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[WunderKatze]

"I'm really bummed they didnt add a switch to shut you up Solj."

[Egan_BW]

"As opposed to you, who does have such a 'switch'?"

[WunderKatze]

"You're a gun Solj.

I'm starting to see way your society collapsed, all of this chattering and incredibly vain technology. What a nightmare.

Besides if I recall correctly you tried to host a spirit. And failed. And proceeded to lob insults as you are now. I can not imagine a use for such a routine, you must be defective.

Maybe the peacekeeping variant has a meekness dial."

[Caellath]

"Could you start acting like a proper gun and scientific experiment?" Gilles inquired. "All this bickering is bad for business. At least try to do it only when there isn't a prospective customer around."

[AzyWng]

Johan looked around uneasily. He wasn't really good at defusing a potential argument or performing an assassination, and he was beginning to feel almost like a third wheel. All the same, Johan decided to simply wait and watch, hoping he wouldn't have to deal with the bickering all the time.

[_DivideByZero_]

"If their armor is as good as you say, it's unlikely you'll find anything portable and powerful enough any time soon. On the other side, we could probably take the job; I restrain the target and Rai does his stuff. It involves doing something to spirits, and probably getting them inside of him."

"Oh really? That's wonderful--"

"And what's the matter with with your visor's text?"

"My visor? What about it? Doesn't your suit have some kind of display too?"

[Caellath]

"Yeah, though not one like yours. Aren't you getting transcripts of what we say? Mine doesn't do that." Gilles replied, before shrugging and replicating that movement through the Absalom's much larger arms. "We can chat about that on the way, anyway. If we're taking the job we need to know where the man is and head there."

[_DivideByZero_]

"Yeah, though not one like yours. Aren't you getting transcripts of what we say? Mine doesn't do that." Gilles replied, before shrugging and replicating that movement through the Absalom's much larger arms. "We can chat about that on the way, anyway. If we're taking the job we need to know where the man is and head there."

The woman steps back at the gesture; mech suits are not subtle.

"Ahh..." She stares at her visor some more.

Spoiler: Solj (click to show/hide)

>His gun can read what I'm telling you.

"It's a visual aid that helps me keep track of conversations. I tend to get lost easily.

By the way, you can call me Lucia, since we're going to be partners."

(I know this one scene has been dragging on for a while... but I've been fairly sleep-deprived this entire week and I'd rather not create something lackluster because of that. Sorry.)

[Egan_BW]

"You could have told her that earlier, you know."

[Caellath]

"I'd never seen something like that. And in any case, it's nice to meet you, Lucia. I'm Gilles." He extended a hand from the smaller pair, offering a handshake. "Let's get moving then, I want to see the situation with my own eyes."

[_DivideByZero_]

"I'd never seen something like that. And in any case, it's nice to meet you, Lucia. I'm Gilles." He extended a hand from the smaller pair, offering a handshake. "Let's get moving then, I want to see the situation with my own eyes."

Lucia accepts the handshake without the caution  she had a minute ago.
"Fair enough. Let's head to the surface."

In the corner, Millenus nods, having mostly returned to his former self. Johan seems nervous.


It was a dry evening outside. A dust storm kicked up a thin mist of particles, through which the sun glowed blue as it set, and the sky took on a grey haze.

Spoiler: Here's your Rayleigh scattering (click to show/hide)

A swarm of crows flew overhead, along with some multi-pronged drones floating with them in an anti-grav formation. Gilles knows the secret: EmGrav drives earned their name long ago when the technology was first marketed as something out of science-fiction. Its real operation moreso resembles something like an enchanted amulet, locked into an active state of telekinesis, only possible through Aurogen machine-magic interfacing technology.
As such, drones like these function like a pyramid, the lower drones using invisible limbs to hold themselves up above the ground, while the higher drones used the others as stilts.

Most villagers in this weather wore shemaghs to keep from breathing in the dust; a cursory glance at Millenus reveals gill-like structures on his face in place of a mouth and nose.
Despite the gloomy atmosphere, there's a sort of cheerful attitude going around the village. The marketplace is closed, and most people would be indoors at this kind of weather. So why, then, were there dozens of villagers gathering at the side of the gravel road, murmuring and whispering to each other?

Lucia seems to be looking for someone.

Spoiler: Along the way, Lucia discusses the details (click to show/hide)

"Our target is Dieter Sonderin, Smith of Mihara. The Sigma branch elder appointed him to put to use the Artifex drill, a machine that can sculpt slabs of metal to any form.

Mihara is a two-days' walk from the Hologen. Dieter grew up there when it was just a campsite next to a brook, but when he became a Noble, he rebuilt it into an actual village.
I'm also from there, so I can't say I don't appreciate his work... but he is dangerous now. It's a real sight to behold, the work of Ptah...

The village is about four days away, but I have some companions here planning on a trip through the mountain pass, which should only take two days. What do you say?"

[Caellath]

"How dangerous is the mountain pass? And let's talk payment: what do you have to offer?" Gilles hadn't asked it before because he'd been too busy accepting the deal so Lucia wouldn't try killing a man, or getting killed herself because her assassination plan went awry. In the end, the merchant was quite good-natured despite some pragmatic tendencies.

[_DivideByZero_]

"How dangerous is the mountain pass? And let's talk payment: what do you have to offer?" Gilles hadn't asked it before because he'd been too busy accepting the deal so Lucia wouldn't try killing a man, or getting killed herself because her assassination plan went awry. In the end, the merchant was quite good-natured despite some pragmatic tendencies.

Lucia remains silent for a bit, her eyes darting in a frenzy from alley to alley.
"The pay--" she interrupts herself, and steps back to glance into the nearby restaurant's mirror, scowling. "Those guys..."

She walks over and elbows the door, slamming it open inward. A pale blue light illuminates the interior, coming from a large spotlight in the back that diffuses onto the ceiling.
"What are you doing having a snack?!"
Seated at the table, and turning around in their chairs to face Lucia, are a man pale as bones drinking tea in a dark navy blue robe with bell-shaped sleeves, and a woman with a coat over her shoulders speckled with blue, white, and black feathers, who answers,
"Tell them to come in. Food's on us."

_{"I'm not sure if that's possible," she mutters, glimpsing at the Absalom.}

[WunderKatze]

"Can't say no to that."

Raioyris walks in and snatches any tasty looking food in sight. He then steps back towards the door.

"Well I don't know how long we're comfortable hanging around...

I'm eager to meet this Ptah guy."

Hermia squawks nervously at the sight of the woman's black feather coat.

[_DivideByZero_]

Hermia squawks nervously at the sight of the woman's black feather coat.

The woman squawks back, a surprisingly perfect imitation.

Raioyris walks in and snatches any tasty looking food in sight. He then steps back towards the door.

Raioyris finds a man seated at his table, having pizza bagels. But it seems the customer has already taken a bite out of each one, discouraging potential larceny.