Douse my flames with gasoline

[SneakyPax]

Pax's revelations
Eery silence.. Pax breathed in deep and sighed, obviously unwilling to talk about it.
"Most of the stuff I'd be telling you you're already aware of. Only difference is, those memories you believe in.. they ain't yours. It was me who was born and raised on Rubi Ka, Borealis to be precise. My parents were killed in the crossfire as they tried to escape one of the many pointless skirmishes between clanners and Omni Tek forces - they missed one - me." Pax's expression went stern as she recalled that memory for a brief moment.

A young Opifex female kneeled next to a slain couple, screaming to someone up above in the skies. Rain came pouring down on Borealis.

"I still hate my dad for not coughing up the creds for using the cell structure scanner. But it got me thinking.. hard, honest work won't get you far here on Rubi Ka, that's why I have chosen to live my life on the fast lane, the not so legal work that you find in abundance here. I was a freelancer, and life was good.. in a way. Everyone needed something and I had the skills to get it for them - "Just name it and you get it" was my motto. That was, before I pilfered some delicate equipment off a high ranked Omni-Tek employee. Thought I could held it for ransom and toyed around with it to evaluate its value. I realized what it was. A device with all the access codes for the OT military strategic computer. It even let me link up to the orbital stations with them impressive 50 gigawatts laser cannons... pity while I gain access to it and targeted Ross' highrise just for the thrills I unfortunately alerted the security daemon as well and they put a trace on me. Needless to say they caught me in no time and after an express trial got sentenced to death. Thus the outfit I'm wearing. The sentence didn't scare me as I went numb while back then in Borealis, when everything was ripped apart in a Rubi-Kan second. All them scores I did afterwards I didn't do because of the credits, no. More or less a subconscious death wish - it seriously was just a question of time when something like this would happen."


Lush Hills
"Stop!" halled through the cave - Amelia who desperately waited for a chance to flee grabbed her opportunity and boltered recklessy through the cave towards the entrance where a lone Opifex was standing, gasping for air.

Fingahz stood, with every fiber in his body tensed over Pax's body. So highly concentrated that everything around him seemed to happen in slowmotion while the thoughts inside his head were spinning. He heard the gunshots from outsides, the explosions, how someone sprinted into the cave, the shout to stop it still echoed in his ears. The voice sounded familiar but at that very moment he couldn't tell whether it belonged to a friend or foe - didn't dare to break his focus on the spot where to penetrate the syringe. His hostage dashed away. Every step she made took half an eternity it seemed and conjured more questions up in him. Questions whether she really helped or just stalled him with her actions, all the babble about not being able to help her in her condition.

It was time for Fingahz to act. He breathed in deep and it was like the time around him stopped as the needle came shooting down. Point-blank into her heart.

Simultaneously in Pax subconciousness
"What's happening here?" Mandi shouted frightened as a swirling vortex appeared out of nowhere above them.

"I didn't summon it.. " Pax shrugged "but I can imagine where it leads to.."

"Where?"

"Salvation."

[SneakyPax]

Lush Hills
Fingahz stared with disbelief that nothing happened, no moaning, no gasping, no waking up, no nothing. He felt cheated, betrayed by a person who claimed to help everyone no matter of the circumstances. "Hippocrates, pfft - just a lousy excuse to save her skin.." he mumbled. The slowmotion ended as his concentration was wiped away by sheer rage.

He dived to the side and spun around, already clutching both his holstered Blackbirds while in mid air. Before he hit the ground he managed to send a jarring burst after his fleeing hostage. Maybe it was his trembling hands or a couple of guardian angels assigned to look after that Doc as not a single bullet hit her. Debris and gravel came down from the ceilling with every gunshot fired - a few more and the cave ceilling would have come tumbling-down on them. Fingahz was unaware of the situation - all he wanted right now was to see the Doc suffer. He took aim, breathed in and.. done nothing as he realized there was a familiar person within his line of fire.

"LAST?! What the frack are you doing here? I almost shot you." Fing yelled.

Pax revelations
"What do you mean with Salvation?" Mandi rhetorically asked as if she wanted to hear a confirmation to her hunch to what she had in mind it could mean. A breeze conjured by the vortex played with her hair.

"Well M.. all things start somewhere and end somewhere.. there's no exception to that rule like you precisely stated before. Seems like the time's up. Say Goodnight to Rubi Ka.." endlessly stared at the vortex "..and Hello to oblivion."

"I don't believe you wanna go down like this, like a nobody, another guinea pig in the long list of guinea pigs."

"For 3 years I had to be the helpless spectator, witnessing your constant f*ck-ups. Like talking to a wall you ignored all my warnings, suggestions and recommendations. Now that made keeping the faith somewhat tricky."

"But.. but there's so much unfinished business here.. isn't it?" Mandi pouted.

"You had your chances but you've chosen to pass them. Now live.. ahem.. or rather die with the consequences."

"So this is it, the end of the line? Let Genom get away with it and call it quits?"

"I gotta hand it to you Mandi, you're really a pesky fella.. Like I got any choice or a darn clue of what's beyond that vortex. Let's find out, shall we?" Pax grinned smugly at Mandi who in turn took a few steps backwards.

"I... I don't know.. I mean, we're usually supposed to be near a reclaim terminal by now once there's such vortex. Why isn't there nothing swatting us back to the Gardens of Vanja?"

"You wimp, maybe I end up in limbo, maybe not. One way or the other I got nothing to lose!" Pax screamed now as the breeze turned into a howling storm.

If I ever manage to get back to Rubi Ka on my own two feet.. boy, heads will roll, guts will fly. All atop of my list Genom.

Pax glanced one last time at Mandi and jumped up into the vortex's current.

[SneakyPax]

Almost felt like doing a reckless gridjump, excruciating pain spread through her whole body. Pax would've crumpled into a heap if only the massive current wouldn't yank at every limb, literally tore her apart. Knowing this all wasn't real didn't change the fact that the agony nearly drove her insane. She screamed.

Lush Hills
A scream echoed through the cave followed by eery silence.
Mandi Fingus exhaled her last breath.



FIN... or isn't it?


Newland, somewhere in an abandoned backyard
An old, dormant cell structure scanner sprung back online all of a sudden after a long time of just collecting dust, processing data that has been stored there three years earlier.

Off: You want to be making moves out on the streets, remember to have no attachments, allow nothing to be in your life that you can't walk out on in thirty seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.

[Naefen]

((omg I get it!! I get it!!!..................If its gonna be the way I think it is it kind of makes me sad even though its cool....))

[SneakyPax]

Falikos ( Thanks for adding your part even though RL spanked your.. ahem backside that time. Good to see you back by the way. )

Naefen ( Bad boy, you're to blame for everything! Satisfied with the way I let Pax suffer? QUOTE: If its gonna be the way I think it is it kind of makes me sad even though its cool.. END QUOTE Tsk, tsk, tsk... I'm not so sure it's gonna be the way you think it is. Let's put it this way, Pax may be down, but definately not out. )

LangWiz ( aka Lastsecond2, thanks for adding. )

Fixerspy ( who totally butted into my story w/o asking which turned out to be a blast (well, literally) nonetheless.. hehe.. thanks for that action packed entries )

Jacob Stroud ( I was pretty amazed even you posted some, thanks )

Fingahz, Deathscar..

and all anonymous readers out there.

[Fixerspy]

/waves hi to Pax

well... it's been about a year now since you posted credits on the thread... any intentions to dust the thread off and run with it some more?

Just wondering... because your story is pretty damn cool.

/feels guilty and embarassed about her jacking and posting the other year without asking
I'm sorry. It wasn't my fault, honest! I couldn't help it... It was all those damn speed stims... but I'm doing better now...

(Actually, in Real Life, I somehow had gotten the impression that this was a Round Robin thread where one person could pick up the story where another left it off... not sure if i mentioned that in our pm's... but that ill state of confusion was my own fault as I was on vacation from work that week and spent it playing AO non-stop for seveal days whilst smoking cigerettes by the carton and drinking mountain dew by the case... nicotine, suger, and sleep deprevation is the root of all evil!)

In the end I was just happy that you felt my post had something of value to contribute. Anyways... if you are still out there somewhere... some of us are wondering if there will be more to come...

Let us know!

p.s. i promise promise promise not to jack it again. i just really want to see how the characters continue to develop

[SneakyPax]

/waves right back

(( Isn't that a pleasant surprise reading a year old story "someone" bumped out of the grave? Muhahaha The odd thing is, I just recently read it again myself when I cleaned up my harddisk and stumbled over it... You give me the creeps, you're not able to read minds, are you? ))

/chants: "My mind is blank, my mind is blank, my mind..."

[Fixerspy]

Um... Let's just say that I believe you were very very tempted with the idea of dusting it off and running with it some more!

/chants: "You know you want to! You know you want to!"



too bad real life keeps all of us so busy... but when time allows we can all enjoy these little romps on rimor buzz!

Thanks again for the really cool storyline. A great many of us have enjoyed it!

[SneakyPax]

"Call it quits, turn around, blow town. Leave this god forsaken planet for good and start over.. somewhere." those were Pax's initial thoughts when she staggered out the abandoned backyard one year ago.

Present
Deafening sounds resonated from every corner of the dancefloor. Stroboscopic lights reduced the dancing motion of people down to a series of image stills showing them twisting in agony rather than dancing. Located further away from the dancefloor was the chillout area where people had the opportunity to unwind from a stressful day at work which randomly ended up in burly brawls once Troxes entered the scene. Pax's raw guestimation was that in about thirty minutes this place gets unbearably crowded; like lemmings they would pour into this club, invading her self-proclaimed refuge of solitude and peace.

For months Pax went there, endlessly waiting for someone that even remotely looked like a pilot; one that was capable and willing to do an unscheduled trip that won't appear in the logs of the all-seeing eye of the company. It wasn't about importing stuff in for the blackmarket but about exporting a single individual, herself, offworld. Apparently there wasn't much demand for that with all the alien battleships out in the orbit of Rubi Ka. In addition to that there were measures taken to observe every inch of the skies for anything out of the ordinary. It was hopeless and she figured that she was trapped on this planet as long as the alien invasion exists.

She gazed blankly at one of many holovids placed here. During the weeks of waiting and wishing she unintendedly memorized every propaganda flick and could tell in advance which one was about to be broadcasted.

"Who believes this whole host of s**t anyways? Omni-Tek protects.. HAH! But just as long as you are seen as a valuable asset. It's so obvious to me the assassination attempt on Phillip Ross was schemed and carried out by someone within our own ranks and even authorized by the high ups themselves. I wonder at what time he became an expendable asset.. when the Unicorn Company showed up or... .."

"OI! Quit that political ranting before you get into serious trouble. You don't really want me to report you to the local authorities, do you? And by the way, your theory is pretty far fetched." the bartender bellowed from behind the counter then resumed wiping imaginary spots off the surface. For a moment Pax looked at him, dumbfounded.

"Damn, thinking out loud again.."

[Nuhmudiira]

((Been playin' some Max Payne Pax? at least I think that's where the opening of your entry comes from))

[SneakyPax]

((Been playin' some Max Payne Pax? at least I think that's where the opening of your entry comes from))

(( /me hands Zer0fact0r a cookie. How very perceptive of you. But there are even more Max Payne inspired lines within them posts. Just read more closely or you won't get another cookie. Unintended Bump by the way. ))

[langwiz7]

LS2 never liked Ent that much, filled with all the excesses that made Omni-Tek so despisable to his practical mind. Sometimes he wondered if the Clans might be right...but then he remembered all the senseless violence that they caused in pursuit of "freedom". There he was...stuck in the middle like always, trying to advance the cause that his now-missing friend had started out on. Peace. It seemed so impossible without her around, almost as if she had been holding a finger against a hole in a dam...

He sighed, tired of thinking about how close this shared dream was to futility. Perhaps there had been peace once...long ago...but it had been shattered by greed and anger.

LS2 looked at the datapad he had received. "Katelin Phare. Nanomage Female. Last seen in Omni-1 Entertainment District." He wondered if this could possibly be right. "Well..." he said to himself as he eyed a guard calmly, "even if it's not, I can still check it out." Surely some of the local dives would have seen her if she had been there. Fali never passes up an opportunity to have a drink with people she knew.

He looked up at the neon glow as he entered the club. He could tell from the noise level that he probably wouldn't get much thinking done, but his pockets held a secret weapon, earplugs. He popped them in his ears and strode calmly into the racket.

The strobelights swirled and pulsed crazily and he wished he were back in Newland sitting outside Neuters. Slowly, his eyes adjusted until he found the man he wished to speak with, a rather large solitus man with a heavy scar across his face was rubbing down spilled alcohol with a white cloth. Last took out his earplugs as he watched the man. The barkeep threw the rag away and bent down to get a new one. As he was walking over, he heard a familiar voice.

"Who believes this whole host of s**t anyways? Omni-Tek protects.. HAH! But just as long as you are seen as a valuable asset. It's so obvious to me the assassination attempt on Phillip Ross was schemed and carried out by someone within our own ranks and even authorized by the high ups themselves. I wonder at what time he became an expendable asset.. when the Unicorn Company showed up or... .." The face surprised him.

The barkeep started complaining but LS2 was too shocked by the appearance of that particular fixer and more specifically the disgust evident in her voice to pay attention.

The last time he had seen Mrs. Fingus had been traumatic. "Had she changed?" he thought to himself. "Maybe I shouldn't say anything just yet."

"Hey barkeep! I'd like a beer."

The solitus snorted. "I don't serve bottom-feeders like you...go find another bar."

Last winced.

[SneakyPax]

"Far fetched.. pfft. He should come and think of it. But that's obviously the problem with most of the people working for the corporation; No one dares to question the so called facts they force fed everyone with, everything's taken for granted. There's just too many things that doesn't make sense, why should a clanner try to assassinate Phillip Ross when there's no gain out of it? How can it be that the assassin is still at large? Makes you wonder if they really perform a full scale examination of the case. And what about CEO Phillip Ross; Is he in a coma or actually kept in one until his name is forgotten to an extend so they can finally flick the switch?" she grimaced to the bartender and raised her glass for a silent toast. "Nah.. my eyes are wide open. There's no need for any proof whatsoever."

In the corner of her eyes Pax noticed an Opifex whos face somehow looked familiar but did not know where to put it. But it became crystal clear he wasn't on Omni-Tek's payroll when the bartender briskly turned his request for beverage down. He must have been neutral, a clanner would never have come this far, not in one piece with all them zealous Unicorn guards with itching trigger fingers out there.

More and more people entered Baboons and after a while Pax failed to keep track of all the new arrivals to check if there was a pilot amongst them. "Maybe they've relocated to another place I'm not aware of." frustrated she left Baboons.

Pax remained on the main roads although she felt great discomfort being surrounded by people who happened to have the same route. On the other hand, they provided great cover, she was just another face in the crowd. Aimlessly she let herself go with the flow of pedestrians and after a while of walking she realized where her mindless wandering unawarely brought her to - Rome Green, Highrise 4. Although there wasn't even the slightest breeze Pax felt a tickle on the back of her shaved head, a shiver ran down her spine when a familiar voice whispered from within after a year of absence.

"Poor Pax, all talk and no walk. What about your big words about getting even with Genom? How long you planning to pursue living your life on a day to day basis like neutrals do? A life without meaning or purpose."

"M ..." her head spun around to check for anyone within earshot "... thought I got rid of your residual self-image for good, unfortunately there's no such luck. Don't you lecturing me how I am supposed to live my life - It wasn't me who pledged allegiance with Omni-Tek, you did. All them merits and ribbons you earned for the corporation tell me you're excellent in following orders - here's one for you: Shut the hell up."

"Not going to happen. Not until I see you get a grip to yourself. Shall I repeat your first thought when you wobbled out the backyard one year ago?"

"Stop it!" Pax mumbled through clenched teeth vaguely remembering it.

"Call it quits, ..."

"You're no longer in charge here." louder this time receiving puzzled looks from passers-by to whom Pax was talking to.

"... turn around, ..."

"Shut up.. I DARE YOU!" Pax shouted and people stopped and turned around to see where the commotion was coming from. With a trembling hand she unholstered one of her smgs and placed it under her chin.

"... blow town."

She pulled the trigger and a gunshot echoed through the streets. Pax was dead before she hit the solid concrete.

(( Hmmm... déjà vu. Don't worry, this isn't the end. ))

In a secret hideout in Deep Artery Valley
A pale and undernourished Solitus activated the intercomm moments after a trace program acknowledged one result on screen.

"Ricoh, report! And this better be good - I'm not in the mood for false alarms.. not at all." a synthetic voice bleared through the intercomm.

"S.. Sir, the trace program we recently launched on the cell scanning systems found segments matching the DNA sample you provided. There's a 12 percent chance it's the specimen you are looking for. Awaiting your commands, sir!"

On the other end of the intercomm
Genom lay in his antigravity capsule, pondering. There was nothing else left he could have done than that, lying there. There used to be a time when he walked up and down his office on his own two feet while puzzling over something but those days were gone along with his strength to use his muscles. Large areas of his body were covered by crude machinery imitating and performing the tasks of internal organs who ceased to function. His head was spiked with tubes and cables of all colors and sizes only he knew the purpose of. The sickly sweet smell of decaying flesh was omnipresent along with the repeating hydraulic hiss from the artificial lungs. Only his determination to find the missing key figures for his formula for immortality kept him alive.

"A 12 percent chance is better than no chance at all." he pondered. The intercomm miraculously got activated to one of his subordinates he acquired a little over a year ago. "I take it from here Ricoh."

In a hangar within the compound
A battalion of armored troopers stood in line, motionless like puppets, endlessly waiting to follow whatever orders they get from their squad leader. They weren't aware their squad leader was a century old, deranged scientist nor the fact they weren't born but cloned. Each of them susceptible to be easily controlled by psychic forces. A group of six sprung into action as if someone turned a switch, they locked and loaded their guns and marched in unison to a transport shuttle.

[langwiz7]

Mandi got up from the bar just as he began discussing how the barkeep could overcome that prejudice. When he realized she was gone, Lastsecond2 started swearing. Mandi hadn't recognized him. But he now had two paths, and he hated making decisions based on small amounts of information. If he hurried it was possible he could catch up to her, but if she hadn't recognized him, she probably wouldn't have recognized Katelin either. 'Maybe I'll bump into her again while I search for this signal,' he thought, with a hint of defeat.

"Alright..." he grumbled, then slammed a 10k coin on the bar. "Talk!"

The barkeep looked at the coin worth his yearly salary. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know you had such good standing with Omni-Tek." He looked at the coin su****iously. The fixer flashed five more, then the barkeeps eyes widened. He grinned at the small opifex in front of him.

"I'm looking for some people. Someone sent me a message. I only know of seven people who could bypass the protocols to send it to me. I've checked with four of them already and they deny it. I was wondering if you knew any that I might not."

The barkeep put the 10k coin on the bar and his hand next to it. The fixer placed the five new coins next to it. "Yeah, I know a couple. Always lookin around when they enter my bar. Too many people for them now. They come in every day though, so if you wait, you'd be able to see em for yourself."

"Damnit..." he muttered.

The barkeep saw the look on the fixer's face and held up his hand. "Now, there are some other places I've seen them. I'm not always working here, ya know. But if you went barging in, they'd be sure to notice you. This is the only place you stand...*cough*...even a remote chance of blending in."

Lastsecond2 sighed. He would have to wait here. He couldn't chance missing the entrance of whoever was coming.

"Sit down, friend....Have a drink...What did you say your name was again?"

[SneakyPax]

Newland backyard
Amongst discarded stuff Pax leaned on a wall next to the battered reclaim terminal waiting for the headaches to end. At the time the ringing in her ears finally ebbed away another nuisance arosed immediately.

"What the frack was that good for anyways? Are you out of your goddamn mind?"

"I was curious to know whether you get purged in the reconstruction process or at least weakened to the extend to gain another year left alone. Guess from now on I have to get used to cherish the few moments of solitude I get between each death. As for the latter question.. guess you're right, I am losing it."

"... You're not aware you are way beyond that step already? I figured the tragedy that occured to your parents triggered the process for you to become a.. say troubled individual with a full-blown paranoia. I'm no shrink but then again I don't have to be one to point out the obvious."

"HAH! The obvious, eh? I wonder what clichés you come up with next? Like, my mom never breastfed me or something. Stuff your feeble diagnosis elsewhere M. and stay the frack out of my hair!"

"What hair?"

"Awww please... cut the funnies. If I'm in the mood for a good laugh I go and have a chat with Riahmant and Fonsworth.. I wonder... are they still around?" pondering over that little crat with the unproportionally tall hat and his mechanical companion who was literally punching him out of trouble every and so often but also getting him into a world of one at the same time.

An amused smile appeared once she recalled the circumstances of how they met. It was a fund raising event that took place in Reets retreat where people got auctioned as "slaves". That particular neutral crat seemed like a bargain at first and originally she hoped to convince him to sign up with Omni-Tek on his own free will. But this crat, Riahmant, was far too odd in his way of thinking she figured he was more likely a threat than an asset to the corporation so she dropped her plans.

Her face went stern when she tried to recall the many other neutrals that weren't so fortunate to resist her skillful ways to maneuver them right into the clutches of Omni Reform.

"I know what you're thinking Pax.. but I was doing them a favor. Are you too stubborn to see they're all better off working for the corporation than wasting their time and skills right in the middle of the conflict? Especially you should know where it leads to.."

Pretending she didn't hear that last remark Pax left the backyards while dabbling with her datapad; swapping through a series of contacts to see whether at least one was left who was available for a little chitchat to get distracted from the unnerving voice in her head. She didn't perceive the breathtaking sunset over Newland that casted long shadows in its surroundings - nor the tiny dot in the far horizon that slowly but steadlily approached.

It was an odd coincidence only Naefens comm link was listed as active. Naefen, President of the organisation Disciples of Omni-Tek and Representative of Omni Reform. He surely had more influence to find a way how to get off this planet unnoticed. The thing that bothered Pax was whether Naefen really was the right person for that matter. Although they went through several not-so-legal business deals together she was still clueless of how he would react. Turn tail to the corporation and leaving Rubi Ka in its darkest hour. Pax bit her lip as she was trying to visualize what the sentence for treason would be like.

"Well, I'll be damned.. " she muttered to herself and opened a comm channel. "Nick, dearest of all my friends. How's my favorite agent doing?" Pax said in a lilting manner.

"Good evening Pax. Nice to hear from you again. How is life treating you?" a rather cold, yet distant voice retorted. There was a time when that particular voice caused Pax to grow goose bumps all over.

"Splendid" Pax lied point blank and continued in the same pleasing manner "You know me Nick, doing a little bit of this and that just to get around - certainly nothing to bend your noodle on. Say, I wondered if you knew.... I thought it was a ghost at first... But I could have sworn I saw Elmo Barchus better known as Xhairs the other day. You know anything about it?" she blurted out to gain a little more time.

"Yeah, the old gunslinger have been back for some weeks now. I actually think it may be the best news for Omni Tek in a long while." there was a brief moment of silence before Naefen continued "Say, I'm on my way to Neuterers for a cup before I call it a day. Just in case you wanna meet face to face.."

"What the frack am I doing here? He knows that I'm up to something the moment the connection was established so I could right as well start to cut all the bullsh*t." coursed through her synapses. "Now you're talking Nick. What a coincidence I just happen to lounge around in Newland. I'll see you in a bit." she hastily closed the connection.

After a few safety precautions she headed for Neuterers.


(( More in a bit.. ))

[SneakyPax]

Neuters'r'us

Once inside the club she remained vigilant on her way to the bar. Following the hallway there was nothing out of the ordinary, the wardrobe was still to the left, restrooms to the right. Also the environment hasn't changed either, graffities on walls, trash covering the floors. Pax figured there was just a little more neglect needed before this club turned into the Beer'n'Booze in Mort. Walking down the hall the light gradually changed from white to blue and the music intensified. The moment she turned round a corner she spotted him sitting casually at the counter. Besides Naefen and the bartender this place was pretty much deserted. Although Pax was approaching him from behind she knew he was already aware of her presence.

"Bang, Bang. You're dead Nick" Pax cheered while occupying the seat next to his.

Naefen turned around on his barstool to face her, his eyes briefly went up and down on her before both their eyes met. "Looking good Pax. Although wearing that pitchblack Padded Love outfit make you look paler than you already are.. though it might be this blueish light that deceives me here." he said knowingly and sipped his Omni-Cider.

"Getting nostalgic every now and then. Parts of your outfit seem pretty old school, too. Say, isn't that a NotuComm Mesh Trenchcoat?" she blurted to avoid getting caught in an unbearable moment of silence.

"It sure is.. but the revamped version. Surely blows a hole in your pockets creditwise" something that remotely could be described as a smile hushed over Naefens face before it went completely emotionless again. After a glance to his wristpad he continued "But enough with that. I seriously doubt you buzzed me to discuss retro fashion, right?"

Silence

Pax felt like a rabbit caught in the headlights, her eyes zoomed around on the counter table desperately trying to find the right words. After a few eyelashes Pax regained her composure. "That's right.. there's something bothering me for quite some time now. But you're the least person to talk to about it as I am well aware you are a representative of Omni Reform."


Meanwhile in a condemned backyard in Newland

A transport shuttle slowly descended, whirled dust, trash and debris around and about.

"Alright men, go time. Pilot, keep the boosters juiced up and running for a quick getaway."
"Three teams, alpha, beta, gamma. Gamma team will secure the perimeter around the LZ and the reclaim terminal. Be prepared to apprehend the package. Alpha team takes the lead along with a set of Predatech hounds - it is vital the target won't get the chance to escape through grid. Beta team will assist and neutralize any opposing force. Stay sharp and move out."

The boarding ramp lowered and the commandos swarmed out.


( Doh, more in a bit.. )

[SneakyPax]

Neuters'r'us

Naefen leaned in closer. "Take a minute to think it over Pax. I sure am a representative of Omni Reform and I already was at the time you and I did scores against the corp. It contradicts, yes, but heck, do I seriously have to tell a Fixer that it's sometimes unavoidable to bend the rules? Seriously no one cares a jot about the methods how you reach a certain goal as long as the results are for the greater good for the corporation and its progress. You never heard the saying 'You can't have an omlette without breaking a few eggs.'? Now, what is bothering you? You, of all, can trust me simply because..." he stopped abruptly when he noticed someone walking towards them to order a drink from the bartender. Naefen emptied his glas of Omni-Cider while the unwanted guest was around and checked his wristpad again.

"Don't you dare to ask him for help to flee. I didn't put myself in the service of the corporation for three years for you to waste it.. filthy coward."

"Waste what? There's nothing you archieved during the time M."

"I am running out of time Pax. It's been a pleasure meeting you again." blended in into her thoughts shook her out of her absent-mindedness. She couldn't tell how long it lasted nor if Naefen ever finished the sentence. What she knew was that Neafen already arose from his seat and was about to take his leave.

At the moment Naefen turned around Pax hand shot forward clutching his wrist. It was a whole new experience for Pax to see the perplexed look on his usual stoneface and likewise it must've been for Naefen, looking into eyes filled with terror devoid of any professionalism.

"Listen to me Nick. You gotta help me finding a way to get off this damn planet - I just can't stand this anymore. Please, I beg you."

"What the..." Naefen started but figured it would be for the best to make a more subtle approach. "It's all good, calm down and then we'll talk about it."

"No.. no, I don't want to talk about it and you wouldn't believe me anyway. You would think I'm a nut case and call the shrinks over at CEBAF. But bear in mind they got ways to unravel secrets one usually wouldn't tell anybody if you catch my drift. I believe you will sleep alot better at night knowing I'm gone along with all them secrets. I know how it sounds but I'm desperate. Bet you heard the saying 'Desperate times call for desperate measures'?" Naefens eyes narrowed.

"An unscheduled trip offworld.. that's not an easy task these days but I'll see what I can do. I need to contact a few people and gonna catch back with you as fast as humanly possible. Until then you better try to get rid of that glum face, it doesn't suit you." and with a hint of a nod Naefen turned around and walked away.


Newland
The place lay in darkness and the streets were empty made it rather easy for the commandos to follow the trail the Predatech hounds had already picked up. They stopped and hid just once when they saw a lone Opifex male leaving the place they were about to infiltrate.

"Must be his lucky day he decided to leave that place just now, the bastard." one of them mumbled while he observed the Opifex closely through his scope walking around the corner. They moved on and stopped just outside the club.

"As soon as we're in, release the hounds. GO GO GO!"

Moments earlier inside Neuters'R'us

Pax got up wearily heading to the exit, not sure whether she should be relieved she finally made the step asking somebody for help or angry for letting her game face slip like that.

Just at the time she followed the corridor making a turn to the right the entrance doors flung open.

[langwiz7]

Last sat at a table looking at the entrance of the bar. The men had yet to arrive and the fixer was growing tired of waiting. He started double-checking his leads on the message. When he looked down at his datapad, he noticed one of his security measures had been tripped. Since the attacks of Midia, the dusties, the sniper, and all sorts of craziness in neutral territory, he had taken it upon himself to install some surveilllance measures. The ones in Newland City were being comprimised. The fixer's eyes narrowed.

"Replay surveillance logs in Newland City," he typed into the computer.

The log for today started.

"Fast forward."

People blurred in and out of view. Then he saw two people blur into Neuter's and then one come out. Then patrol mechdogs leapt across the screen and the camera died.

"Rewind. Stop. Magnify." Both figures entering the bar were opifex, one male and one female. The male had a long rifle strapped to his back and the female had a smg strapped to her hip. It was Mandi.

"That girl just can't stay out of trouble." Last mumbled to himself. "But then she never bothered with many precautions."

The fixer rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles in a long arm stretch.

"Time to get to work."

The code flew from his fingers towards the passive countermeasures installed in Newland City. "Activate sound wave disruption," he typed. This would send out a high pitched frequency throughout the speakers installed in the city for public announcements. "Increase intensity." That should slow them down. Even the mechdogs were sensitive to such frequencies. "Activate comm."

"Mandi, never mind who this is. You've got to get out of Newland City now!"

It felt good to be doing something rather than simply waiting for the two he was supposed to meet. He went back to watching the door apprehensively.

[SneakyPax]

Neuters'r'us

Seeing them grunts and the hounds instantly washed away her drowsiness Pax dived back behind the corner - fractions of a second later a hail of bullets sped by impacted and ricocheted on the surrounding walls. The metallic clicking on stony ground announced the hounds closing in on her.

Not one bit interested in dealing with them at close range Pax dashed back into the dancefloor and lounge area. Glancing over her shoulder she saw the hounds bolter around the corner with such speed they partly collided on the opposite wall. Pax fired blindly into the corridor while she ran for cover. The few bullets that hit simply bounced off their metal carapaces.

Then something odd happened. The Predatech hounds crumpled and tumbled uncontrolled into the dance area, yelped as if they were attacked by an invisible force. Pax's comm crackled to life.

"Mandi, never mind who this is. You've got to get out of Newland City now!"

"Thanks, figured that out by now.." she pressed a button on her NCU belt to initiate the grid jump process. Nothing happened. She used all her energy to fire up all nanoprograms to be prepared for Naefen and forgot to recharge.

"Gorramn it! This is going to turn out real ugly." Pax sweared while putting the helpless hounds out of their misery by emptying entire clips in them then checked her surroundings for cover. There was a table which didn't look like it would last more than three or four bullets, 2 pillars in the middle of the room which were both too tall to hid behind and a set of soundspeakers. The counter although looked like it could take some heat.


Meanwhile just around the corner

"Ops! Mission compromised, someone's interfering from the outside. Backtrace and jam the signal. Do we have a confirmed grid jump?"

"Negative"

"Roger that. Beta team on me. We gonna end this now once and for all."

The four commandos walked down the corridor in closed formation and bathed the whole place with lead. The table and chairs turned to debris first, the wall lights, the soundspeakers.. everything that even remotely looked like cover. After a minute the staccato of gunfire ended and eery silence filled the room. The only lightsources came from the commandos gun mounted flashlights that wandered slowly within the huge room. The sound of breaking glass behind the counter peaked the commandos attention.

"Grenade!" one yelled and tossed it towards the counter.

With a boom the grenade gone off produced a bloody mess on the near walls as well as bodyparts that flew all over the place.

[Naefen]

(( O.o ))