(( Everything is in the same stack, then?
The confusion is coming from this line earlier, combined with more recent descriptions of the locations.
"They are spread over several hundred horizontal miles, but are relatively similar in vertical orientation."
Which led me to believe that they were in different stacks, at roughly the same height. Just trying to make sure I know which one is correct XD
Or do I just *grossly* underestimate the size of a 'stack'
Edit: my uplink is working today, so here's that image I drew to try and figure out how it was setup. ))
The stack is a name for a very VERY large vertical and horizontal area of thousands of interconnected towers, each miles high. Think of it like this:
Take a city block. Stack it 5 miles high. Thats one tower. Now, take several hundred towers in any direction and interconnect them; sometimes directly merging them, sometimes just connecting them via bridges and tunnels. Thats a Stack. The "Strip" that you're on now is actually in the space between two towers. The "Ground" is actually the top of a massive train tunnel, the ceiling is created by a partial fusion of the two towers, a bridge that got built up over time into an entire subdivision.
Hive worlds are all about endless expansion, both outward and inward, filling every gap possible and expanding as high and wide as they can. Each stack is considered it's own nation and often contains more people than the entire population of a planet. Don't underestimate their girth.
to the Sons
"I'm just interested in being reasonably protected when necessary. Any outfitting of that nature will be fine. Sorry about talking all at once. It's my first day."
Follow Skylar's orders and go with Xael and Ryan to Beta, and any armor and concealable weapon the Sons can supply, if that is appropriate this turn. Otherwise, wait here and familiarize myself with the medical equipment available.
To Skylar
"Yo boss, Imma start running ideas through yo, so I don't drive these guys nuts. Think we should set up processing here, or in someplace like Gamma? He said we have a surgical area around here somewhere. I'd like to start getting that all set up for our guests before they start arriving. I think we could find plenty of people willing to work for a little more than their normal pay down in the stacks a bit. try not to pull from too low up to too high, though. We want our employees not to stand out too much."
Well the UE coat would be obvious, but we can give you what amounts to the same fabric as an undershirt and a nice maul pistol.
Listen, and look around the place for weapons.
we've got plenty of weapons, though they're not just sitting out in the open. Whatcha want?
Listen and watch th conversation at hand "Hey Skylar, maybe a meet up with a friendly gang would be a benificial starting point. If we need clerks who are ok with, ask no questions, pay no attention, orders, I can think of no better place to look"
Ask a son to take us to and around Delta, if refused, get directions and head there with Petra, Jesse, and Gus. Attempt to blend in
"We will need to change clothing to avoid suspicion. Non-adherence to norms is the norm down here, but higher up things become much more strict and socially rigid. The upper levels of this stack are dominated by those who believe that wealth and power are divinely meted out, a sort of divine right of affluence. If we do not dress as they do, we will not only be viewed as outsiders, but as heretics."
To Skylar
"Yo boss, Imma start running ideas through yo, so I don't drive these guys nuts. Think we should set up processing here, or in someplace like Gamma? He said we have a surgical area around here somewhere. I'd like to start getting that all set up for our guests before they start arriving. I think we could find plenty of people willing to work for a little more than their normal pay down in the stacks a bit. try not to pull from too low up to too high, though. We want our employees not to stand out too much."
How we do processing will depend on what needs to be done. As with everything, if we can, we should decentralize. Be capable of doing places in as many places as we can. But if the equipment is to specialized, or the result too difficult to move, it will limit what we can do with it. We'll send our med-techs down to Beta to take a look at it soon.
Ryan's ears seem to twitch when he hears mention of the surgical area. He directs toward Skylar, "Absolutely. I'd love to visit the surgical area and see what we have. I also imagine Gamma would be the best place to start... Collections. The lower stacks seems like the sweet spot."
Lower will probably be better for the bulk of our collections, but it's worth noting that lawless does not mean authority-less. We'll need to be concerned with gangs down there, who may be less friendly to us than the ones up here.
Listen and watch th conversation at hand "Hey Skylar, maybe a meet up with a friendly gang would be a benificial starting point. If we need clerks who are ok with, ask no questions, pay no attention, orders, I can think of no better place to look"
Yeah, we'll have to talk with them about man-power, see if we can get a formal agreement going. One thing we could do is offer them a 'disposal' service. 'Give us people you want gone, and we will make them gone' kind of deal. We potentially also don't need them staff our shops with questionable people, as long as they will follow reasonable orders that serve our purposes, but that will depend on the location.
Right now, we have time first and foremost. So let's take the opportunity to think, plan, and observe. We'll work on the exact details after we've done some exploring. Vincent, Petra, take Jesse and Gus and go out on the town. Wander around here, chat with people, get a feel for the area. Get directions from the Son's to Delta, or take one of them with you, then wander around up there as well. Don't be... suspicious. We don't want to look like we're new to the area, but you'll probably be a little odd to the locals. Find out how not to be.
Xael, you'll be escorting Ryan and Dester back to Beta to check out the equipment. I'll probably be joining you as well, but it depends on if there's anything to do here right now. Once we're there Xael, we'll have you take a look around Beta, get a feel for that area, though probably not talk to anyone. From our short walk, seemed like it was mostly warehouses there.
Go get the gear we got sent with. Leave anything obvious here for now, but don't go without something. Ideally something less destructive than your brain. Ask the Sons for something if you don't have suitable arms in the crate. I'll check with the Sons about comms and cameras. We'll head out after that, and plan to meet back here in... uh... Sons, what length cycle are we on and how far through it are we?
Ask the Sons about...
Personal communications in the stack
Cameras around the current warehouses, and the usual endless supply of mini-cams
A blank datapad 
Sleeping Arrangements
The time
The weather (it seemed like the thing to do!)
Then check on the 2nd crate if no one else has
Specifically what about them? They exist, though they get more iffy as you go down. Wired telephone is fairly ubiquitous though. Wireless exists some places but really thats just wired where the phone is broadcasting to local receivers that then send the signal through landlines. Wireless coms in a several miles of ultra dense materials is kinda hard.
All the safehouses are wired for video, and we can get a supply of minicams, but as I said before, you're not gonna be able to watch them wirelessly.
Sure.
Above the restaurant is small apartment building, just about 10 rooms. We've got rooms for everyone there. It belongs to us as well and is otherwise uninhabited.
Like...what time it is now? About 6 in the evening.
Weather isn't really a thing down here. Are the walls moist and dripping? Then it might be raining somewhere above. Or that's just a leaky pipe. You're two miles deep in concrete, friend, we only get air because someone is pumping it in.
Author
Topic: Mission 23: Thing that Goes Bump in the Night (Read 55127 times)