SLA Industries: Hunting the Machine

[Roman Totale]

Do we have confirmation of them selling anything yet, or are they just testing the water to see if anyone is buying? Also, are they just selling their existing cyber junk to raise funds for something bigger, or are they already at the stage where they're selling "next gen" gear?

Either way I think we'll need to identify their customer base, scope the area for signs of the suits and find out what they're doing. Could be we just need to put the street sellers down, but if it is at the next stage we'll have to find out where they're making things.

Say Hal, you got any experience of selling things to gangers?

[Dog Pants]

As I said, the only solid intel we have is that they were seen talking to the Johannas. After the work you've done and the likely funds of the Jos in that area I doubt they're selling anything too flash, but I couldn't say for sure. We don't know of any other facilities doing this.

[deject]

I don't know what the Johannas are all into, but they might be trading something beyond money. I think I should look up any chatter I can find on them, see if they found anything that might be of value to Tek.

edit: is that better?

[The Shutting Downs]

Not to be a pain Deej, but can you use a darker colour at all?

[Roman Totale]

Right, shall we go and find some Johannas to chat to then?

[Dog Pants]

You should!

Cochese sector is a dump, which is to say average for Downtown, bordering the shitholes which lie by the Cannibal Sector walls (CS4 in this case). It looks like it was once an industrial sector which has been poorly converted into residential, and so while of average affluence for Upper Downtown it looks terrible. The Johannas aren't that prolific here, they're far from their home turf in the Bayou, but they look to have a pretty good thing going on. They're more common than Shivers, you notice, and occasionally you see one of their beat up black and green low-riders cruising the streets. The 'toughs' can be seen hanging out on the odd street corner, occasionally hustling anyone who looks like they're worth the effort, sporting cheap bling and CAF guns.

Depending on what you arrive in, you may already have attracted their attention. Turn up in a taxi and they won't give a shit, but if anyone rolls up in a Hijoule they'll have a couple of cars following them and Jos lining the streets so leer.

[Joose]

... if anyone rolls up in a Hijoule they'll have a couple of cars following them and Jos lining the streets so leer.

That'll be me then. Im a flash git.

[Grimmie]

Having waited outside consoling Bertha, can I now grab a lift with Mr. Flash?
I want the Jos looking at my beautiful face(paints) when I step out.

Hullo. My name is Grim. I'm the sniper.
That a two-seater jobby?

[Joose]

Awright, Slim Grim! Grab a pew.

It is indeed a two seater. It goes vroom. I drive at a pace.

[Dog Pants]

A slow pace, mostly. The journey from Central to Upper Downtown is tough in a car. Central isn't too bad, but everyone cruises slowly. Suburbia is a traffic hell. There are far less cars in Downtown, more bikes than anything, but the roads aren't good enough to drive at any pace on. There are, however, arterial motorways on which you can drive as fast as you like (as long as you don't crash). To drive directly would take days, but luckily the main line gauss trains which service the city are huge, regular, and carry car carriages. So in your sports car you get there an hour or so before others who travel by public transport. Although if Deject is going by bike he beats you by another hour on top.

[The Shutting Downs]

I wish Hijoule did Stormer sized cars They have a lease waiting for me....

[deject]

Although if Deject is going by bike he beats you by another hour on top.

might as well.

[Roman Totale]

So, shall we make discrete enquiries first? We could tap up some low level Jo and see if they've heard anything

[Joose]

Good plan, Stan. Slim, Whiskers, keep an eye out for any ruckus. Dont want to get dead before the others can join us.

As theres probably not much point trying to keep my arrival too quiet, I shall try and get as much attention with my arrival as possible, to keep/take peoples attention away from Deject.

First off, I want to see if theres anyone here I recognise. Preferably a Jo. Im then going to try and strike up friendly conversation. Something along the lines of:

Awright <persons name who I recognise>? You still running with the Jo's? Ows your Mam, 'er hip still botherin 'er? Y'like the new motor? Its the bollocks! Come ave a look!

I have no clue what Im going to need to roll to pull this off, so have a selection of things:

For being amiable: Diplomacy 7 + 6,4 = 17
For being "street" and recognising guys: Streetwise 8 + 8,4 = 20
For...I dunno, seeing them maybe? I'll also be checking the place out generally for threats and the like: Detect 6 + 10,5 = 21

Dont forget my 4 ranks of street rep!

[The Shutting Downs]

Eraser will get out of a Taxi nearby to where Hal has stopped, hopefully taking the rest of the attention away from Deject.

[Dog Pants]

Last estimate there were 700,000 Johannas gangers, not counting affiliates, so the chances of you recognising one aren't high. The chances of one of them recognising you are much higher, but none seem to have done so. However, your other skills do the trick and the 'toughs' seem to warm to you. There's about two dozen of them, some strolling over from elsewhere to check out the sights, and most are sporting black and green on some form or another as well as as much bling as they can afford. Many have CAF, again as bling as they can get it, and those with Evaluate Opponent note some slightly larger firearms concealed under shirts or tucked into their trousers. One of the larger ones, sporting a few gold teeth and a fine set of dreadlocks, addresses you in a fairly friendly but vaguely menacing way. Others whistle and whoop at the car, commenting in what could very well be a foreign language.

I-ney Babylon. Beg wha waan ere wit yah ready wheels?

And since you made such a good streetwise roll, I'll translate for you:

Hello company man. Can I ask what you and your pretty car are doing here?

[The Shutting Downs]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM3gviqO9qA[/media]

[Joose]

Christ, Rasta vs Cockney. This could be interesting. Sorry Deject.

Awight, me china. Little birdie tells me a couple o lemons were round here, maybe trying to sell some wares of a shiny nature. I know big ol spiders like yourselves aint gonna be put off by a deal being a bit stoke, but you aint a bunch of berrys neither. So Im sure you werent involved. However, if you appened to have overheard someone down the cruiser discussing such things, and you fancy passing those tasty nuggets my way, you might find me in a generous mood.

I'll discreetly flash a wad of uni at him. Enough to get his interest, not so much that im instantly mugged.
Ooh, I have a bribe skill too. ROLLIN:

Bribe 4 + 3,4 = 11. Well that was less than spectacular.

Oh, in case anyone who knows proper cockney spots anything that doesnt make sense: Im sourcing these from the interwebs. I make no pretense that I know "proper" rhyming slang. But I guess, as there isnt actually such a thing as "cockney" in SLA, what im actually using is something very similar, but not the same as "proper" slang. So thats ok.

[Dog Pants]

As far as things relating to real life go, I figure they're more of a representation of something similar in SLA. At least until SLA 2 comes out and pisses on my chips.

I an I know nuff bad men sellin' bling, bald-head. Wit dun be come roun ya bein no samfi wit ya strong money. Me nah infahmah. Ya dun waan be rompin wit dem rude bwoy nohow, truu.

Or

I know a lot of criminal types selling shiny things, white boy. Don't come here trying to con me with your SLA Uni though, I'm no informant. Besides, you honestly don't want to be tangling with these guys.

[Dog Pants]

*cough*