Mission 1 - Jumping to Conclusions

The drones hunker down in the back of the truck as the hatchback closes and the truck then drives off. Those of you watching it speed off note that the license plate automatically changes as it drives away. The owner seems to really value their privacy...

On the commlink, the voice says, "We will appreciate your data as well as any other useful paranormal data you can provide in the future. When and where would you like the drone sent to meet you to acquire your data?"

Picking up his credstick, Sun says: "Well, that's that. Who's up for some noodles?"

This guy with two thumbs and it's me that I'm pointing at

Sent from Topic'it App

Torpor looks at Sato, "I also have the body of a critter we fought in the jungle, I i have some notes o can gather and send with it as well if they are interested. It was definitely awakened. The critters that messed me up. "

Torpor sends a picture of the weasel to Sato before he signs off with the Wujen's contact, "they are called Kamaitachi, I have a body on ice if they are interested. " and forwards a file on his notes about the combat and them.

Sato takes the body and nods his thanks to Torpor.

"Thank you, this is excellent. To help me sell it, can you tell me a few things about how you know this creature is awakened?"

((Could we go read that fight that happened with the weasels now that they would probably be telling us the story?))

Torpor nods as he says, "I sent a file to you as well, it's all about the fight. Vicious little buggers. Definitlty an interesting fight. Not sure i would tangle with them solo, glad Sun was there to help out. "

"O they are awakened, fraggin bugger hit me hard, then barely healed me so i was fragged."

((sorry about to get caught up with work, so for the sake of time, I will assume Torpor tells me the story of the weasels on post 31+ of this thread))

"Mikuzume-san, as a matter of fact, we do have another specimen that might be of interest to you. In our travels to the wild outskirts of Mingmei, we have encountered some awakened weasel-like creatures with blades instead of hands. They seem to be possessed of magical abilities and a particularly malicious tactics that seems to speak to some larger, evil purpose - one of them severely injured my colleague and then another one used a tiny amount of magical healing on him, crippling his ability to continue our quest. There must truly be an evil overlord directing them, but we have found no signs. Perhaps you can be more successful."

"We have a body of one, which we are interested to trade with you."


((just in case you thought I was lucky, here we are regressing to the mean - all out of edge sadly. At least it's not a glitch....))

"With your permission, I would like to keep your commcode so I can contact you in the future if we come across other specimens which could be of interest."

The voice says, "Creatures of designation kamaitachi are well known to us. They are sapient pests of minor nuisance that live in wooded areas who are of little threat to city dwellers. We have quite extensive data on such creatures, but if you have no need of this specimen, we can offer 25 nuyen for its remains. You may contact us again should you have more specimens of interest for us, but for future reference, living specimens are of far more scientific value than deceased.

"Please tell me when and where you wish to give your jiangshi data so arrangements can be made to acquire it."

WuJen takes his credstick and transfers his payment to his personal bank account with a deposit memo "Freelance Jiangshi Removal", later to append all relevant records and trid recordings.

"Let me know if anything else turns up chummers.  I'm going to find a bed and shop for apartments in the morning."

(OOC: I'll be taking the bulk of that cash and upgrading from Street to Low Lifestyle, because crashing on gangster's couches isn't my idea of healthy living)

Sam, still pretty full of stew, says that he'll skip the noodle shop this time. He checks his credstick, pockets it, and Dodge Scoots his way home.

Torpor looks to Chou, "can i get a lift home chummer?"

To Mikuzume: "Let's meet tomorrow afternoon 3pm, at <tea house in Nakajuku>. I will request a private room so we can perform the transfer."

To Sam: "Hi Sam, I was hoping you could help me with some data formatting tonight or tomorrow morning. It's for a hot scientist girl who will be impressed by the elegance of your data structures. Are you up for a few hours of work tonight or tomorrow? It might lead to more jobs for the group."



Just as a Sato turns towards the street corner, a Mitsubishi Nightsky limousine drifts up next to him and a door hisses open.

"Anyone want to celebrate? Drinks are on me tonight!"

"Sure, Sato. If you've got some extra work, I really appreciate you sending it my way."
Sam turns around for drinks on Sato.

Torpor looks at the limo, "Sure thing chummer, i am in. "

Sato treats those of you who want it to a night of fun. Drinking, debauchery and merriment is had in great measure. Karaoke is also involved, as is delicious yakiniku.

The next few days are a bit of a whirlwind of activity. Your group's capture of the jiangshi is all over the news and Wujen in particular appears to be the spotlight darling. His face is plastered on the news constantly for the next few days. To a lesser extent, so are Chougou and Sam. Sam, Chougou and Wujen are payed 500 nuyen for their interview, while the rest of you are only given 250.

((public awareness +2 for Wujen, +1 for Chougou and Sam))

Sam quickly gets a phone call from Muku who can't stop gushing about her favorite hero "nephew". She arranges for Sam, Wujen and Chougou to be awarded medals by the city (a moment she very obviously milks for a few political points of her own while also promoting the Church of Happy Science). The rest of you continue on with your lives in relative anonymity, medalless but privacy in tact.

Kingfisher, apparently traumatized by the experience of dealing with a legendary undead creature, stops answering any of your calls and eventually drops off the radar entirely. At least for now, all attempts to contact her end in failure. Her contact, Rosa Pine, does eventually contact you all to forward the payment she promised for the job: 500 nuyen. She says she has been unable to find Kingfisher either and to tell her to come by for her pay if any of you happen to see her.

Sato's boss congratulates him on a job well done. He is paid 2,000 nuyen and given enough 3,000 nuyen credsticks to pay the other outsiders. It is clear that his superiors view his performance favorably and consider its completion to be a great personal favor which he may choose to collect on in the future. The next day, Sato waits at the tea house fashionably early for Mikuzume. At precisely 3:00 (to the second) a small, wasp-like drone lands on the table. It broadcasts to his commlink that it is here to receive the data. It happily takes any information that Sato has prepared with Sam's help and looks forward to future data before buzzing off.

In between photo ops and interviews, Chougou is home working on his drones when he gets a mysterious message on his commlink. The sender is anonymous, the contents simply, "Good dog."

Wujen invests his newfound wealth into a nice coffin appartment for him and Little Dragon. It is not the roomiest place, but it is home. Little Dragon is pleased by the upgrade in privacy and spends a few days taking advantage of it. Wujen is exhausted, but happy.

Torpor spends some time recovering from his wounds, which heal without issue, albeit slowly, thanks to the kamitachi's interference. Yusuke Daiki, his doc friend, ensures that there is no infection and gives Torpor a clean bill of health. He eventually gets a call from the Techintos as well. It takes a little longer for them to get the word since Torpor's face and voice was masked in the interviews, but they seem to have heard on the street that Torpor was involved and want to congratulate him and see how he is doing.

Sun gets no phone calls. The people he knows barely own commlinks, much less watch the news. He and Sanji do spend much time practicing and sparring. He feels invigorated for the future.

END OF CHAPTER
To be continued in "Downtime"
((karma rewards will be awarded in record keeping))