The Girl in the Picture

[Dabblez]

This is a short summary of an ongoing adventure being played by the South Rubi-Ka Society which centres around a somewhat delicate and personal problem for Savoy.

The adventure beings when Savoy receives a private message from the World Leet Fight Federation ( a shady organisation which stages clandestine leet fights). Attached to the message is a picture, taken with neither her knowledge or consent, of Savoy sunbathing in the buff in some secluded region of the Clon****. The unidentified author writes the undisguised glee how he will use this photo in the next WLFF "nudie" calendar and that there is nothing she can do about it.

Savoy is horrified at the prospect of ending up as a pin-up handing in some seedy Newland City garage. She seeks the council of the Society's lawyer, Specchio. As the WLFF is not a legal entity, Specchio is pessimistic about the chances to being able to stop this via a court injunction.

Enraged and upset, Savoy goes on a shopping spree to take her mind off things. By accident, or perhaps by design, she ends up in Borealis. There a chance encounter with Rorybones, a notorious WLFF boss quickly turns ugly. Rory greets Savoy with a lewd wisecrack, Savoy snaps and lounges at him with her fists. Guards intervene and while Rory is taken to the local hospital, Savoy is placed under arrest for assault and battery.

The next morning Savoy is allowed to place a call. She broadcasts a request for help on the Society's private channel asking for someone to come over post bail. Gridweaver, Specchio and Sightsee promptly turn up to take her back to Rome. There, using one of the trick of her professions, she carefully uploads the nano-formula Face Graft and permanently alters her appearance.

Sightsee engages Gridwearver and an external consultant to break into the WLFF systems and delete the offending material. The attempt fails, almost certainly alerting the WLFF and making any subsequent attempt that much harder. Meantime in a chance encounter with Bonefish, director of SPARTA, Savoy ends up explaining to him the plight she finds herself in. Bonefish offers to have some of his boys to "speak to" Rorybones, and without actually breaking the law, scare him into backing off. Unfortunately Rorybones is nowhere to be found.

Savoy now faces the double indignity of having her photos published in the sleazy WLFF calendar and standing trial for assault on Rorybones, possibly even having to paying him damages! Will the Society manage to get her out of this mess?

[____________Bonefish]

OMNI-TEK PROTECTS


Garret "Bonefish" Silvestrini
Director - SPARTA
Director of Operations, OTSEC

Founding Member of the Omni-Tek Security Council

garret.silvestrini@ot-sparta.org
www.ot-sparta.org

[SinisterCake]

Rorybones (the head organiser of the World Leet Fighting Federation), came back from an off World planet known as Tekkaris, as usual he took a cargo transport disguised as a refugee. It was his usual form of travelling, better to be safe then sorry. He could have stayed off World longer, but with Savoy’s court case on her assault on him, he just had to pay the cred involved in travelling to see her humiliation. He was glad to be back home, the first thing he did was to check the WLFF computer system. He was pleased to see that there was an attempted hack, probably by Savoy’s organisation, no doubt his avatar AI defence had probably scared the hackers witless! After unpacking and analysing the latest ‘photo-shoot’ of ladies in dubious positions, he decided to get some fresh air. Time to spend some of his profits.

Rory walked out into Borealis, and sniffed the clean air, the day wasn’t the best what with the drizzle, but he was glad nonetheless, he wanted to make ‘arrangements’ for the next big Leet fight. He made his way to the implants shop, looking for a good deal. He couldn’t believe the prices, so high these days? Clan and Omni conflict were most probably the main reason for it. “ I could have two of those for the same price!… You should really reconsider lowering these prices… I don’t see a queue of customers here, do you?” He spat, the vendor simply shrugged his scrawny shoulders. “Bah! I have no time for this!” Rorybones waved a hand at the shopkeeper as he left the building and headed to the gun store. He decided to head to the clothing store, on the way he saw the Prison and a large Atrox guarding the entrance. He couldn’t resist as his excitement at Savoy’s potential incarceration built up within his shroud mind. He approached the guard, “Hey there, you better roll out the red carpet for that Savoy woman, interested in a picture?” The guard stood stoic, but looked at this ‘merchant’ standing before him. Rory brought out a picture of a naked Savoy, and laughed as the guard’s eyes bulged out. “Here, keep it, there’s plenty more where that came from hehe.” He mused. The guard quickly looked around and snapped the picture from Rory and tucked it under his chest armour. Rory then went to the clothing shop, when he entered he saw a sassy vendor, he approached her immediately his dirty mind working on overtime.

Bonefish of SPARTA, met up with Savoy to discuss possible action needed to find out Rorybones Whereabouts. He seemed to have disappeared; thus SPARTA had agreed to solve the problem. Bonefish was unsure as to what exactly was needed to get Rory to drop the charges, but after finding out more from Savoy, it was obvious that a worm like him would only understand one form of ‘communication’.

Domu had just exited the dressing room in a clothing store when she remembered that she was supposed to go to a meeting with Bonefish. She was about to purchase her wares, when she spotted the elusive Rorybones who was busy in conversation with the shopkeeper.
Yes.. I’m looking for something more ‘exotic’, know what I mean Missy?” He said.
“What for you, you mean?” The vendor remarked, raising an eyebrow at Rory, who leaned over the counter.
“Whatever takes your fancy pretty one.” Rory winked at the lady. Domu quickly vacated the shop and headed to the Romp bar where the meeting was to be held.

After introductions, Domu quickly told Bonefish that she had sighted Rory in Borealis. The meeting ended quickly as Bonefish wanted to take immediate action before they lose the scent of the WLFF manager.

An hour later, Rory was heading to the Woompa’s in Borealis, when from out of the shadows, these three thugs surrounded him. Rory quickly got out his shotgun, “What’s this!” he said to the thugs, as the leader grabbed him suddenly by his cloak, as the other two grabbed the weapon away from him.
“You’re making some kind of mistake! What do you want?!” Rory Shouted.
“You’re coming with us. Drag him if he won’t walk.” Said the lead thug. The other two loosened their grip.
“I would oblige, but I need to know why?” Rory said calmly then activated an audio recording implant.
One of the two thugs pushed him hard and said, “Move along now.”
“I have contacts you know!” Rory shouted.
“Yea whatever, I think you will find WE know everything!” Said the lead thug.
“What things?” Protested Rory, but he knew that it could be any one of the many ‘things’ he had his fingers into. Rory was taken into an abattoir; the thugs surrounded him inside the cold room.

Bonefish thought it was going well so far. What to do now? Wasn’t too hard to work out how to go about intimidating this kind of ‘profile’. His colleague’s Jaggors and Xianan were able to read the expressions on Bonefishes face, and interpret them into actions. Rory did realise one thing that these ‘thugs’ were not just 'thugs', they had a reason for not robbing him or killing him. He was glad that they had not scanned him, he would try to trick them into giving him a name, some info to indicate who may have hired them to do this. The two thugs (Xianan and Jaggors) grabbed Rory's arms, as the lead thug (Bonefish) brought out a handgun.
“Hmmm a gun? How novel for a thug.” Rory smiled. Suddenly Bonefish cracked the barrel of the gun across Rory’s face. Rory recoiled in pain, he couldn’t move because of the grip the other two had on him. “Now, now… No need for this!… What is it you want?” Bonefish punched him in the gut, and Rory grunted and tried to catch his breath but was winded.
“You friend are in a whole World of trouble.” Bonefish said as he raised Rory’ head up to face his.
“Really?” Bonefish whipped the gun again on Rory’s face, “Yea, really.”
“.. Guess I… have no choice… but to listen?” Rory mumbled as blood started to flow from his wounds.
“Do you have ANY idea who we are?”
“Apparently not, eh Rory?” Stated Xianan.
“Ugh.. No…”
“Doesn’t that worry you?” Bonefish whispered.
“Even, even if it did… Do you really think I’m gonna, gonna let scum, like you know about it?” Bonefish raised the gun up as if to pistol whip Rory. “Do your worst…” Rory spat out blood and scowled.
“For a man who has no insurance, you’ve got a big mouth.” What was he talking about? Rory knew he had, must be a bluff? The thugs laughed out load, mocking him. “If you died now… You’d not be coming back. Not ever.” Now Rory was beginning to feel the fear, but he knew that whatever transpired from now, the audio recording would be reconstructed at one of his illegal reclaims in an undisclosed warehouse in Rubi-Ka. He smiled sarcastically at the lead Thug.
“Yea I guess so… I’m guessing you want something, as you haven’t killed me yet?”
“You may think you’re a big fish… Trust me, you ‘re no one. You’re nothing. We’re the kind of people that can blank your insurance record. You take us seriously, or you regret it up to the point where you can’t regret it… And, that’ll be when you’re perma-dead.”
“Petty thugs is all I see here… How can I believe you’re ranting eh?” The thugs then proceeded to beat up Rory some more till he couldn’t stand anymore, and relied on his oppressors to do that for him.
His ears were buzzing, and he couldn’t see too well due to the blood and the swelling eyes.
“Any more big talk?” Asked Jaggors.
“Huh, I don’t think he CAN talk right about now?” Replied Xianan.
Bonefish said, “Look at me!” Rory was as floppy as a wet fish, and barely managed to do what Bonefish requested.
“Uh-oh you’ve made him mad.” Said Jaggors sarcastically.
“Amateur photography is not your forte. You should abandon any work you have undertaken in this field. Do you understand me?” Juggors and Xianan punched Rory again. The pain was getting too much to bear, but Rory had to concentrate on focusing, to try to trick them more info. Now he knew it had to be Savoy who had got these people to threaten him. It was time to call their bluff. “Err Urrrgghh, Yea… Yea whatever you say… But tell Savoy… I have a copy of the contract, and I want her to give me the money back… Ughh… Money that I paid her, to, to model for me.” Of course it was a blatant lie, but why not get them to ‘trip’ or even to turn against Savoy herself? Bonefish raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsure all of a sudden, the job is as agreed he thought to himself, how could he believe anything that this worm said anyway?
“The suppression gas in this room has been disabled, that’s why we brought you here… That’s who WE are.” With that, he suddenly shot Rorybones in the left kneecap. Rory couldn’t bear the pain and passed out. He ordered the others, “bind his wrists with something. We’ll leave the dumb f*** here. Xianan got out some cuffs and banded Rory’s hands. “Ah, good ol metal handcuffs.” He said, as Bonefish dropped a copy of the last Years WLFF nude calendar on the passed out Rory.
“There, just so he doesn’t forget.” Bonefish told his cohorts. As they cleaned them selves up and left the Abattoir.

Rory awoke and healed himself with a first aid kit, the pain of his wounds now gone. He reviewed the audio when he got back, unsure what to do. They had managed to disable the suppression gas, that meant that they were not just ‘thugs’ they were a force that he didn’t want to reckon with. The next morning, he dropped the charges on Savoy, but he still had the pictures…

[Dabblez]

Things were looking up for Savoy. Last night Bonefish had told her he'd finally tracked down Rorybones and that he'd be there in person to make Rory see reason. Sure enough, first think next morning, she got notified from Borealis County Court that all charges has been dropped against her.

Shortly afterward she gets a call from Bonefish. He wants to see her, no doubt to tell her the good news. They decide to meet in Rome Red park.

When Bonefish arrives, he looks anything but pleased.
"Jillian, do you want to tell me about it?"
Savoy is confused? Surely Its Bonefish who has got the news to share.
"Rory dropped the charges, we're clear" she says, that being the only bit of news she has.
"I don't mean that. How much did he pay you?"
"Huh? Who?"
"Don't play dumb with me".
Savoy seems confused by this line of questioning. At last Bonefish makes his point clear.
"Rory told me he paid you to pose for this picture."
"And you believed him? You believed that sleazy, crooked leet fighter? Take his world over mine, a decorated officer?"
"In the beaten, bloodied state he was in, I doubt he would have lied."
"Think Bonefish, this makes no sense. I've got a career, I don't need a bimbo modelling job to make a living!"
But the argument keeps going in circles, Savoy getting more and more upset, Bonefish remaining cold, firm and accusing.
Finally Savoy snaps "At this point I don't even care what you think anymore." she says and storms away. "But you are wrong, Bonefish, dead wrong."

Later that day, something she missed in the heat of the argument comes back to her. Bonefish had mention something about Rory's beaten and bloodied state. What on Earth did he mean by that?

[____________Bonefish]

Despite an initial show of bravado, upon realising the gravity of his situation Rorybonez squeals like a little dying piggy in an abattoir.

See the piggy squeal here.


Later, back at the office; Bonefish anxiously awaits the results of a covert and not entirely legal examination of Savoy's bank details.

Either her part in this terribly sworded affair is more than meets the eye, or poor Rorybonez is going to pay a terrible price for crossing the wrong Omni-Tek director...



Garret "Bonefish" Silvestrini
Director - SPARTA
Director of Operations, OTSEC

Founding Member of the Omni-Tek Security Council

garret.silvestrini@ot-sparta.org
www.ot-sparta.org