From:	Donald Arganbright <jayden63@*******.COM>
Subject:	Running in SRTCG. How it really isÂ… more or lessÂ…
Date:	Wed, 28 Oct 1998 11:16:33 PST

Hoi,

I wrote this little blurb because I was bored and it might be the
sort of thing that you would find in a mag to promote SRTCG. I made
every attempt to use what would be vaild plays as if this story was a
real game being played out across the table.

Running in SRTCG. How it really is… more or less…

It was a dark and stormy night over the city of Seattle. The rain came
down in sheets instantly drenching anything not under some cover. The
street lamps, those still functioning, glowed brightly against the
darkened sky. The rain had a hipnotic effect as it's drops danced on
the roof top of Hatchetmans safehouse.
Sitting in a very worn and overlarge couch, Hatchetman watchs the Trid
for any news. The mysterious elf Red Widow and the large ork Shellshock
are in the background playing pool. Kracker Jack, like always, hovers
over his cyberdeck… his mind traveling across the vast matrix. The back
door to the safehouse noisily opens as a very wet and annoyed cannonball
walks into the small room. The Safehouse massive heaters warm the chill
from his bones.
"And where have you been oh squat one?", Red Widow asks smiling at the
dwarf mecenary.
"Shut your cake hole Widow… I aint in the mood.", Cannonball says
walking over to a table. He empties a small sack and an even smaller
pill drops onto the table.
"Whats that?", Shellshock asks.
"I got it at that new place up the road. Club Vortex. Its supposed to
be some strengh enhancing pill. Can't wait to try it out.", Cannonball
says smiling.
"I'd be carefull if I was you, shorty", Hatchetman says without moving
from the couch. "I heard rummers that those things can kill you just as
easily as help you."
"Gotcha!!!!", Kracker Jack beams as he slips his datajack from his fuchi
cyber-6 out from his temple.
"Whats with the deck head?", Cannonball asks to no one inparticular.
"That dandilion eating decker is what happened.", Kracker Jack spouts
back. Red widow scouls over in his direction and Kracker Jack backs off
a bit.
"Who?", Cannonball continues.
"The Ice Qeen… you know the one that has been sapping us of nuyen as of
lately. I finally got her.", Kracker Jack says. "I slammed her with a
Blackhammer program. It was tough too but, with my skill, cyberdeck,
and an armor program I was able to trash her."
Kracker Jack begins doing a little dance around the room when again the
back door flys open and a very wet, and pissed off Ravage walks into the
room. She is limping a little and looks as if she saw the buisness end
of a baseball bat.
"What happened", Hatchetman says getting off the couch and allowing
Ravage some room to sit and rest.
"I was just hanging out at the iron lung to see if I could pull anything
good.", she says shaking off her wet coat and settling down into the
couch. "Things didn't go so well. Things got rough and I got a little
beat up this time. That place can be rough."
"I thought about sending my lucky wabbits foot with you. But I thought
you would be fine.", Red Widow says lining up another shot.
"Its ok. Live and learn I guess.", Ravage says wincing at the pain in
her legs. "Could someone thow me that stim patch. It would feel good
right now.
Shellshock pulls out his stim patch and tosses it over to Ravage. Its
healing medicine works its wonders and she feel better than before.
After a few hours the rythmic rain has started to put everyone to sleep.
Shellshock has now lost 6 straight games of nine ball and Kracker Jack
is duct taped to a wall, because he wouldn't stop dancing. Ravage hears
the skylight opening and slightly revs up her built in wired reflexes,
ready for a fight. A short female figure drops to the floor as Ravage
pounces onto her. Cherry Bomb gives a slight scream and Ravage quickly
pulls back her attack.
"And where have you been?", Ravage askes.
"You know that fuchi Industry place on seventh and vine.", Cherry says
with an evil grin.
"Ya,", Ravage says looking at the dwarf sceptically.
"Well lets just say several of its employees and benifactors are going
to have to go look for somewhere else to hang.", Cherry says with a
laugh.
"Well I'm glad you had a good time tonight, but get your rest.
Hatchetman got in contact with a Mr. J and he thinks he has a run lined
up for us tomarrow. Get your rest.", Ravage says sliding back into the
couch and slightly dozing off.
Cherry Bomb sticks her tongue out at her and wanders off to the back of
the safehouse as shellshock snaps his pool stick in half and stomps out
on Red Widow. He flings himself into a hamock and lets sleep overcome
him. Red Widow replaces all the pool balls into a rack and slowly walks
off to bed.

The following evening all the runners are gathered around a large worn,
table that they use for plotting their stratieges. A lone bare light
bulb hangs from the ceiling. Dark shadows cover the walls as a team of
shadowrunners sit in broken and plastic chairs. Hatchetman stands at
the head of the table.
"The job we got today is a little unusuall.", Hatchetman says looking at
his friends. Theres a warehouse on the west side by the docks that no
ones knows what is in it. We are going to find out. Our target is
appropartly named Roon 5B78."
KrackerJack looks a little shocked and tries to make himself as small as
possible in his chair.
"You got something to add?", Ravage asks.
"Well…", KrackerJack begins, "I had a feeling that the warehouse was
what Hatchetman had in mind, so I did some recon at its defences and I
don't think your going to like what I found."
"And that is?", Shellshock says with a toothy grin.
"Its well...", KrackerJack studders, "they got a dracoform guarding the
place. A real nasty one too. I don't think your going to be able to
sneak past it."
"Perfect.", Cannonball says grinning. "Them worms the most fun to
kill."
"Did you wire the nuyen to that media chick like I asked you to?",
Hatchetman says looking at KrackerJack.
"Yes.", KrackerJack replies.
"Well then its too late to do anything. She will brag the good or the
bad all over the trid tonight. So we better not screw up. I'd suggest
taking extra procausions."
"What about bringing in some extra help?", Ravage asks. "Thanks to that
vault job a few nights ago we got the nuyen for it."
"I'd like to, but the only runner I have in contact with is one called
Razorback.", Hatchetman says
"I've heard of him. He would be usefull.", Cannonball cuts in.
"I agree only one problem.", Hatchetman says, "We got ourselves a
humanis policlub ganger in the area now. I don't think that Razorback
would feel to welcome here right now, so he wouldn't be much help
tonight. Now heres how its going to go down. Shellshock, I want you up
in the snipers roost. Take the FN-mag 5. You should be able to see us
for the whole run and give us some help when we need it. Cherry,
Cannonball, Ravage and I will go in first. Red Widow hang back but be
prepared to join in if things get sticky."
"One problem.", Ravage pops in, "I have to stay behind for a bit. But
don't worry I'll be there if things get messy."
"Your sure about this.", Hatchetman says looking into her blue eyes. "I
can't change your mind."
"Nope, I got a feeling, you will just have to trust me." Ravage says.
"Ok lets do it.", Cannonball says.

A few hours later Hatchetman, Cannonball, and Cherry bomb find
themselves by the docks. They can see their target and can feel that
anticipation of battle. Hatchetman pulls his lined coat over his
armored vest and palms a ruger super warhawk. Cannonball feels a little
loaded down with his panther assault cannon, strapped to his body, but
the cold steel in his hands warms his heart. Cherry straps on her
fasonably cut heavy armor, that partially covers her whole body. Her
sleek Katana floats in her grip as it glides through the air in a few
practice swings.
"Shellshock, you in positon?", Hatchetman speaks over an intercom.
"Null persperation chummer.", Shellshock radios back. I got you in my
sights.

The three shadowrunners stealthily enter that area. No sooner do they
place a foot within 100 feet of the warehouse that alarms start sounding
and a swarm of drones flys in on them. Hatchetman and cannonball begin
shooting screaming lead into the drones and cherry attemps to slice
several of them open. The drones fire with small lasers that are easily
absorbed by the armor of the team. Unfortunaltly cannonball wasn't so
lucky and caught a burst right in the chest. It hurts a little, but the
damage will not be able to hamper cannonballs performace. The last
drone is taken out by a single shot ringing out from the snipers roost.
Hatchetman gives a slight cuss as he removes his lined coat and tosses
it onto the ground. A laser hole burnd straight through the fabric,
trashing its usefullness. The team moves closer to the building, all of
the drones dead and alarms still blazing. The three runners hunch down
as Hatchetman begins working on the lock of Room 5B78. It is at this
time that Cherry Bomb notices a small box and wanders over to it.
"Hey, look someone left their Briefca…", she doesn't quite finish her
sentence as a booby trap blows her into the next life time. Both
Hatchetman and Cannonball cus and say a light prair for Cherry.
"We are going to have to blow this thing open.", Hatchetman says as he
readys his weapon against the door.
"Did you hear something?", Cannonball says as he turns around and sees a
massive dragon standing not 100 feet away from him. "Umm… Hatchetman…
we got a problem."
Hatchetman turns and swallows hard as he raises his gun to the creature.
At that moment Red Widow comes around the corner with an Hk227 drawn and
trained on the dracoform. Suddenly cannonball begins turing green and
looks as if he is going to loose his lunch and has to run away to the
little boys room. But just as suddenly he recovers.
"You ok?", Hatchetman asks.
"Ya, I guess I just had the luck of the Irish goin for me.", Cannonball
smiles back.
At this point Ravage come flying over the creatures head on her Yamaha
Rapier. Sporting an Ares Preditor loaded with explosive ammo. The
Bike crashes into the ground forever trashing its usefullness.
"Told ya I be here when you needed me.", She says smiling.
The team as a whole opens fire into the creature. While its armor
absorbs much of the punishment its body is still ripped apart by the
amount of fire power going into its body. The massive creature not
willing to die without a fight opens its massive jaw and belches forth
an incredable amount of flame buring all the runners, making them crispy
and well wounded. After the fight the 4 runners look each other over
and then the massive door blocking their way.
"Were going to have to blow the sucker open.", Hatchetman says,
"Cannonball, your going to have to put all you got from the autocannon.
And shellshock I hope your still with us."
The team opened fire on the door causing it to melt into moltin slag.
The secretes of Room 5B78 revieled.

Later that evening, the group watches the trid and notices the report of
their handy work. The media chick true to her word spread their high
reputation all across seatle. In the back room by the pool table Red
Widow and Shellshock are again playing pool. As Widow lines up the cue
ball for the break she can hear the infor from the trid. She smiles to
herself and slams the cue ball into to tight formation of pool balls.
The balls scatter and the eightball slowly creaps its way to the corner
pocket and as it fall in, he smiles to himself and says game over.

Well thats it. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Comments and
suggestions welcome, especially if I botched a valid move or had gear on
a runner that shouldn't be there.

*** Knife Sharpens on Stone... Man Sharpens on Man ***
*** - Tao ***

Jayden Stormwalker
Donald Arganbright


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