[21:05] <~MGS_GM> IDEX; the world's largest weapons convention and exhibition, also called 'Weap-con' by some enthusiasts, was essentially a large chunk of Dubai's beachfront handed over to arms manufacturers, mercenaries, gun runners, and anyone else who happened to have money and dealt in the distribution and use of all manner of deadly force. The group would manage to arrive as the opening ceremonies were
[21:05] <~MGS_GM> going on; parades of tanks and UGs moving in expensive columns up and down the runway and specialized platforms on the docks while tents were erected by IFVs and people crowded around convention centers and outdoor ranges.
[21:07] <Alexi-> "Perhaps we should look into buying some UGs for support while we are here."
[21:07] <~MGS_GM> AR displays cheerily blasted information and directions alongside advertisements throughout the area, and helicopters were constantly landing and taking off from one of the many pads that had been turned over for attendees and exhibitors alike.
[21:08] <~MGS_GM> "I need as much muscle tissue as you can carry!" Zelda volunteered.
[21:09] <@Jason-> "I guess we'll see who's selling it discounted."
[21:09] <Daisy_> "We can just buy muscle tissue?"
[21:09] <Daisy_> "I don't want discount muscle tissue."
[21:09] <@Jason-> "For the UGs."
[21:09] <@Jason-> "synthetic muscle tissue."
[21:10] <@Jason-> "If it's like last year there'll only be one muscle tissue supplier."
[21:10] <@Jason-> "Well, one that's the kind Zelda wants."
[21:10] <@Jason-> "And show rates are usually reasonable."
[21:11] <Alexi-> "Define reasonable in Dubai."
[21:12] <@Jason-> "They're technically foreign merchants."
[21:12] <@Jason-> "And I think there's a tax write-off or something for this."
[21:12] <@Jason-> "Damien can explain the whole thing, I was half listening to it."
[21:13] <@Jason-> "But it's a big gun show."
[21:13] <Winter-> "I wonder if they got anything to show off in cybernetics."
[21:13] * @Jason- starts looking at some of the more prominent AR banners.
[21:15] * Mary_W scoffs
[21:15] <~MGS_GM> "Weapons convention exhibitors are expected to make a downpayment of taxable goods, but after a certain number they start turning a larger profit than if they were selling with a tax cost applied." Damien explained over codec. "basically you're better off not buying anything on the first day or two of the convention. By the last day these people are practically giving away their wares because
[21:15] <~MGS_GM> shipping and storage taxes for unsold merchandise is absolutely murderous around here."
[21:16] * GuyDroid_Incognito (~androirc@958E25E4.F2846319.E611030F.IP) has joined #epicfail
[21:16] * GuyDroid_Incognito is now known as Annie_
[21:18] <Alexi-> "So window shop for a few days, understood."
[21:18] <@Jason-> "Let's see what the new big thing is this year."
[21:18] <~MGS_GM> The AR banners advertised various exhibitors; ArmsTech was the largest one, followed by several major manufacturers of war materiel such as UGs, and several prominent PMCs were also advertised, most notably Outer Heaven, which always did very well recruiting at these events.
[21:19] <@Jason-> "Valeria, did you ever go to any of these?"
[21:20] <~MGS_GM> "Once, under... ehh... coercion." Valeria replied.
[21:20] <@Jason-> "You're going to have to go into greater detail."
[21:22] <~MGS_GM> "Keeping, eh, appearances." She added. "showing off armor."
[21:23] <@Jason-> "In what way? Should we swing by the Outer Heaven Booth?"
[21:25] * Annie_ looks around at the latest cybernetics research.
[21:25] <Mary_W> "If you want to get recognized, maybe
[21:27] <Alexi-> "I agree, seems like we may want to avoid that."
[21:28] <~MGS_GM> The cybernetics research on display was purely for weaponized components; UGs, showcased weaponized limbs or attachments.
[21:28] <~MGS_GM> A lot of it looked either impractical or pointless.
[21:28] <Daisy_> "This future stuff is all bullshit."
[21:28] <Mary_W> "Luddite"
[21:29] * Winter- would go off with Annie, the cyborg wearing that nice coat and gloves she had bought in Germany, along with some cheap (relatively for the city) sunglasses.  "Gotta have proof of concept or whatever, right?  Show that this stuff can be feasible in a few years or a decade."
[21:30] <@Jason-> "It's not like they can make a public scene here."
[21:30] <@Jason-> "Shooting up a convention's going to hurt everyone involved."
[21:30] <Mary_W> "Especially us, I imagine."
[21:32] <Alexi-> "Sure, but they'll know to look for us in surrounding area outside of convention."
[21:32] <@Jason-> "Well, we have a couple days."
[21:33] * @Jason- checks the schedule of events for anything interesting.
[21:33] * Annie_ looks through the booths curiously, she wonders if anything around is close to being as advanced as Winter.
[21:34] * Alexi- has a look at the UGs available
[21:35] <@Jason-> "Maybe we'll see what Valeria's friends are packing, and our other 'friends'."
[21:36] <Annie_> "Still it is nice being somewhere where we won't be immediately killed."
[21:36] <@Jason-> "And now you jinxed us."
[21:37] <@Jason-> "Way to go canadian."
[21:37] <~MGS_GM> The convention was largely standard affair, there were live demonstrations, recruitment events, obstacle courses, and buffets.
[21:40] <@Jason-> "This is quite a few buffets."
[21:40] <Daisy_> "I'm not a luddite, it's just I know when a bunch of dirt farmers in caves can hold off the bloody Seppos for a decade with thirty year old AKs it's all kind of superfluous."
[21:41] <@Jason-> "Hearts and minds..."
[21:42] <Annie_> "Anything stand out for you?"
[21:44] <@Jason-> "I'm going to go see one of these live demonstrations."
[21:44] <~MGS_GM> "Seppo?" Valeria inclined her head to Daisy.
[21:44] <Winter-> "I doubt any cybernetics being sold here would be useful to me, Annie.  Cute curiosities though."
[21:45] * Daisy_ punched Jason in the shoulder "Yanks."
[21:45] <Daisy_> "Rhymes with tanks."
[21:45] <~MGS_GM> "Like Septic Tank." Jan explained.
[21:45] <Daisy_> "Shortened to Seppo. Because they're shit.'
[21:46] <~MGS_GM> "Отлично!" Valeria chuckled.
[21:47] * @Jason- pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs.
[21:48] <~MGS_GM> There was, of course, also plenty of beer.
[21:48] <~MGS_GM> Since merchants all found people tended to be quite pliable for making purchases after a few drinks.
[21:48] <~MGS_GM> There was also something on sale called "Soldier beer", with the "Beer" part of the word highlighted in red with an AR tag.
[21:49] <Daisy_> "What the bloody hell is soldier beer?"
[21:49] <@Jason-> "You can ask but don't buy anything till the show's almost over."
[21:49] <@Jason-> "Or do whatever, it's your cash."
[21:50] <Annie_> "It's probably bland and overrated."
[21:51] <Winter-> "It probably has something that lets it partially bypass the nanomachines to allow soldiers to get intoxicated."
[21:51] <~MGS_GM> highlighting the AR would explain: SOldier Beer was a special imbibed nanopack where the nanomachines carried a special program to stimulate the nanomachines in an SOP-enhanced person to simulate the effects of drinking alcohol. Someone without nanomachines would feel no effects.
[21:51] <~MGS_GM> It had the double effect of replenishing the body's nanomachines like any other nanopack, it was fairly new technology.
[21:52] <Daisy_> "Even the bloody beer's got bloody robots in it."
[21:52] <~MGS_GM> "Oh." Chloe commented over codec. "I should have thought of that."
[21:52] <Winter-> "How much of this soldier beer is available for bulk purchase?"
[21:52] <Annie_> "That's...an interesting use of SOP technology."
[21:52] <~MGS_GM> "So do you, pom." Jan jabbed Daisy's side.
[21:53] * @Jason- chuckles as he reads the sign, "Oh... this is a nightmare."
[21:53] <@Jason-> "What's next? Soldier Vodka? Soldier Mead?"
[21:54] <Alexi-> "One can hope."
[21:54] <~MGS_GM> Jason's queries were taken as a search term by the AR, which directed him to both those things a further distance into the convention.
[21:54] <Daisy_> "Yeah well if I could give em all up I would. Don't bloody need a bunch of little robots crawling around my insides. And Pom is for you British cunts."
[21:54] <@Jason-> "What does Pom mean?"
[21:55] <Daisy_> "Prisoner of her Majesty."
[21:55] <~MGS_GM> "PRisoner of her majesty." Jan pointed at Daisy. "Says the crim."
[21:56] <@Jason-> "Yeah, well... I think it's time to go try one of these beers. Where's the company from?"
[21:57] <Daisy_> "Oy, cunt. Don't talk bad about my ancestors because they got screwed over by whatever inane debtor laws existed at the time."
[21:57] <Daisy_> "They got stuck in Oz and carved the greatest bloody country on Earth out of that wasteland."
[21:58] * TwinDroid_Incignito (~androirc@A08A8306:244D2E23:CCFF3EED:IP) has joined #epicfail
[21:58] <Winter-> "I have to try this stuff, it'll probably taste like piss but no harm in trying."
[21:58] * TwinDroid_Incignito (~androirc@A08A8306:244D2E23:CCFF3EED:IP) Quit
[21:58] <~MGS_GM> "You're calling a country where Mad Max can be filmed on location the greatest on earth?" Jan laughed a little.
[21:59] <@Jason-> "Australia doesn't have a flag on the moon."
[21:59] <Daisy_> "Oh I'm sorry we've got a bloody desert. At least we get to see the sun, you know that glowing ball in the sky."
[22:00] <~MGS_GM> Soldier Beer, or "Nano beer" as it was alternately called, came in numerous programmable flavors, from the most rancid of urine to the darkest stout.
[22:00] <Winter-> "Dear Lord I think I died again but went to Heaven this time around.  Change the taste as you desire."
[22:01] <~MGS_GM> Valeria handed Daisy a stein. "Drink, fill mouth with beer, not insults."
[22:01] <Daisy_> "Now if you're all done I've got robot beer to try." she said, grabbing the flask "Bloody hell. How is the psychotic Russian so in tune with me."
[22:01] <Mary_W> "As long as she stays quiet."
[22:01] * Annie_ (~androirc@958E25E4.F2846319.E611030F.IP) Quit (Ping timeout: 240 seconds)
[22:01] * Alexi- gets some, too. "Hmm."
[22:02] * @Jason- orders a beer of higher quality flavoring and then glances back at the others, holding it up, "Well, we made it another year..."
[22:02] * Winter- gets a stein as well, making sure it's as dark as possible.  "Another year mostly intact."
[22:02] <@Jason-> "Despite all the shit that went down, I feel that we're better off than we were before."
[22:02] <~MGS_GM> OVerall it was not unpleasant, though there seemed to be something slightly off with it, a bit like the aftertaste associated with artificial sweeteners, but there was no denying the effects.
[22:04] <Daisy_> "Well." she held out her stein for a refill "I know what I'm doing."
[22:04] <Winter-> "Jason, boss, we're buying this stuff in bulk."
[22:04] <Daisy_> "Getting a bit turnt up and headin for the firing range."
[22:04] * Mary_W scowls. "You realize that someone may shoot at us, right?"
[22:04] <@Jason-> "As long as I can turn it off."
[22:05] <@Jason-> "In here?"
[22:05] <@Jason-> "We're on hallowed ground."
[22:05] <Daisy_> "Is there one here?"
[22:05] <@Jason-> "There's always a range."
[22:05] <~MGS_GM> Daisy's stein was refilled.
[22:05] <Daisy_> "I mean if I get drunk and do anything else I might get stoned to death for being a whore or something."
[22:05] <@Jason-> "If it's just nanomachine programming it can be turned off."
[22:06] <@Jason-> "I hope..."
[22:06] <~MGS_GM> "Do not worry. nanomachines keep you from shooting people." Valeria waved her hand dismissively. "UGs, walls, boxes. Acceptable casualties of drink."
[22:07] <@Jason-> "Speaking of someone noticing us, do we have any friends here?"
[22:07] <@Jason-> "Or, well. Business acquaintences."
[22:07] <Mary_W> "Some Werewolf personnel may know me."
[22:08] * @Jason- starts looking through the show leaflet while sipping his beer.
[22:09] <Mary_W> "Granted, I don't think any would ACTIVELY want to shoot me, without orders."
[22:11] <@Jason-> "You should have another beer."
[22:11] <Daisy_> "I should." she said halfway through her second
[22:12] <Mary_W> "I'm not drinking."
[22:12] <Alexi-> "Your loss."
[22:12] <~MGS_GM> Landsknechte Lösungen GmbH and Mobil'nyye Kombatanty i bezopasnosti were both present, with bootsh down in the convention center by the shooting ranges alongside most of the other PMC groups.
[22:13] <@Jason-> "Well, there's a shooting range down towards the convention floor. Shall we go check it out?"
[22:14] <@Jason-> "It'll be a bit before the vendors start rolling out their big surprises for the show anyways."
[22:14] * Daisy_ put her arm around Mary's shoulder "Mopey, you'd be a lot less mopey if you had some."
[22:14] <~MGS_GM> There were also plenty of tourists; rich europeans, british, and some americans, wandering around, clearly not noticing the AR displays, and ogling the sights.
[22:15] <@Jason-> "Or we can leave Valeria and Daisy here and see how quickly they can shut down this stall."
[22:16] <Mary_W> "Don't touch me."
[22:17] <~MGS_GM> "Beer is finite." Valeria commented.
[22:17] <~MGS_GM> "Thirst for beer is not." She concluded.
[22:18] <Daisy_> "Too late I already am." she looked back to Valeria "Jesus Christ I thought you were some robot emotionless psycopath and now I'm thinking we're soulmates."
[22:19] <Winter-> "It's not my grandfather's kvass, but it's good."
[22:20] <@Jason-> "Chloe, can we produce this stuff on the ship? I'm starting to think that no matter what we order it's going to be gone in a week."
[22:20] <@Jason-> "No, days."
[22:21] <Alexi-> "You underestimate how quickly we can drink it."
[22:22] * @Jason- finishes his beer and sets a hand on Daisy and Valeria's shoulders, "Come on, you can get more later tonight."
[22:22] <Alexi-> "Especially with those two around."
[22:22] <Winter-> "I alone would consume vast quantities if given the chance."
[22:22] <@Jason-> "This isn't oktoberfest."
[22:22] <~MGS_GM> "Probably." Chloe replied. "I mean it's just altering a nanopack."
[22:22] <Mary_W> "And we're not high schoolers."
[22:23] <@Jason-> "I'd like to think that."
[22:25] * Dolores (~Dolores@Rizon-6857FD62.socal.res.rr.com) has joined #epicfail
[22:25] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Dolores Dolores
[22:25] <@Jason-> "Come on, grab some for the road and we'll go browse around a bit."
[22:26] * Servitor-Secundus (~Sennacher@Rizon-6857FD62.socal.res.rr.com) has joined #epicfail
[22:26] <Daisy_> "Fine." she said, holding her stein out for a quick top off
[22:26] * ~MGS_GM (~Dolores@Rizon-6857FD62.socal.res.rr.com) Quit (Ping timeout: 240 seconds)
[22:26] * Sennacherib (~Sennacher@Rizon-6857FD62.socal.res.rr.com) Quit (Ping timeout: 240 seconds)
[22:26] * Dolores is now known as MGS_GM
[22:27] <~MGS_GM> the beer was topped off.
[22:27] <~MGS_GM> Valeria emptied her stein so she would not have to carry something around, and gave Jason a nod.
[22:28] <@Jason-> "Alright. Katja, have you noticed anything interesting?"
[22:28] <Alexi-> "I'm interested in what UGs they have about. New models, or whole new designs."
[22:30] <@Jason-> "Yeah, new tactical systems too."
[22:31] <@Jason-> "I wonder if anyone's trying to market something like the suit Valeria had or Zelda's new one."
[22:31] <Mary_W> "Things that are going to come try and kill us soon enough. Couldn't hurt to study their weaknesses.
[22:32] <@Jason-> "Sure."
[22:34] <~MGS_GM> "I noticed at least half the people here seem to work for one of the big five." Katja looked around.
[22:35] <@Jason-> "Businessmen or operators?"
[22:36] <Daisy_> "Called the Big Five for a reason."
[22:37] <~MGS_GM> "THey don't seem hostile, so we should be f ine." She shrugged
[22:38] <@Jason-> "I figured."
[22:38] * @Jason- checks the brochure for if the big five or Armstech were going to have a demonstration.
[22:39] <~MGS_GM> ARmstech was going to demostrate some of their new technology tomorrow, the Big Five were part of the live fire exhibition later in the day.
[22:39] <Mary_W> (ominous)
[22:40] <@Jason-> "Right, so want to head down and see what the other companies are up to? We have our friends from Landsknecht to thank for getting us out of Germany."
[22:43] <@Jason-> "Then hit a buffet and see one of these live fire exercises."
[22:43] <Mary_W> "What are they firing?"
[22:43] <Alexi-> "Good idea."
[22:44] <@Jason-> "We'll know at the show."
[22:45] * @Jason- starts heading towards the PMC booths.
[22:49] <~MGS_GM> Landsknecht operated a booth flanked by IFVs and a few squatting  UGs roughly modeled after hunting dogs or similar quadrapeds.
[22:49] <Mary_W> "So what's the story with these guys?"
[22:50] <~MGS_GM> Off ot one side was one of their artillery pieces, while an AR-assisted guide was describing in vague terms how it was used to assist in operations.
[22:51] <@Jason-> "Logistics and fire support outfit, german based."
[22:51] <~MGS_GM> "Artillery specialist PMC." Katja explained. "Very expensive, but they have a good track record."
[22:51] <@Jason-> "What kind of UGs are these?"
[22:51] * @Jason- walks over to inspect one.
[22:52] * Mary_W nods. "Freinds of yours?"
[22:53] <~MGS_GM> The UG stood and made a growling noise at Jason.
[22:53] <~MGS_GM> 1d100
[22:53] <Servitor-Secundus> MGS_GM: 27
[22:53] <~MGS_GM> Zelda called over codec at this point. "Ohh, they made them."
[22:54] <@Jason-> "Made them?"
[22:56] <~MGS_GM> "I sold the blueprints for a UG model a year ago, they must have actually started producing them." Zelda replied.
[22:57] <@Jason-> "So... what does it do?"
[22:59] <Alexi-> "Why not ask one of the owners? Probably they have modified them from base blueprints."
[22:59] <~MGS_GM> "Admiring the LQ-80 model?" A representative walked over, gesturing. "A little bit outdated now, the new 82 model has better response time, but they are excellent hunter killers." He gestured with his hands, indicating scale. "Smaller and faster than the american Gekko, capable of mounting a heavy weapon on its spine as well as a full compliment of melee weaponry to engage at high speeds and
[22:59] <~MGS_GM> in tight quarters."
[22:59] <Daisy_> "I hope you kept the rights to it, Zelda."
[23:00] <@Jason-> "How fast are we talking here?"
[23:03] <~MGS_GM> "It all boils down to response time, but their top land speed is close to 160 kph." The representative explained. "from turn to attack, also very fast, faster than most people can react."
[23:04] <@Jason-> "Impressive."
[23:04] <@Jason-> "What kind of weapons can it fit?"
[23:05] <@Jason-> "How high can it go?"
[23:05] <@Jason-> "Twenty millimeter?"
[23:06] <~MGS_GM> "Anything under thirty kilograms should be mounted without any loss in mobility, and any weapon with a trigger can be converted to fit." The man explained.
[23:08] <@Jason-> "Ah."
[23:09] <@Jason-> "Mainly geared for anti infantry, then?"
[23:12] <~MGS_GM> "Absolutely, but the modern battlefield is mostly infantry. Mobility is key, after all." He nodded.
[23:13] <~MGS_GM> Valeria sighed. "No good, starting to sober."
[23:14] <Daisy_> "Yeah, whole bunch of blah blah it moves fast and shoots things."
[23:15] <Alexi-> "What kind of sensors does it have? How advanced is its targeting system?"
[23:15] * @Jason- nods at the spokesperson. "Thanks." He glances back at Valeria, "It's a program isn't it? Can't it just be reset?"
[23:16] <~MGS_GM> "Version three chemical sniffer, and a full compact sensor package. Good enough to spot people, but perhaps not good enough to notice a mosquito at a hundred yards." They nodded.
[23:17] <~MGS_GM> "Nyet, failsafes, resale value, capitalism." Valeria looked around.
[23:19] * @Jason- raises an eyebrow, "Keeping an eye out for someone?"
[23:20] <~MGS_GM> "Da, Ocelot."
[23:21] <Winter-> "Didn't our friends at Cipher take care of most of them though?"
[23:23] <@Jason-> "Do you want like a shawl or something?"
[23:26] <@Jason-> "How are we sure he's even here?"
[23:34] <~MGS_GM> "He is here." Valeria replied with a sense of certainty.
[23:36] <@Jason-> "With half the people here being employed by the Big Five, what's the likelyhood he'll know that you're here?"
[23:37] <Daisy_> "And who cares if he knows, you're our bitch now."
[23:37] <Winter-> ,dr 43 Forbidden Lore: Shadow Moses for remembering casualty list
[23:37] <Servitor-Secundus> Winter-: 73 Failure by 3 degrees!
[23:37] <~MGS_GM> "Shalashaska is very dangerous man."
[23:38] * Winter- doesn't recall the details.
[23:39] * @Jason- let's out a sigh, "Another goes on the list."
[23:40] <Daisy_> "Shalashawat now?"
[23:41] <Alexi-> "His name in Russia."
[23:41] <Winter-> "Weren't they all killed at Shadow Moses?  I wish I had a file of that book about now."
[23:42] <@Jason-> "I think Valeria would know who their employer was."
[23:42] <~MGS_GM> "The mujahadeen gave him name, Shalashaska, it means..." Valeria gestured. "...Cruel Jailer, in your language."
[23:42] <@Jason-> "Great."
[23:43] <Daisy_> "The mujahideen fuck goats."
[23:43] <~MGS_GM> "Maybe goat fucking gives them great strength, fight Russia, not lose, very hard."
[23:43] <@Jason-> "Maybe your people should switch from sheep?" He asks Daisy.
[23:43] <~MGS_GM> "Comes from goat fucking, maybe?" Valeria was not as sober as she concerned.
[23:46] <@Jason-> "Maybe we should change the topic."
[23:46] <Daisy_> "To cheeseburgers?"
[23:46] <@Jason-> "Let's see what our other friends are up to."
[23:46] <@Jason-> "I don't think they have cheeseburgers here."
[23:46] <@Jason-> "Which is unfortunate."
[23:47] <@Jason-> "Specifically no bacon cheeseburgers."
[23:48] * Annie_ (~androirc@Rizon-747B3563.col.wideopenwest.com) has joined #epicfail
[23:49] <Alexi-> "You'll kill yourself combining all of that."
[23:50] <~MGS_GM> MKB were surrounded by russian UGs of various types, as well as weapons and ammunition packed loosely in wooden crates, belts and barrels propped up and sticking haphazardly out of their straw packaging. THey were sitting around, cleaning their rifles, and some of them looked like they had been shopping.
[23:51] <~MGS_GM> They chattered with one another about some of the things that they had been seeing; The booth seemed less formal than the neatly organized german setup of their previous meeting.
[23:51] <@Jason-> "We haven't yet touched the chili cheese fries..."
[23:52] <~MGS_GM> One of them looked over, and waved the group in. "Oh, you, you are Chernobog's boys, yes? Come here, try not to get shot."
[23:52] <Annie_> "I'm tempted to."
[23:53] * @Jason- had his hands out as if visualising the food in front of him and then snaps out of it, glancing at the MKB employees. "Is it that bad?"
[23:53] * @Jason- heads over to the booth.
[23:55] <~MGS_GM> "Sit down." The man patted a crate next to himself. "Why are you here?"
[23:57] * @Jason- glances at the others.
[23:57] <@Jason-> "Well we're here for the convention."
[23:58] * @Jason- takes a seat.
[23:59] * Winter- follows on after Jason, hands in the pockets of her coat.
[23:59] <Daisy_> little vacation
[23:59] <Daisy_> "Little vacation"
[23:59] <~MGS_GM> "Mm." The man looked unconvinced. "Maybe you know, How is Czernobog? He has never known how to relax."
[00:01] <Mary_W> "Runs in the family."
[00:02] <Alexi-> "He has never really known how to die, either."
[00:02] * @Jason- stifles a laugh, "I think he'll be fine."
[00:05] <@Jason-> "He's got a lot of free time and family around."
[00:05] <Daisy_> "His daughter's doing ap retty good job of it."
[00:05] <~MGS_GM> "I am well adjusted human being." Valeria declared, having somehow gotten her hands on more beer, which was rapidly vanishing from her person.
[00:06] <Daisy_> "Wait, where'd you get that."
[00:06] <~MGS_GM> "Ehh, well, you know." The MKB man explained. "Listen, we know y ou are not... popular, with some. But if you need anything, anything, we are" He gestured to himself, and then to the groupo. "We are your comrades."
[00:07] <~MGS_GM> "Weakling distributor of alcohol." Valeria passed Daisy a stein, drinking from her own.
[00:07] * Annie_ meanwhile seems to drift off in attention a moment scanning the area. She had suddenly remembered that crimson bird emblem on the handkerchief when it and Alexi- 's knife had been returned by Eliza.
[00:08] * @Jason- extends a hand, "Thanks for having our back, mister....?"
[00:08] * Alexi- nods to him. "We do appreciate it."
[00:10] <Winter-> "That's a very kind gesture."
[00:11] <~MGS_GM> "Melor Kuznetsov." The man shook Jason's hand.
[00:11] <Mary_W> "This seems awfully generous."
[00:11] * Daisy_ took the stein "I apologize for everything bad I said about you."
[00:12] <~MGS_GM> "We share a common kinship." Kuznetsov explained. "Even wild dogs have loyalty."
[00:12] <@Jason-> "Nice to meet you Melor. Related to the Admiral?"
[00:14] <@Jason-> "Or I guess it's one of those common enough russian names." He shrugs, "How has business been?"
[00:14] <~MGS_GM> "Nephew." Melor chuckled. "Was not easy getting into this business, he was a first a great obstacle, then a great shadow."
[00:18] <@Jason-> "What does your group specialize in?"
[00:19] <~MGS_GM> "There is always business." Melor thought, then smiled. "We are, as you say, dirty workers."
[00:20] <~MGS_GM> "You know, today, militaries, they do not want to do the killing, they do not like the the fighting and the dust and the war, they are like delicate flowers. They hire us because the blood and the dirt, they are not so bad to us."
[00:20] <~MGS_GM> "You know they flinch and run from artillery, like children. They will pay us to do the things they are scared to do."
[00:21] <~MGS_GM> "Just like, they pay men like you and Czernobog to do the things they do not want to see happen." He added.
[00:21] <Mary_W> "Heh. This guy seems to understand."
[00:23] <@Jason-> "Dirty job, but someone's got to do it."
[00:23] <Alexi-> "Good way of putting it. They want dirty work done, but not to do it themselves, or even know how. As long as job is done, that is good enough."
[00:24] <Mary_W> "He's forgetting the most important part though."
[00:24] <Mary_W> "They want someone to blame when word gets out."
[00:25] <@Jason-> "Someone get Mary a drink."
[00:26] <Daisy_> "She's not wrong." she said, holding her stein out to Mary
[00:27] <Mary_W> "I don't drink." She turned the vessel away.
[00:28] <Winter-> "You must be fun at parties."
[00:29] * Mary_W frowns at Winter. "I thought I already said we weren't in high school."
[00:30] <Daisy_> "Yes we're adults, adults drink."
[00:30] * Mary_W scoffs
[00:31] <Winter-> "Adults can have fun without acting like stupid kids.  Most of them still act like it though."
[00:31] <@Jason-> "But yes, this is the one that always states the obvious. She is swiss."
[00:31] * @Jason- explains to Melor.
[00:32] <Daisy_> "Eh don't rag on her, she's an adult she can be Mopey. I just take offense to liking alcohol and being compared to a bloody high schooler."
[00:34] <@Jason-> "So, have you heard about anything interesting about the demonstrations? What are they unveiling?"
[00:34] <~MGS_GM> "Children drink to fun, adults drink because we must." Valeria drank.
[00:35] <~MGS_GM> "New metal gear, new cyborg tech, new armor, new warship. New close support for Syria theater." Melor explained.
[00:36] <Winter-> "New Metal Gear?"
[00:36] <~MGS_GM> "Syria is now bank for all major business in area."
[00:36] <Mary_W> "Probably why we didn't go."
[00:36] <~MGS_GM> "Nyes, new metal gear, I have not seen it yet."
[00:37] <@Jason-> "Who's got the bulk of the work in the theater?"
[00:41] <~MGS_GM> "Now? Big five. Every big name mercenary, american contractors, so many, can't count." Melor waved a hand. "Everyone throws money around, nobody knows where it comes from, sometimes not even background checks. YOu want to fight? Come get paid, fire gun into the air, get contract."
[00:41] <~MGS_GM> "Actual people at war? trampled, forgotten, some fight, most die." He added.
[00:41] <@Jason-> "Sounds like chaos."
[00:43] <~MGS_GM> "Mm. War is business, war is hell,  hell becomes business." Melor looked down for a moment, scratching his cheek, and chuckled. "Maybe Lenin was right."
[00:44] <@Jason-> "Hey let's not get all commie just yet. I mean the war has to stop at some point, right?"
[00:45] <Alexi-> "One does, then another starts."
[00:46] <~MGS_GM> "You are new to region." Valeria was still drinking. "Maybe you forget Africa already."
[00:46] <~MGS_GM> "Lucky you."
[00:47] * @Jason- let's out a sigh, "I was trying to be optimistic."
[00:47] <@Jason-> "But that's not happening with this crew. In any case." He asks Melor, "Have you seen any of the big five higher-ups walking around?"
[00:50] <~MGS_GM> "MM, yes, they went out by the docks earlier." Melor nodded. "Very interested in something over there."
[00:50] <@Jason-> "That new warship?"
[00:50] <Mary_W> "Crying Wolf?"
[00:51] * Daisy_ watched Valeria drink and picked up her pace determined not to be outdone
[00:52] <~MGS_GM> "Mm, if that is that one, she was there." Melor nodded. "and Shalashaska."
[00:53] * Mary_W looks annoyed. "She may recognize me if I'm unlucky, saw her a few times in person."