Jacob Taylor (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
darkpants_warmfeeling) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
maskormenace2015-06-10 09:51 pm
darkpants_warmfeeling) wrote in maskormenace2015-06-10 09:51 pm
5th Mission / Text / Archangel Mirror Network Filter / BACKDATED to the end of the Horseman Plot
[The following post is visible only to characters who are participating in Operation Archangel. It will become visible to new recruits to reply to as they are added to the filter.]
Hey, everyone. I said we'd touch base at the end of the first month, but that bullshit with Lucifer sent things off the rails. Better late than never.
Overall, I say we're doing good. We're helping people who need it, and causing problems for people who haven't been touched in a long time. The cases we solve and the crimes we stop are making a difference. And we're doing it without anyone going too far. You can all be proud of yourselves.
There's also the fact that none of us are dead or in jail yet. Obviously that's good too. Aside from a few injuries, we've been lucky. I'm sure we're all hoping to keep that streak going.
On to business. We've still got a lot of work ahead of us before Maurtia Falls stops being what it is. First priority is getting new blood in the team. We need to boost up our numbers, so I'm asking for volunteers to scout out new members for the operation. People we can trust and who can do the job. Use your best judgement, and stay discreet if you can. Things are getting a bit tougher for people operating outside the government's say-so.
We've made some enemies. The local cops are still pissed at us. Big surprise, right? And this guy called Faust has gotten in the way a few times. We don't know much except that he has bad taste in costumes. A bigger issue is the local merc group: the Red Branch. They call themselves Knights, but they're just imPort muscle for hire. I had a run in with their leader last month, and I know I'm not the only one who has fought them. We need them out of the way if we're going to keep taking on the mobs. If we can talk them into walking away from their contracts, good. If we can't, we'll have to take the fight to them.
We've also got allies. There are good people in the police force: we're still working on the list of who we think we can trust. I've also heard about people who are standing up to the gangs now, speaking out about corruption. We need to back them up and keep them safe. I'm also thinking about us reaching out to Peter Narga. He's got influence, and he's no fan of Registration. But I'm not committing to anything until we know more about his priorities.
There's something else. An opportunity has come up. We have a chance to hit the syndicates where it hurts: in their wallets. It looks like one of the casinos in town is the central point for all kinds of money laundering for the gangs. Tens of millions of dollars tied to fraud, extortion, and worse. I say we take that money away from them, and use it to do some good.
I know it's a big step. Some people might say we'd be going too far. I'm sure the police and the media will. If anyone has any problems with this, I'm willing to hear you out. But we've got a shot at costing criminals more money in one night than we did for the entire last month. We hit the enemy's supplies, and maybe we take away their will to fight. I'm willing to push the envelope to make that happen.
That's about it. If there's anything on your mind, you can reach me here or at the base. Keep up the good work, Archangel.
Hey, everyone. I said we'd touch base at the end of the first month, but that bullshit with Lucifer sent things off the rails. Better late than never.
Overall, I say we're doing good. We're helping people who need it, and causing problems for people who haven't been touched in a long time. The cases we solve and the crimes we stop are making a difference. And we're doing it without anyone going too far. You can all be proud of yourselves.
There's also the fact that none of us are dead or in jail yet. Obviously that's good too. Aside from a few injuries, we've been lucky. I'm sure we're all hoping to keep that streak going.
On to business. We've still got a lot of work ahead of us before Maurtia Falls stops being what it is. First priority is getting new blood in the team. We need to boost up our numbers, so I'm asking for volunteers to scout out new members for the operation. People we can trust and who can do the job. Use your best judgement, and stay discreet if you can. Things are getting a bit tougher for people operating outside the government's say-so.
We've made some enemies. The local cops are still pissed at us. Big surprise, right? And this guy called Faust has gotten in the way a few times. We don't know much except that he has bad taste in costumes. A bigger issue is the local merc group: the Red Branch. They call themselves Knights, but they're just imPort muscle for hire. I had a run in with their leader last month, and I know I'm not the only one who has fought them. We need them out of the way if we're going to keep taking on the mobs. If we can talk them into walking away from their contracts, good. If we can't, we'll have to take the fight to them.
We've also got allies. There are good people in the police force: we're still working on the list of who we think we can trust. I've also heard about people who are standing up to the gangs now, speaking out about corruption. We need to back them up and keep them safe. I'm also thinking about us reaching out to Peter Narga. He's got influence, and he's no fan of Registration. But I'm not committing to anything until we know more about his priorities.
There's something else. An opportunity has come up. We have a chance to hit the syndicates where it hurts: in their wallets. It looks like one of the casinos in town is the central point for all kinds of money laundering for the gangs. Tens of millions of dollars tied to fraud, extortion, and worse. I say we take that money away from them, and use it to do some good.
I know it's a big step. Some people might say we'd be going too far. I'm sure the police and the media will. If anyone has any problems with this, I'm willing to hear you out. But we've got a shot at costing criminals more money in one night than we did for the entire last month. We hit the enemy's supplies, and maybe we take away their will to fight. I'm willing to push the envelope to make that happen.
That's about it. If there's anything on your mind, you can reach me here or at the base. Keep up the good work, Archangel.
private.
youre proposing we steal it
steal it from thieves certainly but stealing all the same
when so many of our members are already openly breaking laws that are finally in discussion of being enforced
is it really such a brilliant idea to start breaking more
private.
I wasn't going to let the government stop us before and I won't now. I know it will bring heat. But if it cuts the legs off the mobs, it'll be worth it. It might even take the heat OFF in the long run. Bad guys can't pay off their cops and hitmen if their accounts are empty.
private.
we cant steal all of their money but we will certainly make ourselves a priority for their remaining budgets
you don't have to tell me that theres a difference between righteousness and law jacob i understand that very well already
but when deliberately opposing a law only paints a target on our backs it is worth considering how wide that gulf really is
if you had to choose between standing behind a rebellion simply on principle and achieving the goals weve set out which is really the most important
and dont you even think of taking that generally as if its all goals versus all principles
im talking very specifically here
is the complaint against registration really worth putting archangel at risk
private.
private.
both
in that the latter makes us vulnerable already and the former will only widen those vulnerabilities
jacob im going to ask you a question that i want you to answer honestly
because its at the heart of why i cant fathom why the registration conflict even exists beyond baggage we carry from our home universes
what benefit do you gain by being unsettled
a license to self-righteousness and participation in the least effective protest in history are already observed and noted
but does that make risking criminal charges in a city where the law is already tainted worth it
we know what maurtia falls is like
our enemies will find a way to act against us either way
but with the way we are carrying on now we only name those whos assistance we might need into our enemies also
we need someone to give our cases to if theyre to be prosecuted and being criminals eliminates our other options
i wont all our work thrown out by corrupt courts or our evidence declared invalid because it was obtained by agents acting illegally
we have to consider of the long term
that was the whole point of archangel
no subject
I'm a soldier, or at least I used to be. Part of the job is that you're willing to get killed for protecting people, or for doing what's right. Compared to that, criminal charges aren't much of a risk. But signing up with a government we can't trust is a line I won't cross. Not after Cerberus.
The whole point of Archangel was to change things in Maurtia Falls. Not to play it safe or make compromises. Let's face it, the authorities in Maurtia Falls throw out cases and ignore evidence all the time- doesn't matter who or where it comes from. They're part of the problem. Not the kind of system we want to work inside of.
I know we need the honest ones on our side. I know this could alienate them. But it could also be a critical hit. All these assholes care about is money. If we want to really hurt them, we need to take that away from them.
no subject
but no change comes if our cases are dead ended or we are incarcerated
we already know that we cant trust our local courts but we are cutting ourselves away from the courts above and outside them
so what youre telling me is that there isnt any point beyond that
you keep calling it signing up and swearing loyalty as if that comes with caveats that wont apply just as much if you dont register
all it really does is make the work we are doing a federal crime rather than a local one
do you understand the difference between those jacob
because what youre really telling me is that you havent weighed the costs of your self-righteousness
even the cleanest court wont accept evidence illegally obtained by criminals
what im telling you is that we arent putting merely our freedom at risk
but the very change we hope to achieve
if our people arent registered this will turn into a fools errand
no subject
Put it in perspective. The government announced that they wanted Registered imPorts to be in charge of bringing in Vigilantes. We're also looking at new restrictions for Unsettled crossing state lines. That's it, that's all. Nothing in there about throwing out cases and evidence based on a tattoo check. They also might not know for sure what evidence comes from a Vigilante and what comes from a Registered hero. Worst case, we can put our Registered members in charge of turning over suspects and evidence. It's not like they know everyone who is working with us. So we can work around this.
There's something else you're not considering. If Archangel was only Registered, we'd be cutting out a lot of people we could really use on our side. People like Kasumi and Hawke and Samara aren't going to Register, and neither of us could make them. We'd be weaker without them in the field. You know what we're up against- we need all hands on deck.
no subject
because thats the opposite of what you just did
vigilantism is illegal
if a native were to commit the crime of vigilantism then they would send native authorities
but native authorities have on many occasions proven inadequate to address import crime
why wouldnt they want imports to do it when we have an actual non-zero chance of success
also im not sure those travel restrictions are quite as stringent as youre making them
in fact unsettled imports have been granted a great deal more leeway with international travel than theyve had previously
but how familiar are you with evidentiary law jacob
for this undertaking it is really the sort of thing one should be aware of especially the exclusionary rule
you see the precept behind it is that evidence that is obtained through illegal means not only can but must be disregarded by the court
its the reason police need a warrant before performing a search
registered imports are in a way federally deputized to allow for these things
but an unsettled vigilante is as weve established acting illegally by their very nature
an evidence they obtain will be illegal
and while they know that unsettled operatives are a part of our initiative they may have difficulty taking our word for it that everything we did was completely on the level and may cast all of our evidence under scrutiny
only more so if we decide to rob a casino
thats a gargantuan risk to take for no reason whatsoever
you really should care about the odds because youre shooting not only yourself but all of us in the foot with this
im not saying we should turn away unsettled volunteers
i know as well as you that we need all the help thats willing
but i think it would be better for all of us if they would at least reconsider their position on whether to register or not
thats something we should be encouraging instead of simply ignoring
and you as our leader should consider what message you send to the troops by being so needlessly stubborn about it
no subject
[#ex-Cerberusproblems]
If the courts start ignoring evidence from our Registered members, we'll adapt. Worst case scenario, I can leave Archangel and take responsibility for the casino. Let me be the bad guy while the team re-invents itself as "respectable." Whatever THAT means for this government. But until we start seeing that happen, it's off the table.
About the casino: you remember what you said before on that post I made? About heroes not thinking big enough, just settling for catching muggers. There's only so much we can do for Maurtia Falls with patrols and investigations. To really hurt the mobs, we need to go outside the box. We need to take away the power that lets them buy or bully their way out of any justice for what they've done. That's why I think the casino is a risk that's worth taking. Gargantuan? Maybe. But not for no reason.
no subject
but the decision's been made, there's no use drawing it out further. ]
you say its the central point of money laundering but more likely its only a central point
this may be a heavy blow in the very short term but they will find a way to compensate the loss
they would have to be incredibly stupid to leave all of their eggs in a single basket
im sure there is at least one operation running at the same level
if not five
how much do we expect to come away with