RP: ISC Phoenix [Mission 10] - Lock Up The Wolves

[Luca]

They're screaming for sanctuary,
They're screaming at you,
Lock up the wolves!
- Ronnie James Dio

MISSION 10 - START!!

Two weeks had passed since the five minute plan against the Zeroes had taken place on Nepleslia Prime. The Crimson Kestrel was drifting in Yamataian space for a change, somewhere where you didn't have to worry about another bounty hunter jumping on him or another convoluted scheme trying to entrap the ISC Phoenix. Of course, Luca was toeing the line on this rule, but he wasn't operating in Yamataian space, instead he declared his reason for entering as: "Holiday, I need one. Just tell Iza, she'll know. Read the headlines."

'Joker' Captain Luca Pavone's ribs had healed from their previous injuries at Nepleslia prime, and his message to the public (a blatant publicity grab in retrospect) had filled in lots of details, and silenced his critics as he and his compact team had diverted a massive terrorist disaster.

However, clouds still hung over what Captain Pavone's exact motivations - even after so many years they were still something of a mystery. Women, wine and song were simply aftereffects of his illustrious career and he seemed to regard them with relative indifference, letting his father manage his financial details. The brand name that'd sprung up around him and his crew wasn't the exact focus of his attention either. Questions still remained as to his exact motivations. His public image and well intentioned actions were not in question, just why he fought.

-

It was a quiet morning in the Captain's quarters, just an hour away from sunrise on Yamatai, and Luca was dreaming - his mind had been simmering on something ever since the pitched battle on Nepleslia Prime.

Hey, shithead. Listen up.
Who the hell are you supposed to be?
I'm your Ego, numbnuts. I'm the reason why you're the Maker's gift to Nepleslians, Yamataians, Lorath, Freespacers, and whoever the hell else bends to you. I'm the reason you succeed.
Oh. Thanks for the save back there.
Don't mention it.
You almost died there! If you weren't playing upon him, he could've crushed you and killed him!
Oh boy...
Wait, who are you exactly?
I'm your Experience, boy! I'm your accumulated knowledge and past experiences in combat and in life. I had to develop to keep my irresponsible little brother in check.
And you're a friggin' pussy, too. Seriously, its only a few broken ribs, he's up and walking two weeks, just like I predicted.
Great. I have two halves of my personality engaged in a pissing match. Does this mean I've gone insane?
Yep.
Yes.
Oh, cock. Can I persuade you to get along?
Nope.
Absolutely not.
Fucksocks.

Luca woke up confused, rolling over scratching his head and nuzzling his pillow. He couldn't get back to sleep, and glanced at the the clock. Still half an hour until wake up. He didn't find Naoko immediately, and figured that she woke up earlier, or was invisible. He eventually rolled out of bed, took a shower, and got dressed in a casual pair of tracksuit pants. He took a drink of cold water to wake himself up a little further before having a cup of tea with a dab of milk and two sugars to wake him up even more.

He looked down at the bandages on his chest. The ribs beneath them had healed fully, but the bandages still remained as a reminder, however temporary they were about to become. John was sitting in the loungeroom, with a cup of coffee in his hands and working on the crossword in the morning news feed.

"Y'know, Luca, I've been wondering." He said as he tried to figure out what 13 Down was. Luca raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of tea and gave him a nod to continue, "Between the three satisfied customers you've left in your wake since Nepleslia Prime, and possibly more in college and beyond, do you think you've left a legacy of paying child support for the rest of your life?"

"Dunno," Luca said, "Nobody's come forward yet, and I have the feeling that now that my face is all over the news, they might come and collect. I'd be happy to hurl some cash their way. I need something worthwhile to spend all the money from Phoenix Energy on."
"What are you, some sort of charity?" He figured out 13 Down, and pencilled in 'ATTACH'. He took a sip of coffee.

"Bullets aren't always what I give out free of charge, John," He raised his mug and gave him a wry smile, "I've got an image to maintain as both a lover and a fighter." John tapped his pencil against the volumetric page and then pencilled in 12 Across: 'TERROR'.
"Well, isn't that wonderful?" John interlaced his fingers, "A killer with a conscience." He looked down and noticed that his answer for 12 Across on his volumetric suddenly got turned into: 'PENISES', and he looked at the security camera and gave it the finger, directed to Echelon, who giggled.

"I never said I didn't have one to begin with - it was always there," He refuted. John decided to be quiet, erase Echelon's meddling and let the rest of the ship's occupants wake up. Sebastian and Anna were sleeping in.

 

[Gallant]

As if being summoned, Naoko appeared wearing a booted, gloved, black and red bodysuit that looked suspiciously like something a motorcyclist might wear to the track. It cleaved to her, very nearly skin-tight, though she didn't appear uncomfortable with it; her braided hair trailed behind her, weaving and bobbing back and forth innocently enough, but the very tip - where she'd laced in something that looked like a mostly transparent crystal - looked sharp, and mildly dangerous. No surprises there; in fact, for someone who had no problems running around naked as the day of her birth, she even seemed overdressed.

There was only one oddity; the nekovalkyrja carried a briefcase at her side.

It was pink.

Without ceremony, she deposited it on the couch, half-tossing it.

"Ohayo," she offered to the room's two prior inhabitants, no trace of sleep in her voice or her glance at all. If she'd heard them - if she'd been tapped into the same wire as Echelon - she showed no sign, though Luca might have caught an extra second or two of her glance, anyway. "What's for breakfast?"

 

[Jimmy]

“Ernie requests more care with the treatment of this platform.” The robot interrupted as it was uncaringly dumped onto the sofa. It small slow opened on the front and its orange LED eye peered out from inside. It saw Luca and John sitting around.

“Good morning, sirs.” it greeted the two with a subtle bob of its sensor cluster from inside its case, before turning its attention back to Naoko.

“If Miss Aihara requires nutrition, Ernie is equipped with two small energy chocolate convenience bars for crew comfort.” the little robot piped up, ever trying to be helpful.

 

[Lamb]

"I..." A soft voice was groaning from behind the couch. "I'll take the two energy bars, luggage-head."

Enzo sat up from his position on the floor behind the couch. The clinking of beer bottles below him made it obvious what he'd been doing sleeping in the crew lounge. The criminal mind was dull and the criminal's hair was dishevled. All he had for clothes at the moment was a pair of pajama pants, a tank top with a faded picture of a wolf emblazoned on the chest, and his obligatory sidearm; hanging from a bandolier this morning. He stood and leant over the couch, still clutching a half-emptied beer bottle in his left hand.

"Give 'em here." He said, sticking out his free hand. The easy smile and the puffy eyelids gave it away almost instantly at this point: Enzo was still a little drunk. Off-handedly, he tipped the beer bottle up and drank most of what was left before leaning further over the couch with a contented smirk.

"Everybody looks so pretty this mornings. Yous all beens avoidin' Enzo 'cuz he's ugly, hadn't yous guys?"

 

[Jimmy]

The robot remained where it was, its slit hole narrowing slightly.

"Ernie has determined that crewman Enzo has had enough nutrition already." the robot replied.

 

[Lamb]

Enzo narrowed his eyes and shifted over to the briefcase. He emptied the beer bottle in his mouth and sat it unceremoniously on top of Ernie before lighting a cigarette.

"You greasy little gearbox." He started, "Nuttin' solid has passed through these lips in the last twenty-four hours but a single piece o' celery. An' that was comin's out! I don't even remembers eatin' celery!"

 

[Jimmy]

The little eye looked op, trying to see the bottle on top of it, it's slit narrowing to almost look like it was glaring.

"Ernie advises intravenous rehydration and a review of daily dietry needs." The robot replied, its monotone voice betraying no sarcasm.

 

[Gallant]

Naoko stopped.

She didn't just stop - she paused midway to the lounge's fridge, where the alcoholic beverages were kept chilled (or whatever was left of them after Enzo's small battle against the ranks of bottles). Then she turned, slightly, her ears gyrating as if they were ancient TV antenna, trying to get rid of snow in the signal. Whatever she found gave her a cattish smile.

Resuming her initial sally, she opened the fridge.

A shard of glass zipped past her face immediately and buried itself completely in a hanging picture of some ancient orbital station, on the far wall.

Naoko plunged forward, shoving her arm deep into the fridge. There was a sound, like a thousand nails on a thousand chalkboards, crying out in primal outrage, summoning primeval and possibly even primordial justice, threatening to erase all thought. Something telepathic was screaming. Futile though it was.

Then it stopped, and was replaced with a much more regularly audible whining, chittering sound; a lobster clucking like a chicken.

Naoko pulled the mishhuvurthar youngling from the fridge, revealing the lancelike stingers plunged halfway into her forearm, through her jacket, and the squirming shell which the rest of the thing had retreated into, last-minute, in an effort to flee its captor.

If the neko had planned on saying anything else, on commenting on Enzo's drunkenness or Ernie's errant mistrustful thoughts, those plans were now ruined. With her other hand, she reached into the fridge and picked out an unshattered, unspoiled bottle of melon-infused vodka. Then she slammed the fridge door and, holding the youngling at arms length, made her way to the door.

The whole struggle had taken less than ten seconds.

Probably, the aftermath of this would take a lot longer.

 

[Jimmy]

Ernie had already made it the better part of halfway across the room by the time Naoko had caught the feisty baby mishu, both guns drawn and processes giving Ernie the synthetic equivalent of crapping his quantum pants.

As Naoko walked casually with her vodka the little robot kept its guns trained on the creature in her hand, she would be able to tell that the little robot was already working up probabilities of attempted assassination and wondering just how it was going to security screen the entirety of the Phoenix fleet by itself.

 

[Lamb]

Not only interested in the Vodka, but also the tiny Mishu; Enzo stumbled over to the fridge and swiped another beer before trundling after Naoko. On his way out the door, he stumbled around for a minute and signaled Ernie to come along.

"Let's go, Luggage-head." He said, already moving back through the door, "We gots to haves to have some fun withs this...I was wondering why that fridge kept trying to bite me last night."

The last evidence that he was in the room was clinking of the freshly pryed bottle-cap on the ground.

 

[CadetNewb]

Being part of the Phoenix crew, for better or worse, meant that there was never an end to surprises. Smith hated surprises.

Because of this, it was no surprise that the man arrived on the scene with a frown on his face while sporting a sawed off shotgun in one hand - it all went quite well with the (new) pinstriped suit he was wearing of course, but more or less reflected his displeasure at being surprised yet again. The baby Mishhu had somehow escaped, and if it didn't receive its daily dosage of growth inhibitor, it'd be just all that much closer to being fully grown and sticking it in them all!

"Everyone, I regret to inform you all that - " Smith stopped abruptly as his eyes settled on Naoko and the Mini-Mishhu in her hands, " - the problem has been resolved."

"Thank you for your time," he added with a hint of concealed irritation, uncocking the shotgun and turning on the safety.

 

[Lamb]

The first thing that Enzo did was slide around from behind Naoko with his sidearm drawn. He didn't point it anywhere but the ground, but having it out was enough to underline everything he said.

"Whatcha lookins at Naoko like dat for, Smithy?" He barked.

"She's my pal, an' she can does whatever she wants with her new pet. That's what I says."

 

[Jimmy]

Ernie had his gun trained on the little beastie as Naoko carried it outside, finally Ernie turned to Luca and John.

"Ernie inquires if highly dangerous species of hostile alien life are commonly stored in the refridgeration device?" it asked, before trotting out the door after the other two, it's guns still out.

 

[Gallant]

Naoko didn't say anything as she walked down the passageway, moving around Smith with the Mishhuvurthyar stuck in its shell and trying to stab its way free with the two or three remaining appendages. It was making no headway; at least two of them were now stuck and immobile, as if Naoko's arm had been drying cement.

Down, down, down the small procession went. They passed the main deck, and went into the subdeck, and from there, to the broad cargo hold in the ship's belly. The heavy hydraulic airlocks hissed angrily as they slammed shut behind the group, isolating them. A high ceiling, a sloped ramp at the back that had been withdrawn and sealed tightly against space, and a whole lot of empty room greeted them.

Naoko flung it across the room into all that open space with a sidearm that, while lacking in finesse, might have really been a bitch for some unlucky batter.

The Mishhuvurthyar skidded over the metal grates and plating, caught its shell on one of the padeyes where the cargo would have been tied down, and was bounced several feet in the air. It came to rest against a metallic crate, and wobbled about for a moment before coming back to itself. When it did open its chitinous shell and peek out into the spinning world, it saw Naoko bearing down on it at a crisp walk, and drew itself up threateningly, needles and talons extending from a dozen small feelers as that keen, mental hissing commenced in time to its crabby chirruping. For anyone keen on the woodsy, outdoorsy knowledge, it sounded like a really pissed off cicada.

Naoko booted it sideways, and not kindly. It bounced off the side of the crate and murbled and squealed in sudden, wild fear, scrabbling against it.

"Warui!" Naoko barked in response. "Wa-ru-I!"

The mishhuvurthyar took a wild stab at her, but the nekovalkryja's skin didn't give an inch, that time. It was knocked up against the cargo crate again for the trouble. A few more wild stabs produced no better result - and against Naoko's booted foot, it had no real defense. It curled up and went into its shell and cried and squealed pitiably, reaching out mentally for salvation, or help, or anything at all that would stop the assault.

And then, miraculously, it did stop. Very cautiously, it cracked open its shell just a tad, and came face to face with the crouching Neko.

"I know you understand me," she said, dangerously. "So are you going to listen to your daddy, now?"

It murbled something vague and bubbly that nevertheless sounded like a whimper, and went back into its shell. When Naoko stood up again, she turned and motioned Smith over.

 

[ShotJon]

Zeta woke up. Alone. She sighed and wished she woke up next to Luca. But that was not to be today. She stretched herself and sat on her bed letting out a big yawn. She then proceeded with her morning set of exercises. Just some push-ups and what not to keep fit. Then it was time for shower, so Zeta took a towel and headed out.

Zeta always enjoyed stream of hot water on her skin, she also remember that showers were first place where she and Luca finally.... talked it all out. She smiled and finished her shower.

Soon after that she could be seen walking into lounge to others, only wearing shorts and her towel, to cover what should be covered. She only really did not dress herself because she hoped Luca would be there. As usually she come in time to see some kind of commotion going on. She saw Naoko walking away with the small Misshu and Smith with shotgun.

"Finally decided to kill that thing Smitty? About bloody time." She asked Smith as she took a beer from fridge and said on the couch next to Luca. She of course noticed that his bare bandaged chest finally healed. "How is everybody?" She asked, but she was looking at Luca.

 

[Luca]

"Its good to see you're taking control of your problems, Smith!" Luca gave Smith a wave as he walked in with a shotgun, following Naoko with the NMX parasite in her hands. He wasn't in the mood to come along, he hadn't had breakfast. Judging by how it came out of the fridge, it looked like Luca had to dig into something frozen and reheat it - he figured that the little Mishhu had probably peed in someone's coffee that morning.

He looked over to the Ernie and answered, in all earnest: "I found a Platypus in the fridge once - does that count?" He then looked to it and advised, "Can you put the guns down? Naoko has that little thing under control." He finished off his tea and put it down, just in time for Zeta to sit down next to him. He gave her a peck on the cheek, not forgetting what they did together the other night, "Just dandy. Want to go make some breakfast together? I'm thinking eggs, bacon, fried toast; something nice, simple, greasy and guilt-free."

He stood up and walked over to the kitchen. He might not have been a chef, but he was a proficient enough cook just to get by without killing everyone's tastebuds. He found the eggs and bacon mercifully untouched by the Mishhu, and the bread was on hand in the pantry. He lit the flames, put the pan on and dropped a dollop of oil into it. He swirled the pan around to spread the oil around, eventually covering the entirety of the pan.

-

While he was waiting for the pan to warm up, he heard his communicator beeping in his pocket. He pulled it out and flipped it open, the number was anonymous. SAINT, probably. Luca guessed, "Yeah? I'm on holidays." No answer. "Hello?" He kept waiting.

"-ple. Understand?" Iza's voice. That was comforting.
"Sorry, didn't quite catch that Iza." Luca replied as he took one of the bread slices and cut a square into the middle of it, taking the square out and placing it beside the bread. Iza coul be heard mumbling about the encryption cutting off the first several seconds of her phone calls.
"Luca. You probably aren't aware, but once again, you're needed."

"Can it wait? I've actually put signs up outside my ship, physical signs, that clearly state I am on holidays, and I am not to be disturbed. Can't the universe take care of itself for once?" He placed the bread slice in the pan, and watched it start to cook. He placed the square of white bread into the pan too, "Seriously."

"Hardly the sort. Things have softened up a little compared to the usual tremors of the war," Iza was quick to rectify, Luca drummed his fingers against the table and opened up the egg carton, "What I mean is that someone has seen fit to recognise commend you for your efforts."

Luca took an egg, broke the shell against the lip of the pan with a couple of strikes, and emptied its contents into the middle of the bread with a hole in it, "Really? The Phoenix Brand name, Energy Drinks and all that crap aren't enough?" He took a spatula and started poking and teasing the egg-in-toast, and adding bacon to the pan.

"I've gotten enough recognition, Iza - whenever I walk into a rough bar planetside, everyone runs away screaming - hardened son-of-a-bitch bounty hunters too. I'd have to go to the edges of the known universe to find someone who hasn't heard of me. Some people have started calling me the King of the Impossible. I don't see how one more log on my bonfire is going to matter."

"Not officially, anyway. This is official commendation of, paraphrased, a person not to be fucked with."

Luca blinked as he flipped the egg-in-toast over, nailing it the first time. The bacon was cooking well too, "That's original. Thought I already earned that stripe after averting terrorist disasters, thwarting mad scientists, evacuating space stations, killing hordes of Mishhu and stealing the hearts and minds of the people everywhere. Is it really necessary?"

"I'm just the messenger," Iza replied, "I for one think that you've well and truly proven yourself a force to be reckoned with over these few years - don't you think its about time someone makes it official?"

"I dunno. Something seems off," Luca scooped the egg-in-toast and bacon off of the pan and into a plate for the first customer in line - in most likelihood Zeta, "I want some cold, hard verification before I make any moves."
"You got it, Boss-Hei. By the way, we're overlooking the illegal material in your possession based upon your previous record with other illegal and questionable items, and your deeds."
Luca had an idea of who/what she was referring to, "Figured - that's why I wasn't flagged down on sight, it'd be a PR disaster not worth the trouble for you and me. Call me and send me all the documents and people involved with this award."

With that, the call was terminated. Luca continued making Eggs-In-Toasts and sides of Bacon for whoever was up for it. "Smith, Naoko," Luca yelled from the kitchen, "When you're done with the creepy crawly, y'want eggs?"

 

[Blackbird Lore]

Uriel was up- had been up for... hours. He didn't keep track of how long. The Patrician was too busy posing questions to the walls of his room and scouring his book for answers to be bothered with such bland subjects as the passing of minutes.

Cycles, hm? Yes, Uriel's mind had been abuzz for the last fourteen days: contemplating possibilities, comparing Sebastian's thoughts to his own, and even comparing Sebastian's words to God's. Of course, primal needs always had a way of usurping the heady intellectual movements; in this case, the Archangel was reminded of his need to eat by a growling stomach. With an irritated sigh, he rose to his feet, stretched.

He was dressed lightly, which is to say he garbed himself in only one layer rather than the typical Elysian trifecta, and the robe was entirely white. Whether it was him trying something new or just being forgetful, his feet were also bare. That said, his form was still well kept.

In the lounge and likely on her way to the kitchen he encountered Zeta- in a towel and shorts. He sighed silently through his nostrils to hide his disapproval, then smiled rather poorly. "Good morning." Regardless of her response, he continued to the kitchen, chasing the scent of breakfast. It led him to Luca, which was something of a surprise.

"Did you fire the cook?"

 

[Luca]

"Nah," Luca replied to the Elysian, "He went Planetside a couple of days ago with the Food budget. He should be back tomorrow. Want some eggs-in-toast?"

 

[ShotJon]

"Sure boss, I haven't cooked anything in ages. Crane spoils us all." She sad and grinned, getting up and moving with Luca into the kitchen. Though it was him who really did all the cooking. There were other thing she could do. Drinks. She quickyl finished her beer and put it away. She then took time and prepares large kettle of black tea and pitcher of Orange Juice. That was proper drink for breakfast.

When water was warm she poured it onto the kettle with tea in it. She then added few spoons of sugar and lemon juice. Beta used to make tea like this. Sweet and tasty.

When Uriel came him, she gave him a nod in greeting, ignoring whatever he might have thought about her way of being dressed, or rathe undressed. She took a first Egg-toast Luca made and put it in front of John.

"Have a taste mr. Guinea-pig," she said to him with a grin.

 

[Nevaraon]

Robert slipped into the kitchen full awake dressed in full sweats with a hoodie, and strangely bouncy. He went into a sommersault and rolled up behind Zeta. He smoothly slipped around her and tapped John on one shoulder while grabbing the Egg-toast from the other side and spun around to smile brightly at Zeta. "Don't mind if I do, Zee." he gave her a huge cheesy grin and stepped around her again. He walked into the next room and sat on the couch to enjoy his stolen meal, half expecting an understandably upset John attack or a thrown kitchen untensil from Zeta.