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 Rabbit, already standing next to the plug with their sword out, salutes Hegentha. "Got it, boss-lady!" Then they turn and stab the thing.
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Oct 11, 2016 21:44
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 21:26 |
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 Nanin settles down to a sit at the edge of the hole, ready to drop down but not rushing into it. Eggs and baskets, after all. As the seal is popped, her eyes widen before she winces. "I hope it doesn't feel conventional pain...", she mumbles, a red haze flickering off of her for a moment. That little episode didn't exactly help her faren settle as she starts to flare up, but also tries not to let it show. She's only partly successful as she tenses, folding her arms and looking downward.
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Oct 12, 2016 04:39
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Pit Rabbit stabs the growth. Immediately more of the weak atmosphere pours out, shredding the plug in the process. More of the organic gunk is dragged out of the hole along with the outrushing air; it is a bad time to be in the cave if you're obsessive about personal cleanliness. Once the breeze dies and the goo settles into every tiny crevice of your environmental suits, you're free to explore the cave beyond. Which isn't much to write home about, since it looks pretty much the same as the cave you just left, only without a big drat hole in the ceiling. This one has two of the plugs, both of which are wobbling as they finish solidifying in response to the loss of pressure. There is still no sign of any crashed spaceship or fabulous treasure, and that's terrible. Okay, the goo is alive, but not smart. What else does that leave you with on this otherwise barren rock? For the sake of progress, I will tell you that this is our jumping-off platform, and that there is no exotic Xion lab or ancient human derelict on this rock. There is life, which if you can get a handle on how it works, is worth some research, and the rock itself is worth something too. You can ask me one question each, which I will answer as truthfully as I can. If you discover the terrible secret of space, cool! If not, don't worry about it, and we'll move onward. From there, we'll get into the space swashbuckling.
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Oct 12, 2016 17:57
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 "Blast. Lost the atmosphere again. We could be at this all day..." What would it take for Hegentha to take some of the goo alive and keep it that way?
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Oct 12, 2016 19:01
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Some hands and a containment vessel, at least for a while. You'd need to figure out what it eats at some point if you want to keep it alive indefinitely, but as far as sampling its genetic distinctiveness, you're all set.
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Oct 12, 2016 19:22
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After nothing blows up, Nanin drops into the pit. It was a little harder, stuck in a little suit, to keep everything under wraps, but maybe focusing on the mystery would help. Unfortunately, she wasn't quite the scientist the others were, and so she doesn't have much to offer other than another pair of eyes... and... well. More eyes than that. Not exactly eyes. Whatever faren have. Actually, here's a question: how does this thing make Nanin's faren feel?
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Oct 13, 2016 21:06
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Not hugely upset. I'm not sure how you want to contextualize this for yourself or how you want to characterize your passenger, but it's reacting about the same way a contemporary first-worlder would when presented with a weird animal, like an aye-aye or something.
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Oct 14, 2016 00:58
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 Ultra looks sidelong at Talia. "Don't make that face, dahling. It's your fault for not wearing a suit like mein." Not sure what to ask, but...how much value is in this thing exactly, and can we stake a defensible claim? I presume it's too big to haul.
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Oct 14, 2016 01:40
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Rabbit dips a finger into the stuff, and holds it up to inspect it. "So weird! ... Can we eat it?" They pause. "Well, not me because haha robot but you know." They look at the others, and hold the gunked finger out to the others with a quizzical head tilt. That's my question.
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Oct 14, 2016 02:44
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Noir - The rock or the goo? You can't move either in appreciable quantities. Both are potentially fantastically valuable, given the right buyer, although Simmons would be able to make an argument that you all agreed to forego your claims to the mineral rights when she agreed to let you explore the planetoid. Either way, registering a claim with an appropriate authority, like you might find once you return to port, would be enough to get you where you need to be. Rabi - You definitely can't. Since the goo eats and excretes heavy metals, a normal biological could eat it, then get poisoned and die. So it depends on if kidney and liver failure are bugs or features in this use case. Cirno?
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Oct 14, 2016 03:37
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Talia Slide Talia looks around a bit. "So, if I understand it, this goo is alive but not intelligent, feeds off of...something here, and creates atmosphere? On a giant rock worth probably a lot of money if I ever knew enough or cared enough about economics to figure it out? In the middle of nowhere? That we just happened to trip over it?" She stares at the goo, unsettled. "I mean, ok, there's a lot of reasons for this planetoid to be here. But how did the GOO get here?!" Edit: That's my question, incidentally. ProfessorCirno fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Oct 14, 2016 |
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Oct 14, 2016 11:40
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Hegentha declines comment on Talia's question. "Does anyone have a moment to help me gather some of the local rock, especially any of the metals? I want to see if I can keep some of this creature alive until we get back to civilization."
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Oct 14, 2016 16:47
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Nanin nods as she looks over to Hegentha. "I can help take samples." Anything to try and distract herself would help, and this'd have to do.
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Oct 14, 2016 18:54
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Planet X The mystery of the mysterious mystery-goo remains an unsolved somethingorother. Further poking of cave membranes reveals only more showers of biological debris and a growing sense of impatience. Nevertheless, samples of the goo, local geological measurements and that sweet, sweet life-streaming footage may solve the riddle one day, and very possibly may get you some attention in the process. Captain Simmons has enshrined herself on the bridge by the time you return from the surface. Eustace refuses to let you see her, but is otherwise about as pleasant as he ever is. Clutch hasn't stopped talking whenever he's not around the other crew, so no change there. The Sole Proprietor remains in orbit for a little while after you return on the shuttle. There's a particular hum the more militaristic among you recognize as a laser capacitor discharging repeatedly - a quick jog to a porthole reveals the ship is firing on the planetoid! Which is ridiculous. Crashing the ship into the planet at a major fraction of lightspeed is the only way the captain could hope to ever even damage this th- oh. She's written her initials and ship ID number on the surface. How gauche. That does mean she's planning on claiming the entirety of the planet for herself. Are you going to push back against this kind of blatant profiteering, or are you going to accept the fact you technically agreed to give up your share of a whole dang planet? You're headed back into civilization with not a lot to do - now is a good time to spend any spare time points you wanted on research. The ship's computer can act as a workbench for such a purpose.
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Oct 16, 2016 17:17
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I'll take that as a no, so onward. It's another week back to Haven and your port of call, Alabaster 5. The Post is the major trading hub of Alabaster local, and by extension one of the busiest markets in the system. The upper crust is like a colossal mall crossed with a stock market's trading floor and a casino. It is hellaciously noisy, everything is glossy and nothing is free. It is crammed full of people, Corp and otherwise. You could find pretty much anything for sale or looking for a buyer here, if you felt like sticking around. Word of Captain Simmons' claim is already spreading. She was already an aberration as the private owner of a mercantile vessel, but the futures markets are already abuzz with the potential impact of the find - rumor is if the mineral exploitation pans out, Simmons might be made a member of the Board. "Meteoric" isn't sufficient to describe such a rise in status. Apparently the captain is feeling generous, or perhaps she just wants you gone - rather than dock directly with the station, the Proprietor hangs off at a distance and a private shuttle comes to pick you up. A swarm of provisioning scows are already crowding in around the ship, and you can probably bet the tabloid hacks and market reporters are buying out most of the rest of the local private transit capacity to get an early hook on this story. People out there are getting rich off of the people getting rich off this whole mess. Clutch has procured a set of white gloves to complete his image as a porter, which might have worked if he didn't still look like a hobo otherwise. "Thank you for traveling aboard the Sole Proprietor," he says with a lopsided grin. "Better luck next time, for all of us, huh?" The shuttle is unmanned, and thankfully not full of press people. It's a short hop to the docking port, located in a modest part of the station's periphery. The advertisements glowing on the hull are a little dated, and there are some lights out and un-shined armor plates around the docking clamp. Still, it could be worse - you could be headed straight for the industrial underbelly of the station. What greets you as you exit the shuttle is not the press of a busy terminal, or a horde of reporters, but a squad of four Legionaries. They're not wearing the red armor of the Auxilia, or emblazoned with any of the certifications and sponsorships of the Regulatory Authority. They're private security. Also, they're pretty bored. Their leader grunts to clear her throat. She's the biggest one of the bunch - she could probably use Rabi's sword as a toothpick. "Passengers of the CS Sole Proprietor, please come with me. I am required to tell you you are not being detained, although my employer has authorized the use of coercive force." What do you do now?
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Oct 18, 2016 02:13
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"Sorry, could you go over that again? We are not detained, but you could hit us?" Hegentha looks back and forth at the others. "I don't think I much like you."
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Oct 18, 2016 02:24
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Talia Slide Sorry - was there no answer to my question? Talia scowls! "Are you authorized to tell us who made this authorization? Have you been authorized to tell us where you're authorized to take us?"
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Oct 18, 2016 14:06
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Rabbit looks up at the Legion, leaning back in an exaggerated way. Their fingers tap on their sword's hilt, a jaunty sort of rhythm. Rabbit tilts their head, thinking. "I kind of feel like that's the definition of detained? Oh well! Who's your boss?"
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Oct 18, 2016 14:18
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Docking Bay The Legionnaire sighs. You get the impression she's been over this many, many times before. "Pursuant to Article 924c, commonly 'Corporate Regulatory Law,' as non-Corporate citizens, unaffiliated enterprises or other operating within a Corporate outpost viz. Alabaster 5, commonly 'The Post,' local commercial and criminal codes do not apply to your persons and as such the Corporation and any affiliated entities can and do not exert any regulatory force over your persons property or livelihoods." She grunts again. "Which means the law doesn't apply to you. But that means I can break your legs, if I want. I could go either way, I'm easy." The soldier turns to address Talia. "Yeah. My boss is Steve Alcazar. He wants to dragoon you into working for him, so he wants to have a meeting," she says. Her face scrunches up like she's trying to drink industrial coolant. "Over brunch." Cirno: Sorry, didn't see your edit. Depends on what you mean - there's a ton of it everywhere because it's reproducing itself. As to how it got on the planetoid, someone with tremendously advanced science put it there a long, long time ago. Saying who did the deed exactly is a matter for futher research, if it becomes relevant.
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Oct 18, 2016 14:24
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Ultra leans on Rabbit's shoulder, fingering the hilt of her own sword. She addresses him in a mock-whisper with her eyes on the Legionnaire: "Did you hear that, Rabbit? We're dangerous outlaws! No local commercial or criminal codes can chain us!" "I'll have a tete-a-tete with your boss, dahling. But not if you're coming. I can tell, you don't even like brunch."
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Oct 18, 2016 18:33
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"She probably doesn't even know what brunch is other than the noise you hear when you overrotate someone's arm."
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Oct 18, 2016 18:39
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Docking Bay The Legionnaire does not seem impressed by that ultimate weapon of the Nephilim, cattiness. "This way, please. Mind your footing."
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Oct 18, 2016 19:38
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Talia Slide Talia does what she can to regain dignity! She holds herself as tall as she can (not very) and directs the Legion with haughtiness. The whole effect is...not very good. "Very well then. I have independently decided that brunch sounds fine. You may escort us there." As they walk, Talia gives a whisper to the others! "Tell me one of us knows how to talk Corporate?"
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Oct 18, 2016 21:33
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Alcazar The Legionnaires lead you deep into the Post, then back up. Your new friend is a being of affluence, if he has the connections for this much real estate. Alcazar has arranged a long table full of the breakfast foods of various species, some of which you belong to, in front of a quite shockingly large window on the external hull. It looks out over the main environmental domes; beneath your gaze are the grand mall boulevards, gleaming green and white beneath the reflected light of Alabaster. Also, a couple of plates of transparent armor and a whole lotta vacuum. Alcazar himself is... certainly Corp. He's tall and handsome, like the latest body mod trends. He wears suspenders over a white and blue striped shirt with a white collar and cuffs, which is clearly an affectation, as anyone who owns clothes that well-tailored doesn't need something to keep their pants from falling off their rear end. An anomalously large watch glitters under one cuff. You can smell his hair product over the scent of the food. He waves something orange in a champagne flute at you as you enter. "We-he-he-hell, there they are! A bunch of go-getters, am I right? Come on in, sit down, have a bite. Let's talk. How was your flight?" There are chairs enough for you and a pack of your closest friends. The Legion do not deign to join you at the table.
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Oct 20, 2016 14:27
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Rabbit tilts their head to regard Alcazar, then walks over and plops themselves down in a chair near the head of the table. "Don't mind I if I do!" They start piling a plate up with food. "The flight was totally boring! Some Kaltorans beat the captain to then punch, and my bounty turned out not to be my bounty, so it was kind of - mute embarrassment all around. Beat some of my high scores, so it wasn't a total loss!"
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Oct 20, 2016 19:30
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Hegentha looks at Rabbit. "You... you can't even eat that, can you."
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Oct 20, 2016 19:34
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"Hahahahaha nope," Rabbit says, mashing a pastry into their face plate.
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Oct 20, 2016 19:41
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"Mr. Alcazar, I apologize in advance for your ruined carpet." Hegentha snags a drink and sits down. "So, what was important enough that you sent a bunch of Legion butt-breakers to come meet us over?"
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Oct 20, 2016 20:07
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Alcazar Alcazar doesn't appear phased by the sight of a robot spectacularly failing to eat food in front of him. "Good question," he says to Hegentha. "Straight to the point, going for the throat. You're a shark." He sits back in his chair and puts his feet on the table, which is actually kind of difficult with the spread covering it. "That captain of yours, Simmons? Already ruffled a lot of feathers. Finding a strike that big moves her into serious business. A lot of people are unhappy about one person having all that money, all that influence on the market. Bad for business if one person ends up on the Board all by their lonesome. So I want you to take care of her."
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Oct 20, 2016 23:00
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"Go-getters...?", Nanin mumbles, before leaning over towards Rabbit before continuing quietly. "... that's a compliment, right, or is he saying we're greedy?" She then hunches into her shoulders, looking at the food as if it were going to bite her instead. "Take care?", she says, looking to Alcazar, and her eyes widen. "Wait, what?!" A slight heat wave shimmers in the air around her, as if to punctuate her exclamation.
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Oct 21, 2016 00:23
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Alcazar "Sorry, was I not clear? I wasn't clear. I mean I want you to kill her, so that she no longer represents a threat to the business interests of myself and others."
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Oct 21, 2016 01:12
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Talia Slide Talia pauses and swallows the food already in her mouth. "I'm sorry, you're hiring us to be murderers? Why us? Why not the goon patrol that brought us here?"
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Oct 21, 2016 14:46
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Ultra walks up to the table and puts one hand in the back of a chair, plucking up a glass of orange to use as a prop. "You asked about our trip. It was...unprofitable. For everyone in this room." "I'd kill Simmons for a chocolat, dahling, but that doesn't mean I'll kill her for you. So she's a Corporate citizen, so your Legionnaire crushers can't do it. I get that." Ultra leans over the chair, elbows propped on the table, palms on cheeks with a gee-golly-gosh look. "So you want her employees, with an obvious motive, to kill her while all eyes in the system are on her. Indulge me. Explain to me why this isn't the most obvious setup in the galaxy." Conversation: 8 if that's a thing
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Oct 21, 2016 15:24
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Alcazar Alcazar jabs a finger at Noir. "You. I like you." He takes a swig from whatever it is he's holding. There's a fizzing noise, and he smacks his lips. "Here's the pitch. I kill her, my employees kill her, it's a crime, treaties, regulations, all that. Paperwork, arrests, terrible. You kill her, you're outsiders, you don't count - worst case scenario you become a legal curiosity, a really enthusiastic dispute of contract, right, since she stiffed you on the trip. "Now, as to why, that's the most important reason, right?. I, and my associates, who of course will have to remain nameless, you understand, will owe you a favor. Payment can't happen, because that's an arrangement, ties are drawn, lawyers get out the knives. But friendship? That's not legally binding. And this will make you friends with some very powerful, very rich people across the system. Places to rest your head, protection, supplies, all that. You want your own ship? Take hers. You want a different ship, take that one, whatever. The system suddenly gets to be yours for the taking. Intrepid small business owners, all that stuff." Conversation checks could be a thing, but an eight isn't going to get you anywhere.
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Oct 21, 2016 16:12
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"Hmm... I do like big boats. And I do dislike Captain Simmons." Hegentha smiles, shark-like. Literally- her backup teeth are sharp, in case she needs to put the bite on someone in a brawl. "However. This... friendship is equally non-binding on you, no? And we are, as you say, outside the law. What stops you from sending your brunchers out there to deal with us after we do the job?" She smooths the wrinkles in her pants. "I am not adverse to the work, but I would require additional assurances of actually receiving benefit from the arrangement." Conversation Kills: 3d6+1 10 Strong Hit Reroll: 1d6 2 For a total of 11.
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Oct 21, 2016 16:28
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Alcazar "You do your business, I do mine. Case in point, why would I waste good credits trying to wipe out a bunch of nobodies - no offense - once our arrangement is complete? I get what I want, you get what you want, and then you go the hell away so I can get back to work. What, you want a contract for under the table?"
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Oct 21, 2016 17:41
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"Of course not. That would defeat the whole point." Hegentha looks at her fingernails. "I am not a woman without some knowledge of the ways of power. I am only asking for a small advance through back-channels to purchase some equipment that will help me make this look... accidental." And smuggle some samples off-station to a dead drop, but they don't need to know that. "I know it's possible, and it would give all of us the assurance that we are committed to the goal. Your plan doesn't require it, but it would, I think, help everyone involved avoid entanglements." Wealth: 3d6+1 17 Whooooa nelly, I'm not rerolling that.
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Oct 21, 2016 17:52
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Alcazar Alcazar stares at Hegentha for a couple of seconds, blank as a dead screen. "Oh! You want a bribe. Shoulda said." He snaps his fingers, and one of the Legionnaires crunches over with a tray. The businessman takes a flat rectangle of plastic off of it, mashes his thumb into it, and waits for it to beep before tossing it over to Hegentha. "There. Operating budget, petty cash. Don't ask for more or I'll flush you out the nearest airlock." Anyone who wields the credit card gets a temporary +2 to their Wealth rolls.
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Oct 21, 2016 19:49
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"Beautiful. Regardless of the cooperation of the others, I'm happy to be your friend, Mr. Alcazar."
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Oct 21, 2016 20:17
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 21:26 |
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Nanin just sits here, eyes wide. Occasionally, her eyes shift to one of the others without her moving her head. Pointing out that killing is wrong is probably not going to get her in anybody's good graces at the moment, after all.
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Oct 22, 2016 13:45
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