A Different Kind of Welcome Mat

[Baelfyre]

Spyke and Becca work together and cut the door free from the graphite matrix the nanites left behind. It takes a while, probably an hour or two, but they finally get it done and the gate mechanism open. Not, mind you, that the gate mechanism will work properly ever again after the two cyborgs are done with it.

Stepping out, they are met with the sight of a colorful bazaar with dozens, if not hundreds of people wandering about and a corpse at their feet.

(if your characters are taking anything in particular that isn't on your sheet, either PM me or put it in here)

[stormbane]

Are we able to cart the new equipment along with us? Also, A corpse with 100s of people simply milling around? Please tell me they are not zombies.

[Ladyfyreyes]

Looking down at the corpse Spyke sighs and looking over at Becca, "I know you are in a hurry to go get your bike but we need to secure the base first. We need to visit the heads of the local gangs and give them an appropriate 'tithe'. I really would appreciate your going with me to cover my back. Then after we get the vehicles, I'd like to visit Heaven and make some trades for equipment and such." Looking around at everyone; "Everyone needs to give me a wish list."


OCC: Streetwise roll to determine what would be the best way to deal with the gangs. Int: 7, Streetwise: 3, Roll: 8 Total 18

[Baelfyre]

Are we able to cart the new equipment along with us? Also, A corpse with 100s of people simply milling around? Please tell me they are not zombies.

No, you, Henry, and Mahmoud are inside. Though Mahmoud is creeping both of you out, talking to somebody that isn't there about something called Chimaera.

(Thread will be posted tomorrow.)

Looking down at the corpse Spyke sighs and looking over at Becca, "I know you are in a hurry to go get your bike but we need to secure the base first. We need to visit the heads of the local gangs and give them an appropriate 'tithe'. I really would appreciate your going with me to cover my back. Then after we get the vehicles, I'd like to visit Heaven and make some trades for equipment and such." Looking around at everyone; "Everyone needs to give me a wish list."


OCC: Streetwise roll to determine what would be the best way to deal with the gangs. Int: 7, Streetwise: 3, Roll: 8 Total 18

While you are talking, you see a young woman in a UPS uniform moving towards you, dragging a long pallet behind her.

The best way to approach is probably going to be to find a lieutenant and introduce yourselves. It should be pretty pro-forma; this is obviously a very busy place so paying your respects should be fairly simple.

[Ladyfyreyes]

Lean over and grab the corpse by the arms and drag it out of the doorway. If it's still here after dealing with the Lts we can drag him over to the local body bank.

[Kalzazz]

"We have to move bodies to?" watches Spyke moving said body, "He/she/it looked peaceful where they were, in a not so moving and dead kind of way"

[Ladyfyreyes]

"We don't want them cluttering up our door step nor staying here long enough to start stinking." Searches body for ID and other loot.

[Baelfyre]

The girl from UPS pulls her pallet up to Spyke and Becca, and says "Hi there. I''ve got a delivery for this address from Chimera. One of you guys want to sign for it?"

[Kalzazz]

"I dont think I know any Chimeras"

[Ladyfyreyes]

"Does it say who it's for?" As she takes the invoice from the Delivery girl.

[Baelfyre]

The girl let's you have the electronic notepad without any fuss. It shows a delivery to this time and place, but does not specify any particular recipient.

[Ladyfyreyes]

Read the fine print to make sure it is what it seems to be. No agreement to pay for anything etc. If it's clean then sign it. "Wait here a second." Spyke runs in and grabs a shirt to give the girl as a tip. "Sorry, we weren't expecting a delivery but you should be able to sell this for a nice sum."

[Baelfyre]

OOC: A note, Mahmoud has been muttering about chimeras since the trees and something about "I'm a chimera, you're a chimera, everybodies a chimera. Well, everybody here anyway. The others don't count. Well, I suppose they count, but not as chimeras. How many fingers does a chimera have? And which brains optic center do they use, anyway? Do the brains communicate?"

The girls says "Gotcha. Good luck with that. And don't forget to change out the LOX!" as she disappears into the crowd.

[Ladyfyreyes]

"LOX?" Pull crate inside and starts opening it. Stops and looking at the shipping invoice to see who it's from before continuing to open it.

[Kalzazz]

"You know, I recognize the dead guy. He was one of the bodyguards of the problem I ran into earlier"

[Baelfyre]

The invoice lists the originator of the shipment as a Celeste Dubois. Opening the case, you find a cold sleep chamber and a cobbled together support system for it.

[Baelfyre]

OOC:

Bump for Kal and Lady! AnotherSkip is cold in there!

[Kalzazz]

"Oh, neat, do you think its ice cream?"

Becca pokes at it and tries to open it ((of course, the person who actually knows about these sorts of things is in a coma))

[Baelfyre]

Not coma, precisely...

Henry says over the radio "I'm looking through the security monitor. Do you ladies need a hand?"

[Kalzazz]

"Yes, if you dont mind"

[Ladyfyreyes]

Looking from the corpse, to the UPS Delivery Pad, to the retreating Delivery Girl, to the crate, to the security camera, "Yeah, I do think we need help. Lots of it."

[Baelfyre]

Note: You do not see the delivery girl. As best you can tell, she just disappeared.

Henry replies "All right, Why don't you bring both problems inside so we can take a look at them without witnesses."

[Kalzazz]

"Thrill. Alright"

Becca helps drag problems indoors

[Baelfyre]

Henry opens the mesh carefully, and looks around before coming out to help with the... packages. He pulls the corpse through the doorway in one smooth, practiced pull that is quick enough to get the corpse out of sight yet slow enough to not catch anyone's attention.

Spyke, Becca?

The guy in the coffin just started moving. Scratching at the window near the face.

[Kalzazz]

Becca will start to drag the coffin inside

[Ladyfyreyes]

Help Becca with the corpsesickle.

[Baelfyre]

The two of them wrestle it inside, where Henry, Jaina, and Mahmoud swarm over. Jaina, make a cryotech or basic tech roll.

(just a note, this is a 15 difficulty cryotech roll or a 25 difficulty basic tech roll.)

[stormbane]

(I apologize for the delay)

Jaina looks at the problems and says "What the fuck?"

She then examines the cryo tube and...

10 + 4 (Basic Tech as she does not have cryo tech) + 3 = failure

"Uh... I got nothin'. Anyone have any ideas?"

[Baelfyre]

Henry looks at Jaina, then pulls a monoknife and cuts the lid off. It's not pretty, and the pod will require major repairs to work again, but Bronze is out of the box.

[stormbane]

Is the person awake? Or vaguely awake?

[AnotherSKip]

Assuming Im awake...
"hunh Whatheellisfrackingoignonheredamnitsskold?"
Looks around in definate bewilderment.

[Baelfyre]

Assuming nobody replies, I'll continue then tomorrow.

[Baelfyre]

Assuming Im awake...
"hunh Whatheellisfrackingoignonheredamnitsskold?"
Looks around in definate bewilderment.

"Good questions. You've been delivered to us, and we don't know you from adam and it's a least possible we'll sell you organlegger if you don't speak up right quick" Henry replies, lifting him from the hissing machine too a blanket. "Don't fight, I'm going to start an IV with saline drip to help with shock, and the blanket should warm you up. I'm Henry, and these are my friends. What's you're name?"

[Kalzazz]

"Should we give him a name? Id always heard that its best not to name things your going to eat, not that were literally going to eat him I dont think, but you know, more figuratively with the organleggers and all, so names should occur after we are sure we arent eating him perhaps"

[Baelfyre]

Becca has a high enough perception roll that I'm not going to make her actually roll against a diff 10.

Becca, looking in the container you see a data reader, looking something like this http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/skiff-reader-is-largest-reader-yet-will-be-hitting-a-sprint-sto/.

It is on, and has the word "Chimera" spelled across the front.

[Kalzazz]

"Ooh . . " Becca takes this and looks at it

[Ladyfyreyes]

Chimera is who he was being delivered to.

[AnotherSKip]

"ththththe nnnname is Bronze" Wide red rimmed eyes looks around at you guys "orgg-gganlegg-gger? ohshiteimfucked"

[Baelfyre]

Becca, this seems to be a report on a project called Chimera. The Chimera project... gathered genetic samples from approximately a dozen metahumans, and attempted to isolate and use those genes to imbue about thirty fetuses with metahuman powers.

The project was deemed a failure. The children were exceptional, top .01 % in every measurable way, but they lacked such things as subdermal armor, or enough strength to throw a tank, or control machines with their minds, or any of several other abilities mentioned in the report.

They do, however, seem to have access to high order psi talents without the drugs and electroshock treatments normally needed to activate those centers of the brain. This is important because the "normally activated" psions tend to be unstable, insane, and horrifically dangerous to be around.

[Baelfyre]

"ththththe nnnname is Bronze" Wide red rimmed eyes looks around at you guys "orgg-gganlegg-gger? ohshiteimfucked"

Henry says "Don't worry about it. If we were organleggers, we would have already taken your eyes."

[AnotherSKip]

"I-i-g-guuesss th-that's a compliment-t-t"

"S-soo anybody wanna help me outta t-this?"

[Baelfyre]

Henry pulls Bronze out, and holds him while he gets his bearings. "Come on, lets sit you down and get your story."

[Baelfyre]

By the way, Becca? There is one more thing that really catches your attention in the file. Becca's name is in the file as one of the experimental results.

[Kalzazz]

"Waa . . . Im on the list? And I thought this was all natural talent . . "

[Baelfyre]

Spyke is on the list too, as is Mahmoud. Matter of fact, everybody in the group except Henry is listed as progeny.

Janna needs to make a basic tech roll on the freezer.
[Tech] + [cryotech] or [basic tech]. Something about the pods construction just seem odd.

[AnotherSKip]

(ooc: the Organleggers have a LIST!?!?!?, I'm on it? getmethefrackouttahere!!!!)

"Uhmmmmm.. well lets see I was born, I showed some musical promise and then I got my head hacked, someone swiped me from the headjacking japanese bastards and dropped me here. Does that sum up or do I need to put in the parts about *sings* "lucy in the eyes with glasses" */endsong*

[Ladyfyreyes]

Wrapping a blanket around bronze "Chimera isn't organlegger, at least as far as I know. The person who delivered you thought we were Chimera. I'm Spyke, nice to met you."

Call UPS with the shipping number to find out where the package originated at.

[Kalzazz]

"Well, according to this we are Chimera . . or Chimeras, Chimeri? Its Latin I think, not sure the plural"

[Baelfyre]

Issues at work are taking all of my energy at the moment. I'll pick up again Wednesday night.

[stormbane]

Jaina needs to make a basic tech roll on the freezer.
[Tech] + [cryotech] or [basic tech]. Something about the pods construction just seem odd.[/QUOTE]

She examines the pod:
(14) + 10 + 2 = 26 on the tech roll.

"I would recommend we learn as many details as we can from the report considering we are all on it. I do not know about you, but I would love to know what the hell they have done to us *motions her hand to include Bronze*. Oh, and my apologies, I am Jaina, pleasure to meet you."

[Baelfyre]

"Waa . . . Im on the list? And I thought this was all natural talent . . "

Henry says "I don't know if it is. Gengeneering during that time was a primitive science at best. It looks like the people didn't understand that some matter differs from other on a quantum level."

Wrapping a blanket around bronze "Chimera isn't organlegger, at least as far as I know. The person who delivered you thought we were Chimera. I'm Spyke, nice to met you."

Call UPS with the shipping number to find out where the package originated at.

Spyke gets immediately through to a very nice machine, who asks for her question and routing number. When she puts the routing number in, the nice computer says "We do not have any parcels with that routing number at this time. Do you wish me to transfer you to service personnel? There will be a $2 for this service."

"Well, according to this we are Chimera . . or Chimeras, Chimeri? Its Latin I think, not sure the plural"

Jaina needs to make a basic tech roll on the freezer.
[Tech] + [cryotech] or [basic tech]. Something about the pods construction just seem odd.

She examines the pod:
(14) + 10 + 2 = 26 on the tech roll.

"I would recommend we learn as many details as we can from the report considering we are all on it. I do not know about you, but I would love to know what the hell they have done to us *motions her hand to include Bronze*. Oh, and my apologies, I am Jaina, pleasure to meet you."[/QUOTE]

Jaina, you're not an expert on cryopods. But this design is simpler, more elegant, and looks more reliable than than any you've looked at in the professional journals. It is also obviously hand build out of off the shelf components.

[AnotherSKip]

Thhh-hey did stt-tuf ttt-to us?


Ffreaky!

[Kalzazz]

"Well, Im sure we were going to be amazing anyway . . . this just helped"

"It really isnt that different from cyberware in a way, just, uh, preinstalled genetic cyberware"

[AnotherSKip]

"Well I dont know.... Gee suddenly having kids is a very important question that thougght I would never have to deal with."

*wraps the blanket tigher around himself*

"Thanks, by the way."

[Ladyfyreyes]

"You're welcome."

"Hmm... did anyone get a picture or good look at that delivery girl."

[AnotherSKip]

"Is there anything else in the box aside from what has been mentioned so far?"

[Baelfyre]

"Well, Im sure we were going to be amazing anyway . . . this just helped"

"It really isnt that different from cyberware in a way, just, uh, preinstalled genetic cyberware"

Henry says "It includes at least one extra... construct. Call it an extra chromosome pair. And I recognize some of the structures in that construct. Cybernetics."

"Well I dont know.... Gee suddenly having kids is a very important question that thougght I would never have to deal with."

*wraps the blanket tigher around himself*

"Thanks, by the way."

Mahmoud finishes checking him over, and says "He seems to be physically all right. There is a lot of mental trauma, and he has some really weird cybernetics running literally through his brain in some kind of... web. It doesn't show up on my medscanner, just my... specialty sensors."
"You're welcome."

"Hmm... did anyone get a picture or good look at that delivery girl."

Spyke got a good look at her face; her body was somewhat concealed and her hair was covered by a cap.

Henry says "No, I didn't get a good look. She was gone by the time I got here."

"Is there anything else in the box aside from what has been mentioned so far?"

Yes, your gear is in a small compartment in the bottom of the tube once you start looking.

[AnotherSKip]

*Bronze opens a compartment with a touch*

"Ahhhhhhh" more a whisper and sigh of true love than communication with other humans

*Although perhaps as neatly ordered and space saving as any packing job could ever be of a life on the run for an adventurer. the order is immediately thrown into chaos as a half buried collection of tubes and boxes is extricated from the rest. Obviously a custom job But this design is simpler, more elegant, and looks more reliable than than any you've looked at including top notch professional works held by the leading performers of any age. It is also obviously hand build out of off the shelf components, but instead of crome it has a worn bronze coating. He mutters fragments of songs under his breath that reach the corners of the room*

"Whoa Black Betty from Ala-ka-blam"
"Whoa Black Betty from Ala-ka-blam"
"From Bombiningham."

Until he puts the Steel guitar strings on, no one is certain of it being a musical instrument or weapon. Then he loads in some strangely colored shotgun shells in the back and plugs in the cyberplugs, and everything individuals knew about weapon and instrument construction seems to fly out the window...

"sleep with one eye open
gripping your pillow tight
for the cyberfreak you built
to come home one night"

[Baelfyre]

Henry says "I think we should bring the corpses and corpsicles into the store, where we aren't on candid camera. I've got good looks on the messenger from a dozen eyes I just hacked."

"Then we need to send the solos to get the vehicles while the techs secure the building."

"After we get that,possibillities will be clear."

[AnotherSKip]

Corpses and corpsicles?
*pause*

Are you guys Sure you arent organ leggers?


Well better them than me I guess.

*looks around*

which ones do you want where?

[Ladyfyreyes]

Pointing at "That one." Then pointing to the back of the store, "In there."

[AnotherSKip]

*Hauls that one over there*


Neeeext?

[Ladyfyreyes]

Lets get the Cyrochamber inside out of site as well. Becca just how do you know this corpse?

[Baelfyre]

I'm planning on restarting this on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. My apologies; a combination of killer work schedules and flu has kept me quiet for the last 2-3 weeks.

[Kalzazz]

Sorry I've been meaning to reply, just haven't been around and had energy long enough to dig through the log to remember why I knew him

[AnotherSKip]

*Starts shoving the Cryochamber around*

*wonders how comfy it is, could it be as nice as or nicer than a rent a box?*

[Ladyfyreyes]

there are real beds and rooms up there. With real sheets and comforters. It's a little piece of heaven. Also the canned and frozen food is unbelievable. Sure beats Kibbles any day.

[AnotherSKip]

*jaw drops in disbelief*
Jeeezus... How richie rich are you guys?!?!?!?

[Ladyfyreyes]

Every thing in the store is ours as long as we hold it and do the job we were given.

[Baelfyre]

Sorry I've been meaning to reply, just haven't been around and had energy long enough to dig through the log to remember why I knew him

He was one of the two goons that were with the kid during her intro. He shot Becca in the kneecap.

[Ladyfyreyes]

Would you like to come up and look for a room for yourself. I'm assuming since you were delivered in this manner you are expected to stay.

[AnotherSKip]

*whistles 'I'm in the moneey, I'm in the money' then breaks into....*

"hey hey we're the money, We're too busy playin to get the bodies moved around...."

[Baelfyre]

Looking through the store, it's eerily well preserved except for the battle damage in the basement. There is a fine layer of dust, otherwise it looks like this store is ready to open in the morning. Power, phones, water, merchandise, communications... all present and working perfectly.

How are you planning to dispose of the body?

[Ladyfyreyes]

I think the gators are hungery.

[AnotherSKip]

(IIRC unless this is too inhumane/Ghoulish can't we sell the bodies for parts? you know there are poor orphan kids out there who need fresh bodyparts....

And do we like the gators enough to feed them?)

[Baelfyre]

The body isn't fresh enough to sell to the organleggers.

There are other difficulties as well. Though I can't say what they are unless the characters do the appropriate things.

[Ladyfyreyes]

While waiting for everyone else to figure out what they are doing I'm going to search the corpse. Looking for anything on the body, including items, id, tracking devices and anything else.

What seems to be the cause of death?

[Ladyfyreyes]

Ask Mahmoud to help. Can he do an autopsy?

[Baelfyre]

Mahmoud is willing to do an autopsy. He directs the people carrying the body to one of tne tables in the kitchen.

He's carrying a heavy gun (Magnus Opus Hellbinger), 323 eb, SIN card, a couple of speedloaders for the hellbringer. The clothes were a gibsons battlegear equivalent in suit form. Their are claw marks all through the gear, including a holdout pistol in an ankle holster that was cut in half.

The body itself is marked with deep (1' to 1'1/2) clawmarks. The wounds smell foul; more foul than a body should smell. Their is a hole in the chest right above the heart.

[Ladyfyreyes]

"Why does the corpse smell so bad? Those are big freaking rippers."

Check the gun to see if it's working? What type of ammo? Does he have any electronics on him? Check the clothes for "bugs".

[Baelfyre]

Mahmoud begins the autopsy.

Even hardened solos are a bit... put off their feed as he pulls the organs out and examines them.

However, its going to take him some time.

As he starts, however, he says "These wounds don't look like rippers. The ripping looks more like an animals claws."

[AnotherSKip]

*Bronze noisily vomits in a sink and then washes it out after heaving for a bit*

The uh, weapons ought to provide exact weapon sizes for the animal attacks....I think

[Ladyfyreyes]

"Why was their an animal in the mall? Why didn't any say or do something and last why was their no animal signs around the corpse. Hm....Henry can you check the security camera's to see what happen?"

[Baelfyre]

*Bronze noisily vomits in a sink and then washes it out after heaving for a bit*

The uh, weapons ought to provide exact weapon sizes for the animal attacks....I think

(Mahmoud rolls a 23 on his diagnose skill)
"I don't know. Size indicates an animal about 4-5 feet and about 70kg. But the ripping is... odd. The closest I've ever seen is scratchers implanted on a cyberarm with hydraulic boost. This is worse. There is also some kind of organic matter deposited inside the rips. Chips, like bone."

"Why was their an animal in the mall? Why didn't any say or do something and last why was their no animal signs around the corpse. Hm....Henry can you check the security camera's to see what happen?"

(Henry rolls a 32 on his interface)
He closes his eyes for a moment, then says "The cameras have a fuzzy blur on them that deposited the body about 4 hours ago. Why the people haven't said anything, I don't know."

[AnotherSKip]

"Do the chip thingys have genetic sort of stuff?"

*turns around, turns green, whirls back around and resolutely keeps his eyes averted from the operating area*

[Ladyfyreyes]

"Can you get a still shot of the fuzzy blur?"

[Baelfyre]

"Do the chip thingys have genetic sort of stuff?"

*turns around, turns green, whirls back around and resolutely keeps his eyes averted from the operating area*

Mahmoud replies "Possibly, I don't know. I can try and call in some favors and get it done but I don't have the equipment here. But it will cost, in cash or favors."

"Can you get a still shot of the fuzzy blur?"

Henry says "I'm working on it. It looks like the data itself is corrupted across the few frames it's on. Doesn't feel like a netrunner, though. A netrunner would have either inserted the image he wanted or deleted the image altogether. I think it's just a case of something moving faster than the camera was built to record. Say, about 100 kmph. This is a really old camera..."

[Ladyfyreyes]

Well do the best you can. Sigh... I have a feeling this is going to be bad. Becca, Bronze you guys want to come with me to introduce ourselves to the lieutenants of the gangs here?

How much will it cost to get the genetic work done? See if they would take merchandise in payment?

[AnotherSKip]

Sure i'm willing to tag along for meeting the Louies.

[Ladyfyreyes]

"Great, lets do it then. Keep us updated if you find anything else."

[Kalzazz]

((I realize had to answer a question))

"That body . . . formerly belonged to one of the guards of one Victor Holt. Apparently an important individual in Militech research and design. Unfortunately I think he has a bit of crush on me or something"

"And, sure, Ill come along"

[AnotherSKip]

*Bronze Swings around his Shotaur and plays a few notes that sounds like 'on the road again' but he mutters under his breath what best sounds like 'on the boards again' when it barely sychs up*

[Baelfyre]

Are you going to see the Sharks or the Elves?

"Inhabitants are a mixed bag. There is a diner serving (primarily, anyway) truckers taking the old I4 route. There are two boostergangs and about four or five hundred assorted people living in and directly around the mall."

"The first boostergang is called the Street Sharks. They are somewhat cybered, but their real strength lies in their assortment of armed vehicles and motorbikes. The run Dorph, Synthcoke, and Lace into the metroplex. All the truckers pay them a set fee to use 'their' road, except a few of the most bad ass and intractable. It's usually a lot cheaper to pay them than to spend the ammo to kill them. They cluster around the Nordstroms, to the northwest."

"The other boostergang is a lot more exotic. It's called the elves, and it's composed of a bunch of kids that had themselves bodysculpted into Tolkienesque elves. They tend to have lots of bio and neural cyberware, and use bows and arrows. Don't laugh; they have managed to stop everybody that has tried to move into their turf cold. The elves tend to use monoblades and 25mm grenades to tip their arrows, together with an average ref of 9+. Very, very bad news. They also sell fresh fruit and meat, though nobody inquires to closely as to what kind of meat. They live in the old apartment complex. The building could hold about a thousand people, but nobody knows for sure how many Elves there are. At least a couple hundred."
After you guys answer, I'm going to be closing this thread up and starting a new chapter.

[Ladyfyreyes]

I think we should start with the elves but we need to visit and pay the appropriate homage to each.

[AnotherSKip]

Elves and Sharks
are snapping along
I care not which as they
both will hear my songs
But just to make it simple
the Elves are the ones
Whom I will show my...

Wimple?

back to the drawing boards I guess.

[Baelfyre]

Kal? Waiting on you, dude.

[Kalzazz]

Huh? What for?

[Ladyfyreyes]

"So, Becca, do you have a preference? Elfs or Sharks first?"

[Kalzazz]

"Im okay with Elves being first"

[Ladyfyreyes]

Spyke gathers up an assortment of "merchandise" to use as bribes etc.

"Well lets get going then."

[Baelfyre]

All right. I'll start the elves thread late tonight. It's important to decide how your characters dress and arm themselves. Not too mention how much ammo you're carrying.

[AnotherSKip]

You want outfitting decisions here or in the new thread?

[Baelfyre]

Here would be better so that I can do the reactions when the group goes through.

[Baelfyre]

Ok, I'll be off monday or tuesday this week, and I'll start this off then.

"Elves and tigers and sharks, oh my!"

[AnotherSKip]

Hmm pokes through the stuff in the mall and sees if he can find a Led Zepplin t-shirt.

Spiffs up his regular gear and is definately carrying the Shotaur, first two rounds are the 'special' ammo I asked you about. Rest of clip is standard ammo and two clips of extra std ammo one in the middle of his back another in his boot.