<<Scene Start>>

You say "The scene opens. Nybbas was losing ground to this World Wide Web thing. Was he losing his touch? Was he just not in the swing of things anymore? Plans were concocted, geeks were assembled, toys were played with, and at E3-Hell last summer came out... a new toy."

You say "It was a very nice new toy. It was fun to play with."

You say "The new toy allowed songs to be downloaded to the workstation in real time (but in Broadcast, not Multicast, this is Hell, after all) to the workstation to be played at the victim."

You say "Requests for changes came in as fast as anyone could believe. Beleth wants nightmares. Baal wants more training videos. Asmodeus wants... well, we don't want to know what Asmodeus wants."

Saminga flags down a Servitor. "What in the snake's name is a 'workstation?'"

You say "Geeks were prodded, equipment was built, ads were circulated in all the machines, and at the next conference was to be the fully completed Nybbas computer."

Lilith . o O (I know what Asmodeus wants...)

You say "It's three days before the conference. And the Vapulan labs are in chaos. It seems the new prototypes are.... missing. As is Vapula's head geek."

Saminga approves. Biting off chicken heads is very important.

You say "It's common knowledge that the prototypes and Tishbite are missing. Gone without a trace. Princes are pointing fingers at each other. Did Valefor make off with it? Maybe some cheeky prince handed them to the other side as a little joke."

Lilith smiles enigmatically.

You say "Worse, the Game is looking for some highly placed Renegades, and now they're annoying everyone."

Vapula makes a brief, almost silent movement on a keyboard from inside his office. He is not highly impressed. Outside, high-ranking demons who value their sanity, their comfortable offices and their guaranteed supply of sulphuric acid do reasonable headless chicken impersonation.

Saminga plays the game of 'make the Game Servitors faint without actually doing anything to them.'

Servants of Asmodeus hassle people in Shal-Mari, as is their right. Servitors are grabbed, questioned, and relieved of their Funnier toys.

You say "The Princes are assembling in Perdition, in the main offices of Nybbas, the Prince of the Media. It was, after all, his device which was stolen."

Saminga, after someone explains to him what a computer is -- for the eighty-third time -- ponders what Song he would want to inflict on the world. Ethereal Entropy has its points. (His good buddy Makatiel taught him that a disease that destroys its transmission vector is limited in scope, which means that just killing people via the computers would be bad.) Then someone explains to him for the fifth time that the computers are missing.

You say "And Perdition is Perdition. This is a state of the art building, as is all of Nybbas's main office buildings. They've been moved in three weeks and they're already reorganizing everyone in the cubes."

From afar, Lilith | "Long distance to Kobal: Lilith arrives on Kobal's arm, of course."

Saminga . o O ( Ah. This is an attempt to get me into *Perdition*. )

"I don't think I mentioned it on the way, my dear Princess, but your dress is positively radiant." The Prince of Dark Humor turns his head slightly toward Lilith, who is attached to his arm, and lifts one eyebrow toward her. He holds the expression for a second -- long enough to make it noticable, and then lifts her hand to his lips. "Well," he says, casually, "I think we're here early. And I did so want to make an entrance." His tone is mildly sarcastic. "But still..." he recovers, with a quirky light smile, "always charming to share a walk with you."

Vapula . o O (No-one ever seems to want to use my video-conferencing equipment...)

Lilith pages to Narrator and Saminga: You'll like it, Saminga, it's got braindead watchers.

Servitors of Nybbas scurry to and fro, trying to come up with good excuses to not be around as angry princes arrive.

Saminga will come. He will even enter the room alone, since, after all, even if they did get him alone, he could take them all. But he also brings a fair selection of minions across the border.

Lilith smiles back at Kobal. "Of course, dear. And the conversation is so much more interesting than some..."

Lilith looks for a minion to fetch some drinkable coffee.

Kobal smirks, again and executes a slight bow. "You flatter me," he says modestly. He eyes the room -- likely some kind of horribly modern and sterile corporate board room affair. "I suppose we should select our chairs. *I'm* not sitting next to Saminga again. Do know what he *smells* like?"

Saminga throws open the doors and strides in majestically. His red cloak shades to black, and then to a horrid color found nowhere in any spectrum, as he looks around the room.

Lilith deadpans, "Yes."

Saminga flashes Lilith a smile, full of rotten teeth, and asides to Kobal, "She says that a lot when I'm around."

Lilith smiles charmingly.

Lilith . o O (He dies. Oh, wait, he's already dead...)

Lilith . o O (He'd *like* that. Damn.)

Kobal mutters quietly about timing, as he chooses a position across the room from the Prince of Death. "Majestic, Dread Prince," he says to Saminga, in a tone that hints at very subtle mockery. "I'm quite sure," he decides to agree -- for now.

A tiny little black widow crawls around on the roof of Saminga's mouth, barely visible due to the missing teeth.

Vapula fades in, a flickering projection that sparks around the edges where it comes into contact with anything more solid. TV screens lose their image as he comes within range and never quite seem to regain it as sharply as it was before. He simply walks through where the door should be, trailing sparks. Hands folded neatly together.

From afar, Kronos's archives have a door to Perdition?

You paged Kronos with 'Definitely.'.

Kronos pages: That's what I thought. Danke. :)

Lilith pauses to admire Vapula's entrance.

Kobal seems to be adjusting a cuff link, at the moment, his attention focused downward.

Saminga inclines his head slightly to the gathered notables. They make their contributions, however small, to his grand work on Earth.

Lilith seeks out a chair -- far, far from Saminga.

Vapula's attention flicks manically from face to face, with the barest nod of acknowledgement for each, then he seems to lose interest. "Pleasure, pleasure as always..."

Kobal remains standing, for the moment, apparently waiting for the host of this meeting. He does however, hatch A Plan. "Dread Prince Saminga, why don't you take this honored seat at the far end of the table? It's only fitting that one as august and majestic as yourself have such a seat of distinction far away from the rest of us."

Saminga looks at the chairs, frowns, and then assumes his look of concentration -- empty, hollow, momentarily nothing more than a corpse. Then it fades, and a chair of "bone" and "rotted cloth" stalks in on its femur legs, shaped from a single human soul.

The door at the far end of the room opens to the tune of a spiffy jingle recorded in 26 part harmony and a minor light show, which plays off of Nybbas's glittering jacket and extremely fashionable shades. The Prince of the Media walks into the room, all smiles and glitz and commercialism, and grins at the assembled Princes.

Kronos pages: Mind if I exert some improbable timing?

You paged Kronos with 'Not at all.'.

Lilith seeks out a chair -- far, far from Saminga.

Saminga looks up at Kobal, and then chuckles roughly. "I have no need for the such petty trappings," he says, kicking a handful of chairs out of the way and flopping down in his portable damned throne.

Nybbas makes an expansive gesture at the assembled princes. "Welcome to my Boardroom (tm), dear Comrades. Take a seat. Allow my servants to get you Shal-Mari Cola or a cup of good Sheol coffee."

Saminga adjusts his crown.

Lilith thinks a moment and murmurs, "Coffee."

Saminga glances up at a servitor. "Absinthe."

Nybbas says "Anything for you, baby," as a servant scuttles in with a pot of coffee on a tray. The pot and cup is set down on the table next to Lilith.

Kobal smiles agreeably toward Saminga and then Nybbas. He too finds a seat far away from Saminga, just managing to keep his nose from twitching. "Afternoon, Nybbas. What's this business about anyway? You realize the Game has been roughing up people -- depriving them of their fun. Why you can't even stroll through Shal-Mari without seeing a goon on every corner."

Vapula gives his old protege a very even glance, laden with meaning.

Lilith settles back with her cup, watching the proceedings from beneath long, dark lashes.

Nybbas settles into a chair. "It's the same old bag, baby. The Game wants to put a clamp on Progress (tm), if you know what I mean."

There is a click - the sort that follows the closing of a door.

Kronos pages: That was me.

You paged Kronos with 'Exxxxxxxxxxcellent.'.

Saminga idly sketches hieroglyphics into the table with a sharpened fingerbone. (Tr.: The Most Dread was Here.)

Lilith glances towards the sound of that "click."

Kobal's face remains even and focused on the Prince of Media.

Saminga glances up and wonders, "These computer things -- are they popular on Earth?"

Vapula's expression is unchanging, but the emotional temperature drops perceptibly in his corner.

Lilith murmurs, "Very, most dread Prince."

You say "Now we've got a problem. The Computer that was going to ensure Hell's superiority for time immemorial, baby, has gotten up like it had feet and just walked out the door. Five years baby, five years was all it was going to take and now we're sitting here losing market share. It's our market share, baby, all of us. That computer has got to be retrieved."

Lilith lifts an elegant eyebrow. "I hope that you're not implying that it's gotten up and walked into the Guildhall. I didn't think my girls were its type."

Saminga gives Lilith a rictus grin, her just reward for proper service.

Lilith . o O (And the thing about Shedim is that you *know* what they want will be disgusting, so why even look?)

Vapula murmurs, "Like waves on the shore, they are flung out, and as surely, they return with the bounty of the earth in tow."

He raises his gaze to Nybbas again, with the air of a butterfly collector eyeing up a prime specimen.

Vapula pages: And adds with artistry 'My servant. Your machine.'

Saminga, Prince of a Thousand Enemies, does not bother with specific accusations. He simply looks suspicious.

You say "What worries me is Bad Press that is falling out around this."

Kobal just eyes Vapula from the corner of his eye. He quirks a small grin at Lilith, and then settles back in his seat. "Look Nybbas, I'm pretty sure none of my boys have your little plaything. There's not many chuckles in swiping your toy -- we've already got exploding television sets and the like. Laugh riots, you know?"

Vapula says "No."

Lilith sips her coffee calmly.

Kobal's head turns toward Vapula. "What?" he asks, mildly.

You say "Yeah, but what if one of your boys decided it would be Funny to hand it to, say, Laurence, hmmm?"

Lilith smiles just a little.

Vapula says "They _implode_, not explode."

Saminga frowns. "That would be an odd sense of humor," he explains gravely.

Lilith murmurs, "Quite." She smiles slightly.

"Er. Right. Whatever," Kobal says. He returns his attention to Nybbas. "You think that I'd risk having the Game sweep through Shal-Mari?" He scoffs, ever so slightly. "We don't have it." He says that firmly and convincingly.

You say "I know you don't have it, my friend. If I thought you had it, you wouldn't be here now."

Lilith sits up a bit. "Then those who are not here... might have it, dear?" she asks.

Kobal holds his face neutral. He just gives a slight nod.

Saminga mulls this over. "The first step is to search Lust's holdings."

You say "That's the question. See, _someone_ walked off with my newest, greatest, most interesting invention either, and they aren't fessing up. My agents have been searching for it tirelessly, baby, and we're pretty sure where it is not. If that thing doesn't come back, then we all lose out."

Lilith bites her lip. Ah, Gravely, she tells Saminga, "If we need to search Andre's palaces, I'll take on that task."

Vapula turns his regard to Saminga, gravely.

Kobal smiles slowly. "Yes. I'm sure you would."

Saminga nods agreeably. "I will arrange for a task force to rendezvous with you."

Nybbas presses a button, and a screen appears on the back wall with a picture of the prototype. "We were ready to go live with the prototypes to show to the big L just a few days ago. But since then, the prototypes, and our head of Development walked out the door. This is the same time that the Game started hassling people in Shal-Mari."

Lilith smiles back at Kobal. "Unless you think Shal-Mari would survive without my volunteering?" she murmurs almost under her breath.

Lilith turns to look at the screen.

Saminga, despite not liking the Game much, doesn't need many Ethereal Forces to figure out why they would want to hassle people at around the same time the next step towards Hell's dominance is stolen.

The screen has a tastefully created, commercial like montage on the computers, weaving in specs and disclaimers claiming how totally Cool and Excellent and Interesting it is to have a Nybbas Computer, and how lame you are if you don't buy one now.

<<OOC>> Lilith asks, "And has the Lilim Grapevine bothered to say anything about what the Game's been hassling folks over? Or is just more of the same?"

Kobal lets Lilith's comment go unanswered for now, as he too glances at the screen. "Who is this brain trust of your Nybbas?"

<<OOC>> Nybbas says "The Lilim grapevine will tell you that three Impudites disappeared from Shal-Mari recently, and the Game is cheesed."

<<OOC>> Lilith nods.

Saminga studies the screen. One pupil fades from a black surface to a hole into night, and a millipede-like creature crawls gently through the hole and out onto his face.

You say "The Head of Development was an impressive mind. Tishbite, Balseraph of Technology."

Vapula watches silently, controlled. "I prefer not to encourage the wasting of time in petty politicks and .. other pettier vices," he whispers. "I have a personal interest in discussing test results with.. the developer myself."

From afar, Kronos . o O ( Oh, he's so pretty when he's trying to hold back. Let it all out, Vapula. )

<<OOC>> Vapula says "This guy had the gall to go renegade from 'moi'?"

Lilith asks, "Then the project was... progressing well? Or had Tishbite been trying to... deal with setbacks?"

You say "If the Other Side got their hands on this device, someone will be very unhappy."

Saminga plucks the insect off his brow and crunches it between two working teeth.

Lilith . o O (I am *not* watching the Shedite.)

Kronos pages: Any chance any of my boys had ever done the fate eye-wiggle at Tishbite?

"Yes, that sounds like a barrel of fun." Kobal allows his lips to compress thoughtfully as he rests his palms on the table top.

Vapula agrees, "There will be displeasure." The emotional temperature isn't brightening any. He smiles at Lilith, mirthless and barely polite. "It was ... progressing, yes, Madame. I can provide the latest testplans and project reports in triplicate if your interest lies in that direction."

You paged Kronos with 'Very possible. You would know that his Fate was to go renegade and then get killed.'.

Lilith smiles at Vapula. "It might be interesting, if you happen to have a copy around."

Vapula adds offhandedly. "His heart is missing." as if it were an afterthought.

Saminga murmurs, "The Other Side?" He frowns. "They cannot reach us in Hell. And why would he go Renegade uninfluenced, as he stood on the verge of --" He smiles faintly. "The rewards of our pleasure?"

Vapula nods to Lilith pleasantly, "I can acquire one."

Lilith says "That would be delightful. Thank you."

Lilith sips her coffee and frowns beautifully, thoughtfully.

From afar, Kronos also has his current Manifestation in the Archives instruct one of the Librarians to prepare reports on all the Demons associated with the Nybbas Computer project (and who had secure clearance). That report can be given to Kronos at the librarian's leisure - where leisure is defined as the time the librarian thinks he has before Kronos becomes impatient.

Lilith says "*Is* the Game getting more... tedious... recently because of losing this Tishbite and the prototype? I'd heard that they were looking for a trio of Impudites who seem to have been misplaced."

Kobal sits forward again. "So, basically you want us," he says, "to find your little project and bring it back to you? Is that it?"

Vapula's hologrammed figure ruffles through an equally electrographic set of papers. "Hmm? trio?"

You paged Kronos with 'The report is prepared pronto. The report showing Tishbite, Baron of Technology sits on your desk, complete with his attunements. He'd been showered by Technology and Media with attunements and toys. You also get the reports on all of his underlings - all technology demons of note, but no one really incredibly impressive.'.

Lilith nods to Vapula, letting Kobal and Nybbas discuss what they will.

Saminga explains to Vapula, "A group of three." One of his Servitors covered this with him last week.

You say "I want the return of the prototype, yes, before the big-L shows up in three days wanting to see it. And I'd hate to explain that something Funny happened to it."

Saminga's non-putrescent eye narrows, and he studies Vapula. "How do you guard your Hearts, cousin?"

<<OOC>> Lilith chokes. "Cousin?" Oh, dear.

Vapula mentally calculates how long many acres of Tartarus could be contained in a circle formed of a circumference mapped out by Saminga, if said DP's forces could be sliced up to within a picometre. The calculation takes him all of half a second. Happy thoughts.

Saminga senses that Vapula is contemplating his magnificence, and his expression becomes a little less severe.

You say "The return of the prototype may give cause for the Game to go wander off and hassle someone else for the time being."

Kobal steeples his fingers together over the table, looking very much like Montgomery Burns. "I see," he replies smoothly, with an even expression and hinted grin. "So you... ah, haven't discussed this with The Upper Management yet, I suppose."

Vapula sighs and puts aside such pleasantries for less stressful times. "It depends," he explains with a shrug. "Is this really relevant?"

You say "No, of course not. I would hope that we would take care of this minor problem ourselves."

Kobal echoes Nybbas. "Minor. Of course, friend."

Kobal smiles, thoughtfully.

Saminga says, mildly, "The enemy is capable of removing a Heart from your guardianship. Study of one is study of the other."

You say "Nothing the assembled here cannot take care of, baby, without getting anyone else overly involved as it were."

Vapula admits, "There may possibly hav been an issue with the beta testing."

Lilith leans back and contemplates the infinite in her coffee cup.

Nybbas lifts an eyebrow.

Lilith murmurs, "Issue in the beta testing?"

Kobal turns toward Vapula, again, letting his smile go slack.

Saminga manifests by one of his Servitors on Earth and demands, "What in Hell's name is 'beta testing'?"

Saminga, after losing two Servitors, looks enlightened.

The Servitor nearly jumps out of his skin, before he bows down on his knees before his Dread Lord. "Dread Lord... Your Mightiness... Your Greatness... Beta Testing is when they uh, test it before they show it to anyone."

Saminga doesn't lose two Servitors, then.

Saminga is a generous Dark Lord. He gives the Servitor an Attunement.

Vapula settles his lab coat about his shoulders, twitching at a particularly stained cuff. His gaze is perfectly flat. "As a policy," he says, quite amiably, "A significant proportion of the study is left for the... end user. I had been expecting a report." Pause. "Which was late." Pause. "And never evinced."

Lilith murmurs, "Oh, dear."

The Servitor of Death blinks and then thanks his Dread Lord.

Saminga demanifests.

Kronos pages: And do any of his other servants seem to be inclined towards treachery?

Lilith asks Nybbas, "Is there a chance that instead of *walking* out, the prototypes, well, *slithered*?"

You paged Kronos with 'No more then the usual treachery. It seems this Tishbite was especially intelligent and was on the fast track to Big Things.'.

Saminga approves of slithering things.

You say "Are you suggesting that Tishbite simply removed the prototypes for his own use? Hrm."

Nybbas thinks about this. "Baby, that's just not very stylish, now is it?"

Lilith says "Perhaps the beta tests were more promising than he had anticipated. Perhaps he thought he could... bargain higher."

<<OOC>> Lilith is sure that both Vapula and Nybbas will recall that they are role-models for Rapid Advancement.

From afar, Kronos nods. "Indeed."

You say "If this is so, then our Head of Production needs to be found and informed on the Way of the World, baby. My agents have been searching for him actively already."

Lilith murmurs, "I may be able to pull some of my girls in, set them to listening to the right kind of gossip. Mind you, they're currently, well, _busy_ elsewhere..."

Saminga leans back. "It is a strange thing," he says. "Servitors who betray me inevitably end up dead. It is a stranger thing -- sometimes this is not my doing. Who trusts a turncoat?"

Kobal adds, "The work of Freedom is never done..."

Vapula smiles a secret smile and folds his papers.

Lilith flashes Kobal a blinding smile. "Indeed, dear friend."

Saminga grins at Kobal too, for perhaps different reasons.

Vapula says "I have a project in place which may be retuned to trace these artefacts by their electromagnetic signatures. Once a suitable energy source has been stabilised."

Lilith sends a manifestion back to the Guildhall.

You say "How large of an energy source?"

Lilith at the Guildhall goes to her office, throws out (graciously) whoever's there except for her Lilim secretary, and starts looking up who might have Geasa on Tishbite, Tishbite's

assistants, etc.

Vapula says blandly, "We may commandeer half a dozen nuclear reactors, to cover a hemisphere. For all three realms, one might require to send a coupl eof stars supernova. I have the proposal on my desk."

Kobal returns Lilith's smile, though it's a touch more patronizing. "Why don't we just assemble a few teams of Djinni to search for Tishbite -- and this contraption?"

Lilith bites her lip. "I hope that the stars selected aren't too close to Earth."

<<OOC>> Vapula says "Do I have any records or any othe rprojects this dude worked on?"

In Lilith's records, there is a Lilim named Bethany who holds a geas on Tishbite. She currently is working a 6 month contract over in Tartarus for, yes, Vapula on the Nybbas Computer project.

Saminga flashes a puzzled look at Lilith.

Saminga says, "Do you have a piece of the project?"

Lilith explains to Saminga, "If the Sun exploded, I might get a sunburn. That would annoy me."

Saminga says "Or were you completely cleaned out?"

Vapula frowns faintly, "Of course they must be close to earth, otherwise we lose most of the energy in transmission." (His tone implies this should be obvious to any non-imbicile)

Saminga says these two things to Nybbas/Vapula.

<<OOC>> Nybbas says "Of course you do. Granted the project writeups are covered in coffee stains and donut bits, but you have records of Tishbites previous service. His service has been.... impressive."

Lilith at the Guildhall phones over to Tartarus to see if there's a manifestation of Vapula taking calls.

Vapula's pager buzzes (in holographic representation).

Kronos pages: Nope, I just had an idea. I send appropriate messages to appropriate servitors. I want a team of five servitors of Theft hired to break into Vapula's lab.

You paged Kronos with 'Hee. Yeah, that can be arranged While You Wait. No problem.'.

From afar, Kronos grins. "Good. This is just an object lesson, by and large."

Lilith at the Guildhall transmits a pager request (she hopes) for permission to drop in and wander about Tartarus.

Long distance to Kronos: Nybbas laughs. Excellent.

You paged Kronos with 'What do you want stolen?'.

Vapula rummages through a labcoat pocket and pulls out some string, an object with tentacles and boggling eyes, a set of compasses, a fake tattoo and .. his pager. He peers at Saminga, gaze blazing into pure unadulterated fury at being thwarted by some wretched idiot balseraph who ruined his project plan, then it fades into something more politely bland. "Of that project not. Being high priority, all working models were requisitioned for testing, Dread Saminga."

Vapula leaves his projection in the meeting room and walks down in person to one of the docking bays, commandeering some flunkies on the way. He offers Lilith transport, and evidently intends to accompany her himself.

Saminga makes a twisted half-smile. "Unfortunate."

Lilith at the Guildhall thanks Vapula. "Shall I arrive myself at the Entry Gate, or do you wish to send a vehicle?"

Kronos pages: Oh, something important. Anything important.

You paged Kronos with 'Okie. Your fleet of 5 servitors of Theft are off and breaking into things. Gee, while the Boss is out, too.'.

From afar, Kronos grins.

Kronos pages: I want to have at least one of my servitors evaluating and assessing their efforts from a distance, if possible.

You paged Kronos with 'The assessment is that they aren't moving very fast.'.

Vapula , in Tartarus steps onto a travelator. He informs her that it is his pleasure to arrange transport, and sends out his courtier demon-du-jour to locate any of Tishbite's old project leavings.

Saminga manifests inside the Palace of Bone to pace.

Servitors of Death scatter and dive for cover.

Vapulan's Servitor bows, as his official demon-du-jour, and goes scuttering off to find old Tishbite leavings.

Meanwhile, in the meeting room, the Prince of Technology seems struck by another thought (two within 10 minutes!). "By all means," he murmurs, "You are all welcome to enter my domains as my guests in pursuing this matter."

Lilith in the Guildhall thanks Vapula for his consideration, and will wait for the transport to arrive at the Guildhall. She rings off with the appropriate plesantries and taps her fingers impatiently.

From afar, Kronos grins. "I figured, yes. I imagine Vapula's place is more or less impossible to break into, in fact."

Lilith gives Vapula a delighted smile. "That is very gracious of you," she murmurs.

You paged Kronos with 'This is very true. Between the security systems and the guards and the fact that the place is just flat out dangerous, it's a very interesting trip indeed.'.

<<OOC>> Lilith thinks that may even have been in chorus with her other manifestation.

The transport arrives rather... abruptly. It is an interesting mutation of a WW1 biplane, painted in some substance which absorbs light. It crashes down on the guildhall roof, in what may be the best landing that test pilot has ever made.

Lilith in the Guildhall winces and teleports to the roof to survey the damage.

(ie. he didn't lose any limbs)

Nybbas gets a page, and confers with his servitors on the phone, and nods sagely a few times while saying the word "Baby" alot.

Lilith in the Guildhall will seek out the test pilot and determine if he, she, or it is still functional. For that matter, is the 'plane'?

Saminga snaps to one of his higher and more deft Servitors in the Palace of Bone, "Verify that Nybbas has promised the First of the Fallen a demonstration of a 'computer' in three days." He pauses. "*Not* by communicating with Lucifer, of course."

The Servitor of Death bows before his Dread Lord. "Yes, Dread Lord. I will attempt to confirm this information." He scuttles off in fear.

The cockpit is pushed open and a small figure wearing flying goggles climbs out carefully, and drops instantly to its knees on perceiving the Demon Princess. It is an Impudite, probably. Instead of wings it has jet-packs.

From afar, Kronos nods. "The idea, see, is for them to fail. Or, even better, for them to grab something and have a Djinn of Technology track them down."

Lilith at the Guildhall smiles at the probable Impudite. "Is this going to be able to take off again unaided?"

You paged Kronos with 'I'm just waiting for a good moment.'.

Kronos pages: Of course.

Saminga rises to his feet, and his chair scurries out of the room. "I will retire to Abaddon for a short time; then you may expect me in Tartarus, unless the situation has changed."

Saminga glances around. "*Do* try not to do anything stupid until my return."

Saminga stalks out.

Nybbas nods his head to Saminga, and waves a hand, as he's talking loudly on his cellphone now.

Lilith does not spit her coffee. One must have control to be a Princess.

Nybbas says to Lilith, "I'm sure we'll try not to do something that he considers foolish. It will, of course, take all our energy and concentration."

At the Guildhall, the pilot keeps its head dipped and suppresses a nervous tremor. "It will, Dread My Lady. I require but one measly moment of time to replace the tail-gates," it says proudly. "She flies like a balseraph!"

Lilith at the Guildhall says, "Very good. Go to it, then."

Lilith in Perdition smiles at Nybbas. "Of course."

Nybbas grins in this winning manner toward Lilith.

Lilith at the Guildhall waits for the Impudite to repair the craft.

A curious Lilim pokes her head up the stairs to see what all the racket is. She won/lost the bet with the Sisters downstairs.

Lilith looks at the knots. "Preparation for when we discover Tishbite?" she asks softly.

Lilith at the Guildhall waves to her Daughter, then motions her over.

At the guildhall, the impudite scurries under the plane, picking up some debris which it chucks back into the cockpit in a worryingly random manner. It pulls out a small flamethrower and gets to work on the tail-gates. There is much sound, light and actinic light.

The Lilim plods up the rest of the stairs and walks over to Lilith. "Yes, Mother?"

Vapula smiles gently at Lilith. "So young, and so untender.." he muses to himself. It is indeed a noose.

The Lilim flinches awayb from the sound, light, and general smell of burning sulfur.

Lilith at the Guildhall tosses a shield around her and her Daughter. She says, "Dear, after I've left in this vehicle, could you check and see how much damage was done to the roof structure? I'd like a report on my desk."

The Lilim says, "Yes Mother. These burn marks are going to be hard to get out of the nice tile."

Lilith nods. "It is a shame when they turn upon those who supported them," she comiserates.

The impudite does its best rush job, and slides down the side of the plane to land neatly on its feet. It bows low and waits for the Princess to finish mutilating her lackays (or does that only happen back at home?)

Lilith at the Guildhall sighs. "I know. I'll probably have to take care of it, but see what you can do. There's a good girl." She pats her Daughter on the shoulder and strides forward, her dress mutating to a flight-suit -- still made of Geas-gems.

Lilith at the Guildhall asks, "And where is the passenger seat?"

The Lilim bows. "Yes Mother."

The Lilim scurries off to tell her Sisters that it's just another one of those Technology things, and that they're going to need to replace parts of the roof --- again.

Lilith . o O (Mental note: wait outside a Game-station on the edge of Shal-Mari next time.)

The impudite indicates the back seat as grandly as it is able, clambering up to dust down the leather upholstery and remove some spare bits of plane to make room. It does look more comfortable than the rest of the plane. Just. He says deferentially, "It is a routine procedure to give you the safety instructions, Dread Princess. In case of emergency, the nearest exit is here... and the ejector seat button is here. Oxygen masks, parachutes and spare types are located behind yoru seat."

Lilith at the Guildhall nods and checks everything with great seriousness and a straight face.

Lilith at the Guildhall then buckles herself in, if there is a seatbelt.

The impudite plucks a familiar from underneath the seat and tosses it at the propeller, yelling 'PULL!'

Plane rumbles slowly towards the edge of the roof, propeller beginning to turn. It plummets. The pilot swears loudly in helltongue and pulls it out of a steep dive, flying low over Shal Mari, and trailing black smoke.

Lilith in the plane sits calmly, peering out at Shal-Mari with apparent mild interest.

Demons dive out of the way, and generally for cover. Carts overturn. Electrical poles fall over.

Lilith in the plane sighs, waits a little longer to see if it can recover on its own and gain altitude.

Lilith at Perdition blinks and contemplates her coffee very seriously. It is almost gone. She pours herself more.

Plane coughs and splutters and climbs slowly, still emitting huge amounts of black smog from its tailpipes. It keeps climbing. Scenery turns antlike. Air thins.

Lilith in the plane settles back and wraps a protective Song around her for the comfort and air situation.

Vapula demands an instant demonstration of whatever the docking demons had been doing before he had arrived, and tells them pleasantly that it had better be good.

The demons scurry like mad, and they start demonstrating a new fangled version of their radar system, designed to help planes land entirely on instruments.

The demonstration is... not so good.

Lilith examines the various bits and pieces next to her in the plane, smiling to herself.

Pilot attempts to find a radio station with weather reports but has to make do with ABBA remixes. The plane is wrenched in high icy winds and spins wildly, but the pilot seems happy. Distantly through a hole in the clouds are the peaks of mountains, hopefully it won't be too far...

Some of the bits in pieces on the floor of the plane look back at Lilith. Some even blink.

Lilith at Perdition murmurs to Vapula-projection, "This is... interesting."

Lilith in the plane picks up one of the blinking ones...

Vapula checks one of his watches and says nothing as the demonstration proceeds. As the demons wind up, he just smiles. "Fascinating." Then after a telling pause, "Do report to lab 16 at your soonest convenience."

The demons of Technology cower before their dread lord. One even says, "Oh please sir, anything, anything but LAB 16!"

Kobal, meanwhile, during this long contemplative silence about Milliways, Life, the Universe and the number 42, calls in a group of Djinn to his office in Shal-Mari.

It's a tastefully decorated office -- none of Nybbas flashy pop art -- mostly movie posters -- Brazil, for example -- a publicity flyer for Edward Albee's "Zoo Story," and the original cover for the game "Paranoia." He reclines in his leather seat, kicking his polished shoes on the top of the desk, and proceeds to summon his executive assistant, manservant Hecubus.

Vapula in the meeting room inclines his head. "An old workhorse but a useful one. I could make one available to you on a more permanent basis."

The Djinn shuffle in. There are three of them. They bow before their dread yet possessing in spectacularly good taste lord.

Lilith in the meeting room sighs and shakes her head. "Alas, I fear that I have no place to put it. But the offer is most gracious. If I get a hanger on the Guildhall, perhaps we can talk?"

Lilith in the plane examines a blinking bit to see how many Forces it has.

The blinking bit has several forces, but it's difficult to make out how many for some of it keeps getting consumed and regurgitating.

Kobal lifts his hand, gesturing at them to straighten with his fingers; his feet are still on his desk. "Here, here," he says to them. "Stand up. Sit down. Make yourself comfortable." He pulls some random papers off his desk. "Now. I see here that you're among my three most promising Djinn -- isn't that right?"

Vapula in Tartarus gives his demon a soft, saddened look. Evidently his own black heart is torn by the knowledge that one of his best beloved children might not agree with his benevolant wishes. He strokes its cheek, and inspires it with such utter terror that it can barely move.

Lilith in the plane idly tries to stabilize the bit, since it's more interesting than the in-flight movie.

One of the Djinn in Kobal's office scratches a half chewed ear. "Yah."

The demons in the Tartarus before Vapula quake with fear. Not Lab 16!

Kobal, in his office, drops his feet to the floor and stands. "Then listen up," he roars at them, grinning. "I have a job for you... and I think it will be a lot of fun."

On the plane, luckily, there is no inflight movie, because it might be more dangerous then the flight itself. But the blinking bit begins to stabalize.

The Djinn of Comedy perk up to about as much interest as Djinn ever do. One which is a cross between a rat and a dog chews on something in it's cheek in passing interest. The first one says, "Oh?"

Lilith in the plane smiles and wonders if she can get it to look like something soft and pettable. Perhaps a Borg Beanie Baby.

The bit that Lilith is working on morphs into sort of a one eyed squid beanie baby with some definite electrical parts.

Lilith in the plane settles the beanieBorgsquid on her lap and pets it, waving some stray wires for it to bat at.

The beanieBorgSquid attempts to chew on Lilith's fingers.

Vapula in Tartarus frowns sadly. "Go child. I have work for you there. Unless.. there was something else you wished to show me?"

Lilith in the plane taps its nose-equivalent. "Don't bite the Princess, dear," she tells it.

Kronos pages: How progresses Operation Security Spank?

The demon bows it's head frantically. "Yes, Dread Lord! We've also been developing an especially interesting Kill-O-Zap Full Action AutoRifle with Recoil Surpressors!"

You paged Kronos with 'As soon as Lilith gets there, the alarms will go off.'.

Kronos pages: Excellent.

Plane bumps and jars and the pilor yells something explanatory but indistinguishable (and probably full of jargon anyway), then it pulls back hard to wheel at a 90 degree angle and drops like a balseraph of theft that has spotted a likely mark.

The babyBorgSquid squeeks.

From afar, Kronos needs to do this so as to have evidence when he goes up to Vapula and says 'look, this is your external security. obviously this was an inside job. and your djinn tracked down the thieves, so why aren't we tracking the thingie'

Lilith in the plane holds onto the babyBorgSquid to keep it from falling out, and sits quietly, observing the scenery.

You paged Kronos with 'Excellent. Looks like just a few more minutes.'.

Vapula is losing interest in his demon. "Very well," he says encouragingly (one should encourage keen youngsters). "Test it on your companions for me. Now."

The demon before Vapula says "Yes Dread Lord!" It runs off to fetch the Kill-O-Zap gun to fry some fellow Technogeeks.

The scenery in Tartarus looks amazingly like.... the Tartarus.

Lilith in the plane holds the babyBorgSquid up so it can admire the view.

Sulphur laden winds scream past the wings of the plane, turning blackish and smoggy as the descent proceeds. There is a definite full cloud cover over large segments of the labs. But the plane seems to be heading for a pool of effluence.

The babyBorgSquid sqeaks more.

Lilith in the plane pets the babyBorgSquid soothingly. "Don't worry," she says in a voice that carries despite the wind. "The pilot has done this lots of times."

"Twice," the pilot yells brightly.

Lilith in the plane tells the babyBorgSquid, "See? We're perfectly safe." She exudes calmness and serenity.

The babyBorgSquid sqeaks.

Demons around the docking bay run around screaming as the original demon chases them around with the kill-o-zap gun.

Lilith in the plane wraps another protective Song around herself, just in case. Besides, it will keep her hair from being mussed.

Kobal, in his office, nods faintly. His eyes narrow dangerously, and the irises of his eyes twinkle slightly. "I want you three to find me a demon -- Tishbite, a Balseraph of Technology -- or the demon's stuff. But, preferably the demon. I need to *chat* with him. Chew the fat, as it were. As usual, my keen little minions, I want you to be subtle and discreet. No need to turn stones that do not need to be flipped." Kobal's eyes go wide and he looks immensely more agreeable suddenly. "*When* you find him, bring him here. Get a few Calabim to lend some muscle if you need it." Both hands come to rest on his desk. "Questions?"

Plane plunges through the smog, and the scenery converges into the home sweet home of Tartarus. Pilot points the nose towards one building, and just skims the top of the lake, spraying swathes of semi-liquid green substance over a wide surrounding area. It jolts. Bits flap and fall off. The ground is very close. Amazingly, it comes to a stop somewhere near the actual docking back, and the pilot taxis onwards. "Welcome to Tartarus. We hope you enjoyed your flight. We look forwards to your custom on future trips also..."

Lilith in the plane lets the Song lapse and strokes the babyBorgSquid. "See, little one? I told you everything would be fine."

Vapula in the meeting room checks his watch.

Lilith in the meeting room murmurs, "A skillful pilot, Vapula. And polite, too."

The Djinn in the room before Kobal blinks. One of 'em says, "Yah Boss. But where do we start lookin' for this Tishbite character?"

Vapula's brows form a shallow V. He peers at Lilith quizzically. "Polite?" (Is this on the job specification for test pilots?)

Lilith in the meeting room inclines her head in an elegant nod. "Quite, yes. A well-chosen Impudite."

Lilith in the meeting room adds, "Is the wing-design on it your work?"

Kobal considers the question. "He serves Technology -- why not start in Tartarus? You have my leave to follow whereever the trail leads. Even to Earth, if need be." The Prince grins faintly. "I... almost forgot to mention, boys, this is a *top* priority. I would be *cross*, if I didn't hear anything within a day or so."

The Djinn bow. "Yah Boss. You got passes for us so wes can get to Tartarus?"

Vapula decides generously, "I'm pleased the pilot met with your approval. Wings? I recall the initial blueprints were based on my own ideas of course. They've been in R&D of course."

Lilith in the meeting room nods. "Of course. They seem very sleek. You must be proud of your R&D department."

Lilith in the plane holds the babyBorgSquid up to see the passing smog.

Kobal, in his office, flicks his fingers at the Djinn. "Hecubus will write them out for me. I have other business to deal with." Meanwhile... "Vapula, friend Prince, I'm sending some of my boys over to poke around."

The babyBorgSquid squeaks and twists around.

Lilith in the plane holds the babyBorgSquid gently but firmly, so it cannot escape.

The Djinn before Kobal bow and file out, looking forward to bashing some heads.

Vapula indicates acceptance of Kobal's 'boys' with a patient nod. "Tell them to report at the main reception and an escort will be arranged. I wouldn't recommend using any other entrance,"

The babyBorgSquid just squeaks and makes all sorts of noise.

Kobal almost chuckles. "I'm sure they will use due discretion."

Lilith in the plane regards the babyBorgSquid. "Are some of your Forces from bagpipes?"

Pilot coughs a lot and pushes the cockpit open. It locates some rusty steps and wipes the worst of the pollution off them with its sleeve, before propping them against the side of the plane.

Vapula inspects Kobal as if he were a disappointing demo. Then he shrugs.

Lilith in the plane gets up and makes her way down the stairs, still holding the babyBorgSquid. On the ground, she regards the Pilot.

Pilot pats the plane as if it were his special pet, when he thinks no-one is looking.

Lilith in Tartarus hands the babyBorgSquid to the Pilot. "Well done. A most interesting experience."

Pilot impudite bows low, as the squid attaches. "The pleasure was all mine, Milady," he says gratuitously. Then carefully picks his way to the main loading bay.

Sounds of laser fire and gunshots and screams are coming out of it.

Lilith in Tartarus smiles. Then she looks around for something that appears to be an escort. If none is forthcoming, she will follow the Pilot.

No escort appears. There are a small grouping of dead demons by the door, though. They look riddled with laser fire.

Lilith in Perdition leans back with her refilled coffee. "Most fascinating," she remarks to no-one in particular.

Lilith in Tartarus puts her hands in her pockets and wanders after Pilot with a bemused look on her face.

Vapula in Tartarus instructs one of the not-yet-dead demons to inform security that some demons of Dark Humour are expected.

The demon instructed by Vapula bows low and goes running off to talk to security.

Vapula also inflicts everyone still standing with extreme nothingness and stalks to the hangar doors where he waits, silhouetted against the flickering neon, and watches Lilith approach.

Kobal arches an eyebrow toward Lilith. "Well, since we're under orders not to do anything stupid until Saminga returns..." this brings a subtle smile, "why don't we adjourn? We can meet again tomorrow to discuss any progress. Agreed?"

Lilith in Tartarus smiles and removes her hands from her pockets, approaching.

Lilith in Perdition smiles. "It seems reasonable, yes. I'd hoped for some more immediate results..." she smiles in Nybbas' direction "...but they do not seem forthcoming, alas."

Nybbas, who has been consumed by first the phone, then email, then some copy, then servitors, just waves in their general direction.

Across Tartarus, the main general alarm sounds. *BLERT* *BLERT* *BLERT* Lights turn red, sirens sound, and the sounds of surprised demons eminate from all around.

Vapula nods to Kobal, in Perdition. "Better to waste as little time as possible with such petty politickings as will only hinder progress."

Lilith in Tartarus makes her way to the hangar doors. She gives her patented Lilith smile.

Lilith in Perdition bites her lip. "I think I'll just pop over to the Guildhall and make a few inquiries."

Vapula smiles kindly to Lilith, in Tartarus. and offers a hand. (Which particular alarm is this?)

<<OOC>> Narrator says "This is the "Something very very bad is happening" alarm."

Lilith in Perdition blows a kiss to Nybbas and Kobal and bamfs to the Guildhall.

Lilith in Tartarus takes Vapula's hand. "I trust I'm not keeping you from anything important?" she asks, with a small gesture in the direction of the main red flashing light.

Vapula sends a projection to his private office and demands an instant report from anyone hapless enough to be in the vicinity.

Vapula explains to Lilith, "The alarms require to be tested regularly."

A demon, a Habbalah of no small standing in a smeared white lab coat, bows before the manifestation of Vapula in his main office. "Master, someone has broken into your private laboratory. We have released the Djinn... but our security systems have been tripped."

Lilith in Tartarus nods understandingly. "Of course. Thank you for the transport here. I was wondering if perhaps we could view Tishbite's former lab?"

Three Djinn and two Calabim of Dark Comedy step off the Train onto the platform, looking around at the panic. They take this opportunity to push on through to their destination.

Lilith in the Guildhall checks out the report on the damage to the roof.

Vapula gives Lilith the brief guided tour on the way to said Lab. Meanwhile in the office, he demands flatly of his Habbalite "I require a full report. What if anything is missing, how did they enter, how did they leave?"

The report has been professionally prepared and left on Lilith's desk. There are careful enumerations of the damages and the costs to replace that section of the roof and photographs.

Vapula also orders it to review the security monitors.

Lilith in Tartarus looks around approvingly.

The Habbalite bows. "Master, they came in through the air ducts. It looks like they took the newest Nuclear Blaster that was in R&D. We are attempting to retreive it as we speak." One of the monitors behind the Habbalite flickers into life. For one moment, a few dark figures cross the shadows on the monitor.

Lilith in the Guildhall sighs and delegates the roof-repair to one of her elder Daughters. Then she heads down to the Guildhall bar to see if the bartender has heard any useful gossip.

Vapula's attention shifts to the monitor and to the dark figures. "Close off the air ducts," he orders. After all, who needs air?

Jillian, the bartender in the Guildhall is one of the eldest Daughters around who has not disappeared into the human woodwork. She reflexively mixes Lilith's favorite drink for her, and puts it in front of her Mother before Lilith even has a chance to sit down.

The Habbalite bows. "Yes Master." Then he walks off, screaming, "Close the Air Ducts!"

Kronos, in Perdition, murmurs, "My, what a curious day."

Lilith in the Guildhall smiles and sips her drink. "Well done, Daughter. Tell me, been listening to the customers recently?"

Jillian wipes a part of the bar with her rag, the same part that she's been wiping reflexively for years. "I always listen to the customers, Mother. That's what they pay me to do."

The Kobalite group arrives, wandering around, looking for the people they're supposed to meet. The Djinn grumble.

Lilith in the Guildhall nods and resonates her Daughter for needs. "Of course, my dear. Have you heard anything about, oh, a Balseraph of Tech?"

Vapula explains intently to Lilith as they walk towards Tishbite's old laboratory, "I have been trialling new and innovative working practices with regard to hours of work. The results have been quite quite fascinating. Bourne great fuit, as one might say in a more metaphorical mood." he laughs.

Jillian needs to tend bar well, and collect geasa from listening to people's problems. (She has several on a new Bright, you know...) She would like to be completely Free some day. "Not too many Balseraphim of Technology come through my bar, but everyone talks. Do you have one in particular in mind?"

The alarm claxons in Tartarus fall silent.

Lilith in Tartarus keeps all her attention on Vapula, listening intently. "Indeed. How many hours are your Servitors working now?"

Demons in the reception area of Tartarus look uniformly half asleep. A receptionist balseraph yawns widely and focusses all six eyes on the cutest Djinn.

Lilith in the Guildhall tries for more Needs. Something she can offer, instead of having to give up whatever time Jillian still owes her. "One who's gone on an unexpected vacation, it seems. Very recently. While working on something rather... important."

The cutest Djinn is the one with two working eyes... and that's all. He holds out the typed orders ... because Djinn don't care enough to repeat them. "Here. Our Orders. Give us access."

Vapula says blandly, "27 hours a day."

Lilith in Tartarus nods. "That is impressive! However do you manage?"

Jillian also could use a new set of towels, and some very specific drink mixer to make a spectacular Shal-Mari Breeze. She also needs to replace her assistant, who just wandered off to a job. "Mmmm... Balseraph of Technology working on something rather important. I heard about some guy on the television. Word on the street is that he's gone missing."

Vapula sniffs, "Its extremely elementary," he says to Lilith, and guides her through the steam-room politely.

Kobal nods at each Prince and the Princess, and then, he himself returns to his own office. "Hecubus," he says into his intercom. "I need to..." he pauses. "I need to speak to Haagenti. Hold my calls while I'm gone." He pauses, swallowing for a second, and then adds, "Have a bouquet of flowers delivered to Lilith -- or her secretary -- by nude singing telegram. Have the singer offer her an invitation to dinner. I should be back shortly."

Lilith at the Guildhall thinks this over, sipping her drink. "Yes, rather. In a big way. Any hints as to where he might have gone?"

Kronos wanders through the Archves. He tucks a file into an entirely unlikely slot, and then opens the door beside that stack. He steps through, and into Vapula's laboratories - presumably near the lab in question.

Lilith in Tartarus smiles at Vapula. "I fear I have little feel for your work," she sighs regretfully.

Hecubus says "Yes Boss." In minutes, in a haze of Burger King smelling smog, a wild eyed, wild haired, wild dressed Haagenti bamfs himself right into a chair.

In the Tartarus, up to Vapula, a different Habbalite runs up to the Master. "Master, we have caught the Thieves. Where do you wish them brought?"

Lilith in the Guildhall contemplates the notion of Towels, Drink-Mix model, and assistant. She can probably come up with something useful. Is the Drink-mixer model one she can discover easily?

Kobal grins at the other Prince. "Well, well," he says. "Did I interrupt your mid-day, between lunch, between the mid-day snack snack snack?"

Secretary stretches out a wing and inspects the papers. "These look to be in order," it notes sweetly, then beckons with its tail towards a sleepy Djinn which is playing with an infernal gameboy. "Your escort."

Lilith can discover the Drink Mix model amazingly easily, as she is Lilith.

Kronos wanders past a Vapulan, murmurs, "Add five," and then makes his way quickly towards Vapula himself.

Lilith in the Guildhall instantiates herself again and makes arrangements for someone to go off and get that Drink Mix model. Then de-stantiates that one.

Vapula pauses irritably, and banishes the expression instantly (pushing it onto the other Habbalite instead). "Lab 16," he says without pausing for thought.

Haagenti burps. "I was just finishing up another 20 pack of White Castle. Soooooo what can I do for you, bro?"

The Djinn grunt, and trailing Funny Calabim, they go over to prod their escort. *prod*

The Habbalite bows. "Yes Master." He runs off yelling, "LAB 16!"

Vapula apologises mildly to Lilith for the interruption and turns in time to recognise Kronos. He raises a brow.

Lilith in Tartarus turns as well. She smiles and drops her eyes almost demurely.

Kronos's lips thin, corners turned up in an oh-so-faint smile of greeting. He says nothing, but instead steps into the lab and waits.

Techno-Djinn grumbles and smacks the side of the gameboy. After a moment, it finally deigns to notice that someone is nudging it. Not that it cares, of course.

The FunnyDjinn continues to prod the Techno-Djinn.

Lilith . o O (Some people work too hard at being creepy.)

Lilith in Tartarus will allow Vapula to usher her into the Lab, favoring the Habbalite with one of her compelling smiles.

"It's more like, 'What I can I do for *you*?' Haagenti, old friend," Kobal replies. "Seems that Nybbas lost his newest pet invention, and I aim to find it and use it before anyone else gets their mitts on it. If what I heard is to be believed, this may actually be a *useful* piece of technology." He pauses. "What I want, Haagenti, is a team to scour likely places a Renegade demon might hide out with such a piece of equipment -- computer hot-spots, as it were." He settles in his chair and grins amicably. "When it's recovered, we'll set it to cause rampant Gluttony. Should be good for a few chuckles, eh?"

Lilith in the Guildhall waits for the Drink Mixer model to be delivered.

Vapula is sufficiently impressed that he remembers what this 'polite' thing was all about, and ushers her in first. He also projects to Lab 16, allowing the projection to reflect his true temper of the moment.

Lilith in Tartarus looks around Tishbite's abandoned lab, hoping to spot her Daughter in the area.

Techno-Djinn stirs and pushes to its feet, swiping its tail at the other Djinn. "Let's go," it grunts.

Haagenti bounces around a bit in excitement. A small plant explodes. "Sure Bro! I'll get 'em goin to search the entire place top to bottom! Those geeks like the Chinese and the Korean and the Mexican and the Burgers and most of all... the pizza. If those places deliver, they deliver right to the technogeek."

The Lilim assigned to Tishbite's lab is working at a bench.

Lilith in Tartarus wanders around, letting things be explained to her if Vapula seems to wish to do so. She somehow winds up standing over Bethany, the Lilim.

Kobal nods smugly. "Exactly. Besides, scouting out acquistive computer nerds seemed more in your neck of the woods. I mean, it's all well and fine to use technology to socially isolate freaky pale faced computer geeks, but I suppose they do have to eat." He grins. "Good. Let me know what you find?"

Bethany puts her tools down and looks up at Lilith. She pulls down her goggles. "Mother!"

Lilith in Tartarus smiles at her Daughter. "Hello, Bethany. Doing well?"

Haagenti bounces around a little more, and a huge smile appears on his face. The chair beneath him cracks. "Yeah, Bro. It'll be fun fun fun! I'll find him, don't you worry!"

Bethany says to Lilith, "Well, until someone stole the Computers."

Lilith says to Bethany, "That's rather annoying. Since then?"

Vapula is distracted by soem nostalgic remnant of experiment and pauses to reminisce, think of 17 different and new projects that the old one could be recycled into, and invent a completely new device to test the boiling temperature of balseraph brains (and he has _just_ the demon to try it out on, when he is located...)

Bethany looks around and then whispers, "The lab was weird right before you know, He left. And even then, he was so secretive, he'd only let us work on certain pieces of the computers. And people have been waiting for the other shoe to fall."

Lilith lowers her voice as well, finding a seat to pull up next to Bethany. "Indeed. Hm. I don't suppose that you have any hooks in, well, Him?"

Lilith resonates Bethany, you bet.

Bethany needs to make more cool stuff, needs to be assigned to a new project with a less psychotic lead (heh), needs to not get smooshed when bad things come down. She nods. "I have a few, yep. He liked to, um, have his wings stroked. After hours."

Lilith considers this. "Hm."

Lilith in Tartarus looks thoughtfully between Bethany and Vapula.

<<Scene Stop>>