New chat room entered at 5/18/2006 8:35:05 PM.
You are now in chat room “sotsw051806.”
MilesMk1 has entered the chat room.

Thematrian1 has entered the chat room.

MilesMk1 (8:35:39 PM): Please tell me neither one of you is one of those people who actually thought The Da Vinci Code was a good book.
Thematrian1 (8:35:46 PM): no worries
MilesMk1 (8:35:49 PM): My faith in humanity is slipping.
Thematrian1 (8:36:06 PM): that press release by the Catholic church?
Umbrafer (8:36:09 PM): I'm not. I'll grant that I'm automatically disqualified because I haven't read it yet, though
Umbrafer (8:36:14 PM): Well
MilesMk1 (8:36:15 PM): Hmm?
Umbrafer (8:36:19 PM): "Yet" implies that I'm going to.
Thematrian1 (8:36:49 PM): a surprisingly diverse collection of people believed it. It's depressing
Umbrafer (8:37:11 PM): That said, if it's anything like Angels and Demons, I'd probably call it entertaining (to some basic degree), but "a good book" is way, way, way too much of a stretch.
MilesMk1 (8:37:13 PM): No, just all the people actually convinced a)It was a good book and b)There's nothing wrong with lying your ass off about history to make a stir are beginning to drive me nuts.
Umbrafer (8:37:59 PM): Heh
Umbrafer (8:38:00 PM): Well
Umbrafer (8:38:06 PM): I'm of two minds there.
Umbrafer (8:38:29 PM): Unless there's something more to "lying your ass off about history" than what was contained within the book.
Thematrian1 (8:38:50 PM): the author has said
Thematrian1 (8:39:02 PM): that he believes that the things he's written in the book are mostly true
MilesMk1 (8:39:02 PM): Yeah. Talk shows, interviews, his webpage.
Umbrafer (8:39:06 PM): Hm.
Thematrian1 (8:39:12 PM): it's the same holy blood holy grail crap that the rest of us got over five years ago
MilesMk1 (8:40:32 PM): Hell, Gabriel Knight 3 told that story, and it was a lot more entertaining and intelligent, even when you account for the writer deciding to throw vampires into the mix.
Umbrafer (8:40:37 PM): Hehehe
MilesMk1 (8:40:40 PM): And the puzzles were lots better.
MilesMk1 (8:41:04 PM): Anyway...
Thematrian1 (8:41:11 PM): what's Gabriel Knight 3?
MilesMk1 (8:41:22 PM): Computer adventure game.
Thematrian1 (8:41:40 PM): aha
Thematrian1 (8:41:42 PM): pretty old?
MilesMk1 (8:41:45 PM): Gabriel Knight was almost certainly in the running for best classic advanture game of all time...
MilesMk1 (8:41:57 PM): Well... I dunno, 7-8 years, maybe?
MilesMk1 (8:42:05 PM): The 3rd one, I mean.
MilesMk1 (8:42:24 PM): The first was IIRC the last old-style adventure released by Sierra.
MilesMk1 (8:42:47 PM): Good stuff...
MilesMk1 (8:42:56 PM): In happier news, I killed a dragon last Friday!
Thematrian1 (8:42:59 PM): Sierra. Yeah, that name I dare say I recognize
Thematrian1 (8:43:01 PM): good times
Umbrafer (8:43:14 PM): Man, I remember the days when "Sierra" wasn't a dirty word.
Umbrafer (8:43:21 PM): In fact, when it was an /awesome/ word.
MilesMk1 (8:43:39 PM): Yeah, sad, really. Damn it, you just can't get away from it, the world sucks. Well, except for the dragonslaying part.
MilesMk1 (8:44:34 PM): Bastard was trying to fly away, I threw my dwarven waraxe at it with a massive penalty, got a lucky roll... Very climactic. Don't you just love hearing about D&D? ;)
Thematrian1 (8:45:20 PM): depends on the D&D. It was reading the story of the White Kingdom run that inspired me to start this game.
MilesMk1 (8:45:32 PM): Ah.
MilesMk1 (8:45:58 PM): Is it a story hour on some board? If it is, I'll go troll the author. :)
Thematrian1 (8:46:12 PM): (It's part of Piratecat's story hour)
MilesMk1 (8:46:25 PM): Aw, damn, the bastard's a moderator... No go.
Thematrian1 (8:46:34 PM): heh
MilesMk1 (8:46:42 PM): The debt of pain Blake owes him will have to go unpaid.
MilesMk1 (8:46:54 PM): So, how's the story hour idea progressing, anyway?
Thematrian1 (8:46:57 PM): yeah, I can't see that working out well for you
Thematrian1 (8:47:12 PM): I'm gonna start with Thermite Dentistry, I think.
Thematrian1 (8:47:34 PM): It's long, involved, interesting, lots of good quotes, and it takes place after I figured out how to GM SR.
Umbrafer (8:47:56 PM): Yeah. You might want to briefly cover the early stuff, but Thermite Dentistry is when it, IMO, got interesting not just to play but also to tell.
Thematrian1 (8:48:37 PM): "If there's anyone in here who's not a fucking zombie, they might want to show themselves to avoid unfortunate misunderstandings!"
Thematrian1 (8:48:38 PM): good times
Umbrafer (8:49:32 PM): Hehehe
Thematrian1 (8:49:34 PM): I think Zephyr's run might be interesting to read about, and it's more traditional SR
Thematrian1 (8:49:41 PM): completely with one party member's death
MilesMk1 (8:49:47 PM): Who said that?
Thematrian1 (8:49:50 PM): but our logs from that era are really sketchy
Thematrian1 (8:49:52 PM): Blake
MilesMk1 (8:49:55 PM): Oh.
Thematrian1 (8:49:59 PM): I'm paraphrasing a trifle
MilesMk1 (8:50:00 PM): Heh, it's been too long.
Thematrian1 (8:50:03 PM): don't have the log in front of me
Umbrafer (8:50:07 PM): That's true—I'd forgotten that that was before TD
Umbrafer (8:50:14 PM): Well
Umbrafer (8:50:22 PM): The logs are probably going to be sketchy, but they may be extant.
Thematrian1 (8:50:59 PM): I had a whole bunch, but lost them that summer. You had autologging even then, though, right?
Thematrian1 (8:51:10 PM): so...it's a matter of sifting the garbage.
Thematrian1 (8:51:35 PM): how about this: zip up all the ones with my name in them, and I'll dig through them all.
Umbrafer (8:51:47 PM): Tomorrow I perform some archeological expeditions.
Thematrian1 (8:51:56 PM): or that, sure
Thematrian1 (8:52:15 PM): sadly, some of the logs of the period are permanently gone: the stuff with Shojo and Martha, f'rinstance
Umbrafer (8:52:44 PM): Yeah, side portions like that are a logging problem.
Thematrian1 (8:52:59 PM): I had the logs, then lost 'em. Frustrating, but there's nothing to be done.
Umbrafer (8:53:01 PM): That's part of why I've done less and less side-channel activity, even when the rest of the team wouldn't know.
Umbrafer (8:53:07 PM): I don't remember when I first turned on autologging. Really, I don't know anything about how much logging I was doing until I formalized it.
Umbrafer (8:53:11 PM): Well
Umbrafer (8:53:15 PM): I know when I had it on Fire
Umbrafer (8:53:22 PM): But I don't remember when Fire's logging started sucking.
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Umbrafer (8:54:34 PM): Anyway, when we last left our antiheroes…
Umbrafer (8:54:47 PM): They'd just gotten into the car from a public terminal, IIRC?
Thematrian1 (8:55:09 PM): yeah, I think so
MilesMk1 (8:56:32 PM): Something along those lines.
Thematrian1 (8:56:41 PM): oh
Thematrian1 (8:56:47 PM): Glitch, you did some research after you left
MilesMk1 (8:56:55 PM): Oh?
Thematrian1 (8:56:59 PM): turns out the notebook found on Adam was chewed by dogs
Thematrian1 (8:57:08 PM): in other news, Gem's looking to kill some folk
Umbrafer (8:57:18 PM): What folk?
Thematrian1 (8:57:23 PM): She doesn't know yet.
Thematrian1 (8:57:29 PM): that's what makes it tricky
Umbrafer (8:57:31 PM): :)
Umbrafer (8:57:47 PM): Actions?
MilesMk1 (8:59:43 PM): Is Hound likely to be joining us tonight?
MilesMk1 (8:59:55 PM): If not, I say we start investigating, like Gem wanted.
Umbrafer (9:00:42 PM): He is, but due to his new work schedule he'll be consistently appearing at 9:15.
Thematrian1 (9:01:35 PM): yeah. Hm. Notebook.
Thematrian1 (9:01:39 PM): We need a plan.
Thematrian1 (9:01:58 PM): Did the news stories say which Lone Star office was involved in the situation?
Umbrafer (9:02:33 PM): No, but it did name the overpass that the body was found at.
Thematrian1 (9:02:57 PM): ok, that'll do for a start. What're the three offices closest to that overpass?
MilesMk1 (9:03:00 PM): Oh, right, we were going to see if the digitized the notebook as part of the evidence logging process?
Thematrian1 (9:03:10 PM): Yeah, that happened whlie you were out. No dice.
MilesMk1 (9:03:13 PM): Ah.
Thematrian1 (9:03:15 PM): The journalist is still alive IIRC?
Umbrafer (9:03:37 PM): No one knows, and popular opinion is no based on the bloody notebook.
Umbrafer (9:04:04 PM): The police have issued no statement, and he's still on their missing persons list.
Thematrian1 (9:04:37 PM): oh
Thematrian1 (9:04:42 PM): what was his name again?
Umbrafer (9:05:24 PM): Samuel Wilcox
Thematrian1 (9:05:37 PM): check. And what was the name of the guy I met on that one rooftop?
Thematrian1 (9:05:40 PM): The one while I wasn't awake?
Umbrafer (9:06:13 PM): How much of his name did you get, do you remember?
Umbrafer (9:06:22 PM): Wait
Umbrafer (9:06:30 PM): You know from the police report after you found his body.
Umbrafer (9:06:32 PM): Well
Umbrafer (9:06:34 PM): They
Thematrian1 (9:06:38 PM): yep
Umbrafer (9:06:39 PM): Jeremy Fisher
Thematrian1 (9:06:43 PM): check. Ok.
Thematrian1 (9:07:27 PM): damn. And the case is so popular...I want to talk to Adam's mom, but I can't imagine she'll be glad to see me.
Umbrafer (9:07:55 PM): The closest, and the one with jurisdiction there, is a local station for the neighbrhood a quarter-mile from the site. There's another mile off, and the smaller of the three sub-headquarters that serve Tacoma is four miles of
Umbrafer (9:07:57 PM): *off
Umbrafer (9:08:08 PM): This isn't counting five-room stations.
Thematrian1 (9:08:29 PM): right.
Thematrian1 (9:08:51 PM): "Hm. If I were at my best, I'd just walk in and bluff. Things being as they are...I don't know."
MilesMk1 (9:09:31 PM): "Cops are a bunch of leches."
MilesMk1 (9:09:57 PM): "Maybe just don't push as hard as you normally would?"
Umbrafer (9:10:20 PM): (Roll Seattle area knowledge or default)
Thematrian1 (9:10:23 PM): "Maybe. But I need access to one of the evidence rooms, and that's a reach at the best of times."
Thematrian1 (9:10:32 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 6 1 2 5 5
Thematrian1 (9:10:35 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 6
Thematrian1 (9:10:37 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 1
Thematrian1 (9:10:41 PM): 7 after mods
Thematrian1 (9:10:47 PM): that was a default, FWIW
Umbrafer (9:12:36 PM): Figured. Even at their best, the cops in Tacoma are not the cream of the crop—other than the borders of the barrens, it's pretty much the worst place to work, and people who screw up get fast-tracked here.
Umbrafer (9:12:46 PM): Everett and Snohomish are likewise, though less so.
Thematrian1 (9:12:53 PM): o ho
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Thematrian1 (9:12:58 PM): that's good to know
Thematrian1 (9:13:14 PM): "We have those disguise chips, and I bought supplies."
Thematrian1 (9:13:33 PM): (Welcome)
Thematrian1 (9:16:05 PM): "Best would be to fake a transfer of evidence, if we could arrange it."
Thematrian1 (9:16:27 PM): "Depends how good their Matrix security is."
Thematrian1 (9:16:30 PM): "Otherwise...thoughts?"
MilesMk1 (9:16:42 PM): "Hmm."
MilesMk1 (9:17:01 PM): "Bribery, pretending to be a journalist?"
Thematrian1 (9:17:22 PM): "Ooh, I like that. We could claim that we just need to read the notes, not even copy them."
Thematrian1 (9:17:29 PM): "With my eyecam, a glance at each page would be plenty."
Thematrian1 (9:17:43 PM): "That means low exposure for them and for us."
Thematrian1 (9:18:06 PM): "If they're typical Tacoma cops" (this said with bitterness) "they'll bite"
MilesMk1 (9:18:40 PM): "I'd think so... So, who am I going to be? Cameraman?"
Thematrian1 (9:19:28 PM): A firm nod. "You're the cameraman, I'm the talking head. Do you happen to have the equipment lying around?"
MilesMk1 (9:20:26 PM): (I do have [i]a[/i] camera - in SR, does something a civillian would buy as unlike a pro TV camera as it is today, or did miniaturization narrow the gap?)
MilesMk1 (9:20:43 PM): (Stupid html code... I was posting on message boards all day)
Thematrian1 (9:20:54 PM): (I hear that)
Thematrian1 (9:21:19 PM): "I'll be sure to take some eyecam shots of them accepting the bribe. If they give us trouble, we can blackmail them. Easy."
Umbrafer (9:21:27 PM): (I'd say they're probably still decently unlike.)
MilesMk1 (9:21:33 PM): (I mean, I probably have enough mysterious electronic gear to fake something...)
Thematrian1 (9:22:02 PM): Are the names and identities of the Lone Star officials working on this case public record?
Thematrian1 (9:22:13 PM): "There's an alternative.
MilesMk1 (9:22:23 PM): "I can be your "cameraman and technical guy", we're not interested in filiming in the station, so I didn't bring it."
Thematrian1 (9:22:42 PM): "That works."
Thematrian1 (9:22:50 PM): "It could be useful to have one of us in the car, to look up things we forgot. Or maybe we could rope Hound in to that..."
MilesMk1 (9:22:53 PM): "Or I can just act like I'm looking for a shot, and claim I have an eyecam, and the heavy stuff will come later."
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Thematrian1 (9:23:46 PM): "I don't want to inhibit their frankness."
Umbrafer (9:23:55 PM): Not currently, though several people are identifiable from interviews at the scene.
Thematrian1 (9:24:28 PM): (Hey Hound, I dunno if you guys are taking care of it, but we were interested in a manual look-over of the target building, via drone)
Umbrafer (9:24:34 PM): The failure to announce an investigation team is one of the specific criticisms the mob and metahuman rights activists have.
CirclMastr (9:24:47 PM): (The run target or the dead ork investigation target?)
Thematrian1 (9:25:02 PM): Ok. I deploy the miniblimp, set it half a mile up, and send it off to overfly the LS office.
Thematrian1 (9:25:42 PM): it beats satellite imagery
CirclMastr (9:26:35 PM): *calls Gem*
MilesMk1 (9:26:39 PM): "Ok, so I'm just your driver/cameraman. Nobody's going to question you not going alone into Tacoma, anyway."
Umbrafer (9:27:41 PM): If Gem's phone is on, it's ringing.
Thematrian1 (9:27:53 PM): "Ah, good point."
Thematrian1 (9:27:58 PM): "What in the - "
Thematrian1 (9:28:04 PM): ::into the phone:: "Hello?"
CirclMastr (9:28:14 PM): "Hey, it's Hound."
Thematrian1 (9:28:59 PM): "Oh, hi. What news?"
Thematrian1 (9:29:47 PM): ::mouthed:: "It's Hound"
CirclMastr (9:29:50 PM): "Wanted to ask you about something that I suspect is some magical shit."
Thematrian1 (9:30:13 PM): "Been a lot of that going around today. Say on."
CirclMastr (9:30:40 PM): "I was down at the SCIRE yesterday and saw something... strange..."
Thematrian1 (9:31:21 PM): "Yeah?"
Thematrian1 (9:31:29 PM): #Hound saw something weird and magical.#
MilesMk1 (9:32:10 PM): #Lots of that going around.#
CirclMastr (9:32:12 PM): "It was this... weird looking clown guy. With black balloons. Staring right at me. Freaked me the hell out, I didn't stick around."
Thematrian1 (9:32:31 PM): #He saw the clown guy. Feel free to pinch me.#
Thematrian1 (9:32:36 PM): There's a pause.
MilesMk1 (9:32:46 PM): *does so, but in a location that won't get him smacked*
Thematrian1 (9:32:48 PM): "We need to talk, Hound."
MilesMk1 (9:32:55 PM): (not hard)
Thematrian1 (9:32:59 PM): #Thanks, but no dice. Definitely awake this time.#
Thematrian1 (9:33:26 PM): What do bottom-rung Lone Star officials typically make?
CirclMastr (9:33:29 PM): "...Should I even ask what the hell's going on?"
MilesMk1 (9:33:53 PM): #It's like someone decided they won't leave us alone until we look into... well, all of this occult crap, almost.#
Thematrian1 (9:34:16 PM): "You should, but not on this line."
Thematrian1 (9:34:16 PM): "I don't have all the answers, or even some of them."
Umbrafer (9:34:46 PM): Depends on how bottom-rung. Average salary for standard officers is ¥20,000/year.
Thematrian1 (9:34:51 PM): "In fact, we should meet now. We have some side business you might be interested in."
CirclMastr (9:35:13 PM): "Must have been a busy day yesterday."
Thematrian1 (9:35:26 PM): "You have no idea."
Thematrian1 (9:35:34 PM): (I forget, what time is it?)
Umbrafer (9:35:43 PM): (Probably around 10:30 AM)
Thematrian1 (9:36:03 PM): "What would you say to a late breakfast? I just realized that I'm starving."
Thematrian1 (9:36:13 PM): #What about you?#
CirclMastr (9:36:29 PM): "I'm all for it."
Thematrian1 (9:37:02 PM): "Great.
Thematrian1 (9:37:20 PM): "How about $A_PLACE_I_LOOKED_UP_JUST_NOW in half an hour?"
Thematrian1 (9:37:41 PM): actually, strike that
Thematrian1 (9:37:46 PM): we need actual security this time around
Umbrafer (9:37:47 PM): *Strike*
Thematrian1 (9:38:01 PM): "Where do you go for a really private breakfast in this town?"
CirclMastr (9:38:28 PM): (Do I know a place or should I roll a knowledge skill or something?)
CirclMastr (9:38:36 PM): (Or take a minute to flip through SSG?)
CirclMastr (9:39:20 PM): (Er, not SSG, NSS)
Umbrafer (9:39:25 PM): (Hm. For this, make a roll.)
CirclMastr (9:39:41 PM): CirclMastr rolled 6 6-sided dice: 2 1 1 4 1 5
Umbrafer (9:39:42 PM): (Runner breakfast locations are rarer than runner dinner locations.)
CirclMastr (9:39:47 PM): (Wow, that's utter crap)
Thematrian1 (9:39:55 PM): (Oh, come on, like runners don't stay up all night)
CirclMastr (9:39:57 PM): (Greater Seattle area knowledge skill)
Umbrafer (9:40:22 PM): Well, the obvious choice is also somewhat unhelpful: the Eye of the Needle throws a brunch that's out of this world. Unfortunately, so is the price. That said, you do know a few places that cater to Runners that also serve breakfast
Umbrafer (9:40:24 PM): Well
Umbrafer (9:40:33 PM): Only one other that serves breakfast, the other two just serve dinner whenever.
MilesMk1 (9:40:40 PM): (I could try rolling my College Education. Don't know why that'd help, but the rules say I can. :))
Thematrian1 (9:40:59 PM): (One of your gen-ed classes involved "How to work a search engine for discreet breakfasts")
Umbrafer (9:41:35 PM): (Actually, it turns out CE is much narrower than I thought)
MilesMk1 (9:41:48 PM): (Ah? Well, it makes sense. What does it apply to?)
CirclMastr (9:41:53 PM): "I know a place, $WHATEVER_ITS_NAME_IS, serves breakfast and caters to our sort of people."
Thematrian1 (9:42:07 PM): I dial up its location.
Thematrian1 (9:42:18 PM): "Great! I'll see you in $SOME_APPROPRIATE_TIME?"
Umbrafer (9:42:20 PM): (Academic Knowledge Skill tests)
Umbrafer (9:42:32 PM): (Which is, at least in my interpretation, still pretty broad)
Umbrafer (9:42:41 PM): (But "runner breakfast places" isn't part of it :) )
MilesMk1 (9:43:29 PM): (Fair enough.)
CirclMastr (9:43:31 PM): "Yeah. I need some waffles."
Thematrian1 (9:44:39 PM): "Great. I'll see you then - I've got a busy coming."
MilesMk1 (9:44:46 PM): ?
Thematrian1 (9:45:19 PM): Between impersonating a journalist and tampering with the evidence.
MilesMk1 (9:45:27 PM): Ah.
CirclMastr (9:45:49 PM): "Glitch going to be there too?"
Thematrian1 (9:45:51 PM): oh, and after breakfast, I'm going to stop off at my apartment and change clothes.
Thematrian1 (9:46:01 PM): #You're coming, right? Wouldn't be a party without you...#
MilesMk1 (9:46:01 PM): Glitch is going to be on autopilot for a moment, since I need to briefly step away. He'll drive where he's asked.
Thematrian1 (9:46:17 PM): "Of course."
Umbrafer (9:47:01 PM): The traffic totally melts away in front of the car. It's creepy.
MilesMk1 (9:47:10 PM): #Heh... Well, considering it's my car we're in, and we're on the road, stopped by a random terminal, yes.#
Thematrian1 (9:47:17 PM): "Still working the balloon magic, I see."
MilesMk1 (9:47:23 PM): *nods*
Thematrian1 (9:47:45 PM): #Sorry. Having a team is a bit different from having a crew. I'm still working out the details.#
CirclMastr (9:48:41 PM): *drive drive*
Thematrian1 (9:49:07 PM): We arrive?
Umbrafer (9:49:45 PM): You do indeed.
Thematrian1 (9:50:10 PM): Nifty. I head in. If I don't see Hound, I just ask for a table for 3.
Umbrafer (9:50:11 PM): Hound arrives shortly thereafter. Traffic was much less cooperative, but then again, he was much better about squeezing through five-millimeter gaps.
CirclMastr (9:50:40 PM): (I knew there was a reason I got a VCR-3)
MilesMk1 (9:50:45 PM): Hey, I've got Car 8!
MilesMk1 (9:50:56 PM): I'm an excellent driver.
MilesMk1 (9:51:00 PM): Excellent driver.
CirclMastr (9:51:01 PM): (Yeah, but I had TN's in the negatives)
Umbrafer (9:51:05 PM): You get one. It's in a deep booth, the salt shaker has a switch, and there's a plug in case the customer wants to bring their own WNG.
Thematrian1 (9:51:07 PM): (Are you quoting Rain Man?)
Thematrian1 (9:51:11 PM): (If so, I'm not reassured)
Thematrian1 (9:51:16 PM): (Of your driving skills, I mean)
CirclMastr (9:51:41 PM): *joins them at the booth* "Hey."
MilesMk1 (9:51:43 PM): (The driving skills are fine, as long as I the right chip with me.)
MilesMk1 (9:51:55 PM): "Morning."
Thematrian1 (9:51:57 PM): Smile. "Good morning."
Thematrian1 (9:52:02 PM): I turn on the salt shake.
CirclMastr (9:52:14 PM): *sits across from Gem and sets a chip on the table*
Thematrian1 (9:52:29 PM): I don't have a white noise generator, though. How about you two?
CirclMastr (9:52:51 PM): I think the shaker IS the WNG
Umbrafer (9:53:23 PM): The WNG does indeed emit a hissing sound.
Thematrian1 (9:53:33 PM): ah, good
CirclMastr (9:53:36 PM): Score one me
CirclMastr (9:53:39 PM): *for me
Thematrian1 (9:53:52 PM): I order a big plate of bacon and eggs.
Umbrafer (9:54:30 PM): I should have said "the salt shaker", but you guys understood. The waiter comes by to take your order—the way the place is laid out they come down a straight path in clear view to reach you.
Thematrian1 (9:54:51 PM): It's the little things.
Thematrian1 (9:55:00 PM): what's this place called again?
CirclMastr (9:55:00 PM): *orders many waffles in heavy maple syrup, bacon, sausage, more sausage, hash browns, bacon, and sausage*
Thematrian1 (9:55:20 PM): ::raises an eyebrow, impressed::
CirclMastr (9:55:53 PM): "It's been a long weekend."
Umbrafer (9:56:17 PM): Eddie MacKay's Family Restaurant. Everyone calls it MacKay's.
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Umbrafer (9:57:04 PM): The waiter also raises an eyebrow, but says nothing and writes it all down.
CirclMastr (9:57:42 PM): Now I wait for Gem to reappear before continuing.
MilesMk1 (9:57:46 PM): *orders eggs, bacon, hash-browns, cornbeef hash, and toast*
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Thematrian1 (9:58:00 PM): "I agree."
MilesMk1 (9:58:00 PM): (double order of the eggs)
MilesMk1 (9:58:13 PM): "Mhmm."
Umbrafer (9:58:19 PM): He goes to put the order in.
CirclMastr (9:58:36 PM): *taps the chip in front of Gem* "Images I got this morning of the target building."
MilesMk1 (9:58:46 PM): (all this breakfast talk makes me hungry)
Umbrafer (9:58:46 PM): There's a little button on the table labelled "service", incidentally.
CirclMastr (9:58:56 PM): (Same)
Thematrian1 (9:59:37 PM): Nifty.
Thematrian1 (10:00:07 PM): "This clown guy...we've seen him too."
CirclMastr (10:00:38 PM): "How did I know you were going to say that. So what's the deal with him?"
Thematrian1 (10:01:29 PM): "He's very, very good at disappearing. He gave Glitch a balloon. He hasn't said anything yet, but I once met his twin brother in a vision. I think."
CirclMastr (10:02:10 PM): "Isn't that cute."
MilesMk1 (10:02:48 PM): "Ever since he gave me the balloon, I stopped getting stuck in traffic, the stuff I pick out in stores is usually on sale, and sometimes they undercharge me on top of that."
Thematrian1 (10:02:48 PM): "The vision was very bloody, very blood-magic-y to be exact. Something big is going on."
Thematrian1 (10:02:54 PM): "One thing we haven't tried is asking whether the other bystanders can see him."
CirclMastr (10:03:06 PM): "Whoa, whoa, hold up."
Thematrian1 (10:03:07 PM): "That would be a good thing to look in to, next time he shows himself."
CirclMastr (10:03:19 PM): "No traffic jams or slowdowns? At all?"
MilesMk1 (10:03:49 PM): "Not that I remember. It seems to work best for small things like that, though."
Thematrian1 (10:04:06 PM): "Not that I've ever seen, either."
CirclMastr (10:04:17 PM): "...Oh fuck me. Can I borrow it sometime? I bet I could get from Puget Sound to Redmond in 30 seconds flat."
MilesMk1 (10:05:50 PM): *shifts uncomfortably* "Well... See, I had it in my hand, for a while after he gave it to me, but no one else seemed to be able to see it - I had to go buy some clothes right after..."
Thematrian1 (10:06:19 PM): "It merged with his aura."
MilesMk1 (10:06:24 PM): "Then at one point, I never let go of it, but it was just gone. Gem said... Yeah."
CirclMastr (10:06:27 PM): "Don't tell me you l- ...You're shitting me."
Thematrian1 (10:06:30 PM): "It's not a physical balloon anymore, but it's definitely still there."
Thematrian1 (10:06:44 PM): I take a look now, in fact. Still with the astral oddity?
Umbrafer (10:07:48 PM): It's hard to tell by now, but you think so. You've just sorta gotten used to the new way Glitch's aura is.
Thematrian1 (10:08:05 PM): indeed
CirclMastr (10:08:17 PM): "That's insane..."
MilesMk1 (10:08:49 PM): (You know, mainly being a DS poster for a while really ruined me for some other carebear boards. I keep on getting in trouble for saying what I think - nothing really offensive,
Thematrian1 (10:09:00 PM): "A lot about this is. And it looks like you're in it too."
Thematrian1 (10:09:06 PM): (Which boards?)
CirclMastr (10:09:23 PM): "Great."
MilesMk1 (10:09:26 PM): but I sometimes tell people outright to mind their business, or go away if the way the thread is going oof-topic bothers them so much...)
MilesMk1 (10:09:46 PM): (Well, ENWorld, for one. :))
Umbrafer (10:10:07 PM): (Yeah, DS has a much saner policy on interpersonal disagreement)
Thematrian1 (10:10:27 PM): (wuh oh. I admit, I never thought of ENWorld as a carebear board, but I guess that stuff wouldn't fly)
MilesMk1 (10:10:29 PM): (Never really anything that was a big deal, but the tone over there is so controlled, people get offended really easily.)
Thematrian1 (10:10:30 PM): "No, it is great."
Thematrian1 (10:10:41 PM): "We're none of us in it alone."
MilesMk1 (10:11:06 PM): "I think he's just wishing he had a balloon, too..."
MilesMk1 (10:11:21 PM): "I saw some sort of a clown in a dream, also."
CirclMastr (10:11:27 PM): "Not if it's all this magical woowoo shit attached to it..."
CirclMastr (10:11:43 PM): "I like my dreams sans clowns, thanks."
MilesMk1 (10:11:54 PM): "I think he was stuck through with a spear, or something, and stuck to the ground, and when I pulled it out of him, he caught fire."
CirclMastr (10:12:27 PM): "Yeah, I'll pass, thanks."
MilesMk1 (10:12:28 PM): "Wait... There were two clowns. Damn, I barely remember it. Hey, Gem, ever come up with anything on those symbols I drew for you?"
MilesMk1 (10:12:49 PM): "And there was definitely a lot of blood, as well."
Thematrian1 (10:13:19 PM): (Did we? It's been forever)
Thematrian1 (10:13:20 PM): "Blood magic...that part is bad, bad news."
CirclMastr (10:14:02 PM): "I'm not liking this one bit."
Umbrafer (10:14:22 PM): (I don't rightly remember, to be honest.)
MilesMk1 (10:14:22 PM): (I guess the thing about ENWorld - I only ever run into the problem there, really - is that it has no self-correcting process for people who are busybodies who like to tell others what to do, like DS does :))
MilesMk1 (10:14:48 PM): (Not that DS is my idea of an ideal internet forum, mind you...)
Thematrian1 (10:14:50 PM): (What process do we have?)
Umbrafer (10:15:03 PM): (Flamewars.)
MilesMk1 (10:15:08 PM): (Five or six people tell the person to fuck himself, all at once, usually.)
Umbrafer (10:15:09 PM): (Brutal but effective.)
Thematrian1 (10:15:11 PM): "I never even looked into it. Some other things came up around then, as you may recall."
MilesMk1 (10:15:26 PM): "Yeah."
MilesMk1 (10:15:59 PM): (I saw some symbols written on the ground, memorized them, and then got a really good roll to reproduce them once I woke up. I gave them to Gem.)
Umbrafer (10:16:09 PM): (Yeah, I remember that part.)
MilesMk1 (10:16:21 PM): (Think they might have been next to one of the staked-out clowns, but I'm not 100% sure.)
Thematrian1 (10:16:29 PM): (I think I must have researched them, but I don't remember what I got. Later)
Umbrafer (10:16:35 PM): (I just don't remember what happened after that. I'll dig through the logs and if I turn up empty we'll redo that part.)
MilesMk1 (10:16:37 PM): (Right.)
Umbrafer (10:17:29 PM): (Dumpshock is almost my ideal forum. Sack Bull (who I like and all, but nearly all of his actions as an admin have left me boggled), make the rest of the admins a little slower on the trigger, and bring Doc Funk back and you've got)
Umbrafer (10:17:31 PM): (A party)
Umbrafer (10:18:19 PM): Your waiter appears at the end of the approach with a very large platter of food.
CirclMastr (10:18:23 PM): (How did we get on all these forum debates?)
MilesMk1 (10:18:24 PM): (Apparently, my talent to steeting things off-topic extends outside of internet fora. :))
Thematrian1 (10:18:33 PM): rock. I dig in
MilesMk1 (10:18:39 PM): What, just one?
CirclMastr (10:18:44 PM): I also dig in.
MilesMk1 (10:18:49 PM): Ah, whatever, I'm hungry.
Thematrian1 (10:19:06 PM): (Argh, brb. Glitch fill Hound in?)
CirclMastr (10:19:17 PM): For the record, everything I ordered is eaten with the maple syrup except the hash browns.
Umbrafer (10:19:19 PM): He deposits the entire platter in front of Hound and says he'll be back with everyone else's food.
Umbrafer (10:19:50 PM): Two minutes later, he returns with a smaller tray.
MilesMk1 (10:20:22 PM): "So, the latest weird magical things is this: Gem ran across some kid in a dream, and apparently there was running and screaming and wild ravenous dogs."
CirclMastr (10:20:26 PM): *gobble...snarf...snap...*
CirclMastr (10:20:47 PM): "Well, sounds more sane than flaming impaled clowns..."
MilesMk1 (10:20:53 PM): "And next thing we know, the kid she met in the dream turns up hanging from an overpass in Tacoma, as you might have seen on the news."
CirclMastr (10:21:15 PM): "...Okay, that's less sane."
MilesMk1 (10:21:31 PM): "And on him, there's a notebook belonging to some missing elf journalist, who everyone thinks is probably dead, since he disappeared suspiciously."
MilesMk1 (10:21:54 PM): "And the last reports mentioned the damn notebook looked like it was chewed up by dogs."
CirclMastr (10:22:11 PM): "Fucking brilliant."
CirclMastr (10:22:45 PM): "So does it need investigated or are we just going to do the purple Kool-Aid thing?"
MilesMk1 (10:23:16 PM): "So she's feeling sort of bad about the kid, and she figures it might be a good idea to figure out who's been sending us these weird-ass dreams... Which seem to be getting increasingly dangerous - and maybe kill them."
MilesMk1 (10:23:28 PM): "Or whatever."
MilesMk1 (10:23:55 PM): "I'd settle for stopping them, but I figure anyone getting 12-year olds killed in their sleep doesn't necessarily need to be here."
CirclMastr (10:24:07 PM): "Probably true."
CirclMastr (10:24:50 PM): "Got any leads?"
MilesMk1 (10:25:36 PM): "Not yet. We've been talking about trying to get our hands on that notebook... Figured we'd try to spread some money around at the right LS station - Gem does a good investigative reporter..."
Thematrian1 (10:26:00 PM): I put on a bright, bubble-headed smile.
CirclMastr (10:26:29 PM): "Ah.. I know a looey in the Star. I could give him a call, a little palm grease should take care of things."
MilesMk1 (10:27:32 PM): "That'd be helpful."
Thematrian1 (10:27:57 PM): "Yeah. I wonder if he can do it, though."
Thematrian1 (10:31:02 PM): (ping?)
Umbrafer (10:31:14 PM): (Pong)
MilesMk1 (10:31:17 PM): (I'm still here.)
MilesMk1 (10:31:29 PM): (Figured it's up to Hound.)
Thematrian1 (10:31:46 PM): "So please, by all means, give him a call. Let me know what kind of bribe we're talking about, and I'll take care of it."
MilesMk1 (10:34:58 PM): (Dave?)
MilesMk1 (10:36:21 PM): (Anyone?)
CirclMastr (10:37:15 PM): (Sorry, was afk)
CirclMastr (10:37:47 PM): "Want me to call him now?"
Thematrian1 (10:38:37 PM): "Sure"
Thematrian1 (10:38:41 PM): (around a mouthful of egg)
CirclMastr (10:39:07 PM): *tries to clean myself of maple syrup, then takes out my phone and calls*
Umbrafer (10:40:29 PM): *Ring ring*
Umbrafer (10:40:33 PM): *Ring ring*
Umbrafer (10:40:42 PM): *Ring ri—* *Click* "Yeah?"
Umbrafer (10:40:51 PM): You hear furious typing in the background.
CirclMastr (10:41:02 PM): "Hey, Lackey?"
Thematrian1 (10:41:09 PM): (Lackey?)
CirclMastr (10:41:32 PM): (Lt. Martin Lackey)
Thematrian1 (10:41:46 PM): (Awesome)
Umbrafer (10:42:18 PM): "Speaking. What's up?"
CirclMastr (10:42:47 PM): "It's Hound. Heard about that ork kid in Tacoma, weird shit that, huh?"
Umbrafer (10:44:22 PM): "Don't even mention it. Clusterfuck in progress."
CirclMastr (10:44:38 PM): (I am not familiar with 'clusterfuck')
Thematrian1 (10:45:04 PM): (Everything is screwed up. It's shaping up to be a major disaster, PR-wise if no other way)
Umbrafer (10:45:10 PM): (Pretty much what it sounds like. "Bad situation", but with more profanity.)
CirclMastr (10:45:46 PM): "Actually I was hoping you could do me a solid about that..."
Umbrafer (10:46:10 PM): You think you hear sobbing on the other end."
Umbrafer (10:46:12 PM): *-"
Umbrafer (10:46:21 PM): After a pause: "What?"
CirclMastr (10:47:06 PM): "...I'd really appreciate getting a chance to see the notebook you guys found on him."
Umbrafer (10:48:28 PM): "I can't get it for you, I know that. Five stations are fighting over the autopsy and evidence, and it sounds like HQ is going to get in on the action soon."
Thematrian1 (10:48:37 PM): (Find out which one has it now!)
CirclMastr (10:49:05 PM): "Which one has it now?"
Umbrafer (10:50:27 PM): "East 38th and Pacific. They've got it on ice while everyone dukes it out."
Thematrian1 (10:50:37 PM): (Is that the Tacoma one?)
CirclMastr (10:50:59 PM): "Have any friends down there?"
Umbrafer (10:51:09 PM): (Yeah, that's the local you found. Not a good neighborhood.)
Thematrian1 (10:51:25 PM): (Sweet)
Thematrian1 (10:51:44 PM): (It's not like we even want to take it, just get a little peek...)
Umbrafer (10:51:52 PM): "I try not to get close to anyone unlucky enough to end up there."
Umbrafer (10:52:10 PM): "I might know someone who knows someone, though. Tell me what you want and I'll get back to you."
CirclMastr (10:52:49 PM): "The contents of the notebook, either copies or an in-person glance. Autopsy report would be icing."
CirclMastr (10:53:02 PM): #Anything else you want?#
Thematrian1 (10:53:23 PM): #That about covers it. Time alone in the evidence room would be nice, just on general principles, but we can't ask for that.#
CirclMastr (10:54:07 PM): #If push comes to shove I can send in a spider#
Umbrafer (10:54:28 PM): "I'll do what I can. It'll cost 'cause of all the eyeballs, though."
Thematrian1 (10:54:45 PM): #True#
CirclMastr (10:54:57 PM): "How much?"
Umbrafer (10:55:26 PM): "I'll tell you when I know how much neck I'm sticking out. Get back to you in a few hours?"
CirclMastr (10:55:46 PM): "Sure thing."
Umbrafer (10:56:47 PM): *Click*
CirclMastr (10:57:43 PM): *puts phone away* "He'll feel out what it'll take to get us and call back with a price tag."
Thematrian1 (10:58:12 PM): ::impressed:: "Good. Probably more expensive this way, but less exposure for us."
Umbrafer (10:59:29 PM): (The wonderful thing about justice for hire is that you can always hire it yourself)
Thematrian1 (10:59:49 PM): (That is wonderful)
CirclMastr (10:59:54 PM): *resumes digging in*
Umbrafer (11:00:17 PM): There's a lot of digging to be done. You go at it with gusto.
CirclMastr (11:00:46 PM): *Mmmm.... waffles...*
MilesMk1 (11:01:55 PM): *sends in an order for an extra-thick black and white shake, after asking if anyone else wants one*
MilesMk1 (11:02:02 PM): or ordersa
MilesMk1 (11:02:04 PM): orders
CirclMastr (11:02:13 PM): "Black and white shake?"
CirclMastr (11:02:22 PM): (Black and white shake?)
MilesMk1 (11:03:04 PM): (Fancy name for basically a vanilla shake with a certain kind of syrup in it... Maybe it's a NY thing.)
Thematrian1 (11:03:15 PM): (I'd never heard of it)
CirclMastr (11:03:23 PM): (You freaky New Yorker)
MilesMk1 (11:03:25 PM): (Tastes identifiably different from just a chocoloate shake...)
MilesMk1 (11:03:34 PM): *explains about shakes*
CirclMastr (11:03:39 PM): (Clearly, Seattle won't have them)
MilesMk1 (11:03:58 PM): *settles for chocolate if they don't have it*
Umbrafer (11:05:04 PM): Real milk or soy
Umbrafer (11:05:05 PM): ?
MilesMk1 (11:05:09 PM): (I remember causing a stir in a restaurant in North Carolina by asking the waitress clearly enough to be heard by some of the closest tables what "Dingdongs" were, and why could I get them instead of fries.)
MilesMk1 (11:05:11 PM): Real.
CirclMastr (11:05:22 PM): *orders a double chocolate shake, real milk and real ice cream and real chocolate*
CirclMastr (11:05:43 PM): (Wait, what? That's not the ding dongs I know...)
MilesMk1 (11:06:34 PM): (They turned out to be like small donuts, but more heavily fried, and a lot less sweet.)
Umbrafer (11:06:43 PM): They don't have a black and white shake, and I've never heard of it myself. Chocolate they do have.
Umbrafer (11:06:53 PM): And they do indeed have real stuff.
CirclMastr (11:07:10 PM): (Weak. Dingdongs here are Hostess things, not as good as the cupcakes but more portable)
Umbrafer (11:07:14 PM): The waiter returns with it after a few minutes. It is delicious, and oh so not-soy.
MilesMk1 (11:08:09 PM): (• 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream• 2 ounces of chocolate syrup• 4 ounces of milk)
MilesMk1 (11:08:20 PM): (Gotta love the intra-web)
Umbrafer (11:08:34 PM): (Well, if you give them the basic formula they can whip that up. Nothing too esoteric there)
CirclMastr (11:08:34 PM): (Make it chocolate ice cream and chocolate milk, and I'm there)
MilesMk1 (11:08:51 PM): (Nah, Glitch doesn't really care.)
Thematrian1 (11:10:45 PM): Ok. I think we finish our meals and leave, waiting for his call?
CirclMastr (11:10:46 PM): (Random aside: http://sinfest.net/comics/sf20060517.gif )
CirclMastr (11:10:52 PM): Sure
Umbrafer (11:11:11 PM): (The appearance of the G-man was better.)
Umbrafer (11:11:16 PM): You do so.
CirclMastr (11:11:22 PM): (Oh hush)
Umbrafer (11:11:23 PM): What're you doing in the meantime?
MilesMk1 (11:12:06 PM): (glitch is obeying orders, because I need to run)
CirclMastr (11:12:25 PM): Random whatever stuff
MilesMk1 (11:12:27 PM): (Not quite bedtime, but I need a little time to get something ready for work tomorrow morning.)
Umbrafer (11:12:36 PM): (Mmk. Sleep well when you do, and good luck with it all.)
MilesMk1 (11:12:53 PM): (Thanks. See you guys Tuesday.)
CirclMastr (11:12:55 PM): (I'll probably bail after he calls back, so I vote we fast-forward to that point)
Umbrafer (11:12:56 PM): Assuming no other significant actions, an hour and a half later Hound gets a call.
MilesMk1 has left the chat room.

CirclMastr (11:13:05 PM): *answers* "Hello?"
Umbrafer (11:15:17 PM): "Hey. I can get you a press pass and someone inside who'll get you into the evidence room and vouch for you, but you're on your own from there. I'm gonna need seven on this one, though—guy isn't coming cheap."
CirclMastr (11:15:34 PM): (Does he mean hundred or thousand?)
Thematrian1 (11:15:38 PM): (Sheesh. I'm good for it, though)
Umbrafer (11:17:01 PM): (Thousand.)
CirclMastr (11:17:24 PM): "Alright, I can cover it."
CirclMastr (11:17:39 PM): "Pass just good for one person or for a group?"
Umbrafer (11:18:09 PM): "Couple people. More than four is risky."
CirclMastr (11:18:20 PM): "It'll be 3 tops."
Umbrafer (11:20:26 PM): "Should be golden. Guy's name is Jerry Powell, give him a call at $NUMBER when you're about to go in, say you're the reporters. You can leave the money in the usual spot."
Thematrian1 (11:20:26 PM): (Sounds like we're good to go)
CirclMastr (11:20:42 PM): "Thanks."
Umbrafer (11:21:12 PM): (There's a public locker he rents that you make dropoffs to when for whatever reason you can't or don't meet up in person.)
Umbrafer (11:21:27 PM): "Do it soon. I don't know when they'll get the turf war settled."
CirclMastr (11:21:35 PM): "Sure thing."
Umbrafer (11:21:57 PM): "Pleasure doing business with you." There's a pause, and if you don't say anything a click.
CirclMastr (11:22:37 PM): "Talk to you later."
CirclMastr (11:22:39 PM): *click*
Thematrian1 (11:22:48 PM): "Well?"
CirclMastr (11:24:58 PM): "Got a press pass and someone to vouch for us. Seven thousand nuyen later."
Thematrian1 (11:25:22 PM): ::low whistle:: "I have the nuyen. I take it the timing's tight?"
CirclMastr (11:25:54 PM): "Soon."
CirclMastr (11:26:01 PM): "So I'm thinking tonight?"
Thematrian1 (11:26:16 PM): "Whenever your new friend is on-shift."
CirclMastr (11:26:53 PM): "Tonight then."
Thematrian1 (11:27:35 PM): "Very good. Shall we reconvene then?"
CirclMastr (11:27:57 PM): "Yeah."
Thematrian1 (11:29:07 PM): (Shall we try to do it this week, with Glitch in the car as research monkey, or wait for next week?)
CirclMastr (11:29:31 PM): (I vote next week)
Umbrafer (11:30:36 PM): (Next week. I need to finish writing the notebook, if nothing else.)
Thematrian1 (11:30:49 PM): (Fair enough)
Thematrian1 (11:32:15 PM): (I'm definitely going to try and make friends with this guy. Dumb and crooked, he could be a real resource for us)
Umbrafer (11:32:31 PM): (Which one?)
Thematrian1 (11:33:11 PM): (Not Hound's contact)
Umbrafer (11:33:30 PM): (Officer Powell, upstanding officer of the law?)
CirclMastr has left the chat room.

Thematrian1 (11:34:40 PM): (Yep, him)
Umbrafer (11:35:59 PM): (When you consider that L-S doesn't pay the average cop enough to afford a Middle lifestyle, you get a decent number of his kind.)
Thematrian1 (11:36:23 PM): (That's fair. But law enforcement is a great place to have friends)
Umbrafer (11:37:39 PM): (It is true.)
Umbrafer (11:40:43 PM): Fundamentalism is a great big sucking trap.
Thematrian1 (11:43:28 PM): ?
Umbrafer (11:43:42 PM): FreeCiv.
Thematrian1 has left the chat room.

Chat room exited at 5/19/2006 12:10:31 AM.