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Message no. 1
From: Michael Goldberg michael.goldberg3@********.att.net
Subject: Night musings
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2000 22:10:28 -0700
***** PRIVATE: Jester, Forged
>>>>>[ I just don't seem to get any opportunities to talk, old friends. I
wanted to let you know that I didn't depart the hotel because I was avoiding
you -- rather my departure was based on a message and subsequent
conversations. It would appear that once again I am forced to react to
events that would only seem to spring from my worst nightmares.

So, now that I'm back in a city I have grown to distrust, I am doing what I
do best (or worst depending on perspective). I will probably only make
things go from bad to worse. Yet, it seems certain people got off first
call because they have pressing business where you are and Mark made a
fairly good guess as to what is going on. Besides, War and his brother
would just be adding petrol to the bonfire. Stupid, misused, and pointless.

Still -- I need to share with someone and you both should know. I involved
Pestilence, which might not be any safer than inviting War to a tea party.
Which leaves "good" guys at: Doc, Mark, and Scourge are part time.
Pestilence and myself are full-time with a variety of people paying
expenses. (Mark and Scourge are working that out between them, but the
details are rather minor.)

Someone has managed to hook Death's daughter on designer drugs. If I have a
target, I may ask for backup. Until that time, I will keep you updated as I
have time (which promises to be very little). ]<<<<<
-- Midnight <04:47:13/12-12-61>

***** PRIVATE: The Mighty Quinn, Easy, Daniel, Whirlwind
>>>>>[ Hi. I know I have been silent for a really long time. I was
wondering, do any of you have a bolt-hole that I can stick Pestilence and a
really sick child into hiding? (I would come in with them to get them
settled and then head back to try to solve how this all went down.) It
would need to have access to secure medical facilities.

At this time, it's not clear if she will survive a relocation attempt or
that her mother will allow it to happen. Regardless, based on the way
things are going, getting her out of Seattle is probably of utmost
importance for her having any chance.

Send a response either to Blitzkrieg or Scourge. (Scourge would probably be
slightly better as he will be able to work out logistics easier than
Blitzkrieg can -- assuming any of us can convince the mother that this is
the right thing to do. She is still angry at me for other things, so I'm
probably not going to be the one to attempt that persuasion.) I'll probably
only be checking mail when I'm not trying to do 50 other things at
nce. ]<<<<<
-- Midnight <04:53:21/12-12-61>
Message no. 2
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Night musings
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 20:55:59 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Midnight, Blitzkrieg, Scourge
>>>>>[They can come stay on the ranch with Mani, if you like, or if you
want to keep them in Seattle then they can do a decent vanishing act at
the Eight.]<<<<<
-- Easy <18:23:45/12-15-61>

*****PRIVATE: Midnight, Blitzkrieg, Scourge
>>>>>[Reckon I can find somewhere for them to stay 'round here. Being
sheriff has *some* privileges...
-- Daniel <20:49:32/12-16-61>

*****PRIVATE: Midnight, Blitzkrieg, Scourge
>>>>>[Got plenty of space and friendly folk at Glamis, even if I'm not
there myself right now.

Midnight... good to hear from you. Take care, let me know if you need
anything. I'm feeling distinctly sidelined at the moment, friends who
need help but can't accept it and all that, and I could really do with a
comrade-in-arms who can actually let me help out.]<<<<<
-- 1Lt S E Rodriguez <21:02:46/12-16-61>
INMARSAT Link
HMS Charybdis
Message no. 3
From: Michael Goldberg michael.goldberg3@********.att.net
Subject: Night musings
Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 19:56:58 -0700
***** PRIVATE: Easy, Daniel, The Mighty Quinn
>>>>>[ Thanks for the offer. Pestilence isn't sure we can move her by
anything other than conventional travel by car. He has concerns that she
might not be able to handle the additional pressures that come with other
methods of travel. Meanwhile, Scourge has worked out a deal with the
Rebel's (through Whirlwind) to move (with security provided for the transit)
to the Rebel's medical facility on their base. Which I suppose is a start,
although I agree with Midnight in that she really needs to get the hell out
of that area.

However it is all a moot point because Rachel and Nikki's doctor are
resisting suggestions of relocating Nikki. Being that I'm a paranoid
individual, I "suggested" to Scourge that he hire private investigators to
look into the good doctor's motives for making that sort of recommendation.

Unfortunately, Rachel's non-cooperation means that even if the doctor
honestly believes that staying put is the best course of action we cannot
get around him. Although Pestilence and Midnight have both come up with a
few plans to get around that none of us want to alienate Rachel.

The good news, is that Pestilence and Midnight managed to intercept a
hospital worker in the act of trying to give Nikki the drug. They now have
a single dose of the drug and are running tests against small samples of it.
Unfortunately, apart from figuring out that someone was blackmailing the
worker, we weren't able to get much of a lead on that. We thought about
walking into a trap to see what falls out, but Midnight doesn't think the
time is right for such a move.

We appreciate all the offers and as soon as we can figure out a way to
safely travel with her out of Seattle, one of us will be in touch. ]<<<<<
-- Blitzkrieg <04:00:58/12-18-61>
Message no. 4
From: Michael Goldberg michael.goldberg3@********.att.net
Subject: Night musings
Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 20:58:10 -0700
***** PRIVATE: 1Lt S E Rodriguez
>>>>[ Sadly, yes, it has been a long time. Mark mentioned that you included
a note in your response, so I'm taking a break from watching Nikki to write
back. I willingly accept the blame on the lack of communication. The
events in Tokyo caused me to pull a fade in a vain attempt to try to figure
things out. I traveled a lot but failed to come up with any great
revelations for the questions I have.

Of course, all that is a moot point by being overcome by events. Forged and
Doomsday are over in Europe dealing with another crisis which I was briefly
involved in. Then Mark got a hold of me and I left to come back to Seattle.
It probably was for the best because I didn't really feel like being around
/ dealing with War and Minister.

What Pestilence and I need are more people that we trust beyond money
loyalty. Scourge is hiring people as we go, but certain tasks you cannot
hire strangers to do. Nikki is so unstable that Pestilence and I barely
have time to investigate anything other than trying to find a way to
stabilize her (and eventually repair the damage that has been done to her
body). At some point, I would actually like to find the people who did this
and give them a taste of Legion brand justice. However, the way things are
going, I probably won't even have time to contemplate trying to figure out
who is behind this until after we find a way to move Nikki with Rachel's
approval.

So, if you are looking for a cause to help, we certainly won't refuse it.
Especially since at some point, I would like to be able to relieve Mark and
Doc from having to deal directly with this. (One of these months, Killing
Zone is supposed to get back on tour. After all, what is the point in
having a new drummer if you never play a concert?)

So ... what have you been up to since I've last talked to you? ]<<<<<
-- Midnight <05:00:57/12-18-61>
Message no. 5
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Night musings
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 23:37:00 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Blitzkrieg
>>>>>[If you can move Nikki and Rachel _within_ Seattle, then I can
offer you fairly good sanctuary inside Easyville.

Other than that... if you need help, let me know.


I'm surprised to find myself chafing because Lynch needs backup and
help, but won't take it. Politics, I suppose, but I don't like seeing
friends I owe my life to in trouble without being able to help.

So, if I can help you, or Nikki, or Rachel, then I will. No questions,
no obligations.]<<<<<
-- Easy <23:35:42/12-18-61>
Message no. 6
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Night musings
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 23:58:25 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Midnight
>>>>>[Of my two closest friends, one's in the hands of the enemy and the
other is off hunting that enemy. I've been directly, clearly and
concisely ordered not to intervene yet. If Lynch and Lilith die, _then_
I'm allowed to take up the chase... until then, HMG say I stay out and
are willing to enforce that decision.


I learned to command a nuclear hunter-killer submarine as payoff, and I
got a _lovely_ subsidy to build another RO-RO ship at Swan Hunter's, and
my one and only warship just _wafted_ through her Lloyd's inspection,
and I just today heard I got my third pip too. When Teacher shook my
hand and told me "Congratulations, Captain Rodriguez, you've passed" I
thought he just meant I was skipper of the boat (I got to drive HMS
Excalibur for three days) but no, I got promoted on schedule. (Still
doesn't mean anything... I'll still just be a part-time specialist who
never commands more than an UOTC platoon, but that's the way I like it)

Quid pro quo.

They know I don't leave my loved ones dangling for free. But they also
know I won't put hundreds of sailors and hundreds more shoreside
personnel out of work, on a personal jihad to save two people. Carrot
and stick, stick and carrot.



You need my help, you have it. I've spent most of the year kicking the
shipping company into shape (when the stockmarket crashed, I bought
half-a-dozen hulls off of folks who needed cash to cover the sudden hole
in their accounts) and making myself valued to the Army (and Navy)
without being irreplaceable.

And now, my business is organised and settled, I can leave it alone for
a while... and I'm available to go jaunting. And I feel an urge to wreak
bloody havoc upon those who harm my friends, and when this mood takes me
then I really need to act upon it.]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <23:54:32/12-18-61>
Message no. 7
From: Michael Goldberg michael.goldberg3@********.att.net
Subject: Night musings
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 19:56:24 -0700
***** PRIVATE: Easy
>>>>>[ The offer of sanctuary and help is greatly appreciated. We aren't
quite sure if all the ducks needed to pull this off will bite, but we have
Scourge now pursuing a deal with Doc Wagon, to at least give us medical
resources and support to attempt some things that [insert medical details
that went over my head here] will help.

(When Pestilence and Midnight talk shop and the conversation starts out in
medicine, wanders over to magical healing, and goes back again, I get lost
more often than not. The magical stuff I understood better than the other
stuff, but still...)

If he doesn't pull off the Doc Wagon deal, we will try to get Nikki into
Rebel base and then deal with the threat to Rachel. Either way, we will try
to get Nikki moved somewhere. (Midnight figured out at 3 AM that somehow
she is still getting slipped the drug on and off despite previously catching
one of the suppliers in the act. To say he [among others] was upset, is
putting it mildly. We haven't told Rachel yet because Midnight doesn't
think she will believe us unless we have proof that she will understand.)
Still fighting the battle with Rachel over possibly moving her, but I think
Midnight scored points when he asked, "Do you want your daughter to have a
fighting chance or not?" She tore him another one, but you could see that
the point scored.

Right now, extra people that we can trust to watch Nikki to try to catch the
culprit in the act (and believe me, we have tried some creative attempts)
would be useful. Scourge has raided personnel files but if the clues are
there, they have covered their tracks well enough to avoid seeing any
obvious tampering.

Once we do get a lead, we will want to go on the offensive (go figure). As
I said before, your presence and help would be greatly appreciated. I
understand though, if you prefer not to be in Seattle. Besides, you (like
me), are supposed to be out of the game.

If you are willing to travel up here, you know my phone number.
Additionally, Nikki is currently at >>encrypted<<. If you lurk there you
will eventually see one of us. (Pestilence, Doc, Midnight, or myself ...
Zombie has been known to stop in as well. Scourge isn't visiting local --
day job interferes. Rachel shows up and camps out when her job doesn't
require her to be somewhere else.) If we actually pull off the feat of
getting her moved ... well ... I'll drop a note via here to let you know.

Now .. before I end this message, what's this about Lynch? Current events
seem to be difficult at the moment to keep up with. (Case in point, I have
typed this out in the past 2 hours to upload here.) Not that Midnight,
Doomsday, or Forged are in positions to offer help, but I'm sure they will
want to know what is going on. (It seems we have been too distracted to
keep up with current events.)

My apologies if I'm rambling. Little sleep doesn't help coherency. ]<<<<<
-- Blitzkrieg <02:52:07/12-20-61>
Message no. 8
From: Michael Goldberg michael.goldberg3@********.att.net
Subject: Night musings
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 20:11:19 -0700
***** PRIVATE: The Mighty Quinn
>>>>>[ I've been arguing with Rachel too much -- I just reacted with shock
when I read your message. What exactly is going on with Lynch and Lilith?
I don't know how I will be able to pull it off, but if the worst comes to
pass, you will have a couple of people who will want to assist you. (Not
sure how Forged will clear his plate either, but we both tend to take
exception when friends get killed or threats to be killed.)

Congratulations (or condolences depending on how you view it) on your
promotion. The submarine command sounds interesting, although navel battles
aren't my forte.

Your help will be greatly appreciated. You have Mark's phone number (hasn't
changed). Additionally, you can find Nikki (unless we suddenly win our
argument with Rachel or pull a fast one on her as well) at >>encrypted<<.
If you watch long enough, you will see our hand in things, and likely
somebody you know as well.

Looking forward to seeing you again. ]<<<<<
-- Midnight <03:11:40/12-20-61>

***** PRIVATE: Forged
>>>>>[ Jester should be keeping you up to date on the situation over here.
I'm not sure what is the details of what is going on, but I thought you
should see Quinn's message.

+++++ include: Quinn.txt

I have asked her for more details. I'll pass them along, when I know
more. ]<<<<<
-- Midnight <04:12:21/12-20-61>
Message no. 9
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Night musings
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 22:30:03 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Blitzkrieg
>>>>>[Okay, I'm on my way up. Harley's planning to come too, she says
she needs a break from jamming the Rocky Mountains. Harley's good with
drones and surveillance, as well as motorbikes and LAVs, so she should
be useful.


As for Lynch... he's got an internal UCAS problem to deal with, which
he's told me to stay out of. I'm just supplying him and a Mafia Dona
he's working with - whatever the problem is, it seems they expect to
resolve it loudly with a lot of ammunition. (And I know I'm not the only
supplier they're using). Lilith... I believe is held captive, which is
why Lynch has that cold dangerous look about him. Last time I saw that,
was when he was hunting Thunda. If I were this General Ernang, I'd be
shitting my shorts.

If he doesn't make it, then I'll hear from Quinn and she'll take over.

And about the only thing more destructive than Lynch rescuing his wife,
is Quinn avenging her... friends. (I still can't figure that threesome
out, but they're _close_)]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <22:29:32/12-21-61>
Message no. 10
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Night musings
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 22:23:17 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Midnight
>>>>>[You may or may not have heard about the UCAS Army creating a new
force of elite counterterrorist commandos, called the Fast Response
Action Group. Their boss is up to no good, and has Lilith in custody.
She's still alive, but they plan to use her in a magical ritual whose
consequences will be fatal for Lilith and probably bad for everyone in
general. One of those "tampering with dark forces Man was meant to run
away screaming from" businesses.

The trouble is, it's an internal UCAS problem, which means it
politically has to be an internal UCAS solution, which means I am being
ordered and bribed to stay out of it for now.

If Lynch fails, and he and Lilith die, _then_ I may be allowed to go
tear General Ernang some extra orifices. But until then I'm strongly
advised to stay well away from the UCAS and the FRAG, while my two
favourite people are in danger.

Life sucks when you get political.

But if I have to go in... I'm going in hard and cold and lethal and I'll
be very glad to have the help.


As for your problems... while I can't do much in the UCAS right now, I
_can_ arrange transportation and I can offer you, Nikki, Rachel et al a
few safe places if you're able to make use of them.]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <22:23:21/12-21-61>
Message no. 11
From: Michael Goldberg michael.goldberg3@********.att.net
Subject: Night musings
Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2000 18:46:33 -0700
***** PRIVATE: The Mighty Quinn
>>>>>[ I guess when it rains, it pours. I put a bug in a certain FBI
agents
ear about what you said. He is looking into it, but after a while, there
are only so many side-projects that you can handle. This really is
unfortunate. Jason is a smart man -- by now, he should learn that sometimes
you have to swallow pride and ask for help. Hopefully, he will remember
that before it gets too late. If he does ... well, I'm sure one way or
another, we would get some help to him.

Sigh. On to the other topic. (Before I fall asleep on this keyboard.)
Ideally, I would like to get her out of UCAS. Glamis has a nice appeal to
it, because everyone knows everyone else and with your pull we could
probably get what we need out of the local hospital to help Nikki. The
problem is that we don't think she can safely travel at the moment.

Based on your message, we have been batting around Denver as a temporary
relocation effort, but we are still receiving interference from people who
really need to agree. Although, I'm getting more and more tempted to just
make myself person non grata and just do it. If we do relocate to Denver,
that at least solves the immediate problem of UCAS jurisdiction. (As long
as we do it right.) When Harley arrives, I may put the plan in motion,
although if I do, I will have to keep Mark, Doc, and Scourge out of the
plan, which is going to make it harder.

The only update I have, you have probably already seen in the news. JICES
landed a contract with Doc Wagon ... unfortunately, due to circumstances in
both companies (JICES and Doc Wagon) Nikki's care wasn't part of the deal.
Back to the drawing board.

I need to meet more magically active healers. . .

Hmmm . . .
Haven . . .
Is that extra-territorial? ]<<<<<
-- Midnight <01:47:50/12-24-61>
Message no. 12
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Night musings
Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 11:48:54 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Midnight
>>>>>[In Jason's case, it's not pride, it's politics. Our bright-eyed
boy General Ernang has greased his way up to flag rank and an E-Ring
window office, and a lot of important folks are _very_ touchy about
their one-time protege having gone bad. There's also the issue that SIGA
used to have a remit of trying to police these guys, and a lot of folks
agitated to have it shut down, and now they're scared of being held
accountable for the consequences.

So, it's got to be an internal UCAS housecleaning for now, and that's
why even folks like me are being told to wait and be the second wave if
the first fails.


As for relocating Nikki... I have a reputation for bringing oddball
houseguests with strange needs who value their privacy, the locals seem
quite happy to put up with it (especially after the Christmas party I
just threw... noblesse oblige and all that :) ) So once she can travel,
looking after her here should be no trouble.

Haven most surely is extraterritorial, is fairly secure, and has some
pretty decent medical facilities too. If you can't get out of Seattle
then Haven might be a good bet.]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <11:48:43/12-26-61>

Further Reading

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