COMPLETED: California Dreaming

[GM Nick]

The man's jacket whips in the breeze as he sprints along the thermal tiles that dot the roof. He slides to a stop near the edge, flailing his arms briefly to retain balance. Nothing but a broad expanse exists beyond the edge. Turning back towards his pursuer, the man aims a frenzied palm-strike at Doc's incoming form.

Doc's eyes widen slightly as he witness the man turn. He knows those movements, that attack pattern. The climbing autosoft quickly thanks him for being a customer as it closes and the Knight Errant icon shimmers in the edge of Doc's vision to notify him that his self-defense 'soft is loaded.

Melee Combat (Stranger)

[Unarmed Combat (4) + AGI (4) = 2]
1 3 2 3 3 5 3 6
[Unarmed Combat (3) + AGI (9) = 7]
6 5 5 6 3 2 6 3 5 3 4 6

He intercepts and throws his arms into a windmill, catching the man's fingers and bending them backwards as he moves away from the blow.

[Drew Buddy]

Taking advantage of the man's lack of balance, Adams sweeps a leg under him while moving his arm in the opposite direction across his throat.

(( Subduing combat ))

[GM Nick]

Melee Combat (Doc)

[Unarmed Combat (3) + AGI (9) = 2]
5 4 1 3 5 4 2 1 4 2 3 4
[Unarmed Combat (4) + AGI (4) = 2]
3 2 2 6 1 2 3 6

Doc's assailant drops to a knee and blocks the sweeping kick. He retaliates with a quick uppercut.

Melee Combat (Stranger)

[Unarmed Combat (4) + AGI (4) = 4]
1 5 4 5 6 3 6 4
[Unarmed Combat (3) + AGI (9) = 5]
1 4 1 5 2 3 6 5 2 6 6 4

Doc extends his balancing leg and feints away from the flying, furious fist.

[Drew Buddy]

Adams dives back in through the opening provided, and tries a full-body tackle.

[GM Nick]

Melee Combat (Doc)

[Unarmed Combat (3) + AGI (9) = 4]
3 6 2 4 2 4 5 5 1 6 2 2
[Unarmed Combat (4) + AGI (4) = 2]
5 2 2 1 5 2 3 3

Damage Resistance (BOD)

[Stranger (4) = 3]
5 6 3 6

{{ 1S DAMAGE! }}

Doc collides with the man but fails to knock him off his feet. There's an awkward shuffle of limbs and the stranger throws an elbow into Doc's ribs.

Melee Combat (Stranger)

[Unarmed Combat (4) + AGI (4) = 3]
1 6 5 6 3 2 3 1
[Unarmed Combat (3) + AGI (9) = 8]
2 5 5 6 5 2 6 1 2 5 5 6

Shifting his weight, Doc brings both men to the ground where they roll away from each other and spring back to their feet.

[Drew Buddy]

Adams swings.

"I'm not trying to hurt you!" He says between breaths. "Well, actually, I guess I am." He dodges another blow. "But this could, unf, be a lot more civilized," he explains as he takes a swing at the man's head.

[GM Nick]

"You're not very convincing," replies the man. "Walk away. Just walk away!"

[GM Nick]

Melee Combat (Doc)

[Unarmed Combat (3) + AGI (9) = 6]
2 5 6 2 6 2 5 5 4 2 3 5
[Unarmed Combat (4) + AGI (4) = 3]
5 2 4 3 3 2 5 5

Damage Resistance (Stranger)

[BOD (4) = 1]
3 6 3 4

{{ 4S DAMAGE! }}

Doc swings an abrupt clothesline into the man's throat and knocks him off his feet. He follows up immediately by pinning one knee against the man's chest. There's the flash of steel, but Doc strikes out with a chop and sends the knife skittering away across the roof top.

"Don't kill me! I don't... I'm not..."

[Drew Buddy]

Adams increases the pressure.

"Don't plan on killing you, unless you give me a good reason."

He huffs as he continues to maintain control over the man's arms. "But I've got a problem that won't leave me alone, and I think you know something about it."

He adds even more weight to his knee, "So start talking! What happened here eight years ago? Who are you, and why the hell do I recognize you?"

[GM Nick]

"I... I... don't know. Maybe you are like me--maybe you can't remember? I remember the war, remember fighting, but there days, maybe weeks missing. It's like a black hole. When I saw you, something happened. I felt afraid, like I had to get away from you. I can't explain it."

[Drew Buddy]

Adams lets up a little pressure.

"Keep talking. Why are you here?"

[GM Nick]

The man struggles, but there's a hint of resignation.

"I live here. Why are you here?"

[Drew Buddy]

Adams barely conceals his surprise.

"Something happened here eight years ago, and I need to find out what. What did you mean by not remembering things?"

His breath has almost slowed to normal, and his knee remains on the man's chest more as a token gesture than an active attempt at restraint.

[GM Nick]

The stranger's face is strained. Tired.

"I'll tell you what I know, which isn't much. You can let me up now, my arthritis is acting up."

Tyros touches down on the edge of the roof, having missed most of the skirmish.

[Drew Buddy]

Adams stands up, and extends a hand to the man, keeping a wary eye out for a sucker punch.

[GM Nick]

The man takes a wary, squinting glance at Doc and then accepts the arm. He groans as he regains his feet, clasping his lower back.

"You're ex-CalGuard. You all fight the same."

He sucks a smoke out of a wrinkled pack and extends it to Doc.

"...with a hint of Knight Errant, if I'm not mistaken."

[Drew Buddy]

Adams shrugs internally, and accepts the proffered peace offering.

He snorts, "yeah, they don't really cover much hand to hand after basic. What's your story, then?"

[Stephen]

Val bursts through the roof access door, relieved not to have stumbled upon any corpses on his way up. He takes a moment to catch his breath, his chest heaving from the exertion.

[GM Nick]

The man exhales through his nostrils and looks levelly at Doc.

"Japanese. Rising Sun brigade, advanced recon. After Saito's defeat, I surrendered and signed up with the Prisoner Rehabilitation program under the armistice. Did my five years with the state, and now I'm living off a crappy pension in this hell hole."

[Drew Buddy]

Doc's back teeth grind a little at the mention of Rising Sun, but he keeps his outward appearance neutral, and simply nods.

"It was a chaotic time," he offers, taking an unaccustomed drag from the cigarette. "How long have you lived here?"

[GM Nick]

"2 years since I got out of the program. Only a handful of us got free housing--part of a lottery they said."

The man looks at Doc, his expression indicating that he doesn't believe this was the case either.

"These apartments creep me out. I know I was here during the war, but I can't remember anything. I've even tried going to a specialist, but ended up puking my guts out and getting a refund."

[Drew Buddy]

Adams feels a pang of defeat at the man's memory loss.

There have to be answers.

"Do you have any idea what the memory loss stems from? Maybe you've talked to other vets about it?"

[GM Nick]

"Everyone I served with is either dead, withdrawn, or deported. Repatriation cost me Japanese citizenship, so the military won't give me any answers. How about you, did your memory start to come back?"

[Drew Buddy]

Adams almost laughs,

"Sort of. Today. Well, last night really. Seems I did something, or got framed for something in '66. SI is braying for my blood, so I figured I should come back here and see what all the fuss is about."

He studies the smoldering end of the cigarette before looking back at the man. "I still can't figure out when we met, but I'm beginning to think it was here. Is there anyone living in apartment 217 these days?"

[Elliott]

The invisible troll reaches out (centering) and delves into the strangers mind, searching for truth and any memories he may have of Doc (mind probe, f4).

[John]

Already forsaking the wisdom of his own mid-chase thoughts, Max strolls casually toward Doc and the stranger with a freshly lit cigarette burning in his lips, joining the amassing group more out of a lack of anything better to do or any better place to be, his presence clearly not needed here. Overstreet stands and enjoys his cigarette, the burn of the smoke commingling with and then replacing the burn of exertion in his lungs as he keeps one ear on the conversation and the impassive other tuned to the howl of the wind across the rooftop.

[GM Nick]

Mind Probe (4) (Tyros)

[Spellcasting (6) + MAG (6 ) + Power Focus (2) = 3]
2 5 3 1 2 5 3 4 2 1 4 2 4 6
[WIL (4) = 2]
6 3 3 6

Tyros enters the former soldier's thoughts and attempts to find memories from the war. There are plenty of vivid displays of fighting and hardships, but the troll confirms that there is a large amount of time unaccounted for--as if it was static on a dead channel.

[GM Nick]

The stranger casts a wary glance at Max as he approaches, but doesn't flinch.

"Take my advice: stop searching for answers, it'll just drive you crazy. But, if you're dead set on it, I'll give you with the last lead I had."

[Drew Buddy]

Doc's ears perk up.

"Can't really stop now. What do you have?"

[GM Nick]

He taps the side of his head.

"I've got a data chip in here. Not much storage space... it's an older model. There's an encrypted file in there that wasn't there before the war. I've hired deckers to retrieve it, but there's some military-spec software built into it. If you're capable of extracting it, you're welcome to the contents. I can't say for sure it'll help you, but it's all I've got."

[Drew Buddy]

Doc frowns, and instinctively scratches at his own head.

"Yeah, I think we've got just the guy for that."

He waves over at the team's decker, "Val, get your ass over here!"

[Stephen]

Val trudges over to the team's medic, eyeing his smoldering cigarette with a slightly raised eyebrow before meeting his eyes.

"Eh, what's up, Doc?"

[Drew Buddy]

Doc motions toward the man, and explains the chip and encrypted data to Val.

"Sound like something you can handle?"

[Stephen]

Val nods curtly.

"Got a better shot than most."

He turns his attention to the roughed-up man standing across from Doc, fixing him with a jovial smile.

"I gotta say this is somewhat refreshing, 'mano. I rarely get an invitation for this sort of thing, and I didn't even have to buy you a drink first! This rooftop is a bit public though. Let's go to your place. Mine's a bit of a trek. Oh, and while we're walking, set me up a security account on your PAN, would ya?"

[GM Nick]

The team is led into a spartan apartment, adorned with naught but an armchair and a trid-set. The former Japanese soldier sinks into it and removes a flesh-colored patch from behind his ear, revealing a fiber optic connector. He gestures towards it.

"Try to leave the inside of my head intact."