Run #1 - Big Top Blitz

[MattL]

Yung uses the smartlink on his Ares Predator to peek around the meager cover provided by the lychgate, constantly shifting on the balls of his feet in anticipation of whatever might develop. “Well chums, it seems we are at an impasse. Thoryne, you wanna make that big stick go boom, maybe stir them up a bit on the other side? Otherwise, I think one of us might have to take the lead to draw them out, and I was hoping it wouldn't have to be the guy in the 5,500¥ suit.” Yung says, smirking at the Troll.

“We could use some damn cover if there’s any to be had around here.” He says, as he scans the immediate area for anything that could absorb a bullet but is also liftable.

[Conway]

Thoryne wastes no time, having anticipated the welcome opportunity to send some ordinance down range. His jack-o-lantern grin splits wider as he steadies his weapon, tongue plugged to one side as he adjusts for windage and elevation, fixated on the space across the bridge beneath the lychgate. "Like fishin' with dynamite." he says matter-of-factly, depressing the secondary trigger and chuckling at the accompanying *thwump* of the grenade launcher. He follows the contrail with wide eyes as it arcs gracefully through the air toward his target.

[GM Nick]

Initiative Pass 1

Yung- 19
Reiya- 19
Junior- 14
Thoryne- 13
Gato- 10
Loudmouth- 9

It doesn't take long for the bridge stand-off to explode into furious action.

[GM Nick]

Dice Rolls

Yung - Resist Drain
BOD + WIL (3)
3, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 5, 5
2 hits on 8 dice
(( Yung takes 1S damage. ))
~
Yung - Attribute Boost (STR)
MAG + 2 (Attribute Boost)
2, 6, 4, 2, 5, 1, 3, 4
2 hits on 8 dice (+2 STR)
~
Yung - Attribute Boost (AGI)
MAG + 2 (Attribute Boost)
2, 1, 6, 1, 3, 6, 2, 6
3 hits on 8 dice (+3 AGI)

Sensing imminent conflict, Yung concentrates the astral energy flowing through his body. There's a prickling sensation as power swells in the fibers of his muscles. He feels taut. Poised.

[ReiyaEmm]

Though Reiya doesn’t see—or see—as much as she knows she can, it’s enough to know where the three drekheads are. That’s all she needs, and if Akela doesn’t want to get his suit dirty, that’s fine with her. The shaman gives Akela a quick grin, and when Thoryne shoots out a grenade, she’s further galvanized; she's not about to let him have all the fun.

Reiya plants her feet and casts. She’s ready.

(( Cast Manaball at Force 3. ))

[GM Nick]

Initiative Pass 1

Yung- 19
Reiya- 19
Junior- 14
Thoryne- 13
Gato- 10
Loudmouth- 9

Dice Rolls

Reiya - Spellcasting Skill Check (Manaball 3)
Spellcasting + MAG (3)
4, 2, 1, 2, 4, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 6
1 hit on 12 dice
~ Second chance ~
6, 6, 3, 3, 6, 1, 1, 1, 2, 6, 3, 6
5 hits on 12 dice ( 6 hits total )
-
Loudmouth
WIL
6, 1, 6, 2
2 hits on 4 dice
((Loudmouth takes 3P Damage. ))
Gato
WIL
5, 2, 6, 2
2 hits on 4 dice
((Gato takes 3P Damage. ))
Junior
WIL
5, 1, 1, 2
GLITCH 1 hit on 4 dice
((Junior takes 3P Damage. ))
-
Reiya - Drain Resistance
WIL + INT (3)
6, 2, 4, 5, 5, 1, 1, 4, 4, 5, 4
4 hits on 11 dice (No drain.)
-
Junior - Longarms Skill Check
Longarms + AGI
4, 5, 6, 1, 6, 1, 5
4 hits on 7 dice
Yung
REA + INT + 4 (Full Cover)
1, 2, 5, 4, 2, 2, 3, 6, 1, 2, 5, 4, 6
4 hits on 13 dice (Graze/Miss)
-
Thoryne - Heavy Weapons Skill Check
Heavy Weapons + AGI + 1 (smartlink) (3)
5, 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 2, 4, 4, 5, 1
4 hits on 11 dice (No Scatter)
-
Loundmouth
REA + INT
5, 3, 3, 5, 2, 1, 6, 6
4 hits on 8 dice (Graze/Miss)
Gato
REA + INT
1, 3, 5, 5, 3, 5, 6, 5
5 hits on 8 dice (Miss)
Junior
REA + INT
2, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6, 1
2 hits on 7 dice (Hit)
-
Grenade Damage: 16P - 6 (3 meters) = 10P
-
Junior - Damage Resistance
BOD + 4 - 2 (AP)
1, 6, 3, 4, 3, 6
2 hits on 6 dice
(( Junior takes 8P Damage. ))

A flickering orb of violet light manifests at the opposite end of the bridge as Reiya works her spell, pouring the surrounding astral energy into a single point. The manaball crackles and sputters like an otherworldly fire cracker before expanding to twice its original size. The orb's lavender flames wash over the three Smiles, charring skin and necrotizing flesh. The trio of gangers manages to avoid being consumed by the orb, but not without injury. As the sphere of astral energy dissipates, Reiya can hear angry profanities echoing from across the bridge.

Junior leans away from cover and there's a sharp report as he fires a round from Marlin 79S rifle. The round punches a hole through the lychgate, tumbles, and burns a furrow along Yung's boot. Junior tucks back into cover to work the bolt.

The grenade from Thoryne's under-barrel launcher whistles through the air, arming itself halfway across the bridge. Gato and Loudmouth seem to recognize the sound and flatten themselves to the ground. Junior is not so lucky. The high explosive grenade detonates with a filling-rattling clamor, lighting up the surroundings for a brief moment. The Smile known as Junior catches the blast head on. His body is quickly torn to pieces by the kinetic energy. An arm and a leg are propelled into the gully while the rest of the Smile bounces into the weeds.

Gato peeks around the lychgate but quickly returns to cover, seemingly waiting for something.

Loudmouth seems to have had enough and takes off towards the ticketing area, jogging with an obvious limp.

[MattL]

¡Dios Mio!

A look of incredulity settles across Yung's face. He scrambles to brush off any of the lingering aftermath of the ricochet. He looks up to Thoryne and Reiya, as if searching for some kind of empathy. Of course none is forthcoming.

Yung stands in defiance of the exchange of magic and gunfire, seemingly uncaring of all that is transpiring around him. He glances down once more at his damaged shoe.

"Motherfragger gonna die."

He turns to face the enemies dug in on the other side of the bridge and begins running defiantly in their direction.

(( Full defense while running ))

[ReiyaEmm]

Immensely pleased that her manaball caused significant damage, Reiya is similarly gratified to see the carnage achieved by Thoryne’s grenade. Akela’s dismay at his scuffed boot amuses her, but when the well-dressed man starts running across the bridge, she wants in. Assuming that her packmate will go after the one Smile still secreted in the lychgate, Reiya targets the limping, fleeing foe. She casts another combat spell and then lopes across the bridge in swift pursuit.

(( Cast Clout at Force 5. ))

[GM Nick]

Reiya - Spellcasting Skill Check (Clout 5)

Spellcasting + MAG - 2 (sustaining)
2, 1, 6, 4, 3, 6, 4, 3, 5, 5
4 hits on 10 dice
Loudmouth
REA + INT - 1 (wound)
4, 6, 3, 5, 3, 4, 5
3 hits on 7 dice (Hit)
(( Loundmouth takes 4S damage. ))
-
Reiya - Drain Resistance
WIL + INT - 2 (sustaining) (1)
5, 5, 6, 6, 5, 2, 2, 1, 5, 1
6 hits on 10 dice

Reiya channels astral energy, forming it into a shockwave that thunders across the bridge and past the lychgate. It collides with Loudmouth, forcing him to stagger forward. The ganger catches his balance and continues to run, albeit limping more pronouncedly.

[GM Nick]

Taipan drops into one of the Vantichrist's battered jump seats, surrounded by the team's plunder. He leans forward and pulls the first Lone Star crate closer to him. The containers are very lightweight, composed of some kind of olive drab composite with a bumpy texture. He thumbs back the latches on the side and lifts the lid.

The first crate contains a dozen Ingram Smartguns, meticulously packed and preserved with some manner of vacuum sealed foam. Despite being destined for destruction, the firearms seem to be brand-new if not at least refurbished.

The second crate contains a dozen FN HAR assault rifles, partially disassembled and stored in an identical manner.

Taipan fiddles with his RFID scanner, aiming the sensor over each container in succession. Unsurprisingly, the Lone Star crates do not contain any RFID signature. As they were intended to be destroyed, this makes sense to Taipan.

The Mitsuhama case on the other hand, registers a positive return on RFID presence. Taipan swipes at the device's touch-screen interface until he finds the erase function. The device beeps twice and informs Taipan that the chip has been deactivated.

[Conway]

Thoryne's bulk nearly fills the gateway as he leans into a lynchgate post, stabilizing his rifle with the extra point of contact. He trains his sights on the fleeing Smile, leading his target as the figure limps away in haste. Were the man to turn and look behind him, he would witness three quick points of light erupt from the troll's silhouette, followed by the successive characteristic reports of a Kalashnikov in burst fire mode.

[John]

Mick watches Taipan work with the Lone Star crates and the Mitsuhama case with rapt attention, reaching for the latter to try to open it as the human finishes wiping the RFID tag.

[GM Nick]

Mick - Perception Skill Check

Perception + INT
1, 2, 1, 3, 5, 4, 6, 5, 6, 2
4 hits on 10 dice

Mick turns the svelte case over in their hands, admiring the quality with the regard of one who knows the value of things superior to that of which they're accustomed. Sleek corporate cases mean quality, Mick knows. They prod the latch and a small square of black titanium retracts, revealing a thumbprint scanner.

An array of LED projectors clustered around the scanner alight, projecting a ghostly, floating text that reads:

MITSUHAMA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT - RESTRICTED ACCESS DELTA-7

The projected letters fade as the LED array dims. Mick raps their knuckles on the exterior of the case. They're not sure what it's made of, but it's something expensive. And expensive means tough.

[GM Nick]

Initiative Pass 2

Yung- 19
Reiya- 19
Thoryne- 13
Gato- 10
Loudmouth- 9

Dice Rolls

Thoryne
Automatics + AGI + 1 (smartlink)
4, 4, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 4, 2, 5, 4
1 hit on 11 dice
~ Second Chance ~
Automatics + AGI + 1 (smartlink)
3, 2, 2, 2, 5, 2, 5, 4, 4, 5, 2
3 hits on 11 dice (4 hits total)
Loudmouth
REA + INT - 2 (wound) - 5 (Long Burst)
6
1 hit on 1 die
-
Loudmouth - Damage Resistance
BOD + 2 (armor) - 2 (AP) - 2 (wound)
2, 4, 5
1 hit on 3 dice
(( Loundmouth takes 9P Damage. ))

Thoryne holds the trigger and the rifle climbs, spraying a concentrated burst towards the fleeing Smile's back. Loudmouth jerks forward, limbs akimbo as several rounds strike him dead center. The exit wounds spackle the weeds with blood. Loudmouth stiffens and falls face-down, dead.

Gato roars and charges out on to the bridge to meet Yung head-on.

[GM Nick]

Axel - Hardware Skill Extended check

Hardware + LOG
6, 4, 2, 4, 5, 1, 3, 5
3 hits on 8 dice

Axel removes the last security bolt and gingerly lifts the anti-tamper PCB out of the way. He disconnects the ribbon cables from the tamper sensors and falls back on his haunches, triumphant. The interior wire harness and diagnostic DNI port are now freely accessible on the Buell Spartan.

[GM Nick]

Dice Rolls

Yung - Clinch
Gymnastics + AGI + 2 (martial arts) - 1 (reach)
6, 3, 6, 3, 3, 1, 6, 1, 2, 1, 2, 4, 6, 5
5 hits on 14 dice
REA + INT
3, 6, 6, 5, 1, 1, 3, 1
3 hits on 8 dice (Success)
-
Yung - Throw Person
Unarmed Combat + AGI
2, 5, 5, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 5, 4, 5, 3
5 hits on 13 dice
~ second chance ~
Unarmed Combat + AGI
4, 5, 5, 1, 1, 5, 4, 3, 1, 5, 4, 5, 3
5 hits on 13 dice (10 total hits)
-
Unarmed Combat + AGI
5, 3, 5, 1, 4, 6, 4, 4, 4, 5
4 hits on 10 dice (success)
-
Gato - Damage Resistance
BOD + 2 (armor) - 2 (AP)
3, 4, 6, 5, 3
2 hits on 5 dice
(( Gato takes 3P Damage ))

Gato charges down the bridge, loping towards Yung like a hulking predator. The substantial muscles visible look like flesh-colored granite. The ganger's hand-razors glisten in the pre-dawn light.

Yung rushes to meet his adversary, teeth gritted and legs pumping.

At the center of the bridge, they collide. Yung hops the penultimate step before springing up and forward. Gato swings wildly and the mismatched blades protruding from Gato's fist whistle through the air next to Yung's ear. Yung twists his body so that he's sideways at the apex of his jump. His legs pass the Smile, but he throws out an arm and hooks it around Gato's neck.

Yung swings one hundred and eighty degrees, using the momentum from his body to stop Gato in his tracks. His other arm jabs underneath Gato's arm-pit and up to secure a choke hold. It's a bit like wrestling with a tree. Gato shoves his arms over his own shoulders, attempting to spear Yung's head with the razors; but Yung lowers his own head and presses it against Gato's broad back.

The cobbles are still slick with rain and the soles of Yung's designer shoes scrape furtively a few times before he is able to attain secure footing. Gato twists and bends and it's all Yung can do to prevent being thrown off.

Yung lets out an impassioned battle cry, summoning his strength. Gato jerks backward in an attempt to smash the back of his skull against Yung's face, and that's when Yung makes his move. He spins about again so that the two combatants are back to back. His joints crack under the stress but Yung pushes through. Releasing his left arm, he reaches back and clasps hands at the front of Gato's exposed neck. Yung squats low and lifts with all his might, managing to pull Gato aloft. With the difficult part over, Yung tips forward, pushing his forehead to the cool stones and throwing Gato.

Gato makes a surprised noise as he finds himself in a reverse somersault. The Smile's massive body flies tits over tea kettle, scraping the railing and plummeting into the gully. There's a splash as he hits the bottom.

[GM Nick]

Mouse - Matrix Rolls

Hacking + LOG + 2 (VR + 2 (codeslinger)
6, 1, 2, 6, 4, 2, 4, 3, 6, 3, 4, 1, 6, 5, 5, 1
6 hits on 16 dice
Buell Spartan
Device Rating x 2
3, 1, 6, 2, 3, 3, 1, 3
1 hit on 8 dice
(( Mouse successfully puts 3 marks on the Buell Spartan. ))
-
Mouse - Edit File
Computer + LOGIC + 2 (VR)
6, 1, 6, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 5, 3, 3, 6
6 hits on 12 dice
Buell Spartan
Device Rating x 2
3, 3, 1, 3, 2, 2, 1, 6
1 hit on 8 dice
(( Mouse successfully edits the biometric reader to 'allow all'))
-
Mouse - Reboot Device
Computer + Logic + 2 (VR)
3, 2, 4, 6, 3, 6, 3, 6, 4, 6, 2, 6
5 hits on 12 dice
Buell Spartan
Device Rating x 2
3, 5, 5, 5, 1, 2, 1, 6
4 hits on 8 dice
(( Mouse successfully reboots the device. ))

Mouse hops out of the van and wanders into the convention center, head on a swivel. It would be hard to imagine people living in such conditions if she hadn't already seen what the Smiles were like.

She approaches Axel and the Buell Spartan just as Axel is putting his tools away. Wordlessly she uncoils the DNI cable held in her hand and connects one end to her data-jack socket and the other to the diagnostic port on the bike.

The world melts away and Mouse relaxes. Her persona is floating in a meticulous recreation of a Buell dealership service shop. Cute, she thinks.

She extends her hand toward the digital representation of the motorcycle's firmware. A horde of tiny, kawaii tako wearing banzai bandanas pop out of her palm and swarm the bike. Wielding wooden hammers, they go to work with fervent gusto. Each time an octopus hits the bike, there's a shimmer as the device's firewall gives way to her intrusion. After a few seconds of being ravaged by the horde of tiny cartoon cephalopods, the firewall shatters like amber glass.

Mouse lifts her hand and the motorcycle morphs into an index of files. She curls her fingers and the files rotate, swinging into focus one by one. She holds up a palm when she sees a file marked 'user permissions.' Mouse taps the file with an index finger and it flips over. She summons a comically over-sized number two pencil and presses it to the file, hand-writing a giant asterix. Then, she tosses the pencil aside and taps the file once more. A shooing motion causes the files to morph back into a pixel rendition of the Buell. Finally, Mouse traces a circle in the air and then draws a vertical line through the bottom; the universal sign for power. Her pantomime summons a glowing reboot button which she unceremoniously slams with a fist. If personae could grin, hers would be just now.

[Molly]

Mouse's limp form stirs as she draws herself from the comforts of VR. Even before opening her eyes, she raises one hand to flash a victorious V-Sign. "GG. EZ."

With that, she untethers herself from the bike and rises to her feet, giving her pants a hard slap to dislodge the thin coat of dust. "SO, IS THIS WHERE WE GET OUT OF DODGE? 'CAUSE I HAVE A MITSUHAMA MYSTERY CASE CALLING MY NAME."

However, she swings her bag around and draws out a roll of heavy duty fabric. With a shake and a rip of velcro, the fabric unfolds itself dramatically, revealing a lineup of glimmering tools, and row after row of driver bits within. "BUT IF YOU'D RATHER NOT LEAVE NUYEN ON THE TABLE, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS?" She motions to the Growler with a shrug. It's admittedly the uglier, less-successful sibling of the two rides, but gear is gear, especially when even a plain-Jane bike could easily cover a month's rent.

(( Either teamwork hardware if we want that bike after all, or she'll just waddle back to proceed down the list of wiz-stuff-to-unlock. ))

[Drew Buddy]

The first geniune, honest, wide grin adorns Axel's face as the decker emerges from VR.

"Well frag me," He says, "Just like that, huh?" He glances at the newly liberated Buell with appreciation.

So many godsdamned years. Pulling the entire computer from the machine by the root. So many months scouring piles of refuse, looking for an ECU with the default admin credentials. All to do what was done in less than a minute. He can't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

He sets to his final task: repairing the sabotage of the Buell. His tools splayed out, he hits the bolts with thread tightener, and seats them back into the steering assembly. That done, he pops open the brake housing, and returns the pilfered pads to their rightful place.

As he works, he muses aloud, "So who's the lucky rider tonight?"

[ReiyaEmm]

Reiya slides to a halt as the Smile she was heading toward erupts into a bloody corpse. She makes an about face and heads back to the lychgate to help Akela with the last of the three, but their well-dressed leader grapples and then tosses him over the bridge. This time she pauses in some chagrin; surely she has earned at least one kill. But depending on the fall, this one isn’t necessarily dead yet. The shaman nimbly dashes back to the bridge to check. Even if he’s dying rather than dead, she can still finish the work.

Peering over the edge, Reiya sees the Smile lying in the gully, stunned and injured. She wants to dash down there and rip his throat out, her lupine form influencing her desires as well as her approaches, but she looks at the depth and razor wire and knows it’s a bad idea. Impulsive and instinct-driven she may be, but she’s not stupid.

Suddenly, the solution materializes in her mind like a clever and mischievous spirit. Reiya grins again and prepares to cast one more spell. She constructs a perfectly sized dome in her mind. The smile’s in the water; he may as well drown.

(( Cast Physical Barrier at Force 3. ))

[GM Nick]

Reiya - Spellcasting Skill Check (Physical barrier Force 3)

Spellcasting + MAG - 2 (sustaining)
1, 5, 2, 1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 3, 3
3 hits on 10 dice
-
Reiya - Drain Resistance
WIL + INT - 2 (sustaining)
3, 6, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 3
2 hits on 9 dice

Reiya peers over the edge of the bridge. She can just make out the silhouette of Gato, who is submerged under the tepid surface. Gathering astral energy, she channels it into a square level with the surface of the water. A translucent amber barrier materializes above the ganger.

Through the transparent barrier, Reiya can see the Smile struggling wildly and repeatedly punching the barrier. Cracks spiderweb across the barrier, then knit themselves closed as Reiya pours additional energy into the spell. The struggling becomes more lethargic and less violent. Bubbles form underneath the barrier, unable to crest the surface. The struggling stops. More bubbles form. The silhouette becomes still.

[MattL]

Pent up rage, only partially dispersed. Yung's hands grip the railing of the bridge, his knuckles white with a mix of determination and anger. To think the guy in the 5,700¥ suit is so transparently vain, mercilessly killing someone because they damaged a part of his wardrobe.

< Oye, fragsticks, you got dat drek yet or what? We cleared out the bridge so that fat slitch T-bone can get back the way we came. Get off your hoops so we can split, eh? >

Yung spits on the conjured barrier slowly suffocating Gato in a tangle of razor wire below him; finally releasing his grip and pushing off of the railing in a dramatized motion. He kneels down next to Reiya-wolf. "Coulda gone better yeah? But not too bad." He places a hand on top of Reiya-wolf's head then proceeds to run it down her back before stopping halfway. He removes his hand quickly, appraising the yellow-gold eyes that still appear hungry. "Lo siento." He says standing back up and removing his great coat before gently draping it over the wolf.

He turns to face the ticket booth before calling out to Thoryne behind him, "Big man, der some more grenades here if you want." He says, nudging the cold corpse of Two-Yen with his foot before he begins walking toward the park entrance.

Drek is done, one step closer...

[Molly]

The art of pulling things apart and putting them back together makes for an oddly calming, meditative act. Seeing the way Axel pieces the brakes back together is akin to watching Akela move through his kata. Even if the niceties are lost on her, it's easy to get lost in the fluid motions of someone practiced in their craft.

The question catches her off guard, and she shrugs loosely. "IT'S YOUR BABY, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS ASK." A wry smile cracks her lips. "EVEN IF YOUR HANDS WEREN'T FULL, T-BONE STRIKES ME AS THE JEALOUS TYPE."

The incoming comm and its sense of urgency is enough to warrant a meatspace huff. <<Bike GET! \o/ May need a hand moving it in meatspace. Any volunteers?>>

That said, the mention of the cleared area
leaves something nagging. She grips a hand into a fist, grasping for the Fly Spy's icon, and with a command, pushes it back toward the ticket booth, where she had last seen the icons of those bikes.

(( Are the remaining two vehicle icons still present? If so, she'll trace that old icon of the Suzuki-Mazda (the one with the 3 marks that didn't wink out) and send the fly spy that way. Otherwise, she'll just move the spy to the last known location of the icon bikes, and from there to the convention center, to see if she can find them from the air. ))

[ReiyaEmm]

Reiya feels nothing but satisfied watching the Smile struggle against her spell and finally die. Cruel, perhaps, but she doesn’t feel remotely bad about it, as these drekheads were obviously sadistic fucks. She lets the spell dissipate once their target goes still, and feels her bloodlust retreat, the urge sufficiently slaked, and weariness set in. The shaman knows she’s been holding shapechange too long, and needs both rest and a meal.

Nonetheless, she’s surprised when Akela apologizes for how things went. Didn’t they go relatively well? Their targets are dead and none of them are injured. Is he apologizing for not killing the last one? Reiya would have been pissed if he had denied her that pleasure.

The shaman doesn’t mind—and though she won’t admit it, even likes—the soft touch on her fur, but is immensely surprised and confused when Akela drapes his coat over her. What the drek is she supposed to do with this? How’s she supposed to walk, let alone run, with this on her back in her current form? Then it occurs to her that he’s offering cover so she can change back without exposing herself. A wave of amusement rushes over her. Does he think I care? Does he think I’m going to walk on this ground with bare feet when I can run back to the van much faster, and change back to my own skin in the van?

Even so, Reiya knows the gesture is well meant, and Akela has made sure to include her at many stages of this takedown when he didn’t have to, so she waddles uncomfortably with the coat on her back until she catches up with him. Once she’s overtaken him, she blocks his path and flicks the coat over to him before breaking into a run, heading toward the van.

[John]

Mick glides their fingers over the Mitsuhama case, eager-but-unable to know its contents. The bloodied ork feels a not-insignificant pang of annoyance at Yung's suggestion that Mick 'gets off their hoop' to get moving, as if there had been literally any time spent sitting on their ass doing nothing all fragging night. In Mick's estimation, they had been buried neck-deep in the drek since sundown, which was more than they could say for the human impatiently barking orders now that he'd finally gotten his hands dirty.

But Mick doesn't have any room in their brain to deal with Yung. Not without things getting uglier than they should right now. Rising from their seat in the van, Mick leans out the door of the van and shouts toward the convention center, "HEY! WE GETTIN' THE FRAG OUTTA HERE, OR WHAT?!"

[Drew Buddy]

Axel still can't remove his eyes from the bike. Not out of any sense of ownership, but marveling at the speed at which the team was able to get it to shrug off its previous owners. Just like that, he thinks for not the first time.

He rolls his tools back up, and slips the roll into their soft bag on his belt. He stretches his back as he stands back up. He speaks aloud with the comm channel open.

<<Now for the next part. I've got my hands full with T-Bone. Anyone ridden one of these before?>>

[MattL]

Yung catches the greatcoat flicked artfully by Reiya-wolf back to him. He arches an eyebrow at her before watching her turn and run off back toward the convention center.

Gonna need some dry cleaning anyway.

He stands at the side of the bridge closest to the ticket booth, looking down to appraise the shrapnel riddled corpse of Junior. He sees the Marlin 79S, deciding it must be worth something he picks it up and slings it over his should before searching the rest of Junior's pockets in an attempt to find anything valuable. Unlikely given the walk of life these drekheads come from.

Yung glances back toward Thoryne, trying to gauge whether he is going to return to the convention center, or gather any remaining grenades on Two-Yen.

(( Search Junior, if Thoryne doesn't search Two-Yen before this show hits the road Yung will do that in addition to checking the corpse of Loudmouth ))

[John]

The ork steps down out of T-Bone, the release of pressure hardly registering a peep on the van's creaky suspension, and speaks into their ancient comm. < Been riding bikes for as long as I could steal 'em. > The ork steals a final glance at the goods, suddenly concerned the team of thieving strangers would inevitably do what a band of thieving strangers does. They size up the pair before them, the tiny computer girl and the corporate hatchet man. Oddly, it is only Taipan's presence that reassures them. Mick doesn't know fragall about most of these drekbags, but has moved like the night itself alongside the human. Has fought beside the human. Has spilled blood beside the human. Mick couldn't tell you why, but they're certain that Taipan– if nobody else– won't stab them in the back. Maybe the front, but not the back.

Mick sniffs sharply, the sound putting a bullet in the head of the ork's paranoid hesitation, and breaks into a run toward the bikes in the convention center. They jog between the wreckage behind the main stage, and quickly find themselves with Axel at the motorcycle. "Hey, you found my bike."

[Molly]

Job done, and satisfied-enough that there are no immediate threats on the team’s collective hoops, Mouse simply responds to the impatient shouting with a quick shrug and a “WHELP, THAT’S MY CUE” before casually making her way back to the van.

As she passes Taipan, she can’t help but lower her gaze in a nod: some long-dormant reflex of respect and deference that she has yet to afford her other teammates. For all the drek she’s willing to sling about him being old, there’s something about his watch that inspires an almost professional demeanor. Even if she’s mentally deemed him “Ojisan”, she’s not about to frag around with Ojisan.

Without a word, she seeks out the sleek Mitsuhama case and takes a seat with it, gently laying it across her lap the way one might a fine blade. She can feel her heart palpitating as she traces her fingers over the outside as she seeks out the mechanism to unlock it, hands trembling slightly at the pure anticipation of what treasures might lie inside. She reaches the thumbprint scanner, and lets out an audible gasp of delight as the security classification reveals itself.

Treasure in hand, so close but so far, decker bites at her bottom lip, trying to choose her words carefully for once. <<Re: Wiz Mitsuhama drek- I can crack this thing, but it's gonna need a delicate touch. Gimme a night alone with this fine piece of chrome, and I'll find out its secrets.♡>>

...well, it's a nice dream, anyway. She can already imagine the loud, immediate objection from literally anyone with a nanoangstrom of street smarts. She knows better than to trust herself with tech like that, and given that she's vastly outnumbered by her team of proven killers, she's quick to amend that.

<<Ooooor, if you'd prefer, I can do it right here in this dirty van with all you creeps watching. ಠ_ಠ Won't be nearly as clean so I make no promises, but I can get started as soon as we've cleared Bongoland. Clown-town just doesn't do it for me.>> Such is the cost of being untrustworthy scum.

(( Edits to reflect the clarifications from Discord. ))

[ReiyaEmm]

Loping effortlessly back to the van, Reiya hops inside and drops her lupine form. She loves being a wolf, but it’s lasted long enough. She lets the spell slide away, reveling in the feeling of her normal skin. The shaman opens her eyes to see some surprised looks among her crew. "Drink it in, boys," she says briskly, anything but embarrassed. "Where are my clothes?"

At a swift glance she sees an untidy pile and, not far from it, an alarmed glance from Mouse. She has a feeling their small but mighty decker would be more nonplussed if she wasn’t distracted by the case in her hand. Reiya dresses swifty and whistles for Mach while grabbing some jerky from her bag. She sits down just as the crow swoops in, sitting next to her and, as usual, sharing her snack. "So what now? Back to Preacher for our pay, or head somewhere to examine all this loot?" she asks, looking with amusement at all of the crates, weaponry and bikes acquired while she was away.

[Molly]

Now, it takes a lot to force the little decker's attention from the super secret, experimental tech in her hands. The giant wolf leaping into the van doesn't even seem to register with her. Even its sudden, magical transformation into a very naked, meatspace woman barely warrants a second glance (albeit a wide eyed one).

"...OHAI." Mouse finally manages, dumbly.

It's not as though this is her first glimpse of the naked form. Far from it, years of very thorough matrix 'research' have ensured ages been well exposed to nudity in every configuration: every metatype and gender expression, synthetic and cybered to entirely unaltered, edited and airbrushed or bearing all their glorious bumps and stretchmarks.

But this is someone she knows, in meatspace, not giving a singular drek who's there to witness. That's enough to justify a quick scan, (which in her defense, Reiya did invite) - not ogling, but just glimpsing enough to confirm some of the theories she'd formed the night prior. For science.

Forcing her attention to the Shaman's… well not her eyes, but the general face-area, she picks up this train of thought. "RIGHT- WE DO IN FACT HAVE THE GOODS."

"WE SHOULD PROBABLY CALL UP PREACHER FIRST AND CONFIRM WHERE HE WANTS US TO STICK IT ALL." Clearly trying, and failing, to maintain a semblance of professionality, she clarifies. "SINCE HE'S PAYING FOR THIS ON THE DOWN-LOW, HE MIGHT APPRECIATE SOME DISCRETION."

[GM Nick]

The Buell Spartan is a touch big for Mick; they wobble a bit as they mount the modified bike. Nevertheless, most motorcycles made in the past decade are extremely similar and the ork has full confidence they can handle the bulky vehicle. Mick checks the resistance in the brake and clutch paddles and bounces a bit in the seat to gauge the suspension. This bike was definitely modified for the Barrens.

Mick notes with dry amusement that someone has painted BORN 2 KIL on the carbon fiber fairing.

[John]

Seated on the bike, Mick gives their neck a stern crack, and comms to the team, < We about ready to get the frag outta this drekhole, or what? > The ork flips the bike's ignition switch, squeezes the clutch, and thumbs the starter. The Buell's engine roars to life with a series of deep, rumbling blats as the combustion catches and breathes fire through the assembly, rattling the ork in the bike's saddle. Without waiting for a response, Mick engages the throttle and rolls swiftly out the back of the convention center along the trail or tire tracks that lead to where it had been parked.

[GM Nick]

Reiya - Drain Resistance

WIL + INT
4, 1, 6, 6, 6, 4, 2, 5, 5, 1, 6
6 hits on 11 dice

Axel, Mouse and Reiya pause in their respective tasks as they perceive a distant sound. It's a whiny sort of thrumming sound just barely audible over the breeze that scatters trash and rustles weeds. Axel knows it at once, but it takes a moment or two for Mouse and Reiya to reconcile it: motorcycle engines.

[Drew Buddy]

As Axel approaches the Vantichrist from the main stage, his ears perk up at a very faint, but very familiar sound. Almost less of a sound, and more of a light tickling of the eardrums at the extreme range of hearing. He doubles his pace, then abandons his attempt at a dignified fast walk in favor of a run.

<<We have more inbound. Vehicles approaching. Bikes, I think.>> He kicks himself for still using the audio interface as his words become broken by his increasingly heavy breathing. <<We have the goods, we're done here. Anyone not in the van in the next two minutes is walking!>>