Jamaica in the Shadows Options

[Tabula Rasa]

Jamaica in the Shadows

[Tabula Rasa]

Pier 4, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 1710

The Delivery bumped gently against the wooden dock. Servobot-1 springs into action, clattering onto the metal dock, and quickly the boat is secured.

An hour ago the Delivery was fifteen miles off the coast escorting a salvage operation. It wasn't particularly eventful job, all that was needed was a few warning shots and a stunbolt to keep off the jackals. Just another day on the job.

The sun glitters brilliantly off the gentle ocean and a warm breeze mercifully brushes aside the smell of diesel and motor oil out of the air. Haywire drops to the deck, her clothes cling to her skin from the humidity and her shoes feel like they are stuck to the dock with glue.

McArrister wipes her face dry and tosses the towel in front of Servobot-2 as it picks up the loose equipment from the ship's deck. "Thanks for coming along Haywire," she chucks a partially closed duffel bag of her flak vest and weapons down on the deck, "don't forget, I got another job for you the day after tomorrow. Come to the office at 3 o'clock, usual pay."

She barely looks for acknowledgement before heading below deck.

The day is young, her bills are payed, she even has a bit of cash left and a job coming up, and in the distance Haywire hears the sound of music.

[Fuchs]

Pier 4, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 1715

Haywire waves at Deanna, more out of habit.

Two days off...

Haywire pushes a strand of hair back from her face and shifts the strap of the bag containing her gear a bit. The thing still cuts into her shoulder some, but it'll do for a bit - long enough to get to her bike, parked in McArrister's warehouse nearby. She walks over to the house, checking if her commlink already got a payment notice.

Ah... there it is.

McArrister is relyable. Unlike her former employers. Bloodsucking corp. Haywire sneers as she straps her bag to the Suzuki Aurora and soon afterwards she's on the streets of Kingston, on the way to her home.

Not much of a home, to be truthful. Her flat is a narrow slice of a larger building, first floor, with a "garage" below that barely fits her bike. But it's close enough to the beach, and the neighbours are not too obnoxious. The maglock is old, but sturdy, and the A/C works well enough.

Haywire needs a shower, the way her combat fatigues cling to her makes her skin crawl. She needs to check her assault rifle too, clean it. But first comes something else. Dropping the bag on the floor of her small bedroom, she walks to the kitchen area of the living room, opens her fridge and grabs a beer can. Haywire empties the can quickly, almost hastily, drops it in the trash bag next to the fridge, then grabs another. That one last for a few minutes of staring out of the balcony, then joins its precedessor in the trash bag, where a dozen more are already waiting to ge recycled.

The problem with work is that you can't get a drink when you want one...

Haywire strips out of her dark combat fatigues - they could almost pass for biking clothes, at least by Jamaican standards and returns to her bedroom to clean her guns. Even a piece of work like an Ares Alpha would not last long at and on the sea without regular maintenance.

Stripping the gun down, cleaning and oiling the parts comes natural to Haywire. Those lessons from basic training stuck. Unlike others. The Ares Crusader gets the same treatment. Then the Alpha is stuck into airthight bag and stashed under her bed, the Crusader in her hip holster thrown on the bed.

A shower and some instant ramen and another beer later, the blonde woman is getting ready for the evening. She's not sure if she's local enough for the Twilight Zone already, and doesn't feel like finding out tonight. Besides, Cool Runnings had the better drinks, and marginally better security.

19:15... bit early, but what the heck. I need a real drink.

After putting on some skimpy tank top and hot pants combo with sneakers, and her Ares Crusader in a hip holster, Haywire heads out towards the club.

[Tabula Rasa]

Downtown, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 1925

Haywire heads Downtown just as the nightlife takes swing. The streets are crowded with honking cars and weaving bikes; all kinds of knickknacks, souvenirs, knockoffs, and the occasional real bargains are being hawked on the jammed sidewalks; and with seemingly no notice to the traffic, a crowd of tourists, cops, and every other type there is to be found in Kingston slowly weave their way forward.

She rides into the heart of Downtown at crawling speedy, leaving a trail of catcalls in her wake. As the sun begins to set and the sky turns a blazing orange she sees the brightly lit and dancing AR signs above Cool Runnings. She parks her bike in a spot where its less likely to get stolen and heads towards the entrance.

Haywire hears the sounds of Reggae coming out of the entrance. This isn't a new school club with a choice in what music to listen to in AR, at Cool Runnings, you listen to what the DJ is playing and he hasn't really gotten started yet. Even for Kingston, the night is young and there is no line. She walks past the two bouncers, a simple ¥1 transaction serves as a cover charge and verification of a valid commlink for drinks. They don't care who you are or how old you are here either, they just want to know if you are going to be a paying customer or a bum taking up valuable space.

Inside the front bar is fairly crowded with what look like a mix of tourists, some hoods, some expats and other miscellanea. The dinning room tables are still out and there are quite a few already on the dance floor. As Haywire scrolls through a menu of the available drinks she catches a glimpse of Secoiya at a table with a very large man. Within a split second her eyes adjust to the conditions and enhance his face. He is a white, blond and with a very square jaw and from Sec's wild, animated gestures she is either having an intense argument with him or telling a crazy story.

[Fuchs]

Downtown, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

Haywire frowns slightly, trying to guess if Sec's in an argument or not. Ordering a Screwdriver at the bar, she moves a step to the side so she has a better view of the man.

Damn tall... huge. Sec's better not be picking a fight...

Haywire waits until her drink gets served, paying through her commlink, adding a generous tip - it paid to keep bartenders happy - then took a sip and slipped her perceptions to the astral.

I don't like doing this, but...

The astral space inside the club was filled with light. Good thing the club was not yet packed, but even so, it was overwhelming for a second. People everywhere, their astral impressions shining. Emotions of all kinds were "leaking", and it was hard to push them out, hard to focus on anything specific. Haywire's drink didn't help, of course.

Let's take a look at who Sec's talking with.

[ Spoiler ]

Haywire's assensing both Secoiya and the white man.

Secoiya:
Assensing Secoiya (1d6=6, 1d6=2, 1d6=1, 1d6=2)=1 hit. (general emotional state)

The man:
Assensing The man talking with Secoiya (1d6=2, 1d6=2, 1d6=1, 1d6=2)=0 hits.

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

The bartender nods in appreciation for your generous tip.

Haywire manages to make out only the barest hints of what she is looking for because of all the ambient noise. Secoiya's aura is excited and you don't sense any residue of fear or tension. You can't really make out anything useful from her companion's aura.

You see a perky waitress go over to their table and Sec gets close to presumably order a drink. A drunk patron - who looks like one of the local hoods - nearly stumbles into you jerking your attention back to your body.

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

Stupid idiot, I almost spilled my drink.

Haywire frowns at the drunk, but backs away, and focuses on the physical world again, shutting the astral and its sensations out.

That was helpful...at least I know Sec's not in trouble... or if she is, she doesn't know it.

Haywire takes another swig from her drink, debating whether or not she should walk over.

Why not?

Drink in hand, the blonde woman walks over to the table Sec's sitting at, mustering the man she's talking to on the way, looking for weapons or anything else of importance.

[ Spoiler ]

Haywire's perception test:
Perception aimed at the man secoiya is talking to (1d6=5, 1d6=3, 1d6=2, 1d6=5, 1d6=5, 1d6=3) = 3 hits

With a drink in her hand, a few beers and half the drink in her blood, and her attention on Secoiya and the man, she almost walks into a waitress. Evading the girl, she bumps into someone with her back.

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

The man is dressed in a short sleeved linen shirt and a pair of loose faded jeans with a wide belt and a large belt buckle. You notice as he leans in closer to the table and his shirt pulls up that he has a heavy pistol in a holster in the back of his pants and a knife clipped in his front pockedt. That's not that unusual though around here, and you'd think Sec's probably armed too.

As you walk towards your table, barely evading a waitress you bump into a drunk tourist girl, spilling her drink on her skirt.

"Aw come on lady! What the frag's your problem?"

Before you have a chance to say anything you hear Sec yelling over the music, "Haywire, that you?" She kicks a chair at her table back and gestures for you to sit, "Get your ass over here, we gotta do some shots."

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

Haywire mumbles some excuse to the tourist, and continues toward Sec's table.

Should have finished her drink, instead of nursing it.

"Hi Sec."

Haywire nods at the man in greeting, sitting down on the offered chair, smiling politely at the man.

"Hello."

She looks at Secoiya, waiting for an introduction, and trying to get a feel for whether Secoiya's interested in the man or not.

Shots? Pictures, or drinks?

Either sounds interesting, in Haywire's opinion - she's here to have some fun.

Picture

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

You hear the pissed off tourist muttering something as she drunkenly stumbles back to her friends. Secoiya gestures to the stranger at her table, "Haywire, this is BigMac. BigMac, this is Haywire."

He gives Haywire a flashy grin as he reaches out to shake your hand. Secoiya intrudes, "Careful now Mac, she's liable to blink your head off if you give her a look she don't like."

Haywire notices him hesitate for a split second as she reaches out to shake his hand. The hesitation doesn't last and he shakes her hand with a firm, rough grip. He again flashes his cocky grin, recovering his composure, "BigMac's just for formal occasions, my friend's call me Mac." He finishes the last of his beer and tosses the bottle over another table of customers into a nearby recycling bin, "so how is it you come to know a disreputable character like Sec?"

Before you have a chance to answer a waitress comes by and sets a bottle of Green Label Patron, a tall stack of shot glasses and a half dozen Red Stripes on the table.

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

"Lies, all lies. I don't do that kind of stuff just for giving me looks."

Oh, those kind of shots.

Haywire grins. That's her kind of fun.

"Disreputable character? He does know you, Sec."

Haywire smiles, to take the edge of the words, even though she feels the slightest bit irked at Secoiya mentioning her being a mage.

On the other hand, I'd be irked even more if she did not tell me about someone being a mage...

Haywire then grins at Mac, stretching her legs out under the table to slump a bit in her chair.

"We're coworkers. And how do you know such a disreputable character?"

Haywire's still trying to read the two, wondering if they are or were a couple.

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

"We..." he puts his hand on Sec's thigh for a second before she smacks it away, "know each other by way of me trying to recruit her."

"Try and fail," she says smarting a bit from smacking his hand.

"Try and die is more like it," he uncorks the bottle, lines the shot glasses up and fills them to the brim. "This woman's hard. She don't come over easy."

"And he has tried pretty hard," she laughs a bit drunkenly as she picks up her shot.

He twists the caps off the bottles of beer with his bare palm and picks up a shot glass. "To new co-workers and persistent recruiters, cheers!"

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2000

Augmented bones? No matter. But he seems not just professionally interested in Sec. And she hasn't shot him yet, so she probably likes him at least somewhat.

Haywire picks another shot glass, and returns the toast, smiling at that thought.

"Cheers!"

Downing the glass at once, the alcohol hits Haywire's system soon aftwards. She's now definelty a bit buzzed, just as she likes her evenings.

"So... what kind of work are you trying to recruit Sec here for, Mac? Can't be house work."

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2005

From the way the two are acting, Haywire is pretty sure they are at least somewhat "familiar" with each other but she is pretty sure they aren't here as a couple.

Mac smacks the shot glass down on the wooden table and instantly pours another round of shots. He puts the Patron down on the table and grabs the bottle of beer and takes a long pull from it. "No not house work. I'm pretty sure she sucks at that."

Sec laughs and sways as she picks up her second shot, carefully balancing the full glass. "I got drones for that shit man. You know me, I don't like to get my hands dirty around the house."

He puts the beer down and picks up his second shot, "No, what I do is like her line of work, except we do things on the other side of the law."

He takes down the shot and slams it on the table, "Here thar be pirates! Arrr!" Sec downs her shot and nearly falls over her chair laughing drunkenly.

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2005

Haywire laughs. Sec and house work? Maybe with an apron? Too funny.

A pirate? Hm...

Part of Haywire frowns at that, pirates are criminals, and she shot at a few of them already. But she's also getting buzzed, and with a few shots in her stomach Mac looks less and less like someone to be wary of, and more and more like a good drinking buddy.

Besides, Sec knows him.

"Pirates? Where's your crew then?"

Haywire notices Sec's state. She's not too steady herself, but not that far gone yet.

"Whoa, Sec. You're that drunk already?"

I should have made a bet agaisnt her in a drinking contest...

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2005

He shrugs, "Well, don't have a crew right now per se. I got people I know and when I got something in mind I call the people who fit my needs." He glances meaningfuly at Sec then back at Haywire, "I'm always looking for capable crew to bring along on a permanent basis." He laughs and finishes his beer, "no luck there yet."

Sec waves her hand in the air dismissing your concern while cradling a beer with the other hand, "Nah, it's fine... I've been drinking since noon. The tequilla just reminded me about that." She lightly punches Mac in the shoulder, "and this guy just won't give up."

She takes a long pull of the Red Stripe, "Sides, I gotta get out of here soonish. Have to meet up with family tomorrow early." She winces in anticipation of waking up early.

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2010

Since noon? Ok, scratch the bet.

Haywire grins at Secoiya's predictament, even though she feels a bit of a pain herself.

Family...

She hasn't had contact to her corp-loving family since she quit.

Stupid drones.

Another shot helps her getting in the mood again, and she switches her attention to Mac.

"You cold go legit too."

It's not really funny, but Haywire laughs anyway. Mac doesn't look like the type to hold down a honest job. Not that her own work is always that legit.

When the music changes to a new song, a mix of reggae, Haywire stands up, a bit shaky on her feet herself.

"Come on, let's dance!"

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2020

Mac seems to ponder your statement while savoring a newly opened bottle of Red Stripe, “Going legit… that’s a thought.� He offers another round of shots, which Sec refuses, he pours yours out too just incase, “then again, what’s really legit in this world right? But hell, that’s probably just me justifying things. In the end we all got short lives, and what I do pays a lot more than anything I could make legitimately.� He laughs, “that’s why I buy the drinks, ya?�

When the music changes tracks, Sec bounces up at Haywire’s offer, “yeah, let’s get a little bit of a groove on before I got to leave. Work a little of this booze out of my system before I gotta ride.�

Mac stands up, swaying for a second, “who am I to leave two ladies by themselves on the dance floor?�

Sec dances like she has been dancing since she was a year old which is probably the truth. Mac, while clearly not a great dancer is enthusiastic and confident in himself, with a sense of humor on the dance floor and as a result fun to dance with.

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2025

Haywire downs the shot - gotta catch up to Sec - then starts dancing. She's not that great a dancer, but, with the help of the shots, doesn't hold herslef back from giving her best.

[ Spoiler ]

Dance: 4 dice
Dance check. (1d6=1, 1d6=5, 1d6=1, 1d6=6)= 2 hits

For a bit, Haywire is lost in the dance, just moving in step with the rhythm, enjoying the moment. Only the weight of the crusader on her hip is a reminder of how she made the money to party tonight. That, and the weapons many of the guests carry.

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2025

As you dance the effects of the tequila quickly work their way through your system. Those were some strong shots; then again they were poured to the rim and weren’t watered down by shaking with crushed ice – not an uncommon procedure for light-weight tourists.

Cool Runnings begins to take on a different feel as the sun fully sets and the night life fully springs to action. The lights are brought down everywhere but over the bars and little spotlights hovering over the staff and replaced by a dizzying array of lasers, strobe lights, spot lights and modest AR effects. As the crowd gets thicker the club gets hotter to the point where everyone on the dance floor is glistening in the cacophony of lights.

Time passes fast and before you know it it’s 2130. The bottles of beer on your table are all empty – the original six beers and then some – and the bottle of Patron is kicked. Sec pulls you close so you can hear her over the music – she isn’t really the commlink type – and says, “Hate to run out on you babe, but I really gotta go now. Do you mind me leaving you with Mac or would you rather leave now? He’s really pretty harmless.�

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2135

Haywire doesn't think it over for a long time. If Sec trusts the guy he's probably ok - she knows the scene better than Haywire herself.

Besides, he's a good drinking buddy, at least he keeps up and doesn't try to get me drunk alone, like some tourists...

"Sure, sure, Sec, see you tomorrow, or the day after at McArrister's."

Watching Sec leave, Haywire waves down a waitress for another beer for her and Mac. Feeling mellow, she strikes up a conversation with the big man.

"So, Mac... where are you from?"

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2135

Sec nods to your response and gives you a quick hug and a light pat on the butt. She hugs Mac and gives him a friendly peck on the cheek and says to both of you, “have fun now. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do."

In response to your question Mac motions you off the dance floor and back to the table, “Sorry, have to sit down. The tequila is finally getting to me.� He pulls out a handkerchief and wipes the sheen off his face and neck.

He pauses for a moment and takes a swig of his beer, “I’m originally from New Orleans.� When he says that, you can finally place that small hint of a Cajun accent in his voice. “Didn’t stay there for long though. I’ve been on one boat or another in the Caribbean since I was ten and I’ve been calling Kingston home for the last decade.�

He leans back in his seat and takes a deep breath, taking in the pungent smell of ganja that’s spread itself in a haze across the club. He leans forward so he doesn’t have to yell, “Sec ever tell you about her family? They grow awakened weed. You should ask her about them sometime, she’s got a crazy family.�

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2135

Awakened weed? Ah, Deepweed.

Haywire is familiar with that weed, it was used in her crash training in astral perception, a few years ago. Not too fond memories, all in all, with the accelerated training regime and the forced consumption associated with the weed.

"How crazy?"

Houngans?

Haywire shivers a bit, thinking of voodoo. The whole practise is mysterious to her, and the rumors she heard since arriving on Jamaica... Haywire orders another beer.

[Tabula Rasa]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2135

“Oh pretty crazy,� he takes another swig of his beer, “I guess they call themselves Maroons. Crazy fraggers who escaped the slave plantations into the mountains and have stayed there since.�

A waitress sets another two beers on the table and clears off the empty bottle of tequila and all the other bottles. “Supposedly they’ve had houngans and witch doctors or whatever they call that shit seeing into the future since the 1700s,� he says and from his expression he seems to believe it, not that he would be much of an authority, “and that’s how they stayed one step ahead of the slavers and independent through all those years. Now they just rake in the dough selling awakened weed and shit like that down in Accompong.�

He shrugs and laughs a little, “though you wouldn’t know any of that from looking at her, huh?�

[Fuchs]

Cool Runnings, Kingston - 06/09/2070 - 2140

Haywire dimly remembers something she read in a guide about the maroons. She didn't hear about the voodoo rumors. Improbable anyway, in her opinion, magic did not become possible until the Awakening, yet...

Houngan... who knows what they can do...

"No, I'd not. But then, who'd suspect you were a pirate?"

Haywire smiles at Mac, raising her glass to cover up her slight nervousity, and trying to change the subject. Usually, a man would get points with her for not preferring to talk about himself, but in this situation...

Figures...