LOGISTICS

A scene for Karbon Play Test Solaris. Scene 6, Episode 1.

SETUP

JP's agenda: Mazda, thinking she has made a deal to save herself from the Program, has taken time aside to get married. However, she didn't count on the fact that deal is only with one Supervisor, not the entire program. Another splinter of the program, one with blood on her hands discovers the location and decides it would be a good time to deal with her once and for all.

JP as Narrator.

JP framed the scene.

SUMMARY

Far above the Colony world K-Zon confronts the many dangers surrounding Mazda as she attempts to wed someone determined to kill her, only to learn the ship they are on it about to be blown to bits Mazda and K-Zon escape in a hacked escape craft, only to be… lost in space!

SCENE

<K-Zon> . <K-Zon> . <K-Zon> Lights blink on the various consoles surrounding the table Inga lays on as a couple technicians replace damaged parts and run system checks. <K-Zon> Inga, still dazed and confused from her encounter with Block, raves about how she defeated a Karbon and all she'll learn now that he's in custody. <K-Zon> One of the technicians looks up and beyond Inga, to a mirrored window on the far wall. The technician shakes her head, and beyond that mirror a functionary makes a call. A call that will come back to haunt Inga…. <K-Zon> . <K-Zon> . <&Mac_McGowan> * <&Mac_McGowan> * <&Mac_McGowan> Mac McGowan pilots boards the large and clunky craft in the early morning, programs his flightplan into the control deck while the package is loaded. <&Mac_McGowan> Its big, damn big, but that isn't his concern. He just flies the thing to Genus 7 and drops it off, as the supervisor said. <&Mac_McGowan> Once its secure and the loading crew departs he fires up the oversized thrusters and takes flight <&Mac_McGowan> * <&Mac_McGowan> * »» You are now known as Narrator_JP <&Narrator_JP> * <&Narrator_JP> * <&Narrator_JP> The light glitters off the prismatic lens of the finely craft holofilters of the large spaceliner. Its light cascading down in multicolor sprays across the 20's style decor of the ballroom. <&Narrator_JP> White sheets on the tables and chairs, formal ornaments, a lounge singer belts out a lusty tune on the big projection. <&Narrator_JP> The spaceliner drifts at a slow pace around the world, likely offering a small sparkle to someone looking up from any of the myriad colony stations on the surface. <&Narrator_JP> This huge ballroom is packed with attendees for this wedding, who knew Mazda had these kinds of connections? Yet you won't find her by that name anywhere here. <&Narrator_JP> In this space and time she is know as Sally Summers, or so it says on the virtual card in neat gold lettering that was sent to K-Zon when he arrived. <&Narrator_JP> As K-Zon enters from one of the less-than-secure paths, he gets a comm from the supervisor. <&Narrator_JP> «No Agent is to take action on the Spaceliner Zeus.» <&Narrator_JP> Mac Mcgowan looks up from his flight panel and disregards the comm as not-pertinent. »» K-Zon turns his comm volume down low. »» K-Zon moves through the crowd, tense, jaw clenched, as he searches for the bride. <&Narrator_JP> It does not take long to find her, decked out in a long flowing white dress which clearly was crafted for appearance more than battle - seems totally wrong on her somehow. <&Narrator_JP> She is talking to some functionary of the local government about teraforming efforts in the southern sector. »» K-Zon makes sure not to get to close, but moves around, watching her from a distance. <&Narrator_JP> A robomaid in a suit offers K-Zon a choice of drinks. »» K-Zon ponders the tray, takes a sparkling water, and continues his watch. <&Narrator_JP> She gets bored of that converation and quickly glances around to find someone more interesting to talk to… »» K-Zon gets lost in watching her, and makes no effort to hide. <&Narrator_JP> She spot K-Zon and almost looks like she is about to grab for a non-existent gun, but stops and sighs. She walks over looking a bit bothered. »» K-Zon stands his ground, watching her as she comes. <&Narrator_JP> She starts in on him the second she gets close, “You aren't supposed to be here Mister.” She is more than a little accusatory. »» K-Zon deflects… <K-Zon> “You have quite the guest list.” <&Narrator_JP> Sally/Mazda: “Yes. It is quite extensive and also free of people attached to you know, your Agency.” She sneers on the last word excessively. <K-Zon> “Is it? Are you sure?” »» K-Zon looks around. <&Narrator_JP> Sally/Mazda: “I was given the utmost assurance by your boss man.” <K-Zon> “I'm in the loop, as it were, and I'm not sure that's true.” »» K-Zon shrugs. <K-Zon> “You didn't strike me as the naive type.” <&Narrator_JP> Sally/Mazda: “What am I supposed to do, call off the wedding?” <&Narrator_JP> “Can't put life on hold forever…” »» K-Zon clenches his jaw… <K-Zon> “Who's the lucky guy?” <&Narrator_JP> Sally/Mazda beams a bit, “One of the Tanaka group! He is a powerful lobbyist! I was just about to go find Franklin. Want to meet him?” »» K-Zon hesitates before saying, “Sure, why not.” <&Narrator_JP> Sally leads K-Zon through the crowd and over to a bunch of men talking about the Interstellar Games (think Olypmics), due to start shortly. <&Narrator_JP> She leaps onto a particularly thin and well-built man with short black hair. Looks smarmy to K-Zon. <&Narrator_JP> Instantly K-Zon's omni runs a backtrace on the man and alerts pop up all over. <K-Zon> “Franklin Tanaka, I presume? You look in good health.” <&Narrator_JP> The alerts all indicate this is Jun Yoshida, wanted for numerous counts of extortion, racketeering, and murder most foul. <&Narrator_JP> Franklin shakes her off and offers a hand to K-Zon, “And you are?” He is looking K up and down. <K-Zon> “Detective Zahn, Eastern Sector Police Bureau, currently on Special Assignment.” <&Narrator_JP> “Detective? Well I hope I haven't broke any laws today my good friend.” He smiles that terribly smile that is just full of lies. <K-Zon> “No, Franklin Tanaka hasn't broken any laws today, or for some time I imagine.” »» K-Zon smiles without a hint of warmth. <&Narrator_JP> Franklin smiles a longer and more horrible smile in response. “Well, then what brings you to our party?” <&Narrator_JP> Sally looks kind of taken aback by the entire exchange. <K-Zon> “Sally and I go way back. Didn't think I was going to be able to make it, but here I am. This is really turning out to be quite the event.” »» K-Zon takes a glass of champagne off the auto-waiter as it passes by. <&Narrator_JP> Red alerts pop up all over K-Zon's vision, sent from his Omni. Someone is breaking in the spaceliner's control system! <&Narrator_JP> The alerts are popping up because its a program attack vector. »» K-Zon maintains his composure as he does a quick ping for any authorized Program actions on the ship. <&Narrator_JP> Franklin kind of winces at “go way back” but regains his composure quickly. “I see.” <&Narrator_JP> K-Zon gets a ping returned by its sealed: Supervisor's eyes only. <&Narrator_JP> *but its <K-Zon> “I didn't expect to find myself in such illustrious company though, besides Sally herself, that is.” <&Narrator_JP> Franklin: “She is a gem isn't she?” <&Narrator_JP> Sally smiles a bit, but has enough insight to know something is going on. <K-Zon> “Indeed, one of those hidden gems that one rarely finds.” <&Narrator_JP> When Franklin looks at Sally, there is something in his eyes, and its not love. »» K-Zon watches “Franklin”, menace brewing in every cell of his body, as he attaches a tracker to the locked file that will keep track of any access of it. <K-Zon> Voice Over: “Tanaka, Yoshida, it didn't really matter. Nothing was going to stand between me and Mazda. Sally, that person was the facade, the ghost. Mazda was the real woman standing in front of me. All I had to do was find a way to dispose of the competition.” »» K-Zon notices the ship alert still activated in his H.U.D. and sets a scan on Yoshida/Franklin's files, cross-referenced with a scan of Mazda's, to find patterns and contact points. <K-Zon> Something in the mass of files triggers access to some Police Bureau cold files. A lot of them. Case after case being accessed, all of them missing persons files. »» K-Zon has had enough fucking around. Using Program access codes he bleeds a little processor time of a substantial number of people on the ship, and sets his Omni on a full bore drill into Yoshida/Franklin's network. <&Narrator_JP> The ship's security AI begins to flag K-Zon's Omni but is having trouble defeating its capable protections. <K-Zon> The insertion is so smooth that Yoshida/Franklin has no idea it's even happening. The information Kay pulls out is a horror show of deceit, death, and dirty dealing… <&Narrator_JP> It doesn't take Kay long to put the sick story together in his head. This depraved man gets close to his victims and terminates them in terrible ways shortly after. He is an assassin of the top order. Obviously the Yoshida family wants this loose end tied up. Mazda knows too much. »» K-Zon directs the files and the his highlighted trail of clues directly to Mazda's omni. She should have the full picture of just what she was about to marry. <&Narrator_JP> The color drains from Sally's face as the information sinks in through her Omni overlay. <&Narrator_JP> Sally draws a laser-edged blade from a suggestive place in her dress and swings it across the neck of Franklin/Jun within just a moment, her eyes now blazing with a barely contained fury. The man's head is now barely attached to his body as it slumps to the ground. <&Narrator_JP> She turns and looks at K-Zon, heaving a bit with adrenaline. <K-Zon> “I think we should go.” »» K-Zon takes her arm and moves calmly toward the Pods. <&Narrator_JP> Mazda nods instinctively, still not quite in rational thinking mode. <&Narrator_JP> That is when K-Zon gets a comm from the Supervisor: «Kay, why are your on the Spaceliner Zues?» His tone is well, full of disdain. <K-Zon> «Tracking a code red, boss.» <&Narrator_JP> Supervisor: «Well you better hightail it out of there friend, the naval ship Athena is about to blow that liner to bits.» <&Narrator_JP> * <&Narrator_JP> * <&Narrator_JP> * <&Narrator_JP> * <&Narrator_JP> * <~Inga> Inga walked out of Mad Max's Body Shop, looking none worse for the wear. If only it was easier for her to FEEL as fixed as she was. She sighed, and pulled out her phone, hitting an auto-dial. “Hi, it's me. Can I come over?” A pause. “Thanks.” <~Inga> Her eyes hold a mix of relief and shame as she climbs into the back of the skycab and gives an address. <~Inga> The cabbie's Martian accent is thick as he tries to make conversation; he's friendly, but she's not in the mood to talk. <~Inga> Finally the cab stops in an unsavory part of town. Inga gets out, looking to see if anyone sees her, or recognizes her. Using her training, she avoids the ubiquitous cameras until she makes it to the apartment - 46. She knocks on the door. <~Inga> The door opens - it's Ogurun. Inga immediately kisses him. “Thanks, I needed this.” She leads him to his bed. <~Inga> * <K-Zon> . <K-Zon> . »» K-Zon pulls Mazda along by the wrist as they make the final turn to the starboard lifeboat bays and climb inside one of the pods. <&Narrator_JP> The pod door is quite large, obviously meant to support more than just people. <&Narrator_JP> Turning about inside the circular center chamber of the pod, there are benches for five couples apparent and doors leading to other areas of the craft. »» K-Zon secures the door, disengages the locks, and prepares to fire the ejection thrusters. <&Narrator_JP> The warm sounding voice of a elderly lady booms out from the escapes craft's speakers: “Oh, welcome to the premier escape craft of Robertson's systems. We are sorry for the disaster that is happening, but we will do our best to protect your lives.” <&Narrator_JP> Old Lady Pod Voice (OLPV): “Please, start the escape process by wiring your Sig key's into the registration port.” »» K-Zon eyes the closest speaker menacingly. <K-Zon> “Mazda, take the controls. As soon you get manual control I want you to start the ejection thrusters.” »» K-Zon begins hacking into the pod's systems… <&Narrator_JP> Mazda nods, “Ok…” she tries the nearest door. It won't open. »» K-Zon starts trying to burn through the pod's systems as quickly as possible. »» K-Zon manages to gain access to the doors and environmental controls, and turns off the annoying voice circuit as a bonus. <&Narrator_JP> OLPV: “Oh my dear… what arrrrrrrrrrrrrr. BEEP.” <&Narrator_JP> Mazda: “Are you hacking this thing? Really? How did you get past the immediate authorization block?” »» K-Zon checks the countdown until the battleship arrives and decides to just overload all the pod's security circuits in the hopes of gaining full control and nav access. <K-Zon> “I'll be happy to chat about it once we're sipping cocktails somewhere…” <&Narrator_JP> The overload causes the CPU to glitch and the security processes to crash, one by one. BLIP… BLIP… they go off the visual. »» K-Zon grimaces as a bead of sweat rolls down his face. <K-Zon> “Hit the ejection thrusters.. .and hold on.” »» K-Zon starts working on the throwing open the locks… <K-Zon> The pod starts to shake in its cradle as the thrust builds up. With a sharp *TANG* the locking mechanism gives way and the pods hurdles out of its launch tube. <&Narrator_JP> The Pod crashes out of the cosmetic plating over the launch tube with a blast, sending particulate molten plastic coasting through the cold of space were it slowly cools into random shapes. <&Narrator_JP> The pod-like craft hurtles aways at far greater than its normally velocity, until the thrusters overload and burnout from the abuse shortly after. <&Narrator_JP> The craft now drifts in space with much excess velocity. <&Narrator_JP> The liner behind them implodes a minute later with the force of many megatons, creating a wave of energy that rockets back out into space to quickly fade away into the din of cosmic radiation. Its almost beautiful to behold. <&Narrator_JP> The burst of energy burns out the uplink on the escape craft and likely all the uplinks in this sector of space.