Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
Shep stares out over Silvereno for a long moment, taking in the lights, the noise, and the sheer scale of it all. Camp Wilson had felt like a whole world for most of his life. This made it look like a roadside stop.
"Well," he says at last, his voice carrying through the external speakers, "You undersold it." He eases the Silver Eagle up next to the group. "Where to next? You said we have to turn over weapons and armor, right?" After a brief pause, he adds, "And after that, maybe I'll see if I can get the radio fixed before I go see the sights."
Hatch tips his hat back and gives a crooked grin. “Shoot, I’m a firm believer in under‑promisin’ and over‑achievin’,” he says, pointing down the road toward the high walls wrapped around the heart of the city. “See that? We just follow this stretch till we hit the guard post.” He leans forward a bit, “You’ll have to pay for a pass if you wanna bring that rig inside. Once you do, they’ll send an escort to walk you over to the machining district. On the bright side, ammo, repairs, raw materials, all of it runs cheaper here. And once they get your radio patched up, they’ll stash it in the town armory till you’re ready to pick it up.”
"Well," he says at last, his voice carrying through the external speakers, "You undersold it." He eases the Silver Eagle up next to the group. "Where to next? You said we have to turn over weapons and armor, right?" After a brief pause, he adds, "And after that, maybe I'll see if I can get the radio fixed before I go see the sights."
Hatch tips his hat back and gives a crooked grin. “Shoot, I’m a firm believer in under‑promisin’ and over‑achievin’,” he says, pointing down the road toward the high walls wrapped around the heart of the city. “See that? We just follow this stretch till we hit the guard post.” He leans forward a bit, “You’ll have to pay for a pass if you wanna bring that rig inside. Once you do, they’ll send an escort to walk you over to the machining district. On the bright side, ammo, repairs, raw materials, all of it runs cheaper here. And once they get your radio patched up, they’ll stash it in the town armory till you’re ready to pick it up.”
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
"In that case," Shep responds, "lead on. Flag me down if there's any chatter from the local law about me. Since my radio's out, I won't know if they're trying to contact me for identification or anything."
Once they get moving again, he watches the pace of the hovercycles and the flow of traffic, weighing whether walking, running, or flying would draw the least attention while still keeping up. No sense alarming the town by coming in overhead unannounced if he can avoid it.
Once they get moving again, he watches the pace of the hovercycles and the flow of traffic, weighing whether walking, running, or flying would draw the least attention while still keeping up. No sense alarming the town by coming in overhead unannounced if he can avoid it.
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
"In that case," Shep responds, "lead on. Flag me down if there's any chatter from the local law about me. Since my radio's out, I won't know if they're trying to contact me for identification or anything."
"Ah, you've gotta be pretty ornery around here to get arrested. Although, a good brawl might land you there." Hatch laughs.
Once they get moving again, Shep watches the pace of the hovercycles and the flow of traffic, weighing whether walking, running, or flying would draw the least attention while still keeping up. No sense alarming the town by coming in overhead unannounced if he can avoid it. At some points, it's slow enough to walk.
The checkpoint looks less like a simple gate and more like the front door to a very polite warzone. An electric barrier humming with enough voltage to perm a yak, flanked by a dozen guards in full armor, all of them casually cradling weapons that could turn a tank into confetti. They’re busy inspecting gear, tagging high‑powered toys, and generally looking like the world’s grumpiest bouncers. One of them looks like a menacing robot or 'borg as Kip calls them.
Shep explains he’s here to get the radio fixed. The guards nod with the enthusiasm of men who’ve heard every excuse under the sun, then wave over two guys who jog to a jeep and gesture for Shep to follow.
“We’ll meet you at the town casino!” Herman hollers, already halfway up the street.
Following the jeep is easy enough. At their request, Shep hovers just above the road, apparently the city council is very protective of its pavement. The escort leads him through a parade of distractions: movie theaters flashing neon posters, gaming halls buzzing with noise, restaurants sporting fancy plates, inns with questionable vacancy signs, dive bars that look like they serve regret by the pint, and a bustling marketplace full of people who definitely know how to haggle.
They finally pull up to the 'Barony Garage', a sprawling mechanics bay big enough to fix anything from a lawnmower to a small starship. The guards wait as a man in classic grease‑stained blue coveralls trots over, gives Shep's power armor a once‑over, and nods like he’s seen it all.
“What seems to be the issue?” he asks, curious what an unblemished armor could possibly need.
"Ah, you've gotta be pretty ornery around here to get arrested. Although, a good brawl might land you there." Hatch laughs.
Once they get moving again, Shep watches the pace of the hovercycles and the flow of traffic, weighing whether walking, running, or flying would draw the least attention while still keeping up. No sense alarming the town by coming in overhead unannounced if he can avoid it. At some points, it's slow enough to walk.
The checkpoint looks less like a simple gate and more like the front door to a very polite warzone. An electric barrier humming with enough voltage to perm a yak, flanked by a dozen guards in full armor, all of them casually cradling weapons that could turn a tank into confetti. They’re busy inspecting gear, tagging high‑powered toys, and generally looking like the world’s grumpiest bouncers. One of them looks like a menacing robot or 'borg as Kip calls them.
Shep explains he’s here to get the radio fixed. The guards nod with the enthusiasm of men who’ve heard every excuse under the sun, then wave over two guys who jog to a jeep and gesture for Shep to follow.
“We’ll meet you at the town casino!” Herman hollers, already halfway up the street.
Following the jeep is easy enough. At their request, Shep hovers just above the road, apparently the city council is very protective of its pavement. The escort leads him through a parade of distractions: movie theaters flashing neon posters, gaming halls buzzing with noise, restaurants sporting fancy plates, inns with questionable vacancy signs, dive bars that look like they serve regret by the pint, and a bustling marketplace full of people who definitely know how to haggle.
They finally pull up to the 'Barony Garage', a sprawling mechanics bay big enough to fix anything from a lawnmower to a small starship. The guards wait as a man in classic grease‑stained blue coveralls trots over, gives Shep's power armor a once‑over, and nods like he’s seen it all.
“What seems to be the issue?” he asks, curious what an unblemished armor could possibly need.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
As they travel, Shep speaks quietly over the internal channel. "They're going to fix the radio. We keep your existence quiet if we can. If they do notice you, play it as a basic chat AI with limited functions."
He keeps his eyes on the route ahead while he continues. "Watch what they touch. If they start poking around outside the comms hardware, flag it immediately. Same if they try to slip in a tracker or anything extra. Ideally they only need access to the radio assembly. Anything else I should be thinking about?"
By the time they reach the shop, Shep has the plan settled. He opens the visor and follows directions on where they want him to disembark.
"Radio's been on the fritz since I pulled this rig out of long storage. Not sure exactly where the fault is, but it isn't receiving or transmitting. Might need a replacement unit."
If asked why it was in storage, he gives a small shrug. "Life stayed quiet until it didn't. Long story. I'd gladly tell it over a drink sometime, but I don't want to hold up your shop."
He keeps his eyes on the route ahead while he continues. "Watch what they touch. If they start poking around outside the comms hardware, flag it immediately. Same if they try to slip in a tracker or anything extra. Ideally they only need access to the radio assembly. Anything else I should be thinking about?"
By the time they reach the shop, Shep has the plan settled. He opens the visor and follows directions on where they want him to disembark.
"Radio's been on the fritz since I pulled this rig out of long storage. Not sure exactly where the fault is, but it isn't receiving or transmitting. Might need a replacement unit."
If asked why it was in storage, he gives a small shrug. "Life stayed quiet until it didn't. Long story. I'd gladly tell it over a drink sometime, but I don't want to hold up your shop."
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
OOC: Backtracking to encapsulate the additions.
He keeps his eyes on the route ahead while he continues. "Watch what they touch. If they start poking around outside the comms hardware, flag it immediately. Same if they try to slip in a tracker or anything extra. Ideally they only need access to the radio assembly. Anything else I should be thinking about?"
"Shep, I can create an access code for entry into my interior, but disable operations, if you like." Carl replies. "I can also monitor for any rogue communications from within."
They finally pull up to the 'Barony Garage', a sprawling mechanics bay big enough to fix anything from a lawnmower to a small starship. The guards wait as a man in classic grease‑stained blue coveralls trots over, gives Shep's power armor a once‑over, and nods like he’s seen it all.
By the time they reach the shop, Shep has the plan settled. He opens the visor and follows directions on where they want him to disembark. As they step into a power armor bay, Shep speaks quietly over the internal channel. "They're going to fix the radio. We keep your existence quiet if we can. If they do notice you, play it as a basic chat AI with limited functions."
"Gotcha. Will do." Carl shows a thumbs up emoji on the HUD.
“What seems to be the issue?” the mechanic asks, curious what an unblemished armor could possibly need.
"Radio's been on the fritz since I pulled this rig out of long storage. Not sure exactly where the fault is, but it isn't receiving or transmitting. Might need a replacement unit."
"A beauty like this? Why?" The mechanic gives the exterior a thorough once over, admiring the mirrored surface.
Shep gives a small shrug. "Life stayed quiet until it didn't. Long story. I'd gladly tell it over a drink sometime, but I don't want to hold up your shop."
"Heck yeah! I get off later tonight. This thing is definitely a one of a kind." he nods attaches some clamps to keep the power armor upright, "Alright, we're good. You can step out."
He keeps his eyes on the route ahead while he continues. "Watch what they touch. If they start poking around outside the comms hardware, flag it immediately. Same if they try to slip in a tracker or anything extra. Ideally they only need access to the radio assembly. Anything else I should be thinking about?"
"Shep, I can create an access code for entry into my interior, but disable operations, if you like." Carl replies. "I can also monitor for any rogue communications from within."
They finally pull up to the 'Barony Garage', a sprawling mechanics bay big enough to fix anything from a lawnmower to a small starship. The guards wait as a man in classic grease‑stained blue coveralls trots over, gives Shep's power armor a once‑over, and nods like he’s seen it all.
By the time they reach the shop, Shep has the plan settled. He opens the visor and follows directions on where they want him to disembark. As they step into a power armor bay, Shep speaks quietly over the internal channel. "They're going to fix the radio. We keep your existence quiet if we can. If they do notice you, play it as a basic chat AI with limited functions."
"Gotcha. Will do." Carl shows a thumbs up emoji on the HUD.
“What seems to be the issue?” the mechanic asks, curious what an unblemished armor could possibly need.
"Radio's been on the fritz since I pulled this rig out of long storage. Not sure exactly where the fault is, but it isn't receiving or transmitting. Might need a replacement unit."
"A beauty like this? Why?" The mechanic gives the exterior a thorough once over, admiring the mirrored surface.
Shep gives a small shrug. "Life stayed quiet until it didn't. Long story. I'd gladly tell it over a drink sometime, but I don't want to hold up your shop."
"Heck yeah! I get off later tonight. This thing is definitely a one of a kind." he nods attaches some clamps to keep the power armor upright, "Alright, we're good. You can step out."
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
Shep steps out of the suit and stretches, loosening his muscles after being confined for so long. He then hands over the access code that AI Carl generated. “This will give you access to work on the radio. I’ll be over at the casino for a while, getting some food and drink in me. If you need to reach me, you know where to find me—probably not too many Sheps over there.” He smiles warmly, continuing the friendly approach. Before he heads out, he adds, “Worst-case scenario, how many credits are we looking at? I’m on a bit of a budget.” oO(Never hurts to start out friendly when negotiating. Can always play hardball later after reading the other person.)Oo
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
Shep steps out of the suit and stretches, loosening his muscles after being confined for so long. He then hands over the access code that AI Carl generated. “This will give you access to work on the radio. I’ll be over at the casino for a while, getting some food and drink in me. If you need to reach me, you know where to find me—probably not too many Sheps over there.”
The mechanic peeks in and perks, "Oh wow, same setup as the older SAMAS suits. I can already tell that someone took out the radio circuit board. I could have it fixed within five minutes, if you feel like waitin'," as he admires the vintage interior. "Nice custom job! Wow!"
He smiles warmly, continuing the friendly approach. Before he heads out, he adds, “Worst-case scenario, how many credits are we looking at? I’m on a bit of a budget.” oO(Never hurts to start out friendly when negotiating. Can always play hardball later after reading the other person.)Oo
"Shouldn't cost more than a few hundred credits if there are no snags in this. Uses the same logic board as a SAM unit, so yeah... easy as apple pie!" This is a mechanic who loves his job.
The mechanic peeks in and perks, "Oh wow, same setup as the older SAMAS suits. I can already tell that someone took out the radio circuit board. I could have it fixed within five minutes, if you feel like waitin'," as he admires the vintage interior. "Nice custom job! Wow!"
He smiles warmly, continuing the friendly approach. Before he heads out, he adds, “Worst-case scenario, how many credits are we looking at? I’m on a bit of a budget.” oO(Never hurts to start out friendly when negotiating. Can always play hardball later after reading the other person.)Oo
"Shouldn't cost more than a few hundred credits if there are no snags in this. Uses the same logic board as a SAM unit, so yeah... easy as apple pie!" This is a mechanic who loves his job.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
“Huh. Somebody musta snuck in and stole it sometime in the past. It’s a wonder they only took the board.” He puts on his best imitation of genuine bafflement. “In any case, I’ll stick around until it’s fixed—and I’ll buy the first round at the casino tonight for the good work,” he says, his look sharpening just enough to suggest you don’t want to mess with me, “and for not overcharging me.”
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
“Huh. Somebody musta snuck in and stole it sometime in the past. It’s a wonder they only took the board.” He puts on his best imitation of genuine bafflement. “In any case, I’ll stick around until it’s fixed—and I’ll buy the first round at the casino tonight for the good work,” he says, his look sharpening just enough to suggest you don’t want to mess with me, “and for not overcharging me.”
He ducks into a storage room at a jog and vanishes for a few minutes. When he returns, he’s carrying a black and green chipboard like it’s the missing piece of a puzzle he’s been waiting to solve. He slides it into the open panel, connects a few wires with quick, practiced motions, snaps a metal anchor into place, and closes up the radio interface. A flick of the switch, and he stands back.
The speakers crackle, sputter, then finally hum to life. Shep hears the familiar faint pre‑echo he always gets right before Carl’s voice comes through. The mechanic pans through frequencies until local chatter starts bleeding in.
“There we go,” he says with a proud grin, tapping a button that seals the suit. “Works like a charm. Come on, let’s get your payment sorted. I’m off in about an hour. After that, just hop on wide-band and call for Monkey. That’s me.”
He ducks into a storage room at a jog and vanishes for a few minutes. When he returns, he’s carrying a black and green chipboard like it’s the missing piece of a puzzle he’s been waiting to solve. He slides it into the open panel, connects a few wires with quick, practiced motions, snaps a metal anchor into place, and closes up the radio interface. A flick of the switch, and he stands back.
The speakers crackle, sputter, then finally hum to life. Shep hears the familiar faint pre‑echo he always gets right before Carl’s voice comes through. The mechanic pans through frequencies until local chatter starts bleeding in.
“There we go,” he says with a proud grin, tapping a button that seals the suit. “Works like a charm. Come on, let’s get your payment sorted. I’m off in about an hour. After that, just hop on wide-band and call for Monkey. That’s me.”
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - EotC - Silvereno
“Perfect. Do I leave the SAM here, or take it to an armory for safekeeping?” Shep asks as he walks with Monkey toward the office.
After a moment, he adds, more casually, “If you don’t mind me asking… Monkey isn’t your real name, is it? Occupational hazard?”
After a moment, he adds, more casually, “If you don’t mind me asking… Monkey isn’t your real name, is it? Occupational hazard?”