This is Rom from the Packrat Sprawl making waves and coming to you live and direct from the Packrat Sprawl in the underground corridors. We are going to the Waste area today to get a tour and interview Naito the leader of the Wastes.
Rom walked down the corridor underground. There were a few Packrats in the area. The tunnels near the Waste area criss-crossed in and out as they went. As he got closer graphitti could be seen on the walls. There were words and icons as well as the icon for the Wastes the circle within a circle painted on the walls. There was a Packrat at the entrance to the Waste area which stopped Rom and questioned him.
“What are you doing here? You are not a Waste. Who invited you?” asked the Packrat. He had a shaved head and a ponytail coming out of the top of his head which hung down long in a braid.
“I am here to see Naito. He was going to give me a tour around the Waste area” said Rom.
“Wait here,” said the Packrat and stood up going inside the area.
Rom peeked around the corner and saw the large wide open area. There was graphitti covering every wall with some of the laws from the Packrat Code slapped up on the surface. There were hardline terminals lining the area on the floor and pillows spaced throughout. There were some Packrats jacked into the terminals and some shooting up neurocyne. The Packrat guard came back to Rom and told him to go in.
Rom walked inside invited. The Wastes were really concerned about their area. There were a few mobile frame pilots in the area with helmets walking around. The pilots had on mobile frame uniforms. One of the pilots passed Rom and nodded. Rom was a popular Packrat. Even though he was usually sequestered to the Processing Centre his name was well known due to the confidence Faid had in him, the leader of the Packrats.
Rom caught Naito at the corner and went over there to meet him. Naito was engaged with one of the pilots who was jacked in and sitting down on the floor. The pilot had on the Packrat flight suit that was black with blue accents and a white collar. Naito finished up with the pilot and stood up. He saw Rom approaching him.
“Hey, do you have a minute?” asked Rom.
“Sure. How can I help?” asked Naito and motioned Rom over to the side and sat down in front of a hardline terminal.
Rom sat down as Naito jacked into the hardline terminal and moved a pillow over and leaned down. He put the pillow under his shoulder.
“I wanted to interview you about the Wastes. Get some more details about what your faction does so that I can let the followers of Packrat Underground know,” said Rom.
“Sure. The Wastes are the fighting force for the Packrats. There are infantry basically but we don’t call them that and there are also mobile frame strategists. Most of the mobile frame pilots are Runners but the leaders of the squads are Wastes.”
“Why do you think it is that the Wastes are the leaders but the Runners are the pilots?” asked Rom.
“The Wastes are more militant. They make better strategists because of that. We take our job really seriously,” said Naito.
“But don’t the Wastes worship drug culture? Are you neurocyne addicts?”
“A lot of the Wastes are on maintenance which means that they need to take neurocyne every 12 hours so that they don’t degenerate. Degeneration is a state when the DNA degrades and starts causing health issues. Mostly it is because the Waste has gone over their limit using their psychic power. It is something that happens sometimes. We don’t put a stigma on Wastes who have to take maintenance. It is just who we are.”
“That is interesting. How about you? Are you on maintenance?”
“No but I actually like taking neurocyne,” said Naito.
“I have heard that. Tell us a little more about what is going on here in the Waste area. This area is very different than the rest of the Sprawl. Why all the graphitti on the walls?”
“The walls in the Waste area include our rules in the Packrat Code sprawled for all to see. We take pride in the Packrat Code and want to celebrate it. This is basically a lounge area where the Wastes hang out. There are pillows and hardline terminal some NEK hardline terminals which are faster and can be used for hacking. There are also psi inducer drugs available, from dylon which the pilots use to speed up the inline with the jack, to neurocyne which Wastes use on a regular basis. You can also see some of our slogans on the walls.”
“I see the logo for the Mole system used for intrusion and infiltration into computer systems there on the wall.”
“Yes we just put that up a day ago since Acolyte who developed the system gave us permission.”
“What is on the hardline terminals? Are they just used to search the gridscan?”
“No, these hardline terminals are configured with certain Waste systems that were specifically made for us. There are apps that give a sensual high. There are games for Wastes to increase their reaction time and even programs like Simulatrix that are used to fight war games. The Simulatrix system allows the strategists to try out strategies and hone their skills.”
“That is interesting. Who is that walking around with the tray. What are they handing out?” asked Rom.
“Oh that Waste is handing out psi inducer drugs. We allow Wastes to use the drugs freely. All these drugs come from the Processing Centre so they are medical grade. Drugs like dylon, neurocyne, juice, synth, even iodine pills are available in the Waste area. We want to make sure the Wastes understand we support drug culture and want them to be safe. I don’t want my people buying off the street where they can get junked up spiked stuff that might be harmful to them.”
“Got it. I understand. Sometimes street stash comes spiked with carcinogens and other poisons. Drug dealers wanting to harm their customers,” said Rom.
“Yes, I encourage the Wastes to shoot up in the Waste area. It is safer.”
“How about being the leader. What is it like to lead the Wastes? Is it a busy job?” asked Rom.
“There are quorums that I have to run that talk about the inventory of psi inducer drugs. We keep track of it for the Sprawl once it gets out of the Processing Center. We work with Anj, the leader of the Runners to distribute it. We also plan strategy for our battle forces and train the pilots keeping track of that. The mobile frames are kept in the Mobile Command Center hangar so a lot of the Waste leaders hang out down there a lot overseeing the pilots who are Runners.”
A Packrat came up to Naito and inquired. Naito stood up.
“Sorry I have to go. A quorum is about to start,” said Naito.
Rom stood up as well. “Thanks for letting me stop by today. Your information will be good for my radio show today.”
“No problem. See you later,” said Naito and went to the back were there were a group of Wastes gathering.
Rom walked out of the Waste area and teleported back to the radio room. He sat down at one of the stations where there was a microphone. He checked the clock on the wall. His radio show would be starting in 10 minutes. He checked his handheld which had a frequency randomizing app on it. Rom could not broadcast his radio show on the same frequency each week because the Elite government would pull him off the air. Instead he randomized it and let his followers know what frequency the show would be at 5 minutes before the show started. The show always started on Friday at the same time. He checked the frequency randomizing app for the frequency for the day. He clicked the button on the app and it generated a frequency in the analog band. He put that into the machine and checked on the mic.
Rom opened the mail app on his handheld and set an email to his followers with the frequency for the day. The mail went out and he started getting replies immediately from people wanting to know the day’s topic. He couldn’t be bothered with that. He tapped the mic and put on the headphones. The screen of his handheld ticked down the 2 minutes before the show would start. He watched the screen as it ticked down the last 10 seconds. When it hit zero he flipped the switch to turn on the mic and started speaking.
“This is Rom from the Packrat Sprawl. It is Friday. Welcome to Packrat Underground. We are broadcasting from 66.5 today. Tune in for news from the subversive underground. We are hacktivists fighting for the cause to take down the Elite government. Open source for all. Hack till your dead…”
Rom continued with his radio show for the next 20 minutes.
All Hail the Packrat code.
