The Starstream Adventures! (Sci-fi RP)

[Dahlexpert]

Part 2

Aya slowly nodded, looking yo the floor. "I guess... I should have heard your side of the story before judging you, huh?"

"Yea it's also the reason why my race want's to so badly to destroy yours and everything your race stands for. Your basically saying to my kind that get's augmentations, fuck your accomplishments your struggle your pain and all that you've been through to get those augmentations with out knowing what we've been through to get them. That is why we wish to destroy your kind till there crawling in the mud begging for forgiveness."

"But that isn't entirely fair," Aya stated. "We don't want to destroy you like you do us. We just want to inform you. Yes, my people can be pretty smug. But your people don't understand what WE went through. How hard we have had it. How much we had to change without augmenting ourselves."

"Fine then I mentioned why my people get there augmentations, it shows how much the person has changed and that every augmentation was earned through struggling and breaking us down to our core. And that's just my clan, but fine you can explain your side of the story, why does your race hate augmentations or any change to the body so much?"

Aya sighed, and looked down at her hands. "Because... it is what the people who enslaved us did. What they wanted. They didn't just augment some of our ancestors. My people were altered at the genetic level. Mutated. Experimented on. In the time of our enslavement, there were... mass graves were hundreds of grotesque, mutilated Tamearins were dumped."

"Humm" Blisk recalled what he told Aya about his own race and how very simulate the two races truly were. right down to the letter. "Hum I see our kind truly are similar but what happen next?"

"Well... we learned psionics. Our masters thought it would make us more efficient pets and warriors. They were right about the second part. A Tamearin heroine rose up, led my people in an uprising, and destroyed our slavers. When they were gone, we were left alone. Free but lost. We were a savage race, like yours was, and we could have used the technology to improve ourselves. But we feared being just like our enslavers. So we decided to cast of the idea of augmentation and genetic manipulation, and became the calm, rational people we are through self-reflection and supression of emotions."

"Hum I could see how we are so similar, the time we diverged is the choice of augmentations and gen manipulations. A Kotavorge hero combined us to kill our over lords, but he decided to use our enemy's weapons against them while yours went against it."

Aya smiled softly. "I guess we are more alike then different after all, huh?"

"Not as much as I wanted to, I do see now why you hate us. It has to do with your overlords and we remind you of them, while we moved on from them you see them in us."

Aya stood up. "Well, maybe one day we'll all see past our differences and actually get along. I'd prefer that to some meaningless war, don't you?"

"That it would be, I would rather not have my race go to war over a miss understanding. Well anyway i'm sure this has been a interesting talking our peoples history and my augmentations. But I need to return my weapons, and the next space station were on I need to do some cleaning up. Until you and I get some serious money going after the bounty I told you about."

Aya nodded. "We should be in that system pretty soon." She walked to the door, and looked back with a smile. "You know I'm still going to give you a hard time and mess with you, right?"

"Ou I know and I do still plan on giving you a hard time as well, especially once we get to our target. I get to show you and JJ how a professional bounty hunter does things."

Aya laughed. "Take care Blisk." She frowned. "And seriously, check those out of the computer next time," she added before walking out.

"Alright damn I will next time once i'm done with my knives i'll put them back."

 

[Black0ut]

Black0ut & BMPixy present:
“Twin Blades, Kingpins, and a Show of Concern”


The spaceport held many curiosities, but one entering the 'unattractive' areas should always be careful. From the poor drug dealer to the hiding kingpin, many criminals, as well as those just down on their luck, resided there. Corpses produced in such areas are lucky to be retrieved, if retrieved at all.

Obviously, this was not a place for any woman to enter, save for one clad in her blood-red armor that hid her curves and gave her a few inches. With a commanding height of six foot four, Titania walked calmly through the street, unafraid of the weapons they had. Not much, save for plasma weaponry and heavy repeating lasers, could breach her armor. Her visual HUD scrolled over where her target's last known location was. A soft sigh accompanied by a wistful expression presented themselves as she panned her head a little to the right and left. "I should've asked for sustainable flight for this suit…" She grumbled, her voice a little tinned as her speakers on her helmet were a little damaged.


Whilst the sound of vehicles was commonplace in residential areas such as this, a motorcycle engine suddenly cutting out this close to a target was potential cause for alarm. Even more alarming was an armored figure stepping out into the street, clad in gold and blacks, obviously scanning the environment for something before turning their attention to the other stand-out in the area, the armored Titania.

“You are…?” the golden form of OverLion asked, not taking a defensive posture at the sight of the other figure, simply striding forward with utmost confidence.

"Ronin." Titania answered with her bounty hunting name. She quickly took her handle out just in case this turned into a fight preparing for the worst. "You?"

Raising a single finger towards the heavens resting high above, Gazan replied, “Grandmother said this. Slashing his sword, one who will replace the gods.” He paused for a moment, levelling the finger at Titania. “I am… Armor Knight OverLion,” he finished, citing his own art name.

"So in other words, you're someone I don't know and potentially insane. Got it." Titania tilted her head, her other hand gesturing at him. "I'll stay out of your way then as long as you stay out of mine. Fair, CrazyLion?"

The other bounty hunter chuckled and shook his head. “Given we are both here, I would think we’re already in each other’s way,” he said, turning to face off in the last known direction of the target. “You’re here for them as well, no? Or are you their last minute reinforcements, instead?”

"If I was, then I'd be trying to kill you. Given that, you know, I'm not kicking your ass, I'd say we're on the same side." Titania replied, one hand going to her hip. She started walking towards him, her gait a quick one.

“Ah, how unfortunate then,” Gazan said slowly, rubbing the chin of his helmet with a hand. “I was hoping to claim this bounty entirely for the restoration of my house, but I suppose it is only fair that with two hunters, we split according to contribution. Is that agreeable to you, Ronin?” he asked, tilting his head inquisitively.

Titania grabbed him and led him around a building with surprising strength. "First, don't mention you're a hunter in here. You probably just doubled the guard for the target as the residents don't take kindly to us. Second, yes, I agree. And thirdly, I already know who two of the guards are. Now… turn to…" Ronin held up her hand in a fist. She lifted a finger, then two, back down to one and up to four.

Gazan’s eyes shifted within his helmet to trigger the sensors on his HUD to tune to that specific frequency, though from the outside it seemed as though by thought he spoke over that channel. “Doubling trash does not give it worth,” he replied coolly over the radio, seemingly unphased by this series of events. “But nevertheless, I am pleased to hear you offer your cooperation, Ronin. So, your intelligence?”

Titania sighed irritably, tapping her helmet. Four photos arrived on Gazan's HUD, showing him a predicted number of thirty-four guards, with three being marked above the norm. "The Fee is a weapons engineer, wanted alive for trial and subsequent execution on a planet called Cersei. Bounty is fifteen thousand credits. Due to this, the criminals have Fee-grade weaponry, or at least the officers and bodyguards do. Next, is Kolshei Vilanov. Shinso of unknown subspecies. Strong, genetically modified to rip people in half and bend metal. Former pirate hunter gone bad. So more than likely knows our tactics. Bounty set at twenty thousand, with possibility for exchange with Military-grade gear. Last one is only known by as the Ghost. More than likely a sniper of some renown and apparently able to scrub their information from the system. Capture and Confirmation of Ghost… Unknown reward from a Fee system. Besides those three, we have our last target, which you already know but I'm going to say it anyways, because fuck you. Typical kingpin-type with a generic ass name, Bob Kingsley. Bounty is five thousand credits-"

Titania looked around the street-side corner to see ten men trying to sneak up on the two. "Company… let's avoid them for now and sneak towards the four bounties." Titania whispered, her outer speakers disabled.

Gazan shook his head and held up a finger, reaching into his belt pouch and withdrawing a singular card from it, before slipping it into his belt buckle. A robotic voice intoned, “Scan Vent” over the comms channel, and the Shinso’s visor briefly blazed red, before switching to a cool and soothing green.

“No, hyperwave shows only one of them with broadcasting equipment,” he said firmly over radio. “If we snag him first, then we’ll be up ten on the scorecard and have a free blitz onto the main targets. It’s the tall human with it, if you wish to know.” Stepping forth, he edged his way to the corner of the building, still scanning the targets, waiting for the right moment to pop out and strike.

A hand held him back. "Lion. This is a residential zone. A stray shot from their guns puts innocent lives at risk. So instead of ambushing them, I recommend we pick them off one by one. It gives us access to their comms and we can proceed forward with knowledge of their movements. It also ensures low civilian casualties if any at all." Ronin suggested, her HUD showing her a child playing with some toys, through the window of a house across the street.

Silently the Armor Knight gazed at Ronin, his mask displaying no emotion. After a momentary assessment of the plan, he nodded. “Very well,” he said, reaching into his belt pouch for another pair of cards. “I shall seize the high ground,” he finished, sliding the first card into his belt buckle, prompting a “Jump Vent” over the comms. Shaking off Titania’s hand, Gazan pounced in a blur of motion, grabbing onto a third story balcony, swinging himself up for another jump, and then finishing his ascent with a vault onto the roof.

Titania peaked around the corner, hitting a button on her sword to cause it to extend to three feet. "Try to be quiet, Lion. If we're too loud, we risk drawing the attention of stronger enemies before we get to their compound. When they get closer to me, do whatever you're going to. I'll follow up with my sword, so don't worry about over-exposing yourself."

“Understood,” Gazan said, waiting, second card held just outside of belt buckle. As the enemies approached Titania’s position, he finally slid that card into position, prompting another declaration from the belt, but this time aloud, for all to hear.

“Smoke Vent,” his belt declared, and shortly afterwards two replicated smoke grenades descended on the cluster of enemies, fragmenting into foul violet smoke as they landed in the midst of the formation - followed shortly by Gazan himself, executing a devastating aerial stomp upon the radio operator.

Titania dashed out of cover and towards the smoke, her blade extending to six feet. "Lay on the ground." Titania ordered as she swung her sword, hewing through sinew and bone as the blade went through the crime lord's men almost like a hot knife through butter. Limbs and chests fell down as seven bodies fell to the ground, torso-less.

Where others might see a need to dodge, Gazan instead saw as opportunity. He leaned back far and deep to avoid the blade, but as he did his foot caught the laser rifle of the unfortunate radio operator, slipping under it and snapping it up just in time for it, too, to be bisected by Titania’s blade. The two halves of the rifle spun backwards, smashing directly into the faces of the remaining two criminals, stunning them and leaving them open as Gazan turned his momentum into a leaping backflip. Twisting ninety degrees in midair, the Armor Knight caught the two guards’ heads - one with his arms and the other with his legs, positioned such that one limb was behind their neck whilst the other was pressing against their face. Gazan’s inertia forced the entire trio to descend to the concrete, and as the two criminals impacted, the limb behind their neck provided support whilst the one against their face pressed hard, and the only way to handle the sudden pressure and impact was the sickening snap of bone.

 

[Black0ut]

“Twin Blades, Kingpins, and a Show of Concern, Part 2"


"Nice move." Ronin said before a smiling icon of a woman with red hair popped up onto his screen. "Let's hide the bodies so we don't alert our enemies. I'll start on the bodies, so see if you can access their frequency." As if to accentuate this point, Titania picked up two arms and one leg to drag away to their previous hiding spot.

Gazan flipped himself back to his feet, raising a thumb in acknowledgement of Ronin’s request as he began patting down the radio operator to find where he was keeping his comms. Finding it in a bag strapped to his leg, the Shinso began probing it figure out what the settings were. “Four four four point four,” Gazan said, setting that frequency to be listen-only on his own suit. “Seems to be their tac-net,” he added after a brief listen. With that, he grabbed the mauled corpse of the radioman and the two men unfortunate enough to be behind him, hefted them over a shoulder, and began moving them to the hiding spot as well.

She tuned in as well, as she finished with her first load of bodies. Picking up a similar amount of halves, Ronin asked over comms. "So, Lion, who's your target in all this? I never really got a chance to verify with you."

“My primary target is Kolshei,” Gazan answered, setting down the corpses and moving to the next set. “In addition to local bounties, he is also wanted in Shinso space for participating in the kidnapping and ransoming of Marquess Cosette Shilage Agelique d’Gehr. However, since their entire crew has bounties on their head, I decided it best to aim for the lot. Best to bring in all of one’s groceries in a single trip, after all.”

"Fair enough. I'm after the weapons manufacturer. After all, slavery off every known sapient species is against most of galactic nations' rules. So is weapons testing on said slaves." Ronin finished her load and began to head back. "And the same thought hit me too. That's a lot of money to get to upgrade my weapons, armor, and fighter. As well as getting my boss a stable chair." She paused with two halves in her hands as a broadcast came through.

"This is Ghost. Eyes on intruders. Permission to shoot?" A soft androgynous voice whispered.

"Lion… did you just catch that?"

Gazan nodded. “Ten meter spacing. See if we can triangulate their position,” he commanded, craning his neck to see if he could spot the telltale glint of a scope. “That’ll be our next big lead.”

There was no glint in the distance and there were several vantage points ahead that'd a sniper might choose. "I hope your instincts are right, Lion. I don't think we should stop hiding the corpses, however. If they have a visual on us, doing anything other than covering our tracks might mean we get shot." Titania picked up more halves, but subtly made sure that she was never behind or in front of Gazan.

"You're to watch and observe the intruders. If they are engaged or your position blown, you are to open fire." Came a deep,masculine voice that boomed even over the tactical comms.

“Received that first transmission from bearing 330,” Gazan said, mentally measuring the angle and distance between him and Titania the moment they received that transmission. Reaching down grab another set of severed limbs, he asked, “Second was about 300. What of you?”

"Similar. 315 for first, 335 for second." Ronin answered as she dropped off her third round of half-bodies. "Any plans for escaping our unseen sniper?"

“Grandmother said this,” Gazan quoted after a moment of thought, tossing the last of the bodies into the pile. “Those who act rule the world.” With a swipe of his index and middle fingers through the air, he ‘tossed’ a minimap of the area to Titania’s HUD, with two dots printed on it - one labelled with ‘Ghost’, the other with ‘HQ’. “Since we know his approximate location, we can break line of sight. We’ll take my Bidoron Chaser, appear to disengage, before snapping around through Tenkaichi Alley and run up right on them,” he finished, tracing the route through the map. “And then, once we’ve engaged their main force, the sniper will be neutralized as a threat once we move into melee.”

Titania nodded. "I like the way you think. Alright, we'll go with your plan, Lion. Just try not to get us killed okay?" Ronin finished tossing the rest of the corpses behind the building. "By the way, can your bike support my suit as well? Given that we both probably weigh a lot in these…"

“My motorcycle stands at the top of all motorcycles,” Gazan reassured confidently. With two fingers, he motioned for her to follow him to where he had parked the motorcycle - a sleek black and gold machine, the aesthetics of a sports bike but exuding the rugged power of an off-road beast. As Gazan slid onto the seat, the machine recognized it’s owner and revved to life, a powerful and low hum.

Ronin nodded at the bike, admiring the obvious craftsmanship. "Okay, I admit… it's a fucking beautiful bike." She murmured before deactivating her blade as she jumped on. She wrapped an arm around his waist, securing her gun in her other hand.

As soon as he was certain that Titania was secure, the Shinso gunned the engine, immediately taking off to follow the route he prepared. First they would head in the complete opposite direction of the sniper, until the dense buildings of the spaceport slums blocked line of sight. Knowing this would take more than a minute, Gazan decided to speak. “You are very capable it seems, Ronin,” he lead off. “Most would gawk at seeing a man dive from a third story roof, however I am glad to see you could act fast.”

"Three years as a bounty hunter tends to make you see a lot. That, and if I didn't, you'd be very much shot from every angle. So… because I'm winning our little agreement, you're going to buy me a drink, after all is said and done, of course." Ronin smiled under her helmet and another icon of a smirking red-haired woman flashed onto Gazan's screen.

“I would have offered even if you were losing - I am a gentleman, after all,” Gazan replied, his tone very much not humbling himself. As he turned slightly to follow the winding road, he added, “Three years, was it? That puts you starting around the same time I did. Perhaps that year was a blessed year for bounty hunters.”

"Maybe. Everyone I've met so far, save for a fairly-cute Tamearin who just began his career, started around that time. If anything, I've had some trouble in getting jobs as a bounty hunter, but as just a pilot I end up with too many." Ronin sighed, smiling under her helm. "I'll admit, I'm better at flying than I am fighting on the ground. Then again, most of my gene mods are for flying my fighter. Guess that means if you ever need someone to get you somewhere safe, you can call on me for twenty percent of the bounty."

“Unfortunately between my beloved steed and a membership aboard a bounty hunting starship crew, I find little need for such services. However, if you wish, I could put you in contact with the captain, perhaps she might have need of a pilot and another bounty hunter,” the noble replied. “Consider it a token of good will for your aid in this endeavor,” he added.

"Would if I could. I just signed up with a captain and I was one of her earliest hires. So I wish I could, but breaking a contract always leaves a sour taste in my mouth, so to speak." She said softly. "But I appreciate the offer nonetheless."

“Hold on for a moment, in both senses,” Gazan said, focusing on his driving for the next turn. Measuring a few angles in his head and counting down - 3, 2… When he hit zero, he snapped his left foot down and twisted the handlebars of his bike, twisting the bike into a near 90 degree right turn whilst losing as little momentum as possible, using his leg as a pivot point to redirect all of the bike’s momentum as he rocketed down an alleyway. And then, as if that had not occurred, he continued talking. “I had not heard of another crew in the region,” he said, weaving around a dumpster. “Pray tell, who leads them?”

"I suppose I trust you enough… her name's Jackie-Jackie Jetstorm. Why? Do you want to convince her to let me go?" Ronin asked, her tone a little flirtatious.

“Captain Jetstorm?” Gazan asked, looking back for a moment before just as quickly returning his eyes to the narrow road. Giving a short bark of laughter, he shook his head. “Well, whatever reasons I had before, they are of no matter - it seems I offered you your own job,” he said.

"What?" Came the briefly confused reply before it turned into a chuckle. "Ah. Okay, good to know you and I will be seeing each other quite frequently, Lion. My, uh, offer still stands. You can hitch a ride with me if a bounty takes you further than you expect from the Golden Wind."

“I shall keep it in mind,” Gazan said warmly, as the bike slowly circled back around through the winding streets to hit the target’s residence from a new angle. “4 minutes to arrival. Do you have a plan in mind for impact? Do not worry if you do not, I stand at the top of improvisation, after all.”

"You know, saying that doesn't instill the best sense that you actually can, Lion." Ronin groaned, letting go of her compatriot. "As for plans… that depends. Want my gun or blade?"

 

[Black0ut]

“Twin Blades, Kingpins, and a Show of Concern, Part 3"


“Can you do both?” OverLion asked in return, choosing to ignore the earlier comment.

"If you have a spare laser pistol, I could. But not my assault rifle and sword. Already tried and nearly died as a result." She explained, a hand brushing where her cheek would be.

Gazan nodded at that information. “A tragedy narrowly averted, then,” he said, taking one hand off the handlebars to reach into his card pouch and retrieve a card from it. He inserted it into his belt buckle, prompting a “Shoot Vent” from the vocalizer, as well as the materialization of a phaser pistol in Gazan’s empty hip holster. Grabbing it, he offered it back to Titania. “Carry the Evoltech Shooter well, it is a legendary weapon of mine.”

Titania moved her assault rifle to her back, mag-locking it to prevent its fall onto the ground. She took the gun into her hand, looking it over. "Shot capacity or recharge time?" She asked, securing it to her hip with a more manual armor mag-lock.

“Thirty seconds of beam on kill setting, sixty on stun,” Gazan explained, making the last turn before the final approach to the target. “If you find yourself dry, I can provide another. Hold the trigger for continuous fire, though that should only be necessary on heavily shielded or armored targets.”

"My sword can deal with heavy armor, but the shields will be a bitch and a half to deal with. Remember, Ghost and your guy are wanted alive. Everyone else is optional. Okay?" Titania said quietly, her handle going into her free hand.

“Do not worry, Ronin. I am the one who stands at the top of bringing in targets alive, after all,” he reassured. “In the rear compartment you may find plenty of heavy duty zip-ties, if you need more proof than my word.”

"I got my own. Three is enough for the important targets." Ronin started before her enhanced eyesight let her notice something in another building that looked down on the street. A glint of something that they hadn't seen. "I see an alley up ahead. Turn quickly into it when I say so." Gazan gave a single click of his mic in affirmation, eyeing up the proper angle to enter the alley. Once he got the signal, he repeated his little trick from earlier, snapping his left foot down once more as a pivot point to twist the bikes forward velocity into rotational velocity, before releasing it and snapping off down the aforementioned alleyway.

“What did you see?” OverLion asked as he maneuvered through the tight confines between buildings.

"A glint-" A beam of energy, obviously plasma-based, nearly nailed Titania's back, "from Ghost. I think we're now being pursued by a superior foe. I don't know about you, but my armor can't withstand extremely heated plasma shots from sniper rifles. So… if we're going in, I hope you know how to drive evasively."

“My bike’s shielding should be enough to stop a single shot,” Gazan said, “however, it is only meant to protect the driver and the bike itself. You won’t be completely covered.” His instincts flaring, Gazan leaned the bike sideways as they passed through the gap between two buildings, a second plasma shot glancing off the top of the shields where the Shinso’s head had been a moment before. Clicking his tongue, Gazan added, “He’s not half-bad. However, I have been shot by far better; this will not prove too difficult.”

"I swear if I get shot, you're paying my medical bills, Lion." Ronin grumbled, passing her sword to her other hand and extending it out to two feet. She began twirling it rapidly; fast enough the blade disappeared instead for a vague blue circle. " Let me know if you're doing something crazy so I can deactivate it, Lion." Another shot went in front of the bike by a singular yard, missing them narrowly once more.

Gazan clicked his mic once more as he danced his bike through the streets, ducking between buildings to avoid what sniper shots that weren’t parried by Titania. He quickly glanced up at his mini-map, and grunted in frustration. “This path… it’ll take us right back into line of sight of the first sniper. A proper killzone.” His eyes returned to the road - or rather, the buildings around them, looking for something to spark a plan. Another shot lanced forth, this time striking true and bursting the bike’s shield in a cascade of shimmering colors, though not penetrating further.

Ronin sighed, a feeling of unease as she clambered up OverLiom, using her armor's mag-lock in order to do so. Making it up to his shoulders, she crouched as low as she was able to; a height of five-six wasn't reassuring, but she had no choice. "Drive straight at them. I should be able to use my armor to make my arm move faster and deflect their shots, but… my arm will be shredded. Expect me to not be as good at fighting." With that, her blade extended to six feet and began swinging in a circular motion, narrowly missing the bike's display.

“It is good of you to be bold Ronin,” Gazan said with utmost confidence. “However, as I said before - I stand at the top of improvisation,” he finished, spotting what he was looking for. One hand withdrew a card from his belt as the other twisted the handle, twisting around a plasma round. However, rather than insert it into his belt, he slid it into a slot on the bike’s dashboard. “I am doing something crazy now.”

“Boost Vent,” the Armor Knight’s belt intoned, as Gazan slammed his right leg into the pavement for one more sharp turn - this time aiming directly for a window.

"Fuck fuck fuck!" Ronin panicked as she latched her hands onto his shoulders, making sure to deactivate the blade, hoping to whatever deity that might be listening that she would not end up prematurely squished against a window.

Two things would happen in the space of the next few moments. The first would be that the unseen sniper would fire, having predicted a turn at this moment. The second would be the Bidoron Chaser’s engine to kick into overdrive, revving with unholy power as Gazan struggled to keep it in control and on target as he turned. With those two events taken together the result was this - a narrow miss, plasma arcing just between the two bounty hunter’s heads, and the bike rocketing forward, smashing through the glass into the warehouse besides them, arcing shards catching what little sun reached this corner of the spaceport.

"Holy shit, this speed…!" Was all Ronin could say before both of her feet were ripped away from OverLion's shoulders to dangle behind them. "F-fuck…!"

“Liberating, is it not?” Gazan said with a laugh, dancing out of the way of an abandoned pallet of crates and other paraphernalia left behind when this facility was abandoned. “If one sniper was on one side of the building, and the other on the other, well, that means if we were between them, we’re only one turn away from the target!” he continued to explain. “Brace yourself, we’re going to be coming in like the 53rd Caineghis Cavalry Regiment!” With one more twist of the throttle, he aimed the motorcycle at the next window - and beyond it, Kingsley’s figurative front yard.

"I am holding onto your fucking shoulders! I can't brace myself!" Titania yelled over comms, her armor letting her know that it was at five percent for her left hand and twenty for her right.

With the angle already lined up, Gazan was forced to rely on the motorcycle’s natural gyroscope to keep it straight as he let go of the handlebars to reach back to grab Titania by the wrists, the awkward angle making it difficult for him to pull her forward, but nonetheless he put his strength to the task, as seconds remained before impact.

She landed back onto the bike, her legs gripping the machinery with a death grip as she freed a hand to wrap around his waist. Her sword hand however remained under his, as she was more concerned with reassuring herself that she wouldn't fall off or nearly do so again. Just in time, as another floor-to-ceiling window shattered before the Bidoron Chaser, and Gazan slammed on the brakes as they skidded up to Kingsley’s hideout, narrowly dodging a sightline that would expose them to sniper fire.

Ronin hopped off, wrenching her hand away from her compatriot's in time to use her sword to block a laser from a surprised henchman. Titania's free hand grabbed and returned fire with a stun shot that immediately knocked the poor Cartus out.

As if in the calm of the storm, various individuals numbering in the twenties stared at them, a myriad of weapons from simple laser pistols to rifle to even a mounted minigun. The criminal kingpin was there too; he himself was in fancy clothes and held an ancient looking revolver. However, the burly criminal Shinso was nowhere to be seen.

"You get the right, I'll get the left." And with that statement, Ronin was off and the proverbial the gates of hell bursted forth as innumerous laser shots, beams, and several explosions fired off at both of them. Titania stabbed a man through and used his body as a shield, allowing her to shoot bursts of the beam on stun to render more opponents unconscious.

Gazan hardly had time to put down the kickstand on his motorcycle before the party kicked off in full force, forcing the noble to dive to the side to avoid the worst of the barrage of fire. “What, no time to introduce ourselves?” he said over comms, finding time to retrieve a pair of cards before he had to dodge again. “Ah well, no time like the present,” he said, landing in a crouch from his roll and sliding the cards into his belt.

 

[Black0ut]

“Twin Blades, Kingpins, and a Show of Concern, Part 4"


With a chime of “Guard Vent” and “Sword Vent” from his belt, Gazan retrieved his Sunrise Saber and his shield, the Fortress Caineghis, from where they materialized, leaping into action - parrying laser blasts with the kite shield and cutting down those who entered the range of his power-cavalry saber.

“Grandmother said this,” he began over his speakers, cutting through rifle and man in one clean blow, “Slashing his sword, one who will replace the gods.” Two more cuts, as Gazan flowed like water through the battlefield. “I am… Armor Knight OverLion!” he finished with a shout, just before having to hunker behind his shield to weather a burst of minigun fire.

"Really? In the middle of combat?" Ronin groaned as she twirled her blade, the near skeletal remain of her quite literal human shield was nearly vaporized as she blocked more incoming fire; her sword cutting through it to hive her an effective shield to block enemy fire. Using the pistol sparingly, she made it up to the minigunner, slashing his hands off and kicking him down.

However, such a risky tactic of charging forth prevented her from knowing that the terrifying Shinso she'd been hunting had opened a door and snuck up right behind her. With a swift grab, he slammed her into the side of the building and through neo-concrete and metal. She landed in what looked to be a rather lavish parlor, her head aching but she only had enough time to get up and ready her blade before the Shinso came at her again. Slashing his arm clean off proved to not be a hinderance or cause him to react, evident as he grabbed her helmet, crushing the metal frame into her head before chucking her next to the giant hole he created the first time.With another explosion of neo-concrete and metal, Ronin landed next to the minigun, her armor now marred with cracks, scratches and a bit of blood leaking out of the bottom part of her helmet.

"You not so tough, little man. Perhaps woman?" The Shinso said as he walked forward through the first hole. "No matter, I squish."

Gazan cursed internally as he spotted Titania’s situation through the corner of his eye, between slashing down gunmen. However, whilst he couldn’t reach her in time to dramatically cut down the foe, he did have another card up his sleeve, this time figuratively. Finding a pause in the fire, he shouted out across the din of the battlefield. “If that’s how you treat a woman, it’s no wonder the Marquess didn’t come quietly!” he taunted. “Your pride as a warrior is lacking; but I suppose that’s to be expected for a man from Legenstraht!” Another mook found his life cut short, and Gazan took that opportunity to press his momentum towards Kolshei now that he had his attention - shield up, and sword low, the signature stance of Caineghis-Kruger swordsmanship.

The other Shinso roared in anger, ripping the mounted minimum from its stand to use as a club. He rushed down towards Gazan. "I thought you all died out! This is great, I get to kill the last living member of Caineghis-Kruger; a poor, inbred noble!"

“Though my family tree is a tangled mess,” Gazan said, parrying the improvised club, the shock sending needles up his arm, “my ancestors are far more distantly related than your mother and the beast who bred her!” Using the impact of the club on his shield as a free source of momentum, Gazan twisted on his heel, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick to the other Shinso’s jaw. In the moment of recovery from the blow, the noble flipped to his comms, whispering, “Stay low, stay still. I shall handle a knight’s duty.”

"I will. Just… don't lose." Came the pained response, along with a couple groans as Ronin pretended to be unconscious.

“Lose? Me?” Gazan replied confidently, ducking a wild swipe. “Well, we have only met today,” he said, planting a boot in Kolshei’s chest, pushing him back enough for Gazan to press forward for another charge. Thankfully enough, most of the criminals had enough common sense to not shoot into a close melee, which the noble seized on - sliding under a swing of the minigun to catch Kolshei’s legs between his own, twisting and bringing the behemoth down. Instinct demanded that OverLion move in for a mount, but he suppressed it, knowing it would be suicide with this many guns on him.

Instead, however, Gazan untangled his legs from the ex-pirate hunter’s, briefly twisting himself into a handstand. From that position, and before the large target he was making could be capitalized on, he pressed off with his arms, twisting in mid-air to bring down his shield directly onto Kolshei’s face. However, the criminal did possess some combat sense, blocking the shield drop, and then using his genetically enhanced bulk to heave the Armor Knight off of him and through the air - Gazan’s armored bulk instead coming down on a hapless pistolier who neglected to dodge in time.

Gazan hissed in pain, spinning himself to a low crouching position, knowing he only had a few moments before shots started pouring in now that he was distant from Kolshei. Pressing off, a few quick laser rounds crackling off of his shield, Gazan entangled himself in battle once more, his shield pressing hard against the by now thoroughly ruined minigun Kolshei wielded. Gazan knew he could defeat this man if he didn’t have to worry about being shot, but he also knew that in order to neutralize the guns on him would require Kolshei’s defeat. So, he compromised, beaming a comms message to Titania as the two Shinso began another dance of blows.

“Ronin - can you aim?” he asked.

Instead of answering, several men had intense and heavy laser fire bursts shoot them down, before a voice that was somewhat static-filled yelled, "Stand down immediately or I will not fucking hesitate to vaporize your asses!" The damaged bounty hunter, despite her helmet's ragged look, could still see through her visor and obliterate her opponents, which she utilized as she fired her family's rifle near the last remnants of guards to solidify her point.

With the threat of the a rifle that seemed to turn them into mincemeat and several corpses to convince them, the last four men dropped their weapons and kept their hands up. "Fuck him… up… Lion." Titania murmured, her voice letting him know how hard she was fighting to stay conscious.

“Good work, Ronin,” Gazan genuinely praised, pressing Kolshei off of him one final time, then smashing him further back with the shield for good measure. “Feel satisfied in leaving the rest to me,” he finished, withdrawing a card from his belt, sliding it into his buckle, and turning his back on Kolshei.

“Final Vent,” his belt intoned over comms as Gazan’s suit redirected power, though from the way Kolshei wordlessly roared and charged in, he didn’t notice the crackling energy around the other Shinso’s right foot.

“Knight… Kick,” Gazan said, twisting on his heel for a counter-hit revolving roudhouse, smashing into the gene-modded Shinso’s chest. The electricity arced and crackled and finally blasted the unfortunate Kolshei into the wall, smashing him through the one remaining standing portion between the two holes he himself made. Settling down from the finishing blow, Gazan turned to Kinsley, levelling a finger at him. “Now then, you know the choice before you now, don’t you?” he asked the human.

The man grit his teeth enraged, but dropped his gunpowder weapon. "You fucking bounty hunters always piss me off…" He held his arm up to reveal a watch to look at it before his pissed off look faded in lieu of a triumphant one. "Ghost, fire."

Nothing happened, as the wind was the only indicator of a response. "Ghost, fucking fire." Still no response came. "You bitch, I'll let the wo-" a plasma beam tore through the sky, but instead of hitting the Lion or the more vulnerable Ronin, it obliterated the kingpin's chest a hole where his heart used to be.

"Don't hunt me again, Lion and Ronin. I won't think twice of killing you both." Came the surprisingly soft and calm voice of the sniper.

Gazan, as much as his pride wanted him to pursue the sniper, took a look at the state Ronin was in and nodded. “Do not give us cause to, and that shall be an easy deal to keep,” he bluntly replied, “is what I’d like to say, but I know your type. Instead, I shall be glad to let you spread the tale of my, no, our deeds amidst your circle. Be banished, spectre.”

A chuckle came over the comms. "Taunt me again while I'm here and your partner will die. Farewell, OverLion."

Gazan merely shook his head and shrugged like this was something that couldn’t be helped, before turning to check on Ronin, moving quickly to her side and dismissing his weapons in a flash of light. “How are you? Any serious pains, broken bones?” he asked, letting a slight touch of concern slip into his voice as he examined her. “Show me your eyes - need to check for concussion.”

Ronin paused before falling back onto her legs. She paused, her hands going up to her helmet and with a soft click and slight swoosh, she took off her helmet. The first thing he noticed was how soaked in blood her face was; one of her eyes was closed and moreover swollen shut, several large cuts above her long red hair, which helped conceal the wounds. Her ears stretched out, one cut and slightly bleeding, but otherwise fine. Her Golden eye stared straight up at him, whilst giving him a weak smile. "So, Lion… how's… it going?"

 

[Black0ut]

“Twin Blades, Kingpins, and a Show of Concern, Part 5"


“Well, it could be a lot worse,” Gazan said lightly, knowing to keep her talking whilst briefly glancing over the unconscious heap Kolshei laid in. “How many fingers am I holding up?” he asked as he crouched down beside her, holding up his index and middle fingers. “Count wisely, it’s the denominator of the fraction of the pay you’ll get.”

"I went through two… walls and had my helmet somewhat crushed while I... was wearing it. And I'm tired as hell. I know I have a concussion. So… don't do the test. Just…" a short cough produced some blood that she quickly wiped away, "don't treat me… like an invalid."

“You have my apologies. I was merely hoping that your medical expenses wouldn’t impact my cut too harshly,” Gazan said, remembering the other four criminals were still standing around, disarmed. Grabbing his Evoltech Shooter, he twisted and snapped off a quarter of rapid-fire shots to stun them before they remembered they could run away. “Don’t try to stand, I’ll call an ambulance when I call the police to pick these people up,” he said, dismissing the pistol as well.

As if her ears had gone deaf, she tried to stand regardless. She stumbled and nearly fell when she got up, grabbing her helmet as she did so. "N-no. I… can walk." She gave another weak smile as she placed her helmet back on, hiding the bloodied and tired face. " I'll be fine. Just… need to get back to the ship and rest." She took a few steps before her sword flicked out to four feet and seemed to solidify, or rather, it's containment field became denser so it acted more like a metal blade. She used it to help her walk, but even though she tried, it was obvious she could be easily defeated by any of the common mooks that she had been dealing with.

“You just admitted a moment ago that you were injured,” Gazan said, slowly standing up to follow the injured foxgirl. “In fact, I’d say a fly could defeat you as you are now.” Pressing a firm hand to her shoulder to hold her back, he continued, “Grandmother said this. A warrior who leans on their sword is destined to fall.”

"Enough with the… 'grandmother said this' stuff. Talk like a regular… person…" Her armored hand grabbed his with surprising strength. That is until began to fade, her hand dropping away.

“I refuse,” Gazan stated bluntly. “However, unlike you and medical care, I have the luxury to do so.” With that said, his own hand slipped from Titania’s shoulder, before slipping around her waist and suddenly hoisting her over his shoulder. “After all, I can force you to accept.”

Her helmet seemed to elicit more blood as a result. "Ple-ase?" She whispered, her golden eye beginning to shut.

“I have already called the authorities,” Gazan replied. “But do continue to protest. Letting you slip into unconsciousness would be a failure on my part.”

"I… guess… you… fail…" Ronin finally went limp, her head wound and blood loss finally overpowering her immense willpower.

OverLion’s head twisted to the woman he carried in a rare show of shock. “Ronin?” he asked, and upon not finding an answer, sighed and clicked his tongue, glad that between his mask and him being the only person conscious, none could see his visible frustration. Gently he laid the woman down beside his bike, waiting for the distant sounds of sirens to finally reach their location.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

BMPixy & DarkGemini24601: “Basic Necessities and Plum Pudding, Part 1”

Two pairs of two-dozen skyscrapers rose off the surface of a patchwork-mined asteroid base, although their Earthborn name functioned as a misnomer. In the expanse of void between stars, directions were all relative. Here, the builders of the waystation had placed the distinction artificially. Bright blue lights blinked along the circular facades of the upper structures, while cool red lights denoted those facing downwards. All consisted of two layers: the exterior resembled a planetary city’s windowed skyscrapers. There, mag-boots provided stargazers their connection to the ground running up and down. The main volume of each metallic pinion lay inside, however. The interior structures generated artificial gravity the old-fashioned way, with gyro-propelled centrifuges that created a vertical floor. In truth--save for the hangar within the asteroid--the station’s population lived sideways contrary to the surface’s design.

For someone who hadn’t lived in space a few years, Teriot Station would have been hopelessly confusing. The design still disoriented Lina Vizcarra at first, but after visiting a market-scraper for a stock of holo-vids, she’d regained her bearings. At the moment, she walked the rim of another protruding structure, taking in a glimpse of the sector’s backdrop of lights before going inside. A conveyor line adjusted her footing, twisting her to the side as she entered the nature preserve within.

Something about the air felt fresher, even though Lina doubted there was an empirical reason for it. The trees swayed along air-conditioned wind, casting shadows in the way of the sun-lamp’s central glow. Other sentients--humans, mostly--roamed along the stone pathways enjoying the retreat from steel corridors and boundless space. Their majority presence here made spotting the odd-sapient(s)-out much quicker. Lina recognized him from her on-ship files, although she’d never had a chance to meet the hulking Azisin until now.

Were it not for their clearly biological nature, a passerby might assume the stock still form of Chuck was a statue, standing before a cluster of flowering bushes in silent contemplation. A few pollinating birds had even taken to resting on their shoulders, being completely unfamiliar with and thus unfearful of the Azisin. And then, as if prompted by some unseen decision, the cook gently plucked a single crimson flower and inserted it into their main mouth - all the while, seeming oblivious to the world. Chuck rumbled as they processed the flavor of the bud, the deep vibration causing the birds to scatter. With whatever arcane idea they had fully acted upon, the Azisin simply turned in placed, scanning the environment for the next thing to pique their attention.

Lina caught the attention of the sensory Azis as she approached. “People call you Chuck, correct? I’m Lina Vizarra, the Golden Wind’s physician.”

“That is our designation, yes,” the Azis answered, lazily leaning back to observe the stars through the dome. “We would have expected to meet more of that vessel’s crew during meal times. It seems this continues to not be the case,” they observed, lowering their attention to the physician.

“I’ve been busy, admittedly. There’s a lot of research to be done on the variety of species we have aboard the ship, amongst other things like keeping an eye on local bounties and the like,” Lina explained, looking up and finding it hard to locate somewhere to focus her eyes. “And I’d feel a bit ungrateful if I didn’t meet our cook in person before indulging myself to their cooking.”

“We suppose it is appropriate to want to avoid such feelings,” Chuck said, turning and beginning to walk away, one of their beefy primary arms waving in something approximating an indication to follow. “To have another perform a task one is capable of is to invite debt; debt solved through gratitude is still solved.”

Lina processed his manner of speech for a moment before following in Chuck’s wake. “That’s fair,” the half-Tamearin conceded. “Perhaps I could have handled our meeting differently, but the past is the past - and this is a rather pleasant venue for conversation.” She watched a trio of birds fly overhead, envying psions with empathic abilities for a fleeting moment before turning her attention back to the Azisin. “There’s a lot about you and your species that I’d like to learn more about, if you’re willing to share. The GFP archives only cover so much.”

Chuck gently rumbled for a moment, a deep and low sound as the Azis debated amongst themselves. “Opportunity for us both, then,” they said, their long strides making short work of the reserve’s pathways. “There is much of one-minds we do not understand, and information is another thing to be exchanged. Begin where you will.”

Information for information, then. Lina nodded in consideration. “The experience of being many minds joined is obviously beyond my experience. You’re speaking to me as the collective, but are the Azis individuals in their own right? Or would they be incomplete entities if they were to speak on their own?”

Chuck was silent for a long moment, mulling over the question and how to put it into spoken language. “Appropriate metaphor is this,” they began. “Societies speak to other societies through ambassadors. Do they speak on their own, or for their society? Should one be without a country, are they incomplete? Similarly, what of manual laborer of that land? Are they incomplete because another speaks for them?”

The pair passed over a pair of streams that intersected beneath the bridge, flowing into a thicker waterway that continued on into a grove of oaks. “So an Azisin is a representation of the many voices within them, then. Simultaneously a tool for communication and its own, unique whole. I think I understand a little better, now,” Lina assessed, her forehead creased together in thought. “Very well. The next question is yours.”

Chuck paused in their walk, reaching out to press a primary hand to one of the mighty oaks. “The purpose of this refuge eludes us. There are few materials growing here that are safe or appropriate for consumption, the wild-life is not appropriate for hunting, and most here are simply walking and observing,” they analyze. “We would believe that the resources spent on this would be better used for survival, yet they are used here instead. Why?”

“It’s an emotional consideration. A lot of species like humans and Tamearins value those about as much as survival,” Lina explained. “Nature preserves offer a reminder of the planetary environments we come from. It’s refreshing for us to be somewhere simulating those places instead of artificial, constructed environments. For ‘one-minds’ to function efficiently, we often need to spend some of our time in repose. It seems contradictory, but a lot of our psychology is that way.” The doctor shrugged. “For instance, this is obviously a recreation rather than an authentic terrestrial park, but it’s close enough for most.”

The giant hummed at that, doing an approximation of a nod as they let go of the tree, continuing along their way. “Interesting. So one-minds long to return to nature, yet surround themselves in their constructions. Additionally, recreation is considered important enough to divert resources to even in situations such as this,” they analyzed. “Say your next.”

“In relation to pragmatic considerations, it’s important that I understand your biology better.” Behind the pair, a school of fish leapt up a short waterfall, heading upstream. “I’ve learned that your Azis each perform a function a little differently, but how does that relate to your regenerative functions? Is it possible to heal Chuck the Azisin with a regenerative device, or would I need to tend to the individual Azis that are injured?”

“An Azis that is injured is an Azis that would need to be healed,” Chuck answered. “Should one of us perish, then we would have to birth one to replace them. It is a slow process, but not unfamiliar,” they finished, a secondary arm rubbing the line where the colony’s coloration suddenly shifted.

Lina didn’t fail to notice the correlation, but kept silent on the matter for the moment. “I could see about calibrating my medical tech to compensate for that. I’d need a detailed scan of your overall and individual structures to make sure I don’t deal more harm than I alleviate, though. Though it’d act faster, my biokinesis would require the same information.”

“Biokinesis…” the cook droned, pausing in their walking for just a moment. “Psionics are another matter we do not understand. We shall offer up that data upon ourselves in exchange for your knowledge of the matter. To manipulate the world through neuronic activity is at odds with all we know, yet it exists.”

“Admittedly, I don’t fully comprehend it myself. Psionics are infuriatingly outside the bounds of all other science,” Lina said with a sigh. “They don’t follow the rules of physics that everything else does. Their source is equally elusive: it’s no surprise you’ve never experienced them. Most species are entirely incapable or only produce psionics in rare individuals.”

The green psion reached down to pick up a broken-off branch, clasping it carefully between three of her fingers and extending it towards Chuck.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

BMPixy & DarkGemini24601: “Basic Necessities and Plum Pudding, Part 2”

“Tamearins and hybrids of the species are unusual in the frequency they produce psi, but we were engineered that way by the Demigors, who understood the source of the power better than anyone else. And they weren’t exactly the sharing sort. The limit of my knowledge is that personality and mental strength play a role in psionic intensity. For me, that’s my ability to focus.”

Lina pulsed several waves of iridescent, pine-green light through the branch, which crumpled tighter in on itself and seemed to wilt further. However, when she offered it up to Chuck, the bark’s hardness reached well above the typical levels that they recalled.

“Interesting,” the giant said, taking the branch and gently examining it. “So the knowledge is lost to the failures of one-mind memory, then? That is of ill fortune.” With one jerking motion they tossed the branch aside, letting it splash into the stream they passed earlier, the dense wood sinking like a stone. “Continue.”

The doctor rolled off her jacket under the warmth of artificial sunlight, tying it around her waist instead. “This one’s partly out of personal curiosity, although it’s still a practical issue: how do you avoid damage to yourselves in the first place? It might just not be accessible in our database, but I didn’t see any indication that you brought armor with you.”

“If we expect to fight, we shall do this,” Chuck said, raising one of their primary arms. Slowly but surely, the fleshy material hardened, bony and thick plates replacing patchwork colors on a small strip of their arm. “It is sufficient to protect us from most damage,” they explained, lowering the arm and slowly reverting that Azis to normal. “Beasts of Trapper’s Keep are known for their exotic methods of hunting prey; as such, we have made ourselves proof against much of it.”

“When I read the accounts of your species’ adaptability,” Lina said, “I hadn’t anticipated that included gunfire. That’s quite remarkable. If it’s acceptable, in exchange for your second question after the subsequent one, I’d like to run a bio-scan on that structure as well. With extensive practice, I might be able to replicate a lesser version of it with biokinesis.”

“We shall simply tell you the means now,” Chuck replied, stopping to watch some miners joke over a bottle of alcohol in the distance. “Carbon, calcium, and iron are foundations of life, and also foundation of much modern-day armor. We reappropriate them into alternate configurations, based upon need. Is your biokinesis capable of that?”

“...ah. Not to my knowledge, no,” Lina replied, her shoulders slumping a little in disappointment. “It can modify tissues and replace them. Potentially I could get precise enough to interact with cellular structures if I worked hard enough at it. But it doesn’t extend to molecular shaping. It’s incredible that can be done by directed biological processes… it’s ordinary for you, but molding fundamental chemistry at will is a task for the best of human and Tamearin technology.”

“Your bodies perform it already, do they not?” Chuck asked. “Converting nutrients into lipids and proteins, using those materials to create more cells. We simply adapted mechanisms that produce those materials, instead.”

“Subconsciously, yes.” Lina shook her head. “The advantage you have is being able to regulate and alter those processes at will. I can do that to some extent with my biokinesis, but I can’t adapt everything without harming myself. I’d have to shift my entire body to compensate for a major change--whereas your Azis alter themselves entirely to compensate.”

“The subconscious seems to be a weak point in one-mind physiology,” the Azisin noted. “Behavior that cannot be controlled is a risk to survival. We imagine that there are benefits that are overlooked, though.”

“Psionics might be one of them, but not ubiquitously--and I can’t say for certain.” Lina shrugged. “Our mental makeup has gotten all of us this far, though, so it’s not necessarily inferior--just different.”

Chuck rumbled in acknowledgement. “Yes, your kind has adapted to their environment well.” The giant is silent for a moment, but just when one might think that that was all they had to say, they speak again. “We noted before that you speak of both human and Tamearin kind when you speak of species. Most one-minds we have met either speak of their kind exclusively, or of one-minds as a collective. Explain.”

“I am both,” Lina began succinctly. “My father was human and my mother was a Tamearin. Where I come from, the two species’ interests intersect, and so we’ve lived cooperatively. Stemming from that, there have been marriage partners between the two: I’m the product of one such union.”

The giant ‘groaned’ slightly in discontent, as the visual Azis vented their frustrations at having to attempt to identify another type of species. Nevertheless, they continued the conversation as cordially as they could. “That sounds like a difficult situation to be in,” they analyzed. “It is expected in times of crisis that one be loyal to their own kind, yet you have two kinds, but also no other kind. Yes, very difficult.”

“Not as much as you might think. It does make me somewhat of an outsider, but I have my family and those who’d call me friend.” A slight smile. “Or ‘Doc’. So I do have a foundation,” Lina asserted. “Just not a typical one.”

“An ideal situation, as long as resources remain plentiful,” Chuck noted, examining a plum tree. “We suppose then it would be ideal you complete your life’s journey before that ceases to be the case,” they finish, plucking one of the fruits and snacking upon it.

“I…” -don’t know how to take that statement- “...suppose so. Friendships are more of a renewable resource, though. I left behind some when I joined this crew, but I imagine I’ll gain a few in my time here. Certainly, my brother’s already gotten started.”

“A blood relation?” Chuck asked, turning to face the hybrid. “We would imagine the ideal situation would be to depart from such individuals, to better ensure passing down genetics and avoid resource competition.”

“For Azisin, that’s logical.” Lina knelt for a moment and leapt upwards, snatching one of the plums from the tree. She felt it for a moment. It’s not even ripe? Not that I should have expected it to be an issue for them. “--which gets at something of a contradiction for your kind. You’re communal within your colony, but solitary without. For Tamearins and humans especially its reversed: we prefer mental solitude but outward companionship--most of the time. Traveling with my brother is an example of that principle. I’ve spent much of my adult life without him, but I had the familiarity of my home system for surroundings. Venturing beyond it, I prefer the comfort of having him along. He’s someone that I know I can trust.”

“So it is a means for protection in unfamiliar environments then,” the Azisin surmised. “You can believe that he shall help with the survival of the in-group of your family in times when you cannot determine if others will exploit you for the benefit of their own in-group. However, this is ‘subconscious’ reasoning, correct? You instead express it as feelings of ‘companionship’ and ‘comfort’.”

“Express and understand it as such, yes,” Lina acknowledged. “I’d like to think that there’s a real, deeper connection between my family and I than pragmatic considerations disguised by emotion--but I can’t prove that empirically. It’s just subconscious--just intuition. I usually try not to rely upon that, but it is a part of who I am. Now, if I were a full-blooded Tamearin without Pon-Taer genetics… that might be a different story. But that I am not.”

“We read of a Kotavorg scholar once who wrote ‘pragmatic concerns are the ultimate concerns’,” Chuck said, continuing along the pathway, nearly completing the loop to where they first started walking. “We have extended that thought to say that all should be couched in pragmatic concerns.”

“Everything has a foundation,” Lina agreed. “If people aren’t fed, they don’t have time to worry about things like verdan beauty.” She swept her gaze across the miniature paradise they’d travelled through. “Those that can be satisfied with the necessities of life alone… humans call them ‘ascetics’. We tend to think of their lives as difficult, but for you, that’s normal.” Lina returned her eyes to the towering Azisin. “I might prefer a bit of simplicity, but my mentality is perhaps too different to live in such a way. That’s not to say I can’t appreciate it, however.”

Chuck gave a short, jerky ‘nod’ of agreement. Their internal clock buzzing, they straightened, turning in the direction of the exit. “You have illuminated some concepts for us. That has equalized the knowledge we have given you,” they said. “We must depart to retrieve an order; the appropriate thing to say is ‘this was a pleasant conversation’, yes?” they asked.

Lina smiled slightly. “It is, and the gesture is appreciated. I’ll be looking forward to trying your cooking now--and I might have some Peruvian recipes on file now that may interest you.” The half-Tamearin tapped a data-case hanging from her belt.

“We shall place those in our memory should you share them,” the Azisin answered. “If we are not in the kitchen, there will also likely be leftovers in the fridge should you find yourself wishing for food,” they finished, before silently thumping off, a single thick arm raised in approximation of a goodbye.

Lina waved back, watching the plum tree on the path’s corner gradually obscure the Azisin from sight.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Dahlexpert & DarkGemini24601: “Of Drinks and Doctors, Part 1”

The replicator finished its construction of the glass. Ice formed from a matrix of light and clinked into the container. Liquid poured from the ether, comprised from a mixture of bourbon, lemon juice, sugar, and egg white. A spoon materialized at the controller's command, and stirred at the behest of nimble fingers. Lina scooped the glass up in her mechanical left hand and tilted it back slightly, taking a sip. The fusion of bitter and sour scratched against her tastebuds in just the right way. A fortunate occurrence, too. Lina had sworn moments before that if the fifth time wasn't the charm with her program, she would make the replicator materialize a time-bomb in itself. Her fuse subsided and she drank a little more off the rim before rolling the drink down to her chair, taking a seat once more.

For a minute and a half, she contended herself with the late afternoon solitude. The door opened as it inevitably would, however, and she turned her head to assess the newcomer. His cybernetic augmentations stood out, obvious with no artifice towards concealment. His face held the answer, though it took a moment of searching. Oliver Blisk, the Kotavorg - a race of augmented sentients that some of the other crew members ought to belong to with their range of modifications.

"Good afternoon," Lina greeted him, putting down her drink.

“Oh, hey. Didn’t think there would be anyone else here this early in the afternoon,” Blisk said as he entered.

"Which is why I picked the time." Lina shrugged. "Though don't feel as though you're intruding. I've been hoping to meet you."

“You wanted to meet me?” Blisk asked in confusion. “Alright. What for? To learn about our culture?”

"Your culture is a subject of intellectual curiosity. Your physiology? That's a necessity if I'm going to treat your wounds." Lina raised an eyebrow. "I've heard you're a careful hunter, but injuries happen to the best of fighters."

“Well, that should be easy: most of my body is augmented. And by most, I mean damn-near my entire body. So there, I’m an easy fix Doc.”

"But you do have organic components. I can assist where they meet the augmented portions--I'm an acceptable mechanic myself--but for your biological components you need my specialty," Lina noted.

“You’re not gonna let this go are you.” Blisk groaned.” Alright, Doc, you can examine me.”

"The process is non-invasive." Lina reached along her jacket to her belt, pulling out a diamond-shaped device that she placed between herself and Blisk, filtering out metallics and looking at carbon-based components of his body alone.

“Um, Doc, if you’re looking for organic bits inside me I could just tell you. It’s my heart and lung that are partially augmented.”

Lina shifted her eyes slightly. "So there are still some organic components there. Alright. And obviously your brain isn't entirely mechanized, or you'd be a walking GFP regulations violation."

“Actually my brain has no augmentation in it. Now before you go any further with this examination, it would be a good idea to tell me your name.”

Lina lowered her device respectfully. "Lina Vizcarra," the doctor introduced herself.

“Oliver Blisk, But just call me Blisk. So what are you full-time? Doctor or machinist?”

"Doctor. Cybernetics is a secondary skill of mine--much less well developed but necessary for this exact reason," Lina explained. "Understanding how biology and cybernetics intersect is crucial when treating augmented patients. The same when treating a species I might be unfamiliar with, or a genetically-modified individual from a species I've studied."

"Hum... yeah. I guess knowing how I tick would be good for a doctor--but like I said I probably won't be visiting you much. Hell, even my skin is augmented, so for you it might be interesting to see how my blood organs and others work so well with my augmentations." Blisk looked at the doctor and looked down at her hands." Humm so are you sure this is for a doctor reason or a personal one?"

The doctor leaned back in her chair with the phantom of a smile hidden behind her calm expression. “Both?” Lina replied. “Though perhaps not for the reason you’re thinking.”

She put a pause on their conversation for a moment, taking another sip of her whiskey sour. Her eyes closed to relish the taste and the alcohol’s disarming effect. The half-Tamearin’s smile became more appreciable. She rested her chin on her mechanical fist before looking at him again.

“I’m not interested in further augmentations, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Lina clarified. “My pursuit of perfection is intellectual foremost: I strive to be an excellent doctor, a talented psion, and ideally I’ll improve as a fighter with experience.”

Blisk eyes narrowed as he quickly brought his arm back.” Wait, you’re a Tamearin? With an augmented arm. You know, part of me wants to laugh at this, but I’m also curious. You know what I am. Aren’t you gonna give me the typical speech of. ‘How dare I augment myself’ or something?”

Lina chuckled softly. “I’m half Pon-Taer and half human,” she answered his apprehension. “Nor am I the lecturing type to begin with. I don’t pretend that staying unaugmented is anything more than a personal preference. Cybernetics are a part of many societies, especially yours, and they’re interesting to me rather than abhorrent—even if I mostly study them from a distance.”

“Well then. Um... thanks for that, Lina. It’s nice, not getting that speech I’ve heard over a million times. But seeing as though you are a doctor, do you need to examine my heart since it’s augmented? Or my bones which I only have the one physical bone--which is my skull?”

“There’s still enough organic components to be relevant, and I’ve already got a good look at them with the bio-scanner.” Lina rolled her shoulders. “I am curious, though. If your circulatory system is that in tune with your metallic body, you make it sound like its self-repairing to some extent. Is it?”

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Dahlexpert & DarkGemini24601: “Of Drinks and Doctors, Part 2”

Blisk looked at his arm.” It’s a small self-repair system. Basically, think of when you’re body gets cut: it will find the source and attempt to fix it. Mind you, people take medicine to speed up the process. But yeah, I can heal myself to the extent that your body can on its own.”

“Metal that clots, essentially.” Lina clasped her hands together. “That’s remarkable. Does all Kotavorg aug-tech work like that, or do you have high-end equipment?”

“Both really, My people split were my clan has this level of augmentation. And the other clan has high end equipment. But our--I guess you could call them doctors--are very dedicated like you.”

“They’re a hybrid of doctor and engineer.” Lina shrugged. “Maybe between my brother and I we can provide you with something approximate.”

“I could try but… my kind is very passionate about our augmentation. We accept nothing but the best. If you and your brother want a closer look at my augs, I would be happy to show them off though.”

Lina shook her head. "I'm primarily offering our earnest assistance should you take excessive damage. I don't require showsmanship, although I wouldn't mind learning what I can from you. I've heard you're quite the experienced bounty hunter. I'm not afraid to admit I'm a novice that could use the experience of senior combatants."

“Yeah I miss the days were there weren’t so many hunters, were I could collect several bounty’s in a day. We’re the galaxy was so dangerous and filled with scum, good times. Now there’s I can’t go a day without running into another hunter trying to get the same bounty as me!” Blisk said in annoyance.

Lina fell silent for a moment, considering her response. When I said 'senior, I wasn't expecting an old man's "the good old days" response, the puzzled doctor thought to herself. "That... is the point of the Golden Wind, though. Cooperation to prevent potentially distasteful infighting."

As if he’d read her mind--which Lina knew was impossible, Blisk went on: “Sure you could see it that way--and no I’m not an old man. I’m thirty four years old, but I’ve been doing this for over a decade.” Blisk finally ordered a drink.

"If you could give your younger self career advice, what would it be?" Lina wondered prior to sipping further at hers.

“When you help the pirate hunters kill the one that destroyed your family, go to your ancient homeworld. You would be better for it, Oh, and don’t take any bodyguard jobs.”

Lina pursed her lips. "I'd hoped that as a less-direct way of getting advice for myself, but that's an understandable response. Home is a valuable place... and you're saying that bodyguard jobs aren't worth the trouble?"

“No there not, because the person is usually an asshole. Doesn’t matter if there rich or a political figure there all jackasses. There not worth the headache of looking after them, or their spoiled child,” Blisk said while pouring himself a glass of brandy.

Lina swirled the rim of her glass with a finger. "That may just be bad experience. If assassins were after a peacekeeper for trying to bust a criminal organization, I wouldn't see any reason not to take a job as protection."

“Yeah sure I could just have a string of bad luck with that kind of job. Or I just don’t like babysitting people. Now if I were to give you some real advice, learn about your bounty. See if he has family friends, contacts anything you could use to weaken them and show that there not invincible. Hit them where it hurts the most.”

Lina blinked rapidly for a moment. "I... want to make sure I'm not misinterpreting what you just said. Are you claiming I should target relatives of a mark, whether they're involved or not?"

“Yes--question them, see how they feel about the target if they want said target captured they will tell you about them. They will lie most of the time and the target would go and check up on them, if they care about them. Or they would sell out the target for their own safety. But yes, if they have family or friends, I’m telling you to target them and not kill them.” Blisk said drinking his brandy.

Lina breathed a bit more easily. "I see. For a moment, I thought you were suggesting the latter to get a rise out of the primary target. I'm glad that is a line neither of us would prefer to cross."

"No, I don't kill people needlessly; I target the bounty’s family & friends to learn more about the bounty. I don't kill them--now if the target is married I will offer them protection and send them somewhere safe until my job is done. I know I look like a robot, but I'm not a monster."

"And I apologize if I gave the impression I thought of you that way." Lina shook her head. "I've simply heard that not all bounty hunters have a sense of honor... certainly there's one or two aboard the ship with less than scrupulous records. You don't strike me as one, hearing your rationale for how you hunt."

"I have a rule and it's a strict one, I hunt those that have wronged others. I've done my fair share of hunting mercenaries and people that work for scum who are only interested in money. I've also met with those non honorable hunters and put them back into place--” A small smirk formed on Blisk’s features. “--or gave them a really high hospital bill. Heh heh." Blisk went back to his drink pouring another round. "Besides, I'm proud of my work and what I do. It's why I got a good reputation and a pretty big bounty on my head in the underworld."

Lina actually smiled in earnest at that. "Which you wear like a badge of pride, no doubt. I can respect your philosophy--you're a bounty hunter, but you see your work like a cop does. You remind me of my father to some extent: you both care about justice. He saw putting the 'bad guys' away as a bonus to protecting his community. As a wanderer, taking out the troublemakers is naturally more your focus."

"It's what I do and I'm damn proud of it. Doesn't leave much room for romance but my job is more important than that anyway." Blisk downed his drink in one swing." So doctor I really do hope things go well for you on this piece of crap ship, and if you need me to train you on how to handle certain weapons or some dumb ass story I'll either be right here or my room. But if you need to run more tests on me just ask."

"Of course. Your cooperation, candor, and congeniality are all appreciated," Lina replied with a nod. She offered her glass up for a quick toast, their glasses clinking softly. "To a productive relationship."

"And cheers to finding new friends and partners to defend, and teaching them a thing or two about bounty hunting."

 

[BMPixy]

Frostlich1228 & BMPixy: “Carnosaur Marbella, Part One”
Aboard the Golden Wind, Lounge

After settling in and meeting a few new friends as well as the occasional enemy, Yyashtra'kari, the exiled Royal, made her way to the kitchen. She was long used to being fed by her numerous Courtesans, the transition from having all of her needs tended to to taking care of herself was a difficult one, and some days she still found herself lapsing here and there.

Not seeing the current chef at the moment, Yyashtra sat down in a chair that barely fit her, sticking out like a sore thumb in the room as she waited for someone to return.

After a long moment, the other oddity among the crew entered the lounge, plodding directly into the kitchen. The Azisin, taller than even the massive Royal, hardly seemed to acknowledge the other presence in the room as they set themselves to work, reaching into the fridge and withdrawing a large stockpot they had left to marinade overnight. Setting it on the counter, Chuck finally spoke up. “Meal will be prepared in one half hour,” they said in their distinctive monotone, withdrawing a large and shallow steel pan.

Yyashtra stared, her mouth slightly agape at the sight of the creature. “You… I have not seen or heard of your like before…”

“We are Azisin,” the giant replied simply. As they spoke they laid out the meat upon the pan, before spooning the remainder of the marinade - prunes and olives and mixed spices floating amidst the solution.

“I see… We? I am very curious. I have heard of rare creatures that are a combination of minds? Are you such a one?” The Insectoid asked.

“Indeed. We are three hundred and eighty-seven,” Chuck answered. “Tales you have heard are likely of our kind. We believe the proper courtesy is to now ask of yourself - for we do not recall having encountered your species before,” the colony continued, grabbing a bag of Yurie brown sugar from the pantry and sprinkling it over the meat.

“I am Laepaede. As you can see we are an insectoid Race similar to the Bazir. However not only do we grow much more, we travel the Galaxy in massive hiveships containing billions of our people.” She explained almost pridefully.

“Then are you of one mind? Or are you of many?” Chuck asked, curious, as they cracked open a bottle of Sensen wine to douse the meat lightly with. “Are you an individual, or do you cooperate?”

“We cooperate. We have various types of our people specialized for different work, all in order to keep our society functioning smoothly. Everyone has a place and a role to further the betterment of the Hive.” Yasha nodded.

“We see. We had only encountered one-minds in our travels and in communions with our kind, so we had not expected that other many-minds existed in the galaxy,” Chuck said. After setting the oven to the proper temperature, the Azisin leaned forward over the counter with the secondary arms. “We assume that given these facts, there are others among your kind aboard?”

She sighed, “Sadly not. I have been disbarred from my people. An outcast. They deemed that I had no place and was holding the whole down.”

Chuck was silent for a moment, their component Azis debating this information in a flurry of complex proteins. Finally, they replied, “You said you were of many minds. But how can you be outcast were that true?”

“Our hives function much like you do, I suppose, many parts and bodies cooperating perfectly. If one part of that whole is believed to be… Too far gone to reintegrate and is affecting the hive negatively… They are sent away…” Her head turned off to the side. “It is… The most shameful thing that can happen to one of my people… Worse than death… It means that our efforts and our life was a detriment to the very whole that supported us. In that respect we are nothing more than parasites.”

“...We see,” Chuck said after a moment. “So you are one-minds emulating many. Among our kind, there is no such thing as what you have underwent.” The oven beeped, and Chuck paused for a moment to slide the pan into the oven. “Additionally, we believe it appropriate to give sympathies for what has occurred.”

“I… What would you do if many of your parts were suffering from an incurable poison that was undermining your collective function?” She looked back up at him curiously. “Would you not remove said parts to increase efficiency and to prevent further infection?”

“We adapt. We survive,” the Azisin answered simply. Raising their right primary arm and holding up a single talon, they added, “That is the nature of how our kind lives.” As if on cue, the talon, once tipped with razor-sharp carapace, softened slightly, twisting as if observing the situation.

“I suppose my people simply see a different way. Everyone must be useful to the group and those that are not have no place within it.” Yyashtra'kari shrugged. “That is simply how things are, determined to be the most effective way by millions of years of evolution.”

“A waste of resources,” Chuck replied simply. “Invested in creation, and you likely carry some experience. To cast such things out is wasteful - if nothing else, could have recycled material.”

“To support the paralyzed ligament is equally as wasteful as simply destroying the resources, no?” Her antennae twitched, the pits in her face picking up the delectable scents from the food.

“Did not say to support. Said to break down that which is with fault, so that something else may be built.” Chuck’s internal timer went off, and they briefly pulled the pan from the over to pour another layer of marinade over it to keep the meat from drying, before just as quickly putting it back in the oven.

The ten foot tall woman nodded in quiet contemplation before speaking. “I see. Sadly we do not change after we are young. Only rarely when a new Shara'Sharei is needed… But I will reflect on this. Thank you.”

Chuck ‘nodded’, though it was more of a sharp jerk of their entire upper torso. “We have noted in our time here that it is expected of cook to speak with those served, to give advice. We shall fulfill such a role as needed,” they replied in turn.

“It is a valuable role. More so than it would seem at face value.” She smiled, the softer flexible chitin of her lips tilting up slightly. “Where are my manners. I am Yyashtra'kari. Shara'Sharei of Hive Kari. Or… I was.”

While tempted to put to practice the advice Gazan gave them on introduction, Chuck instead settled on their typical introduction. “We have been referred to as ‘Chuck’. We shall encourage this tradition.”

“It is wonderful to make your acquaintance Chuck. I hope we can have further conversations like this in the future.” Yasha chuckled. “I meant to ask… what is that you are preparing there?”

“Marbella, though the meat is that of a carnosaur of Trapper’s Keep,” Chuck replied. “We hunted the beast ourselves some time ago - it is now the proper time to use the last of its remains. It is a human dish, as our knowledge of other race’s cooking is limited.”

“Perhaps I could teach you various Laepaedan dishes. Although they mostly involve sugar, much of it, they can be reduced to fit typical mammal tastes.” She repositioned herself in the small seat, suggesting.

“We shall accept that offer in the future,” the Azisin answered, pulling out the meat to moisten it once more. “We shall finish this dish first. Ten more minutes until then.” As they put the meat back into the oven, they spoke up once more. “We wish to ask one further thing - you said before that your kind lives on ships. Most species speak of worlds instead,” they said, leaving their actual question to implication.

 

[BMPixy]

Frostlich1228 & BMPixy: “Carnosaur Marbella, Part Two”

“Yes. Our species unfortunately lost it's homeworld long before I was born, during the war with the Andromeda AI.” She answered. “We escaped enslavement by the machines, however, after it was defeated and we returned we found that the Federation had given our Homeworld to a race known as the Fee.” She emphasized the name with more than a hint of disdain. “It was reparations for releasing the AI they said, but that was of no fault of our own, any race could've done it and would've done it just as easily.”

“Anyone may take out debts, yes, but that does not absolve the debtor of their responsibility to repay,” Chuck replied simply and bluntly.

“We had already lost much. And they left us no chance to repay anything.” She noted simply.

The Azisin rumbled low and deep at that. “Those who have abundant resources do not collect debt. And there are always means to repay what is owed. It is the duty of the creditor to detail it; and the debtor to provide it.”

“The price was too high! And we took out no such debt. We had to leave or we would've become mechanical slaves like the Fee.” Yyashtra countered.

Chuck gave a wordless grunt in reply, reaching into the stove to withdraw the pan, laying it upon the counter as they turned off the over, the pungent smells of carnosaur and sugary sweetness mixing and dueling in the air. “We did not choose to take out a debt when our prior companion saved our lives,” they said after a moment. “Yet nevertheless, we repaid it in full. Your kind did have a choice in doing what they did, which spread much destruction. You thus have a duty to repay the costs of those actions.”

“We were being butchered by those Quin savages. The GFP did nothing but watch. They didn't aid us. Any race would've done the same in our place.” The Laepaede fought back.

“You rely on circumstances to justify your actions. However, consider this - had another race done what your kind had done, would you not demand they repay you for what they had done?” Chuck asked, grabbing a plate from the upper cupboards.

“I… Ergghh…” She grumbled. “We'd understand they did what they had to to survive. If we had stayed, we would've died, no, worse than that. It's as much the GFPs fault as anyone's, if they had supplied us with aid we wouldn't have had to resort to what we did! Really, it's their fault, they should owe us!”

“You would have others bleed themselves for your kind?” Chuck asked simply, serving out a portion of the carnosaur marbella. “What benefit would they see from that?”

“Well that's where we stand. They hate us. We hate them. Humans constantly kill themselves and others for petty reasons they don't even understand. Fear and paranoia drive them, they should've stayed on they're planet and either sorted out their violent pointless behavior or wipe themselves out rather than inflicting it on the universe. That was the path evolution had planned for them, but now they have other races to use and destroy instead of themselves.” She spoke with a venom in voice that was hard to ignore.

A shadow fell over Yyashtra as the Azisin loomed over her like the hand of a furious god, broken only by the plate of food in one of their secondary arms. “As opposed to your kind, which would bleed out another species after failing to defend themselves, and would demand reparations after incurring a debt,” they stated simply, laying down the plate before her.

“You don't know anything. You really don't. We refuse to roll over and die or beg for forgiveness just because the other races think we should. Just because they believe themselves righteous. Pah…” She crossed her arms, looking off to the side.

“If we do not know, then show us,” Chuck replied simply, taking the pan and wrapping a layer of aluminium foil over it. “Show us that your kind is greater than those who solved the issue your kind caused; that the humans who saved us are nothing compared to you.” As they spoke, they placed the pan into the fridge for future consumption by the crew.

“You forget they did so with the help of many other races. You speak as if it was their hand alone.” Yyashtra picked up one of the forks, twisting it around, “How do I use this?”

“Utilize the prongs of the fork to stab and anchor the meat. Then, cut off a portion with the knife and consume it,” Chuck explained, returning to the main kitchen area to begin cleaning and preparing for the next meal. “As for the human question; perhaps it would be good to question why they had allies in that time of crisis whereas your kind lacked it.”

“Our allies were too far away to properly help us, and they were too few, The Shinso and the Tamaerin.” She said as she manipulated the fork and knife clumsily, finally picking up a chunk of meat.

The meat was pungent, bitter, and sour - clearly the meat of something that feasted on other animals. Yet, thanks to the marinade, it was shockingly sweet and fruity at the same time. The two flavors battled and struggled for dominance, trying to be both gamey and saccharine at the same time yet unable to realize that it had to choose one or the other. Dropping that prior line of conversation, Chuck loomed above once more, this time awaiting judgement on the meal.

“This is…” She stopped, then picked up a large piece without cutting it. Suddenly her jawline and her cheeks around her mouth separated into four distinct parts that folded outward to reveal they were lined with rows and rows of teeth. The Laepaede quickly fit most of the piece of meat in her mouth at once, a long pointed tongue wrapping around it and pulling farther in before the parts of her mouth folded back into place. “Mmm! That is delectable! It reminds me of home.”

“Good,” Chuck rumbled deep and low, turning from the counter and going back to washing pots and pans. “It seems our cooking has been well-received aboard this vessel as of late. This trend shall continue.”

Yyashtra's tongue reached down out of her mouth, stretching all the way down to the plate and pulled the rest of the meat into her mandibles, stuffing it in the storage pouch in the back of her throat. “I will save this for later. Thank you Chuck. While I may not agree with you on everything, I hope we can still be good friends.”

“Friendship is created by proximity,” Chuck replied. “Or so we have deduced. As you will likely come often to obtain food, you will likely see us equally often. Thus, there is no other option. Unless, of course, you turn to replicators for support instead,” they added, their near complete lack of intonation making it difficult to determine if that was a statement or an attempt at humor.

“You know… One of the most valuable cooking ingredients in the galaxy is Royal Laepaedan Honey… Something that only Laepaede Royals can make…” She looking up at him, hoping he'd understand what she was implying.

Chuck silently scrubbed away at the dirty dishes for a moment as the Azis debated amongst themselves how to respond to this. Then, coming to an agreement, they spoke. “Computer. Mason jar with lid,” they intoned at the replicator, prompting it to fabricate the requested item. In one of their main arms, they gingerly took the jar and placed it before Yyashtra, saying only, “Show us.”

“U-Uh… I can't do it here… besides I need nectar from plants…” She turned slightly sheepish. “I was going to ask you if you would be willing to have some created… At a later date?”

“Then return with that later,” the giant replied simply. “We wish to store the memory of this honey for the future.”

“I'll need to start a garden…” She gave the Azizin a wave. “It was… interesting meeting you Chuck. We'll talk again soon.”

“We shall see how soon, then,” Chuck said, mimicking the action with one of their soapy secondary arms. “If not soon, there will be food in the fridge.”

 

[ShadowHounder]

Black0ut and ShadowHounder: Common Misunderstanding

The sounds of mechanical tools echoed from Nick's room. It arose such a clatter that it was unusual to speak of, given that he was normally quiet. Soft thuds as well as loud clanks started to add into the cacophony of noise.

Yip peered into the room from the edge of the door, trying to avoid being seen by the man inside. She had been hearing these noise all throughout the day... and now that she knew where they were coming from she wasn't sure what to do now. The young Cartus already made a embarrassing mistake that got her stuck on this ship... she didn't want for something like that to happen again.

What she saw unnerved her, as several machines arms surrounded a cyborg, with his chest opened. Several organs that were lower from his chest were visible, while a metal plate covered where his lungs and heart were. The man's eyes were closed but his right arm lifted up, assisted by the machines, in her general direction.

Yip looked at her mechanical tail as she viewed the machine at work. Is that what I looked like when they...her thought was cut off by the painful memories she tried to hide within herself. Her sight shifted back towards the cyborg just as his arm lifted in the location she was peeking from. In a complete panic, Yip activated her camouflage and moved away from the opening.

All of a sudden, the mechanical noises were replaced by soft clicks. A couple minutes later, the cyborg walked out dressed in a trenchcoat as well as a trilogy on his head. He paused as the door slid down behind him, the giant man sensing something was off. He put a cigar into his mouth and leaned against his door, lighter in hand. He took a puff and started blowing it over his surrounding area, appearing deep in thought.

Yip looked at the large man as she remained hidden from his normalized vision. She wasn't sure if he really knew she was there, or if he had simply noticed her briefly. Either way, she kept her camouflage up as he leaned back and lit his cigar. However, the puff of smoke floated in the young girl's direction, causing her to let out a small, cute sounding sneeze.

Nick took another puff before speaking. "So... infiltrator... are you going to try to kill me?" His eyes held a neutral look as he searched for said intruder.

Yip let out a exhausted sigh as she removed her technological cloak. She mentally prepared herself to speak with the man, hoping he couldn't see through the facade. "You are not a target that I have chosen to pursue. I have no interest in killing you."

Nick's eyes intensified as if he could see right through her. "Then you are lucky. You don't get to die today." He took another puff, sizing her up. "Explain, little infiltrator. Why do you have military-grade camouflage tech and why did you use it on me?"

"My former master forced these augmentations upon me. I have stuck with these until the day I die." Yip answered while keeping the persona... secretly being concerned that he could tell she was pretending. "I was not certain if you were ally or enemy. Seeing as you have yet to attack, I can assume ally."

"And you're on a ship with me. Assuming that I'm a concern for you to judge, then stealthing around me doesn't make me anymore friendly to you. Quite the opposite." Nick's eyes hardened, taking a long drag off his cigar before flicking it away. "Unwise. And foolish. You aren't a threat to me, at least not yet. However, despite appearances, you're... heavily augmented, or at the very least, you look like it. Explain why you were watching me." His voice took on a harsh robotic sound to it, almost as if his very soul had left and let the machine take over.

Once embarrassment started to set in, Yip could no longer keep up the act. Her body shook and her face turned red as she panicked internally. Before long, Yip activated her camouflage again and bolted for the nearest corner to hide behind. It was clear that there was a little more to her story then she was letting on.

The giant cyborg followed at a surprising speed, allowing him to crouch right next to her. His eyes were intense as he repeated his words. "Explain."

"Well... I... I..." Yip tried to speak as her cheeks flustered up completely... not even realizing that he followed her through camouflage.

"You what?" Nick cracked his neck as he stared at where he thought she was. Damn cloaking technology always made him feel like he was talking to into an inanimate object while the person was behind him. "Explain, infiltrator."

M-m-m-maybe if I walk away he won't n-notice... Yip thought to herself as she slowly stepped backwards. Once she got enough of a distance away from the man, she swirled her body around with her feet... only for her tail to smack into the wall and give away her position. crap...

"Enough." As she looked back, one of Nick's right arm was incredibly straight; pointing at the ground, one would notice the obvious change that a barrel of a gun had replaced a hand. "Answer the question please, or I will be forced to shoot you as you have not identified yourself as a crew member and have used stealth technology to spy on me." Nick's tone gained human emotion; his tone was harsher and more authoritarian, a voice of a soldier. The gun wirred as he prepped it for use, his eyes seemingly looking right at her.

Yip dropped her cloak in complete panic. "I-I-I was told I could stay!" She exclaimed with her hands in the air. "I-I-I t-tried to do a job... b-b-b-b-but got on the wrong s-ship. I'm s-s-sorry for ease dropping... I w-was just cur-curious..."

The gun retracted into a hand. "I see. Then welcome aboard. Don't do what you did to me to anyone else. They might not hesitate to shoot you." He paused. "Why were you curious about my room?"

Yip's face continued to be bright red from embarrassment. "W-w-w-w-w-w-well... I-I..." She stumbled on her own thoughts... being unable to get out what she was trying to say.

Nick patiently waited, walking over to a wall to lean on it.

It was that moment that Yip knew he wasn't going to leave until she gave him an answer... and hiding would simply make matters worse. "Please tell me how your augmentation works!" She suddenly yelled out. It took her a moment to realize what she had just said... her cheeks flaring up far more then earlier before she vanished again out of pure embarrassment.

Nick blinked once, twice, thrice. "You want to know more about my cybernetics? Why?" He asked, utterly baffled by her request.

Yip peaked out of the corner that she darted two after her request, dropping her camouflage for the third time this conversation. "W-well... I w-w-was thinking ma-maybe if I learned about your cy-cy-cybernetics... I-I could better understand m-m-mine..."

"Then why the stealth approach? Why not just knock on my door and ask?"

"Kn-kn-knock and a-a-a-ask...?" The cyberized Cartus' facial expression turned into one of confusion and flustered panic... as if the mere thought of knocking on a door was too much for her.

"Yes. If you did that to the Kotovorg, he'd shoot you dead. Or slice you into bits. Point is that you have to go through the proper channels of communication." Nick said sternly, some of his confusion fading away. "Otherwise, you're not going to last long here. This business doesn't care about you or how shy you are. Get a tougher skin."

Yip took a deep breath, regaining her composure enough to place the persona back on. "My apologies... I'm usually better at this. Granted... I also usually like to avoid other people where I can. This will just have to be the price I pay for infiltrating the wrong ship like a dumbass."

"You see, saying things like 'I infiltrated the wrong ship', doesn't make me trust you and makes the more cold and cruel side of me want to shove you out the airlock. Luckily, I'm a little nicer than that, Ms..." Nick trailed off, giving her a chance to tell him her name.

"I simply go by Yip." The young cyborg told him. "You can trust that I mean you nor anyone in this crew no harm. My target is likely long gone by now... so I'll remain here until I can work out a new contract. Whether that means joining the crew will be determined by fate."

"Nice mask to use for when you're scared. Make it tougher for someone to remove and you'll be able to survive a lot longer." Nick noted before cracking his neck. "But why were you trying to infiltrate a ship in the first place? After you answer, I'll leave you alone."

"Mask?" Yip took a moment to realize what he was referring to. "It's not a mask... it's just simply another variant of myself... you could say she was the original one. As for my botched mission... I was under a contract to deal with a rebellion leader by the name of Alexia. Unfortunately I lost her in a large crowd on a planet not far from here. I believe that I must've followed your captain's first mate in the confusion... and mistook her for my target."

Nick's eyes narrowed, but he held an uneasy smile. Without another word he began walking back towards his room.

"Did you obtain augmentation by your own means?" Yip asked the man as she followed him. "Or are you like me and had the process thrusted upon you by someone else."

 

[ShadowHounder]

Black0ut and ShadowHounder: Common Misunderstanding Part 2

"Both." Nick answered, going around a corner as he did so. "And the word you're looking for is cybernetics, not augmentation."

"I was under the impression that the two ideas were one in the same." The cartus girl remarked. "Regardless... I can tell that you seem to have an understanding of all of your cybernetic enhancements... something I sorely lack for my own."

"No, I don't. I have an idea of how it works and minor repair knowledge, but that doesn't equate to the level of knowledge you refer to." Nick argued in a low voice, pressing a button so he could go into his abode. He turned around however, taking a halfstep back to prevent the door from shutting. "Our half-tamearin doctor, my partner Kazane, and Lady all possess the knowledge you look for. Continue your search with them if you wish to understand your mods."

"Then I'll see if I can speak with them in the future." Yip bowed to Nick. "I assume they are on this ship as well?"

"They are, and only one is nicer than me." Nick answered, raising am eyebrow. "Why are you bowing to me?"

"A formal sign of respect..." Yip told the cyborg as she made her way towards the hall once more. "Even a cold blooded assassin such as myself knows when someone speaks as themselves... I respect you for not fearing how others may look at you."

"How do you mean? There are multiple ways to take that." Nick replied, tilting his head slightly.

"You don't hide behind a facade." Yip explained further. "You don't see yourself as any less or any more then what you are... at least from what I can tell."

"Fair and correct. I don't." Nick answered with a machine's monotone voice. "Take care Yip and avoid sneaking up on the rest of the crew."

"I can't not promise anything more then that I will try." The assassin teased coyly. "I don't think I asked for your name... if you are willing to provide that information of course."

"Nick." The cyborg answered. "It has been a pleasure, Yip." And with that, he disappeared behind the door to his room; said door closing rapidly as he left the sensor range.

"Until we meet again, Nick."

 

[ShadowHounder]

ShadowHounder and Frostlich: Facts of the Cartus Life

Yup took a seat inside the lounge, sipping out of a class of ice cold water as she examined the local surrounding her. She briefly looked at her communicator... Still no word from her employer. The young Cartus wondered if maybe he had been compromised due to her mistake.

Suddenly she heard gasps from around the room, then the sound of elegant tapping, almost like that of heels, coming in her direction towards the bar.

Yip's ears perked slightly once the tapping filled the room. She did not move her gaze to see what was approaching... With any luck she wouldn't have to. Her tail moved into a defensive positions just in case.

After a few moments a tall figure sat at the bar, passing a few credits over to the bartender. "Honey Iced Tea please."

The Insectoid loomed over her, like most people in the room, she was extraordinarily hard to miss.

Yup merely sat quietly... Keeping an eye on her communicator should a call be sent back to her while she attempted to relax. She was lucky that the ship's Captain was a Cartus. Not many other people would've shown that level of mercy to an assassin.

Eventually her gaze turned down to her curiously, then squinted as she noticed her mechanical parts.

Yup still pay no primary attention to the woman. She simply sip out of glass and grabbed a cookie with her mechanized tail.... Eating the treat as she checked the communicator once more. The assassin let out a brief sigh as she placed the device on her hip and took the cookie off of the claw like formation on the tip of her tail.

"What are you waiting for?" The Laepaede asked curiously. "It's not very subtle."

"I'm waiting for a response from my contractor." Yup explained to the insectoid... now being forced to look in her direction by the question. "I'm not trying to be subtle... If I didn't want someone watching me then no one would know I was here."

"Your contractor? You're a... Bounty Hunter then?" The Colorful Royal asked.

"The captain implied that this ship had mostly bounty hunters." The cybernetic Cartus remarked with a bite of cookie in her mouth. "But seeing as most of my targets come back dead... I believe that assassin is a more accurate term."

"Well. What's your captain's name?" The Woman asked, having an idea of where this might be going.

"Not my captain." Yip corrected. "Simply the ship's captain. I believe her name was Captain Jetstorm."

She nodded slowly. "Well. Lucky for you I work for her. I'm surprised they would be so lax as to forget your meeting."

"I doubt they forgot that quickly." Yip explained to the lady. "But considering the circumstance of your first encounter... It is surprising that I was allowed to remain on board."

"What... Are you referring too?" She tilted her head, a strange expression on her face.

"If you wish to know more, speak with either the captain or her second in command. I have no interest in continuing this topic." The young girl stated bluntly.

"And why the attitude exactly? Have I done anything to you to warrant that? No." She seemed to be getting slightly annoyed.

"Attitude? I have simply been answer your questions." The assassin retorted with a sigh. "Do remember that you approached me... despite having no guarantee that I would even acknowledge you."

"I approached the bar. For a drink." She motioned over to the Quin bartender who was delivering her drink.

Yip raised on eye brow. "Were you not the one who asked me what I was doing? Had you not posed such a question this conversation never would've happened."

"Because you were looking around quite shiftily." The Laepaede noted.

"It is common to be suspicious of people you don't know." Yup explained to the woman. "Especially when you're somewhere you weren't supposed to end up. My mistakes are why I am on this ship... The captain's generosity is the reason I remain inside of it."

"Ah. So you've already been hired. I misunderstood." She admitted. "My name is Yyashtra'kari."

Yip pulled her communicator back out and let out another long sigh. Still no word from the General. "Unfortunately I may need to find a new contract soon. The captain told me that I could join the crew if worst came to worst... but I'm not too keen on the amount of people aboard this vessel. You may refer to me as Yip by the way."

"Yip... Chosen name or...?" Yyashtra tilted her chin up.

"A name that I once forgotten." The Cartus girl remarked. "I had no name prior to recalling that portion of my past."

"No name..." She looked to the side, then it hit her, Jackie-Jackie's words coming back into her mind. "You were a slave...?"

Yip winced as painful memories filled her mind. "Was a slave..." She muttered uneasily.

"I... Apologize..." She bowed her head slightly. "I need to work on my... Tact? Please, what do you want to drink?"

"If you wish to indulge in alcohol then I won't stop you." The cyborg replied to the insectoid. "I am fine with my water."

We don't drink your alcohol. It burns and damages out phillea in our throat." We mentioned, pointing to her neck. "Think of them like.... Giant Tastebuds that also capture and store food."

Yip merely glanced at her... Looking unamused by the biology lesson. "I still deny your offer... I am fine with what I already have."

"Very well." She shrugged, sipping her drink.

Yip looked at the woman with examining eyes. "I take it you are not familiar with Shinso... policies..." She asked, struggling to find a word better then slavery.

"I am... I've met with many Shinso, they find us good allies because we don't nessacarily complain about said... Policies." Yyashtra'kari sipped her drink. "However... I am have been recently reevaluating my position on such things."

"As you should... To avoid someone else becoming... Like me..." Yip's tone shifted to a more depressed one as she made her comment.

"May I ask about your Cybernetics? Were they by choice?" She seemed to have a legitimately caring demeanor.

"You do not get the right to choose as a slave." Yip told her solemnly. "Disobedience is punishable by death... Or even torture. As far as anyone is concerned, a slave is an object, not a person."

"Would you... Prefer them removed then?" She comforted the small Cartus with a motherly tone.

 

[ShadowHounder]

ShadowHounder and Frostlich: Facts of the Cartus Life Part 2

"I would be useless without them." The assassin snapped, before recollecting herself. "What I meant was that the values of these cybernetics are too high for me to warrant their removal. The circumstance should not stop me from utilizing them to their fullest."

"I don't believe you would be useless." She assured.

"My body wasn't the only thing altered in the process..." Yip muttered... Only barely audible to those who listened.

"I.. " The Woman knew what she probably meant. "I'm so sorry. Turning someone like this against their will is... Cruel and unnecessary..."

Yip merely stared at her... Devoid of emotion. "You'll find that people find ways around other's 'wills.' If someone wants something done... They will find a way, regardless of those who get hurt in the process."

"I... I disrespected you greatly when we first started this conversation. Is there any way I can make it up to you?" She spoke sincerely.

"If you ever come across a group of Cartus rebels... Don't hesitate to help them." The assassin told her as she stood from her seat. "They do not wage war like normal rebellions do. They simply wish to free as many slaves as possible so they may seek refuge in GFP space."

"I will take this into consideration... Sadly as I am not longer with my Hive, what I can do is very limited." Yyashtra mentioned.

Yup looked at Yyashtra. "Every little bit counts in the vast universe..."

"But I am only a single person. An exile. What can I do alone?" Yasha asked the Cartus girl curiously.

"Do what I've done... Survive..." She replied simply, placing the communicator back on her hip. "You'd be surprised how easy it is to be effective if that acts as your primary objective."

"Mmmn... That mirrors much of what my people believe." The Laepaede nodded.

"Your people think like warriors." The young assassin remarked. "I must sleep to regain some of my lost strength. Perhaps we may cross paths once more."

"I hope so. It was good to meet you Ms. Yip." The Bug Woman gave her a small, reserved wave.

 

[ShadowHounder]

ShadowHounder and InsaneDarkness: Presence of Mind

Blaze sat upon the couch in the lounge, his legs spread out and his arms across the top of either side of him. Merely relaxing, he'd yet to be doing anything other than thinking to himself what his future could potentially hold for him. The calming yellow light above him was a nice touch, though it was already on when he'd walked in earlier. His right-hand fingers twitched, though, knowing he'd need a cigarette from his right-side pocket if someone walked in and anticipated such an event happening that would interrupt his thoughts.

Surely enough, a young cybernetic Cartus walked into the bar moments later. Her tail flicked back and forth a few times as she looked around the room... Taking note of Blaze. She made her way to a small table and sat down by it. She pulled out a box of cookies from her bag and a communicator from her belt, placing them on the table.

Cookies? What are you, seven? Blaze thought, a little annoyed that his prediction was correct. He took a deep breath, honestly hoping she wouldn't speak to him while at the same time hoping she would just so it wouldn't be awkward.

After a few minutes of silence, the girl's communicator buzzed. She turned it the device on to reveal a burly old man on the holodisplay. "Ah General... I see that you have not been harmed since I last spoke with you."

"I heard your report." The man remarked with a gruff tone. "I expected better from an assassin with your reputation."

"I know this... I have already prepared myself should you decide to have me replaced." The assassin explained to the soldier. "It seems that the captain of this ship has potential use of my talents as well."

The man on the projector paused. "Who is this captain?"

"Jackie-Jackie Jetstorm."

"Dammit..." The General muttered before looking back at the cyborg. "I'll speak with command and open communications with Captain Jetstorm. Until then I want you to stay put... Understood Yip?"

"Understood... But do remember that hiring this crew will likely increase the bounty."

"Yeah yeah." He muttered impatiently. "General Stoutfield out." And with that, the holodisplay went dead to signify the end of the conversation.

"Yep... That is an asshole with a weird ass name..." Blaze muttered to himself, having eavesdropped on the entire conversation.

"He may pay you a good amount if he decides to allow Captain Jetstorm to assist in the matter." Yip remarked toward the man. "Ones attitude should not effect the jobs you accept."

Blaze rotated his head towards Yip. "So you say. Yet I've been denied plenty of bounties due to my outstanding personality. The double standard is nonexistent, I assure you."

"If your personality is keeping you from getting paid... They maybe it's not as outstanding as you believe it to be." The cyberized assassin remarked. "One must be careful not to succumb to arrogance. It is a terrible killer."

Blaze raised an eyebrow. "Arrogance? I am not sure you are one to talk. You can only identify if you're being arrogant after the fact. That is just how it works."

"Then I'll be more careful of the matter." Yip remarked to the angel like man. "Such a flaw can be deadly for an assassin."

Blaze blinked in surprise. "Are you... okay in the head?"

"That depends on what your definition of the word is." The Cartus cyborg explained. "To the people who made me like this... I am perfectly as intended... But to those who knew me before the cybernetics, I am no longer the same girl."

Moving his left arm down to his hip, Blaze flicked his wrist to pull out a cigarette while letting his lighter fall out of his right sleeve to light it. As soon as the lit cigarette touched his lips, he took a drag, letting out a stream of smoke behind a sigh soon after. "Oh boy..." he murmured.

"And what about you?" Yip asked the man before her. "I am unfamiliar with your race... but seeing as you are not human, what would the rest of your kind think of your behavior?" The question seem to be filled with the slightest hint of curiosity. A hint the only the sharpest of minds could sniff out.

Had Blaze any fewer brain cells, it was likely he wouldn't have noticed. "Curious? I am a Celentius. I do not believe in any God or higher power and smoking is uncommon, but some still do it. If you want to talk about arrogance, my race has it all. They all have their divine-like appearance, but I could not give a damn if I tried to. Even if my wings are scientifically enhanced. So I am not exactly a great role model for them." He took another drag as he finished, feeling his muscles relax a little even while being a little tense.

When Blaze got on to her curiosity, Yup suddenly changed expressions while her face turned a bright red. She sat and listen to him explain his race... But was now too flustered to respond.

After a few moments of silence, Blaze turned his attention away from his cigarette to the girl. "Something wrong?"

Yip took a long, deep breath... Regaining control over herself. "I am now. You simple triggered an unvoluntary reaction from my brain. It's an unfortunately common occurance."

"You do you, kid." Blaze took another drag before he stood up, a tinge of irritation in his expression. He walked over to the nearest ashtray, which was on the side table next to the couch, and tapped the ash into it before sitting back down, much closer to said ashtray this time. He let out the smoke he held within his body in a long stream, watching it fade away about two feet from him.

Yip watched the man walk towards the small metal tray with a speculative look. "What is in that material that makes you so inclined to smoke from it?"

"Tobacco, among other things. Cigarettes and other tobacco substances are legal addictive stress relievers. Though many houses have burned down due to irresponsibility, not to mention the ill effects it has on the body. Not that I particularly mind. Gene modding takes care of that for me." Blaze waved a dismissive hand around, the smoke trail zigzagging behind his movements. "Many consider second-hand smoking to be an irresponsible thing smokers cause, but I think that is utter bullshit. Any way my actions influence you just because you are nearby should not be my fault."

"Your choice at the end of the day." Yip remarked, the word "choice" sounding foreign from her voice. "I assume you are a member of this crew. If you don't mind me asking... What do you do to assist you peers?"

"Medic. Murder." A long pause separated each word.

"Do you have knowledge in cybernetics?" Yip asked the man.

"Not extensively, though I intended to look into how to install cybernetics onto flesh. Have yet to get into it." Blaze shrugged, taking a drag.

 

[ShadowHounder]

ShadowHounder and InsaneDarkness: Presence of Mind Part 2

"And of mental reprogramming?" The Cartus asked once more, this time her tone a strange mix of solemn and venom.

"That... sounds unethical." Blaze frowned.

"You'll find that people care of little of ethic when they see you as an object." The young girl grabbed another cookie from her box as she spoke.

"I can see that." As Blaze spoke, smoke came out with every word. As he finished speaking, he let out a thin stream of what was left.

Yup thought for a moment. "How much experience do you have in the medical field? Are you familiar with some of the experiments and... Outlawed practices."

"I am aware that they have been done. Ethics change between one race and another. Scientists are benefited greatly from them, but the ethicality of these experiments leave sour tastes in their mouths after the fact. At least, I would hope so. So, to answer your question, not a lot."

"Fair enough..." Yip sipped out of a small glass of water.

"Was there more you wished to say?" Blaze asked, taking a drag before flicking the ash into the ashtray.

"I guess I should explain what Mental reprogramming is. Give you an idea of my sotuation." The Cartus remarked as she took another sip. "Mental reprogramming is the active process of using genetic manipulation to rewrite the actions of one's brain. The potential of such a procedure can be endless. One could remove negative mental traits, alter the personality of an unsavory person... Enforce obedience beyond counter..." Yip's tone turned grim as she made the last remark.

Blaze let out a stream of smoke before he spoke. "Sounds fun, for those who have the credits to create mind-slaved victims."

"For the man who tried it on me... He owned the research facilty. If there was any new experiment he wanted done, he would simply grab a slave from his collection and had them off for the researchers to exploit. Of course... The sick bastard reminded us who was in charge prior to getting shipped away." A dark look filled Yip's eyes has she explained her former owner's plans to the medic.

Blaze sighed. "I live in a world surrounded by idiots. No wonder I smoke."

"A mind set like that could get you killed." Yup reminded the smoker. "It would be a shame if one of those 'idiots' managed to outsmart you effortlessly."

"It would be a shame if a lot of things happened. Let us just leave it at that." Blaze stood up, looking down upon the smaller individual. "But I really could not care any less." His wings plumed outwards as he brought his cigarette back to his lips.

Yip examined Blaze's wings carefully. "I've seen wings like those before..." She muttered while digging through her memory for a match.

"Like I said, Celentius," Blaze muttered, the cigarette bouncing up and down between his lips and muffling his words. He took another drag before he snuffed the cigarette out in the ashtray.

Yip eventually came across a dark memory when she found the wings she saw before. "It seems I knew a man who referred to you kind as 'prized hunting trophies.'"

"Not surprising. Most people tend to look down on us." Blaze let out the last stream of smoke, turning his full attention to the kid. "What is your name, kid? Just in case I never see you again due to your clearly unfortunate circumstances."

"You may call me Yip." The "kid" answered. "I'm not sure kid is an appropriate term. I am hold enough for humans to consider me an adult."

"Not my problem." Blaze walked towards the door, letting out a stream of normal air. As soon as he reached the door, he stopped. "And I am Blaze. A pleasure." He turned around to give Yip a theatrical bow.

Yip returned with a more formal bow. "Maybe we will see each other soon. Captain Jetstorm has shown interest in me."

"We shall see."

 

[BMPixy]

ShadowHounder & BMPixy: “A Bladed Tail, A Little Competition, and A Familiar Eye, Part One”
Golden Wind, Holoroom

Yup had spent a couple hours inside the holoroom, preparing her skills for whatever mission she had next. She quickly and precisely took out each of the various holo dummies... Which she had programmed to attack her upon spawning. It was nowhere close to a proper battle, but she needed to keep her reflexes in check as much as possible. She used her dagger to slash each close by dummy while using her tail blade to dispatch targets from farther away. Her movements were swift, however the increasing number of targets caught up to her. A loud buzz echoed through the room as on of the holographic swords went through her chest. She looked up at the score she programmed in the room: 58. Yip sighed as she sat in front of the computer and munched on a few cookies. It was a good clear, but still five points off her highest from when she first started.

The programming was interrupted by the doors to the holodeck sliding open, revealing a new figure. Standing tall and broad, a fiery red mane cascading down past his shoulders, stood Gazan, pausing slightly as he scanned the room, not having expected another to be there at this time.

"I am not intruding upon anything too private, I assume?" the Shinso noble asked, stepping into the holoroom at full swagger after the moment of hesitation passed.

Gazan was met not by the girl training inside the holoroom, but rather a blade tipped tail slamming into the door as it closed behind him. Yip glared at the Shinso with murderous eyes. "I should've it would only be a matter of time before I saw one of your kind again. Does he want me back so badly that he would send another assassin to try and abduct me? Did that bastard think that sending you would truly be enough?"

Gazan arched his eyebrows, reaching up with a single finger to tap the tail embedded within the door. "Would a hired thug ask if they were intruding on a training session?" he asked back. Shaking his head, he continued, stepping forward, arms stretched out to his sides. "From that reaction, I take it you were the property of another - and you find yourself free now. Well, truth told, it does not matter to me, we are both simply bounty hunters. Though I do wonder if this is how you greet Shinso in general - I might have to warn Viellin if that is the case."

Yip continued to glare at the noble as her tail freed itself from the metal door... Pulling back to behind her and preparing to strike once more if needed. Yip stepped several feet back when Gazan approached, a small hint of fear trapped within her enraged eyes. "Why else would someone of your stature be here?" She hissed at him.

"Every day you are not training, someone else is," Gazan replied, raising a single finger towards the heavens. "Though I suppose you would be unsatisfied with that answer," he added, lowering the finger and shaking his head, "so I shall have you know that the House of Caineghis-Kruger is not your ordinary noble clan, nor I the ordinary scion. As I said, I am simply a bounty hunter these days. One with the duty of rebuilding that which has fallen, but a bounty hunter nonetheless," he finished, his tone not at all humbling himself despite his choice of words.

"The last noble I trusted made me like this. Why should I trust that you won't do just as he did?" The cybernetic assassin demanded. "I have no reason to ever trust a Shinso... I don't care about what clan you are from!"

"Such behavior is beneath myself. The reason is this," Gazan said, turning his back on Yip. "Slashing his sword, one who will replace the gods. Does that sound like the name of one who enjoys the degradation and servitude of others?"

At this point, Yip's body began to shake uncontrollably... Fear slowly starting to overtake rage. This mix of emotions led her to snap at the man. "I don't time for your manipulative bullshit!"

Gazan frowned slightly, though thanks to his position facing away from the Cartus that rare display was hidden. "If I were trying to manipulate you," he slowly said, "this would not be how I would do it." Pausing for a moment and settling on an appropriate piece of wisdom, the noble raised a single finger towards the heavens. "Grandmother said this. There is no greater joy to a devil than twisting the words of an angel. Do you sincerely believe I am trying to manipulate you, that I am your enemy, or is that the what devil within your heart is telling you?"

Unable to control her emotions any longer, Yip vanished. The only indications that she was still in the room was the door suddenly opening in front of Gazan as her bladed tail brushed against the Shinso's in her haste. She darted through the halls, clumsily looking for somewhere to hide. Gazan sighed as Yip left. Were he of a weaker stock, he would consider not pursuing and simply going about his training for the day, but the Shinso was not that sort of fellow. Instead, he took a deep breath, rolled his shoulders, and set off at a walk after the Cartus - running after her would merely cause her to run faster, after all.

Yip placed her back against a corner, taking advantage of her camouflage to check behind her with fear of him noticing. She pulled a dagger off of her belt and watched the Shinso as he... walked? She couldn't comprehend how the noble was able to be so calm about the matter. He knew that she was designed to be the perfect killer, didn't he? She remember hearing that the reason Cartus escaped outside of empire space was due to how often houses spoke to one another. He had to of known what was done to her to even be able to recognize her as a slave. What if that was the reason he was calm? she shook her head in denial. The Shinso nobles were people of money and power... Why would any of them show sympathy?

And so Gazan quietly strolled past the corner, only a subtle twitch of his ear giving any indication that he heard the sound of a dagger being withdrawn, or perhaps even the sound of breathing, but the Shinso brushing his mane away from the ear gave another reason for that action. Gazan walked two, three, four steps past Yip, leaving his back open and exposed to the Cartus. And then he stopped and spoke.

"Nobles have a duty," he began, talking to no-one. "They are sworn to protect those they call subjects. Some of weak character neglect that duty, and as such are not worthy of their titles. It is through obligation that a ruler becomes noble." Yes, that is what I shall say to her, he thought to himself.

Gazan's seeming lack of awareness was enough for Yip to calm down and regain control over herself. She placed her dagger back in it's sheath and deactivated her cloak. "You speak of restoring your house and see Shinso politics as heresy... You are an exile, aren't you?"

"I suppose that is one way to refer my situation," Gazan answered, turning to face Yip. "Though I prefer to think of myself as a questing knight, in search of honor, glory, and prestige to mark the rebirth of Caineghis-Kruger."

"And potentially the Shinso Empire as a whole..." The assassin muttered into her finger as she thought about the situation for a moment. "Does this mean you work for Captain Jetstorm?"

"Indeed, else I would not be aboard this vessel," Gazan replied. "A cooperative partnership was to both of our benefits. I presume the same is true for yourself?"

"Should I choose to join the crew officially," The cyberized Cartus girl remarked. "I did not get here by normal circumstances."

"Few do," Gazan remarked wryly. "But nevertheless, you do seem the capable sort, so I am certain you shall find the way that suits you, miss..." he trailed off to let her introduce herself, raising a hand palm up and bowing slightly, as if beckoning her to speak.

The girl chuckled. "I was under the impression you already knew that answer. You may refer to me as Yip."

"Space is wide, and there are many names to remember," Gazan answered, pacing lightly, looking down briefly before locking eyes with Yip. "But I knew that look in your eyes, Yin, and that told me enough."

 

[BMPixy]

ShadowHounder & BMPixy: “A Bladed Tail, A Little Competition, and A Familiar Eye, Part Two”

"I am not the slave you once knew." Yip told Gazan as she looked him in the eyes in return. "He made sure that was the case."

"Indeed," Gazan said coolly, briefly examining the tail that nearly impaled him but a few minutes ago. Warming slightly, he continued, "However, I am confident that the Yin I will know from now will be a much better person - after all, you have not run a second time."

"Due to regaining control of my own thoughts... Not because I learned trust." The cybernetic girl explained coldly. "Once I was able to think again... I realized that you abandon the ideals of the Empire long ago."

"No, I have not abandoned their ideals," the noble replied with a shake of his fiery mane. "They have forgotten themselves and become lost. I alone walk the path of heaven that all nobles should strive for."

"And that is why they exiled you." Yip said in a slightly playful tone, before walking up and poking him in the nose. "You questioned their faith... saying that they lost their way. They will not leave their lifestyle so easily."

"I left because this is the best way to rebuild my fallen house," Gazan answered plainly and simply, gently pushing away the finger on his nose. "It is an exile of my own choosing; setting out upon the wider galaxy to forge a legend for a new era."

"A bold claim... Only time will tell with is an achievable one," the assassin reminded him.

"To say the sun will rise is no bold claim," Gazan replied, turning away from Yip. "It is merely a statement of inevitability."

"We will have to see which one of is right when the time passes." Yip crossed her arms and gave the man a coy smile. "You can never be sure what the universe might throw at you."

"Grandmother said this," the Armor Knight replied, glancing back at the Cartus. "If you will it, luck will always be on your side. I am not one to let the universe throw things at me - rather, I shall be the one to cast stones at it."

Yup chuckled at his response. "Be sure to not bite off more then you can chew. It would a shame if the history shaping legend died on a desert after a long fight."

Gazan snorted loud and low at the absurdity of that thought. "Come - you were still training, were you not?" the Shinso asked, heading back the way he came. "Let us continue together," he finished with a beckoning wave of the hand.

Yip couldn't help but roll her eyes at the noble. She followed him into the holoroom. "How do you plan for us to train together?"

"Competition drives improvement, no?" he replied, striding over to the console and punching away at it. With a few more taps on the screen, a second score counter appeared next to Yin's. "And it seems we already have the means to do so at our disposal."

The assassin looked at the monitor. Of course, she had nearly forgotten her need to keep track of her success... Or lack thereof. "I will have to warn you. That is not my highest score. I can't show proof due to file corruption, but I've gotten over a hundred several times early on."

"Then I shall aim for a thousand," Gazan replied, raising his right hand to be level with his left shoulder, before throwing it out to the right - his left arm following it so that the elbow rested beneath his chin. "Henshin," he intoned, his armor materializing around him in a flash of light. With that done, he reached over and tapped the console one more time, triggering the program.

The program was simple; destroy as many holographic dummies before one of them can touch you. The number of bodies started out small... But would gradually increase over the course of the session. "Keep in mind that the program does not take your armor into account." Yip advised to the nobleman. "All it takes is one hit and you lose." The young assassin couldn't help but smirk as she wanted for the program to finalize. It was time to see if this Shinso could bite just as much as he barked.

"This armor is for more than just protection," Gazan lightly corrected, reaching into a pouch along the side of his belt. "It is an armory," he added, withdrawing a singular card from the pouch and displaying it - the front of the card displaying a cavalry saber upon a background of blue and red flames - before sliding it into his belt buckle.

"Sword Vent," the belt intoned, as the sword displayed on the front of the card materialized before the Armor Knight, who in turned plucked it from the air and brandished it.

As the program finished loading, Gazan couldn't help but quip once more as the power field along the blade's edge flickered to life. "And my Sunrise Saber is chief among these legendary weapons," he finished as the first holographic warrior sprung forth at the Shinso, only to be struck down with a single stroke of the aforementioned weapon.

Yip watched the man fight with a curious eye. I wonder how he'll fare when the rifles start spawning... she thought gleefully. This was the first time in her life someone openly challenged her... And it was both amusing and slightly thrilling to think about the idea of competition.

Gazan flowed like water through the foes as they approached, seamlessly switching between refined swordsmanship, ruthless striking, and brutal grappling techniques as the situation called for it. An overhead slash would be met with a blocking forearm at the hilt and a quick slash across the gut, whilst a lunge would be punished with a slight step to the side and a sharp stab with the elbow to the back of the neck. And as OverLion dug his sword deep into a foe (number twenty-three, to be exact) after a strong diagonal slash, his instincts flared, spurring him to spin to the side just in time to avoid a burst of rifle fire, which instead scattered the other holographic foe to the winds, sending the Sunrise Saber clattering to the ground.

Rather than close the gap with the rifleman like a normal fighter would, Gazan instead broke left, towards the near wall of the holoroom, gunfire chasing him as he withdrew another card from his deck. Where floor turned upwards to wall, Gazan kept running, climbing straight up the wall for a brief time as he inserted the card into his belt buckle.

"Shoot Vent," the belt intoned as Gazan plucked his Evoltech Shooter out of the air, snapping off a midjump pair of shots at the rifleman and it's freshly spawned companion, smashing them apart in a cascade of light. Gazan landed and tucked into a roll, grabbing his sword halfway through the motion and raising it to block an opportunistic strike from a blade-bearing hologram. For it's opportunism, it took a phaser bolt to the gut, and Gazan spun to his feet, not wasting a single motion as he flowed from one kata to another as he continued to fight off the increasing waves of enemies.

"You have skill... I'll give you that." Yip muttered under her breath as she watched the knight fend off the endless hoard of constructed warriors. Yip briefly contemplated adding to the program... Adding new and more challenging foes. For now, she let the man have his fun, a surprise like that could ruin the moment.

Forty-five. Forty-six. If anything, Gazan seemed to be increasing in speed as he fought as he accustomed himself to fighting holographic foes - compensating for being unable to sense killing intent by sharpening his eyes and ears to every motion around him. With both hands filled with weapons, he turned to his legs to provide the close range strikes when his Sunrise Saber was occupied and his Evoltech Shooter was dispatching foes from afar. At one point the noble, in the course of pouncing away from a burst of gunfire, caught another foe in a head-scissors. Twisting his powerful calves to his advantage, Gazan did a half revolution around the unfortunate holographic warrior before letting himself free, a parting shot dispatching the foe as Gazan spun away.

"People become stronger through adventures!" Gazan declared as he landed in a roll, snapping off another phaser shot. "And I have had plenty of those," he added, twisting away from a pair of blades.

Yip smiled deviously - it was time the holograms picked up in pace. The real struggle was at sixty targets... When the program was set to suddenly double the numbers each wave. One of the main reasons Yip could never hit two hundred was due to the outrageous swarm... And the fact that most computers crashed when she tried to see what would happen at the one-fifty mark.

And it was with a clear field that Gazan met the first of those massive waves, the counter sitting evenly at sixty. Twenty dummies spawned in, weapons snapping to positions, but Gazan was ready for their arrival, if not their number.

"Final Vent," his belt intoned robotically as the Armor Knight inserted a card into the hilt of his sword, the blade sparkling and crackling with excess electricity, ionizing the air around it into a line of superheated plasma contained within the natural electromagnet the Sunrise Saber now formed. The riflemen began to squeeze their triggers, and Gazan swung and roared wordlessly. A flash of light not unlike a miniature sun flared to life for a moment as the magnetic bottle inverted, spraying a wave of plasma at the wall of oncoming foes, scattering them to the ether they came from.