reat }7208 NIGEL D. FINDLEYTRAVEL ARMS ro Co os i ao Page 2 INTRODUCTION 4 SEATTLE ON 30¥ A NIGHT a9 FINDING YOUR FEET 7 History and Development 50 SECURITY BLANKET “1 ‘Standard Coffin Hote! 31 Security System Options 2 Standard Coffin Cubicle 31 Sensors and Detectors 3 Check-In Procedure 52 ‘Active Response Measures 19 Security 53 Conclusion 20 (GUARDING THE TILL 35 [FRINGE OF SPACE 2B Step One: Detection 56 The Planes. 23 Weapon Detectors 37 Semiballistics 23 Chemical Detectors 37 Suborbitals, 25 Step Two: Alarm 58 HSCTs 26 ‘Step Three: Response 59 The Service 26 Passive Responses 59 How Fast Is Fast? 26 ‘Active Responses 59 Price of A Ticket 26 EATING FAST AND FEARLESSLY o Your Pilot and Crew 2 Layout 61 KILLER ACCESSORIES 29 Food a Fichetti Tiffani Needler 30 Security 6 Barton Arms Gun Cane 30 Conclusion 8 Barton Arms Bracer 30 BEST OF HOME SECURITY 6s Morrissey Elan 30 Private Security Terminology 66 Morrissey Elite 31 Full-Service Provider 66. Morrissey Alta 3 ‘Active Automated Defenses 66, Raecor Sting 32 Alarm Design and Installation 66 Elchiro Hatamoto IL 32 Alarm Monitoring, or Fichett! Executive Action 33 Astral Security 67 Yamaha Pulsar 3 Biologicals “ DRESSED TO KILL 35 Extended Passive Defense o Style with Security, Security with Style 36 Lethal Force oo Armanté 36 Locksmithing 70 ‘Mortimer of London 36 ‘Mundane Patrol 70 Vashon Island 37 Structural Hardening 70 206 37 Company Ratings 70 Social Consequences 38 SHARPER IMAGE B DOCWAGON'S NEW MEDICINE a1 Whitelaw Electric Sunglasses B History a2 Corona “Private Eye” Computer Display Glasses 74 DocWagon Contracts 43 Fellinl-Med Breather a Basic Service 43 ‘Stanley “Screamer” Portable Door Alarm “ Gold Service a Fullcorp Remote Ignition a Platinum Ser a DES Systems PhoneSecure Scanner 5 Super Platinum Service a ‘Toshiba White-Nolse Generator 5 Calling for Ald a Doafone Lock-Out 5 DocWagon Response 45, (ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION n Standard Response 45 Conceptual Overview 7 Cilsis Response 45 Unidirectional Datalines 78 High Threat Response 46 Ieonographic Execution 78 DocWagon Clinics a7 ‘Custom Multsymbol Iconography 9 3 Application 9 (GUIDE TO REAL LIFE ofsvsTEM OU TRAVEL ARMS YOU ARE YOUR CREDSTICK. ‘Accessing Money ‘Types of Credsticks Identification Levels Using A Credstick Opening An Account RULES Securtty Systems Keypads Cardreaders Print Scanners Voice Recognition Systems Vibration Detectors Gas Delivery Systems "Netgun Systems Gun Systems Door/Window Alarms Laser Systems Electric Fences Monowire Security Guards Planes and Crews ‘General Dynamics SV250 Semibalistic “China Clipper” Suborbital "Arrow" HSCT Pilot Flight Attendant ‘Weapon Detection ‘Automatic Systerns ‘Manual Detection Chemical Detection Systems. ‘Anmor Clothing. Layering Armor ‘Armor and Society DocWagon ‘Standard Response Team Ciisis Response Team High Threat Response Team DocWagon Vehicle Security ocWagon Ginies Response Time Help (Almost) Too Late Coffin Hotels| Coffin Security McHugh’. ‘Archetypes Number of People Present ‘Computer McHugh’'s Security Personnel Physical Security Forging Credsticks and IDs Using A Forged Credstick Verification Ratings a HEALTH SSsssessessssRRRaasese SPF esgseresessssss 101 102 102 102 102 102 102 102 102 103 103 103 oy Coa MATRIX CASH REASONS Page 3 NEO-ANARCHISTS’ GUIDE TO REAL LIFE Witting Nige! Findley ‘Special Assistance Frasier Caine Development Tom Dowd Editorial Staff Senior Editor Donna Ippolito Assistant Editor ‘Sharon Turner Mulvihit Ealtorial Assistant Diane Piron. Production Staff ‘Are Director Jeff Laubenstein Project Manager Jim Nelson Cover Art John Zeleznik Cover Design Jim Nelson Iustration Joe Biske Earl Geler Dana Knutson Jeff Laubenstein Jim Nelson Mike Nielsen Dan Smith ‘Maps/Diagrams Jim Nelson Layout Tara Gallagher keyline and Pasteup Emle Hernandez SHADOWRUN, MATRIX and NEO-ANARCHISTS’ GUIDE TO REAL LIFE are trademarks of FASA Corporation. Copyright © 1992 FASA Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America, Published by FASA Corporation «P.O. Box 6930 « Chicago, IL 60680 ] REAL LIFEGEIST] SECURITY TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH ROOMS FOOD TOYS MATRIX CASH PLASTIC ee) Real Life? Why bother? Get the newest SimTech cranial simdeck and dream your troubles away... —ad copy, circa 2050 he Neo-Anarchists’ Gulde to Real Life is a supplement to the Shadowrun game system. It explores life in the Seattle spraw| through a series of articles reprinted from a variety of popular sources available to the general public of that city in 2053. Various shacowrunners have annotated these articles with their opinions and additional information they consider to be of interest to the reader. The gamemaster must decide whether to treat these opinions and evaluations, inserted by individuals who may hold a biased view, as valid. The player can only hope to discover the truth before it is too late. Specific rules information and game mechanics for each subject discussed in the articles appears in aseparate Rules section. The gamemaster and players should review these new and expanded rules and agree on which, if any, they will add to their game. ‘Much ofthe material in this bookatleasthints at ways to make life muchmore difficult for characters, ways to complicate even the simplest task. Gamemasters may choose to use these complicating factors sparingly, but should definitely use them. Shadowrun games usually let the characters—and their players—off much too easily... ‘Some of the material on credsticks presented in this product originally appeared in the Shadowrun sourcebook Sprawl Sites. Because that product is now out of print and no longer available, we have updated that material and reprinted it here for reference. This book is compatible with both the original Shadowrun rule book (product stock number 7100), and the Shadowrun, Second Edition, rules (product stock number 7900) now available. Page references for both versions are given when applicable. The Shadowrun, Second Edition, rules are usually abbreviated SRI. The Archetypes and Contacts book included in the Shadowrun Second Edition Gamemaster’s Screen is abbreviated SRIIGM. Specific SRI rules notations in game statistic blocks (as in NPC or Contact listings) appear in {boldface brackets}. {a CODE TO REAL LIFE ICS SHADOWLANO: MAI ME WELCOME TO. have taken all knowledge to be my province Francis Bacon, 1592 CATEGORY ‘Message Base/Mall System Special Categories/ Topics (SIGS) Library Archive Information Base — SPECIAL FEATURES! (Limited Duration Posting) ARES Winter Catalog 2052-53 (Annotated) Rigger Black Book 2053 (Annotated) North American Compilation (Tried and True!) Paterson's Paranormal Creatures of Europe (Delayed. but Coming Soon!) London (Annotated) Real Life Compilation (GO FOR IT!) Tir Taimgire Data Dump (Under Decryption! Watch for it!) Shadow Technology Compilation (Oh, man, I wet my pants. 8 Sch 888 NEO-ANARCHIST GUIDE TO REAL LIF Security Blanket (Basic Corp Security, don't ya know) Fringe of Space (Suborbital and Semiballstic travel) Killer Accessories (Security with style) Dressed to Kill (Style with security) DocWagon™ (Everything you wanted to know and more) Seattle on 30¥ A Night (Crashing the hard and cheap way) Guarding the Tl (Security detection systems) Eating Fast and Fearlessly (Fast-Food facts) Home Security (Beyond the "Do Not Disturb’ sign) Sharper Image (Stuff you don't need, but really want) Unicirectional Datalines (Abridged geek-speak) You Are Your Credstick (A primer for those who got) eeEEEE eeEE DOWNLOAD AL? QED Nove mom CONTROL Anyone wih any knowledge regarding sabotage to his system shout Ole GUIDE TO REAL LIFE =Lo) S17 A ee) Oo GIDE TO REAL LIFESE a ey No matter where you go, there you are. —Anonymous late-20th-century proto-physical adept eattle. Where elves from Tir Taimgire rub shoulders with Amerindians from the Native ‘American Nations. Where the world’s largest corporations set up shop alongside the smallest, leanest, and meanest entrepreneurial start-ups. Seattle. Where a single city block can sport two dozen world-class restaurants, each featuring a unique style of cuisine. Seattle. Arguably one of the most exciting cities to visit in the entire world. But the city’s multi-faceted character—the unique aspects that make itso exhilarat- ing—can also make it seem unapproachable. With so much happening, so many ingredients flavoring the melting pot, how can the casual visitor know what to do and see, know what's hot or what's not, or stay out of danger? To solve this problem, we put together the Guide to Real Life. Available free of charge via the telecom of every hotel room in the city, the Guide to Real Life is your online guide to the way Seattle thinks The Guide to Real Life is not a standard tourist guide; it offers no maps, listings of emergency phone numbers, or touristattractions. Many excellent online sources already exist to provide this information, including our sister publication, the Seattle Sourcebook. Real Life is more like a snapshot of what is current, important, and new in Seattle in any given week. To produce Real Life, our staff combs the magazines, datafaxes, and faxrolls of the city each week, selecting and reprinting articles, ads, columns, and editorials that we believe provide a sense of the city for that week. We do not concentrate on ‘communicating concrete information, though Real Life certainly contains many facts. Instead, we attemptto providea gestalt, asit were, oflifeinSeattle—atleastforany given week, trying all the while to stay as eclectic and open-minded as possible. A fashion article might be framed between two pieces on personal security, or a column on Lo Oo] a]EST] SECURITY TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH” ROOMS FOOD TOYS MATRIX CASH PLASTIC corporate stylemight precede a rough-and-tumble piece fromamag for Urban Brawlers. You'll never know exactly what to expect from ‘one week to the next—both in Real Life and the cit It reflect. So sit back and take a look. We guarantee that you'll find a handful of useful facts, but you'l also find that many articles simply ‘get you thinking. And if some of that thinking helps you to Understand our city better, then we have done our job. Blake Tuer Editor-in-Chief, Guide to Real Life Real Life Data Services (A Mitsuhama Company) >>sp>[Tourist drek. And worse, tourist drek disseminoted by ‘Mitsuhama which, os we all know, is something less thon open- minded, Blokey's comments to the contrary ‘Actually, know Blokey—we used to punch deck together before he sold out. A competent guy, really, would have been a great asset to Shadowland. But of course MCT, through SDS, oered him o hell ‘of a lot more money than Shadowland could, basically by ofering him money in the first place. Shadowland sysops like me get paid by the knowledge that we help scraflybleeders and sreet monsters like yourselves o stretch your miserable lives a couple of days longer. ‘That said, the Rea ifeidea isa good one for tourists, buts eso ‘worthwhile for less—shall we soy ofciak—visitors to his fine burg ‘There's something distinctive about Seotle, something that sels it ‘part from any other location on the continent or around the world Genuine differences exist between Seatie and los Angeles, or Allanta, o New York, o—gods be thanked-—Guébec City. And those differences can kill unwary runners . Differences in cusioms and laws from area tareaare becoming ‘more important asthe number of out-of sprawl runners increases. A noticeable number of sree ops have been flowing into the Eliot Bay ‘rea from elsewhere on ths fine, Fragged continent: somurai from Denver and Salt Loke City, riggers From CalFree, shamans from vorioustribal lands, and hermes from allover the green earth, Most ‘unusual is a recent influxoFdeckers from Pueblo; apparently the guys who run the Net down there have gotten a mite twitchy recently, and lois of shadow deckers came here seeking relief from the hea! wave. Inony cose, itstandsto reatonthatall hisnew tolent—and maybe some othe cid toler cs wellcould use a quick crash couse or refresher, «the case may be) on whats going down in Seale. | couldn’ think ‘of a better way to get the information across than to upload the most recent Real ifeonto the Shadowland bulletin boord system. Of course, Fe ecied out some hefy chunks of materia. What runner for wannabe) realy wantsto know about hehot new artgallery throwing wine-ond- cheese opening in Beaux Arts, or where io caich he laestin arty frtsy experimental rid? Lethe tourists read that dre. You wanna reat, go check cut the tourist copy of Real Lif; his one's go other priorities. ‘As with everything else on Shadowland, the text itself is read- only; you can't edit it or delete it, but if you really want to try, go to it: wee testing some realy hot, new black ice from Pueblo. Also as Lsval, there's enough free space in storage foro: many comments as ‘anyone wanis to add. And finally, as always, we take no responsi bility for the eccuracy of anything you berks put up here. ccc —Coptain Chaos, Northwest Neo-Anarchists’ League (18:14:19/1-7-53)METI] SeCunTY TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH ROOMS FOOD TOYS MATRIX CASH PLASTIC Pages oO (GUIDE TO REAL LIFE OoWH SiSTEM FECT] TRAVEL ARMS FASHION WEALTH ROOMS FOO TOYS MATRIX CASH CONSPIRACIES Page 10) Oo (GUIDE TO REAL LIFESYSTEM ETT] TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH ROOMS FOOD CT ee) Reprinted from Corporate Life, an in-house publication for employees of Mitsuhama Computer Technologies, January 2053 ecurity systems are a fact of corporate life. All corporation employees interact with, and are protected by, elaborate security precautions every day of their working lives. The high level of security provided by major employers such as MCT constitutes. one of the greatest benefits enjoyed by workers: confidence in their safety on the job. Interestingly, though they depend on this safety, many people find the very security precautions that guarantee it highly intrusive and irritating. Simple procedures such as wearing “smart ID” badges, using “slash” cards to open doors, cor passing through weapons detectors are looked upon as invasions of privacy, and are circumvented whenever possible. MCT senior management believes that a brief review of how contemporary security systems operate and the many components of which they consist may serve to demonstrate the need for these systems and encourage all employees to comply fully with all regulations. Describing the great lengths to which MCT goes to protect its employees can only increase the confidence that those employees rightly place in their employer. We hope that by illustrating how the different facets ofa security system interact, all employees will recognize that circumventing even the most apparently irrelevant precaution weakens the entire system. >>>>>[Oh, yes, MCT is sooo protective of its employees. Itso obviously cares for their individual welfare and their peace of mind... like drek. By protecting its employees, MCT protects valuable assets. It costs nuyen to replace a geeked employee, just like it costs nuyen to replace a damaged corporate car. Don’t make the mistake of assigning altruistic motives to MCT, or to any large corp. }<<<<< —Latch (10:43:54/5-8-53) o (GUIDE TO REAL LIFE joSYSTEM EET TT] TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH SECURITY SYSTEM OPTIONS ‘One of the most important decisions a company must make ‘when designing a security system Is whether to follow a centralized ‘ora decentralized paradigm. In essence, the distinction I as follows. Ina centralized paradigm, a single, central computer controls the entire system. All security subsystems—from door locks, ‘carcreaders, and retina scanners to alarms, gas dispensers, and gun ports—are designed as peripherals with minimal local “intel gence.” Sensors feed mostly unprocessed, raw data to the central ‘Computer, which makes decisions based on the data stream. The ‘same computer triggers and/or controls peripherals such as alarms and other active measures. The central computer makes all its decisions based on the information itreceives from the peripheral. >>>>31A quick oside: “octive measures” in the porograph cbove ‘soundsinnocvous, and “gun ports” doesn’tsound much more drastic, Don't be fooled, boys and girls. Gun ports ond similor “active ‘mecsures” can ruin the day ofthe most hardened razorboy. Check out my comments later on. Je>>>>1 usta quick note from the old Eo: elsewhere inthis volume lurks piece tiled Unidirectional Dataines th ells cl cbout he kind ‘of one-way communication ouched on above. Check it out <<< —Coptain Chaos (19:21:51/1-7-53) ‘The following example explains how the different types of security systems may workin practice. A corporate offcels protected by a centralized system connected to pressure sensors, maglocks, alarms, door actuators, and gas dispensers. When an Intruder enters the offce building and tiesto break into a restricted area, he or she ‘treads ona pressure sensor, which sends a dtl signal to the cent ‘computer. Because this may bean anomalous reading, the computer triggers only an intemal alert, not a full alert, and Increases the sensitivity ofother sensorsin the area. Secondslater, thelintruder tries 10 defeat a magiock. The maglock sends a “tamper” signal to the central. computer. Together with the pressure-sensor signal, the ‘computer has now received enough cues to trigger a fll alert. It sounds an audible alarm, closes all doors in the area, freezes all magiocks, and floods the area with gas. tis important to understand that the same central security computer will be monitoring, and ‘controling other peripherals throughout the bulding. oy ca ea Ina decentralized system, the pressure sensor connects to the 'maglock, the door actuators, an auclible alarm, and the gas sub- system, but not to a central computer. Though the same process takes place when the intruder trips the pressure sensor and then tampers with the magiock, the decisions are made entirely within the subsystem monitoring that area of the building. The overall result s the same: doors shut and lock, the alarm sounds, and the _gas Is released. Ifthe designers bullt a report structure Into the ‘system, the subsystem establishes a connection to a central moni- toring computer and reports an alarm condition. Note that only the subsystem can establish such a connection; the monitoring com- Puter cannot request a report. ‘A centralized paradigm offers many advantages. The ist lies in ‘costsavings. The central control computer must have significant process- Ing "horsepower, ” and thus willbe very expensive, but the Individual peripheral units are “dumb”—i.,, they havelitle or no local process- Ing power—and so cost much less. For example, a pressure sensor can consist ofa simple on-off switch with afew wires attached. Ease (oF control provides another major advantage. A single operative stationed atthe central computer can monitor and control the entre security system. Its also easy to upgrade or alter system responses by simply reprogramming the single central computer. And finally Centralized systems minimize the potential for false alarms. Because allsubsystems communicate continuously with the central computer, the central syste can compare data streams from multiple sensors and decide, using probabilities, fa given sensor Is faulty Decentralized systems, for obvious reasons, cost much more. Each peripheral or subsystem must contain processors capable of analyzing data and making decisions. Upgrading the system, or altering response options, requires reprogramming each proces: sor. Because these processors are not interconnected, reprogram: ‘ming becomes a time-consuming process. Also, a faut in a single sensor could theoretically trigger afull-ledged alarm response In an area not requiring such a response. ‘The major disadvantage ofa centralized security systems that the central computer represents a security risk. Because the central ‘computer controls the entire security system, he who controls the central computer controls the system. By penetrating that single computer, a decker gains absolute power over every security subsystem connected to It. This decker can open locks, silence alarms, deactivate sensors, and generally manipulate the whole system as he pleases, >>>>2Lchoo, tha'sme! Actual, is not os easy os thistle makes itsound. Security computers usually pack eal naslyice designed orn the day of any decker who tries fo langle wih it eexee Bit Basher (12:54:55/8-11-53) >>555[But that’s what mokes it fun Shane (01:47:01/8-17-53) Jecece centralized computer system can be further compromised if the computer controlling the system Is connected to the Matix or Uses bidirectional communication with any system connected to the Matrix. This kind of connection allows any decker with access to the Matrix to penetrate and disable the entire security system. REAL LEESO seconry CST A >>>>>[Sounds real dumb, doesntit? Who'd do something ike thet, youask? Los of people. Small companies frequently ry to shave costs by geting their central computer system to un everything: eccount ing, elecommunications, building maintenance, and security, avoid: ing the cost of buying a second oh-so-expensive computer js! fo run the maglocs. Bul what does tha! mean? It means thot the same compuler hooked into the LTG to take care of customer service provides Matrix ‘occess fo the security system...which meons that you or l ean come prancing down o dataline and have our nefarious way with thot ‘company’s security. Believer, jokers, plenty of companies out here handle things this way Jecce< Aotch (10:51:29/5-8-53) >>>>2LYeah, but onybody bush league enough tohandle things that way won't have enyihing worth taking Ik<<<< —Chipper (19:32:00/10-23-53) Isolating the centralized security computer from the Matrix and from all other computers within the corporation achieves a slightly enhanced level of security. The risk of decker penetration is still vey real, but is diminished considerably. is system forces the decker to physically penetrate the corporate ste before jacking. Thats, he or she has tomovehisorher precious meat body nt the facility, ind some formofelecronic access tothecentral computer and thenrape thehel outfit, Barbaric Je>>>2[Barboric maybe, but better hon nothing. With he right kind cot hardware, you can jack nto any sensor or actuator connected Yo the system, In other words, make « hardware connection between your deck ond the gus of a maglock, and you're in Jee>seelThiskind of poradigm—le's allt “isolated centralized’ —is ‘he most common setup in the spraw. Only the really big boys, with Jobs of nuyen to throw around, go the hil decentralized route for every system, Mos smaller corps save decentralized systoms only for the mostsensitve, restricted stu. whichis, unfortunatly, what most cof us wont Jeccee Neon (23:31:21/7-7-53) SENSORS AND DETECTORS ‘Thissection describes some ofthe most common sensors used Incorporate security systems. (In this context, "sensor" referstoany system that can detect and/or Identify intruders, or distinguish between authorized and unauthorized personnel.) Most of these ae in use somewhere on MCT property. Ident Systems An ident system requires a subject to offer proof of and then. Confirms his identity before allowing him to proceed into an area. Ident systems usually connect directly to maglocks or coor actua- tors, so that a door will open only for personnel authorized to pass through It Cea Anextensive array ofiferentident system technologies exists, some of them dating back to the middle of the previous century. Several ofthe more common systems are described below. Keypads Personnel must enter an identiication (ID) code that serves as ‘a password on a numeric or alphanumeric keypad. Anyone unable to provide a valid code may not pass. The ID code also logs the subject's Identity and the time he or she passed through that particular security point. >>2>2[Obviously, to beat this kind of system, just extract the ‘appropriate code from an authorized employee, ether by cunning or straight interrogation intimidation. A keypad box can't recognize the person punching in the code, and won't care as lng as the code is valid Jecece —Prip (13:13:39/8-8-53} >>>>>.. whichis why ony securily system worthy fthername backs Up the keypod with something es, lke video cameras, Je<<<< —Torrence (20:50:01/9-22-53) >>soo[lf you can't get valid code by hook oF by crook, stort iiagering the system. Theoretically, you can take the faceplate off the keypod and muck with its circuitry uni it lets you in. Unfortunately, many keypads now have ani-lampercircuiry tha riggers on alarm ifthe faceplate is removed, or are simply armored so you con't tke the faceplate off with anything less than an ani-tank weapon (which would lso trigger an alarm) Je>>>5[Agoin, the easiest thing dois geto valid card. Youjuststea the damn thing—but use it before someone misses itand reprograms the system, making the code on your new possession useless Je>>5>|t've runinto some real snake salesmenon he streets peddling boxes they claim will defeat cardreoders. They usvally give you a >>>o{Some devices will do the job, but they work on diferent principles. And, predibly, hey cosa tere: 10,000¥ ard uplleceee Luke (08:1 1:09/10-30-53) >>>>olYou slags know the easiest way to bust nto any system? Go have @ long, hard tol with the guys who programmed it. Any programmer worth his salt leaves some kind of back door into the system, some way he can get in to make repairs ifthe system goes down. Just get him to tell you how to find the back deor and how to open it Jeeece Barnes (13:03:10/7-9-53) >>>>2[Bomes has @ point, hough he makes i sound easier than i is For one thing, just racking down the programmer might be a big job. He may not even be cround io hep. Plenly ofurban folktales tolkobout major corps that get a drelchot pregrommer Yo whomp up a good security system, thon mindwipe him, puta thoughHlock on his memory, or just aan fine him. lhe programmer’ssillaround, heback door might notbe. Once itis system, bet your asses « corp wil send is deckers romping tnd stomping through the code fo close every back door they con find..or maybe just boobyirap them nine ways to Sunday. Bottomline is htrying takeout syst through theback door is noth end oF your problom—it'sofn jus the baginning Je>>zo[False fingerprints and fase palmprinls have been eround since the lost century, usually foking the form of thin, sometimes ‘monomolecular, plastic membranes covering the finger or palm ond bearing an allernote print pattern. People have improved the foch- ‘que, ofcourse, andl spoof bargain-basement print scanners. But the top-ofhe-lne scanners have secondary circuitry tht checks for ‘ouhhentcty using chemical sniffers, galvanic skin response meters, cond s0 on to make sure it realy is skin they're reading Jec>>>>[Thenome ofhattunesthal he printsconneris happiest when i's really reading he finger, thumb or palmitexpects. Ofcourse, the willing participation, or even presence, of he owner of cid extremity isa technicality, ityou got my drift }eecee Lain (21:13:40/10-5-53) >>>eoll get your drift, you butcher, but it might not help you. A sophisticated sconner will poss « low-vllage charge through the cexremily and measure the conductance—which varies wildly be- ‘ween @ severed thumb and a thumb attached to living body. twill probably check temperature and other things os well Jz<<<< —Pouley (00:45:19/10-24-53) >>>>2[Surgically implanted false retinal patterns can fool « retinal scan, but not reliably. And because possessing or implanting a false refinal paternisacopital rime nthe UCAS and mostother countries, lackofrelibiliy becomes an issue. you wont to poy the nuyen, you can get © modification more likely to fool the scanners, but it costs. ‘Alto, the more detailed the replication, the more invasive the work Think tice about his kind of thing Jeceee zz (14:33:44/10-27-53) >>>>2[Hey, con anybody out there enlighten me on one small point? | poid a litle visit tothe Goeotronics research filly up near Port ‘Gamble and saw something really weird. Refinal scanners and what looked like thumbprint scanners all over the frogging ploce..but ll ‘at knee or waist height. Whyf]ece>>>>[Yech, andifthe poor sop's got cold, ora frog in his throat, incall the Gestopo Jece>>>2[Urbon folktole. They licked that problem last century. Remem- ber, every voice hos secondary harmonics resonances, and other choracterisics that don’t get slated up when you get cold. Only serious trauma to the larynx, like a hard punch to the throat, can change the voice enough to screw up the system Jecce< —The Finn (19:28:58/6-30-53) >eoee[How do you crock this one? Make it worth an authorized perions while to speak he right code—ike, of him los of money, or the chance to continue breathing. Or you can record the guy's veice when he speaks the phrose, then play it back Jeece< Del (14:30:59/7-20-53) >>oee[Right on one, Del, wrong big time on the other. Most recording techniques add some kind of distortion to the sound, however slight, hat good voice recognition systems can detect. Yes, even digital recordings: ifthe sampling rote, or quantization rate, on the recording does not exacly match the sampling rate of the recogrition unt, you're blown, (And youcanbel hat major corps pay the ruyen forthe best.) nthe topicofiech and nuyen, how many people out there have paid the 95,000¥ fore voice modulator witha secondary pattern, or cone of those god-awdul Wiremaster internal voice-mask things, hoping to get pat voice systems? Well dream on, jokes, Unless you eyrealybignuyen, youwon'tfool any ofthe ood subsystems Jeceee —Buzz (14:39:40/10-23-53) >>>>o[Hey, woitalck: this Real Life drek is supposed to be a kind ‘of snopshot of what Seatle's thinking obout this week, righ? What oes it say obout Seats, that the lead article talks about security sptems, hmmé]cccee —Bung (14:16:08/10-5-53) >>>>>[Poronoid cy Jezeee —Broin Buffer (09:06:17/10-10-53) ROOMS Pr CS ee) a oe >2>22[Do you blame them? Look at the number of social deviants logging on here to post suggestions on how to crack security systems, including gems like “cut the quy’s thumb off.” Just because you're ‘paranoid doesn tmean everybody isn’toutto get you, cobber.Je>>>>[By the way, chummers, | hear some realy sophisticated recognition systems are us sirting to hit the streets hot incorporate sophisticated vocal stress analysis algorithms. (Reod “lie detec tors.I} sexe Fang Face (14:15:41/10-22-53) Door and Window Alarms The technology used in “perimeter” subsystems, such as those securing exterior doors and windows, has changed litte since the ‘middle ofthe 20th century. Under the principle of iitisn'tbroken, don't fx it,” the technology stays the same because It remains effective, (GUIDE TO REAL LIFESTEM FEST TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH Door Alarms The door alarm Is by far the simplest waming system in use today. Electrical contacts installed in the edge ofthe doorand in the door frame make contact when the door is shut, creating a closed electrical circuit. Opening the door so that the contacts no longer touch breaks the circuit and triggers an alarm. >>>>>[Surprisingly tough to get around this one. Bypassing the system involves a basic principle: just make sure thatthe ci remoins complete ond unbroken. Locks easy: ttochone end ofa wire tothe contact onthe door and the other end to the contact on the frame, then open the door. The wire maintains he closed circuit. The trick ofcourse, is going fo the contscs. When the door's closed, the contacts are pressed against each ether and usually protected by o ‘eto flange. Youmigh' ry digging ito the door and frame materia, but macroplast or cold-rolled stel makes thot dificult. Even if you reach the conlacs, the wire trick may not work. Really pornoid designers will have installed circuitry to detect the change in ress tance when the current uns trough the wire Je>>52[Frag opening the door—justgo throught. Or go through he wall nex! oi, fhe condiions ore right Jec2>2> [Forget the alarms onthe door Concentale on convincing the rest hte sysem thatthe person coming through he door is thorized Jee —Prip (20:11:08/12-5-53) ‘Window Alarms Windows that open use the same security technology as doors contacts on the windows and the ame complete an electrical circuit when the window Is closed. To prevent an intruder fom simply ‘smashing a glass window and gaining entry, most security system. ‘engineers apply a thin metalic fol strip around the periphery of the ‘window glass andrun asmallcurent hroughit. Breaking the window ‘haps the fll, breaking the circuit and triggering an alam, >2>>2[Useagloscuterio make oholeinthecerte of he window Jeccx< Chipper (08:18:41 /4-12-53) >>>>3[..But be real careful when you crac he gloss out ofthe hole you cut. The system engineers often build « dedicated-duty sound detector nt the window frame, which sounds an alarm in response to ‘he specie set of Fansiens ard harmonics ostocated wth cracking gloss Now, cll hisopplies only ifthe architect put glass in the window. Glossis geting rorer nd rarer. Various formsofpolymers,Iranspar- ent construction plastic, and so on seams fo be the way to go now. ‘Mos wil esstimpocs, even from a hammer or o bullet, and they/re ‘a.castiron bch cut. Some conduct eectriciy, lowing the socurily designers to pass alow current through the whole window. With those materials, if you do manage to cut a hole in he center of the pane, you've changed the moss—and thus the conducionce—o he plastic sheet. The current Ruetuates, and i's alarm cy Jeeece Slider (04:12:49/9-26-53) 5 i ic Cn) Cameras ‘Another tried and true, simple but effective security system is the closed-crcult video camera, stllin wide use. Scanning or Pxed- ‘view cameras watch sensitive areas, running the video feed back to display screens in a secured control post, where guards keep a constant watch for anything out ofthe ordinary. In recent years, expert system and primitive artificial intelligence (Al) software has given computers a limited capacity to “observe” the video feed themselves and “notice” unusual events or presences. In most cases, the limited decision-making capabilities of these systems do not allow them to make an autonomous response. Instead, the ‘computer alerts a(meta)human security guard tothe anomaly thas spotted, allowing her or him to decide how to proceed. >>>s>{I\ve seen some aulonemaus decision-making from fst com: puter systems hat would eur your hair. On a conservative estimate, Vd say we've go three to five years before all those fatdumb-and- happy security guards siting at banks of monitors move over for computer systems that never fllasleep, never goto the can, never go ‘out for donuts, ond never miss anything. Scary. <<< —Fostlack (18:28:11 /2-27-53) >>>>>{Untl hen, foling «camera system actually just comes down to fooling the guy who's watching the screen, thank god. Jec>>>5[Cameras ore easy to handle. Just turn out the lights. Simple. Jecece Mack (19:06:08/3-15-53) ‘>>>e[You're simple, Mack. Dontcha think the security guards will notice ,anditoke sep fhe lights “coincidentally” gooutina sensitive oreaPlecece —Chrome Cat (18:20:36/3-17-53) >>>>>[Just lake the time to orrange things s0 the guards think ‘everything's kosher. Make the lighs-out part of, say, an authorized repair crew testing the circuits eecee —Chipper (08:38:45 /4-12-53) >>>>>[Most comera systems these days use low-light to see just as wel in IR os visible light. Makes the whole argument academic, nehé]eccce —Slider (04:20:58/9-26-53) >>>>>[You wan! the eases solution, callin your friendly neighbor- hood decker. Get him to crash int the contol system and frag ito feed a fate signal tothe monitor. I doesn't matter what he camera ses; only what shows up on the guards monitor mates. Set up a loop a minute or 0 long of he data stream the camera was sending when the hallway (or whatever) was clear. Then no matter what hoppens in front of the camera, the monitor shows empty hall way Jecece —Prip (20:13:52/12-5-53)Oe secoary Sa Lasers Corporate facilities often use lasers to secure sensitive areas during non-working hours. Contrary to what often appears on the tdeo, these lasers never produce a concentrated enough beam to Inflct damage on an intruder. They simply function as sensitive Intrusion-detection devices. In most systems, hal-sllvered mirors spitthe beam from a single laser emitterintomultiple paths. Anarray ‘ofsmall mirors reflects these beams many times so that the beams ‘ssross the restricted area. The path ofeach beam ends inan optical detector. fan intruder passing through the area breaks the beam, the detector senses the interruption and triggers an alarm. Though some corporate environments stil use visibleight lasers, most security systerns now use Infrared lasers that emit beams invisible fo (metalhuman eyes. >>>>>IVisible ight lasers arejustos toughtospotasiRlaersifthe ais, free of dustand oher gunk. In lear cir, you simply ca'tsee the beam | know some of you smug-as-drek jokers out there dismiss the donger of IR lasers while thinking lovingly about your IR-sensitve cybereyes or goggles. Well, don't get complacent. In a dustfree ewironment there’ srothing lo scatter the light, ether, soeven your chippedtup optics won't see the beam unil you pul your eye right in the light path. And tho, of course, sounds the olarm, Jeex<< Buzz (15:00:19/10-23-53) >>>9>{50 produce your own dust. Smoke works okay, but aerosols work beter. Even hairspray does the job Jee<<< Chrome Cat (12:03:46/11-10-53) >>>>>[In some cases, yes. Butifthe system designe ried to cover al the angles, he or she will have set the optical detector sensitivity so high thot itl detect even the tiny decrease in bear intensity coused by your smoke or aeroal spray. not kidding. almost got burned by ays like this once Jeceee Buzz (05:12:18/11-14-53) >>>22[Evenfyou can somehow detec! the beoms, seeing them might nothelp you. Any helfway competent designer splits ond bounces the beam until i forms an interlocking meshwork of lasers acrobaticolly, impossible for anyone to snake his way through Je<>p2{Ive hod the unique honor of seeing © guy called Wraith work «loser secu sytem. On two seporale occasions | saw him defeat infor losers, the fist ime re-dverting the beom paths wit his own carrey of mirrors and he second using a ber optic light pipe literally bandithe beam out of he way. He was sheer pocry in motion Je<>>>>[You use the past lense, Lang. Does thot mean what think it mmeansilecece Biz (23:25:11/12-15-53) >>o>oll describe Wreith’s death rom o run-in with monowire sung ‘eros « doorway further on inthis file. A nasty way to die Je>>>2{You know, Wreith go rogging lucky on the two occasions you described, Lang. In a good laser system, the drop in beam intensity caused by changing the beam path with mirrors or running it through o ight pipe would trigger the alarm jecece —Burz (00:36:01/12-23-53) >>22[Wraith wasn't lucky, he was good. In the firs case, his calculations included adjustments to keep the lengthofthe beam path unchanged. In he second, he had reseorched the system and knew the subsystem dida’t include an intensity trigger. Wraith left nothing to luck Jecece Lang (20:13:30/12-27-53) >>>>0[Do | detect o touch of hero-worsip, langflec<<< —Bung (12:13:31/12-29-53) >>>>>llFs0 is understondable. Lang is Wraith’s younger brther, so back off Jeceee —Fastack (00:30:30/1-2-53) >>>2>|Predicably for an MCT house organ, his piace conceals on Unpleasant foc. Some laser systems pack enough joules o inc very serious eamage on anintruder.Ahigh-enough yield laser willbe coser to detect because it partalyionizes the cir, something for you runners to look out for. Lethal systems, like several in use at MCT, operate on o two-step process. Normally, the laser emiter produces low-energy rored beam as discussed obove. But when the beam is broken, insead of sounding an alarm—or as wel as sounding an olor —the cemiter pumps outa short pulse of high amplitude laserligh. fm olking VERY high power here. The lasers attached fo a couple of massive copacitors that have been charging for hours.) The response takes ‘microseconds, and so he part ofthe intruder’s cnatomy that broke the lowinonsty IR beam gels blasted off with on energy pulse more powerul han o shot rom a miltary-grode laser weapon Jecece Roger (11:11:41/1-4-53) Pressure Detectors Despite its ultimate simplicity, a pressure detector installed beneath carpet or other flooring may be one of the most effective Intrusion detection systems available. Though virtually unlimited in size, costissues usually restrict pressure pads toless than 15 square meters. Because they operate on a passive principle, and often Consist solely of non-metallic components (for example, conduc- tive polymer-resin), they are dificult to detect. Pressure detectors ‘make an ideal complement to biological security (guard animals) because the detectors can be calibrated to Ignore objects of the animal's weight. >>>5>{That15-square-metorlimitisa'tmuch ofa limitation when you ‘90rightdownto’t. The overage corridor measures two meters or less ‘across, and so a wall-to-wall pod con be 7.5 meters long, or almost 25 feel. Assuming the designer hos set things up righ, any touch on the pod sets of an larm. That means you've golte clear the pad. Can you longriump 25 feet? Silenly Carrying the kind of gear most runners pock?}ece>5>>[That question is academic i you don’tknow the pad's here, wouldn't you soy@lecece —Paip (22:11:15/5-10-53) >>>>>[Any company tha claims o calibrate the pod to ignore guard doggies is ust rying to mislead the publi. Depending on whether i's strolling or sprinting, a cyber-equipped attock rotweilr will apply vory diferent pressure to @ pad. In general, if 0 company uset biologicals, they won't use pressure detectors Je>>>2[Nole the comment abou! the system detecting the “nabvral swaying ofc building in ahigh wind.” How much does your standard Ferroconcrete-and:-construction-composite skyraker sway when o aust of wind hits if Not fragging much, is he answer. ‘Nuff said on how sensitive these things get Jece>>oo{The only wey fo defeat hese sensor is to move real slow and real quiet, and hope the detector thnks you're @ natural air current or clow-Fying SSTorsomehing.Incther words, good rogging uk! eeo>eo[Remember, you're not trying 10 fool the detector in tis situation: i will “hear” you no matter what you do. You want te fool the analysis software that decides whether a waveform isa breeze or «© bogie. As any decker can tell you, waveform analysis software ranges ineffectiveness from useless to olmost omniscient e>>2>IIve heard rumors of portable rigs that produce vibrations ‘exadly cutof phase with any sounds a person makes, canceling those sounds out and making him completely and uterl silent, essentially “invisible” Like | said. though, I've only heard about these things. ve never seen one, and I've never flked to anyone who's seen one. Con ‘anybody out here enlighten me? Do these things actual exsf]cece< —Hope (12:39:44/10-12-53) >>>22[Dream on, Hope. Theoretically, i's feasble—justbut the proctcaltis make itimpossble. For one thing te cancel outa sound, youneed to know the exact distance and bearing rom the source ofthe sound (like your foot scuffing the Root the detector. Unlikely you'd have tht information. And the rele processing requirements ore justrude. You'd need an MSX-Crey supercomputer todo the number crunching, and those huge things don't fit in a bockpack Je<<< Me, Miracle [22:42:50/12-21-53) >>>>9[A nasty variation on this theme isthe heartbeat detector, on Ulro-sensitive mierophone attached to a spectrum analyzer specif- cally designed to detect he sound of« beoting heart. The setup costs «@ bundle, running in the 20K¥ range, Id say, but ifs almost impossible to defeat. Because the sound of your pulse is conducted every part of your body, you can't possibly mask it. you come up ‘ogainst something like this, you're almost certainly hosed Je>>>>[Air pressure detectors are anther bear. They're usually set Uupinaroom so that opening the door—even going through the door ‘or the wall—changes he ambient pressure ofthe room and triggers ‘on alarm. | thought of one, complex way to get around this system: setup an “irlock’ around he door, maybe using some kind of light, flexible plastic sheeting. Step into the airlock, and pressurize it (or depressurize il) o match the pressure on the oer side ofthe door. ‘The pressure difference will probably only be measurable in hun- dredihs of kilopascols(kPo}, or thousandihs of a pound per square inch (psi. (Measuring he cir pressure on the other side ofthe door with sufcientaccuracyisthe rub...] Anyway, once the wo pressures equalize, you should be able to open the door without setting off an alarm. OF course, you've sill gotto sneak across said room without creating any air current | krow, know, too complex, too many things to go wrong. But | really can't hink of any better way to defeat this one Jeceee —Siright Gain (15.51:08/12-22-53)SYSTEM FEET] TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH >eozolYou mundones would moke me laugh if you weren't so pathetic. You always look for the technological answer fo every problem. Vibration detectors? Heartbeat detectors? simple spel of silence is oll it fokes Jeeeoe[Um, yeoh...}eece< Shrimp (23:52:41 /12-24-53) ACTIVE RESPONSE MEASURES ‘The subsystems discussed above represent a few examples of the technology available to detect intruders. Detection is only part of the security equation, however. Once detected, intruders must be ‘contained or neutralized, the task of active response subsystems. ‘The simplest active response measures are alarms: audible, Visible, silent, localized, or general, the type used determined by the circumstances. Depending on whether it seems expedient to Inform the intruders that they have been detected—which know!- ledge alone sometimes prompt the intruders to leave oftheir own accord-—alarms range from the flashing lights and walling sirens familar to tideo and simsense aficionados to a simple neural cue given to a single guard jacked into the security desk. Containment Responses ‘Tne mast common response to an alam I to channel, immob- lze, of otherwise constrain intruders. One popular containment method resets or reezes all maglocks inthe affected area. The reset ‘or frozen locks can be opened using a specific code or a card possessed only by security personnel. Thus. Insuders who pen ‘tated the ality using a stolen or copied car cannoteave the area tang tbe same card. na ceitaized secu system, hela response may shut dove allocks in the area requiinga specific action order Issued bythe central monitoring computer to open each lock High security installations often use mechanical doors to seal and compartmentalze the area in which an ala sounded. Though horizontal siding doors actuated by servo motors remain the most common cholce, maximum-securly systems use vertical sing ‘doors. Designed to withstand any assault rom Inside or out. single doors usually constructed of hal: meter-tickslab ofhomogenous steel, weighing approximately 20,000 kilograms (22 imperial tons) thats underits own weight upon the release of restraining latch. ‘Theresuling baer proves almost impregnable, because the doors too thick to cut through quickly, and too heavy to lit. The system ‘cannot be craumvented, asthe motor used to winch the door back Intoits “ready” postion requitesa special security Ientifation code tostartup, Vertical sing doors usualy closelfelectical powers cut >esolThese vertical doors realy areas ough as they re advertised. ‘Achummer of mine says they use this system inthe Renroku orcology {0 protec portcuory soni areas. | reckon your standard cuting torch woul take maybe an hour or 50 te penetrate half a meter of sfeol—ond thos to dil a hole the diometer of your torch fame (or laser beam, if you've got power packs beely enough tokeepo laser buming for on hour), not cut hole big enough fo be wil ecece —Prip(16:29:22/4-10-53) 10M oOo MATRIX CASH CONSPIRACIES Pe ‘Neutrallzation Responses The security industry has developed several methods of new: talzing intruders once detected and constrained. The simplest method floods the area in question with one of several avallable knockout gases, of which Neuro-stun VIlLIs the most effective. >>>>>[Prelly predictable that ths rag pushes Nerostun, since MCT holds the manufoctring license for itindirely, of course. Also predictably, they gloss over the fact hat a lotofcorps use nastier sult than krockout gos. The way | understand it, « couple of corps in the plex use Green Ring 3, and some even spray Seven-7—both gases developed for use in war and offering unsurpassed lethality (ond immense ilegliy, as iit mates). You were warmed Jece>22[Tell me about gun ports, you say. Okey, reply, but dont say I dide't warm you. A gun port consists of a box built into a wall or the ceiling contoiring nothing but the mechanism ofa very nasty ouohire ‘weapon, olitle serve motor, and a whole lotofbel-fed ammo. When something or someone riggers the alorm, the box pops open and the ‘gun hoses down the area unlit runsoutofammo, Nothing korcy about ihis system: no aiming, no sensors The servo plays he gun around to “suppress the area” Ive seen gun ports built oround od-syfe M16 cssoult rifles, more modem essaul rifles, and—for those who care enough fo send the very best—fragging Vindicator miniguns. Ammo lood usually numbers inthe hundreds of rounds..just to be sure. How do you defeat a gun port? Don't rigger it. That's it. Once you trigger it, you're meat, unless you're goad at dedging minigun fire. Naturally, the corps setup these things in areas lacking viable cover. Sometimes the designer istll more than one in order to set up crossfire Jeeece —Blacque Jacque (03:16:52/11-11-53) >>>>[Rumor hos i het some outfits are experimenting with “ine: ligent” gun ports. The security boys hook the guns up to seniors (comeras, IR detectors, motion detectors, and so on) and c computer ‘wih patter recogeition capabilites. When intruders trigger on clam, the gun pops out, but targets ond fires only t those things the computer recognizes as.n intruder. These experimental systems cos! plenty. Fore systemused okilintruders, a standacd “dumb” gun port is much cheaper, s0 we con assume that he people playing around with the intligent models wll equip them with Nareojeet weapons. | don’t know from experience, but d guess the “smart” ones are casiartobeat. Simply blind the sensors if you can find ther), and he thing's useless. You night oso be able o fool he patternrecoprition ‘processor. To repeat an earlier comment: you don't need fo fool he sensors, you need to fool the software. <<<<. —The Hammer (16:58:20/12-29-53) ees Il (GE TO REAL LIFE jaSe secuary RCT Me ‘CONCLUSION Even the minimal information provided by this overview reveals the extent and complexity of corporate security. The systems themselves are complex, interconnected mazes of pitfalls and traps set for the unwary and unauthorized, unmapped teritory that should make obvious the need for all employees to comply with security regulations for their own safety and the safety oftheir families and coworkers. Individuals interested in pursuing the topic further may contact the corporate library. >>>>>{MCT naturally chooses not to discuss he more experimental nasties curently in development, heist of which includes EMP units designed o hit an area wit a strong enough electromagnetic pulse to really frog with electronics... including things ke he motor actuo- tors ofeyberware and the physical ntrfoce between headwore and your nerous system. EMP tokes «hell of alt of power, 20 i very expensive Buti also works damned well ee<<< —Knightshode (07:15:13/3-16-53) >>>>>{[Companies interested in non-lethal takedowns are geting creative. Buzz on the street says Aztechnology hos installed “dart bombs" in some corridors. Something like low-power frog grenades, dort bombs spraylow-velciy, echetelike darts tipped withNorcoject instead of shrepnel. Impact armor blocks the darts, but ifyou're close to the bomb when it goes off, youll look like @ pineushion and probably take one or more darts in any pach of exposed skin ‘An even wilder rumor about some weird layered defenses come imy way recently. Staring with dart bombs to take out unarmored intruders, thesedefenses follow the daris wth contact sleep gostotoke ‘ut people without chemsuts, then add radiant heat o make is hot that anybody who doesn't oke off is chemsuit and armor keels over from heot prostration. Another round of dart bombs ond sleepy gas Finishes off skagglers Jee>>>2[Seems like a lot of rouble and expense. Why don't hey just Use real frag grenades and get it over with?}cc<<<. Tex (11:18:58/4-1-53) >>>>>[Dead men tell no tales, but live ones can be downright talkative. (read thot somewhere) As ¢ point of foc, « lve prisoner con always be made dead, but the reverse poses 0 few prob- lems Jeceee Doc (17:59:23/4-4-53} >>>221Some corporations use monowire o protect sensitive orens ‘They sireich one or more strands ofthe suf across a doorway or hall, ‘ond anybody who walks into the wire gels sliced apart. A colleague ‘of mine died ths way when he walked right into a monawire stand ‘ot knee-height. It sliced both hs legs off. He died quickly, but not pleosonty Jecece Aang (10:22:19/6-23-53} >>>>>[Verynasly. Even under perfect lighing conditions, monowire is damn near invisible. Je>>eo[And here's another charming thought You know that every crystal has @ characterise resonant frequency, right® And thot high-ampliude sound at that frequency wll shatter the crystal? (Like an opera singer shattering glass with her screech) ‘You alo know that optical chips, both memory and processor, ‘ore bosed on crystals, jst like laser sights and los of ether wizzer tech, ond that everybody ond their dog buys crystals to use in their cow product from the few crystal manufacturers inthe world. And, Finally, each manufacturer generally makes only @ dozen or 50 different crystals ‘Can you see where I'm leading? (! can hear the “uh-ohs.”) igure that oll he tech you own has fewer than 100 different formulations and sizes of eyo. Each ofthose crystals has a diferent resonant Frequency at which twillshater. Tha! means secutty system con flood an area with high-omplisde sound, cycling through only >>>>[Doesn't even beor thinking obout Jee>>>>|Somebody soidit earlier, bul going io sayitagain, Why fool ‘eround with al histech ash? Send in ammage ora shaman Invisibility ‘and silence spells defect cameras, lasers, and sound/air pressure deteciors. Levitation takesthemage over any pressure padsonthe oor. Use telekineic skis where appropriate. lay control thoughts and influence splls on any guards who happen to wander past In some situations, the mage need not even enter the area physically. Travel astray, and no electronic detector in the world will sense your presence. Simple, )xc<<< —Gandalf il (10:41:10/10-28-53) >>>>olYou're the ony simple thing here, Gondolf.f you have enough magical talento do what you describe, you can aso assume that your ‘opponents—the people protecting the area you want io penetre— haveos much olen! or more. As many waysexs fo block an inruding mage os ways for the mage to frag with he securiy ystems—maybe more. Just of he top of my head I can give you a good lis of Unpleasaniness to expect. Mogical barriers, for one—madicne lodge ‘orhermeticcirl. Or dual natured watch-eriersthot lok onthe ostal presence ofan intruding mage as the magical equivalent of meals on ‘wheels. Or how about bound spirits or elementals, or wards, or the biggie—potrolling mages or shamans. Geting he picure yet? (Okay, 'm throwing this open for discussion. If you have any experience with asia or magical securiy, and how to defeat it log con and sound off Je>>polYou hit the mojor points in your list, Trevor, but you forgot wotchers. Waicher spirits are much easier to summon and bind than clementals or ulrblown spirits, and they do c heck ofa job as magical watchdogs. Goeatronics uses typical setup. The nuke plan’ «big, spravding ploce, and covering the whole thing with guardian spiisSvSTEM EE TTR] TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH ‘would exhaust eo many shamans. Instead, they simply summon ond, bind ne or wo real tough spirits, and set them fo potrolaceniral area. Thenthey call ypadrekloodoflow-valoge watcher. The wotchers look ‘xf inking asl presences. As soon os they spot something, they go hich the spirits, Once the cavalry comes over the hil he watchers sc20t off notify the mundane security people fo come and dean up, the mess. fledive, ond much more cost effective than binding enough powerful spr fo patrol the whole foci Jece>p25llnTirTairngire the big hing is dual watch-beo: charmers like sirens ec<<< Sol (11:20:45/11-12-53) sts, partculrly >e>pellicTaimgire. Gawd, what a weird frogging ploce. They've {01 frogging fredrokes down there, man, firedrakes os ragging vord animals. eccee —Bornaby Rudge (19:11:24/11-13-53) >>>2>Lolsofcorp focilites inthe outlying areasof the sprawluse hell hounds. know for a fot that he MCT depot north ofthe plex where they mothbolled those old Firds uses them. And I hear Yamotetsu's Integrated System Products Faciliy down in Fort Lewis has o couple patroling the grounds ot night. ve said it before ondI'llsayitegain; troinedhell hounds maketheideal guard nim Being dual natured, ‘heyconhithe spel worms coming in astraly cn still rye samurai ‘aming in over the fence. Jece<< Mors (14:18:11/11-15-53) >>orollayered defense is a big thing for ostrl security 0s well os, physical. Mot corps start off wth wards on the deors and windows Yo separate the pros from the wannabes. Then they add a couple of tell hounds o ether dual watch-riters, followed by another couple cf words, then maybe some watchers. The watchers usually have instructions to callin ober security forces, for example, an elemental ‘or two accompanied by mundane see-quords to take care of the inuding moge's samurai back vp. Or they might stro scrag the intruders themselves. This is he varsity: bigrtime elemental or spirit ‘action, pus he possibily of combat mages. Sure, astral defense doesn’t come cheap. But the megocorps conser it ust another cost of doing business Jece< Maurice (23:26:10/11-29-53) >>>>>[I now theyre necessary, but | hate bringing mages along on run. They scare me.le<<<< —Block Flag (00:27:01/11-30-53) >>>solMagophobie,Blacky@}ceese{No, you dat | almost got cooked when our mage detonated Honing a mage along i ike packing sweating dynamite Je<<<< Black Flog (23:28:11/12-9-53) ep>[222 Tel us the story. Jecece Keefe (11:36:29/12-10-53) ROOMS FooD Sale >>>2>[We were in the tribal lands, you don't have to know where, smoking arunone research facility. While he restofushunkered down Cutside the fence keeping « lookout, our mage went aialo scope out the place. He checked out of is body, ond everthing looked normal ‘Then, with no warning, the mage's body ust seemed o explode. sow fre evorywhere, and the next thing know Tm waking up in hospital bed. The mage is dead, of course, and two of my buddies bought the form too. Me, I'm medium rare, bu sil alive. ‘Aterward, | ried to reconsruct events and this is how I think it shook out. The asiral mage, drifing through the foilty, runs into something too ough for him. Maybe they duke it out a bit, maybe he calchesitonthefirst exchange. Anyway, somebody or something toms ‘fireball or some other bad spel into our mage’ astral body, and the spel “grounds” into the moge' physicalbody. While we squat crourd, ‘waiting or him to come back and report, the uy smeot body suddenly becomes ground 2ero fora fireball. Next ime icke a moge long, I'm going fo lock him in a fragging blast proof box Je<>>>>{Black Flag raises a valid point. Going nt a stvation asrlly represents o certain risk to those quording your body. An “astral sniper” can easily pute spel ino your astral body and cook the rest cof the teom, as happened to Black Flog, But fora mage, going in physically in on effort ott alert osral quardians also represents a risk. Mos! moges, whether hermetic or shomanic, cary fetishes or foci, which aso have on astral presence. Theoretcolly, thot some astral sniper could pump a fireball into the astral presence of @ power focus, and that focus becomes the epicenter of he spel inthe real word Dishrbing? Yes. Bu nebody promised life wouldbe easy Jece>>>5[Some people out there still seem totally mystified by any transportation technology more advanced than a power skateboard. This article on suborbitals and semiballistics should reach even them. Enjoy.}<<<<< —Captain Chaos (19:10:51/1-7-53) THE PLANES Three types of fast passenger planes fly in our skies today: semiballistics, suborbitals, and high speed civil transports (HSCTs) SEMIBALLISTICS ‘Semiballistics take their name from the way they use rocket boost and the earth's atmosphere to fly. They travel the same path a stone would travel ifthrown into the sky at the same speed and angle as the airliner. Semiballistics have wings, but use them to maneuver only during reentry and landing. At the midpoint of its fight, a semiballistic plane is too high up for the existing atmosphere to lift the wings. A semiballistic plane takes off like a normal plane, but uses only some of its engines for liftoff. As soon as it clears the ground and moves a regulation distance from thecity, itangles its nose until the plane is standing almost on its tail, then fires high-power engines to throw itself out almost to earth orbit. As it flies upward. e 23SYSTEM SECURITY CTTW) ARMS FASHION HEALTH ‘gravity pullsonitand slows it down. When the force of gravity drags Ito a stop, the plane begins to fall back toward the Earth "Naturally the plane does not las stralght up. fit, It would come down almost where It took off. It moves forward as well, ‘racing out acurve called a parabola, While the plane sin fight, the ‘earth continues to tum beneath It, which makes planning and navigating a semiballstc ight very complicated. >>p2ollntrstingly enough, semibelliscs (SB) uso fight profiles ilar to the old ICBMs he superpowers threatened each other with not s0 very long ago. | quess he SB developers benefited from al the research done on ballsc mises, racking, and s0 on Jecece Cooper (13:28:27/2-11-53) ‘Once the semiballistic returns to the atmosphere, it uses its Wings to slow down and enters the landing, or “terminal guidance phase,” ofits fight. Semiballistics land much faster than any other kind of plane in the history of fight. When a semiballstic plane ‘comes in over the end of the runway, called the “threshold,” Its traveling at about 300 kilometers per hour! A semiballistic uses up nearly all Its fuel to boost itself above the atmosphere. When it lands, it has almost no fuel ef. >>>>>{This brings up @ very intresting point: an SB gets one try at londing.Itcan'tbe stacked up in a halding pattern; either lands or it eroshes, and there's simply no oer option. Think about that the ‘next ime you ride the old semibalstc “missile.” Ifa private puddle- jumpers siting on the runway the mises scheduled to use, the wo plones will mege.Ie<<<< —Flyboy (07:14:41 /3-10-53) TRANSCONTINENTAL PATHS ‘Suborbital FOO TOYS MATRIX Sa) >>>>5[I've heard that ifhermetics or shamans leave he atmosphere they die or go mad. I'm a mage ond I'm planning o rip to Tokyo. Should | ride the SBe}ecece —Wirkid (13:28:49/3-29-53) >>>>2[I wouldn't recommend it, Wiz. The aitines just laugh off the concept of any tisk, and I've never heard of ony case where fered, but then ogain I've never known a mage fo ride the missle, Maybe they're parancid, or maybe they know something I don't. But 'd advise the suborbital Jec>>21A couple of mages did buy the form aboard $B “missile” shots, butthe airlines, predictably, buried he stories. However, many rmoges have ridden the missile sofely. Make of that what you will Jeceee Russel (13:52:59/4-10-53) >>>5>[How about checking with on expert, ché—t'm glad you csked. Mogicians, thas mages ond shamans both, and | assume rystcs of other disciplines, only face danger if they connect with «sal space in any mannerwhen beyond he Earths ckmosphere. I've gone up and come down a few times with no problems. Yes, some magicians have in fet died or gone mad on an $8 rp, butt the best cof my knowledge all attempted some kind of magic or astral percepton/projecion. They paid th price. ‘And by the way, don't carry any active magic items on an $8 fight. You may find them drained of energy around the midpoint of the tip] Sharpe (09:11:41/413-53) Semiballisticove SST >25>21Soy, that reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask: ‘what happens when an astray projecting magician travels so high heor she starts toleovehe ctmosphere?I'weheard the astral slfcan‘t leave the planet. What's the beai?}<<<<« New Snoop (21:12:31/4-23-53) >5>00{I know of no one who hos successfully “left the plone” via astral space. | ried it once. As | rose above the living earth, et he axial plone grow decidedly colder, but | know astral space has no heat: What wos i | felt, then? As I climbed higher, raveling ot the speed of thought, my mind began fo speak of frible things. Above ime | saw 0 great darkness, and all my fears combined descended pen me. could nat go on. As | llowed myself ofall looked upon the dorkness, and init hough | sow movement But | con't be sure, | believe | may have gone temporarily isonet don't know. | am not a scientist. But | wll not repeat the experiment Jece>>>2150$0s canstackupinholding paters, and canmakea second tif hey have fo wee ofan approach. hfe, SO pil practice touch- cond-go landings out inthe Yakime tribal lands: they come in on final copproach and touch the wheels down, then pour onthe power, pull bock onthe sick, ond cimb out to rit all over again Jecece Flyby (07:19:15/3-10-53) >>>5>[Tedoy’ssuborbitals originated in research done by he US.A. (when that still meant something] and Germany (ito). The Americans called their projec the Orient Express, and the Germons named theirs the Saenger Jeccee Clon (05:02:53/3-14-53) >>5>2Lstfr he record, magicians fae ne danger atl ram suborbital Aight; the circraftdon'tclimb high enough oreacha danger zone. The cirine,though, might stil tke excopon to ony magical ocviy..Jecece —Shorpe (08:47:31 /4-24-53) a (GUIDE TO REAL LIFE osecuny UIC ARMS FASHION HEALTH >>>32{"Suborbitl”iskind ofa misnomer. An SO can actually make the lift to low-earth orbit, and they serve as he vehicle of choice for corporations transferring goods and personnel to and from the hobitats ond colonies “up there."e<<>>>0[An SO can moke the lift out ofthe atmosphere, but only by ong some prety-fragging heavy-duty strap-on boosters and fuel tanks eccee —Flyboy (10:28:10/4-26-53) >>>>ells there much traffic to the colonies and hebitats from SeoTactccece —Outof Towner (05:30:11 /4-29-53) >>>22[No regular service rom SeaTc, though fairly regular service runs out of Kennedy International (formerly JFK), C’Hare, and Dallas/Fort Worth, Somewhat eqular rfl lifts of rom Sky Harbor in Phoonix.Rarelifi from SeaTac consist mainly occasional spacial Fights on corp-owned SOs, aimed ct moving people fo ond from Zurich- Orbital, oF occasionally another ofthe habitats Jeccee —Bloine (15:33:47/5-1-53) >>>22[Couple years back, one of Aziechnology’s experimental hhabitats—the one they call “the Spindle” —had major problems, and thabigA neededo relocate theirpeople groundsidein abig rogging hurry SeaToe handled three ifs in twelve hours, more thon they svally handle in a month Jeecee —Weverly (19:44:57/5-2-53) ‘>>>>>II need fo make olf to Zurch- Orbital fora run, How can | do iRJxcee< Sly (03:36:41 /6-28-53) >>>>>[Quick answer: you con't. No passenger service exists, so you can't just buy a ticket. Best bet, get @ corp to certify you as on cuthorized passenger. But moke sure the authorizations absolutely dotatight—no simple foked poss will get you past SO securily. And don'teven think about towing away; weigh foraliftis accounted for down tothe gram. You could try bribing an officer, but there's no guarantee he'd say-bribed, ond you might end vp breathing vocuum outside airlock. i's tough gig, Sly. youmakeit let me knowhow you did it. ll make « heckuva good story Jeeeze Sten (11:25:57/6-28-53) HSCTs ‘The high speed civil transport developedasa result ofresearch carried out by the United States of America atthe end ofthe last century. A long, slender, and beautiful design based on the fist supersonic passenger plane, the Concorde, the HSCT soften called “the son of Concorde.” The HSCT fle lke a standard plane, rarely climbing, above 60,000 feet, or 18 kilometers. Powered by eight ‘multi-phase, multi-mode engines that operate as turbofans on takeoff and landing, the engines switch to turbojet operation for high cruising speed, LL a ee) >>>>oIThe list HSCT prototype flew in 2006, ond heist production ‘models entered service about sx years later. The HSCTs we seein the skies of Seatle today are the same Frogging planes. These hings re ld enough fo vote, and practically old enough fo refre on social security [think i's criminal how litle importance the major corps place on (metalhuman life Jecee< Mod as Blazes (13:12:12/5-8-53) >>>2>{The HSCT fying loday con be considered “the same planes" that ist entered service only because they cary the some ti-number designations. In fot, every component of every ship has been replaced rmanyfimes ove. Ihink Madas Blazes vosly overstate he case Jeecee —Wing-Wiper (16:14:25/5-9-53) >>>>>[Tive confession time. Ihoppen to know the so-disant “Wing Wiper’ is acially Mary Weldrup, parttime PR flack for Trans Globol Aitines. Now, old Mary elshe rth when she claims thatthe components of those planes undergo regular replacement. But this vpgrade schedule includes only those components that can be replaced, thus excluding the main airframe, which in some ships now shows pronounced cracking. Right Many® Comeclean,now...eceoeo[Which means thot the HSCT carriers operate at a loss. ‘According to some figures | dug up, the operating cost for an HSCT is about. per passenger kiomeer. An HSCT carries 300 passon- gers. On a two thirds-fll fight, hot’s 200 passengers, each payingee ve BCL PS oa aC 2,000¥, foro total of 400,000¥. We'll say the Seotle-Tokyo rip is 14,000 Kicks for @ nice round number, or 4.2 million passenger llometers. At.1¥ per passenger Kick, itcosts420,000# to make the hop, but they're bringing in only 400,000¥ Jcc<<< ‘havin (11:57:39/4-12-53) >>>>>{Yeoh, well hey more than make it ck on the SO and SB fighs, lat me tll you. A suborbital costs about .5¥ per passenger Kilometer, and © semibollistic costs even less. At a ticket price of 2,500¥ For Seattle to Tokyo, the corriers just roke eee. —The Keynesion Kid (00:11:59/2-28-53) YOUR PILOT AND CREW Even today, most people still consider an airline pilot's job fun and glamorous. That may have been true In the past, when pilots actually controlled the plane and the fate ofthe passengers. Today's pilots wear vehicle control rigs, no longer fying the planes using pliyscal controls but “jacking In” to the planes’ computerized systems. Most suborbitals, semiballisties, and HSCTs carry a plot and copilot, only one of whom is jacked in at any time. Ifnecessary the plane's computerized autopilot can also take complete contro} ofthe plane and bring It n for a safe landing, Flight attendants care for the passengers’ personal needs, serve refreshments, and ensure that everyone aboard the plane observes safety precautions during the fight >>>>>[Don't discount the stewords and stewardesses just becouse ‘hey wear lame outfits and spend most of their me serving lousy champagne in first class. When commercial air travel began more ‘hana century back, the crew included “Right attendants” whose only job was safety: they made sure people buckled up, and got them off safely ifthe plone went down Predictably, knowing why the cool-eyed otendonts were really there kinda scared the pee out ofthe passengers. The aiine owners responded by changing stewards ostewardesses, dressing them up in skimpy outfits, ond generally using them as glorified cocktcil waitresses, Ofcourse, these ronsformed fightottendonts were justos, well-trained as their predecessors, but people could view them diferent. Recently, this ransformation ook place again, tis ime swing: ing in the opposite direction. Modern fight attendants ore sil responsible for passenger sofety, ond today that means more thon making sure passengers fasten their seatbelts Fight ctlendonts must ‘excel at vorious forms of lethal and non-lethal combat, armed ond Unarmed. Because bullets may punch holes in the fuselage ond depressurize the plane, fight ctendants don’t carry firearms. But depending on the policies of he airline, most wear or carry shock loves, tun batons, and/or tasers. ‘Sure makes you see the litle fellow serving you your midfight mortni in 6 diferent igh, doesn’ if]eccee Jason (15:04:50/10-15-53) [wee (olLS LM ARS EC MCI re) 0 (GUDE TO REAL LIFEcas ee Lee ee) Reprinted from Ascending: The DataMag for the Upwardly Mobile, Spring 2050 today's world of high tech and higher expectations, even top executives will not win the Big Prize just by getting the job done. The job must be done in style. This axiom holds as true for negotiating a social merger over a pint of pure-brewed ale at Noggins Brew Pub as it does for facing down a hostile board of directors. Everything about today’s up-and-comers has to convey their personal style—the right style. Everything, including your personal defense options. One day out ofa thousand you will need them to protect yourself; the other nine hundred and ninety-nine, they serve as accessories the same as your AST pocket comp or Haliburton briefcase. To help you match your personal defense to the rest of your personal style, we present ten options our evaluators judged as the best blend of flash and function. >>>55[My ch my, “personal defense options.” I guess good, old-fashioned, fo-the: point words like “weapons” are out of fashion this season... IF onyone out there has had experience with any of these things (from either side cof the grip), please jump in and enlighten the rest of us. | realize it's unlikely that anyone Tee this BBS has actually laid out the nuyen to buy any of these gadgets...so if you happen to own one, don’t tell me how you acquired it. Thank you, }e>e2[Nolce how they discuss new sting and color before ‘mentioning o significant change—in fat, an improvement—in tech- nology? Shows you where this rag’ focus lies. Guns in this year's power colors, gawd...)e>>2>[Yo know, kindof ike thisideo, flaky thought sounds. Range ‘ond accuracy ore predictably poor, bu i's not fr sniping anyway, ‘More likely you'l be cramming it into the belly of « would-be mmugger...0r@ security guard, for that matter. Reload the gun by unscrewing the lower 15 centimeters of the cane and mounting ‘another round in the chamber Jece>>>2[Same fring mechanisms the gun cane, above. This weapon provides no barrel whatsoever, so accuracy is pretty damn lousy. | saw 0 corp-sag fire one ofthese ct what she though! was © go ‘gonger, miss by © mil, then yell bloody blue murder because the muzzle flash burned her wrist Jece>>>2{The first ime | had one of these pointed at me it took me 0 second or hwo to even recognize ites a qu. Itlooks like « plastic ley Pistol left in the sun too long or stuffed in @ microwave and hal rmelod, “Anywoy, ied it from the suit impolite enough to ticki in my foce and put it through its paces mysel.'s actually © nice piace of ‘ordnance. It packs litle mare punch than your standard hold-out, ‘ond produces negligible recoil. Itan’t ire flechete rounds, hough, «a serious disadvantage Jece<< —Bullyboy Grim (09:53:49/1-31-53)SECURITY TRAVEL [TT] FASHION HEALTH MORRISSEY ELITE The second entry in the Morrissey line, the Elite brings to light pistols the same sense of style that the Elan gives hold-out pistols. The Elte ups the ante on other lights by incorporating an under- barre integral laser sight and increasing the size ofthe round. The Montssey Elite lets you take ‘em down In style! Type/Conceal Ammo Mode Damage Welght Avail Cost Index the "Hea 510 SA AZ (9M) 1 Bus 950M 2 “Though the weapon fires heavy-pistol ammunition, it uses light pistol ranges. >epeo|Some melted-plstc look as the Elan Jeecee —Bulloy Grin (09:59:08/1-31-53) oooh tech’s better, hough. The lasers eiable, and difficult to lock out of alignment. Because the Elite chambers hecyy-pistol ‘mine, you can use the wizzer special-purpose rounds like APDS. IF yee into blowing big hols in things (and who isnt}, consider [APDS/exlosive, ond s0 on...Jecece Winger (13:09:07/2-19-53) Cee MORRISSEY ALTA ‘The top of Morissey's new line, the Alta heavy pistol has no peer. The Alta provides the same dependable laser sight as the Ellte, and includes Morissey's proprietary chamber mechanism for ‘outstanding mechanical reliably. Serfous stopping power with serious style: the Morrissey Altal Type/Conceal Ammo Mode Damage Weight Avall Cost Index Aa “Henn/s 2G SA AMZIOM) 1 8/4Bhs 1.200" 2 >>selA big chunk of melted plastic, ece>>>>[Morrisseysstyleover-substancetitude prevented them rom todding any kind of recoil compensation to this puppy. Too bad it doesn’t moss much for @ heavy pistol, 30 most ofthe recoil ransers righ nt al hose tiny bones in your wrist. Suppose Morrissey lso sels designer braces for sprained wristst}ece>>>>{Couple of points First, Raecor didn’tinvent he lemon-squeezer design. An assassin used a similar weapon to geek some Americon president, I can never remember which one, bock a couple hundred years. Second, modem weapon detectors don't just detect metal; @ chem-sniffer wil probably pick up the propellantin the rounds Je<>>>>[Efectve ile beas, but be forewarned, The Sing accepts only {sown specialized onmo, whichiantobwayseasyotrackdown ice Marlin (06:04:06/8-7-53) CS Ue CCRC LL EICHIRO HATAMOTO II The Hatamoto from Eichiro Corporation of Kyoto has topped the list among Japanese corporators for almost a year. Now the Hatamoto Ilfully redesigned for 2053—has arrived in Seattle! The Hatamoto is a single-shot, large-bore, personal defense ‘option designed for high-thveat situations where subdety no longet ‘matters. The polyresin body avalable nacozendesignercolos features 4 wraparound grip with a waist brace to minimize recoll effects. (When te talkin! done, tust the Hater Ito give you the ast word Type/Conceal Ammo Mode Damage Weight Avail Cost Index Heememil Sagas TSS SMBS) 25. 12/7enyn 120002 >>>>2IThinkofit,boysond gis. Corp sitsroaming he streets ofour fine city packing single-shot hondguns chambered for sholgun rounds! Kinda makes you want fo walk a litle ser, don tif]jeecee “Chuckie (10:53:08/3-14-53) >>>>2[Keep in mind that this hing looks like pistol. (A pistol with «weird grip, granted, but pistol nonetheless.) So you might be tempted o trust our armor fo slop slug two when you make your move. Maybe your armor will stop « heavy pistol round, but wilt ‘cope with his joker at pointblonk range? | srongly advise yout lean to recognize the grp-ondwris-brace orrangement of his toy on sight ‘ond give ithe respect it deserves. le<<<< Lucky Like (03:25:56/3-25-53) >>>>>[The wroparound grip and wrist brace are absolutely neces sary. This thing uses the same ammo os aDefiance T-250, but masses like @ heavy pistol. Without he weapon mass absorb the recoil 20s right where you'd guess. Jece>>>oltey, his is good idea! How did something that’s actually Usell on the street get into this fashion porade?}>>>0{Check out the price, Dinger. Sure i's « good idea, but not at 1,150¥. | guess the people who read Ascending like to poy prenium for everything Jecece —Frole (23:59:00/5-27-53) a>>>elGeeeeeeecer, chummers, get with i Bere’s had this deol onthe market for three yeors now. Guest ook Fiche this long to Pirie he spocs..Jez>>>>["Stunning new lechnology’—i's taser. Igetit.Ge-harf go harf..Jecece olympia (14:11 :40/2-25:53) >>>>>[At1,350¥, this thing's vastly overpriced. But the sine-weve discharge does seem to work remarkably wel Jecece —Block Mother (14:29:25/3-4-53)a Ory OS ed \| | hh Ld Zz LL es oy a bs 1 Nek 2SAno a Cn Oe Reprinted from Century XXI: The Magazine of Style, January 2053 entury XXI readers keep their finger on the pulse of the fashion world. They know the up-and-coming trends and make them theirs, making their statement before everyone else jumpson the bandwagon. More importantly, they know what trends are out. Surprisingly, the latter knowledge seems lacking in many of the would-be stylish who, to be brutally honest, should simply know better. ‘The “street mercenary” look—obvious armor, harshly exaggerated silhouette, and utilitarian color scheme—provides a good example. The style first appeared in 2049 among the fashion leaders, then caught the popular imagination and quickly spread into the mainstream. By the middle of 2050, armored clothing—specifi- cally, armored clothing that /ooked like armored clothing—was haute couture. Through the end of 2050 and into 2051, the style became progressively more exaggerated. Armored clothing began to copy the lines and textures of heavier armor. Shoulder pads hardened and extended, resembling the epaulets of a semi- rigid SWAT vest designed to protect the wearer's collarbones. Jacket and sweater fronts gained ridges reminiscent of rigid plating, and collars stretched upward to mimic the mounting ring for armored helmets. >>>>>| fashion has nevermade any sense to me. All these changes made clothes look more like serious armor, but did the actual armor protection of that clothing increase? Nooo sir, that wouldn't be fashionable. Fake armor is okay, real armor is gauche. cc<<< —Deirdre (16:31:18/5-15-53) >>>>>[Not to mention illegal, in many sectors. }<<<<< —Gene (1 1:37:23/6-7-53)CEC en a) C5 ee oe But this is 2052, people. The street merc look Is out. In the vogue circles, street merc wear Is so déclass¢ that as far as they're ‘concemed it never happened, ‘Of course, just as trends move down the socioeconomic and status ladder, so does the realization that a trend has ended. So, ‘even though Century XXIreaders know that high fashion has turned tolighter, almost dlaphanous, fabrics, softer sihouettes, and loose, owing cuts, many ofthe would-be fashionable still dress.as though looking fora friendly Saturday-night freight. ‘>>>>2[Those of us who are looking for a friendly Saturday-night firefight take exception to the derogotory tone of that last state- iment Jeceee —Bloze (05:44:45/5-24-53) >>>32|Sorry chummer, but ifyou really do spend your time looking fora fight you deserve cl he derogatory comments you get Jeecee Vision Childe (12:51:43/5-27-53) STYLE WITH SECURITY, SECURITY WITH STYLE (On the mean streets of the sprawl, “to dle for” fashions frequently become just that. “Smartly dressed” today means clothes ‘combining siyle and securlty. Designers ranging from Armanté to Zo€ accepted thisfactoflife, took the challenge, and, Century XX1's glad to announce, rose ‘magnificently to the occasion. The well-dressed man or woman may ‘choose from various styles of highly fashionable garb that smoothly ‘combines protection, comfort, and practicality. The nest examples Of this clothing style conceal their protective function almost per- fectly. And for those occasions when wearing any armor simply isn't ‘done, all armor sections detach easily and fold fat for storage. Here's ‘a sneak preview of what the top designers have to offer this year ARMANTE “Armanté of Dallas curently offers the widestrange of “secure” evening wear for men and women. The designer's “Venetian” ine of evening gowns and cocktall >>2>|like drok itll top 0 9-mil. | speck from experience, Jeceee lounge Lizard (18:39:50/4-23-53) >>>2>[Oh yeah? Which end of the gun were you on}cccee —Bung (23:08:20/4-24-53) >>>>>[Shoddup, ragface Jecece tounge Lizard (19:03:04/4-28-53) Top off the tuxedo witha “London Fog” evening cape, a knee- length, over-the-shoulder style clasped with sterling silver atthe throat. The classic black wool Is lined with burgundy Sateen™ ‘woven together with an invisible ayer of Kevlar I >>2>>10h es, one simply musin‘Horge the armored evening cape, perfect for achieving the bulletproof Count Dracula look...)e>>2ol Hord-o-fisizes “ofcourse, means that you con gethe coat in extra-grofesque (oll) and extrasquat (dwar cece —Blockstone {10:49:58/4-14-53} >>>>o[laugh it up, breeder. Jecee< Grinder (23:45:21/4-18-53) >>o>e[Dite Jeceee —Therin (22:50:56/4-20-53) >>>>2llfyoucan ocquire one of hese, strongly recommendit find it much more stylish, and much warmer, than my previously favored duster, with much the same protection Je>>>2[Possible, but not common. | would surmise tht the carbon ceromic plots actually shar quite easily inthe face ofthe level and ‘encenrtion of kinetic energy transfered by a sug. | must admit | raher like the layering options these clothes offer. Jee-cce Sally (15:59:03/2-21-53) >>>>>[l go! me one of those Houndstooth sports jackets. (Took it off some slog who had no further use frit.) Couple days later | sepped ino te line offre of an Ares Slvergun, and you know, those flecheies went right through the lining of my duster, but the sports jacket stopped them. Je>>>2lVashon island alo offers a full range of synthleather fashion loves with alte something extra st ino the knuckles and along the edge ofthe hand: special formulation of thin macroplost with the density lead, The mocroplostis 30 thin that it doesn't show, 0 you can only tell he sufi here ifyu pick up the glove—or get slugged withit.Bosicaly, thurs the gloves into a dandy set ofknuckledustes. Because the weighting material is macroplos, it does show up en ‘metal detecors. These ore vastly overpriced ot 350¥ a pair, but you ‘might be able fo pick up pair from a dnor who has no further use for them, if you catch my meaning Jec>>>>[What guy s going janderaroundina ragging ki@}ccece —Arbeider (12:09:24/3-10-53) >>>>>IIdo. And any slog secure enough in his manhood rit wl soon see why. The comfor ard procicaliy ore amazing Jecece —The MacDuff (23:10:32/3-24-53) >>>>>{S0 what do you wear under a kitanyway, Mact Hmé]eceee Cyn 14:12:11/3-26-53) >>>2>{A rea lady would never ask. Bu sinc is you, Cyn...on my left thigh 1 wear a sheathed combat knife; on my right I've got @ bolstered Predator. Pls I've got my skean dhu, whichis actualy 0 ‘menablade. Hey, Arbeider, if you wantto make skit jokes, omae, do ito my face...f you dore.Jecece —The MacDulf (20:14:04/3-27-53) >>>>>[Okoy, 50a lt ofthese products actualy oer some reason ‘able protection. But frag, ome, 2 for « man’s blazer? Get rea ifyou'd rather not paythebig ab ond really don’t carethat much ‘bout syle, but want something thal stop heavy rounds, check out Kelmor Technologies very nice Securetech ineofcthing. Notonthe cutting edge of fashion, bu | kinda ike i Or if syle is importer, for example, when you need fo impor onate @ high-avel corp wit, look ot Ares Arms’ Form-Fiting Body ‘Armor. With the “lighter, sometimes diaphanous fabrics, soher sihovetes, and loose, flowing cus,” you can wear some prety sophisticated protection and it won't show at all For info on Securetech and FFBA, check out he Street Samurai Cotolog that Fastlack posted on the board some me back Jecece —Trasher(18:09:20/4-13-53) ee eo SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES ‘One major consequence of the movement away from the “street merc” style manifests itself asa change in public response to those wearing Visible armor fo up-scale bars, restaurants, and ‘clubs, Persons so déclassé as to wea visible armor, or clothing that resemblesarmor, will eamacool reception r beignored by patrons iinmany places. In other establishments, this cool reaction extends to the staf; improperly dressed patrons receive les attention rom waiters, and matre d's withhold the best ables. on the otherhang, nightclub bouncers pay muchmoreattention to improperly dressed people. These reactions pervade all facets of life: prospective patrons wearing less-than-fashlonable clothing at the exchalve stores andl boutiques downtown can expect brusque, supercon Insulting, o simply non-existent service. Inthe true “inner-crle” establishments, requented by the creme de a creme the manage: ‘ment may simply refuse service or entry tothase who wear obviOw For those wishing to enjoy the perks of upper-class stats, the ‘old saying hols truer than ever, “the clothes mark the measure of the man.” >>>>>{Why did | bother to include this one, you ask? Well, my brothers in the shadows are ote forced to mix and mingle wih ho Upper-upper crust, or to impersonaie them. Doing this successhly requires knowing ther likes ond dislikes, characteristics, ond mon- neriams. Clothing is pechaps the mos! obvious characteristic of ll. ‘you're supposed tobe one ofthe glitlerati ond you show up wearing last year’s fshions, you won't ge too far. Jeexe< —Coplain Choos (22:57:06/1-7-53) >>>5>{E ven places that oren't realy foshion-conscious hove stared to frown on patrons wearing obvious armor. ve been seeing ‘No “Armor” on the usval “Proper dress required” signs. The bouncers haven't cealystorted to enforce i yet, bu is just a mater of fie, | think. Bor, lub, and restaurant owners must figure that people ore much ess ikely to stort troubleitthey're morelikely to get hur—which is definitely the case if you're not wearing armor Jece>>90{What about dermal armort}c<<<< —Christion (18:21:58/3-26-53) >>>>>[Use your head, you zero. If the bouncers don't see it they ‘won't call you on it. And that holds for weapons, too, by the way.])cccc< Electric Cruiser (19:36:39 / 4-28-53) >>>>>[T ve never seen anybody hassled forthe basic layer of dermal ‘armor, or even the intermediate. The heavy stuf, however, sors ‘making you look like you've got chitin or something. Dave, chummer o'mine, gets shot at regularly by a bunch of shodow geek wannabes who think he's «a bug or something. Go figure. Jecece Mangler (05:58:12/5-2-53)Ce ae Min FaSm0N CTTCOS et WANA OLE ASSISTANCE acon 24 HOURS A DAYa Foo cS Excerpted from an editorial letter and response printed in Asahi Shinbun, January 10, 2053 © doubt exists that Japan possesses the best medical system in the world. The cooperation between health providers and the national infrastructure, the tech- nologies employed, the training of doctors and staff, and the level of patient care all greatly surpass those of any other country. This difference becomes most noticeable when comparing the Japanese health-care system to that of the United. Canadian and American States of North America. >>>>>[I read the original of this piece in the Op-Ed section of Asahi Shinbun, a Japanese- only datasheet that enjoys ludicrously high readership among top Jap suits (ifyou believe Shinbun’s own readership demographics). The quality of the English translation for Real Life came as a surprise: Blakey’s sofware handled the languc ‘well. The one thit pitta et abe estas tt alate language, but the original arrogant, condescending, and anti-anything thatisn’:Jopa- nese tone got lost in this translation. Anyway, here it is. J<<<<< —Captain Chaos (13:46:29/1-14-53) >>>>>llI’s not hard to come off better than what we've got in Seattle. | read somewhere, and | believe it, that Seattle hospitals will leave you to bleed to death in the waiting room if your credstick’s one nuyen short of the admitting fee—then come after your estate for the cost of cleaning up.}<<<<< —Hardesty (17:04:14/2-13-53) It is somewhat galling, therefore, to admit that the UCAS is home to an innovation in health care that has yet to appear in Japan: the private, mobile health-care provider. In Japan, as in many other countries, emergency medical and paramedical service is i)ee ee rowed by the publ sector ambulance and emergency response sence, fnded directy by the goverment out of general tax revenue. In the UCAS, however, healthcare operates almost excli- sively for prof. While this situation leads to high healthnsurance premiums nd massive service and availablity neque, he poten- tal for significant prot hs lured a number fnovaive companies to enter market niches not directly addressed by public-service health care. The company known as DocWagon”™, thes ofthese provid- «e151 begin operations in North America, remains the best known. >>>2[...r mostnotorious, depending on your pointofview Jece<<, Hardesty (17:05:58/2-13-53) HISTORY Founded in Atlanta in 2037, the original DocWagon™ organl- zation promised to provide better emergency on-site medical care by responding to calls much faster than any other private paramedl- ‘al service operating at the time. DocWagon competitors in the Atlanta area improved their response time to protect their market share from thls challenger, but DocWagon remained one step ‘ahead by offering new and expanded services to complement its apparently unbeatable speed. ‘The company named its fist major innovation “High Threat Response,” or HTR. DocWagon vehicles providing this service responded to calls from regions of the city where other paramedical services refused to venture. In order to provide HTR service, DocWagon armored its ambulances and armed the HTR medical teams. Their next service, the famous “DocWagon Response Guar- ~antee,” promised that a DocWagon vehicle would respond to any ‘all for medical ald within ten minutes ofthe call, or would provide Immediate on-site carefree of charge. "Next, an unprecedented marketing push by DocWagon popu- larized the concept of “subscribing” for on-site medical coverage. DocWagon offered contracts to cents willing to payan annwal fee for _guaranteed and extended service, plus significant discounts on pay- forservice charges. So successful was this marketing scheme that several years later DocWagon chose to respond only to calls from Its subscribers. By thistime the reputation and service of DocWagon had 50 far outstripped its competition that this move guaranteed the Company's supremacy in the marketing war. receiving DocWagon’s high-quality service meant signing up for a DocWagon contract, then subscribing became the only logical choice. By 2041, DocWagon had become Atlanta's de facto official on-site health-care provider. Up to this point, DocWagon owned no clinics or care facilites. ‘A roving DocWagon team would pick up an injured client, provide first aid or emergency care, then deliver the client to an accredited nic or hospital. In 2041, however, the DocWagon corporation made a move that further consolidated Its hold on the health-care market: It purchased a small for-profit hospital about to go out of business. Using its finely honed management skills, DocWagon soon tuned the alling business around, and the first of several DocWagon Acute Care Clinicsin the Atiantaarea became one ofthe corporation's largest profit centers. ln 2042 DocWagon extended its new vision of health care beyond the Atlanta area. In a marketing campaign never duplicated CASH LAUNDRY In intensity, DocWagon began franchising its operation throughout the remaining contiguous UCAS, excepting Seattle. The company ‘carefully considered and coordinated its decision to expand. Tough DocWagon’s many detractors lalmed thatthe fanchises could never Uphold the level of quality associated with the original organization’ and would thus destroy the parent corporation’s profitability, these nay-sayers were quickly proved wrong, DocWagon took exceptional care in evaluating the organizations applying for franchises. The franchise cost, calculated to discourage all but the most serious prospects, totaled 7 million nuyen, a stratospheric sum In 2042, Doc Wagon further ensured quality by including an “overide” cause ‘that required the franchisee to pay the parent corporation a percent- age of Its gross Income for the first decade of operation. Other restrictions appeared equally stringent, such asthe requirement that the franchisee have been in the health-care industry for atleast five years, and that the franchisee operate an Independent acute care faclity. The franchising package cared so many conditions and ‘estictionsthata new group ofnay-sayers arose, calming thatioone ‘would accept the franchise contract on those limiting terms ‘Again, DocWagon proved them wrong. By the end of 2042, the company had sold atleast three franchises in each major UCAS ‘city—again excluding Seattie—and had many more scattered throughout the country’s smaller communities. DocWagen can- ‘celed the contracts of no fewer than ten franchisees within the Rist year of operation for defaulting on terms of the agreement. The parent organization Immediately resold the contracts to the de- faulters’ most avid competitors at a significant discount. The other franchisees took this object lesson to heart, and DocWagon has not been forced to repossess a franchise since 2043. The contractees strive to maintain and even enhance the high quality of service and reputation of the original organization. In 2043 DocWagon went Intemational. Rather than selling, thelr franchises directly to other countries, which would have entailed sorting out a grotesque tangle oflegal complications, they created a "secondary franchise” structure. Approaching large cor- pporations in CAS, Callforla Free State, and some of the Native ‘American Nations, DocWagon sold these corporations the right to franchise DocWagonstyle operations In those countries. (Legal restrictions prevented these other countries from using the DocWagon name.) No one can confirm the amount of the inital “secondary franchise” fee, but rumor places itn the low billions of ‘nuyen. As with the UCAS expansion, DocWagon added its stan- dard “override” clause to this astronomical sum, demanding a percentage ofall sub-franchisees' gross income. DocWagon finaly moved into Seattle in 2043, amidst claims that the organization was forced to relax Its rigid requirements ‘somewhat In order to find a Seattle-based organization that could ‘qualify fora franchise. Whether or not this rumor Is true, even is sternest detractors must admit that the Seattle-based DocWagen operations measure up admirably to the standards set by thelr predecessors >>>5>{Not all the fime, chummer. Some local franchises—specif cally one oF two in he outlying regions don't stand bythe standard ten-minute guarantee. Je<<<< Hardesty (17/31:23/2-13-53)SECURITY TRAVEL ARMS: FASHION [ZTE DOCWAGON CONTRACTS In order to provide the best possible service to its cents, DocWagon requires all clents to provide tissue sample to be fled Ina secure vault protected by bonded and armed guards. All ‘sampies are extensively tissue typed, and the information stored in the dent's electronic file. When DocWagon picks up a client, the trauma team on the scene and the acute care clinic to which the dlentwllbe taken can access the fleimmediately. Both teams then determine treatment for the dient based on blood type, HLA, and ther compatibilites. The tissue sample also serves as a source of _genetic material Fit becomes necessary to grow clone tissue for replacement. >>>>>{Thar’s one thing that really bothers me about holding DocWogon contrac. How secure is that “secure” vault, and how trsworthy are the bonded guards... he whole DocWagon outfit, forthat mate? It chils the drek out of mofo think of some corp that The burned geting occess to my tissue sample and using itt slam ‘oe nosly rivol sending into me.]e<<<< —Toce (10:42:09/3-19-53} 25>>2[sprety domn secure, Toce, toke my word fort ve ried to it wanted the tissue sample belonging 1 © corporator ‘hot lie | wonted to make interesting —and | came back emply- handed ond prety bloody. Abou the ruswrthiness of DocWogon ‘nal 'm not competent fo judge. But I'd guess that if every man or van has his or he price, hen so does every corporation J<<<<< elf (19:46:24/3-26-53) Each llent receives a sealed-band wrist telephone that broad- ‘sts only to DocWagon, designed as a chemical-esistant plastic band approximately 1.5 centimeters wide and slightly more than 1 millimeter thick. The phone fastens onto the client's wrist lke a hospital Kentification band, but Is colorless and translucent, mak- Ing it unobtrusive. To activate the phone, the client must fip back ‘protective tab with his or her thumbnail and press the smal, fat button inside. The cellular circutry automatically phones the near- ‘est DocWagon franchise offce and triggers a locator circuit in the ‘wis phone. The phone also establishes voice contact between the lentand aDocWagon representative, allowing the dllentto Inform DocWagon ofthe nature of the health emergency. ‘The phone band is designed to be wom as a permanent accessory the band ls ruptured, it transmits a special signal to the ‘nearest DocWagon location and triggers the locator in the band, ‘DociWagon policy requires them to respond toa "band rupture” alert asaHigh Threat Response cal: the dllent (or his estate) must pay for HiRcharges whether or not the response level is appropriate, ‘DocWagon offers four levels of service contracts: Basic, Gold, Platnum, and Super-Platinum. >>2>alf you bust your bond accidentally, get on the damn phone fight Fagging now and tell DocWagon you made a booboo. Oherwise ifs going to cost you big nuyen Je>>>2[Even with « DoeWagon contrac, is expensive to get hurtin Seat eccee Ronin (11:13:40/4-12-53) >>>20Ilt’s a lot more expensive without coverage. Believe it. Why scrimp on healthcare if means you croak in the end?lcc<>>>>[Probably because it's not cost-effective. The additional ben- efits aren't worth the additional cost Je<<<< —The Keynesion Kid (14:22:52/3-19-53) >>>>>[Why do people take i,hen8]ec<>>>>[Probably just becouse ifs exclusive, Super Platinum cons ‘are generaly your top-rank corporators wha'llpick something up just set's expensive. (The company pays or itanyway, so what do they cared|}ccece The Keynesion Kid (11:21:17/3-30-53) Foran annual fee of 100,000¥ per year, Super- Platinum offers the same discount structure as Platinum service, but the client does not pay for DocWagon employee death benefits. The Super- Platinum client also receives five free resuscitations per year >>>2>|Ifyou're geting geekedfvetimes per year, maybe you're not ‘competent fo go out on the street, neh]ccec< Webster (23:39:40/2-1-53) ‘One major additional benefit provided by a Super-Platinum contract Is that a Super-latinum wrist band cartes a lfe-signs ‘monitor In addition tothe locator signal and phone. Ifthe client's Ife signs stray beyond "safe" parameters as defined by the client's race, age, and base physical condition, the monitor automatically placesan ‘emergency allt the nearest DocWagen location, tiggers the locator mean FOOD TOYS MATRIX CASH LAUNDRY Page 44 ‘beacon, and, if warranted by the severity ofthe condition, triggersan audiblealarm tohelp the trauma team locate the client. When the ‘sign monitor triggers an alert, DocWagon sends an HTR team unless ‘the cent immediately informs the Doc Wagon dispatcher otherwise, >>>>>[The DocWagon dispaicher checks all “wove-of calls wiha ‘voice analyzer just fo make sur itis the client coling in, Jeecee Electron Pusher (01:34:11/2-15-53) CALLING FOR AID ‘The easiest and most common method of calling for DocWagen service Is, of course, for the client to use his or her own wristband. telephone. This guarantees Instant communication with the nearest DocWagon franchise, regardless of the client's location. Unusual cireumstances, however, can make using the wristband phone Impractcal or impossible. In Seattle, at least, and probably elsewhere, DocWagon is connected to the 911 emergency response telephone system. A. client can simply dla 911 on any telecom, respond appropriately to the volce prompt, and reach a DocWagon dispatcher. Before a team. responds to a call made through 91 1, the caller must provide ether ‘aDocWagon client's Personal identification Number (PIN) or these ‘number printed on aclient’s wristband. Ifthe callerisunable tosupply ‘either number, DocWagon dismisses the cll asa prank. Ifthe caller provides the PIN, the dispatcher compares the voice ofthe calle to the volce record of the client to whom that PIN has been assigned. Upon a successful match, the caller can specify the appropriate type Cf response and will ony be billed for the services requested. ithe voice does not match, orfthe caller provides only the serial numbes, DocWagon responds with HTRservice and assesses the standard HTR charges to the client whose serial number or PIN was used. >>>2>,ll ths rigmorol is to prevent crank cll rom tying up the system Jeccee —Barkley (12:08:37/3-29-53) >>2>2{Cronkcallsor worse, Remember a couple ofyears back when € thrill gang kept calling the DoeWogon HTR team just Yo try ond chew them up, for laughs? Charming Je<>>2[wosr just for laughs. Do youhave any idea how mucho Stlion {UloFhigh-ech medical gear is work onthe shadow markel?lc>2>21And the moral ofthe story is: dot ell anyone you don't ist your DoeWagon PIN, or lt anyone see the serial number printed on your wristband. they use your numbers o mokee call, you'regoing to get charged for it Jeecce —Waicher (10:12:38/4-11-53) >>>>>[In_some regions, DocWagon’s hooked up to the PANICBUTTON system. Thats nctcommon, hough, becausethenit' tough fo know who to chargellex<>>>>[UIrhuh, Read the fine print, chummers. After you tke al the dues ino account, Bosc service realy only promises response within {en inuts under idea! circumstances. Too much trafic? Too bod. As yovexcend the controct scale, things get litle beter. Only Platinum ‘and Super Plot unequivocally promise 0 orrve within fen minutes, but ‘een that service requires the client to be within that DocWagon franchise's immedi response ores. you got your contract hrough ‘one fonchise, ond experience problems within the response areo of cnoher franchise, the ten-minute response doesn’t necessarily hold hough it wuclly does). f you happen fo be ouside ony franchise response orea, only « Platinum or bettor contrat will get you service, ‘nd that wihout response-ime guaranives. Once you leave the DecWagon immediate service area, al bets are off Jeceee Timer (12:31:43/5-2-53) DocWagon creates a well-defined distinction between three 19pes of calls. each of which requites the service of a specific type ‘ofteam. The three types of response are Standard Response, Crisis, Response, and High Threat Response (HTR) STANDARD RESPONSE Basic DocWagon service applies ifthe client suffered injury or {ookillina relatively safe environment. The environment may pose athreat to the client, and even to the responding team, but no hostlle action Is taking place. For example, DocWagon Standard Response Teams (SRTs) commonly respond to the scenes of “mi- or” motor vehicle accidents. These teams carry equipment and personnel similar to the standard public-service paramedic and ambulance services famliar to Asahi Shinbun readers. The truck Is lighty armored, and the team members carty only small personal ams for protection. ‘AnSRTincludes the personnel and equipment required to treat tnd telease victims of minor accidents or Injuries. In more serious ‘ase, tis team stabilizes the victim on-site, then transports him or her toa DocWagon clinic for additional care. Notequipped to deal with either large-scale disasters or high- threat environments, SRT teams in the former situation provide hat immediate care they can and callin support from one or more Gils Response Teams. In an environment with high active threat, however, DocWagon standard operating procedure (SOP) autho- ‘izes an SRT to attempt service, but nothing more. The team leader decides how to handle the situation, and usually calls in an HTR. ‘>>>>>lInother words, ifthe SRT coming in on your all suddenly finds italfunderfre, th toms fully ouhorized to pulloutand hide behind somehing bulletproof. The team leader decides whan a situation is “unserviceable” ond may pull the teom out. The firearms they carry cxeker dealing wih reo! o themselves or their equipment, not for exising he customer Jece>>>2{They may be authorized fo pull out, but ifs surprising how ‘many SRT personnel put their own lves at rskto do what they can on high-threat cal. Doc Wagon management may care more aboutthe bottom ine than abou! her clients, but he actual personnel areoen dedicated os oll geFout. Back in 2050, | saw a DocWagon SRT doc ‘wade int the middle ofa gang wa to pull out avian who'd gone down. She took a couple of rounds herselfin he process, but she did lift the client out. | was impressed. cece —Hordesty (16:30:08 /4-17-53) >>>>o[ Thats rarily, and she probably got reprimonded for her efforts. DocWagon fees that fyou wont threat coverage, you should pay for threat coverage, Jee<<< —Forgo (21:49:35/4-25-53) ‘Standard Response Teams patrol an assigned region, following ‘a pseudo-random path designated by the ambulance’s onboard ‘computer. >>>>o[This way, they avoid Falinginocombusheslaidby trillgangs ‘on dark nights Je>> don't have any fads, but Ive heard rumors that these babies Paige I a system Jeecee Hardesty (10:10:19/2-14-53) >>>>0[The sytem exis, butts sll experimental. The way | hear, it frogs the potient as often as it soves him Jecece —Electron Pusher (111:25:43/3-23-53) >>>2>IThere'se whole fragging pharmacy aboord, foo. Lots of wizzer drugs, with o sretvolue in the thousands of nyyen Je<>>>>[Watching « bunch of DocWogon people responding to a criss “Code Bive is quite tril ust like wor simsenses of Fighter pilots scrambling Jece>>>>{Whot isn't to much of thrills watching them respond to @ >>>>[Thatis'tir. Same. with he SRT personnel, he CRT people «re usualy dedicated os all hell ond very much into the Hippocratic cath. Even ift doesn’t put ony nuyen into the corporate accounts, ‘most will care for anyone who needs it, ond frag SOP Jeecee —Hordesty (07:21:14/7-2-53) HIGH THREAT RESPONSE In North American cites. a distressingly high percentage of ‘calls to DocWagon require a “high active threat” response: both the ‘dient and the incoming team face a serious threat posed by the hostile actions of others. >>>>>[0h yeoh, and that never happens in good old downtown Tokyo. Yeoh, right Jeceex Ronin (13:32:07/2-19-53) >>aoe[Never Jecee< Akira (20:09:31/3-15-53) ‘Specially trained and equipped High Threat Response teams answer these calls, HTR teams are made up of seven members who fallinto twodistinctcategores of ralning. Three medical personnel, ‘rained and equipped in much the same way as the personnel who make up SRT and CRTs, provide medical care to the client. ‘The other four members of the HTR team function as “threat support personnel.” This group protects the medical team and the client from hostile action during the pickup. Though all DocWagon Personnel receive medical training, threat support personnel re- Celve a majority oftheir training and experience in combat. >>2>21Walch out forthe “threat support” guys, cobbers. They ore cranked up, slicked down, locked and loaded, out on the pointy end, cond ready to rock‘ roll bigtime. Most are cybered fo one degree cor anether, and they pack major ordnance je>>>>{I've heard some nasty tales about threat suppert persone, including rumors that some of these guys don't corry os much ‘eyberware as their compadres but are fragging physical adept. F ‘his is rue, they're death on two logs in melee combot Jeecee Rasta (12:12:32/2-28-53) >>>>2{Chummers, the HIR tom is not there to eliminate your perficular problem or bail your but out of trouble. They show upon sitet pul heircustomer out and reat him or her. Thott. The/lse their weaponry to perform that duty, and for no other reason. They Fire defensively, btifyouthink you can pop your wristbond when he going gets tough ond DocWogon'll coming screaming in to mop up for you, you've got another thing comin’ Je<>>>>[And pulinge stuntlike that invalidates your contract nowend, forever Jece<< —Shane (06:38:07 /4:27:53) >oseo{Now, lt’ think his through, jokers. An HTR tem brings @ bunch of gunners along in order to chop down anyone who wants mess withhelf-out.Butinmony cose the people doing the messing ‘are also DocWagon clients... Interesting conflict oF ntorest i's my sincere belief hat he tres support goona have fre. Fs hy prec Doc Wagons ll mort in equipment and personal. And second? Business dave inert. When they make 6 high treo pickup, iin the Doc Wagon Corps best interest fhe goons create litle mayhem nthe proces ifthe Fire blind into acrowd, here's good chone tht some ofthe peoplethey wound wilalso be Doc Wagon chents.which, ofcoune, {gonerces moe call, more teams dipatched, and more HTRincome Makes o nosy kindof sense, doen’ ifeccee Manta (05:19:22/7-10-53) >>>22[You're one twisted puppy, Manta...lecooeol,..But not always Jeecce Stinger (06:16:28/3-18-53) Currently, the DocWagon air fleet throughout UCAS consists almost exclusively of Hughes WK-2 Stallions with improved armor ‘and two hardpoints mounting a variety of weaponry. Inmany areas Of service, however, DocWagon Is gradually replacing this feet ‘with armed and armored versions of the Osprey I.So ee Co >>>0oIThe Osprey Il for those who don't know the bird, is fi-wing baby, alitlesmallethan the Federated Boeing Commuler.Wslightr, foser, ond just os maneuverable. }opoo[Watch out for these Ospreys, boys end girls. They've got o couple of hardpoins, which usvlly mount heavy MGs. | alo hear they sometimes pack even nastier su like assault cannons, oF even miniguns. Nota good idea to mess with them, Je<>>>e{l had a buddy who tried fo boost « DocWagon Citymaster utile the team wos busy making a pickup. Iguess he figured he team right have lf the key in the ignition. (I don’t know what he wanted wih a Giymaster, nor do I want to know.) Anyway, the thing was locked uptight, and while he was ryin to bypass the lock, one ofthe DocWagon Threat Support goons came back and blew his heod off Govonary tale Jece3>>>{How con Doe Wagon make money if they ransfer patients to ctherhospitl, you sk? They simply gota kickback rom the hospital invoked. Unless « Doe Wagon franchise operates aful-blown hosp to ofits own, it wll usually sign @ contract with one independent hospital, which all ransfars ae mode If you find yourself in @ Dac Wagon clinic and don't wont to be therefor example, yourpersonal physician isworking ct Horbonview— you con request aransfer. But you should expect fo pay DoeWogon 0 hl ransfer fee, usually in the hundreds of nuyen. e<<>>>2{What about that other company thot tried fo compete with DocWogon...what was the nome?]e<<<< Nosh (13:05:17/1-15-53) >>>>2IThey coed themselves Crashcart. Yeah, they really came on le gangbustrs, competing directly with DocWogon and poaching ‘acy some oftheir biggest clients, guys with those 100KY-per-yeor, SuperPloinum contracts. They seemed to be moking serious head: Woy, then they just pulled in their horns. No more advertising, no os os Ce ‘more luring away cients. They're supporting their curent clients, but ‘opporently have stopped recruiting. In fat, some people are now leoving Crasheart and moving back to Doc Wagon, Beats me what reclly happened, but something weird went down. Buzz in the shadows said some slag made. run onthe outit thot owned Crashcart back in November or December of '52. Then Yamatetsu Sectle acquired Crashcort, ond | gues its new owners cren'ttooconcemed about how their new acquson'sdoing Jecexe Borel (19:29:20/1-29-53) >>>>>[That "some slag” who made the run was one Dirk Montgom: ‘ery, ancldchummerofmine. He did the quick fade aferward,Jec<3>>>[And the Yomaetsu thing has an angle. It wasn’ straight tokeover—the way the foc ell out around here, Yamatetsu purged the entire management structure of Crashcart in 6 corporate blood: leting so thorough that Crasheart employees sil call it “Black “Monday.” A lt of ex-managers found themselves out on the street Butthe truly odd portof he shakedown is that some ofthe senior foces from Crasheart Medical Services Corp. never surfaced again Anywhere Jecece Agarwal (21:18:31/2-9-53) >>>>>[An interesting bit of background. Remember the earier comments about DeeWagen replacing Stallions with Ospreys? CCrashcart firs brought Osprey Ils into the emergency medical service. | guess DoeWagon figured it was 0 good idea Jecece —Flyboy (13:28:30/2-10-53) >>>>>[Aler “Block Monday, * Doc Wagon boughtalotofCrasheart’s Ospreys at fire-sole prices Jecece —Agorwal (22:06:08/2-12-53)5 E Ss MATRIX TOYS E Pa tay ES i i B ee BOS Om 4 ago LIM o] SEES oe Sipe neCe Ce ee Reprinted from Westcoast Hospitality, January 2052 he first half of the 2 1st century gave rise to some interesting, though conflicting, trends in the hospitality industry, particularly in metroplexes such as Seattle. The first trend Increased service, particularly at hotels and other forms of transient accommodation. Many modem hotels create a luxurious atmosphere that surpasses anything known in the past, offering services and facilities that make the finest hostelries of the previous. century look lke Spartan shacks. Advanced technology and the increasing use ofmagic allow guests to enjoy services that previously cost too much to efficiently provide. As amenities increased, so did price. A single suitein a contemporary luxury hotel can easily cost 1,000¥ or more per night. Thesecond, opposite trend changed the otherend ofthe accommodations scale. At many ‘establishments, guest services have been curtailed or even eliminated to reduce the cost of hostelry. The industry finally admitted that many travelers do not care about lavish surroundings or elaborate guest services. These clients want only a clean, secure place to sleep at a reasonable cost. Some in the industry once believed that such patrons found satisfactory accommodations in rooming houses and “flophouses,” and refused to accept that people capable of paying for better services and surroundings would not want to do so. Today, we recognize that ability to pay and willingness to pay are not the same thing. The Japanese recognized the truth in the final decades of the last century. They realized that many businessmen and other travelers simply needed a bed in a secure place for the night. They intended to do no entertaining in their room; they would eat ‘sewhere, and soneededino restaurant or room service; apart from the bed, they needed no furiture. Why, the Japanese hostlers asked themselves, should these individuals have to either pay for services and facilities they neither needed nor wanted, or face the indignities of a squalid flophouse? What nature of establishment would best fulfil their needs—nothing more, nothing less—at a reasonable price? (GUIDE TD REAL LIFEURITY TRAVEL HEALTH eee HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT ‘The answerbecame the “cof hotel.” In these establishments, “room” consisted of a coffi-shaped cubicle, approximately one meter wide by one meter high by two meters long—just large ‘enough to accommodate a bed and to allow the patron to craw in and secure the door behind him or her. The coffin hotel provided ‘communal sanitary and other facilities, including kitchen faciities, vending machines, and often coin-operated laundry equipment. Coffin hotels sprung up in many Japanese cites, the largest cstablishment being the Shinjuku, across the road from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. By 2005, this hostelry boasted an astonishing 350 ‘cubicles! The most frequent patrons of coffin hotels were business- ‘men forced by missed trains or other scheduling problems to stay ‘ovemight at train stations and airports. _>>>>>[They were also a big hit with sararimen who got too blasted to ‘makeit onto the train home cer an evening otheavy drinking Je>>>olln ther words, the developers finally recognized the signfi- ‘cant market represented by the city’s underclasses who just coulda't afford anything more pricey than cofin forthe night. Disturbing os it may be, many people live in coffin hotels on a long-term ba- tis eecee —The Keynesian Kid (02:30:43/2-19-53) STANDARD COFFIN HOTEL The most common style of cofin hotel in downtown Seattle consists of a building in which the Interior walls are replaced by racks of coffins stacked one on top of another to look much lke safety deposit boxes in bank vaults. Racks can be prefabricated elsewhere, then simply installed on-site. Many hotels are con- structed to allow additional racks to be ade later. ‘A standard coffin rack holds six to twelve cubicles on each of four or five levels. Patrons reach individual coin in levels above the ground by climbing steep stairs or ladders, then walking along, metal catwalks to reach the appropriate cubicle. The catwalk Provides only enough space foraclientto craw/into his cubicle. The Coffins themselves consist of standardized tubes of reinforced construction plastic mounted in metal rconcrete-compositeframes. ‘Most hotels offer one communal tolletand shower room atthe fend of each level of cubicles. Some bulldings offer additional sanitary facilities on the ground floor or in an adjoining building. STANDARD COFFIN CUBICLE Each cubicle contains only the bare necessities. In addition to ‘aed with a thin mattress and bedclothes, a cubicle usually offers Cone or more small, swiveling reading lights mounted in the celling, ‘The “head end of the cubicle, opposite the door, stores a imited- function telecom, a flat-screen trideo, a digital clock with alarm, Controls forthe cubicle’'sindependent heating and airconditioning, and, in some establishments, a limited-funetlon simsense player Customers may purchase these additional facilities on a pay-per- service basi, To activate any of these amenities the occupant must Insert a credstick Into the cubice's electronics slot >o>zelRates for these addtional services range from minimal to ‘outrageous. For example, to place © local call, expect to pay tonywhere from 1¥ to 5¥. Trid service usually runs in the 5¥/hour range, while simsonse service often costs hice or three Himes thot price. Other computing services, ifthey re even oRered, got pricey os hell. Many of the phones are dicl-out only, and won't even cccept incoming calls. f you're expecting on incoming call, use your calvlor.Jecece —The Keynesion Kid (02:41:01/2-19-53) COC ALCO) >>>2oll any of you out there think you con pronce ino 6 cofin hotel tnd clean out all the telecoms or rideos or phones or whatever, think ‘gain. The people who build these hotels know people ike you ore ut there, and go to considerable lengths to slot you up Sure, every coffin in the place has its own tid. But the unit ‘mounted inthe cubicle isn't the whole rideo. Mos of the “smarts” of ‘he unit are bul ino the building's computer system, and, predic bly, that computer systemisvery well protected, thankyou. Sure, you con rp the screen out ofthe cubicle, bu it won't work on itsown, ond isn't worth much os spare ports Jecece Ao (15:01:15/3-23-53) >>>>2[Furthermore, many ofthese vile establishments moun! video ‘cameras in the electronics space to record the image of anyone tempted to engoge in petty vandalism Jeceee —Tal Gilgolad (19:26:13/3-25-53) INDIVIDUAL COFFIN 1/2 meter 1. Electronics space (trideo, phone, light controls, etc.) 2. Storage space, clothes hooks, etc. (ol QNDE TO REAL FE =SECURITY TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH aN DY ae ORK & TRO! vw INS \ DWARF/ | Ces JR ) \, ae y Nee A a nes He Beem CHECK-IN PROCEDURE ‘The front door ofa coffin hotel remains open around the clock. ‘A customer looking for a cubicle simply enters the bullding and looks fora vacant space. Rented cubicles display a red light beside the door, avallable cubicles show a green light. The doors of all ‘vacant cubicles lock automatically whenever the door closes. To Unlock the door and rent the cubidle, the cllent must insert a credstick in the slot beside the door. “Most coffin hotels offer two options for payment: personal or certified cedsticks. When a patron inserts a personal cedstck, the system deducts the appropriate cost for a 24-hour stay, and downloads a code to the credstick. This code changes every 24 hhours, and each cubicle in the establishment has a unique code. Upon receiving the downloaded code, the personal credstick becomes the “key” to open the door lock. To enter the cubicle any time within the 24-hour period pald for, the client simply inserts his ‘or her credstck inthe slot. ‘Those patrons who prefer may use a certified, rather than personel, credstick. Inthis case, the clientinsertsa certified credstick Into the slot, then presses his thumb against a scanner set into the 4 | a wallbeside the door. The computer system deducts the appropriate chatge from the credstick and records the clients thumbprint. For the next 24 hours, that thumbprint unlocks the door. [At the end of the 24 hours, unless the client specifically requests a longer-term rental, the lock code for the door changes, and the system purges the thumbprint data. Ifthe cllent wants to ‘pen the door again after his or her 24 hours has elapsed, he or she ‘must purchase another 24 hours of access >>>2o[This code change happens whether you're ouside the cofin when the 24 hours is up oF inside’. nother words, ifyou sty inside the coffin past “check-out time,” the system locks the door with anew passcode and you can't get out. Te open the door again, you've got to slot your sick into the socket on the inside ofthe coin, ond be charged for another 24 hours. Some ploces operate ona siding scale and allow lents.o grace Periad. For example, if you missed check-outtime bylessthan onehour, Say you'veoverslept, youcon pay acdiminished charge—sometimes low 05 a 10¥ “late fee"—o get out. Thats not o universal poli, however, so make sure you're paying altenion.e<>>>>[Whot happens if you're locked in ond you don't have the ‘credit to get out again’]ecece —Misfit (13:15:46/4-23-53) 3>2>>[Use the atodial onthe phone fo callhe manager. He'l arrive (eventually) usualy wih a security guard along, to let you out...but ‘only afer you've made suitable arrangements for payment Je<<<< Robson (15:01:07/5-1-53) >>a>o{The door locks behind you everytime you enter or leave the coffin. Aslong os your account's up to date, you can open from the inside just by pushing a button. That means you can open up ond lt someone else in if you wan! fo—a cube doesn't have enough space for real entertaining Jcc<>>>>[Wanna bet?}<>5>3[Leting someone in isn’t generally a good ideo, Most coins don't have viewers o let you see who's knocking Jeecee —Hangfir (15:29:20/5-10-53) >>>22{[Con you jam the door open?lcc>>>2[I knew someone would ask hat. Yes, you can, the door motor isn’t very powerful. Bu, cs soon as you jam he door, the system calls ‘he manager and security. The door stays open for no more than 10 seconds, whether you open it rom the inside or ouside, unless you hit the bution o dose it sooner. Je<<<< —Molly(12:06:44/5-13-53) SECURITY Sophisticated, computer-controlled locks secure the doors of ‘coffin hotel cubicles. Those locks and the associated credstick- reading circuitry ensure that only paying cllents use the cubicles. A Central computer monitors the status of all the locks. Constant updates allow the bullding management to ascertain at any given time which, and how many, cubicles are in use, and to check for problems. The computer system may be located anywhere in the building oreven outside t, using the Matrix for communication, but the system Is always secure, >>>>>II've gota nasty fling he systom does morethanrunthe locks and count he nuyen.Itoso probably keeps rack of everyone who's ever used the hotel and when, using personal credstck information {80 record. Most ofthat daia’s going tobe irash, butitcould be useful for blackmail. And maybe I'm poronoid, but tm convinced the thumbprint scanners don’t dump the data when the rental period expires. m wilng to bet the system keops he data on fie, and so if you've got the right connections, you can get a positive ident from a thumbprint....ece>s>>{You are paranoid. Je<>>>>|...0F the wishes of the occupant. Heh heh, Je<<<<: Snake (05:15:03/3-10-53) >>>>o[Yeoh, but the computer system is pretty tough to hack into, ‘omoe. i's no cake walk no matter how goed you are Jec>>p2[To quole Hoelera, wanna belfjec<<< —Retro (03:32:50/5-7-53) ‘The computer system also monitors the many fie, smoke, and heat detectors located throughout the building. Ifa fire breaks out anywhere In the building, the computer immediately triggers the sprinklers in that area and cals the fre department. Tampering with the sensors or the sprinkler system In any building Is a felony in Seattle. Closed-clruit video cameras, feeding directly to storage, ‘monitor the common areas ofthe hotel >>>>>[These places don't seem foo concerned about preventing trouble, They soem more worried aboutbeing abletonailthe guy who cauted it]ecece NFA (11:41:29/4-11-53) >ppoo[Hey, what about maid service, changing the beds, cleaning the rooms, that kind of drek#Jece<< —Driter (15:43:27 /4-21-53) >>>9>{Depends on the hotel. n some, real people swab the vocant cubicles. (Nottho kind Fob want, considering thekind of rok who liven coffins.) Others dont give out bedelethas and make everyhing in the coffin waterproof. Anytime the cube is wacont—ond | kd you rotthe system automatically hoses i down wih high-pressure an septic ond water, which drains out through grils in he boiom. Find out ‘whether the hotel you fopping in uses this sytem before you leave yur suf in your cube when you go out fra bite Jecece —Hoppy Holler (06:47:36/4-27-53) >>>>>{Remember that coffin hotels do not provide astral security, ond take appropriate precautions, Jeccce Cyber Shad (15:49:00/5-1-53) >>>>2{The bes part about these places is that they don't cost much In Seattle, expectto pay anywhere from 20¥ to 35¥ for anight cece —Xist (11:40:19/ 33) >>>>>[Also note that most coffin hotels don’t offer o high-speed ‘Matrixlink or telecommunications. Check around, though. Somedo, which should tll you what they're really in busines for...)ecece Walt (12:41:45/5-28-53}sistem ETT] TRAVEL ARMS FASHION WEALTH ROOMS FOOD TOYS MATRIX CASH ESPRESSO ~ Page 54ei eS Joria Yu ran a small comer store on G Street SE in Aubum. She had been in business atthat location for almost a decade, and area residents knew her well. Her store and the friendly greeting she gave all her customers had become fixtures in the neighborhood. Her customers considered her a friend, and vice versa. Until the night of June 3rd, 2051. At just before ten o'clock at night, closing time for Yu's Grocery, Gloria was stocking the counter displays, preparing to log out the cashdesk computer, and Senerally cleaning up. An ork entered the store. >>>>>[Before we get underway here, | want to point out that this piece is pure “advertorial.” The chika who wrote this article on security systems for small businesses is one Sheila Bailey, owner of Bailey Security Control Systems, one of the spraw!’'s Ee See G~ chaiy groan teal guess that means we can look forward to really objective and unbiased reportage, right? Yeah, right. So why/d I post it? Well, ifyou ignore the drum-beating and flag-waving and the frequent references to Bailey products, Sheila discusses topics of interest to lots of you. street monsters out there. Sure, you've all got your brand, spanking, new autopistols in concealed holsters, and you think you’ re going to have no problem schlepping all ‘over town with them, right? Read this article, and rethink that self-satisfied position, buckos. Remember: the stuff Sheila-scag talks about falls within the budgets of many small businesses. Just what kind of wizzer gear do you think the big boys like Aztechnology, Renraku, and MCT use, hmm? Makes the blood run cold just fo think about it...}<<<<< —Captain Chaos (23:31:36/1-7-53)ET Secon RTT MSS) ‘Notone ofher regular customers, she saw at once. He appeared hard and cold, dangerous looking in his backsynthleathers. The fnty look in his eyes dlisturbed Gloria on a deep, subconscious level. But he was a customer, so she greeted him with a smile and a cheery word. He regarded her silently, then moved toward the back of the small store, blocked from view by a rack of stuffers. Concemed by this break in her routine, Gloria could do litle but ‘hope that the ork would buy what he wanted and leave. She tried to watch him in the tiny parabolic mirrors she had mounted at the ‘comers ofthe room, but could only catch fleeting gilmpses of the ‘metahuman, Later, she would remember thinking It seemed almost as fhe knew exactly how to avoid the concealed mirrors. She tect to ignore the black-clad figure and the almost palpable sense of ‘menace that surrounded him, and go about her business. Crash! The sound of something breaking came from the back ofthe store, near where she'd last seen the ork. Quickly logging off the computer, she huried to the back. The ork stood at the back comer of the store, in an area not Covered by the parabolic miors. At his feet lay a shattered container of pickles. The ork faced her, hands on his hips, his cod eyes fixed on her. A hint ofa smile twisted his thin lps. cS ERTS aera ‘She heard sound behind her. Gloria spun. There was no one there. She heard the sound again, and recognized the metallic click {from the front of the store as the sound of her front door being locked from the Inside. She ran back toward the cash desk and the phone, sick horror twisting In her stomach ‘Another click, andthe lights went out. Glotla skidded toa stop Inthe sudden darkness, her labored breathing loud in her ears. Figures ‘moved in the gloom ahead ofher,black-clad figures. She shrank back ‘And a hand touched her shoulder. With a muffled shiek, she ‘spun, The fist ork loomed behind her. She spun again, ready to ‘sprint away. But three more dark figures blocked her path. The ork smiled, baring yellow fangs. He reached out, and his fingers tightened in her hair. His smile broadened. His breath smelled sour In Goris face. Gloria screamed. And her night of hell began. >>>>>[Wow, talk obout purple prosel]cc<<< —Websier (20:50:52/2-19-53) ‘Sceneslike this occur with disturbing regularity inthe plex. Gloria Yu could have avoided this tragedy by taking appropriate precautions STEP ONE: DETECTION lesan ugly fact of life that Seattle's streets bristle with lethal weapons. Though relatively strict laws against the possession, trans- port, and use of weapons exist, many parts of the city pay only lip service to enforcing these laws. Many individuals cary unilcensed or leven restricted weapons, confident that the police will nt trouble them. A recent estimate by an Independent research firm states that 72 percent of the pedestrians walking the streets of downtown Seattle on any given day have llegal weapons In thelr possession. >>>>[Hold the phone. This “independent research frm’ is octally ‘owned— indirectly, of course—by Boiley Security Contrl Systems Toke the 72 percent figure wih a big grain of sat Je<<>>>o[Yeah, but who cores? Who realy gives a drek if Ma and Pa Ketle are pocking hea’ Is he gangers, chippies, uterpunks, and cssored street apes we need fo worry about, and Tonya, you can bet your sweet behind that they/re carrying ordnance Je>ooe[Nothing is that accurate Je>opa[Tive enough. But the technology has improved unbelievably over the last decodes. Hell, | remember my grandmother telling me cout how it was when she was o kid. They used metal detectors ot airports which were tuned 30 sensitively thot they/d go of if you hod spare change (metal coins, for those who remember them) in your pocket. Okay, so no system con distinguish a hold-out from « mtol Cigorette cose. But you won't se them off by the metol toscops on your boots 0° the zippers on your synhleahers Jeceee —Block Knight (03:48:12/2-8-53) >>>2{In mos! ploces, people dor'take direct action bosedon nothing bbuta MAD reading. They jus! waich you closer. For this common, low: level response, knowing somebody's carrying « hunk of metal thot could be a weapon is plenty accurate enough Je<<<< Rood (21:49:42/2-13-53) >eoee{So carry a gun made of ceramics oc composites. Ficheti’s got ‘few onthe market, or you could go wih something like the old Glock 17 oF Glock 19. Great guns, if you can find them, and those things just don't show up on metal delectors.Je<<<< —Nash the Slash (15:23:40/2-17-53) seseo[Myth, Urban follore. | wonder how many people have got thomselves gooked for believing thot drek? Even hough Glock ard Fcheti make their main frame assemblies cout of ceramics and crop, the bartels, the chambers, sometimes the slides, ond ober assorted bis of hardware are meal fhe detocior’s calibrated right ond he onalysssofwore's tall competent, ony MAD sytem wil log a Glock os easily a it does on all-metal beat! ko Predator. Sony, Nosh Je>>>>[You can actually get around the process by hermetically sealing the explosives in a container so tha he smell can’ gt out. Vocus flasks do the jb real wel cee Ripper (16:19:49/2-23-53) During the early years ofthis century, explosives developers and manufacturers of chem-sniffers engaged in a type of escalating technology race. The chemists developed less volatile types of plastique, such as C8 and C9, that gave off chemicals other than those most detectors could register. Meanwhile, the manufacturers Continued to extend the capabilities oftheir detector systems to Include the characteristics of the new explosives. Currently, the manufacturers seem to hold the edge, as no chemical explosive available on today's market can escape detection by the more ‘sophisticated chem-siffer systems. >>>>>[Not true. As far as know, C13 plastique con't be picked up by ony chemsiffe Jee<>>2o[True enough. But C13 is a military explosive, and they make suretheic toys den’ thitthe streets. Fyoucan lay yourhandson some, be glad to pay you top nuyen for a couple of kilos, but | doubt you con getitJeceee Catherine (15:14:26/3-4-53) In order to extend their technology's use even futher, many ‘chemical detector manufacturersadded a feature capable ofdetect- Ing the propellant used in modem, caseless ammunition. A sophis- ticated detector system such as Balley’s Bloodhound 3000™ can register the amount of propellant In one round of light pistol ammunition, OF course, the Bloodhound 3000 also efficientlyES SecuRTTY RC ec detects every kind of chemical explosive used In grenades, plus standard blasting charges and plastique up to and Including state- of-the-art C12. ‘The effectiveness of any chem-snifer device degrades as the distance from the detector to the charge increases. For this reason, ‘most contemporary chem-sniffers ae built into free-standing arch- ways much like metal detectors. They also fit into standard-size oortrames. >>>2>[Read this stulf and weep, dudes and dudettes. This kind of drek can rin your whole day. eee —Loker Girl (17:02:54/2-18-53) >>>zollike | soid eorler, just keep your explosives in something hermetically sealed Jeceee Ripper (16:24:49/2-23-53) >>>>>{Yeah, sure, thot do it for blasting charges, maybe for fgrenodes. But how do you hermetically seal frogging gun, huh, Einsiein?]c>>so{You can doit, but don’t expect o be able fo get athe thing Quickly Jeecee —Shrimper (23:12:51/3-7-53) >>>>>[Any technology has @ weok spot. Some corps connect their chem sniferso theircentral security computer. Getadrek-hot decker to crock into the system and disconnect he detector or jus suppress the rexponse. Even stand-olone detectors can be blitzed. A chemis frend of mine concocted a substance that temporarily incapocitates chem- sniffers, kind ofthe scent equivalentofaRash-dazzle. He tend itinto «an aerosol, which you can spray into the detecor’s ere. For 10 seconds or 5, the thing can't smell its upper lip. On the down side, ‘any sec-guards in the area will probably toke considerable notice if ‘you start spraying drek around their detectors. IF you wont fe buy some ofthis stuf coll LTG# 206 (31-0113) cond lecve a message. Il cost you 7,500¥ fora spray-can good for eight opplications Jecece —Cleon Gene (10:17:33/3-13-53} >>>>2[Yeah, elle onother one. Clean Gene, fyoudon'tknowhim, would make a great snake oil salesman. Bet he's got a couple of bridges in stock, for sale cheop. | bought some of his “wonder ‘cer0s0l and itworked about as well as...wordsfailme. As you might guess, itdidn’t work otal, ond olmost got my brains blown into my lop Jeccee Consumer Conscience (17:12:11/3-14-53) >>>z0llve fesled the slulf ond it worked just fine. What's your problem, CC#}>>>o[How about some independent arbitration heref]ecece taker Girl (18:18:44/4-2-53) CCEA Le STEP TWO: ALARM ‘Most systems, including Bailey's RMAD-13, offer sever ‘options for alarms. The simplest option triggers an audible alarm.a loud beep orbuzzeasily heard up to 10metersaway. Some systems ‘offer an accompanying flashing light. Both these options, of course, alert the subject that his or her weapon has been detected. In some ‘Aircumstances, the knowledge that a weapon has been discovered frequently proves deterrent enough to discourage the bearer from starting trouble. Inother creumstances, leaving a customer or client unsure of. whether or not his weapon remains undetected produces more effective results. Did the doorway he or she passed through have detector, ornot? Ifso, did it register the weapon or not? This very ‘uncertainty can prevent violence in Its own way. In such “silent” systems, the detector alarm may be a concealed light, perhaps mounted behind the cashdesk in a small store, or a waming ‘message may appear on a nearby computer screen. For a small additional investment, the system can be configured to sound an audible waming in a "bud™-style earpiece wor by the proprietor. >o>rolin larger stores, or in other places with on-site secur personnel, detectors alert the sec-guards direc. The Renraku Arcology goes one better; most of their sec-guords have alarm receivers plugged into ther datajacks. When the detector picks up weapon, who, where, even a guess ot whot i uploaded directly info the sec-guards’ brains. | don't know for sure, but fd guess thot he subject who triggered the detector turns up on the visual fed ofthe guards cybereyes.Je>>>2[Depending on what's going down athe momen, or exo vwhat the detecor protects, sec-guards respond differen. In some places, they come over and ejectthe guy packing thehea!, or relieve him of his burden. In oher places, hey jus! keep © very close eye on him, ready to drop him in a moment if he makes a wrong move. Sometimes he sec-guards make their surveillance obvious, hoping that knowing they ve spoted you will persuade you note doanyfhing drekheaded. Sometimes hough, they kop a low profile. You went know they ve seen your weapon unil you ry to draw it. You'lfindout you're blown when the fist rounds start coming in..Jeceee Sally Sheors (21:53:31/2-27-53) >>>>>[How common is all his drek anyway? }c<<<< —Solomon Grundy (20:29:57/3-14-53} >>>s2[Depends on the place. Most mojor corps have this shit instolled throughout their faites, and @ mojority of high-tone restaurants, clubs, and sores carry the lates! tech, Even small sores ore likely to be on this bandwagon, and think well see more ond more ofthis before we se less Je>>>>[You want se a slick system? Check ot SeaTae citpor he semibollistic ond suborbital departure terminals. Wow!ll<<<<< —Flyboy (13:51:31/4-13-53) f DE TO REAL LIFEPd STEP THREE: RESPONSE Inmany cases, just making securtyor the proprietor aware that ‘aperson has brought a weapon Into an establishment is not enough toprotect the owner or other patrons. They mustalso ben a position todo something about t. Ofthe many appropriate countermeasures available, most fall into two main categories: passive and active. PASSIVE RESPONSES. ‘A passive response to detected weapon simply means staying alive while calling forhelp. This smost easily accomplished by establishing “safe zones” withinan establishment such as booths Coreaslly accessible rooms sufficiently armored to stop the standard rounds an intruder might fie, A safe zone should also provide two other features: a locking door too heavy to be forced, and easy access in an emergency. Ifthe layout ofthe establishment does not lend itself to creating such a haven, the next best option Isto armor fan obstacle such as the cash desk In a small store, with ballistic ‘composite. While not providing: complete coverage. an armored area offers both easy access and partial protection from gunfire. In the passive response system, once an employee or owner reaches cover, he or she must summon help. A PANICBUTTON or similar crists-call system bull Into the safe zone Is an obvious cholee, buta portable PANICBUTTON transmitter provides a better solution. A small box, approximately 5 x 4 x 2 centimeters, the portable transmitter has a pear-shaped button on its face that {riggers all PANICBUTTONs within 20 meters when pressed. The transmitter is small enough to be carried at all times, and can be easily triggered in an emergency. Balley Security Control Systems ‘markets PANICBUTTON transmitterunder the brand name OnCall™ that lists for SOO¥. (Ifshe had purchased such a unit, Glorla Yumight have saved herself untold anguish.) >>>2>[Sheilo foils to mention that you've got o hook a receiver into ‘every PANICBUTTON that you wonto respond othe iransmiter. The receiver, associated circuitry, ond installation will set you back ‘nother 500¥ or so, (All sold by Bailey, ofcourse) For 1,000¥ plus, you've gota system to summon Lone Stor—but how fest does Lone ‘Stor respond to a PANICBUTTON callin the Borrens? Take two shots, to the head and call mein the morning Jecce< Catherine (15:26:26/3-4-53) ACTIVE RESPONSES, ‘The most common active response of business owners every- ‘where, and probably the most dangerous, Isto reach for a nearby concealed weapon. Though on rare occasion a proprietor may simply produce a weapon and show he Is willing to use it and thus ‘scare off intruders, such action usually serves to panic the Intruder Into violence. Worse, the intruder might decide he or she is being, challenged, and respond accordingly. Because small business owners usually possess far inferior skll with weapons than the Individuals threatening them. drawing a weapon on an Intruder Is essentially suicide, Many other types of active response are available, and none cary the same risk to the user as afirearm. Two of the most popular options appear below. Netguns ‘Many establishments In areas rated medium threat by law enforcement standards install net systems in the celings. Based on the tried-and-true netgun technology developed by Willams Tech- nologies (formerly Chandler) of New York, the system(s) fire into re-designated areas where an armed intruder likely to stand, for ‘example, In front of the cash desk. The net system has no autono- ‘mous targeting; the proprietor must wait forthe target to walkinto the netgun’s target zone, then trigger the system, usually with a ‘concealed foot switch. The system fires a net powerful enough to {ive troll to the ground and completely entangle him. The Balley Tangler™ netgun system lists for 1,700¥ (including all associated hardware, not Including installation), and most similar systems sel for around the same price. Gas Delivery Systems Another nonlethal active response altemative, gas delivery systems flood a considerable area almost instantly with fast-acting, narcotic vapor. As with the netgun system, someone must physi- ally trigger the gas dispersion system and the targets: must, obviously, stand within Is area of effect. Bailey offers an above- average system Incorporating standard technology called the Lethe". Each Lethe system floods an area up to a volume of 30 cubic meters with fast-acting Neuro-stun IX within 5 seconds of Jes. (Neuro-stun X's a quick-oxidizing version ofthe more familar N-S Vill and becomes totaly Inert § minutes after contact with oxygen.) A Lethe delivery system, Including all peripheral hard- ‘ware (not including installation) lists for2,500¥. A dlrectconnection to the PANICBUTTON system that will activate the PANICBUTTON as soon as the gas system Is triggered, costs an additional SOO¥, >5>>>{Real lick Fiooffsome got inside your store. Maybe the goon with the gun goes down, but 0 do you Jecee< Bung (18:03:06/4-11-53) >>>>>[So whal® Better unconscious than deod, particularly if Lone Stars sanding around when you wake up. Anyway, who soid you hove to stayin the area of effect? Gos the agers by the door wile you duck down behind your armorplast counter, right, Sheil seagfleccee Laser (04:18:18/4-23-53) Gloria Yu survived her night of torment. Yu's Grocery Is still ‘open, out there on G Street SE In Auburn. You'll recognize it. It displays prominent logos on the windows proclaiming, “This establishment secured by Bailey Security Control Systems.” Visit her anytime; she'd love to discuss her new security. But leave your gun at home. >>>221Gels you right here, don't i®]ccce< —Bort (12:08:18 /4-2-53} >>>>>{Moron Jec>>>olThe whole restauran’s a kiling ground? What's safe and ‘reassuring about thai]e<<<< —Hoce (13:42:14/1-28-53) >>55>[Actually, you're perfectly safe until you start rouble. Then the ‘McCops cut you down. | don’t know about you, but the idea of shooting itout with armed and armored sec-guards with nothing but flimsy tables to hide behind doesn't spin my crank Je>>s5[What it this place afraid of Car bombsflecece Porro (13:31:47 /2-4-53) >>>>>{Could be Jecece Nora (23:48:27/3-2-53) FOOD ‘The food at McHugh’s ts, to put it bluntly, uninspired. The utterly predictable menu consists of soyshakes, soysundaes, and ‘soykaf to drink, and the food lst concentrates on meat-substiute burgers and other such pedestrian fare. The flash-frozen food is ‘stored in autodispensers beneath the counters in the food prepara- tion area. When the customer places an order at the counter, the autodispensers select the appropriate items and route them to the preparation equipment. Cold soykaf gets the microwave treat- ‘ment, lmostinstanty reaching drinkable temperature. High-power microwave ovens also defrost frazen Soy or kil patties, which thenSYSTEM SECURITY TRAVEL ARMS FASHION receive quick surface-broling under arc discharges to give them an appetizing brown color. Powerful an effective, the equipment can prepare an order for four people in less than two minutes. ‘And how does it raste? Sulfice It to say that McHugh's will never go broke underestimating the tastebuds ofthe Seattle pubic. >>>>>INo flever, no offense. There's nothing fo dislike about it Nothing to like, ether Jeccee —Gourmand (12:11:53/2-16-53) In Its defense, McHugh’s fare boasts a high level of consis- tency. No patron has ever received a badly fled order. OF course, this very consistency contributes to the previously mentioned sense of soullessness. ‘McHugh’ also maintains an exceptional level of cleanliness. ‘Outstanding hygiene, reasonable prices, and a children’s ‘menu make McHugh’s a good choice for families. A sample of pices from the menu appear below: Basic Soyburger Fa “The Hugh’—soyburger with processed cheese-flavored food 3 “The Beast”—triple soyburger with processed cheese- flavored food and fried egg substitute ¥ Soykat 1¥ Soysundae (13 favors) 2 >>>20l"Processed cheese flavored food.” Gah! What's nex® Artifi- ial processed cheese-flavored food subsfituie?}e>>>>[Check next month’s special menu Jeccee —Bung (21:00:21/2-23-53) SECURITY Despite its other, perhaps arguable, attractions, many people consider McHugh’s high level of secunty its most appealing feature, >>>po[They sure os drek ain't coma’ forthe food Jecece —Crusher (14:15:43/2-21-53) Guards provide the primary source of security, and each restaurant posts six security guards at all times. McHugh's hires its {guards based largely on appearance; most of thelr security force is. ‘made up of humans and elves with open, friendly faces and cheerful ddemeanors. Their wel-tallored but casual uniforms fit loosely in ‘order to conceal the fact that they wear armor jackets with rein- forced plates protecting vital areas. They carry heavy pistols and tasers in concealed but easy-to-reach holsters and wear black ‘metal-mesh gloves connected to powerful capacitors and battery aks. In addition toarmedand unarmed combat training, McHugh’s security guards receive intensive courses in interpersonal relations. Inaccordance with company policy, security personne! eact quickly and ruthlessly tothe firsthint of serious trouble. McHugh’smanage- ment publicizes this policy widely, well aware that deterrence ‘works only ifthe deterrent is known, Ca Fooo HR INO Page ‘A sophisticated maglock secures the rear door to every ‘McHugh's restaurant and can only be unlocked by the thumbprint ‘of the manager on duty at the time. The font doors remain closed but unlocked during business hours. Metal and chemical detectors bulltinto the door frame note any customers bringing weapons into the restaurant and relay the pertinent information to the security guards through earpieces. Security guards give polite, but obvious attention to customers who register as carrying a weapon. When necessary, any security guard on duty can trigger the facility's secondary security system: gas dispensers bullt into the ventilation shafts. Activating this system automatically locks the front doors and floods the entire restaurant floor area and both ‘washrooms with Neuro-Stun Vll gas within Five seconds. A second dispenser system isavallable to ood the food preparation area, the manager's office, and the storage room with the same gas IF necessary, >>>>2[Gos the customers, huh® That's what | ell servce...Jeceee Bung (14:38:26/3-11-53) >>>>>[Like said in an earlier section, beter unconscious han deo, hummer Je<>>>>{Don't joke about McHugh’s secur, goombah. The MeCops «re tougher thon anyother restaurant security, and hey re equipped with at ilration bodyware, so gos doesn't phase hem, Jec>555{Why the frag would any of us—1 mean, the non-family types. ‘who read Shadowland—want to go to fogging McHugh’ st}>>2[Believe itor not, is « great place for safe, neural-ground meet. Believe it. Je<>>>>[Besides, where better to arrange a meet with « Johnson who ‘wears 0 5,000¥ suit, drives @ 50,000¥ cor, and whose snippy, {roggin’ ‘clasierthon thou” atitude wists yer spud so bod you'd hike to introduce him to Mssrs. Smith and Wesson?]<<<<< —Killjoy (17:45:41/4-2-53)WE system FETT] TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH ROOMS FOOD TOYS MATRIX CASH PICKLES Page 64 oO (GUIDE TO REAL LIFEFT] TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH ROOMS FOOD TOYS MATRIX CASH PICKLES Reprinted from Consumer Bulletin, January 2052 nany rapidly expanding market, the potential for great financial gain attracts both the qualified service provider and the scam artists to the industry segment. While many newcomers offer genuine goods and services, certain types of companies will depend on lack of sophistication in the marketplace to conceal substandard products and services. As the market matures, companies providing low value lose business to the honest providers, but that market break often comes too late for the unfortunate victims of cons who have paid considerable nuyen for services and products worth less than their cost. Home security providers offer an excellent current example ofa market segment in the pre-maturity phase. For a fee, home security providers promise to deliver services and products designed to protect homes from burglars and other intruders. In the last six months alone, seven new companies entered the home security market in Seattle, bringing the total up to thirteen such providers within the metroplex. Note that these figures refer to “full-service” companies offering a complete security “package.” Expanding the parameters of definition to include companies providing only portions ‘ofthe “security equation,” such as specialized alarm companies, locksmiths, consulting ‘engineers specializing in structural “hardening” and others yields more than 100 firms. ‘Among the thirteen recognized full-service organizations, the quality of service, product, and personnel fluctuates wildly. Wolverine Security, one of the best private security providers anywhere in the world, rivals the excellence of Lone Star, Knight- Errant, and other corporate security specialists. Also-rans such as Jolly Roger Security peddle their trade at the bottom of the scale. Though the industry capably recognizes the difference in reputation between Wolverine and those companies run as scams, the average home owner has few criteria by which to evaluate security companies. Cost, a standard indicator of quality, offers no guideline in this case: Wolverine and Jolly Roger Page 65 [a] PEs DET REAL FEsistem ETT rave FASHION HEALTH offer similar rate structures, while Hard Corps Security, one ofthe top five private security companies, boasts one ofthe lowest base rates. ‘Consumer Bulletin produced the following analysis of the home security Industry to provide the layman with a point of reference for determining and fulling his property protection needs, >>>>>[Condemner Bulein’s right about a bunch of things here. Quoliy range is extreme. Let's look at @ couple of the compas licensed to uselethal force: Wolverine, Hard Cops, Bloch Securiy.ond Joly Reger. Wolverine hires ex-military and excLone Star personnel You never know ifthe sac-guard inthe Wolverine uniform is actually mull tour Desert Wers veteran who's kept up his weapons sls os 0 hobby since his discharge. Hard Corps screens the opplicans almost «3 thoroughly. Bloch, in contrast, usally hires washed-up exccops, ‘wannabes who couldn’ thackitn he Star or cldstrs who got persioned ff Competent, but abit slow. And then there's Jolly Rage. They licensed fo use lethal force, bu theyre os likely to geek themsehves or ch oher as an iniuder Jece>>>o[ls this guy drekking me? Autonomously-torget ‘eutocannons#}ec<<< Longfellow (13:33:38/2-12-53) >>>>2[Ufortnately, no. Desert Storm Security specalizesinhatkind of drok. Of course, the targeting sofware is jst one stp above the experimental proteype a his point, 0 anyone stepping into the free: firezonerskson even chance hath weopon willether “wach them wilhout Fring, oF go into RESET mode and open up. Gite frankly, ‘here's something very scary about sesing a minigun on a hardened ‘pedestal rained out over the rolling lawn of an este in Madison Park ece< Sue (11:28:00/3-1-53) ACTIVE AUTOMATED DEFENSES ‘The technology to create and operate autonomous active de- fense systems has existed for several years and found wide accep- tance in the corporate marketplace. Recently, despite It high cost, this technology has begun to trickle down into the home defense ROOMS Cee ay fe >>>>>IIlked obout this drek in the corp securiy Fle. A coupe of estos inthe sprew/ seth kind ofthing, Unlike “intligen” gun pots in a corp fii, these autonomous gun systems se lethal ordnance, svally light machine guns. “Dumb" gun ports don't work so wa curse; randomly hosing down on area wit ire doesn't make much, sense when heals mightcomedownon yourneighbor sheod Jceee« —The Hammer (23:27:45/12-29-53) >s>>olThesystems currently avilableonthe open market showavery low comparative accuracy rate. Also, for more reasons than the Hommer stated, mony areas hove decired avtonemous systems be in violation of the local bylaws. As Hammer said, if a round misses its rorgeitwillend up somewhere. In residential oreo, chances ar hat *somenhere” wil be somebody else's property Jeecce Aang (11:33:50/3-1-53) >>>>>II_got some bod news for you guys. | know foro ft that Ares, ‘Arms is just about st to market o nasty litle system under the Sentn™ bbrand nome: portable LMG (the toprof the tne mini-gun) with al, 360 degree traverse mount, bout a thousond rounds, and outa” ‘mous acquisition and racking capobiliy. So fr, sounds like he some thing everybody ese has right? But wa, itgets beer. They lnk up one cftheirkiler QuickTrae™ tactical compuiersystemsto it so the ogi’ ‘hing con track up to Avele discrete forgets simltoneously, Now how ‘much would you pay?e>>>>[Referbocktothefileon Mitsuhama’s security system. Anyhome security company worh the nome can install any one of hose systems, cor a combined sytem that wll make your blood run eld Jecece Ned! (00:01:32/2-15-53) >>>2>[Theoretically, yeah. Butsome systems justin’ trightforahome.. Remember, people liveinside, Sure, they might tun onthe alarm only ‘when they sleep, but most will gt up and go othe can, or graba gloss cof water, or whatever. So extensive motion detectors ain't goed ideo. Unlike corp faciliies, most homes cin’ ciright, either, so air pressure systems are out. Ifthe arm goes off everytime the borometer drops, the system's not much good. What you're gong fo se ina home for secur is usually common sense—which ain't all that common, these days Jeccee —Lecber (15:04:59/3-25-53) >o>so[Unless the place stands empty for long periods of ime, os does a summer home during the winter, ccc —Noé! (02:06:58/3-28-53) >>se[Uh, yeah, then all bes ore off Jecece —Leeber (14:27:27/3-31-53)Sh FASHION HEALTH ALARM MONITORING [As a cost-saving altemative to guard patrols, many home ‘owners choose an option known as alarm monitoring. The house ‘alarm system has a dlect line tothe security provider's headquat- ters, the local Lone Star precinct, and often to a security team patrolling the area. As soon as an intruder triggers any one alarm system in the house, the monitor alerts each of those teams. Dependingon the company, response timecan range rom minutes tomore than an hour. >>5>2[Now thisdeserves closer look, becouselots of owners won't spring for alarm monitoring. Usually they ve got on-site security to respond to on audible olarm, or they hope that jus the sound of an clarm going off will scare the intruders away. In both cases, the clarms ore autonomous. (Again, refer to the fle on corp security.) In dther words the alarm systems have no connection to the Matix, so «decker can't do much to suppress them. ‘Alarm monitoring means the olarm systems connect fo the IG grid or some other kind of communication network, which means at leost some kind oF hookup to the Matrix—which means a decker can blast down the dtalne and tum of he olorms, or atleast top them from tending o call o the monitoring agency Jece>2>>[Cloir's right about mos! cases, bui'snet foo tough fo rig up © dial-outonly scheme completely disconnected from the home's ‘phone ines In this case, the decker could crack into the home phone, but sill coldn’ttouch he alarm-monitoring lnk. To bypass the alarm monitoring syst, the decker hast breokintothe monitoring system at the receiving end—the security corp’s headquarters or the Lone Star precinct and suppressthe olertthere. really slick decker could figure out what switching nodes, iFany, the monitoring system uses, then ambush the alert signal when it comes through. Not eosy, but possible Jecece —Clever Boy (13:14:19/2-2-53) ASTRAL SECURITY ‘Though offered by some top security providers, astral security generally costs more than the average subscriber can pay. Acertain| rhumber of the guards employed by several companies have ‘magical abilities, but the mere presence ofa mage or shaman does not necessarily provide astral security. True astral security consists ‘of some combination of the following: watcher spits, guardian spits or elementals, wards, other magical barriers, or mages/ shamans astally patrolling the vicinity. >>>>>[No wonder astral security costs. Waichers are easy enough to summon, but they don't sick around that long. Spirits ond elementals stoy on the job longer, but they're tough, ond tiring to summon and bind. Medicine lodges are expensive to set up and limited size, while hermetic circles oly serve cs barriers slong as somebody's working inside them Wards ofer by far the best option. They'e fairly easy fo bust through, ond they have to be reset every few doys, but they work Jeceee —Boylis (07:42:17/4-1-53) ROOMS Ce Cs Pag >>s>>[Even wards get bloody expensive. in moterals alone, ony ‘ward worth having costs thousands of nuyen per week. And setting up realy strong ward can drain the drekout ofa moge, so you can bet he'll ask hely price to do the job. }ex<>>>s[I have heord that several corp bigwigs have hired hermetic ‘moges to summon and permanently bind elementals to guard their homes. Considering the cost to the mage in terms of karma and 7 drain, the fe for such a service must be ostronomical. Then ‘ogain, mony upper-echelon corp execs simply cannot find enough ‘ways fo spend their money. Poor dears icce<< —Copperfield (16:51:59/5-13-53) >>>2>llnhisinimiteble, pedantic syle, Copper’s made on important point. The real rich folk, the ones most of us have an interest i, wil have paid he piper for ome degree of astral securily. You probably Won't see fire elemental bound to guord « house inthe burbs, but they'll be waiting inthe lxury enclaves. Keep that in mind Jece>>>2[Bloch isnot authorized for paronormal, but that company’s got something I've never seen anywhere else: cyber-enhanced doberman waichdogs. I've seen ‘em, and they scare the drek out of ‘me. Cyber eyes, probably wth thermo or low ight, and hey move 0 fast | think they've got wired reflexes. Sear-yJecece Yahi (16:21:49/2-26-53) >>>>2[Bullrek! You can't metal up o watchdog Jecece Sheaffer (11:20:43/3-10-53) C5 Ce ea) ee >>>>>[Sure you con, Sheaf. The tick is keeping it under conta cfferward. But fra free-range woich anim, the kind hat just proms «fenced: in enclosure and chews up anything that crosses its ph tha!s nota problem Jec<<< —Doc (23:25:34/3-14-53) >>s>>[[ve teen some of Bloch’s doggies, and | back Dec. Those things ore fost, ond they/re psycho Jeecee Geist (04:47:26/3-15-53) >>>>>[Where'd you see these things, Gesf]ecceee —Adlene (11:45:50/3-19-53) >>>>51A shoreline estate out in Madison Park, us off Beach Pes. Probably good place to stay away from Jeceee Geist (02:14:56/3-24-53) >>>>>[ Maybe... Jeceee —Adlene (12:04:44/3-28-53)SYSTEM ESTITAM TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH EXTENDED PASSIVE DEFENSE Extended passive defense refers to countermeasures against physical intrusion that function independent of any active decision- ‘making by electronics or (metajhuman operatives. The electric fence remains the most common, and Is generally a very effective form of passive defense, More expensive, and thus less common, are various laser Intrusion->>22[Iknowa couple of placesin he Beaux Arts Village enclave that tun a hwo step laser system: a low-power mode for defection, then & high-power pute fo toast whatever broke the detection beam. (Roger >>20[IF you spot the beams Je<>> [Le tlk electric fences. Inthe most commen form, he juice is ‘lways running. Your average fence caries a punch of about 2,000 ‘lls, thelevel hey once used okillpeople usingthe-elecric choir. Fyou touch the fence while grounded, ether with lsh or with something conducive, itl toast you. And face it, mast things will conduct 2,000 ‘ols, Even if you lve through it likely your cyberware won't (On the tri, oF in simsense chips, the hero or villain gets away with attaching jumpers fo fences take out a section ofthe circuit 0 they can cutthrough he wir safely. Too bad that doesn't work in real life. Even if you don't cook yourself ying o put the jumpers on, every electric ence everbult sounds an olarm the minute itdelecs change inresistonce. anything larger than, soy, acat touches he Fence, that sets off alarms too, Bosically, the only woy to defeat on electric Fence isto go over {or under) itwithout ouchingit, oro cutthe power. Ofcourse, citing ‘hepowerclerts everyone inside hat something's going down Jece<< —Sve (10:56:23/3-1-53) >>>po(A chummer of mine fold me how his team went through an electric ence somewhere in Fort Lewis. His decker killed he power for fone minue, they cute fence, gotthrough, then closed the Fence agoin with metallchwstfes Then he deckertumed he juice backon Jee —Quiney (23:10:57/3-13-53) >>>>>[Sounds doubfultome. The cutfence and those wists things would have a slightly diferent resistance than on uncut fence. The system would have detected it and sounded off Jeceee Robson (13:41:52/3-14-53) ROOMS a | i MATRIX fay od >>>>>[KF the decker can shut down the juice without riggering on ‘orm, he o she could easily recalibrate the system sothe fence read the resistance with cut wires ond Wwishtis at normal. Jee>>5>{That possibly roses on interesting point. An electric fence «round a corp fecity canbe easiero bypass than one around aprivaie home, for he simple reason tha! he corp fence probably connects 00 central computer system, which num probably connec othe Matix Fs0,adeckercan goinand haves way wth he system. Pivatehomes fond to ute dand-elone systems that decker can get oroundJe>>s>{Monowire sung along the top of a wall or fence provides ‘nother rast kind of passive interdiction. Clim the fence or he wal reach the top solely, step forward to jump down the ober sie, and lop both lags off on a couple of strands of monowire, Notfun Jee Sue (11:16:41/3-29-53) >>>>[Con you run high-voltage electricity through monowire? An electrified monowire fence? }<<oparlNo kecece —Troynor (21:42:52/4-7-53) LETHAL FORCE Not all full-service security providers possess licenses to use lethal force. This means that employees of a company without a lethal-force license can shoot to kill, but only in personal se defense. A lethal force license relieves the company’s personnel of this constraint. >>>>>[This bears repetition, boys ond girls. Consider a lethal force license legal permission to shoo! first and ask questions late. Je>>>3[A lethal fore license comes very close to creating a feetire zone, but sops just short. A sec quard who geeks an intruder has to ‘prove thotthe guy he geeked actually was.nillegol intruder, otherwise the guard gels ried for murder. A guard cant geek you for lrking ‘round outside the Fence, because he can't prove youillegelintet. Bu, {033000 05 you come over the fence, he can blow your brains out with impurity. He doesn’t have o yell freeze, he doesn't have to identify himself or otherwise warn you, andhe doesn thave shoot for he logs Inconirasttakea guy withouta lethal force license. You come over the fence. The guard has to identify himself and warn you: “Fargo Securiy! Freeze! Ths isa rested area”, and oll hat drek. fhe sees yougo fora gun, he con geek you, butctherwise helonds n big rouble IF his company has a lethal force license, sec-guard ean ie in waitfor you, hidden behind ree so you can‘ see im, then pop you the second you step onto guarded property. You'd never know what Fit you, or even that anything had. That's kosher. Buta guy without (on LFlicense can only pull hat kind of sniper rip by using o non-lethal weapon, lke @ Narcoject rifle or a nelgun Jeceee —Logavalin(11:57:28/4-5-53)ec oy co LOCKSMITHING Locksmithing service allows owners to update the locking ‘mechanisms on all doors and windows In their residence. If appropriate, this service also extends to gates. All full-service providers offer locks of various levels of effectiveness, from the simplest maglocks to sophisticated systems incorporating retina >>>>2[You'renot going e see too many retinal-scan locks in homes, ‘even among the corporate elite. These systems foll to « point of diminishing returns relotively quickly becouse the oggrewation level Lsvally outweighs the increased security. Only the most paranoid corp types se ther security systems to require a retina scar—which Iokes, wha? ive secondsorlonger?—for theirown backdoor toopen forther. On the other hand, Seale seems to breed paronoids almost 0 fast os it does devil-ats, x0 who knowsf]ecece —Diomond Jock (11:52:50/2-16-53) MUNDANE PATROL ‘At the mention of home security, most people immediately think ofarmed and armored security guards patrolling the property. ‘Though expensive, physical guard patrols remain popular, particu- larly within high-class enclaves such as Madison Park. Operatives from licensed and bonded security companies, includinggll the full- service providers, may carry lethal weapons up to and including submachine guns, though most enclaves do not permit security personnel to carry personal explosives. >>>2>{Companies ike Wolverine ond Hord Corps don't give a frog ‘about what's permed. They pack grenades if circumstances wor- ront cece Sve (14:20:59/2-16-53) Quality of personnel training and equipment varies widely. Page 70 STRUCTURAL HARDENING Structural hardening refers tothe practice of reinforcing doo, ‘windows, and walls to make them bulletproof and dificult to break down. In the simplest form of structural hardening, the secuty provider backs all walls and doors with reinforced impact plasticor ballistic composite. Windows present a special dficuity because they must stay transparent, and though some companies continue to use reinforced armor glass to harden windows, new, cutting ‘edge fiber-plastic weave composites have made significant inroads Into the market. These materials offer the hard-cover protection of reinforced impact plastic while providing transparency near thatof armor glass, +>>>>>[The only disadvantogeto fiber plostc weave composite isthe fact that it costs about 1.5 mes as much os armor glass: 1,500¥ per square meter or thereabouts Jee>>s2{Very few people go for barred windows anymore. Hard mounted bars sop people geting out, particularly in case ofa ie, «as much as they stop people geting in. And if you go forthe uice release style, mechanical of electronic, mos! likely your friendly neighborhood burglars gota magaon tap who con remotely release the bors. | hink people use bars more for show thon anything se nowadays, eccce —Nodl(23:46:45/2-14-53) COMPANY RATINGS “The Private Security Companies Table provides an overview of the capabilities and services rendered by 13 clifferent companies spedalizing in security forthe private sector. PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANIES TABLE Lethal Alarm — Computer ‘Astral Passlve ——Acthe Fersonnel Mages Cost Force Response Securly Paranormals Securtty Defenses Defenses Quality on Staff Range Bloch Securty Services Y 15min B N No Fences i 8 y 8 Desert Storm Securty Y 15min B N N Fences, Lasers Y 8 N OA Fargo Security Providers N 15min c N Y Fences N c eee Hard Corps Secuty Y 10min 8 y Y Fences, Lasers A 40 oD Hanford Security N 20min, B N N N N c vn sell Joly Roger Securty Y 20min c x N Fences N D y B Krighe-Erant Y tom As re Y Fences, Lasers a vous Len Grubb and Assoc N 25min A N N Fences, Lasers A NOOA Nighdancer Home Protection -N 20min, B. y Y N N 8 . 8 Olympic Home Defense N tom B N N Fences y B nite Sydney Services N 25min c y N Fences, Lasers c Nera Woiverne Security Yo Sm A y Y Fences, Lasers A icin Zero-Lone Security N 25min A N N Lasers i 8 na aoe os HEALTH or RO Ley tou PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANIES TABLE KEY ‘Alarm Response: The average elapsed time before a team responds toa monitored alarm, ‘Computer Security: The level of security on the monitoring system at the company's headquarters. Each letter represents how dificult the system makes it fora decker to break in and interfere with normal ‘monitoring functions. ‘A—Red-7, Barrier 5, Blaster 5 B-Orange-6, Baie 5, Trace and Bum 5 (C—Orange-4, Barrier 4, Trace and Bum 4 D—Orange-3, Barter 3, Trace and Dump 3 Personnel Quallty: Consumer Bulletin uses ths subjective grade to rate the training quality and equipment used by the company’s on- site security personnel. A denotes the highest level, D represents the lowest. ‘Many companies also hire combat mages or physical adepts. Company-employed mages generally cast and maintain spells on thelr comrades as well as themselves (Cost Range: The cost for security services varies widely, depending, ‘onthe exact nature of services purchased. As a guideline, Consumer Bulletin defines cost range Cas “average.” Cost range Bis twice cost range C and cost range A equals three times cost range C. Costrange Dequals 75 percent of cost range C. Forexample, assume thata package ofservices offered by Fargo ‘Security Providers inc. a cost range C company. costs 1,000¥ per ‘week. From Desert Storm Security Services, Inc. (cost range A). the same package costs 3,000¥ per week. Bloch Securty Services, Inc (costrange B) charges2,000¥per week, and Hard Corps Security, nc. (cost range D) charges 750¥ per week. >>>>>[Okoy. Here'sanexomplecfhowel hese things come ogeher. describe @ place | hackcause 10, um, vt in Fourlerey. Firs, the perimeter. is brck-focade walls 3.5 meters high and 30 centimeters hick, could stop onyhing shor of a bird primary gun or « misil. The top ofthe wall featured inset pressure pods, pls two sands of monowire above. Security guards inside he house controlled ‘he reinforced ballsic composite got electronically. (Andno, the gote ret didn't connec in ary way tothe Matrix) Inside the well,o couple ofatock rained rtweilers (no cyber tht Icould see} ond hellhound patrolled 10 metersofopen spoce. (guess somebody trained the hound not o ea the rftweles,) Pes! that lay 0 3.5meter high fence charged with 2.000 volts of juice, topped with three stands of monowire. The hecvily reinforced fence gate could stand upto any punishment bute heavy vehicle with running sar But because some bight designer offset the gote inthe wal andthe gate inthe fence by about 20 meters, that running str isn't available. Just ‘swith the main gate, he fence gate ted into «sealed lane link to ‘he main security booth in he house The doors and windows all connected fo perimeter alarms. Every door used thumbprntkeyed moglock the best money can buy lhe lacking systems were outonomous, preventing o decker from tying to crock n through the Matrix. A conducive layer coated the doors and: the windows onthe inside, juiced wih a low-vehage current hat wos, rupted if cryone cut through that layer. Any disruption sounded an dar. The doors were consruced of balisic composite, the windows of fiber-plasic weave composite. The outside window frames were protected by builtin two-step IR lasers placed to crisscross the window. loser capacitors discharged when the beam was broken, pumping ‘enough jules int the laser to melt cyberorm. TwosepIRiesers so ran al around he eaves, on order fo getup ono the roof an inuder ‘was forced to deal wih those lasers Fersonnel-wise, almost a dozen security people guarded the ploce. Fd categorize them os “dass A,” using Consumer Bulletin’ terminology: armed fo the teth and well rained. At lest two of them, were mogically active, though | never saw them pataling stray But then, they dide’t have to ‘fire elemental and an air elemental prowled around the ploce, both oughashellondlooking foriroube. A watcher alo ited around, ready scream for help if something stated sling around withthe clemental ‘Assuming you survived he ripocrossthe grounds, the inside ofthe the house held ts own bog of tricks. Low-power, alorm-ype lasers ond pressure pods crisscrossed key hallways The place belongs to areal corp highligh, «prime target fr olit ‘ut attempt. Needless fo say, his security company provided ferific defenses agains! air assaults, beginning wih © small phased-array system on top of the house that constantly swept the airspace abowe it with rodor. (The array ran of its own electicol circuit, and the whole house could run on emergency generators If the radar picked up something unauthorized it triggered an oirdefense emplacement up top: © Vindicator minigun on a serve mount, saved fo @ command system in he guts of he house. don'hink he Vindicator had line oF Fre fo the grounds, but | wouldn't swear to it) Presumably, ithe guns missed, the elementals got he chance fo mess up any unouihorized circroft moking final opproach (I would not ket ry landing @ light crat while dodging minigun fire ond tangling with fire and cir clemental in the same Five minutes.) | made itn and out ogain, but | won't tell you how | did. Lethe reader figure it out Jeeece Victoria (15:38:09/5-11-53) >>sse[Pedontic cag Jeecce Rox (11:03:39/5-23-53) >5>>>[What obout metal detectors and chemsniffers? Nobody's mentioned them Jee>>>2[Sometimes you find them in the entry halls of mansions. A chummer eld me about one ploce that bul detectors into wo old sits of armor thot flanked the haley Jeceee —Quingy (01:15:41/12-25-53) >>>22|This whole discussion of security companies misses the point The rich corporators usually have corp security looking afer their personel places. Anyone ese needing serious security sjustaslikelyio hire private eperators—ex-shadowrunners, or runners down on their luck atthe moment. You just can't predict with ony degree of accuracy what kind of security you'l run into if you decide to breok into some /'s ploce Jeecece Debbie (05:32:14/12-30-53)CE MC CM MULLS Tvs AC oe oa (GUIDE TO REAL LIFETRAVEL ARMS FASHION WEALTH ROOMS F000 FT ]rY MATRIX CASH ERPS Reprinted from Razor's Edge Catalog, Spring 2052 he Razor's Ege Catalog brings you what's new to sharpen your image and keep you ‘on the cutting edge of fashion and tech. Spring 2052 is a great time to update your look and your life—time to impress everyone from your boss to your corp sec-guard to the ‘women you meet and the bully boys who look at you as a target. Take charge of your appearance with our nuyen-back guarantee, and take control of your life! >>>>>[I left a whole drekload of this stuff in the last Real Life. This time I’ve edited out the soap and depilatory and fruit baskets and sludge like that, and tried to cover the products street ops like yourselves might conceivably take an interest in.}<<<<< —Captain Chaos (01:44:20/1-8-53) WHITELAW ELECTRIC SUNGLASSES Resin-composite lenses change their polarization depending on the current flowing through them in the newest line of sunglasses from trend-setting Whitelaw. Their innovative filtering system guarantees that an even level of brightness reaches the wearer's eyes regardless of the incidental light. In bright sunlight, the lenses darken to exclude 99.9 percent of damaging ultraviolet rays, also eliminating glare and dazzle. Under night-like conditions, the lenses still eliminate dazzle—for instance, from oncoming car lights—as they enhance contrast and depth percep- tion. Optically perfect, the Whitelaw line comes in any diopter strength for required vision correction. (Starting at 250 ¥.) >>>>>[Can these things provide cheap flare compensation?jccec< —Stacey (17:34:15/2-23-53) eeSaas FASHION HEALTH 5555[No. They don’t respond fast enough. By the time the lenses change polrization, you ve clready been Hosh-dazaled Jecece —Orson (09:11:35/2-27-53) CORONA “PRIVATE EYE” COMPUTER DISPLAY GLASSES ‘Corona Data Corporation announces the first major break- through In computer data-display technology in two decades. The “Private Eye” system resembles a pair of partially mirrored eye- _glasses, with ahalline optical ber running fror the earpiece tothe thumbnall-size interface unit which connects tothe “data out” jack oF a telecom or pocket computer. Connected, the “Private Eye" blanks. ‘out the computer's data display and projects the image on theiinside ofthe “Private Eye" glasses, As with vehicle head-up displays, the Image fils the wearer's visual feld. Though clearly visible even in bright sunlight, the transparent display does net interfere with the user's normal vision. The “Private Eye" offers the perfect solution for the problems of "commute-computng,”as well asthe ultimate pracy. ‘Compatible with all telecoms and pocket computers, (Save 150¥. Now only 1,150¥) >>>20IThisisaprety good produc. Ifyou worry obout people looking ‘over your shoulder while you work, orf you wantto werk nthe car on the way to your office, this oy is the bil, ee>soo|Jus jack nlleecee Neon Cowboy (10:30:11/3-27-53) >>>>>INot everybody's got a datajock. And sometimes you need to see what'son the screen ond whats going on around you atthe cme time Jeceee Hee (16:09:42/3-28-53) >>>>>IIhtookime. while fo get ued this thing's beta release, At first it gave me crippling headaches. Then | earned to mentally “fade to block’ ether the computer image or the real word, whichever did't ‘wantto payaitenion othe moment. Nomatier what the adverts say, diving a car wearing his thing doesn't show too many smarts. But his gadget hat lots of her applications Jeecee Horry J (23:05:48/3-28-53) FELLINI-MED BREATHER ‘This new particulate matter filter leans thea you breathe using ‘electronic preciplttion, and the new-for-'S2 Felini-Med Breather Improves on the winning design of eater Felini-Med products. The new mode! has a lower profile, and Its more flexible materal softy ‘cups the mouth. A gente clip of patented SoffTouc™ holds the nose closed, Completely self-contained, the Felini-Med Breather dis- ppenses with intrusive, uely battery packs, A single 4mm Geltech™ energy cell powers the Breather for up to 60 days of continuous use, ‘The Fellin-Med Breather clips neatly onto the lapels of today’s high-cola jackets, and comes In awide range of designer colors and ROOMS tooo fy ae aad Page 74 (Felin-Med Breathers start just 350¥, Including one Geltech energy cell and two replacement fiters. Additional ters cost 45¥ each.) >>>>>[Bewore. These breathers fiter out particulates like smog, but they do squat about gases like carbon menoxide or Newro-sun Vl jecee< Nova (16:11 :49/2-23-53) >>>>2[I got 0 churmmer with the disturbing habit of coughing his frogging guts out when he breathes corde smoke. Usvcly ot the ‘worst possible times, like inthe middle of a firlight. We set him up with Folin: Med Breather, and i shut him right up.Je<<<< —Lonk (06:14:31 /3-6-53) STANLEY “SCREAMER” PORTABLE DOOR ALARM ‘The perfect security solution for business travelers! This 4x4 2 1 centimeter unit attaches tothe Inside of your hotel-room door and detects the characteristic electronic impulses created by any attempt to defeat the door’s maglock. A bult-n vibration sensor also detects any attempt to physically jimmy the door open. Italso reacts If someone opens the door, from the outside or the inside, ‘without frst disarming the unit. The Screamer emits a piercing electronic squeal guaranteed to wake and alert the deepest sleeper. From Stanley Security Technologies. (Save 45¥. Now only 450) >>>>2[Thisthing detects someone sting wih he maglockonlyifhe maglock keypod or kel is built right im the dor. How offen do you s0e thalf}ecece —Marrie(18:24:00/3-13-53} >>>>>{YYou can adjust the sensitvily ofthe vibration sensor. you're real parancid, it can go so high thatt goes off anyone weiks near your door. Jeceee Hersh (22:06:54/3-16-53) >>22[Drek, like hese things ‘couse they ring when the door opens, tondifilhoppen eventually right? Hong ‘eminside the door where he joker trying to get in con't get att. You may just give yourself the fw ‘extra seconds you need to make it out alve.Jeceee ‘—lowable Lou (12:51:43/3-21-53) FUJICORP REMOTE IGNITION {A great gift forthe commuter from Fulicorp of Kyoto! Install the receiver drculty into your car's ignition, then startthe engine rom up to 30 meters away simply by pressing a button on a small 3x22 centimeters) transmitter. On cold momings, you can warm up the engine and heater before you step Into the car. More than 4 billion available codes guarantee security. (Save 50¥. Now only 550¥) >>>>>[The major corps instal these in limos belonging to their execs 1:0. chauflourcan stat thecar froma safe distance, out ofblastrange cof ony cor bombs wired into the ignition Jeecee —Hoatcheiman (18:34:16/2-24-53)Sn TRAVEL Eo >>>>2[Shart your cor from 30 meters away. A sneck thief 20 meters ‘oway beats you fo it, jumps in and drives away. Convenient Jec<<< —Post (22:16:33/3-19-53) >>>>>[Hhsartstheengine.Itdoesn’tunlockthe doors, ou slot Jeceee Webster (04:19:21 /4-2-53) >>>>21"More than 4 billion evailable codes” implies 0 32-bit code. That doesn't sound secure enough to me. Maybe I'd consider buying ‘one of these if hey implemented a 64-bit code. More than 1.8619 ‘cades—! 8 x 10” codes—would moke me ee alte more secure Jeceee —Shrimp (00:39:34/4-15-53) DES SYSTEMS PHONESECURE SCANNER ‘A low-cost altemative to pricey dataline scanners, the PhoneSecure™ from pace-setting DES Systems checks hardwired Phone lines for taps and bugs. Jackit into the dataline ofthe phone tobe checked and press the TEST key.” In less than a second you receive the verdict: a green light means the line is clear, a red light signals a tap or bug. No security-conscious person should be without the PhoneSecure. (Save 15¥. Now only 150%) “The PhoneSecure dataline scanner cartes a Rating 2. To determine INtdetectsa bug, oll2dlce agalnstatarget number equalto the bug's rating. On a single success, the PhoneSecure detects the bug. Ifa character uses the PhoneSecure on a cellular phone, rol 1 dle against a target number equal to the bug's rating. >>>>>[Unlike your stondard dotline scanner, the PhoneSecure only picks up active bugs. It ads any line with bugs on stndby as clean, (On the plus side, i coss less than the standard dotelne scanner ‘And you can pickitup through the Razor's Edge Catolog and avoid he hassles of security equipment provider. Not c bod idea, considering ‘he rumber of equipment dealers that Lone Star monitors. Jec>>>>IThis thing won't work on callulars Jeceee —Portia (01:12:09/2-17-53) >>>>2[lh works on cellulas: just not reliably. Oddly enough, it never ‘ives false positives. the Phone Secure ashes red, you know there's ap in place. I can give you false negatives, though; jst because itflashes green doesn’t mean you have a clear line Jeceee Sol (11:45:50/3-2-53) TOSHIBA WHITE-NOISE GENERATOR ‘Through the wonders of ultra-microminlaturization, Toshiba Introduces the world's smallest white-noise generator. This tiny Unit Incorporates easily into a ring, belt buckle, pendant, even an ‘overcoat button. Despite its small size, It produces enough ampll- tude to defeat eavesdropping devices within a one-meter” rads. (Only Toshiba offers such unobtrusive, affordable personal security. (Save 100¥. Now only 1,000¥:) oO Coe ors INERPS Page 75 “In the ab on a standard acoustic test-bed, the Toshiba White- Noise Generator tests out at a Rating of 2. Street users report cliferent results, When incorporated Into a lec of jewelry or other acoessory and used in standard creumstances, the Toshiba actually performs with a Rating of 1. (Sorry, chummers.) >>>>>{I\ve checked histhing out. Ikacully works. Not well butitdoes work Jeecce —Charles (18:11:56/3-1-53) >>5>2[Yes,butforhow/ong® hearrumersthat he microcsll powering itcaies only enough juice for 15 minutes of coninvos operon Jeexee Gute Lark (23:18:10/3-5-53) DOAFONE LOCK-OUT Bothered by crank calls and salesmen on your cellular at the ‘worst possible moments? Protect yourseffrom time-wasters with the Doafone Lock-Out. The tiny Lock-Out module, 1.5 x 1 1 centime- ters, connects to your cellular’screultry and monitors incoming calls bby comparing the originating number witha ist of up to 256 numbers stored init optical chips. The Lock-Out responds tothe call basedion how the cellular ower configured the unit. Touse the Lock-Out's “exclusion” mode, enter the originating numbers from which you will not accept calls. facall comes in from any of these numbers, the Lock-Out overrides your celllar’s bell Circuit, issues 10-second outgoing message, and disconnects the ‘all. Your cellular receives all calls from numbers not on the ‘exclusion ist. >>>>5[Alioftors calls from your spouse, fixer, oF creditors Jee —Siog (13:26:29/2-22-53) Lock-Out’s “inclusion” mode accepts cals only for those numbers centered into the unt'snumberlst. The Lock-Outdisconnectsallother «alls after transmitting the 10-second outgoing message. >>s>[Note hat hese wo modes are mutvlly excive Jecece —Burroughs (12:01:42/3-5-53) ‘The Doafone Lock-Out is compatible with all major cellular designs, and functions dependably with all CCITT Group VI V9.2bis- ‘compliant cellular faxes and 38,400 bps cellular modems. (Save 45¥, [Now only 595¥ (installation exta},) >>>9>[Hordwied phones have offered this funtion for some ime ‘now, and so hos he octal cellular network. Ofcourse, to use it you'd brave to give the phone compony « lis of the numbers you wanled fo include or exclude, and lots of people fee! (rightly, | believe) too paranoid to do that Je>>>>[Save some nuyen. Ive reverse engineered this puppy, ond con ‘give you the same functionally for 550¥ installed. Call GH 16206 (35-1650) and leave 0 message Je>>>>[Every city is proud of its intellectual elite. Some might guess that Seattle has nothing to brag about on this score, so I've included this reprint of a paper presented ata recent convention by one of Seattle's very own. This guy seemed a litle unclear on the concept, though—this was supposed to make the relatively obscure topic of ‘one-way datalines accessible to the regular Joes and Jills outthere. Sol edited the drek outof this, and you'll igure out why pretty fraggin’ fast. Sure, this kind of techno-geek- speak interests some people (don’t avert your eyes; we know who you are), but most of the reading public doesn’t give a frag about “sequence dependent transposition” — they'd prefer general information in general terms. If you're into it, hunt down the original article. If you're not, thank me later. Blake must have included this piece in his version of Real Life as an appeal to the other special-interest conventioneers—seems like there’ herds of geeks cluttering up the sidewalks and restaurants on a regular basis lately. Jece<< —Captain Chaos (01:58:31/01-8-53) The omnidirectional dataline, as the default dataline format, has warranted little analysis in terms of its capabilities and restrictions. Its operational parameters allow Unrestricted, non-interfering, multi-signal data transmission along its length, regardless eETENUE [oo]To SECURI TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH Of the direction of the transmission. Common connection compo- rents all possess multiphasic transfer capablliy, permitting creation ‘ofthe non-interfering structure of the dataline. Following the Intema- ‘ional signal format agreements of 2014 (see the IAMET bulletin (MSILO75-A14 Multiohasic Signal Standards), the convergence fac tors applied to the > >>>>0[Aw, just when it was starting o get nleresing... eee Shrimp (17:51:46/2-12-53) >>>>>II have the original artic tet. If desired, | con uploed it and ‘eppend it ino the existing text sections Jeece- —Freemplive Pete (09:12:45/2-26-53) >>>32{You do that and Iwill hnt you down and remeve your ankles through your ears. Are we on the same wavelength here]ec>osofAlfimatve cece —Preempive Pete (08:53:12/3-5-53) In summation, the omnidirectional dataline permits usage and ‘signal transmission from either end, moving in elther direction. Such ‘adataline provides optimal functionality for designs where two-way ‘communication is required between nodes. UNIDIRECTIONAL DATALINES: ‘The unidirectional dataline, on the other hand, allows data transmission in a single direction complementary to its polarized ‘design. Signals can pass only in the direction of the quantum polarization, transveyance is effectively prohibited against dissonant propagation > >>>9>{Okey, in plain English, o unidirectional dataline only lets dato flow one way. From thewrong end, youcan'tuse it; youcan'tget down then. rick walle Ontherghtend, noprcblenitworkslkea sondard cotaline. Simpl, realy. Alot simpler thon they make itsound here Je>>3>[Simple in a general sense, yes, but complex in execution, Regul dotalines (omnidirectional forthe purists) re simple, polymer, fiber-optic lines. Unidirectional lines require cusomized extrusions Csomisng tem ces hom mich mre expen, cd doe ss common Jecee, —Sincboir (09:43:34/3-6-53) ICONOGRAPHIC EXECUTION The exstence ofa unklrectonal datane can be simply conveyed ‘thin the standard iconographic symbol setin the following manner: Unidirectional Dataline ——~=__-~+—___ Standard (omnidirectional) Dataine cy Foo ‘mara ES Page 78 ‘The orientation ofthe arrow signiicator Indicates the resticted direction of data flow. Data attempting to enter the unidirectional dataline against the quantum polarization will suffer EDR fagmentar tion > >>>>o[BLEARGHIJe>2>>[Okay, Flt Symbol Matrixlconogrophy 101 revisited. you're looking ata two-dimensional representation of computer system ord ‘a dotalne symbol (a straight line connecting Iwo nodes) oppears wth {an arrow init, data (haf you, decker!) can only move inthe recon, ofthe orrow. You cant move agains the arrow from the node ot he other end. That's it Jecece Teach (14:00:22/3-3-53) Using athree-dimensional symbol-set, specifically the Universal Matrix Specifications (see Tokyo '39: The Universal Matrix Speciiar tions Conference Collected Notes, Fuchi Press Publications, 2039), it |simpossible to ciferentiate between an omnidirectional datalineand unidirectional lineffom representative dstance withoutassignmentof a different identifier code series > >>>32{No froggin’ kidding, Columbo. Sometimes, these guys amaze sme. See, your cyberdeck can recognize something becouse each objec inthe Matrix hos a separate identifier code series (ICS) that tells the deck what it is under the UMS guidelines. Obviously, a unidirectional dotaine has adiferent ICS than an omnirecfonal one. Drekheoded deckheods. Je<<<< >>>2[Bod news, Viny, you're wrong. Datalnes don'thave UMS ICS codes, When adeckerlboks ata UMS sysem, hecan'tseethedotclines. Otherwise, he datalines would obscure just about everything in vew inlorge systems. The data shows up as ghosly race a decker cn spe, ‘and your cyberdeck easly racks the do's path and givesyou c rough cltaline echo-image if you ask nice. But no decker can use the UMS, system to tll one kind of dataine from the other. ‘Can anybody guess how you tell hem aporif}ecece Teach (22:54:03/3-17-53) >>2>>[livn’ up to yer name, ch Teach? Okay, enlighten us Jece Mr, Miracle (03:52:52/3-19-53) >>ese[Aw, this isto easy. Answer: YOU LOOK AT MJeccee —Shrimp (08:52:43/3-20-53) >>223[A gold str for you, Mr. Shrimp. You look ait Ino urigee- ional datalne, dota only ows in one direction. looks like city ac fromon high, only you wor't se ony drekhead drivers who con't ead (ONE WAY signs in the Matrix. (OF course, depending on the fime, you might be watching data flowing in one direcion through an’ omnidirectional dataline by coincidence; say, during @ shiftend backup or something. But you 9075 get the big bucks to figure that stuff out. Right#hcce>>>>[Editorial Note—1 pulled the rest of the oda text when it became apparentthatheshacowlk gave for more useul information thon the ociolaticle. Again, ifyou hove any questions, check out he cxiginal or post here.Jec> >>5>2{Wow. Okay, | hink | followed that. Check me: In sculpted stem the one-way dataline looks ike something that takes youn only cone direction. For example, a slide, a chute, o tnsyle, or zomething similor. That righ]ecece —Shrimp (18:09:36/2-12-53) >>peo[Baodlly Jeccee Teoh (21:51:24/2-18-53) >>>>>[lFits hot simple, HOW COME HE TOOK THIRTEEN AND A HALF FRAGGIN’ MEGAPULSES TO SAY I?]ecce< Shrimp (07:42:31/2-20-53) >>>>>{Don't blame the author, he was bred that way. ec Shane (23:53:41/3-1-53) >>>>>[Sow o kinda neat example of a unidirectional dataline “our” point recently. 'm in somewhere, no names please, sling down @ long morble-and:chrome hallway. Really hire, by the way. As tm ‘ambling, | poss « door labeled “Exit Only." Kinda wiz, ché]ec>>>>[Hey, were youthe blackand green eybertrtle with a funky y- {gun fret on its back, standing there gowding when | come berreling ou I 50, my apologies, chummer. Thanks for disracing one of the SoederKs. lowe you a brew. Jecece Adder (10:15:53/3-11-53) >2>>2INe probleme. You can pretty much always find me in Elysium ‘when fm not ono run fr re-cooking melted chips), Jee Tokyo Tom (03:12:32/3-13-53} APPLICATION <> >>>>>[I've uploaded o few examples of interesting uses for uidirec: Fiona datlines within asystom. Most people probably already thought ofthis frstone: on outputonlyI/O por. The signal ony revels one way down the datline, which sips anyone rom jacking into the system through the printer (or whatever) por. SYSTEM EXAMPLE A: os CT MATROX AN od Here's a similar concept 0 wrie-only datostore. The sytem can cdump data otis node, but con't retrieve rom it. Particularly useul for Bock ups and such. Note that anyone traveling down a one-way A Pay attention. You will be tested on this material later lespecilly if you're a decker! Jecce< —Teach (20:53:48/3-27-53) >s35ll recently sow @ setup thot is, 0 for, unique fo the Fuchi ‘mainframe in Japan. A variable polarization dotalne it okes com ‘mands from an SPU atone end to fip-fop between directions so tha sometimes data can only come in, and sometimes only go out. An interesting setup wih interesting ramifications Jecece. —Fostack (04:12:59/4-2-53) >>>oo[len'tthat basically how access IC works? Or barrier IC@]e<>>o>{Yes, but accessor barrier IC corries accessible contra inputs. ‘A.good decker con sleaze, deceive, ight ccess or barrierIC, On the ‘ther hand, o variable doalin isn't lowing your way and the SPU lies fon the other end, you're stuck Jecc<< —Fostlack (14:29:55/4-6-53) >>>2>I0h joy iy. By the way, you chummers notice how casually he tossed off “saw in he Fuchi mainframe in Japon?” Gawd Jec<>>>2[Inasmuch as we all exist in this modem world, | am offen amazed at how some people seem to drift through life with litle understanding of how the basics work. Toke credsticks. Weeall {wel most of us) use them every day, but don’t understand the first thing about how they work. This article appeared originally in a datamag targeted at new freshmen in the high schools connected fo the DataNet education system.Je<<<< —Captain Chaos (02:12:48/1-8-53) ACCESSING MONEY The optical chip integral to credsticks contains coded information allowing any reader initial access to the financial records attached to that credstick. Beyond the most recent balance information, the stick itself stores no actual financial data, only the access codes. >>>s>{Right. The money stays on file somewhere, nice and safe, So it you lose your stick, or heaven forbid, it gets stolen, CHANGE YOUR PASSCODE rightaway.}<<<<< —Amin (21:18:52/3-8-53) Upon scanning an inserted credstick, the credstick reader connects to the appropriate financial institution and allows the holder to manipulate his or her [Game To Ren ure oOEa Se ‘account{s) by depositing, withdrawing, or transfering funds. Ac- ‘cess to account Information Is not automatic. Depending on the type of credstick being used, some level of identification may be required to open financial records >>>>2[Something lecrned from dissecting acredsick: the sick ise doesn't cary all he passcode data on fle. Most of the code is stored with your financial records, so ifyu “find” a platinum credstick ust ying around, you'd be beter of trying fora reward han trying to use t}eccce —HepCat (09:16:48/3-9-53) ‘TYPES OF CREDSTICKS Credsticks come In five types distinguished by the amount of funds each can access and the amount of Identification cross- referencing information each requires for use: Standard Credstick 1-5,000¥ Silver Credstick 1-20,000¥ Gold Credstick 1-200,000¥ Pratinum Credstick 1-1,000,000¥ Evomy Credstick Unlimited Banks Issue credsticks based on complex calculations involv- Ing the account owner's credit history and projected average dally balance. >>>>>[Yeoh, is worth he price ofadmission to soe acorp’sfoce when the bork cals him asking for their ebony credstck bock ‘cause his ‘occount suddenly has 0 ero balance. “You did authorize the transfer cofthose funds tothe Caribbean Leogve, didn tyou, Mr. Corp” Jee —Hoichetmon (09:27:34/2-27-53) IDENTIFICATION LEVELS CCredsticks also serve as identification, Most major local, state, federal, and corporate agencies recognize credsticks as proof of Identity. Furthermore, the more money the credtick can access, the more extensive the type of ID attached to It, and the more ‘complex the verification process required to use It. Each ofthe ive levels of credstick requires an additional level ofID verification, but these ID levels are not necessarily cumulative. In other words, an ‘ebony credstick does not requireall five ID checks, but does require those most dificult to fake or break. Passcode ‘A passcode isa simple, alphanumeric code consisting of up to 30charactersrequited forall standard transactions Standard credstick reader designs all offer small keypads for passcode input. Some credsticks come with Integral pressure-sensitive pads to allow passcode Input. Fingerprint For D confirmation requiring a thumbprint, the credstick holds ‘copy of the print and compares It with the print on file at the ‘nancial institution. 00MS i MATRIX Pages2 Volceprint (Often taken passively through a pickup microphone In the credstick checkers area, a voiceprint ID does not require a specific “voiceprint statement,” but usually requires the holder to speak at least ten words in addition to prepositions and place holders. Most Institutions require a passcode in adlition to the voiceprint. Retinal Scan ‘When taking 2 retinal ID scan, the reader compares a detaled scan of the bearer's retinal pattern with the master on file at the financial institution. This verification also requires a passcode. Cellular Sean ‘A user conducting a large transaction may have to undergoa cellular scan in addition to retinal scan and passcode check. The scanning process requires only asmall cellular sample, such as abit of skin, >>>2[Hey, wail o minule...Jec5>2>IIIhink! ean read your min, litle shrimp, but have no fear. ‘Anclysis destroys the cell sample; only the data profle stays on fil Call samples don't get stored anywhere, so mages have nothing to worry about Jece>>>>{Yes, but in order to use 0 forged credtick with o bogus background attached to it, | have to provide something legit a fingerprint, voicepin,rtinal pint, or eal structure fie. For al you Paranoid folk out here, that means aril of sors points backto you. For instone, if somebody ran the prints token from your sloppy lst run ogains prints from al he active credstick accounts in he Seale «rea, they could find o match...)e<<>>>>[Yeah, and hey/d hove te borrow the processor time oFevery computer in Seattle to doit cece Snowman (06:56:54/3-17-53) >>>>2INol at all. Dota storage algorithms are pretty sophisicted. You really only need o store the deviation information and compare thot wih the sample. The real problem in conducting this type of search sthat corporations controll hefiscal- related Dinformation, cond (fortunately) they won't agree to using their files to hunt down their own customers Jeecee = "Teach (14:42:19/3-21-53) USING A CREDSTICK Ifa person wished to use his or her credstick to purchase anew. simsense deck from the local microtronics store, he or she would authorize payment by inserting his or her credtick nto the store's ‘redstick reader/transfer system. The system connects with the holder's financial Institution, then prompts the user to provide Identification based on the level ofthe transaction in progress. | mn ee ee aSo Cae eS De The Credstick Transaction ID Table shows the identification required to process a transaction ata specific level of nuyen. It also shows the minimum credstick type carrying that level of identifica tion information, (CREDSTICK TRANSACTION ID TABLE Transaction ID Required Credstick Amount Type Up to $,000¥ Passcode Standard Up to 20,000¥ Fingerprint Silver Up to 200,000¥ —_Voiceprint old Up to 1,000.000¥ Retinal Scan Platinum 1,000,000¥+ Cellular Scan Ebony After verifying identifcation, the store's transaction system Institutes a transfer of the appropriate funds from the credstick to the store's account. It then downloads an electronic receipt to the ‘redstick. and the customer heads home with the simdeck. ‘OPENING AN ACCOUNT Toopen acredstick account, the nancial institution requires a customer to provide his or her System Identification Number and to supply identification information appropriateto the level ofcredstick Issued Many people carry multiple credsticks representing accounts a diferent fnanclal Institutions. Others prefer to consolidate all their account records on one credstick for convenience. Most financial institutions also provide certified credsticks Uke cash or a bearer bond, the certified credstick Is worth the oy RO Page 83 amount encoded and requires no identity verification to use. The issuing financialinstitution encodes the tick with raw funds, money that exists only on that credstick. A certified credstick can be used by persons other than the invidual for whom it was originally Issued. Most financial Institutions charge a small fee to create a certified stick, usually 2 to 5 percent of the credstick amount. Certified credsticks cannot be used to establish or verlfy an ID. Some ‘or all ofthe funds on the certified credstick can be transferred to another account, and new funds can be transferred onto the same stick, up to the fiscal imit imposed by the type of credstick All institutions accepting credsticks use credstick checkers to verily the existence of the calmed account and the owner's Identity. Transaction and verification systems use elaborate evalu- ation and cross-referencing software to confirm the identity of the ‘owner. Though inconvenient, these measures exist for the ‘consumer's protection. >>>>2[These dys, the stondard credstck actly functions os hwo sticks n one. Partofitcontinshe stondard credsick coding, and the cther part can be used for storing certified funds. Convenient, really Jecece Gizmo (12:56:13/3-12-53) >>>>>[Sliccto-stick transfers, hough possible, can only be made benwoen cerified funds. Transfers from @ regular account to @ certified portion of a credsick con take place at any automatic transfer machine (ATM|. Stck-tostick transfers ofnon-certified funds cannot be confirmed (or considered to have token effec) until both sticks have next connected wit their respective financial insitsions, which can get risky Jeccee —OBert (18:58:17/3-19-53) iO (GUIDE TO REAL LIFEMETS] SccuRTY TRAVEL ARMS FASHION HEALTH ROOMS FOOD TOYS MATA CASH BLUES elsvsTeM CS aes ee) Not in my game you wont! —archetypal Shadowrun gamemaster his section provides game rules and stats for the products and systems discussed in the articles that make up Real Life, including new vehicles and NPC Archetype stats. These rules are for use with both the original Shadowrun system and the Shadowrun, Second Edition, rules. SRIl stats appear in {boldface brackets). SECURITY SYSTEMS Every homeowner, small businessperson, and corp head of security uses different security precautions to protect their area of authority; corporations, offices, research facilities, homes, and personal territory. The following information on various forms of security is provided for those gamemasters who want to make penetrating a security system more realistic. Players may even want something more challenging than, “Roll your Electronics skill against the security system's rating of 4.” Gamemasters can use this information to decide exactly how the security system works, and require the players to explain, step by step, how their characters will attempt to defeat Gamemasters and players alike will quickly realize that some security sub- systems, and combinations of subsystems, are quite literally impossible to defeat without the use of magic—or even with magic. And that’s okay. Some things shadowrunners just shouldn't be able to get at easily. Just remember that there are more ways to circumvent security system than simply crashing it. Characters may be able to use a few less physical skills to penetrate a system: somebody has to go into the secured area at some time. It may just be a matter of snatching that person, having a chat with them using blunt objects, and finally obtaining the necessary passcodes, cards, or whatever. (GE TO REAL LIFE ioESET] SEcuniTy TRAVEL ARMS So ‘Actually running a security system can add a lot more Interest, Intrigue, and complexity to an acventure. Of course, gamemasters ‘who prefera less complicated run can stil handle the whole thing, by rolling the dice. KEYPADS Keypad systems carry standard Ratings from 0 (available at local electronics stores) to 6 (custom-designed systems). Unless the character knows the access code, he or she can only defeat a keypad by rewiring the intemal electronics. Thisrequlres two steps, removing the casing and tampering with the circuits. Breaking A Keypad Fist, the runner must remove the keypad casing. This requires «a successful Electronics (B/R) Test against a target number equal to the Barrer Rating of the casing. Usually, the Barrier Rating of the casing Is equal to the rating of the actual keypad system. It is possible to install a keypad system of one rating In a casing of a dliflerent rating, but the cost ofthe procedure fs too prohibitive to ‘make this @ standard practice. All but the very high-end security systems will have a keypad and casing of equal rating. ‘The character must generate a least | success to remove the ‘casing. Failure to generate any successes simply means that the Character could not remove the casing. Ths task requires a base ‘ime of 60 seconds, and extra successes may be used to reduce the base time per the standard rules (see page 56 of Shadowrun, of page 68 of Shadowrun, Second Edition), ‘The character adds the rating of any anti-tamper alarm system attached to the casing to his or her Electronics (B/R) Test target number. Ant-tamper systems are usually rated from 1 to 4. The ‘character must generate at least | success to defeat the anti-tamper system and remove the casing, Fallure to generate any successesin this case sets off the alarm. In order to avoid revealing too much information to the players. the gamemaster should keep the target number for this test ‘a secret, and simply indicate success or fallure as appropriate, ‘Once the character breaches the keypad case, he must now tamper directly with the keypad circus. Resolve the success of failure ofthis effort using a standard Electronics Test against target ‘number equal to the rating of the keypad system, plus 2. The character has base time of 60 seconds, must achleve I success t0 ‘override the alarm, and may use any additional successes to reduce the base time required fo the task. Fallure o achleve ay successes ‘means that the computer system controlling the keypad noticed the penetration attempt and triggered a passive alert. Forboth the above tests, apply the appropriate modifiers from ‘the Build/Repair Skil Situational Modifiers Table found on page 154 ‘of Shadowrun, or the Build/Repalr Table on page 183 of Shadow- run, Second Edition, (Ofcourse, modem technology provides adevice to assist inthis task, called a sequencer. It is specially designed to feed the security system a series of passcode sequences based on very advanced ‘mathematicalalgorthms. The device must beattached tothe keypad!'s ‘creuits, however, and so a character using a sequencer must stil remove the keypad case. Sequencers are available in Ratings 1 through 6, and cost 5OO¥ multiplied by the square of the device's OOM FOO TOYS MATRIX CASH rating (500¥x Rating x Rating). To defeat the keypad system using ‘sequencer, roll a number of dice equal fo the rating of the device againstatarget number equalto the ating ofthe keypad. Atthe same ‘ime, rollanumber ofdice equalto the keypad'srating againstatarget number equal to the rating ofthe sequencer. The sequencer must achieve | success to penetrate the system. The base time for this test is 10 seconds, and addtional successes can be used to reduce the base time. Ties have no result. Ifthe keypad generates more successes than the sequencer, the monitoring system triggers a passive alert. (CARDREADERS. CCardreaders are normally rated from 1 to and can be defeated Using the same method as for keypads, by tampering with the works or applying a special device. See Breaklng A Keypad, above, for more information. As with keypads, the “guts” of cardreaders are protected by cases that must be removed before the circuits can be tampered with. The target number forthe Electronics Test used to remove the casing is equal to twice the rating ofthe carcreader. ‘The base time forthe task Is 60 seconds, ‘A device designed to defeat a cardreader Is variously known as a passcard, passkey. or skeleton card. It functions in the same way as the sequencer described under Keypads, except that the ppasscard can be inserted into the same slot used for the legitimate passcard, leaving the case in place. To determine whether ornot the passcard deceives the cardreader,rollanumber of dice equal othe passcar's rating against target number equal to the cardreader's rating. The base time for this taskis 10 seconds. Fallure to generate any successes triggers an alarm. ‘A maglock passcard costs 10,000¥ times the square of the device's rating (10,000¥ x Rating x Rating). PRINT SCANNERS Physical pnt scanners, secuty devices that scan niger: of palm prints, cary Ratings of I to 6. Synthetle print cups, Which require a casting ofthe original print, camry a Rating of { through 4, depending onthe technology used to make the phony print The costfor the materials tomanufactue aphon prints 200¥ er Rating Point. Characters must make a successful Inteligence Test against a Target Number of in ore to make an original cast {300d enough to create usable phony print. The final products a “sleeve” or glove-lke membrane that fis over a wearer’ hand, Actual fingers oF hands, removed from the ower, have & Rating of, butlose one Rating Point per hour after being removed from the original owner. Proper care ofthe appendage can sow the ratingoss to one point pe three hours These guidelines also apply to the use ofa finger or pam stil atached toa dead person. ‘The finger oF palm sil attached to its living over always works properly fora print scan A standard cost of 50,000¥ and Essence Rating loss of are required to surgicaly mpant retinal duplication ofa Rating | ret patter, Each edlonal point of rating costs an aclitonal 25,000¥, and so a Rating 4 duplication would cost 125,000¥. This costs in {addition to the standard cost of surgery. Essence cost. for Rating " dupiation, 25 orRatings 2-4 and for Ratings Se. These Essence cost are in alton to the standard Essence costs required for surge, o TO REAL LUFEsrsvem Ra Sa Retinal scanners are commonly available In Ratings from 3 t09. ‘To.use the print or retina scanner systems, players must rolla number of dice equal to the rating of the print scanner against a target number equal to the rating ofthe phony print. Ifthe scanner achievesatleast | successin this test, itdetects the fakeand triggers a passive alert Characters can tamper with and defeat print scanners In the same way they can defeat cardreaders. See rules on p. 86. VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEMS Unlike other scanner, or recognition, systems, volce recogni- tion systems have an active component. These systems demand a response from an approved user's voice within a certain amount of time. Ifthe response Is not given within the time limit the system sounds an alarm. These systems prove very dificult to tamper with physically because the security checkpoint requires only a simple ‘microphone/speaker combination; the system's circuitry Is secure Inanother part of the building, Characters can only defeat volce recognition systems by speaking with the voice of an approved user, beltarecording, some other simulation, or the real voice. Volce recognition systems carry Ratings of 1 to 10. The technology used to deceive these systems uses the same ratings scale, The Voice Technology Table lists the available voice repro- {duction technologies and their associated ratings and costs. ‘The voice modulator listed in the basic Shadowrun rules has. ‘@ Rating of 1. Each additional point of rating added to this system ralses the cost by 20,000¥, adds 1 to the Availablity, and 1 to the Street Index. The maximum Rating availabe is 10. Inorder to defeat a voice recognition system, the player must roll a number of dice equal to the recognition system's rating against target number equal othe rating ofthe deception system, Atthe same time, the gamemaster rolls a number of dice equal to the deception system's rating against a target number equal to the recognition system's rating. The system that generates the most successes wins. Ties produce no results for either system, and the recognition system repeats Its request fora response. The character may make another attempt to deceive the securlty system. The voice mask system described In the Street Samural (Catalog cannot be used to deceive voice recognition system. This systems designed to distort voices and cannot be used to replicate another vole. oy fo S_ MATRI oy VIBRATION DETECTORS Runners may use thelr Stealth Skil to attempt to move undetected through an area protected by a vibration detector (if they know It's there, of course...). To determine success, make a Success Test each turn using the character's Stealth Skill against {target number equal tothe vibration analysis software's rating. ‘A single success means the character avolds detection for this turn. Unfortunately, the character may move only halfa meter per tun when trying to avold detection. Characters who want to ‘move faster (1 meter per turn) must add +3 to the target number ofthe Stealth Test. Characters who move fasterthan one meter per ‘tum automatically set off a vibration detector. Because vibration detectors pick up such low movement rates, defeating this type of system is dificult. ‘Typical analysis algorithms are Rated from 6 to 10+. GAS DELIVERY SYSTEMS ‘Beecause timing is everything when determining the effective- ness of a gas-dispersal system, the gamemaster should use the following rules to determine how quickly the gas spreads, how ‘quickly the characters notice it (fat al), and how quickly they can take action. Dispersal systems like the Lethe system described on p. 59can, flan area of 30 cubic meters in one Combat Turn (about 5 seconds). No simple way exists to determine exactly how quickly the gas spreads, but the following guidelines should serve in most cases. ‘Gamemasters should fee fee to make any on-the-spot modifica tions necessary. ‘The gas will spread ata rate of about 6 cubic meters (roughly meters high, 2 meters wide, by 1.5 meters deep) every second. This takes up a varying number of Combat Tum phases. To determine the number of phases gas dispersal takes In each Combat Turn, divide the total number of phases in that Combat Tum (equal tothe highest total Initiative rolled that turn) by 5. That ‘number of phases equals approximately one second. For ex: ample, if Deathmask the street samurai rolls the highest Initiative ‘that Combat Turn, a 25, one second would pass every 5 phases (25+5) ‘The gas starts spreading during the Combat Phase in which the gas was triggered. Ifthe dispersal lasts for multiple Combat Phases, the number of phases that constitutes one second may ‘need to be recalculated. Characters who have actions remaining, Voice TECHNOLOGY TABLE Device Rating, Cost Avallablty Steet Index Pocket Recorer (Cheep) 1 so 2/12 Ws 78 Pocket Recorder (Expensive) 2 200% ayi2 hee 1 Potable Recorder (Base) 3 soo 4/36 ms 1 Portable Recorder (Advanced) 4 608s ts Professional Deck (Basle) 5 250009 &/Tdays ts Professional Deck (Advanced) 6 36000" 10/7 days 2 =e cuETOREMUE [CI]svsTeM BE ee UL) and are aware of the gas may take appropriate action. Characters who have Delayed Actions (p. 80, SRI) may make a Perception Test at the time of exposure to recognize the presence of the gas by rolling a number of dice equal to his or her intelligence against a Target Number of 10, using the appropriate Perception Test ‘modifiers from p. 185, SRI. Characters equipped with a gas, spectrometer system (see Shadowtech, p. 61) modify theirtarget ‘number by -2. ‘Available portable gas detecting systems carry Ratings from 1 to 5 and cost theirrating squared Rating x Rating) times 5,000¥. ‘They have an Availabilty of (Rating x 3) + 7 days, and a Street Index of 2 (see SRM, p. 184-85 or Shadowtech, p. 101-102, for more information). Characters using portable gas detecting sys- tems must roll a number of dice equal to the system's rating, against a Target Number of 6 atthe first exposure, and again for every additional second of exposure, adding -1 to the target number for each additional second of exposure. A gas detector ‘exposed to gas for 3 seconds would have a Target Number of 4 (6-2). However, some gases are easier to detect than others. For example, the Neuro-Stun series is particulary difficult to detect, and the detection system receives no modifiers to detect these gases. ‘Characters wearing, orin the proximity of, agasdetectormay ‘make aSurprise Test (SRIl, p. 86) to take appropriateaction ifthey havea Delayed Action available or act on that Combat Phase) and are recelving thelr inital exposure to the gas in the Combat Phase In which the gas detector alarm sounds. ‘Gases affect the body per the rules on page 186 of Shadow- run, Second Edltlon, or page 147 of the original Shadowrun rules. Updated versions of existing gas defenses and stats for the ‘new gases mentioned on p. 19 appear below. Newro-Seun IX Damage: 652-Stun (6S) Speed: tun Description: Delivered as a gas in an organic binder, N-S IX takes, effect if inhaled or upon contact with the skin. At the end of the turn in which a character is exposed to the gas. he suffers Stun damage. Even if he manages to resist this damage, he suffers

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