Silicon & Sorcery: FREEDOM RADIO

[Kerr]

Anton Atlas

"What she said." Atlas remarked, nodding in Xu's direction. "How do you know about us? What do you know about us?"

[Unionhack]

"Ground Zero"

Fade-Out leaned over his panel to get a closer look at Oni. "Smart one, big guy. I can't lie to you and say I ain't wary about this whole thing. I've worked hard to carve out this little operation and it's a big risk to bring in a bunch of O.G.s to poke around, but the real deal is that I can't do any of what I'm thinking alone." he proclaimed, tightening his grip on the edges of his console. "So consider it an act of good faith. If you want to turn around and leave, I ain't gonna stop you, but you're never gonna get back in. Way I see it, this shot is our best at tearing down Ven-Lo's walls; I hope you realize that I'm risking Freedom Radio for it."

He then looked to Xu and Anton. "The man you know as DJ Fade-Out wasn't always a record-slinging romanticist with dreams for freedom. While back, I was a contractor for the government. I'm talking offices and safe-houses for special agents, G-Men, all that. When all the bombing went down, my bosses weren't down with me siding with my hometown when they tried to defend themselves. So while I still had my job, I diverted resources and had this little hole constructed. I wanted to keep Ven-Lo free, safe from the people who wanted to harm her in the name of the fat-cats sitting on their thrones out east. But then... well, you see what happened to the neighborhood watch. Bunch of freaks and wheelers and dealers, all turned away from the reason we stamped out the Black Sun in the first place.

"So that's how I know about y'all. I keep tabs, I have methods of research that others don't. I've been compiling dossiers on you for weeks, looking for people I think can do what must be done to free Ven-Lo from herself. I know what I can get from the web. I've got stolen government resources, and I'm asking that we make use of what we can all offer; I've got information, I've got plans, but I'm old and these gangs don't want to hear from me. I want y'all to meet with them, and see what can be done; can they be reasoned with, made to surrender? Or do we have to blast our way through them and the Black Sun to get where we we need to be?" he asked, returning to his swivel chair. "One way or another, we don't have the luxury of time. The Black Sun is getting tired of holding the lockdown... listen."

Fade-Out tapped a button to his left, causing his music to dim in lieu of a recorded conversation.

"So that's the order, then? Purge the neighborhood, erect a memorial for public sympathy? That's really the best idea you've come up with this entire time?"

"With all respect, Commander Don-Skull, you've been sitting at a desk in London ever since your work in Rockpine. Cozying up to that popstar friend of yours. I've been on the inside of Ven-Lo on at least three separate-"

"With all due respect, boy, I've seen and done [&@%!] that'd make a little hotshot like you turn tail and beg for your mama. Don't mistake me for a pen-pusher. You don't get to be called 'Commander' for writing reports. Now sit your ass down and start proposing of better solution than razing homes and slaughtering civilians.

"These aren't civilians, Commander. They're killers, convicts, rabid dogs that need to be put down."

"There's more people in Ven-Lo than just the gangs. No one wanted to get caught there. How are you going to explain it when you incinerate little Sally down the lane to get at the Black Dog hideout next door?"

"There is no innocent left in Ven-Lo, and we have ways to make sure this operation doesn't come to light. We've got four perfectly tailored bands of scapegoats, all of them crazy enough to want the blow the whole place sky-high, and we've got our agent on the inside to help it all happen."

"The agent has been having trouble making moves with Fade-Out running his little show there with his stolen surveillance equipment, but we have reason to believe that he has yet to uncover their identity at the very least. Communication by dead-drop is reliable, impossible to penetrate if conducted correctly."

"You've got your whole little murder party all figured out, don't you?"

"We deal with all of our problems all at once. We stop wasting resources on maintaining the lockdown, we erase any dissidents or potential problems in the neighborhood, and we get the media on our side by selling them the story of an agent tragically lost in a freak act of destruction perpetrated by one of the gangs. Fade-Out either dies in Ven-Lo if he's there, or has nothing to fight for if he's elsewhere. Then it's back to business as usual. Our boys can go home, no more stories about 'unrest' in New Quistis."

"I'm not going to just sit idle while you bomb people to bits. They might not be paying you for protection, but that doesn't give us license to murder indiscriminately to get at the targets."

"Then it's a good thing it's out of your hands, Commander. I've got authorization from your higher ups to take you off of the lockdown. If I have my way, then your intolerable softness will be out of Black Sun for good, but that'll come in time. The termination of Ven-Lo will occur in two weeks from this day."

"You're going to pay for this, Kuo."

"I look forward to the day, brute. Lieutenant, you have your orders, convey them to your fellows. Ven-Lo will burn on June 16th."

"Yes sir. Lieutenant Dantalion out."

DJ Fade-Out clicked the same button to stop playback, causing the music to resume. "That's the low-down as I've got it. June 16th. Seven days to either convince Black Sun to let us out, or to make them."

[Baloth-Kul]

Àlfvor

The troll took a few moments to absorb everything Fade-Out had presented them with.

"...Well, I'm in. Do you have a lead on their agent's dead drops? We grab him, maybe we can get some information out of him--that, and he is a perfect prize for the Shogun. Living proof of Black Sun's planned genocide? The 72 will be onboard, right away."

[BetaB17]

Teal was mesmerized the moment she first spotted him, and the more proven to be no fiction when he talked. It was like staring upon her very own messaih, star struck to say the least. Of all the rats and scumb in this neighborhood, she held no other to such high esteem as the DJ himself or his taste in art.

Beneath her scarce disguise, her eyes gleamed and her cheeked rosied up. It didnt matter what the others said, foolish or otherwise, her heart already had her choice set with little exception

But her lesser maturity soon took a backseat, listening to the message with a different vigor,

Stepping forward, she pulled down the bandana masking her face, and pulled off her beret. That teal/pink her unrivaled and free "You said.. we could ask questions.." she turned the brim of the hat her hands, sliding it clockwise "Well, I got two" She placed her beret bearing hat against her hip, two fingers exposed and extended, the other free to gesture as she talked

"Why'd you do it? Why stay here.. When you could have just stayed out there?" Her voice seeking just as much answers as her words, but she never lowered her chin nor gaze "This place owes no promise to you, so why do it? At such self cost?"

Where there was two now stayed one, as she hid a finger, just as much a tithe to her question itself

[The SheoDovah]

Xu Dráo

Impressive for one man but did he just imply it is a massive risk? It's radio. He can start up again, provided he hasn't recieved a bullet between the eyes or disappears without a trace. Former spook. Great. Good motive if true. Doubt it's just about Ven-lo's freedom. Could be a potential threat afterwards but for now, he seems to be the only guy who has the means and is willing to try to break the situation. I could have attempted but retired, would be slitting my own throat if i even dared to create a miltia to overthrow them and retirement suits me best.

Reason with them? No. That won't happen. Likely just me who has history with them and that may get me a meeting but then what? Oh, hi, I'm Xu. I did your wetworks. Care to lift it? No. Can't even leave this place.

"[&@%!]!" Xu clenched her left fist as she felt a long forgotten rage fill her very core. "[&@%!]!" She repeated. She knew what they were capable of but to commit mass genocide? "I'm in." She growled. "We won't be able to convince them, it'll be just a small group without anything to give the [&@%!] a reason to lift it or call off their genocide." This is not the Black Sun I knew! I've done a lot of dirty work but genocide? That never even came up. To wipe out a city? Well, they just gave me one heck of a reason to fight them. "We have 1 week to prevent it." She rubbed a part of her forehead. She looked at the troll. "Black Sun Agents are tough to break. They'll die before even telling you their name." Or was that an entire load of bull we were told?

[Dirty Spaceman]

Anduroth

Anduroth's usual stoic exterior was not ruffled by the DJ's words nor the Black Sun recording, but a pang of fear stabbed at his heart when he realized the gravity of the plot against them. One week. If they were unable to stop the Black Sun, Anduroth would never see his family again.

"I'll help you," the Faustian rumbled, not needing to elaborate. He had a question to pose to the DJ, but when Teal began asking her questions he decided to hold onto it for now.

[Kerr]

Anton Atlas
Atlas scoffed at Xu's comments. "I think you're just bad at interrogations." said Atlas.

"Scorched earth can be effective but this is just... lazy. It's the same reason they set up the wall, avoiding a problem. Dissent won't stop, it'll just spread around the country. Fools." Atlas wasn't trying to cover it up, but the news had really gotten to him. He'd been trying to escape for months and turned up nothing. There was no way that was going to change between now and the assault. A week? How in the world are we going to pull this off? He didn't think the operation Black Sun was planning would be this severe, there was no way he'd make it through. He survived one sustained Black Sun bombing in Tehran just to be thrown into a much more decisive one here. Damn, he needed a smoke.

"But your plan seems solid. Imminent annihilation has a way of bringing people together, probably the best chance any of us have." Atlas rummaged around in his pockets and took out his packet of cigarettes. "Can I smoke in here?"

[The SheoDovah]

Xu Dráo

"Their agents are trained to withstand everything and protect their secrets. They'll rather die then reveal their information. Or so goes their reputation." Xu informed Anton whilst looking at him. Her thumb was still rubbing her machete's sheath. "Hmmm, dissent may be their primary goal. It can be a powerful tool for regime change." Though, I've never had to interrograte one before. I will be curious to see if their reputation is what they say or if it's all egostical boasting.

[Kerr]

Anton Atlas

"[&@%!] off. What are you? One of their PR reps? Or maybe you're just one of their has been goons, got tired of murdering people in my homeland, so you came back to do it in your own. Their staff are men, and like all men with enough pressure and time, they break." said Anton in a bitter tone. He had a strong disdain for this woman already. "Besides, a beat cop is hardly some elite agent."

[BetaB17]

♡Teal♡

She wasnt liking all this. All this talking in the bacbkground while she waited on this, while essentially insignificant answer, it meant something to her.

She couldnt tolerate it much longer, half pivoting so she could look at them, without her beret or bandana, she looked young but something fierce, something familiar. She pointed at Xu "Take a tip, an' shut it" she then looked at Atlas, the same familiar, soldier like expression. But rather than saying something, she nodded her head in a sign of no fault. Thus far, he's at least given her nothing to doubt.

[The SheoDovah]

Xu Dráo

"No. Former special forces." In my youth, I would have lashed out at a remark like that.If I wanted to murder people on my own, I would have taken advantage of the situation. Set up remote outposts, pick them off with the rifle, move and repeat. "But let's not argue about personal lives. We have a mission to undertake, one with limited resources, a small team and I doubt I need to stress what occurs if we fail." She looked around at the others. She ignored the girl's remark. "For the purpose of planning, we should discuss our skills and use each other's strengths to work as a core unit." Stating the obvious. "And any resources that can aid our purpose."

[BetaB17]

"If we fail.. we're all dead." She said in a matter-of-fact tone "What more is clearer than that" and with a slight bite at the end directed at the supposed special force

[The SheoDovah]

Xu Dráo

"Sometimes, facts are hidden in plain sight and do not require someone to state it." Xu instantly regretted her retort. Drat! I am better then this. The youth would have engaged in it but I will not. I am wiser then I was. Maybe, I am not the one to act as team leader. If so, that both relieves and concerns me. We need someone who has the presence to get this band to work as a unit. Someone who listens to advice and takes into consideration every option instead who fufills their ego or allow their tempers to control them. The kids won't handle the pressure. The troll may be a suitable option, Anton as well though, he may be inclined to dismiss all advice from me based on his assumption of my history. The rest? Too little to work with. The girl could cause issues. Seems immature and if she is a sniper, may get bored and disrupt plans. Then again, she may be one heck of a sniper.

[BetaB17]

She said in a very dismissing tone "Don't try and lecture. It doesn't suit you" she visibly couldnt care more about this lady. It wasnt spite nor respect, but pure dismissal

[Unionhack]

Ground Zero

Fade-Out chuckled at Alfvor's offer. "That's the thing. The mole might be one of the 72. I'm not sure yet. I've got a pattern for some strange movements, but they all point to multiple groups. Might be trying to throw me off the trail. I've got a few weak leads, yeah? But I think you shootin' the [&@%!] with the gangs will be the way we find more 'bout 'im. You seem like a gentle giant, huh 'Oni'?"

He then turned to and gave a warm smile to Teal. "Little Bird. Heard a lot about you. They're scared of you, they stay outta your turf. Better be proud about that." he said, his smile then returning to a more grim resting face. "I stayed in Ven-Lo, because... well, it's a long story that we don't have the time to tell the whole way through. I grew up in Ven-Lo, I was a little street kid with no dad and a strung out momma. Oldest story in the book. But my people, my friends and my brothers, they helped me grow. This place was broken, but it was a beautiful kind of broken, and it was home. It didn't deserve what the war did to it, and it doesn't deserve what Black Sun is gonna do to it."

Fade-Out nodded to Anduroth in thanks, and then gave a thumbs up to Atlas. "Go 'head. I don't trust anyone I can't roll a joint with." he joked, sitting back and awaiting further questions in case there were anymore. He did not reply to the speculation or the bickering, though his furrowed brow conveyed some disappointment.

[Baloth-Kul]

Àlfvor

Àlfvor scowled. "It's Àlfvor, actually. Only my friends and my enemies call me by 'Oni'--and it remains to be seen which you are."

[Kerr]

Anton Atlas

With a snap of his finger Atlas lit a fire to ignite his cigarette. He took a deep puff and then exhaled with relief. "You're alright Fade Out. I die you can have the rest." Atlas smirked. "Yesterday my biggest worry was being down to my last pack." Atlas stood up straight once more.

"You think it's one big bomb or a lotta little ones? Tactical Warhead could flatten the neighborhood, but it's not exactly a thing you'd brew up in here. I'm sure Black Sun could smuggle one in, air drop, convoy, whatever. But if it's semtex or something, well, you'd need a lot. And that means storage. Turrets for security? And being able to move tonnes of explosive through hostile territory. Sewers, subway, probably be a good place to plant it but I figure even then those areas still get patrols. It's a lotta work for one man, maybe too much."

"So I'd lean tactical warhead. And if it is and if Black Sun hasn't delivered yet, we might catch a break. Would you be so kind as to keep an eye on their convoys and copters while we unite the gangs? We can ask them to sweep their turf for explosives. But on the down low."

[Unionhack]

Ground Zero

Fade-Out erupted into a jolly laugh at Alfvor's retort. "You got it, big man, Alfvor it is. If it makes any difference, I called you in because I think the 72 are the sanest gang of the bunch. Might even make a good police force when this is all done."

The elusive DJ nodded to Anton and gave a mock salute of two fingers to the brow. "I've been getting a lot of practice down here for the past few months, and I'm not about to keep you in the dark now. Thing about a tactical warhead is it's all one detonation; a big one, harder to predict what the damage is going to be. I ain't gonna put it past them, but I would be on the lookout for a network of explosives being set up throughout the neighborhood for a more calculated strike. They might roll in the force after a few explosions, justify it that way. Whoever their friend on the inside is may have had plenty of time to set up something discrete. No way of knowing... yet."

[Velvet LeChance]

Gramsci

She had remained for the most part silent, absorbing the news. In a week, bombs would be set off and all of them would likely die. That she might die had never bothered her: Her Lord was just and she stood in no position to judge the timing of Her Deliverance, ultimate as it might be. Doubts to the contrary were violently suppressed. Though her faith in pre-destination never rendered itself as fatalism.

She would, of course, work to stop this injustice.

Remaining silent as the questions and speculation and invariably bickering erupting around her, she kept a concentrated gaze on the the DJ, metaphorically piercing with him with those gold lenses of hers. There was something she found profane about the man.

But eventually she decided she didn't have any questions, or concerns that needed to be spoken out loud.

The slow nod she extended spoke her agreement to the mission.

[The SheoDovah]

Xu Dráo

"If the mole is part of it, it may be a bit of an issue trying to convince them that they have a traitor in their ranks and to hand them over to us." Outside of using force, we will have to provide them with a good reason to let us interrogate the mole and that's if they are willing to deal with a bunch of people who claim to be working to save Ven-lo. "It would be easy to sneak in a tactical nuke and they can come up with a valid excuse to why one of the gangs managed to get hold of one." Easy to get in, would target the center and use tensions to aid the cover up. "We should not discount the possibilty of them arming all 4 gangs and using tensions to create a gang war that tragically destroys Ven-lo before they were able to intervene." She looked at Fade-out. "But time is of the essence and aside from trying to catch the mole, what is the first mission? targets and contacts."

[The-Shadow-One]

Haley
Sombering news was absorbed with a somber face. One thst wished to twist into something more akin to despair, or even disbelief but that wasn't the tone now. Haley breathed out and in, taking in anything. He just wanted to curl up into a ball right now. He is just an actor why him..

"Why.. why.." he muttered under his breath. Glancing at Fade-Out with a curious gaze. "Why invite me then? I've got.. . no skills like the others. I'm just an currently out of work actor!"

[BetaB17]

♡Teal♡

Teal looked at this, boy? And said in truth "Because.." she pointed a thumb back at Fade-Out "What he got to lose otherwise? Aint like options arent slim" she glanced over between Alfvor, Atlas, and then Grasmci. "Lucky us, right"

[Velvet LeChance]

Gramsci

If Gramsci was reacting beneath her head-dress it wasn't clear.

Though, when it looked like she wasn't going to issue anything in response to Teal, she deadpanned:

"But with a dose of jolly co-operation..."

[BetaB17]

If she was suppose to laugh or chuckld at that, then clearly failed. "Sure. Why not." She said in an equally matching tone

[Unionhack]

Ground Zero

Fade-Out continued to peruse information on his console, speaking to the group without eye contact. "Maybe I was just a fan of your show, kid." he joked, but shook his head with a soft smile. "We all have our parts to play, man. You've got acting talent, you've got some magic talent, and it ain't no secret that you're a bit ahead of the cyberware fashion game. Sometimes you need something that ain't just running and gunning, you dig? A sawed-off will only solve so many problems. Least that's what I think.

"Your first mission, all of you, is up to you. I brought y'all in here because I'm not a fighter, and I can't be the diplomat that this city needs. I'm here to provide support, keep y'all in the know, and help with your chosen path; but what that path is, is up to y'all. You know what our parameters are; four gangs, one megacorp, seven days. I'm leaving it to y'all to find your own way and get the job done, with whatever help I can muster up in Ground Zero."

He stopped for a moment, then shook his head. "I do have a suggestion, though. You're gonna need a place to run this gig out from, and even this hole ain't gonna be safe if you keep coming and going. My suggestion? There's a bar out on 116th street, just out of East Ven-Lo. Called Lady Luck. Used to be a hole-in-the-wall for a bunch of bikers, now it's one of the only watering holes that's completely out of gang hands. It's been a hole-up for a bunch of free Ven-Lo-Lifes since the lockup, and they could do with a change in management." he said. The term 'Ven-Lo-Lifes' was known to the chosen guests of Fade-Out as an affectionate, if not self-deprecative, term for unaffiliated residents of Ven-Lo.

Fade-Out's albino raven took a small device from the hands of her master and flew forward to place it on a small table in front of the gathered crew. "Lady Luck is central, cozy, defensible, and they probably make their own booze without Black Dog intervention, so it'd be my pick for a forward operating base. Whatever y'all chose, hook this here plug-up into whatever electrical terminal or security system y'all find, and I'll have unhindered remote access from Ground Zero. Lady Luck has one in the back; might have to ask the proprietor nicely. They're jumpy, as you might expect."