The Cold Draft at Jemison Post


#101

“Way to make sure these clones cause no more mischief,” offered Eli. “We need to find a way to free or reprogram them while not getting stuck in a trap.”


#102

Lurtor says "This is a bit selfish and not. I agree with Eli. Free these clones or target them away at least. The Old guy most likely controls these currently. Also I would like to end the production of them if possible. Clones of me make things pretty tough on me. Getting me in trouble for things I didn’t do.

Any other ideas?"


#103

Eli McGraw was a big damn hero. The best gunslinger this side of Refuge. A fool who monologue bit too much in his head.

“If you are not up to three or four of us verse death traps, live death traps and ten thousand murderous close of death… I have another option. Let’s get help because at the moment the clones aren’t going anywhere.”

Eli McGraw knew when it was time to out source your problems.


#104

Lurtor says "Biff has already asked if he could help. If you have specific suggestions, I’m sure we can call in a few others.

I’m not sure we have much time to go through channels for others and if we ask for help outside our group here, I’m sure it will tip off who ever is running this lab. And then they’ll just activate their plan sooner. Surprise is on our side. Especially since with that Eye spy, I can get us in without too much issue of the lower traps. I will need help with any traps or other things once we are in there though.

Besides, thousands of murderous clones are only a problem if we wake them with their current unknown programming. Though I guess that is a concern if we go in. Even for a recon.

I still think we need to do something. I did like the plan of trying to alter the programming. But in the end we need information. "

(OOC of note, tonight is the mission, I’ll hold off on my post for a few hrs.)


#105

(OOC no shit. Just because a “mission” pops up, doesn’t mean you have to complete it. )

Eli spoke “If Grim was around, the traps won’t be a problem. But he doesn’t seem to be around and I’m not good at traps. Not sure if Nuria or you are either.”

“Aren’t you friends some big wigs way down south? Get on the horn with 'em. Have them bring their friends. I got an empty port where they can stay,” Eli suggested.

“Also, I’m married to a fine woman named Buffy and her big brother is a big a deal. The name’s Strykker, Jeremiah Strykker. Plus I spent a few years pushing papers and taking names down while I was working for a shadow org’ that starts with a V. Bet I could round up some people discreetly.”


#106

Lurtor says "Down south they have their own big problems. I think recovering from a Krato invasion. I did get them to have their dodgeball team setup up here, but I can’t really pull those strings at the moment. Besides, if it turns into a fight we failed. And we don’t need major troop movements to get eyes on us or that location. Also we don’t need a large scale battle waking a sleeping beast north of us.

We need intel and we need it while we can get it. If given a chance to stop production and/or remove the programming of the clones. And I can get us by many of the traps as we have an eye spy pass them. Though I would prefer grim was with us. I think we should take this opportunity. But I can’t do it alone successfully.

If you can talk to Striker off the computers and setup some backup in case things go badly. That would be of great help. I’m reluctant to go official channels because I’m sure Old VLAD is watching those. And he’s definitely monitoring electronic communications. And he’ll move and use that army if he knows we know about it. Otherwise I would go to Oolong first. But my presence there will be noted. But out of Channel communication would work well.

Can you reach Striker? Bring him even better. If he says no to this, then we cancel the plan."


#107

“No, I can’t bring him. Won’t want to in the first place. The Misses would have my nuts,” frown Eli.

“I’ll send him a coded letter via Buffy. She wise to that and loves decoding those things!”

In reality that wasn’t completely true. Buffy Jennifer Strykker McGraw had her quirks like her husband. While she was a dutiful wife, mother and homemaker who learn some odd things over the yeasr, cryptography just pissed her off. It was because of the math and she was bad at math. Eli wasn’t that great either but he became proficient over time due to his job. His problem was his hand writing was poor and it took him three time as long to write it out neatly on paper.

“If we screw up, people can avenge us or something,” Eli thought out loud.


#108

“If all else fails, we can hide outside and see if we can catch someone coming or going.”


#109

Lurtor says "Sounds like a plan. I’ll also try to use the eye spy that is in there over actually going in. I can use leyas things through those. But we can stake out, and then investgate as needed.

Also send those off normal channel communications for help. If we find out an attack is happening sooner than later, maybe we can do something about. Hard to know before."


#110

Lurtor continues “If we have to go in, we can try to make it as quiet as possible and without detection. And then have something to warn or report back.”


#111

[week 8]
Administrator McIvinson looked hurt, and pained, and nearly broken. Don’t get me wrong, he didn’t have a wound on him, but the hole in his soul was apparent to all. At first Lurtor thought him possessed and checked him out but it wasn’t possession.

As Grim, Lurtor, Nuria and Eli shared a drink, they wondered what had happened to the once proud comm officer.

Behind the bar, there was a Lurtor clone working. Everytime McIvinson looked up he shuddered. In fact as they looked around they realized while at least a quarter of the bar were white fur olgogs, three quarters wasn’t just green fur olgogs, they were the clones.

The worst part was it wasn’t some trap, or some devious ploy. The clones drinking here were simply blowing off steam. It was odd because some groups of OtO and Lurtor clones seemed to get along really well, even going so far as to pal around. Others seemed so ill at odds that they glared across the bar at each other.


#112

As the four looked back at their drinks McIvinson leaned in and said, “Hey buddies howzitz going? Its so nice to see somebody who doesn’t look like well…like him” pointing at Lurtor, "This place has gotten real weird real quick. There are all sorts of crazy VLAD agents running around, and that is not even counting the cloned maniacs.

And now today I hear we are all going to die. Some Doomwyrms finally decided to break the peace and they are coming right for us. I guess I knew death would come some day, but I never expected to be eaten by a dragon.

I called up the EEF and I called up Fort Lendill. For some reason both nations said we would have to figure out our own defense. Something about Jemison Post’s security rating being downgraded."


#113

“When I asked them why they said it was above my pay grade,” said McIvinson, “Then I called up Mr. McMurphy over at the VLAD offices and he told me it was above my pay grade. So I called up Te Te over at the VLAD offices and you know what he told me…HE TOLD ME OUR BUDGET IS INCREASED!”

The four looked at each other confused as if to say what is bad about that?

“They are increasing the number of ex-VLAD agents and criminals they are sending out here. I think the new Mr. McMurphy is going to allow this Doomwyrm attack to wipe out the problem of our current population and send more people to inhabit the new underground buildings the EEF is shipping in for us. Six underground dormitories with rooming for six hundred ex-VLAD agents. I’ve seen the layout of the dorms, they are based on prisons,” said McIvinson sobbing, “I didn’t sign up to warden at a death camp.”

The door to the Cold Draft opened and the new Mr. McMurphy walked in, looking rather buff. The VLAD administrator walked up to Jemison Post’s administrator and slapped McIvinson across the face.

“Pull yourself together man!” roared Mr. McMurphy much to all four’s concern.

Mr. McMurphy sat at their table and motioned for a drink, “We have word these dragons aren’t part of the main Doomwyrm force. Consider them a rogue element that needs to be cleaned up for the growth of Jemison Post.”


#114

Lurtor says to McIvinson “We will have to talk about the living conditions later. But while 10 Doomwyrms is a crazy sight, we have a good defense here as well. Just wish we didn’t have to test it out so soon.”

Then to McMurphy, he says “Cleaned up? That sounds like talking our way out of this is already off the table? Have you been in contact with Dahelein ArchWing? Is there anymore information about who makes up this group?”


#115

“…”

To McMurphy: “Who are you?”


#116

McIvinson began to sob, “I saw the Doomwyrm Flock that attacked New Vorik during the Border Wars. So many were annihilated from reality. Even if we defend this place, how many people…PEOPLE…we care about…people who have lived out here for the cold harsh months out here… how many of them are going to be annihilated from existence.”

McMurphy said, “Yeah I have memories of that battle too, I was in the thick of it. But Doomwyrms aren’t a real worry when you can prepare a trap for them. Its only when they set the terms of the battle that you are really fucked.”

Then McMurphy said, "Administrator McIvinson, you look like shit, and can’t keep yourself together. Head back to your quarters until this Doomwyrm threat is handled. "


#117

After McIvinson had left, McMurphy turned to Eli and said, “Eli McGraw, you can call me Mac, and I’m in charge of operations around this region now that the EEF is going to be storing psychopaths who used to be on their payroll out here.
I’m also here to make sure we handle the blackmarket properly right out the gate. The Colonies realize this is going to be a bit lawlessness and illegal activity out here, like all the technomancy reports we have been getting. But I’m really proud to say I don’t care that you have a fucking army of illegal combat clones out here.”

At that statement the entire bar went silent as the Lurtor and OtO clones glared at this new more authoritarian McMurphy.

“Yeah Im talking about you pieces of genetic trash. Get the hell out of here, and from now on, this place is off limits to y’all,” commanded McMurphy, “And that means now. Pay your bills, leave the ghaz on the table with a good tip for the waitstaff, and get the hell out of this bar before I finish my drink.”

McMurphy lifted up a new drink and began downing it. As he chugged, the clones left in an angry huff. As the bar was now empty except for them, McMurphy said, "I don’t know what you think is the relationship between Jemison Post and the Doomwyrms of Dahelein Archwing, Lurtor. But I have daily reports that he and his corrupt regime are working with the forces of Boriel I’tash to consolidate the western frontier. In fact between Boriel and Dahelein, there is a veritable Annihilation Wall between Jemison Post and overland reinforcements from the Colonies.

So I don’t see any benefit in getting Dahelein involved…"

[Lurtor and Grim can appeal to Dahelein if they wish in the Aerie of the Doomwyrms thread.]

McMurphy looked at Eli and smiled and said, "It could be worse. At least since these 10 Doomwyrms are hitting Jemison Post first, McGraw Harbor is safe…for now…

And we have some good fodder in this town, you just got to decide who you want to put at threat?

The Icemancers of the Hobtla Mag’ol (white fur olgogs)? The Lurtor and OtO Clones? The Collared VLAD agents? Quite a plethora of targets of opportunity…"


#118

“Genetic trash? Mac, the McMurphy I know is not an asshole. But I am!”

Eli McGraw has been TRIGGERED!

Eli McGraw orders a drink, finishes it in two seconds flat and screams: “Surprise attack of opportunity!”

He throws a chair at Authoritarian McMurphy, attempts charges him through the door of the Cold Draft while he’s distracted and tries to suplex in the street among the clones.

“Clone lives matter, Mac!”


#119

Lurtor quickly steps in to stop the fight and then looks to the new McMurrphy and says "This Bar is not under your control. This is run by someone not under your control or command. The clones can be here if the owner wants. And I believe Tal’al’oon values all life. Not just the life of the original DNA.

Also, those white furs are not for being thrown away either. If this agency is suppose to be better than the old, then it needs to start at the top and care about the agents and those it uses too. Not just trying to minimize the damage of action. If you at the top don’t value all lives, then your agents you command will be the same. Hence the problem we are trying to solve.

Also, what the hell, you are what numbered clone? These clones are not just empty shells filled with the same persons memory. They are independent of each other, though do to the same background are similar, they do have differences. Just like you and your other versions. I’m starting to see those differences even now. But we can get into the ethics and legalities, ethics, and religion of clones later. Just know our current laws/rules are not that of the VoVF here.

Now rather than starting fights, lets have some possible solutions. So far Mac, you have made our situation worse not better. And its been 5 minutes.

I will go and see if Dahelein Archwing will pull back these riders, whether rouge or not. But lets not put stock in that. We can set snipers out at distances so they can be out of range of the dragons but in their range if needed. And any confrontation should happen away from the post.

Any other useful ideas?"


#120

“Nope, no useful ideas. Do you know where the dragons are passing though?”