I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain't it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball...
ABBA - Money Money Money
(This takes place between Mission 2 and Mission 3, starring @Luca and @Yoshi)
ON!
Crimson Kestrel, Engineering Bay on Top Deck
The ship was flying itself, and things were calm on the Crimson Kestrel after all the craziness that'd happened down on the ground. Echelon was in the engineering room behind the bridge, in the workshop with Allison.
"So, these new parts for our plasma drive," Allison said as she watched a component extrude from a 3D printer, watching it with a tilted head, "Where'd you say you got them?"
"D0WNL04D3D TH3M."
"All the schematic diagrams here are in Lorath. I can't read much of it, but I think that's a K," she said as she watched the item finally extrude and rest to harden, lasers in the device cutting away the 'offcuts' and support structures to keep it upright during extrusion. "Okay, done," she said as she grabbed the part with a gloved hand and examined it.
It was a coolant valve array for one of the main lines to keep the Inline Aether to Plasma drives in good shape, and according to what Echelon had translated it was meant to be practically indefinite in use. "D0N'T FRET. 1 D0WNL04D3D 4 C4R 0NCE."
"You did?"
"1T D1DN'T G0 V3RY F4R."
Allison sighed, placed the part with a box of other finished parts, put the box on a trolley and got ready to wheel it down to the Cargo bay. The doors out and to the elevator opened for her automatically, and she passed by a familiar face on the way there, "Hey Tani," she said.
"he..Hellos!" She smiled and looked up from crate she was poking around in. She slowly reached up and pulled a oilly canvas tarp down trying to hide what was in the crate. She wasn't sure it it would be a good idea of everyone knowing about her MINDY, the only one she knew of outside of SAoY's direct control.
"How goes?"
"Oh, same old. I just finished printing some new parts for the engines in this ship, I'm going to fit them in once we're back home," Allison said as she put the trolley down and the crate with it with a thump. The contents inside the crate could be heard rattling gently, cushioned by packing pellets. "What're you doing down here?"
Tani looked back over her shoulder at the covered crate, "I was... I was" She frowned for a moment before coming up with something. "I was checking over my gifts from the last chance lottery. "I got some QNC engine parts and a moble spanner... I was thinking of trying to sell them to get the funds to cover a side project or two when we arrive back a Sargasso."
"Oh, neat. I entered a photo this year but I got disqualified," Allison sighed, "'too lewd' apparently," she groaned. Maybe she just entered the wrong competition, but her 'Leather Goddess from Phobos' was turning the wrong sorts of heads. "At least Luca got a popular picture in. I wonder what he'll get? He got a freaking Hoplite last time!"
She pointed to the half-dead space fighter sitting in the hangar, not far away.
"the engine parts are yours... If you can point me to someone who could get me the equipment I need." she smiled and pulled the box of parts out from between the legs of the MINDY. "I need stuff that aren't on the shelves of your local market." she smiled hoping not to have to explain too much here.
Allison looked at the legs of that familiar power armour silhouette. She used to do armoury for them. "I get you..." she said, nodding slowly. "I know someone. They're upstairs right now, maybe you already know who."
"Do I?" She reached up with her PA greased hands and scratched her forehead, leaving a black grease mark there. "If that's so... then I don't need to give you these." She grinned but set the box of parts down in front of Allison. "Who is it? And can they keep quite?"
"Ech, of course. They downloaded a whole car," Allison said, almost surprised that Tani didn't go for them first. "She has a few, well, militant friends, we're in their good books - just don't mention Neko to them and you should be fine."
She leant in to whisper, "They're still sore about the lighthouse thing."
"Oh.. Well right..." She frowned, she kept forgetting that her new friend was an enemy of the state... One she had been taught to hate for her first breath. "I guess, no vid chats then..." she unconsciously touched her left ear, again leaving more grease behind.
"Well then if you'd excuse me I need to go speak to her..." She glanced back to the crate noticing the legs sticking out again. She quickly fixed the tarpaulin and looked back at Allison questioningly.
"What? It has nice legs," she said.
Tani started worrying about ther PA, It was the first she ever wore, and if some one tried to do anything to it she would be helpless in the operation. It would be like losing her lucky green toe socks.
"Um... Yeah it does... but it's not what you think it is."
Allison waved goodbye as she continued her chores. There was a lot to sort through to get ready for this engine upgrade. Tani was left with herself, and directions to head to the Engineering Room on Deck 1, behind the Bridge.
Witha glance back at her crate, Tani started up to where Ech was. She ws trying to come up with a good reason why she was needing to order parts for a MINDY, with out saying she had a MINDY.
As she entered the Engineering Room, She called out for Ech. "You in here? Was told I could find you here."
Echelon seemed to be holding a pair of toys, one of a dinosaur, another of a Captain Phoenix action figure, and she was making them fight. "0H41," she said as she put the toys down on her workbench, single red eye swivelling to face Tani. "H3R3 T0 T4LK SH0P? 1 TH1NK 1 R3M3MB3R Y0U T3LL1NG M3 S0M3TH1NG AB0UT TH1S 4T TH3 41RP0RT S0M3TH1NG 4B0UT..."
She let Tani finish that sentence. Echelon seemed relaxed, all chores done, nothing to do.
"Yeah.. um.. I need things... that aren't exactly legal." She looked around for a moments before whispering, "Modules for a MINDY M2-2D." She tensed up, hoping Echelon wouldn't be upset or something that she had smuggled aboard a weapon of mass destruction.
Echelon blinked - well, rather a camera aperture could be heard closing and opening at her in surprise without taking a picture. "W3LL TH3N," she said. "4T L34ST 1TS N0T 4S D3STRUCT1V3 4S, S4Y, R3B3K4 0R 4N 43TH3R SH0CK 4RR4Y."
Echelon motioned for Tani to come closer. She didn't seem put off or hostile to the request, but it had gotten her interest.
With a nod Tani came into the room and over to the area Ech had been playing in. "I like your action toys." She smiled hoping that she wasn't in too much trouble. "I... I.. could use some add ons that would make my job easier, and allow me to repair the PA with out a support bay on a SAoY ship... Since if I showed up there, I might get arrested or worse." She winched at her own statement. 'Hell if SAINT found out... Oh Crap...'
"W3LL TH3 W4Y 1 S33 1T, 4 M1NDY L4Y1NG 4R0UND H3R3 1S JUST 1C1NG 0N TH3 C4K3, TH3R3'S SHITL04DS M0R3 W3 C0ULD B3 ARR3ST3D F0R," Echelon seemed dismissive of the consequences mostly since to a lot of people, she was what they'd call a hero. Heroes got to get away with things if it meant the bigger picture or the short term was saved. "BUT TH4T M4TT3RS N0T, 'C0URSE,"
She wiggled her fingers into the air and looked at Tani. "WH4T S0RT 0F M0DUL3S YOU 4FT3R? 1 C0ULD G3T TH3M D3L1V3R3D T0 S4RG4SS0."
"She smiled and brought up the list in her head. "Well I'm going to need a Nodal Fab Module, for starters, it'll let me repair the PA and other things. Then a Kalamari unit, they're great for working with explosives. Two units each of Leg NSB launchers, and Shoulder Capacitors." she blushed at the long list of things.
"Then on top of that list, I only have about ten grand to get it all..." She cringed again realizing that was almost everything she had in her accounts.
"HM," Echelon tried to be as subtle as she could, putting her fingers against her chin. "W3LL, H0W F4R 4FT3RM4RK3T 4R3 Y0U TH1NK1NG - W3 C0ULD BUY D4M4G3D 0R S3C0NDH4ND R4TH3R TH4N BR4ND N3W - 4LLY 4ND 1 H4V3 TH3 T00LS T0 F1X 3V3RYTH1NG."
"TH3 C4P4C1T0R 1S 0N3 0F TH3 34S13R P4RTS T0 G3T S1NC3 1TS 34SY T0 C0PY," she nodded "1T'LL S3T Y0U B4CK 2 GR4ND, 0UTT4 TH3 B0X." She wanted to test the waters with Tani as she kept examining buyers prices with her hardware. To Tani's left, the central schematics and display screen that dominated the view of the Engineering Room was now displaying Tani's requested parts and prices for each of them. "TH4T'S 4S L0W 4S 1 C4N F1ND. 1 G0T CL0UT BUT 1 G0T F4M3 T00."
Prices high and low kept flashing, as well as accounting for who was selling, Echelon was in a network of her own, checking and double checking traits about each seller - whether they delivered good or delivered bum deals or went overtime on delivery. The ones who were selling for less had those negative traits.
Walking over to the screen Tani started reading the list, and marking different items. "I would prefer that people don't know about the suit until I need to use it... But with a welder and some scrap material I can make it look not so much like a Mindy... Um.." she poked at a few of the listings. "are these folks reliable? Or will they turn back and report the sales?"
"TH3 0N3S WH0 D0 D0N'T L4ST L0NG. TH3Y G3T R3W4RD3D 4S 4 TR41T0R D3S3RVES."
With a nod Mako looked back to the list, "Then if we can get good stuff cheap, and then fix it, then let's do that. But I'm not a mechanic... At all..." She stressed, "I can maintain it, and I learned to weld in my free time at my last posting, but I can repair stuff."
"G00D!" she said as she looked at the other parts Tani wanted.
They browsed for a little. "TH3 F4BR1C4T0R 1S TH3 M0ST 3XP3NS1V3 P4RT 0F TH1S - 1 C4N G3T 4 D4M4G3D 0N3 F0R 6 GR4ND FR0M S0M30N3 WH0'LL D3L1V3R 1T 4 B1T L4T3R TH4N USU4L..."
Then onto the Manipulator Arms. "0H TH1S 0N3'S 0N D1SC0UNT B3C4US3 TH3 S3LL3R M4N4G3D T0 R41D 4 FR0NT13R B4S3 4ND T4K3 S0M3 4ND M0R3! G0TT4 CL34R 4FT3R 4LL. 2K 0NLY." She had left the exact meanings of how they'd gotten their wares up in the air. Raiding a frontier base? Well, Yamatai was spreading its butter very thin out on the frontiers after all - a shadow of its normal power closer to the core.
Finally, the Leg Launchers. "W3LL, 1T'LL B3 4K F0R TH3 L4UNCH3R, W1TH 4LL 1TS DR0N3S... BUT TH4T PUTS US 6K 0VER. T3LL Y0U WH4T, 1 C4N F00T TH3 6K F0R YOU 4ND Y0U C4N P4Y M3 B4CK L4T3R. 1 H4VE PL3NTY 0F C4SH."
A 16 grand bill, and the possibility that the parts might be damaged beyond repair, or delivered a bit later than Tani might want. Was she willing to take the risk?
She frowned again, and reached up to rub the cresses on her forehead, smearing grease across it. "I have in total eleven grand. I can give you everything I got... But then I'm flat broke, no more funds, nothing, until I get my next payroll... I only make about three O one a month..." She sighed, "you think it's worth it?" She turned and looked back a Ech.
"N0T 1NCLUD1NG B0NUS P4Y F0R D4NG3R0US M1SS10NS." Echelon observed, "Y0U C0ULD BE R31MBURS3D BY D01NG JUST 0N3 M1SS10N F0R US."
It was a possibility. The room and board was always free, meals were provided as well, but the wage itself was fairly low.
"Okay then do it, I'll owe you for the next million years too." She grinned, "Not just for the cash but the fact they'll need work before I can attach them... And for your silence." She figured she would be in the hole for close to ten grand in the end, but it would be worth it. With the kit she would be a small mobile explosive battalion on her own.
"YOU H4V3 MY S1L3NCE, TH4T'S F0R FR33." Echelon nodded, head leaning in close and inspecting Tani's face close up, looking at the absence of pores that a Nekovalkyrja had. "1 KN0W M4NY, M4NY S3CR3TS, BUT 4T TH3 S4M3 T1M3, 1 KN0W N0TH1NG F0R 4NY0N3 BUT TH0S3 WH0 CONFID3 1N M3 1ND1V1DU4LLY."
She then started putting the orders in, and paying with her own wallet for each of the parts, while taking Tani's 10K on offer. The bill came to 16K, including shipping and handling. Why Echelon would need such things to onlookers was odd, but she had a history of ordering many and varied things.
"1T'LL B3 1N S4RG4SS0 1N TW0 T0 F0UR W33KS. 1'LL K33P 1T TR4CK3D."
"Thank you... I can't wait to get it. Plus I need to come up with a custom paint job for it. It's marked for SAoY, so I doubt I should keep it coloured that way. Any ideas?" Ech had covered more then a third of the bill, it was only right for her to pick out the colours for the PA.
"C0ULD P41NT 1T TH3S3 C0L0URS," Echelon said as the Phoenix's logo appeared. It was a pentagon with white and black borders (in that order) and an orange interior with "ISC PHOENIX" written on it in white. "TH0S3 4R3 0UR T34M C0L0URS."
"I guess we could do that... though the Orange is a bit bright for a combat suit... We could." she started tapping on the screen and put the orange on the shoulder pads and under the the joints, then made the rest of the suit black with the white highlights. "What do you think?"
"H4V3 W3 3V3R B33N SUBTL3?"
"uhh... I guess that is true... But my explosions won't be, I'll need to be to get the hi-ex there to make them." She pulled a bit of plastic explosive out of her pocket, it was the very piece she had tried to use when they first met. "Can't very well have to shoot my way to make a explosive distraction." She started forming the lump of grey material into a little bunny.
Echelon looked at the little explosive bunny. Once it had taken a different shape altogether, she didn't recognise that it was the very first piece of explosive Tani had tried to pull on Echelon. "1T N33DS 34RS."
"It does, but that is what detonators are for."
-OFF!
Ain't it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball...
ABBA - Money Money Money
(This takes place between Mission 2 and Mission 3, starring @Luca and @Yoshi)
ON!
Crimson Kestrel, Engineering Bay on Top Deck
The ship was flying itself, and things were calm on the Crimson Kestrel after all the craziness that'd happened down on the ground. Echelon was in the engineering room behind the bridge, in the workshop with Allison.
"So, these new parts for our plasma drive," Allison said as she watched a component extrude from a 3D printer, watching it with a tilted head, "Where'd you say you got them?"
"D0WNL04D3D TH3M."
"All the schematic diagrams here are in Lorath. I can't read much of it, but I think that's a K," she said as she watched the item finally extrude and rest to harden, lasers in the device cutting away the 'offcuts' and support structures to keep it upright during extrusion. "Okay, done," she said as she grabbed the part with a gloved hand and examined it.
It was a coolant valve array for one of the main lines to keep the Inline Aether to Plasma drives in good shape, and according to what Echelon had translated it was meant to be practically indefinite in use. "D0N'T FRET. 1 D0WNL04D3D 4 C4R 0NCE."
"You did?"
"1T D1DN'T G0 V3RY F4R."
Allison sighed, placed the part with a box of other finished parts, put the box on a trolley and got ready to wheel it down to the Cargo bay. The doors out and to the elevator opened for her automatically, and she passed by a familiar face on the way there, "Hey Tani," she said.
"he..Hellos!" She smiled and looked up from crate she was poking around in. She slowly reached up and pulled a oilly canvas tarp down trying to hide what was in the crate. She wasn't sure it it would be a good idea of everyone knowing about her MINDY, the only one she knew of outside of SAoY's direct control.
"How goes?"
"Oh, same old. I just finished printing some new parts for the engines in this ship, I'm going to fit them in once we're back home," Allison said as she put the trolley down and the crate with it with a thump. The contents inside the crate could be heard rattling gently, cushioned by packing pellets. "What're you doing down here?"
Tani looked back over her shoulder at the covered crate, "I was... I was" She frowned for a moment before coming up with something. "I was checking over my gifts from the last chance lottery. "I got some QNC engine parts and a moble spanner... I was thinking of trying to sell them to get the funds to cover a side project or two when we arrive back a Sargasso."
"Oh, neat. I entered a photo this year but I got disqualified," Allison sighed, "'too lewd' apparently," she groaned. Maybe she just entered the wrong competition, but her 'Leather Goddess from Phobos' was turning the wrong sorts of heads. "At least Luca got a popular picture in. I wonder what he'll get? He got a freaking Hoplite last time!"
She pointed to the half-dead space fighter sitting in the hangar, not far away.
"the engine parts are yours... If you can point me to someone who could get me the equipment I need." she smiled and pulled the box of parts out from between the legs of the MINDY. "I need stuff that aren't on the shelves of your local market." she smiled hoping not to have to explain too much here.
Allison looked at the legs of that familiar power armour silhouette. She used to do armoury for them. "I get you..." she said, nodding slowly. "I know someone. They're upstairs right now, maybe you already know who."
"Do I?" She reached up with her PA greased hands and scratched her forehead, leaving a black grease mark there. "If that's so... then I don't need to give you these." She grinned but set the box of parts down in front of Allison. "Who is it? And can they keep quite?"
"Ech, of course. They downloaded a whole car," Allison said, almost surprised that Tani didn't go for them first. "She has a few, well, militant friends, we're in their good books - just don't mention Neko to them and you should be fine."
She leant in to whisper, "They're still sore about the lighthouse thing."
"Oh.. Well right..." She frowned, she kept forgetting that her new friend was an enemy of the state... One she had been taught to hate for her first breath. "I guess, no vid chats then..." she unconsciously touched her left ear, again leaving more grease behind.
"Well then if you'd excuse me I need to go speak to her..." She glanced back to the crate noticing the legs sticking out again. She quickly fixed the tarpaulin and looked back at Allison questioningly.
"What? It has nice legs," she said.
Tani started worrying about ther PA, It was the first she ever wore, and if some one tried to do anything to it she would be helpless in the operation. It would be like losing her lucky green toe socks.
"Um... Yeah it does... but it's not what you think it is."
Allison waved goodbye as she continued her chores. There was a lot to sort through to get ready for this engine upgrade. Tani was left with herself, and directions to head to the Engineering Room on Deck 1, behind the Bridge.
Witha glance back at her crate, Tani started up to where Ech was. She ws trying to come up with a good reason why she was needing to order parts for a MINDY, with out saying she had a MINDY.
As she entered the Engineering Room, She called out for Ech. "You in here? Was told I could find you here."
Echelon seemed to be holding a pair of toys, one of a dinosaur, another of a Captain Phoenix action figure, and she was making them fight. "0H41," she said as she put the toys down on her workbench, single red eye swivelling to face Tani. "H3R3 T0 T4LK SH0P? 1 TH1NK 1 R3M3MB3R Y0U T3LL1NG M3 S0M3TH1NG AB0UT TH1S 4T TH3 41RP0RT S0M3TH1NG 4B0UT..."
She let Tani finish that sentence. Echelon seemed relaxed, all chores done, nothing to do.
"Yeah.. um.. I need things... that aren't exactly legal." She looked around for a moments before whispering, "Modules for a MINDY M2-2D." She tensed up, hoping Echelon wouldn't be upset or something that she had smuggled aboard a weapon of mass destruction.
Echelon blinked - well, rather a camera aperture could be heard closing and opening at her in surprise without taking a picture. "W3LL TH3N," she said. "4T L34ST 1TS N0T 4S D3STRUCT1V3 4S, S4Y, R3B3K4 0R 4N 43TH3R SH0CK 4RR4Y."
Echelon motioned for Tani to come closer. She didn't seem put off or hostile to the request, but it had gotten her interest.
With a nod Tani came into the room and over to the area Ech had been playing in. "I like your action toys." She smiled hoping that she wasn't in too much trouble. "I... I.. could use some add ons that would make my job easier, and allow me to repair the PA with out a support bay on a SAoY ship... Since if I showed up there, I might get arrested or worse." She winched at her own statement. 'Hell if SAINT found out... Oh Crap...'
"W3LL TH3 W4Y 1 S33 1T, 4 M1NDY L4Y1NG 4R0UND H3R3 1S JUST 1C1NG 0N TH3 C4K3, TH3R3'S SHITL04DS M0R3 W3 C0ULD B3 ARR3ST3D F0R," Echelon seemed dismissive of the consequences mostly since to a lot of people, she was what they'd call a hero. Heroes got to get away with things if it meant the bigger picture or the short term was saved. "BUT TH4T M4TT3RS N0T, 'C0URSE,"
She wiggled her fingers into the air and looked at Tani. "WH4T S0RT 0F M0DUL3S YOU 4FT3R? 1 C0ULD G3T TH3M D3L1V3R3D T0 S4RG4SS0."
"She smiled and brought up the list in her head. "Well I'm going to need a Nodal Fab Module, for starters, it'll let me repair the PA and other things. Then a Kalamari unit, they're great for working with explosives. Two units each of Leg NSB launchers, and Shoulder Capacitors." she blushed at the long list of things.
"Then on top of that list, I only have about ten grand to get it all..." She cringed again realizing that was almost everything she had in her accounts.
"HM," Echelon tried to be as subtle as she could, putting her fingers against her chin. "W3LL, H0W F4R 4FT3RM4RK3T 4R3 Y0U TH1NK1NG - W3 C0ULD BUY D4M4G3D 0R S3C0NDH4ND R4TH3R TH4N BR4ND N3W - 4LLY 4ND 1 H4V3 TH3 T00LS T0 F1X 3V3RYTH1NG."
"TH3 C4P4C1T0R 1S 0N3 0F TH3 34S13R P4RTS T0 G3T S1NC3 1TS 34SY T0 C0PY," she nodded "1T'LL S3T Y0U B4CK 2 GR4ND, 0UTT4 TH3 B0X." She wanted to test the waters with Tani as she kept examining buyers prices with her hardware. To Tani's left, the central schematics and display screen that dominated the view of the Engineering Room was now displaying Tani's requested parts and prices for each of them. "TH4T'S 4S L0W 4S 1 C4N F1ND. 1 G0T CL0UT BUT 1 G0T F4M3 T00."
Prices high and low kept flashing, as well as accounting for who was selling, Echelon was in a network of her own, checking and double checking traits about each seller - whether they delivered good or delivered bum deals or went overtime on delivery. The ones who were selling for less had those negative traits.
Walking over to the screen Tani started reading the list, and marking different items. "I would prefer that people don't know about the suit until I need to use it... But with a welder and some scrap material I can make it look not so much like a Mindy... Um.." she poked at a few of the listings. "are these folks reliable? Or will they turn back and report the sales?"
"TH3 0N3S WH0 D0 D0N'T L4ST L0NG. TH3Y G3T R3W4RD3D 4S 4 TR41T0R D3S3RVES."
With a nod Mako looked back to the list, "Then if we can get good stuff cheap, and then fix it, then let's do that. But I'm not a mechanic... At all..." She stressed, "I can maintain it, and I learned to weld in my free time at my last posting, but I can repair stuff."
"G00D!" she said as she looked at the other parts Tani wanted.
They browsed for a little. "TH3 F4BR1C4T0R 1S TH3 M0ST 3XP3NS1V3 P4RT 0F TH1S - 1 C4N G3T 4 D4M4G3D 0N3 F0R 6 GR4ND FR0M S0M30N3 WH0'LL D3L1V3R 1T 4 B1T L4T3R TH4N USU4L..."
Then onto the Manipulator Arms. "0H TH1S 0N3'S 0N D1SC0UNT B3C4US3 TH3 S3LL3R M4N4G3D T0 R41D 4 FR0NT13R B4S3 4ND T4K3 S0M3 4ND M0R3! G0TT4 CL34R 4FT3R 4LL. 2K 0NLY." She had left the exact meanings of how they'd gotten their wares up in the air. Raiding a frontier base? Well, Yamatai was spreading its butter very thin out on the frontiers after all - a shadow of its normal power closer to the core.
Finally, the Leg Launchers. "W3LL, 1T'LL B3 4K F0R TH3 L4UNCH3R, W1TH 4LL 1TS DR0N3S... BUT TH4T PUTS US 6K 0VER. T3LL Y0U WH4T, 1 C4N F00T TH3 6K F0R YOU 4ND Y0U C4N P4Y M3 B4CK L4T3R. 1 H4VE PL3NTY 0F C4SH."
A 16 grand bill, and the possibility that the parts might be damaged beyond repair, or delivered a bit later than Tani might want. Was she willing to take the risk?
She frowned again, and reached up to rub the cresses on her forehead, smearing grease across it. "I have in total eleven grand. I can give you everything I got... But then I'm flat broke, no more funds, nothing, until I get my next payroll... I only make about three O one a month..." She sighed, "you think it's worth it?" She turned and looked back a Ech.
"N0T 1NCLUD1NG B0NUS P4Y F0R D4NG3R0US M1SS10NS." Echelon observed, "Y0U C0ULD BE R31MBURS3D BY D01NG JUST 0N3 M1SS10N F0R US."
It was a possibility. The room and board was always free, meals were provided as well, but the wage itself was fairly low.
"Okay then do it, I'll owe you for the next million years too." She grinned, "Not just for the cash but the fact they'll need work before I can attach them... And for your silence." She figured she would be in the hole for close to ten grand in the end, but it would be worth it. With the kit she would be a small mobile explosive battalion on her own.
"YOU H4V3 MY S1L3NCE, TH4T'S F0R FR33." Echelon nodded, head leaning in close and inspecting Tani's face close up, looking at the absence of pores that a Nekovalkyrja had. "1 KN0W M4NY, M4NY S3CR3TS, BUT 4T TH3 S4M3 T1M3, 1 KN0W N0TH1NG F0R 4NY0N3 BUT TH0S3 WH0 CONFID3 1N M3 1ND1V1DU4LLY."
She then started putting the orders in, and paying with her own wallet for each of the parts, while taking Tani's 10K on offer. The bill came to 16K, including shipping and handling. Why Echelon would need such things to onlookers was odd, but she had a history of ordering many and varied things.
"1T'LL B3 1N S4RG4SS0 1N TW0 T0 F0UR W33KS. 1'LL K33P 1T TR4CK3D."
"Thank you... I can't wait to get it. Plus I need to come up with a custom paint job for it. It's marked for SAoY, so I doubt I should keep it coloured that way. Any ideas?" Ech had covered more then a third of the bill, it was only right for her to pick out the colours for the PA.
"C0ULD P41NT 1T TH3S3 C0L0URS," Echelon said as the Phoenix's logo appeared. It was a pentagon with white and black borders (in that order) and an orange interior with "ISC PHOENIX" written on it in white. "TH0S3 4R3 0UR T34M C0L0URS."
"I guess we could do that... though the Orange is a bit bright for a combat suit... We could." she started tapping on the screen and put the orange on the shoulder pads and under the the joints, then made the rest of the suit black with the white highlights. "What do you think?"
"H4V3 W3 3V3R B33N SUBTL3?"
"uhh... I guess that is true... But my explosions won't be, I'll need to be to get the hi-ex there to make them." She pulled a bit of plastic explosive out of her pocket, it was the very piece she had tried to use when they first met. "Can't very well have to shoot my way to make a explosive distraction." She started forming the lump of grey material into a little bunny.
Echelon looked at the little explosive bunny. Once it had taken a different shape altogether, she didn't recognise that it was the very first piece of explosive Tani had tried to pull on Echelon. "1T N33DS 34RS."
"It does, but that is what detonators are for."
-OFF!
