literature

Just a Simple Run - 1

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Shadowrun:  Just a Simple Run – Chapter 1

I got Brad an Orkstaff XXX 180 Proof “Beer”, and a Bright Star for myself, just a little taste of home, and excused myself as I went into the bathroom of my three-room apartment.  Peeling off the shirt, I saw the bruise start to develop above my kidney on my heavily muscled torso.  Reaching above the medicine cabinet, I pulled out the HotCold Slappatch, and put it over the bruise.  The heat would sooth the pain, and then the chill would cause the swelling to go down.  I looked at myself in the mirror, glad that I was still able to do so after being drugged and going on a rampage of steroid-like rage.

The handsome face, still strange after five years from the cosmetic surgery that changed my appearance, stared back at me.  The slight scars almost unseen on my pale skin, an advantage to living in Seattle, where the sun never shines.  My muscular body, highly unusual for an elven person such as myself, had felt natural for just over half a decade now.  My hair, of course, was a complete write-off, the long and light blue mohawk all over the place.  I just shrugged, and put my shirt back on and joined Brad in the living room.  He had made himself at home on the couch, and had the Seattle Seadogs on.  They were the Seadogs again, not the Mariners that was their real name, as they were losing, badly, against the Winnipeg Metis, of all teams.

I placed myself gingerly into my seat, and watched the game with Brad.  It was one of the small models to come from the Underbridge-Line, typically designed for Trolls, and made of Foamcrete.  It had no legs, and was overstuffed to accommodate my smaller size, and very, very comfortable.  A gift for a Shadowrun I did for Mr. Underbridge, Troll Lawyer and Businessman, delivering a witness that gave a concrete alibi to a very innocent person that Lone Star wanted in prison very, very badly.  I was only part of a team that did it, but there had been no denying that the car chase through the streets of Downtown Seattle had been the only reason she had gotten to the courthouse.

I had also gotten enough cash from that 'Run to buy the Commodore from Felix the Fixer, cheap.  He had won it in a Poker game as an IOU, and the owner found himself with a lethal case of lead poisoning.  Now I just needed a few more runs to get it set up the way I wanted it, but she was decent enough for now, far from stock.  The main thing she lacked was a Rigger's Controls, which would allow me to jump into the car, becoming one with it through some special cybernetics in my head.

And I sure as frag knew that this one wouldn't get me attacked for being an “Import” from New Jersey, like my Mitsuhama Tengu had been.  Still upset about that.

“So how's the family doing?”  I asked, as the Seadog's manager, Jimmy Mackelroy, called for a pitcher relief.  He wasn't the reason for the Seadog's current slump, but, rather, it was more the fault of management, who had gutted their in-field section, and had cheapened out on draft picks for pitchers.  Or so Brad explained it to me.  Baseball isn't really my thing.  Not enough engines or explosions.

“They're doing pretty good.  Alicia is going pretty strong, and is thinking about going back to work when Suzy goes to school.  And Suzy, well, you babysat her yesterday.  You know how she's doing.”  Brad said, smiling.  The pain of losing the other three babies had finally past for Brad and Alicia.  She had gone into labour very prematurely, and Brad hadn't been able to get a cab into this part of town.  I, a complete stranger at the time, and drek-kicked to boot, had performed a hair-raising high-speed run to Seattle General Hospital.  Frankly, it had been more exciting than being on the NASCAR circuit, save for the screaming ork woman in the back seat.  That wasn't so much exciting as distracting and annoying.

“Alicia still unhappy with me?”  I asked, she was from a very religious family, and didn't really like my life choices.  Being “unemployed” and gay were two of the greatest sins in her eyes.

“Nah, she was never unhappy with you, but she's still praying for your soul every night.  She only looked unhappy because she didn't think someone as sinful as you should be Suzy's Godfather.”  Brad said and pulled at the rest of the heavy ork beer.  His family was just as religious, but figured that God worked in mysterious ways, and I had obviously been Heaven sent.  Smiles all around on his side, save for one of Brad's brothers, who was about as racist a bastard as anyone you'd care to mention.  “She is trying to hook you up with someone, however...”

“Knowing the people she's tried to hook me up with before, not interested.  Anyhow, I have a significant other at the moment, as you well know.”  I said, smiling.  Felt good to say that again, after so long a period of one-night stands.

“As I've told her, many, many times.  She doesn't hear what she doesn't want to hear.”  He said, chuckling, and went to the fridge to get another Orkstaff, and brought me another can of Bright Star as well.  Mean tempered though he may be, Brad was one hell of a Chummer.

We watched the rest of the game, wishing we could cheer on the Seadogs, but knowing that it was futile.  Sure, anything could happen in baseball, but when you're looking at 3-9, Metis, at the top of the fifth, it's about time to throw in the towel.  However, they were able to pull things together in the eighth, and made it a much more respectable 8-10, Metis.  Not great, but not overwhelmingly bad either.

The post-game scene was just ending when my CommLink started buzzing, I looked at the ID of the caller, and sighed, “Sorry Brad, work calls.”  He simply nodded, and gave a quick salute with his bottle as he went out into the apartment's hallway.  Brad was good people, but the last thing he'd ever want was to get tangled up in anything illegal like Shadowrunning, and, unlike his wife, he knew what I did for a living.

I still wonder how he accepts the fact that I occasionally kill people and still accept me to be the person to lead Suzy on a good and Godfearing life.  I was about to answer the call when I realized.

I was meant to protect her from evil, in all it's forms.  Who better to do that than one that knows evil first-hand?  And, in this day and age, willing to commit those evil acts to protect her.  Big Angry Ork he may be, but Brad is no fool or idiot, that's for sure.
2070. Seattle. It's the simple runs that are often the ones that go wrong the worst.

A nice scene of friends enjoying some brews and baseball.

Shadowrun is a registered trademark of WizKids Inc. All Rights Reserved. This work is not intended to infringe on any copyright, and is used without permission.

Just a bit of Fan Fiction, folks. Please consider it free publicity!

Unedited folks. Just putting it up because folks are chomping at the bit for it. ;-)

The Seattle Seadogs and Jimmy Mackelroy are from "Wolf and Raven" by Michael A. Stackpole, and are not my creation at all, and used without permission. But fit the scene nicely, so I borrowed them.

Here's hoping we get some information as to what Wolfgang Keis and Dr. Richard Raven are doing in 2070! :D
© 2008 - 2024 CanRay
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Zorenthewise's avatar
A good start, you illustrate the setting and characters quite well. The first sentence was a little confusing, but everything else was great.