SDMB Shadowrun Campaign chapter 2: Golden Rule - players only!

The Game Room
81

Well, here you go, chummer. They’re calling you, which means you get to smooth talk them. You fuck this up, and things will get real ugly. Yeah, bluffing ain’t your strong suit and neither is diplomacy. It’s not that you’re socially awkward or anything, but elegance in social situations just isn’t your thing. You’re the kind that gets right to the heart of things. It serves you well in many situations, like interrogation or getting people to play straight with you, but the “subtle as a sledgehammer” thing won’t fly here. You screw this up and everyone’s lives, including your own, are going to get real difficult, real soon. Time to turn on what little charm you actually have and hope that Lady Luck smiles on you.

To the party:

“Any last advice, this isn’t really my forte after all.”

If Goethe ends up handling this call, he will spend a point of edge during it to make himself more convincing.

82

“Tell them this. Vayne cast a spell that caused great confusion, but the spell hit all of us as well and made our attempts to save him fail.”

83

“I’ll take the call if you’re scared, but they’re expecting you.”

84

“Trust me, it really doesn’t matter how it goes. Answer the fucking thing.”

85

Goethe accepts the call, doing his best to impersonate a concerned ally.

“Donovan! I’m glad you made it out of there.”

“Me too,” Donovan says. “Mission’s over, though. Synthcorp pulled the plug when they found out Chaggo killed Arry. Now they’re preparing for an all out attack by UO. Get over here, now.”

“Understood,” Goethe says. It’s impossible to read any vocal cues from Donovan.

“Now,” Donovan repeats, with urgency.

After Goethe terminates the call, Chaggo says plainly, “I don’t like it. You’re going in blind. Synthcorp could be forcing him to gather the crew to a trap.”

Arthur Walken shrugs. “Like it or not, you’re going in there. Looks like you don’t have to sell that story just yet. Good thing, too, because you’re an awful con-man, even for an ork. Just be ready to answer their questions once you get there. Maybe nominate someone with a more silver tongue to speak for you.”

Walken continues, “We don’t have much time. If Synthcorp is bolstering their defenses, we need to act now. You should use this opportunity to upload the virus into their Security database.” Walken starts to hand Seneth a computer chip, but thinks better of it, and instead hands it to Nail. "This chip contains a powerful Cracking Sprite ready to upload the virus program, but it needs to be physically close to the database to recognize its target. Just get it into the security mainframe and hide it somewhere, and it’ll do the rest. Don’t lose it. This tech is seriously powerful, and cost UO the last three quarters of profits to obtain. It’s worth far more than you are, understand?

Chaggo and 4509 will lead separate teams in the assault, once the chip is in place. Chaggo will be the Universal Omnitech liason to the Chinook nation, who will be waiting a block east of Synthcorp with six warrior Adepts and shamans. They’ll enter from the street level once the virus is uploaded. Meanwhile, 4509 will accompany a UO commando team of twelve men. The UO team will be standing by in a drainage system underneath Synthcorp, and blast into the basement level of the building once the security system is disabled. Chaggo’s team will target the surveillance room, where the Synthcorp response will be coordinated from. Meanwhile, the commando team will do a floor-by-floor sweep of the building, until Johnson is found. You’ll meet up with 4509 during the sweep. Soon as Johnson is killed, or preferably taken into custody, your contract is fulfilled.

Any questions? Make it quick. They’re expecting you."

86

"I’ve got no questions.

"But we should be aware that if they were willing to kill us for being successful, they’re sure as Hell going to kill us for failing at getting Arry back. Good news is, we can at least approach this with full armament, since we have the valid excuse that they requested us to help stop UO. Let’s just hope they allow us to keep them.

“But try to keep cool everyone and ignore the fact that from Synthcorp’s perspective, they’re the motel and we’re the roaches.”

87

4509 changes into heavier fatigues while Goethe and Walken talk. When he’s done he digs around in one of his bags for a moment before producing a small disposable syringe and a unlabeled bottle filled with clear liquid. “You get the chance,” he says, unscrewing the bottle’s cap and sticking the syringe through its paper lid, “tag the meatsack with this.” He draws a portion of the narcoject into the syringe before topping the needle with a plastic cap and offering it to Nail, Goethe or Chaggo, whoever takes it first. “Happy hunting.”

88

After Walken finishes speaking, Nail responds. Well, he would, but he decides to wait for Goethe to speak first, as is normal. An uncomfortable silence follows Goethe’s roach motel analogy. *Yeah, calm as a cucumber, he quips and mentally rolls his eyes. *

Nail then speaks: “I have a question. If we have to, I’m pretty sure, we can sell the story Donovan is peddling, except for one thing. Who do we tell SynthCorp where we got our information? Our tip-off about Vayne I mean. Did Donovan get the tip? If so, why would Donovan have info on him? We’d better try to make sure as hell our stories match up in any case.”

Nail starts to feel tired of blabbing so much, but he’s on a roll now and continues on. “And speaking of Vayne, there’s also the issue with our motivation. We’re runners, not company-men. What do we care if the mage died?” Here Nail pauses to collect his thoughts. “On second thought, I guess that’s a few things.”
When Mr.45 hands off the narcoject, Nail will grab it first. “Oh, another toy for me,” he replies playfully.

89

Chaggo responds to Nail. "You can tell them you found me, but Arry was gone. I tricked you into going to the club by saying Arry was there, because I knew the UO hit squad was coming.

I have a reputation at Synthcorp for that type of casual deception, so they might believe it. You can add something about torturing me until I told you about the hit on Vayne."

90

(I’m rushed at the moment, but want to pop in)

If a group is going to go “get Mr. Johnson”, Seneth insists on being on that team. No budging on this point for Seneth.

91

Nail rubs his chin and thinks for a bit. Suddenly he bolts up, stretching. “Good enough for me,” he says. “Let’s go.”

92

“Me too. Let’s do this.”

93

Goethe and 4509 ride to their destinations on their own motorcycles, while Seneth and Nail are escorted back to Donovan’s company car in Walken’s limousine. As the group pulls away from the filthy and rundown apartment complex, a sudden explosion erupts from behind them. Nail turns to look behind him, and through the limo window sees the apartment building tumbling down as fire pours out of the shattered windows.

“What the fuck?!” Nail shouts. Walken looks unconcerned.

“It seems 4509 doesn’t intend to return,” Walken says.

“So he blew the damned place up?! Why? There were people in there!”

Walken chuckles at the comment, “You saw them. They’re better off this way. Besides, if this Run goes badly, he doesn’t want to leave evidence behind.”

“Seriously?” Nail says, the doubt clearly showing through in his voice.

“No, probably not. That was just likely spite. But as long as it doesn’t interfere with UO business, we let him have his fun.”

The rest of the ride goes in silence.

As Goethe, Nail, and Seneth approach the Synthcorp entrance, a squad of heavily armed corporation agents stops them. “Leave your weapons with us,” their leader says. “They’ll be returned to you once the Director is done speaking with you.”

The man makes no move to physically search you, but obvious weapons will not be tolerated. If a member of the group wishes to smuggle a weapon past the agents, it will be easier to smuggle something small rather than something large, such as an assault rifle. Also, a member of the group may attempt to persuade the security agents to allow the group to bring their weapons in. Be careful to decide who makes this attempt, as once any player fails the result stands for the whole group.

Goethe notes that the man requesting their weapons is relaxed and seems unconcerned. If Synthcorp has hostile plans against the group, Goethe is convinced these particular security agents know nothing about it.

94

Seneth is not concerned about being searched, as he has nothing to worry about. He steps to the front of the group to enter first.

“My child, I have no weapon to give you. May I pass?”

95

Goethe will keep his pistol in his arm sleeve even if he has to turn over the assault rifle, but upon mention of turning over the guns, Goethe will glance toward Nail and quirk an eyebrow.

96

Nail looks down at the holster on his belt. I may be able to distract these chumps, but whoever we meet in the other room is definitely going to notice this, he thinks to himself. Upon seeing Goethe’s glance, he gestures towards the room with his eyes, and then immediately steps towards the head of the grunts.

Pointing at his gun he says: “Awww, but this is my lucky gun.” Looking at the man pleadingly, “I just feel naked without it.” Exaggeratedly raising his arms up and wide, he follows with, “Isn’t there anything you can do?”

All the while, he thinks to himself, "I might not be able to get a weapon in, but this performance should hopefully get Goethe through, even if he as subtle as a turkey on fire.

97

The man studies Nail with a no-nonsense deliberateness. After a moment, he makes a decision.

“You can bring your weapons in on two conditions; you must surrender your ammunition to me, and your weapons must remain in their secured holsters. If any of you draw or point a gun toward a Synthcorp employee, security agents will respond with immediate deadly force.”

Goethe and Nail may attempt to conceal ammunition from the agents. This will be much more effective the fewer clips are smuggled.

98

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather leave my ammunition in the bike since the bike won’t be taken into the building anyway. No offense, but I don’t like handing over my personal possessions to others.”

Assuming the guard complies with Goethe’s more than reasonable request, Goethe will put all clips into his bike’s compartment and lock them in. He will even obviously eject the current clip from his assault rifle into his hand in full view of the guard. Of course, seeing as how the rifle has already been primed, there’s still a round in the chamber, so his assault rifle isn’t completely empty. Also, his arm-slide concealed heavy pistol has the clip it always has in it.

If the guard doesn’t comply Goethe will surrender all clips to the guard. He typically has two backup clips for the pistol and three for the assault rifle on his person, so he’ll turn them into the guard. (The rest of the clips stay with the bike anyway.)

After all, he’s got his shock gloves (easily concealable in his waistband where he keeps them) and his pistol as backup, and there’s always ammo to be looted, so he doesn’t want to jeopardize the mission by being caught smuggling something in. Forgetting about a chambered round, or a concealed weapon that he always has on him is easy enough to weasel out of. Trying to explain away an intentional smuggling effort is much harder.

99

“Thank you very much for understanding,” Nail says as he empties his gun of bullets and hands them to the man. Nail does not carry any backup ammo with him and will not attempt to smuggle any ammunition in.

100

Seneth, Nail, and Goethe are soon standing before a man they recognize as the Executive Director of Operations for Synthcorp in the Pacific Northwest region, an elf named Larre Sasheille. The tall and thin elf has platinum hair to his shoulders, and stern, masculine yet delicate features.

Donovan is standing beside him. He has recently suffered a severe beating, presumably by the troll bouncers at the nightclub. His eyes are both bruised and swollen, and fresh lacerations show signs of recent medical intervention.

Sasheille pauses a moment, deciding what to say. Goethe is frustrated to find he can’t read any emotion from the elf.

“You have some explaining to do,” Sasheille says to the three of you. "First, allow me to express regret that your former comrade, the technomancer, is missing. I hope she will be found soon in good health.

That aside, I want a few answers. Let me be clear; if I am not satisfied with your responses, you will not walk out of this building alive. Answer promptly and without hesitation.

First, tell me Arry’s fate, and current location. Second, tell me what happened to Chaggo. Third, tell me why your crew was at the Dog Track as Vayne was murdered, and provide me with any information you have tha could be useful to bring his killers to justice."

This is clearly an open ended invitation for any character that wants to speak. If any character attempts to lie to Sasheille, they will use the con+charisma skill. As soon as any character fails this test, it is failed for the entire group, so take care to decide who (if anyone) will attempt it!

Meanwhile, the cyborg 4509 has entered the drain system with a team of Univeral Omnitech commandos. The men are equipped with state of the art equipment and cybernetics, and 4509 is comfortable working with them. There is no casual chatter among them, only cold professionalism.

A senior agent is leading the team, and stops suddenly at a corner. He signals “2” with his fingers, and motions forward. 4509 understands the signal well enough. It’s a kill command. 4509 activates ultraviolet vision, and sees two men around the corner ahead. From their posture, they are probably maintenance workers, not soldiers.

The agent signals to 4509 to make the kills quiet. Unsilenced gunshots could potentially be loud enough to arouse suspicion. He also signals that he will take the man on the left, following 4509’s lead…