Shadowrun: Death of a Salaryman

Okay, so, I don't think these Shades that "Matsuda" finked on were actually with him. I think they're either a competing runner team responsible for the second batch of dead guards or just some team that pissed him off. I think it's possible for just him and the elf-poser Adept to have pulled the job.
 
[X] Tell him you feel fine couldn't possibly leave the rest of the office with your work
 
[X] Summary: -An elf(?) "ninja" entered the buliding at 8 PM helped by the presumibley asserted by a formor runner named Masuda Shinji, Who was blackmailed by a runner team the "ninja" member of (called the Shades) sometime before the break in.
- Masuda opened an fire escape to let the "ninja"in.
- Masuda demanded addonal payment from the runner, she refused.
- He called securty on the runner when she refused his demand for additional payment. Prompting the runner to try and kill him.
- A security team got on site before the runner can kill Masuda and drove her away and promting the rest of her runner team to intervine, killing six of the security team in the ensuing firefight and stealing data from the servers(site notes 125 and Site Notes 124) .
- At that time I started invsegsting this matter by questioning a homeless man who give me the infomation about the "ninja".
- Then I checked Masuda's history and found discrepancies with his behavour. Pionting to possible identy theft.
- I entered to the hospitol that resides Masuda and questoned him. He crackecd under the intergation and give me most of the infomation mentiond in this summary.
- Then He got angry and lashed out at me and revealed that he got possessed(?) by an spirit.
- He revealed that he's working for a possible third party (to quote him double-dipping) and clamed the runner team realised this fact and sent the "ninja" in to intervine.
- The HTRT arrived before he can kill me and I was renderd unconscious.

(Here's my summary of this mess, feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong.)

[X] Tell him you feel fine couldn't possibly leave the rest of the office with your work
 
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Well I was definitely wrong! I don't know what the spirit hoped to gain by killing a few employees before being banished (fun?), but the death of Masuda was irrelevant to it so it didn't lose anything. We're lacking some important details, but we can make some wild guesses.

Some important questions I can't answer:

When was Masuda possessed?
  • When his personality changed. Hard to conceal possession from corporate astral scans for so long. The spirit entered into the deal with the runners for who knows what price since it probably doesn't care about nuyen, tried to renegotiate mid run and double cross them, they left it and its host behind to be apprehended, the spirit hoped it might keep its host and slip by under the radar.
  • The runner(s) had him possessed to suborn him. They're hanging with a tough crowd if they're summoning spirits with no compunctions about murder or sacrificing their hosts, but the shadows aren't a nice place. This might help explain why the runners didn't take him with them when they left. If this is true all of its testimony is made up to sow confusion.
  • During the run at some point.
  • When he picked up the table. If so, how did the spirit breach the hospital's astral defences to get to him, or know he should be possessed right then, and why? Tying up loose ends? Very convenient timing. If he somehow caused himself to be possessed voluntarily, how and why? If he were cooperating in good faith with his 'confession', and had reason to believe his testimony was valuable, he may have come out of this with a light sentence, but he chose death by spirit + cop instead, trying to kill a few people on the way out. If the spirit was sent by the people he bargained with for the new identity to clean up loose ends before he started spilling the beans, he likely wouldn't have mentioned them at all. So... they gave him some kind of super astral suicide switch? And he used it because he expected them to off him anyway?
Were the ninja and the heavy team on the same side, or just after the same thing?
  • If we believe the testimony of Masuda and possessed!Masuda, then they were on the same side, but the source isn't very trustworthy. It's not clear what he gains by misleading us on this point, though. Possessed!Masuda seems to have told us a lie - if he were hired to exfiltrate the data and tried to sell it to another party mid run, why would he let the ninja in and disable the security systems in the lobby? We have reasonably strong evidence both of those things were done from the inside. Whatever disagreement he had with the ninja, it was probably in the server room, not before she entered. Unless he didn't realize they were on to him when he did those things, and they were done to support fallback plans? The runners also clearly have no compunctions about killing, so it seems strange they would leave him alive after they caught him double-dealing - he clearly believed they were going to do something he really didn't want if he went so far as to call the guards when they caught him double-dealing, even knowing the guards were unlikely to succeed with all the defences disabled. Was he possessed at the time (and thus could escape the ninja in the server room? If she knew he was double dealing, it seems unlikely she would fall for a ruse that let him lock her in there), and did they know it? So many questions.
  • If the heavy team was not with the ninja, they kidnapped her and didn't know Masuda mattered, so they ignored him? The spirit protected him from detection somehow? They certainly didn't miss him without something concealing him, but they might not have been there to kill everything that moved, and he wasn't shooting at them.
 
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Vote closed
Scheduled vote count started by FBH on May 24, 2021 at 2:52 PM, finished with 14 posts and 11 votes.

  • [X] Tell him you feel fine couldn't possibly leave the rest of the office with your work
    [X] Nod and lean back and try to sleep
    [X] Ask about the creature again
    [X] Summary: -An elf(?) "ninja" entered the buliding at 8 PM helped by the presumibley asserted by a formor runner named Masuda Shinji, Who was blackmailed by a runner team the "ninja" member of (called the Shades) sometime before the break in.
 
Part 11: Office
+3 Intellect from Summary

"You young guys, so damn hungry." Ichibangase smiles and claps you on the shoulder. "Take a few days, I insist. I'll make sure that your office doesn't get overwhelmed."

"But--" You think of all the reports you'll need to file.

"No buts. Your arm is broken. You'll do no good to the company if you have to take more time off for surgery." He pats your shoulder and rises "You'll go far in this company. You've got the right attitude. Just try to stay alive until then."

You settle back as he goes, secretly relieved, and fall back down into sleep.

March 29th 2052: End


NHK NEWS WIRE:

April 2st: 2052, TAIWAN
Taiwanese Government Official Assassinated
Timothy Wu, chief aid to the Taiwanese minister of interior has been assassinated, along with two bodyguards. The killing came in the early hours of this morning when Mr. Wu was attending what sources close to the Republic of Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior as a clandestine meeting. Mr. Wu and his bodyguard were apparently ambushed by multiple armed individuals and killed after a heavy exchange of gunfire.

Who the meeting was with or the true motive for the crime has not been revealed.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Ares Stock continues to rise on US and Ancient markets

Cumbrian Troops cross the DMZ

Break-in attempt on Renraku archology in Seattle blamed on terrorists


Three Days Later: April 3rd 2052

A few days later you're stepping back into the office, arm still restrained by the pressure brace, but feeling a whole lot better without the drugs pouring through your system. You've undergone magical healing and the cast should come off in the new few days. As you come out of the elevator you pause as the whole office looks at you and claps. You blush, embarrassed, as you walk to your desk. Goto-san stalks over and claps you on the shoulder. "Don't let it go to your head junior." He says, "but we got you something."

A handsome wooden gift box is laid on the table, full of expensive cakes. You blush, feeling a surge of appreciation.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Don't get all mushy on me." He claps you on the shoulder again. "Good work out there. When you've finished your caseload for today, come over to my office. We've got a special job for you."

You don't find the work too hard for the rest of the day though you end up switching over to a pure neural interface typing as your hand still aches to much to really use a keyboard. Maybe you stiffed yourself on the painkillers slightly earlier than you should have. The shift, for once, fairly flies by, and you head into Goto's office. To your not-so-great surprise, Ichibangase is sitting on the sofa.

"Shiratori." He nods. "Have you been following the news?"

"Uh, a little. I haven't had much else to do but the fast heal drugs have been a bit much."

Goto throws a folder on the desk in front of you. "Timothy Wu, chief aid to the Taiwanese minister of the interior. He was killed yesterday while waiting for a secret meeting in the Taipai flood zone."

"I saw it on the news."

"Yeah, but what you didn't see is that he was meeting with us. He was due to meet with Kuge Sakura, she's the daughter of the head of the Shiawase Tapai enclave, Kuge Akihiro. Wu claimed to have evidence that there was large-scale corruption within Shiawase's operation in Taiwan. He set up the meeting. Then he was killed."

"You want me to investigate?" You blink. "Aren't I a little junior?"

"You're underestimating yourself Shiratori." Goto says. "But more importantly, you have the big advantage that you're young, and you've been under surveillance as close to twenty four seven as anyone is. Your qualifications and your family record are both impecable. We know you're not implicated in anything. We need you to go to Taipai, and find out what's going on inside the office there. If there is corruption, and if it did lead to the death of a Taiwanese government official, we need to find it before the Republic's authorities do."

"Alright. How long do I have?"

"Hours. Go packed and have that cast removed. You maybe have time for one pit stop first if you hurry." Goto says.

"Oh and one more thing Shiratori." Ichibangase says. "Ms. Kuge is a very attractive and eligible young lady. Over the last few years, the Taipai branch has been getting a little-- restless. If this goes well, then you might have a shot at marrying her."

You blink, then smile and nod. "Yes Sir. I'll keep that in mind."

"Off you go."

The tickets arrive quickly. You have five hours before the flight leaves
[ ] Concentrate on getting the cast off and packing your stuff
[ ] While you're at the hospital might as well get some cyberware put in for your first real mission
[ ] Call your family and tell them the good news
[ ] Maybe some better weapons would be good to go into this dangerous situation
 
[X] While you're at the hospital might as well get some cyberware put in for your first real mission

This is probably the only thing we can't do at some other time.
Like, we probably can call the family during the flight or later, during downtime.
"Some better weapons" are superficial - while having a bit better pistol is good, it's even better to have a rifle, or, preferably, multiple friends with rifles. As we don't have the latter option and probably aren't very good at long arms in general...
And, as we're going to be at the hospital, we're not likely to reinjure ourselves removing the cast (specialists there should be able to handle it) - and we should have the cash should we happen to not pack something.

Cyberware, on the other hand, would be hard to acquire, as we wouldn't know doctors we trust over there.
 
[X] Concentrate on getting the cast off and packing your stuff
I don't think we really have the time for proper cyberware implantation - that's going to be surgery for anything actually decent, and we're still recovering from our arm and that's going to make further magical healing annoying to do. Like, it's a constant line that we've come in too early and aren't properly healed yet in the update. Adding more strain isn't going to make the better. Additionally, we don't have that large a line of credit besides.

Meanwhile, if we actually get our arm better and all that, we'll be back up fighting fit, and it's hardly like we want to leave anything here. Plus, anything we bring with us is stuff that we won't have to buy in Taipei, and given we're under 24/7 surveillance by what are most undoubtedly a bunch of corrupt bastards, I'll be nice to have the aces in our sleeves.
 
[x] Maybe some better weapons would be good to go into this dangerous situation

I did think about the cyber ware too, but Estero convinced me to go with this instead.
 
[] Concentrate on getting the cast off and packing your stuff
I don't think we really have the time for proper cyberware implantation - that's going to be surgery for anything actually decent, and we're still recovering from our arm and that's going to make further magical healing annoying to do. Like, it's a constant line that we've come in too early and aren't properly healed yet in the update. Adding more strain isn't going to make the better. Additionally, we don't have that large a line of credit besides.

Meanwhile, if we actually get our arm better and all that, we'll be back up fighting fit, and it's hardly like we want to leave anything here. Plus, anything we bring with us is stuff that we won't have to buy in Taipei, and given we're under 24/7 surveillance by what are most undoubtedly a bunch of corrupt bastards, I'll be nice to have the aces in our sleeves.
You sure seem certain that we're going to have that arm in 5 minutes. :V

Cyberware, on the other hand, would be hard to acquire, as we wouldn't know doctors we trust over there.
We can't trust the doctors here, but the company can. That is a very important distinction.
"Oh and one more thing Shiratori." Ichibangase says. "Ms. Kuge is a very attractive and eligible young lady. Over the last few years, the Taipai branch has been getting a little-- restless. If this goes well, then you might have a shot at marrying her."
Great, more potential bereaved loved ones. Assuming the company's sudden-but-inevitable betrayal doesn't happen on this mission, anyway.

[X] While you're at the hospital might as well get some cyberware put in for your first real mission
 
[X] Call your family and tell them the good news
[X] Maybe some better weapons would be good to go into this dangerous situation
 
You sure seem certain that we're going to have that arm in 5 minutes. :V
I certainly don't think we can undergo cyberlimb replacement surgery in a time fast enough to count as "one pit stop first if you hurry". It has taken us three days, with magic, to partially recover from a broken arm. We will not be recovered from major surgery, or quite possibly even out of the surgical theatre in time to get our flight. So yes, I do seem certain. Because, you know, we're not idiots.

like, what, are we going to walk inn, point at a cyberarm, and have it that quickly? Maybe if we go to a ripper doc who doesn't care, but like, the clinic will likely take longer than we have to run the tests needed to ensure the surgery can even occur.
 
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I certainly don't think we can undergo cyberlimb replacement surgery in a time fast enough to count as "one pit stop first if you hurry". It has taken us three days, with magic, to partially recover from a broken arm. We will not be recovered from major surgery, or quite possibly even out of the surgical theatre in time to get our flight. So yes, I do seem certain. Because, you know, we're not idiots.

like, what, are we going to walk inn, point at a cyberarm, and have it that quickly? Maybe if we go to a ripper doc who doesn't care, but like, the clinic will likely take longer than we have to run the tests needed to ensure the surgery can even occur.
Oh, right, surgery recovery times aren't completely bullshit unrealistic in Shadowrun. I'm not so sure about the idiot thing though, considering that we haven't twigged to the fact that the company's going to dump us like trash the instant it's slightly more profitable.

Hm, damage from surgery and therefore recovery time is based on the ware's Essence cost in the Shadowrun I know, so we'd be limited to something low-Essence cost there... we might be able to handle getting a cyberdeck or an implanted comm? Adding features to our eyes shouldn't be a problem either...
 
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I certainly don't think we can undergo cyberlimb replacement surgery in a time fast enough to count as "one pit stop first if you hurry". It has taken us three days, with magic, to partially recover from a broken arm. We will not be recovered from major surgery, or quite possibly even out of the surgical theatre in time to get our flight. So yes, I do seem certain. Because, you know, we're not idiots.

like, what, are we going to walk inn, point at a cyberarm, and have it that quickly? Maybe if we go to a ripper doc who doesn't care, but like, the clinic will likely take longer than we have to run the tests needed to ensure the surgery can even occur.
It depends on what cybarware or bioware and what quality grade we use and for your information there are 2 types of magical healing in main shadowrun setting magical treating which needs to apply quick within hour of injury or disease and which duration is calculated in hours and magical healing which lasts days. First one can bring you back from death but it has higher drain and is not must have so it is rare in the hospitals and is used by people who are specalists like in the army of paramedics. But it can bring from near death in seconds if your magican is powerful enough.
 
[X] While you're at the hospital might as well get some cyberware put in for your first real mission

Now i am curious and we can window shop and see what they have.
 
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