13 Missed Calls

13 Missed Calls is the 6th episode of Aztec Gold

Synopsis
Gathering up as much gold as they can carry (each carrying 10 or 30 lbs of gold), the crew retraces their steps through the zigurat. They collect four of the stone drones that attacked them with the intent to repair them. Some members of the crew reach out with their new powers and notice a connection to the compass, the terminal of Singlefrost, and the drones.

Doc calls the crew as soon as they have matrix access, demanding an update on what happened inside the ziggurat. Cybersloth sends the video files, and he begins to review them at 2x speed. Everyone gets a notice that rent is due on each of their apartments, and they wire the money to deal with it.

Exiting the Ziggurat, Burnout notices a crumpled form near the base of the dirigible. Investigation reveals that it is the body of a woman covered in tribal tattoos, possibly the same one that warned them earlier. Her body is riddled with bullets and has a large harpoon protruding from the chest. One of her legs is broken, as if she had a long fall. The crew concludes that she attempted to board the ship, and was killed by the defense systems they put in place.

The Edgelord decides to search the jungle for more corpses and lights up all of the Maiden Katrina's lights, including a large beacon shining directly upwards. This action upsets Burnout and Mothra, who decide that they need to leave the jungle immediately. As they take to the skies, they are hailed by an elf representative of Aztechnology, who offers them a deal in exchange for clemency. The Edgelord immediately attempts to bribe the official, who adds that crime to the list.

The crimes in question are attempting to bribe a senior official, trespassing through Aztechnology airspace, and doing so with a large amount of explosives. The officer reveals that a scan of the ship showed several explosive devices, though none of the crew members confess to bringing anything larger than a grenade on board.

In exchange for clemency, the officer offers the crew a deal: They cover their ships in flags and decals of Wuxing, a AA Chinese company, and make a non-lethal attack on Hualpazer, the son of the great dragon Hualpa. The specific instructions given are "wound him, do not kill him, and be seen doing it."

Aztechnology equips the crew with thrusters that can double the ship's speed for an hour, or provide a massive boost for a minute. Mothra has to install the thrusters himself, as the Aztechnology engineers refuse to enter the engine room. Mothra realizes that it is filled with explosive devices that can be remotely detonated.The official also provides the instruction to ensure the attack can be seen on major news networks the following night.

While resting, Nova gets a call from her babysitter saying that two men came to the warehouse. She said they claimed to be form CPS and that Nova was "Aware of the situation". The babysitter reveals that she killed to two men and wants direction form Nova. Nova provides instructions to a safehouse, and the babysitter heads for it.

The Edgelord gets a call from Finn offering a job as a fake Johnson. "Same story as usual. I've got a suit, and it might not fit you very well, but you like these kinds of jobs". The Edgelords declines, hanging up on Finn. Finn calls back, asking where The Edgelord is, but does not get a reply.

Burnout calls Gundrick, one of his allies from NeoNet who is surprised to hear from him. He tells Burnout that there are reports of his death. Burnout asks if Gundrick could rush a video onto the evening news. Gundrick says he'll try his best, but they're hosting a special retrospective on Wyrm Talk later that evening. Burnout instructs him that even if he has to reveal that he [Burnout] is still alive, try to get this video to air.

The crew hits Hualpazer early in the morning. He seemed to be expecting them, as his compound was filled with mages and wyrms, including four wyrms that were acting as patrols. Mothra sends two drones out of the ship to record the fight. When the ship approached, Hualpazer himself took to the skies and began attacking the dirigible. The crew tried the mounted harpoons and machine guns, but realized that they were having trouble penetrating the dragon's thick scales. The dragon latched onto the side of the ship and began to tear at it. He was joined by several wyrms.

Abandoning the conventional weapons, the crew bean to use their newfound technomancy powers to send pure resonance towards the dragon's presence in the interweave, rendering him unconscious. Unfortunately, his limp body clung to the ship by a single claw.

Doc calls during the fight, astounded that the crew is working with Aztechnology. Mothra advises him to cut to real-time, as he's several hours behind and they are currently fighting a dragon. Doc does so, advising the crew that he stashed a grenade where the life vests should be. Cybersloth grabs one, shoves it under the dragon's claw, and detonates it, sending the claw rocketing through the dirigible, where it lodges into a floorboard. Doc can be heard whooping and hollering at the excitement.

Mothra calls back his drones and engages the thrusters for full power, traveling 5 miles in a little more than a minute. Burnout, who is on the outside of the ship, is slammed against the metal frame, fighting to hold on.

The ship lands in a nearby mountain range while the crew does rudimentary repairs and removes all of the Wuxing decals and flags, burning them. Nova rests briefly to recover from her injuries, then spends five hours editing the footage from the attack to remove all identifiable faces, and to make it look like the harpoon and machine gun shots actually hurt the dragon, rather than simply the technomancy.

Burnout sends the video to Gundrick, and it airs that night, causing much controversy. The Crew flies over Easter Island on their way back to Doc's mansion, deciding to return when there is less heat on them.

Back at Doc's, they learn that Hualpazer has joined forces with Aztechnology in a war against Wuxing (and perhaps China as well). They also meet Nerf, Manda's newborn child.

Finn calls The Edgelord again, asking him to call back if he wants a job, threatening to employ Molly Moonshine instead. The Edgelord ignores the call, sending back a picture of his pile of gold and a rude message.

Mothra's fence is able to move most of the gold they brought at 12,000 nuyenper pound. Burnout sends Gundrick 10,000 as thanks, and learns that Gundrick was promoted to lead investigate journalist for the video. After a request for more resources, Nova sends her babysitter an additional 50,000 nuyen.

Trivia
This tweet is referencing a joke that was made as the crew exited the zigurat.

Before the game, players spent karma to remove most negative qualities they had purchased, including The Edgelord's unsteady hands, and every character's addictions.