Conflict with the Yakuza

The personal diary of Darig, son of Lorraine, part 24

25^th Hebi 3658 – evening

To do list for taking the ship…

1/ Find the thing: we know where it was, Tetsuro can send up drone to make sure it is still there.

2/ Get a crew: I have manned such ships but never had anything to do with the propulsion. We have a captain and Ingrid Bastardii is the mate. Once we are under way I can move shadow enough to get us past the hostile coasts.

3/ Find an engineer: Hector thinks his contacts in government will be able to help here.

We are making these plans when Tetsuro reports a disturbance in the foyer. DeLambre and I travel down in the lift with him. In the foyer are some Yakuza demanding protection money. A cocky, smiling man is talking to the female manager. He has six heavies as his backup. The demands are now directed at Tetsuro, who listens to the threats and just bows and admires the sword Sato is carrying. Our side also has two hotel security armed with blasters.

I slowly add Glamour to make myself look larger and more threatening. Then, with a Power Word, I Process Surge one of the heavies' blasters. It blows up, taking him out of the fight and ruining the carpet. The female manager dives for cover behind the reception desk.

When DeLambre makes a disparaging comment about the size of his sword, Sato demands satisfaction.

Tetsuro is out of the way and Sato has drawn his sword. I open the fight with a testing cut to the head. I would expect a skilled warrior to parry that attack but reveal his skill. Suro lacks the skill and my blow opens his skull. He should not have played outside his class, even one of the Jasper militia could have stopped that. I hope he found it satisfying!

DeLambre has ripped the head off the nearest thug; Tetsuro and hotel security have dealt with the others. The police are there very soon afterwards, Tetsuro is quite ready to explain that our actions were in defence of ourselves and Hector's property. They do not seem inclined to argue.

Hector hosts dinner, Captain Obi and Ingrid are our guests.

26^th Hebi 3658

Send in the drones. The ship is still in place, there are guards on the road and an unknown number of crew. We will begin our attack with DeLambre casting Fear of the Dark to clear the crew from the ship then with Surpanakha and me will make the attack. Alitta with Ibemo and Torc will deal with the guards to the road, using Alitta's fog spell to hide their actions and to make sure no-one gets out.

For this occasion we wear the local tactical armour, which is light and flexible, along with the other kit we have borrowed from local law enforcement. Even though Surpanakha can carry me easily, any energy saved may be used later. The gate team set out by taxi.

DeLambre's spell goes off the crew start to panic, then as a signal he fire three shots in the air.

There are two men on watch. Surpanakha takes one and drops me next to the bridge; the other is taken by DeLambre. The two small cabins by the bridge are empty. I take the companionway down to the next deck. A man steps from one of the cabins, his sword seems to be made of flame, when I fire a burst from the handgun he parries the bullets cutting each out of the air, one hell of a trick!

I retreat, up the ladder. Process Surge causes his sword to flare and distracts him whilst he saves his own eyebrows. He announces himself as Kwan of Zircon, and that this is his ship. I state that I need it and that the ship's captain would like it back. He says that Obi works for him but does not know it. He should look after his people better then!

Process Snuff has no effect on his sword at all.

He asks my name, I give him my full title – if Eric was my father then I am a prince of Amber. It also gives me time to get off the companionway. He now is in the narrow companionway with limited movement. I have a pepper spray and a stun grenade on my belt.