--Space Pirates-- IC

[SlySparrow0003]

We start in the famous and only bar in space, where pirates, thugs and etc drink, a hangout for most, and Allison was only starting her beginning.

Allison walked into the bar, where many greeted her, but most also fell silent. And hung there heads, fearing for there own lives. Allison nodded. She was never social that much. She had found many of the thugs she was hunting down here. So she usually hung out in the back and watched. Although today she sat in the front. Her sniper rifle around her back. When someone entered the bar, and he tried to make himself look tough. He looked like the bane from Bateman. Allison wore her full suit of armor. The man stood the doorway, everyone looked at Allison and him.

"What are you lookin at, bitch?" The man spat. It came with a bunch of ooohs and laughs."

"The place were you should have a dick." Allison replied ever so bluntly. The inn filled with silence and then hysterical laughter. Standing up and walking over right in front of him. The room went silent. "Your about to wish you never said that!" The man yelled in rage, swinging his right arm at her face. She grabbed it quickly. And he slowly looked from his arm to her helmet. She yanked his arm back with a crack. Her armor inhanced her speed, strength and more. She kicked his stomach, and he flew back into a table, breaking it. He got up and ran at her with a arm ready to swing, she grabbed his arm with one hand, and with the other punched him to the ground. He lay on his back clutching his bleeding nose. He crawled out the door, and into a crapy ship, before the door closed. "Might wanna fix that table, Ringi." Allison said blankly but with a small bit of humor. The inn went into a frenzy of claps and laughs. With cheering as well. Allison sat down in the corner, unspeaking, as the bar went back into its usual level of noise.

Just then the door opened, and it wasn't the man this time.

 

[Rpkitten]

http://i.imgur.com/uzaAs3m.png?1

A cloaked being entered the bar as the commotion began to die down. The figure concealed beneath the shadowy garment was unmistakably feminine -- slender with a a suggestive roll of the hips as she quietly slipped unnoticed between patrons who were too occupied with their drinks and revelry to take note of her arrival.

I have to get out of here, Nima thought as her slitted eyes cut through the hazy darkness of the room. She kept her ears tucked under hood and long tail wrapped about her waist. Her people weren't entirely uncommon in human space, but any moment now she expected the Allnet to begin broadcasting their search for a felinoid woman. And after that she'd stick out like... well, like a cat-girl in a room full of monkey-men.

In her time visiting the human territories Nima had studied their history, mastered three of their languages and visited several of their cities, but still found them to be a most curious species. The variety spread between them was vast -- each member of the species seemed to develop their own personalities, preferences, ambitions and moral codes. It made it difficult to develop expectations and near impossible to know who to trust. One human might be driven and honorable, while the one sitting next to him, a clan-mate even, might be a duplicitous sloth. How this could be was beyond Nima, but she theorized the species' dozens of religions had something to do with it.

Of course, now was not the time to process and analyze. No, now was the time for risk-taking and praying for the best outcome.

At the bar Nima summoned a bar tender with a nudge of her hooded head rather than exposing her hand to the room. "I require passage off station," she said in the monkey-men's trade language -- English, they called it. This species was so fractured they couldn't even settle on a single language. And what wasn't it called Humani, for Shalor's sake??

"Discreet passage," she added for emphasis. "Very fast, but very quiet... do you know of such a ship?"

 

[Othermoose]

"I might know somethin', but my memory is runnin' a bit thin. A couple o' credits may clear it up." The bartender said to the cat-woman. He did know of several pirates and smugglers who would be willing to give her passage, but they weren't anywhere near his bar, and the woman didn't look like she had enough money to pay for a ride anyway. The only ship that looked like it stood any chance against an Alliance cruiser was the large green ship that was docked in the hanger. "And I doubt that weird guy is giving out rides." The bartender thought glancing at the tall man huddled in the corner booth.

The man had been sitting in the booth for little over a day now, writing on data pads and muttering to himself. After an hour of the man not buying anything the bar tender was going to have him thrown out, but the bouncer returned from the booth with a handful of credits, so the bartender decided to leave the man alone.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

As soon as she walked in Allison could tell she was shady. "Omalie, physical, and file examination." She said commandingly, and low. Omalie was her AI. He was a tiny holographic projection, when he was outside of her armor, he was purple. When in her armor, only she could hear him, and he wasn't visible any wear. He could read people's files, inhance her combat, aim, and health. Although she denied his help most of the time. A screen was brought up in her helmet. Lack of sleep, restless, uneasy. Everything in physical was fine, and Omalie was to get her race, and name. She watched the bar tender and her interact. And watched him nod to a tall skinny guy. She did the same, with him, and found the tall one a nerdy type.

 

[Rpkitten]

"I might know somethin', but my memory is runnin' a bit thin. A couple o' credits may clear it up."

"Of course." Nima's lips creased in annoyance beneath her hood. "I am willing to compensate you for your assistance." She reached beneath her robe, produced a silver credit chip and placed it atop the bar. "Now that your barter traditions have been satisfied, please provide the information I requested."

 

[Othermoose]

The bartender slipped the credit chip into his pocket before speaking. "Ain't no ships around here. All the good pirates and smugglers aren't around. And I won't send ya' to the bad ones. You'll get raped, killed, or worse. The only ship 'round here that looks like it could outrun an Alliance ship belongs to that guy over in the corner. The squirlley one. Don't know him, but I don't like him. He looks like one of them sciencey types. Ya know the ones, always trying to say God ain't nothin' but a myth." The bartender spat on the floor. "But if you're desperate you can try your luck with 'em." The bartender said before going back to cleaning glasses.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Allison got up, after the woman walked away, she leaned on the table, still standing, "Ringi, what did she want?" Her tone serious and commanding.

 

[Othermoose]

"Wanted a ship. Seemed desperate. Probably a fugitive. I sent her over to that weird feller in the corner. He's the only one here with a decent lookin' ship." The bartender replied to Allison as he continued to clean glasses.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

She nodded, "Thanks." She went over and sat in a table near them so Allison could hear their conversation.

 

[Rpkitten]

"Ain't no ships around here. All the good pirates and smugglers aren't around. And I won't send ya' to the bad ones. You'll get raped, killed, or worse. The only ship 'round here that looks like it could outrun an Alliance ship belongs to that guy over in the corner. The squirlley one. Don't know him, but I don't like him. He looks like one of them sciencey types. Ya know the ones, always trying to say God ain't nothin' but a myth."

Nima turned to look at the man the bartender indicated. An academic? Here? How refreshing... she mused to herself. She graced the man with a nod of thanks, then walked over to the 'squirrel one'. A curious way to describe the man -- he didn't look sciurini at all to Nima's eyes. Just another monkey-man.

"Greetings," she said to warmly fetch the man's attention. Her lips drew back enough for him to see a smile reflected back from beneath her hood. "I require use of your starship," she said bluntly. "The peddler at the bar said yours may be for hire."

 

[Othermoose]

Darwin was startled as the feline woman came up to him. "Why is she coming over here? What could she possibly want with me?" He wondered. He didn't wonder long though. "N-n-no. I ha-have very important research t-t-to attend to. I-I-I'm afraid that I cannot assist you. M-m-my apologies." He said before turning his attention back to the equation on his data pad. "The answer is so close, but I just can't quite balance the numbers out." Darwin thought with frustration as he typed in another set of numbers into the data pad.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Allison listened in, but turned her head sharply as the door opened, "Omalie.-" she started but was cut off by Omalie. "Already on it" he cut in. She nodded. The mans files popped up in her helmet. Reading his history, she realized it was one of the thugs she was hunting down. The screen disappeared. She stood up and out of the shady corner. The thug looked at her and got up and made a beeline for the door, but Allison was quicker. She got to the door quicker.

And the skinny thug looked at her in terror. She smiled. Although it wasn't visible in her helmet. She cracked her knuckles together. "Looks like it's my lucky day." She said her words simple and happy, but not commanding, and still maintained a serious voice. She ran at the man, and punched him in the face, he stumbled and fell leaned back, almost falling. She punched him to ground, while his legs were up, she punched his balls. He layed on the ground. She pulled out her pistol, that shot a strong bullet. She shot his head. And with a loud bam he lay dead.

She grabbed his lifeless body by the neck, dragging him out and throwing him into space. The bar was silent. Then resumed it usual talk. It was normal for them. She sat down in the corner and silently resumed her checking on history.

 

[Rpkitten]

"N-n-no. I ha-have very important research t-t-to attend to. I-I-I'm afraid that I cannot assist you. M-m-my apologies."

Nima frowned. Guess we're going to have to do this the hard way...

With a slight exertion of will the felinoid woman released a potent wave of pheromones into the air around the nervous man. It was an exceedingly rare gift among her kind, she wasn't even certain if the humans had discovered this talent yet, and wasn't one she usually employed. But desperate times call for desperate measures, as the monkeys say.

Lacking a scent and undetectable by conventional means, they were more closely related to a cloud of subatomic particles than the pheromones human biology understood. With them she could connect her mind to others, allowing for telepathy, empathy, translation, and other applications. Even directing them to alter gravity or disrupt conventional communications if she released enough of them.

But for now she kept the levels low -- she wanted the man pliable, not frothing with arousal.

"Please reconsider," she smiled warmly and touched his shoulder. "I'd be very appreciative. And I have money to compensate you for your time lost studying."

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Allison watched. Magic. She was trying. Hard. Her armor protected her sense of smell , and any magic reaching her skin. She was definitely interested in what she was watching, and she defiantly was worth investigating.

 

[Othermoose]

Darwin noticed that the feline woman became much more attractive when she asked again, and he almost agreed to her terms. "But wait? Why is she so much more interesting now?" Darwin wondered. He pulled his pistol from his pocket and aimed it at the feline woman. "I-I-I d-d-don't appreciate having m-m-my mind altered. You're going t-t-to stop whatever is you're d-d-doing, or I'm going to r-r-reduce you to a sm-sm-smoldering pile of g-g-goo. I-I-I have very important research. Research th-th-that will affect the entire universe. I-I-I highly d-d-doubt that you have anything m-m-more important t-t-to do." Darwin said firmly staring at the increasingly beautiful woman. He felt his arm begin to lower, but he shook his head and held the gun more steadily.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Allison pulled out her pistol, and shot it out of his weak hands. She couldn't have her die or him without realizing what he was studying and what she was running from. "Violence is not necessary." She said in a serious, calm tone.

 

[Othermoose]

"Y-y-you i-i-idiots! D-d-do you re-re-realize what you're pre-pre-preventing! I-I-I am o-o-on the v-v-verge of a b-b-breakthrough that will improve the entire universe! D-d-do you understand? I'm tr-tr-trying to make your meaningless lives b-b-better!" Darwin shouted in anger. "L-l-leave me t-t-to my work, o-o-or I'll be f-f-forced t-t-to d-d-do something that will put all of our l-l-lives in jeopardy!" Darwin shouted angrily pulling a small device that looked like a remote control from the inside of his coat pocket.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

"Calm down there scrawny, you really don't want to try." She said dangerously sweet, and serious. Looking at Darwin. She played with the pistol in her hand. Then pointed the pistol at Darwin, "Try me."

 

[Othermoose]

"Y-y-you're quite r-r-right. A cell destabilizer isn't th-th-the best way t-t-to solve this." Darwin said putting the object back into his coat pocket. He pulled his hand back out wearing a strap around his hand that held a large blue disc in his palm. He fired the weapon at Allison and smiled as she fell to the ground immobilized. "A-a-an EMP was much more a-a-appropriate for this situation. Th-th-thank you for the advice." Darwin said smugly leaning down and grabbing both his and Allison's pistols from the ground. He pointed one pistol at the armored woman and one at the feline woman. "Wh-wh-who are you two? D-d-do you work f-f-for the Alliance?" Darwin asked keeping both pistols trained on the women.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Allison grimaced, as she was immobilized. And she realized her invisibility would no longer work, as EMP, have that affect. "Well scrawny, as a matter of fact I'm not with the Alliance, thankfully. And let's keep names for another time, I'm assuming I can't move because you thought I was with the Alliance, which is almost on the edge of laughable." Her voice, sarcastic, and had a hint of coldness to it.

 

[Othermoose]

"If you're n-n-not with the Alliance, th-th-then who are you with? B-b-because I know for a fact you d-d-didn't build that suit yourself. An-an-and if you lie t-t-to me, I'll replace your b-b-blood with sulfuric a-a-acid." Darwin asked not lowering the gun he had pointed at Allison an inch.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

"The government is where I got the suit, I was in a group of pirates, until I was away on a mission and they died. I'm no longer with anyone. I just kill my dead groups killers. " Her voice now somber and serious.

 

[Othermoose]

"S-s-so you were with the Alliance g-g-government, but th-th-then you quit? T-t-to become a p-p-pirate?" Darwin asked in disbelief. "H-h-how stupid do you th-th-think I am? I-I-I'm the only person to e-e-ever leave th-th-the Alliance a-a-alive. They'd n-n-never let a suit like that g-g-go free without a fight. And even i-i-if you got away they would s-s-still be h-h-hunting you." Darwin said powering up his plasma pistol. "G-g-give me one good re-re-reason not to m-m-melt your face t-t-to the fl-fl-floor." Darwin threatened still convinced that Allison was with the Alliance.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Allisons back was slid against the wall, allowing her to see the whole bar, which was now silent and eyed Darwin threateningly. "Before coming to space I was in the army, on earth. They lost, and they most died, I became a prisoner of war. And became skilled myself. The Alliance took interest in me somehow, and trained me to become the best they ever knew. They dragged me out of emotion. I guess I realized this later on that all I was, was just a weapon. dangerous. I overheard a conversation one day between, the court. They were discussing I had become too skilled, too untrustworthy, they didn't want any risk of danger or discomfort. So late that night I barely got away. A large scar on my cheek shows it. The Pirates found my ship and came to rob it, but when they saw it was only me, they took me in as their own, shoot me if it pleases you, but if you haven't noticed, I'm quite well liked, and known and you may have a very unhappy bar, or the real question is, how would it make you feel about yourself?"

She spoke in a serious tone. And never wavered once. "If you do plan to melt my face please, do so now."

 

[Othermoose]

"I have th-th-the upmost confidence that I-I-I could handle y-y-your friends, but I d-d-don't think that I'll h-h-have to." Darwin said cautiously lowering his weapon. "If you tr-tr-truly hate the Alliance, then may-maybe you could help m-m-me? The project I'm wo-wo-working on will be quite devastating t-t-to the Alliance. My discovery even ha-ha-has the potential to d-d-destroy the Alliance all together. W-w-would you be interested in s-s-something like that?" Darwin asked her.

He and his robot crew were a more than capable fighting force, but Darwin had heard many disturbing stories of the things that lurked in deep space. An extra gun at his side would be beneficial, if that gun was trust worthy at least.

"You'd b-b-be worthless as a lab a-a-assistant, but you seem l-l-like a capable s-s-solider. If I could f-f-find a research assistant, m-m-my expedition c-c-could begin within a week." Darwin said to Allison. "I can provide f-f-food and board on my sh-sh-ship, but no upfront pa-pa-payment. But once my th-th-theory is proven, you will b-b-be rich beyond your w-w-wildest dreams. D-d-do you accept?" He asked Alison.