Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
Re: Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
“I’m not sure,” Dane replies, frowning as he examines both sides of the photo. “I just found it in my pocket. I don’t know where it came from. I don’t think it was there this morning.”
On the back, it reads, "Evidence."
He glances back at the bottom edge of the front again, “Fifty-nine P.A. That must be the date.” He runs the numbers automatically. “It’s 103 P.A. now… so that makes this 44 years old.”
He looks up at Meg. “Have you ever heard of Drive City? It says Drive City Council on it. Most of the people are crossed out like they're dead or something, but there are a couple that haven't been crossed out. Who do you think they are?” He hands Meg the picture for her to examine.
She only glances at it briefly, frowning, "No, but that looks like Lord Stein without the full beard and mustache, although, if that was true, then he would be quite a bit older than he looks," she points at the man with bumps on his head. "The other guy," referring to the boyish looking one, "I don't recognize him, but he smiles like the old hermit." She flips the picture over, noticing a faint watermark, which Dane can vaguely make out the words, "Property of Rifle Ridge Defense Force," along with a faint bloody fingerprint on the top corner of the picture. "That's odd," her confusedly bothered gaze meets Dane's, "What are we missing?"
On the back, it reads, "Evidence."
He glances back at the bottom edge of the front again, “Fifty-nine P.A. That must be the date.” He runs the numbers automatically. “It’s 103 P.A. now… so that makes this 44 years old.”
He looks up at Meg. “Have you ever heard of Drive City? It says Drive City Council on it. Most of the people are crossed out like they're dead or something, but there are a couple that haven't been crossed out. Who do you think they are?” He hands Meg the picture for her to examine.
She only glances at it briefly, frowning, "No, but that looks like Lord Stein without the full beard and mustache, although, if that was true, then he would be quite a bit older than he looks," she points at the man with bumps on his head. "The other guy," referring to the boyish looking one, "I don't recognize him, but he smiles like the old hermit." She flips the picture over, noticing a faint watermark, which Dane can vaguely make out the words, "Property of Rifle Ridge Defense Force," along with a faint bloody fingerprint on the top corner of the picture. "That's odd," her confusedly bothered gaze meets Dane's, "What are we missing?"
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
"I have an idea." The sparkle is back in Dane's eyes as a plan of action begins unfolding in his mind, along with the excitement of putting his brain toward solving a problem. "Let’s get that tablet back out. I bet somewhere in its network of information it has more on this."
His earlier anxiety about someone tracking it briefly surfaces, but he files that away with the list of things he intends to ask. As he waits for Meg to unlock the safe, he mentally organizes his queries:
1. Ask the tablet whether its location is being tracked remotely, can be tracked or has been tracked recently — and hopefully turn location and tracking services off for the time being.
2. Can a remote user access the tablet and, if so, when was the last time it was accessed remotely and block that capability as well if it can.
2. Ask what it knows about Drive City and the Drive City Council circa 59 P.A.
3. What does it know about Rifle Ridge and the Rifle Ridge Defense Force during the same period.
4. Cross-reference the names Dusty Sky and William Stein with the previous search results.
His earlier anxiety about someone tracking it briefly surfaces, but he files that away with the list of things he intends to ask. As he waits for Meg to unlock the safe, he mentally organizes his queries:
1. Ask the tablet whether its location is being tracked remotely, can be tracked or has been tracked recently — and hopefully turn location and tracking services off for the time being.
2. Can a remote user access the tablet and, if so, when was the last time it was accessed remotely and block that capability as well if it can.
2. Ask what it knows about Drive City and the Drive City Council circa 59 P.A.
3. What does it know about Rifle Ridge and the Rifle Ridge Defense Force during the same period.
4. Cross-reference the names Dusty Sky and William Stein with the previous search results.
Re: Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
"I have an idea." Dane's eyes sparkle as a plan of action begins unfolding in his mind, along with the excitement of putting his brain toward solving a problem. "Let’s get that tablet back out. I bet somewhere in its network of information it has more on this."
His earlier anxiety about someone tracking it briefly surfaces, but he files that away with the list of things he intends to ask. As he watches Meg unlock the safe, he mentally organizes his queries. It performs its usual P.O.S.T. and hits the login screen. He types his password in, still remembering the original password for AGoodson being "Hag14@llwinsWArch." He's surprised that he remembers that now, yet a second ago, he would have struggled to remember how it even began.
Upon launching what could be a proprietary browser, he quickly discovers a search engine and begins typing his first question, 'Is this device being tracked remotely, or can it be tracked or has this device been tracked recently?' as he hunts down settings to disable tracking.
An answer populates below his question within a few seconds. Meg seems enthralled with how it works; especially since the apex of computer technology is about fifty feet away on a table and might as well be a chunk of brick compared to the tablet.
The answer, 'Yes, this device is constantly tracked by Titan Industries for technical support and logistic purposes. If you would like privacy, then there is an option within settings to disable for a limited amount of time.'
At that moment, Dane discovers the remote monitoring and support settings. The maximum time to disable is only one hour, once per day.
"Huh, seems rather intrusive," Meg remarks.
He asks his next question based off of the answer from the last: 'Can a remote user access this tablet and, if so, when was the last time it was accessed remotely and block that capability as well if it can.'
A few seconds later, the answer arrives, 'Yes. A remote administrator may access the tablet at anytime unless tracking and remote services are disabled by the local user for a limited time. The last remote login was two weeks ago, about this time. If you would like privacy, then there is an option within settings to disable for a limited amount of time.'
"Redundant," Meg remarks again, almost proud of using the word as she smiles fondly at Dane, "You're so smart," and kisses him on the cheek.
He moves onto the next question on his mind, rapidly typing in, 'Tell me about Drive City and the Drive City Council circa 59 P.A.'
A full five seconds passes before a massive amount of text populates the screen, 'The only reference to Drive City is a small dive town, originally known as Dive Town, located in Arizona prior to the human apocalypse. References source that a major NEMA force had established the town during the opening days of the largest cataclysm on Earth, after the Younger Dryas Event that ended the last major global ice age. They were left with enough supplies and weapons to slowly turn the fort, then becoming Drive Town, into a safe haven for the local populace. Once the town had exceeded a population of 1500 inhabitants, it was later renamed Drive City.'
Most of the information so far seems alien to Dane. NEMA sounds familiar. So do mentions of the cataclysm, but the rest seems lost to time.
'Over the course of what became known as the Dark Ages, greed and treachery had slowly drained the weapons and resources of the town, leading to the first inter-city civil war. The inhabitants had banded together and eventually overthrew the reigning ruler and his supporters. A man named Remo Peppin, who disappeared during the uprising. He was never found.
'At the start of the current human calendar, Post Apocalypse (P.A.), the town had organized its ruling body as a group of important members of the community, who would democratically vote on important decisions and expenses. During the late 50's, around 59 P.A., a prominent coup had occurred against the chairman of the council. A man named Dustin Synek, who was tortured, robbed of his assets, wealth and untarnished reputation. During the conflict, his wife and two young sons were horribly tortured beyond recognition, then executed.
'The motive for the uprising was a revolt against the distribution of civil comforts and wealth, which Chairman Synek had an over abundance of. Rumors speculated that Pecos bandits had convinced the townsfolk that by overthrowing him, then they would be able to divide his vast wealth amongst the rest of the council and eventually to the generational families within the community. Other rumors speculate that they'd escorted the Chairman out into the desert wastes, shot him and left him, thinking he was deceased. Unbeknownst to all, he survived.
"Over the course of the next two years, Dustin had hunted down and eliminated each member of the council except two. Rumors stated that it may have been only as few as one. The ruling body of the Drive City council, prior to the uprising were as follows:
'Dustin Synek - The last surviving member of the Synek lineage and council Chairman.'
A blurry picture shows him in a fancy suit with long, unruly blonde hair. Dane can only guess that he's the young blond man without an X through his face.
'Bill Steinbeck - William Steinbeck was the head of health and safety and an evangelistic Christian. Medical records show that he had severe psychological issues as a child and that a M.O.M. conversion was the only way to offer him a normal life. He thrived and won the hearts of the populace, being elected to this position he became obsessed with the well being of the community. His body was never found.'
Meg and Dane both recognize the man as a slightly younger version of Lord Stein, which shouldn't be possible considering how long ago the picture was taken.
'Marcus Pepper - The head of Education and Historical Documentation and Studies. An older man with a salt and pepper beard and known to have a disarming smile.'
Meg points at a man with an X through his head that seems to match the description. Slowly, as the names are read, both Dane or Meg find it quite easy to point out who is who in the picture.
'Jillian Mendez - Drive City Treasurer and Tax Collections Coordinator - A young, raven haired beauty and intelligence accountant with a love for numbers and her increasing social status.
'Larry Eagle - A Native American born sentinel and head of the Drive City Civil Defense Corps. He's most noted for engineering the defensive posture of the city's perimeter and was a prominent and accomplished hand to hand instructor.
'Santos Quinterro - Drive City Head of Intelligence - Santos was a barrel chested, heavy-set man of Hispanic decent with a mind for analyzing information to accurately report to the council.
'Cody Miles - Drive City Head of Civil Engineering - Cody was a slender man with a mop of sandy, brown hair and rugged appearance due to hard work. He was responsible for the upkeep and expansion of the city.
Amberlynn Abbot - Drive City Head of Agriculture - Amber was a blond, middle-aged woman, with a passion for expanding Drive City's territory to expand on local farming, ranching and gold mining operations of the city. It's believed that she may have raised concerns about the Synek family's sole ownership of the mining operations. After the Chairman's father's death, the mood of the locals had shifted towards disdain for the family wealth being in control by the Chairman.
'Sarah Finley - Drive City Head of Judicial, Regulatory, Commercial and Criminal Law and Enforcement - Ms. Finley was a strict elderly woman who's dedication to justice and smooth legal operations kept the town calm. It's unknown where things went wrong to cause her to turn against the Chairman.
'Shane Chen - Drive City Head of Zoning and Entertainment - Mr. Chen was an oriental man in his late twenties with a penchant for technology and geography. His main goal was to fairly survey the land. At certain times of the year, he was responsible for creating community activities and entertainment, in which, he accomplished with unfaltering community approval.
'Ivy Biltonman - Drive City Head of Emergency Services and Special Operations - Ivy was a flame-haired young woman with a pleasant smile and would often be seen with her two sons, Drake and Darren, when not working. She was one of the first to disappear. Her body was never found.
'Cade Williams - Drive City District 1 Representative - Cade is a middle aged man with a love for athleticism. He was the peoples' representative for the locals living inside of Drive City.
'Bill Baxter - Drive City District 2 Representative - Bill is a bear of a man with a full, reddish beard and jolly smile. He was the peoples' representative for the locals living North of Drive City.
'Patricia Davis - Drive City District 3 Representative - Trish, as most referred to her as, was younger woman, who had a penchant for wearing gothic dark colors and makeup. She was an avid knifewoman. She was the peoples' representative for the locals living East of Drive City. Reports state that she was the first victim with eye witnesses.
'Shaw Holter - Drive City District 4 Representative - Shaw was an elderly member of the council, most recognized for his extreme height of 6'8" and harsh personality and violent temper. He was the peoples' representative for the locals living West of Drive City.
'Leonard DaCosta - Drive City Head of Import and Export - Leo was responsible for setting up trade and commerce with surrounding communities, mainly nearby Lake Crenshaw. His dark skinned, pleasant appearance fooled many as his personality was rumored to be a vindictive, habitual gossiper.
'Christopher Ramon - Drive City Head of the Church - Chris lead Sunday Mass and was good friends with Mr. Steinbeck as the two would often work with each other on his next sermon. He was commonly seen carrying a Holy Bible everywhere with him. News articles state that Mr. Steinbeck often called him the son of Christ himself, to Mr. Ramon's chagrin.
'As before, reports and documents show that Dusty had hunted down and assassinated each of the other council members in an act of pure vengeance. Eye witnesses state that he moved like a demon or a juicer, while others state that he possessed incredible magical powers and used advanced weaponry. After all council members were eliminated, Dusty simply vanished. Some speculate that he'd died of injuries. Others speculate that he awaits the descendants of the original council members to reach adult age to dispose of them as well.'
Meg's face shows shock as she reads along with Dane. "What's a Juicer? And M.O.M.? And I've heard Lord Stein use the word Christian once or twice, like he wasn't supposed to. What's an oriental? Is that a d-bee? I've seen it mentioned in some old books," she taps her finger on her chin as they continue reading.
'Over the course of the last few decades, Drive City went through a period of instability and has turned into chaotic town, ruled by the nearby Pecos Empire, never to fully recover. It's believed that the Pecos Empire had orchestrated the entire takeover and moved in during the city's weakest moments. Even today, Drive City is a dangerous merc town.'
"Remind me that we should never go there," Meg comments, "Wherever that actually is."
Dane queries his next question, 'What can you tell me about Rifle Ridge and the Rifle Ridge Defense Force during the same period?"
Moments pass, then text begins to populate, 'Rifle Ridge is located in former Colorado. The location was named for the ridges and canyons used to lure the evil and demonic monsters that plagued the landscape during the Dark Ages. The locals and refugees would sit on the ridge and rain destruction down on the monsters, demons and evils of the era; keeping the locals safe.
'Since then, the town slowly became a defensive position against the inhuman and demonic, often receiving support from the fledgling Coalition States armed forces. The small town is more of a rest area for travelers, mercenaries and military alike. The town is considered dangerous as opposing political factions may rest there at the same time, causing tension and conflict.
'Around 59 P.A. to 63 P.A., many notable instances occurred in the area. Multiple reports show conflict with local d-bees and Native American tribes. Many mercenaries and vagrants were arrested due to violence. Would you like to know more about any particular incident?'
Dane replies with, 'Cross-reference the names Dusty Sky and William Stein with the previous search results.'
"These are bits of history we don't even have here in the library. This is fascinating!" She smiles, "And it's highly possible that members of our community are part of this. Ooo! And I know what d-bee means. Dimensional Being. I just don't know why they call them that."
Nearly a full minute passes when it finally populates with text, 'Dusty Sky appears in an incident report where he was in an altercation with a crazy known as Bill Steinbeck. Both survived but with serious injuries. Dusty was later detained for possessing a photograph that insinuated a hitlist. Investigators traveled to Drive City, never to return. He was eventually set free with no supporting evidence. Nothing more is available on Steinbeck.
'Thirty years later, another incident report states that Dusty Sky, a local hermit, and his wife, Ivy, were involved in a shootout with some ruffians passing through Ridge Rifle. Ivy was fatally wounded. Leaving Dusty to care for his newborn daughter, only known as Violet, who was named after the color of her hair and eyes. It's rumored that he and his daughter left Rifle Ridge out of fear of locals exhibiting hatred towards his daughter, whose deformities were seen as demonic mutations.
'Further records only show that both Lord Stein and Dusty Sky, of Fort Hammer, may be the same people listed in the reports and statements. However, photographic and video evidence strongly oppose Lord Stein being the same man; based on age. Dusty Sky, formerly the wealthy heir to a gold mining empire and deadly assassin, seems inconceivable that he'd settle down as a hermit outside of a town that's fully willing to accept him as a member of their community.'
"Dane, this is scary conspiracy theory stuff. Are you sure that that computer is legitimate? I mean, who are they really?" Meg uncomfortably shifts her weight, wondering what he's thinking.
His earlier anxiety about someone tracking it briefly surfaces, but he files that away with the list of things he intends to ask. As he watches Meg unlock the safe, he mentally organizes his queries. It performs its usual P.O.S.T. and hits the login screen. He types his password in, still remembering the original password for AGoodson being "Hag14@llwinsWArch." He's surprised that he remembers that now, yet a second ago, he would have struggled to remember how it even began.
Upon launching what could be a proprietary browser, he quickly discovers a search engine and begins typing his first question, 'Is this device being tracked remotely, or can it be tracked or has this device been tracked recently?' as he hunts down settings to disable tracking.
An answer populates below his question within a few seconds. Meg seems enthralled with how it works; especially since the apex of computer technology is about fifty feet away on a table and might as well be a chunk of brick compared to the tablet.
The answer, 'Yes, this device is constantly tracked by Titan Industries for technical support and logistic purposes. If you would like privacy, then there is an option within settings to disable for a limited amount of time.'
At that moment, Dane discovers the remote monitoring and support settings. The maximum time to disable is only one hour, once per day.
"Huh, seems rather intrusive," Meg remarks.
He asks his next question based off of the answer from the last: 'Can a remote user access this tablet and, if so, when was the last time it was accessed remotely and block that capability as well if it can.'
A few seconds later, the answer arrives, 'Yes. A remote administrator may access the tablet at anytime unless tracking and remote services are disabled by the local user for a limited time. The last remote login was two weeks ago, about this time. If you would like privacy, then there is an option within settings to disable for a limited amount of time.'
"Redundant," Meg remarks again, almost proud of using the word as she smiles fondly at Dane, "You're so smart," and kisses him on the cheek.
He moves onto the next question on his mind, rapidly typing in, 'Tell me about Drive City and the Drive City Council circa 59 P.A.'
A full five seconds passes before a massive amount of text populates the screen, 'The only reference to Drive City is a small dive town, originally known as Dive Town, located in Arizona prior to the human apocalypse. References source that a major NEMA force had established the town during the opening days of the largest cataclysm on Earth, after the Younger Dryas Event that ended the last major global ice age. They were left with enough supplies and weapons to slowly turn the fort, then becoming Drive Town, into a safe haven for the local populace. Once the town had exceeded a population of 1500 inhabitants, it was later renamed Drive City.'
Most of the information so far seems alien to Dane. NEMA sounds familiar. So do mentions of the cataclysm, but the rest seems lost to time.
'Over the course of what became known as the Dark Ages, greed and treachery had slowly drained the weapons and resources of the town, leading to the first inter-city civil war. The inhabitants had banded together and eventually overthrew the reigning ruler and his supporters. A man named Remo Peppin, who disappeared during the uprising. He was never found.
'At the start of the current human calendar, Post Apocalypse (P.A.), the town had organized its ruling body as a group of important members of the community, who would democratically vote on important decisions and expenses. During the late 50's, around 59 P.A., a prominent coup had occurred against the chairman of the council. A man named Dustin Synek, who was tortured, robbed of his assets, wealth and untarnished reputation. During the conflict, his wife and two young sons were horribly tortured beyond recognition, then executed.
'The motive for the uprising was a revolt against the distribution of civil comforts and wealth, which Chairman Synek had an over abundance of. Rumors speculated that Pecos bandits had convinced the townsfolk that by overthrowing him, then they would be able to divide his vast wealth amongst the rest of the council and eventually to the generational families within the community. Other rumors speculate that they'd escorted the Chairman out into the desert wastes, shot him and left him, thinking he was deceased. Unbeknownst to all, he survived.
"Over the course of the next two years, Dustin had hunted down and eliminated each member of the council except two. Rumors stated that it may have been only as few as one. The ruling body of the Drive City council, prior to the uprising were as follows:
'Dustin Synek - The last surviving member of the Synek lineage and council Chairman.'
A blurry picture shows him in a fancy suit with long, unruly blonde hair. Dane can only guess that he's the young blond man without an X through his face.
'Bill Steinbeck - William Steinbeck was the head of health and safety and an evangelistic Christian. Medical records show that he had severe psychological issues as a child and that a M.O.M. conversion was the only way to offer him a normal life. He thrived and won the hearts of the populace, being elected to this position he became obsessed with the well being of the community. His body was never found.'
Meg and Dane both recognize the man as a slightly younger version of Lord Stein, which shouldn't be possible considering how long ago the picture was taken.
'Marcus Pepper - The head of Education and Historical Documentation and Studies. An older man with a salt and pepper beard and known to have a disarming smile.'
Meg points at a man with an X through his head that seems to match the description. Slowly, as the names are read, both Dane or Meg find it quite easy to point out who is who in the picture.
'Jillian Mendez - Drive City Treasurer and Tax Collections Coordinator - A young, raven haired beauty and intelligence accountant with a love for numbers and her increasing social status.
'Larry Eagle - A Native American born sentinel and head of the Drive City Civil Defense Corps. He's most noted for engineering the defensive posture of the city's perimeter and was a prominent and accomplished hand to hand instructor.
'Santos Quinterro - Drive City Head of Intelligence - Santos was a barrel chested, heavy-set man of Hispanic decent with a mind for analyzing information to accurately report to the council.
'Cody Miles - Drive City Head of Civil Engineering - Cody was a slender man with a mop of sandy, brown hair and rugged appearance due to hard work. He was responsible for the upkeep and expansion of the city.
Amberlynn Abbot - Drive City Head of Agriculture - Amber was a blond, middle-aged woman, with a passion for expanding Drive City's territory to expand on local farming, ranching and gold mining operations of the city. It's believed that she may have raised concerns about the Synek family's sole ownership of the mining operations. After the Chairman's father's death, the mood of the locals had shifted towards disdain for the family wealth being in control by the Chairman.
'Sarah Finley - Drive City Head of Judicial, Regulatory, Commercial and Criminal Law and Enforcement - Ms. Finley was a strict elderly woman who's dedication to justice and smooth legal operations kept the town calm. It's unknown where things went wrong to cause her to turn against the Chairman.
'Shane Chen - Drive City Head of Zoning and Entertainment - Mr. Chen was an oriental man in his late twenties with a penchant for technology and geography. His main goal was to fairly survey the land. At certain times of the year, he was responsible for creating community activities and entertainment, in which, he accomplished with unfaltering community approval.
'Ivy Biltonman - Drive City Head of Emergency Services and Special Operations - Ivy was a flame-haired young woman with a pleasant smile and would often be seen with her two sons, Drake and Darren, when not working. She was one of the first to disappear. Her body was never found.
'Cade Williams - Drive City District 1 Representative - Cade is a middle aged man with a love for athleticism. He was the peoples' representative for the locals living inside of Drive City.
'Bill Baxter - Drive City District 2 Representative - Bill is a bear of a man with a full, reddish beard and jolly smile. He was the peoples' representative for the locals living North of Drive City.
'Patricia Davis - Drive City District 3 Representative - Trish, as most referred to her as, was younger woman, who had a penchant for wearing gothic dark colors and makeup. She was an avid knifewoman. She was the peoples' representative for the locals living East of Drive City. Reports state that she was the first victim with eye witnesses.
'Shaw Holter - Drive City District 4 Representative - Shaw was an elderly member of the council, most recognized for his extreme height of 6'8" and harsh personality and violent temper. He was the peoples' representative for the locals living West of Drive City.
'Leonard DaCosta - Drive City Head of Import and Export - Leo was responsible for setting up trade and commerce with surrounding communities, mainly nearby Lake Crenshaw. His dark skinned, pleasant appearance fooled many as his personality was rumored to be a vindictive, habitual gossiper.
'Christopher Ramon - Drive City Head of the Church - Chris lead Sunday Mass and was good friends with Mr. Steinbeck as the two would often work with each other on his next sermon. He was commonly seen carrying a Holy Bible everywhere with him. News articles state that Mr. Steinbeck often called him the son of Christ himself, to Mr. Ramon's chagrin.
'As before, reports and documents show that Dusty had hunted down and assassinated each of the other council members in an act of pure vengeance. Eye witnesses state that he moved like a demon or a juicer, while others state that he possessed incredible magical powers and used advanced weaponry. After all council members were eliminated, Dusty simply vanished. Some speculate that he'd died of injuries. Others speculate that he awaits the descendants of the original council members to reach adult age to dispose of them as well.'
Meg's face shows shock as she reads along with Dane. "What's a Juicer? And M.O.M.? And I've heard Lord Stein use the word Christian once or twice, like he wasn't supposed to. What's an oriental? Is that a d-bee? I've seen it mentioned in some old books," she taps her finger on her chin as they continue reading.
'Over the course of the last few decades, Drive City went through a period of instability and has turned into chaotic town, ruled by the nearby Pecos Empire, never to fully recover. It's believed that the Pecos Empire had orchestrated the entire takeover and moved in during the city's weakest moments. Even today, Drive City is a dangerous merc town.'
"Remind me that we should never go there," Meg comments, "Wherever that actually is."
Dane queries his next question, 'What can you tell me about Rifle Ridge and the Rifle Ridge Defense Force during the same period?"
Moments pass, then text begins to populate, 'Rifle Ridge is located in former Colorado. The location was named for the ridges and canyons used to lure the evil and demonic monsters that plagued the landscape during the Dark Ages. The locals and refugees would sit on the ridge and rain destruction down on the monsters, demons and evils of the era; keeping the locals safe.
'Since then, the town slowly became a defensive position against the inhuman and demonic, often receiving support from the fledgling Coalition States armed forces. The small town is more of a rest area for travelers, mercenaries and military alike. The town is considered dangerous as opposing political factions may rest there at the same time, causing tension and conflict.
'Around 59 P.A. to 63 P.A., many notable instances occurred in the area. Multiple reports show conflict with local d-bees and Native American tribes. Many mercenaries and vagrants were arrested due to violence. Would you like to know more about any particular incident?'
Dane replies with, 'Cross-reference the names Dusty Sky and William Stein with the previous search results.'
"These are bits of history we don't even have here in the library. This is fascinating!" She smiles, "And it's highly possible that members of our community are part of this. Ooo! And I know what d-bee means. Dimensional Being. I just don't know why they call them that."
Nearly a full minute passes when it finally populates with text, 'Dusty Sky appears in an incident report where he was in an altercation with a crazy known as Bill Steinbeck. Both survived but with serious injuries. Dusty was later detained for possessing a photograph that insinuated a hitlist. Investigators traveled to Drive City, never to return. He was eventually set free with no supporting evidence. Nothing more is available on Steinbeck.
'Thirty years later, another incident report states that Dusty Sky, a local hermit, and his wife, Ivy, were involved in a shootout with some ruffians passing through Ridge Rifle. Ivy was fatally wounded. Leaving Dusty to care for his newborn daughter, only known as Violet, who was named after the color of her hair and eyes. It's rumored that he and his daughter left Rifle Ridge out of fear of locals exhibiting hatred towards his daughter, whose deformities were seen as demonic mutations.
'Further records only show that both Lord Stein and Dusty Sky, of Fort Hammer, may be the same people listed in the reports and statements. However, photographic and video evidence strongly oppose Lord Stein being the same man; based on age. Dusty Sky, formerly the wealthy heir to a gold mining empire and deadly assassin, seems inconceivable that he'd settle down as a hermit outside of a town that's fully willing to accept him as a member of their community.'
"Dane, this is scary conspiracy theory stuff. Are you sure that that computer is legitimate? I mean, who are they really?" Meg uncomfortably shifts her weight, wondering what he's thinking.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
"This is crazy, for sure. This may not be conspiracy theory, though. Remember our discussion earlier about the old jacket I found in the attic? What if it all ties in together, and Dad's also way older than he appears?" Dane pauses briefly, watching Meg’s reaction. "And remember how much Dusty’s carvings look like Vi? Could that really be the same Violet?"
His mind continues flipping through ideas, and he voices them in a rush. "And how did this photo get into my pocket? If it’s the same photo, then that’s very suspicious — it shows up in my pocket at the same time that guy I was chasing is ranting about assassins and Dusty nearly kills him. Why my pocket? Was I just convenient? That’s way too many coincidences for one day. When do we stop believing that’s all they are and start thinking maybe there’s more provable theory than conspiracy — if we just knew the right questions to ask?"
A small grin paints his face as another idea strikes him. Turning back to the tablet, he starts typing again: 'Other than someone physically placing it there in passing, how else could a photograph appear in a pants pocket even though it wasn't there a few minutes ago?'
He glances at Meg before submitting the question. "Couldn't hurt to ask, right?"
His mind continues flipping through ideas, and he voices them in a rush. "And how did this photo get into my pocket? If it’s the same photo, then that’s very suspicious — it shows up in my pocket at the same time that guy I was chasing is ranting about assassins and Dusty nearly kills him. Why my pocket? Was I just convenient? That’s way too many coincidences for one day. When do we stop believing that’s all they are and start thinking maybe there’s more provable theory than conspiracy — if we just knew the right questions to ask?"
A small grin paints his face as another idea strikes him. Turning back to the tablet, he starts typing again: 'Other than someone physically placing it there in passing, how else could a photograph appear in a pants pocket even though it wasn't there a few minutes ago?'
He glances at Meg before submitting the question. "Couldn't hurt to ask, right?"
Re: Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
"This is crazy, for sure. This may not be conspiracy theory, though. Remember our discussion earlier about the old jacket I found in the attic? What if it all ties in together, and Dad's also way older than he appears?" Dane pauses briefly, watching Meg’s reaction. "And remember how much Dusty’s carvings look like Vi? Could that really be the same Violet?"
"Oh yeah! So it has to be true!" She seems deep in thought, then frowns, "It explains why he's always creeping around watching her." She seems to ignore the comments about his father and his jacket.
His mind continues flipping through ideas, and he voices them in a rush. "And how did this photo get into my pocket? If it’s the same photo, then that’s very suspicious — it shows up in my pocket at the same time that guy I was chasing is ranting about assassins and Dusty nearly kills him. Why my pocket? Was I just convenient? That’s way too many coincidences for one day. When do we stop believing that’s all they are and start thinking maybe there’s more provable theory than conspiracy — if we just knew the right questions to ask?"
Meg glances towards the tablet when a small grin paints his face as another idea strikes him. Turning back to the tablet, he starts typing again: 'Other than someone physically placing it there in passing, how else could a photograph appear in a pants pocket even though it wasn't there a few minutes ago?'
He glances at Meg before submitting the question. "Couldn't hurt to ask, right?"
A few moments pass, then, 'There are multiple ways that an individual could put something in your pocket. Physically, if unaware, then it could have been placed there while not in possession of the article of clothing possessing the pocket. Another way is reverse pick pocketing tactics - Instead of taking something from the pocket, they, instead place something there, unbeknownst to the person possessing the pocket. Another method would be the use of telekinetic placement. Finally, there are tales of magical teleportation of small objects, common in the Ozarks, Southern Michigan, Ohio Valley, and many haunted places to the areas formerly known as Eastern United States.' Dane's never heard of many of these places; or, at the very most, read about them in books. United States, though... His father had a red white and blue spangled patch on his old jacket.
While shoulder surfing, Meg finally mentions, "United States of America. Must be what our language is named after. We're descendants of Americans, huh?"
"Oh yeah! So it has to be true!" She seems deep in thought, then frowns, "It explains why he's always creeping around watching her." She seems to ignore the comments about his father and his jacket.
His mind continues flipping through ideas, and he voices them in a rush. "And how did this photo get into my pocket? If it’s the same photo, then that’s very suspicious — it shows up in my pocket at the same time that guy I was chasing is ranting about assassins and Dusty nearly kills him. Why my pocket? Was I just convenient? That’s way too many coincidences for one day. When do we stop believing that’s all they are and start thinking maybe there’s more provable theory than conspiracy — if we just knew the right questions to ask?"
Meg glances towards the tablet when a small grin paints his face as another idea strikes him. Turning back to the tablet, he starts typing again: 'Other than someone physically placing it there in passing, how else could a photograph appear in a pants pocket even though it wasn't there a few minutes ago?'
He glances at Meg before submitting the question. "Couldn't hurt to ask, right?"
A few moments pass, then, 'There are multiple ways that an individual could put something in your pocket. Physically, if unaware, then it could have been placed there while not in possession of the article of clothing possessing the pocket. Another way is reverse pick pocketing tactics - Instead of taking something from the pocket, they, instead place something there, unbeknownst to the person possessing the pocket. Another method would be the use of telekinetic placement. Finally, there are tales of magical teleportation of small objects, common in the Ozarks, Southern Michigan, Ohio Valley, and many haunted places to the areas formerly known as Eastern United States.' Dane's never heard of many of these places; or, at the very most, read about them in books. United States, though... His father had a red white and blue spangled patch on his old jacket.
While shoulder surfing, Meg finally mentions, "United States of America. Must be what our language is named after. We're descendants of Americans, huh?"
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
"Yeah, I know some about the old United States of America from books, and the patch on Dad's old jacket has to be from that age. Makes sense about the language," Dane responds. [OOC: History Pre-Rifts (N. America) 34% for what else he might "remember"]
"So, if the people from the photo are Lord Stein and Dusty, then the guy we were chasing must be after one or both of them. And that photo didn’t just magically appear in my pocket." He shakes his head slightly, more certain now. "It was planted. Either by the guy I was chasing, or by Dusty. Those are the only two who make sense." He pauses, working through it. "If the assassin had it and slipped it to me, then he was trying to get rid of it before he got caught. If Dusty had it and got it to me somehow, then he didn’t want the police finding it on him. But I wasn't anywhere near either one of them so maybe it did magically appear?"
His expression tightens as the implication settles. "Either way… it belongs to one of them. And whoever it belongs to is going to want it back."
Another pause while he thinks it through.
"I think I better get this over to my dad right away."
"So, if the people from the photo are Lord Stein and Dusty, then the guy we were chasing must be after one or both of them. And that photo didn’t just magically appear in my pocket." He shakes his head slightly, more certain now. "It was planted. Either by the guy I was chasing, or by Dusty. Those are the only two who make sense." He pauses, working through it. "If the assassin had it and slipped it to me, then he was trying to get rid of it before he got caught. If Dusty had it and got it to me somehow, then he didn’t want the police finding it on him. But I wasn't anywhere near either one of them so maybe it did magically appear?"
His expression tightens as the implication settles. "Either way… it belongs to one of them. And whoever it belongs to is going to want it back."
Another pause while he thinks it through.
"I think I better get this over to my dad right away."
Re: Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
"Yeah, I know some about the old United States of America from books, and the patch on Dad's old jacket has to be from that age. Makes sense about the language," Dane responds. He tries to remember anything useful about it, but the events of the day seem to be interfering with formulating a straight thought.
"So, if the people from the photo are Lord Stein and Dusty, then the guy we were chasing must be after one or both of them. And that photo didn’t just magically appear in my pocket." He shakes his head slightly, more certain now. "It was planted. Either by the guy I was chasing, or by Dusty. Those are the only two who make sense." He pauses, working through it. "If the assassin had it and slipped it to me, then he was trying to get rid of it before he got caught. If Dusty had it and got it to me somehow, then he didn’t want the police finding it on him. But I wasn't anywhere near either one of them so maybe it did magically appear?"
"Should we get involved? It sounds quite dangerous. Maybe we should show the sheriff." Meg adds.
His expression tightens as the implication settles. "Either way… it belongs to one of them. And whoever it belongs to is going to want it back." Another pause while he thinks it through. "I think I better get this over to my dad right away."
"Or that," she smiles, "And an even better idea." She grabs his hand to go look for his dad. The last he knew, he was headed for the school. Upon walking outside, he notices Brad standing with Maya in the middle of the street, just in time to hear someone shout from the school, "Vi's a d-bee! Teddy's trying to protect it! Let's get em!" The crowd, invigorated by the news, surges into the school even harder, threatening to create a dangerous stampede.
"So, if the people from the photo are Lord Stein and Dusty, then the guy we were chasing must be after one or both of them. And that photo didn’t just magically appear in my pocket." He shakes his head slightly, more certain now. "It was planted. Either by the guy I was chasing, or by Dusty. Those are the only two who make sense." He pauses, working through it. "If the assassin had it and slipped it to me, then he was trying to get rid of it before he got caught. If Dusty had it and got it to me somehow, then he didn’t want the police finding it on him. But I wasn't anywhere near either one of them so maybe it did magically appear?"
"Should we get involved? It sounds quite dangerous. Maybe we should show the sheriff." Meg adds.
His expression tightens as the implication settles. "Either way… it belongs to one of them. And whoever it belongs to is going to want it back." Another pause while he thinks it through. "I think I better get this over to my dad right away."
"Or that," she smiles, "And an even better idea." She grabs his hand to go look for his dad. The last he knew, he was headed for the school. Upon walking outside, he notices Brad standing with Maya in the middle of the street, just in time to hear someone shout from the school, "Vi's a d-bee! Teddy's trying to protect it! Let's get em!" The crowd, invigorated by the news, surges into the school even harder, threatening to create a dangerous stampede.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
Before they head out the door, Dane powers the tablet down and, after a brief pause, decides to drop it in his satchel and bring it with him.
Dane stops dead in his tracks when he hears the shouting. He raises an eyebrow, turns to Meg, and says, "If that's not the Violet we just read about, then that has to be a descendant. Logically, she's too young to be the same person, but logic seems to be taking a vacation today." His jaw tightens as he looks toward the school. "If the crowd's right, this could get dangerous fast. Hopefully Dad and the other deputies are already there. Come on."
Dane stops dead in his tracks when he hears the shouting. He raises an eyebrow, turns to Meg, and says, "If that's not the Violet we just read about, then that has to be a descendant. Logically, she's too young to be the same person, but logic seems to be taking a vacation today." His jaw tightens as he looks toward the school. "If the crowd's right, this could get dangerous fast. Hopefully Dad and the other deputies are already there. Come on."
Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
"Or that," she smiles, "And an even better idea." She grabs his hand to go look for his dad. The last he knew, he was headed for the school. Dane powers the tablet down and, after a brief pause, decides to drop it in his satchel and bring it with him. Upon walking outside, he notices Brad standing with Maya in the middle of the street, just in time to hear someone shout from the school, "Vi's a d-bee! Teddy's trying to protect it! Let's get em!" The crowd, invigorated by the news, surges into the school even harder, threatening to create a dangerous stampede.
Dane stops dead in his tracks when he hears the shouting. He raises an eyebrow, turns to Meg, and says, "If that's not the Violet we just read about, then that has to be a descendant. Logically, she's too young to be the same person, but logic seems to be taking a vacation today." His jaw tightens as he looks toward the school, "If the crowd's right, this could get dangerous fast. Hopefully dad and the other deputies are already there. Come on."
Meg tightens her grip on his hand as she follows after, "Dane," she sounds worried, "We should try the back way," bringing his attention to the people squeezing through the double doored opening in groups of six or more; threatening to either break the doorway, or each other.
Dane stops dead in his tracks when he hears the shouting. He raises an eyebrow, turns to Meg, and says, "If that's not the Violet we just read about, then that has to be a descendant. Logically, she's too young to be the same person, but logic seems to be taking a vacation today." His jaw tightens as he looks toward the school, "If the crowd's right, this could get dangerous fast. Hopefully dad and the other deputies are already there. Come on."
Meg tightens her grip on his hand as she follows after, "Dane," she sounds worried, "We should try the back way," bringing his attention to the people squeezing through the double doored opening in groups of six or more; threatening to either break the doorway, or each other.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Re: Rifts Dead Man's Hand - Festival Day - Dane
"Yeah, I think you're right." He lets her lead the way. "I don't know what we're going to do once we get in there. I mean, Vi and Ted can be a pain sometimes, but I've grown up around them. I wouldn't want to see a mob hurt them. Even if they did something wrong, that should be up to the Sheriff and the town council." Dane keeps thinking out loud as they hurry around the corner of the building toward the back entrance. .oO How is this all connected? Oo. The question keeps circling as he tries to fit the pieces together.