Keep Your Enemies Closer

Aside from the usual customers, mostly scavengers that keep a wary distance, a single figure can be seen on the landing pad - an orange and white Demarian, leaning against the boarding ramp of the Jackal. She's obviously armed and armored, and indeed appears to be watching the area near the ships with a suspicious eye.

The Faux's airlock cycles and Ace steps out onto the top of the ramp, the right side of her coat tucked behind the holster for her gun for easier access. Spotting a familiar figure, she angles towards Swifty, "Trouble?" she asks, looking around herself.

"Hmm? Oh, naw, not at the moment," the Demarian replies, shaking her head. "Just a couple of verrmin getting a little too close to the ship. Figurred I'd come out and have a look-see, make surre everrything was okay. Can't be too carreful arround herre." Swiftfoot shrugs vaguely, and flicks an ear. "Hearrd Mal and Luc got to see a little tiff between the local gangs a couple nights back. Gotta love that."

Jack follows the Ace from the Faux, checking the knife on his belt with his left hand, his right hand holding a folded up lawn chair. The man stashes the chair, then sets it up, dropping down on it. One could almost think Tomin Kora was a utopian beach, what with the bright floral shirt and shorts. Well, not really, but he's dressing the part at least.

"Have you heard from this Notch yet?" Ace asks, taking up a position with her back to the Faux and with a clear view of the field.

Swiftfoot snorts and shakes her head. "No. Hoping to hearr something herre soon. I'd like to get off this forrsaken rrock as soon as possible." The felinoid flicks her tail and looks over at Jack briefly, then breaks into a chuckle.

"Da, was not my favorite place before it was razed," Ace replies, looking around, "Is hardly my favorite place now. Will you be heading back to New Luna after this? Or is still business on Quaquan?"

"I'd rratherr avoid Quaquan, unless we'rre surre the Rregrreb Bay is gone," the Demarian replies, shaking her head. "Don't want to deal with Kamirr and shit like that, got enough to worry about."

"Do not think they are a problem," Ace frowns, "Trying to find out what is going on on Nocturn by asking Mystics left behind on Quaquan. Was no Kamir there."

Jack reaches over his flask of unknown content, sticking a straw in there and sucking in a bit of liquid. Slurp.

Swiftfoot snorts softly and shakes her head again. "I still don't like it. Think Mal was rright to get us the hell out of therre. Besides, we gotta get Chuckles therre off the ship eventually. Gettin sick of havin to walk him," she quips, whiskers bristling as she chuckles.

"Am thinking it is time to simply pick him up like luggage and walk him through this mess until someone claims him," Ace offers helpfully.

"Perrhaps. I drropped the guy a line, thinking maybe he'll just show up instead of botherring to ping me back, y'know?" She shrugs, and pads up the Jackal's boarding ramp. "Feel like lendin a hand? I'm a mite dicey arround this one, even in his current condition." Ace and Swiftfoot stand over by the Jackal's boarding ramp, apparently in conversation. Jack is sitting nearby in a lawn chair, drinking... something. Other than that, the landing pad is eerily empty, at least for the moment.

The Demarian nods at the Faux's captain in agreement, her tail flicking. "Perrhaps. I drropped the guy a line, thinking maybe he'll just show up instead of botherring to ping me back, y'know?" She shrugs, and pads up the Jackal's boarding ramp. "Feel like lendin a hand? I'm a mite dicey arround this one, even in his current condition."

"Is not a problem," Ace nods, "Would you like for me to drag him out here now? Or leave him be until you hear back from someone?"

"Naw, get him now," Swiftfoot says, pausing near the Jackal's airlock. "I don't think -you'll- have a prroblem with him, I just think I might if I went by myself." She shrugs vaguely. "You want me to stay out herre then, and keep an eye out?"

"I can get him." Jack offers. "I have a gun, he doesn't." The La Terran tugs at the sleeve of his bright floral shirt, then sips from his straw again.

"You wish for help, Jack?" Ace offers, continuing to look around the landing pad from behind her mirrored shades, adding in a soft but casual tone, "We are being watched, tovarisches."

Swiftfoot snorts softly and starts to make a retort to Jack, but is interrupted by Ace's observation. The felinoid turns away from the freighter, eyes narrowing slightly as she gives the landing pad a once-over. "Hrr. I don't see anything, but with all this crrap laying arround, who could?"

"This is Teeky, bein' watched part of the daily routine." Jack says, eyes lazily scanning the landing pad. "Could be desperate shits lookin' for a ride off. Won't be the first time a freighter has been stolen by brute force in OA." Then the man spots the ragged individual. "Huh. That the man?" The La Terran nods his head toward the fourtyish male human.

"Two o'clock," Ace offers helpfully to Swiftfoot, "And da, Jack, that is him. Know well what it is like trying to get a ride off of Tomin Kora when your presence is wanted on this rock. Will go get your cargo, Swifty...Jack, he has your back, da?"

"Sounds good to me," Swiftfoot replies, moving away from the freighter's airlock so that Ace can get by. She stands at the base of the boarding ramp, and looks in the direction that Jack and Ace pointed out.

Jack stretches his legs out in front of them, crossing at the ankle. "Yeah, I'll protect you or something, Swifty."

"Always good to see you are alert and on your toes, Jack," Ace chuckles softly as she heads into the Jackal.

"Meh, laugh it up," Swiftfoot retorts, shaking her head. "Scuse me forr being a bit warry of the psycho Timonae that I basically stabbed in the back. I think that's the parrt he was most pissed about, which is prretty irronic, if you think about it." The felinoid chuckles, her tail flicking. "So... what's with the getup, Jack?"

"It's clean." Jack answers, taking another long sip from his flask. The ragged man is ignored for now, mostly. "He may be psycho, but he ain't really dangerous, Swifty. I have a feeling Ace can handle him."

The Demarian chuckles softly. "That's why she's goin in therre and I'm not. I know ya don't think he's dangerrous, but hells, you can fight betterr'n I can, too." Swifty shrugs, and flicks an ear. "I'm morre of a gun girrl, myself."

"Nah, he could probably outbox me." Jack admits with a chuckle. "It's just that I have a gun on my waist and a knife on the otherside. Most likely, I'd win, yeah? Still though, nothin' wrong with lettin' more competent folks take on work they're better suited for."

Swiftfoot chuckles and nods. "If'n you need something flown orr something shot, I'm yourr girrl. Maybe if you want some half-assed rrepairrs done, too." She yawns, and flicks her tail. "Hrh, hope she's not havin any trrouble gettin him loose. I told Zarra we'd be gettin him off the ship tonight. Hopefully she got the message."

"Hopefully." Jack agrees. "So, what's up with the whole she doesn't remember me thing? Doin' it just to annoy me or does she have yet another problem?"

"She... Sweet Brrakirr, it's an awful long storry," Swiftfoot says, shaking her head. "I don't even know how much of it I underrstand. I do know that she forrgot you on purrpose. At least, that's what she told me. She just... willed herrself to forrget, and poof." The Demarian shakes her head. "She told me that she does that with things and people that hurrt herr. She starrted to forrget Mal while she was on the station, too. I don't entirrely underrstand it, like I said. I... I'm prrobably not even supposed to tell you that much, so keep it in yourr hat, meh?"

Jack just rolls his eyes, folding hands behind his head. "At this point, I don't give a damn. Was just curious if it was a play to annoy me or not. You want me to keep it on the downlow, I can do that no problem. Don't much speak with her anymore."

Swiftfoot sighs and nods. "Yeah, figurred as much. You two always did knock yourr heads togetherr, even at the best of times, it seems like." She glances back at the Jackal's airlock, ears flicking nervously.

"If ya wanna call it that." Jack says with a crooked little smile, red rock flashing at his chest. "Wish they'd hurry up. That guy just standin' there is givin' me the creeps."

"Tell me about it," the Demarian agrees, her eyes narrowing slightly as she again looks around the landing pad before shifting her gaze back down to the La Terran. "Hrh. You gonna wearr that thing forreverr? I have to say, rred isn't yourr colorr."

"I'm wearin' it for now, at least." Jack responds to Swiftfoot. "I'm sure when it's time to get rid of it, I'll know. Untill then...." The slim shoulders rise and fall in a shrug.

Swiftfoot nods, one ear flicking back. "I'm just messing with you anyhow. I dunno, I guess it helps, sorrta. Knowin that you have it, and not those psychotic fucks back therre on that nightmarre of a space station." Her tail flicks irritably, and she looks back toward the ship again. "Hrh, wonderr if he's givin Ace trrouble orr something."

Jack frowns back at the Jackal, then nods his head. "That's true. Gotta wonder what exactly is takin' so long in there." Does he get up and check? Well, no, but still.

"Hrh, she's prrobably just poking him with a sharrp stick," the Demarian says, chuckling. "Surre they'll get out herre eventually."

Zara heads down the Jackal's ramp, restraints in one hand, stun gun in the other. She's leading Rillitan, and Ace is behind making sure he doesn't try anything. Surprisingly, he's actually walking along, at least for now.

Jack is lounging on a yard chair, dressed in khaki shorts and a bright floral shirt. He's sipping some mystery liquid from a sippy cup. Slurp. "I'm sure you're right there. Mostly because there they go now."

Swiftfoot snorts softly. "Yourr powerrs of obserrvation astound me, Jack," she retorts, then eyes the trio coming down the boarding ramp. "We werre starrting to think you guys got lost orr something."

"I am not the one who chose to lie down with the dogs of Tomin Kora, Rillitan," Ace gives a small shrug as she follows. "You got yourself into this and as a bounty hunter, you know what it means to have price put on your head...or did you simply let all your bounties go because they were undeserving?"

Rillitan follows Zara down with a flat look, his eyes roll up, turning to look at Wiendrbac in his bright shirt. The Timonae just slowly shakes his head, "I chose who I chased. And they knew I would be there. I'm not the kind to conceal myself."

And finally from the ruins the man steps out. He seems a bit on the older side, whatever facial features he's had are marred by various scars across his face. His walks seems to hobble somewhat, seeming to be due from a prosthetic. His right hand is a cybernetic, the finest in Tomin Koran technology. That is to say: It's not made for finesse, and seems extremely clunky, but instead modified so that it is more like the end of a mace than a true hand. "My delivery?" he asks as he approaches.

Zara doesn't seem terribly concerned with the conversation going on behind her, she just keeps tugging Rillitan on down, heading towards Swifty. "Sorry. I had to get out my torch and take him down, then we had to decide if he was gonna behave an' walk with us or not." She explains, then makes a face. "I was late getting there after getting your message, cause I had to p..." She trails off as the man approaches, then looks a bit embarassed, rubbing the back of her neck with the hand holding her stun gun. "Eh...heh..."

"ces'Edien ces'Edien janeiU Airenei L'lannei Aroosae meJai Sarie'a Aroosae meJai Airenei einu Sarie'a Airenei elei dharna Airenei Aroosae da'aeu Aroosae da'aeu aden'nar ces'Edien Airenei einu Airenei ces'Edien Sarie'a" Jack says to Rillitan dully, taking another sip from his sippy cup.

"That depends," Swiftfoot replies, eyeing the approaching man dubiously. "You Notch?"

Rillitan turns his ever wearing look back to Jack again, he just sneers, "This.. This facade.. These masks everyone has been wearing.." he talks to himself now, staring past Zara at the aged looking Notch, "You were always taking the easier routes, brother." he fields across to the man.

"Have worn no mask, Rillitan," Ace says quietly, "You were the one who chose to go after Mika...now, you are no longer a threat to her or anyone. It was a poor choice on your part."

"I didn't have much to do with this mark." Jack says to Rillitan, shrugging lean shoulders. "Have fun with metalfist there, though."

"Got the money." Notch answers, then he looks over at Rillitan again. "And you got the package."

Zara offers Swifty the restraints, not saying anything for the moment. She shoves her stunner back in her pocket, but doesn't release it.

In the remains of the ruins, there seem to be a couple other locals armed, mostly looking on towards the Jackal. As with the first man, it seems to be little more than observation currently.

It looks like someone slept in, as Malion comes out of the Jackal's airlock, sliding a shell into the shotgun and cocking the weapon. He pauses at the top of the boarding ramp, taking a moment to survey the landing pad, allowing the shotgun to hang across his chest, his hands are safely away from the hot weapon.

"Think he's talkin bout me, Ace," Swiftfoot says, shrugging as she shifts her gaze to Rillitan. "I'm a Jackal, and that's wherre my loyalties lie. Mika -will- come back someday, and she'd skin me alive if I'd not done something about you. I have no doubt that you'd have been afterr herr again forr the bounty on herr head, so whetherr this happens now orr laterr is merrely academic." The Demarian nods then, taking the restraints from Zara, then shifting her eyes to take a brief glance around the landing pad before they come to rest on the scarred human. "I've showed you mine, now you show me yourrs, meh?" she inquires, giving a wry smile.

Notch reaches with his left hand, the good one, and retrieves a bag from within the flak jacket he is currently wearing. "40." he answers. "Not electronic, either."

"Yes, because you are renowned for your great reading of people, aren't you Starchaser?" Rillitan turns back to stare into the shadows, he pulls his head back and raises an eyebrow. The hairs on the back of his neck rise.

Jack looks the armed locals, loosening the clasp on the holster at his waist. Better safe then sorry, and better willing to kill then be ready to die. Still though, at the moment, he's content on going right on sipping from his cup. Almost quietly. "Shoulda gagged him, Ace."

"As I said inside," Ace says, her focus returning to Rillitan and Notch now that she had assessed his forces, "Wanted to give him the option of keeping his dignity."

Zara shoves her other hand into a pocket, seeking out her pulse pistol. She sticks close to the Demarian, simply watching for the moment, her eyes flicking around the area briefly, casually, as though she hasn't noticed anything at all.

Malion makes his way across to the group, resting his hands on top of the shotgun. The Martian gunsmith smirks when he notices the restrained form of Rillitan, but he doesn't say anything, remaining silent.

"So, how we gonna do this, chief?" Swiftfoot asks, addressing Notch. "I don't trrust you, and you don't trrust me, and neitherr one of us trrusts him," she says, flicking an ear to indicate Rillitan. The felinoid pads forward a couple of steps, leading the captive Timonae up beside her. Unless, of course, he chooses to resist.

Rillitan turns his head around, shooting a glance backwards at Ace, then to Malion, "What are you telling Tiana?" he shouts back to the Martian before stepping forward along with Swiftfoot, "Last chance, cat." he hisses, narrowing his eyes at Notch.

Notch takes the bag, and drops it towards the ground. "Check it." he offers, and beyond that says nothing more, looks towards Rillitan once more for a moment, before he looks at Swiftfoot again.

Jack slides out of his chair, heading for the bag of money. Which puts him in perfect shooting range for the collection of local thuglife, but that's how these deals work. Someone has to give up a little trust somewhere.

The middle of a sensitive negotiation is, perhaps, not the best time to arrive on a landing pad. Nonetheless, there he is: Ambition, the Timonae with the mohawk, silhouetted in the warm evening sun as he climbs into view from the ruins below.

Ace waits patiently, watching attentively and staying about half a dozen steps behind Rillitan and Swiftfoot.

Zara watches Jack approach the bag, then her eyes flick back up to the spectators, making sure they're not coming any closer. Her hands remain shoved in her pockets, shoulders hunched.

"Easy Rill," Malion replies, grinning. "Ya Zangali fetish got the best of ya, and during the raptures of ya fetish, one of the bastards tore ya in half." The Martian shrugs, the shotgun rising slightly also, his expression goes back to being completely neutral. "Or I might say something 'bout ya dying a hero on that station. No one needs to know that ya booked when the shit hit the fan, I'll give her that bit of dignity." He stands a meter or so to the side of Ace.

Swiftfoot flicks an ear and blinks for a moment as the bag of money drops to the ground, quirking an eyeridge. She catches the motion from Jack then, and nods ever so slightly as she keeps him in the periphery of her vision, her attention being mainly focused on Notch. Ambition seems to go unnoticed, for the moment.

Rillitan nods, "Tell her that then. Tell her that." he pulls his eyes around, staring firmly at Notch.

Notch(played by Icarus) is a cybernetic mace-hand man, ragged, in his late forties. A little further back there are some armed locals, watching the exchange of living bounty(played by Rillitan) and cash(played by money). Wiendrbac is checking to make sure Notch's part of the deal is legitmate, under the careful watch of his men. The rest are spread out near the boarding ramp.

"How about I hold onto him while you count." Notch says next.

And while all this serious grown-up stuff is going down, Raz is running around the base of the Faux with a metal strainer on his head, screaming war cries in some made-up language and shooting his dog with an ice cream gun.

"I count fast." Jack responds, stooping slowly to pick up the cash. "We ain't gonna just pick him up and run. You're big, bad mean men oughta be able to assure that at least."

If the unfolding situation quickly attracts Ambition's attention, he is not so unwise as to telegraph this fact. Hands in pockets the Timonae angles parallel to all this activity, not quite leaving the area but not quite entering it either. And, quite coincidentally to be sure, along a path that keeps him close to easily available cover in the form of abandoned debris and empty crates.

Jack quickly fans through the money, then nods at Swiftfoot "Deal is solid."

Swiftfoot nods at Jack, and takes a step forward, offering the restraints to Notch. "He's all yourrs, chief," the felinoid says, offering a flick of her tail. "A pleasurre doin business with ya. Don't go havin too much fun with him now, ya hearr?"

And with that Notch takes the restraints with his left hand. "Right." is all he bothers to say.

"Let him hold onto me." Rillitan snorts with only a small level of sarcasm involved. He looks down at the restrains and his face runs colourless.

Ace hears Raz's yells and Jack (the dog, not the captain) barking in between licking ice cream out of his fur, but she holds her position for the moment.

Zara watches the trade, still remaining silent, though she takes a step in closer to Swifty. She scratches the back of a leg with the opposite foot, then looks over her shoulder at the ship.

"The fuck," Malion mutters, when he hears the war cry. It causes as a distraction for a moment, as it causes him to break his attention away from the exchange towards Raz, mind you, raising a brow. He glances back towards the exchange, resting his hands on the shotgun.

In his roundabout way, Ambition has found a route behind the Jackal. More or less out of view for the moment, the Timonae watches the scene and the surroundings - and Raz - as a seemingly impartial observer.

As Rillitan is led away, he turns to Notch, "Did they intergrate a coffee machine into that thing?" he asks, pointing out Notches mechanical arm, "Or did you go with the screwdriver set attachment?"

Schplat! One of the custard blasts connects with the hapless pup, who arooos tragically and slows enough for his assailant to lunge and tackle him to the ground. Cackling and carrying on in his weird little invented tongue, Raz engages Jack in a playful wrestling match. The dog. Not the captain.

Notch answers, "It works well." as he continues away from the landing pad.

Swiftfoot watches the retreating pair for a few moments before taking another glance around the landing pad. She backs up a few steps to rejoin the rest of the crowd at the foot of the Jackal's boarding ramp, then snorts. "I see Rraz is still... well, Rraz," she says, chuckling softly. "Good to see some things don't change, meh?"

"Back to New Luna, then?" Ace asks, still watching the retreating figures of Notch and living bounty.

Zara doesn't turn around at first, letting Swifty get back to the ship first before she follows at a quick trot, one hand slipping out of a pocket and tucking a cigarette in the corner of her mouth.

Ambition approaches the group from behind the Jackal, applauding slowly. "Well done," he says. "I suppose you'll be celebrating tonight." The Timonae gives Swiftfoot a toothy smile. "Back to New Luna." Jack says, taking the bag of cash and throwing it at Swiftfoot. "You get the honor of splittin' the money aroun'." Then he bends down to pick up his lawn chair, ignoring the approaching Timonae.

Malion taps his fingers against the barrel of the weapon, before giving a sigh. "Didn't even get to maim anyone," he gripes to himself, as he looks to Rill and Notch departing. The gunsmith goes back to being quiet.

Raz's dog, quite familiar with this routine, battles the cub to exhaustion. His own exhaustion, that is. The Castori emerges victorious, and just as smeared in creamy confectionary as his opponent.

The felinoid looks back over her shoulder briefly, catching sight of the familiar mohawked Timonae. "Meh, thanks, but I'm not big on this business myself. I made an exception forr Rrillitan. He pissed me off." She snorts softly, eyes going back to Jack just in time to see him toss the bag of money, which she manages to catch. Barely. She tucks it under one arm. "Not herre. Don't want to stay out herre flashing this kind of cash. That's about the fastest way I can think of to get myself shot. How bout we meet back on New Luna, and we'll do the honorrs therre?"

Ace nods and turns away, trotting towards the cub and dog, coming up from behind the Castori in his moment of triumph, intent on a good tickling as she scoops him up.

Zara lights her cigarette with the middle finger of her prosthetic, weaving her way through the assorted people as she heads up the Jackal's ramp. "M'gonna go get the engines started n'stuff." She mutters in an aside to Malion, disappearing inside.

"Me neither." Ambition quirks an ironic smile. "I hate bounty hunters." He nods up the ramp. "Would it be possible to take passage with you back to New Luna? Perhaps we could discuss busines ...?"

Conveniently, Raz lifts his arms and pumps his fists in the air.

Jack half-bows at Swiftfoot, turning for the ramp of the Faux, managing not to slip up in the melting goodness shot forth from Raz's toy gun. Since Ace is taking the opportunity to tickle her cub, Jack slips on ahead into the ship.

Ace comes up behind Raz and tickles under his arms and then lifts him up over her shoulder, "You...are not supposed to be playing out here, da?" she says, heading towards the Faux's ramp, "But now we will go somewhere that you and Jack can chase each other till your hearts content, da?"

Malion decides to follow the lead of Zara up the ramp. "Gonna secure me armoury, then I'll be up the cockpit," he says, pausing at the ramp to look back to the Demarian.

Swiftfoot nods to the La Terran as he walks off, then flicks her ears at the Ungstiri-Castori pair. Sure, why not, at the dog, too. "Seeya on New Luna, Ace." The felinoid shifts her eyes to Ambition then, blinking briefly. "Don't see why not. We'rre headed that way, and since we'rre gonna talk business, I won't even charrge farre," she says, offering a mischievous grin. "Dunno bout the rrest of you, but I'm about rready to leave good old tee-kay behind," she says, nodding at Malion as she pads toward the Jackal's airlock.

Whatever protests and excuses Raz might have been cooking up, they are pre-empted by giggles. Why, cruel fate. Why must he be so ticklish. "Da, Ace, da," is all he manages to squeak out as he's hauled along.

Ace waves back to Swifty as she disappears into the Faux, Raz over her shoulder and Jack (the dog, not the captain) at her heels.

Ambition nods in agreement with Swiftfoot. "Sounds agreeable to me," he says, and moves to follow the Demarian up the ramp.