---

Location: Vivian’s, E Street Territory, Spire District
Mentions: @Silver Carrot @Kumbaris

The bouncer hadn't been much trouble; like many of the Spire denizens, his loyalty and actions were tied to others who were far, far more indecisive than any member of the Black Maria. As such, the man hadn't asked many questions when Remo had entered into his view. He hadn't asked much of anything, just shifting out of the way for the Don and his entourage to atride past the line as a whole. It wasn't hard to tell the man's concern about a good lot of things. Remo thought little of it.

Enter into the bar, pause and take a good breath in while eyes scan the residents. He spotted her, unsurprising really considering the description Remo had received and the lack of obvious prosthetics in Vivian's. Those others who had such things were the sort to embellish their metal, blacks and golds mainly in muted wealth, while hers was suspiciously clean, basic. Otherwise…he tried to connect the face with his memories. The lady looked about as old as might be expected, though far more well worn compared to Remo. Time hadn't been gentle to her, not at all. She sat with another occupant of the Spire, though the Don didn't quite recognize her. The other was young enough she couldn't be an old one, one from back in the day. A new friend, really Julia? Remo chuckled freely at the thought.

The group was seated some ways across the floor, Remo ordering a bottle of white wine for himself and his, a bottle of red for the woman across the way. It was cheap to be generous, and the Don somewhat smiled at that thought.

Honey Badger

Sounds of cars in the distance. People moving about in the Backstreets of the City. A shop hawker calling out, "Clothes and Weapons! Armor and Food! Here, low prices! Good quality! Here! All here!" Punctuated by the roar as a mag-train rips by overhead, showering sparks from a faulty mag-lev assembly where the train touches track briefly. The relative glitz of Metro Street maybe a short kilometer away is an interesting contrast. Telling a cleaner story to the story that is being told back here.

And it is here more curiousities reside.

As a citizen, slumming for the day steps into the Backstreets. They are struck by the difference, the relative safety and shine of Metro Street is taken over by the dull grinding fall, rust and grim. Looking about they shy away from E Street toughs. And the E Street folks motion and start to follow the poor person. For about a block, before even they stop. The civilian letting out a slow breathe. The E Street folks motioning to the person, trying to get them to come back, they no longer seem to be wanting to jump them, more like they are worried and concerned.

The civilian turns to see what it is, when out of a run down shop, steps a giant. Decked out head to toe in combat gear, one arm from the shoulder down replaced with black metal and carbon fiber composites, ending in mean looking bladed claws. The other arm holding a massive rotary machine gun. But all of that is topped with a Kodiak bear mask. Blazing blue eyes looking out from the mask at the person. Kodiak grumbles, "You can go to them, maybe get jumped. You're safe here though. Welcome to Badger Sett territory. You can get back to Metro street that way." THe bear motions with his augmetic arm further into the territory. Past a massive Red, and Grey painted building. holo-tags reading, "Pack Territory" and "The Badger Sett" flare and blink and glow on it's walls, atleast six stories or so of a building. Black smoke billowing from windows and piping. The distant roar of foundries and furnaces. The sound of metal work and the sound of tools from within. Kodiak chuckles, "Go on then."

Alot of this really doesn't matter though.

As the erstwhile civilian is more or less unimportant.

It's what's happening within though that's interesting to anyone who might be watching. The Badger Sett administration team is meeting. Honey Badger himself sitting at a large meeting table, facing 4 other Pack members. A Wolf Mask, a falcon mask, a jackal mask and finally an otter mask. The leaders of the Sett in meeting.

Otter leans over the table looking at the list Honey Badger returned with. She hums, "We don't have any of this that isn't already claimed. Though Scavanger Team Beta has called back to say they found some copper piping and slabs that we can render and turn into those fittings. Shouldn't take more then a day and a half. We have five of those heaters in storage but they're all spoken for. Though, if you yourself went to go ask one of the teams working with them they may be willing to wait until we can trade for another or wait for one of the three that are being made. Those being made are about eight to ten days out though." Honey Badger nods, "I'll go ask Team Crow later, he does owe me a favor, he may be willing to part with his promised heater." Falcon coughs then, "It's those gravity filters that are going to be interesting though. We have seven, but each and everyone is spoken for, and none of those teams are likely to want to part with them, their projects are all too near completion. Though we can put you top of the list for the next one we make or find."

Honey leans back in his chair and nods, "I guess that's the best I can hope for. I'll go talk with Crow, and I'll wait on those fittings. I wonder if Ma'am Piety will take the order piecemail." He rubbed the chin of his mask, "Well for now we know what we are doing for this order. In the meantime let's proceed a pace. And send word to the Burners, if they need Pack assistance, they can call on the Badger Sett."

The leaders of the Sett nod in agreement. And the meeting starts to break up.

---

---

Chandi waltzed back to the car with Alese in tow after the woman grabbed her clothes. They slid into the backseat of the car. Chandi practically stared a hole in the side of her head. When Alese finally looked at her Chandi raised an eyebrow.

The creamy pale skin reflected the neon lights of the city as they rode in the car. Chandi let the silence hang in the air and just as Alese looked like she was going to say something Chandi cut her off. “Pack? Really Al? Badge is not exactly the worst company I suppose.” Chandi leaned back and crossed her arms and looked out the side window. Her red lipstick looked liquid black in some of the lights. She sighed and gave Alese the side eye. “And what about your dad’s car? You know I'd bring it up. You should talk about it. Not right now. Later. Tonight is about fun.”

The trip to the Spire itself was short. Along the way a billboard flickered, catching Chandi's attention. Her lips twisted in thought. She had been raised to catch little things. She texted Jeremy about it and immediately that was followed by On it. as a text response.

Looking over at Alese she asked. “Did you see the billboard?” It was more of a way to fill the silence. Alese knew that and it was a testament to their friendship that Chandi said it and Alese allowed her to. Chandi said it because she needed to hear it aloud. She held out her hand for the clothes that Alese had brought with her. As she received them she studied each one. “That'll do. Though I really want to try out the fashion tabs. I'm thinking if they work on clothes that might break me into clothing design and open that up for luxury patterns. Then work on different textures in turn you'd be able to wear any pattern; including ancient art. Open source blah blah blah. It's just an experiment.”

As they moved out of the car Chandi listened to what Alese had to add, nodding while the staff of the Spire let them through. The lift to her apartment was silent and the quiet rush of the assent allowed the ladies to reflect on thoughts. Chandi waved her hand with the micro implant and the lift doors unlocked. Opening to the opulent suit lobby Chandi let Alese go ahead then turned and pressed the button to close off the lift doors from opening to this floor. The lobby had couches, a small table with chairs; everything was black and white themed and the whole room balanced perfectly. Clean, modern and utterly lacking in Chandi's personal touches.

Once past the lobby Chandi's apartment opened into a massive vast open plan kitchen living room with couches and furniture that was cat friendly. Shadow and Grim immediately started stalking and chattering at the two women and Chandi murmured back to them. “Let me take care of them while you clean up. You know where everything is.” 

---

Both women were enjoying the sights and sounds of the bar, with Xiang Min quite surprised when Julia said that this was the exact spot she liked hanging out back in the day. "Well, that sounds highly convenient." She responded when Julia mentioned that. The woman could only smile though, as her day was slowly getting better and better, She met someone who could match her in fights, someone who seemed to vibrate on the same wavelength as her, and someone that she just found pleasant to hang out with. Barring her sister of course. She had half a mind to make her a job offer right on the spot, but she was a bit curious about her past, what she went into, and how she ended up here, so she decided to delay that thing just a bit longer to see where Julia might take her.

Then she talked about her past, and Xiang Min did not expect what she was saying, as she talked about the incident, and just a little bit of her past, how she took the fall of a lot of things and got eventually imprisoned. Xiang Min's brain worked once more, her face was contemplative when she heard the little details of Julia's story she was willing to divulge, and thought about her as a potential addition to SDS. But, unfortunately, her thoughts are interrupted by two developments, firstly by the Robot bartender bringing both her and Julia their desired drinks, and secondly by an unexpected order of red wine that arrived shortly after the drinks they ordered, her head swiveled as she saw a man wearing a fur coat, and with visible signs of aging. Nothing too unusual for her, sometimes there are old and creepy men that think she's just some escort looking for work. Creeps.

But her face turned when she saw Julia's face change into a look of dread, concerning, but simultaneously piquing her interest. She studied the man further, and her eyes widened as she saw a connection forming. That man is Black Maria, most likely a Don too judging by how nonchalantly he's going by the day himself. She doesn't need to be a genius to see that Julia is visibly afraid of him, and her mind slowly turns again. Is she? She's E-Street? Xiang Min thought, the only person that would either be visibly afraid or enraged by a Black Maria are either E-Street members, people that have been wronged by them in the past, and people who've been on the receiving end of the Black Maria's rage tend to not live for long, their bodies disappearing as frequently as the Sun over this damned city.

"Hey? Julia, are you okay?" Xiang Min asked. "We can get a private room if you are feeling not well." She offered. The no. 1 Rule when dealing with strangers, is not to make them feel uncomfortable, she learned that from his parents whenever they entertain guests on formal occasions. And this fits the bill.

Whatever leather or swanky composite material the seats in Chandi’s car were composed of was more comfortable than Alese’s bed and smelled of exotic perfumes. Having been here before, she allowed herself to sink in blissfully as they set off before sensing the redhead’s heated glance being directed her way. “So?” She said, rolling her shoulders comfortably in the smooth fabric. There was more than enough room for three or more to easily stretch out in the back of the large car, though Chandi sat mostly upright in her usual aura of relaxed affluence. “I don’t judge the company you keep when I’m not around,” Alese continued, arching an eyebrow back in playful return judgment. “Oh, Chandi, can I get you a drink? Let me take your coat- Marry me Chandi…” She pantomimed gagging. However her teasing grin rapidly faded at the mention of the car and she looked away, embarrassed, forlorn even. Images flashed through her mind again and she started to speak, though Chandi had thankfully already changed the subject. She peeped up over the edge of the thick window frame into the glowing night of the city. One of the many corporate billboards among the animated holograms and traffic signals strobed and pulsed unusually for a moment, just enough to be noticeable. It was a GeoNet advert, however with sections of the image missing, it merely read, G oNe. Alese looked down at her Net bracelet and her glance narrowed. “That’s weird, it still thinks I’m at home.” Though it immediately corrected its readout as if it heard her speak. “There it goes.” She shrugged, but Chandi had already taken to evaluating her wardrobe choices.

The cleanliness of the air was the most noticeable characteristic of the Spire. Crisp and cool. There was almost a taste to it for the unaccustomed. Even the air scrubbers Norris installed at Iron Technica could not compare to stepping up the multiple social and physical steps to Chandi’s flat. Even the water in the shower felt better, like bathing in silk and again she lamented selfishly that this was an attainable choice that she had the ability to make. After nearly an hour she emerged, vibrant and in a riot of colors. She would lie if she said she hadn’t enjoyed every second and took her time to savor it, but since Chandi had decided to pop-in for a surprise visit, it felt a deft counterstroke to take her time in the lap of luxury. “God I needed that…” She said wistfully and glided over to the bar area moving some of the bottles around and tipping on her toes to examine others before preparing a selection for herself in a silver mixing cup. One of the cats purred against her leg, smelling Chandi’s floral scented body wash fresh on her skin as she stirred. “I swear I’m not getting drunk this time. This is just pregame.” She said, taking a sip and bending down to apply generous scritches, though as soon as the heat of the liquid descended to her empty stomach she felt the warmth of high-end alcohol rise back up through her nerves and smiled broadly, taking in a deep breath and savoring the taste. “Mmmm…Yes, that will do.”

There was a large mirror adjacent to the bar and she half-turned, drink in hand, and pivoted on one foot, looking down her shoulder discerningly at her figure for a moment. Satisfied, she put a new bag over her shoulder- a much sleeker option she kept at the apartment and more than anything she would have risked on the streets. “Alright, I’m ready.” She said, turning back to Chandi and taking another healthy sip before setting the cup aside. She fished a pair of glasses from the bag and slid them over the top of her head.

Any hope that Julia could get through this night whithout that Black Maria bastard spotting her were shattered when, upon checking back after he'd entered, their eyes met, and Julia's head snapped back to the front. Well, he'd seen her. She didn't doubt he recognised her. They crossed paths enough times. He'd grown a beard, she had a lot more scars and they'd both started going grey, but you don't forget the face of one of your nemeses.

She tried to calm down when he appeared to ignore her and sit at the other end of the club. Maybe the desire to avoid each other was mutual. After all, surely this was a coincidence. Xiang seemed too popwerful to be in Black Maria's pocket. It wasn't that Julia trusted her too much to entertain the thought that Xiang may have ratted her out. She was still a relative stranger. It's that Xiang didn't seem like the type to operate like that. She probably had her own guys. Didn't seem like the blonde lady's style to do something like this.

Their drinks arrived, along with a chilled bottle of red wine. The robot waitress made a point to specify that the 'gentleman in black' had ordered it for this table. Red wine, huh? Julia was starting to calm down now that her fight or flight response was assured she wasn't in danger of catching a bullet, or worse. This was, however, an annoying addition to her evening. Her expression turned from fear to irritation as she clicked her tongue.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Julia reassured her new friend with an unconvincing, fleeting smile. "I'm afraid I have to catch up with an old friend. Excuse me."

Julia hadn't invited Xiang to come with her, but she hadn't told her not to either, as she left the wine in the ice bucket, and downed her cocktail in one gulp. It tasted sour and fruity going down, but left a cloyingly sweet aftertaste in her mouth. She made her way across the club's floor and over to Remo's table, where she sat down at the free seat.

"It's been a while," Julia greeted dryly, with a nervous smile. "Never thought we'd be in a situation like this. So, how can I help you, Don Remo? Congratualiions on the promotion, by the way."

@Kumbaris@Thayr

Hotshot rubbed his eyes in the dim light of Mak0's hideaway. The tiny room had no windows and the walls were thick enough to block the Skynet signal; making it impossible to tell just how much time he and his benefactor had spent pouring over MCPD surveillance footage. So far, following Rotor's movements prior to his death. He'd somehow managed to keep a low profile despite the usual brash and loud persona Hotshot and multiple Burners were accustomed to. The cell boss was starting to wonder if this little trip was going to yield any results.

Mak0 had abandoned the task in favor of working on the Rip Current. Leaving the room for his 'workshop' the Shark slipped through a hidden door against the back wall. All Hotshot could hear was a string of various machine noises broken by the odd curse in a distorted tone. With little else to do, he turned his attention back to another surveillance video. This particular feed was Rotor on his daily beat. While Afterburn preferred the rooftops, members like Rotor and Saturnine would often descend to the city floor in the hopes of picking up jobs or the occasional credits. Onscreen, Rotor was loitering in his preferred alleyway. It looked like practically nothing until something caught Hotshot's attention.

"Mak0! I need you in here!" A few moments later, the hidden door slid open and the shark mask popped out. The electronic eyes studied Hotshot carefully.

"I take it you found something?" Hotshot pointed to the feed in question. While Rotor stood leaning against the wall, the camera made out the faintest trace of a distortion next to his body. Exactly the size of an adult human.

"What do you think? System glitch or have we found our potential client?" Mak0 eyed the feed and brought it to the main monitor on the wall. He shook his head.

"Highly unlikely it's a glitch. The cameras are about the only thing the city tries to keep up to date. MCPD and the Heirs love having their eyes and ears on everyone." The Pack member furiously typed away on a keyboard yet - no matter what was hit - the blur refused to change. "That's definitely an AR cloak. I haven't seen something this difficult to hack through in a long time. If I can't do it, then you have two prime suspects. Someone from the Pack using a homebrewed gadget..."

"... or an Heir got some new toys and they REALLY want this quiet," said Hotshot finishing the thought. "Not the smallest pool to work with, but that does narrow it down. I trust you'll keep working on this for me?" Hotshot turned to leave when Mak0 placed the Rip Current on the table.

"I'll do what I can, but if I can't hack past that, then you may be SOL, my friend. Although there may be one Pack member who has more advanced tech than I do. I'll have to call in a favor..." Before Hotshot could ask, Mak0 pointed to the pistol. "I took the liberty of removing the limiter this time. You get five shots before reloading now, but the stored charge should be plenty stronger. You'll cripple any cybernetics so long as you're accurate. And of course," There was a dry chuckle as Mak0 set a box of rounds on the table.

With a nod, Hotshot claimed his items and turned for the door. Upon stepping outside, he quickly reconnected to Skynet and tried contacting Saturnine as he fired a grappling hook to ascend to the rooftops. "Sat? you copy? Sat?" When no reply came through, the boss groaned. It seemed like he'd be the one contacting other cells. Baba would have to be first since The Lost could be reasonable. As he took off running, Hotshot made a mental note to stop by Jigen's before tracking down Baba. He'd have to take his noodles to go this time.

Meanwhile, back in the hideaway, Mak0 returned to the workshop and started packing up tools. As soon as he made contact with another Pack member directly, it was going to be time to close up shop. This particular errand also meant having to track down a nosy Badger. Mak0 turned and picked up a rifle that had been leaning against a wall. An unfinished project, but with a little work, it would be more than a fair trade for some information.

---

He smiled as she made her way over, not stopping for any sort of invitation before seating herself down in a free seat at the table. The Don hadn’t brought quite so many as to take a whole table, and some hadn’t seated themselves, though made men's eyes drilled into the woman as she did so. They knew who the lady was, generally speaking. Associates of Black Maria, and more specifically Regia Maria, were told to carry themselves a certain way, talk a certain way, and she didn’t fit the profile at all. Of course, meeting with an associate would never have been done by the Don himself, so that pointed the way from such a possibility easily enough. He stared, too, smiling thinly as she spoke.

A pause passed, Remo motioning with a casual enough gesture, and those men seated stood, took a few steps away. He didn’t need them for the conversation, that was true enough. Only his Capo remained seated, hands hidden under the table.

“It has, it has. I’d always hoped we would find ourselves in a situation like this. Talking like this. It would mean someone has finally won, or at least won enough. And…thank you. The promotion has been most interesting.”

He studied her again, taking a sip of his wine. It wasn’t great, but also wasn’t odious. The smile remained on Remo’s lips as he considered her. “How’s the real world, ragazza? Good?”

Julia’s smile was strained. She wasn’t just pissed off because he’d stated that them talking like this was a sign he’d won their blood feud. She was even more pissed off because he was absolutely right. He was the winner. He is even more powerful now than he was then. Julia may be much better off after reaping the rewards of her deal than she ever had been, but she no longer had power within E-street hierarchy, and was short two limbs. Even so, she was a strong believer in respect, even among once-enemies, so she answered cordially.

"Considering the Spire as the real world is still novel to me. Compared to prison, it’s….very quiet at night," was her hesitant, bizarre answer. Trying to make small talk with Remo was seemingly a challenge to her.

Meanwhile, Xiang Min was silently observing the situation as it unfolded. The Don and Julia meet each other, seemingly sizing themselves up, before sitting down and talking, the CEO silently commands her gauntlets to be on standby mode, in case anything were ever to happen that demands her intervention, but she doesn’t think Julia nor the Black Maria Mafioso are stupid enough to start a conflict in the Spire out of all places.

Still, while she has dealt with her fair share of gangsters, she hasn’t dealt with one with this much prestige and position. She’s dealt with some mercenaries and E-Street thugs that rivals hired to kill her, and she tended to be on the winning end of that situation. She was a little bit surprised though when some Black Maria gangsters left the tables in Vivian’s, she never even thought that there were more Black Maria gangsters here, the muscle near the man in the White Coat is still sitting there however, unmoving and a rock, most likely insurance in case things go south.

The blonde-haired woman could only give Julia Kray a nod as she stood by. So, a bunch of gangsters, and a muscle right next to the head. Would need a distraction to keep the other gangsters occupied while I gun for the Muscle, a uppercut with my gun firing should knock him out for good, and at that point, the rest of the gangsters should be easy pickings. Hopefully the old man wouldn’t choose to fight himself, but if it’s necessary, a sharp knock on the head could KO him for the moment while we do a fiery escape. Xiang Min thought as her mind wracked over potential exit strategies for the current situation.

Normally she would have Mingfan and some SDS personnel assisting in this situation, but she doesn’t have time to call for assistance should things go south, and she doesn’t want to take her attention off just to call for help.

”I imagine so. Bars aren't good for souls. It breaks them down too much…and what is left is bleeding.” He paused, considering, contemplating, taking a sip of his wine. There sat a former foe who could fight no longer, knew it, and though he understood and knew that the feeling one should feel was elation, the Don struggled to grasp at that emotion. No, instead he just saw a broken, broken woman who lacked strength. In a way, there was pity to be found in that image. In a way, there was pride. He had done this and no other, no other could claim it as their war to be won. No, Remo couldn't crow over the victory like a child, but he could at least quietly appreciate it.

His gaze wandered a shade to the distance, to the woman standing some ways away in fine Spire clothing. The way she was studying his bodyguards and the Don clicked in the man's mind, a careful enough study for issues and threats. A thought sent and received over his link and he knew one of his men had already tensed, ready, waiting to put a bullet in the woman's skull. An issue or another would be stupid, but so would not taking precautions. He made a point to look long enough before looking again at Julia. ”The Spire isn't quite real either, that is true, but I am glad you are making not quite real friends in it.”

Julia’s jaw clenched and the muscles in her neck visibly tightened. She was staring at the table in front of her. She could not listen to what he was saying. Especially not him being the one saying it. She had made friends. A lot of them. Some of them died by his command. Other deaths were her own fault. She couldn’t think of any retort that wouldn’t get guns drawn on her, and not make her look pathetic. She had to resist both the urge to jump over this table and snap his neck, and had to hold back tears.

”You’re better than making remarks like that. Or, you used to be.” was her eventual, quiet, serious response. Her mouth was dry. The look in her eyes when she raised her head to meet his gaze again would be a familiar one. Hate. A flame betraying her explosive, violent nature. So, the fire hadn’t entirely gone out after all.

He watched the immediate reactions, the hate, the movement. Clearly enough, there was something to be had there as she bore holes down into the table, and as the woman spoke Remo let out a long, long breath. There was flint there in that voice, flint and the taut wire about the neck. The Don's eyes didn't leave from her as he watched the performance, calculating over it.

”I'm sorry - you misunderstand me. New friends is what I mean. New friends like the one you have over there. Your old friends…” He paused, letting the words hang as he considered the next well. There wasn’t any more pity to be found there, that was for certain. She still had a fight in her, a fire in her, not quite fully beaten down and away. ”They were good people. They really were. Honest enough, skilled enough. Worthy opponents to the end.”

Xiang Min continued studying her opponents, from their clothes, their weapons, everything. The situation was so tense that one could pull out a knife and cut the tension wide open, one wrong move from either of them could spell disaster, and Xiang Min was pretty sure everyone knew it.

And so the woman, already assessing her threats, decided to do something unexpected, her weapons were still kept on standby, but she relaxed her body, outstretched her arms forwards and then upwards, and just continued watching the conversation unfold with her hands, her arms grabbing her tea and then drinking it. A silent nod towards the Mafiosi that she meant no harm, but a message that, if they did anything. Xiang Min would protect her erstwhile Gym Partner from whatever aggression they would inflict upon her.

I could only hope the Black Maria received my message. Xiang Min thought, silently drinking her tea as she still watched Julia and Remo talk in the distance.

Julia sighed, her anger dissipating as she realises that he’s trying to cheer her up. This was a weird situation. She didn’t want to fight. She wasn’t prepared for the consequences. But every second in front of this man was a test of her self-restraint. And she definitely didn’t want to bury the hatchet and become friends. Hearing him overcorrect and start praising her friends brought out a single snort of laughter from her, though she still wasn’t smiling.

”They were punks. Gangsters. Kids who shot other kids. I appreciate you calling them skilled and worthy, though.”

There was a thoughtful look in her eyes. All the bloodshed on the streets of Metro City and now look at them both; Old, alive ,rich and talking peacefully over drinks in the Spire. She didn’t know whether to give credit to the blood she spilled to get her this far, or wonder what it was all for.

”If they weren't skilled, my men wouldn't have died to them. If they weren't honest, I would have bought them. It is just the truth. You were the same. There's a reason you have chrome instead of a suit.” He frowned, then, tapping briefly against the table. A number of thoughts came and went, though none of them were solid enough to wholly grasp. Some part of him still wanted to relish in the victory, other parts of him wanted to talk more candidly in one way or another. A question still tickled at the man's curiosity since she'd mentioned such people. ”Do you visit them?”

Julia looked down at her arm. She could have gotten something shiny and fashionable, but she wasn’t an heir. It would in some way have felt like a betrayal of herself. Maybe that’s what he meant by honest. E street would lie, cheat and steal, but they knew who they were. They knew that they were street scum given value by pledging loyalty to Heir benefactors. That’s why they had a strong sense of respect, and lived by the mantra of ‘E street for life’.

She looked back up when she was asked if she visited her old friends. She shook her head with a deflated face. ”From time to time. The new blood don’t want me to work for them, but they still respect me. It’s a strange position. E street members never stop being E street.”

Remo snorted, that thin smile finally reaching up to twinkle in his eyes. The ragazza still didn't understand, didn't always reach his full meaning about the facts, about life, about all of it. He spoke of the living, new friends, and she thought he spoke of the dead. He spoke of the dead, friends made and lost during that feud, and she thought he spoke of the living. The girl was right, though, right about all of it. E Street never did stop being what they were, enforcers given meaning by what they offered up to those in the high towers who wouldn't know loyalty or sacrifice or decision if it was choking them awake. They were enforcers who didn't grasp that whole picture, built from the decisions of those before, their blood and skill, who saw only the next day. That new blood, if they were smart, wouldn't waste someone with experience…but they weren't smart because, E Street never changing, never learning, didn't know. They saw her failures against the whirlwind Remo had once unleashed that so many had been torn by, not the successes she had born which forced his hand to create such monsters. They were, in short…E Street. It amused him, that grand joke.

”Maybe so, maybe so. Maybe one day you'll find something that better fits you, here, now. Maybe one day a seat will welcome you with open arms. I hope you'll find it.” A glance at a watch, then, casual as may be in the motion. That brief frown visited the Don's face as he looked back up. He spoke as he rose, fixing his coat as Iacopo strode off to pay the bill. ”I hope every visit might be as pleasant as this one, but I must cut it short. Other business to attend to. If you are ever in the neighbourhood…please, I'm sure the Star can find a table for you. Good night, Julia.”

---

As soon as the Black Maria and his goons left the place. Xiang Min immediately went into the bar and sat right next to Julia. Her eyes still examining potential threats as the CEO tried her best to make sure her erstwhile gray-haired partner did not feel too rattled by the taunting and veiled threats she received from the Mafioso. "Uhh, can I have one mangonada here, please?" She asked the bartender, who quickly concocted the drink as a blonde woman pat Julia on the back, making sure that everything would be okay. "Hey, hey!" She ushered Julia. "You're gonna be alright, okay? I may only know you for a day, but I don't let people that I take an interest in be intimidated like that."

It seems that the bar quickly returned to its normal tempo once the Don left, and the cheery atmosphere returned rapidly enough. Xiang Min could only breathe a sigh as she didn't need to call in her private detail and Mingfan to make sure things stayed under control, "I have a Mangonada ordered for you, I've heard that it could make even the most foulest of days brighten up with how tropical this thing tastes. It's on my tab, you seem to need it more than I do." She commented as the bartender slid the cocktail to Julia's table.

She considered asking if Julia was truly E-Street or not. She is 99% sure that she is but ultimately decided not to pursue the matter further. Better let bygones be bygones for today and enjoy the rest of the day.

The Badger Sett

The elevator rumbled and growled. Old rails carrying the beat up steel beast. From a time long ago when this area of The Sett had a different purpose. In fact Badger looked down at his feet. He smiled behind his mask.

Buy when he looked up he let out a gasp.

A memory? An old engram of the past maybe? But through the chain link door that looked out onto the immense cavern of mechanical bays, he saw something that he thought wad the past. The place looked new, the lighting crisper and more clear. Soldiers of various allied corporations walked the length and breadth of the immense room. The hum of electronics. The snap-crack of an arc welder. The crash of a pneumo-hammer as it struck an armor plate. Thr whine as a walker suit powered up, it's pilot calling to the service crew at its feet. Badger looked to his left and right looking at the...ghosts...yes ghosts of other service personnel and bots rising the lift down to the service floor for a new shift.

The lift thumped to a stop, and a person opened the sliding door. Peered in and called, "Sir?" For a moment Honey Badger just stood there. Just looking out. Then without real thought in the moment rattled out, "H0-n-3-y reporting for Shift Oscar..." again the person, now recognized by his mask that of a Lion coughs, "Sir? Are you okay?"

And everything snapped back to the now. Badger took in a deep breathe. His synthetic lungs pumping hard to get his body working again. Eldritch fluids pumped out of his heart into his body. He sighed and nodded, "Apologies...sorry Lion, I'm looking for Crow White." Lion nods, "Bay Nine Sir.. are you sure you're okay?" Badger nods,"I'm fine...yes fine. Bay Nine you said? Wonderful." And he wandered off into the service garage to find his old friend.

---

Some time later Honey Badger sat at his desk, filling out and filing some paper work.

His conversation with Crow had gone swimmingly. The old friends, from way back during the Wars had traded stories, caught up on things. It'd been awhile since Crow had been to the surface, he'd always performed the safety of the service level, compared to Badger who was more adventurous and out going. When Badger had breached the subject about getting the heating coil from Crow, the old Bird had asked what Badger needs a medical grade heating coil for. And he'd told the truth about a client looking for items. Crow had hemmed and hawed until Badger had brought forward the debt and favor owed. Crow had groaned and nodded, admitting there were another ten such coils coming out of manufacturing in a week's time.

And here Badger now sat with the coil wrapped up in protective foam and wrap. One part of the order from Madam Piety. The copper fixtures would be put through the foundry, and cranked out to his instructions by the morning. He'd just have to wait for the gravity blocks.

As he sat and worked his desk comms unit beeped. His left arm heaved open and one of the manipulator armed hit the answer key, "Badger here." The voice of their receptionist, a handy and capable little seal answered, "Sir, you have a visitor. Shall I send them through? A certain...shark Sir." Badger quirked his head to the side, "A puzzle then. Yes, send them through, I'm in my office."

Moments later the most accomplished artificer of the Pack entered the small office of maybe the oldest Pack Member still alive. Honey Badger quirked his head to the side and nodded to a chair, "M4ko, don't often see you enjoying the company of the vulgar crowd. To what do I owe the honor my boy?" The smile and clear curiosity loud and at the fore in the vocal tone and pace as he looked across the desk at the shark masked man.

@TheNoCoKid

@Kumbaris

Julia joined Xiang at the bar, looking stoic until she heard the door close behind Remo and his friends. The moment she heard the click, her head collapsed into her hands and she let out a shaky, haggard sigh, before starting to breathe deeply and deliberately. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. She hadn't had a panic attack in over twelve years. The prison therapist had helped her put a stop to them, and the trauma of getting blown up and losing two limbs was healed as far as Julia knew. But seeing that bastard face to face was almost bringing something back up.

Xiang pat her on the back and tried to cheer her up. Julia raised her head and glared at her for a few seconds, before her expression softened a tiny bit.

"I appreciate you looking out for me, but don't pity me," she sighed, shaking her head, as she took the cocktail and gave it a sip. "Mm! Thanks for the drink, though. That's nicer than I remember."

---

---

Rising from the sofa where she had been petting Shadow and Grim; who both looked put out as cats do when they know their owners are going out to do hooman things. Alese came back out of the shower then poured a shot and Chandi grinned at the thought that Alese was going to not get drunk. “So adorable that you want to commit to that. I believe you believe that. Right now in this moment.” Chandi poured herself a shot of gin and threw it back. “I hear that every time we go out. Then I hear groaning from my guest room and bargaining with a higher power and the…” She looked thoughtful. “Is it the I’m never drinking again… yes that is the line that falls from your lips every time.”

Not letting Alese really protest she took the older woman by the arm and walked her out the door. Chandi stepped into the elevator with Alese in tow. “Sheila engage the lock for apartment Chandi. My voice is my password. Secondary voice password for Alese that you have on file. If anyone else attempts entry contact authorities please.” She smirked at Alese. “Yes I am evil because you have to sing that phrase you hate. ‘Alese, Alese, the queen of the streets. She can enter the room, if she sings a sweet tune’.” Chandi’s sing-song was more on tune than Alese would have been.

As the floors shot by Chandi was smugly silent till they got to the eighth floor. Chandi tapped her wristwatch. “Jeremy inform the good ol’ boys of my plans for the evening.” Looking over at Alese she smiled. “Ready or not here we go bestie.”

Chandi’s attitude switched up the moment that the door opened to Vivian’s. A smug smile graced her lips. Her head up and back shoulders squared and the step said Who runs the world? You’re looking at her. “Milo. Excellent. Gin and tonic double with a real cherry and real lime wedge. Get that for me, pet. Oh and get us two shots of Lust, Pride and…” She tapped her scarlet lips. “oh yes Wrath from the S7s. The shots you can bring at 30 minute intervals.” She ticked off her fingers counting off what she wanted. Milo could handle it. He always did. Dependable Milo was. He had to be to keep his job. “Meanwhile Alese needs a Windy Sail with an orange, pineapple wedge and a mango curl. Curl at the bottom…” Milo looked like he was going to perspire on the way to the bar.

“Is Vixie here? Yes? Good. Tell her that the head bitch and her crony want their usual.” Milo looked like he was going to ask more questions. Chandi held up a finger to his lips. “Yes, pet, the real kind. Nothing that those crazies say tastes like the real thing. Oh and what are you out of the dress code? Put your tie and suspenders on. Ancient Roman skeeves me out. That Vico bitch thinks she is in charge. There is only one HBIC and that is me. Even Viv doesn’t play me. Go on pet. Kiss.” She presented her cheek and he kissed her on the cheek. Then he turned and she gave him a kiss on the cheek then made a gentle shooing motion to Milo as she kept Alese as an extension of herself and walked over to their booth passing the other heirs who were slumming it with the plebs.

@Silver Carrot@BigPapaBelial@Kumbaris@Thayr

There was a dissipating uneasiness in the air as the lift opened for Vivian’s, like a thunderstorm had just passed. Though not directly noticeable, it was odd for a Friday night. Regardless, there were plenty of patrons so far into the spirits and the dance floor that Alese discarded the peculiar vibe almost as quickly as it was felt. What had not been uneasy, on the other hand, was the amount of alcohol in the mixing cup she downed prior to leaving Chandi’s apartment, which was apparently more than she had estimated; already giving her a light sashay in her step. The music and the UV lights shifted, pulsing, inverting and brightening colors across the club as if someone else had sensed a din in the air or maybe it was just for Chandi, which was entirely possible. Perfect timing. She thought, breathing in the crispness of the air like a sweet aroma. Vivian’s was a club for Heirs and there was a patrician fragrance in the atmosphere like high-end textiles and natural flora. While not as subtle as the apartment, it had an unmistakable allure that seemed to pull at base temptations. Alese touched a finger over one of her numerous bracelets as they walked and a digitized neon halo appeared over her head, slightly off-center, rotating softly in the dark light. Piety wasn’t exactly a common name in the GeoNet database, but she loved to own it fully and standing next to Chandi made her feel like a model on the catwalk. She beamed as they were escorted up to the redhead’s regular spot with the usual fanfare.

Nestling into the booth with a broad view of the club, Alese rocked her shoulders in time with the beat as a tropical concoction was presented to her with a flourish from Milo. As much as Chandi commanded him around he always had a sense of debonair and a strange aura of familiarity, at least to her it felt, that she couldn’t quite place and simply chalked up to him being good at his job. She thought she could detect a slight smirk towards her in his polished demeanor, but her fawning was interrupted with the order for shots and her glance widened towards Chandi with a look of disbelief and helplessness. “Oh my God, I said I wasn’t getting drunk! Are you trying to kill me?” She whined, repeating nearly the same line she had given Badger earlier. She grabbed Milo’s sleeve before he could dash off again. “Please bring me something to eat, Milo. I don’t wanna die.” She pleaded, giving him her best puppy-eyes as if she were a hopeless prisoner to Chandi’s drunk jail. This time she was sure she saw a smile.

The bass rhythm could be felt through the plush sofa and she already wanted to dance- a prospect that would only increase exponentially the more she consumed. Her eyes studied the “competition” as she sipped the glorious mixture of pineapple juice, rum and exotic fruit. These stiff legged bitches wouldn’t be able to touch her in her sneakers. Maybe just one shot, that’s all. Then she’d be set. Her glance passed over the bar as the club’s energy was beginning its charge into the night and more people arrived. There was a pair of women that looked like they were crying in their beer. A remnant from the feeling she got when they first entered. Her lips pursed a bit. No time for Debbie-downers tonight. Unlike the majority of this lot, Friday actually meant something to her and she had worked enough in sweat, grime and welding fumes to earn a night of not thinking too much about MegaCity. She was glad Chandi had shown up, though it had been a surprise, otherwise she might have spent another night alone, reading cheap romance from a tattered paperback. Still, she wondered for a moment how Badger was doing finding her items. She took another long sip and contemplated messaging him to pick her up some more books. If there was one thing the Pack would give away freely without question, it was salacious mysteries and glamor novels. After scaring her half to death just making him carry it around would be fitting payback.

@Silver Carrot
@Kumbaris
@Almalthia

---

Xiang Min was busy comforting Julia when both Chandi and Alese arrived at the scene. But her eyes immediately noticed them whenever she shifted her eyes towards the larger club. She is not a person to go to a place like this, but it doesn't take a genius to know that a local hangout for heirs might be a good place to discuss stuff not commonly talked about in boardrooms. And speaking of talking to important people. "Well, would you look at that..." Xiang Min mused, her voice barely audible as she sees the Heiress of CybertronRX and a blonde-haired companion of hers, perhaps a girlfriend or some mistress of Chandi's, arrived at the club and seemingly order a ludicrous amount of alcohol to fill up their system. She's not necessarily surprised by this. It is a Friday after all, and people like to go a bit wilder than most at the start of the weekend.

"Hey. Julia." She motioned to the former ganger "I'd like to talk to you further. But I noticed a bunch of people that I need to talk some short business with. Would you like to be my temporary bodyguard for the day? I'd pay you 1000 Credits right now, as long as you keep your mouth shut about tonight's events and protect me in the unlikely scenario some rival is out to get me in Vivian's out of all places." Not waiting for an answer from Julia. She ordered a bottle of Riesling Wine and a bunch of glasses. "If you follow me. I will assume that you've accepted the offer." She finally said to Julia, before grabbing the set and making way toward Chandi and Alese.

"The Wine's on me." Xiang Min said to Chandi and Alese, putting the bottle down and smiling at the both of them. "My name's Xiang Min. Is this a bad time to talk about some light business? I'm sure the future heir of CybertronRX would have no problem talking to a humble SDS representative such as myself." She said, sitting opposite to where the duo sat.

Truthfully. Xiang Min is quite interested in the young Heir. She has made quite a name for herself. Painting a media image of a Sophisticated, well-to-do woman who only knows the finer things in life. Quite the opposite compared to the image the media has painted of her. A much more ruthless, ambitious corporate climber that has no fucks to give after her family tragedy, she is seeing whether SDS could entrust CybertronRX with their more... sensitive Cybernetic equipment for testing or if she has to maintain a dedicated Cybernetics testing division within the company.

Hey... a leaner company is sometimes a meaner company after all. And the scientists now out of their typical duties could be redirected for... other uses, much more... specific R&D projects that Xiang Min has in mind for them.

@Kumbaris@Almalthia@Pilatus

Julia turned when she hear the door open again, and looked back with one eye just in case Remo had come back and she'd relaxed too soon. Nah, it was just an Heir, albeit a seemingly particularly important one, with a brightly colored dressed plus one. Julia quickly lost interest, and looked away. Heir's business was heir's business. E Street thrived by knowing when to keep their nose clean. Julia would never belong here. The Spire was her retirement reward. It was not, and probably never would be, the place she thought of as home.

Xiang then adressed Julia, and gave her an offer. 1000 credits for some temporary bodyguard work. Easy money. If things didn't kick off with Black Maria, they weren't going to be kicked off by anybody. Julia didn't have her gun, but she didn't need it. If you need to use a gun during a shift of bodyguarding, something has gone terribly wrong. As Xiang left the table, Julia finished her Mangonada in several sips so that she could still savour the flavours. She then got up and briskly followed Xiang with large strides so that she caught up by the time Xiang reached the booth table. The current two residents were the people Julia had seen enter the club, and she retroactively tried to recall anything important they might have said on arrival. Heir's business was heir's business, until an heir paid Julia to make it her business.

"C'mon, Xiang. They're here to enjoy themselves," added Julia as she took one of the stools facing the comfortable booth seats, and opened the bottle that Xiang had put down to pour a large measure of wine in each of the glasses. Julia had been involved in many a talk or meeting like this. She had watched her own bodyguards use all of their little tricks of the trade. Being on the other side of that, was very novel.

The older grey-haired woman flashed a pleasant, respectful smile at both Chandi and Alese as she poured the wine using her simple, no-frills spartan robotic arm. She was wearing a rather shiny neo-retro leather jacket over a silver crop top. The woman was dressing her age, wearing an updated version of the kind of thing she'd have likely been wearing when she was young. She was, looking around, the oldest person in the club by far.

Mak0 and Badger-

@BigPapaBelial

“Hello, old friend,” the voice from Mak0’s mask had been altered to sound like a middle aged man. “How long has it been? I stopped counting after a decade.” Mak0 slung the rifle off his shoulder as he approached the desk. “It seems there’s been a bit of a stir in the city. Normally, I wouldn’t care, but a client of mine has become involved so I’m offering you a trade.”

Placing the rifle on the desk, Mak0 watched as Badger eyed the weapon, “An upgraded model of a failed prototype. It still needs a little work, but I figure you’d have fun toying with it. I want information.” Mak0 produced a tablet from within his tattered coat and an image of Rotor from the security feed flared to life. “I trust you can see the haze next to the young man? We both know it doesn’t take much to wipe yourself from the MCPD camera feeds, but it’s another matter altogether to hide yourself from my hacking abilities. I want to know where this tech came from and who it was sold to.”

Honey Badger smiled brightly at Mako. And took a moment just to look at him. Badger’s own voice scrambling briefly, and coming out sounding tired, “Honestly after this long, I’m surprised we even keep track of time my friend. Even as I remember the Wars vividly often.” He sniffed, “I think it’s been twelve…maybe eighteen years? I don’t really know anymore.” He nods slowly, “Yes the whole Sk@ter thing yes? Young Rotor if I remember correctly. A sad thing.”

Badger’s eyes light up as they follow the passage of the rifle. And as it’s placed on the desk, Badger’s arm opens up, shifting and twisting, a high power lamp coming around to flare across the lines of the weapon, “Failed Prototype you say? Ahhh pi…oh is this supposed to be a gift then? Interesting. Oh no, not a gift. A temptation then?” He chuckles and nods, a manipulator arm tracing the rifle slowly, cataloging the elements of it. Even as Mak0 produced that tablet. Badger’s attention pulled away from the rifle. His eyes narrowed and his arm coming away from the rifle, “Yes my friend I see the haze…interesting…it’s not a feed glitch is it? Oh who am I kidding you probably already did a deep dive and a full scrub of the network and the video before you even came to me.” He nods. Then in a flash his other arm lashes up and attaches a cable to the tablet, and transfers the video to Badger’s own personal data vault, “Let’s see what I can do to help you with it hmmm?”

The badger masked man pulled the video up on a holo-display, enhancing the video and playing it, watching it, “Interesting…yes…very fascinating.” He watches it, rewinding, slowing it down, fast forwarding, rewinding it, the whole time slowly his aura seems to dampen. He looks to Mak0, “Before we continue, tell me what you think it is.”

“It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I’ve heard rumors of other groups working to develop advanced cloning technology, but I assumed it was theoretical. If someone within the Pack, or one of the Heirs’ wage-slaves has developed a device like this, I struggle to think of what else they could be hiding.” Mak0 rubbed the shark faceplate on his mask. Being worried was a rare emotion for someone like him. “Badger, you carry the most connections within this city. If there is ANYTHING you know, tell me now.” A whirring sound emanates from Mak0’s chest cavity. Reaching inside, he pulled out a black flash drive with a blinking blue light. “I’ll even sweeten the deal. In here you’ll find schematics to keep the Badger Sett busy for the next year. Something your clients will appreciate…” The Shark watched with interest as Badger considered the deal placed before him.

It was at that moment, life in the Megacity was about to change drastically. While the people of the city were going about their daily lives, something unheard of happened. The Geonet AI began to malfunction. It started as an earthquake; undetectable at first, but gradually growing in intensity at the base of The Spire. The tremors began to branch out from the large tower as the glow coming from the structure increased. All of a sudden, a shockwave of energy rocketed out of the building, spreading to all corners of the city. Many residents watched as transit slowed to a halt, electronic billboards began to glitch out, and GEO-IDs even shut down.

At first, the city was stunned into silence as residents tried to process what happened. Then, realization slowly turned into fear. While it was no secret that many public works in the city were operating well past their expiration date, Geonet was supposed to be the one thing that always worked. After several long minutes, the city began to gradually come back to life.

"Attention, Residents. This is Captain Ryker of MCPD. We apologize for the inconvenience, but it seems an unforeseen earthquake in The Spire had temporarily disabled Geonet. This is no cause for alarm. The city will be functioning again as soon as possible." The PSA played on a loop throughout the city. While the average bystander may have been calmed by such a speech, those in the know saw the handwriting on the wall. The tower that housed Geonet had been designed to withstand anything the would could throw at it, natural or otherwise. Hell, even the Heirs who lived in the tower knew the building was capable of withstanding a nuclear attack should the need arise. The only way for such an event to occur meant that - somehow - the Geonet AI had been hacked.







Hotshot was in the middle of picking up his order from Jigen's when the tremors hit. Even far out in the backstreets, he saw the stack of plates and utensils vibrating on the kitchen counter before the ground began to move beneath his feet. Without hesitating, Hotshot quickly pulled out a stool and threw himself underneath the lunch counter to avoid any falling debris. As the quake subsided, he crawled out from his impromptu shelter.

"The hell was tha-?" That was all Hotshot could get out before the shockwave hit. While he didn't feel anything, the sound of banging metal from inside Jigen's kitchen told him more than enough: The service robot that worked in the kitchen had gone haywire. Jumping over the counter this time, Hotshot kicked open the door to the kitchen just in time to see Jigen on the floor with his service bot standing over him, menacingly wielding a soba-kiri knife and a set of metal chopsticks. With trained reflexes, the Sk8ter whipped out the Rip Current and fired two charged rounds into the bot. The bullets hit the machine square in the head and the arcing electricity fried its cpu. It fell over instantly, the impromptu kitchen assault weapons clattering to the floor.

"Sorry about that, Boss," said Hotshot as he picked the old man off the floor. "I guess that means I'll be paying double for awhile until you can get a replacement?"

"My boy, consider your next bowl on the house, but you will owe me for a new CPU at the very least," said Jigen, shaking his head. As the citywide PSA came on, Hotshot checked his Skynet map to see it lighting up like a Christmas tree for the second time today. He tried to put it together in his head. First Rotor was murdered, and now there was that weird energy surge. It was all too sudden to not be related. He was going to have to gather info faster.

"Sorry, boss. That's my cue. Thanks for the food!" Hotshot grabbed the large bag on the counter and hurried for the nearest fire escape so he could ascend back to Neosky. Zipping across the rooftops, Hotshot scanned the horizon as he tried to locate The Lost's camp. Despite being a 'nomad' cell, Hotshot remembered the main places Baba and her crew would frequent when they weren't shacking up in another cell's territory. After an hour or so of looking, he spied the familiar looking tents and changed direction.

A quick stroll through the camp and he came across a shock of familiar green hair, "Hello there, Baba. Hope you don't mind the sudden visit, but as you've probably seen, we have some important things to discuss. I even brought a peace offering," he said as he held up the noodles.

@TheNoCoKid

The Badger and the Shark

Honey Badger looked at the image then looked at Mako. He stared into his old friends eyes. Looking for duplicity, though that's something alot of Pack left behind when they take their masks, and start to augment themselves. Badger sniffed then nodded, "The image, gives rise to the idea of a total package stealth suite." He sighs and reaches up to the image, "I'll admit to knowing of several groups who are working on this. They each came to me before they began working on it, asking for my blessing or for my expertise in creating the draw ups for them." Badger leans back in his seat and enlarges the image, on the smudge there, "The problem is, as far as I know, none of the groups are beyond the drawing board."

Badger reaches over and works a few buttons on the data vault, bringing up several files. Six in total, all under the heading Stealth Field teams. Badger pointed at them one by one, "Hammerhead Company." He pointed to the next, "Rockford Rhino Reforging." The next, "Heavy Oliphant Inc." The fourth, "Coiling Carno Arms." And yet a fifth, "Macro Max Defense." And the last, "And finally the only none Pack group who came to me, an Heir company, Silas Forns Arms company." Badger looks at Mako, "I'm telling you this in confidence, each group came to me in confidence as well. For my connections, my knowledge or blessing. One of the oldest Pack members, who can get them what they need." Badger leans to the side and pillows his cheek on his upraised fist, "I can rule out Coiling Carnos, Max Defense, and Rockford Rhino's suites. I've seen them, they sent me the plans. They aren't even off the drawing board. But they may work, in the future." He motioned and those three groups disappeared from the holo display. The other three though Hammerhead Company, Heavy Oliphant and Silas Arms remained, "These three say they have solid prototypes, with major problems though." Badger looked square at Mak0, "Use this information as you will. I know Silas won't take well to an investigation. Hammerhead is another shark Pack member working out of the Canals. And Heavy is a heavy tech forger out the Steel Mills on the East side. Silas...he's in the Spire...and all I know is his field might work."

Badger nods, "That's...all I can give you Mak0...integrity you understand. Faith that I can keep confidential information. Don't make me break that integrity my friend. Please. I can do anything else for you, but don't make me give up anymore then I've given you. Find these teams if need be. Talk to the heads of the teams, and see if anything went wrong. They've told me of no security breaches, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened." he stands up and offers his hand to Mak0 "I hope that helps."

---

Much later Badger has his mask off, and is rubbing at his eyes, the glow from them dampened in the moment, he's so very tired. Who knew several hundred years could way on a person. All the secrets and the history. Knowing of and being in it is like a weight that is beyond description.

it's as he's sitting that klaxons start going off mere moments before everything starts to shake. And for a moment the lights and power in the set flickers, emergency lights and generators kick on. Alerts from the garage below come in saying there was was damage but nothing they can't contain.

Throwing his mask back on Badger comes storming out of his office. Shouting, "What happened!?" One of the horse masks nearby leaning over a console calls back, "Some earthquake sir! At the spire!" Badger tries to remotely connect to the Geonet to check, and gasps, "GeoNets down. Everyone must me cut off. Back up our data to private data vaults! Just in case, get it off the GeoNet cloud! Quick. And someone find out if there is any external problems." A nearby lion head lets out a shuddering gasp, "Sir BetaWeb call from Crow Yellow...his probes...his probes say the GeoNet could have been hacked!" Badger looks out over the city, and listening to distant sirens as emergency services start moving, "Find out for sure! This can't be good."

Chandi looked up and smiled at the newcomers. It was a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. If she had to be nice to strangers she’d let Alese get so drunk as to puke on them. She knew who they were but they were virtual strangers. They presumed to know her. She let them. It was always cute when people outside a company hierarchy thought she had a full run of the company. Smiling still that media smile, Chandi indicated the stools that the other older woman had just occupied. Ever the lady, she waited for the ladies to pass around the glasses of wine. Ah Riesling. Not the finest wine and rather not something one should really choose to present to someone who they were wanting to corporately or politically wine and dine. Maybe she wasn’t serious about this? Or perhaps she just did not know the appropriate wine. That was likely what it was. Chandi held out her hand so that they had to move closer and it was the same gesture that ancient ladies and royalty made so that their suitor or subject could kiss their hand.

.

Alese’s eyes looked up at the strangers from behind another large sip through the straw, already a hint of a glaze forming over her sapphire glance. The two that approached were the same she had just noticed sitting at the bar. Randos normally didn’t have the chance to get this close to Chandi, but at least they seemed to have dropped the melancholy in favor of being more than a little over the top, at least for the blonde, and upon closer inspection both were significantly older which was a bit uncouth for what she knew about Spire etiquette. Alese blinked back at the girl as she was ignored completely; the sound of her straw emptying the bottom of the glass amidst crushed ice just as Xiang finished her introduction reminded the “humble representative” that there were indeed two people at the table.

Milo arrived in a flash, almost sensing the glass being empty and exchanged it for a second, moving smoothly between the two visitors with a colorfully arranged tray of fruit, what looked like dumplings, elegantly braised cutlets with a sauce and rice balls. Oh thank God… She thought, reaching for the accompanying chopsticks and trying not to laugh at the wine offering- Chandi could have anything she wanted in Vivian’s. However her expression faded as the first round of shots were also placed. The neon liquor swirled fearsomely in challenge and she looked at the small glass somewhat reluctant like a child having to gulp a particularly unpleasant medicine. This was even more potent than what Chandi had ordered, a compliment from the House. “Compliments of Miss Vivian.” Milo said, deftly making his exit again.

Alright, Alese, just one, you can handle it. We got some food now… Her internal monologue reasoned with an edge of doubt creeping. She winced as it went down and having no chaser, had to immediately go back to her regular drink. As the heat washed over her, she shook her head to get her composure back while the other woman, who had yet to be introduced, poured a measure of wine. Alese cocked her head slightly to read the label. “Oh hey, my mom loves that wine.” She said, cordially enough. It was evident the older woman was most definitely, not an heir. Not because of her clothing or any other Spire social marker, but because she smiled politely. Alese watched the movements of what was visible of the woman’s mechanical arm for a moment and the halo around her head shifted and changed from a hesitant red, yellow and pink to a curious hue of blue-green amidst runes, numbers and designs that peeled and dissolved into the air. She didn’t want to be rude and ask probing questions to a stranger, but returned the same genial smile back while Xiang attempted to talk business.

.

Xiang couldn’t help but smile at the duo. These two women are definitely here for recreation and fun, and judging by Alese’s excited reaction to the Riesling, and Chandi’s seeming aloofness, they were a sort of foil for each other. Sort of like the ‘good cop bad cop’ routine she studied about in 20th century America. Alright then, might as well entertain them while she’s here.

For Chandi. Xiang Min stepped out of her seat, and bowed as well as taking the hand of the CybertronRX Heir and not exactly kissing it, but, in true Xiang Min fashion, she only said “M’lady.” As she gracefully bowed her head below Chandi’s hands, one leg on the ground, and one leg supporting it. She hoped Chandi understands the symbolism, it is a scene seen in many period pieces Xiang Min watched throughout her childhood, where dashing men and beautiful women graced each other in dance and balls in the Europe of old. This is not exactly reverence, but a graceful sign of respect from an age long past.

If Chandi is as knowledgeable as the data terms she read about her is. She would definitely know the meaning of this too.

She would also figure that the red-haired woman would have some comments regarding the choice of liquor she made for the occasion. Her facial expression is evidence enough of her disappointment. Might as well put out the fire before it turned into a conflagration.

“I know I know, I have to address the elephant in the room. I am aware Riesling is not exactly a Wine for formal occasions.” She commented on her choice of alcohol. “But I figured that, since we are in a club, something sweeter and more lighthearted would be appropriate. After all, I think a Pinot Noir would be more appropriate for candle-lit dinners than an EDM-filled club no?”

“Your friend over there seems to enjoy the Riesling I bought over.” Xiang Min said, noticing the blonde woman’s fascination with the bottle, and she could only smile at her genuine reaction. Definitely not an heir she thought as she studied her facial expression. It’s a bit too on the nose for someone that has lived on the Spire, unlike Chandi here who exhibited all the restraint and refinement even within the confines of a club out of all places.

Deciding to end on a lighter note. Xiang Min changed the subject a little bit. “Well, if you are not satisfied with the alcohol I bought. Perhaps I can bring to you something a bit different? Moutai Baiju perhaps? Shochu? Sake? Perhaps even Arak? My family was historically from that region. So I was taught on the different types of alcohol from there.”

She could only chuckle at the thought of Chandi trying Arak. It’s not every day that I would see an heir like her try alcohol only Mingfan enjoys drinking. The heir mused. Safe to say, she would probably have to house both Chandi and her blonde friend in the house’s guestroom if they were serious about trying those types of alcohol.

.

The gesture to dance was not lost on Chandi. It would be a way to avoid speaking about business so this all seemed odd. Xiang Min had invited them to try different alcohol if the wine wasn’t pleasing. Chandi smiled. “My someone knows ancient customs. Tell me does that come as an etiquette lesson or did you research it because you have a flair for the dramatic?” She sipped the wine. It was decent and it was cold.

“You wanted to speak about something? Perhaps a boyfriend or a girlfriend? I don’t judge.” Chandi looked the other woman up and down then her gaze flicked to that of the older woman. “Perhaps your paramore is looking for consideration in my art designs? Or perhaps looking for some art connections only I can help with?” Chandi raised her eyebrow. “Oh you can speak freely around Alese. She and I have been friends for years.”

.

Xiang Min giggled as Chandi seemingly guessed kinda correctly at her gesture. “While I have my fair share of etiquette lessons as a child. This one comes from my interest in history, I do appreciate that you recognize the gesture I am using. Not many people, less so people younger than me, would understand the gesture I just gave.”

She also proceeded to smile as Chandi asked her what was with her interest in meeting with her. It’s nothing major, but she would like to confirm some initial interest with Chandi first, before going in to talk details later on. “I wish I was looking for your art designs or fashion suggestions Ms Chandrilla. I’m here more to talk about CybertronRX, and specifically, creating a fruitful partnership where we can benefit each other in the long run.”

“Now. I am not interested in talking details in a club out of all things, but, well. I am the co-CEO of a company that specializes in defense, and we have some sensitive cybernetics that need testing. I am willing to discuss an exclusive contract to have our more sensitive cybernetic equipment stress tested within your company, but I would need some… guarantees, and examples on how you wouldn’t abuse that trust SDS would be giving you with this equipment.”

The woman summoned a local bartender and ordered a glass of water, and drank it once the bartender gave it to her. Now patiently waiting for Chandi’s response.

.

Alese had already downed several dumplings just in the time that Chandi and Xiang were talking, but it wasn’t working. Like trying to soak up a chemical spill with a pillow case. Her mind wandered absently as Xiang continued to yammer on about business and contracts and other very dry subjects. It was making her tired. God, does she ever shut up? Another voice protested from the back of her mind. The thought gave her a little smirk and she noticed that her head was bobbing a bit from the haze so she made a conscious effort to stop. Having nothing to add to this haughty deal making, she thought about other things that bobbed and were not dry, like ducks or buoys in the ocean. She had never seen either one, but if you went to the right place in MegaCity-01 you could see the ocean, at least in the distance. Seals were cute. Never seen one of those either and she wondered if somewhere they still existed. That made her smile and her mouth opened slightly like she was going to make some profound point until another bright revelation flashed forward: I wonder if they have Ducks and Seals in the Badger Sett??. She looked for her hand terminal to send a message to Badger, eyes brightening at the thought. Oh, I bet they do! She thought, legitimately excited. Her thumb flicked rapidly to the message screen and she picked up her glass with the other hand, taking another sip.

Something didn’t taste right and she looked at the glass she was holding in puzzlement, then she looked up and saw that it belonged to the other woman that had so far been silent. “Oh…” She flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry…” She added, attempting to reach for an unused glass to correct this error, however Milo was there instantly and nearly swatted her hand away to take over. Alese looked up at him adoringly as he poured a new measure for Julia. “Thank you, Milo.” She swooned. His stoic, professional demeanor never flinching while her halo warmed into pink and red as he filled the glass and deftly resettled the table before smoothly leaving again. Alese sighed wistfully and glanced back over to Chandi, not the least bit cognisant of all the shop talk. There was a lisp starting to form on the edge of her words: “I really wanna dance now. Can you tell Vivian to make Milo dance with me? It won’t be like the last time, I promise.”

.

Up until now, Julia had been silently watching the conversation unfold. It was not the role of a bodyguard to get involved in affairs. Besides, Julia had to admit to herself that the conversation was well out of her depth. She wasn’t getting paid to understand Heir business talk and chime in. She was getting paid to keep Xiang safe. E-Street business talks tended to be a lot simpler, if less casual; ‘I have drugs. You have money. Give me enough money for the drugs or I shoot you’.

The girl in the bright clothes who’d come with the other Heir didn’t have the refined sense of decorum the other two had. Or maybe she was just that drunk. Julia watched the girl like a hawk as she drank Julia’s drink, looked puzzled and then apologised. The waiter then topped up Julia’s drink. All before she had the chance to get mad. The service here sure was impressive. The wasted girl was bugging her friend to let her dance with the waiter. That she needed to borrow clout confirmed to Julia what she suspected; this girl wasn’t an Heir. Still, you needed money or connections to get up here if you didn’t live here, so who exactly was this girl? Her name was Alese, but that meant nothing to Julia.

"You want to dance, but can you walk straight?" Julia asked Alese directly. Now she was speaking more, it was clear from her accent that she was no Heir, if her lack of makeup or elegance in her prosthetics hadn’t already made that obvious.

.

“Hmmm.”

Xiang Min was busy analysing the situation unfolding before her. The offer for an exclusive contract with CybertronRX is still within her mind. But the conversation between Alese and Julia is slowly spiraling out of casual business discussion into casual weekend discussion. Not necessarily a bad avenue to branch off of, considering that this is Friday after all, but she was still a bit sad that they wouldn’t have the opportunity to talk tonight.

Oh well. Not a big deal, there’s always tomorrow.

“How about I dance with you instead?” She offered to Alese. “I would like to see your dancing moves if I may say so myself. I trust that your… condition right now wouldn’t affect your dancing abilities, no?”

In truth. She also sucked at dancing. But she’s always interested to see drunkards dancing around the dance floor like some ancient angry spirit. It’s one of her favourite pastimes whenever she’s out late at a club, usually discussing some stuff either with her sister or someone else.

.

“Don’t need to walk straight to dance.” Alese said slyly and peeled off her jacket, tossing it aside with a suave flourish and exposing her bare arms to the shifting currents of neon light on her skin. The sweet air felt invigorating and though her head swam when she stood up it didn’t matter. She let her balance roll through it as if she were newly animated. The music was changing again and the energy pulled at her steps. She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes for a brief second, gathering herself like she was fluttering to the edge of a diving board before looking back at Xiang Min, a hint of challenge in her glance- She flicked her hair and set off to the center of the floor.

It was ironic that right in the middle of MegaCity-01’s most opulent structure was a place where all could be equal. Contracts, profits, plans, social structures and speculations didn’t matter: You could either dance or you couldn’t and in her sneakers, she glided on the wave of liquid carelessness with total confidence, clapping in time as the tempo picked up and finding a place in the crowd just big enough for the both of them. She knew this song, and lead off by spinning on her heel nearly three full rotations, her skirt forming into a smooth disc as the angelic hologram followed over her head before she stopped, facing Xiang Min again, her hands coming together clapping again right in time with the beat. The move instantly drew attention and she got a few whoops and cheers that she didn’t even notice.

The lights pulsed hard in sync with the beat making a fleeting snapshot of each motion like a camera shutter. Alese’s movements were both sensual and strong. Inhibitions lost, her hands sank around her hips and in the next frame pulled up through her hair and out again. Each frame a flowing picture of seduction, power, vulnerability, and freedom. Her eyes blazed back towards her new dance partner and just for sharp, fleeting instances the lyrics could be seen on her lips while her hair flowed behind in a mane of neon fire. In the back of her mind she could sense the energy and rhythm infecting the clubgoers around them as she peeled around others that joined, arching her back, side-stepping and clapping overhead.

It was easy not to notice the subtle rumble in the floor at first. No one on the dance floor would have likely felt it, at least not those under the same spell of intoxication and zeal as Alese. Hearing it was certainly out of the question, however at some point a glass fell, quickly followed by another, then a whole bottle from the bar area before the lights strobed once more and did not come back on. When the music cut out it took a moment for actual panic to set in as most were too far into the spirits to realize something was wrong and considered the sudden, total darkness to be some kind of fun trick by Vivian to spice up the night even more. However as the backup generators, which had never actually been used, continued to glitch in their automated startup cycles, the elation rapidly shifted to confusion and then outright pandemonium

Alese stood still, completely disoriented and having no artificial enhancements that helped her night vision, finding herself in the middle of a near complete blackout with only the dim light of her halo rotating above her, illuminating her bare shoulders. Frightened voices clamored and augmented eyes hovered in disembodied movements pressing frantically around her. A cold hand of synthetic skin touched her thigh and started up her skirt before she screamed like an absolute banshee, blindly kicking hard at whatever she could connect with. Wild cursing followed, but the hand was gone, instead followed by a powerful shove that took her off her feet and sent her careening into what felt like a female figure that she could only hope was Xiang Min.

.

The blonde woman was more than happy to entertain Alese. She seems decent enough in a dance and she’s happy to play the part of the fool for a little bit. It’s ultimately harmless and she gets to lay her hair down if only for a moment, a reprieve from the drudgery of her work life.

And damn can this woman dance, she moved through the dance floor like it’s nothing, dancing moves only she could dream of, quite ironic considering that she is quite adept in reading the battlefield and moving through it like its muscle memory. Nontransferable skills are a bitch sometimes, but no matter, it’s not like she’s dancing as if the world’s about to end. It’s just a quaint social dance, just a little bit of fun to start the weekend and a way to ingratiate herself with Chandi considering how close Chandi and Alese seem to be with each other.

But, she did notice when the rumbling started, she ignored it at first, thinking that it was just some localized freak accident, but the rumbling got larger, and larger, and larger, eventually culminating in a straight-up earthquake that rocked the club and most likely the wider city outside of it. Xiang Min was shocked, the area they were in was tectonically stable, and as the merry atmosphere of the club turned into pandemonium. The lights went out, only adding to the confusion as clubgoers then decided this would be the time to do a stampede, running and pushing everyone aside in a desperate bid to escape the club. “Julia!” Xiang Min screamed. “Meet me outside!!!”

Her Warpath neural enhancer activated after she said that. Significantly improving her vision, allowing her limited vision in the dark, there was someone who seemed to have grabbed Alese in the chaos, and somehow the person decided this would be the time to harass Alese? Really? A quick shove to the person sent him careening to the edge, as she grabbed Alese’s hands as the neural enhancer deactivated. In a split second, Xiang Min was on one side of the club, and the next? She was escorting Alese to the exit way of the club, eventually reaching the outside as both figures breathed a sigh of relief that they exited the chaos.

“Damn… That was close.” Xiang Min said to Alese. “Could’ve gone really bad down there. Crap! Where’s Chandi?” She said, accessing Geonet but somehow the devices were non-functional, a first in her life to see the error screen for Geonet flash through her phone screen. “Geonet’s… down. Wow.”

“Uhh, Alese. Do you where Chandi is?” Xiang Min asked. “I lost her in the escape and now I’m kinda worried about her.”

“Also, where in the world is Julia? Couldn’t see her from here. Did she escape?” She wondered.

.

Julia had watched both Alese and Xiang head to the dance floor. Julia had never been great at dancing without drugs. The drugs didn’t help her dance better, in fact the opposite, but they’d get her onto the floor, at least. By the time she could pass for an age to legally attend clubs, she was already too senior a member of E-Street to feel like she could shed her responsibility. And here, too, she felt like she couldn’t get *too* drunk, as she still needed to guard Xiang.

So, she turned her attention to Chandi, the only other woman now sitting at their table. While Xiang had piqued Julia’s interest by not exactly being your textbook Heiress, she could not say the same for Chandi. This glamorous woman probably got her picture taken to be placed in the dictionary next to the definition of Heiress. Even talking to her benefactors had intimidated Julia back in the day. She wasn’t sure what she was nervous about here, however. She wasn’t street trash in her early 20’s anymore. She was a Spire resident.

"You sure you don’t want to join them?" Julia asked Chandi, projecting her voice to be heard over the music. "I’ll watch the table."

Before Chandi could answer, Julia felt something. The expression on her face changed to one of concern and her eyes dilated. Her instincts were never wrong. Something was happening right now. Barely a second after the change in Julia’s face, the table and drinks started to noticeably shake, and Julia stood up from her chair, looking around frantically with manic, wild eyes for any sign of danger. Her organic hand had instinctively crept up to the side of her belt, grabbing at empty space that might be where somebody would clip a gun holster too. The shaking was definite now. Some of the empty glasses on the table had fallen over, and the full ones were spilling their contents.

When the power went out, Julia placed her hand on Chandi’s shoulder before most of the dancers had even realised something was wrong.

"I don’t like this," Julia spoke to Chandi, with an anxious voice."Let’s get out of here. Don’t let go of me."

.

Chandi had with a smirk watched Alese and Xiang head out to the dance floor. Alese was always fun to watch when she’d had enough to dance. Chandi swore that a belly dancing prima ballerina was reincarnated in the tiny mechanic. The last time she got drunk enough to have this much fun she had done ancient earth songs at karaoke. Something like Murriah Carry “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and Sindee Lawper “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. Chandi had been convinced that it couldn’t get better but Alese had trapped Milo into singing some weird mating chant called “Summer Lovin’” and then kissed him at the end. Then threw up on his shoes. Chandi had to buy him a whole new outfit.

Chuckling at the thought, Chandi heard the glasses rattling and looked around in curiosity. Which was when she saw it. Glasses falling then the crash of crystal and glass. Lights went out and Chandi watched the chaos happening outside the Spire as the whole place went dark and she heard Alese scream. Rage white hot and unchecked passed through her. Her best friend was in that mass of bodies and people were going to die if they didn't move.

The touch on her shoulder was responded to with a glare from blue eyes that looked murderous. “That was Alese. They will all move out of my way or I will break them.” Chandi said flatly as she turned and began wading into the mass of bodies. People who baulked at moving were physically thrown.

She made her way across the floor only to find that Alese wasn't there where she predicted. Looking around she went back to Julia and nodded to her. “Let's go.”

Since Chandi being over six feet in her heels had been throwing people in said stilettos and a miniskirt people gave them a bubble of space. The fact that Chandi looked murderous didn't hurt.

.Julia had followed Chandi up to a point, because she remembered that Alese had been wearing a glowing halo, and in the darkness, there was no glowing halo. She scanned the crowd for any sign of Xiang, and couldn’t see her either. The most likely explanation was that Xiang was with Alese. They were dancing together, after all. Julia wasn’t worried this was a targeted assassination or kidnapping attempt. The scale was too large and the result was too chaotic.

When Chandi returned to Julia, Julia nodded and started to head to the main entrance. That was likely where the other two were, either by their own volition or the force of the crowd.

.

Alese slid down with her back against the wall until she sat on the floor while Xiang Min stood like a sentinel. In the wide open foyer outside of Vivian’s the air was again clear and fresh and there was a lot more room for the panicked clubgoers to disperse as the lights flickered back on. She overheard what sounded like someone saying GeoNet had gone down, but amazing as that may have sounded, she just felt indifferent. Undeniably still intoxicated as she may have been however, her mind felt like it had rapidly broken out of the cloud of alcohol in the excitement and was now just a passenger in her drunken frame. Things happened a lot faster than she could follow, but thanks to Xiang Min, she knew she avoided what could have been a lot worse. She stared ahead for a moment at her sneakers, then curled her legs beneath her to cover as much of her skin as possible with her skirt. Cold, crisply conditioned air brushed against her shoulders and she realized she left her bag, jacket and hand terminal behind, though she didn’t particularly care at the moment. Seeing the bracelets on her wrists also reminded her that her halo was still on and she switched it off immediately as if it had instantly become a symbol of shame. The previous few minutes played behind her eyes again and she edged further behind Xiang Min like she wanted to disappear.

She hadn’t left home in days after what happened on the expressway and now this... Alese crossed her arms as the PSA sounded around them and the commotion seemed to ebb momentarily as everyone stopped to listen. Chandi would be looking for her and she just wanted to go home or back to the apartment. It felt good to think about the high powered redhead though she quickly felt guilty for her disparaging thoughts towards Xiang Min earlier and it made her feel like an even worse person. She leaned her head against the wall and rotated another bracelet on her wrist, carefully trying to focus her thoughts against her swimming consciousness. A tiny light activated at her touch and she knew Chandi would get the very short range radio burst that they usually used when riding and know she was closeby, then just follow the signal. Sometimes low-tech could be an asset in MegaCity. “She’ll find us in a minute,” Alese answered, not looking up at Xiang Min though. Very badly, she wanted to thank the other woman profusely, but in the moment felt too embarrassed of herself to even make eye contact. “Please just don’t leave me here by myself until she finds us.”

.

The blonde woman simply nodded at Alese’s request. Standing still, guarding the mechanic woman as the chaos ebbed and flowed elsewhere outside of Vivian’s. “Don’t worry. I’ll stand here for as long as I have to Alese.” She replied. Knowing that right now, security and certainty is of utmost certainty. Of course, assuming things go all right, she would probably get some marketing material from this little kerfuffle, already she have seen some drones flying in the distance, definitely Stalwart make, protecting Tranche 3 or 4 clients from possible attacks of opportunity now that Geonet is down.

It was shortly after Chandi and Julia exited the club that Xiang Min relaxed her stance. Her body significantly relaxed as the group made contact once more. “I don’t know about you. But I think I want to retire for the night. Too much action for me today, and especially on a Friday out of all days.”

“Hey.” She turned her head towards Julia and Alese. “Since the city’s most likely in Chaos. Why don’t you two stay with me for the night? I have some guestrooms that will take care of both of you, and the security of our house is unlike anything you’ll ever see. And considering Chandi stays in the same building as Vivian’s, and the lowlifes might be out and about doing whatever they’re doing now that Geonet is down. I think it would be best for the two of you to join me for the night. What do you think?”

The offer is pretty straightforward, stay with her for the night, and then maybe have breakfast with her and her sister once morning comes tomorrow. Considering the distance from Julia’s apartment, and Alese’s… rather drunken stupor at the moment, it is the most logical solution at the moment.

.

The physicality of the route that Chandi took out of Vivian’s was not important to her. Nor was the time it took. It was infinitely too long in her opinion and her opinion was the only one that mattered. Her head on a swivel she scanned the crowd quickly as her bracelet chirped at her. She strode to the right a few feet and as a muscle bound thug sneered at Chandi there was suddenly a blur of movement and a razor sharp sai was against his Adam’s apple. “By all means please push me.” Chandi grinned with feral malice. The thug to his credit retreated. “Fucking dirty bourgy gonk.” She tossed after him and he just moved faster. She spun the sai and raised her skirt on her left side clean up to her hip flashing her black leather thigh holster missing the sai that lived there and holstered the sai then let the skirt fall over it again.

Seeing Alese and Xiang Min she stalked over to them. Chandi glared daggers at Xiang Min but her face changed to a soft worry when she looked at Alese. “Alese?” Not caring about her outfit she knelt down and reached out for Alese’s hands and pulled her into a hug. “Dearest? Want to go up to the apartment?” Her words were soft and full of concern.

Looking over at Xiang Min her lips thinned. “Not that I don’t appreciate that you’re being generous but it would be dumb to move. There is a higher concentration of authority here and we all know it will stay that way.” She stroked Alese’s blonde hair and rested her chin on top of the other girl’s head. “Let’s be reasonable, you don’t know me and I don't really know you. I only stay at my place or my parent’s place. Alese either stays with me or at her place. Which, sorry dearest, has been on lock down since she got it. She’s practically family.” She just told Xiang Min and Julia more about the salacious relationship between the two women than Chandi had ever told the tabloids. The tabloids that Chandi played to and it was blatantly obvious in this instance that the person in the tabloids was not Chandi, or rather it was a very shallow version of the woman kneeling in the dirt comforting the other woman. This would be very apparent to Julia because she had seen yet another side of Chandi.

.

Julia liked this one. She had spunk. Between the way she threatened the asshole earlier, to the fact she wasn’t afraid to get dirty, Julia wasn’t afraid to admit her preconception of Chandi had been way off. Alese would be in safer hands with Chandi if that fiery look in the Heir’s eye was anything to go by. Julia shrugged and turned her attention to Xiang.

”That’s a smart idea. I’m not walking back or driving back in this mess. I’ll stay at your house tonight, Xiang. At least until tomorrow, where I’ll probably need to run some errands.”

@Silver Carrot
@Kumbaris
@Almalthia

Saturnine dismissed Hotshot's contact icon from his HUD with a waved hand, veering his hoverboard sharply in the air. He dropped to a knee, sharply twisting the frame of the bulky board upwards where his left hand met a handle on its frame and gripped powerfully.

"Mm...Find Baba..."

He murmured to himself quietly, pulling the nose of the board higher and higher as his weight shifted the engine ever lower, the behemoth thruster rocketing him into the sky as a neon-tailed blur. Eventually he tugged and gut the thruster with a kick, twisting the board until it was suspended in the air above him upside down. With the primary thruster dead like this, it meant Saturnine was hanging in the air from a death-defying height solely by the gloved hand holding onto that handle. He hung there, casting his gaze slowly over the city.

"Got any leads, Sis?" He spoke up.

"On Baba?" her voice crackled in a tinny manner, as if she were speaking through a can- or, perhaps, distantly. "I'll check, one sec."

And silence claimed him for these precious few moments. Perhaps it was minutes, rather than moments. Perhaps it was longer. Saturnine's gaze followed the city in rapid movements which would have seemed disorderly and meandering to an onlooker, but were in truth filling his mind swiftly from the most obtrustive and eye-catching points of interest andd radiating outwards. The Spire rising indomitably. The Nova Peak, a distant silhouette in the skyline rising over the slums of the Megacity. The blurry movements of the rail system, like a vicious spiderweb boring into the flesh of the city. It wasn't until his arm began to throb in the early signs of fatigue that he switched his grip to the right arm and queried his communicator again;

"Uh, sorry, spaced out. Did you say something?"

Silence reigned once more. His gaze flickered across his HUD, noting the dropped call. He frowned, his gaze rising from the city to the diminutive drone, Sparky, which still hovered over his left shoulder. Its singular eye spun to face him and the drone bobbed in place as if to nod. Saturnine sighed in relief and let his gaze fall.

"Alright, I'm through, sorry." Sister's voice came from the modulator in Sparky rather than through Saturnine's headphones. "Something crazy's going on. I found old tags of The Lost, but you know how they are. They could be anywhere."

"I think I see what you mean." His words were much calmer than they should have been. The city seemed to shake below him, the tremor starting at the Spire and emanating outwards. It began with a swarm of maintenance drones rising from housings lodged securely in the Spire, then with a flock of pigeons exploding from a nearby library, then with distant shrieks rising as the ground's trembling became stronger. And stronger.

"Sister, grab onto someth-"

His words were stolen from him. It was as if a god had leaned down and sneezed straight into the center of Megacity-01; the Spire rumbled, and following the earthquake came a daunting shockwave. Saturnine's HUD vanished as the wave hit him-

As did the hover thrusters of his board. He began to plummet. Weightlessness gripped him. A calm overtook him. He pulled the hoverboard down and forced it below his legs, kneeling onto it even as gravity reclaimed its dominion over his defiant existence. As he fell, he gazed in wonder- his hair whipping upwards, replacing the neon trail of his hoverboard's engine with the chaos of thick white lashcords- as the shockwave visibly coursed along the entirety of the city. He couldn't tell if it was physical, some kind of bomb that was about to climax into a hyper-hyper nuclear cloud and swallow them all, or if it was purely electrical. The rail system crashed to a halt. A violent one. Traffic flow cataclysmically failed. The dazzling world of lights and neon scars below him vanished for but a moment.

And for that briefest of moments, here above the clouds, Saturnine looked skyward and saw the stars for the first time in...He couldn't remember. His entire life the city's light had drowned the sky. The moon was a dull orb in overcast skies, typically emanating through the oppressive sheen of a city that only slept once the coffin lid slammed shut...

But for this instant, Saturnine could see Luna in the heavens sparkling on the horizon, coyly blinking at him from behind the Spire. For this instant, all light died and the stars shone through. For this instant, Saturnine forgot about Rotor, or Hotshot, or Baba, or Eesha, or murder, or mysteries, or even his own plummet towards the earth. He screamed in pure joy;

"Do you see this?!"
"Saturnine, please don't die."

The sheer incredulity of his voice, the insatiable joy of his laughter, and the brief nirvanna that struck him was fated for brevity however. Lights began to blink on rapidly, and Saturnine at last brought his gaze down towards the ground that was suddenly much too close for his liking. He kicked the primary thrust control. The engine rolled once. Twice. Then, it fired. Neon orange fire roared to life. Saturnine's body shifted over the board and angled it down, capturing the gravity rather than fighting it and fishtailing into an explosive crash below. His experience and the training of Afterburn proved itself sufficient on this night.

"Alright I have control, I can crash properly now."
"Secondary thrust should come back online in fifteen seconds."
"Oh. That'll be about ten after I hit the ground."
"Just don't die. I don't care about anything else."

Sparky settled onto his shoulder, as if terrified of their descent. Saturnine grinned at Sister's words of encouragement. Adrenaline surged. The world seemed to slow down. It was an experience that some chrome-heads claimed to achieve with adrenal pumps and reaction enhancers, but Saturnine's laboratory crafted genetics permitted naturally. He stomped hard, bringin the nose of the board up and using the main engine to begin redirecting his momentum horizontally. The neon flame carved a parabola through the night air. The nose of his board barely cleared the top of a billboard, the reinforced bottom smashing into it. The flimsy viewscreen of the billboard sparked to life just as his board collided with it, skipping him like a stone across a pond as an explosion of sparks exclaimed his passage.

However Saturnine was not skipping across a pond. He was careening through downtown Megacity-01. The moment he began to gain even the barest amount of altitude he grabbed the frontal handle once more and threw his bodyweight to the side, twisting the board to the left and beginning a slow spiral as its weight labored to follow his commands without the hover thrusters. The left edge of the board climbed just enough to slam the reinforced base against the corroded steel structure of a skyscraper. His trajectory richocheted wildly, the thruster carrying with inertia and sending him into a potentially deadly spin. The board managed to spin a full circle before his senses recaptured the world in frozen comprehension, Saturnine clinging to the side of it like a gecko to splinterwood.

He could feel the heat of the thruster's flame as it spiralled around him, chasing away the chill of the plummet. His heart beat twice. He began to grin. Eight seconds left before the hover thrusters came back online. So far he'd defied gravity for three entire additional breadths of time, and he was pretty sure he'd just cashed in all his luck in this moment. One final rotation brought the reinforced hull of his hoverboard crashing like a meteor into the front hood of an MCPD aerial heavy response vehicle. From the officer's perspective, Saturnine must have appeared like some obscene video game obstacle right before the finish line of a mid-difficulty racing sim.

Saturnine bounced up. The MCPD vehicle careened and barely regained control before crashing into the street below. Straining with his arms, Saturnine managed to regain control and orient the board back below him. He cast a glance behind him and let out a sigh of relief as he angled towards the ground in a controlled manner. He began to calm down. The world sped back into real-time. It'd be a hard landing, but then he'd get away from this place and the MCPD would never see him aga-

A hook appeared on the front of his board. Before he had time to register just what the crude, all-metal construction was, a steel chain snapped taught and dipped the nose of his board down violently. The chain then snapped, incapable of handling the sheer thrust of his SK8TE implementation, but not before catapulting Saturnine out of the air and crashing down into the crowded, glass-filled, people-strewn, streets.

---

"--Saturnine?!" Sister cried into her headset. "Saturnine? Saturnine? Say something! Oh, you foolish man, what's going on? Say something!"

"...._{see that}....
..._{nasty fall}....._{broke our}...._{meant for the PD}....

Sister held her breath as the voices came through Sparky's omnidirectional microphone input. She dared to tilt her head, raising Sparky up and widening its viewport. Her Neural-Helm filled her with digitized sensation. She saw a crowd of dirty people. She saw smoke rising above. She heard the beginnings of Captain Ryker's address. She saw a man kneeling over Saturnine.

"..._breathin'..._{pretty boy}...
..._{nice tech}...._{scrap fer parts}..."

A hand grabbed Sparky and lifted it. Sister's fingers flexed on their controls, but dared not risk a miscalculated maneuver. The woman who grabbed the drone's voice came clearer.

"Those leatherbacks just landed, we need to scramble. Just kill the guy and let's move."
"..._{boss, we}..._quick.

"Blast it!" She cursed, quite viciously for her vocabulary. "Saturnine, don't kill them!"

Her voice emanating from the drone seemed to startle those in the immediate vicity, allowing Sparky to slip from the woman's fingers. It thrust itself violently down, landing onto Saturnine's back in a blitz of speed. She could hear the myriad sounds of panic, as not only did her voice and Sparky's sudden movements cause a stir- but so too did the redirected heavy MCPD response team that Saturnine crashed into. As Sparky extended a drone arm into Saturnine's neck and shot a jolt of electricity into his spine, a cacophany of automatic gunfire rained down onto the streets.

...The city will be functioning again as soon as possible... the fifth loop of Ryker's automated message filled Sister's mind as Saturnine jerked awake.

---

"Saturnine, don't kill them!"

Sister's words echoed in his mind. As he lifted his head, the gunshots rang across the street and chaos ensued. He blinked- and was suddenly in that laboratory, all those years ago, a gun in his hand. The woman standing over him, reaching for him, suddenly toppled back in a bloody spray as automated fire unleashed over him. He felt like he was fifteen again. Eyes wide as blood fountained from a gushing neck wound. His hand tightened on the pistol he gripped-

His hand tightened into a fist. The Demonio lieutenant hit the ground, and Saturnine pushed up with his right hand, throwing his shoulder into the man who was kneeling over him- much lighter than the man seemed to anticipate. Saturnine bounced off his over-corrected stance and surged to his feet, nimbly slipping between the man's grasping arms. He threw a look back just as his HUD came back online, and with a flick of his fingers the hoverboard raged into life.

He ducked a punch, flipping away in a lightheaded delirium as the Skynet overlay triggered back into his vision. A pair of arms caught him in the air, and threw him down towards the ground. He landed in a sprawl, then launched himself forward between a man's legs as his hands thrust into the air. The hoverboard surged upwards, dragging a desperate woman into the air with it. Saturnine grimaced, and twisted a hand to tilt the board and shield the woman from a peal of gunfire that rained into it. This distraction lead to a kick landing squarely onto Saturnine's right leg and knocking him back to the ground. Sparky soared into action, rising off his shoulder and connecting into the attacker's forehead with the solid thunk of a metallic baseball.

"--Sis, that's rude!" He chastised hastily.
"He had a pipe!" Her voice was once again coming into his headphones, the call reconnecting.

Saturnine swept his arm down then leapt into the air, grasping onto the hoverboard's handle as it rocketed past him overhead. There was no time to climb aboard, or even to console the screaming woman who was swinging a chain from atop his property, because six exo-suit bearing MCPD officers had now formed a lethal semicircle of automated gunfire in the street. Bodies were beginning to become more common than standing, sapient, people. Saturnine's eyes witnessed the ghostly echo of that same far-off laboratory, blood-strewn halls. His hand tightened on the pistol.

His hand tightened on the hoverboard, and with its full suite of controls returned he elegantly sent it into a spin and redirected it back towards the MCPD officers. The flash of a disorienting stun grenade deafened the world- but when the flash cleared, Saturnine was kneeling on the board with two assault rifles in his hands, and three of the officers were knocked to the ground. Saturnine turned to the woman, who was clutching her head in pain from the grenade, and opened his mouth to speak;

"Everything's gonna be oka-"

His voice cut short as her torso erupted into blood, high powered rounds trailing up and richocheting off the steel buildings around them. Saturnine hugged himself to the board and rolled onto his back, swiftly disassembling the rifles and dropping their components into the open air. He spent precious seconds reaching over and grabbing the woman's body.

"...I can't save everyone...?" He murmured to himself, seeing Sister's face on the woman's body. His hand tightened on the pistol. His hand pushed her off the board. As the gunfire died down below, he surged into the air and into safety. His disarming and scattering of the MCPD firing line appears to have allowed the Demonio rats to creep back out of their holes. The last thing he saw as he rose back to his feet was a behemoth of a man taking a sledgehammer to the top of an officer's helmet. Saturnine turned away, kicked the board into its highest gear, and was a neon blur racing across the rooftops away from downtown.

---

Sister sat back into her chair. Her heart was pounding. The gunfire had been so loud. Sparky's visual lens had a bit of blood on it.

"...Nine, can you...?" She managed in a tired voice.

"Oh, yeah, one sec." Sister watched as Saturnine grasped the drone, then slowly and carefully wiped the blood from the viewport. It felt like an eternity. It felt like being held in his arms again.

"Thank you very much."

"Anything for you, dear Sister." came his ever gallant reply.

"I'm going to try and check in with the cell. GEONet....Crashed. You'll be alright for a bit?"

"Yeah, I'm in full control. I'll ping you if I need Sparky. Love you."

"Love you too. Thanks for...I'm sorry I hurt that man."

"It's alright." Saturnine pat Sparky affectionately, then slid it onto its port on the hoverboard. "Take it easy. Thanks for looking out for me. I'll ping you, sweetness, so make sure the cell is alive. Vivian's calling me, guess we're all having a busy night."

Sister nodded, then cut the call and flew her fingers over the terminal. All her typical data threads were cut temporarily, service was spotty at best and not improving. She had to hope the Cell was being smart tonight. She dismissed the 'net, and drew upon Skynet in full. The entirety of the city mapped before her vision, and through her Neural-Helm she overlayed Afterburn tags and timestamps. A portion of the city lit up. She filtered by recency, and noted positions. Phoenix was alive, or at least was as of ten minutes ago. Dumpster had updated his tag on her workshop twenty seconds ago. She could see the explosion of datum-noise as GEONet struggled to come back to life, a dozen relavent Afterburn calls coming into her and dying in an instant. She split her focus, one hand directing the 'Net traffic to its intended recipients and boosting connectivity- in essense, playing digital spider and keeping the Afterburn web up and running- while the other manipulated the Skynet map.

"...Whatever happened, it's impossible." She murmured to herself. "Spire's supposed to be impregnable. the 'Net is supposed to be...Above all interference. This is insane. The entire city went offline for a moment..."

Then she paused for a moment. Her entire being frozen in one, sudden, jarring, divine revelation. She licked her physical lips. Her tongue was so dry. Sister hastily dismissed all her feeds. The Cell would have to deal with the dropping of calls like the rest of the city. The Cell would have to work on its own legs for a little while.

She slowly lifted the Neural-Helm off her head and laid it back onto its mount. She took a deep breath, then slowly reached over and grasped the handle of a cybernetics scanner. She lifted it, slowly tuned the instrument, and turned it on. She angled its reader against her own chest and pressed it into the coveralls steadily, until she had a deeply uncomfortable feeling in her chest. She stared down at its upside-down screen and waited what felt like an eternity.

"...Oh, wow, geeze that's not good." She whispered. "That's really...really...not good."

She surged to her feet, throwing desk into disarray in her haste. The coveralls fell from her shoulders, and as she jumped to her feet she wrestled the work garment off until she took a final step into her private room and left the denim in a pile behind her. Within one hundred twenty seconds she emerged again, wearing a light blue dress cinched at the waist with a thick black belt. Her ponytail was pulled through the back of a baseball cap that she now wore atop her head.

"Alright, stay calm. The typical pain is still ongoing, so the current nanite cycle is still active. Time between refreshes varies based on nutritional input...Two slushees and a corndog really isn't a good diet, Sister, you stupid girl, that's probably only an hour of energy for the hive."

As she spoke to herself she moved with an incredible purpose, gathering up a go-bag in the form of a backpack which she threw onto her shoulders and tightened down. She fell heavily into a chair, pulling a set of boots in front of her. She stared into their yawning mouths as if they held the answers.

"That means I've got fourty five minutes, then. Before the nanites go home and realize there's no battery left. Which means I've got...Two hours before the first of the shakes start. Three before vision goes blurry. Plenty of time."

She slowly slipped her bare feet into the boots, tying them swiftly then double-knotting them. She pulled a visor onto her eyes, syncing its AR feeds with the skynet module broadcasting from her workshop as well as with Sparky's datum feeds. She took a deep breath, and rose to her feet calmly. She rolled her neck. She shook her arms out. She did everything she could to trick her mind into feeling relaxed.

"Plenty of time." She repeated, watching Saturnine's movements through one display of her HUD. "Plenty of time. I don't need to bother him. He's already in so much danger. I can do this."

She stepped towards the same window that Dumpster had checked in with her at what felt like a lifetime ago. She reached under the table and pulled out two bracers, slim and sleek in design. She slowly strapped them onto her forearms. The clasps fit perfectly, tailored to her slight frame, and once they locked into place they felt snug. She rolled her wrists, and a dozen microfilament cables headed by tungsten darts protruded from the wrist of each bracer. The motors whirred to life.

"Alright. Just like a trip to the Novapeak. It's not far. Well it is far, but it's not too far."

Sister stepped into the window and cast a glance up. She didn't want to worry anyone, and she could take care of herself! Secure in knowing her movements were as-of-yet unnoticed, she turned, fired a dart into a nearby building, then swung into the air and began to cross the city.

"...Oh, Badger, please be there."