[You're all gathered at SAB HQ and given the briefing. Mai is there to handle questions.] [September 18, 2020. Time: 1200 GMT.] [Start] (Greg and the Anything Goes Minimalistic Style of GM Description!) * Red looks over the briefing given. "Oh, me oh my. Hm." * Ari is there, yes. Ben, Katherine, and Red have all met her before, and she nodded politely to them when they came in. Yvonne she hasn't met before, and fixed her with a rather curious look when she came in. Now she's finishing reading her briefing. We'll need to know more about the theft, first off. Knowing how it was conducted will give us needed insight into who is capable of such a thing. * Yvonne reads the briefing. "I bet they take the stuff from where it's supposed to be." * Katherine reads it over. She's in a simple blouse and slacks, hair braided, and looks skeptical now that she's actually seeing the details. "You're always so clever, Yvonne." Do we have or can we get access to the video records from the most recent incident? * Yvonne smiles. "Thanks, strange lady!" (Yvonne met Katherine, hasn't she? @_@;) (She has. I'm remembering now.) (Yvonne met Katherine at the social where she ended up going home with Tim.) * Ben is just finishing up reading the briefing. He is dressed in his usual grey suit and is smoking. But you probably already guessed that. * Red is dressed as always. Red shirt (she must have lots), khaki cargo pants. No jacket, this time. We've made arrangements for you to interview or visit as you prefer with security officials at the three locations. And, we do have the video briefly showing the young Mr. Maddox, but none of the other videos had any records of the crime. * Ari is also dressed in her usual outfit - gray t-shirt, faded jeans, blue windbreaker, sneakers. Her hair is loose instead of being in a ponytail, but that's the only difference. * Yvonne is dressed, believe it or not. She's wearing red shorts and her jacket. Her 'shirt', apparently, consists of a long band of red leather wrapped around her torso several times. I would like to view this video at some point, then. Yay! Movie time! * Red nods. "I would, as well." 'I agree.' * Katherine flips a page. "Ditto. Erm." She frowns a little. "What's our cover? You’re sending," she glances up, making a mental count, "five adults to investigate a school for children, and you don't want them to know what it's about?" We can be a traveling rodeo. (Ha.) 'Parents considering sending their children there, perhaps?' [Mai hits a button and you get a view of the exterior of the upper levels of the building that houses Galatic Systems. You can see what's apparently the young Mr. Maddoxs fairly nervously emerging from an already open door as just as the camera pans providing a partial view of the hallway. He's onscreen for all of about a second before the camera pans off.] Most of us are a bit young for that, though. Ohh! That's a good idea! I call Red as my wife! ( <.<) SAB does conduct regular in-depth inspections of these facilities. The Preparatory Academy is due for one, this would seem to be a fairly simple course and would allow for a wide range of latittude while visiting. As of yet no announcement has been made that we're aware of the identity of any of the culprits. * Yvonne pouts. That's less interesting. (But Red can still be her wife.) ( Yay! ) * Ari nods. Do you know who the computer that was stolen from Galactic Systems once belonged to? 'That would probably put them on their guard, though.' Most likely. We're going to need to know how often these are conducted and what, exactly, is supposed to happen on them. * Red smirks. "Official business it is, then. Sorry, Yvonne." It's ok. We can do it next time! You are welcome to find another means if you prefer. They're conducted at random intervals averaging to once every five years. A team of SAB agents is sent in to interview the faculty and students to guarantee that nothing untoward is going on. They have the right to travel unaccompanied and to demand entrance as needed. (She's so agreeable.) * Mai then looks to Ari and checks something on a datapad. ( "Oh, by the way Ari, you're fired. Next question?" ) 'Unaccompanied does not necessarily mean unmonitored.' Very true. * Katherine rolls the briefing and taps it against her cheek. "That goes without saying." But we get to demand stuff! That's so cool! I never get to demand stuff. We should act in moderation if we choose to go this route. ( "Welcome to our school? Would you like to be shown inside?" "No, I demand to be shown inside!" "... er, right." ) Kagiso Abedi. Gedseundheit? We should, yes. * Mai looks at Yvonne. "Was the name of the hacker." * Ari repeats the name softly to herself. Oh! 'Of course, we don't all have to pursue the same strategy. If we send in an official investigation team, they might be so busy with that that we can slip some other people in either totally covertly or under some less attention getting cover.' I can be a substitute nurse. Do you have any medical training? (*hums "Sexual Healing"*) (. . .) (If you didn't see it coming, it's your own fault.) (True.) 'I'm sure Yvonne got her M.D. right after the PhD in Quantum Physics.' I know where it hurts. That's *kinda* the same thing. * Ari smirks briefly, then looks at Yvonne. "No, it is not even close. You'd have a difficult time maintaining the premise." ( 'It hurts where I stab them!') (Like the eye?) No I wouldn't. If someone came to you in need of actual medical attention, would you be able to provide it? * Mai watches the discussion. "Just be aware that with covert entry, if they catch you or notice you, they'll be certain, not just suspious." I can provide relief. And you'll be substituting for the nurse that will luckily be missing, I assume. Again, not the same thing. Do not attempt to perform a service you cannot actually provide. * Red rubs her forehead. But if you go for an inspection, you're doing the same thing, so there! (By the third period, every boy in the school would have a 'headache' that needs looking into...) * Katherine looks towards Mai and nods. "I'm wondering if there's anything unusual about the armor and crystal ball." She pauses for a moment, then adds, "And how their security is, since I honestly don't know very much about this academy." * Ari raises an eybrow. "And how are you to know whether or not I am unable to provide an inspection?" She shakes her head, then turns her attention back to Mai and Katherine. 'And do we by any chance have a floorplan of the place?' Are you? Huh? Are you? Yes. I can deal with mundane security measures, but not theft-deterrent magic. No, they apparently make a point of regularly changing their floorplans. They have some conventional security measures, but we're certain they also have magical means as well. 'Could you provide some specifics?' ( They have laser eyebeams! ) (Me too! *zap*) (*eyeflicker*) (*waves hand up and down* I can! I can! I work cheap!) (*tries to get out his goddam ruby quartz contacts, but can't do it quickly enough*) Do you know what sort of computing facilities they have? We suspect a variety of detection spells triggered by movements and presence of certain types of entities. In the past they've also been known for having various means, of scrying throughout the castle, although the specifics, magicked rats, paintings, the like, change regularly. Lovely. So at all times assume that you'll be noticed sneaking. That puts a damper on a great deal of options. They do have high bandwidth availability and a wireless network of some sort spread through out the castle. Given the lack of computer classes, we aren't sure exactly what they're used for. I don't suppose anyone in this room actually knows any magic? Especially magic to counter scrying? Well, not lack, but at very least relative lack of concentration. 'Spell transmission, possibly,' Ben guesses. ( What I wouldn't give for a cloak of non-detection right now. ) 'Not me,' Ben answers Red. I have a way of redirecting scrying eyes that's been called like magic before... * Ben sighes. 'Why exactly is Yvonne being sent on this mission, again?' * Katherine coughs into her hand, then raises it briefly. "I suppose I qualify, Red." * Yvonne giggles. "'Cause they said I could come, silly!" * Red perks up. "You do? Katherine, that's wonderful!" I didn't know you were a mage. Or are you? Definitions are hazy, but we'll just go with yes. If I were younger, I could pass for a student at a school like this. I suspect that their computer network may also have magical protections. I'm still curious about Kagiso's computer, though... is it likely that anything she used would still be on it? 'No, really, that wasn't a rhetorical question. Mai, why the f*** is Yvonne being sent on this mission? It doesn't seem to require her... skills and she doesn't seem well suited for subtlety or diplomatically sensitive situations.' Possibly. And in answer to Katherine's earlier questions, both the crystal ball and the suit of armour were rumored to have mystical properties. Although Lloyd's of London officially denies that the ball has any. It was thought she may be able to be particularly persuasive in getting information from interviews. But your group has the authority to decide who they're taking with them. * Red frowns. "Interviews?" * Yvonne grins. "Talking to people!" With the staff. Or better, the students. They're young and on average about half will be male. The review team has the authority to interview faculty students. This is one means of gaining information, there are others. You will have to be more subtle than normal, Yvonne. Can you do that? (The Magic 8 Ball may also be used.) (That's what the crystal ball *really* is.) Ooooh. I can be.... subtle. Are you sure? (ANSWER UNCLEAR. ASK AGAIN LATER.) And I got pointy teeth if that doesn't work! Would that not make them more suspicious of you, or even frightened by you? * Ben looks at Red with an expression that says: are you really going to believe she can be subtle just because she says she can? * Katherine seems to be trying to ignore this entire conversation and failing miserably. Nah, probably not. Most people don't seem to mind. * Ben takes a long drag on his cigarette. A frightened young mage, however, might take steps to defend him or herself. Keep that in mind before you go baring your fangs, as it were. * Red looks back at ben and sighs. * Mai shrugs. "The choice is yours." * Red stands up and walks over to Ben. "It is difficult to believe, yes. If she could be subtle, however, she would be very useful in extracting information from the students." * Katherine finally speaks up: "Have her prove it." That's exactly what I was thinking. (...HAAAAAAA haahaahaaaaa.) (AHem.) Make up a scenario in which she has to jog information out of... Ben, you'd make a good target. You're a cool one, and not overtly distracted by her wiles. This is, of course, only if you wish to do it. * Ben exhales a long stream of smoke. 'Fine. I'll play along for a minute.' That's not fair! He already knows I'm gonna do it. * Ben nods. 'She does have a point.' Hm. Perhaps... 'Let's see if we can drag someone else in here for a minute.' Will do. * Red strides into the hallway! * Ari sighs. "So have we decided on how, exactly, we are going to proceed once we reach the academy?" 'Have we decided that we're going in under the guise of an official investigation and that all of us will go as one group?' 'Because that seems the first decision we need to make.' I can be subtle enough on my own, but I am somewhat concerned about their magical detection systems. 'Same here.' * Katherine nods. "I am as well. They'll be a problem no matter what we decide." I am perfectly willing to remain with you as part of an official investigative team. * Mai begins working on her datapad. "Oh, and as planning is fairly complex, if your not particularly concerned with interviewing the victims of the burglars, I could just take a moment to summarize what's been found so far, which is rather little." Go ahead. Please do. * A book appears in Mai's hand, she looks it over. "No physical traces of the crimes were left behind. Aside from the video record from a different building there are no records in the security system of how the break-ins occurred." Galactic Systems reported some computer tampering, of a rather subtle sort, likely either an extremely skilled hacker working from the inside or mystical means. 'Were there other video cameras that failed to record anything?' I would be more willing to believe in mystical means than an inside hacker. Although... do any of the faculty have connections with Galactic Systems? * Mai changes a page. "The security systems all reported nothing missing until the losses were discovered in the morning. This would seem to indicate tampering, as the thieves should have been recorded." Or the Museum or Lloyd's, for that matter. None that have been found. In addition, while it would appear obvious that the security staff was compromised or incompetent given that the theft was not noticed until the change of guard, criminal investigators have found no traces of an inside man. 'That one security camera getting a record seems strange. It's a very obvious oversight or screw up for what has otherwise been a series of traceless crimes. It might well have been left deliberately.' [There's a knock at the door.] The Museum and Lloyd's systems either were not sophisticated enough to notice the tampering or were not tampered with in that manner. As for whether it was deliberate, this is possible. Also possible is that it's part of a seperate and unrelated building's security system. * Katherine taptaptaps the briefing, then walks over to the door and opens it. Isn't that nice of her? Who would provide the security in that case? If I'm understanding your question correctly, the other building was that of a financial services company. One of it's cameras simply happens to provide a quick view across the street into Galatic Systems building. * Ben stops Katherine before she opens the door. 'Wait a second.' * Jonathon smiles rubbing the back of his head at the doorway. "Is this really all that necessary? I'm afraid Miss Seifer didn't quite divulge all the details..." 'Jonathon? Could you wait outside for one second?' * Ari looks briefly at the direction of the door, then back to Mai. "Ah, I see. So that is where the video came from, then?" * Jonathon turns his face towards Ben and puts his hands in his pockets. "I suppose, but this is really a bother. I was in the middle of a very important interview...you're lucky I was in the building." * Mai nods. * Ben nods. 'Sorry to trouble you. This'll just take a second.' He closes the door. * Jonathon shrugs and goes to waiting. Bloody Americans. (Hey, *I* didn't close the door.) 'We should figure out what Yvonne's supposed to ask him about without him present, shouldn't we?' (Watch which American you're grumbling about!) (Ben's American. ^_^;) (>_<) Assuming this was conducted by magic, the magic was quite powerful or at least used very well. And that's what's been found so far. I was hoping she would have figured something out on her own. * Ben gives Katherine a Look. I was going to let you go first to show me how it's done. * Katherine not-quite looks at Ben, then snickers. She can't help it. I'm not sure if I would be able to detect trace of magic in a computer system, although given time I could certainly try. I do not know if we have that time, however. 'This test wasn't my idea.' * Katherine lets out a faint sigh, then walks over to Yvonne. "Yvonne. Why don't you ask Jonathon about who he was interviewing and why?" It would certainly be worth trying I'd think. I'll let Galatic Systems know you're coming. K. What are you going to ask him about? Then I shall be on my way, and meet up with the rest of you shortly. You can page me if necessary. I'm not going to ask him about anything. I never agreed to show you how it's done, and I doubt your method would be the same as mine, anyway. * Mai puts a message into her datapad. Yeah, but you want me to prove I can do it. So you gotta prove you can do it too. * Ari gets up and heads out, smiling at Jonathon and bidding him good afternoon as she passes him. 'And it's pretty much a given that he will give you the information, since he has no reason to hide it. We're seeing how you ask him, not if you get results.' * Jonathon salutes to Ari, smiling and glancing in the room. Are they quite done yet? * Ben opens the door again. 'Sorry to keep you waiting, Marlyne. Come on in.' * Jonathon walks inside, nodding to Ben, hands in his coat as he glances around in turn. * Mai waves she has a slightly distant but vaguely amused look. * Katherine nods to Jonathon when he enters, but she doesn't nudge Yvonne forward or anything. * Ben takes out a packet of cigarettes and holds it out to Jonathon. 'Want a smoke?' * Jonathon smiles. "Not in the mood at the moment, I'm afraid. Besides, smoking indoors...much too confined. I'd rather know what this is all about." 'It's my birthday party,' Ben answers deadpan. * Jonathon nods to Katherine and eyes Yvonne out of the corner of his squinty eyes. "A new agent I suspect?" * Yvonne waves. "Hi Jonny!" (It actually is Ben's 38th birthday. Really. And look how he's spending it.) I bet you were just interviewing the Eckard lady about the Chunnel incident, weren't you? (Bwahaha.) * Jonathon gives her a salute, turning to Ben. "You didn't tell me I was supposed to be giving guided tours to greenhorns." * Jonathon glances at Yvonne critically. "What of it?" * Yvonne smiles. "Oh, nothing." She grins at Katherine. "Okay! Your turn!" * Katherine sighs into her hand. She's getting too old for this. ( Haw haw! You're old, lady! XD ) * Jonathon looks over at Katherine and gives her a smirk. "Is this some new sort of game? I had no idea SAB was into hazing." It's more fun than throwing eggs at people, really. * Mai looks slightly apologetic at Jonathon. * Jonathon smiles at Mai. "It's no bother really. I'm just curious. I presume this is a new training method?" * Yvonne smiles, revealing her fangs. (Jonathon whips out a stake and dusts her.) * Katherine drops her hand from her face and completely gives up. "I don't care what you do about Yvonne. I'm going into this little mission alone." Trouble in paradise, Miss Andrews? What paradise? Ooh. Mai, I don't think Katherine should go. She hasn't demonstrated that she can handle this kinda mission, and she could jepordize us if she goes alone. * Jonathon adjusts his camera for Yvonne. "Ah. Paradise lost then." * Jonathon takes a picture of Yvonne and her fangs. * Yvonne poses! * Mai looks like SAB is not paying her enough for this. "I will leave it to the group to decide who they wish to go." (Why do I have a feeling that she poses inappropriately?) (A cheap shot.) * Jonathon glances at Mai. "Might I ask the nature of this mission? As long as I'm here." (Jonathon want in on the mission? I can suggest an incredibly obvious way for him to investigate the school, possibly even bring another person with him.) * Mai smiles over. "Covert investigation actually. I'm afraid one which can't allow to be reported." * Katherine takes a breath, then looks in Yvonne's general direction. "If I can't handle it, I'll see to it that I won't jeapordize the rest of you. I'm not officially part of the SAB." 'Katherine, were you planning on going in covertly or coming up with a separate cover story?' I haven't decided yet. * Katherine doesn't add, "But I want to get the hell away from Yvonne." 'Because, no offense, you *are* old enough to pass for a parent.' None taken. * Jonathon rubs the back of his neck. "My my, such hostility. Does every curiousity I pose inadvertantly imply a journalistic aspiration?" * Ben pauses a split second, then makes his own bid for Getting Away From Yvonne. 'As am I,' he adds. 'And I wouldn't mind going in separately from the 'official investigation' myself.' Just establishing the ground rules. If someone puts me in the room with a book, I expect them to notify me if I'm not to read it, I'm extending you the same courtesy. ::she smiles a little more:: I think I am the official investigation. * Jonathon sighs and looks down at his pad. "Drat. Now that I've said that, I can't report the behind the scenes hostilities that are apparently going on under the SAB covers. Very well. Am I dismissed? Yay! I'm SAB! 'You are.' Ari and Red? They can come too. * Katherine looks towards Jonathon. "Sorry about this." It sounds genuine. * Ben looks apologetically at Jonathon as well. They're sorry they used you as a guinea pig, Mr.! * Jonathon flips the pad closed. "If you require a backup, I am more than available for a certain while." He smiles at Katherine. "Think nothing of it. It is always an interesting experience to meet new and unique personalities. It's why I got into journalism in the first place." He tips his fingers in salute towards Yvonne. Marlyne. Jonathon Marlyne. * Yvonne waves to Jonathon. "Ok, Mr. Marlyne!" * Jonathon puts his hands in his pocket and smirks. "This is where you introduce yourself in return." Oh! I'm Yvonne Mozzarella! * Jonathon raises an eyebrow. "So you're a type of cheese?" Umm.... Kinda? * Jonathon shrugs. "I suppose everyone has to have a hobby." Very well. I'll let you get on with it if I'm not needed any further. Good luck." He glances at Katherine and Ben. He doesn't add a "you'll need it." as he walks out. * Yvonne waves. "Goodbye! Oh, and if you ever want to see my hobby, I'll be happy to show you!" I'm not that interested in seeing cheese, but I'll keep that in mind. 'Is it just me,' Ben says to Katherine, 'or are we somehow turning into the only two people not smart enough to leave?' * Katherine looks rather pained and comments, "Unfortunately, professional often doesn't mean smart." The reverse is true, too! There is that. * Ben takes out a new cigarette, lights it off his old one, and throws the old one into a trash bin. * Mai looks the group over with increasingly obvious irritation. "Your group has the authority to decide who you are taking and who you aren't. We've given you a cover and you have the option of using it or picking your own. I'd suggest you actually work out these decisions rather than bickering." 'But putting the authority onto 'our group' doesn't make clear who can exercise it.' * Katherine shrugs. "Half our group isn't even here, and no leader was designated." 'Also, it's rather difficult to make group decisions when two of our number are elsewhere.' (And Katherine and Ben say the exact same things simultaneously. Heh.) Vote on it or vote for a leader. Your choice. With half our team missing. 'Without Red or Ari here?' * Mai leaves the room. "I'll try to remedy that." You guys aren't very friendly, you know. 'I did, yes.' 'Not when I'm on the job, anyway.' * Katherine lets out a sigh, then glances around. She walks over and has a seat before flipping her briefing over and pulling a pencil from her pocket. "I'm not paid to be friendly." * Katherine starts sketching. Or writing. Probably the first, maybe the second. Then how are you gonna get information, huh? Let me clarify. I'm not necessarily paid to be friendly to you. I think you're just jealous of my youth. How did you know? I started guessing when you wanted to test my abilities, but you didn't show your own. First sign of crankiness with age. * Katherine lets out a faint mmm. "Very good. You must be a psychologist." The tone of voice makes it hard to tell if she's joking or not, though the words... uh, yeah. * Mai returns, opening the door and leading in Ari. She looks visibly relieved. * Ari enters with Mai. What does she see? * Yvonne giggles. (She sees Ben, Yvonne, and Katherine writing/drawing in a notebook.) (Actually, I'm drawing on the back of the briefing.) (No Jonathon?) (I believe in recycling!) (No Jonathon.) (No. He escaped!) * Grysar sets mode: +v Ari (Slipped past my traps. ;_;) (They didn't ask him to stay. The fools...err..) 'Ari. Any luck?' * Mai then leaves to look for Red. It was definitely some sort of magic, rather than an inside job. It left a form of residue that made me feel rather ill. 'You recovered?' Yes. Ill how? The people at Galactic want the computer back, but they will not press charges against the students. Headache. 'Any other information for us?' That is all. * Katherine sketches a few smooth lines, then looks up, but she doesn't set her pencil down. Instead, she twirls it between her fingers. 'In your absence, Andrews indicated a desire to infiltrate the school under a different guise than the main Official Investigation party, but hasn't decided what exactly.' * Ari looks at Katherine. "What are your ideas?" * Katherine says, seriously, "I could go with no guise at all." It sounds like it's actually a consideration for her. "Or the mother of a potential student." And the rest of us would go as an investigation team, or something else entirely? You could. No decisions were made in your absence. It struck us as rather unfair. * Ari looks at Ben. "And what is your preference on the matter?" * Mai returns dragging Red. She points to an intercom. "Page me if you need me." She then leaves. * Red is dragged into the room by Mai. "Lovely seeing yer again, Mai." She looks around at those gathered. "Well, I got some info from a few sources I know. Progress here?" 'I see advantages to going in separately from the main investigation team as well, frankly, but it would depend on what everyone else was doing.' Depends on your definition of progress, Red. Given what I have recently encountered, I am reluctant to try and work directly with their computer systems. Shall I tell what I found first? Or would you like to go instead? * Katherine waves. "You first." * Ben puffs on his cigarette. Why's that, Ari? I'd think there's no computer you couldn't - me first? Alright. It's not much, certainly not what I was hoping for. One juicy bit, however, is that the school apparently has a greyish-to- black market of sorts in it. Deals in magical goods, such as what two of the stolen items were purported to be. * Katherine nods. People were, perhaps understandably, tight-lipped about this, so I don't know anything else for certain. It's a potential motive, at least. * Red nods. "It is that." That puts certain things in an entirely new light. * Yvonne giggles. Another interesting item is a sort of wand they carry at the school that allows even neophytes to practice magic. From what I hear, I'd almost say that I could work magic with it, and I'm beyond a neophyte. When I went to Galactic to investigate the stolen computer, I felt a powerful residual magic which I attributed to the means by which the computer was stolen... but it is entirely possible that the computer itself might have had some magic connected to it. I could not tell. Interesting. Are they common? They are... well, not unheard of. They are, however, said to be immensely expensive, and the school apparently stocks them in some quantity, which either means they're rich, or they've found a cheaper way to produce them. * Katherine nods. ( They have people in South American countries do it. ) I wondered if they might have a certain grateful author as a generous doner, looked into the matter some, and decided they most certainly do not. (Wand sweatshops.) * Red turns to Ari. "Now, magic residue... in a computer network. That is interesting." (Yep. The Nike brand of wands.) (Just cast it!) Not in a network, per se. The stolen computer was being kept in a display case in their internal museum. * Yvonne tilts her head. "Maybe a magic cable modem?" It was not connected to a network at all. * Red nods. "Did you go there physically, then? Or some other way?" I was physically there. * Katherine nods slowly. I wanted to see it for myself. Whatever magic was involved gave me a headache, though. * Red nods. "Well, if the computer was magical... it could explain the hacker's success. And the desire of a thief of things magical to have it." Yes. A headache? Curious. Perhaps it doesn't like... hm. * Ari eyes Red. "Doesn't like what?" * Red frowns, seeming puzzled. "I'm not sure, honestly. I don't know how you can interface with computers, after all." Call it a talent and leave it at that, I suppose. * Red nods. "Fair enough." So... any other useful info come up while I was away? * Katherine turns the pencil another time. "Yvonne interviewed Jonathon." That was all that I found. Katie wouldn't interview Jonny, though. She's absolutely right. I wouldn't. Oh? Oh! Interview. How'd Yvonne do? She can dish it out, but she can't take it! * Red quirks an eyebrow at that and looks at Katherine questioningly. * Mai comes back in, she seems a lot calmer. She lays down on the table several security badges, several data pads, and a charge chit and a modern government issue credit card. (The credit chit is same as cash, only internal records).. These are the badges you'll want to be official and the datapads our teams normally carry. They'll have information about procedures if you need to check something. And you can buy tickets up to the school in Scotland on our charge chits, can't be traced back to us ::she smiles slightly:: any extraneous expenses will be deducted from your rewards. * Katherine continues calmly, ignoring Yvonne, "I asked her to question Jonathon as to who he was interviewing and why. When she saw Jonathon, she greeted him and said something along the lines of, 'I bet you were here to interview Eckard about the Chunnel.'" She pauses, then adds, "With an exclamation point." * Katherine looks to Mai and nods. And he agreed! That's true. He did agree. But the point was to be subtle. It was, yes. Well, I said Kathy could go first. But she didn't want to take the test, so I figured I didn't have to either. * Red rubs her face. "Is that so." The point was not to test her. It was to test you. You agreed to it. * Mai then looks around and grumbles something only the hearing enhanced can hear about making Preston handle things next time Eckerd's too busy to handle the briefing. * Katherine smiles apologetically to Mai. Apparently she has enhanced hearing. Hey, I was all for it, as soon as everyone else took the test, too. That was not one of the conditions specified. * Ben takes a drag on his cigarette. I specified it. Katie said no, and you weren't here. * Red sighs. "Then it wasn't really a condition, was it?" * Mai gives a slightly forced smile back and retreats to a corner for now. A copy of Moby Dick appears in her hands. She starts working her way through at a faster than damn good speed reader pace. You are illogical and obviously unsuited for this type of questioning. My advice to you would be to utilize your other assets and keep quiet. Sure it was. Uh-huh. The kids are gonna love you, too. (Ben LOVES Ari.) What the children think of me is irrelevant. Then you're not suited for this. I may not be suited for personal interviews with the children, which is why I will likely not be performing them. * Katherine turns to look to Yvonne. "Really. Do you want to be on this mission?" No, Yvonne, you're not suited for this, I'm afraid. Am too. I was hoping to be proven wrong. I really, really was. It would have been a delicious irony. * Mai tries to get into the dramatic prose and cunning fast paced story telling of Moby Dick. (*calls Mai "Ishamael"*) 'Yvonne... Why don't you interview the victims? That's an important job. And I'm sure you'll get a lot of information out of them. Be subtle.' Ben is absolutely sincere as he says this. 'Meanwhile, we'll do the boring job of going to the school. Okay?' * Red is about to say something, then shrugs. That works, sure. (See, you people don't know how to deal with Yvonne. Frei does! Frei has CANDY.) * Yvonne pouts. 'And,' Ben says seriously, 'If you think it's necessary to get information, you may have to seduce them. Can you do that for us, Yvonne? For the good of the mission?' Well, sure I can seduce them. Heck, that's easy. But I wanna go to the school. * Ben shakes his head. 'No, no. The victims, Yvonne. They're the important thing. They probably know more than they're telling. And only you can find out what.' His voice drops to a whisper. 'Certainly not something we can trust Katherine for.' * Red stays out of this one. * Katherine goes back to sketching. She doesn't crack a smile or a frown, so she must not have heard it. * Mai's about a quarter through. She's fast. Even so she's bored by the pacing. (Because Melville sucks! Skip to the whale stabby from hell's heart.) * Ari goes over to the table to examine the badges and datapads. * Yvonne pouts. "Ok, fine. But you're not gonna do as good, and something will go wrong because I'm not there, and it'll be all your faults! (Yvonne just wants to go in one of those skimpy school girl outfits) That is a risk we are willing to take, and consequences we will simply have to deal with. * Ben nods sadly. 'If only we had two of you, Yvonne. But we don't. So we have to send you where you're needed most.' [Ari finds they're fairly standard official stuff. Nice pads, not meant to be viewed from any angle except that of the users. Badges are pretty spify looking. Designed so that you can whip them out in front of a mirror wow shouting. "FBI!" I mean "SAB!"] (If Yvonne demonstrates her fission power right now, odds are Ben and Katherine and Ari will kill her.) (But which her?) (That's the point. We'd each get one!) Oh, I know you are. But it's still gonna be your fault. And you won't even admit it afterwards. (It's like Christmas!) (I bet she's full of candy.) (Or Ben's birthday! Which it is!) * Ari shakes her head. * Mai looks up. "So, it's decided? I'll get you the information on the burglary locations Yvonne if you'll come with me. Does everyone else have all the information you need?" K 'There was that video to watch...' * Yvonne gets up. * Mai plays it again. You watch the kid walk out of a stairway as a camera pans by. * Ben studies it intently. * Mai then looks for anything else to do before leading Yvonne out. * Yvonne waves. "Bye Red, Ben, Logic Girl and Old Maid!" Yes, Yvonne, I'm still horridly jealous of your youth and beauty. 'Goodbye Yvonne.' Ben waves back. 'We're all counting on you!' * Red winces. "Bye, Yvonne." [Mai leads her out.] * Katherine rubs her eyes with her free hand and waits a bit before asking, "Is she gone yet? Tell me she's gone. I don't trust my senses right about now." * Ari looks at the others. "Is she always like that?" 'No. She didn't hit on you.' * Red sighs. "Apparently she is, Ari. I was hoping there was a sharp mind under all that. Silly me." Why would she want to do that? As people go, I'm only average. Or is that the reason? * Ben takes a very very long drag on his cigarette. And yes, Katherine, she's gone. I take it you're not overfond of Yvonne. 'Ari, she's willing to hit on anyone. Even me, once. No standards, obviously.' (She didn't hit on Frei!) (...wait a minute. She didn't hit on Frei! >_<) ( Poor Frei. ) (Frei's insulted. He's taking his lollies back.) ( She couldn't hit on Frei. It would be like hitting on herself @_@ ) (I'd feel insulted, if I were Frei. Yvonne's been hitting on Saldin.) * Ben glances Ari up and down. 'And don't be so hard on yourself. There's plenty worse out there.' He says this sincerely but just in a friendly manner, not sounding like he's coming on to her unless she really misreads him. So... I heard you discussing some of us going in in the guise of officiality, while the rest of us go under a different pretense? There was that idea. Originally, I mentioned it just because I wanted to get away from Yvonne. 'Yes. Though Andrews mostly seemed to have suggested it as a way of not going in the same group as our departed compatriot.' That no longer seems to be an issue. * Katherine offers a faint grin. "Yes. But it does have some merit. If we split, we might be able to discover some things we wouldn't otherwise." * Ben smiles slightly. 'I still think Andrews or myself, or possibly both, could try playing the prospective parent or parents of a student. See where that leads.' I actually agree. I was thinking of something similar. Yvonne, if she'd had a mind burried under all that air, would have made a lovely addition to such a plan. Prospective parents is a good way to get your foot in the door. They might give you a guided tour followed by a sales pitch, tho, and the only useful time in that is the spot where they so often leave the parents alone to debate the issue amongst themselves. And you often can't go far as that. * Katherine nods. "I may be able to get in alone, though it would really help if there were some information as far as floor plans and such. Which we heard was impossible." 'True, but they'll be less guarded about what they show and tell us, I imagine.' Also true. I don't have much experience with direct investigations of this sort, so I am willing to abide by your decisions on the matter. If it weren't for the magical security measures, I'd actually consider an unannounced entry. 'Ari, it occurs to me that perhaps you are best suited to playing the 'official investigator'. F***, that probably entitles you to just log onto their computers.' * Katherine nods. That would make my job far easier. 'There you go.' Then that is what I shall do. * Red nods and smirks. "Ari can be official." Alright. And the rest of you shall be unofficial and/or prospective parents? * Katherine shakes her head. "Someone may want to go with Ari, if only to cover for her and ask questions while she's busy." 'Well, Red says she doesn't want to risk the magical security. And she's too young to play parent.' 'Red, you want to be an official investigator as well?' No, but I don't really have much of a choice on the matter, honestly. I'll work with it. 'You can be my trophy wife.' Ben's voice is serious, but he smiles slightly. 'But I'm not sure you'd find the parent guise any more to your liking. If anything, it might be even more constricting.' * Katherine taps her fingers on the table, looking into the distance. * Red smirks. "It would, at that. At least this way I get to look into their things." She looks thoughtful. "Working with Ari will be good. We'll probably need to stick together." * Ari nods. 'Katherine, do you want to risk the security and go in unannounced?' My head's full of dashing images of me running off to play spy, but with all the magic around that'd be far too dangerous. No. Honestly, I think I may. I have a way of getting information that might be too difficult if I'm taken on a guided tour. 'Hey, you can go where you want. You're an investigator with authority to roam freely. They'll just likely keep an eye on you,' Ben tells Red. 'So Katherine goes in under the wire.' 'And I shall play the doting father.' * Katherine snickers. Then it's decided? * Red sighs. "I don't like it. But she's probably the only one who can go unobserved, so again, there's no choice." * Red nods. "It should work." * Ben looks at Red. 'If you have any other suggestions...?' * Grysar sets mode: -v Yvonne * Red shakes her head. "No, this is the best option available. Katherine has magic, the rest of us don't." * Katherine nods. She gets to her feet and walks over to the intercom, pressing the button to let Mai know of their collective fates. [End!]