Apr 02 13:51:20 109 PA - Talking Cyber to a Non-Cyber Guy
From Chronicles
Apr 02 13:51:20 109 PA.
THE ALIBI
Mid-afternoon at the Alibi on a Tuesday isn't their busiest hour. The live entertainment isn't even up yet, though it will be in an hour or two. Gabriel is doing a bit of strolling right now, holding a brown bottle in one hand, with his greatcoat slung over his left forearm for comfort. Though he chats up a few people here and there, he seems to be more of an ambler than a visitor.
Max enters through the front door, a somewhat odd expression on his face. It's not calm per se... just.. ambivalence. He's just not caring about much today. Which is strange for the normally passionate man. He doesn't see Gabriel at first, wandering in and checking his pistol at the door. Finally he looks around, and spies Gabe, though he leaves the man be, moving up to the bar and having a seat.
For a short time, Gabriel continues his way around the club, nodding ever-so-slightly here and there. Looking at walls, the stage, the bar and even the staff. Eventually and inevitably, his wanderings bring him back to the bar, where he finishes off the bottle in a long pull. It is stomped lightly down on the counter: another bottle of Kingsdale's own 'Donovan's Fizz.' He gives a short 'come here' gesture with his fingers and orders up another one. That's when he discovers that he's standing none too far from Max, and raises his bottle in salute, though he doesn't move that direction yet. Rather he takes some time to pop off the cap with a reassuring, 'phwiiiisshhhh.'
Max nods in Gabriel's direction, ordering only a a beer. Nothing fancy, just a beer. He doesn't even specify the flavor. He tosses a few credit chips on the table and pops the bottle open as it's given, taking a large deep swig of the cold and amber liquid.
"Max!" Gabriel finally gets out as he walks over to the younger man. "How's it going? I admit, I'd never expected to see you here. At least, not today. No reason, just that I don't even come in here often. Nice place though." He nods and looks around the room again. "Whatcha drinkin' today? Excuse me." The last is to a person who is vacating their stool, as he hops on it nearly before they're out.
Max smiles at the talkative older man. "Just a beer, nothing special." He tells him, though by his tone it's more like he's just talking, not to anyone in particular. "I figured you would be prepping for the Tolkeen trip, he says finally focusing on Gabriel. He fights not to drop his volume as that would give people even more reason to listen. People do so love secrets.
Gabriel does so love his secrets, as people who know him would know. Or if done right, wouldn't know that they knew. "I don't know if we're ready yet, Max. Still putting all the gear together. I need to strap my stuff down as efficiently as possible, figure out what's worth lugging along, what's not... we all need to." He uses his bottle's neck to indicate Max. "You working with Bartholemew to get your own comm gear organized?"
Max nods at that. "Trying to.. I have to get him the full detailed list of what I need and want.. then leave it to him to get it. I only have the equipment in my armor, and that’s not gonna do a whole lot of good if I'm running against professionals properly equipped. which is likely."
"You wearing regular EBA, or do you have something special?" Gabriel asks. "Didn't you come from a professional mercenary group?"
"Urban Warrior?" He explains, hoping the name means something to the man. "And yes I did.. but my separation was.. less than peaceful and I couldn't take any of my equipment with me. What do have, I stole from them."
Gabriel nods. "I understand. Urban Warrior, they qualify that at medium, right? Yeah, good to keep you back to protect Tek and the gear." Then a smirk. "Some of the best things in life are stolen. What are you having Bart get together for you? I know that he has a long-range radio set, but when he offered a posting with his company, I declined, so I'm not entirely up on his inventory."
Max shrugs, "I'm not either.. I don't care to know either, I'm not casing him so I'm good with what I have. But the way he explained it he'd get the equipment, buy it for himself, but it's mine to use as long as I'm in his employ. After that, it's mine." He explains. "And the urban is a light armor..."
"Oh. I guess he came into some cash, if he can afford to got through and purchase new gear. What's the equipment, though? Is it communications gear? You know, talk or jam. Or is he going to give you something to tap a network with from a good distance?" Gabriel takes a moment for another draw on his bottle of soda before asking, "Ishpeming.. am I pronouncing it right? How are they getting along with Prosek right now?"
Max takes a swig of his beer before answering. "It's comms gear at the moment, and I can use the same equipment for either purpose pretty much. I can jam basic radios with the radio in my suit if I need to. As for the networks and computer side, I'll need a decent computer to work with which I have an order in for myself.. though whether or not it comes in on time is anyone's guess." He says, then takes another swig, and swishes it in his mouth for a minute. "Yeah it's Ishpeming.. Northern Gun. Both they and the Imperium have trade agreements with the Coalition.. so I'd say they're pretty friendly."
Gabriel nods, "Oh. Too bad, I hate it when I have to take fools like ambassadors through dangerous territory." He shakes his head as if he's had to do this before. "I was hoping Michigan would be a safer place, but I guess... not by much, huh? Anyway, I wouldn't worry about your computer. I haven't heard any deadline yet before the guy - the ambassador - wants to head off. So there's some time. How big a network could you bring down, and from how far away?"
Max chuckles and shakes his head. WAY too many variables to be able to give an accurate answer. Level of network defenses, timeliness of system operators, presence of enemy psi operators.. All sorts of things. "It's not that simple Gabriel.. it's not a simple as loading a program, tapping into their system and uploading a virus to cripple the network. The range and all that depends greatly on my equipment. The better equipment I have, the better job I'll perform. Likewise, it's that equipment matched against their equipment, with my skills and the enemy skills and system defenses that are the deciding factor."
The older fellows smiles around the mouth of his bottle before speaking. "Sorry Max, you're explaining things to the wrong guy. The last computer I saw took up a large room and ran off of vacuum tubes and punch cards. A field computer was called pencil and paper." He brings out his simple four-function calculator, holding it up for display. "Didn't even have these. Can you take an educated guess at something we might reasonably expect to find?" Gabriel then finishes with another sip of soda.
Max stares at the man incredulously, as he explains. "Ok.. simplest terms... The same way we're trying to sneak past the physical guards and get where he need to go.. I'm doing the same thing, just with heavier defenses, it's just all digital. All computer language." He says, and leaves it at that. "As far as what to expect? I'm not sure. On the one hand it's a militarized city state we're heading into.. so I'd expect top of the line defenses. But at the same time.. most people would attack with power armor and armies of armed men. Not.. computer code and backdoor entrances.. I don't know."
Gabriel nods, probably not in complete understanding, but close enough. Doesn't even bat an eye at the incredulous stare - just returns it with an amused wiggle of his brow. "Hopefully we won't need to... 'jack in' to anything. The smaller our footprint the better. I'm really more concerned with two things. First, the ability to listen in on both open and encrypted transmissions. That's the big one. The second is more of a last resort, which is jamming those same transmissions if necessary. What's the range on something like that using what Bart's likely to be able to acquire?"
Max considers this, setting his beer down. "Well.. if he's smart.. he'll buy a black market portable scan dihilator. It's a multipurpose sensory platform with built in Ground up radar up to... about five miles if I remember correctly. It's got long range radio with a built in scrambler for our own communications purposes as well as a built in sensor array giving radiation, heat, microwaves... pretty much anything with an energy signature barring magic and psionics. I would also get a military style radio for a main listening function.. they've got a two hundred mile plus range, and good for pretty much anything I'll need. And of course a high end computer for me to work my digital magic on.. But that's if he's smart."
The old soldier nods, obviously actually understanding things this time, and confirms it as he smiles, "Okay, there you go. Zero-horizon radar, long-range scrambler, thermal sensors, pop a magnetron in and you'll get your microwaves. Radiation. See, I'm not so old. I'm just not cyber." He reaches out to give Max a good pat on the upper arm. "If he's going to be smart, you should be telling him what you need, Max. That would be the smart thing to do, if he really does have the money to blow," Gabriel offers.
Max inclines his head, eyeing his mostly empty beer and pondering getting another. "I think I'll do that, but again with all this equipment.. it's still a matter of hiding it when we need to. It's really not cheap by any means to throw away or risk hiding on the side of the road, and I promise the Coalition will notice if their comms are being jammed. Best bet is to hide it, me and Tek all in Tek's truck, and create some cover equipment to toss on top of it. Maybe put everything in boxes but leave the lids off in the truck so I can use the equipment, but can hide it if need be.. maybe come up with a story, about bringing the equipment in for selling purposes if they catch us with it.. But then I'm just the tech guy, and an extra gun if required."
Gabriel smiles. "You're the tech guy, and an extra gun, and I'm sure you'll do fine. We'll just keep you out of the line of fire for a while. If one of those units comes past though, wouldn't they be able to sense that stuff anyway, thus pissing them off when they discover we're hiding it? I mean, really -" he waves toward the door "- right there are a few bouncers with some cheap gear to sense electronics and weapons and such."
Max shrugs. "Possibly, probably.. I just don’t know.. maybe they could if it was turned on.. but then again maybe it's all just bluffing. They SAY they can detect all weaponry,, but I've snuck knives and such in here before. Maybe what their gear detected are the E-clips in pretty much every weapon made these days? Watch a borg walk in here, see if they give him any issues. Or someone like me.. I have my own weapons they can't take from me. I control myself.. but it's still there."
"I know, but energy is easy to detect. They're not going to bounce you, a mage or any psychic out, because you can't help it. Or a 'Borg, at least the parts he can't drop. The small things, like a vibro-knife, they let in. No sense in fussing over the small stuff," Gabriel says with a nod. "I'm just saying that we'll need caution even in such a simple thing as carrying spook equipment. If I have to go into a city, I'm not taking anything with an energy signature more exciting than a radio and the two tiny implants I can't help - and they wouldn't care about anyway."
Max raises an eyebrow. "Implants? You never mentioned you are a borg?.. He teases a little. "I dunno.. I just need to talk to Bart.. get my equipment squared away, then just wait I guess." Gabriel nods again, then finishes off his soda. "Well, I guess I'm done casing the joint, Max," he says with a wide smirk. "It was good seeing you. Don't get caught here in the 'Dregs at night - even for a fellow like you, it's never a nice place. Take care of yourself, I'll see you later. Gotta get to work." He sketches a non-salute, then starts to move toward the door.
