"Butter that has been scraped over too much bread"

[SilentMobius]

Vedanthi stumbles, half nano-enhanced adrenaline, half dazed, across the threshold of the huge porcelain edifice that was the Jobe harbour IPS building.

*You have absorbed 5 points of not-looking-where-you're-going-damage*, chatters her NCU.

An opaque sheen of nanobots washes across her eyes obeying the blink reflex and clearing her vision, though they needn't have bothered.

"Dedlock?"

"Yes, yes - you can help me, and I will give you a generous reward…"

Vedanthi glances at the device on her right arm, that Dedlock had given to her what seemed like a millennia ago. Dedlock continues almost without a breath.

"that's what you want right? Yes, fine - I assure...."

"No, no. Shut up. You aren't authorised to do anything to my NCU, remember? We have this conversation almost every day"
Vedanthi shook her head, in an unnecessary effort of concentration.

"I'm not..... here to talk to you, I'm here for... him"

Deadlock follows her gaze over to the Nano-technician IPS representative, who in turn cocks his oversized helmet in Vedanthi's direction. Navigating around the desk she collided with a moment ago Vedanthi slumps down on the ground next to the IPS rep and starts routing through one of the many body pack she was lugging with her.

"I have some....." Vedanthi swallows hard "items... for armour components"

"Excellent," The voice of the rep is artificial even for a homo-nano, Vedanthi ponders if there really in anyone inside all that cutting edge nanotech.
Then she ponders the same question for herself.

"Which component did you have in mind?"

As the seals on her backpack open, the insidious stench begins to fill every corner of this enormous hall

*You have absorbed 25 points of chemical damage*

"I need a 'Yellow glyph of Enel' here's the stuff you asked for"

The pulsing spiritech production facility burps and gurgles, as it is tipped out of the pack unto the concrete floor.

"This one is bigger than the last on I gave you, I think its closer to.... hatching that the others, it also smells more. Oh yeah, here are the crystals."

The IPS rep looks at a bit of a loss as to what to do with the 50-pound bag of rancid flesh that was just tipped out onto his pristine white boots.

"Yes, it is a bit... large, I'm not sure we can use this..."

Vedanthi's eyes flash and her lips tighten and purse.

"No you listen to me you jumped up little man, for some reson that escapes me now I wish to complete my Xan wardrobe, I want a sleeve, designed for nano-technicians, infused with the information matrix inherent to the redeemed divinity Enel. To do this I need a glyph, a glyph you are to give to me in exchange for these items that, may I remind you, you asked for. To acquire these items I have, for 2 days straight, done nothing but kill ancient horrors. When I blink I see corpses piled high in darkened corridors, even with my sense of smell disabled I can smell the rotting hunks of spirit infused biotech, and even now, in here, in the light of day I can hear the distant screams and moans of the ancient tormented dead."

Vedanthi pauses to breath deep of the notum and ozone infused air of Jobe, before moving very close to the IPS rep and whispering.

"Now, my NCU tells me that this place is 100% suppression gas, but I assure you if I do not get my glyph, one morning you will awake on the outskirts of MMD, I will be there and I will use every resource at the disposal of my NCU to slowly roast you alive in that shiny suit of yours"

The resulting silence was so heavy and tangible that even the mighty AG engines of Jobe were having trouble lightening it.

"Well, its not often someone walks in here with such....." The IPS rep shudders in his armour, "Treasures, in their pocket, here is your Glyph"

Snatching the device from his hand Vedanthi begin furiously combining other elements from one of her extensive number of utility packs. Until eventually in a crescendo of nanotechnology and ancient sprit metaphysics, all that remains is an off brown semi-rigid armour sleeve.

"Finally," Vedanthi growls.

Stuffing the sleeve back into a pack, she begins to leave the building

"Um, Vedanthi" Says the Rep, "Aren't you... well.... going to wear that?"

Just before the doors finish closing behind her, Vedanthi turns to look at the NT IPS rep.

"Are you kidding me? This is junk".

[pudds4tw]

((lol ))