Vestigial Memories, Session 4: The Fish Ladies

Scene setup

Countdown Timer Event Check:
[D10]: [4] => No Event
The clock is steady, but the pressure is mounting.

Scene check
[D8]: [1] => Complicated. A simple inquiry turns into a high-stakes chase. The truth is guarded by more than just silence.

NPC details:
[D6 + D6]: [1 + 3] => Commerce + Politics
Trait:
[D6 + D12]: [3+ 4] => flirty
Name:
Mei Lin Zhao

Clue
Meaning:
[D8]: [2] => Contradicts a previous fact or clue 
Evidence Descriptor:
[D6 + D10]: [6 + 10] => Unexpected + It should not be here
Evidence Type:
[D6 + D12]: [1 + 7] => Document

I park my Spinner a few blocks away. I don’t want the blue-and-reds announcing my arrival. The Fish Ladies stall is a neon-soaked open bar built into the face of a crumbling tenement, right next to my favorite dumpling stand. Synthetic fish, suspended in glowing tanks, cast eerie shadows over the crowd.

I spot her: Mei Lin Zhao, the proprietor. She’s in her sixties, sharp-eyed and wearing the weariness of the district like a shroud. I decide to keep my badge in my pocket for now.

The Encounter

Locke: "Hi. I'm looking for a friend who used to shop here. Maybe you could help me?"

Mei Lin: "I dunno... maybe you could help me in exchange, pretty boy?"

I blink. I’ve seen a lot in this city, but a witness flirting during a murder investigation is a new one. I play along.

Locke: "I’m sure we can reach an agreement. You’ve been here a long time—were you around thirty years ago?"

Mei Lin: "You think I’m that old?" She stares me down, then breaks into a dry, raspy laugh. "Of course I am. I’ve run this stall since I was eighteen."

I slide Kasper’s photo across the counter. The laughter dies instantly. Her face turns to stone.

Mei Lin: "You’re a Blade Runner, aren't you?"

Locke: "Guilty as charged. Do you know him?"

She doesn't answer. Instead, she gives a sharp nod to a group of street kids nearby. They swarm me, tugging at my coat and blocking my view. By the time I shove through them, Mei Lin is already inside the building, frantically pulling an envelope from a hidden archive.

The Chase

She bolts for the back entrance. I’m faster, but the street has its own defenses.

Starting Range: Medium.

Round 1
Locke Manouver:
Pursue
Zhao Manouver:
[D8]: [7] => block or hide => She blocks.
The Obstacle:
[D12]: [8] => an old man grabs the pursuer and starts chattering away, clearly after money. Pursuer must roll CONNECTIONS to give the man some chinyen. If it fails, their manouver fails automatically.
Connections Check:
Locke [D12+D12]: [9 + 9] => 2 successes
Mobility check:
[D8 + D10]: [7 + 8] => 2 successes

An old man suddenly lunges out of the shadows, grabbing my arm and babbling for chinyen. I don't waste time. I dig out a handful of spare change and hurl it. He dives for the coins, clearing my path. I vault over the bar, my trenchcoat snapping in the wind, and corner her in the alley.
I grab her arm, pinning her against the damp brick.

Locke: "Stop. Give me the envelope. NOW."

The Evidence: The Vestige File

She hands it over, her face a mask of fury and terror. I rip it open. Inside is a replicant fabrication file.

• The Discrepancy: The face is Kasper’s, but the name is Kessler.
• The Inception Date: February 2nd, 2035. It’s 2 years ago.
• The Logo: A partial red fingerprint that fades before completion, stamped with a single word: "VESTIGE."
• Template: Kane.

This isn't a 30-year-old relic. It’s a bootleg—a high-end illegal Replicant, created from a template.

The Interrogation

Locke: "Lady, you're in trouble."

Locke: "What is 'Vestige'?"

Interrogation sequence

NPC skill level roll:
[D8]: [7] => experienced [D10 + D10]

Negotiating position:
Advantages:
- Opponent has suffered stress
- Opponent is in custody
Disadvantages:
- Opponent must take a serious risk to help me
- Opponent has nothing to gain by helping me

Opposed roll, Manipulation vs Stamina:
Locke [D10+D12] vs. Zhao [D10+D10]
Result:
Locke [7+5 ] vs Zhao [8+8] => 1 success for Locke vs 2 for Zhao

She stares at me with pure spite. She’s terrified, but not of me—she’s terrified of whatever "Vestige" is. She’d rather rot in a cell than talk.

The Call

I handcuff her to a heavy garbage bin and pull out my KIA to call Holden.

Holden: "What?"

Locke: "I’ve got a bootleg replicant fabrication file. The name on the stamp is 'Vestige.' Does that mean anything to you?"

Q: Does Holden ever heard the name "Vestige"?
Question roll:
[D10]: [10] => Extreme yes

The silence on the other end is deafening. I hear the sound of a heavy sigh—the kind a man makes when he knows his day just got a lot shorter.

Holden: "You said 'Vestige'?"

Locke: "Yeah."

Holden: "Bring that woman in. Now. And Locke? Don’t let her speak to anyone. Not a soul. Bring her straight to my office."