Route 66: Side Story - Technical Difficulties Please Stand By
| Route 66: Side Story - Technical Difficulties Please Stand By | |||||||||
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| Part of Like mad max but more guns | |||||||||
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| Factions Involved | |||||||||
| ShadowHaven | Renegade Works | ||||||||
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Canter Relay | Overdrive | ||||||||
| This was an initiation ordeal for Canter. | |||||||||
Summary
In which Canter and Relay assist the Gear Shifts with recovering a prototype engine component.
Background
Recently, Pitty 'Grease Lightning' McShane obtained a semi-truck he intends to use in the Roadrash Rally, and for it to be in tip-top shape he needs more upgrades to improve it. Unfortunately, he lives in a junkyard and is bound by the rules of the Olympics of Go-Gang Racing to only use stolen parts - thus he has located a manufacturer of rare vehicle parts - By the Bay Industries in San Francisco - which is currently developing a prototype fuel injector which suits his needs. Since he knows a few tech-savvy riggers, he puts out a call for assistance with the out-of-town job.
The Meet
Canter, who leaves her assisted living facility to crash a street race, receives a call while in the middle of escaping from police pursuit from The Dukes, who are reaching out on behalf of Pitty (who isn't the best with tech). Meanwhile, Relay is dealing with Shenanigans(TM) in the form of his Helper drones and pondering his recent jobs when he gets the call, agreeing to head out to Fife to meet with Pitty and see what he needs; the two meet up en-route and are joined by Mo and Duke, who escort them to the junkyard.
Upon arrival, Pitty greets them with his famous coffee (which both decline in favor of the Dukes latest batch of peach-flavored moonshine). He tells them that the team have been working on the truck which Canter helped to steal, and are looking at a list of parts that will be needed to get her into shape for the big race. The Gear Slips have located a fuel injector which should provide enough power to really give the truck's engine the extra kick it needs - the problem is that the part is being manufactured in San Francisco for a rival street racer, and since the rules state that everything used must be stolen he's going to need their help to get his hands on it. Pitty says he's a bit strapped for cash, but offers to show the two of them some tricks he's picked up over the years and says that he'd owe them one. Wanting to help out and take a trip to California, both Canter and Relay agree to this proposition.
The Plan
Unfortunately Pitty doesn't have much in the way of specifics, and neither Canter or Relay trust the intel that's been gathered by The Dukes (this is a fair assumption, since the two of them spend the meeting juggling jars of flaming moonshine between themselves). While Relay does some preliminary matrix searches, Canter assists Pitty and his team with preparing her new Renegade Works Mothership for a flight and reaches out to her smuggling contacts to find a safe route through the SSC and the Tir into California Free State airspace. Her fixer Maisy Gardner is about to connect her with a local fixer in Fremont with the expertise she needs, but says it's not going to be cheep. Contacting Garuda, Canter negotiates for safe passage to and from San Francisco as well as space at an airfield for her blimp - in exchange, both she and Relay will owe Garuda a favor in the future.
Relay and his agent do a T6 on By the Bay Industries and find some information on the manufacturer and the part that Pitty is interested in, which seems to be being made for a local rigger named Overdrive who will be having it installed in 2 days. While he finds some more information on the fuel injector and just how likely it is to explode during transport, Canter helps with getting her vehicle loaded and secured in a shipping container which is then attached to the Mothership, with the coordinates and route from Garuda programmed into it. The two ride down to San Francisco in the car and chat a bit about how they got into running while putting together a plan of action.
The Run
Arriving in Fremont after a rough journey through stormy skies over northern California, the two take in the sight of the the San Francisco Metroplex before heading to By the Bay Industries and using spirits and drones to take stock of the situation. They find that the place is quite well-guarded, and that assaulting it would be a dangerous proposition even with a full team of runners - instead, they plan to wait for Overdrive to pick up the part and ambush her after. Relay hops on the grids to do a bit of research on the rival rigger as well as purchasing an anthrodrone capable of carrying the fuel injector (since neither of the two are physically able to do so) - while he finds that their enemy is matrix-capable, he does not learn that she is also a technomancer with a trick or two up her sleeve.
After a day and a half of preparation setting up an ambush site along the Pacific Coast Highway towards Big Sur (where they've determined Overdrive will be returning to), the two riggers are ready for crime time. While Relay sets up with his sniper drone in the hills (wrappered to look like a motorcycle) Canter drives along the highway ahead of Overdrive's path - the pair plan to shoot out her engine block before pit maneuvering her safely off to the side of the road away from the ocean. Unfortunately Overdrive is a better driver than expected and manages to avoid the first shot, spotting out Relay on the matrix and attempting to dumpshock him before having her sprites engage in cybercombat. Canter starts to slow her down while Relay's firewall holds off the attacks, and he manages to use his sniper drone to put a second ADPS round through the rear engine block of Overdrive's car without blowing up the fuel injector in the process.
Screeching to a halt as Canter (who has gone offline, with Relay in the passenger seat) guides her safely towards the mountain-facing side of the road, Overdrive succeeds in damaging the drone but fails to call up a large enough sprite to turn the tide. When prompted, she exits the vehicle with her hands in the air, but after being threatened/apologized to by Relay through his drone she manages to dumpshock him out of it. Canter smacks her with her assault cannon and Relay plugs into her vehicle mounted assault rifle to plug Overdrive full of stick-and-shock, but she stays on her feet and grabs the weapon to threaten him with a skinlinked dataspike - however she sees that she is outmatched and doesn't provoke the runners into killing her, so they knock her out as planned and leave her by the side of the road with her vehicle.
Aftermath
While Relay rigs into his new anthrodrone and pulls off the auto mechanic check to safely remove the fuel injector (which Overdrive watermarked - a fact which won't be discovered until later on when Canter has Vip3r, a friendly technomancer she knows, inspect it for Techno BS(TM) before handing it over to Pitty), Canter leaves her signature in the form of a horse photograph. The runners return to San Francisco and head back to Seattle, managing to make it back without issue. Giving the engine component to Pitty, they receive his thanks and the promise to show them a thing or two about how to refurbish old machines.
Rewards
- Grease Monkey quality at Chargen price (8 RVP)
- 2 karma
- 2 CDP
- May use RVP or CDP to upgrade Pitty's loyalty, +1 chip on him
- Must Purchase Contact: Garuda (C6/L1 Fixer) w/ 1 chip owed for services rendered
- Optional Contact: The Dukes (C3/L1 Drug/Moonshine Runners) for 3 RVP or 6 CDP
- For Canter: Intitation discount.
Game Quotes
Canter: "No, that was the guy in the wheelchair." |
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Relay
I get it, lady--I definitely do. Having someone jack parts off your ride is basically like having someone cut out a little bit of your soul. But--like--did ya have to be so mean about it? We coulda been friends. Instead, I get a nosebleed and you get a concussion, and like--those are really bad for you. You ought to talk to a doctor; I hope you have a good one. I'll say, though, I am very, VERY glad I had the PI-Tac's defensive bonuses today. She'd have busted my brain instead of vice-versa if I hadn't.
This was...a strange one. I found myself dropping a lot of cash and personal influence on obtaining an engine for a buddy. As much as I miss that coin already, Pitty has helped me acquire several of my best bits of tech, and we talked enough shop for me to leave with some ideas, so it's probably worth it. I was providing fire support to Canter who can drive. It makes sense because she's been driving three times as long as I've been alive. I'll be honest, I was surprised when she pistol-whipped the opfor with a four foot long assault cannon, though. I'm still trying to process that whole ordeal, but I suppose it's one of those moments when you shrug and then say "magic."
Also, being real, I was picking up on a real vibe between Pitty and Canter. I wonder if that's gonna go anywhere.
Canter
That was a good racer, makes me remember my younger days! I do feel bad about having to steal her engine, but a job is a job. I hope she gets set back up soon though. Getting to use that Assault Cannon was AMAZING though.