Tao of Sheppard

Bytes and Bullets - 
 * This is a medium sized booth that from the outside doesn't seem too

different from any other. The biggest difference would be a banner across the top the declares it to be Bytes and Bullets. On the inside of the booth is a glass counter that serves as a place to hold merchandise as well as to complete transactions. This booth lives up to its name as what can be found inside the case are all different kinds of software on one side, and firearms and weaponry on the other side. An area to one side of the counter contains a couple of chairs and a sign advertising a tattoo artist.

"Seraph." The later settles onto that bench - "Corey." She tries the word out - "Well. In my case? Looking me in the eyes is just respectful." A slight smile, "And I prefer respect. Without it, there's only anarchy. I prefer a certain order." Well, it seems to amuse /her/, anyway.

Seraph's settling on the tattoist's bench - Corey having finally looked up from boob-to-eye level. In the door, a Longbow lounges, arms crossed.

Longbow nods to Seraph. "Longbow Starchaser, a pleasure." He pushes off of the entry frame and enters in a few steps before leaning against a wall. "Corey, I actually came to talk to you about... Well, it's like this... I'm not much of an engineer without tools. Any ideas?"

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" comes a yell from just outside the entrance to the Bytes and Bullets, a crunch could be heard, and then a small, greenish object is lobbed in through the doorway.

"Yeah, I got that. But why is it disrespectfull to look elsewhere? I've stared at hundreds of women's tits or ass and it hasn't caused any anarchy that shreds the containment of time and space. So what is the big deal? How do we know the habit isn't from ancient past time so old we don't even rember it's origin.", Corey rants with a minor tilt to his head as eyes narrow. Longbow's qestion causing a blink and shrug, "Depends really. Best tools in the world don't matter if they aren't the right kind. Which ones do you need?", he asks before looking up to see the pear come sailing in. "I'm not eating that Shep.", he yells out the booth... "Longbow volunteers to though!"

See, the trouble is? /Flying objects/. This is the sum total of all of the problems all /over/ TK, really. Who cares if it's a pear? She /knows/ about the pomegrenade.

She /knows/.

And so the Later swordswoman moves, standing with remarkable grace, moving to flip the table - Corey's table! - onto its side. It's not much, but it /is/ cover. With nearly the same motion, she's reaching for the engineer, seeking to grab him and drag him back there with her.

Sorry, LB. Apparently, oglers get saved forcibly first.

Longbow watches as a prank goes awry. The pear flies in, rolling to a stop near his foot. He glances down with a barely audible 'heh', before his attention is yanked upward, watching the commotion as Serpah goes apeshit, and Corey being a (probably willing) victim. "Oh boy..." Before the pear, he was going to explain something to Corey, but it seems he should likely wait. Shaking his head with a faint smirk, he averts his eyes to the entrance, waiting for Shep, as well as Kes, which he knows are both present.

Sheppard just barrels in, holding multiple carrots in his hand, screaming something about carrots and meat eatery death, he launches one carrot at the diving Seraph. It's a like a carrot dart, a vegetable javeling, call it what you will.

Corey is to say the least preoccupied by his table getting flipped over, devices and tools crashing to the ground. So occupied with staring bugeyed it takes little to remove him from his seat. Once behind the table held by Seraph a silly grin cracks on his face as the touch is exchanged though for less pure reasons.

Seraph's quick enough to take cover behind the flimsy cover that is, admittely, wholly sufficient to stand up to the carrot barrage.

There's a moment. Then.. a snarl.

And you know? Corey makes a pretty good missile. Nice heft.

Corey is sent wide-eyed, if still smiling over the table. That lovely extended moment anticipation before he hits the ground spent flailing arms. Landing on his shoulder he skids a few inches further with a low groan. "Worth it.", he claims even as face twist in a grimace.

And at this point, there's uproarious, high-pitched laughter from outside, along with the sound of someone slumping against the side of the booth. Yup, that's Kes.

Longbow's smirk fades at the consideration that the prank may be getting serious. He watches as a wide-eyed and flailing Corey is sent sailing, then sliding, coming to a stop a short distance away. "Ow...you alright?" He leans down, offering Corey a hand, but his gaze is on the incident involving Shep and Seraph. He also hears Kes laughing from outside.

"Kes! Yah need a weapon!" Shep calls, pulling a cucumber out from that veggie pocket of his, it's sent flying outside, maybe Kes will get it. Shep brandishes those carrots then, and runs over at the table, leaving down to try and 'stab' Seraph with his carroty knife.

Steel /sings/ when it's drawn. It has a special sound all it's own - a shimmery, raspy cry that is entirely unmistakable.

Her face somewhat expressionless, her eyes only described as hard and glittering, Seraph comes up and around that table, taking her time, her step an easy saunter.. and three feet of naked steel in her hand. Beautiful workmanship. Utterly archaic. Sharp enough you can /see/ the bevel in the edge.

And then... she's attacked by a carrot. It's enough to unsettle even the most jaded of TK veterans - and it's with a startled blink and a few deft motions, she's redirected the earstwhile 'knife' and -... is actively attempting to disarm him. NOT with the sword, either.

"I think I might need to be cloned in a few minutes here LB.", Corey notes coming to his feet with a grunt. The emerging Seraph and sword causing his face to pale a bit. "Well, time for me to go, seeya.", he offers moving to dash out the booth.

Kes just laughs even harder as the cucumber lands in her lap. "She ain't gonna... ain't gonna stab ya..." she stammers to Corey from where she's slumped up against the side of the booth. "Unless... didja touch 'er?" Suddenly, she's just -not- laughing anymore, and quirks a brow and eyes Corey dubiously. "Aw, shit, tell me ya didn't..."

Longbow scowls at the increasing violence of the situation. "Damnit to hell. I haven't even started lessons yet." He pulls a stun gun out of his right, front pants pocket. "Not to mention the horrible outcome of last time," he continues, oddly enough speaking as if nonchalant, a battle-hardened veteran monologuing. It's ironic, being as he's so frail and definitely untrained. His thumb slides the button to 'on', aiming it at the bigger threat, which happens to be the smaller warrior in this battle. He manages to reveal another smirk though, the sailing cucumber reminding him of the joke Corey told a few days ago. "Well, here goes nothing." He trains it on the small, sword-brandishing Later. "Alright," he starts, his voice rising in volume, but lowering in pitch. "Take it easy, both of you! What the HELL is going on here?!"

Sheppard manages to hang onto the carrot, but glances over at Longbow as he pulls out his gun and starts monologuing. He looks down to Seraph and lets go of the carrot, "Yer gonna need 'at, on ma mark," he says, getting back behind the table with Seraph, multiple carrots are pulled out and quickly lined up as ammo for the two, before he grabs one and yells "MARK!" at which point, the carrot is sent sailing at Longbow.

Seraph rolls her eyes at the monologuing.. and flicks her wrist as Sheppard throws a carrot. Apparently, she's in agreement.

And that tranq dart? Yeah. It agrees too!

Corey doesn't even stop to talk once he is out the both, feet skidding slightly as he makes a sharp turn mid dash. "It just kinda fell into my hand. Reflex took over from there.", he calls as starts to weave hsi way through the crowd.

Longbow attempts to dodge a flying carrot, shifting to the right. Unfortunately, he's not fast enough, the carrot darting his shoulder, which was bandaged due to a previous knife wound. "Gah! Shep! What the..." He doesn't get to finish, a dart following quickly after. He's still moving to the right, but it catches him regardless, right in his left leg. "I...but...come ON!" He stops dead, shaking his head. "Well shit, nothing left to lose now I guess..." He pulls the trigger on his stun gun twice. The first attack sent at Seraph, the second at Shep. Admittedly, the second shot had some hesitation in it. Meanwhile, he's mumbling to himself something about an 'old dusty trail', which he responds to with a grin. "Hell with it, I'm overdue for some sleep anyway..."

Shep ducks behind the table as the stun blast shoots over him, taking out a celery stalk he yells into it, "We're takin' 'eavy fire 'ere, we're pinned down, we need artillery! Marker Seven-Three-Niner Kilo-Four!" he calls, before grabbing an armful of carrots and throwing them up in the air, in Longbow's general direction, "GET DOWN!" and then he makes suitable 'boom' noises.

Seraph is back there with Shep, once the gun goes off - and. Oh, Mikagis help everybody - she actually /smiles/ at his antics. A real, honest to god, wide smile. And she even reaches over and ruffs his /hair/.

Fear the hair ruffling.

But then she's heading again for the door, blade /still/ in hand (carrot in the other), voice a quiet, dangerous purr. "Kestrel - where is he?" Whether kes is even /there/ is debateable. Doesn't matter. She asks /anyway/.

"...yer fixin' ta cut bits off 'im what 'e'd rather keep, aintcha?" Kes asks, blinking blankly up at Seraph. Right, there's no laughter now, despite Shep's antics inside. "What'd 'e -do-?"

Corey is thankfully well amidst many other human shields by now. Moving through the crowd hunched low as he trots for the main street.

Longbow shakes his left leg furiously (as furious as possible for being completely numb already). "That's an...interesting...sensation..." His right arm is no longer holding the stun gun. Fingers loosen, a dull thud emitting from metal falling to floor. "I'm...so...tired..." His eyes are glazing over, his body hunched over as he falls -seemingly in slow motion- to the floor. "I'm gonna...eat a carrot... Yay...carrots..." He reaches with his left arm, which is now numb as well, to pick up one of the few slung at him from over the table. He just gets it to his mouth after a few tries, then takes a bite, munching a bit and swallowing. "Thanks...Shep..." His last words before consciousness abandons him. His eyes roll back, then close. His breathing slows and deepens, mouth agape, drooling onto the dirty floor.

Bytes and Bullets, well, is a wreck. Corey is wandering off in the crowd, trying to get away as fast as possible. Seraph is holding a carrot and her sword, and is talking to Kes by the entrance, who's holding a cucumber. Inside however, carrots litter the floor, Longbow is passed out in a corner, and Shep is behind a table, brandishing a carrot and a celery stalk. Oh, there's also a pear sitting inside that's had it's top bitten off.

Shep stands, and chucks one final carrot at Longbow, before following Seraph out, before talking to the celery stalk, "Command, thanks fer the barage, we're movin' out fer the enemy, we 'ave 'em routed now," Seraph eyes Kestrel - standing by the door, naked blade in hand... she heaves a quiet sigh. Then stops. And, reaching into her coat, she shimmies. Wiggles. If Corey would here he would call it 'wiggling interestingly' - but he's fleeing for his life.

Then, Seraph sets a bra, battered and pink-and-white, with 'hello kitty' in various victory poses, in Kestrel's hand. An eyebrow is raised. Pointedly.

Kestrel blinks at Seraph. Then blinks again. And again. "...oh, shit, 'e's a dead man," she observes, wincing. "Uhmmm..." She looks off through the crowd, then back up at Seraph, obviously torn, and bites her lip. "Bri might be upset if ya kill 'im," she offers after a few moments.

Bri limps into the booth, and leaninng heavily on her new cane. She watches the fleeing Corey then comes closer to the actual booth, "What in the bloody fucking hell is going on?" she shouts so that everybody might hear her.

"Command, where are the 'ostiles?" Shep asks the celery stalk, standing near Kes and Seraph still, he pauses, then says, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Command, do you read?" he pauses again, then looks to Kes and Seraph, and completely seriously states, "They got Veggie Command. We're fucked." he looks at Bri, "Veggie war," he explains simply.

Seraph answers Bri by pointing. At the Hello Kitty Underwear. And she murmers, "He went left, didn't he, Kes? I can find him, if he went left." Brightly, if still softly - "Hello, Sabrina. Don't mind me. I'll be back in no time at all."

Kestrel puts on a horrified expression and stares wide-eyed at Shep, one hand coming up to cover her mouth. "No! Not Veggie Command," she breathes, shaking her head. "Sons'a bitches'll pay fer 'at one." She wrinkles her nose at Seraph. "Funny as it'd be, ya ain't allowed ta go all stabbity on 'im. 'E works fer Bri, see," she states. She grins at Seraph slyly. "But if ya jest wanna scare 'im a bit..." A nod follows, and a wink.

Bri smirks lightly at this, "Only if he went right, not if he went left, Seraph?" she asks. She peers at the others and looks around the area, then back to the others, "You are all cleaning this up," she states rather flatly.

"Aye, exactly," Shep replies to Kes, before looking to the two, "Right, time ta collect munitions," he states, then walks back into the booth, grabs a carrot, and starts eating. He's got himself a feast.

Seraph sighs, quietly. "I won't stab him then. Decaptiations involve slashes." Brightly. "And I haven't done one in quite a while." She looks to Bri. "When I get back. I promise. And yes. Left." "...which head're ya cuttin' off?" Kes asks, then actually stifles a snicker.

Bri shakes her head, "Don't kill him, Seraph," she says calmly, rationally, "Let him live long and suffer," she says with a light smirk. "It's funner that way, like a kitty."

Sheppard continues to eat his carrots, speaking up, "Ah'll frow cawwots at 'im, an' smack 'im wiff ah 'ead of wettuce," he says through a mouth of orange goodness. NOMNOMNOMNOM.

Light footsteps announce the arrival of another person, Pavel quizzically peeking inside the booth. "...Privet?"

"I'm not certain yet - but Bri says not to kill him." Seraph purrs. "This does narrow my options. In fact, it may make certain decisions for me." The blade is resheathed on her back. "I may need to borrow a knife."

"Um..." Kes starts, then looks down at the bra in her hand, blinks, and looks back up at Seraph. "'E didn't mean anythin' by it. Only reason 'e don' do 'at kinda stuff ta me is 'e's scareda SHep." She chuckles quietly. "Bet 'e's scared'a you now, too."

Bri raises a brow at Seraph, "For what?" she asks before looking back at Pavel, "My Pasha! I can walk now!" she says excitedly.

Sheppard continues to eating the carrots scattered around the floor, nomnomnoming away.

"I am very glad to see it!" Pavel does brighten noticeably, his usual dourness entirely slipping away as he darts to Bri's side. "How are you feeling?" Not even the bra can catch his attention.

Seraph mutters. "He /groped/ me, Kes - " As though that explains /everything/.. but she /is/ leaving the bra behind to go and right that table, with a grunt. She lets the 'for what' go - there's apparently love in the air. And yes, some things /are/ more important than bloody dismemberment.

Kestrel frowns. "...Seraph, what're ya up to?" she asks warily. "An' dontcha go sayin' 'bout five-eight, either, 'at joke's older'n Shep is." She chuckles quietly, then gets to her feet and enters the booth. Right, now that she's not crouched down outside, it's plain to see she's got a bandage around her left leg, just above the knee. Whatever the injury is, it doesn't seem to bother her much.

Bri wraps her arms around Pavel and leans a bit heavily on him, her cane in her hand as she seems to find him a good leaning post, "I feel much better today," she says brightly, "Oh...but the doc said I'd be in this for a while," she adds, indicating the splint boot on her leg. "and how are you, my Pasha."

Sheppard keeps his eating going on, noming away, "Nuttin's older an' me," Shep declares through orange fiber, "Ah'm older 'an all the fuckin' Nall put tagether, veggies keep me alive."

"I am kharasho," Pavel says softly, looking Bri over carefully head to toe, standing still so she can lean. "I am very glad you are out of the chair... very glad. So, ah..." Belatedly, he glances around once more. "What happened here?"

"I'm not planning anything. Knives have more control, that's all. I wouldn't want to stab something important by mistake." Another chair is righted, Seraph wincing as she moves. "Sheppard? You scared me to death. For the record."

"Veggie war," Kes explains to Pavel, then hops up into a seat behind the counter. "So. Looks like the gang's all 'ere if we wanna talk plannin', 'ey?" she asks then, giving a slight tilt of her head. "Otherwise, m'gonna drag Shep home." A brow is quirked at Seraph, but nothing more.

Bri nods to Kes, and smirks at Seraph, "Aye, lets get this planning out of the way," she replies, hugging up to Pavel, "I want to get these guys out of the way. ASAP."

Sheppard keeps noming on carrots as he listens, looking over at Seraph, "Good, we'll 'ave ta 'ave another veggie war sometime," he states, "But Ah ain't gonna warn yah, so yah better be packin',"

"All right. Planning." Pavel draws himself up a little, sliding an arm around Bri's waist. "We are still planning to ship them a grenade and then sweep in?"

Seraph leans back against the table - carefully, tilting her head. Listening, crossing arms. A pause - "Kes?" She holds out her hand. "Can I have.. er. That back?"

Kestrel holds up the bra, almost -displaying- it, and points at it. "What, 'is? It's right cute, it is. Li'l kitties an' all. Never knew ya had an ounce'a girly in ya, Seraph," she teases, with a grin. "Course, look who's talkin', right?" She chuckles, and flicks the garment over toward the other Later, then nods. "Think Shep said somethin' 'bout me searchin' th'place down while y'all worried 'bout th'killin'. Seems like a waste'a a perfectly good gun hand though, 'ey?"

Bri smirks at the bra then looks up at Pavel, "Aye, I think that's a good idea, what do we do after that? And keep in mind they have about...three or four buildings spread out through out the under city."

"Kes, 'At was jus' 'cause 'ey were gonna be all caught up inna tangler 'nade," Shep replies, "We don't need a gunmen ta kill people 'at can't move, aye?"

"Three or four?" Pavel frowns slightly, shaking his head. "Do we have locations on the rest of them? We do not have the numbers to attack two or more simultaneously. We will have to take one at a time." He eyes the bra, brow slowly rising, but doesn't comment on it. "We send the tangler in in the box, when they open it deploy it, and then charge. That was the plan, da?"

"Mmh," Kes says, nodding at Pavel. "Three dropoffs, one pickup," she clarifies. "Got 'em all. Took notes, an' give 'em all ta Bri." She looks at Shep then. "Ah, a'ight. Gotcha. Well, 'en it works out, if that's how ya wanna do it. I'll defer to yer judgement 'ere, Sarge." She grins and winks, then looks back to Bri.

Bri nods to Pavel, "Aye, we have all the locations," she says. "I think we should definitely do them one at a time. The question is which ones first?" she asks.

"The first one 'at calls, Ah say we 'it the delivery place last, 'at'll be the place 'at'll be most 'eavily guarded, so when we 'it it, we need ta make sure they can't call fer backup," Shep replies.

Pavel nods slightly to Shep. "I am in agreement there. We can only use the delivery boy once, I suspect. So we will need to do whichever one calls first, then the others at random, the pickup last. Do we have any information on numbers of personnel?"

Kestrel nods at Pavel. "Yup," she says. "'E said th'one dropoff's a main site, th'other two ain't used as often. 'E gave me a buncha descriptions'a guys at th'main one, an' a few at th'other ones." She grins. "Bri's got it all. Sunshine was real cooperative." She plucks absently at her bandage, and kicks her feet against her chair like a restless kid.

Bri nods, "Aye, in my PDA...oh..." she stops, "It was rebuilt..I'll have to see if it was saved inside it," she says with a little frown. But at the mention of communications she perks up, "I wonder if I could permanently cut off all their communications...if we do the whole operation quickly...we could get them all in a few days time...maybe?"

Sheppard nods, "Ah can see 'at," he says to Bri, then nods, "Ah say we storm the buildin's, break, pick 'er blow the locks, storm in, take 'em 'ard an' fast,"

"We need to hit the main dropoff first if we can," Pavel notes. "That way we stand the chance of eliminating the most people before they are expecting it, making the most use of our delivery boy. ...Theoretically, if we are lucky enough, we could do them all one after the other. You cut comms to the first, we hit it. We move to the second, you cut comms, etcetera. They would have -no- warning then."

"I kin pick th'locks," Kes offers. "'R if ya'd rather I stayed back, I kin cover th'door." She pauses, and listens to Pavel, tilting her head. "Might jest work," she agrees, nodding. A contemplative look is given in Shep's direction. "Hard 'n fast, 'ey? Hmm..." Right, someone's mind is wandering a bit here.

Bri nods, "That's a good plan, and if Seraph goes with us...she can pick locks if we want Kes to stay back," she says. "So if we take out the three drop offs...then we can get the main building a couple days later...I'll just kill their comms the same day I kill the others?" she asks, "They way they can't call for back up."

Sheppard nods, "Aye, 'at sounds like a good plan, Ah'm game fer it," he states, he looks over at Kes and says, "What the 'ell didja do with the cucumber? Can use 'at if yer gettin' impatient, Ah'll get all tactical on yer ass plenty tanight,"

"If we do the others before they can hear about each other, then there should be very -little- backup to call," Pavel notes with an evil smirk. "But, yes. We do not want to wait long between hits. They could always leave their building to summon backup the old-fashioned way... with their feet." He eyes Sheppard with visible uncertainty. "...I do not want to hear about your cucumber-loving ways."

Kestrel blinks at Shep. "What, right 'ere in front'a everyone? Meh, I kin wait," she offers, her grin nothing short of wolfish. "An' I'll holdja ta 'at promise. Mebbie I'll make ya find me an' subdue me first, cause 'at's pretty fun." A shrug goes toward Pavel. "What's wrong with cucumbers?" She gives a nod then. "Point, though. Don' wanna wait too long."

Bri nods, "Sunday for the original hit, then soon after for the next," she asks, "And meet here, or at the house before we go?" she asks.

"Here seems good. Well. Are we settled?" Pavel inquires briskly of everyone, rubbing his hands together. Bri nods, "Aye, I think so," she says wit a little smile.

Kestrel nods, then hops down from her seat. "Sounds good," she says, then crosses across to where Shep is and leans up against him companionably.

"Ah'm good, aye," Shep replies, before he looks down at Kes, "Yew ready fer gettin' tactical?" Pavel snorts softly at that, glancing to Bri. "And do you want me to help you home, lyubimaya?"

Bri nods, "Aye, I'm ready to go sit down," she says softly, her head reaching for his as she speaks.

"Gotta catch me first," Kes taunts. She grins at Shep, then bolts for the exit.

"Fine," Shep replies, powering out after her.

Pavel squeezes Bri's hand, gently. "Need me to carry you?" he asks softly. "Or are you fine to walk?"