FAB Cheese
| FAB Cheese | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Baker Wars | |||||||||
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| Factions Involved | |||||||||
| ShadowHaven | University of Washington | ||||||||
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Cricket Orchid Crane Sanjuro Bland |
Mage Professor Water Spirit Spirit of Man | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| None | Well, they didn't kill us all | ||||||||
Summary
The runners are hired to acquire an exciting new ingredient for the Underground Bakery.
Background
Saul Goodman, premiere pastry chef for the Underground Bakery, is always on the look for new and exciting ingredients for his high class bakery needs. Special ingredients are a must, and Saul has his eye on a new item to tantalize the taste buds of his loyal customers. All he needs is a canny crew to collect it for him.
The Meet
The shadow runner crew is told to meet at the Underground Bakery, late in the evening. Arriving roughly on time Orchid, Bland and Crane wait for the remaining two members, Cricket and Sanjuro, as they are either uninterested in being on time in Cricket's case, or riding a simple bicycle, such as Sanjuro. Entering the shop, the team are greeted by Saul, as he breaks out a pan of his specialty danishes, offering them to all. Everyone but Bland tries them, who begs off, complaining about an ever expanding waistline. Once the runners are done appreciating his talents, Saul explains his needs. Namely, cheese. But not just any cheese; a new, fabulous creation: Fluorescent Astral Bacteria cheese. Saul explains that he has received word of this fabulous new food being created at the University of Washington. He asks that the runners retrieve this delicacy and bring it to him for his culinary exploits. He offers to pay 16k for the job, but Bland and Orchid manage to convince him to pay 18k, as they are all professional runners. Accepting the job, the team heads out to plan their attack.
The Plan
Heading to Cricket's apartment, the team wait as Cricket dives into the Matrix to collect any information they can find to aid the mission. Weaving through the outer Destination Host, Cricket finds the files that point to cheesy research, copying them and getting out, barely avoiding being spiked to death in the process. Sharing the information gained, the team learns that the cheese is being developed in a lab in the Hermetic Sciences building. Realizing that the campus does not allow guns in the buildings, Bland suggests that Sanjuro wait outside, carrying the weapons of the others just in case things go south. Donning disguises to fit their roles as a professor and his students from a small town community college, the team heads out to collect the cheese.
The Run
Heading to the campus, the team are covered by Cricket in the Matrix, who has opted to stay behind in the apartment for safety. The campus square is alive with activity, as a large job fair is running in full force, with a large crowd wandering from booth to booth. Bland notices a Horizon Group camera crew stationed just outside the Hermetic Sciences building, and does his best to not be noticed, as he is carrying a bounty from Horizon on his head. Instead, he turns to Sanjuro and asks her to "cause a distraction", to allow the others to enter the building undetected. Sanjuro seems confused by this, but ever positive heads on over and loudly asks what is going on. The students are excited to offer her many different accounts of what is so interesting; Sanjuro is immediately encouraged to offer her own views on the things that excite her. Dropping her bag to the ground she peels it wide open, displaying the handguns and crossbow, and other weapons clearly to the crowd, pulling out a large helmet and plunking it on her head. She asks them all; "Would you like to see my helmet? It's got Grey Mana!", while the students all back away from her in terror. Realizing the jig is up, Sanjuro grabs her bag and begins to run, Campus Security hot on her heels. Borrowing Crane's motorcycle, she scoops up her belongings and makes tracks, throwing her unfinished soykaf behind her, to distract the security and hasten her getaway.
Meanwhile, the strike team moves up the stairwell to the fourth floor. There they encounter a Spirit of Man, manifested as a surly professor, who asks them if they have an appointment. Bland quickly explains that they are on a field trip from a small Redmond Barrens campus, and that they had arranged a tour several weeks prior. The Spirit is not entirely convinced of this, but after some more pleading and highly edged rolls, Bland and Orchid manage to convince the guardian to allow them to proceed, sending for an actual professor to escort them inside the lab. Bland has to convince the professor of his veracity as well, and manages to do so with aplomb. Entering the lab, they are brought to the prize; the FAB cheese, locked up tight in a glass dome. Cricket decides to attempt to distract the professor by hacking her phone, and Bland assists with innocuous questions about campus life, teaching, students and cheese. While she is distracted, Crane whips out his autopicker and makes short work of the lock, grabbing the cheese and handing it off to Orchid, who stows it away in her backpack. Tired of the obvious distraction, the professor notices her cheese is missing and cries out in anger that the three are thieves. Bland apologizes for their actions, as they each take turn attempting to knock her out, finally succeeding. Unfortunately, a water spirit rises up in her place, and the team tries to beat feet. Crane is manages to resist the spirits command to return the cheese, and instead scoops up the other two runners and uses his skimmers to great affect.
While this is going on, Cricket is frantically trying to control the cameras to help disguise the assault team during their shenanigans. Unfortunately for them, Cricket is spotted, and link-locked, and repeatedly Brute Forced, before finally being able to jack out, taking dump shock in the process, but surviving the run. The team manages to escape the campus and meet up a a coffee shop where Sanjuro has been calmly drinking tea during the later part of the run. Realizing they have succeeded, they head to the Underground Bakery to claim their reward.
Aftermath
Saul is overjoyed to receive his prized cheese, and happily pays the runners their promised payment. Reminding them that they have free pastries for the next four months, Saul head backs into the kitchen, while the runners return home for a well deserved rest.
Rewards
-1k nuyen off of lifestyle for 4 months (1 RVP)
16k nuyen (8 RVP)
+2k nuyen (From Negotiation)
7 Karma (7 RVP)
2 CDP
Cricket, Sanjuro, and Crane: +1 Public Awareness
Optional Contact: Saul Goodman (Connection 5) at Loyalty 2 for -6 RVP
Game Quotes
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Bland
"Second run down, and no casualties on either side. Except the professor, but we kinda had to knock her out to prevent her from calling anymore security down upon us. I feel really bad about that; innocents should not be hurt. But, it was necessary, and it could have gone a lot worse. I'm really glad I got to work with such solid professionals. Who knew Sanjuro would know just what to say to distract that camera crew and the students? Really great experience, I hope the next one is just like it."
Cricket
"It was fine, I guess. A little irritated that I couldn't get more data from that host, but it's nice that no one died. Made enough to buy a new couch, which is good since one of the other runners ruined mine."
Sanjuro
"This run was really fun! I got paid more than I've ever been paid! I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to fight people with Crane and show off my awesome sword skills but I'm sure there will be another run. Who knew the science people would freak out when I mentioned grey mana? I figured they would be happy to talk about it but I guess we're all wrong sometimes."
Orchid: Magical cheese made with FAB, it was nice to head back to collage only for a short time and to see chaos start to raise all over the places.