Starpath: Scoundrels of the Interstellar Highway - Thread 2 - Games

"I guess we're just that good?" Amy said confidently.

[QUOTE]"What is it?"[/QUOTE] [I]"Answer me this please, if you may. But what was Mr. Frosty like before I brought him to his people? Was he as gloomy and upset as he is now?"[/I]

Mercy chuckles quietly, smiling a bit, "Mh, perhaps, [i]madame.[/i]"

[QUOTE][I]"Answer me this please, if you may. But what was Mr. Frosty like before I brought him to his people? Was he as gloomy and upset as he is now?"[/I][/QUOTE] "He was a lot more upbeat and friendly." she said simply, glancing back towards the ship. "Got along with practically everyone."

[I]"Friendly and upbeat, you say? Not even a slight quarrel with anyone?"[/I]

[QUOTE][I]"Friendly and upbeat, you say? Not even a slight quarrel with anyone?"[/I][/QUOTE] "None that I can remember." said Taylor, shrugging.

Alex watched as Yuga and Vakarus left. Even tho the navigator was a bit harsh at times, she had grown on him. He put one hand on Amelia's shoulder. "Dont't worry about them. They'll be fine. Cmon, lets get inside the ship. I'll make you some hot chocolate so you'd feel better." They both started to walk back to the ship, passing Taylor and Moloch along the way. "Captain. Freakazoid. We'll be in the ship if you need us." --- Amy smiles back. "Are you the only medic on this ship now, or do you get some help?"

[I]"In that case, Captain, an aspect of Mr. Frosty needs to be confided to you... preferably in private. Something you probably will not like."[/I]

[QUOTE][I]"In that case, Captain, an aspect of Mr. Frosty needs to be confided to you... preferably in private. Something you probably will not like."[/I][/QUOTE] "I already don't like it." said Taylor, her expression returning to [URL="http://emojipedia-us.s3.amazonaws.com/cache/66/3b/663ba4b13107851e81b084db3a7020ef.png"]this.[/URL]

Moloch blew smoke out underneath his hood again. [I]"Would you prefer it if I told you out here?"[/I]

[QUOTE][I]"Would you prefer it if I told you out here?"[/I][/QUOTE] Taylor looked over at the others, then motioned for Moloch to follow. She moved over away from everyone, so they can talk alone.

Hariim says his goodbyes to Yuga and wishes her well in her future. She didn't really treat him in any way that could be considered friendly, but she respected him at least. With that done, he pauses and works through a to-do list in about the span of time it takes for his eyes to blink once. First item: Assess his quarters. Second: Acquire better equipment. Third: Establish himself as the XO the captain has just promoted him to being. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Bucky saunters back into the Muramasa to grab some breakfast from the mess hall. She checks her own task list and balks at it. She can't really deduce where she ought to begin. Every major system is fucked, so are most of the secondaries, and the backups, and the emergency systems too. The Muramasa as it is right now is a shanty held together by rust, trust, and duct tape. She [I]really[/I] wishes she could have more hands to help.

Once the two were away from everyone else, Moloch spoke again. [I]"Captain, I think it's best I speak to you in a simpler manner so that you may easily understand." [/I] Moloch put down his hookah and rubbed his hands for a moment. [I]"I'm afraid the Frosty you know and care about won't be coming back... Unless, I am able to do something about it. Captain, I understand some of your crew has come up to you with grievances about me, but understand this: I only want the absolute best for Frosty. I did vow to Mr. Janos I would help him get his memories back, but he needs my help. He's one of my people, Captain, one of my brothers. Him and I are of the same flesh and blood and belong to the same race. What I am saying here is this: Frosty is getting his memories back no matter what, nothing can stop that now, but he'll be torn apart if I am not there to help him through. If it's not too much to ask, I would like to hold mandatory therapy sessions with him without any sort of interference from the rest of the crew."[/I]

[QUOTE][I]"I'm afraid the Frosty you know and care about won't be coming back... Unless, I am able to do something about it. Captain, I understand some of your crew has come up to you with grievances about me, but understand this: I only want the absolute best for Frosty. I did vow to Mr. Janos I would help him get his memories back, but he needs my help. He's one of my people, Captain, one of my brothers. Him and I are of the same flesh and blood and belong to the same race. What I am saying here is this: Frosty is getting his memories back no matter what, nothing can stop that now, but he'll be torn apart if I am not there to help him through. If it's not too much to ask, I would like to hold mandatory therapy sessions with him without any sort of interference from the rest of the crew."[/I][/QUOTE] "...The problem is you're the reason he's in this situation in the first place. Yes, I'm thankful that you healed him, but taking him back to wherever you came from changed him. He was perfectly fine before. And now he's all sorts of fucked up, and wants to stay as far from you and apparently the rest of us as possible." she said, looking towards the ship. She looked back at him after a moment, her face serious. "Practically nobody aboard trusts you. Why would we let you near him? You could just as easily make things worse as you could make things better with him."

Moloch shook his head and got really close to Taylor. [I]"What I am about to tell you does not leave your mouth, you understand?"[/I]

[QUOTE][I]"What I am about to tell you does not leave your mouth, you understand?"[/I][/QUOTE] Taylor folded her arms. "Fine. What is it?"

Hariim's headware pings his consciousness with a new alert. A fellow cyborg is afoot on the Muramasa. [I]Odd.[/I] Hariim heads down to the location of the new cyborg, to where Valkyrie is. He stops for a moment when he sees her and initiates a mental communication link. It's basic, just enough for tentative "words in your head" communication, nothing fancy with memetic transfer/communication. [QUOTE]\\Valkyrie, you are awake. Welcome back, it is good to see you on your feet again. How does your new headware sit?[/QUOTE] The sensation of hearing another's voice inside her head is odd for certain, but the message and good intent of Hariim's welcoming and question come across clearer than any verbal communication. As it is, their minds have a tentative direct connection, a new experience with Valkyrie that has uses and implications she can only begin to wonder about. [QUOTE]\\Let me be the first to welcome you to your new state. It will take time to adapt to your new standard of living, and to your new capabilities. But as a transhuman now, you have more at your fingertips than you ever could as a human. If you will allow me, I will teach you.[/QUOTE]

[I]"I am the ruler of Frosty's people, of [B]MY [/B]people. I am the leader of the Artisynth, the species him and I belong to. It's my duty to them, and to him, to watch over them. My responsibility is to take care of them. He may be one of yours, but he was one of mine before you even laid eyes on him. No offense, of course."[/I] He stepped back. [I]"Now, I understand very well there's a high probability of Frosty never ever wanting to rejoin our people, and he has only caught a glimpse of what our people are like. If he wishes, he's free to go his own way, but he needs to come face to face with who he really is before he makes his choice."[/I]

Taylor frowned a bit. "...fine. I'll think on it. But if I decide to let you visit him to help him, you'll be watched. Understood?" - - - - - - - Valkyrie jumped a bit as she heard Hariim's voice in her head. [I]"What the fuck?"[/I] she said aloud, looking around. "Hardware? Transhuman? What the hell are you..." she continued, before stopping and touching the side of her head that had been damaged. They must have given her a cybernetic implant...was the damage to her head that bad? She had thought that the droids had simply sealed the hole. "Hariim, get the fuck out of my head." she said bluntly when she saw him. "I'll figure it out on my own. Not in the mood to have someone poking around in my brain. Especially not some former SDF goon."

[I]"I cannot say whoever is watching will like what they will see, but I appreciate the consideration."[/I] With one last puff of smoke, Moloch headed back into the ship so he can prepare to meet Frosty.

Hariim nods. The next time Valkyrie hears his voice, his lips actually move. "I apologize. I didn't actually get into your head, just formed the link to your brain implant. You have capabilities similar to my own, but not on the same scale and magnitude. It.... would be very helpful for you if you had a teacher. Regardless of my former employers, I have little interest in the SDF; I keep my allegiances elsewhere." Hariim prepares an information packet for Valkyrie but holds off on sending it to her. "If you would like, I can send you some relevant information for you, about how to deal with your new lease on life. I was very nearly in the [I]exact[/I] circumstances you are in now when I first received my implants. If you don't want to talk to me now, then I will leave. But please consider my offers."

Valkyrie eyed him for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "...eh, fine. Send the info." she said.

Maddox leaned against a cargo crate and observed Moloch pass by through the cargo bay. Outside he showed no specific expression but inside his missions were gnawing away at him. He looked out the cargo bay and saw Taylor. He liked her alot but could she be trusted with the truth? At the same time, how would she react to the truth if someone else told her before he could. He had intentionally lied to her and other members of the crew, something which often makes it difficult for people to trust you. Maddox sighed. Alex was the only one who could see right through him. It was no surprise considering his and Amy's past. Thankfully the Koronovs weren't his mission. Fuck it, if he wants to make it through this mission he needs to come clean at some point. The director wouldn't like it but Taylor wasn't some average brothel whore. He got up and approached Taylor. "We need to talk. Alone. Meet me in the armory. Thirty minutes."

Taylor watched Moloch walk off, back aboard the ship. So Moloch was the leader of Frosty's race? Wonderful. She was starting to like this even less now. And her trust was already scraping the bottom of the barrel when it came to Moloch. She pondered if she should tell Yanim about what all Moloch had told her when she got the chance. She's the boss, so its only natural that she knew everything Taylor did. Especially sensitive information such as this. She spotted Valk on the cargo ramp. So she's up and about finally. Hestia's surgery was apparently successful. That meant Amy was probably up and about too. She watched Valk talk to Hariim for a few moments, before noticing Maddox approach. As he arrived, he spoke. [QUOTE]"We need to talk. Alone. Meet me in the armory. Thirty minutes."[/QUOTE] "Understood." she replied. Wonder what its about? He sounded serious. She remained outside for the time being, watching the others, before heading onto the ship and to the Armory. - - - - - - - Valkyrie strolled down the ramp and off the ship, looking around the inside of the massive hangar they were sitting in. "Nice and spacious." she said softly.

When Taylor entered the armory Maddox looked up. He tapped on his wrist computer quickly, locking down the armory and shutting down all the cameras inside. Anyone who would try to gain entrance would be met with the text "weapon testing underway". Maddox got up and approached Taylor. "Captain, I need to talk with you about something which has bothered me alot. I'm going to be completely honest with you." He walked up to her and gently palced his hands on her arms. "I really like you." He smiled, however the smile quickly faded. "However I can't stand lying to you. What I will tell you will be directly against my better judgement, among other things. It may get me killed." He sighed. "But regardless, I'd rather die a honest man than as a liar and a traitor." Maddox backed away from Tyalor to give both her and himself some space. "I haven't been completely honest about my past. I told the truth when I said that I was once a soldier with the SDF Novithus Auxiliaries and that I've travelled the galaxy to master both gun- and armorsmithing." "What I didn't tell you was that I traded away the SDF Auxiliaries for the SSOID."

Taylor's expression was one of shock. Maddox had been lying to her and the crew the entire time, and was practically spying on them. Alex was right, as well as that Death Vigil commander. "SSOID?" she said, still a bit wide eyed from the shock of it all. Finally, her face turned serious. And she didn't look happy. "I knew it. Alex was on to something, and everything that Death Vigil guy said was true." "You know, Maddox...[I]I don't like liars.[/I] Its one of the few things that I absolutely [B]can't[/B] stand." she continued. She folded her arms. "As for you being SSOID, I could give less of a shit. I was SDF, remember? If you had told me sooner, I would have went along with it and kept your secret. Instead, you decided to withhold it and [I]lie to me[/I] as well as the rest of the crew. Imagine how they'd feel if they found out you're a spy? Especially ones like Alex, Markus, Valkyrie...she'd probably want your head. Markus too I imagine. Anyway..." She shifted her stance. "...I knew you liked me. That was [I][B]REALLY[/B][/I] obvious, especially with the cheesy statements and attempting to take a bullet for me during the DV fight. Nice face plant, by the way. You looked like a fool. Anyway, telling me that you like me doesn't soften the impact of this. I've still lost a lot of trust in you, though you're not at Moloch's level yet." She paused again, sighing, before continuing. "Speaking of Moloch, I don't know what your mission is here, but I know it has something to do with him now. Kinda clear after the medbay incident with Alex. Whatever your planning, I want to know. Now." she said sternly, as she looked up from the floor to him.

Maddox took the blow without as much as moving a muscle. When Taylor finished he nodded. "My main objective is to map targets of importance throughout the galaxy. Sol is at war and if it ever comes the SDF launching a offensive campaign they'll need all the intel they can get. Possible base locations, good spots for resupply points etc." He paused. "However when I notified command of Moloch I was explicitly ordered to kill him. Looking at the state Frosty is in it feels like I'd be doing him a favor." Maddox sighed. "Like I said, I knew that revealing the truth could potentially cause alot of damage. Not just between me and you, but between the crew. I have no intention of starting a internal conflict."

"So the SSOID have you playing the part of a glorified recon operative as well as an assassin?" said Taylor, tilting her head. Why with the TBC, though? There's plenty of other mercenary groups he could have went with. Maybe it was because of Yanim and her history, or Alex's connection to Divinity Creed. Eh, he'd tell her eventually. "Keeping all of this a secret from everyone will do more damage than if they find out on their own. You know that, right?...As for Moloch...we've got a bit of a situation on our hands. He thinks Frosty's mental state is deteriorating. He's regaining his memories, but they might not be good ones. He doesn't want Frosty to just snap, so he's asking me if he could visit and spend time with Frosty to help him. Guess how I feel on the topic?" she said, straightening back up. "If you kill him, we might also lose Frosty too."

Maddox swore to himself. "Well that complicates things." He sighed. "Unless you any more questions I guess there's nothing more to say." He sighed and gestured towards her. "I just hope you can forgive me for this." He went over to his computer and unlocked the armory. "The ball is in your court captain." Maddox sat down and pulled out his sidearm. He disabled the safety and holstered it. "Just keep in mind that no matter what I trust you'll make the right call."

"Right." said Taylor. "I'm still leaving it up to you to decide if you're going to tell the rest of the crew. If you do plan to, inform me first so I can be prepared to deal with Valk, Markus, and anyone else that decides to try and do something about it. Like I said, its better if they know now instead of later." She glanced at his sidearm, then turned and headed out of the armory. So now they had the leader of the Artisynth onboard as well as an SSOID spy. And the spy had a kill order on the Artisynth. [I]Just fucking [B]fantastic.[/B][/I] This day couldn't get any better! She needed a drink, and needed it right now. She headed towards the mess hall, and straight through to the bar.