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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Ronin
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 1997 13:00:51 +1300
*****PRIVATE: Ice
>>>>>[Word is you're old friend Ronin has been busting heads around
town... and stepping on a few toes. You might want to ask him why.]<<<<<
-- Squatter <16:58:12/03-04-58>

*****PRIVATE: Squatter
>>>>>[What? Ronin was taken by Renraku in Chiba. Must be some mistake, or
someone else using the name.]<<<<<
-- Ice <21:30:01/03-04-58>
Message no. 2
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Ronin
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 13:33:58 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Ice, ThunderStone, WhiteTyger
>>>>>[What is the nature of your relationship with the samurai known as
Ronin? As far as I can see he has no place with your group. I am aware of
the fact that LaSalle asked you to turn him during the operation that
destroyed SIR as a business entity, but surely he is now deadweight in a
magical group. Please clarify this matter for me if I am mistaken.]<<<<<
-- Kirk <15:26:57/07-10-58>


*****PRIVATE: Kirk
>>>>>[You want a black ops asset, and we will provide that, but I would
thank you not to question the manner in which we do so. Ronin is now a part
of the service provided by our group. If that is not acceptable, perhaps
you should look elsewhere.]<<<<<
-- Ice <19:30:02/07-10-58>
Message no. 3
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Ronin
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 12:51:05 +1300
*****PRIVATE: Ronin
>>>>>[Rumour has it you're dead. I've heard that one before though. Just on
>>>>>the offchance.
--Ice.]<<<<<
-- <12:49:45/25-FEB-59 NZT>
Message no. 4
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Ronin
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 11:53:37 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[Breaking the normal channel, but waddya gonna do. Emergency sort of
thing.

Find out from Cowpoke what he knows, get copies of the footage he
mentioned, whatever, but _quick_. If Lynch is killing people like they say
he is, then CP might be next. As much info as he's got, and can you look
into it yourself? Try to find out where Ronin got to, and maybe I'll try to
bust him out.
-- Ice ]<<<<<
-- <11:14:41/28-FEB-59 NZT>
Message no. 5
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 11:54:59 +1200
>>>>>[And if you can't take the crap, stay out of the bathroom.

Hope... I read somewhere that there's this philosphical line of thought or
something that believes that the only reason we consider hope to be good is
because it was the last thing out of the box. Like death came before that,
and if there'd been no hope of recovery, death was the best thing that
could happen to sufferers of the earlier scourges such as plague and so on,
so if death was last out, we would have thought that was the best thing.
And if there was something beyond hope, then we would hate hope as the
worst of the things out of the box. "Hope is bad," we would think, "because
most of the time it results in disappointment". So what would be beyond
hope? Fatalism, maybe? Withdrawal into the mind?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <15:45:17/02-27-59>

*****PRIVATE: Cowpoke
>>>>>[Ronin was a friend of a friend. I need all the info you've got about
what happened... data, footage, whatever. But quick, because if Lynch is
killing people, and you might be next. Plus I might need a decker to help
me find where he did go, and false modesty aside, if you've found out this
much, maybe you could find out more. Interested in some work?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <15:46:54/02-27-59>

*****PRIVATE: Michael Morningstar
>>>>>[You looking for work, or looking for workers?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <15:48:02/02-27-59>
Message no. 6
From: Avenger <Avenger@*******.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 23:26:48 +0000
>>>>>[Beyond hope? One word Faerie.


Inevitability.]<<<<<
-- Doofus <22:57:03/02-27-59>


*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[Hey man, everythin' I got is freely available, I didn't break no
protocols nor no laws, Lynch comes lookin' f'r me, he'd better have
himself a full an' justified warrant cos i'll shovel his ass if he
ain't. All I done was to put it all together.


Trafficam and Media shots of the scene, overhead flyby cam from the
action report teams, reactive follow throughs to GridSec Traffic
Control, and monitoring systems, Central SecStore for malls, appartments
and security monitoring for local businesses, none of it high security
shenanigans. Find the route, find the monitors, fond the stores.
Simple really.


Like I said, I don't know Ronin, but I hear he was around, and then he
wasn't. Seemed kinda funny ta me, an' then that Ravelin starts up on
this Lynch done him in kick. So, I followed through. Th'only stuff I
knows for a fact he's been into recent were the buses. I reckoned that
if Ravelin could find out, others could. Hey presto, badguy and Fed,
only the Fed walks out. Looked like Lynch, same walk, same basic shape
and the moves were all there, but, I ain't no character judge. I stuck
it all together and left it to those who do know. I don't know Ronin,
but I figured others might.


+++++Inlcude Tacoma Bombing & Pursuit.mov <spliced>


That's all of it, everythin' I found.


If'n that's your buddy's pal, I reckon it's safe that he's no longer
part o' this world, and has passed on to greener pastures - if'n you get
my meanin'. The Fed was covered with crap, and limpin' fit to bust, I
figure he got hismelf a real bad hurt in there, but he were smilin', so
you gotta figure he got his mark. Check out his legs, the black suit
hides most of the blood that should be around, but th'armour's shredded
- only blades'll do that - again, I don't know if'n Ronin were packin'
but that ain't no animal hit. Sides, about th' only thing that'll get
through that kit the Fed's wearin' is a blade or a serious bullet. Ya
gotta know where ta hit it. Armour spec is at >>LTG/RTG<< It's serious
stuff, which again means it ain't no animal, whoever did that knew it
were a weak point. You figure it out with your buddy, s'th'only way to
know, is ta figure could Ronin have done that? Did he have the kit ta
do that? Would he have known how to do that. Most people woulda gone
for a body hit, an' prob'ly lost their blade doin' it - this one went
for the weakest part of the armour - leg joints, groin, armpit... He
knew where ta hit, an' how.


Now, there ain't no centralised monitoring for the sewer system and
storm drains, they relies mainly on pressure, seismic readouts an'
reports from locals, I couldn't find nothin' that tol' me what happened
in there, an' I can't read no seismic printouts - they're jus' squiggles
ta me.


Condolences if'n you recognise th'other figure in the clips. He dain't
come out - nowhere. I looked f'r near on 48 hours to find somethin'.


Work? Well, I'm a looker me. I look, I find, I piece it together. I
ain't one o' yer fancy fly-by-night jocks, I'm simply a slugger. But,
if'n you got yourself some information you want locked or snuffled outta
the 'trix, well I might be interested in earnin' a crust'r two.]<<<<<
-- Cowpoke <23:08:22/02-27-59>
Message no. 7
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 12:44:55 +1200
>>>>>[Thanks, Doofus. Inevitability, belief in fate, fatalism. Man, I'm
>>>>>depressed. But what is this, a freakin' therapy
circle?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <16:38:49/02-27-59>

*****PRIVATE: Cowpoke
>>>>>[If you can find out where he is, it's worth >>reasonable
amount<<.
I'm authorised to offer a >>small amount<< nY advance to keep you
interested. Acceptable?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <16:39:56/02-27-59>
Message no. 8
From: Avenger <Avenger@*******.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 01:25:58 +0000
*****Private: Faerie
>>>>>[Well, yeah. I guess it's acceptable. But I gotta tell ya, it
ain't gonna be quick. If'n the Feds have got him, they ain't announced
it on the news, an' that means somethin' I think. If he got away, he's
sure to be real sick somewhere. Mebbe even The Fed killed his butt and
left him down in the sewer for Rat bait.


I don't mean to depress ya or nothin' just appraisin' ya of the facts.


Lookk, I'll poke around, I'll see what I c'n sniff out f'rya. If'n what
I find is no good to ya, then ya don't hafta to pay. OK?]<<<<<
-- Cowpoke <01:24:03/02-28-59>
Message no. 9
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 11:42:20 +1300
*****PRIVATE: Cowpoke
>>>>>[It isn't my money I'm spending, but that's cool. And I doubt he got
away, even if he was real sick, he should have been able to contact my
employer by now.]<<<<<
-- Faerie <15:41:56/02-28-59>
Message no. 10
From: Avenger <Avenger@*******.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 16:17:25 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[I've found a bit more to add whatch'ya already know.


+++++Include Paramedic Oversight cam.mov


As y'c'n see, three stretchers came out of the sewer following the
arrival of the paramedics. I still can't identify the Federal agent,
though I reckon it's Lynch. You might have a better way to verify that.
The three stretchered figures are, in my opinion dead. There just ain't
the rush and intensity you'd expect from a medical team that's got a
live patient. If ya use the condition of the Fed as a clue to the fight
in th'sewers, then it's reasonable to think the guy on the third
stretcher that's brought out, might be the one yo'r searchin' for,
'cause he's in a similar mess, and badly cut up. If that's Ronin, then
I reckon he's dead. I can't find anything on the Court circuit that
hints at a pending case, there's none of the intensity around the DA's
office that'd be associated with preperation of a Federal case against a
captured terrorist - which is how the perpetrators of the bus incidents
are bein' described. There's also a lack of investigation on the
streets centering towards th'identification and accumulation of evidence
to a particular case. Lone Star and the Feds are still concentrating on
the search for the missing girls, and the hunt for the other scags. Ya
c'n take that as further evidence towards th' demise of the person you
seek. Though the investigation would still be ongoing, I reckon it's
safe to assume it wouldn't be so headless. It don't matter how strong
or honourable Ronin was, he'd sing like a bird in the hands of the Feds.


The lack of publicity surrounding th'event is also a good hint that
whoever they brought out of the sewer is dead. Corpses ain't as
newsworthy, and I found a byline in one of the papers that a federal
agent killed some of the perps of the Tacoma hostage situation in a
cross town pursuit. Nothin' further to that seems to say there was
nothing worth followin' up, which wouldn't be the case if there'd been a
survivor. I can't access any hospital records that'd indicate someone
from the sewer other than the Fed survived, though I can confirm the
damage done to the Agent in the vid clip was from razors. His leg's
badly slashed, and he suffered multiple contusions and several minor
fractures, including a nasty infection from the sewage covering his
wounds. As y'can witness y'self on the S'land node, Lynch is alive, but
your buddy hasn't answered any calls. Another sign that he didn't
survive.


Sorry to provide you with this information, and I know it's not
conclusive, but I reckon there's enough evidence to be safe in thinkin'
that Ronin's dead, and that he was killed by Lynch, though in "the
execution of his duty as a Federal Officer."


Do what you will with that info. If I c'n find anything else out, I'll
ya know.]<<<<<
-- Cowpoke <15:57:31/03-01-59>
Message no. 11
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Ronin
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 12:33:32 +1300
*****PRIVATE: Lynch
>>>>>[Then where the hell is he?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <16:14:30/03-02-59>
Message no. 12
From: "Paul J. Adam" <shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 23:55:55 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[I could tell you but... hell, you know the rest of that sentence.

As far as you know, Matthew Van Holde is dead.

Leave it at that.]<<<<<
-- Lynch <23:38:43/03-02-59>
Message no. 13
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 1998 12:23:44 +1300
*****PRIVATE: Cowpoke
>>>>>[Lynch was evasive about Ronin...

+++++Inlcude file re:ronin.msg
[The one in which Lynch was evasive about Ronin.]

Sounds to me like he didn't want to lie (for some reason of his own,
probably some cheesy honour thing), but he didn't want to tell the truth
either. Any further luck? And how much do I owe you?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <16:23:03/03-03-59>
Message no. 14
From: Avenger <Avenger@*******.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 1998 01:19:08 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[Curious. There's two possible reasons for this besides your
thoughts on the cheesy honour thang that Lynch is into. The first is
evasiveness on the side of caution. Yor askin' about someone, and maybe
Lynch don't know you from Adam, so, to protect his hairy ass, he's not
sayin' anythin'. Or, he's tryin' to draw ya out, find out what's
happenin' afore he talks to ya straight.


OK, There seems to be some doubt cast on the assumptions made from the
cam recordin's, I'll go over 'em again, and get a pal to see if'n he c'n
pull somethin' out of 'em. I'll also see if I c'n find somethin' else
out from other sources. I ain't much of a jock but I'll keep peggin'.
If Ronin's alive, I'll find him.


So far you don't owe me squat, I ain't exactly achieved anythin' yet.
Tell ya what though, if'n you want to indulge in one of this node's
favourite passtimes, y'c'n buy me a beer - jus' kiddin'. I'll dig
around some more and see what snake crawls outta the rocks.]<<<<<
-- Cowpoke <01:16:32/03-04-59>
Message no. 15
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 10:23:59 +1300
*****PRIVATE: Cowpoke
>>>>>[Okay, keep me posted.]<<<<<
-- Faerie <14:23:34/03-04-59>
Message no. 16
From: Avenger <Avenger@*******.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 00:33:47 +0000
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[I've had the pictures analysed that I pulled outta the traffic
grid, and what little surveillance I could find. The results were
inconclusive, it's possible that the figures on the stretchers could be
dead or alive, it's just not possible to determine.


So, I followed up on morgue entrants, ran a global scan for John Doe's
on the day of the bus attacks. I checked through the mortuary reports
and obituaries. I ran a datacheck on the Federal Court system for
pending cases, and checked again through the accessible datastores of
the DOJ to see if any activity surrounded the hijacks and whether there
was a possibility of pending action from the case. I checked the
hospital records for entrants that fitted particular wound profiles.
Lynch is registered, the man spent a couple of days in a Nanite bath, he
got himself cut up pretty bad, but I can't get any details. Nobody else
is registered as havin' been entered that day at the same time, with any
of the wound profiles that I c'n get from the films, neither were any
entered into the morgue. Of the three bodies pulled out of the sewer
two turned up in the morgue. The third seems to've disappeared.


OK. What's left? I've checked as far into Federal datastores as I dare
go without setting off alarms, and nuthin'. I've checked with a few
people on the street both in the area of the sewer, and around the
sites where the buses were taken. Nuthin'. I've asked a few questions
of people who know Lynch, to see whether this sort of thing has happened
before. Nuthin'.


Nuthin'. Nada. Zip



Now there's two things I c'n see from this. First, Lynch or the Feds
have got Ronin tied up in a cell somewhere and they're burnin' his mind
dry for information. Or, an' this might be the worst of it, they're
reprogrammin' him. I've heard of it bein' done afore. Usin' drugs,
simsense and a combination of nutritional and sensory deprivation
techniques they can twist a guy round until he don't know where in
th'hell he's comin' from. If that's the case, then Ronin will return to
the streets somewhen in the next 12 months. Only it won't be Ronin
anymore - if'n ya get my meanin'


There's one other possibility. I'll keep diggin' at this, mainly
because i'm kinda puzzled myself now. A guy can't just vanish into thin
air. Anyways, there's somethin' else you might try. If you c'n get
hold of somethin' that Ronin had around himself regular like, it might
be possible for a Psychic or Mage to find our if he's still alive.
Mebbe even find him for ya. I don't know the details behind it all, but
I'm told it's possible. I only know of one person who might be able to
do it, but they're in Boston lookin' for work, an' I don't know when
they'll be back.


Don't know how much help that all is to ya, but rest assured, unless you
find yourself an easier way, I'm still lookin'.]<<<<<
-- Cowpoke <00:33:12/03-06-59>
Message no. 17
From: jaimie.nicholson@********.otago.ac.nz (Jaimie Nicholson)
Subject: Ronin
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 19:16:59 +1200
>>>>>[What does one do when the wetware no longer functions in the violent
>>>>>and amoral way for which the cyberware is designed? One leaves
>>>>>Renraku. And then what? Like a masterless samurai of Japan, a Ronin, I
>>>>>have no refuge, no direction.

A deep sea fish, brought up from the depths, will explode from an internal
pressure so much higher than that around it. I feel the pain of that fish,
for after five years in training and two as an active Renraku company man,
I have fallen out into the real world. I cannot withstand the lack of
forces pushing me around, down, under. Help me, please, there must be
someone who understands this feeling, who has shared this experience. I
have the abilities but not the iron discipline not to use them, and I fear
what I could become.

I need work, I need money, but most of all I need guidance in this new
world where I have found myself.]<<<<<
-- Matthew Van Holde <19:09:55/04-29-57>

PLAYTHING OF A CRUEL GOD...
Jaimie Nicholson, New Zealander
Message no. 18
From: Kris Maxwell <kmaxwell@***.umd.edu>
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 12:03:41 -0400 (EDT)
*****Private: Mathew Van Holde
>>>>>[I can offer you a job. Nothing that your company skills need be
used for. I can offer you a place to stay and food as well, until you get
on your feet again. Contact me at >>encrypted<< with your decision. This
is a one time offer friend, don't waste it.]<<<<<
-- Blademaster <12:57:54/4-30-57>
Message no. 19
From: jaimie.nicholson@********.otago.ac.nz (Jaimie Nicholson)
Subject: Re: Ronin
Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 11:09:59 +1200 (NZST)
*****Private: Blademaster
>>>>>[Thank you.

I feel I must apologize for and explain the delay in my reply to your
generous offer. I got involved in an unfortunate... altercation near the
docks last sunday. I have not been able to reach a terminal for the last
week.

But to business. I am willing to receive your offer. I will make the
requisite contact, soon.]<<<<<
-- Ronin <11:08:21/5-3-57>

PLAYTHING OF A CRUEL GOD...
JAIMIE NICHOLSON, NEW ZEALANDER

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Ronin, you may also be interested in:

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These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!