(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!)

(Played on 24^th September and 30^th October 2023)

Tremen's log

A view of a similar warehouse (admittedly located in the UK) taken by Thomas Nugent

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

Following on from the leads generated from the investigation of the victim's apartment we decided to pay a visit to Sato Imports. This is based on its own small island (not that unusual). The island has a number of connections but the main point of interest is a warehouse operated by Sato Imports. This has fairly standard looking security with no signs of additional security. There is a security camera with a view of the entrance to the warehouse's compound¹:

Map of the warehouse surroundings

Actual map of the warehouse as used in our fantasy grounds session

We (myself, Ricky and Tharbinsan) approach the building (Spooky staying with our van and Wakiya covering us from nearby). However as we annouce ourselves the night security basically respond with "oh shit" and a fight ensues. Spooky screeches into the compound (happily ignoring the tire spikes) and she joins the fight as does Wakiya.

The fight itself goes surprisingly smoothly if you ignore our minor injuries (several on Tharbinsan as it happens) and the poor quality of gun work (several gun jams) and the discovery that Ricky may not be the most persuasive one of us. However we do overcome the security team (two relatively junior night watchmen overseen by more highly skilled solo) and arrest all three of them and get them shipped off to the local police via their paddy wagon.

There is, however, the question of why there's been no interference from the management and/or legal department of Sato Imports - at the least you would have expected someone to turn up!

We then proceeded to search the building. In the main it is what it appears to be: a warehouse for the import of alcoholic spirits albeit with the occasional (illegal) additives including High Noon². There's a weapons rack holding 4 assault rifles in one of the lockers (which was locked).

Finally there is, hidden in the floor of the warehouse's only shower cubicle, a secret entrance to a spiral staircase leading down....

Screenshot of my Fantasy Grounds Unity screen at the end of the third (fourth?) session of Neil's cyberpunk game

(Played on 27^th August 2023)

Tremen's log

Something we did in the background of our crime scene investiagation

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

As our investigations continued I was distracted by a faint buzzing sound comming from next to where I was standing - this turned out to be a burnt out listening bug planted between the (very) large screen TV and the light bar above it. The bug had burned out before we arrived in the apartment and had probably burnt out shortly after it had been placed.

Closer examination of the body by both Spooky and Ricky showed (after some initial contamination of the scene by Ricky) that the body had been shot from some range, most likely from about the bathroom door. Ricky also confirmed that the body was that of Hayato Kita. Kita was employed by Sato Imports, a import/export business dealing in alcoholic drinks¹. Kita was wearing ordinary street clothes with no sign of any robbery (other than that of his brain) as his rings and other items were still present.

Current theory is that the Victim let the perpetrator into the apartment who then shot Kita as he returned to the lounge. The perpetrator then removed Kita's brain without finesse and left.

Tharbinson reported that in addition to the cash² and cards, there was a little black book of contacts and dates. While almost all the dates are in the past there is an entry for tomorrow: Maria, 12:30 tomorrow, Shinchuko station, pink carnation

Spooky examined the brain case found earlier by Wakiya in the bedroom³. This was battery powered whose battery was capable of running the brain case for seven days (and had about four days of juice remaining). She reports that this brain case was made in america (as opposed to the cybertech of the victim which was manufactured in Japan).

Examining the lobby CCTV and the apartment building's records shows that Kita had lived there for about six years. He returned to the apartment at around noon and was murdered at about 1pm. Her returned wearing a business suit. Close exmination of the CCTV showed that the front door closed a fraction of a second later that it does normally after an inhabitant of an apartment on the fourth floor returned from getting some supplies from the local store⁴. With the help of Wakiya cameras watching the street were identified and their footage checked - these do not show anybody unexpected arriving (and in particular then disappearing behind any form of stealth technology). This suggests that the individual who presumably entered the apartment block was both stealthed and competant.

After some discussion a through search of the apartment for more survelliance devices leads to a well hidden and still operating bug. Spooky tracks the signal it is sending to the Jonanjima Port District which, as it happens, Sato Imports has a building. She believes her tracking was not detected.

Tremen's current theory⁵

Hayato Kita was involved in Sato Imports illicit business but had betrayed Sato Import (either by defecting to another gang or selling some of the illicit goods on the side). He had betrayed Sato Imports because he was being blackmailed by someone relatively imcompetant who got their blackmail from the first, now burnt out, bug. However Sato Imports are much more competant and had placed the second functional bug, possibly when they recruited Kita, They discovered Kita's betrayal and took him out in a way that demostrated to others working for Sato Imports that you don't betray them. They took the brain to find Kita's other contacts. However by making a noisy demonstration they did not leave themselves enough time for a search of the apartment.

Items taken by us from the crime scene

Getting ready to investigate our finds back at the lab

• Fake ids
• Money found at the scene
• Bugs (both the broken one and the second one⁶
• Brain case found in the bedroom
• Black Book found in the bathroom
• Blood samples
• Brain Dances
• Copy of the lobby security footage
• The body
• Photographs of the apartment

Follow up actions

• Meet and/or follow and/or surveil Maria at the train station
• Keep ear to the ground/street for any rumours swirling about Kita and/or Sato Imports