The Deep Shrine

[Riley Mackenzie]

Riley Mackenzie is on Freeport 9, currently sitting in a conference room where people are conferencing. He's not though. He's on background duty at the moment. His job is to make sure that his friend Shamus doesn't crash.

It may be important to note that at the moment, Shamus is a guy with a robot body, a monitor for a head and has to carry his brain around with his hands. Sure, the brain is an old Discordian F-23 F.N.O.R.D. unit, but normally, he's a ZBT Transport who currently shares a hard drive with a Gaian AI named Savannah that Riley downloaded & installed into the ship to help Shamus break his addiction to hot dogs while comatose in standby mode.

He has to hold his brain in his hands in his new remote body because you cant mount a floating titanium sphere on top of a flatscreen just because it doesn't float anymore. That would be weird.

Point is, if Shamus crashes, it will be of the computer variety & not violent in any way to the attendees of the conference.

Riley notices Gypsie Skripto's Sector-wide transmission and smiles.

Currently unnoticed, he ducks into a corner and quietly contacts the Shrine by text:


Oi, Pope Skripto- Ex-Pope Riley Mackenzie here.
Happy 2cU. I haz issue or few.
Would like 2 talk about said issuez n person soon when U calender iz free.
G2g. I iz on teh clock atm.


Riley returned to the seat no one noticed him get out of, leaned over to Shamus and whispered, "just so you know, Skripto just sent a broadcast. The TAZ are awake."

Shamus turned his screen to face Riley and whispered back, "Really? No sh*t? That's cool, Man."

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