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Klaus Cincaid

Peace can only be brought by the end of a sword.

0 · 656 views · located in Beyond the Transcendence Rift

a character in “Re-Union: The Expanding World”, as played by ValaunDae'Voth

Description

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Name: Lieutenant Klaus Cincaid

Age: 25

Gender: Male

Faction: The World Beneath

Role: Ace Pilot 1

Synchronization Level: Always slides between 56-59%, but rarely stays set.

Personality: Klaus is a driven and dedicated man with little need for emotional entanglements that tend to cloud judgement.
This isn't to say he's cold, or dead inside. Merely controlled and knows how to act and react as the situation deems. When outside of combat, he tends towards keeping himself in shape, drinking, or enjoying conversations with his allies.
He's known for being sarcastic, but having a good sense of humor and trustworthiness. In battle his is as hard as they come and is well known for his brutal, headlong tactics, favoring aggression and straightforward offense. This makes him suited to those who need someone to be a distraction.
He was well known for taking trophies after battle, but the fleet frowned heavily upon it, so now he tries to keep his mementos a secret.

Appearance: Klaus is tall and lean, but well muscled. He would describe himself as wiry. His hair is consistently kept close to neck length. He has a variety of scars dotting his body, and his hands are hard and calloused from his combat training.
He sports a great many tattoos beneath his clothes, and claims that each is in dedication to someone saved or killed by his hands. They are his trophies now.

When out and about, he typically wears his uniform, or a black trench coat, along with a random, mono-colored shirt and black pants and heavy boots.
When deployed his wears his armor pilot suit. The suit has slightly heavy look to it with larger shoulder plates and gloves and is primarily black and deep purple, with the main plates on his shoulders, chest and arms being an off white.

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Machine Spec and Detail:
Klaus pilots the latest generation of a tried and true model Harbinger. He calls it the Butcher Crusade, though his superiors look at his naming of a weapon as being strange at best.
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The harbinger itself is based off of an older model, but has been designed with much of the knowledge gained over the last decade. It boasts a slightly lighter, but just as robust frame with the mind on mobility and durability, and an experimental arm configuration for more power, as it is intended as a front-line fighter.
Aside from the standard array of sensor equipment, the frame is environmentally sealed, capable of storing, and recycling the air, allowing the pilot to survive vacuum, or submersion for several days.
The frame also sports thrusters in the feet, back, and shoulder, allowing mobility in space, and while not powerful enough for flight, they are enough to slow falls or allow rapid bursts for movement.

Unknown to any, save for Klaus himself and the Captain, Butcher Crusade has been installed with a neuro-uplink module. An experimental device that wirelessly interfaces with cerebral implant nestled near Klaus' brain stem. The hope is that the device will allow a greater synchronization level between pilot and machine. However, he is only the third attempt at such a device, the previous two having died, or gone insane respectively.

Weapons included a heavy shield that can mount a triple tube missile launcher, which Klaus prefers, that can be rapidly reloaded in the field. When wielding this combination, he stores two reloads in his right leg compartment.
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For heavier, or extended engagements, he bears a 75mm Gatling gun attachment. Due to the bulk of the weapon, Klaus only takes this weapon he knows combat will be prolonged, or more intense.
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Klaus' favored weapon is his Type IV Heat Sword. The Cleaver, as he unimaginatively calls it, is one of the newer model swords and is reinforced for primary use, Klaus only activating the blade when needed to conserve power.
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Abilities outside the cockpit: Klaus had the benefit of classical education, and thus is well versed in many academic fields, though his favorites were anything to do with literature and philosophy.
When he reached his teenage years, he talked his parents into sending him to a notable military academy, where he excelled in marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat. He prefers to fight close, and was reprimanded several times for hurting his schoolmates during sparring lessons.

Despite having an eye a keen mind and an eye for detail and tactics, he is quite reckless, preferring plans that allow him to rush the enemy while his allies flank for, or cover him.

While he has little mechanical knowledge, he always oversees the maintenance of his Harbinger and lets nothing happen to it without his knowing, or approval, and asks that everything be explained to him as it is being done. His reasoning being that the more he knows, the more prepared if something goes wrong.

Klaus is also a fairly amiable man and tends to make friends easily, despite his brutality in the field, and in years at school.

History: Klaus was born to a wealthy father with heavy investments in weapons manufacturing, his mother having died at shortly after giving birth to him.

His father remarried after several years and he grew to love his step-mother more than anyone else. Being a well educated woman, she pushed for the same for Klaus. His father, being a more material man, but fair, allowed him to go to the best schools until Klaus finally expressed interest in the military. His father had been a military man before finding his fortune in his current occupation, and instilled a disciplined and clear thinking mindset into his son from an early age.
It was from bother his parents that he learned the proper balance between personal honor and duty, and through his father, who liked to hunt, that he acquired his love for taking trophies.

He caught the eye of the Harbinger program after going through several simulations nearly flawlessly, despite his tendency to charge the enemy positions, as well as noting his greatly above average sync rate.
They all boggled at the strange way it continuously fluctuated.

After graduating he served in the latter end of the war, earning himself quite a name for his efficient brutality, and his unwillingness to give ground when aiding an ally.
When the shaky peace was brought into place Klaus felt rather lost and out of place, suddenly not having a constant deployment. However, things have begun heating up with the new race for exploration and settlement, and he was offered a chance to take part in an experimental program within the Harbinger program.

How could he have said no?


Others (Optional): He is damn good at reading people, and loves gambling. He's currently the head of an underground gambling den on board the ship.

So begins...

Klaus Cincaid's Story

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Graham Ashworth Character Portrait: Ellis Arjuna Character Portrait: Petya Burundukov Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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Of the things Ren expected to find in the hangar bay, another pilot was not one of them. He slid down from the catwalks a moment or so after Ren called for the guy in charge of this hangar, but something about the way this guy moved put a knot in her stomach. He was wiry but athletic, Ren supposed, a messy head of hair but the thing that stood out to her most about this man was the way he moved. He wasn't a mercenary but she could see this guy trying out for a crew if the whole military thing went south, an almost arrogance in how he carried himself, as though he believed himself to be the baddest thing in the room. The thought made Ren roll her eyes, but resisted the urge to shoulder past him and figure out who was actually in charge. She had to place nice, after all.

That was her train of thought up until the guy eye fucked the weapon he'd hauled in, looked to be either a rail-gun or an advanced beam rifle, neither of which was particularly panty soaking. The only thing that struck Ren as odd about it was the casing, as Transcendents didn't usually care about flashiness when they designed their weapons, preferring efficiency and ease of production. Either a rogue had that special made, or someone on that fleet bought it from a third party. Either situation was interesting, and she'd most definitely look into that gun later, but she doubted those questions were why the Lieutenant brought it in.

Ren looked bemused as she regarded the man's hand, making no attempt to touch it. She had an idea of where it had been, and she wanted no part of it.

"It's Ren. Ms. Kotko is my father's name," Ren said, grinning at her own joke. She swore on the spot that if he called her M'lady even once it would be worth the time in the brig to shove that gun up his ass.

"So are you part of the engineering crew or are you wasting my time? Cap wants me to rip the meaty bits out of those busted suits and I've got two hours to do it, so either pick up a wrench or track down someone who does," Ren added, walking past the man now towards the crews beginning to swarm the busted infantry units she'd helped drag in.

-=-

The Infiltrator's words echoed in his head several times before they registered fully.

Accompany the commander? He thought, a certain giddiness rising in his chest at the thought of a second chance. Petya kept his cool, though, nodding before a final salute to signify his acceptance of these orders. He might be of use to the fleet yet.

"I won't let you down, mam! I will report at once!" He declared, trying to not let his excitement seep into his gait as he marched away towards the command deck. He he had seen several such decks before, having taken tours with his father and seen photos and video of the ships his grandfather had commanded. There was an air of duty here that the barracks lacked, and the sound of quiet dedication as dozens of hands went about their work filled Petya with both pride and nostalgia. He stopped for a moment to watch as three different people passed about a clipboard, each needing it for different reasons, and each seamlessly knowing who was next to need it when they finished.

That sight, Petya concluded, was what it meant to him to be Transcendent. No one thought their job so important that they needed that clipboard, it was simply there, and it's function maximized due to the unity of the people using it. Humans would squabble and argue over which task most needed materials, placing importance on everything but the common goals they all shared. It was disgraceful.

It took time, but Petya finally tracked down the Commander as he oversaw preparations for their next objective at Albion. He waited patiently until Commander Ashworth had a lull in his duties so as not to disrupt his concentration, before respectfully stepping forward and saluting.

"Sir! The Representative from Command has ordered me to accompany you and to assist in any way necessary with the remodeling efforts. She has also ordered that you keep a documentation of whatever activities you may engage in from here on out including any excursions to Albion and the parts you are to procure," Petya declared, keeping the salute stance until he was ordered otherwise.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ellis Arjuna Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid Character Portrait: Lilas Setoen
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"Your presence seems to be required at the office." A subordinate informed Ellis just as they had reached the Shoals.

"About time." She passed the messenger without much word and headed off. They'll have to prepare for this treacherous political game. Entering the office, she found no need to salute as she's sure they're both as tense regarding the situation.

"I'll be blunt: The rash actions you had taken places us at a disadvantage. But, past is past so let's just focus on our approach shall we?" Ellis booted up the monitor, in order to show how the remodeling is progressing. "It's not an exaggeration to say that our case will rely on the illusion we'll have to play. With this, the best course of action is to deny our involvement in the attack. We start by erasing records of the ships that participated in the attack from the archives. That way, even if they ask to open up the information, they'll have nothing to match data with. Next, we all need to disappear." Ellis glanced at the Captain to make sure he was still following her before continuing.

"By disappear, I mean we have to inform the Tribunal that we were at a different place at a different time. That has already been taken care of. Command has prepared a mission history that places us at a distant system overseeing mining operations. So that's out of the way as well. Now comes the difficult part. I guess...you already know what that is." Ellis pointed at their ship as shown in the monitor.

"The physical evidence. This is the one decisive piece they can use against us. No point with the fabrications if we have nothing to counter this. Command will write us off as rogues and eliminate us. And to be completely honest, this is one piece of the puzzle that Command wants us to solve on our own." Again, Ellis paused for a moment, this time to catch her breath.

"Of course, I won't approach you without a solution in mind. With that, I have a proposal." Ellis shifted the monitor display from the Trials to Albion. "We use what Command is planning to use in order to get rid of us: The pretense of ridding the force from rogues that threaten stability. Albion is already a sanctuary for rogue Transcendents. All we have to do is plant the evidence there and pin the blame unto Albion. Then Command can use this pretense to eliminate the rogues at Albion which they cannot initially do because of the laws in place. Logically, it's a win-win situation for Command and this unit." Ellis stopped and stared at Lilas sternly in the eyes. "It would not be appropriate for me, a representative of Command to issue this order to this unit as Command needs to deny any accountability. Only you or the Commander can give this order. So...what is your decision Captain?"

The trap's been set. Now, all Ellis has to do is check to see who takes the bait and slips up.



"Again?" Ophelia woke up from a disturbed sleep. She couldn't recall whether she had been dreaming. Without her maintenance, things could get a little distorted. Immediately, she prepared herself to head back to the bridge to resume command. As she had just finished putting on uniform, she heard Fang over the intercom.

"We're approaching Albion soon. Wait, did you still dress up in uniform?" She asked.

"Ah, right. Sorry, my sense of time is a little distorted." Ophelia grunted, rubbing her temples. "That was strong liquor..."

"You just have weak alcohol tolerance. Want me to inform the crew?"

"No, I'll do it myself. I'll just need to get changed. Again." Taking off her uniform, Ophelia changed into a more, casual manner consisting of a black shirt and grey trousers. Checking herself, she recalled how the residents of Albion view women. With it in mind, it's best not to stick out. So she also wore a crimson jacket and a hat. Not much of a disguise but, it's much better than her uniform. She had just finished putting on her new outfit when Fang called again.

"By the way, who do you plan on taking to Albion with you?"

"I'll take Hunter--and maybe Cincaid. I'll need Kotko as well since she'll know how to strike a good deal. Renard could also use the experience. That's about it, I guess."

"Alright. So--?"

"Call them over to the briefing room. I'll orient them myself."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Graham Ashworth Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Petya Burundukov Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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"No, no, it makes sense, don't worry."

"Ah, that's a relief." Alexander chuckled, then looked on curiously as Amelia explained her own background and reason. "It's funny though - I'm the opposite of you on that one front - my folks never wanted me to join, and even during the ceasefire, we didn't talk for a few weeks after I told them I wanted to join, even through a non-combat role. I don't even know how I'm going to write home at this point - first official day in the Navy and I already got shot at!" "Better get used to it, those Transcendents are pretty hostile when they see ya!" He managed a small, hearty laugh at her last comment. "Still, looks like not everyone wants their kids going off into a mech and doing battle with a bunch of weird...races."

After their little exchange, Ren came back only to announce that she had more orders. "Captain's a bit of a driver, eh?" "Go on- gotta do what you gotta do." He grinned a bit. Still, as Ren walked away, the trainee spoke a few more words. "She seems to have taken to all of this rather quickly." "Some people adapt pretty easily." He chuckled. Still, though being around the new recruits gave him a feeling of nostalgia, and a bit of warmth- always makes an old man feel great whenever he had young ones to talk to and guide, though this wasn't really guiding he was doing, just striking up a conversation-, he had to be wary. Not everyone could be trusted after all.

With that thought in mind, Alexander decided to turn his mind to knocking back a cold drink before-- "Alex!" "Oh dude, finally." Plastering a triumphant grin, he glanced over at the approaching pilot. "So you win this round, my friend, but I don't think it was a very fair match from the outset. The cradle in the hangar malfunctioned and left me sitting there like a fucking rookie on his first op... However, I am a man of my word, congratulations on outperforming." Alexander watched, amused as the man lit up another cigarette. This was Lieutenant Klaus Cincaid, another ace pilot on board the Organum. Ah yes- he remembered the bet they had made. Hey, if they were going to be going out in huge machines and killing other huge machines, better make it fun.

Alexander took the cred-stick, chuckling. "I did have the good fortune of finding a new weapon for the wrench boys, so we'll see if anything good comes of that I suppose." "Brought back a new weapon too? Funny, I brought back a shiny gun from one of those new Transcendent mechs. Next bet's going to be which weapon was better." He joked, before the other man asked about the new recruit at his side. "Ah, yeah. Heard of the new recruits we just got? She's one," He glanced at Amelia from the corner of his eye. She was the one being addressed, so he'd let her be the one to introduce, at least. Ladies first, once more.

While waiting for the two to speak, Alexander heard a thudding of footsteps before another pilot walked up. "Alex, big news, man." "What is it?" This guy was the other pilot they had made a bet with- too bad he saw the guy's machine's arm go flying off into the darkest depths of space. "Captain wants to see you guys. Better head to the briefing room." "There goes all thoughts of me ever going drinking. Alright, just gotta wait up for a bit. Go tend to your machine, dude." He glanced over at the two again as the other pilot went away.



Graham glanced over the pilots that had volunteered to accompany him- of course, there was the ever-loyal Rivaile, though she still seemed a bit worried if he was still angry. Nilson would be showing up as well- out of everyone, he knew the most about ships. He'd even be helping out with the remodeling, really. Still, he'd just have to brief them, then he was sure Captain Setoen would be wanting to head to Albion as soon as possible. He rubbed his neck, thinking of who else to bring before:

"Sir! The Representative from Command has ordered me to accompany you and to assist in any way necessary with the remodeling efforts." Burundukov showed up, saluting respectfully. Graham gestured for him to relax. Still, Arjuna ordered Petya to join him? What for? Was it to help or to keep an eye on him? Still, their new recruit had come from a long line of generals. Though they had failed their last mission, the Commander held no grudge. Besides, he was just new. Not like he had slipped up and done anything too bad. Still, Petya had more words for him- She has also ordered that you keep a documentation of whatever activities you may engage in from here on out including any excursions to Albion and the parts you are to procure," he continued, and Graham managed to keep his face stoic. He felt his blood boil a bit again. "God damn it, Arjuna- that woman is definitely on my tail." He nodded stiffly. "I see...alright."

And now to begin the briefing. He cleared his throat as he faced the accompanying pilots and the crew. "Alright- our mission here is to remodel the Trials of Winter. For a simple reason, really- we have to erase the evidence that we were there. However, we'll need to dock at a rogue colony called Albion to get parts to disguise the ship." He put on a scowl, just to be more effective as he said his next warning. "Now, Albion is a known brooding place of rogue Transcendents. To lessen the chances of our strong unit being broken up by rogues, I shall be the only one to contact the people we will be getting the parts from. Rest assured that my resolve will not fade." He looked around. "Anyone--?" "Lead." Rivaile raised her hand. "Scouts brought me something that might catch your eye." She picked up a small device and showed everyone the hologram image that caused Graham's blood to freeze in his veins.

It was the Organum.

And it was heading for Albion as well.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Graham Ashworth Character Portrait: Petya Burundukov Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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"Well, if those are my only two options, then I suppose I am just wasting your time. And since you're under orders from the captain, I'll get out of your hair, but if you ever feel like losing some credits, or getting into a fight that won't end with you being thrown into the brig, come find me."

Well, at least if they're honest, Ren thought, though the bit about losing credits managed to actually interest her. Not necessarily the prospect of gambling, but the knowledge that, every now and again, there was a gathering of money in one place. She turned to ask where this poker night might take place, but instead only watched as Klaus pointed out who the actual boss was before stealthily putting a cigarette into the poor bastard's coffee cup. Ren let out a huff of annoyance before closing the gap between herself and the head engineer, grabbing the cup before he could bring up to his lips.

"Yeah, don't. Lieutenant Chinchilla or whatever left you a present," Ren said, the man frowning as he looked into the cup.

"Lil' shit," the man grunted, snapping his fingers to summon one of the younger lads frantically scurrying about. He shoved the cup in the kid's hands as soon as he showed up, muttered something about a new cup, and the kid hurried off as quickly as he'd come.

"Yeah, you also might want to clean that gun Lil' Shit brought in, he was looking at it like it was spread eagle and junk earlier," Ren said, getting a laugh out of the man.

"Klaus is eccentric, true enough, but he's not so bad once you get to know him. That stunt with the coffee was just his way of reminding me I owe him money," the man replied, with Ren shrugging in indifference as a response.

"C'mon... Captain wants me to oversee the removal of some delicate parts on those enemy mechs we brought in. We've only got two hours so I'd kind of like to hurry this shit up,"

Once she settled into the actual work down in the hangar, time flew by. The fuel lines were removed without a hitch and sat in carefully laid coils off to the side, a team setting them onto metal skids for future transport. With the hardest part over with, Ren was ready to start yanking out reactors when she got the call about the briefing room. She turned to the head engineer, Ricky she'd believed was his name, and gave him a hearty slap to the back before excusing herself. He knew his shit and reactors were armored, so she believed her babysitting was over with anyhow.

"Just make sure these things are showroom ready. Cleaned and polished, whole nine yards. Maybe pass word on to the team handling the in tact units we brought in as well?" Ren asked, getting a nod from Ricky as he took a long sip from his coffee. He wasn't much for conversation, she'd found, but he'd still managed to teach her a few things while they worked. He was alright in her book.

"And maybe invest in a thermos? Less foreign debris in your drink that way," Ren joked before heading off, wiping the sweat from her brow

It only took asking for directions about twenty times before she managed to find the briefing room, surprised to see she was the only one who had shown up so far, aside from the Captain. She hoped that didn't mean she'd managed to get in trouble somehow.

"You wanted to see me, Cap?" Ren asked, hesitating for a moment as she remembered to salute, but immediately dropped back into a casual stance.

"Fuel lines are removed, cleaned, and ready to transport, Reactors were going smoothly too until you rang," Ren offered, but grinned as she got a better look at the Captain. She'd either gotten a shitty night's sleep or she was hungover, maybe both. Ren didn't say anything, but with the shit eating grin on her face she didn't really have to.

-=-

The Commander may not have regarded Petya warmly, but he didn't seem entirely enraged by his presence either which was a step up from how he'd imagined the meeting going. News from Arjuna seemingly didn't faze him, as Petya had been confident that it wouldn't because only rogues feared having their actions under scrutiny, and before Petya knew it it was time for their mission briefing.

Arjuna had already given him these details before, but still he listened intently. While he disliked the idea of even being close to a rogue, much less a colony, he had confidence in the Commander to keep a cool head and get the job done. If anyone could keep their resolve while dealing with filthy traitors it would be the Commander. The briefing had only just reached it's end when one of the senior officers brought the Commander additional news, bringing up the image for everyone to see.

It was the Human ship they the fleet had just fought, apparently also heading to Albion.

Petya regarded the image for a moment before speaking up, "Sir! Perhaps we should simply delay our approach and see where the humans are docking? It will severely reduce our chances of another run in and as long as we dock far away from them, the mission should not be hindered even by face to face confrontation."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Petya's body tensed up as he realized he might have just spoken out of turn. He wasn't here by any choice of the Commander's after all, so his opinions shouldn't be shared so casually.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ellis Arjuna Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid Character Portrait: Lilas Setoen
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Ellis listened attentively to the Captain speak. Everything he did say made a lot of sense. Even though he disagreed with some parts of the plan, he didn't seem to be doing so out of concern for their opponents. Nor is it out of some misplaced "sense of honor". Then again, this captain was the one who charged in, eager to eliminate the humans on a whim. "I suppose he isn't the rogue I'm looking for..."

Before she could interject though, a warning has been issued. Apparently, the Organum had also arrived at Albion. Were they able to predict that the unit would go there? Probably not. Whatever the reason, it wouldn't be good if their forces were discovered.

"There's no such thing as a foolproof plan."

Ellis simply smiled when the captain mentioned it. "No there isn't. I'll consider your misgivings about this mission." Now that she's somehow come to the terms that the captain isn't their rogue, she thought it best to turn on her next suspect. "Perhaps we consult with the head inspector or the other soldiers then? Maybe they see something we don't. As their captain, you'll be able to approach them much better than I can. Of course--" Finished with her business for the day, Ellis turned to leave but not without providing an alternative.

"From the standpoint of a regular force, infiltrating a rogue haven like Albion may be too much work. If ever you change your mind and choose to go with my suggestion, I can provide you with the means of accomplishing this task. If you don't mind being more indebted to me, that is."



"Ren huh? Let's wait for the others to arrive. And yes, I did not get that much rest. Not on this ship anyway." Ophelia reminded herself to take note of Ren's punctuality. For an irregular, she's got a handful of other soldiers beat in that regard. The other people she's called over arrived shortly after.

"We'll be alighting and heading into the Albion after a short while. As you can tell from what I'm wearing, we'll need some sort of disguise if we are to enter without drawing too much attention. They don't take kindly to military people like us over there." Ophelia sighed and paused for a moment before carrying on. "Lt. Alexander and Kincaid will act as our escorts and mouthpieces. Women like us are--well, disliked in that place. Amelia, you are to stand guard nearby the colony maintenance passage in your Harbinger. I don't personally feel too good about this place. Albion is a haven for rogues and exiles and some of them within may feel threatened by our presence. You are to secure our escape route in the event things go south."

Having given the instructions, Ophelia felt the headache kick in a little more. So she decided to let them off early for now; they'll need time to prepare after all. "We meet in the landing vessel on hangar 3 in thirty minutes. Bring disguises and--firearms. We don't know what will happen. It's best to be prepared for anything. But--" She turned to face Ren. "I was instructed not to allow you to wield a gun."

She wasn't sure how she'll take to this news but she reassured her. "You did well back there. If we get through this mission successfully then you would've earned the respect of the top brass. So just be patient."

"Alright. You can all go now. And I expect to see you in half an hour."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid Character Portrait: Amelia Renard
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Ren stood patiently as the Captain briefed the group, not bothering to hide the roll of her eyes when the Captain brought up the warning about Albion's views on women. While it was true that many establishments viewed women as second class citizens, as well as a good portion of the population, one truth always prevailed on Albion in Ren's experience: Money talks. No one wanted to deal with her when she first showed up to do business, needing her father or brother to establish ties, but once the money started coming in, she made contacts of her own. Money bought you a lot of things, and on Albion it could damn well buy gender equality.

The thought was immediately followed by another one, however, and it made Ren's eyes shift down to the floor.

I'm broke. I've been out of the game for a long ass time, and I got nowhere near the money to be taken seriously nor the reputation.

This was another tremendous monkey wrench in her escape plans, one she wouldn't be able to surmount without selling every mech they'd hauled in. She might very well have to let Alexander vouch for her while on the station, at least until she looked up some old contacts. Anton would still be reliable after all that shit that happened right after the Ceasefire went into affect, and Felix didn't give a shit who you were so long as you paid him... Those two might be able to help her re-establish herself on the station. She'd need it if she ever wanted to hide here again.

The mention of firearms, or rather Ren's instructed lack of any, snapped Ren back into reality.

"The hell? You're gonna give me the doom and gloom speech and then tell me you're shoving me into the lion's den naked? You really think if I was a security risk that NOW is when I'd strike? Not when I'm in the fucking Harbinger? You know what? Fine. No gun, but I get a knife, or one of these chucklefucks carries an extra pistol I can use if we come under fire. I'm not stepping one toe out onto Albion without some way to defend myself. You wouldn't either," Ren barked, but shook her head and straightened her posture, saluting and gritting her teeth as she added, "Request to carry a combat knife for personal defense, Mam!"

Her tone was that of barely held in anger, all the people she'd pissed off on Albion flashing through her mind. She was bluffing about not going, needing to talk to some people as badly as the captain needed to get the ship parts, but Ren would be an asset on that station and she hoped the Captain knew it.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ellis Arjuna Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid Character Portrait: Lilas Setoen
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#, as written by Alligot
Lilas


"From the standpoint of a regular force, infiltrating a rogue haven like Albion may be too much work. If ever you change your mind and choose to go with my suggestion, I can provide you with the means of accomplishing this task. If you don't mind being more indebted to me, that is."

Lilas' temper flared at the comment. A slow ember of anger and irritation towards the woman, that she assumed he would ever owe her a debt for her duties, and that he felt irritated that she implied he'd need assistance anyway. More debts, more regulations. He could almost feel the leash upon his neck tightening.

Yet, he considered it. "I will speak with the Commander, see what he and his little renovation group make of this." He said, his voice carefully measured, "Though, I am curious as to how you'd suggest I need anything other than the Trials and all the equipment she offers to follow this plan of yours. Do you have some sort of trump card I'm not aware of?" He asked, just as Ellis was about to leave.

Whatever her response, after she does depart, he would spend a few minutes examining the schematics of the Trials of Winter, evaluating it's capabilities. It was a ship intended for subterfuge and trickery. His grave mistake previously had been assuming he held command of an armored, indomitable warship. He sought a open confrontation.

Of course, with the tribunal so near, he wouldn't dare make further attempt against the Organum. At least, not overtly. Even with the Human ship's presence, there must be a way to turn the situation to their advantage. They needed to deny accountability, and - if opportunity presents itself, command would very much like to deal with Albion.

He stood up, departing from the room. The Commander might still be briefing his group. He wouldn't usually enjoy the idea of heeding Ellis' advice, but - seeing as how they will all be dealing with closest contact to Albion, it might do to see what he and those under him might be suggesting right now.

Amelia


"Pleasure to meet you, and please Amelia, this is not an official, or combat setting, no need to salute."
Klaus said, and Amelia dropped her hand as indicated. "Oh - my bad, Lieutenant. I thought you were doing one of those tricks the instructors liked to pull on us - make us shake when we should've saluted." Along with all the joys that come with such a mistake in training. The two mile runs, pushups, and pullups - if they were lucky.

Of course, it was really mere minutes - if not seconds - that Amelia established that Klaus was unlike most Lieutenants she knew. And the proof presented itself with the real, earthly-smelling cigar she held, shrouded in unyielding metal. As they walked towards their destination, she could feel it, hidden within one of her suit's exterior pouches (as the stupid thing didn't have any actual pockets, which Amelia could never understand why,) and wondering if she were caught, whether or not they would actually flog her. She didn't think they still did floggings... right?

Her thoughts were put aside after arriving - where she offered a silent salute, as did her fellow crew - and the Captain briefed them. She was to stay behind inside of her Harbinger. A task that someone else might detest, but with how the Captain described Albion's archaic views, she liked the idea of having several inches of glass, and steel between her and whatever might go wrong. Still, what was with Albion being stuck in the twentieth century?

It was that same thought that made her feel sympathetic towards Ren. Though, after the woman's bold (and possibly foolish) choice of words, she kept her lips tightly sealed. She was not about to get caught up in what she saw as inevitable and sudden godly wrath.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid Character Portrait: Amelia Renard
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With all of the pilots gathered in the shuttle, Ophelia gave the signal for them to take off and head inside. "Renard, be sure to follow immediately. Upon arriving, I'll need you to map out the entire colony structure. See if anything's changed compared to our most recent data which was taken ten years ago. Also, be careful of some areas along the way. Some of the residents like setting jamming devices to avoid being intercepted in their deals. You won't be able to contact us when in those zones so--well, you get the point."

After finishing her instructions, she turns to the people who will be coming inside with her. Ren was given her knife, as what was discussed but Ophelia will have to keep a close watch on her. She didn't understand why she would suddenly lash out--not after receiving acclaim from almost everyone else. Such small details tend to bother her and she didn't like it. Taking her mind off Ren for a moment, she turned to the two men instead.

"Alright. Upon entering those gates, you'll have to forget that I'm your captain in the meantime. There won't be a warm welcome for women like me and Ren and I doubt if our words will be honored either. So don't talk to us unless we talk to you first. Oh, and finish your sandwich first Lt." Ophelia glanced at the monitor. They had now passed the gates. The artificial gravity started to kick in as well.

"Klaus will act as our negotiator while Alexander will be our bodyguard. Me and Ren will be the navigators. I assume everyone still recalls their speech lessons?"

The shuttle soon landed and Ophelia led the group inside, managing to bypass the security with their identification. "Security here is still regulated by the two worlds but their presence is near to non-existent inside. The deal's already been made. All we need to do is wire the payment, retrieve the parts and head back. We are given a time limit of three days to complete this mission. You'll see why."

Taking a step inside Albion always felt like entering a time machine. The houses were dressed in an old, wild western style and the grounds felt like the coarse desert terrain back at Earth. Being one of the earliest colonies, it was obvious that whoever built it was not intending it to be a residential area. Once inside, Ophelia kept silent, speaking only in small whispers as she kept her face hidden beneath her cap.

"We turn right around this corner--" She whispered as she pointed to one of the intersections, relying solely on her memory of the place. A few people glanced at them which made her a bit nervous. Someone might recognize her. After another hour, they reached a 20th century styled warehouse. The sign said it was closed but the gate leading to the back was left open.

"It's up to you from here on out. Alexander, you take Ren and watch over this small entrance. I'll accompany Klaus inside." Upon entering inside, they were greeted by a rather large man who ushered them in. His shop was filled with farming and mining tools along with parts for mobile workers but, Ophelia was sure there are weapons stocked somewhere.

"I suppose you are the Captain Oliver written in the report?" The man asked Klaus. Ophelia had changed the details of their identity prior to entering Albion. "Okay, the items you asked for are all sorted out: Five blast panels for a large-caliber charged particle cannon, three mobile workers and a cockpit salvaged from a First Generation Transcendent war machine. Oh, and there's another parcel listed under classified. In exchange, you'll provide us with salvaged weapons and parts plus cash. Is that correct?"

Ophelia nudged Klaus lightly to inform him that he was the one being asked. Despite not knocking out a script for the two beforehand, she expects things to go over well enough without much incident. Assuming the boys know what they're doing. Hopefully no one notices anything amiss.

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Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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Ren was on autopilot from the moment she set foot onto the shuttle until they landed, absentmindedly fidgeting with the buttons on her jacket as she lost herself in thought.

'Three days to make a few phone calls. I can't deal with this not knowing bullshit and in my intrinsic need to not get floated into space I've had no fucking time to do that since the cuffs came off. I volunteered for the landing party because, stupid me, thought I was going to help negotiate the deal and be inside most of the time. But, no, already made the deal, just got to make the trade off... Does no one appreciate haggling anymore? Whatever, I still need to get a hold of Felix first chance I get and see what the word is about-' Ren thought, snapping out of her daze when the Captain said that she and Alexander, Mr. Anonymous himself, would be on guard duty outside while she and Klaus went inside.

Her fists clenched as she reminded herself about how she was just a random bitch now, a dumb one at that if she thought she'd get to play at her old life again. She was getting tired of unlearning things... having to remind herself that she couldn't do this anymore, had to bite her tongue about that, couldn't speak her mind unless she filled out twenty different forms and performed no less than three sexual favors for members of the Admiralty board. She was out of prison, but she wasn't going to be free until she died. The thought prompted her to lightly touch the soft lining on the collar of her jacket, her brother's face flashing in her mind.

She gently shook her head and crossed her arms, trying not to have a complete emotional breakdown on the shuttle.

The colony of Albion hadn't changed since the last time Ren had set foot on its coarse and gravely terrain, though she couldn't decide if this was a good or bad thing. Granted they were still in the port area of the colony and not the commercial district, but she did remember why she rarely hung out outside of said commercial district.

She was surprised to see how well the Captain navigated, speaking up before Ren could about where they needed to go. Admittedly she hadn't been paying as much attention as she probably should have, but she didn't remember the Captain saying anything about having been a former resident. The thought caused her to frown, remembering the dressing down she'd gotten about the gun she was denied.

'Like she had to ask why she'd want one on Albion,' Ren thought, scowling at Ophelia for just a moment but quickly shook off the resentment. She had to remember that Ophelia had commended her, and the order hadn't been her own, but it was hard to overcome how naked she felt right now. Fortunately the parts shop wasn't too awfully far from where they landed, an old junker's paradise that Ren could have spent a few hours in if she had the money and wasn't a slave to the military. That cannon must be older than Ren thought if they had to come here for parts, not that the speculation would get her anywhere. She wasn't even allowed to go in.

Klaus and the Captain walked in to take care of business, leaving Ren alone with Alexander to stand guard, but without looking like military folk.

Ren stuck her hands in her pockets and leaned against the gate, looking out at the horizon.

"You ever been to Albion before?" Ren asked Alexander, trying to make conversation while they waited. If Ophelia had been to Albion before and knew it well enough to navigate, chances are she also knew how to buy shit without other people knowing your business. Chances were that no one was going to storm the warehouse to mug them or anything, leaving the two soldiers with just time to kill.

Not long after the words came out of Ren's mouth, she noticed one of the random people wandering about across the street stop and look at her just a little too long before pressing on, the act making her muscles tense up. She really, really wanted to have a gun right now.

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Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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Klaus sat strapped in his chair idly listening to those around him and was just shoving nearly the entire remaining half of his sandwich in his mouth when the captain told him to finish it.
He looked up at her and attempted a smile and a salute. "Yes Ma'am!", he meant to say, but what came out was more akin to a muffled, "Ysssh Mmm..."

Such an potentially embarrassing thing didn't seem to phase him, and he went through checking his weapons and equipment stashed all over his body, ensuring everything was secured and hidden, except his sidearm. Everything was going smoothly, he'd done plenty of drops before, that is until the Captain mention that he would be the voice of the squad.
He nearly choked in surprise. He wasn't used to that sort of thing. Sure, he was quite affable and easily swayed people to his side, but usually such a thing was entrusted to Alexander, while he, the more formidable combatant, took care of the muscle work.
He didn't really have a choice however, so he leaned back in his chair, idly swinging his legs to and fro, a pensive expression stamped across his face.

As they disembarked from the ship and began walking to wherever it was that they were going, Klaus buttoned up the trench coat he typically wore if it wasn't too hot, pulled on a pair of black gloves and wondered at the haphazard manner in which this 'operation' had been put together. They were briefed to only the bare minimum, if that, and weren't entirely prepared for all the eventualities that could occur. He knew that the mental state of the captain was degrading, most of the ship whispered about it, but he didn't want to believe it.
The way this mission had been put together, however, made him begin to doubt this belief.

He shook the thoughts away and focused on the mission, his entire demeanor suddenly changing, as if he were no longer Klaus.

The lieutenant followed along dutifully, nodding to Ren and Alexander as they left them behind and made their way into the shop.
He looked around with a bit of a sneer, taking in every little detail as quickly as he could and making his way to the counter as their host began to speak.
When Captain Ophelia nudged him, he cast a withering glare her way and took a step towards the counter.

Turning back towards Ophelia, he glared once more and said,"Touch me without permission again, Woman, and I shall feed you that hand.", in a deep, heavily accented voice that sounded something like old Russian. Looking back without waiting for a response, he continued. "I am Captain Oliver, Mister...?"

"Jerricho, just Jerricho.", replied the man as he gave an impressed look at Klaus.

"A pleasure.", he responded in a clipped manner, making it clear that pleasure was the furthest thing from the truth.

Jerricho handed Klaus a piece of paper containing all of the information having to do with the deal the brass had worked out with him and his associates. Klaus had an obvious look of displeasure on his face as he pointed something out.

"Unfortunately, my first mate was the one who contacted you, under my orders, and I had no idea the cost would be so great. I refuse to pay such an exorbitant sum to a man that clearly has little use for such an amount."

"I'm afraid it's already set.", replied the significantly larger man, his hand unfastening a strap on a knife sheath at his hip.

Not backing down, Klaus took an angry step forward and slammed one hand onto the counter and the other snapped out a took the man by the collar.
It was obvious Jerricho was taken completely by surprise and his hands went to Klaus' arm, abandoning the knife. The two yelled at each other in another language, suddenly switching from Standard to some other dialect as if it were second nature. The whole thing last several minutes, with Klaus releasing him and continue to speak in a firm, but calm voice and the other man getting worked up as the went back and forth.
A few things were more civil, and some of them definitely threats. Jerricho's hand went to his knife again only for Klaus to quickly unsnap the strap holstering his pistol. They stood, eyes locked for several moments before Jerricho's shoulders slumped a bit and he said something else in the strange dialect before extending his hand.
Klaus took it with a triumphant smile and said, "Glad you could see reason my friend, I bet your fearsome with that blade."

Jerricho nodded, "You have no idea, Captain. And, you can pick up your merchandise tomorrow around noon. Shame about your consort there, though I hope the other is far more capable."

"Oh, she is indeed my friend, if I'm still in port after our business, you and I should have a drink and I'll introduce her personally instead of just sending her in a shuttle."

Turning on his heel, Klaus offered his arm to the captain and they made their way out. As the door closed behind them and Jerricho went back to work, Klaus leaned in towards Ophelia and said, "We have to hurry, I may, or may not have just sold Ms. Kotko to our dear friend, Jerricho..."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Graham Ashworth Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Petya Burundukov Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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"Then - there is a shuttle prepared as I speak. It leaves in thirty minutes. The human shuttle has already departed from what intelligence we gathered, and the commander will be briefed to their exact location as soon as it is intercepted."

Graham was completely taken aback by this idea- ruin negotiations between the humans and the people of Albion? Outrageous!- but he felt a heavy hand rest on his shoulder, and the lowered voice of the Captain. "I am aware this is sudden, Commander. Yet, you will see - when this is over, that it was a miraculous opportunity that could hardly be missed. So - let's see if those stories I hear about your skills are true." "I have some reservations about this plan, but if it will lead to our eventual victory then I'll play along." He murmured, and watched as the Captain left the room. When the man was far from earshot, he turned again to his assembled group.

"It seems that we have a change of plans, that much is certain." He sighed. He could see the concern and confusion among the group, but he had agreed to play along with the Captain's plan- they just had to adjust to the new objectives for now. "To be fair, we can think of anything without worrying about being caught by High Command- after all, their watchdog isn't here as of the moment." He glanced around the room, clearing his throat. "As you probably know, humans and the people on Albion are rather finicky with their money. Since we've been ordered to ruin the negotiations between the humans and the ones on Albion, we could try to play on their greed and stubborn nature. Debating prices of certain items could potentially make a seller not want to sell off the item to the humans at all, perhaps?"

"Of course, I'll still take suggestions on how to ruin their encounters with the corrupt people of Albion. If you have any then feel free to speak."


Alexander listened to the Captain's briefing quietly, chuckling a bit at Klaus's little sandwich warning. Still, hearing that he would be a bodyguard made his shoulders relax somewhat- he wasn't in the mood to debate with corrupt people today. Especially not the ones on Albion- while he hadn't really been there before, as a teenager he would hear his veteran grandfather murmur harshly about the people of Albion. "Alex, don't you dare be like those people," He heard the old man's gritted and husky voice in his head again. Klaus on the other hand seemed surprised that he would be the one handling the negotiations this time. Still, it wasn't too long before they had reached the rogue's paradise everyone called Albion.

As soon as they got off the shuttle, Alexander took a good look around at his surroundings. Just as he'd expect- quick glances around made him remember his grandfather describing it to him. To his grandfather it could have been the equivalent of hell for a weak-hearted person. Thankfully though, the shop they were heading to wasn't too far from where they landed. As Klaus and the Captain disappeared in, Alex leaned against a wall and took another look around.

"You ever been to Albion before?" He glanced over as Ren spoke suddenly. "Not really. My grandfather did, though. It was all he could talk about whenever we were having dinner with him. He hated this place." Alexander shrugged. "He'd frequently remind me that if I ever landed on Albion when I become a Harbinger pilot to never be like the people on here." He spoke lowly as to not attract much attention, at least.

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Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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"Touch me without permission again, Woman, and I shall feed you that hand."

"Woman...did he just?!" Ophelia got taken aback in surprise as their cover got blown off in a matter of seconds. Before she could interject though...well, she didn't really know what happened as it all happened too fast. Klaus getting into an argument, weapons pulled among other things. The situation was going from bad to worse as far as she could tell. As she was just about to draw her own firearm, the two men seemed to have finally come to an agreement and left on decent terms. Or so it seemed.

"We have to hurry, I may, or may not have just sold Ms. Kotko to our dear friend, Jerricho..."

"Lieutenant..." Ophelia sighed now that they were outside with no one to hear their conversations. "I thought you did your research." She calmly reprimanded him but aside from that, she didn't make too much of a big deal over it. As they met up with Ren and Alexander, she informed them of some changes in the plans.

"We'll stay at one of the inns ten minutes away from here. Due to some "unexpected development", we'll need to rethink our approach here. Getting out will no longer be as easy as getting in."

Ophelia led their small group into one of the inns she frequently delivered to as a child. Noticing that the person manning the desk was the same one from years ago, she decided to let Klaus handle transaction again but with a word of warning.

"Do not make references about me or Ren this time. Keep it short and simple." Ophelia sternly advised Klaus, keeping a closer watch on the Lieutenant this time. As much as she tries to stay composed, her anger does flare up from time to time. And it's usually not good.

Once their lodgings were secured, Ophelia checked the place for any peepholes or spots where people may eavesdrop. After having secured the place, she proceeded to explain what has happened.

"Regarding our shopping, things managed to go smoothly aside from some communication error that compromised our cover. Now, the tricky part is retrieving the items. These guys keep all of their stock in a large warehouse up North, right next to the exotic animal farm. But we won't be going today." Ophelia paused to take a look outside the window. The people were still going on their usual routines but some were acting shifty. Like they were looking for somebody. If anything's to be praised in Albion, it's the fact that word gets out fast.

"I'll rent a transporter up North and retrieve the parts. As much as I was instructed to, I won't be able to take all of you with me, especially you Kotko. We are not in a good position to be seen together right now. At this point, I expect that those men at the streets are looking for the two "foreign guys" and their female companions." Ophelia suddenly remembered an additional detail. One that she has skimmed while reading a while back. Turning to Ren, she started to ask.

"Being from this colony as well, have you gotten into any kind of trouble with any of the people here? Do you think those people will recognize you if ever you did? Anyway--"

She turned to the two boys this time. "One of you will accompany me up North and the other is to stay here with Ren to monitor the situation outside. You can see the streets from the rooftop. Call us if any blockades or other deterrents are being prepared. So, who's staying with who? Who wants to be bossed around by me for a little while longer?"

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Graham Ashworth Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Petya Burundukov Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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"Not really. My grandfather did, though. It was all he could talk about whenever we were having dinner with him. He hated this place. He'd frequently remind me that if I ever landed on Albion when I become a Harbinger pilot to never be like the people on here."

Ren couldn't stop herself from letting out a soft laugh, a sad smile spreading on her face as she said, "Solid advice. Grandpa had a good head on his shoulders". Ren scanned the horizon again, and spotted the same guy from before that she'd locked eyes with passing by again, this time on his phone. She looked from the man to the gun Alexander had on him, and thought about whether or not it would be worth the hassle to steal it. She caught sight of a flash in the corner of her eye, and snarled in the direction it had come from. The man was gone, but the damage was probably done by now. Good thing they wouldn't be outdoors long.

"I hung out here a lot myself. Lot of people interested in buying up parts. Lot of good bars too, if you aren't squeamish about getting into a brawl or two. May not look it, but this place has a hell of a downtown. Maybe the captain will let us hit the town one night before we shove off again," Ren mused, but tilted her head back at the commotion going on inside of the shop. She could hear Klaus and another guy shouting, too far away to hear exactly what though she was picking up a word here or there. A vein in her forehead began to throb in irritation as she heard mention of a 'woman outside'.

"Tell me, Alex, does Klaus piss you the fuck off every time he's around or is it just me? I haven't haggled on Albion in a while, but I coulda fucking swore that somebody just blew our cover," Ren said, irritation heavy in her voice. The voices quieted again, leaving Ren to only guess what was going on, though she found herself inching closer and closer to the door until Klaus and a very annoyed Ophelia came walking back out. Klaus was whispering something to the Captain, but the only thing Ren managed to catch was her own name. Her face turned a bright shade of red, and her hand was gripping her knife tightly.

She saw now why Ophelia hadn't wanted her to have a gun. If she'd had one, she'd have shot Klaus on principle.

"We'll stay at one of the inns ten minutes away from here. Due to some "unexpected development", we'll need to rethink our approach here. Getting out will no longer be as easy as getting in."

Ren's face contorted into something resembling a grin as she glared at Klaus.

"You don't say, Cap? Would it have something to do with a 'woman outside' or is my hearing just now what it used to be, Klaus?"

She didn't bother waiting for an answer, storming off before she did something she regretted. She kept her distance from Klaus as they made their way to the inn, trying to keep either Alexander or Ophelia between herself and Mr. Cincaid to keep her temper in check. She also hung back with Alex when the Captain and Klaus went to get their rooms. Once they were settled in, Ophelia sat them down and briefed them.

"Regarding our shopping, things managed to go smoothly aside from some communication error that compromised our cover. Now, the tricky part is retrieving the items. These guys keep all of their stock in a large warehouse up North, right next to the exotic animal farm. But we won't be going today."

Ren shot Klaus a look as Ophelia looked out the window, but bit her tongue. They weren't in public, so their ranks were somewhat re-established. She blew up once today in front of the Captain, and didn't want to make it a habit.

"I'll rent a transporter up North and retrieve the parts. As much as I was instructed to, I won't be able to take all of you with me, especially you Kotko. We are not in a good position to be seen together right now. At this point, I expect that those men at the streets are looking for the two "foreign guys" and their female companions," Ophelia started, but a thought seemed to cross her mind as she turned to look at Ren, "Being from this colony as well, have you gotten into any kind of trouble with any of the people here? Do you think those people will recognize you if ever you did?"

Ren sat down on her bed at the question, looking off to the side as she thought about how to answer. She remembered the guy from before, who'd been taking pictures on his phone, and bit her lip. She might as well say something now, if he had been doing what she thought he'd been doing.

"I may have been in the middle of a job when I was arrested. I was hauling cargo for this guy named Conrad Walker, mean bastard most folks know by Conman Conrad. He...might not have been too happy about my not delivering it" Ren said, looking out the window now herself. This was assuming Conrad survived his buyers not getting those mech class weapons she was supposed to deliver.

"...Anyway. One of you will accompany me up North and the other is to stay here with Ren to monitor the situation outside. You can see the streets from the rooftop. Call us if any blockades or other deterrents are being prepared. So, who's staying with who? Who wants to be bossed around by me for a little while longer?"

"Dibs on Alex. Safer for everyone if Klaus has 'communication errors' as far away from me as possible. Especially if they involve me," Ren barked, glaring at Klaus again. No one had said exactly what his slip up was, but Ren had caught enough to know it had involved her in someway. Klaus might have thought he was being cute, but Ren was lacking her usual sense of humor today.

-=-

As the Captain scanned the room, Petya caught a glimpse of one of the other pilots, Athena if his memory served, looking at him. The look was intense, though Petya was uncertain as to what emotion the woman was having as she looked him over. He'd never seen eyes do the things hers were doing, but what confused him most was how she was doing so when they'[d not even so much as greeted one another. He'd had an idea that was somewhat perpendicular to the one she had shared, but she'd gone so far as to commend him, hadn't she? She shouldn't be upset if that is the case so Petya couldn't help but be confused as to her motives. The look was brief, so Petya had assumed it must have just been gas. They'd added some spice to the food in the mess hall, and figured it might not be agreeing with her. Either way, he'd not dwell on it much. Perhaps commenting on the food might be a good way of establishing comradeship with her after the briefing...

Petya refocused his attention as the Captain addressed the men once more, saluting as he finished and made his leave. It would seem the Captain and Athena were in unison as to the direction the unit was to move in.

"It seems that we have a change of plans, that much is certain." Graham sighed, "to be fair, we can think of anything without worrying about being caught by High Command- after all, their watchdog isn't here as of the moment." He glanced around the room, clearing his throat. "As you probably know, humans and the people on Albion are rather finicky with their money. Since we've been ordered to ruin the negotiations between the humans and the ones on Albion, we could try to play on their greed and stubborn nature. Debating prices of certain items could potentially make a seller not want to sell off the item to the humans at all, perhaps? Of course, I'll still take suggestions on how to ruin their encounters with the corrupt people of Albion. If you have any then feel free to speak."

Petya's eyes lit up as he garnered a new idea.

"Sir, I believe a bidding war would cost the enemy financially. If they are here for repairs, then there is no way they could afford to forego parts. We could drive their prices up and stall them while our own work is done. Either we frustrate the enemy into leaving for another colony, leaving them open to ambush as they limp away, or bankrupt them and drive down morale. They would literally be unable to afford another full scale battle with us," Petya beamed, though another idea struck him as soon as he'd finished the first.

"We could also send out a demolitions team to set charges on the enemy hull, forcing them into new negotiations. I have faith our scouts could infiltrate a repair team on colony."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ellis Arjuna Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid Character Portrait: Athena The Laughing Queen
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"Dibs on Alex. Safer for everyone if Klaus has 'communication errors' as far away from me as possible. Especially if they involve me,"

"Noted. Then--" Having heard Ren's opinion, Ophelia charges Klaus with the mission. "Seems like you'll be accompanying me for a little while longer. Consider this another chance. I just pray that we don't run into any unpredictable encounters along the way."

The colonies, despite being large space stations, do have their own simulated cycles of night and day in order to remind the residents of life on Earth as much as possible. For the most part, it works but people still miss out on watching the sunset. So instead of a sky, the people have a mechanical ceiling to look at.

"I can never get used to this mechanical sky for too long." Ophelia muttered as she looked out the window. Their pursuers seems to have given up the chase in the meantime. Figuring that they should be able to catch a couple of hours rest, she decided to wander around a little bit.

"I'm going sightseeing for a little while. Try not to get into anymore trouble. Oh, and keep your curtains open. More private quarters attract more unneeded attention in this side of town."



"Come to think of it, I haven't heard anything from the Trials for a while now." Ellis realized while she was making her rounds around the inner walls of the colony. Compared to the residential area outside, the utility corridors are shrouded in an everlasting night, making it more suitable for her infiltration needs.

It had been a couple of days since she had entered Albion. Disturbance was quite abundant in such an old colony so she was well aware that scouting here would entail being cut off from the rest but--she had gotten used to something going on in that ship that it was feeling rather suspicious now that it has gone quiet.

"Something's not right..." Making her way back to her machine, she opened a communications channel to the Trials but the strong disturbance made it difficult to deliver her report. Graham and Lilas...two high-ranking officials aboard and she felt like she can't trust any of them. Making a call to the regular soldiers may just mean that the message is ignored, leaving her with only one option.

"No, there is someone else." From the list of available open channels, she opened one that connects to the CCA-VI. "Report from Arjuna. Irregular movement within the colony detected. It's rather low-profile for now but most of the individuals going around were suspicious. And armed. How are things going on your end?"

She wasn't sure with whom does Athena's loyalties lie with but the mere fact that she was a veteran makes her the safer option among the other soldiers to contact.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Graham Ashworth Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Petya Burundukov Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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Alexander listened to the woman's musings, glancing around occasionally to see if anyone was suspicious. The sudden sound of shouting- softened by their distance from the place- directed his attention to the shop. He considered moving closer to listen in for a moment, but managing only to pick up a few words here and there, he decided that it wouldn't have been the best choice. A few moments later the voices quieted down, and Klaus emerged along with the Captain.

"Looks like someone's not happy..." He murmured to himself, seeing Ren storm off. Shrugging, he followed. They were already trying to stay undercover- might as well try and prevent any inner fights from breaking out within their little group. Luckily enough they were able to make it to the inn in one piece. When they were safe in their rented room, the Captain briefed them on what would be going on. Due to the unexpected development from earlier, it looks like they would be delayed. For now. The thought made Alexander's soul sink for a moment- he almost felt like a Transcendent hanging among humans within this place. And all thanks to his grandfather's words.

Of course, he wouldn't say that out loud.

As usual, they were split off into pairs. He had barely spoken out when-- "Dibs on Alex. Safer for everyone if Klaus has 'communication errors' as far away from me as possible. Especially if they involve me." "That sums it up nicely." Alexander shrugged. "Well, there you go, Cap." While he would normally be more laid-back and admittedly, under normal circumstances, in a situation like this he would crack a joke and possibly make it worse, but right now no one seemed to be in the mood for humor. He was no exception.

"I'm going sightseeing for a little while. Try not to get into anymore trouble. Oh, and keep your curtains open. More private quarters attract more unneeded attention in this side of town." While it seemed that their pursuers had given up for the meantime, there were still risks. "When they come back, hopefully it's not with guns and knives and bloodthirsty expressions."

"And I really need that drink now at this point."



"Sir, I believe a bidding war would cost the enemy financially. If they are here for repairs, then there is no way they could afford to forego parts. We could drive their prices up and stall them while our own work is done. Either we frustrate the enemy into leaving for another colony, leaving them open to ambush as they limp away, or bankrupt them and drive down morale. They would literally be unable to afford another full scale battle with us."

"Stalling them is one of our objectives, and the other is to pin the blame on Albion..." The idea sounded promising enough. The recruit had a good head on his shoulders. Before he could speak, the man had come up with another idea- "We could also send out a demolitions team to set charges on the enemy hull, forcing them into new negotiations. I have faith our scouts could infiltrate a repair team on colony." The second one was a bit more risky than the first- Graham thought it over for a moment.

"Hey, Lead? The new guy's kinda right." Nilson spoke up, grinning crookedly at the Commander. "Going with your idea for messing around with their pride and stubborn nature, that's our best course of action. We were ordered to ruin any form of goodwill between the crews, right?" A glance at his personal unit and he could notice that the other pilots seemed to agree as well- Rivaille still looked like she had much more to say, but as he met her gaze she quickly looked away-. "Then our plan is settled. Our purpose here is to stall the humans long enough while the Trials will send false transmissions to make it look like this ship was captured by rogues. Some of us will also disembark out to ruin the negotiations between the humans and the people on Albion, through the bidding war idea. The humans will be at a disadvantage against us if this mission goes well- not only will they have problems negotiating, they'll also be almost defenseless against us when they come into contact with us again."

He'd say completely defenseless, but the image of the wrecked ships and Rivaille's trashed Zweireiter popped up in his mind again. The humans wouldn't be able to afford another fight with them like that, but if there's one thing that he could praise about the humans, it was their fighting skill.

"If there are no more questions about this plan, then I will be meeting you all at Hangar 2. Prepare everything you need to carry out the mission."

Exiting quickly, he prepared himself for the next occurring events that would no doubt make him question his allegiance. Again.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Graham Ashworth Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ellis Arjuna Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid
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Alexander didn't seem particularly upset at being teamed up with her again, which was the best news Ren had gotten all day. The only thing that could make it better was escaping... which the split up might facilitate if she managed to distract Alexander for a few minutes. A few phone calls to her former contacts...

'Conrad also knows I'm here...' Ren thought, gritting her teeth in frustration. Being alone for any amount of time now might mean getting jumped and black bagged, waking up in an old abandoned house out on the boonies of the colony with a pistol aimed right at the bridge of your nose. Freedom wouldn't mean shit if she was dead. Not to mention, aside from Klaus, she actually liked the crew she was with. She just hated being on a fucking leash.

"I'm going sightseeing for a little while. Try not to get into anymore trouble. Oh, and keep your curtains open. More private quarters attract more unneeded attention in this side of town."

Ren's eyes darted back to the window, frowning at the Captain's statement. Ren had a solution for that problem... not staying cooped up in the room with a view.

"When they come back, hopefully it's not with guns and knives and bloodthirsty expressions... and I really need that drink now at this point," Alexander chimed in, which brought a smile to Ren's lips.

"Bar across the street, if you don't mind the occasional civil disagreement and enthusiastic problem solving," Ren offered, her grin turning into a sly smirk as her posture relaxed, "Never did get that drink before Proud. We can put it on Klaus' tab. Or you can sit around while I drink for the both of us. I'm flexible."

She had, admittedly, not known Alexander for very long in any sense of the word, but the pilot seemed a bit more lost in thought now than back at the hangar. shot or two might help him loosen back up. Albion wasn't the best of places to have a stick up your ass, unless you intended to beat people to death with it.

"Besides, you said you'd never been here, right? I can show you around a few places if there's an itch you haven't been able to scratch on board the ship. Mid-day, so most of the spirited citizens are sleeping off hangovers. Some shit I'd like to grab up town if we're stuck here for three days too."

-=-

The commander had chosen Petya's idea. It was the highest level of praise he'd received since leaving the academy, which left the raw recruit practically walking on air as the meeting went on. The commander didn't seem particularly pleased about the situation as a whole, and Rivaille seemed to have even more issue, but there was no doubt she would speak once the briefing was finished.

"If there are no more questions about this plan, then I will be meeting you all at Hangar 2. Prepare everything you need to carry out the mission."

Petya saluted, and filed out with the men as soon as the order was given. Petya assumed that they would interfere with negotiations posed as rogues, as the dense rogue population on the colony made true Transcendents generally unwelcome, for fear that they might take back what was rightfully theirs. He would require civilian attire to be readied in the event that he was chosen for the interference team, but would not change unless instructed to. It would be poor form to assume the Commander's will.

He also hadn't heard from Ellis since he received his orders from her. He wondered if she might want him to report in about the briefing...

He reached for his comm unit, but hesitated before dropping his hands at his side again. Ellis, if she was what Petya believed, was a professional. She would seek him out for a report when she required so. Until then, Petya would do all he could to acquire information as wll as ensure the Commander's mission was nothing less than a success.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ophelia C. Rossweisse Character Portrait: Alexander Hunter Character Portrait: Ellis Arjuna Character Portrait: Ren Kotko Character Portrait: Klaus Cincaid Character Portrait: Amelia Renard
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Ophelia was rather early to rise the next morning. Well, she felt that it was morning since the lights outside started to simulate it like how it is on Earth. Recalling her earlier errand, she immediately got dressed to leave, taking in a couple of pills to help with the headaches as she did. Of course, Lt. Kincaid had to accompany her again, leaving Ren and Lt. Hunter alone to their own devices.

"Let's get going. This time, try not to get too carried away with the acting." Ophelia reminded him though no longer as stern and serious as she was earlier.

"Yes ma'am although..." The Lieutenant eyed the inventory she had chosen to take along. "Are you sure about leaving your weapons there?

"Yes. I've still got my handgun so it's not as if I'll be completely unarmed. Besides--" Ophelia's eyes darted to the streets. "Those men have a higher chance of going after Ren than me so, they may need all the leverage they can get. Of course, there is her anger to consider but--well, that's why I've left her with Lt. Hunter."

Prior to leaving the room they stayed in, Ophelia recalled Ren's personal request for a knife. It was obviously for self-defense purposes so Ophelia didn't mind leaving her own knife behind. However, there was that lingering sense of danger that she can't quite determine. In face of this, she didn't feel comfortable leaving her own men defenseless. So she only took her own pistol, leaving behind the rifle she brought with her, along with two spare magazines. The key to release Ren's restraints, she left on Alexander's side table.

"You carry our Big Stick. Those two might need those tools later on. For now, we'll drive up North. Get ready as it's going to be a rather long ride..." Ophelia sighed as she boarded the cargo truck she borrowed.



"Navigating this place is starting to lose its novelty..." Ellis silently cursed in her mind as she made her way along the secluded colony walls. She wasn't sure if her message got through, which only makes her all the more agitated. Reviewing the schedule, she realized that she was way behind the tribunal schedule.

"Doesn't matter. This should go over well--if Capt. Setoen is the Transcendent that we think he is. Which means--"

Beep, Beep

A low hum resonated from her machine's sensor. Apparently, it had picked up something. "We've got ourselves a visitor huh?" Ellis muttered as she set maneuvered her machine slightly farther back, taking care not to come too close to any dense areas where interference was strong. She was trying to pinpoint the location of the intruder as she moved silently across the terrain--all possible thanks to the sophistication of the Victoria.

"Alright, let's see who slips up first in this game of cat and mouse."