Hawaii:Sessions:20040814
August 14, 2004
GM: Bobby J.
[With Bill and Ted separately off on their own no-doubt-excellent adventures, we step away from Sapphire and look in on the Moana Loa Hilton.]
Jezabel Ringer excuses herself from her companions and checks her pager. There's a priority message to meet Enigma in his office "and be prepared to leave immediately on a mission." She gives a resigned sigh, then goes and tells her companions she won't be able to participate in this weekend's starsail race after all.
Friday, August 13, a little after twelve noon. Jezabel along with the fire priest Torimar 312 and Weezuachew of the Tymbrimi are seated across the desk from the short bald man. Enigma instructs them, "I need your presence to disrupt something... Someone will be recruiting to take people off-dimension for nefarious purposes. Make sure they don't recruit anyone, and get an ID if possible." No, he doesn't know who's doing the recruiting, though in answer to Weez's query Enigma says he doesn't think it's the so-called Black Amulet people. Whoever it is has placed an advertisement every fifty years or so seeking "adventurous mercenaries" to travel to "places of your fantasy"; no one who has been thus recruited has ever been seen again. When Jezabel asks what's so 'nefarious' about this, Enigma admits he isn't sure that the recruiters are involved in the 'nefarious' things going on -- he just doesn't want them recruiting anyone.
As typical, when Enigma lacks in hard info, he floods the agents with trivia. The world they're going to is called Isadore, a lightly-populated planet on the fringes of the Earth Federation which has only recently moved from colonial status to independence. The capital is Brisbane. Isadore has a developed mining industry, particularly in rare minerals. Along with humans, a number of races previously encountered by IS agents populate the world, including Kronin, An Phar, Cidi, Irari, and others. This diversity, as well as something of a frontier atmosphere, makes Isadore a center of trading and bargaining.
Weezuachew suggests that ahead of time we place a recruiting ad of our own, and offer double pay, and also rent a space in the main recruiting hall close to the one the 'nefarious' people are recruiting from. Enigma agrees to arrange this with Alan Daniels, his agent-in-place on Isadore.
Enigma gives each of them what he calls a "laptop" computer (but is actually much smaller and lighter) which can be imprinted to respond only to voice instructions from its owner (to which Torimar signs, "Thanks a lot"). Each of them receives a credit stick containing the equivalent of $100,000, and the group gets another credstick containing $5 million "for recruiting expenses." Since Kronin may be involved, Jezabel suggests to Weez that he and Torimar request psi shields.
Enigma gives them a few hours to make any other preparations they need. Weez immediately goes off to the hotel gift shop and cleans them out of various touristy trinkets, especially little plastic hula girls.
At 4pm, as soon as the three of them gather in the hotel lobby, they pop into a corridor of a very posh hotel. It is about 8:00am. Torimar checks his laptop, and there is an email from Alan Daniels: "Ad is in place, same floor as theirs, other side of building, not the placement you wanted." They step outside into a bustling city, with people in flamboyant and colorful dress. Weez hails an air cab and they fly to the hiring hall.
The hiring hall is a fair-sized complex where prospective employers can rent a booth, a room, or a suite. Weez studies the building directory, which contains entries for Solutions Incorporated (us) and Darvon Industries (them). When a button is pushed, a map appears with a lighted pathway to the destination. Weez wonders if they could alter the directory to send those looking for Darvon to our suite instead. Jezabel uses her laptop as an interface, and after about 15 minutes she has reprogrammed the directory computer.
Jezabel goes to what's referred to as the "secretarial pool". The people there are generally looking for clerical work. After scanning the room, Jezabel approaches a young human woman named Diane Evers. "I'm looking for someone creative... someone who can... improvise," Jez tells her, "and if you're up to the task, I'm paying double wages." Diane eagerly hires on as our receptionist.
Meanwhile, Torimar and Weez head over to Darvon's suite. The doors are closed, but through the glass they see a tall, beautiful, blonde human woman setting things up. She glances up, sees them, gives a stunning smile, then goes back to what she's doing. Torimar tries the door, but it's locked; the blonde calls out that it'll be another 30 minutes. Weez says loudly, "I saw another place this way; let's go there," but this draws no reaction from the blonde.
As they head for the Solutions Inc suite, Torimar notices a number of mercenary soldiers along the way. In fact, over 60% of today's recruiting is slated to be military; the big-name recruiter for mercs is called Star Risk.
At the suite, Jez has given Diane some instructions, and the latter is busy designing and printing out flyers. Weez starts setting out the souvenirs from Hawaii, making the little plastic hula girls wiggle. "They're gifts for the people who come here today," he explains. Diane stares; "Those are real plastic, aren't they? They had to have been made on Earth!" She says to Weez, "Excuse me, but I've never seen anyone like you. Where are you from?" Weez replies cheerfully, "I came from Hawaii!" In response to a question along those lines, Jezabel avows that she is human.
Then people start showing up, and Diane quickly gets busy having them fill out application forms.
Torimar goes back to Darvon's suite. The gorgeous blonde introduces herself as Cathy Darrow and gives him an application form to fill out. She tells him, "Since you're the first one here, Merk wants to interview you himself." On the application under "area of expertise", Torimar writes "Priest of the Apostles of the Flame".
Torimar also makes a few notations on his laptop, in a file that is accessible to the others. When Jezabel opens the note file, her eyes go wide and her jaw drops. She recalls that "Darvon" had been the name of a research company operating out of Cyrene Station. She dashes off an email to Torimar warning him that Merk is a world-jumper and an enemy who has been encountered before.
As Torimar works on his application, someone else comes in. He is a human male, fairly short of stature (5'), and introduces himself as Dan Stockwell. Dan mentions that he'd had trouble locating this place -- the directory was inaccurate -- and that his Grandpa had interviewed with Darvon 50 years ago but had been turned down.
Cathy shows Torimar into a very plush office. Merk turns out to be an An Phar, well-groomed and tastefully attired in an expensive business suit. He's got a perturbed expression on his face. Merk is also conversant in sign language. "So," he says, "Do you like to start fires?" "It depends," Torimar signs. "Are you looking to spread your faith?" "Definitely." "Have you ever met a Kronin?" "No." "Do you object to intervening with other cultures?" "I'm here." Merk explains, "I need a group of people who want to alter people's realities -- to show them a better way. Are you in communion with your god?" By way of response, Torimar creates an Essential Flame in the palm of his hand. Murmuring "may I?" Merk takes the flame from him, examines it, then returns it, commenting, "You didn't use psionics." Torimar signs, "You didn't believe I'm in tune with my god?" Merk says bluntly, "No." He then offers Torimar 10,000 credits per day on a 30-day initial contract, with double pay for combat.
Merk: "Why are you wearing a mind shield?" Torimar: "It was suggested by those who sent me. An interesting ploy, reading the minds of those you recruit." Merk: "I don't, usually. You intrigue me. It would be intriguing to see if your connection with your deity maintains across realities."
Torimar asks to meet those people who would be his immediate superiors. Merk, eyeing him sidelong: "I must consider that." Torimar offers his email address as a means of contacting him.
Torimar exits Merk's office. Dan Stockwell is nowhere in sight, but three mercenaries have appeared in the waiting room. Torimar doubts that Merk would try to hire any straight-arrow military types.
As he starts up the hallway, Torimar encounters a smirking, swaggering guy with "con man" written all over him, heading toward Darvon's suite. Torimar passes him a note: "You don't really want to go in there. Only three people are applying. You can always come back later." The guy, who gives the name Zed Maverick, decides that's a good idea -- "Let them stew a bit."
Jezabel sends Alan Daniels an urgent email to employ whatever device he uses to contact Enigma and tell Enigma to contact her NOW. Daniels writes back, essentially, "Why should I?" in a way that indicates he's quite full of himself. She shoots back, "If you were any good as an active agent, you'd *know* why." Five minutes later she gets a terse response: "Message sent."
Torimar hands Zed Maverick over to Diane, then he, Weez, and Jezabel retreat to a side office for a conference. Jezabel tells them what she knows about Merk. They need to do something about the crowd of people who have come looking for work, to prevent them from wandering over to Darvon. Torimar says they need to hire Zed Maverick. Jezabel calls Zed into the office (and her empathy immediately tells her he's like a young Jason Rathbone, only worse) and instructs him to arrange a big party at the posh hotel; spend the money he needs to, but don't waste it. And narrowing her eyes, she warns him, "Come 8:00pm and there's no party, you are a dead man." Zed replies, "It's good to work for an employer who understands me."
Torimar goes to talk with Diane Evers about "improvising" a company, with a reason and a purpose; preferably a type of business that will benefit the world. Torimar can almost see the wheels turning in Diane's head.
A computer technician calls. It seems there's been a routing glitch in the building directory, but the problem will be fixed within 20 minutes.
Jezabel prepares to go kill Merk. On her way to Darvon, it suddenly hits her that he's seen her before... but she doesn't have time for a disguise, so she decides to brazen it out. She gives the name "Bela Rare" and is shown into the office of a man calling himself Andrew Carnegie. He appears human, but she is unable to read his emotions. He is interested in Jezabel's qualifications as a bodyguard, and mentions that the other two interviewers are his boss Merk and a woman named Artemis Prince. Jezabel asks to speak to Merk; Carnegie says he'll see if that can be arranged, and excuses himself. She listens in on him as he goes to Merk's office and describes her as "a Class Two telepath". Merk replies, "Tell her I'm busy for the rest of the afternoon." After Carnegie leaves, Jez hears Merk say, "Damn, this complicates things." There is a slight sound, and then silence. After Carnegie returns, Jezabel lets herself out of his office (saying she'll show in the next interviewee). She pauses in front of Merk's office, ascertains that it's unlocked (and not trapped), opens the door... and there's nobody there. As she leaves Darvon, a short man tries to shadow her, but she quickly loses him.
In the meantime, Weez has hired some people to hand out flyers for Darvon... that give directions to our suite. He makes sure everyone who has come looking for a job is invited (and paid) to attend tonight's big party.
Just before 4pm, Diane sends Jezabel her proposal to set up a company to find Precursor sites and make use of Precursor artifacts to benefit "the free world". (The planet Isadore has at least two possible Precuror sites.) It is a remarkably detailed proposal, especially considering how little time she had to work on it and how many other things she was doing at the same time.
Weezuachew puts together a basket of fruit (containing a surveillance device) and sends it to Darvon, with apologies for the 'computer glitch' that misdirected people.
Solutions Inc closes down for the day, and Torimar, Weez, and Jez get a suite at the posh hotel. Zed Maverick calls Jez to let her know he's rented two ballrooms and the big party is all set.
Jezabel had sent a message to Enigma requesting a containment device for Merk (to keep him from jumping out) and a knockout device. A package arrives via Alan Daniels containing a genie bottle (as in "I Dream of Jeannie") and a bag of sand (bearing the instructions "sprinkle on victim").
The party's in full swing when around 10:00pm Andrew Carnegie, Cathy Darrow, and a gorgeous woman who must be Artemis Prince stroll in like they own the place and head toward Weez. Carnegie wants Weez to meet his boss. Jezabel senses that Merk is here but she doesn't see him. Torimar gets Zed's attention and points out that those three people are trouble. "They're not feds..." "Oh, good." "...they're worse." He tells Zed to start moving people to the second ballroom. Jezabel spots an An Phar near the band, holding a drink; he doesn't look like Merk, but there's something peculiar about him. Cathy asks to meet Weez's co-workers; he says he's a liaison.
Torimar conceals himself behind a stage curtain. Weez's group drifts toward the stage. Jezabel gets close enough to the An Phar that she can look within -- and sees he is a solid shell surrounding swirling energy. Torimar edges onto the stage with his 'trumpet' in hand. Weez notices that Artemis is on edge, observant. Jezabel reaches into her bag, takes a handful of sand -- and Merk turns and looks her straight in the eye. Several other An Phar near the stage turn toward her. Torimar blows a blast of fire from his trumpet. As Artemis reacts, Weez spills his drink on her; "I told them -- no pyrotechnics!" Jezabel throws the sand at Merk.
The sand seems to spread over Merk, getting into his eyes. He falls to one knee, knocking a couple of people over. Artemis glares at Weez: "Why, you..." Jezabel pulls out the genie bottle and uncorks it. Torimar concentrates.
Merk abruptly stands back up, flinging sand in all directions. Several people hit by the sand fall down. Artemis tries a Mind Blast, which splashes against Weez's mind shield. Jezabel throws another handful of sand at Merk and aims the open mouth of the genie bottle at him. Merk staggers and falls to his knees, swearing. Weez steps back from Artemis with a cry, then rolls under a table, knocking it toward Artemis, Carnegie, and Cathy. Torimar casts a glaring Continual Light on Merk's head, then draws his broadsword.
Jezabel points the genie bottle at Merk, and a vacuum starts to pull him in. Torimar stabs Merk in the back, but his sword doesn't pierce Merk's shell. Merk yells, "Second round to you!" Weez shouts, "I'll pay for the dry cleaning!"
Torimar swings again at Merk, this time knocking him toward Jez. Merk starts to dematerialize. Jezabel steps toward him, squinting against the glare, holding the genie bottle steady. Artemis screams; Weez suddenly feels fatigued, but he calls out "Feds!" and points at Andrew.
Jez takes another step and actually touches the bottle to Merk. Cathy Darrow has fallen down. Artemis glares at Weez. Andrew starts toward the stage, but a dozen mercs are converging on him quickly. Merk fades away, finally vanishing entirely... but Jez isn't sure whether he went *into* the bottle or *through* it. Seven blaster shots strike Andrew almost simultaneously, and he falls.
Weez throws whatever he can grab from the table at Artemis. Jezabel stoppers the genie bottle. As Torimar runs toward Artemis, she dissolves into a puddle of goop.
Torimar finds Cathy on the floor, freaked out by events; he stands her up and walks her to the door, handing her over to Zed (who gets her a hotel room and calls a doctor). Weezuachew and some of the mercs use blasters to burn off the goop. Torimar finds Diane trying to calm people down; he tells her to hire the mercs who helped us in the fight. Jezabel looks into the bottle; she sees *something* swirling around in there, but she's not sure if it's all of Merk.
The next day, Jezabel sends a request to Enigma for a half-billion credits to start a new business. Torimar, Weez, and Jez work with Diane to finalize the business plan and get some people hired.
At the end of the day, Jezabel presses the recall button. They take the genie bottle to Enigma, who is pleased. Having a sample of Merk to analyze will help enable IS to deal with him more effectively in the future. Enigma offers them transportation to Isadore (and back) at least twice per year in order to follow up on the new business venture.
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