sr:hk backstory

<h3>機不可失，時不再來</h3> <h4>"An opportunity, once lost, does not come around a second time."</h4> //for dizzy_fire// [[Start|Transition3]]

[The alley is so dim you can barely make out Duncan's face, but the shakiness in his voice is impossible to miss. Today's the second day in a row that you've been forced to scavenge for food. You're low on nuyen, and the pickings are scarce, not much better than stale nutrisoy that's been thrown out. But even with your stomach rumbling, you have other pressing matters on your mind right now.] [[...|Duncan 1]]

''Duncan Wu'' You really think this old guy wants to take us in out of the goodness of his heart? [[No, but I'm willing to play the game as long as he is.|Duncan 2A]] [[He's harmless.|Duncan 2B]] [[Does it matter? It probably beats this drek.|Duncan 2C]]

''Duncan Wu'' Maybe not if his game is chopping up street kids and burying them in his backyard. [[...|Narrator 2]]

''Duncan Wu'' Could be that this guy is just doing it out of the goodness of his heart, but then why the hell did he pick the two of us? [[...|Narrator 2]]

''Duncan Wu'' Yeah, I'm hearing you on that. One more day of digging through a Stuffer Shack dumpster, and I'd be willing to follow an axe murderer home if he offered me dinner. [[...|Narrator 2]]

[Duncan hasn't stopped talking about him, Raymond Black, over the last few days, a steady stream of thoughts, worries, wishes. Duncan's younger than you -- neither of you know by how much -- and he clings to any illusion of stability in a way that you've learned not to. He nearly cried for three days straight when the diner kicked the two of you off their stoop. He fidgets with his bracelet, a plain metal band that he's owned as long as you've known him.] [[...|Duncan 3]]

''Duncan Wu'' It's just that we don't know anything about this guy except that he's Chinese and he's got money to burn. [[He's not married either. No ring.|Duncan 4A]] [[We know he's willing to give us a place to live.|Duncan 4B]] [[It probably doesn't even matter.|Duncan 4C]]

Maybe he's got a husband or a wife waiting for him back in the homeland. [[...|Duncan 5]]

''Duncan Wu'' Yeah, I just wish we knew what his game was. [[...|Duncan 5]]

''Duncan Wu'' [He shrugs.] Maybe not. [[...|Duncan 5]]

''Duncan Wu'' Seriously, some stranger shows up out of nowhere when Lone Star is shaking us down? Says he'll get us off the street if we promise to behave? That doesn't happen to kids like us." [[Well, it obviously did, because we have a decision to make about it.|Duncan 6]] [[We should focus on what we need to do next, not why it happened in the first place.|Duncan 6]] [[Just do whatever I say and you don't have to worry about it.|Duncan 6]]

''Duncan Wu'' I just want to make sure we're not doing anything obviously stupid. [[...|Narrator 3]]

[A noise echoes in the alleyway from the far end. This isn't the safest part of the Barrens, but it's the best you've been able to find. Most of the nicer places don't like dirty kids hanging around and are likely to call Lone Star in to get rid of them. That's what happened the first time Raymond found them.] [[...|Duncan 7]]

''Duncan Wu'' [Duncan turns towards the noise.] What was that? [[Probably some tweakers looking for some Jazz.|Duncan 8A]] [[Maybe Lone Star got bored and decided to see what they could rustle up in the Barrens?|Duncan 8B]] [[We should get out of here ASAP.|Duncan 8C]]

''Duncan Wu'' Well it's not like we have any money for them to steal. [[...|Narrator 4]]

''Duncan Wu'' Damn it. Not again. [[...|Narrator 4]]

''Duncan Wu'' Yeah, that seems like the best option. [[...|Narrator 4]]

[Shouting emerges from the shadows, and a burly troll steps into view. She's dressed in a Lone Star uniform, which is clean and pressed in a way that stands out amongst the grimy grittiness of the alleyway. Her mouth is full of sharp teeth, but her smile is gentle, almost motherly, and she speaks with a lazy Texan drawl.] [[...|Lone Star 1]]

''Lone Star Officer'' You kids should know better than to be out here alone by yourselves like this. [[Yeah, and what are you going to do about it?|Lone Star 2]] [[Did you come all the way out here to tell us that?|Lone Star 2]] [[Why do you say that?|Lone Star 2]]

''Lone Star Officer'' Got a guy down at the station asking about you. Name of Black? [[...|Duncan 9]]

''Duncan Wu'' [Whispers] He really is interested in us, huh? [You lean over to whisper to him as well.] [[Maybe he's actually concerned about our safety.|Duncan 10A]] [[Could be that Lone Star's lying to us.|Duncan 10B]] [[We could try to make a run for it.|Duncan 10C]]

''Duncan Wu'' Let's hope it's that one. [[...|Lone Star 3]]

''Duncan Wu'' Wouldn't put it past them, though that's a lot of effort for them to go through for two kids if there isn't a payout at the end of it. [[...|Lone Star 3]]

''Duncan Wu'' How far do you think we could get? That troll doesn't look like she's messing around. [[...|Lone Star 3]]

''Lone Star Officer'' Seemed really concerned about you two getting into trouble out here in the Barrens. How'd you meet him anyway? [[We tried to steal his wallet.|Lone Star 4A]] [[We ran into him at the station.|Lone Star 4B]] [[Just showed up out of nowhere.|Lone Star 4C]]

''Lone Star Officer'' Surprised he didn't have you guys thrown in the clink for that. [[...|Duncan 11]]

''Lone Star Officer'' You seem like a couple of kids who've spent a little too much time there as it is. [[...|Duncan 11]]

''Lone Star Officer'' I get the feeling there's more to that story than that. [[...|Duncan 11]]

''Duncan Wu'' [To you] Maybe we should just go with her. See what Raymond Black wants with us this time. [[...|Narrator 5]]

[Another noise from the alleyway. Both Duncan and the Lone Star troll turn to towards it.] [[...|Lone Star 5]]

''Lone Star Officer'' Hold onto your hats, kids. Sounds like there's trouble coming our way. [[...|Narrator 6]]

[From the place where the alleyway opens up to a street you can see two shadows against the neon glow of the city behind them. Even then, you can see the bright orange logo painted onto their black jackets: a flaming jack 'o' lantern. Halloweeners. One of the nastiest and most powerful gangs in Seattle.] [[...|Ganger1 1]]

''Halloweener'' Looks like we found a Lone Star all by her lonesome. [[...|Ganger2 1]]

''Halloweener'' And she's got some kids with her, too. [[...|Lone Star 6]]

''Lone Star Officer'' [She draws her gun.] Nothing here for you, chummers. Best be on your way. [[...|Ganger1 2]]

''Halloweener'' Nah. Wonder how much we could get off these two if we were to ransom them off. [To his friend.] They look like a bunch of street rats, but I'm thinking 30,000 nuyen easily. [[...|Lone Star 7]]

''Lone Star Officer'' Maybe. Too bad you're never going to find out. [[...|Narrator 7]]

[There's a sixth sense you develop on the streets, an awareness of a situation is going to go south very quickly. You grab Duncan's hand and drag him towards the cluster of dumpsters nearby. The two of you are just small enough to fit behind one of them, though there's still sharp metal bits poking you in the side. From your vantage point, you can hear the sounds of shots being fired, can smell the acrid tang of gunpowder and blood in the air.] [[...|Narrator 7b]]

[It's not the first time you've seen a few dead bodies, but it's the first time they've been so fresh. They haven't even started to smell, yet. Duncan clings to your arm, his ragged fingernails digging into your skin through the thin shirt you're wearing. His eyes are wide. The Lone Star officer puts away her weapon and turns to the two of you. For a moment, her shoulders slump. She looks tired.] [[...|Lone Star 8]]

''Lone Star Officer'' Never really liked that part of the job. [She shakes her head.] You kids ready to go? [[...|Duncan 12]]

''Duncan Wu'' Whatever this Raymond guy has to offer us, it can't be any worse than this. [[...|Narrator 9]]

[You're still coming down from the fight, leaving you shaky and unsettled as the adrenaline leaves your system. Duncan's right. You don't know what Raymond can offer you, but he's rich. He's rich enough that you can leave and never come back. There's only been one choice all along.] [[Yeah, let's go.|Transition]]

''Raymond Black'' I see that the you of two have reconsidered my offer. I am glad you did. Welcome home. [[...|Transition2]]

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[The troll grunts a few times. The dwarf shrieks. The elf curses. Another gunshot echoes in the narrow space of the alleyway. You hear the heavy thud of bodies landing on pavement. Then, silence. Slowly, you emerge from your hiding place, always aware of Duncan's solid warmth at your side.] [[...|Narrator 8]]

<h3>The End</h3> ''End Notes:'' I was originally going to try to build all of this in the Shadowrun campaign editor, but I didn't end up having the time to work out all the technical details. Hopefully, it was just as entertaining in this format. Thanks for reading all the way to the end! <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/5418008">Return to AO3</a>

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