old and locked Past tense IC

Darkon wrote:

"To future enterprises. And to good runs."

PresentPresence wrote:

"See you soon, omae."

Valkyrie was not pleased with the State of affairs. so she started to take things in her hand Negatiation(5)
"Not so fast, we know that this might be a small museum and that you have made a lot of research instead of us, but I still think that the amount of the pay is small at best, then even if it is a small museum it sure has some security for their exposition, and there are still things uncertain, hope you do not mind telling us what is your interest in this piece?
Further more, as you had planed this mission to be taken by a certain group and we lack some of these people i guess that would make the task more difficult so the pay would have to increase as well."

Dakota drained his glass and stood, preparing to leave. Visions of the job were already playing through his mind, but his reverie was abruptly interrupted as the unnamed co-conspirator spoke up with an attempt to raise their take on the job.

Straining to keep his face calm, he watched the Johnson's reaction warily, prepared to step in and attempt to smooth things over should the J feel insulted. Negotiations are one thing, hustling is another.

The Johnson looked at Valkyrie intensely. “You are right about the increased difficulty. And as compensation you have received the money that was meant for your colleagues. Also, as I said, you will probably need a hacker, which I will find for you. Besides that, you already know this initial run is a test for each of you. And thus, I chose one that is not overly difficult.” A hint of sarcasm is in his voice. “Of course, if you think you are not up for this simple job, you are free to leave and I will have to split up the money you were supposed to receive.”

He looks at each of the runners. “I give you my word, the risk at this job is not higher than a usual run.”

“As for my interest in the statue, it should be of no interest for you.” He smirks. “Believe me if I tell you I have been around a while. And runners should not ask such questions in front of a Johnson.” His smirk grows wider. “What you speculate among yourself is out of my reach though.” It seems he takes it with humour.

He takes another credstick from his pocket. “This one is for your expenses.” He puts it on the table, in reach roughly equally for each of you. It contains about 5000 nuyen. “Take it or leave it.”

Dakota takes all 6 credsticks with a warning glance at the elf-child. He then returns his attention to the Johnson.

"You have been most generous, sir. Not only have you provided sufficient compensation for the job, but the assistance of a hacker will certainly prove beneficial, I am sure. Now, as I am sure you must be a busy man, let us go and consider our plans."

With that Dakota turns to leave, catching Skink's eye with a meaningful glance, and completely ignoring the other person in the room.

Skink winks at the Johnson before getting up to leave. "Shouldn't be a problem, sir. I never met a statue that I didn't like." Seeing Dakota attempting to make eye contact with her, she follows him out of the restaurant. The valet is standing outside, trying and failing to balance on the board. She takes the time to beam him 5 nuyen with her public comm and shoots him her commcode. "Keep practicing, omae. Call me sometime if you feel like giving it another go." The valet tries to pull off kicking the powerboard up to his hand, and instead winds up falling on his butt. The 'board shoots out from underneath him. Skink skillfully catches it with her foot and successfully pops it up into her own waiting hand. She allows herself the pleasure of a light chuckle before walking a ways toward Dakota. "A'ight, treasure hunter, what's with the fish eyes?"

Valkyrie Followed both of the other runners leaving the room. She put down the Knife and the fork and used her napkin to clean her lips.
" My father used to say
“Work for free
or for full price.
Never for cheap.”
and we both know the pay is not always the most important things in negotiations, the attitude is the thing that counts."
Valkyrie got up from her seating "Thank you for the delicious food." She started to walk in the direction of the door, just as she was about to pass trough it she stopped and turned her head and said trough a smile " Hope this could get a habit for our meetings." and she left looking for the other runners who had left just a few minutes ago.

"So do I." He raised his glass towards Valkyrie. "To teamwork." He smiled.

Outside the club, Dakota stepped to the curb and commanded his commlink Pilot to hail a taxi. As Skink came out after him, he turned to her and asked, "Need a lift?"

Almost immediately a cab drew alongside where they stood. Dakota circled the vehicle and spoke briefly to the driver, then got in the back seat.

Looking out at Skink still standing outside the cab, he leaned over where he could see her face.

"If you already have a ride, let me have the location and I will meet you there."

When the third member of the party exited the club, Dakota waved her over.

"If you need a ride, hop in. If not, I will meet up with you both shortly."

Jagger wrote:

When the third member of the party exited the club, Dakota waved her over.

"If you need a ride, hop in. If not, I will meet up with you both shortly."

" Where to? Defiantly not to my place, because you are not the type I would ever invite inside my place."
Valkyrie was Cold, he had put all the Credsticks in his pocket, like he earned them, and he even did not try to see how deep the pockets of the Johnson where, she was angry and she could hide it just barely. ... This trump would work for a hot-dog ... a thought crossed her mind. ... No not my place ... " when you decide where and at what time give me a call and I will be there, but until then just keep the nuyen safe or i will send my debt collectors at you and they will take the cash out of your health rather then bank-account. " She pressed her comlinks quick button to send out a hail for a Cab on her own. She was sick of this amateur and splitting a Cab with him would be one more step in the false direction.

As the girl who still would not reveal a name, real or fake, spewed hostilities at Dakota, he calmly tossed two of the six credsticks on the sidewalk at her feet.

"As for where," he spoke evenly, "did you not receive Skink's message?"

The cabbie looked over his shoulder at Dakota who raised a hand in a placating gesture.

"As for your 'performance' inside, I suggest in the future if you wish for someone else to do your business negotiations for you, don't attend the meet."

Dakota looked at Skink questioningly, silently asking if she would share the cab or ride her board.

Then he looked back at the nameless girl.
"And as for this job, if it were up to me, you'd get no further than you are at this moment. But, as it is not up to me, I suggest you get rid of the chip on your shoulder, do some growing up, and then meet us at the location Skink gave you. Any questions?"

Jagger wrote:

As the girl who still would not reveal a name, real or fake, spewed hostilities at Dakota, he calmly tossed two of the six credsticks on the sidewalk at her feet.
"As for where," he spoke evenly, "did you not receive Skink's message?"
"As for your 'performance' inside, I suggest in the future if you wish for someone else to do your business negotiations for you, don't attend the meet."
Then he looked back at the nameless girl.
"And as for this job, if it were up to me, you'd get no further than you are at this moment. But, as it is not up to me, I suggest you get rid of the chip on your shoulder, do some growing up, and then meet us at the location Skink gave you. Any questions?"

... OH ...... THAT'S IT ... there are many Sharp things flying in Dakotas Direction in Valkyrie's mind.
"You or some one else doing my negotiations instead of me?"
Sure I took a gamble, but I got extra 5k out for US, that's 1/3 more then we had at the beginning and if you do not wish to have the cash I think we two will gladly spilt them in two and leave you out." You could clearly see Valkyrie enjoying her arguments. " And if you think that you should never question your Johnson, I think you should be the one to grow up. For one I will not risk my life just because you agree to some job you know nothing about for a pay that the bare minimum the Johnson is providing just to have a team. I judge myself as a valuable asset to have, if you think you are less worth then the dirt under your feet that's your problem." she takes up the Two creditsticks, and checks the amounts in them " at least you had the courtesy to provide me with the 5k one."

The second Cab stopped and the driver started to look in Valkyries Direction with a bored gaze.
"I will meet you at Skink's place in a Hour. I have some preparations to make."

"Yeah, I could use a ride. Ever heard of skitching?" She looked at the cabbie, beaming him the coordinates of her flat and an extra 25 nuyen, with a message saying, "Drive fast, avoid the cops, and ignore the extra cargo hanging on to your bumper, and there will be another 25 in it for you."
Negotiation Test: 1 hit (If you want to add or subtract modifiers, feel free to roll for me/subtract rolls.)

[If the cabbie accepts, she will ride her powerboard by holding on to the bumper and coasting with it. If the cabbie declines, she will dismiss him with a hand wave and get in the cab next to Dakota.]

The cab driver seems to concider for a moment, then shrugs and nods. "Whatever."

The ride goes through parts of the town where security is not overly strict, the car doesn't get stopped.
During the ride he looks in the backmirror every now and then. And once he mutters: "Punk." Other than that he shows no reaction.

Throughout the ride, Dakota finds himself glancing back again and again at Skink. Hover boarding is something he's never considered, but seeing the girl hanging on to the back of the cab, the wind whipping past her, he thinks he might like to give it a try some time.

When the cabbie announces arrival at their destination, Dakota slots one of his credsticks and beams the fare, plus a little extra for being a good sport, to the driver and gets out.

He steps around to the back of the vehicle and says to Skink, "You're pretty good on that thing. Is it hard to learn?"

... Oh My worrier of my dreams come to my aid, be my shadow, be my guard. ...
Valkyrie summons Her Guardian spirit a Tall ad Mighty Viking Worrier And asks him to wait for a task to be made.
summon a powerful Guardian Spirit F5 (3)
4 additional dice from power foci(3)
Opposed test(1, the last 5 dice are my mistake.)
Resisting Drain(5)

She takes her biding materials with her for the case as the team would decide to go i the job straight with no preparation. ... Would be typical for some one like Dakota ... the she hailed a new cab ad was one her way to the planing.

Maybe 5 or 10 minutes later then Skink and Dakota had arrived another Cab stopped and Valkyrie got out. she noticed the two standing and having some small-talk going on.
at first she did not want to disturb the happy couple but then she got bored and did it anyway.
"I am back, now shall we get down to business?"
You could still feel bitterness towards Dakota, but now she was ready to call support if needed, support that was ready to rip some heads of in case she needed that done.

Skink relished the feeling of the wind whipping past her hair as she balanced herself on the swiftly moving board. Even though her dracoform allowed her to float free of the Earth's pull, she still enjoyed the challenge of gravity. She wondered if those who toiled under its rule truly respected it. When she was alone in a good place to 'board, she would often switch between her forms to achieve daredevil flips and reach insane heights, but she would always revert back to her metahuman form at the peak of her flight in order to feel the rush of landing.
A close brush with a delivery van during a sharp turn shook her back to reality. She watched as her skin struggled to match its swiftly changing environment, morphing in tones of grey and brown like an organic lava lamp. She felt the cab slow down to a stop, and she hopped off her 'board.
Dakota got out of the vehicle, and she saw him eying her powerboard. "You're pretty good on that thing. Is it hard to learn?" She shrugged her shoulders before responding, "Not unless you're a complete klutz. If you're fast on your feet and have good reflexes, you shouldn't have too much of a problem. You'll also need to have a cushy ass, 'cause you're gonna fall. A lot. At first, that is. Lucky for me, I happen to have one. I haven't had the chance to appraise yours yet."

[I'd like to point out that powerboards are wheeled; they're basically hi-tech motorized skateboards. They are found in the German printing of Arsenal, along with some other stuff that never made it to the English version, for whatever reason. Here's an image of the 'board and the special shoes needed to wear it, and here's the other stuff found in the German printing.]

She laughed before turning to their newly arrived teammate. "Ah, now you're all about business, huh? My crib's got a decent 'trix connection and a good couch. Do we really need anything else? Follow me, and keep your hands out of your pockets. The 'security' like to see the guest's hands." As she walked in through the front door to her apartment block, her teammates get a look at the "security guards". Instead of wearing collared shirts and holstered tasers, they wear leather jackets and brandish semi-automatics. "Oi, Skink, dis rabble's wif you?" "Yeah, Eight Ball, they're sersahkansa (friends). We're havin' a study group, see, so make sure we aren't disturbed." Eight Ball nodded knowingly. He new the codewords. Study group - team members on a mission. Not disturbed - official business. Skink led her "study group" up to her flat. A panel on the side of her door told her that the room was empty. She opened the door carefully, checking to make sure that the strand of hair she had placed on the door catch had not been disturbed. Looks good. Maybe I've been too paranoid lately... She enters the room and plops down on the fabled couch. "Well, let's look over this data and see what we can divine from it."

Just as Dakota was about to turn and let Skink appraise his butt, a cab pulled up and the unnamed girl got out. Dakota quickly let the back of his jacket fall and, clearing his throat, shot Skink a rolling-eyed look.

Dakota held his peace when the unnamed girl approached, deciding instead to simply follow along up to Skink's flat.

After Skink spoke to the guard Eightball, Dakota looked the man in the eye, neither aggressively nor submissively, but as one man to another, and said in German, "How they hangin' friend?"

Inside Skink's place, he glanced around at the decor, noticed it was very similar to his own meager lodgings, and joined Skink on the couch.

"No time like the present," he said and winked at Skink.

Jagger wrote:

"No time like the present," he said and winked at Skink.

Valkyrie was a bit impatient, but she did not let it out, at least not yet.
"This might be a bit odd but i have to agree with Dakota, Skink what have we got information wise from our Dear Johnson today?
And as it seams you have to have a way to address me, so for now you can call me Number 5 or V, as the Roman numerical. Later if our cooperation is deemed worth the effort we are putting in it I will give you my Street name, but for now i will just use one of mine alternatives."
Then she waited for the following AR feed when the information was distributed between the runners.

At V's agreement, Dakota cannot help a startled glance at the girl. He recovers quickly, however, and returns his gaze to Skink with eyebrows slightly raised in surprise.

"'Five' it is, hotshot. If you're too scared to tell us your name, that's fine. I'm good enough that you won't find mine in a database, so I don't have to worry about it. Let's pop this sliver into my commlink and see what's up." She inserted the datachip into her Airware and plugged it into her home's holoprojector network. In the meantime, she opens up her PocketMage Library program and tries to find some information on the mysterious cane belonging to the Johnson.

Data Search using PML. Data Search 1 + PocketMage Library R3 3 = 4 (4d6.hits(5)=1)

Seeing their host get down to biz, Dakota attempts to assist Skink in her search for any info on the staff.
Logic 5 - Data Search (Default) Artifact Lore 3 + Analytical Mind 4
11d6.hits(5)= 4 hits

(Darkon, I intended this as a Teamwork test, but I realize its after the fact. Its your call as to whether it applies as a Teamwork or stand alone Datasearch test.)

The Poket Mage library shows up this:

"Wand. Hand held device to channel magical energy. The length varies from about 7 inches to 6 feet. Usually wooden, but can also be made of ivory, silver, crystal or similar materials. Often used as foci or fetishes."

Dakota can find a similar entry in a matrixpedia entry. He also can find lots of pictures of such staffs with varous decorations and carvings. But none of them looks like the staff Johnson had. They all are described as some mages or shamans equipment. It becomes quite clear that the Johnson is a mage or shaman, or pretends to be one.

After a fast look at the Layout and description of the Museum Valkyrie came to a loud conclusion
"Looks easy enough, but there is just the problem the placement of the artefact is no mentioned. I suggest one of us goes in for reckon. and we should organise an alternative escape route, either over water or air, taking the Public transportation after stealing something would be suicide. that actually brings me to an idea. there is a night gap between the ferry, I could miss the last one and ask for a place to stay at the museum, not sure what other buildings are there on the island, but that might be one way to get in. stun the guards and have someone hack the sec system. So to say making the way for you clear. still i would have to see what Magical defences there are." Valkyrie knew she was no good at assensing, but for that she had Viking, a true help in that matter.

"Well, not much help on my end, I'm afraid," Dakota told Skink when his search completed. "Just some references to similar staves and the fact that most, if not all, are usually magical in nature. We can assume therefore that our Johnson is somehow an Awakened, though I'm not at all familiar with magicians nor do I possess the ability to...what do you call it...'read?' them."

V spoke up then and Dakota nodded in approval at her ideas. He had to admit she had valuable skills that would increase their chances of success, despite their rocky start...which he was beginning to think might have been more his fault than her's.

So it was with a modicum of chagrin that he said, "I may be able to cover the recon. I have a museum curator contact who might be able to make a call to the curator of our target location. Its possible he could get me invited in on some pretense; a visit of archaeological interest, a study session for an internment assignment, etc Once inside, I'll be able to locate the artifact, then tag it. And if anything gets hinky, I could create some type of diversion and give us a chance to get out."

Again he glanced between Skink and V, "What do you think?"