Yeah, we are very much unsuited for field work after what happened here, which limits our prospects when it comes to being a fixer. Might be best to pivot towards clean-up and cover-up as our more clandestine services, because we won't be a good enough fixer to get people to be interested in our services (unlike clean-up and cover-up, which we established through our backstory to be something we are very good at).
Yeah, we are very much unsuited for field work after what happened here, which limits our prospects when it comes to being a fixer. Might be best to pivot towards clean-up and cover-up as our more clandestine services, because we won't be a good enough fixer to get people to be interested in our services (unlike clean-up and cover-up, which we established through our backstory to be something we are very good at).
I don't think we are, this was entirely the result of some very shitty luck. Unless we got extra crippled from this I think it is entirely possible to bounce back with some decent cyberware.
I don't think we are, this was entirely the result of some very shitty luck. Unless we got extra crippled from this I think it is entirely possible to bounce back with some decent cyberware.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure the cleaning job equivalent of this much bad luck would have been something like "One of the corpses you were supposed to clean up is actually a cyborg that's still alive thanks to his augmentations and now he's blowing you up," or having someone like that walk in on us during the cleaning. Either way, more or less the same results. That's just kind of how RNG with little to no breaks on how badly it can go is sometimes.
Basically the only way to avoid this level of shit show is to lay off this line of work entirely and just run a normal cafe and not take any jobs related to people with guns.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure the cleaning job equivalent of this much bad luck would have been something like "One of the corpses you were supposed to clean up is actually a cyborg that's still alive thanks to his augmentations and now he's blowing you up," or having someone like that walk in on us during the cleaning. Either way, more or less the same results. That's just kind of how RNG with little to no breaks on how badly it can go is sometimes.
Basically the only way to avoid this level of shit show is to lay off this line of work entirely and just run a normal cafe and not take any jobs related to people with guns.
I dont know how much of an "Arisaka den" the Security HQ is and I would also prefer avoid potential questions about how two 18 years old from the "safe" city of Kyoto have so much wares.
Plus if we go to our Homebase, we might cash-in our favours with La Peste
To the shock of the corporate RipperDocs, when the painkillers finally kicked in you were surprisingly lucid and focused once the burning pain all over your body became muted. For somebody having just come off the really bad side of an explosion, you were accordingly 'far too used to this.' You hid a bitter smile and just shrugged, deflecting attempts to pry your medical history out of you. Judging by their frustrated expressions when they tried to use the medical databases to get around your consent, Lycoris certainly wasn't going to inform them about your prior service histories.
You could feel a few of them start getting shifty and tapping their Arasaka branded tablets, but surprisingly Azumi came in and bluntly told them to just focus on the actual treatment instead of trying to dig up a patient's past. Any muttering or complaints were quickly squashed by the casual reminder that she led the only corporate police force for their neighborhoods, a subtle threat that you winced at but had no choice but to live with. Especially when that finally got the RipperDocs finally focusing on your treatment, taking care to gingerly remove the shredded remains of your arm from your body.
You looked on now at the empty sleeve and sighed. Like all Lycoris and the vast majority of the world's population these days, most of the arm had already been chipped and replaced with common cyberware such as connection ports and cables. But that usually only reached up to the elbow, with the upper arm left flesh and blood to make sure natural growth wasn't impeded or hampered. The explosion had ripped your arm clean off your shoulder, and apparently it was pretty much enough to rip it out of your socket entirely.
In short, it wasn't going to be possible to just reconnect the old arm. You were going to have to buy a new one now, and have to undergo a surgery to properly adhere it to your shoulder without ripping apart the weakened bone. Wonderful, it was just like the first time that blew out your eyes all over again. But at least this time, you at least could see your ward door opening with Azumi stepping in, holding a tablet.
"Is this a good time?" She quietly asked and you silently nodded. The corporate security worker closed the door behind her and made sure the privacy seals were up before taking a seat on a chair next to your medical bed, hunched over with clearly something weighing her down. After a moment of silence, Azumi finally spoke up in a haunted tone, one filled with a mix of regret and remorse. "Fuck. It's my fault isn't it? I assigned you the patrol route, and it so happened to take you to a goddamn borg in waiting. I even ordered you in without an estimation on when you could be relieved."
Your hand tensed up slightly beneath the blanket, not used to this unexpected self-criticism and honesty. The Commander of Lycoris had to put up an impassive and unforgiving front most of the time, not showing a single ounce of weakness or regret for ordering young teenagers to give their life for the country. "You couldn't predict when you'd show up," You finally said, settling on a half-reassuring tone. "But I think that given the way the fight was turning just as you showed up, if we hadn't intervened, the VIP's home would have definitely been breached. We just took the heat intended for them instead, which was part of the job you asked of us."
"A 'part of the job?'" Azumi quoted with a raised eyebrow and disbelieving expression. "Most would normally think it less like a duty of the role, and more an occupational hazard to definitely consider. They certainly wouldn't go into stuff expecting to lose limbs, just like that! Just what sort of work or upbringing did you have that being so...self-sacrificing became natural?"
"Ah." You pressed your lips together and gave a weak smile at the very concerned security chief. "It's, well, complicated. Something that I can't really talk about either," You muttered with a glance at the door, breaking your gaze away from her-
Which was why when she suddenly pulled you into a hug, you froze, completely taken aback with widening eyes. "You...no, you surely couldn't have been old enough for the Fourth Corporate War. But you hardly need an open war between two megacorporations for such atrocities to still occur."
You were very carefully still, trying your best to maintain your stoic mask. All the while, Azumi continued to talk, spouting out more theories on your personal self. "When I first saw you with your IDs, I thought you were maybe Arasaka Counter-Intel in deep disguise, they're definitely the type to pull some real preem spy stuff like that. You also fit the profile of an Arasaka born and made soldier as well, maybe somebody from one of their little corpo colonies. I've heard stories of them, those who were raised from a young age to be a killer for the corporation and nothing else."
"Perhaps that's why my medical history is restricted," You cautiously hinted with sharp eyes. It was getting a little too close to the truth there. "My past might be something similar that is very private. Please respect it."
"...right. I apologize." She finally let go of the hug and coughed, blushing. "Sorry, it's just, you looked so lonely there when you mentioned it, and I used to be an older sister growing up. So maybe I'm a little too sympathetic to somebody your age clearly having gone through a lot."
You closed your eyes, but still the report pulled from the police database was visible in your vision. A simple and sterile description of a tragic event that had driven Azumi into joining Shinohara Securities, and Arasaka by an extension- a very deep grudge against their time-honored rival. 442nd Holdout attack leaves four dead. Militech-backing suspected.
"I understand," You softly told and gave a small smile. "You didn't mean anything bad. The fact that your corporate doctors aren't swarming me is proof enough that you really do respect my privacy."
"The eggheads can keep blabbering on and on about how you're filled with tech they've never seen before, but I don't care for the deets. Neither does the Arasaka Executive, whose family you helped save by preventing them from entering the house," Azumi revealed with a grin. "They're even high enough that Counter-Intel gonks can't do shit unless they want a little internal power struggle. So consider your privacy assured here for now.
"Moving on, there's something else that I've been chatting up with them. You were technically a contract employee with us which normally means you don't get full medical compensation for injuries sustained on duty, but honestly? That's a pile of flaming shit," She snorted and tapped her arm. "I'm the boss, and I can do whatever the hell I want. I say your medical bills are covered, they're covered. I'll even chip in some of my own cash to help cover replacement chrome and surgery fees."
The offer certainly caught you by surprise and you blinked. "That's...wow. Thank you."
"I think that after that all, it's the least I could do. The big wigs are talking about pulling from discarded RnD backstock as well, things they've been wanting to get rid of and looking to sell for cheap. Hey, you never know- we might be able to offer you something like Thermal Mantis Blades!"
"I think my partner's going to be more involved with that." You paused, then glanced around the room with a frown. "Speaking of which, where is she?"
"The moment you were confirmed stable, she took off." Azumi exhaled noisily and shook her head. "I still can't claim to understand her, but I'm very sure I have a good idea of what she's off to do."
You had a good idea as well and let out a sigh. It was tempting to dial her up, but you knew Mitsu would probably reject the call on account of not being able to face you with honor. Not when the one who hurt you so badly was out there. Stay safe. Instead, you focused now on the tablet that Azumi passed to you. "What's this?"
"I'm actually not sure myself. It was addressed to you in my office, and sweeps reveal there's nothing suspicious about it, aside from a digital lock to make sure only you could jack into it. Anybody else that did would fry themselves along with the tablet, so I decided to hand it over." She shrugged. "If you'd like, I can also just bin it."
You hummed, but shook your head. "I'll try it. Thanks."
"No problem, choom. If the eggheads return with more badgering, let me know so I can grab some iron and flatline them." With that, Azumi left the room, the door sealing shut behind her to give you privacy. It was a bit awkward working out a cable from your wrist with only one hand, but you managed with a bit of biting and managed to plug it into the tablet. Once the connection was made, you shivered when you felt the gaze of a programmed security Demon, in the form of a guard dog, glare at you from the tablet's screen.
Then it let out a yawn, letting you through and fading from the screen after verifying your identity. You waited a moment just in case there was something else, then noticed a text document labeled 'READ ME' on the tablet's homepage. You cautiously tapped it open and skimmed through.
This tablet has been directly wired and linked to your home network. Feel free to access your private messages and communications without fearing Arasaka taking a peek.
I owed you again. Keep the tablet.
Pauper.
You raised an eyebrow. Did you perhaps help save a family member or somebody important to them in the battle? You noticed that they specifically made mention that the debt was past tense, as if this tablet alone was enough to make up for it. Then again, getting this into the office of an Arasaka subsidiary was likely no small feat, and the fact that you could conduct business while still hospitalized was nice.
Then a thought struck you. Maybe you could have Arisu take a look at this when she arrived. That sent another realization and you immediately fired off a text, having a very good idea on what she could immediately help with when she got here. Not least of all, your Lycoris from Tokyo needed somebody to pick her up from the airport.
After that, you looked back down at the tablet and hesitantly began looking through. It did seem to connect to your personal network without tripping any telltale signs of Arasaka surveillance, so maybe it really was as good as it said. Just to be sure, you pulled out the emails relating to your shophouse before severing the connection. You strongly doubted that the megacorp would be interested in whoever applied for the job of a cook at your flower cafe.
(Hire Employees (Cooking): 85 +14 (Tech) = 99)
You immediately perked up when you saw there were some very promising applications for the role. First up was a young man who was looking for a part-time job to help out after classes. You hid a small smile at the quiet plead to not tell the school administration, as it was technically against the institution's rules for students to be working part-time outside classes. He wasn't very experienced, but he did have plenty of enthusiasm based on how he described himself. The lad could very well learn quickly.
Next up, it was one of the recently unemployed cafe workers from a little while back. He was one of those who had helped out in moving furniture for Kaori, and now he was trying his luck in trying to just slide into another service job after the last one shuttered up. He had plenty of experience and ample motivation to work for a good paycheck from you. Simple, clean, and very straightforward.
Finally, there was....you did a double-take when there was a slightly familiar face on the application form. It was the Vendetta girl, the one who was on the Scav operating table that night. The picture looked a little dated, but the information was very much updated, given a small personal note attached to the resume: I want to meet you.
You stared, then tapped your fingers. If the tablet was really as secure as Pauper promised, you could probably conduct a digital interview with one of them over the next week as things got sorted. Probably in-between doing some small miscellaneous paperwork. The question was, who did you want to arrange an interview with first?
To the shock of the corporate RipperDocs, when the painkillers finally kicked in you were surprisingly lucid and focused once the burning pain all over your body became muted. For somebody having just come off the really bad side of an explosion, you were accordingly 'far too used to this.' You hid a bitter smile and just shrugged, deflecting attempts to pry your medical history out of you. Judging by their frustrated expressions when they tried to use the medical databases to get around your consent, Lycoris certainly wasn't going to inform them about your prior service histories.
In short, it wasn't going to be possible to just reconnect the old arm. You were going to have to buy a new one now, and have to undergo a surgery to properly adhere it to your shoulder without ripping apart the weakened bone. Wonderful, it was just like the first time that blew out your eyes all over again. But at least this time, you at least could see your ward door opening with Azumi stepping in, holding a tablet.
Azumi finally spoke up in a haunted tone, one filled with a mix of regret and remorse. "Fuck. It's my fault isn't it? I assigned you the patrol route, and it so happened to take you to a goddamn borg in waiting. I even ordered you in without an estimation on when you could be relieved."
Your hand tensed up slightly beneath the blanket, not used to this unexpected self-criticism and honesty.
"When I first saw you with your IDs, I thought you were maybe Arasaka Counter-Intel in deep disguise, they're definitely the type to pull some real preem spy stuff like that. You also fit the profile of an Arasaka born and made soldier as well, maybe somebody from one of their little corpo colonies. I've heard stories of them, those who were raised from a young age to be a killer for the corporation and nothing else."
"...right. I apologize." She finally let go of the hug and coughed, blushing. "Sorry, it's just, you looked so lonely there when you mentioned it, and I used to be an older sister growing up. So maybe I'm a little too sympathetic to somebody your age clearly having gone through a lot."
"I think my partner's going to be more involved with that." You paused, then glanced around the room with a frown. "Speaking of which, where is she?"
"The moment you were confirmed stable, she took off." Azumi exhaled noisily and shook her head. "I still can't claim to understand her, but I'm very sure I have a good idea of what she's off to do."
This tablet has been directly wired and linked to your home network. Feel free to access your private messages and communications without fearing Arasaka taking a peak.
You stared, then tapped your fingers. If the tablet was really as secure as Pauper promised, you could probably conduct a digital interview with one of them over the next week as things got sorted. Probably in-between doing some small miscellaneous paperwork. The question was, who did you want to arrange an interview with first?
You can indeed interview them later, they won't go away unless you choose the none option (meaning you want to reroll all options). Or at least until you've decided which one to hire.
Finally, there was....you did a double-take when there was a slightly familiar face on the application form. It was the Vendetta girl, the one who was on the Scav operating table that night. The picture looked a little dated, but the information was very much updated, given a small personal note attached to the resume: I want to meet you.
You know, unfortunate circumstances aside, Azumi is starting to grow on me. We could have done a lot worse with the leadership of our local security.
Meanwhile, I appreciate Mitsu's wanting to make things right, I feel like we'd get more out of her handing out fliers in uniform. Something tells me that our advertisement action isn't going to be the easiest to take from a hospital bed. Unless that's what Arisu is meant to pitch in with?
Anyway, applications! Clearly, all our luck is going into our day job. As far as being a good fit for the job goes, Morales sounds like the best pick, while Erika has a pretty blatant plot hook around her neck. I could go for either, but with the options staying around for later, part of me feels like the person actually qualified for the job deserves our attention before the one that's more a matter of curiosity.
We need to have a functional front if we want to make money here (it's gonna be a long while before our unofficial job starts getting us money), so we to take the competent pick first. Erika isn't going anywhere, so we can take her later.
I originally wanted to interview Erika but it seem like she just wanted an occasion to meet us/repay her "debt" to us.
And @ThatGuyWithIdeas brought a good point: the café is supposed to be a front so having regular employees might be a better idea to start.
