Vesper arrives beneath flashing neon ads at a gang-run karaoke bar. Distorted music rattles the walls while Black Arancini lookouts drift toward every exit.
In a private booth, Razor, a muscular young man with electric-blue hair streaked white and twin blades at his hips, faces Gwen Armitage, lean-built with close-cropped auburn hair, warm brown skin, and a square jaw,, an adult woman detective with a chrome temple implant and a black armored coat.
Gwen Armitage
The recording, Razor. It identifies the night-sheath prototype wearer. Hand it over, and this stays procedural.
Razor
Funny. Your badge says procedural, but your gang escort says otherwise.
Gwen’s augmented eye flickers through encrypted overlays. Outside the booth, three armed lookouts lock the bar’s doors and thumb their weapons off safe.
Razor
Vesper. You picked a loud night to show up.
His gaze holds on her for one sharp second, then returns to Gwen. The karaoke system warbles into a synthetic chorus as the exits seal.
✓ Quest Accepted
Bring the recording to Gwen Armitage
✓ Quest Accepted
Escape the gang lockdown
“Uh yeah. I like to have a good time. *I go to the bar and order a round of drinks and sigh up to sing a round of karaoke. Then take the drinks back to the group set then down. I down my and go in the stage to perform.*”
SUCCESS (Great Willpower, rolled +1)
Vesper
“Round for the booth, and put me down for the next karaoke slot.”
At the bar, the server, a young adult woman with a compact build, warm brown skin, and cropped dark hair beneath a translucent visor, wearing a black service vest over a silver shirt pours bright synth-whiskey and neon beer into plastic tumblers. Vesper carries the tray back through the sealed room without spilling a drop.
Vesper
The music is loud enough to cover a private conversation.
She sets drinks before Razor and Gwen, then downs her own in one clean swallow. The karaoke queue flashes her name across the booth’s cracked display.
Razor
“You really picked now to make an entrance?”
Vesper steps onto the tiny stage as the synthetic chorus shifts. She takes the microphone, and the room’s restless attention gathers around her.
Her performance cuts through the distortion with confident timing and bright, reckless energy. Even the lookouts pause, weapons lowered, while Razor watches from the booth.
“*I continue taking all the attention in the room to keep eyes on me so Razor and make the hand off in secret.*”
SUCCESS (Great Willpower, rolled +0)
Vesper keeps the microphone, turning the cramped stage into a spotlight. She moves with the synthetic chorus, drawing cheers, camera lenses, and every lookout’s attention toward her.
Behind the booth’s reflective divider, Razor lowers one hand beneath the table. Gwen shifts her armored coat, blocking the exchange from the room.
Razor
Keep watching her. She’s better than the house act.
A slim data shard passes from Razor’s palm into Gwen’s concealed grip. Her chrome temple implant flashes once, confirming the transfer before her hand disappears.
Vesper sustains the performance, but a beat catches in her breathing. The effort of holding the room leaves her composure visibly thin beneath the practiced brightness.
Gwen Armitage
Received. The recording goes into evidence, and your name stays out of the report.
Razor
Then we’re done here. Her encore bought us the exit.
Quest Complete
Bring the recording to Gwen Armitage
Attribute Upgrade: Willpower Great→Superb