Mission 2b - Special Delivery

((That's a lot of badguys...))

Chougou will slow the van down as though he is confused and stop if he gets within 20 ft of them.

"Are you crazy?  We cannot take on 8 heavily armed psychos! "
Torpor seems lost in thought for a moment,  "We honestly have only two choices at this point.  Run her over,  or try to get the frag out of here. They are touting more hardware than Cowboy.  We are out gunned, way out gunned."

Your van comes to a stop about 20 feet away from the elf. The humans make revving motions as they cheer on Chougou, encouraging him to run the elf over. The elf rolls a little bit to try to get out of the way and gets a boot to the face for her efforts. Blood drips from her mouth. It is hard to tell at this distance, but those of you looking through the front window think you see some teeth too.

((If we were to rev the van up and make as though we were going to run the girl over, how many might we hit if we swerved into them instead?))

"I agree Torpor, but the only way out is through it looks like. I can't outrun a missile, and we are in their hood. But if we run then we should get to it. Does anyone want to fight?"

Chougou checks to see how far away they are from the package drop.

"I'm with Torpor. We can't fight these. They seem eager to shoot whatever they feel like, so I prefer to not aggravate them in any way. Running her over obviously isn't an option either. Maybe Wujen can cast something to fake police sirens driving up."

((they would get a roll to avoid, so possibly none, but best case scenario would be roughly half of them so somewhere between 4 and 0, depending on the luck of the dice))

Chougou checks the map and sees that you are about a couple of blocks from the dropoff point. The guys up ahead seem to be getting impatient. One fires some rounds in the air and makes a gesture toward the elf, apparently indicating to hurry up and run her over.

"Ok.  Real Talk chummers, and we don't have a lot of time.  Can we leave her to her fate with these people?  What's the difference between leaving her with them and running her over except we maybe save her some pain and suffering by ending this quickly for her?"

"I'll admit, seeing the driver of that delivery truck getting geeked when we were trying to help shook me hard.  I'm going to have some nightmares about it for sure.  The same is true here though.  If we just leave her, I'm gonna wonder what happened for a long time to come."

"I don't want to fight them.  I really don't.  But can you just leave her?  I'm not sure I can, and the longer we sit here and watch the more certain that we should be doing something about this I am."

"I do have an idea though.  It's risky and we should be prepared to run or fight if it goes wrong.  I can cast a spell to move her under the van, and an illusion of her getting squished.  If we time it right we can pull her into the van and move along, hopefully getting enough distance before I can't maintain the illusion that we can get clear with a minimum of fuss."

"If they chase us, we will have to gamble that she has some friends that would like to see her returned safely.  I don't know much about gangs, and nothing of the situation in the area... but I have enough fuel for nightmares from todays run already, and I don't need more."

"Besides all that, Little Dragon can be insanely jealous.  There's only room in my dreams for one girl, and I don't need the grief having nightmares about this one would cause."

"So with all that in mind, we need to do this right.  Take a careful look at the people we may need to fight and get some options on who needs to go down first.  Anyone carrying weapons that will hurt the van are a priority."

"If anyone wants to try and talk them down, now is the time to try.  We could try and buy her from them, if anyone knows what sort of thing they might take in trade.  I can make an illusion of that as easily as I can of anything else.  I don't suggest drugs, I can duplicate all the senses, but not the effects if they test it."

As Wujen speaks up, Little Dragon gives him a tight hug, apparently proud of him for standing up for his morals, but also worried that it may cost him his life if things go sideways. She says to him, "If you are doing this because it is right, I understand. Leaving her here is the same as killing her ourselves. But if you plan on fighting your way to her rescue, I rather see her dead than you dead though.

"It is obvious that these people want this elf dead. Perhaps if we could get them to believe that we would kill her in a more brutal fashion, they might allow us to take her in exchange for a video of the killing? Your illusions work on video, right? Stage something awful and they might never know the difference."

Yes, the phantasms work on video. The only real danger in using them is if there are awakened who can see their true nature or I screw up some details..

((They are basically blocking the road. The only way by is to either plow through or back up and take some other route.))

Little Dragon says, "Well, if none of them are magical, that's not an issue. That is something that only takes a couple seconds to verify. And if it is an issue, you can film it elsewhere and give them the video later. No one can assense a video. It will take some sweet talking to get them to agree to it, but unless we are ready to let her die, I don't see another option."

The gangsters give a warning shot at the van. It does no real damage other than scratch up the paint job, but punctuates the point that they are quickly growing impatient and the next shot will be far more penetrating.

"Sweet Talking is the issue?  Anyone want to try?  My attempt with the Go-Gangers didn't really go so well."

It is quickly obvious that the only person with even a chance at succeeding in this is Wujen. The others are not much for words and it does not look like there is much time for a big debate about it as the guy with the rocket launcher points at the van...

WuJen looks from person to person, in his heart knowing he's going to get them all killed.
(ooc: I only have 6 dice for social stuff when I'm fully healthy.  I'm still suffering 3 in wound penalties at present)
"Ok.  If this goes south, get out of here.  Don't wait for me, just go.  I have other transport options if it turns out I need to run."

With that, he looks at the gangers outside with his astral perception, checking to see if any of them are awakened themselves.

Assensing
WuJen carried out 5 launched of one d6 :

, , , ,

Just in case, he casts Increase Reflexes on himself just before stepping out of the van with his most dangerous looking face firmly glued into place.

Sorcery, Force 3 Increase Reflexes, using 8 Reagents (I might get lucky) and Little Dragon's help
WuJen carried out 11 launched of one d6 :

, , , , , , , , , ,

Drain
WuJen carried out 8 launched of one d6 :

, , , , , , ,

(ooc: Well, I may be unconscious now...  in the preview it was even worse, got 9 successes on the sorcery but critical glitch on the drain.)

((the others don't have a negotiation skill at all, and their charisma scores range between 1 and 2, so it's better than what they have))

Luckily for Wujen, his spell does not knock him out, but it certainly comes damn close ((3 stun, bringing him to 9 current as long as the stim patch holds)). A peek out at the people outside reveals that none of them appear to be awakened. Just heavily armed.

WuJen waves to the ganger with the missile launcher "Hey, that's not really needed.  My chummers and I were just discussing what a waste killing the slot like this would be, if you don't have a better use for her.  We were just passing through on some other biz, but are always open to new business when it presents itself."

"So with that in mind, and clearly you just want her dead... I think we can do biz.  Our opening bid would be on the quality of dead.  I've got some contacts that could hook her up to some simrigs and make some great black beetles out of her final moments.  While those would not be available for free, we could arrange for some standard Trid to make its way back here so you could appreciate a more... fitting... end to the slot.  We might could even offer you some input as to the content, like flaying, burning, eaten by ghouls...  making this isn't really my end, but my contacts, though artists, are usually amenable to some input."

(OOC: I'd like for Little Dragon to be sustaining the Increased Reflexes, but I'm not really sure how that shakes out with the super short time she can do that while not in combat.  I'm also planning on my first action, should things go bad, on putting a physical barrier up right in front of Rocket Man.  The barrier will surely pop upon being hit, but it will also set off the explosion, right?)

((I am honestly not sure how it works with a rocket. I know for a bullet, the bullet would go through and just deal less damage on the other side. will have to figure it out if things come to that. Hopefully they don't))

The man with the rocket launcher looks at another man who holds up a hand, while eyeing Wujen. He says, "This little dandelion eating Jingai is going to die for what her friends did to ours. We ain't gonna pay you drek to do it for us. This is Ningen Seinensha territory and you should be honored to be allowed to pass through it."

(ooc: bullets do their damage by hitting the target with their own mass. Missiles, I would assume, detonate on contact, unless their is some other thing at work, like a range finder or something that tells the missile to go a certain distance, and then explode. Which may be the case, I know you can set up grenade launcher with air burst. Even at that, I would not imagine a missile has anywhere the penetrating force of a bullet from just being fired, it's the explosion that does the damage. Consider, if he fired and missed, would the missile penetrate a wall somewhere, or explode on the wall?)

"You mistake me. I'm not looking to sell you anything. I'm offering to pay you a trid of her death. My chummers and I feel it's a waste to just run her over, at least without the simrig on. I've got some associates that produce simsense for some really twisted fraggers that like not only to watch but actually feel people die. Not my thing, but I don't judge. I doubt they give up their product for free, but I'm sure they would be happy to give up a trid of the deed. I owe them a favor, so in the end we all benefit. You get your dead girl, with a truly memorable ending and a trid to show for it. I get out from under some real twists, and they get some fresh meat to do what they do."

((well, it depends on how the rocket is set. They can be set to explode on a timer, detonate on a wireless trigger through their PAN, or on impact after a certain minimum distance so as to avoid blowing up the user if it goes off too close (though this safety feature can be disabled, if desired). So it might not simply blow up when it hits a wall. ))

The ganger thinks for a moment then says, "And what kind of death were you thinking for this little stain?" He then kicks her in the solar plexus, clearly winding her. She wheezes on the ground, gasping for air as he adds, "And what would be our cut? Cuz the way I see it, we would be selling you valuable merchandise. We own her right now."

In between gasps, the woman on the ground coughs out something in Elvish.

(Ooc: I speak elvish, can I hear what she said?)


"Your end is a video of her death, if you want a little more I'm open to suggestion, but this is pretty much a barter only transaction.  I only offered because it looked like you just wanted to throw her away under a set of convenient tires, if she's more valuable than that then I apologize for wasting your time."

"As to how she dies, as I said, that's also open to negotiation.  Imaginatively cruel deaths aren't really my end.  I just occasionally deliver some 'talent' to some people who make some rather dark dreams come true.  I know they take requests from their clients, and of course keep a small stock for more casual thrill seekers on hand-- so I'm sure they would be willing to incorporate any suggestions you might have.  At the very least it can be guaranteed to be far worse than simply being run over."

"Look at it this way, what do you stand to lose?  You don't really want her, you just want to see her suffer and die.  At worst you get the satisfaction of knowing no one will ever see her alive again once she's packed as my cargo.  At best you will receive delivery of a recording of that death you can send to her family and friends as a memento."

"Either way, it's no sweat to me.  My chummers and I were just passing through on other biz that it's best the cowboys know nothing about, and thus this lovely detour.  We have no stake in your territory nor do we even know who her people might be, this just seemed like a mutually beneficial opportunity.  If you don't agree then that's fair enough and your decision."

((You know, for some reason I always thought Wujen was a human, not an elf (probably because the image you use looks more human than elf). That kind of changes things here a bit. Making an edge check to see if he realizes you are an elf too, since it is dark and you have long dark hair so maybe he doesn't immediately realize... and you pass, with 1 edge die))

((language check to see if you picked up what she said, you succeed with 4 hits on 6 dice!)) Wujen hears the elf say, "You would sell your own kin out to save your hide," followed by some choice elvish profanity.

((rolling a negotiation check)) The man says, "That was before we knew there was money to be had in her death. In the very least I should have some kind of collateral in case you don't follow through on your end. I don't know you, and that means I don't trust you. So what do you have to offer as collateral?"

While Wujen considers his counter offer, the man turns to the guys and asks them what sounds like a fun death for the elf. One guy pulls up a matrix site of various horrific ancient execution methods on his commlink. They include such things as impaling, something involving rats eating through her face, ling chi (a practice of slowly cutting off small parts of the body so as to keep the victim alive as long as possible), impalement by bamboo (essentially place the body over a young shoot which would grow through the victim over the course of days), pouring molten metal through the eyes, and several others more gruesome than the last. In the end, they realize that while days of torturous brutality would be a fitting end for her, it wouldn't be entertaining to watch in real time. They continue to discuss the options while the apparent leader awaits Wujen's counter offer.