RP: ISC Phoenix [Mission 9] Enzo's Lady of the Night

Zeta walked out of changing room. She was not really suprprised that origin outlet had suit od all sizes. No need to have it tailored. It was simple black suit with white shirt and black tie. Just perfect. It even managed to cover the vest of her Everyday armour. "Now I look smart," she said while she watched herself in mirror. It was years since she weared a suit. Not since she was working for Mr. Miller. How is Beta nad Gamma doing? She though suddenly.

She saw pedo-Enzo picking some clothes fro Naoko. She smiled a little on that. She knew that Naoko is no child, but other people might not. Well if everything goes well peopl from Origin migh think Naoko is his daughter or something. She then turned to Nao. "Well since pedo-Enzo is picking casual clother for you, I could help you find something more practical what do you say?" She asked small neko.

But then she heared the ticking. It came of from the new guy. Bomb? Here? On him? She quickly stepped in front of Arin to cover her from the blast and with fast movement opened Ivans jacket open to see what is ticking.

Matt's eyes blinked rapidly when Enzo stated acting the way he did. Was it...really? Software went to work, and soon, text on his glasses that only he could see spelled out what the other man only mouthed. The rest of the man's words made up Smith's mind; in all probability, it seemed that the Neko was like a daughter to him.

That meant he'd have to be especially careful when Enzo was around. His back stiffened. Hell, he had to be careful when either of them were around. But there was Ivan in the mix now two; idiotic and trigger happy. And therefore unpredictably dangerous. The patter of footsteps outside had Smith sigh out of sheer exhaustion. 'Who the hell is it now?' he wondered.

As he turned around, he was given a surprise. A woman with short gray hair, a slightly boyish face. About his own height, perhaps an inch or so taller. In a sundress. His mind screamed at him something along the lines of, 'Finally! Someone normal!' And of course a modest bust; what man wouldn't take note of them, regardless of size? Regardless, this quick look over happened in a blink, and he replied after her curtsy.

"Matthew Smith, Origin Representative. I'll be working with the Phoenix and her crew from now on. Pleased to meat your acquaintance." He reached out for a handshake, careful to give it just the right amount of squeeze. Matthew had been through hard times, and was hardened by them, but he was still far from being a Man of Durandium. The part of him that was hardened however, wondered if he was going to regret showing softness in front of these barbarians. Or worse; if she was one of them.

*****

Smith was keeping an eye on Naoko and Enzo from the distance...With direct security feeds to his glasses. For now though, he was content to stay nearby the only other person who seemed to be sane. When John seemingly 'blew Arin's cover' though, he couldn't help but snicker.

"Sorry. I just find that funny. Arin, if you're with NAM after all, well, don't worry about it." He wasn't quit satisfied with that, so added a little something, "Competition can get insane sometimes, but we're on reasonably good terms, so you don't have to worry about men in suits taking you away." He joked. Though, part of him did admit that did happen from time to time.

And then ticking. "Ivan..." the Origin Representative spoke sternly, arms now crossed. Smith grudgingly admitted to himself that the man wasn't that incompetent, otherwise he'd be dead. But on the other hand, he was more interested in what he was seeing of Enzo from the video feed in his glasses.

Either the man was a pedophile who preferred the smaller Nekos since they weren't technically children, or he really did think of It as a daughtler-like surrogate. The modest dress he got for the little thing seemed to emphasize that. Smith carefully calculated for a little before calling out to the man.

"Mr. Bortelli. Get that dress a few sizes larger. I can tailor it down and undo it as she gets taller." It was true that he hated, detested Nekos and feared them to no end, but his younger siblings wanted him to 'play nice' and 'give her a chance' as some would say.

He supposed that it didn't hurt that doing so would keep him in the good graces of that crewman. Though he already made his dislike apparent to the Neko, he still had a chance to keep on good terms with this man, and play it safe while he found out how the others felt about the little thing.

*****

Scott, Missi and Jamie were all gathered around the volumetric display in a conference with someone. "And that's what's happening. He hasn't dealt with a Neko since then, and because of that, it's gotten worse." Missi explained.

"I...see." the Neko replied.

Daxle kept reading signs and eventually found his way to the Docking area, and back to the red Courier 2A that he'd be traveling on. He had no idea what it's name was, or where it was going, and he didn't give a damn. He headed to the loading ramp and climbed aboard.

The ship was obviously modified for longer lengths of travel, and it had a cozy, homey feel to the whole deal. He decided that it couldn't hurt to look around; perhaps there was an item or two that could go "missing", or a really comfy bed to take a nap on

Naoko flicked an ear back, comparatively unalarmed by the mysterious ticking noise.

She was still somewhat fixated on smoothing her hair down, from where Enzo had touched it. It wasn't necessarily so much a fixation as it was an absentminded habit at this point. Although she had braided it back, it was only a loose braid, and a night of sleep coupled with the recent activities had jostled a few strands loose. They obscured her vision occasionally, and apparently tickled her ears in the process, so she was kept somewhat busy. Preoccupied as she was, Naoko had simply followed Zeta, sheep-like.

It wasn't as if she minded Enzo stirring around, either. He was perhaps the only crewmember who stood up for her, on a regular basis, but even she was beginning to wonder at his motivations. Although she didn't give any visible reaction at his odd behavior, smiling at him politely, she couldn't help but notice how disappointed he seemed. It was if he were making the best of it.

That gave her a few suspicions, but none of those were detrimental to her, and she didn't particularly mind being treated like a child for a little while.

"Pedo-Enzo?" Naoko echoed speculatively, as if trying that word out. She smiled, bemused, interrupting the minor argument-in-the-making that Smith and Zeta were about to engage in, with the large ugly man. "Well, if you can find something smaller, for me, I do not go clothes shopping very often."

Enzo scoffed audibly at Smith's suggestion. It was akin to a sigh, yet more intense, like a grunt. He took the energy to speak eloquently to get his point across.

"I'll do nothing of the sort, Smith." The man spake without his atrocious accent for once, "If she grows out of it, I'll buy her a new one. Which she won't. Because she's not growing. Not growing." His accent returned for the final, more hostile iteration.

"She gets better than what yous guys says, if I gots anythin' to says abouts it." Coincidentally, his final choice of words happened to sound similar to Smith's own thoughts, "Play nice somewheres else."

Naoko glanced up at the ceiling. Barring divine guidance, however, the shit had more or less hit the fan. For once, her patience was beginning to wear thin. It had not been a particularly good morning and these antics were far from comical. Another 'Nepleslian' standoff did not fit very snugly into her plan for today. It put her somewhere between frustration and disappointment.

Her ears flattened. Was she really going to have to play mediator? There was another option - she could simply sink back into the clothing racks, take a few steps in either direction, and completely disappear from the entire situation, leaving the crew to fight it out without her. At least she had brought guns, Naoko thought, darkly.

"Enzo," she interjected into the stunned silence that resulted, "I think we ought to have a talk about this, later. Right now, we're in a store, and people are staring, yo."

Enzo frowned. 'Oughta have a talk?'

"Why? You don't likes the dress? Or maybe yous jus' don't want me to be mean to Smith? I don't want no trouble. I'll be nice." He said, hurt. He had the sound of a boy who had been caught stealing from his parents' wallet. A sound he'd never made any of the times he'd actually been caught stealing from his mother's wallet.

He seemed to look down at the dress with a frown befitting a child, rather than a grown man. After a moment he returned to the shelf where he had gotten in and grabbed another one in a larger size. With a dejected look slapped across his features, it was easy too see he was trying to be nice to Smith. He approached the clerk again with both dresses and lowered his new hat to cover his eyes.

"I'll takes these." He mumbled, sliding the two dresses and their matching sunhats softly forward on the counter. He looked back to Smith and smiled weakly for a moment before turning back to the clerk. "And put 'em in a nice bags with some needles and threads if you gots any of 'em, see?"

Frowning slightly Ivan knocked the girl's hands away before reaching into what was rapidly becoming his major liability, a moment later he produced a small device. It was a small square of foil wrapped plastique explosive with a fairly primitive timed detonator, "I'll be right back" said Ivan, turning around and walking toward the store's entrance.

Robert walked past the new guy trying to find the rest of the crew. He raised an eyebrow and asked no questions as the new guy walked by with a suspicious looking item. He decided not to ask and walked on by to the rest of the crew. He gave them his best smile trying not to let his many scars ruin it much more than he could. "Good morning all. How are you all doing?"

Panther managed to find a civilian hardware store not to far from the hotel. He pulled the head further over his head and hands in his coat pockets as he looked around and found a Bobson Firelab, a small device that produced fire upward that operated on a small energy cell. All for the price of 900 DA!

After taking a couple of extra cells, he took it to the counter for a total of 1,700 DA. He walked out with some weird looks of a gangster looking character hauling lab equipment to a hotel.

"I'm sorry. I. Didn't mean to offend. I was trying to do the exact opposite, really." Smith replied truthfully. It was quite fortunate the truth could be bent every which way, of course. Well emulated voice tones and facial movements aside, he really did mean it, just not the way one would expect. Smith needed to be on as good terms as possible to increase his own chances of success, and survival of course, though, the former came before the latter for him.

'I can't get a good read on this guy. Some sort of...childhood trauma or something? Even I'm tempted to write him off as a pedophile and call it a day!' The Origin Representative thought. 'Even the Neko is getting angsty about all the attention coming our way. We are all rather strange bedfellows, I suppose.'

Smith largely ignored Ivan as best as he could; Zeta looked like she had everything under control for the time being. Matthew's hand reached out and grabbed some more things, perhaps even more unexpected; several skeins of yarn in numerous weights and colors, a few of the stereotypical balls, knitting needles and other baubles and bits.

Smith turned to Ivan and Zeta with a slight frown. The ticking didn't stop yet. And it was annoying as hell. 'I feel like I'm taking care of a group of kids armed with guns. Minus the rewarding feelings.'

John seemed content to buy himself a couple more magazines for his collection, notably the ones full of hand-drawn 'good stuff'.
"Just fine thanks, yourself?" John replied to Robert as he casually flicked through the magazine before putting it down on the counter and paying for it.

When Ivan came outside the shop with his package in hand, he took a look around. He was in luck, there were a few places to put his volatile delivery, including a dumpster, a manhole that didn't have the cover on it and lead into an systems access tunnel and between the roots of a tree.

However ample these opportunities for 'safe' containment seemed, someone else was nearby that'd recognise him, and wasn't terribly pleased to see him. He was immediately requesting backup on the double before making a run for it. Naoko would hear radio waves of someone bringing in a tactical assault team, and shooting to, quote: "kill the bastard".

Chances were that Ivan wouldn't wiggle his way out this time unless he thought of something quickly that didn't involve a suicidal frontal assault - as being caught in broad daylight with an improvised explosive in hand had very little in the way of good excuses. (unless you were in Nepleslia)

-

Meanwhile, back in the store, the lady at the counter looked over to John and asked, referring to Ivan, "What's his problem?" John shrugged in reply as he buried his nose in his newly acquired magazine with a grin.

"I see," She replied with a frown as she poked something under the desk, John seemed to notice this and said:
"Do your worst, ma'am, I'm surprised he didn't die earlier," The lady at the counter smiled weakly in response, surprised by John's attitude towards the new crew member.

-

Meanwhile, back at the Courier 2A, Luca had given a nod towards Daxle, "I see you're getting settled in alright?" He asked with a cordial smile, "Since you're the first one here, you can claim a cabin before everyone else does," He pointed upwards, "There are about 8 or so rooms upstairs, and you get first pick. I'm not sure how many there are to a cabin, maybe two or three - pick someone you'll get along with. Maybe Jimmy, the other medic."

Jimmy, who was nearby, raised his hand in greeting towards Daxle, "Hi!" He said with a wide smile, "Hopefully we won't be short of work here, Mr. Pavone always gets a bit mashed up after each big mission, isn't that right?"

"Yep!" He replied then paused for a moment to scratch his chin before continuing, "Any ideas for a name for the ship?" He extended his hand, "Any name's a good one at this point, until the others get back," he then blinked, "Which reminds me..."

He flicked his communicator open, dialed Zeta and sent her the following message:

"...and he's around. Detach a squad. Kilo-Oscar-Sierra."

Naoko scratched behind one of her own ears, losing interest visibly in the situation developing in front of her between Smith and Enzo. She listened for a few more minutes to the radio frequencies in the area, casually excusing herself from the rest of the crew. Naoko had not bought anything for herself, so the cashiers didn't think twice about letting her walk through the lines and everything. If she played it off right, and people overlooked her absurdly distinctive ears, she looked just like some teenager, except without the annoying acne, and a few annoyingly childish custodians.

A teenager with guns.

Outside she stopped on the sidewalk, giving the street a casual once-over, as if she were bored. In truth, she was feeling lethargic. Perhaps she was getting too much sleep recently, after all - Naoko was finding that if she slept too much, she was just going to sleep more, and had been giving some consideration to imposing a sleep cycle. It hadn't caught on just yet.

It didn't take long for her to notice Ivan, ferriting around looking for some place to hide the explosive. Of course, she had thought it was a pocketwatch, and had dismissed it. Now, looking at him, it was like he had accedentally pulled the pin on a grenade.

"'After mister pin is pulled, mister grenade is not our friend,'" Naoko recited slowly, though probably Ivan wouldn't pay much attention to it. However, this next part she assumed would come in clear as crystal; "If I were in your position, I would throw it into traffic. Right now."

Upon entering the ship, Daxle immediately encountered two people he had never met. They were both friendly enough, with Mr. Pavone talking to him first, followed by Jimmy. Jimmy said some thing about work.
~Sebastian didn't say anything about work...I suppose that's how I'm payin' for this trip~ he thought.
He turned to head up to pick out a cabin when he stopped and looked at Luca again. Something about him was familiar...
"Say, now that I think about it, you kinda look like a certain hole in a wall that I found earlier. You didn't seriously use that Jetpack to-..."

Zeta was reliefed when Ivan left. THen her communicator ringed and she read the message. "Okay folks. Skipper just sent a message. We should wrap it up soon and get to ship." She said and typed message back.


She replied and then blood froze inher veins. She remembered about Ivan. He was crewmember too. She only then notices Naoko walking outside. She quickly turned to Smith. "Smithy pick some cargo pants and few t-shirts for Naoko. One vest too, I will pay you later." She said and quickyl paid for her suit and one extra suit which she gave Robert. "Could you carry this fore me, thanks" she threw fast words on him and jogged outside.

There she found Naoko standing next to Ivan who was still holding explosive ordnance. "Can't you just take out the damn fuse of that thing!?!" She asked to Ivan.

By the time that Zeta finished talking, Enzo was already out of the store and walking right past Naoko and Ivan towards the docks. He carried his old clothes along with Naoko's new dress in the pillow case of the stolen hotel pillow. Although he hadn't worn a suit and tie in a long time, the business attire seemed to go right on him and the familiarity of the outfit was almost equal to that of his own button-down and cargo pant standard. As for the fedora; he'd always been fond of hats, and the black felt crown he now wore was no exception. So, he threw on his duster over the whole ensemble and hit the streets in style, leaving a soft trail of cigarette smoke behind him everywhere he went.

It was in this steady, yet hastened manner that he reached the ship first and caught up with Luca and Daxle. As he made his way into the new ship, he threw his cigarette onto the ground outside, not wanting to foul up that "new ship" smell. When he reached the cluster of crewmen, he tried to turn their attention to the new suit.

"Hey, guys, how ya likes the new digs?" he asked, pulling his coat open to show off the pinstriped fabric, "I gots 'em in a size too bigs so's I can hides lots of toys in 'em."

He turned to Luca, "An Cap'n Pavone. Where's that beautiful bombshell Mel? I thinks I need some rifle trainin' for this next exercise. If my former 'Business Associates' are in on dis, chances are they gots some heavy weapons. I likes to fight fire withs fire, see?"

Robert blinked a few times as Zeta hurried past him, after handing off the suits. He looked at the suits, and then at Mr. Smith. He simply shrugged, "I thought she was the bodyguard who carried Luca's things. Not me for her." he chuckled at his rather bad little joke while nudging Mr. Smith. "By the way did I ever actually buy that suit that i used yesterday? It's all kind of a blur from after the standoff."

In the name of all that was holy! Ivan the Idiot and Nasty Naoko had left; it was considerable pressure off of Matt's shoulders, and he enjoyed it as best as he could by shopping like a normal man in a business suit with a pair of concealed handguns could. Even the ticking had vanished along with Ivan! What luck! "Sure thing Zeta - I mean - Miss Five." Smith spoke, tripping over his own words. Embarrassed at the slip, he quickly busied himself with picking up two pairs of what Zeta had recommended, plus something for himself. Normal clothing.

Clothing so Normal that they need not be described. As he made his selection however, the sudden lack of Enzo's presence brought the man back into his thoughts. He didn't like the idea of the Neko growing up. He was defensive of the Neko. And other things, all of which could mean anything. Smith couldn't jump to a conclusion yet; no need to be hasty. As he checked out the items, he answer's Robert's question.

"I'm afraid not, it was just a trial run." The Origin Representative paid for the various goods before going on. "I can pipe an order through right now if you want though. But remember, be sure to edit your character profile afterwords,." Smith spoke. His eyebrows suddenly shot up, eyes looking about frantically out of further embarassment. "Uh. I must be really out of it or something..." the Origin Rep muttered.

He then threw a question Robert and Arin's way to change the topic.

"Hey, this might seem odd, but what do you two think of Enzo and Naoko? Was all that standard with them?" Smith asked as casually as he could.

As much as Ivan wanted a full fledged street battle even he knew he had neither the capability nor the firepower to take on the forces OriSec had coming for him. The lack of heavy kit left him with limited options, none of which struck him as pleasant. Pulling the NAM grenade's timed fuse out of the top he tossed it to the side just as it went off leaving a small scorch mark on the walkway surface.

"You're probably tired. I would like it if you ran that order for me later though." Robert nodded understandingly. "And what happened with Enzo, and Shortstuff?" he asked. "I Only caught the tail end of it. But I don't think they've ever argued before. The only person she ever argued with before landing here is Vincent."