Europareich 2057 - A Cyberpunk CYOA

[laclongquan]

You cant ever be paranoid enough. Too fancy an option like E WILL bite you in the ass. Just wait and see.

 

[Seerix]

Now I think that C is too fancy. Ida and her comrades aren't bunch of retards, we have disguise and we can just speak english if we have to(I assume we know english :D). If we don't rise any suspicions then we'll be out of University as quickly as we get in.

 

[oscar]

A hell of a lot less can go wrong with E.

Worst case scenario for E = We fail our pickpocketing roll and have to rough up/intimidate a university professor and take his wallet. He walks home with a black eye and bump on his head grumbling about how this neighbourhood has gone to hell. Don't even have to reveal we're German ('hand over your wallet or we're going to beat you up' is pretty universal). Cops won't give a fuck about local mugging #1405.

Now compare that to how hideously wrong breaking in at night could go. A single cheap alarm and the building goes off while police scramble to the scene and surround us. We get surrounded and have to break out guns-blazing leaving a trail of dead Spanish cops in our wake as we get to the getaway vehicle with the Spanish police hot on our tail.

If we fail the pickpocketing role for E then we can simply mug the university staff member and no one will have any reason to suspect it's anything more than some local thugs.

If we botch a night-time burglary then we've got to deal with armed police.

 

[Hellraiser]

skuphundaku Writing about hacking when knowing jack shit about it is a time honored cyberpunk tradition, just ask William Gibson

 

[Hellraiser]

Now that I think about it, I'll just say the uplink can't use wifi because the antenna/receiver fucks up the quantum entanglement thingamajig. Hence you need a cable, better?

 

[skuphundaku]

skuphundaku Writing about hacking when knowing jack shit about it is a time honored cyberpunk tradition, just ask William Gibson

Point taken

 

[Monty]

A hell of a lot less can go wrong with E.
....
If we botch a night-time burglary then we've got to deal with armed police.

Possibly, although I suppose this depends on one's assumptions on how everything should pan out in Hellraiser's world! What swayed me to vote for C over E was our orders not to create a scene or leave any witnesses with an impression that the Europareich was involved. So to my mind, if we were noticed inside a busy library with someone else's access card trying to plug in the uplink there would be too many witnesses to neutralise without a bloodbath. Whereas if something went wrong at night we could take out a security guard or two and leave no witnesses. The key is probably how responsive the police would be to an alarm at the library and how quickly McKay could hack the network before we escaped. If the police are estimated to be quicker than McKay in a worst case scenario and we do trip an alarm then you're right, the better option would be C. I'm still suspicious about all the assumptions involved in entering the library during the day with a stolen card, but I guess we'll find out soon.

I understand your need to create drama somehow, but for me all the technical inconsistencies are really sticking out and killing my suspension of disbelief.

You make some good arguments but I think this is harsh. I just assumed that it was possible that in 45 years time there could be different security setups for the wired and wireless networks, or that it was quicker to hack a wired network given the slightly longer delay to reconnect to a wireless network after a failed hacking attempt. But given that we're dealing with an imaginary world of Hellraiser's creation I guess suspension of disbelief is up to the individual so we're probably unlikely to change each others mind debating this!

 

[skuphundaku]

I understand your need to create drama somehow, but for me all the technical inconsistencies are really sticking out and killing my suspension of disbelief.

You make some good arguments but I think this is harsh. I just assumed that it was possible that in 45 years time there could be different security setups for the wired and wireless networks, or that it was quicker to hack a wired network given the slightly longer delay to reconnect to a wireless network after a failed hacking attempt. But given that we're dealing with an imaginary world of Hellraiser's creation I guess suspension of disbelief is up to the individual so we're probably unlikely to change each others mind debating this!

I have to admit that I wanted to make it sound as little harsh as possible because, despite the various technical inaccuracies, Hellraiser is writing some bitchin' LPs. What I wanted to convey is that, if the technical details would be accurate (more accurate), his awesome LPs would be even better.

 

[Monty]

I have to admit that I wanted to make it sound as little harsh as possible because, despite the various technical inaccuracies, Hellraiser is writing some bitchin' LPs.

Well, we can finally agree on something. Both the Riftwalker and this have been superb, with great 'depth' to the worlds alongside good plots.

 

[Smashing Axe]

I have no idea how you guys do LPs like this without becoming exhausted. Beyond the playground, what experience do you have with writing Hellraiser? Also, how long does each update take you? Perhaps I just do not have a creative bone in my body, but I'd find just one update draining. Well done on everything so far, I just caught up with it all, superb work. The only criticism I have is that I find it difficult keeping all the names straight (but that may be because I binge read), maybe include more prompts after a name? Bill, the journalist etc.

I'll vote with the crowd, E1

I like the cut of Rumsfeld's jib, C1

 

[Hellraiser]

It takes 2 to 3 hours assuming its just text. The images may take longer, but then again I rather do something moderately useful like getting more familiar with photoshop, rather than watch potato tv (its sooo baaaad, especially all the talent shows), raging at idiot teammates in league of legends or just browsing nonsense when I'm staying at home anyway.

 

[Rumsfeld]

So the consensus appears to be: we mingle with people on campus to find a suitable target (having disguised our military bionic arm with a long sleeved shirt), follow them, steal their access card (mug them if pickpocketing fails), take a chance on the access point to the library having noone at the front desk checking access card images, find a computer, unplug it and plug in the uplink (probably in view of anyone else using the library unless we somehow find a secluded computer in an office and aren't disturbed).

The problem I have with this is that this is what I would do with a team of spies, not soldiers. We can't even speak the language so can't even talk our way out of an innocuous situation like "hey, that's my chair" or "have you booked that computer". We have strict orders not to leave evidence or witnesses implicating the Reich, but if something goes wrong in a busy library during the day there will be too many witnesses to get out cleanly. And all this to avoid being 'surrounded by armed police' if an alarm goes off at a student library at night?

I though Spain was in a state of war and chaos, with the front line not too far away and resources tied up in combat. Even in a normally functioning country I would expect an alarm at a library to warrant one squad car checking it out, not a SWAT team. Even if an alarm did go off, I would expect McKay to hack the network before the cops arrived. If the worst came to the worst I would expect us to have a chance of neutralising a couple of security guards and maybe a policeman or two and still having a chance of getting away. If something goes wrong during the day we have no chance of getting out without leaving evidence.

So C1 for me.

 

[Hellraiser]

The tally:

cccccccc
eeeeeeeee
11111111111111
22

Expect an update sometime today, here's some more corporate propaganda from Brazil:

Can you spot the hidden logo in the Aegis Inc. one? I'll just say its very KKK or WCDS if you know what I mean.

 

[skuphundaku]

Expect an update sometime today, here's some more corporate propaganda from Brazil:

Can you spot the hidden logo in the Aegis Inc. one? I'll just say its very KKK or WCDS if you know what I mean.

Those olive branches seem awfully similar to the ones from Goden Dawn's logo:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-11-10/if-greek-elections-were-held-today

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Dawn_(Greece)

 

[Hellraiser]

Not just the branches, take a close look at the pattern on the edge of the shield.

 

[Commissar Draco]

Expect an update sometime today, here's some more corporate propaganda from Brazil:

Can you spot the hidden logo in the Aegis Inc. one? I'll just say its very KKK or WCDS if you know what I mean.

Those olive branches seem awfully similar to the ones from Goden Dawn's logo:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-11-10/if-greek-elections-were-held-today

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Dawn_(Greece)

Greece is mentioned as Fascist state by Hellriser, judging from maps they're allied with Serbia and removed all Kebab from all Balkan premises except Constantinople and Eastern Thracia. Both symbols of Meander and Olive branches are ancient and more Greek than Swastika was German and looks surprisingly good together.

 

[skuphundaku]

Not just the branches, take a close look at the pattern on the edge of the shield.

Saw it now.
That kind of pattern is pretty common in greek art, as far as I know, so that's why I didn't notice it. But now that you drew attention to it, it's really obvious.:D

 

[Merkwürdigliebe]

Why haven't I seen this thread before? Now only there was more of it...

You hear that Fritz? Sounds like another update is coming.
Nein Hans, it's just the wind, all quiet on the western front.

 

[Hellraiser]

Chapter X

“We need to get access to the library.” You start explaining the plan to the team. “The easiest way to do that will be to get an access card from one of the employees.”

“They’ll just let us inside with one?” Oskaras asks.

“We’ll be posing as foreign lecturers if needed, the university is fairly big and foreigners aren’t exactly an unusual sight there, even if half of this country is a war zone.”

“That makes sense, how do we get an employee to let us have one?” Sven inquires.

“We steal it.” You tell him.

“Wouldn’t a theft be reported?” He replies.

“Yes, which is why we need to use it before it gets reported. I want you to help me look for a target, follow him or her until you’re in a *safe* location, then try to steal the targets wallet.”

“With all due respect, petty theft is not what I signed up for Frau Feldwebel.” Sven comments, he sounds disappointed.

“Neither did I but some questionable things have to be done Gefreiter." You clarify your position on the issue. "If it makes you feel better, we’ll leave the wallet in a café or restaurant for the staff to find after we’re done.”

“What if we fail to pickpocket it?” He asks.

“Then we’ll use a more *direct* approach.” You tell him, it appears he doesn’t like the sound of that either. Then again can you blame him? You’re telling him to rob some random innocent person, he’s a soldier not a thug. On the front line everything is clear, black and white. The enemy is not innocent and will have no mercy, here you are not sure who the good guys really are. Do the ends really justify the means if they make you act like a criminal lowlife, even if you are doing it with your government's backing?

Regardless of the moral implications of it all, you and Sven head out in search of a target. You decide to split up to maximize your odds of finding one, Paul and Oskaras stay in the van.

*

Sven is strolling around the campus, he notices a young rather frail-looking Asian woman, older than the average student but younger than most academicians. His eyes catch more important details, a bunch of books in English and Chinese is her hands, fashionable apparel straight out of top Chinese boutiques. A few students approach her, they talk to her in English, it becomes apparent she’s a foreign lecturer that has just finished work, that means she’s also a perfect target.

He follows her discretely, keeping enough distance not to get noticed but close enough to see where she is going. They enter the old part of town, a rather busy place at this hour. Despite the crowd in front of him he closes watches her every movement. Suddenly a pair of young women approaches him. They ask him something in Spanish, he doesn’t really understand. They ask him again, now in English.

“Excuse me sir, do you have a moment to talk about the Bible?” One of them asks.

“No I am afraid not…” He replies somewhat confused by the whole situation.

“But Sir! The Bible is your key to salvation!” The other young woman is concerned with his reply, very loudly at that.

“I appreciate the concern but I am rather busy, goodbye.” He tells her. Soon afterwards he notices that this whole affair caused him to lose track of his target. She disappeared somewhere in the crowd or in one of the small streets and passages. Sven has failed his task.

You on the other hand were following somebody else, most likely an American professor. He seems nervous, constantly looking behind his back. As you follow his trail you enter a somewhat deserted neighborhood, one which was once dominated by a now abandoned and decaying ceramics factory.

You think he noticed you once, but you got out of view a second later before following him again. Suddenly he started walking noticeably faster, you start running.

“Help!” He starts yelling in English with a thick Texan accent as he tries to run away, but there is nobody around to help him. You catch up with him eventually.

“Please! Don’t hurt me!” He screams terrified, you really regret scaring him so much. But sometimes such things need to be done, it is for the greater good you guess.

“Give me your wallet, now!” You shout at him. He hands it over and runs away. A generic “Guest of the Technological University of Castilla-La Mancha #017” ID card is inside of it, just what you need.

*

The door of the library opens, its hall is filled with a bunch of posters targeted at students. You don’t really know Spanish so you can’t tell what they’re saying. At the end of the hall is a gate, luckily its only role is to spot attempts of book theft. You pass through it with ease and walk up to one of the librarians.

“My name is Laura Severson and this is my associate doctor Magnusson,” you introduce yourself, “were just arrived here from Sweden. You see we are supposed to give a lecture on cybernetics tomorrow, they told us we would have access to your University library’s impressive collection.”

“Well yes, of course. Do you both have ID card?” The librarian asks.

“Well I do,” you show yours, she takes a glance at it and gives it back, “unluckily my associate has not yet received one. Is that a problem?”

“No, don’t worry that happens occasionally. Just sign your names here on this digital surface. What exactly do you want see?” She asks as you scribble your fake names on the device’s screen.

“Well, we were thinking about seeing your foreign language section, we’re not really good with Spanish unfortunately.” You answer.

“Yes, a pity as I find your language and country fascinating to be honest. Also is there a computer terminal we could use to access the Net? Our phone wifi refuses to work for some reason.” Sven adds.

“Well, I suggest you go to room 14. There is a single terminal there and it has access to most of or digitized foreign language section, nobody should bother you there even if you just want to check your mail. If you need help feel free coming here and asking me, I’ll gladly assists you. Just remember that the Library closes in an hour so don’t stay too long. The room is down the hallway behind me, it’s the third room on the left.”

“Thank you!” You as you leave in the direction of the terminal in question.

As you sit down you reach for the contents of your bag, a five centimeter thick rectangular box, roughly the size of a netbook. Its simple yet elegant black plastic surface has a Xin-Zheng logo engraved on its top. Who would think that in such a simple shape an absolute marvel of technology could be hidden, hundreds if not thousands of atoms, each linked with a twin somewhere in a Europa Cyber-Krieg secure server room, reacting to any change in the quantum state of their twins regardless of the distance. And there is no way a third party could even guess where they are or what kind of data they are relaying.

You locate the ethernet cable connected to the terminal in front of you and plug it into the uplink device afterwards. With a press of a button the device activates, a series of diodes starts glowing on its front as does the small screen located next to them.

As expected somebody is calling you via your netlink, you answer the call. It’s Adam McKay, just as you expected.

“A connection has been established, my associates are taking care of their network as we speak.” The SysOp says.

“You’re not doing it?” You ask.

“I would if I didn’t have to communicate verbally with you. Despite my efficiency this task requires multiple units if it is to be done efficiently as far as time is concerned.” Adam replies, his people skills are showing.

“We’re just supposed to sit here until they’re done?”

“An accurate assumption, this should take no more than five minutes. Wait here until I contact you again, my input is required in the current undertaking. I’ll keep this channel open, McKay out.”

You wonder how exactly McKay and his kind function in society. Perhaps his kind is destined to rule the world, perhaps mankind in its current form is doomed to extinction just like the Neanderthals, when they were faced with the hordes of spear-chucking Homo Sapiens as the CEO of Blakemore Systems Limited often says. And all that will be left will be a hivemind like network, the thoughts of billions transmitted into it 24/7 from birth to death, blending together into an electronic cognitive chaos. A raging storm of ideas, opinions and probably insults. Now that you think about it, the Net isn’t all that different.

“Done, the target resides in a dwelling located at Calle de Allemania 191. He’s at home judging by his Net activity. Get moving, McKay out.”

*

Calle de Allemania 191, a single house like every other on this street, all connected wall to wall. This will not be easy. You pretty much have to get in through the main gate, unless you think of something else. Luckily there are no security cameras, but considering how close the neighbors are breaking in silently won’t be easy, “extracting” him silently and the data from his computer will be even harder. Even just observing the house for too long may draw unwanted attention. This will require precision. At least the ring road is close, so getting out of Toledo fast will be no problem.

The objective is close, you will…
A)…attempt a break in during the middle of the night, while he sleeps.
B)…knock on the front door, or rather use the intercom. Try to convince him to open the gate and get into melee range, *extract* him when he does.
C)…have somebody observe the house while the van moves to a safer location but close location. When the target leaves it, go in and *extract* him.

The extraction team (that is the people who won’t just chill in the van) will be comprised of….
1)…only you.
2)…you and one other person.
3)…you and two other people.
4)…one person but not you, somebody else will do the job, you will stay in the van.

Pick two people out of the following team members to go with you, list the person you want to go with you the most as the first one:

Oskaras (beefcake chemist guy), Borg (nordic hunter), Muller (NCO with an attitude)

The person left behind in the van (the one with the least votes) will be the driver should things go wrong and you’ll need to get out.

By the way, about the American professor's wallet...
X)...ditch it wherever the hell you like.
Y)...leave it in a restaurant or some other place by *accident* in a place where the staff will notice it.
Z)...keep it as a souvenir.

 

[Hellraiser]

Bah, typo in the QE image and I didn't bother saving the .psd so I can't correct it as lazily easily as I would like to. Should have been Xin-Zheng not Xin Zhen, blame that on the Chinese programmers.

 

[Hellraiser]

Remember that you need to get the data off his computer so you need to get into his home, if you nab him outside of it you'll obviously have the key which will make that easier. I edited the chapter to remind you of that, just thought I would also mention it here in case somebody read it earlier.

 

[Smashing Axe]

C2Y

Borg
Muller
(Which one of our team performed really badly at driving? I can't remember)

 

[Hellraiser]

When it comes to driving only the Neinmask was concerned, granted being able to drive a transportpanzer probably gives you an edge, even if everything is electronically assisted in the future. Out of the team in question only Sven Borg can't drive a Neinmask, he can drive a car though. Oskaras Laukaistis can also drive a Neinmask but he has considerably less experience doing so than Ida or Paul. Extrapolate how this concerns driving a van from that.

 

[Arpad]

C2X
Laukaitis, Muller

 

[Smashing Axe]

One thing we should consider is this guy might be a basement dweller and gets all his groceries delivered. That would make capturing him outside difficult! The neighborhood is pretty unstable as well, so he's not likely to go out much anyway. That said, I think this is the best option to capture him, unless he walks around with a personal device that he can activate to destroy all his data remotely.