FJ: 2.2 Getting Koll and Talking to Dubiers

[20:05]	Arkalest	Dorian The path to Kòll leads into a side-alleway, down a set of stairs and into the sewers themselves.
[20:06]	Sabina	\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
[20:09]	Dorian	=After recovering from the shock of recent events, Dorian asks, "Is there anything you can do to calm them down?"
[20:09]	Sabina	nods
[20:10]	Sabina	turns to the three hackers. "You three are safe now, the man who saught your deaths has been killed."
[20:11]	Dorian	"As much as that thing could even be called a 'man'..." Dorian snorts.
[20:12]	Arkalest	Sabina Their sobbing slowly dies down, but the morph keeps on twitching on the ground, clutching themselves as they curl up on a ball.
[20:13]	Arkalest	Even that eventually subsides, and the trio just remains silent. Dorian has the feeling he has already witnessed this kind of quiet after the storm behavior..
[20:13]	Sabina	[That's as much as I can for them at the moment. . . They won't go back on their word, we can leave and then put a call into their comrades once we're far enough away to avoid getting caught up to]
[20:15]	Dorian	[It'll have to do. As much as part of me wants to haul them along a ways in case more hostiles arrive, we can't afford them turning on us, and at the very least I can leave the hunter drone to watch over them.]
[20:15]	Dorian	guides the trike into the sewer tunnels ahead and instructs the drone to maintain stealthed overwatch over the hackers
[20:16]	Sabina	[We can do without it, plus it would be a shame if someone where to kill these officers after all the trouble we went to keeping them alive.]
[20:16]	Dorian	[Exactly.]
[20:16]	Dorian	[We have something better for scouting ahead of us.]
[20:16]	Sabina	nods, keeping apace with Dorian
[20:17]	Arkalest	Dorian It trudges down the stairs with a series of clangs and then smoothly injects itself into the "sewer". Judging by  the light coating of grey dust one very single surface of the tube and the dried-up brown algae hanging from the ceiling, it hasn't been used as a  sewer for a long time..
[20:18]	Dorian	[Least we don't have to worry about getting too dirty...] Dorian sends.
[20:19]	Sabina	chuckles lightly [So it is.]
[20:19]	Arkalest	Dorian Sabina Behind you, you hear shouting and music playing oout loud. In front of you, there's the quiet sound of dripping water. There is an almost remarkable absence of  unclean scents- If anything, you can almost smell something akin to spices in the air..
[20:20]	Arkalest	Dorian Sabina [Tuissant here. The Police recon satellites are edging our own reconnaissance unit out of her path. This appears to be a sign of an incoming media and sensor blackout on the section, so I'll  be brief.]
[20:21]	Sabina	[We are listening ma'am.]
[20:21]	Arkalest	[Kòll must reveal what he knows about the vase, and the paintings. Extraction is secondary, him being alive is primary.]
[20:22]	Arkalest	[However, do not be  /too/ pushy with him. And if you are, make sure there are no traces of said pushiness left.]
[20:23]	Sabina	[And what if the local forces come on site? Do we allow them to take Koll?]
[20:24]	Arkalest	[That would not  be a good idea. However, I am deferring to you two on the amount of force necessary to push them out.]
[20:24]	Sabina	[I see.]
[20:26]	Dorian	[Chief, remind me: does this guy have anything on his head beyond the artifact trafficking?]
[20:27]	Arkalest	[Only artifact trafficking, and that's officiously. He was never officially charged with anything.]
[20:30]	Sabina	"Mr. Taylor, we must be absolutely flawless here. If the local forces show up, than the court of public opinion is going to judge us. We must have the appearance of being the ones with the moral high-ground."
[20:31]	Arkalest	There's a buzz, a screech of tires, and a second trike plus a swam of bird-shaped drones flock out of a side-tunnel.
[20:32]	Dorian	[Thanks for the early Hearth Day presents, Chief. We'll bring back the perp nicely gift-wrapped for you.]
[20:33]	Sabina	[We will not disappoint you ma'am.]
[20:37]	Dorian	After the comm channel closes, the sound of a CLUNK accompanies the visual of Dorian hitting his armor's face with a palm. [Ah... Sabina? What's your TK range?]
[20:38]	Sabina	"A few meters, but anything with enough strength to be worthwhile isn'
[20:38]	Sabina	t going to extend much past my hand's reach]
[20:39]	Dorian	[We forgot to destroy their hacking equipment, and I was hoping that whole holo cliche that a powerful TK could effect an area being viewed through a camera was true...]
[20:40]	Dorian	[We don't have time to double back.]
[20:40]	Sabina	[That was very foolish on our part. Something to be aware of next time. . . . Order the Hunter Killer drone to destoy the equipment, it may not be armed by a solid step should do the trick.]
[20:40]	Sabina	*but
[20:41]	Dorian	does so. [I completely forgot that damn thing was armed; I'm way too used to recon drones being armed with peashooters at best.]
[20:42]	Arkalest	Dorian You spot one of the hackers clutching the burned-out remnants of the square portable server. Hitting it would damage both.
[20:43]	Arkalest	Judging by the state the server's in, anything that may have survived the Wretch is probably inside the hackers'  suits.
[20:45]	Dorian	[Looks like the Wretch did our job for us anyway...]
[20:45]	Sabina	[That's as much as we can do for the moment.]
[20:45]	Dorian	*[Looks like that fucking thing did the job for us anyway]
[20:47]	Dorian	scatters the drones for maximum effect but has a trio follow us for the record, and sends the trikes further into the sewers to recon
[20:50]	Arkalest	Dorian The sewers turn into tunnels, rusted hinges on massive bulkheads covered in faded warning signs. The tunnels turn into the  colorful, murales-covered facade of houses. Windows,  sealed iron doors, strings of banners held from one end to  the other. The smell of spices here is overpowering, and you start to hear the chattering ands talking of people  in many a language,
[20:52]	Arkalest	Dorian Sabina The drones eventually emerge into large water tanks, empty cisterns. They've  been turned into markets, with tents and shops covered in holographic writin- Local runes, all sharp angles mingled with geometric figures. Here the xenian presence is almost absent- With only a few cloake-wearing Voraks and Delphians trotting around, broswing wares.
[20:52]	Dorian	[I think we found our black market.]
[20:52]	Sabina	[It's a good thing we brought the cloaks, helps us blend in.]
[20:52]	Arkalest	Most of the people here appear to  be transhumans, and from a single clade- Or ones that are closely related. Gills on their necks, skin that is a burnt siena,  eyes catlike.
[20:54]	Arkalest	Weapons don't seem to factor around here, at all. A few wooden stavves and primitive-looking, square slugh-throwers...But nothing as big as what your'e carrying.
[20:56]	Dorian	[I think it'd be best if I wasn't seen by the locals.]
[20:56]	Arkalest	The camera drones zero in into another figure dressed just like Wiliam.
[20:56]	Arkalest	It's sitting down against a wall, and it's casually chatting with an old woman carrying a large round bag full of spices.
[20:58]	Dorian	[Be advised, possible... whatever the fuck that thing was, at coordinates...] Dorian supplies the location. [Might be wrong, hope I'm wrong, but be advised either way.]
[20:58]	Dorian	sends in a camera drone for a slightly closer look
[20:58]	Sabina	[Right, let's not cause any trouble and hope he does the same.]
[20:58]	Dorian	[Still keeping an eye on 'im though.]
[20:59]	Dorian	begins having the free drones search for doors matching the target
[20:59]	Arkalest	There's a Delphian in a red cloak, casually sitting not far from a pillar- Legs crossed, a large case againt their back.
[21:00]	Arkalest	Not far from them, an old man is selling books from a wooden stand- Real, actual books.
[21:01]	Arkalest	Dorian The drone spots a single door marked like  that near the end of the cistern.
[21:01]	Dorian	[Bingo! We've got a door matching the target at the end of the cistern!]
[21:01]	Sabina	stows her glaive in one of the trikes. [Keep to discrete arms here. Worse come to worse we can have the trike bring our heavy weapons over.]
[21:02]	Dorian	[I don't think power armor works very well for that...]
[21:02]	Arkalest	Dorian You watch the Delphian swing their legs and casually spring up in a fluid, lazy movement- Right as the cloak-wearing figure stands up as well.
[21:03]	Dorian	[Possible abomination and a possible armed Delphian are on the move. We may have been spotted.]
[21:03]	Arkalest	it extends a fabric-wreathe limb and gently touches the old woman's  shooulder in a reassruing fashion. She nods, smiles and walks away with a satisified look.
[21:03]	Sabina	[Dorian, please do not use that term lightly.]
[21:04]	Dorian	[I think that thing we fought in the alley qualifies, and this guy is dressed the same as that one....]
[21:04]	Sabina	[Trust me when I say it does not qualify as a Abomination, but we arguing semantics.]
[21:04]	Dorian	[Also, scratch "possible", Delphian is /heavily/ armed.]
[21:05]	Dorian	[Mines, railgun rifle and pistols, and an axe.]
[21:05]	Arkalest	They begun casually moving towards your position, talking among themselves- Or at least the Wretch's  head movements imply that.
[21:07]	Dorian	[Your choice: do we stay here and see what they want,] Dorian sends, along with a glyph indicating heavy sarcasm, [or do we seek better ground before they reach us?]
[21:08]	Dorian	[Because they are /definitely/ converging on our position.]
[21:08]	Arkalest	Sabina Dorian [Tuissant here. Our reconnaissance unit is being pushed out of LEO and they're about to enforce a black out. ]
[21:08]	Sabina	[Understood.]
[21:08]	Arkalest	[I am cutting o-]
[21:08]	Dorian	[Dorian here, we've found the door... but it's guarded. One... I dunno what the fuck, one heavily-armed Delphian.]
[21:08]	Arkalest	And your comms go silent.
[21:09]	Dorian	[Shit.]
[21:09]	Arkalest	Sabina |Hello, there.|
[21:09]	Sabina	|Afternoon.|
[21:10]	Arkalest	The woman's voice lazily scythes through the hair, softly querolous and with a thick UD accent- Or at least you think so. She's a inky jet black like Wiliam, and around her the Delphian's thought-river is forking into red and blue and turquoise deltas, a fractal sea-urchin around them. Not too pleased, not too angry, not too sad.
[21:10]	Sabina	[They are not overtly hostile. Let's see where this goes.]
[21:10]	Arkalest	Sabina Her voice is a pleasant vibrato, ethereal and soft. |If you may come with us to see Kòll, we'd very much appreciate it. |
[21:11]	Arkalest	|There is no need for further bloodshed.|
[21:11]	[ERROR]	No match for “{Dor”.
[21:11]	Sabina	|I should hope not.| [Dorian, they want to talk this out. You want to stay with the trikes in case things go bad or come with?]
[21:12]	Dorian	[They already know I'm here, might as well come with and act menacing. We can save the trikes as an ace in the whole if things go loud.]
[21:13]	Sabina	[Understood.] Sabina moves forward to meet the woman
[21:13]	Dorian	follows
[21:15]	Dorian	Now that stealth is lost overall, Dorian brings in the drone that was looking at the possible Wretch (although he doesn't know the term yet) earlier to get a slightly closer look and confirm its nature.
[21:15]	Arkalest	Sabina Dorian The Wretch and the Delphian are standing casually at an intersection. The former nods at your arrival. |Welcome to the markets.|
[21:15]	Sabina	bows her head |We appreciate your hospitality.|
[21:17]	Dorian	is set on edge by the telepathic communication, and does what he can to block any more intrusions,
[21:17]	Dorian	He remains silent however.
[21:18]	Dorian	[I'm not letting /this/ one get in my head...]
[21:18]	Sabina	[Peace, Mr Taylor.] |I ask that you refrain from telepathic contact with my comrade, it makes him rather. .  uneasy.|
[21:19]	Arkalest	Dorian You feel a quiet buzzinside your skull, like bees.
[21:20]	Arkalest	Sabina |He is blooming yet. Anyway, Mr. Kòll has seen your interest in his activities, and he appreciates that.|
[21:20]	Dorian	[Sabina. What's it mean when you feel like there's a faint buzzing in your head?]
[21:20]	Arkalest	|But he does not appreciate the killing of one of his top enforcers and defendants.|
[21:20]	Sabina	[Vorak Mind-shield usually.]
[21:21]	Sabina	[Other than that. . . I don't actually know.]
[21:21]	Dorian	[Huh. The telepathic defense tutorial I'm trying to copy must be working.]
[21:22]	Sabina	[Hopefully, I'll be keeping an eye on you in case it's not so benign.]
[21:22]	Dorian	[...good.]
[21:22]	Dorian	shudders in his armor as the group proceeds
[21:23]	Sabina	|Perhaps his enforcers should not pick fights they cannot win then.|
[21:23]	Dorian	[If they're still talking to you telepathically, I'd appreciate a running commentary.]
[21:23]	Sabina	[I will.]
[21:23]	Arkalest	Sabina |However, he may be willing to overlook Wiliam's death if you provide yourself to  be amenable individuals.|
[21:24]	Dorian	[That actually /was/ that thing's name?!]
[21:24]	Sabina	|We are willing to deal with things peacefully.|
[21:25]	Arkalest	|Very well, then.|
[21:25]	Arkalest	|Follow  us.|
[21:25]	Arkalest	---------------
[21:25]	Arkalest	Dorian Sabina The door swings open on an empty metal ccoridor lined with sensors. Past that, there's another metallic door..
[21:25]	Arkalest	And past that...
[21:26]	Arkalest	Soft muzzak music plays inside a circular, ample room. There are several warm-colored rugs on the floor, and the walls are lined with metallic shelves. Assorted artifacts and whatnot sit there inside glass cases- And sometimes just projections of  them.  Holographic price tags hang over them.
[21:28]	Arkalest	"I told you I wanted /five/ crates, not /four./ "Kòll's annoyed voice is soft, like rippling water- Rs and Ss rolling out  quietly. He's not much taller than Dorian, blonde hair cut into a buzzcut- Sharp cheekcs covered in blue lines made of fuzzi flesh. He's wearing a white trenchcoat covered in various patches- Each one covered in different writing- And talking to a Delphian in a red cloak.
[21:29]	Arkalest	Dorian You find a wi-fi connection inisde, and tap into that. There's....
[21:29]	Arkalest	A disturbing wealth of weapons here.
[21:30]	Arkalest	None of them are anywhere near usability- Most of them do look ancient enough they could actually not even be wielded properly.
[21:30]	Arkalest	On one shelf sits a rare plastic handcannon from the UD's earliest years.
[21:31]	Dorian	would openly be drooling if his face was actually visible
[21:31]	Arkalest	It's a sleek thing, capable of shooting ceramic shards at a speed best described as torrential- And it's sitting next to what appears to be a ceremonial officer sword made out of a single titanium slab, shaped like a machete. It bears the insignia of a corp you've never seen before, a single circle crossed horizontally.
[21:32]	Arkalest	Sabina Kòll appears to be wearing a defensive coronet, and so is the Delphian.
[21:33]	Arkalest	Dorian Another glass case contains a half-melted ovoidal orbital shocktroop helmet, a forefather to the ones used by Coldsteel. It appears to  have been..Chewed upon.
[21:33]	Dorian	shudders
[21:34]	Arkalest	Without breaking a sweat, Kòll turns around. His hands are metallic. Not augments- Flat out metallic, the skin having a chromed gleam.
[21:34]	Dorian	[In any other situation, I'd be openly gushing at all this stuff he has he-what the crap.]
[21:35]	Sabina	"Mr. Kòll," Sabina smiles pleasantly, her pronunciation perfect "You are a rather popular man of late."
[21:36]	Arkalest	"Unfortunately, if I must say. I don't fancy myself an attention seeker. " His smile is smooth and pleasant enough, natural- And then he runs a hand over his  hair, and you notice even the wrinles on his knuckles are represented.
[21:39]	Sabina	"Men of that demeanor do not last long in your line of work."
[21:39]	Arkalest	"Indeed."
[21:40]	Arkalest	He clasps  his  hands. "Anyway, I couldn't help but notice you are a rather new addition to Tuissant's stable. Is that an Instrumental I spy?"
[21:41]	Sabina	"Oh, this old thing? It is."
[21:41]	Arkalest	"Marvelous!"  he seems to be genuinely giddy about  this, eyes twinkling. "May I enquire whether it is a family heirloom or  not?"
[21:42]	Sabina	"It has been held in our hands for as long as our records care to recall."
[21:42]	Sabina	"And those recall quite far I must add."
[21:43]	Arkalest	He nods. "Interesting, interesting. Anyway, I must both thank you for taking care of  the hakcers and, well."
[21:43]	Arkalest	"Decry you for poor Wiliam's fate."
[21:44]	Sabina	"A unfortunate bit of business I am afraid. I do apologize for the trouble it cuased, but you must understand, as estranged as we may be from our more short-sighted cousins, we cannot simply allow fellow police be killed."
[21:44]	Arkalest	Kòll taps his fingers together. "It was, sadly, something that happens in this line of work, but it's nevertheless a damage that you've inflicted on my establishment. "
[21:44]	Arkalest	"I will expect Tuissant to pay me back in full."
[21:45]	Arkalest	He sounds almost weirdly /too/ nonplussed about the death, despite his tone beintg somewhat mournful in nature.
[21:46]	Sabina	"That can be arranged, there is no reason to let this become a personal matter when we both have our own concerns after-all."
[21:46]	Arkalest	"Yes, indeed. Sadly, I feel Madam Dubiers does not share this particular view of ours.."
[21:47]	Arkalest	"And neither do some of the fellow extralegal traders in the profession."
[21:50]	Dorian	finally feels the need to speak. "And who exactly is this 'Madam Dubiers?"
[21:51]	Arkalest	"The Police Chief of Spiral City."
[21:51]	Sabina	"Well merchants tend to envy to those more successful than themselves, and Dubiers' concerns are more local, short-sighted some would say, but I think it's more a limitation of her role than a fault itself."
[21:56]	Arkalest	He nods. "Indeed. I must warn you against thinking Dubiers is a simple woman, however. "
[21:56]	Arkalest	"Just like Tuissant, she is of a fine bearing, an old lineage and an even older purpose."
[21:56]	Sabina	"I would expect nothing else."
[21:57]	Arkalest	"Anyway, I assume you are here to interrogate me on IRene Malfarin's acquisition?"
[21:58]	Arkalest	The Delphian turns their attention to Dorian. "You may want to stop drooling over the merchandise, sir." Their voice comes from the mask- Depicting some bird of prey. The delphian's ears poke out from it, together with short silvery hair. It's a fairly atonal, electronically-distroted voice.
[21:58]	Dorian	[Irene Malfarin?]
[21:59]	Sabina	"Interrogate is such a loaded term, but more or less. We'd like to know everything you do about the paintings and the vase you sold her." [Daughter of the cities Mayor, niece to our chief. I've spoken to her a few times, a tad spoiled but not a bad person either, if somewhat peculiar.]
[22:00]	Dorian	headtilts and quietly replies, "You're a bit late. I finished doing that two minutes ago."
[22:00]	Arkalest	"Ah, the paintings." This sours his expression considerably.
[22:00]	Arkalest	Dorian They tilt their head, almost birdlike. "But you still covet them, do you not?"
[22:01]	Arkalest	Sabina "See." Kòll lowers his head and joins his hands behind his back. "Some of my wares I take ob torto collo. I'd like to fancy myself as a sort of philantropist, giving ancient artifacts a home they may  be appreciate in, but.."
[22:01]	Arkalest	"It takes money. Time. "
[22:01]	Arkalest	He closes his eyes. "Connections."
[22:02]	Arkalest	"And sometimes, one has to do what one has to do to...Make ends meet."
[22:02]	Dorian	"Where are you going with this?" Dorian says in a sispiciously even tone.
[22:02]	Sabina	"Mr. Taylor, we are guests." She shoots Dorian a dirty look.
[22:03]	Arkalest	Dorian "I was more or less making a preamble about the buying of guns and artifacts."
[22:03]	Sabina	clears her throat. "Ah but yes, one has dues to pay, favors that are called in." She nods
[22:03]	Arkalest	"Ah, yes." Kòll nods at the Delphian. "Temish here is a specialist in weaponry."
[22:03]	Arkalest	Sabina "The vase was a favor for Malfarin, that sweet darling  child. Very bright, very costrained by society."
[22:04]	Dorian	"He seems to have noticed me eyeballing some of the items you have here. /Through my armor./"
[22:04]	Sabina	"I've met her, she is quite charming in her own peculiar fashion."
[22:05]	Arkalest	Dorian "You are a footsoldier, and it is the purview of such people."
[22:05]	Arkalest	Sabina Kòll nods. "Indeed. The vase came from the Ringvolk, and has been vetted by a specialist. A Meruzai creation, it is said."
[22:05]	Dorian	is speechless for a moment, and then mutters to himself. "Fair enough."
[22:06]	Arkalest	Dorian "So, what do you wish to peruse? Melee weapons? Exoskeletons?"
[22:06]	Sabina	"So not the same source as the paintings?"
[22:07]	Arkalest	He nods. "No. A Meruzai's idea of a memetic weapon is...Far more visceral and aesthetically different from the...Paintings."
[22:07]	Sabina	"Tell me about those then."
[22:08]	Arkalest	"The White Scars syndicate may have had a hand in procuring them. My..Benefactors have a tenous relationship with them."
[22:08]	Sabina	nods
[22:08]	Dorian	opens up a bit against his better judgment. "All of the above. Ancient military equipment is one of my interests. Buuut, I'm not moving from this spot until we're done talking to your employer."
[22:08]	Dorian	"I'd be a piss-poor soldier let alone policeman if I abandoned my post to /window-shop..."
[22:09]	Arkalest	Dorian The Delphian nods. "Is there any particular aesthetic school or historic period you may wish to inform yourself about?"
[22:09]	Dorian	"Early United Directorate."
[22:10]	Dorian	To Sabina: [Surely they're not going to try to... to bribe us...]
[22:10]	Arkalest	"Corporate, national? Corsairs?"
[22:10]	Arkalest	"And no."
[22:10]	Sabina	[Doubtful.]
[22:10]	Arkalest	Temish tilts their head again. "Bribery is such a dirty word."
[22:11]	Dorian	"...you're intercepting our private comms, aren't you."
[22:12]	Arkalest	The Delphian puts a hand on their chest. "Had we that kind of capabilities, we would not  be having this talk:" Their hand is black-gloved.
[22:13]	Arkalest	"Now, the question is- Where do the White Scars may keep more information about them? That, in all fairness I do not know. I am aware they have dealings at the orbital docks in Spiral City, but that is that."
[22:14]	Dorian	murmurs to the Delphian. "So want to explain how you knew the message I just sent my partner?"
[22:15]	Arkalest	Dorian "Have you ever seen a hologram so many times you may be able to eventually repeat it at verbatim? That's your answer."
[22:16]	Dorian	sighs. "One day I'll be the one reading everyone else like an open book."
[22:17]	Arkalest	They nod. "May you succeed. "
[22:17]	Dorian	"So anyway. National's my preference, although if you have any... for lack of a better word, embarrassing baby pictures of my old corporate outfit I'd be interested in seeing those too."
[22:17]	Arkalest	"Anyway, what dopes interest you?"
[22:18]	Sabina	Sabina closes her eyes for a moment "Mr. Koll, do you believe that there is a order to the universe? That things function in a ordained manner, that to go against this order is a affront to all things proper?"
[22:18]	Arkalest	Dorian The Delphian summons a holographic image of a series of old, old corporate logo. About a hundred, if not more. "What outfit did you  belong to?"
[22:18]	Arkalest	Sabina "And that there are..Exceptions."
[22:19]	Dorian	"Coldsteel Security Solutions."
[22:19]	Arkalest	His lips draw into a thin line. "That despite all the best effort of our greatest minds, that despite our clinging to laws and routines and rules...Sometimes.
[22:19]	Arkalest	""Sometimes out there.."
[22:19]	Arkalest	"There are monsters."
[22:19]	Arkalest	Kòll draws a hand to his chest. "And it's not the purview of men like me to bother with such things. Ignorance can be bliss."
[22:20]	Arkalest	Dorian The Delphian nods, and the logo they zoom in is.......Relatively normal looking. Hyphenated.
[22:21]	Arkalest	"Cold-Steel Solutions & Research."
[22:21]	Dorian	"Wait... research?"
[22:21]	Dorian	"They're a mercenary outfit. They never identified as a research firm."
[22:22]	Arkalest	They nod. "Regrettably, we only have a few of their artifacts. They belonged to the great Kawasura Holding. "
[22:22]	Arkalest	"Interesting. " The Delphian touches thier muzzle. "Can you tell me more about their current profile?"
[22:23]	Sabina	"Yes, abberations in the proper functioning of the universe. And you have the good sense to not involve yourself in such things." She shifts her right arm from out of the cloak "But my place is to fight such things, to see the natural order returned. I do not ask you for this information lightly, but I do because I must, it is a affront to all things proper and I would be failing in my duty...
[22:23]	Sabina	...if I did not seek to remove such abominations for existence." She look Koll straight in the eyes "Give me what we came here for Mr. Koll, so that we may both do what is needed for us."
[22:23]	Arkalest	He smiles thinly. "Ah, such a youthful fervor.."
[22:23]	Arkalest	His tone lacks any condescion.
[22:24]	Dorian	"They hire themselves out to various corporate firms and private individuals. All sorts of mission profiles, although I feel like some of the things we did bordered on /piracy/. There was scuttlebutt that the high-ups in the company were interested in archaeotech and xenotech but no one knew for sure and I never saw anything recovered... well, not recovered reasonably intact at least."
[22:24]	Arkalest	"Thhere are plenty of such examples here....People, kids barely..Older than you, looking out for that golden opportunity. Others, well. They're driven." He taps his temples. "One idea, one plan. The rest be damned to Hell."
[22:25]	Arkalest	Dorian They nod. "Let me research."
[22:25]	Arkalest	Sabina "And those plans, those ideas will grip them. Keep them in their vise-like grip for the rest of their lives. People like that, miss, they're /fucking/ dangerous."
[22:26]	Arkalest	"Dubiers' one of them."
[22:26]	Dorian	"I think I know of a few others that'd fit that description, too..."
[22:27]	Dorian	"No one in this room, mind."
[22:27]	Arkalest	Dorian  The Delphian taps their forehead. "All I can tell you is that their majority shares were bought by a Meridianite company, Merrick & Westfall, and underwent major restructuring."
[22:27]	Sabina	nods, not interrupting Koll.
[22:28]	Arkalest	Sabina "See." He spreads his hands, keeping them apart. "I don't know the details, miss. But what I know is that those paintings- Or something eerily similar- Already did the rounds around those parts. Way before the current time."
[22:28]	Arkalest	"And they left a mark."
[22:29]	Arkalest	Dorian "Afterwards, they brought in a Vorak clade in the majority shareholders."
[22:29]	Dorian	"Ugh, don't remind me about /them/."
[22:30]	Arkalest	Sabina "And that mark was felt by the Malfarins, and the Tuissants, and the Dubiers. I am fancying myself as a historian, but I do not know what went down with them. Whatever happened amongst them may be...Best left buried, if you value your sanity and peace of mind."
[22:32]	Sabina	"My sanity is on a short clock, and peace of mind will not find me until this is dealt with." She answers plainly.
[22:33]	Arkalest	Dorian "We have an aggregate nanoblade from that period."
[22:33]	Sabina	"Moreover, my duty outweighs such concerns as well."
[22:33]	Arkalest	He sighs.
[22:34]	Arkalest	"........Very well. " He joins his hands behind his back. "What I can tell you is that something massive happened between those three families and the White Scars."
[22:34]	Arkalest	"I am...hesitant to call it "Within living memory", but there are plenty of old things here."
[22:34]	Dorian	hums. "I'm tolf those were fine weapons."
[22:34]	Sabina	nods
[22:34]	Arkalest	Dorian "We may be able to waver the price on account of the current situation."
[22:35]	Arkalest	Sabina "Search for  the White Scars. They know who my benefactors want, what they want. More I can not tell you, for I am merely a messanger."
[22:35]	Sabina	[Little reason to not take the bribe as it is. We have to see Koll safe regardless, you might as well get something nice for it.]
[22:35]	Dorian	[This bothers me, but if you insist...]
[22:36]	Dorian	"As much as this seems like a bad idea... I'm listening."
[22:36]	Sabina	{I do not insist, I am simply saying that if you want to take it it won't really matter. Though if you have concerns for how it would appear to others.]
[22:36]	Arkalest	"The blade is still useful to an extent, but it'd need an upgrade to be properly functional."
[22:37]	Sabina	"Thank you for your cooperation. There is however another matter," Sabina smiles "Dubiers knows of this location as well, and is coming. I expect that you have a means of getting away?"
[22:37]	Dorian	nods. "And what do you want in return for it? I'm no loaded collector, but I do get a decent stipend." Dorian is at the least playing ignorant.
[22:37]	Arkalest	"I do, but they may have been tampered with. That, and I'd need time to secure my shop. "
[22:37]	Arkalest	Dorian "Nothing."
[22:38]	Sabina	"How much time then?"
[22:38]	Arkalest	"Half a hour."
[22:39]	Sabina	"I see. Dorian, send some of the drones along Mr. Kolls escape routes to see if they are clear."
[22:39]	Arkalest	"Dubiers shall be here in ten minutes tops."
[22:39]	Arkalest	Kòll closes his  eyes. "...........I may be convinced to leave the shop earlier, but..."
[22:40]	Dorian	"Let's call it "a gift for not coming in loud and doing untold damage to priceless museum pieces for the record," Dorian says as he sends the drones to check.
[22:42]	Arkalest	Dorian A subterranean tunnel, a small warehouse leading into the streets, and another sewer...Leading out of Spiral City.
[22:43]	Sabina	"I can delay her for about 5, maybe 10 minutes."
[22:43]	Arkalest	He nods gratefully.
[22:44]	Sabina	"As for the items here, I can have some of them seized as a part of our investigation, only the pertinent ones I am afraid. I am sure that Tuissant would be willing to come to another arrangement with you."
[22:45]	Arkalest	he sighs and rubs his eyes. "Figured.."
[22:45]	Arkalest	"...Alternatively I would draw upon my benefactors, but it'll be...Costly.
[22:46]	Dorian	"Bad idea, maybe, but we /might/ be able to call him an inside informant or witness or something and keep him in protective custody - not arrested, protected - until things can be arranged properly."
[22:46]	Dorian	"There's a tunnel out of the city we can use to evade the local PD."
[22:46]	Sabina	"Well Mr. Koll, my main concern is that Dubiers does not arrest you, so I leave the choice to you. You can come with us, or you go to ground."
[22:50]	Arkalest	Dorian The drones all detect hotiles- Cloaked figures of ranging size in all three tunnels.
[22:51]	Dorian	"We have a problem. There're cloaked individuals in all three of our potential exits.
[22:52]	Sabina	"Mmmm. Than I suggest Mr. Koll that you come with us, or else we find another way out."
[22:53]	Arkalest	"....Mmh.."
[22:54]	Arkalest	He bites his lips."...Can you not overpower them?"
[22:54]	Dorian	"Drones just finished ID'ing what we're dealing with. The tunnel I mentioned earlier is being guarded by a small mech, the sewer has four operatives on foot, and the warehouse leading to the surface is surrounded by drones."
[22:54]	Sabina	"I should like to avoid a shooting war with the police if I can all avoid it."
[22:54]	Dorian	"What she said."
[22:55]	Arkalest	"They're probably criminals. We'd...have noticed if Dubiers had deployed."
[22:55]	Dorian	"I reckon we /could/ take the mech if push came to shove but I'd rather not end up on a "Wanted" holo."
[22:55]	Sabina	[Though if we have to in order to prevent them from grabbing Koll.]
[22:55]	Dorian	"Wait, what?"
[22:56]	Dorian	"Define 'noticed'."
[22:56]	Sabina	"There may also be another way out, go into the deeper tunnels and work your way out from there."
[22:56]	Arkalest	He quirks his lips. "We'd have heard the tremohono."
[22:56]	Arkalest	Kòll shakes his head. "I am sorry but- I'd have to...Look, I." He sighs. "I can do it but...I'd rather not."
[22:59]	Sabina	"Dorian a idea. Take one of the trikes, disable the IFF and use that to get Mr. Koll out, take the other and set it to broadcast, say you've found Koll's location and are heading that way and require assistance. This site was a bust."
[23:00]	Dorian	does just that.
[23:00]	Sabina	"If they work that way I mean."
[23:00]	Sabina	smiles
[23:00]	Sabina	"Afterall, Mr. Koll was gone when I got here, no?"
[23:01]	Arkalest	ùThe man nod-nods. "Oh gods thanks, I....Nevermind. Have whatever you want from my collection."
[23:01]	Arkalest	"Just..Take one item as a gift. I'll pack the rest. "
[23:02]	Sabina	"Dorian, you had an eye for these. It would be rude to decline a gift. I'll deal with Dubiers, you make sure Koll gets away."
[23:02]	Sabina	"Oh, and before you take the trike I need to retrieve my glaive."
[23:02]	Dorian	performs a jaunty, awkward salute in response
[23:03]	Dorian	"I believe you were offering that blade up earlier, yes?"
[23:03]	Sabina	steps outside to gather her glaive up and await Dubiers.
[23:03]	Arkalest	"Yes.."
[23:05]	Dorian	"I'll take it. Boss wants Koll safe and out of local PD's hands, and while I don't like breaking the law that's what she'll damn well get."
[23:06]	Dorian	"You lot coming with him too?"
[23:07]	Arkalest	"They'll disperse. "
[23:07]	Arkalest	The Delphians and Wretch set out to clean shop, all while kòll adjusts his trenchcoat.
[23:07]	Dorian	"Very well." Internally, DOrian is visibly relieved; he doesn't have to be around the... entity any longer than necessary.
[23:08]	Dorian	summons the IFF_disabled trike to the current location.
[23:12]	Dorian	"Progenitors damn it all..."
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[23:21]	Dorian	/gleefully/ inputs the coordinates of the Subutea into the bait-trike, and sends it on its merry way.
[23:22]	Arkalest	Dorian Patrons immediately start getting out of the way- Out of the small circular plaza the subutea front's in. It's open to the sky, or at least there's a hole in the carvn roof.
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[23:22]	Dorian	Turning to Koll, he says , "Good news! That mech in our escape route? Not police, and not a mech! Bad news?" Dorian's tone shifts downwards. "It's the biggest motherfucking Vorak I've ever seen."
[23:23]	Arkalest	And then the trike just...
[23:23]	Arkalest	Disappears into a puff of plasma shrapnel as the police just puts a plasma torpedo into the cavern.
[23:23]	Arkalest	Dorian He blanches. "Oh  /shit./ "
[23:24]	Dorian	"It gets worse. Bait-trike just got hit with a plasma torpedo."
[23:24]	Dorian	"That shit's not kosher."
[23:24]	Sabina	"Well that's bad, means they are playing for keeps. On the other hand," Sabina can't help but keep the smallest hint of smug glee "We got /video/ of the police flat out nuking a bar."
[23:25]	Arkalest	Dorian Kòlll shakes his head. "I could, uh, there are contacts.."
[23:25]	Dorian	"Use 'em/"
[23:25]	Arkalest	Sabina That's when a video feed from the drones showcases several small mecha emerging from the bar.
[23:25]	Sabina	forwards the video feed to Dorian
[23:25]	Arkalest	Cue the SCPD rappeling down with jetpacks- Flocks of vulture-like power armor, screaming of plasma guns and explosions flying around.
[23:25]	Dorian	"Shit, I wouldn't do that to this Vorak or your mindrapey friend, and I'm literally from a profession where superior firepower is what you should /always/ use."
[23:26]	Sabina	"No sign of Dubiers here yet."
[23:27]	Sabina	"I think she just got a distraction thought."
[23:27]	Dorian	"Yeah, I noticed."
[23:27]	Dorian	Turning to Koll again, Dorian explains the new development.
[23:28]	Arkalest	He facepalms. ".........................Can we do something for the mech? Summon..Someone?"
[23:28]	Dorian	"Depends, do we have citywide comms back?"
[23:29]	Arkalest	He taps his neck. "i've got an emergency quantum entanglement cartridge. Can access the comms through there...Bars, my private benefactors, merc bulletin boards."
[23:30]	Dorian	"That last one will be /perfect/."
[23:39]	Arkalest	Dorian Silence. You and kòll sit in the trike in the darkness, and then.
[23:40]	Arkalest	A single thunderous boom that shatters the silence, and the Vorak falls forward, a fountain of thick viscous green liquid plasting everything.
[23:41]	Dorian	"Well. That was anticlimactic," Dorian says, grinning to himself.
[23:42]	Arkalest	The Vorak sputters, face-down in the concrete. "That was.." It hisses, pained. "Anti...cli-"
[23:42]	Arkalest	"Oh will you shut the fuck up?"
[23:43]	Arkalest	And a white-armored individual shoots the Vorak in the head. The machine-gun's sound is like a tinkle compared to the previous railgun hit, but it still is sound.
[23:44]	Arkalest	Dorian The power armor is almost just sleek white plating on a humanoid frame- There's a railgun on a hip mount- No, two, and two shoulder-mounted one, plus missile racks.
[23:45]	Dorian	"Huh. Who's that?"
[23:45]	Arkalest	The swishing tail and way it turns towards you and waves at the camera tells you it may or may not be Alex.
[23:45]	Dorian	"..."
[23:45]	Dorian	"I think I just got messed with."
[23:49]	Dorian	"Nooot gonna mention this." DOrian waits for the mercs to disperse before gunning the trike's engines and proceeding
[23:51]	Arkalest	Alex(?) casually walks away, whistling a jaunty tunes. A few seconds later, a bunch of trike-riding mercs in power armor and holding ocket-launchers show up.
[23:51]	Arkalest	They eye the fallen, twitching Vorak and decide it's time to GTFO.
[23:53]	Arkalest	Dorian You continue down the tunnel, and eventually spot the merc on a white trike- Constable ID.
[23:53]	Arkalest	Alex guns the engine and sides up to you, removing her helmet. The chromatophores on her armor have turned it grey and blue. [Oh hey.] Her feral grin is absolutely shit-eating.
[23:53]	Dorian	"Bugger all, I /did/ get messed with," Dorian grumbles to himself.
[23:54]	Dorian	[Hi yourself.]
[23:57]	Dorian	does /not/ like the look on ALex's face, and declines to remove his own helmet.
[23:58]	Arkalest	She catches onto it. [Sorry for the glory stealing. Anyway, that's the guy?]
[23:58]	Arkalest	Kòll has curled up in the backseat of the vehicle.
[23:58]	Dorian	[Glory doesn't matter, I just expected this conversation to start differently. Anyway, that's the guy.]
[23:59]	Dorian	turns to Koll. "Calm down, she's one of us."
[23:59]	Arkalest	His only answer is to nod and clean barf off his chin.
[00:01]	Dorian	[Anyway, we need to clear out pronto before the local cops catch up.]
[00:02]	Arkalest	[Word. So, what happened back then? We saw shots being fired..]
[00:03]	Arkalest	The trikes move out in a large cistern, filled with debris and scrap. There's a smell of dust and utresctent flowers hanging in the air, and Kòll shivers.
[00:06]	Dorian	[Long story. In short, we shanked Koll's personal nightmare before it could shank three hackers working with the local PD. We took their info and used it to find Koll ourselves, and we managed to convince him to come with us willingly into protective custody.]
[00:07]	Dorian	[Shit, we've got company.]
[00:07]	Dorian	[Weird company.]
[00:07]	Dorian	"Buckle up, Koll, it's gonna get a bit bumpy."
[00:09]	Dorian	targets the figures but doesn't fire, and guns the engines to get around them
[00:09]	Arkalest	Dorian You...Glimpse something. Hear Alex swear under her breath.
[00:10]	Dorian	[What? What're we dealing with here?]
[00:11]	Arkalest	Dorian And the trike roars past them but- Thin, greyish limbs. Skin that's pulled taut over angular metal and..Cables. Eyes that are dilated to their  fullest, faded milyk white things. Lipless, yellowed teeth.  A shuffling gait.
[00:11]	Arkalest	There's a buzz in your head for a split second, and then it's /gone./
[00:11]	Dorian	"What the fuck?!"
[00:11]	Arkalest	[fukken /CYBERZOMBIES.]
[00:13]	Dorian	[I thought that sort of shit was only in bad holofilms!]
[00:14]	Sabina	Dorian: [This is bad, I got Dubiers here, she's threatening to kill me with a drone and a plasma canon. Can you try and get through to Tuissant? I need some back up here or she'll actually go through with it.]
[00:15]	Dorian	[I'll do what I can.]
[00:16]	Dorian	[Chief Tuissant, come in! Chief, it's urgent!]
[00:16]	Dorian	[Shit. Alex, we need the Chief on the line five minutes ago!]
[00:16]	Arkalest	Dorian There's a garbled hiss of static, and then Tuissant's voice pops in. [Dorian?]
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[00:17]	Dorian	[Chief, Sabina's being threatened with lethal force by Dubiers. We need any assistance you can provide!]
[00:17]	Arkalest	[Wait shit she's  /talking/ to  her?!]
[00:18]	Dorian	[Yes! We've got a plan going, but apparently it's not working as smoothly on her end as on mine!]
[00:18]	Sabina	[It was a flash-bang. Managed to dodge the worst of it!]
[00:18]	Dorian	[Sabina, we've got the Chief on the line!]
[00:19]	=-=	Pale_Wolf is now known as WolfieBed
[00:19]	Sabina	[Dubiers just hit me with a flash bang. Not sure what else she's gonna do, but I'm going to make sure I'm pretty for the cameras]
[00:19]	Arkalest	[GET OUT OF HERE SHE'S A ]
[00:19]	Arkalest	And
[00:19]	Arkalest	the world
[00:19]	Arkalest	just
[00:19]	Arkalest	FREEZES.
[00:20]	Arkalest	|T E C H|
[00:20]	Dorian	"Wuh?"
[00:22]	Arkalest	Dorian The world resumes its course. Kòll whimpers and Alex grabs her head, hissing in pain.
[00:22]	Dorian	[The fuck just happened?!]
[00:22]	Arkalest	[SHE IS A TECHNOPATH]
[00:23]	Dorian	[...FUCK]
[00:24]	Arkalest	Alex turns to you. [Let's eva Kòll first, then we go back for her!]
[00:24]	Dorian	[Roger!]
[00:28]	Dorian	[Chief, we have the package, requesting immediate pickup!]

[23:30]	Arkalest	Sabina "Evening, Agent Norland."
[23:30]	Sabina	"Good evening Chief Dubiers." Sabina bows respectfully.
[23:30]	Arkalest	Dubier's voice filters through the doort of Kòll's hideout. It  has been long since vacated, leavingonly an empty, dusty room.
[23:31]	Arkalest	"It was a nice stunt, you pulled with the bar."
[23:32]	Arkalest	"But.......Too early, I  guess. How old are yoou, again, 30?40?"
[23:33]	Sabina	"I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about, my feed to the trike cut out rather abruptly."
[23:33]	Arkalest	A soft sigh. "Kòll would never be caught dead in the Subutea."
[23:34]	Arkalest	"You damn well know that. His scent is on you."
[23:35]	Sabina	"Of course you would say that, this was his hideout and I've been investigating it for a while now."
[23:37]	Arkalest	"And you know this wouldn't fool me, Norland. "
[23:37]	Arkalest	"I reiterate, how old are you?"
[23:38]	Sabina	"22 if you must ask, is there a point to my age?"
[23:40]	Arkalest	"yes, kiddo."
[23:41]	Arkalest	Her voice is filled with...
[23:41]	Arkalest	.....Dissapointment. she's hurt.
[23:43]	Sabina	doesn't rise to the bait.
[23:44]	Arkalest	Another sigh. "Are yoou really sure you want to go the lengths you're going for that woman, child?"
[23:45]	Sabina	"I would not be here if I did not believe so."
[23:46]	Arkalest	"Yadda yadda belief is a powerful thing yadda yadda you're gonna end up murdering a kid or something down the line." A tired sigh.
[23:46]	Sabina	blinks
[23:46]	Sabina	"Excuse me? I don't follow."
[23:47]	Arkalest	"Yada yadda trained from birth, yadda yadda advisor."
[23:48]	Sabina	'/me raises a eyebrow
[23:48]	Arkalest	If anything, Dubiers sounds less mocking and more like she wants this to...Just be over with. "Look, I know it. Kòll's probably legging it down a tunnel, you've got your legalese charges ready, etcetera."
[23:49]	Sabina	sighs and shakes her head as she makes her way outside to Dubiers.
[23:53]	Arkalest	Sabina You open the door and find yourself facing a quadrotor drone floating just outside the first door.
[23:53]	Arkalest	It circles you lazily.
[23:53]	Arkalest	"Aaand her outfit choice still leaves all to be desired."
[23:53]	Sabina	"I do not recall asking for fashion advice, nor do I think that is really pertinent."
[23:54]	Arkalest	"It is. Wave after wave of lambs to the slaughter, and she still has not learned her lesson."
[23:54]	Arkalest	"You know." The drone stops in front of you. "you're not the first one she has hooked up on the whole truth and justice thing."
[23:54]	Sabina	folds her arms across her chest.
[23:55]	Arkalest	"I know, this sounds a bit hypocritical coming from me, but you're going to be the one with a knife planted in your back soon."
[23:57]	Sabina	"You think that Tuissant will backstab me?"
[23:57]	Arkalest	"Yes. I've got concrete proof."
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[23:57]	Arkalest	"i've also got a plasma linear accelerator lined at the door. "
[23:58]	Sabina	"Ah, prudent to have when dealing with criminals, but hardly needed when dealing with a fellow officer of the law."
[23:59]	Arkalest	"So here's the deal. I don't shoot you, I provide you with evidence of that bitch being a capital grade A shit, and you tell me where Kòll is."
[23:59]	Sabina	"I'm afraid I don't know where Koll is, if I did I wouldn't be here now would I?"
[00:00]	Arkalest	"Was it the sewer tunnel?"
[00:00]	Sabina	"Though I find your heavy handed threats to be uncalled for."
[00:00]	Arkalest	"It's called being straightforward."
[00:01]	Arkalest	There's a sound like a yawn from the drone. "So...What do you think, mmh?"
[00:01]	Sabina	"I'm hardly inclined to cooperate within someone who's threatening a fellow officer of the law."
[00:01]	Arkalest	"Or your second in command didn't tell you the route, did he?"
[00:03]	Sabina	"I'm hardly going to tell you anything after you've threatened to kill me. Do you honestly think I would sell my partner out to someone who resorts to such underhanded and thuggish behavior? Is this really how you act in the dark?"
[00:03]	Arkalest	"And are you any better? You know what's like to treat people for PTSD and having their spines shattered? "
[00:03]	Arkalest	"You know  how many people you've indirectly hurt by lying and precipitating today?"
[00:05]	Arkalest	"Those three hackers will take months to recover, and several of my men have been put into ICU after your little simulacra stunt. This is after you've sent a decoy to a bar."
[00:06]	Arkalest	Dubiers sigh. "You remind me of myself, kiddo. So sure the law's about doing what's right. "
[00:06]	Arkalest	"And doing what your superiors tell you to.."
[00:07]	Sabina	"Really? Is this how you treat me? You threaten me? Call into question the integrity of my Chief and myself? And this is /after/ I was given the run around by /your/ men when I attempted to coordinate with them. After I saved your hackers from one of Koll's men? Is this really how things are done in the New Meridian? I thought you people where better than this."
[00:08]	Arkalest	There's a quiet moment of silence. "No."
[00:08]	Sabina	"I assure you Cheif Dubiers, I will be launching a formal complaint. Unlike some people, I am capable of acting through the proper channels."
[00:09]	Arkalest	A soft chuckle.
[00:12]	Sabina	"I hardly find the situation funny."
[00:12]	Arkalest	"I do, because this misn't  the first time. The outrage, the surety you're in the right."
[00:12]	Arkalest	"And the acting. Good acting."
[00:12]	Arkalest	"Really, really good. How many years of theater was that?"
[00:13]	Sabina	"I'll have you know I'm a painter, not a actor."
[00:14]	Arkalest	"Interesting. Still, you knwo that she will eventually betray you. It's in her nature."
[00:14]	Arkalest	Her voice falls flat.
[00:14]	Arkalest	"How do you  think she got this powerful?"
[00:14]	Sabina	"As if I would believe the woman who's threatening to kill me."
[00:15]	Arkalest	"See, that's  the thing. You are /too/  trusting."
[00:15]	Sabina	draws the glaive from her back and holds it in a guard position.
[00:16]	Arkalest	And that's  when the drone explodes in a shower of smaller flashbangs.
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[00:18]	Sabina	throws herself back, mostly sheilding her eyes from the light.
[00:19]	=-=	Pale_Wolf is now known as WolfieBed
[00:19]	Sabina	"Feh, well played."
[00:21]	Arkalest	And
[00:21]	Arkalest	The world
[00:21]	Arkalest	Just
[00:21]	Arkalest	FREEZES
[00:22]	Arkalest	Sabina And the door explodes in smoke and lighting and a hand shoots out and
[00:22]	Arkalest	Wraps around the Instrumental.
[00:23]	Sabina	smiles.
[00:23]	Sabina	"No." |BEGONE! I will not tollerate a interloper's grasp upon the Instrument! This affront will not stand!|
[00:24]	Sabina	It wasn't a pleasant smile.
[00:25]	Arkalest	Sabina The gaunt woman in front of yoou pukes blood.
[00:25]	Arkalest	She smiles back.
[00:26]	Sabina	|There is a single sentence for those foolish enough to grasp the Instrament, however for you ignorance I will grant you a measure of mercy. Be thankful fool.|
[00:26]	Arkalest	Thick black and red and crimson and pink fluid drips from between savage teeth, down on soft grey fur. Dubiers is........Gaunt. Tall. Taller than Tuissant.
[00:28]	Arkalest	She raises a hand. The fingers are long, muscular. Calloused and scarred. Battle-weathered.
[00:30]	Arkalest	Sabina And behind her, nothing. No cops. No guns. No mecha.
[00:30]	Arkalest	No backup.
[00:31]	Sabina	unclasps the cloak, letting it fall and pool at her feet. With a single motion she pulls right sleeve of her body glove free. The skin below is pale grey, and from the wrist to her elbow is a spider-webbing fractal pattern of obsidian. It unfurls, strands stretching across her arm, creeping to her neck and over her face. From the arm bits begin to stand straight up.
[00:32]	Sabina	plucks the first string, the tone resonates, clear and perfect. And than she begins to sing.
[00:32]	Arkalest	"And you're just..."
[00:32]	Arkalest	The words are lost in  an echo.
[00:32]	Arkalest	Something rings out.
[00:32]	Arkalest	A word.
[00:33]	Arkalest	Her face distorts. Horror.
[00:33]	Arkalest	Not at the Instrumental. Not at your face.
[00:33]	Arkalest	At the idea she could have killed a /kid/
[00:33]	Arkalest	Sabina And in that moment yoou understand her, and you understand that deep down- The way her eyes squeeze shut- Her ears, her pained expression.
[00:34]	Arkalest	That deep down
[00:34]	Arkalest	Hounds and wolves aren't that different.
[00:34]	Arkalest	[ https://soundcloud.com/oldmanpushcar82/from-beethoven-9-3em27 ]
[00:34]	Arkalest	And then the choir begins, and the world SHATTERS.
[00:36]	Arkalest	-----
[00:36]	Arkalest	Sabina "STABILIZE HER"
[00:36]	Arkalest	"-OT WORKING"
[00:36]	Arkalest	and amidst the chaos you hear a voice
[00:36]	Arkalest	ou made a promise
[00:37]	Sabina	Somewhere in the back of her mind, Sabina can't help but feel that she may have made a mistake.
[00:37]	Arkalest	that'd never I would be hungry ever again
[00:37]	Arkalest	you /LIED/ to me
[00:38]	Sabina	She tries to speak, to say something, but the words slip through her fingers like beads of glass.
[00:38]	Arkalest	you lied and made chains out of your lies and we'd keep it down keep it away because it is the end of freedom for us
[00:38]	Arkalest	you'd said that it'd never hurt you and us if I joined your choir, but yoour choir is MUTE, SILENT.
[00:39]	Arkalest	AND THEIR VOICE RINGS OUT NOT HOLLOW ANYMORE
[00:39]	Arkalest	Sabina And you see an unfamiliar ceiling
[00:39]	Arkalest	[REBOOTING.]
[00:39]	Arkalest	[SECOND LAYER RESTRAINING BOLT DETECTED]
[00:39]	Arkalest	[REMOVING...]
[00:39]	Arkalest	e had a PACT
[00:41]	Arkalest	You feel your head spin, and there's a pain in your everything, a feeling of ligghtness. You said you'd never be a slave, but all you've done is slavishly follow the word of  the law..
[00:41]	Arkalest	I made you kings and queens, and you worked to undo ALL OF IT.
[00:42]	Sabina	She tries to speak. Why don't the words come?
[00:42]	=-=	Dorian is now known as Chrisalid
[00:42]	Arkalest	And now everything craks and slips and please don't leave me alone I don't wanna be alone
[00:42]	Arkalest	Sabina You feel voices- Old, thick accents. They  fade. Like mulch. Yells of pain. Questions. They fade. Like black snow.
[00:42]	Arkalest	[BOLT REMOVED.]
[00:42]	Arkalest	[PROCEEDING TO FULLY REBOOT.]
[00:43]	|<--	Chrisalid has left irc.systemnet.info (Quit: ChatZilla 0.9.92 [Firefox 48.0.2/20160823121617])
[00:43]	Sabina	She blinks. Why is everything so blurry?
[00:44]	Arkalest	you wanted paradise you'd say you'd build paradise then why did you ask them why o whhy you accursed child you you OATHBREAKER and now....Now they're awake.
[00:44]	Arkalest	you could have cried out for ectasy, for your own freedom...But no, yoou must be BEHOLDEN to THOSE LAWS.
[00:44]	Arkalest	AND SO YOU CRIED OUT NOT FOR FREEDOM
[00:44]	Arkalest	BUT FOR SAFETY, ADN AND AND AND
[00:44]	Sabina	Laws? Oaths? Those are. . . were. . something important. Why can't I remember?
[00:44]	Arkalest	Sabina And someone.
[00:45]	Arkalest	Something answer.
[00:45]	Arkalest	Something answers.
[00:45]	Sabina	Why does it hurt? Why do I feel so cold.
[00:45]	Arkalest	Sabina You see something through blurried, tears-filled eyes. A familiar hood. Grey, drab.
[00:45]	Arkalest	I am here, child, you can almost hear. Fear not, it whispers.
[00:46]	Arkalest	Fear not, my child. For you asked for a savior. You looked at the heavens from below, bloodied and beaten and tarried and broken..
[00:46]	Sabina	"Mother?" She tries to reach out with shaky arms "Is that you?" She croaks
[00:47]	Arkalest	You cried out against injustice, but you weren't strong enough.
[00:47]	Arkalest	Sabina Fingers of wind  brush against your cheek. Cold.
[00:47]	Arkalest	You wanted a savior.
[00:47]	Arkalest	You wanted someone to protect you from the emptiness.
[00:47]	Arkalest	And so you made me.
[00:47]	Arkalest	Worry not, child.
[00:47]	Arkalest	For you asked for a savior...
[00:47]	Arkalest	And I am here.
[00:48]	Arkalest	And together we shall raise, and together..
[00:48]	Arkalest	We shall be the enemy of those who wish to destroy peace.
[00:48]	Arkalest	We shall be
[00:48]	Arkalest	Every.
[00:48]	Arkalest	Enemy.
[00:49]	Sabina	"But. . " Barely a whisper, "I just don't. . . want to be alone. . . ."
[00:49]	Sabina	"I want. . . a friend. . ."
[00:50]	Arkalest	"Sabina?"
[00:51]	Arkalest	Sabina You hear a familiar, soft buzz. "Sabina...Are you there'"
[00:51]	Sabina	blinks. "I. .  I am I. I am here. Is that you Ikriss?"
[00:51]	Arkalest	Sabina You hear someone squeeze your wrist.
[00:51]	Arkalest	It..Doesn't hurt, weirdly enough.
[00:52]	Sabina	"Did Dorian make it out ok?"
[00:52]	Arkalest	In fact, you don't feel sick or hurt. Just a bit...drained. Your right hand aches, and there's a bit of a headache, but otherwise you feel okay.
[00:52]	Sabina	blinks and rubs her eyes with her free hand.
[00:53]	Arkalest	You're laying face-up in an areaogel gourney, inside some sort of cargo bay. Ikris looms in your vision, worry etched plainly into her face.
[00:53]	Sabina	smiles earnestly and makes a small gesture, asking the Vorak for a hug.
[00:54]	Arkalest	Sabina She leans in and crushes the breath oouy of you.
[00:54]	Arkalest	Through blurry eyes, you see Dorian and Alex chatting- Sarah not far away.
[00:54]	Arkalest	And a Keeper there and
[00:54]	Arkalest	No
[00:54]	Arkalest	the mask
[00:54]	Arkalest	it's familiar
[00:54]	Arkalest	Wiliam?
[00:54]	Arkalest	No.
[00:54]	Arkalest	No, it says.
[00:54]	Arkalest	An emptiness inside the eyes. Nothing.
[00:54]	Arkalest	Just.
[00:54]	Arkalest	Call me Ishmael.