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ADMIN PRIVILEGES APPROVED, WELCOME BACK MR ALEX SANDERSON!  WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW YOUR 234 NEW ME-

WELCOME TO HIDDEN NODE MYCASTLE!  ACCESS LOG EDITED!

...DATA RETRIEVAL INITIATED...

FILE mkisa01 LOCATED.  FILE ENCRYPTION DETECTED.

DECRYPT ENABLED...

...CIPHER dotrapunzel IDENTIFIED.  dotrapunzel CIPHER KEY FOUND.  INITIALIZING...

...DECRYPT COMPLETE.  FILE BEGINS.

SUB01
Name: Unconfirmed.  Alias of Sharp used frequently.
Metatype: Nobilis (Elf), evidence of physical Awakened talents
History: Unverifiable, evidence of possible sibling [[[ <-- Possibly with identical abilities, check feed 112/K3 from Fate Club ]]] and large debts
Skills: Evidence of highly developed social and negotiation skills, as well as possibly magically enhanced abilities in infiltration and disguise
Notes: Obvious leader, should he be trusted.  Has links with SUB02 due to racial community bonding, and appears to be in debt to SUB04.  Still an enigma, possibly due to area of expertise. 

SUB02
Name: Unconfirmed, records suggest surname of Pratt.  Known alias of Adamar Xash.
Metatype: Nobilis (Elf), at one point registered Awakened magician
History: Some data points to Australian birth and childhood relocation to Tir na nOg to develop magical talents.  XileNet suggests he was requested to leave recently, hence return to Australia.
Skills: Evidence of broad magical talents in Hermetic tradition [[[ <-- Check further with Manawatch/Formulation ]]]
Notes: Good solid magical backup.  Appears to have strong links with SUB03, possible family due to surname suggestions?  Potential problems with attitude, may not trust others.

SUB03
Name: Unconfirmed, records suggest first name of Marvin, surname of Pratt.  Confirmed alias of Monkey, unconfirmed aliases of Chopper and Cezar.
Metatype: Robustus (Ork), evidence of high grade cyberware
History: Wage slave son, skipped home when gobilinized.  Fell in with Ork bikie gang, Brisbane Kings, and is part of Ork garage band Kil.Frenzi.  Surveillance reports indicate some prior familiarity with SUB02 outside professional links and deliberately held apart from gang contact.
Skills: Evidence of advanced motorcycle handling, experience with automatic weapons, and lethal hand-to-hand combat.  Has been observed constantly wearing a parachute - may indicate paratroop training and experience.
Notes: Firepower backup, probably good home turf knowledge and mobility.  Possible difficulties with intelligence, and unknown link with SUB02.

SUB04
Name: Unconfirmed, security check known for a Felix Ito, known alias of Doozer [[[ <-- Reminder: Find restored Fraggle Rock trids ]]]
Metatpye: Sapiens (Human), known datajack and control rig implants, no evidence of Emergence.
History: Extensive backtracking and creative reassembly of data fragments indicate a great deal of background has been wiped from datastores, probably personally.  Evidence that he was at one point part of the cryptographic Signals Group of AISE (Australasian Intelligence and Security Enforcement) with realtime responsibility for units in the field.  Possible link during '68 Maori uprising with SUB05.  Surveillance suggests some long familiarity with SUB01 that was terminated suddenly and then reacquainted recently when SUB05 made contact.  Possibly to do with SUB01's debts?
Skills: Cryptographic and security knowledge of the Matrix, probable experienced hacker [[[ <-- Check access log GJF00483920.666, definitely not just a script kiddie ]]], evidence of rigging abilities.
Notes: Evidence of possible autism or asperger's, but probably reliable with code and machines.  Link with SUB05 seems strong.  May be unable to handle new and unprepared-for situations.

SUB05
Name: Unconfirmed, known alias of Ishmael, unconfirmed alias of Maaka/Mark Ngangi
Metatype: Sapiens (Human), evidence of special-forces training and physical Awakened abilities
History: Kiwi.  Attached to as-yet unidentified NZ counter-terrorist group.  The squad that went missing around Lake Manapouri has a CO that has apparently made some veiled references to finding SUB05 - maybe AWOL?  (check surveillance for probable ethnicity)  Similar to SUB04, a great amount of data has been removed regarding him (probably by SUB04 as AISE did lend agents from Signals Group to the NZ forces in '68).  Has since made contact and joined up with SUB04 - linked to SUB01 due to debt?
Skills: Firearms and physical infiltration skills.  Probable Awakened-enhanced combat abilities.
Notes: Experience with live combat and infiltration situations, so invaluable.  Good backup for either SUB01 or SUB03, depending on situation.  Possible problem if NZ armed forces have been sent to retrieve him, but since time is of the essence, this shouldn't be a problem.

...END OF FILE.

 - - - - - -

They still don't know she built this here, and have still not found her files.  She stares at the words floating before her and nods her head.  There is no one else who can do what needs to be done, and these five are her last, best hope for the future.

Without them?  Well... there'll probably be NO future.

 __________________________________________________________

SUB01: Sharp

File Note from Dr Robert Kellerman

Patient - Kurt Owenden
Transcript, March 2nd 2070

I guess you want me to tell you all about my mother right? Well that's not going to happen.

Since I'm paying good nuyen for this session, let's start at the beginning.

My life growing up was dull, parents worked for the Government, holidays by the beach etc. Until I discovered the one thing that I really looked forward too. Do you remember the trid "Elven Mage"? That is all I wanted to be, that is how I wanted to live my life. My biggest disappointment is life was when I didn't Awaken.

What was that? ....

Yes I have a brother, a twin if you must know. Let's just say he is lucky that blood is thicker than water, otherwise his arse would still be laying in all the gutters I found him in. The bastard knows, that I will clean up after him,so he deliberately fucks up. Not responsible for anything, it all becomes my problem.

We did get into a fair bit of trouble when we were around 13 or so, but I'm not really comfortable talking about that at the moment.

You want to know what I do? Well I am an independent contractor for several companies. I do contract work for them and I also sub-contract some of that work out. In fact one of current associates is on the books, due to one of brother's "little games".

Let's see for fun I have a few pubs I go to, I have season tickets to the combat biking at the Thunderdome and I like long walks on the beach.

Background done. Now tell me, is it a problem when you no longer know who you really are? When you feel there is a different person in your skin at different times of the day and night?



The session continues for another 55 mins.

Patient Notes: This is the third elf in the past two months that I have seen with Dissociative Identity Disorder. There may be a paper in this somewhere.

Patient has not made another appointment.

 __________________________________________________________

SUB02: Adamar Xash

>login

>password not valid. Ple+++++++

>login accepted

++Transcript of disciplinary action against Xash, Adamar. Designation: "Tao"++

++NOTICE! BLACK FILE. EYES ONLY++

>loading.....................

A: Record of disciplinary hearing against Adamar Xash. Codename "Tao". Present are the accused, the dean of Mana Research and head of internal security.
Mr Xash, you have waived your right to council. Can you confirm this?

X: As you wish. Lets just get this over with. I have no wish to extend this farce any further than I have to.

A: Tao, we know your history at this facility has been somewhat...colourful for a while now. That incident with the head of applied kinetics left some very unusual trace waves when it was over.

X: I have no comment to make about that.

A: No, Scion didnt either, which is why no official charges were brought. But since then we have had you monitored.

X: I am aware.

A: Yes, well, I want to talk to you about what happened last night when you circumvented our security in the Nobilis building. What was going on down there?

X: I was conducting a research experiment related to my Thesis. I have all of the official paperwork.

A: There IS no official paperwork for attempting to summon a level ten entity without the appropriate barriers in place. The backlash is still burning out our sensors and the whole astral area is contaminated. Did you really think you could get away with this?

X: I admit that the parameters were...extended beyond our capacity, but Majestic is dead. Zealot is...broken. I would say that my current condition is the very definition of getting away.

A: The parameters extended beyond your capacity. Very amusing. You realise that there will be charges brought against you. Possibly for murder.

X: I doubt that most sincerely.

A: Really? And why would that be?

X: Because the whole thing was recorded remotely and stored on a personal server of mine. Anything happens to me and that tape goes national. It will be a PR disaster. Not to mention the money you would have to pay out after the families sued you for negligence. It was your equipment we were using after all.

S: Sintal targonis kroth...I should snap you where you sit.

X: Again. Inadvisable. I recommend we cut a deal. I have business...elsewhere anyway. If we could...

A: Wait. Turn that off.

++End of file++

>Uploading...........

 __________________________________________________________

SUB03: Monkey

Just picture the scene. A drunk and maudlin ganger is getting loudly smashed at the end of the bar. He's making a lot of noise and scaring people off. You try not to catch eye but your luck is out, he spots you and slides over. Before you know what's happened he's telling you his life story...

"Now, I know every f*cker feels bad during puberty, right?! Like they da bigges' freak ever. So no one was much bothered when I got bigga than da other kids. They called me names but I just smacked 'em. Being big weren't so bad. But when me skin got all tough and da tusks come da shit really started to fly. Suddenly I weren't welcome at school, and I could tell by da look on da olds faces I weren't welcome at home no more either. Sure, my brotha was an elf. Don't you tell no one! But elfs the 'spectable side 'a Metas, and this my story so f*ck him! Anyway, da day after me 14th birthday I packed some stuff up and left. The olds just stared at they feet. Stupid c*nts. F*ck 'em."

"So, I came to da sprawl and survived on me wits. No one's ever accused me 'a being too bright but I always been good with me fists and never afraid 'a nothing. After a while I fell in with this local gang, da Oakwood Blades. I boosted a little bike, got a knife and started to feel like I found me some place. That gang was everything ta me... and when we rolled down da street staring everyone out I felt like da fuckin man! We was just some street punks with crappy bikes and a couple 'a Streetline Specials 'tween us. We had some nasty scraps with other gangs. I always handled myself pretty well I must say. No one ever accused me 'a being a nancy boy! I was always right there, at the front, staring 'em down and swingin the first punch. OAK-LAND-BLADES!!! But even then da worst that would happen was the odd stabbin. Well, until we crossed da Kings."

"We was just a bunch 'a kids, shopliftin and gettin inta fights. But da Kings! You know da Kings... every f*cker knows da Kings. Da Brisbane Kings a brutal sprawl-wide ork go-gang, slotted inta da Mafia, da Yakuza, you name it. They had they fingers in a lot 'a pies. When a couple 'a Blades tried ta rip a King off they brought down a sh*tstorm. Bored, pissed off and with nothin better ta do a load 'a Kings rounded us up. They took they time slaughtering all da humans, elfs and dwarfs. Me and Barney was orks so they give us a choice, die with our friends or do da 'nitiation. I squared up to 'em. I figure if I gonna die anyway gonna say me piece. "F*ck you" I sez "I kick ya fuckin head in if you was ork enough to fight me". Now they real pissed off right, but I could see they a bit impressed too. In da end they gave me a beating, but they let me live. They told me I work for them now."

"From that day on I started ta work for a livin. First I a lookout and messenger. Then later I run guns and drugs and hired meself out as muscle. And you know what I realised? I was born for this, man! 's a shame the Blades got killed... fa real... but I'm here and I gonna make me mark on this city. I'm f*ckin Monkey! MON-KEY!"

"Every f*cker gonna remember me!"

 __________________________________________________________

SUB04: Doozer

Armidale NSW is a great place to grow up if your tastes run to drinking, socializing and fighting; joyriding or just enjoying the great outdoors. Felix Ito hated his childhood.

He had more in common with the interns of Shiawasa Corp's New England Bioresearch campus, where his parents met, than with the bushpigs that lived crusted around its outer edge. Brighter than both, he never fit in with either. He was too young to remember the shame his birth had brought on his father, or his subsequent dismissal, but saw shadows of it reflected in the face of his mother.

It was the (unproven, but suspected) incident involving the hijacked combine and the ammonium nitrate explosive that derailed his corporate academic career but the Eden V Gameworld crack was what drew the attention of AISE. A grey suit with a forgettable face told him they needed young men with his qualities. They hooked him into a state of the art military uplink and paired him with soldiers on the ground. Acting as an electronic angel on their shoulders, opening doors, blinding sensors, clearing the way.

Even if you'd heard of the Lake Manapouri Incident, he couldn't tell you exactly what happened. It had happened too quickly, and he was too deep into the datastream to realise the full ramifications of that one word "no". The grey suits had heard of it: they were the ones who had seconded him to the NZ special forces team involved at the time. His answers satisfied neither AISE nor the NZ government. The looks on their faces reminded him of the looks the campus faculty reserved for his mother.

When the soldier from the Incident got in touch, he knew that helping him disappear would be no misdemeanor offence. But he'd had time to think about that incident - and how "no" was absolutely the right word to say in that situation. It just may be that the two of them were the only two who agreed on that point.

Besides - sitting in a basement flat in Brisbane, cracking 0-day warez for a living was no challenge, but dropping a military fugitive off the grid? Well that just might be something....

 __________________________________________________________

SUB05: Ishmael

Huh. Yeah, I know how you feel bro'. It's good to feel acceptet ay. Around like people. People who want want you want. Believe what you believe. To be part of something much bigger than yourself ay.
Huh. Yeah bro'. I know. Believe me, I know.
But tell me bro'. Are you sure you know what you are?
Hey hey. Easy now big fella'. I ment nothing by it.
I just hope that you do. Because one day you may have to make a decision. A decision that you can never change. And whatever action you take in that single second, could have you asking that question for the rest of your life.
This round's on me bro'.