The contact that Starlight had sent him was named Mugsy Devil and Charlie has his agent number in speed dial now. Pressing the button, he waits for the call to be answered.

“Tanlun.”

"This is Mr. Charlie, is the meeting still on?" 

"O! Cred Stick chali! We have hours still until your appointment," An accented voice says on the other end. Luther imagines an evil chuckle but one never comes.

"I have the location and I'll be bringing some friends along, is that okay?"

"Ni dai lai ni de pengyou, wo dai lai wo de. Women jiang yiqi zai diyu zhong yongcan. Mr. Charlie, I am a gracious host and would never refuse you your safety blanket. The more the merrier as you Bai zhong ren say.”

Luther couldn't speak for a second. "Yes sir, it is... I hope that I have not—” The line goes dead.

Was that a clue? Should I run like a rabbit, hide like an ostrich? Damn it. These guys aren't playing. It’s going to take more than charm, that's for sure.

Moving past his fears, he focuses on what he knows. Charlie makes his next call. 

The ringing on the other end eventually plays out and Luther gets Patriot’s virtual mailbox.

"Hey Patriot, Charlie here, remember me? Well I hope that you do ‘Fam.’ Perhaps I got a hot tip. A story is brewing in one of those corpo developments, yes siree. A corp compound absconding people and hiding them away—like a solo type against his will. I'm going to… well, let’s just say it’s exclusive time, baby! I'll even possibly have a direct feed, that would be cool, wouldn't it? If you want to be the first to cover this story, hit me back, player. Charlie, peace out!"

Sighing at the difficulty he’s been having getting in touch with his network, Charlie sits on the edge of the bed and searches for identity printers on his agent, looking for anything cheaper than the Gearlogix 24B290 Thermal Printer with a Hologenics Modular Printbox attachment which Blackbird2500 had listed for 900 credits on Sunday. Seeing none, he shakes his head in resignation and shoots her a message.

I’m a go, my little blackbird. Gearlogix 24B290 Thermal Printer with a Hologenics Modular Printbox attachment for 900 creds. Give me a Cred Stick Reader Code and I’ll send you the dough. Do you do drone delivery?

While waiting for a response, he switches gears and calls his friend Hound only to receive voicemail once again.

Receiving negatives from everyone else either by shaking of the head or simple verbal responses, Charlie calls the dragon lady, hoping that she is in a better mood. 

“Ni hao.”

"Miss Mo Yimu, this is Mr. Charlie. I humbly come before you and ask for you to enlighten this Westerner in the true path and way of life in this enclave. Perhaps you might know someone that could assist me with a grocery list of items?”

“You want me to work out more deals for you? After you bring so many more people into the enclave? We do not have unlimited resources.” 

“I see, I'm sorry to bother you. I simply thought that I could spend some credits in the community, but I have bothered you enough, thank—”

“Paying customers are a different matter, Mr. Charlie.”

“Oh, you don't say. You might know someone? Yes, you wouldn't mind me spending a few credits in the enclave? Oh, Miss Mo Yimu, I wish to thank you for your vast knowledge and connections in this enclave.”

“Do not blow smoke up my skirt, Mr. Charlie. I help you find what you need and I get paid. You understand? You pay me and you pay the vendor.”

“But of course, yes, I understand and I'll make sure that you get your cut before mine. Yes, Miss Mo Yimu." Charlie passes on the requested items list and hopes for the best prices that he can bargain within the enclave, minus Miss Mo Yimu fees connecting a few possible good, honest people to Charlie for her cut. Geezz, she is a bigger snake than me... maybe I'll learn something from her later.

“I will see what I can do and call you back, Mr. Charlie.”

The call ends abruptly.

"Miss Mo Yimu is assisting me with the shopping list, Casino, Ghlan... we are going to buy local this time, maybe save some cred—well… Miss Mo Yimu is taking a cut so Mr. Charlie will have to make some profit down the line in another area.” Luther says referring to himself in the third person. “Anyhow… Casino, I also added a Johnny Cab to get you to your location, and after your meeting, get you to meet up with everyone else. It’ll be here in twenty. You can handle the fare, right?" Charlie explains to Casino and the others.

After the others acknowledge his comments, Cred Stick Charlie excuses himself to make more calls in the privacy of his bedroom. Closing the door, he begins his personal business waiting for Miss Mo Yimu to get back to him.

NO ONE POST ANYTHING! I STILL HAVE A BUNCH TO POST BUT THE SITE IS THROWING ERRORS EVERY TIME I TRY TO POST.

us info on what goes into and out of our target without actually having to risk tripping their own systems and alerting them."

Overhearing Fixer and Ghlahn’s short conversation, Casino offers his help.

“Well we know that the sec company working for Daltdom—which is a subsidiary of Petrochem’s—are the assholes that have Vegas, so I’d suggest starting there and seeing if there is anything special; any hints they have tie’s in with Mafia, Triad, Yakuza, or other powerful corp relations. Like you said, best to work together with Blossom as she might catch something hiding in the shadows that you might miss. I’ll be sure to ask this Akagi guy I’m meeting with if they know something about Daltdom and Petrochem.”

Having given what blind strategy considering the information they had on hand, the blond solo moves over to stand by Echo and take in the rainfall. Taking her hand he asks, “You okay, Echo? You’ve been awful quiet so far. E-buck for your thoughts?”

"Hey Blossom, you have a moment?” Ghlahn turns to the netrunner. “I figure trying to fight our way in and out of that corp compound is not gonna happen. Any chance you can find us a sneaky or peaceful way in? Maybe posing as a delivery or repair team? They must have cameras that show who comes and goes. Maybe we can have some of Charlie's friends make us uniforms that match and get in that way."

Frustrated with the lack of information available to her on the standard Net, Blossom declares out loud, “I’m going to have to jack in. Someone keep an eye on my meat suit, monitor my vitals… you know, all that stuff Bloodbank would be doing if we hadn’t driven him off, or Guardian would be doing if he were here.”

Huffing, the platinum blonde netrunner activates the panel on her NuCybe bracer that engages the NetChip. Within moments, she’s inside the Net, her body lying limp on the couch.

Charlie shifts in his place on the stool and reviews the list Casino and Ghlahn have given him. Some of these items aren’t available for cash… at least, not cheap. It’s a good thing Casino is a member of the alt-cult. 

With additional work now on his plate, Charlie sets about his tasks. First, he arranges a Johnny Cab for Casino. That’s not difficult at all. Red Cab is ready to go, their site app even giving Charlie the best time for a pick up from outside the enclave so that Casino arrives at The Eastern Courtyard a good ten minutes early (18:50 or 6:50 PM). The bad news is that it is already 16:58 or 4:58 PM and the travel time is an hour and a half, which means Casino is going to need to leave in 20-minutes. That doesn’t leave much time at all to work his magic and get Casino any of the items on his shopping list.

"Anyone else need anything?” Charlie asks aloud to the group. “Bandages? Slap trauma patches? Drugs, legal or illegal? Yes, no, maybe?"

“Charlie, I need your help,” Keith begins. “What do you think the possibility is of getting these items before we head out on our separate tasks?” The solo quickly shows Charlie the list on his absconded agent's ultra HD screen.

"I would love to help you with that. It’s one of the things that I do best... munitions, shoes, and... other things," Charlie gives his infectious smile.

“Seeing as how we are in an Edgerunner enclave and it’s also your home I’m guessing you know it by heart,” Casino requests with a little less weight on his broad shoulders. “Can you get me these things—priority on the five chips—before I have to head out? Also as things stand right now, transportation wise, I was thinking of catching a cab, but will that hinder me from being able to rejoin the rest of the team before coming back here to change from suit to armor. Any suggestions?”

"Well…” Luther thoughtfully considers the list as Casino passes it digitally to him through an airdrop solution. “Best bet is a Johnny Cab. They run a cost per mile but you don’t have to deal with a driver so there’s more privacy. You want these other things before you leave? Looks like I better get started then.”

"You thinking about how to do the impossible?” Ghlahn prods the techie. “Hard enough to break into a corp compound but then to get back out is double tough. Seems we have to find a way to at least get in without drawing attention to ourselves to have any chance. Think there is any chance we can get in posing as delivery or service folks?"

"Hhhhh, that could be an option,” Fixer replies without looking up from his agent. “The best bet for that would be some sort of security footage—to see what is going into and out of the compound. It would also give us an up-to-date image of things that might be wrong and in need of fixing. Raiding a system like that and stealing access to their data is something Blossom is better at. Check with her because that could be a good idea. Right now I'm digging to try and identify what sort of security they have. But while I'm at it I will keep an eye out for deliveries.  Plus whatever systems they might utilize—those systems might need maintenance provided by a very special team. It would be kinda interesting if we went in to repair the security system, although I suspect that brings with it as many problems as it solves." So far, the only thing Fixer has found is the Temecula Heights website and it appears to be the usual corporate propaganda for better living. 

Temecula Heights, where you get an above-average daily water ration, walking paths, prompt and timely garbage services, and top of the line company security. The community comes with its own fire department, medical facility, schools for all grades, green spaces, company vetted drone delivery, and more!

As Ghlahn begins to move away, Fixer looks up at him and adds, "And we don't have to use the compound’s security. If there are cameras elsewhere in the surrounding streets they may give

March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 04:40 PM PST - Mid-City, Edgerunner Enclave (China Town), Charlie’s Apartment X00050:2.Y00310:08.Z00410:15, South Night City Integrate.

Weather Conditions: High City (Very Windy, 25 mph winds from the West.) | Midcity (Windy, 13mph winds from the West, Rain Showers) | Undercity (Slight Wind, 5mph gusts from the West, Heavy Acid Rain Showers)

Air Quality Index: High City = 0 | Midcity = 55 (masks required) | Undercity = 85 (masks required)

Settling in on the couch, Blossom removes her heart-shaped glasses, folds them, and slips them into an inside pocket on her jacket. Twisting her little hips, she maneuvers into a more comfortable position with one booted foot tucked underneath her and the other placed firmly on the floor next to her smartbag. Holding her arms directly out in front of her, the Asian beauty wiggles her fingers, limbering up as Casino begins his discussion with Ghlahn. They have Vegas’s location and it’s time for her to get to work.

Running the open Web isn’t the safest thing anymore so she’s determined to find what she can with her search skills first and foremost. All that requires is her Magnanimous Charisma Luxury Agent and a little luck. Leaning back into the cushion of the couch, she dives right in. 

Casino finishes up his interaction with the CEE-metal and focuses his attention on his shopping list. Meanwhile, Fixer settles into the chair next to the couch and begins his own research using the limited search capabilities of his Galaxy G554 Luxury Agent. Seeing Casino busy on the newly available agent, Echo finds herself looking out the balcony doors and into the gray skyline of South Nicht City Integrate just as the rain starts falling. Now with added munitions to his repertoire, Ghlahn finds Charlie sitting at the bar and checks some possibilities of his own.

"If you get a chance,” the overly calm cyborg begins while not bothering to sit, “can you see if you can find me some 12mm armor-piercing incendiary rounds for my Colt, some .44 ammo for my rifle, and a few for this SMG and grenade launcher Casino loaned me? Maybe three slashers, two HWDP, two Chem Carriers (smoke), and three HE? I don't think your neighbors would take kindly to me wandering around looking for them myself." Ghlahn hefts the submachine gun with the underbarrel M-205 grenade launcher for emphasis.

”I would agree," Charlie chuckles aloud. “I’ll look into it.”

Satisfied, the sniper turns to approach Fixer while Charlie looks up in time to catch Casino’s look of askance. Charlie gives a non-verbal nod and a motions for the mountain of a solo to join him. Accepting his invitation, Casino moves over to the counter and takes a seat upon one of the red stools near his host.

Thank you, Tann. It looks like I have some technical work to do for my post. I will get in touch with those i need answers from. Dragon and CTP, feel free to continue your convo. I still have to get the rest on the road to get you. 

Oh! And I don't see any mention of Cipher's little friend in the post. It would most definitely be something Guardian sees.

Thanks for all of the explanations and help while I've been sick. I'm doing better now and am currently looking at everything that's happened in my absence over.

Sorry for delays on my part. I am currently under the weather. Be back to this as soon as I feel able. 

Okay... so, Tann is neck-deep in reading material. That's a good thing. 

I'd like to post no later than Friday to move us along. Please do what you can to get to a point where we can move on by Thursday night.

Thanks for letting me know, Mischief. I completely understand.

Everyone, here's a new sneak peek at the Cyberpunk 2077 video game. Ignore the commentary from the host... or don't. *shrugs

WATCH VIDEO

By the way... I don't care for all the language but I understand that it doesn't bother most people. I don't know if you've noticed or not but I keep a few of the rougher elements out of the game. The developers of Cyberpunk 2077 don't however. 

Sweet find!

I'm also available to answer any questions. Please also remember that though I stick fairly close to the books, I also have my own homegrown elements especially where merging mainstream CyberPunk and the less appreciated CyberPunk V3.0. There's a lot in 3.0 that I don't implement as canon. I also add my own corporations, bands, organizations, gangs, public figures, etc.

Having stated this, it does help if you've the time to watch the video and read the books (at least skim them). 

And yes, now's the time to make your purchases; I highly encourage you to flesh out the characters where you're missing things or want to upgrade, and I strongly encourage you to take advantage of Charlie's skill to save you a few bucks and find items/services. It may not work all the time (die are fickle creatures) but it is always worth a shot.

Oh, and Espatier, remember that the Spinelli only fits three passengers and the driver. The rented van, however, is another story.

Posted... Still time to solidify plans but I put some key information in there so pay attention.

March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 03:20 PM PST - Mid-City, Edgerunner Enclave (China Town), Charlie’s Apartment X00050:2.Y00310:08.Z00410:15, South Night City Integrate.

Weather Conditions: High City (Very Windy, 25 mph winds from the West.) | Midcity (Windy, 13mph winds from the West.) | Undercity (Slight Wind, 5mph gusts from the West.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 0 | Midcity = 35 | Undercity = 65 (masks required)

There is a lot on the team’s plate to be sure, but they are all professionals and in no way letting things like “too much to do” stop them cold in their tracks. 

Charlie’s concerns about the security of his arrangement with the Chinese are definitely heard and understood by the rest of the team. Though he hasn’t shared with them his personal business and his challenging situation with Springed-Heel Jack and the Triad, the fixer is doing his best to wheel and deal to the team’s benefit.

Casino is torn between being there to assist in bringing Vegas home and his own potential with the newly acquainted Yakuza, which could also offer future dividends for the whole team.

Thus it is that the afternoon conversation becomes a full-fledged strategy session that begins with another bombshell. Bloodbank is out.

The altruistic medic doesn’t believe that he’s a good fit with the team. He argues that he’s personally got nothing against any of them despite the recent blowout at the restaurant on the docks. He isn’t keen on the path that the team is taking and believes that they’ll be better off without his interference. He’s staunchly determined and within twenty-minutes of Charlie’s return, the medtech has made his exit. As he’s of the Edgerunner Alt-Cult, he has the tags and won’t be given any trouble by the Chinese guards on his way out.

This blow does set the others in the team to more concerned chatter but Blossom has a potential solution and drops a note to a friend of hers. She doesn’t explain too much to the others as she isn’t sure what the results will be.

The discussion continues with everyone moving past the departure of their field medic support role and focusing back again on the situation with their immediate schedule and responsibilities. Charlie pays attention with one ear while working his agent and trying to get some of his business taken care of. The team is becoming used to this and recognizes his ability to multitask.

The question of whether this message from Vegas is actually a trap is eventually handed over to Casino to resolve. After some discussion, everyone agrees that Casino can use the Yakuza agent that the call came through on and reach back out to Vegas through the number that was used to contact Charlie. He’ll ask Vegas a couple of questions that only the Crooner would have the answers to and that would be vague enough that it isn’t likely to have come up in any interrogations. Because no one but the Yakuza knows that Casino has this agent, and the agent that Vegas was using is unknown, if Casino keeps the call short, the security of their location should be maintained. This being the first step to ironing out their priorities, Casino gets to it.

First, Blossom and Fixer need to hack the agent allowing Casino to dial out and use its other functions. The netrunner jacks into the device using link cables from her NuCybe bracers and her body goes limp. Fixer takes the device from the other end and attaches his techscanner. The two work in tandem. When Blossom overpowers one of the device’s internal network defenses it opens a path for Fixer to jack with the material components. 

Meanwhile, Casino mentions his suit’s condition once again and Charlie has a likely solution. The fixer reaches out to Hui Yin on his Sam-Mono Luxury Agent and works his magic. Within fifteen minutes there’s a knock at the door and a young Chinese boy is there to pick up the suit with the promise that he’ll have it back to Casino within the next hour. Casino tips the boy and makes the cash payment for the dry cleaner (that knife trick was more than likely going to ruin the fine material as you don’t iron an Arachni Silk suit). The total spent in this case, tip for the runner included, is 30 NCD. 

Next comes the time where Casino lays out his idea for how the rest of the evening could be spent. Half the group goes to the Yakuza meet while the other half brings Vegas home—assuming it is Vegas. Here, again, there’s a lot of back and forth as the team strategizes (minus Blossom’s input seeing how she’s jacked in).

Charlie’s experience with the Underworld has him thinking that it would be rude for Casino to show up to the Yakuza meet with more than one “bodyguard” and it would likely be a complete loss of Face for Casino to show up with anyone at all, seeing how he supposedly single-handedly stopped a whole team from assassinating Mr. Akagi. The Yakuza have a very strict honor code and though Cred Stick Charlie hasn’t had a lot of direct dealings with them, anyone who works in the shadows on the Street knows the basics. In Charlie’s estimation, it’s best that Casino goes alone to the meet with the Yakuza showing complete faith in his safety and trust in the Business aspect of the meeting.

This leaves the rest of the team to retrieve Vegas… if it is the real Vegas. Fifty-three minutes after Blossom jacked in, she’s back with the group in Realspace and together with Fixer, have successfully hacked the agent for Casino’s use.

The moment of truth has arrived. At 04:13 PM PST, Casino sends a text message to the number used by Vegas to reach out to Charlie.

Vegas, this is Casino. I’m going to call you from this number. Are you in a place where you can talk?

A few moments pass before he receives a reply: Yes.

The call is made and the conversation begins with the qualifying questions.

“What’s Irene Frank's best feature?” Casino asks bluntly as soon as the voice on the other end says hello.

“Her legs,” comes the quiet reply.

Casino presses with, “Why did you and her break up?”

“She was transferred to the Africa division of the Dego Grain Coalition,” is the answer.

Casino holds in his excitement and gives his team a nod indicating that it is, in fact, Vegas. “Where are you, buddy?”

“I believe I’m in Temecula Heights,” Vegas replies, tension in his voice. “From what I can tell, it’s a Daltdom corpo community. The kicker is that I think I was being held by a sec team working for this company so I’m not so sure it’s going to be an easy extraction.”

“Who’s agent are you using?” Casino digs a little deeper. “Maybe they can help get you through the gate?”

“I’m afraid not,” Vegas grimly reports. “She’s dead. Not my doing. Looks like she had some dealings that went south. Nice girl too. Took me in knowing I was being hunted and let me rest up. I couldn’t do anything to save her. But, we might be able to exact some justice at the same time as getting paid.

“First, I gotta get out of here.”

“Stay frosty,” Casino replies. “We’ll do a little research and get back with you, ASAP.”

Casino relays what information he has about Vegas’s situation to the team. With proof that Vegas is alive and ready for pick-up, Blossom takes what information she has and begins to dig, jacking in again, her body going limp on the couch.

All the while, Charlie has been setting up a meeting with representatives of the Triad that runs muscle in this barrow. The work has been a lot of jumping through hoops, contacting different people, reaching out to Hui Yin, attempting to get in touch with Hound and Feathers (to no avail), and finally turning over a stone. He can meet with a Mugsy Devil at the Great Roll Hibachi Kitchen at 08:30 PM PST to discuss business.

The time is now 04:30 PM PST leaving Casino two and a half hours before his meet and Charlie four hours until his meet. Casino’s Arachni Silk suit is returned looking like new pressed and cleaned. Blossom jacks out and sits upright, sharing her findings.

First, her friend the medtech has replied to her message and is looking for a team to join. His name is Guardian and he’s a good street surgeon. He knows the deal that Charlie has laid out and is game. 

Second, The Temecula Heights compound is approximately two hours away depending on traffic for a ground car. You need a corporate card to get into the gate, or an invitation from someone inside who has submitted the proper paperwork and had it approved. Daltdom is a synth-food manufacturing company, a subsidiary of Petrochem and they do run a sec division that matches the name on the APC Ghlahn and Vegas encountered a couple of days ago. It all matches up. The question becomes whether the team can find a way to get in, retrieve Vegas, and get out, or Vegas can find a way out to meet up with them.

Once again, the team enters into a strategy discussion. Five minutes into the planning, Charlie receives a message from a long time friend named Cipher. She needs to get to work… needs something to occupy herself with. Does he have anything? He presents the deal that he offered everyone else and she jumps on it. Normally, Cipher needs to have a promise of ready payment to perform but she is eager to join up so Charlie knows that something big is behind her willingness.

Now, the team has to work meeting up with, or picking up, two new team members as well. As it turns out, Cipher is in the Upper City and can meet outside of the Park… her connection to all things Upper City might come in handy getting Vegas out of Temecula Heights. Guardian is willing to take public transportation anywhere to meet up, and he can join Cipher at the Park entrance, so that makes things easier. 

What all this boils down to is that Casino has a meet in a little under two and a half hours that Charlie has suggested he’s best served going alone to. Charlie has a meet in a little under four hours and it probably isn’t a good idea that he go alone (the Triads are a big unknown except that they aren’t happy with him operating in their turf). Cipher and Guardian are on the way to Temecula Heights and approximately one hour away while Vegas is two hours away.

What ever are they going to do?

(OOC: March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 04:40 PM PST - Mid-City, Edgerunner Enclave (China Town), Charlie’s Apartment X00050:2.Y00310:08.Z00410:15, South Night City Integrate.)

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March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 04:30 PM PST - High-City, Temecula Heights Corporate Compound, Jeanette’s House X00550:35.Y00110:89.Z98310:08, West Night City Integrate.

Weather Conditions: High City (Very Windy, 25 mph winds from the West.) | Midcity (Windy, 13mph winds from the West.) | Undercity (Slight Wind, 5mph gusts from the West.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 0 | Midcity = 35 | Undercity = 65 (masks required)

Light spills in from the hooded windows with a persistent intensity that is arguably out of place considering there’s a dead body of a very nice young lady in the next room. Beaten, injured, stressed, and newly hopeful, Vegas isn’t sitting on his laurels waiting like a damsel in distress to be rescued. 

Since his call with Vegas, the solo has been working towards two goals. The first is to see what intel he can add to the operation returning him to the team and his partner. The second is to determine what it is that Jeanette was killed over and seeing if he can use it to persuade the team to exact a little justice. He knows that she wasn’t killed because of him and it isn’t guilt driving him. He simply liked her and she showed him kindness when she just as easily could have turned him in. There are times in life when you do something good for the sake of doing something good and this is one of those. If he can help everyone get paid in the process, and gain their support, well… the more the merrier. 

With the whole house to search and time on his hands (unless, he figures, the hit team has already called in a cleaner), he just has to decide where to begin.

(OOC: March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 04:40 PM PST - High-City, Temecula Heights Corporate Compound, Jeanette’s House X00550:35.Y00110:89.Z98310:08, West Night City Integrate.)

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March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 03:50 PM PST - High-City, Desnai Enclave Park, de Costa’s Conapt X00230:76.Y00100:03.Z97240:52, Central Night City Integrate.

Weather Conditions: High City (Very Windy, 25 mph winds from the West.) | Midcity (Windy, 13mph winds from the West.) | Undercity (Slight Wind, 5mph gusts from the West.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 0 | Midcity = 35 | Undercity = 65 (masks required)

It isn’t her usual gig but she can’t stay here anymore. There are too many memories and her family’s situation isn’t going to improve with her just sitting around. Looking over her shoulder, Cipher watches her mother cleaning in the kitchen module. Soraya uses cleaning to cover her grief and it is tiring. With her brothers out doing their thing and her other relatives having gone home, that’s left Cipher alone with her mother during the day and it’s been like this for the past few days. Soraya cleans, watches her dailies, and insists on talking about Cipher’s lack of a love life, her displeasure over Cipher’s line of work, and a regular, practiced lecture on getting a purpose to her life. Of course, Soraya would like Cipher to pick up where her father had left off and her brothers are still active by joining the Movement, or at the very least, get back involved with life in the Park, find a nice niño and settle down, pop out a few babies.

No… the gig she’s worked out with Charlie isn’t her usual, but she’s got to get out of this environment. Observing the time in her optic’s subview screen, Cipher figures she better catch a park pod to the entrance if she’s going to meet the guy Charlie is putting her in touch with—a fellow by the name of Guardian—when he arrives.

“Mama?” 

Soraya looks up, washcloth in hand, her hopper mecha standing on the counter next to her, it’s bright LED flashlight illuminating her work better than the overheads could ever do. “¿Si, hija?”

“Es hora de que me vaya.”

Of course, this results in a mixed reaction. Immediate tears, a stream begging her to stay in Spanish, anger when Cipher insists, a stream of chastisements in Spanish, and then guilt. A lot of guilt. Spanish Catholic guilt was a force that pushed Cipher out the conapt door into the hall, the swish of hydraulics barely heard above the guilt as the door closed.

Doing her best to shove her mother’s parting words out of her head, Cipher makes her way to the Park ground level and hails a park pod. The smart vehicle sits up to four but in this case, Cipher’s the only one in it. Not many from the Park Habitats go to the entrance unless they are working the booths or heading out for a pick-up. 

At the entrance, she shows her dogtags and exits to the side of the expansive courtyard filled with people eager to gain admittance to the Desnai amusement park. Her agent information has been shared with Guardian and within a short while of her arrival, her agent is pinged and she gives Guardian directions on where to meet her. A few minutes later, he approaches.

(OOC: March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 04:40 PM PST - High-City, Desnai Enclave Park, Entrance X00233:76.Y00095:03.Z97240:52, Central Night City Integrate.)

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March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 03:50 PM PST - Under City, The Good Rest Motel, X00130:12.Y00100:85.Z00080:17, South Night City Integrate.

Weather Conditions: High City (Very Windy, 25 mph winds from the West.) | Midcity (Windy, 13mph winds from the West.) | Undercity (Slight Wind, 5mph gusts from the West.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 0 | Midcity = 35 | Undercity = 65 (masks required)

Closing his account with the coffin motel, Guardian double-checks himself to make sure he hasn’t left anything behind. Thank all that is holy for Blossom. He was about to take another ripper doc gig when she reached out to him. A team of edgerunners can end up paying a lot better than a ripper doc wage and it could turn out to be an on-going thing according to the pretty Asian. He could use an on-going thing.

Public transportation isn’t bad… not really… especially if you’re used to it. Used to the smells, the personalities, the uncomfortably close proximity of humanity pressed together, the sounds… yeah. It isn’t bad.

Desnai parks are the fun spots in an otherwise dreary existence. But that’s not why he was going. No, Blossom had arranged for him to meet with another edgerunner named Cipher that was also joining the team. It’d cost him a few credits to get there, but it is worth it for the opportunity.

Stepping off the bus, Guardian sends Cipher’s agent a note letting her know he was there as well as his location on the map. With her help, he eventually approaches and is absolutely blown away by her beauty. Blossom is a good-looking woman, but Cipher… well Cipher could easily be a supermodel and take the industry by storm.

(OOC: March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 04:40 PM PST - High-City, Desnai Enclave Park, Entrance X00233:76.Y00095:03.Z97240:52, Central Night City Integrate.)

I'm going to post and move things along. I'll take the comments made in Q&A as well as in the posts and meld it all together into a chowder that is hopefully digestible. We've had quite the delay in me advancing the storyline due to working on getting some new characters ready to join the group and I believe it is time to git this doggy on its walk again. That being said, if any of you have a problem with what happens in my post, feel free to let me know. We can discuss alternatives.

Were the group sitting around a table this would be much easier to resolve. Flippant comments are often made in the aftermath of character interaction and I would ask that everyone take a breath and realize these two facts:

1. No one person can force another person in this group to do anything. You choose how you want to behave, how you want to reply to other people's behavior, and how you want to play your characters.


2. While it is very easy to take what Tann said in this thread as metagaming it is also a natural conclusion to assume that Casino would be very upset if he were to discover that Charlie had information on his partner and didn't share it. The promise to end drama within the group notwithstanding. 

The problem that we're having here is the perception and assumption that Tann made in OOC statement with the intent to control other people's behavior. This OOC statement is made assuming that Charlie won't share the information he has and then assuming that Casino finds out Charlie had the information before his meet. Both things haven't happened yet. 

I will be finishing up Dragon's character tonight. We just lost a family pet to premature death and I'm hoping that the death of the animal is the only drama I have to actually deal with right now. 

One last word about this from me. I want everyone to have fun. That is absolutely the goal of all of this time spent putting together the adventure, characters, etc. and all the time that we all put into this. I do, however, run more real games than maybe some of you are used to. Cyberpunk is very much a one-shot/one kill possibility. It doesn't matter how "high" a "level" your character is, one bullet can end the character's life. Additionally, I make sure that there are consequences for each behavior (where I can). Some consequences are good, some are bad. Some I put in place because I feel that they are the natural result of behaviors and others I let the die decide. Either way, each decision you make for your characters, everything that they say and do, each interaction with NPCs and with each other results in a Butterfly Effect.

Having stated this, I run this game because I absolutely love the world of Cyberpunk and the genre. I also love this site and have been a part of it for such a large part of my life that I can't imagine my life without it. So, I keep at least one active game on it to help keep it "alive." So, let's keep having fun and keep this game going.

Espatier, I don't know which questions you haven't received an answer to. I've checked back on PMs, Discord, and in-game and I can't see anything. Please let me know and I'll be quick to answer.

Tann, to answer your questions...

1. Nope. Not healed. This may be a new gig you're moving into but time is time and it's only been a couple of days (of not fully resting, I might add) since you were initially injured. Since you weren't fully resting, your healing happens at half normal rate. 


2. You earn IP (improvement points) when you use a skill and it impacts the game well enough that I believe the IP is earned. I make it a habit to award IP immediately and add any earned IP to your character sheet. So you don't have to worry about it.
   
   I'm sure you've seen Espatier using his skills like mad and declaring which ones he's using. He is intent on increasing his skills. In Cyberpunk, there aren't any character levels. Advancement is done through Style, Skills, Cyberware, Influence, and Credits. 
   
   For example: on Casino's character sheet, I've added 1 IP to Persuasion & Fast-Talking, 1 IP to Dodge & Escape, and 1 IP to Intimidate. Those IP were all earned during the Flesh & Blood run.


3. As for leadership... that's for the group to decide together. I'm not going to step in and make appointments.

In other news, I'll be working on a Dragon's medtech and helping Came To Play with Cipher. So, be patient with us. No need to stop play in the meantime. 

All right... my post is up. This means that the Flesh & Blood portion of the game is now over. Now we're into a run that I'm calling The Looking Glass Eye of the Beholder. This also means that all of the Creative Currency is now reset to 10, you all are 2,000 credits richer, and everyone is sitting in Charlie's apartment.

Mischief, I find that I'm typing in rdinn.net instead of rdinn.net and for a while there I thought that the site was down a lot too. Turns out, I'm just a creature of habit.

Espatier, I need a Teach skill check for Charlie as he just taught his first class... late, but taught nonetheless.

There's still the following matters that need to be ironed out:

1. Charlie has asked the group if anyone else wants to put their hats in for the bid of leadership. I assumed none of you want to, but thought I'd give you the opportunity to make me amend my post.


2. Came to Play, I need Cipher's character sheet.


3. Dragon, I need your new character concept / sheet.

I think I've got it all. If I've missed anything, let me know.

Also, there are quite a few side plots running for a couple of the characters. If you want your character to have any more excitement than is already in play, let me know and we can conspire together. 

Oh! One last thing... I've added direct links to your Google Drive character sheets at your character section on the first page of the QA thread to make it easier for you to review your options and grow your character by using skills, referencing their lifepath, getting to know their tech packages, weapons, gear, etc.

Undercity, Waterside, The Marlin's Ghost X00000:2.Y00430:08.Z00000:00, South Night City Integrate | March 10th, Day 4 (Monday), 09:30 AM PST

Weather Conditions: High City (Very Windy, 25 mph winds from the West.) | Midcity (Windy, 13mph winds from the West.) | Undercity (Slight Wind, 5mph gusts from the West.)

Air Quality Index: High City = 0 | Midcity = 35 | Undercity = 65 (masks required)

“Head downtown. Then make your way to Japantown. From that point, I'll guide you when we get closer.” Charlie answers Echo before moving into further instructions. “"Okay people, it's a small place that we are going to share but it's all that I got... for now. Rules are simple, so I ask that everyone abide by them or sleep outside. 

"Like I have said before we need to really start working together or die alone... that is the reality of it. So, without direction, I feel—and this is only a feeling—that we can't succeed as a group. So... anyone interested in taking the helm of this group besides myself?" The fixer turns about in his seat to receive the quiet gazes of the team. "I feel—and once again this is just my own personal feelings—that I could provide an excellent conduit for this group. I can ensure that everyone gets paid because no one works for free and I understand this. But... Casino needs everyone's help and I'm willing to give it a shot. We don't know if Vegas is alive. I don't think anyone knows until we look more closely, agreed?"

The conversation continues as the rented vehicle is driven through the coastal gusts, winding streets, and interchanges. The longer the drive, the more cohesive the team actually begins to feel… except for one. Bloodbank is very quiet. Not that anyone notices, each one involved in listening to the problem of finding out Vegas’ fate or offering up their own opinions. At one point, Charlie receives a notice from his agent that Hui Yin is calling. Excusing himself from the conversation, he answers. 

“Where you been? It ah-ready time to class an’ Miss Mo Yimu is no happy.” The Asian woman doesn’t sound all that happy herself. 

Charlie works things out with Hui Yin for now, letting her know that he’s bringing a group of people home with him. She is none too happy about this but also shares Mo Yimu’s agent number with the fixer so he can deal with that end of things himself.

“I no go to fight with dragon. You do it!”

Mo Yimu is very easy to reach. The agent doesn’t really even get the chance to ring through before she’s answered and is laying into Charlie in Chinese. It is like going to battle with a dragon. Dodging, ducking, barely getting out of the way of getting crushed… the woman is definitely a powerhouse. 

First, Cred Stick Charlie has to work through the fact that he’s bringing more people into the burrow. That takes some negotiating and the fixer almost loses the deal altogether but is able to save it at the last moment by giving up the free food and increasing the number of students he’ll teach to twenty. As bad as that deal tastes to him, the fixer has managed to land the team a roof over their heads in a quiet community for the time being, and just in time too. Moments after he ends the call with Mo Yimu, he has to start giving Echo directions to his place.

The Chinese stop the van at the entrance to their burrow but once they contact Mo Yimu everything is cleared up and the group is directed towards the underground parking. While the van can’t be parked next to Charlie’s truck, they do pass it on the way in and to his surprise, the vehicle appears to have tires in place… not new tires, but definitely with some good mileage left on them. Further investigation, and with the help of Fixer, Charlie discovers that Mo Yimu has already upheld her end of the bargain concerning his truck and replaced the transmission, repaired the power steering, and provided the tires. The truck is operational. Not restored to its original glory, but operational.

The way up to the apartment is filled with wary Chinese who watch the group as though they are plague ridden. Once at Charlie’s apartment, it is a relief to be inside with the doors closed and no one watching. At least, no one by the pretty little Chinese woman Charlie introduces as his assistant, Hui Yin. She looks very disapproving of the lot of you, speaking in Chinese before answering simply in English whenever spoken to. 

The time is 10:20 AM PST when a muffled ringtone screams from Casino’s jacket pocket, startling him and those around him. Fumbling the device free from the silky lining, Casino stares at the agent in disbelief. It is one of the agents he took off of the dead bodyguards for Mr. Thomas Akagi and someone with the moniker of Boss is calling.

“Well,” Blossom rolls the lollipop around in her mouth. “Answer it, Choombatta.”

The conversation is brief. Very brief. 

“Hello?”

“Who is this?”

“The guy who saved Mr. Akagi’s life at the hospital. Who is this?”

Hushed indiscernible whispers on the other end followed by: “This is Vin Akagi. If what you say is true, I’d like to meet with you to thank you in person for the gift of my father’s life. I’ll send that agent the location and time.”

Then the line goes dead. 

This, of course, leads to further discussion amongst the group and while the introduction of another power player into things brings mixed emotions, one thing does stand out. Time is very short if there’s any chance of Vegas being alive at all and the group rescuing him.

Already very late for his morning class, Charlie and Hui Yin excuse themselves and are heard a ways down the hall while Hui Yin continues to express her opinion of her boss’s tardiness. Having explained that he’ll be gone until 3:00 PM (15:00 hours) because of this prior commitment, he suggests that everyone take advantage of the shower and get some rest. Although, he can’t resist letting them know that any messes left around would be their responsibility to clean up.

Sleep is welcome for those who need it, Ghlahn and Echo both not being part of that group. One due to being a cyborg and the other due to Nomad cybertechnology. Food is sparse and Charlie had said that everyone was on their own as far as their kibble goes.

Just as promised, Casino receives a message on the agent detailing a meet location and time. 19:00 hours (7:00 PM) at the The Eastern Courtyard, High City, Night City Integrate. A little research reveals The Eastern Courtyard to be a very high-end Japanese restaurant with a strict dress code and—according to the theories Blossom is able to dig up—a Yakuza front. A brief exchange of messages allows Casino to bring two others with him. Their names will be on the guest list at the door.

At 13:00 hours, or 1:00 PM, agents are alerted that Starlight has delivered payment. Two thousand credits richer. Casino has been playing it off the grid even more so than Echo. His message states that his payment has been delivered to Charlie to pay the solo direct and,”Our condolences about your partner. His share is yours.” Six thousand credits given to Charlie with four of them going to Casino in cash… unless Casino wants Charlie to put it on a temp cred chip for him, or wishes to open a bank account.

At 14:20, or 2:20 PM, Charlie’s phone is pipped but he’s still in class so he mentally orders his agent to sideline the message unless it is from someone he knows that’s important. The message is sidelined. So does another message, and another, and another… by the time he is through with the class, he has a lot of catching up to do.

Message 1: “Charlie… this is Vegas. I need a way out and a pick up.” Sure enough, it’s Vegas’s agent number… the question is whether it is Vegas or the people who took him. 

Message 2: “Hey, jefe, got those shoes. Where you want them at?” This message is from Hound.

Message 3: “U still want me to pick U up some shoes, patron?” This message from Feathers. 

Message 4: “Head anything about try-outs?” Kelsey Dawn is asking after the Battle of the Bands Charlie had promised the Lightning Rascals.

Message 5: “We still have a deal on that Gearlogix 24B290 Thermal Printer with a Hologenics Modular Printbox attachment?” This message is from Blackbird2500.

Then… just as he’s about to get busy with his replies, he receives another message from Starlight. “Jack really wants you to take care of that problem with the Tong. Here’s a contact number…” followed by an agent number.

Back at the apartment, everyone is settling on a nice portion of Chinese Take Out courtesy of Blossom and discussing the path ahead when Charlie arrives with Hui Yin. 

(OOC: March 10th, Day 4 - Monday, Time is 03:20 PM PST - Mid-City, Edgerunner Enclave (China Town), Charlie’s Apartment X00050:2.Y00310:08.Z00410:15, South Night City Integrate.)

The team is going to be down a medtech... Shoot me a character concept, Dragon. 

I apologize that I've been radio silent. I went camping and thought I'd have Internet reception but discovered that it was all a lie once we were there. Anyway... I'm back now, so let's get this ball rolling again.

Espatier: Your question was, "can I words things first, then send to spend for my CC?" 

1. deal with Jack issue ----- What are you trying to deal with, specifically?


2. Deal with Blossom (sucking up to a female might be costly and yield no results) ----- Are you attempting to make nice? Trying to get the whole seduction angle to be a go? What's the goal?


3. Deal with teacher issues, vehicle issues, and Jack at the same time? ----- Teacher issues: Charlie is supposed to be giving a class but he's at the restaurant. Vehicle issues: You have the van rented for the day, so what issues are you referring to? Jack: See above, please.

Tann: You need to let me know how you'd like to spend your CC, and if any of the rest of you would like to, now's the time to do so.

Once I have an idea of what you all want to do with your CC, I'll move the game forward. We'll skip some of the role-playing that would have been necessary to get the team to Charlie's apartment at that time and I'll just move you forward in my post.

Blossom is out the door, heading down the walk with the misty sea air sprinkling her face when Ghlahn catches up to her and stalls her dramatic exit with his request. Before he's even done, Echo is there as well. Her passionate request is heard while the three stand in the gray light of the Southern California morning. Sometime during the nomad's plea, a message is received on the netrunner's agent. She does Echo the courtesy of ignoring the message until there's a pause in the conversation. Due to her connection with the digital world, Fixer's message is absorbed more than read, and suddenly the pretty little Asian woman finds herself in a pickle. 

Exasperated, she sighs and allows her shoulders to sag. "You're right. You're all right.

"Fine, then. I'll stick it out a bit longer. But if the sh*t starts flying between those two again, I'm out for good. You hear me? No discussion. The first wrong look between each other and I'm makin' like a tree. Oh, and I'm not going back in there. We've drawn plenty of attention to ourselves as it is.

"I'll be in the van. Why don't you two go collect everyone and we'll find someplace a little less tainted to work this sh*t out."

That said, she spins about on her thick boot heel, her platinum blonde hair spinning weakly about her shoulders and sticking to her coat in places. She's a little dragon mama speed walking to their ride.

Espatier has made some good points across the board. I also appreciate you as players working things out so the game can continue.

Let me clear up the differences in Giri and Creative Currency. Giri is earned by performing services, favors, and deeds for a particular alt-cult. For example, the Desnai alt-cult might want a certain piece of technology that is being produced by Militech. They put together a team of Edgerunners that consist of a Desnai Techie, an Edgerunner Solo and Netrunner, and a Reef Solo to get into a small Militech facility that provides access to their internal network where the tech's blueprints can be downloaded. Once the job is complete, they pay everyone the agreed reward in credits and that particular Park Manager says, "We owe you." In that case, I would award you with a certain amount of Desnai Giri. Maybe 5, maybe 15. It depends on how hard the run was and how important it was to the Desnai Park that they have the blueprints. 

How do you use Giri? Giri isn't some actual currency, so it is all used through role-play or "off-screen" with "purchases" of that alt-cult's NuCybe or favor from that alt-cult (Hideout in their park for a week completely safe and protected... which, if the park is attacked by your enemies, might suddenly cost more Giri than you have to give).

Now, as you've seen, Creative Currency has its purpose in changing the results of the story either by giving you a bonus to your die rolls or altering the storyline. While you may have the points, I may choose not to allow you to use them in an instance where it is too disruptive to the actual storyline, or I might say that you can change a storyline event but only in the sense that you can reroll a particular roll. Then you can choose to spend more CC on bonuses for that roll. 

Keep this in mind. In both cases, there aren't any hard and fast rules except in the purchase of NuCybe. In fact, I can play the antagonist by treating either usage like a Wish spell in D&D. Your wording and request may be taken differently than you intend, there will always be repercussions and consequences, and it may be good for you now but not so good in the future.

Take this whole thing with Thomas Akagi as an example. You know nothing about Akagi. You don't know if he's an upstanding guy, you don't know if he's honorable in his dealings, you don't know if he even survived the night at the hospital despite Casino's best efforts. Furthermore, even if you do get in touch with Akagi or one of his people and claim to have been the one who saved him from certain death, who's to say they'll believe you? As Casino has pointed out, it's a very very long shot to say that anyone who survived in the hospital knows who he is or can even describe him. Anyway, there's a lot of room for anything to happen there if you get my drift.

Am I a nice enough of a GM to let you benefit from that random encounter? 

As for the CC, I'll do one more round of posting and then reset the CC back to 10. That means that all of the CC used up to this last round of posting will be replenished at that time.

Everyone can see Charlie's apartment on the first page of the Q&A.

Espatier, please adjust your post to reflect the events as follows:

1. Casino and Espatier get into it again.


2. Blossom throws down and exits.


3. Ghlahn follows on her heels.


4. Echo follows on Ghlahn's heels.


5. Bloodbank has his say and moves to the bar.


6. Fixer has his say but stays at the table.


7. Casino makes his statement as posted anew...

I hope that helps. To clarify, Casino isn't making a power play. Quite to the contrary, he's lying on his back like a puppy and baring his soft, pink underbelly. The whole conversation about the agents never happened and neither did his suggestion that Charlie goes off on his own.

Thank you! We'll get this all cleaned up right quick.

Well, the proverbial fat lady hasn't sung yet, so I'm interested in seeing how this all plays out. I've had PMs with several of you and believe that everything is salvageable. 

Thanks for the roll, Nomad. 

Okay... I set the DC to 26 to convince Blossom to stick around (she's waaaaaay done). 

Echo's Persuasion/Fast-Talk roll 1: 11

Ghlahn's Persuasion/Fast-Talk roll 1: 17

Fixer's Persuasion/Fast-Talk roll 1: 14

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

Creative Currency: You can use these points to effect the storyline by altering rolls, events, etc. in the following manner:

• Add a bonus to your die roll: On Creative Currency (CC) per +1 modifier.


• Change Minor Storyline Element: This is the equivalent of changing a barely consequential detail (final say as to the consequence is reserved for the GM) – 3CC


• Change a Major Storyline Element – 6CC


• Change a life-altering Storyline Element – 9CC

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

Getting Blossom to Stay cannot be a storyline element. There's just too much conflict amongst the group these past couple of days for her to settle easily. That means that each character needs to spend the CC to reroll (3 CC) and then add bonuses. For every success, I'll add a +2 to the highest die roll.

Ghlahn has 10 CC to play with, Fixer has 6, and Echo has 10.

Ghlahn: 10 - 3 (reroll) - 7 (+7 bonus to die roll) = 0 CC left

Fixer: 6 - 3 (reroll) - 3 (+3 bonus to die roll) = 0 CC left

Echo: 10 - 3 (reroll) - 7 (+7 bonus to die roll) = 0 CC left

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

Echo's Persuasion/Fast-Talk roll 2: 24

Ghlahn's Persuasion/Fast-Talk roll 2: 28 (Success)

Fixer's Persuasion/Fast-Talk roll 2: 10

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

So, Blossom will be convinced to stay but CTP wants to introduce her new character... I see no problem with you having two netrunners, especially since one will be able to help in the real world more than the other.

If everyone is okay with this, then I'll write up a follow-up post once Tann and Espatier post. Please remember, no godmoding. No one at this time knows that Ghlahn succeeded. In fact, once it does happen, none of the characters will know who was the most persuasive unless Blossom reveals it.

Sorry Mischief. I wrote that post on my phone and was trying to keep track of everything. Apparently, I didn't. I need the same Persuasion/Fast-Talk from Echo. 

I'll be happy to make the roll for you Keeper and will use your CC judiciously. 

Tann, thank you for the apology. Like CTP stated, the bottle will be determined by the player who instigated the action. Though were we all sitting around a table I'd rule that once the action is started, the action isn't retractable. In this case though... I'll piece together the puzzle after posts are made.

Espatier, are you just having Charlie wait this out, see where the chips fall?