Turn 7
Zahir Spencer and Karysse SharidThe pair of fresh would-be assassins sets out towards the Nexus with a plan in mind. Karysse will climb the power line access shaft, while Zahir takes to the vents. Their path takes them across the length of the ship, down to areas where the frequency of organics (or rather, organic-based augmented Solars) starts dropping and the frequency of machines increases. Swarms of sleek drones drift through the corridors, blinking obnoxiously when they pass. Several times, Karysse is ghosted; a cloud of data washes over her, a digital ghost embedded in the ship's systems making its presence known.
The Nexus is not too deep into this odd new world, though. It proves to be a part of the ship's superstructure, a featureless bastion save for the word 'NEXUS' in hard-light hovering above the entrance. Androids move in and out in a steady stream - there seem to be a few non-Machine visitors as well, though they stick out like a sore thumb.
The pair splits up. Zahir heads behind the Nexus, finding the ventilation access promised by their blueprints. It proves to be several metres off the ground. [Agility (Diff. 10): 9] There's no way he'll make that climb or jump that high, [Intellect (Diff. 12): 20] but some quick thinking on his part allows Zahir to devise a boost using a nearby waste incinerator, a handful of discarded nanofibre cable, and a piece of debris that seems to have fallen out of the ship's ceiling above (which is not an entirely comforting thought). A few minutes later, he's in.
The ventilation system is small and cramped, clearly not meant for a grown man, [Agility (Diff. 8): 20] but he manages to wiggle through with his armor sliding helpfully along the walls. He might ache later, but Zahir has no trouble propelling himself along the vents. The blueprints don't give a detailed look of the ventilation system, unfortunately. He's left moving essentially at random at intersections until he finds somewhere he can use to locate himself.
The first exit he finds is to a large, dark room full of towering machines, perhaps servers of some kinds. A few lights blink in the darkness, but it seems to be empty. The vents continue, of course, but he could drop out here.
***
Meanwhile, Karysse is taking her own way. The ship's power lines come into the Nexus from the maze of maintenance tunnels running beneath the main levels - it's only a matter of going down there and finding the access tunnel. [Data (Diff. 10): 18+5+1=24] She follows the data - automated alarm systems, monitoring subroutines and maintenance algorithms all radiate signals out and draw a helpful map for a hacker of her skill to use. She hacks her way past locks and security measures into the underlevel and is at the shaft before she knows it.
The only problem is that the shaft is completely devoid of atmosphere. Cold, hard vacuum awaits her inside. [Endurance (Diff. 15): 13+4=17] Karysse makes sure her exoskin is functioning normally before letting herself in. Even through the sustaining layer of synthetic skin that hardens around her, she can feel the biting cold and void.
[Agility (Diff. 6): 16] Climbing the shaft is simple - the inside of the tube is irregular, with cables and armored pipes running within, and there are plentiful handholds to use. She drags herself upwards until she comes to an exit and takes her leave.
The room she climbs into is obviously a power station - there are generators all around her, with monitoring and control stations adjacent. Their security doesn't look too tricky if she's in the mood for sabotage - otherwise, doors lead deeper into the building. The security room is above, not too far away, but she can read the active security systems on the way. The blueprints don't really tell how the spaces are being used right now, but reading the data makes her think there's an area for staff not far away, probably a 'behind the bar' or kitchen type of area, and what's likely to be a server room a little further away. Cameras and other security might be on the way.
She has her doubts about her partner's comms security - a Caster like that can be easily picked up by anyone looking, even if she secures their comms as best as she can. There might not be anyone actively looking for such things, though, or they might discount them as customer data traffic.
Karysse Sharid [HP: 30/30] [Security: 中也
-2 Kinetic Damage, -2 Energy Damage, -2 Biochem Damage
Space Pirate Hardened-Tech Head
Augs:
+Embedded Caster [Security: 中也 [Caster. This bulky neural caster can match the power of any cutting-edge model.]
+Ocular Replacements [Bio-engineered resistant eyes grant +3 to Senses rolls of vision and +3 to rolls against vision impairment.]
+Exoskin Layer [Adaptive skin granting +4 to Endurance rolls against extreme temperatures, hostile atmospheres and other conditions.]
+Filter Nodes [Extensive filters built into lungs provide +5 to Endurance rolls against ingested disease, toxins, biochems.]
+Breach Protocol Unit [Specialized data aug granting +3 to Breaching target systems.]
+Sealed Systems [Improving the security of your augments with redundancy, data seals and closed nets will allow your augs to continue functioning even if a part is compromised, requiring each aug or system to be Breached separately.]
Equipment:
*Howler Autopistol [5/5] [Low/3 Kinetic Damage/Clip 5] [A reliable automatic pistol known for its distinctive sound.]
*Venusian Armor [2 Kinetic Resistance, 2 Energy Resistance, 2 Biochem Resistance] [High-quality armor popular among the assorted denizens of Venus, with protection against weapons and biochemical attacks alike.]
-Autohacker [Crude hacking aid granting +1 to Data rolls.]
-Distortion Unit [Proxnet. This device can be set up to interfere with local Casters and transmissions, reducing their speed and clarity.]
-180 Tharsis Credits
Skills:
Data I [+5]
Electronic Warfare [+5]
Zahir Spencer [HP: 30/30] [Security: 也
-1 Kinetic Damage
Earthborn Hardened-Destroyer
Augs:None
Equipment:*Obsolete Caster [Security:也 [Caster. An old-as-sin model of Caster barely compatible with more modern versions.]
*Ayers Battler Rifle [
16/16] [Medium/2 Kinetic Damage/Clip 16/
Dumbtech] [The mainstay of AD armies, this weapon is outclassed by practically everything off-Earth.]
*Skywatch MGL [
4/4] [Medium/5 Kinetic Damage/Clip 4/
Blast 1,
Stunning 1,
Dumbtech] [This AD Special Forces microgrenadelauncher allows for rapid and devastating attacks.]
*Skywatch Body Armor [-1 Kinetic Damage, +2 to resistance against Stunning and disorientation] [AD Special Forces body armor, notable for inbuilt shock-proofing layers]
-Breacher Charges (
3) [Planted/10 Kinetic Damage/
Piercing 2,
Stunning 2,
Blast 1] [Heavy-duty wall-breaching charges built using Orbital designs, if Earthborn materials.]
-Targeter Visor [Device. Simple targeting aid granting +2 to Aim rolls.]
-Enviroskin [Unequipped. Adaptive suit provides rudimentary full-body protection (+3) against extreme environments and conditions.]
Skills:Aim I [+5]
Melee I [+5]
Piloting I [+5]
Intimidation I [+5]
Action: Start doing some farnet research on Lile, Rudin and Anxo Garcia-try to find some depth on why they would be targeted, and who is doing the targeting. Potential real estate holdings would be useful. If it's possible, try to do so 'incognito'-not using my own caster ID, but a fake identity.
Brooklyn finishes her game (no Lvl 2 yet - she'll get it some day) and starts researching. No point going into a job like this blind, after all. This 'Rudin' is her first target: [Data (Diff. 10): 9] There's not much to be found about the man - he's a local, deals with a lot of Remnant settlements and stations across Sol, delivering supplies and negotiating trading and data rights for people more important than him. He's a middle-man, essentially. Brooklyn can't find out if he's on the station or any records of his latest sightings or transactions, but there's a wealth of data to sift through. The ship uses just dreadful archiving for these records.
[Data (Diff. 14): 3] On Garcia, there's even less in the public record. He's a popular topic in local news, but there's little reliable information she can use. Crime lord, ship authorities haven't been able to get any charges to stick, no known base of operations. Brooklyn is having trouble navigating the complex systems architecture of the ship - getting access to whatever classified data the ship might have stashed away is just beyond her.
[Data (Diff. 8): 13] L璱e is more or less a non-entity, as might be expected. Finding her records is easy enough - arrival on ship, some routine purchases, creation of the message that brought you here, et cetera. There are likely more extensive records in her home station's farnet, but that'd take some time to link to, probably not worth the effort.
It is not a very fruitful search, she has to admit. A more personal visit to the ship authorities or the ship's criminal underworld might be necessary, or another approach entirely.
***
Brooklyn of Clan Spyche [HP: 30/30] [Security:中也
-2 Kinetic Damage, -2 Biochem Damage, -1 Energy Damage
Remnant Operative-Hardened
Augs:+Embedded Caster [Security: 中也 [Caster. Despite looks, this neurally linked arm-borne Caster can match the power of any cutting-edge model.]
+Recycler Implant [Recycles nutrients, oxygen and other necessary matter in the user's body and surroundings for longer survival in hostile environments.]
+Exoskin Layer [Adaptive skin granting +4 to Endurance rolls against extreme temperatures, hostile atmospheres and other conditions.
Masked 1.]
+Suspension Webs [Launchers in the limbs and torso capable of deploying durable hardmesh 'webs' to attach the user to almost any surface.
Masked 1.]
+Masking Aug [Full-body nullsense augmentation grants all augs Masked 1.]
+Softstep Padding [Stealth padding muffling the sounds of movement, granting +2 to Stealth movement rolls.]
+Needle Weapon [
5/5] [Close/3 Kinetic Damage/Clip 5/
Critical,
Hidden,
Masked 2]
+Sensory Amp [Extensive augmentation providing Augmented Senses 1.
Masked 1.]
Equipment:*Monofab Blade [Melee/3 Kinetic Damage/
Stealthy 1]
*Scavenger Suit [2 Kinetic Resistance, 2 Biochem Resistance, 1 Energy Resistance] [A ramshackle protective suit added to by Brooklyn along the years.]
-Silencer [Proxnet Device. This device projects a field of visual obstruction, signal jamming and noise to create a safe space for discussion or data transfer.]
-Microcam [
Active.] ][Proxnet Device. A remote-controlled drone the size of a grain of sand, capable of streaming high-quality video and sound.]
-Scavenger Kit [A set of tools and materials for field repairs or modifications, granting +2 to Engineering rolls.]
-90 Tharsis Credits
Skills:Augmented Senses I [+5]
Charm I [+5]
Deception I [+5]
Stealth I [+5]
Author
Topic: Solar: a Transhuman Scifi RPG IC [Turn 8] (Read 10984 times)