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Matrix Connection Services Inc.

by Peter Bailey (pbailey@gil.com.au)

SYSTEM INFORMATION

Total Max IC: 36 IC rating points.

Background: System is run by a decker who works for “Tacoma Nibbles and Bytes.” (Sprawl Sites p80). His handle is “Darkwing,” & his icon resembles a miniature GMC Banshee with arms and a happy face.

The system exists to run blocker against trace IC, and make money while it’s at it of course. The idea is, if a decker goes to his destination via this system, any trace IC triggered by that decker must come back via this system. Of course, this produces a certain amount of heat, that’s why its nodes are moved around within Seattle fairly often. The system is a little like the local node of Shadowland in this way. Going rates for known Orange systems and lower is 500 NuYen per dial-out, with Red systems requiring a hefty 2K NuYen per use, and a 20K NuYen deposit. The running decker gets his deposit back if no physical security team visits the system’s current location.

CPU 1: Orange 6, Max load: 18

Active IC:

• Barrier 7. Load: 3. Looks like a vault door.
• Tar Baby 5. Load 5. Looks like a fountain.

Dormant IC: None.

Imagery: You are standing in the beating heart of the system, the CPU. In the center of the node is a fountain softly splashing water and making lovely sounds. The pulsating energy of data brings the walls to life, and the “air” is busy with swirling data packets. The exits out of this node are all blocked by a substantial vault door each.

SAN’s 1-20: Orange 5, Max load each: 15

Active IC (Nodes 1-10):

• Access 3. Load: 1. The Access IC in this node looks like a doorman.

Dormant IC: None.

Imagery: You are standing in a big room. From here you can gaze out at the spectacular vista of the matrix or into the system you are visiting. There appears to be another icon in here. Oh yeah, a doorman. Like what the posh hotels and drek have. Wonder what it’s doing?

GM’s Notes: This Access IC is to determine if the decker has already paid for his access. Pure and simple. If the decker is known to the system, then this IC passes the word to other bits of IC about the decker’s arrival and hands the decker the day’s passcode.

Active IC (Nodes 11-20):

• Barrier 3. Load: 1 each. The barrier IC in this node looks like a brick wall.

Dormant IC: None.

Imagery: You are standing in a big room. From here you can gaze out at the spectacular vista of the matrix or into the system you are visiting. The datapipe out of this node is blocked by a brick wall.

GM’s Notes: The barrier IC is to prevent deckers from trying for a free-bee. If the decker crashes the IC, Darkwing comes along and lockout’s the node, dumping the offending decker.

SPU’s 1 & 3: Orange 5, Max load each: 15

Active IC (both nodes):

• Killer 6. Load: 3. Total: 6. The IC looks like a rapier site (Transportable Ground-based missile site mounted on a turret).

Dormant IC: None.

Imagery: You reached a system engine room. Much work can be done here without bothering the CPU. A prime example of this is rotating on the floor of this node. A turret with two largish missiles on either side of it is slowly rotating in the center of the node.

SPU 2: Orange 3, Max load: 9

Active IC: None.

Dormant IC: None.

Imagery: Sculpted node. Somewhat chunky imagery of a mundane bar. A sign at each entrance asks all deckers entering to lower their MPCP and erase all unnecessary programs from active memory. Rock music plays gently throughout the node and the “air” is tainted with smoke. (Just enough so that one must get to contact range to see or hear another’s icon). Tables are arranged like they would be in a zero-g bar, and the bar itself lines one side of the node at “ground” level. Behind the bar, there’s an even chance that you might be served by Darkwing himself or one of his compadres. The datapipe to the CPU is behind the bar. “Buzzers” are also available at the bar for 2 NuYen per, and they produce a mild intoxicating effect when “drunk.”

DS 1: Green 2, Max load: 4

Active IC: None.

Dormant IC: None.

Imagery: This node is mildly sculpted. There is row upon row of noticeboards lining the walls, floor, ceiling, and all areas in between. This is a place where deckers can look for work, or ask for workers.

DS 2: Orange 3, Max load: 9

Active IC:

• Scramble 4. Load: 2. Looks like a Rubik’s cube. This IC defends the registered subscriber’s list.

Dormant IC: None.

Imagery: Standard UMS datastore. Standard UMS file icon. The Scramble IC’s icon surrounds the file. The IC is set to delete the file at the slightest provocation.

I/OP 1: Green 2, Max load: 4

Active IC: None.

Dormant IC: None.

Imagery: Majority of the time, this I/Op is dormant, cold, and UMS. It starts to get busier when Darkwing is online.