The Body Snatchers Job

Game date: 10/22/2020

 I started having my recurring nightmare when I was very young, too small even to be groomed for a life of endless boardroom meetings and machiavellian machinations.  I am floating in an infinite space, surrounded by objects of varying size.  In some dreams, they appear to me as numbers, in others, as rocks or spheres, and sometimes they are just formless concepts, but always, always, they are motionless, or perhaps locked in a tight, slow pattern of motion.  Then, I notice the smaller objects occasionally dart from one place to another, but nothing comes of it, because they are too small to matter.  They are beneath notice, and their erratic, out-of-pattern behavior affects nothing.  Very rarely, a medium or larger one may move without consequence, but only slightly.  When one of the biggest objects attempts to break the pattern, to dart about as the smaller ones do, then the entire system comes crashing down around me.  And that is always when I wake up, frightened out of my wits.  

Once, after a particularly bad awakening, I told my mother about this nightmare.  She, being a mystical sort, told me that I must have an instinctual understanding of the world, for my dream mirrored how it works.  And she also said that I should not be afraid when they all come crashing down, because any

system so rigid is bound to end in chaos.  To prove the point, she brought some games.  One of them was made with long blocks that were nearly (but not quite) identical in shape, and stacked in a tower.  The goal was to remove blocks from somewhere in the middle of the structure and place them on top, building it ever higher.  Being a bright child, I soon realized that, eventually, the tower must fall.

And then she showed me how to build a sturdier structure, using the same blocks, with a wider base.  By putting more resources at the bottom, she said, the top did not reach as high, but was in no danger of falling.  "But it isn't the same game," I said, and she agreed.  "It all depends on what you think 'winning' is."

I got very good at these games, but never forgot the true lesson.  I still have the dream, but sometimes, I play with it before the chaos begins.  And, I keep a little pyramid model on my bedside table.  I don't have any other real memories of my mother.

Spirit in the Sky

Game date: 10/15/2020

 Today I  met two of the strangest people that I have ever encountered, and that is saying something.

We drove the vans from Mauger's compound to the loading dock of the Crystal Pilot restaurant.  This place apparently never, ever touches ground.  When they need to resupply, they hover over this dock, and cargo lifts ferry foodstuffs, and fancy napkins, and whatever, up to them.  Today, that included us and our giant bugs.

I expected that we'd be taken to a back entrance, especially fresh out of battle in the Dark as we were, but instead the platform arrived at the main entrance.  We looked at each other, shrugged, and carried our chitinous load into the lobby.  Once inside, a pretty blonde woman, sporting an asymmetrical hairstyle, introduced herself as Hilda, and greeted each of us in turn.  As she proceeded, we grew increasingly uncomfortable, because she proved to know more about us than we actually would have liked.  Oh, here, I recorded it all:

Bug Hunt

Game date: 10/8/2020

 So yes, I bought actionwear, and a plasmer rifle, neither of which saw much use.  I shall elucidate.

It was apparent from the outset that I would not be the best choice to lead a hunting expedition.  In the first place, I have never stepped foot outside the Border (if you don't count that little incident at the benefit concert).  Secondly, everything I know about antkegs comes directly from Katrya.  So my first move was to delegate this particular mission.  I indicated that Mauger or Katrya should take command, and Mauger didn't want it.  

We headed out.  And by "we" I mean everyone.  Even the minors wanted a piece of this action.  They had begged their parents for the right to carry weapons, and amazingly enough, were granted the same.  I'm not sure that would have happened in Ellie's case if they had witnessed her enthusiasm upon operating Frank's turret-mounted cannon.  

The Caffeine Connection

 Game date: 10/1/2020

Mauger asked for someone to come along for his meetup with one of his drug connections.  This was one of the low-level execs who pinged our VR site.  I guess they liked the rush.  I hope they did.  I've watched a number of that type get nervous breakdowns, and even heart attacks, at very young ages.  On nothing but stayawake pills, sometimes.  A lot of people think corplife is a breeze if you're not a wageslave.  Truth is, if you're not on the top of the ladder, all you see is ass, and if you are on top, you better watch yours.

Anyway, I suggested either Vamir or myself, because we both come from the same background as his mark, and can hopefully keep this meeting from going south.  The Hoods he met with didn't seem impressed with him, and from my reviews of the audio, I kind of come down on their side of things.  I don't quite understand where he's going with this plan of his.  The execs who are willing to give blood on behalf of their bosses are pulling down enough credits that they can easily replace whatever toys they might lose to pickpockets, so I don't personally see them overflowing with goodwill upon getting those trinkets back.  But I'm not about to quibble with Mauger over this.  It's a minor point, I don't see it doing any actual harm, and we already have bad blood between us.  At any rate, he has a drone with him that belongs to this exec.  I don't know if it was stolen at the benefit concert, or it was taken recently.  I haven't been paying close attention.

He takes Vamir, but leaves a channel open for me.  I listen in.

Won't Be Fooled Again

 Game date: 9/24/2020

The whole thing started when Vamir got wind of a possible hit job.

The mark, one Lilian Day, is a project leader at SunTek.  Word is, she's onto something big.  So big, it won't just put SunTek on the map (let's face it, they're already a big star on the map), it will let them own the whole atlas.  With whatever it is she's working on, they'll be more powerful than any other corp.  Maybe even more powerful than the government.

So the basic idea is, this would be bad.  I think we can all agree on this.  No company should have that kind of power.  The big question is, what to do about it?

What Vamir suggests is, maybe we can take this project for ourselves, make some money.  I'm not sure I even trust myself with that kind of power, let alone some of the people I hang around with.  But let's table that thought for a moment, because, let's be honest with ourselves: I'm curious.  And if we're going to take the thing, whatever it is, away from SunTek, sure, I'd like to at least see what it is.  

And let's be even more honest: we can't allow Day to reconstruct the project, either.  She'll probably have to be killed, and I tell everyone that.  It probably doesn't sit well with some of them, especially seeing how I've lectured about unnecessary death.  Hell, it doesn't sit well with me, but if I can live with it, they can too.

The First Airebor Game

 I couldn't tell this until I got my memory straight.

First off: This Bobby Bare recording is from a Shel Silverstein poem. Check the book: "Where the Sidewalk Ends."

Second: This was the first "official" adventure of Airebor.When Robin decided to start her game for real, she had an AD&D Players Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide. No bloody 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5(e) edition, no Monster Manuals, and no modules. And to kick off her first "official" game (she had trial runs with close friends), she invited everyone in our regular gaming group to bring in one of their favorite characters from other games. She made up her own monsters (I recall, in particular, pillow monsters, and ambulatory pot plants, but there were many, many, others).

And she hit us with everything mentioned in this song. At the end of it, if they made it that far, the characters were transported to their new home.

Children. I Work With Children (Part 3)

 (Or, Show's Over)

Game date: 9/10/2020

Bright flashes of light outside.  Noise increasing on the rooftop.  No.  That should all be happening in here.  I ping the team, but they're already on the move -- Katrya out the rear with ER in tow, and Vamir to the roof.

What they saw...defies imagination.

Okay, maybe just mine.  I don't go outside the walls.  Obviously some of the people I now associate with have done so, frequently, but even they admitted that this was something strange.

First of all, it was big.  Like, luxury home big.  Pointed head.  Armored plates all down its backside.  And it is Ramming.  Against.  The.  Border.  Screaming its head off every time it hits, looking like the the celebration at the Club is pissing it off to no end.

As I said, some of our people have seen this kind of thing before.  Katrya even says it's on the small side for its species.

Children. I Work With Children (Part 2)

(or, EllieRocks. Hard.)

 Game date: 9/10/2020

So it seems that ER got a Peaches message, telling her that the blood drive benefit concert was going to be attacked, and advising her to drop out of it.  But she didn't want to disappoint her fans.  What's a pre-teen pop star to do?  

Well, in this case, she asks her illicit friends to step in.  Would we pretty please protect the benefit concert?

The general consensus was, sure.  As long as we get paid.

The kid coughed up a few grand to split among the group.  I did accept my share, and then promptly spent it on security cameras.  More on that later.  

I have just experienced my first group planning session, and have discovered a newfound respect for anyone capable of directing such things.  Yes, even you, Father, although grudgingly so.

Children. I Work With Children (Part 1)

(Game date: 9/10/2020)

The most important thing any group needs is funding.  Some may argue that point, until they need something.

Mauger wants to peddle drugs.  Not really my cup of tea, but if we can avoid killing anyone with it then fine, it's not like the government puts any real effort into keeping it off the streets.  All it really requires of me is an untraceable dead drop interface and some throwaway BANlink contacts.  I can do that in my sleep.  The real danger comes from the street gangs protecting their turf.

I have another idea.

Since the kid, Ryatt, helped me with the TekKnights hack, I've promised him a couple of favors, and I don't like owing anyone anything.  Can't really describe the feeling -- kind of like a security flag was sprung, but no alarms went off, but you just know they will?  So I looked into his reason for invading the TK servers.

Turns out they had a Cease & Desist letter in there, from the SiNet corp, telling Ryatt to stop giving away his own games!  

Breakfast In The Park

 Game date: 8/13/2020

I do not address this entry to my future adoring fans, eager to know every detail of my life.  

Nor do I address it to my VP Parker, burgeoning with potential consciousness.

Yet neither am I making a generic journal entry.

No, this entry is addressed to my father.  Today you would have been proud of me.  You bastard.

Data Heist

 Game date: 8/6/2020

Everything went right.  So why am I still uneasy?

I stopped off at the lair just long enough to grab a quick bite (had to tell the AutoChef to deliver it silently, the voice bugs me now) and plan my attack on TK security.  Then I threw that plan in the recycler and started over from scratch.  When I finally had something that I thought would work, I then set up some backup contingencies in case I got burned, and how badly.  

Everything I own is tied up in this flat, and now in this job.  My so-called family doesn't need any of it, and wouldn't care for it if they had it.  And the closest thing I have to a friend, I realize with some dismay, is my temporary foxkin roommate.  So be it.  

"Parker, prepare to accept contingency programming.

The Best-Laid Plans of Golden Elves, Shiny Gnomes, Foxkin and Men

Game date: 7/23/2020 and 7/30/2020

There must be some universal law about things going wrong, because the universe certainly works overtime to make sure that they do.

I have emptied my bank account to ensure that Aru cannot be traced.  I have invited him into my home to keep him safely off the streets.  And tonight all that may turn out to be for naught.

Here's what happened.

This Plan Stinks

Game date: 7/16/2020

 "Jane Doe" set up a safehouse meeting to discuss the messages that each of us received which led to the Tenner Hut debacle.  She got about as far as denying being the source of these messages when the apartment's vidscreen turned on, tuned to a news report of said debacle.  It appears that my efforts to erase the security footage did little good; they have an image of the trigger-happy individual, and they have the full info of one other person on the scene.  Not broadcasting anything about me, thankfully.  

Then, of all things, the AutoChef starts babbling about having guests over -- right about the same time as Parker warns me that we have Tek Knights closing in.  I informed the others.  Of course, the only pushback came from the shooter, and tempers became short before JD offered an escape route through the Tunnels.  All present agreed to take that.

Once down, she locked the elevator, and I opened one of the two doors leading from the basement into the Tunnels.  We didn't get far before we found our way blocked by some glowing humanoids.  I have never personally heard of any species fitting this description, but just to be safe I asked JD if they were friends of hers.  This, she disavowed, with no little measure of panic in her voice.  

Strange Things Are Afoot At The Tenner Hut

 My son runs a weekly online cyber-punk style game on Roll20.net called Æstas.  Any post with that tag is a storynote from my character, Ezekiel Kai, crossposted here for possible entertainment value.

Game date: 6/25/2020

Responded to a message from one "Jane Doe," a pseudonym to blatantly advertise itself, asking for my presence at a certain time and place with the offer of employment. As I have gone to extravagant expense to set myself up specifically to obtain clandestine employment, I cannot afford at this time to turn down the very first such offer. Still, as I have not yet advertised my services, I took certain precautions. Set up the crawler drone (Maggy) on the wall as a lookout, took a peek at the place ahead of time.

It's a simple convenience store; a hole-in-the wall really. I did see someone else doing much the same thing. So, our Jane is hiring en masse. I do hope she's not looking for a low bidder.

Quite a large troupe at the Tenner Hut tonight. Doesn't take a discerning eye to tell the casual shoppers (and casual looters) from those who are obviously expecting to see someone. Problem is, the "someone" doesn't seem to be there. Everyone who isn't looking expectantly for an unknown face, is very wrapped up in their own little worlds.

Then she stepped through the door. A single woman, nothing too extraordinary about her, save a hunted expression on her face. Every seeker's eye met hers. She seemed startled, as the crowd was too much. This confused me: Didn't the invitation come from her?