Shadow of the Waxwing Slain, Ch. 18

A Fight to the Death

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I’m back to Shadow of the Waxwing Slain, my Bladerunner RPG solo campaign.

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Photo by Reinaldo Kevin on Unsplash

Previously, on Shadow of the Waxwing Slain, Dee investigated the Happy Jack’s Casino and found evidence of the upcoming illegal fight, while Fletcher went to Holden in order to obtain an undercover identity. Dee came to an understanding with the voice in her head, Rem, and let him have control for a time. Fletcher had a vidcall with his daughter, Lara.

Chapter 18: A Fight to the Death

Shift 5: Afternoon

Location: Wallace Corporation → Quell’s Office

Dee sat across from Quell in Quell’s pristine office. Nothing had changed since the last time she’d been here.

“The Golden Shards?” Quell asked, leaning back in her chair. “That’s who you’re investigating?”

Dee nodded. “Yes. They are a criminal gambling ring.”

“What do you have so far?”

“They specialize in hosting illegal fights.”

“Why is the RDU involved?”

“The fighters are, according to witnesses, replicants.”

Dee observed Quell closely, trying to suss out if this was new information or if she knew something about this already. Did Wallace have clients involved in this?

Insight: d8 + d8 = 5,4 → No Successes

Quell had a strong poker face. “That is clearly an illegal use of replicants and should be stopped as soon as possible. I trust you have leads?”

Dee tried to give vague and nonspecific information, without tipping off Quell that it was purposeful.

Manipulation: 2d8 = 3,1 → No Successes

“We have a couple leads. Witness reported that the fights have occurred at Paradise Evolution and Happy Jack’s Casino. We’re investigating both locations.”

“Come on, Dee,” Quell said, standing up. “You’ve been on this case an entire day, I know you’ve got more than that. We can help each other out, this is supposed to be cooperation. We all want the same things.”

Dee doubted that. “Do we?” she asked.

Quell smiled. “You’re showing some back bone. I like that. You were made to do your job well. But yes, we do want the same thing.”

“What if there’s wealthy Wallace clients involved?” Dee asked.

Quell pursed her lips and sat back down. “If any are, they are violating their contracts, as any involved in this would be. This isn’t off-world, there are laws here and we would expect our clients to follow them, the same as anyone else.”

Dee couldn’t stand the bullshit but she knew too much ‘back bone’ could get her in trouble. Rumors were you could purchase N9s for any purpose, illegal or otherwise, if you had enough money. Of course, Wallace Corp would never allow it to tie back to them, should something like that come to light.

“Good,” Dee said, standing up. “Then let me do my job.”

“Tell me everything,” Quell said. “Or else.”

Dee gritted her teeth.

‘You don’t have a choice, Dee. We both know it,’ Rem said.

“There’s a fight tonight, at Happy Jack’s Casino. My partner and I will be attempting to infiltrate it, undercover.”

“That’s dangerous, have you thought this through?” Quell asked.

“Of course. It’s the best way to gather evidence, identify the members and take it down.”

“Very well, sounds like you’ve got it all figured out. I look forward to hearing about your progress.” Quell looked down at papers on her desk.

Dee left, feeling dirty.

Shift 6: Evening

Location: LAPD - RDU

Fletcher and Dee sat at their desks, reviewing their paperwork.

“So you’re a…business man?” Dee asked, looking at his ID.

What type of business?

Oracle: “Give” “Life”

“Yeah, I work for some Medical Technology corporation, in sales.”

“You can make that…believable?” Dee asked, looking at him.

Fletcher smirked. “Of course. I might need a change of clothes but…I’ll make it work.”

Holden walked over. “You get in the shit, you call. SWAT will be on standby, understood?”

“Yes sir,” Fletcher said.

“Don’t be a hero,” he said.

“You know me, I wouldn’t dream of it, chief,” Fletcher chuckled.

“I was talking to her,” Holden said, looking at Dee.

Dee nodded. “Understood.”

Holden left, grumbling.

Fletcher pulled out a pill bottle, “Soviet Happy”, and popped one.

Cost: 1 Chinyen

Heals 1 Resolve

“You alright?” Dee asked, as Fletcher put the bottle away.

“Fine,” Fletcher said. “I’ll change and pick you up at your place before we head to Jack’s, sound good?”

“Sure, see you in a bit.” She watched him leave, wondering.

‘You think the stress is getting to him?’ Rem asked.

‘I don’t know,’ Dee replied.

Shift 7: Night

Location: Happy Jack’s Casino

Dee stood in the large hexagonal cage ring, looking at her opponent, standing on the other side.

The doors were locked. There was no way out.

Her opponent wore a white tank-top, jeans and her hands were wrapped in white tape. She had shoulder-length black hair pulled back into a ponytail and blue eyes. The woman stretched and then bounced up and down, like a boxer before a fight.

Dee just stood there, stock still, staring. She wondered what purpose this woman was created for.

‘Get your head in the game,’ Rem said. ‘This is a fight to the death.’

Dee took off her leather jacket, wearing black exercise clothes, loose shirt and pants.

There was a crowd around the ring, hooting and hollering, tossing drinks, spitting, booing and laughing. Above them in the VIP area sat men in suits and women in revealing clothes.

“Dee,” Fletcher said, standing as close as he could while still outside the ring. “You better not fucking lose.”

“Welcome to the first fight of the night!” The announcer called out, waving a big megaphone. “We have Eve, with three wins in the blue corner, facing off against a newcomer, Dee. Who’s going to win?? Make your bets!”

A loud bell went off, signaling the start of the fight.

Things had not gone according to plan.

Thirty Minutes Earlier

Dee stood behind Fletcher, her head down, as he spoke to the bookie.

At the moment, the place was like a club, heavy electronic music, neon lights and lasers shooting around, people dancing, drinking and doing drugs.

The only thing that stood out was the large hexagonal fighting ring in the center.

There was a long bar at one end where bartenders were making drinks, and a table set up in the corner where a bookie was taking bets.

On the bookie’s table were pictures and ‘stats’ for different replicants that would be fighting. Height, arm length, # of KO's, etc.

The bookie wore yellow-tinted glasses and moved with too much energy.

“Who you got? Who you got? How much? How much?” He asked, wiping his hands together. “Sharma’s popular, but Odin’s an underdog.”

“You don’t understand, I’ve got a participant. I want to set her up for a future bout. Figured you would know who I should talk to.” Fletcher wore a dark blue business suit that almost fit. It looked the part, someone with a bit of money looking to make more. He leaned in closer. “She’s a fighter. The best. Who do I talk to?”

Manipulation: 2d10 = 8,3 → One Success

The bookie looked at Dee, then back at Fletcher. He gestured to the security guard and door behind him. “Through there, talk to Pei. He’ll get you sorted.”

Dee followed Fletcher through the door, past the guard, into a hallway. First doorway had an office with a thin, Asian man in a suit, smoking a cigarette and looking at his watch.

“Who are you?” He asked.

“You Pei?” Fletcher replied. “I got a fighter.” He stepped to the side, revealing Dee. “Want to put her up next fight night. She’s good.”

Pei walked over, took a look at her, then at Fletcher. “Who the hell are you?”

Fletcher showed his ID. “Name’s Bjorn,” he said. “I’m in sales. Whats it matter? I scrounged some money together to get a fighter and I’m looking to put her to work.”

“We don’t just take fighters off the street,” Pei said, looking Dee in the eye.

Fletcher pulled some Chinyen out of his pocket, flipping through it. “Listen, it sounds like you’re not the person to talk to about this. Sounds like you’re wasting my time so why don’t I talk to your boss?”

Manipulation: 2d10 = 7,7 → Two Successes

*Crit bonus: Make an impression

“Hold on, hold on. Let me make a call.” Pei walked back to his desk and used the desk phone. “Yeah, I got someone fresh…No idea. Just walked in. Well, we just lost one, right? So we put this one in. First match. Unknown newcomer. Got it.” He put the phone down. “You’re in. Fights in about 15 minutes. He nodded down the hallway. “Go find an empty room to get ready. I’ll come get you when it’s time.”

Fletcher shook his head. “No, no, wait. I want her to go next time. Not tonight. She’s…not ready.”

Pei shrugged. “It’s tonight or nothing. You’re lucky we have an opening. Take it or leave it. But make your decision now, I got to let everyone know about the change in plans.”

Dee grabbed Fletcher’s arm, looked at him.

Fletcher looked at Pei. “Alright, fine.”

Pei got on the phone.

Dee pulled Fletcher out of the office and down the hall. They passed a couple open doorways, a fighter and owner in each.

At the end of the hallway stood another security guard, this one openly carrying a pistol holstered at his side.

Finding an open room, Dee walked in and Fletcher followed.

“I don’t like this, not at all,” Fletcher said, keeping his voice low.

“It’s how it has to be.”

“We need to call in the cavalry, shut this whole thing down.”

“With what? We don’t have our KIAs. We don’t have any weapons. We knew we’d be searched. Besides, we do this, we’re in. It will be easier to find out who’s in charge, who’s involved.”

“Just because you’re undercover doesn’t mean you can just kill someone,” Fletcher hissed, glancing down the corridor.

“I won’t be killing someone. I’ll be retiring a replicant,” Dee said, eyes closed, taking a deep breath.

Fletcher glanced at her. “And you’re okay with that?”

She let her breath out. “I have to be. This is part of the job.”

Fletcher sighed. “You always knew this was a possibility. That you’d have to fight.”

Dee opened her eyes and looked at him. “Didn’t you?”

---

Initiative: Dee goes 2nd.

Eve came at Dee, fists up.

Dee dodged the first swing and came back, snapping her fist into the Eve’s face.

Eve’s head jerked back and she stumbled a few steps away, taking a moment and shaking her head clear, her eyes unfocused for a second.

Dee let her clear her head for a moment, just standing there.

The crowd yelled and screamed.

Dee moved in and feinted toward the Eve’s face.

Eve raised her fists to block.

Dee hit her in the gut and walked away.

Eve gasped for breath.

The crowd went wild, hands raised, yelling and cheering.

Eve charged, rage on her face. She slammed into Dee, pushing her against the cage bars. She swung at Dee’s face.

Dee blocked and returned with an elbow, smashing Eve in the temple, knocking her back.

Eve shifted away in a fighting stance, moving back towards her corner.

Dee stood and waited.

Eve turned to the cage and her owner, a man in a white suit, slipped her something. Eve turned around, holding a long knife.

“Hey!” Fletcher yelled. “She’s got a knife! That’s not fair! Call it off!” He kept yelling but nobody listened or cared.

Dee moved in closer, snapping her foot out towards Eve’s head.

Eve ducked to the side, then moved in, swinging with her knife.

Dee danced backwards, out of range, blade going wide.

Eve pressed forward, slashing and stabbing.

Dee blocked Eve’s arm to the side and chopped her in the throat before spinning away.

Eve choked, gasping for breath.

Dee grabbed her by the back of the head and slammed it forward into the bars of the cage.

Eve collapsed to the ground, choking and coughing up blood.

The crowd started chanting, “DEE! DEE! DEE! DEE! DEE!”

---

The mechanics of the fight:

Eve goes first. Moves into Engaged Zone and attacks.

Eve’s HtH: d10 + d8 = 4,2 → No Successes

vs Dee’s HtH: d12 + d10 = 11, 1 → Two Successes*

2 Damage + *Crit.

Eve drops to 4 health.

Critical: Dee uses Merciful to reduce the crit die to d10

d10 = 6 → Concussion (DIS to Observation and Tech)

Dee’s turn. HtH: 9,1 → One Success

vs Eve’s HtH: 2,2 → No Successes

Dee hits Eve for another point of damage.

Eve drops to 3 health. Eve attacks. HtH: 8,4 → One Success

vs Dee’s HtH: 12,3 → Two Successes

Eve drops to 2 health. Pulls a knife.

Dee attacks. HtH: 10,8 → Three Successes

vs Eve’s HtH: 10,8 → Three Successes

Tie = Nobody is hit

Eve presses her attack. HtH: 3,2 → 0

vs Dee’s HtH: 7,3 → One Success

Eve drops to 1 health.

Dee attacks to finish it. HtH: 11,2 → Two Successes

vs Eve’s HtH: 5,6 → One Success

Eve drops to 0 health

The end of the fight. But I wonder…do they force winners to kill the losers?

d6 = 6 → “Yes and”

“Dee has won!” The announcer called out. “Now, time to finish the job!”

Dee looked around. She looked at Fletcher.

“She may be new so maybe she doesn’t know the rules, but if she can’t finish the job, they’ll both be retired!”

Dee picked up the knife.

Eve watched, knowing the end was coming, her face almost a vision of acceptance.

Dee hesitated, glanced back at Fletcher again.

‘She knows the deal, Dee’ Rem spoke up. ‘You heard, she’s already killed three other replicants. You have to.’

Fletcher gave her a nod.

Dee moved, dropping down on Eve, plunging the knife into Eve’s heart.

One quick blow.

Eve’s eyes rolled into the back of her head and she went limp.

Dee stood, the crowd still cheering.

“She did it!” The announcer called out. “What a fierce first bout for the newcomer, DEEEEEEEE! Can’t wait to see what she does next time!”

Photo by Andrew Danilov on Unsplash

Chapter 19: Aftermath