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[killa_robot]

"OK Mr. Stevenson," Fixer replies, the sound of keyboarding rattling off in the background, "This first bit is free, but anything else is the usual fee."

"Good information as always", Gilbert nods, following along.

"Can you find out where Genny, or his associate Henry Croy, is?"

[BerkaZerka]

"If I knew where Genny Putkoff was, I'd sell that info to you for half the bounty haha!" Fixer laughs.

"Anyway," he continues, "Henri Croy is a Guiliairmo City social worker... who is somewhat well known (locally)... for his anti-gang stance and the after school programs that he runs at the Community Outreach Center."

"Here's a link to the website for the Community Outreach Center.  You can see that it provides Henri Croy's contact information, so I suggest you go in that direction."

[killa_robot]

"Thanks, Fixer", Gilbert replies, bringing up the website to find the contact information.

"You can check my blog later if you want to know how us catching this guy ends."

He adds, hanging up.

[Drakilian]

"Well, Jacob, can you try hacking into the SOy-Boy's cameras to see what's happening with that other team of bounty hunters?"

[Daedalus]

"I can always try." Jacobs says and tries

---

Computers 12 1d20 : 19, total 19

[BerkaZerka]

Jacob spends some time trying to find where he could access the Soy Boy's camera systems, but isn't able to. Whether due to the Soy Boy's corporate database being down, or maybe the cameras aren't even on the web, he's not sure.

[BerkaZerka]

Gilbert sees where the Community Outreach Center is located (on the southern outskirts of the city) - and that he can contact Henri Croy directly, through face-to-face transmission, if he likes.

LifeCyclon meanwhile, is located in the inner circle of super high-tech arcologies in the research and development belt to the north.

[Sethaniel]

Simon, having dismally realized that everyone else is still Farking around in the dog-damned ship resigns himself to going to the science hut alone. 
Actually . . . He texts Ethel,  "meet u there?

[Tanstaafl]

Assuming that Simon speaks forthe group, Ethel texts back, "kk".

Using her phone as a GPS, she begins her (probably) short journey to the LifeCyclon building. Lots of questions to be asked here, she thinks, readying herself to invoke her hated father's name for her benefit.

[Drakilian]

"Okay, Butch, grab a voice mask and a real maak and meet me outside the ship. Put on some different clothes too, and maybe put together a disguise while you're at it."

Crystal then proceeds to do basically exactly what she tells Butch to do, grabbing her own stuff and putting together some sort of disguise to fool the manager.

[Not Aman]

Butch sighs.

"Didn't bring a voice mask, but I guess I could make a good enough disguise. Won't really matter, I doubt he has any audio recorders around. Nor could my bounty get much higher."

[Drakilian]

"Just stay behind me and look intimidating then. Don't want him to recognize you... Unless, well, he didn't hear you the first time did he?"

[killa_robot]

Liking the option of talking to someone without having to move and meet them in person, Gilbert phones up Henri Croy.

[Not Aman]

"Just stay behind me and look intimidating then. Don't want him to recognize you... Unless, well, he didn't hear you the first time did he?"

"Kinda doubt I was heard well, yeah." Butch says with a shrug.

"I'll just back you up." butch says, as he finishes up his quick disguise.

[BerkaZerka]

Gilbert dials up Henri Croy.

Once the connection is made, the large balding man in thick black-rimmed glasses and a tweed suit comes into view. He appears to be in some sort of faculty office.

"This is Henri Croy, what can I do for you?"

[BerkaZerka]

As this goes on, Simon and Ethel, take a cab over to the LifeCyclon Corp Headquarters. The place is a vast glass-and-steel mega facility with super high tech security. Guards and cameras are everywhere, including some R/C drones and the like.

The cab comes to a stop outside what looks more like an air terminal than a front office.

Once inside, Simon and Ethel see a security counter in the center of a wide concourse full of employees, busily walking to and fro. A set of metal detectors separate the concourse from a bank of elevators and escalators that lead deeper into the heart of the facility.

The place is bright and clean and sterile, but feels super oppressive - especially to Simon - seeing all these poor wage slaves trapped here like rats in a maze. If the manager of the Soy Boy had a dismal existence, then these poor shlubs were utterly cast down into the very fires of hell itself...

[BerkaZerka]

Butch, Crystal, and Jacob meanwhile, stage an ambush out behind the Soy Boy's and wait for the Manager to lock up.

They luck out however, when he comes out back early to smoke - lighting up and not paring attention to his surroundings.

He doesn't even have his headset on...

[Sethaniel]

"Nobody else is coming," Simon informs Ethel.  "Gilbert figured out that fast food mediocrity really didn't know anything; our bounty had absolutely nothing to do with that place. 

Dog-brain instantly reached the conclusion that everyone with a gun should come help her kidnap the guy we just figured out didn't know anything, so she can interrogate him for his non-existent knowledge." He shrugs.  "So it's just me. Gilbert's calling that Herby Crown guy."

He folds his arms across his chest and glares disdainfully at the wasteland, heroically resisting the urge to liberate its prisoners (for now.)
"This place is nothing like a Life Cyclone."

[Drakilian]

Crystal takes the time to slip on a voice mask and a normal mask to hide her face (unless her disguise already does that.

Once she's sure that the other three won't give their provenance away, she pulls out her pistol and tried to get as close as possible to the manager without been seen. When she's either seen or when she's close enough to press the gun against the manager's head, she raises the gun idly, points it at him and says very quietly - her voice distorted by her mask - "Evening sir, would you give me and my two companions here the courtesy of calmly answering some questions?"

[BerkaZerka]

"AAAH! HOLY SHIT!" The manager cries in alarm when Crystal sneaks up on him.

Seeing the gun, he breaks down crying - "Oh god! Don't shoot! Take the safe! I don't have the key! They only keep 5000 writ out! God! PLEEEEeeeeessssssse Don't Shoot!"

[killa_robot]

Gilbert dials up Henri Croy.

Once the connection is made, the large balding man in thick black-rimmed glasses and a tweed suit comes into view. He appears to be in some sort of faculty office.

"This is Henri Croy, what can I do for you?"

"Me and my associates are looking for a friend of yours - Genny Putkoff. It seems he's being framed for stealing some milk homogenization equipment, and we'd like to get to the bottom of it. Do you know where he is?"

Then after a short pause, Gilbert whispers.

"Over."

---

Diplomacy 13 1d20 : 1, total 1

[Drakilian]

"AAAH! HOLY SHIT!" The manager cries in alarm when Crystal sneaks up on him.

Seeing the gun, he breaks down crying - "Oh god! Don't shoot! Take the safe! I don't have the key! They only keep 5000 writ out! God! PLEEEEeeeeessssssse Don't Shoot!"

Crystal sighs and kicks him a little bit. Not too much, just enough to scare him a little more.

"Stop screaming, I said calmly. Several bounty hunting squads have come here recently, one has even come today. I want all the information you can remember on each of them - members, names, appearances - anything you can remember. Do you understand? Whimper once for yes."

As she speaks Crystal turns on her audio recorder so that she can play the information back for her teammates when they're back together (or through the comlinks).

[Tanstaafl]

"Fine," Ethel quietly pouts, "just don't embarrass me or anything. Just help me when I need it."

"You know," she remarks mid-step, "I've always wanted to work in a place like this. Refined, efficient, yet huge in scale. Ahh, researching here must be so interesting!.. Desk jobs gotta suck though."

Ethel attempts to walk through the metal detectors, obviously showing her permits for the assemblage of firearms she regularly carries ("Can't ever be too careful!"), leaving them if necessary, and then to one of the clerks at the desk. Proceeding to show her ID, she says with a cheerful smile, "Hi there! Two things; one, do you know who of the senior management I can talk to about the after school programs this company is involved in? My father, Tobias Clarke-- you may have heard of him? Was saying that it could be a cool thing to look into."

[BerkaZerka]

"Me and my associates are looking for a friend of yours - Genny Putkoff. It seems he's being framed for stealing some milk homogenization equipment, and we'd like to get to the bottom of it. Do you know where he is?"

Then after a short pause, Gilbert whispers.

"Over."

"You believe he was framed?" the man replies to Gilbert.

"Well, I suppose I could meet with you in person. Come to the Guiliairmo City Community Outreach Center. We can talk in my office."

[BerkaZerka]

Crystal sighs and kicks him a little bit. Not too much, just enough to scare him a little more.

"Stop screaming, I said calmly. Several bounty hunting squads have come here recently, one has even come today. I want all the information you can remember on each of them - members, names, appearances - anything you can remember. Do you understand? Whimper once for yes."

As she speaks Crystal turns on her audio recorder so that she can play the information back for her teammates when they're back together (or through the comlinks).

"Oh! Uh, OK, don't hurt me! I'm cooperating! Er, I mean 'yes'!"

"Names? No, they don't leave their names. But one group forced its way into the office and stole our computer. The SSPB is still investigating."

"Uhm, another group had their big guy pull me up over the counter. The SSPB is still investigating."

"Some crazy maniac doused me and the crew with mace and lit the counter on fire. The SSPB is still investigating."

"This circus troupe comes in and their midget or dwarf or whatever it was, gets up on the counter and pees in the fryer. Disgusting! The SSPB is still investigating."

"Then today, a large group of goons bust in, rough everyone up, and yet another circus freak (that's like five this week!) gets up on the counter and starts doing Shakespeare or something?!?"

"Yeah, I don't really believe the SSPB is really investigating anything anymore."

"Hey... wait a minute... why do you even care?!?"

"You guys are just another bunch of bounty hunters aren't you?!?"

The manager's face turns red with rage and he loses it. Froth flying from his mouth as he screams - "THAT GUY NEVER FARKING WORKED HERE YOU FARKING LOWLIFE DUMB SHITS! FARK YOU AND FARK THAT GUY AND FARK THE SSPB!"

---

Unarmed 6 1d20 : 16, total 16

[BerkaZerka]

The manager flails ineffectively, trying to knock the gun away and makes a run for the door back into the Soy Boy's.

[BerkaZerka]

Ethel attempts to walk through the metal detectors, obviously showing her permits for the assemblage of firearms she regularly carries ("Can't ever be too careful!"), leaving them if necessary, and then to one of the clerks at the desk. Proceeding to show her ID, she says with a cheerful smile, "Hi there! Two things; one, do you know who of the senior management I can talk to about the after school programs this company is involved in? My father, Tobias Clarke-- you may have heard of him? Was saying that it could be a cool thing to look into."

Things go south so quickly...

Walking to the metal detectors and announcing that she is armed (permit or no), triggers a quick response and instantly summons over two dozen security guards. They swarm Ethel and Simon and bum rush them into a security office off to the side, ignoring their objections or attempts to 'explain themselves'.

Ethel and Simon are forcefully relieved of their weapons and/or permits, all personal possessions, are then handcuffed, and locked in separate holding cells (unless they want to resist, get tazed, and have the shit beaten out of them first).

Three hours later, someone comes to take their statements.

It is a hard-faced Security Chief with two assistants, who speak to Ethel and Simon through the bars.

Regarding Simon, he says, "I'm surprised you don't have multiple bounties on yourself by now 'Mr. Archer' - if that is indeed your real name."

Then to Ethel, he gives a sadistic smirk - "Ms. Etheryn Clarke. Care to explain why you thought entering the LifeCyclon Arcology with weapons (for any reason) was a good idea?"

[Sethaniel]

Simon mayhem does not do well in captivity.

The musician has spent the past two hours and fifty-five minutes pacing around the cell, kicking the walls, reciting the plot lines of various horror manga.  When the security chief arrives, he is lying on the cell floor, staring up at the ceiling and singing "Nobody likes a lonely only, everybody join hands now, everybody join hearts now."

Regarding Simon, he says, "I'm surprised you don't have multiple bounties on yourself by now 'Mr. Archer' - if that is indeed your real name."

Still lying on the floor, he arches his back to look upside down through the bars at the security chief.  "Nope.  don't know who that is.  Can I go now?"

[killa_robot]

"You believe he was framed?" the man replies to Gilbert.

"Well, I suppose I could meet with you in person. Come to the Guiliairmo City Community Outreach Center. We can talk in my office."

"I, um, yeah okay", Gilbert says, submitting to the unfortunate truth that he will have to leave the ship, alone.

"Over and out", he adds in a whisper, hanging up.

Gilbert will then make his way to the outreach center, flying the ship there if needbe.

[BerkaZerka]

It really is much easier to fly the ship there; and the others are all busy. They won't miss Gilbert. They never do.

Flying the scout ship to the outskirts of the city, Gilbert lands on a street in a rundown-looking neighborhood. It doesn't look like a bad neighborhood, but it looks tired and depressed, like it was once a nice place to live, but since declined for some reason.

Across from where he lands, Gilbert sees a fenced-in basketball court and small playground, next to what was once an old church of some kind. The building, now the Guiliairmo City Community Outreach Center, has been refurbished an cleaned up, but still looks old and tired like the rest of the community.

A number of youth are outside playing basketball, but only offer passing interest at the scout ship's landing.

[BerkaZerka]

Still lying on the floor, he arches his back to look upside down through the bars at the security chief.  "Nope.  don't know who that is.  Can I go now?"

"That largely depends on what Ms. Clarke has to say," the Security Chief replies.

[killa_robot]

Gilbert makes sure to take his mace spray and r/c link before entering the building. He'll try his best to avoid the kids that he's sure could kick the crap out of him.

[BerkaZerka]

The kids hardly glance at Gilbert, as he walks across the street from the ship.

Inside, the Community Center is colorful and well kept, with some classrooms and offices along the halls. At one end is an open auditorium with a stage and at the other is Director Henri Croy's Office.

As Gilbert walks down the hall, the man he had spoke to earlier, comes out of the office and smiles, shaking Gilbet's hand.

"Come on in," he says, "I just don't understand it, why LifeCyclon would try to frame Genny like that!"

[Drakilian]

The manager flails ineffectively, trying to knock the gun away and makes a run for the door back into the Soy Boy's.

Crystal ever so briefly considers shooting the manager (she'd totally heal him later).

She gives him a chance, however - speaking up again:

"We're after the bounty hunters, not their bounty. You want a chance to get back at them?"

If he ignores this then she'll whip out her stun baton and attack him, using luck/surge if she has to in order to calm him down.

[Not Aman]

Butch shrugs. Everytime the idiot calls the cops, they do nothing. Won't be a problem.

"We should look up his descriptions." Butch says, mostly just to himself as he uses his Super Computer to search up bountyhunter teams under the following descriptions; pyromaniac bountyhunters, clown-like bountyhunters, and bountyhunters with big men.

[killa_robot]

The kids hardly glance at Gilbert, as he walks across the street from the ship.

Inside, the Community Center is colorful and well kept, with some classrooms and offices along the halls. At one end is an open auditorium with a stage and at the other is Director Henri Croy's Office.

As Gilbert walks down the hall, the man he had spoke to earlier, comes out of the office and smiles, shaking Gilbet's hand.

"Come on in," he says, "I just don't understand it, why LifeCyclon would try to frame Genny like that!"

"We don't know either, but there's enough evidence of sabotage to support that someone is framing him", Gilbert replies, weakly shaking back.

"What was he actually doing at LifeCylon? He won an award for his work, didn't he?"

[BerkaZerka]

With 350,000 registered Bounty Hunters in the system, Butch gets approximately buku potential matches for each category. Searching the term "bountyhunters with big men" brings up an eye-burning number of gay porn sites that Butch will have a hard time un-seeing. When he searches for Bounty Hunters with 'Big' members of the team, Gilbert's pic (a rather unflattering one of him eating a sandwich) pops right to the top.

The manager unfortunately, is beyond any rational cooperation.

A long loud zorching sound is heard, and light dances off everyone's face, as Crystal empties the batteries of her stun baton (don't worry, they recharge) on the hapless mook.

He now lies unconscious (and smoking) on the back doorstep of the Soy Boy Quick Bites restaurant.

[BerkaZerka]

"We don't know either, but there's enough evidence of sabotage to support that someone is framing him", Gilbert replies, weakly shaking back.

"What was he actually doing at LifeCylon? He won an award for his work, didn't he?"

“Oh, yes,” Henri Croy answers, “Genny worked for the LifeCyclon Corporation up until his recent disappearance three weeks ago. I have seen the false reports and don't know why LifeCyclon would try to hide, or cover up, his past employment with them.”

“Before he disappeared, Genny was actively involved with our afterschool programs, running a science club at the local middle school. That's what he won the award for.”

“He once told me that he gave to the community, because he hated what gangs had done to his younger brother Tesla.”

“Tesla was Genny's younger brother by fourteen years; but Tesla ran away when he turned fifteen and joined a gang. That would have been nine years ago.”

“I believe Genny found Tesla some years later, but the gang had changed Tesla too much and there was no going back to the way things were. That’s why Genny wants to encourage other children to avoid gangs by getting involved with other more wholesome activities, like science.”

[killa_robot]

"G-gangs... huh..." Gilbert replies with a nervous laugh, not enjoying the prospect of having to approach a gang alone.

"But yeah, science rules. I'm more into computer science myself, but I can respect the time and effort that must have gone into his work at LifeCylon. What branch of science was he into anyway? With the milk machine mentioned I would assume chemistry , but given that it's what they're using to frame him, it could be completely off. If he's helping middle schools then he's probably doing things involving potatoes and volcanoes, but neither of those are really high level fields of work - just entry points to get people interested. He could be more into biology of course, but I rather doubt that's the case. No one in biology is respectable after all... Of course if he really was in the biology field I take that back, as we already know Genny was, I mean is, a respectable man. Despite possibly working in a field no one respects. Then again, at least it's not like he works in geology, right? He'd be known as that creepy rock guy. Though I can relate to that a bit. Not the rock part, I wouldn't be seen within a mile of a geology center, I mean the creepy part. Spending all your days hacking int- I mean using computers for science stuff kind of makes people look down on you, you know? My uncle always thought I was gifted, so he kind of forced me into even, which is how I got to this size. Speaking of which, I can relate to the gang part as well. I... actually no, I probably shouldn't say. Uncle really wouldn't approve of something like that. I should just count my lucky stars they don't bother me as much as they used to, haha...ha...ha...yeah..."

Gilbert says, rambling on.

"Anyway, happen to know where his younger brother is? He may know what happened to Genny."

[BerkaZerka]

"No, I don't," Henri answers, "but I can tell you where Genny was staying before he disappeared."

Henri Croy then hands Gilbert an address on a piece of paper.

[killa_robot]

"Ah, that's even better", Gilbert replies, relieved he probably won't have to deal with any hooligans.

"Thanks."

He'll then take the piece of paper and mosey on out of there (unless Henri has something else to say).

Once back on the ship, he'll look up the brother (hacking roll) to see if there's any lead there first.

---

Computers 17+2X 1d20 : 15, total 15

[BerkaZerka]

Looking up Tesla Putkoff, Gilbert finds him right away (Extra Success). He sees that Tesla goes by the name 'Wingman', and runs with a gang called the Redjacks in the Mars city of Little Jersey.

He has quite a police record too, filled with a plethora of arrests and some jail time. He is currently under investigation by Mars SSPD for his suspected involvement with a local weapons smuggling ring.

[killa_robot]

Gilbert takes a look at the paper to see if the location is one he's familiar with.

Then he sends an email telling everyone to get back to the ship (which he will then bring back to the original spot).

[Drakilian]

"What do you guys say, we raid the store for security footage and give you two a look into their systems to maybe track whoever hacked them - or we leave the manager here where he'll probably get fired for sleeping on the job?"

[Tanstaafl]

Things go south so quickly...

Walking to the metal detectors and announcing that she is armed (permit or no), triggers a quick response and instantly summons over two dozen security guards. They swarm Ethel and Simon and bum rush them into a security office off to the side, ignoring their objections or attempts to 'explain themselves'.

Ethel and Simon are forcefully relieved of their weapons and/or permits, all personal possessions, are then handcuffed, and locked in separate holding cells (unless they want to resist, get tazed, and have the shit beaten out of them first).

Three hours later, someone comes to take their statements.

It is a hard-faced Security Chief with two assistants, who speak to Ethel and Simon through the bars.

Regarding Simon, he says, "I'm surprised you don't have multiple bounties on yourself by now 'Mr. Archer' - if that is indeed your real name."

Then to Ethel, he gives a sadistic smirk - "Ms. Etheryn Clarke. Care to explain why you thought entering the LifeCyclon Arcology with weapons (for any reason) was a good idea?"

"Oh bugger."

Ethel rolls her eyes as all the commotion happens, evidently not very experienced with bureaucracy and its red tape. She doesn't really bother resisting and is content with just waiting on whatever seat is in the cell and staying there, thinking about the situation and occasionally about what the others might be doing.

Replying to the mean Security Agent, she off-handedly seethes, "I thought that people who might do something harmful don't usually say, 'disclaimer; I'm armed' and prepare to give their arms over-- ugh,"  she waves her hands, "but whatever. Works out though, cuz you're good to talk to as well. Got some questions, you know. But that can wait if, you know, want, I guess. What now?"

[Not Aman]

Butch shudders. Not the smartest of google searches.

"So, no go here?"

[BerkaZerka]

Replying to the mean Security Agent, she off-handedly seethes, "I thought that people who might do something harmful don't usually say, 'disclaimer; I'm armed' and prepare to give their arms over-- ugh,"  she waves her hands, "but whatever. Works out though, cuz you're good to talk to as well. Got some questions, you know. But that can wait if, you know, want, I guess. What now?"

"OK, first off, no. One never tries to enter a secure facility, where weapons are prohibited, with weapons. It is a very good way to get shot."

"So, you're here to ask question?"

"I'm all ears, ask away."

[Tanstaafl]

Ethel sighs. "Well, of the things you could answer, can you tell me anything about the milk homogenization tool-heist that happened recently?"

[BerkaZerka]

"Why Ms. Clarke!" the Security Chief gasps in mock surprise, holding up Simon's Permit to Hunt Bounty.

"Don't tell me you have been roped into bounty hunting with this little hooligan," he says dismissively of Simon.

"Does your father know that you keep such colorful company? Does he approve?"

The Security Chief smiles at his own dickishness. Damn he loves his job.

He then stands before Ethel can answer his rhetorical questions and speaks over his shoulder as he goes - "The Genny Putkoff bounty is your problem, not ours."

"You and Mr. Archer are banned from the premise. I suggest you leave and don't come back, unless you are successful in your hunt that is..."

With that, he leaves.

After a few minutes, Ethel and Simon are released from the holding cells, escorted outside to the street, and handed vacuum-packed plasti-seal containers with all of their possessions (including the firearms and permits) inside.

Damn, it's going to take forever to get these things open without a blowtorch...

[Drakilian]

"I'll take that protracted silence as a definite yes." Crystal says, searching the manager's body for store keys.

"Hey Jacib, can you take a look inside and tell me if the place is crowded?"