Angels

By Paul Ferris

"Gimmie a airhypo, STAT!"
"We're loosin' him!"
"Life is more than turf and surf choboy, live and learn. . ."

Life in 2027 is difficult and dangerous. More than one person is happy to shoot you just for breathing the same air. The Cyberpunk revolution failed, and now things are different.

Yeah, right . . .

What with the Megas all hot and bothered to take someone's head off, Corpsec dying to put a few extra holes in anyone who's different, and Goths hunting the weak to death, it's just one big world of hurt out there.

That's where you come in.

You're one of the Angels, a Yogang dedicated to saving the sick and the preservation of life. If the other Goboys want to "rebel" against all that their parents did, let them. You know the real score . . .

What You Look Like

As a young medic, you like to dress in clothes that will last, and won't stain too easily. Like the Tinkertots, you find that coveralls provide good all-around protection and have plenty of pockets to stash all of your needful things. Some in the gang like wearing long white coats, like a real doctor as they say this makes them look professional. And when things head south, the public will usually listen to someone who looks like they can take charge. Regardless, all have a white armband with a red cross on it. This is your "Patch," and a source of pride. (Some tried a big red cross on their jackets, but a lot of Mega Violents used them as targets.)

SubCulture

As a kid, you were disgusted by the needless violence that pervades society on all levels. The Government claims to be working in the public's best interest, but kills citizens without hesitation or regret. The adults don't care what their kids are up to, and the kids just wander around beating each others skulls in. Where does it all lead? Nowhere. You see someone suffering, and you act. Looking up medical texts on the Net, you found yourself able to understand what all the gory pictures were showing you. With your newfound knowledge, you were better able to help those in need.

Your gang acts a lot like the guardians, you roam the troubled areas looking for action. When trouble starts, if you are unable to make peace, you act with restraint and try to harm as few as possible. Not to be underestimated, the Angels are not wimps. When the fists start flying, they'll throw some back with the best of them. If bullets or blades are the name of the game, well, a paintball loaded with sleep rounds or glue can stop just about anyone just as well. Many Angels also read up on religious texts and find meaning for their work there. Regardless, all Angels are driven to do "the right thing" and are very passionate about their ideals.

All in all though, you'd rather stop a fight before it begins. It's easier to soothe a bruised ego than a bullet wound. When there's relative peace, you and your gang try to talk sense into people, and ease tensions. Maybe even a rally or two, but these usually get mobbed by Moshers and Megas.

Belonging

Joining the Angels wasn't too hard to start, all you needed was to demonstrate the desire to help others and avoid killing. Staying with the gang was the difficult part. Many Yogangs love to try and make an Angel lose their cool, and even more like to just beat on them. All the pain and blood you see can also turn a person sour, if not their stomachs. Once you proved you could keep your cool in a firefight and had some talent for patching up the dying, you were fully embraced by the gang. After your "internship," you were given the training needed to truly save a life.

Allies & Enemies

Guardians are your biggest allies. You respect the Guardians because they try to stop the violence and protect the weak, plus, they've pulled your bacon out of the fire more than once. The same goes for the Streetfighters. They in turn, feel the Angels are a godsend, (Pun?) And will look out for an Angel in need. Most of the others either respect, or simply accept the angels, since at one time or another, they've had one of their own saved. The only outright enemies of the Angels are Goths, Mega Violents and GoGangers. All of who have very little regard for the sanctity of life. When trouble goes down with one of these Gangs, all bets are off. Afterwards however, you'll try your best to help those who need it.

Slang

Stat: Now, immediate, in all haste.
Cracked: Insane individual, high on drugs or loosing ones cool.
Saint: An Angel who has demonstrated great restraint, an aptitude for saving lives, and/ or has died in the line of duty.
Sister/Brother: Other Yogangs, especially Guardians or Streetfighters. If it's any other gang, then it's usually "Little Brother/Sister."
Clinic: A place set up as both a home base and as a recovery centre.
(For other slang, watch a show on Paramedics and make a list of neat acronyms.)

YoGang Skill: Savior

Angels are more or less able to work a near miracle when the time is right. At least in medical terms. Savior is used just like the Edgerunner skill: First Aid. Also, you can use half your skill (round down) as the Edgerunner skill: Interaction. (This reflects the fact that many Angels also study psychology to help in their struggle to prevent violence.)

If You're an Angel

1) Tell me your name, age and sex.
2) Describe what you look like.
3) Besides your V-trodes, pick four different things from the list below that you have.
- Deadjim Airhypo and 10 loads of drugs (pick them now)
- Splatman air pistol with 20 sleep rounds and 10 glue rounds
- Medical kit
- Armored coat (AC 5)
- BodyTech Drug anylizer
- Zapman Tazer Pistol