The Koperunikus Factor

[vallikat]

All she'd wanted was a quiet evening at The Cup after a fast paced, though fun-filled, few days. But the quiet hadn't lasted more than 5 minutes. First there was the annoying child, Sweethaily, who kept buzzing about like a honey bee. Cathryn had almost considered leaving The Cup when he walked in. His name was Kopernikus. He needed some help.

She gladly purchased him a cup of tea as the barman would not sell to him since he is a neutral. He quickly explained to her that tea was not his only trouble. They sat and as his story began, Cathryn quickly gave up on any idea of a relaxing evening.

He started by telling her that he'd been told that members of Endgame were very open to members of other factions. He being a Neutral who needed the help of Clan, decided then that he would seek out Endgame and find some of their members to help him. He knew they frequented The Cup and so felt he was in luck when he found Cathryn in the nearly empty room.

Cathryn was always one who is willing to help others whenever she could, but as he told his tale she quickly began to feel overwhelmed. This was going to be tough. When she spied Vixentrox walking in, she quickly beconed her over to hear the story and see if the influential and high ranking Clanner herself could assist him. Even to Vixentrox, this seemed it was going to be a tough case, but they assured him they would do what they could.

Cathryn looked back over her notes in order to determine the best way to approach the situation:

Kopernikus is a former employee of a company called Quantum Corp. One of their top researchers.

Quantum Corp was working on a technology that would combine the powers of the grid with a living being, in essense making a "better" breed of man. In a way it would be like better, stronger and most importantly, permanent, grid armor, as it would be encoded into ones very DNA.

Kopernikus had a breakthrough in this technology and conducted his early tests on himself altering his own genetic structure slightly.

When his daughter, Isobel, was born it was believed that she became genetically predisposed to accept the introduction of the technology to her system.

Quantum Corp wanted to use Isobel as their first test subject when Kopernikus completed his device. He refused the use of his daughter in that way. However, Quantum Corp was planning to force his hand.

Kopernikus decided that the only way to be safe was to make Quantum Corp believe he and his family had been killed in an accident. He also took steps to destroy every bit of his discovery. He'd had grave reservations about its use and now he would not allow Quantum Corp get their hands on it.

He arranged a transport crash. On board was himself and his wife. Quantum would believe that Isobel, then just 6 years old, was also on board. But Kopernikus had made other arrangements for her. He knew that the best way to protect Isobel would be to distance himself from her. He wanted to ensure that Isobel was cared for. He left her in the hands of a trusted assistant to raise as his own. She would be told that her parents had been killed in the accident.

Unfortunately, a last minute shipment of hazardous chemicals had been taken aboard the transport. When it crashed, his wife was killed and Kopernikus nearly died. He'd arranged to have a doctor meet them nearby, but the chemical injuries were not anticipated and the doctor was unable to help his wife.

Still this was important to his life and Isobels life and so he continuted his plan to go into hiding and allow Isobel her new life with her new father. But then one week ago that had changed. He recieved a message from his assistant. It seems that Quantum Corp had made threats. They found out that Isobel was with him and they were coming for him and the girl. He'd made one last very rash decision. He sent word to his old friend to protect his daughter and then used a PK device on himself.

Summary:
* Kopernikus needs help.
* He needs to find his daughter Isobel and warn her that she is in danger.
* He only knows her birth name is Isobel Wright, she is an Opifex of about 23 years old and as a little girl she wore her dark hair in ponytails.
* He feels strongly that she would've remained in West Athens among Clanners. His assistant promised he would raise her there and her mother had been a Clanner with strong ties to West Athens. Her mother had gone by the nickname, "The Queen of West Athens" in her early days
*Ailish is an Opifex female who also fancies wearing her hair in ponytails
* A quick check run by Vixentrox shows that her first name is Isobel.
*Vixentrox knows that Ailish has also used the nickname, "The Queen of West Athens". Could it be that she uses it in remembrance of her mother?

Questions:
* What is Quantum Corp? It seems odd that neither Vixentrox or myself has ever heard of them
* How do we determine if Ailish is his daughter?
* If she is, what warning do we give her? Without even knowing who Quantum Corp is, we might as well be warning her about the monster under her bed.
* If Ailish is not his daughter, than how do we find the true Isobel and what do we do with her when we do?

Too much to consider. If not one thing its another, Cathyrn thought while combing out her copper hair. She was sure glad that providence had sent Vixentrox into The Cup at that time. She would need the experience of that woman to get to the bottom of this mystery. "I'm just a dancer who likes to help people. How do I get so involved in these messes?" She looked at herself in the mirror. "Just a dancer," she asked the mirror image. "Is that really all you are?"

[_____________Maxilon]

It sounds like a very peculiar mystery, one that will require some research.

If I am able to assist, please feel free to contact me. Hopefully my skills in regards to research will be of some use, perhaps in helping to locate 'Quantum Corp' or Ms. Wright.

[Vixentrox]

Cathern pondered things she had been told by this interesting man. Based off some quick research into the data bases, it seemed likely that the leader of First Light was indeed this man's long lost daughter. How to aproach her though. Cathern would need to give it some thought.

[vallikat]

On Saturday morning, Cathryn sat at her vanity combing her hair, thinking back on the prior evening.

She'd been thrilled when she walked into Reets for Tarryk's normal Friday Night Megabash. She'd just completed a big goal she'd had for herself and was in a mood to celebrate. She didn't even want to think about Kopernikus on this night. But fate had other plans for her.

She was dancing with her 3 friends, Meik, Novakil, and Dealir, when her wrist comm beeped at her. The music was so loud that she hadn't even heard it at first. By the time she responded, Vixentrox was asking her if she was ok.

After apologizing to her for the delay, she learned that Vixentrox had been in contact with Ailish and that Ailish was waiting for Cathryn to contact her. She agreed to contact her straight off. There was no time like the present.

"Well," she thought to herself as she excused herself to a quieter location to place the call, "looks like the party will have to be on hold for me. At least for the time being."

Of course, when her meeting with Ailish was complete, she had made it back to the party, in plenty of time to steal some quiet time with Josef. So far as had been able to tell he was none the wiser that her mind was racing, going back over her talk with Ailish, Vixentrox, and eventually Ailish's guild mate, Kyrsan. She and Josef were only just starting out. She didn't want to tell him of this yet. She wouldn't even know where to begin. Her thoughts drifted back to her talk to Ailish as she slipped into her leotard.

Ailish had been nonplussed at the mention that Kopernikus might be her father. She was certain of her father's death in that accident. She didn't even seem to want to consider the possibility that it might be him. Vixentrox also doubted the story far more than Cathryn, who'd always been too trusting. Vix wisely suggested that the man might even be a Quantum Corp plant, trying to lure Ailish out in the open. That made sense. It certainly fit better than anything that man had said. They'd also learned through Kyrsan that he could find no such company registered under the name Quantum Corp. More doubt cast on Kopernikus' story. So it had come down to a question of first determining 2 things: one, if Kopernikus was Ailish's father and two, if Ailish's DNA had been altered. Ailish had given Cathryn the key to determining Kopernikus' identity. She assured her that at the very next contact she had with Kopernikus she would ask him the secret question Ailish had given her. She wasn't sure if it would be better if he had the right answer, or the wrong one.

Cathryn set about limbering up before dance practice, turning the music up as loud as she could stand it, she flushed the mystery from her mind.

[vallikat]

One week had passed since Cathryn's conversation with Ailish, Vixentrox, and Kyrsan. Ten days since her last contact with Kopernikus. It was too long and she was feeling unsettled.

Earlier in the week she'd been preoccupied with other things. Her fledgeling relationship with Josef had not succeeded. She'd become close to his Uncle Uwen after his illness and so she felt she could go to him and ask his advice. Sadly, he'd only confirmed for her that she and Josef had no future. Thus, feeling sad, she'd turned off her comm and taken some time by herself. She had gone to work, but she was only going through the motions.

Last night, however, she'd started feeling more like her old self. A few stiff drinks of her favorite, Captain's Sugarfree Rum, and she was right back on top of her game. Dancing and laughing and flirting and enjoying the hell out of herself. She even made a new friend, Blyqz.

But today she was feeling antsy as she rummaged through her vast closet full of clothes searching for something to wear to the Fixerben and Tristalyn's wedding. Where are you, Kopernikus? she thought to herself as she checked her comm for the millionth time that morning. He'd told her that he would be in contact with her, but she hadn't heard a peep out of him. She knew he said he was afraid of being monitored and that private conversations were much more easily bugged than public ones, but still she was considering placing a call to him.

But as she tried on yet another outfit, the simple solution came to her, Vixentrox. She would know what to do or at least how to secure her comm line. She considered this last thought a moment. All this cloak and daggar stuff was quickly making her paranoid. She didn't even want to voice her need for a secure comm line lest the very request be considered suspect if her transmission was being monitored. She chose her wording the best way she could and tried to make herself sound like a love struck schoolgirl when she sent her message to Vixentrox:

Vixentrox, still no word from K. Not sure wht to do next. Need your advice. Do you think its better to keep waiting? If not, I'm hoping to talk to him privately and hoping you might be able to help me out with that. You know there are just some things that a man and woman need privacy for.

She just hoped that Vixentrox was clever enough to pick up on the meaning behing the words. Not that she doubted Vix's abilities, more that she'd doubted her own acting skills. Still, feeling at least a little better at having done something, Cathryn finished getting ready for the wedding.

[Vixentrox]

Cathern seen the buffered mesage and smiled. Vallikat seemed to be an impatient one. Ah well....she might not ever have had the proper training or need for self-discipline. Cathern fired back a message.



Vallikat, If your man is truely interested in you, he will reach you when he's ready. Have patience hun, these things are never easy.

Hopefully that would ease her mind.

[vallikat]

"Dammit!!"

The single word echoed through the small room at Reet's Cathryn had taken up temporary residence in. She had first moved in here when sources warned her that Rejkavik had taken a hit out on her in order to get his hands on her muffin. But now it seemed she had and even more critical reason to stay in the safety of the 100% supression gas.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"

Her frustration mounting over the hideous hangover she'd woken up with that day. The events which lead to her becoming so drunk replaying through her mind and the realization of her grave error causing her to squeeze the sides of her head wishing she could change the past. But the facts remained and now she had to figure out how to deal with them.

She relived it all bit by bit. Her conversations with Kopernikus. Revealing the story to Ailish and her friend Kyrsan. Getting the question which would unlock one of the keys in this mystery. Finally, finally getting the answer from Kopernikus and then the events which lead to her error. These she recalled to her mind very carefully. Trying to make herself feel better. But only making her self feel worse.

She'd been instructed by Ailish to give Kopernikus' answer to Kyrsan. She left word for him to contact her. She wanted to meet as she was afraid that a message might be intercepted. He'd contacted her within a day or 2 of her message and asked to meet her. But his timing had been bad. She hadn't been able to come right then. She found out that he planned to have his comm open at around that same time each night that week. So she told him she would contact him the following night. But when checking through her list of contacts the following night, she didn't see his signal as being open, so she figured she would wait.

A few days later she started to realize that her comm was not functioning properly. Oftentimes people she'd sent messages to were not receiving them. People who had their comms open were showing as not and vice versa. She recieved all kinds of funny error messages about this message or that message not going to the recipient. Frustrated, she'd taken it in to be repaired but the salesman convinced her to just buy a new one. Since it seemed that communicatins and especially secure communications were going to be important to her now, she'd sprung for a top of the line model, one that the salesman assured her had state of the art security features.

State of the art security, she laughed to herself as she thought about that now. Evidently the comm had been anything but secure. But still she believe the salesman, as she had always had a bad habit of being too trusting. Since so much time had gone by and she was anxious to get past this Kopernikus business, she'd take a huge chance. She sent Kyrsan a message giving him the answer that Kopernikus had given to Ailish's question.

She sat back on the bed mat, holding her head and rocking in frustration, not believing that she could've been so stupid. That's how Vendahl found me. That's how Quantum knows that I'm involved. They intercepted my transmission on this lousy peice of **** "State of the art" comm!! With that she'd torn the comm off her wrist and thrown it against the wall. Amazingly it did meet up with the advertisement that it was shatter-proof and had remained in tact.

She'd have to call Vixentrox and tell her that she figured out how Vendahl knew she was involved. She hadn't figured it out last night, but then last night she was too shaken up by Vendahl's appearance at Reet's. She still couldn't believe it as she formulated how to tell Vixentrox of her grave error.

She'd been dancing at Reet's having a great time as she always did at work. But then the icy cold voice calling her name from behind her had changed all that. She'd turned to face a woman in the signature blue armor of the Fixer proffession. A quick check told her the woman's name was Vendahl. That was the last coherent thing she did that night. After that it had been a blur. Vendahl had come with a message and a threat. The words replaying over and over in Cathryn's mind.

"I have a message for you," the Fixer had said.

"What's that Vendahl," she tried to keep her voice nonchalant though she knew the name. Kopernikus and Ailish had both had run-ins with Vendahl. She knew this could not be good news.

"We know you are hiding Kopernikus."

Catheryn had to fight to retain her composure at this.

"We know about his little Isobel."

"Vendahl, I have no clue what you're talking about. Care to clue me in." Even to herself her words sounded stilted. Then the threat.

"You have one week to turn him over to us or Quantum will make things very bad for you and for Endgame."

Cathryn hadn't even been able to respond to this before the Fixer had ditched to the grid. With her heart beating a hundred miles a minute she forced herself to sit and regain her composure. No need to worry those around her as yet. She just needed to call Vix.

Vixentrox had arrived at Reets 10 minutes later and they met down below the glass dance floor, at the same table where she'd first told her tale to Ailish and Kyrsan. She'd explained what had happened and began to feel better just in talking to her. Vixentrox had suggested that she speak at the Endgame meeting scheduled for Sunday. The Endgame leaders at the very least needed to know this. As for Cathryn, Vixentrox suggested that she move around a lot, change her patterns, lay low for a few days. Cathryn didn't want to have to take a break from Reet's. She felt the gas would protect her. But Vixentrox reminded her that it wasn't always reliable. So she had relunctently agreed to at least consider taking some time off.

She returned to the Glass Dance Floor and her spot on the couch and that's when the drinking had started in earnest for her. She wanted to block this all out of her mind and just have a good time while she still could.

So now here she was nursing a hangover, her frustration, and her guilt. Through all of this considering how to tell Vixentrox of her error, what to say at the Endgame meeting, and whether or not to stay here or follow Vixentrox's advice and move around. Then there were the 2 people who knew nothing of this who needed to know everything. One was her guild leader and friend, Szentasha. The other was Gorvant, her love.

How do I tell him that I may just have endangered myself, his sister, and practically everyone he'd made friends with since coming to Rubika? She simultaneously needed him to come home desperately and hold her and help her through this and also feared that he would turn away from her when he heard how much her stupidity might cost him. She couldn't face that just yet. Instead she opened a comm channel to Szentasha:

Tasha, hi! Hope all is well with you. Listen I need to talk to you about something that is very important and very serious. I need to talk to you alone. Please get back to me on when we can meet. Thanks, Vallikat.

Feeling better in knowing that Tasha would have some wise advice for her, she set about packing up the few belongs she'd brought with her during her temporary stay.

[_______________Bliqz]

Bliqz hunkers down with a bowl of popcorn.

And?...AND?!!

[Vixentrox]

Cathern sipped her morning coffee, recalling her meeting with Vallikat the evening before. Vallikat was under a lot of stress being thrust into into the mix. "Poor woman" Cathern thought.

Cathern had a wealth of experience in intrigue, blackmail, threats, and murder. She hoped her advice to Vallikat had eased her mind some. She seemed appreciative at any rate. Cathern hoped Vallikat would break her routine and keep moving locations. After all, if the enemy can't find you, they can't harm you directly.

Quantum....Cathern had doe some research on her own but had turned up little. She doubted that this company would be a credible threat to the EndGame Alliance as a whole. They may prove troublesome to individuals though, especially if they targeted the leadership. That's the reason she suggested Vaillikat speak at the next EG meeting. She hoped Vallikat wouldn't loose her nerve.

[Hardpipe]

Ryan woke with a startled jump to the sound of his low battery alert chirping on his Personal Data Terminal. He shut it off and put it back into is case and hopped out of the tree he had spent the last few hours in. Ryan stretched and yawned and cursed as he looked at the time. "Slept for 27 hours...what is happening to me..." Ryan walked down to the beaches of Wine and took a swim to finish waking up before gridding to Borealis for some research. While in Borealis, Ryan questioned a few of his fixer contacts about his new target, going by the name of Koperunikus, but nobody had heard the name. "This is gonna take more work than I thought..." Ryan walked over to a data terminal and began his days work of searching for a single man in this giant planet... "I *will* find you..."