Jack, Be Quick.

[Zack]

Queen's Slave, 188604.

"You what?" Uso said, sternly looking over at Sute... the pink hair'd neko looking just a bit embarassed,

"I just asked him to check on her..." Sute replied,

"This is my bewhildered face by the way. I haven't had to use it before so I'm not sure if it is conveying the appropriate amount of bewhilderment here. We can't just keep going to Nepleslia and blowing stuff up... they don't like that and they have a lot of starships.... the SHOOTY kind."

"Can't we just... go pick him up? Anna may be hurt too..."

"......."

"....please?"

"FINE!" Uso shouted, "... I got an appartment there he can stay at for now. Just... tell him not to blow anything else up ok? Now shoo, I got to go do stuff."

Uso scrolled through her Datapad. Alex wasn't around... Raph was out doing something... this kinda operation didn't lead itself to landing hundreds of Ragnarok PMC soldiers on Nepleslia... and then there was Jack.

*BEEP*

"JACK! YOU'RE PROMOTED TO THE BIG-LEAGUES. GET YOUR GOBAG AND SHOW UP ON THE QUEEN'S SLAVE! BRING FRIENDS."

 

[Jack Pine]

Jack had been sitting in his office at Section 6 looking over progress reports and other "fun" paperwork when Uso's message blasted through his ear piece.

"Wilco.........Should I bring the one with guns, or no guns?" he asked after the ringing in his ear stopped.

"Sabers double time it to the Queen's Slave, we're going on a little trip, pack accordingly." Jack barked on the Saber comm channel. He then composed a short message so Izzy wouldn't worry about him being gone.

<Isabelle Pine>
[Not going to be home for dinner tonight, Uso's got me doing something, no idea what yet. If you want to come, I would appreciate it, and if not, I should be back in a few day probably.]

/message sent/
/message received/

 

[Zack]

"If your go bag doesn't have guns then I'm firing you," Uso replied, the text response making hard to tell just how serious she was.

 

[Jack Pine]

Jack climbed the ramp onto the Queen's Slave wearing black cargo pants, a black t-shirt with the Saber logo printed on the front(basically the same as Jack's back tattoo), combat boots with reinforced toes, fingerless ballistic padded gloves, and a long coat that could zipped up any length of the front and a hood. He made sure to grab his gear pack, loaded with his pistols, a now shortened M3 rifle, and his edjia battle rifle strapped to the side, and in a box on wheels was his light combat armor.

"So what are we doing, and where are we going?" Jack asked has he met Uso at the top of the ramp as Saber team loaded on.

 

[Zack]

"This your whole team?" Uso asked, looking at who Jack brought with him, "Sute's calling in a favor. We gotta go pick up a friend of hers that got herself into a lot of trouble.

There will be some shooting involved I'm sure... just... actually you're dressed right for this. City work, coat... maybe... fuck if I know what temperature it is on Vice right now. We'll figure it out on the way.

Though....

I mean, the logo is a bit much. Street clothes and minimal aggressive appearance until things get loud ok?"

The ship's engines would start up, the whole thing getting ready to lift off.

"We have some of those origin power armors too if you think you can hide it under that hoodie."

 

[Jack Pine]

"The coat's big enough that it would probably hide it very easily, I also brought light combat armor just in case things start getting hot. Who's this VIP anyways, got any ID, or pictures so I know who I'm looking for? Also is she alone, or should we be expecting an extra person?" Jack said after placing the pack on top of the rolling box, and moving them to the side while talking to Uso.

 

[Zack]

"... "

Uso looked disappointed, though this time not with Jack.

"Some girl, and a gart... look Sute is calling in a favor on this one and I have to respect the owe you one system otherwise what's the point of anything?" Uso said,

"Minimal info on The who though. We know where they will be but also don't take any chances. We'll stun them both, bag em, and get the Mack to the shuttle at top speed. How much do you know about Vice anyways?"

 

[Jack Pine]

"Never been personally, but I hear it's a shit hole, a lot of crime and gangs. So we can expect a decent amount of hostility I would think. If we are stunning, I would have thought to bring something non-lethal." Jack said not enjoying the lack of information, but understanding why.

Sarah had been one of the last up the ramp, "Well fuck we're going to Vice? Dammit I hate that place, you description is very app, I did a couple jobs there ten years ago wishing I would never have to go back."
She looked to Jack as she said this, dropping her gear next where Jack had left his.

"Stow it Thorn, didn't you parents ever tell you to not ease drop on the conversation between adults." Jack said giving her a pointed glare which earned him a middle finger.

 

[Zack]

"... fuck"

Uso shifted her weight around, or quite looking right at Jack, "OK so I don't have a stun gun either. Looks like we're going with onsite procurement.

This should be simple and straight forward so long as no one blows up any buildings...

... she bringing guns too?"

 

[Jack Pine]

Jack looked at Uso with a raised eyebrow, "Yeah we're all packing at least four guns and combat armor. Ms. Thorn here is our smart ass sniper, who if she wasn't good at her job, I would knock her the fuck out."

Sarah was now walking away, but raised two middle fingers this time as she did, "Whatever, you know you love me."

"Whore......"

"Jarhead...."

Jack was visibly angered now, "Bitch you better shut up before we have a friendly fire incident!", he shouted as he unholstered a pistol and racked the slide.

 

[Zack]

"Kids those aren't toys," Uso said firmly.

 

[Jack Pine]

"That's why I point to kill, It's what I'm good for after all, especially if that person pisses me off." Jack said re-holstering the gun. He almost found the idea of being lecture someone younger than him almost laughable. Nekos could be young and still kick your ass if you weren't careful, he didn't agree with all of Uso's methods at times but she at least wasn't trying to tell people how to do their jobs.

"I think we'll stick with combat armor, it will allow us to be more mobile in an urban area, an is easier to conceal." Jack said as if Sarah's distraction hadn't happened at all.

 

[Zack]

"Yeahyeah, just figure it out. It'll be a few hours to get there so get settled in... speaking of...."

Uso would fire up her datapad again, making arrangements for Ragnarok to meet them there. The larger Ragna-force would take longer to get ready but it would be nice to have backup if they ended up needing it.

---

VICE

"This place is a dump."

The Queen's slave had just landed in what could generously be called a starport. Really it was more just a giant sheetmetal arch that was large enough to act like a hanger.

The Queen's slave itself had a pair of Gumdrop APCs, with between them enough space to hold 8 people, or 10 if they squeezed in.

"I mean, look at these guys,"

The entire area was filled with slums. Various sheet-metal structures, or buildings made from half-disassembled starships. There were vehicles nearby too, but they seemed to be much... much... older. They were all wheel'd or tracked, none with hover capability.

"That guy has a sword even... and their guns look like shit. I bet they don't even maintain their equipment."

The hired muscle keeping an eye on the area didn't seem to have a whole lot of high end equipment. Swords, Hammers, rifles, the most technologically advanced weapon seemed to be basic assault rifles with iron sights.

"HEY! ANY OF YOU WANNA MAKE SOME EXTRA CASH SHOWING US AROUND?!" Uso shouted.

 

[Jack Pine]

Sarah looked around at the various armed personnel around the area, stopping her gaze on one in particular, "That guy right over there, I think his name was Duncan or something, I've worked with him on a previous mark. He's reliable."

Jack picked out the man she was referring to, he walked with a cocky kind of swagger and positive manner, that set him apart from the other armed men. "Are you sure, he looks green, not a whole lot of soldiers walk around like all is right with the world in our line of work." he said making his skepticism clear.

"Positive, he tends to use a large hammer, and he knows how to use it." Sarah said as she walked in Duncan's direction.

Jack was wearing his light combat gear with a pair of cargo pants over the lower half to cover what the coat didn't. He had his lower wet gear over them, the straps holding his two pistols holstered, and the mags for them. Under the back of the zipped up hooded long coat, was a small pack holding extra ammo, rations, and medical supplies. His shortened M3 with suppressor was smart clipped with it's stock collapsed on the bag's underside. To top it all off he had his Edjia battle rifle slung under the coat as well, and his helmet on and covered by the hood.

Sarah was dressed lighter in a jacket that on went as low as the navel, and a t-shirt covering the top half of her protective bodysuit. the lower half was covered like Jack with a pair of cargo pants, and the wet gear straps over them. She carried a larg pack holding her collapsed rifle, rations, and extra mags. Her jacket also came with a hood, but she wore a baseball cap and a pair of slightly thick shades with HUD function. The clothing included protective ballistic padding sewed onto the inside for added protection.

Sarah was finally within a few feet of Duncan, "Hey hammer boy remember me? My bosses want to offer you a job, interested?"

 

[Whitehart]

Duncan had just finished one of those easy yet annoying bounties that seemed all too common these days. Easy because it was just a money collection, annoying because it was on Vice. Such a dump, and that coming from a guy who spent most of his downtime on Bastia, a questionable place all its own.

He had traveled light, in his opinion, his Emrys tactical suit, gauntlets, pistol on his thigh, and a Styling 12 and maul both holstered on his back.

Lucky it was over and now he just needed to wait for a ride and it's back home to his kids. That is, until some vaguely familiar lady seemed to refer to him. He froze, quickly running through anyone who may want to hurt him but as always came up empty.

"I go by Duncan these days," he joked. "I apologise but, do we know each other? As for pay? Depends on what your bosses needs done."

 

[Jack Pine]

"I'm Sarah Thorn, we worked on a bounty a few years ago together. I recently joined a military outfit, and we need someone who's familiar with the local area. The commander can fill you in more if you accept." Sarah continued finding his cautious attitude humorous, but found his lack of remembering a little disappointing.

 

[Zack]

"We got two armored vehicles and a lot of guns, just need someone to show us around." Uso added

 

[Whitehart]

Duncan snapped his fingers and pointed at Sarah, "Hot sniper chick! Sorry, I am so bad with names. Man, that was a messy job."

He turned to Uso and gave her a brief once over, "Sounds like your a little heavy handed for Vice but yeah I can show you what's where.

"Just be aware though that the local Fat Cat's gonna want a cut of anything done on the turf. You know what I mean? The douche left me barely making a living after I finished the job I did here. Bare in mind I don't kill innocents and I don't stand for torture and we are square. Where do you want to go?"

 

[Zack]

Uso was standing up in the APC with the front cockpit slid open, she'd take a datapad off her hip and toss it like a throwing star towards their new recruit with all the accuracy expected of an engineered life form,

"You know the place? What can we expect when we get there?"

 

[Whitehart]

Duncan fumbled with the thrown datapad but eventually righted it in his hands. He shrugged as he looked up, "Three story cartel storage. Used to be apartments. Crawling with mooks holding pop guns. Mind you, they will see your neon sign coming a few miles away."

He smirked as he turned to Sarah, "Things been good I see, look at these toys. Also who's that guy," Duncan asked referring to Jack behind her. "And who are you," he then asked Uso realizing he hadn't asked.