imagine someone might be interested in stealing those."

"I think that's all the business I have for you, gentlemen. Ladies."

He looked directly at Blackjack. "You're covering this one, right?" Leather Face paused a moment as Blackjack considered the cost of the meal he was enjoying. He let out another hearty chuckle and signaled the waitress over. "Miss, I'm ready to check out here. Add whatever dessert my friends would like and a seventeen percent tip for yourself, please. Here's my account." He fiddled with his AR a moment. The waitress smiled and thanked him. He stood to leave.

A moment later, Eliza's search results came back. She was able to confirm that it was built as part of the WMI shortly after the Crash. Part of the press release was the phrase "enhanced security measures".... wonderful. It had remained mostly quiet since then as far as the news went. There was one mention of security breach about a year before, but no further details on that incident presented themselves.

[Chrona]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:52, The Edge, Downtown, Elven District.
Conrad Johnson; PAN=Passive SIN: Arthur Jones, R. 3.

"Thanks for the job, Leather Face."

[Netzgeist]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:52, The Edge, Elven District, Seattle Downtown, UCAS
Eliza Gebb, PAN = Passive (Meta Link), Hidden (Major); Broadcasting Ada Byron SIN rt.4

Eliza takes the datastick and holds it at her own eye's level. What can this little thing do? What message does the device carry, and who is it's mysterious recipient? She can't help but wonder what are Leather Face business.

She looks to her team. "So, how well do you think it all went? What are yours considerations?" Then, she stares at J., and in a somewhat professorial manner, say: "I believe you know, J., that it's not unheard of 'runners being set up by their contractors. So here goes your first lesson to survive the shadows: always run a research on them. Always."

[IrregularS]

Monday, February 15, 2072, 17:52 pm, Inside The Edge, Downtown district
Ironclad; PAN = Acitve (Meta Link), Hidden (Technomancer); SIN = Henry Fitzgerald rt.4 (Meta Link)

[Matrix messages are to everyone's PAN unless otherwise stated.]

Ironclad watched Leather Face get up from his chair. His gaze shifted to the datastick lying on the table. After staring at it for a couple fo seconds, he sighed and leaned back in his chair. Ironclad crossed his arms over his chest.

So, we're being tested? Wonderful. I can't see any reason why he'd just give us the commcode of the recipient. Otherwise, there'd be no reason for this overly complicated arrangement

Ironclad grins.

At least we're getting paid and this'll cover the next month for me.

Ironclad looks at Eliza as she speaks. "Who's gonna be the one to run it? Shall we all, only a couple, or place our faith in the trustworthiness and competence of one person. Ya' know, because we've all just met. Personally, I volunteer to run a search on our friendly neighborhood Mr. Johnson."

However, I'd also like to probe the Nexus' firewalls and get a better idea of what's awaiting us. There's also some help I'd like to be doing some "recruiting".

Ironclad winks.

Another thing I'd caution about this place, though, is to expect the security to be greater than the old Nexi of years past. People are afraid of crazy AIs, technos, and such, especially since the outing a couple of years back.

"Shall we discuss this elsewhere? Personally, I'd like to away from this place. It's too..." He gestures to the plants and decorations of The Edge, "Natural. Plus the sneers are getting annoying."

And of course, the expected bugs.

[Chrona]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:53, The Edge, Downtown, Elven District.
Conrad Johnson; PAN=Passive SIN: Arthur Jones, R. 3.

Giving a quizzical look,
"What if they'll be pissed about it?... and yeah let's Buzz."

[Deliverator]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:52, The Edge, Elven District, Seattle Downtown, UCAS
Sharp, PAN = Passive; SIN=Nicholas Spikings rt.4

Talon finishes his wine, and sits forward in his chair. "So it looks like we increased our income quite effectively, and we have a little more information. I don't have a lot of contacts in the area, so I will leave the intel gathering to you all. We can get together around mid-day tomorrow to figure out our plan of attack. As far as a test, I agree this is a test, but the 'link code is probably attached to a burner, and the reason he isn't just having us send the message is because he doesn't want it traced back to anyone connected to him. This is why he needs it sent from the nexus link rather than from any individual. If anyone needs any help with anything, let me know, I will be glad to assist in any capacity I can. We have 30 hours to get this planned and prepared. I suggest we get to work"

@Dancer: And I hope to see you again soon Dancer. I would enjoy doing our 'homework' together Maybe I will find out where you got that name.

[Netzgeist]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:53, The Edge, Elven District, Seattle Downtown, UCAS
Eliza Gebb, PAN = Passive (Meta Link), Hidden (Major); Broadcasting Ada Byron SIN rt.4

"That's why we do it discreetly." The girl answers J's question. "Also, they expect it, in some way. Most experienced 'runners do it, so most experienced Johnson's have also dealt with it."

With the evening light deeming, Ada's dress illumine itself in a light blue hue; a charming effect. She finishes her wine, and looks over Ironclad: "I believe the one's who have a way to do it, shall do it. I think I haven't got many information on our Johnson to search on him, other than his voice and face. I agree that we also have to get as many information on the facility as necessary."

She stores the datastick.

"I don''t think I will be able to go to the Nexus to evaluate it's complexity and the way they respond to any activity, but it's an important thing to know.  Anyway, even though we may meet again tomorrow at noon, I would like to receive news on your findings, and to contact you should I find something also; this way, we all got more time to device a plan. You all can have my commcode." She sends a message to everyone with her commcode number. "If it's more confortable, let's leave. But remember that Leather Face paid for this place, and he must have taken precautions for us not to be spied upon; elsewhere it will be in our hands to arrange the same privacy."

[lwcoyote]

Monday, February 15, 2072; ~17:54. The Edge, Elven District, Seattle Downtown, UCAS
PAN Status = Passive
SIN Status = Jenna McIntyre

"I'm with Ada on this... the security at this place has traditionally been solid, since it more often hosts high-class dining." Leigh suggests, looking to the others. "We might as well take advantage of it, decore or otherwise." she continues, reaching once more for her wine and taking another sip.

"Besides, he's also paying for dessert, and the menu here is *quite* good, even if the entree's are not... I understand they recently  hired a new baker. Back on proper topic, though, I'll check in with some aquiantences about our host and the location... hopefully whatever I learn will compliment what everyone else finds out, to give us a bigger picture of things." the elf adds.

As she recieves Ada's comcode Leigh files it away, then responds by sending her own out to the rest of the crew.

"Also, in the case of meeting up tommorow, where? I'd rather not here, of course. Any suggestions?"

@Talon: If you want to know, you'll have to come by my work place sometime.. .

[Deliverator]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:54, The Edge, Elven District, Seattle Downtown, UCAS
Sharp, PAN = Passive; SIN=Nicholas Spikings rt.4

@Dancer I was hoping something a little more intimate.

"I am planning to enjoy my dessert before I head out for the night. Maybe Jenna would be kind enough to surprise me with my dessert order? As for meeting up later, we won't decide that now. We will decide just before the meeting and bring everyone together someplace inconspicuous. I was thinking a safe house or an abandoned warehouse or something of that nature. What I do know is I want to be able to start this operation by 10pm tomorrow night."

[Thermo]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:55, The Edge, Downtown
Dirk Blackwater; PAN=Passive SIN: Shin Shoryuken Rt.4

"I know of a much more private place that we can use, but it might not be up to everyone's standards, if you know what I mean. It's a gambling club in the Ork Underground, right outside the tourist area. They don't ask very many questions, and since it's illegal they sure as hell don't bug the place. You get caught cheating, they just shoot you and dump the body."

Street Knowledge - Gambling Dens (2) + Intuition (4) (6d6.hits(5)=2)

"The Ork Underground extends a lot further than just Downtown. It goes all the way to Tacoma, Everett, even parts of the Puyallup Barrens. Let me take a look at that address, could be right on top of the Ork Underground..."

Street Knowledge (Seattle) (2) + Specialization (Ork Underground) (+2) + Intuition (4) = 8 dice (8d6.hits(5)=6)

"Whether you folks want to come with or not, I am heading down to the Underground to to go meet with my contacts in the Skraacha Gang, see if they can give me any info on this place. They've got some magically active members, maybe we'll get lucky and one of them knows something. I'll drop you guys off at the club. Ironclad, you'd better come with, we need to have at least one ork in the group. After all, this is the Ork Underground we're talking about."

[StarManta]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:55, The Edge, Downtown

Blackjack's memory did not fail him. He pulled up the given address on his mapsoft, mentally overlaying what he knew of the Ork Underground. There was at least one entrance fairly close to that spot. Where exactly did that come out at? It was an area that had some sort of unofficial association with the UCAS army - in Tacoma, that wasn't unusual. There were probably more than a few orks that lived in that area of the Underground and commuted down to Fort Lewis.

He'd been there once with one of his Skraacha buddies, at a bar where he was surrounded by ork soldiers and airmen. Not a lot of room to breathe in that bar, and more than enough sweat and testosterone to make anyone think twice. He'd made a mental note of that exit - if this bar started going sideways, he felt better knowing there was a way to get to the surface in a hurry. It was right around the corner. He never had to take it, though, so he never figured out exactly where it came out.

[Thermo]

Monday February 15, 2072; 17:55, The Edge, Downtown
Dirk Blackwater; PAN=Passive SIN: Shin Shoryuken Rt.4

Blackjack furrows his massive brow, trying to remember details on the furthest points out in the Ork Underground

"Hmm.. there WAS an entrance near that address, I'm sure of it now. There was a bar nearby, full of jacked up army slots, folks that hadn't been laid in way too long and who were just looking for a fight. At least they were mostly orks, hell of a lot less likely to say something stupid than those Humanis shitheads that keep cropping up in surface bars."

Blackjack quickly checks the data logs on the orientation system built into his cyberarm and overlays the coordinates of the bar onto the mapsoft showing the surface structures, namely the NeoNET Nexus Building.

Good thing my orientation system has a built-in gyroscope system to stay accurate even underground.

Navigation (1) + Int (4) + Orientation System (2) = 7 dice (7d6.hits(5)=1), no glitch

(via commlink)
I'm sending over the map overlay now

[StarManta]

A few seconds later, everyone got this map.

Ignore most of the labels here, Google Maps doesn't let me turn those off without also turning off all the streets. Also note that this is not a complete and accurate map of that part of the Underground, only the parts that Blackjack went to.

Also, assuming everyone shares the recon photos Leatherface gave you, they were taken from vantage points along 19th Ave and 21st Ave.

[Netzgeist]

Monday February 15, 2072; ~17:55, The Edge, Elven District, Seattle Downtown, UCAS
Eliza Gebb, PAN = Passive (Meta Link), Hidden (Major); Broadcasting Ada Byron SIN rt.4

Scanning through the dessert menu, Ada files Dancer's commcode and the images. She looks at "Jenna": "Do you recommend something for the dessert? Your enthusiasm oblige me to ask." She let her eyes fixed on the elf for a while, as if appreciating a landscape. Then she turns to Blackjack: "Good that we have a guide to the Underground with us! This will be interesting."

She waits some time before adding: "I'm may have a cue of whom to ask about the security of the place; but maybe my information will not go farthest from the Matrix security procedures and defenses. If someone has a way to evaluate the physical structure, it would be great. If any of you can try the place with a radar, we could get this information and also know how they respond to an unexpected signal. The problem is that the facility is quite close to military area..."

[Thermo]

Monday February 15, 2072; 18:00, The Edge, Downtown
Dirk Blackwater; PAN=Passive SIN: Shin Shoryuken Rt.4

"We will evaluate the physical security of the site tonight. We're too close to the night of the run to test their defensive reactions, they're not staffing very many security guards and if they think they're being probed they might increase their staff. At the least they'll be less likely to fall for a con job if they're expecting trouble.

We might be able to use some of the Army jarheads to our advantage.. if we can get them all revved up and on the street it might provide us some good "cover" (looks pointedly at Dancer)

"I suggest we head out and get this started."

Blackjack stands and walks out the front door.