[X] USER MOTION Community Militia
Set up a community organisation to combat the gangs. Begin subverting gangers, offering them a new role in the militia under us, and potentially positions in our own security division. This should hopefully attract the smart ones, who can see the writing on the wall.
We use our ex-police officers as training cadre and leaders of this group, use L79 for training in weapon handling, basic squad tactics and such. We use the captured weapons and armour to outfit the militia.
"Have gang members join us... have them trained even better than they were before... give them better weaponry... have them fight other gangs..."
That doesn't seem very sensical.
The initial mission of the militia will be to continue to keep pressure up by confiscating more gang resources and limiting their cashflow as much as possible, preventing street dealers operating and such, demonstrating that the gangs are no longer in control of the streets. If necessary, we pull out our enhanciles for an early demonstration or two, to make clear our strength.
Won't this almost definitely point to us as the people behind the recent arson issues? I mean, arson and deaths pop up at the same time as a new company... who then showcases their enhanciles as a show of force (one of them being a walking fire-hazard). This is the opposite of a solution to the PR issue.
We may have to spend a bit of cash to make the militia suitably bulky to deal with the urban pacification campaign and deter the gangs from direct confrontation, but longer term, once we have pacified the gangs, the goal would to transition the militia to actual policing tasks under our supervision, take those suitable for it on into our own security, and have the bulk of the ex-gangers as essentially normal citizens, in a more economically productive neighbourhood.
This is ridiculously optimistic. Coming from an alternative point of view: You are looking to get the smart gang members who are willing to notice a good deal when they see one, shape up, and help to police their own neighborhood with guidance and training... what about the smart gang members who can notice a good deal when they see one, fake it really well, then subvert the entire organization to their own ends?
Ez and Darius reach out to "Vertex" (Jennifer Austin). We can easily smooth over any particular problems she's running into with aug maintenance (or provide cover stories for her parents, or a cash influx, whatever she happens to need). We don't want her to hire on with us in a long-term sense, though -- we're asking for her help. The gangs may have been defanged, but they're still sending their thugs on shakedowns, running protection rackets, and so on. We, Vertex, and Immolator, with police support, want to stop that.
Something about this feels squidgy, but I can't pinpoint what, exactly, so I'll say okay.
Hitting out at the gangs directly isn't necessary here; instead, we're going to hit their thugs, protect shopkeepers, let the streets run without fear of reprisal. We'll use our enhanciles, and make sure we are seen. We'll keep things nonlethal whenever possible (which means Immolator will be of reduced utility against unaugmented gangers, but he's good for intimidation and flashiness value). At the same time, PR is going to kick into gear -- we'll help spread stories of the awful things the gangs have done, and provide support for local business owners to speak out (both against the gangs, and in gratefulness for their protection).
This, however:
1. Hitting the 'thugs' in a gang... is literally hitting the gangs directly.
2. If Immolator isn't using his power, he's not all that intimidating. If he is using his power, see "connection to recent string of arsons" up above.
3. Popping out of nowhere with no public presence or support other than "uncomfortable and negative suspicions" and trying to "protect shopkeepers" will seem a lot like we're a new gang taking over the old business.
4. It's exceedingly unlikely- if this has any actual basis in reality- that business owners will snitch on the gangs to someone that they know jack shit about that's just popped out of nowhere. If they do, it won't be out of gratefulness, it'll be out of fear. Fear? The new group with the powerful enhancile(s) and the coincidental arsons that've happened at other store fronts? Yeah, not likely to help out anyone here.
Vertex, of course, will be more than amply compensated for helping us protect the locals, whether she wants that in cash or in favors. We have a technopath and a corporation's resources, as well as world-class legal expertise -- there's a lot we can offer her. We are asking for her help in this situation, but not for her to work for us long-term (which is not to say we'll turn her down if she offers, but we can be clear that it's not the goal). If she's suspicious of us, well, that's fine too; we're asking because we want her help, and because we want her to see the good we want to do for the area with her own eyes, not through the rumor mill.
The hell is Vertex even supposed to be here for? What are you actually aiming to achieve with her assistance, since it's not listed here. Just keeps saying help over and over. Why do we need her? What makes this a worthwhile expenditure of resources, given that we have ourselves, Immolator, Shamus,
and Darius.
If she says no, that's unfortunate, but workable; we can sub her with Darius in our actual operations and just suck up the hazard pay.
Does this mean you think that paying Vertex for assistance will end up being less than Darius' "Using My 'Other' Skills" costs? I hope not.
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I'll be thinking up a suitable write in. On top of which, I'll actually include an extra die roll or two, because the longer these get the more likely they seem to be going to fail in some spectacular fashion.
