The Best-Laid Plans of Golden Elves, Shiny Gnomes, Foxkin and Men

Game date: 7/23/2020 and 7/30/2020

There must be some universal law about things going wrong, because the universe certainly works overtime to make sure that they do.

I have emptied my bank account to ensure that Aru cannot be traced.  I have invited him into my home to keep him safely off the streets.  And tonight all that may turn out to be for naught.

Here's what happened.

I met with Aru to determine whether he could assist in funding his new identity.  In the process I learned that he was even more close to destitute than I, and missing most of his gear besides, as he cannot risk returning to his flat.  I decided to try doing something about that.

Review of the previous two meetings with this motley crew have given me reason to conclude that the other foxkin - the female - has hidden talents not unlike my own.  I contacted that person (her name is Katrya), described the problem, and asked her how she would go about retrieving the "misplaced" equipment.  

She had a plan within minutes.  In less than two hours, she had rented the unit adjacent to Aru's, procured tools for cutting through the wall (and patching the cut afterward).  With access to such proximity, I was able to detect a TekKnight transmitter in the next flat, and took a peek through the camera.  Right there, where it should be: body armor and VR helmet.  The plan is a go.  All we need is a time to start.  Not too soon.  After a couple of days, TK started to pull some of their Enforcers out. 

     Fate provided a good opportunity in a particularly perverse way, through the AutoChef.  That frilly soprano voice sang out, "Time for Peaches! Chop chop chop!" in a sickeningly cheery way, and then the vidscreen turned on to a TekKnight scanner channel, which conveniently provided an address and clues as to what this was all about: "suspect and his father."  Yeah, I had a pretty good idea what this was about.  

Just to be sure, I asked Parker to confirm.  "Is that Mauger's place?"  

"Likely so, boss."

I'll be honest for a moment.  I was not surprised that the TKs found Mauger.  I was surprised that they found him in an apartment unit.  It was far more likely to happen at the Border.  A public records search shows him frequently crossing the Gate; all they had to do was set up a watch and nab him.  A raid?  That's messy.  Inelegant.  Still, this was bound to happen sooner or later.  If there's anything that cops will not let go, it's a cop killer.  

Did it bother me that they were closing in on him?  No.  I think he's rash, and dangerous, and so long as the Enforcers are out for his blood, the entire group is in danger.  So I just sent Parker in Maggy to keep an eye on the situation, and took the Owlet to the site of our planned heist.  I notified Aru and Katrya on the way, warning Aru to stay the hell away from his flat and let us handle it.

"Us," I said.  My participation in this little event consisted of putting the TK camera on a loop, then watching Katrya do the rest of the work.  Oh, yes, I suppose I grabbed some toiletries on the way through Aru's flat.  For the most part, though, I paced, and watched the shitstorm unfold at Mauger's place through Maggy's camera.  

There were at least three squad cars, several Enforcers in the street, and one armored cyborg gnome who was clearly in charge of the whole operation.  And, creeping upon the scene like fast-growing fungus came our crew (minus myself, Katrya, and Mauger, of course).  

Before you could say "police brutality," Aru strolled casually across the street, as if he thought he were invisible, and cold-cocked one of the Enforcers!  I used some impolite language in my shock, but that wasn't the end of it.  The one called Vamir managed to actually sneak up on another TK goon, and cut him down with his blade.  I swore again, distracting the foxkin from her work.

I apologized, and explained what I just saw.  She cursed in sympathy, and we agreed that, should Aru get himself killed today, we would sell his kit and split the profits.  And then I had an epiphany.

This is my life now:  An unknown entity using a perky AutoChef voice has decided to send out a call to assemble when any one of these people -- even the worst troublemakers -- needs bailing out.  Which means that, even though I believe that one of them is a glitch to be edited out, any attempt to do so puts everyone else in danger.

We're a team, whether we like it or not.  We may be a bad team -- the worst in existence, to be candid -- but we can either fix that, or we shall surely perish.  

"Katrya, you take charge of Aru's gear.  I'm taking the transmitter with me.  Going to try to lead those Enforcers away from there before everyone gets themselves killed."

I'd barely made it to my bike before our ranks began to fall.  Vamir was cut down with a single blow from a vengeful TekKnight.  Layla had snuck off somewhere while I wasn't paying attention.  The armored gnome was attacking Aru.  Nobody could faze the gnome.  

Once mounted, I covered the transmitter's camera and turned it back on.  In my best approximation of Mauger's voice, I said, "I've escaped my apartment with Dad.  Moving west.  Will meet up with everyone at Rosa's Park in ten minutes."  And then I booked it east.  Asked Parker to multitask enough to handle navigation and attempted to use the camera to hack into the TekKnight security network.  I'd hoped to jam their ability to call for backup, but I was just not at the top of my game.  Still shaken from the shambles I've made of my life, I think.  I tripped a security flag, and only my VPN saved me from a traceback.  That shook me even more.  I let Parker keep control of the Owlet while I regained enough composure to decide what to do next.

Once my breathing was under control, I decided to lead them on a bit more.  Again I donned my fake Mauger voice.  "No, don't worry, the Enforcers still think they have us pinned." pause "Harassing some bystanders. Don't know, don't care."

After a bit, I heard from Parker.  "Hey Zeke, looks like the shiny gnome doesn't want to fight anymore."

Okay, I thought to myself, still trying to slow my heartbeat.  Let them track me a little bit more.  Don't overplay it.  I didn't want to leave Parker in the dark, but at the same time I didn't want to drop too many clues.  I subvocalized, but chose my words carefully.  "Can't talk right now, handle things."  

I kept driving east for a while longer, splitting my attention between the road and the images on my VR helmet.  Enforcers were leaving.  The shiny gnome herself was in a car, about to leave, but the car slowed down just as it approached Layla -- the single gnome in our own group.  It hesitated just for a moment, as if words were exchanged, but I couldn't hear them, because Maggy was crawling down from the wall and screaming for a medic - probably for Vamir.  Handling things?

When I decided I'd given TK enough time to scatter, and my adrenaline enough time to subside, I shut off the transmitter, and headed home.  Left the traitorous tech stuck under a window ledge with some gum, a couple of blocks from home.  It's useful, but I don't want it in my lair until I have it tamed.

I've got to bring this team together.  But first I've got to make us safe.  And that means I have to pull off a dangerous hack:  Into TekKnight Security databases.

..::Kai::..