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 Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ○○○○○» I laugh the moment I realize who I'm seeing. loving Jackabaka, sorriest sonuva I ever hosed. He's a decent lay don't get me wrong but gently caress me I can get better dick than him any time I want, and maybe some free smack to boot if I play my cards right. Not some hosed up ex-junkie who falls asleep the moment he's done and won't stop telling me the poison's gonna kill me. No poo poo Baka, I might be stupid but I'm not an idiot. Amanlu's clearly scared shitless, I can see her knees shaking. "It's alright, he ain't gonna hurt you," I say to her. I look right at Baka. "You ain't gonna hurt her, right?" Without waiting for a response I drop the knife from Amanlu's throat and bring her back over the radiator, where I cuff her again. I motion to Jackabaka that he's welcome in my place, small though it might be. He gingerly steps in. My head clears enough that I remember what Baka asked me. "Yeah of course I'm doing a job, I don't generally chain scared girls to radiators. Usually they're more into it, I mean. Anyway why'd you show your face around here, thought you gave me up for that whore, what was her name, Susan or some poo poo? How'd you find me anyway?" I wanna believe that Baka's just here 'cuz she left him or died or some poo poo and he's horny, but I know him better than that. Gotta get to the bottom of this. Read a person (+Sharp): 2d6+1 9 Spending my hold immediately to ask What does Jackabaka wish I'd do?
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Aug 7, 2017 15:20
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 Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●○○» I swear to myself as The Mayor’s man enters and Guo Lin departs. shitfuckingantivaxxshit The first time I leave the Infirmary in a month, and I get stuck in a warzone. The Mayor is busy talking to her delusions, and I’m stuck trying to figure out how to get her and the converter to safety. Realizing that the Code dictates that would have to abandon the object of my desire if worst came to worse. gently caress I nod to The’s, uhhh, rather attractive bodyguard as I carefully approach the boarded-up window. “I am Practioner See, and The Mayor is currently my patient. Which means I am responsible for her safety. So if there are any details of what’s happening outside you can pass along, it would be quite helpful.” I open up one of my many pouches and pull out a long bit of metal with a small mirror on the end. Originally designed to aid in dental examinations, I’ve discovered its also helpful in examining dangerous situations without sticking your head out. I thread the mouth-mirror into a gap in the boards and begin tilting it around, getting a view of the area outside. Read a Sitch: 2d6+2 7. Huzzah. Marking XP, asking: -Where’s my best escape route?
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Aug 8, 2017 01:46
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 3-barter | 6:00 Harm | 0 Armor | 3/5 XP | 0 hold Cool=0 | Hard-1 | Hot-1 | Sharp+2 | Weird+2 I don't always hear quite right, I've definitely got the wrong impression from the voices before - but I think I've got the gist. "Hey, I got an idea. Yeah, we could try to go around - but even assuming nothing else gets in our way, it would take time, and time is something I don't want to spend too much of right now. Or, uh, in general, really. Never enough of it to go around." A particularly loud burst of gunfire jolts me back on track. "Anyway. Option 2 takes us through an active battlefield. I'm not big on getting shot, really, but it's the most direct route. There's an Option 3, though - we're not thinking vertical enough. The city's more than just left, right, forward, backward. It's up and down too. Right now it's the down that I'm interested in." Point at the floor for emphasis. "We don't go around this stupid-rear end dust-up, we go right up the middle, we just do it underground. Storm drains, subway tunnels, sewers, steam vents, all sorts of poo poo down there, it's like a warren. I get the feeling there's at least one that'll take us from our current Point A nearer to the Point B we're trying to reach right now - and if there is, I know I can navigate it." "So how 'bout it, doc? See any good-looking holes out there?"
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Aug 9, 2017 10:34
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 Seadee See after a quick look around, you realize that The Mayor's idea, if she's right, is a lot better than either around OR through. Partridge asks, "Mayor, you ok?" It's more of an acknowledgement that you aren't and that there isn't much he can do, than really a question. The he turns to you, SeaDee See. "Pr...acticioner? Ok, I guess? Well you do know this is 4-Way Stopper turf, right? Only reason they haven't iced us all yet is they're too busy shooting at Churchgoers. Churchgoers! All the way up here!" Anyway, who's carrying the 'verter? And are you ready to roll out? Jackabaka comes in and shuts the door. He doesn't remove his sunglasses, which means you can't really see where he's looking, Red, which...well? Is it disconcerting? or is it actually better this way? Either way, his head stays pointed at you. "Red, I'm here because I like you, and I don't know how many people would truly say that." Maybe that's insulting, but it's not an insult from him, per se. Almost as an aside, he answers your question. "Suze is a piece of poo poo," but then he continues with why he's really here." I'm headed downtown, to the Old Church. Red, I'm gonna join up with them. You should come along too. They can help you get off the stuff, provide some real family and support. All good things, you know? You wouldn't always have to be scrounging for jobs and food." He shifts his head towards Amanlu, and then back. "Cut her free, whoever you're working for won't notice before we get to the Church." Jackaback runs his hand through his hair, slightly less greasy than the last time you saw him. "Come with me?" "Magnificent Max, why thank you very much, I don't think I knew I had it in me either. I know I sound funny-funny most of the time and people on the radio don't really talk like that." People, of course, mostly being you. His diction is definitely falling back to normal as he's off-mic, though. "So look, the juice was real, right? And you see why it's dangerous to me, right? But now it's dangerous to you, too, and the Church is a lot stronger than your Fan Club Boys." It's not a slight, but a fact. "Not telling you what to do Magnificent Max but I think you really need to make useful to the Church but obviously you need to stay independent too that's how people trust you so like I don't know any more." Fugari looks like he's really working himself up, like now that he's told his juice he's starting to realize the implications. "I think there's some time before the Church gets really strong so there's time to do something but I'm not sure what to do anymore. I should go now." What do you think about all this, Max? Well, Vault. You had a problem and you approached it the way you, uh, tend to. So now you're down one problem, but gained at least two. One, the most obvious, you're bleeding and got a real hosed up shoulder and upper chest and ribs and all that good stuff. You're ok for now but you need a doctor, and pretty soon, too. The second problem is that now you've got no plan. Without One-Eyed Jackie, it seems unlikely you've got the forces to storm Magpie's. You could still try it yourself, but that seems extra risky, especially in your condition. On the other hand, if Red goes in there expecting you to do something and you're not there, she's probably gonna die, right? Do you care? There's a couple of other things to consider, too. Jackie was in charge of the gang, so she's probably likely to have some interesting bits on her. However, you're still in her camp and it'd be surprising if some of her other squad didn't show up to investigate soon. What do you do?
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Aug 9, 2017 15:16
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 Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 9:00 harm | XP ●●●●○» I drop Jackie's revolver onto the table and grab my HK, trying to keep my ears open in case someone's coming. Not going to have much time. I take a moment to tear a strip off a clean-ish sheet and put a makeshift bandage on the wound. At least I won't be leaving a trail of blood. While I do that, I figure out what needs to get done next. One, check Jackie's body, give the room a look, see if she's got something I can use. Two, get the gently caress out of here. Three, warn Red. Or rescue Amanlu. Or both. Or - poo poo. Four, find a doctor and get this hole patched. It's a lovely excuse for a plan and will probably last about as long as any of the others. Best get a move on though. I roll Jackie over and check her pockets, quick like, then take a look around the room to see if there's anything I should grab on the way out. And to find that way out. What a loving mess. Read a Sitch (+Sharp): 2d6+1 7 • Where’s my best escape route?
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Aug 9, 2017 15:57
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Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ○○○○○» "gently caress you, man." I can feel the dope really hitting hard. gently caress. I hold the knife towards him as best I can. Fingers all tingly. "You stick around a few months, get me to suck you off a bunch, keep fuckin' lecturing me about the one thing fuckin' keeping me going, then bounce so you can bone some fuckin' floozy, then you come back half a year later at the worst time I can think of and lecture me yet again about changing my ways and this time you've gotta bring God and poo poo into it. gently caress you man." Head's all tingly now. I give him the finger. "Get out of here man. Pretend you don't know where I am, pretend you didn't see her here." I gesture to Amanlu. "You're sticking your dick in places you don't belong, which let's be honest is not the first time. You just wanna gently caress me again, right? That's all you loving want?" Whole body is icy and sweet. Mattress calling my name. "Look Baka, here's the deal. Running a gig, if you couldn't tell. Employer's a gal named Magpie, you've probably heard of her. If you have you know you do not loving cross Magpie. If you haven't... do not loving cross Magpie. Just before you came I shot up some of that poison you hate so much, it ain't good stuff, it's taking a few minutes to kick in, but I can't well get it out of me now. I can't make you get out of here, body's tingly. Now you got two-" I hold up my fingers to make a two, at least, I try to, "-two options here. Option one, you gently caress off and never talk to me again and pretend you never saw me. Option two, you do some stupid bullshit like touch me or try to free her or gently caress with my stuff, in which case Magpie will know what you did and she and I will hunt you to the ends of the loving earth with a fury not seen since before the Fall." "Get. The. gently caress. Out. Of. Here."
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Aug 9, 2017 16:36
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Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●○○» Great, underground. Where the molds and other truely exotic pathogens are found. Still, secondary infections have a better outcome profile than high-velocity lead infusions so underground it is. “Yes, it looks like the building next door has collapsed downward below street level. Open to the air, and as long as the vaulting has held, should give us access to any tunnels under the street.” I stow the mirror and pull out my revolver, remembering to reload the bullet that went into the ceiling. I motion towards the power converter. “ Deal was that’s your baby until it gets installed into the Infirmary, so I will provide covering fire as part of the escort there. Its small enough that it shouldn’t aggravate your wounds if you choose to carry it, but it might be better for your man to.” I ready the revolver and crack the door ever-so-slightly, to make sure no-one had snuck up on us. I pitch my voice low, so it only carries to The and her man. “I’ll go first, to draw fire. Follow me a few seconds latter, and stay low.”
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Aug 11, 2017 00:45
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3-barter | 6:00 Harm | 0 Armor | 3/5 XP | 0 hold Cool=0 | Hard-1 | Hot-1 | Sharp+2 | Weird+2 "Not really, Partridge, but I will be." In hindsight I should have brought a pack, but I'll just have to lug this thing with my arms the old-fashioned way. I give the 'verter a quick once-over with side-cutters, slicing off now-useless cables to make it easier to carry. It would be better to have Partridge carry it, it's going to hurt like hell, but he has a gun and I don't. Besides, I don't trust anyone else with it right now. "That sounds like a good plan, doc," I say as I heft the object. "Smart, well thought-out, probably going to succeed." Sometimes I think and plan and reason. But sometimes it's like I'm not even a person, really, more like a tool, and everything seems simple and direct and easy and it's like the decisions I'm making aren't even really decisions, they're just the only thing I could possibly do in the situation. Right now feels like one of those moments. The voices can have more than one meaning. Don't think. Don't plan. Just do. "I've got a better one. You two keep up and shoot at any motherfucker who shoots at us." Wincing with the impact as I do so, I charge past the doctor, bodily shoulder the door open, and run like hell. Act Under Fire (+Weird): 2d6+2 10 Marking XP and dashing like mad for the hole Mister Bates fucked around with this message at 10:38 on Aug 11, 2017 |
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Aug 11, 2017 10:30
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 Cool-1 | Hard=0 | Hot+2 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 | 1-armor | 1-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» | 1-hold (Rally) "You're right about one thing, Fugari. I do need to stay independent. Do you know what your brother wanted me to broadcast for the Church? "Names. "None of their sermons, none of their hymns, just names. The names of apostates, of heretics, of infidels.They wanted everyone to know who the Church considered their enemies. They wanted those names spread across the City and they wanted everyone else to know that if something happened to those people, then they'd be dong the Church's work. Yes, I know that they do that anyway, with their gossiping and their tracts. But if they put their Lists on the radio it would tell everyone in this city who can listen, that there's nowhere to run from the Church." I look at my cigar. It's gone out in all the excitement. I pause to relight it. Spillay makes good matches, sells them at the markets. Look at the fire, look through the fire at Fugari. "I will burn Gull Hill myself before I allow them to do that." * It's later, and I've calmed down a little bit. I don't expect any grief from the Church- it's early days yet and I imagine that they have bigger fish to fry than your humble broadcaster. Or even your grandiose broadcaster. What I do need to do, however, is start talking to people. It would be easy, my dear, so easy to knuckle under, to let the Church win, but of course that lacks the magnificence that I'm known for. As such, I'm at the Markets, seeking audience with August Grandmother. "Kro, hello my boy. You're looking fit and well," I say to one her Charming Grandsons. I know them all by name, of course, but Kro is not my usual contact, and I would prefer to speak with my usual man before I go knocking on the chambers of the Auguat Grandmother. "Have you seen Guo Lin?"
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Aug 11, 2017 16:05
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Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●●○» What? No- Koch’s Postulates! Luckily my mask keeps The’s man from seeing the pure panic on my face as she goes running past me into the street. I’ve had difficult patients in the past, but this lunatic was shaping up to be top of the list. A quick nod to the bodyguard and I’m out in the street. I keep low, ducking and weaving and really wishing I had at least finished the Battlefield Medicine elective. This is the closest I’ve been to open warfare, and I realize I’m reciting The Nightingale’s Prayer to myself. Well, the original Prayer probably didn’t have as many ‘Fuckfuckfucks’ in it… Run Under Fire: 2d6+2+1 10. Marking XP, following The and covering her back
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Aug 11, 2017 22:05
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Seadee See, The Mayor, Partridge, and a 'verter brave a hail of crossfire. Thankfully, nobody's actually shooting at you. There's not really time to take it all in, but it definitely looks like the 4-Way Stoppers are in a pitched battle with the Churchgoers, red-plated armor against flak jackets and skirts. Partridge fires off a few shots, but it doesn't seem like anyone particularly noticed. The combatants have more to worry about than you. Quickly, though it seems like much longer, you reach the busted-out building and its stairway to the underworld. It looks, Mayor, like once long ago these stairs might have been..alive? but for now you just scurry down them and over some rusted-up turnstiles. And now you're here, in one of the many tunnels. A dying bulb still flickers, but the path to somewhere in the direction of the Infirmary falls off into darkness with a quickness. Both of you, roll +weird. Kro responds, "Magnificent Max, great to see you, sir! Thank you very much!" Maybe he feels like this is a slight promotion for him? After all, you don't speak with that many of the Charming Grandsons, though you do know them. "Guo Lin? I haven't seen him in days," Kro explains, "but that's not all that unusual. Is he in trouble or something?" A squabble breaks out between two patrons of the market you don't immediately recognize (unless of course, you do), and it starts escalating. Kro excuses himself to go deal with the issue. What do you do? Hang around and see what's up, or continue to August Grandmother's? Vault, based on the sounds you hear, as best you can figure through the pain and the blood, and from what you can remember of the layout of Jackie's setup, you're probably going to want to book it straight west. The issue, of course, is that straight West will get you to Magpie's territory in not a particularly long time. After all, this camp was set up as a strike base. The other thing to note, is that as best you can remember, that doctor rolled in and parked their Infirmary, as they called it, somewhere to the South. Going directly there you're going to have to fight your way through some of Jackie's gang, most likely. So, there you have it. West is the best way out, South will get you safer, if and only if you can get there. Oh, and by the way: as far as you know, Red was staying farther East. Have fun, girl. What do you do? Red, Jackabaka pulls himself up to his full height, whips his sunglasses off, and stares daggers at you. "You don't know poo poo about poo poo," he spits after a moment. "What's all this about God? What's all this hate for me? I came here as a friend, Red. I was trying to do you a solid, offer you a real escape." He puts the sunglasses back on and your head swims. "I'll see you never," Jackabaka says, and slams the door on his way out. On you, and a door slams shut on your consciousness, too. Tell me about your dreams, Red...
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Aug 12, 2017 01:48
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Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●●○» I live still! I’ll have to remember to have Mox get Tinker to stop by, I definitely need to get some reinforcement done to my overcoat. But surviving the gunfire has brought me to this… place. I can smell the must through my mask, it and the darkness remind me of the lower levels of the Tombs. ...those are not happy memories (Rolling Weird in the Underground: 2d6-1 10. God I hope this isn’t one of those ‘high is bad rolls’.)
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Aug 14, 2017 01:54
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Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 9:00 harm | XP ●●●●●» It's time to move. I don't have any good options, so as usual its making the best of bad choices. And that means East. Not going to leave Red and Amanlu left holding the bag. I pull my gear tight and shoulder my rifle. Not going out that door. Out the window, down the side, and then East as fast as I can. Cut through the Railhead, use the dead ground between Telemarketer and Furies territory to get to the Splinters. gently caress anyone who gets in my way. My boot hammers onto the sill, and I'm gone. gently caress this poo poo (+hard): 2d6+2 10 Got an advance as well. I know I want to take prepared for the inevitable but obviously need to get a point I can get access to medical supplies. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 03:51 on Aug 14, 2017 |
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Aug 14, 2017 03:18
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3-barter | 6:00 Harm | 0 Armor | 4/5 XP | 0 hold Cool=0 | Hard-1 | Hot-1 | Sharp+2 | Weird+2 "You see? You see? That wasn't so bad!" Yeah, so maybe I'm a bit excited, sue me. I probably sound like it. Fades away pretty quickly, though. Have I been here before? Maybe. Maybe not. Hard to remember sometimes. There's so drat many tunnels, and a lot of them look the same, and sometimes I find myself in a place with no clear memory of how I got there from where I was. The only constant is that I always get where the city needs me to go. +weird in the tunnels: 2d6+2 11 Marking XP, bringing me up to 5; taking Things Speak as a Savvyhead move and resetting XP
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Aug 14, 2017 09:13
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Cool-1 | Hard=0 | Hot+2 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 | 1-armor | 1-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» | 1-hold (Rally) "No, nothing like that my dear fellow. I would like the honor of an audience with your August Grandmother and he is my usual man to arrange that. Odd, I wonder what-" Kro's attention is taken by a commotion, and as such, mine is as well. I follow, curious. Curiosity may be bad for cats, but for a broadcaster, it's neccessary.
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Aug 14, 2017 13:50
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Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» I'm falling, an inky cold blackness enveloping me. I can feel my brain being torn apart and put back together, over and over, while ice runs through my veins and all throughout my body. I'm here, I've always been here, I will always be here, swirling in this maelstrom. And then, I'm not there any more. I'm standing on a beach, but where the beach is, I don't know. I'm a child again, no more than 9 or 10. I don't think this is a memory? The cold waves lap up against my feet and the cool salt air fills my lungs. I look down at my arm, where I injected the dope, and it's frozen, ice creeping up through my blood until it fills my whole self. I fall again into the waves, the brine filling my mouth. Everything goes dark again, and I find myself in that black space again. I float for a while, weightless, surrounded by shadow. Then I close my eyes and let the vortex take me. I feel the energy flow into my brain, and I open up and go where it takes me. May I wake in the morning. Open your brain to the world's psychic maelstrom (+weird): 2d6+1 13 (Highlighted stat, marking experience)
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Aug 14, 2017 15:08
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A bleak eye opens upon a slithy, wavering mound of asphalt; there is little else to see here, Red, as if the concept of focus itself ceases to exist beyond the smell of the black-but-not-utter-black of the tar. Where is unimportant in the vast microcosm of this place that is not a place, but only permeates your un/reality. Your experience is real nonetheless. It is unknown whether or not you have a body here, but the asphalt stretches upwards, elongating and forming into a body, growing in structure and color that is like you, but that is unlike you. It is your past body or perhaps it is your future body or perhaps it is one that was never yours or perhaps it is one that can never be yours - but it is yours all the same. The figment-Red hardens and softens and moves in a way that is all human but all distorted unless of course it is you that is distorted but the figure it moves at you and you cannot stop it and it is unclear if you would stop it if you could stop it but it is unclear if you can do anything at all right now - except to feel. And you feel the figure moving into you, merging with you, bringing both fury and love AND CONSCIOUSNESS and your vision returns and Amanlu is out, still chained to the radiator, but in the doorway is Vault, bleeding...badly. There’s not much to this shack of Red’s, a mattress, a radiator, some discarded drug paraphernalia, a few cans of food (mostly empty). Definitely no medical supplies of note, that’s for sure. So, Vault, you’re hosed up physically, Red looks like she’s just blasted her mind to the moon as far as you can tell, and what the hell are the two of you going to do? At least you still have the prisoner Amanlu, I guess. I guess. Seadee See, though another wave of nausea hits you, perhaps from anticipating the Horrors of the Tomb, everything is shortly fine. No Horrors, at least not today. A glance towards The Mayor seems to tell you she’s fine too, or at least not getting worse, as you trudge through the tunnels. You don’t know where you’re going, Angel, but all you can do is trust the Mayor. Mayor, for your part, it seems you do know where to go, though it’s probable you’ve never actually taken this path before. Whether it is innate sense or recalled memories of ancient maps or some combination of both, you know which turns to make and which ones to ignore. It will take a bit of time, foot after foot, to return to the Infirmary. Partridge focuses on the darkness, trying to do his duty, and every so often saying a number out loud. “Three. One. Four. One. Five.” The stream of numbers seems to calm him, but what do the two of you do? Kro has two pistols out, pointing at each of the troublemakers. One of them, who he identifies as Zomwell, seems to be a 4-Way Stopper supporter, though not in the gang herself. The other, Keen D., doesn’t seem to take kindly to that sort of gang identification. Kro tells them both to get the gently caress out and not come back for a month. Magnificent Max, you hear August Grandmother behind you, but she’s talking to Kro, at first. She tells him that she’ll make sure word gets out among the Charming Grandsons about those two, and that he handled it well. It’s not clear whether or not he actually did, yet, but that’s for later. For now, though, August Grandmother wants to know what you’d like to talk about.
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Aug 15, 2017 19:32
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Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 9:00 harm | XP ●●●●●» They aren't dead, so that's something. I glance around the shack, just in case, but there's not really anywhere to hide . It's private, but I think I like my cot at Yakov's better. I lean against the door frame - taking some of the weight off my feet feels better than I want to admit. "Red."
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Aug 16, 2017 01:17
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Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» Everything's kinda blurry. I feel my mattress underneath me, and I tilt my head and look, and still see an Amanlu-shape bent up against the radiator. Thank God, she's not dumb. Head's spinning a bit, don't wanna move. Body feels weird. That was some powerful poo poo but holy hell I feel like death now. Gotta find a better source. "Red." Oh god who's talking to me. I look up at the doorway and see her there, Vault, bleeding real bad. gently caress my life what did this idiot do. I slowly work my way up to my feet, trying my hardest to not fall over. Somehow I make my way to the door frame and offer my arm to Vault, and lead her into the room. I peek my head outside real quick to make sure no one followed her, then close the door. Vault's bleeding all over the place, gonna have to find a new pad soon, ain't cleaning this poo poo up. I help Vault squat down on the mattress and rip a shreds of cloth off my shirt to help staunch some of the worst bleeding. I'm no medic but I've been shot enough times to know how to handle this right now, but she's gonna need help beyond what I can give. Deep breaths. One thing at a time. "What. The gently caress. Happened."
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Aug 16, 2017 14:59
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Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 9:00 harm | XP ●●●●●» I let Red lead me over and put some emore makeshift bandages on me. Not so bad that I need her help to cross the room. Not yet. Heading that way. The amount of blood already soaked into the earlier bandages and my clothes say I'm heading that way though. "Jackie objected to the new plan," I tell Red. "Strenuously."
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Aug 16, 2017 15:18
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Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» Vault you idiot. "Alright so Jackie's dead, I assume? What about her goons? Were you followed?" loving hell gotta get out. Head not done spinning yet. Gotta grab Amanlu and take her to Maggie, only way out of this one now. Gotta help Vault too I guess, take her to a doc. I dig out the handcuff keys from my pocket and walk over towards Amanlu. "Here's how I see it. You hosed up. I've gotta take 'Lu here over to Magpie and act like nothing happened, then I'll come back and help you find a doc. Amanlu-" I turn my attention to my prisoner "-you are not gonna say a word of any of this, because things can always get worse for you." Back to Vault. "Near I see it, we get through this, you owe me. Big time. loving idiot."
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Aug 16, 2017 15:37
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Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 9:00 harm | XP ○○○○○» 1-advance "Not followed. They'll be looking for me, but I got out ahead of them. And Walter was their best tracker. Take them a while to pick up a trail, if they even can." I push myself back to my feet. Not the time to be resting. "There's a clinic south of here. Heading that way next." I stop for a moment. This is the part where things will go sideways. "I'm still going for Magpie. Need new shooters to do it, but been slavers in the city too long already. Not going to put anyone back in her pens if I can help it."
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Aug 16, 2017 20:43
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Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» "You have to be loving kidding me. This plan was loving stupid enough as is, and then you went and cocked it up." I look over at Amanlu. "I don't like Maggie either, and I don't like slaving. Ain't right. But I've gotta eat, and I gotta get my poo poo, and Maggie pays good. Real good. And I'm not an idiot, I know that you and me alone can't take on her goons. It'd be suicide." You know what? gently caress this. I'm in no mood to negotiate. I reach down and pull a Bootsy and point its sharp tip straight at Vault, closing the gap between us quick as I can. "Listen to me. I've been dicked around enough in the past 24 hours, don't want to be dicked around any more. I'm gonna take Amanlu back to Magpie. I'm gonna get what I'm owed. And then I'm gonna get out of there. You can do whatever you want after that, but considering how well your last fight went, I'd recommend you reconsider. I will have no part in this, I'd prefer my brains still inside my skull. So leave me alone, let me do my goddamn job, and then leave me be. 'Else you'll have me to worry about if Maggie doesn't get you first. You read me?" Go aggro (using Ice Cold, so +Hx): 2d6-1 7 On a 10+, they have to choose: • Force your hand and suck it up. • Cave and do what you want. On a 7–9, they can choose 1 of the above, or 1 of the following: • Get the hell out of your way. • Barricade themselves securely in. • Give you something they think you want, or tell you what you want to hear. • Back off calmly, hands where you can see.
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Aug 16, 2017 22:04
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Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●●○» Bleech. My breath rasps in my mask and I dart my tiny exam-light into random shadows. This place is wrong. No Horrors, thank Koop. But like the Sublevels, there’s a palpable anger in the air. The stone itself doesn’t want us here. That is totally what’s happening, I’m not having an anxiety attack triggered by past trauma that occurred underground. Such a thing would be absurd, no Practitioner would be so weak. I’m not really interested in speaking to the lunatic, but I can’t stand my silence anymore and she’s better than the handsome but Pielocked man. “S-so.” My voice starts too loud, and my dry throat convulses as I try to bring it under control. “So, do these tunnels go under the entire city? Aren’t they a structural hazard?”
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Aug 16, 2017 22:30
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3-barter | 6:00 Harm | 0 Armor | 0/5 XP | 0 hold Cool=0 | Hard-1 | Hot-1 | Sharp+2 | Weird+2 Metro station to what's left of a ventilation room, ventilation room to maintenance tunnel access, maintenance tunnels to long-buried roadway tunnel back to maintenance tunnel again. Keep going. Plenty more to go yet. "Most of it, yeah. Some of them even keep going, out past the city limits to wherever. Back when the city was awake it needed a whole lot of infrastructure, y'know? Had to move juice and freshwater and poo poo-water and data and people around, fast as possible, efficiently as possible. Used the roads for some of it, but a whole lot of it ended up down here. Some of them were connected originally, some of them have been connected by people who came After, some are still totally disconnected, their own separate thing" Pushing the pain to the back of my mind and trying to be as casual as possible. Just another day on the job. Keep telling yourself that. Just another day. I've got a flashlight on my belt but it isn't out - in the absence of any immediately apparent risk, I can live with the dim illumination provided by the few intact bulbs. "Left here, through this door." There was a sign on this one at some point but it's long since faded past readability. The hall on the other side looks like it used to be a pedestrian walkway, tall and wide, dusty marble floors, faded murals on the wall. A couple of fluorescents still working, somehow, but not enough. Dark brown stain on the ground near the door, corroded old spent shell casings scattered around, bullet holes pockmarking one wall. Nothing too out of the ordinary. "Most of it's structurally sound, the Engineers knew what they were doing. The spots that aren't have mostly collapsed already - mostly, mostly. Still having a problem with subsidence in a few areas of the city, tunnels collapsing, buildings sinking. I slow it down where I can, but I'm not allowed in all of these tunnels, and not all of the tunnels I'm allowed in want my help." Just another day, just another day. Nothing unpleasant happening at all. Talk shop and be fuckin' serene. "Oh, hey, doc, since we're being all conversational, mind answering me something? How come you healer-types didn't set up shop in, like, a hospital? I've never messed with them but I know there's a couple still standing." Reach an atrium - vaulted ceiling, stairs up, stairs down. Sign above the down stairs says 'Parking'; sign above the up stairs is buried somewhere in the pile of rubble blocking them off. Take the stairs down. "Hey, Partridge, man, you okay?" I don't really know how people work but his behavior seems a bit not-normal.
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Aug 17, 2017 06:21
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Cool-1 | Hard=0 | Hot+2 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 | 1-armor | 1-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» | 1-hold (Rally) I file away the parties in the conflict for later. It appears that something is afoot with the 4-Way Stoppers, is it just more of the usual gang shoulders-rubbing? "August Grandmother, how kind of you to take some time from your schedule to speak with me. And let me compliment you on the performance of your Charming Grandson here. Civilized restraint, always a laudable approach to conflict, it's a credit to you and the Markets." I walk with August Grandmother through the Markets. It's nice. The crowds and the bustle part before her, not because of the cadre of Charming Grandsons who shadow here before and without, but because people know who she is, and what she represents. Her reputation, her force of personality, her authority are as much a shield to her as the glowering armed men who accompany her. I have some small power on Gull Hill, with my Number One Fan Club Boys to ensure that no little fish come to nibble at our operation. But August Grandmother's presence is something of a magnitude greater than my own that it's almost visible, almost tangible. I can almost taste it. Like hot lemon tea, smelling of cordite. "If you've been listening to our broadcast today, then you may already know what is going on. If you might recall from our previous conversations, Gripp, one of the Church's belligerents, came to me in the past with a rather repellent proposition that I become their propaganda mouthpiece, and I showed him the door. Now, the Church is girding themselves for war, Gripp has taken the Vow, and I worry that Gull Hill's independence may be an item on their program, so to speak. "Of course, that is my direct concern. I've worked too hard to build the Proscenium, Gull Hill, the Fan Club, everything, to sleep well when its enemies are afoot. What we do is too important for this city to have it perverted into reading the Church's Lists. But the Church gearing up for war is bad for us all." I stop, and sigh. Unbidden, a grin flits across my face like a gull's shadow as I catch a snatch of The Story coming from a radio someone has set up at a stall, an audience seated around it. "What I've come for, August Grandmother, is to ask your wisdom. If you would do me the honor of sharing your opinion with a humble showman, what is your read on this situation?"
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Aug 17, 2017 15:21
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Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 9:00 harm | XP ○○○○○» 1-advance The knife doesn't worry me. My armor has a hole in it, but it should turn a blade at least. But Red's got heavier ordinance around. I could take her, still, but that sentence really ends with me. I still almost go for it. Stop, because every way I see it going ends with Amanlu dead in the crossfire and Magpie still slaving. What a poo poo loving day. I back up slowly, but I don't break Red's gaze. "I could have just opened up at Fister's. Didn't, because I respected you. Came here to warn you before I found a doc for the same reason. As for my last fight - One Eyed Jackie had a gun to my head, and I'm the one standing here, and she and her hardest fucker are the ones in the mud. Remember that for next time." Red's place is small, so it doesn't take long to cross back the way I came. At the door, I look over to Amanlu. "Be seeing you later." I step back out of the threshold. Need to head South, find this clinic. Get back in fighting shape. Figure out a move. Maybe it wasn't my job, my crusade to end this before, and maybe it's goddamn hypocritical to take it up now after just scowling and bitching over it for years. But gently caress it, there's no saints left anymore. Just different kinds of devils. Back off calmly, hands where you can see.
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Aug 17, 2017 19:32
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Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» Oh thank gently caress it worked. Don't normally pull knives on girls I like, but I gotta do what I gotta do. I wait a few minutes for my head to return to a more sober state and to be sure that Vault's left the building, then I grab the keys to Amanlu's handcuffs and free her from the radiator. I've been hosed with enough in the past few hours that I don't bother giving her something approximating freedom and quickly cuff her hands behind her back so she can't try any funny stuff. I grab my poo poo, make sure Amanlu knows I'm just as armed as I was back at Fister's, and together we leave my place and start the walk over to Magpie's.
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Aug 17, 2017 20:09
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Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●●○» “They are not Houses of Healing, merely Tombs for Before.” The words out out of my mouth before I’m even thinking about it and I power on, desperate to cover up my slip. The knows too many random things, I can only hope she isn’t familiar with my former tribe. “They’re too big, it would take more manpower and disinfectant than I have to even get an OR operational again. Plus the population density figures for effective treatment coverage are quite out of date. More effective to refit smaller spaces, or use mobile platforms like the Infirmary.” I cheer internally as The’s attention shifts to her man. Hopefully this conversation will just be lost to her madness, and I won’t have to worry. Hopefully
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Aug 17, 2017 21:32
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Amanlu's broken voice lilts through the air as you begin the slow walk back towards Magpie's. "So that's it, Red? No more plan?" She waits a second. "Just shoot me instead. It's better." How do you respond? "I'm fine," Partridge replies through gritted teeth as you fight your way through the mental pressure of the tunnels, Mayor. He's really not fine, except to look at, but he won't admit it. Thankfully, you won't be down here too much longer, or there might be problems. But even SeaDee See can tell it's getting ever so slightly lighter, and then you see a corroded old stairway; this one never moved. Without talking about it, the three of you pick up the pace; the 'verter's getting heavy and don't forget the bleeding! Nobody wants to be down in the Underground any longer than they really have to be, and so you scramble up the stairway. The light of the day hurts your eyes after being in mostly-darkness for a while, but that's more than acceptable given the pressure that lifts from your skulls as you emerge. You're not far from the Infirmary, you see, maybe a few minutes' walk? Somehow you never noticed this passageway before, medic, though maybe it didn't want to be noticed, at least not by you. As you get closer, you see there's someone approaching the Infirmary from the other direction, though, and they're loaded for bear... ...And you're fuckin' wrecked, Vault. Running all over the place, "Can it with the humility, Max," August Grandmother chides. "That may play well on the air but you know drat well I see right through it, I do every time!" She certainly lives up to her name. "And it's not hard to see through it when your previous words immediately give the lie to it, hm?" The old woman smiles, an eyebrow piercing glints as her hood shifts. "If the Church wants war then war comes. There is power here, Max. Martial power some, soft power more. Economics and propaganda. And of course if we were to deny the Church what it wants then they will likely attack us. So either we attack them first, or get someone else to do it." She's tying the Markets to the Station, which is not really uncommon for people to do, though you are technically separate. But that's the nature of war, no? Declare alignments, whether you want to or not. "Could we play both sides against each other? Probably. It depends on your skill. And then, you have to decide, is that really better anyway? If you want to stay free, you don't have to stay neutral, but you do have to be less of a threat than someone else." How do you respond?
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Aug 18, 2017 21:17
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Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» I stop walking and turn to face Amanlu. "Look," I say, and I pause. What do I even say to this? "I'm not gonna shoot you. For one, the only gun I got on me is Ballbuster here-" I stop for a second and motion to the rifle strapped to my back, "-and she's not the best for shooting someone point-blank. Two, I don't like killing defenseless people. I've done it before, but I don't like it." Deep breath. I'm gonna regret this, but I can see the Preacher in my mind's eye, ever judging me. I'll do the right thing, at least, I'll think about it. "Alright 'Lu, I gotta level with you. I don't like slavers. Probably heard me say that to Vault. I don't like slavers, I don't like warlords, and I sure as hell don't like Magpie. Way I see it, I got two options. One: I let you go. I ain't gonna kill you, remember. You run, as fast and as far as you can, to the ends of the Earth if you gotta, 'cuz if Magpie ever finds you poo poo will be ten thousand times worse than it would be if I just took you back now. If I do that-and this is a big if-I'm hosed too. I gotta run. You gotta have something for me, something that makes this worthwhile. I don't like Maggie, but I do like three things: drugs, sex, and being alive. Maggie gives me all three. You gotta make sure I can still get 'em, that Maggie won't come and throw me in the same cage she wants to throw you in, or worse. "Two: I turn you in. Now I can turn you in, get my pay, and leave you there to your fate. Or I can turn you in, get my pay, and try to come back someday, maybe with Vault or somesuch so we can put a bullet in Maggie's brain, but again, you're asking me to risk the three things I love more than all else for you. "If I'm looking out just for me, the choice is easy: I'm turning you in, getting my pay, and getting the gently caress out. But I don't like Maggie. And you... well I don't hate you, and you're cute, so I might be persuaded to do some dumb poo poo for you if you can convince me." I smirk a little. Let's see where this goes. "So, convince me."
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Aug 18, 2017 21:56
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Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 10:00 harm | XP ○○○○○» 1-advance World's grayer than usual, which is saying a bit. Keep losing time now too. Thinking I'm walking a straight line and realizing I've staggered off to the left again. But I found the drat place. Just need to find the doc. I spot the other two, stop and bring my HK around in front of me. Not pointing, but ready to. Think about finding cover, decide gently caress it. One of them looks familiar but it's hard to tell through the internal haze. Probably can still hit them from here if I have to. Probably. But I'd rather not have to. Might be the doc, or someone else looking for her. One way to find out. "You the doctor?" I shout at them. gently caress that hurts. Really hoping the answer is yes.
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Aug 19, 2017 06:32
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Red, Amanlu takes a deep breath, sorting through everything that's happened to her in the last few dozen hours. She's handling it..not that well, but she is handling it. "So. You just nabbed me, used me as a pawn in some scheme that now is totally blown the hell up, chained me to a radiator for some amount of time, and are about to turn me back into to a god damned living nightmare." Amanlu tries to shake her hair out of her face, but without any free hands and with all the sweat from the day, she's having trouble with it. "And in order for you to not send me back to Magpie, you're asking me to smoke drugs and eat you out?" A weak smile comes across her face. How do you respond?
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Aug 21, 2017 23:48
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Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●●○» I see the heavily-armed figure approach and hear their hail. Even if this isn’t an ambush, I really don’t need another high-maintenance patient. But duty must… I motion to The’s man discreetly, and speak low. “If this goes south, don’t worry about me, get Madame Mayor to the Infirmary. Its only a block east of here, you should have a clear shot.” I start to hail the stranger, and then realize the futility of shouting in a breathing mask. Luckily I know the air here is clear of the worst of the airborne pathogens and contaminants, its why I sited the Infirmary here. I disconnect the filter-hose from the mask, and inhale the realatively clean air. “I am Practioner See, yes. Do you require medical treatment?”
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Aug 22, 2017 00:57
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Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 10:00 harm | XP ○○○○○» 1-advance I keep my rifle pointed down - not slinging it up in the open - and wave with my free hand. "Yeah!" I call back, and make my way over to the doc, having to concentrate some on not falling over. "Name's Vault. Got shot," I add by way of explanation when I get to a more reasonable conversation distance.
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Aug 22, 2017 01:19
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Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●●○» As we draw closer, I recognize Ms. Jack and the rather large bloodstain. And the trail of blood. That’s… more severe than the patch-job The needs. I wave The and her man towards the Infirmary and close the distance to Vault. “Nightingale's Gown woman, are you trying to paint the city with your bodily fluids? *Hmmm* Mid-caliber gunshot wound to the area of the left clavicle, as well as severe blood loss exacerbated by physical exertion. Extent of internal damage unknown, will require exploratory surgery.” I offer a steadying arm to Vault as I give her the once-over. Lowering my volume from Record-speak, I catch her eye through my mask. “I am willing to take you on as a patient Ms. Jack, but I know of your reputation and must ask you first: Are you bringing Hell with you?” I hold up my other hand to forestall the normal protestations. “I will not deny you care if you are, but I must know so I can take the necessary steps to safeguard the Infirmary.”
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Aug 22, 2017 03:06
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Cool+3 | Hard-2 | Hot+1 | Sharp+1 | Weird+1 1-armor | 3-barter | 0:00 harm | XP ●○○○○» "Not what I meant!" Christ she's thick. "Look, just fuckin-" Head's pounding. gently caress this. I go over to her and remove her handcuffs. "Just fuckin' go. Maggie's not worth it. I'll figure something else out." Of course, I already know what my plan B is. I crouch down there, not even waiting for Amanlu to respond, pull Ballbuster off my shoulder, and start reloading it. Time to find a high place overlooking Maggie's and get comfy.
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Aug 22, 2017 15:05
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Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 10:00 harm | XP ○○○○○» 1-advance "Didn't realize it was this bad," I say a bit lamely at the doc's comment, then consider her question. "Killed the ones who did this, but left her gang behind. Don't think they're right on my trail. But might be best to fort up." I stumble a bit. Things really are getting grey. I don't like the sound of surgery, but I like the sound of dead even less.
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Aug 22, 2017 15:58
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Hard =0 | Cool +2 | Hot -1 | Sharp +2 | Weird -1 Barter=1 | Harm=0:00 | XP ●●●●○» I’d love to run ahead to get the OR prepped, but Vault’s stumble puts paid to that. Can’t risk her losing consciousness and bleeding out a few hundred yards from treatment. Working around the rifle, I get under her uninjured shoulder and take some of her weight. Awkwardly, I bring my other arm around to display the snake-staff sigil on my glove. “I am Practioner See, duly boarded and licensed. I accept the Risks-So-Informed and offer my skills and my Oath towards your continued well-being, do you consent to my care after being so informed?” I begin moving Vault towards the Infirmary. Even if she doesn’t give Consent-So-Informed, Shigusa hasn’t yet been boarded and can at least save her life.
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Aug 23, 2017 01:44
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| # ? Apr 20, 2024 10:04 |
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[quote="Comrade Gorbash" post="475620351"] Cool+1 | Hard+2 | Hot-1 | Sharp+1 | Weird=0 | 2-armor | 0-barter | 10:00 harm | XP ○○○○○» 1-advance "Yeah," I answer the doc's question, not totally following it. Whatever gets me treated at this point. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 18:51 on Aug 24, 2017 |
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Aug 23, 2017 02:42
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