Investigate quickly, stay alive

Investigate quickly, stay alive
Date 2083-10-12 GM KaterSalem Location Seattle Status Threat Level: Deadly
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven Rachel Rosen	Cicada Bugs
La Rapide 4NG3L Takeshi "Kaminari" Hatsuke Shy Wychking	8xSoldier Spirits 2x Nymph Spirits 2x Hybried Forms 1x Flash Form
Casualties and losses
	some spirits
IG Run for Wychking

Summary

The runners are called to a meeting that is a trap to draw out some bug spirits. In fact, the bugs show up and after they find out it's a trap, they retreat and kidnap Shy.

Background

Rachel Rosen has detailed dosies about her contacts within the corporation to make sure she registers any bug takeover. Recently, there have been growing signs that Hubert Kruger, a high-ranking manager in charge of some black operations, has been taken over. Rachel has not been able to secure any evidence of this. So she decided to let it be known that she suspects the manager and wants to put together a group of runners to investigate. The time and place of the meeting was also leaked.

The Meet

The meeting itself, which takes place in a remote part of Redmond, is just a trap and the bugs respond by sending forces to take Rachel out or take her over. However, Rachel sends a drone that looks like her to the meeting and informs the runners to expect an ambush.

The Plan

There was not much time to react to the attack. Shy mined all the entrances with flash bangs and moved into a sniper nest on the roof.

The Run

A horde of Cicada insect spirits and two flesh forms attack a short time later. The runners put up a good fight, but Shy is overwhelmed by a ghost in the astral space while in her sniper position. When the ghosts destroy Rachel's drone, they realize the trap and retreat. They take Shy with them to question her later. Rachel Rosen comes to the place with some of there ex Firewatch Member and investigate the situation. In the meantime, the runners have found Shy's commlink and some of her equipment and weapons scattered on the ground some distance away. Rachel is pretty sure she knows where the Bug Spirits are taking Shy, since with the attack it's clear that the manager is now a bug too. She gives the runners the information about a blacksite of Ares that is under the manager's control. Unfortunately she doesn't have any floor plans of the facility but she could find out that there is a main entrance with an elevator in a barn as well as an escape tunnel. She can provide the Runners with the password to the escape tunnel. The runners quickly make their way to the blacksite. Arriving at the barn, La Rapide and Kaminari sneak closer but are spotted by two Bug Spirits despite magical support. While one of the two goes into the facility to inform his comrades who are busy gathering everything they need for an evacuation. The other flies away to inform the rest of the Cicada group. Realizing that they have been discovered, the runners decide to enter through the escape tunnel. Since the manager of the facility was informed by his bug friends, a silent alarm is activated. The runners manage to convince the "non-Bug" guard at the entrance to cooperate and get access to some internal cameras thanks to Angel. They are able to discover Shy in one of the cells, overpower two more guards and use Wychking's and La Rapid's strength to simply rip open the security door to Shy's cell. An alarm triggered by this is directly suppressed by Angel. Shy is hooked up to a drip of anesthetic which is removed and thanks to magical support Shy is on his feet again. However, the power is now turned off in the area where the runners are. Angel suffers dumpshock and the team is attacked by three flesh forms and a bug spirit. Together, the Runners manage to subdue the attackers, leave the facility, and get to safety before a larger crowd of Bug Spirits shows up to check on them.

Aftermath

One less bug problem within Ares - millions more problems remain.

Rewards

• 20,000 Nuyen or double in Ares Gear up to AV19 (10 RVP)
• 12 Karma (12 RVP)
• 8 CDP (3 RVP)

Optional:

• Rachel Rosen (6/2) for all (7 RVP)
• Rachel Rosen (6/4) for Wychking (9 RVP)
• IG Run for Wychking

Game Quotes

Amusing quote from game.

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

4NG3L: "Just to establish this now, I fucking hate bugs... now moreso than I ever have! I may be stereotyping myself as a woman by saying this, but I need to get my hands of some hardcore Sixth-World bug-spray! I am SO not taking a run like this again without it! On a more pleasant note, however, even a blacksite's LAN, disconnected from the Matrix and, therefore, running without a host is still no match for novahot decking skills. Some chucklefuck thought it would be cute to kill the power to the network, though. I'll be nursing this dumpshock-migraine for a week! I hope I catch someone bragging about it on the Matrix, because they're going to have a date with a bullet, courtesy of D347H8L0550M. If Shy is reading this, you might have yelled at me a time or two about my speeding and we may have different views on the concept of honour, but if you run with me, I've got your back. That's the chip-truth, chummer."

Shy : "Well...Let's say i'll never use that technique again...Seriously didn't have a chance. But at least now i know."

Wychking - I told people to stay together, to not overextend or get greedy. Do they listen? No. Invae prey on the most vulnerable, they always strike at the weakest link. I knew this from the second I realized what that person was trying to accomplish. Too bad I couldn't keep everyone intact, but I was close. Considering they had the advantage, more could've easily been captured and turned into hosts. Note for later: next time Shy wants to take up a sniper position, tie her to a lamp post if I don't have a powerful spirit to watch her back.