The Starstream Adventures! (Sci-fi RP)

[ShadowHounder]

ShadowHounder and Black0ut: The Sad Truth Part 2

"We've both been through hell..." The young Cartus remarked solemnly. "When you are trying to deal with the demons of your past... It is often easy to forget that others have had fates very similar to yours. How about this; you tell me why you ended up this way and I'll tell you how I ended up in my own position. Fair trade?"

"I can already tell what happened to you by looking at you. To anyone who knows graft points, yours are off slightly, meaning you either had a shitty surgeon, or they were forced on you. Given that you're guarded, the latter is more obvious. And when we met, you were scared of me. If you were just a normal person, you'd have tried to turn it to rage and add some more emotion to your lie. You ran instead and stealthed. Only reason you'd do that is if something happened in your early life. Seeing as you're a Cartus, bad parents was my first thoughts, but how would you justify the cybernetics unless you were forced to get them by someone who owned you." Nick took a step back, turning away from her.

"You arrogant piece of shit!" Yip snapped, the anger consuming her every fiber. "My mother risked her life every day to make sure I was able to live! She sacrificed everything! You talk as if all the knowledge of the world is open to you, but you will never know what it is like to live as a slave!"

A gun barrel poked her cheek, Nick's eyes aflame with anger. "And have you lost all your childhood friends? Did you watch as their bodies were torn apart and made into paste? Do you get to hear their screams every night, asking why you lived when they died? No? Then shut the fuck up." The barrel removed itself from her cheek before transforming back. "Get out of the holoroom. I still have it for twenty minutes and I'd rather not have to deal with your bullshit."

Yip sat in silence... Trying her best to not fall into the pits of depression. As she walked towards the exit, the only words she muttered were. "Yes I did..." The endless screams that her voice blended inside echoing through her head.

"Until you've been intimate with several of your friends' guts, I don't want to hear it." Nick growled, still livid. "Out. Now, infiltrator."

"While I'm gone... Ask yourself this..." Yip stated as the door opened in front of her. "What makes your fate any different from the life that a slave lives?" Before Nick had the time to respond, the assassin activated her cloak and left the room without any further discussion.

 

[Insane Darkness]

Insane Darkness and Shadow Hounder present...
Cyber Power

Yip walked into the holoroom, preparing the computer for her early training. She opened up her personal sessions and began looking through to see which would benefit her for the time being. The assassin decided to pick stealth training... Make up for the session that an armor warrior had cut short the other day.

Ella was on her way to the holo-room as well when she noticed the door was already open. She quickly hid behind the wall, out of sight while peering around the frame. Based on her stance, I'd say she's trying some stealth training. Guess that gives me a chance to do some training of my own.

Yip pulled out her daggers and let the blade in her tail extend fully. "INITIALIZING TRAINING PROTOCOL." The computer echoed while a field of gunmen formed around her. Once the holomen were fully materialized, the cybernetic Cartus vanished from sight... None of the soldiers noticing she was even there.

She's right there, guys... How can you be so stupid?... You're a literal training program. Ella noticed the blade in the tail after a few moments of watching through the removed infrared scope of her sniper. That's... a little tacky. Though, it may have its uses.

As the soldiers did their "standard" routine... Yip made her move. Two guards broke apart from one another, with the invisible Cartus following close behind one. The other soldier turned around to find that his comrade "bleeding out on the ground. He rushed over and pulled out his communicator... Only to have a long steel blade driven through his throat. Yip kept to the nearby wall, this one being one of the physical walls of the room. She moved up to the next target with both daggers in hands.

Ella rolled into the room, detaching her sniper from her back and reattaching her scope as the gun was covered in holo-shapes, bringing her weapon into the world. A quick look down the scope and a quicker pull of the trigger found an extremely loud shot straight through the leader's head, all the way at the back of the holo-room. Even though nearly seven holo-walls had to be shot through. A low hum could be heard within the room as her drone appeared near Yip. taking her enemy's attention.

Yip let out a frustrated groan as she simply walked back to the console room and turned the program off. "This exercise is meant for one person to use at a time. Next time you should learn to wait instead of interrupting someone in that manner." Yip remarked, her voice loaded with venom when she saw that her new guest was a Shinso.

"I figured sharing wouldn't have been a terrible idea. Besides, I didn't break your cover. If anything, I gave you more opportunities." Ella stood up straight, holding her sniper down at a 45-degree angle.

"That is not the point..." Yip growled. "I see that even today the empire's arrogance knows no bounds."

"I'm not a part of an 'empire'. Don't sass me with your 'arrogance' bullshit," Ella growled back, the hair on her arm and back standing on end.

"You are Shinso... Are you not?" The assassin demanded, rage building up in her expression.

"Is there something wrong with me being a Shinso? No need to be so fucking racist." Ella felt her fingers start to tense up and curl.

"You know nothing of true racism..." Yip barked venomously. "You were not the one living your life as a slave. So, tell me... How can a race that take joy in enslaving and torturing those of another be considered morally just?"

"Because not every Shinso likes to take others as slaves?" Ella stated, confused. "And could you stop hating me for two seconds just because I'm a Shinso? I don't give a damn what you are, Cartus or otherwise." Ella glared at the taller girl. If she tries to attack me, I'm not against taking her out. She's fucking delirious.

Yip glared at the sniper... But merely sighed. "So there are others like Gazan. My apologies for the outburst... Trust is difficult for me."

Ella gave a sour look. "I don't like being compared to Gazan, but if it gets her to stop being pissed off at me..." she grumbled before she took a deep breath, letting it out before she spoke again. "I suppose I can understand that. But just because you can't trust somebody doesn't mean they're always bad. It's not a great first impression to assume what a person's beliefs are and be pissed at them because of it." Ella's tone, while making it obvious she was still a little annoyed, was stern and logical with a tinge of compassion and forgiveness.

"It will take a bit... But it is a lesson I am learning." Yip remarked. "Granted, it would've been a better idea to knock on the door and ask to use my training exercise... Rather than interrupting my session with 'assistance.'"

"I suppose, but I thought it would be more fun if you went along with it. I planned to help you kill everyone more efficiently. It would have been like a teamwork exercise," Ella explained, her voice more high-pitched and happy so that she didn't sound like she was just being an asshole. Which she wasn't. But she also wasn't thinking as far ahead as "teamwork exercise".

"The exercise is not designed for teamwork. If I were to go along with your action... The results would be inconclusive. I believe I have a few programs designed for cooperative practice if you wish to train as a duo." Yip stated while her tail acted like a cat tail once more.

"I don't often get the chance. Many people just wish to fight me." Ella shrugged. "I'm the best long-range sniper there is, so you'd think having good communication with those closest to the enemy would be my priority. But, even if it was, their callouts would still be just as shitty. I end up protecting their asses more than they do mine."

"The best in their craft are the ones who can act without the need of orders." The Cartus assassin stated as she walked towards the console. "The first step to honing a profession is to work outside of the guidelines given to you and build your own technique."

 

[Insane Darkness]

Cyber Power pt. 2

"I agree and disagree with that." Ella walked around the frame of the door, sidling up to the wall as soon as she entered. "It's good to know how to work as a team and how to work alone. If you can only do one, you're weak in the other. And if the time comes where the other is required, there's a good chance you can die. Which sucks. Obviously."

Yip chuckled. "I take it you don't talk much..."

"I'm not exactly what people would call 'sociable'."

"Well... Your speech could use some work, but otherwise you seem sociable enough." Yip teased. "Should be ready whenever you are."

"I don't exactly need to hear that from you, Miss Shoot First, Ask Questions Later." Ella cocked her rifle.

"I can't shoot when I don't use a gun." Yip countered. "Besides... As an assassin you get used to stabbing anyone that gets in your way before questioning them... All you need is the corpse to get paid anyway."

"My point still stands."

"Either way... The point still stands." Yip remarked as she located an exercise designed for two people. "Give me the okay and I'll activate the program."

"Waiting on you."

Yip tapped start in the console and entered her cloaking field, preparing for the generated goons to appear.

Ella crouched down, sniper at the ready. She stood on the tips of her toes, ready for if she needed to relocate as the world generated around her.

Yip quickly dispatched two guards who had been walking the same direction. The big difference this time, and the reason for the added member, was that these men could see Yip. This exercise was meant to help her rely on others in a situation where her cloak would be useless.

A low hum resonated between the walls of the simulation as Ella's drone activated near Yip, though the sound didn't give away her position. "Two ahead, three east-northeast of your position," Ella warned before a shot ran through several walls and took out an enemy 200 meters away.

Yip took out the two in front of her before darting away from the three to her right. She noticed a slight glare in the distance. "Enemy sniper northwest of your position." She briefly informed Ella before pressing forward to find another kill.

"Classic glossy sniper rifles... Amateurs..." A shot went directly through the sniper's scope, obliterating the body behind it. "Easy. Heads up. Two more, rounding the corner in 3, 2, 1."

Yip drove a dagger in one of their necks while her tail stabbed into the other's head. She spun around to quickly slice open a soldier attempting to sneak up behind her. After that she moved out of line of sight once more.

A few more shots were fired before a few pistol shots could be heard near Ella's position. "Damn... There's always one that tries to sneak up on me. I don't need to have that reality check again..."

Yip cut another guard's throat open before moving into a hidden position once more. "Five left... Should be an easy cleanup." She told Ella as she moved into position to take out another lonely soul.

The furthest along found a shot to the ankle before a shot ripped his body in two while he fell. The second closest received a shot to the heart, collapsing while clutching his chest. "Make that three. I'll leave the rest to you."

Yip grinned slightly as she moved to stab daggers into two more skulls. After a bit of searching, the Cartus assassin eventually found her last target and placed a blade swiftly into the back of his neck. A loud buzz echoed through the room as the holo terrain disappeared.

"Not too bad. I can't imagine that could have gone any better." Ella nodded.

"Spotting the sniper earlier would've been good." The cyborg remarked as she registered the time onto the data banks. "Being able to manage positioning so that you would not be dealing with an ambush would also help. Also, I will need your name if you don't mind... Need to add you to the database to keep track of the scores."

"Viella," she replied, standing up. "Do you have a name? Or should I just call you Stabby-Tail?"

"You may call me Yip." The young woman stated, creating a profile for Viella.

"Alright. Yip it is." Ella nodded, looking down at her sniper and dusting it off.

"You are free to use any of the other exercises." Yip stated while she made her way towards the door. "I have already done most of my training for that day... So I shall be going to clean myself and relax for a few hours."

"Alright, then. I'll see you around, I guess." Ella placed her rifle on her back and strode over to the console.

 

[Black0ut]

Black0ut and ZombieSplitter present:
Alcohol and Melancholy Make an Interesting Mix


Titania exited her room, not having gone to bed as she normally would after flying. Instead, she had a haggard appearance. Dar bags were under her eyes, and the very large bottle of vodka that was half-empty read '120 proof'. She wandered mindlessly over to the bar, promptly resting her head, and the bottle, on the counter.

Ash appeared without a sound. He opened his mouth to speak before realizing she didn't look to be in the best position. After a moment of silence, he softly asked, "Would you... like to be left alone?"

"No, 's fine." She started, her words heavily slurred. She waved a hand at him. "Just... bad luck. Lotsa bad luck. Too much bad luck." She looked at him firefly, her eyes growing a bit puffy.

Despite being programmed to mostly smile, he realized it would be offensive in this instant and frowned. "It looks like you might have been crying. Would you... like to talk?"

"Sures... can't make me more fucked..." She grumbled, closing her eyes as she laid on the table. "My bestest friend, Zeno... he got hurts because I couldn't turn my ship fast enough... so he's in the hospital... And the bastards are threatening to pull his plug... I could... kill all of em... so he'd be fine... but then there'd be no doctors... And I'd get in trouble... but I don't have the moneys to pay off Zeno's bills... but but I don't wanna lose my nicest friend..." Tears had begun to leak onto the counter as the drunken woman silently weeped as she talked.

"Is there anyway you can raise the money in time by taking bounties?" Ash asked softly.

Ash moved it to within her reach. "What... about the Captain? Or Aya Me? Perhaps they could give you the money."

"Aya doesn't like me... And JJ... she's got bigger problems with the ship and you... like takin' care of you... and... I don't really know anybody here that well..." Titania took another swig of the vodka, her tears having coalesced into a small pool under her head.

Ash lowered his head. He was programmed to attend to everyone's needs, but there was nothing he could do to help. He felt... something. Something he wasn't meant to feel. It wasn't in his programming. Was this... hopelessness? "Surely... there must be something that can be done..."

"I don't know... Maybe I can... sell my armor...?" The visible cringe of that train of thought showed itself as she grimaced. "I... guess I don't need armor going into battle..." She murmured aloud, taking another swig.

Ash felt worse hearing that, more confusion flooding him as these negative emotions felt wrong. "I... perhaps I can speak on your behalf. I know Aya just got a big payday from a mission with Mr. Blisk, and... and surely she doesn't dislike you that much..."

"I couldn't ask you that... 's not fair to you... And Ava... Aya... She doesn't like modif- altered people like me..." She said softly. "Which is fine... people normally don't like me... 'specially Tammies... but it's fine... I just... I don't know..." The tears seemed to have stopped but the bottle which was a hefty one, had been emptied.

Ash held his head for a moment and closed his eyes. All these negative emotions. No... no, he had a job to do. He slowly reached out and grasped Titania's hand, squeezing it softly. "I am sorry. There is... nothing I can do then..."

Titania gave a small smile. "It's okay... I'll figure it... out..." She placed her hand on his. "Thank youz... for listening... no one else seems to... they're all so moody... but you're so sweets..."

Ash smiled back at her. "You do not have to thank me. It is my job." He chuckled. "You do not thank the replicator for your food, do you?"

"No... but you're not a repli- replica- A food maker. You tried to help... that makes you sweet..." She said, standing up and wobbling slightly. "And... if you're sweet... why shouldn't I say thank you?"

Ash smiled a little wider, and bowed his head. "Well, you are quite welcome. You, um... I should probably help you back to your room..."

"Right..." She stumbled away from him, in the direction of the door. "Y'know... you're one of the... nicest people I've met in a while... not like Ella... she's pretty mean. Or like Blaze... he's especially mean... you're super nice..."

He quickly walked over to her, giving her support with surprising strength. "I am sorry to hear you are having bad experiences here. What did they do or say that was so mean?"

"Blaze just talks mean and likes to insult... Ella is just cold... and she's shunned all of my attempts to be friends... And I don't know how to make her cheer up..." She whispered.

The hologram nodded in understanding. He supported Titania as they moved through the halls. "If it helps... while I can not say for certain, even if I wasn't programmed for it, I still believe I would be your friend."

With a surprising amount of strength, she lifted the hard light construct up in a hug, continuing down the hall as she did so. "You're so sweet..."

He chuckled. "As are you. Are we... friends?"

"Yeah... we're friends..." Titania hugged the construct closer to her, like one would a stuffed animal. "Because you're sweet... and nice... and you talk with me... no one else really is like that..."

Ash nodded as well as he could squeezed against her. "I am... willing to talk to you any time you'd like."

"I'd... like that... And I'm sorry you... get to see me like this..." She said, laying her head gingerly on his shoulder.

"It is okay." Ash continued along. "You are not the first to turn to alcohol when depressed." He reached her door and opened it, gingerly bringing her to her bed and laying her down. "Is there... anything I can do for you? Get for you? Please, do not hesitate to ask."

"Could you... stay with me until I fall asleep? I don't wanna be alone..." Titania asked, her voice soft and vulnerable.


Ash nodded. "Of course." He pulled her covers over her and gently took her hand, humming a soft lullaby.

"Thank you... Ash..." She murmured as her eyes closed shut. Soon she had fallen back into a deep slumber, her hand still holding Ash's hand with a surprisingly gentle grip.

Ash watched her for a while, gently smile. His smile faded a bit, however. What were those negative feelings he had earlier. He would have to investigate. He made sure she was sound asleep before disappearing, running a diagnostic, but still watching Titania like a concerned sibling.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

Space Station LXG-7724. More commonly known to the locals as the Megastar Station. The Golden Wind slowly approached the massive Mega Space Station in the mid afternoon, local time. It was shaped like a bicone, Layers of rings getting smaller as they went up or down from they enormous central ring. Megastar would be the Golden Wind's home for the time being, and with good reason.

LXG-7724 was loctlated in a particularly small sector of the galaxy. Said sector, the Galani Sector, acted as an in between, a centralized point between four surrounding sectors. It was also located in what could be considered a frontier of the galaxy as far as the GFP was concerned. In fact, there was little GFP presence in this section of the galaxy. This meant a higher presence of crime and piracy in the area. Not so good for the locals. Great for a group of bounty hunters looking for plentiful work.

The crew stepped off the ginormous dock in the central ring, big enough to hold dozens of Golden Winds. They were all encouraged to explore to their heart's content. The station was a megalopolis, aliens of every known race and creed, and several none of the diverse crew had ever seen, went to and fro. The Bicone shape had a ring floating in space, rotating around the center, but this was mainly for recieving and sending out supplies and working on the outside of the ship, and thus was rarely visited by non-workers.

The entire station was built around a cental tube, the outside of which housed dozens of lifta to send people to its different levels, the center of which rotated to maintain artificial gravity. One could find any kind of shop desired in the grand central ring alone, from high quality Dondondari retailers to a few second hand shops and sellers of questionable items run by humans, Shinso, and even a Pickio or two.

As one moved to higher or lower rings, one moved farther away from the more reputable parts of the station to areas with housing for fhe thousands of workers on station, bars, seedier shops, and the like. The top and bottom levels could even be considered slums. There were seven levels in total, three levels below the central ring, three above.

Naturally, such a massive space city wasn't without its criminal underbelly. The station was run by an unknown conglomerate of aliens who had their own police force to deal with crime. Still, the further you got away from the central ring, the more crime you found. As expected, this meant it was the most expensive to live and shop in the central ring, but bounty hunters like that of the Golden Wind got around the price of living by simply paying to dock their ship and living on board.

Space Station LXG-7724 was truly a sight to behold, both inside and out. It would be the Golden Wind's crew's home for the foreseeable future, for better or for worse.

 

[Dahlexpert]

The fallowing is done by Dhalexpert&Blackout

Warming my metal heart

Before reaching the space station

Titania Sat in the armory bringing a chair and foldable table in with her as she examined her rifle, having disassembled it in order to clean and replace parts if she had to. The fragile and explosive plasma cell laid haphazardly next to her foot.

“You know it’s highly dangerous to have an exposed plasma cell so close to you.” Titania turned around to see Blisk, and saw him pointing down.

"I'll be fine as long as I don't break the cell. What's up, Blisk?" She replied, glancing down and gently moving it away with her hand.

Blisk walked into the room and picked up the cell.” Don’t get careless. I was just stoping by was gonna clean my gear as well, then I saw this. Look Titania this is still explosive, don’t just swat it away.” Blisk said in his usual stern voice.

"So is most of the weapons everyone uses." Titania rebutted, her attention still on the inner workings of her rifle. "And considering it hasn't blown up, I'm fine. Give me some credit at the least."

Blisk slammed his hand on a wall.” Titania it’s not just this, if this did go off not only will you be crippled but possibly put a hole in the ship. If that happens you will be spaced along with our weapons!” Blisk took some deep breaths and calmed down.” Look just be mindful of things that can explode so close to you Alright, don’t just swat it away.”

The Dondondari looked unamused with the outburst and leaned back in her chair. "Look; I'm not going to pretend that I'm ditzy and friendly right now. I'm not. I'm trained, just like everyone else on the ship is to fight and maintain my weapons. I also pilot the ship and know the specs for what it can and cannot withstand." She moved back forward to clean her weapon. "And why are you so worried about me? We've only really talked and sparred the one time..."

"Call it me worrying that i'm working with people again, I'm slowly getting my compassion again. And it's been a while since I've worked with others I guess I’m starting to care."

"So in essence, you're concerned for me... because you care about me?" Titania raised an eyebrow as she worked.

"Sure why not I do care about you and most of the crew, i'm the most experience person here. And most of you have been doing for a couple years, i'm allowed to show some concerns."

"Even though you also seem to like to stare at my breasts very obviously? Glad to know they have gained your concern." She sarcastically replied, rubbing her ear as she began to reassemble the rifle. "Or is that normal for Kotavorgs to do when a woman wears a tank top?"

"No I just like looking at your tits, and as I proved during our last talk I will fight you if you’re uncomfortable with it." Blisk then looked at Titania face and saw some bruises. "Though you’re looking rather rough, been on some tough fights."

"Having your head squished by a genetically modified asshole tends to cause that.." She replied quietly, her hands snapping the nearly completed rifle to a ready position. "And if you're gonna stare, try to make it not so obvious."

"Can't help but look at them, there some nasty looking bruises. Have you gone to the doc tour yet?"
"I was unconscious for three days; yeah, I went to our doctor and medic. This is an improvement, I'm told." Titania replied, finally finishing putting her rifle back together, a new energy cell being put in. "I technically should be dead and I definitely shouldn't have remained conscious after my fight with the Monster Shinso. I'm apparently hard to kill."

Blisk eyes twitched.” Titania what is the extent of your genetic modifications?”

"Why do you want to know?"

“Just out of curiosity, I know you have some healing factor. But what else and to what extent is your healing?”

"Enhanced eyesight, speed, strength, durability, blood filtering or poison remover, and that's all you'll get for now." Titania replied, leaning on her gun. "If you want anything more than basic information, you're going to have to take me on a date. So, anything else that you want to know?"

“What kind of bounty was this person?”

"Twenty thousand. Plus the other high priority targets."

“That’s not a bad haul, so who was this guy who did put you in a knocked out state?”

"A Shinso who could rip your cybernetics off with ease and could beat you down using a minigun as a club. He threw me through two walls and crushed my helmet with me in it." She replied, offering a grim smile. "He was very beefy and didn't hide at all that he was modified. He had scarred muscles, was taller than most other Shinso and he felt no pain from losing a limb."

“Sounds like I missed a fun fight, I was thinking it was some easy pray. But after that sounds like you could use a bit more practice.”

"Getting ambushed doesn't mean my skills are poor; it means I got attacked by an enemy who was smart." Titania replied, a little irritated by the implications of what Blisk said. She took her handle from her hip and began to dissect it as well.

“No it means you underestimated your opponent by thinking he was a conman thug.”

She glared at him. "Okay... you realize he wasn't the only fucking one there right? Or that I wasn't a bit preoccupied with dodging over twenty laser firing at me alongside a laser minigun? I had a sniper firing at me, a minigun, dozens of goons and you think that a guy who waited for me, prepared for me to get to a certain point without me seeing, that, that right there is somehow my fault?" Her left hand clenched into a fist as her eyes narrowed further.

Blisk looked down and saw Titania fist clinched, and then he remembered she also has a head injury.” Ugh Look I’m not blaming you, and could have found some way out of that situation without getting. The head injury.” Blisk then pulled a binch and sat down, he then jester her to sit next to him.

She remained, where she was arms crossed. "He literally came out of a building while I dealt with the minigun then within a matter of moments chucked me through neo-concrete and metal. Then to make him wince and fall back, I sliced an arm off to which he didn'teven react. He grabbed me crushed my helmet into my head a bit then through me back through another wall." She explained, attempting to calm herself. "After a threat of murder Gazan went off to fight him and then I kept the goons busy by shooting one and intimidating the rest into submission, despite not being able to see out of one eye. And I kept going long enough to blackout because Gazan thought carrying a person who's bleeding profusely from a head wound needed to be put over his shoulder."

“Alright Alright you proved your point he caught you off guard, my fault. I’m just thinking to myself that maybe there was some way you could have avoided this. And not well end up with a concussion.”

"If there was," She started appeased enough that after she quickly reassembled her hilt, she got up and sat next to him. "I didn't see it. And believe me, I had plenty of time to review that in my head, all the little actions I could've done... I bought Gazan enough time to deal with some small enemies and get ready to face his target."

“Ugh Hum.” Blisk moved his hand to Titania should.” Look I know it’s rough, but you will bounce back from this. It may take some time but you’ll get better, maybe you could add another weapon to your arsenal?”

"Suggestions since I'm losing my power armor?" Titania asked, tensing at the sudden hand on her shoulder before relaxing a bit.

"Hum well that's gonna be a bit of a problem, if I were to make a suggestion. I would say go for a something lighter, might be good for movement with your sword and all."

"I'll see what I can scrounge up in terms of a laser pistol then. It'll be efficient enough, I think." She closed her eyes, trying to decide where she could acquire such a weapon that'd be reliable and wouldn't cost her too much.

 

[Dahlexpert]

Part 2


"Aren't your kind like master traders or something, come on now i'm sure you know someone that could give you a good deal." Blisk grouned in his head started running her hair." Alright why don't we try gun stores then huh?"

Titania raised an eyebrow at the petting, but didn't say anything about it. "We're masters of trade, but five hundred credits doesn't cover much in terms of being able to buy anything. Maybe if I find a drug dealer I can buy it off him."

"Um no drug dealers your by equipment from people your gonna be hunting down. Wait don't we have like a buch of garbage weapons on the ship?"

"Not many pistols that won't break from shooting them once and even less that'll be reliable enough to bring on missions." Titania explained, shrugging. "So semi-reliable laser gun from a drug dealer seems like a good option to me."

“No you’re not getting anything from a drug dealer.” Blisk rubbed his head.” Okay I know a smuggler that might get you a decent weapon.”

"For five hundred credits?" She had an incredulous look as if she couldn't believe what Blisk was saying was true.

“Yeah sure, do you want me to go talk to him now. Or do you wanna keep thinking of something else?”

"What's the catch?" She asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Nothing that you need to worry about, trust me all you have to do is just show up and ask what you want from him."

Titania frowned, but nodded. "All right. I'll trust you then."

“That’s great I’ll go and make the call, you just keep working on your gun.” Blisk got up and went to the communication center and typed signal 3978-b37 and a human showed up on screen.

“This had better be you Slim, you better have my shipments.”

“Hello Abe.” Blisk said in a annoyed tone.

Abs eyes light up.” Blisk! How’s my number one customer?”

“Just Fine, Listen I need a laser pistol.”

“ Say no more man I’ve got you. I can see you in sector A I’ll be there in a few days”

Once the transmission ended Blisk went back to Titania.

"So, what did your arms dealer say?" She asked quietly, looking at him with a mix of guarded hope and slight suspicion.

“He will meet us at one of the local stations, I’ve given him the location.”

"When are we going to meet him?"


“Give him a day of travel, until then we can talk over dinner.”

Titania raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me out on a date, Blisk?"

“I seem to recall you saying if I wanted to know more personal things about you ask you on a date. So yes I am asking you on a date.”

Titania paused, eyeing the man with curiosity. "All right. I'll get dressed up, so I hope you'll do the same." Titania replied, her reassembled handle going to her side.

"Right because I know how to do that, get all dressed up and crap." Bliaks said leaving the weapon room and heading to his.

"Cute..." Titania murmured, a slight smile on her face as she got up and went to her room to put a dress on.

"Ugh I swear to the stars these other races wanting to be all fancy and crap." Blisk pulled out what he thought would make a decent appearance.

Titania, meanwhile, had pulled off her typical clothes and had pulled on a simple dress that accentuated her curves. She applied some lipstick and slipped into some low-heels. She opened her door and paused, looking at her handle that she decided to bring with her.

Blisk on the other hand took a shower and comed his hair and looked over his cloths some he haven't worn in months. Blisk put on a dark gray pants, as well as a dark gray shirt. Blisk then put on a black trench coat and grabbed his pistol, since he didn't want to leave it behind." Ugh I can't believe i'm doing this crap, can't tell me more about herself can't she?" Blisk complained finally leaving his room.

Titania wandered the halls, looking for Blisk as she didn't know where his room was. Eventually deciding that he'd probably find her faster, she waited in the lounge. She leaned against a wall and started reading the bottles of alcohol in the bar to pass the time.

Blisk entered the lounge and looked around and saw Titania. Wearing and had to do a double take at her. "Wow I gotta say if your plan was to get me to star at you then great job."

Titania's eyes drifted over to Blisk, eyeing him up as well. "You're not bad yourself, Blisk." She flirted, batting her eyelashes at him.

“I try, but I wasn’t expecting you to be this dolled up. Hell cant ‘t blame me for wanting to take you to a hotel afterwards.”

"Slow down, Blisk. I'm not looking for a fuck buddy." She said softly, sauntering over to him. "But play your cards right with a few more dates and you just might get that hotel visit you want." A finger gently brushed his cheek as she walked by.

“Well doesn’t that sound enjoyable, anyway I saw this nice little spots that I can take you. Since I’m paying for this.”

"Well, I'll let you lead the way, then." Titania gestured for Blitz to lead and to take her hand.

Blisk looked at Titania hand and tried his bed to be gently in holding it. He escorted her to a what seemed to be a fancy human restaurant, with chefs cooking the food in front of their customers with some live singing going on.

"What a lovely venue..." Titania looked around and admired the beautifully fancy restaurant. She squeezed his hand slightly, a soft, gentle smile gracing her face. "Guess I shouldn't have doubted a gentleman like you."

“Well I have to treat myself every so often, besides. I don’t go on dates often, especially with beautiful woman like yourself, so I’m kinda going an extra mile here.”

"And I appreciate the effort. After all, not many handsome men try this hard..." She said sweetly. But that's a lie... they do just to get into my pants... Her eyes grew sadder, but perked up within a moment, so as to not give away her negative thoughts. "So, my dashing knight, where are we going to sit?"

There’s a free table over there.” Blisk escorted Titania to a free table and opened her chair for her.” Just to let you know I don’t typically show of time being a gentleman to most people.” As Titania sat down a waitress came

“Welcome may I start you two off with something to drink?”

Blisk looked at Titania.” Lady’s first.

Briefly looking down at the menu in front of her, Titania offered a smile, "Can I have a steak, medium-done, with a salad as an entree?"

“Very well and for you sir?”

Blisk looked over his menu and smiled.” I’ll take the vespian lobsters.”

“Ou great choice I’ll be back with your salad man.”

As she left Blisk looked at Titania.” I gotta say, I’m shocked that you went all out with that dress Titania.”

"Well, with dates, I don't play around. Besides," Titania gave Blisk a flirtatious look. "I could say the same about you, handsome."

 

[Dahlexpert]

Part 3

Blisk looked at his clothes.” Eh I aim to please, besides it’s not very often that I take time for myself anyway.” So then miss Titania.” Blisk put his arms on the table and his lead leaning on them.” Why don’t you tell me more about you?”

"I come from a trade ship known as Krieg, we deal in all manners of goods there and we tend to be a little nicer than other merchants. Key word is little, people still grumble but we're one of the most reliable ships out there. I'm a triplet, but both of my sisters look the same where as I'm more unique." Titania paused, leaning back as she thought more on what the Kotavorg would find interesting. "I'm half-Human, half-Dondondari. And that's about all the interesting trivia about myself before we descend into my favorite kinds of things."

“Hum how very interesting. Me my history is rather short. I’m the only child of a military mother and mercenary father, I was raised on the space cruiser Ajax’s.”

"I'm sure that's not all of it." Titania said sweetly, taking his hand from across the table. "And I doubt it's more boring than what I said. So what happened in your past?"

Blisk looked at her hand squeeze it lightly.” I was meant to be a soldier. I was trained on that ship, weapons expert search and destroy. Squad leading, I was one of best coming from that ship. The a group of pirates ambushed us, six ships in total and it would have taken reinforcements to long to help us. I fought as hard as I could but my friends my teachers all died around me, my parents found me and took me to the captains escape pod while they stayed behind to help who was left.”

Titania's eyes saddened. "I'm sorry to hear that... did your parents....?" She asked, her voice full of compassion, her eyes softening.

“Gone along with the ship, but of course pirates need to be extra cruel. Those that escaped were chased to the planet we landed on, I watch my home burn in orbit and chased into the sea and exploded. The survivors were rounded up and excited, but not me. I’m alive because I killed two of my captures and heardbutted the captain.”

The watriss came back with Titania salad.” Here you go miss your food is cooking as we speak.”

"Thank you." Titania said with smile, her eyes not sharing the joy her smile suggested. She waited until the woman left before speaking with Blisk. "I'm... so sorry... I..." She struggled to say, her eyes casting down to the salad. "Did you at least get back at the pirates?"

“Ou Yeah I got to the kill the bastard two years later, once I saved a pirate hunter. Killed the pirate destroyed his ship, and launched all the escape pods but one. So that pirate lost his ship crew and his life.”

Titania rubbed his hand gently, "Well, I'm happy you're still here and that you got revenge for your family. I'm just... sad to hear you had to go through that, probably when you were only a teenager... and for some weird reason, I want to comfort you..."

“Don’t I don’t want to be conferred, I had a long time to move on from it. And my home world has a way of fixing a wild and anger Kotavorg.”

Titania bit her lip to prevent herself from saying more until she could get a handle on her emotions. With a deep breath, she merely looked at him, her smile having evaporated for a more neutral look. "I'm, at the very least, glad you're still here... alive. I... will admit, you're going to learn, if you haven't already, I'm an emotional person. Hearing bad shit like this makes me want to be affectionate and sweet. So I'm sorry if I... upset you by being like this."

“I’m not upset by it, it’s natural for others to wanna comfort me after hearing about my childhood. But I got over it, I’m more curious about you and the other abilities you have that you couldn’t tell me about.”

"I have heightened reflexes, which allows me to use a melee weapon to deflect bullets, lasers, or plasma fire. I'm flexible enough to contort my body so I can fit into hard to reach places...And I have a healing factor, although a lack of blood still affects me the same as everyone else; my wounds just tend to close faster." Titania picked up her spare fork with her hand, taking a bite once she had finished speaking.

"Wow I gotta say, a lot of work has been put into you. So I gotta ask did you do this to yourself or was this a thing your parents decided to give you?"

Her expression dropped for a moment before it returned to a more neutral state. "Parents. Later on in my life, so I'm not as powerful as other gene-mods but I'm still strong enough to fight them."

“It’s better than nothing at all compared to others, were as me I decided to do this to myself. I decided late in my life to get rid of my organic bits so I could be better.”

"Well, I am curious about cybernetics. Why did you choose that instead of gene-mods?"

“First reason, it’s a culture thing for my kind. Second we’re more skilled in this department then gen mods, and mostly because I don’t get tired. Because of my metal parts I’m stronger tougher and am better than what I previously was.”

"I bet I could take you down in a fist fight." Titania challenged, her smile warm and inviting if a bit seductive.

“I think you’re head might be a bit more messed up then you thought, we did spar against each other. But a full blown fight sounds like fun.”

"Oh, I recall. I just think I'll be able to win." Titania giggled, taking another bite of her salad. " And to make it more interesting, if I win, I get to decide where our next date will be and you'll pay again. If I lose, you get to decide and I'll pay. Sound fair?"

“Why miss Titania if I didn’t know any better I would say you’re enjoying my company a little too much.”

She rolled her eyes, before offering him a confident smirk. "Maybe I am... but are you saying you don't like me acting like this?" She raised an eyebrow, her smirk transforming into a seductive smile.

"Humm."

The waitress then arrived at the table with both there food. "Right here you go madam here your steak, and for you sir your lobster."

As the waitress left. "Blisk looked back at Titania. "Now then before that happen, yes I don't mind you asking like this. Now then I do believe that's enough talk let's just enjoy our food shall we?"

Titania's eyes had fallen onto her food with interest, seemingly not hearing his comment despite her ears pointing straight up. Her bushy tail swished back and forth before she cut into her steak, strained civility hiding how eager and hungry she truly was. Taking a bite, she sighed as it seemingly melted in her mouth.

Blisk rolled his eyes and dug into his food, He broke the claws tail and the outer shell of his lobster and dug into the meat. The meat it's self was very tinder and practically fell apart in his mouth. once both were done with there food the waitress left the bill on the table which Blisk paid for, after words they both walked back to the golden wing.

"Well were back at home, this was a good time."

"It was... and I wouldn't mind another date. I still have to kick your ass later to decide it, though." Titania flirted.

“You could try but I got a feeling you’re going to be paying for damn near all of them.” Blisk then rubbed his head.” So is this the part I kiss you goodbye or we just part ways, till morning?”

"It is. But, you don't have to kiss me if you don't want to. I do take hugs." She said, her tail wrapping around her hips, preparing itself to pull him closer if he tried for a kiss.

Blisk looked Titania up and down, seeing how much effort she did on herself. Blisk shrugged his shoulders and pulled Titania closer and kissed her.

She returned the kiss, her right leg slightly lifting off the ground. After a few moments of kissing she broke it off, a blush coming to her cheeks. "D-definitely need to... go and, uh... fix up my ship. Y-yeah..."

“Sure I can work with that excuse, but remember be here by morning so Abe can give you a new laser pistol.” Blisk opened his door.” Goodnight Titania.”

"Will do. Good night, Blisk." Titania waited until he entered before fist pumping the air in a very unlady-like way. So happy was she that she skipped back to her room, humming an old Earth song her mother had taught her.

Blisk on the other hand heard Titania Leaving, and headbutted the nearest wall.” Ou Blisk What have you done, you can’t do this to her or anyone else on this ship. You have been here to long, you know what happens when you get attached to anyone even a little.” Blisk shook his head and layed in his bead staring at the ceiling.

Space station LXG-7724

That morning Blisk And Titania waited for Blisk weapons dealer, he not saying one word to Titania.

 

[Dahlexpert]

Part 4

Titania raised an eyebrow at his behavior. She stood right next to him, her tail swishing to brush up against his side. "Soooo... you're rather quiet. Any reason for that?"

Blisk took a deep breath and sighed.” Look Titania last night was great, I had fun. But let’s keep what happened that night on that night and stick to this hole partner role we got going here.” Blisk said in his usual stern voice.

Titania paused, a look of shock and hurt on her face that stuck for a few moments. Her eyes gained a tired look to them as she attempted a very plastic, casual smile. "Got it, Blisk. One-time thing." Titania looked away from him, her tail falling down behind her as her ears drooped a little.

Blisk looked at Titania and sighed knowing that he hurt her. Just then Blisk saw a man wearing what looked to be a modern version of wester clothes hat included.

“Blisk my main man, it’s been years . How is my favorite bounty hunter?”

“Hello Abe been good.” Blisk pointed at Titania.” This is my partner Titania she’s the one that wants a laser pistol from you.”

Abe looked Titania up and down and whistled.” Damn Blisk I know you had a eye out for great things, should have known that included women as well.”

The plasticness she had faded for a natural smile and all the other insecurities she had displayed vanished. "Like Blisk said, I'm Titania. It's a pleasure to meet you, Abe." She stuck out her hand.

He shook her hand and got a better look at Titania.” I gotta say Blisk you do know how to pick them, you always did have an eye for the finer things. If you weren’t one of the most wanted bounty hunters in the galaxy.”

“Abe. Guns. We’re!” Blisk said in a unusual angry tone.

“Right the guns, come on I’ll show you.” Abe said quickly taking the duo to his ship.

Titania looked at the man with a curious look, her ears lowering but the question on her mind and more obviously on her face: Why was he wanted?

Abe showed them to his ship and escorted them inside, he then showed them a wall of laser pistols. "Alright then little lady take your pick of what you want, while your picking i'm gonna have a nice talk with Blisk."

Titania nodded, eyeing up the weapons with her reasonable knowledge of firearms. "Alright..." She murmured back, as she continued browsing.

"Right you enjoy the guns Blisk may I talk to you?" Abe took Blisk to a diffrent part of the ship. "So let's talk money how much does she have?"

"Five hundred credits." Blisk said

"Five hundred credits, that's not a lot Blisk. But I know you so what will you give me so I could give her what she wants?"

"I will ou you one favor."

Abe smilled from ear to ear." You will ou me that means you will ou me a favor? As in you will do what I say?"

Blisk pointed a gun at Abe." Within reason of course."

Abe raised his hands, and gently lowered Blisk gun." I know Blisk, besides I have a job for you. A man named Slim has been screwing me over I'm gonna need you to take him down or at least convince him not to mess with me"

"Fine that's no problem." Blisk and Abe returned to Titania.

She had picked out a rather hard hitting laser pistol that was as cheap as she could find. "Would you be willing to part with this? In exchange, I could hook you up with a Dondondari tradeship which would give you access to a better stock of weapons, armor, and other gear bounty hunters like me and Blisk would use. I could also probably ensure your next ten bulk purchases in terms of guns, armors, ammo, or gadget are also lowered for your deals." She offered.

"Blisk I think your offer has been out weight, don't get me wrong as much as you offering me your servoses. But her offer makes me way more money, and plenty of other trad deals. Lady you got yourself a deal and I will be happy to part with that weapon for what your offering. Abe said while shaking her hand." Now if that's all Blisk can I offer you a weapon since your friend is offering me so much?

"No I’m fine come along Titania we need to leave."

Abe raises his eyebrow. "Well then something seems to be under his skin."

Her eyes stared at Blisk with more concern, but still had some sense of mind to give the weapons dealer a smile and took out a small datapad she had brought. She tapped on it and pulled up the tradeship details. "Go to the head merchant and tell him that Titania brokered your deal and they'll honor it. And... if you feel that's too generous... I am rather low on credits..." She bargained further, her eyes occasionally taking a look at Blisk in worry.

“What you offered me is plenty darling.” Abe said giving Titania the pistol and with that Blisk opened the door and started walking off. Abe raised his eyebrow.” You might wanna get him.”

"I know. I was hoping to get a couple hundred credits, she explained before going out the door and jogging after Blisk. "Okay, Blisk, we need to have that kind of talk. What's upsetting you?"

Blisk stopped and turned to Titania.” Fine I’ll get to the point, I can’t date you for your own safety.”

"I literally get shot at for a living by people and ships; I have survived for three years in this business. I think my safety is already in danger, so me dating you has no bearing on it." Titania crossed her arms, her eyes determined and stubborn.

“Alright let me put it this way, I have a bounty on me. That’s why I got pissed at Abe for mentioning it, I’m wanted by every criminal organization you could think of. I’m worth about fifteen million dollars to crime organizations.”

"And? If you hadn't looked at the crew recently, most of us are heavy hitters. Despite what you think, we are entirely capable of fighting, and winning, against criminal syndicates." She shook her head slowly, her tail swishing side to side in irritation.

“Do you not get what I’m saying, if people find out I’m dating anyone the will target them to get to me. Hell your last job you had help and you still got messed up, now imagine if you didn’t have help you get jumped and they take you. Or get to your family to force you into an ambush then what?!”

"First, Dondondari tradeships have a shit ton of security and we pay said guards handsomely. Second, my family are the head merchants, which means because of the death threats we have, we also have the largest amount of guards, paid with enough money and helped through any social situation that they're loyal." Titania held up her fingers, her own voice rising.

"And thirdly, while yes, there is a possibility of me getting captured, I again point to our fellow crew members. Our Captain is fool-hardy enough she would go and because she owns the ship, everyone goes." She grabbed him by the neckline of his shirt bringing him down to her eye level. "So calm the fuck down and stop acting like I am a dainty flower. I'm not."

Blisk looked at Titania and took her hand off him, he then turned around and rubbed his head, she could hear what sounded like him growling like a crocodile.” Will you really be fine with dating a fifteen million dollar Kotavorg, my race are a hand full.

Titania rolled her eyes. "I am. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have said yes to the date and I would've already said 'fuck it's and left. How about this: no labels until you feel more comfortable and we can continue to date each other or others. That way, you feel better and you can limit who targets your dates."

Blisk smiled and turned to face her.” That I can work with, thanks. Now if you excuse me I need to talk to Abe in private about getting me more of those medi shots, seeing as though I ran out of those. But seeing as we’re no longer in GFP space we’re probably gonna need more of it.” Blisk said yelling to Abe to wait.

Titania sighed and looked at her new weapon, before heading back to the Golden Wind, content for the moment. "Well, at least he was still willing to date me..." She said softly, as she made it to the ship, eager to lay down and play a few video games.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Taxor the First and BMPixy - "Old Faces, New Encounters, & A Meeting of the Proud, Part 1"
Aboard LXG-7724, Ring 3
Ward 3, The HU Bar

“Still amazes me that I’d run into your noble ass all the way out here,” the bartender said, carefully and precisely mixing the layered and fruity drinks that defined Shinso alcohol culture.

“I am more amazed, Yurin,” Gazan replied, leaning back on his barstool, “that your talents as a bartender were not recognized on the homeworld. If I recall correctly, you stood at the top of the Institute’s culinary arts program.” Gazan shook his mane, turning slightly to watch the rest of the bar as the evening shift regulars started to pour in after a long day at work. “Well, as much as I’d like to ask and before you get too busy - I’m sure you recall my order.”

“Aye, aye,” the woman across the counter replied, sliding her first concoction down the bar and starting on the next. “One light men-stre, ‘my liege’,” she added playfully, collecting the required drinks from the large shelf behind the bar.

Among the deluge of evening regulars filed in a more familiar face, albeit only so at a distance. For once, Kentaro didn’t look too out of place - there was a hefty amount of suits already in the crowd he was a part of. There was nothing he could do about his build or the colour of said suit, however, and so he still stuck out - just not as much. He wiped an almost-weary hand up his brow and through his hair, before halting. That mane… ah, hell.

Gazan, in turn, in his idle perusing of the new entrants, spotted the odd figure out amongst the crowd. He raised a curious and bemused eyebrow at the sight of a bounty hunter amidst a crowd of salarymen, but nevertheless raised a hand towards Kentaro, motioning him to the bar as well.

Setting his jaw in a slightly-grouchy line, the human did as he was bade, stalking over to the bar with heavy steps. He ceased a few paces away, hands slipping into his suit jacket’s pockets. “Gazan, right?” he ‘greeted’.

“That is indeed the one name in the universe you must not forget,” the Shinso replied. “Come, sit, Kentaro,” the Shinso motioned to the stool next to him. “I believe we have yet to formally sit down and speak, no? Oh, and Yurin - make it two, if you could,” he added at the bartender, who merely shook her head resignedly and grabbed a second glass.

Kentaro gave her a thankful smirk and inclination of the head that only served to make him look smug, and sat down. “I take it somebody squeaked if you know my name already despite the lack of introductions,” he surmised, leaning one arm on the bar laxly. “Skips the boring part at least. Here’s the interesting question - what’s a guy with your, uh… ‘air’ doing in a place like this dump, eh?” He glanced at the bartender. “No offence. It’s a cozy dump.”

“Well, I was out for a stroll to explore the station when I came across Yurin here taking out the garbage, in both senses of the phrase,” Gazan said. “Being that I hadn’t seen her since our university days, I decided to say hello.”

“And now it’s been two hours and this is the first drink he’s ordered,” ‘Yurin’ added, placing the fruity and vibrant drinks before the two men. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got actual customers to serve,” she says, sliding off down the bar.

Kentaro chuckled, watching her go. “I like her already. Might come back.” His eyes turned to the drink, simply examining it for a few seconds before at last picking it up. “Two hours without buyin’ a drink and she still let you stick around. Never had you pegged for a playboy, Gaz.” The human grinned, taking a sip of the drink.

“I was and am nothing but a gentleman,” the noble replied, taking his own drink and taking a long and steady sip that seemed to last for half an eternity - the perfect drinking form for this style of drink. Setting it down, he added, “Though that does bring me to the question, in turn, of how you found yourself here.”

The human spread his unoccupied hand. “Can a guy not get a drink without being interrogated?” He shrugged. “I’m not here on business, if that’s what you’re implying. Just needed some alcohol to give me a buzz before I saunter back to the ship and turn in for the night. Maybe have some fun, pick up a chick. The usual.”

“Well then, I can certainly say you came to the right place for the alcohol, at least,” Gazan said, swirling his drink to prevent it from settling. “As for the latter of your pursuits - I would advise you not to risk limb pursuing such decadence. Yurin had a very traditional Kruger upbringing, if you understand my implication.”

Kentaro grunted irritably. “All the good ones are dangerous,” he complained to no-one in particular, taking a proper swig of his drink this time and wincing a little as it seared his throat. He cleared that throat equally irritably. “Gotta take a risk sometimes. Might pay off one day. Y’never know.”

“Grandmother said this,” Gazan began, raising a single finger towards the heavens. “There is no room for might in yo-”

“In your vocabulary, only ‘will’,” the bartender interrupted from down the counter, sliding a tray of peanuts the two men’s way.

“Yes, that,” Gazan said, clearing his throat slightly at the interruption and taking another long sip of his drink. “As I was saying, if you take a risk, be prepared to make it worth it.”

“I go all-in or not at all,” Kentaro promised smoothly, with a smirk that almost crossed into ‘leering’ territory. He was trying - and failing - to hide his amusement. “That’s not to say I’m an overconfident asshole. Just a brash idiot.”

“Well, all I shall say then is that I approve of the outlook, if not the goals that outlook is turned to,” the Shinso replied, carefully shelling a peanut.

A shrug answered him. “Yeah, well, I ain’t exactly got a duchy to rebuild or whateverthefuck you’re doin’. Everything I own is on the Wind. I got less to lose, I guess. ‘Side from my life. But that’s always gonna be a risk, so…”

“The only thing worth risking,” Gazan said, nodding his head. “If one isn’t willing to bet that… though I suppose given our line of work, it’s only natural that such an attitude grows. A knightly attitude, I would say.”

The human grunted. “Call it that if it makes you feel better about yourself,” he murmured, taking a more moderate draught from his alcohol. “Works for me. But giving a shit about justice is what landed me here in the first place, so…” A bitter smirk, and a shake of the head. “I’m not saying we’re assholes, mind. Well, I’m a bit of a dick. But we do necessary things. Just… universe doesn’t give a shit about good karma.”

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Taxor the First and BMPixy - "Old Faces, New Encounters, & A Meeting of the Proud, Part 2"

“Firstly, I would say that given you are in my presence, this place you find yourself in might not be so bad,” the Shinso replied warmly and sincerely, shelling a few more peanuts and snacking on them. “And of course the universe doesn’t care about good deeds - rather, it is the men who live in it that care for such things. And it is for those folk that we work, no?”

Kentaro dismissed the disbelieving expression on his face for a more grounded frown - ignoring the first comment. “True,” he allowed. “But we work against other folk. And that pisses them right the fuck off. I’ve got… a cartel, we’ll say, out for my blood. And they won’t let up until I give it to ‘em. If you haven’t already, you’ll make an enemy like that. And all those people you’ve helped before? Nothin’ they can do to help. You’ll be on your own, bar the whole ‘enemy of my enemy’ rule.”

Gazan gazed down the bar, identifying that Yurin was busy taking an order before he spoke. Raising his glass to the sky, the Shinso said in turn, “Even if all the universe is your enemy, there is one thing you must do. Fight, and fight some more.” Lowering his glass, he said, “More of my grandmother’s words. After all, if they have labeled themselves your enemy, then it is your duty to defeat them.”

A grunt. “... your grandma’s a wise lady, huh,” Ken mused. He shifted on his stool. “Clearly you respect the woman, else you wouldn’t be quoting her all the time. She still around, or…?”

Gazan shook his head, his fiery mane cascading in waves around him. “She passed a few years ago. As such, I am the one she chose to carry the will of fire one must hold to truly be noble. She laid her utmost trust in me that I would be able to do what was needed to restore my family. I owe her an… incalculable debt,” the man says, lowering his head in a rare show of solemnity.

A gentle pang - both of pity and of his own loneliness - tapped Kentaro’s chest. He acknowledged the emotion wearily, and dismissed it as one might an old friend they’d tired of meeting. “If nothing else,” he uttered, surprisingly gently, “I’d say she’d be proud of your backbone. It takes guts to be as brazenly overconfident as you are.”

“I am not overconfident,” Gazan replied, turning to look at Kentaro with that cocky glint in his eyes, the Shinso having muscled down his own solemness. “I am exactly as proud of my abilities as I should be. Perhaps even a little humble.”

Kentaro wheezed the first part of his laugh, shaking his head. “Kaz tells me you’re not bad on a bike,” he prompted, only changing the topic so much as to step away from late family members.

“Indeed. I believe the best way to phrase it would be,” Gazan trailed off rubbing his chin, before tapping it as he came up with something. “Among bounty hunters, OverLion. Among motorcycles, the Bidoron Chaser.”

The human rolled his eyes and took another drink. “Thefuck does ‘bidoron’ even mean?” he asked. “That some Shinso animal or somethin’?”

“In my native dialect, it refers to an ancient pagan deity, who resided beyond the edge of the world. In Kruger, where my ancestors hailed from before conquering new lands, those who set out to raid foreign coasts were known as those who chased Bidoron,” Gazan explained, taking another long sip from his drink afterwards. He added, “Hence, the name. After all, I am the one who shall replace the gods.”

“Uh huh. Sure.” Kentaro’s tone did not seem particularly reverential. He leaned forward. “But can your bike fly?”

“Whatever can be reached through flight can be reached through a solid jump,” the noble answered. “And that my Bidoron Chaser can more than perform,” he finished. “Not to mention the numerous other tools in its arsenal.”

“Ah, you tricked yours out too? A man of culture and taste, I see,” the human smirked. “I’m gonna disagree on the first point though - I’d be surprised if you could make a jump into space with that.”

Gazan shook his head. “That is attempting to fit the round peg into the triangular hole,” he replied. “Increase a tool’s strengths, and it becomes a better tool. Give it other strengths, and you risk losing the original ones.”

“I’ll take bending over being forced to break any day,” Ken quipped back. “You’d be surprised how quick a target can clamber out of their getaway car and into a personal shuttle. That’s when they become surprised at how quick I can match ‘em.”

“Perhaps a faster bike would see you catch their getaway car in the first place,” Gazan replied, letting a touch of haughtiness slip into his voice. He shelled a few more peanuts and continued. “350 km/h, before boost,” he boasted.

Kentaro paused. “... 340,” he growled irritably. “Still, speed’s nothing unless you’ve got a straight run. In a city, when the fuck does that happen? You’ve gotta maneuver and keep that speed. Can you do that?”

“Ronin and I performed a mission not too long ago that more than proves that I can,” Gazan replied. “Under skilled sniper fire in an urban environment for five minutes, at 150 km/h, the only shot I took was handled by shields.”

“Ha! You still got shot. Gonna have to deduct points for that, buddy.”

“Well, I did have a passenger to keep in mind,” Gazan excused himself. “And if we are scoring, it is only fitting you put yourself up for judgement as well.”

Kentaro shrugged, leaning back against the bar. “Only been out on business once so far,” he answered, idly swishing his (decidedly close to empty) drink. “And that was a space job. Kept a bunch of slobs off the pretty lady, dropped in two others to kill the bad guy, home for dinner. Those two fucked up a bit, but that wasn’t my fault. Outside, it went smoother than a baby’s ass.”

“Given your tone, I imagine you’re referring to a human child,” Gazan replied, finishing off his own drink. “Though to hear Ronin went off on a job so soon after her last is a touch worrying, she took serious damage in our battle.”

A raised eyebrow. “Did she? She looked fine. Damn fine.”

Gazan tapped his wristwatch, bringing up the holo-display and filtering through it, looking for something. “I took it upon myself to pay for her expenses,” he said, pulling up a receipt and showing it to the other man. “As you can see…” he trailed off, letting the number do the talking.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Taxor the First and BMPixy - "Old Faces, New Encounters, & A Meeting of the Proud, Part 3"

Kentaro winced, and drew back - having leaned forward to examine the document. “Yeah, well, she strikes me as worth the money,” he murmured, rubbing his chin. “Girl’s got spine. And fire. And steel. And just about every other thing that comes together to make one badass bitch.” There seemed to be genuine respect in his tone - though it was short-lived. “Nick got proper fucked-up on my little outing. Ah - you probably know the guy. Looks like a fucking noire detective with that dumbass hat and coat… anyway. Job’s dangerous. Hopefully neither of us scratch our pretty faces as much as they have.”

Gazan closed the display with a nod. “Indeed, it is wise to try to avoid harm, but given the choice between myself and another?” Gazan raised an eyebrow and looked at Kentaro. “I would always rather take the blow myself. After all, I am prepared for this line of work - unlike others the good Captain has chosen to take aboard.”

The human frowned suspiciously, but didn’t take the bait - if it had indeed been intended as bait. “Yeah, there’s a few oddities in the crew. I find experience tends to weed ‘em out. If they’re worth the Cap’s faith, they’ll stick. If not… they won’t. And me, I’ll just keep doin’ what I do. Kickin’ ass, takin’ names, earnin’ bounties, and tryin’ not to get my ass handed to me on a titanium platter, all that good shit.” He grinned in a challenging manner, and downed the remainder of his drink.

Gazan chuckled. “If that’s all you aim for, then standing at the top of bounty hunters shall be a remarkably easy task,” he taunted in return. “One must have vision beyond the day to day.”

Ken shrugged. “I find it’s better not to make plans I can’t accomplish,” he stated with a too-friendly smirk. “I’ve got plans, sure. Vision. But those are contingencies - backups. I hope I never realise ‘em. The longer I go around on my own terms, the better. That’s my vision, Gaz. The freedom to not need one.”

“Life is a long path to a goal,” Gazan replied, tilting his drained glass at the human. “Better to control that goal yourself than have others decide it for you. Destiny is not kind to those who let its currents guide them.”

The human laughed, and spread his hands. “If I don’t know what the fuck I’m doin’, nobody else does either,” he explained simply. “Means I can’t be predicted. Or chased.”

“In my early days of bounty hunting, I fought a man who believed a similar thing, that if he took no stance, used no form, held no style, he would be invincible in hand to hand combat.” Gazan chuckled at the memory. “Unfortunately, the body has ways of alerting your foe to your movements. He discovered that the hard way.”

“And would a style not have made that easier for you?” Kentaro asked, cocking his head to the side.

“No, because of the simple fact that if you don’t know what you’re doing, you cannot hide what you are doing either,” the noble replied.

There was a moment of silence. “I do my best to,” he answered at last, frowning. “And so far it’s workin’ - I ain’t got the hungry wolves snapping at my heels yet. Besides, you’re forgetting one crucial thing.” He grinned. “It’s more fun this way. You can take your lofty aspirations. If that fulfills you, fine. I’ll keep chasing safe satisfaction instead. Which of us do you think will reach their goal first? The guy who aimed for the moon, or the stars?”

“Safe satisfaction is little more than an oxymoron,” Gazan replied. “Given our situation, I’d say the former of the terms is the one you are missing out on. After all, the galaxy is large and holds many places to hide. Similarly, I could have taken my Fine Arts degree and made a name for myself as a calligrapher. But we both find ourselves here, instead, chasing unsafe glory.”

“See, that’s where we differ,” Kentaro answered. “You made a choice. I wasn’t given one. Now, I’m just using my skills to get by. If something comes across that I can choose to pursue, then hell, why not? And I do get a kick out of doin’ good, even if half the time it bites me right in the ass.”

“Well then, I advise finding something soon,” Gazan replied. “It has been hammered into me from the day I could understand that men are kept alive by their vision. When all else has left you, that is the one thing you can rely on to keep you alive.”

“I’d prefer my internal med-dispensary system,” the human deadpanned.

“Hence why I said ‘when all else has left’,” Gazan lightly corrected, cracking open a few more peanuts.

Kentaro rolled his eyes. “As if will alone is gonna get me through being fucked up that hard.”

Gazan tossed the shelled nuts down his gullet. “I believe the turn of phrase went, ‘will is one helluva anesthetic’?” he said, raising a bemused eyebrow.

A frown. “I thought it was ‘rage’,” the human muttered, rubbing his chin. He shrugged, and glanced around. “... anyway. You know where a guy can find some grub ‘round here? Does your friend serve food? I’d eat on the Wind, but uh… I can’t really get over the ‘chef bein’ made of worms’ thing.”

Gazan’s bemused eyebrow became an incredulous one at the thought that that would be a hang up. “Chuck’s cooking is divine, I must say,” the Shinso replied. “Truly a wonder worth experiencing. You must have it sooner rather than later.” Shaking his head, “Anyways, if it comes to food, if Yurin hasn’t improved since the old days…”

“I start one fire trying to make a grilled cheese with an iron,” the bartender chimed in as she passed by the two men.

“You couldn’t even start a fire while making a good sandwich,” Gazan said back.

“Anyways, no, no grub here, just booze, nuts, and pretzels,” Yurin replied. “Haven’t been able to find a good cook after the last one got hit by a food truck.”

“A food- Of all the-” Kentaro let out a frustrated scowl. “Fuckin’ dammit.” He sighed, and slid off his stool, taking a moment to stretch. “Guess I’ll just wander ‘till I find somewhere. ‘Ey, uh, Yurin, was it? How much for the drink?”

“I shall handle it,” Gazan interrupted with a raised hand. “Consider it making up for the past few hours in Yurin’s case, and for being good conversation in Kentaro’s case,” he said, looking at each in turn.

The human frowned, but shrugged. “You wanna pay for me, I ain’t gonna say no. Maybe save the gentleman behaviour for someone that actually cares, though. Find some pretty lion girl, buy her a drink. Your generosity is wasted on me.” He smirked, and strode past. “Taunts aside… thanks for the drink. You have a good night.”

Gazan waved the man’s comments aside as he pulled up his watch once more to transfer the funds. “I shall see you around the ship, Kentaro.”

“Likewise,” was the response, Kentaro grinning as he turned back to face the direction he was walking. He lifted a hand for a lazy wave as he strode out the door, silhouetted in neon for a moment before disappearing back into the street.

 

[ShadowHounder]

ZombieSplitter and ShadowHounder: A Chance to Be Human

The Golden Wind touched down on the massive megastation that would be their home for the time being. Everyone was excited to check it out, even the normally timid Bajir, and they were all given leave to do so.

There were two members of the crew who could not leave unfortunately, and Aya felt bad for one of them. It was for this reason she stayed behind and knocked on Viper's door. "Hey, it's Aya. Want some company?"

"Come in..." Viper replied... Focused more on her reflection on the mirror than the door to her room.

Aya pressed the button to open the door and stepped inside. "Look, I know it probably sucks that you can't walk around the station like everyone else, but..."

"It's for the safety of myself and the crew of this ship..." Viper muttered, almost as if she practiced this line. "I know that much."

Aya shrugged. "We can't let anyone know we have a true A.I. especially this close to Fee space. If either they or the GFP, sparce as they are around here, found out... they'd come for you."

Viper sighed. "If only there was some sort of way to hide my presence that didn't involve locking me up in the ship." As she spoke, Viper pressed her finger up against the glass of the mirror. It vibrated vividly before a large crack formed around her finger. "But asking for a miracle is a fool's task."

Aya rubbed her chin. "Not... necessarily. I might have an idea..." She smiled. "Yeah... this could work..."

Viper looked at Aya in confusion. "What insane plan do you have there?"

"Hold on! I'll be right back!" Aya ducked out the door. She stuck her head back briefly to say, "Don't go anywhere," before ducking out again.

Viper merely continued to look at Aya in a confused state before looking at the time while she awaited Aya's return.

Aya returned with one of the Bajir in tow, the only one to stay behind. His big eyes widened in fright when he saw Viper and her shattered face. "O-oh... hello..."

Aya pushed him forward a little. "Baichi, this is Viper, the true A.I. you heard about."

Viper placed a finger on her broken cheek. She had gotten more advanced repairs courtesy of Yip... But even those were temporary. "It's not as bad as it was before... But I will admit I've seen better days. That is what's scaring you right?"

Baichi nodded. "That... a-and all the tales I've heard of... h-how dangerous A.I. are."

Aya patted him on the back as she pulled out a small device. "Don't worry. She's mostly harmless."

Viper chuckled. "I'm only as dangerous as a cyborg is... So you shouldn't worry too much if you are okay with them."

Baichi nodded. "I understand. Th-thank you."

The pair walked over to Viper as Aya said, "I was looking through your blueprints... at least, what non-corrupted ones we were able to retrieve. Did you know you have mini holo projectors on your body? Likely so you could deliver three dimensional messages. I... have another use for them."

Viper paused for a moment to examine her current functioning hardware. "I do actually... Wonder how long that would've been there if you hadn't retrieved the data you did." The AI remarked jokingly.

Aya chuckled, and lifted the small device. "This, my friend, is a holo disguise generator. A... really old one. More of an antique really, being outdated by nearly a hundred years. Surprising it still works. They don't make 'em as sturdy as the old days, huh?"

Aya sat down and continued. "You see, it is practically useless to us. It can only store one disguise at a time and it has such a short battery life, it can only last about 30 minutes, and that's if the person is standing still. If we were to hook it directly to, oh say... your eternal power supply, however, well the disguise could last indefinitely. With your holo projectors the disguise would be skin deep, and because the technology is so old, no one scans for it, so no one would detect you're using it."

"I like where you're going with this." Viper stated with a grin, looking down at Baichi. "And I assume this little guy is going to install it?"

Baichi nodded nervously. "I am... more qualified then Aya Me... n-n ot to say she couldn't..."

Aya smiled at him. "He's being modest. He is one of the best engineers I know."

"Th-thank you..." Baichi took the device and skittered over to Viper. "May I, um take a look inside... y-your head?"

"Not much left of it anyway..." Viper remarked casually as she manually deactivated her touch sensors.

"You should have seen it when she first got on board," Aya said with a snicker. "Like... half a face out of some creepy horror story..."

"Y-you are not making me less nervous," Baichi muttered, and slowly removed her cranial plating, looking at her positronic brain. He also removed her left ear to place the device behind it. The speed at which he worked told Viper Aya wasn't the only one to look at her blueprints.

They all sat in silence for the better part of half an hour as Baichi worked. Fitting it in was no problem. It was connecting it to a subprocessor that would not only supply energy but also not interfere with any pther systems, and unfortunately that is were missing blueprints fully showing how her brain worked turned it into trial and error. He did finally step away, however, putting her pieces back into place and nodding his head. "It is done. I... believe it is done..."

Aya stood up with Viper. "Try activating it."

A moment later, Viper's appearance changed from her black hair body with the small gaps in her arms and back to that of a attractive young woman with flowing blonde locks. "You should've told me the device was set to sexy... I would've had a pose prepared." The new Viper teased as she stylishly pulled her hair behind her shoulder.

"Didn't know who it would make appear," Aya admitted. "You can go to the holoroom if you want to adjust what you look like, but I think you're awfully pretty as you are."

Viper looked down at her body. "These clothes are a bit slutty for my taste... So I'll change those real quick. How about we go pay the Captain a visit later to today?" The android wink as she made her way to the holoroom, assuming Aya would follow.

Aya gave Baichi a thumbs up and quickly headed out. "Sounds like a good idea. I bet she'll love your new look."

"Considering how she looks at you... I'm sure she would enjoy the new look." Viper remarked as she entered the holoroom and started up the console. She seemed to focused for a few minutes before her revealing clothes were swapped with a long, black dress. The dress covered her modestly... But was tightly packed to make her curves and decent bust show more prominently. "That's better."

"I love it," Aya agreed. "Come on. Let's go find the captain. Knowing her, she's checking the bars."

"Lead the way."

The walked into the vast metropolis of the station's center level. They checked the high priced pubs, and soon found JJ standing outside of one, tapping her foot rapidly and looking a tad miffed.

Viper walked up to JJ with a innocent persona. "Excuse me miss... Could you help me for just a moment?"

"Hmm?" JJ blinked, and turned to Viper. "Of course. What's up?"

"A friend of mine told me to meet her here... But I can't find her." Viper told the Cartus Captain. "I was hoping you would help me find her."

JJ smiled softly. "Well, sure thing I'll help you out. What does she look like?"

"Now that I think about it... She looks like you." The woman smiled coyly. "Remember me, Jackie-Jackie?"

JJ's smile wavered. "Oh, it's you. It's... s-so nice to... see you again..."

Viper merely chuckled, before grabbing JJ by the wrist. "Come on, Aya's waiting for us. You know how she gets."

JJ nodded. "Yeah, I know how she gets..."

She guided the Captain to where Aya was waiting. "This new look works wonders. Our cute little captain here can't even tell it's me." Viper told Aya jokingly.

Aya clapped her hands together. "Excellent. Captain, remeet Viper and her new look."

"Viper? The android Viper?" JJ gave them a surprised look, looking the disguised machine over. "You look so... good! How did you... you're not wearing someone's skin, are you?"

Viper bursted out into an uncontrollable laughter... So much so that she fell backwards. "Heavens no! I'm just using a holo device to appear this way!"

Aya chuckled herself. "We equipped her with that old one we had laying around. Works pretty well, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes. I was fooled at least... for whatever that's worth?" JJ offered an arm to help Viper up. "So you're free, huh? What are you going to do now?"

Viper took JJ's hand and got back to her feet. "I would like to see what this place has to offer... And maybe get a few ideas going for a new wardrobe."

JJ wrapped an arm around her shoulder and waved for Aya to join them. "Come on then. Let's have a girls night out."

Viper merely rolled her eyes and let Jackie-Jackie lead her where the Cartus Captain saw fit.

 

[ShadowHounder]

Dahlexpert and ShadowHounder: Ignorance and Arrogance

Viper stood in place, holding a massive weighted block over her head. A machine behind her placed a new slab of metal on the weight, but she had yet to even notice. The android yawned as she checked the device on the wrist of her free arm. fifty-four percent. The number paused, twitching between one number to another. Another slab slammed onto the top of the stack, causing the number to spike up to sixty-six percent.

On the other side of the room Blisk was doing some shadow boxing, since he couldn’t use a punching bag. He threw a few jabs in the air as if aiming for someone ribs. "Ugh not the same as punching an actual person.”

A beeping sound echoed in the room moments later. Viper looked at her wrist, eighty-nine percent. The woman placed more power into the magnetic field on her arm, giving her the room to step forward and gently place the metal stack on the ground. She briefly peered over at the number on the side of the device. "Eighty-nine percent stress at over eight hundred pounds... that means my arm should be able to handle a maximum capacity of around nine hundred and forty-two pounds. I'll need to keep that in mind moving forward."

Blisk turned around after hearing a beep, and saw viper holding what seemed to be weights over her head. "You know if you wanted to test your strength, there’s a much easier and safer way than holding blocks. Why the hell are you holding blocks over your head Lady?”

"Integrity test." Viper remarked. "I need to make sure I know exactly how much weight my body can handle at any given time."

“Yeah that doesn’t have to include you lifting something over your head. If you can’t handle that much weight it all falls on your head killing you.”

"I only needed to do the test once..." Viper muttered as she tilted her head. "It's a test... not a daily exercise."

“Test? Why would need to test your own strength, aren’t you I’m guessing genetically enhanced? I mean how else are you ever able to lift something that heavy?”

"Right..." Viper sighed, before hesitantly asking the man, "How much trust do you put into Captain Jetstorm?"

"Well I haven't tried to fuck her like she's a prostitute, nor have I tried to kill her." Blisk shrugged his shoulders. "So you could say that I trust her pretty good, why are you asking?"

"Just want to make sure you won't go telling everyone in this station." Viper stated. "So I need to make sure you trust her with the choice to let me stay aboard this vessel."

"Now why would I go and tell everyone on this station what, hell i'm pretty sure some people on this station hate me. Now why are you asking why do I trust JJ? Did she do something that would break my trust?"

"No, but I wouldn't be surprise if there are people who would question her judgement." She remarked. "Seeing as I am an Artificial Intelligence... if word to get out, everyone in this crew would be in jeopardy."

Blisk eye widen and he clenched his fist and a nozzle came out of it." Let me get this straight, your an A.I? Do you plan on hurting the crew on this ship?"

"Hurt the people who are the reason I'm still alive..." Viper growled with a furrowed brow. "What kind of dumbass do you think I am?"

"Don't know seeing as being an A.I is illegal." Blisk put his nozzle back into his arm. "But we are out of GFP control space, i'm sure if we look hard enough will run into more of you. Now as to do I think your a dumb ass, your asking someone who is a part of this marry band of misfits. I question your sanity for joining yes."

"I didn't really have a choice..." Viper retorted. "It was either this or be dismantled by a galactic government."

"Hum well then welcome to the crew, to what's it worth. So i'm amusing you've been here a while?"

"Been hear long enough to have most of my exterior repaired... if that counts for something." Viper took the device off of her wrist as she spoke. "Never thought to count the hours or anything like that."

"Well thin if your board of being on this ship then why don't you go walking around the station? Look around the shops see the weapons, what kind of guns do you have anyway?"

"Guns?" Viper let out a chuckle at the thought. "I find a weapon such as that to be basic and boring. There is no challenge it shooting someone in between the eyes. No... my weapons are a bit more of a custom design. One made specifically for me."

Blisk eyes twitched at the sound of that. “Alright then tell me what weapons do you prefer then?”

With a small, simple movement of her wrist, a curved blade flew out of the small gap in her arm and into her hand. "Magnetic blades... something that requires a bit more then aim and brute strength. With these and my magnetic field, I become a bit of blade dancer on the battlefield."

Blisk ground. "You and Titania will get along great I see. Ou and as a FYI, anyone can aim but it takes years of Experience to turn something basic into an amazing feet.”

"Then I guess it's a good thing simple firearms can't pierces my plating." Viper stated with an aura of confidence. "So I hope these people with amazing feats have methods around armor. A fight just isn't worth it if there is no challenge."

“Really have you ever been shot by Kotavorg weapons, I can guarantee that it can break your armor.” Blisk said in irritation.

"Simple firearms." Viper repeated. "I'm sure Kotavorg weaponry are far different from a simple pistol or rifle."

“You’re right.” Blisk said as a nozzle came out of his arm. “Would you like to see how we do flamethrowers, or perhaps I could get my weapons and fill you with lead?”

"I don't think lethal weapons should be used in training... especially something like a flamethrower." Viper's grin dropped to a mute face as she looked at the larger man.

"Why not you just said it's a simple firearms right, your armors tough you can take it can't you. Or was all that you were spouting just arrogates?" Blisk said looking sternly at Viper.

"And judging by our conversation so far... we have different ideas of what 'simple' means." The android retorted. "Even a experiment alloy like mine can't handle heavy armaments, especially if they are designed for damaging armor."

Blisk nazzle went back into his arm. "Ou I get it you have a special little armor that is good for small arms fire but when it comes to heavy weapons it will tear to shreds that about right?" Blisk said out of curiosity.

"Precisely... anything heavier would impede my mobility." Viper explained to the giant. "Which would go against my design."

"Well nice to know that, I have the same armor as well. Thought mine is an augmentation. Ou but were are my manors, I've already threatened you without introducing myself, I am Blisk the only Kotavorge on this ship as well as the most experienced bounty hunter here."

"The name's Viper." She answered with a small chuckle. "And trust me... you don't have the same armor. Mine has a unique property that makes it useless unless certain conditions are met."

"Really and what conditions are those?"

Viper opened her mouth to answer, but suddenly paused in confusion. "What the hell... the file was right there. Where did it go?"

"Well looks like your having a technical problem, so what the data you had was erased or something? Or corrupted?"

"No... Aya was able to salvage this one." Viper muttered, more to herself then to Blisk. "At least she said she did."

“Well then maybe you need the good old engineering trick, known as the first option with faulty equipment.” Blisk said while smacking the back of vipers head like an old monitor.

"I'm not a computer ya piece of shit!" Viper snapped as she rubbed the back of her head.

“Well you kinda are your an A.I so a self aware computer with emotions, regulars less did it work?”

Viper crouched down in the blink of an eye, tripping the large cyborg... without her foot actually making contact with his leg. She spun around in place and used her other foot to bash his gut directly into the floor of the room. A dagger slipped out of her wrist and she placed it against Blisk's neck. "Listen here, you oversized bastard. Don't you dare call me a computer ever again. The circumstances of my intelligence should not act as an excuse for you to treat me like some toy!"

“Ou I’m not treating you like a toy, cause if I did.” Blisk said as he calmly putting his index finger and thumb on the dagger and bent it up words.” I’ll treat the rest of like this dagger, sheet metal, now before I get to excited and my adrenaline starts going and I loose all since of reason and start fighting.” Blisk said in a calming threatening voice.

Almost immediately after Blisk bent the blade, it straightened back up as if nothing happened to it. Viper allowed the dagger to slip back into her arm and walked towards the exit. "Consider that a warning..." She growled with venomous words.

“Trust me I’ve been given a lot better 'fair warnings' by way more threatening people, but it was cute what you did there. So did that trigger any files up there?”

Blisk was instead answered by a dagger stopped mere inches from his face, before darting back towards Viper. She walked out of the training room without another word.

After her display Blisk just smiled at it. "Ou you’re gonna be a fun one to fight some day, I can tell.” Blisk said to himself as He went back to his training.

 

[ShadowHounder]

Taxor The First and ShadowHounder: Logical Pain

It was curious, Haya thought to herself, that so much space could be devoted to so few people.

She’d taken a walk off the ship, meandering around the ‘streets’ of the station the Golden Wind had parked in for a small handful of reasons. First, to re-synchronise her bounty list. Second, to purchase a replacement part for what she suspected was a dented receiver in one of her pistols. And third, because she needed the space. Even if nobody sought her out unless they had a purpose on the Wind - which was how she liked it - being aboard such a vessel sometimes proved claustrophobic. A walk among the people would do her good.

Yet that was now coming to an end. Her path had taken the Tamearin back to the ship, and with no further objectives to complete, she’d accepted that twist of chance and begun making her way back through the hangar. Hence her wry analysis. Speaking from a purely objective and statistical point of view, such a thing was a waste of space that could be used for more efficient purposes - housing, storage, and the like. Instead, there was empty space. Curious, considering the need for efficiency up in what many civilisations had once referred to as the heavens.

Near the ship, two femanine voices could be heard, in a sort of argument. “I already told you, now that I can freely leave the ship without issue, you have no more excuses! So get out there and stop being cooped up in the ship!”

“And what if some bastard in the black market takes interest in my cybernetics?” The second voice demanded. “What am I supposed to do then?”

“Don’t give me that crap! You have the ability to disappear whenever you damn well feel like it! If something like that happens, you vanish into an alleyway and kill their ass. I doubt it would be the first time you’ve done that.” The first voice snapped back, the sound of a ship’s doors opening. “Now, I don’t want to see you back for at least three hours, understand? And trust me, I’ll know.”

Before the second voice could even respond, the door closed… leaving her to figure out what to do on her own.

Haya rounded the corner to see a forlorn Yip staring at the door. The Tamearin sighed, and walked a few paces closer. “Would you like me to let you back in?” she queried, glancing at the door. That voice didn’t sound familiar… similar colloquial nature to JJ, but that tone…

“No, she’ll likely just throw me back out if you did.” Yip remarked. “I assume you are a member of Captain Jetstorm’s crew then?”

A nod. “I know you are already - I’ve seen the back of your head once or twice in the corridors. I am Haya,” the Tamearin introduced herself. Polite, if impolitely neutral.

“You can call me Yip.” The Cartus cyborg replied. “Though, I’m sure that sounds creepier than you think it does. Usually said you’ve seen someone’s head in the corridors has negative connotations to it.”

Haya blinked a few times, before shrugging. “I saw you at a distance in passing,” she stated, effectively reiterating her prior statement. “I fail to see how that could be construed in another way, unless you are suggesting I stalk people, at which point I will inform you that I only do so when there is a bounty involved.”

“I can see why talking to Tamearins can be an annoyance to some…” Yip muttered under her breath before replying to Haya. “It’s still something that you would need to be careful about. Someone more paranoid would’ve already tried to kill you.”

“Tried.”

“And would leave far more of a mess then is worth the effort.” The assassin retorted. “I’m not really one for wanting to waste time hiding evidence… so I try to avoid conflict outside of targets where I can.”

Haya tilted her head, confusion in her eyes. “Why would I need to hide evidence when it was self-defence?” she queried. “Hiding evidence would suggest some element of wrongdoing, which would never be the case.”

“That logic won’t hold up in a human court.” Yip pointed out. “Remember that most races are influenced by emotions more than facts.”

“I was under the impression that most races also deliberately separated emotions from the facts when it comes to matters of law,” was the patient response. “I would not be responsible for another’s misconception leading them to attempt my murder. That would be their problem.”

“And people who actually believe that emotions don’t influence the legal system are a bunch of dumbasses.” Yip remarked with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Otherwise the idea of corrupt politicians wouldn’t be such a prominent issue.”

“Corruption is against the law,” Haya stated, still in a slightly-confused tone. “It is a high-profile crime due to the nature of the victims, by which I mean the entire constituency. Those citizens feel cheated, and thus push for the enforcement of law, yes. But the law itself is absolute and clear. I fail to see how that example proves your point.”

“Then tell me,” Yip leaned up to Haya’s ear and whispered in a slightly spiteful tone. “What does one do when their home’s laws are built off of corruption?”

“One changes the laws,” Haya answered. Cartus. That explains why this is an issue for her. “Failing that, one leaves to become subject to a different legal system. Not as simple as that, of course - I am fully aware not everyone has the freedom to choose where they reside. But those are the options. Other options dip into revolutionary behaviour, which is… I believe humans refer to such topics as ‘cans of worms’.”

“If a revolution is what it takes to free everyone who has suffered the life of a slave, then I’ll gladly burn that entire empire to the ground.” The cybernetic assassin stated venomously. “I don’t care how many have to die for it to happen.”

The Tamearin looked at her silently for a moment. “I should hope that your opinion of collateral damage is different at work,” she noted, almost dryly.

“Never was a fan of explosives…” Yip muttered, her bored expression taking the forefront once more. “They attract too much unwanted attention.”

Haya glanced behind the Cartus. “... and the bladed cybernetic tail doesn’t?”

“Not if they can’t see the blade being thrust into their throats.” The Cartus girl remarked, activating her cloak briefly before reappearing in the same spot.

“I find a gun is just as, if not more effective with the same strategy,” the Tamearin noted, her eyes briefly pulsing a low golden before she did the same. When she returned to visibility, she was holding a pistol pointing at the roof. She immediately holstered it so as not to provoke the assassin in close range. “I don’t need to get close like that. You do use a gun too, don’t you?”

“Not usually.” The young woman admitted. “I find it hard to see accurately at longer ranges, much less aim a gun from the same distance.”

 

[ShadowHounder]

Taxor The First and ShadowHounder: Logical Pain Part 2

“So you… how do the humans say it… ‘bring a knife to a gunfight’?” From her expression it was clear Haya disapproved. “Even if it is just about intimidation, a gun is an essential tool for the types of jobs we tend to get. Consider - if an opponent is holding a gun, do you charge directly at them, or are you cautious? Flip the perspectives. If you are holding a gun, do you think your enemy will be brazen or fearful?”

“Either way, they can’t shoot something they can’t see.” Frustration began to build up in Yip as she explained the concept to Haya once more. “The point of being an assassin is to never be in a position where your target, or anyone who is blocking your path, can active combat you.”

“I would expect that goal would be easier with a long-ranged weapon,” Haya stated, placing a hand on her hip and tilting her head. “Moreover, the use of invisibility in a firefight is an advantage, yes, but it often results in your opponents firing blindly in an effort to puncture you with a stray shot.” The fingers at her hip tightened slightly at that - remembering an old wound, perhaps. “In some ways that is more dangerous than being fired at directly.”

“How dense are you?” Yip muttered in irritation. “I already told you I can’t see that far. After a certain distance, ever just turns into mess of blurred colors.”

The Tamearin’s expression flickered. “A magnification scope would likely nullify such an issue. I’m curious as to what this distance is - and why your eyesight is so poor. Side-effect of an augmentation?” She asked this last with a totally neutral tone, lacking the judgement one might expect from a Tamearin on the subject.

“I wish I could blame it on those bastards.” Yip looked up at the exit sign that she could barely make out the letters of. “I’ve always had bad eyesight. Guess you could just call it shitty genetics, not that that really matters anyway.”

“And yet you claim a risky job like this in spite of such a limitation.” A pause. “Commendable will. I do not think it is safe - but I can appreciate your resolve, at least.”

Yip’s bored expression faltered slightly, a barely noticeable twitch of her lip. “I didn’t have much of a choice.”

Haya was silent for a moment. “... I see,” she said at last. “My condolences. I would have expected that your presence here would have meant you were… well, free.”

“I am free from the chains, but not the burden.” The former slave explained. “By the time I escaped, it was too late for me to look for a quiet life.”

At that, the Tamearin frowned. “Ridiculous. It is never too late to pursue such a thing. All cultures have some concept of ‘retirement’ for a reason.”

“Asking someone to retire when they have no money, and have only known pain, suffering and the thrill of survival.” The Cartus glared at the Tamearin. “You must realize that logic can’t solve every issue. There reaches a point where objective thinking will result in nothing but death and despair. Only a fool would believe that the world can be made better with a single ideal or power.”

“No, of course not. One would need several to achieve such an aim.” Haya folded her arms, posture betraying some irritation of her own. “You speak as someone that has suffered and expects to continue suffering without bothering to examine if that is truly their fate. Your annoyance at my logical point of view fails to accept this: clouded by emotion, you will miss opportunities you might otherwise have seized. There are always options. Not all of them good, but they are there. Without analysis, you will fail to spot them before they become invalid, and you must search for more. If you must complain about your life, then seek a way to abscond from that suffering rather than demanding other accept there is nothing you can do.”

“My suffering ends, when the bastards that did this to me dies.” Yip stated with far more venom than before. “When the time comes that I am prepared, I will go home and show him the fruits of his work… with a blade between his eyes.”

“And then what? An existence such as yours would not change so completely due to the death of one man. You would be the same woman, in the same position, with only a satisfaction of revenge.” The Tamearin looked away, gazing at the sheen of the Golden Wind’s flank. “I have a target myself,” she stated. “One I would take pleasure in surpassing, I am unashamed to say. But they are a mere milestone - a step on a greater path. It is not enough to focus just on that. You must discover and denote each thing you must accomplish before at last arriving at your goal… much as we must hop between stars to reach our destination.”

“I will look for a new goal when I am certain my current goal is attainable.” The girl stated in a more solemn tone. “Until then I have no propose beyond freeing as many of my people as I can and preparing for the day that I kill my former owner.”

A moment of silence. Then: “I’m beginning to see why your companion just then was trying to get you out of the ship.”

“When I don’t even know what I am supposed to do.”

“Walk among the people. Immerse yourself in culture. Sightsee. Enjoy yourself.” Haya shrugged. “See how the average person lives. Who knows, you may stumble on an opportunity.”

Yip, for the first time in the conversation, had to pause and ponder the idea. “I shall try my best…”

“That is all anyone can request of you,” the Tamearin stated. “If you wish to work, there’s probably a few dark areas you can examine. I have not had the desire to pick up extra jobs yet, so I wouldn’t know where, but where there is civilisation, there is crime. And where there is crime, there are bounties.”

“I’m sure Captain Jetstorm could use the extra repair funds.” Yip chuckled lightly. “I shall see you later then.”

Haya inclined her head. “If you do not perish between now and then,” she conditioned, and began walking the rest of the way to the ship.

 

[BMPixy]

ShadowHounder & BMPixy: “Foienan Crawfish Bisque, Part One”

The Golden Wind’s kitchen was alight with the sounds and smells of cooking. On the stove three pots heated, two finishing cooking large servings of potato and mushroom soup respectively, in the third butter melted in preparation for the main thrust of the dish. Meanwhile, upon the counter, Chuck's secondary hands were ablaze peeling apart the Foienan crawfish that would serve as the meat of the dish, the meaty, violet crustaceans almost seeming to have more in common with a lobster than its namesake. Nevertheless, under the Azisin's strength, heads came off with a pop, and long section of juicy tail-meat were drawn forth and placed into a large mixing bowl near where they worked. One of their primary arms gently chopped several onions, both spring and white, readying them to go into the butter pot once the time came. Silently the giant went about their work, wholly focused on the task at hand.

Moments later, Elisa stood up from the corner of the lounge, fresh tears still running down her face. She jumped when she saw the Azinsin working inside the kitchen. "Oh, Chuck... I didn't know you were still here..."

"We are often here," the Azisin replied, shelling a few more of the crustaceans whilst a primary arm stirred the soup pots. "You are in distress," they noted, adding the mixed onions into the butter pot. "We have noted food aids overcoming such things. One quarter hour until it is prepared."

"I... don't think food is going to help..." Elisa muttered in a low tone.

Chuck paused, raising a finger towards the heavens. "Gazan's grandmother said this," they began. "Medicines heal the body. Food heals the soul." Lowering their finger and pouring the crawfish into the butter pot, followed by the two soups prepared earlier, a large helping of corn, and a chunk of cream cheese, the cook added, "As such, we advise seeking healing. We have noted that what is good for the 'soul' is good for one-mind psychology."

"I think you should leave the inspirational quotes to Gazan." Elisa muttered, not sure how to take Chuck's attempts at speaking the Shinso's lines.

The giant 'shrugged', content merely to stir the stockpot which roiled and bubbled, emitting a cacophony of new and interesting smells. "We shall ask this instead," they said. "What caused this distress?"

"Umm... Well..." The knot in Elisa's throat tightened.

"The longer you sit in silence," Chuck said, slowly stirring the pot, watching the cream cheese melt, "the longer you remain distressed alone."

"It's just that..." Elisa rubbed her arm as she attempted to find the words she needed. "I'm not sure if anyone can help me."

"The ability to aid another is entirely the capability of those who help, not those who are helped," Chuck replied, pouring a pint of half-and-half into the roiling and broiling mixture, never ceasing their steady stirring. "The one in need of help cannot decide if another possess the tools necessary for assistance."

Elisa sat down with her head facing the floor. "You mentioned your kind are symbiotic... correct?"

"Yes. Mutualism is the way of the Azisin," Chuck answered, pouring a bowl of spices they had prepared earlier into the mixture. "We presume that this issue has come about due to your own symbiotic relationship."

"I have been experiencing moments where I space out... and I think it's because someone, something else is taking control of me." Elisa explained, tears forming in her eyes once more. "I don't know what to do. It keeps happening and I'm scared that I might not come back next time."

The Azisin rumbled low and deep, Azis debating the proper way of responding to this revelation. For a long moment the only sound in the kitchen was the broiling of the pot, a testament to how unique this situation was to the Azisin. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, Chuck said, "The mechanics of one-mind psychology are beyond us. We are unfamiliar with the concept of losing control of ourselves, of breaking the continuity of 'self' that one-minds have. We..." The giant hesitated, a rare sight. "We apologize for our lack of ability to aid."

"It's not your fault..." Elisa muttered while her cloak of depression grew ever larger.

"However, what advice we can give," the Azisin said, straightening slightly, "is that if you are under threat, destroy the threat. Submission only emboldens aggression."

"A threat?" A shiver ran down the young girls spine as the memory of her encounter with Yyashtra. "What if that threat is me..."

"If you are a threat, you will be destroyed," Chuck replied simply. "Either by destroying what is threatening, or by destroying the entirety. However, at the moment, you do not appear to be a threat."

Elisa continued to shake as she reached for the knife on the table. She eyed it in twisted thought, before bringing it up and attempting to thrust it into her arm. However, her hand was stopped mid motion, a small cloud of nanobytes surround her wrist. The young girl's eyes widened with fear as she looked at their efforts to prevent harm to her. Chuck stopped their stirring, turning completely to face the girl across the counter from them. Utterly baffled by Elisa's actions, the Azis could only debate among themselves what was occurring, the entire colony rumbling violently at the sight before them. Eventually, a secondary arm decided to take matters into its own hands, reaching forth and plucking the knife from Elisa's hand, Azisin strength brokering no resistance.

"Knives are for cooking," they settled on saying, gently placing the would-be instrument for self-harm in the knife rack on the far side of the kitchen.

"But you said that a threat needed to be eliminated..." Elisa snapped. "If I died now... I wouldn't hurt anyone else."

"Why should it matter if you hurt another?" Chuck asked, returning to stirring the pot, a secondary arm moving to kill the heat on the pot. "To live is to inflict violence upon others. To eat is to kill. In order to ensure one's own life, one must sacrifice others. That is the natural law. To destroy yourself because of a fear of violence is counterproductive to the evolution your species has undergone," they finished, serving out a large portion of the crawfish bisque into a bowl and laying it, along with a spoon, before the girl.

"I am not a part of your race!" Rage steamed out of Elisa, only to fade instantly into fear when her nanobytes slammed the giant against the wall at blinding speed. She took a few steps back, the creeping fear of herself setting in once more. Without another word, the girl ran out of the room. She wanted to get as far away from everyone, lest she may hurt someone else.

 

[BMPixy]

ShadowHounder & BMPixy: “Foienan Crawfish Bisque, Part Two”

Chuck slowly straightened, recovering from the blow they had endured. One sensory Azis noted that the meal was now a stain on the floor, but the colony dismissed that concern. With blinding, terrifying speed, the Azisin blitzed out of the lounge, at a velocity unnatural for a beast their size. Azis designed for tracking the scent of cautious beasts through thick jungle turned instead towards tracking the smell of the fleeing girl, crashing through the corridors of the ship in pursuit. A memory of their prior companion was passed amidst them, giving another layer of urgency to their relentless blitz. Elisa ran as fast as she could, having no knowledge of the Azisin following her. She turned the corner of the hallway haphazardly... only to trip on herself during her state of panic.

Chuck skidded and screeched to a halt just in time to avoid trampling the girl. The giant loomed above her, exhaling hot and heavy 'breaths' as surface Azis cycled in fresh oxygen in exchange for carbon dioxide. Still feeling their way through the situation, the cook simply said, "Fear not." Elisa merely remained on the floor, defeat consuming her mind. "Your actions are irrational," the giant continued. "The psychological damage you are suffering from is clouding your ability to make decisions. Observe things for what they are. If you were a threat worth destroying through violence, you would have been destroyed. Consider then, the implications of not having been destroyed."

"But what if I do hurt someone... what if I lose control again..." Elisa demanded through the tears in her eyes.

"Though we may be of different kinds, we obey the same rules of nature," the Azisin replied. "Fear was developed so that a being could recognize a situation that threatened one's survival. You have evidently identified something that you believe fulfills those requirements, but we ask in turn how can one's own existence threaten one's survival? Thus we say that you should not fear yourself. Allowing this misappropriated fear to continue is another way you lose control of yourself."

"What am I supposed to do then?" Elisa's desperate cries echoed in the hallways. "How am I supposed to stop myself from hurting someone I care about?"

"That is an answer you shall have to discover yourself," the giant replied, their dull voice contrasting harshly against the girl's pleading. "However, we can suggest this - you will not find answers in fear."

"Finding answers..." Elisa muttered with a barely audible voice. She gazed upon her hand, everything around her seeming to vanish from her mind.

We do not wish to harm those you care for. A voice rang inside Elisa's head. However, if you wish to control us... you must first learn to control your own emotions.

"Yes," the Azisin said, not privy to the mental conversation the girl was having. "Whilst we Azisin are content to focus on the physical needs of survival, we have noted that one-minds require fulfillment of psychological needs to avoid distress. However, that does not mean neglecting physical needs," they added, turning from the girl. "You shall assist us in recreating the dish that was destroyed. Else such needs of 'those you care for' shall risk being neglected."

"Right..." Elisa remarked as she floated back to her feet. She lowered her head in a slight bow. "I apologize for earlier... I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Evidently," the Azisin replied, striding off back towards the kitchen. "How knowledgeable are you in the culinary arts?" they asked, plodding down the hallways without seeming to wait for her to follow.

"I have some knowledge. Never actually cooked anything, however." Elisa stated, her tone sounding off given the events that just occurred.

"Then we shall leave to you basic tasks," the Azisin replied, the door to the lounge sliding open before them. "To begin, there is that." One giant arm of Chuck's motioned at the mess laid out upon the kitchen, chunks of crawfish sticking out from the spreading pool of soup. "We shall prepare a fresh batch of ingredients."

Elisa nodded and sent her nanobyte friends out to pick up the shattered dishes and reassemble them while she wiped down the counter space.

Chuck silently plodded into the kitchen, withdrawing from the refrigerator a second large bag of crawfish. "Once you are finished, begin extracting the tail meat from these," the giant ordered, laying said bag on the counter. Meanwhile, the Azisin made their way into the pantry, grabbing bags of potatoes, onions, carrots, and mushrooms in their primary arms, whilst the secondary arms retrieved all the little bottles of spices and canned vegetables. Moving to a workstation away from Elisa, the Azisin got to work dicing the vegetables with one set of arms as the other measured and mixed spices.

Before they could even finish their sentence, Elisa already had nanobytes moving over to the food in question to have it peeled while she continued dealing with the mess in front of her. And so things proceeded from there, with Chuck handling the majority of tasks due to their inhuman multitasking ability, handing out preparatory tasks instead to Elisa so that the giant could focus primarily on the cooking portion. After half an hour of chopping, peeling, boiling, and stirring, the Foienan crawfish bisque was complete once more, and the kitchen showed little sign of the event that had occurred earlier that day. Chuck laid out a bowl of the finished product before Elisa, looming overhead whilst awaiting her judgement.

Elisa ate the meal in relative peace while not paying mind to the Azisin looming over her. She wiped her face, stood up and bowed once more. "Thank you for the meal."

Chuck gave their approximation of a nod in response, moving to pack up the remainder of the bisque in single-serving containers. "Is your psychological distress reduced now?" they asked.

"Yes, I am feeling much better now." Elisa asked with a bubbly giggle. "Thank you for helping me, Chuck."

The Azisin rumbled low at that as they stuffed the fridge full of the leftovers. "We have heard of the hierarchy of needs. Without the needs at the base fulfilled, it destabilizes higher level needs," they analyzed. "If you believe those higher level needs are suffering, ensure that physical needs are fulfilled before seeking higher level solutions."

"Well... I was able to deal with all of my needs thanks to you." Elisa replied.

"We have noticed that being a cook demands that we assist with needs beyond physical," Chuck said. "As such, we aid where we must."

"That is fair." Elisa walked towards the entrance with a skip in her step. "I'll be seeing you again?"

"Unless you turn to the replicator for fulfilling your physical needs, yes," the giant answered simply, as Azis internally debated what to cook next. "Until then, we shall be here."

"See you later, Chuck." The young girl said before leaving the room and moving on to her next task.

 

[BMPixy]

Dahlexpert & BMPixy: “A Bar Fight, a Tentative Agreement, and a Touch of Cannibalism, Part One”
Space station LXG 77724
Lower Levels, Bar Area

Blisk sat in a bar, ordering a drink, after a short bar fight with would be mercenaries trying to kill him. “Huh, god damn amateurs, Just to let you know bartender if my drink is poison I’m gonna kill you before the poison gets to me.”

“Poison you after that little display? I wouldn’t do that even if I wanted to,” he said, pouring Blisk a drink.

The door to the bar swung open, allowing a familiar fiery-maned Shinso inside. Gazan gazed out upon the mess the bar fight had caused, raising a curious eyebrow at the destruction on display. However, once he spotted the Kotavorg sitting at the bar, he nodded serenely, as if all of his questions had been answered. Stepping lightly around a broken table, the noble approached Blisk. "Well, I certainly see that you are making yourself popular aboard this station," Gazan said.

Blisk grumbled at the sound of voice. "They attacked me first, figured they will get easy money because there's so many of them, then they could split the profit. I proved otherwise, I'm just taking a break before more of them come," Blisk said as he took out his rifle and started to reload it and his pistol.

"Ah, such are the woes of the famous," Gazan replied, settling in at the bar beside the Kotavorg. "Water, please," he said as an aside to the bartender, before returning his focus to Blisk. "Though I will say, modern era Shinso means of removing rivals are not so... heavy handed."

"Whatever. They attacked me, they died for it, and now if their back up comes in a few hours I'm gonna kill them too." Blisk turned around and looked at the corpses. "Hum, I guess I could snack on one of them, I am getting hungry." Blisk said as he stood up and started to search the body for money, weapons, or anything useful as well as to see which one looked the tastiest.

"Looting corpses, eating the dead," Gazan murmured, displeased at this behavior. "A defeated foe is to be treated with dignity and grace, it is the noble thing to do. Even the dead are due their honor," he said, taking a sip from his water.

"And that's why you are gonna get nowhere in this business, boy," Blisk said, looting the men. "See, these guys won't respect you when you’re dead. They will take everything on your person when you’re dead, might as well do the same to them. Besides, I can make more money by taking their weapons and giving to an arms dealer I know." Blisk said, finishing looting all the corpses, and giving the money to the bartender. "This should be enough to repair the damage from what I did."

"Someone else engaging in barbarism is no excuse to engage in it yourself," the noble replied. Raising a single finger towards the sky, he continued. "Grandmother said this. The sun does not care how dark the universe is, it shines nonetheless."

Blisk’s eyes started to twitch." Alright then boy tell me something. What was your life like before you became a bounty hunter?"

"For most of my life, it was only myself and my grandmother, alone in Castle Caineghis-Kruger," the Shinso said, swirling his glass of water. "We were, and are, poor for nobility, but I still received the best education I could have thanks to my parents' work in the Imperial Starfleet. Though whilst I attended the expected institutions and made contacts with the expected fellows, at home my life was endless training. We all knew that the fate of the House rested upon my shoulders. Our nobility was all we had left, and so that is what I was instilled with, day in and day out." The Shinso paused, drinking a touch from his glass. "It would not do to be an honorless cur like those decadent fools who rest easy on their laurels - only a man of virtue, talent, strength, and indomitable will could see us through this crisis. Rest has become alien, and the passive vegetation many call leisure is unfathomable."

"Wow that all sounds nice and good and all, but the rest of the galaxy doesn't care about your life. Look you could be all honorable and shit, but guess where that gets you, that will land you in a grave with every other nice guy in the galaxy," Blisk said, dragging one of the bodies and looking it over to see if it would be tasty.

"Really?" Gazan said, arching an eyebrow. "Because right now it looks like the scum are the ones who are dead - though with you around, I doubt they will see a grave," he added, a touch of disgust slipping into his voice. "Though perhaps more importantly - why should I care if the galaxy does not care? The sun does not orbit a planet."

"Because the righteous man is a fool, if he's too nice and dies quickly because they are easily taken advantage of. Despite how I'm acting I don't want you to die for being to nice," Blisk said as he finally took a bite out of one of the corpses.

"Then I shall be the one who stands at the top of fools, if it means not descending into barbarism and degeneracy," the Shinso replied, turning from the disgusting sight with his nose fully in the air. "Being virtuous is never wrong. Those who exploit virtue are the ones in the wrong."

The bartender left as he was disgusted by Blisk eating one of the corpses. As Blisk tore into the dead man's neck he ripped the head off and tossed it to the side, he then started to work on his arm breaking the arm off and eating it. "This guy isn't bad actually, but regardless you wanna be the king of fools that's your choice," Blisk said while offering Gazan a piece of the corpse.

Gazan's witty retort was cut off before it could be spoken by the panicked yelp of the bartender and the crack of laser fire outside. Standing from his seat, the Shinso shook his fiery mane in displeasure. "You enjoy your meal, Blisk," he said, raising his hands into the trigger position for his internal replicator. "I shall show you how the king of fools defeats his foes. Henshin." Freshly manifested armor gleaming gold in the dim light of the bar, Gazan confidently strode outside, into the waiting arms of the second wave of mercenaries, finger raised towards the heavens. "Grandmother said this. There is one name in the universe that you must know," he began, before the shutting of the door behind him muffled his voice beyond hearing.

 

[BMPixy]

Dahlexpert & BMPixy: “A Bar Fight, a Tentative Agreement, and a Touch of Cannibalism, Part Two”

Blisk continued to eat the corpse and then dropped it, licking the blood from his mouth. As he turned around he pulled out his rifle and walked outside." Gentlemen, you saw me eating your friend, and you’re ruining my meal so please get back into your cars and drive away before I get angry."

However, the Kotavorg's words fell on unhearing and unconscious ears - in the few minutes difference between his and the Shinso's exit, the dozen armed thugs had been thoroughly dismantled. Gazan punctuated the sight by driving a harsh side kick into the last of the mercenaries' gut, the impact cratering the metal of the car behind him.

"I thought I said for you to enjoy your meal," the Armor Knight said as the unfortunate soldier of fortune slumped to the floor, eyes unfocused and dazed. "Well, it is no matter anymore," he finished, reaching into a leg pouch and withdrawing a bundle of zip-ties, tossing a portion to Blisk. "If you are finished in there, perhaps you would like to help?"

"Help with what? I'm full. Damn shame, I was looking forward to another fight. But it looks like you handled them with no problem, must be that fancy armor you're wearing. What the hell is that anyway?"

"Arresting them, of course - they are still alive," the Shinso replied, binding the unconscious sod before him with his hands behind his back. "And as for my armor - it is an unbreakable aegis against evil. Designed by the brightest minds I could afford, it could propel even the sorriest of souls into the realm of legends. And for one who already walks in that land, well..." OverLion nodded at the broken and battered men lying across the street.

"I'm gonna burn you alive and eat your corpse and send your skull back to your family if you don't for the love of god speak normally and you don't say what's with your armor like a normal person."

"And a moment ago you said you didn't want me to die," Gazan replied, tying up another pair of mooks. "Nor do I have a family for you to send a skull back to, assuming you could claim it."

“Trust me, I’m very stubborn even by Kotavorg standards. And let me guess you say all those quotes because it reminds you of your grandma?”

"When I share her wisdom, I do not lose it yet you gain it," Gazan replied simply, continuing to tie up those unfortunate enough to be born in the same generation as him. "Since that is the case, why not speak it to the entire world? It is the noble thing to do."

“To you sure, but to others it’s annoying gibberish. Especially to people that are older than you and have been doing this for years.”

"Understanding is in the hands of the listener, not the speaker," Gazan replied with a noncommittal shrug. "And truth told, it sounds more like you are set in your ways rather than a fault in what I speak," he finished, tying up the last of the would-be assassins.

“Trust me when you see enough evil in this galaxy, you don’t care about morals or if this is good on your conscience. All you care about is helping who you can, kill all those that have it coming.”

"My dear Blisk, that sounds remarkably like a sense of morals," Gazan replied, leaning back on the busted van the mercenaries had arrived in. "After all, it is through those that we determine who is worthy of help and who have it coming."

“I never said I didn’t have morals, like the reason I looted the people I killed was to not only pay the bartender. But to also pay for the damages.”

"Then I shall simply say whilst you say one should not care for morals, you yourself in both word and deed go against such ideals," the Armor Knight replied. "Pardon me if I choose not to follow advice the one offering it doesn't follow," he added, tapping the side of his helmet.

“I’m not getting into a morality debate with you, point is I don’t spread what I think unless I believe the person is wrong.”

"And I spread what I believe because I know I am right," the noble replied simply.

“You and I are always gonna be at an impasse aren’t we? I know I’m right because I have years of experience to back it up.”

"And I am the one who stands at the top of being correct," Gazan said in turn, pushing off of the van. "Not to mention being the pinnacle of those who come out of impasses victorious. I would consider suggesting that perhaps you realize this and take my wisdom into account, but if my victory is certain than it does not matter if you see the light today or tomorrow."

“I swear if we run into some traumatic shit, you better not lose your nerve. Because if you do I’m melting your face.”

"My will is strong, my resolve firm," Gazan said, pacing back and forth before the Kotavorg. "My body will break a thousand times over before my mind does - that is a guarantee upon my honor."

“Your words mean nothing, we will see how you handle it when it happens.”

The Shinso shook his head, rubbing his hand along the side of his helmet. "Were I any other man, you might have a point. However, I only say things I mean. What point is there in saying something you don't believe in?"

Blisk sighed and rubbed his head. ”Alright, look how about this, we will both stop trying to force the other to change. And instead just accept that neither of us will, just so every time we talk we don’t debate morals. That sound good to you?”

Gazan casually strolled up to and past the Kotavorg, patting him on the shoulder as he passed. "I suppose that will do. Words seem not to be getting us anywhere, I shall simply let my actions make my arguments," he said, his armor vanishing in a flash of light. "Since this lot were after you, I'll let you hand them off to police," he added. "Until next time, Blisk," the noble finished, raising a hand in goodbye as he strolled off.

“Oh, leave me with the heavy lifting. Ugh, how am I supposed to drag these fools and the corpse to the police?” Blisk said as he looked at the cars they came in. ”Well, I don’t care for their comfort.” Blisk then stuffed the corpses into one of the vehicles and the live ones into another, using his cable to attach the two cars together and made his way to the police station.