Dimensionless Numbers in Everyday Life

Dimensionless Numbers in Everyday Life
Date 2085-02-28 GM John Location Seattle (Puyallup) Status Threat Level: Medium
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven Chulos	Surenos
Mojo Joe Priestess Shredder	Matthew Desilva Alberto Alfaro
Casualties and losses
	None!

Summary

The Runners answer about as desperate a call as Spex can muster, coming to her aid in defense of the Carbonado area and the locals (including, of course, the Chulos gang). The Chulos' old foe, the Surenos, have brought a small detachment to sink it's roots into the Puyallup barrens, and has been harrassing Spex's operation, beating locals bloody, and causing all kinds of problems. Unfortunately, the Chulos' boss is recovering from some kind of injury, and the entire gang is too weak to offer much resistance on it's own. Carbonado is in the hands of a few magnanimous hooders.

Background

The Chulos gang is local to the Carbonado area. They are a Latino/Aztlaner gang accepting of all metatypes, and primarily focused on protection and keeping the peace. In this way they are an 'old school' street gang, created in places where community and safety are otherwise nonexistent. Given Carbonado's long term status as an E zone, the government is entirely uninvolved. They have kept the neighborhood livable for a long time. Spex and her adoptive family run business in and around this area, and have a similar connection to the community. The Surenos are from California, like the Chulos, but have relatively no presence in the Seattle area. This leader, Matthew Desilva, is an ambitious member of the gang, and seeks to carve out his own territory. Better than laboring under the higher ups.

The Meet

The team meets up outside Spex's garage. It looks more like a mechanic's garage, though by her reputation she is apparently a Street Doc. She greets them slightly grimly, but cracks a smile at the runner's positive attitude. She lays out the situation step by step, stressing the importance of the community's safety and how this has been difficult on the people first and foremost. She gives the team a commcode for a friend of hers in the Chulos, known simply by his last name Rodriguez. She mentions very earnestly that she cannot offer much in the way of nuyen, but says she can give her gratitude and her respect, which is theoretically worth a good deal.

The Plan

Rodriguez is defensive and clearly in a dour mood. His pride has been wounded. Still, he sees enough reason to cooperate with the team, prioritizing the safety of his community over whatever wounds his machismo has perhaps received. He tells the team about the Sureno's leader, one Matthew Desilva. A tricky, cowardly man who will not hesitate to lie cheat and steal in pursuit of wealth and power. His right hand man is a burly ork junkie type, Alberto Alfaro. The Surenos don't usually have or accept most Orks, so his inclusion likely has more to do with his physical prowess and loyalty to Desilva that it does with actual belief in the gang's ideology. Rodriguez clarifies that his guys have tracked the Surenos to one block of run down buildings. Specifically, he explains that this place used to be a maintenance area, and as such was created more sturdily of concrete and metals, and has a ready made barbed wire fence, making it a natural choice for fortification. It is also nearby to the old scrapyard where Spex had previously scavenged before the Surenos came to down, corroborating this theory with a number of Sureno sightings.

The team discuss the plan, and the morality of the scenario. The Sureno are scumbags, they deal to kids, harass the poor, and use violence to get their way. Still, most of our team has certainly seen worse. They resolve to focus their destruction, if any, on Desilva, and perhaps Alfaro if he gets in the way, and give the other gang members a chance to survive. If they were to die, no one would really loose much sleep, but there's no reason to purposefully ensure their death. Vega and later Priestess are the most vocal about pushing back against a violent solution, but the team is on the same page, for the most part.

They intend to approach the compound as a ruse, and exploit the situation as they come to find it. Allowing themselves some room to improvise, but with a loose plan to get in peacefully, and take out the head of the snake.

The Run

The team walks towards the Sureno block. Vega splits off to run overwatch, wanting to avoid direct attention. With some good scouting rolls, they spot not only the corner of the block where the Sureno are hanging out, but Desilva's out of place muscle car, Rodriguez's stolen bike, and a pair of wannabe sharpshooters hidden on rooftops. The team (sans Vega) approaches calmly and confidently. Priestess offers the elder ganger a bible, and he is all too overjoyed to parlay with the strange new guests. They trade some verbal blows, and some tension does build, before it is quashed with an offer of cooperation. The team plays the part of a hopeful business partner, and this intrigues the Sureno greatly.

The doorman checks in with Silva, and brings the team in to discuss their partnership. The conversation is slow and tense. Priestess sizes up the competition-- Alfaro is probably slow but also probably quite tough, mundane. Desilva, on the other hand, is a very low magic Aspected Sorcerer, and has perhaps used some minor tricks to get ahead in his spheres. They are both armed with similar ganger gear as their underlings, stolen Colt SMGs, and a Katana for Alfaro. Mojo Joe and Shredder go on the verbal offensive. Slowly dropping the ruse, and enacting a display of force in the hopes of a somewhat peaceful resolution. Joe conjures a massive spirit in Desilva's vicinity, and the Sureno boss is just awakened enough to know the kind of bad news that means. He fumbles and struggles to keep his cool, immediately folding and agreeing to the demands. He will leave town, for sure! He'll never come back. Still, there is something underneath his words.

Shredder is the one to put the pieces together. He'll say anything, but what he is really doing is waiting for a moment where the team is distracted. Perhaps he will use a planted explosive or a sharpshooter to try and take out this apparently extremely dangerous summoner when he isn't paying attention! He is caught in the deception, but just barely. The interrogation becomes even more aggressive, and the team exacts a price of flesh, sending a message as sternly as possible by removing a finger. While Sureno is unlikely to be a changed man, he is certainly figuring out what kinds of forces he is up against.

Aftermath

The next day, the runners return to check that Desilva's men have left the area as instructed. They find a lookout, clearly waiting to see if the runner's threat was legitimate. The kid books it as soon as he realizes who is present. The Sureno are gone, for the forseeable future.

What's more, Mojo Joe keeps Desilva's astral signature in his mind, ready to 'check in' on his new friend.

Rodriguez is overjoyed, especially at having his modded bike returned. He thanks the team earnestly.

Spex is clearly pleased, though she doesn't show it quite as openly. She offers the team her services should they ever need her, and ensures the runners she will spread a good word about them in her circles, however small.

Rewards

Medium: 12 RVP

• 6000 Nuyen
• 1 RVP: +1 Street Cred or +2 CDP
• 3 RVP: Spex (at 1/3) or +3 Karma
• 5 Karma
• 2 CDP (Free)
• Chulos Rep +1 (Free)

Game Quotes

"Recon? Chummer... I skateboard." - Shredder

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

Mojo Joe: "Good to see little to no blood had to be spilt. I guess I am stronger than I thought. At the very least this community will be better off, now to hopefully aid others."