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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:04 pm
by Xiscapia
The allevian behind the force fields of the customs booth gave Chloe's credentials a disinterested look as she waved a scanner over the passport. "Everything checks out," she stamped a seal of approval onto the vixen's papers and slid them back through the gap. "Enjoy your stay." When Katie came up next the officer gave her a vacant look before running the kitroid's papers as well. Neglecting to stamp them, she looked back up.

"Please take a seat and wait for your name to be called," she instructed Katie, only to be confronted by Nat, and Nat's shotgun. The woman eyed the weapon for a moment before looking back up, eyes narrowing as the Alversian hit on her, swore, and generally sucked up all the attention in the room. She barely even looked at Nat's passport, doing a perfunctory scan before setting it aside with Katie's. "There seems to be a problem with your insurance," she told her as if she hadn't heard a word Nat had said. "Please go to the left office," she nodded off to her right at the office door flanking her booth.

"Oh gods, really?" Skyler stepped up with a groan. "Here, run mine. Same answers as the rest of them," she waved her hand, watching closely as the agent entered her information. "That didn't resolve it? Great," the other vixen sighed. Her only consolation was that, unlike Nat and Katie, she was approved and got her passport back. "Hold down the fort, will you, dear?" she smiled at Chloe before turning around. "Alright, c'mon," she patted Nat on the shoulder. "Let's get this straightened out."

The office they entered was a simple affair, a couple of desks placed next to each other with a gap to walk between them and scatterings of papers around their terminals. Two more customs agents were waiting for them, each of the female allevians looking up expectantly as the pair walked in. "Hi, yeah, the desk agent said there's a problem with my friend's insurance," Skyler said by way of introduction, raising a hand in greetings. "She kept her passport, so I guess you guys have her information?" At the cue, one of the officers started to type away. Skyler noticed the other woman stared, eyes going between herself and Nat.

"Yes, your insurance claims there's a fee for you to be all paid up," the first officer looked up from her monitor. "To be made immediately."

"But I already paid everything before I left..." Skyler frowned before a thought struck her. "Oh. Oh! You're looking for a bribe," she shook her head in exasperation. "Silly me. Yeah, let me get you something," she dug one hand into her pocket and pulled free a wallet thick with Imperial credits. One of the nice things about how widespread and powerful the Kitsune Empire was came in the fact that most places and people accepted Imperial credits at face value or even higher. It was much more convenient than trying to haul through cartons of cigarettes or crates of alcohol.

Pulling out a wad of blue-back bills, Skyler started to count them out by the hundreds. It was the group's policy to readily pay "unexpected official fees" as the cost of doing business on many worlds, and a sufficiently fat bribe could open many doors that would otherwise be inaccessible. That was why she looked up in surprise when the customs agent spoke up. "Don't get me wrong, money is nice, but," she gave a meaningful look at her fellow. "There's some things that are really hard to get here, even with lots of money. We could get you a pass so you don't have to go through customs anywhere else in the system in exchange for..."

Skyler smiled. "For?"

The allevian hesitated. "Do you have any movies or shows? Anything with Joy Rutherford? Amanda Armstrong? Amy Stern?"

"Or music?" her counterpart interjected. "Do you have Maya's latest album?"

Outside, Kartosh had gotten a similar answer to Katie and directed to take a seat. He'd been sorely tempted to try to one-up Nat, but he didn't want to also be pulled aside for "insurance irregularities" or whatever bullshit they'd got Nat on. So, sighing, he sat down next to Katie and Chloe, putting his feet up on a coffee table. "Don't you love hanging around in ports? We can pretend we're not on a deadline!"

The office door on the right side opened and an allevian poked their head out. They were dressed in the same dull gray uniform as the other customs officers, but the flatness of their chest made Kartosh realize that this must be a male of the species. He was shorter and more slender than the famales, head ducking automatically when he laid eyes on Chloe and Katie, and he beckoned to Kartosh with one hand. "Mr. Kartosh? Please come here. There is a brief matter we must discuss."

"Well alright then. Just hope it's not a debriefing. I don't wear briefs," he grinned at his own dumb joke and ambled into the office. With a little smile at Chloe, the male officer closed the door, leaving her and Katie alone in the waiting room. It was quiet, with the gate agent taking out her phone and tapping away at it to distract herself, and the seconds crawled by. At least the completed parts of the station seemed solidly constructed, given that neither of them could hear anything through the office bulkheads.

"You want me to WHAT?!"

Except for that.

Kartosh's voice had come through the door, and it opened a few moments later to reveal the frazzled male agent. "Um, ma'am, please come here for your, er, male," he gestured hurriedly to Chloe. "You as well, please, come," he said to Katie before ducking back inside. Kartosh was sitting across the desk, arms folded tightly and his tail whipping, a scowl affixed to his muzzle. Sitting on the other side, the allevian officer took a deep breath and composed himself.

"Thank you, ma'am," he addressed Chloe with a strained smile. "I was just explaining to Mr. Kartosh that we allevians have certain customs and traditions that we expect visitors to our home world to abide by. There is a common belief that men, of any species, cannot easily control themselves. They are often impulsive, violent, and responsible for many children born out of wedlock. I'm not saying that Mr. Kartosh is or does any of these things!" he held a hand up to forestall protests. "I am sure he is a very honorable and obedient man. But there are expectations that all men must restrain themselves."

"I am not wearing that," the tod growled.

"So," the allevian hurried on by that, "given that I understand you are on an assignment from the government of some importance, we can compromise. Do you agree to be responsible for Mr. Kartosh and to be his legal guardian, escorting him in public places and ensuring that he gets up to no mischief? Understand that he is considered as being under your care, and you will be held responsible for his actions. If so, you may sign here," he slid a contract across the table to Chloe, along with a symbolic key on a chain. "There is also another matter."

He glanced at Katie and summoned a smile. "On Daiasari, there are a great many drones and droids. You probably saw some of them on the way in. They are not as intelligent as you clearly are, so when they were built, everyone thought that they would save lives. We could be protected and policed by the machines, who could do exploration and dangerous work, and no allevians would have to die. Unfortunately, the galaxy intruded on that dream, and many of our machines were turned against us," he sighed.

"As with Mr. Kartosh, I am sure Katie Kazu is much different from what we are used to! She is probably not vulnerable to the hackers and programmers who caused such chaos to us before," he was speaking quickly, looking from Katie to Chloe to Kartosh for understanding. "But, nevertheless, I also need your signature that you will agree to be responsible for her," he settled on Chloe, wincing at the vixen's expression. "Please understand, this is for the protection of your male Mr. Kartosh and your droid Katie as much as anything. They will not be able to go anywhere on Daiasari otherwise."

PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:45 am
by Alversia
Nat cocked her head ever so slightly at the allevian’s response but her grin did not fade. Her brow however did furrow, and it was evident she was thinking, trying to recall what it was she had done to void this particular insurance.

At the instruction of the agent however, she did give a chuckle, “If I had a sedar every time I’ve heard the words ‘please go into that office’…I would still be skint as a kitsune in a strip club. So, you’re not going to have a bet with me then? Smart and attractive I see, alright then. Maybe I’ll catch you later,” She winked as a hand was placed on her shoulder and she was steered into the room. Chloe caught Skyler’s eye and gave a wary sigh. It was never going to be easy, was it?

Inside the room, Nat leant against the nearest wall, ankles crossed so she was standing on one leg and her arms folded while the massive shotgun hung easily from her shoulder. The alversian did frown when she saw Skyler go for the wallet though, the true reason for why they had been pulled aside having been made abundantly clear.

“Hey!” She said with a faux pout, “How is that fair? Whenever I ask you for money, you tell me to go fuck myself but when these two beauties,” A nod of the head to the customs agents, “Ask, you can’t get the notes out quick enough?”

Any reply from Skyler was interrupted as the pair declined the offer of a cash bribe, which Nat responded to under her breath, “Class, more for me then.” And their real desires were made abundantly clear. The Mercenary threw back her head and laughed aloud, pushing herself away from the wall.

“Oh, is that what you’re after? Here kid,” She slipped a hand into her pocket and pulled out a small device, “Memory storage. Got all of The Avenger series on it there, that’s got Stern in it, then Armstrong’s latest movies are in here too and all of Maya’s albums. Just don’t ask how I got them all because…y’know…” She gave a wide and mischievous grin, “No need to get in trouble is there? See?” She turned to Skyler with a smug look, “I know how to get things done. Imagine, trying to bribe them with money, hah!” She tutted and shook her head, ponytail swishing.

Outside, Chloe just sighed in exasperation at Kartosh and instead opened up her own organiser, scrolling through the list of names they would need to contact once they were clear of customs. There were a few good fixers in system and a few others she would not trust to tell her the colour of the sky but needs must. Good fixers were meticulous and careful but that also made them slow. Time was just another thing they were already short of.

She looked over the device at Kartosh as he was called, fixing him with a look that just screamed ‘really?’ as he was led off. That left just her and Katie, the AI fidgeting nervously with the tip of her tail. It was something she had seen Chloe do a few times and so now she copied the gesture, watching the gate agent with her ears slightly dropped.

Chloe reached out her tail and wrapped it around Katie’s, pulling it away from her fingers, “You’re going to end up with a bald patch if you keep at that.”

“What? O-oh,” She looked surprised at her own hands, “I don’t think that lady likes me,” She was still watching the agent.

“Probably not,” Chloe sighed, “But she doesn’t like me or Nat or Kartosh or Skyler either. You’re in good company there.”

“Oh…” There was a moment of silence, “Daiasari has very strict rules against AI…no one is going to like me…”

“Well, that’s their problem,” Chloe pulled her in close, “You just be the best you that you can. We all love you and that’s all that matters.”

“Thanks Chloe,” Katie mumbled, looking pleased and closing in tighter for a cuddle, “I-“

What she was going to say was interrupted by the yell from the office. Both Chloe and Katie were on their feet at once, Chloe’s hand dropping to her hip while Katie’s eyes narrowed.

“I…um…I don’t think he’s happy…” She managed, ears drooping further.

Both entered the office at the request of the male agent and as he explained the situation to them, Chloe’s eyes narrowed and her tail whipped just as ferociously as Kartosh’s.

“That is,” She took a deep breath, “The most ridiculous thing…” She stopped herself, inhaling through her nose.

“But,” Katie cocked her head and looked to the agent, “Statistically, there is no evidence in your records going back twenty years of this being the case? The division crimes between sexes is in parallel to the split in sexes themselves.” Though she did look at her feet when the agent moved on to her, evidently finding this confirmation of her place in this society rather upsetting.

“I am not vulnerable,” She whispered under her breath.

Chloe was making quite a bit of effort to keep herself under control but she looked at the contract passed under her nose with an absolute and total repulsion. Taking the en he offered, the vixen glowered at him until he stepped back then over to the tod.

“It’s your call, Tosh,” She said, “You want to walk away, we walk away. There’ll be other work.” Of course, she thought of Anastasiya and the trouble she was undoubtedly in but then, that mattered little in this moment. All that mattered was Kartosh’s thoughts and his choice.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2021 7:05 pm
by Xiscapia
“How is that fair? Whenever I ask you for money, you tell me to go fuck myself but when these two beauties. Ask, you can’t get the notes out quick enough?”

"Nat, I'm sure these fine women would spend the money much more wisely than you would," Skyler rolled her eyes, but there was a smile playing at her lips. At least one of the allevians appreciated the comment, judging by the smirk. That turned into a surprised look as the Alversian casually reached into her pocket and pulled out the little multi-media device, sleek and shiny. Skyler raised an eyebrow herself: that hologram projector might not have cost quite as much as she'd been about to offer, but it was close. And Nat wondered why she was always broke.
Well, no, Skyler conceded; Nat probably never wondered.

"Yeah, yeah," she shook her head as the allevian officers put their heads together to look at the screen. There was a brief argument about who should peel herself away to send the confirmation to the gate agent, but it seemed seniority won out as the younger of the two walked back to her terminal with a grumble. The opening theme of a television show played over the taps of keys before the junior of the two lifted her head and smiled.

"You're good to go. I sent the release and your universal pass. Thanks for the stuff!" Even as Skyler turned to Nat, the customs agent was already back at her superior's desk, looking over her shoulder. The mercenaries hadn't even left the room before the other pair were squabbling over which silarian actor was cuter.

“But, statistically, there is no evidence in your records going back twenty years of this being the case? The division crimes between sexes is in parallel to the split in sexes themselves.”

"Well, I'm sure there's a reason for that," the male allevian shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Statistics can be misleading. It might not provide the full picture..." he trailed off as it became obvious that none of the three looked the slightest bit persuaded. "Um," he coughed. "Anyway. We can't allow you into Daiasari unless this contract is signed."

“It’s your call, Tosh. You want to walk away, we walk away. There’ll be other work.”

"Just sign the damned thing," Kartosh waved a hand with a heavy sigh. "It's not that big of a deal. We'll be off this stupid planet in like a week anyway." He watched as the vixen signed for him and Katie alike, taking legal responsibility for both of them while in the Commonwealth. It left a bad taste in his mouth, but he would have felt much worse leaving Anastasiya to her fate just because he'd been offended.

"Thank you, ma'am," the agent took the contract back. "With that, all of your passes should be approved. You are free to go."

PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2021 4:46 am
by Alversia
Chloe was still wearing the same scowl as Kartosh as she re-entered the waiting room of the spaceport, whereas Katie just looked upset, tail limp, her ears flat and her eyes downcast. Nat meanwhile, was grinning and her hips swaying a little which was always a signal that she was pleased with herself. She stopped abruptly however whenever she saw the faces of her companions and looked from one to the other, head cocked ever so slightly.

“Well, you lot look pleased. Who slapped your tits?”

“We’ve had an encounter with some local…customs,” Chloe nearly spat the word before she explained what had happened, the apologetic customs agent and the form she had signed. Her expression at this point very much suggested she had done something rather dirty, a shiver actually running through her as if trying to purge her of the collective memory.

“So…” Nat said after a time, “You’re now legally responsible for both Kart and Katie?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I can see the sense of this one,” She nodded to the tod, “But what’s their beef with Katie?”

“I’m an AI…” The blue vixen said quietly, “They think I’m vulnerable…”

“Well, now we both know that’s bullshit,” Nat gave the vixen a friendly punch on the shoulder, “You’re made of steel little lady. Don’t you let no fucker tell you otherwise, or they answer to us. Got it?”

Katie nodded and her tail gave a little flicker of life.

“So, what happened with you guys?” Chloe changed the subject, “The usual, I take it? We’re a little poorer than we were this morning?”

“You know, it was the damnedest thing,” Nat inhaled through her teeth and put her hands on her hips, “You know that eDeck I got a few weeks back?”

Chloe’s eyes narrowed and her tail swished dangerously, “You mean the ridiculously expensive one you bought without telling me?”

“That’s the one! Well, see they wanted movies and songs and stuff, rather than straight cash money and Skyler,” She rolled her eyes theatrically and looked over to the blue-haired vixen, “Gave them my eDeck. I mean, I tried so hard to convince her, I was all ‘please Sky, not that. Chloe will be so mad’ and she was like, ‘No Natalie, we must hand over your ridiculously expensive eDeck and also you’re insanely good looking.” Nat shrugged, “After that, there was no going back, so now I don’t have it anymore.”

Before Chloe could say anything, Nat clapped her hands together, “Anyway! I think we’re all good to go now, aren’t we? Chloe’s responsible for everything you do now Kart,” Her eyes gleamed mischievously, “Sounds like a free pass to me! Unless…” Quick as lightning, she took the key from Chloe and looked at it.

“This is your guardianship thing right? Does it work?” She waved it front of him like a pendulum, speaking in a voice like a particularly bad hypnotist dosed with a cold, “Kartoooosh, who has the best teeeeam in the leeeeague?”

PostPosted: Tue May 04, 2021 7:26 pm
by Xiscapia
Though her smile had turned to a frown when she heard what happened with the rest of her team, Skyler summoned a smile for Katie. "I'm sorry, Katie. But we're here for you. And no matter what happens, it's only temporary." Then Nat started her own "explanation" of what had happened and Skyler just rolled her eyes. Chloe obviously wasn't buying it, and neither was Kartosh judging by his smirk; they both knew better. "That's not what happened," she stated for Katie's benefit.

Beside the kitroid, Kartosh squinted at the hanging key. "Well, it sure isn't the Panthers, considering how many goals they've allowed," he laughed and shook his head. "And if you were the one taking responsibility for me, you know I'd be getting up to whatever I damn well felt like. But I, unlike you, am more considerate of our good friend Chloe," he clapped a hand on the vixen's shoulder. "I would never want to upset her. Too much."

"Right, like the time you very sensibly set off a mortar in our kitchen," Skyler sighed. "C'mon. We still need to meet with the Commonwealth team."

After passing through the security checkpoint, the station opened up -literally. The group stepped out from a hallway and into an enormous compartment with a multi-leveled interior dotted with balconies and catwalks hung with flowering vines. Bright lights lit up the fountain-lined causeway that went down the center of the mall, flanked on either side by wall-to-wall luxury stores and upscale restaurants. Apart from the echoes of intercoms sounding out arrival and departure schedules, it could have been any high-class shopping complex or resort. That was, apart from all the uniformed, armed guards standing around.

Masses of allevians were walking through the station, most of them heavily-garbed and strolling as they window-shopped or hurried to catch a flight. The only male allevians they saw were always escorted by at least one female, the shorter sex keeping quiet and close as they were guided around. The exceptions were in the numerous non-allevians they saw, namely booleans in their distinctive environmental suits and scaled zillars who both moved in their own groups, dressed richly in the designer suits or fashionable dresses of the elite. Notably, there were a handful of Alversians visible, soldiers and diplomats from the APR warships in the system who strode about on their own missions surrounded by guards. Throughout all the sapients moved drones, mainly small hovering droids making deliveries interspersed with more skeletal androids helping with security.

"Chloe Kazu?" A female allevian broke off from a nearby group, marching right up to Chloe and her group. The alien had closely-cropped scarlet hair and flinty gray eyes, maintaining a military bearing even in her long, drab civilian clothing. "I am Staff Sergeant Irina, Commonwealth Special Forces. The rest of my squad is with me," she nodded back to another seven females who were all watching -and all staring right at Kartosh. "Welcome to Daiasari. I've been instructed to put my women at your direct disposal for the duration of operations. Anywhere on the planet, if you call, we'll be there via drop-pods. Do you have any orders for us?"

PostPosted: Wed May 05, 2021 9:24 am
by Alversia
Katie cocked her head as Skyler clarified what happened, tail tip curling in evident confusion as she looked between the beaming Nat and the weary vixen. She then looked to Chloe who had folded her arms and was glowering at her partner, her own tail swishing in evident annoyance.

"Well, it sure isn't the Panthers, considering how many goals they've allowed,"

“Well, shit,” Nat lowered the key but she was still grinning, “That is absolutely not true! I guess the stupid thing’s broken. I hope you kept the receipt, Chloe!”

“Give me that!” Chloe snatched it from the Alversian and tucked it into her pocket, holding it between a thumb and a forefinger, “This is bad enough without you making things worse.” She did accept the clap to the shoulder without comment and shared an exasperated sigh with Skyler at the reminder of the kitchen. They had that little joy to return to at some point.

In spite of herself, the vixen was curious as they entered the main forum of the station. It seemed that the scarred exterior was not matched with what was a very plush and fitted out interior, easily a match for any mall or station she had visited in the APR or KEX. Evidently keen to keep it that way, the place was awash with armoured and armed guards who stood in groups as if expecting an attack any minute or moving in packs with rather irritated looking aliens in their midst. Those who were not dressed for war were instead hurrying from shop to shop, almost like they were expecting the shooting to start at any second. It reminded the vixen uncomfortably of Ferra during the worst days of that conflict. Katie meanwhile, had cocked her head and was regarding the drones with an air of childish curiosity.

“Fuck me,” Nat swore violently. When the others spun to see what had drawn her ire, she shook her head and scowled, “Not one decent pub on the whole forum. Not one!”

Chloe punched her on the arm and turned just in time to see the allevians approach. They were dressed in civilian clothes but she recognised the military bearing from a mile away.

“Um…” She was a little taken aback by the question and looked to Skyler before shrugging. It was not often one was given command of an elite military team, “Stand by, I guess. I don’t think having a special forces team trailing after us is going to help much on the ground. If we need you, we’ll call you.”

“Hey, Kart,” Nat nudged the tod and nodded in the direction of the group who were all staring at him, “I think you’ve an audience. The second from the left looks pretty cute, what do you think?” She pursed her lips at the group in a kissing gesture, giving her lips a little shimmy.

PostPosted: Wed May 05, 2021 6:01 pm
by Xiscapia
“Fuck me. Not one decent pub on the whole forum. Not one!”

"My gods," Kartosh looked around again, ears perked. "You're right! I see wineries, and craft brewers, and smoking lounges, but not a single pub. What is wrong with this place?!" He looked over at Skyler, a grin playing on his muzzle. "Why are we trying to save this place again? They can't even do beer right!"

"Neither can you," Skyler sighed and stepped up beside Chloe when they were approached, giving the vixen an affirmative nod. "Yeah. If we figure out where our target is, you'll be the first to know. Until then, we'll try to hold you in reserve."

"Understood," the staff sergeant nodded. "We'll be waiting."

Next to Nat, Kartosh went from looking at bars to looking at the special forces team watching him. He gave a cheerful little wave. "Yeah, I'm not sure she likes the looks of me, though," he chuckled as the operator in question just narrowed her eyes at Nat. "Or you, for that matter. This is obviously because they don't have enough beer!"

"Hey, Chloe," Skyler looked up from her phone. "One of our contacts just pinged us. The Cousins Cartel is willing to meet with us. We've got a location, a derelict station in low orbit. We have forty-five minutes."

PostPosted: Fri May 07, 2021 9:17 am
by Alversia
"Yeah, I'm not sure she likes the looks of me, though, or you, for that matter.”

“Ridiculous,” Nat was no longer eying up that one agent but was instead turning her gaze from one to the other, making sure to meet their eye before she repeated the gesture, kissing the air softly in front of her or biting her finger coyly, “I mean, obviously they don’t like you because duh but they obviously love me, they just don’t know it yet.”

“This is obviously because they don't have enough beer!"

“Naturally,” The Alversian grinned, “Just wait until we start mass producing our mortars. They won’t be able to get enough of the stuff!”

Chloe was also regarding the team and how they were staring with a distinct guardedness. She made a mental note not to call them unless it was absolutely necessary and turned to regard Skyler, who was checking her phone, “Right, back onto the ship then? Is there any info about the station or who we’re meeting? Have they set any conditions?”

PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 10:06 pm
by Xiscapia
“I mean, obviously they don’t like you because duh but they obviously love me, they just don’t know it yet.”

Most of the soldiers were outright glaring at her, some turning their backs entirely. Kartosh watched as a couple stared and muttered between each other. "Yeah, you sure gave them the ol' Alvie charm," he laughed. "And that's how we get them to stop fighting each other! Just bomb them with liquor."

“Right, back onto the ship then? Is there any info about the station or who we’re meeting? Have they set any conditions?”

"Yup," Skyler was already putting her phone back in her pocket. "It's the Cousins themselves. They're willing to trade info, for a price, as long as we get there within the hour. So we need to move." She waved Kartosh and Nat on with her tail as she walked back in the direction of the hangar bay. "From what little I've been able to glean, it's an abandoned shipping station in Daiasari's orbit. Still serviceable, at least partially, so we shouldn't need to do an EVA there or anything. Make sure you've got your fields just in case, though. You never know..."

Less than half an hour later, the Star Snake was coming in to dock at the base indicated by Skyler's coordinates. Ironically, the abandoned station looked more complete and less battle-scarred than Summit itself, despite a great disparity in size. Even then, it was no work of art, a boxy platform studded with disused antenna and radar dishes with a yawning bay once busy with ships, now empty. It was also not so abandoned that there wasn't someone to give them approach instructions, an allevian female who did not identify herself directing them to an airlock on the planet-facing side. Skyler followed along curtly until they fastened their airlock to the docking port -while scanning the entire time for trickery or hidden threats.

There were none, and Skyler left the ship in Katie's capable virtual hands as she joined up with the rest of the team at the airlock. Kartosh was cradling a machine gun, looking as relaxed as someone wearing enough munitions and ammunition to start a one-man war could, beside Nat. Making sure Chloe was there as well, Skyler did a last check for Katie as well. The V.I. could handle keeping watch over the Star Snake while also accompanying them onto the station, if she wished. Either way, they were met by a pair of power-armored allevians at the airlock hatch.

"This way," one of the females grunted after getting a good look at them all. "Hurry."

PostPosted: Tue May 11, 2021 1:30 am
by Alversia
"Yeah, you sure gave them the ol' Alvie charm,"

“Well, they’re not going to forget me in a hurry,” Nat blew a kiss towards the Allevian who looked most affronted, “See you later beautiful.” She gave her a final, cheery wave, “Bring your friends!”

"And that's how we get them to stop fighting each other! Just bomb them with liquor."

“Oh boy,” Nat rubbed her hands together in glee, “I can just see that peace prize now. We’ll not bomb these heathens with the good stuff though, that’s for us to celebrate with. We’ll use the cheap crap you bou-I mean, your favourite beer.” Nat grinned at him and mimicked waving the key again, “Preteeeend I said nooooothing.”

What should have been a short journey through orbit turned, as it always did into a slalom past tramp freighters, warships, pleasure craft and massive cargo haulers. Katie was invaluable, the blue vixen sitting quietly but keeping track of every single moving speck and plotting their course so that they arrived with Chloe having shed only a few hairs in stress. The new base had evidently not drawn the ire of the civil war for it was not so badly damaged externally perhaps because the warring sides thought it needed all the aesthetic help it could get. The boxy little station had the air of an early attempt at station design; something simple and cheap before the architects could really flex their muscles.

Nat whistled from the seat behind, boots once again propped up inches from Skyler’s head, “What an eyesore. Nearly as brutal as Kart here.” She ribbed her friend and grinned mischievously.

Chloe did not response, she was too busy checking the scans for heat signatures, both those of people and those of engines. The former should tell her how many people were expecting to face, the latter might help tell how much hardware was aboard.

While Katie landed the craft (not it stopped her joining them in the airlock in person), Chloe saw to her favourite weapon, a long barrelled rifle of a make that was no longer in production. She was very fond of this weapon but she kept it slung over her shoulder for now, letting Nat cradle the massive shotgun and Kartosh to deck himself as if he were stepping onto the Exile frontlines.

“Shit!”

The word came from behind and Chloe’s head whipped about, ears perked, tail swishing. It was Nat who was glancing at her watch.

“3-0! What the actual fuck is this nonsense!?”

Chloe scowled at her and turned back to the airlock. Once the ship had settled, the airlock equalised the pressure and the door hissed open, they were greeted by a rather less friendly crowd. With a glance at Skyler, Chloe followed the pair, examining their power armour and the weapons they carried. Behind, Nat hummed cheerfully, putting the pain of her team’s defeat to the back of her mind. Katie huddled her arms around herself, tail wrapped around her waist as she followed Chloe with wide eyes.

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2021 7:31 pm
by Xiscapia
If nothing else, the relatively primitive and shoddy make of the station meant that scans penetrated its superstructure as cleanly as Chloe could have asked for. There were about 50 signatures tagged as likely sapients or drones, broadly separated into two groups with one occupying the core of the station while the others were positioned between the center and the facility's docking bay. A trio of probable engine signatures from idling starships was also detected inside the hangar, of output consistent with light transports or gunships. Notably, the Star Snake's trajectory took it to a secondary airlock along the station's hull, rather than the main bay. The scanners similarly confirmed that they were being met only by the pair of allevians who greeted them at the hatch.

Having long since grown used to Nat's exclamations at trivial things, Skyler ignored her as the five of them followed after the armored thugs. The halls of the station were tight and poorly lit, though the artificial gravity seemed to be functional. She walked swiftly but always with an eye on their surroundings, alert for traps or any sign of an ambush. The ship's scanners piping data through to Katie was very helpful, but no sensors were perfect. She was relieved when nothing stopped them before reaching a blast door flanked by another pair of guards.

The compartment beyond was a control room, judging by the long rows of dusty terminals and bulkheads lined with old servers. Furniture including chairs, couches, and bed frames had been overturned to form barricades between the consoles, while large crates and equipment carts had been pulled into the open areas to create makeshift fighting positions. Most of them, Skyler noticed, were facing away from them, the motley assortment of allevians, humans, and zillars crouched behind them clutching everything from pistols and shotguns to light machine guns and grenade launchers. At the highest point of the near bulkhead, a glass wall allowed a view into the office beyond where it looked down over the control center, occupied by half a dozen allevians in power armor. Stopping short at the door, Skyler's eyes narrowed, hands tightening on her carbine.

"What the hell is this, then?"

"Thank you for joining us," one of the allevians in the high office tapped an intercom, her voice echoing through the large room. "I understand that we have certain information that you seek. Regarding the Zlata Network," she looked down at them. She had one arm cradling her armor's helmet, exposing her head, and Skyler realized that what she had assumed was a birthmark on one side of the woman's face was in fact whitish scales healed over a terrible burn. "We also have our own needs."

It was at that point when Katie began to register several of the heat signatures in the hangar bay go dark. It was like someone was steadily turning the lights off, each flickering out of existence to leave only a pair pushing relentlessly forward. Skyler saw it too, and she quickly analyzed the situation. "You're under attack, huh?" she watched as another set of signatures winked out into nothing. "Is that why you called us here so fast? You expect us to defend you?"

"Yes," the burned allevian stared. "Everyone knows what the Zlata Network did. But we're the only ones who can tell you how to find them. We need to be alive to do that."

The personnel signatures were dropping like flies now, leaving fewer and fewer between hangar and core. Skyler saw a few peel off, trying to pull back to the control room, only to vanish. Her sensitive ears picked up the distant reverberations of gunfire and the occasional shudder as an explosive detonated. "Your message didn't say anything about this shit. Just that you wanted to be paid."

"This is the payment."

"I've got half a mind to just leave you to whatever's coming for you," Skyler huffed. "Who are they, anyway? Government forces?"

The sound of fighting had grown loud, everyone able to clearly hear the sound of energy weapons discharging, shouts and screams as a desperate defense was mounted. All across the room, hands gripped weapons leveled squarely at the far blast door, fingers resting on triggers as men and women stared down gun barrels. Ready to back up quickly if need be, Skyler raised her own carbine and glanced back at the rest of her team. "Be ready to run if we have to," was all she said. Beside her, Kartosh had leveled his own LMG, squinting at the blast door.

Someone on the other side yelled, and something hit the blast door so hard it deformed, bulging slightly in the center. There was another thud, a shriek, and a thunderous screech of tearing metal as the hatch was smashed inwards, skidding and sparking across the deck before slamming down with a trembling quake. Smoke, steam, and tear gas filtered through the hole in a dense cloud, obscuring everything beyond the jagged steel. A heartbeat passed, then two, before a figure appeared. Indistinct at first, it gradually resolved itself into a recognizable form.

She was a vixen with off-gray fur mixed with tawny, her mostly-bare body nicked with scars and wrapped here and there in bandages. Her "clothing" could generously be described as eccentric: a spiked collar and a ragged black bikini, with the remains of what appeared to be a tattered, burned straitjacket hanging around her waist, all held together by the remains of a leather harness. The scantiness meant it could show off her tattoos, from the broken chain around one wrist to the target reticule stamped on her chest, and the words "Execution Will Reform Me" emblazoned just below her breasts. Her closely-cropped blond hair matched a pair of cruel golden eyes above where she draw a long drag on the blunt between her lips. She was carrying what appeared to be a shovel with a chain lashed to it, the links ending in a meathook impaling a bloody arm.

"Well, well, all this for me?" she drawled, eyes flashing across the assortment of gangsters before landing on the group of mercenaries. Her eyes widened, pupils dilating as they flicked from one to the next and a grin spread across her lips. Removing the blunt from her mouth between two fingers, she tapped a bit of ash on the end, staring past all the guns pointed her way to what clearly interested her the most. "And this just got much more interesting," the vixen licked her lips. "The Cousins roped you lot into fighting for them, eh?"

PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2021 2:44 am
by Alversia
Chloe’s eyes narrowed and her tail whipped as she looked up into the office. The scowl that crossed her features betrayed her own annoyance even as she unslung her rifle and checked the magazine. A quick glance to Skyler confirmed that, no matter how they had ended up here, it was too late to just turn and leave, not without finishing off everyone in the room anyway. This was exactly why she had wanted to stay away from this stupid planet, to avoid getting caught up in these damned petty squabbles that had absolutely nothing to do with her or hers. And now, here they were, up to their waists in the shit of whatever these crooks and their rival crooks had between themselves.

What concerned her however, was Katie’s expression. The vixen’s expression was one of alarm which only seemed to grow worse as she looked off into the middle distance, evidently watching the scanners and the chaos that was approaching them. It certainly did not sound like it was going well from here and the refusal of their new informants to divulge any information on their attackers did not improve matters.

Nat was likewise checking her watch even as the sounds of battle grew louder and closer, the fighting evidently vicious and desperate. As the blast doors bent inwards, the Alversian let out a little “Woo,” And raised her arms in the air, “3-1! There’s hope yet!”

Chloe slapped her with her tail as the doors blew open in a cloud of dust and smoke which only slowly dissipated to reveal their target. Chloe’s jaw set and her tail gave a vicious whip of its own accord.

“Hey Oni!” Nat waved, shotgun in her other hand, “Hey Oke! Long time, no see! Nice to see you’re keeping busy!” She showed the vixen her watch, “Can you believe it? 3-1!”

"And this just got much more interesting. The Cousins roped you lot into fighting for them, eh?"

“Preferably there’d be no more fighting, Onibara, Okami” Chloe licked her own lips, weapon in hand, nodding to one kitsune and then the other, “We’re here for an entirely different reason than you, I’m sure. This is pretty far outside your normal stomping grounds though, what have the Cousins done to piss you two off?”

PostPosted: Sun May 30, 2021 4:53 pm
by Xiscapia
“Hey Oni! Hey Oke! Long time, no see! Nice to see you’re keeping busy! Can you believe it? 3-1!”

"Mmm, I can," Onibara grinned, her eyes locked on Nat. "I've been three-on-one with an Alversian myself a time or two. But two-one is good too," her grin widened as the smoke beside her resolved itself into the figure of Okami. The powerfully-built tod was rippling with muscle, all on display since he was wearing even less than his kin, with what appeared to be a length of sharpened rebar torn from a starship cradled in his arms. He was staring at Kartosh, a wry smile playing at his lips as the other tod kept his gun pointed towards them.

“Preferably there’d be no more fighting, Onibara, Okami. We’re here for an entirely different reason than you, I’m sure. This is pretty far outside your normal stomping grounds though, what have the Cousins done to piss you two off?”

"Awww, no more fighting? Are you sure?" The vixen let her ears droop, an act that was heartbreaking on other kitsune but completely ruined by the manic gleam in Onibara's eyes. "You're pretty far from home yourself, Chloe. I wonder, how many contacts do you have out here? Enough to help you if you get into some real trouble?" Her grin stretched her muzzle as her shovel scratched against the deck, Onibara leaning against it with her tail slowly swishing.

"Hmph," Okami finally looked away from Kartosh, passing over Skyler's stone-faced look with a smirk before focusing on Chloe. "We set up this operation. They," he nodded to the group up in the office, "were our business partners. We had a few things to attend to in the Home Galaxy, so we left affairs in their hands for a while. Then, when we come back, we find we've been cut out," he shook his head faux-ruefully. "When the fox is away, the rats will play."

"So, you want revenge," Skyler nodded. "Understandable. But we can't let that happen. Not yet, anyway. We need to have a talk with the Cousins, and I get the impression they're not going to say anything unless you back off."

"Yeah?" Onibara flipped her shovel back around, resting it against one shoulder. "So you don't want to throw down, huh? Well, I kind of do," she ran a finger along the length of the improvised weapon, soaking up some blood along its length. "And I really don't like to deny myself anything. You know that," she grinned. "So...

"...what's in it for us?"

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2021 11:08 am
by Alversia
"I've been three-on-one with an Alversian myself a time or two. But two-one is good too,"

“Hah! I wish!” said Nat who though her voice seemed airy and unconcerned, the malicious look from the vixen did have her tensing even if her weapons did remain slung over her shoulder and at her hip respectively, “I dream of a day the Panthers keep the score at 2-1.” Of course, she did not take her eyes off Onibara the entire time.

Chloe meanwhile, turned the barrel of her weapon ever so slightly as she saw Okami emerge from the smoke, as had been more likely than not. If Onibara was on the rampage, there really were only one or two people it could possibly be. Neither of them were particular welcome choices it must be said but at the very least, Okami was reasonably. Far more reasonable than his cousin anyway. Not that it was a high bar to beat.

"Awww, no more fighting? Are you sure? You're pretty far from home yourself, Chloe. I wonder, how many contacts do you have out here? Enough to help you if you get into some real trouble?"

“Far further than I want to be,” How did she do it? How did Onibara turn an expression of sorrow and regret into something that dripped insanity and viciousness? Instinctively, the vixen felt her grip tighten on her rifle while beside her, Katie took a half-step so she was a little closer to the dark-haired kitsune, “We’re in system as a favour. Trust me, we’ll not be setting down roots here, especially not with the market so…” She glanced sidelong at the small army that had assembled against the pair, “Crowded.”

Still, when Okami finally explained his presence, Chloe could not help but turn and glare up at the control room, where she knew the Cousins of name were standing and watching. Her expression told it all; seriously?!. Of all the stupid, short-sighted and most idiotic moves possible this had to be right up there. What idiots in their right minds would double cross the cousins? The actual cousins, not these wannabes who thought having goons made them untouchable.

"...what's in it for us?"

The tension in the room ratcheted up. Katie took a nervous gulp and her tail give a long swish while Chloe narrowed her eyes and looked from vixen to tod and back again. Who would be the first to move? She suspected Onibara, for the woman was one step above a feral animal when she was in the mood and as reasonable as a force 9 gale. Still she thought, what could she say that would tempt the pair into standing down, or at least a ceasefire long enough to get the intel they needed. Their deadline was ticking closer and the mercs didn’t have the time to waste fighting these two. Not to mention the state they would be in…

“Drink!”

Chloe whipped around. Nat alone had not raised her weapon but was leaning on it like a walking stick. It was, she knew, a favourite trick of the Alversian’s. She looked harmless but she could have the weapon up and fired before anyone she was facing down could so much as blink. Still, it was rather disarming, even to her, as was the cheery grin she wore.

“How about we settle this around a table hmm? Like our ancestors did. Come on, Oni, I know all that rampaging’s thirsty work and I know there’s a raspberry daiquiri with your name on it! I’m sure the Cousins wouldn’t say no to joining us either right? After all, having half your gang wiped out must work up a hell of a thirst! Maybe we can sort something that suits all parties. What do you say, hmm?”

PostPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2021 5:18 pm
by Xiscapia
Just barely stopping herself from groaning at Nat's words, Skyler stared down the barrel of her carbine at Onibara. She had no illusions about the other vixen's speed and lethality in combat, and her tail went still as she prepared herself for a fight. Judging by what the scanners had picked up, this room of thugs wouldn't even slow the pair down, which meant the five of them were going to have to beat a quick retreat. There was no point in tangling with the duo unless they forced the point. Unfortunately, Onibara was exactly the kind of vixen to do so, and-

"Sure."

Skyler had to consciously work to keep her focus despite Onibara's single word, automatically suspecting a trick. Her finger rested on the trigger, ready to fire the moment the tension erupted into overt hostility, but Onibara was just standing there, grinning. She swung her shovel idly from one side to the other like a bored kit, making it whistle through the air as she stared Nat down. "I like raspberry daiquiris. On one condition."

Okami was starting the smile. Skyler swallowed. Here it comes.

"We get to choose who we sit next to."

Skyler arched an eyebrow. That wasn't what she had expected.

"Maybe we could work something out," Okami allowed with a look to the allevians in their ceiling office. "If it's that important to you," he rolled his eyes, still smirking, before turning back to Nat. "You're the mistress of drink. I assume you know a good place. One fit for our sensibilities," the tod grinned.

Skyler kept her eyes on Onibara, but her mind was on Nat. Alversians as a species had no psionic potential whatsoever or even a kitsune's charming pheromones. There was nothing behind the tall woman's suggestion except her own jovial nature, and in that moment Skyler supposed that even Nat could harness that famous Alversian diplomacy when she wanted to. Only when it involved drinking, of course, making her something of an idiot savant, but it seemed to be working. Onibara and Okami were actually considering it.

"We agree to this proposal," the allevian with the burned face spoke from above. Skyler knew that out of everyone, the cartel bosses could least afford to refuse. Getting the chance to have a real negotiation was not an offer they could pass up when the alternative was a painful death. And as far as Skyler could tell, Onibara relished the idea of getting to spend some time with them, her "friends." They just might get out of this without a fight.
Then they had to appease Onibara and Okami and get the information they needed out of the crime lords, but they'd burn that bridge when they got to it.

PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 3:31 pm
by Alversia
At the one word agreement from Onibara, Chloe snapped her head around to share a look with Skyler, tail swishing from side to side. The look she saw there mirrored her own, eyebrows raised as the two vixens wondered just what the hell had happened. Like Skyler, Chloe had had her hands on her weapon, ready for the battle that was sure to begin. It was going to be a nasty fight that was made so much worse by the knowledge that it was entirely irrelevant to their greater mission. This was not going to help them find Anastasiya and there was a real possibility that one of them would be harmed.

The one request had widened eyes then narrowing at the request. There was something in their grins that she did not like but neither of the cousins looked intently ready for combat any more. Indeed, Onibara was swinging her shovel around in a way that would have been disarming if not for the red shine at the very tip of that sharpened edge. Certainly the idea of sitting next to either Onibara or Okami was not something she was relishing but then, this was an infinitely better outcome than fighting. The tension was dissipating slowly but what really seemed to sell it was Nat stepping forward, shotgun slung over her shoulder as she put an arm around Onibara and slapped Okami on his bare shoulder with a broad and entirely genuine grin.

“Kami, my man, I know just the place. Honestly, you’ll love it! Oh! I have an amazing proposal before you can anything more; Panthers…Tigers, double or quits! Tell me that’s not a genius idea!”

How Nat could know of any bars in a sector of space she had never visited was not a question Chloe asked herself. The Alversian seemed to have a supernatural ability to recall drinking establishments, bars and taverns that she might have only heard the name of…once…maybe in a completely different part of the galaxy. It was one of the ways that Katie loved to while away the long hours on Alversia; challenging Nat’s knowledge of bars around the twin galaxies. Almost always, Nat came out the better of it.

Onibara and Okami jumped on the same ship as the mercs and the Cousins. The latter pair were kept well apart while Nat sat with Kartosh, Onibara and Okami and talked non-stop. Chloe focused on flying, following the co-ordinates Nat had given her but her ears kept flicking back at a roar of laughter or giggles that would come back to the cockpit and she would just look at Skyler and shake her head in exasperation.

The station they ended up at was something between the first and the second, or rather it seemed to have inherited the interior of the first in that it looked rather rough and worn from the outside, then the interior from the second in that it looked like it had been home to a running battle. There was no sign of such, though Chloe kept her hand close to the pistol at her hip, distinctly unhappy with the looks she was getting from the many hooded, masked and shrouded inhabitants who lurked in the darkened corners and hallways they passed.

Nat of course, strode straight up to a bar named “Jak” though Chloe had to wonder if it had once been “Jake’s” before a few letters fell victim to neglect. Inside it was orange with rust, so ever present that it was almost beautiful. There were booths along two walls, a filthy counter with a hooded Allevian woman cleaning an equally dirty glass. The walls themselves were littered in a wide variety of…Chloe would have called it junk, random pieces of ship panelling and machinery with more hanging from the ceiling.

“Now this is my kind of place!” Nat looked around at the assembled party with a gleam in her eye, “Right girls, take up your seats and I’ll get the round in! My treat! Oni, you plant that pretty tush down where you want, your daiquiris will be with you shortly! Kami, the usual right? Whiskey on the rocks? Good man! Skyler, a shandy, Kartosh and me, beer on the tap! Chloe, white wine spitzer and Katie…how about a beer?”

“Oh, can I?” Her ears perked up, tail flicking excitedly, looking to Skyler and Chloe.

“Aw go on, she’s a big kit now right?” Nat looked to the pair as well.