[ismilealot]

Hrock hugs Arc back, And she notes the older ork's definitely been putting on weight. But he still smells like engine oil and musk, and he's still mindful not to squeeze her hard. "Let me know before ya leave Cricket and I'll swing by and we'll have lunch. Always take time fer a meal 'afore a trip I always say. Never know what the food'll be like where you're goin'." 

[Duck N. Cover]

     ...And just like that, Tuskaloosa was hauling parts into Arc's garage.  She wasn't off the hook—Arc's curiosity didn't allow for that—but at least she didn't have to answer immediately: there would be plenty of time during their labors to chat.
     Arc walked around the garage, pointing out each of her current orders.  Hrock caught a tricky mess on the bumper repair and offered a more painless solution . Tusk, for her part, was skeptical of the muffler repath: think I'll try a kangaroo with it first.  There's no sense blaming equipment to cover for piss-poor technique...
   
     Further plans slipped away however as the mechanic pulled the tarp from her last project.
   
     The troll had always considered her Better Half to be a thing of beauty.  She had also not doubted Arc's talent.  Still, it had only been a scant week and change ago...when all there had been was a gutted engine.  And now...
     Her knees were weak.  Quietly she slipped the shock glove from her right hand, her eyes riveted to the Mirage in fear that—like it's namesake—the bike would vanish like a deleted AR piece. “Can I touch...”
     Gently, she ran the least calloused part of her hand—the backs of her fingertips—along the grip, across the tank and down the loosely attached side fairing.
   
     “Not sure if we should step out and give 'em some alone time, or tell 'em to get a room,”  Hrock chuckled.  “Although I'm sure it'll break a few hearts when it gets out you found your new squeeze.”
     “There's nothing 'new' about this soulmate of mine,” the troll grunted. "That engine and I have history."
     To her, the bike might just as well have been a chromed Street Sam: the engine she knew so well--the heart--still remained in spite of countless cyberlimb replacements. 

     “History or not, get reacquainted later...your 'soulmate' still needs work.”

     Reluctantly, Tuskaloosa straightened and returned to where orc and orcish human stood, still mulling over Arc's work. 

     In the mechanic's hands was a paper bag Hrock had produced after she had admitted to being too nauseous to eat.   Arc had blamed her visit to the Tusk Fairy.  Whatever crunchy treat the bag contained seemed to work wonders: as she handed Hrock his much lighter bag back, Arc announced she was ordering pizza.

     After Hrock and Arc exchanged their goodbyes, Tuskaloosa saw the orc back to his van. “That was a neat cure for an upset stomach.  Can you let me know your miracle remedy and where I can get it too?”
    “You mean the Fire-roasted Hoppers with heavy ancho?  I can tell ya where not to get em, but it's kind of hard to really frag em up—there's a bunch of sellers that have em...”  He looked at her sharply.  “Don't tell me you've never--”
   “Oh I have, I have. I'm more a chile-lime girl, though.  I just never considered them something easy on a queezy stomach before.”
     "Well, they are a favorite for Arc.  She can put em away like popcorn."
    "Gotcha.  Thanks for the tip."

     

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc paused a bit as she hugged her uncle, finding her arms having to reach more to get around him.  Blinking twice, her green cybereyes glanced up at the older ork, a curious headtilt indicating her observation.  But she didn't say anything.  Knowing him, he's either stressed to drek about something and not wanting to talk about it, or he's doing well for himself...plus, I ain't exactly one to judge lately, the way I'm eating, heh...  Shrugging it off, the short human smiled and nodded emphatically before breaking off.  "Hell yeah, Uncle.  I'll let you know, but keep yself open for Monday, Aight?  I may be busy leading up to it, and I owe ya a distraction free lunch..."

She let out a sigh as she watched him go, eyes following as he and Tuska departed from the garage, leaving her momentarily alone.  The scent of the ork wafted through her nose for a lingering moment longer, sparking her memories and nostalgia as she sat down on a piece of bench.  Scratching at her side, she was humming when her troll friend returned inside, catching her daydreaming.

"Nice tune...lullabye of yours?"

Arc snapped out of her reverie as she hopped back down, steadying herself before shrugging.  "Neh, kinda.  Ain't rememberin' no lullabies from before, and the Howler's fo sho weren't ones to shing them to a little shlitch like me growing up.  Naw, it's an old Kamelot track from 20K era.  Always liked the tune."

"Huh...sounds almost wistful.  I like it"

Grinning, the mechanic pulled her hands up behind her head, her coveralls half off and hanging at her hips, a grease-stained tank covering her upper half.  Turning, she took a deep breath to center herself before leading the way towards the work. 

"Nnh, think i'll feel better after eatin' somethin'.  Frag, if I'm getting nausea every time I go under for shomethin', I'll just have em do it to me conscioush.  Anyhow, leasht I made some cred off these two jobsh, but with thish and the classes I'm takin',  I think it's all doable.  But I could use your help. You mind helpin' a shlitch out?  I'll pay for food and some cred I got to spare, plus any time on that bike I need before touching the van..."  She paused, looking to the troll and catching a bit of a funny look.  Tilting her head, she squared her stance facing her.  "What'sh up?"

[Mulcarn]

Anders doesn't make any comments in regards to what Yelena had just said, right before they all exited the van.  Instead he remains behind them.  Almost like a apparition looming over the two women.  Following the pair while contemplating what kind of hardship and misery had the elf witnessed.  Or worse, been subjected to.  Frigid gloom enveloping his soul until only ice and anger lay within.  Heavy thoughts burdened with the worst kind of abysmal questions.  Things he dare not ever ask or should ask for that matter.  Not out of fear of deception, but of the truth that lies dormant underneath.  This blizzard of inquisitive anguish ends as another man introduces himself to the trio.  Anders brushes off his concerns and fixates right back into reality.

Stopping to look at his open left hand as Jack gives weaponry advice.  Anders closes it into a fist and says back to him.  "I'll let my companions here have first pick of the weapons.  Along with target practice.  Once they're situated and taken care of, i'll see about your grenade launchers and other guns.  I have an idea in regards to them.  There's just a few things I need to discuss with Firefly first anyway."  He looks over to the magical decker standing beside him before turning back to Jack and saying.  "If it's no problem to you that is."

[ismilealot]

@ Yelena, Anders, Subaru  Jack nods at Anders statement and looks over at Firefly waiting for her response.

@ Arc & Tuskaloosa  Tusks tries the kangaroo maneuver on the bike and discovers it really does need re-path'd. But it only burns when you're doing six or more hops in quick succession.

@ Marco  Josie is a gracious host and soon everyone at their small table is dancing again. Blake soon begins opening negotiations with Jee-O and the lady is clearly a skilled negotiator as the two begin to spend more and more time dancing with each other or talking at the bar.

[Shaman_Yuri]

"I'm not very experienced with firearms," I admit matter-of-factly to everyone present.  "I'd love to get better though.  This jack," I gesture with my left hand to my right wrist, "was placed in case I needed to jack into a pistol."

[ismilealot]

Jack nods at Subaru when he hears her say that and going to her lifts her wrist and examines it without so much as a by your leave and thumbs it open. "Renraku tech. Not what I would have gone with as their ports are to highly specialized to work with other models of weapons. But, in this case it works out as many of the weapons are made for your hand shape. I can make a good piece for you or just mod one." He drops Subaru's wrist and looks her in the eye. "But, you need to be able to shoot well period. So, no jacking in today. Learn what the targets doing and plan for it without the fancy bits 'n bobs. Then, when you come back for your weapon we can have you practice while you're jacked." He looks around at the group and opening a vault of weapons that would make an arms dealer proud he leads them in and walks over to a table with a beautiful lavender case with a graceful scrollwork design on it and when he opens it it's a completely stocked makeup case. He looks up at Yelena grinning and says, "You'll have to start wearing this stuff regularly. It'll need to look well-used to pull the look off." He then proceeds to pull out different pieces and disassembles lipstick tubes, a compact, an eyeshadow case, an eyelash curler, and several other pieces and in under three minutes has Yelena's new pistol fully assembled. He says, "TriggerT told me your coloring and these are all top brand make-ups that'll look good on you." He hands Yelena the pistol and then springs a catch that reveals two fully loaded clips. "The compartment for the clips is mirrored for surveillance to pass through any security check."

[Shaman_Yuri]

I just nod at the proprietor's words.  It's easy to imagine the old Orc sergeant who was the weapons master at the Renraku Singapore arcology saying the same thing. 

Blessed Allah I miss the people there.  What I'd give to see even the orcs from the special ops teams again.

I shunt aside the homesickness as Jack moves into the vault, following close behind Yelena and watching closely to learn as much as I can.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena claps her hands together and makes an appreciative comment in Russian.  "Very nice, Jack.  Yelena much like.  Marco show how use makeup.  Yelena love gecko grip.  Not need holster."  She handles the gun and asks if she can practice disassembling and reassembling it, smiling when Jack nods.  She spends some time doing that, finally putting it on her hip.  Taking up the rifle, she follows the same procedure; disassembling and reassembling the weapon then looks to Jack.  "Yelena ready practice." 

She follows Jack out to the range and listens to his instructions on the differences between the assault rifle and the sniper rifle.  The weight and the weight distribution are very different and will take some getting used to.  The first rounds downrange are not on target and Yelena makes some corrections in her stance that improve her accuracy, but she realizes that she will need a lot more practice to be any good.  The dummy grenades are an entirely different story as they are quite foreign to her and her first few are not good at all.  She and Jack laugh at her ineptitude, but he compliments her on her attitude  and desire to learn, as well as her natural aptitude for the weapons.  He goes off to help Firefly and Anders but comes back frequently to check on her progress.  By the end of the day, she has fired far more rounds than he had come with, paying for them herself.  Before quitting, she takes the pistol from her hip and gets some target practice with it as well, commenting that she will  indeed need to get some use from the makeup kit.  She strips and cleans both weapons before replacing them in their cases.  Her eyes are very appreciative as she thanks Jack for the weapons and help before checking to see if the other two are ready to go.  She sends a note to the team.  >>Yelena here.  Much good day shooting.  Yelena need music.  Want meet dinner?  Yelena feel bad miss dinner at Josie's last night.  Maybe go tonight.  Eat, play music, dance?<<

[ismilealot]

Marco spends the next several days at Samia's learning artificing. Samia is a natural teacher and Josh is blossoming under her tutelage as he rediscovers his ability to use magic. And he's a patient tutor as well and Marco finds in him a kindred spirit as he teaches both Samia and Marco how to use mana through music. Marco has always instinctively understood mana as music and it's always been one of the reasons he loved it. Now, with the aid of deepweed he's able to watch Joshua help plants grow and they spend one afternoon in the botanical garden singing to the plants there. It's a wonderful time for Marco as he feels alive with the music and the life teeming around him. And watching the bond between Joshua and Samia grow, Marco feels at one with the universe and is filled with hope for the future. But, that hope has a dark side as well as he reflects on the trip they're about to undertake and he thinks, "I must find a way to help the scary lady. More killing will not end her nightmares. And it won't help her be at peace with herself. And I must find a way to save as many of that other gang as well so that I can be at peace with myself. I saved many of the Chinese gang. I used my magic to give them love and passion and it stopped them from shooting and having to be shot. I can find a way. Love always finds a way and I will love the scary lady and find a way."

[Mulcarn]

Anders watches Jack instruct Yelena from afar.  Seeing the two get along so nicely did have an uplifting effect on the brooding summoner.  It came to no surprise that the elf was well learned in the ways of firearms.  The brief talk they had yesterday had already informed him of that much.  Seeing the words come true in practice was just a comfortable assurance to a doubting mind.  Perhaps she is more than prepared for the task ahead than what he had originally given credit before.  "I need to be less distracted and more focused.  It's too late for second thoughts and grimness.  My role is to make sure Yelena survives this ordeal in one piece.  Along with her friends as well.  She needs not judgement from a transient half-mage, but a gun to kill her nightmares.  I'm not much of a fighter though.  Or a killer.  Guess i'll have to learn as I go to Poland.  Still... I wonder how much humanity she has left within her breast?  Is darkness all that remains?  Doesn't matter.  She's paying nuyen in exchange for wolves blood.  I'll see how this tale unfolds soon enough."

When Yelena asks if they are ready to go, Anders says back.  "I'm ready if you are.  Unless you want to see me try my hand at target practice?  Otherwise we can go."  He cracks a reassuring smile to show he was enjoying himself as well.  Hoping that neither one of them noticed his previous depressed mood.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena nods at Anders.  "Yelena much like watch Anders shoot.  Thought already had shoot.  Please do." 

Yelena is happy with her shooting and the new weapon.  She mentally reviews her performance and smiles.  She knows she needs lots more practice to be as good with the assault rifle as with her other weapons, but she is looking forward to practicing enough to be good.  She watches Anders carefully as he takes his stance and shoots at the targets downrange.

[Shaman_Yuri]

I take a position in a firing lane well away from Yelena-sensei.  I know I'm a neophyte at this.  I don't need to distract Yelena with the compulsion to correct all my flaws.Still, somehow Jack manages to be at my side regularly, giving me pointers and showing me ways to adjust my stance.  I can see his point that firing without the link is very different, and likely a good way to start building basic habits.  By the time I see Yelena and Anders wrapping up, I've made connect the dots on half-a-dozen different targets.  By the end, at least the dots are tighter together. 

If a target 30 meters away is kind enough to hold still in plain view for three seconds for me to steady a bead on him, he'll be toast.  Yeah, I know, I know...

[Duck N. Cover]

     “Food I'll accept, but I can't take your money for this,”  Tuskaloosa said, spreading her hands to take in the whole shop and all it's projects.  “The deal was to help in the shop and tag along as the 'Novahot wheelgirl' on Yelena's European Vay-kay.   Not only did you guys do your part by getting me equiped for last week's flash-orgy, you've done this much of the rebuild without my help.  If anything, I should be paying you a penalty for going to ground all last week.”
   
    And offering a plan that totaled your Americar.  And not putting a muzzle on the Mage.
    And not coming up with a better plan than you getting yourself arrested.  And taking your gift...
   
     “It'sh null shheen, omae.  I'm shure you had your reashonsh.  Shoundsh like Uncle had work for you too, I bet.  Beshidesh,” the tusk-y mechanic continued, “Itsh not like you didn't help get the King back in order, aright?”
     “The King repair was a loan too, though.”
     “Yeah.  But that bike didn't end up like that jusht to have a reashon to loan it.  I'm not getting token jobsh jusht to give me nuyen here.”

     Tuskaloosa immediately realized how insulting that sounded:  if the Howlers were just giving Arc work to pay her, it wouldn't matter how bad a mechanic she was.  A bad mechanic, she was not.  “Sorry Arc.  Yeah, you're right—that was just two birds with one stone.”
   
     “Right?  And you helped on that job.  Like I told you before—it'sh null shheen.  Ash for payment...”  the mechanic cracked a wicked grin.  “I know at leasht one 'toy' you were looking at.  That wash an Aresh Shcreech, right?  At the Market?”
    “The Screech sonic rifle?”
     Arc nodded.  “I wouldn't offer shpare cred if you didn't desherve it.  You will get paid, one way or the other.”

     The troll held up her hands in defeat.  “It's your money.  If you're going to put it that way though, put it towards the polar gear I'm going to need.”  An Ares Screech would be fun, but work before play...
   
     “Polar gear, huh.  Why?”

[SgtBoomCloud]

Conversing with Tuskaloosa was definitely putting Arc in better spirits, her energy levels lifting as she conversed with the troll.  The mention of polar gear, however, did leave her a little curious and confused.  Why would she need gear like that...

"You know, for the European Vay-Kay we're being tagged along for.  It's dead winter, so it's going to be cold..."

Arc crossed her arms, still trying to wrap her head around the notion.  "Sho?  Null shweat then, Sheattle's got cold enough wintersh, should be fine, right? Easy"  She grinned, stopping as she saw the woman's expression look flat serious.

"Er, riight, and that thought will leave us and gear as popsicles.  Seattle's one thing, but northern Europe is another.  It'll be colder and harsher.  Don't believe me, I think Yelena can back me up on it..."  She knelt down a bit, putting a finger on the human's bare arms.  "So we'll get some duds together, yes?  No sense in freezing our hinds off before the job is done"

Cowed, Arc shivered a little as she thought it over, the realization that this was her first time leaving Seattle hitting home hard.  So much I don't know, haven't seen..heh..  Her thoughts were distracted, thankfully, by the arrival of their meat and cheese-filled dinner.  Hopping to, she took care of that, the pair breaking for grub.   Arc tore into her pieces, sating her appetite with a sigh as she felt much better.

"Huu...aight, let'sh get to bushinessh while we shtill got the light, huh?"  "Yep...hey, mind MARKing me with that hopscotcher?  Wanna see if your BloodMoney's full of drek or not..."  "Eh?  Yeah, null sheen.  Lesshee it"  Sharing the activation permissions, Arc took a seat outside the garage as the troll wheeled the bike out, revving it up and tearing down.  On the return, she popped a quick wheelie, kicking off the ground in a series of hops accented by engine flares and the compressing of high-grade suspension.

When all was said and done, Tuska's expression was all Arc needed to know.  "We doin' the fix, then.  Wizsh"

The rest of that afternoon was spent well, their combined efforts putting a good dent into the work before them.  Shortly after the sun went down, Tuska was spotted glancing at the time a few ways over.  Tilting her head, Arc set her wrench down and copped a squat, whistling to get the attention.  "Hoi, you goin' shomewhere?"

"Nah.  I got some time.  What about you though? From the sounds of it, you've been here since morning.  Don't you need sleep, Arc?"

A grin was what followed, the tusked human tapping her head.  "Ish all good.  Washn't just teeth I got in me.   Put in a shleep regulator too.  Maybe the double doshe is why I feel like drek.  But yeah, I'm good till about 22:00 when the Vruk's gettin' home."  She sighed a bit, closing her eyes as she wiped some sweat from her brow, sniffing the air.  "Oh, right, electrical for yo bike's due in tomorrow.  If ya feelin' up to it, I'll have that rig interfacshe inshtalled and let you try it out. What shay you, hm?"