Apparition
Flood: Something's been bollocksed in the Barrens, operative, and considering that seven Agents were flattened in the process, I suppose I can't blame it on you. Nevertheless, you're going to help deal with it. Malphas should have more details for you, if he's been sniffing about as he's supposed to.
Operator: Ah, the joys of working for someone who's bitter about living in the wrong century. Malphas should be in there. No hostiles in sight.
Blood Noble: The Barrens aren't so bad, if you know where to go.
Blood Noble: Ridiculous.
Blood Noble: I hope he isn't as dull as the last one...
Malphas: Reports from my sources in Westview are odd, and somewhat contradictory, but it appears that something quite unsual took place near Ascension Monument. A large man composed entirely of white neon wires, they say, walked down the monument, terrorized traffic, killed a group of Agents with a wave of his hand, and then slipped off into the squalor of the surrounding area. Machine response to this has been remarkable. System operatives and Agents are combing the city. Their usual anti-Zion efforts have been suspended. Apparently this man is of great concern to them. Naturally, the Merovingian would like us to find him first.
Operator: So let me guess: Flood's gonna want us to track this weirdo down.
Malphas: I can't say that I have any idea at the moment.
Flood: Don't be ridiculous, Mayk; the blood-drinkers are far better trackers than you. The lupines aren't so bad either, come to that. However...some of them appear to have run into some sort of hitch. Why don't you just go see what they're up to?
Operator: I've got some active programs in there, but they definitely aren't ours. Assuming that Flood sent us to the right address, this could mean trouble.
Security: You're under arrest! Hands up!
Operator: Hm... I'm starting to get a picture here...
Operator: Looks like the Machines really are out in force. They must be a little mad at the weirdo for smacking their Agents around. That could make getting to him a little tricky...
Flood: Oh, that's lovely news. Yes, thank you. Always the bearer of happy tidings, aren't you? Fine, fine. Seeing as how I appear to be running short of search programs at an alarming rate, you've been promoted to a search party. Don't let it go to your head.
Operator: Unidentified signals again! Looks like redpills, this time--Machinists, maybe? Hm... Weird reading there... Not sure what that was.
Operator: I think they've got one of our programs in there... Huh... I think it's dead, but... *CENSORED* it. I keep getting a sync error when I try to run a scan.
Zion Pathogenist: Well, if the Machines really are pulling back from the old-- You hear something?
Zion Gunman: Heads up, sir!
Operator: There's our program. What the hell is that on its head? I'm still getting sync errors... It's like its cycle speed is off. There's also some kind of code residue fouling up the readings... Can't make anything out of it. Jeez, this is messed up. We'd better get back to Flood with this.
Flood: Frankly, operative, just about anything would have made more sense than what you just told me. Oh, this clay I have to work with... I can see that it's time to call in a specialist. I'm setting up an appointment for you with Cerulean. She's an information and data expert, and besides, she spends most of her time in Westview. If anyone has actual hard data on this creature--or an idea of how to get it, anyway--she will. She's a ghost, but try not to let that distract you.
Operator: Yeah, well, everyone's got their problems, huh? Supernatural or not, she's supposed to be meeting you in there.
Cerulean: Yes, of course I've seen them: code readings of a type completely unfamiliar to me. They've attracted a great many other programs to the area, clogging up the data stream. No, I can sort it. But tell the Merovingian I'll require double for this.
Cerulean: Why? Because there's no telling what that code he wants tracked can do. It's already deleted some of your programs. Data is being lost, and I don't plan to risk mine--at least, not without compensation.
Flood: Double?! Why, that grasping spectre... You told her it was out of the question, of course. ... Didn't you? Mayk?
((And that's it until next crit.))
