//------------------------------// // \\C:\Program Files (x86)\CharonCopier\data\rips\TS&V&C_ER_UArc.sdf // Story: Grey Hat // by Journeyman //------------------------------// Shadowlands Lounge, Magnasanti Hub, The Matrix Personas Present: ~Blackjack ~Bone Collector ~Dutchess ~Hesperides ~King Kludge ~LaLiLuLeLo ~MrOrion ~Ozymandias ~Sid the Kid ~Synergy ~ZomZom --Johnny26 has joined the chat-- Johnny26: How’s it hangin? King Kludge: Low and long. ZomZom: You’re late. Johnny26: Sry got held up. MrOrion: Late? ZomZom: I invited him over four hours ago. Johnny26: Traffic was all. Back in Johnny26: Hold on. Blackjack: Eh? Johnny26: Still learning all the chat commands. King Kludge: Type “--help chat” without the exta dash Johnny26: thx Ozymandias: So I’ve got some news. Fluttershy and Applejack are staying at the Ring. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: How are you feeling? Bone Collector: The hell for? Ozymandias: Word is just like before: sharing Equestrian crop knowledge. Dutchess: Riddle me this: why bother? OCO’s not one to be lacking on that front. LaLiLuLeLo: It’s not about a lack of product. OCO’s been getting flack for not keeping promises to offer resources for refugees. Their reputation’s been taking several hits in recent years for biting off more than they can chew. Plus Ana’s has been a huge asshole on that front and publicly berated them for losing three cargo ships full of medical supplies and welfare. King Kludge: Not only that, Heilengiest has a better business plan. It has Arias’ and Zenith’s muscle to flex when needed. OCO’s been known for their one thing: innovation. Problem is that has some pretty significant operating and production costs attached to it. They’re spending money to make money, but profit’s staying about the same while costs are still going up, despite them being worth a lot. It’s profitless profit, fighting to just break even. I’m betting this is a move to shave off costs. When it comes to running a business, Ana just has the bigger dick. `¯ÿø+))0w: I’ve been better. Been worse, too. Blackjack: And she’s a huge cunt. Sid the Kid: Plus Bones won’t stop fucking with them. Bone Collector: I didn’t do it! ZomZom: Whatever it is, you did it. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: I have a new selection of material for you. Hesperides: Snatching up Avolians has become quite the common practice. CSS’s been scouting those with military records, Deus the same with Earth Pony contractors, and OrC. Op. the same with a notable green hoof. Avolians have seriously stepped up their efforts to stop this practice, but there’s always those worming through the cracks. What makes me curious is how they managed to score two element bearers. Blackjack: Yeah, that’s ringing all kinds of alarm bells already. Who’s heard from the cap? LaLiLuLaLo: He’s still looking into it. `¯ÿø+))0w: Not my forte, but thanks anyway. > Johnny26 has turned on Voice Chat > Johnny26 has turned on Speech to Text Johnny26: Yo. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Do you wish me to stop? Dutchess: Dude, lol. What’s up with your voice? Blackjack: You sound like your testicles dropped and wedged themselves deep in the planet’s crust. Johnny26: Sorry. I’m a prepubescent but my voice keeps confusing people into believing I’m a thirty year old black man. King Kludge: hahahaahahahahahaha! `¯ÿø+))0w: God no. I’m just out of my depth. Johnny26: Anyway, I’m moving into my new place and rather henpecking messages every other minute as I move shit back and forth, it’s easier to just turn this on. Synergy: Just don’t start fapping because then the text gets eight kinds of fucked up. ZomZom: Yeah. If anyone pulls that shit again, they’re going to get a metaphorical punch to the throat. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: How so? Dutchess: Now I kinda want to. King Kludge: Let’s not. Dutchess: Even if I am unzipping as we speak? MrOrion: Bitch I will grab you by the pubes and pull. `¯ÿø+))0w: It’s end user documentation w/ redaction. Johnny26: Now I’m just curious about what it would spew out if I started beatboxing. Hesperides: Oh, the family we have weaved. Synergy: It’s times like these that make me unsure if sobriety is ever a good thing. `¯ÿø+))0w: It’s not easy picking up on the clues. Hesperides: To get back on topic: what is the topic? Synergy: There isn’t one. Last one was on Lafayette, but we exhausted that one pretty quick. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: I’m sure you can manage. Bone Collector: I’ve got a suggestion. LaLiLuLeLo: Perish the thought. King Kludge: Go on. `¯ÿø+))0w: Who’s your supplier? Bone Collector: The Dratali pledge. Blackjack: I’m game. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Looking to cut me out? MrOrion: Go for it. King Kludge: Acceptable. Zom? ZomZom: Fine with me. `¯ÿø+))0w: No. Even middlemen need jobs. King Kludge: Bodacious. > King Kludge -settings -chat topic newtopic New Shadowlands Lounge Topic: The Dratali Pledge `¯ÿø+))0w: Just curious as to what’s in it for you. Synergy: The hell is that anyway? LaLiLuLeLo: If I may, bones? Bone Collector: Take it away. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Money, of course. LaLiLuLeLo: Now I’ll be the first to admit my knowledge is incomplete. Ever since the defeat in Avolian airspace a little over a year ago, there have been cases of certain Dratali members pledging loyalty to other species. The details are sketchy, but the jist of it is that it is a method of atoning for one’s sins. I’ve seen at least one case where one who didn’t “sin” pledged himself to another, so there’s more to the story; chalk it up to incomplete information. LaLiLuLeLo: Furthermore, it’s not something that’s done lightly. From what I can tell it’s a form of indentured servitude that borders on slavery. Synergy: see? It’s this religious zealot bullshit that made me quit church in the first place. Ozymandias: Easy Syn. Dial it back a few notches. MrOrion: Why haven’t I heard anything about this? Bone Collector: It’s only been gaining steam in recent months, and only privately. LaLiLuLeLo: Dratali are private individuals. These are private matters that are thought as something not needed to be shared with others. I only know as much as I do due to sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong. `¯ÿø+))0w: I find myself awfully suspicious. ZomZom: Speaking of, I’ve seen a recent breakin in one of CSS’s secure file storage. Someone shot up the place, and a few people while they were at it. Dratali files were one of the items stolen. Your work? Dutchess: Jesus christ @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: I’d be surprised if you weren’t. LaLiLuLeLo: I didn’t kill anyone. Frankly, I think a little hospitalization is necessary in order to get the word out. Considering I’ve seen a classified CSS report that I cross referenced with some of my NOMAD contacts, I know all is still not well on the Dratali front. The extremist faction still has enough support to keep up the campaign. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: It’s not par for the course to get contacts and intel myself, h/e. Bone Collector: So, any thoughts? Synergy: I’m a nobody living in the middle of a crowd. If I start screaming in a crowd that I’ve been stabbed, people would tell me to shut the hell up because Vasquez's newest single is on the holovid & i’m interupting. `¯ÿø+))0w: Very well. What do you have for me? Ozymandias: Stuck between a glock and a hard place? Sid the Kid: Youve got quite the bug up you but today @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: First I need something from you. Synergy: I’m nothign. Seriously. Politics is way over my head, I got most of my current events from you guys and gals, I can’t fight worth a damn, so even if a Drat rrocks out of the shadows there’s precisely jackshit I can do about it.. Why should I get worked up over something that doesn’t affect me and I cant change in the slightest? I’ve got enough to worry about. `¯ÿø+))0w: Oh? King Kludge: u need to talk privately Synergy? Hesperides: It’s compassion fatigue. ZomZom: Clear the crap off the floor, girl. I’m stopping by later today. --SecondSon has joined the chat-- @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: More accurately, I need two things from you. Sid the Kid: She does have a point. What does this mean to us? @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Payment for services, if you will. Blackjack: Ask the closest security advisor and you’ll get your answer. SecondSon: Meaning you? `¯ÿø+))0w: Such as? Blackjack: It’s going to throw a huge clusterfuck into everyone who has to deal with security or public relations. At least physical security, not cybersecurity like Valentine. It’s going to cause so many extra problems it’s ridiculous. I haven’t had to deal with it myself but despite xenophobia it’s going to be next to impossible to tell if a pledge is genuine. Bone Collector: Pledges are legally binding. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: First off, “He Who Walks Through Walls” is in town. Blackjack: My ass is legally binding to this chair. I’m pretty sure the concept of “take-backsies” exists across all cultures. Even if it doesn’t, all it takes is one asshole to pop one cap in one ass and then we have a public panic and then things are all fucked up. Security is going to be tightened harder than a virgin asshole awaiting a dragon dildo. This means more checkpoints, more surprise inspections, harassment, etc. It’s nto a question of true or not true. It becomes not a question of ensuring a pledge is genuine, but stoping those that aren’t. The value of something being honest is irrelavent because all people or headlines care about is that one time where someone breaks the rules. `¯ÿø+))0w: shit Johnny26: Shit, you ranted for like a good two minutes there. King Kludge: I’m impressed. --VolTecha has joined the chat-- @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: I want you to ignore him. Hesperides: Dratali pledges, hmm? One thing that should be noted is that Magnasanti is far too close to contested space. One of the first stops for an eager young mind waiting to purge sin is our favorite City of Night. `¯ÿø+))0w: Why? That guy’s not one you just shrug off. MrOrion: Also a good point. However, if I may interject? Bone Collector: Floor’s yours. `¯ÿø+))0w: If he’s here something big is going down. MrOrion: I think this is a good thing. For the first time the Iron Curtain is falling and we’re seeing signs of regret and remorse. This is a good thing. It’s showing that they can at least understand that they’re massive fuckups. The hardest thing for anyone to anyone to say is that they’re wrong. Here we have a species that is moving towards admitting their entire theology has a distinct flaw and are working towards recompense. --Hesperides has disconnected-- Dutchess: Problem being is all we have to work on is hearsay and L’s database. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Exactly, and that is why you will not interfere. > LaLiLuLeLo Transmitting to #CHAT: June 15, 3043 Posting includes 5.3 GB of attached files LaLiLuLeLo: I’ve also attached the files to the board in case anyone wants to take a look in their free time. `¯ÿø+))0w: I need to know why he’s here. Ozymandias: My heart says yes, but my mind is saying no, Orion. I don’t think you’re wrong, but I don’t think thre’s enough proof at this time to say for sure. --Grease Monkey has joined the chat-- Johnny26: What are the chances this isn’t another play? SecondSon: If they are coming, feel free to ask one of them yourself. Synergy: Pass MrOrion: There’s still enough to warrant further study. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: You’re resourceful. Surely you can discover that yourself. Sid the Kid: Agreed. Dutchess: So what do official Alliance sources say on the matter? LaLiLuLeLo: Precious little and mostly hearsay. They’ve got a dedicated Naval Intelligence division going, but good luck cutting through bureaucracy. Red tape is something that will never die. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Secondly, I believe Twilight Sparkle will be coming to Magnasanti. SecondSon: Speed is on our side, if nothing else. --Captain Chaos has joined the chat-- @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: I need you to discreetly help her when that time comes. Ozymandias: yo cap `¯ÿø+))0w: One, I can’t ignore that guy coming here.  Captain Chaos: Hold on. I need to check something. BRB, AFK. --The Crooked Man has joined the chat-- Grease Monkey: Can you get your hands on a few firsthand experiences with Drat pledges, L? @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: You will. LaLiLuLeLo: I’m already on it. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: I don’t have to state why otherwise. King Kludge: Goodspeed, good man. Grease Monkey: My own opinion is this is a good thing. Should a Drat decide to fuck things over, we’ve got a bunch of colorful losers on our side now to send into the meat grinder ahead of us. If anything it’s a tactic to prevent attack by means of MAD. After all, ponies were a pivotal part of why the attacks let up. Can’t make a decision without bringing them into the mix. Having Avolians is going to force that do pledge to stick to their guns. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: My current package cometh. Bone Collector: Ah, the pleasant smell of shame when you understand another can beat the hell out of you. Synergy: Go beat one off in a corner Bones. Johnny26: So here’s an interesting idea: what if these pledges become mainstream for them? @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Let’s dispel any remnants of choice in the matter. SecondSon: Then another dynasty falls. The Alliance will fold yet another civilization into the mix after civil wars break out, but then events will settle down.                                               MrOrion: Someone’s cheery. `¯ÿø+))0w: You think you can just spring this on me? VolTecha: Dratali, hmm? Interesting choice of topic. The Crooked Man: If, and only if, they stabilize their centralized authority, there might be a chance. Should they join the Alliance ranks now, on the heels of Avolians, the combined magical influx would boost development in all sectors across the board. We’d see a new renaissance in science, technology, art, and maybe even the birth of new sciences. King Kludge: Now there’s an idea to ponder. Yeah... that does tickle my cockles. Johnny26: Your... what? @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Of course. Curiosity has killed more than cats. SecondSon: Imagine artisans and artists ushering a new era that hadn’t been seen since the Islamic caliphs in Earth’s Middle Ages. Sid the Kid: Yes I’m at half chub already. Now why has Zombie been so quiet? Dutchess: Yeah what up boss? VolTecha: I think the consensus so far has been cautious optimism, ZomZom. Your opinion? ZomZom: Screw them. MrOrion: An answer that came to the surprise of exactly zero people. King Kludge: Let him speak. Type. whatever. `¯ÿø+))0w: Oh, I know how this game is played. ZomZom: This shit’s been going on for almost 50 years. Dratali attack. Railese? Larimus III? Those places sound familiar? People keep dying; human, Korg, Avian, or otherwise. It’s standard war dogma that has happened since the beginning of time. I’ve got no problem with that. People have been killing each other for long enough that this is common practice. But now that there is an official end to the madness, some of them are pledging themselves to people they respect of those they themselves or their family have hurt. I will say right now I will shoot them right between the eyes if any Dratali approaches me and says they’ve made a pledge. Johnny26: Christ dude... ZomZom: It’s such a load of hypocritical bullshit. Oh, now they’re doing this? After fifty years? There’s the occasional whisper of defectors like always, but now the common people are making pledges? Screw them. It’s only happening now that they’ve clearly lost. I would have heard otherwise. So would Chaos, L, or even Jack. This isn’t honesty, it’s saving face. Even if they don’t believe in Dratali religious dogma, it’s only after they’ve lost. If they actually held up to their beliefs and kept at the crusade I could at least admire their tenacity. Now they’ve abandoned that at the first sign of defeat. So yeah, they can pledge and it’ll make things all better. Out of all the people hurt, out of the mountain of dead, feel free to pledge. At least your conscious is clean. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Really now? Ozymandias: shit... Dutchess: Still think it’s a good thing Orion? MrOrion: He hasn’t converted me but i concede he has a point. `¯ÿø+))0w: I’m still puzzling who’s pulling your strings. The Crooked Man: So you feel they abandoned their beliefs to save their lives? ZomZom: Either that or they genuinely feel this is enough to make up for what their kind has done. It’s either self-serving hypocrisy, or they have zero understanding of what it’s like to empathise with others. The Crooked Man: You can’t punish an individual for the crimes of another. ZomZom: I can judge him for believing he’s right when he’s not. Sure, maybe they genuinely believe they can make up for what their species has done. They can do all they want, but THEY DO NOT GET TO DECIDE WHEN THEY ARE FORGIVEN. King Kludge: I think things are getting a little too heated in here. @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: That package is much too expensive. ZomZom: Agreed. I’ve had my say. Blackjack: ending the topic early? Captain Chaos: Yes. Johnny26: And you are? Captain Chaos: I’m the sysop. Has the chat been working alright for everyone? @°õN)0ÿÿl¯ÿ¯ÿ: Now let’s see if you’re all bark. Dutchess: Seems fine. VolTecha: Everything working as expected, but I just got here. Grease Monkey: all systems go Synergy: all good King Kludge: What’s up? Captain Chaos: Not sure. One of the daemons threw up flags of high network usage I normally attribute to peak traffic hours. I thought the Shadowlands was getting a DOS attack or someone was messing around in my network. LaLiLuLeLo: I doubt a DdOS alone, even a coordinated DdOS, would bring down the Shadowlands. `¯ÿø+))0w: Bail. Captain’s on to us. Captain Chaos: Still needed to check anyway. Might just be a blip is all, but it just spiked out of nowhere. Sid the Kid: L posted some stuff. --[Unidentified User] has disconnected-- Captain Chaos: That might be it, but hold on just a moment. --[Unidentified User] has disconnected-- --Captain Chaos has disconnected-- VolTecha: I take it this morning’s been all sorts of fun? Blackjack: Morning? I must be in some god-forsaken hole because none of you assholes are ever going to sleep or waking up the same time as me. It’s night. Sid the Kid: You’re exactly where we want you. Blackjack: Fuck you Grease Monkey: the butthurt is strong in this one Blackjack: fuck all ya’ll Synergy: Sid. Now that I got a hold of you, did you get my package? Sid the Kid: Oh. That. Bone Collector: So are we done with the topic for today? King Kludge: I’m ending it early. Feelings are a little too hot for it now. I’ll bring it back up tomorrow perhaps. Synergy: Sid. Speak up. Sid the Kid: This... abomination is a piece of crap! MrOrion: Oh, I’ve gotta hear this VolTecha: What’s going on? Synergy: I told you it was fucked. I kno it’s not fixed, and I did my best. Now quit your bitchin, and what did you find? Grease Monkey: I got it to work. Barely. King Kludge: What are you two working on? Synergy: I’m trying to rework a defective microcircuit for the decommissioned Smartlink project on an Ingram Smartgun. In theory, holding a gun completes a touch-sensor circuit between your eyes and a pistol. It requires cybernetic eyes, but it’s supposed to line up a reticule in your field of view wherever your pistol is pointing. ZomZom: That’s... actually a handy idea. Blackjack: I take it the project still doesn’t work? Grease Monkey: I’m more concerned that Syn stole private blueprints. Synergy: I covered my trail. I’m fine. ZomZom: Munchkin, you just stole corporate secrets. You have some serious balls for that. Synergy: I found them in the dumpster. Sid the Kid: I imagine I know why. --ZomZom has disconnected-- Synergy: Explain, mortal. Sid the Kid: Do you know how many different ways the Smartlink can fail? You need a stable circuit on the palm which, when you’re in a gunfight, means your grip on the gun may be tenuous at times and the cybereye reticule would cut out if the circuit is interrupted for even the slightest reason. Pistols with full auto or even burst fire can cause the grip rangefinder and altitude calibration to melt if it overheats too badly. The targeting sensors are easily misaligned. Shove a clip in place too hard and you could dislodge the gun’s gyros. They used carbon nanotubes wrapped in viscera insulation to reduce signal propagation delay in the body, despite the fact carbon nanotubes are poisonous and a rupture in the viscera could cause additional internal damage! Sid the Kid: Then there’s the output design for the cybereye reticle. The only option available even through modification is this stupid ECR microcircuit that produces this horrible, wobbly signal that difficult to see on even the most advanced cybernetics, all in an age where we have RCA repeaters. And even when I did get it to work the system froze all the time, and I do mean all the damn time! Why nanotubes? Why ECR microcircuits? Why did I spend so long getting something this broken to work? MrOrion: Someone put a spoon in his mouth, SId’s seizing. Blackjack: breathe goddamit King Kludge: As fun as this is to watch, seriously I’m rofling right here. calm the fuck down Sid. Sid the Kid: No. This shit’s personal now. I’m getting this skidmark working whether it wants to or not. Blackjack: Do you need any help? Sid the Kid: No. I’m getting this to work on my own if it’s the last thing I do. --SecondSon has disconnected-- Dutchess: Buy a cold one on me and goodluck scrublord/ --Grease Monkey has disconnected-- Sid the Kid: alright I’m done rantning now kthx Blackjack: How many hours did you put in? Sid the Kid: Around 35 so far Synergy: I gave it to him a week ago. The Crooked Man: You’re due for some rest, friend. --Captain Chaos has joined the chat-- Sid the Kid: I can survive on water, but that doesn’t have the chemicals I need to keep me awake. King Kludge: Easy there. We’ve all got that project on occasion to keep us busy but dont overexert yourself Synergy: I’ll sleep when i’m dead. i’ll let the caffeine and amphetamines do their job in the meantime Sid the Kid: Amen to that Johnny26: I’ve gotta go now, but we’re going to continue the topic later? King Kludge: Yes. I’m not going to have it right now. Let people cool down a bit Bone Collector: Zombie was the only one throwing a hissy fit. The Crooked Man: This is true. You might need to talk to him about his behavior, King Kludge. King Kludge: Don’t worry; I will. Johnny26: I just have a question kinda sorta related to it before I go. As the resident new guy, I got a question for the mods. You’re one, right? King Kludge: Yes. Johnny26: I wasn’t sure I wanted to say it with ZomZom active. King Kludge: Out with it. Johnny26: What’s gonna happen when a Drat gets outed as one of the Shadowland’s members? King Kludge: huh King Kludge: well King Kludge: That will be an interesting day. For chapter commentary and my ramblings, visit my page HERE Chapter Commentary: LINK