S35 Investigations

Long Walk, Banfi Starport, Glisten/Glisten/Spinward Marches/Third Imperium, 048/1107
Alene Soulard
Feeling he had better things to do, Timo discharged himself and headed back to the Long Walk. Once there, he looked up the contact details of the news channel they’d been watching, and put a PAN through to Channel Pranx News. On explaining that he was one of the Subway Slayers’ targets, that he’d been shot and survived and that the official account was all lies, he found himself put through to the reporter who’d covered it, one Alene Soulard. She listened carefully to his accurate account of what had happened, and then explained to him that the police had asked the news media to promote the altered narrative to avoid panicking the public unnecessarily. Rather disgusted, Timo hung up.

Picking up a message from Nevada, he packed and shipped the requested shotgun, blade and cloth armour before allowing Wombat to put him under in the Long Walk‘s autodoc. As Wombat did this, it occurred to him that Glisten was a great place to get that very useful piece of gear upgraded.

Rosemont Hospital, Glisten City, Glisten/Glisten/Spinward Marches/Third Imperium, 049/1107
Lt Lynn Mccullars
The crate of weapons arrived the next day, and after a bit an argument with hospital security was delivered to Nevada and Feng, who’d taken to spending their time in the same hospital room. The same day, a police officer arrived to interview them. Lt Lynn Mccullars wanted their accounts of what happened, and to know if they had any local enemies. Nevada continuously interrupted her to demand who the attackers had been, and other confidential enquiry information that the Lieutenant was not prepared to disclosed. Once he subsided a bit she explained that, currently, Timo’s sword was legally classed as a “blade” because nothing like it had ever been seen before - it being a Robinson prototype. This would probably be addressed fairly rapidly and she suggested storing it somewhere out of the way before it was reclassified as an Energy Weapon.

After she’d gone, Feng set to work on the police officer set to guard their ward, trying to find ways to persuade him to tell them a bit more. Despite her most persuasive approach, however, he was not amenable.

Long Walk, Banfi Starport, Glisten/Glisten/Spinward Marches/Third Imperium, 050/1107
A Similar Ring
Fresh out of the ‘doc, Timo set to work on the pocket contents of the attacker he’d brought down. Some PAN research on the seamier side of the net (the ‘Dark PAN’) discovered similar rings associated with training schools for professional assassins. Turning to the wallet contents, he sorted through them to discover:
 

This was an inspired idea, especially given Aimo had Waters’ ID as well, and it would have worked out but for an unfortunate snake-eyes on the dice... 
The presence of cash and a cashcard further confirmed illegality, as few people used cash in a a high-tech place like Glisten. Timo called the TravelTube and posed as Waters, explaining that, due to a legal dispute, he needed confirmation of his trips for the last few months.  The admin robot was eager to help, and provided the address of the office who would absolutely be able to help Mr Waters if he brought the TubeCard and his ID in. Timo, aware that he looked nothing like ‘Tristan Waters’, thanked the robot and hung up.

He called the Makarona Gym after that, pretending to have come as a guest of Waters, but unfortunately it turned out to be a place where the management used paper to track things, and the blunt and rather unwelcoming man at the other end - who seemed to take exception to Timo’s offworld accent. He was certain he’d never seen Timo and was only prepared to take a message for Waters. 

Finally he called the Rocks In It which was closed, opening later that night.

Out of options for businesses, he tried the two PAN codes. The first was picked up by a tired and tousled-looking but very attractive youngish woman. It became clear she was probably Waters’ primary form of sexual recreation, and Timo moved on to the second. 

This picked up voice-only, something regarded as mildly rude, and with a voice treated with a distorter - not only ruder but very suspicious. The non-voice at the other end snapped out, “You lived then? Report!”  Timo acted the part of a furious contractor sold a pup, protesting that his team had been given poor intel and that the targets had been armed and armoured. The non-voice blazed back, saying that his ‘client’ was very unhappy at the failure of his, the voice’s, ‘mechanics’ failing to ‘resolve the objectives’.

“Get yourself a new ID, get the hell out of Glisten City, and lie low til the dust settles. There may be some more work in six months if you’re lucky.”

The call ended, and Timo was resolved to try and locate its’ source - something beyond average citizens. He was going to need a specialist.

Long Walk, Banfi Starport, Glisten/Glisten/Spinward Marches/Third Imperium, 051/1107

Discharge proved straightforward for Nevada and Feng after their interview, and they returned to the ship, Feng taking Timo’s place in the ‘doc for her last day of recovery. Nevada contacted Robinson’s and arranged to expedite delivery on some off-the-peg items, notably some Diplo material clothes for everyone. 
Harvey Glenn
Timo contacted one of his contacts, the fence Harvey Glenn. Glenn, relaxed and casual as ever, was quite ready to get a trace done on the PAN code; for a price. He was quite surprised when Timo not only accepted the KCr15 demanded by his slicer - Doris -  but added KCr5 on top for speed. 
Sir Lauren
Nevada contacted Sir Lauren at the palace, who was pleased to hear from him but a bit taken aback when he suggested she had failed her remit to make their visit smooth. “Surely the charging order has arrived? If anyone tries to bill you, just refer them to the palace...” Nevada said, no, it was more the matter of getting shot that he felt was less than smooth. Sir Lauren pointed out that if she’d surrounded the Cats with armoured guards, they probably wouldn’t have been able to conduct much of their business. He tried to get her to overrule the police and get them to supply him information, but Sir Lauren regretfully declined; the palace preferred not to cross the other major players on Glisten in all but emergencies. She did note, however, that the reclassification of the Arclight weapon would definitely not get approved until the Long Walk was long gone on her way. 

It occurred to the Cats at this point that it might be a poor idea for them all to go under the knife at Tallyman at the same time - they’d be a bit vulnerable to say the least.

Long Walk, Banfi Starport, Glisten/Glisten/Spinward Marches/Third Imperium, 053/1107

A few days later the expedited package arrived from Robinson, with armour and weapons slightly less illegal for Glisten, though the high-capacity milspec shotguns might have been a stretch. Also arriving was Harvey’s call back with the address trace for the last use of the fixer’s PAN code; an address on Evom. Sending a bonus over, Timo asked Harvey if he had a contact for the Canedo. Paling, the fence provided it, but cautioned Timo to treat the syndicate with enormous care.

The code was answered by a voice-only connection to a woman who accepted Timo’s account of the warning he’d given them of the dealer trying to sell atmosphere products from Egypt for use on Overnale. Noting that “that loophole in the organization has been plugged”, she asked Timo what he would like in return. He gave her the PAN code and address, and asked for a name. A short while later, he was called back with the name Jason Kobrin. Emboldened, he asked to whom he was speaking. “Call me Kandace,” was the reply. Timo hung up, left with the feeling that he’d just talked to the most dangerous woman he’d ever met. 
Luther Kefaufer - click here to meet him again!
When he related this to the others, Feng looked thoughtful. “Kefaufer,” she said quietly. The others - except Timo, nodded at the possibility.  The cunning gambler was probably the only major player in the Bluey conspiracy to evade capture. Maybe he was linked to the Canedo, and maybe it was they who had enabled him to escape. Interesting, but not current. 

Tooling up, they requested a flight plan to Evom and undocked the Walk.

Tabir Road, Evom, Glisten/Glisten/Spinward Marches/Third Imperium, 053/1107

After a rather tense disembarking at Evom spaceport clad in flak jackets under Diplo coats and carrying concealed pistols, the Cats closed in on their target. Tabir Road was an accommodation tunnel deep in Evom’s underground - status increased the nearer the surface you were - branching off a communal space with a market in the centre, and ending in a small, rather ruined, park. Number 8 was on the left. 

Nevada and Wombat lurked in the market, browsing and eating from one of the many food stalls. Feng lounged at the arch leading into Tabir road while Timo sauntered down, noting the secure doors and the camera over number 8. He made a pretence of knocking at one of the other doors opposite - while not making any sound - and moved on, while they considered. Then he got his comp out and called Kobrin’s number. 

Kobrin was not at all happy to see him again. “Get off Glisten now, or I’ll have you killed!” he yelled, “I don’t care what tin-pot killer nursery school you went to!”. Timo laughed at him. “They know where you are,” he said, “They’re coming for you!” He laid it on thick, hoping to panic Kobrin into fleeing, but what happened was that four heavies, appearing to be armed much as they themselves were, came into the market and headed straight for Kobrin’s door. Leaving one outside, they disappeared inside.

Stealth was the word here, 11 rolled making 12, premium sneaking, precious!
Choosing her moment, Feng stealthily moved up behind the lone guard and jammed her laser pistol into his kidneys, feeling it grate over some kind of body armour. “There are three guns on you right this moment,” she purred. “Get this door open now.” The man considered his options, but reacted sensibly, tapping his commdot and calling inside. Subvocalizing, his words were inaudible to Feng, and she was just wondering what he had told them when the door slid open to reveal two of his colleagues standing ready with guns drawn. Mercilessly, she shot a laser bolt into her prisoner’s back and hurled his spasming form into the door, bowling over one of the thugs as she followed it in to the passage beyond, ready to prevent the door closing again.

The other one got a gauss pistol levelled and a shot off; Feng felt gauss needles tear into her arm again for the second time in two weeks as Wombat, Nevada and Timo started to run towards the door. As Wombat got there, he scooped up the dying thug’s gun and fired at the upright man. The first shot missed and the second produced a nasty grating noise as the gun succumbed to the damage caused by being dropped.  Feng dropped the standing guard as Timo finished the knocked down one who’d just stood up again. 

At that point, the door on the right of the passage opened, revealing the fourth thug armed and ready, and another man behind, wearing no obvious armour but holding some kind of micro-SMG. Nevada had just arrived at the street door in time to spread this last thug all over the far wall. Feng flattened against the wall, squirting a shot at him and spoiling his aim. A burst of shots missed Feng and tore through the opposite door to the accompaniment of an agonized female scream. Nevada charrged in after him and got a boot on his weapon arm, though his gun had clattered away and the man - presumably Jason Kobrin - was unconscious.
Medical Monitor
Rather grudgingly, Nevada applied some first aid, bringing Kobrin round, though he omitted any anaesthetic to leave the man in pain. As he looked around the faces above him, his shoulders slumped in obvious recognition. “Damn, I wish I hadn’t taken this job,” he said to himself. “Whatever you want, let’s be reasonable here.” Timo squatted down in front of him. “The Canedo know about you,” he said simply. Kobrin blanched. “Let me go, and I’ll be out-system by tomorrow,” he promised. “Name,” said Nevada, “your client’s name and where to find him. And a signed confession to arranging the hit.” Kobrin twitched. “You are trying to ruin me and get me killed. Reputation is everything in my business.” Guns lifted, and he waved his still functional hand. “Yes, yes, right, I can see the way this works. The man you want is Ryan Granville. Senior Undersecretary to the Ambassador for Trexalon. He paid KCr20 each.” Nevada looked insulted. “Is that all?” Kobrin almost chuckled. “Not bloody enough” he grunted.

Eyebrows went up all around. Trexalon was of course on the point of open war with their home planet of Collace, and their mission was to collect military materiel for Collace, but this was unexpectedly direct action. 

A thorough search turned up some cash, a thoroughly dead girlfriend and a CCTV computer linked to the door camera - which they smashed comprehensively.

“Disappear,” said Timo to Kobrin, and much to his surprised [and the Game Master’s!], they turned and left him lying alive on his floor in a pool of blood.
Session Date: 27th Aug 2024