Hallo and welcome back to my Cyberpunk solo campaign using TinyD6 Cyberpunk and Mythic GME 2nd Edition. Thus far I really enjoy playing with this rulesystem. At first, I thought that TinyD6 would be a bit too light-weight for a cyberpunk-ish game, but it really doesn’t feel like something is missing.
Renee was able to “grow” her character for the second time at the end of this session. The rules say that every three session, you can gain a new trait but you can’t have more than seven at a time. This gives the character development another level of depth, because you have to decide which old trait you want to sacrifice in order to get a new ability. Very funny concept. Ok, now let’s start with the next scene…
Scene #26 – A heated debate
Biotechnica Flats, Badlands – 01-03-2079, 20:19
Charm managed to stay out of sight as Clarence Pearson’s limousine carved its way down Pacific Boulevard before turning onto the dusty path that snaked into the sprawling labyrinth of Biotechnica Flats. The air was the cloying scent of synthetic protein and damp earth.
She followed, switching off Firestarter’s headlights as she turned onto the dirt track. The Shion’s suspension groaned under the strain of the uneven terrain, but Charm pushed on. Pearson’s car disappeared into the narrow alleys that wound between the countless greenhouses – a maze designed to maximize production and minimize visibility as a side effect.
Charm pulled the Shion to a stop between two rows of greenhouses, their glass panels reflecting the faint moonlight filtering through the perpetual haze. The silence here was oppressive, broken only by the hum of machinery within the structures and the distant drone of automated harvesters. She reached into the cluttered passenger area and retrieved a device she’d picked up from Fanfan’s shop – a compact surveillance drone, sleek black with subtle digital camouflage markings.
Charm launched the drone skyward. It ascended quickly, its miniature rotors whirring almost silently as it climbed above the greenhouses. She activated the camera feed in her Kirochi’s and began scanning the alleys of Biotechnica Flats, searching for Pearson’s car. The farm was a sprawling network of pathways and structures; finding one car in this environment felt like looking for a needle in a haystack.
A glint of chrome reflecting the moonlight as the limousine stood at a particularly tight corner. Charm zoomed in, adjusting the drone’s optics to get a clearer view. Pearson, aka Rooks, was standing outside the vehicle, engaged in an animated conversation with the other man. The atmosphere crackled with tension.
The conversation escalated quickly as the other man gestured wildly at Pearson. Then, it happened. A flash of metal, the unmistakable thud of a silenced gunshot, and the man crumpled to the ground.
Pearson didn’t hesitate. He glanced around briefly, then climbed into the limousine. The driver spun the wheels, kicking up dust as they sped back down the path towards Pacifica. Charm watched them disappear from view.
She waited a few minutes, allowing the adrenaline to subside before climbing out of her car. She walked cautiously towards the spot where the drone had indicated the shooting occurred – a small clearing between two greenhouses.
“Wang Long,” she murmured to herself. He was Kang Tao’s lead architect for neural integration – a crucial role within Project Echelon. The man lay sprawled on the dusty ground, his face contorted in a silent scream. Charm knelt beside him, checking for vital signs – nothing. He was gone. A quick scan of his pockets revealed a few meager possessions: a credstick with only 65 eddies, a shopping list for Shop-Mart detailing mundane purchases like nutrient paste and cleaning fluid, and a small, cheap handgun – likely for personal protection.
She took one last look at Wang Long’s lifeless face, a flicker of something akin to pity crossing her features. He was just another pawn in a game far bigger than he could have ever imagined. A casualty of ambition and corporate greed.
Climbing back into Firestarter, Charm started the engine. The Shion rumbled to life, its headlights cutting through the darkness as she pulled away from the scene, heading back towards Pacific Boulevard and the relative safety of Night City.
The encounter had been unsettlingly straightforward. Too easy, perhaps. But Charm wasn’t one to dwell on luck or coincidence. The death of Wang Long, and the knowledge of his connection to Project Echelon had opened up a new avenue of investigation.
As Firestarter emerged from Biotechnica Flats and onto Pacific Boulevard, Charm uploaded the drone footage to a secure server. The last thing she needed was for Kang Tao to realize they were being watched.
Scene #27 – I need you to do something for me
NC Ringroad South, Coast View, Pacifica – 01-03-2079, 21:06
The neon glare of the city felt almost comforting after the oppressive silence of Biotechnica Flats. But the image of Wang Long’s lifeless face was burned into her mind, a stark reminder of the dangers she navigated every day. She needed to talk to someone – and Nadiya was the only person she could trust with this kind of information, even if it meant playing a delicate game of obfuscation.
Charm activated her comm, dialing Nadiya’s number. The connection crackled briefly before her girlfriend’s voice filled the cabin. “Hey, Renee. Everything alright? You sound… tense.” Nadiya’s voice was laced with concern, a familiar warmth that always managed to cut through Charm’s cynicism. “Something like that,” Charm replied, keeping her tone deliberately vague. “I can’t talk much right now, but you need to do something for me.”
“Of course. What is it?” Nadiya asked, instantly shifting into professional mode. “The NCPD will find a body,” Charm said, carefully choosing her words. “A man named Wang Long. Biotechnica Flats. You’ll need to send a team out there.” There was a pause on the other end of the line. Charm could practically hear Nadiya’s gears turning as she processed the information. “A body? What happened?”
“It wasn’t me… promised… but I can’t say more,” Charm insisted, her voice hardening slightly. “Just… make sure it gets reported properly. Forensics, standard procedure.” She didn’t want to elaborate; every detail was a potential thread that could unravel and lead back to her.
“Renee, you’re being cryptic. What are you involved in?” Nadiya asked, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice. “Don’t worry about it,” Charm snapped, regretting the sharpness immediately. She softened her tone. “It wasn’t me who did this, okay? I just… found him.” A half-truth was better than nothing.
Another pause, longer this time. Charm could sense Nadiya weighing her words, trying to decipher the underlying meaning. “Okay,” she finally said cautiously. *”But who *was* he?”* Charm took a deep breath. This was the tricky part. “He lives with his wife at 254 Skyline West, Wellsprings, City Center,” she offered, dropping that piece of information like a carefully placed breadcrumb. It was enough to give Nadiya something concrete to work with, without revealing too much about Wang Long’s true significance.
“Skyline West? That’s…” Nadiya commented, her voice laced with suspicion. “I can’t say anything more,” Charm cut in firmly. “And please, don’t push it. Don’t ask any more questions about this. Just handle the situation professionally. Do it for me, ok?” She could feel the tension radiating from Nadiya through the comm link. “Alright,” Nadiya conceded reluctantly. “But I still want to know what’s going on.”
“Nadiya, please! Trust me,” Charm said, a rare note of sincerity in her voice. “Just… leave this one to me. And… thank you!”
She ended the call before Nadiya could respond, severing the connection and plunging herself back into the relative safety of silence. The weight of the situation settled heavily on her shoulders. She’d just dragged Nadiya into something potentially dangerous. But for now, all she could do was hope that Nadiya would follow her instructions and stay out of the crosshairs.
Scene #28 – A warning
Buck-A-Slice, Arroyo, Santo Domingo – 01-05-2079, 14:32
Charm leaned back in the driver’s seat of her car. Nadiya stood beside it, arms crossed, still radiating a quiet intensity that hadn’t faded since their conversation about Wang Long.
“It’s… impressive,” Nadiya admitted finally, her eyes scanning the vehicle’s lines. “But we still have to talk about this dead guy, Renee.” The concern was evident in her voice. “You still haven’t told me anything about that body,” she added pointedly. “Just ‘found him’ isn’t an explanation.”
Charm sighed, running a hand through her pink-streaked hair. “Look, I said it wasn’t me, and it’s true. Just… some things are better left unsaid for now.” She didn’t want to drag Nadiya deeper into the mire of Project Echelon. “Trust me on this one,” she repeated, hoping her tone conveyed more conviction than it actually held.
Nadiya remained unconvinced, but shifted focus slightly. “Speaking of things I don’t understand… why ‘Firestarter’? That’s a ridiculous name for a car.” She gestured towards the pink lettering on the side panels.
Charm grinned, momentarily forgetting about Wang Long and Nadiya’s concerns. “It’s a tribute,” she said proudly. “My grandfather used to tell me stories about this band – The Prodigy. They were huge back in the early 1990s to 2000s.” She paused, relishing the memory of her grandfather’s taste for music. “Firestarter was one of their biggest hits. Still is, really.”
“The 1990s? That’s practically ancient history,” Nadiya said with a skeptical eyebrow raised.
“Yeah, but it still slaps,” Charm countered, “Nearly a hundred years old and still preem! The energy… the beat… It just stuck with me.” She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, mimicking the song’s driving rhythm. “It’s a pun on the singer’s name… Keith Flint, you know… with flint being a stone you ignite a fire with?! And it’s also about rebellion, about burning the world down and having fun doing so! I figured it fit this car – and maybe even me.”
Nadiya’s skepticism hadn’t lessened. She circled the car again, her gaze lingering on the sleek lines of the modified vehicle. “So, you just… found this?” she asked, a clear note of disbelief in her voice. “This isn’t exactly something you stumble across behind a noodle stand.”
Charm shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the knot forming in her stomach. “Something like that,” she admitted. “It was sitting abandoned, practically rotting… somewhere in the Badlands. Someone clearly didn’t care about it anymore.” She paused for dramatic effect. “Let’s just say a few Wraiths decided they… uhm… a little shootout, and suddenly, the car was mine.”
Nadiya rolled her eyes, a gesture Charm knew well. “A ‘little shootout’? You make it sound like you were rearranging furniture. And be glad that I’m off duty.” She slid into the passenger seat with a sigh, settling in as if preparing for a long journey. “I want to see what this thing can do,” she declared. “Take it for a spin.”
Charm started the engine, the throaty rumble echoing through the narrow streets of Santo Domingo. The car responded instantly, accelerating smoothly as they pulled out onto Ringroad South. As they were weaving through traffic and dodging delivery drones, a message suddenly flashed across the screen Charm had installed in the console.
“Kang Tao observes your activities. Your involvement with Project Echelon is unwelcome. This is your final warning. Cease all inquiries and remain silent.” The message lingered for a moment before disappearing, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake.
Nadiya’s eyes widened as she read the message. “What… what was that?” she demanded, her voice tight with concern. “Kang Tao? Project Echelon? What mess have you gotten yourself into?” Charm sighed heavily, pulling the car over to the side of the road. The vibrant cityscape blurred behind them. “It’s… complicated,” she began, choosing her words carefully. “Remember Wang Long?”
Nadiya nodded grimly. “The dead guy? What does he have to do with all of this?”
“He was on of the lead developers involved in Project Echelon,” Charm explained, keeping her voice low. “But let me start at the beginning. My mom was a media personality at N54 a few years back…”
Scene #29 – Stay where you are
Megabuilding H04, Arroyo, Santo Domingo – 01-13-2079, 21:17
A week had passed since the unsettling message on the console of her car. A week of dead ends, frustratingly vague leads, and a growing sense of unease. Charm lay sprawled on her futon, staring at the flickering neon signs outside her window. She refused to chicken out. But she had to admit, she was currently staring down a dead end. Project Echelon felt like a ghost, always present but impossible to grasp.
Suddenly, a snippet of a news headline flashed across the TV stream playing on loop in the corner of her room. The image of Network 54’s imposing exterior filled the screen, possibly with police tape cordoning off an area. The background music was subdued and serious, amplifying the gravity of the situation. Charm shot up from the futon, adrenaline surging through her veins.
“Good evening. We have a developing story tonight concerning the death of Gavin Benton, found dead earlier today near his office at N54. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his death and have confirmed that foul play is suspected. Colleagues at N54 have expressed profound shock and grief over Mr. Benton’s passing. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and bring you updates as they become available. Police have established a command post at N54 and are asking anyone with information that may assist their investigation to come forward. We’ll be back with more on this story after the break.”
“Gavin Benton… dead? Why?” she muttered to herself, replaying the headline in her mind. “Why now? Is someone cleaning up behind Project Echelon? Was it Rooks?” The questions tumbled over each other. His death felt like another piece of the puzzle being deliberately erased.
Her comm signaled an incoming call. Nadiya’s name appeared on the screen. Charm answered immediately. “Renee?” Nadiya’s voice was clipped and unusually secretive. “Have you heard the news already?” Charm felt a chill run down her spine. “Yeah, just saw it on the news,” she replied cautiously. “I was called to Network 54,” Nadiya continued, her voice tight with professional restraint. “It’s a mess. Forensics are all over it.”
She paused, then added with a sharp edge, “I need you to stay put, Renee. Don’t move and please… don’t leave your appartment. Until my shift is over, keep your little ass on your bed, ok?” Charm bristled at the command, but recognized the urgency in Nadiya’s tone. Arguing would be pointless; she could hear the steel in Nadiya’s voice. “Fine,” she conceded reluctantly. “But this isn’t over. I need to know what’s happening.”
“You’ll get your answers,” Nadiya replied ending the call abruptly.
Scene #30 – Run!
Megabuilding H04, Arroyo, Santo Domingo – 01-13-2079, 22:30
An hour crawled by with agonizing slowness. Charm paced the small confines of her appartment, replaying Nadiya’s terse instructions in her head. Stay put. Easy for her to say, a cop with backup and authority. Charm had nothing but a bad feeling and a rapidly escalating situation. Then, the door system chimed – a sharp, insistent tone that sliced through the silence. A visitor.
She peered through the door viewer. The image sent a jolt of ice water through her veins. Rooks. Standing there, bathed in the sickly yellow light of the corridor. And he was releasing the safety catch on a silenced pistol.
Panic flared, hot and blinding. Charm spun around, her eyes darting across the cramped space, desperately seeking an escape route. Her gaze landed on the airvent above her futon – a dusty, forgotten relic of Megabuilding H04’s less-than-stellar maintenance record. It was a long shot, but it was all she had.
Grabbing a rickety chair, she scrambled onto it. She ripped away the rusted lattice covering the vent, revealing the dark, cramped space beyond. With a grunt of effort, she hauled herself into the ventilation shaft, the metal grating scraping against her skin. As she climbed inside, she kicked the chair away, sending it clattering to the floor before quickly replacing and securing the lattice cover as best she could. Lying prone in the narrow passage, she peered through the small openings in the vent panels, her heart hammering against her ribs.
A click echoed from the other side of the door – a distinct sound that sent another wave of fear crashing over her. Rooks had bypassed the security system. Through the vents, she could see him moving through her appartment. Her eyes widened as she noticed what he was doing next. He was planting something – a small, metallic device attached to a timing mechanism. It was an explosive, no doubt about it.
He left the appartment with a final, dismissive glance before disappearing down the corridor. Charm waited, counting each second as if her life depended on it – because it did. The timing device displayed a stark red countdown: 50 seconds to detonation. She didn’t waste any time arguing with herself. Grabbing her datapad, a few credchips, and a small box with personal belonging she kept stashed under the futon, she scrambled out of the ventilation shaft, landing awkwardly on the floor.
She bolted for the door, adrenaline fueling her movements. As she burst into the corridor, a deafening bang ripped through the air, followed by a shockwave that rattled the walls of Megabuilding H04. Flames erupted from her appartment door, licking at the ceiling and casting an eerie orange glow on the surrounding area. The smell of burning plastic filled the air. Her home was gone.
Without hesitation, she sprinted down the corridor, weaving through the startled residents of the Megabuilding. She needed distance – as much space as possible between herself and the rapidly escalating inferno behind her. Reaching the ground floor, she hailed a passing Delamain Taxi and barked out an order: “Columbus Street, Kabuki!”
The No-Tell Motel on Columbus Street was one of her go-to spots when she was working as a joytoy. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was discreet. As the Delamain hurtled through the neon-drenched streets of Kabuki, Charm quickly composed a short encrypted message: “Columbus Street, Kabuki.” She sent it to Nadiya, hoping she’d understand the urgency behind the cryptic location. The No-Tell Motel was exactly as she remembered – dingy, dimly lit, and smelling faintly of stale cigarettes and… body fluids of all kinds.
To be continued…
That was part six of my Cyberpunk solo playthrough. I hope you enjoyed it and come back next week for part seven.
