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Meta Board => Retired PbP Games => Archive => View From The Edge => Topic started by: Skyrock on January 16, 2021, 05:40:16 PM

Title: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on January 16, 2021, 05:40:16 PM
Today's Screamsheet with the newest news, freshly faxed on thermal dead tree to your Dataterm, and/or purely electronic bits and bytes mailed straight to your Agent! PAGE #03 WILL MAKE YOU GASP! (https://files.catbox.moe/fb7kk9.jpg)

2045/02/12, 0411AM. The sky above Night City was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on January 17, 2021, 01:39:07 PM
Heh. The old man always knew which buttons to press with Nanashi.

Since there was always the chance the job would start soon after things were discussed, the rockerboy did a quick double-check on his iron (he was a dreadful shot with that thing, but people tend to not believe you can bend them into pretzels from word-of-mouth alone), reminded himself he needed to score more ammunition for it, leaving behind 100 eb at his apartment in his hidey-hole, and took off to the bar.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 17, 2021, 02:48:05 PM
Gwydion made his way through the streets of Night City, eyes flat and blank, looking at nothing in particular, merely noting the details of life as he passed it by. He had cleaned his pistol and tested his deck, loading it with his favourite collection of programs. Prepared, he had locked up and left his barren apartment, empty of memories, kitsch, anything that would speak of the person who lived there.

Tonight would be another job. He would take it if it was lucrative, leave it if not. It was either one step towards ruining Merril, Asukaga & Finch, or it was irrelevant.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on January 17, 2021, 09:01:52 PM
Technology... technology was amazing. One set of clothing and some cyberware, and that solved all problems about needing a whole wardrobe and dyes just to match colours. Or an unending amount of makeup. As for today's dominant colour... pastel blue. With some yellow. Gun check, sword check, skin actually a skin tone rather than neon pink... that had sent entirely the wrong message. Well, all the witnesses were dead now.

Miyu whistled a jaunty tune as she walked to the bar. When work promised to let you do what you loved, it was hard to remember you should think of the pay.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on January 18, 2021, 11:40:24 AM
The doctor adjusted his glasses as he examined the bloke in the mirror. Color-shift jacket, check. Body armor, check. Medical tools, check.
He had somehow been able to get by after his last big job some months ago, but he hadn't had a single client in the last month. Either they were letting the heat die down or they had finally fell off their perch. He would need to get some more exposure, which means Betsy was going to sing like a fat lady in the opera his mum told him about when he was nothing more than a wee ankle biter.

Well, he was broke now so he had no choice but to av a go at it, he thought as he packed things up and left.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on January 18, 2021, 12:06:40 PM
The area of Heywood is largely industrial, or used to be before the time of Red. Now the area is overpacked, with tents, crude shacks made of shipping palettes, soggy cardboard and any other fire hazard that might provide some shelter from the elements littering every available space that doesn't get immediately run over. A ratty sleeping bag with suspicious reddish brown stains and tire marks shows you an example of someone who hasn't chosen so wisely, and yet a haggard Hispanic old man is already in the process of reclaiming this space and putting his foam ground pad over the sleeping bag, using it as extra padding for his sore back.

'El Abrevadero' is located on the corner of a block of industrial park and consists of two housing containers weld together. A rusty water bucket decorated with semi-functional, flickering christmas lights is the only the things that advertises its function.
The 'bar' consists of a long stretch of bullet-proof glass facing the sidewalk, with narrow slits for money and goods and with stools anchored to the concrete in front of it. This early in the evening there is just a small crowd of local youths, spending their cash on smash and cheap booze. A few more sit on the edge of the roof facing the bar, their feet dangling and finding it funny to throw their empty cans and styrofoam cups at passers-by. Looking at your armor, they decide not to include you in this game, although that might change if you give it a couple more hours and higher BAC to loosen their inhibitions.

Occasionally you spot the dyed redhead of Bomba Cereza popping up behind the crowd, laughing awkwardly at her customers' drunken jokes or half-heartedly playing along with their boorish attempts to hit on her. The things you go through for tips...

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on January 18, 2021, 12:52:01 PM
Having left his spare clothes, bedding, and personal grooming supplies back home where they were probably safe, Eric walked up to the bar he belonged here with his shotgun on a sling under his jacket and about as hidden as an exec would be down here.

Mentally checking in with his agent to make sure that he isn't late, he gives Bomba a wave that she might or might not see since she's clearly too busy for a quick hello and heads on inside.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 18, 2021, 03:43:07 PM
Unconcerned about propriety, Gwydion makes a beeline through the crowd to the bartender, staring at them in an uncomfortable manner until they accept the password.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on January 18, 2021, 04:11:59 PM
One of the male youths huffs and puffs at Gwydion, in an obvious attempt to impress his input. He repeatedly flicks a balisong knife open, closed and open, staring into Gwydion's eyes.

"Ehh, corpo fucker, I'm drinkin' here! This our space! OURS! Capiche!?"

Bomba Cereza rolls her eyes, nods her head to the left of the building, and mouths something.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 18, 2021, 04:39:30 PM
With a nod to the bartender, Gwydion heads indoors, ignoring the pestilent youth.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on January 18, 2021, 05:34:11 PM
For his own part, Nanashi's surprisingly large frame makes its way to Cereza first, offering a brief handshake. She'd know the rockerboy's awkward way of offering what he called 'advance tips' anywhere - by and large, he tended to be generous with them when he could afford it, but he never skipped on those entirely - it paid off to make friends with people working with fixers, especially if things went south. This time, the Man with the Seven Scars tipped her 5eb.

"Good to see you again." He said, casting a brief glance towards the local drunken rabble. "I might chat later; 'El Viejo' doesn't like to be kept waiting, you know how it is."

Saying that, he strode towards the left side of the bar.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on January 18, 2021, 05:48:22 PM
The doctor shows up, quickly surveys the scene and finds a bartender.

"G'day, mate! I was hoping to ask for directions. Y'see..." he says, then lowers his voice. "Ken sent me."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on January 18, 2021, 06:02:29 PM
The male youth stretches his biceps as if he had shown The Man, much to the fawning of his impressable underage input.

Nantsu's 5eb vanish faster than a Catholic priest being caught in the closet with an altar boy as Bomba returns a broad and warm smile as she nods her head to the building's left.

She mouths to Doctor Stirwin the same things as previously to the netrunner, being purposefully slow. Now that none of the unwelcome observe her, she is even more pronounced: "One - nine - one - nine."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on January 18, 2021, 09:06:33 PM
Being shorter than average, and not wanting to push through a crowd just to say hi before doing a job and getting the pay for a drink, Miyu heads straight round the left.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on January 19, 2021, 12:17:23 PM
The inside of 'El Abrevadero' is dimly lit and divided into booths with shower curtains.
One is inhabited by two men screaming 'cheap huscles' - their water cups are untouched, the bulges under their ligt armor jackets are blatant, and they stare way to hard at those of you not personally known to the fixer and his staff.

It takes a couple of minutes until a middle-aged Hispanic man with long gray Fu Manchu mustache, Hawai'ian shirt and chewing on a cold corn cob pipe stumbles, grumbling as he fixes a boot on his right foot while walking - El Viejo didn't seem to expect you on time.
The fixer takes place at the booth opposite the huscles and invites you to sit down, while a young waitress runs over to be at your ready.

"Ah, you've made it already. Bueno, bueno.

Got a good choomba, who has been sent to boot hill recently. Poor John O'Toole, he may have been a copper with the Hard Corps lot, but he was the good kind of cop, the kind who knows when to look the other way and when to send a heads-up to civvies needing to be in the know, for a very reasonable price.
He bought it in Lazarus territory, and they don't seem eager to look too deeply into the death of a competitor's employee.

Now what I need is some people to put their nose to the ground, sniff out who killed poor Johnny, and then deliver some street justice to them. I've already got the Lazarus incident report on Johnny's death to get you started.
I'll offer each of you 100 eddies a day, first day in advance, maximum of ten days. If you track down the perp earlier, I'll double the remaining amount.
For wasting the perp, I'll offer 1,000eb for each of you. It's probably just some random street punk, shouldn't be too tough for you."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on January 19, 2021, 03:38:54 PM
This was actually the kind of job Nanashi could get behind.

Straight-up revenge was simple enough to understand. Pay was actually looking pretty interesting - hinted at an interest in not wasting time, too.

"You really believe that though? If it was just about tracking down some random punk you wouldn't need a whole team." He commented off-handedly.

"Weird that he was out of his regular turf on his own like that. Anyone else flatlined 'sides him?"

Nanashi decided to have a look at the incident report for starters.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on January 19, 2021, 04:33:50 PM
"I'd be damned if I knew what else was going on there. I'm paying you to find out stuff for me, not the other way around."

With that, he slides a cheap thermo paper print-out across the table.

Police Incident
Incident Number: 2045-0000003217
Date: 2045/02/10 06:11:37
Reporting Officer: Lt. Dutch Montgomery, NCPD ID-508475311, NCPD Precinct #2, Lazarus Security Services, Homicide Bureau
Prepared by: Lt. Dutch Montgomery, ID-508475311, NCPD Precinct #2, Lazarus Security Services, Homicide Bureau

Report of Incident:
Dead body found, corner B2/36F, Heywood Industrial Zone

Action Taken:
Body identified as Sgt. John O'Toole, Hard Corps Security Services, General Patrol Services, NCPD ID-515389124

Summary:
C22X43. Negative.


"At least Lazarus seem to think it was just random gonks, else they wouldn't have put so little effort into the investigation."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on January 19, 2021, 05:20:50 PM
Eric rests his cybernetic right arm on the table and makes a noncommittal gesture with his left hand.  He's wearing a fingerless glove on his left hand but there is no corresponding glove on its metallic counterpart.

"Must have been a very good choomba to pay for all of us to look into his death by 'probably some random street punk'."

He pauses and runs his fingers through his short hair.

"When Bomba asks me to do a job for you then I'll do the job for you, and I can always use the eb.  It's not my normal kind of job, no tech, but I'll shoot boosters if nothing else."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on January 20, 2021, 12:47:48 PM
"So... how did he die?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on January 20, 2021, 01:11:50 PM
Doctor Stirwin examines the document. "Hmm."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on January 20, 2021, 01:25:40 PM
El Viejo shrugs at Miyu. "I wish I knew myself. Maybe you can figure out things from the report, maybe you can track down the Lazarus copper who wrote it."

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on January 20, 2021, 02:59:13 PM
"We should discuss it over a cold one. My name is Stirwin, Doctor Stirwin." he says, introducing himself.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on January 21, 2021, 09:22:58 AM
"I wouldn't be so sure, Wrench. Gotta feeling somewhere out there's a computer with some of the answers we want." Nanashi said, trying to be optimistic about it.

"Mattaku. Bastard couldn't have been lazier if he tried. Anyone make any sense of this? I don't know badgespeak."

He offered a nod and his right hand for a shake to the Aussie. "Pleased to meetcha, doc. I'm Nanashi. You may have heard a song or two of mine before."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on January 21, 2021, 11:01:23 AM
Eric rolls his eyes.

"You know I don't do netrunning Nanashi, I'm strictly hardware."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on January 21, 2021, 11:30:34 AM
"You know my ability with anything electronic that isn't an amp is strictly turn on, turn off and reboot. I can hardly tell the difference between those." The rockerboy said, poking fun at his own ignorance of most forms of tech. "I'd need a tutorial for a toaster if I wasn't on a Kibble diet."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 22, 2021, 04:51:54 PM
Gwydion looks from one to the next, then taps his deck absently while looking at the police report. "Beaten to death by an unknown set of gangers. Painful. And the computer that has any extra evidence is police. My fee goes up if we tackle them."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on January 22, 2021, 08:00:38 PM
"Oooh, sounds like someone wanted to send a painful message."

A pause.

"Or maybe they were just having fun. Or bad at killing."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on January 25, 2021, 07:40:59 AM
"None of those seem like a good alternative, Miyu-san." Nanashi said.

"Thing is, we don't even know how badly he got beat. It's one thing if he got done in by a bunch of punks with baseball bats - maybe a bunch of gangers that went too far - but it could always be someone with the right set of blunt force chrome." He said, tightening his left fist subconsciously.

"Might be a good idea to do some quick intros for anyone who hasn't spoken up yet." He turned to Miyu and Gwydion.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 25, 2021, 07:43:15 AM
Gwydion just drummed his fingers on his deck in response to the unspoken question. If they couldn't figure out he was the netrunner, that was their problem.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on January 26, 2021, 11:51:56 AM
Stirwin nods, trying to break the silence. "So Mr. Deck and Miss...?" he asks the asian lady.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on January 26, 2021, 12:26:23 PM
"But, Nana-chi, if they're incompetent or too sadistic, that makes our job easier," she countered, grinning back at the man. She did like to meet people who didn't finish the job before they had their fun, and an incompetent lot...

"Oh, call me Miyu."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 27, 2021, 09:33:24 PM
Gwydion has a wry smile at being called Mr Deck, but nods to the doctor and accepts the greeting.

If them having a name for him makes them happier, he's fine with that. It's not like he uses his own name any more.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on January 28, 2021, 11:37:48 AM
Nanashi peered at Gwydion.

"...I think I'm gonna call you Smokey."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on January 28, 2021, 05:05:40 PM
Eric makes a little wave. "Call me Wrench. I'm a.. hardware specialist."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 28, 2021, 05:24:18 PM
Gwydion holds eye contact with Nanashi for longer than anyone normal would find comfortable. "As you wish."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on January 29, 2021, 11:45:26 AM
The imperative word there being "normal".

This is a table full of runners. Normal went flying off a window and into rehab three weeks before anybody set foot on this bar.

"Well now that that's settled... I'm in, in case it wasn't obvious. I say we hit the pavement. Anyone got a suggestion where we wanna get started? Crime scene maybe?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 29, 2021, 05:35:31 PM
Gwydion reads through the police transcript again. "The reporter's ID is here. And where they work. Easy mark."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on January 30, 2021, 01:05:26 AM
"Problem with a cop is that if they don't want to talk, you'd have to be an idiot to start something at their job. Can't you use some of that netrunner stuff to find a home address?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on January 30, 2021, 06:37:02 AM
"That... Yes."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 11, 2021, 06:47:41 AM
After a long bout of typing, Gwydion turns the screen of his deck so the others can see the results.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 11, 2021, 03:05:26 PM
The last street adress of John O'Toole is easily found: Sunset Motel, Martin Street in Watson, Room 1234.

From the online review, the motel is a blight on the recovering neighbourhood - the kind of place hustlers and small-time criminals frequent, but where you don't have to step on too many needles in the parking lot. It's better living than your containers, surprisingly decent for a rent-a-cop salary alone.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on March 11, 2021, 10:28:40 PM
El Viejo did say John was the kind of cop that tipped off when things were about to get hot, and he wouldn't be the first rent-a-cop with a side gig that allowed him a better standard of living. Having money didn't make anybody automatically an asshole; and while Miss Likelihood of That was probably turning tricks on the corner of Slim and None, without more information Nanashi was willing to give old O'Toole the benefit of the doubt. "With any luck nobody's emptied his place... yet."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on March 13, 2021, 07:26:54 AM
"We'll know once we're inside."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 18, 2021, 01:37:40 PM
Gwydion looks at the others. "Walking, riding, or driving?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on March 19, 2021, 01:15:27 PM
"Well, I don't have a car. Unless one of you is giving me a ride, I'm walking."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 19, 2021, 03:45:54 PM
"We have the coin to rent or ride the bus."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on March 19, 2021, 04:22:20 PM
Wrench shrugs. "If we rent a car who is going to make sure it isn't stolen?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on March 20, 2021, 10:34:19 AM
"One of you blokes can stay with the car to make sure they bugger off."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 20, 2021, 07:33:28 PM
You clown-car a compact from Uncle Enzo's Affordable Cheap & Cheap Car Rentals (260eb, may reclaim 200eb minus gas later if it makes it back to a franchise without damages), and surprisingly, you make it to the Sunset Motel without issues.

In the parking lot, among less conspiscious vehicles, you spot a patrol car of the Lazarus corporation. There seems to be an altercation in the "lobby" (really just a shipping container in the parking lot with a front of bullet-proof glass), where two Lazarus corp patrolmen drag a shirtless Arabian-looking man towards their car, delirious with foam from his mouth and wildly flailing his limbs, while the front desk attendant jabbers at them in a foreign language that could as well be Tadjikistani to you.

The rent-a-cops look as if they would rather be anywhere else, and are just itching for any excuse to ruin someone else's day.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 21, 2021, 01:38:04 PM
Gwydion watches the disaster for a moment before commenting. "Let them leave. Otherwise they'll just disturb us."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on March 21, 2021, 10:35:04 PM
"I'm all for it... don't these guys work for the same company as our flatlined acquaintance?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 22, 2021, 05:56:36 AM
A single nod was all the answer the flamboyant down and outer received from Gwydion.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 24, 2021, 04:53:21 PM
After same dragging, shoving and shouting, the rent-a-cops manage to put manacles on the shirtless man and throw him into the back of their patrol car. You aren't sure how a kick into the ribs is of use after someone has already been secured, but the flatheels don't seem to be in the mood to provide a Q&A on proper police procedure to bothering bystanders right now.

After the coast is clear, you squeeze out of the compact in a show of shoving, dragging and limbs being in the wrong place not dissimilar to the show you have just witnessed. The FDA looks briefly up at you, then returns to some task at his computer that seems to be both demanding and important.

A few doors are at the ground floor, with iron grating stairs leading up to the remaining three floors. The numbering seems to be logical, your target should be at the second floor.
The door of #1234 with its electronic lock is adorned with a fairly new poster of Yoruba Yuuki, a bland Afro-Japanese pop singer. The window has received a personal touch in the form of white curtains with a hot pink stylized cherry blossom pattern print.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 24, 2021, 06:19:53 PM
Quietly pulling a battered keycard from behind the poster, Gwydion briefly pops it into his cyberdeck before nodding to himself and using it to unlock the door to #1234, pushing it open and then staring at the others, letting them go first.

He's certainly not inclined to take risks he doesn't have to.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 24, 2021, 06:40:13 PM
The motel room is filled with more posters of Yoruba Yuuki, alternativeley weebing out in sailor fukus and sporting fake fur bikinis, animal pattern prints that would have been considered "tasteful" and "ethnic" in a Continental Brands catalogue 10 years ago, and a half-open closet with a lot of feminine business clothes, and some fetishized schoolgirl and jungle girl costumes.
A beige skirt suit and a fresh set of feminine underwear is readied on a chair in front of it. There is a small table next to it, with an opened purse and a P.O.S. Wonderniner in a tacky alternating leopard and kanji pattern.

A young mulatto woman with long black hair and capuccino-coloured skin is standing in a shower stall, soaping her body and singing off-key along her home entertainment system blasting some terrible "ethnic African" J-Pop, her back turned to you.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on March 25, 2021, 02:33:30 PM
Stirwin quietly closes the door. The doctor says "Maybe we should talk to the blokes outside first? Would rather not cause a mess in the same room so soon, and make them think we are the responsible party."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on March 25, 2021, 04:25:44 PM
"That... may be a sensible course of action, actually. Let's start with the FDA."

Nanashi just swaggers on over to the front desk and, in the most uninterested tone he can manage, greets the poor guy.

"Yo."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 25, 2021, 04:57:10 PM
The FDA looks up. Guy in his 30s, swarthy skin, a small mustache, in sweaty and colourful mallrat wear he looks to be at least 10 years too old for.

"What is it? Need a room, or already have one and need something for it?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on March 26, 2021, 02:55:34 PM
"Friend of ours by the name of O'Toole used to live in 1234. Know anything about it? Like why someone else seems to be living there and was dumb enough to leave the key outside the door?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 26, 2021, 03:08:51 PM
"That one was the corpse... two, three nights ago, I think. Friend of him, eh? Have taken some of his stuff in storage. Of course, there will be a nominal storage fee of..." He looks at Nanashi and squints. "30 bucks. On second thought, my mistake, 40 bucks. Not my decision, corporate policy." He coughs. "Cash only, please, our banking machine is having a hicc-up."

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on March 26, 2021, 04:21:40 PM
Miyu leans forward, forcing her enhanced frame around the others and grinning at the man. "That's a little price-y, isn't it? Surely corporate policy won't mind this time?"

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 26, 2021, 05:09:29 PM
The man turns pale as he looks at Miyu and her enhancements. A thick sweat drop forms on his forehead and falls on the desk with a loud splash.

"Seeing as the poor fellow is deceased... And that it is taking up space... Just take it. Here!"

He takes three cardboard boxes from a space under his desk, and squeezes them through the slit.

"Here! Take! Just go, please!"

To the winner go the spoils, or so they say.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 26, 2021, 05:31:17 PM
Knowing what's going to be asked of him, Gwydion gets to work, snagging the chip and slotting it into his cyberdeck. It's been out of police custody and there's no telling what some hotshot has done to it in the interim. Safe is far better than sorry.

And Gwydion trusts no one but himself,at the end of the day.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 26, 2021, 05:45:42 PM
The chip seems clean. The version number points to 1933 on 2045/02/06, the evening before your person of interest was killed.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 26, 2021, 06:07:29 PM
Nodding at the good fortune, Gwydion slots the chip into his integrated plug and looks around, idly glancing at each of his cohorts and the grifter. Who knew, there could be money there eventually. After the deal was closed.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 26, 2021, 06:22:20 PM
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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 26, 2021, 06:50:11 PM
Gwydion shrugged, then turned his attention to the notebook, picking it up and turning it over in his hands. He didn't want to force it and lose any data inside, so he'd have to approach it carefully and have a moment to think.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on March 27, 2021, 12:42:41 PM
Nanashi smiled as Miyu all but forced the contents out of the guy's hands (along with the contents of his bowels, in all likelihood), and glanced back at Gwydion.

"So we WERE a little too late. Different kind of vultures, I suppose." He mused aloud. "If nobody minds, I'm gonna take the dime novels. Bad american literature is surprisingly fun inspirational material. Oh, and that stupid sword. I need to incinerate it properly as the disgrace to my homeland that it is."

The ex-yakuza stared at the lockbox key.

"Kinda surprising the guy could actually afford having a hidey-hole like that. You guys figure that's our next stop?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 29, 2021, 10:20:22 AM
"Dangerous. And yet this man made it there and back. Or stole from someone who did."

Gwydion is non-committal. The danger inherent in going into the black zone is not quite what he had in mind when he signed up for this. He was expecting more computer terminal time, less footslogging and gunslinging.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on March 29, 2021, 12:35:42 PM
Nanashi had a sudden hunch. It may or may not pay off, but...

He slid a credchip under the FDA's slot... along with his contact info.

"I want to know who was the last person you saw looking for O'Toole. Here's ten eddies for your trouble. And there will be ten more if you call me when someone else comes a-knocking for O'toole's stuff. Not if, when."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on March 29, 2021, 03:08:33 PM
The credchip vanishes with a speed rarely seen outside the Olympics. The FDA licks his lips and thinks a moment.

"There was this guy... Average height, brown hair, caucasian or maybe mixed, with a brown leather jacket and blue jeans. Don't know him, but when he shows up again, I'll give you a call."

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on March 29, 2021, 03:10:59 PM
Gwydion stared down the fool, letting his eyes burrow into the greedy minnow until it was clear he knew just how full of tripe that statement was. He'd let someone else do the talking, though.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on March 29, 2021, 05:02:27 PM
"Wow. It's amazing you didn't even take a second to pause to think of a more generic description." Nanashi said, the tone of his voice that much more disagreeable than it was before.

"I'm trying to come to a mutually beneficient agreement here. But the way you keep wanting to screw us over, maybe I ought to take my money's worth out of your spine. Good thing we have someone that can extract it from your back before you can blink. Miyu-san?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on April 02, 2021, 02:15:37 PM
Raising one eyebrow, but assuming that Nanashi didn't want her to eviscerate their source of information, Miyu stepped forwards and instead decided to put her lifetime of training, and augments, into more or less smashing his desk in two. Not as impressive technically as splitting a stack of tiles or something with no apparent effort...

But really, it got the message across he could be snapped like a twig quite easily.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on April 03, 2021, 09:32:20 AM
The guy, after having been threatened and cornered, and having a piece of furniture destroyed that would cost him many months to pay back, finally snaps. He reaches next to him and rips the vinyl cover of an elongated piece of equipment. It is an EasyFrag™ Jaws™ P.O.S. sub-machine gun, a grey plastic gun painted as if its barrel came out of a grinning, blood-dripping shark mouth. He screams something ununderstandable in Tajikistani as he takes aim at you..

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on April 04, 2021, 02:35:19 PM
Reacting with surprising speed, Gwydion draws a massive pistol from its holts and lets fly with a single shot. The instant the bullet clears the barrel, he turns on his heels and runs, ducking down behind the nearest car before the suddenly aggressive FDA can draw a bead.

He wasn't sure who was more the fool - himself for getting too close to the line of fire, or the idiot thinking he could draw a gun on a whole team of folks and walk away. He'd be dead soon enough, and that would be the end of that.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on April 04, 2021, 02:42:29 PM
The bullet lodges into the side of the FDA, hurting him, but not enough to affect him yet in his agitated state.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on April 04, 2021, 02:49:57 PM
Miyu makes an attempt at grabbing the man but fails. She blames the desk.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on April 04, 2021, 05:03:37 PM
Stirwin is surprised, but makes a shot by reflex - a poor one. He quickly skedaddles.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on April 04, 2021, 06:09:42 PM
Wrench is obviously annoyed as he takes a shot himself, then runs to join everyone else behind the car.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on April 04, 2021, 10:23:51 PM
Nanashi watches his surroundings erupt in violence and missed shots. As his companions run for cover, he stands impassively in front of the FDA.

"...were you born this stupid, or did you have to work on it?"

He takes a deep, foreboding breath, which causes his chest to pop forward even more and puts those seven scars on his chest on display.

With a couple of rather shrill cries, he delivers a quick punch of his enhanced cyber-fist and a quick kick to the poor sap's side.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on April 05, 2021, 08:14:15 AM
Nanshi's foot gets covered in blood and bits of innards as the FDA crumbles to the ground and the gun drops from his hand. Only the cheap sound chip playing the jingle whenever the cover is removed the first time is heard: "EasyFrag™ - for the easy frag. Now with JAW-some firepower!" [copyright-infriging excerpt from an old movie about sharks]

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on April 05, 2021, 09:16:39 AM
Looking out from his cover behind the car, Gwydion eyes the mess they've created. "I suggest we leave. Rapidly."

Putting actions to words, he gets behind the wheel of the rental and gives everyone an expectant glance.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on April 05, 2021, 11:23:06 AM
Nanashi quickly loots the stupid FDA, takes everything from O'Toole's box back to the car, and offers a silent prayer for the dumbass.

__________

"Well THAT was a fiasco." Nanashi said once everyone was safely in the car, speeding away from the place.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on April 24, 2021, 10:03:16 AM
You get on your way away from the motel, and towards the hot zone where the Fujiwara Bank Building is located. Much of the area has been reduced to rubble in the wake of the nuclear blast in '23. The area you are in is fortunately not very radioactive (the suitcase nuke only had a yield of 0.1 kilotons), but with much of the hot zone consisting of high rises built on landfill the shock wave still had devastating effect.

You find the building easily enough. In front of it camp out five black young men with their motor bikes, their arms tattooed with mystic symbols. They openly carry leather and loco shotguns. They share a plastic bottle filled with brown liquid and with what seems to be black sediment. Between them there is a another mystical symbol spraypainted on the plaza in front of the entry.

They stare over to Miyu and begin rambling in a foreign tongue.

(click to show/hide)
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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on April 24, 2021, 01:26:43 PM
Miyu looks at the men blankly, not understanding a word they say. So she tells them that, in Japanese, just to make sure everyone is on the same page of having no idea what's being said here.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on April 24, 2021, 01:36:47 PM
(click to show/hide)

Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on April 24, 2021, 04:26:07 PM
Wrench looks slightly uncomfortable and says to Miyu, "I think that maybe they think you're a hooker and like how you look."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on April 25, 2021, 12:36:07 PM
Nanashi could understand the discomfort. He made it a point to be particularly respectful towards women (some might even call it old-fashioned) and Miyu was a co-worker. He wasn't about to let that slide.

Then again, he didn't want to white-knight the situation, and Miyu is a big girl - she could probably teach them a lesson or two herself.

Between his personal feelings and the tact that the situation was calling for, this was a tough decision to make. So he turned to Miyu for her reaction.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on April 25, 2021, 01:11:21 PM
"Well, I do my best to look good," Miyu says... and then just ignores them. They aren't here to talk with random people, so what's the wait for?
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on April 25, 2021, 02:32:24 PM
Good enough for him.

"Fair enough. Let's just give them a wide berth. I don't want to disturb whatever the heck they're up to."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on April 26, 2021, 07:16:26 AM
Gwydion pointed at the door that was right behind the Haitians. "They're in the way. And celebrating a dead friend."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on April 26, 2021, 12:20:07 PM
"Oh, that actually makes it simpler. You figure they'll be offended if we circle around them?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on April 26, 2021, 12:30:38 PM
"Depends."

It was clear from his comments, and the fact he was staying as far away from the Haitians as possible, that Gwydion expected trouble.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on April 26, 2021, 01:57:15 PM
They burst out laughing as the group opposite them eyes them unsurely. The guy at the center takes the lead and waves at Miyu.

"Heh, tifify! Wi, bebe! Want to join us for something to drink? Or a smoke?" He waves a small plastic satchel with some glittery pink powder in it. "Got some good stuff here straight outta Happyville. A gift for you bonfify!"

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on April 27, 2021, 01:22:59 PM
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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on May 05, 2021, 09:02:15 AM
Pointing at the other door to the lobby visible through the glass. "We could just walk around."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on May 05, 2021, 09:48:33 AM
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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on May 05, 2021, 02:03:59 PM
(click to show/hide)

Nanashi shrugged. "Fair enough. I say we avoid stepping into the circle. If this is a wake, far be it from me to intrude upon its space."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on May 10, 2021, 08:59:08 AM
Since no one else is moving, Gwydion begins walking around the building to the other entrance, taking the long way to give the Haitians plenty of room.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on May 11, 2021, 03:02:49 PM
You make your way into the lobby. The place is a mess of burst glass panes, trash, human waste, more trash and everything valuable stripped out long ago.

There is an overview map screwed into the wall next to the elevator, but so graffittied over that it would take a couple of hours of deep-cleaning to make it legible again. You suspect that "To the vaults with the valuables this way" wouldn't be so prominently displayed on such a public place anyway.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on May 12, 2021, 11:02:59 AM
"The way I figure, the lockboxes are probably in the easiest part of the structure to secure... but it still needs access. So probably on the first basement."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on May 12, 2021, 11:06:29 AM
"Charm the lobby to tell you the way." Gwydion wasn't intending to lead if he could avoid it.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on May 12, 2021, 02:10:41 PM
"I was actually thinking this place might have a network that could, you know, provide us with a map." Nanashi retorted.

"We can call charming the lobby 'plan B'."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on May 12, 2021, 02:39:43 PM
Pointing meaningfully at the disaster, Gwydion retorted. "Go ahead, I'll wait."

He's clearly not intending to dig through the trash to find a network port.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on May 12, 2021, 10:25:45 PM
"Your funeral..."

Nanashi walks right in like he knows what he's getting into (he doesn't), which someone might mistake for walking like he owns the place (he does not) or like he's thinking the world of himself (he isn't).

Now, he doesn't expect someone to be running an actual reception desk, so he looks for someone he can talk to.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on May 13, 2021, 12:53:31 PM
Stirwin tries to help Gwydion set up shop.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on May 13, 2021, 01:05:45 PM
The lobby area is devoid of human life.

Network ports are easy to find, but without juice on them, they could as well be clothes hangers as far as Gwydion is concerned. Paying electricity bills for a pile of rubble doesn't seem to have been a huge priority on the agenda of the Fujiwara zaibatsu.

Banks generally have USPs and emergency power just for the alarms, and as Doctor Sturgeon is aware, they are usually located in the basement, near the outside to allow for easy ventilation. How much the last generation of looters has left of them is another question to you.
The basement area is unlit, windowless and cramped. Flashlight apps on your agents can give you enough light not to immediately kill yourself, but to really get around - especially if it comes to a fight - someone with a proper flashlight or infrared vision should take the lead.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on May 13, 2021, 06:42:10 PM
Gwydion examines the space. He's familiar with the life of a corporation, and with technology, and is sure something will come to him in a moment about where he could get into the building's systems. A cyberdeck isn't any good unless you know where to use it.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on May 14, 2021, 06:52:27 PM
Huh. As it turns out, Nanashi DOES have a flashlight... who knew.

"So it looks like we're headed somewhere dark, cramped and dangerous. Add a couple bottles of booze and some bad music and we have Rave Tuesdays."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on May 21, 2021, 11:40:01 AM
You follow Nanashi's lead into the dark service basement. It's not quite as devastated as the more accessible lobby, but still a mess with graffitied walls, pipes of semi-valuable metal stripped out of the same walls, and then more graffiti being caked over the holes.

The room with the emergency power is easily found with Gwydion's familiarity with the side of corporate life if you don't mind to get your collar very grease-stained. There is a faint smell of decay coming from underneath it.

You also pass a plexiglass booth with a control panel for the facility tech. The screens are as dead as are the control lights, but there are yellowed print-outs with floor plans showing wires, pipes, ventilation shafts and other technical details. They didn't seem to be of interest to looters looking for something quick and easy to sell for cash.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on May 21, 2021, 01:03:23 PM
"We should set up a perimeter... Smokey, think you can make sense of what you need to do here? If anyone else has a flashlight, now's a good time to speak up."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on May 21, 2021, 03:01:39 PM
Wrench shakes his head, he doesn't have a flashlight.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on May 21, 2021, 03:54:45 PM
Without electricity, he's useless, so Gwydion grabs the diagrams and opens the door to the power room.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on May 22, 2021, 04:05:23 PM
A shotgun blast flies at Gwydion, but misses him but for some stray pellets easily stopped by the armor. Upon closer inspection, the door has a string attached which is in turn attached to a now busted section of 3/4 inch pipe - a cheap booby trap common on the mean streets.

In a corner of the room lies the corpse of a middle-aged asian woman on a camping mat, dead for at least a few weeks. A syringe is still jammed in her arm, maybe OD or bad stuff.

The power room has been stripped of valuables long ago, including the emergency power generator.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on May 22, 2021, 04:07:44 PM
Gywdion glanced down at the scratches on his armor. He'd gotten careless, and shouldn't have. Also, without power, his deck was useless. Why had he taken this job again?
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on May 25, 2021, 02:24:07 PM
Since he still needs power, or at least electronics, to talk to, Gwydion has a nose around to see if he can find something, anything, and get it going again to give him better information on the surrounding terrain.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on May 30, 2021, 12:47:50 PM
Loose bits and parts of generators are strewn through the basement. It would be possible to build something workable together as long as you can find a source of CHOOH2 fuel, but that might take a couple of days.

A fully qualified Tech could jury-rig a solution much faster, although it wouldn't last very long.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on May 30, 2021, 02:28:13 PM
Meanwhile, Nanashi kept lookout as promised, trying to mind every entrance and exit out of this room.

"How does it look, Smokey? Any luck?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on June 02, 2021, 01:30:03 PM
"Just a bunch of pahrts Fahkin' bloody oath mate." Stirwin said after looking around.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on June 02, 2021, 03:26:54 PM
Only understanding the first half of what Stirwin said, Wrench goes into the room to see what's up.   After looking at the devastation he makes good use of his toolhand to see if he can do anything with what's left.

Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 03, 2021, 09:19:28 AM
Wrench collects all the necessary generator parts and slaps them together with a mix of duct tape and prayers, and also finds some forgotten cleaning chemicals that could be abused as fuel if you don't mind ruining the motor on the long term.

As the generator turns to life, there is an hum from the red-tinted emergency light and other electric devices booting up once again. You estimate that you have about 30 minutes until the jury-rigged solution falls apart.

Gwydion finally finds the network access points and flat-screen terminals juiced up again.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 03, 2021, 09:59:11 AM
Readying his deck with every defense he can think of, Gwydion plugs in and begins searching for the safe deposit box that brought them here.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 03, 2021, 12:35:17 PM
Gwydion makes his way into the NET architecture of the Fujiwara Bank. The freshly rebooted system is behaving strangely - a lot of the icons are glitched out and replaced by placeholders, the kind of thing that happens when looters rip out random parts of the computer system and no one bothers to repair the damages and restore it to full functionality.

The codegates on the first few floors are easily passed, their passwords being reset to factory defaults and even offering unwanted advice pop-ups on how to configure your codegates on first-time use. On the 3rd floor Gwydion finds out that the 4th floor has stores of yellow security files, including some that could be floor plans. There is also a metallic looking Scorpion icon spelunking around. This likely Black ICE, the first real security he will meet, and something that will jump him as soon as he enters.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 04, 2021, 10:47:52 AM
Gwydion braces himself, backing up quietly and scanning the system before engaging. Maybe there's another option.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 04, 2021, 10:51:22 AM
The 4th floor has the Scorpion Gwydion had already spotted earlier. The 5th floor has more medium security files, and something blocking the view further in.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 04, 2021, 11:00:54 AM
There are times when push comes to shove, and every netrunner knows it. If Gwydion wants those files, he's going to have dive a little further. Otherwise they'll spend hours in meatspace, and probably suffer for it. Tapping a few keys on his deck, he calls out to others - "Black ICE guarding necessary data. Engaging." Then he dives in.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 04, 2021, 11:21:01 AM
The Scorpion gets the drop on Gwydion, greedily stabbing its stinger at him, but fortunately missing. It takes heavy damage from the zapping, but continues to fight on as its graphics are already glitching. It stings once again...
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 04, 2021, 11:25:11 AM
Seeing the glitchiness of his opponent, Gwydion goes full out on offense, trying to batter the ICE into submission.

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 04, 2021, 12:03:37 PM
The stinger drives into Gwydion's persona, giving him a numb feeling in his meat body. On the other hand, this provides the opening for Gwydion to hit back good, shutting down the ICE and making it de-rez.

Gwydion is now all alone on the floor, and soon enough finds a floor plan. The lock box in question is up on the 15th floor, and its exact position is marked on the map.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 04, 2021, 01:02:41 PM
Downloading all of the data he can gain access to, Gwydion decides discretion is the better part of valour. With no need to press deeply into the net, he downloads all the data he's been able to gain access to to his cyberdeck, does the best he can to cover his traces, and jacks out. Doing anything else would probably draw the ire of the corporation, and that's not worth his time.

Turning the deck so that others can see the screen, he taps it to bring up the map. "15th floor. No idea what's en route."

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on June 04, 2021, 03:57:19 PM
"Well it was a nuisance and a half to get this much up and running, but on the flipside that means there's probably no surveillance or autonomous defense, right? If we're discreet we might just be able to get up there, snatch whatever's in and get out. No electricity means no elevators, which leaves the service stairs, those are probably going to be guarded. Any ideas?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on June 06, 2021, 11:27:43 AM
"I suppose the power has to stay on?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 06, 2021, 12:19:18 PM
"Maybe. Could power autonomous defenses without backup power. Could unlock doors that lock in unpowered mode. If we want power to open locks, we need to hurry." Gwydion was a skilled enough technician to know there wasn't much time to be had with the generator running. All in all, his view was that they'd have more luck with the power running than without.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on June 06, 2021, 05:01:08 PM
"Alright, I trust your judgement on that, though we're kind of screwed for an exit strategy then... We'll have to figure something out on the way up. Let's get going." Nanashi said, ready to bolt.

"Smokey, do you have a route for us?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 07, 2021, 09:05:23 AM
Calculating on his cyberdeck, Gwydion turns it towards the others so they can see the optimal route, as best as he can calculate. Hopefully it avoids any suspected defenses or locked doors.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on June 09, 2021, 12:21:14 PM
Trusting the tech guy to be competent at his job, Miyu leads the way.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 09, 2021, 12:33:47 PM
Following the much more heavily armed and armored Miyu, Gwydion draws his gun, stows his cyberdeck, and contemplates the challenges that lay ahead.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on June 09, 2021, 10:19:03 PM
Nanashi follows after the group as well, trying to keep an eye out for trouble.

He trusted Gwydion's skill, but who knows how old that data was? Some of it may be incorrect after all.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on June 10, 2021, 01:22:13 AM
Wrench follows after, wondering what other broken things he'll have to put back together.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 11, 2021, 09:34:00 PM
You follow the plotted route as best as you can.

On the 12th floor, you round a corner, only to run into a group of people - a tanned tattoed blue-haired young attractive woman (clearly bio-sculpted for attractiveness) in skimpy clothes leading it, three huscles with an assortment of guns and melee weapons, and one guy with a baclava and some burglar tools on his belt.

"...we still need to figure out why the power suddenly went on, dear viewers. Djinni works knowing that Jazzy Belle would come? OH, LOOK! EDGERUNNERS INFILTRATING FUJIWARA BANK! Told you there would be something exciting on this stream! Let's tag along and find out what they'll be doing!"

There is a glimmer and a red dot in her left cybereye as she looks at you speaking those words. She jabs a microphone in the direction of Miyu and looks excited.

"Hi, this is the one and only Jazzy Belle! Tell us and our viewers your name and everything that is going on! What happened with with the power? And what are you looking for?"

(click to show/hide)

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Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on June 11, 2021, 09:41:12 PM
Miyu blinks at the person thrusting a microphone in her face. What sort of idiot is this, asking clearly dangerous edgerunners what they were doing? Why would they tell her? She's not some wet-behind-the-ears nobody who's going to spill secrets like that...

Of course, if anyone tries to stop her from just walking past... well, hopefully they weren't attached to that hand.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 11, 2021, 09:56:38 PM
"Oooh! Mysterious lady! She's clearly up to something very important!"

She jabs her microphone into Gwydion's face next, with her left cybereye clearly recording.

"Up to the same important task, sir? Tell us more about it. Jazzy Belle is all ears!"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 12, 2021, 06:25:53 AM
Clearly some idiot with a camera, Gwydion ignores her, and idly wonders if there's a way to shut down her stream over the net...

All the while, he's tapping his unsheathed hand cannon against his leg.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on June 12, 2021, 07:46:30 AM
"I'll field that one, thank you."

Nanashi moves up and winks at the group.

(click to show/hide)

"Wow, Jazzy Belle! Love your streams. The name's Nanakizu, but I don't expect you to have heard of me. I can tell you everything you want to know, though the truth is this isn't very exciting - these fine folks are just here trying to help me record my latest album. I thought using the decaying skeleton of a massive corporate building as a backdrop for a music video would make the lyrics that much more approachable to the viewers."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 12, 2021, 08:07:15 AM
"Wow, really?"

She puts a hand in her hair and beams, visibly awed.

"I told you that there would be something exciting happening on this stream. Tell us all about that album..."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on June 12, 2021, 08:18:02 AM
"Well I've been working on it for a while now, and--"

Nanashi puts his hands behind his back as he speaks, a common technique to appear a little taller (not that he needs it) - but also to hide his hands, with which he gestures along to his companions.

"-- see, the main theme of my songs is a bit about a revival of the passionate spirit. It's about giving people who are lost some direction. And what I want people to get is that it's something they need to work on the inside, because the outside eventually crumbles. That's why we're using this place as a backdrop."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 12, 2021, 05:34:01 PM
Taking the hint, Gwydion tries to slip past while the gaudily dressed talker does what he can. There are times when being interesting can prove useful, much as the netrunner doesn't like to admit that.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 20, 2021, 08:58:51 AM
As Nanashi distracts Jazzy Belle and her camera, you press past. Nanashi follows you soon enough after, without the rockergirl in tow.

You reach the wing of the 15th floor where the vault is located - and it is protected by bars sealing it of. It has a biometric lock at its side.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on June 20, 2021, 08:21:39 PM
Nanashi comes up after the group typing something into his PA before he gets up to his crew.

"...this better be worth the headache... Smokey, what do you think our chances are of opening this thing?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 21, 2021, 07:28:17 AM
Gwydion examines the obvious security mechanisms, trying to see if there's a way he can navigate around it. Or get someone else to disarm it while he stands safely away.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 21, 2021, 01:30:27 PM
The biometric input part could be circumvented, although there are some manipulation alarms and double-checks in place. Dealing with it could be within Gwydion's range on a good day or with some luck, but there is an equally good chance that it could go wrong.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 21, 2021, 03:03:55 PM
Gwydion points to the machinery, his finger darting quickly between the various security mechanisms. "Disable the biometric lock, we're in." He looks expectantly across at the tech. Gwydion's a netrunner, and prefers working with computers to getting his hands dirty on machines if he can avoid it. He also makes sure to sidle carefully backwards, trying to judge the spot least likely to get him shot if anything goes wrong, and aiming his hand cannon carefully at the nearest turret opening. If it popped out, he wanted to get the drop on it.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on June 21, 2021, 03:37:17 PM
"Alright then..." Nanashi considered their options. "Miyu, Smokey, keep an eye on that side, I'll look after this one. Wrench, we got you covered. Do your stuff."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on June 22, 2021, 06:11:33 PM
Eric rolls his eyes.  "How nice of you both to tell me how to do my job."

He then proceeds to get to work disabling the security mechanisms.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 25, 2021, 06:39:32 PM
Wrench easily beats the lock, and the ceiling panels stay unmoving. You easily make your way through the wing to lock box #A17-BF0-5A3-117-3B8, which is much less well secured than the access to wing itself - Fujiwara seems to believe in chokepoint security architecture.

The lock box contains a number of things:
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on June 25, 2021, 10:11:10 PM
Wrench picks up the card and looks at it.

"This is legit, he used to be with Arasaka but switched corps to deal with security at Red Peak nuclear plant."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 26, 2021, 06:56:30 PM
Deciding that he might as well follow the order on the memory cubes, Gwydion pops first V1, and then V2, into his cyberdeck. After making sure there was nothing nasty running on them, of course.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on June 27, 2021, 09:27:55 AM
The V1 cube contains a video film with a run-time of 2:11 hours, the V2 cube a similar but shorter video film with a run-time of 0:48 hours. The topic seems to be some inspection of Red Peak nuclear power plant with running commentary. You could watch it right here, but even when sped up electrical power would run out before you make it out of Fujiwara bank tower.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on June 27, 2021, 04:57:35 PM
Nanashi puts his two functioning brain cells to work.

"Not much by way of solid cash for someone that high up in the ladder, but plenty of easy-to-trade foreign coin, along with important data, huh? Sounds like someone's bail-out kit.

This Bobic dude was probably the source. Easy to think of a lot of people who'd want him dead for something of this nature... and others that'd kill or pay for the data. To say nothing of the man himself.

Smokey, did you get the name of who this lockbox used to belong to when you patched in?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on June 27, 2021, 08:22:48 PM
Gwydion hands the information over, although without any comment as to what it might mean.

He does also indicate that a swift departure to places safer might be a considered idea.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on July 07, 2021, 08:33:36 AM
"We can talk about this all somewhere else, maybe over a cold one. Some blokes had to have been watching the stream who would snitch on us if they thought they could earn even pocket change for doing so." Striwin says.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on July 07, 2021, 08:35:46 AM
Nodding agreement, Gwydion gathers his things and begins heading for the exit. They have to pick up their rented car and get that back to the depot without damage.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on July 07, 2021, 09:25:04 AM
"You're right. Let's dash."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on July 07, 2021, 10:26:42 AM
Wrench follows along, making sure they didn't forget anything.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Skyrock on July 10, 2021, 11:31:17 AM
You make your way out and back without trouble.

The longer video is of a security inspection of the Red Peak nuclear power plant. The production value is very raw. It extensively shows rusted gaps in the chain-wire fencing, understaffing of the security guards, cameras and sensors that are out of order, and other severe flaws in the site security.

The shorter video is of much better production value with retuned audio and video, but much less informative. According to it everything is fine and secure, with all the flaws edited out.
It also has some interesting credits:
SECURITY AUDIT performed by ARASAKA SECURITY, on behalf of MOSS POWER & LIGHT and ALL WORLD INSURANCE
Team Lead for ARASAKA SECURITY: Ikeda Hiroshi
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on July 10, 2021, 12:45:52 PM
"...well this is disturbing.

How the hell did O'Toole get his hands on something like this?"


Nanashi gave himself another moment to consider things.

"So. Anybody with their hands on this could severely compromise MPL, making them a prime target for acquisition. Exposing the whole thing also compromises Saka, but they're too big to fall over something like this.

That Bobic fellow could have been a plant. Probably either used by Ikeda or trying to get himself higher up the ladder by making it look like he had performed a bang-up job.

...I have my own ideas, but I want to know what you guys think we should do with this."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on July 10, 2021, 02:40:16 PM
Gwydion tapped a finger idly on the cyberdeck as he spoke. "Find a competitor, sell this information to them. Profit and disappear. It'll pay us more than solving the murder will."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Nanshork on July 10, 2021, 03:24:12 PM
Wrench raises an eyebrow.  "What if trying out that plan is the reason there was a murder in the first place?  It is a pretty obvious plan, I doubt he didn't think of it."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Stratovarius on July 10, 2021, 03:51:26 PM
"He was a beat cop. Some of us have skills and connections better than that."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on July 10, 2021, 05:10:37 PM
"Not that your plan ain't got merit Smokey, but giving Arasaka a black eye seems like a sure-fire way to spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders. Nobody 'disappears' forever.

Besides, I would actually like to close this murder. If someone's paying good money to see the dipshits brought to justice, we can be sure O'Toole was at least halfway important to somebody.

And I think we can profit off this in more than one way, anyway."
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: skydragonknight on July 10, 2021, 05:30:40 PM
"I feel like we're forgetting something. Did we really look over everything?" Stirwin asks.
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Kuroimaken on July 10, 2021, 05:36:58 PM
"Good point. Let's see, I took the novels, doubt there's anything there...

The charger for that game system... nope, nothing there either...

His police chip. Not sure if we can get anything out of that, but anyway...

...huh. I think we overlooked his 'notes'. Smokey?"
Title: Re: Chapter 1: Heywood City Blues
Post by: Raineh Daze on July 10, 2021, 08:53:07 PM
Miyu doesn't have much to contribute, aside from noting that she has enough Arasaka problems without picking a fight.