[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc listened intently to the elf's comments, understanding that she wasn't speaking lightly about these things.  If there was anything the human learned about Yelena these past few days they shared, it was that the Russian didn't speak lightly of matters such as these.  Loss was a theme all familiar with Yelena, and to open herself up to a friend...to her...was not easy.  The human stood up straight, eyeing her friend with a quizzical look at the mentions of Sam Webster and her knowledge of his...ability.

"...wuzzat you saying?  Bahahaha, I don't believe it.  Yknow, most women your age I'd think wouldn't be thinking bout that Drek...just..DAYUM...". She laughed, to the point where it hurt, the human clutching her stomach as she couldn't stop laughing for. a couple moments.  "Ohh, I needed that laugh.  Thanks.  But Sam Webster?  That fits...I'm gonna be honest with you then, since you kinda know the guy.  a SW left me a note about mentioning of further work when I woke up.  Wasn't sure what to make of it before today.."

"as for the money...I can tell you and me are a bit alike, in that no one can sway our Drek when we decide where to point out hoops at.  I won't argue with you.  Fixing up the stuff will be our project, aight?" she gave an affirming nod at that, watching the elf drift off before settling for a nap, idly wondering how their companions were faring...if they lived...

[Mercy Merchant]

As Yelena drops off, she snorts and says  "Sex?  Arc, Yelena Petrovna is 61, not dead yet.  I have been told to face that I am........attractive in ways.  And do not forget that this Keeb could live for very long time and look pretty much like now, as long as do not meet too many more mage girls that blow up after shot dead."   She thinks that she hears something about the money but cannot seem to get a response out.  She is so very tired and the drugs feel so good.

For some reason the very handsome Sam Webster figures more prominently in her dreams than dead people this time, which could only really mean that she was healing and that the dead had no more hold on her for now.  But she knows they always sit at the corner of her consciousness and can come back at any time.

When she wakes in a couple of hours she pulls up the ARO that her friend had shown her and internally thumbs it open.  She pores through the ads, not understanding much at all, trying to recall as much as possible of what that pretty redheaded ganger from Denver had told her about her rigger stuff.  Most of it was lost, although Yelena could remember the sex quite well, but she was looking for something the girl had said about controlling a number of drones at once.  And she had talked of cars and bikes in the same breath.  Something about PANs and WANs which was all just so much drek...........Ah, there.  Rigger Control Console.  There were several listed in the company's slick adverts and even a couple that were in the right price range.

She continued looking at the various offerings then looked at her friend.  "Arc, I was looking at ads on ARO you sent me.  I remembered pretty girl rigger from Denver was trying to talk to Yelena about drones and such.  Yelena only interest was sex but did listen to keep her happy.  She tell about this Rigger Control Console and how she used it in addition to rig in head.  And look, there are some in ad from company.  Even some can afford.  Also tiny spy drones and some shooting drones.  Are interested?  Yelena and Arc buy as partners?"

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc was most definitely a bit groggy after her own nap, the pale winter afternoon sun lighting up their room brightly as she yawned and stretched, catching the ARO and pulling it open, looking it over.  Her brow narrowed in thought as the drank in the information and uses, turning to the elf.  "Well...drek, we get a few bots and enough interfaces, with a good enough RCC I could run a fraggin' fleet by what this says.  I mean, frag man, I'm diving into a whole new world of skills here..wow.."  Her eyes were lit up, the sound of youthful enthusiasm in her voice.  Still, she shot a look and a teasing smirk at the elf when she mentioned how she learned about this stuff and what her motivations were at the time.

"Pfft...I know you ain't dead yet, but dayum girl.  I don't think I'll ever have that kinda fire, heh.  Most people I know don't tend to pay me no mind.  I ain't got probs with that though...fleshies confuse, machines make sense"  She winked, turning back to the ads and researching further.  "Partners, huh...think I like the sound of that, though this means next time we're hooking you up with cool toys, aight?  I dunno about gun drones though..I tried combat tridding and was pure drek at it...the bugs and scouts seem to be cool though.  Definitely could have used them against that slitch, no?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena smiles at the human's enthusiasm.  She looks at the ARO with Arc, turning to the different slick ads as her friend goes through them.  She really understand almost nothing about what she is looking at, but it is surprisingly fun to share the experience.  Having much fun at all, not to mention sharing it, is almost a novel experience.  Yelena's mind goes back to the sax man.  She had shared life, love, and laughter with him for five years and then he just died.  All of the things about herself that he had taught her seemed to die with him.  For the first time in years, she was actually considering having a close friend, allowing someone to know about her.  She had already told more to the short human than she had confided in anyone for a very long time.

She laughs at her friend's comment.  "Fire?  Oh, you mean sex.  Yes, Yelena like sex.  Man or woman not matter if experience good.  Most times it makes life easier and then move on.  Also use to get information.  Lots of people tell Yelena things when in bed that she needs for job.  And even Yelena loved once.  It was sax man and lasted five years until he died.  Was very sad time.  Was years ago and Yelena still remembers him like yesterday."

She listens while Arc talks of the drones and a rig.  "Then settled.  Arc and Yelena partners.  I have used small RFID chips to sense around me when on job.  Usually run silent except when want them seen.  But small drone like Fly-Spy in catalog could be better.  Useful in finding things and watching for warning.  What think?  When get money we shop for drone rig and stuff and save enough to repair bike and maybe rigger links for bike and car.  Can imagine what it like to drive on rigger bike?"

[Csjarrat]

<<to johnny>>//haha, sounds good. See you there.//

<<to SW>>//Thankyou very much for that, I look forward to our meeting//

Feathers smiled for the first time in days, his account was looking fuller than it had been since the court case, he'd been looking at nice houses and now there was a proposition for paid work on the cards. Finding out the others had survived and were intact enough for visitors was the final shot in the arm.
He headed home after a day in the soup kitchens and property browsing and noshed on some bland insta-noodles before heading out to the bar.
It felt like an age since he'd done something so normal as to go grab a beer and it felt good. It felt good to be able to go out and toast to their success and to their fallen allies.
He put on his drab clothing and donned the rapid transit kit over the top, holstering his pistol and a clip in case things got hairy, which they regularly did in the barrens.
He cruised to the bar with his earbuds streaming a current affairs program, a discussion on metagenics and promising gene-therapies engaging his grey matter before his ears were assaulted by the bar's overly loud jukebox.
It smelled like a proper bar, sweaty ork, stale beer and cheap perfume.
He ordered a couple of beers and ignored the age-related stares and looked for Johnny.

[Imveros]

Johnny take the scenic route to the bar, or at least as scenic as the barrens can be at dusk. This thing has a pretty smooth ride to it. Definitely a pleasant surprise. the bike sputters a few times as if it can read Johnny's thought. Wonder if they make cough syrup for frankenbikes? His trip passes uneventful. Johnny enjoys the trip far more than any other sane person would. The rotten wind blowing in his face, the pock marked streets jarring him the the bone, and the occasional quick "detour" as an abandoned car blocks the road. Johnny didn't care, he was back in the saddle again.

Johnny pulls up to the bar just a little after eight. Huh place seems pretty busy for this early in the night. Good for three fingers. Ghost knows he needed the biz last time i saw him Johnny took his hat out of the saddle bag and placed it ceremoniously on his head. It's good to be back. Johnny walks through the double winging doors and spots Feathers at the bar. Just as feathers sees him at the door, Johnny turns and sees the bouncer just to the side of the door. Roarboar you son of a slitch as Johnny throws a hard punch right into the trolls jaw. Ha Johnny you still sore about that. Never could handle the good stuff could you He throws a punch right into the side of Johnny's head. The two burst out into a deep laugh and clap each other on the back. Johnny walks over to the bar where feathers is looking at him with a strange look. Ah just had to say hi to an old friend. Hes a good guy. Johnny looks over towards the door, BUT HE HITS LIKE A GIRL

Johnny settles into a bar stool as it groans in protest, Hey three finger, good to see you. Got a ripe biz going tonight. Anything special going on i aint heard about? Oh yeah and three of the usual! The leathery old man behind the counter moves away from a group of slummin wage slaves and moves towards johnny's part of the bar. A sting of what you assume to be English slurs out of him. About all you can make out are the curse words which make up about 60% of whatever he was saying. Johnny's eyes perk up, No drek it is Wednesday isn't it. Johnny looks excitedly over towards Feathers. Wednesday is the mechanical bull tournament. Just as the words leave his mouth a scream lilts out over the bar. Johnny looks over. Stupid green horn, I don't even take Bertha to 10 as a young guy is carted off by two of his buddies, his arm bending in far too many directions. See three fingers dont believe in no padding or safety nets. HE ALSO DONE BELIEVE IN PROMPT SERVICE NEITHER. WE'RE THIRSTY OVER HERE THREE More profanity streams from the edge of the bar as three fingers brings over three large tankards of something dark and dank smelling. Best troll brew in the house. Ignore all the cans of paint thinner you see out back Johnny lets out a hearty laugh and slaps feathers on the back. I say we finish our brews and show old Bertha over there a good time?

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc can't help but smile incredulously at hearing about the older elf's exploits, shaking her head a little as she flipped to another ad.  "man...well, now I guess I know where I can go for girl talk. Hah, frag...must have been hard to lose someone close...that I get.  Personally...yeah, I dunno. Maybe once I've got my Drek together, I may get roots with someone.  Start a family.  Drek, I dunno...hey, that Fly-Spy looks pretty wiz..""

It wasn't hard to tell that she had poorly attempted to deflect the topic.  A mental analyst would denote a presence of self esteem deficiency. But it was subtle, and the girl brightened up at the browsing.  " That kind of overwatch would have helped a lot...ooh, or this Shiawase bug or this disc thing..check a room out before we storm it..literal fly on the wall that Drek.  Man, this all is fraggin wiz...we definitely using the majority of next paycheck on you, omae, cuz I can't accept so much at once.  Drek.."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena listens to Arc then looks up at her friend.  "Hey, Arc.  Even uneducated Yelena can tell subject change when hear it.  Why you way undervalue self?  You more pretty than think.  Man or woman not interested is dead or blind.  Maybe both.   And from what this Keeb sees, Arc has most of drek in one sack." 

She allows the human to go on to the drones.  "Yes.  Yelena agrees.  Small drones much better overwatch than RFID chips.  Hmmmmm.  Shiawase or Fly-Spy are like small bugs.  Can get much spy knowledge with those.  Disc sounds bigger, so maybe seen more.  What think?"

Yelena looks over at the short human and says, "Arc, Tessa, listen.  To me partners is partners.  If make sense to spend money to make you stronger to help team, then is better for partners.  Yelena is not counting money as Arc owes back.  Yelena giving money to partner to make both stronger.  If later we find thing to make Yelena stronger then we get that as partners.  But right now, drone stuff is good for partners.  Just save enough for repair bike and get guns.  Do I say wrong?"

[ismilealot]

@ Feathers  It's obvious you've gained some recognition in the Barrens. More than once as you're walking to and from the bus people respectfully say hi, and now if the bus is full someone always nods and insists you take their seat. And in the soup kitchens someone will nearly always tell you thank you for killing the Smiley Face. People seem to genuinely appreciate that you're putting real effort into helping them. Normally at a bar with orcs & trolls you'd get more than one unfriendly look, if not some outright hostility, but tonight, a few glasses are raised to you, and a couple of those mugs even buy you drinks. It probably won't last, nothing ever does, but it's nice while it lasts.

[Csjarrat]

The recognition and sense of community warmed Feather's heart. It had felt like a long time had passed since he'd last felt part of something and he now felt a fraud for accepting the tenancy on the house out in the outlying villages. He took a beer and chatted politely with those who thanked him and took a hearty glug of his pint as he stood at the bar and soaked up the atmosphere. He felt like a fish out of water, but the beer tasted reasonable and that was at least reassuring, even though his bruised ribs still had some healing to do.
Johnny arrived and made a scene with the bouncer, laughing and joshing after what appeared to be a punch-up and Feathers shook his hand, pulling him into a shoulder-hug in a warm greeting.
The mental Image of Johnny being set about by that hideous maw as Feathers desperately attempted to counter its innate magic hadn't quite left him, the shock of survival still somewhat fresh in his mind.
Johnny, good to see you. How you doing?
He looks agog at the wounded person being hauled away from the mechanical bull and then back at Johnny, looking for obvious signs of trauma to the head.
Hahaha, you're taking the piss right? I'm nearly sixty for god's sake.

[SgtBoomCloud]

"Nah, I get what ya sayin'.  We will do it your way then, I won't argue.  Thanks."". Arc gave a pause, flipping between the various drones.  "You do got a point though.  The bugs would not be spotted as much.  I'll have to get in some practice running them though.  The disc runs like any car, but using wings and legs is new and Drek.  Hah, maybe some VR practice will help with that next time you're out an I ain't..""

By this point, the human had managed to get up, despite her body groaning in protest, and take a seat at the foot of Yelena's bed, to make perusing easier.  She was intentionally avoiding the talk on her, but one look at the dog's expression told her that she wasn't getting away that easy.  Breathing a little sigh, she gave a small smirk and a shrug.  "When you spend the amount of time I did being referred to as 'dumb ugly breeder trash' it tends to kinda stick in up the noggin, ya know?  I'm just used to people looking down on me...literally, in most cases, haha.  Besides that, romance is in the eyes, all the mags say it, and mine are not my own.  Frag, now I don't even got an arm that's my own.  Thanks though.  You're kind to say it, but I don't need no lies, aight?"

[Imveros]

Aww come on you gotta live a little. Just like those corp message cards say, "You're only as old as you feel" or some Drek Johnny downs one of his drinks Besides I'm no spring chicken myself. I'll be twenty-one in the spring i think. Who knows how many good years a big SOB like me has got left. Especially with giant tentacle monsters on the every street corner. A serious look comes over his face and he lets out a deep sigh If you aint livin life to its fullest, then what's the point? Nothin like almost diein to get you to appreciate the little things. Johnny downs his second drink, slams it down, and passes the third to Feathers. Hold my beer, i gotta go do somethin stupid. Whats the point of livin if you cant feel alive eh?

Johnny gets up and starts headin towards Bertha, as a stream of profanity issues towards him from the bar I know damn well I what i look like more profanity Fingers I'd sooner know how to spell insurance than assume you had any The crowd looks over the corner of the room as Johnny approaches. Roar you crank ol Bertha up to seven for me. THAT'S THIS MANY Johnny gets on the back of the mechanical bull, holds one hand on the reigns, and uses the other to hold the hat over his head as Bertha starts her dance. Slowly rotating and moving up and down before jerking back and forth suddenly. The machine groans in protest as the weight refuses to budge. It suddenly pivots down, to the right, then up fast as a prize fighter. DREK Johnny's hat falls from his hand as he grabs onto the beast with both hands to avoid being thrown. Moments later the machine slows down  and Johnny dismounts to a smattering of applause. The bar not full enough, and the clients still not drunk enough to be too impressed by a show they've seen a dozen times.

Johnny walks back towards the bar with an odd gate to his stride. Ugh maybe we are gettin too old for this eh? Still I'm gonna be riding that thing till the day i die. If lucks with me they wont be related eh? Johnny starts to nurse his last beer as he looks over towards Feathers. So about the other night, what exactly happened after i clocked out for the night? Also you know anything about this "SW" character? He left a gift by my bedside while i was out, and then sent us that message like we were old chums. Am I missing somethin here?

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena looks at her friend as she finishes.  "Arc, someone fed you lots drek growing up.  Me too.  Seven years with scientists doing experiments on Yelena and other UGE kids.  Many died.  I did not, but wanted to many times."  She shakes her head.  "Wait.  Say all wrong.  Not try to say who lived worse.  Yelena say now is start over.  You are very pretty, you funny when want, you very smart.  You best friend.  You help save people not know just because right.  So from now you hear Arc is pretty and smart and you believe.  Because true.  Yelena lie to many people, but never only friend."

She actually blushes a bit, another surprise, and turns away, pulling at the sheets.  "Damn.  Yelena Petrovna need drink.  Go crazy here without."  She winks at Arc and laughs, "Think nurse trade sex for smokes and drinks?"

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc listened through Yelena's spiel, her new green eyes glancing off to the side almost sheepishly.  Her own cheeks were tinged a bit, the 21 year old girl feeling quite self conscious about being described in such a way.  But that was to be expected: when being a source of attention in the Howlers got her hoop beat, staying out of the spotlight became much more comfortable.  She was about to respond in thanks to the older elf when she made the wise crack about the nurse.  The human's mouth parted, eyes opening in mild shock at the question before she let out a laugh, holding her side's against the sore pain.

"BAHAHAHAHA, ohhhhh man!  Drek, Yelena, I think we better give you the handle Cougar at this right.  Just, wow!. She wiped her eyes, the laughing forcing her to tear up.  "if it's all the same to you, I don't think I could use my body like that.  I'll promise to do what you say, but it's gonna take some time to get all that confidence Drek, if I ever get it.  In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly poster child human/elf bombshell drek, haha.  Whatevs." . She letout a sigh, turning to the other.  "how are you holding up though?  I thought they'd have taken your bandages mostly off by now.."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena laughs with the human, feeling good.  "Yes, takes time to unlearn bad things people say."  She stops laughing.  "Serious, should try ten years in Russian prison.  Sex was how Yelena survived early time there.  Many men want sex with new Keeb just because different.  Yelena called many things, none good.  Then find patron and sleep with him to live.  Patron was Vory underboss, like Blindside in Ancients gang but much worse, much more mean.  Boss had Yelena do many things.  Sex, drugs, kill men.  Yelena do all and survive."  She undoes her hospital gown and slides it down her body revealing her chest where some of the bandages have been removed.  "See tattoos?  These from prison.  All mean something special and other prisoner would know what mean."  She points to one and then several more.  "This for time in.  Each ray of large star means one year, so ten years.  This one for killing men inside.  Each small star means one, so forty-three stars.  Kill with gun or knife or hands."  She notes a bit of surprise on Arc's face.  "Yes, is easy to have gun or knife in prison if sleep with right people.  Yelena kill because told to.  These others here mean Yelena is property of Vory.  Russian mob not easy to leave unless dead.  More tattoos on back and under bandages.  When escape prison, Yelena go to Vory house in Moscow.  Live three years doing same.  Sex, drugs, killing.  Then Tsina Molovna kill Yelena.  OK. Almost kill."  She points to three large bullet scars on her chest.  "Here, here, and here.  She shoot three times and dump Yelena in river.  Should have died but did not.  Found secret street doc man who healed Yelena.  But was dead to Vory and others so left Russia to begin killing for other gangs.  It was what I am good at.  Killing."  She lifts the gown back up and fastens it.  "If Yelena can survive and learn to like self then Arc can too.  Must believe in self and not listen to others who say bad things.  You are wonderful person and Yelena not meet one like you since sax man."

Yelena looks thoughtful.  "Is true.  Would think more bandages would be gone by now.  Maybe new skin not all healed?  Yelena ask nurse next time.  Also ask for vodka and cigar."