The Starstream Adventures! (Sci-fi RP)

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Taxor_the_First: “Icefire”

Most people tended to give her a strange look when she mentioned she did not have a personal transport. In the eyes of many, it would seem that the mental image of an interstellar bounty-hunter catching the bus between systems was incongruous. Bizarre. Wrong, somehow. She ignored them and booked her ticket, as usual. Their disapproval was irrelevant. They knew nothing of her. And certainly, she doubted any of them would make an imprint on the universe even half as large as hers. They would live, eke out an existence, convey their genetics, and die. She would safeguard those genetics by stopping those deviant strains that attempted to assert dominance – criminals, both petty and not. And in so doing, she would be in part responsible for whatever part their lines would inevitably play. A long-term investment.

An almost cold way of thinking, perhaps, but the end result was the same. Innocents would be protected. Deviation would be culled. Order would be maintained. Thus, Haya would contribute to the prosperity of society.

The shuttle trip passed in silence, aside from the obligatory noisy child in the ‘quiet’ compartment. She drowned out their squeals and bored whining with a set of noise-cancelling headphones, nestled under a soft curtain of rose-gold hair. A quiet compartment of her own, localised to the space directly around her ears, filled with whatever noise she desired. Even so, she gave the child a cold stare when he looked her way, almost feeling satisfaction at the way he shrank and returned to clambering over chairs in an attempt to amuse himself.

A taxi was waiting for her. The human pilot gave her a surprised look – obviously not expecting a Tamearin passenger – before skilfully and professionally discarding it for a cheery smile. “Destination?” he prompted.

“Golden Wind,” Haya answered, sliding into her seat. Her belongings were on their way separately – carting a box full of sidearms and some not-so-side-arms into a taxi might have done more than raise a few eyebrows. “One of the ships docked here.” She checked her reference, and rattled off the collection of numbers and letters detailing which dock exactly she needed to be taken to. The driver nodded, punched in the location, and started navigating. He refrained from attempting to engage her in conversation, evidently having dealt with a normal Tamearin before. She accepted his silence gratefully, and busied herself examining the world out the window.

Boarding was uneventful and dry, aside from the VI greeting her. She treated the disembodied voice with the cool disdain it deserved, and quickly dismissed it once she had directions to her quarters. It was only on her way there that she encountered a being of flesh and blood at last, a tall, well-dressed thug of a human wandering around seemingly-aimlessly. “Hello,” he greeted, in the manner of a predator sizing up prey. “What do we have here?”

“A colleague, most likely,” Haya answered brusquely, not rising to the bait. Even his wandering eyes provoked no visible reaction from her, which only seemed to cause him to make them more obvious. “Unless you’re a stowaway.”

“I wouldn’t be wandering the halls if I was,” was the response. He bowed, an oddly-formal gesture considering his manner. “Kentaro. Bounty hunter. You?”

“Haya. Tamearin bounty hunter.”

Kentaro grinned. “Ah, I know that name. So you’re the clever bitch I’ve heard about a few times. Turned down prestigious universities to kick scum ass, huh?”

No physical response, aside from the normal pacing of her blinks. “Correct. You know this how?”

“I keep an eye on rival, ah… ‘brokers’.” A snicker. “Out of curiosity, monkey, how many years with the typewriter did it take for you to churn out Hamlet?”

More blinking, and silence. Then: “You’re attempting to get a rise out of me.”

“No, me? Really?”

“You’re several weeks too early, or a few days too late. Try again in just under a month.”

Confusion slipped onto Kentaro’s face. “Whuh?”

She’s referring to her Sahc-diy-deuh, I assume. You really shouldn’t be so insensi-

You’re not my mother.

Now a flicker of confusion on Haya’s own countenance. “I’m not your…?”

The human tensed. “… you were reading my mind.” Psion. She heard my thoughts. Shit. That complicates things.

“Then you didn’t know?” The confusion turned to suspicion – intense. With practiced eyes, Kentaro noticed her hand drift slightly towards her hip. The holsters hanging on each side were empty, but… “If that’s the case, then who were you talking to? I find it difficult to believe-“

Ah, I see. She heard my half the conversation, not Hi- …hers. I’m still safe, for now. He held up a hand. “You want to stop right there, trust me.”

“Or?”

All trace of jubilance or mocking had vanished. Kentaro was suddenly, scarily, deadly serious. Yet if there was a threat gathering on his lips, he converted it into something else even as his mouth opened to deliver it. “You got any secrets?” he asked. “Things you’d prefer nobody know? Kinks, mistakes, guilty pleasures, other sources of shame… things that would make people view you differently?”

“Of course. Everyone has those.” One of her eyes was half-masked by an errant lock of hair, which Haya made no move to displace. Indeed, she was almost disturbingly still. A viper waiting to strike.

The tension eased, perhaps forcibly, from the human’s large frame. He spread his hands in a ‘what can you do’ gesture. “Then you can understand why I might not like you poking around in my head. Maybe you Tamearins do things different, but in this neck o’ the woods, we don’t tinker with what’s on people’s minds. Even taking a peek is considered a breach of privacy, you get what I’m saying?”

“You’re saying I should stay out of your business,” the Tamearin summarised blandly.

The half gracious, half smug smile broadened. “Exactly. Can you do that, or are we gonna have a problem?”

Haya did not answer immediately. “I find it’s good practice to know what potential threats are thinking,” she said at last, still almost frozen in place, glaring at him. “For all I know, you intended to kill me. If you had, and I hadn’t checked, I might be dead.”

He snorted. “Bitch- c’mon. Do I look like an assassin or a gunslinger?”

“No. Do I?”

“No-“

There was a pistol barrel in his face. In truth, Kentaro couldn’t even say from where it had come – Haya had moved too fast for him to see. “Surprised you haven’t learned this lesson yet,” she muttered coldly. “Appearances deceive.”

She lowered the pistol, and he exhaled. Fortunate – all the plans he’d concocted in those few seconds involved leaving her wounded at the very least, which would have been difficult to explain to the captain, and would have left an irrevocable scar on Haya’s perception of him. The less he stood out, the better. The human scowled as she tucked it somewhere beneath the voluminous folds of her trenchcoat. No wonder he hadn’t thought her armed. She had her holster-belts on, but left them empty. He’d foolishly assumed those were all she had.

“In any case,” she continued, as if nothing had happened. “I will not attempt to aggravate you further. I shall withhold psionics use around you unless we are on a job from now on.”

Kentaro’s mouth twitched. Aggravation? But that had been his approach! The womanly voice in his mind chuckled at the reversal, almost prompting a second admonishment. “Good,” he answered cleanly. Two could play the polite mindgames, even if her ability to see his hand was a disadvantage.

Haya held up a finger, interrupting the path between one of her eyes and him. A blessing in disguise for Kentaro – her glare was vicious in its own right. Two eyes might have actually made him flinch. “However. If I suspect whatever ‘secrets’ you hold will be a threat to me or to anyone on this ship, or to any innocents we encounter, then I will no longer respect that privacy you hold so dear. Whatever you’re hiding will become known to me. Am I clear?”

Ugh, another strict-lady type? I’ve already got one of you in my head, I don’t need a second. He smiled – warm, empty. “That’ll only happen if it gets out in the first place,” he noted with a smirk. “Self-fulfilling prophecy, Haya. You heard that phrase before? Stick out of my business, and my business will stick out of you.”

Her rust-brown eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly. But- “Fine. We have an accord.” Haya gave him a brusque, dismissive nod before slipping past him, boots striking the ground like hammers on softened metal. Her trenchcoat swished around her, a matador’s cape flaring, before slipping around the corner, and she was gone.

Kentaro breathed a sigh of relief. Too close. Himi, keep an eye on my head from now on. If that woman tries anything else-

I will monitor as best I can, was the response. And we – or rather, you - should be more cautious around our crewmates, at least until we know who is psionic and who is not. Lest the same thing occur.

A grimace. Yeah.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Dahlexpert & DarkGemini24601: “Two cyborgs walk into an aug shop…”

GFP Space, Beta Quadrant
Space Station Ferem, Augmentation Clinic
9:34 p.m., LST


The door to the augmentation clinic swung open, metal sliding to either side as a sturdily-built man entered. He didn’t waste time looking at the merchandise: Blisk just needed his Telsa coils reloaded. That was all.

The shopkeep - a man with stubble like overgrown moss and a shaved mohawk - brightened at his entrance."Ah, Blisk, my boy. Its been too long. How can I help you today? Do you need a new augmentation?"

"No, I’m good,” Blisk replied, striding up to the counter and resting his arms atop it with a clank. “I just need my tesla coils reloaded."

"Aw, is that all?” The owner smiled broadly still. “Can't I interest you in some new augmentations? Some new weapon mods, maybe?"

"No, just reload my tesla coils." Blisk’s level expression hadn’t so much as twitched in hesitation.

"Ugh.” The smile faded and the shopkeep held up his hands in concession. “Fine, fine. Doctor, if you would please assist our favorite customer with his tesla coils?”

Blisk went back as the doctor got to work opening up his limbs, metal plates separating to let the cybernetics expert run a checkup on the systems and replace their slightly-corroded batteries. A woman with black, choppy-cut hair stepped into the workshop not long into the process.

Orange eyes flitted about the displays on the walls, taking in the mechanical arms and legs at rest. Plates covered some, while others were circuitry-coated metal skeletons. Several sported guns incorporated within or without, the latter not exactly subtle. Kazane ignored those.

"Not a bad selection you've got here," the stranger noted.

"Oh, a customer! Yes, we do have a vast amount of augmentations. As you can see, of course-” He gestured widely- “but those are on display. My total selection is even grander. There are the limbs for those who lost them in battle, obviously. We also do advanced work such as enhancing organs, laying exoskeletons and plating limbs…” He noted Kazane’s eyes drooping a little. “Oh, but I'm sorry I’m rambling - how can I help you?

Kazane shrugged. "I might be interested in buying a gun I can slot into my augs. Other than that, I just wanted to see what they had around here. Not a bad selection." For a GFP store, anyway.

"Well then, if your interested in adding a weapon to your limbs, we have an excellent selection. Firstly: if you want to add a weapon to your augmentations, I must know what part of you is augmented. Is it your legs, arms, spine?"

"Arms are what I usually slot things into." Kazane raised her right arm to the ceiling, peeling back the sleeve on her jumpsuit. The moonlight-pale skin split along previously-invisible seams and a thin-barreled SMG folded out.

"Ah, a thing of beauty. You have some impressive augmentations madam. So you're looking for a new SMG slot for your other arm, or to replace this one?"

"You got anything else compact like that? Laser of some sort, maybe? I'm looking for a sidegrade - I can switch out the guns myself," Kazane explained.

"Hum…” The owner seemed to be only half-listening, and yet: “I may have to go in the back and see what you need... in the meantime." The shopkeeper opened a holographic catalog and transferred it to her. “Here's what we have in stock. Find something that you like and I will retrieve it."

At that moment, Kotavorg came from the back and moved his arms around. "Thanks for the reload doc, and i'm guessing everything is alright with me?"

"Yep. Your nerves heart and lungs are still in perfect working order. Thanks for your time, Blisk.”

Kazane accepted the catalog and turned an eye in Blisk's direction. Her field of vision narrowly slightly as she studied him. "You've got the look of a soldier, merc, something like that. Am I right?"

"Bounty hunter. And you look like a killer,” he spoke with the gravitas of a fortune teller, though the specter of seriousness quickly passed. The chill down Kazane’s spine didn’t, though she kept her expression in check. Blisk quickly added: “However, I think I've seen you before. Are you also a mercenary?"

"Huh. I usually remember other hunters I encounter." Kazane frowned slightly at the blank she was drawing and the way he’d seen through her. "Kazane Kyunasaki," she recovered her composure with a cocky smile. "Expert hunter."

"Blisk. Bounty hunter. Known for capturing my targets alive, always. Former pirate hunter. So I guess you could call me an "expert hunter" as well.” He huffed. “So you looking to add something your arms or something?"

"That's a method, I suppose," Kazane echoed, a skeptical eyebrow raised. "Just looking for some new gear. Not expecting to find anything too neat. The quality of my augs is... a step above most places."

"So are mine, but this shop can hang with most places. Out of curiosity, there a story behind your augmentations? Former soldier? lost them in combat? Or did you just want some for the sake of it, you know just to give you that special edge?"

Kazane chuckled. "That's a rather personal question, you know." She wagged a finger. "Let's just say they were good for my health. I probably would have been interested anyway, but certain factors pushed me in this direction."

"Ugh. Good enough - for now.” Blisk shrugged. “So what are you looking to add?I heard something about a weapon aug?" Blisk looked at the catalogue, then to the woman’s arm and the size of it. “Very slim. I would recommend this laser weapon right here, holds a good amount of energy. It could get you through a fight with enough power to last you about three months." Kazane assessed at the design Blisk recommended.

True to his words, the laser had an impressive power pack. Kazane made a mental note to revisit whether or not to remove it - with her internal core, she could just increase the power output instead of relying upon a localized power pack. Nobu might complain about spreading her energy thin, though.

"Good battery," Kazane agreed, looking over the 'Rapier Pattern' laser with a nod. "I could go with that." She snapped her fingers, the sound a metallic tick rather than the pop of an air bubble between her knuckles.. "Say, you wouldn't happen to be signed onto the Golden Wind, would you? I haven't seen many other bounty hunter ships in port other than her."

"Oh, you must be the human that JJ was talking about - she mentioned that she recruited a human before me. Well, isn't this a coincidence?” Blisk extended his hand. "Let me do this again. I'm Blisk. It looks like we're gonna be partners."

Kazane chuckled. "Careful throwing that word around. Nick might get jealous." She gripped his hand tight, shaking it.

"I don't care. I already got the damned Tamearin hating me because of what I am. If I were to guess, she hates you too. Has she hit you with ‘the body is pure and should not be tampered with’ speech?"

Kazane snickered. "Oh yeah. Me and my partner both. She laid off after awhile, though, and I'm more than used to it by now. Tamearins are just like that."

"Yeah, well... at least they don't hate your race. Your species hasn't been on the brink of war on several occasions either - but that's politics.” He waved a hand. “How much of you is augmented? Clearly your arms, but are legs are also modified?"

Kazane nodded. "Legs are too. You'll see that in action, I'm sure. I've got supports to make that all work.... and a bit more, but I'd rather not go into those details... in public, you know?"

"Far enough. As for my augmentations, you can see I got my arms augmented - legs too. My skin is reinforced, my eyes are enhanced, and some of my organs are upgraded. I'm quite decked out in all sorts of little augs."

"Definitely makes us better at our job, doesn't it?" Kazane shrugged. "Expensive as hell, though, unless you've got a benefactor to provide for you."

"I had someone to provide the means, yeah. He's a good man - still around too.” He quickly shifted topics again, surprising even Kazane with the ease of his transitions. “Do you drink or gamble?"

"I don't mind a good drink if you're paying," Kazane replied with a smirk, "although don't get the wrong idea. It wouldn't be date, just a favor. As for gambling... I tend to stick with low-stakes unless I'm sure of success. Not super ambitious in that regard."

"Yea the last time I paid for a lady bounty hunter drink she cleaned me out.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “So if I do take you out, you’re paying for your own drink. Consider it two new crew mates getting to know each other, nothing more."

The owner briefly interrupted them with his reappearance. "Ah madam, you’re still here.” He almost sounded surprised. “We have your laser weapon ready to go: the doctor is waiting for you."

"Works for me," Kazane finished up with Blisk. She turned to the shop owner. Didn’t I already tell him… unless he’s just fishing for the medical bill too. "You can just hand it off to me. I can handle the installation myself, no problem," Kazane replied with an unfazed smile. She retrieved the laser rapier, paid for it, and headed out for drinks with Blisk.

"Huh she's an interesting woman…” The shop owner reflected as Kazane stepped out the door. “Anyway, Blisk. Please enjoy your weapon - and your day."

Blisk nodded and followed Kazane to the bar, hoping to learn more about his new comrade. While she continued to be cagey about the extent of her augments, the drinks did well to ease their guard just enough to sow the seeds of camaraderie.
 

Black0ut

Well-Known Member
Frostlich1228 & Black0ut present:
First Contact: Misunderstandings a Plenty

A Chocolate Skinned woman sat near the back of the large cafeteria room, long white hair running down her shoulders that turned pink when one looked at it at a certain angle. Next to her simple tray of food were two mugs as well as the disassembled parts of a gun the woman was fiddling with.

Heavy clanks echoed as a behemoth of a man entered, a large trenchcoat, coupled with a pair of black slacks and white sneakers, covered his massive seven foot frame. His hands were covered but whirring noises came from seemingly everywhere. His old, probably knock-off Fedora showed a rather beatup face, a multitude of scars decorating his face. He sat down next to the woman. "How do you do?" The question was almost a statement with how mechanical his voice sounded.

She jumped, letting out a yelp as she, then suddenly looking around with a confused expression. "What... Oh! Oh wow! You're big! You scared the heck out of her didn't you?"

"Her? Don't you mean you?" The heavy man replied, tilting his head to the side.

"Ehh..." She tapped her chin lightly. "Not really... Hi, I'm Lady."

"Lady is your..." The cyborg cleared his throat, trying not to be rude. "My name is Nick. Pleasure to meet you, Lady."

"You're pretty teched out. You are a Human, right?" Lady asked, just to be sure.

"No, I'm an AI bent on world domination." He snarked. "Yes, I'm human... At least that’s what the organic material is left is. Why're you so interested in my cybernetics?"

"I have a friend who's pretty into that kind of stuff. Tell me about it, I'm sure she'll come running when she hears you talking." Lady laughed lightly.

"My cybernetics... I suppose I can use two examples." He said slowly, some mistrust in his eyes. "I have a T-809 military series arm that can put a fairly nice dent in most metals, if not outright punching through. It has built in sensors that I can turn off via a verbal and nonverbal prompt, essentially allowing me to feel when I want or disregard it in the first place. It also comes with a gun."

"As for one of my lungs, it's a Cyberlite model that I personally modified. It can resist EMPs that could shut it off and matches my other lung so I don't take in too much air. It also can function without the other lung in case it’s been harmed, essentially giving me enough air to survive but it'll slow me down. The modified feature is that it has a conversion tech which allows me to essentially breathe wherever there's atmosphere, but space and more hostile environments won't work."

Her eyes suddenly glazed over slightly, her body language completely changing to something shyer. "Wow... That's amazing... You still have to charge them though, r-right?"

"I have a thermonuclear battery within my body that can keep me going for a month, but yeah, I have to charge them. Not as much as most cyborgs, but still quite a bit." He answered, looking into her eyes. "Miss... Yorin, I believe?"

She blinked. "I... How did you know?"

Your friend gave me a very good hint. She said 'her' instead of 'I'. So, if she wasn't in control at the time, that would mean someone else was. What other race can live with another in a form of symbiosis?" The giant man took a bite of food. He paused before resuming to swallow. "Only the Yorin are capable of that. Therefore, you had to be a Yorin. It was kinda simple, really... Discounting a loss of reality or multiple personalities, as most tend not to remember the actions of another."

Her eyes widened. "You're pretty sharp... Um... I promise I'm not going to take anyone's body, you don't have to worry about anything like that..."


The man stared at her, using his fork to shovel in food as he did so. After nearly thirty seconds of silence, he responded. "She trusts you, and that tells me you aren't the type for mind control. However, you're shite at pretending to be her. Get better or," his right arm folded back into a rifle that pointed at her, "you might get her shot by someone who isn't as understanding as your fellow crew." The arm reverted it's change, as he retracted his hand.

She froze solid, literally shaking and panting loudly, tears well in up in her eyes as her breathing began to hitch. Suddenly, her gaze her Direct and angry at the man. "Hey! What's wrong with you!? You scared her half to death!"

The man continued eating, not seemingly phased by the switch. "You know that if you die, she will as well, right? Or the fact that not everyone likes the Yorin, and some would go out of their way to kill them." His coal-black eyes stared into hers, the orbs hiding a tiny bit of softness to them. "She needs to be more careful, and by extension, you. All it takes will be for some asshole to get an idea and you're both dead."

"Same goes for you Mr. Cyborg. Better make sure a Tamaeran doesn't have you ejected out the airlock." She glared at him. "We shouldn't have to have hide because people don't like us. That's bullshit. Besides, you're the first person who's ever pulled a weapon on us so what does that say about you?"

"Unloaded. Uncharged. And you're a co-worker that I'm trying to help. I'd say it says I'm being nice." The metal man said, his voice somewhat raising causing it to slightly boom. "And if I meant you harm, would I have sat next to you, in an empty cafeteria?"

"I don't know anything about you. I didn't know if that was loaded or not. The only reason I didn't defend myself is because I thought better of you, you're lucky I didn't shoot you in the head." Lady told him with an uncharacteristic dead seriousness.

"If you had missed, I'd just lay on top of you and crush you. I weigh over seven hundred pounds after all." The giant rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm not going to apologize. I still stand by my decision. You can't win against the world and trying, Lady, will kill your friend. I think you're rather nice, despite the angry words. So." He stood up, having finished his food. His size invited an aura of intimidation, despite his more open eyes. "I hope we can at least be amicable towards each other."

"I won't hide because of my relationship with Yixx. End. Of. Discussion. If you hurt her. I'll make sure to dismantle you piece by piece." She stood up, looking him in the eye. "I don't think you're bad either but your people skills need so much work. Here's your first tip, if you want to be amicable towards someone, maybe don't point a gun in their face, loaded or not."

He raised an eyebrow. "Hurt? I wouldn't. She joined with you, therefore she's just as much a co-worker as you are." Nick replied, patting her head. "Second, I'll refrain from trying to advise or help should such a situation occur. You should be fine by your logic." He walked away with his tray to the nearby recycler, dumping it in before walking back. "Right?"

"Right." She told him plainly. "And don't touch me either. I'm not a child."

But you act like it. "Alright, Miss Hostile." Nick replied, rolling his eyes. He walked away to another table and sat down. With a few quick presses on his right arm, along with turning it here and there, it popped off with a hiss. He set it down on the table as part of his leg opened up, revealing some tools. He began working on his arm, a couple sparks flying here or there.

"Says the guy who pointed a fucking gun at me!" She yelled back at him, sitting down in a huff.

"I'm leaving you alone, so please stop yelling at me." He called back, as he continued running maintenance on his arm.

Lady shook her head, internally trying to coerce Yixx out of mess of anxiety she was in.

With a slight grunt of frustration from Nick, the arm spasmed like a freshly caught fish. "Dammit... The servo won't align with the connectors..." He mumbled irritatedly, using his elbow to pin the limb as he continued.

Lady shook her head head, saying to herself. "He doesn't deserve your help. Not until he says sorry... He pointed a gun at us Yixx..."

The arm suddenly went limp, some steam coming up from it. Nick swore loudly, then with a resigned sigh, tapped his leg to open his tool compartment to put away the calibrator. Nick, grabbing the arm, put it inside his trenchcoat and an audible click followed. "There goes the next paycheck..." He grumbled as he got up to leave.

Lady did feel a pang of guilt, Yixx did too. "If we fix it he's not guaranteed to like us..."

"Well... We could try..." Yixx spoke in her head.

Lady sighed, "Right... You're too nice you know..." And followed Nick out.
 

Black0ut

Well-Known Member
First Contact: Misunderstandings a Plenty, cont.

At first, Nick didn't notice the woman. He continued into the holodeck activating its setting for him, which was an Old Earth speakeasy. Taking a seat, he closed his eyes, just wanting to relax. He heard a noise and just a said in a weary voice. "Who... is it?"

It's Lady." She told him. "Yixx knows her way around Cybernetic Prosthetics, maybe she could help you."

He opened his eyes slowly and tapped his chest, before reaching into his trenchcoat to pull out the arm. He held it out. "Go ahead. Can't really hurt to have someone else tinker with it." Nick said quietly, looking rather tired.

Yixx sat on the bed, placing down a case full of tools to begin her work in complete silence, she couldn't believe she was doing this, but something guilted her inside.

"Yixx, was it? Why did you want to help me?" He asked, his voice becoming more human than machine.

"Because you needed help and I could help you." The Yorin focused entirely on what she was doing, picking up a small laser solder and soldering inside the arm.

Nick paused before standing up. "Watch out for the connectors near the joint. They tend to jump out at the worst of times." He warned softly as he got closer to watch her work.

She definitely seemed like she knew what she was doing as she took a kind of apoxy and applied to spots on some of the wiring. "It looks like your wiring had a Thin spot that let to a electrical discharge."

"Fixable or scrapable?" Nick asked as he watched with interest. "In your professional opinion?"

"It's fixable. Just need to fix some if these blown circuits and patch the wires think spots." Yixx told him simply.

"Great... Th-... Thank you, Yixx." The cyborg hesitated, rubbing his head with his military-grade arm.

"Yeah..." She spoke, and after a few minutes of silence, she put the arm to the side. "It should work now. Try it."

He grabbed the arm and stuck it into his coat sleeve before it connected with his graft point, causing the cyborg to visibly wince as he did so. He moved his fingers to test it out before his hand then arm. "It feels great. Just like when I got it added. Thank you... again. And... I'll try not to scare you anymore."

"Please... I'm... I'm kind of a nervous wreck okay?" The Yorin admitted.

"It wasn't my intention to frighten you. I'm a soldier, at least a former one and we had a saying from a dead Old Earth language called... Latine? Latin?" Nick stumbled verbally as he racked his brains for what it was but shrugged after a couple moments. "Something like that... Anyways, we'd say: Cum arma, miles, nemo debet timere. Or, roughly, With Soldier arms, no one should be afraid. You need not fear a soldier like me. I'll make sure to keep you and your friend safe."

"Are you... Sorry?" She looked up.

Nick grumbled under his breath, before speaking a little louder. "Only for the delivering of my warning, not the message itself." He murmured, looking away as he did so.

"I shouldn't have to protect myself or hide because I'm a Yorin." She shook her head. "Hiding is exactly what the people that hate us are afraid of."

"I... Look. You're nice and I admire that about you. But this Galaxy isn't that open-minded and people are usually bigoted at worst or one-track minded at best." Nick said softly, some concern in his eyes. "And it's more that you have the potential to control them, even though it's a more difficult process than most realize."

"I know! But I... I... I don't..." Yixx shook her head, beginning to buckle a little.

Thankfully, Lady took over, but it was hard to tell at first. "We know there are bad people out there. We do. The good Yorin can't hide though, If we do then the only thing people will ever see is the bad."

"At least hide in a known area where they... don't take kindly to the Yorin people and might use excessive force. If you don't, they might hurt you or anyone else protecting you two... I.e., me or anyone else on the crew. Fair?"

Lady sighed heavily. "You know they have Yorin detectors right? It will come out. The least I could do is be honest about it."

He nodded. "That's when the big scary cyborg makes sure no one dares to try to hurt you. Still would ease said cyborg's mind if you tried to hide or at the least let him know what you were planning." He started, before shrugging, his eyes growing tired. "That's what I'd say if you wanted my advice, but you'd rather me be quiet, which is fair." Nick nodded his head, and turned to start walking. "Thank you both for helping me with my arm."

"Come see us if you need help again, alright?" Yixx asked, standing up.

"Will do." The cyborg reached into his trenchcoat, taking out a cigar. He put it in his mouth, calling out, "Take care, you two." as he walked away to light and smoke his cigar.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Blackout & DarkGemini24601: “The Fox and the Coyote, Part 1”

GFP Space, Beta Quadrant
The Golden Wind, Hangar Bay
10:14 p.m., LST


The kickback from the departing shuttle swept the Vizcarra siblings’ hair into the air. Red-tipped black strands flowed like a river behind Devo’s hair as he smiled, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling. Lina’s cornflower-blonde ponytail whipped in the air thrice before she reached back, holding it down until the rush of air settled. The hangar doors shut with a clank, and the two were committed. Not that either intended to turn back.

“So this is the Golden Wind, huh?” Devo shielded his eyes from the overhead lights with a hand, sweeping his vision across the hangar.

A sleek, gold-lined bike’s headlights presided over the chamber, gazing out across to the curvy iron shape of Razor. Two beaten-down shuttles sat to the opposite corner, the skeletal frames of their engines dismally exposing circuitry or bare space beneath. Plating lay strewn in disarray around them. Mechanical arms hung limp from the ceiling, many of their inner workings exposed to the air, only protected by the rubber coats for their wires.

In short, it reminded him of the Belt. His smile grew. “Lots of room for improvement. Perfect.”

“I don’t know how I survived without your eternal optimism,” Lina replied without cracking her stolid expression.

She slipped a vacuum-sealed duffel bag off her shoulder, filled to the brim with medicine capsules, IV and blood packs, needles, turniquets, and analysis equipment. She tossed it, maintaining the arc stable with a faint glow emanating from her pine-green eyes. The move might seem careless on the surface, but the bag glided gently through the air, settling around her brother’s shoulder.

Lina straightened the collar of her brown workman’s jacket, pulling the steep contours back into alignment. “Take this to my room. It’s the big one opposite the Captain’s - she was kind enough to provide me their lab.”

Devo crossed his arms, a crimson aura surrounding him as he used his telekinesis to assist in keeping both the bags around his shoulders level. “And why am I doing this? I have my own stuff to get settled in.”

“You’re the younger sibling. That makes you valid manual labor for me.”

Still no smile, but Devo could sense it beneath. He shrugged, prompting a twitch of Lina’s eyebrow.

“And don’t damage anything inside, unless you want me pulling bullets out of you with scrap metal,” she warned.

Devo chuckled, although he refrained from shifting his posture much more. He did tilt his head slightly back to the shipping container their transport had dropped off. “I’ll get you settled in later, Tlalpalli,” he promised his cybersuit.

When he glanced back, Lina had already headed off towards the elevator. He rushed to catch up, squeezing the bags lightly to keep them from jostling. The doors flipped back irritably before closing once he made it fully inside, and the pair traveled upstairs.

“Why the hurry, anyway?” Devo asked as they stepped out into the corridor. “Not like the ship’s in any rush to set off.”

“I need want to see what our crew’s like,” Lina replied. “In this sector of space, we’re likely to have species onboard whose biology is foreign to me. That’ll be suboptimal if I don’t take notes.”

Devo shrugged. “Want me to keep an eye out for you?”

Lina smiled, if slightly. “Sure. Thanks.” She swiped a key-card along the door on the left end of the hallway, opening up her room. “But first…”

“Right.”

Devo shook his head, stepping inside and carefully unpacking her laboratory equipment. He didn’t bother organizing it - he’d tried to be helpful like that as a kid, and Lina had disappationately told him he’d wasted his time. She had a sense of structure he wasn’t going to interfere with. Once a row of paraphernalia appeared along the table, he withdrew, tossing his belongings in his room more haphazardly.

I’ll worry about that later, Devo thought to himself, taking the opportunity to take a look around the ship and run a diagnostic on his cybersuit before the hour drew late.

The next morning:

Titania sat alone at the bar, the lounge unusually quiet - most likely due to the time being around early morning. With Kazane piloting, Titania had more freetime to be bored and laze around. She held a wine glass filled with red wine in her hand, swirling it ever so slightly as she daydreamed, wondering which of her new companions would inevitably appear next.

A few minutes slinked along until the doors opened with a pneumatic yawn. A young man with rust-tipped black hair and striking red eyes entered. Having just woken up, Devo had left his usual workclothes on the rack in his room. He only had his shoes, a set of long pants, and a t-shirt hastily thrown on. The half-Tamearin showed more care to the cup in his hands. Tamearin writing etched along the middle ring of the porcelain, which housed an aromatic tea that Devo sipped at as he entered.

He blinked slowly as his eyes adjusted to the slight change in lighting - and to fully register the woman in the room. Wow. Good morning, indeed. Attempting to clear the fog from his head and make himself look presentable - a hand swept back some of the frazzled ends of his long hair - Devo approached the bar. He set his cup down and rested his arms on the counter, glancing away from the steaming tea and towards Titania. Devo didn’t sit down quite yet; he spoke instead.

“Morning. I don’t think we’ve met,” Devo noted with a smile. “I wouldn’t forget a face like yours. My name’s Devo. Devo Vizcarra.”

“Titania Regalia. Didn’t think anyone was awake enough to wander in here.” The fox noted, taking a sip as she regarded the man before her. “Tamearin, but something mixed in?” Her tail swished from side to side impatiently, as if it too wanted to know the answer.

“Keen eye.” Devo nodded. “Half-human too. And I’m used to getting up early. Haven’t felt like breaking out of that rhythm.”

“What started that rhythm? A previous job? A bounty gone wrong?” Titania guessed, turning around to face him, her eyes becoming more curious.

Devo rubbed the back of his neck. “Less interesting one, to my shame,” he said with a short laugh following. “The schedule of a cybersuit jockey is pretty regimented. We’d get up, suit up, and get to work for hours until we’d mined the daily quota or hit our time limit.”

“Hey, that’s still a fairly cool job. Mining has a lot of dangers and benefits to it. Especially with cave-ins and the like.” Titania took a sip, tilting her head to the side. “It’s also labor intensive and makes you maintain an athletic body for it. Anyways, why’d you want to become a bounty hunter?”

Well, for a mediocre pitch, it’s still keeping her interest. Devo opened his palm, two strands of dark red energy - one crackling and fraying at the edges and the other wobbling like water waiting to spread - wound together into the shape of a drill-bit. “This is why. Once my psionics awakened, I realized I could do more good apprehending criminals. Acting as an agent of justice suits me just fine.”

“Fair enough and well said. So, psionics? What does either of the ones in your hands do?” She asked, her eyes gazing at the red color.

“The thread that looks intent on ripping itself apart is destructokinesis. The other that wants to expand is structokinesis. The latter provides a structure for the drill, and the former provides its penetrating power. On their own they wouldn’t do much, but together…” Devo grinned. “I’ve tunneled through solid iron ore with a macro-sized version of this baby.”

Titania nodded, her eyes still somewhat glued to the psionic power before shaking her head and looking at him properly. “How long have you had your powers then? It seems like a while, given how natural it looks for you to manifest them.”

“Several months - spent them practicing with my mother and brushing up on gunplay with my father,” Devo explained. “Got my training for this job from them both - they were both soldiers.”

“Oh? Were they in a similar outfit as our resident soldier?” She took another sip, finishing her glass off. “Or a different kind of thing altogether?”

“Our resident soldier?” Devo shrugged. “I would have recognized him if it were a familiar uniform - going with no. They served as part of the local militia in their time. GFP either couldn’t or wouldn’t send aid our system’s way in that conflict.”

“Who was attacking them?” She asked, leaning in to hear the upcoming story with great interest.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Blackout & DarkGemini24601: “The Fox and the Coyote, Part 2”

“An alliance of pirates,” Devo replied. He held up a finger. “Not the alliance, thankfully, but they were a canny group in their own right. Used an old Demigor warp gate to keep slipping into our system until my parents helped blown it to bits. Since the GFP didn’t want to commit, it fell to the local human and Tamearin populations in-system to fight for their home.”

“What system was it? I might be able to get a few Dondondari traders to help out.” She asked in earnest.

Devo’s eyes widened a little. “I-I appreciate the offer, but that was more than twenty years ago. We’ve sorted everything out since.”

“Still, I could get some tradeships to help with the economy if you want.” She offered again, a warm smile coming easily to her lips.

Devo matched it. “Well, I’m not going to say no to trade for Intiquecha. You ever need raw metals or electronics to sell, stop by our system.”

“Well, not me personally. But a Dondondari trading vessel that has connections and contacts with other ships should help out a lot. Especially if your militia wants top-of-the-line weapons, armor and ships.” Titania bragged slightly, before clearing her throat lightly into her raised hand. “But I’ll let my family know to stop there to buy and sell.”

“Very much appreciated.” Devo rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d buy you a drink in thanks, but… replicator.” He shrugged. “That said, I could get you something higher-quality before or after we ship out.”

“I’d be up for that, Dev. But, I got a better idea: I’m buying. That way, you can get next time. Eh? Does that seem like a good idea?” She asked, giving him a mischievous grin.

Did she see through my attempt to make it a date? Devo kept himself from sweating or otherwise showing weakness - his smile maintained. “Whatever the lady wants,” he conceded.

“So… how long have you been a bounty hunter? You seem skilled, at least with psionic powers.” Titania kept up her line of questioning, even more curious of this strange man that approached her.

“About that…” Devo suddenly seemed sheepish. “This’ll be the start of my career. I’ve had all that training, but I haven’t actually seen action yet.”

Titania stood up and hugged the rookie bounty hunter. “I’ll keep you safe while you start out, Dev.” She said as she pulled back, noticing that she was a couple inches taller than him. “Is that okay with you?”

Devo felt some blood rushing to his face. “I can handle myself!” he insisted indignantly. He had become conscious of the height difference himself - that hadn’t helped. “T-Though I’m glad to be working with veterans, of course.”

“Okay, I’ll back off. Didn’t mean to make you blush and get all defensive.” Titania winked as she took a seat, crossing her legs. “But you’ve at least made a new friend, right?”

The half-Tamearin rubbed the back of his neck until he felt his embarrassment drop off. “Yeah. I’ll be an honor to fight alongside you. Speaking of… I’ve told you a bit of how I fight. What about you? What’s your specialty?”

The woman moved faster than she should have, easily lifting up the Tamearin, before setting him down, dusting off his clothes with her hands. “Gene-modded assault and night slash evening pilot of the ship you’re on. Also have my fighter in the hangar bay.” She listed off before taking a step back to smile. “I’m also qualified to make emergency repairs to starships as well as managing trading deals with other merchants. I also tend to make people blush who happen to either irritate me or are incredibly adorable. You fall into the latter.”

Devo scratched the back of his head. “I’ll take the compliment,” he allowed with a smile. “And I’ll admit, that skillset blows mine out of the water. I consider myself decent with laser rifles of any kind, I can pilot my cybersuit better than most, and I’ve been told my psionics are something impressive… but you’ve got talent and experience.” He rolled his shoulders. “I’ll be trying my hardest to keep up. Trust me on that.”

“I know. Rookies usually do. Just… try not to show off. It’s a good way to get yourself killed.” Titania advised, as she uncrossed her legs and stood up. “You seem like you’ll be a good friend to have in the future. Especially one that gets flustered by me just being sweet and kind. Speaking of…” She brushed over his eyes. “You had a bit of sleep stuff in your eyes.”

Devo sucked in a breath and blinked in tandem. “Thanks,” he managed to keep his voice stable this time. “I’ll keep that advice in mind. Father said something similar before I shipped out. Wise minds think alike.”

“They do. I bet your dad is much more knowledgeable than I am, and probably more skilled too.” Titania patted his shoulder as she passed by. “But I bet you’ll be even better, Dev. That’s how it tends to be… say… how old are you, just so I can know how many years I got on you?”

The half-Tamearin had the realization that he wasn’t sure how Dondondari aged compared to humans. How much older is she going to be on top of the rest? He tried not to think about the growing disadvantage. “Twenty-one,” he said instead.

“Cool! I’m twenty-four, so we’re around the same age.” She nodded to herself., her tail swishing erratically. “That means that you’re up for grabs for all the thirsty girls on this ship. I couldn’t tell if you were a bit too young, cause you do have a bit of a baby face.”

“I blame the Tamearin half for that,” Devo riposted. Slowly but surely, he was beginning to resist her attempts to flummox him. “And believe me, I’m well aware of… both those other facts.”

“Oh? Has someone been making moves on you when you just got here?” Titania raised an eyebrow, dropping the flirtatious act of hers to be a bit more serious. “Was it Bug-girl?”

“You mean…” Devo shook his head, glancing away for a moment. “Nevermind - I’m not going to try and pronounce it. No, no. I just have noticed that there are…” He looked back at her. “Quite a few attractive women on the ship. And I wouldn’t be surprised if there were interested parties among them.”

“I mean, yeah, there are. You got a lot going for you: You’re pretty handsome, have a very rare self-assured confidence, and you’re rather sweet. There’s plenty of girls on this ship that would go after you… save JJ and Kazu… The weird girl with the giant robot for a man. They seem harder to get.” Titania rambled, her tail swishing back and forth as she failed to catch his meaning.

“You shower me with compliments,” Devo replied appreciatively. “And yeah, the times I’ve passed by her she didn’t seem the least bit interested.” He shrugged. “It’s only fair I note in return… you’ll definitely catch eyes on the ship, yourself.” His hand hovered behind his head, as he attempted to resist his tell for nervousness. The man’s calm smile revealed none of that turmoil on its own. “You’re beautiful, kind, and sociable yourself.”

Titania’s smile came unbidden as she raised a hand to hide it. “Thank you… but tomboys aren’t usually found that attractive, especially gene-modded ones who could lift their boyfriends up with a hand. The last time I had an actual man interested in me past my breasts was when I was a teenager, so…” She trailed off, assuming her point had been made. “Anyways, I appreciate the compliment nonetheless.” Her tail swished a few times, before curling around her hips.

Devo did an admirable job keeping his eyes up throughout, only occasionally glancing at the source of the motion in his vision’s periphery. “You’re too modest,” he insisted, reaching back to take a sip of his tea before it got too cold. “I’ve dated more than one girl in the mining guild that I’d consider more of a tomboy than you seem to be-” He drank a little too much at once, and sputtered for a moment before the heat in his throat subsided. “J-Just for example,” he tried to regain his composure.

“You okay?” She asked as she moved closer to him, her t-shirt and jacket combo trying hard not swing too much from what they concealed. “And mining girls usually are more tomboyish than me. Still doesn’t mean I’m not right.”

Devo nodded profusely. “I’m alright.” That may have been too forward to say, he chided himself again. “I’m sure if they got to know you, a guy would be interested in more than just physical attributes.” Though dancing around things isn’t usually my style, either.

Titania shrugged, “The last two guys who were interested in me would beg otherwise, but I’ll be a bit more optimistic. There might be a guy out there who would be interested in me and would be able to put with my shit. I’ve yet to find such a man, so… I’m keeping my options open until then.” She grabbed his hand as she led him over to a table. “Want anything out of the replicator? It’s about breakfast time, I’d think and you did come out to the lounge for food, right?”
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Blackout & DarkGemini24601: “The Fox and the Coyote, Part 3”

“That… would be nice,” Devo agreed. She definitely hasn’t noticed then, but if I push the issue, would I fall into the category of guys she doesn’t like? He repressed a sigh and finished off his cup of tea, shifting over to the table with her.

“What do you want? It should have everything you could want, so…” She moved away to the replicator, finger ready to select anything he might want.

“I’ll go with ham and two eggs over easy,” the half-Tamearin replied. “There’s more complex dishes from home that are good, but replicators can’t do intricate, regional stuff like that.” He shrugged. “One of these mornings I’ll give it a shot in the kitchen, but not this time.”

She tapped a few buttons before a plate with Devo’s exact specifications appeared. Titania did a couple quick taps that added some milk in a cup, one that simulated Earth’s milk. She picked up and walked briskly back over to him. “Here you go, and yeah, I agree, replicators struggle with anything not in their database. Perhaps I could make you my family’s signature dish. Although… I don’t think you’d be able to handle such perfection.”

Devo crossed his arms for a moment. “Is that a challenge? You’ll find I don’t back down from those easily.” He began to dig in.

“Oh, no. It’s not a challenge, baby face. Not at all…” Titania teased, her mischievous smile popping through her defenses. “But it is a tad bit spicy… You sure you can handle spicy food?”

“Please. I was raised on the stuff.” Devo smirked himself.

“Alright… If you lose, I get to keep calling you baby-face and you have to accept my help. And if you win…” She gestured for him to continue.

“Oh, do I get to pick my condition?” Devo’s grin widened. “That’s a dangerous condition to let me have, but if you’re sure…”

“I’m sure, because I’m going to win.” Titania replied cheekily, her eyes ablaze with competitive spirit. “Are you sure you want to try? You can still backout…”

Devo scoffed. “Could I hold my head high if I backed out of cowardice? I doubt it. I’m sure.”

“Alright. Name your terms then, baby face.” Titania teased.

Devo fell silent for a moment, thinking. In the name of good sportsmanship and not pushing my luck… “I’ll be somewhat merciful. If I win, there’s something I want you to consider after we go out for drinks. I’ll only ask then if I win, though.”

“Fair enough. I can go make my family dish if you want, to start off. The ship has enough ingredients for me to do so… but unfortunately for you, I also have the secret ingredient to kick your ass and have your tongue light on fire.” She smiled evilly but dropped it after a few moments. “It’s up to you though, Devo. I kinda don’t want to force you if you don’t want to, at least, for the moment.”

He chuckled at that. “You’re worrying too much. If I do lose, it’s only a temporary pain and a small indignity. It won’t sear my soul or anything.”

“Alright. Shall I get started and thus have endless teasing capabilities?” Titania threatened as she glanced over at the kitchen.

“I don’t see any reason to wait,” Devo agreed.

Titania nodded, and took out some peppers from her pocket. She tossed it over into the kitchen, having it land on the counter. With great haste, she ran to the replicator typing madly into it to get the other ingredients she would need. When she was done, seven different synthetic foodstuffs were in her arms. Taking a pot out of the top, (She had talked to Aya about moving the pots) she quickly put in what appeared to be broth, as well as some shrimp. When four of the five items had been added, and stirred, she moved it over the electric stovetop and turned it onto a low simmer. Adding the rest of the ingredients haphazardly, she took out a small bottle labeled ‘Holy Hellfire’ and dropped five drops into the pot before putting it back into her pocket. “So, Dev? Have you like what you’ve seen so far? In terms of the rest of the crew?”

“The Captain seems a little…” Devo chose his words carefully, “...distractible, but her second-in-command has a good head on her shoulders. I’m not too worried about it. We have quite the range of people though. Hard to get a good assessment of them as a whole. There’s that… Lay… ped… a? A Shinso guy who looks perpetually on top of the world. We’re quite the motley crew.”

“True, we are. But we’re also a more seasoned crew. Everyone has had a lot of experience in bounty hunting, and where each of us has operated, we tend to have an epithet for what we’re good at. I’m betting you’re gonna earn a pretty cool name. I mean you are already a pretty cool guy, so it’s only fitting that you’ll make a big impact on the galaxy.” Titania stirred the pot, taking a sniff. “Needs more pepper…”

“That’s what I hope for, anyway.” Devo huffed. “Not the name. That’s a bonus. If I can make a difference, I’ll be accomplishing what I set out for. Doesn’t have to be anything huge - just something tangible.”

“You’ll make a difference. I know you will.” Titania said kindly, before a sudden delectable odor distracted her. Turning back to the pot, she quickly took it off the burner and searched for a bowl. Not noticing any, she grunted out of irritation, before walking over to the replicator, getting a bowl of cereal synthesized, dumping out the contents into the sink, briefly putting water into it before dumping that out, and finally adding some soup to the bowl. She walked back over to Devo and set the bowl down in front of him. “Good luck. You’re really going to need it.”

Devo took a deep breath. “Like I said, the pain will only be temporary.” Without any further hesitation, he took a bite.

At first, everything was fine. It didn’t scald him or do anything that anything spicy would. Then it came. It was exceedingly hot, as if lava had been poured down his throat and the only recourse from the pain was to pour more, slightly less hot lava that still would scald the throat. “So… want to give up? Just give me a nod and I’ll accept~.”

“What… what do you mean… you never said I had to… go through all of it?” Devo managed.

Titania took a bite with his spoon, trailing her tongue across it before putting it back in his soup. “And you’re currently dying of taking a bite. See, I’m winning, cutie~.”

There’s no way she isn’t teasing like this on purpose… right? Devo began to sweat for more than one reason. “I won’t… give up that easily…” Even while holding onto his throat with one hand, he scooped up another helping and downed it despite the agony that ensued.

Titania raised an eyebrow. “Are you enjoying suffering that much? Didn’t peg you as a masochist.” She poked his arm. “You can stop if you want to give up, Devo…”

“Difference b… between maso… and… courage,” Devo barely managed to form the words, crossing his arms defiantly even though his brow was starting to be soaked in sweat.

“Stop before you kill yourself. It can and has rendered bigger men than you unconscious.” Titania grabbed the bowl and moved it away from the half-Tamearin. “And I rather want you to not do that so…”

Devo let out a pained sighed and bowed his head, nodding slowly. “D-Damn it… that’s… strong stuff…”

“It’s meant to be. That’s a very traditional take on Darian food and it tends to not be served to non-family members. They usually can’t handle it.” Titania said quietly, rubbing a hand over his back. “But are you okay? You sound legitimately like you’re going to die…”

The half-Tamerin shuddered slightly. “I’m… not going to die,” Devo insisted, laughing with a pained edge to it. “Just need a bit to… recover. Some… milk would help.”

Titania stood up, and walked over to the replicator and got another glass of milk as well as an interesting looking bread. “Eat the bread first and then drink the milk. It should stop the burning feeling.”

Devo nodded, trusting her for the moment and doing as she asked. The milk he understood - the bread he’d just have to find out.

It seemed to soothe the burning before the milk washed down and brought instant relief to his throat. “Home remedy on my part. I knew that if anybody had something as spicy as my family’s gumbo, they’d need something to help them out.” Titania explained as she continued rubbing his back soothingly.

“T-Thank you.” Devo sighed. “Guess I lose then… not that I ever had a chance. Ah well…” He gradually sat back up, straightening his posture. “You get to keep your pet name, then.”
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Blackout & DarkGemini24601: “The Fox and the Coyote, Part 4”

“I do and I get to look out for you from now on.” Titania said sweetly as she stood and took a step behind him. A moment later she wrapped her arms around him, giving Devo a hug. “Are you feeling better now?”

Devo sucked in another breath. What do I even do in this situation?! As calmly as he could - with surprising control of his voice - he replied, “Yeah. Yeah, I am. Your remedy works wonders. Thank you.”

“Good. I worried I might’ve accidentally hurt you too much with the gumbo.” Titania sighed happily, holding the hug as she forgot she was holding him. “And you’re welcome. So, what were you going to ask me?”

Devo’s eyes widened. “I-I… well… it’d be a bit… I did lose.” It would have sounded way cooler if I’d powered through it.

“Come on… tell me. I won’t laugh or anything else. I’ll take whatever you say at face value, all right?” As soon as she finished she gave him a gentle squeeze which coincidentally pressed her breasts into his back.

Devo bit his lip - not quite enough to draw blood, but it made him fall silent for a few seconds. “If I say, you do have to… promise to hear me out, like the agreement would have been, alright? I wouldn’t want something to happen to this budding friendship if I got too ambitious.” His tone had taken on a serious layer that it hadn’t before now.

“I promise.” Titania’s tone lost the playfulness in lieu of a more serious one to match Devo’s. “On my honor as a Dondondari trader, you have my word I’ll hear you out.”

The half-Tamearin nodded slowly, aware of the gravity of such a statement. “Alright,” he said evenly, pushing his doubt down. “All those things I said before… I meant them, and I was trying to say that… I could be that sort of guy. I don’t really mind if you’re tomboyish or any of that.” He rubbed the side of his neck. “What I wanted to ask was: would you consider going out? You and I?”

She paused as she thought about it, weighing the pros and cons. It didn’t take long for her to formulate an answer. “Sure.”

“Just like that?” Devo chuckled softly. “You’re amazingly confident. And here I thought I had an impressive resolve.”

“I’ve dated before and I’m very easy-going. Not that I didn’t think about you as a potential date, but better to start off trying to be friends. However,” Titania turned him around in his seat, looking into his eyes, “I’m not dating you. Not yet. I don’t know you enough to responsibly claim you as a boyfriend, nor can you claim me as a girlfriend. Until such a time as I feel that we know enough about each other, I will be accepting similar invitations to yours. Okay?”

Devo nodded slightly. “That’s fair. Way better than being dismissed out of hand.” He smirked. “And I can do competition if necessary. In the end, it’s your choice, and I respect that.”

“Flattery will get you far, Devo.” Titania let go of him, holding a finger up to her lips. “But you shouldn’t rely on it.” She walked past him, a finger trailing up his spine. “Because others will try that approach.”

“It is most people’s go-to, yeah.” Devo shook his head. “You know, usually acting cool works for me… but I’m realizing you’ve got me beat there. Once again, I’ll have to fall back on family advice.”

“Which is?” Titania took the seat across from him, leaning on one of her fists.

“Well, my mother’s always said that dad’s looks and attitude played a role, but it was his kindness towards her that won her over more than anything.” Devo shrugged, his dark red eyes warmed by a smile. “That’s not some ultra-detailed gameplan - but I’ll just be myself. If you end up liking that, that works out for both of us. If not, that’s still better than building a relationship on a foundation of dishonesty.”

“Good plan… it’ll help you out with many relationships. Even if you don’t get to be with me, you trying that on someone else will work.” Titania’s tail curled onto the table much to the chagrin of the fox herself, who gently moved it down. An idea soon popped into her head, as her tail curled onto the table again. “Could you move that off? It tends to have a mind of its own.”

Devo blinked for a moment and then he swept his hand. The fingers didn’t quite reach her tail, but a push like a gentle breeze - telekinesis - concluded the motion for him. Her tails hair ruffled as it brushed off the table.

“Thank you.” She said with a smile, her tail deciding to curl around her hips instead. “So… How many times?”

“How many times what?” Devo questioned, raising an eyebrow at Titania and leaning back in his chair as he faced her.

“Have you taken a peek?” She asked, leaning back in her chair like a big cat watching its prey.

Devo closed his hands together across his mouth. “I… well…” Honesty? “A couple of times. Mostly when I saw your tail moving, honest.”

“You pass.” She replied with a grin. “That’s the first and only test you’ll have with me. Because of my mods, I have better eyesight. So I counted each time. Frankly, you were a real gentleman. Most men would’ve taken at least half-a-dozen peeks, not that I’d care. It’s more to see if you’d be honest with me. You’d be surprised how many people can’t do that…”

Devo rolled his shoulders, letting out an exhale. “I’ve never understood the game of deception all that much, to be honest. It only seems to cause trouble for people, even the littlest things. I don’t get why, say…” Devo chuckled. “Don’t tell anyone else this - or her that I told you this - but my sister’s hair is actually green like her eyes. She dyes it blonde for some reason… I didn’t see anything wrong with the way it was before.”

“Green hair isn’t anything to be ashamed of. Probably would look nice on her, given that I’ve not met your sister.” Titania paused, before shrugging. “But I guess she’ll have to come to terms with it when she gets a boyfriend.”

“Ostensibly she’s dated before… I assume at some point she lets down the serious mask,” Devo stated. “Although I’ve probably seen it less than those guys combined.” He laughed quietly at that, not seeming worried about the fact.

“Well, there’s enough guys on here that will try for her. I wish you good luck for how many men you’ll have to keep off of her.” She chuckled. “Although, hopefully you find some girls to help you out and aren’t also interested in your sister.”

Devo chuckled outright at that. “She can handle herself, really. She is my older sister.”

“True, true. I guess she’ll be fine, older sister like her and me tend to be able to weather the storm of suitors we attract.” Titania joked before some of the levity faded. “So, what kind of a date are we going on?”

“Well, I did promise to buy you a drink,” Devo replied, “if that’s alright with you. Either at this port or the next one.”

“I’d say next. It gives me time to know you and vice versa.” Titania tilted her head, offering him a smile. “Just one last question for you though: Are you a virgin, Devo?”

He coughed, placing a hand over his throat for a moment. “No,” he answered after the shock of the bold question wore off. “My relationships have gotten intimate before.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to make you blush. Just needed to know if I needed to teach you some things in the future. Good to know if we end up in a relationship that you have the experience, hardware and skills for the job.” She smirked before her innocent smile came back. “But at the very least, you’ve made it this far, shy boy. So, before I head off to go take a shower and go to bed…” She leaned over the table wrapping a hand around his head as she gave him a proper kiss. She held it for a few moments before breaking it and standing up. “I think you deserve at least that much.”

Devo’s smile had widened by the end. “That’s… thank you, Titania.” He rubbed his lips as if still feeling a buzz afterwards. “I’ll see you around.”

“See you around, Devo.” She replied before walking out, a small smile still on her face.
 

BMPixy

Well-Known Member
Blackout & BMPixy: “Eggs and Bacon”
Golden Wind, Lounge
0555 LST

The lounge was rather quiet as a certain foxgirl sat at a table, looking rather bored. Due to her gene mods, and a minor chemical imbalance, sometimes she couldn't sleep when she wanted to. She wore futuristic armor that had an archaic look to it, modeled after a culture on Earth. Taking a sip of water, she closed her eyes, trying to see if she might be able to fall asleep.

And then the thumping of meat on bulkheads dashed any hopes of that for the moment, the lounge doors sliding open to allow passage to the ship’s new cook - a giant Azisin, not seeming to notice or care that there was someone else in the room, plodded their way into kitchen. Without any acknowledgement, the Azisin cracked open the fridge to remove a slab of freshly thawed meat, setting it on the counter along with a few egg cartons.

“Hey… what are you doing…?” Titania started, unable to identify the gender of the Azisin, or even recall if the immortal creatures had one.

“Breakfast,” Chuck answered simply, taking a large knife in a secondary arm and slicing off thin slices that almost resembled bacon once they were free of the larger mass. Meanwhile, their primary arms searched in the cupboards for suitably large pans for what they were to make. “Require nutrition,” they asked in their trademark monotone grumble, holding up a strip of meat.

“I just might… haven't been able to sleep so maybe a bit of food would help.” Titania answered, standing up as she walked towards the taller creature. “And if you're looking to cook it, the pans are in the lower left cupboard. Think Aya put them there, at the very least, I hope she did.”

Finding them there, the Azisin rumbled in thanks, pulling out a pair of the largest pans and setting them on the stove as they continued to cut the meat. “Have noticed one-minds tend to rest better after feeding. Also noticed that for such necessary function, rest is easily disrupted.” With the pans firmly in place, the fire went on, strips of carnosaur bacon going into one pan with a touch of oil, cracked eggs going into the other.

“Gene-modded, so a bit less that I'm having trouble with sleeping, more that I simply can't.” The fox held her hand out. “Name's Titania. Yours?”

The giant analyzed the outstretched hand for a moment, before setting down the knife in their hand and reaching out to shake Titania’s. “We have been referred to as ‘Chuck’,” they answered. “We shall encourage this tradition.” With that said, they released their grip, returning to slicing up the meat as the first round of bacon sizzled away in the pan.

“‘Chuck’... That's a pretty nice name. Probably a long history to how you got it, huh?” Titania asked as she leaned against the counter. “I'm going to guess that it's also very personal to you?”

“No,” Chuck answered simply, stirring the eggs so that they didn’t clump in the pan. “Prior companion wished to refer to us as something other than ‘you’, and liked that cut of meat.”

“I bet your previous companion enjoyed having you around. Are they on board?” The fox vaulted over the counter landing next to the fridge.

“She is dead,” the Azisin replied bluntly, flipping the bacon over.

“I'm sorry… was it recent?” She asked quietly, her face losing its happy expression in lieu of a more contemplative one.

The giant was silent, letting the crackle of bacon fill the air in place of their voice. “It was some weeks ago. Natural causes,” Chuck said. “Now she lives in our memory, and elsewhere if her beliefs are reality.”

“I'm sure you made her happy in her last days.” Titania looked at the bigger Azisin, her eyes showing a great deal of empathy. “Is that why you joined the crew? To deal with her passing?”

Chuck’s reply was to slide a pile of the eggs and bacon onto a plate, offering it to Titania. “Here, said you wished to eat,” they said. “Believe Cartus have fondness for meat, so added extra.”

“Wrong species, big guy. Dondondari-human mix. But you're very thoughtful and sweet. Thank you.” Titania took the plate of food, set it on the counter before vaulting over it again.

“Second time we have been called that in response to cooking,” Chuck noted. “Seems to be tradition to compliment chef. Must be to avoid offending and giving cause to poison,” they analyzed, spooning out the rest of the food onto a second plate, cracking a new set of eggs into one pan, and laying another layer of bacon into the other.

“Eh, if it is, I have no knowledge of such a precedent. But you really are sweet.” Titania took a bite of the bacon, noting how tasty it was before she shoveled some of the eggs in as well. “Sho, Whaa bringsh you here? Advetursh? Fame? Knowledgh?”

“Memory,” Chuck answered, their lower mouth opening to allow them to pour the entire plate into the maw. “Many sights in galaxy are but for short moments. Attack ships on fire over shoulder of Orion. C-beams glittering in dark, reflecting through nebula. We preserve lost moments. Hence, travel.” The Azisin paused for a moment, stirring the eggs and flipping the bacon. “And Titania’s reason?” they asked.

“I… adventure. Truth is, I love exploring, going to new planets and visiting new systems. I… want to see what adventures await me. What better way than to do that while taking down bad guys?” Titania answered, before devouring her food like a starving wolf.

Chuck rumbled slightly, Azis debating over what to say next, as well as the humor-specialized Azis writhing in anger over not using the ‘we love to kill’ joke, but eventually the colony came to a decision. “So, that is what bounty hunters do, then? Hunt ‘bad’ sapients?” they asked. “...do you eat them?”

“No, and we don't kill them either, if we can help it. We take them to the proper authorities if we can help it. Sometimes, they'll fight harder than we thought we could and we might have to take their life in order to protect others.” Titania explained, sighing happily at how full she was. “Have you ever eaten bad sapients before?”

“Assumed in term ‘hunter’ that they would be treated as prey,” Chuck explained, shaking their upper torso as if to say ‘no’ to the last question. “To hunt a beast is to use all of it to repay the debt of killing it. Hence,” they finished, gesturing to the meat. “See now that concept closer to trapper.”

“True, but what a bounty hunter hunts is the monetary prize placed on a person for what they did. Only way to get the prize is to get the person.” Titania explained further, tossing her sword into the air a couple times.

“And from what we understand, money is exchanged for resources and aid,” Chuck concluded. “It makes sense, assuming there is a steady supply of targets.”

“There unfortunately is. Many turn to crime because of a perceived lack of skills, circumstances or just because of money. Whatever the case, with many planets to choose from, the criminals we have are multiplied at an exponential rate. In essence, there is always another individual.”

The Azisin audibly exhaled, not for any breathing needs but as an acquired expression. Chuck cleared out the pans once more, these servings for whoever comes by to the fridge come morning. “One-mind society is arcane. Your livelihood depends on resources, yet you say that the existence of such resources is unfortunate,” they analyzed, layering out another portion of food into the pans.

“Our society is entirely reactive; people start breaking the law, so others need to stop them. Someone makes something and another wants it. That's how it works. I have other skills that I could use outside of bounty hunting. I just wish that everything could be idyllic, and less violent.”

Chuck was silent, watching the eggs sizzle. “We seem to understand,” they finally said. Sensing the weight of the subject, they changed it. “More food?” they asked, turning slightly to face Titania.

“No, but thank you for the offer. Too much food and I might not be able to protect others. Weight gain and fat replacing muscle.” The fox rubbed the colony's closest arm, offering a gentle smile. “Maybe next time?”

“Certain? If do not eat sufficient quantities, will not grow nor replicate,” Chuck tried to confirm, removing more food from the pans, holding up a spatula laden with eggs as temptation.

Titania chuckled, her smile growing brighter. “I'm sure. Besides, my body’s done growing, and we ‘one-minds’ don't replicate like you do. But I appreciate the thought.” She patted their arm, before promptly going over the counter again. She took her plate and once the sink’s water was on, began washing it off. “Give me the pan and the plate, I'll wash them for you.”

The Azisin paused for a moment, before realizing what was going on. “Repaying debt of meal. Understand,” they said, sliding the kitchen utensils into the sink for Titania to get to work on.

Titania took the extra kitchenware and scrubbed the plate down quickly before working on the pan. “So. What do you all think of me? I hope it's good, but I understand if I make you a bit wary.”

Chuck rumbled slightly as the Azis argued in a flurry of chemicals, analyzing the foxgirl. “You seem… a good person, Titania,” they settled on. “Remind us in some ways of prior companion, in younger days.” They shuffled slightly, unused to speaking to others in this way.

“Well, I feel honored you'd consider me as such.” Titania said with a smile as she finished washing the pan. “And I think you're good too. I can tell you cared deeply for your last companion… and she must've cared deeply for you. I can see why: you're caring, thoughtful at times, and considerate. I'm betting there's a lot of other good qualities about you that I've yet to find.” She took a step forward towards him, holding her hand out. “Which means you just got a new friend, Chuck.”

Chuck took the hand and shook it firmly. “Then we shall consider you one as well, Titania,” they replied. “You shall remain in our memory, and we will commit more of your good qualities to it.”
 

BMPixy

Well-Known Member
InsaneDarkness & BMPixy: “Holograms, Training, and Advantages (Part 1)”
Somewhere in the Galaxy
1632 Local System Time
Aboard the Golden Wind, Holodeck

Ella walked through the long hallways of the Golden Wind, her sights aimed on the Holodeck. Her sniper on her back moved back and forth with her movement and her black long coat flowed behind her. As she neared the room, she could hear sounds coming from within. The Holodeck doors slid open as she approached - apparently whoever was using it cared little for privacy. The room was currently configured for a riverbank at a forest’s edge, the sounds of nature echoing out into the starship’s hallway. A single bench rested by the water, and an athletic sports-bag rested on it, yet the owner of it was nowhere in sight, for some odd reason.

Ella sighed as she entered the room, looking up only to admire the nature around her. The trees whistled with emulated wind and the water traveled over the river rocks, making a rather nostalgic sound for her. A small speck of a smile arose from her mouth. If this is the kind of thing this person enjoys, they might not be too bad.

And as speaking of a devil summons it, so too did Ella’s thoughts draw forth this room’s master. The river’s surface seemed to burst in a spray of water and fiery red mane, another Shinso emerging from the depths of the river, surfacing to catch his breath - evidently due to his facing, he had yet to notice the room’s other occupant as he floated at the surface.

Ella’s smile almost immediately disappeared. “Hm. Figures...” she muttered, noticing the water sheen off of his incredibly large muscles and correlating that to him being quite the musclehead. She felt kind of disappointed that it wasn’t a female like herself, as she didn’t exactly have enough grace to pull off gorgeous swimming. The bag’s aesthetic of black and gold didn’t help her in her guess either.

Hearing a voice, Gazan rotated his head, looking back to spot the other Shinso. Cocking an eyebrow, his expression then broke out into a wide grin. “Ah, a fellow!” he exclaimed, “I was not expecting to meet like this.” With that said, he turned fully and swam to shore, hauling himself to land in one smooth motion - photonic water may not leave one wet, but it certainly did produce a sight to behold as it cascaded off of the noble’s burly and well-defined body.

A sight enjoyed by many, possibly, though Ella was not one to ogle a man’s body. If anything, it made her quite irritated. “That could have changed had you locked the door,” she stated bitterly, scowling at his approach. These are the kinds of Shinso I’m the worst at dealing with: the kind that don’t understand weakness…

“It would be selfish of me to lock down an entire room simply because I wish to train with part of it,” Gazan answered, reaching into his bag and withdrawing a water bottle, pausing to guzzle some of it down before continuing. “Regardless, a chance meeting is still a meeting. What a pleasure it is to come into your acquaintance,” he finished, giving a very slight bow that did nothing to humble him.

“I suppose I can get out of your hair, or mane, so to speak.” She glanced up at the mane, giving no admiration to it. “Wouldn’t want to ruin your forest with the sounds of ancient tech blasting through the trees.”

Gazan chuckled lightly at that. “This is simply the first program I could find that had an adequate body of water, what you do is of no concern to me,” he replied, stretching and rolling his shoulders. “Though if I might interrupt you before you can begin - might I ask the name of the one I’ll be sharing this time with?” he asked, holding out a hand in invitation.

Ella sighed, less at the need of saying her name and more at the fact that they were, in fact, sharing the same time. “People call me Viella, if they can ever remember it…” she answered.

“Viella, Viella,” Gazan murmured, mostly to himself, tapping his chin in thought. “Oh - so, you are the one who has claim to stand at the top of sharpshooting! I should have recognized you sooner, Viellin,” he finished, adding a slight diminutive ending to the other Shinso’s name.

She clicked her tongue in irritation. “I’ve never missed a shot,” she informed, narrowing her eyes at the bigger Shinso.

“So I’ve heard,” Caineghis-Kruger answered with a smile and a nod, either not getting the threat or ignoring it. “How fortuitous then, that we are here together - you can help me train, actually,” he added.

“I can’t do that, exactly. And if I could, what would you have me do?”

“Shoot me in the face,” he replied bluntly yet full of confidence, reaching into his athletic bag to pull out his traditional robes, throwing them on in one smooth motion.

A holo-sniper appeared in her right hand, her index finger resting on the trigger even with the entire weapon pointed at the ground. “I assume you mean with this and not the real thing on my back.”

“While no gun may shoot me,” Gazan began, lowering his head slightly and raising a hand as if to acknowledge a point, “I would prefer the former, yes. Now then, there is simply one more preparation I need to make.” The larger Shinso stepped back so that when the rifle was raised it would sit about forty centimeters from him. He slowly raised his right hand to be at about shoulder level, then gently slid it to the right, his left hand moving to follow it once it passed the halfway mark. “Henshin,” Gazan uttered, the muscle positioning and keyword triggering his internal replicator, forming his trademark suit of armor around him in a flash of light. “Now then, are you ready?” he asked Ella.

“Mountain region, version four,” Ella called. With her command, the forest vanished as she ascended, the incline favoring Ella. She dashed over the snowy and rocky terrain in order to keep her distance, snowfall quickly covering her tracks.

I probably should have explained to her exactly what I planned to do, Gazan internally realized as the girl dashed off into the snow, but he merely shrugged. “Very well then, let us begin,” he said, reaching into a pouch on the side of his belt and withdrawing two cards, inserting them into his belt buckle one after the other.

Scan Vent. Shoot Vent,” the belt intoned roboticly, a phase pistol manifesting in his right hand - already set to the lowest stun level - as his helmet’s visor shifted red, switching to infrared vision as a default. Slowly the Shinso noble scanned the environment, snowfall doing little to impede his vision as he trudged along the fading heat trail his opponent left in the snow.

As he followed the infrared trail, it eventually ended at the bottom of the mountain. “Infrared scanning? Isn’t that outdated?” a voice rang out from every direction.

“Grandmother said this,” Gazan replied, clearly not taking this situation seriously as he raised a finger towards the sun in the sky when it peered through the snowstorm. “There is no such thing as an outdated idea - only one that needs a new time to shine,” he finished, tilting his head as if to look at something out of the corner of his eye while his gun rested at hip level, the noble standing stock still as if waiting for something.

Something struck the back of his neck before he could hear the ancient sound of gunfire. If it had been a real bullet, it would have shattered armor, flesh, bone, and brainstem one after the other - though here in the holo-room it instead produced a harsh jerk of the larger Shinso’s neck. And as the snowstorm faded from reality, one thing could be noted from Gazan’s posture, who would have ‘died’ standing straight up - his pistol was aimed in the direction of the shot that struck him. The Armor Knight chuckled lightly despite the loss, shaking his head. “Good, good, you are just as good as the rumors said,” he said.

She stood up from her prone position, holding nothing at all in her hands. “You would have missed my head by .1% with that shot, had you fired.”

“Being shot typically does that to your aim,” the larger Shinso replied, tossing the pistol away and letting it deconstruct in a flash of light. “I also applaud your use of thermal decoys - most do not prepare countermeasures for outdated technology. However, your killing intent gave you away,” Gazan analyzed.

“There wasn’t that much. I often try out my projects on those that decide to spar with me, but you said you couldn’t be hit. I decided to show you that even the Titanic could sink.” Ella started walking towards the exit, having been on the opposite side of the room of it.
 

BMPixy

Well-Known Member
InsaneDarkness & BMPixy: “Holograms, Training, and Advantages (Part 2)”

Not bothering to ask what the Titanic was, Gazan merely held up his hand to stop Ella. “The purpose of training is to put yourself in the worst possible situation so that you may learn from it,” he replied. “Had this been a real bout, I would not have so blindly followed your trail.”

While his gesture was intended to stop Ella, she didn’t do so. “I spar against those who are smart enough to outwit me. Instincts are not wit. I see no purpose sparring with you.”

“You are quick to judge, Viellin,” the Armor Knight said, folding his arms over his chest as Ella passed him. “Instinct is but wit trained until it has entered the subconscious. And I stand at the top of training.”

“My instincts have been trained on the battlefield. My aim has been corrected over countless solo training sessions. My shots are not witty or skilled, they’re instinctual. Wit is trained for situations you cannot prepare for or potential situations you wish to prepare for. Sparring is good for wit. Training is good for instincts.” As she took her final step out the door, she paused. “It’s Viella, by the way. Not Viellin.”

“And despite that, you were nearly outshot by a man standing still in the open, firing on reflex,” Gazan replied. “If I were you, I would be offended that I came that close to defeat when I had all the advantages.”

Ella fired her real pistol after a half-turn, narrowly missing his cheek, though the heat passing by him was enough to let him know the missed shot was intentional. “I’m not offended. And you didn’t shoot.”

Gazan chuckled heartily, not even having flinched at the gunshot. “Actions speak truth when words do not,” he answered, strutting confidently from side to side as he spoke. “How about it then? If I could nearly defeat you despite all your advantages, then the only way to avenge that slight is to defeat me when I have all the advantages, no?”

“I’m not a close combat fighter, if that wasn’t obvious.” The pistol shot that had missed him ended up at the furthest part of the room, making a perfect mark. “Even this pistol can be used at long range. The point of a sniper is to have all of the advantages. If you lose them, then you… well, lose.”

“Anyone can win when they are winning,” Gazan said, shaking his head disappointedly. “To lose as soon as you start losing is a point of failure that any warrior should strive to correct.” Reaching to his hip, he re-manifested his pistol, and then tossed it behind him, the phase pistol bouncing and scattering across the floor. “If you can reach my Evoltech Shooter and shoot me with it, you win,” he said.

“And why should I try? Your steps are larger, not to mention it is your JOB to move around the battlefield quicker than anyone else. Or at least take more hits than anyone else. A short sniper, while a beneficial teammate, has neither of those things in their job description. A fast sniper is beneficial, but not always--”

“Because just as one day I may wander into a sniper’s killzone,” Gazan interrupted, “you may find yourself disarmed and facing a physically superior opponent, and need to reach your weapon. Do you wish to face that situation now, or later?” he asked, holding up his right hand, motioning for Ella to approach.

“Knowing your weaknesses lets you focus on your strengths.” Ella’s eyes darkened. “If you can’t tell, I’m the runt out of my brothers and sisters. I can take out an unarmored opponent with ease, let alone an unarmed one, due to their training me. My eldest brother taught me how to fight with my own advantages. Running faster than a taller opponent is not something I can do. A lion, of all things, is the worst opponent.”

Caineghis-Kruger shook his head disappointedly. “Grandmother said this. Those who enter battle with defeat in their heart are destined to lose. One who claims they cannot, never will,” the lion replied, “Just imagine your life is on the line, and this is something you must do. Now, are you going to make an attempt, or keep talking?” he asked.

“Well, ‘my eldest brother said this’. Fight battles on your own terms. They will be tipped in your favor that way. Don’t be afraid to run.” Ella raised an eyebrow. “I trust my siblings over your grandmother.”

“No plan survives contact with the enemy,” Gazan counter-quoted. “You will neither always be able to run, nor always leverage things in your favor. Are you saying that when faced with these odds, you would give up and die?”

“Wow… You really don’t listen to anybody but yourself…” Ella placed her forehead in her palm. “Running is not giving up. And firing at a moving target is harder than firing at a stationary one. If you are less than a foot away from a person with a gun, your survival chances are slimmer than if you are over three hundred feet away. There are also, for example, more things in their way to get to you. More cover.” Ella fiercely stared into Gazan’s eyes. “There is always another way to handle a conflict.”

“Did you not say that running faster than a taller opponent is something you cannot do?” Gazan retorted. “And, of course, am I holding a gun?” he continued, raising his empty hands, letting his questions say more than complete explanations would.

“If I ever end up in a situation where I cannot run, I cannot shoot, and I apparently cannot MOVE without getting caught, I would fight and lose. Simple as that. Does that satisfy your strict guideline for warrior?”

“No,” Gazan answered bluntly. “Because you have not tried regardless, knowing that you will likely lose. There is always room for luck on the battlefield, and you cannot be lucky without first trying.” Settling into his stance, the Shinso raised his right hand to shoulder level, keeping it open, while his left was kept held back and clenched into a fist. “Now then, try your luck.”

“If I lose, it’s just a self-fulfilling prophecy, so fuck it…” Ella readied herself to run, staring straight at the weapon. Gazan was silent, keeping himself positioned between the girl and the gun, steadying himself. Upon closer inspection, his stance was slightly shaky, a side effect of the harsh anaerobic training the lion had performed not too long ago.

As if on instinct, they both started running at the same time. Ella ran like she had a large weapon on her back and Gazan ran like he was in full armor, of which both were true. Ella’s running, however, was less efficient: slowly rising to her max speed and reaching it 1/4th of the way there before going slower off of pure fumes. Gazan was relentless in his interception, however, hammering in from the side with a sliding shoulder check, his boots skidding across steel floor of the holodeck. At the angle he came in from, it wouldn’t be the hardest attack to dodge, but it would require losing significant speed in the process.

At the precise moment he moved, she jumped, latching her arms around his neck. She maneuvered to be on top of his head as he continued to run. Using his shoulders to propel herself, she pushed herself ahead of him, landing at first on all fours before picking up her pace on two - only to find a meaty hand clenching at her leg.

“Clever,” Gazan said, jerking Ella closer to him. “But it’s over,” he finished, lifting her up to dangle upside-down before him at arm’s length from him.

Ella swung herself upwards to grapple his arm, bending her cybernetic one over his by the elbow. Metal creaked against metal as she squeezed down. “I would let go, if I were you.”

And just as suddenly, metal met flesh as Gazan reflexively dropped to one knee and slammed the pinned arm into the deck in one smooth motion, turning the arm bar into a ground grapple of his own advantage as he pushed the entirety of his weight upon Ella, almost seeming to press the life out of her. He used the brief moment of disorientation to grab the cyborg’s pinning arm with his free hand, flesh and servos contesting against pure cybernetics.

While the wind may have been knocked out of her, the arm did not falter with continuing upon her threat, snapping the armor right off of his arm, leaving a cold sensation. As Ella herself was still recovering, her cybernetic arm acted as if it had never even happened. She dug her nails into his arm with her other hand, drawing blood that ran across her fingers.

Gazan tightened his muscles in his pinned left arm, preventing much blood from being drawn. With his right arm straining at the cybernetic one, the larger Shinso used Ella’s own solid grip on him to his advantage, briefly releasing his weight so that he could lift and slam the girl into the deck once - twice - three times in rapid succession before his arm met solid ground, as the smaller Shinso rolled onto the top of his forearm instead of on the side. She placed her cybernetic arm firmly up against his chest after letting him extend it, making sure that the majority of the arm was covered by flesh and armor. Her pinky moved quickly in a unique fashion before thin metal spikes erupted in every direction from the arm, piercing armor and flesh alike with fine-tipped points.
 

BMPixy

Well-Known Member
InsaneDarkness & BMPixy: “Holograms, Training, and Advantages (Part 3)”

A few coughing sounds could be heard and felt from Ella’s chest. “Fuck… Never thought I’d… need to use this…” A few extra pinpricks could be felt further into the wounds, causing the spikes to firmly plant themselves into his body like arrowheads.

Gazan growled in pain as the needles jammed into his chest - he was used to pain, but still involuntarily acknowledged it. However, with Ella’s arm attached to him, he was free to release his right hand from its duty of managing her cybernetic arm, pulling it free of the arrowhead-like needles with a pained roar. The noble reached into his right belt pouch and withdrew a card, sliding it into his belt buckle.

Repair Vent,” the belt intoned, reconstructing the damaged parts of OverLion’s armor - and more importantly, fusing Ella’s spikes to Gazan’s stomach. With that limb awkwardly dealt with, Gazan was ready to finish this struggle. He slowly but surely pressed Ella closer to his body, using her pinned arm and leg as leverage to raise her head and expose her neck, facing the smaller Shinso away from himself. Taking his bloodied right arm, he tightened it around her neck, pressing in for a classic chokehold, clamping down on her carotid sinus artery - the seven second timer began.

Ella bent back away from him, pulling on his flesh and armor. She bent her leg back towards her now free left arm, pulling out a sheathed energy dagger. She leaned her whole body into the arm, letting the arm flow over his and point at his neck, where she released the energy to cut through the armor as well as flesh, but only enough to draw blood. “Co-conc-ced-de…” Ella struggled to say, gritting her teeth.

“Very well, I accept your surrender,” Gazan said, releasing his grip on her neck in one easy motion as he spoke.

Her neck leaned over his arm as she coughed for dear life, her right arm still pinned into his body and her left acting of its own accord, sheathing the blade and placing it back where it was.

“You did good, Viellin,” Gazan spoke as the smaller Shinso recovered, not seeming to mind the position they were in - or perhaps not willing to move his left arm too much left the spikes damage anything important. “You nearly defeated me when I held all the advantages,” he finished.

“Had I… been knocked unconscious, I… would have still won…” Ella forced out, coughing fits rattling her chest immediately after.

“Yes, and had I shot a moment sooner in our first bout, I would have won then,” the Caineghis-Kruger replied, triggering the mental command to discharge his armor - and the indiscriminate replicator taking a portion of the spikes with it, allowing the two Shinso to seperate, Gazan gently lowering Ella to the ground.

Ella looked at the ceiling, the sparkles in her vision slowly dissipating. She laid her right arm over her chest after retracting the spikes, her coughs slowly dying down.

“Though if I were to mark one thing for improvement,” Gazan continued, wiping at some of the blood on his body, “you seem eager to use lethal force against sparring partners. You possess strength that can kill in the worst scenario - and that is not something to risk.”

“Should’ve killed you when I had the chance… Then you’d have actually fucking conceded…” Ella muttered, tapping her boot into the ground to get the blade to move down further.

“You cannot kill the sun,” Gazan replied simply, finding his athletic bag and pulling forth a spare water bottle, tossing it Ella’s way.

“I know a good four ways to kill the sun, actually.” Ella retorted, moving to sit up so as to not be prone or feel prone a moment longer.

“Yes, but would you prefer to be the only one of our kind aboard a ship run by a Cartus?” the larger Shinso asked, cocking an amused eyebrow as he sat down across from Ella.

“Yes, because I don’t give two shits about racial tension. And you call me the judgemental one…” The water bottle rolled into her thigh, spinning and stopping a few inches away. Ella picked it up and started to unscrew the cap off the top.

Gazan chortled at that. “I do not care much for it either, but I am not blind either,” he replied. “But that is a topic for another time. I trust I did not injure you too much?” he asked, wincing slightly as he began to raise his injured arm before lowering it just as quickly.

“Back bruising is the extent I’m expecting…” Ella answered. “Possible internal bleeding, fractured bones or worse. There could be permanent damage…” she trailed off.

“My apologies - you should perhaps see a doctor, then,” Gazan said, tapping his neck wound slightly, making sure the cut was as shallow as he thought it was. “Do you need help getting there?” he added after a moment.

Ella struggled to stand, wobbling back and forth with arms outstretched. “I… should be okay.” She paused a moment. “Vi, run diagnostics.” She took a sip of water as she walked towards Gazan.

“Vi?” Gazan asked, sensing it was time to stand once more and pushing himself to his feet in one smooth motion, in spite of his injuries.

“Vi is my Virtual Intelligence. She’s the one who controls my body when I can’t or when I tell her to. Her original coding was given to me, but the rest is stuff I’ve modified. After seven years, I’ve almost completely remade her from the ground up.”

“Interesting. That explains much in the fight,” Gazan nodded, moving to fold his arms over his chest reflexively, only to stop after a moment as the fading adrenaline made him more aware of the limits of his motion. “You must share a powerful bond indeed to put your body in her hands,” he added, playing the wince down nonchalantly.

“Bond with an Intelligence? It’s more synchronization. Many would slap you for believing they have free will, though mine is likely the closest to such a thing while still being legal.”

“You trust her, do you not? Bonds are not merely between people - I have met those who put their utmost faith in their weapons, their ships, their cleaning robots,” Gazan trailed off slightly, before reasserting his point, “Bonds exists between all things - even you and I, now, though I’m certain given your comments you are questioning how to destroy it now, Viellin,” he analyzed with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

“Well, if you called me by my real name, I might not be so inclined…” Ella muttered before clearing her throat. “The term bond is intended to refer to the relationship between two individuals of sentient mind. Personifying objects with seemingly free will of their own is a trait shared amongst many sentient creatures. While I’ve used this sniper for a very long time and I treasure it dearly, it’s not something I can’t remake.”

“I suppose that is true,” Gazan said, remembering that he left his Evoltech Shooter on the floor and moving to pick it up off the floor. “But, however, a bond exists even when nobody knows of it, or even when they deny it. It is a natural, unnamed thing that simply exists, regardless of what we may say.” With a press of a button along the side, he dismissed the phase pistol back into nothingness.

“I see no reason to debate this. You can keep your opinions because they’re almost always different than mine.” Ella continued towards the door, even after Gazan passed her.

Sensing her departure and knowing that this line of topic was dying, Gazan stood up straight, raising a single finger towards the heavens, and prepared to impart knowledge of great importance. “Grandmother said this,” he began. “There is one name in this universe that you must know. Slashing his sword, one who will replace the gods.” The larger Shinso turned and pointed at Ella. “I am… Gazan Laguz Kamiji Caineghis-Kruger,” he introduced himself at long last.

“Good luck, then… Just stop talking about your grandmother so much and just do as she says instead of telling people to listen to her words. It’s every two seconds with you…” Ella shook her head as the doors closed behind her.

Gazan chuckled as the doors shut to the holodeck, leaving him alone in the room. Once he was certain he was alone, he let himself hiss in pain, his face twisting into barely suppressed pain. This is going to be a rough one to deal with, he internally muttered, picking up his athletic bag with his ‘good’ arm and hefting it over his shoulder.
 

ShadowHounder

Well-Known Member
ShadowHounder and ZombieSplitter: A Special Girl
GFP Planetary City, Alpha Quadrant

Malcolm waited patiently at a table in the small tavern his father used to run. The place was in a rundown part of the city... but the businessman made sure it was kept in good condition all year long. Not only was it a part of his past, but the place made for a great location to discuss matters with any mercenary he felt he needed to confide with. Malcolm tried to avoid hiring contacts or setting bounties where he could, as the publicity issues would be tedious manage, but after a competitor hired a man to steal an important item that he had pitched to the Federation... while he had to do something about that. Lucky, he found a promising young hunter by the name of JJ that he believed could easily get the product back without anyone notices. The businessman had hear that she returned and now he sits in the old bar waiting for her to report back... and answer an important question.

The door swung open, letting in a brief breeze and some sunlight before quickly closing. The woman in question had arrived, the Cartus Captain standing out with her usual attire, swinging hips, and lack of a Shinso manner, but most of the late afternoon tavern goers paid her little mind. Their drinks were more important.

She slowly made her way to Malcolm, a briefcase in her hand. "This seat taken?" she asked, not waiting for an answer before sitting next to him. "Buy a girl a drink? I'm parched."

Malcolm smirked at the woman. "Feel free the get whatever drink you like... as long as you moderate yourself I really don't mind." The man took a sip of his own drink after replying to her. "I'm assuming things went well at work Ms. Jetstorm?" His question was simple and loose... but one that a practiced mind knew the implications of. Another advantage to speaking in a tavern being that most costumers were either oblivious or too drunk to care.

JJ placed the suitcase gently on the table and slid it his way. "This kind of quiet work isn't really my forte, but my friend and I were able to finish it without ruffling any feathers. Until we were gone, of course. They weren't very happy when they realized what job there was."

"Glad to hear no harm to you and your friend. Now I can return to my friends in the business with the prototype... and just in time for the festival." Malcolm sipped his drink once more. "So... have you made a decision on my request? I figured that letting you do the retrieval would've given you enough time to think about it and discuss the matter with your crew. However, I will not pressure you if you feel you need more time to debate such a choice. I will not deny that she can be quite the handful at times."

"Is that so?" JJ leaned forward a bit. "I'm told the same can be said about me. So I think I can handle it. Besides, what you have already told me about her leaves me quite interested."

The businessman chuckled at her response. "Even with the data I gave you, I can assure you that she'll surprise you. After two years of studying what happened to her, we still haven't seen everything she's capable of." He stood up, placing cash on the table to pay for the drinks. "Our ride will be here shortly if you wish to see her now."

JJ considered gettting that drink, but decided against it. She stood up with Malcolm and walked out. "I'm surprised you're willing to give her up, considering her potential."

"Yes, she does have potential. That potential can not be realized with how her life is now." The gentleman remarked while he opened the door to the limo for JJ. "There is so much she could do if she had the ability to use her talents in a field that fully embraces them. I wish I had realized that sooner... but now is not the time for regrets. With your help, we will be able to see just great she truly is and if there is a morally just way to continue the research that happened in that lab many years ago."

Jackie-Jackie nodded. "I guess that makes sense. And I'll keep her as safe as possible. Just know that there is plenty of danger in my line of work."

Malcolm merely smiled as the two of them made their way to his estate. "That's something I'll be counting on..."

Once the two reached the large mansion, Malcolm guided JJ to the room that the girl in question occupied. She was reading a small book as the businessman knocked on the door. "Come in." The girl stated as she closed the book and stood up. "Welcome home Malcolm... did you enjoy your trip to the tavern?"

"Yes, it was a rather fruitful trip. Everything went as smoothly as one could hope." He replied. "Do you remember Ms. Jetstorm?"

The girl's eyes shifted towards JJ, the book behind her seemingly disappearing as she bowed to the hunter. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Jetstorm. I'm happy that Malcolm was right to trust you with such a important task. But... what brings you here?"

"Well, my dear... I'm here yo offer you a job," Jackie-Jackie said. "And please, call me JJ. All my friends do."

"A job? Does... does this mean I can go with you?" A glimmer of excitement showed in her eyes as she looked at Malcolm. "Does that mean she said yes?"

"Yes, Elisa... she did."

"Thank you!" Elisa jumped up and gave JJ a big hug. "I promise I won't let you down and do my best everyday that I'm working with you!" After a few seconds of happiness, the girl stepped back as she realized that the bounty hunter may not have taken kindly to her actions. "My apologies... I'm just really excited to see what's beyond this city."

JJ giggled, and knelt down, giving the girl a big hug of her own. "Don't worry. I'm a hugger too. And I'm just as excited to see what you can do."

Elisa let out a nervous laugh. "If you wanted to see my friends, you could've just asked. I really don't mind showing other people the kind of things they can do."

JJ nodded. "Can you show me now?"

Elisa returned the nod as she closed her eyes. She lifted her arm slightly as a strange shape swirled around it. The shape eventually formed into a snake, it's figure looking distorted... like that of a glitched hologram. It was obvious with the snake moved that it had been created with several small pieces. However, it's movements were smooth and mimicked real life creature almost perfectly. Elisa looked at JJ. "If you want you can touch them... they don't bite."

JJ slowly extended her hand, a big smile on her face.

As JJ's hand touched the form, it's body shaped in such a way that it gave off a silk texture. The snake's body contorted with each subtle movement, reshaping just as quickly as it fragmented. After a few moments, the creature expanded into a cloud of metal like particles... before rushing back to Elisa and vanishing from site. "Pretty neat right?"

"Neat is a bit of an understatement..." JJ looked back to the girl. "How do they work? Do you just... think about what you want, and they do it?"

"Sometimes, other times they act on their own." Elisa explained cheerfully. "Most of the time though they just remain dispersed until they feel the need to take action. Malcolm has had some issues in the past where they would attack people at the tavern who they thought were trying to hurt me."

"Ah, so they have enough intelligence to see you as someone they need to protect." JJ nodded. "Guess I'll have to tell the others to avoid sudden movements around you," she added with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't say that they are that protective." Elisa giggled at the captain's remark. "I'm sure a sudden surprise here or there shouldn't be an issue."

"Good to hear." JJ turned to Malcolm. "So, um... are you coming with her?"

"Sadly, I will not." Malcolm told the cat lady. "As a businessman, I have to remain here and tend to my company. I trust that you will keep Elisa safe for the time being. If you'd like I can get the two of you a transport back to your ship."

"That would be lovely." JJ held a hand out to Elisa. "Ready to go? Anything you need to grab first?"

Elisa grabbed JJ's hand, mentally preparing for her new life. "I don't think there is anything that I need, so I'm ready when you are."

Malcolm cleared his throat. "My apologies, Ms. Jetstorm. I almost forgot that it might be in your best interest to take my research notes with you. I'm sure someone on your crew would love to tear open the document and see what's inside."

JJ smiled at him. "Thank you. You're so nice!" She looked back at Elisa. "Isn't he so nice?"

Malcolm chuckled at the bounty hunters words. "Dear, she is practically a daughter to me. Wouldn't you want the best for your children once you find a home to settle down in? I'm simply doing what any good father should do."

"Aw... that's so sweet..." JJ nodded. "Well, I will do my best to give her the best home to stay in. Come along, dear. I can't wait to show you the ship."

Elisa nodded before following JJ towards the gate. Once they arrived their, a soldier, likely a bodyguard, escorted the two of them to a closed off ship bay where a shuttle was waiting for them. "Just tell the pilot where to go and they'll get you to your ship in no time flat." The burly man stated before leaving the two girls to their lonesome.
 

ShadowHounder

Well-Known Member
ShadowHounder and ZombieSplitter: A Special Girl Part 2

JJ gave the pilot the coordinates before sitting down with Elisa. They were off before they knew it. "Excited," she asked the teen.

"Yes, but also a little nervous." The girl let out a small laugh. "This will be the first time I've been out of the city since Malcolm found me... who would've thought I'd be going straight to space?"

"I understand. But we'll make sure you feel right at home." JJ leaned close. "Some of the new hires are a little strange at first, but they're all nice people. You'll grow to like them, just as I've already grown to like you."

"Okay..." Elisa muttered with a slight hint of embarrassment. "Is there anyone I should meet once we get to the ship?"

"Oh, yes. Aya Me, my first officer of sorts. I'm sure you'll get along quite well."

As they left the planet's surface, Elisa soon saw the ship as they quickly apporached. It was long, slender, and painted red and black with golden streaks, along with a golden hawk's head for a cock pit.

"What do you think?" JJ asked.

"Quite a well made design..." Elisa stared through the window as she spoke. "There's no telling what kinds of machinery must be required to maintain a ship like that. I can already tell I'm going to have so much fun exploring the interior!"

Jackie-Jackie nodded in approval. "I'll be sure to share everything I know with you."

They landed in the rare of the ship. As the shuttle took off once more, leaving Elisa in her new home, a Tamearin walked over. She seemed surprised to see Elisa, likely not because she wasn't expecting her but because they were actually close to eye level. "Hi. Aya Me." She offered her hand.

The young girl shook her hand. "I'm Elisa, Ms. Jetstorm recently allowed me to join your crew... so I hope I won't disappoint."

Aya subtly sized the girl up. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" she asked, pulling out a data pad.

"I don't mind at all." Elisa remained cheerful as she waited for Aya's questions. "Though their might be some questions that I won't be able to answer... not for personal reasons, just that I might not know it."

JJ offered Aya a data chip. "This might help. They are all the notes her caregiver gave had on her."

Aya took at with a nod. "Thank you. Now Elisa... my information says you are only nineteen. Is that correct?"

"Yes, according to Malcolm my birthday was just a few days ago." Elisa placed a finger on her chin as she thought about the mini celebration that he threw for her.

"I see. Happy birthday." Aya smiled. "Now, about your abilities... do you know if you have any implants that help you control these... nanomachines?"

"Not to my knowledge." Elisa answered her. "I've only just recently found out that they're machines..."

"And when they're not active, where are they?" Aya glanced around. "Just... hanging about?"

"I can't say I know for certain... They aren't always visible, but they never really seem to be 'inactive' at any point. In fact they're more likely to do things on their own... even without me even noticing the actions until later." Elisa gave a nervous laugh. "I know it can be very confusing for people who don't already have all the information on the subject memorized."

Aya looked back down at the data chip. "I'll make sure I read this all right away then." She placed it and the data pad in her pocket. "I guess the most important question right now is where should you put you. What specific skills do you have? Where do you think you would serve best?"

Elisa placed her finger on her cheek as she thought about what she was capable of. "I've had some time to practice using various guns... and with my friends I can do rather well in terms of medical repair. I'm not sure if there's anything else that wouldn't require a great deal of exploring to figure out."

"We'll explore and find that out." Aya tilted her head slightly. "So you're interested in hunting bounties then, not just working on the ship?"

"I can't explore and see new things while cooped up in a ship, now can I?" The young girl stated in a joking manner.

"No, you can't." JJ placed her hands and Elisa's shoulders. "We'll make sure you'll have easier bounties, at least until you get used to it. But we are happy to have another bounty hunter on board."

"Right, well..." Aya thought about what to do next. "I suppose we can show you around the ship. Let you get used to the layout. How does that sound?"

"That sounds lovely..." Elisa looked around the hanger bay they stood in. "So many little details that I just have to explore." After a brief moment, she let out a excited squeal... only to temper herself when she remembered that the two hunters were still there.

The women exchanged a smile, and escorted her out of the hanger. "First, we'll look at engineering." JJ glanced at the teen. "How are you with bugs?"

"I don't mind them at all really." Elisa replied as she followed the two hunters. "Some of them are actually adorable."

JJ opened the door to engineering, a sprawling room filled with computers, monitors, and the warp core, taking up two decks. She let out a quick whistle, and two small Baʒir quickly skittered over. "Elisa, this is Tama and Tela."

"They're so cute!" Elisa exclaimed with a large amount of glitter in her eyes. "Are they friendly?"

"Of course," JJ said with a big grins. "Girl, this is Elisa. She'll be exploring the ship in the coming weeks so do be helpful wherever possible."

The Baʒir nodded. "You are... new bounty hunter?" one asked.

"You are... engineer?" asked the other.

"Bounty Hunter, yes. Engineer..." Elisa felt the nervousness creep up on her once more. "I could help with repairs... but I doubt I'd be about to do anything without guidance."

The Baʒir chittered amongst themselves, then nodded.

"We will guide you."

"We will teach you. If you wish."
 

ShadowHounder

Well-Known Member
ShadowHounder and ZombieSplitter: A Special Girl Part 3

Elisa looked back at the captain, not wanting to provide an answer in case JJ had other plans for the time being. She was supposed to be on a tour after all.

JJ smiled down at them. "We're going to show her around a little more and get her settled in. But then she can come back here to learn to her heart's content. Sound good, Elisa?"

"Yeah." Elisa answered simply, too distracted by the various computers surrounding her to continue the conversation.

Aya smiled at her, remembering her own enthusiasm when she saw the inner workings of a Starship fornthe first time. "Come along, Elisa. We'll be back. We have something exciting to show you next."

Elisa immediately turned at the word exciting. "Really? Where is it?"

Aya motioned down the hall. "Right this way." They passed through the quarters section of the ship, and Aya briefly showed Elisa the storage and armory. Their main stop was the big, empty room on the lower deck in the middle of the ship. "This is our hollow room," she explained. "It can recreate nearly anything you can think of, provided it is in our computers."

JJ walked over to the computer station and started typing on it. A minute later, the room changed so they were standing on the surface of a moon. In the sky was a massive gas giant with beautiful rings circling it.

Elisa stared at the giant in awe. Such a beautiful scenery was something she never had the chance to see in her life... until now. She walked around the moon, stumbling briefly due to the suddenly floaty movements. She began to explore the limits of the projection once she got a grip of the lower gravity, seeing where the walls were compared to where they appeared to be. She traced her finger in the air, trying to find patterns in the stars that surround her. She was mesmerized by the room.

Aya and JJ exchanged another smile, the latter stating, "I'm sure you'll find plenty of interesting programs to explore. You are welcome to this room like everyone else."

"Thank you." Elisa twirled in a circle as she smiled at the two woman. "I'm sure I can explore this more once we finish the tour."

"We can. And more." Aya waved her over. "Come on. We have a few more stops to make."

They reluctantly left the holoroom and moved to the upper deck, briefly looking at the comfortable looking meeting area, before heading into the lounge. Ash was already in there, cleaning off the counter. "Hello," he said politely as they approached. "Are you the newest addition to our ever growing crew?"

"Yes, my name's Elisa." She replied while extending her hand. "What's yours?"

Ash took her hand and shook it. "I am the Autonomous Service Hologram. But you may call me Ash if you wish."

"Hologram? Does that mean you're a computer?" Elisa's intrigued popped up once more. "I've heard a lot about Artificial Intelligence... but I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to meet one in person."

Ash nodded. "I am indeed a computer program. Unfortunately, I am a limit Virtual Intelligence, in accordance to the GFP-Fee Concord of 3289 rendering the research and development of true A.I. illegal. I can only learn what is specifically programmed into me and my programming limits my access to the rest of the ship's systems. Not that I would ever wish to harm anyone of course."

"With the nice people that I've met so far... I don't see why you would." Elisa remarked with a light giggle.

"Very true." Ash bowed his head lightly. "I am here to satisfy any desire you might have. Perhaps I can get you a drink? A cool, refreshing soft drink for example?"

"I'm fine, but thank you for the offer." Elisa returned the bow before turning back towards JJ and Aya. "Where to next?"

"Well, all that's left is to show you your room?" JJ smiled widely. "I think you'll love it. A big, spacious room all to yourself."

"A big, spacious room..." Elisa tried to hide her disappointment, as the words JJ used reminded her of the glass box she once grew up in. "I'm sure it will be a nice place..."

JJ frowned, and knelt down in front of her. "Is something wrong? Please, be honest with me."

"It's nothing, just..." Elisa said with a soft smile on her face. "Even having the ability to see world, I can't help but be reminded of the glass box that I once grew up in. Rather silly that the size of a room would be such a big deal, don't you think?"

Aya shook her head. "It isn't silly. You had a rough childhood, trapped as you were. Is there anything we can do to make you feel at ease?"

"I'm fine, really. I'm sure I can adjust fine by my own." Elisa kept her smile as a way of reassuring the two bounty hunters. "Thank you kindly for the offer..."

They nodded and smiled back, and walked her back in the direction of engineering. Once they were back by the quarters, JJ opened one and waved her hand for the teen to enter. It was fashioned with all the amenities of a typical room like the others, and included its own private bathroom. "What do you think?" JJ asked.

"It's kind of like the room that Malcolm let me sleep in..." Elisa remarked, slowly walking into the room. "I think this will be fine, thank you so much for your hospitality."

"You are very welcome." Aya bowed her head. "I look forward to seeing the great things you'll accomplish here. We'll leave you to settle in, and when you're ready, you can go back to engineering to learn what Tala and Tama have to teach you."
 

BMPixy

Well-Known Member
“Insight, Conversation, and Carne Asada”
1324 Local System Time
Golden Wind, Lounge

“Six jalapeños, seeded,” Chuck intoned at the replicator. This was the sixth attempt at attempting to get the replicator to understand their deep and rumbling voice, and finally the device understood the Azisin, materializing the requested ingredients. They retrieved the tiny green peppers and moved them to the cutting board, secondary arms carefully mincing them and adding it to large stockpot along with some minced garlic and cilantro. Within the pot already was a mixture of olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, black pepper, and cilantro, and soon the new ingredients were thoroughly stirred together.

As the Azisin set the bowl aside, moving to the large skirt steak they had withdrawn to thaw earlier, the doors to the lounge slid open, letting a new occupant arrive. Whilst not so compared to the giant within the lounge already, the Shinso that entered was tall and bulky, his earth toned robes gently swaying behind him as he confidently strode into the room, a bundle of datapads and a small laptop clutched under his right arm. The new entrant paused for a moment upon seeing the cook, but also noticed that they were quite busy with their work, so withheld their questions for the moment, instead setting themselves up at a table, spreading out the datapads and cracking open the laptop.

If the Azisin noticed Gazan’s entry, they did not acknowledge it - their attention was solely on the mass of carnosaur steak before them, their primary arms holding the steak steady as the secondary arms, each with a knife, carefully sawed the meat into smaller chunks. Whatever beast this steak had come from was evidently blessed with size, as this single steak outweighed some small animals. But, nevertheless, with Azisin strength, the steak was chopped into five roughly-equally sized chunks, allowing it to fit in the stockpot Chuck had prepared with the marinade. Even so, the displacement caused the liquid within the rise to within a centimeter of the rim, though a lid made sure the contents wouldn’t spill as the cook moved the pot into the fridge to marinate.

Seeing that the giant was finished for the moment, Gazan looked up from his laptop as it loaded up a technical manual and said, “You… you are an Azisin, correct? I would not have expected to meet one of your kind here,” the Shinso said, raising his eyebrows curiously. “Especially not behind a counter.”

“And you are… Cartus, correct?” Chuck ‘asked’ in reply, their monotone rumbling making it hard to detect that upward inflection indicating a question.

“No, no,” Gazan said with a chuckle. “I am one of a higher st-” He caught himself with a cough, and laughed lightly. “No, I believe there are those on this ship that would not appreciate me phrasing it in that manner. I am Shinso."

“We would not have expected to meet one of your kind here,” the Azisin replied. “Especially not behind bars,” they added, mirroring Gazan’s statement at the behest of the Azis responsible for humor. This prompted a deep belly laugh from the lionman.

“Well, you’re in for quite a surprise then, as there are actually two of us aboard,” Gazan said as his laugh subsided into a hearty chortle, his tone making it seem like he was letting the giant in on a conspiracy. “Though, she is…” Gazan trailed off, remembering his grandmother’s words on speaking of other’s natures. “Well, never mind that,” he finished, his toothy smile returning.

“Very well,” Chuck said. “Is that satisfaction for your curiosity? Or do you wish to know that dinner will be ready in two hours once the meat marinades, as well?”

“Far from it!” Gazan exclaimed, stretching his arms out wide. “Azisin are known for standing at the tops of their fields - why would I turn down an opportunity to converse with someone like that? Come, sit, sit, let us speak - tell us of yourself.” Gazan motioned with both arms for Chuck to come closer as he spoke.

“We shall not sit - couches do not handle to our weight, but very well,” Chuck agreed, slowly thumping over to across the table from Gazan. “We shall begin at the furthest reaches of our collective memory, some four standard mill-” Chuck began, before they were interrupted by the Shinso.

“As much as I would appreciate your entire history,” Gazan said, rubbing his hands together, “time is finite, is it not?”

“Very well. We shall recount the most important events,” the Azisin answered.

Three hours later…

“I see,” Gazan said, nodding along as Chuck finished their retelling of events. “I never expected that mining an asteroid could prove so enlightening, Chuck,” he added, Gazan and Chuck having introduced themselves halfway through the conversation - prompting a half hour tangent as to why Gazan introduced himself in the manner he did.

“It was our method of training our social abilities, given long periods of isolation from other sapients,” the giant answered. “We have noticed that among solitary one-minds a similar trend occurs.”

“Yes, there is a reason hermits are considered wise,” Gazan agreed - before a telltale pang from his stomach betrayed how long it had been since he had eaten. “Ah, you said that meal would be prepared in two hours, correct? It has been three.”

“Few had come down to eat, so we had chosen to let the meal marinate longer, to better absorb flavors.” As they spoke, Chuck returned to the kitchen, withdrawing the stockpot from the fridge and setting it on the counter. Now that they had reorganized the kitchen to their specifications, the quickly found the grill-pan, letting it heat on the highest heat.

“What is you are making, actually?” Gazan asked, striding over to the counter and sitting on one of the stools on the lounge-side of the bar. “I am curious to the sort of dishes your kind makes - as I said before, I have not heard tale of Azisin cooks before.”

“Human dish,” Chuck answered, prompting a barely noticeable grimace from Gazan. “Carne asada con pico de gallo, it is called.” As the pan finished heating on the stove, Chuck withdrew the steaks from the marinade, lightly brushing off the bits of cilantro and garlic that clung to the meat.

“Ah, I am not the fondest of human cuisine,” Gazan admitted. Shaking his head, he quickly added, “Do not worry, though it is fine. Grandmother said this - there are two things a man must not do, one is to never make girls cry, the other is to not waste good food. And I am certain yours is such a thing.”

Chuck ‘shrugged’ as they set the steaks onto the pan, the kitchen quickly quickly came alive with the sound of cooking. “You quote her often,” Chuck analyzed as they opened the fridge once more, withdrawing several large jars of pico de gallo they had prepared earlier today and had left to sit.

“She was a wise woman. She had seen much of the world, and stood at the top of many things,” Gazan replied. “Her advice led me along my path, and so I share it so that it may do the same to others.”

The two were silent after that, letting Chuck sear the steaks, a few minutes on one side, then a few more on the other, before moving them onto the cooling rack. Grabbing a roll of tin foil, the Azisin withdrew a large portion, tenting it over the steaks so that the heat could circulate and finish cooking the meat.

Tapping his chin, Gazan decided to bring up a thought he had. “Hey, Chuck,” he began, catching the other’s attention. “In speaking with you over the past few hours, I have found that you have an interesting nature. You have a deadpan way of saying things, yet show a strange curiosity and unusual insights on things.”

“You bring this up for what purpose?” Chuck asked, their monotone reinforcing Gazan’s point.

“Well, it makes you easy to talk to,” Gazan said with a slow nod, deciding to hold off on the main reason he brought that up for when he got to know the Azisin better. “It would be assumed that your alien nature would make it difficult to have a proper conversation - after all, gauging another by their facial expressions and body language is a necessary skill to understand what it is your counterpart is thinking. However, since you have none of those things, it is more akin to… having a conversation with your neighbor with a tall backyard fence between you, if that makes sense.”

“Explain further,” Chuck replied.

“It would be something like…” Gazan rubbed his chin for a moment, and then continued. “Because there is nothing to gauge, you do not have to worry about saying things strange and unusual - if you cannot predict how someone will react, what use is there in worrying over it? So you say things.”

“So you are saying that our nature allows one-minds to speak their true thoughts,” Chuck analyzed.

“Well, once they get over the curve of speaking with a giant colony of worms,” Gazan corrected. “Thankfully, I stand at the top of getting over curves,” he added with a confident smirk.

“We understand,” the Azisin said. “And we assume that our unusual insight makes it so that we can respond to those true thoughts brought before us.”

“Exactly,” Gazan said with a snap of his fingers - and then a growl of his stomach. “Ah, is the meal finished yet?”

Chuck lifted the foil and probed one of the steaks with a finger, sensing the temperature. Silently, they moved one of the steaks to a cutting board, before in the blink of an eye butterflying the steak into thinly sliced ribbons. Sliding several of the cuts onto a plate, the Azisin slid the meat - seared on the outside yet deliciously red in the middle - onto a plate, pouring some of the pico de gallo atop it. With that, they slid the plate, fork, and knife to Gazan.

“Thank you for the meal,” Gazan murmured, taking a knife to cut aside a portion of the meat, placing some of the salsa atop it, and raising it to their lips for a bite. The Shinso’s eyes went wide, and -

“Divine!”
 

Taxor_the_First

Well-Known Member
BMPixy and Taxor the First
“Opportunity, Legend, and the Path of Heaven”, Part 1
Somewhere in the Galaxy
At Some Time and Date
Aboard the Golden Wind, Lounge

Grandmother said this, Gazan internally murmured to himself as he looked between datapads, technical readouts and manuals on a variety of starship equipment laid out before him over half a dozen of the data-pads. Every day you are not training, someone else is, the Shinso assured himself, reaching up to briefly work out a knot developing in his neck from the reading. Thankfully enough for him the lounge was quiet and deserted - for once the Azisin cook taking a reprieve from pumping out a wide variety of arcane and exotic dishes, letting the Shinso noble study in peace.

“Would have been quite nice to leave some leftovers, though,” Gazan added aloud, taking a moment to relax and rest his eyes, the lion-man suddenly acutely aware of how long it had been since he last ate.

“... is the cook not in?” a small voice questioned from the doorway behind him. A Tamearin stood there, a pensive frown on her face. Already working out alternatives for food, most likely.

“Ah, no,” Gazan replied with a shake of his head, taking a moment to process the sudden question. Turning in his seat to look at the woman, he shifted into his default, more confident tone of voice. “However, I was planning on making a little something for myself, and what can be made for one can easily be made for two,” he added, with a short nod, reaching to the side to scoop together the datapads into one pile.

The woman tilted her head in consideration. Whatever polite rebuff had been forming on her lips was summarily dismissed by the audible noise her stomach made. She sighed. “Very well,” was the defeated grumble, and she slipped into the room fully. She was capable, judging by her attire and the two - no, three? - holsters on her hips. Empty, of course. “Was hoping to see Azisin in action. Cook seems a strange profession for colony.”

“Indeed it is,” Gazan replied from experience, moving into the kitchen and cracking open the fridge to see what was there. “Their style is unorthodox, I admit - it was human cooking, but whilst normally I cannot stand it, theirs’ was appealing to my palate in ways beyond my understanding,” he continued, mentally formulating an easy enough recipe with what was available.

When he briefly glanced in her direction, he spotted her analysing him both intensely and curiously. “Shinso,” he saw her mouth, likely to herself. More audibly: “Yes, accounting for palate is a good skill for a chef to have. Especially considering the… diverse crew.” She said that with a degree of distaste - evidently, she’d already encountered at least one person she wasn’t particularly keen on. “Haya, by the way. You would be…?”

Gazan smiled wide and toothily, standing up straight whilst pointing a carrot at the heavens. “Grandmother said this,” he began, “In all the universe, there is one name you must know. Slashing his sword, one who will replace the gods.” Gazan then slowly turned and lowered the carrot at Haya. “I am… Gazan Laguz Kamiji Caineghis-Kruger,” he finished introducing himself.

She seemed unimpressed. “I see.” Excellent, he’s a well-spoken version of Kentaro.

If Gazan noticed Haya’s lack of impression to his posturing, he did not show any reaction to it as he set a pile of ingredients on the counter - several steaks, carrots, Jungian tree potatoes, amongst other exotic ingredients. “I take it you are a fellow bounty hunter our good Captain has brought aboard, yes?” he asked, getting to work cutting the meat into more manageable strips.

“Yes,” was the simple answer. “Mostly a drifter when it comes to work. Will go where the work is. Golden Wind posed an opportunity. Multiple, actually. Place to work, place to satisfy curiosities. Curiosities like the chef, for example.”

The Shinso gave a bemused smile at that, nodding along with the Tamearin’s speech. “Indeed. When opportunity knocks, it is duty to answer, I believe the expression went,” he replied, moving on to chunk the tree potatoes as well. “And when taking that with the fact that fortune is a wind, well, my reasoning for coming aboard was solidified as well.”

Her eyes went to the vegetable he was slicing, noting his easy movements with some level of interest - however small. “You speak proverbs faster than most of my weapons fire ammunition,” Haya noted dryly.

“One is not deprived of wisdom by sharing it,” Gazan answered. “And I am one who stands at the top of sharing,” he added with a cocky tilt of the eyebrows, taking the potatoes, mixed leaves, and a bundle of spices and tossing them in a bowl, drizzling it with oil.

The Tamearin grunted quietly. Wise, but not wise enough to be humble? This one’s an oddity. “Just as knowledge is useless without sufficient wisdom, wisdom irrelevant without sufficient knowledge,” she pointed out, leaning back in her seat. Her eyes flicked to the tablets Gazan had discarded on her arrival. “Is that what you were doing? Gaining knowledge?” Her tone had shifted ever-so-slightly, though it was difficult to pin down exactly what the change might have been. At the very least, it sounded more positive.

“Indeed - I am not yet perfect, after all.” The Armor Knight gave a slight bow that did not seem to humble himself at all, before returning to his work, grabbing a skillet from the bottom cabinets, pouring some oil in it, and getting it heated. While it did that, he began to toss the vegetable bowl, making sure everything was well-mixed together.

Haya frowned, and when she spoke again she did so with the deadpan most of the conversation had been conducted in. Whatever points he’d seemingly earned, he’d lost again. “... do you want my help, at all? Even just to watch the meat?”

“A kitchen is not unlike a canvas,” Gazan replied, sliding the steak strips into the pan. “There is only room for one signature at the bottom,” he finished, the sound of sizzling meat filling the room as he spoke.

The petulant teenager in Haya, a side long ago suppressed, grumbled that she wished her parents had had similar views rather than demanding her help every night. She ignored it, drowning the insubordinate voice in the sound of meat. “Very well,” she spoke aloud, leaning back again. Her tone carried an unsaid ‘your funeral’. “Do you also insist on working alone, or…?”

“I am not averse to co-operation, but they have been allies of convenience in the past - few have wished to work in the long-term,” Gazan answered with a shrug. “People walk the path of people, whilst I walk the path of heaven, so it is only natural,” he added, relaxing against the counter for a moment while the meat seared away.

You’re continuing to impress me with just how lofty your opinion of yourself can be. Haya let out a sigh. If she were spiteful, she might have started wishing his meal would taste terrible, just to get a failure on his books. None of this slipped onto the flesh past her brain, however. Only curiosity made it that far. “Path of heaven?” she prompted.

“The House of Caineghis-Kruger is fallen. Thus, it demands a legendary scion to restore it to its former glory,” the Shinso explained, clutching his right fist before him, his tone telling who he thought such a scion would be. “To undertake a task of such magnitude, there is no choice but to walk the path of heaven - the path that shall take me to the top of everything,” he finished, lowering the clenched fist. Shaking his head to cool his passions slightly, he returned to the meat, flipping it in the pan with practiced grace.

The Tamearin watched him for a few seconds longer, gears turning behind her eyes. When she spoke, again that faint undertone had crept back in. Respect? No, much too subtle for that. Simple acknowledgement, perhaps. “Then it is by necessity,” she surmised, nodding slowly. “A challenge to rise to, or be laid low by.”

Gazan chuckled at that, his grin widening ever so slightly. “Grandmother said this,” he said, finishing flipping the meat and raising a finger to the ceiling once more. “Acknowledging possibility is inviting certainty. Or, in short, this is no challenge - it is destiny.” With that said, he tossed the salad bowl once more, before pouring the entire thing in with the meat to cook in the final minutes.

She frowned. “If you do not believe a star will incinerate you if you dive into it naked, will you not still die?”

“Of course,” Gazan replied with a dismissive shake of the head. “Because that is a certainty, not a possibility.” Slowly he stirred the vegetables in the pan, making certain not to disturb the meat while ensuring the rest of the pan’s contests did not cook too quickly.

The frown turned into an irritable grimace for a split second before slipping back into total neutrality. “And the certainties you are not aware of? Are they not still certain, even if you do not acknowledge them?” Haya knew she was nit-picking, as humans would complain, but at this point she couldn’t help herself.

“Yes,” Gazan replied reasonably. “However, if I do not know something, how can I change my behavior to account for it?” he asked, before answering his own question a moment later. “To be be worried of things you don’t know if you don’t know leads to the path of self-destruction.”
 

Taxor_the_First

Well-Known Member
BMPixy and Taxor the First
“Opportunity, Legend, and the Path of Heaven”, Part 2


The Tamearin glared at him for a few more seconds before shifting her gaze to the wall in silent, unvented frustration. I shouldn’t bother, she told herself, slowing her breathing forcefully. Reality will be his tutor. I needn’t try to push that boulder by myself. He will learn to be prepared for the unanticipated one way or another, or be punished for it. That truth lingering in her mind, Haya forced herself back into calm. It had been a length of time - enough to denote the end of the conversation, and the potential for a new branch. “How’s the food coming along?”

“It should be…” Gazan probed one of the steak strips with a knife, examining the healthy red color within. “Done,” he finished with certainty, killing the fire. Silently he set about about serving the meal, two plates and two forks, accompanied by a healthy serving of the dish. With a nod, he handed one of the plates to Haya.

She took the proffered meal and cutlery with a polite nod of her own, eyes immediately setting about dissecting the dish. Annoyance prodded her in the side - he’d even presented the meal beautifully. With a little trepidation, she began sawing one morsel from the main slice of meat. Midway through the cut, she glanced up at her impromptu chef. Another question had just occurred to her. “If rebuilding an estate is your goal, why become a bounty hunter?”

“To be noble is to be more than wealthy,” Gazan answered, dicing up the steaks with practiced etiquette that contrasted with his burly form. “Any man with one billion credits sitting in their bank can be bourgeoisie. To be noble is to be legendary, to have tales told of your great deeds and heroic victories,” he continued, pausing briefly to delicately place one of the slices of meat into his jaw, thoroughly enjoying the pungent and gamey, yet surprisingly savory, flavors. “You do not build a legend through ‘investments’ and ‘smart business decisions’.”

“It tends to help,” Haya deadpanned, placing a bit of her own meal in her mouth. She froze for a second, then passed it off as nothing and chewed. Damn it- Can’t this man slip up even once?! “What’s more, most ‘legends’ tend to end poorly. There’s the origin, the rise to power, the peak of their glory, and then the bitter, spiraling downfall. People like to see the great fall.”

“You are confusing history and legend,” Gazan countered, gently gesturing with his fork to emphasize his point. “History shows the rise and fall of great powers, but the only times legends are told of downfalls are when they are the source of a great rising,” he finished, before ingesting a mouthful of the greens to contrast the pungent meat with some sweetness.

Once again, Haya got the sense she was attempting to push an immovable object. “... say I concede your point regarding the difference between history and legend,” she allowed, inclining her head. “I do not the point following. There are legends of the fall of many. Usually when the subject of said legend is… beset by empty pride, or subject to some other flaw.” She seemed to be glaring at him as she said this, though beneath the fringe of her rose-gold hair it was difficult to pinpoint her eyes.

“In good faith, I will concede on your point in turn - I am only familiar with the legends of my people, which hardly tell of such things,” the Shinso replied. “However, you said yourself that such legends are told of those with flaws. As such, I need not concern myself with such a future,” he stated with a completely straight face, taking another mouthful of his meal.

Her grip on her fork tightened, loosened, and tightened again. Finally, she slumped slightly, and returned her focus to her meal. I should never have tried. He might be delusional, but so am I for attempting to convince him to stray from his self-image. She could point out he himself had said he was not yet perfect earlier, but she already know what the response would be. ‘Yet’. As such, she busied herself with her food again, the combined taste of the meat and greenery only serving to feed her irritation.

Taking her silence as an admission of his truthfulness, Gazan allowed Haya a moment to eat - he did not want her to let it get cold, after all. And so, in turn, he got to work with his meal, eating with grace and nobility, not letting a single drop of grease stain his robes nor a single leaf fall from his plate. As he finished, he turned to Haya once more, and began his own probing. “Much of this conversation has been of me, and while I can understand the interest,” he began, “You have not spoken much of yourself, Hayin. Do you wish to rectify that?” The Shinso asked, raising a level hand as a gesture for her to speak.

Finally, a mistake! “Haya,” she corrected, almost - but not quite - smugly. “If you wish.”

“I’m aware of your name,” Gazan corrected, smiling slightly - a flicker of a fluorescent light almost making it seem predatory for a moment - and nodding. “It is a friendly suffix in my native tongue and dialect,” he explained. “But regardless, speak, speak, I insist.”

“I-it is?” Damn it, I let myself get distracted by pettiness. That should have been my first assumption. Admonished, both implicitly by Gazan and overtly by herself, she settled back into her seat slightly. “I see. I have not encountered many Shinso in my travels, so…” She shook her head. Why was she trying to apologise? “Well, I’m Tamearin, as you likely discerned already. My birth is not so lofty as yours. I suppose you would call me a commoner.” A hint of venom. “The short version for my being here… I sought - seek - challenge. To test myself against the universe. There was no space for me in the sciences - much has already been discovered regarding the laws of the universe. My contribution would be minor. As it would in something like diplomacy, though for entirely different reasons. Though I suppose as a bounty hunter my overall impact is not particularly greater… there, I think, it is simply more visible. Most take technology achievements for granted. When someone saves your life, however…”
 

Taxor_the_First

Well-Known Member
BMPixy and Taxor the First
“Opportunity, Legend, and the Path of Heaven”, Part 3


“I understand,” Gazan replied with a nod. “People become stronger through adventures, and it is a glorious duty to take the protection of others into one’s own hands. You have a stronger sense of nobility than many who clung to such a title on the homeworld,” he analyzed, standing from his seat and reaching for Haya’s plate, the silent question of if she was finished looming alongside his statement.

She passed it to him with a bitter chuckle. “Kind of you to say,” she acknowledged softly. “Though I must refine one of the things you just said - it is not merely through adventures we become stronger. It is through failure, most of all. If I had never have failed, I would not have perceived that there were those greater than I.” A subtle jab? Her face gave nothing away there.

“Indeed, indeed,” Gazan answered, setting the dishes in the sink and beginning to wash them. “Adversity breeds advancement, as I have been taught, and as I have seen for myself,” he added, his expression growing ever so slightly serious as he scrubbed the plates clean.

“... so you have had troubles at some point?” she asked, shifting to watch him. “I’m willing to talk about mine if you are about yours.”

Gazan snorted. “Of course I have troubles. I am still Shinso,” he replied. “My house is ruined. I am the last living scion of my clan. Our legendary relics sit in the hands of collectors, and our ancient lands in the grips of merchants and houses who have stepped above their station. Those are the troubles I know of. However, one who drowns in oneself will eventually fall to darkness. Hence that is all I say of them.”

Haya’s mouth twisted into a half-frown. “Then that is where we are different,” she noted. “My failure to apprehend one target in particular is something I recall every day. It ensures I remain driven. To surpass them. Maybe catch them one day, if they somehow have managed to avoid others for that long and cosmic chance is willing.” Her fingers tapped the side of the couch idly. “And to remember that there is always someone stronger than me that I must be wary of. Whether I know of them or not.”

“And what of when you surpass them? When you catch them?” Gazan asked, cocking a curious eyebrow as he poured some liquid soap over a plate to get a particularly rough spot of grease out. “And what of when you can be certain that there are none who can threaten you?”

“I will never be so certain. Again, there we differ. If I keep that knowledge in my mind, I will always pursue improvement. If I give myself something attainable, well…” She shrugged. “I will cease when I reach it. If I never reach it, I will never cease.”

The Armor Knight nodded and smiled. “You have a strong attitude, Hayin,” he replied. “It will carry you far along your path. I certainly look forward to seeing how that style of yours carries you when times of conflict do,” he finished, setting the plates and utensils in the rack to dry, before moving on to wash the cutlery and pan he used.

Haya’s eyes flicked over to him again. “And I will watch your attempts to restore your house with similar interest,” she allowed. And how many tumbles it takes you to sprint. Or indeed who will be there to catch you when you fall. With confidence like that… I doubt many. A pang of pity, of all things. Left unacknowledged.

“Regardless, I doubt you were planning on spending your day in conversation - one such as yourself I would be confident in saying that about,” Gazan said, scrubbing at the pan in gentle, smooth motions of his left arm. “Please, feel free to go about your day,” he added with a gentle nod.

On the one hand, being dismissed gave her the relief of not having to spend any more time with this frustrating quandary of a man. On the other, it was itself an infuriating motion. The nerve to dismiss her? She resolved the internal conflict, or at least smothered it deep enough to pretend it was resolved. “Yes, I should return to my routine,” Haya sighed, standing. She cast him a look before turning away again, and making for the doorway. “Good luck with whatever you were searching for.” Her trenchcoat was the last thing to exit the room, the bustling fabric seeming to continue glaring at him with its pockets even as her back departed.

Gazan gave a silent smile of thanks, knowing that she would likely not see it. He let the doors shut behind her, and then another ten, twenty, thirty seconds to ensure she was gone. Certain, now, the Shinso let out a quiet hiss and clutched his left shoulder lightly. “Damnation, not healing right, are you?” he murmured to himself, before shaking his head and slowly returning to his work.
 

Black0ut

Well-Known Member
Black0ut & ShadowHounder present:
Curiosities of a Worried Kind

Elisa wondered around the halls of the JJ's ship. It certainly was a rather interesting interior that was not one she saw all too often. She never had a chance to enter museums or science centers, as she would always trigger the metal detector when trying to walk in. Elisa never could figure out why she did such a thing. She did not recall being made of metal... and her friends were never active in those moments. The young girl rolled more ideas through her head as she examined the ship and the marvelous design it had.

Her revelry would soon end as she bumped into a taller foxgirl. The woman paused as she looked at the girl. "You okay?"

A strange shape formed behind Elisa, but it disappeared shortly after she noticed that she wasn't in danger. "I'm fine... just got lost in my own thought there. I didn't mean to bump into you like that." Elisa paused when she got a better look at the woman in front of her... a curious look in her eye. "Those ears of yours... they're like JJ's, but different. Your's seem to be taller and sharper. I'm sorry if this might sound rude, but are you a Shinso by chance?"

"Nope. Not a Shinso. I'm a Dondondari, or at least half of one." Titania answered, offering a mock bow. "And you're a human, right?”

"I guess you could say that..." Elisa answered, recalling that one of the researchers claimed she was greater then humans. "I've never met a Dondondari before... thought, until meeting Ms. Jetstorm I'd never heard of Shinso either. There's just so much that I still need to learn about this world and what lies beyond it. Oh, I completely forgot! My name's Elisa." The young girl gave a similar bow to the one the foxgirl used. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Titania and the pleasure's all mine. Glad to be your first representative of Dondondari everywhere." Titania said sweetly, offering a giggle. "Although you'll learn I'm a bit goofy and silly at times, Elisa."

"I don't see the need to everything seriously anyway." Elisa stated casually. She briefly thought back to what JJ said the job was going to be like. "So... what brings you here? Ms. Jetstorm didn't strike me as the type to pick up people at random."

Titania snickered a little at some rather rude thoughts the innocent question brought. "No, I'm a bounty hunter, although she's too sweet, so she might actually do that. I also work for her as a pilot."

"You work for her? I guess that makes us coworkers." Elisa giggled lightly while covering her mouth. "I wonder what other kinds of people I'll meet during my time on this journey. I really should thank Malcolm if I get the chance to head back home."

"Is Malcolm your friend? What's he like?" Titania asked, offering a smile as she started walking, grabbing hold of Elisa's hand as she continued.

Elisa was silent for a few minutes, trying to rationalize why Titania grabbed her hand. Once she figured it was just to make sure she didn't get lost, the girl answered. "Malcolm is the one who took me in after the armor suits transported me from the lab I grew up in. You could say he was my father in many ways. He is very kind and intelligent... always able to balance his life as a businessman and taking care of me so well. He's the one the suggested that Ms. Jetstorm take me with her so that I can practice my abilities in a more open environment."

"You grew up in a lab?" Titania's composure cracked a little before she continued. "Were the scientists there nice to you?"

"Yes, but according to Malcolm what they were researching was not something that people would be happy about if it were known." Elisa explained to the foxgirl in a cheerful manner. "They were never mean to me. They always made sure I was ready whenever a new test had to be run."

They soon arrived at the cafeteria, Titania opening the door for her newfound buddy. "Did the scientists hurt you at all?"

"Only when they had to." The young girl remarked as she walked into the room. "They usually informed me pretty early on when a test was going to be a painful one... so I had time to prepare myself."


Titania frowned, obviously having scruples with what had happened to Elisa. "Has Malcolm ever harmed you?"

"Oh heavens no!" Elisa was quick to respond. "He always tried to keep me from getting hurt... he would never think of doing any harm anyone with reason."

Titania grabbed a plate from the replicator and got a piping hot bowl of a traditional Dondondari meal. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. How have you been enjoying bounty hunting so far?"

"I only just recently joined." Elisa explained to Titania. "So I haven't had a chance to do anything in terms of work. I just hope that I can show everyone else why Ms. Jetstorm let me be a member of the crew."

"Fair enough. So what can you do, if you don't mind me asking?" Titania sat down at one of the tables, placing her tray in front of her.

"I'm mostly just trained in sharpshooting and have a knack for remember things I read." Elisa sat down in the chair across from the woman, not holding any food. "My friends are the ones that do most of the work."

"Who are your friends?" Titania asked.

Elisa thought for a bit before giving an explanation. "Malcolm calls them nanobytes. I've had them for as long as I can remember... the researchers gave them to me if I recall correctly. I've also been told that they are capable of many things... as long as I can imagine the final result."

Titania paused as she tied to choose her next words very carefully. "So, your friends are around you right now?""

"Yeah, they always are... is that a bad thing?" Elisa asked as she tilted her head like a confused puppy.

"No, but you should be careful. If you get angry at someone, you could hurt them by accident because your friends see what you envisioned." Titania warned, taking a bite of her food. "I forgot how good this was..."

"I never thought about that..." Elisa remarked. "That explains why they attack anyone who tries hurting me."

"So make sure they don't. If in the heat of a fight, your friends decide to hurt someone helping you because they thought we might hurt you, wouldn't that be a bad thing?" Titania took another bite and her eyes grew heavy-lidded.

"They're not that mean." Elisa explained to Titania. "It tends to take a lot to get them to attack someone without warning... it's just that some people don't seem to listen, especially those guys back the tavern. I wish I could figure out why they acted the way they did so I could prevent them from getting harmed."

"Well, if they won't listen, tell your friends to hang back so you can deal with these people instead of them." The fox advised, holding her bowl up to her lips, slurping the rest of it up.

Elisa thought about the suggestion, muttering. "Can they hear what I say?"

"You don't know how they listen to you? Didn't you say if you thought about the end result, they'd do as you say? Wouldn't a verbal translation count as well?"

Elisa let out a nervous laugh. "That's just something Malcolm told me. I haven't been able to explore enough of the science side of things to prove him right or not."

"So experiment. Learn how your friends react to things in the holoroom so they don't hurt anybody you like." Titania set the bowl down and sighed happily.

"So you think I should learn to control my emotions?" Elisa's face had a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "That might actually work... there's no telling without testing it out, but either way thanks for the advice."

"No problem. I'm happy to help." Titania smiled, as she got up and took her dish over to the replicator, seemingly still hungry.

"I'll leave you to your meal then." Elisa stood up and gave the fox girl a slight bow. "It was a pleasure meeting you Titania. Hopefully we'll see each other again in the coming days."

"Hopefully we do. You seem like good company." Titania said as she hit a few buttons to get a new meal. "See you around, Elisa."
 
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