Akhain GazhornAkhain thanks the staff, accepting the offer to be allowed in his room. Once in the room, he will search around a bit, to see what he can find, before settling down on a chair, couch or other piece of furniture in closest view of the door, moving the furniture a bit if neccesary so that he will see and be seen the moment the door opens, keeping his snaplock close at hand, but not held.
[3] - The staff scan and add Gazhorn into their system, granting him access to the other hunter's room. He thanks them and heads up.
The door slides open at the hunter's touch, recognizing him as having clearance. He steps into a cluttered hotel room, some furniture still toppled over and their innards spilled to the floor, from, he suspects, the Republic visit. Looking around, Akhain discovers an impressive array of weapons and gear, most safely behind containers he can't get open. [5] Systar's computer-variant is locked, but not well enough for Akhain's rudimentary hacking skills to bypass.
The hunter's messages tell you he's accepted several jobs lately. The first is marked as successful, but the details have been deleted - the same's true for most of them. One is still open, apparently the latest. He seems to have left for an old tech-head church out in the city. Akhain guesses he's still there. [6] Next, Akhain checks his business in the black market - it appears he's recently requested intel on Boka... and, behind decoys and an encryption, - Akhain reads back to make sure he's not seeing things - the Consul, Mona yl Vsiri, especially as to her security detail.
The bounty hunter makes a mental note to consider the implications of this later on, but decides to copy the responses just in case. It is something his new employers could be interested in.
There's not much else. He goes through expenses, the latest being from an interstellar comms station on the starport. Finding nothing else interesting, Akhain settles into a chair by the door, dropping his arm to his pistol and relaxing. Waiting is nothing new to him.
Hurid yl BassdromHP: 75/75
Equipment: NTT Inferno
(22/26), Thermal Blade (8/8), Snaplock Pistol
(8/8), Paragon Combat Rifle
(10/10)Funds: 0¤
Known Perks: MultiVision Ocular Modification,
Combat Stimulant PackageFaction: Free Republic
Target: None
"Boy, you can't escape me."
Stab the last ganger, borrow his pistol to execute the boss, loot his grenade, GTFO and collect payment.
[2] - Systar moves to finish off the last ganger. This leaps to his feet, avoiding his first blow, [5] but his second [Dodge:1] hits home and [Damage:30+12=42] spills his guts. The bounty hunter pauses for breath, picks up the ganger's fallen pistol and [4] unloads it into the ganger boss until he's sure the man is dead. Finished, Akhain takes the bosses' explosive, sits down and calls in the priest. He does a quick sweep of the church to make sure he didn't miss anyone, but it seems the entire gang, or atleast those of it here, are dead.
[4] He takes his time to arrive - though it's somewhat surprising he comes into a neighbourhood like this anyhow - but at last Systar sees him approaching. He meets him half-way up the stairs and explains how the gangers had thrashed up the place already. [1] Systar's excepting some trouble convincing him, but not what happens next. The priest, seeing the inside of his holy place, seems to go red, a shrill cry erupting from his throat. For the next ten minutes, Systar is dragged along to every room and shouted at with all the man's might. [6-2=4] Eventually, Systar brings the topic back to payment. He's not all too surprised when the man drops off 3000¤ from the reward. Systar swallows his pride, too tired to continue arguing, and takes his 7000¤.
[4] Systar heads back to his hotel. Entering the lobby, he feels the eyes of the staff on him once again. When he looks their way, they quickly look away. He sighs. If the Republic is here for
another ambush... but then his blood goes cold. They'd have little reason for another visit if they hadn't found out about the Sikhet job. And if they've found out about the Sikhet job, Systar doubts another mission-for-amnesty is possible.
---
In CoverSystarHP: 34/75
Equipment: Thermal Blade
(1/8), Aurora Revolver
(4/6), RUS9 Incendiary Grenade (1/1), Zuche 3 Cloaking Device (2/6)
Funds: 25,300¤
Known Perks: AugeanTech LightningBolt PackFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Consul Mona yl Vsiri (New Regime), Boka yl Vsiri (Crime Syndicate), Bloodhound Gang
Gao waved both of them to lower their guns for the moment. "It couldn't hurt to just listen to it. If it's plan sucks we'll think of a different one."
[2] - Ratrik says nothing, but the survivor behind the pair curses and manifests a Widowmaker variant from somewhere. He points it squarely at the bot.
'One wrong move, and it's scrap,' he snarls.
'Thank you. I understand your concern. I would not trust me in your position,' the AI says.
'Here is the plan. I still retain some rudimentary control over these uplifted creatures you speak of. Unfortunately, they have succeeded in locking me out of our vessel's systems and thus prevented me from projecting my commands to the rest of the facility. If you removed their crude and damaging programming on the labship I am housed in, I could force a kill-switch in their brains to activate and save the station.'
The man behind the hunters starts to object, but the AI's voice drowns him out.
'
I am aware this plan requires trust in me you have no reason to have. However, my intentions are pure - they have taken over the reactor chambers and are close to breaching the core. If they are not stopped, they may cause an overload that will wipe this entire station out in a matter of seconds. We will all suffer the same fate then.'
[3] Ratrik leans in; 'I don't know. Are AIs big on lying, in your experience? The one on Gual did help us in the end...'
Gao isn't sure what to say to that. His memories of the job on Gual, spent mostly in the grips of a local fever, are spotty at best.
AlliesWith GaosaronTarur RatrikHP: 75/75
Equipment: Flechette Shotgun
(9/10), RUS9 Incendiary Grenade (2/2), Thermal Blade (6/8)
Known Perks: AugeanTech FlexiSpeed Aid,
NovaCore Analytic-Reactive Augmentation,
FocusedFaction: Bounty Hunter
---
Gaosaron el-Anaula Ra'VantahinHP: 44/75
Equipment: Widowmaker Shotgun
(4/7), Golgo Mechanical Blade, NTT Inferno
(26/26), RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(11/14), Guard Security Pass, Low-Level Security Pass
Funds: 25,450¤
Known Perks: NovaCore Electronic ModificationFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: None
"Oh gods!" Kaviv's eyes widened with horror as his mind processed what he'd just done.
'That man was no threat, not anymore... That was unnecessary, why did I--'
"Oh gods!" Kaviv repeated, glancing over as 971 went down again. How many times had he been shot in the past few minutes? Kaviv hadn't exactly been keeping count, but it seemed like a lot. Who knows whether he'd be getting up this time... Kaviv looked back out over the room. 'That one with the machine gun, he's standing in the corner...'
He banished the shock from his mind and quickly fished out another grenade, bringing it to his lips briefly for luck, before yanking out the pin as methodically as if he were folding a kebab and lobbed it over into the corner from which the golgo bullets were spraying.
"Was that extra chili sauce, you bastard?" Kaviv muttered to himself as he hunkered down again, continuing along the walkway's slim cover with his head down, trying to get in shotgun-range of an enemy.
>Chuck a grenade at the golgo ganger, hopefully buying 971 some time if nothing else, then keep scurrying along the walkway.
...back in the real world, 971 struggles back up, gritting his teeth.
He didn't let that predator eat him then. He wouldn't let this one eat him either, without a fight.
Action: Shoot dat bastard with the MG, or the hiding ganger if he's already dead.
[5] - Screaming a witty one-liner, Kaviv flings one of his remaining four grenades into the corner where the Golgo gunner is firing, the explosive canister rolling right [Dodge:3] past him - but not enough to let him out of its area of effect. The detonation rings through metal, shaking the walkways, [Damage:72-24=48] and sending the ganger flying with a roar of pain. Carried up by the shockwave, he's let go as suddenly as he was picked up, and smashes down into the machines hard enough for his bones to audibly crack. With a final groan, his mangled body falls down to the floor, the heavy fire ceasing at last.
[3] To his side, 971 pushes his battered body up once more, experimental chemicals and years of experience keeping him awake and alert. [Dodge:3+1-1=3] His quick shot, auto-corrected by the targeting mod, slams into the ganger's shoulder and [Damage:27-11=16] makes it disappear in an explosion of gore and bone. The ganger, his cover proving useless, collapses screaming. After a few moments, that ceases as well.
[3] The pair catch their breath, Kaviv crawling to 971 to make sure he's not dying anytime soon. With no-one fighting, silence falls upon the room - [4] until it's broken by a shout of; 'Hello? Is anyone still alive up there? Thanks for saving our asses, but we've kinda got people here who need medical attention. Hello?'
[3] 971 is about to answer, but pauses. The voice sounds very familiar, almost like...
Despite his wounds, the bounty hunter drags himself upright and motions Kaviv to follow. Gritting his teeth, 971 begins making his way down the stairs and into the maze of machinery. He keeps his wits about and weapon ready as he returns the shout and begins to move towards it. The hunters move past the bodies of their foes and soon turn around a corner to come face-to-face with another group. Kaviv takes in five aliens, one dead, the others wounded save one. They wear the same ganger clothes as the other Gutter Hounds.
971 only sees one of them, though. Looking as youthful as the day he last saw him storming the gates of Fort Tsudhan with a handful of high explosives of his own making, Ink greets him with an expression of surprise, then a huge grin.
'971? What the hell are you doing here? If I'd known it was you shooting up the place instead of the cops, I'd have been up there in no time!'
---
Subject 971HP: 27/75
Equipment: First Aid Packs (0/2), Widowmaker Shotgun
(7/7), Thermal Blade (5/8), Aurora Revolver w/ Analytic-Reactive Targeting System
(3/6)Funds: 6250¤
Known Perks: AugeanTech FlexiSpeed Aid,
SuppressedFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Gutter Hound Gang
Kaviv OtoliHP: 51/75
Equipment: Snaplock Pistol
(8/8), Frag Grenades (3/5), First Aid Packs (6/6), Widowmaker Shotgun
(6/7)Funds: 5000¤
Known Perks: Navigator Uplink PackageFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Gutter Hound Gang
He wheezed through his respirator "Fight."
[6] - 'Huh. Alright, fight it is,' the guard says. He parts way to let you pass. 'Head downstairs and find a trainer called Musa. He'll get you started.'
Barauc moves in, descending the stairs down into a long, warmly-lit room. Fighters of various species mill about, clad in loose fatigues and other light clothes. At the far wall, several bodies are being carried in. As soon as he hits the bottom of the stairs, a muscled human comes up to him.
'Betting's upstairs,' he grunts. Barauc tells him he's here to fight, prompting a wide-eyed stare. He looks over your expensive gear and armor and shrugs.
'Alright. Musa, we've got a fighter!'
The man called over - a thick-set horned alien with a bulk full of scars - doesn't seem to question this, to his credit. He guides Barauc to the side.
'I'm guessing you haven't fought down here before? There's not much to rules. No weapons allowed, no armor like your shit - don't worry, we'll keep them locked up. You get paid if you win. Fights are to the death, unless a sponsor steps in. In that case, back the fuck off. We're not going to protect you if you piss off the wrong man. That's about it. Any questions?'
Barauc Na'ShalHP: 75/75
Equipment: Zuche 4 Railgun
(1/1), Zuche 3 Cloaking Device (6/6), Aurora Revolver
(6/6), RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(14/14)Funds: 4500¤
Known Perks: Focus Improvement PackageFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Judge Tegarr (New Regime)
Loria looked at the PI, mentally rolling her eyes at his childish jab at her. "Break in to his office at night, huh? Yeah, that didn't work out so well for me last time." She gestured at her wounds. "Let's go with plan B and try to talk our way through it. But first, I really need to get patched up properly." Get myself back up to tip-top operating condition and then roll with plan B.
[4] - 'Agreed,' Teodosio says. 'We need to dress up, prepare, iron out the details, all that, in any case. I know people who do this sort of thing.'
He guides the bounty hunter away from the street. In a few minutes, they're in a cab speeding towards the PI's apartment. Loria falls asleep during the ride, too weak from her wounds to focus on the PI's planning. The rest of the journey passes in a blur, as does her experimenting with Teodosio's medical cabinet before laying down on a couch to sleep.
The next morning, Loria wakes up feeling mostly alright. Her wounds are gone or hidden away, and her mind is much clearer. [6] Laid out on the table is a bizarre-looking multi-coloured dress - it seems to move and shift as she looks at it, rather unnervingly - as well as a note from Teodosio. It seems like he wants Loria to wear that - and a curious-looking, apparently organic contraption on her head. He claims it's so they can pass as the ultra-rich.
---
LoriaHP: 75/75
Equipment: RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(11/14), Zuche 13 Gravity Trap (0/2), Flare Gun
(0/1), First Aid Kit (6/7)
Funds: 4300¤
Known Perks: Navigator Uplink PackageFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Mille Roskank, Anthony
---
Whee, I got to go through a lot of old updates for Akhain's search results. There's probably things I didn't mention, but I guess even with a 6 Akhain doesn't get to find out EVERYTHING. Related, I'm sure Systar received intel on the Consul's security. I can even find the post in which he buys it, but I can't seem to find the post in which he actually reads it. Oh well. I'm sure Systar still remembers everything.
Author
Topic: Nowhere To Run - A Futuristic Bounty Hunter RTD - Turn 51 (Read 88190 times)