Disasterpiece Theater

Disasterpiece Theater
Part of Paradise Lost
Date 2085-09-14 GM Robinton Location Atlanta, CAS Status Threat Level: Semi-Prime
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven	Lone Star
Jessie_DeVux Pacho Herrera Weevil Blackhawk Babylon	Character1 Character2

Summary

Total runtimes: 30 Hrs

• 9/14: 6 hrs (both teams)
• 9/21: 6 hrs (A Team: Koi, Blackhawk, Babylon)
• 9/26: 4 hrs (B Team: Weevil and Pacho Herra)
• 10/4: 9 hrs (both teams)
• 10/5: 5 Hrs (both teams)

Background

Trevor Hill, Bostonian and fledgling Fixer, is putting together a team on behalf of his client. Somehow, knowing that Koi is aware of the presence of Redline, a Humanis agent located in the CAS, Hill has contacted her to make an offer since he suspects she would go after the train regardless. Koi, calling on promises made to her by Weevil, Pacho, and Blackhawk, call them in to help while Hill himself contracts in Babylon for some additional support given the relative lack of experience among the runner team.

The mission: get into the heart of the CAS, find out when their pre-eminent bullet train is heading north to Nashville with one Arthur Davis of the Atlantean Foundation on it, and kill him in such a way that it looks like the train had an accident.

Dramatis Personae

• The Runner Team: Jessie_DeVux, Pacho Herrera, Weevil, Blackhawk, Babylon
• The Johnson: Trevor Hill, MIT&T Graduate, Bostonian
• The Target: Arthur Davis, Atlantean Foundation Research Scientist
• The Bonus Target: Redliner, Humanis Agent

The Meet

Koi gets a call from her fixer, Issac, that there is a fixer looking into her and wanting to offer her a strange job. He explains that the fixer is communicating that he feels some 'recent intelligence' she has gained regarding Humanis from All_good_till_it_wasn't will be mutually beneficial to a job he needs done as well. She agrees, and heads to the Bellevue Crab House to meet with Trevor Hill, who explains he is tangentially aware of her target in Redline, a Humanis agent, and that he has a target who will be on the same train.

She calls Pacho, Blackhawk, and Weevil and recruits them into the mission; giving them the address of the Crab House, those runners head towards the Meet with Hill.

Madame Butterfly calls Babylon, letting her know that something about the job seems weird and involves "trains and explosives", and to be careful with how the job goes.

The team sits down to meet with Trevor and begins to discuss the job; however, both Babylon and Blackhawk are able to realize the F9 Shadow Spirit lurking over Koi's shoulder. Trevor explains that the target is Arthur Davis, a research scientist for the Atlantean Foundation, who will be travelling from Atlanta to Nasvhille via a bullet train for a conference. The team discusses various ways of accomplishing the task, with Babylon being wholly against mass casualty options.

Trevor Hill also explains that the first step in any run on the "Crimson Tide", the CAS's premium bullet train, begins with "acquiring" Veronika Shaw, an operational director of the Confederation Rail Company, or CRC.

Babylon is able to convince Trevor to arrange for some transportation and such to get them and their gear into the CAS, instead of any kind of negotiation for extra pay. After stepping out to make some calls, he explains he is able to get them a SKA-008 to get them into the backwoods of Georgia where a stock, if broken down a bit, roadmaster is waiting. Safehouses and such they will need to arrange for themselves. They each one a R3 Burner Sin that is associated with the CAS.

The Plan

The team reconvenes at Koi's safehouse and begins to discuss their plans; Babylon floating to the crew the idea of getting the Arthur Davis out of the train in order to get rewarded from the Atlantean Foundation for saving their guy, hoping to double dip on rewards by getting paid both by them and the Johnson.

Pacho explores the bomb from Koi's background and the team discusses how, based on the data from Humanis, Redliner appears to be well placed in the CAS, often found in the background of many political events. he is not a public figure by any means, but clearly seems to be pulling some strings. The plan at this point is to frame Redliner as "accidentally blowing up the train" and leaving him as the 'cause' of the explosion. Koi considers the forensics of the situation and contributes some ideas on how to make it harder to figure out from forensic analysis.

The Run

Mission 1: Side A - Soft Targets

As the team plans their work-vacation, planning road distances for Weevil's Roadmaster and which team is going ahead of the SKA-008, Koi begins some preliminary matrix searches. Koi takes four hours to do a t6 Matrix search and gets the general background / public information. Near the end of the search, she is able to find an ARO of Shaw from an Atlanta club called The Gold Room; the image has all personal details removed but happens to have her image on it.

Weevil and Pacho spend some time working on the Roadmaster making some last minute adjustments. Pacho buys some explosive components in order to have back ups in case of contingencies.

During transit, the "A" (Koi, Babylon, Blackhawk) team has a run in with Koi's shadow spirit trying to siphon Karma from her before the two Aware folks "encourage" it to 'fuck right off'.

The "B" team (Pacho and Weevil) gets stopped at the border into Salish Sidhe and Pacho manages to just CHARM THE FUCK out of the guard and continue moving. At the PCC border, Weevil's SIN gets flagged and pacho has to bribe the guard for Five Grand in order to not burn Weevil's SIN. Pacho's SIN kicks an error again at the CAS border, and Pacho attempts to faux-etiquette through it by serenading the guard to convince her he is a travelling mariachi.

The camera pans back to the "A" team, landing in the underbrush far outside Atlanta. They transfer to the waiting Roadmaster, and go find a roadside motel for the night.

The next morning, Koi does Drugs! Psyche and Khamsa, getting lucky to roll double duration interaction. She also increases her Will (+4) via magic.

Day 1, Day: Atlanta Outskirts

Koi and Blackhawk heads to the train station to do some scouting Babylon begins working on some spell practice and asks Koi to do some matrix diving on the target, Arthur Davis.

Koi finds that the systems of the train appear to be on some kind of WLAN system where the train and train mechanisms are not on the matrix, though the security devices such as the cameras are and are slaved to a local security checkpoint. She finds where the security office is at the train station with six guards and one decker. Blackhawk is able to determine there are a number of watcher spirits present but since it's a public area, there isn't much in the way of arcane defenses.

Babylon, meanwhile contacts one of her Ancients contacts about a local Safehouse. She says it'll take her a few days to arrange one.

Koi and Blackhawk use a Flyspy to get a data tap onto one of the rails in order to try and get some information on the train. Koi finds a number of really strange things - first, the Train system appears to be on a wired LAN and is not at all active on the matrix. As she gets into the Rating 8 Matrix Host, Koi notices some very strange things there - first, there is an above-average number of Patrol IC that are on active patrol and whomever the security spider is seems to be actively checking any kind of inputs through the system.

Koi has just been spotted by a Patrol IC, with an OS Score of 23. A tar baby misses the attack to link lock her, and Koi jacks out with the schedule of the train in hand. The train leaves Atlanta in five days. The two of them get some looks as they head out.

--

Meanwhile, Babylon contacts Freya about some local contact in Atlanta who can check on the bomb and make sure it will actually do what it is supposed to be. The contact she is given is named Crazy Pete, in the Bankhead area who can put them up for a bit and who can look over the bomb plans from Pacho. "Crazy" Pete Simmons who is a 'absent minded professor' of demolitions, confirms that Pacho's plans will create "chunky salsa" but not damage the train itself. Babylon happens to also learn that the bullet train has a hidden inner layer with awakened ivy.

--

The team meets at a local hole-in-the-wall restaurant and discuss plans over some authentic southern wings. They realize that there is an above average level of prepared scrutiny, prompting them to consider why there is so much security. They recall that Redliner is really hard to track down, having almost no matrix presence, and when he is found he always seems to be just a few 'steps' away from Power and Authority. Two tables away from senators and such, handshaking celebrities, etc. Afterwards there is some... extensive... discussion regarding the nature of Koi's shadow spirit and how to prevent it affecting the job.

The team rests for the afternoon

Edge Levels: Blackhawk 5/6, Babylon 6/6, Koi 1/4, Gamora (Spirit) 6/6

Day 1, Night: Atlanta Downtown

Disguise Levels: Babylon 7, Koi 6, Blackhawk 10

Babylon gets tagged by the sin scanner at the door and gets some flak from the guards at the door. She manages to talk the guards into scanning her again and this time her R6 SIN passes with ease. She finds Veronika Shaw in the club and when Koi goes to scan for her commlink, she realizes that none of the patrons appear to have any matrix icons on them. Gamora, the spirit, starts chatting her up and sharing stories about metahuman misogyny. The spirit is able to get the information that she drives a bright red SAAB Dynamit. They also learn her two bodyguards are cybered up with heavy move by wire systems, hand razors, and dermal plating.

The team ends up having to wait about five hours. Babylon heads out and goes back to their motel room, leaving Blackhawk and Koi to deal with planting a tracker on the target's car. After five hours of waiting, Koi gets made as being out of place by the local Lone Star officers who are generally keeping an eye on the area. Koi manages to con her way out of trouble with the local PD by paying to her deafness while Veronika Shaw walks out of the club with her goons and goes to leave. Gamora and the spirits follow the car while Koi gets a bit more attention from the one of the club guards due to an overcast spell from that direction (from Blackhawk).

They're almost away when Koi fails a composure roll but thankfully the Lonestar misunderstands why she is afraid and doesn't stop her from leaving. Koi's Burner SIN from Trevor has been burned.

Edge Levels: Blackhawk 4/6, Babylon 5/6, Koi 0/4, Gamora (Spirit) 3/6

Day 1, Night: Veronika Shaw's House

The team meets up at a cheap hotel as Koi realizes her Burner SIN is, indeed, burned, as is her disguise - an APB out for that disguise's description. Babylon contacts Freya for a R5 Burner SIN, costing 5000, and will take two days to make.

The house is in the "A" Zone Atlanta Suburbs, and is located on the local CAS Government Grid. Koi goes to begin hacking Veronika's Commlink now that she is home and has removed it from her faraday pocket. While Veronika takes her evening shower, Koi hacks her commlink in order to send two encrypted files with data bombs and then wipes her presence off the commlink. Both files have R7 Databombs and R7 Encryption.

Day 2, Morning: Cheap Motel

With one Edge to her name, Koi considers if she is up to hacking the data bombs off the files and in a moment of rare wisdom, backs down from the challenge. Babylon calls Kathryn_"Aphrodite"_Riviera who promptly declares it a "skill issue".

• File 1: Sexually explicit AROs of Veronika and many other upper level Executives among the CAS and the CRC (Confederation Rail Company)
• File 2: Security Credentials for a location where Shaw works, an offline host site. As well as some heavily redacted information about something called Project: Red, redacted train manifests, and a train schedule that confirms the Day 5 deadline.

Koi returns the two files to Veronika's commlink without her noticing.

The Team regains edge. Edge Levels: Blackhawk 6/6, Babylon 5/6, Koi 1/4, Gamora (Spirit) 5/6.

Mission 1: Side B - Dude, Where's my Roadmaster?

While on a routine pit stop on the east side of Texas, Weevil and Pacho happen to be set upon by a Ork go-gang in a variety of beat up roadmasters. A short bit later they realize that they don't see Blackhawk's car... nor do they see their own roadmaster. One of the ork gang members explains they do an annual roadmaster rally where they steal a bunch of them and go monster truck them against each other out in the middle of nowhere.

Weevil breaks the case open on his key fob and starts reprogramming it in order to "steal back" a roadmaster in order to go find their own car. Stealing one roadmaster for their own, the two chummers head out. In the backseat of their stolen car, they realize they have also stolen a chihuahua who is high off his ass on betameth, trying to chew its way through the side of the carrier.

Pacho takes the dog out of the carrier using a plastic grocery bag. This goes about as well as can be predicted.

They find the rally with their Roadmaster (and Blackhawk's truck) but Lone Star arrives and the rally breaks into every direction to avoid Lone Star. The dust bowl throws up a huge amount of dust and noise as the place swarms with Lone Star.

Weevil manages to avoid the chaos of the traffic and two ramming attempts, though Pacho tries to "help" by rabbit kicking one of the ramming cars and does some serious bodily injury to himself. (Narrator voice: Don't kick ramming vehicles)

They track the car, finding the ganger's hideout but they end up getting into a fight with the gangers - Pacho starting it by tossing the Meth-HuaHua at one of the gangers. In the ensueing fight, Weevil runs some people over, the chihuahua gets knocked out, and the boys beat up some gangers.

Pacho burns an Edge to Smackdown his challenge to jump back into the car, La Chihuahua Loca under his arm, and makes it into the car as Weevil drives off. They head to the Lone Star office in order to try and find where their cars are, and, thankfully, both the Roadmaster and the Stallion are present.

Weevil tries to lie to the cops, fails miserably, and Pacho offers to bribe the cop. Five grand later, the cops agree to release the roadmaster and send the boys on their way.

Edge: Pacho 0/2, Weevil 1/4

Mission 2: WLANS and You

Day 2, Afternoon: Cheap Motel

Pacho and Weevil arrive and begin unpacking gear. Koi does some work on Pacho to heal him up after the events of the "really immersive movie" they went to. Bablyon's ally buffs Koi's deck, who ten goes and does a Matrix search on the offline host site which takes a few hours which lets her know that it is likely some kind of nested host requiring physical access.

Day 2, Evening: CRC Host Site

Blackhawk assenses the physical site and sees two F6 Watchers and a F8 Ward.

Weevil does some Cereprax and uses the flyspy to scout the building giving the team a general layout of major parts of the base, including the local rigger, decker, guards, and laser grids over the computer systems. The flyspy gets spotted near the end, revealing the presence of some on site light HTR and alerting the base.

Koi's shadow spirit manages to snag an Influence on Koi, convincing her to push for an immediate response. The team decides to "go loud" and kick in the door.

Things go poorly from there. Koi almost dies due to running in under a series of hallucination. HTR is alerted, and many edge are spent.

The team manages to escape the site, thanks to some clever bodyguarding from Blackhawk and some clever thinking on the part of Weevil by collapsing the door to the site preventing more HTR from following.

Day 2, Night: Atlanta

• Edge Levels: Blackhawk 0/5, Koi 0/4, Pacho 0/1, Weevil 0/4, Gamorrah (Spirit) 5/6, Babylon 5/6, Noct 2/5
• Edge Burnt: Koi 4, Pacho 2, Blackhawk 2
• Condition: Koi heavily injured but stabilized. Drug crash effects pending for Pacho, Weevil, Koi. * Mystic Aptitude Drain pending for Koi: 1 P resolved
• Offsite HTR on full alert and 5 minutes away.
• Obstacles: Blood was left behind. Watcher spirits know what they look like for the use of Search powers. Camera footage.

Drug Crashes: Koi: Numb in 40, Pacho: Kami in 40

The team makes their way through Atlanta trying to get out of town before realizing they are being followed by 'something', which Koi and Blackhawk realize is likely to be a Shadow Rider HTR response team. A chase ensues as the team realizes they are being chased by an GX-3AT attack helicopter that had chameleon coating and concealment. A brief handling chase occurs and it is clear that the runners are outmatched - after some gunfire and some attempts at clever driving, they realize they're up against the wall and not able to lose a fast attack helicopter in a roadmaster.

After a series of missile attacks, the roadmaster gets destroyed and Weevil dies in the explosion. Pacho gets captured by the Lone Star Shadowriders and then Blackhawk and Koi escape into the sewers. Koi makes it to the edge of Georgia before the astral signatures she left behind at the CRC site catch up with her and, instead of being captured, she opts to take her own life instead.

Blackhawk, lost, alone, and on the run, makes a deal with the devil and calls Lamatsu, who agrees to get him smuggled out of the CAS in exchange for some major favors.

About a week later, after being tortured and interrogated for intelligence on the failed "terror attack", Pacho is rescued from a Lone Star Blacksite due to the Johnson sending a rescue team in at the cost of having to repay the money from the initial grant. Among those runners is Blackhawk, at the price of paying that money back as well.

Aftermath

One failed run later, two runners are dead. Pacho spends a week in a Lone Star Blacksite, and Blackhawk gets smuggled back to Seattle. Some time later, Blackhawk goes back to Atlanta to try and find any sign of Weevil that might have been left behind - the road has since been repaired, leaving no sign of the runner's lives, dreams, or wishes. All that is left is the faintest of marks over an already repaired blacktop.

Rewards

Semiprime Run: 40 RVP x Time Multiplier of 5 = Max of 200 RVP (Failed Run)

Blackhawk: Positive 30 RVP

• 10 Karma (10 RVP)
• 40 CDP (20 RVP) - requirement to take AK: CAS and Lone Star
• 2 CDP Run Guarantee
• Owes 3 Chips to Lamatsu for exil from the CAS

Negative:

• 1 Noteriety
• Bad Rep (7 Negative RVP)
• 50,000 Nuyen in bribes to escape the CAS (25 RVP)
• -20 Rep: CAS

Koi: Dead

• Please open a ticket to discuss RVP to GMP Conversion with Thematics

Babylon: Positive 30 RVP

• 10 Karma (10 RVP)
• 40 CDP (20 RVP)
• 2 CDP Run Guarantee
• Owes a chip to Kathyrn Riviera for services rendered

Pacho: Positive RVP 30

• 10 Karma (10 RVP)
• 40 CDP (20 RVP)
• 2 CDP Run Guarantee

Negative:

• 1 Noteriety
• Loss of Confidence: Heavy Weapons (10 Negative RVP)
• Flashbacks (7 Negative RVP)
• Bad Rep (7 Negative RVP)
• Criminal SIN (CAS) (10 Negative RVP)
• 50,000 Nuyen in bribes to escape the CAS (25 RVP) (wipes out initial payment from Johnson)
• Big Regret (5 Negative RVP)
• -20 Rep: CAS

Weevil: Dead

• Please open a ticket to discuss RVP to GMP Conversion with Thematics

Possible Qualities to be bought from RVP:

• Pacho: Alibi
• Blackhawk: 1 level of Focus Concentration

Game Quotes

"So how 'bout that airline food?". - Weevil

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

Koi "To whom it may concern, this is the end for me. If this message has reached this destination, then I have died. As of writing this message, I do not believe that I have been good. I do not even believe that I was passible. I apologize for any issues I have caused from my deep and personal afflictions onto those around me.

Select individuals have been listed to receive a file from me. It will be sent from an anonymous source. Feel free to make it bounce, but just know it contains my best intentions. The only ones I have left.

I'm sorry for those I've hurt, and I hope that this message will find you some closure."

Weevil "I guess I'm not as good as I thought...sorry guys." -Weevil's last thoughts.