>>34293869
"What's for breakfast and how's Jonny?
And please don't drop the dishes. They are expensive."

>>34293890
>My infrequency is losing me players, I could swear a twist in timeline accommodation would give me more consecutive voters.. writan

>>34293997
"So, how're things going? I'm kinda hungry, what's for breakfast?" The typical questions, asked countless times before between around twice the same amount of acquaintances.

"I.. did some shopping while you were away. I didn't know when you'd wake up so.."

"So no breakfast yet? How long have I been out?"

"Three days.."

Well, that explains why you're feeling so energetic."Where's Jonny?" She points out to your useless toaster of a terminal, where Jonny is currently plugged in. "He said he needed to perform updates and recharge his batteries." Oh boy...

"Jonny, are those -free- updates??" You call out, fueled by the dread of untraceable account movements sucking away at your hard earnings.

"Confirmed. Welcome back to conscious existence Master."

Well that's a relief... speaking of expenses. "Hey uh, thanks for everything, but I gotta say. Please be careful with the dishes, ceramics are pretty rare nowadays, and these have been used by my family since before the colonization." It was true. The avant-garde patterns of the early 21st century stood at odds with the cardboard or metal disks where most individuals consumed their food. Perhaps in an odd display of sentimentalism, it didn't seriously occur to you to sell them to a buyer at a premium, yet.

"So.... breakfast?" You have a quick look-see over the fridge. To your surprise, your compliant abductee stocked the thing with some of the rarest products in Moonshine ave. Fish, cheese, eggs, vegetables all share a spot with the typical bread, and even a rare 100% organic steak from out of orbit lords over the rest of the food as the undisputed king of digestibles. There's plenty of choice, to be certain.

>Just a cheese sammich
>Command "your" woman to make you a sandwich
>Command "your" woman to surprise you

[more to come]

>>34294370
The thoughts of pricing has sobered you up somehow, and it's probably time to ponder upon your situation. Mei-Zhen, as part of the Trip-n-Fall Indians' brothel's working population, falls into the "mission parameters" set out by your employer, Nasty Ned. You claimed not to have dragged her out of that hive of scum and villainy out of economic considerations, both due to emergency and personal qualms. In essence however, you just postponed that decision.

>The decision remains, Ned needs not know all details
>Try to come to some form of terms with Ned later

>>34294370
Let her decide on what she's making. She seems to know her stuff.

>>34294418
What were those mission parameters, again?

>>34294441
You were to push back the Indians from their gains on Vodka street, and bring back any girls you could. The former was accomplished, the latter is more of a secondary objective. But hey, it'd smooth things over with Ned.

>>34294370
you forgot your name and trip OP...

>Just a cheese sammich
and whatever she is/wants to make

>>34294418
>The decision remains, Ned needs not know all details

>I knew something was amiss... Writan

>>34294735
>>34294441
Well, you finally have mold-free bread, and fresh dairy. Time to chow down on the time-honored breakfast: cheese sammich! Zealously you grab yourself a knife, and with grim determination matching and surpassing that of Jack the Ripper, you carve out slices of cheese and bread, soon to be plunged down the dank depths of your throat.

"Feel free to grab yourself something to eat." You tried to say. In truth you produced some form of unintelligible garble while trying to simultaneously speak out and swallow down. The point is driven home by context, however, and she picks up an unremarkable bowl of some manner of porridge from the fridge. "It's congee. Want some?" The white substance, smelling of rice, is all too unappealing to you, and you focus back on eating your sandwich while she heats up the thing. Looks like not everything she can make looks and tastes good.

Uncomfortable silence fills the room while you eat your respective breakfasts, and lingers on even as you finish. You look her over; by the looks of it she hasn't had a good night's sleep in sometime. Presumably looking after you, her savior or captor. Feelings of gratitude cement your imminent decision: if Ned wants someone to get fucked, he can start by himself.

"So, what do you think of this part of the city?" You decide to break the silence.

"Eh?"

"Not quite like the Uptown Dome, is it?"

"Yes, the issues are more obvious.." Of course, she did live in the crime-ridden alleys of the Dome.

Well this makes for a cheery conversation.

>Try to change the subject (specify which)
>Go report to Ned
>Other

>>34295217
>>Try to change the subject (What happened between when I collapsed and now?)

I know there's at least one more player here. Don't put us into SP mode.

>>34295217
seconding >>34295243
was grabbing some food of my own

>>34295217
"I hope Jonny was a good conversation partner while I was out."

>>34295243
>>34295315
>>34295332
>SP mode averted. writan

>>34295346
There's something you're missing here, beyond a topic of conversation that you can hold. Yes, there's something you must absolutely know.

"Well, I hope Jonny was a good conversation partner while I was out."

That awkward silence lingers on for a while longer. "You might have to set up a comparison to aid in that estimate, Master." Jonny breaks the silence, hovering himself skillfully to unplug himself.

"Well, compared to.. What, myself?"

"That seems accurate. Please respond, Mei-Zhen." Oh, they're in first name basis, now?

"Well, it's true that Jonny can converse about a lot of subjects..." She fidgets with the sleeves of her robe thing. "But I suppose he can connect himself to the cyberspace, which helps."

"That is hardly a negative." Jonny proclaims.

"Alright, I get it, he's a good talker!" You're not in the mood to give that git the satisfaction of admitting your inferiority in some way or shape. And besides, you're reminded of a better topic anyway.

"So! What else happened while I was out, aside from verbal browsing of Wikis?"

"We were mostly keen on keeping you alive and hydrated, Master."

"Jonny guided me around the market too." A somewhat gushing description of how street-savvy your Scrabal unit is ensues.

"..we were even asked if we needed anything by a pair of individuals in cowboy hats!" This enthusiastic statement gets your undiluted attention. "Were they dressed in flak vests? Had bulging cyber-eyes that seemed bought on the cheap?"

"Yes..?"

"They were intelligible?"

"Of course...?"

Shit! Those don't sound like Ned's boys at all! You go over every gang you know off the top of your head that is intelligible and uses cowboy hats on a regular basis, falling woefully short. The cheap cyber-eyes don't help either, their price makes them ideal disguise material for anyone passing as a lowly looter.

"Were they anything other than black?"

"They were... caucasian, yes."
[1/2]

>>34295814
Good, at least they're probably not members of the racial supremacist gang you pissed off 3 days ago. Being clear, considerate and helpful also seems way beyond the capacities of Ned's men. This narrows it down to the unforeseen actors.

"Is something wrong?" Well, yes. But as much as you want to shift the blame to the girl in front of you, a more rational approach might yield better fruit.

You have to go investigate who these individuals might be. Where do you start by?

>Marketplace, return to the scene of the crime
>Ned's. Get paid, try to get wind of some rumor
>Muut? He's a cunt, but a resourceful cunt
>Other

>Specify what you want to bring with you in an outing. The ominous "they" might know where you live, and you have guests residing for the time being.

>>34296083
>Ned's. Get paid, try to get wind of some rumor
BROUZOUF

>>34296125 here
we should bring our Rotten Mound and leave Mei-Zhen our Damocles to flail at anyone who might try anything while we're gone, Jonny should be able to help protect her and our home too.

We should also try to get another weapon or two, something for Mei-Zhen to use so we can use our Damocles

>>34296083
>>Ned's. Get paid, try to get wind of some rumor
Jonny protects the girl and gives her company.
We try for a weaponless engagement. Look at our PSY book beforehand.
It makes us look less threatening, unless the group is of the orkish kind.

>>34296166
To clarify:
Robot and girl stay in the kitchen.
We go out alone.

>>34296166
well we can be less threatening and not do any engaging, but we shouldn't be without something to protect ourself

>>34296196
But we have clones and madness.
Just look up PSY attacks in the book and we are good to go.

>>34296219
Well how are we doing on the mental front? we nearly split our skull open several time the last time we left the house, so much so we slept for 3 days, so forgive me if I don't want to rely solely on our PSY abilities

>>34296244
>You're feeling pretty fresh, but remember that Psi stress builds up pretty fast.

>>34296262
sorry but could you inform me of the mechanics of psi stress? never played the game so I don't know how it works and I rarely manage to catch the threads live

>>34296262
Can we use the book to find ways to reduce PSI stress, or build a resistance for it?

>>34296323
I try to imply when it's probably a good idea to not go overboard on Psi casting, no solid mechanics are in place. I might change that soon.
>>34296324
It's certainly a possibility, should you want to pursue it.

Anyone convince the other party in regards to imminent weapon carry?

>>34296363

>>34296146 here
we may as well go without a weapon, we're not looking for a fight and hopefully our psi abilities will be able to help us procure one should we need to, but we should try to buy/scrounge something for Mei-Zhen to use while we're out

where'd that 3rd anon go?

>>34296363
Just our Damocles. Makes us look less threatening if we talk at distance. If we need ranged weapons we can Polyclone.

Also, can we delay for a while whilst we roll for learning PSI-Shield?

>>34296413 here again
I'll second >>34296414

>>34296414
Third anon here.
Definitely need one new PSY power - Either making legs more powerful or something defensive or a ranged attack.

>>34296414
>Such teachings require patience, mental peace, discipline and a QM willing to write about cosmogonic transcendence rather than gang warfare. Which is to say, you'll get your wish later when I'm done with plot progression

>Damocles it is, writan.

>>34296498
You ponder your options for a long, quiet moment. To be honest, you'd rather get paid sooner rather than later, and even solve some outstanding issues with Ned before tackling this new development. And well, his seedy establishment is a good rumor mill as any. "Jonny, hold the fort while I'm out." You grab yourself the Damocles, currently in an improvised weapons' stand that was probably Mei-Zhen's work. Made of rusting tubes and roughly hammered wood, the rickety structure holds the weapons' weight with surprising effect.

"I'm going out to gain some Brouzouf and clear things up." You set up your Damocles in its magsheath, and walk out in what you hope to be a fairly dramatic exit scene.

---

For all your earlier bravado, you can't help but feel that you're being watched. A familiar feeling by now, truth be told. The march towards Ned's establishment is one crowded by stares from the quasi-looters who recognize you for your latest achievements. Driven by some manner of simian penile insecurity, they posture with the intention to start proverbial shit for no discernible reason, adding nothing of value to your state of mind. You have a hard time recalling when a stroll around the streets had such a hostile environment.

Not soon enough, you enter Ned's seedy hole of drink, whoring and illegal armed death matches. Typically raucous looters, today the ambient is definitely forlorn. Several of Ned's boys follow you with their eyes the moment you enter. No one of importance in sight... Not even the typical buxom barmaid you tend to fail at flirting with.

Whatever, you're here to get paid.
>Sit at the bar and wait to be attended
>Demand to see Ned to.. someone
>Other

>>34297402
>Sit at the bar and wait to be attended
unfortunately its getting late/early here so this anon needs to sleep, thanks for the thread so far OP, I look forward to catching up on the rest of it

>>34297402
>>Sit at the bar and wait to be attended
Seems like people are noticing us.

>>34297453
>>34297510
>Unanimity is strengf and spur to writan

>>34297595
Fighting the urge to swallow hard, you make your way towards the bar. Surprisingly, or not, no one seems to be tending the bar. For you, that is. All around you, armed gangstas are taking sips of their favored poisons, staring daggers at you like you're the bullseye to their mind bullets.

You rap your fingers on the bar for a moment. Then louder, for a longer moment. It's going to be one of those days.

"Hey Ned, your service is going down the shitter faster than my diarrhea lately!"

You hear some kind of commotion in the private area of the building. Soon enough, Ned's typically intoxicated, infuriated visage emerges. "D'fuck do you want, shitter?"

"I'm here for my payment. The clowns you wanted dead are dead." He looks at you with an unusually hostile expression.

"Yeah, I've heard. That you got some help from some blokes too. And all my boys got done in, and so did the Indians, and you somehow got out of all that alive. You must be hung down there, to come by and demand payment, you piece of shit mole."

It seems your clones were taken for Federal reinforcements. The environment is growing more hostile by the second.

>Try to come up with an explanation not involving your much-demonized Psi abilities (1d100, give specifics for bonuses/maluses)
>Try your luck and explain your Psi abilities to Ned, that salt of the earth.
>Give no explanations, demand payment and leave
>Other

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>34298154
>Try to come up with an explanation not involving your much-demonized Psi abilities (1d100, give specifics for bonuses/maluses)
What's there to explain? I promised some fuckers some Brouzouf if they helped me out, they helped me out, some died, some got Brouzouf. Now where's mine?

>>34298185
>Seems we're back to SP mode. Writan

>>34298154
>much-demonized Psi abilities
That reminds me, we need to talk to our not-waifu about what she's going to do now that she knows our dark secret that we can PSI. Or does she really believe that BS about PSI feedback giving us slight PSI-powers?

>>34298304
I was taking a stroll through the woods.
I almost stepped onto a toad, because it looked exactly like a leaf. The toad's camouflage gave me a sense of dread that is normally reserved for really creepy effects in horror movies. I couldn't grasp its true form in its entirety.

>>34298541
And no, "sense of dread" is not hyperbole.
You know those effects of something slowly moving closer to you, like in that horror movie about the girl in the well (The Grudge?)? The ones that send chills down your spine?
That's what I felt while I stared at the toad while moving across it without stepping onto it.

My brain is fucked.

>>34298541
Feel free to continue while I write.

>>34298304
"I got to explain everything I do to you now? What am I, your fucking wife? I got some fuckers crazy enough to join me, which by the way are getting harder and harder to find, thanks to every job you give out turning into a bloodbath, in exchange for some Brouzouf. Some died, some got theirs, now I want my cut." That sure showed him. Ned's face is still stuck in a paranoid, drunken grimace, trying to process what you just said and find some plot hole to your tail to get rid of you, his evermore tiresome contact.

"Oh really? You must be loaded then, to have your own fucking gang."

"I take several jobs, you already know this."

"I heard you brought a girl home. Is that someone you hired too, or are you taking what's mine from that whore house?"

"Our agreement was that I join your boys in the raid, whatever crap you want extra was up to them. I got the fucking job done, give me my money already."

"You didn't answer my question, who's-"

"Money. Now. Or I'm done with working for you for good. Want to be stuck with.. your boys?" Calling those knuckle-dragging genetic catastrophes what they are when surrounded by said individuals would probably be unwise. Both you and Ned know what they are, and the message goes heeded. He shakes his head.

"You're a lying sack of shit, but you get the job done." He throws a roll of Brouzouf at your face. Holding back your urge to perform some hostile gestures of your own, you start counting the money. "You're missing 2000 Brouzouf."

"That's for the men I lost and the girl you stole. Now fuck off, I have Federal moles to catch."

"Pleasure as always." You get off of the bench, and start to walk away. A wall of armed men with more guns than brains is blocking your way out. "What the fuck..?"

[1/2]

>>34298571
Sounds like a form of PSI-Madness to me. Tell me, do any other living creatures seem to... blend into the background, for you? Do they just seem to lack any characteristics which differentiate them from everything else?
If so, then you might just be suffering from Forced-Sentience-Ignorance. What this means, in layman's terms, is that your subconscious if ignoring everything alive without informing your concious mind and it is freaking out, thus the "sense of dread" you feel.
Just stare at someone until you can actually see them, repeat a few times, et viola, you''re cured.

FSE may also inflicted upon vulnerable minds by certain Metastreumic creatures in an effort to disorient prey or predators. Isolate the subject, extract the locations of where instances FSE was observed, terminate subject, deliver deceased subject to Site C.

>>34299121
Shit, forgot about not-waifu.

>>34299145
I'm wondering if any of that was based on reality.

>>34299170
Also, What the Fuck, NED?! WHAT. THE FUCK!
Do I need to melt your fucking mind, Ned? 'Cos it sure looks like it!

>>34299192
Sounds more like some pure crack. I recommend ignoring it.

>>34299233
Captcha was: The Goetelo. Now we have a name for our personal car/weapon. If we ever get the Brouzouf for it.

>>34299121
"See kid." Ned points at the Federal tracker device. "I believe you to the point that those guys weren't Feds. But I don't believe the Feds haven't been using you for something. So you better spill your guts about what it is, or else the first guy to knock your teeth out's getting your 8000."

"Fuck's sake Ned, stop fucking around..."

"Nothin' personal kid, but you're starting to look like a liability to me."

You suddenly feel in a very lonely spot. They have weapons of their own.. But they need you alive. And they're cowards at heart.

>Tell the truth about the tracker, deal with consequences
>Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone (that means slug it out ya Oldboy not-watchers)

>>34299265
What was the purpose of the tracker again?
Wasn't it just intended to prevent us from running away? Or did they try to use it against our local contacts?
If the former, we can tell about the tracker. If the latter, we can't.

Does the act of casting Madness ring any alarm bells for onlookers? Do we need to use any kind of gesture or overt behavior to enable the power?

>>34299313
>What was the purpose of the tracker again?
Classified info.

>Does the act of casting Madness ring any alarm bells for onlookers?
They would probably have more imminent concerns than reasoning you're the cause of a guy going on a sudden killing spree. It seems to be something you can do by giving an evil eye, so nothing overt.

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>34299370
Well then,

"There's something going on, but it's none of your concern and won't fuck your gig.
I would suggest you back off. We really don't need a messy situation."

If he disagrees, give him the evil eye. From there we will decide how and if we use our clones and the blade.

>>34299411
Dat roll tho

Shower time. Then writan time again. Which is to say don't despair if I manage to break an update time record

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>34299581
Actually, would you mind taking this roll instead?

inb4 it's a 1

Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>34299662
This one might be preferable.

>>34299411
>>34299662
>>34299726
Best of 3?

>>34299760
Worst of three would mean that we will fuck shit up but lose further employment prospects.

>>34299896
I'm back, and starting writan.

Would you hate me if I dropped the hammer hard, boys?

>>34300582
As long as we get a chance afterwards to royally fuck shit up, I'm okay. Might want to ask the other two(?) though.

>>34300639
I'm a-okay with fucking shit up. Maybe we can steal some augments from Ned's vaults or something.

>>34300702
Brace for incoming shitstorm.

>>34301574
Sphincters are at maximum constriction.
Muscle groups have a single complementary pair locked into rigor.
We're ready!

"There's something going on, yeah. But that's not what you think it is."

"Then fess up and I might call the boys off."

"No. It's got nothing to do with your gig. Let me go before shit gets ugly."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, kid."

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

You focus your mind into drastically rewiring Ned's synapses, pouring all your resentment built up in months of interactions with him into one Psi technique. Ned lets out a blood-curdling screech, dirty nails clawing at his temples as whatever horrors you unleashed upon his mind take hold of him.

"'es a syker!"

Now you just have to deal with the legion of armed looters who just witnessed their boss receiving the sanity-shattering end of your evil eye.

Drawing your blade, you jump into the midst of the looters fumbling with their weapons, giving free reign to your killing instinct. Your Damocles discharges again and again, as you swing frantically at what you perceive to be nothing but a hostile wall of flesh, blood, bone and some fabric wrapping it all in a package. You've gone overzealous. Before you know it, you're swinging at the air, and the group you haven't killed off yet is letting rounds of an assortment of weaponry in your direction.

You block the shots with the Damocles' shield, until you can block no more as the weapon gets yanked out of your sweating hands from all the hard impacts of projectiles against force field. Faced with the shooting gallery, you scramble to twist your thumb before the shotgun shells join the pistols and SMGs in their rending of your flesh. No sooner than three clones are spawned, two go down blocking your body from a hail of shells. You don't bother giving the last one commands, as you're too busy crawling on the floor, searching for a weapon before you either get shot down or pass out.

[1/?]

>>34302234

A Black Crow. You twist your body around, shooting at anything that seems to be moving or a source of gunfire. Several looters go down before your hand explodes in a rain of gore from a Depezador shot. You glare madly at the shooter, the rest of the world fading out of peripheral vision as all that matters is you, the one who maimed you, and the piece of leg with a large shard of femur sticking out. Levitating it with your mind, you hurl the projectile at his throat, hitting him so hard he falls down on the floor and is promptly pinned down, squelching bloody attempts at breath.

You got your vengeance at least. It will do something for you, something you hope to figure out before the last of Ned's boys stop peppering you with bullets and hit you on an actual disabling target.

You might be seeing things, because you swear there was a ripple in the walls just moments before the rest of Ned's men fell on the floor, their necks twisted broken. The laser pointers of several rifles are aimed at your head and heart. At least death will come without an excess in torture.

"Ivan Drago. Rogue Psi-user, gun for hire, wanted for charges of terrorism, multiple charges of manslaughter, first degree murder and passing false testimony to a Federal officer."

The blur in front of you shimmers into visibility. A man clad in thick military armor stares at you impassively, keeping his weapon trained on your forehead while he speaks.

"You have sunk into a life of debauchery and crime, the fruits of which have fallen down on the ground like the ripe lumps of putrid matter they are. However, you are not without hope. The Fe-"

"Sir, his vitals are dropping fast."

"Damn it.. Drago, you are a valuable commodity on account of your Psychic skills. You can join the Federations' Para-psychic Legion, or you can die like a dog here. Choose."

>Join the Feds
>Die here

>>34302716
You go in with the Feds, you never come out.
You die here, you never get to do what you wanted to do.
The question here is, can you die without regret?

>>34302716
"Do I get a new hand?"
If yes, agree.

>>34302982
>The question here is, can you die without regret?
We can't. We still need to show Jonny the beauty of the forest.
In fact, we've never seen the forest.

There is so much to do. And we need new hands.

The feds are corrupt. Let's become more and less corrupt than everyone else.

>>34302716
Looks like we need a new hand.
>Join the Feds

Rolled 39, 2, 41, 16, 13, 28, 45, 38, 33, 25, 17, 49, 34, 13, 41 + 8500 = 8934 (15d50 + 8500)

>>34302982
>>34303000
>>34303029
>>34303056
You manage to cough out the fundamental question that you must have the answer for before you decide on such a life-changing event.

"Do I get a new hand...?"

"Son, by the looks of it you'll be getting an emergency set of prosthetics." You ponder upon what he means, as your legs hurt like hell.

"I'll join you then..."

"It wasn't a question, we were going to gang drag you anyway. We were just following you around to confirm our suspicions."

Dicks... The world fades to blackness, something of a habit you really should wean off.

>Thread ended, rollan for Brouzoufs gained

>>34303609
Cyber legs!
We will be able to jump like Superman!

...I wonder how lvl 1 Secreta gear compares to the stuff that we'll get. Feds should be something like lvl 0.2 or so.

>>34303658
Do bear in mind E.Y.E at the time the game took place was facing severe equipment shortages. Their strength was extreme discipline and training, but for every Gray Fist there were a bunch of newbs going on suicide missions to raid for weapon caches and other valuable resources. Your implants will be at least level 1.

>>34303728
Will we get any input as to which pieces of chrome get installed in our body?

>>34303728
Will there be pieces of Cyber that included which don't exist in-game i.e. skull-gun?

>>34304002
I'll figure out by next thread and
>>34304117
It's not impossible

>>34304450
Sweet. Now is the year of internal ammo magazine/recharger.
If not, or as well, we can insrcribe metastreoumic plates onto or armor so metastreoumic creatures are repelled and normal people are driven insane.