giant SR log

[20:30] <Odin> Once you finally make your way back to Almagated Studios headquarters, Nemi is quickly officially inducted into the team, after signing a contract roughly the size of the next Great American Novel.
[20:31] <Nemi> JD, naturally, actually goes through with appropriate German efficiency and attention to detail. What a stereotype.
[20:33] <Odin> The Producer is waiting with bottles of champagne. Seems the editors have already cut and spliced the next episode. Which they're releasing as a tri-parter slowly to keep anticipation hot, but it's all nice and hot and ready for you.
[20:34] * Chloe_Ceto looks worried about how this is going to go.
[20:34] <Odin> Mr. Producer has also procured a legally questionable amount of Nova, which he's more than willing to share with everyone. Trust me, there's more than enough for everyone. Christ, is he going to try to polish that mountain off himself?
[20:34] <Kithlai> "Uhhh...nothanks."
[20:34] * Quadcore looks a little different; mostly it's the fangs. Might be something going on there. That and the heavy jacket. She avoids the drugs, but takes the champaign and waits in anticipation.
[20:34] * Cazador has some sheets of paper she's busy working on. There are stencils in the shape of pistols with elongated barrels.
[20:34] * Cazador also brought her own beer.
[20:34] <Nemi> JD is.. Cautiously intrigued. "Saw the first couple episodes while we were on the way out, so.. Curious to see how this one looks. Can't wait. Time to drink aggressive volumes of champagne."
[20:35] * Allie pours herself maybe half a glass...with the excuse that she doesn't really want to get drunk right now, she has like four days' worth of homework to do.
[20:36] * Kithlai is flipping through a thick, leatherbound book, muttering to himself as he sips on a bottle of mango juice.
[20:37] <Odin> "Heyyyyyy, how's it going my favorite batch of moneymakers? You ready to see your exploits up on the big screen?"
[20:37] * Quadcore smiles. "I really am, especially one or two bits in specific. I feel like I'm getting better at providing cinematic scenes."
[20:38] <Kithlai> "Meh, not bad not bad."
[20:38] <Cazador> "Yo did anyone ever figure out what that Ancient puta was doing out there?"
[20:38] <Odin> "Also, I am LOVING the straight woman approach, it's EXACTLY what we've been missing. Gotta have your "traditional" shadowrunner for the rest of you crazy kooks to play off of, right? Speaking of which, we might be getting a little off target even if you got such good material on the last one, but let's watch this first shall we?"
[20:38] <Allie> "Yeah, this is--oh, wait...this started with going under the water, didn't it?" Her ears flatten down. "...Not my favorite part..."
[20:39] <Quadcore> "I still have my trophy from that. Not sure what to hav edone with it yet."
[20:39] <Allie> "Omigod really?" She shivers in her seat. "Gross, get rid of that thing!"
[20:40] <Odin> BIG GRAPHICS ON THE SCREEN: SHADOWRUNNING, IN THE CITY OF ANGELS
[20:41] <Odin> This one starts out with the rented submarine sliding through the polluted water of the LA basin before the introducing character shots.
[20:41] <Odin> Sadly, this time around they don't show off anything really special. Gotta have some stock footage for the intro, you know?
[20:41] <Allie> "...Hated this part," she mutters, sinking low in her chair.
[20:42] <Nemi> JD watches intently, curious and smirking at the.. Compliment? from the Producer. Now? She's got champagne and an episode to watch.
[20:43] <Odin> Then a rather condensed version of the team heading out on their own, and getting all the various jobs. The first elements of Earthflame's crazy plan is slowly started to be revealed.
[20:44] * Chloe_Ceto sighs...and reaches over to scratch Allie behind the ears. "It's over."
[20:44] <Odin> The docks! The rented submarine! The team all crammed in like sardines! Quadcore's sea-drones dancing through the water!
[20:45] <Nemi> And this is all new to JD. She watches in amusement.
[20:45] <CelestialDoggie> She grumbles, but leans her head in to Chloe's hand. "I know. Still gives me a nightmare here and there."
[20:45] <Odin> The whole part is played for tension. The part where the team blows their entry into the undersea dome and all the way up until they discovered the ghoul down in the deeps is played like a horror movie, an impression only strenghted by the abandoned undersea lab and the deep shadows stretching out everywhere the flashlight beams are not.
[20:47] <Odin> Even after they discover the ghoul (After suitably spine-chilling horror music) the whole thing is played very tense, like a taut string. The tension only leaves after the team is back on the surface, and the ghoul is staring at the night sky, tears streaming down his ruined face.
[20:49] <Nemi> ".. nicely edited," JD murmurs mostly to herself.
[20:49] <Quadcore> "That part wasn't editted," Quadcore says. "We did a good deed ofr that man."
[20:49] * Allie visibly relaxes, both from the lack of water and from Chloe's attention to her head.
[20:49] <Kithlai> "Even ghouls deserve a good turn."
[20:49] <Odin> EPISODE 3 cuts out there, but then, for Runner Eyes only until the Hype Machine has built up sufficient hype, EPISODE FOUR starts.
[20:50] <Cazador> "Yeah, poor zombie bastard."
[20:50] <Nemi> ".. huh, things I miss, then."
[20:52] <Odin> The usual intro plays, before launching DIRECTLY into a news story detailing the situation on the Raft, taken straight from Horizon's archives. Crash's handiwork is clearly evident here, as it's his data manipulation that brought the Raft to such media attention. The audience will likely remember this as well.
[20:52] <Nemi> ".. ooo, new angle.."
[20:54] <Odin> The team's negotiation with the smuggler has been edited into a far more shadowrunny affair, rather than the advertising boon she asked for in leige of payment. However, she gets exactly what she asked for in terms of mysterious profesionalism, and a shot of her boat zooming across the water with the name pretty blatently focused on.
[20:55] <Nemi> JD finds this whole part far more interesting than the prior, being that it's events she experienced from a whole new angle- including parts she didn't get to see.
[20:56] <Odin> Finally, the team is on the Raft! An up close look at human misery far too familiar to most people! The mysterious ship in harbor! Allie sneaking around and almost getting shot up before running into Oishi! Their past as Shadowrunners up in Seattle revealed! Heartwarming and bosom crushing hugs!
[20:57] * Allie perks up in her chair, smiling.
[20:57] <Kithlai> "D'awww."
[20:57] <Nemi> "Aww.."
[20:57] <Cazador> "Fuckin sappy bullshit."
[20:58] * Cazador keeps sketching
[20:58] <Allie> "Now go say that to Oishi's face," she returns smugly.
[20:58] <Cazador> "Sounds fun to me."
[20:58] * Cazador grins.
[20:58] <Odin> External shots of Oishi's mercenaries are... attempted... but a quick montage reveals the myriad of ways in which the cameradrones were hacked, crushed, shot, or simply neutralized until they crashed into the water. Just how many drones does Cameraman Jones have anyway?
[21:00] <Quadcore> "I envy that man."
[21:01] <Odin> Finally, CRASH'S HACKING MONTAGE! Brief soaring shot of satellites over the earth, zooming quickly down into an Arcoblock somewhere in the pacific ocean...
[21:01] <Nemi> "Fancy.."
[21:01] <Odin> Allie's shown doing her sneaky kitty routine, grabbing strange bio-samples out of a locked safe-freezer loaded with C24....
[21:03] <Odin> SUDDENLY, ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. The bioweapons explode out of the underdecks portion of the Raft, people are sliced up, people are shooting, screaming, the "doctors" experimenting on the refugees are running, things are exploding, people are running, everyone gets a shot of some badass violence, the doctors boat explodes... it's VERY exciting.
[21:03] <Nemi> JD nods along, slowly, and drinks champagne. As she do.
[21:04] * Quadcore grins at the grenade's eye shot where she bullseyed the doctor with her drones.
[21:04] * Chloe_Ceto frowns and bites her lip.
[21:05] <Kithlai> "I hate how this run turned out..."
[21:06] <Kithlai> "Too many innocents in the crossfire."
[21:08] <Odin> The biomonsters are finally beaten back with the assistance of Oishi's mercenaries, but not before everyone gets screentime of them kicking ass, from Quadcore's grenading, Cazador's shooting, Stonejaw's spell-slinging, etc. Nemi is introduced, the first time we've seen her since Oishi's boat, in a shot panning from her ankles, to her shoulders by way of her back, before going down her arms and through the scope of her rifle as she
[21:08] <Odin> snipes a biomonster...
[21:09] <Nemi> And naturally, JD smirks and nods along at that.
[21:11] <Nemi> "I didn't think that the tail of my coat was worth that much screentime, but, whatever."
[21:12] <Cazador> "He was taking pictures of your ass."
[21:12] <Quadcore> "Fanservice."
[21:12] * Chloe_Ceto facepalms. "...at least nothing too bad happened this time."
[21:12] <Nemi> "The one covered by armoured coat and webbing, yeah."
[21:12] <Nemi> ".. wait-- wait a second did they make it bigger."
[21:13] <Nemi> "I guess I don't do enough squats and deadlifts for them." JD sniffs and shuts up for the rest of the show.
[21:14] <Quadcore> "I haven't had a fanservice shot yet. Enjoy it."
[21:14] <Kithlai> "Well thats just objectifying."
[21:15] <Nemi> "Yeah, I'll enjoy fanservice of me, no problem."
[21:17] <Odin> Finally, the raft is resolved, the bio-weapon samples are disposed of in a legally-protected manner. (AKA, obscured and lied about.) and the final episode winds down towards the credit.
[21:18] <Odin> EPISODE FIVE. Is played 100% straight, Mad-Max+Nazi shooting action, the distress call, the sudden ambush, ALL of it. Right down to the budding mutant monstrosity in the basement, though just like the first time, all mention of the Black Lodge is cut out.
[21:19] <Odin> Frankly, it's the closest thing to a live show the show has seen, it's been barely edited upon.
[21:19] * Cazador is both annoyed and proud that her fight with the Ancient wrestler was about two seconds long.
[21:19] <Nemi> ".. wow okay yeah cool. That motorcycle sniping thing was pretty sweet, wasn't it?"
[21:20] <Nemi> ".. oh my god they got my awful one-liner to the dwarf. Yess."
[21:20] <Cazador> "I got ignored, but seriously. Anyone figure out why a fuckin Ancient was lurking around?"
[21:20] <Quadcore> "Rival runner team, best I can figure. Poseurs."
[21:20] <Cazador> "That explains why he went down like a bitch."
[21:21] <Cazador> "I should see if those fuckin dandelion eaters have a bounty on me now."
[21:21] <Cazador> "Or, I guess, when this airs."
[21:21] <Nemi> "So.. think I've got, what, three weeks until the horrifying fanart starts coming?"
[21:24] * Quadcore snorts. "Within minutes of the episode being airded."
[21:24] <Quadcore> ((*aired))
[21:25] <Nemi> "How horrifying." JD snorts and shakes her head. ".. god damn that sniping job of mine looked good in third person."
[21:25] <Quadcore> "I... am still giddy about my ram, to be honest." The girl grins. "That was just... it felt *so good*."
[21:25] <Odin> There's a choking sound from behind you, followed by the sound of someone falling out of their chair.
[21:26] <Allie> "It was pretty awesome all around. And we--" She cuts off and whirls.
[21:26] <Cazador> "Is he fuckin ODing?"
[21:26] <Nemi> JD swivels to look at the noise, immediately alert.
[21:26] <Cazador> "Cause I ain't calling 911."
[21:27] <Chloe_Ceto> "...didn't you have a bounty on you beforehand?" Fomor is VERY glad aht she got off lightly this time.
[21:27] * Quadcore turns aroudn to check.
[21:27] <Kithlai> "Hah! They kept the part where I dumped out all thoze nazis onto the road!"
[21:27] <Kithlai> "I love TV!"
[21:27] <Kithlai> *Those,
[21:27] <Cazador> "Not me personally. My whole gang is on a hit list, but no individual names."
[21:29] <Odin> No need to call 911, looks like his Docwagon implant is already going off, judging by the beeping and internal lights illuminating his chest from inside his skin. His nose is still lightly dusted with Nova, and he's staring at his commlink with wide-eyed shock.
[21:30] <Cazador> "DocWagon...that reminds me. It seem weird to any of you that those fuckin runners had such a fast DocWagon response time?"
[21:30] <Cazador> "One of them must have had some real cash behind him."
[21:30] <Nemi> JD ambles over and looks to see if there's anything she can do, knowing that otherwise .. Docwagon's probably got it. "Platinum contract, maybe? They had high-risk response teams on pickup, remember?" And hey, if she can get eyes on the commlink..
[21:30] * Quadcore eyes... and picks up the commlink to have al ook. "I don't trust DocWagon, myself. They share information with other corps."
[21:30] * Kithlai carefully pokes the OD's producer with the end of his staff.
[21:31] <Allie> "That, or they called the docs in figuring nasty things were going to go down before I even unlocked their cage."
[21:31] <Odin> Looks like his commlink is open to the team's company-managed P2.0 pages.
[21:31] * Quadcore quirks an eyebrow and scrolls around, trying to figure out what caused the heart attack.
[21:31] <Nemi> JD'll look to see if there's aught that /needs/ doing, for that matter, but.. What all is there on the pages? Heck, JD can pull her own commlink to browse that if need be.
[21:32] <Kithlai> Stonejaw curiously takes the Commlink, checking the page.
[21:32] <Nemi> She is really calm about the Producer frothing and twitching there and all that.
[21:32] * Cazador has not looked at her own P2.0, but does think it has a funny name.
[21:32] * Quadcore blinks at her suddenly empty hand. "... You could've asked, Stonejaw."
[21:33] <Kithlai> "Not sure he'd have answered."
[21:34] <Kithlai> "What with the drool and all."
[21:34] <Quadcore> "You just grabbed it out of my hand!"
[21:34] <Kithlai> Stonejaw, without looking away from the comm turns the producer's head to the side so as not to let him drown in his own drool and/or nose blood.
[21:34] <Odin> You spot the P2.0 ranking. A simple system based off the "six degrees of seperation" to Horizon's CEO Gary Cline. Most people are at a 6, many are at a 5, a 4 is when you start getting introduced to the exclusive club circuit. 3+ is mostly reserved to Horizon upper management. You're all at a 2. One down from the bigman himself.
[21:35] <Kithlai> "Oh, sorry."
[21:35] * Kithlai hands it back.
[21:35] <Nemi> ".. oh my fuck."
[21:35] * Quadcore stares.
[21:35] <Quadcore> "I have to go."
[21:35] * Allie shrugs, ignorant to the byplay with the comlink. "Anyway, like, the last episode's kinda boring, probably. Just some more sneaking from me and probably another big hacking montage with Crash. All, like 'cerebral' and stuff, y'know? I mean, it was just for doing stuff like--why are you going?"
[21:35] <Quadcore> "I HAVE TO GO RIGHT NOW."
[21:35] * Quadcore turns and *flees*
[21:36] <Cazador> "Uh, what's on that commlink?"
[21:36] <Allie> "Where'd Quaddie go? Why so fast?"
[21:37] <Nemi> JD veeery calmly puts her champagne glass down and will shoot the Producer with some stimms or something if he needs it, otherwise.. Deep breaths. Check to see your managed page there doesn't have any dangerous spoilers. More deep breaths. ".. We're. Uh. We're. 2 on the P2.0 ranking. Just under the CEO."
[21:37] <Cazador> "That's good?"
[21:37] <Odin> The door buzzes open moments before the Docwagon boot hits it, and a team quickly surrounds his body. One of them addresses you. "Sheesh, that's the third time this year. Tell this guy to get a nephretic screen or something, would you?"
[21:38] <Cazador> "We'll tell his NA group."
[21:38] <Nemi> "Uh, yeah, will do." JD licks her lips and takes another breath. ".. it means we're NERPS-level popular, Cazzy."
[21:38] <Cazador> "...NERPS?"
[21:38] <Cazador> "Did you mean Nerds?"
[21:38] <Allie> "We should take his toys awhAAAAAAAT?!" She all but erupts from her seat. "We're at A TWO?!"
[21:39] * Quadcore is out the door, past the docwagon, already heading to her van, filling out her retirement form and is generally in a *massive panic*
[21:39] <Odin> The one tearing his shirt off to put a bigass needle into his heart smirks at the NA comment. "Yeah, fat chance of that with THIS guy. I swear he's a MACHINE."
[21:39] <Nemi> "No, I don't. I wish.." JD half shuts her eyes. "We're at a two." She'll turn and show the commlink screen for those who don't believe it.
[21:40] <Allie> She leans up to stare at it, then falls back heavily into her chair, wide-eyed and stunned.
[21:40] <Kithlai> "To be entirely fair I have no clue what that means."
[21:40] <Cazador> "So what's that mean anyway?"
[21:40] <Nemi> ".. it means that we're just shy of being the most popular people on the planet."
[21:41] <Allie> She nods slightly, still awestruck. "It...it means...we're *somebodies,* Cazzie." She sounds breathless. "Like, EVERYONE'S gonna know who you are now."
[21:43] <Kithlai> "Huh..."
[21:43] <Cazador> "Guess I'd better get finished with these sketches then. By the way, what do you think?" She slides over a pair of her sketch pages. One is decorated with crisscrossing lightning bolts. The other seems to have the length of the barrel outlined with the appearance of a knife, the same with the grip."
[21:43] <Kithlai> "And here I am still living in a cruddy apartment."
[21:43] <Cazador> "Lookin to put some designs on my new pistols, trying to figure out what I want."
[21:44] <Allie> She shakes herself out of her stupor and pushes forward, on the edge of her chair now. "Huh...is it, like, one or the other? Or both?"
[21:46] <Nemi> ".. okay. I'm. Gonna admit right now that I have no /idea/ what to.. What this means, in like, practical terms. I'm gonna.. Uh.." JD walks over and pours out a loooot more booze. .. A lot more. ".. cool designs, by the way."
[21:46] <Cazador> "Both, two pistols chica."
[21:47] <Cazador> "Going with like, a lightning theme on the right one, and an assassin theme on the left."
[21:48] <Nemi> JD sets her glass down just a moment to tug up the zipper on her jacket, then ... glasses aren't good enough for the volume she wants right now.. Time to slam that shit down. Champagne or not.
[21:48] <Allie> "Huh, okay. Neat stuff. Man, I wish I could draw...lightning's cool, though, like, it makes me think of thunderstorms and I *love* thunderstorms."
[21:49] * Chloe_Ceto dashes after Quadcore at high speed
[21:50] <Nemi> JD just grabs the whole bottle, flomps into her chair, and doesn't stop until it's empty and she's left slouched and groggy.
[21:50] <Cazador> "Well I did name it 'Dios del Trueno.'"
[21:51] <Quadcore> [To: Fomor - I'm sorry I'll leave you most of my cash to help with bills I hae to leave I have to go I cannot stay in this city I'm going to fake my death it's the only way]
[21:51] <Cazador> "Badass gun's gotta have a name right?"
[21:51] * Quadcore is shaking a *little* hard as she tires to undo the manual lock to her van, though; it'll give anyone time to catch up
[21:51] <Kithlai> "You are a catholic with a hatred toward the Aztecs yes?"
[21:51] <Allie> "Uh huh." She sounds distracted; from the look on her face she's trying to piece together the translation.
[21:51] <Kithlai> "Why not "Cortez's silver?"
[21:51] <Kithlai> "Or "El Cid's Return"
[21:52] * Chloe_Ceto sighs and speaks, flooding her voice with magical power as she gets close enough for the pheramones. "Quad? Calm Down."
[21:52] <Cazador> "Because that's fucking stupid."
[21:52] <Cazador> "Guns ain't made out of silver."
[21:52] <Cazador> "And I don't know any Sid."
[21:53] <Allie> Her face lights up. "God of Thunder? Yes! That sounds amazing!"
[21:53] * Cazador eyebrow raises. "You look that up online chica?"
[21:54] <Allie> "No, I, um, I'm kind of taking Spanish courses at school. I really should learn it better, I know a little bit but it's kind of important in this area right? But I didn't in high school, like, I just wanted to take something *different* so I studied a lot of Hindi there instead."
[21:55] <Cazador> "Ah. Well, quiz time then. Other one's name is Doble Asesinanto."
[21:55] * Quadcore takes deep breaths, shaking, staring at her van's door. "We're at a two, Fomor. We're at a two. He's going ot find us. He's going to find me and he's going to take me."
[21:56] <Allie> "Uh...Doble is, um. It sounds like 'double' so I'm gonna go with that. I have NO idea what the other word means though," she adds, going a little pink.
[21:56] * Chloe_Ceto hugs her tight. "No ones going to take you Quad." She's not let up on the magic flowing through her voice.
[21:56] <Cazador> "It means Murder Twin. Cause it's the other gun's twin. Same specs."
[21:57] <Cazador> "Me and mi Profesor put a looot of work into these."
[21:57] <Nemi> ".. 's.. 's kinda .. sommat.. double of assassination and .. shiesse.." JD holds a hand up vaguely as she tries to contribute.
[21:57] <Cazador> "Hey, Docwagon guys. He dead?"
[21:58] <Allie> "Oh, okay, that makes sense. Kinda scary, too, which ALSO makes sense. What about--oh. I guess you already picked names, so suggesting another one's kinda lame, isn't it?"
[21:58] * Quadcore keeps shaking. "I... I... I don't want to go, but... I can't go back," she says. "I can't. I'd rather die." She looks at Chloe; her eyes are only not terrified because she's switched theirprogramming to 'flat'.
[21:58] * Cazador shrugs. "Could name your bow."
[21:59] * Chloe_Ceto holds the hug. "I won't let anyone take you back."
[21:59] <Quadcore> "... You promise?"
[21:59] <Allie> "You think so?" She shrugs. "I mean, it could be pretty cool but I dunno if it's...me, y'know? But if you think I should then I'll put some thought into it."
[22:00] <Kithlai> "Cazador, el Cid was one of catholic spain's greatest heroes."
[22:00] <Chloe_Ceto> "I promice on my...everything."
[22:00] <Kithlai> "He traveled the world as a conquistador.."
[22:00] <Cazador> "Who the fuck cares about Spain?"
[22:00] <Cazador> "I ain't going to Asia anytime soon."
[22:00] * Quadcore nods slowly. "... Okay. Should we go back?"
[22:01] <Kithlai> "Or...what about "Silver and lead"? Something of a variation on the term coined during the last century's cartel war?"
[22:01] <Chloe_Ceto> "Yes, we should." She ruffles Quadcore's hair.
[22:01] <Cazador> "I already named the fuckin guns."
[22:01] <Kithlai> "Right, sorry..."
[22:01] * Quadcore nods, sniffling. "... Okay. Lead the way?"
[22:01] <Nemi> JD gulps down the rest of that bottle and nearly slides out of her chair, legs instead bending awkwardly under her but keeping her upper back and head at least partly on the chair. That cannot be comfortable.
[22:04] * Cazador drinks one of her beers. "Want one?"
[22:05] <Allie> "I do!"
[22:05] * Cazador tosses Allie a Modelo
[22:05] * Chloe_Ceto leads on, holding Quadcore tight.
[22:05] <Nemi> ".. hwah? Me? .. beer? .. wh'n zum.. nicht."
[22:07] <Nemi> JD raises an arm feebly toward the beers.
[22:07] * Allie pops it open without much effort and takes a swig. "Not bad."
[22:07] * Quadcore follows back in. Once the pair gets back, she sorta stays near the door, looking nervous and worried still.
[22:08] <Odin> The Producer has finally been resuscitated, and he pulls in air in a shuddering breath. "UUHUUHWAAAAAAHHHH
[22:08] <Kithlai> "Also...Cazador did you just say Spain was in Asia?"
[22:08] <Odin> "
[22:08] * Chloe_Ceto looks towards the people having beer and raises an eyebrow and stays close to Quadcore.
[22:08] <Kithlai> "That's alarmingly not right."
[22:09] <Quadcore> "Sorry..."
[22:09] <Allie> "Hi Chloe! Welcome back. You too, Quaddie, c'mon in and have a seat."
[22:09] <Allie> She raises her bottle in greeting.
[22:09] <Kithlai> "You gonna be ok Quad?"
[22:09] <Cazador> "Then where is it?"
[22:09] * Cazador tosses one to JD as well.
[22:10] <Kithlai> "Europe, Cazador. The Spainish Conquistadors were the ones who brought catholocism to south america."
[22:10] * Quadcore shivers a bit "I'll... probably be fine?"
[22:10] <Kithlai> "And took plenty of Silver from south america too."
[22:10] <Cazador> "I'm not sure why this matters."
[22:10] <Nemi> There's a completely smashed JD with an empty champagne bottle, too. She reaches an arm up to run a hand up her face and into her dyed-black short hair and groans. ".. w'.. ist m'n Bier?" And arm moving on its own, the one that was feebly grasping snags the bottle right out of the air. The cap is flicked off via thumb (impressive) and JD .. actually moderates her drinking somehow in that
[22:10] <Nemi> she doesn't take the entire thing down in one go. Her weird sitting position, more sliding out of the chair at this point, might contribute.
[22:11] <Allie> "Here, have Cazzie give you a beer, it'll help."
[22:11] <Quadcore> "I... haven't actually drank a lot of beer. Some microbrews the Commune does..."
[22:11] * Cazador throws a beer at Quadcore
[22:13] <Nemi> ".. d'nke, yor th' best."
[22:13] <Odin> "Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Shoulda known! Ever since he said he liked the show. FUCK!"
[22:13] * Quadcore tries to catch it, fumbles, and ends up having to pick it up off the ground.
[22:13] <Cazador> "So what's this mean before you catch a second heart attack?"
[22:13] <Allie> "That doesn't sound like a happy reaction..."
[22:14] <Nemi> JD tries to sit up, blearily looking over. She can't keep her head up, but still neatly drinks yon beer. ".. yeah..? .. who? Th'.. what's it.. CEO?"
[22:14] <Quadcore> "Nothing involving Cline is a happy reaction..." she pops the top off the beer and tries a sip.
[22:15] <Odin> "It means he's gonna try to buy you out from under us! And if he can't have you due to the no-compete clause...." He unsteadily walks over to the window, peeks out of it, seems to think better of that, ducks like he's expecting incoming, and triggers the blinds.
[22:16] <Kithlai> "What he'll try to kill us?"
[22:16] <Nemi> ".. th'.. fuck's gonna happen?"
[22:16] <Cazador> "Puta can fuckin try."
[22:17] * Cazador tosses a beer at Chloe too.
[22:17] <Odin> "Maybe! IT's totally..... not happened before." he recovers. "But you can expect, I dunno, DAWKINS GROUP or something at the very least. Shit shit shit shit. Check your profiles, is there an invite or something?"
[22:17] <Cazador> "I never check that shit."
[22:17] * Chloe_Ceto catches it, barely. She looks at it like it's going to explode.
[22:18] <Allie> "...There was that group we ran into in the desert. I wonder if he hired 'em...that was totally a trap."
[22:18] <Allie> She pulls her commlink from her cleavage and flips through it, eyes going unfocused as she navigates the AR windows on her contacts.
[22:19] <Nemi> JD lazily lifts up her commlink in her other hand and almost drops it on her face. Then actually does. But whatever, it's just a convenience having it out. JD can browse in AR.
[22:19] <Kithlai> Stonejaw checks his comm "And who are the Dawkins group again?"
[22:19] * Quadcore checks her profile, biting her lip.
[22:19] <Quadcore> "Nightmares, Stonejaw."
[22:19] <Odin> There's a pretty big honking message silently yet urgently demanding your attention right at the very top. Not a number you've ever seen before, but messages like this don't just get ignored.
[22:20] <Nemi> JD LOOKS at MESSAGE.
[22:20] <Allie> She blinks. "Huh. There's one." She opens it.
[22:20] * Cazador IGNORES MESSAGE.
[22:20] * Quadcore adjusts the vision on her AROs; tinging it off normal colors by a couple shades and tints, puts EVERYTHING on mute, and disconnects from the matrix at large before she opens it.
[22:25] <Odin> It's a simple invitation to brunch with Gary Cline. On the CC listing you note illuminaries like Johnny Spinrad, and Damien Knight.
[22:25] <Quadcore> "... I can't go."
[22:25] <Quadcore> "I... I... I can't. I *can't*."
[22:25] <Odin> Dated for two days from now, with instructions on how to arrive.
[22:26] * Chloe_Ceto hugs her tight.
[22:26] <Kithlai> "Huh..."
[22:26] <Odin> "Woah woah woah, what do you mean you can't go? This is your chance! Our chance! To find out what he wants, and then tell him to stuff it!"
[22:27] * Quadcore stares at the Producer. "I.. I have reasons. Important ones. Secret, important reasons that mean I *can not be* in the same room as someone that important to Horizon."
[22:27] <Allie> "I'll go," she says simply, shrugging.
[22:27] <Nemi> ".. hoh jesus Christ I am.. am I..? 'm gonnan.. have to dress up or soething-- wh'sa? 'll go w'.. Alley Cat."
[22:27] <Cazador> "The fuck is up quaddie? You some kind of Horizon guinea pig or something?"
[22:28] * Quadcore freezes in place at Cazzie's words. She looks like she's about to bolt.
[22:28] <Kithlai> "I can't remember much about my old life, but the name seems kind of familiar."
[22:29] * Chloe_Ceto restrains her with a hug. She's been doing that a lot
[22:29] <Allie> "I'm sure my profs can, like, understand an absence from class when it's to sit down at lunch with a bunch of people like this."
[22:29] <Cazador> "...for real?"
[22:30] <Nemi> ".. 's.. Cline's.. CEO of 'orizon. S'd that." JD's head lolls to one side and, well, at least she finished the beer already.
[22:32] <Quadcore> "..." She glance sto Chloe. [To: Fomor - I guess the, um, the cat's out of the bag, at least for... not my genetic template, but evertyhing else?]
[22:32] <Chloe_Ceto> [From: Fomor - I think so]
[22:34] <Quadcore> "... Yes." She looks down. "I was tube-grown in a Horizon lab, flash-grown to an early teen. I was designed to be a biological data processing and security unit."
[22:34] <Cazador> "Well, I THOUGHT I was joking, but guess not."
[22:34] <Nemi> ".. s'wuah? ..nuh?"
[22:34] <Quadcore> "I, um, escaped after 'runners hit the lab. I stole my first Lynx from the security and ran into the barrens. The Commune picked me up from there."
[22:34] <Kithlai> "Huh..."
[22:35] <Nemi> ".. th's kinda cool.. 'm kinda weird science too.."
[22:35] <Allie> "I'm not!"
[22:35] <Odin> "Sweet mother of chrome, and you've been holding out on that kind of backstory? You know what this means!?"
[22:35] <Allie> "That you need to sit down?"
[22:35] * Chloe_Ceto facepalms
[22:35] <Kithlai> "Tragic backstory special?"
[22:36] <Quadcore> "Mr. Producer, if I may point to subsection eight of chapter seen, clause forty-three, subclause three-c, you cannot bring into the story any real-life backstory that may present undue or unecessary harm to our bodies, minds, astral presences, or abiloity to perform on your show."
[22:36] * Quadcore crosses her arms. "I'm not going back."
[22:37] <Quadcore> "I would literally rather die. I was not treated like a human being or a person. I was an EXPERIMENT. I was a *thing*. If the hcoice comes between a Horizon lab or a bullet, *I'll pull the trigger myself*."
[22:38] <Odin> He flips through a virtual contract before letting out a loud "sonofabitch."
[22:38] <Kithlai> Stonejaw says flatly "Sorry, omae."
[22:39] <Kithlai> "I'm with Allie on this."
[22:39] * Chloe_Ceto sighs and resumes hugging
[22:39] <Kithlai> Stonejaw pats her shoulder.
[22:39] <Kithlai> "Hey, if you need to, you can hide out in my lodge."
[22:40] * Quadcore takes deep breaths, shivering and shaking a bit.
[22:40] * Cazador works on trying to get one more lightning bolt onto the gun. "Damn, makes it too busy."
[22:40] <Allie> "I'll still go, just to see what he wants. Not like anybody's managed to hold me yet."
[22:41] <Allie> "Hell, I didn't even get a Horizon *scholarship* to go to school. Not like I have any, like, conflict of interest, or scary background or anything, y'know."
[22:41] <Quadcore> "I mean... if... if I *have* to go... I can. But I do not want to. I don't know if Cline knew about Project Biocore; he is the CEO, but companies are huge." She swallows. "... I'm just scared..." She says, quietly.
[22:42] <Nemi> "'mma.. 'mma go w' Alley.. 'm sorry, QC, ya cool.. heh.. 'm probly fine, even.. 'n if I'm old S-K an'.. 'at kinda Scheisse.."
[22:42] <Kithlai> "Hey quad."
[22:42] <Chloe_Ceto> "We won't make you Quad."
[22:42] <Kithlai> "We're here with you every step of the way."
[22:42] <Kithlai> "The Dark goddess teaches that if you fuck with my kin, you fuck with me."
[22:43] <Nemi> ".. yeah.. 'm .. got y'r backs too.."
[22:43] <Cazador> "Honestly I'd LOVE to see his boys try to pull something. Wonder how I stack up with top of the line corpsec."
[22:43] <Kithlai> "And blood bonds covenants stronger than steel."
[22:43] <Nemi> JD giggles faintly, smiling like an idiot.
[22:43] * Quadcore smiles a bit. "... Thanks, guys..."
[22:43] <Allie> "Yeah. You stay home with Chloe and do stuff. I dunno, fix your van. JD an' me'll go to this fancy lunch-thing. Chloe's been dying to get me to be more 'ladylike' and stuff, so this'll be perfect practice! Right, Chloe?"
[22:43] <Cazador> "I'm goin too. They said free food right?"
[22:44] <Allie> "You got anything nice enough to wear, Cazzie?"
[22:44] <Allie> "I could take you shopping~"
[22:44] <Cazador> "What do you mean 'nice enough'."
[22:44] <Cazador> "I got some decent jeans and a jacket with sleeves."
[22:45] <Kithlai> "Why the hell not, I'll bring a nice suit."
[22:45] <Chloe_Ceto> "...that I would not miss, Caz going shopping" Chloe smiles for a moment, then looks at Caz. "If you ever see anyone trying to take Quadcore away? I want you to stack corpses so high that you could build a new archology out of them." Her voice has gone cold and very hard.
[22:46] <Cazador> "Like I need a fuckin reason." She grins.
[22:46] <Nemi> By now, the drunk German's on the verge of passing out.
[22:46] <Allie> She taps her lip with the mouth of her beer bottle. "Hm. Nah, I think you'll need something better, Cazzie. Probably slacks and a button-down shirt. Not something you have to wear all the time, but at the very least you need to show your host some respect."
[22:47] <Chloe_Ceto> "At least you'll know there won't be an elf complaining about it afterwards." She grins...it's a suprisingly shark-like grin.
[22:47] * Quadcore smiles a bit more honestly. "M-maybe I should go. Dare them to fuck with us."
[22:48] <Cazador> "Fine, whatever. We'll go shopping."
[22:49] <Nemi> ".. c'n I go with? I .. got nothin' nice to wear either."
[22:49] <Quadcore> "I can talk to the Commune, too. They can set us up fast escape if we need it, plus provide backup. They aren't the biggest group, but their hearts are in it and they don't screw around when it comes to protecting their own."
[22:49] <Chloe_Ceto> Chloe's grin becomes a lot more amused. "...that I have to be there for." She looks to Quadcore and smiles "It's up to you. If you are not comfortable with it, you don't have to."
[22:49] <Cazador> "Sure."
[22:49] <Nemi> ".. sweet.. heeh, hope this's.. gonna not bite me.."
[22:50] <Allie> "Shopping? Nah, it's fun!"
[22:50] <Nemi> And with that last word, JD goes somehow even /more/ boneless, commlink on her face and probably no longer conscious.
[22:50] <Quadcore> "I'm not comfortable with it at all. But... but, it's just..." She shivers a bit. "If I spend my life running, they win as mcuh as if I had never escaped."
[22:53] <Kithlai> "I'm not sure what all I can get but yeah shopping would be nice."
[22:53] * Allie smiles brightly. "At least it'll be a fancy lunch!"
[22:57] <Odin> "Right, but no matter what he offers to you, you can't go over to him, you understand? You just... you just can't!"
[22:57] <Nemi> JD snores.
[22:57] <Kithlai> "Right, right."
[22:57] <Odin> The Producer actually looks... desperate for once. His usual jovility is gone.
[22:58] <Kithlai> "You ok buddy?"
[22:58] * Quadcore snorts. "Like I would. I'd rather plug a bullet in his face."
[22:58] <Quadcore> For Quadcore, the threat of personal violence is a rather unheard one; normally it's something with her drones.
[22:59] <Cazador> "I'm only doin this shit for kicks. Don't gotta worry about me."
[23:00] <Allie> "We won't. Do you really think he'd offer us as much fun as all this?" She waves an arm to encompass the monitors showing their exploits.
[23:01] <Cazador> "Though that reminds me, I didn't get a good chance to ask you."
[23:01] <Cazador> "How do you know Hernandez?"
[23:01] <Nemi> ".. hnn wah? .. fun? What? Not going to.. wh's going on?"
[23:02] <Odin> He looks like a drowning man who just had a rope thrown to him. "S-seriously?" He fist pumps. "Yeah! Yeah, we're doing this because we got SOUL in it, not an endlessly analyzed focus group telling us what to do! We can do this! We can beat them!"
[23:02] <Odin> He looks at Cazador. "That old guy? Let's just say that showbiz makes for all sorts of funny friendships. Like when you need a little outside security because most of your staff is on the take and you're about to jump ship for a better offer."
[23:02] <Kithlai> "Yeah omae. we can beat them black and blue."
[23:03] <Chloe_Ceto> [To: Non-Producer People - I wasn't aware that novacoke had a soul]
[23:03] <Cazador> "He told me you poached one of his previous students for a show a while back."
[23:04] <Odin> "I wouldn't call it poaching. More like, nobody turns down a 10k a month retainer when they're living in Redmond."
[23:05] <Kithlai> [Right? chummer's so ganked up with drugs he'd probably survive the ice age. Chemically preserved]
[23:05] <Nemi> [ To: Chloe - Wait what the fuck soul what are you seeing some weird astral shit off this guy or am I still drunk (don't answer I'm still drunk) ]
[23:05] * Cazador shrugs. "Words are between you and the old man. It just got me thinkin you seeing me in that clinic wasn't an accident."
[23:07] <Odin> He grins. "Sounds like you should talk to your old man about that then, eh?"
[23:07] <Cazador> "He told me to fuckin talk to you. If you're like fuckin each other on the side that's your business."
[23:08] <Cazador> "But I ain't interested bein in the middle."
[23:09] <Nemi> ".. 'nyway, surprised.. surprised I have a page up at all for th'.. team bio thing.. 'm not even on anything aired yet an' won't be for a while so.. why'm me- why me, I mean?"
[23:09] <Allie> "Crash, prob'ly. He works fast, y'know. Hacker?"
[23:10] <Odin> "And we might be sending, y'know, advance copies to select outlets. No doubt it made their way to him...."
[23:11] <Nemi> ".. gotta say.. 'm liking the whole bit where's.. 's like 'this mysterious femme fatale from the Allied German States' somethin' somethin' but.. who writes these?"
[23:13] <Kithlai> "The same ones who write me as the "Great american philosopher?"
[23:14] <Nemi> JD cackles as she tries to force herself to sitting straight.
[23:14] <Cazador> "What's mine say."
[23:14] <Kithlai> "Hard-nosed sharpshooter with a heart of gold and eyes like iron."
[23:15] <Kithlai> "Ooo and Allie is the "Fun-loving party-girl."
[23:15] <Nemi> ".. 'course she is.."
[23:16] <Nemi> ".. also like that like, m' face is in full shadow so it's all secret an' shit for th' public.."
[23:16] <Cazador> "'Heart of gold'? Really? Someone's takin some fuckin liberties."
[23:17] <Chloe_Ceto> "...do I want to know what mine says? Please tell me it's not related to how these seem to ship me with every other girl."
[23:19] <Nemi> ".. uhhh.. you wanna handle this one, guy?" JD waves a hand vaguely at Kithlai. ".. 'm.. not good at phrasing."
[23:20] <Kithlai> "Onetwothreenot-it"
[23:24] <Nemi> ".. too late, sucka."
[23:24] <Kithlai> "Dammit."
[23:28] <Nemi> "Well..? 's not THAT bad, is it, chummer?"
[23:28] <Kithlai> "N-nooooo."
[23:28] <Kithlai> "No it's..."
[23:29] <Kithlai> "....'the Wiz-Hikkikomori"
[23:29] * Kithlai pats their shoulder
[23:30] <Nemi> "... hhhhahaha oh my god."
[23:30] <Chloe_Ceto> "...what?"
[23:31] <Kithlai> "PFffffeheheheheee"
[23:36] <Nemi> ".. mmh. Sleepin' now." JD promptly passes out again.
[20:40] * Allie arrives bright and early at the agreed-upon meeting spot. With the big dreaded Lunch Meeting tomorrow, she'd cajoled Cazador, with Chloe's help, into coming along shopping so the two could help Cazzie pick something...at least respectable, if not excessively girly or formal.
[20:44] * Cazador was incredibly not thrilled about not being able to wear her normal clothes to the lunch, but whatever. She shows up to the spot around the time she was supposed to, wearing a sleeveless shirt and jeans, showing her tats off. She's left the bandanna at home though.
[20:45] <Allie> The catgirl is dressed similarly for now, though in jean shorts instead of full pants. "Hi, Cazzie~" she waves. "Chloe'll be here any minute, then we can get to the torture."
[20:46] <Cazador> "Alright, whatever."
[20:46] * Chloe_Ceto arrives to the lunch after a few minutes in a pretty blue hoodie dress and sneakers. She gives the others a smile and a wave. "Hi."
[20:48] <Cazador> "Yo."
[20:50] <Allie> "Hey, Chloe!" She very carefully avoids giving her a hug. "Alright. In we go. Try and find something on the business casual side instead of super uptight."
[20:51] <Cazador> "Aight. Anywhere specific in mind?"
[20:51] <Odin> Traffic is always busy in this part of town, and even with GridGuide it's quicker to walk than take a vehicle right now. Hundreds of people swarm around you, most of whom are deeply involved with their commlinks. A few do double-takes at you before walking on, busy for their next meeting or whatever.
[20:51] * Chloe_Ceto shakes her head. "Allie knows this city better than me."
[20:55] <Allie> "Got a few stores." She manipulates her commlink for a moment, then presents the pair with a shared ARO map of the shopping center she has targeted. It's...rather unfortunately large. The map has four spots marked with pinging dots. "Nepa's, the H-B"--she makes a little face at that one--"a Glide's, and my personal favorite, Hengman's."
[20:56] <Chloe_Ceto> "Hengman's?"
[21:00] * Chloe_Ceto looks to Caz. "...what did the makeup department suggest to you when we were starting this?"
[21:01] <Cazador> "I didn't understand half the shit they were saying or doing to me. It, uh, got kind of tense."
[21:03] * Chloe_Ceto raises an eyebrow. "Did you hospitalize them?"
[21:04] <Cazador> "Well, not the hospital, no. Look, one of those bitches burned me with some kind of iron, so I elbowed her in the chest."
[21:04] * Allie rubs her ribs in sympathy pain, wincing. "Oof."
[21:05] <Chloe_Ceto> "Burned you with an iron?" She looks very confused.
[21:05] <Cazador> "Yeah, it was some kind of long thing with a weird handle."
[21:05] <Allie> "Curling iron, probably."
[21:06] <Allie> "She wanted to style your hair different, I bet."
[21:06] <Cazador> "Maybe, well she didn't fucking say it and next thing I know that thing's on my neck."
[21:06] <Cazador> "Anyway, point is me and the makeup department aren't exactly on speaking terms."
[21:07] <Allie> "Like, she probably did it by accident, but, y'know, knowing you, it's not really, like, that much outside your normal reactions."
[21:07] * Chloe_Ceto nods. "Right." She looks over Caz's hair and general look, making assessments.
[21:07] <Allie> "Anyway, you asked, Chloe...Hengman's is where I got all my really nice stuff, like my new dress and the skirt-suit you wanted me to get to look all professional and stuff."
[21:10] * Chloe_Ceto looks over Caz's hair. "...well, like them or not, a bit of maintainence for your hair would help a lot."
[21:10] <Allie> "But we can try other places first, so c'mon. It'll be fun!" She glances, grinning, at Cazador. "Or at least probably painless."
[21:11] * Cazador grunts. "I like my hair."
[21:12] <Chloe_Ceto> "I don't mean going crazy like they did to mine." She runs a hand through her blue hair. "I mean...conditioner and shampoo and a hairbrush."
[21:12] <Cazador> "Fine, whatever."
[21:14] * Chloe_Ceto sighs. "Please don't shoot me over this. Becuase today is going to likely have a lot of that sort of stuff."
[21:14] <Cazador> "I'm not gonna fuckin shoot you."
[21:14] <Allie> "Well, c'mon. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can escape, kay?"
[21:14] * Cazador nods.
[21:15] * Allie takes the lead, arrowing for the Nepa's, the closest of the clothing boutiques on her map...once they make it to the shopping center, at least.
[21:16] * Chloe_Ceto gives a smile. "I dunno, you might if I start acting like an Ancient." Despite being an elf, there is a lot of distaste in her voice about the gang. She follows Allie.
[21:16] <Cazador> "Do you really wanna tempt fate like that chica?"
[21:18] <Odin> As you approach the shopping center, the first thing you see are the AR ads all around the place advertising a sale at one of the jewelry places. Pretty high end stuff, that appears to be affordable to the upper middle-class, rather than merely the upper tier. For today and tomorrow only!
[21:19] * Allie makes a mental note to come back and check those out after seeing Cazador off...
[21:19] <Chloe_Ceto> "...likely not. I don't dodge anywhere near enough for that." She nods.
[21:20] * Cazador muted them instantly, and so has no idea what they said.
[21:21] <Chloe_Ceto> "Should we see if we can make a dress work for Caz? Or go straight to suits?"
[21:21] <Cazador> "Haven't worn a dress since my fucking quince. Not interested in a repeat."
[21:22] <Allie> "Suits," she returns almost instantly, then lets Cazador finish speaking. "Yeah, I didn't really think you'd be interested. At least, like, slacks and blouse and jacket'll be closer to what you normally like to wear, y'know?"
[21:22] * Cazador nods.
[21:23] <Chloe_Ceto> "Quince?" She nods though. "Alright."
[21:23] <Allie> "Uh...fifteen, I think. Birthday?"
[21:24] <Cazador> "Quinceanera, chica. Fifteenth birthday, big deal in Mexican culture."
[21:24] <Cazador> "Mostly for girls."
[21:25] <Allie> She nods. "Well, I got the number, even though I didn't know the idea. Thanks for the info, though! Also, I think you could *totally* rock a dress, but that's for another time, we already said a suit and stuff."
[21:26] * Chloe_Ceto almost makes a joke about 'mostly for girls' then decides she likes her organs. "Right. I don't know anything like that. Our major events are when we turn thirteen."
[21:27] <Cazador> "Thirteen? That some kind of bruja thing?"
[21:27] <Allie> "I missed my own sweet sixteen so you guys got me beat," she teases.
[21:28] * Chloe_Ceto nods "It's when the various academies recruit apprentices."
[21:28] <Cazador> "Ah."
[21:29] <Chloe_Ceto> "If your Path is good, it's a big event. If your path is lower...or you are told you are not on the Path at all..." She winces. "Anyway, suits."
[21:30] <Cazador> "Right."
[21:32] <Odin> In the far flung future of 2073, women's fashion still holds 70% of the real estate in almost any shopping center in America. Flush with studio cash in an expense fund for this, you quickly locate an upscale boutique offering on-site custom fittings of any of their offerings. Pricy, but again, expense account.
[21:34] <Allie> "Perfect!" she trills, practically dancing between racks. She's mostly ignoring the AROs in the store, preferring to get a feel for the actual material.
[21:34] <Odin> The staff are for the most part wearing individualized uniforms that are almost in the same fashion tier as the suits, yet retain elements of a definite servitude quality to them.
[21:35] * Chloe_Ceto looks for something that will soften Caz's look a bit. It's one thing to look professional. It's another to look like Brock Samson.
[21:35] <Cazador> "So, like, what, do we look for suits on a rack or something?"
[21:35] <Odin> The sales people practically descend upon you the moment you enter, bowing and promising to cater to your every need. The subdued brunette with bright eyes handles Cazador.
[21:35] <Chloe_Ceto> "We look for examples and from there, they make a custom suit if we find a basic idea we like."
[21:36] * Allie nods with Chloe...then approaches one of the salespeople. "Hi! Uh...do you guys have special fabric selections?"
[21:36] <Odin> "Something like that ma'am. You find something you like, you select from our list of additional features, and then we tailor it exactly to your form. Good for when you need something special for... unusual occasions."
[21:36] <Cazador> "Ok."
[21:36] <Cazador> "The fuck is an unusual occasion."
[21:38] <Odin> His bubblegum pink hair nods at Allie. "Yes indeed! You'll find that most of our selections come with custom kevlar inserts in just the right spots to provide protection, while preventing your profile from being ruined. For an additional fee we can also add on specials like nonconductive lining, fireproof insulation, or even anti-melee attachments for those..." he winks "hostile takeover meetings."
[21:39] <Cazador> "Oh, you mean when like a corp bigwig shoots you."
[21:39] <Cazador> "I like the sound of that, actually."
[21:39] <Allie> "Preeeeeecisely!"
[21:40] <Odin> "Please look through and see what you like, and consider what special fittings your business might require. Which, if I may be so bold to say, is QUITE a fascinating business Allie-Cat. Love the show."
[21:40] <Allie> She blushes, but grins. "Thankya! Glad you enjoy it."
[21:40] * Chloe_Ceto nods "My D...a man I know has a suit that can stop a sniper round. I...saw it happen once."
[21:41] <Cazador> "Niiice. Get me one of those. Actually, do they make shit that I can put my guns in easily?"
[21:41] <Allie> "Yeah. All my fancy clothes have antiballistic fibers woven in. Maybe not THAT strong, but hey, ya never know, right?"
[21:42] <Allie> "And yeah, they're REALLY good at hiding pockets inside where no one would notice. Probably you could even, like, have 'em lined to stop those scanner things, right?"
[21:45] * Chloe_Ceto nods. "That and..." She flexes her light gloves and lightning crackles along them. "I mean, it's not as strong as a baton but it's a lot more than most people would expect."
[21:45] <Cazador> "My regular fists are probably good enough on THAT front."
[21:46] <Allie> "I've never seen you fight barehanded," she says curiously. "Want to spar some time?"
[21:46] <Cazador> "If you really want to."
[21:46] <Cazador> "Most if it's, you know." She taps a tusk.
[21:46] <Allie> She blinks. "Ooooooooooohhhhhh."
[21:48] <Allie> "I didn't get any of those when I SURGEd. Kinda sometimes wish I did have fancy retractable claws and stuff, or sharp teeth. But it's okay!" She smiles again. "I just know how to punch people really good."
[21:48] * Allie is apparently in full chatterbox mode.
[21:48] <Nemi> Allie's comm gets a text message, from JD. < Hey! Sorry for the lateness, just pulled in and parked. Where are you guys? >
[21:50] <Allie> "Sec." She looks down and starts tapping away. [Up here.] She packages another map with her location on it and sends it along. [We just walked in so it's no big. Finding Cazzie a suit or something.]
[21:51] <Chloe_Ceto> "I'm not so strong. I'm pretty fast though." She frowns. "So I need the gloves a lot."
[21:51] <Allie> "JD got here, she's coming up too. She was gonna meet us earlier but some dope jacked up the traffic grids a few blocks out and she got stuck in, like, a big herd of people walking around."
[21:51] <Cazador> "Alright."
[21:57] <Nemi> [ Wiz. Be right there. ] And true to her word, it's not too terribly long until there's a JD in sight, ambling on up. Tee, jeans, thin jacket, the works. And visibly peering around for her companions.
[21:57] * Chloe_Ceto gives her a small wave, looking very blue between her dress and hair.
[21:57] * Cazador waves.
[21:57] * Allie is too short to see past the crowd.
[21:58] <Nemi> "Ah hey!" JD pushes on through and makes it to Comfy Convo Range. "Hey, looking good!"
[22:02] <Allie> "JD!" She waves this time. "I think Cazzie's actually looking forward to this now, since we can get like a sorta bulletproof suit and hiding pockets for her pistols and all that stuff."
[22:03] * Chloe_Ceto nods. "Speaking of such, colour changing might not be a bad idea. Makes it easy to go with whatever place you are going to...and in a pinch can be used for camoflage."
[22:03] <Nemi> "Heh, gettin' some of that executive action-wear? Smart thinking! .. should prolly do sommat like that myself, too. Uhh.." JD thinks. ".. actually, surprise, I've got no clue about fashion so."
[22:03] <Allie> "I do!"
[22:05] <Nemi> "Wiz. So, shoulda talked about this first but it's been crazy with me trying to find an apartment and all that, but.. uhhh.. You're fashionable, what should I do?" Yes, the crazy physically fit blue-eyed German with the black hair in the pixie cut is actually offering to be a model and let you go crazy. This will absolutely not go badly.
[22:07] <Allie> She steps back next to Chloe, putting a finger on her chin, eyes narrowing while she evaluates JD. Then her hands come out, fingers meeting in a rectangle to frame her while she squeezes one eye--her green one--shut. "What are you thinking, Chloe? I'm getting...killer slinky dress vibes here."
[22:07] <Chloe_Ceto> "...I...guess?" She raises an eyebrow
[22:10] <Nemi> "Hey, you say it, I'll probably go with it. I don't know drek that's not paramilitary chic."
[22:13] <Chloe_Ceto> "Allie seems to like that sort of stuff, so I guess so?" Chloe owns no slinky dresses.
[22:14] <Allie> "You're killin' me, Chloe," she moans. "I need backup. Cazzie, what about you, you agree, right?"
[22:14] <Nemi> ".. now.. this a dress made out of slinkies, go all Maria Mercurial on this, or.."
[22:15] <Cazador> "Agree with what?"
[22:15] <Allie> "...What." She sighs, opens an AR window, does a search for ANY glamor starlet of the last, oh, hundred and fifty years, and shows JD the results. "Like this. 'Tight, form-fitting, made to show off what's underneath.' Y'know?"
[22:16] <Nemi> ".. ah, right. Right. Wiz." JD licks her lower lip and seems contemplative a moment. ".. yeah, let's do that."
[22:16] <Allie> "Hah! Victory is mine," she smirks.
[22:17] <Chloe_Ceto> "Against who?" She raises an eyebrow again.
[22:18] <Nemi> ".. man, not used to showin' that much off.. 's gonna be something, alright."
[22:19] <Cazador> "So, where's that fuckin salesman."
[22:19] <Allie> "Well, it doesn't HAVE to look trashy."
[22:20] * Chloe_Ceto nods "You don't have to look like Allie~" She smirks
[22:20] <Nemi> "Yeah? Well-- I mean, whatever they figure for me here-- oh, /rude/."
[22:20] <Allie> "Yeah, I--hey!"
[22:21] <Allie> She pouts *magnificently* at Chloe.
[22:24] * Chloe_Ceto just smirks.
[22:24] <Nemi> JD laughs like a moron.
[22:26] <Nemi> ".. anywwwwaaaay, where is that salesperson? We're famous now, aren't we supposed to be mobbed?"
[22:27] <Allie> "He knew me!" She instantly cheers up.
[22:30] <Nemi> "Wiz. But where IS he?"
[22:51] <Odin> He instantly shows up at your sides, mouth agape and eyebrows raised. He's not even trying to hide it.
[22:52] <Cazador> "Sup."
[22:52] <Odin> He's carrying one of their shopping briefcases with him. "Madam's, this is very irregular, but, um, hrm.... How do I put this...."
[22:53] <Odin> "A Mr. Gary Cline has requested you take this with you to your luncheon tomorrow...."
[22:53] <Cazador> "What is it, a bomb?"
[22:53] <Odin> The suit inside is female cut, bulletproof, and filled with concealed storage spaces all while cutting a stunning figure....
[22:53] <Odin> "No, just a... clothing option from here."
[22:54] <Cazador> "Oh."
[22:54] * Chloe_Ceto raises an eyebrow
[22:54] <Odin> ....on what you assume would be an Ork's body proportions. (Not Cazzies)
[22:54] <Nemi> ".. enh..? He's /requested/ it? .. Looks, uh, big."
[22:54] <Nemi> ".. generously cut."
[22:56] * Chloe_Ceto nods. "Alright then?"
[22:57] <Allie> Allie blinks. "Uh...okay?"
[22:57] <Cazador> "So am I supposed to wear that then?"
[22:57] <Cazador> "Sounds like a fuckin porno."
[22:58] <Nemi> ".. eenh, well.. Doesn't look quite your size, love. And, uh.. Sir, I could use sommat myself. If it's not a trouble." JD raises a brow!
[22:58] <Chloe_Ceto> "...I don't think it's quite for your figure."
[23:05] <Odin> "Yes, please, please, we'd be delighted to get you all set up." He's retreated into rote salesman mode, still agog at having delivered a package for the head honcho of Horizon himself.
[23:06] <Cazador> "Still not 100% on what the suit's for."
[23:06] <Allie> "We're going to lunch with a really really famous guy tomorrow, Caz."
[23:07] <Cazador> "Not what I mean. You guys said it's not for me, but I'm can't fuckin figure out if we're just supposed to bring a suit to the lunch meeting."
[23:07] <Odin> "The message asks that you bring it with you... a reason isn't really said. It was just printed off the line of the back fabbers.... message chain is straight from corporate of this store."
[23:07] <Allie> "I bet the suitcase is for someone he's bringing along," she adds in another stage whisper.
[23:07] <Nemi> "Great! So, my friend there, catgirl, is thinking I'd look good in a real slinky dress.." She walks off with the salesman. ".. and I'm willing to let the experts figure colour and fabric and cut and whatnot, given that I'm going to a breakfast with Mister Cline.."
[23:08] <Cazador> "Fine, whatever, we can bring his boyfriend's suit if we really have to."
[23:10] <Cazador> "So what kind of suit should I be looking for."
[23:11] * Chloe_Ceto nods "Hmm...I think something to soften your lines a bit. We are there for polite conversation, not scaring him."
[23:13] <Allie> She shrugs. "Might need to scare him too...eventually. But I guess that's where, um...De--no, wait. Di...os del Tru...eno," she manages, "comes in, right?" She looks pleased for having remembered the name.
[23:15] <Cazador> "Yeah. Being able to bring em in is gonna be important.
[23:15] <Cazador> "
[23:16] * Chloe_Ceto nods "In that case you'll want some..." She pauses, trying to remember the name. "...it's the material that blocks metal detectors."
[23:24] <Cazador> "Oh, I need some sunglasses too. You got those?"
[23:25] <Odin> "Fully AR and smartlink compaitable."
[23:26] <Cazador> "Awesome. Earbud hookups too?"
[23:29] <Nemi> JD rocks on her heels.
[23:30] <Odin> He falls more naturally into his salesman role. "With varying levels of customisability, and anti-flashbang capabilities"
[23:30] <Cazador> "Get me like a catalog or something."
[23:31] * Allie has left Cazzie alone; the girl can fend for herself. Instead she goes back to wandering the store, surveying the inventory.
[23:31] <Nemi> ".. well, uh, yeah, nevermind, 'll let you guys handle that first or whatever." JD pulls out her commlink and futzes around on the Not!Internet.
[23:32] * Chloe_Ceto sighs. "Need a hand Jelly?"
[23:36] <Nemi> ".. ehhh, I'm good, I'll just order something online since they're busy, no big."
[23:37] * Chloe_Ceto rolls her eyes. "We are not trying to ignore you. Allie is just flighty and Cazzie is...Cazzie." She smiles "So you wanted a slinky dress?"
[23:38] * Allie trots back. "Sorry! I thought you'd already got a salesman, I'm sorry..."
[23:38] <Nemi> "Eh, yah, was her suggestion." JD seems unbothered, really.
[23:39] <Chloe_Ceto> "Well, what would you like?"
[23:41] <Nemi> "Sommat in .. sheisse, I don't know this stuff at all. Something that'd work with me?"
[23:43] * Chloe_Ceto nods. "Honestly, you'd work with most anything. Would you rather go for slinky or professional looking?"
[23:43] <Allie> "That's why I said the slinky dress! I think it'd look fantastic on you. It could even go all the way up to a collar and down to your ankles!"
[23:43] <Nemi> JD shrugs hopelessly. ".. omae, I only /know/ professional, this's a chance to.. broaden horizons, yeah?"
[23:44] <Chloe_Ceto> "Slinky it is then. You help JD Allie, I'll try to handle Caz? I know suits better than slinky dresses."
[23:45] <Nemi> "Wiz."
[23:45] <Allie> "Should get one for you too," she mutters.
[23:45] <Cazador> "Okay, so we've got the basics right? Places to put my guns. What else do we need."
[23:46] * Chloe_Ceto raises an eyebrow at Allie but goes over to help Caz. "Some light armour? Do you own any form fitting armour? It fits well under a suit."
[23:46] <Allie> "C'mon, JD, the fun stuff's over here." She gestures for the taller girl to follow her.
[23:47] <Nemi> "A'ight, I'm with ya." JD follows cheerfully enough, stowing her commlink as she goes.
[23:47] <Cazador> "Yeah, that's what I wear under my jacket."
[23:47] <Chloe_Ceto> "Alright. Some light kevlar weave for the suit itself then. It shouldn't make it too bulky and it provides good protection from most light firearms."
[23:53] <Cazador> "Makes sense."
[23:54] <Chloe_Ceto> "What's your favorite colour?"
[23:54] <Cazador> "I wear a lot of blue and black."
[23:55] * Chloe_Ceto nods "Blue blouse and black suit then?"
[23:55] <Cazador> "Alright."
[23:55] <Allie> The corner of the store with the dress designs beckons Allie and JD, and the blonde quickly launches into a torrent of terms and descriptions.
[23:56] <Nemi> JD .. quickly adopts the glazed look of someone experiencing information overload. ".. uh.. y-eah, uh, red with .. gold accesories, sure, that sounds good."
[23:56] * Cazador looks over Chloe's shoulder at the designs and stock photos of their blouse, jacket, and slacks.
[23:57] * Chloe_Ceto taps away at displays. It's a rather simple design designed to conceal the implant bumps and hard edges of Cazador a bit. A little feminine without being girly.
[00:03] <Allie> "Red and gold, huh?" She flips through a bunch of styles in only a few minutes, occasionally pausing to tap her commlink, before coming back to JD and presenting her with another AR window containing four choices...all of which are approximately modest.
[00:03] <Cazador> "That the one we're going with?" She points to the display.
[00:03] <Chloe_Ceto> "Well, possibly. What do you think about it?"
[00:04] <Cazador> "Looks fine. Seriously, don't know shit about this."
[00:06] * Chloe_Ceto nods. "Alright. Umm...can you wear heels or should we go with flats?"
[00:06] <Cazador> "Pretty sure I'd break heels."
[00:07] <Chloe_Ceto> "Really? You mean trying to walk in them? Or just in general?"
[00:07] <Cazador> "In general."
[00:09] <Nemi> ".. huhhh." JD nods her head and makes a selection. One with a little more of a low neckline than the others, but hey, fashionable enough. "Right! That works! Danke schon."
[00:09] <Allie> "Dunka what?"
[00:09] <Cazador> "Plus if this goes bad, I'm not gonna be able to move like I want to in heels."
[00:09] <Cazador> "You've seen me fight."
[00:10] * Chloe_Ceto nods. "Right. We'll go with flats then. Some nice quality loafers."
[00:12] <Nemi> "It's-- nevermind, German for thanks much, basically. Habits." JD spins a finger about her ear.
[00:13] <Chloe_Ceto> "Does your gang have a symbol you particularly like?"
[00:13] <Allie> "Oooohhhh. Well, you're welcome, or however you say that part in German too. Let's go find a salesman so you can get your measurements done and pick some stuff to add to it, like we were talking about with Cazzie.
[00:13] <Allie> "
[00:13] <Cazador> "Not one that'd fly at this meeting."
[00:13] <Cazador> "Los Verdugos is Spanish for The Executioners. Our symbol is a noose."
[00:15] * Chloe_Ceto smiles "I wouldn't be so sure." She gestures to the suit and zooms in on the cufflinks. "We could get custom cufflinks with the symbol. Subtle but there for anyone looking for it."
[00:17] <Nemi> "Ja, ja, you got it, catlady. You're the expert." JD grins and nods. "And it's 'bitte'. Say it, ike.. 'Bitte'. Easy."
[00:18] <Cazador> "Aight, fair enough."
[00:18] <Allie> "Bit-tuh. Like that?"
[00:18] * Chloe_Ceto adds it to the design. "How's this look?"
[00:18] <Cazador> "Looks good."
[00:19] <Nemi> ".. good enough." JD grins a littttttle bit wider.
[00:19] * Chloe_Ceto smiles "Alright. Just one last thing." She starts scribbing down notes in an AR display.
[00:21] * Cazador has no idea what they say.
[00:25] * Chloe_Ceto transfers the note. "Here we go. Follow these every day until the meeting." She smirks. "If any of your gang give you shit over it, tell them I'm willing to deck them."
[00:25] <Chloe_Ceto> The note is instructions for skin, nail and hair care.
[00:25] * Cazador looks at the note...the TTS is having a hard time with her handwriting.
[00:25] <Cazador> "Um, ok."
[00:26] * Chloe_Ceto smiles. "Cool. I figured you'd prefer this than having me help with it personally after the Makeup team."
[00:26] <Cazador> "Right, uh, thanks."
[00:26] * Cazador desperately tries to think of someone not on the team that she knows who can also read.
[00:26] * Chloe_Ceto nods "No problem. I mean, we are a team."
[20:45] <Odin> As the interprid stars of SHADOWRUN: IN THE CITY OF THE ANGELS were last left off, they had been invited to a luncheon with the head honcho of Horizon himself, Gary Cline! A few of the members decided to go out of their way to acquire spiffy new dudes for the occasion, where they were given a mysterious package by an equally confused store clerk
[20:46] <Nemi> C'est la vie.
[20:50] <Odin> Time ticks it's constant path towards the appointed time..... you're not sure this is the kind of invitation you're even allowed to refuse. If you're going to do anything to prepare, now would be the time.
[20:53] <Nemi> JD is, for the first time in her life, wearing a dress. Aside from that one time on Spring Break back in Uni, but we don't talk about that. Especially not anymore. Ultimately, aside from a holdout, she's .. Moooore or less treating this as a typical thing. And frankly, Horizon security is good enough, she shouldn't need that. Right? And if things are bad, she can probably kill someone with
[20:53] <Nemi> the serving spoon.
[21:07] * Quadcore has been stressing out enough that her sister has almost had to call DocWagon; on the other hand, she's basically prepared for it all. SHe's talked to her contacts, gotten help, stabilized her mood (she promises without the use of moodchips), talked to contacts again, did *not* have a panic attack, and has put on a suit.
[21:08] * Chloe_Ceto has spent the past few days making sure she washes her hair properly and does proper skin care. This sort of meeting you should look good for.
[21:08] * Cazador did not do any of that, because as it turns out she doesn't know anyone who can read. She's hoping whatever was on that note wasn't important.
[21:09] * Chloe_Ceto is dressed in a simple suit dress with a light blue blouse along with slight heels. Her hand crossbow is folded up and concealed in her bag. Just in case. She's gotten her hair done and is for once not trying to hide her glamour.
[21:10] <Nemi> JD's hair is too short to really get done. Pixie cut power. But hey, she can do her best to look okay, right? By which one means pay someone for it.
[21:10] <Kithlai> After getting himself a stylish new apartment, Stonejaw decides to touch up a little bit, getting himself a shave and haircut, buying some nicer offering for the Dark Goddess' shrine, and a slick  dark green (Almost black) Suit  interwoven with microbe colonies that created intricate designs  in the astral .
[21:12] * Allie spends all morning primping herself to look just-so. She tucks a pair of shock gloves into her suit coat's inner pocket, as well as having her special nylons. The suit itself is charcoal-gray and double-breasted, very snazzy and professional, with a knee-length pencil skirt and sharp pumps. There's even a tailored slot for her tail to extend through the skirt.
[21:12] * Cazador is wearing her new clothes, though. Black slacks, dark blue blouse, dark sunglasses, and little cufflinks that have the symbol of her gang on them: a noose. Over it all is a jacket, with her two new pistols tucked safely inside (she also finished their new look over the past few days).
[21:12] <Nemi> JD is /slinky/. Red dress, very stylish and very flattering to someone with said catalogue body.
[21:14] * Chloe_Ceto arrives and looks over Caz, seeing how her hair and skin are after her instructions. She's hoping that she's manage to make Caz look civilized.
[21:21] <Odin> You try to meet up at a space about a block or so away from the restrauant, but turns out the security cordon extends even further than that. Those of you with either practiced eyes, paranoia, or astral looks can pretty easily pick out the plainsclothes security goons unobtrusively littered practically everywhere. There's a broken down truck blocking the main road past, and smiling facs that no doubt feature on Horizon personnel
[21:21] <Odin> spreadsheets are detouring the people Gridguide doesn't back out and around.
[21:23] * Cazador probably doesn't look civilized, but at least you can't see her tats.
[21:23] <Nemi> It's all a very impressive impressive affair. Very professional. JD is, of course, composing herself as properly as she might.
[21:24] <Odin> The Combine is also present though, hanging outside of the cordon in even greater numbers than the goons. At least, the goons you can recognize that is. No doubt there's more than one HRT stashed somewhere in the event of an incident. Just because the Corporate Court forbids out and out warfare doesn't mean someone wouldn't take a crack at Cline.
[21:24] * Chloe_Ceto frowns. [To: Caz - After this. We. Will. Talk.]
[21:24] <Kithlai> "Nice casual wear, Caz."
[21:26] <Cazador> "Thanks." [To: Chloe-Uh, is there a problem?]
[21:27] <Nemi> JD smiles brightly on seeing the others and /man/ is that a departure from the usual paramilitary-professional look she's got there. Barely looks like the same person.
[21:27] * Quadcore glances about. She's wearing a spiffy black suit and tie combo; rather monochrome, her look is. She even has the sunglasses. Her face is passive as she occasionally glances about. Her comm is buzzing, though; heavily, HEAVILY encrypted messages to and from Commune members. THey're there to help the group, thankfully; and Quadcore's there to help them.
[21:29] <Chloe_Ceto> [To: Caz - You didn't pay attention to the note, did you?] While she's got a smile on her face, it very clearly doesn't reach her eyes, which are boring a hole in Caz.
[21:30] * Allie smiles as she links up with the others, and she baps JD on the arm lightly. "I *told* you that dress would look great on you, didn't I?"
[21:30] <Nemi> "I really need to learn to believe people when they tell me that sort of thing, don't I?" JD smiles wryly. Regardless, would her particular knowledge of corp security procedures tell her anything beyond what eyes and tech might?
[21:32] * Quadcore smile a bit. "How do I look?"
[21:33] <Nemi> "Oh, you look great, omae! Love the suit, even if you look like some government man." She grins toothily.
[21:33] <Cazador> [To: Chloe- No, I just...took some liberties with what was on it.]
[21:34] * Cazador isn't good at the subterfuge thing. She's looking straight at Chloe, pretty obviously.
[21:35] <Kithlai> "How about me?"
[21:35] <Odin> As befits Horizon's subtle approach to manipulation, their security design isn't intended to frighten people off. Instead, a reactionary force is present, but the main intent is to divert regular traffic away, before subjecting other traffic to serious scrutiny
[21:36] <Chloe_Ceto> [To: Caz - Too late to fix it now. We'll talk afterwards.] She turns away from Caz with a sigh
[21:36] <Cazador> "Fine whatever."
[21:36] * Quadcore grins back at JD. "I represent a specific type of government, at least."
[21:36] <Nemi> JD smirks at Kithlai. "I like the colour? I'm not a fashion person, sorry Freund. Any-way.. love the security setup they've got here. Diversionary instead of just raw force."
[21:39] <Allie> "I mean, they're kinda a media company, so they know how to make things look good, right?"
[21:39] <Allie> "As scary or friendly as they want, y'know?"
[21:39] <Quadcore> "Mmm. It's Horizon's style," she says. "They're less of the jackboots, more of the smiling men."
[21:40] <Nemi> "All the more dangerous for it, but it looks better. Shall we?"
[21:41] <Quadcore> "Strike while the iron is hot."
[21:42] <Allie> "You left your curling iron on?"
[21:42] <Allie> Her grin makes it clear she's joking.
[21:42] <Quadcore> "... It's a literar--wait. you're joking." She peers at Allie. "That's a joking grin."
[21:42] <Nemi> "With that grin, I imagine she is."
[21:43] <Odin> You roll down towards the truck and the smiling man in the utilities jacket waves you over. "Ah, I believe you're the guests we're looking for" he says after looking at you all for a moment. "Please disembark, and stop by the fire hydrant."
[21:44] <Nemi> JD does as big, smiling wryly as she does.
[21:44] <Nemi> AS bid, too.
[21:45] * Chloe_Ceto raises an eyebrow but does so. She gives an annoyed look at security, carefully tailored 'I'm better than you and don't have time for your bullshit'
[21:48] * Quadcore stops by the firehydrant... but makes sure to disembark last.
[21:48] * Kithlai testingly taps the fire hydrant with the toe of his shoe.
[21:48] * Cazador ignores the security, getting by the hydrant.
[21:48] * Allie hops out, landing dexterously in spite of her heels.
[21:49] <Nemi> JD ultimately seems more amused than anything.
[21:50] <Odin> You're right around the LOS of the building when you see the actual jackbooted thugs. Horizon internal security, and armed to the nines. Still smiling a friendly, welcoming smile that's completely at odds with their hilariously armed gear. Their rifles are slung, and they're holding out what looks like a pair of wands. "We're going to have to ask you to please leave any weaponry, explosive objects, foci, fetishes, non-lethal and lethal
[21:50] <Odin> ordenance, or anything else that could be called a weapon while you're in the presence of Mr. Cline. Don't worry, your safety is our priority."
[21:51] <Cazador> [To: Chloe- You're SURE this shit won't show up on those scanners?]
[21:51] <Allie> "Do these count?" she asks, indicating a couple of blunt-tipped pins wound into her hair, keeping it lifted in a bun on the back of her head.
[21:51] <Nemi> "Oh, of course!" JD drops her little autopistol in whatever bin as appropriate. After all if she really needs to she can probably kill someone with.. well, maybe not the serving spoon. Fork might work. But ideally they'll not be in that situation. "And I have to say, I really do appreciate the attention to safety and concern for the public you all show. Very professional, very admirable."
[21:52] <Chloe_Ceto> [From: Chloe - Unless you open the pocket, you'll be fine. So keep it closed]
[21:52] * Cazador makes sure the pocket's closed. "Left my shit in my motorcycle."
[21:52] * Chloe_Ceto hands over a hand crossbow. Not the folded and disguised one in her handbag. A backup.
[21:54] <Nemi> ".. Caroline Naumann, by the way, though I'm sure all of you know that already.." JD blib blabs on like the cheery little starlet she totally is. Totally.
[21:54] <Kithlai> "Yikes..."
Session Start (CD_SupTG:#seattle72): Sun Feb 21 00:44:24 2016 -0600
Session Start (CD_SupTG:#seattle72): Mon Feb 22 07:08:40 2016 -0600
[20:23] <Odin> You're stopped at the final security checkpoint before you're allowed into the restraunt where you'll be meeting with, if the invitation was correct, Gary Cline. The inconspicious valet-dressed Horizon security with tac-comms in their ears are asking for your weapons. Politely. Like they're really very sorry that they have to disarm you, but it's simply a thing that's going to happen.
[20:24] <Nemi> JD, of course, has handed hers over. If she needs to pull one, then shit's already going so down that she'd likely be able to pull one off a corpse.
[20:24] * Allie did not bring her bow, but she did ask (sweetly) if the pair of blunt-tipped sticks holding her hair up in a bun counted.
[20:24] * Cazador told them that her guns are on her bike.
[20:25] * Kithlai hands over his pistol, and then the large, mono-edged tomahawk. "Here ya go, kiddo."
[20:25] <Odin> They run a MAD detector over Allie's bun, before declaring her good "So long as they stay IN Your hair and out of eye sockets."
[20:26] <Odin> The waifish elf you hand the tomohawk to whistles, turning it over an examining it. "I like your style there."
[20:26] <Allie> She gives them a sunny smile. "Sure!"
[20:27] * Chloe_Ceto has nothing metal on her aside from electronics.
[20:28] <Kithlai> "Right? I got it when I woke up in a bus station."
[20:28] <Kithlai> "It's always been there for me."
[20:29] * Quadcore has no weapons on her and smiles politely as she proceeds to hand absolutely nothing over. "You won't have to worry. All my metal is internal and none of it's weapons."
[20:29] <Nemi> JD softly laughs at Kithlai's statement. She knew she liked him. "Same here. No arm blades or skull guns on me."
[20:31] * Friendlybot swaggers in, all friendly like.
[20:31] <Kithlai> "Meh, bionics are  Ok if you're into that sort of thing. But I like my mojo where it is."
[20:32] <Cazador> "Fuckin bruja."
[20:32] <Quadcore> "My mind is more deadly a weapon than any blade or spell," she smiles at the Horizon agents, her grin rather sharklike
[20:33] <Kithlai> "Fuckin' nerd."
[20:35] <Nemi> JD sighs long-sufferingly. "An-y-way, do try to be on good behavior, right?"
[20:37] <Kithlai> "No drunken barfights, no exploding people, witch's honor."
[20:38] <Odin> There's a final physical at-down search on everyone, just to be sure of anything. They're not taking this TOO seriously, otherwise you'd never be this close wearing your own clothes.
[20:38] <Nemi> ".. drek.." She'll amble on up to the front of the group and .. Well, she's a little embarassed at the patting-down, but that's all. Nice dress, Allie convinced her to go slinky and it works.
[20:39] * Allie giggles. "Next time take me on a date first~"
[20:39] * Chloe_Ceto quietly allows herself to get searched, glowering impressively at the guards.
[20:40] * Quadcore adjusts her suit once the search is over, keeping that sharklike grin.
[20:40] * Cazador grunts.
[20:43] <Nemi> .oO( Don't pat there, don't pat th- thank you. Phew. )
[20:44] <Odin> Thankfully, they're rather more professional and courteous than most of the gang scum and mercenary gunslingers you've dealt with in your life.
[20:44] <Odin> The waifish valet gives an irreverent salute. "Right then, enjoy the meal, courtesy of Horizon Media." The door opens up. Finally. Your meeting awaits.
[20:44] <Allie> "We will, thanks!" she chirps, sweeping inside.
[20:45] <Kithlai> "I hope they serve booze."
[20:45] * Quadcore smiles and follows ALlie. "I will most definitely enjoy my time here, yes."
[20:46] <Nemi> "I'm excited, certainly." JD slips on in after QC and Alliecat!
[20:46] * Chloe_Ceto heads in, looking like she owns the place. Her usual bundle of nerves is nowhere to be seen.
[20:46] * Cazador nods.
[20:46] <Odin> The fusion Italian and Native cuisine restrauant is entirely empty, although you can hear the sound of a bustling kitchen over the light pop soundtrack. The daintiest looking troll hostess you have ever seen directs you towards the stairs.
[20:47] * Allie follows with a smile on her face and a spring in her step. She is quite obviously excited.
[20:47] <Nemi> JD, naturally, wonders if she's even a troll or just an ork with some dermal grafts.. That visit to that chop shop down in Baton Rouge was enlightening. Her excitement is a little more graceful.
[20:48] * Cazador follows, not really changing herself for anyone
[20:49] <Odin> The doors swing back and open revealing.... Gary Cline. The most popular man on the planet. The CEO of Horizon media, dictator of trends most people aren't even aware of. He's alone, except for the middle-eastern Ork standing over his left shoulder in prime secretariat dress. He looks... smaller in person. He beams as the doors open.
[20:50] <Odin> (He also has five guards standing around the room, but do they really count as "people"?)
[20:51] * Allie smiles brightly in return--though she manages, barely, to resist the urge to wave.
[20:51] <Odin> "Welcome, welcome! Glad you all could make it! Sorry to say I'm the only bigwig you'll get to meet with. Knight said something about some damn Bug warlord situation, and Spinrad's off trying to stick it to Lofywr for the upteenth time. Come in, come in, have a seat."
[20:52] * Cazador nods. "Sup." She sits down.
[20:53] <Odin> He's dressed... differently than you'd expect. The suit armored with nano-scale material is there, of course. But he wears it... loosely. Like out of the camera eye, he doesn't give a damn how he looks, and if a man wants to be comfy while eating a meal, he'll be comfy damnit.
[20:53] * Chloe_Ceto notes that. Likely a very carefully calculated look to deliberately look such.
[20:53] <Nemi> JD smiles brightly and shrugs her shoulders. The .. 'stick it to Lofwyr' comment makes the lithe German actually visibly grimace, if just for a moment, but her facade returns swiftly. "Pleasure to be here!"
[20:54] * Quadcore smiles, inclining her head to him. "Mr. Cline. A pleasure," she says, holding onto her steely nerves.
[20:54] <Kithlai> "Hey, how's it goin'?"
[20:55] <Odin> He holds his fist out at Cazador. "Give it here girl. I haven't seen someone as real as you since... Hell, since my first stunt double! Ah, such a shame that prop gun was actually loaded.
[20:55] <Odin> "
[20:56] * Cazador bumps it cautiously, like she's expecting him to attack her.
[20:56] <Allie> She giggles and bounces over to a chair, all youthful energy. "It's really cool to actually meet you in person, Mr. Cline! I never ever ever thought I'd actually get to see someone THIS famous in my entire LIFE!"
[20:56] <Odin> "Anyway! I'm not the kind of man who'll keep a crew like you in suspense. God knows that Caroline here" He jerks his head at his secretary "Thinks this is enough of a waste of time." She bristles, silently.
[20:56] <Odin> Cazador: He.... explodes it.
[20:57] * Kithlai grins, glad he saw that.
[20:57] * Allie fidgets merrily in her seat.
[20:57] <Nemi> JD smirks at the paired gesture. She'll go and slip into a seat when it seems like it's about the right time to do so.
[20:58] <Quadcore> "Suspense, Mr. Cline?" She asks with a cotninued smile.
[20:58] * Cazador sits back down, kind of confused.
[20:58] <Odin> He looks from Caroline to Allie. "Look! Sh-she's adorable! All that pep, and she's genuinely fucking excited to be here, unlike most of my appointments these days. Cmon. Cmon." The corners of her mouth barely twitch.
[20:59] <Kithlai> "He's got you there. Allie."
[21:00] * Allie flashes a brilliant smile. "Believe me, if I hadn't gotten a VERY stern talking-to about how to behave I'd be SO OFF THE WALLS right now this is so cool oh God I'm babbling--" She bites down on a lip to shut herself up.
[21:00] <Odin> "Quaddie, don't think I don't see you there. I've heard a LOT about you. Always gotta have the smart one on the team, and it doesn't hurt if she's good looking either, eh?"
[21:00] * Chloe_Ceto has a polite smile on her face, watching him carefully and analysing him.
[21:01] <Nemi> JD is.. Well, for whatever reason, she's having a hard time being super excited. For whatever reason. At least he's not called her out yet.
[21:01] <Odin> He addresses the German. "New girl, right? Straight edge to balance out all these crazy personalities? Love it. Fucking love it. Everyone tries to add their own FLAIR, but you gotta give the people SOMETHING to just work the way they expect, not a crazy twist, you know?"
[21:02] <Nemi> .. Dreck. JD .. Hesitates, nods, and grins. "Yeah, that's what I'm here for. Plus the whole calm badass thing gets SO MUCH FANART."
[21:03] <Odin> "Stonejaw, I gotta say, your argument with Cazador in the van? Loved it. You get some Ares folks trying to tap you for advertising after a spiel like that? I almost felt like going out and being a hero myself, not just playing one on the trid!"
[21:03] * Quadcore blushes a bit. "I'd like to think my mind has proven more valuable than my body, Mr. Cline," she says. "A lot of work's been put into it. Still, appearances sell."
[21:04] <Nemi> The 'crazy twist' bit of it, as she thinks about it.. JD likes to think she knows corp types, and ... Well, he probably does know, but probably doesn't-no, wait, the S-K / NeoNET thing would be great leverage and she hasn't been leaned on, so..
[21:05] <Kithlai> "That's an honor...I imagine. I'll be fair, I'm still not a hundred percent what your deal is. I...well I don't get out much."
[21:05] <Odin> "Indeed! And you're a quick one with a drone. That scene on the Raft? Grenade grouping like that, you should be in the Desert Wars."
[21:06] <Odin> He openly gapes at Stonejaw. "Well I'll be damned. I haven't heard THAT one in awhile. Got a shipping address son?"
[21:06] <Kithlai> "Well I only recently got a house."
[21:06] <Quadcore> "It was simple math," she says. "Ballistics, once you get down to it, is rather simple, compared to multidimensional string theory or applied thaumaturgical physics."
[21:06] <Kithlai> "Up until maybe two days ago I Was living in a hole in the wall above a voodoo church."
[21:07] * Cazador raises an eyebrow. They sure are talking a lot to this smooth gringo.
[21:07] * Chloe_Ceto nods quietly, letting the others talk.
[21:07] * Allie kicks her legs under her chair, letting the conversation flow around her as she beams her thousand-watt smile at Caroline, then looks around the room as though seeing it for the first time...which is probably accurate.
[21:08] <Nemi> JD puts one hand on her forehead and laughs softly.
[21:08] <Odin> "What the hell, I'll forward it to the studio. Caroline, set him up with the boxed set. The complete, uncut, directors edition, extended release set. The BIG one."
[21:08] <Odin> He doesn't even look at her. She rolls her eyes while he's not looking.
[21:11] <Odin> "Anyway! I won't keep you in suspense any longer. This is the part where you're waiting for me to offer to buy you out, right?"
[21:12] <Allie> "Uh huh, our producer is REALLY scared about that. He had a heart attack and everything!"
[21:12] <Quadcore> "Mmm."
[21:12] <Chloe_Ceto> "I do not think so." She shakes her head. "You likely already know that won't work and have other ideas."
[21:12] <Allie> "No, like, for serious, DocWagon came by and everything." She looks adorably earnest.
[21:14] <Cazador> "Honestly that was just as likely the coke."
[21:14] <Allie> "Well yeah but he only did that after he saw our P2 stuff."
[21:14] <Kithlai> "I think that might just have been the piles of novacoke."
[21:14] * Cazador snickers at that name.
[21:15] <Quadcore> "It was a LOT of novacoke, to be fair."
[21:15] <Allie> "Well yeah but--"
[21:15] <Odin> Caroline says "Sir." He starts. "Ahem! My apologies, I almost forgot. Ms. Connors, you're rather quiet back there. Not what I'd expect. That spirit kick, I picked up enough about magic on the set of Karl the Kombat Mage, the original trid series before it became a movie. Bet you didn't even know about that eh? Not one of my better rolls, I admit."
[21:16] <Kithlai> "Not a fan of wiz-films to be honest. The innacuracies  get to me."
[21:17] <Odin> "That son of a bitch had a heart attack when he heard!? Haha! Apologize to him on my behalf. Not that he'll accept it, makes it even better from my perspective."
[21:17] * Allie giggles.
[21:18] <Chloe_Ceto> "O'Conner." She clarrifies. "I am naturally a quiet person."
[21:18] <Odin> "Right then! Third times the charm." He leans back, with a predatory expression. "I'm not offering you a goddamn red cent."
[21:18] <Allie> The catgirl blinks. "...Oh. Well then, that's good!"
[21:18] <Allie> "...Right?" She looks at the others.
[21:19] <Cazador> "Well, this was fun."
[21:19] * Cazador starts standing up.
[21:19] <Quadcore> "I'm sorry, Mr. Cline, but I'm not for s--wait, what?" She sounds like she was repeaitng something she'd rehearsed, too.
[21:19] <Odin> "Think about it. What happens when I buyout your show? One of the first ones, in a long while, that I actually *enjoy*?"
[21:20] <Cazador> "I dunno, I'm not up on the business shit."
[21:20] <Quadcore> "... Ah. You know all the twists and secrets beforehand."
[21:20] <Nemi> "And that'd ruin the fun." JD grins.
[21:20] <Quadcore> "You're not buying us out because you want to know where it goes, but not too soon."
[21:20] <Chloe_Ceto> "As I thought~" She smirks slightly.
[21:21] <Odin> "God DAMN that is the shit I'm talking about." He looks at Quadcore. "Close, but no cigar! It goes to some underling. Who KNOWS the boss likes it. Who's going to try and..." he grimaces. "Tailor it to my tastes."
[21:22] <Quadcore> "Ah." She nods. "Suckups."
[21:25] <Chloe_Ceto> "Instead, this is a personal lunch." She doesn't believe that for a moment.
[21:25] <Nemi> "And that'd ruin the fun!" JD repeats herself, still nodding. Okay. She can relax a bit. No fear for killsquads busting into her apartment. Yet.
[21:26] <Odin> "I just called you here because I wanted a chance to meet you. Take your measure, face to face. And I gotta say, I LIKE what I see. YOU are the real deal! It's brutal, it's bloody it's so down to earth in this fucked up world of ours.... But no, it's not a personal lunch. If you could do something for me, just a little thing you're already going to do, I'd appreciate it."
[21:27] <Nemi> And the real reason. "Mmmh?"
[21:28] * Chloe_Ceto smirks a little more. Bingo.
[21:29] <Kithlai> "Are you hiring us for a run?"
[21:29] * Quadcore smiles a bit woodenly. "Really, Mr. Cline?"
[21:30] <Odin> He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. "Caroline here just won your ARPG, the one with the ride-along reward."
[21:31] <Chloe_Ceto> "How lovely for her~" Chloe smiles warmly, or at least looking so.
[21:32] <Odin> Her jaw drops and she drops the commtablet she was poking in. "WHAT? Sir, you ca- you can't do this! T-they're everything we're fighting against! Cazador is one giant sterotype against Ork culture, they're violent criminal mercenaries and- and- and-" her jaw flaps.
[21:32] <Cazador> "The FUCK did you just say to me?"
[21:32] <Nemi> "... /Well/." JD doesn't know what to say. "And I resent that. I'm perfectly controlled and all I do is technically legal."
[21:32] * Cazador stands up.
[21:32] * Allie giggles even harder than before.
[21:33] * Quadcore quirks an eyebrow. "Everything you're fighting against, really?"
[21:33] <Odin> "She's a big, dumb, tatted up, violent thug perfectly playing into Humanis stereotypes in every last one of our primary markets! I-, I really must protest this sir!"
[21:34] * Cazador 's hand twitches. "I don't give a single goddamn fuck about what those fuckin honkies in Humanis think about me. They don't like me? They can come find me."
[21:34] * Chloe_Ceto raises an eyebrow at the woman. "It will be a pleasure to have you along for a while." She holds up a hand in Caz's direction to try and avoid her shooting the woman. "I also believe she draws her culture from her heratige, not her metatype."
[21:35] * Chloe_Ceto shakes her head. "You are unfortunetly stereotyping her in turn."
[21:36] <Quadcore> "She's also not nearly as dumb as you're making her out to be. She's no genius, but she's no idiot, either. I have to admit, I don't particularly like it when people start off a potential partnership by insulting my friends."
[21:37] <Quadcore> She looks the secretary up and down.
[21:37] <Nemi> JD calmly looks at what all's on the tables. Mmmm, hm, that brunch thing is sounding more appealing.
[21:37] <Odin> "Calm down everyone, calm down. Hate to have to involve security in this, sure the place is insured but that window ain't sugarglass. See, this is exactly why I want you to get out there. See things from the perspective of the streets! You've spent so long looking at the mission statement you've got no idea what's out there. Been a LOOOOONG while, but I remember working my ass off to get my first part."
[21:39] * Quadcore smiles. "I am perfectly calm, Mr. Cline. IF she won, we have to take her. But I cannot promise we will be easy on her or coddle her." She glances to the rest of hte team. "Sounds right?"
[21:39] * Allie tilts her head to one side, regarding him curiously. "So, like, do you have a plot picked out for us and everything, too, Mr. Cline?"
[21:39] <Kithlai> "Easy, Caz. She ain't worth the lead or the bruised knuckles."
[21:39] <Nemi> "Fully calm! ANd, sounds about right."
[21:39] * Cazador sits down, not taking her eyes off of Caroline.
[21:44] <Odin> "Do something... criminal. Flashy. Impressive. Ah what the hell, I'm purposely trying not to telll ya what to do. You can handle it, I'm sure."
[21:45] <Allie> She nods and breaks into another grin. "Yay! Oh, Miss Caroline, you're gonna have so much fun!" She claps her hands together excitedly.
[21:45] <Odin> Caroline is apparantly furiously thinking, trying to find someway out of the situation.
[21:46] <Nemi> ".. I think it's time for us to make some calls, then. Stick with me if you want to live, stick with them for fun."
[21:46] <Quadcore> "We can probably find something, then." She smiles.
[21:46] * Chloe_Ceto nods "Of course we shall have to make sure you fit the sitation, for your own safety."
[21:48] <Odin> "Oh, gawd, and I have to listen to the overexcited... furball? And what are YOU going to do sir, you... you need me! To.. manage appointments and....." she trails off.
[21:48] <Allie> "HEY!"
[21:48] * Quadcore quirks. "What's next, calling myself and Fomor knife-ears?"
[21:48] <Allie> Her ears are forward and low against her head as she leans over the table.
[21:49] <Allie> "I'm NOT a furball, lady!"
[21:49] * Cazador laughs. "Man, guess I'm not the only one who's a bit of a bitch."
[21:49] * Chloe_Ceto holds up hand. "Now, now. Everyone calm down." She lets her glamour flow out a bit more than usual, giving her words more power than usual.
[21:49] <Kithlai> "Lady, take it from me."
[21:49] <Kithlai> "Do not push it."
[21:50] <Nemi> JD puts her hand to her forehead again.
[22:22] <Odin> She looks taben aback at Quadcore's comment. "What? N-no, I'd never be so insensitive, who do you think I am, one of those knuckle dragging nazis you just shot up?"
[22:22] <Allie> She sits back in her seat, arms crossed over her chest. "No, you look like a jerk who called me a furball," she pouts.
[22:24] <Kithlai> "That was pretty ableist."
[22:24] <Kithlai> "Surge is not something anyone can control."
[22:27] <Nemi> JD puts her hand to her face. "Oh, my god.."
[22:29] <Odin> Her face FLARES scarlet, which is pretty impressive on dusky skin. "A-ah no o-of course that's not something that I would d-do, that's... um.... ahhhh...." she's stammering for a response
[22:30] <Cazador> "It's a lot better to just own it if you're a bitch. Take it from me." She pulls a beer out of her concealed pocket.
[22:35] <Odin> Cazador: You are dimly aware of approximately 400 pounds of metahuman flesh flying through the air, about to impact on you.
[22:37] * Allie is half up and out of her own chair in reaction before noticing it's not aimed at her.
[22:38] <Nemi> JD is taking a drink.
[22:39] * Cazador kicks her own chair out from under her, falling flat on her back, but managing to avoid spilling much beer.
[22:41] <Odin> Cline vanishes under 300+ pounds of bodyguard and armor as another body impacts on the table right over Cazador. Red dots materialize on everyone in the crew. Diffraction through the window reveals at least one is coming from outside the window.
[22:42] <Kithlai> "Aaaa what?!"
[22:42] * Cazador looks around, suddenly very confused.
[22:44] <Cazador> "What? I didn't bring extras."
[22:44] <Nemi> JD sighs and looks ceilingward.
[22:45] <Odin> "NOBODY FUCKING MOVE AND DON'T PULL THAT SHIT AGAIN" A suddenly animate, extremely pissed off bodyguard sporting more chrome than some cyberzombies says, yanking the football-linebacker sized human off the table. Cline reappears from under the muscle mass, rumpled suit considerably more discheveled.
[22:46] <Allie> Allie's tail swishes behind her, but she doesn't make large-scale movements.
[22:46] <Cazador> "Fine, whatever. Goddamn."
[22:46] <Odin> He's grinning. "Oh man, that was better than the laser pointer in Seattle! Hot damn, you know how to get the party started don't you?"
[22:47] <Odin> The red dots slowly blink out as all clears are transmitted over various independently secure channels.
[22:48] <Allie> "I think Cazzie's idea of a party is lotsa booze and, like, some Iron Crosses for target practice," she offers.
[22:48] <Nemi> "Gotta say, Mister Cline, your crew's got commendable reaction times."
[22:50] <Odin> "Well, they're no bullet dodgers like in "Neo-Matrix 1 and 2" but they're good enough. Kept me here all this time, right?"
[22:50] <Nemi> "True enough. Still amazed they filmed that lobby gunfight scene in one take.."
[22:54] <Odin> He lights up. "Ah, it was one take, but you know how many takes it took to GET that one? Spent three damn days on that shoot, over, and over, and over."
[22:55] * Cazador fixes her chair.
[22:57] <Nemi> "How involved were you in that? The action scenes in those films were some of my favourites- I saw some of the behind-the-scenes and they glossed over a lot of the grit, but I love technical drek all about it all.."
[22:57] <Allie> "I don't think I saw those two but like I know kinda what you mean 'cause like when I was learning how to do my gymnastics stuff I had to practice routines until it felt like my arms 'n' legs were gonna fall off."
[22:59] <Nemi> ".. and yeah, back in basic, we had a thing we called der Tiegel, was a week-long survival op in the S O X, just prepping for that was most harrowing thing I ever did, nevermind actually spending a week in the Glow.."
[22:59] <Odin> There's a quiet "shnick" as Caroline returns something to a holster. Seems there might be more there than she lets on.
[23:02] <Nemi> JD probably missed that.
[23:04] <Odin> "Well, round that point I was still pretty C-list, didn't have much say in what happened. Started listening to me later of course, but the honor in that one goes all to the director."
[23:05] <Allie> One of Allie's ears flicks in her direction, and she glances quickly at Caroline, before turning that kilowatt smile back on Cline. "But I've seen other stuff! Some of what you did looked like it was really hard! Like in, uh, 'Sterling, not Chromed!'" She claps her hands. "I always like the super-spy stuff, they're just so cool and suave and stuff!"
[23:06] <Nemi> "Was wondering about that. The cast commentary track always made me laugh when you were talking about the wires for the window leap right before it.." JD glances over and grins at Allie. "Also a real good one!"
[23:19] <Odin> The rest of the luncheon progresses mostly with talking trid shop with Cline, before you finally part ways, with his assistant in tow.
[23:20] <Nemi> "So, Caroline..? You know, funny thing, my actual name's Caroline too."
[23:21] <Nemi> Well, not actual-actual, but that's just what JD tells herself at this point.
[23:22] <Odin> "Oh is it? Huh. Well... alright then. Sorry about the um... criminal mercenaries bit."
[23:23] <Nemi> "No trouble. I was the same way when I first started all this. Turns out they're pretty great people." And completely nutters.
[23:23] <Allie> That brings Allie up short. "Wait. What? It is? Then how come we call you JD huh? Shouldn't we call you Caroline? Or Carrie? Or maybe you just don't like your name, like Salubrious Tane in 'Left the Living' where he just wanted to be called Tane! Or is it that the J is your middle initial or something?"
[23:24] <Cazador> "Probably because none of us use our actual names for this shit, Allie."
[23:24] <Cazador> "And it's whatever, I've been called much worse."
[23:25] <Allie> "W-well, yeah, of course." She laughs nervously. "But, um, like, it's just so...normal for JD, like super Pollyanna--not that there's anything WRONG with a Pollyanna name--but like you're just as awesome as Cazzie is, JD, but your name's so...soft sounding like that and it's just all silly so maybe that's why you want to be called JD instead."
[23:28] <Nemi> "... I got it back with my old crew. Since I'm from Berlin. Berliner. Jelly donut. Fuckin' hilarious, right?"
[23:28] <Cazador> "I don't get it."
[23:28] <Nemi> "Read into fifth age history sometime. You have no fucking idea how many nerds you'll find in mercenary groups."
[23:29] <Cazador> "Why?"
[23:29] <Nemi> "Nevermind. You can find out on your own."
[23:29] * Allie is too busy holding her stomach and giggling to comment.
[23:29] * Cazador shrugs.
[23:33] <Nemi> ".. and yeah, laugh it up, my name's completely ordinary. It's to throw people off. You don't expect a Caroline to up and pull a holdout and ventilate your skull, do you?"
[23:33] <Cazador> "Probably not any more than my real name."
[23:34] <Allie> She only gets one strangled word out between her giggles. "...d-donut!..."
[23:35] <Nemi> "I'm delicious on the outside and I have a delicious jelly interior."
[23:35] <Kithlai> "Stonejaw was what the Maiden and Crone dubbed me."