[Snowpocalypse] Pep Rally (R 4.7)

Rich

To Rossi:

The gang heads back, grousing about some of theirs being beaten. Em insists that they gave more than they got, but you can just feel the anger from them all. Except Inessa, she's pleased as punch about this whole thing, making bawdy jokes and talking about her "excellent digs" at Underlake.

Arbor and Jester head out to look for Silica. But this gang, they're not happy about keeping a lid on things. How are you handling their ire?

Adam

I'm not happy about it either — but I'm not about to run into a fucking war without taking a week to recover from getting shot. When we're out of Underlake market, and it's just the gang, I'm going to pull Blood Dracula over — she seemed like she got the worst of it.

"Hey," I offer with a nudge, "you alright?"

Rich

To Rossi:

BD makes a pfft noise, "Fuck no. They broke my board over Em's fucking arm! I'm going to gut Roast Beef, Rossi. Going to fuck his world up." She's angry, and she's trying to not look weak. Which is tough, her being the smallest member of the gang, and her face looks uggggly.

Adam

I nod a few times in solidarity, and look off down the tunnel as we walk. "I'll hold the fucker down. What the hell happened back there, anyway? What bullshit reason did they invent to justify this?"

Rich

Em steps up, "I was lookin at a, uhm, a hairbow."

Inessa cuts in, "Yeah! Then Tweak, who was already following us around, cause he likes my ass, says, "The fuck you need that for, baldie?" And BD and I took exception to that."

Bloody Dracula holds up a hand, "Inessa, tell it straight. No fucking around." She looks at you plain, "They gave Em shit, said she was a Soulja Bitch-whore and then I hit him with my board. They must've had a few guys hanging back, because then they all jumped us."

"Yeah..." Inessa says. Admits, really.

Invert says, "We oughta go rightthefucknow, Rossi!"

Adam

I shake my head when Invert butts in, "we're not heading back there now. We're going to fuck them into last week when we roll in, and Hadden's got family in there..." I look back to BD, "so they just roughed you up and locked you up? What'd they do after that?"

Rich

One of the guys grumbles, "What the fuck do we care about Hadden's family? He's just one of them, all complicit and shit!" Who is it, Rossi? Who's the greasy wheel here?

BD answers, "They split us up, grilled us about where we're holed up. They know something's up, Rossi."

"I told them." Em says quiet. She's looking down. "I didn't fucking care they were gonna beat me. But they had BD and Inessa otherwhere's and said they were gonna kill them. Said they knew already, so why not? Said they'd go easy on them..."

You get the feeling that maybe BD didn't want Em to spill that, Rossi. Inessa looks pissed, and she's moving close to Em in case somebody tries to, I dunno, hit her or something?

What do you do?

Adam

That'd be Long-John. "None of your fucking business what we care about Hadden's family. We're playing it straight."

Of course, that's before Em answers about spilling the beans. That's not fucking good... That's not fucking good at all. I set my jaw, and stop walking. We're about to lose the element of surprise, and I'm willing to bet that son of a bitch is going to bring the hurt down on us now... I look over to Em, and nod, "you did the right thing. For all you know, they might've tried to kill BD and Inessa..."

... Fuck ...

I move next to Em, and eye the gang — just in case someone does get the wrong idea — and bark, "we've got to get ready for these bastards... Those assholes already tried to bury this boat once, but now it's ours. I want this place locked down tight."

Rich

Let's see some Pack Alpha, Rossi.

Adam

OOC: Pack Alpha on the group.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 1, 4. Total: 8)

Adam

OOC: Well, I feel like stirring things up. I'm going to take: they don't fight back.

Rich

Em looks guilty as hell, but BD and Inessa have her back. They see that you do, too, and that helps their case. But Long John... well, he's made moves on these girls and has been rebuffed, so this is only going to stoke the fire.

Invert barks, "Long John! STFU! We gotta get the place ready for guests, asshole!"

That tears it, Long John just moves forward at her like he's gonna put Invert in her place. But you stopped him. Made an example out of him. How did that go?

Afterwards, the gang went back to the sub, started milling about, sort of "getting ready", but some of them are caring for Long John and others are watching after the girls. They're a pretty disparate group[, Rossi, nowhere as diligent as you. Nowhere close.

Invert's hanging around you, though. She's doing her best to figure out spots to set up folks. Wandering is keeping watch up top.

Adam

How did I get Long John to back off? Well, it doesn't take much to emasculate someone when you're half a foot shorter than them... And a woman. I grabbed his hand when he went to hit her, spun him around, and broke his fucking nose. Then casually warned him, "if I catch you doing this shit again, you're gunna find yourself out in the fucking drifts."

If these people aren't going to do the fucking job, then I guess it's up to Invert and me to do their fucking job... If someone gets through our defenses, there's going to be fucking hell to pay.

Rich

You're with Invert, checking weapons and armor and shit. She throws in angrily, "I hope we lose some of this dead weight around here when limp-dick and his fuckers come calling." She's checking ammo in clips, making sure they're all loaded with good stuff. She looks up at you, "What do you want outta this... this hold or whatever?"

Adam

I don't comment on her wanting to drop our "dead weight" — granted we've got some people who aren't pulling their weight, you've got to be careful what you wish for these days... I finish loading up a clip, and pick up another one, when she asks what I want out of this place.

"A safe place for Jester, and my sister, if she wants it," I answer calmly, palming a few more bullets. "Somewhere I don't have to worry about people's fucking toes getting chopped off, or my sister getting on a fucking wanted list — for something I'm sure isn't really her fucking fault... What about you?"

Rich

Invert doesn't answer right away. It's like she asked the question, fully not expecting you to ask right back. Eventually, "I wanna put a stake in the ground. You know, have something. Like, fuck you, this shit is MINE, you know? Maybe, I dunno, be your number two, or somethin important. Somethin." She looks up, eyes squinting at you, "Get me?"

Adam

I nod silently as she talks. Owning something real is nothing to sneeze at. I look over at her when she says she wants to be something important — like my number two... I don't think I've ever seen someone who said they wanted to be like me... I don't really know what to say to that.

I nod a few times instead, and snap the last bullet into this mag, then put the mag down on the table. "I get you... Lots of people out in the drifts say they own things, but actually holding it down is a different thing all together." I reach for a piece of my armor and start digging out some bullets from it. "Contrary to what the men here think, being important doesn't come from saying you're important — it comes from doing shit that needs to be done. You stick with me, and keep doing what you're doing, and you'll be something important..."

There's something in my voice when I turn back to my armor... The way I said it — it was almost sisterly. I don't really care if she picked up on it — but that means something coming from me.

Rich

Invert doesn't comment on it, but she gives you a look when you tell her she's going to be something important. Like satisfaction, pride at being recognized.

She changes subjects with, "What do you think about the other three girls? They cut out for this life, you think?"

Adam

She says "cut out" — like there's some mold for people like us — and I shrug. "Women have it different out there in the drifts... Any girl can be strong enough to get by without a man — but some girls just find it easier to latch on to someone and rely on them for stuff... Have their babies to keep them around, and all that..." I get a sour taste in my mouth, and can't help but think of Jester and Tindy together... "I try not to hold it against them, but I don't have a lot of respect for girls like that. I'm hoping the other girls find their stride with us before someone gets the better of them."

Rich

Inver nods, "Yeah, I hear you. Don't need no man. Well, not for babies and shit, heh."

She's not happy with the load in one clip, and starts pushing out the bullets one by one, then reloading it. "Well, I think Em's a good soldier, but dumber than a box o' rocks. So she'll fit in, but you gotta stick somebody smart with her, you know?" She's squinting at the bullets, looking for defects. "BD? She's gonna skate. Heh. Girl's used to the Sk8rs, different life. I bet limpdick's guys fucked her shit up. She'll be pissin blood. And I bet she rolls outta here inside a week. Maybe before limpdick shows."

Invert blows on the last bullet, then pushes it into the clip, "Inessa? She's tough, just mouthy. I can live with mouthy. But she likes gettin under people's skin, like it's an art. Gonna piss off the wrong person, you know?"

Adam

I nod along with her assessments of the other girls, but I'm not so sure BD is a lost cause... Maybe she is, but I kinda hope she isn't. We need more girls here to even out the load. "I was thinking of sticking BD with Poptart for a while... Poptart set me straight when I was out wandering, and I think she could do BD a world of good. Even if BD doesn't stick around... She needs that, you know? Us girls gotta stick together."

I finish prying out some more bullets, and look over at her again, "if you had your pick of a few to run a squad — who would you pick?"

Rich

Well, that floors Invert. She sucks her teeth loudly for a moment, thinking.
"Well," she begins slow, then building up steam. "By squad, I'm guessing you mean five and me. I'd take Long John, put his ass to work or he can GTFO. Then, Em, since I can keep her in line and she's got my back. I'd pick up Tap Off, since he's smart and doesn't talk too much. Annnd, Patagonia and Cork, since they go way back, and they both good in the clutch." She nods, satisfied with the idea of her imaginary squad.

"What would you want to do with us?"

Adam

That's a pretty good squad, if she could keep Long John in line... Part of the problem is, if I just tell Long John he's answering to her, he won't listen. Invert would have to earn the respect of a team like that. I don't doubt she could do it — it'll probably just take a lot of work. But if that's what she wants...

"A few things... Back-up killing Merr would be the first. I need a group of people that don't mind getting their hands dirty if Merr and his people come looking for us... Hit them from behind, or something. Then, if they don't come looking for us, I need people I can rely on to help me punch a hole through his fucking boat's security so we can murder that fucker where he sleeps."

Rich

Invert listens, nodding, trying to hide her excitement, but you see it around her eyes as they widen. This is her chance. "I got it. I can do that, Rossi." She slams a clip home into her pistol.

"Give me the word, and I'll make it happen."

Adam

I nod solemnly, "get the group together and start scouting out in the tunnels for people setting shit up to mess with our new home. I'll get the group ready for an assault on his boat in the meantime."

Rich

"You got it, Rossi." She gives you a solid nod, showing confidence, making sure she recognizes this and trying to assure you she'll get the job done. "I'll send BD to Poptart, too."

Anyone else you want to chat with? Jester and Arbor haven't come back.

Adam

No. I need to rest up... If Jester and Arbor don't come back in a day or so, I'll go out looking for them.

Rich

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