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Panopticon: A Game of Posthumans, Perniciousness, Paranoia, Politics, and Plasmaguns

Reader mode
Right then, option analysis:

Your Arrival in Brazil will be:
In general, this range of options seems to me to be about speed vs security, finding Serafina quickly or finding her safely. At least, it looks like that.

[ ] Overt: You have a world-famous botanist and biochemist with you. There's plenty of reason why Pia Rosario would go to a biochem firm.
Gets us access to Serafina almost instantly through heavy use of political pull, very easy. However, on the flip-side Aleph will almost certainly know we've picked her back up, and so might TN.

[ ] Less Overt: The Technocracy has plenty of reasons to check up on the facility. With the current influence of 1 member of Command + 2 senior research directors, you can pull a few strings quietly and 'ensure that the operation is working as expected.'
The medium option. We're there officially, so we can easily get access to Serafina, even if we might have some trouble getting her back out, and Aleph/TN/Others has a lower chance of realizing we pulled her out and back to us.

[ ] Covert: ~nwo~. More seriously, Bastion has stealth transport available to get you there.
The sneaky option. We're probably going to have to do a covert raid and extraction, and might encounter minor security issues. Plus Serafina will be suspicious of a sekrit NWO raid squad coming to kidnap her. However, our enemies almost certainly won't realize Serafina is back in the game, because we got her out under everyone's noses.

[ ] Write-In: A different cover, if you want.
Is write in. Probably unnecessary here.

Burying the Hatchet:
Is Rose coming? She really wants to come-especially since they helped. But she'll have to convince Serafina's parents.

[ ] Write-In: Do exactly that.
The preferred option, but needs a write-in. So we should get on that at some point.

[ ] Otherwise: No. ~nyoro-n~
I don't see a reason to pick this option.
 
I'm not sure which arrival I think we should go for, but I do think that covert sounds like a bad idea. If anything from threat null does manage to locate us, noone else will know we're there so they'd be able to attack with greater impunity than if we weren't going stealthy as we'd have a harder time getting backup and they'd be less likely to tip others off as to their goal.
 
MJ12 Commando said:
Daniel has a lead on Serafina, or he thinks he does. At least one X410 was heavily damaged in the combat engagement, and he's found a very faint trail of biological residue that's settled on the roofs of the city. The unit escaped on some kind of helicopter - it's clear from the scattering of the particles. It's far more dilute than any non-specialist could track and it's barely more than a directional pointer, but he has the hardware and the very convenient Lt Langley has donated a drone to the cause.
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MJ12 Commando said:
But not the location data, Donald realizes. Their GPS trackers weren't erased, and then it's only a few minutes' work to figure out that one of them was at the church itself. Donald calls them. He has a hunch that's where they'll find Serafina.
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This is why researchers don't make great field agents.

Donald: How are you going to track down Serafina?
Daniel: I'll follow the faintest trail of biological residue and trace her steps through hazardous environments!
Donald: What about the GPS data?
Daniel: ~nyoro-n~

MJ12 Commando said:
They didn't modify her facial features any, just dyed her hair. As a disguise, it'd only stand up against amateurs.
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EarthScorpion said:
An unfamiliar face stares back. Not too unfamiliar, but changed. Enough that you could look at her and not think of her as the same person.
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:V
 
Of course, projects with names like Donald Sykes or Rose Ashford would draw entirely too much attention on such a mission.

did you perhaps mean "investigators"?
 
[X] Less Overt: The Technocracy has plenty of reasons to check up on the facility. With the current influence of 1 member of Command + 2 senior research directors, you can pull a few strings quietly and 'ensure that the operation is working as expected.'

Thus seems like the right balance of subtlety and non-dissappearability.
 
Chloe Sullivan said:
Of course, projects with names like Donald Sykes or Rose Ashford would draw entirely too much attention on such a mission.

did you perhaps mean "investigators"?
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I meant to delete that.

NonSequtur said:
This is why researchers don't make great field agents.

Donald: How are you going to track down Serafina?
Daniel: I'll follow the faintest trail of biological residue and trace her steps through hazardous environments!
Donald: What about the GPS data?
Daniel: ~nyoro-n~
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I have rewritten some of the update to make it clearer that the data wasn't nearly sufficient to track Serafina down without more investigating. :V
 
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Tradwiki: John_Kessler(Iteration_X)/Discussion
  • Informational
    • <Cornuthaum> do you think you have it in your obsidian-chunks-masquerading-as-hearts to make a tradwiki page for john
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    Contrary to popular belief my heart is not obsidian, but instead a mewling, wrinkled creature with fangs like needles and no eyes. I must let it out to feed every once in a while, otherwise it starts nibbling on my ribs.

    NOTICE: DUE TO RECENT EVENTS, TRADWIKI HAS LOST A NUMBER OF PAGES. DISCUSSION OF THE SECTOR CRASH GOES IN Spy%27s_Demise_Collapse%282016%29/Discussion. IF YOU HAVE ANY COPIES OF LOST PAGES OR SOME METHOD OF PEERING INTO ALTERNATE TIMELINES WHERE THE COLLAPSE NEVER HAPPENED AND WANT TO HELP GET TRADWIKI RUNNING AGAIN, SUBMIT THEM TO tradwiki/Page_Recovery.

    John_Kessler(Iteration_X)/Discussion

    NOTICE: YOU LIKELY HAVE AN IMPULSE TO POST SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF 'THIS IS BULLSHIT'. I ASSURE YOU, IT IS NOT BULLSHIT. CHECK THE CITATIONS BEFORE MASHING THE KEYBOARD. THANK YOU.

    NOTICE: THE ARCHIVAL SYSTEM'S NOT HANDLING RECOVERED DISCUSSIONS VERY WELL YET. PLEASE STAND BY.

    JOHN KESSLER: DRAGONSLAYER
    coming to a theatre near u. anyone wanna bet on how long he lasts/how high his killcount gets? - extraecstatic

    -> 1've g0t decent 0dd2 0n 2 m0nth2, 3 k1ll2 - trinaryTitan
    --> what odds, over under? - extraecstatic
    ---> 1 dram, at lea2t 2 m0nth2, 3 k1ll2 - trinaryTitan
    ----> I'll take that bet - Li87
    -----> li87, your number's up - extraecstatic
    ------> fuck. Fine - Li87
    -------> thankyee k1ndly - trinaryTitan

    -> put me down for the long odds mate. 1 dram he makes it back alive, at least 10 kills. - electronicLocksmith
    --> lol, u ever been to xanadu man? i'll have fun taking that dram from u - extraecstatic
    ---> how high do you want the odds to go? - electronicLocksmith
    ----> 10 to 1 then - extraecstatic
    -----> mate, you gonna pay up? no way hes alive now - extraecstatic
    ------> he isn't confirmed dead yet though, and he /did/ get the ten kills - electronicLocksmith
    -------> fuck you man - extraecstatic
    --------> i'm waiting on those ten drams - electronicLocksmith
    ---------> necro! jesus fucking christ - SteamQueen
    ---------> Rise oh discussion! Rise from your grave! - Li541
    ---------> this things from fucking 94 - paranoiac
    ---------> bull - BaptismOfFire (moderator)
    ----------> uhhh John_Kessler(Iteration_X)#Confirmed_Sightings - CurtainCall
    -----------> I don't care if it's true, it's still bullshit. - BaptismOfFire (moderator)
    ------------> John_Kessler(Iteration_X)#IAssureYouItIsNotBullshit :V - CurtainCall
    -------------> fuck you - BaptismOfFire (moderator) (user was infracted for this post)
    --------------> Reported for flaming. - PatternHax2U
    ---------------> Baptism, you should know better. PatternHax, you don't need to inform everybody when you report something. Everyone, necros are not against the rules. electronicLocksmith, unfortunately extraecstatic will not be able to fulfill the terms of the bet. RIP. - MonkOnTheMountain (supermoderator)

    -> +1 to kill count. Killing spree! /announcervoice - local_area_noetic
    --> Huh? - DrQueenOfFrance
    ---> He killed another dragon, duh. - local_area_noetic
    ----> another dragon? /another/ /dragon/!?!?!? [comment deleted by moderator] - ArtificialArchetype
    -----> wow dude, calm down - local_area_noetic
    ------> /the/ dragon - ArtificialArchetype
    -------> i am literally vomiting in rage right now - Thig4Life
    --------> gross - local_area_noetic
    -------> does that make him /the/ dragon slayer :p - imnotdrunkimexpandingmyconsciousness
    --------> I'll be sure to inform you if I see any depictions of St. George with a mullet. - ChristosBarberis
    -----> Yes, please. - Wingz (moderator)
    ----> How do you know? - DrQueenOfFrance
    -----> I had a dream where a knight in melting armour cut out the heart of a great wyrm, mullet waving in the breeze of its dying breath. - local_area_noetic
    ------> I can't tell if you're fucking with me. - DrQueenOfFrance
    -------> how would i be fucking with you? - local_area_noetic
    --------> Dreams aren't good sources mate. - DrQueenOfFrance
    ---------> rude. Stop oppressing my paradigm. - local_area_noetic
    ---------> get your positivism out of here 'crat - ArtificialArchetype (user was infracted for this post)
    ---------> Can confirm, killed dragon. - MoreBeanPirate (sockpuppet)
    ----------> and i'm sure you're fucking thrilled about aren't you less? another bit of wonder dead - Thig4Life
    -----------> I'd appreciate the wonder a lot more if it hadn't tried to eat me. - MoreBeanPirate (sockpuppet)
    -----------> It was a worm and it died a worm. It had long since clipped its wings for gold and stock options, sold its soul to the Syndicate. Let the next dragon learn from its mistakes. - ChristosBarberis
    ------------> of course you'd say that you [comment deleted by moderator] - Thig4Life (user was infracted for this post)
    ------------> wow what the fuck - ArtificialArchetype
    -------------> Everything dies. The wheel turns and the dross is pruned away. Why should I not celebrate? - ChristosBarberis
    --------------> And here come the points. I'm not locking this, yet, because I'm sure it'll just flare up somewhere else. - Wingz (moderator)
    ---------------> fucking mods won't infract a master will they - ArtificialArchetype (user was infracted for this post)
    ----------------> You should know better than to do this outside of Arguing_with_Moderator_Decisions/Discussion. - Wingz (moderator)

    -> another confirmed sighting in afghanistan. RIP
    --> our prayers go out to our taftani brethren

    Confirmed Sightings
    Oh god he's back. - FightDamian
    -> /What/. - Wingz (moderator)
    -> what - Li87
    -> What. - MonkOnTheMountain (supermoderator)
    -> Wasn't he lost in space, fighting dragons? - BobTheRogueBob
    --> LessBeanNinja's confirmed it from Moscow. Apparently he's with Jamelia_Belltower(New_World_Order), Serafina_Rosario(Progenitor) and an unidentified Iterator. - FightDamian
    -> holy shit that means i won the bet - electronicLocksmith
    --> terminator.wav - FightDamian

    -> why won't he die. it's not fair.
    -> how can i fight him?

    -> If he's twenty years out of date, shouldn't that mean he's weak??? - Qpwo
    --> how are you still alive - xxL3ITxx
    --> Say that to an old master. I dare you. - FightDamian
    ---> Now, now, some people just don't know stuff. And this is an excellent excuse to make an info-post! So, exojocks, the serious augmented Schwarzenegger-line-spewing ones, aren't really all that common anymore. Most of the augmented iterators nowadays are more cyborg ninja than terminator. But half of that's just /cost/. The primium alone is enough to makes guys like this really expensive, so cheaper cyborgs tend to be more fragile and, therefore, have to dodge really well. But back in the day, they didn't need to dodge, because the 'crats would put primium on anything. They'd just walk right through your fireball and shoot you dead. And the old tech? Is reliable in the way newer networked stuff isn't, while still being strong enough to kick a car, snap a neck one-handed and fast enough to keep up with an average car on a twisty road. General advice is to run and hide. Failing that, set up a real hefty ambush that'll make them glitch out. Like, collapsing building hefty. And then run. Get to a fortified chantry, if you can. - MonkOnTheMountain (supermoderator)
    -----> Protip: If it can't take a few hits from a missile, it's not fortified enough. - Wingz (moderator)
    ----> +1 - FightDamian
    ----> +1 - xxL3ITxx
    ----> +1 - DrQueenOfFrance

    --> don't throw up too much dust. he can see through it better than you. if you take him down, keep your distance. iteration x will die for their cause with joy

    -> So, he may be still be in Moscow? - GRUpThink
    --> You're alive? Thank the Lord. - flybywirebird
    ---> Yes. - GRUpThink
    --> Maybe? - FightDamian
    ---> There were two of him. So maybe. He did walk through a wall though. - GRUpThink
    ----> For clarification: a concrete wall. - GRUpThink
    -----> ...Sounds like him. Maybe they're packing some model Ks to confuse people. - FightDamian

    ---> don't waste your life trying to kill him. they'll just bring him back and you'll be just as dead. all men are parts to the technocracy

    -> Uh, so we might have run into him again? Maybe? - TheShooterGuy
    --> He's pretty distinctive man. - Wingz (moderator)
    ---> Yeah, but the one I'd heard about was an old-school exojock. Not a nanomachine cloud in the shape of an action hero. - TheShooterGuy
    ----> what - FightDamian
    ----> That sounds... implausible. - CurtainCall (moderator)
    ----> Yeah, the 'Crats don't build stuff like that anymore. Too expensive. - Wingz (moderator)
    -----> Look, I know what I saw. - TheShooterGuy

    ----> they've got the tass to spend on bringing people back. we don't. they get to be immortal. our only immortality comes from what we achieve in the chance we get

    Man these archival fragments get annoying
    When are we going to get the system fixed? - paranoiac
    - Just be patient - Wingz (moderator)

    ----> we can't give up. we shouldn't forget the dead

    All comments older than 5 days are moved into the archives. (Once we get it working again.)
     
  • Informational
    • Hm, for the first choice I'm tentatively going with

    [x] Less Overt: The Technocracy has plenty of reasons to check up on the facility. With the current influence of 1 member of Command + 2 senior research directors, you can pull a few strings quietly and 'ensure that the operation is working as expected.'

    It hopefully gives them enough time to get in contact with Serafina before any enemies can arrive at the scene, without getting too complicated. Of course, they'll catch on that the amalgam is reunited eventually.
    So, in the medium term, do you think it's worth giving the impression of everyone being scattered? Because if so, something more covert would be worth it.

    For the second choice I'd like Rose to go, but I'm not sure how to spin it. Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention, but I'm still not sure where the animosity comes from, beyond the superficial Construct issue and the politics it causes. There's Thorn's(?) suggestion on motherhood and Rosarios, but I find that a bit flat - sure, dislike can be very irrational, but raising Rose was still purely Serafina's choice. And if it this, then Daniel likely has other reasons in addition. Family issues, ugh.


    And yeaah, TradWiki! I'm really waiting for Trads to identify the unknown Iterator as Henriette, because she should be a pretty well known name after Moscow. And in her own way, she's a fucking badass. Bonus if they heard about her stint in the Void.
     
    NonSequtur said:
    Confirmed Sightings
    Oh god he's back. - FightDamian
    -> /What/. - Wingz (moderator)
    -> what - Li87
    -> What. - MonkOnTheMountain (supermoderator)
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    Laughed out loud at this.
    NonSequtur said:
    -> If he's twenty years out of date, shouldn't that mean he's weak??? - Qpwo
    --> how are you still alive - xxL3ITxx
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    Oh, n00bs. :p
    NonSequtur said:
    ---> There were two of him. So maybe. He did walk through a wall though. - GRUpThink
    ----> For clarification: a concrete wall. - GRUpThink
    -----> ...Sounds like him. Maybe they're packing some model Ks to confuse people. - FightDamian
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    Kessler's reputation and Echoes (80s Action Hero) remains one of the funniest things in the quest. :D
     
    NonSequtur said:
    Confirmed Sightings
    Oh god he's back. - FightDamian
    -> /What/. - Wingz (moderator)
    -> what - Li87
    -> What. - MonkOnTheMountain (supermoderator)
    -> Wasn't he lost in space, fighting dragons? - BobTheRogueBob
    --> LessBeanNinja's confirmed it from Moscow. Apparently he's with Jamelia_Belltower(New_World_Order), Serafina_Rosario(Progenitor) and an unidentified Iterator. - FightDamian
    -> holy shit that means i won the bet - electronicLocksmith
    --> terminator.wav - FightDamian
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    Oh my fucking god. I can only imagine how many people would lose their shit if it came out that he's a Dreamspeaker.
     
    You know, it occurs to me Kessler doesn't actually need a reactor or energy storage in his body.

    It seems that the Traditionalists supply enough wat-tage to keep him going for quite a while.

    I'm not sorry. :p
     
    cB557 said:
    How the hell does tradwiki have full names of so many technocrats?
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    As for the rest, I figure that if a bunch of Trads encounter/survive a particularly scary Crat, they tend to go "holy shit who was that guy?" and try to learn more about them. Considering that many Technocrats have public identities (like the senior Rosarios) or are high ranked enough that keeping their names secret is an exercise in futility (like some members of Command), a couple Trads working together can figure out who they saw.
     
    UnsneakyLurker said:
    As for the rest, I figure that if a bunch of Trads encounter/survive a particularly scary Crat, they tend to go "holy shit who was that guy?" and try to learn more about them. Considering that many Technocrats have public identities (like the senior Rosarios) or are high ranked enough that keeping their names secret is an exercise in futility (like some members of Command), a couple Trads working together can figure out who they saw.
    Click to expand...
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    Isn't all of these names are actually code names tough?

    I imagine Technocracy doesn't see the point of hiding these ones since they can change them anytime they want and the reputation probably gives 'crats advantage by intimidating the Trads.
     
    I am leaning towards Covert or some kind of Cover Write-In. Someone is setting up some kind of trap, we don't actually know who's behind it IC - or even OOC - and if the Rosarios need to go more public, they can announce their presence later. We can't un-do a public revelation.

    There's also an additional risk of being open about things - if it's Sera leaving a breadcrumb trail for her friends to find, being too public risks the breadcrumb being found by other people who mean her ill. We don't want to tip our enemies off to the trail we found, because we don't even know who left the trail.
     
    I think we should probably do some sort of soft cover. No big favours, because while that might totally avoid notice by the smaller elements, it'd attract attention among other elements, even if it's just 'Bastion's private helo was in for refueling today after a transcontinental hop'. Something soft, quiet- sufficient to stay below the radar, and then if we need to go public we can do so.
     
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