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Strider

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  1. Strider
    "I had no idea. Hmm. The Neo-Anarchist's Guide to Real Life? I very much doubt that they'll be able to answer all my questions in a single magazine, but I'll take a look before assaulting you with further questions." Edmond took a glance at the magazine that he had been ignoring in his hand, and stared at the cover. He carefully opened it and began to read, skimming over the articles that seemed less than relevant. What is in the magazine?
  2. Strider
    "And here, I thought we had finished," Shelly muttered, shifting her feet slightly as she took in their puzzling surroundings. She was almost certain that this wasn't their graduation ceremony; such things were widely publicized, and often attracted a significant crowd. She had been prepared to see her parents, though she hadn't quite prepared what she wanted to say. Their efforts were the reason she was here, and would hopefully pave the way towards, if not wealth, then at least success in life. She owed them a great debt, and wished to convey her gratitude properly. Another test. I guess they just can't believe that so many actually made it through. Come on, it's just one more hurdle to clear. Confident that she would know when the task began, Shelly stared down at the small circle encompassing her feet. This situation was completely unfamiliar to her, so she began to test her limits. She tried jumping, to see if the circle disappeared when her feet left the ground. She then stretched her legs apart to see if the circle would stretch with them. As a final test, she sat down on the floor, lifting her feet into the air.
  3. Strider
    Becoming rather exasperated, Edmond asked pointedly. "What is Aztechnology? You still have not explained that satisfactorily. What is the book? How did these people get ahold of it, and what type of security will we need to get through?" He was about rattle off another string of questions, but quickly thought better of it. "If you don't know enough, at least tell us this: when will the laughing man be here? He will know, right?"
  4. Strider
    Turning back to Solomon, Halley, and Katsuo, Edmond spoke. "Well, it appears that Theo has gotten himself into a slight bit of trouble...do you think we should help him? The audience looks rather rough..." With a slight hint of exasperation, he sighed. "If not, Solomon, could you please explain everything you know?" "About why we're here that is," he clarified.
  5. Strider
    To hell with this. Sense had held back his frustration long enough. Damn this effeminate boy, and his oversized magical cannon. Sense hadn't seen this side of Ansuz before, but there had always been something off about him; Sense had just thought it to be the awkwardness of his slightly too feminine appearance and demeanor. "Well, I certainly won't be handling negotiations in the future," he grumbled under his breath. Fighting seemed to be the chosen course now. With a slight effort, Sense did his best to send forth a burst of wind. Ansuz was already being overwhelmed, and any sort of sensory distraction could assist in his defeat.
  6. Strider
    "I know absolutely nothing about aztechnology. Why would I? And secondly, if there were something I could do that could save many people, yes, I would give my life. I'm here, aren't I? That must count for something...also, could you tell me a bit about this? How much it's worth, what sort of gun it goes to, that type of thing?" He held out the clip of bullets he had found earlier. Edmond scowled at the sudden surge of music from out in the club. It was Theo who fights with music, right? Edmond stood up and made his was over to the door, and opened it to take a look. Edmond shows clip of bullets to Solomon, and opens the door back to the club.
  7. Strider
    There he stood, fear and hesitation evident in his face and his tone. Sense felt no pity. Here was the 'man' who had betrayed them, who had ambushed them without warning. And here he came, offering surrender as an option. To what end? Why, either to gloat over them and torture them when they had been properly shackled, or to keep them as hostages until Merlin arrived. There could be no other reason. If there had been some other half-formed thought present in Ansuz' mind, it would simply have been a delusion, and Ansuz would, in the end, resort to the two options that Sense could imagine. The people around him were equally torn and confused. Sense took a step forward, and raised his hands carefully to the side of his head, an obvious gesture of peace and good will. He tilted his head up and met Ansuz eyes. "What do you want from us?" Sense spoke, careful to keep an even tone, even inserting a slight quaver, masking his rage as best he could. "We never tried to hurt you, and yet you have forsaken us, and tried to kill us. Why? Was anything we ever did that could warrant such retribution? Any cruelty we inflicted upon you that could deserve this attack?" "No, I think not. But if we had done you some evil, it would not be worth the death or enslavement of all those here. Perhaps you were hurt in some manner..." Here Sense stopped, and collected himself for the difficult words. "And if I was ever responsible for your pain, I wholeheartedly apologize. I have never borne a grudge or any ill will against you." There. The words were out. Perhaps they were even true, but Sense hated those utterances nonetheless. "So I ask again: What do you want from us? You tell us to surrender, but what would it mean to surrender? Would we be consigned to live out the remainder of our days in a cage? Would we be bound in servitude to a cruel master? Would we bartered as hostages to imprison Merlin? Or is this simply a method of dissuading resistance so that we might be slaughtered all the more easily?" Sense spent every vestige of his will to keep his face free from the hate he felt, to preserve the frightened, timid appearance that he so desperately required. "We who considered ourselves your friends have a right to know. We have a right to know the consequences of our actions, and why you have done this to us." Sense concluded his speech the slightest twitch of a finger, sending a burst of emotion out. Guilt.
  8. Strider
    "Please tell. It would be nice to know what we're here for...preferably with some more detail than the laughing man gave. His explanation was quite inadequate..." Edmond took the proffered magazine with a shrug. I'll take a look later.
  9. Strider
    "No, I didn't intent to get a drink. I went up for information, and I got some, in addition to the unexpected drink. Basically the bartender knows a little about the laughing man, that guy we met on the street. When I asked, he directed me over here. I'm guessing the man will be here soon then? And I also found out what this is." He held out the credstick for Halley to inspect, turning it over to reveal all sides of the mundane plastic implement. "It contains the currency. Called Nuyen? Anyway, we have about eleven hundred on here. I'm still not entirely sure what that will buy, but it seems pretty decent." Edmond noticed Solomon flipping though his book. "Solomon, you have access to pretty much any book, right? So could you conjure up a book that would give me a decent background on this world? Also, could you get a copy of the Edwin & Sell Physical Science Primer? It would help someone I know understand my world a bit better."
  10. Strider
    "Well, I didn't actually order it, to be frank. I asked the man how much was on the credstick, and he just served me. That's not really what I'm interested in though. You seem to know a bit about the currency, so tell me: how much would this be worth in gold? How much of a year's pay at minimum wage would it be?" He lifted the glass to his nose, and took a sniff. He hesitantly took a sip. It's certainly good quality... Edmond glanced over at Halley, who seemed thoroughly disoriented. He turned his gaze back to Solomon, and noted his posture. He's comfortable...he knows the currency, and seems familiar with the laughing man. Whether or not he admits it, he knows more than us. "Solomon, are you certain you've never been here before?"
  11. Strider
    Edmond slowly sat down on the sofa next to Halley, and peered inquisitively at Solomon. "He did say that...How did you know?" He has a drink...so he paid for it somehow. "You know a bit about life here, right? I see you got yourself a drink...so how much is eleven hundred nuyen worth? Also, is this an unusually expensive drink? The bartender mentioned it being real alcohol..." He held out the drink for inspection.
  12. Strider
    Edmond smiled, slightly bemused, and took the credstick and the drink. "I have absolutely no idea why he wants us. In any case, thank you." So this is a credstick, and has 1100 nuyen? I'm unfamiliar with the currency...so this is probably an alternate earth, not simply a past earth. He said 'real alcohol' like it was something special...so this is probably fairly expensive? He wound his way through the club, delicately threading his way between the throngs, until he came to the small room housing some familiar faces. Halley seemed to have observed this clandestine meeting place immediately, for she was already immersed in conversation...with Solomon?? How'd he get here, I wonder... There was another man, quite young, possibly not even of age yet. He too was familiar; he had been present during the fights, though Edmond had not seen him once since then. He looked entirely miserable, and somewhat restless; and he seemed to be brooding in silence. Hmm. I don't know his name...I'll need to ask later. For now though... "Solomon. Good evening! What a surprise to see you here. So we're here on some sort of mission from "the laughing man"? Do you know anything of importance? I'm assuming you've managed to pick up some small bit of information since you arrived here."
  13. Strider
    They were out of the room. Sense hesitated as he made his exit, glancing down at Gypsy. He could probably carry him, being tall and somewhat fit. However, Bartek was built like a mountain, and would carry Gypsy with great ease. Bellona, even, would suffice, judging by how completely she had destroyed the door. So Sense passed him by. He felt rather cold-hearted to just pass by as the man moaned slightly on the ground, but it was simple logic. Someone would get Gypsy, someone more suited to it. Sense carefully followed Forge's creations, keeping alert for anything suspicious on each side as he made his way over the the exit. He halted next to the door uncertain. It was entirely possibly that their assailants had cut off their escape. He went through his options. A quick teleportation outside and then back in? No. If there was an enemy there, they would either be prepared, and attack the moment he appeared, or they weren't prepared, they would be after Sense made his presence known. Even just peeking his head out could be fatal. It would be best to just wait.
  14. Strider
  15. Strider
    As the customers ahead of Edmond made their orders and the distance bewteen him and the bar diminished, he reached into his pocket and removed the small black plastic pen-like device, and turned it over in his fingers. Some sort of payment device? Hmm. There were no markings of any sort visible to Edmond. Nothing to indicate how much value it has... When his turn arrived, he approached the bar. "Good Evening. I came here to meet someone? He didn't tell me his name, but he had red hair, and spoke in riddles...Do you by any chance know where I could find him?...Also, could you tell me how much is on this thing here?" He held out the pen-like object to the bartender. Edmond tries to find out how much money is stored in the item.
  16. Strider
    I certainly think this could be a lot of fun. Will probably be fairly edgy, but depending on how it's done, that won't be a bad thing.
  17. Strider
    "Bartek's right. We're unprepared. They have the jump on us, and the advantage. This trap was set for us. If we retreat, we may come out of this yet. We may even be able to draw our enemy after us." Bartek had a good head on his shoulders. He was surely right in worrying about Merlin. Could there be any doubt that Ansuz the apostate had something in store for Merlin? No. There was no doubt. Bellona was acting out, becoming troublesome. "You heard Gypsy, didn't you? We need to get out!"
  18. Strider
    Edmond, having failed to uncover the face he was searching for, made his way over to the bar. He peered over the counter, reading the labels on the bottles, searching for any familiar words or insignia. It'd probably be best to have something to order... He was however, acquainted with none of these brands and their signature liquors. He tapped his finger on the bar, and realized that he'd just have to ask. He wandered to the back of the line, and listened to what the customers ahead of him ordered, paying particular attention to the larger drinks. The alcohol will be less concentrated in those. Hopefully. Edmond was not accustomed to, nor was he comfortable with drinking in places like this. He preferred to drink in peace and privacy, with a few close friends. He would, however, have to make do. Edmond listens in on the orders of the customers ahead of him.
  19. Strider
    Edmond stepped over the threshold, and was greeted by some fairly pleasant music. He edged his way between presumed regulars, both human and distinctly nonhumanoid, and made his way to a somewhat central location from which he could search the club. He slowly spun around, scanning the faces for the man they had met on the street. Now where is he? He'll be here, right? Edmond scans the bar
  20. Strider
    Well. That was an utter failure. Sense scowled, as he heard the order to retreat. It made sense and would probably keep them alive, but it was a reaction, not an attack, not something that would give them back the edge. They should have expected this, should have predicted their enemy. They knew Ansuz had left. It was a betrayal to all of them. Sense began to concentrate for another attack. He should have expected something like this! Gypsy was alive at least. That was one good thing. He sent another off two more splinters, and another flicker of emotion. A bit of indifference to cancel out the adversary's urgency. It might slow him only a fraction of a second, though with luck, it might do a fair bit more. But luck was not something to count on. "Bartek! Bellona! Get out!"
  21. Strider
    Sense inwardly cursed himself--and Bellona. They had both made mistakes, possibly disastrous ones, and now Gypsy was in a bad situation. The cabinet had been an obvious trap, and Sense had gone over, and just tried to open it. With as much foolhardy arrogance as possible. Bartek had created a barrier; that was good at least. Sense snatched some of the splinters from Bellona's demolition project. They needed to get Gypsy out, and he wouldn't be much good for that. "I've got some cover coming up. Someone get Gypsy!" He took shelter in the door frame, and concentrated, launching the splinters down the hall. It was nothing terribly dangerous by anyone's standards. It would be easily blocked. But immediately afterwards, he sent off two bursts of emotion. The first was confusion. The attacker would already be somewhat confused at being attacked with relatively harmless flying splinters, and this would hopefully bolster that existing feeling to the point where they might put some extra effort into a barrier. Second was fear. Slightly irrational, but hopefully justified by the confusion that the attacker would feel. These were some of the most primitive emotions, some of the most powerful when dealing with unknown attackers. Other emotions were more effective depending on the situation, but Sense didn't really have time for anything more sophisticated. After he done this, he hurriedly scooped up some more splinters.
  22. Strider
    A crash. A raucous din as Bellona violently removed the the door from its frame. The sound echoed down the hall, and people would not be long in coming. But they had been told to be the distraction, serve as bait, act the sacrifice for Merlin while she did what she did best. Sense made his way over, crunching splinters beneath his feet. He peered in, and stepped over the threshold. It seemed almost entirely vacant, save a few suspicious cabinets in the corner. Metal was suspicious. Someone must have wanted to hide something. What could it be? Sense took one last look down the hall to assure himself that all was still clear. "Could you tell me if you see anyone in the hall while I'm in here, Bartek? These things here won't open easily..." Nevertheless, he made his way over to the cabinet and tugged.
  23. Strider
    It was somewhat unusual for Sense to be outmatched in terms of height. However, it was quite obvious that Bartek had the edge over him, and his stature was further supported by his imposing bulk. It was somewhat refreshing in a way, not to tower over everyone. Bartek's attitude was a nice change of pace too. There had been far too little cheerfulness of late. Bellona was a little odd, somewhat shy, or at least subdued. But she was also capable of delivering massive pain, judging by her role on the team. It was an interesting juxtaposition, but it made no real difference. Whether she was unusually meek or not, he would be working to support her from behind. Charity and Gypsy were both familiar to him, even to the point of considering them friends. Gypsy in particular was just a fun guy to be around. Forge...well, he couldn't say much about Forge. She seemed like a reasonable person, and had had a bit of difficulty keeping still earlier, but there was nothing else he could really comment on. Merlin was in position. As the team entered the hall, Bartek and Bellona leading, Sense peered into the laboratories. A chill, then an involuntary shudder. He saw children, presumably the subjects of some malicious experimentation. Many of the rooms had them. Test groups, trials, treatments...it was sickening. He halfheartedly tugged at one of the door handles. It was unlikely to open, but if it did, the room could provide them with some cover.
  24. Strider
    So...subtlety...This is going to fail spectacularly. With little to no knowledge of the culture, Edmond settled upon feigning inebriation. Hopefully an discrepancies between his actions and those which were socially acceptable could be covered by the illusion of drunkenness. He stumbled forwards, to where a point where the intimidating man stood towering above him. He began to mumble, exaggerating his arm movements. "Hey...howsit goin man? I harly eva see ya now...backwhen Davidson worked here ah got in all the time...Come on man, lemme in..." Hopefully that would be sufficient. Edmond had tried to emphasize the slurs to get the desired words out. Now it was time to trust to hope.
  25. Strider
    Edmond stood gaping, utterly bemused. Invading a sovereign nation? For a book? I'm going to need more information... "Alright then, I suppose. We'll discuss this more there?" Head north to the bar.
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