ITT: We Are All Space Mercenaries

Tilt looked down at the terminal as Becka left the call on hold, then back to the invaders. "Well, so much for that."

He vaulted over the desk in front of him and opened a holographic staff with his pen, eyes fixed on the weapons in each bug's grip. "Guess the best way to get things done is to do it yourself."

A set of klaxons started blaring, inside the building and out. The foremost bug let out a screeching battle cry, and Tilt ducked as three of the five opened their laser fire toward him. "Run! Now!" he told the workers, who promptly proceeded to haul ass. He turned the front of the staff into a hook, pulling the frontman's gun from its grip and driving the butt of the weapon into the space between their segmented eyes.

The rifle went airborne, and with a flick of his wrist, Tilt launched himself at the five, doing his best to land a flying kick, but his leg ended up getting grabbed by one of the cronies, who slammed him into the ground with a thud.

He spat a drop of coolant and glared back upward. "That all you got, you leafhopping bastards?"

Edited by Tre on Aug 21st 2018 at 1:10:11 PM

Enzo started toward the police, heading toward them with surprising pace, putting his hand forward, before slowing down as he got close to them, leaving his palm open for a hand shake. His mouth turned into a warm smile.

Sergeant Roark! How are you doing this fine evening?

"Oh, nothin' much, nothin' much..." Bodega says as she walks along. "Things have actually been squeaky-clean and all law-abidin' up in this place, Sarge. Gotta be honest, haven't broke some problem-fool's jaw in two weeks, weeks; that's gotta be a new record, huh? HA-HA!" she laughed, clapping her upper hands together.

As they passed through the ship, walking past some of the other crewmembers, Bodega turned her attention to the zebra alien. "Anyway, Officer... P'woo!" she paused to look at the label on Lizzy's uniform, "In order: 1! Captain Becka, Becka, is the big boss, the big cheese, the big Kahuna, the big big person 'round here. 2! I don't know where this stowaway is right now, an' - 3! - I dunno what his deal is either, though I wish I knew so I'd feel better 'bout handing him over to you guys. No offence, no oh-fence. I got this feelin' he's somehow related to... nah, don't matter."

As Enzo approaches, Bodega smirks again at the older gentleman. "I'd be careful 'round this one if I were you, Enzo; he's got a crushin' grip, crushin' grip. Believe me, I know. Takes a lot to crush my wrist!"

Yep... (Roark says. He sounds genuinely surprised...which surprises me, too. But before I can ask him, Bodega fills me in on Captain Becka and Roark speaks to the Enzo guy. Given the look Roark is now giving him, I'd guess he's had history with him, too.)

...Enzo... (He nods at Enzo and returns the handshake his grip is indeed pretty tight, still with that straight face he was giving to Bodega on.)

You know him, too? (I ask Roark.)

Yep. We go back a ways... (Roark tells me with a sigh.)

(I guess eventually, I'll have a ton of people I've arrested that I recognize places too. I turn back to Bodega and respond to this new info.) Well, with a title like Captain, I was guessing she was the big chee-I mean, the leader here. (I say.) So...you don't know anything about the stowaway? Is that what you said?

Edited by kablammin45 on Aug 15th 2018 at 4:32:24 AM

Enzo gives a tight grip back in response to assert his dominance toward the police officer. He maintains a cozy grin on his face. Sarge, if you ask me, this stowaway seems to be a special case. Might wanna bring him in for some testing if you get my drift.

Grantor, who slipped out before, re-enters the room, carrying a cup of tea in one hand and the packet of biscuits in the other..

"Now, what's all this?"

He sees the officers.

"Oh, hello. Here to pick up the stowaway, I presume? I don't know where he went. Anyway, would any of you care for a biscuit?"

Carry is in the background mopping the floors and whistling "Massachusetts", not really caring about what's happening.

"Alright, I'm b-"

Becka picks the phone up, only hearing distant gunfire and shouting on the other end.

"... Must be busy."

She puts the phone down, not hanging up, but sighing. "Christ..."

"I'd care for a biscuit, a bis-cuit!" Bodega says, one of her hands almost twitching at the packet of biscuits before she remembered how that incident at the mini-mart was set off in the first place.

Sure, tha-! (I start to reach for one, only to see Roark sternly looking towards me. I pull my hand back.) Um...no thank you...

(I notice him looking back and forth between the cookies and Bodega. I wonder why...?)

Bored and waiting, Becka takes out her security tablet once more and goes through the camera, only to see Bodega with...

Wait, who the fuck are they?

Readying her revolver once more, she darts out of the office and over to Bodega's location.

"ARRIGHT I DON'T KNOW WHY SO MANY CLOWNS ARE GETTING ON OUR SHIP TODAY, BUT YOU BETTER EXPLAIiiiii..."

When she notices the badges on the two strangers, she awkwardly puts the weapon away.

Shit, how's the gun control in this sector?

"Uh... good morning, officers!"

Edited by Beverly on Aug 15th 2018 at 6:10:57 AM

"WAHAHAHA!" Bodega laughs again, resting her lower hands on her hips (and her upper hands on her lower arms). "I think the captain likes ya; likes ya!" she says to the two coppers.

"Hey now, let's calm down. They're just here to escort the new guy.

Jane directed her attention to her captain, completely relaxed.

Edited by DefRevenge24601 on Aug 15th 2018 at 6:20:57 AM

Uh...is that a good thing or a bad thing? (I ask Bodega.)

(I look over their captain. Huh, they seem to be an android. Cool! I look over to Roark and see that he was reaching for his stun gun. Darn it, I should have been reaching for mine, too instead of getting distracted by cookies!)

Greetings, ma'am. We got a report of a stowaway that you wanted picked up? (Roark says to Becka.)

"Eh, well... it is where I'm from," Bodega clarifies, rubbing the back of her head.

One of the hemipteroid attackers pushed his rifle into Tilt's right temple, gurgling with something like a laugh as he prepared to fire.

"Bad idea, friendo," he said, kicking both legs upward and closing them together. The rifleman looked at Tilt with confusion, and then with a dawning look of terror as the heels of Tilt's boots warmed to life.

The android went skyward, legs first, taking the leader of the pack with him, with Tilt's right foot hooked into the bottom of his head. They crashed into the piping above with a splat, and the two went outward after the impact.

Holo-pen still in hand, Tilt drove the staff into the ground and switched back to his beat-up sneakers in one motion, landing on his feet in a squat.

The leader — or, well, what was left of him — careened to the floor in front of his comrades. One of the blade-wielding underlings let out a screech.

"[UNTRANSLATABLE VARRQA INSULT]," he cried, thrusting his blade into the air above his fallen brother in arms.

"I could say the same about your mother," Tilt said, as he and the bugs charged toward each other.

Edited by Tre on Aug 21st 2018 at 1:10:42 PM

Frank deals with all the boring details of paying for the refuel while all this is happening. When he's done with that, he turns to Jotaro^* Who moved to the bridge in this post, and begins conversing.

Didja come up here to ask about my input on the whole 'stowaway' matter?

"As ze medical professional on zis vessel, I am genuinely intrigued as to whether his mental state is fully sound. All he said vas being locked in some form of stasis since ze year 2021, but I don't recall us picking up anything from zat era..."

"I dunno, man. I'm pretty sure there's nothing wrong." Aubrey says to Kristoph. "Well, apart from the fact that he's been in shock; cause, you know, he just got unfrozen in a place totally unknown to his sights."

Aubrey looks back at the apparent stowaway. "Enjoying the Club Band, sir?"

Edited by ActualBeatrice on Aug 15th 2018 at 9:37:29 PM

Aur returns to the cargo bay with what looks like the hilt of a knife strapped to his belt.

"... Judging by the fact that all of you aren't running around and screaming, I'm guessing it hasn't started yet."

Erik was initially frightened by Lizzy and Roark's entry, but is put at ease a bit once he finally sees them, especially with Bodega talking to Roark.

"Uh, good day, officers."

In response to Aubrey, he asks the officers, "So, what is going to happen to this man?"

'Oh, I quite like this music! The Beatles, right? Y'know, one of my friends, Egon, told me about it. If only I was back with the rest of my gang...' Greg sighed wistfully.

He noticed Lizzy and Sergeant Roark getting on board. 'Is that the police you all are talking about?'

"Yeah, he should be in the cargo room, if you'll just head there. I have an important phone call, so I can't lead you there. Bodega, will you do the honors?"

Bodega double-salutes with both her right arms as an affirmative gesture. "Gotcha, cap'n; gotcha, cap'n! Now, you two, let's move before that walkin' popsicle melts and you have to suck 'em outta the floor with a straw; floor, straw!"

She proceeded to wave them over, leading them directly to the 'walking popsicle' in question. Once they made it there, she leaned up against the wall and folded all her arms again, her ears twitching with anticipation.

Enzo attempts to add to the conversation, and moves his arms around as he tries to come up with something, before realizing Bodega has summarized everything. He merely nods toward the officers, and follows Bodega to the cargo hold.