Salted Wounds [IC], a Deep Black Sea game Options

[Thanee]

"Do they really call themselves 'Crusaders' and 'Harvesters'? I thought it was just nicknames given to the two groups by Nacl to have a gripping name that also implies their motivation," Nova said.

"Either way, given that Linz has that big market for BTLs, we can probably expect some Crusader presence there."

[Gilga]

"Which would be no problem as long as we keep bnc out of sight, might be a good idea to disguise her if we have to send her out of the car"

[Volker]

She nods to Nova. "Yah ... I guess, it's just coincidence. I'd rather not move around in broad daylight too much. I think, this time, I'll stick to decker fashion and remain in the car. I can still have James join you but I'd rather have my meat bag stored somewhere safe and hidden.

So, does everyone agree to check our former flat first, then the Abdecker? I'd send a spydrone first, then - maybe - go in person."

bnc cups one of the Noizquitos with a hand, then smiles. "Fly, little darling, spread your wings...
"Isn't it odd how we can sympathize with drones in a similar way we can with actual people?"

[Jack_Spade]

The team reached Linz proper, driving into bnc's old haunt. To her surprise, she found the old place surrounded by scaffolding and building equipment - the whole quarter was in the process of being gentryfied. Quite a lot of anthro worker drones worked buisily despite the snow and wind with only a few metahuman workers in between.

A large plackard told the world that MTC Better Future Ltd. was renovating the whole block to create luxus appartments.

A lone kiosk remained from what she remembered about the place: Four years ago an old dwarf lady had sold everything from cheap booze to cheap burner links and artificial sweets - and in fact was doing so now as well, despite it being dark, cold and not very many people on the streets.

[Volker]

"Seems like our flat is no more... It makes me sad, somehow, though I never meant to return."
After a pause, bnc adds: "Anna ... I found that a kiosk is still there, run by someone who might still remember Kerstin and me. Maybe you can try and talk to her. Maybe she's seen or heard something, or whatever. You're the people person."

[Luckace]

"I'll join you, we don't know how Well little Granny speaks english."

[Gilga]

Anna grinned "I speak a bit of German, but any help would be appreciated. Perhaps it is best to approach her in her native language?"

[Volker]

"Ugh, dammit, you're right ...
Then, Wraith, why don't you do it on your own. Anna without language skills is of no use unless you want to seduce ole Nan. I'll listen through your commlink mic and be with you, but especially in this area, I don't wanna be seen."

[Luckace]

[ Spoiler ]

Astral sight: Astral sight: 9d6t5 1
Whoops, he actually has one die less. So that one hit doesn't even count.
Persuasion: Con (old dwarf-lady): 13d6t5 8 He'll make up a disgustingly cute story about wanting to visit Kerstin, trying to warm that old lady's heart and getting her to share any information on Kerstin. He keep his story vague as to not tell any false details.
Should Anna still want to go, he describes Kerstin as their best friend with whom they want to get back together after an emotional fight, instead of his love-interest, but the overall story will stay the same.

Since I assume Sharkboy (and Anna) will have some kind of translation-software (or bnc will help out) anyways, I see no IC-OOC-violation by simply translating right away:
"Say, since when have these constructions been going?"

"So that's why I came here from Bregenz, but now I find the whole place under reconstruction. Do you perhaps know if my girl still lives around here, or have you seen her recently?"


@Jack: does the kiosk sell food?

"Oh, you speak German? Didn't know that. Well enough to appear as a local?
Hm... Yeah, bnc might be right. Shouldn't be a tough talk anyways."
Before leaving the van, Wraith quickly checks the astral plane for any anomalities. Finding nothing that would worry him, he then walks up to the old lady's kiosk, his hands hidden inside the pockets of his warm coat.

Once at the kiosk, Wraith greets the old lady politely and buys a warm drink.
He sticks to Austrian protocol that requires complaining about the weather and at least half a dozen other subjects before initiating any meaningful conversation.

Only then he asks "Sagns, seid wann werd na da 'baut?", leading to an incredibly sweet story about how he used to have a crush on a girl from here (describing Kerstin), and how he sadly had to move to Vorarlberg recently (a very rural part of Austria and a fate that every Austrian would pity), thereby nipping their relationship in the bud.
As she had apparently changed her comcode since then, his only mean of contacting her (because he missed her oh so terribly) was to visit her to tell her how he still fealt for her, and that he would consider moving back to Linz. (Should she wonder why he appears so late at night, he will take this opportunity to complain about the horrible traffic).
"... drum bin i von Bregenz hierher gfahren, aber jetzt wird da ja alles umbaut. Ham's mein Mädl vielleicht neulich no gsehn und wissn, ob's no hier in der Gegend wohnt?

[Jack_Spade]

[ Spoiler ]

Resist Con with Composure
Resist Con: 10d6t5 3

From the get-go, Wraith noticed the little old dwarven lady was as tough and street wise as only someone could be who had held their independent place on the street for over thirty years. Still, it seemed he had hit all the right buttons with "Aunt Emma". The tale of lost love and exile was well performed and she began to warm up to the runner.
First she offered him a self made piece of strudel to the soycaf and began divulging some interesting details.

The team in the van received the live translation:
"Oh, you poor boy. I think I remember you. Weren't you the one hanging around with Kerstin and her sister down at the street corner?
Oh sure, I remember them. Both their parents died. Such a waste.
Ah yes, Kerstin, she left here two years ago. I remember because she paid me with a large cred stick for two coffees and told me to keep the rest."
There was a pause in the conversation until the microphone adjusted an caught the whispering:
"I think your young lady might be in trouble. Robert Nagl, the janitor over at the block told me that some people had been asking for her. And he says they carried guns. Imagine that. But they weren't from the police. Yes, only two weeks ago - or maybe three. Around Drei König (Three Kings) probably.
Yes, actually, he saw her. She had gone to the cellar and collected an old travel case.
No, Robert didn't tell them. He isn't a Depp (Idiot). She had paid him after all to look after it.
No idea, you'd have to ask him what was in there. Yes, he lives still there - he was the only one allowed to stay while the renovation goes on.
Now that you mention it - yes, the renovation started a week after she was here. Took only a week to the the renters out too. Damn drone drivers, barely buy anything. I remember the times when the builders drank a case of beer for breakfast...
What? Oh yes. Robert will be at home now. No, it's no trouble. I'm sure he'll help you find her. Here, bring him a beer from me. That old Grantler (Grouch) hasn't anything better to do anyway."

[Thanee]

"Sooo... two or three weeks ago. When did Nacl say the run took place again? Was this before or after?"

Answering her own question after a short moment, she adds: "I think he said 'last November', but that means one or two months ago, not over a year, right? Anyways, seems like she was here after that run."

[Luckace]

Wraith was glad about the hot soycaf. Finally, something warm. perhaps we should grab some more strudel afterwards...

He thanked Aunt Emma for her time and complimented the excellent strudel. When she gave him a beer for Mister Nagl, Wraith bought one as well, figuring the janitor might be more talkative when having a drink together. Let's hope we don't have to talk so long. But just in case.
He used the time while Emma was talking to convey with the team:

Wraith@team
<< Further questions? Bnc, u know this janitor? >>

[Gilga]

She replied in German "nicht gut genug, um als lokal zu gehen, aber gut genug für Smalltalk.
" Anna chose to stay in the van and wished Wraith good luck.


OOC: not well enough to pass as local, but well enough for small talk. Since you

[Volker]

"Jo, i håb nu a Fråg. Warum håd mia de Gran Wrinkles nie a Apflstrudal gmåcht?

Fråg, ob sie von da Schwester a wås woaß. I måg wissen, wüvü üba mi bekaunnt is.
Und find außa, wöcha Firma den Bau måcht?

Und gib da Wåchtl a Trinkgöd, Hümmöhergod! Und nimm uns an Strudl mit. De Kulturbanausn aus de UCAS kenan bis heid nix Gscheitas eis an Donut. Mit Schlåg, waunst an griagst."

bnc knew it was slightly rude to talk in German - that is, in an Austrian dialect even a translation program will have difficulties with - but it felt oh so good to use her native language after two years in exile.

She creates a list of dates they know so far and shares it with the team:
2076-11-05: team receives information for their run
2076-11-11: Black Site MCT Lab is disrupted by unforeseen visit from Rosenberg
2076-12-21: last entry in Kerstin's diary - apparently final strage of transformation
around 2077-01-06: Kerstin collects travel case. People ask questions

[ Spoiler ]

If someone wants a translation, please ask. But as your characters don't understand a thing, I thought, it'll help

[Luckace]

Wraith tries to keep the convesation running as a casual, unsuspicious smalltalk.
"Kerstins Schwester is wahrscheinlich mit ihr zam auszogn, oder? Oder war die no länger da?"
If she won't go on to speak about bnc, he'll ask more pressing questions like "Wie geht's der kleinen? War sie auch dabei, als Kerstin den Koffer gholt hat?" , but still in a casual, only midly interested tone.

When he pays his stuff, he gives Aunt Emma a hefty tip.

He continues with some basic chit-chat, letting his gaze wander around the construction site, looking for banners, AROs or other labels that would indicate the construction company (not only the building contractor, that MCT would be, but the company that does the manual labor in their name).

Before leaving and saying a hearty goodbye, he asks: "Ah, wärst vielleicht noch so nett, am Hausmeister zu schreibn, dass i von dir komm?"


"Perhaps it's because you tend to be an asshole? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
No, we'll eat elsewhere. When folks ask her, I don't want her to believe I have a whole team."

Wraith@team:
<< So, next stop: janitor.>>

[ Spoiler ]

Translation (Wraith's language doesn't contain too much dialect, as the time working as a shopkeeper has honed his tongue to speak clearly. I assume the translator won't have trouble translating what he says):
"Is it safe to assume that Kerstin's sister moved out together with her, or has she been here afterwards?
How is the little one, was she with kerstin when she got her bag?"

"Oh, and would you kindly consider texting the janitor that you sent me?"

perception (visual): 9d6t5 3
Only if he doesn't find any clue, he will ask Emma if she knows anything about the building company

[Volker]

"Kannst bitte wenigstens an mitnehmen? Quasi fia späta?"

[ Spoiler ]

I forgot to answer the question about the janitor IC. She passed a remark outlining his unspectacularity.

[Luckace]

"Eigentlich... I glaub, i bring am Hausmeister an Strudel mit, da gfreit er sich sicher. Also... no ein Stück für ihn, eins für mich... und eins für nachher, der war so guad. Packsd ma des extra ein?
Hast an Schlag dazu?", Wraith added after a short pause.

[ Spoiler ]

"Actually... I think, I might the janitor some of your strudel. So, one piece for him, one for me... and one for later, I really loved it. Packed seperatly, please. Do you have whipped cream?"

[Jack_Spade]

Aunt Emma laughed: "Gell der schmeckt dir" (You like that strudel, don't you).
While she prepared a small package to go, she continued: "Her sister, yes. Always looked so hungry. I think she left one day. Kerstin asked me if I had seen her. I think they had a row - sisters. Even after Kerstin moved out, she came back here regularly to check if Bianca had come back or left a message. Such a shame. I wonder what happened to her. She certainly wasn't here since then.
I'll send Robert a message so he opens the door for you."

The dwarven woman took out a small, cheap commlink and dialed laborious a number from memory, only to painstakenly type out a message. Raph could see that she actually bothered to open the conversation with "Dear Robert,... and finished it after a seeming eternity with a "yours sincerely Emma".

Meanwhile Raph had more than enough time to look at the construction site: As far as he could see, the Better Future logo was everywhere on the equipment, indicating that the contractors actually came from the developer as well.

Finally the old dwarf woman had sent the text and smiled at Raph: "Go on over before the beer freezes. And come by and tell me if you and Kerstin find back together."

[Luckace]

Wraith promises to keep her updated, grabs the package and heads to where she points him towards the janitor.
He had given the team acces to his glasses so they could see what he saw.
"Bnc, any icons monitoring Robert's flat?"

[Volker]

Though still on the team channel, bnc muttered under her breath: "Du schaust scho sö'm hungrig aus, oide Vettel."
It wasn't her comment that made bnc angry. It was the vision of her sister repeatedly returning in hope of finding a message she might have left behind. A message that she never found, and - if it weren't for Nacl - she'd never have found. Her stomach tied to a knot, but for once she didn't show.
Instead she asked: "Eliza, can you find out how Better Future is connected to MTC?"

Meanwhile, bnc goes full VR and thouroughly examines the area around the janitor's living place, both via matrix perception and through the eyes of her flying mosquito.

[Jack_Spade]

While bnc busily sifted through the multitude of matrix signals - most of them belonged to the working drones on the building site, including the R6 RCC somewhere around, a bunch of sensors also registered, possibly part of the security system of the site. Otherwise there were cars, appliances, carrier and household drones, as well as dozens of commlinks - and that was only what she could see at first glance and not in hidden mode.

The small drone showed a relatively snow free path leading to the back of the building and to a door labled R. Nagl on the buzzer.

Eliza replied after a minute: <<Better Futures has only be recently registered as a firm (7th January of this year to be precise) and is a 100% MCT owned company. It looks like the usual tax avoiding shell game. There is very little to find about it on the streams, except that they are hiring drone jockeys at the moment.>>

[Luckace]

Before knocking on the door, Wraith had put the package with the strudel aside (on top of a mailbox or somewhere where a drone could easily pick it up).

"Strudel is waiting for you guys. If your drone can't carry it, or I'll get it on the way back"

He knocked the door politely, trying his best as to not sound like the late-night-home-intruder that he was. "Herr Nagl?"

[Jack_Spade]

The faint noise of an old trid unit being turned down and shuffling steps getting closer warned Raph enough to take a step back from the door.
A rather small man with the distinct appearance and even faint smell of an old potatoe opened the door just as wide as the short chain would allow.
"Yes? Is my bell broken, or why do you knock on my door in the middle of the night?" The man squinted a bit at Raph's face.
"Oh, you are the boy asking about Kerstin. Emma just wrote to me that you'd turn up. Wait a second."
The door closed and the chain was removed, allowing Raph entrance to a small flat with cheap furniture that looked like it was last updated sometime in the 2040ies. Old neon signs and scuffed chrome and transpex tables as well as polyester hammock chairs greeted him, allowing him to place the two bottles of beer.

On the wall he saw a progression of old flatpanel monitors, set to display 2D pictures of various cybernetic enhancements. Only now Raph realized that the old man actually had two prosthetic arms, albeit very old tech.
Nagl noticed his look and shrugged: "Been in the Desert Wars as a young fool. Left as less the man than I went in."
With a casual gesture he picked up the bottle and flicked away the cap with practiced ease, using only his little finger.
"You aren't the first to ask about her. Two mercenaries or corp soldiers or whatever you want to call them came to look for her a few weeks ago. I don't think they believed me when I told them that I don't know anything about here whereabouts. And I don't think I can tell you anything more then them."

When Raph asked after the luggage, he replied:
"Yeah, shortly after she moved out, she asked me to keep a bag for her. Now, I know what a bug-out-bag is and it's a sensible thing to have in any case.
"Yes, I took a look inside. I mean helping someone is one thing, but getting caught holding a bag full of drugs, explosives or plutonium isn't exactly worth the 100€ she gave me."
"Mostly fancy clothing, a few burner phones, an old fashioned semi-automatic, some cosmetics and wigs as well as a tightly locked hard shell case - which probably contained the ammo for the gun and maybe a few grenades."
"Yeah she picked it up around Drei König. Looked sick, had her scarf up like a muslim mummy. Didn't want to stay, and honestly I didn't want her to stay either. Just a day later those goons came looking for her."

[ Spoiler ]

Matrix Perception check from bnc or whoever else is keeping watch on the local situation
If Anna is doing astral overwatch, she can do an assensing check as well.

[Gilga]

Anna followed the conversations from the astral, making sure to at least know it if the place was astrally monitored. She was careful not to alert any of the mundanes to her present, and tried to keep discreet from astral forms as well, should they be around.

[ Spoiler ]

You guys are kind of quick - but I was traveling so things were slower.
She'll augment her intuition before going.
Drain (F6, 3 drain): 15d6t5 6
Improve Intuition: 17d6t5 4


Assensing:
Assensing: 16d6t5 9 She keeps 'only' 8 hits due to her astral limit.

[SquirrelDude]

Sharkboy sat in the back of the van, enjoying the heat and getting some rest. The mention of the mercenaries who came knocking at the old man's brought him back. He instinctively reach for his bow and then relaxed again when he heard they had visited a few weeks ago. If anyone stayed around to see if the old man received other visitors, a few weeks was likely long enough to kill them of boredom. He relaxed again and his thoughts drifted to hot strudel.