Poking the Hornet's Nest

Poking the Hornet's Nest
Date 2082-11-04 GM Archtmag Location Seattle Status Threat Level: Extreme
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven	Wasp Spirits
Wychking	Nymph Soldiers
Casualties and losses
	Many Bugs

Summary

The bugs strike back at Wychking, luring her into a trap. Eventually falling in an overwhelming ambush, Wychking is captured and interrogated, her deepest secrets revealed to her enemy. Before being bugged though, she manages to break out with the aid of her ally spirit, Pain Girl, and escape. Now, she plots revenge.

Background

Wychking, world-famous bug slaying mage, has been rebuilding herself after her fall from Interpol. Regaining her magical strength and returning to the spotlight, she had become a target that her enemies could no longer ignore. An ambitious young Nymph decided it was time to strike back at the woman who had done so much to destroy their kind. Studying Wychking's public persona, her recent actions, and collected materials, she began to craft a plan to gather critical intelligence and perhaps take down one of the Invae's most notable foes.

The Meet

Wychking was spending her time as she normally did, meditating to strengthen her rage and resolve, in a very healthy use of mental energy. Eventually though, she was interrupted by knocking on her front door. A PI on the side, it seems that a potential client had arrived. Zina Perez, a tired looking ork woman, suspected her husband of infidelity and wanted Wychking to investigate and find out the truth. Zina, through tears, she told Wychking what she had uncovered.

Her husband, Martin, worked security at a retail complex and had been away more than usual, claiming to work night shifts. Emotionally distant and closed off, it didn't end there. Looking through his purchase records, she saw that her husband had been buying gifts, for someone. Gathering up her savings, the woman wanted closure, answers to what her husband had been up to.

Taking the job, Wychking tried to get the woman to not offer more money than she could afford to pay, and then left to start gathering clues.

Following the Trail

Wychking figured that a simple way to discover Martin's activities would be to just follow and surveil him. She headed out to Martin's place of work, a small Tacoma commercial complex housing several low value businesses, finding it locked and closed, having closed about an hour earlier. Not letting that stop her, she called on her ally spirit, Pain Girl, to head inside and investigate. The astral defences paltry, Pain Girl bypassed the only ward in the area, around the security office, finding Martin inside.

Being the sole security guard on site, Martin spent his time in a rather boring way for the observers, splitting his time between smoke breaks and playing around with his commlink. After a while, he spiced things up by leaving, only to head to a nearby burrito place.

One meal later though, instead of heading straight back, Martin entered a nearby shop, buying a card and some small gifts, seemingly for the target of his affair. Bringing the stuff back with him to his office, he signed the card, placed it in his bag, and finished his shift. As Martin left the building, instead of heading back to his wife, he started a new path, towards Puyallup. Wychking followed the man into the seedier area of Seattle, keeping out of site as Martin headed into an isolated building, far from attention. It seemed like he had met his partner.

Ambushed

Pain Girl approached the building first to scout it out, and saw that Martin had entered a basement from inside. As she moved to follow though, a powerful ward blocked her. This being very sketchy, Wychking decided to take point herself, wondering what kind of shady business Martin had gotten himself involved with.

She creeped inside, a barren room revealed, with a staircase rising to a second floor and a door to a basement below. Heading towards the door, she crept down the rickety stairs, approaching the closed door at the bottom. Slowly and quietly, she pushed the door ajar, only for her to hear a loud click.

Everything exploded.

Martin hadn't been seeing another woman. Martin hadn't been having his own thoughts in quite a while. While not bugged, he had been under mental domination for weeks, building the case to draw Wychking in, to this location, to this time. With this accomplished, the only task he had left was simple. Enter the basement, close the door, and arm the trap within, setting a bomb to explode. He succeeded and died.

Wychking however, knew none of this, and was blasted into unconsciousness, near death, from the massive explosion. Pain Girl, hurried to help, her magic healing Wychking just enough that the detective could rise again.

Things got worse.

Highly trained and equipped bug spirits assaulted the building, starting by throwing in Neurostun and Smoke, obscuring the battlefield and poisoning Wychking. Taking heavy fire, Wychking rushed out of the building, only to head from one killbox, to a larger one. Bug spirits fired out of the surrounding buildings, firing lines covering a large area and all paths of escape. Desperate, she ran to her car, hiding inside and activating it, hoping to drive off. Almost immediately, an RPG fired from a window, exploding the vehicle and nearly killing Wychking, stranding her in the fight. Limping down an alley, more bugs appeared and while her final stand was valiant, ultimately she couldn't withstand the bullets, magic and toxin in her lungs, and she collapsed, defeated.

Captured

The Bugs dragged Wychking's body into a van and drove off, leaving Pain Girl alone. Eventually, Knight Errant arrived, and Pain Girl managed to explain the situation to the cops, trying to get them to provide aid if she could find out where Wychking had been taken. While skeptical and hesitant to believe a spirit, she eventually managed to convince them of what had happened and got their promise that they'd raid the bugs if they could.

With not much else to do, Pain Girl waited, hoping that Wychking would wake up and communicate to her.

Wychking however, was in a rather terrible state, even with the Bugs providing first aid, it took about two days for her to awaken. The awakening was rough. Still in pain from massive injuries, she was restrained, unable to move, head covered with a bag, and worst of all, she was fitted with specialty mage cuffs. Designed to contain her, they almost entirely negated her magical ability, leaving only the barest dregs available. Worse was to come. Her brain bleary and her reactions slow, she had been dosed with Gamma-Scopolamine, making her pliant and her mind less resistant.

Eventually, a woman entered the room, heel's clicking loudly in the silence as she moved to take a seat. The Nymph in charge of this operation. Her plan to capture Wychking successful, she began her interrogation, asking Wychking questions about a variety of topics. Wychking couldn't see her adversary, but each of her words had an undertone of buzzing, faint echoes betraying the truth of what she was. Wychking reacted predictably, by saying nothing and insulting the bug at every step. Despite gaining no real knowledge from this, the Nymph continued on, continuing to ask for Wychking's secrets. She asked about Wychking's origins, her time at Interpol, about the other members of her squad, about her plans, and much more.

The reason became clear at the end. While Wychking didn't share anything, the questions did rouse her memories when asked, an opening a skilled mage could exploit. The Nymph casted a powerful mind probe, forcing through Wychking's mental defenses, and stealing all of her secrets, learning all that she tried to keep hidden. Satisfied, the wasp nymph left the interrogation room, letting her minions begin the lengthy process to prepare Wychking as an inhabitation vessel. A flesh form of Wychking would be invaluable for their goals.

Wychking, still captured and barely able to act, kept quiet for a bit during this time, healing some more and waiting for the right moment to act. When she felt it was time, she called for Pain Girl to appear, who ripped off Wychking's restraints. While still in terrible condition, she was just aware enough to act, and get revenge on the bugs. The bugs in the room with them, being weak workers, decided to flee instead of fight, but the pair still needed to escape from wherever they happened to be.

Summoning a second spirit, Wychking and Pain Girl existed the cell they were in, finding themselves in a safe house of some sort. Apparently the Nymph wasn't confident in bringing Wychking to the actual hive. Rather than just leaving, Wychking decided to clear the compound. She needed to find her gear, and, more importantly, murder bugs. After fighting several rather close fights with soldiers scattered around, she eventually succeeded in those two goals. The Nymph was not found though.

Aftermath

Limping away from the bug's lair, Wychking was still alive, ready to kill bugs another day. However, they had discovered many things about her. Personal things.

The first thing she did upon returning was try to get in contact with an Interpol representative. She had been gone for a while now, but they needed to learn of the information breach. By networking a bit, she managed to get a connection to a Seattle rep of the organization. Somewhat to her surprise, they were happy to hear from her. Her fall from grace wasn't quite a fall from respect among the organization. The agent visited her home a few days later and debriefed her on what had happened, taking notes on what had been leaked. As he left though, he gave a standing invitation for Wychking to keep in touch. Interpol hadn't forgotten her and the sacrifices she had made.

Rewards

6000 Nuyen - (3 RVP)

20 Karma - (20 RVP)

14 CDP - (6 RVP)

+1 Street Cred - (1 RVP)

IG3 Discount

+10 Rep - Interpol

Optional Qualities: - (RVP taken from other rewards.)

Battle Hardened - Rank 1/2/3, for (2/4/6 Karma)

Legendary Rep (Interpol) - 4 Karma

Toughness - 9 Karma

Game Quotes

Amusing quote from game.