[SgtBoomCloud]

Everything felt like it happened at an instant.  The mage they put so much on the line for was awake, and very notably alarmed by the current situation.  Firefly had pushed Marco away and was now very much at odds...and she was pretty sure the keep was starting to make jokes.  If Arc were to think back on the coming moments, she would hardly believe herself.  But, as tensions were building, her voice boomed out.

"Enough!"

Pulling herself out of the gurney, the chrome-armed human stood up, shivering a little without her shirt as she stepped towards the scene, her flesh hand holding her head as the lighting reflected off of her.

"we can settle this drek after we handle the sitch at hand, aight?!  Firefly, you almost died, so sit yo skinny hoop down.  Marco, take two steps back, be ready to start talking about what we need a know."  making her way towards the girl, she got down on one knee and cracked a little smile.

"Easy, chummer.  My name's Arc.  Yall just got pulled outta the sound.  We put a Lotta energy into pulling ya out and keeping you outta Geeksville because someone wants to have you more than the JDs."

She saw no harm in laying it out there, and as she tensed up, causing the others to more than likely, she lifted a hand.  "I said easy.  This job may be for the Stardust, and they may know we was initially successful, we got time.  You can earn your freedom, since I think yous and we's working the same deal.  We wanna take em down.  The Stardust, their drugs, the kidnappings.  My employer NineLives says you was digging into their drek.  So here's the deal.  You help us, and we see about figuring out what ta really do with you, huh?"

She remained there, cyber eyes staring at the girls quietly, a hand holding at her sides to support her ribs while she awaited a response.

[gilga]

Marco thinks: "Marco the molester, unsafe around women... how did things got so bad? None of the other mages I know have this particular problem. Could I be that bad? toxic mage bad? I don't feel that evil yet somehow it never comes out like I planned."

Looking at the mage to get  a non vocal queue Marco speaks. "Arc, this lady here she invented the drug. She is not happy by what this drug has become and was secretly sabotaging it. The Dragons were going to interrogate her and we intercepted them. This much I got from her telepathically so let's not play the denial and decipt game - It is still unclear for me why do the Stardust kidnap a mage whose fruits of labor they are clearly benefiting from.  I was thinking we can try and figure that part out together. I promise that I do not bite.... unless asked really nicely to do so, and I am in no physical shape to be casting much more - I did some high profile mojo and  I am lucky to still be conscious I was hoping to speed things out and try to figure out what exactly will the Stardust do with her - because I am many things but - but I know what these people are capable, torture, kidnappings, killing  and I cannot ever submit a person to such treatment... These people are clearly misguided and have lost their way."

[Shaman_Yuri]

Arc's words appear to hit Firefly like a slap and she almost literally complies with the rigger's words, dropping to sit on her rear next to the now barely dressed and kneeling mage.  She manages to stay quiet as Marco tries to explain himself, but can't hold her tongue by the end.

"You say this after sending a demon to rape me and then mind fucking this woman?  Damn hypocrite..." she mutters but makes no effort to act on her words other than to remain protectively close to the older female mage.

[gilga]

"My methods are not the issue right now, neither are my many sins. I cannot explain why that Spirit behaved in that manner, but you were unresponsive and seemed to be wounded pretty badly - that door in your belly...

I could not have done so myself at that moment - and I was not comfortable waiting, I was holding two spells and I could not imagine how different the healing spell is when coming from a daemon - it is the same astral construct. If I can do it with a gentle stroke, why did the Daemon had to do THAT, he should have been more knowledgeable about magic than I am....

I am tainted, I understand that, the church understands that and this is why I will never be spared. Eternal torment is my fate and I get no forgiveness no mercy and no hope. I have grown to accept that fate and perhaps it is for the best. My only salvation lies in the Digital Grimoire that claims that the kind of spirits that can be summoned are a specific kind and they are not Daemons from hell. That could be wrong... We know very little but this is what keeps me going.


About the interrogation? we  dropped a van into a river - people died and yet they were reaching for their guns when I showed them how blissful life can actually be. I think that the Dragons were more concerned about keeping their secrets and given the situation my interrogation methods are the most delicate ones known to humanity. I am afraid that the Stardust are going to be a lot less delicate than myself and I am sorry for that intrusion. There are angry people with guns after us! We should find a way to survive and to do the right thing. "

Marco seats down, broken drained and defeated. The pain of the passion spell, the pain of the mind probe and the punch. The atrocities they did that night. His life was so different than the life Marco wanted for himself. So alien and evil, it required his full composure of keeping his calm. This is what became with the 'little choirs' Shilla gave him. He thinks- "death, death and more death coated with violence. A dash of betrayal and plenty of greed and lust for power. It appears that the Devil always wins - I can be evil even with the healing spell - my purest form of compassion. How ironic is that?

Either the Grimoire is right and there is something emotionally broken in me, some twisted and evil inner world. Similar to that of toxic and blood mages but if I am such a twisted and perverted then my natural state is good. It were circumstances and life choices that made me what I am. Perhaps, I could be restored with psychological help, there is some hope!

If the priests were right and I am the son of Lilith, not even a human but a tainted Daemon in human skin. Then I am infested with evil blood and can never change. I deserve no salvation, my only comfort is that it is my nature. After all, if I am simply incapable of good it is unfair to demand that from me. It is not my fault! In that theory a large part of me, my Christianity is nothing but a ruse,  a disguise to mislead and corrupt the righteous.

One thing is certain, either I am a Daemon by blood or I am perverted by life circumstances. Either way I am toxic to people around me. Perhaps Yelena being so toxic herself would not be further corrupted by my presence. For the time being, I have to believe in the Grimiore - a sinner is better than a Daemon as a sinner can repent and accept his judgement. The alternative is so depressing that even considering it makes me want to cry.  Why would anyone teach a Daemon about Christ?! What kind of evil torment it that ? To show you God and the havens and then tell you that you have no part in these things. You can never have them as they were simply not meant for you. Your job is to make sure that nobody else can have them as well. This is the most painful of all torments, to give you hope and then take it away."


 

[ismilealot]

@ Marco, Arc & Subaru  The mage looks back and forth between Marco & Subaru clearly confused. But as she processes what Marco is saying she finally speaks up. "Look, I don't know what's going on here. And clearly we don't have time to explain it all, either of us. But, if I'm understanding everything correctly you've extracted me from someone who wanted to question me for someone who may want to kill me. And now you're trying to get the only currency I have to barter my life with, and that's what I know. Seems to me that that does not make the enemy of my enemy my friend." She gives a hard look around her and her hand goes up again. "So you can either prove to me that you're my friends and I'm much better off with you than without you." She pauses then, "Or I can level this place. Because if I'm going to go down. I'm going down fighting." She looks at Subaru then, "And I'm not about to fall for a good cop, bad cop routine sister so you can just shove your happy little ass away from me and stand with the rest of them." She sneezes then and her arms are starting to show signs of a rash. "But, I really am allergic to cats and you can start with a sealed antihistamine pack."

@ Yelena  It takes awhile but eventually the onlookers begin to move. Especially when KE begins arresting people.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena notes that the traffic jam starts to move a bit and calls out.  "Chesh.  Cars moving.  Yelena need guide for chopper shop."  The halfer returns to the passenger seat and animatedly points out the route she is to take.  Although progress is slow at first, the van and its two occupants eventually break free into normal traffic flow.  Yelena takes the time to send a mental text.  >>Team.  Is Yelena.  Van moving/  On road and back to shop in thirty minutes.  Maybe.  Depends on Chesh route.<<

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc remained silent as the words passed over her, her mind fighting her hurts to process all the information.  The Jade Dragons were escorting this mage to the Triads for questioning...and the Stardust wanted her back to be silenced.  From what I got, the Triads were what was backing the Stardust, which would explain the Yak interest in the place.  So if the Triad was wanting to question, then the Stardust was not wanting them to know the details of this drek.  That means this project is personal.  Great.  This girl is responsible for the means of all this drek, but not what it's being used for.  She just had a near-death experience, I get it.  But she needs to trust us...

Seeing her hand go up, she lifted her owns up, her expression calm and resolute as she saw her, and then nodded to Firefly.  "Marco.  Clothes, food, water.  Go, I got this"  Getting up, the girl took steady steps, clearly in discomfort from her injuries as she grabbed the medkit from Firefly's gurney, fishing through for some antihistamines and rolling the bottle to her.

"If we were your enemy, we wouldn't be sitting her talkin' now would we.  Look, from what it sounds like you're wrapped in your drek.  We pulled you for a job for the Stardust, yeh.  But I'm not workin' towards their benefit.  I want them gone.  They're using their drug...your drug...and totally swooping peeps up.  So many are missing.  My friend is hooked on your drek right now, and if we don't shut this club down, she's gonna likely disappear too."  Her jaw was hardset as she approached, a hand hooking at the back of her pants.  "Which means I don't really want to turn you in to them.  Which means a world of trouble if I don't take em down quickly.  So work with me, and we can all go home with a less dismal ending, aight?  But if ya don't trust me..."

At this point, Arc was only a few feet from the woman, and from behind her back she drew her Predator, loaded and ready to go...but it wasn't held in an intimidating way.  Instead....the grip was facing the mage, the barrel pointed right back at the mechanic as she knelt down, holding it out to her with unblinking eyes.  "Then you got one shot to take ya own chances without our help."

"So What's it gonna be, omae?"

[gilga]

Marco told Arc, “With all the respect, I am staying here with the rest of you, this is the most sensible thing to do. I am not going anywhere before Yelena and Tuska arrive. For your own safety - After that - feel free to boss me around and send me on any errant you would like.”

 He then  said, “Look Dana - hostility is not necessary and even if you fight us where will you go?  The one you call boyfriend, you love him but he is manipulative toward you and only cares about drugs. He is using you and they were going to interrogate you. You cannot go back,  even if you overpower us and I give you the credit for wanting to fight - we are your best option.

The Dragons were going to question you - if I found out that you were sabotaging the drugs then so will them, it is not just magic, there are more methods of investigation. truth drugs, torture, emotional manipulation, blackmail and I am sure that you can think about a few more. These are the kind of things that waited for you, have no illusions about that. Your mind have told me that directly.

You are alone, but inside you are a good person - you deserve better! You deserve to work for for goals you believe in and to be with people that appreciate you for what you are.  There is a connection, a reason why the Stardust wanted you and it is in your best interest to figure that one out. It is also in our best interest because these are the people that are going after us if we do not deliver you. But if we understand the dynamics we can come with a believable lie, a ruse or a plan to keep all of us safe.

Your knowledge of the drug is the asset you have, this is your ‘get out of jail card’ and even if you wanted to give that knowledge to us. None of us has the background to understand it, we cannot take it from you even if we tried. This knowledge can fix your life and make them good again.  It can give you a fresh SIN, a new start - new life with a good and legitimate job. Think about a place were your skills will be valued and you can work without having your creations perverted and twisted. Please do hold on to this knowledge and when you sell it, make sure that you get the best deal you could possibly get. I can help you negotiate that deal, I am skilled with words and you deserve a good deal.

I also have the connection who can make you such an offer -  but going on that route puts us in a lot of danger. Danger that will arrive within the coming hours, we have to survive tonight we have to lay low and both the Dragons and the Stardust are going to be looking for us. We are all going to risk our life trying to get you this deal you deserve.

Help us out over there, understanding the relation between the Dragons and the Stardust may be crucial to our survival. These are powerful enemies - you know it you just need to connect the dots. I am sure you are capable of doing it and since it is our mutual interest I am sure that no hostility is necessary. Like I said, with your agreement I will soon contact the people that you can negotiate with you for your knowledge. They are the good guys with government contacts, not criminals and gangs! You get to be on the right side of the law. This is the real deal, there will not be any better deal than that. Just help us survive long enough to get you there and we can all part ways happily. "


If my text is not enough then Marco is a more skilled smooth talker than I am. - I rolled con to convince the mage to play along with us. Marco will be using his skills in order to gain her trust including eye contact, body language and the genuine fact that he really believes that what he offers is the best option for her.
Convincing 'Dana?' to play along: 18d6t5 8

[Shaman_Yuri]

"Pretty words from a man who unleashes rapist daemons on dying girls and mind fucks unconscious women. And for someone who wears a woman's form at time, you don't know shit about women. If you don't care about her basic decency, then by all means let the teenage girl you just molested venture off into the night to get this poor oneesan some clothes!"  Firefly dumps the jacket and hijab in the mage's lap and storms off down the street.

[SgtBoomCloud]

"I said ENOUGH!"

Arc barked out her command as she knelt, keeping the gun held out handle first to the mage that no one else seemed to notice.  Glad to know they are concerned for my safety...

"you two can sort thus drew out later.  Firefly, you are staying put.  Marco I won't ask you again.  Yelena just said she and Tuska are on the way, so chill the frag out."  ending it with that, she turned her attention back to their charge, waiting for her response.

[ismilealot]

@ Marco, Arc & Subaru   The mage looks from Arc to Marco to Subaru. And frowns at Subaru's words as she watches her storm off. Carefully considering it all. Then she takes a deep breathe making up her mind. And shakes her head no at Arc. "I don't know how to use a gun. And it would stop me from casting anyway." At Marco she say's, "Mind fucked hmmmm. It was efficient I'll give you that. But, don't do it again." Then she looks back and forth between the two of them. "My drug isn't supposed to be being used. It's still in the experimental stages. We're still testing it and it's got far to many side effects still. And, I don't know why it's addictive. I mean, I know it is. The test subjects response to it is very much that of an addicts. But, there are no narcotics. And it's NOT supposed to be in use. It would be unethical to use it at this point." She takes a deep breathe and then sags, looking down at her hands. "But, I can't say I'm surprised that it is. Darren's been far to happy every time I made any kind of breakthrough with an effect. Any one else would have been after me for commercial viability by now with the money I've spent. They'd be wanting to see a return on the investment." She takes the bottle of antihistamines and swallows two dry and then starts scratching her arms. "But, I really don't know what you're talking about with the Stardust. I've never heard of it." She looks at Marco then, "So, I am interested in making a deal for what I know with the feds. But, I'll need protection. Guys with the kind of money to spend that's been spent on me and my lab have very long arms."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena, guided by Chesh, closes in on the chop shop location.  The streets here are certainly less travelled, but not as bleak as the Barrens.  The few people out and about at this time of the morning cast curious looks at the nice van, but no one is curious enough to try and slow its progress.  Chesh rolls the window down three times to wave and natter on with someone seen on the street.  Then Yelena sees someone she knows and wonders what Firefly is doing on the street instead of in the building.  More, Yelena gets the distinct impression that the young woman is walking at a determined pace, barely caring about where she is going. 

Yelena pulls the van to a stop and calls out, but her words are ignored.  Somewhat alarmed, Yelena opens the door and climbs out of the driver's seat, turning to Chesh.  "Chesh take van shop."  Pointing to her rifle, she adds, "Yelena rifle.  Chesh friend no chop."

She waits until she gets a nod from the halfer then takes off at a pace to catch up to Firefly.  As she suspected, the girl does not even realize she is being followed.  Yelena comes up beside her new friend and touches her arm.  "Want Yelena walk with?"

[Shaman_Yuri]

Subaru jumps when the stealthy elf makes her presence apparent.  Yelena is surprised when the teen drops and rolls, ending up crouched on the ground and ready to cast her only serious defense- stunbolt. It appears to the warrior keeb to be a well trained reflex. Before the young mage can draw on the mana though she notices who it was who got her attention and stops.

"Yelena sensei!" the human girl exclaims, surprised. Then in a less surprised voice she adds, "You're back.  I...I needed some air," she continues, her brown eyes averting from Yelena's violet orbs.  "I'm going to fetch some clothes for the mage woman."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena looks at the young woman carefully then nods.  "Yelena come?  Yelena feel safer already."  She offers a hand to the decker to assist her to her feet but does not let the touch linger.  She notes the missing outer garb usually worn and realizes that something is bothering the girl.  Falling in beside her, Yelena walks silently and waits for the decker to talk.  She checks her pistol at her hip and drags some of the nearby shadow to her to provide some warmth and comfort.  She walks next to her student, feeling that she will talk when she is ready to and Yelena will not push it for now.  She sends a text to let Arc know what is happening.  >>Srui.  Is Yelena.  Yelena walk Firefly.  Back when done.  Arc save Yelena rifle from Chesh and choppers.<<

Ahead, three men step out onto the snowy sidewalk from an alley and stand in the path of the two women.  Yelena puts a hand on Firefly's arm and they come to a halt.  Yelena keeps a slight pressure on her companion's arm and just looks at the three young men.  The leader, appearing to be no older than twenty, is holding a metal pipe in one hand, tapping it against his boot. Yelena just looks at the man and something in her face or her stance or.............something..............makes him pause.  No one says a word for a few seconds then the three young men just disappear back into their alley.  Yelena removes her fingers from Firefly's arm and nods for them to proceed.  As the pair passes the alley, they can hear the men arguing, "Hey, Boykin, why'd we back down?  We could have taken those two slots easy."

"You think so?  You idiot.  The young slot, maybe yeah.  The other?  There was something about her."

His words were followed by a short laugh.  "Yeah.  She's a Keeb.  You ever slot a Keeb?  I hear they be right nice."

There is a slight smack and a grunt.  "You go ahead and try it, you fraggin' gobsmacker.  I tell you that Keeb is death walking the earth.  I never seen anything like it, but I just knew that she would kill us all if we tried anything.  Come on, we can go over to Cartwright Avenue and try our luck there."

The voices fade away as Yelena and Firefly move on and they can hear feet running away down the alley.  After a few feet, Yelena quietly says, "Shadow reached out to young man.  Saved life and friends' lives.  He might survive streets if listen shadow.  Shadow is life and death.  Shadow is armor and warmth.  Someday shadow take Yelena back to embrace.  Take all Yelena is and add to strength of shadow.  Decker mage has Allah.  Yelena has shadow."

"Yelena born many years ago.  Knows much about people.  Yelena know Firefly troubled in thoughts.  Yelena good at listen when decker mage ready talk."

[gilga]

Marco texts Blake --> We have the inventor of the drug, tell your employer that she made preliminary agreement to enter a deal knowledge in exchange for safety. We'd also need some secure place to deliver her if your employer is interested because she is nova hot.

Arc seems to be a bad-ass - and normally Marco would have done what she asked - but a wounded mundane in a room with a mage we just met? who may be emotionally involved with the people we stole her from? who may be misleading us ? illusions, mind control, fireballs? she cannot be unarmed, she may be capable of astral travel who knows what she is capable of. Marco knows enough about magic to know that the fear is real.  " But HOW does Subaru already knows that I cross dress? It is no big secret but it is not something that comes out at first date. I just met her, emotionally unstable and skilled in both magic and technology - I should probably consider my living arrangements until she cool down.  I just hope that she is not going to toss my bar out of the balcony again. I'd better change the lock on the door and perhaps install some security system. Perhaps even find a new apartment.  I invited her into my home!... what did she do over there?!


He then says "You do not go out to dance much? The Stardust is the hottest club in the Barrens! They recently opened and are famous for their magical drugs. Especially one of these drugs creates a lot of matrix noise, and many people - some of them awakened are  missing.  They make bucket-loads of money and use massive force to protect their secrets. Their employee's are  signing forms as if they are working in an experimental lab rather than a club, and there are people missing, many people that did not return from their night out.  Enough people to draw the attention of the federal government as well as many powerful organizations in the Shadows. They all want to know what the F is going on in there.

These people are after you - they wanted you enough to bring us so far - and you must know some of them, it is impossible that they are all strangers. "


Marco turns to Arc, his face are giving out very little but his friendly voice despite the circumstances.
Arc, do you mind showing her some pictures? perhaps she can identify some of the people that run the show?"