Weekly Aspects

Because the Ancients and the Cutters are in a gang war there is Blood in the streets.

The rain has given way to Foggy Nights.

The Meet

The Shadowrunners met up with Gahbran an Elven Fence who had an idea for a score. A corrupt Tir Tairngire military commander (Oberon Catatch) is smuggling in some sort of advanced cybernetics, something known as a “Prophecy Chip” and the package can be intercepted. The Shadowrunners will need to find a safe house and interrogate a Road Captain from the “Ancients” to find out when the shipment is coming into the city. Once they know the location of the package, they ambush the caravan, steal the package, return to the safe house and negotiate a deal with the highest seller.

The Job

Maze identified a safe house in Auburn. An Ares weapons warehouse that would be empty for another week was the perfect hideout. Safe inside an Ares security zone all the Shadowrunners would need to do is use security codes (provided by Maze) to enter the warehouse and then cripple the internal security system so that Ares wouldn’t notice anybody in the facility.

Grabbing Latharna the Ancient Road Captain proved more difficult as she was often on the move engaging against the Cutters. Rain confronted her in “Autumn Nights” an Ancients hang-out in Redmond but all he accomplished was goading her into action against the Cutters. The Shadowrunners followed her Auburn (using Kamen‘s spy drone) where she ruffed up two Cutters (which the team got on video) before heading to the Body Mall to shake down some shadow clinics. Kamen disabled the Ancient’s bikes, made the team van appear to be a Cutter vehicle and the team waited for her to leave the mall.

The Shadowrunners did some leg work and discovered that Latharna was born Sally Miller and she has a human father. Once the Ancients hit the freeway the Shadowrunners waited for the Ancient bikes to overheat and then grabbed Latharna from her bike. Once inside the apparently Cutter van they confronted her with the knowledge of her human parentage and threatened to expose this shameful part of her background to the Ancients unless she cooperated.

She agreed to not reveal the Shadowrunners involvement and gave them the location of the convoy and the time it would be entering the city. She further stipulated that her people had to be spared when the convoy was taken down. The team agreed to avoid Ancient casualties. She would miss the meat since she had been “captured by the Cutters.”

The team prepared Kamen’s Banshee gunship and Maze used his arms-dealer connection to acquire an Ares Punisher Light Machine Gun that was last used in Serbia in 2045. With a few repairs it was ready for a night out.

The Grab

The convoy was an SUV and 2 sedans (a lead and chase vehicle) as well as 4 Ancients (2 in front and 2 in back) who served as anti-civilian security, keeping civilian vehicles away from the convoy as they pulled onto route 99 headed north towards Snohomish.

The Shadowrunners were prepared with an elaborate plan to take down the convoy. They had taken video of Latharna’s attack on the Cutters and sent it to the Cutters taunting them to come to route 99 to take them on. As the convoy pulled onto the freeway they were immediately pursued by 15+ Cutters in a variety of vehicles. This scared the Ancients in the rear guard to move to the front.

While the Ancients were trying to decide what to do about the massive Cutter war party behind them the lead vehicle ran into a trap set by Kamen. A laser-trip detonated 4kg of plastic explosives that totaled the lead vehicle and blocked the freeway. The convoy came to an immediate halt, the Ancients chose to flee but one of the Ancients flipped his bike when the lead vehicle exploded.

The Cutters scrambled, most of the bikes tried to close on the downed Ancient but accurate LMG fire from Maze in a Banshee sent them scrambling for cover. Kamen brought the Banshee in low over the target vehicle and LMG fire sprayed into the chase vehicle, disabling it.

As the Cutters fled, the target vehicle attempted to escape but clever flying from Kamen brought it back under the guns of the Banshee and disabled it. A brief but fierce fire fight ensued as the team engaged the smugglers and their guards in the wreckage of the convoy on Route 99.

The Smugglers were defeated and the cybernetics taken. In the back of the target vehicle was [[:nola | Nola] the sister of Gahbran. She already had the cybernetics implanted in her and was meant to be a “demo” of what the Prophecy Chip could do. The team was annoyed with Gahbran for hiding the real reason for the run but were pleased to see the that the black-ops Cybernetics were real so they took the goods, the wounded Ancient, Gahbran and Nola to their safe house .

The Counter Attack

At the safe house the team started to negotiate with various parties who wanted the cybernetics using Rain’s fixer but were interrupted by an attack from 4 Tir Tairngire ex-ghosts. These were the men who stole the Prophecy Chips in the first place and used magic to track either the cybernetics (which have a magical aura) or Nola to the safe house.

The ghosts used invisibility charms to approach and enter the building though Maze’s instincts and a small trip in the security system alerted the team in time to the danger. The fire fight in the warehouse was quick and deadly, leaving 4 Ghosts dead and Kamen with a wounded arm. Maze led the charge against the Ghosts and dropped two of them while the team rallied around his position in the Warehouse office.

Wrap it Up

The Shadowrunners decided that dumping the goods as quickly as possibly was their best bet. They ultimately chose to meet with UCAS and encountered the Colonel a UCAS officer who specialized in shadow operations. He gave them 500k for the goods as well as some “extras” for some members of the team.

Take Per Man: 112.5k

In addition Kamen negotiated for a Vindicator Minigun and 2 Cluster-Strike Missile Pods all of which can be mounted on the Banshee.

Rain also took one of the Prophecy Chip Wired Reflex kits and hopes to use Nola as an example of how to have them installed.

Street War Heats Up

The Ancients and Cutters are engaged in a running street war in Redmond and parts of Snohomish. Three reported fire fights have ended in 5 dead Cutters, 2 dead Ancients as well as 2 bystanders killed and 7 wounded. Tensions have been running high since the Cutters interrupted “Thyrandelle” an Elvish holiday that occurs once every 16 years. Lone Star public relations encourage citizens to avoid the 522 and the 9 after 6 PM.

Annalists Bullish on Security Stocks

Increased tensions between the Bakongo in Northern Africa and subsidiaries of no less than 3 of the “Big Ten” Megacorps has led to speculations of a prolonged conflict. Continued tensions between Sioux Nation and the United Canadian American States may have contributed to a citizen recorded fire fight near the border that went on for a recorded 7 minutes.

Financial annalists are shifting their security stocks up by 1.3% and expect more improvement once the Ares earnings report reveals information on weapon sales in the Philippines next week.

Street Fair

The University Street Fair begins this week Downtown. Lone Star promises high security and event managers expect high attendance, sighting last years participation of 25,000 as well as increased corporation sponsorship this year for a variety of products including talismans, cybernetics, paranormal pets as well as the usual assortment of crafts and amazing food.

Wildstorm Entertainment Off Line

Wildstorm entertainment has shut its doors “temporarily” according to a company spokesperson. The small record label has recently signed lead singer Reggie Fields of JetBlack for a three album deal. No word yet on whether those albums will be released.

Weekly Aspects

Because of an impending gang war and a serial killer on the loose Fear stalks the streets.

With a week of solid rain and more on the way Seattle is Soaked to the bone.

The Meet

The SRers met Mr. Johnson at Dark Matter, a rock club in Redmond where a band “Jet Black” was bombing on stage. Mr. Johnson hid in plain site as a young party girl until she identified the SRers. When her Decker’s attempts at intrusion were blocked, she approached and explained the job.

The Job

Reggie Fields, the Lead Singer of JetBlack has a new contract with Wildstorm Studios. He’s not very good. Mr. Johnson wants to know why he has a contract. She sent someone in a week ago and all they found was her agent’s tracking implant a few days later five miles away in a gutter. She wants to know what happened to her agent and why. She’ll pay 100,000 for information about what is going on in Wildstorm and she may be willing to purchase any industrial data the SRers bring out as a bonus.

The Hit

The SRers watched the facility for a few minutes. Maze called in a favor at Ares and got drone fly-over recon of the building. Physical security seemed heavy for a low-end recording studio but surveillance equipment looked cheap. Ares contact confirmed that Wildstorm was a subsidiary of Aztechnology.

Rein used an invisibility spell to stealth into the building while Eclipse hacked the employee network to open doors and give him access. Searching the lower floor Rein counted 5 guards in and around the building with no employees downstairs and a security door leading the 2nd story. Eclipse found out there were two employees in the building called only “Specialists.”

Truck and Maze move to the back of the building. Truck took out the two guards at the loading dock while Rein inside took out the security desk guard while invisible. Eclipse came inside and hacked the security door, gaining the team access to the 2nd floor.

On the 2nd floor the team discovered a well equipped bio-research lab and learned that the real security in the building was being provided by Micro Camera Drones. The SRers knew immediately that a High Threat Response Team would now be in route from the Aztechnology tower. The team moved quickly to steal whatever data they could and to defeat the remaining 4 security guards on this level while Rein battled against a bound Earth Elemental.

With the corporate threats defeated Truck discovered that Reggie Fields was not just a washed-up rock star, he was also a Vampire and the subject of the bio-lab testing. While Truck fought a losing hand-to-hand battle with the Vampire Rein attempted to provide magical support. Eclipse kept down loading data but was kicked off the security network by a decker from the Aztech tower.

Maze found a UV light source in the lab and brought it bear while Truck shoved the Vampire under the light. Reggie immediately fled the scene, his skin scorched and smoking. With only minutes before the Aztech HTR team touched down on the roof the SRers grabbed a young ganger who was a subject of further HMHVV experiments and fled the building.

Wrap it Up

The ganger was Hoshi Kato and a member of the Cutters. The SRers agreed to drop him off with his people. Mr. Johnson was grateful to know why her agent had been eliminated and purchased the pay-data from the team for an additional 60,000. Eclipse stashed a copy of the Wildstorm Studios bio-research data in his shadow file and the team made home in time for breakfast.

Take Per Man: 40k

More Rain!

Spring storms are moving in off the coast, expect heavy down pours through-out the week with the possibility of light flooding in lowland areas.

Auburn Ripper Still at Large!

A serial killer is still on the loose in Auburn with 3 dead and fear of more bodies waiting to be found. Lone Star promises swift and immediate action.

Financial Markets Drop

Softness in European markets blamed for drop in world wide markets. All eyes on the corporate council to see if there is going to be a change in corporate interest rates.

Gang War

Ancients and Cutters on a razor edge as tensions mount over violent encounters in Snohomish last week during “Thyrandelle” an Elvish holiday that occurs once every 16 years. Lone Star public relations encourages calm on the streets.