Through the Red Tape

Through the Red Tape
Date 2085-05-25 GM TidanShock Location SSC Status Threat Level: Deadly
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven Arma Remington	Major Corp
Red Ribbon	Character1 Character2

Summary

Ribbon through her investigative efforts hopes to solve whatever may have transpired in the SSC with an Acnients convoy. Unknown to her how deep the rabbit hole may go.

Background

In the aftermath of a certain other job, a certain man named Arma Remington spurred on by certain events has decided to look into the ongoing feud with the Ancients and Cutters. In this research Arma discovered a crashed convoy off the side of the road in the SSC which may hold the key to further explaining what may be going on. Arma needed an experienced rigger to investigate this crash site, thankfully he knew just the right one to call.

The Meet

Relaxing in her new Bellevue home mid move, Ribbon heard a knock at her front door where a familiar Raytheon stood in wait with a taped on moustache and a large pizza box in the other. Ribbon rolling her eyes let him inside before inquiring to why the visit to which he said a job but first he just wished to chat and enjoy the pizza he bought. Which apparently cost 125 nuyen so he would be slightly disappointed if it went uneaten. Ribbon seemed to agree and enjoy the pizza as they talked before Raytheon stated the boss man wished to cash in one of his 4 favors. Knowing this was inevitable Ribbon decided to head out with Raytheon who asked her for a ride there. She agreed to this and headed out towards the eastern border of Auburn.

Arriving at a seemingly run down and abandoned cabin, Ribbon entered to see Arma simply sitting there with a towering figure she would recognize as Andre. As she was scanned Arma gave pause to inquire about the kink bomb located in her head. Sadly unable to give Arma any answer that would not result in her life ending very abruptly Arma nodded and simply asked if whoever implanted it would be able to listen in on the conversation they were about to have. All Ribbon could state was she was uncertain but based on past experiences she put her money on no. Sensing no falsehoods from her woods Arma still went along with the meeting, encouraging her to sit before he spoke. Arma relayed he had been looking into certain matters around Seattle and one recent event to his knowledge would further his understanding. A traffic accident off to side of the road where several elven individuals were killed. Likely dying in protection of what was a convoy most likely. Red Ribbon was tasked to investigate what had happened with the convoy, and in exchange on top of a favor being owned she would also receive 10 thousand nuyen in payment. Working her magic Ribbon was able to secure another 5k out of Arma before she set off to uncover whatever may lie ahead.

The Plan

Crossing the border was relatively easy. Nothing too giving on her person that was not in the smuggling compartment. A quick scan and she was free to head through to the crash site. Wanting to do a bit of research first Red Ribbon did her own recon through the matrix, the news reports vague but various runner chats being just what she needed. Stating information like how the people ran over were Ancients and that the local authorities were more adamant on clearing it up that other cases. Chopping it up to anonymous donations or something similar, no official source just a hunch based on believable evidence. With time of the essence Ribbon quickly headed closer towards the crime scene, sending out her flyspy to investigate the scene despite the tight security.

As she looked around the scene various details seemed weird. All the vehicles seemed Matrix offline. Multiple of the Ancients bodies seemed run over, others shot, one dented into the side of the semi truck's iron container, and one gruesomely tortured inside the rearward vehicle. Peering inside she noticed a dead body inside a rigger cocoon, a clean hole center of their chest. Looking around slightly more Ribbon discovered an airtight secret compartment with a masterfully crafted rifle. The details and design of it reminding her of Belial, the leader of the Ancients' Seattle chapter, the rifle most likely having been made for him. Continuing her investigation she noticed the frontward car crashed into a tree up ahead, its path strange and unnatural. Investigating the vehicle further, the driver had survived the crash, the vehicle in perfect condition likely leaving some degree of magic involved in the crash. However off to the side of the vehicle Ribbon noticed a set of bootprints sprinting into the wilderness with a brief patch of burnt grass in their wake.

Informing Arma of this information, she was instructed to pursue the prints to figure out who left them and retrieve the individual if they turned out to be alive. Sending out her flyspy to track down the prints and whoever may have left them.

The Run

As Ribbon peered over the surrounding wildlife near Mt. Reinier, she was able to follow the tracks despite them being covered up after a time. However, to her alarm there seemed to be others in pursuit of these tracks, 2 groups of cutters, and a group of well armed SK personnel she had become all too familiar with in the SOX. Alarmed by this Ribbon called upon Arma for assistance, seeing the issue this would bring he called upon favors he had with various SSC Rangers to investigate the areas. Allowing Ribbon to continue trailing the tracks with the now audible sound of gunfire in the air not too long after.

Picking up her pace Ribbon followed the tracks for another couple kilometers. After a while she noticed a fork in the prints leading two separate directions. One deeper in the woods and the other seemingly heading towards a nearby fueling station. Pulling her Bulldog closer she sent in her Direktionssekretar, picking up a bag of candies along the way before asking the attendant if anything seemed off recently. The dwarven behind the woman speaking after being offered a cred stick with 500 nuyen attached. Recently someone had been breaking into the store leaving no trace of themselves but the fact some of the soy dogs and strawberry soda being stolen. Also mentioning how Ribbon seemed a lot nicer than the other people that approached her about it. Knowing time was of the essence Ribbon hurried her drone back to the Bulldog and focused on the flyspy.

The flyspy thankfully was able to find a very makeshift survivalist structure only capable of blocking out the rain. Inside in wait seemed to be an elven woman with damaged armor and a rifle perched against the wall of the structure she likely called a house with strawberry soda bottles lining the ground. Readying herself Red Ribbon spoke aloud, causing the elven woman to raise her rifle almost instinctually. Despite the hostilities and slight language barrier as the elven woman's English seemed secondary and spotty, Ribbon was able to relay to them she was there to help, but also that others were looking for her and they had to hurry. Reluctantly the elven woman seemed to follow, Red Ribbon giving her instructions through her flyspy as to how to find her. Unfortunately things got tense as it was relayed to Ribbon the Rangers had to withdraw for backup so the SK and Cutters would likely be hot on their trail. Thanking Arma for the heads up the chase was on.

Guiding the elven woman to her Bulldog was trickier than expected. The SK personnel and cutters closing in faster than expected, almost upon the elven woman as her pace was not on par with the likel super augmented SK squadron. Thinking on her feet, Red Ribbon sent over her flyspy to divert the men away from her, replicating a branch snapping sound and the sound of "shit" shouted aloud in sperethiel. This seemed to work for the men to head over there. However, without the guidance of the flyspy the elven woman stood there frozen and scared. Thankfully Ribbon was close enough in her bulldog to begin pulling up backwards towards the woman, despite being stealthy for most of the duration, one misplaced branch gave away Ribbon's location.

With the armed personnel and Cutters on full alert they sprinted towards Red Ribbon and the Elven woman. Ribbon moving as fast as she could doing a spin to pick up the Elven woman who jumped in the back of the Bulldog. After jumping in the elven woman waisted no time in taking a crack shot at one of the pursuing Cutters whom she knew she could hurt. The Cutters seemingly going down in one well placed volley. As the elven woman provided fire support Ribbon kept speeding away as fast as she could. The SK soldiers came close to stopping her vehicle as the barrage of gunfire impacted near the engine. Thankfully with her expert driving both her and the elven woman was able to escape.

Aftermath

With the Elven woman in the trunk and peeling off as fast as she could, Red Ribbon managed to stealthfully and rapidly evade the SK pursuit. With one more call to Arma it was made apparent he wished to speak with the woman. Thought the border would prove to be difficult. Arma presented Red Ribbon with two options, Arma could pull some favors to get her across the border into Seattle. Or if she could manage it by herself he'd be willing to provide her an additional 2500 nuyen in compensation. Deciding that speed was of the essence she inquired Arma to use his connections which he did promptly not too long after allowing Ribbon safe passage to Seattle.

Eventually Ribbon made her way across the border with the Ranger guard letting her pass with little to no problems at all. After entering she was given instructions from Arma to head over to Ares Arms HQ in Downtown Seattle. She quickly nodded and with border guards once again asking little to no questions she made her way over towards. Eventually Ribbon headed to the back and asked the elven woman questions in regards to her name and that they would be safe soon. The elven woman revealed her name to be Aifric and not too long after the elven woman hugged Ribbon as tight as she could. While slightly painful to Ribbon she toughed it out and let go as an Ares Arms employee handed Ribbon and the elven woman disguises to pass through the corporate building with little to no incidents or eyes upon them. The two women entered the corporate building with Ribbon showing some disgust for the sameness the corporate buildings shared amongst one another. Despite this however the pair quickly headed up the elevator towards one of the top floors where Arma sat in his office in wait.

Arriving in his office Ribbon noticed various weapons mounted along the wall of various time periods from the 15th century all the way to modern times. Nearly every service rifle ever issued in a form of display case. Other pieces of various artworks lining the walls of technological achievements such as small pieces of Apollo-11, some of the parts of the first sixth world cyberlimbs, and other various curious curios that lined the walls with Arma overlooking the city of Seattle. Advising the two to take a seat with him speaking in fluent Sperethiel to put Aifric at ease. Asking Ribbon what had happened Ribbon attempted to relay what she learned and paint a coherent picture, attributing the attack most likely to a mercenary company or runners given the methods used to attack the convoy. Nodding along with this Arma relayed he has grown suspicious of the recent escalating feud between the Cutters and Ancients. Relaying to her how thing seemed to take a strange turn after Lichtenberg killed one Insonia. Ribbon finally piecing together what had happened to her former companion.

With a nice farewell and 15k nuyen in pocket Ribbon was hugged once more by Aifric before heading down back to her home, noticing a servant bringing up authentic meat and strawberry sodas up to Arma's office. Smiling if only a tiny bit before hopping in her Bulldog and heading back to her new home. With a slight lingering thought the future of the city seemed very uncertain.

Rewards

• Deadly (17 RVP)
• 10k nuyen (5 RVP)

+5k nuyen (negotiations)

• 5 Karma (5 RVP)
• 14 CDP ( 7 RVP)

+2 base CDP

Run Aftermath

• The Ancients member survives and the plot thickens.
• Red Ribbon pays off one chip to Arma Remington.

Game Quotes

Amusing quote from game.