Probably Stolen Augs: How to Spot One Before You Shoot

An aug is a host taken over by a rogue AI implant. Security requires every shopkeeper to kill one on sight. But shooting the wrong customer has a cost, so what you actually need is a decision order, not a faster gun.

In game, the mentor hands you a gun and then says three things.

One: an aug has three tells. A visible aug chip. Unusual pupils. An uncanny expression.

Two: do not try to call security. The augs have the comms network, so the target is gone before anyone arrives.

Three: only shoot when you are certain.

The three official tells

1. The chip. Use the inspection view on the customer and look for exposed hardware on the head.
2. The pupils. You need a magnifier-type tool to see this clearly.
3. The expression. Stiff, or held too long. This is the one people miss.

Four extra tells players found

These are not an official list. They come from high-difficulty players, and they work:

• Shaking. A normal customer does not tremble continuously.
• Clothing that does not match the faction label. The label above the dialogue box names the customer’s faction, and each faction uses a different text background colour. If the clothes do not fit, it is almost certainly an aug.
• Strange speech. Augs make odd requests and phrase things unlike a person.
• Self-sabotage. Occasionally one simply says too much.

The shooting rules

• Do not call security. The comms network belongs to the other side. Calling only makes the target leave early.
• Do not shoot when unsure. A wrong kill goes on the Mistake Counter, and reputation has to be paid back.
• A correct kill pays. You gain security reputation and credits, and the payout grows as you kill more.

Do the trade first

Before you commit, finish the sale.

Augs do not check for counterfeits. You can trade with them normally, including relabelled goods, take the money, and shoot afterwards.

Two details:

• Haggling does not cost reputation. Haggle freely.
• Do not inflate the price. Players report that pushing the price far too high can lock you out of shooting that customer at all.

One more: asking for painkillers does not make someone an aug. Normal customers buy medicine too. The chip and the expression are the evidence, not the request.

If you get it wrong

Check the mistake record, then handle the fallout. Once security reputation drops, investigations come more often and progress faster. Trading normally, reporting wanted criminals and using faction services brings it back. See buying out the shop for how the faction systems interlock.

Three claims to ignore

• There are three official tells. Everything else is player experience with a different confidence level.
• “Augs are fake customers” is a shorthand, not the game’s term.
• The exact penalty for a wrong kill has never been published. Do not quote numbers you see floating around.