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Message no. 1
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 11:33:41 +0200
I (finally) obtained Burning Bright, and it strikes me that Ares are often
protrayed as the good guys (not just in BB (the book, dumbass :), but in
other SR products as well), while Aztechnology is always the bad guy out to
get everybody, with the Universal Brotherhood appearing to be good but in
fact being bad.
What I mean is: the UB summons insect spirits; Aztechnology summons Horrors
(allegedly); but Ares battles the UB, mainly through Knight-Errant...


Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Living on "if..." and "if I tried..."
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Message no. 2
From: Daniel Kollmer <dkollmer@**.OR.AT>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 14:55:24 +0200
>I (finally) obtained Burning Bright, and it strikes me that Ares are often
>protrayed as the good guys (not just in BB (the book, dumbass :), but in
>other SR products as well), while Aztechnology is always the bad guy out to
>get everybody, with the Universal Brotherhood appearing to be good but in
>fact being bad.
>What I mean is: the UB summons insect spirits; Aztechnology summons Horrors
>(allegedly); but Ares battles the UB, mainly through Knight-Errant...
>
>
>Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
> Living on "if..." and "if I tried..."
>Geek Code v2.1: GS/AT/! -d+ H s:- !g p?(3) !au a>? w+(+++) v*(---) C+(++) U
>P? !L !3 E? N++ K- W+ -po+(po) Y+ t(+) 5 !j R+(++)>+++$ tv+(++) b+@ D+(++)
>B? e+ u+@ h! f--(?) !r(--)(*) n---->!n y? Unofficial Shadowrun Guru :)
>
>
Maybe it's some kind of paranoia of the unknown.The apparently evil aztec
gods which used to demand blood-sacrifice as well as the other weird and
painful religious practices the mayans and aztecs did.As for the UB I think
that's the classic role model of the good samaritan which in reality is the
bad guy.The world of SR often uses this kind of role model.If you noticed
there are very few "good guys" around.
Message no. 3
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 13:12:45 BST
Ares is portrayed as the hero because of the excellence of it's public
relations team :-)

They have the highest reuptation rating in the corp shadowfiles (for
those of you who actually bother with those rules). I think it's
something along the linges of 'the corproation is god'.


Personally, I run them differently, some of their motives may be good
(like hunting down the bugs), but their methods are quite bad.

for example, one of our PC's was retired to NPC status, and comes out
as a PC for ares-backed runs, he has two cortex bombs, one in his brain
and the other that should be named the "'nad bomb". they use the second
for warnings;
"OK marley, that's it, I'm fed up of you disobeying orders,
first and last warning!"

BOOM - SPLAT


But, to add fuel to the fire, how does Knight know so much about the
bugs? Knight Errant found out about them in Queen Euphoria, but why
does knight consider it his _personal_ problem, enough so that he
sends Roger Soraing Owl in? Why did the bugs send that spirit after
him in the short story?

Is Damian Knight more than just the ex-head of Ccho Mirage? Is he
being fed data by one of the immortal elves or drgaons?


Phil (Renegade and Paranoid).
Message no. 4
From: Jonas Gabrielson <m94jga@*******.TDB.UU.SE>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 15:40:54 +0200
On Fri, 21 Apr 1995, P Ward wrote:

> They have the highest reuptation rating in the corp shadowfiles (for
> those of you who actually bother with those rules). I think it's
> something along the linges of 'the corproation is god'.

Well, almost. They have 9 out of 10 in Reputation.

> But, to add fuel to the fire, how does Knight know so much about the
> bugs? Knight Errant found out about them in Queen Euphoria, but why
> does Knight consider it his _personal_ problem, enough so that he
> sends Roger Soring Owl in? Why did the bugs send that spirit after
> him in the short story?
>
> Is Damian Knight more than just the ex-head of Echo Mirage? Is he
> being fed data by one of the immortal elves or drgaons?

I don't think you can blame it all on immortal elves and dragons,
but you could always try (until they lop your head off).

Anyway, Damien Knight is *definitely* more than he seems,
regardless of how much he already seems to be. Maybe he has bartered with
the bugs for magical prowess, and maybe not. It seems clear to me,
however, that he has had some personal contact with them before.

And then consider the remark "I may be born of this earth, but
that is not where I have been spending my time recently". Perhaps this
refers to Astral Questing, and perhaps not. After all, Ares owns NASA,
and who knows what mysteries lurk in deep space?

Jonas Gabrielson (m94jga@*******.tdb.uu.se)
Message no. 5
From: Robert Watkins <bob@**.NTU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 00:11:51 +0930
Gurth wrote:
> What I mean is: the UB summons insect spirits; Aztechnology summons Horrors
> (allegedly); but Ares battles the UB, mainly through Knight-Errant...

Well, every story needs a bad guy (the UB). Aztechnology is more alien than
bad at the moment, and it's not sure the _megacorp_ is involved in the
Horror incidents. But Damien Knight is (pardon the pun) the corporate
world's Knight in Shining Armour. (Well, maybe... that "space mage" (as I
call it) in the latest short story may be worse!). After all, he's not only
head of one of the cleanest corps in the world, he's the former leader of
the Echo Mirage team! Literally the saviour of the world!

--
Robert Watkins bob@**.ntu.edu.au
Real Programmers never work 9 to 5. If any real programmers
are around at 9 am, it's because they were up all night.
*** Finger me for my geek code ***
Message no. 6
From: Robert Watkins <bob@**.NTU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 00:26:06 +0930
Jonas Gabrielson wrote:
> And then consider the remark "I may be born of this earth, but
> that is not where I have been spending my time recently". Perhaps this
> refers to Astral Questing, and perhaps not. After all, Ares owns NASA,
> and who knows what mysteries lurk in deep space?

That's not Knight... it's a mage masquerading as Knight (check out the bit
where it says the corp brought him down from somewhere (and I STILL think
it was the "Daedalus"(sp?)).

--
Robert Watkins bob@**.ntu.edu.au
Real Programmers never work 9 to 5. If any real programmers
are around at 9 am, it's because they were up all night.
*** Finger me for my geek code ***
Message no. 7
From: "J.D. Falk" <jdfalk@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 12:52:47 -0400
On Fri, 21 Apr 1995, Gurth wrote:

> What I mean is: the UB summons insect spirits; Aztechnology summons Horrors
> (allegedly); but Ares battles the UB, mainly through Knight-Errant...

That's a good point...I wonder if perhaps Michael Knight is one
of the Dark Lords' favored NPC's.
It's been clear since the first /mention/ of Aztechnology that
they're a mean bunch...but that could also be a cultural thing. We don't
really know much about Aztlan or Aztechnology.

-------------========== J.D. Falk <jdfalk@****.com> =========-------------
| "Just take your pills and kiss your apogee goodbye." |
| -Crow T. Robot, MST3K |
--------========== http://www.cais.com/jdfalk/home.html ==========--------
Message no. 8
From: Kay and Pete Hanson <kidkaos@******.NET>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 1995 23:21:38 -0500
Mr. falk stated
> It's been clear since the first /mention/ of Aztechnology that
>they're a mean bunch...but that could also be a cultural thing. We don't
>really know much about Aztlan or Aztechnology.
>

Did anyone else catch 500 nations last night on CBS? they described the
world of Azlan before the Spanish and the kingdoms of the Aztec, the
prophecies, and
why the Aztec empire fell so quickly. (Yes prophecy had a LOT to do with
it) and the ideals of Azlan. They also discussed that there are still Aztec
who are waiting today to restart Azlan (again from that prophecy). It was
an excellent show, I guess tonoght they are doing Columbus's landing on
Turtle Island.
Anyway the prophecy says that Quetzicoatl will arrive and help his people,
and that when the cycles change, the Aztec will restart Azlan and rebuild
their empire, and be one of the most beautiful and important civilizations
in the world.
Kay
Message no. 9
From: THEY ONLY WIN IF WE LET THEM <MKNABUSCH@****.ALBION.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 15:42:57 -0500
J.D. Falk wrote:
>That's a good point...I wonder if perhaps Michael Knight is one of the
Dark Lord's favored NPC's.

Perhaps you meant Damion Knight, of Knight Errant?
Michael Knight was a vigilante that worked for Knight Industries
on the tv show Knight Rider.
*gack* *gah* I can't believe I remember that show.

Michael
Message no. 10
From: Jettero Heller <heller@*****.CBA.CSUOHIO.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 16:04:45 -0400
>
> J.D. Falk wrote:
> >That's a good point...I wonder if perhaps Michael Knight is one of the
> Dark Lord's favored NPC's.
>
> Perhaps you meant Damion Knight, of Knight Errant?
> Michael Knight was a vigilante that worked for Knight Industries
> on the tv show Knight Rider.
> *gack* *gah* I can't believe I remember that show.

and to show you I had even less of a life than you, he worked
for The Foundation for Law and Government. His vehicle (KITT) was
made by Knight Industries it was the Two Thousand model (hence the
name KITT).

** Martin
Message no. 11
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 21:11:55 BST
I had been wandering why Tom Dowd didn;t go the whole hog and
call him Michael Knight :-)

Probably because Glen A Larson (or wis it Donald P Bellisario)
still own the name :-)


As to Aztlan, it is mentioned in the front of the Corp Sec-book
as comiong soon. I'm not too sure whether that book as printed
before the death of the Late, Great Nigel Findley, or because
he had finished it (he was writing it wasn't he?).

For all those PC's on the list; time to get worried; adventures
South of the border beckon Bwa-ha-ha!

Phil (Renegade)
Message no. 12
From: "J.D. Falk" <jdfalk@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 23:37:19 -0400
On Fri, 21 Apr 1995, THEY ONLY WIN IF WE LET THEM wrote:

> J.D. Falk wrote:
> >That's a good point...I wonder if perhaps Michael Knight is one of the
> >Dark Lord's favored NPC's.
>
> Perhaps you meant Damion Knight, of Knight Errant?
> Michael Knight was a vigilante that worked for Knight Industries
> on the tv show Knight Rider.
> *gack* *gah* I can't believe I remember that show.

Oops. *grin*
Yeah, that's the show that took "your door is ajar" /way/ too
far. Still cool for its time, though.

-------------========== J.D. Falk <jdfalk@****.com> =========-------------
| "It involves such a marked departure from normal human conduct |
| that we can't help being drawn to it." -Edward L. Greenspan |
--------========== http://www.cais.com/jdfalk/home.html ==========--------
Message no. 13
From: Robert Watkins <bob@**.NTU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 16:54:35 +0930
Jettero Heller wrote:
> and to show you I had even less of a life than you, he worked
> for The Foundation for Law and Government. His vehicle (KITT) was
> made by Knight Industries it was the Two Thousand model (hence the
> name KITT).

But the KITT 2000 was sexier... (that was the red beast in the movie of the
series).

--
Robert Watkins bob@**.ntu.edu.au
Real Programmers never work 9 to 5. If any real programmers
are around at 9 am, it's because they were up all night.
*** Finger me for my geek code ***
Message no. 14
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Ares/Aztechnology/UB
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 12:40:26 +0200
> That's a good point...I wonder if perhaps Michael Knight is one
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Does he have KITT with him, too? :)


Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Sanity is contagious
Geek Code v2.1: GS/AT/! -d+ H s:- !g p?(3) !au a>? w+(+++) v*(---) C+(++) U
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B? e+ u+@ h! f--(?) !r(--)(*) n---->!n y? Unofficial Shadowrun Guru :)

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