Keep Away failed

[srwu_npc]

"So, you guys were interested in the container we asked you to retrieve, right?"

Look, it's Elan Cubis, the PROGTECH research and development chief.

"It's only fair if I told you since you brought it back safely... well, for the most part. Anyway, we studied the derelict ship and you saved our databank with information pertaining to it. But that's not all."

"I've been investigating Nineball-related incidents, and the conflicts between various megacorps that were springing around lately. All my data is in the bank too, and let me tell you - something really fishy is going on there. Each time there's a huge battle, someone important, like an esteemed scientist, an investigator or a political figure, dies in collateral damage."

"I don't think that's coincidental. I think someone's causing these fights on purpose, as cover for assassinations."

Comments

[tiger_ken]

Makes sense to me.

...I have ninja ancestry, just to clarify.

[Ken tries to brush it off as no big deal, instead getting to a bigger question...]

There a link between these possible targets?

[srwu_npc]

"That's what I was trying to establish. At first glance it doesn't look like there is - if they were all doing business with PROGTECH, that'd be a lot more obvious."

"But if you get deeper into it, you start noticing patterns."

[tiger_ken]

Patterns such as...? Something related to the Arena?

[The thought crossed Ken's mind. Surely there must have been cheaper, less conspicuous options - certainly more than enough terrorists with old mobile suits - to make such a heist, but it had been Armored Cores...]

[brought_it_back]

...If the battles are huge, then isn't it likely significant figures die as a matter of random chance?

[srwu_npc]

"Not all the time. People perish in conflicts but VIPs always have a priority in evacuation, safe houses and other protection. You'd expect them to die less often than that."

"Unless, that is, someone targets them deliberately."

[srwu_npc]

"Most of the targets voiced interest in strong, mysterious combatnats that we know very little of, or even nothing. Such as the Black Stranger - or Nineball."

[abugslife]

And all of those are fights between megacorps? With no potential third faction participating?

[tiger_ken]

Interest? You mean like, investigating, or... potential support?

[Thats... potentially alarming, given who was listed as the targets.]

[srwu_npc]

"Investigating. They wanted to learn more of those combatants, including their identities and such."

[srwu_npc]

"None that I know of. But that's very suspicious, isn't it?"

[keep_your_dignity]

ARE THESE FIGURES RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE MEGACORPORATIONS' INTERESTS? BRIBES, LEGISLATION, ANYTHING OF THE SORT?

[srwu_npc]

"They resided in megacorp territory, it'd be surprising if they weren't related to their interests somehow."

[keep_your_dignity]

SO, OUR FIRST WORKING THEORY IS THAT WHOEVER IS BEHIND NINEBALL, IS SPECIFICALLY TARGETING CORPORATION USEFUL ASSETS FOR SOME REASON.

YOU KNOW, WERE IT NOT FOR THE COLLATERAL I'D BE CHEERING FOR THEM. BUT I SUPPOSE WE HAVE TO STOP THIS AND WAIT FOR A TERRORIST WITH BETTER AIM.

[tiger_ken]

And then curiosity killed the cat. And you said that it was for cases like the Black Stranger and Nineball both, right? Despite the two having seemingly no relation?

[srwu_npc]

"There's no visible correlation. Remember that this is only what those people let be publically known, or what I could find during my research. Just because they were interested in one, doesn't mean they ignored the other."

[srwu_npc]

"Cheer all you want, either way it means people are dying. I suspect the inter-corporate conflicts are being fueled by someone from the outside."

[tiger_ken]

But someone was interested in keeping them silent, despite that lack of a connection.

What about causes of death? I get that overall attacks covered up who, but is there any similarity in what killed them? A common poison, proverbial or otherwise?

[keep_your_dignity]

BOO HOO. YOUR CORPORATIONS KILL THRICE AS MANY PEOPLE EVERY DAY, SO EXCUSE ME IF I'M LACKING IN SYMPATHY. I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE BYSTANDERS.

AND YES. THAT'S ABOUT WHAT I EXPECT. YOU FLAME THINGS UP A BIT, WAIT FOR THEM TO GO FOR EACH OTHER'S THROAT, TAKE OUT SOME PRIORITY TARGETS UNDER COVER OF THE FIGHTING, MAKE THEM EXHAUST THEMSELVES, THEN DIVE IN FOR THE KILL WHEN THEY'RE SPENT. BASIC STRATEGY.

ANY PARTICULAR PATTERNS BETWEEN THESE TARGETS BEYOND BEING RELATED TO THE CORPORATIONS? SHARED PROJECTS, PARTICULAR INTERESTS THAT JUST SO HAPPEN TO BE COMMON, SHIT LIKE THAT.

[abugslife]

It is.

Was there any connection between the assassinated people? Something that might give clues to the identity of the killer?

[srwu_npc]

"Does violence as a cause of death count? That's where similarities end, I'm afraid."

[srwu_npc]

"That's what I'm trying to establish. Any connections were coincidental at best from what I know so far, except..."

[srwu_npc]

"Funny that you mention common interests. A lot of them were interested, or maybe I should say concerned, with Leos' old nemesis. Among others."

[brought_it_back]

...There are cheaper and simpler ways to assassinate someone.

[keep_your_dignity]

ELABORATE. WHAT OTHERS?

[tiger_ken]

...I see. Well, if anyone else ends up slotting into this pattern of yours... please inform Unity Group. Maybe you can even find these people before they're 'accidentally' caught in a battle.

[srwu_npc]

"Probably, but it's hard to make it look like an accident each and every time. We're dealing with someone with a weird agenda here."

[srwu_npc]

"There's the Nineball I just mentioned, also Black Stranger, Shu Shirakawa... powerful individuals with mysterious goals. You could even say: wild cards."

"Most of the people who died were interested in those wild cards. And I suspect that those who didn't... still were. They just didn't make it public."

[brought_it_back]

...How weird?

[abugslife]

Except?

[keep_your_dignity]

LIKELY THEY WERE GETTING TOO CLOSE TO SOMETHING, OR WERE GETTING TOO INTERESTED ABOUT SOME OF THEM. SOME SECRETS ARE WORTH KILLING FOR.

[It's always hard to know what Kagura is thinking, and even more so when she's not being forthcoming]

TELL ME. WHAT IS KNOWN - AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW - ABOUT NINEBALL AND ITS PILOT?

[srwu_npc]

"Willing to use excessive force, but not wanting to be discovered levels of weird."

[srwu_npc]

"The people killed were interested in Nineball and other powerful combatants that like to appear out of nowhere and intervene in conflicts, for better or for worse. Usually worse."

"Well, not all the people. Some of them."

[srwu_npc]

"Very little. Ravens are a secretive bunch, and Nineball is secretive even for a Raven. The only fact we know for sure is:"

"In terms of performance and results, Nineball is the #1 Raven. Both in the Arena and on the battlefield."

[abugslife]

Nineball.

Perhaps he is the one behind this?

[keep_your_dignity]

I KNOW THE RAVENS ARE SECRETIVE. BUT YOU CAN'T BE TELLING ME YOU DON'T HAVE A MOLE OR TWO IN THE LOWER RANKS OF THE RAVEN ARENA. THEY'RE A BUNCH OF MERCENARY ASSHOLES WITH A LOVE FOR VIOLENCE AND HEAVY WEAPONRY, AND THEY OPERATE FOR YOUR CORPORATIONS OFTEN. KEEPING AN EYE ON THEM IS JUST BASIC BUSSINESS SENSE.

BASICALLY YOU WANT ANYTHING THAT CAN GIVE YOU A CLUE ABOUT WHAT NINEBALL'S PILOT IS HIDING, BECAUSE I HAVE A HUNCH THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIGURING OUT THE CONNECTIONS AND THE PLAN.

[srwu_npc]

"That was my first thought too, but if it's his doing then he has a lot of connections. Most of the time when someone important died, Nineball wasn't anywhere close."

[srwu_npc]

"I know. But I need to be careful. We're talking about people who got too interested in Nineball. If I don't cover my tracks, I might be next."

[abugslife]

Perhaps a secret ally of his, then. Though it seems we are limited to guessing at this point.

If you find out more about this case, let Unity Group know. We are not going to just let it sit, either.

[keep_your_dignity]

YES. IT'S THE PROBLEM WITH INVESTIGATING CRIMINALS. THEY TAKE AN INTEREST BACK AT YOU.

I'LL BE KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR YOUR RESULTS, BECAUSE SOMETHING ABOUT THE MODUS OPERANDI MAKES ME THINK THIS THING IS NOT GOING TO BE NORMAL CONSPIRACY STUFF. AND I HAVE A VERY GOOD GUT. GOOD LUCK WITH THE NOT GETTING KILLED THING.

[And with that, Kagura turns to leave. It's pretty clear she's thinking more than she lets on, but it's also pretty clear she's not telling]