JackPoint: The Novel, To the rescue of Hackbaby! Options

[ggodo]

Something that targeted only makes sense if Hackbaby is the collateral to do our impossible job.

One of the long-term ideas I had for the triology was that the entirety of it - the Rose Garden job, the tracking of the faceless antagonist, the eventual reveal, the Exchange - was what amounted to a decision based on statistical analysis. The Rose Garden had to be burned so the secrets of the Resonance wouldn't be revealed. The act of kidnapping Hackbaby sets all this into motion with the singular goal of the Resonance protecting itself and electing to out a few of its unknowing/unwilling agents to do so.

Think Paycheck, with a touch of Eagle Eye and doses of The Malloreon. Simmer, stir occasionally, serve when chemical reaction causes a saucy explosion.

Alright, I gotta say that's pretty awesome. Making The Exchange The Resonance and having the entire thing a ploy for self-defense is pretty sweet, we still need someone for Fastjack to shoot with his trusty Predator 1

[CanRay]

A physical body needs to be holding Hackbaby. Someone so amoral and full of themselves that they think themselves above "Shadowrunner Scum", and cowardly enough to be willing to hide behind a baby.

The Exchange probably intended this to be a One-Job deal, with the Karmatic Return being Hackbaby, safe and sound, and possible training of Hackbaby whenever (s)he is old enough to go into the Matrix. This guy being the one that is "Extending The Contract" out of his own greed. Thus turning the Karma around on him so that it starts helping out the JackPoint Posse.

Certainly puts him squarely into the "Complete Monster" and "Too Stupid To Live" areas. (Note complete lack of TV Tropes links.).

[Doc Chase]

A physical body needs to be holding Hackbaby. Someone so amoral and full of themselves that they think themselves above "Shadowrunner Scum", and cowardly enough to be willing to hide behind a baby.

The Exchange probably intended this to be a One-Job deal, with the Karmatic Return being Hackbaby, safe and sound, and possible training of Hackbaby whenever (s)he is old enough to go into the Matrix. This guy being the one that is "Extending The Contract" out of his own greed. Thus turning the Karma around on him so that it starts helping out the JackPoint Posse.

Certainly puts him squarely into the "Complete Monster" and "Too Stupid To Live" areas. (Note complete lack of TV Tropes links.).

Bless your heart. You save our souls!

This is the problem I've been wrestling with. One, how to get Hackbaby away from two seasoned runners? Two, who would get Hackbaby away from two seasoned runners?

My first thought is "Durr, Immortal Elf." That thought is quickly bagged and taken out back by the rest of my brain to be shot in a shallow ditch and coated in lye to remove identifying marks.

We know that Hackbaby is the prize, with ducats, for the job, but if this was a statistical decision then preparations would be made to extend the estmated time of completion so that the munchkin isn't tracked down. The Exchange can do this with the favor system. "Favor: Take Child H to <Location>. Child available at <Time>." And it just keeps dancing and dancing around, making it so Netcat and the trace team can't quite catch the munchkin. Always off kilter.

Then the butterfly flaps its wings. Enter Angry Johnny. He's Too Dumb To Live, but the Exchange requested a favor for him to watch the munchkin for a night while he was on his delivery rounds. Nobody pays attention to his van, because nobody pays attention to Angry Johnny. He's nearly broke, and he needs the good karma and the favor so he can get his rent paid again this month. Hackbaby's going to get traded off before his next delivery, so maybe he can sneak a free KuppaKaf out of the trade-off.

Flap. Flap. Flap. Bam. He hits a pothole and the transmission falls out of his van. He's dead in the water with a munchkin in the passenger seat, dead asleep, no nuyen, no favors owed, and now no car. So he calls ahead to his next delivery, who's pissed - and comes to pick up their package. Then they see the kid, and they start asking about it.

Angry Johnny explains what's going on, with the Exchange, how the kid's going to be dropped off, so on and so forth...And he's surprised when they say they'll take care of it for him. He's had a hard enough day, oh and by the way - here's your payment for the aborted delivery! Angry Johnny, well, he's ecstatic!

By the time Netcat and the trace team catch up to the van, there's not much left of it. Just one charred corpse in the driver's seat, and no sign of Hackbaby, who is safe and sound now in the ritziest part of town.

The folks who picked Hackbaby up are brokers who deal in several things. Drugs, chips, guns, even specialty items. There's one that's been on the books for a couple months, one that they had to be sure was perfect. Cute kid, right structure, definitely human, not too old or too young. This one, they reason, this one fits the bill. So they make a call, money changes hands, and Hackbaby has a new luxury home...

...

...In the hands of Kenneth fucking Brackhaven.

[Belvidere]

...In the hands of Kenneth fucking Brackhaven.

Yes. So much yes!

[Xahn Borealis]

Quick question, what's Slamm-O!'s and Netcat's relationship like atm? I noticed Netcat still playing up Slamm-O! in 6WA, a line about how he gets the agent to do everything for him. Are they an item, hate each other's guts, in the Awkward Zone, or "It's Complicated."?

[Doc Chase]

Quick question, what's Slamm-O!'s and Netcat's relationship like atm? I noticed Netcat still playing up Slamm-O! in 6WA, a line about how he gets the agent to do everything for him. Are they an item, hate each other's guts, in the Awkward Zone, or "It's Complicated."?

He's definitely her baby daddy. There's a bit of itemization there. More than a bit.

Y'know, "It's Complicated" might be the best descriptor here.

[ggodo]

He's definitely her baby daddy. There's a bit of itemization there. More than a bit.

Y'know, "It's Complicated" might be the best descriptor here.

They're two black ops operatives who have a child. "Complicated" is the only word for it.

[Xahn Borealis]

So, do they actually like each other?

[ggodo]

So, do they actually like each other?

I think so, they're just one of those banter relationships. Their whole thing was born out of competition in a rather elementary school manner.

[CanRay]

I'd probably liken it to the Osbournes. Ozzy and Sharon fight like cat and dog, but love each other very much.

And... Brackhaven. I love it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif) Especially considering his own adopted status, and what happened with his own Daughter.

[Doc Chase]

And... Brackhaven. I love it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif) Especially considering his own adopted status, and what happened with his own Daughter.

I like the idea of him having hired a public relations specialist from Charisma Associates that suggested he needed to bolster his 'family man' image - but to keep the kid on the down low for a while until he can be sure the child will call him 'Daddy'.

Because getting that moment on tape is worth double percentages in the polls.

[CanRay]

Well, it's always an election year in the UCAS practically (If not for one office, then another), and he's got his political party to think about.

[Doc Chase]

Ugh. And now I'm sitting there wondering what a sample chapter would look like, and that Immortal Elf idea I shot out back pops up and says, "Call it 'A Bullet With Butterfly Wings!'" and shows me the sample chapter where Angry Johnny gets his payment.

So the rest of my brain shot it again, covered it in gasoline, and lit the fragger on fire.

[AStarshipforAnts]

I like the idea of him having hired a public relations specialist from Charisma Associates that suggested he needed to bolster his 'family man' image - but to keep the kid on the down low for a while until he can be sure the child will call him 'Daddy'.

Because getting that moment on tape is worth double percentages in the polls.

You genius of a bastard. I LOVE IT.

[AStarshipforAnts]

Double post. Please disregard.

[CanRay]

There we go, a nice enemy everyone can hate, and would probably have someone along his chain stupid enough to think they could string the JackPoint Posse along for a ride as long as possible...

[ggodo]

So, the outline so far seems to be:

Act 1
Burning The Garden

Netcat and Slamm-O return from a meet to find Hackbaby missing and messages leading them to The Rose Garden. The Jackpoint crew breaks in, meets up with Puck, takes down The Garden, then finds out their child is in another castle.

Act 2
The Hunt for Hackbaby

This will be an anthology of each Jackpointer's hunt for clues in their own fashion. Sticks hits the streets for legwork, Kane kills millions, Fastjack JackHammers his way through the mysterious encryption, /dev/grrrrl gets her nails done, Netcat deals with AIs to find the true nature of The Exchange, Sunshine reads the news, Black Mamba destroys third world countries, and Puck tries to put his entrails back inside. Intersperse these with glimpses of The Exchange moving the baby along, potentially starting in Act 1. End with one of the Jackpointers finding Angry Johnny's van, and some hint of how to proceed.

Act 3
Lame Duck Session
Jackpoint compares notes, pieces together the puzzle that leads them Brackhaven. While planning their attack on the manor, the crew starts noticing small things going their way, The Exchange's apology for taking the child. The team comes together to pull the biggest job of their lives, and ensure Brackhaven isn't up for re-election.


In a related note, What did happen to Brackhaven's daughter? It might be the fact that it's 3 am here, but I don't recall him having children.

[Doc Chase]

Busted for smuggling Tempo out in Cascade Ork territory.

[CanRay]

And hanging out in general with CrimeTime and the Cascade Orks during the Gubernatorial Election. Not exactly something Mr. Humanis PoliClub wants to brag about. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

That sounds about right for the basis for the stories, but I'm thinking they're all anthologies with different authors taking over different characters.

I'm going to see if I can write for Kane ("I'm adding more violence!"), and /dev/grrl/. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

[Belvidere]

I'm going to try and write from Netcat's Eyes. Aside from SR4A, Unwired, and Emergence (I Think?). Any particularly deep shadowtalk about her?

[CanRay]

Well, the morning sickness post. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Belvidere]

Well, the morning sickness post. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

That's more terrifying than anything else really.

[ggodo]

Yeah, hopefully the main plot of SR5 is Deus Reborn.

[Belvidere]

Yeah, hopefully the main plot of SR5 is Deus Reborn.

I'd like to see that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

Tonight! One time only! The clash of the ages!

In this corner! Belezebub's Banker! The Advocate's Assisstant! The Account frrroooom Heeeelllll!!!!

And in the opposite corner! AI Supreme! The only one responsible for so much terror! Deeeuuuuuusss!!!

(You're welcome CanRay. I figure if a Shadowrunner would get to stand against him, it'd be you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rotfl.gif) )

[CanRay]

Great, a former Wageslave is going to save the world from an incomprehensible force that...

Wait, I've read this before.