View source for Session 6: Ellison's New Year's Ball

{{Infobox Shadowrun}}

[[Image:Manami Coltrane.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Manami Coltrane, Shiawase CFS Regional President]]

==Briefing==
President Charles Ellison is hosting his annual New Year's Eve Ball at his lavish mountain chalet in the Sierra Nevadas, and F.A.T.E. is invited. The guest list is a who's who of power players in the Technocratic Party's circle, including some people on F.A.T.E.'s radar. Guests include the embattled Senator Yasuji Shimada, the president of Shiawase CFS Manami Coltrane, and president of MCT California Michael Edison.

It's rare to have personal access to corporate elites at this level, let alone more than one of them. F.A.T.E. wants to use this opportunity to build a profile on these two regional presidents. Both Coltrane and Edison's companies are under intense scrutiny for their involvement in the Golden Gate Bridge events and the mana devices. Agents are to obtain as much information from their targets as possible: copied keycards, voice recordings, DNA samples, retina scans, fingerprints, etc. could all prove valuable in the future.

Expect the finest champagne, extravagant ballroom dancing, and mingling with some of California's most powerful players. Dress to impress!

==Notes==
*'''Manami Coltrane''', age 30, is the only daughter of Nigel Coltrane, a 4% shareholder of Shiawase Corporation. She is half-Japanese half-Californian human, unmarried, a home-schooled genius (perhaps with the help of some expensive bioware), and an accomplished violinist. She can be equally cold and ruthless, skills she picked up as she climbed the management chain at Shiawase. There was no doubt there was some nepotism at play in her rise to President of the CFS Division (though she would never admit it). She is known to enjoy dancing and skiing.
*'''Michael Edison''', age 64, worked his way up to his position from one of Mitsuhama's lesser known security divisions. He is made more of cyberware than human flesh. Both legs and his left arm are cyberlimbs, along with many other modifications. The reasons for this are not known. Through some reconstructive surgery, his face appears normal, though a closer examination reveals cyber enhancements such as eyes and ears. He is known to enjoy gambling and wine.
*'''Senator Yasuji Shimada''' has apparently survived the calls for his resignation so far and is planning on attending the ball.
*Security at the ball is going to be tight. Many of the big wigs have their own security detachments and bodyguards, along with the government security on the premises. Try to avoid making a scene.

==Session Synopsis==
J.P. Redman and Dr. Kefeng Yau attended the party as themselves, as did Anastasia. Ana used her student status at Berkeley as her cover story. Eric Black attended as Ana's boyfriend, Vincent White, a graduate in thaumaturgical studies at Berkeley.  Doc attended independently as a prominent Doc Wagon surgeon. Gideon Wexler took up a position at the top of a nearby hill with a view of the ski slopes and the back of the chalet. Van, Hector, and Dmitri were in a van nearby. Oni was part of the security detail on the 2nd floor of the chalet.

The group spent the first hour integrating themselves into the social atmosphere. Manami Coltrane spent the first hour skiing and Michael Edison spent it playing poker. A dance competition was announced; Ana and Eric were forced to participate as a couple. Manami also entered the competition. While the competition took place, Doc joined Edison at the poker table, taking up a seat next to him. He quickly befriended the normally unsociable Edison by discussing cybernetics with him, a topic he is quite passionate about. The poker game eventually became heads-up between the two, and with exceptional skill and a bit of luck, Doc won a sizable amount from the Mitsuhama executive. After losing a major hand, Edison ended the game and the two shared some wine. Doc arranged to take a look at some problems Edison was having with his cybernetic arm as a friendly favor.

Meanwhile, 15 couples engaged in a dancing competition. The first song was of the salsa variety. Dr. Yau also entered the competition with a young Shiawase employee he befriended. The 3 featured couples progressed to the second round of the competition with comparable performances. 5 couples remained in the second round. The second song was much slower than the first. Coltrane and her partner put on an elegant performance that made them the favorites to win. Dr. Yau, showing some signs of inebriation, danced awkwardly and did not make it to the next round. Ana and Eric also had a half-hearted performance, but the judges sent them to the final round, perhaps having something to do with Ana's status as first daughter. Eric and Ana kicked off the final round, with Ana putting on the dancing performance of her lifetime. The crowd was enamored with her performance. Manami, a fierce competitor by nature, looked shaken in her performance and was clearly second best. The judges crowned Eric and Ana the winners.

Ana attempted to make amends with Manami after the performance, hoping to engage in constructive conversation with the executive. Her repeated attempts just made Manami more frustrated and hostile toward her until she asked her to leave. Ana stormed off, but Manami grabbed Eric's arm just before he could leave. Eric, normally the straight shooter of the group, was put in an awkward position. Manami invited him to do a line of novacoke with her with the suggestion of even more fun. Eric begrudgingly agreed, giving into temptation for the sake of the mission.

Both agents went upstairs to the private guest rooms to complete their assignments. Overall, Doc acquired voice recordings, fingerprints, and DNA from Michael Edison. Eric, after completing a line of novacoke and other activities, had voice recordings and DNA from Manami Coltrane. Just as the two agents were leaving their room, Dmitri updated them on the situation. President Ellison, Anastasia, and Senator Shimada were all in a meeting room on the 2nd floor not far from them. Ana requested the other agents to back her up. They opened the door to reveal a tense situation: Ana had her hold-out pistol trained on the Senator, and Shimada had a heavy pistol trained on the President of the CFS. Doc slowly closed the door behind him.

==Results==
'''Status:''' In Progress<br/>
'''Dates:''' December 31, 2072<br/>
'''Quote of the night:''' "What's that Dr. Meow?" - Eric Black<br/>
'''Nuyen:''' 6,200¥ (Doc's poker winnings)<br/>
'''Stipend:''' 5,000¥<br/>
'''Karma Awarded:''' 7