(8:06:54 PM) Fireater: It's been a quiet week out on the Equestrian prairies.  Autumn is beginning to settle it's blustery, chilly grasp down over the cities and hamlets all across the wide open plains.  As the days grow shorter city ponies start wrapping up business earlier so they don't have to pay too much in light bills while the farm folks work late into the night some evenings just to get a little more of the harvest in.
(8:08:42 PM) Fireater: In the ever-bustling maretropolis of Marewaukee, at mid-day of these early fall days a group of five ponies are gathered in the ante-room in the towering brick Corn Exchange building.  A pre-war edifice of impressive dimensions it is perhaps the only pre-war building not owned by people that want to kill you still used for it's original purpose.
(8:09:46 PM) Fireater: Namely: Trade.  Everything from seeds to cut crops are sold, bartered, and auctioned in it's cavernous halls or cramped offices.  Some offices aren't quite as cramped, such as the one this lucky band finds themselves in.
(8:11:24 PM) Fireater: Each of them received a note that their application has been reviewed and accepted by Mr. Corn Fed, one of the towering (quite literally) giants among the elites of Marewaukee.  Building a fortune upon his special talent for perdicting crop demands, in his later years he's built a reputation as something of an eccentric for his commissioning small groups of mercenaries to find seemingly inane old world objects.
(8:12:53 PM) Fireater: Whatever you speculate his reasoning is, the work pays well and is seldom more dangerous then your average local trip.  The room they've found themselves is appointed as well as one would expect; deep carpets, wood panelling, expensive looking furniture, hulking slab of stallion in a neatly tailored suit typing at the desk.
(8:13:07 PM) Fireater: A clock ticks on the wall and a radio plays a jazzy number for it's listeners.
(8:13:31 PM) Fireater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkClv5O15s0
(8:13:48 PM) #AdventureNotFound: mode (+vvvv Cobalt_Comet Harren Miracle Study_Journal) by Fireater
(8:15:01 PM) ***Study_Journal taps his hooves with the beat of the song, looking around the room.
(8:15:37 PM) ***Miracle is sitting down fiddling with her hooves
(8:16:31 PM) Fireater: It contains only four other ponies that aren't Study_Journal and the 'secretary' who is pounding away at the keys with practiced gusto.  It's a little after the time for your appointments written in the note.
(8:16:37 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet sits in a chair, a rear hoof tapping out a jittery and uneaven tap as he compusivly checks the wireing on a bit of radio equipment he has hooked up to his saddlebags, wireing spider webbing across the surface of it. A sissor extended anttena is folded up neatly as well on the side of the bags.
(8:17:11 PM) ***Harren fidgets with his flakk vest, not feeling quite at home in this armor, and takes a seat across from the large stallion, wondering when they'll get in.
(8:19:31 PM) ***Harren gives each of the ponies in the room a cursory glance, his gaze lingering a bit longer on the noisy pegasus. Though he's not sure whether the click-clack of the keyboard or the hooftapping is more jarring.
(8:19:32 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet is dressed in a faded blue flight suit, his wings folded up neatly by his side, a sirvice rifle rests near his chair and bags. Light blue mane streaked with shots of deeper cobolt blue matching his eyes spill over his face. He mutters a bit to himself as he works.
(8:21:09 PM) ***Study_Journal is dressed in a stable jumpsuit that has the number 53 on it, his pipbuck on his hoof. His mane seemed brown, but his coat was an odd miss match of Green, Brown, and black, almost like camoflague.
(8:21:09 PM) Fireater: The song ends with a hash of static that means nothing to everyone that doesn't believe in secret coded radio messages.  A gravelly voiced announcer segues into some local news and weather.
(8:22:33 PM) ***Miracle a petite white unicorn wearing a MoP nurses uniform and thigh high socks with combat boots on
(8:22:59 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet ears twitch at the static a bit, but keeps up work on his own portable unit.
(8:23:43 PM) ***Harren is tan griffin with dark-brown feathers in a flakk vest, an armored duster thrown over it. Strapped to his side is a rather new-looking revolver in an equally clean holster. His saddlebags bulge with various mechanical equipment and scrap.
(8:25:30 PM) Fireater: A chair creaks, drawing attention towards the center of the far wall next to the closed office door.  The hulk clears his throat.  His voice is deep, reverberating in the chest cavities of the assembled ponies (and griffin), "Mr. Fed will see you gentleponies now."
(8:25:55 PM) Fireater: Making a horrible shudder as he stands and opens the door, the chair sounds near the edge of it's limits.
(8:26:30 PM) Miracle: "You should probably get a sturdier chair. That can't be good for your lower back."
(8:26:38 PM) ***Study_Journal stands up, smiling lightly. "Understood." He starts to make his way towards the door
(8:27:46 PM) ***Miracle hops up, following after Study_Journal
(8:27:47 PM) ***Harren sighs internally, as the use of the word ponies in place of something more....suitable. He gets up slowly, giving the assembled ponies another passing glance and makes his way to the door as well, careful to keep from bumping into them...escpecially the jittery one.
(8:27:48 PM) Fireater: He smiles politely to Miracle, showing off some high-quality dental fillings.  "It would help madam, but the sturdier they are the less comfortable they seem to be," he rumbles.
(8:28:08 PM) Miracle: "Maybe a pillow in the seat or something?"
(8:28:21 PM) Study_Journal left the room (quit: Connection closed).
(8:28:40 PM) Fireater: "I shall consider it," he says as they disappear into the office.
(8:29:18 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet stands and slips into his gear, the various bits clattering as he straps himself in. Standing he waits to be lead to meet his embloyer, his eyes darting around the room as he slings his service riffle over his sholder.
(8:29:20 PM) NitoKa [[email protected]] entered the room.
(8:29:31 PM) NitoKa is now known as Study_Journal
(8:31:27 PM) Fireater: Inside are a pair of couches arranged to face windows through which streams the warming light of Celestia's former domain as it finds its own way across the heavens.  A petite tan mare is putting the final touches on trays of what appear to be sandwiches and mugs of coffee.  A tall, but not heavily built, stallion in a gray flanel suit with generous helpings of grey to a once lavender mane sits behind a neat oak desk.
(8:33:23 PM) Fireater: He stands as the group files in, gesturing at the couches with a wide smile.  "Ah!  Everyone!  Come in, come in!  My apologies for keeping you waiting!" his accent is definitely that of a Marewaukee native, alien to the ears of outsiders but comforting to her denizens.
(8:33:40 PM) Miracle: "Oh, coffee!"
(8:34:01 PM) Fireater: He adds in way of explanation, "Honey was just finishing up with the refreshments.  Why don't you all take what you want and then we'll get down to business on full stomachs?"
(8:34:14 PM) #AdventureNotFound: mode (+v Study_Journal) by Fireater
(8:34:23 PM) ***Study_Journal moves to sit on one of the couches
(8:34:43 PM) ***Miracle trots over and floats up a mug off coffee, taking a sip and examining one of the sandwiches to see what's in i
(8:34:45 PM) Miracle: it
(8:35:25 PM) ***Harren gives the coffee and sandwiches a second look, giving a nod to the older-looking stallion, before taking a single sandwich and mug of coffee to a seat on the couch where he eats them silently.
(8:35:34 PM) Fireater: Most seem to be cucumber, but there are a few pimento cheese as well.
(8:35:41 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet nods as he mutters, "Thank you", looking questionling at the sofa as he passes he takes the offered refreshment before turning back to the sofa, lifting a cussion and poking at it before having a seat with a somewhat satisfied look.
(8:36:03 PM) ***Miracle hmms and takes one of the cucumber sandwiches, trotting over to find a spot to sit
(8:36:33 PM) Fireater: Honey swishes off into a side room with the coffee pot as the group take their seats anew and the clanks of a coffee urn can be dimly heard.
(8:37:36 PM) Fireater: Corn Fed waits, still standing behind his desk with a pleasant smile.  The observant can see that there's a projection screen behind him, below a landscape of what appears to be the city before the war, and a chalkboard pushed behind some of the tied back draperies.
(8:38:17 PM) Fireater: "If you gentlecolts, and griffins, don't mind we shall start?" he asks in the manner of an eager professor, prepared to impart knowledge to his hungry students
(8:38:19 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet eyes taken in the room around him and the ponies in it as he dose not eat his food and drink just yet...
(8:38:34 PM) Miracle: "I'm not a colt but I'll let it pass."
(8:39:04 PM) ***Study_Journal smiles and nods, taking a sandwich and some coffee, drinking and eating quietly.
(8:40:06 PM) ***Harren finishes off his food and coffee, placing the empty mug on a nearby table and clears his throat, looking across to Corn Fed and saying in a somewhat gruff voice, "Go ahead." giving another nod as he says that.
(8:42:03 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet watches the others eat, glancing at a clock and waiting
(8:42:21 PM) ***Miracle takes dainty little bites out of her sammich
(8:43:00 PM) Fireater: "Excellent!" his horn glows and a pointer whisks out of nowhere.  With a click it extends and he steps out from behind his desk.  "I'd like to thank you all for responding promptly to my notes," he says, more serious and tone levelled, "I am, of course, Corn Fed, your employer!  We'll do some more introductions later on in the briefing, but first I imagine you're all curious as to why I've assembled you all here."
(8:43:35 PM) ***Study_Journal nods lightly. "I am indeed Mr. Fed."
(8:43:56 PM) Fireater: He raises his voice, "Honey, lights!"
(8:44:16 PM) Miracle: "Pretty much yea."
(8:44:22 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet nods, "Very curious but eager to get along with it", tapping his hoofs to his chin in thought and looking from the clock to the eating ponies he shrugs and takes a hesitant sip from his own coffey.
(8:45:15 PM) Fireater: The lights dim a moment later, magic pulling down the little projection screen.  Light flickers across it with dark, hard to see shapes playing with the light.  A dull click repeats a few times as Corn Fed steps back.
(8:45:51 PM) ***Harren is....somewhat surprised by Corn Fed's manner but he shrugs it off, shifting slightly in his seat and adjusting his gaze to the projection screen....another surprise. He hadn't seen one of those work in awhile
(8:46:22 PM) ***Miracle pops her last bite of sandwich into her mouth and slouches down in the sofa a bit, getting comfy
(8:47:41 PM) Fireater: Soon the screen is filled with slightly fuzy shapes that sharpen as if by magic.  It is, for those technologically savvy, a pre-war holotape!  In it, an elderly stallion in an old fashioned suit seems to be fighting... trash cans.  With plungers stuck in them.  There's also what looks like a porta toilet behind him.  There is no soundtrack.  Instead, Corn Fed narrates.
(8:48:16 PM) ***Miracle cocks an eyebrow
(8:49:44 PM) Fireater: "You'll have to forgive the theatrics," he begins, "But I often find the best way to get the point across for these artifact finding expeditions is to /show/ rather then /tell/.  And what I'm showing you is an extremely rare pre-war entertainment holotape of a serialized "science-fiction" (he does quotes with his hooves) series known as Doctor Whooves."
(8:51:59 PM) Fireater: "Originally produced by the Trottingham Broadcasting Corporation, in later years it was popularly rebroadcast on public access stations across the country creating a whole new generation of fans!" he says excitedly, "Unfortunately by then a substantial amount of the series had been lost to recycling or wartime censorship, ecetra.  I was lucky enough to purchase most of the series at auction from some scrap ponies that didn't particularly see the value in poor costumes and stiff acting.  Or own a holotape projector."
(8:52:15 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet rubs his chin and narrows his eyes at teh screen, watching intently
(8:53:12 PM) Fireater: "Now those same kind fellows were also good enough, after a few caps, to keep their ears to the ground for where I might acquire tapes to fill the gaps in my collection.  This is, of course, where you all come in."
(8:53:45 PM) Fireater: The lights come back up as the screen's picture fades to nothing as an attractive filly rushes to the old stallion's side.
(8:55:50 PM) Fireater: Corn Fed re-takes the metaphorical center stage behind his desk.  The chalkboard was evidentally rolled into position while no one was looking beyond the pretty moving pictures.  There's a map taped to one half and a list written on the other, in front of which their employer stands.
(8:55:51 PM) ***Study_Journal blinks lightly and nods. "So I assume you have some relevant info for us to find them?"
(8:56:12 PM) Fireater: He points the pointer at Study_Journal, "Right you are Mr. Journal!"
(8:56:42 PM) ***Harren blinks as the lights flicker back on, rubbing at his eye with a talon. After a moment he nods again, clearing his throat, and asks "Do you have any leads as to where it-", cutting himself off as Study Journal speaks and as he notices the chalkboard.
(8:57:01 PM) ***Study_Journal nods lightly, taking out a small notepad.
(8:58:23 PM) ***Miracle sips her coffee, listening
(8:59:54 PM) Fireater: Pointing the stick against the board, he indicates a star, "This is us.  Not literally of course, nor truly metaphorically.  Instead it represents Marewaukee."
(9:02:16 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet tilts his head and scrunches up his face a bit but maintaints a serious expression
(9:02:43 PM) Fireater: "This," he moves it over a small distance to the west and north along one of the little ribbons of blow that flow towards the city and it's lake, "Is the the Marewaukee River.  Upriver, of course, lay a number of settlements of varying size in civility."
(9:05:12 PM) Fireater: "About twenty miles from here along the River Road is a mostly abandoned industrial city.  My sources tell me that on the far side of that city there is a nearly untouched, except by the elements, Equestria Public Television station that includes most of the episodes I'm looking for."
(9:06:05 PM) Fireater: He flips the board over to a show a more detailed map of greater Marewaukee.  The area circled and starred on this side doesn't seem to be too far from where the lines representing the city's walls are.
(9:06:54 PM) ***Study_Journal nods as he is writing this info down. "And the catch sir?"
(9:07:09 PM) Miracle: "Took the words right out of my mouth."
(9:07:16 PM) Fireater: "Practically a day trip," he quips, spinning the board back over after a minute or so, "I've hired you four because frankly, Mr. Journal and Miss Drift, that many holotapes is likely to bulky."
(9:07:44 PM) Miracle: "Will we have a cart or any other such resources to assist us?"
(9:09:54 PM) Fireater: "And of course there may be some mechanical issues that prevent you from removing them without some, adjustments," he says before turning back to the assembly, "also a good question, Miss Drift!  No, they shouldn't be quite that bulky.  If you divide them up ten tapes apiece there should be no trouble carrying them off."
(9:10:22 PM) ***Miracle shrugs and sips her coffee
(9:11:03 PM) ***Study_Journal nods lightly and writes down more notes
(9:11:07 PM) ***Harren gives a nod, taking mental notes of his own.
(9:12:01 PM) Fireater: "Now for specifics!" he taps the first bullet point on the list, "I've budgeted two days for you to get there, secure the tapes and return.  There's no penalty for lateness, but I will pay only reduced salaries for each day or part day late."
(9:12:20 PM) Fireater: "Your salaries of course have all been agreed to individually," he adds with a cough.
(9:12:30 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet raises a hoof, "you mentioned Adjustments and preventions?"
(9:12:38 PM) Miracle: "How much will they be reduced exactly?"
(9:14:07 PM) Fireater: Corn points to Cobalt first, "Hopefully the tapes are still locked in the station's library, or they may be in some of the broadcasting equipment.  Shifting the point to Miracle he adds with a smile, "By a quarter for each half-day and half for a full."
(9:14:33 PM) Fireater: "Barring a reasonable excuse."
(9:14:58 PM) ***Miracle scowls a little but hides it by sipping her coffee again "Reasonable excuse including unforseen resistance? Defense systems and the like?"
(9:15:28 PM) Fireater: "Or natural occurrences.  Floods, tornadoes, firestorms.  Yes."
(9:15:41 PM) Miracle: "This is acceptable."
(9:15:49 PM) Fireater: "Any questions Mr. Harren?  Mr. Journal?"
(9:16:12 PM) ***Study_Journal shakes his head. "I am fine."
(9:16:32 PM) ***Harren shakes his head. "No, it seems fair."
(9:19:25 PM) Fireater: "Very well, point two!"
(9:21:33 PM) Fireater: He moves the stick down, "Mission critical information.  Before you depart, I have two folders in my desk that contain a few passwords to get you into the station's computer network, maps and some contacts in the area.  Should you require any special equipment purchases, medical care, so on and so forth."
(9:23:25 PM) ***Harren gives another nod, giving his saddlebags a quick look-through and frowning slightly. He turns his attention back to Corn Fed.
(9:23:49 PM) Miracle: "Hopefully they won't need medical care more than I can provide."
(9:25:05 PM) Fireater: "Hopefully, but should they or you," he pulls out a drawer with a magical shimmer and drops two folders on the desk, "I find it pays to be overcautious."
(9:27:16 PM) Fireater: "Any questions?  Concerns?" he repeats?
(9:28:10 PM) ***Harren shakes his head once more, but after a moment of hesitation asks, "Are there any known..er...obstructions between here and the objective?"
(9:28:57 PM) ***Study_Journal nods. "And what of any average threats we might face upon the way, any information about that?"
(9:29:58 PM) Miracle: "Raiders bandits, mercenary groups hired by anyone who might not want you to have the holotapes, you know, that kind of stuff."
(9:30:57 PM) Fireater: Corn Fed shakes his head, "Little of that sort.  You may run into a few small time raiders, but these /are/ fairly settled areas after all.  You're more likely to get stuck behind slow moving grain carts them stuck with a knife."
(9:31:45 PM) Fireater: "As for anyone that might target you because of your mission," he chuckles a little, "I doubt these tapes are of interest to anyone else.  And anyone that /is/... I trust you to be well equipped enough to handle them."
(9:32:28 PM) ***Study_Journal nods. "is there anyone who might be?"
(9:32:48 PM) Miracle: "I don't know, I've been hired for more petty reason that one person didn't like the way they were looked at by someone else."
(9:33:56 PM) ***Harren gives a cough and a nod. "Right. Well, this seems easy enough then. Is there anything else critical we should know?"
(9:34:23 PM) Fireater: Corn Fed taps his chin with the stick, "No... I can't think of anyone who would want to kill me in a physical sense...."
(9:35:19 PM) Fireater: "Ah, yes, one more thing.  Thank you for reminding me Harren," he says, turning back to his desk to retrieve a small stack of stapled papers, "A list of the sought after episodes.  One set for each of you."
(9:35:23 PM) ***Study_Journal nods. "Well alright seems like an easy job until we get to the place."
(9:35:56 PM) Miracle: "Don't say that. You're going to jinx it."
(9:36:00 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet takes his list from the offered pages, "Sounds simple enough... "
(9:36:58 PM) ***Miracle floats over her copy of the list, looks it over, folds it up, then sticks it in her bags
(9:37:41 PM) ***Harren gets up from the couch to take a list, giving it a short look-over before sliding it into his saddlebags.
(9:38:12 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet folds his and sticks it into a pocket on his flight suit.
(9:39:32 PM) ***Study_Journal takes the list happily
(9:41:05 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet squints his eyes, "Are you sure no one is after your cipher co- errrr...I mean pre-war tapes?"
(9:52:31 PM) Fireater: "No one that I can think of.  The only other holo-projecture in town is at the Marquis Theatre and they only show, well, you know," he coughs delicately
(9:53:06 PM) Fireater: "If there are no more questions, I trust you all can show yourselves out and be prepared to rendevouz at the west gate tomorrow at eight o'clock in the morning?"
(9:53:52 PM) ***Study_Journal nods, getting up. "I will prepare myself as good as I can."
(9:54:03 PM) Miracle: "Mhm. Yea."
(9:54:36 PM) ***Harren gives another nod, taking the two previously mentioned folders. "I'm guessing we can take these?"
(9:55:12 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet nods
(9:55:33 PM) Fireater: "I'll leave it to you who takes them.  Preferably two of you who won't be too close together while travelling," he says while retaking his seat.  His lovely fawn colored assistant edges towards the door and opens it.
(9:55:55 PM) Fireater: The sound of typing intrudes into the quiet office.
(9:56:24 PM) ***Study_Journal moves and grabs one of the folders. "I keep information around myself constantly so I seem like a natural choice."
(9:56:43 PM) ***Harren keeps one of the folders for himself.
(9:57:17 PM) ***Harren gives Corn Fed another nod and sets out of the door, heading back into the waiting room.
(9:57:18 PM) ***Miracle doesn't really give a damn
(9:57:26 PM) ***Miracle just heads back out
(9:57:29 PM) Fireater: "I'll leave it up to you," he says mildly.
(9:57:37 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet takes the other, "Im good at keeping information... organized, Ill hold the other thank you very much"
(9:57:56 PM) Fireater: "And see you tomorrow morning."
(9:58:08 PM) ***Study_Journal nods and heads out
(9:58:09 PM) Cobalt_Comet: *Redate
(9:58:13 PM) Cobalt_Comet: *Redact even
(9:58:15 PM) Cobalt_Comet: >.<
(9:59:12 PM) ***Cobalt_Comet nods farwell and trots out the door, "see you then"
(10:00:35 PM) Fireater: As the ponies depart to prepare for their journey, night settles over the countryside.  Streetlights come on, shops shutter for the night and the honest folks disappear from the streets.  In the countryside the smoke from traction engines and their implements is highlighted by the moon as it drifts in the distance...
(10:01:22 PM) Fireater: This Concludes Session #1: Cut Scene Cut Scene Blah Blah Blah