IC: DH The Purity of Sacrifice

[dojango]

Luis places his flintlock pistol in the box. They'd said firearms, so he kept his bow and arrows and axe.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Marcella withdrew her single laspistol and twirled it about on the end of her index finger, before halting it swiftly by grabbing its barrel. A neat little trick she had perfected.

Her visible weapon withdrawn, Marcella placed it in the box.

Her brain, however, stayed very much within her head.

[Morovir]

As he divested himself of his lascarbine and laspistol, Xerros-926 took the time to examine the two servitors. Evaluating the quality of their manufacture, he had already dismissed them by the time that he went through the door.

[Bennosuke]

The bouncers make no effort to take Luis axe, but do stop him. Thing one says, "This projectile weapon is not permitted inside." Assuming Luis gives up the weapons, they will let him pass.

As the two servitors let the others inside Xerros quickly appraises them. It takes no real skill to recognize that while the two are of decent quality construction, they are both old and poorly maintained. And their genetic stock is inferior, It is unlikely the two will be functioning substantially in the next year or two.

Inside the bar is an ovular room with a round bar made of polished marble in the middle. The lights have been turned down low so that the tables and booths in the room are not much more than shadows and silhouettes. The few patrons that are visible are not dressed in the industrial aprons or off-brown jump suits of the average mid-hive prol. Those in eye-shot glare at the acolytes with suspicion, leaning over their tables to whisper to each other. The air is stale and clotted with the suffocating sweet stench of obscura.

In a nearby booth Sola sits in the shadows, grinning at the entering acolytes. She is shrouded in a dark robe that is completely alien to her regular ganger retire.

[Morovir]

Entering the booth, Xerros-926 made the sign of the Cog to Sola, before taking a seat opposite her, propping up his staff in the corner of the booth next to him.

"Greeting: I trust that you are enjoying your stay in Omnicron-5038, and that Magos Petrovskii is proving to be an amenable host?"

[Bennosuke]

Sola does her best to mimic the greeting. "It is... eye opening," the ganger says uncomfortably, shifting just a little as Xerros sits down across from her. Sola's eyes linger on the Tech Priest's inorganic components for a moment before her eyes come up to meet his gaze and she adds, "Thank you for helping me. Thank you for the hospitality."

She watches as the others take their seats, moving her glass of a viscous clear grain spirit that smells strongly like a cleaning solvent, then asks, "So what is the plan?"

[dojango]

"Plan?" asks Luis. "The plan is to recover those horrible xeno weapons and destroy them somehow, and then come back here and go out on shore leave. Uh, I suppose there's more details than that, but I guess it depends on whether or not you want to help your friends or let them swing. If we don't recover the weapons peaceably, someone else is gonna come for them, and they won't be as friendly as us."

[Bennosuke]

Sola looks at Luis with a bit of confusion. "Then why did we come up here?" she asks, perhaps trying to hide the frustration in her voice and remain polite, before giving a soft smile and adding, "Not that I'm not happy to be out of the underhive for a moment."

[dojango]

"We're here cause we'd lost the trail of the weapons in the dark tunnels and we were gonna start looking for the dealers up here. But then you showed up and told us you knew where the stuff was, but that you weren't going to tell us. I'm hopin' you changed your mind about that, cause if'n we don't recover the weapons, our boss will probably just order the guard to go down and shoot people until they find it. Which I figured you wouldn't approve of. If you want to forget your old life in the underhive and run with us, we can put in a good word... but our boss don't like us keeping secrets from him, since he's paying us to root them out."

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

"We had other duties calling us away, temporarily," Marcella explained, and left it at that.

"Luis is right however: our basic premise now is to find those weapons and destroy them."

[Bennosuke]

Sola's face hardens, her youthful beauty casted over by the mask of a killer hardened by years of fighting for her life. "As you know," she starts slowly, "we have the xenos weapons." Sola was of course referring to her gang, Clan Raptore, as she had previously told the acolytes as much. She shakes her head, her eyes downcast and says, "We don't want them. They... there is something very wrong about them. Even being within eyesight makes one uncomfortable. But I need to know, if we give you the weapons, what are you going to do with them?"

[Wyndeward]

Sola's face hardens, her youthful beauty casted over by the mask of a killer hardened by years of fighting for her life. "As you know," she starts slowly, "we have the xenos weapons." Sola was of course referring to her gang, Clan Raptore, as she had previously told the acolytes as much. She shakes her head, her eyes downcast and says, "We don't want them. They... there is something very wrong about them. Even being within eyesight makes one uncomfortable. But I need to know, if we give you the weapons, what are you going to do with them?"

Arl took a seat with the group after acknowledging several individuals in the bar. "Destroy them, of course. Ideally, figure out how they got here and who brought them and what the hell Half-Face was using to buy them, but the weapons themselves -- that's not even really a question."

[Bennosuke]

Sola's eyes dart from Arl to study her hands. "It's... it's not that easy," she says, her face flushing slightly in the low light of the tavern, adding, "It can be hard to even look upon the weapons. They are so strange. I dared not even come close."

[dojango]

Luis nods at that. "On my homeworld... there were these huge weird xeno cities, buried in the ice. The clan elders told us not to go near them, that they were... evil... I wish I'd listened to them. If that old offworld trader had listened to them, maybe he wouldn't be stuck in a cage right now bein' tortured. So I think it's for the best that we help ya get rid of them and fast. Penance for my sins, as the preacher man says. We'll go in with blankets and sacks, and try not to look at them. Then we carefully smuggle them outta the tunnels and back up here so we can toss them in an incinerator. It's a pity we've alienated both clan Tora and Clan Sabay... suppose we could get the credit guild to bribe Clan Tora to attack Clan Sabay so we can get past them in the confusion."

[Bennosuke]

"Fine," she says cautiously, nodding her head over and over as if she might be trying to convince herself of Luis' plan, and adds, "that might work." She sighs, shakes her head one last time, and then her countenance changes. Concern melts away and a rakish grin spreads across her rough lips. She says with a wink, "But let's have one last drink at least, before we go back to the underhive."

(OOC: Don't know if further discussion is needed or continued RP is desired within the bar? Otherwise, I need to know if the acolytes plan on doing anything else, or make any other preparations before going back down)

[BananaPhone]

Marcella


"If we can at least get them to a more accessible area, we have people we can call that can finish the rest of the task," Marcella uttered quietly, trying to give some assurance to Sola that even if they could not behold the weapons directly, they had the means to dispose of them.

[Bennosuke]

By the time the railcar finishes trundling back down to the underhive, it's after planetary midnight. The overhead fluorescent lamps have all been dimmed to reflect what might be happening in the night's sky, and the retinue of Enforcers watching the platform has been stripped down by close to half.

The acolytes have their ID badges scanned, while Sola scuttles out from a separate cart, protected by the camouflage of her chameleon cloak. But before the group can make decisions about where they are going to go first, they turn the corner almost immediately into Georgy and Leetus. Leetus, the stooped kid with a face full of pimples has a length of pipe slung over his shoulder with three very plump and very dead looking ryders strung up by their tails. Gangly Georgy has his pistol out, and a flask that he's mid pull from when the acolytes round the corner. He finishes his swallow and says, "Well, look who it is? Where your lot been, eh? We was by Ol' Url's place earlier today and yous was gone." He passes the flask to Georgy who takes a sniggers before he taks a swig from the flask.

[dojango]

"Oh, you know how it is. Business in the upper-hive. Always something these days. Youse got a message for us, or just here to share a drink?" Luis says airly.

[Bennosuke]

Georgy's grin quickly fades into a disappointed frown. "Well yeah! Did yous already forget?" he snarls with frustration, his face turning flush. For a moment it looks like he might raise the pistol in his hand, but instead Georgy keeps it pointed at the ground. He waits for a moment, expecting one of the acolytes to chime up, but says, "Boss Ezruth is still waiting on yous guys for his money. You promised us a hundred thousand thrones!"

(OOC: Please go back and check pages 7 and 8 of this thread. I know it was a long time ago)

[Wyndeward]

Georgy's grin quickly fades into a disappointed frown. "Well yeah! Did yous already forget?" he snarls with frustration, his face turning flush. For a moment it looks like he might raise the pistol in his hand, but instead Georgy keeps it pointed at the ground. He waits for a moment, expecting one of the acolytes to chime up, but says, "Boss Ezruth is still waiting on yous guys for his money. You promised us a hundred thousand thrones!"

(OOC: Please go back and check pages 7 and 8 of this thread. I know it was a long time ago)

"These things take time, Georgy... things have to be checked and double-checked... besides, you think they'd deliver 100,000 Thrones without serious security? When things are sorted and the numbers confirm, Boss Ezruth will get what he's got coming to him. Arl's tone is light as he speaks, but his smile never quite reaches his eyes.

[Bennosuke]

Georgy's frustration turns quickly to embarrassment, though his face remains flushed. "Oh sure. Of course. Gotta admit I don't know nuttin' about nuttin' when it comes to the Upperhive Machine," he says with an uncomfortable grimace. With his free hand, he scratches his head.

"'Ts too bad," the hunchbacked Leetus chimes in eagerly, "I's can't wait to see dem thrones. Any idea how long it will take?"

[Wyndeward]

Georgy's frustration turns quickly to embarrassment, though his face remains flushed. "Oh sure. Of course. Gotta admit I don't know nuttin' about nuttin' when it comes to the Upperhive Machine," he says with an uncomfortable grimace. With his free hand, he scratches his head.

"'Ts too bad," the hunchbacked Leetus chimes in eagerly, "I's can't wait to see dem thrones. Any idea how long it will take?"

"To be honest, it's hard to predict -- but as a rule, the larger the amount, the longer it takes.

[Bennosuke]

"Fine," Georgy says with gruff frustration, "I guess we'll jus' be waiting." He pocket the hand gun by tucking it unceremoniously into the waistband of his ratty brightly colored pants. He looks over at his companion and says, "Well Leetus, les' be goin'." He spits on the ground, and then turns, the pole of strung up mutated rats bowing with the weight of their catch. Leetus gives the acolytes an awkward sort of bow, before turning and racing after his companion.

Once they are gone from sight, Sola allows the her cameleon cloak to deactivate. She scowls at the direction the two gangers disappeared and mutters, "Good for nothing low lives. You best be careful consorting with their lot." She scowls at the group, but doesn't make much more fuss.

(OOC: So do the acolytes go back to Url's hab with all their gear, or do they go straight to the Raptores, allowing Sola to lead them?)

[dojango]

"That line might hold them for a bit, but let's start movin'. The quicker we're done with this, the better we'll be."

Spoiler

Show

Let's leave Url out of this for now

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Marcella had to admit she didn't think that the underhive scum would remember that amount, or at the least, actually believe it was coming their way. Perhaps that's why they remembered it, because anticipation of such an enormous sum would stoke the fires of anticipation and burn the excitement into the long-term memory.

"Lead on," Marcella gestured to Sola, her eyes still focused on the direction the clueless gangers had scurried off to.

[Bennosuke]

Sola's face remains grave, her youthful beauty turned hard. "Very well," she says in reply to Marcella. The ganger's gaze turns left than right, and then she begins walking briskly down the freezing corridor. The only sound in the tunnels is the fall of the acolytes' footsteps, the splash of drops of toxic waste off of hanging green icicles, and the occasional scurry of rodents in the numerous trash heaps. Sola's path takes the acolytes down shafts that grow darker and more narrow, and that wind ever downward. The course is reminiscent of the tunnel that the acolytes became lost down, leading to their interaction with the strange cursed mutant man. The freezing cold threatens to cut through the thick red robes that the acolytes have been given as part of their false identities, and it seems to sharpen the acidic stench of the toxic runoff.

Sola's steps grow faster and faster as she leads, till it almost seems like she might be attempting to flee the acolytes. But then she stops, halting before a rather unassuming scrap of thick metal that perhaps was once the plating to some large armored vehicle, that is leaning against the tunnel wall. Cautiously checking both sides of tunnel, Sola pulls the sheet of metal back, the cords in her neck pulling taught as she strains with the weight of the barrier; revealing a massive crack in the ferrocrete wall. The opening is pitch black, and a gust of warm air rushes from out. "In there," Sola says through gritted teeth. She eyes the acolytes expectantly. The crack is big enough for an adult man to maybe crawl through on his arms and knees, though it might be hard to carry your packs with you.

[Wyndeward]

Sola's face remains grave, her youthful beauty turned hard. "Very well," she says in reply to Marcella. The ganger's gaze turns left than right, and then she begins walking briskly down the freezing corridor. The only sound in the tunnels is the fall of the acolytes' footsteps, the splash of drops of toxic waste off of hanging green icicles, and the occasional scurry of rodents in the numerous trash heaps. Sola's path takes the acolytes down shafts that grow darker and more narrow, and that wind ever downward. The course is reminiscent of the tunnel that the acolytes became lost down, leading to their interaction with the strange cursed mutant man. The freezing cold threatens to cut through the thick red robes that the acolytes have been given as part of their false identities, and it seems to sharpen the acidic stench of the toxic runoff.

Sola's steps grow faster and faster as she leads, till it almost seems like she might be attempting to flee the acolytes. But then she stops, halting before a rather unassuming scrap of thick metal that perhaps was once the plating to some large armored vehicle, that is leaning against the tunnel wall. Cautiously checking both sides of tunnel, Sola pulls the sheet of metal back, the cords in her neck pulling taught as she strains with the weight of the barrier; revealing a massive crack in the ferrocrete wall. The opening is pitch black, and a gust of warm air rushes from out. "In there," Sola says through gritted teeth. She eyes the acolytes expectantly. The crack is big enough for an adult man to maybe crawl through on his arms and knees, though it might be hard to carry your packs with you.

Arl follows Sola after removing his pack and pushing it before him through the crack.

[Morovir]

Emitting a binaric blurt of frustration, Xerros-926 gets down on his hands and knees and follows them.

[Bennosuke]

To Xerros and Arl's surprise, the crack quickly opens up into a circular metal tunnel, where they are both hit in the face hard by a draft of warm moist air. The gust is stale, almost dirty smelling. The tunnel wall/floor is slick metal, and almost hot to the touch. But it is pitch black inside, and without any light source, the two will be left fumbling around by feel alone.

[dojango]

Luis follows into the dark, "This is worse than an ice bear's cave," he grumbles. "Why din't any of us bring a light?"