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Post by Grace Forjacks on Aug 10, 2009 14:04:01 GMT -6
Grace slipped out of the captain's quarters in a pair of comfy sweats and a tank-top. She carried her boots under her arm, not wanting to wake Enan up until they were out of Terra's orbit. The melt was a bit cold on her feet, but it would warm up soon enough.
She checked the bunks. Curtains were drawn on three bunks. Grace raised an eyebrow. Had Klove actually hired someone without talking to her? That would explain why he'd avoided her last night. She didn't worry about who it was. The kid had good judgement, and he'd probably had a good reason.
Grace got into the storage and put on her boots, then lowered the door. It quietly slid open, and she stopped it right before it touched the ground. The bump might not wake anybody up, but she'd rather not test her luck. She hopped down and went around the ship, detaching the power and support cables keeping the ship stable in the berth.
She paused when she was done, yawning and stretching her back. It had been a pretty productive visit to Terra, but she couldn't wait to get the hell off the planet. Space was waiting for her.
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Post by Klove Makem on Aug 11, 2009 19:39:23 GMT -6
Klove work out of his usual nightmares with a soft gasp, eyes snapping open and looking around. Nobody was there. From the sounds of it, the other two men bunking were sound asleep. Klove lay there, wondering why he'd woken up. The nightmares were bad, but he rarely woke up out of them. They just went on and on until his body had enough of sleep. But he was still tired.
He heard a clanking noise and relaxed. Just Grace then. She would be detaching the ship and telling the port authorities to open up the roof of the docking bay. No point in getting up yet. It was still too early, and there was no rush to get moving in space. Time was more fluid there.
Klove rolled back over and went to sleep.
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Post by Grace Forjacks on Aug 11, 2009 19:52:05 GMT -6
With the cables off, Grace headed over to the control panel and punched in the code. As the roof overhead pulled back, she went back to her ship, making the small jump and heading back into the Queen of Spades. The ramp pulled up and shut tight, making a seal that would keep them safe from the vacuum of space.
Grace headed up the stairs and into the cockpit, flopping in the pilot's chair. She brought the systems online, flicking toggle switches on the consoles surrounding her. Life support was fine, fuel lines were fine, everything was fine. All it wanted was for her to get the engine going. So she obliged, giving it fuel and hitting the button. The engine came to life, quiet and silent, and rumbling ever so slightly. It always felt like a big cat.
The doors above were rolled all the way back, giving her access to the sky. The best part about leaving so early was that you didn't have to wait for clearance. You could just go. She opened up the throttle, the quiet rumble giving way to a full purr, and pulled up. The saucer rose ever so beautifully, straight up out of the dock, and then off into the sky with another push.
Towers in the distance came into view as she rose above the port and further up, above even the highest points of the never ending urban sprawl. She came up through the low-hanging clouds, and as the atmo was left behind, the sound faded away again, until there was no sign the engines were going except for a slight hum. The blue gave way to black, and the Queen of Spades slipped in Terra's orbit, dodging satellites.
The ship headed out of orbit and headed to the farthest edge of the solar system. Grace just propped her feet up on the engine's console, boots pressing down on useless buttons that existed only to confuse anyone who wasn't Grace, and waited until the rest of the ship woke.
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Post by gnirmar on Aug 11, 2009 19:58:38 GMT -6
So often, I find myself in boxes these days... He struggled briefly as he fought to get his head at the top, rocking the small crate slightly. This wasn't one of the big shipping canisters that he'd been able to hide, even meditate comfortably, in. This was barely big enough for him to breathe and some fool had put the box upside down when they unloaded him. He'd marked himself down as an 'exotic pet' to get airholes but had seemed to have forgotten to put an arrow on the insufferable cube!
Closing his eyes, he let his muscles tighten and bunch as if he was preparing for a strike... Breathing out, he curled himself into the tightest ball he possibly could and focused. 1... 2.... "Three." He growled as he released the springs of muscle and managed to make the box tumble over... and keep going. It tumbled, bouncing roughly as it finally hit the floor and skidded. At least he was right side up now, though. Battered, and most likely bruised, the orc fingered the catch that would unlock the roof that trapped him. It clicked smoothly, but the expected crack of light, or even of deeper darkness didn't come. He shoved against the roof. Again. Nothing. The box must have damaged the mechanism in the fall. "If I ever find the Human who made this box, I'm going to be making myself a new hat out of his skin." He rocked the box again, feeling something strain in his calf.
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Post by Klove Makem on Aug 11, 2009 20:12:38 GMT -6
Klove's eyes snapped open again. The ship was humming like normal, but he'd heard something in the cargo bay. Nobody should be in the cargo bay, not when he could account for three people. Klove got out of his bunk, pulling on a pair of pants and grabbing his gun, loading it.
He padded silent across the floor and out into the hall, keeping his gun up and ready to shoot whatever he came across if it, or they, were a threat. Klove crept along the hall until he was standing in front of the cargo bay. He flashes his eyes, a little yellow creeping as they adjusted to see better in the dark.
There was a box moving in the middle of the floor. Klove walked over to it. "Hello?"
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Post by gnirmar on Aug 11, 2009 21:53:08 GMT -6
He stopped his struggling when he heard the voice from outside. He felt his neck crack as he strained close enough to get a whiff of the outside air through one of the holes. Oh splendid... His mouth opened in a rough grin as he took another deep breath to confirm the aroma. He chuckled, a deep harsh sound from lack of water. "Hello, kitten. Do the humans know what they've let on their ship?"
He strained to try and get an eye into the hold, but he couldn't quite reach so he continued. A were beast would probably have identified the scent of his species soon enough if it concentrated and recognized a goblin's odor. It would be relatively faint through the airholes, but it was positively sweltering in the box. "I'll tell you what, let me out and I'll have never seen you."
((Note to self: Add 'Kitten/Puppy' to were creature insults))
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Post by Klove Makem on Aug 11, 2009 22:11:31 GMT -6
Klove crouched down beside the box. Humans? He took a deep sniff, and made a face. Goblin. Of course. Who else would cram themselves inside a crate? Or be crammed in a crate. They weren't exactly popular.
"You really shouldn't threaten to tattle. Maybe I'll leave you in here for a few weeks." He gave the box a shake grinning to himself. Grace would let him play with the goblin if he wanted. They were tough little scittes. You could maul them and they'd still be able to fight back. Better than mice. But not nearly as tasty.
"Tell you what." Klove said to the box, "You tell me why you're here, and I won't throw out out the airlock. It's cold outside, and last I checked, even Goblins need to breathe to live."
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Post by gnirmar on Aug 11, 2009 22:47:27 GMT -6
"Aaruz baalak pushdug... Aaruz garmogub zriizub." He mumbled to himself as the box rocked slowly. What further humiliation must I suffer. He glared at the darkness, willing it to retreat as he considered his options. Foolish to try to bluff his way out with no means of escape. Even more so when he was in a case small enough to sit on.
"And what will it really matter if you begin my next journey early, horngaz? My seed still hunt and my cousins still roam." He felt for the handle of his dagger, his last remnant of home, and found it still strapped to his thigh. Come now, kitten, lets see if curiosity is bait enough. "I doubt that you would be able to even mark me in a fight, were I not in this box. And yet, were it not for this self-imprisonment I would probably not be alive, let alone travelling offworld." He snorted as he found that he could barely grasp the handle, let alone move the blade. "If you're interested, look at reports near the Vega street bar." He reached for his other thigh and found the distinct absence of his beloved grenades. Wonderful...
((Should I not use the actual tongue of Mordor in my post? >.>))
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Post by Klove Makem on Aug 11, 2009 23:19:24 GMT -6
Klove rolled his eyes. Typical Goblin. When they found themselves in a hole too deep to climb out of, they just got a shovel and dug deeper. Or, in this case, attempted to goad Klove into doing something dumb. It probably would have worked on another man. Most mercs couldn't wait to prove how manly and tough they were. But Klove knew that it wasn't beating the other man to a pulp that counted (though it was satisfying). What counted was winning. And you didn't have to fight fair to win.
"Yeah yeah, you could beat me with both hands tied behind your back." He looked at the case. The lock was jammed. They'd probably have to torch it off. Klove got up and walked back to his bunk, fishing out his padd. He looked up police reports for the past few days near Vega street. Looked like he'd gone out and had himself a real good time.
"Wow, a cutthroat. What a surprise. You're a real credit to your species." Klove flopped back down beside the box and scanned the reports for more hits. The goblin had about five different aliases in the database, but it was pretty clear that they were probably just misspellings of one name. "So, Grrmar- Gnirmar?" He struggled a bit with it, "So, greenie. Looks like you're a terror and a half. How do you feel about working as a merc?"
It was the first time Klove had offered a job to someone trying to kill him, but hardly the first time he'd seen it done. Grace was quite fond of offering jobs to people who had just been trying to cut her throat a few minutes ago. You knew where you stood with them. And you know you wouldn't feel bad about killing them if you had to.
(( Hey, he's a Goblin! might as well use it! ))
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Post by gnirmar on Aug 12, 2009 0:18:53 GMT -6
"Both hands?" The orc choked out, chuckling to himself. "Only the greater drakes win by those odds." He shifted as much as he could to relieve some of the strain on his knees. What does he take me for, a mad creatures? It was actually getting pretty comfortable in here, if you could call it that. He could almost relax if he concentrated hard enough. He heard footsteps depart and return before speech once again echoed down to him.
"I am not a cutthroat, as you say. I'm merely a scout and teamleader who continuosly finds beings that have an irrational hatred of my kind. It's not my fault if their blades could not adequately back their tongues." Through a complicated and painful twist he finally managed to bring his eye into contact with the nearest air hole. The eye's pupil dwindled almost to nothing with the influx of light as he peered into the starkness of the hold. Unfortunately his antagonizer was not on that side.
"You of all creatures should understand this hatred, Baalak. The desire to stand up for your clan name, and to taste the heart meat of those who would belittle it." He shrunk back from the hole as he heard what was probably his name. "...What is a 'merc'." He frowned as he considered the options. "If it will get me out of here, I will agree to your terms."
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Post by Klove Makem on Aug 12, 2009 0:41:42 GMT -6
He could hear the goblin shifting around it in. He seemed a little more calm now that it was obvious that Klove wasn't going to rise to the bait, or that he wasn't about to commit some sort of hate crime. Klove had worked with Goblins before. They weren't exactly nice people, but they were nearly impossible to kill, and pretty great to have on your side.
"I can't speak for the rest of the ship, but Grace and I don't have a problem with Gobs." He studied the lock again. On second-look, it looked like a good solid blow from the outside could snap it off. It would make the container worthless, but torching it off wouldn't help it either.
"Merc means mercenary. Means we pay you money and you do what we tell you to, which is mostly lifting stuff and killing a few people when they get out of line." He noticed a hole in the side and leaned over to show his face in front of it, just far enough away that he could dodge any knife stuck out. "We're going to Nox to deliver blood to vampires. You'll get a bunk and fresh meat as long as you don't do anything dumb like try kill the crew."
He paused, then added, "But you have to swear on your clan. You know what happens to oath breakers." Klove wasn't totally sure what happened, but it was a big deal to Goblins, so it was probably something bad.
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Post by gnirmar on Aug 12, 2009 13:46:14 GMT -6
"As long as they refrain from attacking me I will follow the same course. Should any of them seek my life however..." His lips peeled back in a cruel grin. "I will defend myself, swiftly. You can not ask me not to preserve my own life if it comes down to that." With a sigh, the orc returned to the most comfort he could to wait for a reply.
"As long as I remain in here, I cannot give my clan oath just my personal word. And I swear by that word that I will give that oath when I can finally reach my dagger." Blood of my clan given freely to solidify this tense peace... He can't know what it would mean to breech such a pact. I have no desire to be outcast and my seed purged. His mind trailed back along the were beast's words, wondering.
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Post by Klove Makem on Aug 12, 2009 14:07:11 GMT -6
"Self defence is fair." Klove knew goblins weren't popular, and he'd heard about them being hunted down and killed, sometimes for just showing their face in the wrong place. He had some sympathy for them. He knew what it was like to have people judge you for things you hadn't done. "Try not to kill them if you can, but if you have to..."
"As long as you when we reach Heimdall you do it, we'll be good." Klove tucked his gun into the band of his pants. He balled his hand into a fist and brought it down on the lock with all his strength. The first hit bent it. The second knocked it off.
He stood back, hand hovering over the gun. Klove really hoped this was about to work out. A goblin would be great to have on Nox.
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Post by gnirmar on Aug 12, 2009 14:23:44 GMT -6
Feeling the change in pressure above and the tang of fresher air, Gnir's hand slowly traced the outline of the lid. Freedom. Sliding to about shoulder width, he pushed up and out and felt the top flip back on its hinge. It landed with a metallic clank that he barely heard as he almost literally unfolded himself from the crate as he stood up.
Eyes snapped shut as he was almost blinded by the undimmed light of the hold, leaving a dull blue afterimage floating on his eyelids as he stretched. Joints popped in shoulder and elbow with dull cracks. Laughing quietly, he opened his eyes slightly to step out of the box to face the were.
In one smooth motion, his right hand found and drew the worn dagger at his belt and drew a shallow line across his left palm before resheathing it. Before the blood had even begun to seep from the wound, he grasped the young man's left hand with his own and squeezed. "Blood calls and blood binds. By my honor as a father and hunter of clan Kys you have my word." He released his grip and stepped back as the first dark drop escaped their joined hands and fell to splash on the deck.
Then, chuckling to himself, he forced the two sides of the cut back together and held them there until the black fluid scabbed over. "Now, you mentioned fresh meat I believe."
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Post by Klove Makem on Aug 12, 2009 14:32:12 GMT -6
He was like every other goblin Klove had ever met, gnobby and hard and green. A little scarred up, but nothing he hadn't seen before. Hell, Klove's back was a mass of scars. That's what you expected in the business.
Klove nodded as his hand was shaken. He'd mostly seen Grace do this, and it was hard to resist the urge to lick his palm, even though he knew the blood would be disgusting. It would be an insult. Once the blood was dried, he could wash it off, but until then, he'd leave it be.
"Yeah, come on." He motioned for the goblin to follow him, "The mess is just on the other side. I've got beef and mammoth defrosted." He padded by the sleeping quarters and into the kitchen. The meat was where he'd left it last night, in the bottom of the fridge. He pulled it out and showed Gnirmar the cuts of meat.
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