RP: 188604 [AdVenture Capital] 15 : No More Planet

Deep Space

It was a struggle for Sarena to come up with an answer. After a moment of looking around in confusion, mostly in Alex's general direction, she answered Uso, "That's... up to you... Heika?" and waited to follow her with her hands pressed tightly to her sides.

Deep Space

Uso would get up and head towards one of the side rooms on the dove...closing the door as much as she could for privacy once Sarena joined her.

"What the shit was that on B7R?" Uso asked, "It looks like you can barely fly... or walk... I thought all you teens loved mecha? You have a very real chance of getting shot down or killed here. If you fall to pieces we are going to leave you behind."

There was a soft clunk of metal hitting metal and then silence on the M-A Dove. It probably went unnoticed as the key players were in a briefing. A few minutes later one of the Airlocks cycled to admit Hellcat in her SAoY Flight/ EVAC suit. She was running late do to the detour for the reload of missiles at 18K Nexus Free Spacer station.

Errowyn walked in looking over the group assembled. "Why the hell are we meeting out here in the dead of space?" As her eyes fell on Julie Osman (Wazulie). "What the hell she doing here? She suppose to be with her Aunt being a normal kid. Did Raphiel find her and kidnap her? Since he has a real soft spot for her."

She gave a look that she was definitely going to kick some Elysian Arse when she found Raphiel.

Deep Space

Sarena looked down, and said nothing. She'd protested when she'd been assigned the U-1, but it didn't seem worth complaining about what had happened, or what decisions had been made.

Deep Space

Spacecase turned to Errowyn. "No Wazulie came to me well more like collapsed right at my sensors but same difference right."

"Whose Wazulie?" Errowyn looked baffled at Spacecase. She moved deeper into the briefing room and sat down in the seat that Uso had vacated for her talk with Sarena.

Deep Space

"It is a bit more complex than that. The Chimera is a mix of ST data. It has got a copy of my ST info... as well as some of the smartest Elysians and Nepleslians they could get their hands on. It is an expert in weaponizing everything.

It... we... however you want to view it... built a virus that can overwrite people's minds with someone else's ST data. The virus is not the strongest thing... the elderly and the young are most at risk. It also doesn't work on Yamatains or anyone with modern medicine.

My only chance at getting out was to add a copy of my ST data to the virus and hope it got someone who would be useful. Julie is still in here too... sorta... and if we clean out the virus soon enough she may just wake up with a headache and some extra talent for mathmatics.

Wazu, Julie, The spacer seemed fond of calling this one Wazulie for the time being." The little Julie Osman said,

"But it is not just that. The Chimera has been developing everything from starship systems to genetic engineering to high speed trading algorithms to pull money from trade markets. The Implications of that alone..." Wazulie looked over the crowd... and then decided he should probably explain.

"They could release the ST-Virus on a Rixxikor colony and make them all loyal, obedient soldiers. The virus could trigger growth of anti-gravity organs or weapon systems. The money they pull from the Nepleslian markets using high-speed trading could fund a fleet of ships. This system by itself is enough to start flipping control of planets to the Elysians... they will not even need to lift a finger themselves."

--

Back Room

"You gonna say something? Or you just going to stand there and cry?" Uso asked Sarena, "Any other day you'd be Alex's problem but I don't have the time. Can you be a soldier for the next 24 hours or do I need to find something else for you?"

Back Room

Sarena's confusion redoubled, but the attack seemed to wake her up a bit. She seriously considered shoving Uso back, though she wasn't quite that impulsive. "Alex's problem?" Articulating anything further on that side of things proved impractical. "What did I do wrong? Other than scratch your stupid mech?"

Back Room

"You ran off when we needed you." Uso said, crossing her arms, "I can't have that right now. Either get your shit together, let us drop you off somewhere, or just let Vier remote-pilot your shit... but I need a solution to you now."

Errowyn took in what Wazulie had said. There had been general scuttlebutt talk about that in the wardrooms aboard the YSS Heitan. "Sooooo I'm to call you Wazulie?" Looking at Wazulie (Julie Osman). It was weird to her to have an infected Ex-Princess of a dirtball Planet sitting amongst adults aboard a high tech ship.

Alex had followed Sarena and Uso silently, wanting to know what was happening to his new compatriot. When he heard Uso begin to berate her, he frowned. He didn't know what else to do but walk in and try to stop the argument, so he did.

"Both of you, stop it. It's my fault what happened. I didn't try to train Sarena enough, or run her through any combat situations. USO, you shouldn't expect her to act like me, she hasn't had nearly as much experience."

Back Room

Sarena stared down at Uso for a moment. As far as she could recall, Uso was just making things up--she couldn't remember being needed for anything, being given orders to work or fight, only that everyone had to get out of there--and that Flynn left before she made it out.

"...F-fine. If you're going to be picky, then forget it. I don't care about Alex and I don't have to fight for you." She couldn't think of what else she could possibly do, but it was still easier than arguing with Uso. "You have better things to do, now, right? Just forget it."

Back Room

"So you're just going to run away again?" Uso asked, giving a brief, stern, look at Alex. "If you don't want to be a soldier I can use you somewhere else. But if you freeze up and panic constantly then I can't use you here."

Back Room

When Alex entered and spoke on her behalf, Sarena turned her head away from him and Uso. Balling her hands into fists and gritting her teeth seemed to be her only reaction to Uso's words that followed.

Alex cocked his head at Sarena's response. Why did she seem so angry at him? "What's wrong Sarena?" He asked.

Sarena turns away even further. Maybe she was getting ready to run. Her only answer was a mutter of "Forget it... You don't want to know."

She was furious at the both of them, but what use was it? Uso didn't want her help, and she wasn't sure she wanted to give it, anymore.

M-A Dove - Lounge

Flynn nodded and stood from his seat, taking a final puff from his cigar before setting it aside in an ash tray. As soon as he stood, Chuck took the opportunity to claim prime real estate on the sofa. He began to head for his personal quarters, where he could contact his employer. Before he left the room, however, he stopped next to Errowyn and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you... for saving our lives. You're worth every cent." said the smuggler quietly, nodding his head over to Chuck, who was sprawled over the entirety of the love seat, fast asleep. If it weren't for her superb flying and Spacecase's marksmanship, that Deathclaw would have flattened the Dove like a pancake. Flynn might have survived, but Chuck would never have known what hit him. And if it wasn't clear already, Flynn was rather attached to his dog/small white bear.

With that, he exited the lounge.

Alex wanted so badly to help. He didn't want to lose anyone else. So many of his friends had recently died or left, he couldn't let anyone else go so easily.

Alex gently took hold of Sarena's arm. "I do want to know. And I don't want you, or anyone else to leave. I can't take anyone else leaving."

M-A Dove - Lounge

"Remember that when it comes time to pay up!" Errowyn yelled at Flynn's retreating back. "Plus 15k Freespacer coinage!" She had caught the Flynn's glance towards his bear-like dog. She was happy that she could at least keep an innocent alive.

Back Room

Sarena yanked her arm away and glared at Alex, then at Uso, seriously considering telling them all of it... but she still settled against it. To Uso, she said, "I'm not going to help you." That included explaining why. To Alex, she said, "Why don't you let her explain? And help her find someone else."