Red Challenge

Red Challenge
Part of Metaplot
Date 2081-01-01 GM OptimismBeast Location Big Mon$¥ Inc. Warehouse
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven Roadkill Cleric Z3K3 Dr-Boo

Summary

The runners, hired by a Johnson representing a mysterious faction that used a warehouse as a meeting place, ejected a bunch of Skraacha-posers from a warehouse by making reasonable threats, then lightly harassed the KE response car that came to arrest them as they were leaving, somewhat aiding the posers in their escape.

Background

"Mr. Stalin", a prolific Johnson, needs some help. A group of ork and troll 'gangers' is squatting in the warehouse he does meets in, and now he can't get rid of them without risking offending the Skraacha, one of the city's foremost gangs! To remove them, "Mr. Stalin" needs to know whether or not they're really Skraacha, and to do that, he turns to the trusty labourers of the Shadowhaven.

The Meet

Arriving at the meet, a Stuffer Shack towards the northern edge of the Seattle Sprawl, the runners find themselves fashionably early. Their Johnson, it seems, is running late. Arriving haggard and sore, the Johnson proceeded to bribe the Shack's employees and set up a surreptitious white-noise machine. After a quick negotiation during which the Johnson aggressively bemoaned the circumstances of their meeting, the runners agreed to investigate the squatters for a fee of 2,000N¥, or if they remove them themselves, 6,000. The Johnson, happy to leave this ad-hoc meeting area, quickly packed up and left, sending the Z3K3 and Dr. Boo an image of the squatters he captured when he first encountered them.

The Plan

Piling into the doctor's Roadmaster, the team quickly began researching the Skraacha and the individuals pictured in the image the J provided. Z3K3 recalled quickly that the Skraacha, while a powerful and widespread gang, are primarily based in the Underground, and looking at the image recognised that none of the trogs pictured were eminent members. Matrix searches corroborated this, as the squatters had criminal records, but no known connections to any gang activity. Content with this level of preparation, the team set off to the warehouse.

The Run

Parked in the empty parking lot outside the warehouse, the hackers quickly found that it was owned by a shell company, a "Big Mon$¥ Inc.", and that there were a few guns running loud inside. Z3K3, taking advantage of this, utilized the hacking technique 'Garbage-In-Garbage-Out' to cause the guns to fail to fire. As the doctor flew his aerial recovery drone up to the roof, the 'gangers' noticed this, and began to charge outside. Firing their guns at the drone, they realized quickly that they were getting nowhere and resorted quickly to obviously empty bluster.

Dr. Boo lecturing them from above while Roadkill mean-mugged them spooked the false-claimers, and they quickly left the warehouse, taking with them the stolen goods they were storing. Stuck waiting for their ride to arrive, Z3K3 passed the time subverting their commlinks and laying Data Bombs while the doctor's drone recorded their exit. Eventually, a Chuckwagon came by and picked the fake Skraacha goons up, driving off with the four criminals and their haul. As the wagon turned the corner, a patrol car adorned with a Knight Errant insignia appeared, seemingly pursuing it.

Aftermath

Taking pity on these incompetent criminals, the Z3K3 tried unsuccessfully to distract KE by placing fraudulent calls to their response office, in the process getting his commcode blocked. Cleric, ever the gentle soul, offered one of his burners and his wanted status as a distraction. Dr. Boo hid his Roadmaster as the KE-sent investigative gyrocraft attempted to locate Bes Priest, and the runners were happy to earn their pay, and give a little bit of kindness to the little guys of the Seattle Underworld.

Rewards

6000N¥, 1 Karma, 2 CDP (Milk Run)

Game Quotes

"Hi KE response? Yeah so I heard gunshots in this area." Shoots gun -Z3K3

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

• Roadkill:We were hired by a J for some organization we weren't told the name of to remove some new residents in a warehouse they owned. They though it might have been Ork gangers, but it wound up just being some posers trying to be big drek. We were able to remind them of the relative difference in our ability to apply force, and they saw reason. We tried to save them from an unpleasant run-in with KE, not sure id that actually worked, though. We left in a bit of a hurry. I gave the poor slotters the location of the warehouse I am crashing at, maybe they will come by, seemed like they were kind of hard up.

Dr. Boo: Employer expressed some distaste for shadow-runners, and met inside a stuffer shack of all places. Anyways he implied he could have handled these chumps himself, but they were worrier about upsetting the Skraat'cha gang. Turns out these guy's didn't work for Skrat'cha. Imagine that, lying about being a lowlife. Anyways, glad I didn't have to murder them for no reason. Would have been an unfair fight.