I've posted this in dndstories but I figured it could also go here, editing out the Shadowrun explanations are not needed here. This story comes quite late in the campaign, featuring a player doing a Very Stupid Thing, somehow surviving, and growing as a result.

My campaign style: So what do you think of... heists? I built this campaign around a team doing a variety of heists. I present a scenario and my player scheme their way through it. Originally this was built out of a love of playing rogue but annoyance that stealthing is pointless when you're the only one that does it, so now the whole team is stealthy in a variety of ways (aka I made a campaign I would love to play in, but can't :( )
One more thing - IMO the rules of Shadowrun 5E are, in generous terms... sorely in need an editor. Because of this, I homebrew a simpler version of the rules, and prevent me from needing to learn everything in one go (as I was new to rules when starting) I made a clear rule: no combat. If combat started, this world was vicious and harsh and I would kill PCs who didn't run. At a later point once I knew more I would state when combat becomes an option, though in fairness I liked the way it focused my players on original thinking then door smashing. So rather then min-maxing damage output utility options became key. My second rule? If they did a Very Stupid Thing, I would kill PCs. I maybe was a brand new DM and almost certainly wearing kid gloves on my players, but I wanted them going into the campaign knowing that PC death was on the table as our campaigns in our group usually don't.

The Players:
Kipper - a streetwise, sex-addicted bigoted magic man
Bishop - a heavily chromed painkiller addicted sniper
Tank - A giant troll bowman who knows magical kung fu
Shades - An anime otaku elf decker
Hura - A weapon smuggler dwarf lady now specialising in legal procedure

Kipper was a party animal. At the end of every heist, he'd take his share, and go on a bender of incredible debauchery. Whilst the rest of the group would buy equipment or train skills, Kipper would just blow it on things he could snort, ingest, or negotiate time spent for a reasonable fee. As a DM one part of me regretted this, as he wouldn't grow on par with the team, but I was mostly pleased by how in character this was. Kipper had hit the genetic jackpot - he was the 1% how had access to the whole spectrum of magic, and was talented too, what did he care about growing? He was already awesome!
(As an aside he spent so much money on these benders I gave him a unique advantage I homebrewed; Epic Bender, where once per heist he could roll to see if he encountered a person on a previous bender. High success would mean they met and would remember him fondly and want to help, a crit fail and they'd remember him as that jackass who ruined their lives.)
On a downtime session the Kipper's player couldn't make it. As it was only a downtime, and the rest of the group were still good to go, I asked if he would be interested in me 'Dude Where's My Car'ing Kipper - he'd go on his planned bender, but he'd have no memory of what he did, and have to figure it out. He liked the idea and gave me the go ahead to do whatever to his character for six weeks of in game time.
This was either incredibly trusting or foolish. You be the judge.
Kipper woke in a large trash dumpster, covered in someone else's blood, with no gear or memories of the past six weeks. He was not hurt, but he was without his weapons, fake SIN or comm gear. Basically, he was screwed. Crawling out of the dumpster and leaving the alley, he was immediately approached by a courier who passed him a package, which contained a brand new comm and fake SIN.
Over the next few weeks Kipper would start to piece together a little of what happened. He found messages made by himself, a tracking device in his arm, a high-end tailor shop that he'd somehow purchased, and was constantly receiving threatening texts by an unknown person demanding he 'give it back.' There was only one thing Kipper could think to do.
Kipper ignored it and hoped it would turn out okay in the end.
Life tip: Ignoring your problems and hoping they turn out okay is not recommended.
The mysterious sender of threats sent a couple of people round and shot up the pub where Kipper lived, turning his home into a crime scene. In the process of sneaking in to retrieve his stuff, he ended up inadvertently showing Bishop a kimono from the tailor shop that he had commissioned on his bender. On the kimono was a bunch of Japanese script. Bishop who originated from Japan immediately read it as an address, and asked why Kipper had a kimono with an address of a gambling den. Kipper shrugged it off.
Now at this point, Kipper has an address. A clue! He also knows that this is almost certainly linked to the people that have been sending him threats, and shooting up where he lives, and enough other evidence that they are Yakuza, who have recently come back into the city trying to re-establish themselves.
So he decided to go this address, which is likely a Yakuza front, full of people who who are actively looking for him, who want him very much dead.
At night.
Alone.
So it's at this point I have decided that this is a Very Stupid Thing and tonight I'm killing Kipper.
Them's the breaks.
I describe to Kipper, as he walks through the streets to his destination, he starts to notice something usual - the fact the streets are barely populated. This city of New London is busy 24 hours a day, and the closer he gets to his target, the streets empty of life. Doors close. Windows lock. Businesses that state 'we never close' shut down. And then, incredibly, the streets go... quiet. The only noise from traffic and people are streets away, hushed by the surrounding buildings. For a someone who's lived in this chaotic city his whole life, this silence is uncomfortably eerie.
A mist rolls in, suddenly, inexplicably. A mist Kipper detects is magical. Footsteps echo from the mist. Individual footsteps that would be impossible to hear without the unnatural quietness of the street.
And finally, Kipper hears a voice. A mocking voice calling his name. Not Kipper. His real name.
At this point, the player realises he has done a Very Stupid Thing. He looks at me. I look at him.
Kipper: I get on my comm and call EVERYONE.
OP: Sure. You have a group chat.
Kipper: GUYS I WALKED INTO A YAKUZA NEST HELP.
Kipper darts into a alleyway and I start to roll for people to find out how far away they are, as they were all on downtime doing their own stuff. Shades is miles away, so instead he takes over the chat and directs Kipper (who is not tech savvy) how to turn on his comm's GPS, tracking and speaker phone. Bishop is far, far away, but gets on his bike and races onward. If he drives like a madman, he could be there in around 30 minutes. Hura is closer, but she's around 20 minutes away. Then there's Tank.
Tank is only 5 minutes away.
Tank is a new PC, as the player decided to retire his previous PC as a socially stunted rigger as he realised in Shadowrun, it's pretty limiting. He was stuck driving the vehicles, crafting things, and needed ridiculous amounts of money to build robots so we turned that PC into an NPC, and he created Tank instead. As he's new to the group, he got a weird vibe from Kipper (as Kipper has the Prejudice disadvantage) so he decided to tail him to see what's up. That's been put aside for now, as Kipper is his team, and he's in trouble. Tank is now racing across rooftops as fast a possible.
But it's still 5 minutes.
Kipper has to survive for 5 minutes. He's facing a magic user of unknown strength, likely a BBEG, with enough gang pull to empty several streets. He's passed a Perception test to know that there's multiple armed people on the rooftops above him. If he steps out into the street, he's in their sights, but if he stays here, in this cramped alleyway, he knows the people on the rooftops will flush him out with gunfire. In five minutes Tank will be here. It's not a lot, but that's all the backup he has. And with backup, he might make it another 15 minutes, when Hura gets here. Kipper decides. He walks out into the street to face his unknown foe. And he'll do so by playing his ultimate reserve card.
Kipper is going to be the annoying person alive.
Not a joke, on multiple heists he has deliberately pissed people off to such an extent he's saved heists from failing by distracting employees or encouraging people to indulge in petty power plays to give his team the time they need to succeed their mission. Now he must use this awesome power... to save himself!
What happens next is a masterclass of cock-dickery. A Yakuza sorcerer, stripped from the waist up, wreathed in tattoos and eldritch power, gets easily swept into a dick-measuring contest with Kipper as their egos clash. Kipper wisely doesn't let on he still doesn't know what he took on his bender or what he did with it, and amazingly, incredibly, 5 minutes pass.
Tank is here.
Tank is near eight foot and is the maximum strength a troll character can be, and to top it off, using magic to augment his body further. At a full sprint, he crashes into the line of armed rooftop gangsters from behind. His first blow essentially liquefies the person he hits and tosses what's left them over 20 meters away. His second and third blows kill two more, cracking bones loud in the quiet night like snapping kindling.
I view this as sufficient action to allow the PCs basically a surprise round. After that, over forty gangsters will open fire, and the BBEG will start flinging spells.
OP: Tank, Kipper, you have one action to make before this kicks off. Make it count.
Tank drops to the floor popping a smoke grenade.
I actually applaud. It was the one thing Tank asked for earlier in the session as a reward that smoke grenade. It's a tactically brilliant decision - it's the one of the few things he could of done to avoid being shot to pieces. Kipper casts Bugs. Yakuza Sorcerer fails his save.
In fluff, his means that he vividly hallucinates a hoard of bugs swarming him, which makes it one of my favourite spells. In rules, it drops his initiative. It's another tactically brilliant decision. Kipper has barely any offensive spells, so can't guarantee to drop him with one action, but can delay him so that he can get off a second spell - Levitate. Once again, it's one of the few things he could of done to avoid being turned into a pile of ash.
The smoke cloud is big enough that Tank can kill a few more gangster before slipping away and start clearing away the rooftops using his bow. With the sorcerer delayed and the gangster focusing on Tank, he casts Levitate on himself and clumsily flies away. Kipper, being Kipper, pauses briefly to fling an unrepeatable insult to the sorcerer and takes a bullet for his trouble, but is now crashing from alley wall to alley wall as he flings himself away.
Shades starts directing Kipper. Hura has driven like a madwoman and made good time. If Kipper follows his lead, he'll reconvene with her in around another 5 minutes, where he can grab hold of her bike and they can extract.
Tank is on his own, but his isn't a big deal. He's got decent parkour skills, and he isn't the gangster's prime target, and is now a building or two away surveying the street. In fact, he's so confident, he decides to shoot an arrow and the BBEG.
In not taking the exit and antagonising the BBEG, Tank has done a Very Stupid Thing.
The BBEG stops the arrow mid flight in an act of no-selling that John Cena would be proud of, and follows the arrow's line to the rooftop. Tank can see the the BBEG is absolutely god damned furious. But's it's alright. He's got cover, on a rooftop, ages away!
There's a special moment that you get on tabletop games, where the players are having fun, they're comfortable, and then the BBEG hits, and the DM picks up damage die. And picks up some more damage die. And picks up even more damage die and the PCs in unison go 'Ohhhhh shhhhhittttttt.' It's horrifying as the player. It is very fun to do this as a DM.
The rooftop explodes in green fire, and shit. Has. Gone. Down. That's a massive magical attack in a city where magic is heavily regulated. Sirens sound from a street or two away. Rotors start in the distance. Local matrix traffic goes crazy. The PCs are very clear that Now. We. Run.
Tank survives, barely. He's taken enough damage that any other character would be one shot, but between cover, his troll durability and internalised magic he's scraped through. He retreats, albeit slowly, but importantly, unimpeded.
Kipper is now under pursuit by two gangsters on motorcycles. As he round a corner, Hura pulls up, unslings her newly acquired very illegal assault rifle and, pre-warned by Shade, hoses down the gangsters as they emerge. Kipper and Hura bundle onto the bike and leave.
Bishop arrives a few minutes later. He has enough time to set up his rifle and catch the backs of gangsters fleeing, but can do no more. He slips away.
They all get out.
Tank meets up with Kipper a few hours later. Kipper notes with amazement how fucked up Tank is, but still able to walk, and is somehow already healing.
It's a moment for Kipper. Of metahumanity, he dislikes trolls and orcs the most, so seeing a new acquaintance step up on such short notice... well, I don't know if it will change his prejudice, but perhaps it's a step.
Not only that, but Kipper has had a harsh reality check. He's not the greatest hot shit that ever lived. He knows undeniably that the BBEG could of killed him outright. It wouldn't be hard. For the first time in his live, he decides to stop coasting on his natural talent. He arranges a meeting with a magical teacher. It's time, finally, to grow.

Now I went into this encounter fully intending to kill Kipper. He had done a Very Stupid Thing, and he was going to reap the consequences - he was walking in the endgame content early and was going alone against a large group – with quite possibly, not a single offensive spell, so once the BBEG starting going, he was a dead man. It's not that I would be fudging die rolls - I know the BBEG's stats, Kipper was deeeeeeeeead in a confrontation. However, once he did the Very Stupid Thing, he proceeded to do lots of Very Clever Things (calling in help, getting his GPS on, stalling the BBEG, casting the one spell that could save him) and coupled with groups help, that just gave him enough of an edge to make it out. Considering how this has changed the campaign (new growth for Kipper, a changed team dynamic, and a city in lock down) I'm pleased it worked out.
However...
The BBEG is still after Kipper.
Kipper still doesn't know what he stole or where it is.
And there's still more heists to do.
Technically, this is the last thing we did in Shadowrun before we went on a break, so if you want to know how the other heists went down let me know.

[Event] The Siege of Wulai District

The Siege of Wulai District

June 2, 2025; Wulai District, Taipei City
Citizens of the Wulai District woke up early on June 5th to the sounds of gunfire and shouting. Special Police Corps armored cars rolled through the center of town with their 30mm guns firing, causing the local residents to hide in fear. Officers heavily armored and dressed in tactical black descended on the town, engaging with what onlookers would describe as "well-dressed businessmen." Without a doubt, it was a raid on the Bamboo Union. After the Preservation of Public Safety and Anti-Crime Act of 2021, the Legislative Yuan had prepared the law-enforcement to tackle major issues such as corruption in politics and public, and organized crimes operating illegal "massage parlors" and the like. Although the Bamboo Union is in reality a triad, they have no equal or competitors, so they are considered by law enforcement as a yakuza. Old Taiwan with places like Taoyuan, Taipei, and Keelung, were riddled with the Bamboo Union. However, with the policies focused on counteracting the yakuza's production with the King Betel Act, and the refocusing of key law enforcement agencies, the power of the Legislative Yuan came raining down on crime in Taiwan. These laws finally gave the Legislative Yuan the power to enforce the laws they made in the first place. The National Police Agency would crush the yakuza, and bring about the respect of law and order in Taiwan. The illegal brothels would be closed, backroom massage parlors would be raided, and drug fields would be burned. Plenty of yakuza have died since 2021, and after the raid on Wulai District- the last stronghold of yakuza in Taiwan, the crippling boon of organized crime might be banished from the island forever.
The news footage showed four Special Police officers torching opium fields outside of Wulai with flame throwers. A dark black cloud of smoke rose into the sky, seeming as if a volcanic explosion was imminent. The sound of automatic gunfire filled the background of the news broadcast, with reporters in military-grade helmets, and bullet proof vests. Yakuza soldiers in the hundreds poured out of the Wulai Spring Resort, their beloved headquarters to defend their criminal organization with roots during the Martial Law era. Men with Uzis and Tec-9s opened fire from behind cement benches, pillars, and large black Mitsubishi Delica's. Some Yakuza forces even made their last stand with RPG-7s. Despite firearms being illegal for possession on personal property in Taiwan (usually registered and left at a police station until use), the yakuza were always able to get what they needed from drug lords in Cambodia, and Macau. Not only was such an operation the final nail in the Bamboo Union's coffin, it was also a seizure of possibly the last remaining stockpile of illegal firearms on the island. There would always be illegal firearms for the one man street criminal, but not to this scale or quality, and the seizure and destruction would be imperative to the National Police Agency.
Police Officers, after receiving professional martial arts, and firearms training from the United States, ascended the steps towards the resort gunning down the tattoo'd mobsters. However, it was not without loss. The bloodiest day in the history of National Police Agency was unfolding in front of them, and every decision could be the difference between life, and being sent home in a box. Officers and mobsters alike lay dead along the steps of Wulai District, and red blood pooled along the marble floors of the Wulai Spring Resort. Armored Cars quickly turned to piles of burning rubble by RPGs, as legless and armless men crawl out of the vehicle screaming, and being engulfed in the wall of fire rising over them. Even some officers were completely decapitated by the ruthlessness of the yakuza's swords. Yakuza goons ran from the poppy fields on fire, as walls of flames surrounded them tearing at their flesh as to stop the pain, while officers laid into them with automatic arms. Huang Shao-tsen "Yao Yao," had made it clear their would be no surrender for the Bamboo Union.
During Yao Yao's escape attempt, two Special Police Corps officers jump through the windshield of his Delica and ripped him out from the passenger seat, shooting the driver on entry. The remaining yakuza officers, including Big Brother Su, at long last emerged from the boss' penthouse at the resort without weapons in hand, giving up the last remnants of the Bamboo Union.
When the dust had settled, the body bags had been filled, the crops had been burnt, the shells had been picked up, and the letters had been written. Only a quiet celebration between the surviving officers for a job well done, and mission accomplished, was had. The celebration was only brief, before the National Police Agency entered a period of mourning, learning, and rebuilding. They paid a heavy cost to liberate the island from entrenched organized crime. Six years ago, such action would have been though impossible. The Director of the National Police Agency called the siege, "Taiwan's Waco". While it symbolized the end of an era, and the preservation and respect of law and authority, the lessons to be learned by the NPA were unarguably the most valuable outcome.
President Huang Kuo-shu held a press conference the day after The Siege of Wulai District. He hailed the actions of every officer involved, including those that perished, and immortalized them as "Heroes of the Nation". A period of mourning had been instituted for two weeks, where the flag would be flown at half staff for the month. While it would have been impossible for the President to attend every funeral, he did write to every dead officer's family, and awarded them with the Order of the Cloud and Banner, for their sacrifice to make Taiwan a better place for everyone. A benefits package and a wrongful death stipend for the families of those who lost their lives have been prepared and will be disseminated to the families, the expected cost at $10 Bn.

Allegiance	Dead
Bamboo Union	3,127
National Police Agency	817

Result
Destruction of the Bamboo Union, and crush of organized crime across Taiwan, strict enforcement of laws regarding businesses, capture of Yao Yao, conclusion of Taiwan's War on Organized Crime

Need some Ideas on expanding my zombie survival groups.

Here is what I have thus far, I would love some suggestions.
[ Washington group ]
Leader: Frank Downse Age: 53 Sex: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian. Height: 6'4". Weight: 210lbs. [Flabby muscle] Eye colour: Light Blue. Hair coloustyle: Light brown/grey, thick but receding. Facial hair: Light brown/grey, handlebar mustache w/thick stubble. Appearance: Wears his old letterman jacket from college [green&blue, w/a NASCAR shirt from the 80s] , blue jeans, old white tennis shoes. Gear: shin guards, elbow pads, leather work gloves w/brass knuckles sewn into the fabric, his old football helmet [which he keeps latched on his belt for emergencies], and his gym bag. Weapons/necessities : Hunting rifle, Beretta w/suppressor, steele bat, 2 boxes of ammunition, Winchester hunting knife, canteen full of water, and 5 ready made food packs. Former job: College football star, turned college football coach. Loss: His wife Sarah, and their only son Ryan. Kill count: 50 Undead | 4 People
Rest of the group
Scavenger: Bethany Ross Age: 28 Sex: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5'5" Weight: 125lbs. Eye colour: Hazel Hair coloustyle: Natural ginger, shoulder length. Appearance: She wears a pink graphic t-shirt, an old friendship bracelet, tan cargo pants, brown shin high strap on boots, 3 earrings in her left hear and 2 in the other, a nipple ring on her right breast a small, heart tattoo on her neck, a star tattoo on her ankle, and a group of b&w flowers on her right butt cheek. Gear: Her older brother's arm guards, and an old swat helmet she found, a bullet proof vest, and a backpack. Weapons/necessities : Police baton, fire axe, and a police issued sidearm, two bottled waters, jar of applesauce, and a can of beans. Former job: Escaped convict, she was a sales associate. Criminal record: 5 counts of indecent exposure, 3 counts of grand theft auto, breaking and entering, 2 counts of Driving under the influence of alcohol , and illegal selling of stolen objects. Loss: Her step father Anthony, mother Catherine, and younger sister Audra. Kill count: 6 Undead | 0 People
Archer: David Upcher Age: 40 Sex: Male Ethnicity: African-American Height: 5'8" Weight: 158lbs. Eye colour: Dark brown Hair coloustyle: Black, Shaved Facial hair: Black, Full beard Appearance: He wears a dark red polo, white dress pants, black dress shoes, and a black cap with his company logo on it. Gear: Archery glove and forearm protection, quiver, and leather computer bag. Weapons/necessities: Pocket knife, 8 sharp tipped arrows, compound bow, water bottle, box of half eaten crackers, and two cans of tomatoes. Former job: Archery instructor Loss: No one Kill count: 10 Undead | 1 Person Companion: His Wife Tabetha, former history teacher, age 37, ethnicity African-American.
The teenager: Rose Espeñurita Age: 17 Sex: Female Ethnicity: Hispanic-American Height: 5'0" Weight: 98lbs. Eye colour: Dark brown Hair coloustyle: Black, straight waste length. Appearance: School issued cheerleading uniform (white and crimson red), knee high sock of the same colour, white tennis shoes, and diamond earrings. Gear: [refer to character listed below] Weapons/necessities: Pepper spray, pocket sized handgun, and women's health products. Former job: Highschool cheerleader Loss: Her mother Roberta Kill count: 0 | The Soldier: Markus Espeñurita Age: 45 Sex: Male Ethnicity: Hispanic Height: 6'6" Weight: 234lbs. [Muscle] Eye colour: Dark brown Hair coloustyle: Black, short mohawk Facial hair coloustyle: Black, Short trimmed beard, long goatee. Appearance: Wears his military issued pants, combat boots, white t-shirt w/bulletproof vest over top, it has the Punisher skull spray painted on it, military issued gloves. He has a marine corps tattoo on his left forearm, a pin-up tattoo of his wife on his left bicep, a web tattoo on his left elbow, Fuck Off tattooed on his knuckles, a dargon tattoo sleeve that goes from his right side of his neck, down to his right hand. Gear: Military issued travel bag, shin/elbow guards, dust mask and goggles. Weapons/necessities: Military issued sidearm w/suppressor, M16 w/suppressor, 6 full M16 magazines, 5 Sidearm magazines, first aid bandages, and 8 ready made meals. Former job: Marine combat instructor Loss: His Wife Roberta, best friend Nick Kill count: 90 Undead | 23 People
[ California Group ]
Leader: Yoshida Tomako Age: 32 Sex: Male Ethnicity: Japanese Height: 5'9" Weight: 157lbs. Eye colour: Dark brown Hair coloustyle: bleach blonde, slicked back executive. Appearance: Black suit, white dress shirt w/black tie, black dress shoes. A small silver earring in each ear, a silver ring on his index right index finger, the tip of his left pinkie and ring finger are missing, a koi fish transforming into a dragon tattooed on his back, two sleeves of traditional yakuza tattoos continuing from his back. Gear: brass knuckles, a sheath for his katana on his back, a holster on each side of his chest for his black gripped Wasp Derringer Revolvers. Weapons/necessities: Two black gripped Wasp Derringer Revolvers, a Katana, a pocket full of ammunition, matches, a pack of cigarettes, two packs of ready made rice, and a canteen full of tap water. Former job: Foot soldier for the Kobayashi family [Yakuza crime family] Loss: Younger sister Hinumi Kill count: 145 Undead | 72 People
The story is from two groups, one in Washington and the other in California. I plan on having them meet at some point, then having them try to make it far up north. I intend on making several other groups that they will encounter on their journey.

Chapter Three Trial: The Sacrifice of Nao Akagi and Youko Nakagawa - Finale

“Gimme ya damn shoe!” Ayana Raines yells as she leaps.
Takahiro lifts his arms away from the podium, pushing himself back and sprinting quickly off his spot. He begin running on his feet, however he was only about two inches away from his podium and that gives Ayana enough distance to pounce.
Surely enough, Takahiro is pinned under Ayana's iron grip.
...
“Congratulations, you fucking did it. You caught me.”
Takahiro tiredly clapped his hands, both mentally exhausted and worn out from his own stubbornness. No longer will he remain respected on the same ground as anyone else, huh? Once, he was an ordinary student seeking guidance underneath the lonely moon, a top-notch scholar with an honorable reputation in both his family and in his academic studies. Twice, he was lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces; the benevolent friendships and stern rivalries he faced as a youngster swarmed back to him. Thrice, Takahiro found himself lost submerged in the Red Sea without company.
A bullet was shot, heard in his mind and shattering his own ego. Time rewinded, there was Takahiro swimming in the Red Sea and snatched up by a boat. Pirates. He had awaken, surrounded by intimidating, yet professional men --- organized criminals who claimed their rightful territory. Their captain, the sea bandits called them their father; one searching for another hawk to replace their disease-ridden failure and they selected him. He could feel their piercing gazes prick against his sensitive skin, digging behind his scalp and through the skull. A hawk’s eyes are needed, the captain said, if our business isn’t running… if our business doesn’t have a hawk’s hearing… what choice do we have?
They had enemies. They had friends. They had families. So did Takahiro. After spending hours stranded out in the sea, these filthy rats certainly trained him in their own arts. As the captain took multiple, heartful swigs from his glass bottles, Takahiro could still feel the remnants of his previous training sessions in his bones. Memories from his entrapment, his capture inside of the gilded cage; sweep the deck, observe from the crow’s nest, and fetch information about their group’s enemies for the captain.
He motioned over to roll up his sleeves, realizing how useless it would seem. Drowning in the sea, hauled into the ship, and after months without seeing land; they mysteriously brought him back to shore under one condition: be with your family, but your loyalty remains with us. Blood dripped down his injured lip, dripping from his chin and touching the sand. He slept, awoke, and carried out a double life without anyone realizing. The moment he touched his career in theater, the art of acting, the dung stench emanating from the crew filled his nostrils once more. A new offer: give us some treasure, leave some for yourself, but remain loyal to the captain.
There’s another synonym that could describe these scornful pirates, actual landlubbers consisting of pure bandits, exiled scourges, wanted murderers, skillful strategists…
Again and again, he led a painful double life. Again and again, he lied to his family, his friends, and those closest to him. Now, there was no need to lie anymore. Cut the red string tied around your pinky, Takahiro, someday you will start anew in the reincarnation cycle. From a hawk to a grasshopper into a lamb, and if lucky; back into a regal, feathered hawk.
“As much as I tried to fool everyone, I failed. And I cannot apologize for my actions, for I’m nothing more but a dead man.” He gradually unbuttoned his long-sleeved dress shirt, its white veil vanishing from their sight and onto the ground below.
Closing his gorgeous, yet predatory eyes gently, long eyelashes brushed against each other as he exposed his bare chest, powerful brush strokes were tattooed against his skin in a Sumi-E fashion: traditional, bold, and striking with the kanji “Myouren-kai” were etched onto it, somewhat faded as they still remained carefully marked to brand him. A reminder he may never leave. Takahiro turned around, lowering his head to prevent obscuring his back tattoo: standing fierce and proud was a legendary eight-headed hydra with eight tails, surrounded by crashing waves as he is challenged by Susanoo during a powerful storm. Yamata no Orochi.
“For years, I’ve acted modest about my talent, or rather my job. Acting is nothing more than a career of mine, a hobby I chased after to dispose of my illegal ties within both the black market, illegal trade, and the life I accidentally stumbled into.”
“I am not a serial murderer, nor does my talent involve acting.”, he pressed his lips together and glanced back to the group. “Takahiro Fukuichirou is not the Ultimate J-Drama Actor, for that is a shameful lie and a wish. My true talent lies in espionage, scouring through information for the yakuza clan I reside in for their own usage. Blackmail, business-related discussions, relaying discussion about starting a war on our turf, everything that my Father would need.”
“Someone died, and I had to take his place. I fit their credentials, I had the potential to do so, I was young and fleeting. Here I am, good as dead and nothing more than a worthless addition to the clan.”
“In truth, I am the Ultimate Spy and acting is just my job.”

Splitting the party is a bad idea. Wandering alone into a the HQ of a gang actively trying to kill you is far worse.

So my stories come from Shadowrun 5E, where I DM a campaign. This story comes quite late in the campaign, featuring a player doing a Very Stupid Thing, somehow surviving, and growing as a result.

Big ol' breakdown bit: I've noticed the the majority of the stories are DnD based, so to familiarise people not in the know about Shadowrun, think Cyberpunk with elves, orks and magic. Essentially, one day magic came back, but technology didn't go away but advanced further. Also corporations are immune from law now, and everything went wrong, and every time I try to add something dystopia-y to create an atmosphere I discover in reality it's already in motion. Whee.
My campaign style: So what do you think of... heists? I built this campaign around a team doing a variety of heists. I present a scenario and my player scheme their way through it. Originally this was built out of a love of playing rogue but annoyance that stealthing is pointless when you're the only one that does it, so now the whole team is stealthy in a variety of ways (aka I made a campaign I would love to play in, but can't :( )
One more thing - the rules. Shadowrun 5E is, in generous terms... sorely in need an editor. Want to swim? Want to tread water? Well in Shadowrun 5E, that's two different types of rolls! Because of this, I homebrew a simpler version of the rules, and prevent me from needing to learn everything in one go (as I was new to rules when starting) I made a clear rule: no combat. If combat started, this world was vicious and harsh and I would kill PCs who didn't run. At a later point once I knew more I would state when combat becomes an option, though in fairness I liked the way it focused my players on original thinking then door smashing. So rather then min-maxing damage output utility options became key. My second rule? If they did a Very Stupid Thing, I would kill PCs. I maybe was a brand new DM and almost certainly wearing kid gloves on my players, but I wanted them going into the campaign knowing that PC death was on the table as our campaigns in our group usually don't.

The Players:
Kipper - a streetwise, sex-addicted bigoted magic man
Bishop - a cybernetically augmented painkiller addicted sniper
Tank - A giant troll bowman who knows magical kung fu
Shades - An anime otaku elf hacker
Hura - A weapon smuggler dwarf lady now specialising in legal procedure

Kipper was a party animal. At the end of every heist, he'd take his share, and go on a bender of incredible debauchery. Whilst the rest of the group would buy equipment or train skills, Kipper would just blow it on things he could snort, ingest, or negotiate time spent for a reasonable fee. As a DM one part of me regretted this, as he wouldn't grow on par with the team, but I was mostly pleased by how in character this was. Kipper had hit the genetic jackpot - he was the 1% how had access to the whole spectrum of magic, and was talented too, what did he care about growing? He was already awesome!
(As an aside he spent so much money on these benders I gave him a unique advantage I homebrewed; Epic Bender, where once per heist he could roll to see if he encountered a person on a previous bender. High success would mean they met and would remember him fondly and want to help, a crit fail and they'd remember him as that jackass who ruined their lives.)
On a downtime session the Kipper's player couldn't make it. As it was only a downtime, and the rest of the group were still good to go, I asked if he would be interested in me 'Dude Where's My Car'ing Kipper - he'd go on his planned bender, but he'd have no memory of what he did, and have to figure it out. He liked the idea and gave me the go ahead to do whatever to his character for six weeks of in game time.
This was either incredibly trusting or foolish. You be the judge.
Kipper woke in a large trash dumpster, covered in someone else's blood, with no gear or memories of the past six weeks. He was not hurt, but he was without his weapons, fake SIN (an essential ID in Shadowrun) or comm gear. Basically, he was screwed. Crawling out of the dumpster and leaving the alley, he was immediately approached by a courier who passed him a package, which contained a brand new comm and fake SIN.
Over the next few weeks Kipper would start to piece together a little of what happened. He found messages made by himself, a tracking device in his arm, a high-end tailor shop that he'd somehow purchased, and was constantly receiving threatening texts by an unknown person demanding he 'give it back.' There was only one thing Kipper could think to do.
Kipper ignored it and hoped it would turn out okay in the end.
Life tip: Ignoring your problems and hoping they turn out okay is not recommended.
The mysterious sender of threats sent a couple of people round and shot up the pub where Kipper lived, turning his home into a crime scene. In the process of sneaking in to retrieve his stuff, he ended up inadvertently showing Bishop a kimono from the tailor shop that he had commissioned on his bender. On the kimono was a bunch of Japanese script. Bishop who originated from Japan immediately read it as an address, and asked why Kipper had a kimono with an address of a gambling den. Kipper shrugged it off.
Now at this point, Kipper has an address. A clue! He also knows that this is almost certainly linked to the people that have been sending him threats, and shooting up where he lives, and enough other evidence that they are Yakuza, who have recently come back into the city trying to re-establish themselves.
So he decided to go this address, which is likely a Yakuza front, full of people who who are actively looking for him, who want him very much dead.
At night.
Alone.
So it's at this point I have decided that this is a Very Stupid Thing and tonight I'm killing Kipper.
Them's the breaks.
I describe to Kipper, as he walks through the streets to his destination, he starts to notice something usual - the fact the streets are barely populated. This city of New London is busy 24 hours a day, and the closer he gets to his target, the streets empty of life. Doors close. Windows lock. Businesses that state 'we never close' shut down. And then, incredibly, the streets go... quiet. The only noise from traffic and people are streets away, hushed by the surrounding buildings. For a someone who's lived in this chaotic city his whole life, this silence is uncomfortably eerie.
A mist rolls in, suddenly, inexplicably. A mist Kipper detects is magical. Footsteps echo from the mist. Individual footsteps that would be impossible to hear without the unnatural quietness of the street.
And finally, Kipper hears a voice. A mocking voice calling his name. Not Kipper. His real name.
At this point, the player realises he has done a Very Stupid Thing. He looks at me. I look at him.
Kipper: I get on my comm and call EVERYONE.
OP: Sure. You have a group chat.
Kipper: GUYS I WALKED INTO A YAKUZA NEST HELP.
Kipper darts into a alleyway and I start to roll for people to find out how far away they are, as they were all on downtime doing their own stuff. Shades is miles away, so instead he takes over the chat and directs Kipper (who is not tech savvy) how to turn on his comm's GPS, tracking and speaker phone. Bishop is far, far away, but gets on his bike and races onward. If he drives like a madman, he could be there in around 30 minutes. Hura is closer, but she's around 20 minutes away. Then there's Tank.
Tank is only 5 minutes away.
Tank is a new PC, as the player decided to retire his previous PC as a socially stunted rigger as he realised in Shadowrun, it's pretty limiting. He was stuck driving the vehicles, crafting things, and needed ridiculous amounts of money to build robots (seriously, a bad mission that culls your robots as a rigger in Shadowrun you might as well start over) so we turned that PC into an NPC, and he created Tank instead. As he's new to the group, he got a weird vibe from Kipper (as Kipper has the Prejudice disadvantage) so he decided to tail him to see what's up. That's been put aside for now, as Kipper is his team, and he's in trouble. Tank is now racing across rooftops as fast a possible.
But it's still 5 minutes.
Kipper has to survive for 5 minutes. He's facing a magic user of unknown strength, likely a BBEG, with enough gang pull to empty several streets. He's passed a Perception test to know that there's multiple armed people on the rooftops above him. If he steps out into the street, he's in their sights, but if he stays here, in this cramped alleyway, he knows the people on the rooftops will flush him out with gunfire. In five minutes Tank will be here. It's not a lot, but that's all the backup he has. And with backup, he might make it another 15 minutes, when Hura gets here. Kipper decides. He walks out into the street to face his unknown foe. And he'll do so by playing his ultimate reserve card.
Kipper is going to be the annoying person alive.
Not a joke, on multiple heists he has deliberately pissed people off to such an extent he's saved heists from failing by distracting employees or encouraging people to indulge in petty power plays to give his team the time they need to succeed their mission. Now he must use this awesome power... to save himself!
What happens next is a masterclass of cock-dickery. A Yakuza sorcerer, stripped from the waist up, wreathed in tattoos and eldritch power, gets easily swept into a dick-measuring contest with Kipper as their egos clash. Kipper wisely doesn't let on he still doesn't know what he took on his bender or what he did with it, and amazingly, incredibly, 5 minutes pass.
Tank is here.
Tank is near eight foot and is the maximum strength a Shadownrun character can be, and to top it off, using magic to augment his body further. At a full sprint, he crashes into the line of armed rooftop gangsters from behind. His first blow essentially liquefies the person he hits and tosses what's left them over 20 meters away. His second and third blows kill two more, cracking bones loud in the quiet night like snapping kindling.
I view this as sufficient action to allow the PCs basically a surprise round. After that, over forty gangsters will open fire, and the BBEG will start flinging spells.
OP: Tank, Kipper, you have one action to make before this kicks off. Make it count.
Tank drops to the floor popping a smoke grenade.
I actually applaud. It was the one thing Tank asked for earlier in the session as a reward that smoke grenade. It's a tactically brilliant decision - it's the one of the few things he could of done to avoid being shot to pieces. Kipper casts Bugs. Yakuza Sorcerer fails his save.
In fluff, his means that he vividly hallucinates a hoard of bugs swarming him, which makes it one of my favourite spells. In rules, it drops his initiative. It's another tactically brilliant decision. Kipper has barely any offensive spells, so can't guarantee to drop him with one action, but can delay him so that he can get off a second spell - Levitate. Once again, it's one of the few things he could of done to avoid being turned into a pile of ash.
The smoke cloud is big enough that Tank can kill a few more gangster before slipping away and start clearing away the rooftops using his bow. With the sorcerer delayed and the gangster focusing on Tank, he casts Levitate on himself and clumsily flies away. Kipper, being Kipper, pauses briefly to fling an unrepeatable insult to the sorcerer and takes a bullet for his trouble, but is now crashing from alley wall to alley wall as he flings himself away.
Shades starts directing Kipper. Hura has driven like a madwoman and made good time. If Kipper follows his lead, he'll reconvene with her in around another 5 minutes, where he can grab hold of her bike and they can extract.
Tank is on his own, but his isn't a big deal. He's got decent parkour skills, and he isn't the gangster's prime target, and is now a building or two away surveying the street. In fact, he's so confident, he decides to shoot an arrow and the BBEG.
In not taking the exit and antagonising the BBEG, Tank has done a Very Stupid Thing.
The BBEG stops the arrow mid flight in an act of no-selling that John Cena would be proud of, and follows the arrow's line to the rooftop. Tank can see the the BBEG is absolutely god damned furious. But's it's alright. He's got cover, on a rooftop, ages away!
There's a special moment that you get on tabletop games, where the players are having fun, they're comfortable, and then the BBEG hits, and the DM picks up damage die. And picks up some more damage die. And picks up even more damage die and the PCs in unison go 'Ohhhhh shhhhhittttttt.' It's horrifying as the player. It is very fun to do this as a DM.
The rooftop explodes in green fire, and shit. Has. Gone. Down. That's a massive magical attack in a city where magic is heavily regulated. Sirens sound from a street or two away. Rotors start in the distance. Local matrix traffic goes crazy. The PCs are very clear that Now. We. Run.
Tank survives, barely. He's taken enough damage that any other character would be one shot, but between cover, his troll durability and internalised magic he's scraped through. He retreats, albeit slowly, but importantly, unimpeded.
Kipper is now under pursuit by two gangsters on motorcycles. As he round a corner, Hura pulls up, unslings her newly acquired very illegal assault rifle and, pre-warned by Shade, hoses down the gangsters as they emerge. Kipper and Hura bundle onto the bike and leave.
Bishop arrives a few minutes later. He has enough time to set up his rifle and catch the backs of gangsters fleeing, but can do no more. He slips away.
They all get out.
Tank meets up with Kipper a few hours later. Kipper notes with amazement how fucked up Tank is, but still able to walk, and is somehow already healing.
It's a moment for Kipper. Of metahumanity, he dislikes trolls and orcs the most, so seeing a new acquaintance step up on such short notice... well, I don't know if it will change his prejudice, but perhaps it's a step.
Not only that, but Kipper has had a harsh reality check. He's not the greatest hot shit that ever lived. He knows undeniably that the BBEG could of killed him outright. It wouldn't be hard. For the first time in his live, he decides to stop coasting on his natural talent. He arranges a meeting with a magical teacher. It's time, finally, to grow.

Now I went into this encounter fully intending to kill Kipper. He had done a Very Stupid Thing, and he was going to reap the consequences - he was walking in the endgame content early and was going alone against a large group – with quite possibly, not a single offensive spell, so once the BBEG starting going, he was a dead man. It's not that I would be fudging die rolls - I know the BBEG's stats, Kipper was deeeeeeeeead in a confrontation. However, once he did the Very Stupid Thing, he proceeded to do lots of Very Clever Things (calling in help, getting his GPS on, stalling the BBEG, casting the one spell that could save him) and coupled with groups help, that just gave him enough of an edge to make it out. Considering how this has changed the campaign (new growth for Kipper, a changed team dynamic, and a city in lock down) I'm pleased it worked out.
However...
The BBEG is still after Kipper.
Kipper still doesn't know what he stole or where it is.
And there's still more heists to do.
Technically, this is the last thing we did in Shadowrun before we went on a break, so if you want to know how the other heists went down let me know.

FDC Yakuza Writeup - Comments & Opinions

So I have been working on my map of FDC and got to work trying to figure the lay of the land for Yakuza Activity. Checking the available resources (Guide to North America, Underworld, Vice) I don't find much on the groups listed as being the Yakuza in FDC. So I came up with my own descriptions and territories based on the names and my imagination for the 7 groups of Yakuza said to operate of out DC. If you want the original descriptions check Underworld, but with the exception of a little for the Saidoh, Mizguma, and Sheonen, pretty much nothing was described and only one location (the Lantern Bar in Alexandria) was mentioned in Guide, but with no word who runs it.
If you want to check the map you find it here (I recommend unselecting layers you don't need as you as done with them. There is quite a bit of overlap):
https://www.google.com/maps/d0/edit?mid=1f8bEH2fgGIB3jWVkiyVIMaBggylOXMOv&ll=38.17641769012669%2C-77.3038181&z=8

Expanded FDC Yakuza Descriptions:
The whole DeeCee area is under the Yamaguchi-Rengo (and subsequently the Yamaguchi-Gumi, part of the Watada-Rengo Alliance). While many Yakuza on the west coast some might point to the purge of the Koreans in 2043 who then created the Seoulpa Rings in Seattle as good enough reasons to continue the hard line of Japanese only in the Yakuza, many on the East Coast had a different take deciding they had to more progressive many adopting the New Way and the Watada-Rengo, while mostly old-way hardliners have seen the benefits of a more relaxed positions for the Yamaguchi-rengo in DeeCee, especially as they don't want to lose their one in on the east coast to the Shotozomi-rengo who split from the Watada and now control the West and north east coast due they acceptance of New Way gumi. The Watada give the Yamaguchi-Rengo a free hand to maintain their power in North America, and some within consider a good PR move to further reconciliation with the Shotozomi and one day unite the whole american syndicates. For now the Yamaguchi-Rengo and their 7 organizations remain the Watada's only lynchpin in north america.
The 7:

Saidoh-Gumi - Yak higher Ups for the Area. Handle UCAS Yak disputes and pass down info from Yamaguchi-gumi higher ups. HQ in the Everymay Estate whose gardens have been modernized with Japanese sensibilities. Have Consultant offices in DC (Donburi Consulting) near the Japanese UCAS Foundation. Focus mostly on Sokaiya (Corporate Extortion) and exclusive true bunraku parlors to cater to elite power players tastes. Their direct nawabari (“Roped Area”, territory) is the downtown to west side of DC proper (West End, Georgetown) trading land area for power position, though being the high ups for the area technically makes the whole FDC fall within.

Creation Notes - Traditional Yakuza with discrete and competent soldiers and lots of political pull.

Matsui-gumi – The most “Classic” Yakuza of the Rengo, and by classic I mean a weird mix of every pre-century exploitation film on Yakuza. Big hair, disco suits, flashy cars from Modded muscle cars to later Japanese Ricer models. Focus mostly on street racing gambling, smuggling, and cheap mobile prostitution. They are HQ out a mall in Centreville and their nawabari is a large donut around the major roads in the southwest of the FDC and into North Virginia (66E to 286S to 95S to 234N back to 66). They don’t rule the roads (Ares & Fedpol might have issues with that) but getting anywhere in the zone fast is what gives them power. Also makes them damn fast pizza deliverers if you are willing to tip very well. Their business (“The Rising Dough” chain) actually makes surprisingly good old fashioned round pizza (In addition to the usual fast square corpo soycrust) but it is its side function as a drug delivery and money laundering that makes it shine.

Creation Notes - Leisure suit wearing, bouffant sporting, ricer driving drifters. No original description in the books so I originally meant for them to be the low level generic foot soldiers Yakuza anyone fought when they fought "Yakuza" but the second i wrote classic, the image came to mind.

Fudo-Rengo (Immovable League) - Distinguished by number of large meta-humans in their employ, they remain very Japanese in their higher ranks, but are more willing than most other yak groups to accept Ork & Troll members (though still preferably Japanese) especially for the Meta-Human Sumo leagues they shadow sponsor. Very big on sport and fight gambling their facilities mostly feature every type of unarmored combat fights (Sumo, MMA, Animal fights, Jello wrestling, etc) and the availability of ring girls for private engagements. To this end their lower ranks are actually starting to accept non-Japanese, provided they are excellent athletes and willing to essentially convert to Japanese traditions. The large following of Japanese animes among the students of Howard near their HQ, means they are the highest percentage of recruits willing to make the turn, and some of the higher ups worry what strange mix the league will become over time. Their nawabari is Shaw to NE DC (Shaw, NE, Takoma, Silver Spring)

Creation Notes - Immovable huh...Sumo Wrestlers! Yakuza often involved in the sport so I thought the other way around would be fun. They tend to portray the sport as athletic so I thought sport related vices would their forte.

The Sessho-gumi – Distinguished by the acceptance of magic users and shape-shifters in their mix as well as Oni they love to keep gussyied up to scare people. Results in their top enforcers being Magic Fox Assassins. While still not very accepting of Non-Japanese, prevalence of Kitsune members means more openness to Female leadership. Said to be in possession of the actual Sessho-seki (Kitsune haunted Japanese stone said to kill any who touch it) and have created several variations of it as weapons to include one ridiculous incident with a stone simply labeled “pick me up” that took out a squad of patrols. Mostly focus on traditional prostitution, gambling and river smuggling. Their nawabari is Alexandria and the Mount Vernon Neighborhoods, and they are the local connection to the Oni-Do (Goblin way) ninja clans should such specialists need to be brought in.

Creation Notes - Shinto mages with kitsune and oni warriors. Again no description in the books, so had no idea until i looked up sessho and found it was also the name of haunted rock. So they became the one yakuza group who would take the magically inclined.

Chong-Pak-Pa – The oft pointed to answer to the questions raised of the Seolpa Rings, they are Yakuza, but they are Korean, but they are Yakuza. The Chong swear fealty to the Yamguchi to be called Yakuza, but have decided they shall be proudly Korean and adhere to only the most basic tenets of the Yakuza, the 3 three major principles of the Code of Honor: jingi, giri and ninjo. All three fit perfectly well with Korean notions, meaning they stick to acting civilized and proper (Jingi) and don’t harm innocents, remember their duties and obligations (Giri) to the Oyabun, and favors owed, and sympathy for the common man (Ninjo) and take offense of justice in their nawabari seriously. They also follow the tradition of Irezumi (Family Markings), but being typically less conservative of dress (More open collars) and more conservative of tattoos, they reduce the area of a “full” tattoo to side of the chest with a deep v spacing keeping the tattooed space to their sides, lower center back and upper hips with led tats if the pattern extends further down the thighs or shoulders. This means the males can wear v-necks or tank tops and the females deep v dresses or one piece swimsuits without giving away allegiances. They also follow the tradition of Yabitsume (Finger Cutting) as that follows for Yakuza higher ups, but are more likely to replace the lost digit with modular prosthetics allowing them to hide this in public, but sport a chromed version for Yakuza Events. They also don’t exclusively recruit Koreans, they mostly do, but want to avoid the issue the old yakuza had and so will allow non-koreans to join, provided they learn “What it means to be Korean”. This can be a hard thing to quantify but involves learning the language, the food, and several cultural concepts, something that seems to happen with mixed Korean couples anyway which is where they get most of their outside recruits. This audacity to drop the Japanese portion offends many other more conservative Yakuza groups, but their success within the Yakuza shows their advantage. In the DC area they have successful carved out a large crescent of a nawabari stretching from Springfield through Annandale to Vienna, through Reston over the river and around to Ellicott City. And since their operations are very good being legitimate businesses in their own right they have fewer troubles with law enforcement than the others such as the Matsui-Gumi, or especially the Shonen-gireina. They also seem to employ of the best cosmetic and cyberdocs in the area, specializing in just good looking cyberware.

Creation Notes: Koreans, hard working and proud and will not be erased culturally by the Japanese, but fast to integrate as part of other cultures while maintaining cultural idenity. Very business and media focused with secondaries in biotech.

Mizugumo-Rengo (Water-Spider League) - The odd couple league. The entire group seems a mix of the classic Straightman/Slacker work relationship. Clean cut and stoic corporate ninja working side by side introverted technical geniuses, at least when it comes to illegal information gathering. To avoid a schism the group works in assigned partners (One from each group to create agent/Decker Combos) and then teams (For good natured competition). They also unite over dedication to the craft (Ninjutsu Kata Practice, Matrix duels, Shinto rituals) and traditional Japanese leisure activities (Fine eating, Bathing, etc) to actual get the two groups together in the real regularly. Otherwise they would remain only connected as a Decker Riding the sensorium of the ninja, an intimate connection to be sure (Especially depending on the cyberware the ninja has) but it is good to physically connect (or the deckers might never leave their cubes, like some tenants in their HQ). Their fascination with the possibilities of the matrix (Sensorium riding, matrix hosts, cyberware enhancements) does mean they are more flexible with recruits of non-Japanese and meta-humans provided they can get with the yak culture (Honor transcends the Flesh) and means they have an excellent working relationship with the Chong-Pak-Pa (Korean Yakuza) as the two groups bond over they shared love of the Matrix and Matrix culture, and have several joint ventures together. Also while not their main stay the Miz are big with the personafix performers, and more accepting of women in their ranks. This is due to the fit of an augmented performer with a full simrecording suite making an excellent miz agent with decker support and rumors that the Oyaban and his second (A razorgirl) made just such a team. Their nawabari starts north of Fort Meade and down to encompass Laurel, but their joint project with the Chong (Den of Sin) is in Ellicott City and they have an "Embassy" or secondary HQ next to the Chong HQ.

Creation Notes: deckestreet sam team up org. Mentioned to be good deckers, and corporate espionage focused, but nothing else. A bunch of good Japanese deckers brings to mind stories of japanese living in internet cafes while corporate espionage brought more suave spy types to mind. Every good field agent in Shadowrun needs a decker in their ear so I thought that would make for an interesting group. Realized it had been done with Case (decker) and Molly (razorgirl) in Neuromancer so there was the prime example.

Shonen-gireina – The traditional "Bad" Yakuza. Violent, racist, misogynistic, superstitious, greedy, and dishonorable. Some feel they are little better lowly street punks and could barely be called Yakuza, but they do uphold the tenant of obedience to their oyuban and thus are accepted as Yakuza. To them Yakuza means power and money, they forget the other tenants or the tradition of choice, that others should choose to interact with them. Most come fresh off the plane and are short tempered with anyone not a Japanese Male, but are happy to run others as cannon fodder. The run the gamut of vice crimes but usually from the seedy low end, keeping their "employees" on short leashes and often operate out of defunct storage facilities they can secure. Their style is new money gangsters. Obnoxiously loud, but often ill tailored suits with gold medallions, fancy vehicles with several aftermarket "upgrades" that are low end repairs, basicly stuff that would have been expensive but it fell off a truck into their hands. All of to hide the low class of persons they typically are, but it comes out in their crassness and short tempers. Yakuza may have traditionally recruited from the lowest in society, but it was in an effort to raise them up. They Pretty Boys, just slapped on suits and gave them bats and pistols and called it a day. To be Japanese was enough, nevermind what that was supposed to mean or the civilized behavior that was supposed to go with it. Unfortunately for the local underworld they have grown in power (or at least disruptive influence) since their arrival in the 2060s and now claim a sizable nawabari from Mt. Rainer down and around the Anacostia Barrens, where they have ongoing gang wars, but often strike all over the FDC in attempts for quick scores. It surprising how easy it is to build a cannon fodder army with the promise of cheap drugs and warm available women. So long as they stay out the groups way (And out the more profitable businesses) the Saidoh seem content to let them spread fear of the yakuza to other gangs. This are the most common "Yakuza" the average resident or low-end criminal will encounter as they are so brazen in their actions, but also the ones least concerning to have tangled with as they are mostly on their own with regards to support from the other groups("they bring on themselves"), and are so disorganized it hard to become a wanted enemy of the whole group, at least if you take out the local cell you are dealing with. And even if you do, that is not necessarily an impediment from dealing with the other groups, as they are aware of the pretty boys shortcomings in professional dealings and will often judge you on your own merits.

Creation Notes: Japanese nazi punks. Described as newcomers with violent tendencies (rabid animals) and backed by pro Japanese policlubs. The most fleshed out description they had. First imagined them as japanese rocker punks, but rereading the description they fit the unhinged, undereducated gangster archetype better and more fitting for generic Yakuza bad guys for when GMs just want some Yakuza to fight in the FDC but without major underworld criminal implications.

Comments or further sources of information?

UPDATE: Yakuza Nawabari (Along with other cannon underworld territories) added to my FDC Map.

SARS-20-05-2014 : Grandpa's Diary.

NOTE :
Within the past half hour I have received more than a few messages from different people (or it could be just one person using multiple accounts) warning me against posting any more on nosleep. One person even went as far as saying they would hunt me down if I didn't stop.
To those people - I know you're reading this, and I'm not afraid of your empty threats. If you people really were who you claim to be, then I would be dead already. Apart from it being completely rude and ridiculous (seriously, Yakuza?), this sort of pranking seriously ticks me off because I'm in a lot of stress due to grandpa's health, and I don't need anymore shit.
Please read this before you continue.
These aren't the only diary entries. There are a lot more, but I didn't think it was necessary to post all of them here because I felt they weren't significant to the information I currently have. I will be cross-checking all of them as often as I can, however, because there is a chance that I could find something I missed initially. I've written what I found after a little research and what I thought about certain things, but I could be entirely wrong. It would be of great help if I could get your views on these entries.
My dad assures me that this a very accurate translation.
I apologize for any spelling mistakes/grammatical errors on my part. I am not a writer, and this is not a story.

1 - 13 03 1992 :

Friday KWC/HK 3-7-146 B
Not all men are created equal, for some of them were born superior to others. The doctor said that to me as we were being brought to the warehouse. Fen (?) came to the temple with us today. He tells me that when the city is destroyed, we must go down with it. The dark secrets that we have worked hard to keep dormant within these walls must never be awakened.

2 - 18 03 1992 :

Wednesday KWC/HK 3-7-146 B
They found the missing lantern. He was a good man, but he should not have run away from us. He knew that there would be consequences. We have run out of bleach, and there are no more pills left. The women have to be taken away, but I suppose the children can stay. He wants only thirteen of them anyway. Nobody will notice. Fen tells us the dragon will meet us tomorrow. I have never seen him before. I hear from my fellow members that he does not exist, and it is all an elaborate plan with a very sinister ulterior motive, but I refuse to believe them. There is nothing more to it than what has been written in the declaration. It is dangerous, but I have to leave the walls to procure the supplies somehow. I must please him. This is my only way of proving to him (note : underlined twice) that I am worthy of being a part of his team.

3 - 22 05 1992 :

Friday KWC/HK 12-13-421 D-1
The children were very co-operative. They were successful in containing it, but Fen told us after speaking with the dragon that he was very unhappy. I wonder why. I wish I could see his face, but he is always under that black mask. I suppose it is only natural. He is the most important of the Li (?), and all of us would be in great danger from the (note : name scratched out) if the powers that be know of his identity. We switched to cyanide, which did not seem to work all that well. We burned the subjects to avoid embarrassment.

4 - 2 08 1992 :

Saturday KWC/HK 4-12-112 U
The new shipment has arrived. The doctor told me that it came all the way from an island in the Pacific. It has a very strange name, one that I don't remember. Fen is happy, and all is well. The police raids have stopped, and the drug supply is in full swing. We will move to the South Wing tomorrow. If everything goes as planned, they can begin production. All of the units will be sent to the Li, of course. I suppose they will pass them on to their friends (note : underlined) from there.

5 - 15 11 1992 :

Sunday
Fen was supposed to take us through the walls and get us out of here, but he did not come. He promised. There is no trace of the doctor either and the warehouses were deserted. I have an itch in my left ear. My head feels heavy.

6 - 29 12 1992 :

It was meant to be us all along. Not the women, or the children. Us.
On the next page is the note written in English that I mentioned in the previous post, which is the most bizarre detail about the diary so far.
The first thing I needed to know was what KWC/HK and the numbers following it meant; at first I thought it could be somebody's initials (I still don't believe this is my grandpa's diary, although that IS the most likely possibility) but the slash in the center just didn't make any sense. Then it struck me that it might be a location, because it was mentioned right after the date and day. He also used the word 'city' many times, so I knew that it wasn't an obscure place. My dad told me that my grandpa moved around the country a lot and never had a permanent residence. The only way he could keep track of his whereabouts was by the letters he sent to him. He remembers my grandpa mentioning in one letter he received when in college that he was in Hong Kong. It only took one quick internet search to arrive at Kowloon Walled City (written as KWC in the diary). This is where things got very interesting and some of the things that a few people mentioned in the comments on the previous post started to tie up. KWC was apparently a hot bed for criminal activity - all sorts of illegal things you can think of - drugs, murder, prostitution, unlicensed medical practices and the like. The most terrifying thing about all of it, however, was that there was little to no law enforcement there because it was controlled by The Triad, an organized-crime gang, from within the city. The police and residents alike were shit-scared of them according to some sources .
AlexanderTheo (on the previous post) : "As for the dragon I believe your grandfather is part of the "Black Dragon" chinese mafia which was formed in 1980. The "sudden" appearance of him at your house is probably him running away from the mafia."
I looked into it like I said I would, and I found this wiki page). It says there in the first line that it was a Chinese-American Triad. I didn't pay attention to this, because the name Black Dragon made more sense with respect to the card I found, and dug for the more obvious detail. But as it turns out, the Black Dragon mafia was apparently a part of the extensive Triad society. A little more research into the Triad revealed that their symbols were most commonly either a red/black dragon or a plain triangle (very similar to the picture on the card).
Now I know that all of this might not be new to people here, but I was completely oblivious to the existence of such a group until yesterday, and I didn't see how they could have anything to do with my grandpa's condition. But entry #2 sort of cleared the fog and connected things a little more. (But not enough. I am still very skeptical about the involvement of a criminal gang with the SARS and May 20th.) The use of the words 'dragon' and 'lanterns' with reference to actual people was strange, that is until I found the Triad wiki page later on, which also had the chart of hierarchy on it. The leader is unsurprisingly called the Dragon, with Lanterns (refer to entry #2 again) being the uninitiated members. This hints at the possibility of there being either a direct or indirect involvement of the Triad with my grandpa. Perhaps he was working for them, perhaps he was forced into it, I don't know.
I also had a coversation with one particular user on nosleep via PM who redirected me to this page after telling me that the information about the Triad on the net is only the tip of the iceberg and does not paint the true picture. Honestly though, I highly doubt the legitimacy of the book after reading the title. It is interesting information nonetheless.
My dad was very nonchalant about the entire matter, which I find odd, but then again I haven't told him anything about the tattoo on my granpa's ear or the card I found. I know I haven't analyzed the entries in depth (especially this 'Fen' person) but I am mentally exhausted and will get back to them later. If you could try your hand at them, it would be greatly appreciated.
I'm leaving to the hospital in a few minutes. If grandpa's awake, I'll ask him whether the 2002 SARS outbreak was why he came back or if there was some other reason ( him running away from the Triad, like it was pointed out). I intend to tell him about the diary and try to confirm if it actually is his. I just hope he doesn't get angry with me and is able to speak.
Thank you all again for the comments on the first post, I could not have uncovered all this without your help.
UPDATE : I'm at the hospital right now. I wasn't allowed to see grandpa immediately because they were doing a general check up to see how he's holding, but it should be done any minute. Anyway, the reason I'm posting this update is because I found something peculiar stuck inside the jacket flaps of the diary when I was fidgeting with it. It's a piece of yellowish paper with text on it. I think it's from an old book. It's in English though, so I think that should make looking for it easier. I have to go in now, but I'll run a quick search on this and post it here when I get back.
UPDATE :
"(the page is ripped asymmetrically on this side, so there's a chunk of words missing) -terrified me more than the gate of Inferno in the Divine Comedy, and I am not exaggerating when I say that I really felt I could detect within the door the presence of a horrible dragon-like monster writhing there with a dank, raw smell."
Google tells me this line is from a book called No Longer Human written by Japanese author Osamu Dazai. It's not possible for me to know the context in which the dragon reference was made because I haven't read the book, but I'm hoping somebody on nosleep has.
Grandpa was awake and I had a conversation with him about the diary (which left me in a state of confusion). I'll update this post with more details as soon as I get home.
UPDATE : SARS-20-05-2014 : The MH370/SARS Connect.

[DRv3](/s "Kaito Momota") Essay II - Quite The Fallen Star

Well, being that we're a week away from the Famitsu less- than-satisfactory-length profiling, I decided to submerge myself in the subtleties of Kaito Momota’s attire and demeanor.
Specifically why I think he will be a killer. Not a victim or a survivor. Yes, curse me, but that’s what I thought ever since getting the first glimpses at his bishounen face -___-!
(Hope the only thing that kills is his looks, but with this essay, you’ll understand why I’m very VERY uneasy :( )
Let’s begin with Kaito's Kiseru.
We are not sure if Hoshi's holding a cigarette in his lips or if it's just some sort of Pocky stick, but what we know for sure is that Kaito is holding some sort of kiseru.
"Some sort" because the traditional one is narrow on both extremes and only allows a small quantity of its wispy tobacco to be used. Kaito's has a big, Occidental-style hizara (bowl) that makes it look rather unique.
The parts of a kiseru are:
Kuchimoto or lip Suikuchi or mouthpiece Rau or stem, usually wooden or bamboo.
Gankubi or goose-neck shank
Hizara or smoking bowl.
The traditional rau has to be replaced since it's made of bamboo and sometimes, especially with cheap kiseru, the metal parts need changing as well.
Additionally, you'll need a hai-otoshi, or ashtray.
Kaito's model might be a Joshin, one of the two more traditional models, with the addition of a peculiar wide hizara. The type of tobacco he's expected to use would be kizami rolled into a ball.
(This is its traditional use, though it might include anything from cannabis to opium. More on this below)
People usually tend to think Kaito would be sloppy, but if he was, then he'd have burn marks all over, and that doesn't seem the case.
Kiseru smoking is a whole ceremony in itself.
You create a small ball of kizami about the size of the hizara. (that’s one huge-ass ball there, Momota-kun!) The traditional way of lighting it up is not for clumsy people, since it uses the burning embers from a tabako-bon fireplace, or hi- ire. Nowadays, matches are the preferred way of lighting up a kiseru, and there are even special matches for it, long enough so they are reserved for their secondary purpose: scraping the bowl after smoking.
Once lighted, wait until the fire subsides for a couple of minutes and take a few puffs.
Once the smoke is gone, you'll need your burnt match to get rid of the ashes from the hizara. This is done by carefully tapping the gankubi on the edge of the hai-otoshi of the tabako-bon, normally made of wood, or by simply tapping it onto your hand.
This requires some patience and is hazardous enough for anyone who values his/her well-being to avoid any sloppiness.
Now, for the way he's holding it. There are 4 traditional ways of holding a kiseru and each has a deep connection to class. This hand positions have been observed and portrayed to perfection in kabuki theatre as far as characters from each class are concerned.
Kaito Momota's way of holding the kiseru is akin to how the Bakuto class men hold theirs.
What are Bakuto? Welp. Not easy to put this on text, as I really like the character, but it was basically the ancestors to the Yakuza in Meiji times.
Now, if this isn't anything flattering in itself, prepare to what ensues.
The Bakuto class was the one, along with the Tekiya class, upon which the direct foundations for the Yakuza were built, but they had a substantially different ground. Bakuto, in particular, made their money from gambling or running gambling houses.
Tekiya and Bakuto were not noblesmen or anything close to samurai, even ronin were in higher regard than they were, since Bakuto were the very dregs... nearly the bottom tier of Meiji society, and in a society tied to status as the Japanese, you didn't get much lower than that. They were outsiders to society, and took pride in that fact.
Often considered the first kind of yakuza, they were originally mere groups of gamblers who traversed the highways of feudal japan. Finger-cutting, tattoing, and the yakuza’s policy of cooperation with the police are practices that were started by the bakuto.
Bakuto, as gamblers, had a much lower social standing even than the Tekiya (traders), as gambling was illegal. Their disdain for conformity and rules went as far as to occupy abandoned temples and shrines in the villages' hinterlands.
Most of these gambling houses were also loan-shark related, with their very own security attach. Owners were expected to be able to handle difficult and tough customers on their own, though.
(If this is going where I think it's going, I wouldn't mess with this guy, EVER)
Just as they expressed disdain for society, society lashed back, as bakuto and their gambling places were part of the Undesired Japan. Its link with Yakuza is stronger than that of Tekiya even, since yakuza stems from a losing hand in Oicho-Kabu card gambling.
So Kaito might be a specific kind of bakuto: a seiriya (loan shark who handles money disputes) or a jikenya (incident handleout-of-court settler) This ties right into his rather scary and ANGRY sprites. Guy might be nice when he wants to be, but he might as well be USED to deal with conflict!
Continuing with his looks, have you noticed the pecliar way in which Kaito uses/drapes his jacket atop one shouldeinto one sleeve? Aha.
This also ties to how modern- day yakuza members play Oicho- Kabu cards. They often remove their shirts or open them up and drape them around their waists. This enables them to display their full-body tattoos to each other. Yes, Kaito is not shirtless, but he's draping his overcoat in quite the similar fashion.
Card-playing is one of the few times when yakuza members display their tattoos to others, as they normally keep them concealed. It's common for them to wear long-sleeved and high-necked shirts as everyday clothes (Again, what is Kaito wearing?!). When new members join, they are often required to remove their trousers as well and reveal any lower body tattoos. (Kodaka, please no...)
Oh my, so there might be something underneath that peculiar shirt, after all.
As a last note, most of modern as well as old-time yakuza bosses had and still have a deep distaste for drugs. So while tobacco is a staple reflecting on tradition, it does not sit well with their image of ninkyo (honor code) nor with their "chivalrous noblemen" persona. Some specific clans that indulge in its traffic are ostrasized as heavily as the Godfather implied for Western mafia. So think again who you want to call a druggie!
So gosh, if all of this has a meaning, it seems Kaito is more like Mondo or Fuyuhiko than the Holy Trinity Shrine of Wackymen: Leon/Souda/Hagakure.
~~Send help. I’m a foot deep into him~~

[IC] FBI Raids conducted on Bunraku Parlors throughout Seattle

A young human female reporter stands in front of what appears to be an upscale shopping mall. Knight Errant’s HQ can be seen in the background, a large tower of White, with Gold and Blue highlights of the normal KE uniform covering its sides. Over a dozen FBI Vans, armored APCs, and what looks to be a Command Center crowd the mall parking lot, a swarm of agents are going between the building and the cars, each with a vest that reads FBI VICE in bold letters on the back. The reporter quickly fixes the bun on top of her hear as the camera starts up.
Hello Seattle, I'm Chelsea Gerrodio with WXFZ 34 News in Renton, onsite at the headquarters of a massive sting operation in Seattle, spanning entire districts. Early this morning, a series of coordinated sting operations took place all through Seattle, as the FBI stages a series of raids on various illegal Bunraku parlors that were operating in the area. As of 2 o’clock this morning, over 20 locations were successfully raided, leading to the arrest of over 50 known Yakuza members, including two in particular.
The camera switches to a side by side picture of two obviously Asian men, one older with a snake tattoo crawling up his neck toward his unkept black beard. His shaved head brought a tough look to the worry lines next to his eyes and droopy cheeks. The other was a very young man, a Caesar bowl hairstyle, metal teeth, and barcode tattooed under his left eye.
Chat Phen, known Lieutenant of the Yakuza Mafia and wanted on several charges of Murder, Kidnapping, and forced Prostitution was captured at the Bunraku Parlor in Bellevue known as “The Golden Buddah” and Batta “Jet” Lee, an lead enforcer of the Downtown area, notorious for the Westgate Intimidation Murders a few years ago, was apprehended in the “Lucky Strike” Parlor in Renton.
Camera comes back to the live scene, FBI agents and EMT personnel leading a gurney with a sheet over it toward an ambulance
Each location was heavily guarded, but none so much what the FBI have been calling the Flagship operation, located only minutes from the Knights Errant Headquarters in Renton. Known as the “Lotus Blossom” the Women and Men who were forced to work here had high-grade cybernetics implanted in them by force, with Persona-chips placed inside of them to repress the natural personality of the victims, and replace it with a new one that the clients could order. With a ‘Menu’ of options available to them such as “Teacher, Corporate Wench, and Housewife,” among other, less Trid friendly options, the selections were customizable to the fantasies of the clients.
Pre-recorded footage of the FBI agents leading women and men of various races out of a Garage door, wrapped in blankets. They look haggard, some sporting bruises and other signs of abuse as they walk out of the door. Another shot of an obvious doctor checking the back of a victims neck as she holds a cup of coffee in her hands, blank stare at the ground. A zoom in of the “No Tamper RFID tag” over a slot in the back of the neck, a gloved hand pushing a recessed button and slotting a chip the size of a fingernail out
Over 100 woman and men were rescued in the operation in various states, no casualties were reported amongst the rescued, though there are obvious signs of cybernetic enhancement and cosmetic surgery on some of the victims as the long process begins to identify them and attempt to get them home to their families. Many have already been identified as kidnapping victims with known amber alerts ranging from only a few weeks ago to several years. At the end of this broadcast, we will release a list of the victims, please contact your local FBI or Federal Government branch to attempt and identify someone you may know.
Several Cyber-doctors were also rounded up earlier today following FBI Deckers cracking some of the locations “Black Books” and finding them as contacts. Investigations are pending on those doctors, whose names are not being released due to privacy regards in case the lead is false, as Yakuza are known to do with their information in case of breaches.
Knight Errant hastily put together a public statement today in response to the crackdowns. In the official statement, Thomas Drake, Knight Errant Chief of Seattle Operations, had this to say:
Camera change to a picture of Thomas Drake in an unflattering portrait, with his words being typed on the screen as the Camerawoman reads them
“We are deeply grateful for the FBI’s work in our fair city. Their judicious knowledge and resources in investigating these Parlors is welcome, and they can expect any and all assistance from the Knights in their inquiry into this serious matter. We hope to share a fruitful friendship and a camaraderie in the pursuit of justice for those afflicted.”
Camera comes back onto the camerawoman, who manages to keep the scowl off of her face, but not her eyes
“This statement comes on the heels of rumors and accusations that officials located inside the corporate structure of KE were accepting bribes and kickbacks to let the Bunraku Parlors continue to operate, and there are even indication that are under review already of possible connections.”
Camera women looks distracted for a moment before touching a finger to her ear, and looking downward at the pavement. She nods once and looks back into the camera
“On a side note to the successful rescue of the Bunraku “Dolls” and the closing of several of the Yakuza’s prominent parlors, I have just received disheartening news that the UCAS Senator Marcus “Ironhide” Johnson, the mastermind of the recent trade agreement between the UCAS and the Salish Nation, has passed away quietly in his office today. Doctors are still investigating the reasons behind his unexpected departure, but from early reports, it seems he suffered a sudden aneurism onset by a heart condition he was dealing with. He was on a business trip to Seattle this weekend, and left behind his Wife, Betty, and 19 year old daughter, Kaile. They have requested time to grieve the sudden news and no statements have been made yet.
“We will be onsite for the remainder of today, reporting on the news as it comes in. This is Chelsea Gerrodio, WXFZ 34 News, First with the News that's Necessary.
((OOC: This is as a result of the actions from Sarge-Pepper's run RAID Memory, acquired by evidence left behind from Ympulse101's game Just Enough Rope))
Feed cuts to an EVO commercial that is already in progress, a fluffy cat being pet on the belly with a soft white background
“….with the EVO guarantee of soft fur for life. The Cheshire Cat breed is designed to turn invisible at will, leading to many lovable moments of surprise and care as they play with you and your loved ones. They are the number one breed at hide and seek”
The announcer chuckles a little as a large mastiff comes into view, its owner kneeling down and petting it, large licks being placed on his face
“Are Bargheists and Hellhounds too expensive? Well get yourself a Baskerville Hound today. A loveable breed that does well with kids, the Baskerville has been bred with a few EVO secrets to give it a soft glow.”
Camera changes to the same mastiff sleeping next to a human child, the soft glow coming off of it creating a nightlight for the child
“Making man’s best friend better, each Baskerville comes with a custom color of glow, so your children can sleep safer at night with their favorite color, and sleep soundly under the watchful protective eye of the hounds.”
Screen goes white and the logo of EVO comes on the screen, each word coming on as it is said, softly from the back.ground
“EVO Chimeras, bringing imagination to life”
((OOC: Chimeras are now on sale for the holiday season! Cheshire Cats cost 2K each and require a low lifestyle (with no "discounts"), they need a safe, healthy environment and lots of space to roam. They have the ability to blend into their environment. They come in a variety of natural, and unnatural, color schemes.
Meanwhile, the Baskerville Hounds cost 5K each and need a medium lifestyle. They're like normal dogs, but they glow with an "ultra-natural glow". Basically they're big dogs that glow in the dark. They need quality food. Contact KatNine for more information on Purchasing.))

Persona 5 Confidant Discussion Episode XII: The Hanged Man - Munehisa Iwai

The Velvet Twins scored 6.64, the second lowest so far. They also garnered only 36 votes and 18 comments, making them only barely more discussed than Chihaya, and far behind almost everyone else. Interestingly enough, almost everyone took the time to mention they liked the girls as characters: people found them funny and most liked the way they interacted with the player and with each other. But the actual story - or lack thereof - was all but universally panned as repetitive and lacking in final payoff. Hopefully Atlus can flesh their story out more in the inevitable expanded re-release.
Next up is Munehisa Iwai, the model gun dealer. He's a scary sort of guy with a dark criminal past, but there's a lot more to him the more you get to know him. His confidant arc starts with him recruiting Akira to help out around the shop, and ultimately drags the both of them into a conflict with a former gang contact of his who's trying to threaten and blackmail Iwai into helping him with some new crime. Along the way we meet Iwai's adopted son, to whom Iwai wants to give a better life than he had.
You can vote in his poll here and his their summary below:
Rank 1: There's an event early-ish in the game where Akira is visiting Iwai's shop to sell Kamoshida's medal, and he accidentally walks in on some cops investigating Iwai. Iwai uses Akira to smuggle a bag past the cops; a bag which turns out to contain an illegally modified model gun. Morgana points out that model guns could be quite useful in the Metaverse, so once your Guts rank is high enough you can go back to Iwai and confront him. He warns Akira that he has video footage of him leaving with the gun, so he can't snitch to the cops... but if he's willing to do some more "work" (i.e. smuggling and destroying evidence) they can get a mutually beneficial arrangement going.
Rank 2: Iwai wants to check in on Tsuda, a guy he knew from back when he was in the Yakuza, so he makes plans to meet a different gang member named Masa at a restaurant while Akira spies from an adjacent table. Masa sings Iwai's praises, claiming he beat "fifty gang members" on his own, but Iwai downplays it. They start making plans for Iwai to run into Tsuda "accidentally." Iwai gives Akira a signal, so Akira calls him and Iwai uses it as an excuse to leave the restaurant. After he's gone, he asks Akira to keep spying, and they observe Masa calling Tsuda and musing that Iwai must want a piece of some huge haul Tsuda just got. Iwai praises Akira, saying he's turning out to be more useful than anticipated.
Rank 3: Some internet troll is spreading rumors that Iwai's goods are cheap knockoffs. Iwai and Akira bond a bit about how bullshit it is to get a bad reputation thrust on you, and how hard it is to get past it once people think the worst of you. Iwai suspects that this is coming from Tsuda, the gang member he was looking into last rank, so they decide to investigate further. A kid shows up just then to see Iwai, but he sternly tells him to go home and study for his entrance exams. Turns out the kid is named Kaoru, and he's Iwai's son.
Rank 4: Iwai sends Akira on his first solo mission, to talk to people living on the streets who might know something about Tsuda's underground deal. Akira finds a source who tells him that someone in the Yakuza made a deal with 100 million yen with some investor from Hong Kong. Akira heads back to the shop to inform Iwai, but Iwai's busy with a customer... Tsuda. Tsuda's there to place a large order for Iwai's model guns, and make some threats about telling Kaoru about his father's secret. Iwai's legitimately rattled by the whole thing, but grateful that Akira's got his back through it.
Rank 5: Iwai wants to set the record straight with Akira, now that Tsuda's threatening Kaoru. As it turns out, Kaoru's real mother was some junkie who tried to sell him as a baby to Iwai, but when Iwai wouldn't pay her she just left the baby and ran for it. Iwai sacrificed a lot to care for Kaoru; he had to leave the clan and everything. He tells Akira about his own crappy childhood; how his parents were lowlifes, and that stigma stuck with him and held him back until joining the Yakuza was his only option. He doesn't want that for Kaoru, so he's desperate to make sure that Kaoru doesn't find out about Iwai's Yakuza past and get held back by it. Iwai mentions that he's been trying to stall with Tsuda's order, but Tsuda's watching him closely now.
Rank 6: Iwai asks Akira to take Kaoru out to dinner while he takes care of some business. Kaoru is worried that Iwai sees him as a burden; he can tell something bad's going on, and he's overheard Iwai mentioning his name on the phone, but Iwai just evades the question when Kaoru asks what's up. Apparently Kaoru knows that Iwai isn't his birth father, but he's been told that his real parents were friends of Iwai's who died in a car crash. He mentions that he has some scar on his neck that his classmates used to pick on him for, so Iwai decided to get a tattoo of a gecko (which symbolizes protecting one's family) in the same spot as Kaoru's scar. Iwai shows up, in a good mood seemingly, to tell Akira the business is going well. Kaoru wants to know what's up, but Iwai dismisses the question.
Rank 7: Iwai has confirmed that the 100 million yen Hong Kong deal was made by Tsuda. He purchased a massive amount of guns from a Hong Kong gang... but apparently they stiffed him. The rest of the Yakuza doesn't know yet; they still think the deal was a huge success, because Tsuda's been lying to them and trying cover up his failure by extorting guns from Iwai. Iwai's thrilled to know that Tsuda doesn't have any actual power over him, and he wants to meet up with him man-to-man to end things. He asks Akira to be there as a witness, because he figures Tsuda won't try anything stupid if a civilian is there.
Rank 8-1: Once you've maxed out Akira's guts attribute, you can go with Iwai to meet Tsuda. Iwai says he'll keep his mouth shut if Tsuda avoids his family, which he says includes both Kaoru and Akira (awww....). Tsuda laments that maybe if he had backup as good as Iwai that it wouldn'tve come to this... but then he pulls a gun on Iwai and demands that he give him what he needs to pull this off, witness or no. Iwai's shocked that Tsuda would do something like this, but Tsuda screams that no one gives a shit about codes of honor anymore, and that he'll do what he has to. Iwai thinks that he has no choice but to make the guns, even though Tsuda will probably kill him after; it's the only way to try to protect Kaoru. He tells Akira to leave the business and stay safe.
Mementos: Shadow Tsuda is a total control freak, demanding everyone submit to him and going crazy when the Phantom Thieves treat him "like a joke" like everyone else. After his defeat, Shadow Tsuda laments how his life is going to fall apart once the truth comes out; how his glory days are over and no one respects him anymore. He felt he had to make this deal work because it's the only way he could stay relevant in a world that's moved past him.
Rank 8-2: Iwai tells Akira that Tsuda had a change of heart and promised not to threaten him anymore. He says it felt like talking to his old Sworn Brother again, but he's suspicious, because an old guy shouldn't be able to change like that. He tells Akira he'd be happy to have him working at the shop again, and calls him by his name rather than calling him "kid" for once. The two of them start dismantling and discarding the prototype guns Tsuda had wanted.
Rank 9: Tsuda got excommunicated from the clan for his lies. Tsuda's flunky, Masa, seems to be taking the news rather poorly, and kidnapped Kaoru as retribution. Iwai and Akira hurry over to where Masa's waiting for them. Masa demands that Iwai hand over the guns he was making, so that Masa can use them to get a promotion. He threatens to tell Kaoru the truth, which Kaoru thinks means that Iwai resents him. Iwai insists that's not true, that he wants to protect Kaoru and, with Akira's urging, he tells the whole truth about his and Kaoru's pasts. Kaoru takes the news quite well, though; he's not a kid anymore, and he's not going to let something in the past ruin the present. He says "we're not connected by blood, but we're connected by the gecko [the tattoo mentioned in rank 6]", and that he considers Iwai his dad no matter what. Everyone's shocked by what Kaoru's saying. Masa tries to keep the fight going, but Tsuda shows up with a gun and forces him to back down. Iwai and Kaoru have a touching father-son moment, where Iwai acknowledges that he was so concerned with what he was afraid Kaoru would grow up to be that he hasn't been appreciating the mature young man he actually is. The three of them go have a nice, peaceful dinner together.
Rank 10: Iwai, Kaoru and Akira are hanging out in the shop. Kaoru mentions that he doesn't care about the circumstances of his birth, because all that matters is that it brought him and Iwai together. He tells Iwai that he should've come clean earlier. Iwai talks about how the stigma from your loser parents can stick with you for a lifetime, but Kaoru points out that his father isn't a loser, he's a great guy and a successful business owner. Iwai realizes he was just projecting his own demons onto Kaoru. Kaoru wonders why Akira stepped in to help, and muses that maybe he's a Phantom Thief defending the innocent. Iwai knows that Akira's a Phantom Thief for real; that far from being an "enthusiast" he's using the model guns to protect people. He's happy with that.
Previous Threads:
0: The Fool - Igor 6.71 +- 1.71 (31 votes, 28 comments)
I: The Magician - Morgana 6.60 +- 2.02 (43 votes, 14 comments)
II: The Priestess - Makoto 7.59 +- 2.37 (162 votes, 38 comments)
III: The Empress - Haru 8.19 +- 2.39 (69 votes, 27 comments)
IV: The Emperor - Yusuke 9.26 +- 1.36 (90 votes, 23 comments)
V: The Hierophant - Sojiro 9.48 +- 0.83 (77 votes, 20 comments)
VI: The Lovers - Ann 7.94 +- 1.81 (78 votes, 22 comments)
VII: The Chariot - Ryuji 8.56 +- 1.34 (70 votes, 19 comments)
VIII: The Justice - Goro 6.35 +- 3.30 (89 votes, 57 comments)
IX: The Hermit - Futaba 8.88 +- 1.45 (78 votes, 29 comments)
X: The Fortune - Chihaya 7.33 +- 1.60 (30 votes, 17 comments)
XI: The Strength - Caroline and Justine 6.64 +- 1.81 (36 votes, 18 comments)

Opinions about the (possible) Yakuza mechanic

[SF] Free Are the Stars Part 2 of 3

Natsuki and John were having the same argument they’d been having since the morning after their wedding.
“John you should be the chairman,” Natsuki said one more time.
With a sigh Hull replied, “Honey look the board has already accepted you as chairwoman and it's what your father wants and my father wanted.”
“Do we always have to follow their wishes?”
“It's the price the prince and princess have to pay, Natsuki. Anyway you’re better at it than me. I’m a pilot and an engineer, not a CEO.”
“Bullshit! You run Orbital just fine!”
They went back and forth for like this for a few minutes until Hull changed the subject: “Are the contact lenses still bothering you?” As a wedding present, Hull had bought Natsuki one of the new personal computers, with contact lens screens and an ear piece for audio and neural control. The CPU itself was a little larger than a twentieth-century credit card, and fit easily in a pocket or a belt pouch. It could connect with the habitat systems by wireless network.
“A little, and don't change the subject!” said Natsuki; but she knew he was right: she would have to bear the responsibility of what was to come. Over Natsuki's objection, the board had created a subcommittee with full authority to take whatever actions necessary to win independence for the Habitat and the Moon. It was a small subcommittee with only two members: Natsuki Nakamura and John Hull.
#
Daichi Nakamura moved from the family summer home near Mount Fuji to his apartment in Tokyo, where he could more easily lobby the government. He had many friends in the various ministries and many favors he was now calling in. The meeting was informal, in the very formal way only fully understood by the Japanese. Nakamura smiled his thanks at the women dressed as a traditional geisha who poured tea for himself and an old college friend. The friend was now a member of the Diet, and part of the prime ministers’ own faction. After the geishas finished and left the room, the conversation continued.
“Old friend, I am sorry. The Prime Minister is receiving heavy pressure from the Americans to back the takeover of the consortium and the conservatives in the Diet are backing the move.”
“So, we are still the lap dogs to Washington’s wishes?” Nakamura replied with ironic venom.
“It is not so easy, Daichi san. The crises in China and India have made our ties to America all the more important. Besides, they have promised us control of the helium-3 production on the Moon,” the friend replied.
“And they hold the strings that the puppet government dances to!” There was some anger in Nakamura’s voice now. He had hoped to at the very least that Tokyo would be neutral, but it seemed Washington was holding most of the cards again.
Weeks of cajoling, promising, and even bribing from Nakamura had slowed but not stopped the Japanese government. They would eventually back America’s stance. Nakamura had never taken ‘no’ for an answer, however, and he had one more card to play. He had friends in Tokyo that could help with this last, most dangerous plan. If need be, he would bring down the whole government to get his way.
#
The November elections had gone the way everyone had predicted, and resultantly the workload for the Independence Subcommittee increased across the board. Firstly there remained the standing question of how independence was going to come about. Natsuki argued - and won - that a plebiscite needed to be held. The number of questions on the ballot had to be set and a date found for the voting.
They settled on four possible options. First: full independence from Earth, with the formation of a nation called the Solar Federation. Second: independence from only Japan and America with membership in the United Nations. Third: No independence, and last: none of the above. The board was going to campaign for the first option.
The next question was of the date of the vote. Hull reported that Orbital Dynamics and the other launch companies would have all essential personnel and equipment in orbit by the first week of January. To give time for debate, January thirtieth was chosen. An added point: it was decided that all persons on Consortium property would have the right to vote if they were sixteen years old, or older. If this vote went as hoped, the Solar Federation would be declared January 31 2043.
Once the how’s and when’s of independence were decided on, it was time to work on the form of government they wanted. All agreed that it would be democratic, but the exact form and the distribution of powers were hotly debated. Some wanted a strong central government, some wanted a weak one. The debate went on for weeks with no real progress.
By the Thanksgiving weekend they were in great need of a rest. They were lounging in the back room of their home, with the partition open looking at the garden.
“Oh look a bunny,” said Natsuki, as a small white rabbit came into the garden. It was hopping around looking for food. Natsuki sat on the floor, Japanese style, dressed in a kimono. She looked beautiful and fragile to Hull. He had to remind himself that she was the de facto leader of a rebellion.
The couple’s respite was interrupted by Ryoko entering the room. She had a stiff look to her, as if she was exerting a great amount of control. She bowed low.
“Lady Natsuki, I have news from our friends in Tokyo,” she said nervously. ‘Friends in Tokyo’ was a polite euphemism for the family's yakuza connections. Sensing something was wrong; Natsuki sat up straight and assumed a formal look.
“Continue Ryoko,” she said.
“Master Daichi has been killed, he…” Ryoko said, then suddenly stopped and could not continue. Natsuki stiffened at the word, her eyes narrowed. Hull sat up sharply in shock, and didn’t know what to say or do. The last he’d heard was that Daichi was in Tokyo, meeting with government ministers and bureaucrats, trying to guide Japan's policy in favor of the Habitat and Moon. It hadn’t sounded dangerous at all.
“What happened?” Natsuki asked her voice as cold as interstellar space.
“The police are going to report that he surprised a burglar.” Ryoko said, sullenly.
“What a man in a wheelchair surprising a burglar!?” Natsuki was incredulous, “That apartment is in a high security building. What else is in the message?” Hull could see anger rising in Natsuki.
Ryoko continued with her head down, staring at some nonexistent spot on the floor, “Our friends believe the police are covering up and that he was assassinated.”
“Thank you Ryoko,” Natsuki said sadly. There was a long pause while her normal stoic appearance gave way to pain and anger and sadness and fear, all in the space of a moment, then her emotionless mask returned. She continued in a cold voice, “please inform our friends that I would take it as a personal favor if they would look into this and deal with those responsible.”
Hull admired his wife's strength but was more than a little frightened at the ease with which she’d just ordered God knew how many murders.
After another long pause, Natsuki said, “Now leave us I wish to discuss this with my husband.” Ryoko bowed and left the room, sliding the door shut.
When she was sure Ryoko had moved away from the door, Natsuki threw herself into Hull's arms and the great wracking sobs and hot, salty tears came, and would not stop. She cried as only a daughter could cry at the loss of her father.
#
After the death of Daichi Nakamura, everyone working on project Spartacus redoubled their efforts. People openly spoke as if Earth had declared war on them. Natsuki rammed through a measure for a constitutional convention to be held with representatives from every group in the consortium.
Hull worked with the different companies that handled launch and spaceflight services. In every country where the consortium had spaceports, things started happening that slowed their schedule. Nothing was officially announced, of course, but it seemed clear the various earth governments were trying to slow them down as much as possible. Hull also met regularly with the pilots’ union, but he wouldn’t tell anyone - especially Netsuke - what they were planning.
On Earth things were heating up. Protesters were actively trying to block the entrances of the Texas, New Mexico and California launch facilities. Consortium personnel were being harassed, and the EPA filed suit to shutdown Orbital Dynamics claiming it was violating the Clean Air Act. Congressmen and Senators were going on talk shows claiming that the habitat and lunar colonists were committing all manner of ridiculous crimes. There were even doctors claiming that the consortium was covering up how space born children were all deformed and unhealthy.
Hull ordered all the reusable launch vehicles that could be readied to go to orbit and to wait at the orbital transfer stations. Since all the personnel that wanted to go to New Eden or the newly renamed Clarke City were already in space, they could use throwaway launchers to finish lifting what little equipment that remained. By the end of December, 2042 the colonies and the earth seemed to be on the brink of a showdown that neither side could afford to avoid.
#
Andre Zarkoff could not believe his luck. He had come to Macau after completing his Tokyo mission to lay low. For the last few weeks since then, he simply could not seem to lose at the gaming tables, and he had even made more money than the CIA had paid him for silencing that troublesome old man.
He was having a quiet drink at the hotel bar when the most stunning Eurasian women he had ever seen walked in. It was a little before dawn, so the bar was mostly empty. He decided his luck was still holding when she sat next to him and asked for a light. Faster than seemed possible, he was back in his room, sitting on his bed watching as the woman slowly undressed.
Her back was to him, and he saw that she had a tattoo of a dragon running down her spine in the Japanese fashion. She turned and walked toward him, and he saw that the tail of the dragon continued up from her legs to end just below her near-perfect breasts. She leaned over him as he lay in bed, and gave him the most passionate and sexual kiss he had ever experienced. She stood and smiled down at him.
Andre Zarkoff tried to smile but his lips wouldn’t move. In a panic he tried to sit up, and found he could barely move. Waves of pain hit him, starting in his mouth, and radiating downward. The woman stood there, smiling and staring at him for a bit, she then leaned in again.
“Have you ever heard of a poisoned kiss?” The women whispered into his left ear, while giving it a little nibble. She moved to his right ear: “It’s a special neural toxin. You have five minutes to live; A special gift from the Nakamura clan.” She moved back over to the left ear, kissing Zarkoff on the lips on the way.
“If you tell me the name of the one who ordered the old man’s death I can ease your pain,” she offered. Zarkoff painfully struggled, croaking out a single name. His vision was getting dark. The women recognized the name, and smiled as she expertly slid a stiletto into his chest, piercing his heart ending his pain forever.
#
The New Year started with an air of tension. People were still moving from the orbital stations to either the Moon or the habitat. Those still in the colonies who wanted to return to earth being transferred to the non-consortium stations like the Bigelow Orbital Hilton, and using Virgin Galactic to return to earth.
The first bill introduced to the new American congress was the Space Nationalization Act. After a week of debate in which most of the speakers ranted of the evils of the consortium, the bill passed and sent to the Senate. One of the most appalling parts of the bill was that only companies belonging to the consortium were to be nationalized. The bill also banned anyone below the age of twenty four from space.
With Natsuki's father dead, the independence subcommittee had ceased to rely on paid lobbyists and PR firms to make their case. All though some conservatives and libertarians argued in the consortium's favor, the tide was clearly running against them. The environmental lobby and some religious leaders were vocally against them, as were anti-big business groups, and still others that felt that man had no business in space. These lobbied not only for the government to take control of New Eden and Clarke City, but they were demanding that they be shut down entirely.
With Natsuki in charge of the political and business matters and Hull dealing with the technical and spaceflight actions they had little time to be together. When by chance they met at home they were glad just to be able to lie together and sleep in exhaustion.
On Earth, the Nationalization Act moved with more speed than anticipated, and the Senate was set to vote on it the day before the colonies would be holding the plebiscite for independence.
On the night before the Senate vote, Natsuki arranged for Hull and her to spend the evening together. They had a quiet diner, with cocktails afterward in the garden. Their three helpebodyguards made themselves scarce, giving them the illusion that the two of them were home alone. They chatted about music and books and things of no importance, allowing their minds and bodies to relax from the stress of careening events.
At the end of the evening, Natsuki took Hull by the hand and lead him into the bedroom. Undressing they both got into bed and embraced.
“Husband, please give me a child.” said Natsuki in a loving voice. They slowly made love like it would be their last time. Both were certain that it was.
#
Months before, when the word had gone out that it was time for earth folk to evacuate to the colonies, it created the biggest launch logjam in history. It had taken Diana Jaworski and her assist Roger Edwards until the last week of December to receive a flight. Things on Earth were becoming chaotic by the middle of November, with protests and near-riots at the spaceports. Jaworski’s own husband had joined in the anti-space movement that swept America.
It wasn’t her intention at first, but slowly, over the weeks of waiting and tensions she and Roger Edwards had become lovers. It was natural that two people with similar beliefs and similar ages, thrown together in an increasingly-dangerous crisis would become close, but it made Jaworski feel guilty. She wondered if she was taking advantage of Roger. Due to a shortage of ships, hundreds of people were still on the ten transfer stations in orbit, waiting for passage to the Moon or New Eden.
“No, Roger it’s your turn. I’ll get a flight soon enough.”
Edwards replied, “Diana, please don’t argue with me. They need you up on the Habitat, and anyway I’m working on modifications to some of the orbital ships so they can get to lunar orbit, and be picked up there. Far safer than leaving all those people tooling around in orbit, where any Green lunatic on the ground can pick ‘em off.” He shoved his ticket into his one-time boss’s hand. Edwards smiled as he continued, “Don’t worry. I’ll be on the Moon in no time. But you’re more important to the effort than I am. You need to get to New Eden so you can start working on my transfer back as your rusty trusty assistant.” Edwards kissed her before she could argue farther.
#
It was Election Day in space, and the citizens of New Eden and Clarke City used their home, work or school computers to vote. The computers used biometrics and DNA scans to verify there was only one vote per person. Hull was able to busy himself with the technical details of moving the last of the refugees in low earth orbit to the moon or New Eden. The crews of the transfer stations had volunteered - to a person - to stay on station for the duration, despite knowing they were at risk. They were the first, most obvious targets, should things get violent.
The only thing left for Natsuki to deal with was a message from the American President. The Senate had passed the Nationalization Act, sixty to thirty nine with one abstention. The President had been waiting for today's vote, and wanted the consortium's reply before signing or vetoing the bill.
The message declared that New Eden, all Solar Power satellites, and all Orbital Transfer Station, would be turned over to the US military. Clarke City and the helium mining stations on the near side of the moon would be turned over to Japan, since they were the primary user of the fusion fuel. The consortium would be reimbursed for these assets with US treasury bills at a rate to be negotiated later. The various member companies would be permitted to maintain their spaceports and to run satellite lift businesses separately; the consortium was to be dissolved. All nonessential personal would be transferred from the moon back to earth. Everyone on New Eden would have to move back to earth and the habitat would be shut down.
“Do these idiots really believe that we spent over thirty years building New Eden just to abandon it because a bunch of nutjobs don’t believe humanity belongs in space? Or that a ton of worthless paper will make it all better?” Natsuki said rhetorically to the board of directors.
As was her duty, Natsuki presented the offer to the board. One member joked that the Earthfolk didn’t even have enough respect to offer real money, just bonds.
“I move that we reject the American offer!” said The Mitsubishi board member with an energy that surprised the others at the table. The board agreed, and they voted with him unanimously to do so. A few members wanted to send a message to the President telling her ‘go screw yourself,’ but they left the reply to Natsuki.
She knew what her reply would be already, but she waited until midnight just to be sure she was doing what her people wanted. The voting on independence would have ended by then.
At 0100 hours, New Eden time, all the members of the board of directors of the New Eden consortium gathered behind Natsuki while she read a statement that was transmitted to every consortium property, as well as every news organization on Earth.
“As of Today, January 31st 2043, I am proud to announce the formation of the Solar Federation.”
#
The President immediately signed the space nationalization act, and ordered all the American assets of the consortium be seized. The Prime Minister of Japan followed with his own seizure order a few hours later. Some said he felt a bet reticent to do so.
After the seizure order, Natsuki ordered the solar power satellites to be shut down. They were beaming power to the Nevada desert. The effect was dramatic and immediate: Without power from the satellites, the western power grid started to suck electricity from the rest of the country. The system wasn’t designed for the simultaneous loss of thirty percent of the grid‘s overall power. The western United States went dark, from Los Angeles to Denver, and of course everyone panicked almost immediately.
Nikolas Jaworski was in his office arranging transportation for protesters to the demonstrations at the Mojave spaceport when the power went off. This being southern California, someone pulled a hand cranked radio out of the closet and tuned to a station that had emergency power.
The newscaster said, “…And it seems the whole western half of the United States is in a blackout, the cause of which is unknown - wait - this just in: The President has announced that the power outage is the result of the New Eden consortium illegally shutting down the satellites that fed power to the western US. To repeat…”
Nikolas stopped listening and yelled “That bitch!” Most of the people that heard him believed he was talking about the consortium charwomen, but he was thinking of his soon-to-be ex-wife.
As Nikolas drove home, he had to detour around areas that the National Guard had already cordoned off. Looting and rioting had started a few hours after the power went off, and the governor had called up the guard. Nikolas felt a burning hatred for the colonists. ‘By what right do they disrupt the natural order of things?’ he thought.
#
Natsuki ordered all shipments of helium 3 to Japan to be stopped. There were a few cargo modules on their way at the time, and no way to stop the automated modules after they had been thrown into space by the linear accelerator. These just coasted to Earth and splashed down in the Sea of Japan where a ship would pick them up. Even with these last modules, it was estimated that Japan had less than twenty days of fuel for its fusion reactors. The Japanese had been building them as fast as they could, to replace the aging fission reactors constructed back in the twentieth century.
The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution stating that the colonist’s sovereignty violated both the Outer Space Treaty of 1968 and the Moon Treaty of 1979. It also authorized the use of force to bring New Eden and the moon bases back under control of their respective member states.
The consortium, meanwhile, announced the formation of the Republic of Luna to govern the Moon and to be the second nation - along with New Eden - within the Federation.
Things stood there for a week: The earth Sent a messages or made announcements, and the Federation would respond in kind, but no real action was taken by either side.
#
“John, how many people are still in near earth orbit?” asked Natsuki as her husband sat in her office in the administration building.
“A few hundred, give or take on the transfer stations. Why?”
“I just have a bad feeling about having people so close to Earth. They might try something.” Natsuki didn’t think that America and Japan were just going to roll over and let them go. Not after going to all the trouble of passing the nationalization bill and seizing colonial assets.
“If you want I can have them put the stations on standby and send some ships to pull them back here. It's going to take a week or so.”
“Do it, John, please. It would make me feel better.”
XXXX
It might have been women's intuition or just logic but Natsuki was right: they were not going to just let them go. Even as Hull was sending ships to pick up the last of the refugees from Low Earth Orbit, America made its move.
The still Pacific morning was broken on Kwajalein Atoll as a modified anti-ballistic-missile missile was fired. Its solid fuel first stage burned bright as it sailed into the air while at the same moment its twin left the pad at Vandenberg Air Force base in California. Both missiles were modified with a Centaur third stage to boost their kinetic kill vehicles into near earth orbit. The Centaur stage kicked in at 90 kilometers and boosted the 20 kilogram warhead to escape velocity.
Separating from their boosters the two warheads used their sensors to look for their respective targets. If either missed, its velocity would take it out of the earth-moon system entirely, and it would go into orbit around the sun. But neither was going to miss. Both were the product of fifty years of development and tests.
The one from Kwajalein locked on to transfer station number three. The twenty people on it had no chance, and were killed instantly as the warhead struck the station. The kinetic energy released had the force of a low yield nuclear warhead.
When the warhead from Vandenberg struck, Roger Edwards was on the observation deck taking a break from his work on the orbital shuttles. He was drinking coffee from a plastic bulb, looking out at the ungainly structure that was transfer station seven. He saw a bright flash at the far end of the station and stared dumfounded as he watched module after module of the station pitch up and away from the earth and crumple like so many soda cans. It was like a crack of a whip. Stunned, Edwards watched people being blown into space from the collapsing modules. As the wave of destruction reached the observation deck, his one thought was that he regretted not telling Diana that he loved her before she left.
#

are yakuza tattoos illegal video

The email states that tattooing in Japan is now, apparently, illegal, the police were there that morning to shut them down, and many other shops in Japan are closing this week. Tattooing here is frowned upon because there is still the mindset that tattoos = Yakuza. Other than that, it doesn't seem to be a real issue. 27. share. Report Save. "The tattoos are crucial to yakuza members," according to Anton. But they're not used as markers to signify you're part of a gang, like they are in some places in Central and North America. Because of the connection between criminals and tattoos in Japan, yakuza members traditionally wear their tattoos on parts of the body that can be hidden by clothing. Yakuza tattoos often cover the entire body from the ankles to the wrists and the collar, a placement of body art that means the hands, feet and face can be shown in public without revealing the presence of the body art beneath the clothing. “(Tattoos) are really not a fashion statement in Japan. They’re something that is really going to put you outside the box” – Chloé Jafé Having the women pose to take snaps of their tattoos was the easiest starting point for the photographer, who said, “They never show (their tattoos) to anyone because they can’t, but they’re quite proud of them.” Illegal Ink – 11 Countries Where Showing Your Tattoos Could Get You Kicked Out! Germany, France & Slovakia Each of these three countries practice specific laws that prohibit the display of any tattoos symbolizing or otherwise glorying Nazi culture. Tattoos were not always associated with the Yakuza. The tattoos of ancient Japanese were said to have spiritual significance. But during the Kofun era (300-600 BCE), criminals were branded with tattoos. Then during the Meiji era (1868-1912) In 1991, a law was passed that made it illegal for Yakuza to be involved in legitimate businesses. Are tattoos in Japan illegal? Yes, they are banned, but people still have them. They usually keep them private. In fact, even tourists will get banned from certain places if they expose their inkings in public. They should always be covered. Top 15 yakuza tattoo designs and their meanings Tattoos were first made illegal in the Meiji period in 1872 and, while it is technically has not been against the law to get tattooed since 1948, there is still a huge social stigma against body The Yakuza are among the most notorious gangs in the world, operating numerous illegal activities, including racketeering, gambling and extortion. They are so well known in Japan they are almost mainstream. Here are 8 facts you may not have known about the Yakuza. 1. Tattoos The Yakuza and their Tattoos. The yakuza. You know them as a gang that mostly controls the red light district. They own the businesses there or even the territories. There are also always stories about them very into their honour and loyalty. But of course, still does all the illegal stuff in the background.

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Yakuza and it’s Tattoos - YouTube

Thanks to Xios, Alan Haskayne, Lachlan Lindenmayer, William Crabb, Derpvic, Seth Reeves and all my other Patrons. If you want to help out - https://www.patre... Nesse video um japonês explica mais sobre a criminalização da tatuagem aqui no Japão se você tem curiosidade sobre , Yakuza , tatuagem e entre outras coisas ... In i-D’s latest video series, tattoo artist and activist Grace Neutral explores how younger generations are challenging traditional views around beauty and b... Turn on CC for SUBTITLES PLEASE!https://www.instagram.com/mindytanphoto/Watch FujiGirl, the photography series I am hosting on this channel! https://www.yout... Yakuza Tattoo - cultural roots and values Tattoo Japanese mafia yakuza - a whole world of characters that can be attributed to these subcultures Japan. 1. Tattoo Japanese mafia yakuza - a whole ... Tebori describes the hand-carven technique of Japanese tattooing. It's a traditional method that dates back to the 17th century, but was once completely bann... It's not illegal to have tattoos in South Korea, but it is illegal to be a tattoo artist. Although the country is highly progressive when it comes to fashion... Will a new law in Japan put an end to the local tattoo industry? Music courtesy of BenSound.com! Truck mechanic and motorcycle racer Guy Martin explores Japan's illegal tattoo underground.Subscribe to Channel 4 Documentary: https://bit.ly/2IzNJyiWatch th... Yakuza Tattoos: YAKUZA - A Japanese gangster Organisation and these Tattoos for them are a culture of brotherhood and unity. ‎History says, it was obligatory...

Do The Yakuza Still Exist In Japan? — What Are They Doing

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Surely all Yakuza have hepatitis, right? As tattoos are illegal in Japan, they must get theirs from the black market with high infection rate?

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Splitting the party is a bad idea. Wandering alone into a the HQ of a gang actively trying to kill you is far worse.

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Splitting the party is a bad idea. Wandering alone into a the HQ of a gang actively trying to kill you is far worse.

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Yakuza and it’s Tattoos - YouTube