[Junk XIII] Approaching Ascendant (K 4-11, S 4-9)

edited November 2013 in Junkworld XIII
The next morning's ride to Armour was easy and relaxed. You reached the "container town" in a few hours before the heat of the sun hit you. Everyone spent some time gathering up supplies, then you headed on the three day ride east to the Ascendant.

There are no roads, just scrub. Long klicks of scrub. The sun beat down on you as you rode. Stitch, did you ask Metro to come, or did he just start driving with the gang and that was that? Is Hump with you, or did Jemma keep him on her bike? And lastly, did Trojan ride with you? If not, who is he riding with?

Finally, after seeing it on the horizon for far too long, you reach the shelf of scrub before a mountain range rises up, and nestled there is the crashed remains called The Ascendant:

Ascendant Outer

Stitch, you and Metro both recognize this as a Weyland Yutani corporate ship, a heavy-class frigate that can often be fitted out for military purposes. The standard deckplans for this ship includes a small hospital. This would be a true gold mine of technology and supplies, enough to work miracles, assuming it's all intact.

Kiddo, you pick out that the place still has power, and there is at least one capital-class cannon moving and tracking you as your little gang rides in. Hundreds of people could be inside this place.

Both,

There is no welcoming party here, but also, there are no armed guards coming out to intimidate you or lay down any sort of law. If anything, you feel like ants crawling up onto an elephant with hopes of causing trouble.

What once was a hangar door for dropships now stands wide open, and a long set of steps as well as a ramp stretch p from the scrub to the hangar that is four decks, or about twenty meters up. You can see some people milling about up there, maybe a half dozen of them, but none are paying much attention to you.

What do you do?

Comments

  • I lead the pack up to the hangar door, and park far enough away from the ramp that we don't look like we're blocking people in. I get off my bike and walk over to Spree, calling Gramma and Stitch over as I do. "Spree, sweetie, I'm going to take Gramma, Vee, and Hump up in there — Stitch and Metro too, if they want. Can you and Star keep the girls in line here while we scope the place out?"
  • Jemma kept Hump on her bike- I meant to ask her if he could ride with us, but she just sort of took off. Trojan is in the van with us- I let him sit in the front with Metro while I ride in the back.

    Metro parks the van by Kiddo's bike and we get out.
  • I turn to Stitch while I wait for everyone to join in, "you coming in sweetie?"
  • "Yeah." I reply. I want to see that infirmary in a bad way, though I'm not sure they'll just let us in to look at it.
  • Stitch,

    Metro pulls you aside as Kiddo talks to her gang, and says, "Take a look at the control room near the back." He gestures with his head, not pointing. It's too far off to see in the dim light of the sun. "It's still functional. The power plant is active, and even more, some repairs have been made to the wiring, too. Out of spec, with panels still removed, but they're keeping this running, Stitch." He seems, well, excited.

    Kiddo,

    Spree says, "We got you, boss. If we hear shooting, we'll ride up to you."

    VB, Hump and Jemma follow you in, Kiddo. Jemma says, "This place is one hell of alot bigger than I'd heard."

    Both,

    You hear the high motor sound of a dirt bike as Sapphire comes up the ramp. She'd been riding behind your gang the whole trip. She zips up past the large space between where the gang has parked and comes up by you, Stitch, drops her kickstand and slips off her bike. She pulls her pack up over her shoulder and walks up beside you.
  • Gramma's not kidding... Part of me wants to take it all in, but I'm forcing myself to stay on task. When we're up in the ship proper, I'm going to have a quick look around for anyone I might recognize — failing that, I'm flagging down the first person I see.
  • Sapphire says, "Hi Stitch." Then, "Hey Trojan." Trojan nods. She walks with you over to Kiddo and her group.

    Jemma opens her arms wide and says brightly, "C'mere, Saff. Give us a hug!" She hesitates only a step before she moves forward into the hug. A brief one. Jemma pulls her back, "I still don't know why you wouldn't ride and talk with me, little girl."

    "Because your grand-daughter hates me, and I don't want any trouble," she quips. She turns to give you a smart-alek smile, Kiddo. Then she asks, "Stitch, did you want to try and find the hospital or somethin? I know a few assholes in here."
  • Bitch...

    I ignore the opportunity to rebuke Saff's snide remark, opting instead to stay on task. "Where'd you spot my Ma' last, Saff?"
  • edited November 2013
    Sapphire looks to Jemma for a second, like asking permission. Jemma nods, then Sapphire turns to you, and the smile is gone. She says seriously, "I saw her with Branny, Kiddo."

    Jemma looks away, unable to meet your eyes. This is what she was hiding, Kiddo.
  • I stand there quietly gnaw at my lip for a minute not looking at either of them.

    Frak me...

    A frakking year of wondering where my Ma' is, and now I've got to go bargain for her freedom with the most notorious brain frakker in the whole frakking world... I shift my pack uncomfortably, trying to remember just how much jingle I have on me... "Where is he?"

    I don't care if she's doped up, and turned into one of his dolls. It's been a frakking year! I'm so frakking close! ... I'll bribe my way in if I have to. I need to see my Ma'. I need to see my Dad!
  • Sapphire looks to Jemma again, she nods again, and the young girl leads you across the hangar bay. You pass a half dozen tents set up on the eastern side of the bay where folks have set up small living spaces. You catch glimpses of old microwaves and refrigerators, in some kind of small tent city. There are families and a few couples, mostly elderly and children.

    At the end of the bay, you pass by a machine shop, inside are a couple guys working on a weird-looking bike with no wheels, one guy is spot welding while another has a big buffing machine. You recognize equipment like you've seen at Remy's, stuff for making bullets, powder, stuff like that.

    Sapphire leads you down a corridor about three people wide, takes a sharp right turn. There are open doorways to the left and right down the hallway here, and maybe a dozen folks in grubby, ill-fitting olive drab uniforms, obviously toughs, a gang of some kind. Bored and itchy for something to distract them. They leer at you as you pass. One of the girls, in a red bandanna, says to you, Kiddo, "Hey sweetie, wanna come in my bunk? Then COME in my bunk!" She turns when one guy with a weird tat on the side of his head laughs and they high five.

    What do you do?
  • I give her the finger and keep walking.
  • VB glares at her, and Hump looks sort of intimidated. Maybe its good Rinso isn't here right this second.

    Stitch, the bunks this gang is in, they're actual crew's quarters, designed for bridge crews during shift hours. Three bunks to a room, and inside they have light and you even catch one skinny guy watching something on a tablet screen, some kind of movie. What is the movie, Stitch?

    Sapphire slips between a couple folks milling about, and you all follow suit. You know, you're a pretty sizable little group, aren't you? This gang, they see your boomstick, Kiddo, and Jemma's lil hand cannon and they haven't patted you down or anything. Weird, isn't it?

    Sapphire reaches the end of the hallway and there's a big hulking guy standing by the one closed door in the hall, the only one that isn't wide open.
    Audi

    The guy, you know him from somewhere Kiddo. When did you see him last? He looks down at Sapphire, then up to you all. "What do you want?"

    Sapphire says, "I wanna see Branigans, Audi."

    He asks back, "You got his jingle?"

    "It aint about that, some other folks wanna see him," she says while looking back at you.

    Audi looks over the lot of you, but he fixes his gaze on you. "Well, hel-lo, Kiddo. Figured you'd be around some day."

    What do you do?
  • edited November 2013
    My expression is dry and emotionless, but my stomach is twisted into a knot tighter than it's ever been before... I look Audi in the eyes and nod. "I'm here to see my parents, Audi — and talk. That's all."

    Audi's the same as he's always been... He was a scav back in the day that Ma' and I occasionally ran into. He was the one that told us about the junkship that landed north of Oasis — the one those Raiders also found? ... The one Ruth died in... I haven't seen him since he gave us the location of that ship. I guess this is where he holed up...
  • Audi looks over all of you, "No weapons," He points to a footlocker nearby, "You will get them back. And in case you wanna get tricky, Ima pat you all down. Then, you can see the majordomo. An then, you might get to see your parents."

    What do you do?
  • I'll comply, and send anyone who won't out to the bikes. I don't need a gun to lay Audi out if I really need to. "Can I keep my bag? You can search it if you really want... It's just a bit of jingle."
  • Audi is going to check out your bag, yeah. What's in it?
  • A half-empty 2L jug of ginger-ale, some spare mags for the boomstick and pistol (which I'll surrender to the lockbox), my toiletries bag (do you really want me to list what's in there?), my water bottle, my music player and a pair of headphones, a picture of Ma', Dad, Hump, Vicky and Ruth — before Ma' and Vicky got sick — a bag of spare aluminum (that I use as Jingle), and a guitar pick that hasn't been used in ages...
  • Well, Kiddo, he rummages through the bag, pulls out the ammo and puts it in the footlocker, then he pats your down. And he's professional about it, doesn't really cop a feel. But he has you put hands on the wall. Then you get to watch as he does the same to Hump, and then Jemma. Oh and by the way, Jemma had a switchblade and frakkin hand grenade in her little bag. Both went into the footlocker.

    Audi takes a bit of time with VB, checking all around her leg, really. He doesn't seem to give a whit about feeling any of you up. He pats down Metro, who has nothing interesting in his pack or on his person, just tin for trade and some gadgets. Stitch, he pats your down, do you have anything interesting?

    That takes about ten to fifteen minutes all told. During the time, Audi is thorough, makes no snide comments. Of course, the gang down the hall is making enough for him.

    Once he's done, Audi says, "Alright, Kiddo. You leave one person with me, just so I know there's no chance of you all doing anything."

    What do you do?
  • I turn back to the group, "Who'd rather chill here?"
  • Jemma says, "I'll stay here with Audi and watch our drek. Be smart, Saff. Like we talked about. Smart."

    Audi accepts that, and opens the door. Inside is another one of the three bunk quarters, but all of the bunks have been removed, leaving an open space. Sitting at a Victorian-style cushioned chair and leaning over a fine wooden coffee table is this woman, Nesbitts.
    Nesbitts

    Also in here is du Maurier, aka "du", a dark-haired man in his early thirties and Santi, a woman in her late twenties with lots of fairy tattoos. They're sitting on a couch, her leg over one of his. They look zoned out on something.

    Audi says, "Kiddo's here to see her parents, Nezzy."

    Nezzy looks up from what she was doing, which was cleaning a big-ass hand cannon. She's got a fine sliky cloth laid out on the table and all the parts broken down and placed on top in neat order. She says, "A whole crew, hunh? And Sapphire, too. Well, it's a frakkin reunion with the castoffs of people I hate. Come in. Come in."

    Audi closes the door behind you. VB and Hump stick sorta close. Metro stands in front of you, Stitch.

    What do you do
  • I give Gramma and Saff concerned looks — what the frak were they talking about?

    I spot Nezzy cleaning her gun and instantly regret the decision of coming in here without Rinso... And she's still got that sharp wit I see... Frakking fantastic.

    I step into the room and stand kind of at ease with my hands on my hip. "Hey Nezzy..." Frak... Do I really need to explain why I'm here? "I don't wanna keep you any longer than I need to. I just wanna see my parents, and talk about what needs to be done to get them home..."
  • "Oh, Kiddo, you can see 'em, sure." Nezzy says as she takes a small cleaner to the barrel of her gun. "Problem is, your dad can't leave. And I doubt your ma actually wants to leave."
  • I look to Vee a little confused, then back to Nezzy... "Uh, why? What happened?"
  • I smile warmly at Saff- I'd ruffle her hair if I wasn't afraid she might stab me for it...

    I don't have much for Audi to find- I give up my stun gun- with the Lego Fairy hung on a chain from it. I left the knife back in the van. I've got my med-pack, though.

    I put a hand on Metro's back when he steps in front of me. I'm not sure how this meeting is going to go, but without weapons we are at a disadvantage. Kiddo's brave, but she's not stupid.
  • edited November 2013
    Nezzy shrugs, "Hell if I know the particulars, Kiddo. Your dad's alive, thanks to the doc. But he aint goin nowhere..."

    Then Santi cuts in with, "And your Ma's all shacked up with Branny. Guess she traded up." du huffs a laugh at that.

    Stitch, Sapphire caught sight of the Lego on your stun gun. She grinned a tiny little grin.

    Nezzy turns to you, Stitch, glancing at Metro and then you, "Aint never seen you two before. Who the hell are you? You don't look like part o' Kiddo's crew. What you after?"
  • edited November 2013
    I grit my teeth at Santi's comment, trying to stay impartial; but my lips curl into a sour frown, and I feel my fingers clench my sides a little tighter. "She's with my crew," I answer, as plainly as I can, letting Stitch do the rest of the talking.
  • I nod when Kiddo says I'm with her. "I'm Stitch. He's Metro." I say, not wanting to give anything away I don't have to.
  • Nezzy gives you "the hairy eyeball" (where she tilts her head forward a little and glares). She says, "Mmn hmn."

    Then she turns back to you, Kiddo, "I'll let Branigans know you've come calling. For now, you and your crew will wait out in the bay. When he's got time to speak with you, I'll send someone for you. In the meantime, if you got trade, or if you want to earn your food, talk to Whiskas. He's in charge of the bay. He'll tell you the rules. Follow them. Or we'll shoot one of your crew and kick the rest of you out, the hard way. Understood?"

  • The mention of needing Branigans' approval makes my mind race. If Ma' is with Branigans, there's no way she could be with him of her own free will... Gods, I feel so helpless... They're right frakking here! I could take them!

    I could run for the gun, shoot Du and Santi, let Gramma deal with Audi, drag Nezzy to Branigans' feet, put a bullet in his head, have the girls take care of the gang outside, and waltz out of here like we own the place... But I feel paralyzed.

    Maybe it's not so bad... Maybe Ma's just doing this... Maybe she's miserable with Branigans, and she's just doing this to pay Dad's bills... Maybe Stitch could fix him!

    Gods, I think I'm gunna be sick...

    I nod. "I understand... Anything I can do to put me at the top of the line? Or maybe see my Dad, wherever he is?" I shake my bag for effect... Nobody's above bribes.
  • du Maurier says, "Why don't you suck my dick, Kiddo?"

    Santi giggles and slaps his arm. But then she smirks at you and says, "You know what? Go ahead, Kiddo. I hear you're a real good lay. Show me a little something. We'll show you old broken-assed Ollie."
  • I'm chewing the inside of my lip now. I'm not even looking at Vee, but I can practically feel her gaze on me...

    Frak you, I hear myself saying... Maybe I walk over there and bite his frakking dick off. Then again — you are a slut, aren't you Kiddo? What's a frakking blowjob to see your frakking Dad again... Whose dick would I suck to see Rinny again?

    My eyes are glassy. I hate this woman. I hate her for dangling my parents in front of me like a carrot. I hate her for being a useless cunt that just bows down to a heartless cocksucker like Branigans. I hate her for hiding behind a gang of wild animals, and acting like she owns people. I am going to kill this bitch — and I am going to frakking enjoy it.

    She must have a weakness...
  • OOC: Reading Nezzy. Roll+Sharp.
    (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 4, 1. Total: 7)
  • OOC: How can I get Nezzy to treat me with some respect?
  • How to get Nezzy to respect you? First of all, don't accept du Maurier's offer. Second, head out to he bay and find something worth doing. If you just sit out there and stew or make trouble, then you're just the piece of trash she expects out of a little girl your age. But if you contribute, show that you aren't looking down your nose at this place, then she would consider you a cut above the rest.
  • I look to my crew, then back to Nezzy, "I've got better shit to do. Come find me when you folks are ready to talk."

    Then with that, I'll turn and leave... Something tells me this is going to be an expensive trip — I might as well go make some actual jingle.
  • Nezzy starts cleaning her gun again, "You bet, Kiddo." She whistles and the door opens a moment later.

    Audi escorts you out, gives you your stuff and you are free to head to the bay.

    And wait for the king to summon you.

    --END SCENE--
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