The War Beneath Heaven S02 E05 Backstory and Primer

Backstory

Thomas was looking out from the new HSS safehouse. A recent but temporary command center, in the edge of the Heights overlooking both Cheng' Territories and a view of the CBD. When he arrived, Jeni was working with speedy and the other IT setting up the network. He hasn't seen Speedy so beat up since he still worked as freelance and in the streets. Jeni is quite a soldier, she didn't bulk when Speedy was giving her network basics a mile a minute. His coaching helped a little, but speedy really needed the help and the distraction and they needed more network expertise. Jeni needed to know how the system worked and getting her hands dirty was going to the best way to train.

Everyone looked ragged, so did thomas. He was not eating right and retaining so much water. He kept popping antacids till he can't feel hungry, then he would suffer terrible migranes since he would get all caught up with work and then self medicate for the pain. He was still competent, but not by much. Osman and Emily took over most of the personal meetings, and had to hire some man power from SGC to finish the last details on the business plans. Thomas knew it wasnt going to be exactly the way he liked it, and the more medicated he became as he grumbled to himself.

Cheng now shows up for the board meetings of HSS, the group opened up a new entity, "f(x)" or coefficient, particularly for the development of the heights. Every meeting Cheng would have more muscle, in just four weeks manage to demolish several hectars of old informal settlers (about 6,000 families) and tested the SGC charities limits. He got them squatting in the school, Thomas was already predicting that it was a move to devalue the property in order for him to buy and convert it to his own housing system and his muscle will make sure everyone knew who they owed their loyalties to in the next district election.

A few of the HSS did grumble a bit about cutting down several gangs in order to put an allied Hong in its place. Osman was quick to listen to them air their problems with Bill listening in and making sure this grumbling wont find its way to Cheng. Thomas was to weak to play hardball and get his ambitious ally in check as he expanded.

Growth has its footprint, and International Politics is going to catch up with them. Many new clients have voiced silent interest in the Heights development under the new entity f(x) since many are from the black market network of both the HSS and Cheng. The legitimate business plans talk about new network infrastructure and buying new connections, the word of mouth to the clients is that an enhanced and fortified shadow ISP will be created in the area.

The promise is HSS will be a network node that will allow a distributed network for HSS clients to perform their business. When a client buys one slot, its effectively 13+ collocation slots around the islands each with their own independent connections. To sweeten the deal, HSS has created an "exit package" to help these prospective clients leave their current network and appear to be destroyed or dismantled - a win for their inside guys and a brand new start for them.

Primer: June 12 2013, 3:14 am

Thats when the first layer red flags came up. In all the noise of the movement patterns around the properties, they needed another way to view the patterns and that was taking up the old burned out mess that was being used to attack their location. Bill cleaned out of the bad Juju but despite the skepticism of the crew they can't shake the feeling that trouble was going to happen. Thomas assured them trouble will and that's why they needed a more forward base of observation.

The alarms were merely IF systems monitoring the floors of the buildings nearby. Many were old even in the 90s, so when activity spiked they got a closer look. So it seems another group is setting up their CCC in the next block overseeing Cheng's and HSS territories. Chengs and Thomas networks own the territory now, nothing happens here without them knowing and when a group with expert field craft sets up next door something is up.

Their new neighbors brought their own baggage... It looked so innocent and none of the guys would have picked it up. The crew has gotten a bit nose deaf in their new C3 and got used to having to swat bugs in the area when just that day Bill didnt have to pick out any bugs from the sugar he put in his instant. It was those kind of clues and that kind of absense that played into their imaginations.

Bill went a bit crazy with that little thing, his questions were bugging the guys and left them squeamish. Everyone thought it was crazy, on his way to the forward C3 they would pass by the fastfood garbage pick up area, you know it from the smell and the fluids that seeped into the gutter visibly behind some small iron door. Bill was with Merle and asked him to follow, to satisfy his curiosity open the door. Merle was a bit pissed, bill argued it was his thing to check up and security. Merle can tell if he was BSing so he gave him the benefit of the doubt. Opened to find garbage, and almost caused merle to hurl... and not enough bugs...

Bill was asking Killian to set up more wards, and Killian didn't like taking suggestions from his older brother when the night got a little too dark.