Django pulls out his data pad and starts going through his lists of contacts to see if he can recall anyone capable of giving him an edge on the situation.

11:13, Today: Django Blint rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  contacts check

"Excuse me, sir!  Who are you?  What are you doing back here?"  The voice is of a young woman.  When Django turns around, she has a severe bun, is dressed in a business skirt to her ankles, flat shoes, and a thick blouse.  She carries a stack of flimsies, an optical pen, and a datapad.  Very bookish looking girl.

"I could ask you the same thang. Officer Django Blint, Core Marshalls" says Django with a flash of his badge. "I'm trackin a fugitive, and my trail's lead me here. Her path ends in proximity to this area. Now identify yerself, I got questions.".

The young woman's eyes widen in surprise.  "Oh, Marshall!  I'm so sorry.  I didn't know an officer would be down in this area.  It's usually off limits, but if you are here to protect the data trunk."  She is rambling, but shakes her head to cut herself off.  "My name is Dabne, Dabne Paggerten.  I'm an analyst here, uh, C.C.G. Deputy Undersecretary of Records.  I would be honored to help."  In truth, she looks a little flustered.  Her face is flushed, she's breathless, and she keeps smiling at Django with a look of excitement most often reserved for teens meeting their favorite music icon in person.

Seeing the reaction, Django adjusts his tone slightly. "Maybe you can help me then. The fugitive I'm tracking, she's a crafty one. Got ahold of a stealth field generator a while ago, and has been givin' me the slip at every turn. I know she wants to get in to this here data room behind me, and she's sharp as a tack when it comes t' slicin' through security measures. I ain't had the time to gain my temp access to the space, but I do have the necessary programs on my data pad to add a layer of security to the system in there. That's government work for ya, they give you the tools to do tha' job and no direction to facilitate em', right? Command says it's gonna be at least a day before they can get my credentials sorted for access, but I have a firm feelin' I ain't got that long. She could be standing right next to us now and we'd never even know it".

Dabne's eyes go wide and she looks around for the invisible intruder.  She draws a deep breath.  "I'm not supposed to, but your badge is real.  I know because..." she turns red again.  "Well, I just support the Marshalls and all they do.  I know a little something about them is all."  Her words are hurried and embarrassed.  "C'mon, let's slip inside real quick before your fugitive has a chance."

She inserts a data stick into the slot and goes through a series of biometric scans before the door slides open.  Once inside, the door slides closed again.  Inside is a massive computer system that looks like some kind of cybernetic tree growing in the middle of the room.  "The terminal is on the other side of the trunk.  Use my id stick to log in and install your security."  She hands Django the stick.

"Much obliged, Miss Paggerton".

Django obtains the id stick and goes over to the terminal to begin the work that Ker instructed him on.

Dabne pulls out a personal communicator.  "I'm just going to call the threat in to my superiors."

"Ma'am, I'm gonna have to ask that you don't do that. I suspect the fugitive to have friends in high places as well. The less they could potentially know about what we know, the better.".

"Oh, it's okay, officer.  I completely trust my superior.  This won't take long."  She continues to key in the connection sequence.

Django alters his tone a bit. "Dabne. That's the problem here. Too much trust with those in high places. Stop makin' that call and listen to me for a minute before I nab ya for obstruction a' justice. Yer riskin' blowin' my entire operation wide open".

23:30, Today: Django Blint rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  Intimidate Check.

Dabne's finger hovers over the keypad, but she closes it up instead.  "Alright, Marshall.  I...I understand."  The wonder and admiration in her face has fled, only nervousness remains.

Django continues his work, and tries to calmly talk to Dabne. "Look, I ain't tryin' to be harsh with ya. I get it. You got your job to do, an' I got mine. For this to all work out right though, you gotta work with me here now". His tone is more mellow again. He glances up at Dabne and makes eye contact for a brief moment, letting his face be soft. "Let me tell ya a quick story. One about bein' a lawman. There's three types of people in this world. The sheep, the wolves, and the sheep dogs. The sheep don't like the dog bein' around. He looks too much like the wolf. He reminds em' danger is out there, beyond the safety a' their fence. He has rules, and a method he operates, and that ain't always pleasant for the sheep. The wolf hates the dog too. He knows the dog is what stands between him and th' sheep. The dog is th' reason the wolf has to stay in the shadows, th' reason he's goin' hungry. The dog knows all a' this. He knows he's hated on both sides. But he stands his watch anyway. Despite bein' unwelcomed where ever he goes, he's ready at a moment's notice to stand guard over the flock, an' give up his life if he has to. That's just who he is". The console where Django works lets out three soft beeping noises, and the upload begins.

"I understand you're tryin' to be by the book. I understand that when you woke up this mornin' you prolly didn't think to yourself "Know what? I feel like breakin' protocol today. I feel like havin' everything I know shook up and turned around even". Believe you me, I know that feelin' exactly. I know as well I'm askin' some tall orders out of ya, and this all seems outta place. The way I operate though, it ain't for me. It's for us all. I take out the trash, and my methods'r.. well.. different".
This message was last edited by the player at 04:48, Mon 06 Mar 2017.

Dabne nods again, this time with a small smile and a return of a small bit of the shyness and starstruck look from before.  She stands by quiet while the download is completed then smiles again as you step toward the door.  "What now, Marshall?"

"Well, seein' how I ain't supposed to be in here on account a' red tape and bureaucracy, I could use an escort outta here. Had some robot show me in an' I ain't quite sure which way is which right now".

Dabne nods and thinks for a moment.  "If we take you out the front door, you are just going to get wrapped up in all that bureaucracy.  I will take you to the back entrance.  Less people there."

She seals up the data trunk room and walks beside Django, leading him casually through the labyrinth of doors and halls.  Her conversation is casual as she asks about past adventures.  The way she comports herself, she could have been a spy.  No one even stops to question her.

At one point, the twists and turns and her behavior start to make Django's instincts twinge.  Something isn't quite right.  Gone is the starry-eyed, breathless wonder.  It's like she has completely transformed into a different personality, one of a trained operative skilled at misleading.  The question is, who is she misleading?

Django follows along in silence. "She's either leading me to someone, or dodging someone. And I have my doubts she's dodging someone. It's a miracle she even humored my lie. Could just be playing along to lead me to someone who'll actually give me a hard time" he thinks to himself.

"So where exactly you takin' me? Seems a awf'ly convoluted way t' get to a back door".

His inner monologue continues. "Danged fire code wouldn't allow for this hidden a way out"

On occasion she looks down at her datapad, which has a map on it.  At one point, Django is able to see small dots moving around, probably people, but the glimpse is brief.  "It's a big building with lots of people, Marshall Blint.  You aren't nervous, are you Marshall?"  Her tone is confident and playful and you get the distinct impression your are a ko'rat and she's a wild shar cat.

"Nah" is all he manages to reply.

Dabne finally brings Django to a panel in a wall that looks nothing like a door.  She turns to face Django and smiles before reaching out and opening a recessed panel.  The action reveals a hidden keypad that would be almost undetectable without specialized equipment.  Certainly it could not be seen by the casual observer.  Her fingers hover over the keypad and Dabne winks while giving Django an obvious dramatic pause.

Django does his best to maintain a poker face, while bracing himself to act if need be. "If she screws me over, or if this ends up being nothing, I'm bout to feel dumb either way" he thinks to himself.

Frowns as she hesitates, then laughs and shakes her head.  "You're no fun, you know that?"  Instead of punching in the code, she gets on her toes and gives Django a quick kiss on the cheek.  "I really did have a thing for you lawmen growing up."  She turns back to the keypad and enters the code.  The door slides open to reveal some kind of back alley.  After Django steps outside, just before the door slides closed again, the woman winks.  "Tell 'Ky' I said hello."

Django smirks as the last few inches of the door close. "Would've made this a whole heckuva lot easier if you wasn't cryptic" he says with a laugh, looking at the now closed door. Making sure his data pad is tucked in securely, he heads back to retrieve his hovercycle and begin the trip back to Anti Hill Ease.

As Django rounds the corner to where his hovercycle is parked, he sees a large number of police vehicles surrounding it.  Officers and robots alike are canvassing the area, asking questions, and showing Django's picture.

Django makes a quick about face and goes the way he came from, trying to put as much distance between him and the scene as possible. He searches for an area with a high concentration of civilians to blend in with.