Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
Dane's eyes flick from Meg to the sheriff to Joe in rapid succession as the conversation spirals. He's willing to put his own life on the line, but involving Meg scares him.
"W... wait!" Joe shouts, "Okay, okay!" He walks over to Dane and lowers his voice. "Listen, we already know where it is. After the festival, we tracked it for a few days, figured out where the armor came from, and found it about eight leagues from here." He removes his hat and scratches his balding head. "Why do you trust it so much?"
Dane's mind briefly touches on the real reason—he's been inside that machine's mind, seen what it actually is—but that admission means jail at best, death at worst. Instead, he keeps his voice level. "Have you seen the weapons it carries? If Hummer wanted to do us harm, he could've leveled this entire town by now. Instead, he's been nothing but reasonable about working with us. Sure, he's got his own agenda, but right now our interests align. He's given us no reason to doubt his word. His methods may have been illegal but the reasoning behind why he did it was sound."
He steps back from Joe, meeting his eyes. "So what's your read? If we find nothing at the crash site, what do you suggest we do next about the dragon that doesn't involve anyone or anything getting killed or horribly maimed?"
"W... wait!" Joe shouts, "Okay, okay!" He walks over to Dane and lowers his voice. "Listen, we already know where it is. After the festival, we tracked it for a few days, figured out where the armor came from, and found it about eight leagues from here." He removes his hat and scratches his balding head. "Why do you trust it so much?"
Dane's mind briefly touches on the real reason—he's been inside that machine's mind, seen what it actually is—but that admission means jail at best, death at worst. Instead, he keeps his voice level. "Have you seen the weapons it carries? If Hummer wanted to do us harm, he could've leveled this entire town by now. Instead, he's been nothing but reasonable about working with us. Sure, he's got his own agenda, but right now our interests align. He's given us no reason to doubt his word. His methods may have been illegal but the reasoning behind why he did it was sound."
He steps back from Joe, meeting his eyes. "So what's your read? If we find nothing at the crash site, what do you suggest we do next about the dragon that doesn't involve anyone or anything getting killed or horribly maimed?"
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
Dane's eyes flick from Meg to Joe in rapid succession as the conversation spirals. He's willing to put his own life on the line, but involving Meg scares him.
"W... wait!" Joe shouts, "Okay, okay!" He walks over to Dane and lowers his voice. "Listen, we already know where it is. After the festival, we tracked it for a few days, figured out where the armor came from, and found it about eight leagues from here." He removes his hat and scratches his balding head. "Why do you trust it so much?"
Dane's mind briefly touches on the real reason; being he's been inside that machine's mind, seen what it actually is, but that admission means jail at best, death at worst. Instead, he keeps his voice level. "Have you seen the weapons it carries? If Hummer wanted to do us harm, he could've leveled this entire town by now. Instead, he's been nothing but reasonable about working with us. Sure, he's got his own agenda, but right now our interests align. He's given us no reason to doubt his word. His methods may have been illegal but the reasoning behind why he did it was sound."
He steps back from Joe, meeting his judging glare. "So, what's your read? If we find nothing at the crash site, what do you suggest we do next about the dragon that doesn't involve anyone or anything getting killed or horribly maimed?"
"That dragon has no interest in Fort Hammer," Joe pauses, "The power armor was a titan class suit looking for something and decided to invade the dragon's nest. That much we figured out." He watches Dane's reaction as he continues, "Your crazy ass dad went and exchanged some conversation with it. The pilot of that power armor was on some mission to find some computer for it's bosses and thought that maybe the dragon had gotten it. It was lost in some attack on a convoy that happened to have a different dragon in the bandit group.
"The dragon really didn't have much and let your father look through its meager possessions to avoid another fight. I guess that power armor pilot was less than willing to be cordial and chose to shoot first before asking nicely," Joe sighs and looks down, "My apologies for suggestin' to put yer machine compadre in danger. My question to you, Dane," Joe challengingly meets his gaze again, "What happens when our interests are no longer in alignment?"
OOC: Guessing you used AI to help with the response. It counted Joe and the Sheriff as different people.
"W... wait!" Joe shouts, "Okay, okay!" He walks over to Dane and lowers his voice. "Listen, we already know where it is. After the festival, we tracked it for a few days, figured out where the armor came from, and found it about eight leagues from here." He removes his hat and scratches his balding head. "Why do you trust it so much?"
Dane's mind briefly touches on the real reason; being he's been inside that machine's mind, seen what it actually is, but that admission means jail at best, death at worst. Instead, he keeps his voice level. "Have you seen the weapons it carries? If Hummer wanted to do us harm, he could've leveled this entire town by now. Instead, he's been nothing but reasonable about working with us. Sure, he's got his own agenda, but right now our interests align. He's given us no reason to doubt his word. His methods may have been illegal but the reasoning behind why he did it was sound."
He steps back from Joe, meeting his judging glare. "So, what's your read? If we find nothing at the crash site, what do you suggest we do next about the dragon that doesn't involve anyone or anything getting killed or horribly maimed?"
"That dragon has no interest in Fort Hammer," Joe pauses, "The power armor was a titan class suit looking for something and decided to invade the dragon's nest. That much we figured out." He watches Dane's reaction as he continues, "Your crazy ass dad went and exchanged some conversation with it. The pilot of that power armor was on some mission to find some computer for it's bosses and thought that maybe the dragon had gotten it. It was lost in some attack on a convoy that happened to have a different dragon in the bandit group.
"The dragon really didn't have much and let your father look through its meager possessions to avoid another fight. I guess that power armor pilot was less than willing to be cordial and chose to shoot first before asking nicely," Joe sighs and looks down, "My apologies for suggestin' to put yer machine compadre in danger. My question to you, Dane," Joe challengingly meets his gaze again, "What happens when our interests are no longer in alignment?"
OOC: Guessing you used AI to help with the response. It counted Joe and the Sheriff as different people.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
Dane does his best not to react to the comment about the laptop, but he’s sure it’s the one now in his possession. His mind reels at the idea that someone was sent in power armor to try to get it back. His internal turmoil over possessing stolen goods will have to take a back seat to the more important issue at hand: what to do about Hummer.
“Well, I suppose he might just level the town for the fun of it, being the hardened criminal that he is.” Dane lets the sarcasm hang in the air for a moment before getting more serious. “But I guess you’d have to ask Hummer that question. You could ask the same thing about anybody with power, influence, or money. What’s to stop Mr. Swenson from using his wealth to hire some mercenaries and take control of the town?”
Dane holds up a hand to forestall the obvious retorts likely forming on the two men’s lips. “I don’t know about you, but I trust that he won’t, because he’s never given me a reason to think he might.” oO(Although he doesn’t seem to mind the idea of trying to force himself on young women.)Oo Dane remembers.
“Some say trust is earned, and I don’t disagree. But I would argue that distrust is born from paranoia, prejudice, and fear. Shouldn’t we let Hummer’s actions paint the picture of whether he can be trusted or not?”
He pauses, weighing his next words. “Set the recent criminal actions aside for a minute. If the cause was just, then the way he went about it isn’t automatically proof he can’t be trusted. If Hummer had driven up and politely asked the sheriff for those documents, do you honestly think he would’ve gotten them? I don’t. And so far, Hummer hasn’t given me a reason not to trust him.” oO( Not to mention that he probably could have fried my brain earlier. )Oo
“Well, I suppose he might just level the town for the fun of it, being the hardened criminal that he is.” Dane lets the sarcasm hang in the air for a moment before getting more serious. “But I guess you’d have to ask Hummer that question. You could ask the same thing about anybody with power, influence, or money. What’s to stop Mr. Swenson from using his wealth to hire some mercenaries and take control of the town?”
Dane holds up a hand to forestall the obvious retorts likely forming on the two men’s lips. “I don’t know about you, but I trust that he won’t, because he’s never given me a reason to think he might.” oO(Although he doesn’t seem to mind the idea of trying to force himself on young women.)Oo Dane remembers.
“Some say trust is earned, and I don’t disagree. But I would argue that distrust is born from paranoia, prejudice, and fear. Shouldn’t we let Hummer’s actions paint the picture of whether he can be trusted or not?”
He pauses, weighing his next words. “Set the recent criminal actions aside for a minute. If the cause was just, then the way he went about it isn’t automatically proof he can’t be trusted. If Hummer had driven up and politely asked the sheriff for those documents, do you honestly think he would’ve gotten them? I don’t. And so far, Hummer hasn’t given me a reason not to trust him.” oO( Not to mention that he probably could have fried my brain earlier. )Oo
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
Dane does his best not to react to the comment about the laptop, but he’s sure it’s the one now in his possession. His mind reels at the idea that someone was sent in power armor to try to get it back. His internal turmoil over possessing stolen goods will have to take a back seat to the more important issue at hand: what to do about Hummer.
“Well, I suppose he might just level the town for the fun of it, being the hardened criminal that he is.” Dane lets the sarcasm hang in the air for a moment before getting more serious. “But I guess you’d have to ask Hummer that question. You could ask the same thing about anybody with power, influence, or money. What’s to stop Mr. Swenson from using his wealth to hire some mercenaries and take control of the town?”
Dane holds up a hand to forestall the obvious retorts likely forming on the two men’s lips. “I don’t know about you, but I trust that he won’t, because he’s never given me a reason to think he might.” oO(Although he doesn’t seem to mind the idea of trying to force himself on young women.)Oo Dane remembers.
“Some say trust is earned, and I don’t disagree. But I would argue that distrust is born from paranoia, prejudice, and fear. Shouldn’t we let Hummer’s actions paint the picture of whether he can be trusted or not?”
He pauses, weighing his next words. “Set the recent criminal actions aside for a minute. If the cause was just, then the way he went about it isn’t automatically proof he can’t be trusted. If Hummer had driven up and politely asked the sheriff for those documents, do you honestly think he would’ve gotten them? I don’t. And so far, Hummer hasn’t given me a reason not to trust him.” oO( Not to mention that he probably could have fried my brain earlier. )Oo
Marty nods slowly, “Trust takes time, my boy. What do you think, Joe?”
The sheriff adjusts his hat. “I read some of your dad’s report. Who exactly are these people Hummer works for and can they be trusted?”
Hummer answers immediately, “Drake Biltonman is a man of the people. He fights for justice and equal treatment of all citizens. I’ve traveled with him and fought against vampires, gangs, brigands, and even corrupt decisions within the armed forces.”
“Which armed forces?” Marty asks.
“Coalition States.”
Dane sees Marty flinch. Megan and Joe remain unreadable. After a moment of internal debate, Marty speaks, “I’ve got mixed feelings about that. What about Drake’s other friends?”
Hummer lists them without hesitation:
- "To’Mas, a full‑conversion cyborg with a human brain. Loves his rail gun. Doesn’t believe in magic or psychic powers mostly because they never work on him.
- "Robbie, a repair bot, which carrying the transferred intelligence of a young man named Bruce.
- "Warren, Jenna, Nick, and Jed, who're members of the Blue Angels street club that Drake founded to help homeless youth survive the chaos.
- "Champion and Rhiannon, anointed knights who left early on.
- "Lance, a hired gun who never harmed innocents.
- "Mavis, whose cybernetic brain enhancements drove him to mental instability, ending in suicide by explosive ordnance against the military.
"Lorianna, an elf with powerful magic, quiet but brilliant.
- "Tyran, a strange, traumatized boy who never spoke of why.
- "Maggie, a dragon hatchling who helped Drake, but loved jewelry too much.
- "Cirrus, a human with abilities suggesting augmentation.
“Others came and went,” Hummer continues. “Some died. Some betrayed Drake, causing a massive splintering of our group. I was separated for a time but found him again. He’d discovered he had a sister, named Violet, who's still alive. And that his biological father, Dustin Synek, changed his identity to hide from the people who murdered Drake’s mother.”
Hummer’s engine hums, almost solemn.
“This is why I’m here. I must find Violet and reunite her with her brother. We have an urgent mission to secure valuable relics and keep them from forces of greed, evil, and tyranny. A demon named Dro’Lazz has gathered followers to hunt these relics and eliminate anyone who knows about them.”
He shifts slightly, almost like a person adjusting posture.
“Time is critical. But if helping Fort Hammer and gaining new allies is necessary, then I will do so. Dane has proven himself a friend. You, Mr. Swenson, and you, Sheriff, have proven exactly what Dane has tried to teach you: paranoia, past tragedies, and fear of the unknown have convinced you that I mean harm. I do not; unless you attempt to terminate my mission. I am motivated to help this town if it helps me find Violet and bring her to safety.”
Marty exhales sharply and puts his hat back on, “Good Lord. That was… a lot.”
Joe squares his shoulders, “We don’t condone supernatural forces of any kind. Magic, psychic abilities, mutations are not welcome in this town. History’s shown they bring hardship and conflict. We just want to live in peace to feed the surrounding communities and mine the metal that keeps our town running. You can’t fault us for being cautious,” then Joe fixes Dane with a hard stare, “I’m going to speak with your father. But you’re responsible for any mishaps with Hummer. If anything goes wrong, I hold you and your dad accountable. So you’d best have a word with your pappy, ya hear?”
OOC: Dane has achieved level 4
“Well, I suppose he might just level the town for the fun of it, being the hardened criminal that he is.” Dane lets the sarcasm hang in the air for a moment before getting more serious. “But I guess you’d have to ask Hummer that question. You could ask the same thing about anybody with power, influence, or money. What’s to stop Mr. Swenson from using his wealth to hire some mercenaries and take control of the town?”
Dane holds up a hand to forestall the obvious retorts likely forming on the two men’s lips. “I don’t know about you, but I trust that he won’t, because he’s never given me a reason to think he might.” oO(Although he doesn’t seem to mind the idea of trying to force himself on young women.)Oo Dane remembers.
“Some say trust is earned, and I don’t disagree. But I would argue that distrust is born from paranoia, prejudice, and fear. Shouldn’t we let Hummer’s actions paint the picture of whether he can be trusted or not?”
He pauses, weighing his next words. “Set the recent criminal actions aside for a minute. If the cause was just, then the way he went about it isn’t automatically proof he can’t be trusted. If Hummer had driven up and politely asked the sheriff for those documents, do you honestly think he would’ve gotten them? I don’t. And so far, Hummer hasn’t given me a reason not to trust him.” oO( Not to mention that he probably could have fried my brain earlier. )Oo
Marty nods slowly, “Trust takes time, my boy. What do you think, Joe?”
The sheriff adjusts his hat. “I read some of your dad’s report. Who exactly are these people Hummer works for and can they be trusted?”
Hummer answers immediately, “Drake Biltonman is a man of the people. He fights for justice and equal treatment of all citizens. I’ve traveled with him and fought against vampires, gangs, brigands, and even corrupt decisions within the armed forces.”
“Which armed forces?” Marty asks.
“Coalition States.”
Dane sees Marty flinch. Megan and Joe remain unreadable. After a moment of internal debate, Marty speaks, “I’ve got mixed feelings about that. What about Drake’s other friends?”
Hummer lists them without hesitation:
- "To’Mas, a full‑conversion cyborg with a human brain. Loves his rail gun. Doesn’t believe in magic or psychic powers mostly because they never work on him.
- "Robbie, a repair bot, which carrying the transferred intelligence of a young man named Bruce.
- "Warren, Jenna, Nick, and Jed, who're members of the Blue Angels street club that Drake founded to help homeless youth survive the chaos.
- "Champion and Rhiannon, anointed knights who left early on.
- "Lance, a hired gun who never harmed innocents.
- "Mavis, whose cybernetic brain enhancements drove him to mental instability, ending in suicide by explosive ordnance against the military.
"Lorianna, an elf with powerful magic, quiet but brilliant.
- "Tyran, a strange, traumatized boy who never spoke of why.
- "Maggie, a dragon hatchling who helped Drake, but loved jewelry too much.
- "Cirrus, a human with abilities suggesting augmentation.
“Others came and went,” Hummer continues. “Some died. Some betrayed Drake, causing a massive splintering of our group. I was separated for a time but found him again. He’d discovered he had a sister, named Violet, who's still alive. And that his biological father, Dustin Synek, changed his identity to hide from the people who murdered Drake’s mother.”
Hummer’s engine hums, almost solemn.
“This is why I’m here. I must find Violet and reunite her with her brother. We have an urgent mission to secure valuable relics and keep them from forces of greed, evil, and tyranny. A demon named Dro’Lazz has gathered followers to hunt these relics and eliminate anyone who knows about them.”
He shifts slightly, almost like a person adjusting posture.
“Time is critical. But if helping Fort Hammer and gaining new allies is necessary, then I will do so. Dane has proven himself a friend. You, Mr. Swenson, and you, Sheriff, have proven exactly what Dane has tried to teach you: paranoia, past tragedies, and fear of the unknown have convinced you that I mean harm. I do not; unless you attempt to terminate my mission. I am motivated to help this town if it helps me find Violet and bring her to safety.”
Marty exhales sharply and puts his hat back on, “Good Lord. That was… a lot.”
Joe squares his shoulders, “We don’t condone supernatural forces of any kind. Magic, psychic abilities, mutations are not welcome in this town. History’s shown they bring hardship and conflict. We just want to live in peace to feed the surrounding communities and mine the metal that keeps our town running. You can’t fault us for being cautious,” then Joe fixes Dane with a hard stare, “I’m going to speak with your father. But you’re responsible for any mishaps with Hummer. If anything goes wrong, I hold you and your dad accountable. So you’d best have a word with your pappy, ya hear?”
OOC: Dane has achieved level 4
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
“Yes, sir.” Dane tries to answer meekly, but he can’t completely suppress his teenage enthusiasm.
After Joe walks off, Dane turns to Meg with a lopsided grin on his scarred face. “I think formal introductions are in order. Meg, this is Hummer. Hummer, this is my girlfriend, Meg. At least, I hope she’s still my girlfriend after today.” He finishes with a half-joking tone. “I kind of ditched our plans to go track you down.”
He gestures toward Meg. “Meg’s a friend of Vi’s too. We were together when everything went sideways at the festival, and Dusty, Vi, and Megana—different Meg—disappeared.”
Dane glances around to make sure Marty and Joe are out of earshot before continuing. [OOC: If that's not the case, skip the following paragraph.]
“I suppose I could fill you in on what we know about Vi, since you’ve been pretty forthcoming with me. But first, you need to promise you won’t judge the town too harshly for what happened.” He hesitates, choosing his words. “As you’ve seen, the attitude toward anything considered ‘unnatural’ is usually driven by fear, distrust, and sometimes outright loathing.”
After Joe walks off, Dane turns to Meg with a lopsided grin on his scarred face. “I think formal introductions are in order. Meg, this is Hummer. Hummer, this is my girlfriend, Meg. At least, I hope she’s still my girlfriend after today.” He finishes with a half-joking tone. “I kind of ditched our plans to go track you down.”
He gestures toward Meg. “Meg’s a friend of Vi’s too. We were together when everything went sideways at the festival, and Dusty, Vi, and Megana—different Meg—disappeared.”
Dane glances around to make sure Marty and Joe are out of earshot before continuing. [OOC: If that's not the case, skip the following paragraph.]
“I suppose I could fill you in on what we know about Vi, since you’ve been pretty forthcoming with me. But first, you need to promise you won’t judge the town too harshly for what happened.” He hesitates, choosing his words. “As you’ve seen, the attitude toward anything considered ‘unnatural’ is usually driven by fear, distrust, and sometimes outright loathing.”
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
“Yes, sir.” Dane tries to answer meekly, but he can’t completely suppress his teenage enthusiasm. He suddenly feels mentally refreshed, as though he just drank a cup of coffee.
OOC: Was drained of ISP, but with the level up, has 11 more.
After Joe walks off, with Marty not far behind, bickering about Joe's decision, Dane turns to Meg with a lopsided grin on his scarred face. “I think formal introductions are in order. Meg, this is Hummer. Hummer, this is my girlfriend, Meg. At least, I hope she’s still my girlfriend after today.” He finishes with a half-joking tone. “I kind of ditched our plans to go track you down.”
"Pleased to meet you, Hummer." Meg half waves.
The Humvee's windshield wipers wave back, "Hello! Pleased to meet you as well."
Dane gestures toward Meg. “Meg’s a friend of Vi’s too. We were together when everything went sideways at the festival, and Dusty, Vi, and Megana... different Meg... disappeared.”
Dane glances around to make sure Marty and Joe are out of earshot before continuing. They are, “I suppose I could fill you in on what we know about Vi, since you’ve been pretty forthcoming with me. But first, you need to promise you won’t judge the town too harshly for what happened.” He hesitates, choosing his words. “As you’ve seen, the attitude toward anything considered ‘unnatural’ is usually driven by fear, distrust, and sometimes outright loathing.”
"Unfortunately, I will still judge, but I promise not to act on it unless my mission would be compromised." Hummer replies, "So, when do we get to go look for Vi? Where did she go? Why did she and Dusty leave? Who is Megana?"
OOC: Was drained of ISP, but with the level up, has 11 more.
After Joe walks off, with Marty not far behind, bickering about Joe's decision, Dane turns to Meg with a lopsided grin on his scarred face. “I think formal introductions are in order. Meg, this is Hummer. Hummer, this is my girlfriend, Meg. At least, I hope she’s still my girlfriend after today.” He finishes with a half-joking tone. “I kind of ditched our plans to go track you down.”
"Pleased to meet you, Hummer." Meg half waves.
The Humvee's windshield wipers wave back, "Hello! Pleased to meet you as well."
Dane gestures toward Meg. “Meg’s a friend of Vi’s too. We were together when everything went sideways at the festival, and Dusty, Vi, and Megana... different Meg... disappeared.”
Dane glances around to make sure Marty and Joe are out of earshot before continuing. They are, “I suppose I could fill you in on what we know about Vi, since you’ve been pretty forthcoming with me. But first, you need to promise you won’t judge the town too harshly for what happened.” He hesitates, choosing his words. “As you’ve seen, the attitude toward anything considered ‘unnatural’ is usually driven by fear, distrust, and sometimes outright loathing.”
"Unfortunately, I will still judge, but I promise not to act on it unless my mission would be compromised." Hummer replies, "So, when do we get to go look for Vi? Where did she go? Why did she and Dusty leave? Who is Megana?"
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
Dane thinks for a moment, analyzing what he wants to say and how much he can safely reveal. He appreciates Hummer’s position and trusts him—up to a point. But would Hummer become vindictive if he knew that some people in town had wanted to see Vi hanged? Dane can’t take that chance.
“I guess that’s fair.” He pauses, trying to organize the his memories into something that resembles a coherent explanation. “The short version is that this started with a picture that magically appeared in my pocket before the festival went bad. I didn’t know where it came from or how it got there, but it led Meg and me into some old records, older names, and a few connections that I'm guessing some people would want to remain buried.”
Dane explains there his suspicions at the time about the connection between Vi and Dusty and what he and Meg had discovered; including the man Dusty likely killed. He carefully reveals what he knows about what happened between Vi and Teddy when Teddy got injured, but keeps the worst of the crowds reaction back.
“I don’t know the whole story and a lot of what I think happened is just an educated guess based on analysis of evidence research. Vi wasn’t running because she hurt Teddy. She was running because people were afraid of her and the town has a dim view of dee-bees. My guess is that the sheriff let Dusty and Vi leave as long as they got out of town and didn't come back.” He hesitates, then adds, “Dusty may be wanted for other reasons, but I don’t believe he took her to harm her. I think he was trying to keep her alive.”
Dane lowers his voice.
“Megana is another friend of ours and disappeared at about the same time. Her and Vi were close, so my suspicion is she took off after Dusty and Vi and hopefully caught up to them.”
“I guess that’s fair.” He pauses, trying to organize the his memories into something that resembles a coherent explanation. “The short version is that this started with a picture that magically appeared in my pocket before the festival went bad. I didn’t know where it came from or how it got there, but it led Meg and me into some old records, older names, and a few connections that I'm guessing some people would want to remain buried.”
Dane explains there his suspicions at the time about the connection between Vi and Dusty and what he and Meg had discovered; including the man Dusty likely killed. He carefully reveals what he knows about what happened between Vi and Teddy when Teddy got injured, but keeps the worst of the crowds reaction back.
“I don’t know the whole story and a lot of what I think happened is just an educated guess based on analysis of evidence research. Vi wasn’t running because she hurt Teddy. She was running because people were afraid of her and the town has a dim view of dee-bees. My guess is that the sheriff let Dusty and Vi leave as long as they got out of town and didn't come back.” He hesitates, then adds, “Dusty may be wanted for other reasons, but I don’t believe he took her to harm her. I think he was trying to keep her alive.”
Dane lowers his voice.
“Megana is another friend of ours and disappeared at about the same time. Her and Vi were close, so my suspicion is she took off after Dusty and Vi and hopefully caught up to them.”
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
“I guess that’s fair.” He pauses, trying to organize the his memories into something that resembles a coherent explanation. “The short version is that this started with a picture that magically appeared in my pocket before the festival went bad. I didn’t know where it came from or how it got there, but it led Meg and me into some old records, older names, and a few connections that I'm guessing some people would want to remain buried.”
Dane explains there his suspicions at the time about the connection between Vi and Dusty and what he and Meg had discovered; including the man Dusty likely killed. He carefully reveals what he knows about what happened between Vi and Teddy when Teddy got injured, but keeps the worst of the crowds reaction back.
“I don’t know the whole story and a lot of what I think happened is just an educated guess based on analysis of evidence research. Vi wasn’t running because she hurt Teddy. She was running because people were afraid of her and the town has a dim view of dee-bees. My guess is that the sheriff let Dusty and Vi leave as long as they got out of town and didn't come back.” He hesitates, then adds, “Dusty may be wanted for other reasons, but I don’t believe he took her to harm her. I think he was trying to keep her alive.”
Dane lowers his voice.
“Megana is another friend of ours and disappeared at about the same time. Her and Vi were close, so my suspicion is she took off after Dusty and Vi and hopefully caught up to them.”
"Where is this Teddy?" Hummer interrupts, "My database suggests that he is the son of Martin Swenson, whom we'd just spoken with. The sheriff seems like a good person, but Martin seems different..." he lets the words trail off to enhance the intended meaning.
"Teddy disappeared a few months ago. He was so badly hurt that they had to send him away. He spent months in surgery to repair his head, face and some of his internal organs. He wasn't the same after that and he..." Megan glances at Dane. He can tell that she's concerned that Dane will think less of her for keeping close and detailed tabs on him, considering her history with Ted... "He... was so damaged after. With Vi disappearing, I think he had a mental break... he left suddenly without even a note. Everyone's sure he went looking for her."
"Are there any clues as to which direction Ted would have headed?" Hummer asks, yet, Meg just shakes her head, "Who were his closest friends?"
Meg glances up the street as Kendal's car begins driving back down the road towards Smith Falls, "Kendal has a crush on Teddy. She might know. She was also Violet's best friend for years," she glances back at the Bottoms Up, as though remembering the old days, "Frank was one of Teddy's best friends. But mostly because they'd sneak off and get drunk together. Frank is on his way to some town far away to work."
Hummer reverses and faces towards Smith Falls, "We should go ask if she knows," both of his front doors swing open
Dane already knows that Kendal, even if she knew, would never give up Vi or Teddy. Secondly, if Hummer is thinking of chasing them, then it will end badly with those bodyguards.
Dane explains there his suspicions at the time about the connection between Vi and Dusty and what he and Meg had discovered; including the man Dusty likely killed. He carefully reveals what he knows about what happened between Vi and Teddy when Teddy got injured, but keeps the worst of the crowds reaction back.
“I don’t know the whole story and a lot of what I think happened is just an educated guess based on analysis of evidence research. Vi wasn’t running because she hurt Teddy. She was running because people were afraid of her and the town has a dim view of dee-bees. My guess is that the sheriff let Dusty and Vi leave as long as they got out of town and didn't come back.” He hesitates, then adds, “Dusty may be wanted for other reasons, but I don’t believe he took her to harm her. I think he was trying to keep her alive.”
Dane lowers his voice.
“Megana is another friend of ours and disappeared at about the same time. Her and Vi were close, so my suspicion is she took off after Dusty and Vi and hopefully caught up to them.”
"Where is this Teddy?" Hummer interrupts, "My database suggests that he is the son of Martin Swenson, whom we'd just spoken with. The sheriff seems like a good person, but Martin seems different..." he lets the words trail off to enhance the intended meaning.
"Teddy disappeared a few months ago. He was so badly hurt that they had to send him away. He spent months in surgery to repair his head, face and some of his internal organs. He wasn't the same after that and he..." Megan glances at Dane. He can tell that she's concerned that Dane will think less of her for keeping close and detailed tabs on him, considering her history with Ted... "He... was so damaged after. With Vi disappearing, I think he had a mental break... he left suddenly without even a note. Everyone's sure he went looking for her."
"Are there any clues as to which direction Ted would have headed?" Hummer asks, yet, Meg just shakes her head, "Who were his closest friends?"
Meg glances up the street as Kendal's car begins driving back down the road towards Smith Falls, "Kendal has a crush on Teddy. She might know. She was also Violet's best friend for years," she glances back at the Bottoms Up, as though remembering the old days, "Frank was one of Teddy's best friends. But mostly because they'd sneak off and get drunk together. Frank is on his way to some town far away to work."
Hummer reverses and faces towards Smith Falls, "We should go ask if she knows," both of his front doors swing open
Dane already knows that Kendal, even if she knew, would never give up Vi or Teddy. Secondly, if Hummer is thinking of chasing them, then it will end badly with those bodyguards.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
“Whoa, slow your roll… literally.” Dane quickly interjects. “First off, she’s got bodyguards who wouldn’t take kindly to us rolling up on her like that. We don’t need a firefight with Meg and me caught in the middle.”
He isn’t worried about Meg keeping tabs on Teddy. Most of what she’d said was common knowledge or reasonable speculation anyway. Besides, his mind is already locked onto a different problem. Other thoughts can wait their turn.
“Instead of chasing down Kendal,” Dane continues, “I already gave her a walkie-talkie so she could reach us tonight once she’s alone. Smith Falls is right at the edge of the radio’s range, though. If I give you the frequency, do you think you could boost the gain on your systems? That way, when she calls in, we can all talk to her together.”
He’s hoping that if Kendal stays quiet about Vi and Teddy, Hummer will take her word for it and leave her out of the investigation.
His mind, meanwhile, is already chewing on the mechanics of the problem. Without quite meaning to, he starts thinking out loud. “Or maybe I could rig a bigger antenna for my radio. Or if I had the right parts, I could build a signal booster for the transmitter itself. Or maybe just a standalone booster that amplifies anything on that frequency… Parts, though, where could I get parts?...”
He trails off, still turning the idea over, before catching himself drifting in his own private world...again. “Sorry. Just thinking out loud.” He gives Meg a sheepish grin before glancing back toward Hummer, an earlier comment resurfacing in his mind. “And… what do you mean Mr. Swenson seems different?”
He isn’t worried about Meg keeping tabs on Teddy. Most of what she’d said was common knowledge or reasonable speculation anyway. Besides, his mind is already locked onto a different problem. Other thoughts can wait their turn.
“Instead of chasing down Kendal,” Dane continues, “I already gave her a walkie-talkie so she could reach us tonight once she’s alone. Smith Falls is right at the edge of the radio’s range, though. If I give you the frequency, do you think you could boost the gain on your systems? That way, when she calls in, we can all talk to her together.”
He’s hoping that if Kendal stays quiet about Vi and Teddy, Hummer will take her word for it and leave her out of the investigation.
His mind, meanwhile, is already chewing on the mechanics of the problem. Without quite meaning to, he starts thinking out loud. “Or maybe I could rig a bigger antenna for my radio. Or if I had the right parts, I could build a signal booster for the transmitter itself. Or maybe just a standalone booster that amplifies anything on that frequency… Parts, though, where could I get parts?...”
He trails off, still turning the idea over, before catching himself drifting in his own private world...again. “Sorry. Just thinking out loud.” He gives Meg a sheepish grin before glancing back toward Hummer, an earlier comment resurfacing in his mind. “And… what do you mean Mr. Swenson seems different?”
Re: Rifts - DMH - Black Hat vs White Hat - Dane
“Whoa, slow your roll… literally.” Dane quickly interjects. “First off, she’s got bodyguards who wouldn’t take kindly to us rolling up on her like that. We don’t need a firefight with Meg and me caught in the middle.”
"Literally... there's that word again. It confuses me." Hummer comments, yet keeps listening.
He isn’t worried about Meg keeping tabs on Teddy. Most of what she’d said was common knowledge or reasonable speculation anyway. Besides, his mind is already locked onto a different problem. Other thoughts can wait their turn.
“Instead of chasing down Kendal,” Dane continues, “I already gave her a walkie-talkie so she could reach us tonight once she’s alone. Smith Falls is right at the edge of the radio’s range, though. If I give you the frequency, do you think you could boost the gain on your systems? That way, when she calls in, we can all talk to her together.”
"Clever. Almost like you knew the future!" Hummer speculates with enthusiastic amusement, "Yes, I can also boost her range if I can detect her signal."
He’s hoping that if Kendal stays quiet about Vi and Teddy, Hummer will take her word for it and leave her out of the investigation. His mind, meanwhile, is already chewing on the mechanics of the problem. Without quite meaning to, he starts thinking out loud. “Or maybe I could rig a bigger antenna for my radio. Or if I had the right parts, I could build a signal booster for the transmitter itself. Or maybe just a standalone booster that amplifies anything on that frequency… Parts, though, where could I get parts?...”
"Or... we could use my radio. It's far more advanced than yours."
He trails off, still turning the idea over, before catching himself drifting in his own private world...again. “Sorry. Just thinking out loud.” He gives Meg a sheepish grin before glancing back toward Hummer, an earlier comment resurfacing in his mind. “And… what do you mean Mr. Swenson seems different?”
"He's not one of you," Hummer starts, causing Meg to frown in confusion, "A quick search of an earlier database I'd infiltrated shows that he may be Lieutenant Martin Swenson of the Coalition Infiltration Forces. He went missing in action, presumed dead, near the demon rift in St. Louis, many years ago" there's a pause, as though Hummer is scanning something, "He has a younger brother named Gary, who is a Lieutenant in the Coalition States Special Forces. About a year after Martin went missing, Gary's wife suddenly vanished without a trace. A year later, Gary's son, Theodore, also turned up missing. The Lieutenant has been searching for them since then. The evidence seems to lean in the direction of Martin, Carla and her son, Teddy, may be the very same people here with the same naming designation.
"It's only a matter of time before the younger brother shows up to reunite with his wife and son." Hummer's information is a bombshell. Carla died from complications of cancer years ago, but Dane and Meg never told Hummer of Teddy's mom. After she passed, Teddy made fast friends with Frank and began drinking heavily.
Meg's face goes from confused to shock, "So many secrets in this town... First Vi and Dusty... now this? What else is hiding in this town?"
OOC: Go back and reread Marty's reaction to Hummer admitting to fighting the CS.
"Literally... there's that word again. It confuses me." Hummer comments, yet keeps listening.
He isn’t worried about Meg keeping tabs on Teddy. Most of what she’d said was common knowledge or reasonable speculation anyway. Besides, his mind is already locked onto a different problem. Other thoughts can wait their turn.
“Instead of chasing down Kendal,” Dane continues, “I already gave her a walkie-talkie so she could reach us tonight once she’s alone. Smith Falls is right at the edge of the radio’s range, though. If I give you the frequency, do you think you could boost the gain on your systems? That way, when she calls in, we can all talk to her together.”
"Clever. Almost like you knew the future!" Hummer speculates with enthusiastic amusement, "Yes, I can also boost her range if I can detect her signal."
He’s hoping that if Kendal stays quiet about Vi and Teddy, Hummer will take her word for it and leave her out of the investigation. His mind, meanwhile, is already chewing on the mechanics of the problem. Without quite meaning to, he starts thinking out loud. “Or maybe I could rig a bigger antenna for my radio. Or if I had the right parts, I could build a signal booster for the transmitter itself. Or maybe just a standalone booster that amplifies anything on that frequency… Parts, though, where could I get parts?...”
"Or... we could use my radio. It's far more advanced than yours."
He trails off, still turning the idea over, before catching himself drifting in his own private world...again. “Sorry. Just thinking out loud.” He gives Meg a sheepish grin before glancing back toward Hummer, an earlier comment resurfacing in his mind. “And… what do you mean Mr. Swenson seems different?”
"He's not one of you," Hummer starts, causing Meg to frown in confusion, "A quick search of an earlier database I'd infiltrated shows that he may be Lieutenant Martin Swenson of the Coalition Infiltration Forces. He went missing in action, presumed dead, near the demon rift in St. Louis, many years ago" there's a pause, as though Hummer is scanning something, "He has a younger brother named Gary, who is a Lieutenant in the Coalition States Special Forces. About a year after Martin went missing, Gary's wife suddenly vanished without a trace. A year later, Gary's son, Theodore, also turned up missing. The Lieutenant has been searching for them since then. The evidence seems to lean in the direction of Martin, Carla and her son, Teddy, may be the very same people here with the same naming designation.
"It's only a matter of time before the younger brother shows up to reunite with his wife and son." Hummer's information is a bombshell. Carla died from complications of cancer years ago, but Dane and Meg never told Hummer of Teddy's mom. After she passed, Teddy made fast friends with Frank and began drinking heavily.
Meg's face goes from confused to shock, "So many secrets in this town... First Vi and Dusty... now this? What else is hiding in this town?"
OOC: Go back and reread Marty's reaction to Hummer admitting to fighting the CS.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7