[Big Maul] Mari and Friends (C 1.7)

Rich

Cache,

You head upstairs to check on Mari, and find her sitting dutifully on a mattress with two men. They're both asleep, or maybe passed out, either way. One you recognize from Dillards, the raider-scav gang that reside in that huge storefront. The other is some scraggly out-mauler, an outside you might have seen in the audience at last night's performance.

Mari hops up and crosses the room to you when you enter, "I got two.... well, it was three, but Burrito King disappeared on me this morning. Playboy just came by." She has a little red mark on her left cheek.

What do you do?

Niko

My coat drops to the floor at the foot of the mattress, a knife and my syringe in my hands. I slide into bed next to Mari, between her and the Dillards raider. Slip the knife under the mattress, and set the syringe at the head of the bed. I kiss her, and whisper into her brain, <<Keep the out-Mauler occupied if he wakes up>>. My hand slides up between her legs, reaches her heat, and I work on her, finger to my lips that she should stay quiet. I tease her for a few moments, and roll over to the raider, leaning over him, careful not to wake him. I whisper again to Mari <<Get the handcuffs out of my coat>>. Need to make sure our raider friend is handled before I try this.

Rich

Mari complies. You realize, this deep in her brain, that part of her is afraid of what you could do to her, and she is convinced that Esco fell to your wrath. But part of her is also thrilled at being dominated like this, so thoroughly. She's never been controlled like this, always been the controller, and she's really enjoying it.

She reaches into your coat, pulls out the handcuffs, opens them quietly and if you direct her, she'll handcuff him, too.

What do you do?

Niko

I nod for her to cuff him, and I scoot up next to him, getting close, and push myself into his head. Rivulets of storm-sand sliding into his folds, making my need his need. My plan, his drive.

In-Brain Puppet Strings vs The Raider <<Protect me from any violence for the next week>> +1xp

Rich

Alright, Cache, let's see some dice.

Niko

(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 1, 3. Total: 7)

Niko

Hold 1

Rich

The Dillards raider, his name is Crocs. Looks like this:


Your intrusion rouses him. He moves a bit, then tries to move his hand up to his face. That's when he realizes he's cuffed, and that wakes him right the hell up. He jerks up, then sees you, then Mari. He blinks, like maybe he's not sure what's going on. "What in the... what's going on?"

Mari answers for you, using a soothing tone, touching his leg lightly, in a familiar and seductive way, "It's alright, Crocs. All cool. This is the one I told you about. Ze's got all the answers you need. You can trust zir. It's all good."

He glances down at the cuffs, "S'pose I agree... that get the cuffs off?"

Niko

<<Mari, take off the cuffs>> I'm sitting next to him, cross legged and nude, syringe in my hand, <<This is medicine that will help with some clarity. It'll help keep your head clear and engaged with the truth when the Breeze comes>>. I brush the hair out of his face, construct a smile I hope is convincing and will put him at ease, "Are you ready?"

Rich

Crocs doesn't seem as into you as Mari. He tilts his head away when you reach for his hair. He isn't spiteful, just not quite "ready" for your touch. "Listen... I'm good with learning a bit about what Mari was chatting about, but uh, I'm not so into doing smack right now. No offense. Get me?"

Niko

"This isn't a narcotic. It isn't a drug. It luxe tek that'll keep you safe"

My head tilts to the side, I raise the syringe, and Direct In-Brain Whispers <<Let it happen! > > +1 xp Advance

Rich

Crocs looks at you skeptically, but then... you put the whammy on him.

Yeesh! Okay, roll the dice. Let's see how this goes.

Niko

(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 5, 6. Total: 14)

Rich

Crocs swallows, looks away, then mumbles, "Alright, yeah. Sure." He looks up to Mari, who smiles sweetly while reaching for his arm, then turning it over, inside up and open for you.

Niko

My smile is more predatory than reassuring. A crooked, twisted thing more suited to the Grinch than any human face, and while I make eye contact with Crocs, I'm looking at something behind his eyes. I put the hypo against his skin, the needle shoots out, there's a microsecond of pressure, and he's [Tag, +1 Harm AP Forward]. There's a bright red dot with a paler red welt where the needle went in and the nozzle pressed against his skin.

"You're all set, Crocs, and welcome to stay here with Mari. Why don't you two step into the next room, and I'll see to our out-Mauler friend here?"

To Mari, <<Take him to Projector Five, get something queued up.>>

Rich

Crocs lets you hypo him, leaves with Mari. Mari gives you a reassuring look before she helps him stand and leads the new pawn away.

This out-Mauler, he's a bit older, maybe in his fifties, a little overweight, too. He's quite drunk, which is why he slept through this entire discussion. He's wearing denim and plaid, a workman, through and through. Came to the show for some entertainment. You see he's got some decent headphones in his shirt pocket, the wires peeking out of the top. He probably came here with Mari thinking he was getting laid, but that didn't go how he expected.

What do you do?

Niko

I slide up next to him, wrap my arms around him, and push into his brain. Tendrils working their way into his eyes (all three), worming their crooked way to his Self, and wrapping around.
In-Brain Puppet Strings: <<Follow Every Order I Give You For the Next Week>> +1 XP

Rich

The touch, he responds to the touch. His breath carries days of grain alcohol, dried rotting meat, and the stench of old sweat, days-worth dried on top of itself in layers. All protective clothing, hiding him from the likes of people like you, threats who will slide past those defenses and see him for him.

Let's see how well those puppet strings work, Cache.

Niko

(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 2, 5. Total: 10)

Rich

Here's your out-Mauler, his name is Eddie Bauer.


Your touch finally rouses him. He smacks dry lips and chuckles before he even opens his eyes, assuming by your size and intimate touch that he was successful in his hunt for companionship. His eyes open, and he sees you. He starts for a second, then looks past you, around, confused. Swallows. "Huh... hullo there." He's already pushing at those bounds in his mind, Cache, testing their limits, unconsciously. He will be tricky. He's a bit wild. Quite capable of violence, and not high on morality, either.

Rich

--END SCENE--