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November 20, 2045.
Dear Anastasius Foch,
When last I wrote, the mission had been completed and that left everyone looking for something to do. They were not looking for it, but trouble found them. We begin late in the evening on Thursday August 16th.
Spydr and Kenna hit the bars and had a go at a Girl's night out. Sanchez joined in later after successfuly un-ditching himself and partied the night away. Zona and Shark had different ideas on what to do with a night alone, and they practiced those ideas all night long. But let us get back to the bar.
Out front a long black limo drove up and deposited a pair of Japanese men in dark buiness suits. The pair walked directly up to Kazure, who was still wearing the Sanzhez mask. A brief conversation followed in which Kazure noticed tattoos just below the neckline of their suits. The suits worked to convince him his mission was over. He ridiculed them for murdering his family and then said he was not going back. The Yakuza gentlemen ask why? for he had killed the Riley individual so efficiently. Minutes later he called Kid Stealth who was passing his evening by cleaning weapons, reloading magazines, and sharpening knives to inform him that everyone was in danger.
Kid promptly walked in on Shark and Zona, who were taking a break. He told Shark that 'that Spic' called. Kid then relayed the rest of the message.
Back at the bar, Sanchez and Halfpint left to follow the black limo. Their tail took them to the docking station at the southern end of the station. They picked up a pretty girl headed for a bar named Sandy and then made for the security gate. Sanchex was driving and Halfpint did the talking. His line was something to the effect of, "Mr. Johnson want's Sandy now. So let us in." The guard, unwilling to face the wrath of Mr. Johnson, let their car pass. Once in the tunnel Sandy looked at Halfpint quizically and asked if they were doing anything illegal. To which he answered, 'We cannot be. The guard let us in.' I will say one thing for Halfpint and that is the finer points of law are lost on him.
Having gained access to the matinence tunnels and the loading docks, Sanchez and Halfpint set about taking advantage of their tactical situation. They recquisition pairs of coveralls and conduit to carry over their shoulder and begin on their mission of mayhem, dragging along poor innocent Sandy without her any the wiser.
Kazure accessed a computer and determined their target was Flight 372 bound, nonstop, for Tokoyo Japan. To sabatoge it they stop at nothing, including making remarks about Sally's legs not being secure. As in what is between them, so that the guard will go hit on her and allow them to access shuttle diagnostic computers. They brow beat guards, throw them into containers, and then put guns in with the dock workers to involve them with the crime. Finally they stole a fork-lift truck and made their way out, passing a brick of Arasaka Power Armor guards. Having found out that the Shuttle was chartered by Orbital Air, and with the cargo and passanger manifest, they got back to their original vehicle and prepared to leave. One other thing, while Sanchez was in the Diagnostic computer, he also took twenty thousand feet off their altimeter. That put them twenty-thousand feet below their expected altitude and directly resulted in the crash and loss of all hands.
That did not make Arasaka very happy.
Despite that, the pair and Sandy were able to exit after Halfpint used the line, 'Mr. Johnson is done with Sandy, now let us out.' Outside the docking section, they switched cars, to Sandy's surprise, and got a Taxi. They left the driver tied up in back, and made for home. Unfortunately at a stop light a passanger got in. Halfpint solved it by beating him into unconsciousness. This added one more task to their list; dumping his body in a employee section of the Station. But with that accomplished, they returned home, happy and healthy. After his masculine feats, Halfpint had no trouble sweet-talking his way into Sandy's pants.
At the apartment it was approaching midnight and things had slowed down for Shark and Zona, who was napping. Takashi, his Ares contact, whom we have previously met at the 3M gala' arrived with a pair of Ares Dragoons, including Big Jannie Dupree. He asked what was wrong, and Shark asked what could be wrong? Takashi was under the impression that Shark had perrished, and had been sent to investigate. This illicits a bad quote from Shark, 'Rumors of my death have been greatly exagerated.' Takashi says he sees how this could be good, and promises to keep a lid on it. He then left after good-byes were passed around.
At oh-one hundred on Friday, Spydr finally comes back from the bar to find Shark seated out on the couch. He had been enjoying a Vodka Martini and awaiting her return. When she came in he stood and motioned her over. From his flesh pocket he drew out a slim velvet case and handed it to her. She opened it to see a silver waist chain adorned with six silver spiders set with Oynx abdomens. A broad smile crossed her face and she gave him a small hug plus a friendly peck on the cheek. Shark told her that this was only a token of friendship, for the times she had been there for him, and the times to come. Spydr then told him of her maneuver with Mike to get their names erased from computer systes around the world, making them effectively 'dead.' Shark hooted and thanked her. It was good to be dead. Nobody hunts down dead men. They then said their goodnights and parted for the evening.
They awoke to a sanitized sunrise on the station; it was Friday August 17th, 2045. Sitting around the dining table eating breakfast, Ariel directed short jokes at Halfpint, and soon others joined in. Halfpint is sensitive about his height, and did not take it well. But he got the attention off himself by telling of his and Kazure's exploits the previous day to Shark's ammusement. Halfpint is the kind of rapscalion and rabble-rouser Shark likes to work with. But then all of a sudden, Halfpint gots real shy and went into the back room. Ariel's mindtricks had turned him very shy for the moment,
That did not bother anyone too much at the moment, they returned to the laughing and joking associated with just hanging out. Shark let it slip that Sanchez was Kazure, and Ariel got fuming-hot mad, as Kazure had stalked her and was the source of earlier misadventure. So Kazure changed his appearance to that of Euan McGregor from 'The Phantom Menace' and then continued with the day. Ariel got in such a huff that she demanded to call Jiovonazo. Shark attempted to talk her out of it but that is notoriously hard with Psychics. So he relented and offered the services of Lak, who set up a secure line back to MSP. Mr. Jiovonazo sided with Shark and made her stay, which calms her down a little, but does nothing to improve her mood.
After breakfast Shark took some time away (during which things really deterioriate), to go het his hair cut. His hair had been long and bushy, because he thinks it better impersonates terrorists and scum balls. So after being company with soon-to-be felons, Shark decided it was wise to get it cut short. -- No that was not a Halfpint joke. -- Kid Stealth followed him for security, or some other reason, but they both noticed Shark had acquired a tail. From the look of things, it was somebody with Arasaka Security. So Kid kept an eye on the tail while Shark got his hair cut and all seemed well in the world as he got a shave and a trim for just ten nuyen.
Back at the hotel, things were not so peaceful. It really started with Halfpint calling Ariel a bitch, after the mornings jokes. She over-reacted and drew a knife, slashing just the top of his chest, and cutting his shirt as he jumped back. Sanchez then acted as a calming voice for the one time in his life, and disarmed her. In the process he did a little trick with his mono wire whip, and handed her back her knife in eight pieces. This only infuriated her more, as Half-pint walked away with burning hatred in his heart. When he came back in the room, he had a loaded Dynatronics SMG, and fired a single shot which echos around the room and out into the acoustic sensors set up on the Spindle. The bullet, passing into Ariel's stomach, cutting and slicing open intestine during the flight. Then because the lethal nature of the bullet did not include a hollowpoint it passed out her back. Had the SMG been loaded with hollowpoints Ariel would have been killed by a similar shot. That and the fact that Halfpint only fired on shot. Another would have killed her and removed the better portion of her abdomen.
Ariel started to topple while Gator and Zona rushed to help her. Spydr meanwhile wraped his wrist up in her whip as Kazure used a mono-blade star and disarmed him. Kazure then hog tied him, which Spydr promply undoes. Hardly a minute has gone by when Kazure decided to call Shark and inform him of the calamity.
Shark asks one question; was the weapon suppressed?
Kazure focuses on the naked muzzle of the Dyna SMG. No.
Then, Shark said, you had all better get out of there, because Security will be on the way.
What follows was interesting but not highly important. The group elluded the incoming Arasaka guards and made use of Egon, Mo's friend and hacker, to screw up the fire system, and send out false alarms. Everyone then dispersed to mix in with the crowd of people fleeing the hotel that is supposedly on fire. They met a short time later at a nice little bar called "We Don't Sell Guns."
On the walk there Ariel engaged in more assanine behavior. She projects illusions of Kazure attacking Halfpint, right into Halpint's minds eye. To Halfpint, he is beaten into unconsciousness by Kazure; but is really stung by Spydr as she responds to the growing crowd that watches him fight himself. Zona then checked Halfpint for drugs at Spydr's bequest, and found huge dosages, again thanks to Ariel.
Shark and Kid Stealth met the crew at the bar and had a seat. Spydr filled Shark in on the strage goings on, and he listens while keeping an eye out for trouble. It is not far behind because two security types wandered in and got seats at seperate tables. Spydr checked them for transmissions, and sees them broadcasting sure as sunshine. With things going downhill, Shark produces a plan: Kid and Kazure secure the back, he and Spydr will delay these two out front a persuit vector, and everyone else move out for the space plane. As everybody was getting up to move out, two more men in trenchcoats, obviously Arasaka, entered the cafe. The pair of gumshoes approached the table, as Spydr and Shark stood to greet them. Everyone had there hands out in plain sight to avoid an unnecessary gunfight. Kenna then contributes, as the situation is getting dire, that they only had to stall for five minutes. This she relayed to Gator, who in turn passed the info on to Shark via his implant communicator.
Kaure and Kid were heading out back, when two more Arasaka types enter from the back door. Kaure propmtly head butted one, and Kid took down the other. Both bodies got thrown in the mens room, just as gunfire blasted through the weak plastic sheeting walls from outside. Kid charged out, with both handguns blazing to take down the threat while Kazure went through the new hole in the wall.
Out front, Shark and Spydr flew into action. Spydr fast drew her needler gun and fired three sleep darts into one of their faces. Shark is less subtle. He underarm throws a carbon dart through the right forearm of the other, using all the muscles in his legs to deliver extra power. Then he follows up with a powerhouse kick to the groin, a knee jab to the head, and then a push on the shoulder to get the guy down. He stayed down. The two other Arasaka guys in the cafe start shooting, oblivious to the civilians around them. Shark and Spydr beat a hasty retreat as the duo isn't really trying to shoot them, mearly keep them at bay. As everyone went out the back, sirens and vehicles can be heard converging on the cafe. Shark turned to Kazure and said, 'Wipe them out. All of them.' Which Kazure/Sanchez/Justin/Karie summarily does.
After Kazure got cleaned up, and everyone else regrouped at the Space Dock, Spydr made contact with Dejour. Dejour sent along a fellow by the name of Rick who was to meet them and get them past all the security that was in place.
Shark does not like relying on others but speed was critical and in the time it might take them to get past all of it, Arasaka might have more goons on the way.
Rick got them tickets on the infamous Flight 762, bound for Chicago, departing at 1530 hours, just minutes away. They rushed to their terminal, boarded and departed in a flurry of activity.
What they saw as the shuttle seperated from the Station was to direct their actions in the coming days. One of the Gentlemen who was observing them at the cafe, was standing on the concourse walkway viewing out a station port hole. Amidst this, Spydr noticed that he was broadcasting. No doubt to his superiors.
Sincerely,
Richard Raven
Also, CA-UF-JL-IW-3F-W0
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