Contract #1: Big Man, Japan!

[GM Nick]

It's not quite mid-morning when he arrives.

Seattle--indeed all of Washington--is beset by a persistent storm. It seems the sky has had enough of the centuries of abuse by pollution and has responded by unleashing a furious torrent of somewhat harmless (although unnervingly colored) acid rain. The gray horizon is permeated by it, complimented at regular intervals by flashes of distant lightning. Firestarter's new headquarters stands strong against the onslaught; the concrete monolith rising from the disused industrial park like a middle finger to the heavens. Bring it on, fragger.

The newcomer stands in front of the titanic carbon-steel gate and stares upward dubiously. His gait matches his style of dress in levels of flamboyance bordering on psychotic dinner party. A mass of long black hair is tucked hastily into a pony-tail and his angular jaw seems permanent residence to a mischievous grin. A Bonjour Frog parasol is balanced delicately in one hand, keeping the lily whites of his ludicrously expensive suit free of the raindrops of questionable chemistry.

Identity verified, the visitor is buzzed in and strolls through the courtyard. He glances about at the flurry of construction with genuine interest, pausing only to chastise a laborer that he nearly runs into. A few expletives and a series of overly-dramatic gestures later, his journey continues.

Meeting the assembled team of runners inside the safety of the main foyer, he snaps the colorful child's umbrella closed and sets it gingerly in a corner. Withdrawing the hair tie in a ritualistic fashion, the Japanese man shakes out his wild hair and sizes his contractors up with wild eyes.

"Hey you guys," says Kato, "You look like number one bosses right now."

[Drew Buddy]

A deeply conflicting series of thoughts run through Doc's mind. Standing before him is a man who should on all accounts be dead, tricked into a suicide run at a Renraku superfreighter by he and Max. And yet, the man is clearly intact, cheery attitude and all, standing in the team's headquarters, offering a job.

A part of Doc hopes that the bliss and alcohol, mixed with the shock of an exploding luxoyacht, has kept the former Yakuza enforcer's mind from forming any solid memories of that day. He watches the man's face for a hint of recognition.

He starts to say something, and then decides that it would be better for the team's official "face" to do the talking.

[John]

Max can hardly contain his pleasure at seeing Kato. Their meeting the first time around had ended with what he and Doc had thought was Kato's demise, but the two chummers had both openly regretted the inevitable course of events. Kato-- despite being on the other side of a bad situation, had been a pleasure. The flamboyant and fun-loving Japanese man had readily (and foolishly) accepted two unknowns as additions to their party, and had paid a dire price for it. Nonetheless, it was his attitude and infectious good humor that had made both Max and Doc feel for the poor sap, and that disposition seemed at once untarnished by whatever events had somehow rescued him from certain death to the doorstep of FRSR's first job. As hard as it is, Max does not express his strange fondness for seeing Kato again, and says,

"Well I feel like a number one boss right now! Tell me, what brings you out to us through the acid rain?"

[GM Nick]

Kato throws an arm over Max and Doc's shoulders respectively and begins leading them down a hallway, as if he knows where he's going.

"You're lookin' at a new man. I'm an agent of the free. My bosses--super pissed after I wrecked that piece o' drek boat. They tell me, Kato, you cut off your big fingers to show you are sorry."

The eccentric Japanese man suddenly leaps away and grabs his crotch, thrusting it angrily at a packing crate.

"No, I said! How about you go frag your mothers?"

Kato releases his crotch and spins back to face the mystified team. "Surprisingly, this not go over so well. Big tough guys come to my apartment with guns. Twenty guys, at least. Luckily, neighbor lady likes Kato's little yakuza, if you know what I say. Not home at the time. Escaped via laundry chute."

He leans against the wall and examines a hang-nail. "Two week later, I get call from Shiawase executives. Not so happy about the Yakuza helping Renraku."

Kato winks theatrically at the runners as he says this.

[Drew Buddy]

Awed, Doc gives Kato an honest look and says,

"Kato, we seriously need to get drunk some time."

"So, you're freelancing for Shiawase, huh? I suppose they'd want to retain the services of someone who can give nearly two dozen yak enforcers the slip. Are your former bosses still gunning for you?"

[John]

Max sticks his hands in his pockets and settles his weight into his hips. His head cocks a little as he listens the the small Japanese man. The elf isn't aware of the grin he wears on his face.

[GM Nick]

"Keeeeeh," mutters Kato. An Alpaca 100 appears at the corner of his lip and he begins patting himself down for a light.

"Shiawase. Yakuza. All the same. But, I'm still raw about everythin'. It's time to go into business for Kato. I want to be number one boss now."

[John]

Max smiles widely and steps toward the charismatic Japanese man. Clapping him on the back enthusiastically, the elf says,

"Sometime soon you're gonna have to tell me how you survived that yacht accident. Did any of the other guys make it? But regardless-- sounds like the first step toward getting you into the business of looking out for yourself is to get you clear of the Yakuza. So, Kato-san, what is it that you need us to do?"

[Stephen]

Val concludes his spot inspection of a recently installed biometric lock, slipping various implements back into his toolkit almost reverently. He glances up as he hears a trio of voices, muffled by the din of construction, approaching down an adjacent hallway. He stands, brushing the dust and metal shavings from his knees, slings the toolkit over his shoulder, and rounds the corner just in time to see Doc and Max staring in rapt amusement at a small, ridiculously-clad Japanese man who seems to be energetically miming lewd acts with a packing crate. Val shakes his head slightly, but can't suppress an amused grin.

Seattle. There seemed to be no end to the various species of 'crazy' that one could find floating around in this place, the world's most glorious drekhole.

The three continue their conversation, which consists mostly of Kato talking and gesturing in a most animated fashion, as Val approaches the group.

"Hey, hombres. Locks are looking good; think I might feel comfortable trusting these techs to keep the boogeyman out after all. Who's your, uh... friend?"

[John]

Mid-stream of Engrish profanities, Max interjects,

"If you'll forgive me, the 'wared human here is Val-- our decker. He's a new addition to our team but has thus far proven that he more than knows what he's talking about. But to be honest, him convincing me that he knows matrix subroutines would be a little like you convincing me that you know Japanese-- all I hear are words and sounds that don't mean anything to me that could well be complete nonsense paraded as knowledge. Please, Kato-san-- continue."

[GM Nick]

Kato squints at Val's exposed datajack as the man approaches.

"Subarashii..! You guys..."

The former-yakuza uses his cigarette to gesture at the decker.

"This is great. We goin' to need a bit-brain for what we're doin'. How many other guys you gotta' round here?"

[John]

Max responds confidently,

"We're five in total. Us three, an infiltration specialist, and a troll mage. We make a pretty nasty group if you point us in the right direction."

[Drew Buddy]

Doc looks around. "Speaking of which..."

He keys the comm, and speaks into the microphone,

< Tyros, Sinjin, it's game time. Meet us is the foyer. We have our first customer. >

[Conway]

Sinjin opens his eyes slowly, the crackling intercom announcement pulling him from his meditations. He unwinds his legs and slowly stands to stretch before making his way to the conference room.

[GM Nick]

Kato follows the team to the impromptu meeting space and plants one foot on an assembled folding chair. He rests an elbow on his knee and adopts the most serious expression he can muster. The Alpaca cigarette he's been nursing is now smoldering at the filter, but remains perched impossibly on the edge of his lip.

"Listen up, you guys. Shiawase pretty mad. They pay the family real good nuyen for security in certain neighborhood. Then, a week ago, they find out about the Renraku thing. Super pissed."

He stops and replaces the Alpaca 100 with a fresh one.

"Shiawase's not dumb. They don' wanna declare war on the family, but gotta remove 'em. I get a comm call--Hey, Kato. The Yakuza real steamed at you, because of the harbor problem. You need money, we need help. Perfect solution. I'm opportunist."

Kato hops off the chair and begins pacing, occasionally plucking the cigarette from his mouth and gesticulating, as if making smoke signals.

"Shiawase needs get Yakuza out of the territory--but how? I get idea. Series of unexplainable accidents..."

He flashes a knowing grin at Max. "...just like the harbor."

[John]

Max looks back but can't quite grin, since the inexplicable accident in question was meant in part to necessarily kill the man standing before him.

"Go on," Max says plaintively.

[GM Nick]

Kato holds up three fingers.

"There are three target, all own by the family. Target number one is pachinko parlor in little Japan. Not so many enforcer, but lots of public peoples. Hard to remain unnotice."

"Target two is Yakuza accounting data center in downtown Seattle. Lots of security. A couple public peoples here and there."

He touches his nose and points at Val. "Lots of matrix stuff. That's you, boss."

"And three is hidden family weapons cache in old Subway station. Very hard to find, but I show you. Most security, but very private."

[John]

Max nods as he assimilated the information,

"So we're hitting all three, then?"

[Drew Buddy]

The gears start turning,

"So the first two need to cause damage without killing bystanders. A fire could cause enough damage while allowing people to escape. Perhaps a generator or other equipment malfunction. I assume getting the place condemned by the city would be as good as destroying it?"

"The last one sounds like a powder keg just waiting to go off. That should be simpler in execution, even if it's harder to get in there in the first place."

[Elliott]

Tyros fades into view leaning against the wall. He eyes the charicature of a Japanese man before the team with some bemusement. "Do all three targets need to be hit at the same time or can we do them at our leisure? Is there any particular consequence if there is public collateral damage, or just a guilty conscience? And I'll leave Max to negotiate out contract, but you must forgive me if I ask how we verify the legitimacy of your independent operation and whether your credit is good. Do you have some sort of Shiawase guarantee of payment?"

[John]

Max snaps his head toward the troll and interjects before Kato can answer,

"No civillian body count, Tyros. Period."

[GM Nick]

Kato jumps as the enormous troll materializes. He casts a bewildered glance at Max.

"Kyeeeeh... all kinds of monster in this place."

Quickly regaining his characteristic swagger, the former yakuza digs around in his coat pocket and produces an obsidian sliver. He tosses it to Val.

"This is tokenized nuyen. Contain one way encryption for bank transfer. Can be verified, but not hacked. It show Shiawase authorization. They only pay on two condition: all sabotage must look like accident and no witness. Lone Star will come quickly, so must make it clean. The family will catch on--best to do all at once or very close together."

[John]

"Any timeline for this job? How soon does it need to be completed?" Max asks.

[GM Nick]

Kato scratches his cheek thoughtfully and glances at his gold wrist-watch.

"Well, let's see... it Thursday so..."

He looks up at Max with an implacable expression.

"By 6pm tonight."

[John]

Max is stunned,

"You've got to be fraggin' kidding me... "

(( What time is it in the game? ))

[Drew Buddy]

Doc Adams lets out a low whistle.

"That's a helluva rush job there, Kato. What's the hurry?"

[GM Nick]

Kato looks a bit unprepared for the team's response. Unsure of what to do, he smashes an empty beer can with his heel.

"This ain't no thing for number one bosses! I have faith in you guys. Let's do our best and show great spirit!"

He hesitates and scoots his foot along the floor, trying to free the wing-tip of his shoe from the tin confines of the obliterated can.

"Plus, we are friends. You guys would do me tiny favor for hooking you up with big contract, right?"

[Drew Buddy]

Ah, there it is, thinks Doc.

"What did you have in mind?"

[GM Nick]

"My ol' boss gonna be at the pachinko parlor tonight. If you guys can..."

Kato draws an invisible line across his neck.

"Plus delete me from computer database... well.. no more Kato, not to the family... you dig?"

[Drew Buddy]

Doc nods at the suddenly serious japanese man.

"The first part should be easy to arrange. I don't think anyone here has any particular love for the Yakuza. Val, you think you can handle the second part?"

I think we owe him that much, he thinks to himself.

"Are you going to be coming with us, Kato? We could probably use some help identifying your former boss."

[GM Nick]

Kato claps excitedly.

"Of course, my main man. You need the inside job. But uh... you drive. Taxi cab got scared and drop me off."

[John]

(( Here's a thought: Any extra money Max can work out of a contract automatically goes back to the corp? ))

Max proceeds,

"Alright, Kato. Let's talk money."

[Elliott]

Tyros shoots a hard look at Max, interrupting him. "I'm sorry elf, but I must have misheard you. Did you actually respond to my question for our employer here with an order? Did you forget to read the incorporation papers for this little outfit which give us equal control? If you try to give an order one more time, you'll find yourself not only without a partner but out of business as well."

Turning back to Kato, smiling, "Ah, start up pains. You should know that Doc, Max and I run this outfit as equal partners. We must all make decisions together. We are extremely effective because we are all committed and invested in the success of our business. But you've seen our work, so you know that. We believe it strong partnerships, so I'm sure we can help you out with your little request."

[John]

Max is short with Tyros,

"If you want to operate flatlining innocent bystanders then you can take your drek elsewhere, 'cuz Lone Star will be coming down on you before you have the chance to catch your nap. We're a semi-public entity now; we have to be above board on civillian deaths. There can be no exceptions. If we need to continue this, I suggest we do so later."

Max turns back to Kato,

"So, our compensation. What are you offering?"

[GM Nick]

The Japanese have a legacy of negotiation. From the feudal Shogun to the modern salary-man, everyone born on the isle has innate talent for obtaining the best bang for their buck. Kato takes a deep breath and lowers his sunglasses ever so slowly. His piercing eyes gaze over the rim and meet Max's. A tension grips the group as the two square off, culminating in what can only possibly be an epic battle of offers and counter-offers.

"You can have it all. It's all my money."

Kato pushes his shades back up, his face the definition of solemnity.

"I am broke."