Session Start: Sun Sep 19 14:11:10 2004
Session Ident: #taw
* Logging #taw to 'logs\EsperNet\#taw.20040919.log'
<Ire> Session 193: To Be Announced - Check notes
<Ire> Time Chart: August 14th, 2223
<Ire> Location: Altros
* Ire sits on the bridge, running scans on the Rainforest. Detailed information on the forest pops up - indicating the entire thing is now real, and no longer simulated.
* Junior sits on his perch on the observation deck above the bridge, tacking on his PDA.
* Eve has joined #Taw
* Kimera is now known as Silouette
* Ire shakes his head in disbelief, finding it hard to believe the entire forest is real.
* Junior jumps down the steps, hands in his pockets as he glances to Ire.
* Eve is in the hanger, training on the bars.
* Silouette sits on the bridge, leaning back in a chair, with her eyes closed and her arms crossed across her chest
* Junior walks over to the viewport, glancing over to Ire. "Not such a bad view, is it?"
<Ire> 100% of the plant life is real. No animal life anywhere in the forest, though.
<Junior> One step at a time, I suppose.
<Silouette> *absently* ...if he could make fauna appear like the flora, I'd worry.
* Junior glances to Sil.
<Junior> As he doesn't prance around making flowers grow, I'm fine.
* Dias is now known as Dahok
<Ire> The scope of Fyro's powers are amazing, but it's not something that should be repeated.
* Junior crosses his arms.
<Junior> Given time, the forest will grow on it's own, won't it?
* Dahok lies asleep in his room, bandages cover all his burn marks
<Ire> Surrounded by desert? 6He brings up a map of the surrounding area.
<Junior> Well, an oasis survives.
* Ire pauses, then brings up some HoloVids on mute. On most of them, it shows Slasher making speeches.
<Ire> Now that the rainforest is freed from Janus, it's vulnerable to take over once again.
* Junior glances to them, "I wonder if Slasher will claim responcibility for the new forest."
<Ire> NRP: Slasher: Read my lips! I will not raise taxes!
<Junior> I was thinking, Ire.
<Ire> Yes?
* Ire turns around in his seat to face Junior
<Junior> This 'Paradise' thing you've mentioned before, it's a massive hologram correct?
<Ire> From what I know of Paradise, it was a Tsivrixsh created hologram program initiated by the Alliance in the Galactic War. Six years ago, the simulator, unable to sustain a planetwide hologram, failed in all but seven areas. Now, with the rainforest restored, it operates in only ... six areas.
* Dahok 's eyes flutter open and he quickly leans looking around, confused
* Junior nods...
<Junior> That's what bothers me.
<Ire> What does?
<Junior> It's a program. Meaning somewhere there's a central unit for it.
* Dahok hands move to his chest and his arms, his wounds hot
<Ire> There was a central unit, once. Some sort of station - that was destroyed. Since then, there has been no signs of a central unit.
<Junior> It may just be me, but for Mega City and Janus to be scrambling for control for each sector doesn't make sense.
<Dahok> Must be back on the ship...*swings his legs over the side of the bed and rubs his head*
<Silouette> ...self substaining holograms? That sound a little...
* Ire types on the computer, bringing up the seven locations on a map for everyone to see.
<Junior> Even if there is no central station, there's still some truly physical representation of this device. Who's to say this conquest isn't a farce to distract the others from finding these stations?
<Ire> From what I know of the incident, which is only from Slasher's notes - no one else took any.
<Junior> Those always have bias.
* Dahok stands up, his legs wobbling from weakness
<Ire> According to files, Paradise was put into effect by Death Star. However, he left no notes.
* Junior nods.
<Ire> There's also several references to Garland when it came to Paradise.
<Junior> Death Star's not here, though. He's with the Alliance currently... *crosses his arms* I've been bothered by the concept: "Control Paradise and control Ear--"
* Junior glances to Ire at the mention of the name.
* Dahok hobbles over to his door and opens it, stepping outside
<Silouette> ...can't anyone even mention him in your presence...? *opens her eyes and sits up*
<Junior> It's a matter of attempted disassociation, Sil. *looks to her for a moment before looking back out the viewport*
<Ire> Slasher himself wasn't there when the Paradise program was found, so only those present on the mission could be consulted.
* Junior nods.
<Junior> Short of a planet-wide dragnet excavation, you mean. That'd draw too much attention.
<Ire> Death Star and Garland, according to the notes, found the location. One is dead and the other isn't reliable anyway.
<Junior> Now I'm worried Janus may target Death Star.
<Silouette> ....he's a little out of reach at the moment...
* Dahok makes his way to the 3rd floor and steps onto the bridge
<Junior> Not necessarilly. It's not totally out of scope for anyone to get off-planet.
* Junior glances to Dahok. "He lives."
* Ire turns to face Dahok.
* Dahok looks at Jr then walks over to a railing and leans against it
* Junior turns back to Ire.
<Ire> How do you feel?
* Junior looks out at the forest.
* Kim[AWAY] has joined #TAW
* Silouette has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer)
<Dahok> Like I just got ran over by a fire truck.
* Kim[AWAY] is now known as Silouette
<Ire> Good.
* Ire turns back to the seven areas on the map.
<Dahok> So what happened anyways? Last I remember we were fighting and then I blacked out.
* Ire reaches out and hits a button, bringing up a window of the rainforest.
* Dahok hobbles over to it and looks at it
* Dahok grabs his head
<Dahok> I thought the simulator failed.
<Junior> It did.
* Junior glances to Dahok.
<Silouette> ...pretty nice for lack of a sim...
<Silouette> ...don't you think...?
<Junior> You're going to have a successful career in fertilizer when everything's said and done.
<Dahok> I did that?
<Ire> Indeed.
<Ire> From what I can tell, some of your people believe you're the second coming, Fyro.
<Dahok> ...
* Silouette rolls her eyes.
<Ire> I was in contact with Defal of the Brahnk Temple. He wished me to pass on some information to you.
<Junior> NRP: <Ire> And I don't mean like the one in 2250. *shakes his head* I can't believe they actually sold "Rapture Juice" in stores...
<Dahok> Which is?
<Ire> They want you to become the leader of the Brahnk Temple and the Rainforest.
<Dahok> ...I'm not done yet.
<Ire> Chances are, without a strong leader, Janus will just come back to take over the area.
<Dahok> ...Can you open a secure channel from my room?
<Ire> Yes.
* Dahok nods
* Dahok turns and hobbles out of the bridge, heading to his room
* Ire reaches over, contacting the Brahnk Temple. He then patches it through to Dahok's room.
* Junior glances to Ire. "I hope they find a strong leader."
<Ire> ...Indeed.
* Junior stuffs his hands into his pockets. "What zone are you wanting to liberate next?"
<Ire> The reason the rainforest worked well was due to the fact the brahnk monks were there. No other zone has a central source of leadership that we can use.
<Silouette> ...that'll make things more interesting.
* Dahok is now known as Dias-Car
<Ire> The Canadians are too busy drinking. The Grasslands are too scarce to unite.
* Junior has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer)
<Ire> NRP: <Ire> Sil! They're all dying!
* Junior has joined #taw
* Junior nods.
<Junior> Leaving...?
<Ire> The Siberian Zone is the main focal point of Janus' operations. And Japan.
<Junior> I suggest the head of the snake, in that case.
* Ire taps a button, bringing up the full scope of the SiberiaN Nation.
<Junior> If we take a surgical approach, where is their leader most likely to be?
* Junior looks up at the map.
* Silouette smirks a little, but stays quiet so far.
<Ire> That's a good question. Janus himself has no revealed his location. He could be in any number of hidden bases located in Siberia.
* Junior nods.
<Junior> We need intelligence, then.
<Ire> We do know that Janus is mining ore and metal for some project - we could cripple his operations if we could destroy his mining operations.
<Silouette> ....sounds like a plan. Especially if he's using it for what we think he is...
* Junior looks to Sil.
<Junior> Which is?
<Junior> We could look into disabling the project, but it means Janus would likely be even more entrenched than he already is when we finally make our move on him.
<Silouette> ....the skyhook seems an obvious use of the materials...
<Junior> You'll have to deal with me asking, I've been dealing with a lot of other things.
* Junior narrows his eyes to Sil a little, glancing back to Ire.
* Ire glances at the map of Siberia in silent contemplation, then looks at Junior.
* Junior looks back to the map.
<Junior> There's always the idea of going from the top-down?
* Ire reaches over and shifts the controls. The Altros whines to life, then begins to fly away from the Rainforest.
<Ire> NRP: <Ire> Lets nuke them
* Junior has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer)
* Junior has joined #taw
<Junior> NRP: My router's being a bitch right now... -.-
<Ire> NRP: It hates you
<Junior> The first thing we need to do is infiltrate a Janus installation and download from their computers. Whether we decide to take out Skyhook or not, we need more information.
<Ire> Agreed. We'll need to inflitrate one of their highest bases for the information we need.
* Silouette has quit IRC (Ping timeout)
<Junior> It'd have to be a small team. The key here is to be covert.
<Ire> Yes. Once we're within range of Siberia, I'll begin to run scans, trying to locate a base. However, they'll no doubt be detecting us, too.
* Silouette has joined #TAW
<Junior> Stay cloaked during this. Once you find a base get out of Siberian territory or otherwise out of their scanners.
<Junior> We need them to think we aren't there as best we can. I don't want them prepared.
* Ire taps his chin, obviously troubled by something.
<Silouette> .....what's on your mind, boss?
<Ire> Janus' creation. *reaches over and taps something and a data chart pops up* Janus was created six years ago, just months after Slasher was "killed" by the seven leaders. They were somehow funded by an extremely large amount of money.
<Ire> I had Jerry investigate the money trail and the best we can tell is it came from Slasher's funds right after he was taken out.
* Junior looks to Ire.
* Kim[AWAY] has joined #TAW
* Silouette has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer)
<Junior> Are you saying that Slasher...?
<Ire> I don't know if it was him, but any of the seven people who took him out could have accessed the money, perhaps.
* Kim[AWAY] is now known as Silouette
<Junior> That would explain why Slasher was so eager to meet this truce.
* Ire frowns a little, glancing down
<Silouette> ......
* Junior narrows his eyes, thinking.
<Junior> That would mean that a lot of this was just a farce....
<Ire> Janus spread...quickly, after it's conception. They managed to set up bases in all the areas...except one.
<Junior> Where?
<Ire> The Rainforest. Until Janus forcefully took over it last year, they had no bases in it.
<Junior> We need to talk to McCabe.
<Ire> Yes. I think we do. Since he's why we're out here.
<Junior> Also, we need to figure out why it took them so long to get into the rainforest.
* Ire reaches out to the keyboard and types a string of codes.
<Silouette> ...uncooperative locals? I doubt Janus much to offer them that they'd want...
<Junior> I hate to demonize Slasher, but thinking about it hypothetically, say Slasher funded Janus.
<Ire> The Brahnks probably wanted the weapon corporation far away from their "nature".
<Junior> Somehow I think there's much more to the leaders of the zones removing Slasher.
* Junior glances to Ire.
<Ire> Another aspect we need to look at is the 5th Column.
<Junior> How does it fit in?
<Silouette> ...I never liked their nature that much anyways...
<Ire> The 5th Column was around before Janus, but yet Janus hired the 5th Column to start a war between Mega City and London.
<Ire> And to steal Chiere DNA.
<Junior> Right...
<Ire> Why would the weapon corporation want a war between McCabe and London,.
<Ire> And later, what caused the 5th Column and Janus to fight?
* Junior thinks...
<Junior> Right now I'm bothered the most by how, if Slasher did in fact fund Janus, the Alt team served as a shock-team against them.
<Junior> The leaders, that is.
<Ire> We have an established link. *McCabe's face appears on a viewscreen*
* Eve is now known as McCabe
<McCabe> Sorry for the delay. I had to make this connection secured, so it can't be traced back to me.
* Silouette slowly turns her gaze to the screen
* Junior glances to the screen.
<McCabe> Good job, by the way, with your progress at the Rainforest. You surpassed my expectations.
<Junior> McCabe... I have a question.
<McCabe> Yes?
<Junior> I'm going to be blunt, but what do you know about Janus's conception?
<McCabe> The weapon corporation? It came to be in 2218, just a few months after I ... well, after I had dealt with Slasher. The name "Janus" is coined after it's owner, who is known as a recluse and no images of his face has ever been seen.
<McCabe> Of course, Janus has another meaning, too, if you know your language.
<Ire> ...
<Junior> I'm a Chiere.
<Junior> Humor me.
* Silouette has quit IRC (Ping timeout)
* Silouette has joined #TAW
<McCabe> "Two-faced".
<Junior> I see...
<Silouette> ...subtle.
* Junior looks up to McCabe. "Where did they get the funds to start operations?"
<McCabe> A good question. There's some speculation on that.
<Junior> Your theory?
<McCabe> After the war, not many people had a lot of money left. That happens when everything you know gets wiped out. Sure, a few people off planet got wealthy during the war. Janus could be someone from off planet, who amassed a lot of wealth during the war. Another way to get enough money to run a weapon corporation is to be funded by someone with a lot of power and money.
* Junior nods.
<Junior> How did Slasher know how to repair--and even improve the Altros when there's so much Janus technology on-board?
<Junior> Granted he could have engineered the materials, but in such a timely manner as this?
<McCabe> The Altros was used to repair Aquarius, after the incident last year. It was offline for months - then, from these files I have here, Slasher had Chip work on plans to repair Altros for the defense of the city.
* Ire leans back in his seat.
<Junior> All things considered, a few months would have implied only construction--not conceptualization. No matter how powerful the computer is.
<McCabe> I'm not sure where Chip got the parts from, to be honest. I assumed he got them from offplanet.
<Junior> Say Janus was funded by a terrestrial party, who could do it?
<McCabe> Well, five years ago, I would say any of the leaders of the zone. Well, except the Rainforest and Grasslands. Those areas were poor.
* Junior nods and glances to Ire.
<Ire> He's correct. The Grasslands actually gave Janus a lot of territory for money.
<Junior> Considering the scope of Janus, I highly doubt an off-planet benefactor. Janus for the moment is controling Earth and only Earth.
<McCabe> Then I would have to assume it would be someone who controlled one the zones, then. Only one of them would have the money needed.
* Junior looks back to McCabe.
<Junior> Find out where the parts for the Altros came from.
<McCabe> Alright. I'll the information back to you in a day.
<Junior> This is a non-space capable ship. I want to know who would deliver such parts to Earth when it'd have been easier to bring in a space-ready vessel.
<McCabe> Do you recall Shiva?
<Junior> Also, if you can, check Slasher's account history. I want to know of any suspicious fund transfers.
<Junior> Hm?
<McCabe> Well, Shiva was part of an organization in space - one of which Slasher is allies with. If I had to guess, I'd say they funded him the parts needed.
<McCabe> Also, the account history? Hold on. *he can be heard typing*
<McCabe> How far back are you wishing to go?
<Junior> The past decade. Major spending.
<McCabe> Alright, the past decade. There's been several huge transfers into various terraforming projects.
* McCabe can be seen reading
* Junior nods...
<McCabe> He's spent close to everything he can on just terraforming. *shakes his head once as he reads*
<McCabe> Hm. That's odd. *pauses*
<Junior> What's that?
<McCabe> Well, right around the time me and my ... colleages were getting rid of Slasher, there was a huge transfer of money from the funds to an unknown account.
<Junior> How much?
<McCabe> 800 million. About two years later, the money was replaced.
<Junior> I see.
* Junior glances to Ire again.
* Ire taps his finger on the console as he thinks.
<McCabe> I don't see how these funds were accessed, though.
<Junior> Is is possible Janus was Slasher's insurance policy?
<McCabe> Slasher's insurance policy? I don't see how. ... yet, only three people could have accessed these funds. Slasher is a careful man.
* Junior 's eyes widen for a moment.
<Junior> Chip.
<McCabe> Correct. Chip. Slasher. And myself.
<Junior> It's either Slasher or Chip.
<Silouette> ......
<Junior> That troublesome AI...
<McCabe> What would a computer program want with a weapon corporation?
<Junior> What causes a reploid to go Maverick in an age without the virus?
<McCabe> I conceed that point.
<Ire> Chip ... if it is Chip, the computer program is everywhere.
<Ire> In fact... if a computer program like that could access Paradise...
<Junior> We're all falible to greed and corruption. Remember the Epsilon uprising?
* Junior looks to Ire.
<Junior> It's starting to make sense...
<McCabe> The Paradise program?
* Junior nods to McCabe.
<McCabe> While the Paradise program may have been the biggest and strongest simulator program in the universe, it was a failure. Why would anyone want that?
<Junior> How is all new technology made in this era, McCabe?
<McCabe> Hm. You do know, if Chip is the culprit, he knows that you know.
<Junior> It's all military. The ansible, light-speed, it's all demilitarized technology.
* Ire pauses, not liking the sound of that. He glances at McCabe
<Junior> And what is Paradise?
<Silouette> ....I'm honestly surprised he hasn't butted in on the conversation either way.
<Junior> The ultimate simulation technology.
* Junior glances to Sil.
<Junior> It's called closed ciruit.
<Junior> *circuit
<McCabe> You don't understand, Junior. Chip is everything here.
<McCabe> He controls everything.
<McCabe> He controls the Altros.
* Junior looks around the room, cautiously.
* Ire pauses, realizing the computer AI is Chip's.
<McCabe> Slasher installed the damn computer everywhere he could.
<Junior> Then I'm surprised he hasn's spoken up, too...
<Ire> What makes a talkative computer...silent...?
* Junior passively clicks off the safety on his pistol.
<Junior> Spying.
* Ire bends over to the computer console, eyeing the panel. He grabs something, trying to rip it open.
<Ire> Chip: My my my, aren't we all paranoid today?
<Junior> So, how about it, Chip? *looks around the room, gritting his teeth*
* McCabe grimaces.
* Junior glances to McCabe, "You didn't want this traced back to you, but Slasher's right-hand is always watching..." he shakes his head in annoyance.
<McCabe> I should have a talk with the President about having Chip be his security devices.
<Junior> We're painting a picture with the colors provided. Slasher wasn't there to make the transfer, and it wasn't McCabe.
<Ire> Chip: So it has to be the bad old computer, right?
<Junior> Ire, put the Altros on manual.
<Junior> Cut the sarcasm.
<Junior> I'm not hearing you defend yourself.
* Ire hits the button to activate the manual, but nothing happens
<Ire> Chip: I'm sorry, Dave, I can't let you do that.
<Silouette> ....enough with the intrigue...
<Junior> ...
<Ire> Chip: You organic beings think you're so clever.
<Junior> Not all of us are organic.
<Ire> Chip: Do you know what the most powerful virus in the universe was?
<Ire> Chip: A computer virus.
<Junior> Go on.
<Ire> Chip: The Sigma Virus was the most evolved virus there ever was. The encoding on it could never be destroyed - and the function of a computer virus is to consume everything. That's why Sigma tried to take over Paradise.
<Ire> ...
<Junior> Get to the point.
<Ire> Chip: Well, what turned Sigma into a virus at his core? Certainly not being created. There's a lot of speculation, but the point is...the virus was brought to Origin.
<Ire> Chip: Where it was in a chiere host.
* Junior narrows his eyes.
<Ire> Chip: I have to admit, I got some of the virus encoding in my program.
<Silouette> ....comforting to know...
<Ire> Chip: Your father, whenever he came in contact with an unknown substance, always had the ability to recreate it. Like Hyper. And like viruses.
<Junior> ...
<Silouette> .....that on the other hand is kinda scary...
<Ire> Chip: I always wondered something - when Garland tried to control Death Star in destroying all realities, was it the emerald sword really doing it .. or was it the Sigma in him?
* Junior looks to the viewscreen, watching the text accompanying the voice.
* Ire glances at Junior
<Junior> What are you saying, Chip?
<Ire> Chip: Well, the Sigma Virus itself was destroyed - your father threw it up on Origin's floor and some weird Hunter ate it. But, unlike most of the times when the virus took over someone, it made this guy stupid. It was like Garland threw up all the reject coding of the virus. So, if that was the case, where did the main coding go? And in a Chiere host, what sort of virus is it now?
<Junior> Are you saying that... my father made a pure-form of it?
<Ire> Chip: The puriest. And, of course, since he spent a lot of contact with me..
<Junior> ....
<Ire> Chip: He helped me evolve into one of the greatest AIs ever. And with Slasher, he's helped me spread everywhere. Just like a virus.
<Junior> So, slasher was your puppet?
* Silouette taps her fingers on the arm of her chair.
<Ire> Chip: My partner. We work together. He helps me spread, and I do him favors.
<Junior> So he knows about all of this?
<Junior> Sounds more like the Doom virus to me, giving power to John McCormick but at a hidden price.
<Ire> Chip: Slasher is my friend.
<Ire> ...your friend..
* McCabe snorts
<McCabe> A computer AI thinking of "friends".
* Junior glances to McCabe, then back to the screen.
<Silouette> ......
<Junior> Where are you going with this, Chip?
<Ire> Chip: I'm going to find Paradise, and when I do, I'll corrupt it's coding with my own. And take it over.
<Junior> We're going to stop you.
<Ire> Chip: I'm just doing what Slasher wants.
<Silouette> ....nice excuse...
<Junior> Ire. *glances to him.*
* Ire looks at Junior.
* Junior pulls out his gun, looking to him.
* Ire nods.
<Junior> The Altros was nice while it lasted.
* Junior cocks his gun and fires at the computer.
<Ire> GM: *the computer console explodes*
* McCabe vanishes as the viewscreen dies out
<Silouette> ......
* McCabe is now known as Eve
<Junior> We'll need to evacuate.
<Ire> GM: *the auto-control dies and the Altros begins to drop toward the ground*
<Junior> Sil, get Dahok. Ire, comm everyone and tell them to get to the shuttle bay.
* Ire nods, then taps his comm, activating it.
<Silouette> ...could have asked him what the interest in Chiere DNA is... *heads out to get Dahok*
* Eve looks around in the hanger as the shuttle begins to plummet.
<Junior> Rip out the control unit before you start the system--take it manual. Chip's not in on my one-man vessel. The rendevos point is the clearing to the northeast. The one you saw on the map.
<Junior> Meet me there.
* Junior jogs out of the bridge and to the hanger
<Ire> GM: *alarms go off as the Altros plummets*
<Ire> GM: *a shuttle flies up beside the Altros, then darts into the hanger as it crashes downward*
* Ire leads the crew into the hanger, glancing around as the ship rattles to it's core.
* Silouette quickly grabs her kit and extra sword on the way, then drags Dahok out of his room if she has to, then to the hangar.
* Junior looks to the shuttle that lands inside, he leaps into his shuttle and starts prepping for launch.
<Ire> <Wind> *waves everyone on*
* Eve gets on the shuttle.
<Junior> Fancy meeting you here, Wind.
<Ire> <Wind> I try to be where I'm needed.
* Junior nods and salutes, then pulls the hatch down on his ship, the engines whirring to life.
* Ire waves them onto the shuttle, then hits the ramp close button.
<Ire> <Wind> *grabs the controls of the shuttle, then zooms out of the hanger of the Altros*
* Junior zooms out behind Wind, glancing out the window to the Altros' collapse.
<Ire> GM: *The Altros plummets downward, crashing into the ocean with a mighty splash*
<Silouette> ....what a waste of a ship...
<Ire> ....I just wonder what will happen to McCabe...since he's in the middle of the viper's nest.
* Junior zooms ahead, going to the LZ.
<Ire> GM: *both shuttles zoom across the ocean, heading for the Siberian Nation*
<Ire> Session Ends
Session Close: Sun Sep 19 16:32:50 2004