Ok, this story starts anywhere you want to. It's not made for Firewall, but I'm sure it can be adapted quickly. Players hear there are conflicts in a mining station where Fa Jing is a major investor, which turns out to be a good chance to earn some money as some kind of consultants or security. My players got a contract for working in mesh security (the hacker player) and as a bodyguard of the negotiator (the spy/social character). The arrival is as expected. The miners are reduced to a small section of the mining station, and have barred themselves the best they can, allowing only for the Fa Jing negotiator to access them. Fa Jing troops have started to take positions around them, but it looks like there is time and so they want to do it carefully so not to damage the structure. And, also, because many of the miners are flats, too poor to pay for anything better with the salary of the second-grade run down mining station. Problems start when Direct Action sends a squad in, brought in by Fa Jing to take care of the physical side of the problem now that Fa Jing troops are far or indisposable. Players will soon see that Direct Action is much more willing to intervene militarily, and strats to put pressure on the negotiating team. If they go with the negotiating team or with can spy the meeting, they'll realize a couple things: first, the miners have a very small real fighting capacity, equipped only with low grade torches and other hand-to-hand combat equipment, they are no match for Direct Action troops. But, second, the syndicate negotiator is clearly not from the station, and probably hasn't been in it for long, though he knows the situation well. Third, and most important, a good investigation roll or interpretation can get the characters to realize that the negotiation isn't really about worker's rights or wages, and though the vocabulary used does referr to those things, the issue being discussed is another entirely different. Problem is that Fa Jing troops finally arrive in the locale, and put some pressure on Direct Action, which remains in the station even though they are no longer needed. On the contrary, they seem to take positions and are ready to intervene, cutting the time for negotiations shorter even. Meanwhile, a good hacker tries to take control of the mesh and access some sort of systems. If the players have access to the Mesh and intercept him (which requires a good hacker), he is scouting and investigating the situation outside. If they locate him, he works out of the miner section of the station. Investigating the workers in the station proves them that none should have the skills to try something like that. A group of Direct Action mercenaries arrive in the scene, some sort of Ego Hunters, and it would be great if the players know them from before. They'll try to contact the players to find out how the situation is rolling (if they don't know from before, they'll call in a favor, or similar) and are specially interested in the security around the miners. If players get a good roll or role-play and investigate him, or if they are previously friends, they will tell them that they are here to retrieve two terrorists who tried an attack on the Hexagon (Direct Action's main base). He has two photos of them: the hacker and a man who is close to the syndicate negotiator. Situation heats up even more when, seeing that issues seem not to be advancing, the rest of the mining investors in the station call in Gorgon. Which, as we all know, doesn't get along well with Direct Action. If they investigate, it seems like Gorgon offered a really cheap deal to the miners, unusally cheap, and has sent their own negotiator to solve the situation. (continues bellow)