Razor Wired

General Summary

Mr. Johnson met with the runners in the Matrix, his identity hidden in a persona of static and stilted speech. He requested that they extract a prototype from Evo's Seattle HQ downtown. Evo had seen a change in management recently followed by numerous layoffs. Evo has said little about their new Director of North American Operations, but much of the workforce at Evo HQ has been temporarily filled in with low-skilled goblin labor.

Mina forged fake SINs for the team, Vola and Grendel posed as new security hires while the rest of the team chose to blend in as part of the tour group. The tour guide took them through the many office spaces and research rooms (the low security ones anyway) that made up the new cubicle labyrinth layout of the building. Wageslaves found their way around using guided GPS compasses, but otherwise the entire building was a nonsensical mash of Eschereque floorplans to deter corporate espionage and protect their workforce.

Grendel and Vola got their security uniforms and weaponry from Evo's Security Director, Mr. Pipadopoulos. The well dressed Minotaur sported a fashionable tie and heavy chrome augmentations. He gave them an introduction speech of their duties and procedures and told them he would be patrolling the grounds as well.

An annoying 19 year old girl from the tour, Kinpouge, spotted Grendel and Vola for what they were and offered to help them if they helped her pet the Koalas. The koala research enclosure turned out to be a habitat for drop bears, several of which attacked Vola. Thankfully, her iron fortitude fought the HMHVV-II infection. Kinpouge calmed the drop bears and revealed that there is a war of ideals within Evo. The new director is a Vory Tsar set on a warpath, tearing down the company for some sort of vendetta. She seeks to undermine him, worried that Evo will lose its progressive works under him, and was all too glad to grant the runners higher access.

Rami had previously requested O'Dundin to plant a datatap on Director Bilotkiy's computer. The runners bluffed their way through an interview with him as new hires in order to do this. This was where they learned the director's true identity as the Vory Tsar of Seattle and encountered his right hand man, Yaromir Sevchenko, an assassin that left Vola for dead. When she learned of his presence, she struck out to settle the score.

The runners looted as many of the labs as they could as they made their way through the cubicle labyrinth, making off with many exciting (and dangerously buggy) bleeding-edge prototypes. In their exploration, the runners freed Katsu Takamura, a yakuza captive under interrogation by the Evo Vory. He gave them the access code to a virus he planted on Sevchenko, which Vola took gladly. She cornered Sevchenko in the med-room and used the virus to disable his cyberware and then torture the helpless cyborg killer. O'dundin, having seen enough, gave Sevchenko a mercy killing. Deprived of her vengence, Vola nearly came to blows with O'Dundin, before the alarms went off. Sevchenko has broadcast his murder to Bilotkiy, who assured the runners that they were now dead.

The other runners had found the protoype of Project Razor Wire in lab B-01, which turned out to be a cybernetically enhanced smart Corgi. The alarms Vola had set off went off at this time, and Mr. Pipadopoulos found them. He extended his breifcase into a giant battle axe and charged the runners. Outmatched, the runners threw a strange jar of green goo at him, which climbed up his leg and solidified, paralyzing the cyber-minotaur. Blasting him with the basilisk canon for good measure, the runners left him behind to make their escape.

With the Cy-corg in tow, the runners dashed through the labyrinth through squads of Evo CorpSec troops, razor-raccoons and The Charneller, a CorpSec troop in heavy power armor and wielding a heavy experimental tesla canon. Mina managed to hack the laser grid to glitch past the runners and cut the Charneller into pieces. They made their way down to the sub-level that housed an actual submarine they planned to commandeer. Mina hacked the auto-turrets after watching them cut down a charging horde of goblins that were reveling in the chaos. They climbed aboard and awaited their companions.

Vola, Grendel and O'Dundin were found by Bilotkiy. Vola lept at him with an experimental jetpack she found, ignoring the fact that she set her shoes on fire. Bilotkiy was too fast, enhanced with wired reflexes, he caught her and slammed her against the wall. Before her companions could catch up, he landed numerous blows burned out her cybereye with a cigarette. Despite his speed, Grendel managed to grab the Tsar by the head and rip it clean off. Seconds later, they had to take cover from a hail of CorpSec fire. Bilotkiy picked his head back up, smiling as he reconnected it to his neck. The runners decided now was a good time to retreat. As they ran, they encountered Kinpouge who helped them escape through an open window with a grappling rope.

Once reunited, Squid rigged into the sub and piloted the group away. Bilotkiy commed the runners, explaining that he could set the sub to self-destruct if he wanted to or activate the virus he uploaded into Vola's cybereye and see what happens. He offered to let them keep their ill-gotten gains. In exchange, he wanted them to lead them to their Johnson for the drop-off. Then the awkward conversation: The Cy-corg revealed that he had been the Johnson all along. He hired them to free him, and worse he had no money to offer. The runners concocted a plan.

They contacted Brother Cal of the Universal Brotherhood with an offer to sell valuable tech. When they met at a ruined warehouse in the Barrens, Cal was shot by a sniper. They heard Bilotky, enraged that the Johnson was not with Renraku as he had thought. He ordered the runners terminated.

Pinned down by the gunfire of Evo's Extinction Team, Kinpouge calmly stepped in front of them. She told them not to worry, and thanked them for their assistance. The pink-haired teenager took on a horrific visage, transforming into a spirit that tore the Extinction Team to shreds. As they ran from the litany of bloody screams, they heard Bilotkiy curse the name of his rival, "Buttercup."

Unearthed Secrets

Evo is divided by internal factions, one of which has close ties to the Vory. Someone back in Vladivostok saw fit to send Kinpouge as co-director to temper Bilotkiy.
Evo North America's previous director, Jacques Barnard did not retire. He was murdered. Bilotkiy was brought in to find his killers and does not seem interested in the duties of director. Evo Seattle's assets are expendable tools to him as he is wholly focused on targeting Renraku, who he is convinced is responsible. The laws of the Corporate Court mean that he cannot go after Renraku without evidence, so he has instead taken scorched earth tactics upon their allies in the Yakuza until he has the evidence he needs.
The unskilled goblin workforce were a stopgap measure to fill in the recent "layoffs." Evo's wageslave staff may have been the first victims of Bilotkiy's scorched earth campaign to uncover Barnard's killer.
Kinpouge was able to hide her astral signature entirely. Given that she has been hiding her true nature for so long among the Evo board, she must be powerful indeed.
The runners stole a case of a dozen eggs that were filled with unhatched reptiles spliced with metahuman DNA. They were each labeled with a 12 digit alpha-numeric code that began with "4EDTS-KRANG".
No Insect Spirit escaped from Brother Cal's corpse, indicating he had never been an inhabited vessel. His knowledge of the extent of Brotherhood's horrific dealings would remain a mystery.
Mina's ex saved her once again when she triggered GOD's alarms within the Matrix. She told him to mind his own business, and he promised this would be the last time he'd help her.
Rami had no doubt made her request at the behest of her Mistress, Urubia. Given their past with her, the runners were in a poor position to refuse. What a dragon wants with Evo's data is a question perhaps better left unasked.

Rewards Granted

5 Karma
21,300¥ worth of stolen tech:

Cyberware

Adrenaline Generator (2 Might): For the next ten minutes, all Might-based actions other than attack rolls that you attempt are eased. If you already have this ability from another source, the effect of this ability lasts for one hour instead of ten minutes. Enabler.
Value: 2,000¥
Essence Cost: 0.2
Body Location: Body

Auto-Injector: Automatically inject a dose of medicine or drug on command, on a schedule or on a programmed trigger. Holds up to 6 doses at once but of only 1 drug at a time. With an imagelink or smartlink software, you may see database info on the drug's effects along with a countdown of its duration and when any after effects will pass.
Value: 100¥ +contents
Essence Cost: 0.5
Body Location: Body

Cat’s Eyes: Low-Light Vision, Literal vat-grown cat's eyes with reflective slits. Incompatible with Cybereyes, but visual enhancements may be purchased normally.
Value: 400¥
Essence Cost: 0.1
Body Location: Eyes

Pain Editor: When activated, gain +1 Might Edge, ignore any hindrances from pain, and you will never suffer the effects of more than 1 reduced Damage Track so long as you are still conscious. While active, Hindered in all Perception and Speed Defense tasks and take +1 damage from all attacks.
Value: 4,800¥
Essence Cost: 0.3
Body Location: Head

Raptor Foot: Light bladed weapon that attaches to the foot between the toes.
Value: 250¥
Essence Cost: 0.15
Body Location: Foot

STATscanner: Medical imaging device that grants an asset to all healing tasks.
Value: 250¥
Essence Cost: 0
Body Location: Limb

Stress Inhibitor (rating 1): Free +1 to Willpower per rating (up to 3)
Value: 1,500¥
Essence Cost: 0.15
Body Location: Head

Symbiotes (rating 1): +1 to all healing per Rating, including recovery rolls.
Value: 350¥
Essence Cost: 0.2
Body Location: Body

Saurinid Biogenes:Whenever you make a recovery roll, you may also rearrange your current stat Pools as you desire, trading points between them freely. You may now use this to alter the maximum values, and lowering a Pool to 0 moves you down the damage track as normal. The saurid biogenes slow your metabolism slightly, and so each recovery roll you make suffers a −1 penalty.
Value: 600¥
Essence Cost: 0.3
Body Location: Body

Prototype Tech

Crescendo Cannon: The small gunlike device shoots a contained mixture of liquefied petroleum, gas, and air up to 50 feet (15 m) that detonates on impact and creates an explosion of sound that stuns everyone within short range for one round, making them lose their next action. Anyone in immediate range of the explosion also takes 2 points of damage.
Depletion: 1
Value: 900¥
Battery Removed. Will not work without a new power source.

Jet Pack: This jet propulsion device that you strap to your back allows you to jump a long distance in any direction you aim it and hover in the air. Jet packs have been notoriously unstable and unreliable for over 100 year, and this one is no exception. The glitch range is increased by 2, and every consecutive turn you use it, that range is increased by 1. The high powered flames will also inflict 1 point of damage to you per turn. The jet pack has enough fuel for 1 minute of flight.
Depletion: 2
Value: 200¥

Medusa Rifle: This rifle with fiber-optic barrel replicates the effect of a basilisk’s gaze on one target within long range. A target takes 7 damage as a portion of the victim’s flesh is transformed into stone, which initiates a chain reaction within his body. Each round thereafter, the victim must make another Might defense roll or suffer the same number of points of damage as the transformation process continues. If he succeeds on a defense roll, the chain reaction ends. If he is killed by the process, he is turned into mute stone, hot to the touch.
The prototype gets a little buggy with even slightly reflective objects. Any failed attack while near metal, liquid, glass or other similar surface may send the shot back at you, requiring a Might defense roll of your own.
Depletion: 1 Value: 500¥

Tesla Cannon: Heavy Ranged, 10 electrical Dmg, Two-Handed; Hazard; Short Range limit; Full Auto Only: Hindered Accuracy. Refuel on 6; Hit up to 3 targets within immediate range of each other. If your attack roll exceeds the target’s level by 2 steps, they are stunned for one turn. The glitch range is increased by 2, and every turn you use it, that range is increased by 1. The glitch range will reset after the Tesla Cannon has been allowed to recharge for 1 hour.
Value: 1,200¥

Microbial Mood Ring: A ring that changes colors when you encounter an environment or hazard that might negatively affect you. Colors include red (heat green (poison, particles, or pollution yellow (low oxygen and so on.
Value: 900¥

One-Use

Aglow: Temporarily alters the user’s genetic material with fluorescent proteins, causing the user to glow with a bioluminescent light that illuminates the surrounding area (within close range) as if it were daylight. The effect lasts one hour.
Value: 750¥

Beast Brew: A brown fluid in tube that changes the user into an uncontrolled beast for one hour. While changed, she attacks any and every living creature within short range. In addition, she adds 8 points to her Might Pool, 1 to her Might Edge, 2 points to her Speed Pool, and 1 to her Speed Edge. While in beast form, she can’t spend Intellect points for any reason other than to try to change to her normal form before the one-hour duration is over (a difficulty 2 task).
Value: 750¥

Exhilarating Blood: This Sparkling fluid in sealed tube renders the user is immune to being mentally controlled or influenced for one hour. During that same period, she gains an amazing boost to her ability to persuade and charm. The difficulty of attempts to convince other creatures to change their minds or attempt a new course of action is reduced by two steps.
Value: 600¥

Explosive Spittle: After injecting themselves, for one hour, the user’s spittle becomes explosive a few seconds after contact with air. This effectively gives the user an immediate range spit attack (that she is practiced with) that inflicts 8 explosive damage on a target. Spittle remains inactive while it is in contact with the user.
Value: 1,200¥

Growth Hormone: Causes a nonhuman living creature to grow to its full size and mature age within 24 hours. The user must touch the creature (as an action) to activate the serum.
Value: 600¥

Kinetic Harness: Enables the user to harness energy gained from movement and move more rapidly. Once per round, whenever the user moves on their action, they gain another action that they must use right away. This action can be used only to move. The effect lasts for one hour.
Value: 900¥

Magnetic Javelin: It looks like a small retractable chrome tube with a thick screw protrusion. The user throws it at a target within short range, and it drills into the target for one round, inflicting 7 damage. If the target is made of metal or wearing metal (such as armor), the attack is eased.
Value: 450¥

Needle Sphere: Upon activation, the metal sphere floats in the air next to the user for one minute. Each round, it fires a large needle (dart) that inflicts 3 points of damage at a target designated by the user within long range. (This occurs on the user’s action, but in addition to her normal actions.) The player makes the attack rolls, and although she cannot use Effort or skill to modify her rolls, the difficulty of the attack is decreased by two steps.
Value: 300¥

Nescium: Wipes the user’s memory clean of a recent error, stressful situation, or otherwise negative experience, giving them a temporary feeling of euphoria. Adds 1 to Intellect Edge for ten minutes. The memory typically does not return.
Value: 300¥

Phantasm: Creates a mirage around you that makes you appear as though you are the nonhuman creature of your choice for ten minutes. To all other living creatures who can hear, see, and smell you, you sound, look, and smell like the creature you choose. Dissipates if you touch another living creature or do anything that seems out of character for a nonhuman creature (such as picking a lock or shooting a gun).
Value: 750¥

Syrinx: Alters the user’s voice box, allowing them to perfectly mimic the songs, coos, roars, snuffles, and other sounds of any creature they hear while the serum is active. Provides an asset to all interaction tasks, including deception, communication, and training with those creatures. Lasts for one hour.
Value: 300¥

Salvation Serum: Allows the user to transfer points from their Might Pool to another creature’s Might Pool (or health). The user can’t reduce their Might Pool below 1, and the receiving creature can’t raise its Might Pool or health above its normal maximum. The user must touch the receiving creature (as an action) to activate the serum.
Value: 450¥

Also, the stolen submarine looks like it was transporting something weird. Most of it was unloaded, but there was a glass case of six more of those ostrich sized eggs. The glass case is locked with heavy security counter measures. Squid and Jenobli worked to crack open the case and studied the eggs. Although they destroyed one in the process, they found small reptiles that had been spliced with human DNA.

They did not get to keep the submarine. That thing was WAY too hot. Plus good old Bilotkiy mentioned it was rigged with all kinds of remote detonated explosives. Not worth it.