Death Valley: A Shadowrun RP (Game Thread)

[Birdfalcon]

Kristoff heard the shout and moved as best he could with the target down and secure he ran as fast as he could to a clear LZ shooting up or Adept face punching any genric thug who got in his way as the chaos swarmed around him he picked up an ak-74 rifle one of the goons dropped and put his pistol away stopping to spray a few more with bullets before cracking them in the face with the rifle butt. "Come on you sons of bitches....FIGHT ME" he roared as one thug tried to knife him but got nutered with a magic backed kick to the testes followed by rifle butt facial. Spinning around Kris shot a thug in the kneecap and ran full speed hitting with a full force kick just under the chin, The man's head snapped back and a familar snap crackle and pop of a neck breaking could be heard as the man fell down dead, "It's up and It's good" Shouted kris as he made a "Good feild goal" gesture with his arms.



As soon as he got to the LZ where he was going to meet his first ride out of town he pulled out his singal flares and "popped smoke" a huge cloud of green smoke then began it's rise towards the sky as Kris began waving his arms franticly.

 

[Asclepion]

The VTOL banked and leveled, circling the building, illuminated by floodlights. Ziggy felt movement. It was the man beside him. The target was waking up.

"Taken... After me...."
He was speaking softly, incohenetly, as he was being revived; slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. He mumbled that he was being attacked by children and homeless.

Tobias soon was conscious. He didn't inquire who the Shadowrunners were. He knew that they didn't kill him immediately. That's all he needed to know. Instead, he said that more were coming. The gunman's datajack is malfunctioning, which means he can't be controlled, but he's getting a scrambled signal anyway.

Jade flashed information. They had their target, living. The Yakuza had associates in a border city on the Pueblo Corporate Council. It is a Native American civilization with a giant casino. They could repair and refuel the plane, and would have good security should they stay and contact the Yakuza.

 

[FalloutJack]

Jonesy had received the weird-ass comment of Ziggy wondering if dogs could chew through metal. Well...no. You had to be something uber-strong like a Behemoth to do that. No dog, no hound of any kind - even the awakened ones - could possibly chew through metal unless there existed Hounds of Tindalos with acid jaws. He'd read about that as a kid. Freaked him out. Still, things were moving along and it looked like they needed to handle a bit more of the crowd, but then it was revealed that Jade wanted them to move to a bit more of an open landing zone after her stunt with the VTOL and Ziggy with Tobias. Honestly, the banter there was never going to stop. So, this was where a guy that had sounded like Moonlighter's recording began to make ready a landing zone with green smoke, but he didn't look like he was on his team, so...

"Pardon me..."

[HEADING=2]HHHOOOOOOOOOOUUUUURRRRRWWWWWLLLLL!!![/HEADING]

Three Bogies behind him, each trying to make the base of Kris' spine do the cha-cha with Fear as onesy stood directly behind the trio. Jonesy had his gun ready, juuust in case of emergency.

"...but I don't seem to recall you on the roster, and actually hearing you bothering one of our own while busy. Would you be an upstanding fellow and some questions? Or, in fact, all of them?"

 

[3quency]

Jade bursts out laughing. She didn't think she would, but she likes this guy. Sure he's a bit on the sarcastic side, and Jade prefers her blokes dumber than her but he's at least got a sense of humour.

"You know what? Yer alright mate you are." she replies, banking in the increasing wind.

From here she can see the smoke. This huge green column, it can't be anything but the rest of the team. Still got a minute before Lillian'll get there, so she quickly broadcasts over the team-wide channel again.

"Think I can safely assume th' smoke's you guys idea of a landin' strip?"

 

[MortifiedPenguin]

The wound she had got from the piece of shrapnel was worse then she thought, it was bleeding badly and now the adrenaline had passed she was feeling the pain more then before. Using her rifle as a makeshift crutch, she staggered into the VTOL, grabbing the first aid kit before she collapsed into one of the empty seats. As she bandage the wound she noticed that Ziggy and Tobias were on board as well, at least this 'run would be over soon.

Bandages applied she saw that Tobias was coming round from whatever had knocked him out, it would be trouble to have a cyberised killer on board, even those cuffs that had been slapped on his wrists wouldn't be able to contain him. They were Lone Star issue, she wondered who the ex-bumblebee was, she couldn't imagine it being anyone from the group so far, so that meant someone new. But that could wait until later. She rummaged through her pockets and grabbed the clip of tranq darts, took one round out and jabbed it into Tobias' neck.

"That should keep him out for a while" She said it more to herself then anyone in particular, then she asked Jade, "Do you have a drop off point for the target?"

 

[Terratina.]

Tobais woke up, mumbling something about being chased by children and homeless people. Ziggy scratched his mohawk. They were after them because they were after him because they were after him? Well, that made some sort of sense, in some weird way. Before he could get a reply in, Jade laughed, it echoed throughout the VTOL. Ziggy smirked, the green smoke would be the perfect backdrop for his theatrics.

"You know what? Yer alright mate you are." She said through the laughter.

Ziggy just gave a little bow in response, waiting for the roses to be throw at him.

Ziggy wondered if it was too early, but with the target acquired and with only minutes to go until the rest of the team were high in the sky in the VTOL, he figured a little celebration was due. So, he broke out a little victory dance. Nothing too snazzy, Ziggy didn't want to tempt fate, after all. Just a little lonesome Mexican wave.

Then Miss Scarface hobbled on-board, and the celebration stopped. That face could stop any party, whether it be just some drunks dancing in a corner of the street or corporate suits dancing in the best of the best clubs. She was bleeding, he guessed was due to something to do with the explosion on the roof. She decided to ruin the fun and stabbed a tranq dart in Tobias, Ziggy watched as he went limp.

"That should keep him out for a while." She mumbled.

Ziggy gave her a look like a baby who had his candy stolen from him and replied, "B...B...But, he has sooo much information!"

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

There was barely a scratch of anything on the man besides more ammunition and a few knives. He had no ID, no S.I.N on him at least, and no money. That set off some alarms in his head making him think of the corporate mercs or even government types that came out of nowhere. Whoever this man was, must have had some control over the homeless outside as they seemed to collapsed when he shot him. But they didn't have enough time as he heard through the comms that they finally nabbed Tobias. Still, he wanted to know who they were up against.

"Mitch, hold this for a second." Blue gave the laser rifle to Mitch.

A few moments later Blue walked out of the building with the laser rifle in one hand a bloody plastic bag in the other saying "Have a nice day". He thought back to the stories his Old Man used to tell about how the Native Americans of the past took often took scalps from fallen foes for trophies. He jingled the back a bit hearing the metal scrape against the metal. Blue grinned as he arrived at the base of the pillar of green smoke where the shaman was and someone new as well.

"Howdy." Blue tipped his hat to both men after putting down the plastic bag in between his legs. He picked it up quickly once he spotted the shaman's dogs. "You from around these parts, mister?" He asked their newest member.

But before he could answer the pilot of the VTOL chimed in on the comms.

"Think I can safely assume th' smoke's you guys idea of a landin' strip?"

"Just about. Don't worry I bought some souvenirs for you."

 

[3quency]

"Do you have a drop off point for the target?"

Jade nods ferociously before remembering she doesn't have the two-way on.
"Tha's a positive." she says "Drop-off's some border city in Pueblo."

She's nearly at the smoke signal now. She can make out three waiting figures. Wait, were there supposed to be more? She really can't remember. Must be the sleep deprivation again. Still, those that she sees are on the team. Blue's there holding this huge-arse rifle, the laser that Jamaican was using from the looks of things. Score.

"Just about. Don't worry I bought some souvenirs for you."

Jade smiles as she's coming in for a sharp landing.

"Ooh, I love pressies. Is it one o' them snowglobes?"

She plops down in front of the team with a rocket-fueled thud and the door swings open once more.

"Right, I'd suggest a hasty retreat. We all here?"

 

[Birdfalcon]

Kris' cool resolve power kicked in as Jonesy began to question him, the fear impact would be lessend thanks to his powers but he still gave up what Jonesy wanted to hear hell he was waiting for someone to recongize him. He had a bit of a an infamous repution in the underground after all thats why those thugs jumped him while he was learning about the call for runners.

"Names Kristoff Jameson...or if you Perfer The Revrend...the black knight....or The heir to the name. I'm Ex-SWAT for the Pheonix Branch of Lonestar and a current Vigilante/bounty hunting shadowrunner. As for how I got here, I was at the little party the Yaks were throwing I just chose to stay away from the lime light and have been scouting the hotel for a while now...When I your bird and you guys I recongized some of you from the get together in seattle and moved in to get some more intel," He stopped to take a breath.


"And oh yeah....I'm a Warrior's way Adept" he said grinning

 

[MortifiedPenguin]

"B...B...But, he has sooo much information!"

He looked at her with a face that you would expect to see on a small child after losing his favourite toy. Sonya wondered if Ziggy understood the dangers of leaving Tobias concious, in the confined space of the VTOL all hell would break lose if he got out of his cuffs. Sighing, she took a seat opposite him, relieved to have gotten the weight off her injured leg.

"He also has a bunch of cyberware and could easily free himself from those cuffs using it, plus we don't know the full extent of his skills and he's proven to be dangerous. Do you really want him running around the VTOL?" The threat wasn't even veiled, but someone would have to knock some sense into him.

 

[Terratina.]

The only look he got was a stern stare from Sonya and a gruff rebuke to match. If Tobias was being chased by these guys and the team was being chased by them because they were chasing Tobias, then by that logic their clients would be fighting a rag-tag army of misfits - homeless, chromed, and very young in some cases, misfits. Sure, the draconic Tanaka had paid well in advance, but the prospect whole of Seattle engulfed in the conflict between these freaks and the Yakuza didn't look good to Ziggy. For one, would anyone be in the mood to party in an urban battlezone?

"He also has a bunch of cyberware and could easily free himself from those cuffs using it, plus we don't know the full extent of his skills and he's proven to be dangerous. Do you really want him running around the VTOL?"

He gave a shrug, "Sure, milady. Whatever you say."

He then stroked the face of the currently unconscious Tobias and ruffed the man's bright blonde hair. If Sonya just wanted to play the uncaring mercenary and get paid, good for her. Maybe she can finally get that face fixed, if not for the benefit of herself, but of others. That thing was painful to look at.

"I think he looks ever so peaceful sleeping anyway. Wait... Isn't Stockholm Syndrome supposed to work the other way around?"

 

[FalloutJack]

The Reverend gave off a reasonable answer, and Jonesy grinned. Yeah, he'd heard enough whispers on the street to know about him. Too vague a description, but enough so as to establish a bit of his reputation.

"Relax, I was just making sure. You can never be too careful. Shatsy, Matsy, Tatsy, down."

The three Bogies let out a huff and assumed a lowered-head position, indicating he was no longer designating him a threat. Not at this time, anyhow. They'd lash out if he did anything to agitate them, but Kris could relax now. With that, the VTOL came down and people came on, including himself with his dogs just as he heard...

"...Isn't Stockholm Syndrome supposed to work the other way around?"

"Yes."

His dogs establishing themselves more-or-less out of the way, Jonesy clapped his hands together and rubbed them vigorously, getting prepared to do the good work.

"Right! Who's a bleeder? I've got the feelin' to do some healin'."

 

[Birdfalcon]

Kris handsprung back up to his feet and dusted himself off quickly adjusting his revrend collar he climbed up into the VTOL sitting down in a small chair he turned to look back at tobais and at everyone else. "Got a gash on my thigh and a few scratch marks from sleeping beauty over thre" he said poniting to Tobias and a bullet in my leg but other than that I'm fine." He then turned to everyone and grinned a trickerster like smile. "So yeah...names Revrend Kristoff Jameson" he said smiling to the otheres "While my new freind heals yer bodies...why don't I heal your souls"

 

[Asclepion]

The runners escaped into the night sky. Soaring in the clouds over the wasteland on the Pueblo border, the plane began it's descent into another city. They passed skyscrapers and manufacturing zones, and hovered over a brightly lit building.

The casino was run by a native tribe, and had been open to letting Shadowrunners pass through when it was revealed that Jonesy was onboard. Many were shamans themselves, and would assist others on such a path.

The structure was built like a Mayan pyramid, metal set into blocks of mossy gray stone. The casino was built into the 'base section' that served as a foundation, areas arranged to seem as if they'd been carved out of the rock. It continues to a skyscraper-like hotel building, the top of which was a disc decked in golden spires, as if a sun was rising over the temple. The entrance was a long walkway of stairs that led up to a high door. The stairway was covered in parts, and lined with decorative carvings.

Lillian was brought to land on a large sheet of rock. Five men came out to greet them. Bronze skin, black hair; Snakeskin and leather adorned their bodies, with glimpses of piercings and jewelry alluding to their Totems. Custom pistols were at their sides, engraved with runes. But their true power lay in the spirits they commune with, spirits they can summon from the metaplanes and bring into the physical world.

One shaman presents himself to the runners, and Jonesy. "Welcome. What has brought you here?" he asks.

 

[Birdfalcon]

Kris watched the man as he waited for the group's face to speak. The elf was...well an elf so he might have been sexy enough to be the group's face. For his part Kris was glad he though to bring his ancestor's Navajo Squash necklace, putting the peice of jewlery around his neck he checked to make sure it was promienat. The old necklaces looked to be about from the 1880's-90s and was geunine Native American, his ancestor and namesake having been raised by a Navajo woman in the late 19th century.


Watching the casino made him sigh watching and listening to the Shaman speak and tried to identify if there were any Navajo around or if the Shaman himself was Dine' things would go alot easier for him here he would at least feel like he had allies.

 

[FalloutJack]

Healing was taken care of in-flight, handling not only Kris, but also Blue and the-as-of-yet-to-be-named-other-chick-that-seemed-uninterested-in-name-dropping [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TakeThat]. It left Jonesy somewhat drained all of a sudden, and he closed his eyes, remaining silent for the rest of the trip with his hat over his face, Indiana Jones style. He hadn't heard where it was they were going before, so when he woke up and found out, a smile crossed his face and he removed both coat and hat, no longer slouching about as he was wont to do. The others could see the tattoos on the backs of his arms, and the beginning of something near the neck.

His name was apparently known enough in the area, though Amerindian circles tended to default to his third alias, Shadow Moors, in these cases. The VTOL came to land at a designated stretch of smooth rock and opened up. As they exited, five men approached with custom handguns and auras like solar flares. There would be no violence here if he could help it, as his three friends lay down behind Jonesy and he himself actually left his pistol in his coat pocket back on the plane. There was greetings, and a desire to know why they were here.

"We were asked to locate and bring back alive a man who had committed a terrible act upon a school, killing and wounding several...including the son of high-ranking individual in the Yakuza. We are successful, but an attack damaged the plane and I would expect more interference. Someone is working against us to keep him from talking. There's already been many Augmented and at least one cyberized mercenary. A little time and a little safety to repair and refuel, and we could be on our way."

Many times, Jonesy used clever deception and subterfuge to get around and deal with awkward or troublesome situations. This place, however... They were aligned with the Yakuza and they were Shamans, the same as he. There would be no lies from him, as to do so in this case would be an insult to both them and his totem. Jonesy waited to see what either the verdict was or if anyone else wanted to chime in.

 

[Terratina.]

Ziggy smiled as the VTOL landed and the city came into view, these shamen knew how to build a casino. Flashing lights, the fusion of old and new just to give the right impression. As the five men approached, Ziggy decided to leave Tobias' side and come into the open, but not before he gave a mock kiss on his forehead. The men were all tattooes, totems and leather, definately shamen, definitely a native tribe of some sort. And apparently, they were on the side same, so no worries. Best leave it to Jonesy to talk to those people, shaman to shaman. Well, if Ziggy contained the urge to make sharp quips, that is. These guys had dealt with various 'runners before, right? Then would have dealt with some colourful individuals before, then? To put it concisely, the reaction couldn't be worse than that particular incident.

He stood tall and with conviction, he said, "Yes sir-eee! That be the truth and nothing but the truth!"

Looks like Jonesy was intent on the spilling the beans, not a problem, especially if these people were with them. Nice place though. The casino was a festival of lights, Ziggy just wanted to lose himself in that light show. This was definitely something his club needed, more flashing lights, more pazazz, more of everything. And when this 'run ended, Ziggy would be running right to the neon light shop - a fine investment.

 

[3quency]

"A little time and a little safety to repair and refuel, and we could be on our way."

"Aye, and a shower. Bein' clean would be nice." Jade chimes in as she leaps out of the cockpit.
The ride was at lot more pleasant than the escape from Seattle, but she's not slept a wink since they did escape and her Lillian's already taken enough of a beating.

She scratches the back of her neck and the hand comes away covered in black - soot from the night before. As much as a little dirt and a little grease have never bothered her, some cleanliness right now would be a godsend.

Jade's never spent much time in Pueblo. Done a couple of smuggling runs through its borders but doesn't know much about the place. Judging from the huge, fuck-off casino she reckons she'll either love it or hate it here.

Either way, a chance to spend some time working on Lillian to get her back into decent nick sounds like an excellent plan, one she fully endorses.

 

[Asclepion]

- Message from Mr. Tanaka -​

It is hardly necessary for me to say, that I am very pleased that the target is in your custody.

I have sent the order to my associates to arrange his retrieval. The extraction will be a limousine. It is bulletproof, rocket-proof, and will be driven by our associates. They will wait tomorrow night from 9:00 PM. If midnight passes and we have not been contacted by you, we will assume you are not coming and will await further information. When we have received the target (who is present, alive, and in a cooperative state), you will be given your compensation: 100,000 Nuyen in two briefcases, as promised. At that moment, your contract will be fulfilled.

Domo arigato gozaimasu.​

[hr]

Mayan Casino- Hotel Section​

The walls of the lobby were carved with feathered serpents. The shamans allowed the party safe passage, giving them a room and taking the plane for repair. They put Tobias under guard, gave the Shadowrunners keycards to their room, and bid them to enjoy the pleasures their establishment offered, for the time being.

[hr]

Mayan Casino- Gaming Floor​

Ziggy danced among the gamblers inside as only Ziggy could. Blackjack, baccarat, poker, and other gaming tables had been set up out in the open. The slap-slap-slap of cards being shuffled could be heard, along with the clink-clink of chips hitting each other on the felt tables and the whirring clack-clack-clack of the slot machines.

Shamans circulated throughout the room. Given the platters of hors d'oeuvres and drinks they supported on their hands, one might have thought them nothing more than waiters. But Ziggy knew what they were really here for - Astral Sight. Cheating had been a threat as long as gambling has existed, before the Sixth World. Now, a metahuman could put a chip in their brain and become a supercomputer, or augment their eyes to see through the cards, or receive a pheremone implant and smell fear or anticipation in their opponents, or any number of other methods. Let alone magic.

Indeed, many of the gaming tables were in simsense, where people had jacked in to virtual environments. It worked for everyone- the casino could keep better control over players, and players could gamble on top of a volcano, or on the surface of the Sun.

But nothing had yet beaten physical games. Ziggy strolled over to a poker table where a bunch of high-roller whales with cash to lose were playing. Given the stakes they were playing for, a crowd had formed around the table.

Several women regarded him with open, predatory interest, mentally weighing his figure and pocketbook against the other gentlemen to determine who was most worthy of their attention.

 

[Terratina.]

Ziggy zig-zagged between the gamblers and the waiters, breathing in the busy atmosphere of the casino. Lights? Well definately, the light from the ceiling interweaved with the coloured neon lights of the slot machines. Check. He narrowly dodged an oncoming waiter, plate of hors d'oeuvres still intact. Camera? Ziggy looked towards the scowling waiter, he probably was pissed because Ziggy had blocked his view of the table beside him for a moment, Astral Sight was handy for spotting cheats. Check. The noises of gambling filled his ears everywhere he went, so did the eyes of women who laid their eyes on him like she-wolves looking at their next kill Action? He came across a table covered with mountains of chips and women. This was definitely a happening table. Check. He strolled away in the same manner to the gentlemen's restroom.

As much as he wanted to get in on that, Ziggy was tired - it had been a looong day - and had to think of the club. What would Ieuan think if he just squandered the money on poker? Ziggy smirked, he knew hardly anything about the game, except from stories of people making it big or going bust because of it. Beneath all the bravado, the room smelt of fear and loss. Wait... That could be a big advantage, with his Tailored Pheromones and Enhanced Pheromone Receptors he could tell what the others were thinking, if he wasn't kicked out for that, of course. He washed his face and zoomed to the casino floor. He had at least 20K worth of spending money, Ieuan couldn't complain about his personal finances, could he?

But first he would need his glamorous assistant, he knew just who to pick. He waltzed over to where Jade was and half-sung, "Aces high? Aces low? Ready for poker? 'Cause here we go?"

It was time to get ziggy with it. He had conquered the hearts of the Corral Hotel, now it was this casino's turn.