"Sledge" - Brian McElroy, B&E specialist20 Questions
[ Spoiler ]
1/ What is your heritage?
Caucasian, a Euro-mutt, but mainly Irish. He was born and raised in Boston, but remained in Seattle after his discharge from the army.
2/ What would your parents say about you?
“He was always getting into trouble as a kid. He probably did everything you say, and more, officer.”
3/ What historical events does your character remember?
He remembers the basics, but never paid attention to detail. The assassination of President Dunkelzahn, Ghostwalker taking over Denver, several military operations that were not widely reported (or reported correctly).
4/ How did you get into shadowrunning and why?
Sledge joined the army at 18 to avoid jail time for multiple misdemeanors. Having finally found direction and success, he reenlisted for another four years. However, the temptation of high value items, foreign and domestic, lead to Sledge falling into his old ways, followed by a court marshal and a dishonorable discharge. Nowhere to go, no job prospects and the loss of his career led to depression and old habits.
With his previous connections in addition to his criminal and military experience, it wasn’t long before Sledge was working big time jobs instead of boosting car stereos and interactive trid systems.
5/ What is your living space like?
Sledge’s apartment is clean and organized. With modest spending on home entertainment, furniture and decorations, his home has a contradicting inviting and antiseptic feeling.
6/ What are your beliefs / convictions and why do you have them?
Though he was raised Catholic, he never really followed it. He is led by his personal ambition to become the best in his field, replacing his failed dreams of a military career with dedication to a career in shadowrunning. Not as respectable, but better paying, as well as more freedom, at least until he got pinched.
7/ What do you think is your most annoying or worst trait?
Sledge is blunt and direct, which many people do not like. His sarcasm doesn’t help matters either.
8/ What megacorp do you like the most? The least? Why?
Sledge doesn’t have any love for any megacorp, they are all the same to him. The closest thing to feelings for a megacorp is his love-hate relationship with the army. He hates them for abandoning him, though he really knows it to be his own fault that he destroyed his own career.
9/ How did you come to know your contacts?
Friends of friends, enemies of enemies and a reputation for getting the job done. 6 years in the military, 2 in military prison, and a lifetime of slowly advancing through the criminal world, from small time crook to shadowrunner.
10/ What do you do on a day off?
Relax and drink at local establishments, gamble on billiards, cards and sports. Sometimes he stays home and enjoys sports on tv.
11/ How did you come to learn your skills at your present proficiency?
Most of his B&E and stealth skills are based in self taught criminal activities, then honed in the military. Most of his combat skills came directly from his military training, then improved with that experience and shadowrunning experience.
12/ Are there any moral limits on what jobs you take or things you’ll do?
Sledge would never take a job that would attack innocent women and children. He would prefer not to kill, not so much to do with moral limits as potential legal complications.
13/ How do you view magic/technomantic abilities?
When fighting against either, Sledge fears it immensely. He cannot fathom how either work, he cannot see it, and cannot understand it, so he doesn’t really know how to fight it. When it’s on his side, it is no bother to him.
14/ How do you view augmentation and implantation?
It is a necessary evil in the business, and considers it normal for these times.
15/ What do you think of ordinary life and those who live it?
If Sledge could turn back time and not fall into the lifestyle he has lived, he would be living an ordinary life himself. He respects those who are able to stick with the ordinary life, knowing that he never could.
16/ What would be a bad nightmare for you? Any deep-rooted fears? Why is it so frightening you?
There isn’t anything in particular that Sledge is irrationally afraid of. He has many regrets, so a dream remembering past mistakes would be depressing, more than frightening, but a nightmare nevertheless. Of course, a dream about magic spiders would probably be frightening, but who wouldn’t think that is a nightmare.
17/ What is your sacred object or close one, and how did they become so important to you?
He doesn’t have a sacred object, and he isn’t really close with anyone. His parents and siblings are all upstanding citizens and prefer to have no contact with him.
18/ What did you want to become as a child, and what are your goals now?
He didn’t know what he wanted to be until he was actually 18 and in the army. Then that became his passion. After losing that, his goals changed, and since he felt he could not make anything of himself in the real world, he would have to do it in the underworld.
19/ What does your character look like, and what inspired his choices?
Sledge is 5’8, 180 lbs, white male with pale skin, green eyes and slightly reddish dark brown hair. His hair is short, and usually messy, and he usually sports a beard that looks to be a couple days to a weeks worth of growth. He dresses in jeans or cargo pants, regular plain t-shirts, sometimes button ups when the mood strikes him. He often wears a lightweight dark brown leather jacket that is well worn.
20/ How did you get your street name?
Before learning the finesse of his art, a hammer was always a good tool. When that didn’t work, then you probably needed a bigger hammer. While now knowing better ways to do things, when frustrated or in a hurry, a hammer is still a good choice.
IC Background
[ Spoiler ]
McGhee's used to be a respectable Irish pub and pool hall, but that was over three years ago. Now the back room was empty of any pool tables and functioned as a great place to make the aptly named backroom deals, and to perform other illegal activities.
Tonight was like any other; There were only ten or so patrons, the last remaining pool table sat in the front room, unused and in like-new condition, and Sledge sat at the bar with his usual, Jameson, on ice, along with a tall Guinness. Brennan stood across the bar from Sledge, waiting to refill glasses as necessary, as they talked about various subjects, from sports to simstars.
It was well passed noon, and his fourth whiskey, when Sledge's contact arrived. He shook his head as Mr. Johnson approached the bar, looking very nervous for someone who had the confidence to wear such an expensive business suit in this neighborhood.
"Mr. Sledge, what don't you understand about discrete?"
"Mr. Johnson, what don't you understand about casual? That suit looks like it costs more than my car."
"Uh... well... I didn't wear my tie..."
"Brennan, another round for my friend."
"Really, Mr. Sledge, we have to talk. Is there somewhere more private we can go?"
"Call me Sledge, Mr. Sledge is my father."
"Mr - Sledge, please. I don't have time for this."
Brennan poured another two glasses of whiskey and two beers. Sledge grabbed his and headed for a corner table in the front room. Mr. Johnson looked the other direction, where the private rooms were located.
"I would rather go back there to discuss business."
"I would rather drink in private, but here you are."
"Sledge. Please. Why do you have to be so difficult?"
"Mr. Johnson," he paused to take a drink. "What are you going to tell me that is so important, that people out here are not going to know we are discussing in the backroom. Your assumption of anonymity and privacy are borderline delusional. No one here is going to know anything, and going into the back is just going to raise interest. Sitting here, having a drink with a friend, is much less suspicious, and is the reason I said dress casual."
Defeated, Mr. Johnson sat down and joined Sledge. He slid a credstick across the table, which dropped into Sledge's lap.
"Smooth."
"You said you could be in and out without any signs."
"I ran into complications. I had to improvise."
"The news is saying it looks like someone smashed all the locks with a hammer."
"Not all the locks."
Mr. Johnson glared at him, then took a drink himself. He swirled the drink while looking at it, and his mood somewhat improved.
"Looking at you, one would not know of your good taste in spirits, Mr. Sledge."
Sledge gave Brennan a nod, as he had switched to the more expensive 18 year Jameson when the johnson arrived.
"As I was saying, it was not all the locks. I was running into some difficulties, so I improvised. After locating your merchandise, I realized that there was no way they wouldn't notice the particular merchandise you wanted was missing. The amount of prospected buyers for such a thing is so small, I didn't want it traced back to you, and therefor me. So after securing the product, and my window closing, I quickly smashed up a bunch of rooms and took some expensive looking drek including several laptops."
"So you're saying you made it look unprofessional on purpose?"
"The hammer is a magnificent tool, Mr. Johnson. It may appear to lack finesse, and to be the tool of the unskilled, but it truly is a versatile piece of equipment that has a wide range of uses when in the right hands. And it is only about 10 bucks at any hardware store."
Mr. Johnson listened to Sledge's bullshit, drinking it in as if it were 18 year old Irish whiskey. In actuality, Sledge had smashed up the corporate office because he was running short on time, and wanted a new computer.
