Session Date: 11/22/2024
Sunday, September 3rd, 2045
(It’s like 5-6 am by now.)
Emerick
Emerick gets a message from Ida Mueller and it is an apology. The message explains that she heard what happened, and she apologizes and expresses that she wishes it went a different way. She wires him an additional 60,000 and he expresses his gratitude in a polite, formal message.
The Entire Group
We are at the gang base for Net’s gang. They were starting to patch Net’s hand up, but Saint happens to have a cyber hand with tech tools already installed into it. He offers it up to Net to replace the hand he lost. Net is grateful but mentions this is temporary to him — he would like to eventually upgrade to an entire cyber arm. Saint is fine with this — it’s a gift.
They get to work with attaching Net’s new hand. Tio Negro and Trash Tablet are talking to Net during this, trying to get a debrief going with this. The entire conversation is in Spanish, so Net and Emerick know what is being said, but Saint is entirely unaware. Net basically explains that he’s pretty confident nobody will be after us, and that some people he cares about died.
Javier asks who did it and Net explains Mr. Steele, and Javier is clearly pissed. Trash Tablet is staring at Net in a state of bewilderment. He asks what the immediate threat is, and Net explains that the AV out there is Mr. Steele’s and while Net doesn’t think he’ll do anything about it, and he’s pretty certain that bringing it here wasn’t the worst idea. He admits he didn’t check it over thoroughly so it will need to be checked for trackers (nat 10 luck check: not tracked). Net says probably need some ofrendas, take Omen’s body back to their families if there are any. Net isn’t sure what to do at the moment.
When Net finishes, his uncle snaps to and explains we’re all staying there. He says that nobody steps foot out of his territory, and if we’re staying here then we have to do what he says as we all need to work. Net puts up an argument that the others have lives, and his uncle pushes back saying that he’s not sure why we work for Juice and he asks if we should be going out without any protection. Net ensures he knows how serious this is and who we’re dealing with, and it’s not a laughing matter.
Net eventually speaks, in English, joking to Emerick that this is why Net doesn’t bring him over to family gatherings. Emerick pretends that he has no clue what’s going on, and Net can tell that Emerick fully understood the entire conversation in Spanish and is trying to pretend that he doesn’t know it. Net continues in English and explains that he speaks for the entire group at least for this moment, and that we appreciate the offer and will appreciate staying in the short term, but we cannot stay in the long term. His uncle says - in Spanish - if you don’t want to stay, this don’t do this again, and then storms off.
Trash Tablet stays in here as Javier leaves. Net sinks into the chair that he’s in and asks on first impressions of his uncle, and Tablet - in English - says that it doesn’t get better.
Trash Tablet looks at Emerick directly and says that his secret is safe with him as well (that he speaks Spanish). He gets a text message from Juice not long after, telling Emerick to show up now so they can talk. Emerick asks Net how serious Javier was about them not leaving, and Net says that he’s being pretty serious. Emerick explains that Juice wants to talk to him and Net looks at Trash Tab and explains he doesn’t want a third corpse today.
Phoenix also reaches out and asks if Emerick needs anything - she’s heard what happened and freaked out - and he summarizes who lived and who didn’t, and then explains that he’s okay and he’ll message her if he needs anything.
Tab and Net speak back and forth about Net’s uncle and if things will blow over. Net explains to Emerick that working for his uncle is the same as working for Juice - they’re both awful, and his uncle is not a safe place to be.
Emerick
Emerick makes it back to the safehouse, takes a deep breath, and then heads inside to talk to Juice after all. Seo is the first person he sees in the warehouse, currently sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. He immediately snaps to the door when it opens and stands up and goes to hug Emerick. After the hug, Seo looks at Emerick and says that he knows that Emerick has to go talk to Juice, but he’ll be here for him when he’s done. He’ll have a cup of coffee waiting for him when he is done. Emerick thanks him, then goes up and puts his stuff in his room, and then goes to Juice’s office.
He takes a big hit from his pen and is about to knock on the door to Juice’s office, but he hears a voice on the other side of it. Then, two voices on the other side of it — they’re both voices he has never heard before. He hesitates and listens in to the voices, being nosy.
Juice Meeting
Sulfur and Ryne had gotten recent communications from Juice. He had a feeling that something was going on, so he called them in as he has a new assignment going forward. Sulfur’s message is more in lines of having work and Juice is ready to work together on something. Juice gives Ryne a thousand eddies to pay him for the start of this contract.
He then looks over to Sulfur and explains he has information — it will settle their debt, but he also wishes to offer aid in finding more information. Weeding out this information is easy with his contacts across the city. With the way that Juice said this it is clear that Sulfur is going to be working for him to get this information. Sulfur agrees, stating that the information better not be late. Juice promises that it will become a priority to him, promising that he will contact someone to do it right after this meeting. He hands a letter over to Sulfur, who immediately begins to read through the paper that was handed to him — it outlines where the band was seen, the local bar they’ve been favoring, and the drummer is supposed to be showing up in a few days to meet up with someone. That someone is who Juice has contacted, and Juice mentions having a meeting with him.
Juice begins outlining the new mission: he has a group of individuals helping out with Curb Stomping Word Vomit. Ryne asks if this one will last any longer, and Juice mentions he has faith in them — especially after the talk he is going to have today, which is for later. He explains that they’ve been doing a lot of work outside of Juice lately, and it’s time to bring them back home. He believes he finally has something to give them that they can’t fuck up. Sulfur asks what they fucked up and Juice explains that he had them try to steal some band equipment at a Militech base nearby, there was poor planning and a cyberpsycho. He drones on about this for a little too long, ultimately saying that he’s kept them on a loose leash recently.
Sulfur asks to reserve the right to back out at any point, and Juice says of course. Ryne can tell that he wants Juice to say yes, and Ryne’s jaw locks up and he’s not able to speak up at this point. Ryne gets up and leaves, and Juice says that this is all for now. He’ll let them know that they need to show up. Juice tells them to take an hour and then they’ll reconvene.
During the break, Sulfur is memorizing the document with the band information as much as he possibly can. Sulfur looks at a walkie talkie and considers for a moment, then puts it away as it is not yet time.
Ryne gets a beer and drinks it while leaning against the fridge. It’s early enough that Seo is the only one that’s up, and he’s still in his room and is getting ready for the day.
About a half hour later Juice rounds them up and Emerick arrives.
Sulfur, Ryne, & Emerick
Emerick listens in for a little bit and it sounds like some general conversation between the two people he’s never met and Juice. They’re talking about general expectations of working here and the like. They’re going over details that aren’t fun to go over. With how high Emerick is, he doesn’t overhear Ogre’s footsteps as he comes up behind him. Ogre puts a hand on Emerick’s shoulder and Emerick jumps in surprise, Ogre’s hand tightening in grip to stop Emerick from moving as Emerick turns to look at him. Emerick freezes and Ogre moves Emerick to open the door, then pushes Emerick inside.
Juice thanks Ogre and asks what’s going on with the group. Emerick explains that Omen and Garf are dead, and gives an abbreviated series of events of what happened to lead to their deaths. Juice says to Sulfur and Ryne that this is why he can’t trust them - they’re doing jobs around another fixer too much. Emerick bristles at this in anger, but doesn’t say anything as he continues to stare at the ground. Juice explains that they’d been left alone too much and tells Emerick that Ryne and Sulfur are there to help them, and nobody can split the party again. He looks to Sulfur and Ryne and tells them not to disappoint, then kicks everyone out of the office.
Ryne flips Juice off on the way out, and he can feel his finger start to hyperextend so that it’s so close to breaking that Ryne is ready for it. His finger’s like this for five minutes before he gains control again.
Sulfur stops Emerick and can tell that the loss hit him pretty hard. Emerick admits that he’d lost friends, and Sulfur apologizes because he knows how hard that is. He offers to be a listening ear and Emerick thanks him for it, but it’s clear that Emerick isn’t comfortable talking about it quite yet.
Emerick sits down next to Seo with the coffee and they have coffee in silence. After the coffee they retire to Seo’s room so that Emerick can sleep, and Seo works on his own stuff and keeps an eye on Emerick to make sure he’s okay.
Net
After Net’s new hand is attached, and Net says that Saint’s pretty handy to have around. Saint mentions he’s been in this situation before, but it wasn’t for hands. Net asks how many Mr. Studds he’s installed and Saint asks wouldn’t he like to know. Net thanks him for it and Saint admits he isn’t sure where the hand came form. Net doesn’t care.
Net gets up and leaves and goes to find his uncle. There is few ofrendas. Net asks Javier if what he said was true, if his friends left. Javier explains that he doesn’t give a shit about Net’s friends, but Net is family, and he won’t let him end up like them (motioning to the ofrenda). Net looks at it, and he says that if there is one thing he’s been avoiding his entire life, it’s ending up like them. He says that this is why the people that he’s with? He’s letting them go to where they need to be. He implores his uncle: Net needs to go with them, he can’t stay here. Javier already knows how he feels about everything he does, and he hasn’t forgotten about that favor that he’s owed.
Javier gets pissed, but he holds it back and Net knows that he’s only holding it back because of where they are. Net says he grieves with him: we’ve all been through a lot, and his uncle should know why he can’t stay. Tía would have a fit, and Net’s surprised she hasn’t already smacked him upside the head and told him to leave. Javier tell shim that he should do what he has to do. Net admits that he might have to call that favor in soon and requests that Javier keep the lines open, and Javier says whenever he needs it.
Net takes the bike that he inherited from Garf to his shop and works on the bike. He leaves the Mercury Riders logo on it, but on the other side he puts the Thinker’s logo on.
After, Net tinkers to try to decompress - mainly working on the van. Over the course of the next week, Net makes an onboard machine gun for his van.
Emerick
Emerick buys the apartment from October 2045 → 2046. Big therapy 4d6 → 1000 eddies. Buys a Militech Persues.
He begins to get the affairs together for the deceased and takes over the apartment and buys it out for the year. Afterwards, Net reaches out to try to figure out what to do with Omen — Connor’s — body and things. Emerick leverages Garf’s Agent to try to get into contact with her clan, to see if perhaps they know of anyone in the Jodes. They appreciate what he is trying to do and want to meet him.
Saint
Saint goes home after fixing Net’s hand and goes the fuck to sleep. He then works for a week and realizes that he’s being watched. A few goons walk in and have cyberarms and grafted muscles. They’re not talking to him, but walking around the shop. He asks if they need antyhing and they say no, they’re making sure he is behaving. They hope they aren’t intruding.
Saint says that he’s dealt with worse, and they mostly don’t bother him.
Sulfur
Sulfur feeds and plays with a cat, and the plots a kidnapping.