Friend,
I recognize that it has been some time since our last communication. I hope this transmission finds you well—and finds you at all. We live in exciting times, and I believe there is a chance (14.6% or more) that this communication is intercepted before you receive it. Which is exactly why I have asked you to meet me. There is much to tell you. I can’t share over a comm unit, even with encryption.
Meet me in downgrid Striving. I have a reservation at Analog Café, and my tab should still be open when you arrive. Meet there in two days exactly. Expect company, as I have invited others. You can recognize one another by this pass phrase: "incredulous static."
Your friend,
Tier-99-Professor, Polytechnica
***
It's been two days; Tierny awaits.
Air pumps exhale swirls of sickly fog that cling to the feet of skyscrapers and rub against windows like affectionate squoxes. The silhouettes of floating towers are dimly visible through the fog, hovering ponderously over busy thoroughfares as they parade across the megaplex cities, circling the planet's surface in a monotonously predictable path. Agile maintenance bots skitter up and down skyscrapers' slick angular surfaces, gleaming silver in the faltering sunlight. Crowded into a niche on the first two floors of one of dozens of lofty towers lining the streets of downgrid Striving, Analog is a boxy cafe with an overhanging roof and a two-story patio constantly shrouded in thick, swirling gases.
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A average sized Kasath (meaning tall and wiry) hesitantly navigates the throng of walkers, hovers, bumpings, and just plain claustrophobic lumers. By their dodging, pausing, and odd gaping, she screams tourist. A theory slightly disrupted by the large laser rifle slung on her shoulder along with a serviceable starship duffle resting on her back.
Jae might look like getting through the crowd to get to her destination is an epic chore of nightmares, but she is boiling in Wow under her mouth covering.
It is exponential stimulations to a shipbound like her. So many entities, all so different, and not in the everyone is a unique biodome within their meat sack, nope these are all so different on the outside as well!!!!!!!!!!!
She almost regrets getting through this Striving to the Cafe. This was new though so she rocked back on the balls of her feet, standing in the entrance, gawking. Yep, full gawking, two hands holding straps, two hands on her hips, right in the entrance of the place.
Crunch crunch crunch
The vesk seated at the Analog cafe's patio table munches on the noisiest nutrition that they were capable of offering. He seems much more delighted by the texture of the food between his teeth than its taste.
"On Vesk Prime," He addresses the waitstaff as Jaedana approaches. One of his reptilian eyes is locked in on the kasantha. "We have little arthropods that you would call jewel bugs. But alive, they look only like gray and brown little pebbles burrowing into the desert sands. It is only when you properly cook them they become beautiful colors, a sensory delight! I do wish to try some again, but the incredulous static I keep experiencing on these comms system make it impossible to make a proper order."
He pops more food between his teeth, the vesk watching for any reactions at all to his loud, one-sided conversation.
A nearly impossibly non-descript human sits at the bar sipping a glowing orange beverage. Despite appearing focused on the battle ball game playing on a nearby vid screen, he takes note of every patron entering the establishment.
He closes his eyes and lets the sounds of chatter in the cafe wash over him. ... the incredulous static ... His eyes open and he turns to appraise the speaker. The vesk's choice of food stands out, if only for the volume produced as he chews.
After dropping a credstick on the bar as a tip, he grabs his drink and, without a word, sits at the table across from the vesk.
Before the vesk can respond a telepathic message enters his mind.
I can't help but question if Tierny's paranoia has risen above the incredulous static into full blown panic. Is such secrecy necessary?
Speaking aloud, "I'm Trevor. Nice to meet you."
Jaedana looks over at the vesk, her watery eyes widening before she hurries through an order of whatever seems the most interesting and then sits down with the two men. "Static can be incredulous, I think, at least until it is become known then in truth it becomes credulous. Hello, I am Jaedana."
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"Ah, comrades!" The vesk smiles, sharp teeth gleaming. "I go by Vorza Moonshot these days. You must forgive our mutual friend for being cautious. A friend of theirs is a comrade of mine!" Vorza laughs and pops another crunchy treat into their mouth.
"I know not the details, but they pay well for my services. I would never refuse an open tab invitation either. Here, try this. The waitress tells me it is a human delicacy - paapkern. It is crunchy but soft and drizzled in animal fats. A fine snack while waiting!" He takes two bowls and scoops up a handful of the popped kernels into it, sliding it over to them.
"Humans, for all their weaknesses and inferiorities, do have some good ideas. When the Veskarium conquers the Pact Worlds, I hope they bring the knowledge of paapkern and its production to Vesk Prime. It would do well in making jewel bugs even more delicious." The vesk leans back in his seat, looking at Trevor with amusement.
His eyes dart towards Jaedana. "Your kin are better than the humans. Better warriors, especially your solarians! Still," Vorza says as they lift a finger. A dark mote of light flickers into being orbiting their head, as they can see the light distorting around it. "Like all things of might and strength, ever this is something we can learn and adapt to our ways."
"But you have nothing to worry from me, comrades. I did my service, I came here to find good fights and new experiences. I will keep you from getting shot or stabbed, and in exchange feel free to stick a medpatch on me when I bite off more than I can chew, da?"
As the three people chat, a fourth person approaches the table. She is an android with bright blue hair that matches the faintly glowing circuitry that adorns her face and hands. She is dressed in a trenchcoat and fedora, affecting the look of a holovid detective. She gives the human, the kasatha, and the vesk appraising looks before she tips her hat at them.
"How are you gentlemen!! All your incredulous static are belong to us," she says by way of greeting. She smirks as she takes a seat. "I am Lunar-17, or you may know me by my infosphere handle, xXL00n4R-7tEeNXx. I like to solve mysteries and I'm perpetually online. And also I'm mystically connected to the Akashic Record?"
The android shrugs casually. "Anybody seen Tierny yet?"
"I don't know what he looks like." the young kasatha admits with a multiarmed shrug "My family, I think, are the 'friends', but they dropped me off and said meet him. You all know the guy?" she takes a paapkern, looks at it then pokes the bottom of her mask out to slip it in her mouth and chews with slow collection of the experience.
"Welcome Lunar-17, I am Trevor." Trevor greets the latest arrival, shaking his head in answer to her question.
After taking a moment to further size up the group, "Perhaps we should should further introducer ourselves. I imagine Tierny wanted us to meet for some reason."
"Though I am not Verthani, I grew up on Verces." His eyes narrow for just a moment as he continues, "I have some combat experience as a squad leader, with a minor degree in medicine. I'm always interested in meeting others and ever curious about different cultures." Towards the end of his introduction, Trevor relaxes noticeably.
"Oh, and I met Tierny in a bar where he convinced me to change careers."
The vesk crunches his snack a little more loudly as L17 sets herself up to speak to the rest of the group. Afterwards, he let's the other get in their words, speaking up after Trevor.
"Ah, good to have former military, even non-vesk. I, not so good at giving directions? Just point me where you want me to block those that will want to kill us. Lunar, you are certainly one of the nicer androids I have met. I hope no one kills you!"
He looks around. "Tierny will be here. He must pay his tab, after all - I've put so much on it," Vorza chuckles. "Waitress! I need another egg cream - with a swirly straw!"
A passing android pauses as you mention Tierny. The glowing circuitry in her eyes rotates with a tic reminiscent of a camera lens zooming in and out. "Are you the rest of their party?" She concentrates and green arrows trace a floorpath deeper into Analog. "Back that way."
For a brief period she shares your path, arcing off to take up her station behind the sculpted synthwood bar of the glitzy front room. The rest of the room is packed with a mix of mostly organic customers and synthetic waitstaff, but with incredible efficiency she works her way through the crowd with a rapid patter that never quite repeats from customer to customer.
Leaving her behind, the arrows turn and lead through a low archway into a smaller, quieter dining space sparsely populated by guests - mostly anacites engaged in intense but silent interactions over the digital communication network that all anacites share. Most don't bother to have food or drink at their tables. Tierny's table sits in an alcove along the back wall, secluded enough to allow for private conversation but close enough to let them watch the people coming and going in the next room.
Outside, a moss-decked patio is surrounded by a cloud of vapor from two sources: the nearby gas pump and a congregation of barathus, many in business suits and luxury attire.
Once you're seated, a customizable server hologram appears at the center of your reserved table, their pleasant but not-yet-defined voice instructs you to complete your dining algorithm using a comm unit to let the chefs know about any allergies or other dietary needs. Conveyor belts are discreetly recessed nearby to allow for privacy even while food and drink are delivered.
Judging by the server hologram their tab is open, but no Tierny.
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As Jaedana sat and explained she had no allergies she knew of or restrictive dietary needs, she spoke.
"Crews need to know who to count on for what" Jaedana recites "Shipborn logic, repeated a thousand times before you ever find solid footing." Jaedana wasn't sure why these strangers would consider themselves 'crew' but...
"Know your strength but be ready to backup the strong." she repeats another rule "Meaning like all I learned how to repair things, work navs, and patch up another in case the experts are tied up with more important... or are the ones bleeding out." the young Kasatha said "What I am bang about is piloting and..." she pats the rifle on her arm "... Needle here, though only been in scraps with pirates who had more sense to stick in long."
Her portion of 'Getting To Know You' over, she asks "Why does this Tierny need you all, I mean us all? You think?"
"Probably to go somewhere dangerous where we might be all killed. But Tierny pays well enough for the risks." The vesk is already ordering more food on the comm unit - double fried prawns, crunchy vegetables with creamy dips, a delicious egg cream with chocolate and caramel to wash it all down.
"What do the rest of you want? Might as well go for something you've always wanted to try."
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"I read about this human thing called... CHEE-Zs" she asks for it in the comm unit.
Prawns, crunchy veggies, CHEE-Zs and drinks precede the organic special - a celebration of seasonal flavors sourced from the local Ice Well, served as a fourcourse meal consisting of snow cress salad, cave cricket bisque, moss-smoked albino eel, and frost berry strudel - all of which are painstakingly prepared, beautifully plated, and delicious. A vid about the Ice Wells plays at the table, projecting serene scenes of frozen underground forests.
***
Eventually, the bartender who recognized Tierny's name makes her way back and kindly asks if you need help getting home. "I can get you a good rate on an autocab."
"What of the one who reserved this table? Does he not intend to show?"
The android seems wary. "Tier-99-Professor? I expected to see them, but it's near time to close. Maybe they met with some friends."
"Are you sure he didn't comm? I know sometimes the incredulous static makes it difficult to reach people," Vorza says, picking a cricket leg out from his teeth.
The waitress's eyes lock onto Vorza in quiet assessment. "Well... even if you might not've been close with them, I do have something they... Tierny gave me a holovid for if they weren't here to meet someone with that passphrase. It's compatible with the table's holoprojector if you like."
Jaedana went from full and slightly sick from it, to really sick at the prospect of having to figure out where to sleep. This Tierny is who she was supposed to stay with til her family got back. She'd blown her stash of creds so far on a horde of small silly but New stuff, so didn't have enough for a crash pad.
"We'd like!" she shoots out, worried eagerness filling her voice.
Tier-99-Professor appears as a ghostly hologram speaking in a crackling approximation of Tier-99-Professor’s voice. "Greetings, former companions. If you’re watching this, it's because I have experienced an unexpected shutdown - in organic terms, I am dead. I propose you enjoy a meal on my prepaid tab and seek emotional support.
"My shutdown is within the normal range of variability, however it has occurred prematurely and left many of my tasks incomplete. In fact, the reason I invited you out tonight was to share a new theory with you: I am being pursued by a clever adversary who intends to shut me down permanently. I had planned to ask for your protection in exchange for payment. But the scenario has evolved.
"As I no longer have need of protection, I have an alternative proposal for you: solve my murder."
As you begin to sit with Tierny's new charge, suddenly a laser streaks through the window, passing directly through the center of the holographic anacite’s head in a hard light copy of a kill shot! The image explodes
in a frenzy of light and static.
From outside the window you catch a glimpse of a drone already beginning to take flight. Its outline blurs and breaks apart into a camo field, quickly becoming visible only as an out of place shimmer in motion.
"No, not Tierny! No, no!" Lunar-17 gasps at the news of the anacite's shutdown. When the hologram asks them to solve the murder, the android reaches up to resolutely adjust her detective hat. "Well, now. The game is afoot."
She leaps to her feet when the laser blast disrupts the hologram. She draws her arc pistol and points it towards where the drone disappeared. "Quick! Stop that drone!"
Instinct kicks in and Trevor slides off his chair into a crouching position, breaking line of sight through the window. Seeing Lunar-17 stand and draw her weapon, Trevor grabs her arm and pulls her closer to the wall.
"Get down! You're an easy shot for a cloaker through that window!" Trevor scans the room for a possible back exit, "We need to get out of here. Find an exit!"
Trevor hustles the group out the backdoor, and the game is indeed afoot!
The drone is shielded by its cloaking, so you'll need a keen eye to track its flickering path , or a technical mind to suss out its course .
Jaedana runs out, her jacket flapping like a purple cape. She scans the dark, like she has a thousand times before for any imperfection in the lights behind it. No matter the sensors a ship had, they still had a lookout to catch things like that in space.
"There!" she yells out pointing to a wabble in the waves.
Despite the sudden chaos from the attempted assassination, Vorza is relatively calm as he gets up and follows Jaedana outside. "Tierny...you were a good client. I hope you were sensible enough to leave your payment in an account payable to us when we catch your killers."
He sighs and looks out in the direction that the drone had gone to see if he can't spot its blurry outline.
"Are you sure that's not just heat waste?"
Jaedana and Vorza track the occluded drone's path right through a busy traffic crossing! Dozens of vehicles—sleek urban cruisers, hovercycles, allterrain crawlers, and bulky autobuses—zip through this intersection at high speeds!
Lunar-17's analytical mind attempts to discern the pattern of the traffic flow to keep up with the drone.
Trevor does his best to coordinate a route through the traffic with Lunar-17, but finds their lack of familiarity to be a significant obstacle.
The drone continues mostly unhindered by the busy streets, passing over them without having to wait for traffic to slow or safety crossings to turn its way; it's path is taking it just over a thick crowd that will surely prove an impediment even once you do catch up...
As the distance to the drone grows, Trevor redoubles his efforts to lead everyone through the crowd and traffic.
”This time, for sure!” Lunar-17 says, not letting her initial failure get her down. This time, she does much better.
Lunar-17 leads you across the zippy intersection! Unfortunately the next one is far too busy to even attempt simply running across. You'll just have to wait for the light to cross with everyone else when the timer's up. Or maybe there's a way to rewire the signal...
Vorza in annoyance tries to remove the protective cover to the signal systems to turn them to stop. Unfortunately his fingers can't quite pop it off, grumbling as he made the attempt. "Too much movement after such a hefty meal..."
Jaedana lifts her wrist and beep bops twirdles as her fingers dance along the lights there. "Just needs a... the right... nudge" she looks up at the last pingading, hope in her every being.
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"Hmmm, just a bit more I think." Jaedana tries to nudge further, but even traffic lights have some hardening. Or in this case a resident. A grumpy electric elemental had been taking a nap, had its comfortable static rest interrupted by someone mucking into the virtual lines.
Sparks shoot out of the control box, showering Jae in an obvious 'Get Outa Here' thickly spark-urban accents.