[Tayseri]First day at Leaving The Ducts

"Ho... Ho well that's a relief... I guess. I like cats."

A very awkward minute passed.

"Anyhoo, yeah, plans, maps, all good. So we're still on pressure plate and cameras about security? Anything else you think should go on the todo list?"

"Finally, back to business", Snow thought as he hit a switch on his omnitool, highlighting a duct on the roof, showing a hypothetical route to the duct to the basement,

"Having a word with the landlord about this could help speed the process. But I think we covered most of the day one steps Mrs Rondor. I'll have to find the local syndicate, or gang in the area before we can go further. If we're lucky, I can arrange a sitdown with their boss and work something out. If not...well at least we'll know who we're dealing with."

Pausing for a moment as he closed up the holo on his omnitool, Snow's gaze turned outside, watching the factory workers, shopkeepers, and some hired muscle at first glance,

"Chances are miss, is that they've been made aware of our intentions. Now we just have to wait for their reaction."

"Surely they don't consider us a threat yet? I mean we're barely open for business. They didn't attack the catholic shelter as far as I know."

"It's one thing to leave a plate of food out and a cot to sleep in, and something entirely different to attempt to give a duct rat a fighting chance",

Snow replied calmly, his voice an even rasp as he turned back to 'Miss Whiskers', remembering some of the aborted attempts to 'reform' gang members in Northeast Portland, all because the do-gooders failed to understand that gangs, syndicates, and the like were big business. That fucking with a gang's credit flow was the best way to get shut down, or dead.

"I'm guessing duct rats are similar to junior members of earth gangs, they do a lot of the bitch work, data running, surveillance, B&E, and sabotage as well. Take those away, a gang will get very nervous, and aggressive. I'm all for helping the little bastards, but we need to do it right."

Snow finished, looking at Mrs Rondor, wondering how she'll react to his assessment of the situation.

Michelle stayed impassive at Snow's assessment at first, then tilted her head a little and looked at him in the eyes.

"Let's deny those fuckers some business then."

She displayed something on her omni-tool, a list of name a map of the ducts.

"Miss Flower Wilde from CDN is a former duct rat, and she was kind enough to share with us some information that I hope is not too outdated. This is a list of charities and shelters that the rats consider safe, our main interlocutor will of course be the catholic one, because it's close and I know people there.

MUCH more interesting is this list of picture codes, those work mostly for Taseyri and, believe it or not, the presidium. We can use them to know where they gather and feel safe. Leaving some food, making it dextro and levo with associated pictures to identify which is which, and clothes, could help us gain some trust and help us know who goes where these days."

"Very nice", Julian Snow nodded in approval. This Flower Wilde had a collection of duct rat tags, marking territory, safe zones, and areas to avoid. Mrs. Rondor's tone shift was a bit interesting, she was all-in. "Definitely not like the do-gooders from Portland", he thought as he made a copy of the data, storing it on his own omnitool. Snow liked his fluffy boss's attitude, he just hoped she'd see it through when the charity got started proper.

"I like the sound of that Miss, can't wait to begin", a hard, determined grin began to creep onto Snow's face. Maybe there was fun to be had on Tayseri after all