Scene 3 - Furnival Manor

[Quhzk]

More adept at stealing things homself than reviewing others handywork, Snitch was at a bit of a loss as to how to investigate. Trying to put himself in the shoes of someone who would break in himself, he tried to think of what kind of background info he would want to have before trying anything.

Snitch: "How's the collecting world these days? Any other thefts that you know of, new players in the game..?"

Thinking back to an old job he did taking some paydata from a server room which locked up after detecting an intrusion, he remembered a classic trick: Sometimes it's best to camp out at the scene until someone else opens the door for you to come out. If these guys are as good as the lord was making them out to be it probably wasn't worth the effort, but Alex looked around for any tucked away nooks where a chummer could take a nap.

Snitch: "And how are you with the other collectors you were mentioning, any bad blood?"

[prissyprincesscyan]

Hija: “I would not like to guess at the motivations of someone I do not have a profile on but I am not sure a skylight not designed to be opened would stop someone that got past your level of security.”

The teen paused, barely containing the urge to explain her theory for just a few seconds before elaborating.

Hija: “Cut in on the edges at a forty-five degree angle, take the pane out with some suction cups and lay some universal solvent on the remaining attached glass while you repel down. Once you’re back up place the glass back on the solvent and you’ve got a nearly indistinguishable hairline fracture as the only evidence of your entry. Not like you can see such a thing from all the way down here. Of course such an exterior breach would be detected on your buildings PAN, but it seems that is a little bit compromised right now. Just a theory, one of many, but until we start finding evidence they are all equally valid, by extension all equally worthless. Lets get some clues together.”

Hija sent a scornful look Tag’s way as she appeared to take a back seat on the investigating front. The look softened as the latter inspected the shattered glass on the ground but not by much and not for long as Tag asked after Ausburg and Degual’s details. Standing stock still, stunned, with her fingers twitching as she processed Tag’s request. At least the coffee was starting to kick in.

Hija: “You’ve got three people to talk to already about this haven’t you? Do we know where Lord Furnival, Jerome or the vatter out front claim to be during this theft? What about the rest of the staff, what were they doing? Can any of them prove it? Seems to me you’ve got plenty to talk to and about.”

Letting out an audible grumble Hija sent a second copy of the information she had pulled from the datastick Lord Furnival gave her during their meeting at Franchise Wars, the work, home and commlink contact details of both highlighted with a besmirching one wrapped in brackets attached to the files ending to Tag’s commlink.

Hija: “Herr Ausburg of the Ausburg Auction House and Peter de Gaulle, curator of this very collection.”

Breaking her gaze from Tag Hija looked towards the two gentlemen of their group. What little she had told Snitch on the bike all seemed new to him and she had no clue on Cochise’s absorption of the information. For good measure she sent each of them the data again.

Hija: “Yes, I will have a look at the server room now please. Can Jerome also bring an edredón or un almohada or something? Gracias.”

Already sounding tired and defeated Hija turned from the room and sidled next to the Delta on guard, waiting to be collected by the manservant.

Hija: “So… Hola, my names Hija. You see anything weird a couple of nights ago when this place got robbed?”

[Deals with dragons]

Tag takes a moment to collect her thoughts, Hijas stinging remark ringing in her head. Sure, she would need to speak with the staff, but she had wanted some background first. Something about all this screams conspiracy, and Tag wants to talk with those with a vested interest in these artifacts, rather than those with a passing understanding of their value. Tag stands as her commlink buzzes. She checks it, and decides to smooth over relations with Hija before she wastes any more time. She types a short message, not wanting to show dissent (or rather more) among the team in front of their employer.

Tag:"I understand, and I will, but the rich and powerful are always at each others throats, so the sooner we can cross grand conspiracy off the list of possibilities the better. I appreciate your suggestion, but in the future, keep team problems away from the Johnson, it looks bad.
-Tag"

With that done, Tag looks to the Lord.
Tag: "Hija is right, I would also like for you to assemble as much of the staff as you can in a centralized part of the manor, where your trusted security can keep an eye on them. I want to start by talking with your security personnel."
Tag surveys the scene one more time as she waits for a response.

[Admin]

Random Task said:

"Any recent hires, your lordship?"

Furnival: "No, I don't believe so - Jerome?"

J: "No Sir. Not in the last year."

F: "I'm not a fan of 'temps' in my home, present company excluded, and I treat my employees well. I'd be disappointed to find out this is an inside job."


OOC:Note my ret-con.

Deals with dragons said:

Tags attention is caught in a patern of reflective glass that's formed on the floor. Her immediate reaction is to look at her face being reflected, but something about it seems off... A black smudge seems to appear in the reflection.
she kneels down to get a better look, brushing the glass to the side. Shoe polish... Expensive.
It's a strange intuition, but she's familiar with this. It's what the security team at her families estate used it, Lincoln stain wax, common among military, or professionals.Dried blood, very dark - likely blood from a Beta as their blood hyper oxygenates. Not a big lead, but it's something. 

Jun 6, 2018 13:41:00 GMT Quhzk said:

Snitch: "How's the collecting world these days? Any other thefts that you know of, new players in the game..?"

... Alex looked around for any tucked away nooks where a chummer could take a nap.

Snitch: "And how are you with the other collectors you were mentioning, any bad blood?"

F: "Most of the purchasing of these items is done privately or anonymously at auctions, so I don't interact with other collectors. Herr Ausburg may have good insight into new players - if he is to be trusted."

Alex finds a shadowy corner tucked away between a tatered tapestry and large stone obelisk that would have quite nicely fit a smaller person.

Hija: “Cut in on the edges at a forty-five degree angle, take the pane out with some suction cups and lay some universal solvent on the remaining attached glass while you repel down. Once you’re back up place the glass back on the solvent and you’ve got a nearly indistinguishable hairline fracture as the only evidence of your entry. Not like you can see such a thing from all the way down here.

It would likely take a femto-second pulsed laser cutter, but it would work. ;-)

Hija: “You’ve got three people to talk to already about this haven’t you? Do we know where Lord Furnival, Jerome or the vatter out front claim to be during this theft? What about the rest of the staff, what were they doing? Can any of them prove it?”

F: "I was at a fundraiser for some child-disease, Jerome has here, and Declan (the vatter) was..."

Jerome: "Off duty, off site sir."

Hija: “So… Hola, my names Hija. You see anything weird a couple of nights ago when this place got robbed?”

Declan:"No... Miss? I wasn't on duty."

Jerome snaps his fingers and a small drone appears.

Jerome: "The aerostat will take you to the main server stacks."

The aerostat bobs politely and in a digital whisper insults Benita's stabilization gyroscopes as outdated technology, then turns to head down a hallway, towards stairs going down.

Tag: "Hija is right, I would also like for you to assemble as much of the staff as you can in a centralized part of the manor, where your trusted security can keep an eye on them."

Furnival nods, Jerome steps out of the room so he can discretely send a message, and returns.

J:"Everyone will be assembled in the grand hall in 10 minutes sir."

[Quhzk]

While browsing through the room for shadowy corners where the tasteful exhibit lighting didn't shine, Snitch finds a space about three feet deep. [It may not be big enough for me, but you could hide a drone in here, or even someone like Hija...] Taking out his commlink and getting on his hands and knees, he shines the torch to the back and scans for anything suspicious and notices that there are some small scuff marks on the wall and the carpet seems disturbed. [Might just mean the cleaners coulden't reach back there, but sure looks like someone was camping out]

Getting up and brushing his pant legs off, he walks to Tag and sees her examining specks of blood on the glass shards. "Think there was a struggle in here? This looks like a pretty professional job but nicking yourself while smashing open a case screams amateur..."

Perhaps paranoia played part in his perception of the peculiar performance, as Putnam petitioned to the patrician "Who first noticed the burglary? Was someone stationed by the door after the theft was found? The most difficult part of these kinds of jobs is getting out, not in - If they didn't use the skylight then they left right through that door, maybe after someone opened it for them."

[Deals with dragons]

Tag stands with her eyes closed, this place is giving off a bad vibe, beyond her dislike of opulence, she's getting a bad headache from this place. Shaking her head, she sets her mind back to the task at hand. Seeing as she trusts Snitch more than the rest of the team, and while he can be down to earth, she has a crazy theory she wants to get off her chest. Taping his arm, she motions for him to follow her away from the group. She then whispers:

Tag: "you don't suppose that a psi might be responsible for this? I mean, I'm not an expert, and it's a crazy idea, but this all seems too convenient, yeah? I mean, how could all of this happen without anyone even noticing? I dunno, maybe I'm just getting caught up in fantasy..."

Seeing as Snitch has been caught off guard, Tag awkwardly looks around, getting more uncertain about telling anyone her crazy idea.

Tag: "Erm... talk later I guess..."

OOC: If snitch doesn't stop her:

Turning back to the group Tag nods, acknowledging that people would be assembled in the manor. Not really knowing what to do next, Tag exits the room and examines the outside. 

[prissyprincesscyan]

Not wanting to argue right at this moment Hija sent a curt reply to Tag as she shuffled out of the door.

Hija: “There are team problems?”

Without any context its hard to tell whether the question was genuine, heavily sarcastic or somewhere in between. Muttering to herself about how she was usually right as her insightful conversation with Declan stumbled to an end, Hija pondered the vagueness of Lord Furnival’s response. It was not suspicion she considered the answer with but more the open ended possibilities it offered.

[Is it a disease that stops you growing up or something that reverts you back into a child? Further was he raising funds to prevent this disease or spread it? Some people would like to be young forever, could be the secret to immortality. Unless that’s just what he calls children and it was like a birthday trust fund thing… Hey! Does he think I’m a disease? Lo que sea, not my job to check if those claims are true.]

Hija was about to continue her talk with the vatter until a small, pale dirigible hovered above her head. It was certainly quiet and looked kinda cute, like a tiny fluffy cloud. All it needed was a pair of eyes and a mouth to be complete. Following their floating guide Hija rummaged in her bag for a pen to add her supposed improvements.

Benita: “Wow, rude. I don’t think a gasbag like you can really talk about being out of da-”

Alberto: “Benita is a hand crafted drone with care and attention placed into every detail. She is a unique creation unlike you. You were merely one of many clones, crafted on a factory line and easily repla-”

The aerostat found itself rapidly descending as a great weight overwhelmed its lifting devices. Seemingly having jumped far higher than she had ever done before in her life Hija brought the gas filled drone to her face and spoke opening.

Hija: “Listen you little drek. Surely your owner has taught you not to be rude to guests? Perhaps you don’t know your current situation so I’ll give you a refresher. You’re host is drekshot. That means you don’t get a back up or reset if something ‘goes wrong’ Your boss is rather wealthy so he’ll easily get you scrapped and replaced rather than trying to fix you if someone lets him know that you are acting defectively. I’d recommend you start acting a little nicer to my friends, maybe start with an apology. In fact I don’t recommend, I order. Run debugging mode, deactivate Turing applications. Maybe if you’re good and very, very helpful I’ll let you have your personality back. Now apologise, lead on to the server room and await further instructions.”

Hija released the aerostat and let it continue down towards the server room.

Benita: “Mamá, papá, please don’t embarrass me like that again...”

[Admin]

"Who first noticed the burglary? Was someone stationed by the door after the theft was found? The most difficult part of these kinds of jobs is getting out, not in - If they didn't use the skylight then they left right through that door, maybe after someone opened it for them."

Furnival: "I was the first one to notice it - I come here to clear my head sometimes. I didn't notice anyone sneak out when I opened it. Francis [bouncer], my personal guard, stayed stationed here while Declan [vat job] was called in. Declan and some automated drones where initially guarding it until we discovered the extent of the hack, then I opted to bring in some outside security drones at the perimeter of the estate."

Turning back to the group Tag nods, acknowledging that people would be assembled in the manor. Not really knowing what to do next, Tag exits the room and examines the outside.

While the exterior of the house and the mueseum seem to be decorated to Furnival's peculiar tastes, the rest of the mansion seems to have been decorated by someone with a modicum of tase. She sees some people off in the distance - some look like office workers, others servants - austensibly heading to the grand hall.

Benita: “Mamá, papá, please don’t embarrass me like that again...”

Benita: "Sorry mama..." By way of apology shesends pix he took of the almost invisible cut line in the skylight glass and the partial fingerprint there.

The guide drone chirps an apology as it bobs back into the air - "So sorry M'ame - I was just suggesting a compatible upgrade provided by my manufacturer at a considerable discount. It won't happen again."

It starts descending the stairs into the basement.

[Quhzk]

Tag's suspicion that perhaps a psi is behind the break in is running through Snitch's mind when the lord says that he was the one to first notice the break-in. All too familiar with the manipulation that they can inflict on a mind, Snitch started to wonder if it was possible that Furnival took his own relics and gave them away without remembering. It would certainly have explained how the burglar went unnoticed - it's his manor after all.

Believing that he's seen all that there is to see in the exhibit, Snitch makes his way to the grand hall to meet with the staff. Tag and some of the workers have already arrived, some small talk being made amongst the workers who are waiting for the meeting to start. Sitting on a leather sofa against the wall of the room, Snitch tries to read the room and notice if any of the employees look nervous.

[Deals with dragons]

[Hmmm, I will have to ask Furnival about the manors decorations. Previous owner, a spouse perhaps...] snapped out of her thoughts by the familiar buzzing of her commlink, Tag once again checks the display. Hija is really starting to try her patience. Tag isn't really used to others being so sarcastic and generally rude. Even common folk tend to curb their attitudes when faced with an alpha. Not one to be outdone on sass, Tag writes back.
Tag: "No there shouldn't be, but you are causing one."

Thinking on it for a moment, Tag realizes that this would probably just stoke the fire, and despite Hija being a bit of a smart ass at the moment, Tag still has a bit of soft spot for Hija, and decides to soften her message. [Kill 'em with kindness]

Tag: "Look, it's not a huge deal. There's no problem, just seems you have a few concerns. If you want to talk later, I'm always available. Just stay safe okay? I dont want you to get fried by anything in what's left of the systems.
-Tag"

She takes a deep breath and sends the message. She puts it out of her mind for now, and watches as people file into the hall. Seeing Snitch enter, Tag moves to be near him. She tries her best to look inconspicuous while scoping out suspicious characters. 

[prissyprincesscyan]

Hija: “You’ve got nothing to apologise for Benita, and we’re not embarrassing you. Just looking after mi bebita from drones with no manners and less sense.”

Benita: “I think I can handle myself with a blimp giving me adverts...”

Hija: “Of course you can. Thank you for the pictures, and you!”

She jabbed an aggressive finger at the aerostat’s visual sensor before gently booping the drone on its soft underbelly.

Hija: “At least you apologised, better manners than some people but I suppose that’s to be expected. My turn, Sorry for threatening you and stuff. I wasn’t really going to do it. I’m just a touch frazzled at some meatbags at the moment.”

An envelope icon blipped into her vision as one of said ‘meatbags’ replied to her message. Reading the message Hija’s mind began overanalysing each word, seeking some truer meaning disguised within. One moment there was team problems best kept away from Mr. Johnson lest Tag gets embarrassed, the next moment there were none.

Hija: “Small problems are still problems, can become big problems if left unchecked. But if you think its fine, then its fine. If you are always available I’ll remember that for later. I’ll be safe and I’ll try not to get ‘fried’.”

Taken by a strange, and likely tired induced, mood Hija paused before sending the message. As the sound of her steady footsteps slapping against the flagstone stairs reverberated around the small silent corridor Hija noticed the slowly increasing creepy situation she was entering. Alone in a strange, old manor basement. It was the stuff of horror stories. An impish smirk spread as Hija realised the opportunity to vent some of her frustration and open up her discomforts with Tag without being confrontational. Hija read her own message and with a little creative trickery slipped in a touch of garbled data as she sent the message on its way.

The message read just as Hija had written it save for when Tag neared the end, suddenly and abruptly parts of the message were replaced with warped additions for mere moments before returning to normal.

Hija: “Small problems are still problems, can become big problems, which one am I? But if you think its fine, then its anything but. If you are always available I’ll remember that when I finish with this one I’ll be safe? And I’ll try not to get ‘fried’. Wouldn’t want to ruin my great grandson’s nice floors with melted brain.
- Furnival”

Almost instantly afterwards the change back to normal the suspect message was pushed aside by a second, far more useful, one addressed to the entire team.

Hija: “I might actually be right on this one, check the attached image. Cut along the skylight pane and a partial print. I’ll see if it comes back to anyone of interest.”

Satisfied with her childish prank Hija continued following the gliding guide downwards and imagined what she would find in the deep dark basement.

Eventually after weaving through the less walked paths Hija found herself in a disappointingly modern room with tall servers with notably non functioning LEDs arranged in neat rows and columns. With cooled air pumping throughout the room, adding the low hum the few functional servers still emitted. Standing in the centre of mechanical farm she announced to her posse of drones the first course of action.

Hija: “Lets see what we’re working with on the outside before we go diving. Lets get some specs on these stats, figure out what’s still working and check if anyone’s left a sticky note with the owner’s privilege's password lying around.”

Hija and co looking for thing physically in the server stacks that are still working and/or could be useful. Hija's 13 Perception dice: |6qBu1vJ1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 1-6 Hits: 6
1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6·1-6

[Random Task]

"Has anyone picked up definitive signs of intruders?" Cochise asks his investigating friends.

[Admin]

~The Hallway~
In the grand hall, the gathered staff, some 30 people, have a spectrum of postures, some clueless, some nervous - but not oddly so. No one's story contradicts Furnival's. You spend some time questioning, gathering dossiers, etc - but gain no additional clues.

~Server Room~
To the naked eye, all the equipment seems to be operating, powered, ventilated, etc. To the drone-o-mancer's eye the complete lack of any wireless connections, and the zero flow through the land lines makes it seem like a vast desert, unconsciously Hija's imagination generates a matrix representation of a dry mud extending to the horizon.

Your drone finds a Beta Human in the stack next to a slagged deck typing furiously into a commlink AR interface. He has cotton shoved up his nose and bloodshot eyes. As you consider approaching, you here a weird burbling in the matrix, and see a virtual oasis sprout out from the mud, with a bubbling spring surrounding by greenery and a single palm tree - a wireless access point. The server appears to have woken up, with a very non-corporate invitation to login in.


OOC: Is quetzlcoatl around? Does hija forward her pix to the team? Does Tag mention the blood?

[prissyprincesscyan]

Hija took a small step back, half hidden behind a server tower, with her eyes fixed on the still and silent deck. A small lump forced its ways into her throat as she watched the man try and distract himself with work. Painful memories bubbled their way up in Hija’s mind as she tried to employ the same strategy as the Beta.



Hija pulled a still chilly can of PWR UP, the wonders of miniaturised refrigeration, and quietly approached the man from behind and gently pressed the can against the side of he temple in an effort to soothe the biofeedback headache he was so clearly suffering from.

Hija: “Uh huh uh… Hi, are you okay? Is she going to be alright? Is it fixable or..?”

Hija tried to sound comforting, more so than she had with Snitch at least, but achieved much to the same affect as the man recoiled away from the sudden chill touch and her sudden appearance.

OOC: Since she’s under the impression she is investigating Hija would of brought QU37z41C0471 but might pull something else out if it seems like she going to be slapped with biofeedback. Yes she forwarded the pix Benita captured to the rest of the team in the message addressed to all of them.

[Quhzk]

After some time interviewing staff to no avail Snitch was starting to lose hope in his inside-man theory. Tag's idea that this may have been the work of a psyker still intrigued him, however Hija's message showing the entry point on the skylight was a promising lead. Walking over to Jerome Snitch asks "Can you have someone show me the rooftop access?".

Jerome politely nods and calls over one of the housekeepers, Joan, which Snitch had just interviewed. She had stated that she worked in the manor for the last five years so Snitch assumed that she knew her way around.

Jerome: "Would you show our guest to the roof?

Joan: "Of course sir."

Waving Snitch along, she lead the way to the top floor maintenance room which has a stairway leading out to the rooftop helipad. Although funtionally a maintenance room and including various necessities for upkeeping a VTOL on-site the room was immaculately well kept and decorated. Presumably as this was one of the main entrances of the building that guests may come through it was considered not just a workspace. A Transys Auto Maid was busy cleaning the room when the two entered, and if there had been any evidence of a secondary entrance it's just been swept away.

Snitch: "Fraggin bots! I'm no cop but even I know you don't sweep up a crime scene, get someone to turn those off! Do you have any drone's that would have cleaned up the actual roof?"

Joan: "That's odd, I remember when we were first told about the break in Jerome had our resident rigger disable the cleaners. I'm sorry, I'll let him know immediately. The Maid cleans this room, then the pad, then the roof so it shouldn't have been cleaned yet."

Pulling out her comm she sends off a message to Jerome with one hand, while opening the door to the helipad with the other. Snitch walks through and tries to not get distracted by the machine in front of him, and makes his way to the cut skylight which Hija had pictured to look for any additional clues.

Perception: ai2V7Uth8d6 = 2 hits8d6