Something's missing..
09 Mar 2017Hersilia
A clatter of sprinting footsteps echoed throughout Onnes' corridors. Hard soles of magnetized grav' boots slammed against the metallic flooring. Their owners weaved in and out of different sectors, they'd already covered medical and maintenance when suddenly they all came to an abrupt stop at a cross junction. Above the loud wheezing of the squad members trying to catch their breath a single voice from the front of the group perked up."Where the fuck has he gone now?!" it came from a portly red face man who was clutching the issued officer Las-pistol to his chest.
"Everyone shut up for a moment!" as soon as the order was issued everyone held their breath and listened intently. A moment passed until a young lad pointed to his right.
"Listen, down there!" The fat officer quickly shoved his way through his squad to the young boy and listened. Footsteps. Rapid footsteps.
Duke Niatra pelted down the corridor leading to one of the many leisure areas situated in Onnes. He was much faster than any of the guards he'd ordered to follow him on a quick sweep of the station. Although when he had said 'quick' they probably didn't think that meant running at full speed around practically the entire station. He hadn't noticed that they'd lost track of him. His mind was set on finding the woman he'd brought back from the void. She had been heavily sedated, how could she have disappeared? Where had she got to?
Hersilia smirked and lit another cigarillo with her elbows resting upon the counter of what she had soon learnt to be a knock off of the original Palad-Inn in Roentgen Hub, another station which that Paladins had control of. Apparently the bar in 'Roe' was a lot bigger than this one and a common meeting place for most Paladins. The one she was sat in now was quite small, and it was dark. It was obvious the place never saw many customers, only drunken locals. Even so, perched on a tall bar-stool lazily waving her bare legs around in the air was all she wanted right now. She sighed happily, covering her face in a plume of smoke as she exhaled. A cough came from her right.
"Do you ever stop?" choked Paroxsym, waving his hand around in the air in an attempt to clear some of the smoke.
"Stop what?" Hersilia mused as she turned the cigarillo in her fingers and staring over the counter at the array of hard liquors on display.
"Smoking, you've not stopped since we got in here." he smiled and coughed again as he took a swig of his drink. Hersilia laughed and responded by taking another drag.
Niatra had covered the whole courtyard when he found himself in front of the knock-off Palad-Inn. He'd hardly ever been inside and for good reason, it didn't have a good reputation. Bar fights were a common occurrence here as were a large majority of the stations stabbings. He didn't want to go in, who in their right mind would? He sighed and walked up to the door, closing his eyes instinctively and covering his nose with his sleeve. The smell of cigar smoke was overwhelming. Leaning away from the door he took a deep breath of air and pushed the door open to instantly release the breath of air in surprise. Before him sat a smattering of people at the counter and surrounding tables but directly in front of him was the back of a bare legged woman in a medical gown which, as Niatra edged closer, seemed to be tied up at the back with a boot lace.
"Hersilia?" the question left Niatra as a half whisper. She turned, the stub of a cigarillo poking from her mouth and blinked in surprise.
"You" she said blowing smoke from her nose in two jets, staring directly into Niatras' eyes.
"Where's my gun?" she said bluntly.
"With the Inquisitor." Paroxsym chimed in causing Hersilia to snap her gaze to him. He stayed staring at his drink.
"You knew?!" she snapped.
"You didn't ask." he laughed. Niatra stood stunned that he had found her in such a place, then cleared his throat.
"Since you're awake you should probably go and see him, the Inquisitor. I'll take you there and we can..." he trailed off as Hersilia stood up, took the cane which belonged to the old drunk passed out to her left, and walked as best she could out of the bar without a word. Niatra quickly faced Paroxsym.
"A boot lace? Really?" he frowned and without waiting for an answer turned and strode off after Hersilia. As he neared the door he heard Paroxsym say,
"I tried to persuade her to wear something else but she's a stubborn one!"
"I know." Niatra said quietly to himself and left the bar.