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Slip

I was born on the mountains, in the region of Iga during the mid spring months and during the year of the dog. I was born to a woman who was Pregnant, and bore me alone as my father was on a mission by the hokage of the clan. When I was three my mother died while gathering herbs in outskirts of our little village. She was caught in the cross fire of a local village war. My father also died that day, and then I was taken in by the monastery after the battle was completed. I was found crying huddled up in our home, hiding in what shadows I could find.

They took me to their monastery and I was nurtured as much as an adopted child could be. I grew and as I became older I started to participate in their exercises, learning from their schools and swearing to take revenge on the village that killed my family. My masters soon noticed my anger building inside of me when I was but nine. My out bursts, and exclusions from the rest of the monastery were growing more and more. I would practice our exercises in all of my spare time. Training to become the scourge that would reclaim the honor that, my family had taken away from them.

Turning eleven, I was put through the nine halls in the traditions of area. I graciously accepted, being younger than most who were to be put through them. I passed all aspects of the first six halls: pointed long weapons, short pointed weapons, bludgeoning weapons long and short, flexible, and martial, in a record three days. On the fourth day I rested, only because I had accomplished so much in such a short time. The fifth day, I started the espionage and reconnaissance then last hall approached, the trial to complete my testing; assassination.

I was woken after only four hours of sleep; the night was cloudy, and raining. My master Masta came in as he were a ghost, asking me to recite the creed. I responded as I should, completing it in silent reverence of what it ment, what it represented and how it was the only thing I have lived for since the time that I came to this place, which I now call home.

Dressing in my gear, which was a completely black uniform with only the fingers and an opening for my eyes. I turned to Masta, bowed and grabbed my gear: Shinto, katana, cat claws, caltrops, shrunken, and finally my kunai. As I left Masta gave me a small scroll, my orders. As I left, my tabbies left no mark on the grounf outside my hut. I received my orders and I would follow them, I don’t care who it is, my mark would be the gate to the training I required and the training that would bring me to the salvation that I needed.

Getting out of the city, I looked at my orders and found them to be of a man who had earlier tried to assault one of the priests. Late in the night I found him, walking into his house after a night of farming. I could see the exhaustion his body carried, I could see lack of caring of things around him. I sat in the shadows awaiting the moment to strike knowing that this would be an easy kill and knowing that things would never be the same. For a moment I contemplated my ambitions, thinking about how this would change me, then I thought of the lonely eight years of my life where all I had was me and my sworn enemy.

I watched as the lights dimmed and went out. I saw the silhouette of my mark as he slipped into bed and waited thirty minutes. Enough time for him to fall into sleep, knowing that would be the best time for me to make my move. I climbed up the edge of his house with the use of my cat claws. I snuck into the window without a single sound to alert him of my being there, as I thought to myself “able to walk through walls” I drew out my kunai and stabbed him in the throat. As he bled, the blood bubbles started to subside from the wound and I pulled the weapon clear. His wife woke next, and as she started to scream I pulled my Shinto with my other hand and decapitated her. My mission was not to kill her but she became a liability, and I needed that rectified. As I jumped out the second story window without a sound I made my way back to my hut, and slid off into a restless sleep.

Masta came to my house the next morning and I was reprimanded, pulled in front of the counsel and judged. Seeing my dilemma, and weighing my options, they saw my side and left me be. Though it was a direct violation of orders, it was determined that if the situation was different then it would be the correct move. It was not the correct move, but it was understandable and there for noted.

I was sent off to Hiritome, master swords maker of the area, as well as local hermit. This is where I would make my weapon and take on my new name upon the completion of my sword. With Hiritome as my teacher and instructor, my blade would be completed to perfection, he was the finest of all sword makers in all of Japan, and the sword I made was to be a prize for me because of this. It took weeks to gather the materials that I needed followed by weeks to complete the blade, hilt and sheath to the perfection that both he and I required of our work. I had folded the blade over twelve hundred times, and scorched it to make the blade a metallic black that would never show the shine of the normal blades.

I left Hiritome’s place in the higher mountains, and returned to the monastery. When I had returned Masta welcomed me at the gate. He looked upon me and smiled walking with me back to his house. As he poured the tea, he slowly sat down at the table and passed me a small bowl of rice. I looked upon my master and decided that I had never seen him like this. We drank and ate in silence, when he started the conversation. “Hiritome says that you are a diligent and hard worker with a natural knack for the art of sword making.” Smiling I said nothing, the next thing I heard from him was soft and I asked him to repeat it as I had missed it. “The clan that killed your parents has been annihilated, completely destroyed.” Slamming my bowl to the table I shot out of my chair and walked to the window. The pain in my chest swelled and I knew nothing more than the despair of me failing myself. The pain of not being able to complete the goal I had set for myself, of the lost revenge that had been taken out of my hands.

That night I was ordained into the order of falling leaves, the clan of the mountains of the Iga. I was made to the rank of Junín, and granted the name of soft blade, master of the various arts and deception. I left that night, not because I had to, but because I chose to. There was nothing there for me now; I would live the ways of my family’s history. I would start to carve my own future, I would make it so none had to go through the things that I had to, and I would be the child avenger, youngest in the history of my region bringer of pain to those that would give pain to others.

By thirteen I was living comfortably and had made a name for myself. Making the money I needed to survive, and having but a few contacts. I had received word that I would be needed in the states, there was a company that had taken interest in my abilities, and would take my training to a new level. I arranged my flight, as my papers came and a note attached. “Please fill out this paperwork. It is but a formality, you have already been accepted into our program, and you will spend the next two years in our facilities, training and learning of the new, most sophisticated of all equipment. You will have to sign an eight year contract and after that time you will be able to continue or we shall part ways. As we have discussed you will meet with your contact that we will call M. He will be your point of contact and only outside contact, if there is a breach then your training will not continue, you will of course be allowed to talk to any of which people that you wish inside the facility. You will only disclose information that you deem necessary at the time and only when you decide to do so. We know your past; it is up to you to decide who else knows as well.” I read as I rode to the airport, then thinking of things in my life that had brought me here and where I was going. It was a long ride to Tokyo, and hour to the station and then five by train, directly into Tokyo international.

I boarded the plane, using my ID that of course wasn’t me, as I was born in the mountains and there for was not affiliated with the government. I had no birth certificate, and as far as the world outside the village or the monastery was concerned I didn’t exist. It was nice like that especially in my line of work. This would make it much easier to do things in the states. I got on the plane not looking forward to the sixteen hour flight that lay ahead.

Landing in Colorado I observed things I had never seen before. Trees that looked like bonsai but much larger, that is when I realized that things would be different, but the opportunity was good and not something I could pass easily. I walked out of the airport and was greeted by a man of normal stature, nothing seemed to out of ordinary, and I could tell that he could carry himself well if he wished it. Looking down at me, he called me by the only name I had come to known, and could remember. “Soft Blade, my name is M. I am to take you to headquarters, where you will continue your training, and then be an agent of ours.” He walked me to the car where we got in, and the conversation started again. “If you should need anything you will just have to ask the instructors, I shouldn’t think that you would ask for much as they will take care of anything you want, and given your record as we know, you are very self sufficient. Do you have any questions for me?” Looking out the window I shook my head no. We arrived about and hour and a half later. There was nothing around save for the building and forests for miles. Thinking to myself, that this was my type of place, I walked up to the door. Going in I saw the reception desk and walked straight to it. Put down my bag, of toys as I have come to call them and waited to be spoken to.

I heard a voice come from behind me, and turned to look at who it could be. As I turned I saw a woman, very attractive, with dark black hair and of all things asian who carried herself well. I walked toward her and then we walked down the hall to my room. As I walked in I saw how wonderful it was. Much larger than my home in Japan and much more extravagant than anything I had seen there. “Your training starts at six, your breakfast will be at nine, lunch at twelve, and dinner at six, any thing you want to do after that is your own time. Lights out promptly at eleven, any questions?” Thinking of nothing to say I shook my head no and walked further into the room, placed my belongings on the bed and started to unpack. The months went by as promised, we, the five of us that were in my class, were trained in various munitions, codes, procedures and technology. I excelled at all but munitions. It was wonderful, I felt as though I were back in the monastery, with none of the worry and pressure that I had placed upon myself, and after all I have known and become, I felt very much at home.

On my fifteenth birthday I was training like any other, we had just passed our final exam and were ready for our graduation. I was at the head of my class as would be expected by all of the instructors. I never saw that woman again until that day. She appeared as if out of nowhere, and explained that it was her time to tell me what she wanted me to know since before we had met. As the story goes, I had a sister. She was taken from me the day that I left for the monastery and sent to the states and adopted. With silence and a new sense of purpose I felt the emptiness subside, as the realization started to hit. Then as if out of a bad dream the buildings alarms started to go. Everyone scattered, and I was off with a small team. We fought as we were taught and then I got separated from everyone else. As I ran through the halls I had learned and known better than most, I came to a crossing of halls. Looking to my left, I saw my sister, shot in the head. Watching her body fall as if in slow motion, I saw everything, the splatter as it left her body, the way she fell, the thump as she hit the floor that will forever echo in my head.

Part 2

That is the first time that I have ever felt what I felt at that time. Something started to work its way up from my stomach and then I could feel a strange type of energy flowing through my body. It was exceptionally painful and then I looked down, my feet were glowing with the radiance of candles in an unlit room; looking over my body I noticed that it was not just my feet but rather my entire body. It was then that I remembered my sister, looking down the hall again I saw her laying on the floor the blood starting to pool around her, and the rage that had incited the glow and pain condensed. Without thinking my body took over, and I ran down the hall at a complete sprint. I came upon her body and jumped to the wall and then off of it. Finding my opponents, I grabbed their head while flying past them and heard nothing but the snap of their necks and the collapse of their bodies. As I turned and looked around all I saw were the remaining soldiers running as if there sat a wild animal they couldn’t hope to tame, in their presence. Running after them I saw a flurry of bullets rushing past me and one grazed me; as I screamed in pain I looked down to see that the wound was healing itself. It stunned me to think that this was really happening. I chased them and caught them brutally beating them to within an inch of their lives. Only when I was standing, looking down at the assailants, murderers, did I notice the patch. As I looked closer I noticed through the torn and mutilated patch, it read Teragen.

I gathered my thoughts and made my way down the halls to see if the there was any sign of students or instructors I had known. After a while of searching I found a couple and we made our way down to the meeting hall, which of course was protocol in case something of this nature were to occur. Getting there we received word from the head of the department, J that “the incoming forces were that of Teragen looking for a Soft blade, asking for him to be turned over promptly. Being the secret agency we are, it was promptly refused and days later the attack had happened. Many of our comrades have paid a dear price today to stop the enemies, sometimes in war that happens. If Soft Blade is out there, please meet me in my office later, for a discussion. That is all please return to your rooms, and clean up our facility, we have much work ahead of us.” Turning to exit the room I was met with many looks of suspicion as people passed me, they looked at everyone that way but I couldn’t help but feel guilty; the heads of all of those people were on my shoulders. It was my job to make sure this was never done again.

Later I walked into the J’s office, and he asked me to close the door behind me. I looked around the room and there stood J, and a man I had never seen before. “Hello, my name is Spade; I am a recruiter for The Directive. We have been keeping tabs on you and your progress here at the school. The rest are just sheep, they are brought in, will do what they are told, and then they will be shuffled out to lead normal boring lives in the FBI or CIA. You my dear friend Soft Blade are different. We noticed you when you walked in two years ago. I remember it as though it were yesterday. You have immense powers yet untapped, though it seems that you have learned of one of them already.” Looking at my arm and how it had healed and left only a small scar was a testament to that. “But what it is that you want with me. Maybe I am happy here with the sheep as you call them. I like what I do and what I have learned and I can sure handle myself when it comes to the piss jobs that they would be required to do. Fuck I might just want to do that for a few years, collect my pension and retire some where warm, I hear Saipan is nice this time of year.”
He smiled as he responded “Yea you could do that, but what if I told you that you could be something bigger. You know to hell with the damn team, you are the team, you need to start thinking like that, and who is going to help you with your powers, how are you going to learn them and how to control them. You think that little healing thing you have is great, I know people that could look at you and crush you into nothing smaller than a marble, let’s see how your damn healing helps you there. Not much I would say, but there is something about you and I know it. It’s my job to know it, so if you have any sense in that damned head of yours you’ll listen to me. And don’t try anything; I’m a lot better than you.” Starting to turn away from Spade, I looked at J. He knew it as well as I did, though I didn’t like the arrogant way Spade treated me, I for damned sure wasn’t going to let J, and the rest of his school fall around me. There would come a point that I would need to leave, now seemed as well as any to let it happen.

“Thank you J. Without you I would not have been able to progress as I would, and the last two years was not for loss as I met my sister, the only remaining family I had, and that helped to fill something inside of me. It was an honor and a pleasure to have you as a friend the last two years. Though Spade is right (glancing over he started to smile), I have to leave, and it is the safest thing for everyone. Please send my regards to the instructors, and let the students sit on it. I don’t want anything to come of me or them to try anything in the future, incase I need them or something.” J smiled as I thought he would. He was just that type of man.

Spade and I made our way down to my room; my belongings were already packed though I didn’t complete this task on my own. “You have very nice things, and that sword of yours is of exceptionally fine quality. You should be very proud of it.” Grabbing the bag and then the sword I threw both over my shoulder. “I am. Hiritome is one of the best craftsmen in the world, I was both fortunate and privileged to have him as my teacher, and acquaintance.” As we left we made our way through the school everyone was distracted with their duties and no one really seemed to notice that I was even leaving. When we got outside, there was a rather nice sports car sitting in the lot. It was not hard to tell that this was Spades, as the rest of the vehicles looked like soccer mom cars compared to his. He opened the trunk and I placed my things in it. As we started to drive, he told me how he found me, that this was all an elaborate setup to get me into the directive. There didn’t seem to be much of a shock as now that the pieces were shown, I could see how they fit. He explained that The Directive was kind of like the FBI or CIA, they were all intelligence agencies, just this one dealt with special cases that the other two need not concern themselves with. They were considered small time, as the Utopians, and also the Teragen were much larger, but sometimes size didn’t mean strength. They were very picky about who was accepted and with the network of resources that they had; they could afford to be. We made our way to the airport where a private jet was located. We boarded without any issue or question. It was as though we weren’t even there. From we flew to Massachusett and drove another car just like the one we had in Colorado 3 hours again into the mountainous areas. When we finally arrived, I was ushered into what looked like a small shack, it was broke down and torn down, and couldn’t see how something this piddley was going to build my confidence that I had actually made the right decisions. When we entered there was no telling that this was anything other than what it appeared to be. That of course was not how it actually was and I made my way through a hatch in the floor to an elevator. The area waiting for the elevator was small; able to suit maybe four people, when the elevator arrived it was in fact not so much an elevator as a false wall to a much larger underground castle.

“This is the first floor, we count backwards here. There are 12 floors that each span 3 acres, we do all of our learning, interrogating, training, and meetings here. Like I said small doesn’t mean powerless.” Smiling to myself I thought of how perfect this was and walked bravely in. walking through the people, everyone new exactly who I was, they all knew me as Soft Blade, and I felt a little uneasy, I was not one who liked people knowing me, Id rather have it the other way.

Walking down a corridor we stopped at the end next to a solid oak door that seemed exceptionally heavy. As we knocked the doors slowly opened and in we walked. There sat a table full of people, all of whose names I have long since forgotten, save one. Her name was Lola. She was an average looking woman and something about her made me notice her and only her. She was captivating and I could swear that I would have told her anything and everything that she wanted for me to say. She smiled as she told me about The Directive, it was all things that Spade had already told me about but I liked hearing her talk and looking at her so I let her talk away.

After the meeting was finished, Spade and I left and they did preliminary testing on me to see what else I could accomplish. In the weeks following I learned about teleporting, and increased strength and speed, all things that would help me in what I had done, fate it seems has plans and they seem to be falling in my favor for once. Things were nice in the Directive, all I had to do was keep my nose clean and watch my mouth as I tended to be somewhat of a hot head and very sarcastic, and other than that things were wonderful. A few years passed and I moved with them. It seems my natural knack and history as an assassin and gathering information was exactly what was needed for the work I was doing. I quickly moved the ranks; it took only six months for me to be placed in command of my own team. Then only a year after that I was put in charge of my own department. I liked how I was moving in the world. Doing work that I love and getting paid and recognized to do it, life doesn’t get much better for me. I headed up the big brother division a handful of specially trained group to watch and monitor The Directive.

Then we found the mother of doubles. A man named Hyphen, or so he is called in the circles that we use. He has been siphoning information out and selling it, of course he’s selling information to the Teragen, and anyone else who will pay what he is asking. Lola wants us to lay low, but it needs to be handled. His involvement with the Teragen causes mixed conflicts, to do what I am told and my position dictates, or let the personal rage of Teragen involvement take over.

We tracked him down to California, and started surveillance yet again when Lola called saying that I was needed in Los Angeles, for a summit in which I am there to gain information that might be pertinent and also to act as a liaison to the summit on behalf of The Directive. Agreeing as it is my job to do, I leave immediately, and start jumping (using teleport) to get there, and after all it’s the only way to fly.

I get setup in a local safe house, one of the many world wide places that we can use. Then I wait for any news on hyphen, and the summit to begin.

 

System

Shadowrun 3rd Edition