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).

(Played on 18^th August and 1^st September 2024)

From Tremen's notes¹

Section Nine

Tharbinsan gets a report emailed from the US Military about Sgt. Malory. Having been alerted to the possibility by our questions they confirm that the Brain Case currently in their possession is actually a very good copy of the original brain case. They believe that the swap of Sgt. Malory's brain case must have occured during autopsy of Sgt. Malory. The autopsy was conducted by a civilian contractor who they are now investigating. Tharbinsan requests to be kept informed of the investigation, though Tharbinsan is not convinced that he will be kept in the loop.

We are then called to Section 9's chief office ASAP to meet with the Chief himself. He informs us that a Kenbishi tank undergoing testing has gone rogue and as the pilot of the tank has an ID card identifying him as Kendo Ita it's obviously related in some way with our case. The chief informs us that the tank killed seven members of the ground crew involved in prepping the tank and we are to head out to the Kenbishi Proving Grounds immediately.

Kenbishi Proving Ground

The tank as seen by the CCTV shortly before the incident

On arrival we are met by Rochard Komashi, director of development for the tank project and we split into two teams. Myself and Spooky head to the Admin Wing while Tharbinsan, Ricky and Wakiya head to the proving ground where the tank has been covered in high performance riot foam to ensure its immobility. Only the bodies of the ground crew have been recovered before our arrival allowing Tharbinsan to do a closer examination of the undisturbed²cockpit. The pilot was slumped over the control hardware and Tharbinsan quickly determines that the cause of death was the burning, from the inside, of the pilot brain. In fact the burning was more of an explosion with the eyes having been destroyed and significant damage to the pilot's jackplugs. The evidence suggests that some kind of major electrical pulse was responsible.

Meanwhile myself and Spooky check into the background of the ground crew and the pilot. There's no sign of anything untoward in the ground crew's record and while the ID card says Kendo Ita that's not who the pilot was. Kendo Ita was, however, employed by Kenbishi but the security systems do not show any entries or exits from Kenbishi facilities since his disappearance and Spooky confirms that there is no sign of any security or cyber intrusion into Kenbishi's systems or facilities in the last seven days³.

Wakiya manages to calm one of the techs at the scene enough to ascertain that the tech has no idea how the accident occured: the tank walked out of its garage after being prepped and then turned and gunned down the ground crew. In fact when Tharbinsan reviews the data feeds about the health of the pilot there's no sign of anything unusual up to the death of the pilot. Ricky examines the locker of the pilot and confirms that the mystery continues as there nothing unusual there either.

Kendo was responsible for the failsafe programs that are part of the tank's software. All the evidence (both physical and the survelliance records) show that these failsafe programs functioned perfectly on the death of the pilot and as the tank is controlled by a virtual reality setup⁴ we meet up at the scene and ask Spooky to take a closer examination of the cockpit.

Spooky does so but is spooked when she gets both a feeling of being watched and a twitch from the body of the pilot. After some reassurance⁵ and the removal of the pilot's body Spooky re-examines the cockpit. She realises that (a) the tank is under the control of the tank's AI and its safety protocols, (b) there doesn't seem to be any malware in the tank's system, (c) that a remote network could be connected to the tank and (d) that remote network could still be connected. Spooky insulates herself from the tank's systems via a dummy barrier and then attempt to do a backtrace on any such remote network.

She gets enough information to show that there is such a signal and manages to track it as far as a Saizeniya restaurant on Rokko Island. By road that's about two hours but, after some persuasion, Kenbishi agrees to take most of the team⁶ via VTOL to the location.

Rokko Island

The Saizeriya restaurant identified by the backtrace of the network connection to the tank

On arrival at the general area of the restuarant there are workers and tourists going about their normal business. The still faint signal is actually coming from below ground and the team finds the nearest manhole cover and head down in the claustrophobic sewers below.

Marching Order

Tharbinsan has dropped his bag of medical supplies down the manhole

Ricky

Carrying a torch and pistol

Tharbinsan

Carrying a pistol

Spooky

Carrying her equipment in front of her (so initially no torch nor pistol)

Wakiya

Carrying a torch (on belt) and Pistol

On arrival at the bottom of the manhole is a small space and a door in the north of the space.

(Played on 14^th July 2024)

Tremen's Log

Hoga's body as captured by Spooky's drone

On arrival at the entrance to the alleyway (as described in the last session) we discover that alley leads to an array of warehouses.

We cautiously (if somewhat independently) made our way past a small firefight between some yazuka and a small gang down the street (some of us using the alleyways) to the end of the street where there is a gate leading to the driveway of a warehouse. The warehouse itself is to the right of the driveway while the driveway itself leads to a small wharf. There are dim lights on the corners of the warehouse illuminating the outside of the building but the dim light together with the rain makes visibility quite low.

Artist's impression from Tremen's description of the lizard full body conversion.

Tremen is the first to arrive at the compound and (with difficulty but only opposed by a malfunctioning mechanism) opens the gate and proceeds inside. On the driveway is a small pickup style van which is unoccupied and empty. The warehouse itself is closed and locked. Tremen, followed up by Wakiya, cautiously heads around the corner of the building and sees Hoga Itami on the ground propped up on his right arm.

Even in the dim light he sees a large pool of blood. Over Hoga stands a full body conversion¹ of a borg Lizard which is just pulling the rippers of its right hand out of Hoga's face. The borg Lizard jumps into the water and, even though Tremen manages to squeeze off a shot (and Tremen believes he wounded the borg Lizard) the borg Lizard swims off into the estuary.

Spooky reports that there is no comms chatter in the local area despite the presence of us, the body and the firefight in the street.

Hoga's body is well mangled. There is a small handgun towards to the boxes against the wall. The gun has been fired once. Hoga is wearing a tatty business suit and we have several observations to make:

1. Wakiya suggests that Hoga was herded to this location
2. Tharbinsan's gut feeling is that there was more than one group involved in the situation²
3. Tremen's gut feeling is that the attack on Hoga was one of focused anger more than anything else.

(Played on 12^th May 2024)

Tremen's notes

After completing our part of the investigation at Mr. Sato's apartment (and handing over Mr. Sato and his daughter to the medical teams and his apartment to the forensics team), we reconvened in our office to discuss the investigation points so far and to try to decide on next steps. Apart noting that the daughter (once sufficient recovered) needs to be debriefed to get any information might have, several points were discussed and noted:

• Discussion Points

  • Mr.Sato and his apartment

    • Layout

      

      The layout of Mr. Sato's apartment

    • Mr.Sato's Input Jack

      Definitely been forced, most probably as the result of something being forced into it.

      • Cyberprogram

        Delayed action programs are possible and relatively easy to create if the programmer has some time (say 1 week to create a reasonable one that is also relatively undetectable)

    • Cameras

      The Security cameras for the apartment building (and surrounding street cameras) do not show anything unusual and do not show signs of being tampered with.

      • Invisibility Tech

        is possible and is in use by Section 9. However its use is not 100% perfect and what's on the CCTV does NOT show the telltale signs of its use that would be present if it was being used.

    • Computer

      Mr. Sato's computer was burned out from the inside-out, i.e., a burn program was used (which, once loaded onto the computer, would only need a few seconds to do the job)

    • Greenhouse

      In the greenhouse of the apartment the forensics team

      • Maid

        Adjacent to the maid's bedroom

        • Missing

          The maid has gone missing

        • Struggle

          In the maid's room are the signs of a violent struggle

      • Small neat hole

        • 5mm in size
        • Angled at 45° vertically, i.e. a shot from outside and above the penthouse apartment
      • Small container (about 5mm in diameter) found in the soil. Sent to forensics for further investigation

  • Hayato Kita

    • Movements

      Section Nine's investigation branch has reconstructed Hayato Kita last 6 months movement and has been able to pin down all bar one of the contacts in his little black book. The missing person is Kenda Ito, from the report it appears that Kita met Ito at a public bath house in Nehama and then went to an underground Brain dance studio called Kuroi tsuki in the refugee district. Kita can be followed back to his apartment but there was no sign of Ito leaving.

    • Autopsy

      Official cause of death will be listed as due to a loss of blood caused by a gunshot wound to the back. The report also lists that several finger prints were lifted from the brain case housing. These have been identfied as belonging to one Hoga Itami, a small time thug and body guard for hire.

    • Brain Case

      Only the brain case (and not its contents) was found either on the body or at Hayato Kita's apartment

  • Serial Killer?

    Three bodies were found in the port district last night, cause of death, crushed skulls. There is no link between the victims and no motive has been established as all had their personaly items and money still on them.

    • In the news

      News of the three bodies is all over the net already (not an easy case to keep quiet!)

    • Sergeant Masher

      The MO matches that of Sergeant Masher

      • Brain Case

        His brain case was the one found in Hayato Kita's apartment (see above).

      • Nickname

        His nickname was gained from his MO (see Session 5)

      • Dead

        Sergeant Masher is dead, but his ghost line probably isn't¹

    • Victims

      The three bodies not found together and not within easy walking distance either (but within easy motorbike or even pushbike distance).

      • Victim 1

        Office Worker

      • Victim 2

        Convenience Store Worker

      • Victim 3

        Housewife

Wakiya's notes

Note that you can click on the image to get a larger version of the image.

(Played on 7^th April 2024)

Tremen's Log

After undergoing surgery to fix up my badly damaged right leg (including getting the leg armoured (which does count as getting the cybered) and a bit of time for recuperation, we reconvened in a conference room in Section 9 to discuss the situation and possible next steps. Reviewing the information gleaned from Sato Imports we note that while we didn't get any personal information from the laboratory hidden under Sato Imports we did get the home address for Mr. Sato himself. That address is for a penthouse apartment in an apartment block in an upmarket part of the city. Checking details for Mr. Sato we discover that:

• Mr. Sato is married with four children, one daughter and three sons
• The cost of the apartment is significantly higher than could be expected from the owner of Sato Imports. While that business was profitable the apartment is at least five times more expensive that those profits would justify
• Mr. Sato's registered mobile phone is currently at the penthouse (he could, of course, have left the phone there and gone out either without a phone or with just a burner phone)

We also had more information about the brain case found at Hayato Kita's apartment. The serial number of the brain case matched that recorded for a US Master Sergeant called Jane Malory. He was a member of an anti-cyborg armoured unit who, apparently, did not adjust at all well on being demob'ed from the military. In fact the Master Sergeant suffered a cyber-psycotic breakdown and went on a killing spree. He killed at least 73 and gained the nickname of Sergeant Masher.

The obvious lead is that of Mr. Sato and I decided we needed to pay Mr. Sato a visit using the line of saying we're investigating the death of Hayato Kita and want to get whatever information he can provide (while observing him to see how he reacts). Myself and Ricky will make the visit while the rest of team remain nearby ready to tail Mr. Sato if he either makes a run for it or leaves after the visit.

The only room in the apartment that can be shown¹

However on arriving at the apartment it is clear that Mr. Sato is in no state to ask any such questions since he is covered in blood, holding a large knife, sat on one of the sofas and continually saying I killed them, I killed them. Searching the apartment reveals the bodies of his wife and his three sons. His daughter is badly injured and only survived the attack due to having had problems with the nanobots cleaning the air in the past and hence having both some cyber enhancements to her throat and to her immune system.

Mr. Sato appears to be suffering from some form of cyber-psychosis.

Other Notes from the apartment

• The bodies of the wife and sons (and even that of the daughter) look like they have been posed. Mr. Sato's wife was previously in perfect health.
• Mr. Sato's home office has been ransacked
• The Bathroom (and Kitchen) are in good (if not perfect) order
• All the family are in casual clothing (it is a Saturday morning so this is to be expected)
• No alarm was made from the apartment and nothing unusual was reported as myself and Ricky arrived in the Lobby of the apartment block by the concierge (the penthouse occupies the entire top floor - the roof above is sloped and hence there is no facility for a heliport there)
• Wakiya's theory (which Tremen thinks is quite reasonable) is that the cyberpsychosis was forced on Mr. Sato since he wasn't heavily enough cyber'ed to be a usual victim.

(Played on 25^th February and 17^th March 2024)

Tremen's log¹

Hidden entrance

Team Members: Spooky Witch (tech), Tharbinsan (medtech), Wakiya Kiku (Sniper/Paranoid), Ricky (Lawman), Tremen (Lawman)

Following the discovery of the hidden entrance in the floor of the one of the shower cubicles in the Sato Imports warehouse, the team descended. The spiral staircase ended in the reception room of what was obviously a significant medical facility. The reception room itself was relatively sparse. There was a door to the west covered by a sterilisation field. The reception room did hold a computer system which was not connected to the net. The computer did show that the facility could handle up to 7 patients each of whom had an individual recovery room and that 4 of those 7 rooms were marked as being occupied.

To the east was a room clearly used as a storage area for garbage and waste. The waste included human body parts that suggested about a week's worth of operation and also suggesting that the secret lab was used for either organm harvesting or, more likely, the illegal implantation of cybertech.

The map of the secret laboratory

The yokai showing off his swords

The other half of the team rush to the scene (after securing their prisoner to the nearby furniture). I was able to staunch my serious leg wound while Tharbinsan completed the first aid. Spooky, Wakiya and Ricky then take on the Yokai - which dodged a lot of their shots while returning fire. Ricky, however, then got a couple of palable hits on the Yokai leaving it seriously wounded. As a result of its wounds the Yokai obviously then took the ultimate decision and self-destructed (causing minimal damage to the team).

Following the self-destruction of the Yokai the team is then able to search the complex revealing:

1. There was a third tech in the complex who freed his colleague when the coast was clear and the pair obviously then scarpered out of the complex and the Sato Imports Warehouse above
2. Electronic locks are remarkably easy to push into their failsafe (i.e., permanently locked) state
3. In the last room (which needed cutting torches to enter given the failsafe nature of their electronic locks) was a storeroom holding a lot of cybertech - all of foreign origin and hence not easily traced by the authorities in Japan.

We then returned to Section 9 (in my case, at least, to recuperate!)