Topic: Blown Wide Open

(Lost To Time)

Date: 2010-05-16 17:59 EST
Click.

Whir.

Hum.

A thousand flashing lights. A million shades of electric blue, neon green, and supernova white. Silence so loud its pressure could be felt on the eardrums. No sensation of touch. No scent but the slight tang of ozone.

This was what it was like to jack in.



An icon that resembled Clyde from the twentieth century video game Pac-Man flew through the Matrix, past Aztechnology's pyramid, past the feudal-Japan-era castle of Mitsuhama " oh, to make it through the Zero Zone! - past Saeder-Krupp's ultra-modern skyscraper. The little orange ghost was ignored by everything and everyone as it dodged and twirled and wove its way towards the Denver Nexus. Whatever utilities the ghost was carrying weren't enough to raise warning flags from any of the ice warriors patrolling their particular node.

But when Clyde slipped through into the Denver Nexus, it suddenly ceased being a harmless orange ghost and became gh0st, a face constructed of nothing but red digital lines and so thick with its own ice and utilities that it would be sheer suicide for it to show up anywhere outside the safety of Shadowlands. All of the Megacorps had gh0st in their kill with extreme prejudice list and all the deckers that regularly fought against the Corps had the decker on their short list of people they most wanted to meet. The dude " or chick; no one knew who gh0st was outside the Matrix " was as legendary as Dodger, Shiva and Bash.

The unknown but famous decker slipped through the BBS, reading new postings, speaking with a few other icons and generally catching up on what new runs might be in the works and worth taking notice of. It stopped in front of a notice about a new Matrix being created in some alternate part of the meat multiverse, some place called Rhydin. The notice disappeared as gh0st removed it from the BBS. It was just the thing the decker was in need of " a little R&R away from the Sixth World. The gh0st hadn't learned the most important lesson a citizen of the new Earth could possibly learn " namely "never deal with a dragon?.

(Lost To Time)

Date: 2010-05-18 12:16 EST
Three months before...

Travis Dawson was drumming the table top, waiting impatiently. The bar was quiet, and he was adding to the smoky atmosphere. He chose something quiet and out of the way so they could talk privately. He wasn't happy about losing the cash on the last job, and sources pointed to this decker, when he thought that Badger had been the best he had ever met. He lifted a hand to catch the bartender's attention for another beer whenever his waitress came back through.

The tiny girl hesitantly walked into the bar, large purplish eyes scanning the collected faces, looking for the one called Tricks." She spotted someone who she thought was him, lurking at an out of the way table." Instead of moving directly to the table, she skirted around the edges of the crowd, looking at everyone present, making sure that he really was alone. She was wearing very nondescript clothing, and aside from her shock of pink hair and those purple eyes, not much stood out about her." She sneaked up on his six and cleared her throat quietly.

He was interested in his beer at the moment, but the movement of the door hadn't gone unnoticed. She was only a couple of minutes late by his clock, and that wasn't so bad. None of the others had come with him, so he was alone, except for his constant companions under his coat. He was a little too quick as he spun to face her, his eyes narrowing. "Sneakin' up on people" Don't you know that isn't good for your health?"

Those too-large eyes bore into him." "If you're as good as they say, I didn't," she said in a soft voice, one that barely carried over the background noise." She nodded to an empty chair at the table." "May I?"

"Yeah, you're right. I saw you comin' in. So have a seat." He motioned to the chair. "What do I call you?" He was a little taken by the large eyes and their coloring.

"Gh0st", she replied in that soft voice." She moved lightly, almost as if she really were a ghost and hopped up on the chair, leaning forward and folding her hands atop the table." "What can I do for you, Mr Dawson?"

"Well, you beat me to Ares." He smiled at her. "It is against my religion to ask you who hired you, but now I'd like to get you to work with me. I think Badger is getting slow or old, or both."

She gave him a vague smile, something that barely stretched her lips and definitely did not meet her eyes." "Badger's good." I'm better." And you can't afford me."

"Where are my manners" Can I get you a drink?" He was motioning toward the waitress to get her attention, but then just laughed at her comment. "You so sure about that?"

She glanced at the waitress and ordered a Coke from her." Then she turned back to Dawson, "Yes." I am sure of that." Not many can.?" She said it simply, without any form of braggadocio.

The waitress of course is there in a moment, looking at the woman and Travis. She knew him as a regular, but hadn't seen the girl before. He passed her the cred when she ordered her drink, and got himself another beer. "So, I'm among the many who can't afford you? The people that hire me, hire the best, Miss Gh0st." He was genuinely smiling at her. "Meaning that I can afford a lot of things."

She blinked her owlish eyes and sat back, crossing her arms over her slight bust." She was a tiny girl, barely topping 5 feet and probably not even weighing more than 100 pounds soaking wet." "Boris wouldn't have told you about me if he didn't think you could afford me." But honestly, you're without a crew now...or at least that's the scuttlebutt I've been hearing on Shadowlands."

"So, does that frighten you? I'm getting together a new crew, and I want the best." He leaned back a little to look her over, and study her features, not quite human, not quite elf.

She met his gaze unwaveringly, only occasionally blinking those too-large eyes." "No skin offa my nose." But no crew, no job." No job, no money." No money, no gh0st.?" She unfolded her arms and spread her hands, as if illustrating the empty-pockets metaphor.

"All I need is a good decker," He was sure of himself, almost to the point of being cocky. "If I need a mage, Stix still owes me one."

She shrugged, drawing one over-slender shoulder up against her ear briefly before relaxing again and crossing her arms over her chest once more." "What's the run?"

"Simple, we take Aztech's smaller branch office, North and West."

(Lost To Time)

Date: 2010-05-18 12:17 EST
She froze, going utterly still, not breathing, not blinking." There wasn't even a pulse obvious in her neck." Then she barked out a single, humorless laugh." "Bulldrek," she said.

"You think I'm kidding?" He was smiling, but one brow was cocked a tad higher than the other." "I don't joke about jobs, simple snatch and grab is what this is. I just need help with security."

"Now I know you can't afford me." Thanks for the drink, Tricks.?" She moved to climb down off the chair.

"What makes you sure?" He wasn't moving to stop her.

She paused, half sitting, half standing." "To make a run against Aztech, I'd need a bunch of new drek, utilities, ice cutters, the works." And that costs." A lot.?" She cocked her head at him, looking even more like an owl now." "When was your last run?" What was it up against?"" She smiled at him, and this time the expression did reach her eyes." "Your last successful run."

"It was up against a lot more than this little flick of Aztech. I already know you'll need better gear, so will I. Most of it we have already, or will get. So in other words, my last successful run was before Boris double-booked and you beat Badger." His smile gone but that beer was lifted for another swallow.

She stood silently for a moment, one ass cheek and thigh on the chair, the other foot flat on the floor." She'd been wanting another go at Aztech for a long time." It might be worth it." She studied him quietly for a moment as she tapped a blunt-nailed finger against the table.

He had nothing but time, sometimes he was twitchy, other times not so much. He watched her, as if trying to read her mind, he could hear her heart beat and that hadn't changed much until he mentioned Aztech, and for that he was pretty sure he had her on the line.

She nodded once, curtly." "I'm in...conditionally." I want more details before I commit fully."

"Conditions and details" What do you want to know?" He wasn't used to being the fixer, but now he was one who was trying to get the crew together.

"What are you going after?" Are you just wanting to frag with Aztech?" Or is there something in their 'Trix or their meat office that you want?" Who else are you rounding up for the run?" When?" Stuff like that." Details."

"A little of both actually. Goin' in to frag with them, steal data, and I hear they have a new system they are testing out there. I thought it would be something good for you. Stix could give us magic support, if we can get him off the bottle. I know a rigger, Hotwheels out of Dallas, I got the muscle covered. I am thinkin' we hit it after a little recon, and you poke around and see what kinda goody they got on the upper deck. Ares is offering prime cred, so I'm thinkin' it's hot."

"Ares?" They're behind it?"" She sounded dubious now, but she did slid back onto the chair.

"Word round the campfire says they want the system. Theirs is in development, but no where near what 'tech has their paws on."

She pursed her lips and nodded slowly." "Fine." I'm in." Triple what you paid Badger and I get to keep all the utilities and whatever else I need."

"Triple what I paid Badger?" He laughed then, and that was a hard, belly shaking laugh. If he had tear ducts he would be wiping his eyes right now, but for top of the line peepers, you lose a few things. "You seriously want that?" He was grinning like she was about to make the Faustian Deal.

She shrugged again and slipped off the chair, "Nice to meet you, Mr Dawson." Good luck with your run."

"Badger's my brother-in-law." He was still chuckling. "Well, ex brother-in-law."

"Ex, huh?" Five times, then."

"Okay, if you really want five old rusted out Harley frames." He was grinning again. "Now, you wanna talk cred" Gear's yours, I could give a drek." He watched her, curiosity was there. She was a damn tiny thing...but she was the best.

She just shook her head and continued moving towards the door, slipping unnoticed between the chairs and tables and dancers and drinkers." She knew he was fragging with her as soon as he mentioned a run against Aztech." Everyone who knew anything about her - and that was a very small minority - knew that she harbored some heavy resentment against the Azzies." Hell, if she thought he was serious about it, she'd have done the run for the gear alone.

(Lost To Time)

Date: 2010-05-18 12:18 EST
"Mil five." He said to the retreating woman, then lifted that beer for another swallow. He folded his arms carefully across his chest, watching and waiting.

She stopped and turned around, very slowly, her purple eyes wider than normal." Her head slowly began shaking back and forth." "No way," she said, her voice hard to pick up over the noise of the club.

"Told you, I don't joke about the job."

She didn't move any closer to him, but neither did she continue her trek to the door to the street." "Half now, half upon completion." Plus you pay for my gear."

"You think I'm gonna stiff you? You heard of me; anyone sayin' I'm a crook now days?"

She shrugged and did take a step closer to him." "I gotta cover my six." You understand."

"Hell, I understand a lot of things. But you are going to have to trust me at some point." He smiled at her. "Half now it is, just...don't try to skip out on me."

She shook her head solemnly." "Never have, never will.?" She reached into the pocket of her pants and pulled out a credstick." She handed it to him." "750,000 nuyen, right?"

"Good to know." He fished his own stick from the inner pocket of his jacket and touched it to hers, the digital download speeding through to completion as he slid her stick back to her.

"One minute," she said and went to a reader near the bar." She slotted the stick and waited for a moment. He knew it would go through, as completed. There were no bugs, no hassles, so he just watched her go. She pulled the stick from the slot and turned back to Tricks' table." "We're a go, Tricks." Nice doing business with you." I'll send you a list of what I need within two days."

"I look forward to it." He lifted his bottle in salute.

She nodded and left the bar, getting quickly swallowed up by the crowd." Once on the street, she took a twisting, turning, circuitous route to her flop, checking her tail, doubling back two or even three times. But he sat right there in that same chair and ordered a shot of the good stuff they had brewed in the back. It was time to make a few calls, and get ready.