Taka gets to work, attempting to hack the system...
1d100 vs Infosec 80 (90, if decrypted)
Success
To his surprise, no data presently flows through the cable's steely core, instead, his probes into the network lead him deep into the secured computer system to which the cable is connected. Taka does not take long to recognize exactly where he is as familiar data-paths open up before him. He is home, the Tsukomo nexus, Go-Nin's corporate mainframe and the closely held repository of all the dirty little secrets your family has accumulated.
Taka takes the chit and looks it over with a curious eye. "I see. And what's on I this, I wonder?" she asks, knowing he wasn't likely to be answered, not that it mattered, he had a good idea.
He goes through the information flowing through the cable, downloading anything he might find useful before uploading the data on the chip.
Since this is a secure system and you currently lack the proper permissions, you first have to hack in per the intrusion rules on page 254 of the core book. Physical access eliminates the need to bypass the firewall, but you still need to test Infosec vs. any active security.
Ricardo's grip is firm as you shake his hand, and you feel a musician's calluses on his palm and fingers. He swings one arm wide to encompass the empty club.
"Welcome to the Honky Tonk Savin, hope you like the place. Took me forever to get the acoustics right in here, working with old school materials is a right bastard. I listened to a few of your 'cordings already, but I'd like a live performance before we sign anything. Hope you don't mind."
Ricardo slips his well muscled arm around your waist and leads you toward the stage. You can see a single microphone, a device long since made obsolete, waiting for you there.
Sorry, I thought I had updated things for everyone, but I actually hadn't.
Sara struggles with the thoughts swarming in her/his/their head
"Wha...Who ..are you?" she struggles to get out
Perception 1d100
Wil 1d100
A bit rusty on these rules does the +30 bump my score up making it 60 in place or 30 or what? I really need to reread that chapter
Perception - Success by 45
WIL - Success by 15
Before the background can fully coalesce, the false reality retreats once more. As you fade back to the real world, you notice there is something wrong about this version of yourself. From the weathered look in his eyes and the bend of his gait, it seems that the world weighs heavy on the man. From what you see, you are fairly certain that this is not just some projection, but an actual version of yourself.
As you come back to reality, you are lying flat on your back, the slitheroid leaning over you.
"Is there a problem sir? You seem to have collapsed."
Taka Tamahashi - Former Headquarters of Go-Nin Group
Taka wrote:
"Nice," Taka says with a nod. "Never used one of these to do something like this. So, what's our employer looking for? he never told me." He uses his skinlink access the cable, while keeping an eye out for any countermeasures that may have been activated due to the intrusion/
"Yes, here it is." Your erstwhile guide fishes through its pocket for a second to retrieve a small, square data-chit and extends it towards you. "Just upload this once you're done."
The Honky Tonk is located in a fashionable section of New Nectar, which bustles with activity even as you arrive at the middle of the day. Heavy doors of rose-stained wood inlaid with brass mark the entrance, covered by long, old fashioned canopy of red canvas. Inside, the floor is carpeted crimson with gold medallions and recessed lighting casts a subdued yellow glow on the cherry paneling of the walls. The main area has two levels, connected by a wide central shaft, and there is a marble topped bar off to one side. Booths upholstered in red leather and curtained in crimson line the walls, while guéridons and simple wooden chairs fill the remainder of the space, with the sole exception of a low, black-painted stage set against the back wall. A few people are milling about as you enter, but only one looks up a you walk in. The tall, handsome man with nicely tanned skin strides over from the bar and extends a hand.
Taka Tamahashi - Former Headquarters of Go-Nin Group
Taka wrote:
Taka shrugs and helps piece the COT together and attempts to interface the device with the cable.
1d100 vs Hardware: Electronics 60
The thin electro-filament from the COT slides effortlessly though the cable's nanocoating and into the meat of the cable beyond. With this, the COT's screen lights up, allowing you access to the data flowing past you.
Sara/Oliver is confused he never had a brother, he thinks he is unsure as the voices thunder though his head.
1d100
As my WIL is 15, 58 does not seem good
Reality slips away as the dream becomes crystal clear, giving you a clear view of the speaker. It seems that you are talking to...yourself.
"Keep her all to yourself? Why can't you share? We are family? We are blood?"
The voice is your own, but the words, the style, is different. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong.
Oliver can speak and act normally in the dream. Each round he may choose to make a test vs WIL x2 with a +30 bonus to sever the connection. Failing this test will inflict mental stress. A perception test might be a good idea at the moment.
As you end the call with Savin and your mysterious employer, you feel an anomalous sinking feeling in what you would have once called your stomach. Your vision blurs and a booming voice thunders through your head.
Brother...you thought you could hide..hide with Mother...we will find...we are coming
Blurry figures loom in your peripheral vision, and they are getting closer.
Test vs WIL x2 to try and fight your way back to reality
There is nothing of interest from the criminal or automist communities. However, you are able to pick up a few rumors from the media network. Apparently, the Honky Tonk is getting ready to premier a new show in a few weeks, there is some speculation as to the headliner but so far there are few details.
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - 'Old' Nectar - Former Headquarters of Go-Nin Group
Taka wrote:
Does Taka believe the cable is still in use? Any rolls I can make to figure out what I'm supposed to do with the cable?
It is impossible to know what the cable is doing without interfacing with it. As for what to do with it, the main reason for having such an absurdly expensive piece of antiquated technology is if you want to keep something really secret.
Seeing the look on your face, the two pods gesture to the satchels you have been carrying. Placing their own on the ground, they extract a number of anomalous looking objects which they piece together into a shape you recognize instantly, a COT or Covert Operations Tool. Normally you would doubt the effectiveness of such a device against the cable, but given what your employer has been able to do so far...
It is a Hardware: Electronics test to use the COT to interface with the cable, followed by the standard hacking sequence once you have connected.
I looked back and all I could find about the club was a see what I could do about it from the employer. If i'm wrong please refresh my memory.
Yeah, looking back it seems I forgot to tell you that. You were supposed to know before you left, sorry about that.
As you settle into the well appointed room, there is a subconscious ding as a Savin's mesh-link receives a new message.
New Message:
To: Savin {@OLYMPIC}
From: Ricardo {@HONKY-TONK}
Subject: Job Posting
Hello Ms Savin,
Thank you for responding so promptly to our job posting. One of our openers bailed on us and we urgently need a replacement for some of our upcoming shows. We were impressed by the material you sent us and want to try you out ASAP! We have free time at the club from 9am to 4pm local so I can review the act. Let me know what works.
- Remember, stay jazzy!
Ricky
You can notice that part of the subtext is that no one else applied. You have a feeling that you can thank your employer for this, and whatever 'qualifications' may have been supplied.
A quick mesh search will turn up that the [i]Honky Tonk is a medium sized club that has been slowly growing in popularity. It is styled as a 20th century jazz establishment (with rather loose standards of historical correctness) and does good business catering to those who want to look cultured. It may not be the hottest place in town but it i nothing to sneeze at. Some research or networking will get you more.[/ooc]
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - 'Old' Nectar - Former Headquarters of Go-Nin Group
Taka wrote:
"Hmmm, I see," Taka replies, giving the mass of wires the once over.
1d100 vs Electronics 60 and 1d100 vs Networking: Hypercorps 30+10=40
You immediately recognize the cable as a Teledyne Systems nano-coated high throughput opti-cable. Optimized for transferring truly enormous amounts of data and designed to prevent physical intrusion. Top of the line when it first debuted several years ago, it still requires highly specialized tools to use and are nearly impossible to destroy. You can't for the life of you think why your family would have bought one, but apparently they did.
I will keep the briefcase with the chemicals on me, other than that, I will gesture and say:
"Greetings, if you would, please."
Accustomed to guests hanging on to some of their bags, he makes no move to take the briefcase you are obviously carrying for yourself. Expected as you are, he leads you through the wood paneled lobby and into the expansive gilded elevator. The valet is silent as you ascend and lets you exit first once the doors open. He leads you to one of the seemingly endless doors in the pinstriped and opens the door for you. Setting your bags on the bed, he leaves you alone.
It occurs to you that you might want to contact the club your employer recommended to you.
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - 'Old' Nectar - Former Headquarters of Go-Nin Group
Taka wrote:
1d100 vs Deception 35+30=65
The guard's eyes glance right past the anomalous face in the crowd and you continue into the husk of your family's headquarters' building. Once inside, you take an abrupt right turn and weave through a disordered maze of corridors before arriving at a dank, dimly lit stairwell. Winding your way down, you make your way deep into the sub-basement and emerge into a mold spotted cement corridor. Halfway down the corridor, your guide turns and pulls a rusted metal panel from the wall.
"Here you go."
Looking inside, you see a tangled mass of white fibers.
Make a Hardware: Electronics Test at +0 and a Networking: Hypercorps Test at +10.
If Savin can afford a private car he will do that.
Savin knows that the voucher given to him will cover a private car.
A quick search brings up a handful of reputable looking services. A quick mesh-call to "Jiffy Cab" (Gets you there in two shakes!) summons an air-car for you.
As promised by the solicitous AI receptionist, five minutes later the hawk-like shadow of an air-car descends into the empty street a block away. Lifting yourself and your luggage into the voluminous passenger compartment behind the stubby AI control-box. The gentle pull of take-off pushes you into the plush leather seat, and the city shrinks out the porthole beside you. Reconfiguring for level flight, you are whisked out of the old city's dome and into a nearly vertical shaft plunging deep into the lunar surface. The intermittent lights illuminate other craft racing though the air around you, from sleek air-cars to lumbering cargo shuttles.
Abruptly, you are surrounded by light as you emerge into the brightly lit sphere of fashionable New Nectar. The air-car sets down on a pad surrounded by a manicured lawn. A tuxedo-ed valet rushes out to meet you and opens the car's door.
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - 'Old' Nectar - Former Headquarters of Go-Nin Group
Taka wrote:
Taka nods and does just that, something he often did. Drawing attention to himself wasn't often in his best interest.
It felt odd walking back towards the the old Go-Nin headquarters after all these years. Why were they going here? Surely Go-Nin wouldn't leave anything of value at their abandoned HQ? Mentally shrugging, he casually follows the pods through beyond the fence.
A gate guard scans the workers as they march onto the construction site. For a brief moment, they come to rest on you.
Your conversation completed, the holoprojector clicks off and your guide reenters the room. Slithering over, it hands you a laminated card with an array of numbers and barcodes, which your ER interface takes only moments to recognize as a personalized voucher.
"This will cover any transit expenses while you are in the city, you can charge anything else on your room account. We believe it would be better if you made your own way to the Olympic."
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - Nectar - Auxiliary Dome "Hoovertown II"
With a nod one of the pods tosses you a sealed package. The label announces "Gowitch! Sandwich on the Go!" in a florescent rainbow of colored letters, opening the package, you discover that the taste is exactly what you would expect of low quality shelf-stable meat and cheese. As you eat, you follow the pods to the door. They each shoulder one of the satchels waiting there and pass you the third. The bag is light and contains a number of old-fashioned, manual and power tools. The pods don't stop to explain and you have to hustle to keep up with their powerful strides. You follow them through several corridors before emerging from what you now know is an apartment building onto one of the dome's thoroughfares. You push your way through the swirling crowds to the transit station, assisted by the bulk of your stoic guides. If anything, the crowds at the transit station are worse, and you spend several unpleasant minutes squeezed into the crowd before a tram arrives. The doors open and one of your guides motions for you to follow as the mass of people shoves itself forward. Inside is standing room only, but better then outside. As you enter though, an officious pop-up reminds you that your fare is being paid by Tuchmont Construction LLC, "Luna's Finest Building Maintenance Clearinghouse." After a few minutes of waiting, the tram rockets off towards its destination. The dilapidated landscape of the dome flashes by for a few moments before being eclipsed by the darkness of a tunnel.
A few minutes later, you emerge into the enhanced sunlight of Old Nectar's main dome, the landscape before you only slightly less worse for wear than the one you left. The city has aged considerably since you last saw it, the once gleaming skyscrapers and vibrant lighting considerably dimmed. In the distance you see the squat concrete building that once housed your families headquarters. With a start, you notice that the tram is heading straight for it.
You are unfamiliar with the transit station outside Go-Nin's former headquarters, even though you have visited the headquarters itself countless times. Your family never used transit back then, they probably still don't. Your guides disembark along with the majority of the trams other occupants and walk towards the headquarters, now surrounded by chain-linked construction fencing. A loud yellow sign announces: "Another Fine Deconstruction by Tuchmont Construction". As you move towards a gap in the fencing, one of your guides turns to you and whispers: "Try and blend in, just act naturally."
Judging by the silence in the ooc thread I am guessing I have lost some people. If you are still interested in continuing just let me know. I don't really want to recruit new players because it will be a pain to introduce them at so late a juncture. Anyway, hopefully there will still be enough to keep going.
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - Nectar - Auxiliary Dome "Hoovertown II"
Taka wrote:
Taka sighs. A straight answer was tough to get. But the bed was really inviting after the long, tiring trip. He flops down on it and tries to get some rest before moving on.
Sleep comes easily after a long pair of days and you wake refreshed the next morning. You immediately notice the two worker pods are still there, sharing cups of pseudo-coffee in the apartment's diminutive kitchenette. They appear to be conversing, but no words reach your ears. Noticing that you have finally awoken, they turn to face you.
"Good morning, are you ready to go?" one of them says in a gravelly voice as the other moves to pick up a trio of cloth satchels lying by the apartment's front door.
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - Nectar - Auxiliary Dome "Hoovertown II"
Taka wrote:
Taka takes a seat, but he has a tough time relaxing. "Alright. Maybe you can fill me in on what is expected of me in this job while we wait?"
"Perhaps later, rest for now." The hologram gestures first to the bed against one wall, then the pods lounging on the sofa, "ask Jack and Jill if you need anything."
Once it is finished speaking, the hologram abruptly winks out of existence.
"Yes," the voice replies with a slight note of consternation. "It would be counterproductive to engage in any other form of communication at this time."
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - Nectar - Auxiliary Dome "Hoovertown II"
Taka wrote:
Taka shrugs, trying to remain as aware as possible despite the weariness of the long trip. "All things considered," he replies with a bit of a smirk. He wanted to ask who 'we' was, but he knew that his employer's discretion would outweigh his curiosity. It sure would be nice to know who he was working for, though.
"So, you've gotten me this far. What's the plan?"
"First, make yourself comfortable, you have had a long trip and there will be plenty of time to discuss matters later."
The hologram turns to your driver, "As for you Mr. Powers, you will find your money has been deposited as promised. I believe that concludes our business."
After a moment, the driver, who is yet to remove his vac-suit, nods in agreement before leaving the room.
As the hatch slams shut behind him the hologram turns back to you.
"Do not worry, we have ensured the security of this location. It is safe for you here. For how long we do not know, but we will not be staying long."
Taka Tamahashi - Luna - Nectar - Auxiliary Dome "Hoovertown II"
Taka wrote:
Taka acclimatizes himself to the speed of the vehicle as best as he can and settles in for the long trip to Old Nector.
Taka's not much of an instigator, so he'll keep to himself for the rest of the trip
The journey takes close to 50 hours in total and your driver seems unfazed by the extended journey. Luckily for you, your circadian regulation allows you to remain awake the entire time, with drowsiness only just beginning to creep up on you when the towering dome of 'Old' Nectar appears in the distance. Your driver steers you towards one of smaller auxiliary domes surrounding the city and turns down one of the many ramps leading under the dome.
Underground, you drive through a narrow corridor, lines of what look like sealed carports flash by on either side. As you cringe at the though of what would happen should you encounter another vehicle, a sharp swerve takes you though a now open portal into the cramped confines of the carport beyond. The door shuts behind you and you hear a muted hiss as atmosphere surrounds you once more. You manage to squeeze out of the car and make your way up the ladder that serves as the carport's only means of egress. You emerge into a dimly studio apartment were a pair of worker pods are waiting for you, lounging on an over-stuffed sofa leather sofa. As you turn to them, a burnished metal hemisphere on the table before them springs to life, projecting a short holographic figure.
"Hello, we are glad to finally meet you." The holographic figure greets you and your driver, who you see has followed you up the ladder. The driver returns the greeting with one of his fingers, prompting the hologram to turn to you with a vexed look. "I trust everything went smoothly."
"Hey, if we were in a model made this century, I might get how it works," Taka responds with and edge of sarcasm, somewhat surprised that the driver said anything else. He finds the spot on his suit where the hoses fit and inserts them.
"So, if you only speak when you have something insulting to say, I should maybe take that as a compliment?" he adds, wryly.
"Listen, I get paid to drive not to play nice. You want to walk all the way to Old Nectar?"
As soon as you have plugged in the hose, he hits the accelerator and sends you rocketing forward. He seems to be going faster than before and you have to clench your teeth to make sure you don't lose any."
Now that you know your destination, you can figure out that you still have almost a day to go, even at this speed. If you want to have more fun with the driver you can do that, otherwise I will skip to the end.
A few things here, I have not been following the whole of the plot as my pc was not in it and its just more fun for me to learn that stuff in character, so who am I kidnapping and who is suppose to be helping me?
Sara nods "Send me everything you have, I'll see what I can do."
I am not sure what I should do here, till I get more info. Smuggling tricks may allow me to come up with a base plan, but I really am a bit lost without more info on the place, the target and which pc is helping me.
"First things first, let us introduce the acquisitions side of the operations."
The holo-figure abruptly disappears, replaced with a woman's attractive face.
"Mr. Kain, let me introduce Savin."
Feel free to discuss your plans, your employer is still around to answer any questions. Oliver can assume he knows where the warehouse is.
"Actually, we have someone we would like you to meet first. We have engaged a contractor for extraction and we would like you to coordinate in order to ensure there are no difficulties once the time comes."
The holo-figure before you is abruptly replaced by a woman's unfamiliar face.
"Good to meet you, Frank. Name's Fineal, call me Honest it'll be a nice change of pace." Fineal chuckles at his own joke before continuing. "Oh, this place looks fine. I've lived in worse, at least. Now, I haven't been paying very much attention. Where is here, anyway?"
Protocol(70+10(First Impressions)+10(Striking Looks)=90), to give a good first impression: 1d100
Frank gives you a quizzical look before answering your question, it seems your humor has escaped him.
"This," he waves his hand expansively to indicate the habitat, "is Habitat L4113. It's out of the way but close enough. I would give you the grand tour but 'grand' would be something of a misnomer." Now it his turn to laugh at his own joke, trite as it may be.
The pudgy neotenic motions for you to follow and starts pushing himself down the corridor. "We received your requests and I can assure you that we can make sure we cater to all your 'needs.' Now, what do you want to see first?"
As the question hangs in the air, you emerge from the corridor under a towering dome. Dozens of buildings are scattered throughout in a variety of clashing styles, from utilitarian to practically rococo, built directly on unvarnished meteoric rock. You see simple task-bots busily installing and tending beds of landscaping, though actual humans seem strangely absent.
"Ready as I'm going to be." Fineal smiles back, picks up his case and follows her out. He could ask her where "here" was, but that would just be suspicious.
Ann accompanies you on the short trip to the airlock, which has already cycled open. Beyond the airlock, you see the clean white corridors of what appears to be a space station.
"Good luck." Ann says before the airlock cycles closed behind you.
Ahead of you, a small head peaks out from around a corner and a neotenic tears around the corner, practically colliding with you.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome." The man? says excitedly as he coasts to a stop, extending a hand in greeting.
"We have all been waiting for you, I hope everything meets your specifications, we are still cleaning up the place." He pauses a second to catch his breath before continuing. "Oh, where are my manners. My name is Frank, pleased to meet you."
Are they insulated? Never thought of that. Is this an 'old-fashioned' NASA-type spacesuit, or a vacsuit? Anyways, strike that idea.
Taka waits patiently to arrive at their destination, activating his oxygen reserve when necessary.
It is a vacsuit, albeit an older model, and like all suits of its type is insulated to prevent heat loss. This has the unfortunate side effect of inhibiting electrical conduction as well.
After another half-hour, the driver slows the moon-car to a halt in a narrow gully formed by two craters and turns to you.
"Are you a complete idiot? Why haven't you plugged in your umbilical?"
The vac-suited driver points to an unobtrusive panel in the car's floor. It sprouts what you had first assumed to be wires, though on closer examination you notice they must in fact be hoses.
"Whenever you would like, it takes several months to break down. The agent itself is effective against both biomorphs and synthmorphs, so it should be quite effective against any security you encounter."
I will walk in and sit down. Picking up the suitcase, I will place it on the table and open it up and look inside.
Within the briefcase, padded compartments hold three glowing vials, one long and thin containing a viscous yellow liquid and the other two are stout cylinders which glow with green light, a pair of unassuming matte black cases, one a good sized box and the other a thin cylinder, and a single syringe filled with a clear liquid.
"The green vials contain a powerful incapacitating agent effective in both aerosol and injected forms. The larger case contains several means of concealing this substance and the syringe will provide you with immunity to its effects. The case on the right contains a miniature stunner undetectable to most conventional scans. Finally, the yellow substance is to be used as a last resort in case there is a danger the target will escape, do not worry, it is not dangerous to anyone other than the intended recipient."
Fineal, satisfied with the responses, continues on to his destination.(?)
After almost a week on the Maurice Kisomo, you finally feel the subtle shift in the ship that signals you are approaching your destination. After a few minutes, an echoing clang reverberates throughout the ship as you dock with the space station. The Maurice Kisomo's crew left you alone in your quarters during the final approach, after dutifully reminding you to strap yourself in for your own safety, so you are surprised when the room's intercom chimes just moments after docking. Answering the com, you hear Ann's cheerful voice:
"We're here, I'll be down in two shakes to help you with your stuff."
Sure enough, a short while later, you see Ann's head pop into the door way.
Taka looked over at his driver. A simple AI, perhaps? Programmed to do what? Drive him around Luna until he runs our of air? What end would that serve? By now, he was use to elaborate schemes to capture him, but not kill him. If this supposed "benefactor" knew anything about him, he'd probably know that screwing with him was not a good idea.
"Okay," Taka says aloud. "Now I know this thing isn't going to respond to me, but I know someone is listening. Just wanted to let you know, I'm not amused."
With that, he decides to test his hypothesis by reaching over and shocking his driver.
I assume that's just an unarmed attack roll? 1d100 vs 50, using the eelware to deliver a shock attack.
You have no idea where you are and you notice nothing out of the ordinary.
Taka should realize that activating eelware while wearing a spacesuit is not exactly a good idea.
Sara doesn't say anything at first but once the hologram is finished she does speak "No I was under the indication this would be a salvage job, which was the reason for lugging my gear along. Smuggling a person off Luna, a place I myself do not wish to be is not what I thought I was getting into. " She shrugs her shoulders "But It can be done, I will need details and a time frame to work with. If I am to do this, I need that info and I need time to contact people and set this up. We talking just the ego or the morph as well? Ego will be much easier as you know"
"If you knew what you were getting into, we wouldn't be very good at our jobs now would we? The target does not become available for two weeks and our operative will need additional time to complete their objective. When the time comes, ego transference will be adequate for our purposes, but the morphs would require adequate disposal."
Taka wonders what's going on. Jiyu, he mentally activates his muse, scanning the surrounding lunar landscape, as well as what he can see of the stary sky above, can you figure out where we are?
Jiyu informs you that without access to the appropriate stellar and geographic databases, determining your location is outside his purview.
It doesn't seem the driver is having any difficulty with his own air supply, though his suit is outwardly identical to your own.
A Navigation and a Perception check can tell you more.
Sara takes a seat and closes the door, she looks to the hologram and smiles "Ready when you are. and awaits details.
"As we previously indicated, your job will involve smuggling something, specifically someone, off Luna. Another of our operatives is in the process of acquiring a person of interest from a certain hypercorp. Once the acquisition has been made, you are responsible for extracting our operative and said individual. Members of the habitat and hypercorp security forces will be quite interested in ensuring this does not happen."
The hologram doesn't come right out and say the word kidnapping, but you have a pretty good idea of what is going on here.
Taka suppresses a snide reply and simply enters the vehicle, removing his headgear when it's safe to do so.
Huh. It seems his new employer was deep-pocketed and well connected. Having both Nikolai and this guy ready to assist him on such short notice told him that this wasn't likely to be some two-bit operation. The thought that he might be assisting one corp in spite of another crossed his mind, and it wasn't a happy thought, but it was never a good idea to make a bunch of assumptions before getting the facts.
"Name's Taka, in case you didn't already know," he tells his driver.
Your driver doesn't even reply, instead he accelerates sharply as soon as you close your door. You speed over the lunar landscape, leaving you and the driver bouncing around the cabin. After about two hours of this, a blinking red indicator informs you that your suit is low on oxygen.
Fineal will spend most of the trip chatting with the crew, talking about current events, ask about previous jobs they've had, attempt to subtly wheedle out info on who hired them to bring him here, that sort of thing.
Networking(Autonomists), I presume? (50) 1d100
Though they are an independent shipping crew, they are not actually anarchists or automists. They are freelancers, but still fall under Networking (Hypercorps).
The Maurice Kisomo is a family run vessel, run by Julia Kisomo, the family matriarch, along with her daughter Ann, son Luke, and Luke's fiance Katherine. They are a tight-knit group, but friendly and sociable. It seems they usually act as a charter for smaller corporations and the idle rich, ferrying them to habitats and settlements without regular shuttle services. They operate mostly around Mars, but you manage to learn that they are taking you near-Earth, though you aren't able to wheedle an exact destination from them. They seem a little perplexed when you ask about who is footing the bill, apparently its you business partner Mr. F. Neal (in case you were wondering, his middle name starts with an i) and a very generous retainer is being paid in order to convince them to fly you all the way out here, wherever here is.
"I am a singer. If I change my general looks, I can easily not be recognized. If I can be part of the entertainment, that can get the right type of attention, especially if I use all of my abilities. I am sure that the seduction part is easy. My question is of the extraction. That part is not one I usually associate with. If you want me to get him to a certain place at a certain time, I am sure I can arrange that."
"We will see what we can do. Please, come in and sit down, you are a guest after all."
Only now do you notice you are still standing in the house's short entrance-way. You take a few steps forward into what was once the living-room of the house, lit by a dim blue glow which emanates from the low table in the center of the room. As you step closer, you see the source of the glow is a small hologram, the hologram depicts a human for, its features rapidly shifting among thousands of permutations. As you take a seat, you notice the previous occupants' affectation for fake leather, but the seat is comfortable nonetheless, though that may have something to do with your journey here. Once you are seated, the hologram speaks again.
"All that we require is that you bring his to a specific place and signal us. He must, of course, be alone. That shouldn't be too hard for someone of your wiles. We can provide you with...assistance."
The holo-figure gestures downward, indicating a bulky plastic suitcase underneath the table. Looking around you, you also notice that your guide is gone.
"I assume you are going to give a full briefing on how you want this to precede. I have a little under six days before I will be female. We have that much time to do the initial setup and planning."
The voice lets out a soft chuckle.
"I do not believe there is anyone how enjoys the space elevator. In any event, our intelligence places Mr. Tamahashi in Nectar in slightly over two weeks. That should give you time to establish your cover, Mr. Tamahashi may not pay much attention to his own security, but I assure you, the Go-Nin group does. What type of cover are you planning to use?"
Taka looks down the crater with a bit of trepidation. Either another job or another trap. The warning bells weren't ringing with this one, though, and the job offered was an interesting one, so it was worth the shot.
With that thought, he begins to bound down the side of the crater to the waiting vehicle.
A gruff, crackly voice issues from your suits internal com.
"Took you long enough. How long you think I can sit out here 'drilling core samples' before someone gets suspicious?"
The other man waits for less than a second before answering his own question.
"Doesn't matter, get in and we'll get the hell out of here."
Looking around the apartment Sara nods o the hologram "Why yes, I do think I am. Are you ready to inform me of the details at this time?"
The hologram appears slightly feminine, though since the hologram is less than a foot tall and somewhat grainy, other features are difficult to distinguish.
"Excellent, I can commence a briefing immediately. Please, close the door and take a seat."
You notice Albert has retreated into the main body of the warehouse. What he doesn't know can't hurt him or, more importantly, your employer.
"Well, appreciate the assistance," Taka says with a nod before turning towards the hatch. He opens the hatch and tentatively steps through.
A dim light clicks on as you step into the airlock beyond, followed by a loud thump as the airlock swings shut behind you. The airlock is fairly standard, if a little small, and you hear the familiar hiss of depressurization as it acclimates to the exterior pressure. The exterior door unlatches silently, swinging open on its own accord. Beyond, you see the barren moonscape of Luna and beyond that, the hazy brown globe of Earth.
As you step outside, the direction subroutine from earlier activates once more and an arrow points you to a shallow crater a few kilometer's distant. Bounding steps propel you towards your destination, covering several meters with every stride, it is times like these that you come to appreciate Luna's sedate gravity. When you finally crest the crater's rim, you see a vehicle is waiting in the hollow below. The slab-sided moon-car doesn't look much more advanced than the first vehicles man drove on the moon. The vehicle's doors are open and a spacesuited figure is leaning against one side. The figure takes a few moments to notice you, then waves you over.
Sara smiles at the other synthmorph. "Yes this form does have some advantages in my line of work, Even if the locales are backward and closed minded about synthmorph's" she says still smiling.
She follows the other down the ventilation ducts
As you descend, you are buffeted by the duct's artificial winds. Once you reach the bottom, the strength is such that you can barely stand. Your guide doesn't wait and seems to be effortlessly making his way down the dimly lit duct-way. Using conveniently placed handholds, you are just barely able keep up. After almost an hour in the cramped duct-way, you see a light up ahead and emerge into a cavernous dome. Looking up, you see not he expected sky, but drab earth illuminated in a faux skyscape. As you stop to stare at your new environs, you notice your guide has already started into the city ahead.
Everything in the city feels so new you can practically smell it and every surface practically gleams. In the distance you hear a surprising bustle for a lunar habitat. However, you and your guide rapidly depart these parts of the city and make your way to a slightly more well-worn industrial neighborhood before finally arriving at a nondescript warehouse.
The cavernous space inside is filled with stacks of shipping crates of every shape and color, illuminated by flickering overhead lights. An untrained observer would not have noticed the expensive and high-tech security system that quietly lets you pass, but you are not an untrained observer. Albert ushers you into a small apartment contained within the warehouse. As you step inside, you are greeted by a diminutive hologram.
Fineal lets out a low whistle. Alright, it's more than Fall memorabilia. It's valuable Fall memorabilia. (It's more than that, obviously, but sometimes you don't want to think about what you're selling.) It shouldn't be that hard to toss some blood into the water and make the bidders devour each other for the opportunity to pay them an improbably amount of money.
Interest(Hypercorp Politics)(35), what sort of thing would all those corps be willing to spend that much money on? 1d100
There are a plethora of reasons why a hypercorp would shell out these sums. To them, these sums are far from exorbitant, especially if it gives them a leg up over their rivals.
What else does Fineal want to do? The journey will take several days so you have time to interact with the crew or do more research.
