Ain't That a Kick In the Head. [IC]

[Lentrax]

The rain pattered off the sides of buildings. Of course, no one can exactly hear the rain. The crowds of people on the Strip are far too noisy for a little soft rain to make much impression on the eardrums at all. And you can hardly notice the hint of acid in the rainwater. Between the Sierra Madre mountains, and the everthirsty Mojave desert, so little rain ever makes it to Vegas that the acid doesn't ever call for anything more than a disposable slicker, if your gear isn't treated to begin with.

The crowds teem on the streets, men hand out cards advertising any number of services, from escorts, to straight up prostitutes, to restaurants, and to any other service the mind could possibly conceive. Scantily clad humans and elves beckoned the unwashed masses into casinos, inviting them to drop Nuyen into the slots, drop their cash on the tables. The dinging of the slot machines paying out droned over the constant buzz of people talking on the Strip. People bumped and jostled into each other as they hurried from cover to cover under the huge seeping marquees over the sidewalks. And you are certain that you have seen at least one hand darting into pockets for anything they could lift out of unsuspecting tourists pockets.

And so, as the rain continues into the early evening, you are all goi about your business when a message pops up on your display.

"8 o'clock. Caesar's Palace. Ask the front desk to be directed to the Scriptorium. You will receive 500 Nuyen to hear an offer."

You check your clock. 7:32. Twenty-eight minutes to decide if you are going to check this out.

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

Charles has been in Vegas less than fifteen minutes and already he is getting special offers... HOW EXCITING!

The town has been everything his AAA Agent, Sally Carp, said it would be. The glitz, the glamour, all so amazing! And it was raining! In Vegas!

Las Vegas is the only large US city to average less than an inch (25 mm) of rain for every month of the year. At its driest, Las Vegas has records of not even accumulating an inch of rain throughout an entire year.

The driest year on record for Las Vegas is 1953, when 0.56 inches (14 mm) fell at the airport. In comparison, the second driest of America's large cities, Phoenix, has never had under 2.8 inches (71 mm) of rain in a year.

To catch a night when rain was falling on his very first night... VERY lucky! This was going to be a great extended vacation.


With spirits held high and full of optimism, Charles heads rift to the meeting place his message guides him to.

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Twenty-eight minutes? Bunch of unprofessional drek-heads. Oh, and it was on the Strip, so he'd have to be near-blind. Those casino systems weren't something you'd want to touch without a damn good reason, and the various security forces (private armies, really) around there didn't take kindly to armed drones. Or black vans sitting outside their property. Or shady-looking orks. Or basically anything. Place was nightmare.

Still, 500 nuyen just to listen was a good lure. Might not even be the lure for a trap, given that none of the casinos would be particularly happy about a murder on-site. Might as well go check it out. He hops into Lucinda, and sets off.

Lookout parks a klick away from the Strip, in a nondescript alley behind a restaurant, next to some dumpsters about as big as the van. The whole thing basically screamed "cheap labor delivery van". Rocco and Rollo were sitting in the back, ready to go at a moment's notice. Gabriella could be launched just as fast, but that would be a last resort. He launches the Fly-Spy, ordering it to go chameleon, and keep a lookout on the perimeter of the building. It was small and unarmed, unlikely to trigger any defenses. It would just be another drone cruising the Strip. The Kanmushi stays in his pocket.

He keeps in AR the whole way, spam filters set to maximum. Vegas could be blinding even in 100% meat space. His public comm stays public; best not to draw any unwanted attention.

Well, there it is. Caesar's gaudy-as-hell Palace. He walks in, straight to the front desk, all business. "Excuse me, I'm looking for the Scriptorium."

Lookout Perception: [roll0]
Drone Perception: [roll1]

[Cool Trash]

Banshee twirled a small bag of red dust in her hands and frowned. She pondered what seemed to her an ancient question, the kind of thing philosphers pass down for centuries, unanswered, and ancient monks wrote circular, obtuse answers to in dusty scrolls. "If I get high right now, will it make me better or worse at my job?"

Pro: Red Mescaline made people willful, more alert, and friendlier, which would be useful for contract negotiation.
Con: It ruined your reaction time and made you drive like ****. And she already drove like ****.
Pro: It made her kick even more ass on the astral plane.
Con: It lasted about ten hours, followed by a ten hour withdrawal, during which she'd be basically useless.
Pro: Drugs are cool and fun.
Con: Picking up drug addictions was a fun and easy way to burn out your magic.

She mouthed "maybe" and stowed into her pocket along with her other gear. She'd be wearing her Zoe armored suit-heritage line. At some point, Zoe' had decided cultural appropriation was in, and made a bunch of business and casual wear to show off your long irrelevant cultural heritage. BB was just terrible to actually give them money for this decision, and so there she stood, in a black and grey kimono with intricate white patterns snaking along the sleeves and down the front. It...mostly fit. Banshee was spending more time in the astral every day, and while the brainpower it took certainly burned calories, it still meant she spent most of her time slouched back on a couch. Gone were the days of corp mandated exercise. It was fun. Like drugs and buying designer dresses and being a career criminal, it was fun with some easily-foreseen consequences. She made a quick pledge to go jogging and drink something besides canned sweet tea later, and set off in her sedan.

She had to keep her wits about her. Paranoia was a trade skill among runners, and Banshee wasn't looking to be any different. She tucked her Manhunter and her Katar under her dress, took her daily Psyche and headed out. She parked as close as she could to the entrance. Hardly mattered where she parked-in this crowd, either anyone looking for her couldn't see her, or they'd be able to spot no matter how far away she came in from.

She entered, sat down somewhere near the entrance, keeping an eye out as she checked her commlink. No need to be early, and Caesar's Palace was pretty much guaranteed to have a floor plan on their website.

[roll0]

[CandyLaser]

When Chanteuse's commlink flashed up the message alert, her first thought was if I didn't need money I wouldn't even consider this. Unfortunately that need for money loomed large in her consideration. Legitimate paying gigs simply weren't enough to pay back what she owed. She could cash in her savings, but that still wouldn't cover everything. And the people she owed were... not entirely reasonable. So despite the fact that a tiny voice in her head said it might be unwise, she went.

Her concession to that voice was that she didn't go as herself. There wasn't time to change, but the Medusa extensions threaded through her hair could change its color, the iContacts she wore could change the color and apparent size of her irises, and her shoes could adjust to change her height. That would have to do.

When she made it to the Palace, she was a redhead, with green eyes, rather than a blue-eyed blonde. Her shoes added a couple inches to her height and altered her gait somewhat. She wore a discreetly armored leather jacket over ordinary street clothes, and that was all over the form-fitting suit she wore as a matter of course. Chanteuse would have fit right in with the punters milling about the casino. Compared to the high rollers in the private rooms, though... not so much.

On arrival, she kept her eyes open and asked to be directed to the Scriptorium, as instructed. "But I was wondering... who's back there now?" she asked the casino employee manning the desk. "I'm supposed to meet some people, but I was wondering who'd already arrived."

Perception: [roll0]. If it's a visual or auditory check, she gets 3 additional dice: [roll1]. A Disguise check will cover the attempt to conceal her identity: [roll2] It's seven dice because she doesn't get the benefit of her face case (she doesn't carry it around with her) but she does get the benefit of her Modez shoes.

[Kii]

Nova

Nova was in the middle of finishing up a cutting-edge engine for her next matrix game so that she could display it at the upcoming1 convention in Vegas.

500 nuyen could help shore the bills.... I might as well

Heading out of her house she pretty quickly makes her way to Caesars palace and heads up to the front desk.

"Which way to the Scriptorium?" she asks.


1. Upcoming is relative in this case.

As I have come to the realization that I did not give Nova any ranks in perception my dice pool is kinda sad.
[roll0]

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Krilian yawned and drained the last dregs of his soy kaf from a chipped porcelain mug. He was thinking of his prospects, ever since his last job he was tight on funds, thing was he needed to stop taking charity cases, but she had been in a bad place when she came in, and pretty decent looking as well. Her name was Jeanna Southwind, a little digging revealed that her Uncle was a heavy for the Comanche Mob, but he took the case none the less.

Her sister, Alayna, had gone missing, been gone nearly two days, but the LV Metro hadn't been too keen on investigating, based on her ties to the Comanche. So she ended up coming to Stein House, he looked down at his mug, called to his secretary, "Peggy, get me another cup of coffee!", he barked a harsh laugh and got up, saw Peggy bouncing into a wall across the room as it went about it's automated duties, gave it a lift over the door jamb with a boot, and walked down the hall to his battered Kay dispenser.

Couple days of tracking down Alayna's haunts, and a roommate revealed that there was a boyfriend involved. Now here's where **** hit the fan, his name was Vito Verontesse, cousin to the mob that ran Vegas, so Steinhaueser had to put on **** eatting smiles, and handle the whole case with kid gloves. As the dispenser gurgled out another cup of black as tar Kaf, he leaned against the counter, running through the case. So Vito and Alayna were a thing, but then Alayna's body turns up in the foundation of a new complex just off of the strip, a Verontesse venture, so the connection isn't hard to make. He couldn't take a run at Vito without jeopardizing his entire set up in Vegas, but he couldn't let the kid get away with murder either.

His Meta Link comm chirped, the message rolled across his field of vision. "8 o'clock. Caesar's Palace. Ask the front desk to be directed to the Scriptorium. You will receive 500 Nuyen to hear an offer." The sender information had been hacked, but 500 yen, was 500 yen. And seeing as he the Southwind case was just barely covering the office rent, after a long tube ride he found himself on the strip, heading towards the Palace.

He'd geared properly, his Form Fit underneath worn jeans, and a button down shirt with subtle silver circuitry patterns traced through out. He secured his holster for the MP9, and loaded it with a clip of stick & shock, figured if he had to pull his hardware, that gave him a decent chance of asking questions. He considered it, and then cracked open his Protector, loaded the SMG with High Ex, paranoid? Maybe, but the timing was suspicious, and if the Verontesse's wanted him eliminated because he was nosing around Southwind's death they might set something up. The likelihood of blood on the strip though, well, you can never be too cautious.

He threw his Mortimer's on overtop of his ensemble, it would do a good job of concealing the MP9, but at least it was licensed, the Protector though, as long as it remained in the briefcase, would be shielded from most MAD scans, and would just read exactly as it appeared. He grabbed his mirrorshades, and threw on his battered black stetson and headed for the RTCNV, during the ride down he kept rolling over the case in his head, curious how this comm message played into the whole thing.

Eventually he found himself on the strip, scanning the crowd he slipped into the Palace, walked up to the desk. "Scriptorium?" He put on his scowl as the young woman looked him up and down, eyes drifting back to his cyberarm. "I'm expected, don't worry doll."

Perception Check (Skill Rank 4 + Intuition 5 + Attention Coprocessor Rank 3) [roll0], Visual Enhancement 3 in my Mirrorshades for [roll1]. I will also use my Infiltration (Skill Rank 4 + Agility 3 + Reflex Recorder) [roll2] to try to elude any physical tail on my way down the Strip.

[Lokyar]

As he gracefully swerved in and out of the moderate traffic of late evening Simyin was already mentally editing the day's footage. 'Wrecka's getting careless. Sure Dorin's a relative unknown compared to him but seriously, shooting a line in the pavement and declaring he won't need to pass it? Hubris. Hmm. Maybe splice in some persona reaction shots, play up the gloating smirk. Hell, he practically silver plattered the narrative with that little speech after he won. I think I can make a series arc out of this, when someone takes him down a peg it'll sell like crazy.'

His thoughts were derailed by a sudden message popping up in his vision. 'Hah, yes! Jackpot! And half a week's pay just to listen to an offer?! No wonder the leaderboard can afford ammo bills that'd feed a district.' Grinning he raised his hand to dismiss the message and called up his active drone connections before sending a mental message. "Stark, reroute to Caesar's vicinity. Don't approach but keep close, two minutes maximum arrival time. Closer if you can find a safe place to idle."

Halfway across town a heavy cycle, it's holographic 'rider' completely unconcerned with the rain passing through it, shifted and turned onto a new street. "You got it, Bro!"

"Buggy, detach when we hit the lobby and find a comfy corner. Maintain subscription and run facial scans. Forward high priority security risks, log the rest."

"Confirm."

Sim sighed at the lackluster response. 'I really need to get a persona soft for that one.' Noticing a break in the traffic on his left and swerved over until he neared the railing separating him from the fifty foot drop to the next level. Glancing around he saw only one pair of eyes on him, a small child in the back of a nearby car. Flashing the kid a giant smile, because an appreciative audience is more important than a large one, he gave a quick wave before jumping over the side.

Oh god, the look in their eyes every time he did that. So worth it.

~~~~

Sim was still riding high from the magically-assisted base jump when he rolled into the casino's main lobby. Ignoring the occasional sidelong glance he approached the front desk with a radiant grin. "Yo~! Here to see a horse about a man. Could you direct me to the scriptorium?"




Active Spells sustained by Foci: Enhanced Aim(F2), Levitate(F2), Deflection(F2)
Active Spell sustained by self: Physical Camoflage(F2; Visual Perception and Ranged Attacks take -2 dice pool penalty; works against living and tech) on Bug-Eye aka Buggy(Fly-Spy)
(All of my foci sustained spells are DV2 or lower and stun. Phys Cam at F2 is DV0, with 8 dice I can buy two successes)

Buggy operating covertly(-2 to opposed visual check from Phys Camo, -4 from chameleon coating) -
[roll0]
-and keeping an eye out
[roll1]

Sim also watching his surroundings.
[roll2]
Plus 3 dice pool for visual or auditory(Vision/Audio Enhancement gear)
[roll3]
And plus 2 dice pool for visual only(Specialization).
[roll4]

And while I'm rolling let's get starting nuyen value for my file. [roll5]

[Lentrax]

As you ask for the Scriptorium, the woman at the front desk, a rather attractive elf with blonde hair, hands each of you an envelope. The envelope contains a keycard, the front of which is etched with a rather detailed map of the lobby directing you to an elevator in the back of the casino. Because of the limited notice involved, several of you arrive at the elevator at the same time. The elevator dings as it opens, and opens, revealing a fairly typical elevator car. The panel has the 60 or so buttons for the various floors of the casino and hotel, as well as a very obvious slot for a keycard.

Inserting the keycard into the slot reveals a panel underneath the main panel with four additional buttons. Plates next to the buttons label them.

O SECURITY
O DEPOSITORY
O SCRIPTORIUM
O RAPID TRANSIT

Selecting the right button, instead of taking you down, you find yourself rising upward. Rapidly. By your personal estimations, you are perhaps a third of the way up the hotel when the elevator suddenly slows to a snail's pace. The top of the elevator erupts with a cloud of lasers of various colors, ranging from traditional red and up the spectrum to blue. you also recognize a noise emitted by the cab as the activation of millimeter-wave radar. Apparently you are passing through some kind of security checkpoint.

After the security sweep, the elevator continues its rapid ascent, until it arrives at your destination. The doors open, revealing a library. A massive library, that is two floors tall and seems to cover the entire surface area of the casino. In the center of the library is a massive rotunda, decorated in the same Roman fashion as the casino and attractions below. A number of women clothed in hazy, partially translucent clothing kneel in various spots around a collection of what look like lounge chairs, but with better construction and coverings. Another woman, dressed in more traditional, modern clothing, but with a neo-Roman styled toga draped over her suit, lounges in one of the chairs, a cup of wine in one hand, the chin of one of the serving girls in her other. Her hair is a fiery red, its curls bouncing off her shoulders and cascading partway down her back. A silver streak, shaped something like a bolt of lightning weaves through the hair.

Nothing about her face screams "old" but something glints in her eyes that speaks to a certain air of experience and indifference. She is saying something to the woman she has ahold of, but stops when you arrive.

As you enter, the woman lets go of the girl, sets her glass down on the floor, and stands to greet you. She is easily six feet tall, and her build that you can see beneath her form fitting, tailored suit is athletic. She smiles as you come in, but the apparent joy in her expression never touches her eyes.

Hello, welcome. Please, make yourselves comfortable. We have food, wine, whatever you may like. I bid you make yourselves welcome here in my home.

The girls, if you sit on the lounge chairs, bring silver trays of fruit and meats and cheeses over to each of you. One girl pours wine, offering you each one of the solid gold cups.

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

Stepping off of the elevator, Charles is awestruck and begins taking his camera out, taking pictures of the flooring, the elevator doors, the food plates, all the while prattling on to no one in particular.

"Although originally opened on August 5, 1966, the plans for the hotel were originally drawn up in 1962, the same year construction began. Jay Sarno, Caesar's original owner and designer, was floated the money actually from Teamster Union pension funds as an investment, one that paid off exponentially for the group.

While originally only 680 rooms, Casesar's has undergone significant renovations over the last century to keep up with modern needs and size capacity. The hotel comes highly recommended from my good friends, Sally Carp from AAA and Jeff Preen from the Diner's Club... I'm a Platinum Member in both!" Charles seems to beam with pride on this, as it is clearly a huge achievement.

Charles goes on, snapping pictures of the toga-clad host as well as his fellow runners, his flash looking nearly like a strobe light with how often he is clicking it.

[CandyLaser]

Chanteuse was glad she didn't bring a gun. She had her taser, and her voice, and that was it. No doubt the mysterious person or persons who'd called the meeting were aware of the taser now, even though it was concealed underneath the long sleeves of her jacket. They didn't seem to care about it. When the elevator doors opened, she was expecting a scene of sybaritic indulgence, and she wasn't disappointed. The togas, the lounges, the serving girls - it was more or less exactly what she had anticipated. Her tastes didn't quite run to this sort of excess but she could appreciate the thought behind it.

The scene was somewhat spoiled by the troll standing in the middle of it all and narrating his experiences like some demented lifelogger. When he turned her way to take her picture, she was quick to tilt her head, obscuring her face as best she could with her motion and her body. "No pictures, buddy," she said, her voice artificially harsh. "I don't know about you, but I think a private gathering like this is best kept private, eh?"

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout nods. "Like the lady said, no pictures. Bad for business." He sets to looking for nodes, especially one linked to that camera. Idiot troll wouldn't be taking any pictures out of here. Of course, Lookout was doing the same thing, getting a good look at the rest of the people in the elevator and the room and recording them with his image link. Each got their own file in his head. He cross-referenced that with observable facts about them, and set it away for later. It would be good to know who he was dealing with.

Of course, the pictures were less of a concern than that hardcore security in the elevator. Whoever was looking at that info had an uncomfortable amount of data on Lookout and the rest of this group. They were probably processing the biometrics right now.

Best put a smile on though. Johnson was offering the good life for a bit, and it seemed unlikely that the food would be poisoned. He sits in a lounge chair, trying to keep a professional posture with difficulty. "Since we seem to be under a time crunch, how about we get down to business?"

Public Nodes: Set Analyze program to it. Test is secret Matrix Perception 14d6.
Hidden Nodes: Electronic Warfare + Scan (15, 1 Combat turn): [roll0]

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Kilian surveyed the other occupants in the elevator with him, a nondescript looking ork, though the jack's on his neck and poking out from under an armored sleeve seemed to indicate that he had escaped the stereotype about the ork-ish genome, a large and garishly dressed troll, successfully pulling off the voyeuristic tourist chic with considerable accuracy, and the other was a bombshell of elf, red haired and green eyed, dangerous, well at least to Kilian. When the doors slid open the scene they revealed was not what he expected, he knew, even travelling light, between his augmentations and his briefcase he would have pinged a couple of dozen boxes on a typical Lone Star check list, and this whole set up appeared to be several pay grades higher than even his old employers.

He expected the doors to slide open and reveal a well dressed but highly trained security detail, but no, just the kind of opulence that comes with a serious bankroll. Their mysterious benefactor spoke, not even bothering to introduce herself, with a once over Kilian assumed he knew the type, soft curves, welcoming smile, but her eyes seemed to indicate that her veins were cold electronic pathways devoted to the accumulation of information, power and wealth were just an afterthought. She regarded the crew as they stepped out of the 'vator as a woman who might be about to absent mindedly step on something slithering across her orbital spun chrome flooring.

As the troll began snapping pictures Kilian just lowered the brim of his hat, the others had already spoken, and he decided to keep quiet. The other ork called the gathering to business, indicating a professional attitude he might not have an opportunity like this in the near future, and after all he was here on the ice queen's dime.

He motioned over one of the serving girls, whispered quietly, "Whisky, neat." He nodded towards the other ork, as he walked towards one of the gilded divan's and takes a seat, setting a tray of fruit and meats beside him. "We're here on her dime, omae. If she wants to take her time getting to the point, let her, she's paid enough to earn my patience."

[Lentrax]

Your hostess frowned as Charles started taking pictures. She is correct. This is my home, and I have gone to great lengths to keep it private. I am afraid that you will not be permitted to keep your camera. I will, of course, compensate you for its loss, and my people will forward you the rest of your data.

The girl who brings wine over to Panzer smiles at his request, then responds in perfect Latin. "Eres, me ipso non loquor anglicus."

As each of you make yourselves comfortable, your hostess presses a button on her wrist.

Down to business then.

Moments later, a technician in a bright white lab coat comes in, bearing a solid steel briefcase. He sets it on a table next to your hostess. She turns the briefcase around, enters the combination, opens the case and reviews its contents. With a smile she turns it around. You each see it contains a simple hard drive, in a foam padded lining. The thing has to be ancient. Hard drives haven't been this large for a long time.

I know what you're thinking. This technology hasn't been used for quite some time. But that is the point. No RFIDs. No wireless nodes. No remote activation or reading. Not even an Otaku could access this data without physical contact.

She snaps the briefcase closed. And that is what I am hiring you to do. Protect this case, and prevent anyone from accessing its contents. It will be difficult. I will not lie about that. It is bad for business. The contents of this drive are incredibly valuable, and the shipping of the data needs to be discreet. I will tell you that I have already hired thirty other groups to carry cases identical to this one. I will not tell you if this is the real drive or not, that is not your concern. What is your concern is to get this drive, intact to the front gate of Lone Star's security facility at Nellis Air Force Base.

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

Crestfallen at losing his camera, Charles looks like a puppy that had just been kicked. But upon hearing the name Nellis AFB...

"Oooh! Stop #368 on Knight Errant's 'Famous American Military Monuments' guide!" He begins leafing through a random pamphlet he pulled out of his back pocket. "Starting out as a humble single dirt runway only for Air Mail in 1929, it was commissioned as a military base in 1940 under Executive Order 8578. It's name was officially changed from the Las Vegas Air Force Base to Nellis Air Force Base after Lieutenant William Harrell Nellis, a highly decorated pilot during WW2 who was killed in action."

"Very exciting, great destination, great destination..." Charles kind of drifts off, totally oblivious to the details of the actual mission that were discussed.

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Kilian shrugged at the servant, whatever she was speaking didn't make much sense to him. Some of it reminded him of St. James on 9th Avenue, Downtown Seattle, every Sunday with his mother. He shook his head, returned to the here and now, that life was behind him, now he had to try to remember why he was here and what was ahead of him.

He considered what their hostess had said, 500 yen per person, assume 2.5k on completion, 3k per person, five man team, thirty teams, 450k all in. Security should never cost more than 25% of the value of the data they were protecting, so the cost of the real unit would be somewhere in the 2mil range.

"So that's it? Looks like you already know, but information is key. Assuming you're about to offer us 2.5k on top of the 500 for this meet, you're handing over about half a mil in teams and decoys alone to move this thing. That's a hell of alot of concern over the value of that case. So my question, before we even begin to negotiate my rates, is who the feke is looking for this data, that you gotta be concerned enough to set up THIRTY decoy drops."

[CandyLaser]

Chanteuse nodded. Kilian had it right. If she was telling the truth, this was an expensive operation; if she was lying, this was probably a setup. She looked carefully at their host, paying attention to a host of little quirks and details that most would overlook. Microexpressions lasting only an instant. Muscle twitches, especially around the eyes and mouth. Her stance. The direction of her gaze. And of course, what she did with her hands. All of it told a story, one she was well equipped to read.

Going to use Judge Intentions on her. Chanteuse rolls [roll0]. I'm just aiming to get a quick gut check - do I think our host is on the level? Obviously there are things she's not telling us, but is she being straight about the job?

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

The ork had a good head on his shoulders it seemed, though it was a rookie mistake to set the price like that. If someone had this much money to burn, then they could go higher than 2.5k easily. There was also the possibility that the Johnson was lying, and she just wanted to make sure nobody got too curious or greedy.

No way was the Johnson just going to reveal the opposition either. Something like that would reveal the Johnson herself, or her actual employers, all too easily. As for the Johnson though . . . otaku? Seriously? How old was this woman?

"If you want some extra surety, I've got a datalock. For enough cash, feel free to plug me in and set your own access code."

Opposing a possible Con test (Con+Charisma+Empathy software): [roll0]
On the suspicion that some jamming might be in effect, running ECCM. Signal is now effectively 12.
Continuing hidden node search extended test (2/15): [roll1]

[Kii]

Nova

Nova, who's been standing quietly in the closest corner this entire time perks up when she sees the hard drive.

I wish I had one of those, the storage isn't huge but they're so.... her train of thought goes on and on for a while until it eventually drifts into lines of binary, at which point she snaps out of it and steps forward a little.

"Datalocks aren't perfect. In an hour or two I could probably get somewhere if not crack it outright." She says at a much quieter volume than any of the other speakers. "It's much more secure on that drive, if that's even the actual data." at this point she retreats back into the corner and drifts into AR and continues working on her game engine, quietly humming a little tune (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt3OptaZ20Q) as she does so.

[Lokyar]

Sim's brow rose a tad at the reserved elf's claims. Her demeanor didn't suggest a braggart so the quiet confidence in the statement caught his interest. With a smirk he leaned back from where he'd been standing and seemingly reclined into an invisible chair, letting his levitatant spell kick in fully as he relaxed. "I'll take the expert's word on that bit, I'm more interested in sunshine's question. Content's obviously none of our business, courier's code and all, but knowing what kind of resistance we can expect would be nice. I'm assuming 'All of it', but hey, optimism, yknow?"

[Lentrax]

The woman's mouth quirked again in a smile. This time, the smile seemed genuine. Ahh. Intelligence. So rare to find these days outside a corporate farm. Very well. Yes. This information is valuable. You cannot begin to conceive of what we are trying to move. And who we are hiding it from. Yes. We expect there to be quite a few forces arrayed against you. This is why we have hired so many teams from various locations to do this one job. The honest truth is, we do not know who exactly is running the forces arrayed against you, but they have considerable weight to throw around, and will certainly be throwing well equipped, professional mercs against you.

She turns to Lookout. Her eyes catch the light for just a moment, and the pupils react in a very inhuman manner. The silver lightning in her hair seems to writhe for a moment.

I am hiring you to keep anyone from getting ahold of the information in this case. Not to give you access to it yourselves. Perhaps you are not the team I am looking for to perform a simple courier job.

[CandyLaser]

"I still need more details. What sort of time limits are we looking at here? And are you really expecting us to just walk right in to an air force base? What assurances do we have that we'll be able to walk out of Lone Star's facility once we're there? Finally, of course - how much do we get paid?"

[Lentrax]

She chuckles at this.

I never said you were going into the base. Just to the front gate. So there is nothing to... get out of. As for your pay.... in addition to the 500 I promised you for listening to the offer, I am willing to pay you an additional 2000 nuyen.

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

"...could we go in if we wanted to? I wonder if they have a gift shop there!"

[Lentrax]

You could, but I doubt you would like the experience much. UCAS does not much appreciate people strolling into their domain.

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

Upon hearing that the army may not be rolling out a welcome mat for SINless Shadowrunners to come in and snap photos to their hearts content, Charles gives a bit of a noncommittal grunt, then begins to look around... "Ooooh! A vintage Shiraz! My favorite!"

Charles rushes over to one of the nearby food and drink trays and scoops up a normal sized glass that looks like a teacup in his huge hands. "Oh, this will ruin my diet... screw it, I'm on vacation!"

[CandyLaser]

"Two thousand isn't enough for this, not without a time frame and not up against the opposition you describe. Plus, I don't even know who most of these people are or what they can do."

[Cool Trash]

Banshee closes her comm after about twenty minutes. Clock was ticking, and fashionably late didn't really exist in the world of underground professionalism. She relents and asks the woman at the front desk, who hands her the keycard and points her in the direction of the elevator. She arrives less than two minutes before 8.

She sits down, nibbles on some cheese, and asks her technically-clothed server for a cup of tea. "Anything that's not black." she tells her, and watches her go. Banshee had an oft-confirmed suspicion that being a shadowrunner was lot more fun if you were into women. She turns to her potential employer, clad in a roman toga. Banshee would very much like to scoff at the woman for her massive and probably historically inaccurate indulgence, before remembering that she's in a factory made kimono. She keeps her judgement to herself.

Instead, Bansee surveys the competition. Guy with the datajacks probably isn't awakened, nor is the massive cybered out troll. The rest of them...assensing probably wasn't the best idea. This place could have watchers ready to shout at the slightest hint of an astral presence, or a dozen guardian spirits who take orders very literally. Best to just hope there wasn't a real mage around.

She stays silent during the initial conversation, to get a feel for things. She follows up after the Ork and the elf. "Not to be rude, but I'm inclined to agree. 2000 isn't half what it costs for a basic DocWagon contract-add to that cost of bullets, summoning materials, chems, and medical costs from potential injury-we incur expenses taking these jobs on, same as you. This is especially true if you have no intel whatsoever on who will be coming to stop us, and it's especially true if you expect us to deliver it to the gates of law enforcement. I mean, I own a mask, but of course DNA is so easy to grab these days..."

"Naturally, this isn't me saying no. But if you want a team of qualified shadowrunners, you should realize that the people you're looking to hire understand the worth of their skillsets."

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Lookout mumbles "Datalock, lady, datalock. Couldn't access it if I wanted to." Whatever. Lady wanted to keep her data on some fragile and archaic tech, that was up to her.

He just settled back and let the more social folks handle the negotiation. With a crew this big, somebody had to be the face, and it certainly wasn't him. Instead, he starts making plans for the run. Lucinda wasn't going to be able to hold this many people, not comfortably. The idiot troll certainly wasn't getting inside; he'd probably manage to break something important.

Maybe he could just strap the drive to Gabriella and fly it there? Nah, trigger-happy goons at Lone star would probably shoot her out of the sky.

Continuing hidden node search extended test: [roll0]
21 total hits.

[Lentrax]

Banshee gets the same all Latin response.

Your hostess sighs as you begin listing reasons for wanting more money. Not out of exasperation, but like she's heard it all before. The way she picks up her wine glass and reclines on the lounge chair. You get the feeling, that more than anything else, she is suddenly bored. She motions, and one of the girls comes over with a plate of fruit. You're surprised she isn't making impatient gestures with her free hand.

Tell me, she says as you finish. Her tone sounds much like the rest of her posture suggests. Bored. What it would cost for you to take this job. How long it takes you to delver this is not an issue... I am sure you will be well motivated to deliver it quickly. I don't know exactly how much of anything you will be going against. I am not playing you from the other side. I am not your adversary. A very subtle change in her legs positions, and she is no longer bored, but coiling herself, like a viper getting ready to strike.

She looks up and her eyes glint darkly again as a cold smile slowly spreads on her otherwise flawless features. And you do not want me to be so. Name your price.

[Space Lawyer]

"Name your price."

By this point, Lookout had any hidden node operating within mutual signal range spotted. And boy, that was a lot of nodes. The interesting ones were in this room though. Looks like the quiet elf over there wasn't joking about being able to hack a datalock. That was a nasty piece of hardware in her head. Best not to poke that too hard, or the various nodes happening in Johnson's area. This was her home, after all.

He sends a message to commlinks he could match with the team. Hopefully they'd all be running in AR. Of course, you could never tell with some and their weird attachment to meatspace.

Ok, folks. Time to negotiate. This that handsome ork sitting down over there. No, not the one with the shiny arm; the one with the shiny bits in his head. You can call me Lookout.

What do you all say? 1500 now, 2000 on completion, and an introduction to whoever does her work?

[Lokyar]

[Hello hello, you can call me Zero Rez or whatever amusing short form your hearts desire for the duration of our collaborative effort. I'm the one treating gravity like the option it should be. Your numbers sound fine but contacts are probably gonna be a hard sell, especially for the kind of people who work on her level. I'm somewhat inclined towards a show of simultaneous confidence and forward thinking. A 2,000 nuyen budget for the team for repairs and reloads at a discrete shop upon completion and preferential consideration for future jobs. The repairs make for a bonus based on resistance, and we get a foot in the door. Right now she doesn't know us from any ganger off the street, put on a good show and her people will be negotiating for an introduction to us.]

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

He watched the communiqué scroll across his shades, he nodded appreciatively at the sentiments being expressed, a certain degree of professionalism was being expressed, over and above Diner Club's awe struck tourist charade. His subvocal picked up the low growl in the back of his throat and tossed it into the conversation.

He looked over to the mage, shaman, whatever floating serenly above their benefactor's marbled tile and offered what little insight he had. 'The ork with the shiny arm is Panzer, omae. And I'm going to have to agree with our Rasputin over there, there's been some thought put into that, and our foot in the door is worth a freke of a lot more than an extra 1 or 2k. Plus this lady looks like she's a heartbeat away from having her spartan-themed black ops security step out from behind a couple columns and remove the trash from her presence.'

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

"Hello? HELLO? Is this thing on? I've never fired up one of these infernal things... CAN ANYONE HEAR ME? WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?" The troll's voice crackles through like an old man trying to yell into a pre-Matrix telephone.

"I've got a real hankering for some lunch. Jeff Preen from Diner's Platinum Club recommended this place off of the Strip that specializes in prawns cooked in a Cajun Asian fusion style!"

[CandyLaser]

Chanteuse. I talk and I shoot. I know about people. And I need some money. I say we ask for 3000 each plus 2000 for everyone for expenses. If she's dropping hundreds of thousands of nuyen on this, a few thousand more is a drop in the bucket.

[Cool Trash]

Banshee sighed internally. Damned muggles and their internal comms. She had a subvocal mic, but halting negotiations to mumble into your own throat was hardly a power play. She'd know from the pause we were discussing things, but that was all she needed to know. She leaned forward and folded her hands over her knees."Don't look submissive, but don't threaten and never glare", she'd been taught. Usually, with a Johnson, you also started high and worked your way down to what you actually deserved. This woman didn't seem in the mood for haggling.

"We'll take 4500, total, with 2000 up front. In addition, some of us would like access to a discrete repair shop after the job's done.That will settle the matter."

[Lentrax]

The woman's nostrils flared as she exhaled sharply.

Three thousand. Half up front. You cover your own repairs. We have so many decoys to keep your risk to a minimum.

[Cool Trash]

Huh. Okay, too bold on her part. "Deal. How do you want us to signal to your contacts at Nellis that we have the drive? ".

[Lentrax]

There is a drop off for deliveries at the facility. You just have to get it there.

[Kii]

Nova

"I would personally like an empty hard drive over nuyen..." Nova says as loudly as she dares, which is about as loudly as a kitten purring, before drifting back into programming.

[CandyLaser]

It's not exactly what I'd like but I'm going to go for it. Anyone else who's in should join me for a drink afterward so we can talk strategy. Chanteuse sent the message subvocally, looking intently at their would-be employer. "That'll have to do. Can't speak for anyone else but I'm in."

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Hmm. That would bring the total for tonight up to 3500. It wouldn't cover any new toys, and he'd have to make sure not to let anyone get too damaged, but at least he'd make rent and be able to eat next month. With the way Johnson was acting, it didn't seem like they'd be getting any more out of this deal either. Ah well, maybe he'd be able to pick up something nice from whoever was going against them.

"Yeah, I'm in. Sounds like it'll be a pleasant drive through the city and countryside."

He briefly considers exploring Johnson's electronic abode a bit more thoroughly, but decides against. Never piss of the Johnson, especially not in their home, and even more especially not when said home is in the middle of a casino with an army of some of the best security money can buy.

Sure, sounds good. Lets get somewhere out of the Strip. This place is bad news for people like us.

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5


Three thousand. Half up front. You cover your own repairs. We have so many decoys to keep your risk to a minimum.

Kilian's thick lip pulled up over his tusks in a smile that looked more like a snarl. He nodded at their benefactor, "Sounds like that's your final offer, and all things being considered it sounds good enough to me. Like Red over there, I'm in."

He filed away the information for later perusal, a slip of language seemed to imply that the decoys were to keep this team safe. He shrugged, figuring it was far more valuable to the technophiles, but he was starting to think that they were going to be carrying the real deal, not that they knew what it was.

He thumbed his comm, subvocalizing a response that his comm converted into text that was transmitted to the other's comm's. 'Drinks are good with me, omae. Still looking for that whiskey, and my throat's parched.'

[Lentrax]

Nova

"I would personally like an empty hard drive over nuyen..." Nova says as loudly as she dares, which is about as loudly as a kitten purring, before drifting back into programming.

Things might be able to be arranged... Thought the cost is probably more than a little out of your range...


It's not exactly what I'd like but I'm going to go for it. Anyone else who's in should join me for a drink afterward so we can talk strategy. Chanteuse sent the message subvocally, looking intently at their would-be employer. "That'll have to do. Can't speak for anyone else but I'm in."

A fake pout clouds over her face. Aww, disappointed you don't get exactly what you want? I'd like to deliver this data without having to resort to hiring out so many teams of decoys. But we don't live in a world where we get our wants, do we?


Lookout

Hmm. That would bring the total for tonight up to 3500. It wouldn't cover any new toys, and he'd have to make sure not to let anyone get too damaged, but at least he'd make rent and be able to eat next month. With the way Johnson was acting, it didn't seem like they'd be getting any more out of this deal either. Ah well, maybe he'd be able to pick up something nice from whoever was going against them.

"Yeah, I'm in. Sounds like it'll be a pleasant drive through the city and countryside."

He briefly considers exploring Johnson's electronic abode a bit more thoroughly, but decides against. Never piss of the Johnson, especially not in their home, and even more especially not when said home is in the middle of a casino with an army of some of the best security money can buy.

Sure, sounds good. Lets get somewhere out of the Strip. This place is bad news for people like us.

A word of warning for your pleasant drive. Be sure to update your maps of Vegas. Lone Star and local PD is expanding the size of the free combat zones. Don't get caught somewhere help won't go.


Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5



Kilian's thick lip pulled up over his tusks in a smile that looked more like a snarl. He nodded at their benefactor, "Sounds like that's your final offer, and all things being considered it sounds good enough to me. Like Red over there, I'm in."

He filed away the information for later perusal, a slip of language seemed to imply that the decoys were to keep this team safe. He shrugged, figuring it was far more valuable to the technophiles, but he was starting to think that they were going to be carrying the real deal, not that they knew what it was.

He thumbed his comm, subvocalizing a response that his comm converted into text that was transmitted to the other's comm's. 'Drinks are good with me, omae. Still looking for that whiskey, and my throat's parched.'

Glad you're in. Who wants the case? I'd prefer it to be you honestly. The contents of this case are not to be gone through. Oh, that reminds me.

A wolfish smile graces her features.

The case is rigged with several charges. Tampering with the case and attempting to force the locks sets off all the charges. One in the drive, a claymore in the case, and a third is an EMP. I wouldn't put your abilities to the test with this... her watch beeps.

Someone just tried to open their case. Looks like there are a few thousand Nuyen I don't have to pay...

[Space Lawyer]

A word of warning for your pleasant drive. Be sure to update your maps of Vegas. Lone Star and local PD is expanding the size of the free combat zones. Don't get caught somewhere help won't go.

"Top-of-the-line mapsoft, my magnanimous employer. Already got it covered, though thank you for the warning."

Someone just tried to open their case. Looks like there are a few thousand Nuyen I don't have to pay...

Lookout cracks a grin. "Guess we'll just have to impress you with our speed and professionalism then, and take their no-longer-claimed cut as a performance bonus."

[Lentrax]

Lookout cracks a grin. "Guess we'll just have to impress you with our speed and professionalism then, and take their no-longer-claimed cut as a performance bonus."

Oh, no. I don't pay you for other people's stupidity. They received the same warning you did. If you were to somehow know that what you were carrying was in fact the real thing, and you tried to use that information to your benefit, I would congratulate you on finding out such a well kept secret. Her smile fades and her face grows serious, as she holds her hand up, revealing to you just how sharp her nails actually are. A low menacing growl accompanies her next sentence. Then I would make sure that the few thousand Nuyen I were paying you for the job goes to me and the laborious task of refurbishing my home.

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout maintains the jovial facade, but the animalistic behavior has started to make him nervous. He blips out another message. If any of you happen to have some mojo, taking a look at our host on the astral would be appreciated. Something isn't quite right about her.

[Lokyar]

Sim suppresses a shudder at the suggestion of checking the woman's astral signal. [I avoid the astral when I can. Bad experience, and if she figured out what I was doing I imagine she'd subject me to a worse one. If anyone else wants to try, lemme know how that turns out for ya.]

"If it's all the same to the rest of you, I'd be willing to put myself on carry duty. I've got my own heavily armored ride and lookout, both semi-aut; I don't need my hands to defend myself; and quite frankly when things go sideways if there's a metahuman alive that could catch me in a footrace I haven't met them.

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Kilian nodded as the dim messages floated through his augmented reality, like cigarette smoke drifting lazily towards the ceiling. He smiled, that almost feral smile, as their mysterious host volunteered him as the courier, and then when Zero spoke up he chuckled, kid had confidence. He'd learned a long time ago that there's always someone stronger, faster, more ruthless, learning that though, but sometimes the learning of the lesson is painful.

He slowly flexed the burnished chrome and myomer polymers that were now his right arm as memory slid across his thoughts.

"If the kid wants to play the courier, I ain't gonna argue, unless our beautiful benefactor objects. What I do wanna know is this, Nellis is just up the I-15 North, bout 20 minutes or so from here. Now, thirty decoys, without a time frame, how many of them just wandered up that primary corridor?" He paused a moment before continuing, the thumb of his left hand running down a small scar on his chin, "And that one team, were they amateur enough to crack the case, or did they get geeked and somebody else do it for them? We got any details on the other teams routes so we can avoid them and make our opposition split their attention?"

[Lentrax]

Oh, dear boy. Do you really think I would go to all this trouble just to have everyone go to the same place? And are you also naive enough to assume they all picked up Thier cases here?

She chuckled, a throaty melodic thing that echoed in your ears.

No, I've been in this business long enough to know not to make amateur mistakes like that.

[Cool Trash]

Yeah, that figured. Asking whether or not you could trust a Johnson was irrelevant. They gave you a job; if you suspected something, you either ignored it and risked getting screwed or walked and risked your other contacts giving up on you. Though it did raise the question of why this woman bothered being so very offended by their counter-offer if she'd known beforehand what they were going to ask for. Hell, Banshee's demands were less audacious than what most of them suggested. Then again, chances were good they were running a decoy and therefore not worth the paycheck either way.

She rattled her jaw and spoke directly into her subvocal mic. "I take it that's our cue to move out?"

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Let me guess, Mr. Floats. You've got some hot-**** speed machine, with lots of bright colors and loud sounds. Sure, take the case. Just make sure to stay in comms range so we know where to come pick up the case when you get geeked.

But yeah, lets move out. Lady, you pick the bar.

[CandyLaser]

Let's stay in the Palace. If the opposition is as tough as our host says, I'd rather not travel unnecessarily. How about Searsucker? Unspoken, but very much on Chanteuse's mind, was the prospect that the man who called himself Zero Res had volunteered to take the drive simply so that he could pull at fast one on the rest of the newly-assembled team. She was happy to let him carry to package, but that didn't mean she was going to let him out of her sight until she'd had a chance to get a read on him.

[Lokyar]

[Hah, frag that. What I have is a custom A.V with a tank-class shredder. Fast enough to avoid the gutter runners, strong enough to put a hole in the big boys.]

Gracefully shifting back into a standing position he rolled forward to retrieve the briefcase, offering a grin and a slight bow to their client before turning back to the rest of the group. "I've got my ride cruising around the general area, once we have a route I'll give it a rendezvous order."

[Space Lawyer]

[Whatever you say.]

Lookout stands up, unnecessarily straightening his jacket. "Well then, Ms. Johnson. As soon as those funds hit our accounts, and the rest hit an escrow account, we'll be off. It has been a pleasure doing business with you."

As he said this, Lookout immediately launched into a data search. There was something absolutely wrong about their employer, and he was going to find out what it was before it bit him on the ass. He had a clear picture of her, and people this powerful tended to show up in photos. There also couldn't be that many people with homes inside a casino.

Data Search (Extended, 1 minute): [roll0]

[Cool Trash]

Banshee gets up to leave as well. No point in growling into her throat. She turns to the one who called himself Rez. "You and whoever goes with you, I'll be following on the astral. I can't cast any spells from there to the meatspace, but if let me know your route ahead of time, I can scout a couple blocks ahead, do some assensing, see if I find anyone readying for a fight. I can also summon up a spirit when things get hairy or cave the skulls in of any spirits they might have ready."

[Kii]

Nova moves from her corner back to the elevator.

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

The large ork got up, pushing off from the divan with his right hand, as he reached down and grabbed his briefcase, he nodded at the seated woman, looking at her in her finery he couldn't help but think of a painted Queen who deceived and seduced the King of Israel, Ahab, away from his faith.

"By your leave ..." and with that he back away from their contact towards the elevator, three large steps back before turning and walking to the elevator with the others, "Someone mentioned whiskey right? Would hit the spot right about now."

[Lentrax]

Your funds will be available. I will send word to the cashiers office upon receipt of your keycards.

As you turn to leave, she calls after you, just as the elevator doors close. Good luck.

The doors close and you begin your descent.

The woman walks over to a table, and pulls out a link.

They just left. Start Phase One.

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Lookout relaxes a bit once they're in the elevator. Their host was extremely abnormal, and the lack of information about her only made him more nervous. Someone with the kinds of funds she seemed to have access to usually showed up, if nothing more than a name and a picture on a corporate site. Possible options included her being a pure black-ops Johnson, just as much a deniable asset to the corp as they were, only existing to hire runners and shuttle funds.

Damn it. The only option was to call Lorenzo. He'd be schmoozing somewhere right now, and certainly wouldn't stop to pick up a call from Lookout, but it would be worth to at least leave a message. [Hey Lorenzo. I'm on a job, and I was hoping you might have met our employer, or know someone who had. [PICTURE]. She was working out something called the Scriptorium in Caesar's Palace tonight. No Matrix record of it or her. She seems to have a lot of money to throw around. Oh, and I'm thinking she isn't necessarily metahuman. Too much growling and pointy nails. Leaning towards shapeshifter or possibly a new Great on the scene.]

With that done, he turns his attention back to the team. "So, I've got a van, and I do my best work in it. How's this for a partial plan? Me, our hacker (what should we call you, by the way), and mojo lady (didn't catch your name either), we hang about a klick back from Res. We can provide coverage in meatpsace, Matrix, and astral simultaneously. Chrome Arm, you, the troll, and Chanteuse take lead. If anybody gives us trouble, you'll be the best to either shoot or talk us out of it."

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

At Lookout's suggestion, Charles interrupts "Happy to take point... but point to where? Are we going to roll up the I-15? Cruise down Las Vegas Boulevard from here to there? Seems wasteful, passing up great sight-seeing opportunities... not to mention drawing watchful eyes. Here..."

Charles pulls out half a dozen small maps and brochures, with countless scribbles and hand-made notes on it, mostly unintelligible for you to glance at. "Here's everything I've been able to collect on the area from Sally and Jeff. Now... which way would be the least likely route, the one most difficult for any opposing runners to track us, the one that would be the hardest to do an effective perimeter for..."

<see OOC thread for Area Knowledge roll>

[CandyLaser]

"Who the hell are Sally and Jeff? No, wait, don't tell me - I don't care. Doesn't matter. You do realize this is a job, right, and not a vacation? Because if you stop to smell the ****ing roses I will leave you behind, and if you put my life or my payday in danger I will shoot you in the face." There was a time for cool, unemotional professionalism, and there was a time for blunt direct statements. Judging from Charles's apparent social ineptness, Chanteuse thought he rated the latter. She wasn't angry, and she wasn't exactly making a threat, either, just stating the facts as she saw them.

She then turned her attention back to Lookout. "Leaving aside my issues with the tourist here, I think that plan sounds good. I have a bike, so I can stay on the move and scout things out. I think simple plans are best, and this one leaves us room to improvise if and when things go off the rails."

[Cool Trash]

Banshee made it a point to stand as far as she could from the red-haired woman in the leather jacket. She'd been put through a few years of negotiation and arbitration classes, but she couldn't quite remember at which point they had taught her not to threaten cybered-up trolls in a moving steel box with several other people in it. She felt it was probably fairly early on-maybe week 2 or 3.
She turned to the group. "SO...Mojo girl is a bit too informal for a business dealing. You can call me Black Banshee; I'm an astral security and counterspelling specialist. As for the Lone Starr subject, I assume they're not going to be fielding calls for us. Or if they are, they'll arrive fashionably late, since we're delivering to them. I mean, we'll have to still be careful to pick a delivery route that's not too obvious or doesn't step on the toes of the Mafia or the Triad or whatever. And of course, whoever does the drop off is probably going to want an escape plan too. I figure you guys could probably pull up some traffic data, reported muggings, etc., find the quickest safest route with a couple data analyses?"

[Kii]

Nova finally drops her focus off of coding right after they enter the elevator.

"Nova. You can call me Nova." she says at what is arguably the loudest speaking volume she's used today, roughly what is called an "indoor voice".

"I prefer to get most of my hacking done through direct link." she taps the fiber-optic cable she keeps in a small spool haphazardly hidden under her coat as she says this, "But if need be I can do almost as much over wireless, it's just a lot less reliable."

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Lookout cracks a small grin with the mention of data analysis. "Yeah, I can sift through the data to figure out a safe route. In fact, you might say it's a specialty of mine. I'll need some time though, and preferably a comfy place to sit."

He looks over at Nova. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm not thinking there'll be a lot of opportunity to plug in during this run though. We've gotta keep moving. Don't worry though. nobody will be messing with your signal while I'm around. Speaking of that though, I'm going to need commcodes from everybody. I'll be tracking you through through your link. Easier to coordinate that way, and keep you alive."

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Panzer shifted his attention to Lookout as the man began to speak, he smirked at the 'chrome arm' comment, "Oi, chummer. I specifically stayed away from the chrome options, burnished steel and matte black, course it's stylized, and on account of it looking like a relic from a war nobody either remembers, or cares about, my mates call me Panzer."

As Chanteuse stepped up towards Charles, the smirk became a toothy grin as the woman, in a display of fiery aggression, expressed the sentiments that he himself felt. Wordlessly he stepped beside her in a show of support for her statement of fact. The troll didn't respond, the conversation continued to flow, but the tension hadn't yet drained from the small group.

"As for escort and convoy positions, I'm on foot, easier for me to slip a tail that way, and I came to the meet expecting negotiations and planning, not an immediate start. I'd like some heavier iron if things go south, what say those of us who are ready to run stay at the lounge, and those who need to gear up meet back in a few?"

He flipped a AR switch and broadcast his CMT Clip's commcodes to Lookout, trusting the man to network their communications and keep the team co-ordinated. "So, since Chanteuse has her bike and can circle around, Charles and I are what, on foot, we'd blend into the strip, especially with his tourist bit, but it'd slow down the delivery, though it may be safer that way too, allows us more response time, allows our opposition more set up time though, it's like walking a tight rope blindfolded not knowing who's hungry for that briefcase."

[Lokyar]

"Banshee ghosting out the lead and the cavalry right behind me? Heck, feels like I'm hardly doing anything with that kind of coverage." As he spoke he'd been tapping at his AR display to issue commands to his drones. "Stark will be waiting for us by the parking lot when we're ready and Buggy's keeping an eye on the lobby in case someone gets an early tip on us. Forwarding my and their signal codes, you've all been given Tier 5 command priority. Basically if it doesn't countermand standing orders or risk my or their safety they'll probably take your orders under advisement. And if you think you can plot out a good route I'll follow your lead on that."

[Fast Jimmy]

"Who the hell are Sally and Jeff? No, wait, don't tell me - I don't care. Doesn't matter. You do realize this is a job, right, and not a vacation? Because if you stop to smell the ****ing roses I will leave you behind, and if you put my life or my payday in danger I will shoot you in the face." There was a time for cool, unemotional professionalism, and there was a time for blunt direct statements. Judging from Charles's apparent social ineptness, Chanteuse thought he rated the latter. She wasn't angry, and she wasn't exactly making a threat, either, just stating the facts as she saw them.

"I work to live, my tiny elvish friend. I don't live to work. I use Running to pay for my vacations and my..." Charles gestures to his litany of cyberware enhancements, "...souveniers. If you are concerned about my ability to get a job done and keep my co-workers safe in the process, know that I do well enough to afford all this and not make enemies that prevent me from doing little more than hunkering down in a basement somewhere."


"So, since Chanteuse has her bike and can circle around, Charles and I are what, on foot, we'd blend into the strip, especially with his tourist bit, but it'd slow down the delivery, though it may be safer that way too, allows us more response time, allows our opposition more set up time though, it's like walking a tight rope blindfolded not knowing who's hungry for that briefcase."

"Agreed. I'd prefer to be on foot. You get more of a "feel" for the city!" Charles has a big grin. Considering he's a ten foot troll, a grin that big looks flat out scary. "Plus, I move better on my feet."

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

The elevator dings on the lounge floor. "That all sounds like a good plan to me. Never was one for walking when I could be riding myself, but hey, you do you. We'll be waiting here when you get back with whatever heat you want to pack."

Lookout steps out the elevator, already lost in his own mind. He pulled up the mapsoft, got a quick update, and rapidly planned a route through the city. Wouldn't be able to go through that particular neighborhood it looked like; all-out go-gang war happening right now.

No idea if this is the right way to go about it, but I think this calls for a Navigation test: [roll0]

[Lentrax]

You made your plans. You grabbed your cash.

You got ready to go. You had a drink. Or two. Maybe even dropped a nuyen or two in a slot machine. But regardless, you had to leave the casino sometime. Whether to pick up gear, or to actually attempt the job.

Killian got a half a block down the street. With a squeal of tires, and a blaring horn, a car ran off the street and plowed into the crowd. Screams of panic erupted as people began dying. But the car missed Killian by about a meter.

Charles saw the event happen.

Lookout made it to the garage, and watched as gas poured in from the sewers beneath the street.

Chantuese made it to her bike. She pulled out, and saw the glittering lights of the Strip.

Zero Res happens to have drones in position to see both the speeding car and gas streaming from a nearby garage.

Banshee was still sitting inside Caesar's, unaware that anything was happening.

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

Charles watches the car plow into the crowd, feeling helpless as the scene unfolds. He fumbles with his Commlink, yelling "The ork damn near just got plowed over in the street in front of the hotel!"

Charles runs over to the accident as fast as his body can take him, seeing if Killian or anyone else is hurt. He also looks in the car, to see who (or what) is inside it.

Sprinting Check - (Running) Reflex Recorder (1) + (Athletics) Reflex Recorder (1) + Strength (10) + Muscle Augmentation (2) + Running Skill Rating (4) + Synthcardium (3) [roll0] 25m + 2m*each hit

First Aid - Logic (1) + First Aid Skill Rank (1) [roll1]

(Visual) Perception - Intelligence (1) + (Visual) Perception Skill Rank (3) [roll2]

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

As soon as he sees the gas, Lookout leaps into the van and slams the door. He sets a course for the front door of Caesar's, then clambers into the back. Rummaging around comes up with a respirator.

"The ork damn near just got plowed over in the street in front of the hotel!"

"We've got more problems! There's some sort of gas coming up from the sewers." Lookout immediately re-tasks the Fly-spy to Panzer and Charles' location. Yep, there was car and lots of people running about.

"Something is going down here, and I'm not feeling like sticking around to find out what. Lone Star and every other goon squad will have this place locked down in five minutes. Banshee, Nova, I'm coming hot. As soon as I pull up, get yourselves in. Everyone else, get out of the area as fast as possible. Try to take different routes if you can. Rendezvous 2km down the planned route."

Corporate Security: [roll0]

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Killian whispered a small thank you that he had invested in the headware, and bodyware, his co-processor tracked the sedan as it swerved towards the sidewalk, the super conductors in his spine let him throw his body towards the barrier's the protected the glass and steel front of the casino's from occurrences exactly like this. He maneuvered to a better vantage point, trying to assess the damage to the vehicle, either this was a distraction, or a hit squad would be exiting the vehicle in short order, and he did NOT want to give them a clear line of fire.

He broadcast through his CMT to the group's networked comm's, "Seven civvies down, moving into position to check the driver, be cauti ...", he paused as Lookout relayed more information, "... gas from sewer grates? What the freke?! They got us this fast, or is our Queen of Hearts setting us up?"

Going to roll an Initiative Test, since my Wireless Reflexes aren't activated, no additional Initiative Passes for me. Initiative rating is also 10(12) rather than the 10(14) it would be with Wired active. [roll0], 5 successes, so my Initiative this round would be 17. I'll also be trying to see into the vehicle to see if the driver and, or, passengers are exiting with ill intentions. With Rtg 3 Vision Enhancement & Attention Co-processor my Visual Perception Pool would be 15. [roll1], 8 successes, hopefully enough to figure out what's going on, he'd also be paying attention to the crowd looking for a professional from an unexpected approach vector.

[CandyLaser]

"I don't think this is a coincidence. If our opposition is willing to run down civvies to get to us, then our best move is to get going now and go quick as we can. A question for later: how the hell does anyone know to come after us so soon?" As Chanteuse spoke, she was weaving through traffic. "We should stay together after the rendezvous. Everyone keep your eyes open, and stay on comms." She didn't look back at the scene of carnage from the crash, opting instead to use the chaos to cover her exit as she moved toward Lookout's proposed rendezvous point.

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

With a whir of fans, Gabriella lifts off the top of the van. Lookout ties her into the tacnet and launches the program. If anyone was trying to get at the team, or box them in, he would see it coming.

"No way is this just targeted at us. Something like this takes time to prepare. We've either been set up, or our employer has a serious intelligence leak."

The van comes squealing up in front of the casino. "Ok, I'm outside in the black van. Haul ass!"

Running tacnet rating 2 with Lookout, Fly-Spy, rotodrone, and van.

[Kii]

Nova hurries out of the casino and into the van, making sure to have put on her shades before she leaves.

[Lokyar]

"Oh drek, drek, drek. Are you serious? We haven't even left the fraggin' building! Buggy, return. Stark, emergency route adjustment."

The small hovering drone flew towards Sim as the camo spell he'd placed over it fell away, landing on his shoulder as he mumbled a quick focusing mantra and reapplied the spell over himself. As his form began to fade slightly he turned his 'second skin' ballistic armored suit to an opaque dark gray.

When Lookout called out to them that their ride had arrived Sim quickly made his way to it. "I'll trade out to Stark when we get clear in case we need to split up later."


Dropping the Physical Camo spell on Buggy to recast on myself, still at Force 2 so Buying Hits on Spellcasting and Drain check.

[Lentrax]

The inside of the car is a mess. The driver, or at least the person in the driver's seat, does not appear to be moving. The passenger in the rear appears to be weakly moving, but Panzer recognizes the twitching as that belonging to a dead person's last neural activity. Without opening up the car though, it is unclear if this were intentional or an accident.

There is not much to do for it, except to leave. NGC authorities are already calling in the accident, and about a thousand people are calling Lone Star on their commlinks.

Its time to get out of there! The question is... which way do you go?

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

"I hope I'm using this damn thing right..." Charles mutters under his breath. "Panzer and I are in front of the car, about to get more heat than a Aztlan chili pepper!" Charles see Lookout squeal in front of the casino and climbs in to the back of the black van. "Where we going, white collar?"

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

As the van slid past the wreckage, Kilian yanked the door open, hopped inside, took one last like out at the crowd and slammed it shut. "Freke'ing hell!!! We couldn't have drawn attention already, somebody has been watching our lady of shadows, and her god damn Scriptorium! Driver's geeked, 'chum in the back is flopping around like a fish, dead, but his body just don't want to give it up just yet." He took a deep breath, calmed himself, replayed the events, "Probably some low level exec, car wasn't anything special, but you don't let your omae drive while you sit in the back, so company driver or something similar."

He set his briefcase down in his lap, pulled it open, and began detaching the outer briefcase housing, revealing a small bullpup design smg, with an attached folding stock. "Since things are heading south, we may as well be ready to go loud." With that he knelt by the back window, and watched for a tail.

Perception Check [roll0], with an additional 3 dice pool due to my Rtg 3 Vision Enhancement built into my shades. [roll1]. Hopefully a good enough check to determine if the van is being followed as we pull out. 9 Hits on Base Perception, 11 total for Visual Perception. Wooo! Good roll!

[CandyLaser]

Chanteuse didn't want to get too far away from her new team, so she kept things slow as she drove on her bike. Eyes open, she thought. I'll give Perception a shot too. [roll0], plus [roll1] insofar as this is a visual or auditory test.

[Lentrax]

The van heads out. Going just fast enough to be able to drive through the slog of traffic on the Strip, but not fast enough to be drawing attention, you start heading north.

After a couple blocks, you pull off onto a sidestreet. then you take a couple twists and turns to try and shake off pursuit. After you think you've gotten them off you, you start heading north again. Your route is supposed to void all the free fire zones, but there's always a chance that you'll end up running into a go gang, or a group of boosters, or maybe even some cybered-up psychopath.

And of course, there is always the chance you would run into all three.

The bikes pulled out from a block that looks like it had seen better days, and that was probably even before half of it was on fire. Six of them, chrome exhausts and trim glittering in the streetlights that were still on. At least one of them wasn't wearing a helmet as you seeing the light reflecting of a chrome plate on his head.

Panzer noticed them first, still a block behind, but their bikes could probably go a hell of a lot faster than you.

Then they gunned it, jumping ahead toward you, gaining fast.

And they probably were not going to be very friendly when they caught up to you.

Everyone: Roll initiative.
HG: Your perception grants you one pass.

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

"Going to VR." Lookout said, his body going limp. He jumped into Lucinda, and felt his turrets spin to life. Gabrielle was in the sky right above them, and Rocco and Rollo were ready to go. These gangers were about to have a very bad day.

Hot-sim matrix initiative with DNI tacnet bonus: [roll0]

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

Charles, seeing the upcoming danger, pulls out his ArmTech MGL 12 and loads a grenade into it, prepping for impact.

Initiative - Reaction (5) + Intuition (1) + Wired Reflexes (2) + Reaction Enhancers (2) [roll0]

[CandyLaser]

"Company's coming, and here I am without my party dress." She had her bike, and her taser - and that was about it. Not the sort of gear you'd want for a running firefight with a bunch of go-gangers. Chanteuse pulled ahead of the van, putting it between her and the bikers. No sense catching stray bullets. [roll0]

[Kii]

"****." Nova curses as she finishes loading her PSK.


If I recall correctly it's reaction+intuition. So [roll0]

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

As he tracked the movement of the six targets immediately visible, he flipped a switch in his PAN, calling up his Vegas Mapsoft, which neatly overlaid their current position and upcoming intersections in the upper right corner of his field of vision. With a roaring thunder of custom tooled exhausted, their pursuers surged ahead, closing the distance quickly, Panzer krik'd his neck, with a loud pop that echoed in the close confines of the van, he triggered his wired reflexes, as boosters fired neural impulses along his heavily modified spinal columns, he felt a wave of electricity wash over him, the hair on his meat arm stood up as time slide away, each passing second stretching into minutes of perceived time.

Initiative Check, with one free Pass from my initial Perception check, and Three Passes from my Wired Rank 2, that's a total of 4 Passes. My initiative check will be [roll0]. Wicked. Means I will probably roll like drek in actual combat, but ten hits means my initiative score will be 24 with 4 Passes. Also, see the OCC thread for some Area Knowledge / Gang Knowledge checks to try to figure out who these guys are.

[Lokyar]

"Well, that was fast."

Pulling out his Equalizer he looked towards Panzer with a grin. "You got a gunport in this thing?"


Initiative Passes: 4
[roll0]
Initiative Score: 13

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Kilian nodded his head back towards Lookout, the ork slumped in the driver's seat of the van. "Lookout's ride, omae, not mine. I know we're both orks but the similarities end there." He paused for effect, throwing a friendly smile despite the firefight that was rapidly closing on them, "Don't be that guy ..."

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

"No, no gun ports." comes the reply through the van's speakers. "Lean out the side door or open the back. Just keep out of the way of the drones down there." A short pause. "Is that a FRIGGIN GRENADE LAUNCHER IN MY VAN!?!" Lookout wistfully recalls a conversation he had with his mechanic. No, he didn't need ejection seats. Nobody was going to be getting into the van that needed to be so forcefully removed.

Whatever. First things first, and that meant turning these goons into pink mist. Ah, it was just like the sunny days of his youth.

One of his turrets roars to life, spitting out a hail of lead into the bikers. Then he took to the skies, jumping into Gabriella.

Suppressive fire with LMG (6P damage) (Sensor 2 + Gunnery 3 + Control Rig + Hot-sim): [rollv]9d6[rollv]
Free action to jump into rotodrone.

[Kii]

Nova, taking several deep breaths and repeating a mantra in binary, drops into a near-trance.


just doing full-defense full-dodge this round.

[Lokyar]

Sim raised his hands in faux surrender. "Sorry man, still learning faces and intro to the ride was a little hectic."

Reorienting his personal gravity towards the ceiling to clear out space and get a better angle he found a spot to hang onto and looked down to their heavily armed tourist. "Hey Charlie, can you get the door? I'll start popping heads and treads once I have a clear bead."

While he waited for the firing lane to clear he popped off a quick message to Stark with a more up to date location and requesting an ETA for sensor range.


Shift position to the ceiling using levitate
Free: Request Sensor ETA from Stark(I need a third set of sensors for my TacNet since no one else in the group is linked into mine, and they'd have to slave their system to mine to do so which I doubt anyone's willing to do just yet)

Once door is open:
Sustained Enhance Aim automagically reduces range increment by 2 degrees, allowing attacks up to 30m without range penalty and up to 50 at -1.
Simple: Long Wide Burst(-5 to their dice pool to avoid; 5 Recoil Compensation negates -5 Recoil) at nearest biker
[roll0] (3 hits)
Simple: Short Wide Burst(-2 to their dice pool to avoid; 5 Recoil Compensation negates -2 Recoil and -1 second shot recoil; -2 dice pool for second target) at second nearest biker
[roll1] (5 hits)

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

As the gangers closed, Kilian drew a non descript poncho over his lined coat, and with a mental switch through his comm, he triggered the embedded ruthenium polymers in the cahm cloak as he pulled open the side window. Kneeling beside the window, the polymers struggled to keep him concealed among the pools of light from the intermittent streetlights, the asphalt, and the side of the black van. He kneeled on the floor of the van, two counterweights extending from his massive forearm, his arm didn't move at all as the van speed along the road, drawing careful aim on the lead bike.

He paused, accessed the trajectory and other information on relative speeds that was being feed into his contacts through the Protectors smartlink. He targetted chrome domes lead tire, and squeezed the trigger firing a long burst at the tire, hoping to disable their leaders bike, and evade pursuit without a drawn out conflict.

With my first Free pass, based on my perception check, I will activate my ruthenium polymer cloak (Free action), open the side window (Simple Action), and spend my additional Simple Action to do the aim action adding an additional die to my Firearms test.

Agility 9, Automatics Skill 7, SMG Specialization 2, Smart Link 2, Aim Action 1, Narrow Burst (-9), Recoil Comp w/ Cyberarm Stabilization (9), Called Shot (-4), Firing from Vehicle (-3), Firing from Cover (-2), total Dice Pool of 12. [roll0] Called SHot effect will target and destroy the tire, which should cause significant issues for a motorcycle. Hopefully. Damage will be 14P before hits due to Long Burst. 3 Hits, 1 Edge to re-roll any non-Hit dice (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20077893&postcount=83), for an additional 2 hits. Final DV is 18P vs Chrome Dome's front tire.

[Fast Jimmy]

Charles, Yuppy Tourist/Troll Melee Street Samurai

Upon hearing Sim ask about the door, the Hawaiian-shirt-clad troll goes up to the door. For some reason, he has trouble fiddling with the handle, but eventually manages to get it open. Finally getting the hack door open, he surveys the incoming bikers and braces for impact.

Put the line about struggling with the handle in due to the zero Initiative hits. Going to take full Dodge at his point until we get a better bead on who is coming for us and where. Charles doesn't want to shoot a grenade in the middle of traffic unless he's sure he will be hitting mostly hostile targets.

Ranged Dodge - Reaction (5) + Reaction Enhancers (2) + Wired Reflexes (2) [roll0]

[Lentrax]

Panzer was the first to open fire, followed shortly by Sim.

In the first seconds of the firefight, a tire blows out, causing "Chrome Dome" to fall out of the chase.

The other bikers spread out, attempting to avoid their own bikes from getting hit. The move mostly works, and only a headlight gets shot out from one of the other bikes.

The bikes continue to surge forward, and the turret opens up. With a shift up onto the sidewalk, the biker lets a parked car take the bullets for him.

Once they are close enough, the bikers pull out their own weapons and start opening fire at the van, attempting to take out the tires. But, while showers of sparks shoot out from the concrete of the street and from the steel plating in the wheel wells of the van, nothing happens.

End of IP1. Post for IP2.
Area is the edge of a free combat zone, it seems that things are expanding out, and the area, while its residential, appears to already be a war zone.

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Time for you all to become red streaks on the pavement now.

Lookout takes command of Lucinda's guns again, opening a long burst into the nearest biker. He then flits into Rocco, and orders Gabriella to open up on the same biker if he is still moving, and he next nearest one if he isn't.

Lucinda: Remote controlled LMG long wide burst: [roll0]
Gabriella: Autonomous short wide burst [roll1]

[CandyLaser]

The pop-pop-pop of gunfire sounded from behind Chanteuse, and she risked a glance back at the oncoming gangers. There wasn't much to see, with the van in the way, and the rushing wind as they drove made the gunshots sound artificially distant. "Anyone hurt?" she asked, over the commlinks. "If not, I'll keep an eye open to make sure we're not being driven into a trap."

Observe in detail: [roll0]

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Kilian watched as the drones reduced two more of the gangers to grease spots on the rain slicked roadway. Even through the neuro-chem acceleration, he was able to focus, there was no need to continue this. He turned around, looking towards Nova, "Any chance you can patch us through to their comms? We may as well give them an out, no need to geek gangers. No profit in it for us."

[Lokyar]

Popping off another quick burst at a ganger creeping closer he quickly switched over to his secondary clip before responding.

"I'll stop shooting at them when they stop shooting at me, and not a moment sooner."

Having said that he once again began unloading shells all over the road in the hopes that something would pop and remove another problem from his immediate concern.


Sustained Enhance Aim automagically reduces range increment by 2 degrees, allowing attacks up to 30m without range penalty and up to 50 at -1.
Simple: Short Wide Burst(-2 to their dice pool to avoid; 5 Recoil Compensation negates -2 Recoil) at second nearest biker
[roll0] (3 hits, -2 to target's dodge pool)

Free: Switch to second clip

Simple: Long Wide Burst(-5 to their dice pool to avoid; 5 Recoil Compensation negates -5 Recoil; -1 second shot recoil; -2 dice pool for second target) at nearest biker
[roll1] (2 hits, -5 to target's dodge pool)

[Kii]

"Shouting at them might be easier, hacking takes time and finesse." Nova says, "but if you insist just give me a moment to set up." As she finishes, she hooks her cable into her data jack and simdeck.

[Lentrax]

Lucinda opens up with a burst of rounds. Not a single one misses their target. You have time to notice that you'll probably need to adjust some targeting software, because the grouping is off. A round to the right shoulder, one through the carotid, left eye, center of mass. Poor bastard just kinda sighs and falls off his bike.

More bullets, more blood. The last biker, the one smart enough to use the sidewalk and parked cars for cover, ramps off a burned out wreck of an old world Chevy, hitting the 'crete in the road with a shower of sparks. He rides up next to the van, reaches out his arm, and slaps a sticker on the passenger window. He then laughs maniacally as he tears off down a side road, disappearing into the dark.

The sticker is a terrible mess of words and phrases in various languages written so you could read it from the inside of the van. Piecing together what little you could, you read out the message.

Zerkers gonna kill you dead.

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

Kilian looked at the odd decal adhered to the passenger side window. "Huh, at least we know who they were, but not why they jumped us. Protecting their turf, or banking our competition's creds."

Turning to look at Charles, then Nova, "These 'zerkers on any of your tour maps big guy? Or failing that, can you pull up any news feeds, or streams that reference these guys?"

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Shooting at the van, that was fine. It was just business, probably. Somebody had paid them to do it, or they were trying to steal the van. Whatever.

The decal though, that was just rude. Idiot gangers were going to pay for that.

"Anybody got a problem with me swinging around to pick up the spare gear our recently deceased companions left? They probably left some shiny stuff worth a fair bit of nuyen, and bullets and repairs won't come cheap."

[CandyLaser]

"Can't hurt. I could use a decent gun. All I brought to the meet was a taser. If one of those idiots had a pistol I'd like to put it to use."

[Lokyar]

Dropping back to the floor and popping in a pair of fresh clips Sim shrugs. "I'd feel better getting rid of this briefcase sooner than later, but hey, driver's prerogative. It'll give Stark a chance to rendezvous at least."

[Space Lawyer]

Lookout

Lookout takes the votes he has so far as a go-ahead, and heads back the way they came. The gangers hadn't been with them for more than a few seconds, so the debris field wasn't actually that large.

Cameras, navigation systems, and drones should allow me to mark the locations easily, but a perception check just in case:
[roll0]

[Honor Guard]

Kilian Steinhaeuser, 'Panzer' (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4AD_b8S3spJSlFIOXI1SFhiSVE/view?usp=sharing)
Physical Condition Track: 0 of 12
Stun Condition Track: 0 of 11
Current Edge Pool: 5 of 5

He nodded towards Lookout, "Yeah fine, circle around, but remember Crhome Dome got shot off his bike, so he isn't far back, and we do have some targets on our head. It might give us some info on these 'zerkers though, so that would be a plus, considering the rest of the night has gone to hell."

Krilian carefully checked the alleyways and cross streets as the van circled back.

A quick Perception Check, Visual to see if any more 'zerkers are waiting to ambush us, or if we picked up a tail. [roll0]. Five hits, coulda been better, but not bad.