Neo-Tokyo - 04/24/2008 – 2135

Kambei smiles when he sees the night's star. At least there'd be something nice to watch here. After getting the layout of the place memorized he heads outside to "grab some fresh air" and heads outside for a bit to look for his target's car so he can get a good look at it.

If it seems to get too hard to get back in he goes back inside before the place gets obnoxiously crowded.

Neo-Tokyo - 04/24/2008 – 2145

The Car - a Nightsky - arrives, and Zunigata, dressed sharply, but a bit understated for this club, steps out, followed by a larger and slightly less well dressed man with sunglasses - a stereotypical bodyguard look. The car logs on to the club's node, and drives itself to the garage - Kambei sees no driver anyway.

The garage is pretty secure, but not to the point that a bit of trickery, some hacking, and maybe some support by Rattler wouldn't get Kambei in and out. The main function of the security seems to be deterring thieves, so if one doesn't mind wrecking a car, breaking out doesn't seem that hard.

Neo-Tokyo - 04/24/2008 – 2145

After the vehicle situation is properly scoped out he heads back in side and finds a spot where he can check out Zunigata's booth with his back to a wall if possible.

Hopefully this chick is worth listening too. Live music can be a bitch to filter out.

While he waits he sends an encrypted message to Rattler, "let me know if you are available sometime soon. I might need to get into a few secure areas."

Neo-Tokyo - 04/24/2008 – 2145

Rattler answers that he is available, and he'll even waive the retainer fee unless "soon" means "sometime this week".

The girl starts to sing, and while she's no Ai Nogami, she's talented. Unfortunately, her song is similar to one of Ai's latest hits, so it's hard not to think of Ai right now.

A glance to the booth reveals that Zunigata is listening intently as well, his attention fully on the stage.

Neo-Tokyo - 04/24/2008 – 2145

"Great," Kambei says while fighting back old memories, "I need access to this place's garage and a Nightsky belonging to my target. Not right now, but pretty soon."

Kambei waits for a bit observing the Yakuza making sure he knows exactly how many people he could be forced to deal with.

Neo-Tokyo - 04/24/2008 – 2145

Rattler nods, his icon dancing a bit to the music, or at least coiling rhythmically - it is a song one listens to easily - then disappears "to get ready" - just as he vanishes, a last bit of advice is heard "if you have the time, then slow and carefully is always better than brute force when it comes to hacking, Kambei-kun."



Meanwhile, Kambei has spotted another Yakuza bodyguard in addition to the one Zunigata came in with. The other must have been already in the club, a sort of advance scout. He's standing a bit to the side and ahead, and for most people he looks like a typical party goer, but Kambei notices that he's subtly reacting each time someone passes near Zunigata - and always looks to have a clear line of sight. That alone might not be enough - it could be an assassin waiting for someone meeting with Zunigata, after all - but Kambei also notices that the "overt" bodyguard doesn't watch the second man much - and given that man's position relative to Zunigata, he'd be a prime potential threat.

So, two bodyguards, if both leave together. Not impossible odds, but not good either. Better to split them up, if they don't do that by themselves. Maybe have Rattler fiddle with doors, or create a distraction? Or take his chances and hope the second bodyguard will keep his distance and scout ahead again?

During this, Yuna is whipping the crowd into a mass of cheering, hopping, dancing people. She's doing cover versions as an encore, among them a version of Ai's first big hit "Dance Tomorrow".

Neo-Tokyo - 04/24/2008 – 2145

Kambei’s mood quickly sours as she covers “Dance Tomorrow� but he doesn’t filter out the music for reasons he doesn’t have the psychological training to figure out.

If it wasn’t for those fuckers I would be sitting at home drinking a fine wine with his friends right now, with Ai at his side, or getting ready to do a job with full support and backup instead of the way I am now, or sparring with his dad. Bastards!

Deciding to not worry about whether he had two bodyguards or one to deal with – it’s not like he could change the number anyway – he waits till the set starts to wind down before heading out to the garage to see if he can get into their vehicle.

“Hey, Rattler, if you can give me admin access into their vehicle and give me a kill switch I’d really appreciate it right about now.�

Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0015

After a bit more than two hours the gig of Yuna comes to a close, the singer bowing, beaming, amidst a thundering applause - and probably getting bombarded with messages through the matrix by adoring fans - or hopeful suitors.



Just as the singer is bowing, she suddenly looks through the club, and staring at Zunigata for a second, her smile faltering just a fraction. The man just bows lightly to her, already standing, and preparing to leave. The singer keeps smiling, but leaves the stage quicker than expected.

Rattler pipes up "You know, we need to talk one day about what else you can do with admin level control over a car, other than shutting its engine off. But here's your kill switch."

A short code follows, allowing Kambei to remotedly shut down the Nightsky.

"Anything else you need done? Hacking into the changing room's cameras costs extra though."

Rattler laughs, the icon's mouth opening far wider than even snakes should be able to - unless those are the type that can unhook their jaws.

Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0015

Kambei cracks up – quickly covering his face with a hand – “no, I’m good, thanks. Just stick around though just incase. I might need you to kill their commlinks if my jammer’s not good enough. Can you do that with a jammer on or would that fuck you up too much too?�

He walks through the crowd to the garage heading casually towards the Nightsky as if he is heading to his own car.

I need to decide whether I’m going to do this in an obvious violent manner for fast results… or slow and careful… both courses seem to carry substantial risks.

Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0016

Rattler pauses for a second.

"I'd have to hack their commlinks. Possible, especially if you take the jammer inside the car - I'll be able to operate outside the field."

Up ahead, Kambei sees the "secret" bodyguard walking to a bike. From Rattler's feed of the club's cameras Kambei sees that Zunigata is on his way out the front door. Rattler delays him for a bit by mixing up the wardrobe system - Zunigata makes it quite clear that he is sure he didn't arrive with a leopard pelt at the club - but the staff won't take that long to find Zunigata's coat.

So, he has to hurry if he wants to get inside the car in the garage, or get ready outside.

Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0016

Kambei says a quick prayer to his father and his ancestors watching over him and heads towards the Nightsky. He pulls on a pair of gloves, a shock glove on his off-hand, and loosens his jacket. He unlocks the driver door with admin access and pops it open and plants a flashpack in a wellhidden position where it would still have an effect, then immediately closes it and gets in the driver's side back passenger seat.

Good, admin access works.

He takes out his ceramic polymer pistol, screws on the silencer and holds it on his lap, while he waits for the car to head out to the front of the club. Kambei folds himself down a bit trying to limit how visible he would be to thermal detection.

I hope this works, Kambei thinks as his palms begin to get a bit sweaty. He could never get that little bit of nervousness to go away before he every risked a potential firefight.

Outside Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0017



The car starts as soon as Kambei is inside, but he managed to escape the notice of the second bodyguard, who is following the car on his bike. The limousine's autopilot navigates the short distance to the garage, a feed from its sensors linked to Kambei courteysy of Rattler's preparations. Through it he can see that Zunigata is waiting, flanked by his bodyguard, at the door of Freefall.

As expected the second "secret" bodyguard passes the Nightsky as it slows down to halt, so as to appear unconnected. Zunigata walks up to the Nightsky, his overt guard moving to open the door. Just as the man starts to opens the door, another person appears in the entrance - it's Yuna Endo, still in her stage getup, and panting - she must have run from backtage through the club to the entrance. Her voice, a singer's training showing, can fill a club, and no amount of traffic noise or AR advertising is drowing it out when she desperately calls out to Zunigata "Z-San! Wait!"

Zunigata, a mixture of emotions running over his face before it settles into a stony mask, turns to her right when his guard pulls the car door open.



Kambei's presence takes both the bodyguard as well as Zunigata by surprise. The guard is standing behind the door, the Yakuza Lieutenant one and a half meters away from it, and turned back toward the entrance, but in full view - and line of fire - of Kambei. Unfortunately, Kambei is in full view of Yuna as well. The second bodyguard is about 40 meters past already, but looking back and slowing down.

Outside Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0017

Kambei curses his luck, the good run was bound to end. He lounges across the backseat and tries to knock the door into the bodyguard as he reaches for Zunigata with his shock gloved hand.

Outside Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0017

The three other people seem to react in slow motion compared to Kambei's enhanced speed. His shoulder throws the door open and into the bodyguard, while he makes a grab for Zunigata.



Kambei's shock glove makes contact with Zunigata's neck and discharges. The shock knocks the yakuza prone and leaves him momentarily incapacitated on the ground, twitching.



The bodyguard is pushed back by the door, but not unbalanced, and pulls a long knife out of a sheath under his jacket. Yuna, at first paralysed, screams loudly. The other bodyguard, 40 meters away, starts to speed his bike up, preparing to turn back.

Outside Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0017

Kambei tries to haul Zuginata into the car before he fully collapses to the ground and if he manages to even get him partially in he orders the car’s autopilot to start rolling forward.

Outside Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0017

Kambei grabs Zunigata, and drags him inside the Nightsky.



He has some problem, but adrenalin and bioware-enhanced muscles prevail, and as soon as the bigger part of the limp Yakuza is inside the car, the autopilot starts rolling. The bodyguard starts to run after the car.



The Yakuza even manages to jump on the car and get a grip before the door closes, but he's in an awkward position, hanging on by one hand.



Kambei drags Zunigata inside and slams the door shut, breaking the bodyguards grip on the carframe and a number of fingers of the man's hand. The second bodyguard, riding his bike, is coming towards them, and getting an extendable steel baton out.



He evades the car's autopilot's attempt to ram the bike, and wheels the bike around to give chase, leaving a trail of rubber on the asphalt. Yuna is still hysterically screaming.

Outside Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0017

Kambei keeps himself calm and slaps a tranq-patch on the Yakuza’s arm to keep him from stirring awake after the taser effect wears off, zips his hands behind his back with a plasteel restrain and crawls into the driver’s seat after shoving the Lieutenant down into the passenger seat leg space.

Kambei laughs to himself as he guns the engine and activates his jammer trying to get the hell out of the area. I’m a dead-man-walking if they ever catch me after pulling this shit… maybe I should have gone with a different plan.

Outside Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0017

The Nightsky speeds up, leaving the first bodyguard, whose slowly getting up, cradling his broken hand in front of his chest and sporting ripped and torn clothes after his fall from the car, behind. But the second bodyguard is chasing after the limousine on his bike - and he is keeping up.

Outside Freefall - 04/24/2008 – 0017

Kambei tries to pick up speed and head away from the heavier populated areas into the bad parts of Neo-Tokyo, using his knowledge of Yakuza territories to try to avoid heading towards where backup might be coming from.

“Hey, Rattler. I know I don’t ask you for too many favors,� Kambei says ironically, “but anything you could do to help me out of this little mess would be appreciated. Need to get the this fucker off my tail while avoiding the police.�

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0017

Rattler answers the call, sounding a bit pressed.

"I am a bit busy suppressing a number of signals from your recently acquired car. I'll send some false alerts out to keep the police off your tail, but your new friend shut off his commlink - I think he suspects a hacker after you took control of the car."

Fortunately, the road gets worse, so with a bit of good timing, and innovative use of the flash-pak, there might be a way to get the biker off his tail.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0017

“Thanks man,� Kambei says, “you’re always on top of things. Remind me to get you a bottle of something expensive if we ever meet in person.�

He grits his teeth as he swerves to avoid a distracted pedestrian. He reaches down and picks up the flashpack he’d tucked away earlier and lowers the window a tad to make room to put it through it.

Kambei waits for a moment of opportunity when the road gets bad around a sharp turn to speed into the turn, dropping the flashpack right as he activates it to hopefully blind and disorient the biker while he is speeding through the turn to follow.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0018



The yakuza biker turns around the corner, and the flash-pak goes off, filling the street with disorienting noise. The yakuza doesn't quite crash headlong into the next wall, but he doesn't get the turn right, and ends up sliding over the street, his bike trailing sparks and bits of plastic before coming to a rest at a dumpster.

By this time, Kambei has turned the next corner, and accelerated. A few minutes later, it's evident that there is no pursuit - Rattler checked the matrix nodes nearby as well.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0018

Kambei takes a quick look at Zuginata to make sure he is still out. No sense in getting surprised now after I’ve cleared his guards.

He drives down at only a bit over the speed limit – just like anybody else – and heads towards a similar neighborhood – but not the same one - to the one where he had arranged the meet with Kouki’s chubby hacker friend and that creepy mage.

“Hey, Rattler, can you just give me a good location with very little matrix activity in this area? I’m going to get pretty close to him when I’m talking to him so my jammer is gonna cut out my connection too after that point.

“I just need a parking lot or something similar where I can question this guy without getting bothered by a bunch of hobos.�

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0018

Rattler evidently doesn't like the idea of cutting oneself off from the matrix - he mutters something about fiberoptic lines and cables - but finds a location for Kambei that is reasonably safe. Some rumors about a curse that strikes down infidels, or such. Hopefully spread by someone who wanted to scare people, and not based upon anything - at least one should be ok, for the interrogation.

So the Nightsky parks in the garange of a ruined shop, ground floor. The floor is covered with dust, rubble and something that looks like rat droppings, but it's reasonably safe - it was a talismonger shop years ago.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0018

Kambei scans the area quickly going through various types of visions to see if there is anyone around. If the coast is clear he pulls Zuginata out of the back driver's side door and leans him against the read quarter panel. He pats him down for weapons and then rips of the tranq-patch.

He nudges him a few times, trying to rouse him.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0030

Zunigata carried a taser and a tanto, both with concealed holsters, and both look expensive. The taser looks harldy used, contrary to the tanto, who shows signs of wear on the handle. The Yakuza takes some time to recover his senses - the shock glove must have hit him harder than expected. When he finally opens his eyes he looks slightly nauseous. To his credit, despite the effects from the shock glove and the tranqu patch, he doesn't freak out, but stares at Kambei's masked face, jaw muscles tightening.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0030

Kambei squats down in front of him, but far enough to avoid a surprise attack if Zunigata has any tricks up his sleeve. “I need information you are privy to,� he says matter-of-factly. “You give me what I need and supporting evidence to corroborate it and I’ll let you go. No strings attached.�

I wonder if I can get anything out of him without threats.

“What do you say?�

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0030

Zunigata doesn't react at all, he just stares at Kambei with a stony expression.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0030

Kambei suppresses his sigh, just what I thought… a straight laced company man who would probably rather die than lose a finger.

“If you prefer to bypass the easy route than I can go with the more difficult one,� he says, “I know you have the information I need and I’m not going to quit till I get it.�

He digs into his pocket and pulls out a chip and holds it up in front of Zunigata’s face, “see this chip, this is a copy of the p-fixes your people have been using a lot lately. This one contains my favorites, ‘slut,’ ‘bimbo,’ and ‘slave.’ I have to admit, ever since I got this chip, I’ve been wondering how it would work if you plug it into an upright, decent man. Specially the slave one, though I imagine the bimbo one would make for some funny trid to pass around the office.�

“So, what do you say,� he says as he closes his hand around the chip and puts his hand back down on his knee, “you want to cooperate or…�

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

Zunigata doesn't say anything, but the muscles of his jaw tighten more, and his nostrils widen a bit. He does look like a man ready to die for his family, or his or his family's honor, or what he thinks of as honor. Not that that helps him much in this case. He probably has a weakness, but finding it could take a bit of time.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

Kambei masks his frustration. I really need to get an errand boy I can trust. This would be a lot more convincing if I had the right equipment with me. Maybe I can still try to convince him without pulling out the big guns.

"You think your honor would be worth anything if you turn up dead with a recording of you in a gaijin gay-bar chipped up like one of your girls? Fuck, throw in an orc or a troll and you could be the fucking big boss and people would still talk about you if you were alive. Even if everyone knew you were on a chip, what would they think?

"Zunigata, tripping on his own beetle getting dirty with the dregs of society? You want that to be your legacy?"

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

Zunigata's eyes blaze, and Kambei knows he just made himself an enemy for life, but the yakuza presses an answer through his clenched teeth.

"What do you want?"

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

I really need to make sure I've got my tracks covered after this. He'd probably carve out my heart with a plastic spoon if given the chance.

"There was a girl you recently arranged to be kidnapped and humiliated. Ahiko Mori," Kambei says as his senses record the conversation, "I need to know who ordered it done and why. You give me that and proof to corroborate it and this unpleasant business is done."

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

Zunigata seems to weigh this carefully, despite his state.

"I can tell you who ordered it, but there's no proof to be found on me - we're not amateurs."

After a bit of a pause, he continues.

"It was the Hazuko family."

Kambei runs the search out of reflex, even though he already knows the name - it's the family that, together with the Mori family, has built up the Gensi Corporation.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

Kambei nods, "you give me your word that what you say is the truth and I will keep my word and let you go.

"But understand, if I you tell anyone what happened here or even your suspicions as to why I want this information, or if you do further harm to the Mori family, this entire conversation will get out to whoever needs to know for the most damage.

"And if I find out you lied to me, rest assured I won't have trouble finding you again."

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

If looks could kill, then Kambei would be dead. Kambei wonders if Zunigata would kill himself given the chance, to escape this. Probably not - for all their posturing, and their claims of honor, Yakuza are criminals, not samurai. If they see a chance to escape with their face, their appearance of honor, intact, they'll take it. Usually.

Zunigata gives his word that the Hazuko family is behind the kidnapping of Ahiko Mori, and while his face doesn't move much, he is grinding the words out. Kambei can almost feel how the Yakuza's pride getting wounded deeper and deeper.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

"Alright, get up and get in the back passenger side seat," Kambei says as he stands up and picks up Zunigata's blade, commlink and taser.

"I'm gonna drive you in to an accessable area and drop you off. You'll probably get a call about your car in the morning." He closes the Yakuza's door and then climbs into the driver's seat.

"If you want I can rough you up a bit so it looks like you were in a fight," Kambei offers, "might make a heroic getaway more plausible."

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0031

Zunigata doesn't want to get roughed up. He claims he already has an explanation that will cover him. Most likely he's also thinking of how it would be ideal if he had Kambei's head to present to his fellow Yakuza, but that goes unsaid.

Kambei drops him off somewhere away, then ditches the car and takes a ride to his bike. Even with a thorough check for RFID tags, he'll be home before the sun gets up.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0425

Kambei immediately strips off his clothes upon getting home and practically flings himself into the shower to furiously scrum the nano-paste of his face.

I'm glad this is over.

Once he is thoroughly scrubbed and clean he puts on a towel robe and drops onto the couch with his commlink and sends a message to Mr. Tanaka, "meet me tonight where we last met at eight o'clock for your results."

He then copies the data on the p-fix chip, to keep one for his personal records just in case, and puts both back into the secure spot.

Fantastic, now I just relax for a bit, deliver the goods and sometime next morning I'll pass out for a long time and get some well deserved sleep. Hopefully without getting assassinated by Yakuza ninja adepts.

Getting a little paranoid, Kambei takes one of the legal Predators out of his locked cabinet and puts it down on the coffee table next to him. He then sends a note to Rattler, "thanks for all your help man. Let me know if you need anything." Following that he sends an email to Aoi and Ayaka, I'm basically done with work for now, so let me know if you two have some free time soon.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 0425

Over the next few hours, nothing more threatening than advertising messages that the spam filters are not yet patched to cope with arrive. Fortunately, the personal "do not let any songs by Ai Nogami through" filter works. Still, relaxing without sleep is a bit odd, after the recent excitement.

Aoi and Ayaka send a mail at 8.00, announcing that they are free this evening, and that they have heard of this new underground club, "The Rathole", but it might be a bit dangerous to attend a rave there...

Mr. Tanaka agrees to the meeting at 8.50, and the Celerity's system sends a "blue coupon" to confirm the appointment.

Rattler, strangely, answers just after 11.00 - was he actually asleep? - and announces that he is glad Kambei asked - there's a little bit of a service Kambei could do for him, in a day or two "once the negotiations are complete". He doesn't mean negotiations with Kambei, that much is clear.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2050

Kambei smiles as he read’s Aoi and Ayaka’s email, too dangerous… that’s cute.

He hits up the Matrix real quick looking for some information on the Rathole. Unless the place is dangerous enough to need a gun, or a Yakuza hangout, Kambei replies, �if you too want to go to the Rathole it’s not a problem. I’ll make sure nothing bad happens. I’ve got a quick meeting at 2100 today. After that’s done I’ll give you a call and see what you want to do.�

A bit later he reads Rattler’s response to his email and smirks, I was wondering when he’d finally accept my offer. He sends back a quick response, “No problem, just let me know what you need, so I’ll be waiting on your message.�

He spends the rest of the day relaxing, only interrupted when he goes out to grab a bite to eat. When the time arrives, Kambei cleans up, throws on some clothes and hesitates by the gun cabinet trying to decide whether to bring a piece or not. Not wanting to be rude to his recent source of Nuyen, he decides against his mild paranoia, and heads out to Celerity with just his knife and discreetly armored jacket.

Fifteen minutes later he pulls up near Celerity, parks his bike, takes a quick scan of his surroundings just incase there is an obvious trap, and then quickly heads into the club. Once inside he doesn’t wait before turning in his blue coupon for a gin and tonic and waits to be shown to Mr. Tanaka.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2050



Celerity is packed at this time of the day. There's some man, probably 30, hitting on every pretty woman in the club. Almost every pretty woman - he avoids Maki Masura, and he shrinks away from the tall woman Kambei saw a few days ago. At least the attention the man is drawing on himself with his varied pick-up lines makes for a distraction for other, more professional meetings.



The man doesn't look dangerous at first glance, but Kambei notices that he's moving just a bit too balanced, and pays a bit too much attention to the rest of the club, to be a simple lech. And he doesn't cross the line from hitting on women to bothering them - so far.

Then Maki arrives, bowing, and leads Kambei to the VIP area, where he is seated in a private room, the AR node fills it with cedar scent, and the sake is heated just to the right temperature - or will be in about two minutes. The good sake too, not the cheaper stuff sold in the main room.

Two minutes later, at 21.00, Mr. Tanaka arrives, his face smiling, but in a typical politeness, not indicating any real emotion. A few minutes of polite chatting follow, before the meeting gets serious.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2100

Kambei thanks Maki for her hospitality and waits for Mr. Tanaka.

After greeting Mr. Tanaka and dispensing with the necessary polite conversation he reaches into his inner jacket pocket and pulls out a chip and slides it towards his employer on the table.

“There are special programs on this chip. They are p-fixes that come with their own OS and they provide a personality overlay on the original personality of the person being chipped. Basically, they are like themselves but with the effects of the programming on the chip and for all intents and purposes will seem like themselves in sim recordings.

“The specific programs’ effects should be fairly obvious by the labeling of the programs themselves and one of those chips was the one that Ahiko was under the effect of.�

He waits a moment for Mr. Tanaka to digest that but continues before he has a chance to speak, “the ones who ordered the unfortunate even was a member of the Hazuko family.�

Kambei leans back into his chair making it obvious that he is done.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2100

Mr. Tanaka doesn't seem surprised, he just nods, and loads the data Kambei provided. From his manners, he's absorbed in his internal commlink - either studying the data more closely, or talking with somone. After a while, he opens his eyes again, and looks at Kambei, bowing slightly from his kneeling position. It's not as deep as a man of lower standing would bow, but deeper than he'd be required to bow given their relative social standing - a sign of thank and respect.

The rest is business again - Shin Masura will handle the payment, and Mr. Tanaka's superiours will debate the further proceedings. No word about possible revenge.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2115

Kambei accepts his thanks humbly – a bit put out of place by his reaction. Once his business with Mr. Tanaka is over he heads outside and looks for Maki to show him to Shin Masura’s office.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2115

Maki bows, and leads Kambei into Shin's office. The fixer receives Kambei and shows a subtle increase in respect as well - Kambei did gain some important reputation with those two jobs he did. Of course, it also means that the act of getting paid takes longer than before, and is veiled in more conversation. But that's how business is done.

Shin at least reveals that so far, no one is looking for Kambei, or the ones who hired him. About 20 minutes later, Kambei has gotten his payment, and knows he can expect similar jobs.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2115

He handles himself as politely as he can through the polite conversation. Kambei wasn't the best at this sort of thing - not by far - but he knew how to handle himself well enough to make a good impression. Before he leaves Celerity, Kambei asks, "I wanted to request a favor if I may."

Assuming he Shin Masura does not object, Kambei continues, "I've come to realize that I could use someone to run errands for me once in a while. Someone younger - lunlikely to draw attention - and with an understanding of discretion. If you happen to find a person like that I would appreciate it if you would introduce us."

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2115

Shin nods, his eyes showing the merest hint of amusement - at Kambei subcontracting already, or something else?

"Yes. I will screen a few possible candidates and get back to you."

A little more chatting later, Kambei is on his way out of the club, several thousand nuyen richer. The man he noticed before is chatting up another woman at the bar, who seems to find him charming - though that may be the alcohol from her drink talking. The man is handsome, in an old fashioned way - his clothes, his lines, his manners all are not up to date, especially not in Neo-Tokyo. When Kambei passes him on his way to the door, he also notices signs of age. Not lines in the face, but a certain expression in the man's eyes, speaking of more experiences behind them than his young face would indicate.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2115

“Thank you,� Kambei says as he stands up to take his leave, “I appreciate your help.� He bows again showing just the right amount of respect – Kambei doesn’t dole out unnecessary respect lightly – and heads out in the club. I’m gonna have to see if Rattler knows about a place I can stash some shit in. A bit more secure than having all my goods in my apartment.

As he walks by the man that stands out of the crowd he thinks to himself, he probably had his face changed to get away from things like me. Seemed a little enhanced too. Somebody should have told him to update his style a bit before he hit the hip clubs…

He nods as he walks past the tall woman who he still hadn’t gotten the name of and heads out into the night air.

Kambei feels much more secure in himself and significantly less paranoid after what Shin told him about the Yakuza. Once home he dials up Aoi and Ayaka to see how they wanted to meet tonight.

Neo-Tokyo, streets - 04/24/2008 – 2130

Aoi and Ayaka already have it planned out, as Kambei discovers when he calls them. They will meet him at a subway station, close to an entrance to the Rathole. It's all presented matter of fact.

From the AR feed, Kambei also can tell that the duo is already dressed for the occasion - styled "street punk" this time, fishnet hose with tears holes, choker, mini skirt and matching accessoires. Just like the punks on the trid. They even pose for Kambei.