[gilga]

When I return to the village it is evening and I can watch one last majestic sunset. Their Shaman is back and I hope that things are back to normal. I change back just to say goodbyes, CW is very happy for the spoilers I provide her about the returning Shaman, but she already knows... modern communication, the kind that I do not have.

“He will teach you” she said bluntly and I replied “I am already wiser and my roots are in Seattle. I will come to learn when I have time but not today. I think I was also hiding today, I am just not sure why.”

“I am glad you came and thank you for your help ”

“Don’t mention it, I am happy to help where I can.”

The evening winds takes me back to my apartment where I find Ginny listening very carefully to the classical music I listened to earlier. She spots me arriving and her sharp mind immediately understand that it is me. There is no reason to be shy after all this “I believe that I owe you a dinner and a party... “ I say wearing nothing but my smile.  What happens next I left out, it was mine and Ginny’s but it was smoking hot and I enjoyed it very much, the sense of urgency sure can take passion into new heights.

I think it was a few hours later when I finally suggested “I really want to make you dinner, I want to do that for you. ”

[Mercy Merchant]

**What is it?  What is it?  What is it?  What is it?  WHAT.  IS.  IT?**  Yelena's fragmented mind shouts at her in her drug induced stupor, partially breaking through to her consciousness.  She is collapsed in a chair with the new woman kneeling on the floor in front of her, head buried between Yelena's thighs while the three men are taking turns at Bella.  She feels the pulsing that foreshadows an immense orgasm and goes with it, pushing the errant thoughts back into the shadows of her mind until she explodes in ecstasy.  She lifts the woman up and kisses her deeply and both go to the table to pick up their round of drinks.  Yelena notes that she is farther along the Apollo course than any of the others and smiles, thinking that is as it should be.  She sips her drink as the four on the couch begin to experience their own releases.

**Danger!  Danger!  Danger!  Danger!  DANGER!**  Yelena staggers at the mental assault and finds a chair to sit in.  She can feel shadow tendrils warring with her drugged brain and the pain is sheer agony.  She manages to put the drink on the table before doubling over in pain.  Her companions see her difficulty as relating to the drugs, which of course it is in a way, but not as they perceive it.  They laughingly tell her to go to the bathroom if she is going to be sick.  Yelena catches herself on the edge of the table as she goes to her knees in pain, almost retching from the effort.  Through eyes blurred by drugs, alcohol, and now pain, she catches sight of Keshan's second toy; the one that she had used on him several times tonight already.  It lies ready for use and she grabs for it, needing three tries to get it in her hand.  Turning it on and upping the charge to maximum, she places the tip to her chest over the three bullet wound scars.  The explosion of pain sends her flying backwards, crashing through the chair behind her and onto the floor.  Writhing in pain, she holds onto the inducer with a death grip.

**Danger!  Danger!  Danger!  DANGER!**  Again the part of her brain that is still sober tries to make itself known, fighting against the rest of her mind.  She can sense that the shadow is giving strength to her hidden self as nothing else could have penetrated even this far against what she has done to herself tonight.  And if the shadow is involved, something is very wrong indeed.  Yelena gasps for air and screams in pain as she exhales.  Still the others look at her as if she is simply having a reaction to the inducer.  She jams the device into her chest three more times, screaming each time.  At this, even the more jaded of her companions is aware that something is wrong with the Keeb.  Keshan rises to come to her side, but she waves him off with the pain inducer held like a weapon.  She screams at him, not even realizing that she has slipped into Russian.  "Держитесь подальше! Пребывание в побед! Что-то не так и мы самыми отвратительными действиями наши посиделки ослы. Не может она не? Что-то не так. Мне нужно подумать. Просто держаться подальше".  He might or might not know the language, but Yelena's intent is clear and Keshan holds his hands up as he backs off to join the others in watching what is evidently a bad reaction to the drugs play out. 

A tremendous surge of pain causes Yelena to double up.  She starts to scream again but her voice is drowned out as a torrent of whatever had been in her stomach leaves her throat and spews onto the carpeted floor.  She heaves a number of times as her system tries to begin the cleansing process.  Drugs, alcohol, the pizza from lunch, all came up.  Her throat burns at the sensation and she feels like she is being kicked repeatedly.  She feels the boots of her three tormentors as they land blow after blow to her midsection.  They had orders to kill the troublemaking Elven girl.  Even at only eight years old, she had survived what had killed many others and the scientists wanted to see how much it would take to kill her.  They could hear bones break as they stomped on her little fingers and kicked her undernourished legs and arms.  One man shifted his boot to her head and she eventually lost consciousness.  The beatings had continued after that, but she no longer felt the abuse to her small body.  The men killed her and tossed her body at the door to her barracks.  But she lived.  The shadow came to her and wrapped her in its embrace, protecting a tiny spark of life in the horribly mangled body.  She lived through such pain as no one should ever have to live through.  She had lain outside the barracks all night, her blood staining the snow red.  None of the other children had dared to go to her after the guards left; they all knew that someone was watching and that they would be next if they did.  The guards left her body at the door of the barracks all night and all the next day.  The others were forced to step around or on her to leave or enter the building.  She did not stir in response to anyone stepping on her, nor to the brave, or merely desperate, child who stopped to quickly remove her cracked and worn shoes.  But the shadow nurtured her and kept her alive through the night and day.  She woke up after the dinner meal and went inside the barracks.  The other children were terrified of her and she had no problem getting her shoes back.  Truth be told, the guards were terrified as well.  The three men began spreading rumors that the girl was a spirit and could not be killed.  All were executed for being soft on Yelena.

**Danger!  Danger!  Danger!  DANGER!**  Just as so long ago, Yelena is sheathed by the shadow and survives the torture that her body is going through.  After spewing everything inside of her, she collapses to the floor in continued agony.  Her shadow guardian is warring against the drugs and alcohol, trying to get her to think.  Think.  Think.  Her face contorted and her eyes glazed, she rises to her hands and knees, still gripping the pain inducer.  She looks at Bella's husband and tries to shout.  All that comes out is a chocked whisper and she tries again, to better effect.  "Получить ее от! Получить ее от! Не могли бы вы см. Она находится в опасности? Они будут принимать ее и использовать ее и убить ее. По контролю над наркотиками, посиделки в области контроля над наркотиками. Stardust. Получить ее если вы любите ее! ".  Realizing somehow that she is speaking in Russian, Yelena pauses and repeats herself.  “Get her away!  Get her away!  Can’t see she in danger?  They take her.  Use her.  Kill her.  Is drug.  Fragging Stardust.  Get her away if love her!  Dress her my clothes.  Any clothes.  No clothes.  Just take.  Save her.  Club men come for her.  Kill her.”  Tears flow from her eyes and roll down her cheeks as she realizes how stupid she sounds.  She crawls to the table and fumbles through the box that holds the pills and capsules that have been fueling the night.  Keshan makes another attempt to approach her, but Yelena again waves him off with the inducer.  More than the others, he knows what the device can do at the charge she has set it at and decides that avoidance is a wise choice.  He warns the others, who also decide to back away to a safe distance.  Bella's husband has been rooted in place since Yelena's outburst, but the third man goes toward the wall comm unit, saying that he is going to call security.  Yelena flings a glass of something at the wall in front of him and he wisely backs off.

After a minute of scrabbling, Yelena gives a cry of success and takes one of the capsules into her hand before tipping the table and sending drugs and drinks to the floor.  Still grimacing from the massive pain she is absorbing, Yelena crawls to sit near the door; pain inducer in one hand and the Kamikaze capsule in the other.  She waits for the club men to come for Bella.  The warring within her body is intense, bringing on a pain that is excruciating.  Yelena's entire body hurts and she passes from near blackout to near conscious.  The shadow is telling her to let go, that she will be protected from the pain and will recover from this.  She shakes her head in an attempt to keep it clear, to keep conscious.  Rational thought is all but impossible as the drugs try to re-establish control of her mind, increasing the pain she is undergoing.  The others in the room are nearly as strung out on drugs as Yelena is, and they simply resume the party now that Yelena is sitting at the door and not screaming unintelligibly at them.  If there is a conscious thought among the five it is that Yelena is taking a bad trip.  They may have lost the table and the drinks, but the drugs flowing through their systems are in control and they do not seem to care about one raving Keeb.  For a moment, she had almost gotten through to Bella's husband, but that did not stick.  Some part of Yelena realizes that she is losing the battle with the drugs and is not even sure anymore what she had said or why.  Her brain is trying to shut down and she passes from a semi-conscious state to drifting off into the past, to the days when her body was subjected to this sort of treatment nearly every day at Camp 14 as the scientists probed to find out what was different about the UGE kids.  She jumps from horrific flashback to the horrific present and back from moment to moment. 

Yelena cries.  Tears of anguish roll down her face.  Anguish over her lost innocence; over the scores of innocent people she has killed, over the betrayal by Tsina Molovna that resulted in the loss of her gang family; over the terrible betrayal by the sax man; over what she has allowed herself to become.  The shadow does what it can to shield her mind from descending into madness, but it is fighting against powerful enemies.  The battle is not a sure thing.  The shadow had helped Yelena overcome physical and mental abuse, keeping her alive when she should have died more than once.  But now it is fighting her own body.  Even now, Yelena craves the drugs she has spilled on the floor of the room.  Even now her body needs the release that only more Bliss, more Venutian Rocket, more of any of them can give her.  Part of her mind and the shadow trying to protect her know that she is in real danger of dying here in the fragging room in this drek of a club, among people that could care less.  She laughs, the sound seeming unharmonious.  If Gregor could only see her now.  He could have her working for him for life by waving drugs in her face.

“Stay away!  Stay the frag away!  Something is wrong and we are drugging our fragging asses off.  Cannot you feel it?  Something is wrong.  I need to think.  Just stay away.”

“Get her away!  Get her away!  Can’t you see she is in danger?  They will take her and use her and kill her.  It is the drug, the fragging drug.  Stardust.  Get her away if you love her!”

[Duck N. Cover]

     The troll sat in the dark corner of the laundry room with her RCC on her lap, the washer beside her churning rhythmically.  It was after hours (of course) and during power and water blackout as well.  No one on the first floor had trouble bypassing the lock—Tuskaloosa included—and she had brought her own water and battery.  She still had to slot the machine to get it to work and had to make two trips to bring water—one for the wash and one for the rinse cycle—but it meant not having to fight for a machine during ration hours.
   
     And it was on the premises.
   
     She added a washer to the things on her high priority list; a clothes line still an acceptable alternative to a drier. Arr-Arr-Arr might know where to find one.  He found the pixie fridge after all.

     Some might call her fussy, but Tuskaloosa preferred  (a) her meals to be made of unspoiled food and (b) to not smell like she'd rolled around in a garbage dump, whether she had or not.  Cleaning herself simply required soap and water; cleaning her clothes was a labor that demanded a labor-saving device.
   
     Still, it was a device that could be done without temporarily; the highest priority on her list was finding a  new home in the first place.  She had been examining a local map; after locating Arc's place she had looked at the area roughly four blocks in each direction.  Her next criteria had been size; she didn't want to move again if she had to.  While she didn't have much now, she wanted the room to accommodate later additions—any smart rigger would.  In the light industrial area that Arc's neighborhood had been in its heyday, small factories and/or distribution hub-level warehouses were actually plentiful.
   
     The problem was that size was a bonus to a lot of other people too: smugglers, thieves, fences,  sweat shops, chop shops.  A street doc with a vat farm.  The local gang for their HQ.  There was no way to know if a place was already occupied, or by whom.  Plus, she was certainly not going to convince an existing tenant of a good place to move on.
   
     A bad place had its own issues to consider.  Squatters could be encouraged to go elsewhere easier than a chop shop crew, but the property itself would require more work to flip back into service.  Work that was money--and possibly time, given Arc's 'help' thing--that she currently didn't have.
   
    She set her house hunting aside, to send a message to Hroc.

<<@Hroc:  Green light on the comm.  I'll send the four fifty to the usual. Thanks again for your help reuniting me with my better half—you're a lifesaver in more ways than one.

Come to think if it, he was well-known in Arc's neighborhood...

I'm looking to relocate to give your friend an assist.  Think you can point me in the direction of the local real estate agent?  I'd ask her, but she's done plenty for me as it is.>>

   Her message sent, she turned her attention to adding the water for the rinse cycle.  The  load of clothes were those from the morning—her garbage truck diving suit.  Even if she didn't have water to spare she would have cleaned them;  the next door neighbors would have thrown a fit at the smell if she'd let them go any longer.  As it was, she had no problems; she needed to empty the rain barrel for the move.

    Maybe I'll do them a second time.  With luck she'd never have to wear them again.  They were still good; she had bartered to get them from Arr-Arr-Arr and knew they would be useful to barter with for something else.
   
     With the machine going again, she returned to her corner and jacked back in.  To her surprise, there was a message waiting for her.  That was fast...
   
     It was not from Hrock however.  It was from Arc.

<<@Tuskaloosa: Hoi, it's Arc.  Got some drek you might be interested in for your talents.  What's your sched looking like in the next number of days?>>

Well that didn't take long...

<<@Arc:  I'm flexible.  I need to meet up with Hrock to pick something up, unless it's OK for him to drop it off at your place.  Other than that, I'm good.>>

She checked the time then jacked out.  Mentally, she started packing what she owned in the rain-barrel.  Even if she didn't vacate the place until after Arc's job, she wanted to be ready to go.

[ismilealot]

Sorry but it's another placeholder. Mercy, I'll need two addiction tests. And an endurance check to stay conscious. Arc wakes up Jaime find for a double shift. TriggerT has weapons drones only. Tusk gets an unexpected bath from the washer breaking down. Subaru gets a job hacking the security ofa building,  cameras only tonight for the yak. Ginny tells Marco she's got to catch a plane. Blake sends the info on. Gives you back some Intel on mages suspected of working with the Triads who are capable of this. It's a very short list.

[Mercy Merchant]

Even from the wall near the door, Yelena feels the siren call of the drugs.  Fortunately, the one in her hand is not one calling to her.  She has not used Kamikaze in years and her body does not recognize it yet.  The bliss on the floor is a different matter.  Her mind and body crave the sweet release it promises.  The protection given to her by her shadow is fighting a losing battle right now; the power of the drugs in her body is proving too much.  The whisper to give up consciousness grows more insistent.  The shadow knows it can help her more in that state, but Yelena is not ready to give in just yet.  She does, however, realize that the shadow needs her help and she bends her will to the task, calling on what reserves she has left.  She feebly whispers over and over, "Srui'ken Kai, Marco, Srui'ken Kai, Marco", The names and the faces they evoke give her strength that she can use in the struggle as she focuses on pushing against the power of the drugs. 

First addiction test:  9d6t5  Edged addiction roll: 9d6t5 4  reroll misses:  Reroll misses: 5d6t5 2  6 hits

Second addiction test:  Second edged addiction test: 10d6t5 5  reroll misses:  reroll misses: 5d6t5 3  8 hits

Pretty good addiction rolls.

Beating back the drugs is a temporary victory, but a victory nevertheless.  The effort is draining, sapping Yelena's strength and endurance.  The shadow is still calling for her to let it take over and heal her. 

Resist stun damage: 6d6t5 2  Only 2 hits so some stun.

The strain of fighting the drugs in her system is almost too much for Yelena.  She blacks out for a few moments as a wave of pain and nausea hammers at her.

[SgtBoomCloud]

[Sunday, Dec 12, 2075, 08:00, Jaime's Place]

The morning sun greeted Arc with its gentle yet persistent glow, tickling her nose as she stirred into wakefulness.  Groaning a little, the short human girl shifted her stout form a little under the sheets, lips curling into a faint smile as she turned with her hips, arm reaching back to caress her Vrukart laying behind her...only to pause a bit, her fingers only finding empty bedspace.  Her eyes opened, the cybernetics booting up as her vision came on as she fully rolled over in the bed, her eyes confirming what she had felt: she was alone.  Jaime must have taken great care into making sure he didn't wake her, making her frown even more as she discovered an ARO left for her.

"Hey babe, My double started early today, and you looked so peaceful I couldn't bear to wake you.  I won't be home until late again.  Be safe.  Love you"

Arc found herself reading the note several times as she slowly sat herself up on the bed, her little smirk growing as she felt tears welling in her eyes.  It was sweet that he would do that, but she felt a pang of guilt, given how they both admitted to being pulled away from each other by their respective works.  She mulled over it, and their responses to each other's confessions for a little time as she sat at the edge of the bed, her legs dangling over the sides as she woke herself up fully.  Straightening up, she grimaced a bit as parts of her body felt a bit sore.  must be from the warehouse...slow reaction or something, drek...

After a few more moments of reverie, the mechanic stood up fully, yawning a little as she stretched what she could of the soreness out.  Scratching her head, she tried for a few moments to straighten out her hair, leaving it a light but managed mess on her head and shoulders as she strode to the bathroom, taking care of her business before jumping in the shower.  As the water flowed down her bare form, the human looked through the message replies that came in during the night, notably from TriggerT, Blake, and Tuskaloosa.  Using her man's soap, she washed herself up as she mentally pulled up and constructed a few replies that she felt needed to be higher priority...

<<@Tuskaloosa{Arc}: Morning, just got your message.  Hrock and I are tight, he's got a key to my place if you need to meet up before I can get you.  Or he can drop it off, and you can tell him I gave the okay.  I'll be there in a couple to pick you up.  Have your gear ready, aight?>>

<<@Blake{Arc}: Thanks omae.  I think I can really use this.  Will let you know>>

<<@TriggerT{Arc}: Then I think you and I are in the market to do some business, chummer.  What time is good to meet up and talk shop?  If you got something long range and quiet in the skies, I can see some cred flowin', you feel me?>>

<<@Angel{Arc}: Hoi, look who's still kickin', huh?  Heard you had a run in with a client of mine, omae.  Expect to see her around more often, you feel me?  That being said, I heard about the deets, and wanna give you an opportunity.  You think you have the hez to properly equip a lady for these parts, man?  Lemme know, holla, and soon>>

<<@Firefly{Arc}: Morning.  I'll be by in a couple hours or so to head to the garage.  Think you'll be ready for a ride by then? Also, got some info you might consider cross checking.  Lemme know>>

<<@Yelena{Arc}: Hope you're alive Srui.  I'm in.  It isn't pretty but I'm in.  I'll be home in a few hours.  We talk then?>>

Satisfied with those, Arc made a note to wait for replies from a few of those while going about her day, most notably because Subaru and Tuskaloosa both noted that they'd be flexible...sales meetings usually aren't.  And that extraction of the mage was still very much needed to happen this evening.  Still, she had a couple, and as she turned off the water and grabbed a towel to dry off, Arc started to get ideas of how to fill it.

Most of us are guaranteed to be going to Europe in a few weeks...we'll all need to be at our best.  Some of us are unproven, the others are.  We're gonna need to ramp up our hardware...  As she stepped out of the shower, she padded over to the sink, tilting her head a bit as she set the towel on the counter.  Standing up straight, the human looked at herself in the mirror, taking in her appearance, even turning and posing her arms in a couple different ways.  She marveled a bit at how her cybernetics, things she originally thought were marring of her appearance, were integrating into a seamless flow with her body, almost giving its own exotic appeal.  In more general of a view, she looked to herself to be a lot...healthier in her appearance would be her words.  It was true: she was carrying herself with a bit of confidence, a tad of swagger, and a note of positivity.

Smiling a little, she strode back out of the bathroom, slipping into a clean pair of undies and a bra before padding to the kitchen, rooting around for something to eat and quiet her growling stomach.  Not wishing to brave the daunting task of cooking a breakfast for herself after what happened last time, a bowl of cereal with some soymilk seemed to be quite suitable to her.  Dancing a little as she set out her meal, she settled in at the table, the silence depressing her just a bit as she ate.  Weird...I'm used to being alone all the fraggin' time...now it...it fraggin' sucks...okay, I need a fragging distraction or I'm gonna go insane before these hoops get back to me...

It didn't take long for her to figure something out and she put herself to a bit of work.  Chewing on a bite of cereal, Arc started to pull up multiple browser AROs, connecting herself to several different catalogs, sites, forums, even the Shadownet ones she learned about from Hrock and from her hospital stay.  From there, she started to form some ideas of things she wanted to find, and until she got some replies back to her, that's pretty much how she spent her morning...in her underwear seated at a table, munching cereal, looking for goods to spend her cred on...

Okay, let's sum this up a bit...
@Smiles: through contacts or self-searching (Availability tests as needed, your call), Arc will be attempting to locate and purchase a number of goods that for dramatic reasons I don't wish to disclose.  This does not include goods specifically mentioned, like with Hrock, TriggerT, and Angel.  Please let me know when and how you would like to work through that

[ismilealot]

@ Yelena Security comes and disarms her and apologizes for not coming sooner. They tell Bella, "Many of the drugs she took were shared more often with you. Perhaps we can head off any potential problems by having our shaman make sure everything is ok." Bella's husband says, "That's wise my dear. I will order more drinks for when you return."

@ Arc. TriggerT answers, >>You can come by the shop this morning. I've got the spicyest breakfast sausage in town."

[SgtBoomCloud]

After about an hour of her perusing, Arc's cereal finished and the empty bowl in the sink, an ARO interrupted the girl's work indicating a reply was sent from TriggerT.  Looking it over, she smiriked a little, shaking her head.  Well, that cereal wasn't much to begin with..I could go for some breakfast sausage..better not be a double intent or whatever they call it though.  Chuckling, the mechanic stood up, collapsing her work and saving for later whilst sending out her reply.

<<@TriggerT{Arc}:  Wiz bang, omae.  Be there in a bit>>

Checking her clock, she gave a little nod.  Almost an hour had passed...plenty of time to head out, make this stop, then pick up her human and troll companions in the time frame she promised.  Retreating to the bedroom, the girl pulled on a clean, dark pair of jeans over her legs, one of Jaime's shirts over her torso, her pistol returning to its home at her back.  Pulling her jacket over her arms and shoulders, the girl checked her look again before closing up the apartment for the day, making sure she cleaned up her mess before doing so.  Hopping in her car, the mechanic made good time in the Sunday traffic as she looked out at the slightly overcast day, the previous day's snowfall painting a pretty picture on the sides of the roads.

Pulling up to TriggerT's shop, Arc parked and locked up her car before heading inside, seeing the Dwarf expecting her.  Holding her arms to her sides, she tilted her head and cocked a grin. "Wa-hey, someone said something about spicey breakfast sausage eh?  Lemme tell ya, my Vruk and his fam love their spicy, so it better be hot~  Whaddya got for me huh?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena, wracked by pain and fading in and out, is nearly doubled over when the security team arrives.  She really only notices them when a man steps in front of her and reaches down to help her stand up.  Her brain filters that he is dressed so can't be one of the partiers and her body reacts.  Even drugged and in pain, Yelena is far from harmless.  Her right hand sweeps up with the charged pain inducer and strikes the man on his bare arm.  His shriek of pain is gratifying and the man steps away, clutching his arm in agony.  Sensing someone behind her, Yelena slams her head back but misses, hitting the wall instead and allowing the man to grab her arm.  A third man steps in and wrests the pain inducer away from Yelena.  She yowls as the first man steps back in, stun baton now at the ready.   "Fragging bitch!  I get to stun this fragger."  He looms over Yelena and she recognizes the young leader of the security team that had come to the room earlier as he strikes her across the midsection.  It takes two strokes to subdue Yelena and the young man is swearing at the Russian Keeb as she finally passes out.  He is angry that a naked woman has embarrassed him in front of his men, angry that his arm hurts like hell, and angry that this fragging job does not pay enough for this kind of drek. 

The team leader nods to his men to secure the woman and goes to talk to the rest of the party members, still cradling his injured arm.  Such is the effect of the drugs these people have taken that no one really seems disturbed by what has just happened.  It is like Yelena's attack and her subsequent stunning have gone unnoticed.  In fact Keshan is still banging away at the third woman while her husband watches in dazed fascination.  Only Bella's husband seems to be partially cognizant and the team leader addresses him.  "I am sorry that we had to resort to using force on your companion.  It would not have been necessary if the woman had not gone crazy and attacked us.  The drugs provided by the club have been tested and are normally relatively harmless, but some people metabolize them poorly and, while very rare, it is possible for someone to have an extremely bad reaction to them.  I am going to take her to see the club doctor and have her treated.  I am sure that she will be alright after sobering up.  However, the environmental monitors have detected certain anomalies in your wife that indicate that she is at risk of a similar reaction.  I would like to take her with us to be examined.  I will have someone come and clean up the room and you will be comped for the full cost of this evening as a gesture from the club for this unfortunate situation." 

Bella's husband looks a bit confused at first; after all, his mental faculties are not operating at their best.  He smiles at the mention of the night being free and tells his wife that she should go with the security man.  Bella nods and looks around for something to put on, as her dress had been taken away earlier.  The security man notices her look and smiles.  "Do not worry.  We brought your dress back.  It has been reprogrammed and you should have no further difficulty with it.  Let me get it for you."  He goes to the door and returns with a bag that had been dropped in the scuffle with Yelena and brings it to Bella.  He removes her dress from the bag and hands it to the woman, who puts it on.  A blanket is tossed over Yelena and she is taken from the room and loaded onto a small cart, where she is joined by Bella and the security team.

Yelena regains consciousness slowly and painfully.  Her internal chronometer tells her that it is just after 2:00AM and the day is Sunday, December 12th.  She looks around, noting that she is on a bed in a small room.  Someone had dressed her in loose pants and a short sleeved top.  There is a bucket in one corner and she immediately feels the urge to use it.  Relieving herself, she takes stock of her situation.  Her body feels like a truck has rolled on top of her and she recalls the fight with the security team.  Or at least part of it.  Lifting the shirt, she sees several new bruises and believes that there are others she cannot see.  Her head swims from the effort she has made and she quickly returns to the bed, laying down to avoid blacking out again.  From where she is, the door appears solid, with a small window and a slot near the bottom.  Except for the lack of bars, she is reminded of the jail cells in Karibor Prison.  She does not have the strength to test the door, but is sure it is locked. 

Yelena smiles in spite of her situation.  Phase one is complete.  She seems to have been taken into the cells by the club men.  She feels only a mild regret at not telling Arc about this first, but her Srui would certainly have tried to stop her if she had known.  With good luck Yelena will find out what happened to Feathers and the others.  With bad luck she will be killed.  She will have to trust in the shadow to keep her alive long enough to find out what is going on and to help from the inside when the inevitable rescue comes.  Putting her head on the small pillow, Yelena closes her eyes to rest, realizing that she needs to be as free from the effects of the drugs and alcohol as possible when the drek begins to happen. 

[gilga]

Dammit, “fine go to the airport I’ll book you a taxi.” I say and watch with astonishment how Ginny lies to avoid me. Some people are just... so and so. I shower again, put on my best clothes and go to the Banshee, it is not the Stardust, but with the amounts of money that I am putting there I simply cannot afford it without a paying client. With the girl that drove me crazy for a couple of days lies about an early flight just to avoid me I really just want to drink and forget about it. I should have spent the night in Bleeding mountains.

I pick up my messages “>>Yelena, don’t mention it. We’ll talk when you can tomorrow is great. “  She felt that I run away quickly but I came to talk to her and she seemed so focused on other things it was disturbing.

I quickly find some drinking buddies and the bartender keeps me well drunk and I dance and have fun, when I spot my favorite hostess drinking whiskey.  “Tammie how are you tonight ? can I join you? “ She nods and I seat next to her, with my beer. Saying “I do not hang out when I work...  and I hadn’t had a day off in a long time. I have never seen you alone before... and why coming here with your VIP at the Stardust” I laugh “That... well I met this crazy girl and she decided that she is my girlfriend and dumped me in the same day... Gosh I hate women right now... Besides, with the level of service you got me used to, I can no longer afford the Stardust without a paying client. Tonight I am just a pumpkin...” I laugh.
“Whats up with that... Why do you do this kind of work?” I grin, “Still not drunk enough” and I order two shots of vodka. We take the shot and I say “I don’t know really... I am good at this and I need to make a living somehow... How is your job do you like it?” I actually hate my job, really hate it and see it as a personal failure. More so after the night with Mr. Anderson, but I am not that drunk to share.  She shrugs, “Hate it... everybody look at me as an eye candy, I have a real job in there keeping the operation running is a lot of work, still the patrons get all handsy once they are far gone... You didn’t touch anything in there did you?”
 
I tell the waiter “Another shot please!” and we both take another shot of vodka. “It is more rich people thing... once I get hooked I’ll be in the streets in no time. Some people can just money their way out of anything... “  She laughs “That's good some of the stuff in there is dangerous... So heavy roller Marco is just a poor guy from the Barrens? “  I laugh, “The Barrens... no not for me I live downtown in a nice apartment. I probably couldn’t make rent any other way. “ I say... and think to myself except Shadowrunning. She sighs “So I got my answer... I barely make rent myself and I work like all the time. “  I laugh “From now on, the next one to complain takes a shot I really finally have a day off I do not want to think about the Stardust, I practically work there now. “ We laugh and continue with a pleasant evening, as I find out that Tammie is single and about my age and a flying enthusiastic, “You actually own a plane?!” I ask surprised... “It is a glider, electric quiet and does not cost more than a car... but flying makes me feel free.” I want to say that I know what she means but I am not sure if to say anything. “That sounds... exciting I have a feeling I’ll like it.” Tammie grins at me with a devious look, “we can take my girl for a spin if you like there is nothing to go as Seattle is tiny but the city view at night is incredible.” 

“Are you flirting with me Tammie? “  She giggles .... “It is definatly not a good idea... I cannot afford you” One down the belt, indeed. “Well, I might give you a discount if you take me flying.  “ I say and laugh. 

We pay and go straight to a small airfield at the outskirts of the city. Tammie seems also quite wiz on the bike and I am surprised I actually used the word ‘wiz’ in my mind describing it. Arc must really be growing on me, not just her the Barrens perhaps. “It will be a bit crowded but I am sure you are not a shy one.” We both crumb up to the tiny plane and takeoff.  I am fascinated by this technological marvel that puts us up in the sky, I have taken a flight only once before to get here from Rome, but I could not look at the view and Bird eyes are different that than humans. The view is spectacular and Tammie is quite a surprise who would have throughout that she owns a glider. Then I become anxious “Do you think it is wise to fly while drunk?” Tammie giggles “nope, this is why we are on autopilot... I thought you knew that.”  “I... I acutally had no idea, I was going to comment on your piloting skills.” 
“Silly Keeb, just shut-up and kiss me.” She say and turns her head backward toward me.  "Are we sure it is a good idea?" " It is a terrible idea... " She said.
" Than whats the matter...?"
"Can't a girl just get laid?... You should have been all over me by now. I can tell that you want to." 
"She can... and well you are very close to me and very attractive, but you never showed the slightest interest and now this... did something happen?"
"Please... no questions... just kiss me.  Her body language is telling me that something did happen but her lips are just there, I softly kiss her.
"You are not getting off that easily... Tammie laugh and I figure out what I said. "Whats the bullshit Tammie"
"My boyfriend is a lying cheat... I hate him."
" So there is a boyfriend..."
"Ex boyfriend...
" Than a kiss is all you are getting tonight, you will thank me in the morning..."
"I hate you right now..."
"Oh I know how you feel trust me... It is not right to hurt someone like that."
"A bloody nice guy... out of all the people in that pub I picked the one guy that is not going to sleep with me."
"It will get better, let it out - You don't seem to like me that much when you are sober.
"I am working most of the time... what did you expect."
"Now you just being seductive, just close your eyes and imagine for a little bit. Imagine the day after when I ask you for a private room with someone you never met before... "
"Yes this is why it is a terrible idea..."
"Then lets not... I am really sorry to disappoint you

Tammie then tells me all about Ralph and how she now hates him. I honestly have no idea why should one go cheating when he is dating such a pretty elf with a freaking airplane, but people do things... and I am not exactly the man to teach self restrain. Somehow the talk goes into the night and we just lie there looking at the stars.

I am home at about 2:00 maybe 3:00 am and the missing book the one I liked returns me to life. I did good I really do not want to sleep with anyone after that unstable psycho not when I do not have to due to my job.

[Shaman_Yuri]

"素敵なあなたは最終的に私達を結合するため"

Oh no...

In my effort to slip in without troubling my roommate, not to mention maintain whatever warmth we have in the ill-heated apartment, I had opened the door just enough to move through the portal and closed it behind me, facing away from the rest of the room.  To be honest, though, I didn't really need to turn around to know who was talking.

"So nice to see you too, Matsuuri," I answer the sarcastic welcome.  I paste my best fake smile on my lips as I turn around to face my unexpected tormenter.  The pure Yamato girl...okay, woman - she is nearly a decade older than me...was reclined, one leg straight and the other with knee bent up just a bit, relaxing on my futon.  Her back was propped up with my pillows which were in turn up against the wall.  Jenna was sitting, clearly uncomfortable, in her best seiza.  My agonized roomie likely had been in that position for far longer than any gaijin, she was after all only about 1/4 Japanese, should ever be expected to endure.  I wished I could express my sympathy to the poor girl, but now wasn't the time.

Jenna’s sorry state of consciousness and the remains of tea and what snacks we had to provide a guest suggests Matsuuri has been here for a while.   She couldn’t have come here just to torture poor Jenna.  No, this is her way of making a point to me through someone whose treatment won’t be noticed or worried about.  Damn…another reason for me to get out of this as soon as possible.  Jenna…or her poor legs…may not survive many more months of this.

Saying none of this, I glide with trained, impeccable grace to take the space opposite Jenna beside my occupied futon.  I drop down to seiza, ignoring the protests of my midsection at such a position.  Through it all, my face is a mask of clearly plastered pleasantness.

“So, Sato-san,” I respond formally this time so as not to give her reason to cause Jenna any more hardship, “to what do my roommate and I owe your interest in our humble selves?”

Matsuuri Sato, the eldest daughter of the third in command of the Seattle Yak, leaned forward with a predatory grin.  “Why you, of course, Renge!”  Her voice was a purr.  I tamped down a shiver.  “Although you must tell me first where you have been all this time?  I’ve been waiting hours for you to return, and Jenna here tells me you weren’t home last night.”

In the corner of my eye I could see Jenna’s pained expression wince further at the admission she’d shared information with Matsuuri.  I didn’t blame her.  One of the reasons I’m so private is I don’t want Jenna placed in the position of keeping my secrets.  It wouldn’t be fair.  I’ll remind her again that she can freely share whatever she knows about me to whoever within the Yak asks.  It’s not worth her pain.

“My schedule is none of your concern, Sato-san,” I retort with firmness.  “But,” I continue before she can probe again, “if you must know, I was assisting someone in need.  Charity is one of the Pillars of Islam, after all.  If you’d like to understand more, I would be happy to take you to mosque sometime.”

I give a silent prayer of apology to Allah for using Him once again as a way to sidestep Matsuuri’s games.  She’d keep picking apart anything I said, possibly even putting others at risk, to get at me indirectly.  Bringing Islam into the conversation generally ended her fun since she considered it all nonsense and wanted no part of hearing about it.  Anything else she could do would mean taking me on directly, which she cannot do with George protecting me.

Matsuuri’s grin widens, almost feral now, and suddenly I’m not so sure.

“Funny you should mention that silly gaijin religion of yours, Renge-san.  We have a task for you, tonight.  Straight from Ishikawa-sama himself, actually.  We need to see inside a place.  My assignment tonight is to take you there and for you to hack the cameras.”

My eyebrow rises in surprise.  It was unusual for the Yak to send someone like Matsuuri to give me an assignment.  There was more to it, but I’d have to be patient.  Clearly there was a punchline to this joke, and the Yak division leader was going to savor the process of spilling it.

“Sounds simple enough,” I respond amicably, my expression never changing save for the transient acknowledgement of surprise.  Okay, I’ll bite.  “Why come here to tell me yourself?”

“Funny you should ask.”  From the corner of my eye I can see her hand shift to pick up a bag beside her, but I keep my focus on her wide, brown eyes.  “The target has good security.  Too good even for you to hack remotely, or so Saito told George.  So we have to go there ourselves.  It’s an undercover assignment.”  Matuuri’s hand disappears in the bag and lifts out an evening gown.  White and blue, I cannot tell the appearance details but it’s certainly long and flowing.  Perhaps even floor length.   

“Although perhaps less cover than you’re used to,” she muses before adding with a wide grin, “you’re my date to Club Stardust tonight!”

I can feel my face go slack.  I never had a chance.

WTF?

[Shaman_Yuri]

"So princess, how does it feel to be my slitch?"

I ignored the jibe about my status as the pet of the Yak captain, spoken in Japanese for my ears only as we approached the redeveloped old theater building in the commercial district on the border of Redmond and Belleview.  Anything I said would at best get back to George and at worst break our cover in a situation which soon might get both our hoops killed.

Like hell if I'm going to let the Yak kill me just before I get my freedom!  Least of all giving Matsuuri the satisfaction of taking me down!

If I had been able to find any way out of the trap, I would have.  Not only was this mission dangerous and totally unnecessary now that I didn't need the money, but it was degrading.  On top of wearing a sleek dress that showed not only my hair but far too much skin, I was going along as Matsuuri's doped up bitch whore.  The goal was to keep all the attention on her while I did my decker thing under the cover of being drugged half out of my mind on bliss.

The frustrating thing is that the plan actually makes sense.  It's risky and a bit of a stretch, but if they want access to the camera feed here this is the way to do it.  Oh well, I can still make this a win-win.  If I make one feed, there's no harm in making two is there?  I doubt Arc will turn her nose up at a back door into the security net of the same Stardust she's sniffing around.

Assuming I live long enough to give her the keys to it...

Enough woolgathering, Subaru!  It's showtime!

I'd never been to a club with a tux-wearing troll bouncer before.  Back in Singapore I was a protected commodity - I walked around with bouncers whose job was to protect just me.  And anyway, I was a minor and everyone around me knew it.  Sure I went clubbing, albeit at venues that catered to a mixed-age clientele.  Back then I was as trendy as any Japanese corp teen.  Here on the other hand, dressed and made up like some whore as I am now, I look legal.

"Hey Jesse!  How's your beau!"  Matsuuri apparently knows some people here since she strikes up conversation with one of the door agents as if they're best friends.

"Michael's cool, Suri," the orange haired young man responds.  "He's helping with some special clients this evening so you may or may not see him.  So, who's the new arm candy?"

"This?  This is Renge.  I picked her up over drinks at Yoshida's place earlier.  I supplied her a couple hits and brought her here for a good time."  I look around wide eyed at the flashing lights and buzzing crowd.  I don't have to try and fake the spacey, dilated look of a bliss user - my amazement at the new sights achieve the purpose with only a little help from eye drops Matsuuri had applied just before we left her car.  As much as I don't want to credit her, my hick amazement was likely Matsuuri's plan all along too.  She's not a Yak lieutenant of her level at 26 years old due only to her dad's connection and pure Yamato lineage.  She's cruel, but she's also very, very good at what she does.

"Bliss?" Jesse asks and Matsuuri nods.  "If you see Michael, tell him I mentioned to give your date a hit of our house special blend.  I bet she'll love it and maybe we might see her again.  Always helps to have pretty new lady regulars ya know?"  The man winks and Matsuuri laughs. 

"Be careful, Jess.  She might steal Michael from you!"  The two giggle at what must be an inside joke.  I then feel myself pulled into the foyer and up a sweeping stairway to a lobby where the main dance floor and social areas can be seen.  Matsuuri waves and speaks briefly to people as we pass, but I just continue to absorb the place allowing my wonder to rule me more than I usually would.  My efforts seem to work since everyone who sees me just smirks knowingly...if they themselves aren't already snowed on something.

"So Renge?  Can you dance?"

The condescending smirk from the stuck up Yak tells me she's sure I'll try to welch out of the challenge.  She's enjoying rubbing my nose in my faith. 

Not this time, bitch.

"Sure!" I chirp with a wicked grin of my own.  I hold up my handbag with my arms and wiggle my body to emphasize the point that I know how to move.  I've only been a hijabi for a month.  Three months ago I was dancing 'till dawn with my team every Friday night when we weren't otherwise assigned missions.  Time to prove to her that I'm not as naive as she thinks I am.  I reach out a hand to grab the surprised older girl's arm and drag her out to the dance floor to writhe to the techno beat.

For the next half an hour I can almost pretend the past two months never happened.  Music and motion are seductive and I'd lost myself in the moment.  I didn't need bliss for the dopamine in my brain to do what it did naturally.  Mosh pits and crowded dance floors exist for a reason - they are pleasurable

The following was superseded by Smiles' subsequent post:

Then life intervenes.

Music and motion are seductive and I'd lost myself in the moment.  I didn't need bliss for the dopamine in my brain to do what it did naturally.  Mosh pits and crowded dance floors exist for a reason - they are pleasurable.  The feel of a rough hand on my arm jars me out of my trance though and as my body is smoothly but roughly dragged in one direction I can see several staff member moving with urgent purpose in another.  I look up at Matsuuri and her eyes are determined in contrast to the pleasant, even relaxed smile still adorning her young face.

My best guess is that the experienced Yak lieutenant is taking advantage of some disruption, maybe one she arranged, to take me where I can best do my thing.  I attempt to predict her movements but still move at odds more than occasionally.  At one point we're questioned by a staff member but my "date" smoothly explains I'm coming down and she's taking me somewhere private to dose me again and make out during the initial high spike.  It works and before long we navigate past some restrooms where she gets more stealthy...as stealthy as she can be dragging dead weight like me.  Ninety seven seconds later we're at a door where Matsuuri makes short work of a lock.  I get dragged inside where she finally lets me go.

"So, princess, this is where you prove you're as good as George and Saito seem to think you are."

This time she's not smiling...

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena remains on the bed for a few minutes then takes a deep breath before trying the matrix.  She kicks her ware on and tries to send a message.  >>Arc.  Is Yelena.  Am prisoner Stardust.  Had fight.  Took less drug than others think.  Yelena try talk club man.  Maybe need help.  Yelena call later.  Arc tell Marco.<<

[Duck N. Cover]

     Water soaking into her pants were the first indicator something was wrong with the blasted washing machine.

      Tuskaloosa leaped to her feet and set her homebrew RCC on a nearby washer then stopped the rinse/spin cycle on her own.  The flow of water that had been expanding outward from the base of the machine eased.  An inspection of the inner rim found it dry; so  the water isn't sloshing over then.  How...?
   
     Moving the fully-laden machine over to the drain near the center of the room had not been a problem.  Wrangling it quietly enough to go unnoticed, on the other hand, had taken a bit of skill.
   
     Finally, she resumed the cycle.  Cheek to the cold floor, she shined the light from her survival knife to confirm what she already suspected: water continued to leak.
   
     She returned to her door and retrieved the kanmushi from its web-covered location.
   
     The cycle was complete by the time she had finished relieving the microdrone of its webbing.  She placed it on the outside of the drain hose and jacked into the RCC.
   
     It took no time at all to find the crack, beads of water still clinging below it.  As she feared, it was not a small rupture, with more signs of stress in other places along the hose as well.  Fortunately, the part stamp was not one of them; she had no trouble reading the code.  She guided the tiny bug drone farther along the rubbery tube and checked the clamp that attached it to the rest of the drain system. It still looked serviceable.  Satisfied, she had the kanmushi retrace it's steps.
   
     Tuskaloosa returned to her apartment-- drone and RCC in one hand, bucket of wet-but-not-sopping clothes in the other, battery under her arm.  She set her things down carefully,  grabbed a beat-up piece of electronic paper and sealed up.
   
     Moving the now-emptied washer was much easier.  She had been tempted to feng shui the leaky one into the spot nearest to the drain, but decided against it; for all she knew, the machine already in that place was worse off.  She hooked it back up, attached the e-paper with the hastily scrawled note Cracked Hose/ I Leak to the lid, and locked up for good.
   
     There had not been much to the load: hanging it on the line over the tub was a quickly accomplished task.  Her own pants were still damp, but not enough to warrant the line.  She left that pair draped over the closed rain-barrel. 
   
     She shrugged out of her shirt and jumped into her polar fleece pajamas.  A quick jack into the RCC yielded no replies yet.  She wasn't worried; Hrock and Arc were both busy people.

<<@Arr-Arr-Arr: Keep feelers out for a working washing machine for me.  Nothing set in stone yet—just a FYI.  What is ASAP though is a drain hose replacement for a '56 Kenndomore commercial top loader.  If that's too needle though, a bigger piece of haystack to wrap around and some glue will work.   We'll talk trade when you've got it.>>

Might as well get that old bloodhound on the trail, she thought.

     Message sent, she jacked out and stretched out on her hammock for some sleep.
     The sandman came quick.

_   _   _


   Although she was free to sleep in longer, her body clock was still set to rise before the start of garbage pick-up during the rest of the week; she was wide awake by six.

     She found a reply from Hrock, time stamped around the yesterday side of midnight.

<<Got yer cred.  I should have the comm in hand by tomorrow.  It sounds like you'll be in touch a lot with Arc, so I'll leave it with her next time I stop by the shop.  Dunno about who knows the 'hood best, but you will need to see a chummer fer sure:  name's Blue.    If he says yer fine, I'm sure he'll know who ta see.  Don't worry bout Blue either, he won't bite.  When is a good time fer you?>>

     The troll wanted to make the introduction as soon as possible, but...

<<@ Hrock:  Much as I'd love to say ASAP to meeting Blue, Arc asked me to help her out with a project.  As soon as my sched is clear, I'll holler.>>


     Satisfied, she jacked out and busied herself with breakfast:  an omelet filled with whatever perishables she had in the small refrigerator that were appropriate.  She saw no sense in lugging a full fridge halfway across the Barrens.

     And it was delicious to boot.

     After she cleaned up, she began setting things aside in two piles: one for essentials and one for “barterables.”

     The kitchenette was sorted and she had the laundry in the bathroom down and stowed before she checked her RCC again.

<<@Tuskaloosa{Arc}: Morning, just got your message. Hrock and I are tight, he's got a key to my place if you need to meet up before I can get you. Or he can drop it off, and you can tell him I gave the okay. I'll be there in a couple to pick you up. Have your gear ready, aright?>>

She grinned.

<<@Arc:  Sounds like you and he are tight--he already made plans to drop off my purchase at your place.  Hopefully, it will keep me in the loop better.  I'll be ready and waiting where you dropped me off.  As for gear, I'll have what I had last night...anything else I should think to include? >>
   
     While she waited for a response, Tuskaloosa took a rinse bath and changed into her other set of street clothes.  Fed, washed and clean...three for three.

[ismilealot]

@ Yelena The second time she awakened it was to the noise of the door opening. A man dressed in slacks, a shirt and a beaded leather jacket stepped into the room and said, "I'm Shaman Flying Squirrel Tatuma. Glad to see you're awake. How do you feel?"

@ Arc  It had been a good morning. After researching brands, makes, models and comparison shopping price and function Arc not only had a list of things she needed she'd found a few things that she hadn't known she'd needed until she'd seen them. Now armed with a list she'd be able to talk to Hrock and TriggerT and see what they had and for how much.

@ Tusk  Ar-Ar-Ar answered saying, >>Washer be makin' yer brown eyes blue? I be on the lookout fer ya. Thinkin' maybe da hose fer da Sony H179A swamp cooler be fittin' it wid a little work an some clamps. You wanna try it I kin get it in a coupla hours. Have it to ya this afternoon.<<

@ Gilga Tammie had ended the night with a kiss. A kiss on the cheek. And she'd said, "Thanks Marco. Thanks for listening." Grinning then she'd added, "And thanks for not sleeping with me. I went into that bar to get back at Ralph. And would have hated how much I let him get to me to make me do that in the morning." She pauses then on the way towards her bike looking the almost empty parking lot and then at you with a slight frown. "Do you need a ride?"