Saturday, March 17, 2012

Koreshi Chronicles - Chapter V : The Webs We Weave pt 2

She came up the bare duracrete steps accompanied by the sound of her heels. She was wearing a red wrap tunic woven tightly around her figure and a pencil skirt with a high slit. She made an impressive entrance. Ti was sitting on some construction material piled on the barren floor of the semi-finished oasis tower. The wind caught her dark hair, and Ti was glad for his cup of warm cawfee.

“You’re late,” he said simply.

“And you’re alone,” she replied.

“As agreed. Do you have my information?”

She smiled like he had paid her a compliment. “Do you have my item?” Her eyes squinted, trying to see Ti, but he had situated himself so he was mostly in shadows. She took a few steps closer until only a few meters separated them. Ti drew out the figurine from his trench coat and put it away again..

“This was very hard to get. I wish you had just asked me where it was, rather than asking me to get it for you.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I hate to admit it, but those Kolsons can be a hard bunch of dawgs to put down.” Her lips curled into a vicious smile and Ti wondered if his ploy was working. She might not be going for it, in which case he hoped the other bluff he had up his sleeve would work.

“I think you’re misunderstanding me. I would have swapped your information on the whereabouts of the man you’re trafficking for information on this little prize of Bellow’s. But for the item itself, one worth three-quarters of a million marks and the gratitude of the Granis, I’m going to need a lot more from you.”

She laughed aloud, suddenly and violently. Throwing her head back, her hair dancing in the wind. “Oh, I think you misunderstand me. I didn’t come alone, my dear. And my men tell me that they haven’t spotted any backup, which mean you will hand over the figurine and I will consider what to do with you. Oh, don’t worry, I may decide to play with you a bit before I’m done. I promise I’ll enjoy myself.”

Ti let out a sigh and threw his cup of cawfee aside, using the distraction to activate the servos. Bashakian’s mirth evaporated under the heat of six laser designators taking a bead on her. She looked up at Ti with a mix of anger and confusion.

“Your men are incompetent, and you’re not as smart as you are pretty, and sister, you ain’t that pretty.” Ti activated a blanketing field that suppressed every communication device within 100 meters except his link to the servos.

“I have no issue with going to the Granis and making a deal with Bellows directly.” Ti crossed his arms, the image of patience and confidence.

“But I have something you want.” She added a little too hastily, trying to recover her composure. A hard thing to do when faced with the threat of six snipers.

“Which, my dear Rahel, is why you are still alive.” He walked over to her; her usual graceful and lithesome figure was brittle and trembling. He put the figurine in her hands -- like placing evidence in the rigor mortis limbs of a dead body after the fact -- and sat back down. The red trails of light still danced over her. “Now, where is the hand-off?”

“If I tell you, you’ll kill me. By your own admission, it’s all I have.” She was more afraid than could have hoped. Clearly his little servo trick was more effective than even he had hoped.

“And riddle that trinket you’re holding with bullets? I don’t think so. Tell me what I want to know, then we’ll talk about adequate compensation for that bobble.”

“I see I don’t have any choice.” Bashakian said, having recovered a little of her poise.

“At last, we understand each other.” Ti said.



Heavy Gear Roleplaying Game

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