SW10/HCC: Superhuman World 2004: Big Business #2 of 2: Yamashita's Gold

[Andrew Perron]

On Sat, 12 Jan 2013 20:10:47 +0000 (UTC), Scott Eiler wrote:

> The Japanese moved a lot of plunder through their Greater East Asia 
> Co-Prosperity Sphere during World War II. And due to naval hostilities 
> at the time, some of it got stuck in the Philippines. The Japanese 
> General Yamashita is supposed to have buried it there, in between 
> dodging the American counter-invaders.

Oooooh. Is this a Real Thing?

> I'm hunting the gold now. Julie Wolcott knows I can hunt things, because 
> I hunted her once.

Well that's fair enou-- whaaaaaaa?

> -   Rival militias from America, Japan, and Germany. Each country's 
> nationals in dangerous foreign countries are banding together for mutual 
> aid nowadays.

Right... why's this now?

>        - It seems any superhuman in the world is eligible for this 
> force, as long as he wholeheartedly supports his homeland ahead of the 
> world. With the United Nations assuming real power nowadays, this 
> concept is becoming more popular.

Interesting.

>        - There's some technical support for this force; it comes with a 
> command infrastructure which some nations find useful. It also comes 
> with brainwashing techniques, including an implanted receiver which 
> whispers motivational slogans in the soldiers' ears. I've said it 
> before, and I'll say it again: How do they find these people?

Wait wait what. How is this consistent among different countries?

> -   An earthquake. The Philippines lie on a fault line. Too bad for 
> cultists in caves. And for most of Yamashita's gold by now, too, though 
> the earthquake briefly reveals some gold before it all came tumbling down.
> 
> I did snag the damsel - and one old document, because I needed some 
> proof I was there. But then I had to escape.

You know, this old format really doesn't work for climactic action scenes.

> -   I'm an honorary mercenary now! My old co-conspirator Yon Schmidt, 
> Scheiss Hauptmann, had been hired to lead a commando team to liberate 
> the hostage. He says he's the world's leading hunter of superhumans. I'm 
> not superhuman, but he recognized me anyway, and sent people to rope me 
> in to his own scheme.

Well that's... good?

> -   The mission almost blew up, when one of Yon's team made a Jewish 
> joke. (Apparently he'd hung out with the U.N. hero "SuperJew" too much.) 

I see. O.o

> -   But then one of our operatives, who looks kind of like the TV-show 
> Diana Prince but older, got captured by two pilots who look like the 
> some preacher friends of mine.

Well I-- huh? Is this a reference? @-@

> And I was part of this... because thanks to recent 
> modifications, my car is now a hovercraft! That must be why Tater 
> arrived with instructions saying, "Fuel with premium gas, or with jet 
> fuel if possible."

AWESOME.

> -   I rode shotgun... literally! They had to talk me out of blasting my 
> own windshield, but then I talked them out of me shooting my weapon 
> toward the hostage.

What XD

> She calls herself 
> "Target", because she can make people attack her at just the right 
> time... and then shock them unconscious. And so she did with her 
> pilots... after they were on the ground.

Niiiiiiiiiice.

> -   It turns out, the document I grabbed is one of General Yamashita's 
> general orders - an original copy from his scribe's own Kanji 
> typewriter! It may not be gold, but it's a worthwhile antique.

Oooooh, indeed.

> -   The American woman is an heiress - of ice cream! It seems she's one 
> Cindy Baskin, from the Baskin-Robbins families.
> 
>        - As part of my reward, I got to go visit the flagship 
> Baskin-Robbins store and make my own ice cream cakes! And I make it 
> death's-head-shaped. Cool!

That's... adorable. XD Is this a real person who exists?

>        - The FERG might actually make some money on that! It seems 
> Baskin-Robbins is interested in marketing my cakes in Mexico for Dia De 
> Los Muertos this year. And I get the same bonus they give their own 
> designers. Cool!

Very nice!

> Bossy Ms. Wolcott wanted more. For one thing, she thinks I should have 
> copyrighted the concept of death's-head ice cream cakes, before 
> revealing it to Baskin-Robbins. But still, as adventures go, I'll take 
> it. (19, 20, 21, 24, 27 August 2004)

D'oh~

Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, Julie I do not think copyright works
that way.