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Awakening Apocalypse - Chapter 2: The End of the Beginning
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<blockquote data-quote="Mosier" data-source="post: 6630539" data-attributes="member: 6776381"><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Awakening Apocalypse, Chapter 2 - The End of the Beginning</span></strong><u></u></p><p><u></u></p><p><u>January 9, 2012. 8:50 am. </u></p><p></p><p>Change has come. People know it, but they just haven't accepted it yet. Life will never be the same for most people, who live in comfortable routine. Those people will be crushed; willingly enslaved by anyone who promises to bring a sense of normalcy back to their lives. </p><p></p><p>Aleksander already knows who the winners and losers will be in this terrible new age. He can see it already. Stallone-Severt corp is even now being swallowed by Planeco Industries, its executives murdered, its development team kidnapped and extorted. A state Senator even openly serves on Planeco's board of directors. Soon enough, the most ruthless corps will become megacorps, and within a few years the millions of bystanders with no skin in the game will end up serving one of them or another. </p><p></p><p>Or, like Aleksander, several of them. And, therefore, none of them.</p><p></p><p>He almost envies the lives of the dozens of Runners he manages. Sure, they have a low life expectancy, but at least they get to keep their souls. They get to spend their lives doing exactly what they love. Aleksander will never have that kind of courage...</p><p></p><p>Heartbreak's icon is the first to approach him. Poseidon and the nondescript male image regard each other nonchalantly. Behind his Greek god icon, Aleksander wonders just how much of himself is exposed to the hacker. He knows that his own thoughts and emotions are hidden, but could Aleksander possibly be giving off some kind of involuntary digital "body language" that a Matrix-denizen as clever as Heartbreak could pick up on?</p><p></p><p>Before he can carry the thought further, Casper's translucent icon appears, followed shortly by Skinny and Saint. </p><p></p><p>"My friends!" Poseidon says to them, as insincere as ever. "It has been too long."</p><p></p><p>He waits for a response, but none is forthcoming. These Runners are obviously not at all interested in formality, or socializing. </p><p></p><p>"Straight to business, eh?" Poseidon says. "Very good. Professional. For the next contract, you will be working with a fifth Runner." </p><p></p><p>Mac's icon joins the rest of the crew, and is introduced by Aleksander. "Not much of a personality I'm afraid, but I believe you will all appreciate her...uh, style." The Greek god winks at Heartbreak, who clearly has no idea what Aleksander is trying to say.</p><p></p><p>"I know you will not be thrilled to split your earnings yet another way," Poseidon continues. "So for this mission, I will be paying her out of my share. Fifty thousand nuyen between the four of you, and 12,500 for Mac, because you damnable Runners are so frequently concerned about <em>fairness.</em> In truth, her skills are more suitable to this mission than yours, but I have given you the 'friends' bonus. Keep succeeding, and the bonus will keep increasing."</p><p></p><p>There's a twinkle in his digital eye, and an impish smile across his broad, perfect, almost-cartoon quality teeth. "For this mission, you will infiltrate a band of mercenary hoodlums, and convince their leader to kill a man. If this sounds distasteful to you, then be reassured by the knowledge that this is a profoundly evil, destructive man, although that has nothing to do with this arrangement. I can tell you no more until you are committed to join this conspiracy. So tell me, my friends. Shall we make each other rich for a second time?"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mosier, post: 6630539, member: 6776381"] [B][SIZE=4]Awakening Apocalypse, Chapter 2 - The End of the Beginning[/SIZE][/B][U] January 9, 2012. 8:50 am. [/U] Change has come. People know it, but they just haven't accepted it yet. Life will never be the same for most people, who live in comfortable routine. Those people will be crushed; willingly enslaved by anyone who promises to bring a sense of normalcy back to their lives. Aleksander already knows who the winners and losers will be in this terrible new age. He can see it already. Stallone-Severt corp is even now being swallowed by Planeco Industries, its executives murdered, its development team kidnapped and extorted. A state Senator even openly serves on Planeco's board of directors. Soon enough, the most ruthless corps will become megacorps, and within a few years the millions of bystanders with no skin in the game will end up serving one of them or another. Or, like Aleksander, several of them. And, therefore, none of them. He almost envies the lives of the dozens of Runners he manages. Sure, they have a low life expectancy, but at least they get to keep their souls. They get to spend their lives doing exactly what they love. Aleksander will never have that kind of courage... Heartbreak's icon is the first to approach him. Poseidon and the nondescript male image regard each other nonchalantly. Behind his Greek god icon, Aleksander wonders just how much of himself is exposed to the hacker. He knows that his own thoughts and emotions are hidden, but could Aleksander possibly be giving off some kind of involuntary digital "body language" that a Matrix-denizen as clever as Heartbreak could pick up on? Before he can carry the thought further, Casper's translucent icon appears, followed shortly by Skinny and Saint. "My friends!" Poseidon says to them, as insincere as ever. "It has been too long." He waits for a response, but none is forthcoming. These Runners are obviously not at all interested in formality, or socializing. "Straight to business, eh?" Poseidon says. "Very good. Professional. For the next contract, you will be working with a fifth Runner." Mac's icon joins the rest of the crew, and is introduced by Aleksander. "Not much of a personality I'm afraid, but I believe you will all appreciate her...uh, style." The Greek god winks at Heartbreak, who clearly has no idea what Aleksander is trying to say. "I know you will not be thrilled to split your earnings yet another way," Poseidon continues. "So for this mission, I will be paying her out of my share. Fifty thousand nuyen between the four of you, and 12,500 for Mac, because you damnable Runners are so frequently concerned about [I]fairness.[/I] In truth, her skills are more suitable to this mission than yours, but I have given you the 'friends' bonus. Keep succeeding, and the bonus will keep increasing." There's a twinkle in his digital eye, and an impish smile across his broad, perfect, almost-cartoon quality teeth. "For this mission, you will infiltrate a band of mercenary hoodlums, and convince their leader to kill a man. If this sounds distasteful to you, then be reassured by the knowledge that this is a profoundly evil, destructive man, although that has nothing to do with this arrangement. I can tell you no more until you are committed to join this conspiracy. So tell me, my friends. Shall we make each other rich for a second time?" [/QUOTE]
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