• Blood & Dust - A Post-Apocalyptic Pseudo-Western Character RP
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> "Welcome to Lady Luck! You can have a seat anywhere you like. Can I get you anything while you wait?" "I don't suppose you have any freshly baked goods or lavender? I swear my odor sensors have begun to corrode with all the grit and grime in the air and those two are simply my favorite scents!" Diplo reminisced gleefully.
Minutes later, Jasper, Eliza, and Boombox would enter the Lady Luck. Eliza was the first to comment, really. "A whore house? Hah! Your boss sure knows how to choose a spot to meet up!" she said, with a chuckle. There were patrons scattered about, enjoying the booze or the lovely company of those that worked for the establishment. Jasper walked straight to the bar, dragging Eliza along behind him. She got a few looks from some of the other people in the bar. Most were looks of confusion or fear. Especially since her face was slapped on a wanted poster just inside the door. She ignored the looks, really. She was more focused on the music playing from a speaker mounted up in the corner of the room above the bar. She knew the song. She knew a lot of songs. You had to find something to keep you occupied when you weren't fighting and killing back home. She softly hummed along to the song, standing behind Jasper as he spoke to Lilith. "Afternoon, Mrs. Dawn." he said, pulling his hat off. Beneath it, short and shaggy blonde hair.
Lilith smiled. "Afternoon, Jasper." She grabbed a clean glass. "Can I get you the usual?" Lilith sneered at Eliza. "Or maybe something for the convict."
"Just a beer." said Jasper, before glancing over his shoulder at Eliza. Whom was still off in la la land, singing to herself. "Glass of whiskey or something for her." he said, sitting down on a bar stool. As he waited on the drinks, he spoke again. "Marshal send anyone over yet?"
Lilith nodded. "Beer and whiskey, comin' right up." As she poured up the whiskey and placed a bottle of Republican Star beer on the counter she continued. "Yes, you're looking at them." She waved in the general directon of Slade, Ozzie and Diplo. She gently placed the whiskey glass infront of an empty seat. "Miss", she said while looking at Eliza.
Boombox wasn't exactly digging the tunes, so he started playing some of his own in a player he had installed inside himself. He bobbed his head to the beat as he tagged along behind Jasper. "Ugh, man! Is this some seafood restaurant? Cause I'm smelling crabs!" he commented.
Jasper glanced over to the others that had been gathered. Including the UNC envoy. He assumed she was coming as well, otherwise she probably wouldn't be in this place.Why she wanted to come, he didn't know. Probably pestered Thatch, and got him to force Masterson to take her. The other one from the UNC, a robot, was talking to her. Yellow Eagle, he was called. Passed through here every so often before heading back out. To be honest, he seemed like he'd make a good candidate for the job the Marshal was taking them on. He took a swallow from the beer before him as he glanced back over to Slade and Ozzie. A pair of mutants? Better than nothing, and at least one of them had actual lawman training. Diplo on the other hand seemed a bit polite. Even for a synth. Eliza snapped out of her trance, and looked to Lilith. "Eliza Cohen, but I'm sure you already knew that." she said with a smirk, before thumbing over her shoulder towards the wanted posters. She sat on the bar stool, and peered down into the glass of whiskey. Hopefully its actually good and not cheap shit like most of the places here in the Republic had. As she took the glass with both hands (as they were cuffed together still), she looked up to the bartender. Eyes traveling straight to the woman's cleavage. "Lemme guess, you're on the menu too. Gotta be with tits like that." said Eliza with a chuckle, before gulping down the whiskey.
Lilith frowned and poured up some more whiskey. "I'm sure you're aware of the things women have to do to stay afloat in times like these, hun." She leaned in and stared Eliza directly into her eyes. "As for your reputation, make no mistake. The shotgun behind the counter is kept loaded for a reason." "You can ask Masterson what happened the last twenty times a patron went a little too far and got a little too comfortable." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Malin approached Jasper. "Masterson sent me. Malin Lejonsköld, UNC envoy. Pleasure to meet you." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Eagle approached Diplo and leaned on the counter. He chuckled and adjusted his hat. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the guy who spent years locked up inside a pre-war bunker?"
"I don't plan on being number twenty-one, so you can relax. Besides, I can't do much like this." said Eliza, lifting up her hands and jiggling the cuffs binding them together. "And trust me. I was a fucking raider for nineteen years. I know everything someone will do to stay afloat, as well as stay alive." She lifted the cup back up, gulping down the whiskey before continuing. "Half the shit I did myself." she muttered. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Jasper looked back over to Malin. "Jasper Clarke. Former Union GEH Scout, 2nd Scout Regiment out of Philly. I work with the Marshals and Rangers here in the Republic now. Your friend over there coming with us too?" he said, before motioning towards Yellow Eagle. "Could probably use him."
Lilith stared at Eliza for a moment. "Motor City, huh? You don't happen to be the same gal who stole the manhood from Jack Dixon himself?" --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Clarke." Malin glanced at Eagle before looking back at Jasper. "I haven't asked him. He'll most likely say yes if it involves money and the opportunity to boost his own reputation." She chuckled. "If it's one thing he likes it is to tell a good story."
Eliza gazed down at her glass for a moment, remembering that night. "Yeah. He crawled into the wrong bed. I think he's still alive, though. Should have cut the rest of it off." she replied. She sighed, then tilted her head. "Now some of 'em are out in the wastes hunting me. Doubt they'd go this far south, though." _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Well, he'd get paid compensation for the work. Should ask him." said Jasper, before taking another drink from the beer bottle. After a moment, he spoke again. "So what made you join up? Didn't think a political envoy would want to head out into the American Wastes. Especially during the summer, and to track thieves."
Lilith remained silent before glancing at Jasper and then back at Eliza. "As long as you don't cause trouble in here you're okay in my book, hun. You did every woman in the US a favor. Some of my girls have- unfortunately- seen their fair share of raider patrons before they came to me. I don't think I need to tell you what men like that are capable of..." She placed the whiskey bottle on the counter. "It's on the house." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Malin nodded. "I reckon he won't be too hesitant about new work. He's not exactly the R&R-type of guy. At least he wasn't back in the day when he ran close-protection details 24/7 in the UNC." She shrugged. "Long story." To Jasper's question Malin sighed. "I'm here because the UNC needs allies on the other side of the pond. Between the rising threat of NEO and the lack of any major allies in central Europe the Nordic Council are pushing the idea of re-establishing ties with the US. It's a difficult task but not impossible. Throughout my career I've spent as many hours at a meeting table discussing trade agreements as I've spent ducking behind cover and returning fire when negotiations go south." She shrugged. "In any case, to better evaluate how the UNC can help the Republic it's best if I'm in the field to see everything with my own eyes. That includes getting dirty. Besides, catching thieves would be a great PR-stunt for the folks back home. Get them riled up and chatty about the Republic and how crucial it is that we ally ourselves with other states."
Eliza eyed the bottle, before taking it. "Thanks." she said simply, before taking a few gulps straight from the bottle itself. Almost turning it straight up in the air. Eliza didn't plan on going on about her time with the raiders. Especially since she did some horrible shit herself. She set the bottle back down on the bar, before glancing to Jasper. Eh...the bottle would shatter on his head and it wouldn't even faze him. She looked around the room, to the two mutants sitting at the table nearby. She thought she had heard of one of them, the one with the darkened skin and weird ass eyes. Slade or something. Some lawman out of the Bayou. She opted to join them, taking the bottle with her and walking over. "So I guess you two fuckers got roped into helping the Marshal too?" she asked, as she sat down with the bottle in hand. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Jasper glanced back and watched Eliza walk over and sit with Slade and Ozzie before returning his attention to Malin. "Best decision the UNC made was picking the Republic over the Union. Trust me." said Jasper.
Malin grunted. "I've only heard the stories. What can you tell me about them?" She slowly sat down on the now-empty barstool previously occupied by Eliza. "I assume someone who's ex-Union such as yourself know more about the hard facts rather than the caravan stories I keep hearing."
"The Union wants to bring back the United States, but by force. Its mostly Humans and GEHs, with some robots and a few cyborgs here and there. They claim to be a democracy, when its more like a sort of military dictatorship." said Jasper. He glanced up to see Boombox still standing nearby, so he motioned to an empty barstool on the other side of him before continuing. "We GEHs are treated mainly like tools by the Union, same with the robots and cyborgs. Mutants are deemed abominations, and are either killed on sight or are gathered up and sent to death camps. Usually Camp Roanoke. That's where they send most dissidents. There, you're either worked to death, or tortured and executed. Or in the case of robots and synths, reprogrammed and put to work somewhere else."
Ozzie grinned and chuckled with his hoarse voice, "The old coot can run up an' down them waterways best he likes cause he aint gonna find me there. Jacobs aint got no jurisdiction in the republic, and I very much happen to be a upstanding citizen round these parts." He pushed his hat up slightly and motioned for Lilith, "One sarsaparilla, ma'am." He then looked back to Slade, "Only thing I'd care to do in Orleans is pour a bottle of cheap whiskey on his grave once the leaches suckd 'im dry."
"Upstandin citizen. Right." Slade chuckled "And I'm the running for Mr. Texas." He grabbed his glass from the bar "One thing we can agree on. That idiot can't hurry up and kick the bucket soon enough. Too soft in the brain to put two and two together. Surprised he can dress himself. Maybe then Orleans can get an actual lawman." Sipping from his glass, Slade took a quick look around the room. It was beginning to fill up with more more peculiar folk. More wanna-be lawmen for the marshall's job? He could recognize some of them, like Eliza. But most were still unknowns. "Speaking of upstanding citizens." He looked back at Ozzie "You're here for the marshall's job?
"Sup." Boombox greeted the others as he sat down, funky fresh beats still emanating from within his body.
Malin shook her head. "Such a waste... To think that our violent nature persist after this all this time." She frowned before continuing. "I've grown up fearing raiders and mutant enclaves. Now I watch as the children back home grow up fearing the New European Order. It seems that no matter where you are in this world there are enemies on the horizon." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Lilith nodded at Ozzie's request. "One sarsaparilla, comin' right up. Enjoy." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Malin sighed. "I suppose Masterson will be here shortly to tell us about the mission. Anything in particular you could tell me about the stolen relic?"
"Weighs a bit over a thousand pounds, and its in a metal shipping container for protection and storage. That's all I know beyond it probably being on a flatbed truck somewhere in Dallas by now." said Jasper.
Ozzie sat his bottle down after two greedy gulps, flashing another grinning at Slade, "Yes, sir. I'll have you know it's deputy Bakersworth."
"Good to see you makin yourself useful." Slade said with a dry tone "Maybe people here can sleep well, knowing you are looking over them."
"Hey, Frank. Is the transport fixed?" "Yeh, fixed it up this mornin'. Try ta avoid any more of those damn homemade doohickies that the bandits are usin' nowadays. Old world use ta call 'em I-E-Ds or somethin'." "Right. Anyway, gas it up and restock the ammo. Need it ready when I get back. Gotta make a trip to Dallas in it. "Sure thang." responded the mechanic with a wave. Masterson took one last look up at the bus. It was an old pre-war passenger bus, refitted with some armor and weapons. There were several of these things throughout the Republic, used by the marshals to carry criminals or several other marshals and deputies to various locations. And he was gonna use this one to take everyone to Dallas. Hopefully Frank had cleaned up and oiled the machine gun on top. Don't want it jamming again, in the event of another bandit attack. He turned and walked off, heading towards the southside of town. On the way, he bumped into a man by the name of Jonah Ark. Apparently needed a job too, so he obliged him. Eventually, they found themselves at the Lady Luck. They had a good bunch gathered, really. At least Masterson thought so till he saw Eliza Cohen. Ah fuck. Jasper glanced back at the door, and noticed Masterson standing there. He stood, taking one last drink from his beer, before heading over. "You said to get some convicts, so I did. The synth over there, Boombox, and well..." he said, his voice trailing off. Masterson cut Eliza a look, before returning to Jasper. "Yeah. Eliza Cohen. You know she killed two Marshals, right? She should be hanging from the gallows, or on her way to Fort Hood to be shot. Not here with us." he stated. Jasper nodded. "But think about it. She's one of the fastest gunslingers around...we could use her. Hell, you don't even have to grant her the pardon. Just use her and lock her back up when its over. Shoot her if she resists." Masterson looked at Jasper for a moment, then shook his head. "Alright. We'll bring her. But she's not getting her weapons till I know she can be trusted not to spin around and shoot us in the back." Jasper motioned to her guns, which he had slung over his shoulder. "I told her she's not touching them unless you say so. Or any gun for that matter." Masterson nodded in response, before heading over to the bar. As soon as he arrived, he laid two hundred dollar bills on the counter in front of Lilith. "For the trouble, Mrs. Dawn. Gonna need to use your backroom for a few minutes." he said simply, before looking around to the others that they had gathered up. "Alright, everyone that I've told to meet me here, please follow me to the back. Gonna go over a few things, then we're heading over to the mechanic to board a transport." he announced, motioning towards a nearby hallway. Afterwards, he headed into the back. Jasper walked over and took Eliza by her cuffs, dragging her on to the back with them. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Once everyone had ventured to the back, they found themselves standing in a rather small room. Inside, a few chairs and a desk. Lilith barely ever used the room, so he used it from time to time to swear new deputies in for duty if they met up here at the Lady Luck. There wasn't any wallpaper on the walls, and the floor had a few marks from where the chairs had been dragged about. There was a cobweb in the corner, having been there for apparently years. "Alright. We're gonna go over a few things here. Some of it is just formalities. I have to swear you all in as deputies and give you a badge before you can actually do your jobs. Understand? Then we'll go over the details of this job. If you have any questions, or want to back out, now's the time." said Masterson, standing before all of them. Jasper stood nearby, holding a box in his hands that he had drawn from one of the drawers in the desk. "Yeah. I've got one...can you take these off? They're really not needed." said Eliza, a hint of a smile on her face as she held up her cuffs. Masterson gave her a look, before bluntly saying "No. Any other questions?"
Ozzie stood by with his hands gripping his belt. "Yes, Marshall." he spoke up. "How come we're bringin a convict with us on this expedition. And aside from a nice rack and figure, all she's got is lawman killin gun skills an' a mouth that ought be sewn shut. Or so I've heard." He said with a shrug and a grin towards Eliza. "Only place I reckon she belongs right now is at the far end of a short rope."
Boombox shot his arm up into the air and waved it around excitedly. "Yo, bossman! Am I gonna get my gun back or are y'all gonna give me a new one?"
"Only place I reckon she belongs right now is at the far end of a short rope." Eliza cut Ozzie a look. She knew a guy like him back when she was with the raiders. Thought he was slick, and he really was till someone gave him a bit of a makeover with a plasma rifle. "Normally, I'd agree with you. She's killed two marshals already. Along with sheriffs, deputies, and God knows who else. But Jasper thinks she has a skillset we can use. If she cooperates, she'll get a pardon and will be allowed to go free. She isn't getting paid like you all are, though. And she isn't allowed to touch her guns until I say so." stated Masterson. "Yo, bossman! Am I gonna get my gun back or are y'all gonna give me a new one?" "Your gun?" asked Masterson, raising an eyebrow. Jasper then spoke up. "He was the other convict." "Oh. We can stop by the jail on the way to the mechanic's place to fetch your weapon. If the rest of you don't already have a weapon, we can issue you one or give you the chance to purchase your own." said Masterson, turning his attention from Boombox to the rest of the group in the room.
"Do we know anything about the people we're chasin?"
"Do we know anything about the people we're chasin?" "Some witnesses in town said they were dressed rather kinda odd. Strange clothes, weird symbols on them. I'm thinking a raider gang, or just some thugs or something. They were heading towards Dallas more than likely, using a flatbed truck to carry the artifact. If they're planning to move it out of the Republic, they'd probably do so from there, since all the railroads run right through there. Train beats truck any day." said Masterson. "The artifact itself is in a red metal shipping container for protection and storage. It weighs a bit over a thousand pounds."
> "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the guy who spent years locked up inside a pre-war bunker?" "Oh! My reputation precedes me! Yessir!" Diplo was practically beaming at the recognition, "Got awfully lonely down there, imagine my shock though when I emerged to a fledgling city! No doubt the crime rate is about the same as pre-war Houston though.." Just then Masterson returned and called everybody into the back room. > "Alright. We're gonna go over a few things here. Some of it is just formalities. I have to swear you all in as deputies and give you a badge before you can actually do your jobs. Understand? Then we'll go over the details of this job. If you have any questions, or want to back out, now's the time." "A badge AND a gun?! How exciting! I'm really moving up in this brave new world! Perhaps I'm not as worthless as I thought.."
"Ya got any body up in Dallas on this?" Ozzie asked. "Seems to me like ya oughta put a lock-down on that rail 'fore that creates on the other side o the mississippi canyon, and that's when yer trail goes cold, Marshall."
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