Z
Zack
ON> DIVE, an ironically swanky bar, Nepleslia
"Just the man I wanted to see, I'm glad you had a moment to spare for me," Uso said as she leaned against the bar, her smile impeccably white, and her dress impossibly black, the material hanging off one shoulder with a thin gold chain acting as the other shoulder strap, the slim dress hugging her curves at the top of her body before ending right at the knees in a wide skirt. The dress was using all sorts of clever tricks and technology to make it seem like the dress wasn't a piece of fabric, but instead was a little cut-out of reality showing an endless star field, tricking the eyes into trying to focus on distant stars... and making the viewer feel like they were just about to trip and fall out into the black star-filled voice of space.
"I do appreciate your time, so I am going to do you a favor right off the bat and give you some cards to work with. Frankly I don't have the kinda time I used to and while I'd normally love to just stick my nose all up in your business.... really... you know, undress you...I just don't have that luxury..."
Uso would turn so that her back was towards the bar, leaning against it and looking at her new friend from the side, flagging down the bar tender,
"Just make me one of whatever you drink..."
Uso would then turn her attention back towards him,
"Alex... whateverhislastnamewas... The people who had his parents killed. I want them. You probably have them if you aren't them yourself."
Romanov would look at Uso with a dumbfounded look on his face. "Excuse me? Alex? I'm sorry but I don't think I know anyone named that who has been apart of my company much less one who had been tortured. You might be talking about the Original. The one we base all our mecha clones off of. I assure you that I've already dealt with those people personally. I had told them to conduct their research how they saw fit. I never meant for them to take it that far. I do still have one of the original team with me. She's the one who tipped me off. If you want her I can arrange something I'm sure."
Romanov had brought some bodyguards with them though they didn't stand out of place more than any of the other 'exotic' people who usually came with him. One was a Troll hybrid of some sort and the other was a Kodian.
"That sounds like a start," Uso said, a wide rimmed glass garnished with some-kind of fruit, and a dazzling array if colorful swirls inside of it was placed in front of her by the bartender, "... because 'I already dealt with it' sounds a lot like, 'fuck off and stop bothering me' and I really do want to establish a more trusting and open relationship than that."
Romanov would straighten his close and check his watch. "Miss... Tasuki was it? I will tell you this now as I do not wish to waste your time beating around the bush, but the only 'open' relationships I have are with my close friend Mister Smith and a select few of my close staff and I never trust anyone I haven't known for less than 5 years. So your request will be a hard one to fill."
Feeling satisfied about this response Romanov sat back in his chair and ordered himself a drink. "The usual."
"I don't like making threats, its like 'just get the balls together and do it' you know?" Uso said, testing out her drink with a small sip, "... So, thank you for your time, I'll go have a chat with Mr. Smith and your... 'original team' person regarding this. I do hope you'll work hard enough to leave me satisfied regarding this inquiry of mine. I am certain if it is handled well we could open up a line of business with you to make up for your recent client loss."
Uso bunched her fist up and made a quiet 'boom' sound, mimicking an explosion with her hand.
Romanov sighed. "I am aware of your recent... run in with some of my companies products and would like to apologize for the inconvenience they gave you. As for clients I have many but we could always use more. If you want I wouldn't mind sending a team back to 188604 with you."
"As for Mister Smith he is quite busy the same goes for the others we are all very busy. It is hard to keep things running as you should know being an... Empress was it. Either way I am somewhat concerned with how you and your 'people' operate. Blowing up installations is not good for business and slows down production a great deal."
"What I mean by this is that I hope I don't get on your bad side. You may consider my company as an ally in your future endeavors so long as it does not sling mud on the dream all of us at Psychopomp have strode so hard to achieve."
"We have certainly had mixed results with your products, but they have left a positive impression overall. However, this issue with the original model is a bit personal. Before we can do any kind of additional business it needs to be addressed."
Uso would finish off her drink one one quick gulp,
"Thanks for your time. Have your people forward me the number of that 'original team member' of yours."
"No we have not since they are nearby. We have however sent you Smith's facility so that you may talk to him afterwards. The team member is at a PMC branch 4 blocks East of here seeing to the new recruits."
"I do appreciate you being accommodating," Uso said, tapping on the bar and bringing up her payment screen, purchasing the next round for Romanov and his bodyguards, "Enjoy the drinks,"
Without another word, she'd head for the door, getting her own datapad out from under her skirt and sending a message to her next target.
"Hey there Mr. Smith, do you have some time to talk in the next hour or two?
--XOXO
Uso Tasuki"
Paul's datapad would go off, waking him up. "Now who would be messaging me at such a time? I thought I said that I didn't want to be disturbed." Rubbing his eyes before quickly reading the message Paul racked his brain. "Uso Tasuki, who is that? Well might as well see what she has to say." He would send a reply back.
"Sure I'm assuming you already know where I am so I leave that bit out. Please let it be quick I have a lot of work to do and I haven't slept much in awhile."
--Paul Smith
Psychopomp's facility wasn't that far from the Business district where the earlier meeting took place. Uso would head straight there without changing out of her dress.
"I'll be quick then, mind getting the door for me?
-Uso"
"Sure."
-Paul
Paul would get up and unlock the door before brewing himself a pot of coffee.
A few moments later Uso would be happy to let herself in, taking a walk around the place as she drunk in her surroundings, "So what do you know about the OG clone guy Mr. Paul?" Uso asked, quite out loud, "I'd love it if you told me the whole story."
"All I know is that Kris had put a team in charge of the kid after his parents passed. Close friends of mine actually. The kid went missing last year and I haven't heard anything about him since."
"Want some coffee?"
"I would... but it doesn't have an affect on me," Uso said, holding up her 3 fingered hand. Her NH-7 physiology was immune to things like Caffeine... "... but I really would like to hear more about what happened. When did his parents pass? Why was he at Psychopomp?..."
"The boy's parents passed after retiring I was told. Horrible accident, murdered in their own home. Alex was the only to survive. We took him into Psychopomp and taught him what he would need to know to pull his own weight. I visited him from time to time to give him a gift, but he was always busy, or so I was told."
"So you and Romanov never really saw the boy? Who was responsible for taking care of him? Did you ever investigate the murder?" Uso asked.
"I would have investigated if I could but I can't stand that kind of stuff. Get woozy just thinking about it. There is one person who I had investigate the murder. It didn't come back too clear and I have my suspicions, but they are a bit far fetched and I don't know if they could be true. If you want I can call my investigator over she just finished rehab."
"I would looove to hear your suspicions. Why don't you call up your girl and we can all have a talk?" Uso asked, taking a look around the place again for somewhere to sit and wait.
"Sure." Paul would message his friend and press a button on a nearby table. Chairs would rise up form the floor around it. "I don't usually have visitors but I'm never unprepared for anything. You hungry?"
Not much later a small woman would enter through the door carrying a lot of papers. "I got your message and rushed over. What do you need to see this time?"
"The Romanov files if you would." The woman would pull out the thickest of the folders and lay it on the table.
"Now Miss Tasuki Romanov is a great guy and he's brought this company from the brink many times but lately he's been... different. Almost like a predator when it comes to the company, sends chills down my spine. Now while the old Romanov wouldn't have been able to even trample a flower to get things done, this new persona of his however wouldn't even think about it."
Uso would end up leaning against the table, "I'm sure he's a great leader of men, but my concern right now is how he related to Alex and his situation."
Paul would quickly look over the small cluttered room that was his workstation/parlor. "Well you see when Alex's parents first left Romanov had a fit but within a week he had calmed down which is quite quick for one of his 'tantrums' and he hasn't had one since other. Well that's a lie he did have one when he heard you blew up billions of dollars worth of merchandise and then his client left him to deal with the police. But what I'm getting at here is that that kid is some sort of key to what Romanov has been doing behind my back but I just don't know what it is yet. All I do know is that it can't be good. I'm sorry I can't help you more than this but even I couldn't dig much deeper than this."
"Well, good for you." Uso said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, that crossness coming across in her voice as well, "You basically don't know shit, but you have your suspicions. I get that. How do I get more? Your buddy have some kinda file repository? Someone else who might know a bit more? What stopped your investigation?"
Uso's tone angered Paul though he tried not to show it. "Well Miss Tasuki, Romanov keeps all of his records in his office in multiple safes that he doesn't share the codes to anyone. Also we had to stop because Romanov started to catch on andbegan watching us."
"Mhm..... so tell me what you suspect happened then." Uso asked.
Paul gave a sigh of relief. "Well what I figure is that when Alex's parents ran off with Alex, the only successful gene manipulation subject to that point, Romanov became angry with losing such an important part of research. So he decided to take matters into his own hands and probably sent a team after them to recover his 'merchandise'."
"Just the man I wanted to see, I'm glad you had a moment to spare for me," Uso said as she leaned against the bar, her smile impeccably white, and her dress impossibly black, the material hanging off one shoulder with a thin gold chain acting as the other shoulder strap, the slim dress hugging her curves at the top of her body before ending right at the knees in a wide skirt. The dress was using all sorts of clever tricks and technology to make it seem like the dress wasn't a piece of fabric, but instead was a little cut-out of reality showing an endless star field, tricking the eyes into trying to focus on distant stars... and making the viewer feel like they were just about to trip and fall out into the black star-filled voice of space.
"I do appreciate your time, so I am going to do you a favor right off the bat and give you some cards to work with. Frankly I don't have the kinda time I used to and while I'd normally love to just stick my nose all up in your business.... really... you know, undress you...I just don't have that luxury..."
Uso would turn so that her back was towards the bar, leaning against it and looking at her new friend from the side, flagging down the bar tender,
"Just make me one of whatever you drink..."
Uso would then turn her attention back towards him,
"Alex... whateverhislastnamewas... The people who had his parents killed. I want them. You probably have them if you aren't them yourself."
Romanov would look at Uso with a dumbfounded look on his face. "Excuse me? Alex? I'm sorry but I don't think I know anyone named that who has been apart of my company much less one who had been tortured. You might be talking about the Original. The one we base all our mecha clones off of. I assure you that I've already dealt with those people personally. I had told them to conduct their research how they saw fit. I never meant for them to take it that far. I do still have one of the original team with me. She's the one who tipped me off. If you want her I can arrange something I'm sure."
Romanov had brought some bodyguards with them though they didn't stand out of place more than any of the other 'exotic' people who usually came with him. One was a Troll hybrid of some sort and the other was a Kodian.
"That sounds like a start," Uso said, a wide rimmed glass garnished with some-kind of fruit, and a dazzling array if colorful swirls inside of it was placed in front of her by the bartender, "... because 'I already dealt with it' sounds a lot like, 'fuck off and stop bothering me' and I really do want to establish a more trusting and open relationship than that."
Romanov would straighten his close and check his watch. "Miss... Tasuki was it? I will tell you this now as I do not wish to waste your time beating around the bush, but the only 'open' relationships I have are with my close friend Mister Smith and a select few of my close staff and I never trust anyone I haven't known for less than 5 years. So your request will be a hard one to fill."
Feeling satisfied about this response Romanov sat back in his chair and ordered himself a drink. "The usual."
"I don't like making threats, its like 'just get the balls together and do it' you know?" Uso said, testing out her drink with a small sip, "... So, thank you for your time, I'll go have a chat with Mr. Smith and your... 'original team' person regarding this. I do hope you'll work hard enough to leave me satisfied regarding this inquiry of mine. I am certain if it is handled well we could open up a line of business with you to make up for your recent client loss."
Uso bunched her fist up and made a quiet 'boom' sound, mimicking an explosion with her hand.
Romanov sighed. "I am aware of your recent... run in with some of my companies products and would like to apologize for the inconvenience they gave you. As for clients I have many but we could always use more. If you want I wouldn't mind sending a team back to 188604 with you."
"As for Mister Smith he is quite busy the same goes for the others we are all very busy. It is hard to keep things running as you should know being an... Empress was it. Either way I am somewhat concerned with how you and your 'people' operate. Blowing up installations is not good for business and slows down production a great deal."
"What I mean by this is that I hope I don't get on your bad side. You may consider my company as an ally in your future endeavors so long as it does not sling mud on the dream all of us at Psychopomp have strode so hard to achieve."
"We have certainly had mixed results with your products, but they have left a positive impression overall. However, this issue with the original model is a bit personal. Before we can do any kind of additional business it needs to be addressed."
Uso would finish off her drink one one quick gulp,
"Thanks for your time. Have your people forward me the number of that 'original team member' of yours."
"No we have not since they are nearby. We have however sent you Smith's facility so that you may talk to him afterwards. The team member is at a PMC branch 4 blocks East of here seeing to the new recruits."
"I do appreciate you being accommodating," Uso said, tapping on the bar and bringing up her payment screen, purchasing the next round for Romanov and his bodyguards, "Enjoy the drinks,"
Without another word, she'd head for the door, getting her own datapad out from under her skirt and sending a message to her next target.
"Hey there Mr. Smith, do you have some time to talk in the next hour or two?
--XOXO
Uso Tasuki"
Paul's datapad would go off, waking him up. "Now who would be messaging me at such a time? I thought I said that I didn't want to be disturbed." Rubbing his eyes before quickly reading the message Paul racked his brain. "Uso Tasuki, who is that? Well might as well see what she has to say." He would send a reply back.
"Sure I'm assuming you already know where I am so I leave that bit out. Please let it be quick I have a lot of work to do and I haven't slept much in awhile."
--Paul Smith
Psychopomp's facility wasn't that far from the Business district where the earlier meeting took place. Uso would head straight there without changing out of her dress.
"I'll be quick then, mind getting the door for me?
-Uso"
"Sure."
-Paul
Paul would get up and unlock the door before brewing himself a pot of coffee.
A few moments later Uso would be happy to let herself in, taking a walk around the place as she drunk in her surroundings, "So what do you know about the OG clone guy Mr. Paul?" Uso asked, quite out loud, "I'd love it if you told me the whole story."
"All I know is that Kris had put a team in charge of the kid after his parents passed. Close friends of mine actually. The kid went missing last year and I haven't heard anything about him since."
"Want some coffee?"
"I would... but it doesn't have an affect on me," Uso said, holding up her 3 fingered hand. Her NH-7 physiology was immune to things like Caffeine... "... but I really would like to hear more about what happened. When did his parents pass? Why was he at Psychopomp?..."
"The boy's parents passed after retiring I was told. Horrible accident, murdered in their own home. Alex was the only to survive. We took him into Psychopomp and taught him what he would need to know to pull his own weight. I visited him from time to time to give him a gift, but he was always busy, or so I was told."
"So you and Romanov never really saw the boy? Who was responsible for taking care of him? Did you ever investigate the murder?" Uso asked.
"I would have investigated if I could but I can't stand that kind of stuff. Get woozy just thinking about it. There is one person who I had investigate the murder. It didn't come back too clear and I have my suspicions, but they are a bit far fetched and I don't know if they could be true. If you want I can call my investigator over she just finished rehab."
"I would looove to hear your suspicions. Why don't you call up your girl and we can all have a talk?" Uso asked, taking a look around the place again for somewhere to sit and wait.
"Sure." Paul would message his friend and press a button on a nearby table. Chairs would rise up form the floor around it. "I don't usually have visitors but I'm never unprepared for anything. You hungry?"
Not much later a small woman would enter through the door carrying a lot of papers. "I got your message and rushed over. What do you need to see this time?"
"The Romanov files if you would." The woman would pull out the thickest of the folders and lay it on the table.
"Now Miss Tasuki Romanov is a great guy and he's brought this company from the brink many times but lately he's been... different. Almost like a predator when it comes to the company, sends chills down my spine. Now while the old Romanov wouldn't have been able to even trample a flower to get things done, this new persona of his however wouldn't even think about it."
Uso would end up leaning against the table, "I'm sure he's a great leader of men, but my concern right now is how he related to Alex and his situation."
Paul would quickly look over the small cluttered room that was his workstation/parlor. "Well you see when Alex's parents first left Romanov had a fit but within a week he had calmed down which is quite quick for one of his 'tantrums' and he hasn't had one since other. Well that's a lie he did have one when he heard you blew up billions of dollars worth of merchandise and then his client left him to deal with the police. But what I'm getting at here is that that kid is some sort of key to what Romanov has been doing behind my back but I just don't know what it is yet. All I do know is that it can't be good. I'm sorry I can't help you more than this but even I couldn't dig much deeper than this."
"Well, good for you." Uso said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, that crossness coming across in her voice as well, "You basically don't know shit, but you have your suspicions. I get that. How do I get more? Your buddy have some kinda file repository? Someone else who might know a bit more? What stopped your investigation?"
Uso's tone angered Paul though he tried not to show it. "Well Miss Tasuki, Romanov keeps all of his records in his office in multiple safes that he doesn't share the codes to anyone. Also we had to stop because Romanov started to catch on andbegan watching us."
"Mhm..... so tell me what you suspect happened then." Uso asked.
Paul gave a sigh of relief. "Well what I figure is that when Alex's parents ran off with Alex, the only successful gene manipulation subject to that point, Romanov became angry with losing such an important part of research. So he decided to take matters into his own hands and probably sent a team after them to recover his 'merchandise'."
