RP: NSS Nerkat Long Night in Los Apagos

"Well she isn't the only person who can be prickly in this squad." She shot Gyles an incredulous look when he asked if she could administer what she intended to pick up. Even if she couldn't find it, she'd watch purple if she liked it or not until the shit ran out. "Tell me where, I'll go alone if you two are scared." A slightly metallic noise clicked from her mouth when she hit her stud against the back of her teeth in annoyance.

The grip on Gyles' arm was getting stronger again, too. "By the way, neat trick you got maypole, what else does it do?" She was staring up at his visor again. If it was a good idea to bring them or not she didn't know, since purple'd been nice to her before getting shot full but she wasn't playing games. The not so doctor doctor wasn't going to die that night without at least one drink.

"I dunno chief, thought you were just the fucking ugliest ballerina I ever saw." She yelled at him. "Guess that makes us Marines."

Dream would receive a image message from Ran:

A picture of a bag of severed penises and the words

"Eat a bag of these, bitch" crudely written on it using some strange painting system.

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The whole altercation had Ran a little bit agitated, and without anything not human to take his anger out on, he was a walking court case waiting to happen. The fact that he was walking down what appeared to be a very hooker-infested street didn't help, either.

"Hey babe, it's kinda cold out tonight. You need someone to keep you warm?" She had a very thick and...dusty afro, bouncing buoyantly from side to side as she walked across the street and up to the Marine. Her eyelashes were crusty with poorly applied make-up, her lips were chapped from unknown reasons, her waist hung out past the hot pants she wore like a muffin hanging past it's wrapping, and her voice, if it were a person, would look like it had just been dragged around by a car.

"You know. I've been with much prettier hookers than you. Maybe you ought to just quit this and...I dunno, take a dive off of that." Ran pointed to a sky scraper far off in the distance. "You're what...40, and walking the streets to have men put their dicks in your old, dry, oven? Sounds like someone's life hasn't gone the way they wanted." Blowing cigarette smoke in the woman's face, Ran simply walked off, ignoring the hail of sobs, insults and the 40 repeating "I'M GONNA DO IT, THEN, SCREW YOU!" from the hooker.

"Oh? The visor? Not much. It can scan mechanical systems alright, block out heavy UV, shoot me full of painkillers just in case and I can use it like a datapad. But who's bragging?" Gyles answered, smirking a bit. His expression darkened a bit when Rose implied that he was afraid for some reason. "I'm not going alone because I don't know a damn thing about medicine. But since you asked so nicely, c'mon, I'll bring you. Fay? Tagging along?"

Hearing her last little insult to the Chief, Gyles glanced back at Thorn for a moment and smiled. "Anyone ever tell you you were awesome?"

Rose of course, didn't even have her comm device she'd just been looking for a terminal to contact the unit when she stumbled across them. Oblivious to any message waiting for her the medic actually laughed. Weird. "Yeah, you are." She stayed lightly holding onto Gyles as the trio walked down the street.

"Awesome? Shit just wait, plenty 'a ways to fuck that up." Her smile faded as she searched for the nearest pharmacy. There WAS a benefit to the outfit she wore if unintentional, and that she had Fay along after all. The combination would get her what she needed without too much explaining.

"I guess that I am 'tagging along'," Fay said with a sigh. "I'm not much of a drinker, so this seems a little more productive then just getting wasted." He smiled a little, walking a short ways behind Gyles and Rose. The medic didn't want to interrupt anything that might happen between the two 'lovebirds'.

Kagura herself would lean against the nearby wall, a bottle of liquor half gone on the table beside her. Her breathing shallow and her eye closed seeming to have blacked out where she sat. Hopefully nothing was wrong with her health from the OD and the heavy amount of booze she'd just drunk. Or perhaps the other patrons of the bar would cause some trouble with a good looking, blacked out chick.

Harrison thought about picking up the box of stimulants and decided it would be for the best if he held on to them- hell, if he was going to end up pulling all-nighters in the Nepleslian Marines, he'd need some sort of rest.

"Might need these." He picked up the box and dropped it into one of his jacket pockets.

"Hmm... map says there's one one street down. I don't know if they have what we're looking for, but it says they're open 24/7." Gyles told Rose and Fay, as he traced his finger over the pod on his right ear to cycle around on the map as the three made their way towards the store. The tech sentry looked back at Fay for a moment and grinned. "Not much of a drinker? Other marine chaps must give you a hard time."

Gyles scratched his head and chuckled. "Then again, being sober might be an asset when you're doing things like surgery, or using needles. Avoids those messes I hear Adrian is good at making." He shrugged, his words rather sarcastic.

Meanwhile~!

ON: NSS Nerkat

The ship was for the most part silent. Almost creepily so. The crew that would man the vessel were on shore leave much like their marine counter parts, although a handful were on the ship. Mainly the cooks to help feed the workers and make sure the kitchens are to their liking. Officers, of course, had to linger on the ship. At least in this case. And so Tamara sat, at the side of her bed in the Captain's suite, holding a portrait of her dear late sister in her hands lightly. She wasn't suffering a bout of melancholy, just... Well, boredom.

Esther Belmonte sighed and sent Tamara a message with her datapad that read:

Esther said:

Need some company? I'm your XO, and I'm right down the hall from you.

Click to expand...

Tamara blinked a little and sighed as the datapad at her side beeped a almost inaudibly. She set the frame down where it usually lingered and picked up the pad. Her eyebrow twitched a bit. Might as well.

Tamara said:

If you wish to come, then fine.

Click to expand...

"Commander Esther Belmonte, ma'am." Esther Belmonte gave a loose salute, as she stepped into the Captain's Suite, dressed in full Naval Corps attire. The officer wasn't particularly familiar with the feel of a uniform, but without the complement of sweaty marines, the ship actually seemed a little colder, so she wore everything. "The Nerkat seems a little dead, doesn't she?" She asked rather pointlessly, attempting to start a conversation.

Tamara was in basically the same get up. Its not like she had all that much in way of clothing these days, even with the extra funds. "I suppose she is... Or maybe just lonely." She said dreamily, then snapped her head around to face her XO and she stood upright from her bed side. "Hmph. You're older then me and probably have more experience than me and I still get to command over you. Psh."

"Well... I've lost two ships already. It's why your commission to an officer rank was higher." Esther sighed, leaning against the nearest wall. She pulled a flash from her jacket, unplugged the container and took a sip of the distinctly alcoholic contents. Delsauria Dusk was always nice, even if it wasn't vintage. "Care for a drink?"

Tamara shrugged lightly, "Sure, why not." She said in a neutral tone. "... Oh, and by the way. Being that we have no tactical officer on board for the marines... Yet at least, you'll be watching over them in his stead. Apparently with me, too. Just to get that out of the way." She waved dismissively in the air for a moment before dropping her hand again.

"Delsaurian Dusk, fine stuff." Esther closed the flask and tossed it to the captain. The thought of having to babysit poorly behaved marines was slightly alleviated by the knowledge that these people would be veterans, and former crewmen of the NSS Alliance. Whatever other misgivings she had were cut by the alcohol in her system. "Well... I've dealt with pirates and mercenaries before, so rowdy marines shouldn't be too much of a stretch. Any idea what happened to the TO we were supposed to get?"

Tamara shrugged lightly and fumbled with the flask catching. She ALMOST lost it, but almost isn't a she did. She opened the flask and took a bit of it the drink in her mouth before capping it again. "Nope. Probably to spite me or you or something. Or they simply didn't think we needed one, I don't know." She spoke in a some what neutral tone.

"Well... if it becomes too much of a hassle, it's a relatively easy matter of finding one of the crewmen who's honed himself to be competent enough for the position. And I doubt the Central Corps will mind, as long as we're not overstepping our boundaries." Esther said quite coolly, rubbing her hands together. It felt like the conversation was oddly cold for her tastes. A change of topic might be in order. "Have you met our ship AI, yet?"

Tamara shook her head a little at the question after listening to the other woman's words, "We're not getting THAT many marines anyway, so they'll probably be herded around by other T.O.s... Anyway, In passing, yes... But otherwise no I haven't."

"She seems nice enough, if a little cold, but I guess that's the way most Drei are." Esther yawned quietly, placing her hand over her mouth.

Kat walked down the corridor, carrying a tray for the CO and XO. Since she was the ship's AI, she knew where they were and that they were meeting, so she had decided to bring them something. Upon the tray was a tea pot, two cups for the tea, a few pastries, crumpets, and some butter and jam. The avatar stopped outside of Tamara's bedroom and knocked lightly on the door.

"Actually, they usually have a child's curiosity about them. At least when about their physical forms." She shrugged lightly for a moment, Tamara's hostile personality remaining while concealed for the moment. "Come in."

Kat entered the room. "Good evening Captain Novikov, Commander Belmonte." She set down the tray near the two women. "I brought a snack for you," Kat said, gesturing to the tray.

"Thank you Kat. Would you care to join us?" Esther asked politely, her cheeks slightly reddened from her consumption of alcohol, though she still felt very little of a buzz. It probably would have taken the whole flask to put her under, especially after years of hard drinking against assorted vagabonds. "The Captain and I were just talking about the behavior of Drei AI systems. Funny timing, you have."

Tamara tweaked a white brow over to Esther before shaking her head lightly. The albino woman, though, nodded to the AI. "Thank you..." She then handed the flask back over to Esther, having forgotten it for a moment.

"Okay, commander," Kat replied. She filled the two cups with the hot tea she'd brought, before she stood aside. She'd been invited to stay, so she might as well.

"Thanks." Esther said to the Drei, picking up the cup of tea. Drunkenness would have to wait. "So what shall we talk about?'

Tamara shrugged lightly, her silver brow twitching a little. "I don't know. You came to me. Not the other way around." She didn't pick up her tea, although she did glance over to it. Maybe later, m'yes.

"Well... from the records we received, the crew is solid, professional and effective. We have a bunch of psychotics, drunkards and womanizers filling the upper echelons of the marine complement, but it's just more of the usual." Esther sighed quietly, noting the awkwardness of the conversation and her CO's why of dealing with people. And they call me rough around the edges?

Tamara sighed a little and nodded. "Then we'll have to smack them around a bit before they flirt with us. Or at least me, if you want that sort of thing." She paused for a moment and shrugged again, glancing over to the Drei avatar for a moment.

Kat cocked her head to the side, wondering why the CO was looking at her. She took a brief look over herself to see if something was wrong with the uniform, but she didn't see anything wrong. "Can I help you, Captain Novikov?" she inquired.

The albino captain shook her head a little and picked up her tea cup, taking a quick sip of it. She winced a little and set the cup down before looking to Kat again, "No. Just idle curiosity."

Esther sipped her tea, noting that even without sugar, it lacked the bitter quality she was used to. The XO brushed her warm orange hair to the side and grinned a little. "Well... this crew served with my sister, so I think I can trust them. Speaking of which, I'll be heading out and meeting them myself later. I have it good account they're in Los Apagos under invitation from one of the crewmembers."

Tamara nodded lightly, drumming her fingers on her thigh silently. "Alright, then. I'll be staying here... Haven't been on too many military vessels, after all..." She spoke neutrally once again. Not in a monotone voice or something devoid of emotion, just not anything on the positive or negative sounding scale.

Kat waited idly, obviously not participating in the conversation. Since she wasn't adding much in the way of talking, she picked up a plate with a pastries on top, and offered to the CO and XO.

"Thank you." Esther said, taking a buttered crumpet from the tray. She took a bite and chewed, before resuming the conversation. "Though, I thought it was rather strange that we were never assigned an Intelligence Officer, yet. Which, in retrospect... is good, because it means the IPG doesn't have a reason to watch over this ship. Or they've gotten tied up in more important affairs and have let their watchdog agencies grow lax." She finished, taking another bite out of the moist and savory bread.

Tamara tweaked a brow again but shrugged none the less. She shook her head to Kat, though, declining anything. "We're just a ship still... Its not like we're a flagship, so I suppose we don't need out own various officers. Or at least aren't high priority for them."

"Hrm..." Esther pondered for a moment, before returning an inquisitive glance at the Captain. "Everything else aside, have you heard anything of our assignment?"

Tamara shook her head a little, but then paused. "... Actually, yes. Apparently as soon as the marines come back from their leave we'll be going out on a assignment. Otherwise, thats it."

"Right..." Esther sighed, massaging her temples. "...I figured it would be like this again. Well... I suppose I'll get going now..."

Tamara nodded lightly. "Very well. Have a good time, I guess."

"Take care, Captain." Esther said, giving a short salute and exiting the room, flask in hand. It seemed the rather short conversation had spared her from finishing the silver container's contents. "Well... let's see about the rest of the crew, then."

Tamara nodded to Esther and looked over to the avatar, looking her up and down for a moment with muted interest. "You can go too, if you wish. Tray as well, although thanks for the thought."

"Are you sure there is nothing I can help you with Captain?" Kat asked, before she wanted to commit to leaving the room. Her hand rested on the edge of the tray, ready to take it if there really wasn't a need for her to stay.

Tamara shook her head and wandered back to her bed. "No. Thanks for the thought." She spoke simply before making a dismissive gesture with her hand.

Kat nodded and took the tray. "Have a good evening Captain," She said as she turned and left the room.

Tamara grunted lightly and fell back into her bed with a sigh.

END'd

Back to Los Apagos...

The trio made it to the pharmacy, and there was no real problem cajoling the pharmacist out of just what she needed, without a prescription and a little pointing at Fay. She had gone into a rather grandiose explanation about how the great medical expert 'Doctor Dream' Was having herself an emergency. Though she imagined it didn't hurt to lean over the counter, either. "This should do it.." Rose replaced the single shot with her money card. It wasn't her drug of choice, but it would have to do.

She winked at the man, and tugged on Gyles so Fay would catch on too while they left. The side effects were a minor headache, and a darkening of the tongue but she figured purple was better off drinking and having to get the stuff she'd been hit with before out of her system than what Adrian had done.

"Make sure she doesn't swipe at me." She told them when they were back on the street. "How much farther?" The young Geshrin's free hand twitched into an eventual fist again.

"Shit... the signal isn't so bad, so tracking her down isn't going to be too much of a bitch. I think I can handle her... and I packed my knife along just in case, but I'd really rather avoid stabbing someone suffering from alcohol poisoning and a Calm overdose..." Gyles sighed quietly, attempting to track Kagura's last known position based on the location from which she sent her message.

"A few blocks down. Maybe an 8 minute walk, tops?" He said, pointing in the direction he was sure Kagura was at.

When the trio arrived at the location of Kagura's datapad, she wasn't there. But her datapad was laying on the floor near the floor. What they didn't know what that bad things were happening to their comrade. Who, unfortunately, wasn't conscious of them at the time.

Autumn had felt the vibrations of her data pad at her side but had chosen not to look at it. She felt that whatever the measures are, that they could wait until later. She gently gave Rico a firm squeeze from behind him, letting him know that sh was ready to go.

So... Rose only wanted me around to help her get the medicine? he thought to himself, a little disappointed. He pushed that thought aside since the medicine was for Kagura, whom probably needed it. He silently followed the other two since they seemed to know where they were going.

Rose, Gyles, and Fay made the walk without too much trouble with the scanner guiding them. "It's a dive even for LA.." Rose commented as they entered. It even looked like the place someone would go to drink when they were depressed. "I don't see her. What's up with your scanner?" The green-haired young woman frowned up at Gyles. The sooner she found purple the better. Her own question was answered when she picked up the Marine's comm unit. "Fuck...can you pick up her metal if she's close, maypole?" Finally his arm was released as she crouched, the small device still in hand.

In time, a very lost and directionally awkward Henry Morris made his way to Johnny's - where Rico was supposed to be. However, to his surprise, there wasn't much of a party there, nor was Sergeant Rico in sight.
"...Shit." He mumbled to himself in his usual odd tone as he exited with a frown. He took up his datapad and wrote the following to Rico.

Henry O. Morris said:

Rico - Where has the party gone? I'm at Johnny's and - well - either my eyes are going to need a refit or you aren't there.

-Regards
Henry O. Morris

Click to expand...

"Shit... let me see what I can do." Gyles said, scanning about. Most of the crowd had cybernetics, and none really fit her bill, so it was moot. He thought he'd be much better off hacking the security cameras around, or asking the bartender. It wasn't like they had many other options. "Well fuck... she's not here and I can't pull a magic trick. So we'll have to ask around. See where she went and where she was."

Gyles spoke his next few words quietly, whispering to the two medics. "And if you can keep the bartender and bouncer busy long enough, I might be able to hack into the local camera system and match her face to any recordings."

Rose held on to Kagura's datapad, then eyed both men. "Sealus take the bouncer, think I know what to do for the other guy.." She shivered, already feeling disgusting for what she'd probably lean on when she made it to the bar.

Walking towards the end of the bar the Marine leaned over it, displaying her cleavage that Ran had been shouting about in the park earlier. Curling her finger in a soft beckoning motion when she caught his eye, she smiled and tapped her foot nervously below under the din of the bar. "I need something, darlin." The accent she used sounded somewhat familiar, but it was all for a reason. If it didn't work, there was always tossing a drink in his face and making him run after her into the street. But she'd have to touch such FILTHY glasses. Not good, no no no no.

As Rico revved his Vipster up, Babs dashed to the other airbike parked on the street while Jeeves and Goggs dove into one of the trucks, waiting to ferry any of the unlucky fellows not riding airbikes to their drinking destination. After sparking her airbike to life and swiveling over to the diminished group of marines, Babs reached down and grabbed Gran, yoinking him into the seat directly behind her. "Hold on tight, baby! Rico, we're good! Let's ride!"

Gran let out a surprised 'erk' as Babs pulled him up onto the bike. It was a little bit of a strange feeling being manhandled by a woman, and especially being the man in the backseat. It could have very well been emasculating, but Gran payed that no attention. After all, it was just a ride to their destination, right? He wrapped his arms around her waist, trying to think of it only as a safety precaution. "Ready."

Rico didn't need to be asked twice. With another heavy sputter of smoke from his Vipster, Rico and the gang were off.

Autumn held onto Rico's back with a slightly more firm hug than was required. It might've been she was startled by the driving or she simply wanted to press herself up against the sergeant, which one it was anyone's guess.

-------------

Farther along, the three vehicles zipped and whirred through the busy late-night Los Apagos traffic as they sped towards their drinking destination. As Rico zoomed precariously close to a 24-wheeler, he turned his head slightly to check up on his passenger, slick brown hair flapping in the wind-torn freeway. "How's the view, sweetheart?!" Rico yelled above the roar of engines and horns.

"It's a lovely blur of color!" Autumn said loudly up at Rico's shoulder, trying not to blow out her voice box by trying to completely drown out the wind and the engines. She grinned as the wind whipped her hair up around her head, her skirt would've probably done the same thing if she hadn't been sitting on it or pressed up against Rico's back.

Gran held tightly to Bab's back, trying to make sure he didn't fall off and become just another nasty streak on the roads of Los Agapos. But he did try to keep his hips a few inches back from hers so that he didn't feel like he was being rude. His curly hair seemed quite straight as the air stretched it back. "You always drive like this!?" He yelled above the noise of the rushing air.

Babs grinned devilishly as she turned her head back as Gran asked his question amidst the deafening highway. "Not always, cutie! Sometimes I drive like -THIS!" Babs shouted in triumph as she leaned back and floored her velocity forward, nearly taking the entire airbike vertical. Rico, who caught sight of Babs and Gran out of the corner of his eye, performed the same maneuver, not partial to being outdone. Both passengers of these oh-so-safe airbike pilots would suddenly feel themselves dangerously close to falling backward onto the speeding black pavement.

Autumn concerned about falling, tried to adjust her balance somehow to keep on the bike. She tightened her hold on Rico, practically sitting on Rico's back. Autumn laughed despite herself, it was something different and dying in an airbike accident didn't seem nearly as bad as the Reds.

"Oh shi-!" Gran hugged himself tightly to Babs' back, slightly more fearful of the pull of gravity than he was trusting in Babs' driving. He wasn't so much terrified, just... scared that he'd die. He kept himself tight against her back until the acrobatic stunt was over.

Rico shot a haughty, triumph-filled smirk at Babs, motioning to the lovely young woman practically humping the back of his leather jacket. Babs looked back to her own passenger, pouting out her lips is slight satisfaction and obvious defeat. Sure, their little plan had accomplished its goal...but just like Rico, Babs wasn't too partial to 'losing'. In unison, both of the pilots reared their bikes back down and made sharp turns to the right, hitting an exit into more crowded city blocks.

After the bikes returned to the orientations that most agreed with the laws of physics, Gran tried to relax. His heart was racing, his breath definately faster. He tried to slide back a little to his original position. The 'unexpected maneuver' was definately exciting, and hugging Bab's back for so long had him feeling a little embarrassed. "W-wow...."

Autumn laughed as she placed her forehead against the cool leather of Rico's jacket. "Babe, there are easier ways of getting it that way. You just gotta ask! But I didn't think you were into that!" She spoke loudly up into Rico's ear, resting her chin on his shoulder for a moment, placing a hand up to push her hair back out of her face.

Rico just laughed at Autumn's comment, veering expertly between a few honking beer trucks as he turned his head slightly to her direction. "Baby, there's a lot a' things you don't know 'bout me!"

"You'll just have to enlighten me then. I still owe you for the shopping, trip. I'm sure you'll think of something!" Autumn replied with a grin as she gave Rico another hug, before settling back on the seat behind him.

Babs chuckled, her breaths audible through her jacket as she followed closely behind Rico and Autumn. As Gran scooted back, Babs turned her head a bit and mumbled a disappointed moan. "Awww! Not used to a lil' rough ridin', hot stuff?" she said with a sly little grin.

She probably couldn't see it, but Gran was blushing just barely. He was trying to be 'manly' in the Rico sense, but was having trouble separating thoughts, with the seemingly near-death experience. His voice wavered slightly as he tried to pick himself up, metaphorically. "N-no... But I guess... Now's the best time to learn, eh?" He finished with what could be called a grin.

Rico smirked slyly, catching Autumn's grin before her face disappeared behind him. "We'll see, sweetheart!" Rico shouted, making a final turn onto a less-crowded alleyway, just another road or two from Johnny's Pub. From there, it wasn't long before they standing right outside the bar, bright neon lights and drunken revelry emanating from the graffiti-laden doorway

The bar Rose, Fay and Gyles were in wasn't the best one at all, but it was the one that held the cheapest booze. The bouncer was half buzzed too and wasn't too hard to distract as he was spending more time talking than doing his job. The bartender, obvious enjoying the cleavage Rose was showing grinned at her. "Whatcha need sexy? If it's a little fun you're looking for, I can find a couple guys to help ya." he grinned some.