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Post by Atticus Batman on Jul 20, 2015 14:12:54 GMT
After Lena's little stunt I did toss a rock in her direction and order Marcel to get the property under control just in case we were indeed still being watched. I left it at that for the time being, since the girls stepped back inside and the vehicles continued to drive away, so we were safe, atleast from them. However after we were once off the ground, with me flying again, I suddenly smack my helm and say outloud, "Damn it Kafool, shut the hell up in there! I do NOT care how much YOU liked the show or what YOU would love to do with THEM!!!" When I realize that everyone is looking at me, including Marcel who seems to be wondering who I am suddenly talking to, I say, "Sorry the 'others' can be quite annoying at times. I know Lena atleast understands how it is, even if none of you so-called 'sane' people do! Anyway, that was quite the nice show that you young ladies put on, and I am sure any straight guy would agree, I know atleast one of my other voices definitely liked it, as you obviously heard, since I accidently scolded him outloud. However, it could have easily screwed us, considering they make sure most of the women they sell are strictly docile and subserviant slaves. Fortunately I said you ladies belonged to Montero, since he is well known for constantly buying more new female slaves and is always losing his 'property', at least for a little while, I suppose your stage act was a great thing. Not only because everyone of them enjoyed it, but also because Montero's newer 'property', as he refers to all his female slaves, tends to be quite flirtatious and disobedient. He is a very eccentric and rich old goat who tends to prefer to start with flirtatious and disobediant girls, anyway. Since he so loves 'breaking them in'. Although I doubt he has somebody as wild as you in his house, seeing that he must be at least 80 by now. You have probably even heard of or met him as the old goat has been in Lima for the 20 or so years that I have known of him and was ancient back then. He also had quite the mansion back then, although it is much bigger now. So who knows how long he has really been there or how old he really is. However Lena, the curtain call has ended, so you can put your pants back on now.
Sometime after Belle said with a smile, "Oh, and Kaj, you don't have to wear the beret if you don't want to, but you DO look kind of cute in it!" Kaj eventually answered her back by saying, "It's not that I have a problem with wearing the beret, I could see how it may look nice on me. The problem is that I am not sure how to keep it on as it slides off my sleek bald head everytime I move. Is there some kind of trick to it, or do I just need to use double-sided tape?"  |
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on Jul 20, 2015 14:35:08 GMT
Marcel looked Atticus with growing interest. That huge guy seemed to be really messed up. Voices in his head and so on. This team of good doers was bunch of mental cases for sure. And his arch enemy, an old rival Volodja was probably even crazier than rest of them, because he stayed voluntarily with them as their counsellor. For him some of them were just plain nuts. They had an idealistic beauty who was able to turn into Volge, a violent huge guy who had voices in his head, a beauty who just regained her corporeal body and then Volodja - clever, charming, who lasted more coups than most of the people, Marcel knew and still kept going and getting hurt. He didn't knew Erika and Taffer that much, but probably both of them had couple of lose screws as well.  |
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Post by Sandy Bell on Jul 20, 2015 14:52:07 GMT
Sandy Bell was putting back on her boots and grinned when Atticus said, "However Lena, the curtain call has ended, so you can put your pants back on now."
Lena Marr however, didn't miss a beat when she exclaimed with a wicked grin on her pretty albaster face, "Aw Atty-baby, am I getting you all hot and bothered? Sorry, my nether regions belong to only one man now: Marcel Lestrange, and he takes wonderful care of them, let me tell you!"
Lena placed a chalk white forefinger to her cheek, mischief gleaming in her long lashed sky blue eyes, as she remarked, "However if we could get my voices together with your voices, they could have quite the party!"
Pride, the voice currently in control of her EGO, told her, "Our voices are MUCH more interesting I bet!"
As Lena reluctantly complied and put her culottes back on, Sandy turned to Erika Widowmaker, who was seated next to her impassively taking in the banter, although amusement was obvious in her huge jade green eyes, asking, "Is it always this... busy on a mission?"
Erika thought about the many missions she had gone on with the Protector's team, and had to say truthfully, "Yes, most often it is, but Lena brings in a whole new level of busyness!"
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jul 20, 2015 15:03:35 GMT
Volodja looked into Belles big blue eyes and replied softly: "Dear girl. I remember what you told me about Vo and how you told it. He has a special place in your heart. I am afraid that I will never fit into his shoes.
I am just Volodja Uljanov - a flawed man, compared with always calm and cool Vo K'shaa who was capable to offer you happiness. I usually attract trouble wherever I go, or at least happen to be in places which are on verge of a catastrophe. I will do my share to fix everything and when the party begins I sneak out and ride into sunset. I am already gone when it's about happily ever after. My old habit. And I don't want to burn you Belle. There are always problems to solve when I am around. I know that you became more mature - troubles tend to make people grow up faster. Most of war kids, like I happen to be, have experienced that. But I am not sure that I am Mr. Right for someone sweet and beautiful. I am convinced that you will make the wise choice by choosing him over me. It's for your own good, Belle."
With a smile he looked at Belle and closed his mouth. Hopefully she understands that avoiding him is better for herself. Vo was her world, the air she breathed and Volodja...He had his chance only after Vo was presumably dead. He was sure that he was not the one people will love even when they are deceased. Everything seemed to be quite opposite for him. All he had left was doing the right thing - make Belle happy by reuniting her with her Prince.
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Post by Belle Starr on Jul 20, 2015 15:54:35 GMT
Belle Starr laughed melodiously, replying, "I'm a big enough girl to burn myself these day, and to decide how and with whom I will go to the inferno with! With all seriousness, Vo was a good man, no doubt about it, and when he was alive and we were together, I loved him with all my heart! But Volo, you are a good man too, and I love you in the here and now, with all my heart! One thing I learned from Vo's death, was that you can't plan for happily ever after in a world such as ours, but you can have happiness in the here and now!" Belle leaned forward in the narrow aircraft seat, so he had nowhere to gracefully retreat to, and kissed him passionately with her blue eyes closed, pouring her heart and soul into a single kiss which said more than a thousand words could ever say. When the kiss ended, she opened her beautiful blue diamond eyes and, taking out a dainty lace trimmed handkerchief, wiped gently her lipstick off his handsome face. "Volo, you make me happy here and now, and I love you with all my heart, although when you torture yourself this way with what ifs, it drives me crazy!" Belle said with a warm smile, adding with a laugh, "But then, I have my faults too, like the tendency to turn into a raging monster every once in a while, so I can't complain too much! Tell y'all what, let's just enjoy the moment, and take care of tomorrow's worries tomorrow!" With that she grabbed his hand and held it with both of hers, resting her blond tousled head on his broad shoulder as the plane continued its flight towards Red Deer, her big blue diamond eyes staring forward but focused on the here and now.  |
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jul 20, 2015 18:48:25 GMT
Volodja found himself wondering...was this the same handkerchief she used to clean his face back in Freedom? Did actually mattered? Volodja wasn't sure but he found it symbolical that Belle wiped his face once again. This time she didn't clean his tears, but her lipstick after kissing him. Thought made Volodja to smile. This time his smile had more joy in it than earlier. Some of it even reached into his tired and sad looking brown eyes. At least for couple of minutes he felt better about himself. First time for him since the beginning of their rescue mission. He knew that it won't last long and that's why he used his free hand to hold loveable Belle close to him and stroke her blond tousled hair although he wasn't sure, who needed that touch more. Was it Belle or him? Probably Volodja, because Belle was there when he had a hard moment and did everything she could to comfort him. Even if this illusion fades and gives place to reality, he had a tender and heart-warming moment to remember. One of the few sweet moments in his otherwise hard life, full of struggle for everything. Hopefully Belle enjoyed that moment too.
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Post by Taffer on Jul 20, 2015 19:43:19 GMT
Once the aircraft took off and was set on the course, Taffer visualized the map of Lima and its suburbs and showed it to the team through their EGO.   "Here's our best landing spot I could come up with given my previous experience with this part of the world", He pointed at the road which ran through the mountains north-west of Shangri-La. "This road leads to some small abandoned settlement. The terrain is high enough to have a good view on the surroundings but mountainous enough to keep the aircraft away from the line of sight from the popular routes and to bottleneck any forces that might try to attack us there. At the same time it's close enough to North Pan-American Highway which will lead us straight to Lima. There are also some backup dirt roads we can use in case Pan-American gets blocked. My main plan is to get our rollers running after we land and reach Askaru's territory. In case we won't be able to find him, which is definitely possible because I still had not got any reply from him, we'll check several points where we could meet Tommasino's people who offered some help on this matter. In case we have any troubles traveling on the surface, we'll make use of Lena's knowledge of sewers and other underground ways through the city. Our first goal is to find the kids. Next part is to get them to safety taking into account their condition and the situation in the city. Once we ensure they are safe, we're going after Skarr to turn his unassailable fortress into a sweet home for our new friends. Did I get everything right? Any additions?" |
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Post by Vo Kshaa on Jul 20, 2015 20:04:18 GMT
"Wake up Vo! Something is not right!"Vo opened his only eye and glanced around the room. Nothing was seemingly out of order, and his weapons were sitting by his bed as he left them. "Doc, "something" is not what I expect to hear from my EGO unit. Please be more precise and tell me what exactly is not right", Vo said mentally to his EGO unit. "Uhm, okay", Doc replied. "First, I have lost all contact to my superiors. Second, our room was unlocked without your or my permission. Third, I detect the security grid is offline on this and the lower level. Fourth, I've detected an energy surge somewhere in the corridor."
"Let's see what's going on then." Vo got up, quickly put his pants and jacket on, picked up his shield and weapons, still without any real ammo in them and sneaked to the door, thinking he'd better have a charge blade instead, but the buttstock of his new shotgun could be a good melee weapon as well. Pushed the door slightly and looked out through the crack. First thing he saw was a sparkling Gulanee suit flying along the corridor. "It's another specimen", commented Doc, "Gulanees here hate Indogenes wholeheartedly, so we'll have to avoid it somehow."
"I'm not an Indogene", Vo replied, "Maybe I could talk to them. You know, being in the same boat and all…"
"You're not, but I am", Doc noted with a sigh, "Even in my EGO form, it will be enough to enrage him to the point it won't stop until we're dead. And by the way, I'm detecting an ammo box downstairs in the holo training room. Real one this time.""Plan B then. By my command, call that automated vehicle from that maintenance room, and be ready to activate my Blur right after that. Ready? Now!"The Gulanee turned to see the source of the radio emission he just heard, but was immediately distracted by the noise of the door being pushed open and the vehicle storming out of the room threatening to hit his suit with its raised fork. Right after that, Vo rushed out of his room in Blur to the stairs and then down to the holo training room.  "15 seconds gain and an extra style bonus for the hit!" Doc exclaimed, seemingly amused by the action. "Doc, It's not a game and it's not funny", Vo replied, "We're trying to save your superiors from being massacred by this angry being while trying to stay alive and keep the being alive as well. Not an easy task as you may see."
Although Vo didn't like those "superiors" Doc was talking about, as well as their talk about the upcoming war and how they held him here like a lab rat without telling him any reason why, those people didn't harm him directly and kept him healthy and well fed. They even cared to make a nice eye patch for him during the surgery which was surprising to him given how much commotion Shirra might have initiated during her escape. Having such mixed feelings about them, he still didn't think they had to be killed, at least until he could see the full picture of what they are doing here. On the other hand, he felt sorry for this Gulanee who seemed to be held here as a prisoner too. He felt it's unfair to kill a sentient being only because they are confused and trying to escape their prison or trying to protect themselves. He knew from his own (and Belle's) experience even Volge could be negotiated with, and although their last negotiations with Volge didn't end well, he thought he could give this angry Gulanee a chance too. He used those 15 seconds he won from that trick with automated vehicle to run downstairs to the holo training room and filled his ammo reserve for both of his weapons. He noticed a pack of cluster grenades and picked them up too. "We'll try the virtual ammo first, and then, if…" Vo started to explain it to him, but Doc suddenly interrupted him. "Vo, I have to tell you something because it's important for keeping you alive and that's one of my tasks. Virtual ammo won't work, so if you're planning to shoot, then please load the real one NOW. While you're doing it, I'll explain. Many of the Gulanee are immune to holographic illusions. Illusions are the main weapon which is used by Indogene to protect their settlements. So given the upcoming war against them, this particular ability of theirs makes us pretty weak compared to them. So now I think you understand that when we found a specimen of the other race who has similar ability, we had to study it as thorough as we could. For now, the only result we had come to is that your ability is the same as that one's in all possible aspects. The only illusions that Gulanee could be tricked with is the EGO's abilities like Cloak or Decoy. We still cannot determine what's so different in them. Is it true for you as well?"
"Yes, I see them as real", answered Vo, feeling irritated he had not been told all this before, but trying to concentrate at the problem at hand which was definitely closing to them judging by the flashes of electric light emitting from the stairway. "So this is part of another "test", right?"
"No, I'm afraid it's not", Doc replied in a worried voice in Vo's head, "I still cannot contact anyone around and we're definitely not observed as we should be during the test."
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Post by Atticus Batman on Jul 20, 2015 23:07:55 GMT
I respond to Lena with, "I only want one woman and you are not her. As for the voices partying, that could be as interesting as driving into a F5 class tornado or class 5 hurricane, on a runner without any shielding or protection."
Then I get the image from Taffer. Then hear him talking to us. After he is done and asks if there are any additions I say, "For the mission, I am fine with following your lead on it since I was never here long enough to learn most of the locale or it's customs in my previous visits. So it is best for you and Lena to come up with the stealthy routes that we need, as you both know the city best. Other than that, nothing to say except that; we that we get the children, and if possible their father, out alive. Then when they and all of you are safe, Skarr either dies by my hand or has a fatal 'accident'. Once he is dead, that needs verified, so this villain does not make a return like most seem to. If you want to try to do it without destroying the Governor's fortress so our friends can claim it, then I am fine with that, as long as we safely get the children and all of you out and Skarr dies in some way.
As for the abandoned settlement, not mission related but interesting information; it is extremely possible, unless I remember the co-ordinates slightly wrong, that during the outbreak of gruesome attacks that were all blamed on the mythical "Pishtako" a little over 15 years ago, that the "Pishtako" in question also slaughtered the whole settlement. There have been plenty of gruesome killings blamed on that "Pishtako" since but no others to this extreme, body-count-wise, in this area. Of course it is also very possible and likely that the settlement was claimed by others since then, and there is a different reason that it is currently abandoned."
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Post by Sandy Bell on Jul 20, 2015 23:54:25 GMT
As Lena Marr sat curled up on the seat next to Marcel, leaning against his shoulder with her hand on his knee, she placed the chalk white forefinger of her other hand to her cheek and smiled wickedly as she said, "Atty-baby, you seem to know a lot about this Piss-ant or whatever his name is. That wouldn't have been a psuda... a pshypa... a psycho... another name for you, would it? Sounds like something you would have done in the good old days, before you got all domesticated and stuff!" Sandy Bell stopped polishing her Pulser SMG and looked hard with cold blue eyes at the back of Atticus' head as he sat in the co-pilot's chair, asking, although not sure she really wanted the answer, "Is that true Atticus? Did you ever massacre a whole village, men, women, and children?" Sandy was beginning to wonder what sort of group she had woke up into, and whether the good they seemed to do now made up for the evil they may have done in the past, than made a request of her EGO that she never thought she would ever have to do, saying, "Sarge, access all the records you can when you can, and see what you can find on my companions here, but don't get caught doing it."  |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Jul 21, 2015 0:43:07 GMT
I say calmly with a feint blue aura appearing around me, "Since I mentioned it, yes and no. You see the Pishtako is a mythical creature that has been around a lot longer than me. So plenty of people have pinned blame on the Pishtako to avoid trouble. I have done so myself, which is why I made sure I learned so much about it and other mythical creatures. However I am not the one who wiped out the village. I was in Brazil at the time, but when I came here to hunt a killer, I did make sure people blamed the Pisthako for that killing as well.
I have personally wiped out whole settlements of people considered extremely dangerous, but never purposely killed any innocents after I 'died' in the Pale Wars. Although in the Pale Wars yes I, well Kabule as I didn't control the body back then, did kill plenty of innocents because I/he was ordered to and I/he always followed orders back then. I do recall him disregarding orders when sent to kill a soldier for some reason, we are still not sure why she was a target. He was supposed to put a bullet through that human woman's pretty blonde head. However something about her...you... caused him to falter at the last moment and instead chose to shoot bellow her breast and he made sure it was non-fatal. That decision of his still baffles me, because I have never known him to NOT finish off a target.
I believe that is also when he started questioning orders and eventually led to him, Kabule, dying and my rebirth as Atticus Batman ruthless bounty hunter and mercenary, who never killed innocents but was still a killer, and never took a side. Now I have found myself not only taking a side but doing so permanently and actually wanting to be on the 'good' side. And now I am teamed up with that remarkable young woman that caused me to question my previous life and become my own man to do and kill what I chose instead of what others chose. I choose not to kill unless I have a legitimate reason, and I have not had a reason to slaughter any children or any villages full of innocents. Hopefully, I never do as that may cost me my current life. However I have never denied that I was a demon that is now fighting to be accepted into the light. Now that I am and I have family, I am doing my best to stay on the good side, and will continue to do so. Surely you know that, as you were Lady Christianna's EGO for the last couple of months. So you know how much she and all of these 'heroes' ,including you, mean to me. So I will not purposely do anything that will definitely cause me to lose my life with them."
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Post by Belle Starr on Jul 21, 2015 0:51:53 GMT
As Belle Starr and her team disembarked at the Red Deer airport, they were met by a short but average looking male Indogene in a business suit who grinned widely and shook her hand heartily albeit with a black gloved hand, "So good to meet you Director Starr. My name is Donald Trump, and I am in charge of VBI Public Relations here. I have all your paperwork for you and your party, and have arranged it so that we can quickly get through customs. May I say that I read the book about you - several times - and found it quite envigorating." "That darn book! Am I ever not going to not be haunted by that piece of pulp fiction?" Thought Belle to herself, but outwardly she smiled warmly at the very odd Indogene in front of her and said, "Y'all just call me Belle, and may I call you Donald? That's a right different name for an Indogene! May I ask how y'all came to it?" As Belle and her team followed the short alien through the Red Deer Customs, he explained cheerfully, "When I first came to work for VBI, which is a mostly human corporation as you well know, most of the humans could not pronounce my Indogene name, and what came out of their mouths, when they weren't being insulting, sounded like Donald Trump. I researched the name, and found out it was the name of a quite successful Pre-Pale Wars entrepreneur, and since I too wanted to be a successful business man, I adopted the name as my own. Of course, you may indeed call me Donald if you are more comfortable with that. Now please follow me, I have two Durangos with drivers at you disposal, and have arranged quarters for you at our facility here." With that, Belle and her team filed into the two cars, and headed to the VBI complex in Red Deer, as Belle thought to herself, "It really does take all kinds to make up a world!"  |
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Post by Sandy Bell on Jul 21, 2015 1:24:37 GMT
Lena Marr rolled her sky blue eyes and exclaimed with a pout on her lush red lipsticked lips, "BORING!!! I swear if I hang out much longer with all you do-gooders, I'm going to have to be treated for diabetes!"
With that, Lena's chalk white hand moved up from Marcel's knee to his groin which she squeezed gently as she made a production of vigorously french kissing him. Sandy Bell ignored her and her actions as she stopped polishing her weapon and stared at Atticus, deep in her own memories.
After a few moment, Sandy let out a deep sigh, "There were a lot of atrocities in the Pale Wars - on both sides - and a lot of noncombatants died because of it. I'm sure I played my part in some of them, just not knowing it because I was busy following orders. I just don't want to ever be put into that position again, by just blindly following orders."
Sandy's blue eyes moved to her Pulser SMG again as she began polishing it even more vigorously, remarking, "I'm not sure why you or Kabule or whoever didn't kill me that day. I made a damn fine target charging up that hill towards the enemy bunker, waving the EMC flag and yelling 'Follow me boys!' and 'Long live the EMC!' Guess it was fate or kismet or just plain old dumb luck- or as you say, a damn good shot made mercifully from an unsuspected source." Sandy then looked up, touching just under her left breast where the bullet's scar still was and grinned at Atticus, adding, "Damn glad Kabule missed for whatever his fucking reason was!"
"Do you still want me to access those files on your companions?" Asked Sarge, her EGO psyche, through the telepathic link they shared.
"Damn straight I do!" Answered Sandy, "It's better to know who the buddy in the trenches with you is than to not know."
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Post by Chase Lonehart on Jul 21, 2015 3:34:54 GMT
Chase had hiked up the right sleeve of his top reveal the PDK-82 mechanical arm. He pulled out his Castithan Charge Blade, and opened up the shell that covered his forearm. With a little help from Rosa, there was enough room for Chase to hide small items under the shell with no one being the wiser when searching him. He slipped the Charge Blade into the forearm via the front of his palm, allowing him to be able to retrieve it quickly should he need it or should his wrists be bound by a simple release mechanism which required him to simply fold in his pinky, his trigger finger and his thumb, followed by a simple turn of his wrist. "That's a nice little trick," Belle said, seeing him securing the Charge Blade into inner workings. "Thanks," Chase said as he pulled his sleeve back down and proceeded to pull on the outfit. "Never hurts to have an ace up the sleeve." He proceeded to tuck in a Volge Thunderer Pistol he happened to pick up amongst his running around in the Bay behind his regular pants line before zipping it up. He was surprised by how well the outer uniform hid it. He dug through his bag to find a weapon to use, retrieving his Legendary balanced Defiant Few Crimefighter shotgun, but decided instead to take his Legendary SMG Heartbreaker because of its compatibility. He followed along behind the group, taking up a position behind Belle. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he paid attention to how Belle walked as she took the lead, and how everyone else followed behind her. So some odd reason, he thought of another movie from his his time in Panama City, a particular scene coming to his mind and the music to accompany it. So, I guess that makes Belle the leader of the Crazy 88? |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Jul 21, 2015 4:15:15 GMT
I say, "Well you don't have to worry about me making you blindly follow orders. I will not do something that I actually have a huge issue with, so I can't expect any of you to. Besides if we wanted or needed soldiers that blindly follow orders, then I would have gotten some Eschelon mercs to accompany us, instead of the Triple D, they certainly would have been cheaper, but also a lot less effective. Oh yeah nobody but the 'others' know what triple D means. It is what I have started mentally calling Marcel and Lena, when they are together. Triple D stands for the 'Diabolically Deadly Duo'.
Look, we all have strengths and weaknesses and specialties. Marcel, Lena and I are the ones with little or no conscience and the most willing to kill if needed...or on occasion when we really want to, like if I get my hands on Skarr, for example. That is why they are here. Their ruthless efficiency in getting such a dangerous job done. As well as Lena's knowledge of Skarr and Lima, and Marcel's ability to get her to focus and his cold calculations. Definitely not for following orders. Lena may do so on a whim. However I am guessing that Marcel has only ever followed the money and his own survival instincts, something I know quite well. As long as I keep offering him money and I continue to be the highest bidder, he will continue helping, but he still will not blindly follow orders. Besides the fighting companion I have had the most for the last several months sure doesn't know how to follow orders and his extremely caring conscience gets annoying. I am sure Marcel would agree there, as that fool is the reason we even met Marcel without shots being exchanged.
So if you have a problem doing something then say so, and if possible somebody else on the team will do it. However do not let your personal issues get in the way of our rescue mission. Remember we are rescuing young children and their father from an evil bastard. Now judging from the sounds of lip smacking back there and the smell of a Castithan woman's arousal, if something isn't done to entertain them, then you and Erika are about to have a sex show, whether you want one or not. Taffer and I are busy piloting so good luck with stopping that from happening."
I chuckle then say, "Actually I do have a few things back there that could give them, well all of you actually, something to do. There is a small weapons workbench setup back there with a toolkit so you can repair or modify weapons or sharpen blades. There is also a crate, secured under the bench, that contains a practice dummy with sensors to show how much force you applied and how that attack would physically affect the target, wether it is a fatal or non-fatal wound, wether or not it is debilitating or crippling and in what way, that type of thing. Believe me Marcel, if you have your EGo link with it's sensors, you will love how accurate it is right down to the smallest detail. I think there are even a couple of basic datapads, with access to our ship's music and recreational book files, back there somewhere."
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