Rebecca deflated, irritably running her fingers through her hair. "Damn it, you're right. So what about our stronghold in the city? There's still a lot of iron in there! And my collection!" She was referring to the various strange weapons and ammunition she had hidden—years of saved eddies and firepower.
Kiwi also looked up, this being one of her most pressing concerns. Her voice was urgent through her mask: "My hacking equipment, servers, and all my backup data... it's all in the city. Without those, my capabilities are dead." For a capable Deck-jockey, specialized gear and stored exploit knowledge were half her life.
Pilar also wailed: "My tools and those rare parts I painstakingly collected are in there too! That's all preem eddies!"
Practical problems were stacking up. Behind the 'glory' of offending a mega-corporation lay real survival crises and massive property losses.
Maine surveyed his team, his voice a deep rumble: "We gotta go back to the city, and we gotta get our things back. That's our savings, the foundation for our next gigs. But in our current state, swaggering into the city is walkin' into a Militech trap."
He looked at Falco: "Falco, any connections? Can you find trustworthy transport to haul it out?"
Falco shook his head, expression grave: "No dice. In this situation, everyone knows helping us is going against the corporation. No ordinary transport team would risk that scrap, and trustworthy chooms... we can't drag them into this mess either."
Dorio, who had been silent, spoke up, her voice steady, carrying a familiar, reassuring strength: "Perhaps, we could ask the Animals for help."
"Animals?" Maine looked at her, and the others cast inquiring glances.
"Yes." Dorio nodded, explaining, "I know a few of their leaders; I dealt with them when I was in a gang before. They're different from the slippery middlemen or the corporate dogs. The Animals... they have their own logic."
She continued: "They extremely revere pure physical strength, believing over-reliance on chrome is weakness. So they particularly value 'strength' and 'credibility'. If you prove yourself strong enough, they will treat you as 'one of their own'. If they promise something, they will generally deliver. Compared to a character like Faraday, their 'street loyalty' is more reliable."
Rebecca's eyes lit up: "Choom, you're so fierce now, you could probably dismantle mechs with your bare hands, right? They'll definitely respect you!"
Dorio continued, more cautiously: "I can go contact them. With my current... condition, I should be able to gain their attention. And... if we offer a 'sweetener'—say, hinting that the Boss has a method to make people stronger—the entire Animals might be willing to work for us."
She knew that for this group of physical fanatics, a method to break through human limits without extensive cyberware would be fatally tempting.
However, Maine almost immediately shook his head, his tone resolute: "Forget that idea, Dorio. The Boss's technology is not for this kind of transaction. He modifies us because we swear allegiance and are useful to him. And the price..." He glanced at Dorio's enhanced arm and Rebecca's plasma pistol, "...we have already paid, and will pay more in the future."
"He would never agree to casually give modifications to unrelated people, especially an entire gang. Rashly proposing such a request would only infuriate him." Maine knew Osiris's principles of equivalent exchange and efficiency above all else. Offering such powerful technology for mere transport support was illogical and risky to Osiris.
Dorio was silent for a moment, then nodded. She understood that her idea was overly idealistic; the mindset of that red-robed 'Boss' was completely alien to street rules.
"I understand. Then we won't mention the technology; we'll only discuss a transaction. I'll go, and use my current strength to negotiate with them, paying enough Euros to have them help safely transport the items from our bolt-hole, and Kiwi's equipment, out of the city and bring them here."
Maine pondered for a moment. This was the most feasible method. He looked at Dorio: "Is the risk high?"
Dorio replied: "I will act carefully. I'll only contact trustworthy people. The Animals and the corporation are already at odds; they are unlikely to betray us for a corporation, especially since we are paying in hard currency."
"Good." Maine finally decided, "That's what we'll do. Dorio, this matter is in your hands. Contact them as soon as possible, and confirm the transaction details and price. However many Euros are needed, we'll all chip in."
"Mm, I'll contact them shortly." Dorio agreed.
Rebecca idly fiddled with her pistol, muttering: "I wonder how long the Boss will continue his research... What's so special about that captive that he's putting so much effort into it?"
Upon hearing this, Kiwi involuntarily shrank further into the shadows, the cold, emotionless words "purge" flashing through her mind again.
Maine, meanwhile, gazed in the direction of the Workshop, his eyes deep. The corporation's retaliation would never cease. They had to become stronger as quickly as possible to survive and face the unknown tasks ahead. The current predicament was merely the beginning.