[Jaunt] Just a stranger riding into town. Or something.

[truerevelation]

[Here's a psychic voice that the old-time Travellers haven't heard - or experienced? - before. There's an air of calm determination to the words.
Newer-era ones will be far more likely to recognise the tone.]

Yo, alright. Kanji here, checkin' in - just arrived from over Walkabout with some friends to lend a hand. Heard you folks are sticking it to the man by... re-stealin' a bunch of cows? Am I getting that right? Could use a bit of filling in.

But I ... [want to make the trip worth it, don't want to have run out on people for no good reason] wanna do something if I can. Uh, I do communications - hacking, sorta, and signal crap, or I can go bust a few goons down if they need busting. Hope that's useful somewhere...

So yeah. Good to ... be here?

Comments

[okanetendo]

You have my immediate and undivided attention.

Nabiki Tendo, at your service. I infiltrated as a disgruntled ErebusCorp office lady who started selling secrets to the rustlers. Apparently, last time I tried it, I got dumped out an airlock before I could get word out that they stole from charity.

If you can hack into what Erebus is doing here - find other compromising info on them and beam it across Mars and to Earthside - at worst it would give us both great personal satisfaction.

At best? You're looking at destroying their reputation. They're dirrrrrty.

[truerevelation]

Heh. Good to meet ya.

My hacking's not like ... stick me in front of a computer and I go busting through files. I mean, it can be a bit. Got a coupla skills, and I kinda wanna learn. But it's more about pickin' up communications, decrypting them, messing with them? That sort of thing, you get me?

[okanetendo]

We get you the message, you break the codes?

Seems about right. You familiar with CB radios at all? They're big on Mars. I've been keeping people apprised of the position and disposition of all the cops - excuse me, bears - swarming Ridge Rock.

[truerevelation]

Sorta thing, yeah. If there's an actual message in something, I can get it outta there.
And - that's what that is I've been hearin'? I hadn't had time to process alla that talk yet. Codes are one thing but 'the bear is eating ice cream' or whatever... man.

[okanetendo]

I think it would be in your best interest to learn the slang if you can just instinctively hear the signals. I can give you a briefer if you promise to use your newfound power only for good, and for petty vengeance on Where's The Beef Incorporated.

[truerevelation]

Well, the answer to that's gonna be 'we have the beef now, assholes', right? Heh. Sure.

[okanetendo]

All seventy head. Well, sixty and a lot of hamburger after that blizzard, but still pretty impressive.

How well do you learn from books? Easiest way might be to drop off a dictionary - keeping in mind the slang evolves in real time.

[truerevelation]

I ain't the greatest at books, but ... eh, I can give it a go. Ain't like anyone's giving me an exam.

[tookashirototheknee]

Hi, Kanji!

There's always room in the communications bus. Also, if you ever want a few hacking tips, when we're not in the middle of a cattle heist, I'd be happy to help.

[truerevelation]

...do we get air con?

Heh. Would be glad to hear it from ya, man. Computer shit's still a bit scary - yeah, I know I could probably do it in time, but ... right. Not when we're wrestlin' with cows.

[tookashirototheknee]

Heck yeah, we get air con. No good communications station is without good heating and a/c.

Computers are really scary, don't let anyone tell you differently.

Also, you have to come out with me tonight. If you've never seen the Earth from space, it's an amazing experience.

[truerevelation]

Damn right I wanna get a look. We got telescopes anywhere? Can ya see the Moon?

And tch. Been inside one twice, but that ain't done me a lot of good... not with that stuff, anyway.

[tookashirototheknee]

I definitely have a telescope. And yes, you can! With a good telescope, you should be able to see some of the craters, not to mention Earth continents.

I've always thought that the more you're in the middle of something, the less it helps you to learn about it.

[truerevelation]

Heh. There's, uh... experience and then there's experience? Or somethin'?

And sweet. Definitely gotta catch ya there, then.

[tookashirototheknee]

Awesome. I think my sister's a bit tired of me being excited about stars. If you're interested, I could show you how some of the constellations are different from this different view.

... but, uh, that has nothing to do with cattle rustling, sorry.

[truerevelation]

No worries, dude. I get how it feels when people don't get why you're hyped about somethin'.

[naturaltwohands]

I'm not sure how much there is to do. I've been rather... bored.

Guenhwyvar is a chicken, however.

[truerevelation]

...don't they got pet cats here for her to be or something? Man. That's gotta suck. Least Piyo ain't changed shape.

[naturaltwohands]

Yes, but this is funnier.

[truerevelation]

...eh. Can't argue with that one.

[naturaltwohands]

It's an infallible argument.