Following on from the events of the previous session, Spooky informs Tremen that even with her best efforts she could only get a few more details. SHe was able to reconnect to the Hilton's security system and ascertained the following:

The computer claims this is an image of Mr. Smith but who can know if it actually captured a proper image...

• Room 205 was in the name of a Mr. Smith
• An attempt to find security footage of this Mr. Smith shows a man walking from the lobby to the room
• There is no indication that he left through the front door
• From the security cameras the room is empty and looks unused, the only unusual aspect is the open window to the balcony
• Whenever Tremen tries to look at the face of Mr. Smith his eyes are always drawn away from it as if Tremen's body was trying to reject seeing it

Just as Spooky finishes showing Tremen the security footage there is a scream from the main room of the Warehouse - it is at this point when (as prevously recorded) Nameraka's arm slipped onto the black mirror. He immediately collapses and his left arm is missing as if sliced off by a very sharp knife. There is a pool of rust coloured melted ice on the floor between him and the black mirror.

Wakiya and Tharbin go to assist Nameraka (Tharbin leaving the small office) with Tharbin managing to stabilise Nameraka to at least the point where Nameraka isn't going to die. It's apparent that Nameraka's arm has been subjected to extreme cold (at least as cold as dry ice or, more likely, liquid nitrogen levels of extreme cold).

Tremen concludes that the Hilton needs to visit as soon as possible and he and Spooky borrow a car from the forensics team and head straight there.

The suspicious tanker truck

Just as Spooky finishes showing Trem

Meanwhile outside Shadow continues examines the trucks. One of them is a tanker and tapping the side of the tanker with a metal pole discovers that lower portion of the tanker does not contain same as the top half of the tanker. Opening the hatches at the top reveals that the top half is indeed fuel. Careful examination of the pipes and valves of the bottom of the tanker reveals that one of the valves is connected to the bottom half of the tanker. With the help of Ricky this vale is cranked open with some difficulty. Once open a viscous liquid comes out, splashing them both.

Tremen and Spooky arrive at the Hilton and, with the help of the manager check out the contents of Room 205. It's just a normal hotel room, but there is a slight scuff mark on the railing of the balcony. The balcony looks out over a park (so there won't be any CCTV that will get a good view of the balcony). Checking the adjacent rooms (particularly those above and below) doesn't reveal anything else unusual and even checking the AV landing pad on the roof only reveals that the only flights were the normal airport shuttle runs.

The rest of the team, after getting Nameraka rushed to hospital maneuver the mirror back into its crate and then the crate into our van.

We all then head back to base¹ where we notice Lady Kitsune's department of the crate. One of her associates (who probably has a full body prosthetic) examines it. He is seen (by Shadow) to slap a piece of paper on the crate, but when his hand lifts from the spot there is no such piece of paper.

Tremen makes an in-person report to Lady Kitsune's department.

Two days later

Nameraka rejoins us - his arm has been replaced with a cybernetic arm and hand.

Research has revealed the following:

• The substance in the tanker is blood, but not human nor of any known animal
• The ash of the Zombie is just the pulped remains of a human and does not have the remains of any cyberware
• The adversion effect of the footage of Mr. Smith applies to any member of team (i.e. none of us can concentrate on his face. Interestingly this effect applies even to the still images from the security footage). However we do all agree on his clothing and general appearance

One of Lady Kitsune's associates delivers a manila envelope containing real paper and explains that Lady Kitsune wants us to investigate. The paper gives us an address of a farm and notes that by tracing the tanker movements via street cameras etc. this farm was the most recently (if 20 days ago) location which the tanker visited.

Suspiciously mutant cows at Inagawa Kokusai Farm

The farm, Inagawa Kokusai Farm, is a beef cattle ranch run by AI and owned by the agri-business CoAg.

We head out to the farm. From the road we see nothing unusual and it is obviously run by an AI. We are let in. There are two main building and several grain silos. The buildings are a bunkhouse (used by maintenance personnel and the evidence is that it was last used 10-15 days ago) and a machine room holding equipment and supplies for repairs.

The Torii gate straddling the crumbling path

Nameraka climbs one of the silo and spots a set of steps heading up into the woods behind the farm. We all head up these crumbling, but recently used, steps which lead to a Torii.

Three members of the team enter the office part of the warehouse (they'd like to think they're entering cautiously, but you can judge for yourself....)

Exploring the location of the warehouse we cautiously move into its surrounding courtyard. As we approach the loading bays at the back of the warehouse we become quickly aware of hostiles (gunshots are quite effective at that kind of notification). Shadowdancer get a hit on one of the hostiles, apparently downing him (this hostile had earlier shot at Tremen). Meanwhile Spooky has spotted a set of wires leading into the building and is able to ascertain that the data connection is not being used for significant amounts of data traffic (i.e., no major uploads or downloads are in progress).

Tremen enters the warehouse (via a door next to the set of wires and, for his trouble has to duck behind a forklift truck as several shots are sent in his direction. Shadowdancer, still outside the loading bays, continues exchanging fire with more hostiles, downing one of the hostiles, but getting badly wounded in the process. Tharbin gets to Shadowdancer (while still under fire) and performs first aid on Shadowdancer and enabling Shadowdancer to sort out the one remaining hostile amongst the trucks and vehicles in the loading bays. Nameraka assists in this part of the firefight (although Shadowdancer was concerned that Nameraka's help could be seen as being limited to acting as Mobile Cover!)

Ricky and Wakiya also move into the Warehouse and also come under fire, but from a different hostile than the one firing on Tremen.

Outside a final hostile is engaged by Nameraka and Shadowdancer, this hostile seems to be a somewhat different to the others that been encountered so far. Nameraka successfully wounds this new hostile.

Inside the Warehouse, Ricky and Wakiya deal with their hostile while Tremen's hostile moves off deeper into the Warehouse after being wounded.

The different hostile engaged by Nameraka and Shadowdancer moves into the Warehouse, but is brought down soon after (the hostile is not only followed by Nameraka and Shadowdancer, but is also engaged by Rikcy and Wakiya).

At this point, the warehouse is mostly secured (the hostile wounded by Tremen seems to have scarpered), so we can begin a (still cautious) investigation of it.

The warehouse seems to be a packing operation of some kind (there are workstations along side a conveyor belt leading to a some kind of packing station). It does look like what you would expect for that kind of commercial operation.

Ricky reports the discovery of a box about the size of a suit case tucked away in a corner that contains valuables. These include watches, jewellery, and several wallets none of which have any money but one does contain an ID card (someone was careless when emptying it). The card belongs to an Amanda Orwell, it states that she was a purchasing manager for Neuf mères.

Tharbin finds a door secured with an electronic lock and calls over Spooky to open it. Inside is a small room with three people. They are barely alive. Some food and an overflowing bucket are also in the room.

As we continue checking the people, the offices, the crates (one of which has a collection of firearms), a deep resonating voice (more felt than heard) says:

That won't do. That won't do at all. Prey should know what it is, although more quick bodies for the fire is always a bonus.

The green thing.

The voice doesn't seem to be coming from any loudspeakers (partially because no loudspeakers are visible). We continue to check out the warehouse with Tremen and Wakiya in the back office (which is full of stuff that's basically junk).

However as spooky moves towards the office she spots of tthe corpses of the previously downed hostile. However two things strike her as odd: (1) The corpse is standing up and looking at Spooky and (2) its cyberware is glowing green!

Meanwhile Tharbin examines the three prisoners to ascertain their status - which is: Alive, not bleeding but not in good condition. Tharbin tends to them providing reassurance and ensuring that a paramedic team is its way to assist these victims.

The green glowing thing now giggles and spits a green acid blob/dart at Spooky hitting her and causing her status to change to Seriously Wounded. Hearing Spooky yell Ricky moves towards Spooky and sees the green glowing human near Spooky. Spooky pops a shot at the green thing and misses (at which it giggles again).

Nameraka, Shadow, Tharbin and Wakiya move toward the sounds of trouble - Spooky takes the opportunity to bravely run away, but not before taking a second pop shot, this time succeeding in hitting. In response the green thing just stands there, turns a little and spits at Ricky. Tharbin takes a pot shot and misses.

Tremen, seeing Wakia moving to assist in the fight and wanting to ensure that there's no surprises remaining in the small office complex that Wakiya and Tremen were checking out opens the one remaining unopened door in that part of the warehouse. Behind the door is ... a smaller office - in better condition¹ with a running desktop computer.

The team (including Tremen) converge on the green thing start to concentrate fire on it. Tharbin is the next to gain a hit. He notices that its skin seems to be acting similar to combat armour (despite not being obviously anything other than skin). His next shot also hits and causes actual damage. Wakiya also scores a hit.

Now that the thing is concentrating on Ricky, Spooky takes the time to try to recognise the green thing's cyberwear, but doesn't succeed.

More shots pour into the green thing until Shadow gets into a position where he can see the green thing. He takes a single pot shot at it mortally wounding it with that single shot. The body collapses to the floor and the glow disappears. The body then disintegrates into a pile of mush. What appeared to be cyberwear now just looks like bones. Realising that it's beyond what he can quickly examine Tharbin calls back to Section 9 for a forensics team.

Following this excitement we resume (again) our exploration of the warehouse. Nameraka discovers a locked crate suspiciously just the right size to hold a coffin.

Back in the small inner office Tremen examines the desk while calling for Spooky to examine the computer. In the desk are a set of outbound delivery notes. However these have been completed in a simplistic, even childish way - not even a slapdash delivery driver would find these notes useful.

The ambulance for the victims arrives and the paramedics are escorted in by Shadow and Ricky and Tremen assist the paramedics.

This makes room for Spooky and Tharbin to enter the small inner office. The screen of the computer shows a small red dot and as soon as Spooky touches the computer it shut downs. As the shutdown was triggered remotely Spooky is able to quickly jack in (with Tharbin as backup) and follow the ghost line of the connection. It is immediately apparent to Spooky that she needs all her defences but shes traces the ghost line to the Night City Hilton's security gate. This she easily bypasses and tracks the ghost line to Room 205 before the ghost line disappears and Spooky is attacked by the logo of Neuf mères. Her defences hold and, as the connection is broken, she hears a giggle.

Wakiya's investigates some more crates double checking the finding of wallets, purses and watches (both men's and women's watches).

Ricky helps the paramedics with the three victims. As a result he learns that the victims would, most likely, have died in a couple of days without our intervention.

Outside Shadow spots that only two of the parked trucks have been used recently. A red truck and yellow one as it happens².

Spooky picks the lock on the large crate found by Nameraka. Within it is a layer of packing about 5cm deep. Under that is a wooden shipping crate. The crate looks relatively old (not decrepit just old). Wakiya and Nameraka start to maneuver the wooden crate out of its outer container while Spooky watches on. As this is going on Tharbin and Tremen are assisting the forensics team which arrived shortly after thge paramedic team. Ricky is returning back to the warehouse as the paramedics depart and Shadow is investigating the most recently used trucks.

Using crowbars Wakiya and Nameraka attempt to remove the top of the wooden box. Unfortunately Nameraka fumbles on his side of the box and his left hand and arm slip inside of the box. His hand and arm hit something very cold and as Nameraka withdraws his arm it is covered in rime and ice. He falls to the ground in agony.

Inside the wooden crate is what would be a large full length mirror if it wasn't for the fact that the surface is black not reflective....

(Played on 27^th October 2024)

From Tremen's notes

After a short break to clean up and have a short nap we return to Section 9's offices and discuss the latest findings. More importantly though there are have been another 5 masher-style murders overnight while we were in the sewers. The murders all occured between midnight and 1am and were spread out around the city night with no obvious pattern and clearly physically impossible for a single person to do (and clearly not Masher as we were all in the sewers at the time).

After an extensive search of the net Wakiya discovers that the symbol crops up more than once, although it is slightly different each time the basics remain the same. The top search results are a Mercenary company in South America called "Isqun Umayuq Mach’aqway", a publishing company in South Africa called "Inyoka yamakhanda ayisishiyagalolunye" and an antiques company called "Neuf mères". Of these only Neuf mères has any presence in Newport City, a small warehouse on the waterfront in the port at Dejima.

In fact the team discovers (with Ricky having the best memory) that the nine pointed star was used as an emblem by the thugs we encountered just a couple of days ago. In fact it rapidly becomes apparent that the Neuf mères warehouse was one and the same warehouse where we found the body of Hoga Itami. Pulling up the survelliance camera for that area shows that the area is now relatively clean and tidy (there is still the wreck of a burned out car, but that's actually about it for the debris from the fight scene). The camera just about shows one of the outside edges of the Neuf mères warehouse. Pulling the maps and plans for the area shows no obvious overlook for the warehouse, which has several windows on the upper storey, a main loading roller door and a couple of double doors on side walls.

After discussing equipment options and requistioning a Tachikoma as backup we head to the warehouse.

The warehouse is strangely clean, tidy and, despite having many boxes and even shipping containers, remarkably empty (the boxes and shipping containers are empty). After some considerable searching we find a grate in what should be a bathroom (it only has a washbasin apart from the grate). We lift the grate and it reveals a shaft and ladder about one person wide leading downwards.
We head down the ladder - it is a long way down (well below the water level of the adjacent harbour!). In fact our ears pop as we descend and eventually arrive at a small 8x8 metre room with a corridor leading onwards.

Heading down the corridor there is a long window on the left hand side of the corridor which shows outer space as far as we can see. We seem to be in some sort of asteroid or microsatellite!
Despite that worrying view we continue to the end of the corridor where there is a similar 8x8 metre room with a shaft and ladder leading up. At this point Tharbinsan realises that perhaps we should let the Tachikoma know where we are and heads back.

The rest of the team climbs the ladder into a cave! The scene that greets us as we exit the cave is unnerving to say the least. We are stood on an outcropping jutting out from an escarpment
that stretches of east and west. From this vantage point you look out over a vast forest that extends beyond what our eyes can see. Everything is bathed in a harsh green light, the air is breathable but there is a slight musty taste to it.

As we watch there is subtle movement out over the forest and a slowly building hum. The hum builds and builds and then there is a blinding flash and a view of a beam of light launching itself into the sky. There is also the appearance of a pressure wave heading our way and we rapidly retreat back into the cave and down the shaft and back to the warehouse.

Alien world?

As we emerge back into the warehouse there are several rumbles and crashes and then a fountain of seawater erupts from the grate and subsides. Shocked and bemused (and, in Tremen's case at least, worried about our sanity) we return to Tharbinsan and the Tachikoma (Tharbinsan is unable to find any evidence of hallucinogenics).