Search Posts
*** For a moment it looks like they're about to open fire, but realizing how outnumbered they are, they begin to back off, the android muttering "I told you there'd be other crews on this!" They don't take their hands off their weapons the whole time, but soon they've passed out of sight. From her hiding spot in the treeline Ceren calls out, "Is it safe?"
"Excellent, excellent. And what mortuary, greenhouse, or potting shed should we leave the fertilizer at?" chirps Zlata, taking quick notes on her datapad.
"Well, a body to prove she's dead is one thing, but we'll need to make sure there's a life waiting for her afterwards too. After that we'll still need to set up a new identity/life for Ceren. That means crafting a new alias that's easy enough for her to fall into, it means making sure there are people who will pretend to her previous existence, it means tweaking publicly available records, wouldn't hurt to pull some strings to get her set up with something cushy either. The more of that we're able to take care of the better, but let's face it - time's a factor.
Odd Ball and Zlata briefly confer in a series of squeaks and chitters- Ysoki:
"How much can I soak them for Odd Ball? There a wealthy Venture Captain backing this up?"
"Not that kind of job. Wholesale if you can." "Ugh, fine. But you owe me one." -before Zlata turns to the rest of you with an offer. "50 for the body, delivery's 10 extra"
"Sand's falling, let's go." *** The Downlow is a relatively nice district of the Spike; it's easily accessible by lift, and the gang that runs protection for it, the Downside Kings by the tags, seems to have enough of a rep that no one is currently interested in disputing their claim. The Vat Garden is a bit off the beaten path of the many Spike-chique tourist traps for Eye-dwellers who crave just a bit of danger in their excursions pawn shops, closer to the loan sharks, Kuthite sensation houses, and hot pots that serve the locals. The station passageways open into an enormous sunken pool filled with a riotous growth of plants. A narrow walkway leading to other parts of Downlow encircles the overgrown vat, and a spire of some kind of machinery stands in its center. A clutch of ysoki scamper up and down the ladders into the verdant tank, bringing out assorted fruits and veggies that quickly trade hands with haggling customers. As he gets closer Odd Ball's eyes glow with a faint light and he starts muttering quietly to himself; the action is mirrored by one of the veg-runners who stops in surprise as her own mouth whispers a message to her! "Zlata'll meet us over in that access tube to talk specs." *** A couple minutes later the veg-runner approaches. In a piping voice Zlata cuts off any greetings or things she couldn't later deny under a Zone of Truth. "First things first. We are not a licensed source for necromantic components, got it? There are a lot of legal reasons why a body might be disposed of. There are legal ways to be necromantically disposed of, but we aren't one of them. So, what do you need for non-necromantic purposes?"
Doc Newblossom is pretty sure that with access to a body, they could alter it to match Ceren's biometric records.
"I know a garden downspike that sometimes uses unorthodox fertilizer. Nothing... technically illegal," Odd Ball quietly croaks, "Probably we could find a close enough match for something to reprocess. I've got a cousin who works with them, so I could probably swing it at cost, maybe fifty - a hundred credits?" "ID'ing a Jane Doe might work too, if you think we can fool a coroner."
"Jubair should be quite enough to help pack us up," Ceren explains, "But if this is going to work, then there's legwork to be done that shouldn't have my face attached to it. The two keys of a properly faked death are a convincing death report, probably with a body attached, and a new life. It probably shouldn't be too obviously connected to your Society for now - that's an awfully good way to give AbadarCorp leverage on everyone involved." Odd Ball's whiskers twitch in agreement. "So first thing's first I guess. Anyone have a spare cadaver? Or a mortician who owes them a favor?"
"It's loose-leaf, no grinding necessary. I grow it in my plot at the co-op in Jatembe park. Some plants can't really thrive on your stoop." As she chatters about tea a slight whirring emits from the augment at her temple, and a surprised look comes over her face as it stops. Engineering DC 10:
This looks like a Datajack brain augmentation, typically used for efficient interface with a variety of odd or typically inaccessible computer systems. Engineering DC 15:
It's odd for it to be so indiscrete. Unless you're showing off your augments it's typical for Datajacks to be subcutaneous. The only real advantage of an external one would be for easy maintenance access Medicine DC 15:
This is a Med-Grade Datajack. They're typically used to repair connections between damaged sections of brain, and it looks like this one has had additional storage installed too. "Ah, well. It seems I may have your data after all, though I'll confess I'm uncertain as to the details. I don't have any particular need for the data, so if you're offering safety for myself and Jubair, I'm in. Looks like it's time to fake my death again." Odd Ball's eyes gleam with delighted surprise at her statement."I'm so glad this wasn't just a hack-job."
"Well, the digital lead has given us a location, but that's all for now, right?" the ysoki responds, his words practically sizzling with vocal fry. Historia-7 nods at Odd Ball's assessment, and adds, "While of course much information is stored digitally, a Dataphile must be willing and able to pursue other means of acquiring important information." Odd Ball's grin at that last comment is nearly gleeful.
***
The loc-ping that Historia-7 provided you points to an apartment that possesses all the charm and whimsy of a cement cube, which it is, with several tomato plants in plastic barrels sitting on an otherwise barren porch. A young human man, dressed in loose-fitting cotton pants and little else is hand-pollinating the plants as you approach.
Odd Ball's entire face contorts with glee in stark contrast to Historia-7's look of faint bemusement as she gives the collector's EP a once-over. "Ah, yes, they have spoken of their great joy at this release. I assume it lived up to Ziggy's expectations?" "In any case, the location I discovered isn't quite what I expected. It appears to be a flat in Drifter's End, over in the Ring district." |
