#651 Post by Thumper » Wed Jul 19, 2023 2:29 am
Feeling the strength and coordination returning he stands, preemptively bracing a hand against the wall.
Turning to Aristotelis:
Is it too late for that reset you mentioned?
Aristotelis smiles at Tiv:
Normally, yes, far too late, but you’re in luck today – he leans down to offer his hand in assistance to rise –
we’re making exceptions.
Raven turns to leave but then stops to turn her black eyes on Astoteliss “With my duty done I can now address personal matters. You deliberately insulted me. If you want to try it again my warband will make the square in the street. So, Níðingr, you can cower behind your Mistress' skirts or meet me outside with a blade in your hand”.
She doesn't wait for Astotelis' response and states “The Tech Commander chooses to remain. I will be outside”. Then, whistling up her warband, she leaves.
I assure you, I have not yet deliberately insulted you, though you’ve earned it.
When Raven challenges him, his hand automatically goes to the hilt of a sword he is not wearing, before he changes the gesture to adjusting the hang of his jacket, and tucking in the tail of his shirt. His accent slips into a more refined, formal register briefly:
I am certainly not going to duel you. Returning to the demotic:
Bad for business.
Aristotelis watches Raven leave, and the door close behind her. He relaxes noticeably, and smiles at Tiv:
I’ve never seen “could start a fight in an empty airlock” illustrated better.
Caution is one thing, but that? He sucks his teeth like a tradesman deprecating another work before making a quote:
Pathological.
The hidden door opens and Aristotelis leads Tiv into the tunnel beyond.
Unlike the other sections of the station, the walls and ceiling are unclad, bare rock behind pipes and armoured conduits. Also, unlike the other sections of Blackrock, the tunnel is unlit.
Near the entrance, Tiv passes the point where Raven’s grenade went off, marked by scorching on the smooth rock floor. A subtle movement among the conduits on the wall catches his attention, and he realises a robot snake is tracking his movements with his head. When he passes, it slithers around and follows.
Soon the light from the open door fades.
Aristotelis asks for his key-fob, and (assuming Tiv hands it over) activates a small light, enough to illuminate a meter or so of the tunnel.
The door closes behind and Aristotelis heads off into the dark, taking Tiv through a series of turns at junctions and side-openings, some of which change level (judging by the slope). Occasionally, Tiv hears a door slide open ahead or shut behind him.
Eventually, after about 10 minutes walking, a series of two doors slide open ahead, the second flooding the tunnel with light. Aristotelis walks through, and Tiv follows, emerging behind a stack of .5dT cargo modules. The door seals behind, merging into the panelling.
Walking around them, the pair emerge into a typical Blackrock space – clean white panelled surfaces and bright lighting. It is a cargo bay, about 50dT, sparsely stocked.
Aristotelis takes Tiv across the room, through a personnel airlock, and into a corridor with two doors on the right, an airlock door on the left, and a security door at the end. Aristotelis stops beside the first door on the right and knocks. The door slides open and Tiv is ushered into another Blackrock chamber.
This space is divided into two sections. The first part contains a desk with a computer workstation near the door and a storage area lined with shelves. Behind a glass wall is a workshop area, with benches, machinery and computer terminals.
Medusa is standing by the desk, dressed in black pinstripe jacket and skirt business suit. She does not look happy to see Tiv.
So, it seems I have a lapse in judgement. I think your crew are different to the common run of Oghmen, because of your reputation, and the deals you make with Scarlett Sal and Ummiimir, and yet, this morning, you arrive with a warparty and display unruly and reckless aggression, such as is to be expected of thugs. This is disappointing, because I think you are such a crew as considers situations carefully, and yet all I see is a Gun-shark with a hair trigger.
I think I make a contract with a useful sort of Oghman, but it seems all I have is another weapon, such as Theev has in abundance already. A dangerous weapon, yes, but much like many another.
What is needed here, is a smart weapon, not another jagged blade or scattergun.
She sighs:
However, you show some smarts, eventually, the weapon was shown in private, and drew no blood, so I have no need to advertise a price for such a display of poor etiquette. You understand, if you publicly doubt my good faith, make some show of force such as would suggest you think you can strong-arm my operation, this is bad for my business, and I would have to make an example of any person who does such a thing.
But, as I say, everything is in private, and no harm is done.
Except.
You parade an armed party through the station to a business that people who know things, know I have an interest in. This draws attention of a sort I prefer not to have. Fortunately, they are children, and it is early, so nobody who matters sees them, and so the offense is not taken seriously.
However. This thing you are proposing to do, that I do not know the details of, it is such a thing that is best done without drawing attention. Now, I am compelled to ask, can you finesse this job or will you just kick in the doors and start shooting?
In fact, I do not care so much whichever way, as long the thing is done, but perhaps I can save you money.
She gestures to some sealed medical transport modules:
The prescription medicines and their dispensers are here, and delivery is arranged, but perhaps I will honour my previous arrangement regarding the Dust Spice. If you are merely a weapon, you have no need for the subtlety of the culinary arts, and so I keep my word to Uisuikaa and you keep your credits.
What do you say?
I really feel I should apologise for my dice rolling - the odds of you making your save after I'd hoovered up all the high scores were astronomical... 
).
