Death Valley: A Shadowrun RP (Game Thread)

[3quency]

"Two things: First, I wanted to confirm that you and the others had gotten similar information regarding a hotel in Death Valley, to make sure we're all on the same page on this. Second, a professional question for you. I need an active car security system I can use on people, but I won't accidentally harm the dogs. If you're that busy, though, just get back to me later on it."

Jade rakes a hand through her hair, thinking.

"One, no fuckin' clue. Maybe one of the others knows. Two, normally could, but since my shop's a FUCKING CINDER, no chance from me."
She squeezes her eyes shut and takes a deep breath.
"Sorry, not your fault. Things're fucked right now over here."

 

[FalloutJack]

He winced at 'fucking cinder'. Seems Jade hasn't been having good times either. He wondered about the others now... Well, at least the Rigger wasn't trying to put it all on him for calling.

"Sorry to hear about that. Ziggy and I were attacked by Augments when we were investigating. Apparently, there's a possibility at the Corral Hotel in Death Valley. I'm gonna pass that along to the others, just in case. I'm heading there now to do a little sniffing around. Maybe we can do business when this is over the shop's cleared the air, so to speak."

With that, he signed off, letting Jade handle the situation she's been hit with...while he just started leaving short messages on other Runners' phones to get them going.

 

[Terratina.]

Ziggy stood with his mouth agape, these weren't just angry homeless people, these were augmented homeless people. Nothing but hired chromes. Suddenly a yellow truck blasted its horn. She had arrived right in the nick of time with a truck with a bark to match its bite. Ziggy swooped in, intent on getting the hell out of there as soon as possible. Forget Jonesy, whether or not he wanted to hop on as well was his prerogative. Riley, far from living the life of Riley, drove like a woman possessed as she performed a handbrake turn with amazing proficiency, screeching tyres ripping through the streets and sending the junk that littered them skyward. It was time to ditch this town.

Ziggy leant back on the padded chair and turned his head to the scowling ork, "Nice timing there, officer."

Without a second though, Riley gave an almost automatic respone, "Can it, bub."

"A few last words then: Corral Hotel, Death Valley. Take me there and I'll consider doubling the amount taken off your tab." Ziggy grinned.

A grunt signaled her agreement; whether she liked it or not, she had to do this. Riley owed Ziggy big and the deal was good. Ziggy couldn't help but enjoy the fact that he had a fair amount over her - plenty of blackmail material to hand over to her superiors lest she stop doing favours, all sorts of things he could do to hold her to account. Plus, seeing a sullen ork in a bumblebee suit begrudgingly performing his every whim was quite amusing. He looked behind the window and saw the homeless sector was far behind that, they were in the heart of Seattle now. Ziggy called u[ the other 'runners as they were cruisin' through.

"Ziggy is zig-zagging through Seattle, zipping along to the hotel with some zeal. I suggest you all get some zest and join me."

Riley overheard and groaned at the puns. Ziggy ignored her and carried on.

"Meet me up at the Seattle outskirts, mmmkay?"

 

[MortifiedPenguin]

Someone was coming towards Sonya, she raised her gun in anticipation, but as the figure got closer she saw that the body language was all wrong, his arms were raised and he was approaching her cautiously, not dashing towards her like he was about to attack. It was one of the 'runners she had met a couple of days ago at the meeting, the amateur who had decided to do the hob for free.

"Whoa there, remember me?" He raised his hands in the air as he walked towards her. "Is he okay?" He then bent down to check on the ork

Sonya stood stoically while inside she was saddened by the fact she could nothing to help. She was a killer, not a healer. She grimaced as the memories of of the massacre that happened during that bad run resurfaced. This time though, she wasn't in a position where she would have to idly watch the deaths of others, she could contact Spider again to find a street doctor, even better, one of the other 'runners might know one.

"He'll live, but he could do to see a Doc, do you know one?"

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

"This operation is called. We're getting out of here."

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

"Yeah..."
Receives messages
"They knew the original plan, they'd follow us to India if we ran now. If we finish the job it'll give us time to make a newer safer one, as well as a chance to fake our deaths."

They got in the car and ordered the sprite to have it cruise around uptown while he came up with a plan.

He wrote a message to the new runners on his contact list, having blocked everyone else by this point.

[hr]

I'm assuming I can trust you people,

Chromed up pod people have invaded Seattle, they have claimed several of my associates and tried to snatch me. They know where I live, so i'm warning you to run while you still can.

They may be watching the highways. Do any of you have an express way out?

- Geist

 

[drmigit2]

Mondaine got bored with all of the infiltration and espionage and information gathering. He was surprised that the Yaks did not bother to get them the info. He sighed.

"Shows how little these bastards care about their little pest if they won't bother to tell us where the hell he is. Here is a private contact you can reach me by. Tell me where he is and I will join you guys and roast the asshole."

The conjurer exited the building in a storm. He had already canceled plans that he had to now uncancel and replan and then he would have to cancel other appointments with various people of differing importance and they just really had no appreciation for the finer arts of planning. He briefly considered unleashing his elementals on the whole building and leaving, but figured that would be impolite and left.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mondaine had decided to call up Fair and give her the news as to what was happening. He entered the matrix, feeling strange as he always had when dealing with technology and contacted her.

"Hey, so I have a free schedule for a while it turns out. Yaks suck dick at planning and I can actually keep those meetings on."

"Oh good M! I will tell them the appointment is on and...what is that about the Yakuza? What the hell are you doing in your spare time are you...you are running aren't you?"

Fucking hell, a slip was rare for Mondaine but he was too excited about his meeting. The more Fair knew about him the worse. This was a dangerous attempt and they kept anonymous for a good reason. One of them could be attempting to catch the other.

"Actually, bad dealings with them. I used to work directly with their magic department, but things turned sour and I left. They were coming after me and I assumed I would have to leave for a while, but they instead bull rushed me and I killed them."

"Oh, I see. Good you came out of that alive though! I don't know what we would do without ya M!"

"Yeah, Thanks."

Mondaine disconnected and prepared his things. He still needed at least forty more conjurers and each one was hard to come by. Over the next few days he would be gathering research on dragons and interviewing with another hopeful for the ritual.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spoiler: OOC

This is mainly a placeholder, but I will finish this in a bit.

 

[Asclepion]

Spoiler: OOC

Timejumping to the flight to the target's location. Plan the run.

[hr]

14 hours later

The VTOL was on autopilot, bringing it in low over the storm clouds in the Mojave Desert. It banked in response to the turbulence, carrying it's small contingent of Shadowrunners. Every one of them was now fully aware that Seattle was hostile territory; that the city they had come from had gone wild and they were being targeted by bands of cyberjacked homeless and kids. They had taken what supplies they had and were now flying across the California Free State in the direction of the Corral Hotel, in Death Valley.

They had access to accurate maps of the place. The Corral is an "old-fashioned" hotel, three stories total with no elevator. The structure lay within the city district at the edge of the desert, off a highway.

 

[3quency]

Spoiler: OOC

By VTOL, I'm assuming you mean Lillian. I shall edit the following post if I assumed like an idiot.

As Lillian hits the turbulence, she casually sends a buzz to Jade, waking her. Jade's plugged in via datajack, but currently not riding. The trip was long and going Full Immersion for that long's just goddamn stupid. But being jacked in meant that she could take charge whenever she needed to, like now.

"Okay boys 'n' girls," she says, flicking the internal comms on. The others are sat in the passenger housing directly behind her cocoon. Her tired, soot-stained face appears in a two-way monitor staring out at the gang.

"We are now approachin' Corral Hotel. Exits 're left an' right, and if you take one of 'em now then there'll be more complimentary mints fer th' rest of us."

 

[Terratina.]

Out of Seattle, away from the hordes of homeless people, away from those cyberjacked kids. More like out of the freezer and into the frying pan. The Mojave desert wasn't known for its hospitality, and hours spent flying under the cruel sun and storm clouds hadn't done Ziggy any favours. The rigger looked tired, with all that soot and dirt caked on her face. Ziggy just looked a bit sweaty, things could be worse.

"We are now approachin' Corral Hotel. Exits 're left an' right, and if you take one of 'em now then there'll be more complimentary mints fer th' rest of us."

"Well Ziggy ain't gonna zoom off any time soon, darling." He replied, downed some water then poured some on his head, and remarked, "Remember hot-head, cool heads prevail."

He looked at the hotel, it was old-fashioned and run down. He wondered what memories the building held for a man to run to this place. Were the chromes somehow connected to this man? He wiped of his forehead and stretched. Whatever secrets lay inside that hotel would reveal itself to them soon enough.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Thankfully someone had a faster way out, anything less than airborne would have made it too easy for them to pick him off or whatever the fuck the pod people wanted to do to him.

Andrew looked at his wife, she was asleep. He didn't have time to sleep though, he had to spend all of the ride forging two new ID's. He'd have to wait until later to plant them in a database.

Fucking people... Why couldn't they have just left us alone?

"Okay boys 'n' girls,"

He lifted the AR glasses off his eyes so he could see the screen, the woman was covered in soot.

"We are now approachin' Corral Hotel. Exits 're left an' right, and if you take one of 'em now then there'll be more complimentary mints fer th' rest of us."

He wired the new SIN code into his bracer, and removed the the old two figuring he'd be followed here if he tried to use them. He pulled the glasses over his eyes again and went over the map again. Did they talk about plans while he was working? Probably not, most of them looked like they were out of it.

He willed his music on, it randomed to some song from the eighties or nineties, apparently about spies or something. He sat there trying to absorb the blueprints of the building, starting to drift out of consciousness.

 

[hiei82]

"We are now approachin' Corral Hotel. Exits 're left an' right, and if you take one of 'em now then there'll be more complimentary mints fer th' rest of us." Jade said, informing the eclectic group they had arrived at their destination in her... unique way. Moonlighter closed the AR maps of hotel and surrounding area she had been studying for the last four and a half hours, preparing for the descent. She was going to respond to Jade's statement, when Ziggy spoke up.

"...Remember hot-head, cool heads prevail." Ziggy said, causing Moonlighter to roll her eyes. Ziggy hardly seemed the 'cool head' type, though she hadn't had a chance to spend much time with the elf so she could hardly say for sure. Either way it wasn't something she cared much about at the moment.

Standing up, she checked her various supplies and straightened her cat-suit to a more comfortable position. Then she smiled. The fun part of the job came next. Banging on the back of the rigger cocoon, she called out "Jade; you can have my mints".

Hooking a grappling hook to the inside of the craft, opened the door, took a second to orient herself, then quickly repelled toward the roof of the hotel in question: the place she intended to enter from. After all, she did do her best work on roof tops.

And what kind of runner would use a FRONT door... that was just asking for trouble.

 

[FalloutJack]

All during this flight, Jonesy had had to be in the back of the bus, so to speak. Cargo, not passenger area. Had no alternatives, really. Consider, for a moment, the hazards of transporting an awakened animal over long distances. You can do it, but if it isn't properly sedated at all times...you could have problems. Jonesy didn't have sedatives, so he had to keep them company, make sure they didn't {A} keep everyone up with their baleful howling (which they didn't) or {B} shake apart the VTOL with Accident. Three Bogies and a whole mess of bolts, screws, and welds suspended in the air? It was better this way, although this did make the journey somewhat unpleasant for him. He attempted to meditate at one point...until Shatsy farted. God...nothing worse than animal flatulance... Still, they eventually arrived and...

"We are now approachin' Corral Hotel. Exits 're left an' right, and if you take one of 'em now then there'll be more complimentary mints fer th' rest of us."

"Cute."

He stretched his legs and began to lead the Bogies out of the storage area while getting his own bags. Yawning, he soon spotted the others making their own preparations. Ziggy made a pithy comment which, frankly, was as obvious a wisdom as 'It might be hot in Death Valley'. He caught himself eyeing Moonlighter, looking like she was ready for her usual practice. The view was smirk-worthy as he applied his hat and got the pups to head outside. Naturally, they were still dogs, so the three vicious canine critters began to run and roll around in the dirt, sniffing around and then...relieving themselves. Jonesy turned to the others, anyone who was listening.

"I know I'm gonna regret asking, but does anyone have any idea where the hell I should put those three? We need 'em and I've no illusions that a hotel is gonna allow them inside as guests. Dogs they may be, but they're monsters in everyone else's eyes."

Hey, Jonesy cared about 'em, alright? They were his friends and partners in crime. That was more than enough reason to be concerned.

 

[Asclepion]

[hr]

Corral Hotel - Roof / Floor 3​

The elf touched down, springing across the roof. Once more, Moonlighter's goggles illuminated the blackness around her, covering her. The AR display outlined a rooftop hatch, and a lock which she proceeded to bypass. In short order, she gained entry to the three-story structure from above. The interior was dimly lit. She padded silently down from the roof access, but the old wooden boards still creaked.

Somewhere here; on one of these floors, in one of these rooms; was the target. A gun smuggler and dealer - a man with cyberware and armed for war. A man who had shot up a classroom in Seattle. The man they were after. And who, just maybe, was after them.

[hr]

Corral Hotel - Parking Lot​

Kristoff Jameson had taken position outside. He was scoping the surrounding terrain, watching the lobby through it's front entrance, peering through the windows. Lillian, the T-Bird, arrived on schedule. He watched it release a suited woman to stealthily land, penetrate the building's perimeter, and begin the operation of finding Tobias's room.

 

[3quency]

Jade switches the monitor off as she's coming into land. She needs full concentration right now and having a staring contest with a bunch of Shadowrunners in counterproductive to that.
Still got audio if she needs it though.

"Well Ziggy ain't gonna zoom off any time soon, darling."

She snorts, trying not to laugh.
"Darlin'? 're you my fuckin' grandma or somethin' nancy boy?" she shoots back teasingly.

"I know I'm gonna regret asking, but does anyone have any idea where the hell I should put those three? We need 'em and I've no illusions that a hotel is gonna allow them inside as guests. Dogs they may be, but they're monsters in everyone else's eyes." Jonesy says. Jade's had some theories in this respect and there's no point in not sharing.

"I been thinkin' you probably won't need to hide 'em, big man." she replies, casually flipping Lillian's legs out as she compensates for wind.
"The place don't exactly look busy does it? But then again I ain't exactly know fer my cunnin' strategies."
There's a hydraulic hiss from deep within Lillian and she feels the mild bump as they touch down. The thrusters fade out and the world's suddenly a little too quiet again. Since now would be a good time to develop some sort of game plan, she flicks the monitor back on.

"So how's this gonna go? I'm no' exactly armed or armour, so maybe I should keep Lillian running on the off-chance we need to leg it?"

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

Blue stretched his legs as he got up once the bird touched down somewhere not too far away from the hotel where one of the elven women dropped down onto its roof. Blue considered doing that himself if it wasn't for the fact that he wasn't exactly built for stealthy endeavors. He heard the others start formulating plans as well, bringing back memories of his times with Red and the others. Blue looked at the map of the hotel over once more, trying to get a feel for the place and not wanting to go in there blind.

"So how's this gonna go? I'm no' exactly armed or armour, so maybe I should keep Lillian running on the off-chance we need to leg it?"

"We need someone to hack into the hotel's security cameras if there are any." Blue said aloud. "Plus we're not exactly sure if Mister Tobias has friends so we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves unless we have to of course."

Blue checked his gear once more as he spoke, making sure there wasn't anything that would hinder him on the mission.

 

[Terratina.]

Moonlighter rolled her eyes at his remark and left. He had planned for her to do a little stealthy reconnaissance anyway. He had a think, the scarred woman could take point and watch out for the fella and tranq him. Burly Blue could drag him to the VTOL while Jade could fly 'em all outta here, but then the little tease interrupted his thoughts.

"Darlin'? 're you my fuckin' grandma or somethin' nancy boy?" She said with a snort.

"Oh please, you're clearly not a honey, luv, or duck. So you're a darling, then." He replied, "I'm more like the crazy uncle no one invites to reunions anyway."

Some sort of plan was needed, and Ziggy was happy to help with that matter. Not able to settle down, he sprung up, gave a stretch and adopted the pose of the sergeant. He walked back and forth, thinking more on his plan. After that, with an exaggerated 'eureka!' moment he turned to the other runners, both arms out.

"Long-range reconnaissance." He said, pointing to the scarred woman, with the other arm he pointed to Jade, "Getaway vehicle." He poked the nearly unconscious hacker, "Surveillance." and pointed at the mage, "Astral lookout." Then pointed to Blue "Fire support." and turned to Mitch, "Infiltration." Finally, his mind was run dry. He pointed to himself, "A concerned friend of his mother and/or ex." then to Jonesy, "Tracker."

At least it was a start.It would be best to get some shuteye before the main event though. Spending fourteen hours in a VTOL hadn't done the team any favours.

 

[Birdfalcon]

"What in the 9 hells..." Kris looked up seeing the VTOL land something was going down big time. As Kris pulled back from the roof his pistol drawn he moved towards the runner crew, the others had caught up to him taking a sip of water he moved up out of the shadows to Moonlighter and felt his Adept powers take over, his eyes glowing a light shade of blue. he would try to use his commanding voice on her he had a pretty good idea what they were here for but maybe he could get some more info. "You want to tell me exactly whats going on here?" he asked adding some of his adept ability behind the question.

 

[FalloutJack]

It was Jade's considered opinion that those three wouldn't actually need to be hidden or anything, partially due to the fact that Death Valley just wasn't a happening place. However, Jonesy wasn't exactly comfortable with that. You see, if their mark was somewhere in this hotel, he would pay anyone off who could inform him as to people who look like trouble. And do you know what three Bogies and the man who controls them looks like? Trouble. But then...he got an idea. Wicked funny, even.

Yes, this'll work. I'll do this and make a killing BOTH ways.

-Five Minutes Later-​

*Ding!*

A man in a longcoat and hat had waltzed right in, followed by three figures underneath a tarp, 'crawling' in unison as they entered the place. The front man had been sitting down, reading a book, when the bell was rung and he looked up into Jonesy's happy-go-lucky smiling face. He raised his hand in greeting and...

"Bitte entschuldigen Sie, aber ich brauche ein Zimmer für mich und meine Nachfolger."

"Ah...I'm sorry, what?"

"Es war eine lange Reise, so muss ich für die Nacht für mich und meine Freunde, der Frau Abgeordneten Trio der Farce."

He gestured now to the three 'hunched figures' on the floor who were bowing low. The desk man, having stood up to see this, was unsure of what to make of it...except for one thing.

"Ah! You want a room?"

"Jah! Jetzt sind Sie es!"

Transactions were carried out as Jonesy continued to babble nonsense in German about his incredible feats as a circus performer overseas and about how he was slated to do a foreign guest shot in this most wonderful land with all the sights and have you seen them yes good. Suffice to say, the clerk just wanted this man out of his hair and in a hurry. Jonesy headed for the stairs with his pals trailing after him, and was last heard shouting.

"Guten Abend an alle und allen eine gute Nacht!"

 

[hiei82]

Moonlighter, after checking the doorway, began the arduous task of checking for computer security to hack. As stealthy as she was, cameras weren't really overcome by trickery. This consisted of checking the external wiring of the building and cracking through the matrix firewalls. It would take a little time, but it was well worth the effort.

Moonlighter prided herself on her awareness, so though she was surprised to encounter another runner out her in the desert, she wasn't surprised by his approach. "You want to tell me exactly whats going on here?" the man asked, his voice augmented by... something. Whether it was magic or tech she couldn't tell, but then it didn't make that much of a difference.

"Me? I'm just here to fix the wiring" she said with a smirk, not really ready to give up secrets to another person that quickly. Just in case, she brought herself from sitting in front of the wire box to on one knee in front; ready to jump to the side if the strange runner made any moves.

"And what brings a... smooth talker like yourself to these parts?" she said, smiling like a thief the whole time.

 

[Asclepion]

[hr]

Corral Hotel - Floor 2​

The hotel was small, with a very simple layout. The hallways were unadorned wooden corridors, lit and lined with doors. It was beginning to rain, and droplets tapped softly at the windows.

Jonesy and his beasts were met with a slew of scents- old wood and sheeting, oil and tobacco smoke. There was sweat and metahuman pheromones, some of which were synthetic. The gunman's scent was there - faint trances of it. The Bogies were drawn forward. The wood creaked and cracked under their weight.

Mitch passed each door, reading for any strong emotion from their inhabitants. There were many, but not yet hostile. He had to reach out like a web, sensing for any danger, any hint that they were walking into a trap, that their target was waiting in there with a gun ready to blast any runner to hell and back. He was beginning to get a track on the gunman. His emotions were not those of a rational killer. There was a hint of madness in his essence. He was nothing so much as an animal; predatory, but caught in a bind and dominated by the instinct of his own survival.