Future Imperfect

[Guest Magnus]

In a pub onboard the self supporting space station dubbed IO's Watcher a man sat at the darkened corner of the bar. Eyes constantly shifting from patron to patron. Taking a hearty drought from his mug he reached down and patted the dog sitting beside him. The dog was more wolf than dog, one of the last of it's breed. Or any other breed for that mater. The cataclysm thirty years earlier had seen the death of most species. Animals were a precious commodity, the governments of the factions swiftly took control of stock animals and most pets. Indeed, it would have cost Ezekiel a great deal to get the fine looking dog. But the five fingered discount had lessened the price considerably. Ever since the pup had been at his side and over the last five years had grown into a true companion.

 

Shaking himself out of his nostalgic memories Zeke put the cup down and nodded to the small man sitting a few tables away. The small man checked the area, making sure there wasn't a trap of some sort. Cautious, Zeke liked that. The man walked over to the table. His hair in a dreadlock reaching down his back. "I hear that you go by the name of One." Zeke asked, motioning for the barmaid to bring a pint of grog.

 

"And what if I do?" the man replied. Still wary.

 

"Then you're the man I've been looking for. No, I'm not out for bounty, right now. You see, I'm in the need of a crew for a ship. It's dangerous work, but from what I hear you might be interested in work like what I've got in mind." Zeke whispered, looking out from under the brim of his had that concealed his dirty blonde hair.

 

The man known as 1 simply took a drink of his grog in reply. "How many crew members do you have?"

 

"Well, assuming you choose to join, three. You, me, and Morgan here." He said patting the dog which was intently staring at the man. "You know this territory better than I do. So I need your help finding some members for the rest of the crew."

 

"How do I know which ones to choose?"

 

"Just look for the ones not flashing those military badges for free drinks and you should be fine."

 

Fifteen minutes later there was a small assortment of people gathering around the table. The other patrons at the bar were not taking heed of the group, and a guard was reaching for his radio hidden in his wrist watch.

 

"I suggest we make introductions quick and get a move on. If you're up to the task that is." Zeke drained the last of his mug in one drought and let out a laugh. Things would be very interesting from here on in.

[Guest Cujogoodie]

"Renee," She started, lightly tapping her fingernails against the table.

 

"I get people in, watch over them until they get out, and generally try to keep them from doing anything unnecessarily violent."

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

"Renee," She started, lightly tapping her fingernails against the table.

 

"I get people in, watch over them until they get out, and generally try to keep them from doing anything unnecessarily violent."

As Renee and the other members of group began to quickly introduce themsleves, "1", vanished into the darkness, like a shadow into the night. As he blended into the backdrop, he whispered only enough for Renee to hear, "There is an issue I must attend to, if we're going anywhere." "Where..?" was all that Renee was able to get out when she saw a shadowy figure, whispering in the guard's ear. As he smiled and licked his lips, at Renee, the guard sauntered over towards her direction. "I hear that you have some...wares for sell, harlot", the guard sneered, eyeing Renee up and down. As her eyes lit in anger, they soon carefully softened, smiling demurely at the guard as a a hand quickly covered his mouth from behind and a dagger slit across his throat with the precision of a "Cyborg20-a" micro surgeon. "I suggest we make haste and cininue this conversation outside.", suggested "1" as he wiped his blade clean.

[Guest He who fights monsters]

Ren Kakahari brushed upon his sleeves. His elongated energy knife was sheathed and off, dual plasma pistols were in their hostlers, and he took a seat in the table. "I assume this is the place my client is waiting me for." he thought to himself. He examined his surroundings, finding Renee and "1". He then eyes the latter. "A colleague I presume?" Ren spoke in a volume quiet enough for only "1" to hear.

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

Ren Kakahari brushed upon his sleeves. His elongated energy knife was sheathed and off, dual plasma pistols were in their hostlers, and he took a seat in the table. "I assume this is the place my client is waiting me for." he thought to himself. He examined his surroundings, finding Renee and "1". He then eyes the latter. "A colleague I presume?" Ren spoke in a volume quiet enough for only "1" to hear.

"1", nodded affirmatively "There are less than 10 people alive that know of "The Whisper in the Wind" technique", "1" murmured back. "You and I have much to discuss, later" he said.

 

Motioning Zeke and Renee over to Ren's table, 1 scanned the room. "This is Renee, I believe you already know Ezekial, and I am Yoshida, but most simply know me as 1." Searching for any signs that they had drawn any unwanted attention, his eyes fell upon five beings involved in a card game gone awry. As the others began to agree upon the conditions of their captain's mission, 1 noticed a young woman amidst the commotion.

 

As she raised from her chair, complaints of cheating and thievery could be gathered under the cacophony of lies and plots that comprised most of the conversation in the cantina. It became obvious to 1, that this woman was not well-like by her gaming opponents. Apparently she had done a maneuver known as the "Gypsy Switch" to gain an advantage and the pot under their very noses. The four men rose and approached the woman with murder in their eyes.

 

Yoshida-1 began to plan the moves that he would need to execute, in order to disable all four of the men. As he stepped back into the shadows, noticed the women's body tense as she launched herself at one of the attackers pulling a chair with her. As she swung the chair across the nose of the nearest assailant, she brought a pistol out from the small of her back and pointed at the other three.

 

"Step backwards into the shadows" she heard. But as she glanced over her shoulder, here eyes could not perceive the origin of the voice, or could she. "Yes", she thought "barely but I can sense something is there." Not wanting to leaver her "winnings", but not ready to be arrested for grifting, she hesitantly stepped back a foot. "Walk very slowly, back into the shadows", again she had heard the whisper. As It came to her on a slight breeze of air. Certain that the three had not heard the words that were meant only for her, she stepped back into a corner.

 

The first dagger left the darkness of the corner so quickly, that its target hadn't even hit the floor yet when a second one aimed its own victim. As two men slumped to the ground, their lifeless bodies falling like puppets whose strings had been cut, the remaining assailants backed away and exited the bar with an expediency that only near death experiences can bring. "Becca", said the girl extending her hand,...

[Guest He who fights monsters]

"1", nodded affirmatively "There are less than 10 people alive that know of "The Whisper in the Wind" technique", "1" murmured back. "You and I have much to discuss, later" he said.

 

Motioning Zeke and Renee over to Ren's table, 1 scanned the room. "This is Renee, I believe you already know Ezekial, and I am Yoshida, but most simply know me as 1." Searching for any signs that they had drawn any unwanted attention, his eyes fell upon five beings involved in a card game gone awry. As the others began to agree upon the conditions of their captain's mission, 1 noticed a young woman amidst the commotion.

 

As she raised from her chair, complaints of cheating and thievery could be gathered under the cacophony of lies and plots that comprised most of the conversation in the cantina. It became obvious to 1, that this woman was not well-like by her gaming opponents. Apparently she had done a maneuver known as the "Gypsy Switch" to gain an advantage and the pot under their very noses. The four men rose and approached the woman with murder in their eyes.

 

Yoshida-1 began to plan the moves that he would need to execute, in order to disable all four of the men. As he stepped back into the shadows, noticed the women's body tense as she launched herself at one of the attackers pulling a chair with her. As she swung the chair across the nose of the nearest assailant, she brought a pistol out from the small of her back and pointed at the other three.

 

"Step backwards into the shadows" she heard. But as she glanced over her shoulder, here eyes could not perceive the origin of the voice, or could she. "Yes", she thought "barely but I can sense something is there." Not wanting to leaver her "winnings", but not ready to be arrested for grifting, she hesitantly stepped back a foot. "Walk very slowly, back into the shadows", again she had heard the whisper. As It came to her on a slight breeze of air. Certain that the three had not heard the words that were meant only for her, she stepped back into a corner.

 

The first dagger left the darkness of the corner so quickly, that its target hadn't even hit the floor yet when a second one aimed its own victim. As two men slumped to the ground, their lifeless bodies falling like puppets whose strings had been cut, the remaining assailants backed away and exited the bar with an expediency that only near death experiences can bring. "Becca", said the girl extending her hand,...

"It is a pleasure to meet both of you." Ren said to Renee and Yoshida-1. "As for Ezekiel, he's a potential client. All I need is some money." He then examined the woman in the fight. "I've seen toddlers fight. Chairs are horrible as a weapon because they are crude, clunky, and you have to put effort to fight. This would kill them instantly." Ren said as he got out his plasma knife, which is unactivated. "It's deadly, but it's deadlier which a flick of a switch." He activated it with energy surrounding the blade. "This would penetrate most substances, and it's versatile. My deadliest weapons are my guns, but I use them as a last resort." He then puts away his weapons.

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

"It is a pleasure to meet both of you." Ren said to Renee and Yoshida-1. "As for Ezekiel, he's a potential client. All I need is some money." He then examined the woman in the fight. "I've seen toddlers fight. Chairs are horrible as a weapon because they are crude, clunky, and you have to put effort to fight. This would kill them instantly." Ren said as he got out his plasma knife, which is unactivated. "It's deadly, but it's deadlier which a flick of a switch." He activated it with energy surrounding the blade. "This would penetrate most substances, and it's versatile. My deadliest weapons are my guns, but I use them as a last resort." He then puts away his weapons.

Yoshida appraised the knife,"Very interesting weapon you have there." As he reached into a bag strapped to his back he began to retrieve an arsenal of weaponry. "While I sometimes utilize an Arc Caster plasma crossbow, I prefer the weapons used in a more intimate proximity. He replaced the Arc Caster, and retrieved the daggers used on the guard back at the bar as well as a long ebony bladed sword. Ren looked on curiously and as Yoshida pulls these weapons from the bag, which appeared to be able to hold no more than a gallon of liquid. "Those are the blades you used earlier, yet I didn't see you pick them up." "I've seen your vanishing act, but you're not that quick..How..?" "The sword, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi "the Grass Cutter" and the daggers were made from a dragon's tooth and found in a dragon's tail". "They've been in my "family" for centuries and have proven to be most durable and equally deadly." "They have a way of returning to their sheathes when left behind or called upon."

"And the bag?", asked Ren. "It is a pocket dimensional pouch, able to carry more items than a horse could carry", Yoshida said. "As for the girl, I have seen her before." "I assure you she is a most capable fighter...and I'd advise a less condescending tone, lest she prove her mettle."

[Guest He who fights monsters]

Yoshida appraised the knife,"Very interesting weapon you have there." As he reached into a bag strapped to his back he began to retrieve an arsenal of weaponry. "While I sometimes utilize an Arc Caster plasma crossbow, I prefer the weapons used in a more intimate proximity. He replaced the Arc Caster, and retrieved the daggers used on the guard back at the bar as well as a long ebony bladed sword. Ren looked on curiously and as Yoshida pulls these weapons from the bag, which appeared to be able to hold no more than a gallon of liquid. "Those are the blades you used earlier, yet I didn't see you pick them up." "I've seen your vanishing act, but you're not that quick..How..?" "The sword, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi "the Grass Cutter" and the daggers were made from a dragon's tooth and found in a dragon's tail". "They've been in my "family" for centuries and have proven to be most durable and equally deadly." "They have a way of returning to their sheathes when left behind or called upon."

"And the bag?", asked Ren. "It is a pocket dimensional pouch, able to carry more items than a horse could carry", Yoshida said. "As for the girl, I have seen her before." "I assure you she is a most capable fighter...and I'd advise a less condescending tone, lest she prove her mettle."

"We will all get along very well. We might meet each other again when the time comes. This is going to be mutual." Ren replied with a grin.

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

As the group quickly started to size each other up, they started to realize that as different as they all were, they had a few blindingly obvious connections. One was that they were outcasts of society. They all prescribed to the New World Chaos theory, and as such lived in the gray areas in between lawful and criminal behavior. The other was that they were individually either very well connected or very dangerous, and extremely proficient in their professed "occupations" to have remained under the radar of the Planetary Order Alliance.

 

The decision was made to depart from IO's Watcher and get better acquainted aboard Zeke's transport.

"So where is this ship of yours?", Becca asked as they entered IO's docking station. "Surely, you don't think I'd be foolish enough to dock her here on IO do you?", remarked Zeke as he smiled smugly. "We'll need to board a shuttle that can drop us off to the fueling satellite orbiting this space station." "She's carefully hidden there waiting." Suddenly Becca became acutely aware of something terribly wrong. She tilted her head upwards slightly at an angle as though she sensed something.

 

Noticing the change in Becca's demeanor "1" surveyed the area and noticed a guardsman-class aircruiser approaching their location at a stealthy but urgently increasing pace. "We have company people, and I doubt its good company" whirling on her heels, Renee searched the perimeter of the massive docking area. "Where, I don't see.." "Wait for it sugarbritches", quipped Becca. Soon the familiar whirring sound of the cruiser broke the air.

 

"Its your friends, the gamblers I'll wager", said Renee arming herself. "Now what?" "We'll never make it to the shuttle with them causing a ruckus." "We have two choices, comrades", noted Yoshida. "Do tell.", said Zeke. Drawing Grasscutter in one hand and pulling a handful of shiny metallic spheres from his pouch with the other, Yoshida said, "We can make a stand, fight, eventually take on the entire IO Guardsmen Corps and die gloriously, or we can dispatch of these few, board by my Fighter and make our way to the satellite." "Yeah, I vote for that second option" Becca said quickly.

 

Before anyone else could chime in on the obvious, the guardsmen were upon them. Just as quickly, Yoshida tossed the spheres he had been holding in the path of the oncoming cruiser, each one suspending itself in mid-air. When the cruiser made contact with the spheres the whirring of the engines ceased and the cruiser fell to the ground with a piercing screech of metal grinding against metal.

 

The guardsman departed the cruiser even angrier than they were before having been bested by this modest looking group for the second time. But even as they engaged the group, they soon realized that they were outclassed, outgunned and about to lose their lives. Moments later the group boarded Yoshida's Fighter and blew through the docking doors towards the fueling station.

"Suh weet transpo you "acquired" here Yoshi", said Becca admiringly. "I've warned you before, Becca", "1" said quietly yet still menacingly. "Don't call me Yoshi, lest your shoulders lose possession of your head." Becca, smiled and nodded knowingly. "But you said you'd only known of her..." "What is going on between you two?", asked Renee curiously. "Another time.", Yoshida said sharply. "Hmph." sighed Renee. "Always so cloak and daggery, eh, Yoshi..da", Becca quipped still smiling.

[Guest He who fights monsters]

"My client will be sure to pay me a lot of money on this trip. All I need is some names." Ren snickered. He smiled, revealing his lupine teeth implants. Not just they helped scare opponents, but also help him eat. The teeth gave him an intimidating/nightmarish appearance.

[Guest Magnus]

The cruiser made a beeline for the smaller station located a few minutes away. It was customary for stations to have their solar chargers located off of the main body of the station. Repairs were completed with whatever parts could be salvaged and "accidents" were all too common. One properly located bomb inside the generator could take out a whole station.

 

The passengers onboard the cramped fighter watched as two guardian fighters gave chase. But Zeke gave a smile as he pressed a button held in his hands. A silent explosion rocked the fighter as the guard's ships blew up in a brilliant display. For a moment two miniature suns illuminated the area before disappearing.

 

"We have a problem." Becca announced from the cockpit. "there's no ship at the dock."

 

The rest immediately tensed. Unsure if they had been betrayed or lead out to die by a deranged man. "Oh, it's not at the station. Doesn't need do be." Zeke pointed at a small dark blotch on the h.u.d. the fighter sped to the spot as the ship came into view.

 

Resembling something not to unlike the blade at Ren's side. She was a solid black, the small wings at either side accented in a silver that gleamed in the reflection of IO.

 

"And how did you get that? I don't even recognize the type." 1 asked staring at the ship as they approached.

 

"It's a prototype. First, and last, of it's kind. It was the only one build, naught but a month before the fall. The second was in onboard the Regent Sun."

 

"THE Regent Sun?" Renee asked. The Regent Sun was more commonly heard as a swearword then it's actual meaning. It was the ship tasked with the job of igniting Saturn and creating the second sun. it was the fault of that ship that humanity was it it's current status.

 

"After the fall it was kept on the Phoebes base. Mars was scared that someone might try to copy it. From there it was just a matter of getting an inside man to switch the priority to a different hanger and have this one shipped out to IO. It only cost me my life savings and half my old crew to get it."

[Guest Cujogoodie]

Renee arched an eyebrow and fidgeted a bit more in her seat, visibly uncomfortable to be aware of the ship's presence.

 

"What kinda job are we pulling that needs something like this? Please tell me we aren't trying to do what the Regent Sun tried to, because I know for a fact that that ship was never going to reignite Saturn, and that it wasn't supposed to. But I'd rather not show you that by recreating the 'accident' again."

[Guest He who fights monsters]

"When the time comes, we must not hesitate. We must act!" The Regent Sun incident was a fool's move in the eyes of Ren. But he didn't let that come to him as he considers such events to be detriments and distractions to his assassination missions. The cold assassin kept his calm. "I wonder if my client has a person for me to kill."

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

Yoshida 1 looked at he motley crew that had assembled itself for this mission. His eyes darting back and forth studying each member thoughtfully. "Would their mettle prove string enough individually to be able to work as a team?", he wondered.

"So, Captain..", he began. "You've got a merc, an assassin, a cyber jockey and a saboteur" "What sort of plans have you for our little "guild?", he asked pensively.

[Guest He who fights monsters]

"OK, all I need is some money and a name. I'll roll with it." Ren said from his cynical heart.

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

The apparent eagerness of Ren, was both disturbing and familar to Yoshida. Many members of the guild who were eager to prove themselves had behaved similarly in anticpation of a kill. While he found a certain satisfaction in the act it was based upon the art of the assassination.

 

"Let's put your eagerness to good use young mercenary.", Yoshida prompted. "I suggest a wager." "I plan to strip down to a simple katana and throwing daggers" "You make use your plasma blades. "The first person to make a clean kill, wins" , he wagered.

[Guest He who fights monsters]

"Ooh, a game. How about betting this amount?" he asked, with a grin. He pulls out currency that is equivalent to 5 USD. "Clean kill means stealth, no? I can simply turn off my plasma knife, as it's like a dagger when off. When things get ugly, I activate it. That's my modus operandi, other than shooting with my pistols, using my sniper's rifle, and the like. I think my sniper's rifle would keep me covered, as they'll never know what hit them! But since it's strictly close combat, I'll be careful."

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

"Ooh, a game. How about betting this amount?" he asked, with a grin. He pulls out currency that is equivalent to 5 USD. "Clean kill means stealth, no? I can simply turn off my plasma knife, as it's like a dagger when off. When things get ugly, I activate it. That's my modus operandi, other than shooting with my pistols, using my sniper's rifle, and the like. I think my sniper's rifle would keep me covered, as they'll never know what hit them! But since it's strictly close combat, I'll be careful."

Yoshida extended his hand. As his palm turned down in acceptance of Ren's handshake his long sleeves pulled towards his wrist. The back of his hand revealed a dragon, missing one of its canine teeth. "Agreed then.", he said quickly covering his hand. "And just to make things interesting, I'll do mine...with my eyes closed.", with this comment 1 smiled to himself.

[Guest He who fights monsters]

"This is going to be fun, competing with a colleague and ally." Ren grinned.

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

As he prepared to dock his fighter onto Ezekial's ship, he was suddenly awed by her sheer magnificence. He had certainly not seen anything like her before. When the docking doors opened, he marveled at the design. "This will do", he thought.

[Guest Cujogoodie]

"This is going to be fun, competing with a colleague and ally." Ren grinned.

 

"Don't be so overconfident, for one, we don't know if this job requires any killing, and two, if it does, there are more efficient and less violent ways to kill someone other than stabbing them."

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

"Don't be so overconfident, for one, we don't know if this job requires any killing, and two, if it does, there are more efficient and less violent ways to kill someone other than stabbing them."

As she spoke, Yoshida turned to Renee and stared at her as though he were looking through her rather than at her. "You've not acquired the taste for killing, yet.", he said. As he gazed into her eyes he seemed to speak in patronly manner. "You will", he finished.

He spun his chair around to face her before he spoke again. "It is quite obvious that there is an intention for killing." "Why else would an assassin and mercenary be required?" At this he brandished a dagger and deftly balanced it on the tip of his index finger, the whole while continuing eye contact. "And as for the method..all killing is violent" "Some forms more than others." "'Tis truth in that.", he said in agreement. "What would you have us do then?"

As he continued to question Renee, Yoshida began to flip the knife up and catch it, balancing it in the palm of his hand.

 

"Maybe we could poison them slowly, over the course of years, or lock them in a cell with no food and wait over the course of several weeks." He seemed particularly sarcastic about the subject. "We could even insert a brain eater ant into someone's ear and wait 2 days... but I doubt we have time for that." The dagger began to spin in the air as Yoshida played his dangerous game of catch.

"I'll not question your methods for "interrogation.."" he said, finally allowing the knife to rest again upon his finger. "...So don't question my methods for dealing death." "Besides, there will come a time soon, I'm sure, that you will be relieved to have someone with my skills keeping you alive."

[Guest Cujogoodie]

Renee rolled her eyes at Yoshida's knife tricks.

 

"You're right, I don't have a taste for killing. I've got a taste for money, and unless the killing will bring money, I don't find it to be all that important. If some fool is charging at me with a butterfly and I've got a Baretta, of course I'll shoot him, but unless that happens, I'll prefer to leave the shooting and stabbing to some pompus macho a...Somebody like you who enjoys that kind of stuff. I'd imagine that you two were hired so that any killing that did happen would be quiet and affective, because I've never heard of a flashy assasin that lasted longer than a week."

 

"But hey, maybe you'll be the exception that proves the rule." She added with a smile.

[Guest Cosmic Deadpool]

Yoshida attempted a scowl at Renee's taunts, the one he'd always used when intimidation was needed. It was said that Yoshida's stare was so intense that it could freeze the blood in a man's veins and that his scowl could cause even the bravest Tamarroon warrior to soil himself, yet clearly Renee had developed an immunity. His eyes, however gave way to the grin that he was hiding underneath.

 

Renee's plucky nature was very reminiscent of Becca's... "Why does that intrigue me so much?", he wondered. Suddenly, the thought of Becca reminded him of her presence onboard. At this notion, his stern composure resurfaced itself, erasing any doubt of his serious nature. "Women..", he pondered, "Unsettling creatures to say the least." Sheathing his blade, he prepared to dock the fighter.

[Guest He who fights monsters]

Renee rolled her eyes at Yoshida's knife tricks.

 

"You're right, I don't have a taste for killing. I've got a taste for money, and unless the killing will bring money, I don't find it to be all that important. If some fool is charging at me with a butterfly and I've got a Baretta, of course I'll shoot him, but unless that happens, I'll prefer to leave the shooting and stabbing to some pompus macho a...Somebody like you who enjoys that kind of stuff. I'd imagine that you two were hired so that any killing that did happen would be quiet and affective, because I've never heard of a flashy assasin that lasted longer than a week."

 

"But hey, maybe you'll be the exception that proves the rule." She added with a smile.

 

"I'm just in this for money, not for the thrill of the hunt. Those kind of people do stupid stuff to make it more entertaining." Ren added.