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

Robert looked at it. "Wouldn't it just be easier to weld it onto the suit?" he asked. He wasn't really good at the whole techno-wizard thing. He left that to the experts like Arin and Seiren.

In the meantime, Arin had recieved a letter from NAM HQ somewhat legalizing her presence on the station by having her do inspectionary work, and she had changed back into her NAM Representative uniform. She had wanted to move her workbench and items she had collected from the Big Bird to the Crimson Kestrel, but since she had combined both types of objects into one in the shape of a giant box with the workbench built into the lid to save space, she was quite unable to carry the whole setup alone. Arin had just realized that she had been with Luca's crew for so long now, that she had gathered so many things and underwent so many adventures, that she was no longer capable of simply upping and exiting without leaving something behind both physically and figuratively.

In the meantime the representative was reduced to timidly twiddling her thumbs in Zeta's room, waiting for the bodyguard to return.

That was one good shower. In Zeta's book nothing could beat a felling of hot streams of water sliding down her skin. It made her feel both good and clean. She could stay there for hours but she still needed to get her things from Big Bird and get Enzo describe his ship properly. She wanted to be ready for anything.

That is why after few minutes od enjoying hot water she was already dried herself the best way one can do with one towel. Only then she relized that she probabl should have take some clothes with her. So she had no choice but to use towel as a clothing again as she left shower adn walked back into hall. She then saw Arin in front of her room.

Zeta smiled as she walked and pushed some her wet hair from her face. "Hello Arin, did you get from the mall okay? I had to drag that stupid-face Ivan all the way here." She said as she started punching in the numbers to unlock the doors.

Panther had just left a store with a communicator in hand while thinking of how he would get his memento of Origin when a punk kid walked past him wearing an Origin hoody jacket. Panther sized up the punk as close to his size and came up with a plan. He pulled up his hood and was almost laughing how easy it will be.
The Kohanian walked up to the kid and yelled, "You in the jacket! Your mama is so hairy, she is mistaken for a Kohanian!"

The punk wasn't aware of Panther's true nature, and was slightly off put about the 'your mother' joke. What's the worst that could happen? Were his first thoughts as he rounded a corner into an alley, leading Panther on towards a place familiar to the punk. He wasn't going to give Panther the satisfaction of a response, save for a smug grin.

Panther decided to follow the kid despite his plan to lure the kid to him pretty much failed at this point, I need to hurry this up, I still have a garden I need to transport to the new ship and the jacket would make a good trophy. Also perhaps this could be a decent challenge. Before entering the alley, he bent his arm a bit and quickly moved his arm downward to equip a knife in his right hand. He didn't want to hurt the kid too much, that would also ruin the jacket, but he wasn't about to go into a situation that was not controlled by himself.

"Now, boys!" Was all the punk said as two of his cronies appeared next to him and charged towards Panther, eyes full of violence and opportunism - alongside a lead pipe and a bottle to help them do the talking, they weren't exactly prepared for the fact that they were punching way, way above their weight - it just had to come out.

Panther could see so many ways to send these idiots running, or at least out cold with all the tools at his disposal around the alley, both sharp and blunt - and this was before he took his prowess into consideration. One was charging towards him, in fact, all three of them were as a group, but not an efficient one. By the looks of it, they could interfere with each other.

Panther placed his knife in his pocket before he dashed foward toward the thug with the lead pipe and evaded the thug's swing by turning to the left moving to the thug's right side and grabbed his arm while kicking the back of his knee causing him to buckle and kneel foward.

That pipe-wielding punk hit the ground like a sack of potatoes, possibly breaking a superficial bone or two.

Panther heard the bottle man coming from behind and jump-rolled over his kneeless victim causing the bottle man to miss and trip over his comrade.

The bottle wielding punk tripped over his friend as he was trying to get back up, landing with a crunch and shattering his sunglasses with a tinkle. His next action was nurse the glass that'd gotten embedded in his cheeks and nose.

Panther took this time to pick up an abandoned mop and spun in around as he prepared for their next attack.

The kid in the Origin hoodie blinked in disbelief, and couldn't help but ask, "What are you? The ultimate badass?!"

Panther didn't answer and decided it was time to take his target. He began with a run toward the hoodie kid deciding it was time to take the jacket.

The kid must've gotten a look at Panther's visage, since he was standing there in fear, as a section of his pants became somewhat moist in an embarassing fashion.

The disguised Kohanian's hood fell back right before he jumped toward his opponent while sticking his mop to the ground to increase his distance a little so his kick would conect with the kid's chest. He would then grab the kid's head and throw him to a wall, if successful the kid would slam into the wall and fall down while panther held onto the jacket, helping to relieve the kid of his jacket. He then folded it nicly and walked back out of the alley and back to the hotel to get his things.

-

Eventually, Panther arrived on the ship wearing the Origin hood jacket while holding his mobile garden with his right arm. The new ship was huge, and Panther was excited about exploring the creature from the inside and discovering the many paths he could sneak around in.

He found a room that was not occupied yet and began to settle in, preparing for whatever mission that may come soon.

Luca was feeling restless, the ship should've left by now, "John, are we forgetting anyone?"
"Let me check, hold on," John said as he checked security, and noticed Panther walk in along the deck, "Panther's back. He's gotten a nice hoodie."
"That should be everyone. John, close the hangar, and let's get this show on the road."

Luca then made a shipwide announcement, "Hi guys, I'm about to close up the Hangar and we're gonna get going. I've done a head check, and I know all of you are here," He then assured everyone that: "Nobody will be left behind on Dawn, not even Michio."
Michio was sitting in the cargo bay, with his scrumpy. He burped in response to knowing that the captain still cared about him.

"Point being, we're about to launch on this ship's maiden voyage. Lets hope it goes smoothly," The captain seemed confident about this, "According to John, it'll take us about an hour and a bit to get to Nepleslia Prime," He thought for a moment, "While we're on our way, we need have a meeting about taking back Enzo's ship. I expect anyone who's interested to show up to the Lounge at the front of the ship within the next few minutes. Enzo, this means-es you."

With that, Luca put his jacket on, the one with the shoulder pads, armour plates and stone thread backing. He then proceeded wear the following weapons on his person. The styrling shotgun, the HHG by his side, the Origin 10mm Pistol as a backup and the grenade launcher as heavy ordnance.

He then made his way towards the lounge, and sat down on couch with his arms on his head, and waited for the others. The first faces to show up were Sebastian and Melissa.
"I hope yaknow what yer doing," Melissa grunted as she leaned against the wall, with her rifle on her back making a clank as it impacted against the wall.
"I still wager that its a trap," Sebastian argued, "If it is, we need to make sure we string 'em by their own devices."

Luca grinned, "That's the idea - it'd be easier to do if we knew what we were up against," He nodded sagely, "Once Enzo gets here, we'll try and wring everything we can out of him to make sure we get the best idea, maybe even plans of the ship."

He'd wait for the others before he continued.

It took a few minutes, but it was only a short wait until Naoko appeared, her hair already braided back, even if it hadn't completely dried.yet. It was still dark from where she had bathed, but was drying out with an unnatural quickness, giving it a sort of lighter hue in areas. She had changed into something that, remarkably, actually fit her - a light shirt that hugged her form snugly under a sea green mantle, with baggier trousers and long tabi. She had even tied her hair back with a thin scarf, so for once, the small willowy Naoko was dressed like a woman, as opposed to a waif.

Of course, this was somewhat offset by the pistol holsters over her shoulders, just barely concealed by her small mantle. Whatever she carried or wore, however, Naoko settled down on the other side of the couch, leaned on the other arm, and made herself comfortable, braid pulled forward into her lap as if nothing at all were amiss.

"I found the books," she mentioned, offhandedly. "Demo - I have not opened them yet."

Robert was in the middle of adjusting the metal cover for Seiren. He moved the cover to where it wouldn't fall while he keyed the nearest wall comm. "Hey, Boss. Let me finish up what I'm doing with Seiren and I'll be right there." he noticed the cover about to slip from where he set it down. He quickly rushed over and caught it as it slipped from the ledge.

Just moments after Luca's announcement, Enzo strolled into the ship's loungue, toting his baggage from the escape pod. The bag was significatnly more full than it had been before his rescue-- its original contents replaced with guns. In it, he'd arranged along the sides and bottom of the bag every pistol he owned, each with a different purpose in mind.

His EMP Pistol, the Tiger's Tears, the .357 revolver, the .45 hold-out pistol, the Type 30, the SEP, two ODM 10mm pistols, two Knucklers, and the Peashooter all sat wedged into their own straps and compartments within the case. Under his suit jacket Enzo had his shoulder holster and sevral magazines and speed loaders of spare ammo clipped to his belt.

When he reached the table where everyone was to meet, the sharp-dressed shark removed his Knucklers and his .357 so they could be attached to holsters on his belt and shoulders. He slipped the hold-out pistol into his breast pocket and threw on his duster, seating himself at the table in as dignified a manner as he could whilst still lighting a cigarette.

"So," he began, puffs of smoke filling the air above his head travelling into the vents and probably reducing the replacement lifespan of the oxygen scrubber by a few seconds. "Let's talks about killin' these guys what's dones me wrongs, see?"

Although he was likely to be the one least interested in aiding the crook in retrieving his vessel, Uriel was still present at the table, standing a few paces from it. He was armed like all the rest with his sword and revolver at either hip, his Bible long since put away.

Yes, even though he may not care whether or not Vincenzo Bortelli reclaimed his old craft, the Elysian was never one to shy away from delivering a few unrepentant souls to their graves and the punishment thereafter.

Arin did not mind Zeta's undressed state, she had her share of communal showers back during her college days, it was somewhat normal and practical for her. What she felt was un-normal was a request she was about to make.

"I need help from you to assist in moving my workstation from the Big Bird to the Crimson Kestrel." The Representative wasn't used to asking for help, her job discription was to provide and not request service and she was trained and raised as such, even her education and living expenses prior to graduation sponsored by the goverment was to be repaid with years of service to NAM. Her hands and fingers were interlocked and held close to her chest. The tone of her voice was uncertain and trembling. "I'll pay you and everything!"

"It's alright Robert, take your time." Luca was using the ship to throw his voice via communicator, "The meeting will probably last half an hour anyway, and it's an hour and a half to get to Nepleslia Prime," He then looked over to Enzo, "Lets get your ship back, shall we?"

Luca then asked, "Echelon, get me a visual and data of an Origin Industries Mule, whatever you can."
"Whatever you say, meat-bag person." Echelon grunted for a moment, and in a couple of seconds, the view screen that dominated the Lougne flickered to life with a wireframe image of a Mule Ultralight Freighter. "This was taken from the Public sectors of the Origin Network. Shall I dig deeper?"

"That'll be fine. Is there a floor plan?" Luca asked politely. Eventually, an image coalesced on screen.

"This thing is very small," Luca observed dryly.
"Looks like ya got a bee's dick of sleeping space," Melissa grunted as she tilted her head at the improbably small ship.

"The rooms is nice." Enzo put in and approached the screen at this juncture, drawing his knife. Using the blade as a pointer, he tapped certain portions of the hull layout. First, he drew a square shape over the Engineering section. "It's real heavy on the modifieds side, though." Another sample of the cigarette brought a grimace to his lips as he continued, "An' I hopes they ain't found alls my hidey-holes, lest I have caps's to bust. This space has been flipped-overs, so's to speak. All the access panels has been removsed, so's to allow for extra... 'Storage.' There's guns and drugs ins 'em. A firefight in heres could blow the whole place to high hell."

Next, Enzo drew a small circle over the bridge. "In heres, there's a false setup-- what you call a switcheroo. The door's been replaced with a swinging one 'stead of a slidin' one. This ways, folks can hide behinds it whens they hears footsteps. As for my pirates pals, last I saw ofs 'em, alls they had was two Geshie Light Freights, modded out with innerdictor-type-shits. We can take 'em, easy."

Zeta looked at Arin in slight confusion. "Wait you want to pay me for moving some stuff around? Why would you do that? I will help yer free, we are mates and all," she said while she opened her room and went in. "Come in." She waved to Arin. "By the way, you found yourself room yet? I have free bunk here if you want." She said and let the towel fall down as she walked in. She then moved to clothing on one of the beds to start dressing.

"Well it does seem rather... inequitable." Arin continued to twiddle her tumbs nervously. "Nothing in this galaxy is free, I was born with a price tag, even the Captain pays me money for my services even though my overruling contract is with NAM."

"Everyone else on this ship is also a mercenary, even you." She added.

Panther wore his new Origin hoody with all the trappings of his weapons hidden underneath, his baggy blue pants and running shoes. He entered the lounge right after Enzo was elaborating on his ship details, "The Enzo talks of this ship a lot, and the truth is not the ship but what is on it that is important to him." he said while finding a nice place to lean on, probably a chair.

"Why would one steal a ship like this? If one could explain to this Kohanian? Is this Enzo telling everything or has this one missed out on detail."

"That doesn't matter," the small Nekovalkyrja tagged on to the end of Panther's statement, "Because either way it is clear that we will be taking hold of this ship and what it is carrying at the time is not important. After so long it cannot be anything but a matter of pride - ne, Enzo?"

Rising to her feet, Naoko tossed her braid back over her shoulder and folded her arms beneath her chest. She crossed to be closer to the schematics on the viewscreen, and spent the span of a glance examining it.

"How do you propose to run this down?"

And then he was up. Luca Pavone's announcement woke Smith with a start, his hair was disheveled from the short sleep, and his shirt was wrinkled. Matt quickly popped a bud into his ear, and listened to Mr. Pavone's briefing as he splashed water onto his face before neatly combing his hair. His hand smarted from the earlier fight as he shoved caseless rounds into the magazines, despite the hard plastic like propellant and attached rounds slipping in easily.

Both handguns and knives went into their respective holsters, pat down to make sure everything was on properly and concealed when the suit's jacket went on. A few flicks of the finger, and the tie was redone properly. The jacket went on, and finally, his glasses; he managed to bend the frame back to a semblance of normalcy from earlier. Smith picked up the six pistol magazines and slipped them through the elastic loops inside the suit's pockets; if there was one thing he was glad of, it was the foresight the designers had when designing Origin's apparel.

A turn of the heel, and Smith was out the door.

*****

Mr. Smith silently approached the meeting and kept quiet. Panther was haunting in his hoodie. Uriel looked dashing with sword and pistol by his side. Bortelli was looking spiffy in a new suit of his own, and the Neko was - ASPOIGHLEABGH. The only sign that Smith gave of his internal turmoil and fear was to adjust his tie again. He blinked. Two signs. A bead of cold sweat went down the back of his neck. Fine. Three then.

It, the thing, it was...well, it was it.

Noticing Smith enter in the question's lull, Naoko turned to him and smiled perfectly.

"How about it? Do you think we can catch up to Enzo's ship in this transport?"

Zeta just finished putting her panties on. Hearing what just Arin said she sit on her bed with her bra in her hand. "Well gal," she started. "True is that at first I basically joined as mercenary but now I am bodyguard. I like to make sure that captain and the rest of the crew is okay. That is how I work, since I am not human after all." Zeta replied to Arin.

And for a moment, there was absolute silence. The seconds that ticked by could be counted on a hand. Smith's face then suddenly smiled, giving off a mild, businesslike yet cheery expression. "Hello everyone."

The suddenness of it's appearence though, might as well have been sounded off with a Ding of a bell.