Strange Visitor (IC)

[Ari]

306582.6 Galactic Time, mid-evening

Lor Republic core space, G'Nüzz system, G'Nüzz II, Ahri-Bodhi Megaplex

 

The Black Hole would have looked pretty good to the average Terrestrian, with its gleaming silver furnishings, high ceiling, low volume of music and talk, generously-stocked bar, energetic staff, sections with varied lighting and entire sealed compartments for differently-atmosphered patrons.

 

To the Voidrunners it looked like an utter dump. The bar's liquids were a subtly unhealthy shade(its gases and solids were no better), the low volume was on account of the crowd of various beings carrying out business of various legalities. 

 

The staff had the telltale signs of being blissed out of their minds and likely on their third consecutive all-diurnal shift.

 

But the hygenic needs of hundreds of varying life-forms meant that even the worst places had a spotless santitation record. Anyone trying to buy their way to one was tragically never seen again. Universal health care was a deserved point of pride in the Republic, but nobody wanted to take any chances.

 

However, the Voidrunners were here specifically to take a chance. Which did not include not taking a secluded booth.

 

 

"...So, that's the story. Near as I can tell, it's here, got it?"

Her tail lashing restlessly behind her, Loma Slife pointed to the lonely cluster at the fringe of civilized space. Even in the generous dimensions of the bar, the rogue Chorna had to stoop a little, but was no less a looming, menacing sight. With her bulging muscles and vicious spines and thick hide,  it was easy to forget that she needed weapons at all, let alone that she could summon them to her side with a thought.

 

Slumping back into the seat and propping up her legs on the foursome's table, her feet resting on the next one, the fearsome bounty hunter inspected her massive hands "This thing, officials call it the "Visitor", far as I know it's not got much punch. Just gets around everything, can hide anywhere, and hitting it is a s*n' **k and a half. So I say we team up, go in, flush the thing out and I help bag it, get the picture?" 

 

Swiping Ruby's mug, Loma downed half of it, paused, and spat its contents on the floor. Grimacing, the bounty hunter went on "Since this thing is from the Swarm, no non-mentato but me's ever made a dent in that nano-cloud 'o mystery, and everyone ELSE is after it too, I think it's only fair I get half of the ः120 billion credit reward, while you Voidies split the sixty billion amongst yourselves. Dunno what bills you got, but that should pay 'em off pretty nicely, know what I'm sayin'?"

 

Her hands busy supporting her crested head, her spiny tail reached out to each of the Voidrunners in turn.

[Darksider42]

Ruby was starting to wonder if this was a bad idea. Loma Silfe did not really strike her as being on the up and up. At least in comparison to other assorted intergalactic mercenaries and bounty hunters roaming the frontier. The fact she went as snatched her drink right from her hands was enough to earn a glare. Still it was a lot of credits and whatever the hell it was had ties to the Swarm. Anyone dealing with that deadly cloud of nanites was gonna get a reputation boost. "What else have you go on this thing anyway?" She asked. Know your prey and you can take it down. 

[Ari]

GM

 

Loma's snicker and eye-roll spoke volumes, but she condescended to add "If I knew more'n that, you think I wouldn't have already trapped this thing? Nobody knows hardly anything about this 'Visitor', Voxx, that's why the reward's so high, get the holo?"

 

"Nobody even knows if the standard Niralnite cages will contain it, but so far it's not gotten closer'n it needs to those, so I'm willing to take a risk on that. Like I am on you people. Clear?"

 

Swinging her legs off the table with a grace that belied her size and bulk, Slife drummed her heavy claws on the wall, watching the rest of the Voidrunners in case there were any further questions.

[TheAbsurdist]

Bliss' people had limited facial expressions, a lot of their subtle cues were based on the infrared patterns on their skin, and the pheromones they gave off.  Other races did too, but their sense of smell generally sucked.  She shook her head and then she moved on in, folding her arms across her chest as she looked up at Loma.  "I don't like you."  It was rare she said that, but with Loma, she wanted it clear.  The smell, the look, the feel of her.  She knew the type.  She knew this one would backstab them to save her skin, and probably to make sure she got the guul'xat's share of the score.

 

"Why us?"  It was a simple question, but one that needed an answer.

[Ari]

GM

 

"'Why you'? Hah! 'Cause maybe you're useful, you think?"

 

Loma looked sieways at Ruby, a feat made much easier by the broad placement of her eyes.

 

"You see that big guy when you came in? Kogar, remember? Looked like a hillock of muscle and horns?" The seemingly omnipresent Mattiden would have been hard to miss, even if he hadn't bothered to quietly greet the Voidrunners and smiled the smile of one professional to others, quirking one ponderous mound of scarred rust-coloured hide at his oblivious and voluble client.

 

"I don't need anyone like that, you knowy why?" Loma's condescending smile disappeared for a tragically short time "Because you bring muscle when you know what you're up against, you bring smarts, guile, unconventional tools when you're hunting a guldik in the dark. Figuratively speaking, you know not to do that, right?" 

 

The impressively chairable smile came back "You can always back out, kid. Plenty of other mercies who'd kill to have your spot. But you know that too, right?"

[Brown Dynamite]

Roulette smiled.  "Everyone likes to think they're exclusive clientele.  But, Lady we're the ones with the value here.  And Bliss, well I trust her gut.  Which makes me think there's something you're holding out on us. Playing it safe and since we're doing the Krunark's share of the work.  We should get the larger part of the split.  Seventy - Thirty.  Mercs would kill to have our spot, sure.  But, they'd sooner kill your prize too.  You want results, not just guile, you call the Voidrunners.  But, you already knew that."

 

Roulette hadn't formed a strong opinion on Loma yet.  You couldn't walk a few feet in the Khanate without finding her type.  But, you don't get in this line of business because you're looking to rub elbows with the most respectable members of society.  No, everyone was in it for a payday.  Nothing more.

[Ari]

GM

 

Loma fumed, but after glaring a side-eye at Roulette for a while begrudgingly said "Fine. The sotz if that isn't still a better deal than if I was just hauling around muscle. You're not afraid to press,that's the kind of attitude I need anyway."

 

Snorting, the Chorna glared at Bliss and Ruby, devoting an eye to each "As for what I ain't saying, it's what I don't know. What nobody knows. No clue what it looks like, any of that. Just know it's probably a silver blob and real sharp, like  monocule-blade sharp, nobody can get a clear eye or a holo or even a cambot on it. That's our job."

 

"Unless you think you need anything for the hunt, we're flitting soon as we can."

[Ari]

GM

 

As there was evidently no such need, the Voidrunner was soon soaring through the endless night, its usual crew and the new addition of Loma Slife's menacing bulk hurtling towards the distant rock where the Visitor was thought to be.

 

As soon as they entered the system, it was obvious that this hadn't been one of the Coalition's victories. Derelicts still spun gently, mostly Lor Space Navy vessels, but here and there civilian ships and, at the center of a field of debris, a dead Communion needleship, about a tenth of the size of the ships which had fallen bringing it down.

 

The planet, under the wan blue sun that was isolated, remote GH-250, didn't look much better. Endstone's only real importance was as a finagling chip to keep pressure on a weak stretch of the Grue Unity's border, and the slate-grey world with its small blue seas and vast ice caps had never been hospitable even before it was overtaken by the Communion.

 

Landing was easy enough, the world had been in the process of reformation, its very surface restructuring to get rid of unnecessary troughs and peaks that might have affected the performance of the node. However, in the final death-knell of the great mind of the nano-plague, the shock had sent massive spires hurtling into the air and torn open canyons around the placid sterility of the plains. Coming out of the ship was like walking into a dreamscape of blank rock and towers and rivers of metal. Under the blue sun and clouded sky, the devastation and horror was almost beautiful.

 

Ignoring the sight, Loma shouldered her Grue proto-rifle, saying as she marched into the gloomy expanse "It should be somewhere around here. The sun's too weak to give it the energy it needs for space travel or flight configurations...at least that's the theory. Let's flush this thing out, bag it and go home. Place gives me the creeps..."