The Sixth World Is Not Enough
| The Sixth World Is Not Enough | ||||||||||||
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| Factions Involved | ||||||||||||
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ShadowHaven Amrei Veidt Ohrwurm | DeMeKo-Teleam | Tir Paladins | Rival Runners | Eco-Terrorists | ||||||||
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Mara Zenith |
Donan McAffet Security Officers |
Baran Braethe Paladin Bodyguards |
Airwave Onyx |
Dryad Stooges Sludge Spirit | ||||||||
Summary
In which Mara and Zenith go on vacation the the lesser-known European elfnostate, and truths about their respective backstories are revealed.
Background
Having crossed paths before in For Elven Eyes Only, Mara and Zenith find themselves on similar paths of inquiry regarding certain secrets in their past being hidden by powerful elves - Mara seeks knowledge regarding her past in the Tir diplomatic corps and just what it was all for, while Zenith is looking for his wife who was kidnapped as part of a conspiracy involving a chal'han (elven blood fued) between noble families. Now their paths cross again as intelligence agents from TNN and S-K collaborate to have them steal the biometric information of a very prominent (and very old) elf.
The Meet
Mara is contacted by Ohrwurm, her old handler, via encrypted commlink call; the spy explains that she has a job for Mara targeting Tir national who is currently living in the Duchy of Pomorya, and that they are working with another intelligence service who will be sending their own operative to partner with her. They will need to obtain the target's biometric information as well as palm and retinal scans, ideally without the target being aware of this. Mara inquires for further information on the target, but Ohrwurm explains that she cannot disclose any more at the time, and that a full dossier will be waiting for her upon her arrival in the country at the prepared safehouse.
Zenith meanwhile is contacted by Amrei Veidt, his S-K Prime associate, via the same method; she tells him the same information, emphasizing the importance of secrecy in the task, but as the decker is more confident in her Matrix security and Zenith has higher loyalty with her he is able to get the target's name - "Eichenwalde" - out of her.
Following their respective briefings, the two runners are connected with one-another and left to their own devices with regard to entering the country - their employers wish to keep things at arms-length to avoid having any trails leading back to them, so if the runners are caught, they're on their own.
The Plan
Mara and Zenith decide to meet up at the latter's safe house in Purity, Redmond order to plan. Zenith shares the name of their target with Mara, who recalls a similar name from her time working in Tir Tairngire - "Eichenwalde" in German translates to "Oakforest". Putting their heads together, they manage to do a bit of gizzogling and find information on one Aithne Oakforest, who was a member of the Council of Princes of Tír Tairngire from 2035 to 2062 and who now resides in Pomorya along with his daughter Elleara.
Somewhat intimidated by the high status of their target, the two strategize on how they're going to accomplish their task. Zenith reveals that he possesses the osmosis adept power, which allows him to mimic someone's biometrics after sufficient physical contact; if they can get to Oakforest while he sleeps, they can get what they require. Mara remains somewhat skeptical that they will be able to do so given that Oakforest is supposed to be a powerful mage and likely has heavy security, but acquiesces that this is likely the least invasive option.
Mara proposes contracting Cascade to smuggle them into the country, and to be on-hand to provide exfiltration services; Zenith in turn proposes utilizing Freya's talents to create false identification for the pair of them. Neither objects to the use of the other's contacts, and after ironing out the particulars nuyen changes hands for crime services.
Zenith also takes a trip out into the Sound to speak with Wusan, asking if the water spirit has any associates or counterparts in the area. Wusan tells him that the Baltic Sea (on whose coast Pomorya sits) has been deeply ravaged by pollution, but his comrade Myrsky fights tirelessly against the toxic influence in the region. As Zenith has done Wusan services before, the water spirit provides him with a driftwood token with which he can make contact with Myrsky.
Establishing Cover
Having acquired false identities as tourists to operate under in Pomorya, Mara and Zenith turn to the task of getting into the country; the legal route would quickly unravel their fake IDs, so they turn to smuggling. Thankfully Cascade is able to reign in her adrenaline junkie tendencies and, after a short trip across the Atlantic in a cargo ship, is ably navigate through the Baltic Sea with her submersible helicopter and judicious use of Little Smoke for concealment from radar systems. After being dropped off on a cliff-lined stretch of coast northeast of Saßnitz, the capital, and arranging the spot as an extraction point, the smuggler leaves the runners to their business and goes off to do some short hops between Scandinavian countries while she waits for their call.
The pair make their way into the capital with their luggage, renting a car under their false names and making their way to the pre-arranged safehouse where, as promised, the full dossier is waiting for them. Zenith disables all the cameras and listening devices he is able to locate, knowing there are very likely others hidden about, while Mara works on setting up magical defenses just in case. After this is done, they familiarize themselves with the information on Oakforest, learning that he is indeed a high-grade initiate and has an extremely capable and comprehensive security detail. The dossier also explains that Oakforest works with the current Duke (Irion Reanka) in an unofficial capacity as an advisor - along with Donan McAffet of Tir na Nog, the three have been carefully modernizing the duchy, however the Duke's cooperation with the two non-Germanic elves is a closely-guarded secret out of political necessity.
Researching McAffet, they learn that he is a former officer in the Tir Republican Corps and currently working with DeMeKo-Teleam - a large corporation in Pomorya - as a security contractor and special forces member; seeing him as the biggest obstacle to success, as he organizes Oakforest's security detail, Zenith begins concocting a way to get close to McAffet as a recruit to his forces.
Examining their options, the pair consider attempting to break into Oakforest's home but dismiss it as a practical impossibility - it is too well-defended, and the security detail knows it too well, plus it's likely crawling with spirits and other magical security measures. Instead they hatch a plan to get at him during a state function due to take place in a few weeks at a local castle - using their combined divination skills, they are able to predict the results of having Wusan's ally Myrsky create a storm front and point it in that direction, timing it to hit while things are well underway. When they foresee the event being snowed in, forcing the dignitaries to shelter in place for the night, they hit upon the idea of using the unfamiliar territory to level the playing field in their favor.
Mara expands on Zenith's notion to get close to McAffet and the security detail by proposing to use their current fake IDs as cover for another set of false credentials which give the impression that they belong at such an event: Zenith gets himself recruited by McAffet, while Mara poses as an undercover diplomatic attache from Tir Tairngire in order to access the circles frequented by the rest of Oakforest's inner circle.
The Side Quest
The pair spend the next few days establishing their surface-level covers as tourists while working on a crucial component of their plan - that is, securing Myrsky's aid in creating a snowstorm to trap their quarry in place for the night. Posing as honeymooners, they proceed to a port town and rent a catamaran to sail out onto the Baltic Sea, making an offering of 500 drams of reagents and using the driftwood token they were given to call the great form water spirit's attention.
Myrsky is suspicious of the pair of outsiders, but they comport themselves well enough with their wild summoning efforts that he is willing to at least hear them out before capsizing their boat. The runners offer their services to the spirit, offering to go where it cannot and perform any task that it wishes of them in exchange for its aid. The spirit ponders the offer and tells the two that there is a small coven of dryads on a nearby island who, until recently, offered supplication to him - he suspects they have been taken in by another spirit with less-than-wholesome intent for them, and wants the two to investigate and remedy the situation.
While sailing to the island, Mara is surprised to learn via some quick Matrix searching that dryads are a much more commonplace sight in Pomorya, with several large tribes of them living in the wilderness areas of the country. Evidently this particular group has been working on efforts to restore the Baltic Sea's capacity to support a functioning eco-system, though the work has been slow going thanks to the efforts of a number of companies (notably Proteus AG and ZetaImpChem) to keep up a steady stream of pollution. This has resulted in an increased prevalence of eco-terrorist groups such as TerraFirst! (whom Mara has some connections with), as well as various toxic cults.
Arriving at their destination, the runners anchor their boat off the coast and ask Myrsky to keep their presence concealed, taking a smaller craft to the shoreline. There they are met by a Template:Wood elf ranger dryad scout on the beech, who tells them that they should turn back and that tourists are not welcome on the island. Briefly considering deception, they instead decide that honesty is the better policy and admit that they are there on behalf of Myrsky to see if the tribe would be amenable to working with the spirit once more; the scout scoffs, telling them that Myrsky is too cautious and particular to do what needs to be done, but agrees to bring them to their shaman so they can make their plea directly.
The two are lead to a small grove at the top of a cliff overlooking the sea where the shaman meets with them. She tells them that the tribe has grown tired of waiting to strike back at those who pollute the sea, and have found a new spiritual patron who is more willing to take action against them. During the discussion, the two assense the shaman and manage to notice a rather toxic looking presence - not on the shaman herself, but on an amulet she wears around her neck; after confirming that this is indeed the spiritual patron to which she refers, Mara manages to force it from its vessel and trick it into revealing its true nature as a sludge spirit. Convincing the tribe they've been mislead, Zenith persuades the shaman to speak with Myrsky again, who explains that he simply wishes to ensure no more damage is done to the sea in the process of taking retribution against the polluters. Having fulfilled the terms of their bargain, Myrsky pledges to create and direct the storm front as asked.
Spy Games
Returning to Saßnitz, Mara and Zenith find their second set of fake IDs have been completed - Mara's identifies her as an agricultural technician from Tir Tairngire (and a totally-not-spy), while Zenith's is as a mercenary who formally worked with MET 2000 and who has bad blood with S-K. The two spend a few days establishing their cover and attempting to draw attention from their respective circles; while Mara spends her time scoping out high-society clubs, Zenith covertly tails her in an attempt to get the attention of security officials.
While out at a bar, Mara manages to gain the attention of a mid-level government official and get herself invited to one of the private clubs that Oakforest is known to frequent. While she is inside schmoozing, Zenith sets up just outside the security perimeter and identifies several plainclothes security officers from DeMeKo-Teleam; he intentionally allows himself to be caught on a hidden camera, giving it a cheeky wink and the impression that he could have slipped by should he have wished, leaving behind an encrypted datachip with his "resume" to be found by them.
Inside the club, Mara notices a woman observing her with her date and recognizes her from the dossier - realizing she's Oakforest's daughter Elleara, Mara makes her way over to the bar and introduces herself, confessing that she finds the man she is with to be something of a bore and hinting that she is looking for more interesting company. Elleara appreciates her candor and is eager for someone from Tir Tairngire to speak to about the situation back home, giving Mara the opening she needs to ingratiate herself with her; sensing some interest on the other elf's part, she manages to project the image of a femme fatale and secures a date.
Later in the week, Zenith receives a call from DeMeKo-Teleam inviting him to come to a nondescript office for an appointment; managing to thoroughly disguise himself as an elf, and get his gun past security, he is lead to a windowless room where he is ambushed by a man hiding behind the door. The two fight to a stand-still, ending up holding a gun to eachother's heads - this prompts the assailant to laugh and holster his weapon before introducing himself as Donan McAffet. Having made what passes for a good first impression between combat/stealth adepts, Zenith settles into his seat and recites his (fake) backstory, managing to sell McAffet on his credentials as a security officer and bond over a mutual dislike of S-K's Chairman. Having convinced him that he is not a spy, McAffet recruits Zenith as an operative, telling him that his intelligence reports indicate that there will be an attempt on the life of one of the guests at an upcoming government event.
While Mara is on a date with Elleara, she learns that the woman is painfully bored and seeks after the excitement and intrigue of life back in the Tir court - leveraging this, Mara lets slip a few hints that she works with the diplomatic corps and convinces Elleara to extend an invitation as her guests to the event in order to help her make things more interesting. As the two are walking in the park, Zenith covertly tails her and is able to pick out another observer who has been watching the two of them; with the aid of one of Mara's spirits, he is able to track them back to a rented bungalow on the beach, which he stakes out until Mara joins him via astral projection.
Bursting into the bungalow to ambush their pursuer, the two discover a familiar face - Rian, or "Sparkles", the elf with cetheral (a rare pearly, iridescent skin tone) who they previously encountered in Tír na nÓg, and who Zenith had a subsequent run-in with in Tir Tairngire. As well, the man seems to recognize Mara, referring to her by her previous code-name used while she was working with the government. With a gun to his head, he explains that his code-name is Eavesdropper, and that he works for the Tir intelligence service; he chastises Zenith for interfering with his previous investigation against the Telestrians, and Mara for associating with him. When asked how he knows her, he claims that they worked together years ago, but is not surprised she doesn't remember as agents in her position are typically subject to memory alteration - this claim disturbs her greatly, and the mage wonders just what sort of secrets she's been made to forget.
Zenith interrogates Eavesdropper on his purpose in following them, who claims he is in the country investigating the same potential threat McAffet referenced; he confirms their covers haven't been blown as he was merely following Elleara and conducting a background check on her new acquaintance. In exchange for not being killed, and for their cooperation in rooting out the threat (which he reveals is targeted at Zenith's father-in-law, one Count O'Cathalàin, who is in the country on business), he agrees not to include mention of encountering them in his report (the aforementioned gun helps to persuade him that this is the right course of action).
Later, Zenith makes contact with Rouge, his shadowrunner sister-in-law, and informs her of the threat on her father's life - the two agree to cooperate in stopping it, and Zenith proceeds to further emotionally compromise himself with her. He also makes contact with Amrei via encrypted commcall in order to provide a status report and obtain proper Matrix support for the infiltration of the party; she provides him with the name of a capable European hacker called Myosotis to keep their comms protected and round out the team.
The Run
On the appointed evening Mara arrives at the castle as Elleara's plus-one, while Zenith stashes his runner gear as well as a getaway boat nearby and shows up for duty as a security officer. Eavesdropper poses as a servant, while Rouge is present in disguise as a guest; Myosotis remains off-site, communicating with the team over comms while keeping their PAN hidden from any snoopers. Everyone manages to get inside and play their role until the storm hits and, as predicted, causes the event to become snowed-in.
Mara is briefly introduced to Elleara's father, where she notices a peculiar rose-shaped pin on his lapel; she is wise enough not to attempt to read his aura, despite her (partially-Oracle-induced) curiosity. Instead, she leads Elleara off somewhere more private and gently probes her for information on him; she seems to notice the overt interest, but says nothing of it for the moment, and is soon distracted by dryad charms.
Meanwhile, Zenith surveils the party scene and notices a server attempting to slip something into his father-in-law's drink; he proceeds to use his practiced skills of looking like a bumbling buffoon in front of snooty elves to knock over the drink before it can be consumed. The Count simply laughs it off, failing to recognize him through his elf disguise, but the interaction does get the attention of his paladin bodyguard - whom Zenith has tangled with before, and who has a personal vendetta against him.
Working together with Rouge, Zenith manages to subdue and restrain the server in the restroom, then bring him to Eavesdrooper to be interrogated - the server reveals under the influence of gamma-scopolamine that he is working as part of a team of runners targeting certain dignitaries at the event, one of whom Zenith recognizes: Onyx, a street sam who he believes was part of the team that originally kidnapped his wife, who has also managed to infiltrate the ranks of the security forces. Everyone involved senses that things have become personal and encourage him not to do anything stupid, but the words don't reach his ears.
Later, Zenith ditches Inga, his assigned partner, and makes his way out into the snow to retrieve his stashed gear - there he's confronted by That Paladin (aka. Baran Braethe), who proceeds to have a bit of a punch-up with him before Zenith manages to get through to him and explain that he's looking for information on their mutual love-interest. The two proceed to team-up with the intention of taking down Onyx and beating the info out of him, heading towards the sound of a gunshot where they find a downed security officer and a trail leading into the castle.
Mara makes her excuses and leaves Elleara's company to go rendezvous with Zenith and Baran in one of the empty ballrooms, where they confront Onyx - a fight ensues in which all parties are nearly sworded to death multiple times before Mara pulls off a taboo transformer and transforms Onyx into a turtle. She and Zenith bring him into one of the castle's many secret passages in order to interrogate him while Baran stands guard, however Elleara, having followed the mage, witnesses them skulking away and becomes even more suspicious.
Onyx reveals under interrogation that he was indeed part of the team that took Zenith's wife - he says that they brought her out into the desert, where they were met by a man matching Oakforest's description. Zenith resists the urge to take immediate vengeance and instead knocks Onyx out, giving him to Baran to take to Eavesdropper. Once the paladin is gone, the pair of runners are confronted by Elleara, who - having overheard much of the conversation - demands to know just what it is they are up to and what sort of business they have with her father.
The two debate incapacitating her and proceeding with their original plan, but instead decide to come clean and angle for a face-to-face with Oakforest. Telling Elleara a semblance of the truth, the runners explain who they are and what they are there for, though they leave out who they're working on behalf of; Elleara is indignant at having been played, but her own curiosity quickly wins out, and in exchange for a promise to not hurt her father she agrees to arrange a private meeting with him.
Later on, close to midnight, the runners are escorted to a private sitting room where Oakforest is waiting for them; as the room is electronically shielded, they go off commms. He asks what their business is with him and his daughter, and they tell him that they are looking for information. Oakforest tells Zenith that he was not involved in the matter of his wife, and that someone has impersonated him to give the impression that he was behind things as part of a long-term effort to force him out of power after the revolution; he says that he is aware of the chal'han against the O'Cathalàins, and that the Telestrians are behind it. He also tells Mara that he recognizes her from her time in Tir Tairngire, and that while he cannot personally attest to her service record or missing memories he does know that logs are kept of such things in Malek’thas.
While Oakforest doesn't ask about their employers, he confirms that he is aware of their mission (though does not reveal whether this knowledge comes from mind-reading, divination, or simply superior foresight and intelligence-gathering, leaving them to speculate instead) and says that, in exchange for a service from them in the future, he will acquiesce and provide them with adequate samples that will satisfy their employers but which will not serve as a viable material link or provide them with bio-metric access - for all intents and purposes it will appear as if they have done their job and that he was simply one step ahead (Zenith does not fail to take note of the specificity of the phrasing). Having been called out, and with the alternative being a running firefight with Oakforest's bodyguards that they would likely not survive, the runners agree.
Once their meeting is concluded and they have their samples, thoughts turn to making a quick escape. Despite the storm still raging outside, the two brave the snow and make their way to their hidden boat, only to find the sludge spirit they encountered on their earlier side-quest waiting for them. Mara manages to dispatch it in astral combat, and the pair make a speedy getaway before splitting up in order to minimize the chances of both of them being caught - Mara rendezvous with Cascade, while Zenith heads for the train station in order to catch up with Rouge and have a chat with her about everything that's happened.
Aftermath
The pair are able to leave the country without incident, reconvening in Seattle for the debriefing with their employers - if either of them notice any discrepancies between the samples provided and the ones expected, they say nothing on the matter, merely transferring along the runners payments and congratulating them on a job well done. Both runners are left with lingering questions regarding their personal missions, and the knowledge that they owe a debt to someone very old and powerful indeed.
Rewards
(5x duration multiplier): 150,000 nuyen (75 RVP) 50 karma (50 RVP) 76 CDP (37 RVP) 1 Street Cred (1 RVP) Initiation ordeal discount Gear Rewards: S-K Branded Equipment (@ 2:1 price) Qualities (@ chargen price, 37 RVP worth): For Mara: -Focused Concentration (4) -Good Looking and Knows It (10) -Honest Face (5) -Taboo Transformer (15) -Watch the Suit (3) For Zenith: -Adrenaline Surge (12) -First Impression (11) -Guts (10) -Linguist (4)
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Mara
Sometimes travel goes well. This time it did. I ended up in Pomorya with Zenith. Collecting biological samples without the target knowing is a tricky thing. Ultimately we went a different route; we simply asked him for it. In exchange, of course, we owe him a favor somewhere down the line. Normally this kind of turn is Zenith's doing, but this time, after reading the portents, I decided that we need a different approach. We procured the sample and all parties left happy. Except perhaps Elleara, whom I may have led on more than intended.
- Zenith - Was at his most professional. I think he was as worried about making it home as I was. Or perhaps not. Regardless, he performed admirably.