Elite roleplay: Off station

OFF STATION

Your ship, deep space, anything that is not happening inside the Citi Gateway or Ingaba...

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06 Nov 2022, 8:21am
The Ghoul blasted through the stations access corridor in spite of the control towers warnings. Maul tapped the toe of his boot on the foot rest of the pilots seat. He found himself wondering how he ever used to enjoy quiet long trips into the black alone. Erratic thoughts raced through his mind the entire trip and not one of them was decipherable. He was just happy to finally be somewhere...anywhere.

After a quick landing on the designated pad, he disembarked his ship and began looking through the local dock records for the ship name the client had given him.

"There we go, a Python, Bramble Barb, BB-31." He said, resting his tremoring index finger on the terminal screen. Noticing this, he quickly pulled his hand back from the screen and hid it away in his jacket pocket.

He stood in silence for another moment before hurriedly sending a message to the client via his wrist computer.

"Hey, I'm on station now. Heading to the Bramble Barb's hangar. Meet you by the lifts. Want to discuss the job before moving forward with the not so legal scans."

Maul rubbed his eyes, letting out a somewhat defeated sigh. This constant state of exhaustion was getting old but what else was there? It's either this or sitting alone back home jumping between tripping on onion head or wasting time on whatever new augmented reality game hit the digital storefront that week on the Insight Entertainment Suite. Anything to keep him...his mind...preoccupied.
06 Nov 2022, 3:27pm
“So like, are you of Greek descent?

If she was referring to my affectation naming my ships after Greek godesss and occasional god, it meant that she had done her homework.

"I have no idea who my parents or ancestors might be, so I think probably not. I picked up the nickame Descartes on the spacestation where I grew up without a proper family."
06 Nov 2022, 3:52pm
No family? Willow couldn’t imagine that, she had a big family. Her brothers joked that mom and dad had kids so they didn’t have to employ people. Not having a lot of family around to interfere with your life sounds nice, but it was good to know she could call home and people that cared would turn up just because she asked.

“Wow, well it’s a good name but I can’t remember it from the pantheon, but like, the Greeks had so many you know?”

Lifting her head off her palm, Willow interlaced her fingers and thought out loud to Descartes now she had turned the events over in her mind.

“A ship can go nova in repair mode, but it’s like, real hard for that to just happen, and an explosion or something in the cockpit is.. .Well I don’t buy it. Like stranger things have happened, right? But it’s the pod that I can’t work out. Like maybe, it’s an automated process, but like, I hope it brought you dinner first you know.. .”

Willows pad made a noise like a rusty old toolbox opening.

Maul Montresor
Hey, I'm on station now. Heading to the Bramble Barb's hangar. Meet you by the lifts. Want to discuss the job before moving forward with the not so legal scans.


Oh hay, the hacker is here, but like, if you need to talk, I’m here to listen. That’s quite a thing you’ve been through”


Last edit: 06 Nov 2022, 4:28pm
06 Nov 2022, 6:35pm
Maul wiped the sweat beading down his forehead with his sleeve. He was pacing back and forth nervously by the lifts. It felt hot, too hot. Like, as if someone was purposely trying to make him shed his jacket to reveal the concealed Karma P-15 he had magnetically holstered underneath.

"But why would anyone do that? Was I followed? I watched the sensors the whole time, didn't see a single blip behind me."

His brow furrowed as he mentally wrestled with himself.

"Stop being so fuckin' paranoid." He said under his breath with a sigh and sat down at the nearest bench.

After a short period of watching commanders enter and exit the lifts, he waited for a lull in the seemingly constant stream of people and pulled out his inhaler for another quick shot of OH. His cybernetic eyes began rapidly shuttering and dancing as he leaned further back into the now suddenly comfortable seat.


Last edit: 08 Nov 2022, 2:56am
07 Nov 2022, 4:09pm
Well, not as many as you might think, but there were also Titans, Demi-gods, their children and, well, no matter."

I could ramble on forever.

"And Descartes, well he was a real person that actually lived in the sixteenth century, he was French."

Again, I had to reel myself in.

"But I'm good. How about you go and do your stuff with your hacker, find out as much as you can, but only share what's necessary to keep them interested."

I reached out for her hand.

"Take Care, we'll catch up later."
07 Nov 2022, 4:47pm
Descartes was being tough, most people that travelled alone were tough, but holding hands showed another side. It seemed like Descartes was about to open up, so Greek thing was a good call after all.

Just as they were about to make a connection, her pad went off. Like, isn’t that always the way? Whatever, they were going to be working together now, so Willow could keep an eye on the lone wonderer in case she started showing signs of trauma.

“Me? Like, you’re the one that needs care given you know, so I’ll not be taking more then I’m dew right? Said Willow squeezing Descartes hand.

“Like, you’re not a solo act right now. If you need to deal, I’ll be there, or we can talk Greek mythology. Coz like, there are sooo many death rituals that are rooted in .. Oh yeah, the hacker thing” Said Willow waving the pad.

Calling back over as she left “Like, I’ll tell you how it goes. So rest up and drink plenty of water kay? Bye”

The station rotation didn’t add much down force, so Willow hopped and glided through the concourse, travel trams, and elevators until she arrived at her pads entry. There was only one guy that looked like he was waiting, and he wasn’t what Willow was expecting. To be safe she sent another message.

“So are you the guy with green hair?”

The man looked at a screen on his wrist and then looked around as if he was ready to fight or flee. Willow raised a hand and waved, hoping this wasn’t their guy.
07 Nov 2022, 6:27pm
Maul looked up from his wrist to see if anyone looked to be glaring at him. His eyes locked with a woman in black..a lot of black. He began to awkwardly raise a hand to wave but gave up half way through and decided to approach the woman instead. He was half expecting the client to be some small time anarch thug that was making moves for to establish power here in Coalsack or maybe a vampire that moonlights as an assassin. Judging by her appearance, this woman could certainly be the latter. Never knowing who exactly he was working for, he'd usually let his imagination run wild. It's a rare occasion for him to be able to put a face to a client.

He began to greet the woman but the closer he got the more clear her face became to him. That's when he noticed the look she was giving him as he approached. It's a look he was too familiar with.

"Wow, you look really disappointed." He didn't mean to say it out loud but he did.

"Ah-sorry."

Clearing his throat, he extended a slightly trembling hand.

"Uh, the names Maul."
07 Nov 2022, 7:15pm
Willow looked at the hand, it looked clammy but it was offered in greeting. She took it doing her best to hide how much she didn’t want to touch it.

“Like, Willow. Hi”

The guy wasn’t tall, but he was taller than her (almost everyone was) but he looked high. Standing in front of him in a dress instead of her usual well-worn and customized Mav suit, she felt naked. Her free hand went down to the thigh where her pistol lived, in case it magically appeared now she wanted it. It wasn’t there.

She felt her heart beating faster, unable to take her eyes off his face. There were people around, but there were also dark corners that he could drag her to. She reached for her pad to send a message to Descartes; she’d feel a lot better with her here. She was about to make an excuse to leave when her analytical mind started picking up clues on Maul’s face.

Clammy skin, red ringed eyes, sweating, and the acidic sting on his breath; she would bet if he had normal eyes, his pupils would be different sizes. This guy was an Onion head. She still wanted to leave, but now she sort of felt sorry for the green haired addict with a hobo-beard. . but there was business to talk about and she didn’t want Descartes to think she couldn’t cope.

“So ok. Um.. Right. We said 800 right? But that was before I knew you used chemical assistance. Negotiations?”
07 Nov 2022, 7:50pm
Maul withdrew his hand from the Willow's. He was shocked at her observation, even if it was correct.

"Chemical assis-"

He exhaled sharply as if he were offended.

"Listen, I'm just here to get any information that may help me find whatever ship it is that you're looking for."

He wiped his sweaty hand on his jacket as he continued.

"Help me help you, ya know?"
07 Nov 2022, 9:00pm
She was nervous now, Willow could spot the physical effects of Onion Head on the body, she’d covered them up on a corps enough times; but she didn’t know how it worked when someone was using it. As far as she knew, this guy could have a mental blip and try to eat her.

“Yeah help, that’s good right?” she said baking way. “Look it’s not just me you know? I got a partner and like.. we.. she.. I have to like, let her know, you know?”

Dealing with people face to face that were not incapacitated, permanently or otherwise, had always been an enigma to Willow, so dealing with one that could be completely unpredictable scared her. He was friendly now, but she didn’t know what to expect next. That and she wanted to get some real clothes on; the dress felt too breezy all of a sudden.

“Look, I’ll give you my contact” she said, casting her info to Maul’s wrist computer. “So you can message me direct and we’ll sort something out right. Catch you soon, ok?”

With that, Willow took an elevator with a few people already in it. It wasn’t going her way, but that didn’t matter. She’d wait for the doors to close and send a message to Descartes. The doors were taking an awful long time to close.


Last edit: 08 Nov 2022, 7:56am
08 Nov 2022, 2:52am
“Well that went well” He thought to himself.

Maul was used to getting strange looks or making people nervous simply by his appearance alone. Everyone assumed he was criminal or something at first glance and well, they weren’t wrong. But this time felt different somehow.

He scratched the back of his head and thought momentarily on what to do next. The pilots lounge sounded nice after the trip he’d just made. He could go for a drink.

As he waited on a lift, he typed a message to Willow.

“Headed to the pilots lounge for a drink. Will hang around for a few hours. Find me there if the job is still on.”

The message sent.
08 Nov 2022, 5:58pm
Message from Willow..

'So, I met the guy and I'm real sorry to ask, but he's like, not normal. He's ok and everything, but I don't know what to say. Will you come with me for the meet? I don't want to go alone.'

"I'm on my way, where are you?" What else could I reply.

It was getting be a habit. Willow determining where I would go next. She sounded nervous, unsure. I was becoming used the that, it was almost endearing. But she was almost certainly tougher than she appeared. I ordered another fruit juice, this time with a protein boost and waited.

But 'not normal' what was so unnerving about her contact. Hopefully they were going to meet in a public place.
08 Nov 2022, 7:06pm
“Great, thank you, I’m on my ship getting changed. So he’s at the pilot's lounge drinking on top of onion head. Can you believe it!!! I’ll wait for you outside the lounge, ok?”

After sending the replay, Willow carefully put her dress and ankle boots away. Her Mav suit felt like putting on soul armour; once her tool belt was buckled, she felt ready to take on a double tripped-out onion head pirate, but she was real glad she would have someone else there just in case. They were on a station, so Willow left her pistol behind and went to meet Descartes.
08 Nov 2022, 7:59pm
The pilots lounge was a place I rarely visited. The last place I wanted to be, or where I would feel comfortable. But I'm a pilot, and set off to find it. Intrigued by Willow's description of her ccontact.

This time she was back in her black Remlock suit. Impressive I thought. Business-like.

"Hi."
08 Nov 2022, 8:11pm
**At the lounge**


There was enough chatter in the lounge to keep Maul out of his own head for once, which was a nice break. He was slouched over a glass of milk that he'd been nursing whilst watching station ad rolls on the holo projector above the bar. His bright neon green jacket, now tied around his waist, draped over the stool he was sat on. To avoid any trouble, he'd stashed his previously concealed pistol back at The Ghoul before making his way to the lounge. With his jacket removed he was finally cooling down a bit. He stared at the glass of milk in his hand and was surprised to see the trembling had ceased.

The bartender stared at Maul with a mix of contempt and intrigue. A tattooed covered junky walks into a bar and asks for milk.

"Yeah, I know." Maul muttered through a smirk to the bartender. "I'm sure there's a joke in here somewhere."

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