Runner's Companion.pdf - Free

Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9. . . alternative charactercreation . . .alternate character creation . . . . . . . . . . . .36Freezing rain poured down on the people of Seattle. Anything with a working hindbrain was inside or under cover. TheDual Ruke stood inside a nondescript Auburn warehouse, dripping wet, shivering, blinking under the glare of the securitylighting and surrounded by a team of well-armed shadowrunners. He wished he’d taken half a tranq derm or somethingto calm himself down. His cold sweats had nothing to do with the chill.This was the real deal.“Ain’t much ter look at, is he?” asked the muscle-bound ork leaning against a crate to his left. “You got a gun, omae?”Ruke fumbled for his Colt when the dark-skinned elf behind him whispered, “Don’t.”“Allow me,” she said, reaching into his shoulder holster, drawing out the gun and tossing it to the ork, who checkedits action and spit a wad of tobacco juice into the corner.“Not a bad piece.” The ork handed it back. “You any good with it?”“Doesn’t have to be if he can hack the IC,” Hard Exit retorted. Ruke gave the scary-looking blonde woman a thankfulglance, which caused her to scowl. “Provided he can hack the IC. What do you say, boy?”“I’m no FastJack, lady,” The Ruke started warming up to his pitch. “But, I’m a real tech-head. I can customize anyhardware or firmware you’ve got and crack any IC this side of the corporate cores.”“Want him to answer my question. You good with that thing, Ruke?” the ork reiterated.“When I run the ‘soft.”“Ain’t no good, then. Don’t learn when you’re on the chip, boy. We take you on, I’m gonna have to take you down therange.” The ork took another pinch of tobacco and set it between cheek and gum.“But can he hack it under pressure?” The elf woman was next to him again. “Maybe we need a little test.”Wish I knew how the chica does that, Ruke thought, startled again by her ghostly movements.“There’s a thought,” said Hard Exit. “First things first, though. You virgin Ruke?”“¿Qué?” he blurted, a blush spreading across his cheeks.“Implants, hermano. Are you on the wire?” Hard Exit purred. “Augmentations: chrome, supermeat, genetweaks.”“Oh.” Duh. “I’m wired for skills, dedicated expert system too. Renraku NonLinear AC v1.03—with the firmwareupdate—and a Mentokko VI simsense accelerator. Never needed much. I’ve got a coupla drones.”“Not bad. Who paid for it?” the ork asked.“None of your business, colmillo.” Despite the ice water dripping off him, The Ruke was getting hot. “Unless you wantto tell me where you got your work done?”“UCAS army,” shot back the ork “An’ a little work here and there.”“Chiba,” Volunteered Hard Exit. “Former employers picked up the bill.”“Au naturale,”the elf chimed in … from somewhere behind him.“Team thing, Ruke,” Hard Exit said. “Gotta open up a little, gotta be able to trust you. Tell you what,” she smiled “wegot us a little run tonight, and we need a hacker. Consider it your entrance exam.”The Dual Ruke smiled back at her, “Lead the way, boss-lady.”Runner’s Companion