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/qst/ - Quests


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The motorcycle underneath you roars as you gun it down the streets of New Light. Swerving in between the brand new hover cars and old ground tech, your tires eat up the road as you lean into it. You have to make the delivery in a timely fashion of course, that’s your whole job. As a member of Dawn Inc. you deliver packages from one place to another. From above board medical supplies to not so strictly legal munitions. “Any package, any where”. The motto of Dawn Inc. rings through your head louder than even your beasts mechanical roars.

Right now you’re delivering a sensitive data pad to the Dark Suns. A highly regarded mercenary group that’s been tasked with gang cleanup over the years. You don’t know what’s on the data pad, just that it was sensitive enough that it couldn’t be sent over digitally. That’s where you come in, they needed it in the flesh and fast. You can do that.

It’s a simple job, you already grabbed the package from the meet up point. They said there shouldn’t be any trouble, but as soon as you picked it up you noticed several old tech vehicles following you. Sensitive data is always at a premium, but it takes guts to steal from the Dark Suns. That’s why you’re speeding down heavily congested traffic hoping to lose them in the swarm. You lost the truck, but not the two other motorcycles. Their bikes are junk compared to yours but with the traffic you aren’t giving them as much of a slip as you would like.


>Keep going through traffic, but FASTER
>Dart down an alleyway in hopes they miss you
>Try to get out of traffic, you’re faster in a straight away
>Write in
>>
>>4324657
>Keep going through traffic, but FASTER
>>
>>4324661

You press down ever harder on the accelerator, cars becoming blurs as you move in between them at an incredibly unsafe speed. Both bikes speed up as well, but one has an unfortunate accident of slamming into a hover car. The bike skids forward under it, the biker a red smear along the back end. That’s one down, one to go.

You’re good but this speed in congested traffic is unsustainable even for you. You’re beginning to feel the strain in your eyes and the start of a headache creeps in. You have to give the other guy props though. Not many can keep up with you. Traffic is getting lighter up ahead, if you can keep it up you might be able to lose him by gunning it down the road.

>Keep going FAST and then go even FASTER
>One hit a car, see if you can get the other one to
>Write in
>>
>>4324694
>Keep going FAST and then go even FASTER
>>
>>4324694
>Keep going FAST and then go even FASTER

Speed is life. You stop moving, you die.
>>
>>4324708
>>4324735

You decide that speed is the way to go and let an ear to ear smile crawl along your face. Traffic is going to lighten up and the biker behind you has no chance of keeping up on his junk bike compared to your custom built beauty. Unfortunately he seems to be a little more nimble than you. He’s closing ground even with your maneuvers through traffic. Moving between cars you become one with the road. Maintaining your already incredible speed you drift along in traffic. You have a few close calls and the biker behind you loses some ground as he has even more and finds maintaining the pace to be a little more than his skill level allows.

Traffic lightens up and you press a special little button that you have for times like these. Delivering packages in New Light you learn to have a few tricks up your sleeve or you end up left in someone else's dust. You feel the boost hit your engine, the wind howls and claws at you. Trying to lift you off your bike, but you hunker down. No longer having to swerve through cars you can truly open up.

The other biker tries to keep up but simply can’t, soon becoming nothing behind you. You are speed. Everything you pass seems to almost be standing still. Ecstasy fills you as you become one with your bike and hall ass down the road.

You can take the direct route to the Dark Suns, after all a timely delivery is professional. Or, you could take a little more of a winding path, just in case anyone else is following you.

+1 to SPEED
+1 to MANEUVERS

>Take the direct route
>Take the indirect route
>Write in
>>
>>4324746
>Take the direct route

We're too fast for anyone following us anyway
>>
>>4324746
Take the direct route
>>
>>4324751
>>4324757

The boost dies down and you’re back at above normal speed. Moving along traffic you feel fairly confident in being able to out speed them again. A few Cop-Mercs drive down the road in the opposite direction, no doubt in response to your wild chase through the loaded streets of downtown New Light. Too bad all they’ll find is the splat mark left by a single biker on the rear end of a hover car.

It’s a quiet ride to the east side of New Light. A famous Mercenary hub, it houses no less than 200 distinct Mercenary corporations. The Dark Suns being a middle sized group mainly dealing in law enforcement. You wouldn’t be surprised if a few of those Cop-Mercs you passed were with them.

Gliding into the parking lot of their personal offices you’re stopped by security long enough for them to scan your ID card and show that you’re expected. Two well dressed men meet you at the entrance and immediately one throws out a hand for the package. You give it to him and he heads into the building at a brisk pace after inspecting it. The other one holds up a hand to stop you from leaving.

“We at Dark Suns would like to thank you for delivering the package in a quick and efficient manner. You’ll find that you have a little bonus in your bank account.”

He smiles at you, a smile filled with stunningly bright teeth only Corporations can buy. Olive skin and hazel eyes look down at you from an impressive height. Of course, you aren’t that tall to begin with.

>”Any package, any where.”
>Say nothing
>Write in response
>>
>>4324788
>Say nothing
>Drive off fast
>>
>>4324795

You don’t say anything in response. Simply whipping your bike around and hitting the throttle you speed away into the night.

JOB COMPLETE!
+2 FUNDS
+1 REPUTATION

Arriving back at your apartment, you slip your bike into the garage and lock everything behind you. You take off your helmet and let your hair cascade down your back. You are Melanie Dread. Special Package Handler at Dawn Inc., you have a few things to do before you can relax for the night.

>Wipe down the bike and shower
>Call your handler
>Get some food
>Write in
>>
>>4324837
>Call your handler
>>
>>4324954

Taking a moment to breathe you feel the final dregs of adrenaline leave your body. But there’s still one thing to do before you start cleaning up your bike and yourself. Calling Dave, your handler at Dawn Inc. Plopping down on your single chair at the kitchen table you pull out your phone and give him a call.

“Hey, hey! How’s my favorite delivery girl doing? Did <callsign> go out there and kick some ass?”

“Yeah Dave, everything went pretty well. Had some tails when I picked up the package though, but they weren’t anything I couldn’t handle. The package was delivered and pretty fucking fast too.”

“Yeah that’s what I heard, the Dark Suns even kicked in a little extra for you so enjoy that! I got another job for you tomorrow so clear up your schedule. Keep on doing your job well and quick and you’ll be running for the big dogs soon enough!”

“Alright Dave, just give me a call with the instructions and I’ll take it from there.”

“That’s what I love about you <callsign>, quick and to the point. I gotta go, but be sure to get some rest girl. You’ll need it for this next one, you gotta go out to the outskirts of town. The fucking boonies. It’ll be a long haul. Talk to you later!”

Dave hangs up before you can ask for more information, looks like you’ll just have to wait for his call tomorrow. Dave isn’t your first handler but you don’t mind him as much as the previous ones. You’ve never met in the flesh and you doubt you ever will. Dawn Inc. likes to keep it’s drivers and corporate personnel separate. Hell, you’re pretty sure Dave isn’t his real name either. Still, it’s nice to have a contact that isn’t a giant piece of shit like your last one.

You unzip your pleather jacket, maybe you can afford real leather some day, and are hit by the smell of sweat instantly. Crinkling your nose you know it’ll be covered soon enough by the smell of oil and grease when you clean up your bike soon. Peeling it off you toss it onto your bed and try to find the energy to finish your night. You let out a big sigh and go to your garage which is actually just the other half of the living room and get to work.

>What is your callsign?

>Radiant
>Jager
>Raiden
>Write in

>Go to bed
>Tune the bike
>Look over some part magazines
>Write in

Pick a name and an action please. Going to call it a night here and pick it up again sometime tomorrow afternoon/evening!
>>
>>4325018
>Radiant
>Look over some part magazines
>>
>>4325018
>Cerberus
>Look over some part magazines
>>
>>4325018
>>Radiant
>Look over some part magazines
>>
>>4325023
>>4325371
>>4325395

A quick search on your data pad brings up some Motorcycle enthusiast websites and a few more reliable part sourcers. You recognize a few from ordering parts before and open them. Road Hog Parts and Lightning Metal are both above board sources to get some top of the line gear. The third website, Tunnel, is a great place for parts too. As well as a place to get some not so legal things that go bang.

Your stats are as of right now

3 SPEED
2 MANEUVERS
2 REP
1 BLOODTHIRST
4 FUNDS

You can’t improve speed anymore right now without buying a new frame for your bike which is way outside of your price range.

>Buy a MANEUVERS upgrade -3 FUNDS
>Repaint your bike, it is currently a gun metal grey -1 FUNDS
>Order a pistol that can be hidden on your body -1 FUNDS
>Write in
>>
>>4325535
>>>Buy a MANEUVERS upgrade -3 FUNDS
>>
>>>Buy a MANEUVERS upgrade -3 FUNDS
>>
>>4325535
>Buy a MANEUVERS upgrade -3 FUNDS
>>
>>4325558
>>4325613
>>4325651

Deciding to buy a MANEUVERS upgrade to make your bike more perfectly balanced makes sense. Even still you pause before spending so much of your FUNDS. But you place the order and feel a shiver run down your spine as you dream of how it’ll handle in the future. It won’t be here in time for your next delivery but your bike still handles pretty damn well. Calling it a night you slide into bed and are out like a light.

Waking up to your blaring ringtone as Dave calls you.

“Hey Radiant! Hope you’re ready to deal with some fucking country bumpkins cause we got a deliverly from Fury Point back to a lab in the west side of town.”

“Fury Point? That’s gang territory isn’t it? Some dumb assholes that go by Red Skulls right?”

“Blood Skulls but yeah, we’ve got you covered though. It’ll be you and partner on this one. Sunny will be riding with you, do me a favor and don’t leave him in the dust will you? He’s actually armed so he’ll provide any fire support you might need.”

“Can’t give any promises Dave, I am SPEED.”

“Yeah you are! Such confidence! But for real, keep an eye out. These Blood Skull assholes are fairly well equipped. They’ve stayed out there for years and have repelled several attempts to dislodge them from their home. I hear they hold some races every now and then so they must have some pretty nice rides as well.”

“Alright Dave, I promise I’ll be careful. So what am I hauling this time?”

“They want you to pick up a person. That’s all I got for you, they set up a meeting point and will hand them over there. Remember our motto kid, “Any package, any where.” Sending you the coordinates now. Happy trails!”
>Ask for more info? What do you ask?
>Tune up your bike and hit the road
>Call your old Mentor for advice
>Write in
>>
>>4325699
>Tune up your bike and hit the road

Asking questions would take up time we're going there as fast as possible.
>>
>>4325699
>>Tune up your bike and hit the road
>>
>>4325699
>Tune up your bike and hit the road
>>
>>4325708
>>4325767
>>4325778


Taking a few moments to check your gear and fine tune your bike. You hit the road. Traffic is bad as always but begins to lighten up once you get outside of the dramatic city sprawl. Heading towards the rendezvous point with Sunny you try to remember everything you can about him. You’ve never run with him before but you have heard of him. He likes to gun down everything in his way rather than MANEUVER. He’s pretty quick though for loading his bike down with weaponry. Hopefully he can keep up with you.

You pull into the little park area where you’re supposed to meet up with Sunny. You can see him waiting by a tree. He’s tall, at least 6’2”. Tan skin and blue eyes meet yours as you take off your helmet. Taking a look at his bike you can see 2 slightly hidden holes on his front end. You’ve seen those things before, machine guns that spit death in front of him.

“Well hey there pretty lady, I gotta say your callsign is pretty on point. A “Radiant” beauty!” he laughs. Throwing you a wink and a smile.

>Say nothing, just gun your bike
>Tell him to get his ass in gear
>Write in
>>
>>4325854
>Say nothing, just gun your bike
>>
>>4325854
>>>Say nothing, just gun your bike
>>
>>4325854
>Write in
Small salute
>>
>>4325857
>>4325859
>>4325887

You say nothing back to Sunny, instead simply putting your helmet back on and revving your bike. You throw him a small salute as you keep revving your engine. He laughs again and still smiling puts his helmet on and hops on his bike. Starting it up with a roar he pulls up alongside you. He taps his helmet and points at yours. You assume he wants you to open the Coms built into your helmet with his. It’d be annoying but also keeping in touch with your team is good practice, even if you don’t say much.

You get going on the road out towards Fury Point. Not a lot of traffic headed this way on account of the heavy gang presence and all. Soon the urban sprawl turns into suburbs and then gives way to desolate landscapes. Unless it’s a city maintained park, it’s pretty damn rare to see anything green and growing around New Light.

You and Sunny keep an eye out for anything too suspicious but so far the most suspicious thing on the road is yourself. Hoping it stays that way you continue on towards your pickup point.

>Open Coms with Sunny but don’t say anything
>Open Coms with Sunny and talk about something?
>Don’t open Coms
>Write in
>>
>>4325906
>Open Coms with Sunny but don’t say anything

Just to be safe
>>
>>4325906
>Open Coms with Sunny but don’t say anything
>>
>>4325913
>>4325955

Opening up the Coms is an easy thing, a quick tap and you’re logged into Dawn Inc. own secure network in which you find Sunny’s ID and connect. Not saying anything you send a quick burst of static his way just to ensure he knows you connected and then continue on towards your destination. Sunny tries to get you to talk multiple times but after several failed attempts he just starts to blather away to himself. He’s always upbeat and talks in a happy tone. Must be why he’s called Sunny.

After some time you begin to close in on the pick up location. Pulling up just short of it you and Sunny take a minute to survey the scene. It’s an old abandoned motel, the kind you see on old crime shows when the person is trying to hide from the cops. There’s an unmarked white hover van sitting in the parking lot with a lookout on the top floor of the motel. The lookout has a rifle in hand and is keeping a close eye on the surrounding area. In a minute you think he’ll spot you but not quite just yet.

“Well, we’re here Radiant. Do we just stroll on in and pick it up or do you want to take it a little slower and circle around the joint? We’ve got some time before the designated meet-up time.”

>Head on in, these must be the guys
>Circle around just to be safe
>Write in
>>
>>4326042
>Circle around just to be safe
>Tell him to stay here in case the clients come early
>>
>>4326045
wait the second thing i said doesn't make sense ignore that
>>
>>4326042
>Circle around just to be safe
>>
>>4326045
>>4326130

“Let’s circle around, check the area a little more.”

“First thing I’ve heard you say today Radiant and I couldn’t agree more.”

You both start your bikes and head backwards a little, taking some side roads to fully circle the place. A good thing too. You spot some Blood Skulls a ways off, it doesn’t look like they’re scoping out your meeting spot but they’re definitely headed that way. You need to get in there and pick up the package before they get there.

“Looks like a few bikes and a truck with a gun on the back. I could handle it with some help but you’re not exactly armed to the teeth huh? Maybe we could give them a distraction? I could pepper them real quick and then high tail it out of here, let you pick up the package. I don’t really want to mess with them if we can help it but it’s your call.” Sam muses.

It’s pretty clear he doesn’t want to distract them.

“Let’s hurry up and grab the package and just fucking book it yeah? I’ll be right with you in case we run into something up the road rather than start some shit behind us.”

>Send Sunny to distract them
>Hurry up and pick up the package with Sunny
>Write in
>>
>>4326159
>Hurry up and pick up the package with Sunny

Let's just book it we're definitely faster than them don't know about Sunny though
>>
>>4326159
>Hurry up and pick up the package with Sunny

Make sure we have the package
>>
>>4326169
>>4326193

“Let’s just grab the package and go.”

Sunny lets out a happy grunt.

“Roger that!”

Spinning back on the bike you take care not to be seen by the Blood Skulls. You hurry up and roll into the meeting place. Slamming on your brakes you skid in and cover everything in dust for a short period of time. When it clears you see the lookout on the top floor pointing his rifle down at you and Sunny. The hover van’s driver door opens and out steps a dark suited woman armed with a SMG. She doesn’t point it at you but keeps it within quick reach.

“You the delivery people? Dawn Inc.?”

In response you just hold out your Dawn Inc. ID. Letting her give it a quick scan.

“Hurry up and give us the package. We spotted some Blood Skulls down the road and they’re headed this direction.”

The woman starts a little at that and whistles at the lookout. He starts climbing down and heads towards the van.

“Alright let's get this over with.”

She opens the back door and you see a bound woman straining against her restraints. That’ll make the delivery harder, a squirming package is no fun to handle. The dark suited woman picks her up over her shoulder and walks over to you and Sunny.

“Alright who gets the girl?”

Sunny just points at you. The woman shrugs a little and forces the woman onto your bike. You have some ties that you use to secure her to you and the bike. She’s making lots of noise but it’s all muffled by a gag.

“Alright there you go. Get the package to Sutherlund Industries lab over in the west side. Big medical facility, you can’t miss it. Use the back loading bay, not the front doors.”

With that said, she and the lookout hop into the van and take off leaving you and Sunny with a very unhappy squirming person strapped to your back.

“Alright, let's hit the road!”

You rev the engine and peel out of the motel with another dust cloud forming behind you.

>Your stomach flips flops a little, you’ve always hated delivering people
>You feel calm, she’s just another job, she’s just a package

Roll me a d20 please! Best of 3 with high rolls being good. Doubt we’ll get 3 rolls but that’s okay!
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>4326258
>You feel calm, she’s just another job, she’s just a package

Crits count for anything?
I'm sure you will QM, quality attracts players
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>4326258
>You feel calm, she’s just another job, she’s just a package

Enjoying the quest QM hopefully you get some more players!
>>
>>4326268
>>4326274

Thank you! This is my first time QMing and really writing as a whole besides short stories and poetry. It means a lot that you are enjoying this!

Crits do count with 20s being crit success and 1s being crit fails.

>double 7s
lol, why don't one of you roll one more time and we'll take the best of 3
>>
Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>4326287
>>
>>4326298
nice! Writing now
>>
>>4326268
>>4326274
>>4326299

As you drive down the road you feel calm. The PACKAGE behind you is squirming and probably making noise but it’s all drowned out by the wind and roar of your bike. You’ve delivered people before, they're just another job like anything else.

+1 BLOODTHIRST

For the most part your journey is fairly calm. Dodging some more patrols you make it to the edge of Blood Skulls territory before you actually run into trouble. A mobile checkpoint has been put up on the road. There are some back roads you could take but there’s a good chance they have those patrolled as well if they’re out on the main road stopping people for “tolls”.

“Looks like trouble.” Sam’s voice comes over your Coms system.

“We can blast through or go around, your choice. I see some trucks and bikes. The trucks will be easy to lose but I see some really nice bikes out there. Might give you a run for your money.”

>Blast through
>Chance that a side road isn’t being patrolled
>Write in
>>
>>4326327
>Blast through
>>
>>4326331
+1
>>
>>4326331
>>4326335

another roll my friends! d20s best of 3
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>4326343
>>
Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4326343
>>
I'm guessing we don't need to roll again lol
>>
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2.32 MB
2.32 MB GIF
>>4326349
>>4326353
lol nope! writing now
>>
>>4326348
>>4326349

“We’re going through.”

That’s all the warning you give Sunny before clamping down on the accelerator and blasting down the road towards them. For his part, Sunny reacts quickly. Gunning it right beside you though he’s losing ground to your faster bike. Quickly swerving back and forth he lets off some shots into the crowd of Blood Skulls and gets lucky as hell. Hitting some of the munitions in the trucks that leads to a chain reaction blowing both trucks sky high. You both drive through flames and smoke as you roar through the checkpoint. By the time they know what hit them you’re a dot on the horizon.

“Hahahaha!” Sam laughs.

You have to admit, you enjoyed that quite a bit. You let a smile sneak onto your face. Having cleared gang territory you relax a little. Driving back into the shadows of New Light’s looming skyscrapers. You pick your route carefully, knowing which streets rarely get patrolled by Cop-Mercs. Getting pulled over for kidnapping isn’t something you would like to handle today. Finding Sutherlund Industries is fairly simple. You come to a stop at their back gate and let a security guard scan your ID. He watches your PACKAGE the entire time.

You’re met by a team of security guards at the back entrance. Your PACKAGE is easily sedated and taken off your bike. A stern looking man in a lab coat watches the whole thing and leads the security team back inside. They don’t even wave you off just leaving you all alone with Sunny.

“Well ain’t that some shit. Usually there’s at least a little corporate bullshit line about the delivery. Guess they had somewhere to be. So do I as a matter of fact, I’ll see you around Radiant. This run was a fun one!”

With that Sunny peels off into the night.

JOB COMPLETE!

+1 REP
+2 FUNDS

>Head back to your apartment
>Hit a bar to celebrate
>Write in
>>
>>4326412
>Hit a bar to celebrate
>>
>>4326414
+1

Also let's save up our funds for a bit to get a speed upgrade
>>
>>4326414
>>4326419

You could use a good stiff drink after doing a good day's work. Deciding to hit a bar you go to one of your favorites. The Angry Dragon isn’t quite a dive bar but it’s certainly no club. You take your time to get there, enjoying the ride. As soon as you get there the bouncer lets you in no fuss, he already knows you.

“Hey Melanie! Haven’t seen you in for a while. What could be keeping you away from me huh?”

Don yells at you over the music. Being the bartender/owner of the place he knows his usuals fairly well. Having already pulled out your favorite brew and planting it in front of you when you take a seat. You tip the drink in his direction and take a thirst quenching pull from the bottle. Damn, Rioters Blade always hits the spot.

“How’s it been Don? I’ve been keeping busy out there on the job. Can’t come see you if I don’t have any money you know?”

“Hahaha I see! Got any good stories to tell? That first brews on me tonight!”

You start to tell Don about your latest run, leaving out exactly what the package is of course. You add a little more dramatic chases and explosions then there were but by the time you’re done you have a little group of people hanging onto your every word. Everybody loves a good runner story.

>Have a few more drinks and ask Don if he’s heard anything around town
>Call it a night
>>
>>4326445
>Have a few more drinks and ask Don if he’s heard anything around town
>>
>>4326450
+1
>>
>>4326450
>>4326454


You have a few more drinks bullshitting with Don. He’s always a good time and a great listener, must be the bartender in him. He also always has an ear to the street and knows what little pieces of info to hold onto and what’s just gossip.

“So Don, got any news for me? I’ve been too busy doing the job to know what’s going on around town.”

“Well first of all, if that story of yours was true. I’d be keeping my head down for a hot minute cause I heard the Blood Skulls put out some reward money for anyone who can help identify who blew up a checkpoint of theirs.” He smiles and winks at you.

“Secondly, I heard about a little street race coming up soon. Supposedly, winning it qualifies you for a place in Hell’s Run and of course that would get you into the biggest race of the year, Beasts Rage. That’s about all I got for you though, not much else going on around town.”

“Thanks Don! I always appreciate a heads up and that race sounds pretty interesting. Maybe I’ll check it out.”

“Of course! If you are interested in that race just come back here, I’ll set you up with it. There’s an entrance fee of course but it shouldn’t be too much.”

With that you head out back to your apartment. Cleaning down your bike and taking a quick shower. The news about the Blood Skulls looking for you isn’t shocking, but still having a gang out for your blood is never good.

>Call Dave
>Go to bed
>Write in
>>
>>4326479
>Call Dave
>>
>>4326479
>Call Dave
I must sleep QM, but thanks for running.
>>
>>4326489
>>4326484

I think I'll call it a night as well. It's been a good 8 hours of posting.

I work these next few days but might update here and there.

I have Wednesday off so if you have the time come on in and I'll be posting more consistently then.

Thanks for running with me!

Remember!

"Any package, any where."
>>
>>4326489
>>4326484

Calling up Dave before you go to bed is important. Got to check in with home base after all.

“Hey there Radiant! Got the call that you and Sunny got the delivery done! Fantastic as always. I’ll put in a good word with the higher ups, maybe get you some better paying jobs and some discount on things. Definitely good things headed down the road for you!”

“Good to hear Dave, I’m always looking for better paying jobs.”

“Ha! Well, if you want to take on some side jobs that’s fine by us at Dawn Inc. Just know that we won’t bail you out on side jobs and that if we find it’s taking away time on the job from us we might penalize you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Well that’s about all I got to say to you Radiant, I don’t have another job lined up for a few days so why don’t you take some time off and relax? Do some yoga, maybe start a holo-garden? You know, the things the cool kids do these days.”

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll look into that.” You can’t help but let a little bit of sarcasm drip into your voice there.

“Talk at you later Radiant!” Dave hangs up quickly.

You have the next few days off. You can spend them looking for side jobs, working on your motorcycle, or taking an interest in the race Don told you about. Or however you want.

>Just relax (time skip forward to next Dawn Inc. mission)
>Look into a side delivery job. +? FUNDS
>Paint your bike 0 FUNDS (discount from Dawn Inc.)
>Enter the race Don mentioned -1 FUNDS
>Write in
>>
>>4329222
>Enter the race Don mentioned -1 FUNDS
>>
>>4329222
>Enter the race Don mentioned -1 FUNDS
>>
>Enter the race Don mentioned -1 FUNDS
>>
Apologies for not showing interest earlier, QM. It's been a good read so far, and encouraging me to take the courier job in my own game.

>>4329222
>Enter the race Don mentioned -1 FUNDS
We will show them all we are SPEED.
Tempted to paint the bike too, but feel like we really need to do something special first so we can do it as a celebration. Alternatively, we just stick with the basic bare-bones gunmetal to show we are all business.
>>
>>4329247
>>4329356
>>4329388
>>4329793

Rest and relaxation is the last thing on your mind as you get off the call with Dave. No, you want something quite the opposite. The ecstasy of SPEED. The thrill of pushing yourself to the edge. A competition of who can hold on the longest when everything becomes a blur and the road becomes no different from the sky. You want to race. But first you have something special to do. It looks like the package you ordered arrived while you were on the job. You lovingly caress it as you dream about how your bike will handle once it’s installed.

Spending a few hours of sweat and the occasional drop of blood you finally have it installed. God you love working on your bike. It’s your lifeblood, everything you hold dear. You could lose just about everything you own but god help whatever decides to try and take your bike.

You call up Don and tell him you’ll be entering the race, he just laughs and says that he already booked a spot for you. He just needs to be reimbursed for the money and you’re good to go. Quickly sending him the money you thank him and decide to spend the rest of the time before the race tuning and testing out how your newly upgraded bike handles.

Spending the days joyriding around town you finally have a deeper understanding of what your bike is capable of now. The day of the race is coming up fairly quick. Is there anything you want to do before the race?

>Skip to the race
>Write in

MANEUVERS is now at 3. MANEUVERS cannot be increased without a new bike frame capable of holding more upgrades.

Your stats going into the race will be

SPEED 3
MANEUVERS 3
BLOODTHIRST 2
REP 3

So I’m thinking Wednesday will be race day. I might post the opening of the race tomorrow but I think getting it done in one go will be more satisfying. If anyone has any questions or comments I’ll be happy to answer them!

>>4329793
I appreciate you reading no matter when you became interested! Thank you for reading!
>>
>>4330701
>Skip to the race
>>
>>4330701
>Skip to the race
>>
>>4330701
>>Skip to the race
>>
>>4330701
>>>Skip to the race
>>
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>>4330704
>>4330783
>>4330806
>>4331920

The day of the race comes quickly. You’re sure it’d be a wonderful day if you could see through the ever present smog in New Light. But that’s just life in a growing megacity.

There’s a quiet energy in the air as you wake up and start your day. By the time you’ve finished your coffee and start to tune your bike you can barely stop from shaking with excitement. Running packages around is all fine and good, you do it as fast as you can to feel the SPEED. A race is all SPEED though, no worries about getting some dumbass their blowup doll. Just point A and point B. As fast as you can.

Hopping on top of your bike you can almost hear it’s bellows as it waits to be unchained. Placing a hand on it you hum along.

“Soon.”

You take it slow and easy as you head to the race. Getting there with more than ample time to spare, letting you take a moment to scope out the competition. There are 10 racers in all. You see a couple of brand new hover bikes, beautiful things but they haven’t been touched by their owners. Fresh off the line they’ll stand no chance against your own customized bike. The rest are old combustion bikes like your own. Varying degrees of modifications among them. There are two that stand out. An older model of your own bike sits waiting for its owner to return. It’s a wonderful thing, aging like a fine wine you can’t help but give it a few lingering looks. It’s also been modified just as heavily as your own. It’s definitely going to give you a run for your money. The second bike that stands out isn’t because of its beauty or its power, though it has both in spades. It stands out because it belongs to your old partner. Aki ‘Leopard’ Tanaka. You both ran together for years, a friendship that seemed like it would last forever. But twists of fates and a last terrible run that ended in quite a bit of bloodshed bluntly ended your partnership and friendship.

You see her sitting atop her bike. She’s staring right at you. Raven locks cascade around her heart shaped face. Almond eyes, violet in color, burn into yours. You can’t help but show your teeth, some might call it a smile but it’s what prey sees before the predator bites down. The smug satisfaction of knowing you have them right where you want them. Dead to rights. It sends a shiver down your spine that settles in your gut.

It’s going to be one hell of a day.

>Talk to other riders
>Wait around for the owner of the older version of your bike
>(BLOODTHIRST UNLOCKED) Talk to Aki
>Simply wait for the race to start
>>
>>4332493
>Simply wait for the race to start no need to waste time
>Look over our bike, make sure it's at peak condition

We'll talk to the other riders once we show them our SPEED
>>
>>4332493
>Look over our bike, make sure it's at peak condition
>Wait around for the owner of the older version of your bike

Might as well scope out the competition. We know one of the main rivals for this race, and ignoring her is highly amusing. Let's see who the owner of the old classic is. Even if the exchange is nothing more than mutual grunts of acknowledgement and revving of engines.
>>
>>4332493
>>(BLOODTHIRST UNLOCKED) Talk to Aki
>>
>>4332493
>(BLOODTHIRST UNLOCKED) Talk to Aki
>>
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>>4332504
>>4332655
>>4332665
>>4332854

Normally you’d ignore everything and just focus on your bike, tuning until the race started to ensure the highest performance. You still will of course, but you can spare a few minutes to talk to an old friend right? As you start walking towards her you see a man exit one of the nearby food stalls. He walks over to the bike you were eyeing up earlier. Short cropped hair and a medium beard with a braid, the skin you can see heavily tattooed in runes. He looks like one of those vikings you learned about in an ancient history class. He looks back and sees you leave your bike, giving you a short nod in respect as he recognizes what exactly you’re riding. You give a nod in response and continue on to Aki.

Aki is still straddling her bike, legs tightly clinging to the powerful machine between her legs. They might have been shaking if they weren’t flesh against it. You remember that machine well, it managed to keep up with you after all. You stop a short distance away, having watched her face go from merely angry to downright hateful.

“Hey Aki, hows it been?”

You swear you can hear the leather of her gloves creak as she clamps down on her handlebars.

“Not going to say hi back? Not even to an old friend?”

Mouth set in a thin line she still refuses to say anything. But your mere presence is enough to work on her.

“Well I just wanted to stop in and wish you luck. Make sure to give the cameras a great big SMILE okay?”

Her eyes widen, mouth open in fury. You see a set of perfectly white teeth, nothing like the broken bloody mess you left them in years ago. If she wasn’t on her bike you think she’d have lunged at you. But she still remains silent. It’s impressive really.

“See you at the finish line!”

Walking away you think you hear the murmur of her silken voice but you can’t be sure. It doesn’t matter anyway. You’re pretty sure you’ve accomplished what you set out to do.

Aki is SHAKEN
-1 to MANEUVERS

Heading back to your bike you begin to look it over. A small tweak here and there, tightening a bolt and greasing some parts. You’re not sure if it's ever looked this good before. Before too long though, there’s really not any more you can do to it. You just sit back and enjoy watching other people work on their bikes.
>>
>>4333166

Getting everything into place the race is about to begin. You’re placed in 4th place with the 2 hover bikes in front of you along with Aki. Directly behind you is the Viking, and the rest of the bikes. There’s a cacophony of noise as all the bikes are started. The hums of the electric hover bikes is drowned out by the explosive noise of regular combustion engines. You take smug satisfaction in hearing your beast roar above all the others. Giving it a moment longer to bellow, you rein it in and get into position to ride.

The race track is composed of 3 distinct parts, the first stretch is filled with twists and turns designed to keep competitors close to each other with tight MANEUVERS giving the edge there. The second part is a straightaway, nothing much else matters but SPEED here. The third part is a mix of both separating the wheat from the chaff.

What’s your general strategy?

>Aggressive
>Defensive
>Mix of both
>Write in
>>
>>4333171
>Aggressive
>>
>>4333171
>Aggressive
The sooner we can get out of the main herd of racers, the sooner we can truly unleash our SPEED. Once we have a more ideal position than 4th, we can go to a more conservative defensive style if that suits us in the long run, but we should try to place first before the racers get more spread out.

Question OP. This a gentlemen's race? Just the bike's performance and racer's skill? Or redline style, anything goes? Including armaments?
>>
>>4333190

Technically anything goes, but it's highly frowned upon in the smaller races. The big leagues is where you start to see machine guns and small explosives being hurled around but that's because it's broadcasted to billions and not just a single city.

You didn't see any armaments on anyone though.

also
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAK24FQ7DrA
>>
>>4333183
>>4333190

You give strategy a quick thought. Knowing in the end that you’ll ride how you always ride. Aggressively. It’s still a good idea to plan some things out though. You’ll try to get into a more dominant position before the straightaway.

The countdown begins to the delight of the fans gathered around the track. You begin to unlock the chains around your beast. It roars and strains against you. Begging to be unleashed upon the world. Just a few moments longer you whisper to it.

3.

The crowd roars.

2.

The ground itself vibrates from the noise of the bikes and crowd combined.

1.

Let’s go.

You clamp down on the accelerator and explode forward. Your beast exhilarated to move at long last. The opening moments are quick. Everybody moving as one body clumped together. The hover bikes are fast by themselves but eventually are overtaken by Aki, putting her in first. They play more defensively after losing their top spots and are trying their best to stop anyone from passing them. They’re pretty effective at it in these tight corners. You’re having a hard time getting past them, looks like they’re a team swerving and looping to cover each other's blind spots.

>Get physical
>Maintain distance
>Write in

Either way, roll me a d20 please! Best of 3 as always
>>
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>4333309
>Get physical
>Move bitch, get out of the way
If I'm guessing right, a hoverbike probably has rather good speed and acceleration stats compared to a traditional. Along with suffering less drag and probably having a good edge mobility wise. However, they are probably woefully lacking in terms of weight and traction. Compared to our beast that is weighted down with as many speed and manuvers kit as we could fit on it, we can probably bully them aside with little hassle.
>>
Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4333309
>>Maintain distance
>>
>>4333345
>>4333354
gonna wait for a tie breaker, feel like I might have started too early on a week day. If it gets to be too long I'll just flip a coin
>>
Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>4333309
>Get physical
>>
>>4333386

fuck.
>>
>>4333386
Now the question is if the crit fail overrides the previous roles or not.
>>
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>>4333386
Crits do override and can cancel each other out. I'm eatting right now so I'll start writing in a few minutes
>>
>>4333386
>>4333354
>>4333345

Hover bikes are lightweight, they don’t stand a chance if you get right up in the grind with them. You close the distance quickly, moving back and forth trying to stay in their blind spot. But no matter what you do they always manage to keep an eye on you. Finally getting tired of the game as the straightaway comes closer and closer, you decide to force the issue. Roaring towards them you bump into the back end of one of the hover bikes. They lurch forward and begin to wobble in the air. Their friend steers well clear of this and leaves you two alone. Flooring it to try and get ahead. You’re stuck with the wobbling hover bike in front of you, no matter how hard you try they stay straight ahead and you’re beginning to worry about what happens when they fall. You spend so much time focused on them that you don’t even notice Aki giving up her first place position to come in and slam into your right side.

“Fuck!”

You almost lose control right then and there, Aki shunts you towards the wall and you feel the sparks as you grind into it, jerking your bike right, you again almost lose control as you over steer and come very close to the right wall. During the whole time that you’re trying to regain control you see the other racers dart pass at every opportunity. It’s only thanks to how finely tuned and balanced your bike is that you manage to stay in the race. Finally steadying out in dead last, you have quite a bit of ground to cover to have a chance at winning. Luckily the straightaway isn’t too far off and you can make up some time there.

You’ll have to keep an eye out for Aki next time.

>Focus on getting back in the race
>Focus on getting back at Aki
>>
>>4333446
>Focus on getting back in the race
>>
>>4333446
>Focus on getting back in the race
>>
>>4333446
>> >Focus on getting back in the race
>>
>>4333452
>>4333453
>>4333464

Aki can wait. You beat her into pulp once you can do it again later if it comes to that. You have to beat her in the race first though. Your beast roars it’s impatience as you finally come into the straight away. With your SPEED you easily make up lost time. Several bikers recognizing that they can’t possibly win by now try to jostle you as you come past. Thinking you’re easy pickings from what just happened. You prove them wrong however, easily MANEUVERING around them. By the time the straightaway ends you’re back in 5th. From what you can tell Viking has first place and isn’t giving it up to Aki. She must be kicking herself for giving it up just to fuck with you. The two other bikes aren’t going to be much trouble, you can pass them in the coming turns. But it’s getting close to Viking and Aki that’s going to be the problem.

>Use SPEED in the turns ahead (risky)
>Use MANEUVERS in the turns ahead (safe)
>Write in
>>
>>4333470
>>Use MANEUVERS in the turns ahead (safe)
>>
>>4333470
>Use SPEED in the turns ahead (risky)

We're never going to win unless we take some risks
>>
>>4333470

>Use SPEED in the turns ahead (risky)
>>
>>4333474
>>4333478
>>4333533

Roll some d20s please
>>
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>4333538
>>
>>4333542
Good enough! I'm not touching this at risk of another 1. Take the good roll while we can.
>>
>>4333544

I apologize for changing rules in the quest, but I do want 3 rolls. I really should have had another roll on the 20 earlier in the thread. Please give me 2 more rolls!
>>
Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>4333538
>>
Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4333538
>>4333547
If thou insists. Praise be to RNG. Let the SPEED please it.
>>
>>4333542
>>4333549
>>4333550

SPEED!

Writing now
>>
>>4333474
>>4333478
>>4333533

While taking it safe through the upcoming corners would guarantee you at least 3rd place. You feel the need to take a risk and try to catch up to Viking and Aki in the corners instead of the few short straightaways coming up. Catching up now is the only way to have a chance at winning. You lean into your bike as you pick up speed going into the corners. Easily passing the remaining hover bike, you come up on another combustion bike doing their level best to stay in the race. Unfortunately for them, you are SPEED. Your bike handles beautifully through everything and you catch a glimpse of Aki and Viking as you turn and twist. Finally coming into the first of 2 straight aways you come down upon them. Aki takes a quick look behind her and spots you blazing like hell on her tail. You see her bike wobble just a little as she realizes you’re back in the race. She loses a bit of speed as she does and you come up neck and neck. This time you keep a close eye on her, you don’t want any repeats of last time.

Viking still reigns supreme even though he has to fend off two of you now. He’s showing you just what that classic bike can do and he’s doing it in style. Every move is purposeful, a quick calculation to stop both of you from advancing. You know you still have a chance though. You keep gaining on him now and then and know that you’re faster, you just need one chance to get around and you can take it all home.

>Wait for a chance
>Force a chance
>Wait for Aki to make a move and take advantage
>Slam Aki
>Write in
>>
>>4333573
>>Force a chance
>>
>>4333573
>Force a chance
>>
>>4333573
>Force a chance
>>
>>4333573
>Force a Chance
Let's go, viking bro!
>>
>>4333578
>>4333583
>>4333585
>>4333596

The end of the race is coming up, you can’t just wait around for the small chance that Viking fucks up. You have to make that happen. You continue to peck away at the distance, he makes sure to stay in front but this time you don’t back off. Using how wonderfully balanced your bike is you get right up on his ass. It looks like you’re going to do the same thing as before when suddenly he jets away from you! He must have used his booster, luckily you have yours as well. Without a second's hesitation you thumb the switch and chase after him. You have no doubt Aki does so too.

All three of you boom down the road, giving everything you have to maintain control of the increasingly rampant beast beneath you. This is what you enjoy. The SPEED. Hanging on to a thread of control as you scream down the road. Unchaining the spirit of your motorcycle and becoming one with the machine. This is your chance, you’ve forced him to use his one trick to escape into the end.

Viking is in first. You are in second. Aki brings up the rear in third.


Roll some d20s please!
>>
Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4333617
>>
Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4333617
>>
Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4333617
>>
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>>4333621
>>4333630
>>4333636

You come into the final straightaway. People crammed into the walkways just a blur as you speed down. The cheering is thunderous, almost drowning out your bikes. But the race isn’t over yet. You’ve managed to make everyone use their boosts. This is the final chance to power through.

Vikings boost ends half a second before yours does. This small amount of time is just enough for you to move to the side and pull up right beside him. Straining against the wind, arms heavy. You breathe in great heaves. This is it, the final approach. Your machine has nothing left to give, it’s maxed. Redlining. Pistons smash and whine as your press further down into your seat. Leaning in and trying to edge out just a fraction more SPEED. You’re neck and neck with Viking. Each of you vying for first but not gaining any amount of ground on each other. Roaring along with your steed, both of you cross the finish line.

Everything goes blank as the deafening boom of the crowd goes even wilder than before. You let off the accelerator and let your machine wind down. Then quickly coming into a sliding stop alongside Viking. You’re both breathing in gasps as you each rip off your helmets. It takes just a second for Aki to catch up and for a second you think she’s going to ram you. But she moves at the last second and continues driving off. Guess she’s not going to stay for the ceremony then.

Viking and you lock eyes and smile. This is what you both live for, you can feel it in him. You break your gaze to look up at the giant screen replaying the final moments of the race. Dozens of different angles play out before it plays one over and over in slow motion. Your breath catches in your throat. It shows you barely half an inch past Viking as you cross the finish line. You did it. You won!

The crowd starts chanting your call-sign.

“Radiant! Radiant! Radiant!” The sound bounces off everything and you see windows vibrate in their fittings.

You look at Viking again and he only smiles and tips his head towards you. Both of you rev up your bikes and head towards where the ceremony will take place. It all goes by in a blur. The medals being handed out with a noticeably absent spot where Aki should be. You do manage to get a quick word in with Viking before he disappears into the crowd, no doubt to enjoy the celebrations going on everywhere.

>What did you say to Viking?

A beautiful woman with perfect corporate teeth gives you a business card. It reads Sutherlund Industries. It leaves you wondering just what they could want from you. You get swept up into the crowd after and enjoy one hell of a night with people everywhere chanting your name.

>Enjoy a few days of relaxation
>Call Dave
>Follow up on Sutherlund Industries
>Write in
>>
Congratulations on winning the race guys! That 14 was a tie but 15 pushed you past! I think I might call it here for a few hours. Maybe post once or twice again tonight but I have some chores I want to do around the house.

As always thanks for reading and participating! Hopefully we continue having fun! If anyone has any questions or comments I'm more than happy to take them.
>>
Are we a asshole?
>>
>>4333716
>Salute him and drive off fast
>Call Dave, ask him about Sutherlund industries too
>>
>>4333735
Maybe just a little, you had good reason to do what you did to Aki but you're still kind of cold, calculated, and a bit of an ass.
>>
It a a good play to win and i like winning but being bloodthirsty may bite us, plus building ours rep on never shotting anyone on the job show pure skills on ours part.
>>
>>4333699
>>What did you say to Viking?
Probably some generic banter with honest respect. Guy drove great and has good taste in bikes. Ask him if he's going to be going for the next race.

>Call Dave, ask him about Sutherlund industries

>>4333735
Nah, Aki's clearly the bitch and problem here. Besides, we smoked her after coming back from last place, she can mope all she wants without our input.

Other than old beef with her, we've been pretty chill with most people it seems. Aloof and straight-to-business sure, but not overly hostile when better alternatives are present. And I agree, I like the idea of being a 'pacifist' biker. Let them die trying to fly as fast as us, but no need to resort to guns.
>>
>>4333699
>>Follow up on Sutherlund Industries
>>
>>4333736
>>4333782
>>4334774

You exchanged a few words with Viking. Enough to learn that his real call-sign is ‘Mistletoe’. You also exchanged info, to hang out or even be back up on a run if you need him.

You decide to call up Dave and ask him about Sutherlund Industries. They’re a mystery to you other than the job you just did for them. Which wasn’t exactly on the legal side.

“Hey hey! How’s my favorite new champion! I watched the whole thing on holo and gotta say, you really pulled yourself back up from that fuckup at the start! That’s why we like you so much Radiant. You get shit done even if there’s a major setback. Now what can I do for you?”

“Thanks Dave, I try real hard to keep you entertained. Now, I got a contact card from Sutherlund Industries. Can you tell me anything about them?”

Dave lets out a low whistle at that.

“Damn kid you really are hitting the big leagues. Yeah we have a little insight on them, besides the job we just pulled from them they’ve been contacting others to do just about the same. I know they are specialized in bio-mechanical engineering. Cyber enhancements in other words. They might want you to test out some of their stuff? I’d definitely check them out if they reached out to you. Their shit’s really top of the line.”

“Thanks Dave. I appreciate the info. Got anything else for me?”

“Yeah actually, winning that race isn’t exactly keeping your head down you know? I’d watch out for the Bloodskulls. Seems they watched the race too and might have put two and two together.”

“Alright, I’ll keep an eye out. Talk to you later Dave.”

“Sounds good Radiant! I’ll contact you the second we got another job for yah!”

Hanging up with Dave. You get back to wiping down your bike. A daily ritual you do even if you didn’t ride that day.

>Contact Mistletoe (for what?)
>Contact Sutherlund Industries
>Skip to the next job from Dawn Inc.
>Write in
>>
>>4336794
>Contact Sutherlund Industries
>>
>>4336794
>Contact Sutherlund Industries
>>
>>4336794
>Contact Sutherlund Industries

Why does Aki hate us?
>>
>>4336794
>Skip to the next job from Dawn Inc.
Kinda think we should wait for our handler to square us a proper job. Through the proper channels and everything. I know we're able to do side jobs, but this looks like a chance that could quickly spiral out into a conflict of interests. Though I guess we'll be able to judge that after we've heard what they want from us.

Plus I kind of want that backing and protection Dawn Inc gives us if we have to haul more lab rats.
>>
>>4336858
>>4336881
>>4336906
>>4336969


Looks like Sutherlund wins! I'll be writing here in a short bit.

>>4336906
You had a job go very badly and you both blame each other. I do plan on fleshing this out.
>>
Deciding to contact Sutherlund Industries you pull out the card and punch in their info. Looks like it’s a direct line instead of to a regular corporate call center. For that you’re pretty thankful.

“Melanie Dread. Or should I call you Radiant?”

It’s a smooth sultry female voice that answers.

“Thank you for contacting us so quickly. We have so many things to talk about and to show you. I’m sure we have much to gain from each other.”

“Well, you know me but I don’t know you. Who am I speaking to? Also, it’s Radiant.”

“Oh! Forgive me for that lapse. I’m the head of our science division of Sutherlund Industries. Felicia Fathoms.”

“Alright Ms. Fathoms. What exactly are you offering me?”

“Straight to the point then, I’ve heard that about you. As I’m sure you know, we at Sutherlund specialize in cybernetics. We’re interested in supplying some interesting pieces in exchange for working for us here and there. Don’t worry, we won’t keep you from your job at Dawn Inc., as tiny as they are. I’m sure they must have something you want. I do want to meet in person, and some of the things I want to offer should really be seen in person rather than talked about on a call. I’m more than willing to work around your schedule to meet. I do hope you give us a chance, it’s not everyday you’re contacted by one of the premiere corporations you know.”

She’s not wrong, Sutherlund Industries is quite large and well known. You know their main offices take up at least 3 of the mega skyscrapers. There are many more but to own 3 is quite something.

>Agree to meet
>Decline
>Write in
>>
>>4337189
>Agree to meet
>>
>>4337189

>Agree to meet
>>
>>4337189
>Agree to meet
OP lemme just say your writing is on-point and please don't get eaten by the curse, it has something against cyberpunk settings
>>
>>4337197
>>4337326
>>4337482

Thinking that meeting up and seeing what they’re offering is worthwhile you quickly set up a meeting with Ms. Fathoms. You still have a few days before you think Dave will have another job for you. You spend some time taking care of chores and other small necessities of life. Going out is always an experience now that you’ve won the race. Quite a few people ask for your autograph or have some kind of comment on the race. You aren’t sure how you feel about it.

>How DO you feel about it?

The meeting comes by fairly quickly. You ride out to Sutherlund Industries lab. The one you delivered the PACKAGE to. Parking your bike you head inside and are greeted by Ms. Fathoms and what looks to be her security team. Two asian women who happen to be heavily armed. You have a gut feeling that you don’t really want to fuck with them.

“How do you do Radiant? Hope your ride here was pleasant. We have so many things to see today, I hope you enjoy what you see and that we can come to some sort of deal.”

“Thank you for having me Ms. Fathoms. I’m looking forward to seeing just what you can offer me.”

Nodding at that, Ms. Fathoms beckons you over and leads the way deeper into the complex. You pass a few experiments here and there and Ms. Fathoms gives you some small talk on each one as you go. Nothing really catches your eye. It’s when she stops at a covered window that you start to pay full attention. She smiles at you and waves her hand for one of her bodyguards to pull the blinds. Revealing an operating table in the center of a circular room. There’s a man who you recognize as the one who picked up the PACKAGE, and on the table is the PACKAGE. She’s clearly under anesthesia or at least you hope she is as the man is grafting cybernetics to her.

“We focus on cybernetics.” Ms. Fathoms breaks the silence as you continue to watch the operation.

“To make you stronger, faster, smarter. Everything you could want and more. We’re offering that to you. In exchange, you put those skills of yours to use for us every now and then.”

“What would those jobs entail?”

“They could be just about anything. Just like your normal job of course, it could be running a letter or a person. Like what you did for us before.”

“You’re offering quite a bit for me to just do my normal job.”

“We see it as an investment. New Light is a growing mega-city Radiant. We’ll be in need of talent, you aren’t the only one we’ve reached out to.”

Silence falls over you both again as you take time to mull what she said over. Soon the operation is done and she leads the way to her office on the top floor. Sitting behind her desk she offers you a drink.

“200 year old whiskey.”
>>
Taking a sip of her own drink she immediately pulls out a data pad and sends you the details on what exactly they’re offering.

Skeletal reinforcement. Will allow you to handle heavier, more advanced bike frames as well as generally giving you increased strength and a more durable body for any mishaps that may occur.

Cybernetic eyes. Greatly enhancing your vision this will stop any blurriness that happens on account of speed. (+1 MANEUVERS)

Hidden blade. A blade the length of your forearm is placed inside of your forearm. Allowing quick access to a melee weapon. You know that jobs for major corporations almost always involve violence at some point, might as well be prepared for it.

“You don’t have to pick right now, take your time.”


>Ask Ms. Fathoms a question? What?
>Accept her offer (pick one of the cyber options)
>Decline her offer
>Delay your choice
>Write in
>>
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>>4337482

Thank you very much!

I'll try not to just disappear, I've been an avid reader of quests for years and know how it feels to have a QM suddenly stop showing up and a quest never being finished.
>>
>>4337743
>How DO you feel about it? Mixed, it'll probably help us professionally and we can earn money in later races, but it makes doing jobs now harder and more dangerous. People like the bloodskulls could recognize us, and people could recognize while we're in the middle of a job.
>Cybernetic eyes. Greatly enhancing your vision this will stop any blurriness that happens on account of speed. (+1 MANEUVERS)
>>
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>>4337739
Ms. Fathoms security team, forgot to attach it to the post
>>
also one last thing jesus

you won 5 FUNDS from the race bringing you up to 7

You also received 3 REP bringing you up to 6
>>
>>4337739
>How DO you feel about it?
Mixed. The professional bonuses, recognition, and opportunities it opens for us as far as jobs go, like this right here, is nice. But otherwise the attention, glory hounding, and fans are all rather bothersome. We just entered that race for the sake of the sport. For the SPEED. Not for the limelight.

>>4337743
>Ask Ms. Fathoms a question? What?
General questions about cybernetic/bionic enhancements. Their limitations, upkeep, dependency on their infrastructure to maintain, ect. See if their cybernetics are a self-contained and maintaining system or if they require periodic returns. At least in my mind, Radiant prefers a decent deal of autonomy, I'd like to make sure that we don't become dependent on Sutherland or a less than legal operation to keep our body tuned/updated.
Also ask about less-intrusive cybernetic/tech options, or perhaps a way to get a sensory uplink to the bike. Something to make us more aware of the bike systems and condition. Like a series of probes that fit on the inside of the helmet, or even just some basic HUDs for the helmet and windshield.
>Delay your choice
I'd also like to see how many jobs we'd have to do before we pay off our first augmentation. Get some sort of contract settled so we don't get roped into a corporate slave situation with Radiant at their beck and call.


If the majority of people go for accepting, then I'll cast my vote for the skeletal reinforcement. Seems the least likely to need constant/costly upkeep while also being less intrusive than nerve/sensory organ replacements.
>>
>>4337743
>Skeletal reinforcement
>>
>>4337858

“How often do I need to come in to maintain my cybernetics?”

Ms. Fathoms smiles at that.

“We pride ourselves on how efficiently our cybernetics run Radiant. You could theoretically never have to have a checkup done once installed. But, we do recommend having everything looked over once a year at least. Just to fine tune and update any software.”

“What about a series of sensors for my bike? Something to make me more aware of my bike’s condition?”

“Oh! Yes of course. That’s a fairly minor neural uplink that we can do. I’m offering you the big packages right now darling. Rest assured, once you’re in our hands we’ll take good care of you and your bike.”

“One last thing, how many jobs do I have to do for this?”

“While we would like to keep you in a more permanent sense of retainer. I’ve been told that you would have to, at the very least, complete three jobs for us before we would consider the contract being complete.”

>Ask more questions?


Looks like Skeletal Reinforcement is in the lead for now, gonna wait for a while till maybe this evening to get in more votes. It is the 4th of July after all.
>>
>>4338297

Ask if they do other stuff as well, we don't have any weapons yet as far as I know.
>>
>>4337743
>It's okay, as long as they don't get too touchy.
>Decline her offer
>Delay your choice
>Take FUNDS instead

If we're doing cybernetics we should get them from black market.
>>
>>4338316

“What else does Sutherlund Industries do?”

“Not much else that I haven’t already offered. Unless you want a new holo projector, there really isn’t much else.”

The only real weaponry they offer is the hidden arm blades.


>>4338453
Not too sure what to make of your vote here anon. Declining her offer eliminates all your other choices.
>>
>>4338548
Just add +1 to all options voted
>>
>>4338297
>>4337743
Based on those answers, I think I'd be good jumping over to the "let's do it" side. An initial trial run of 3 jobs for the reinforced skeleton. See how we like working for them/the moral implications of the jobs entailed/occupational risks. Then we can hash things out further with them and Dawn inc.
>>
>>4337755
>>4338070
>>4338597
For accepting the offer and taking a cybernetic upgrade. 1 for Cyber eyes and 2 for Skeleton

>>4338453
For Declining the offer.

Writing now
>>
It takes some time and internal debate before you decide to do it.

“I accept your offer. The skeletal reinforcement for 3 jobs.”

Ms. Fathoms eyes light up and a genuine smile stretches across her face,

“Wonderful! I’ll set up the operation as soon as possible! I’m sure you’ll come to enjoy working for Suthurlund Industries. It has a few perks like REAL coffee, not that onions alternative and maybe we’ll look into putting you up in a penthouse? All free of charge of course.”

“We’ll see.”

You can’t help but get a little excited about the coffee. You’ve only had real coffee once and it was divine. The penthouse you’ll have to think about. It’d be nice to not live in a 2 room apartment where your living room is also your garage. But, moving into the penthouse would further connect you to Sutherlund Industries.

You make a quick call to Dave to fill him in on your operation. He congratulates you on your business deal and says he’ll put off any jobs until you recover. He also mentions he got a message from the manufacturer, Charlamagne Motorcycles, of your motorcycle. You really can’t help but get excited about that. They want you to come over to their plant and see their new bikes. They were really happy that you won riding one of their bikes.

>Skip to the operation and recovery
>Head over to Charlamagne Motorcycles
>Write in
>>
>>4338644
>Head over to Charlamagne Motorcycles
>>
>>4338644
>Head over to Charlamagne Motorcycles
They made a quality one with ours. Let's see if the newest batch can surpass our baby.
>>
>>4338644
>>Head over to Charlamagne Motorcycles
>>
>>4338665
>>4338695
>>4338708

Immediately after leaving Suthurlund Industries you head out to Charlamagne Motorcycles. Almost salivating at the thought of checking out their new gear and motorcycles. It takes a while to get there and by the time you are you almost bounce with every step once you’re off your bike. Walking up to the front desk you explain who you are and the message is passed on. After a short wait a well dressed man with honey eyes and caramel skin walks up to you.

“Well hey there Radiant! It’s so nice to meet the winner of the Snake Way race. Especially since you won on one of ours. In fact, you just missed the man who came in second. What a beauty he was riding huh? Anyway, I’m Emanuel and I’ll be showing you around today.”

After a few more pleasantries you get on to the show. He shows you new helmets with holo displays on the inside to give you up to date info on your bike in use and that can easily link into many different neural mods. A new racing suit designed to have less drag and still be resilient enough incase of a slide. Although at the speeds you’re used to, a slide usually means a very long wet trail of paste. Still, it could mitigate that alongside your upcoming upgrade. Then comes the main show. Emanuel takes you through a hallway lined with the company's past bikes. You both enthusiastically talk about each bike as it comes along. Stopping at your current model there isn’t anything left in the hall.

“And this is the beauty that won you the race! Of course you would know that wouldn’t you? But all of this isn’t why we asked you here. No, we want to show you some of our upcoming models, get your thoughts on things. Maybe even work out some kind of deal on a sponsorship or a discount on the bikes. You and Mistletoe putting not one, but two of our bikes on the winning podium has really brought a spike in our sales. We’d like to thank you for that.”

The door at the end of the hallway opens up and you’re let into the guts of the facility. Where all the real research is done. Coming up on new designed concept models you immediately start geeking out over the upgrades. There’s a sleek bike designed for agility, it has less power than yours does now but could MANEUVER around it all day every day. There’s a large bike that Emanuel finds quite amusing that you think you could handle it. But you have a secret up your sleeve and that bike could hold quite a few upgrades and modifications that your skilled hands could apply. Both of them are combustion engines. Then there’s the third bike. A hover bike that marks Charlemagne's first foray into hover technology. It’s sleek, it’s powerful, but it wouldn’t hold as many upgrades as the other bikes. Tinkering with it would be extra hard as many of the parts are just not replaceable.

“So, what do you think?”
>>
>>4338781

You immediately start gushing about the pros and cons of each bike. It’s the most animated you’ve been in a while. Motorcycles always get you this way. Laughing, Emanuel tries to calm you down.

“Alright, alright. We still have one last thing to discuss and that’s the sponsorship. It would entail you wearing our branding as well as agreeing not to ride other bikes. We’d give you some FUNDS and a discount on all of our gear. But you’d have to agree to try and stay on the right side of the law. No running around illicit packages. We can’t have our brand associated with criminal activity. But just between you and me, even if the sponsorship doesn’t work out. I’d still like to give you a discount on our stuff. You’re a real gear head and I truly appreciate that about you.”

>Accept sponsorship
>Decline sponsorship


Looking over their gear you see some things you’d like.

>Helmet with heads up display. -1 FUNDS
>Anti-slide Jacket. -1 FUNDS

You also have the chance to put in an order for the new bikes.

>Sleek MANEUVER bike
>Heavy upgradable bike
>Hover bike

All bikes are -6 FUNDS with the discount applied. You have 7 FUNDS

The MANEUVER bike starts off with slower speed but can be upgraded to where you are now.

The Heavy bike will take some more funds to truly unlock it’s potential but can host more modifications than the others.

The Hover bike starts off with more SPEED and MANEUVER but is expensive and hard to upgrade.
>>
>>4338784
Can we accept the sponsorship but not use their stuff when doing illegal things? If not then
>Decline sponsorship

>Heavy upgradable bike

We can still use our original bike while we upgrade it right?

Hoverbikes BTFO
>>
>>4338784
>Heavy upgradable bike
>Decline sponsorship
>>
>>4338817
You would be breaking two conditions but as long as you didn't get caught you could. But right now you only own one bike which is one of theirs, and you are super identifiable right now.

You can use your current bike while upgrading the heavy one. It starts at 2 SPEED and 2 MANEUVER so it's only 1 behind on both of your stats.
>>
>>4338784
>Decline sponsorship
Thank him for the tour and the opportunity, but turn it down graciously.

>Heavy upgradable bike
I'm tempted to hoard cash for other things, but getting a brand new bike with tons of customization and getting it before anyone else sounds like a real fun time. Sign me up.

I'm guessing we can't strip mods off of our old bike and slap them on the new ones? The old bike can be our normal go-to for now, and suddenly bust out the new one if the job calls for a little something extra.
>>
>>4338864
Correct, you can't strip the mods they just aren't compatible.
>>
>>4338817
>>4338825
>>4338864

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t accept the sponsorship. I have too much on my plate as it is right now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Radiant, but it’s understandable. You just became a champion, everyone must want a piece of you.” He laughs.

The whole time you’re talking to Emanuel and negotiating prices, you just can’t take your eyes off the heavy bike. It calls to you. You know the potential there and how heavy it’s chains are right now. But with the right amount of care, a tender caress here and there. You can free it from bondage. Finally coming to a price that still almost bankrupts you, you leave Charlemagne's Motorcycles with a new motorcycle to be delivered to your home. You start shaking with excitement and almost get into an accident or two with your mind focused on everything you want to do to it.

With talking to Suthurlund Industries and Charlemagne's Motorcycles. You’ve had quite a busy day. Finally being able to relax at home, you make some space for your new bike. Eagerly waiting for it’s delivery. Taking a long bath you relax and think about everything you’ve done today. Making a deal with a major corporation for them to modify your skeleton in exchange for three jobs. You shiver a little at thinking about the coming operation. Thinking back to how you saw that woman flayed open and being operated on. Moving on to more pleasant thoughts you think about the new bike that’s coming. Just the mere thought of it excites you and sends a warmth all over your body that has nothing to do with the heat from the bath. Then you let yourself go blank and relax further into the bath.

>Skip to operation and recovery
>Reminiscence about Aki
>Write in
>>
>>4338937
>Reminiscence about Aki
>>
>4338937
>Reminiscence about Aki
>>
>>4338937
>Skip to operation and recovery
Let's get the show on the road! Forgo the past and forge a path onto the future!

>Captcha was bikes this time.
Fitting.
>>
>>4338942
>>4338947
For

>>4338975
Against
>>
You think back to the race. How you saw and reacted to Aki. You used to be so close. Even sharing this same space you live in now. Now she can barely stand the sight of you and just seeing her gets your blood running hot. Sinking further into the tub you think even further back. To the run that ruined your friendship.

It’s just a normal run to you. Even if you aren’t using your bikes right now. You and Aki are jamming out to the truck's radio and just enjoying the drive. You picked up the trailer that some corporation wants delivered to some site out in the fucking boonies. Aki asked what was inside and got a nonanswer, you don’t really care one way or another. It’s just a job to you, you’ve taken on more of the extralegal jobs than Aki and know that asking questions is a good way to wind up in a gutter somewhere.

After a few stops for snacks and bathroom breaks you finally make it to your destination with time to spare before the rendezvous with the pick up team. It’s almost midnight when you park the truck and begin unhitching the trailer. When suddenly you hear thumps and cries coming from inside. If only Aki hadn’t heard them too. Things might be different now. This isn’t your first time hauling people. But it is Aki’s, and she's freaked out. Pacing back and forth you can tell her conscience is fighting her. You try to calm her down several times. But she keeps working herself up into a frenzy.

“Look Aki, I’ve done this before.” She shoots you a wounded and worried look.

“They’re just PACKAGES Aki, something to be delivered and forgotten. Nothing else.”

“They’re fucking people! Not packages Melanie! How can you even fucking say that. I don’t know who you are anymore.”

She goes to break open the trailer doors with a crowbar she grabbed from the truck and you step in the way.

“Delivery instructions were clear on not opening the trailer Aki.”

“I don’t fucking care about the deliverely anymore! I’m going to let those people out!”

She tries to go around you, but you keep stepping in her way.

“Just calm down Aki, let’s talk about this.”

But she has that look in her eyes, you’ve seen it a million times. She’s made up her mind and isn’t going to stop until she gets what she wants.

“Move Melanie, or I’ll move you.” The last part comes out in a whisper.
>>
>>4339055

You can’t help but laugh at that, you’ve always been the stronger one and have half a foot of height on her. But you stop laughing when she slams the crowbar into your leg. FUCK! You scream and go down. You stay there clutching your leg and swearing.

“Just stay down Melanie, I’m going to let them go and then we’ll get back in the truck and go home. Then it’ll all be okay.”

You manage to get to your feet with her back to you as she struggles to open the trailer. With a cry you slam into her with a tackle, making her drop the crowbar in the process. You both scuffle for a minute until she gets a lucky shot in and you roll off her panting. But the crowbar is right next to you. Grabbing it and hoping to your feet you look around for her. You see her digging in the passenger side door and stop for a moment. Your blood runs cold. There’s a gun in there, Aki always keeps one just in case of emergencies. She couldn’t possibly be going for that could she? But your fears are confirmed when she whirls around with it in her hands. You’re within striking distance but she has a gun.

“Just let me do this Melanie! I can’t let people be trafficked like fucking animals. It isn’t right!”

“Woah Aki, just put the gun down okay? We’ll work this ou-” The gun barks.

“Did you just shoot at me? Did you just fucking shoot at me?!”

Your vision goes red, Aki looks stunned. Not paying attention to you but merely looking stupefied at the gun. It leaves her wide open to the huge swing you take at her ribs. You can tell you broke one or two of them as she screams. You take a step forward and wanting to silence those screams, take another shot at her head. Making an utter mess of her jaw. It takes all you can to not just keep hitting her over and over. But she’s been your friend for years. You can’t believe it’s ended up like this. It’s only after all this that you feel an intense burning in your arm. The adrenaline having left your system you actually feel the spot you’ve been shot. It’s a graze but tore a strip of flesh out of you. Jesus Christ.

In a daze you unhook the trailer, pick up Aki and throw her in the truck. Leaving the trailer behind you find the nearest clinic and unceremonsily dump Aki on their doorstep then leave. It’s the least you can do after years of friendship.

Having this all come back to you, you let your head sink under the water too. Staying here for as long as you can hold your breath you emerge gasping. You feel the gouge in your arm and try to shake away the memory. It’s put you into a melancholy mood. Wishing things had been different. You dry off and head to bed. Thinking of only your future now.
>>
Gonna call it a night here guys. I work the next few days so updates will be sparse. We'll pick back up with the recovery from surgery! I hope you are all enjoying the quest and continue to have fun with me! As always, if you have any comments or questions I'm happy to answer them.
>>
>>4339061
Thanks for running.

So we’re the bad guy huh? Makes sense.

Are we going to be at a disadvantage if we stay combustion bike purists? Or will
We be able to stay competitive with them?
>>
>>4339072
Yeah, sorry if that's a deal breaker for anybody. But we established that Radiant is okay with trafficking people and Aki obviously isn't. Which caused the major split. If you hadn't been okay with it Aki would have been a friendly rival like Mistletoe having moved out to spread her wings on her own.

So my setting is kind of like the beginning of a cyberpunk setting? We're many years off from Hover Tech surpassing centuries of combustion research and I think I want the quest to end before we hit years in game time lol. So yes you'll be competitive as long as you keep dumping money into your bikes.
>>
>>4339082
No problem for me. This is cyberpunk after all. Gotta look out for number one above all else. Besides, her handler should've vetted her if she was okay with body trafficking or not.
Kinda surprised and nice to see you stick to your guns on her characterization though. Thought it'd be a case where if we weren't okay with it, the situations would've been reversed, and she'd be the callous one.

Is there anything stopping us from slapping some hovertech, super gyros, onto it though? To accomplish some of the extra useful feats those bleeding edge bikes can pull off; like sick jumps and airtime? What about ceramic, double-rotor, two-wheel disk drives, or a soviet nuke linked up to a dead man's trigger in our head? Granted, that's starting to go into shadow runner levels, and that's a very dangerous slope to go down.
>>
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>>4339235
Never deal with a dragon.

There isn't really anything to stop you from adding stuff like that. Feel free to suggest things like that and explain exactly what you want that part to do. I'm not too solid on motorcycle parts myself so any help would be appreciated. I'm all for sick jumps and massive airtime.

You will probably never need the dead man nuke, but who knows where the corporate jobs will take you :)
>>
The day of the operation comes and goes. It takes two weeks before you finally feel good enough to ride your bike again. Honestly, it wasn’t the intense pain or the fact that almost your entire body was black and blue for those two weeks. But not being able to ride was the real torture.

You have to spend quite a bit of time getting used to your own strength again. Having accidentally torn off some cabinet doors and crushing a remote or two. It takes time but you do get used to it. It does mean you had to spend even more time to relearn how to handle your bikes. Your increased strength and weight thanks to the skeletal reinforcement has really messed up your balance on them. But by the time the third week comes you’re back in peak condition, riding even better than you used to.

During your down time you received several calls asking for interviews.

>Did you do an interview?

You also received several messages from Don and Mistletoe. Both of them are asking to meet up at some point in the future. As well as a message from an anonymous account that just reads.

“I’m sorry.”

You aren’t quite sure what to make of that.

>Meet up with Don
>Meet up with Mistletoe
>Call Dave
>Write in
>>
>>4342606
>Did you do an interview?
Just one, picked at random of the offers

>Meet up with Don

Good to see you back. May I suggest shilling yourself in QTG?
>>
>>4342724
eh, just getting in a quick post to start things before I go to work. Maybe the next time I do a solid day of running I will
>>
>>4342606
>Call Dave
>>
>>4342606
>Did you do an interview?
Nah.

>Meet up with Don
>Meet up with Mistletoe
>>
>>4342606
>>Did you do an interview?
No
>Call Dave
>>
>>4342724
>>4342960
>>4342974
>>4344375

You decide to call Dave to start off your day.

“Hey hey Radiant! How’s my favorite runner doing? Feeling better I hope, cause I got a job for yah.”

“Yeah I’m feeling better thanks Dave. What’s the job?”

“Some rich kid wants to be seen with the local champ! She’s shelling out big bucks for you to drive her around while she hits some clubs and shit. You’re not her bodyguard so don’t worry about that, she’ll have a full escort as those CEO kids tend to have. You’re just there to add some glam to her night. I know it’s not what you usually do, but you’re gonna have to get used to that now that you have a big name in the game.”

“Sounds like shit Dave.”

“Yeah, I’d say have some drinks but you gotta ferry that kid around and you don’t want ANYTHING to happen to her on your bike. So just grin and bear it I guess. Anyway I got other shit to do, hope you’re feeling fully recovered! “Any package, any where””.

With that Dave hangs up on you. You’re really not looking forward to this job. Babysitting isn’t what you usually sign up for. That’s usually something Sunny or other armed runners do. But you’ll just have to deal with it.

Following up on Don’s message you decide to head on down to his bar. It’s a quiet drive there, you still haven’t taken out your new bike on a real job yet. You need to decide when to break her in. Plus there’s an additional factor of anonymity while on it. People are recognizing your old bike as yours. With the new one you will pass as someone else unless you slip up or let people know. Something to think about later you suppose.

“Hey Don! How’s it going?”

“Hey Melanie! I’m doin well! You? Bar’s been busier lately cause the CHAMP hangs here hahaha! I appreciate the business boost girl!”

“Don’t mention it Don, just lending a helping hand. So what’s going on? You sent me a message?”

Don quiets down with that, getting more serious.

“Yeah, got some good news and some pretty bad news. I’ll start with the good. You’ve been officially invited to Hell’s Run, the next big race coming down the tracks. This one has a certain deadly vibe to it. Anything goes, just like before really. But this is where the literal guns start coming out so make sure you either arm up or put some kind of armor on. Wouldn’t want my favorite customer sprouting some new holes. Also, speaking of that, I’ve got some bad news about the Bloodskulls. Looks like they’ve finally figured it out and put out a hit on you. A bounty as well as their own squads. Like I said, might be time to invest in some kind of defense or offense. Troubles coming down the road for you kid.”

“Thanks Don, it means a lot that you keep your ear out for me. I’ll take all that into consideration. Anything else?”
>>
>>4344504

Don shakes his head. A few hours later and you head on home. Declining to do any interviews you’ve made yourself a mysterious figure which only adds to your allure. You do see Mistletoe do an interview, he’s sporting Charlemagne gear all over. Looks like he took the sponsorship. Good for him.

>Meet up with Mistletoe
>Skip to the job
>Write in
>>
another quick post before I work today. Looks like the next time I'll have serious time to run is on Thursday. So count on that unless I say otherwise.
>>
>>4344505
>Send a quick message/call to mistletoe, congratulating him on the slick gig.
>Check out prices on armored suits, bike armor, shield projectors(?), Or maybe a stungun

See if anything is within our very narrow budget before
>Skip to the job

Taking the heavy bike might be good to keep the gang war from affecting the kid. But it will completely ruin the anon powers it would give us after this one job.
>>
>>4344541
+1
>>
>>4344541
+1
>>
>>4344507
You were asking about fancy bike upgrades earlier. I know next to nothing about bikes, but I can think of some random neat mods that could be fun/useful.

Besides some basic engine upgrades to make it go FASTER, I've been thinking of gyroscope stablizers to allow tighter turns, some scaled down hovertech that allows for tighter turns and some air time, Speed racer style piston jacks to get a sudden jump, and a neruo-net interface to allow better control of the systems.
If we want to go real crazy (though probably not likely on our current bike, since its likely not fueled with jet fuel), if it was closer to a plane engine we could include a War Emergency Power throttle to pump water with the mixture to allow the engine to go hotter and stronger for a bit. Similar to a 'noss, but with less chance of explosions.

Friend suggested a few more ideas, more in line with a decker/hacker build than a speedster build. Traffic signal hacker to give you signal pre-emption, jammers to counter red lights or surveillance cameras, and an drone to allow for surveillance or as an outflier.
>>
>>4344541
>>4344560
>>4344773

Taking Don’s words to heart you spend some time looking up ways to defend yourself. Most of it is outside of your price range right now. Especially the bike armor, god damn. But you do come up with some options after some major deal searching.

>Taser knife
>Small pistol
>Bullet resistant jacket

All items cost 1 FUNDS, you have 1 FUNDS currently. Any item you order will be received in time for this next mission.

It’s the best you can do with your available FUNDS. Maybe you should ask Don about finding an armoured suit? Maybe your corporate connections could come up with something like that as well. Options to be considered down the road.

The kid wants to be picked up from her penthouse and taken around town hitting all the top clubs and other nightlife spots. You sigh and prepare yourself to deal with a pampered brat for the rest of the night. You left early enough that you at least get to enjoy your ride and take it easy on the way there. Taking in the sights and sounds of the night in New Light city. You pull up to the building and look skyward, not being able to see where it ends before it disappears into the smog. Parking and heading inside you punch in the codes they gave you and are soon hurtling towards the very top of the building. Once you arrive the doors open up revealing several armed guards watching you. They quickly verify who you are and search you, then point you down the hall. You find your way quickly and come into what must be half the floors worth of space in the apartment. You can’t help but be jealous.

“Like the place?”

A quiet voice asks from your side, startling you.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

A small girl who must be freshly 18 moves in front of you. Large hazel-grey eyes meet yours, peeking out from locks of red hair. A small button nose and pursed lips, she gives the impression of a very shy mouse.

“It’s okay, I just didn’t hear you come in.”

“I’m a very quiet person, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay, sorry.” She mumbles and looks down.

Oh god, you prepared yourself for the exact opposite of this. You were expecting a high volume spoiled to hell and back party girl. Not a quiet demure mouse of a girl. Just what has Dave got you into tonight.

“My name’s Aleksandra Red. I’m sorry if you got pressed into this. My father wants me to get out more and thought that this would be good for me.”

That would explain why a girl like this is about to hit all the major night spots in New Light. This poor girl.

>Ask a question
>Get on with it
>>
>>4345485
Forgot to add something

>Which Bike did you take?
>>
>>4345485
>Get on with it

No questions means we get here there faster!
>>
>>4345042
I like the sounds of those! I'll try and remember to give you some of them as options for when you upgrade.
>>
>>4345485
>>Bullet resistant jacket
>Get on with it
>Which Bike did you take?
Old one
>>
>>4345485
>Bullet resistant jacket

>Old one
>>
>>4345485
>>Bullet resistant jacket
Pairs well with our skeleton and lets us be the shield while guards are the sword.

>Get on with it
If she wants to talk, she can talk on the way. Make sure we remember what gforces a normie can handle.

>What bike
I'm honestly leaning towards the new one. It might ruin its ability for us to go stealthy in it later, BUT hear me out.
If we do this well, and don't unnessessarily risk her life, we can get paid mad amounts of cash. Pros of working a high value escort mission for a day cat. Probably enough to pay for the speed and manuvers upgrades for the new bike to make it on par with our old one. And ideally then some. Once we get our new bike up to par with, and beyond, our old one it will be our typical go to machine.
Then again, the old bike has a status we can leverage/the fat cat wants his daughter to be associated with. And SPEED to get the fuck out of dodge.

Also I wonder what are the prices to get a bit job on the enemy gang? Murder the guys who put a hit on us to keep them from being able to go after us themselves.
>>
>>4346040
>Day cat and bit job
Fat cat And hit job*
Thanks auto correct.
>>
>>4345489
>>4345507
>>4345727
>>4346040

You tug your new bullet resistant jacket a little tighter. If she wants to talk to you, she can talk to you on the way there or at the myriad of stops you’re going to make tonight. You lead her down to your bike, followed by her security team. They explain that you'll be driving in the middle of a motorcade. Two vehicles in front of you and two behind, you can sense the amount of frustration coming off him that Aleksandra will be out in the open on a motorcycle rather than in one of his armoured cars. But his and your orders are clear, she needs to be seen with you on your bike. She’s also wearing bullet proof clothing, much more expensive and better at protecting her than your cheap bullet resistant jacket. Hell, you think even her purse could stop bullets.

You brought your older bike with you, thinking that it is the Champions bike and the more upgraded of the two. Giving Aleksandra some tips and rules about riding motorcycles you hop on and help her on with you. She tentatively puts her arms around you. You have to grab her arms and pull her tight up flesh against you.

“You need to hold on TIGHT. We won’t be going too fast but you have to be safe.”

All you get is a mumbled sorry in reply. Her tightest grip barely registered against your body. You’ll have to take this slow, otherwise you’d have to strap her in like you do with PACKAGES. It isn’t long before you get on the way. Drawing eyes here and there, you see the flash of an occasional camera. The armed escort draws plenty of attention and once people spot you and Aleksandra they get excited. By the time you hit your first stop you have an entourage of hangers on hoping to get a word with you or your charge. The bodyguards do a good job of making sure none get to you two as you both enter the club, Siren.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhclOjt7d2U

It’s actually rather chill compared to what you were expecting. The music is loud of course, but there’s a rather more relaxed atmosphere here than at other clubs you’ve been to. You and Aleksandra are escorted to the VIP room which looks over the entire dance floor. Packed to the brim, you see a few people look up from there and recognize you two. Most of whom immediately pull out their data pads and probably update their social media. You’re sure this night is only going to get more and more fun as it goes on.
>>
>>4346255


“It’s a pretty place.”

Aleksandra gestures to the neon lights that are synced to the music.

“It’s almost like a painting.”

She fumbles with her first drink of the night, making a small face when she tastes it. Heh, you remember the first few times you drank.

“I like to paint, do you? Do you have any hobbies?”

She continues to try and open you up. Maybe you should? She doesn’t seem harmful, just inexperienced and naive. Plus, even though you don’t know exactly what her father’s corporation does. It wouldn’t hurt to make more contacts in the corporate world, and a CEO’s daughter is a damn good friend to have.

>Do you have hobbies?
>Talk to Aleksandra
>Ignore Aleksandra and just watch the crowd
>>
>>4346256
>Do you have hobbies?
We play the e-sax in a CyberJazz band

>Talk to Aleksandra
Doesn't seem like a bad girl.
>>
>>4346256
>>4346259
>We play the e-sax in a CyberJazz band
The mental image alone is far too amusing to say no to. Super-stoic speed-demon Radiant is also a band geek.

>Talk to Alessandra
Putting the shrinking violet and the stoic professional together is surely a recipe for riveting dialog.
>>
>>4346256
>>Talk to Aleksandra
>>
>>4346259
>>4346308
>>4346326


“I play the E-Sax in a Cyberjazz band.”

Aleksandra gives you a wide eyed look before laughing.

“I didn’t expect you to joke around!”

Of course. You were just joking. You laugh a little along with her as a bead of sweat rolls down your face. The world must never know.

This miscommunication opens Aleksandra up.

“I really enjoy painting and I sing a little too. But mostly paint. Father doesn’t let me out much so I have a lot of time in between my studies.”

She pulls out her data pad and the two of you spend some time going over her paintings. You have no drawing talent at all but you think they’re pretty good. You especially like the ones with motorcycles, and she’s pretty good at drawing people. Though you do notice most of the people are nude. Bringing this up she blushes a little.

“It’s important! You learn a lot of how to draw a person by studying their muscles and how they move without clothes. I swear that’s all!”

Though her blush only deepens. You laugh and take a sip of your drink, non-alcoholic for the designated driver of course.

“Studying their “Muscles” of course, don’t worry. Your secrets are safe with me.”

She stammers out a feeble attempt at disagreement but eventually just buries her head in her drink.

>Move on to the next place
>Try to dance
>Write in

roll me some d20s please, best of 3
>>
Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>4346390
>Move on to the next place
No dancing
Unless she begs
>>
Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4346390
>> >Move on to the next place
>>
Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>4346390
>Move onto the next place
>>
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>>4346405
>>4346439
>>4346442


Aleksandra has an eye on the dance floor, but you shut that down fairly quick by suggesting you head to the next place. Downing the rest of your drinks you and her gather the security team and head on out.

>12

You have a feeling someone is watching you and have a few goosebumps but shake it off as there are quite a few people actually watching you seeing as how you’re parading around with a CEO’s daughter.

Helping Aleksandra back on your bike you head on towards the next place. A small well to do hangout known as Olympus. The drive there is just like the last one. Lots of cameras. But it all thins out as you get closer to the rich districts and finally arrive at Olympus.

It’s an old style Victorian bar. With a live Cyber-Jazz band playing on a stage. A fact that Aleksandra points out and laughs at. You laugh with her again. Ha. Ha. She orders another drink and so do you. You wonder to yourself just how many drinks this girl can handle. Heading towards the VIP section, Aleksandra keeps her eyes glued to the dance floor.

>Enjoy the Cyber-Jazz for a while
>Talk to Aleksandra some more
>Give in and dance
>>
this will be my last post before heading out for work.

Also we should really name our bikes instead of of "Old one" and "New one" so feel free to suggest some names for them!
>>
>>4346460
>>Give in and dance
>>
>>4346460
>Give in and dance
>>
>>4346460
>Give in and dance
>Make sure to ask her how she's doing and get some pretzels or something from the bar. Don't drink on an empty stomach.
>>
>>4346468
>>4346532
>>4346622

You take a minute to listen to the music that’s being played. Tapping your foot to the beat you see Aleksandra swaying to it as well. She keeps looking back and forth from you to the dance floor. Finally she catches your eye and you give in when she starts pouting. It’s not like you don’t like dancing anyway.

Grabbing her hand you lead her to the dance floor, she’s almost skipping alongside you. It takes a second but soon you find the beat and let loose to the high tempo beat. Twirling her around and bringing her close, you surprise her with surprisingly intense steps. Leading her around the floor, most others give way to your dancing path. You never let go of her and maintain constant control. High enough intensity to get the heart racing, but slow enough that an inexperienced dancer like her can keep up. It’s nice to dance again, you haven’t been to a place with a dance floor in a while and it’s nice to get the body moving. Also you just fucking love Cyber-Jazz. Once the music slows down to a slow dance, you try to leave but Aleksandra holds onto you. Bringing herself flesh against you, you can feel her heart hammering away as she tries to catch her breath. She finally does and looks up to you, all twinkling eyes and bright smiles.

“I didn’t know you could dance like that!”

“Not many people do.”

She laughs and you two leave the dance floor. She orders another drink and you raise an eyebrow.

“You should pace yourself, we still have a few more stops ahead.”

“I’m fine! I feel fantastic!”

You look her over, she isn’t slurring or stumbling. But she is quite flushed, though you’re not sure if that’s because of the dancing or the alcohol. She catches you watching her and quickly looks away turning even redder. You order a quick meal of bar food and force her to split it with you. That should soak up some of the booze in her and keep her going for a while. You’d hate to have to clean vomit off your bike.

>Move on to the next stop
>Write in

Roll me some more d20s! best of 3 as always
>>
Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>4347301
>Move on to the next stop
>>
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>4347301
>Move onto the next stop
Do a little at each stop, it's been pretty nice. Surely nothing bad will happen.
>>
Rolled 10 (1d100)

>>4347301
>>Move on to the next stop
>>
>>4347346
>>4347437
>>4347440

You were expecting a hellish night of babysitting, so it’s a pleasant surprise that you’ve been enjoying yourself. Getting up, you and Aleksandra head outside and hop on your bike. You have three more stops tonight, which just seems a little much to you to be honest. But if that’s what they’re paying for that’s what they’ll get. While you get situated on your bike you notice a couple across the street. A man and a woman who are not even trying to hide the fact that they’re staring right at you. Normally this wouldn’t bother you, except they both have red stripes diagonally across their face. A calling card of the Bloodskulls. They don’t do anything, but they’re definitely staring you down. A cold tingle moves down your spine. They’ve found you and they want you to know they’ve found you.

Keying in your helmets headset to the head of security, you let him know what you saw and everything it entails. You hear some swearing but ultimately get reassured that they can handle some simple gangers. You’re still nervous. The Bloodskulls are major turf holders even if that turf is outside of the city. They’ve been around for years and have a certain reputation towards using extreme methods of violence. Still, there’s nothing to do but wait for the attack. If there is one tonight.

You make it to your next stop unmolested. Another club, this one you don’t get the name of. You’re too busy watching your back for more Bloodskulls, and sure enough before heading in you spot some across the street. Boring holes into your head. You wonder how they found you and realize that they’d only have to check any form of social media, you’re sure that you’re trending on most of them.

Aleksandra notices your change in behavior immediately. Asking you what’s wrong you explain that you got on the wrong side of a gang and that they’ve found you. She goes quiet and pales at the thought of violence.

“You’ll protect me right?”

She huddles closer to you in your booth seats. Leaning against your side. Protecting her isn’t part of your job, that’s what her security escort is for. You’d still feel bad if anything happened to her though. She’s grown on you.

>”I’ll protect you”
>Something non-committal
>Write in
>>
>>4347703
>I'll try, but that's your security guards' job. Best I'll be able to do is get you out fast if any trouble starts.
I also keep forgetting the skeleton is more than just durability. We could probably crush the limbs of non-augmented people, couldn't we?

Should probably check
>Remember if it was brought up/ask the security team if there is a predesignated rally point to take her in case everything goes tits up. Whether that be back at where we picked her up or otherwise.
>Check if she does have at least some protection. Make sure those clothes and purse are bullet proof or not.
>>
>>4347720
+1
>>
>>4347703
>"I'm too fast for them"
>>
>>4347703
>"I'm too fast for them"
>>
>>4347824
Nvm changing to this +1
>>
>>4347720
>>4347781
>>4347824

You smile at her.

“I’m too fast for them.”

She makes an odd face and continues to lean against you. You don’t think you managed to put her at ease. But she does have her security team in case things get hairy. As well as her designer bulletproof clothing. She is far more protected than you are. With the mood soured she orders a drink to steady her nerves and remains silent for the rest of your time there. It’s a shame the night has gone this way, you were just beginning to enjoy yourself. You have two more stops to go and you plan on living to see tomorrow.

Leaving the club you get set up in the middle of the motorcade again. You move faster and in tighter formation. The team keeps an eye out for the Bloodskulls just like you. Every now and then you spot one. It’s unnerving to keep seeing them and have them do nothing. Occasionally you’ll hear the roar of bikes down the street. Intimidation tactics. Hoping to unnerve you. But you maintain formation and stay centered. Aleksandra’s hold on you getting tighter and tighter.

You ask the head of security if there’s a place to meet up should you get separated. He just gives you a number and says get her somewhere safe and call it. They’ll have an evac chopper sent out to retrieve here wherever you are.

You’re about halfway to the next club when they hit you. You were expecting something but it’s still shocking when it happens. You hear an explosion and the street is suddenly blocked as a flaming bus rolls onto its side. You hear the security team yelling to throw everything into reverse when the car in the back is riddled with bullets. The cars are bulletproof but nothing short of slabs of armor can withstand the amount of fire power being thrown at them. The car gives in and you know no one is going to make it out of it. Aleksandra is screaming through it all.

You are in the middle of the street. Two cars of the motorcade in front of you and one remaining at your rear. You need to get out of here. You have little protection and no offensive abilities at all.

>Try to go around the bus ahead
>Try to go back
>Write in
>>
>>4347942
Ah shit.
They set up a killbox, and tried to take out one of the guys in the back to better lock us in. So likely they have gunners specifically in the back to keep us hemmed in, with some already in place or actively moving to the sides to finish us off. Thinking the latter just because we haven't been railed yet. So a few moments to move.

On the one hand, that makes me more optimistic about going past the bus, as they likely wouldn't put troops on the side where they just sit and watch something burn. On the other hand, that is a slightly risky manuver to completely go askew of the cars and out into the open to maneuver around the bus. They might also have some interceptor bikes ready to try and give chase the moment we break and run, as that is our obvious course of action. That will also hopefully take the heat off of the security team as the hit is on us and not them.

>Write in
Let us ask the security if they have some quick deploy smoke or chaff or strobes (note to self, consider a smoke bomb deployable for future purchases.) Or just get them to apply surpressing fire. Get as much cover as possible so people can't see us as we gun it for going around the bus ahead.
>>
>>4347942
>> >Try to go around the bus ahead
>>
>>4347942
>Try to go around the bus ahead
>>
>>4348053
+1
>>
>>4347996
>>4348053
>>4348089
>>4348092

Roll some d20s lads!
>>
Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>4348104
>>
Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>4348104
>>
Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>4348104
Well we are fucked!
>>
>>4348113
>>4348127
>>4348129

Fickle are the dice gods. Writing now
>>
>>4348113
>>4348127
>>4348129

You call out to the security team, asking if they have any kind of smoke bombs. In response the cars all around you explode into smoke, covering the area in dense dark smoke. Now everything is dark and the rattle of automatic weapons is distorted. But still continues. You hear the bullets strike nearer and nearer as the Bloodskulls fire into the smoke. You feel a few heavy thuds in your back and feel Aleksandra slump against you. Oh. Shit. Turning around you see that her dress protected her but she’s been knocked unconscious. You have to take a few extra seconds to tether her to the bike. All of this in a hail of gunfire. Seconds are precious commodities.

You rev your bike and explode forward having wasted enough time. Still the gunfire follows after you, they must have some kind of device that lets them see through the smoke as their shots are terrifyingly accurate. Sparks fly off your motorcycle as more than a few find their mark. God you have to get out of here! Clamping down on the accelerator you surge forward even faster, but you’re flying blind. The smoke is now doing more damage to you than to the Bloodskulls. Still, you manage to make your way to the bus in a short time only to find that the only way through is guarded by two men. They raise their weapons at you and fire. You feel a thump or two before stinging searing pain in one of your arms. Your bullet resistant jacket not being resistant enough. But you manage to get through them and explode out the otherside. Free from the kill box, you try to SPEED your way out of there.

You’re barely halfway down the street when the roar of other bikes reaches your ears. Coming up fast behind you is a group of three bikes. Two junkers but in the middle is an absolutely massive beast of a bike. Ridden by an even more beastly rider. All of them open fire on you as you all fly down the road.

You’ve made it out of the kill box but you are now being chased by three heavily armed Bloodskull bikers. Your charge has been hit and knocked unconscious, you have also been hit and are actively bleeding down your right arm.

>Try to SPEED your way out of this
>Take evasive MANEUVERS
>Write in
>>
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Going to go out and grab some food while you all vote. Be back in like 40 or an hour
>>
>>4348173
>Try to SPEED your way out of this
>>
>>4348173
>> >Try to SPEED your way out of this
>>
>>4348173
If I remember correctly, our current bike is equal balance of speed and manuvers, right?

>Try to SPEED your way out of this
Losing the two junkers, especially weighed down by ammo and guns, should be easy enough. The beast might pose a problem if it's got the engines to make up for the armarments. But it'll be easier to manage when alone and probably suffers in the manuvers.
>>
>>4348173
>Try to SPEED your way out of this
>>
>>4348188
>>4348189
>>4348198
>>4348251

Back, eating and writing now.

Yes you're bike is 3 SPEED and 3 MANEUVERS
>>
>>4348188
>>4348189
>>4348198
>>4348251

You decide to try and outrun them for now. Letting your beast roar, you SPEED down the road. The Bloodskulls continue to blast away even as the two junkers fall behind. You’re worried about the behemoth though. He doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Bullets ping off of the concrete and cars around you. Chewing through both alike. You’re lucky so far that nothing has damaged your bike beyond cosmetics.

You hear the wail of sirens off in the distance. Must be heading towards the kill box. Hopefully there’s something left of the security team to save.

Aleksandra is still passed out behind you. You don’t envy her, the bruises she’s going to have when she wakes up are going to be quite nasty. But then, you’ve been hit too. The blood running down your arm makes gripping the handle bars a little harder than normal. You need to get away and fast, before you start to lose too much blood.

Looking behind you, you’ve lost the two junkers. But the behemoth is still right on your tail.

>More SPEED
>Try to lose him in alley ways (MANEUVERS)
>Head towards the sirens
>Write in
>>
>>4348366
>Try to lose him in alley ways (MANEUVERS)
>>
>>4348366
>Try to lose him in alley ways (MANEUVERS)

If we can think of a place where we can hide out, let's start trying to make our way there.
While we still have the blood to think.
>>
>>4348366
>Try to lose him in alley ways (MANEUVERS)
>>
Roll me some d20s!
>>
Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4348512
>>
Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>4348512
I sense nervousness on risking more roles.
>>
>>4348693
just a little eh? But I do need just one more guys!
>>
Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4348512
>>
>>4348566
>>4348693
>>4348708

You’re worried, you can hear that massive bike gaining ground on you. It must have extreme power to haul it’s weaponry and still gain ground on you. But with all that power it must have some kind of flaw. It must not be able to corner well, out in the flats of the outskirts of town he would reign supreme. But here in town, there’s such things as sudden turns. You see your chance and hoping that you’re right take a sudden stomach lurching turn into a narrow alleyway.

Twisting and turning, exploding out onto streets only to dart back into alleys. You hope to lose him, and it seems to be working. He simply can’t MANEUVER like you can. The weapons and armor slowing him down. It takes a few more alleys before you can only hear him. You aren’t in the clear yet. But you can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel. Or at least hopefully that’s not the bloodloss affecting you.

>Continue MANEUVERING
>Use your lead to gain even more ground with SPEED

Taking another turn you begin thinking of safe places to go. You can’t go to Don’s, everybody knows that’s a hangout spot for you. You could try and go home though. Very few people know where you live. Maybe a park so that the evac chopper can get Aleksandra? But that would leave you fairly exposed and you’re just now getting away from the action.

>Take Aleksandra to your house
>Take Aleksandra to a park
>Find a spot nearby to hide
>Write in
>>
>>4348754
>Continue MANEUVERING
>Take Aleksandra to your house

Make sure to inform our employer what's up.
>>
>>4348766
+1
>>
>>4348754
>Continue MANEUVERING
>Take Aleksandra to a park, or a suitably enclosed location with air access, like a parking garage or something. Preferably with multiple exits
>Alternatively, if there is a Suthurlund Industries/her father's company's comlpex or somewhere with armed guards that have a purpose to keeping us alive, that works too.

I really don't want to take her home. The potential of anyone managing to tail us there is a death sentence and reveals our one single safe spot in this entire city. Let's find somewhere safe and try to spend some time bandaging up ourselves while the chopper arrives. If she wakes up, see if she can tell us what company her father owns.
>>
>>4348830
My mistake for not putting it in writing but you do know that Aleksandra's family owns Red Inc. named after themselves of course.

I'll give it another 15-20 mins or so and then start writing.
>>
>>4348766 (You)
I'll switch to >>4348830

He's got a point about not revealing our apartment.
>>
>>4348843
>>4348830
In that case, let's see if we can find any specific Red Inc. complexes or facilities if we can manage on such short notice.
>>
>>4348769
>>4348830
>>4348851

You think about taking her home, but quickly throw that thought to the side. If any one of these Bloodskulls picks your trail back up and traces you there you’d never be safe. You have to find somewhere to call this evac chopper in. A park or any other open space. Maybe you could look up a Red Inc. complex even. Just anywhere that’s not here.

You still hear the roars of the Behemoth behind you, but they are getting more and more distant. You stay to alleyways as best you can until finally you can’t hear him. Hopefully you’ve lost him for good and that’s the last you’ll see of him. But you have a terrible feeling that it won’t be.

You park in a dark corner for just long enough to fashion some kind of bandage out of your shredded jacket. Wrapping your arm, you wince. You’re going to have to get that looked at. Taking just a moment to figure out where you are and if any Red Inc. owned buildings are nearby. You find that they own property on the other side of town. Cursing, you have to throw that idea out. If the Bloodskulls had hit earlier, that would have been a good plan.

You have escaped for now. With an unconscious Aleksandra still strapped to your bike you have to figure out what to do now.

>A park
>A parking garage
>Just call the number now
>Write in
>>
>>4348911
>Just call the number now

Our biggest asset is our bike, and we're handicapped in the park and the garage.
>>
>>4348911
Wait a sec, don't we have Dawn Inc.? Isn't this a job on their clock? Do they have an facilities or garages to crash at?
Otherwise
>A parking garage
>>
>>4348950
You sure do! In fact I think someone mentioned calling them and I completely forgot about it while writing the update. I'll make sure to add that to this next update. My apologies, I've been running this and dealing with other errands at the same time.
>>
>>4348911
>Just call the number now
>>
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2.94 MB
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>>4348934
>>4348950
>>4349068

You do the first thing you can think of. Call Dave.

“Hey ther-”

“Dave I have a serious fucking problem.” You cut him off.

“What is it.” All of his normal cheeriness put aside. All cold calculating seriousness now.

“The Bloodskulls hit us during the job. I’ve been hit an-”

“Is Miss Red alive.”

“Yes.”

“Where are you.”

You transmit your coordinates to him

“Did they give you a location to regather at?”

“No, all they did was give me a number for an evac chopper.”

Telling him the number you hear a sharp intake of breath.

“Christ kid, that’s a fucking Trauma Team number. Call it now and give them this address, 1197 Rutherford St. It’s a little hide away warehouse for in need runners, and whatever you do. Don’t get in their fucking way. Just make sure Miss Red is taken care of and we’ll get you out next okay?”

Dave hangs up on you. You understand that Dawn Inc.’s first responsibility is the job. But that doesn’t take the sting away as their priorities are made clear. Get Aleksandra away from the situation and then take care of yourself. You’re a professional, you’ve protected her so far. Now all you have to do is get to this warehouse. Calling the number you’re met with an extremely terse military voice that demands exact information from you. You fill them in on Aleksandra and where you’re going.

“Ten Minutes.”

Then they hang up.

Looks like you have a plan of action. Now just to get there.

Roll me some d20s please. Best of 3!
>>
Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>4349128
>>
Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>4349128
It's all about the job now.
>>
Gonna go to bed and pick this up tomorrow. Got the day off so I'll probably run another all day session like today!

Hope you're all still having fun!
>>
>>4349163
Sick. I'll make sure to check in every once and a while throughout work. And yeah, it's definitely been a fun time.

It's also slightly nerve wracking that I see Radiant very very quickly falling down the steep slope of shadow running as this goes on. We went from a generic professional courier, to starting a war with a gang, to a small time celebrity, to a princess' escort in a warzone, while in debt to a mega corp, and we're heading straight for a runner's hideaway.

She's going to look back over the past couple of weeks and try to figure out just where everything escalated so far out of control.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>4349128
>>
Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4349128
>>
>>4349130
>>4349150
>>4349265

You start moving again. Making sure to take only backroads and alleyways. You can’t keep a feeling of dread from creeping up your spine though. When you’re halfway there, that’s when things go wrong again. You hear him before you see him. A deep bellow that only gets closer no matter how many sudden turns you make. He must have gotten extremely lucky to find you again.

It doesn’t take too long before he explodes out of an alleyway behind you and you’re back to a game of predator and prey. He manages to stay on your tail even through more alleyways and tight turns. Looks like he’s learned his listen. He knows you can MANEUVER more than he can, so he really lays on the throttle when he can to make up for lost ground. He lets off some shots in your direction and a few come scary close slamming into cars beside you, but nothing hits you.

You’re dealing with all of this and still trying to get to the warehouse. It isn’t long before you come upon the warehouse district. Now mostly empty streets and unfortunately mostly straightaways keep Behemoth behind you.

You’re coming up on your destination. A warehouse owned by Dawn Inc. where a Trauma Team is going to be in just under four minutes. You have a very bad feeling about what will happen to you if you don’t make that rendezvous.

>Try to lose Behemoth before you get there
>Get to the warehouse and try to hide in it
>Write in
>>
>>4349908
>Get to the warehouse and try to hide in it

Making sure we make the rendezvous and complete the mission is the most important thing.
>>
>>4349908
>Get to the warehouse and try to hide in it
>>
>>4349908
>>Get to the warehouse and try to hide in it
>>
>>4349908
>Get to the warehouse and try to hide in it
Maybe the runners will deal with him, for us. That way we can focus entirely on getting Alek to the roof. That would be nice.
>>
>>4349917
>>4349975
>>4349977
>>4349995

You have to make that rendezvous. You just don’t have the time to try and lose Behemoth in the streets. Racing on forward to the warehouse you see the main gate is open. What worries you is that it looks like it’s mainly empty. Sliding to a stop inside, you just don’t see many places to try and hide. A few crates here and there and what looks like some offices, it’s mainly just a big open area. Unstrapping Aleksandra from the bike, you pick her up in your arms. She stirs a little, she must be coming through soon. But for now, you have to do something. Behemoth will be here in seconds.

>Try to hide in the offices
>Try to hide behind some crates
>Just hide Aleksandra, it’s you he’s after
>>
>>4350011
>Just hide Aleksandra, it’s you he’s after

Do we know this for a fact?
>>
>>4350011
>Just hide Aleksandra, it’s you he’s after
>>
>>4350032
You don't, but it is a Bloodskull and as far as you know they only have a grudge with you.
>>
>>4350011
>>Try to hide behind some crates
>>
>>4350011
>Just hide Aleksandra, it's you he's after
This is a pretty crumby place to hide, desu. And our skills are more in line with SPEED than stealth. If we can hide her then get him to start a wild goose chase through warehouse buildings, then that keeps the heat off of her. Giving time for the cavalry to arrive.
>>
>>4350032
>>4350035
>>4350045
>>4350056

Please roll me some d20s! best of 3
>>
Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>4350061
>>
Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>4350061
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>4350061
Let's try to remind her, if she's cognizant, to stay hidden and quiet until the chopper arrives. And to not do anything stupid.
>>
>>4350070
>>4350078
>>4350084

Moving quickly, you manage to get Aleksandra behind some boxes. Laying her down gently, her eyes flicker open and a groan escapes her lips. Holding a finger up to your lips you silence her.

“Be quiet, stay here.”

Hearing the roar of Behemoth suddenly stop you peek around the boxes. He’s just sitting on his bike near yours. There’s no way to get back to your bike. He kicks it over and stands up off his bike. The man’s a monster, towering over everything around him. You need to get Aleksandra out of the line of fire and that means moving from where you are now.

Sprinting towards another set of crates you hear three shots ring out. Two go wide but the third hits home, slamming into your side sending you sprawling behind the crates into cover again. Luckily it hit your jacket, but you feel the start of a major bruise there. You know for sure if you didn’t have a reinforced skeleton that you would have several broken ribs.

“Come out, Cunt.”

He doesn’t yell but his voice still booms into the warehouse. You can hear his heavy footsteps as he starts coming towards you. He’ll be here in seconds. You hear him holster his weapon.

“Gonna smash you to fucking pieces. Take it real slow.”

You have two minutes left before the Trauma Team arrives.

>Run away
>Try to keep the crates between you and him
>Charge him
>Write in
>>
>>4350122
>Try to keep the crates between you and him
>>
>>4350122
>Try to keep the crates between you and him
>Look for a crowbar or discarded bottle or piece of wood to use as a weapon
>>
>>4350122
Do we try to diplomance? Waste time? Or is that a silly idea?
"You know, I don't really care for violence. If you took a good look at my bike, I dont carry weapons on it. I wasn't the one that blew down your questionably legal toll gate, I just happened to take advantage of the sudden, free pass is all."
>>
>>4350122
>>Try to keep the crates between you and him
>>
>>4350129
>>4350143
>>4350151
>>4350157

You can certainly try!

Roll some d20's please
>>
Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>4350160
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>4350160
>>
Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4350160
>>
>>4350173
>>4350179
>>4350223

You try your best to keep the crates between you and the Bloodskull. He’s surprisingly fast for his size though.

“Hey!”

You guess you’ll try and talk to him, not much else you can try.

“I’m not the one who blew up you’re fucking checkpoint. I was just there when it happened!”

“You, and another. I’ll find them from your begging while peeling the skin off your face.”

Okay, it seems like he’s not interested in being reasoned with. Desperately you look around for anything you can use as a weapon while circling the crates. Finding a solid wood plank you pick it up, you wish it was a metal pipe or something. You’re not really sure if it’s going to help against the mountain of a man chasing you. You stop when you hear Aleksandra call out for you. Shit!

The man laughs. You hear him turn away from you and see him from around the corner moving towards Aleksandra. He’s moving quick.

“Still got the little bird do you? Gonna have fun with you both. Bet she screams real good. Come out and face me Cunt.”

You have 1 minute left.

>Charge him
>Stay where you are
>Run away
>Write in
>>
>>4350265
>>Charge him
>>
>>4350265
>Charge him
>>
Going to take a break, a friend wants to meet up for an hour or so. When I'm back we'll finish this up!
>>
>>4350265
>>Threaten and approach/charge
>"Look man, let's keep the gang shit between us. You so much look at her the wrong way and you'll have much stronger people than you or me trying to rip you a new one. It frankly isn't worth it. Especially not with the chopper on its way."
>>
>>4350272
>>4350303
>>4350859


Roll some d20s please! best of 3
>>
Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4350889
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>4350889
>>
Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>4350889
>>
>>4350953
>>4351007
>>4351099

You can’t let him get to Aleksandra, fighting back the fear you grip the plank of wood tighter.

“It’s me you want! Touching her brings down another level of shit on your head!”

He just laughs in response. Still moving towards Aleksandra’s hiding spot. You hear her crying and she calls out for you again. You have to do something. You gulp, trying to swallow the lump in your throat. You’re going to have to distract him for just long enough for help to arrive.

Taking a deep breath, you charge him. There’s nothing else to be done. You can’t talk him out of this and you can’t let him touch Aleksandra. You’ll just have to put yourself in the way. Pumping your legs you’re on him in seconds. Winding back, you aim your first strike at his head and connect dead on. He stumbles but doesn’t go down, roaring in pain. Surprisingly, the board doesn’t shatter and remains in one piece in your hands. Swinging again and again you slam the board into his sides and back as many times as you can.

With another yell he catches your makeshift weapon in his hands and tears it away from you. Chucking it to the side he catches you with a fist to the ribs, right where he shot you earlier. You almost collapse from that single punch but fight to remain standing. He throws another punch that you manage to duck under. Throwing a punch of your own you’re pleasantly surprised to hear him grunt in pain. He must not have been expecting you to be augmented. Throwing another one, you connect with his jaw and make him stumble backwards a bit. But he gets his footing and manages to grab ahold of you when you go for a third strike. Pulling you towards him he whips you around and throws you towards the crates where Aleksandra is. Your scream is cut short as you collide with the crates.

Scrambling to your feet you turn and find yourself face to face with him. He slams a fist into your face and you go back down.

“Cunt.”

He kicks you in the stomach and you almost vomit right there. Reaching down he picks you up by your neck. His hands clamp down and you struggle to breath. Trying your best to pry his fingers away you start panicking as he lifts you off your feet just by your neck. He maintains the grip and moves around the boxes to where Aleksandra is. She’s leaning against the crates and has been sobbing. When you both come around the corner her sobs turn into screams. You continue to struggle in his grip, trying your best to get even one gasp of air.

“Gonna hurt you little bird. Make this Cunt watch.”

Aleksandra devolves into further sobbing, taking hard deep gasps as she struggles to breath through them.
>>
>>4351520

Your vision is growing darker, his fingers like steel wires that have wrapped around your neck. You can’t do anything as he tightens and loosens his fingers. Allowing you to take a breath of air every now and then. You get the feeling that he’s done this before. He leans down and picks up Aleksandra with one hand. She struggles but it’s like watching a mouse firmly caught in the mouth of a cat squirm. Walking both of you back towards his bike.

You hear the sirens half a second before they arrive. A hover vehicle comes booming out of the sky and to a sudden stop right in front of the doors to the warehouse. If you weren’t being choked to death you’d be incredibly interested in seeing what kind of car that is. As far as you know, hover cars hover, they don’t fly. The back doors open wide and a full squad of heavily armed, heavily armored, medics pour out of it. There are no warnings, no hesitation. They immediately open fire on Behemoth. You feel a single thump in your jacket and another strip of searing pain as Behemoth’s chest evaporates into a fine blood mist. His grip loosens and you’re left gasping for air at his side. The team moves forward, half of them with their weapons trained on Behemoth’s corpse. The other half focused on you.

“Get away from the target.”

A calm smooth military command comes out of the closest one to you. You do your best to comply and scoot yourself away from Aleksandra. Who has turned into a wailing sobbing mess at the sight of gore. They collect her and immediately sedate her. Her screams finally stop. They move quickly and quietly back to their vehicle and securing Aleksandra to a seat immediately take off again. Leaving you laying next to the body of Behemoth. Shot twice and bruised all over. You rub your neck and hope that the night is finally over.

>Call Dave
>Just ride home
>Search Behemoths body
>Cry
>Write in
>>
>>4351522
>Call Dave

We need to find some way to get this bloodskull thing resolved. It's interfering with our work.
>>
>>4351522
>Call Dave
>>
>>4351522
>Call Dave
>Search Behemoths body: Bike Key/owner's data slate
Sad times, we weren't able to protect her. Hopefully she doesn't just remember the last parts of the night.
We're probably not going to get paid much for this, so might as well see if we can get a nice bike to pawn off or strip parts for our heavy one.
>>
>>4351527
>>4351601
>>4351712

Struggling to sit up you move as far away from the growing blood pool that’s leaking out of Behemoth’s body as you can. You pat your stomach and feel another graze on your right side. Thank god they were just grazes but your arm and side are on fire. Pressing a hand to your side with what’s left of your jacket to try and stop the bleeding. You decide to call up Dave.

“Dav-”

“Is Miss Red secure?”

“Yes.”

“Was she wounded?”

“She was hit but her dress stopped the bullets.”

“That’s acceptable. As long as there’s no lasting physical harm we should be okay. You weren’t responsible for that anyway but they might try and cut our pay for it. They paid half in advance so don’t worry about your pay day. It might be a little less than what you were hoping but anything in the bank right? Now what about you. You okay?”

“I’ve been shot multiple times and beaten then choked. I could use a little help.”

“Roger that Radiant. I’ll dispatch someone your way. Just try to not die okay?”

“Sure Dave, whatever you say.”

Hanging up on Dave, you take stock of things. You’ve been shot twice and are bleeding from your left side. Your right arm is wrapped up in shreds of a jacket and is taken care of currently. You’re going to have to pay for medical care after this job. Son of a bitch.

You stand up and decide to search Behemoth's body. Or at least what’s left of it. Emptying his pockets you find his bike keys and 1 FUNDS. Alongside a bloodstained picture of what you assume is his family. It would almost make you care if he hadn’t just been threatening to torture a young girl in front of you. As well as his weapon. A heavy pistol that you know from experience packs a punch.

Moving on to his bike you find nothing of note. But you do notice some of the parts should be compatible with your new heavy bike. So that’s a plus. +2 SPEED to Heavy bike. Heavy bike is now 4 SPEED and 2 MANEUVER. You think that after stripping this bike down you could sell it for around 4 FUNDS.

Soon help arrives. A small mousey girl shows up with a med-kit and treats your wounds. It’s a patch job and you’ll need medical care or else they’ll be pretty nasty scars. Still, that would cost money.

JOB COMPLETE
What a fucking mess.

+1 Found FUNDS
+4 Bike sale FUNDS
+3 Job FUNDS
A total of 8 FUNDS has been deposited to your account

+1 Heavy Pistol
-1 Bullet resistant jacket

>Pay for medical care -2 FUNDS
>Don’t pay for medical care
>Send Aleksandra a message (what?)
>Look for parts and other assets to purchase
>>
>>4351895
>Pay for medical care -2 FUNDS
>Send Aleksandra a message (what?)
Apologise for the rough ending to the birthday that was going well

>Look for parts and other assets to purchase
More mods for the heavy bike and another bullet resistant jacket
>>
>>4351895
>Pay for medical care -2 FUNDS
>Look for parts and other assets to purchase
>>
>>4351895
>Pay for medical care -2 FUNDS
>Look for parts and other assets to purchase
Probably a maneuvers or defensive option for our Heavy Bike. Or a better jacket.

>Send Aleksandra a message (what?)
I'm torn. Part of me wants to wait for Aleksandra to reach out to us herself, wait until she's mentally prepared to deal with us again. On the other hand it would kinda blow if that connection just drops off because we never tried to mend the bridge.
Perhaps a more professional apology, unsure if we should half jokingly send her an album of cyberjazz to try to keep the mood somewhat light. Perhaps also give her our thanks, as she was the only reason we managed to survive the night.
>>
>>4352055
>>4351978
>>4351928

When you finally arrive home you pass out on your bed. Nothing like being shot and strangled to make you exhausted. You spend the next few days in a haze after getting some medical attention. Your bullet wounds will no longer become nasty scars. Just regular ones. It takes a week for you to feel okay again. The first thing you do after coming out of your funk is to send Aleksandra an apology. It’s short and professional, but you do add a personal touch by sending along a Cyber-Jazz album. Her reply comes a few days later and is a few pictures of her injuries and a thank you note.

“If not for you I’d be dead, you will always be the hero of my heart!” with a bunch of heart emojis.

Huh. Not what you were expecting. A little bit of shame fills you and you can’t help but think that if not for you she wouldn’t have been in the crossfire at all. Pushing that all aside you pull up your regular parts sites. Time to focus on your bikes and other apparel.

These options are for your Heavy bike.
Your Heavy Bike stats are 4 SPEED and 2 MANEUVER

+1 SPEED -3 FUNDS
+1 MANEUVERS -1 FUNDS
Motorcycle Armor -2 FUNDS -1 SPEED
>Write in

You also pull up some apparel sites.

Bulletproof Catsuit -3 FUNDS
Bullet Resistant Jacket -1 FUNDS
>Write in

You do notice that the Bulletproof Catsuit is sold by Red Inc. maybe you could lean on Aleksandra?

After doing some shopping you get a message from Sutherlund Industries. They have a job lined up for you and will need you in the office in three days time. They also mention that they have the implants for a sensory uplink with your bikes ready for you whenever you want at a discounted price.

>Get the implant -3 FUNDS. The implant will allow you to push your bike past it’s limits once an encounter.

You respond to Sutherlund that you’ll be there and relax. Thinking about what to do next.

>Skip to the job
>Go to Don’s
>Message Mistletoe
>Write in
>>
>>4352460
>+1 MANEUVERS -1 FUNDS
>Motorcycle Armor -2 FUNDS -1 SPEED

>Bulletproof Catsuit -3 FUNDS

+1 Maneuvers and -1 speed puts it at the same place as our old bike right? Do we need to worry about Ammo for the heavy pistol?
>>
>>4352460
>+1 SPEED -3 FUNDS
>Go to Don’s

We are SPEED
>>
>>4352473
Yes, you're Heavy Bike would be at 3 SPEED and 3 MANEUVERS were you to buy the MANEUVERS and Armor upgrade
>>
>>4352473
also sorry, I think the ammo cost is so low that it wouldn't eat into FUNDS. So I'm just gonna say you have ammo and call it good.
>>
>>4352460
>>4352473
>Message Mistletoe
>>
>>4352460
How many mod slots roughly do we have out of total? That might effect which ones I go for.

Otherwise speed and manuvers. Then skip to job.
>>
>>4352587
The bike has roughly 6 mod spots. Not counting the free +2 SPEED mod that you gained from Behemoth. The Heavy Bike is large and very modifiable. You may also exchange mods but cannot go over 6 without it being something very special. Small things like the sensors that would be placed on the bike for the neural implant do not count as a mod.
>>
>>4352460
>+1 MANEUVERS -1 FUNDS
>Motorcycle Armor -2 FUNDS -1 SPEED

>Bullet Resistant Jacket -1 FUNDS

>Skip to the job
>>
so I have
3 votes of MANEUVERS
2 votes for SPEED
2 votes for Bike Armor
1 vote for Bullet Resistant Jacket
1 vote for Bulletproof Catsuit

this comes to 10 FUNDS
you have 8
So I'm not entirely sure on how to handle this, I'd hate to call a revote. I can just take the top 3? So I'll leave it to a vote.

>Take the top 3 (SPEED, MANEUVERS, and Bike Armor) -6 FUNDS
>Revote
>>
>>4354062
Hate to bring it up, but we in fact only have 6 funds. Due to medical treatment.
>>
>>4354062
>Take the top 3
>>
>>4354063
You're right! Thanks for that. You only have 6. So if we take the top 3 you'd be left at 0 FUNDS.
>>
>>4354068
>>4354062
I'll drop my vote >>4352587 for the speed in exchange for the armor, just to make it 3 and 3. That way we'll basically have the same bike as our default but with extra armor.
>>
>>4354081
Alright, so that drops SPEED down to 1 vote and Bike Armor up to 3. I'm going to make an executive decision and say that we're just going to grab the MANEUVERS and Bike Armor upgrade.

I hope that's okay with everyone even though I just threw up a vote.

I'll be writing an update tonight. But should have more serious time to run Thursday through Saturday. Expect intermittent posts until then.
>>
You take the few days you have before the Sutherlund Industries job and relax, letting your bullet wounds heal a little more. But in no time at all, you’re back on your bike heading towards the next job. The first job out of three. You wonder what they’ll have you do. You never really know what you’re going to do for any run but things change when it’s for a major corporation. Nothing is ever minor.

Pulling up and parking you head inside to meet with Ms. Fathoms. She’s dressed in a slick dark pantsuit and her black hair is pulled back into a smart ponytail. Behind her on either side are her bodyguards. You still have the gut feeling that fucking with them is a terrible idea.

“Hello Radiant! How’s our favorite new talent doing? Are you feeling better after your dazzling night out on the town with Miss Red? I quite enjoyed the news footage. Maybe I’ll have you escort me out some night, see if we have just as much fun!”

You fight to contain a shudder at the thought of reliving the “fun”.

“Now, we have a job for you. We need you to take a certain someone out to a testing facility and bring her back. A simple job, but not something we can trust to an independent delivery service. They might not understand the significance of what’s at stake.”

She motions towards the door and in walks someone you recognize. The woman who was technically your first job for Sutherlund Industries. The woman who was being operated on when Ms. Fathoms was showing you around the facilities. Her blond hair is short and straight. Dull blue eyes lock with yours and there is no recognition there.

“Nikita here will be your charge for the day. Do be careful with her will you?”

Waving you out, Ms. Fathoms sends you the location on your data pad. Nikita follows you. Getting prepped and ready to go you help Nikita onto your bike. She hasn’t said a word and seems a little sluggish. You give her an extra strap to secure her to the bike just in case. She doesn’t seem to mind.

Getting on your way, the testing facility isn’t too far away from where you are now. It shouldn’t take you longer than half an hour to get there, and that’s if you follow all the traffic laws. You’re about half way there when you notice you have someone tailing you. They haven’t done anything hostile whatsoever but they are for certain keeping an eye on you.

>Try to lose the tail
>Continue on
>Write in
>>
Which bike did you bring?

>Old bike 3 SPEED 3 MANEUVER

>Heavy Bike 3 SPEED 3 MANEUVER Armored

also just a quick stat recap

you have

2 BLOODTHIRST
6 REP
3 FUNDS

Cybernetics
Reinforced Skeleton
>>
>>4354156
>>Try to lose the tail
>Heavy Bike 3 SPEED 3 MANEUVER Armored
>>
>>4354156
>Try to lose the tail
>>4354254
>Try to lose the tail
>>
>>4354254
>Try to lose the tail
>Heavy Bike 3 SPEED 3 MANEUVER Armored
>>
>>4354351
second one is meant to be
>Heavy Bike 3 SPEED 3 MANEUVER Armored
>>
>>4354156
>>4354283
+1
>>
Caught up, fun quest.
>>4354254
>Heavy Bike 3 SPEED 3 MANEUVER Armored
>>4354156
>>Try to lose the tail
>>
>>4354283
>>4354351
>>4354352
>>4354556
>>4354968

Even though they haven’t done anything to raise your concern beyond following you, you decide that losing them would be the best option. Taking some casual turns and side streets you try to gain some distance. They stay on you fairly well but are falling back. It seems they’ve recognized that they’ve been caught. Soon enough, you see them just leave. What the hell was that about? You’ll have to keep an eye out for people following you.

Deciding that you might as well get back on track and head to the testing facility you head out. Keeping an eye out for more tails the whole time. Unless you missed them, there were none. You reach your destination in no time and are met by the same stern faced man that took Nikita the first time you met her.

“We were expecting you a little earlier. I’ll be sure to tell Ms. Fathoms about this.”

What an asshole.

“I had a tail. Had to lose them.”

He just grunts and motions for you to follow him inside. Unstrapping Nikita, you do as instructed. The testing facility is sterile white and filled with machinery that you don’t understand. People in lab coats move aside quickly when they see the stern man. He continues down the hallways until you enter what looks like a training field that mercs use to test new gear. He gives Nikita a short command to enter the field and then leads you upstairs to an observatory room.

“If I had my way you wouldn’t be here. But Ms. Fathoms wants you to see what we’re working on. To show you the benefits of working for us in the future past these three jobs.”

You cross your arms and move closer to the window overlooking the training field, wondering just what Ms. Fathoms wants you to see.

“Nikita. Begin.”

What follows is honestly chilling. Nikita moves faster than any human should, using arm-blades to eviscerate target dummies.

“Twenty-Five targets.”

She continues on, leaping onto a ledge that must be at least fifteen feet high. Then punches through a wall to eliminate another dummy. You realize she must be able to see through the fucking walls.

“Her best time is Fifty-Eight seconds.”

Sliding into a hallway she dodges stun rounds from turrets and turns into a spinning death machine as she hops from wall to wall, leaving behind nothing but shredded sand bags. You can only imagine what that would look like if those target dummies had been human.
>>
>>4355047

“She is the future. A future that you can be a part of.” Or not, he leaves unsaid.

“We realize that your choice of augments and implants would be slightly different than what Nikita here has. But rest assured, our work is impeccable and you would be the next step in human evolution to ever ride a motorcycle.”

Nikita finishes decimating the room and comes to a complete stop. You’d swear she wasn’t even breathing.

“Fifty-Six seconds. A new record. I trust you can handle her from here. All you need to do is the rest of your job. Take her back to Ms. Fathoms.”

You grunt and leave the room. Going to gather Nikita and head back to your bike. You strap her in and after a second of hesitation hop on. To be honest, having a death machine strapped to the back of your bike isn’t something you find soothing. But she’s acting the same as she was before. Dull eyed and sluggish, you guess it’s okay to take her back.

Heading back, you keep an eye out for more tails. It’s a good thing you do too, now there’s two following you. You recognize one of them as the first tail from earlier. But he’s brought a friend this time. They are doing the same thing as before. Just following you, nothing else.

>Try to lose them
>Just head straight back
>Write in
>>
>>4355048
>>Just head straight back
>>
>>4355048
>>Just head straight back
Just be ready to gun it if needed.
>>
>>4355048
>Just head straight back
And yeah, be ready to apply SPEED if we need to.
Perhaps should ask Ms. Fathoms if she prefers us to try to keep trouble from showing up at her doorstep or just focus on delivering in the shortest time possible, for future reference.
>>
>>4355048
>Just head straight back
>>
>>4355061
>>4355064
>>4355105
>>4355124

Getting Nikita back and away from you is priority one. If they just want to follow you around then whatever. Still, you make sure that you’re ready to add on a burst of SPEED should you need to. But the need to never arrives, they stay a respectable distance behind you the entire time. Only once do you get a good look at them and see that they have cameras. You’re not sure who they’re taking pictures of though. You should be fairly anonymous on your new bike and Nikita looks like a completely normal person until she becomes death. You’ll just have to let Ms. Fathoms know.

The trip is uneventful, an easy milk run if you ever had one. Besides the tails of course. You pull up to Sutherlund Industries and unstrap Nikita as fast as you can without looking like you’re in a hurry. She follows you to Ms. Fathoms office.

“Radiant! How was the ride? Did you enjoy the show? I hope it was enlightening on just what a future at Sutherlund Industries can offer you.”

Ms. Fathoms smiles and welcomes you in. Pouring out some more of her special whiskey for both of you she settles behind her desk.

“It was… certainly something.”

>How do you feel about everything?

“It’s the accumulation of years of scientific study and practical applications. Something truly special.”

Looking at Nikita she gives a short command to report to the medical lab and Nikita turns and walks out of the room.

“Now, tell me. Did everything go okay? Did Nikita behave herself?”

You let her know how the ride went and that you were tailed. She never loses her smile even when you tell her about the cameras. She hums to herself and waves to one of the sister bodyguards. Whispering something to her Ms. Fathoms dismisses her.

“Someone is sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong. Don’t worry too much, we’ll figure out who it is and deal with them.”

You ask whether or not you should focus on speed or losing trouble before delivering. She laughs.

“Well that’s probably a case by case basis isn’t it? But, you are in the big leagues now Radiant. Both would be preferable.”


>Ask Ms. Fathoms a question (what?)
>Head home
>Message someone (who?)
>Write in
>>
>>4355677
>How do you feel about everything?
It's kind of chilling. More the fact that at least Nikita seems to be little more than a drone. Becoming "the next step of biker evolution" is great and all, but losing our will and ability to even enjoy the speed kind of kills the enthusiasm.

>Ask Ms. Fathoms a question (what?)
>More specifically, ask the remaining bodyguard just a generic question and see how she responds. If at all. Her name perhaps, and if she has any hobbies.
Are they all like Nikita, or are most just normal people who needed a job and getting cyber-augment was a pretty convincing sign on bonus.

>Head Home
>>
>>4355677
Trafficking people is one thing, but this is fucked up

>>4355833
+1
>>
>>4355833
Support.
>>
>>4355833
>>4355964
>>4356084
You’re not too sure how to feel about Nikita. You’re mostly hung up on the fact that she seems to just be a drone. Moving when people command it and nothing else. Being augmented out and becoming the best rider to ever live would be fine. But if you lose the ability to enjoy the SPEED, what’s the point?

You look up at the remaining bodyguard. She’s standing slightly behind and to the left of Ms. Fathoms. She’s watching you but also watching the room. You feel as if you only have a sliver of her full attention. Her eyes, a blood orange color, are full of intelligence and something you can’t place. You hope it isn’t malice. She’s as completely still as Nikita was but just from her eyes you know that she isn’t like her. There’s life there.

Ms. Fathoms notices your gaze. Smiling, like always, she chuckles a little.

“Yes, they’re just as augmented as Nikita.”

She’s half right about why you’re studying the bodyguard so closely.

“What’s your name?”

The bodyguard’s eyes slowly blink and shift to you. It’s the first time you’ve had her full attention, and honestly, you wish you didn’t have it. You feel like a bug under a microscope. Being slowly pulled apart to find any weakness or just for the fun of it.

“Kim.”

Her attention returns to whatever she was doing before and you feel like you can breath again. Well, if you learned anything it’s that you’re glad Nikita was as doped up as she seemed to be. You wouldn’t have wanted to ride around with Kim on your bike. Thanking Ms. Fathoms you head out. Going home sounds like a really good idea. Sutherlund Industries just let you in on company secrets. You wonder how much further down the hole you can go before they decide that they can’t let you crawl out. You really don’t want to be on Kim’s or her sister's bad side.

You get home and start your daily ritual of wiping down and cleaning your bikes. It’s important to keep those daily habits. It lets you clear your mind and enter a state of zen.

You’ve received several messages. Ones from Aleksandra, just idle chit chat about what’s going on in her life. Seems like she’s going through therapy and hasn’t left her penthouse since that night. Another one from Don, asking you to stop by to talk about your Bloodskull problem. The last one is from Mistletoe. He’s asking for you to stop by and show him your bike, maybe have a small rematch on a private track some time.

JOB COMPLETE

+4 FUNDS
You now have 7 FUNDS

You pull up your usual sites and look at things to buy.

+1 SPEED -3 FUNDS
+1 MANEUVERS -2 FUNDS
Bike Mounted Machine Guns -3 FUNDS

Bullet Resistant Jacket -1 FUNDS
Bulletproof Catsuit -3 FUNDS (Aleksandra’s family owns the company selling these)

Neural Sensory Implant -3 FUNDS (The implant will allow you to push your bike past it’s limits once an encounter)

>Message Aleksandra back
>Go to Don’s
>Go see Mistletoe
>Write in
>>
>>4356328
>+1 SPEED -3 FUNDS
>+1 MANEUVERS -2 FUNDS
>Message Aleksandra back idle chit-chay
>Go to Don's

I'm very wary of getting more implants, especially neural implants, it sounds like they can control people in some way using them. Also let's hope we can deal with this bloodskull problem.
>>
>>4356328
>>Message Aleksandra back
> >Go to Don’s
>>
>>4356331
+1

The speed upgrade is relatively expensive, am I right to assume that the next speed upgrade will cost 4 or 5 funds? A sort of diminishing returns?
>>
So there is a diminishing return on upgrades. Moving from 2 SPEED to 3 SPEED costs 1 FUNDS, 3 to 4 costs 2 and so on. But since technically you're moving from 4 SPEED to 5 SPEED, you're bike armor is just slowing you down, it costs 3 FUNDS. This will be used with MANEUVERS as well.

Now, there are special upgrades that can be found or bought that give more than just +1. Like with the Behemoths engine parts that gave a +2 to SPEED. This is why things can be swapped out, so that once you hit the maximum number of mods you can swap out old parts for better newer ones.
>>
>>4356331
Supporting. Maybe send a message to Mistletoe and arranging something in the future.
>>
>>4356331
>>4356348
Sounds good. Pump this thing to the maximum. And take care of the blood hounds.

Perhaps we can get a practice match with mistletoe set up before the next big race. Way to feel each other's new rides out and get in the zone for the big match.
>>
>>4356334
>>4356337
>>4356348
>>4356352

Putting in an order for some more streamlined engine parts and a gyroscopic stabilizer for better turns. You lean back feeling satisfied that your Heavy bike is coming along.

You’re Heavy bike is now 4 SPEED 4 MANEUVER Armored

-5 FUNDS

Total of 2 FUNDS left

Sending a quick message back to Aleksandra filled with your own idle chit chat, you plan on going to Don’s. It’s about time you dealt with the Bloodskull problem. Before you leave you send a quick message to Mistletoe saying that you’d leave to meet up and race again at some point. You have really become busy lately, a much needed change of pace.

Arriving at The Angry Dragon, you spot a very familiar bike on the street side. Aki is here. She was never one for drinking, the lightweight that she is, but she’s just as friendly with Don as you are. You almost want to leave but head inside anyway. You see her sitting at the bar nursing a beer. She’s talking and laughing with Don. Don lets out a roar of a laugh and spots you walking in. His smile never leaves his face but you do see some of the cheer leave his eyes.

“Hey Melanie.”

Aki freezes with her beer halfway to her lips. Before finally taking a sip. She doesn’t move from her seat or look at you as you take a seat next to her.

“Hey Don.”

Don rustles around the bar before coming back with a Rioter’s Blade for you. Your favorite. Thanking him you chug it in one go. You’d rather not deal with Aki completely sober.

“Don, when you asked me to come here I didn’t know she’d be here.” Aki says with venom in her voice.

“Aki calm down, I’ve asked you both here for a reason. Let’s talk things out, as a favor to me okay?”

“Fine, but only for you Don.”

You take the second offered beer from Don and take just a sip this time.

“What’s the deal Don, why’d you bring us here together.”

“It’s about our Bloodskull problem Melanie. I saw the news footage, what a fucking mess that was. Good on you for getting that poor kid out of there.”

“Excuse me, but the Bloodskulls are not my problem. They’re very much a HER problem.”

“Aki please.”

Aki mumbles an apology and has another sip of her beer.

“Alright so, from what I’ve heard down the grapevine is that the Bloodskulls have a serious problem. One of their leaders has turned up dead.” Don gives you a glance.

“Hey, it wasn’t me. It was the Trauma Team.”

Both Aki and Don give you a startled look at that.
>>
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>>4356435

“Christ kid, you’re lucky to be alive.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, anyway. He’s dead and there’s a power vacuum. Sounds like there’s been a ton of infighting and other gangs are encroaching sensing their weakness. But the Dark Suns, that cop-merc outfit, are doing their best to clear em out too. The whole goddamn place is a fucking warzone. Now, they need some riders. That’s where you two come in.”

You and Aki glance at each other.

“They’ve got several data pads they need delivered. Some shit about top secret orders. Too sensitive to transmit over air and they need it there as fast as humanly possible. You two are the best riders I know. If anyone can get through a warzone of rival gangs and mercs battling it out it’s you two. I know you’ve had trouble in your past, but surely you can look past that and work together again?”

Don must be remembering the old times. When you and Aki would come in as kids. His heart is in the right place you think. He just wants to bring you two back together. But as you rub the gouge in your arm and remember standing over Aki, crowbar in hand, as she screams and tries to hold the pieces of her jaw together. You’re not too sure that some things can be forgiven. Aki is rubbing her jaw and seems lost in thought as well.

>Agree with Don, try to work with Aki
>Disagree with Don, try to do it alone
>Write in
>>
>>4356437
>Disagree with Don, try to do it alone

I think our morals are too different, I'd be fine working with Aki again and reconciling if we weren't working for that implant place. But we're working for them and they have had us perform human trafficking before and will likely have us doing it again, trying to make peace with Aki while doing the exact thing we had such a vicious fight about is not a good idea to me. We clearly have very different morals about being a rider and that'll not likely be resolved unless we're willing to give up on some of the unsavory aspects of being a rider which I'm not willing to do.
>>
>>4356437
>>Agree with Don, try to work with Aki
>>
>>4356437
>Disagree with Don, try to do it alone
>If she wants to take the job too, then fine. But its strictly two different riders working a similar job. Not the two of us working together.

It's mainly our beef. Not her problem or anyone else's. Besides, we don't even know what her bike is capable of. We have a monster of a rig now, and Sunny has some beefy weaponry that started all this, but Aki doesn't seem much the type to be packing heat or kit for a warzone.
>>
>>Agree with Don, try to work with Aki
>>
>>4356464
Supporting.
>>
>>4356445
>>4356460
>>4356464
>>4356717
>>4357728

You nurse your beer for a few minutes, just thinking. Aki does the same.

“I’ll do it. As a favor to you Don.”

Aki looks at you, you see a small flame in her eyes. You’d think it was hope, but for what?

“I don’t know Aki, are you even prepared to go into a warzone? I mean, your bike isn’t exactly equipped to handle the shit that’s going on out there.”

That small flame withers and dies.

“Oh fuck you, you arrogant bitch! You know damn well I’m capable of it!”

She slams her drink and leaves.

“I’ll call you later Don.”

For the first time in years you see the smile slip from Don’s face.

“Gotta say kid, I’m pretty disappointed in you.”

“Yeah well, she’d have just gotten herself killed out there. Don’t want that blood on my hands.”

“You haven’t washed off her blood from before Melanie, what’s a little more huh? Here’s the contact info, you’d better get to work. If you have a friend that can help that’d be good, can’t exactly be in two places at once seeing as how you gotta deliver two data pads.”

With that you pay for your drinks and leave.

>Call Sunny
>Call Mistletoe
>Write in
>>
>>4357849
Huh, I guess she took that a bit harsher than expected. I'm more sad we disappointed Don though. He does the not-angry-just-disappointed dad routine well. Curse the guilt trip!

>Call Sunny
We started this impromptu gang war together, let's finish it.
>>
>>4357849
>Call Sunny
>>
>>4357849

>Call Sunny
>>
>>4357905
>>4357907
>>4357933

You think about who to call and wind up deciding on Sunny. After all, he has skin in this game. The Bloodskulls were looking for him too, they just found you first. Bringing up his contact info you place a call.

“Sunny.”

“Radiant, good to hear from such a beauty! To what do I owe the honor?”

“We’ve got an opportunity to take down the Bloodskulls. No more bounties, no more hit squads.”

“Sounds good to me! Where can I meet you?”

You send him the info and head out yourself. You just hope that the bike armor is enough to cover your ass. You don’t have much else in the way of protection beside your heavy pistol. But pistols don’t stop bullets.

Finding your way to the Dark Suns base of operations is easy, you’ve been there before. They greet you with armed guards who demand to know who you are. Telling them you’re the runner for their data pads they let you in fairly quick. It’s a short exchange, they give you both of the data pads and emphasize that they need them delivered as fast as humanly possible. Heading out, you go to the rendezvous with Sunny. It doesn’t take too long to get there, just a few minutes and Sunny is waiting for you as you get there.

“Good to see you in the flesh Radiant! Gotta say, had a little bit of worry after that news footage with that corp kid came out. Bloodskulls started to mean business, glad we got a chance to hit back. Now give me one of those pads and let’s hit the road.”

You have a choice to make here. One data pad is going out further than the other. Deeper into the warzone where Sunny’s weaponry would come in the most handy, but you’re more than twice as fast as he is. The other isn’t as deep in and shouldn’t offer much in the way of resistance.

>Give Sunny the long distance pad
>Give Sunny the short distance pad
>Write in
>>
>>4357970
I'm less sure on this, so if someone else can argue, I might switch. But for now, speed calls
>Give Sunny the short distance pad

Question. Does the bike armor also protect us as long as we are riding it? Or is it specifically only for the bike itself?
>>
>>4357970
>> >Give Sunny the long distance pad
>>
>>4357981
It gives you some protection. Long range shots from other bikes will more than likely hit the armor. Up close shots like when you escaped the kill box are more likely to hit you.

Also going to leave this open for a while, what ever you choose will be the start of the job and I want to dedicate time to running it. So instead of doing another update before work and one after. I'll start this up tomorrow when I have the whole day to run. Enjoy your day guys! I'll be back and we'll have some fun with the Bloodskulls!
>>
>>4357970
>Give Sunny the long distance pad
>>
>>4357970
>>Give Sunny the short distance pad
For the glory of s p e e d.
>>
Looks like we're tied up! If we don't get a tie breaker in the next 2 hours when I get ready to run I'll roll a d2
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

1 is giving Sunny the long distance pad
2 is giving Sunny the short distance pad
>>
>>4359375
Guess we will be playing it safe. Less risk less reward I am guessing. At least the closer team will get their orders nigh instantly.

>Captcha: bikes
Yes, very good.
>>
>>4357981
>>4357983
>>4358005
>>4358694

Thinking it over, you give Sunny the data pad that needs to go the furthest into the warzone. He has armor and weapons to help guide him through. All you have is armor and SPEED. Sunny lets out a whistle when he sees just where he’s going.

“Well that’s a bit of a drive. Gonna take me a hot minute to get out there. Hope they’re okay with waiting that long.”

He secures the data pad and then looks you over.

“You be safe out there yeah? Maybe you should look into getting some armor for yourself and not just your bike. You can buy a new bike, not so much a new life.”

He might be right, but then. You’d almost rather die atop your bike than to ever leave it behind. With that, Sunny takes off down the road. You follow after him. Finally splitting ways, you wish Sunny luck and continue on to your destination. It’s not too far into Bloodskull territory, it’s a little encampment that the Dark Suns are using as a supply and staging area. Still, it’s through a little stretch of land that’s being fought over fairly viciously. You’re hoping to ride through without getting into anything but that’s a long shot.

As you get closer to Bloodskull territory, the traffic lessens and is replaced by the occasional mercenary patrols. You get scanned once or twice but never stopped. They must know to expect you.

You see an occasional helicopter, though they are very rare and in fact you see more than a few burning wrecks. You wouldn’t expect them to but the Bloodksulls must have some serious anti-air hidden somewhere. Then again, the Dark Suns did hire you to run a message out rather than send it by air transport.

It isn’t too long before you come up to the real fighting. Every now and then you hear distant explosions. The rattle of heavy munitions making it to you over the roar of your bike. You don’t see anything yet but that doesn’t mean someone doesn’t see you. The area of what is supposed to be the heaviest fighting is a small gas town. Shacks built up around an old gassing station back when New Light was just sprouting up. Abandoned long ago, you see it coming up on the horizon. Hunkering down you start thinking about the best way to tackle the problem. The fastest way to the camp is straight through, but you know there are backroads that could take you around. Though that would certainly eat up some time and you have no idea what’s out there.

>Head straight through
>Take the backroads
>Write in
>>
>>4359439
>>Take the backroads
>>
>>4359439
>Take the back roads
We are fast enough it shouldn't make too much of a difference, especially with less likelyhood of traffic obstructions or road blockers. Plus the distance between us and possible threats leverages the bike armor more.
>>
>>4359439
Since we're on the shorter path, a little detour should be fine.
>Take the backroads
>>
>>4359439
>Take the backroads
>>
>>4359455
>>4359459
>>4359460
>>4359462

Alrighty! Roll me some D20s, best of 3
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>4359463
>>
Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>4359463
>>
Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4359463
>>
Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>4359464
>>4359512
>>4359516

Taking the backroads will take some extra time but you’re not too worried about it. Navigating around the town is easy, you run into another mercenary patrol who scans you. They wave you off going down one road and point you towards another. Which was nice of them as you hear heavy gunfire explode down that way shortly after.

Along the way you’re shot at a few times by some unseen attackers but none hit their mark. Just puffs of dirt alerting you to their presence. You lay on the SPEED every now and then to throw off anyone else from shooting at you. The only close thing that happens is an IED that goes off after you’ve driven by it, showering you with dust and rocks. You check yourself all over and find that you’re in one piece, having been missed by any shrapnel that was thrown out by the explosion. You really lay on the SPEED after that.

It isn’t too long before you find your way back to the main road. The sound of fighting still close as you put distance between the town and you. Besides the IED and the random gunshots, the trip has been rather boring.

Tearing along the road, you pass several burned out vehicles. Mercs and Bloodskulls lying dead along the road. Must have been quite a fight, or maybe there was a third party involved. You make your way past the vehicles and bodies and continue on towards the camp. You see quite a bit of dust and smoke in front of you, from where the camp should be. The sounds of combat have died out, but maybe you should still be careful?

>Just head into camp
>Try to scope the camp out first
>Write in
>>
>>4359553
>Try to scope the camp out first
>>
>>4359553
>>Try to scope the camp out first
>>
>>4359553
>Try to scope the camp out first
>>
>>4359554
>>4359556
>>4359560

Taking a minute to park near a hill around the camp, you slide off and take a quick look at the area. It looks like there was one hell of a fight here recently. Still smoking holes and bodies litter the grounds. You see the survivors carrying around bodies and generally trying to sort out the mess. You think they’re wearing the Dark Suns uniform but you just can’t get a clear look without getting closer.

You do see quite a few motorcycles parked on the other side of the camp. None of them sporting the Dark Suns logo. You don’t have a lot of time until you’re spotted by someone down there. Better decide on what to do.

>Deliver the Data Pad
>Turn around, something isn’t right
>Write in
>>
>>4359571
We have a contact number, either Don or the merc-cops dispatcher directly? To ask/update them about stuff?

I feel they'd want some immediate Intel in that half their forces got wiped out. And to confirm if there is still active comms in that sector.
>>
>>4359571
Hmm. A thought occurs. Hopefully it wasn't the case that the datapads had a list of traitors/undercover mercs that needed cleaning out before they could pull some kind of backstab.

On the plus side. Dead bloodskulls is dead bloodskulls.
>>
>>4359577
You have contact info for the Dark Suns and Don but you can see the communications hub in the camp. Anything you send out will go through there and then be sent out. So if you want to send a message you can, just know that you'd be letting anyone in the camp listen in.
>>
>>4359571
>Deliver the Data Pad

Don't leave the bike.
>>
>>4359571
>Deliver the Data Pad

We have a job to do
>>
>>4359599
>>4359605

Getting back atop your bike, you decide that you have to deliver the data pad. It’s your job after all. You’ll just be a little more careful and not get off your bike. Getting back on the road you’re spotted fairly quickly by whoever's in the camp. Hopefully Dark Suns, you think to yourself. There are a few shouts but most of the people ignore you and keep cleaning up the chaos around you. You notice most of them aren’t wearing Dark Suns uniforms, but they aren’t wearing Bloodskull colors either. You get more nervous as you get deeper into the camp. You’re being ignored so far, but that could change at any moment. Stopping to ask where the person in charge is, you get pointed towards the communication hub.

Making your way there, you notice more and more dead Dark Suns along the way. Looks like they really got their ass handed to them. That thought makes you fairly nervous. Dark Suns have been fighting gangs for years. This isn’t their first major op to take out an entrenched gang. Someone must have taken them by major surprise.

The communication hub is abuzz with activity and it all stops as you roll in. You see quite a few questioning faces mixed in with some hostile ones.

“I’ve got a package for whoever's in charge of the Dark Suns camp.”

This causes a little stir in the crowd. Some people laugh, some reach for their guns. You’re feeling like this was a bad idea.

“Well hun, this ain’t exactly a Dark Suns camp no more. But I’d be more than happy to take that package from yah.”

The crowd parts and an Asian woman walks towards you. Clearly in charge, she stops a few steps away from you. One hand held out for the package, the other hanging loosely near her gun. You notice her tattoo first, a beautiful rose that crawls up her right arm and ends on her neck. Her clothes matching those of the dead beside the Dark Suns. Then her eyes, so green that you’d swear they were fucking glowing. It makes you think of Nikita a little. You start to sweat.

“I’d be mighty obliged if you handed it over now, before things get...” her eyes start to shine “messy”.

>Hand the data pad over
>Don’t hand the pad over
>Try to talk to her
>Write in
>>
>>4359694
>Don’t hand the pad over
>Gun it
>Call Sunny
>>
>>4359694
>Speed the fuck out
I was gonna say give it, but our job is to deliver it to the Dark Suns so...
>>
>>4359694

>Don’t hand the pad over
>>
>>4359700
>>4359706
>>4359845

roll me some d20s please!
>>
Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4359963
>>
Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4359963
>>
Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4359963
>>
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>>4360067
>mfw
>>
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>>4360067
You really fucking needed that, good job!
>>
>>4359978
>>4360001
>>4360067

Your job was to deliver the data pad to the Dark Suns. Not to the people that slaughtered them.

“Now I know what you’re thinking kid. Just hand over whatever you got and we’ll all make it out of this fine and dandy.”

She extends her hand further, you see her other hand twitch to lay on her gun.

“I’m Rose.”

You clamp down on the accelerator, the roar of your beast startling everyone but Rose. You see her smile just a little, just a quick twitch of the lips as your wheels fight for traction. Her other hand is now in your face. The one with the gun. You begin to move just as she fires. Your head is thrown back but you manage to stay upright in your saddle and hang on as you blast out of the communication hub area. Doing a wheelie that knocks the gun out of her hand and prevents her from shooting you again. You don’t have time to check for damage but right now you’re breathing and conscious so that’ll have to do.

Tearing through a tent you race further into the camp. There are shouts all around you as people pick up arms and start to chase you down. But you have an idea. Turning towards where they parked their bikes you swerve and slide through obstacles. Using every ounce of enhanced muscle to deftly MANEUVER yourself through packed makeshift buildings and tents. An eruption of small arms fire to your left ends in screaming from your right. Caught in their own crossfire as you SPEED through.

Just up ahead are their bikes and where you hope they keep their gas. Bursting through into the makeshift parking lot you spot the stockpile not too far off from you. Smiling to yourself, you quickly pull out your heavy pistol and take several shots at it. They all slam true and start to ignite the canisters. Recognizing what’s going to happen, you lay on the SPEED as you get the hell away from there. More shots are taken at you from behind but nothing even comes close to you. In fact, you think you see some shots slam into more gas canisters. Perfect. All you have to do is clear the camp now and you’ll be home free.

Sliding into a turn you quickly manage to find the main road in the camp. All you have to do is follow it back the way you came. Through an unknown number of enemy soldiers who all want you dead. Easy.
>>
>>4360174

Slamming yourself flat against your bike, you careen down the road. Dodging left and right as you plow through barriers left up from the Dark Suns. Designed to keep people from getting in, not out. A group of men try to block your way but you tear through them like butter. Nothing can stop your bellowing beast once it’s been unchained.

The only thing between you and freedom is the last barricade. You just rolled through it on your way in but now on your way out it's been shut tight. Unfortunately for them, they left a rollback tow truck right next to it. Truly the god of SPEED must be watching out for you. It makes the perfect ramp out of here. You line yourself up and gun it for it. You manage to see Rose out of the corner of your eye and feel another tug on your head as her hand snaps up with her gun. But you’re already airborne. You feel the blast before you hear it as the stockpiled gas goes up in a giant explosion. Landing in a dazzling display you give it everything you’ve got to get the hell out of there. Knowing that you’re safe and sound as more than likely all of their bikes were caught in the blast.

You didn’t complete your Job, but you also didn’t give top secret Dark Suns orders to the people that wiped out half their forces in the area. So hopefully the Dark Suns don’t hold it against you.

JOB COMPLETE?

Once you get far enough away to feel comfortable you pull off to the side of the road to check for any damage to the bike. There isn't a single scratch on the bike itself. But you’ll be needing a new helmet. On both sides of the helmet are two straight gouges where Rose shot you. An inch and you’d have lost both ears. You shake a little as you think about what would have happened had your bike not caught traction when it did. Stop! You force yourself to calm down. This isn’t your first brush with death and probably won’t be your last. You can have a breakdown when you’re home safe and sound in your bathtub. The place where all good cries are had.

You get back to New Light and as soon as you’re in range of communications that aren’t in the hands of Rose, send out a message to the Dark Suns. Informing them of everything that happened and who did it. They tell you that Sunny managed to get his side of the job done and is on his way back. Then they tell you that they’ll be in touch about what happened.

>Go Home
>Go to Don’s
>Write in
>>
You are Rose, callsign ‘Thorn’, and you just missed twice in the first time in years ever since you got your eyes augmented. You’re looking at your gun in disbelief. That little whip of a thing on a monster of a bike just escaped from your hands like it was nothing. Destroying your fleet of motorcycles while she was at it too. Man. What a bitch.

You hear a woman screaming as she runs around on fire. Your eyes zero in, locking down on her head. Your hand twitches and the woman lies dead, still on fire. You’ve still got it, it just wasn’t enough for this kid. You feel a smile worm it’s way onto your face. How many of your men are dead? How long will it take to recover from the loss of all your bikes but your own? Laughter creeps out of your throat.

You’ll find her, and one way or another. Have your fun.
>>
>>4360175
>>Go Home
I think we need some rest.
>>4360195
Oh boy recurring antagonists!
>>
With that I'm going to call it a night! I might post some tomorrow but I'll be back on Saturday for a full days running! If y'all have any comments or questions leave them here. I'll be around all night.
>>
>>4359694
Oh damn.
>>4360067
Oh DAMN.
>>4360174
>>4360175
OH DAMN, LET'S FUCKING GO!

We are the God of SPEED! Hear us roar! We shall fear no evil, as we cruise down at maximum velocity. Except it isn't, because this baby needs MORE.
>Let's give don the quickest of calls to let him know we aren't dead and then go home to crash hard.
>>
>>4360175
>>Go to Don’s
>>4360195
A Yandere Waifu
>>
>>4360200
Actually yeah, I might as well ask. Would we have actually died there had we not rolled like an 18+?

Cause trying to screw Rose out of the dataslate didn't seem like a likely situation to just walk out of without a bullet between the eyes.
>>
>>4361458
You would have been critically injured but not killed outright. I don't like the idea of giving wrong choices. So you had a small chance of escaping, a high chance of getting captured, and an absolutely terrible abysmal chance of not getting wounded. I was kind of looking forward to giving you some nasty scars but dat fucking nat 20.

I'm ultimately in this to have fun with all of you and death isn't fun. That being said, allowing you to do stupid things without risk is just as unfun as death. I'm trying to find my balance between them, this is my first time QMing after all.
>>
>>4360198
>>4360386
>>4360416

You start making your ways home. Deciding to also give Don a call just to let him know that you aren’t dead.

“Hey Melanie, how’d the run go.”

“I got shot twice in the head and I’m on my way home.”

“What!?”

“I’ll fill you in later Don, I really need a bath.”

Hanging up, perhaps it wasn’t the best thing to say but you think you got your point across. Besides, you really do need the bath. The trip home is quiet, you know what streets to take to avoid traffic.

Arriving home you start the ritual of motorcycle cleaning. There isn’t any damage, but it’s covered in dust and what you think is dried blood. Must be from when you tore through that line of men. Scrubbing it off, you move on to important maintenance. You scrub and grease and oil, pouring yourself into this bike. It’s all things you’ve done millions of times. Things you don’t have to think about. Letting your mind go empty, you spend the next hour detailing your bike.

You finish your ritual and exit your state of zen. The world slowly comes back into focus around you. Feeling your muscles tense up you reach for a bottle of liquor. The hard stuff tonight you think. Pouring a glass you start running a bath. You smell like dust and flop sweat, not a good combination. Stripping, you look at yourself in the mirror. Rubbing the gouge in your arm from Aki, looking over the two newer scars from the past encounter with the Bloodskulls. Then you see yourself with a hole neatly between your eyes, slowly dripping blood. Blinking, you see your normal face looking back at you. Yeah, you shoot back the glass of liquor and pour another, the hard stuff tonight.

Sinking into the scalding water you stretch out. Letting yourself go slack in the water. It’s times like these, after the really rough runs, that you miss having someone close. You and Aki were as close as you could get. Basically growing up together, you were there for each other's first job. Sure, sharing your apartment was cramped as hell but you enjoyed the noise. Tonight is quiet. Very quiet.

>Call Aki
>Call Aleksandra
>Call Don
>Call no one
>Write in
>>
>>4362464
>Take our bike out for a spin and go as fast as possible. Let the SPEED wash away our worries.
>>
>>4362464
>Call Aleksandra
>>
>>4362464
>>Call Aleksandra
>>
>>4362469
>>4362474
>>4362539

You don’t want the quiet anymore. You’ve lived in it for a year now. Maybe it’s time to reach out to someone? You reach out and find Aleksandra’s contact info. Hesitating for just a second, you call her.

“Melanie! I’m glad you called! I was just thinking of you.”

“Aleksandra.”

“So what’s going on?”

“Just calling to check on you. How’s the therapy going?”

You and Aleksandra talk for quite a while. You never mention exactly what happened to you, just that you had a rough job. It’s nice to have another person to talk to. Now if only you could get another human need fulfilled... You’d be sitting pretty. During a lull in the conversation you hear her hum a little to herself.

“You have a nice voice.”

“Th-thanks! I really like to sing.”

That’s right, you remember her saying something about that.

“Maybe we could meet up? I could sing some songs?”

“That’d be nice, maybe sometime soon.”

“Sure! I’ll send you a video of mine in the meantime.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ukCLUdzbUs

She really does have a nice voice. You both say your goodbyes and you hang up. Sinking deeper into the tub. You reflect on everything that happened. Another simple job turned into a bloodbath. You almost ended up dead again. When did life get so deadly? You know that you don’t always run the safest jobs but they were never like this. You hope things calm down, if only for your health.

Getting out of the bath is hard. You never want to leave but you’re starting to get all pruney. Drying off and going to bed, you’re asleep before you can get under the covers. You have nightmares all night long. You’re being choked by Behemoth while Rose holds a gun to your head. It’s very unpleasant.

Waking up you notice big bags under your eyes. Things are starting to take their toll on you.

>Skip to the next job
>Go to Don’s
>Call Mistletoe
>Write in
>>
>>4362710
>> >Skip to the next job
>>
>>4362710
>>Skip to the next job
>>
>>4362710
>Skip to the next job
>>
>>4362724
>>4362768
>>4362911

You’re still examining yourself when you get a message from Sutherlund Industries. They want you there in the afternoon. You sigh, you would have liked a little more time between jobs. Enough time to steady your nerves at least. But you can’t turn this one down. The second job for Sutherlund Industries.

Getting geared up you head out and arrive with no issues. They let you in after a quick scan and you wind up in Ms. Fathoms office once more. She’s standing at her window, looking out over the city. Her guards are in their usual places. Kim and her sister are more frightening than ever.

“Radiant, a pleasure to see you. I’d ask you to sit but today is a bit of a special day and you’ll be on your way fairly quickly. We need you to deliver a package to another medical facility of ours. It doesn’t have that long of a shelf life so you need to get it there quickly. Also, we believe that you’ll run into a bit of trouble. We’re not the only ones who want this, we’ve heard that some rival Corporations will be sending some runners to intercept you. So please be careful. We wouldn’t want to lose the package alongside one of our greatest talents now would we?”

She waves you off and someone hands you a box the size of a large watermelon. Looks like today’s going to be another dangerous day. Hopefully it doesn’t end in a large amount of bloodshed or you getting shot. But with your track record it isn’t looking good.

Strapping the box in, you start to plan your route out. It’d probably be best to head there directly, seeing as how you don’t have that much time to deliver it before whatever it is goes bad. But you know you’d probably run into the most resistance that way. Thinking of another route that’s a little more meandering, you could still get there in time but you’d be cutting it real close. It would hopefully mean less runners to deal with.

>Go the direct route
>Go the long route
>Write in
>>
>>4362999
>>Go the direct route
SPEED
>>
>>4362999
>Go the direct route
>>
>>4362999
>Go the direct route
>>
>>4363011
>>4363014
>>4363063

Roll me some d20s please!
>>
Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>4363073
>>
>>4363087
OK guess it's my turn to take a shit.
>>
>>4363087
Well, maybe you'll get a 20 to cancel it out?
>>
Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4363073
Welp. Is it time for more trauma?
>>
Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>4363073
>>
Let the good times roll.
>>
>>4363087
>>4363097
>>4363099

You’ll go the direct route. It’s the fastest way and you’re on a timer. Getting everything ready, you hit the road. It’s a bad day to be driving, rain coming down in great cascades. Makes everything slick as the oils in the road are brought out. Still, it doesn’t stop you from laying on the SPEED. Tearing down the road you keep an eye out for anyone who might be after your package. Unfortunately, you don’t see them before they hit you.

Sliding around a corner, you’re attacked by three bikes at once. One slams into your side, the other two open fire as you begin to wobble the other way. You feel a flame of pain explode in your back and are almost ripped from your seat. Looking down at your chest you see the exit wound. It doesn’t seem to be bleeding much but you just got shot through your chest. You’re going to need serious medical attention soon.

You still have enough strength to control your bike and you think you can make it to your destination before passing out. Have to complete the job after all. Soon, you’re being chased down flooding streets by three bikes hot on your trail. Gunfire keeping you penned in, you’re at their mercy for now.

You hear the roar of another bike before you see it. They come crashing out of an alley to your side and open fire as well. Bullets pinging off your armor, you feel a sting in your leg as a bullet grazes you. Not as serious as the chest wound but getting shot never feels good. You’re in deep shit but the three other bikes are now having to contend with the new heavy bike that’s appeared. You see one of the riders lost control in the water and slam into a parked vehicle. Another is gunned down by the new bike. Now you only have two enemies to worry about.

>Try to SPEED your way out
>Try to MANEUVER your way out
>Fight back with your pistol
>Write in
>>
>>4363146
I'm worried the rain will make SPEED harder to pull off.
>Try to MANEUVER your way out
>>
>>4363146
>Try to MANEUVER your way out
>>
>>4363146
>Try to MANEUVER your way out

Looks like they know our route if they ambushed us. It's probably best to maneuver.
>>
>>4363179
>>4363178
>>4363168

Let's continue the rolling party! some d20s please!
>>
Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>4363146
>>4363182
Shit. We need that bulletproof jacket back. Thank god we are at least working for a medical-focused company that should have some facilities at the destination.
>>
Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4363182
Pain is coming isn't it?
>>
Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4363182
>>
>>4363188
>>4363211
>>4363216

You need to lose these assholes and you need to lose them now. You take sudden turns and dart down some alleyways, for the most part they keep up. They haven’t shot at each other yet and the times they take pot shots at you nothings even come close to hitting you. You’re about halfway to the drop off point.

Laying on some extra slick moves, you dart in between vehicles in hopes that one of them fucks up. They still manage to stay on you. Goddamn, these fuckers are pretty good. The rain is starting to come down even harder, making everything you do even more risky. But you manage to keep driving fairly well in all of it. The other two not so much, one of them, part of the trio, loses control and slams into a vehicle just like his partner. Now it’s just you and the other one.

>Continue MANEUVERING
>Try to SPEED away
>Write in
>>
>>4363239
>Continue MANEUVERING
It's just the big bike left right? I doubt it'll catch up to us if we just maintain our current distance.
>>
>>4363239
>Continue MANEUVERING
Sounds like a plan, though perhaps lay on some SPEED to keep time limits in mind.
>>
>>4363239
>>Continue MANEUVERING
>>
>>4363239
>Continue MANEUVERING
>>
>>4363250
>>4363308
>>4363739
>>4363745

Cool! Roll me some d20s and I should be able to update tomorrow. Looks like Friday is going to be the next time I have some serious time to run so expect random updates until then. Also I might be trying out a new vote timer on Friday. Maybe 30 minutes after posts instead of just waiting for 3 votes. I'm not too sure yet, just know that on the days I've been able to run I haven't put out as much content as I would like to.
>>
Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4365081
Understandable. Though it is nice for us to have the chance to get a better roll if the first couple are mediocre, it isn't really great for you if you get two immediately then a 3rd vote several hours later.

The OP is about 3.5 weeks old now and on page 9. (/qst/ must be moving slower or something, I thought quests tended to only last about 2 weeks before falling off the board.) Any thoughts on when you'll start up a new thread?
>>
>>4365108
nice roll! We'll finish this job then we'll archive this thread and start a new one.

Just a reminder that I do want 3 rolls please.
>>
>>4365120
Ah, but see, now we could start exorcising that 30 minute-ish rule. If you wanted.
>>
>>4365124
lol!

I think the 30 min rule will be for regular choices, I'll wait for the rolling. We'll try it out on friday, see what happens.
>>
Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4365081
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>4365081
>>
>>4365108
>>4365198
>>4365212

You’re bleeding fairly heavily now, the gunshot wound having only been made worse by how hard you're twisting and turning the bike. But it’s working. The biker behind you simply can’t keep up the MANEUVERS. You move like a fish through the sea in flooded streets and they follow as best they can. They wobble here and there and it’s only once you’ve gained a good distance do they give up. Veering off down a sidestreet, they disappear.

Thank god. You’re not sure how long you could have kept it up. Your chest and leg are ablaze in agony but you are almost there. Hopefully they have some kind of medical facility. They are in the business of cybernetics and have operation rooms but that doesn’t mean they specialize in gunshot wounds. Well, either they help you or they get someone to help you. It doesn’t really matter to you.

The rest of the ride is quiet. Only the roar of the storm above to keep you company. Pulling into the facility, you’re greeted by a four man security team who upon seeing you immediately put in a call for medical help. You wave off several hands and turn to grab the box to hand it off. Turning your body hurts like hell. It’s only a miracle that lets you grab the box and give it to the nearest security personal. They watch on in shock as you pass it on.

“Package delivered.”

You pass out.

JOB COMPLETE

+4 FUNDS

You now have 6 FUNDS
>>
Alright so just a small update to finish the job! I'll probably archive the thread sometime soon and start a new thread after that. Friday is still looking like the best day for me to run. So expect the new thread around then if not sooner.
>>
>>4366905
>>4366902
Awesome quest mate. Looking forward to the next installment.
>>
>>4366912
Thanks!
>>
>>4366902
Consulate. Professional. Fuck Yeah.

And looking forward to the next thread, OP. Its been a great ride so far.
>>
>>4366915
Good shit OP glad I was able to participate.
>>
>>4366932
>Consulate
Damn it, supposed to be Consummate Professional.

Either way, you going to archive this thread, OP?
>>
>>4372739
I have archived the thread and royally fucked up the tags so there's that lol

Also for anyone who manages to see this before this slips off the board, some things have come up today and I won't be able to run. Thankfully, I have some time off coming next week and will have a few days off to run. I apologize for telling you all I'd run today and then backing out. I will see you all sometime next week, maybe Tuesday? I'm not sure yet but that's when my time off starts. Radiant will be back!
>>
>>4373545
Ehh, it could be worse. You only blended the name of the character and your name into a single tag, the rest are fine.

And no problem on the setback. Thanks for telling us in thread before hand though. Better than thinking you just abandoned us like so many before. At least this will give me a little more time to get a fan art done in time for the next thread.



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