"My dear friends, Taisa, Dr. Kenn-Taal, I fear that We risks to be sorely under-armed by facing a serious oppositions. . ." "Lady Samira and Saito-Genin-San (or is yet a Jonin-Sama. .? I hope to not offend those Nihonjin sensibilities. . .!!) apparently don't need anything so it is US that will need to pack some more sizable punches. . .!!" "Those are My ideas about a quick easy-to-obtain Shopping List for some Nonlethal Options that should be readily, and cheaply available to our zone of the Mothership. . .!!" "But, obviously I defer to a Former Uberfallkommando SWAT Officer, for Availability and Anti-Chimera Gear, and a for a Professional of a High Cultured Race (that practiced yet Advanced Gene-Splicing when My Lord and Saviour was breathing HIS lasts on the Calvary. . .!!) for Nolethal Drugs, Especially "Blunt Contact Lacing" for Bullets and Shotshells. . .!!" "What do You think of My ideas. . .??" Father Pietro Beretta showed to the Feline Genemodded Vixen and the Smart Tohaa Biotechnician the compilations of Nonlethal and Lethal-But-Legal things that was able to fish on "Gray Arachne Boards" (neither the "White Vaudeville Stuff" nor the "Proscribed Dark Deep Archne" biotech wargear of Praxis Black-Labs) via the shared Hypersecure Encrypted Team Network. . . Hopefully their suggestions would be able to speed and ease these Acquisitions. . . . .!!!
Saito calmly deposits the extra knife and pistol into the dropbox from the earlier runin with the Ikari. He wanted to keep the slammer for himself though, he knew something would be coming sooner or later, and wanted that little non tracible option open to him. Over hearing the 'goons' harassing some local, Saito raises an eye to Samira questionably. As if to say, 'side mission.'
Samira deposits some clothes and food bought on their shopping tour. Looking at Saito and seeing his questioning look Samira noods lightly and starts aproaching the harrased man. "Excuse me, Sir, we are new to this side of the mothership and could you tell us about those guys? They look like some sort thugs of protectionn racket we should stay away."
Kenn reached behind Igor's back and pulled his rifle out. A Haqqislam model that had a Multi ammo attachment clobbered onto the frame so that the more advanced munitions could be fired. It wasn't that prettiest thing in the world...ok it was worn. But it worked at least. The Padre's vocal reminder made the battered but still useful gun look lacking more so than before. Now the Tohaa was somewhat worried but what could he do anyway with no funds to speak of & poor social energy to boot. Kenn remembered he had 3 reloads worth of Stun Ammo he brought along on Eddie's suggestion. Perhaps obtaining more of the stuff was a good investment. But then again there were other non-lethal items that could be of good use. Smoke bombs or grenades as they are called. That could be a good choice if it didn't violate any laws. Then there was the non-law abiding kind of tool. The first one that came to mind was chemicals. It had been so long since Kenn had tried his hand at concocting a biological brew. He'd have to rely on muscle memory to create it again. But where would such items be sold & would it even be safe or cost effective to search them out? Maybe if he was lucky perhaps coming across some chemicals through sneakiery could present itself. But would the group even be up for the idea of using a chemical substance? Kenn "What do you think of mine? I...I mean are chemicals available? Preferably for cheap?"
Deck 52 [Saito gains 2 Momentum for his donations.] [Samira finds some I-Kohl Athnansaa (Haqqislam) on one of the shelves.] Yandel is startled by Saito and Samira. He's still on edge it seems. "They're the... the Business Protection Group. Thugs and protection racket are exactly what those assholes are. Don't ever do business with them." His jaw tightens up. "They just bribe, threaten, or worse to get what they want. Worst thing is they're a legitimate business." He spits on the deck. All of that lines up with what Taisa told them earlier about the BPG. Dome Two While Kenn and Padre worried about how to quickly over-stuff their bags and pockets with extra guns and ammo Taisa walked straight into the BioBotique. Reception was full of regulars and tourists looking over AR catalogs, looking at fresh augmentations floating in vat tubes, or admiring the photos of famous clients with their extensive modifications. A little boy with his parents, clearly tourists, pointed at Taisa. "Look, mommy, another one of those freaks." He blurted out. Taisa pushed straight through ignoring the protests of the receptionists and pressed forward to the operating booth Brandy was in. "Look what the cats dragged in." Brandy said as the booth door hissed shut behind Taisa. Brandy's hands were rigged up to some devices. Small needles and arms actuated away doing their work. A tech was at Brandy's side observing and monitoring. The tech slide himself and his little chair to the opposite corner as far away from Taisa as possible. "You're not allowed in here!" "Chill, man." Brandy told him. "What can I do for the superstar Taisa Grunewald today? Sadly it can't be anything more fun than talking sadly." He flashed her a toothy grin full of sharpened chrome teeth.
"Please Yandel, calm down. We are not here for that sort of business but if you tell us some more about your problems with them, wee may help each other out as good neighbours should do."
Taisa had heard it all and pretty much ignored the sneers and bigotry. She chose to become a Chimera and she was dang proud of being one. She smiled as Brandy told the tech off and replied to his question, explaining their reasons for seeing him, namely about the missing PanO girl and how she double crossed the leader of the Heartaches and if he had any information to help them. “Always glad to meet a fan,” she added with a grin.
Saito leans into another one of his characters, playing a concerned good Samaritan. "It's okay sir, please calm down." Saito says calmly and with empathy in his voice, trying to reassure Yandel. He kept the talking to a minimum so as not to impede Samira and overwhelm Yandel.
Deck 52 Yandel took some deep breathes. "I doubt you have the skender to cover what I owe to those bastards. Business has been a little rough at the shop lately do those Heartache gangers stealing a good amount of my stock on a bi-weekly basis." Dome Two "First I'm hearing of this. Thought that PanO brat had something going for herself when she showed up here. Wasn't like most with that deer in headlights look. She knew what she wanted and how to get it. I guess it didn't involve Valentine and her little gang." The devices around Brandy's hands dug in deeper. The tech cautiously rolled forward. "I'm going to administer some painkillers and relaxants." Brandy didn't seem bothered by the pain. "I'm good, man. You'll know when I can't take it anymore." He returned his attention to Taisa. "I don't have anything for you, superstar. Valentine brought her along to one of my bouts and that's the first and last I've seen of her."
"Yandel, please tell us more? What do they steal every forthnight to bring you into that trouble? As i heard you are not the only ones troubled by the BGG and the Heartaches."
Moving back to give some space to Yandel so he doesn't feel crowded, Saito gives a quiet, reassuring smile to give some confidence to the distressed man.
Deck 52 Yandel gave them the short story. He ran an automated grocery store. No staff, just a tag system that would charge customers with what they left with. The Heartaches have gotten around his security, which he's upgraded and changed a bunch of times, and have cleaned the store out. Even with the BPG's rough and tough stance concerning the Heartaches they still rob his place. "Everyone on the 50s decks has to deal with them. You should see the talks and crowds that gather on forum street about the issue. Something is going to give sooner rather than later. The people here are tired and the mods are too hands off this time around." Dome Two This tracked and was even verifiable when Pietro dug back through Brandy's social videos and posts. He had only met with Loren that one time and had never seen her again. This looked like a dead end. "So are we just going to just stare into each others beautiful eyes or do you have anything else for me?" Brandy asked.
Samira talks more to Yandel: "Yandel, may i ask some more questions? As it seems BGG isnt doing their jobs pretty well. You pay them, pay for your security updatres and still get fleeced by the Heartaches. I mean they dont hold up their part of the contract, in any more regulated society they would be out of business. Yandel, you seem like an influential member of the society of this deck and i may have an idea to help wuth your problems but i need you to help me with that. I need to talk with your friends, the other business owners taht got hit by the heartaches, or at least the most influential, you know the people like you, the others would listen too. I need to talk to them if the idea in my mind is acceptabkle for the community of this deck,"
Father Pietro Beretta was worried; the unfamiliarity of the weird Social Energy and "Metaphysical Prestation-Debt Of Boons" so ingrained in the structure of the Bakunin Mothership still baffled it at time, even when He believed to have grasped at least the basical nuances; while He was busy collating ideas that could have been useful for Taisa Grunewald, along with th the Present e extremely useful Nonhuman Point-Of-View of Doctor Kenn-Taal, the timing of a "Perfect Window Of Opportunity" has eluded them, and the Chimera was left with just subpar suggestions to entice the Gladiator underwenthing "Ariadnan Steel Claw-Capping" in a timely fashion. . . . . . . . Sometimes the Ex Inquisitor was worried that this was some sort of "False Flag Operation"; their Mark was too smart, too quick, too rapid to adapt to the weird atmosphere of the "Freak Carnival Circus Mothership" that really NOT seemed a "Spoiled Brat Rich Dilettante Glitterati Hypercorp Daughter"; this reeked of "Megacorp Mole Planting" or even worse, some kind of "Hexas Based Double-Crossing Triple-Betrayal". . . What kind of weird Scam they were involved in. . .?? He deliberated to discuss on a hypersecure Two-Way-Only Channel with the Tohaa Biotechnician; even if was not one of their famed Superpowerful "Pheromonical Anmbassadors" still hailed from a Culture that practiced Social Innuendos when the first Neanderthals were wondered by the fact that striking together two rocks sometimes sparked "Hot Light Burn". . . Maybe some sort of ideas about "Hypotethical Illuminati Conspiracies" could come from the Alien Medic-Tech historical background, to be later fully fleshed and rooted in the Present Moment by discussing it later, in a more secure environment, with "Social Warriors" like the Haqqislamite Courtesan and the Undercover Shinobi. . .!!
It seemed like a dead end. Still… “So what are the services like here? I’ve been meaning to get some teseum claws and fangs added to this body of mine. It’s just so hard to fine excellent quality body mod shops that can guarantee you won’t get any complications like your body constantly rejecting your augmentations.” Then she had an idea: “Say Brandy what do you know about the BPGs?”
Deck 52 "Ha, you sure aren't from around here that's for sure. You lubs think all your rules and regs would stop someone like the BPG. No, they'd just morph into something else to fit the environment they found themselves in." Yandel said. Yandel shook his head. "I'm about as influential as a rat. The BPG takes care of those that don't raise any issues and pay on time. The most influential on the 50s are the ones the BPG makes sure are cared for. The little guys, like me, who call them out for their practices and are stingy on payments get squeezed. They let the Heartaches cause problems and want me to come back on my knees for their help." He rubbed his chin. "So I can't get what you want but if you want to talk to those more like me and anyone else willing to listen you can come and talk on forum street." Dome Two "Brundles are pretty good. A little pricey and they won't do any rush jobs but I haven't had any rejections or bad after effects." Brandy responded. Taisa got sent a brochure showing the location of the Brundle BioBoutiques across Bakunin and a price catalogue. The tech seemed to be listening in to their conversation. Brandy gritted his teeth at the mention of the BPG or maybe the pain from the procedure was finally getting to him. "Bunch of elitist, snobby, and uptight bastards from Tunguska. Wouldn't even let me work them! Stay far and away from them unless you have legit business or grievances with them. Actually even if you have a problem with them you shouldn't give them any shit unless you have some good friends with good firepower to back you up."
Strangely enough the interviewing with the "Neometal Clawed Gladiator" was going remarkably better that Father Beretta feared; even if it was feeding Taisa hearsay and grox-dung at least was in a not-threatening manner, so maybe sifting between "Chaff Intel" could provide some useful Meta-Datas. . . Obviously that could have been a Clever Ploy; maybe Taisa was sitting nearby the "Chief Thug Enforcer" of their mysterious, elusive opposition, that was "Playing Possum" just awaiting freshly "New Nail Trimming" to complete and was in reality eager to pounce on the Chimera Gladiatrix to rip Her face off and "Rape The Still Warm Corpse" or what-the-Lucifer-be-thrice-damned those Bakunite Freaks liked to do for "Postbattle Rituals". . . Pietro has reviewed some footages of Taisa past services in the Uberfallkommando Undercover Work and was LESS disgusted by images of Umbra Legates executing, by Vorpal Blade Beheading, hapless civilians on Paradiso Frontlines mass-graves while Morat Infantry around jeered and took Bets how distant the Cranium will roll. . . Obviously the contempt was not for His colleague, that after all endured many indignities with stride when doing some "Dirty Work" on behalf of the Moderator Police Corps; after all She was a Law Enforcer doing Her work; it was the Freaks that confounded Sex with Violence with Gore with Death with FUCKING THE BLOODY ENTRAILS OF A STILL LIVING PUPNIK that disgusted the Inquisitor. . . And even WORSE than the "Act Performers" (some of whom were little more than "Indentured Death Row Inmates" or even "Nonsentient Enlsaved Animals") were the Sickos jeering, with Holomasks on the seatings, or looking from "Privacy Holobooths, or safely ensconced on a Hyperpower Encrypted Channel, spiking up a Glitterati Corp Boardroom Orgy with some "Forbidden Risquè Scandal Arachne-Feed". . . But that contemptuous attitude did not stopped Father Beretta to send a super-encrypted "Alert Warning" to both Taisa (more to test Her own suspect than fearing for Her safety; two days ago She killed with a Chopstick-In-The-Nostril a Frenzon-Drugged Morlock that took umbrage at being questioned in a Fat-Yuan-Yuan "El Gordito Tapas Y Pulpibeer" Noodle-Shop) and Kenn (especially to ask if Igor was good at Brawl-Restraint in Nonlethal Fashion some big hulking Genefreak Bully). . . As for Himself the Doctor attitude was not very endearing to the Ex Panoceanian Cop "Who Found The Faith"; if the surgeon or whatosever other idiot present would have attempted ANYTHING uncouth then they would have understood why Father Pietro Beretta was jokingly referred from other Fellow Black Friar Operatives as "Cleric. . .Of The Tetragrammaton Gun-Fu". . . Even that was just an Half-Obscure reference to a Pre-Maya Old Earth Entertainment Relic, the Dominican Priest was sure that what He did when was the time of "Kill Them All, Let's God Sort Them Out" could have been called a realistic approximation of "Gunkata". . . . !!!
“Thanks for the info and I’ll be sure to check out the brochure too. And we’ll keep an eye out for the Bpg. Thanks for the warning,” she says.
Kenn asked the padre if he could view the footage of Taisa's work as well. The priest was hesitant at first but after some pestering he allowed Kenn to link into the feed. Though Bernetta offered the Tohaa some sort of therapy. After viewing what the padre was looking over for around a half an hour Kenn felt like he got the gist of the horrors of Bakunin. Kenn "Well...after that traumatizing experience I need something to scrub my mind. Edd! Put on The Thing or Event Horizon." Kenn "Yes...Is the likely-hood of us being in a brawl high? Cause I can start filtering aggression pheromones into him in advance."
"Yandel" Samira starts with a soothing voice "maybe you underestimate yourself. What would you think about the Heartaches stop their raids and you would get some protection worth your money? At least in the way of electronic security? And if anything goes well, you and the others may get back at the BPG."
