Iron Stars - aruke

Another day, another day in service of the gangs, but it will not be this way forever. It is all Aruke thinks about as they move through the rainy city streets to the public holo/audio booth where they were told to go. Sometimes the old ways work best in a digital age where everything can be tracked, and the best way to hide data is to bury it in so much extra nonsense that no cyber detective could ever be bothered to go through the entire info dump. It is two blocks from here, and the headlights of the occasional passing cars cast strange shadows on the rain slicked pavement and graffiti covered walls around you. Petty gangs sometimes use them to claim their own territory, but more often than not these vandals if caught in the act end up applying their own natural pigments to their unfinished masterpieces.

Bio https://www.artstation.com/artwork/yw3on Species: 'Tre Gender: Female Age: 17 Height: 1,64m Build: slender Eyes: whitish Hair: none Physical Appearance Like almost any 'Tre variant, Aruke is rather slender. She likes to wear robe-like clothing. That way only her thin arms and head area are visible. She used to love to wear necklaces. Pear necklaces with pearls she collected herself on her homeworld. But today she only a few pearls are still in her possession, not enough to make a good-looking pearl necklace. Her head is rather gaunt, like skin pulled over bare bones. But this is how it should be. Thorn-like ossifications at the top and back of her head, which are covered by skin, almost look fan-like, or like a high standing neck shield. Character Despite her young age, she would be seen as a full adult in her own culture. Their remote and simple way of living lead to rather short lifespans. But she is rather an old soul. Having to care for her younger brother, and enduring what she had to endure, made her mature. She is rather accepting of other cultures and peoples way of living. She is usually rather centered and calm. But the last six years have made her heart go colder, and she can be a bit withdrawn at times.

Alien oracle, Limkuk .

Hi Guys! Want to show you this pice That i was working on my free time, i learned a lot in this personal work, textures were done in Mari and Substance Painter. Hope you like it. Cheers.

3:58 AM

Background The young 'Tre of a far away world, once was a capable Seer. Like the rest of her family, it is in their blood. The scream made most of them go crazy, and while she survived pretty much unharmed, it came at a cost. It was like she was severed from Metaspace, up until recently. If that wasn't enough, she, and what was left of her family, became slaves. Slaves of the Phemno Mining Guild. When the war ended and the slaves were freed, all that was left of her tribe, were her brother Tsag and Aruke. They were brought to a refugee camp on Radji. With nothing but their will to live, they and others got into the fangs of one of the local gangs. Pressured to work for them, she has to lend her talents to bad causes. But with the true potential of the Seer reawakening, will she be the end to the gangs who plague Radji?

Level 5 Aruke Runaru
Full Psychic
❤️  27/27
🛡️  17
⚔️  2
⏳ 18/27

ST | DE | CO | IN | WI | CH
12   14   14   10    8   14

Adm  -1  | Lead -1  | Shoot -1
Con  -1  | Noti  0  | Sneak -1
Exe  -1  | Perf -1  | Stab  -1
Fix  -1  | Pilo -1  | Surv   0
Heal -1  | Prog -1  | Talk   1
Know  0  | Pun  -1  | Trade -1

Foci:
'Tre
Psychic Training(Teleportation) LvL 2

Psychic Skills:
Precog 1 | Postcog 1 | Teleport 2 | TK 1

Psychic Effort 5

Psychic Techniques:
Precog:
Oracle
   Terminal Reflexion

Postcog:
Interrogate the Past
     Mortis Cry

Teleport:
Personal Apportation(Professional Apportation)
     Spatial Synchrony Mandala
     Perceptive Dislocation

Telekinesis:
Telekinetic Manipulation
   TK Armory

🗡️ 
Laser Pistol 2  | 1d6 +0
Knife 1         | 1d6 +0 
TK Rifle +4     | 1d10+0
TK Large +4     | 1d10+0

(edited)

Phrases and words in her native tongue she likes to use: Tan de'i! (Let's Go!) Seul gentañ, seul wellañ (The earlier the better) Demat (Hello) Noz Vat (Good Night) Kenavo (Bye) Ken ar wech all (more formal goodbye) Digarez (Sorry) Trugarez (Thank you) An esperañs a vev an den (Hope feeds everyone) Ar rod a vez atav e tu pe du o treiñ (The wheel is always turning on one side or the other) Kalonek a drec'h pep tra (The courageous beats anything)

4:36 AM

XP Log

EP:
Radji Gangs(3+3)

Total: 6

(edited)

4:37 AM

(saved for later use)

4:37 AM

(saved for later use)

Aruke walks the streets with hands in her pocket. At one point she takes them out and pulls the hood of her shabby robe back. She looks up straight into the rain and smiles as it runs from her nose, along her head and neck shield. A moment of peace on a walk of shame. One could think that working for the gangs meant some form of stability and security. But to them, any of the refugees was just another expendable tool. But without the gangs, they would be homeless. Aruke pulls the soakingly wet hood back down and continues her walk. She didn't blame her situation on the Protectorate. Sure, they could do more for the refugees. But focusing on a hundred souls in a post-scream society where millions still needed to adapt to their current lives and there was a thrive to return to better times, it just wasn't feasible. For a while now she was playing with the idea to just go to the police, and try and bring the gangs down. It would be a cut for all the refugees, but they could start anew, as they had been so often during the last years, but this time without a knife at their throat and a gun at their temple. She had thoughts like these since she had to do awful stuff for the gangs, but she wasn't alone. She had to care for her younger brother. Had to keep him away from getting into their fangs. Doing something felt hopeless. But for a few weeks now, the powers she once had and were severed by the scream, seem to be returning. Slowly. But it was the last stone, the last bit that was needed. "Kalonek a drec'h pep tra" (The courageous beats anything). She will do one more thing for the gang. And while doing so, she will try and collect some evidence, something that will give her some basic trust with the officials. She will be ready to face the dangers that come with working undercover. She won't be oppressed forever. As usual she is extra careful on the last bit of her walk. Making sure no one had followed her to the holo booth before accessing it.

Eisheru, et al. pinned a message to this channel. 5/31/2022 6:00 AM

Eisheru, et al. pinned a message to this channel. 5/31/2022 6:01 AM

It does not seem that anyone has done so, either not noticing you or figuring you are too small of a player in all this to handle the kinds of crimes associated with being caught doing it. As you approach the booth it begins to ring, two short bursts, and then silence letting you know to call the number back once you're inside. Evidently someone has eyes on the booth, electronic or otherwise.

Aruke enters the booth and closes the door. It made no sense to look around and to try and see if there were hidden cameras, in fact, it would just make her look suspicious. Something she can't risk with what she plans to do in the near future. For a moment there is only the sound of rain hitting the roof of the booth. Then a car drives straight through a puddle and dirty water splashes against the side of the booth. Two weeks ago she would have shrunk together, scared of the unexpected loud noise. But now. Nothing. She saw it coming a few moments before it happened, and thus had nothing to fear. Another moment of silence is broken by the sound of her typing in the number. As she waits for the number to be dialed and to be connected with whomever wants to talk to her, she calms herself and empties her mind.

(notice/wis, if you actually did want to check for concealed devices)

(no, I rather not. She wants to look super unsuspicious for now.)

Good, you're actually there on time. I have a job for you. Just listen, do not speak. There is a bar two blocks from here, the Zenon Zestrium, and their owner owes us some bottles of the good stuff Which you understand is code for protection money, and that this man must be late with what he owes the gang. See how many you can get out of him for our party later

Aruke stands there, watching, listening, until there is the all too familiar click, and the sudden end of this conversation. She leaves the booth, and changes the enclosed protection of the booth, with the openness and the rain of the streets. A quick search on her compad gave her the location of the bar. She was hoping that the rain would wash away all the guilt that she was loading onto herself by doing what she has to do. But only other actions could somewhat achieve this. For now, she has to play along so she walks towards the bar.

There are two people smoking outside the bar, trying to shield themselves from the rain. It looks like the crowd is light tonight and upon seeing you approach the two smokers begin to scurry off, their business for the night not needing to be done here when the gang is also involved.

5:18 AM

The rough cement stairs lead to a door with several notices nailed on it, and people seem to be willing to drink here anyway.

Aruke sighs as she opens the door. Sometimes she is quite sensitive, and the expected smell and noise of such a place tend to strain her mind a bit. But she had to do that. As she enters, she pulls back her hood and looks around, trying to find the owner.

The owner looks to be working behind the bar along with one of his employees. The needs of the crowd aren't many tonight since there is not much of a crowd in there.

She keeps a neutral face as she walks to the counter. With her hands in her pockets, she looks at the owner and nods towards some empty area in the bar. "Hey. We need to talk. Privately."

"One of the others can take your order, I am helping customers right now" he says, failing to pick up on your meaning, or trying to play you off. You cannot be sure.

"We need to talk." Aruke insists. Her voice still steady and calm. She is disgusted by doing what she does. But she either gets the job done, or worse things will happen. So she adds, still calm. "I am from the local brewery group. If we don't get to talk, my superiors won't like that. I will get in trouble, you will get in trouble, they won't get in trouble. So why don't we sit down over there and talk."

"Alright, meet me in the back in a minute. Here is the key. Let me just finish up out here"

She takes the key and goes to the back room. Once inside said room, she closes her eyes. It had been years since she was able to touch and analyze the Metaspace. When she felt her connection slowly returning, about two weeks ago, she smiled for a whole day. But it wasn't as clear as before the scream. Her abilities still limited. She has a question in mind, and tries to dive into her own future. To her it feels close to standing under a rainwater shower and looking up into the stream. Before the scream she was able to see every drop and hear every sound. Now it is loud and making out anything is hard, which limits her foresight greatly. She still tries to find the answer in the Metaspace. Her own future. The answer to how many people will come through that door with the intention to hurt her. (1 of 2 effort for the day used. And she can only see a Minute into the future)

Only the owner is going to come through the door, and in your vision he is not armed.

She trusts her vision. What else should she do? She finds something to sit on, and sits, facing the door. Waiting for the owner to enter and to have a talk she didn't particularly like.

The owner enters after a moment or two, and you can smell alcohol fresh on their breath. A steady pull before coming in to steady their nerves, it seems. "Um. Hello. Thanks for waiting. I....I suppose we need to talk business" he says, sitting down behind his messy desk.

Someone with a big heart, might feel it crack when witnessing the owner of the bar. Aruke's, due to what she endured in the past, is still cold as ice. She doesn't want harm to the owner, but she also knows the consequences of not doing her job. And pragmatism makes her go on. Friendly, but determined. If she wants to break the gang, if she wants to undermine them, it would help to be a successful and trustworthy member of them. Aruke still sits on some crate as she starts to speak. "Hello. You know why I am here, right? You need to pay to make sure this place, and you, will have a future. You know the usual cut. It is ten percent more now. Are you able to pay?" A ruthless one would have omitted that last question and made it a more imperative statement. But if she gets the money, and he in return finds himself some rope, it would be an uncorrectable stain that would risk hers and her brother's future. She was riding the edge, but was certain that she could keep her balance.

"Ten percent more! I can't afford that. I'm hardly making ends meet once you scumbags get your cut" He says, the previous caution turning into outrage.

There is no move, neither defensively nor offensively. "No need to shout at me. Listen. I understand you. I really do. But for the greater good, you must endure this. Is there anything I could do, in return, to make this more manageable for you? Getting certain booze you have no access to. Getting someone to boost you recommendations on Radji Maps? Anything. Let me help you, help me. But backing down of the ten percent is not going to happen. And remember, I am the nicest person to visit you. I am not reaching for your throat, or try to beat you up."

"More money coming in means you're just going to take another cut later, an even bigger one. Maybe you could get rid of some of the competition for now, or you're just going to have to settle for what I give you"

Aruke leans forward and continues to talk calmly. "Getting rid of your competition? Is there any specific one who costs you customers?"

“Gilliams. Down the road. They have a new dance floor and some new punch. Draws the crowd away”

"Good. I'll make sure that some of this extra crowd will soon appear here, not there. Do we have a deal?" She finally gets off the crate and reaches out with her skinny arm.

"I think we can agree to a deal, yes" he says, looking both relieved, and skeptical at the same time.

Aruke nods. "When I return, I want the credits ready to be taken by me." She leaves. There is no smile, no happiness. It was just another complication. There was another problem to be solved. And all this with a clock ticking. The gang wants the money. And they want it today. But she will find a solution. At first she needs to see this Gilliams for herself.

(anytihng we want to do on the way? )

(no. She would first want to see if the Gilliams has anything fishy going on that she could use to take them out of business for a bit. If there is nothing like that, she might leave to get something to get them closed for a bit, but that would just be plan B. She doesn't want to act preemptively evil. If she can spot a problem that gets the Gilliams in trouble but after suffering gets them out stronger. That would be in her interest.)

(notice/wis)

!roll 2d6-1+0

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [4, 1] Result: 4

(no partner yet, so no 'Tre reroll)

You don’t see much about the place that makes it special but it is more crowded. There is brisk business outside and the patrons here seem relaxed , some even choosing to eat outside when normally thst is asking to be held up.

Aruke approaches a group that eats outside. "Hey! I am from another town. It is so crowded here, why is that so?"

"Another town? which one? Not many of your kind on this world" one of the patrons says, more interested in his drink, but slowly becoming interested in a good story he thinks you're about to tell him.

"Kihnu, small town on one of the islands. I came there because I need to feed my brother and I. And now I am in the capital to feed my brother and I. Not too much of an interesting story. So, what is it that makes this place special." She just stands there staring at them while they actually want to drink.

"Something about the drinks. They go down smooth and always leave you wanting more. I try to come once a week now"

Her eyes widen and she quickly ends the conversation. "Interesting. Thank you for your help." "It is either really good, or too good to be legal. If it is the latter, then I get them out of business, and it will be a good deed. Lets find out if they have some basement where the drinks and barrels are stored." She enters the bar, and looks around, acting like she was a customer looking for a seat, when actually she wants to see if there was a door from the main room that maybe leads downstairs.

There is a door behind the bar that leads into the basement, but there doesn't seem to be access to it from areas that are just for customers.

While she could surely try to get a false fire alarm going, or other shenanigans like that, she tries to go straight forward. So she approaches the bar, and points at the door before starting to talk in an annoyed tone. "Hello, I need access to the basement, now. I am here as a free contractor of the cities power department. Your electricity, water, and gas meter seem to not send their information anymore. Happens way to often these days. Now I need to report the data to the department. And as I am a free contractor, I only get money for data delivered. Now, let me do this quickly. I am gone before you know it." Before the one at the bar has a chance to react, she would try to push forward and add. "I need to make money just like you, so just let me in, please."

"You're not in uniform. and where's your meter reader?" the bartender asks, giving you a quick up and down. You can sense he is already suspicious.

"Have you ever seen your meter? I guess not." She gets out her Compad and shakes with it. "That is all I need. And if I am lucky I just need to reestablish the remote connection. If not, I use my eyes to read of the current numbers. And you think that the city would pay me a uniform when in fact they care so less that they hire private people to do this job, when actually they should handle this? But come on, I have a few more meters to check after these, and I don't want to be late to me other job."

(Talk/cha)

!roll 2d6+0+1 !Talk Cha

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [4, 1] Result: 6 Reason: Talk Cha

"Sorry, I can't let you downstairs if you're not going to officially identify yourself"

10:17 AM

He goes back to serving other customers, keeping a wary eye on you.

Aruke tries to continue the 'Fool the Bartender' approach before going to more severe methods of getting access. She starts with some fake calls where she, somewhat loudly, rants that the bartender is a fool that will cost her money. She then enters the restrooms and does a quick search in her refugee chat groups, trying to find one who offers to fake digital identifications, so she could end up with some false identity on her compad.

(perform/int)

!roll 2d6 -1+0 !By Ognyena, one good roll please

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [5, 3] Result: 7 Reason: By Ognyena, one good roll please

The fake calls don’t seem to do anything for him but you do find someone willing to make you a fake id , they’re in the next settlement over and want to be paid in advance for your work.

Aruke would offer (100-the credits she would need for transport to get the id) in advance. If that wasn't enough she would offer up to 500 more credits until the next day, as she hopes that this id will be sufficient to get her job done. A job that would net way more than that.

(they'd take 100, that's a lot of money to them)

(does she need to physically get the id, or is it digitally?)

(It is digital, like how the ghosts work on polychrome )

1:45 PM

(but the'yd still want the 100 credits)

(haha they get the 100 credits, but I guess I can do that like, per cash app or something like that?)

(Yep!)

With the fake ID, Aruke returns to the Bartender. Still an annoyed look on her face, although she isn't entirely sure if other species can actually read her mimic. "Here. That enough? That was such a waste of time already. Ten Minutes and I am back, I just need to go downstairs and check the meters."

'Alright, come behind the bar and go downstairs, don't touch anything but the meter"

Aruke keeps up the annoyed look. Any form of triumphant look on her face could ruin her one hundred credit cover. "I'll be in and out in no time, you cost me enough already." Which wasn't even a lie. Quickly footed, she moves behind the bar, and down the stairs, hoping to find clues on if that drink was good, or too good to be legal.

The doors open and heading into the basement you see a very complex brewing operation going on. Bags of powder have been left on one of the tables to be added to the stills after the fermenting process has finished and two workers are down here brewing. They must have had notice from above. The room is loud and all they do is wave.

She raises her hand to indicate that she has seen the waving. In the other hand she has her compad with which she also holds up. What looks like she's trying to get net, is actually there to film everything around her with the compad. She tries to get a good look, and a good shot of the powder, before she heads towards the worker. If she could read something on the powder bags, she thinks about whether she knows what it is as she goes.

There is a hazard label on it and the diamond pattern, along with its numbers and colors might mean something to the gang's own drug makers, or street experts, but to you, it means nothing. It is a light blue in color, but you can tell little else about it.

As Aruke has it on her video now, those questions could be asked later. On her last few steps she ends the video and changes to the fake id again. Over the noise of the machines, she yells at the workers. "Where are the meters?"

You

8:36 AM

are taken behind one of the distilling rigs, and you can see three rusting meters set onto the wall, right where they'r normally be on any building

She shakes her head. "That is why they don't send, these are such old models." She quickly takes pictures of the current state and is trying to be gone as fast as she came down here. With the info in her back that she wanted, and needed.

You leave the bar, and no one seems to give it a second look due to your cover story, and before long you are outside on the night streets once again.

Aruke tries to contact one of the gang's drug makers with a picture of that pulver bag, asking for if they know what that might be.

They would like you to come in and discuss it in person, it seems, and might be able to get even more information for you if you're able to pocket a sample to bring back.

"Of course they want a sample, but why do they want to talk with me in person about it. I just hope it is not one of their shady businesses, but someone else's." She sighs. But it was just a few minutes since she left, she will find a reason why she needs to go down there again. She enters the bar, looking even more annoyed than before, even tho as before, the Bartender might not be able to read the 'Tre's facial expression "Good news for you and bad news for me." She says. "They notified me that it seems like you have been billed too much in the last periods. One of the meters seems to be too old and malfunctioning. Bad news is that I had to come back, and now I need to go down there again and get all the model details so they can send technicians with the right equipment. May I go down again?"

Having seen your credentials already, and knowing you are working with the company, you're permitted back down to continue the ruse and in the ten minutes you've been outside, it doesn't seem like anything down here has changed.

Aruke walks towards the Meter once more, acts as if she checks it, takes a few more pictures. Then tries to leave again, and as she does, she would try to sneakily grab into the bag of powder and on the stairs fill it into some pocket of her backpack.

(sneak/dex)

!roll 2d6 -1+0

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [4, 2] Result: 5

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [1, 1] Result: 2

(they did even worse than you, so it works!)

With the powder in her backpack, she walks back upstairs and out of the bar. Without any money to pay a cab, or public transport, she walks to where the drug makers of the gang want to meet with her. For now she doesn't post the video online to destroy the bar's reputation and thus fulfill her deal with the other bar owner.

Entering a shady looking building, it is ostensibly a bakery on the bottom floor but they have not had a customer in months- instead, going through'remodeling'. Paper has been taped over the windows aside from a few high slits to let in light without letting the curious look in. Inside, you see the leader of your gang, two enforcers, and the woman known to be the gang's consultant when finding certain items, where their nature of their value might not be easy to determine.

Aruke knew that she soon needed a new Backpack, as this one would never get her through any security check anymore. And as she sees the lot assembled, she empties the pocket onto an empty table. "This is what I found. If it is drugs, I'd like to take the bar out of business, they are taking away customers of some of the businesses that pay protection money to us."

“That’s what they pay us for. At least we pretend it is. This looks like trance” the expert says after a few moments.

"Trance?" Aruke asks wondering. "Is that something new? Of a rivaling gang or some solo upstart drug maker?"

“Drug. Old one from the former taros city states. Makes you want more because it triggers happy memories of the past. UNW tried for years to wipe out production of it “

"Happy memories of the past, who wouldn't want these?" Aruke quickly shuts up as she realizes that her opinion might not be helpful here. "So it is not ours I suppose? I mean we could call the cops on them, right? Like by posting footage of them drugging the drinks and then authorities take them apart. Or do you rather want to find out if there is another player in our market?"

"The authorities are either on their bank roll, or are going to want to know how we got the footage and that's going to turn into a lot of problems for you. I think we need to handle this one ourselves"

Aruke nods. "Ourselves means, me?"

"You've done enough, we can take it from here if you don't want to be further involved. "

Aruke shakes her head. "No, no, that is not what I meant. I can do this, I can help, to show you just how good I am, how much you can trust me!" "That way I am able to extradite both to the authorities, once I have enough evidence. Or else I take just one out of business and the other flourishes and takes the spot." "I could set up an observation and try and find out who delivers that stuff. Unless you already have an idea."

(3xp, 5000 credits)

8:17 AM

"It might be good to know who is doing this, so we can shut them down or take it over ourselves. You think you've got any leads?"

Level 2!!

Old HP 7
Roll 8+2=10
New HP 10

New AB 1

New Focus Psychic Training (Teleportation)
Teleportation -1 -> 1 (Technique: Proficient Apportation)
Effort +1 

3 SP
Telekinesis -1  -> 1 (3SP)
(Technique: TK Armory)

New Effort Total: 4

"A lead? Not directly. But if they made a deal with this bar, they may have approached our bar as well. If not, I do know the faces of those that work downstairs in the bar and mix the beverage. I could follow one of them. And then, find out what we need to find out." She says, already thinking about how she could handle that.

"Alright, but don't tip our hand too early. We can;t risk someone finding out until we can sweep up the whole operation at once"

"I understand. I won't disappoint you!" "At least until I bring you all to jail, or worse." "One thing tho. You know the bar owner, that pays us Protection Money, the one that lead me to find this all out. Do you think he should be spared for Protection Money this cycle? Would make it easier for me to get an honest answer out of him if he knows about who sells this Trance."

"We'll forive the rest of what he owes for his help, for this cycle. Can't be too soft on them, or we lose authority"

"Not be too soft! Understood! I'll try to find out what I can, and then I'll report back. Might take more than a day." Aruke leaves, back into the rain. But no matter how heavy it rains, it can't wash down the dirt that she feels she is coated in. But that will change, and she has something good she can do now. As she walks she thinks about the past. The days when she was the Seer of her family. When she was just ten years old, 'Tre from other villages would visit her, to have their future foretold. Aruke always told them, that the future wasn't exact, but a string of possibilities, and them knowing what might happen, will change the future. But it never really mattered to them. After the scream, when her connection to the Metaspace was mostly ruptured, the all encompassing feeling of being in a galaxy and reality spanning net of Metaspace, was changed to painful emptiness. But it slowly returned, as is her control over abilities long thought lost. As she walks toward the bar, she remembers the talk with the owner. The smell of the bar. Sitting on the crate. Sitting on the crate... It all happens so fast. The butterflies in her stomach that she hadn't felt in oh so many years as the door to the bar turns to the small back room of it and she almost falls, stumbling over the crate. "I, I teleported. I really did." She smiles, and slightly cries of happiness. "They might have heard me, I need to go out of here, before they run in, thinking I am a thief." She slightly opens the door, and pokes her head out, looking for the owner. "We need to talk."

(Which bar. The trance one or first one

(Zenon Zestrium, the first one)

He looks around for a moment, expecting a gun, or other enforcers, and seeing none he bids you to enter, and his patrons begin leaving sensing trouble might be afoot.

She waits for everyone to leave before approaching the owner. "Do you know what makes the other bar's drinks so special? So much that they attract so many customers?"

"No, like I said earlier. No idea why it's happening. Thought they just had a better place or something"

"Or something." She looks at him for a moment in silence. "Listen, I made it so you don't need to pay protection money this month. I didn't need to tell you that, I could have just taken the money and kept it for myself. I didn't. Now, without the burden of having to pay so much, maybe your memory is a bit more focused now. Did somebody else approach you, a gang, a single person, someone who wanted to make a deal with you, a deal about making your drinks more special? Be honest here, please."

"No , no one else. Probably assumed I'd have told you or someone in the gang. They don't need to make a deal with me if they've got their own thing going with someone who is already in their pocket"

"Alright. I'll trust you. So. No protection money from you this month. Stay safe, and be careful. I see a storm rising." That said, Aruke would walk to the bar that deals with the Trance drinks, trying to watch the back door, to wait for one of the drug mixers to leave.

You recognize one of the people from the basement when you went to inspect the meters leaving. it is close to morning now and they must have been there at least through the night based on the times you were there. He doesn't seem to be paying much attention to you or his surroundings in general.

Aruke would try to tail him.

(sneak/dex)

!roll 2d6 - 1

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [6, 5] Result: 10

He doesn’t seem to notice he is being followed as he leaves the bar and begins walking to his destination, wherever that may be

Aruke would continue to follow him, trying to find out where he lives, and if she gets as far as seeing him open his apartment, she would want to try to teleport in and quickly out again, trying to do that without him noticing, for the sole reason to teleport into his apartment when he leaves for work the next day. That way she would may be able to find out more about him and his employer, to try and trace the Trance that way. But for now it was continuing staying close to him until he reaches the place he lives.

(You would need the deep intrusion technique to teleport into a place you have never seen before)

(the idea is to tail him till he opens the door, then teleport into the far corner of the apartment, and then out again. Sure, she risks being seen, but maybe the person thinks that they are just overworked. And with her having been in that apartment, even just for a second, should enable her to return the next day.)

(got it)

9:26 AM

Entering the apartment building you can see it opens into a lobby, with an elevator and staircase leading onto the different floors from the lobby and mail room in the basement.

She would slow down to try and see if he takes the elevator, if he does, she would try to quickly close in and see which floor he goes to, but not enter the elevator herself. While doing so, she would take out her compad and act as if she was calling someone, asking them what floor again they live in.

The elevator seems to stop on the eighth floor and holds there for a few moments letting your know for certain that is where your future victim is getting off.

Aruke rushes into the stairway and as fast as she can teleports up to the eight floor. Always in quick teleports of up to ten meters. She quickly leaves the stairway hoping to see her victim before it closes the apartment door. (Proficient Apportation means that those short jumps cost her no effort) (edited)

The victim looks to be none the wiser, opening his door and keeping it there for a long moment as you hear the sounds of a friendly, small dog within, happy its master is home.

"A dog? Damn. Well, that is tomorrow's problem." Aruke thinks as she tries to use the man's focus on his dog to quickly jump into the back of his apartment, and then make a big jump back down into the lobby. (that second jump would cost one effort 3/4 effort left, if everything works as written)

(It would)

4:11 PM

You appear I. The apartment , out of sight and then back down to the lobby after taking a rapid look around and remembering things as best you can.

Aruke just has to smile. After all these years, severed from the constant stream of Meta Energy, she was finally getting more and more control over it again. Not control, but access to it. And it was a great feeling. Not so great was the dog, but she will handle it, one way or another. So on her way back home, she would buy some dog treats. Back home, it was already past dawn. She quickly made some breakfast for her brother, and dismissed any questions concerning what she did that night. Once he left for school, she was just crashing into her bed. Exhausted. After way too less sleep, she would return to the Apartment building of the drug mixer, to wait for him to leave, so she could enter his apartment, and search for hints, on who his real employer is. (As she would have slept way too less, no effort should have been replenished.)

(It looks like our fellow drug maker also works at night, so we could have a full night of sleep by time they leave so you can sniff around)

(then she would take a full night of sleep before returning to the apartment and waiting for the drug maker to leave.)

YOu see him leave close to evening once again, working as the sun sets, and no doubt coming home just as it begins rising again.

Aruke holds the bag with dog treats in her hand as she takes the elevator to the eighth floor. Walks towards the closed door. One, deep breath. She focuses on what she remembers from the day before and then tries to teleport into the apartment.

You emerge into the main sitting room of the house and the dog begins to bark, just for a moment, before seeing the treats and sitting on its hind legs expectantly waiting for them as its been trained to do

Unsure how to really handle a dog, she just opens the bag of treats and throws it right next to him, hoping to have the dog occupied for a few minutes. She looks around, trying to see if there was a computer or any papers lying around open.

There is no computer here, but there is a compad that has been left behind, as well as some scattered papers on a desk in the bedroom.

The compad could contain all the data that she needs, but might be locked, so she quickly rushes over to the bedroom to see if the papers are of any use to her.

(admin/wis)

!roll 2d6 -1 +0

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [6, 5] Result: 10

There is a half finished contract here to produce trance for the bar, but nothing about how it is actually brewed. That kind of knowledge probably lives only in the brewers head. You also find a purchase order for the Ufayin flower, an ingredient in punch, a truly massive amount far in excess of what is needed for distilling.

"So much Ufyuin? What could that be for?" She asks herself as she takes pictures of the papers, to have them as evidence, but also for her to check on them later. Before moving on, she looks at the purchase order again, to see where this excessive amount was ordered at.

The forms are using an old logo, a company called ELI that does not seem to have any matching hits inside any databases, legal or otherwise, that you have ever seen,

"Never seen before, but maybe someone else knows. I have the pictures saved. Can ask questions once I am out here." She looks around. "What next? The phone!" With everything documented in the bedroom, she walks over to the phone, checking if it was easily unlockable. (edited)

IT does not seem to be something you can casually unlock, but is looking for a passcode to open it.

"Oh man, I might have to take that with me for someone more skilled to get access to it, if not, wait..." She turns to the side and looks at the dog that might still eat some dog treats and tries to see if it has some tag around its neck.

It does have a small tag with the compad frequency of the owner on its neck , along with the inscription "If you are reading this, I am lost. Have your people call my people"

"That doesn't help, I think. What do I do now?" Aruke sits down on the table, with the locked compad in her hands. She watches the dog munching on the dog treats while she thinks about her next steps. The easy way would be to just take the Phone to the gang, but she needs the data, the answers, herself, or else she can never double-cross the gang with the police. Aruke takes out her own compad and makes a search for some computer store that could do the cracking of the phone for her, discretly.

No reputable business listed on the web is going to engage in this kind of behavior from what you can glean from their advertisements and a few calls with various phony stories. You're going to have to look into gang resources or other means to get it open.

"The police would take too long. The gang might be my only choice." Still sitting on the table she texts the gang leader if they have any quick ways of getting access to a phone. And if so, where she should go.

They do have a small programming outfit they use for minor cyber crimes, two blocks from where you are now in the back room of an old super market. You are to ask for Markos once you arrivre.

Aruke looks at the dog and smiles at it. "I'll be back with more if you continue to not bite me." She stows the compad and teleports out of the room before making her way to the supermarket. She tried to be fast, but not noticeable so. She didn't want to attract attention. Once inside the supermarket she would approach the first employee she can find. "Hey! I want to talk with Markos."

"Markos?" he says, looking around the aisles to what you both already know is no one else in the store, since it is dark, and from the outside looks either closed, our outright hostile to customers. "Who's asking"

Aruke looks around, then points at herself. "Me. Aruke. I called."

“Do you have to object?” The clerk asks, seeming to shed this apparent grocery store worker persona with gang business afoot

Aruke nods and gets out the compad. "There is not unlimited time. I would need to bring it back before the target returns, so they don't get curious. We still have a few hours until then, I just wanted to say that I stay here and watch your people do their work and then bring it back once they are finished. Oh and on my way I can bring the data to the boss."

“I’ll put it on a data drive so you can take it remotely to somewhere else. I’ll copy it. You’ll have to do the analysis somewhere else. Will that help?”

"That would be all I could ask for. Thank you. Will tell the big boss just how awesome you are." "That way I can control what they get to see, and what not. And that way I have data at hand to show and convince the police to work with me."

"I'll need a few hours with this. Come back later on and we'll see what might be hiding inside" he says, pocketing the drive, and going back to sweeping as someone who looks like they're from the neighborhood comes in, actually wanting to use the store as a store.

Aruke would hang around in the area, with her focus being on the data. But as she has some time, she would, in the meantime, get herself two more data drives that she will need later.

(notice/wis)

!roll 2d6 -1+0

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [5, 4] Result: 8

You notice something that looks like a lookout on the next corner over.

(Something like a police lookout? Like the equivalent of the FBI watching said store?)

(Don’t know. Just that they’re in plain clothes and paying attention)

(gotcha) Aruke types some text into her Compad. The text reads. Meet me in the alley to your left. Now. And be more subtle than you are right now. She crosses the street, and stops, right in front of the lookout. But ignores them and instead looks around, as if she was searching for something. While doing so, she holds the compad in a way that the lookout can read the message, but from the store, one couldn't see her showing them the compad She then focuses on the alley that is left to the lookout, makes one step forward and teleports to the alley. Once there, she would teleport ten meters further, to have some distance to any person that might enter the alley.

(how are you getting their frequency? )

( I don't. Aruke just stands in front of them, physically, looking around as if she was looking for something. And while she does so, she shows them the compad, so they can actually read the message. She tries to do so without anyone in the shop behind her seeing it.)

He doesn't seem to be interested in going to an alley with someone he does not know, and begins running the other way upon seeing you vanish.

Aruke just shrugs. She needs to tell the gang that she drove some cops away. Might give her more credibility and could give her some more protection for when she starts to work undercover for the police, who has her on some list now. That was for certain. But there was also no reason to follow the running people, it would rather bite her, than help her. So she continues and buys two data drives before returning to the shop sometime later. This is where she will wait for Markos to approach her.

There are no other troubles , and Markos finds you, letting you know that he just bulk downloaded the now decrypted data, but true to keeping the privacy of his clients private, has not reviewed any of it.

"Thank you! I'll remember you if I ever need work like that again. Oh, there were some persons, watching the store, rather suspiciously. I guess police. I scared them away, hope that is okay." She says as she grabs the Data Drive.

"they're not raiding the place. That's good enough for now. This is what we agreed on then, be safe out there, and if anyone asks where you got this, it didn'tcome from here"

"Sure. Do you have Dog Treats? It looks better when I leave with something I bought."

He looks around on one of the nearby shelves and though they're not specifically dog treats, they are dried cubes that were once made of meat. A dog would probably like them.

"Thank you." She takes it, and leaves, with some meat and, the drives, and the one drive with the data she wants. And of course the phone. As it may not be too late she would return to the drug mixers apartment. With meat cubes for the dog and some time left to analyze the data.

(Based on the current time, we estimate we have about two hours before they're due home, but its not like they punch a clock at the illegal drugs factory)

(There is no drug worker labor union who fights for regulated working hours? What future is this?

I got it, could be home already or come back anytime.) Aruke still risks it. She returns to the apartment building, but instead of just teleporting into the apartment, she listens at the door to hear if they are back already.

There is a dull thumping sound from the other side of the door but no voices, or much of anything else. You're not entirely sure what might be behind it other than the man's furry animal companion, who now probably likes you better since you come with snacks.

Aruke gulps and takes one deep breath. She has no choice. The phone has to go back on the desk, and if the guy was already there, she would have to make sure he couldn't tell anyone that she had taken it. Even if she doesn't want to hurt him, not now at least. Another deep breath, and then she teleports into the apartment.

The dog is eagerly waiting for you and it sounds like the thumping you heard was it pawing at the door, trying to find a way to get out so it could get into the yard.

Aruke looks at the dog. Unsure what to do. She quickly places the phone where it once was and then kneels down next to the dog. "Um, how to I do this? DO YOU NEED TO GO OUT, FOR PIPI, OR THE OTHER ONE?" She asks loudly and slowly while also trying to describe the said words with her hands.

It does look like it needs to relieve itself, either outside, or in another few minutes in the corner of the carpet.

"What am I going to do with you? Well, we'll go outside, take the elevator and then you can do your business. You were nice to me, so I'll be nice to you. But we should be quick. Why am I even telling you this. You don't understand me anyway." Aruke looks around for a leash.

It looks like there is a leash on the pegboard near the door, where keys would also normally be placed if the apartment owner was home.

Aruke grabs the leash and tries to put it onto the dog, to then open the door and try to get to the ground floor with the dog to let it do its business.

The dog does so, and rubs up against your leg cheerfully after, wagging its tail excitedly at being shown attention. Its brown fur is curly and short, and it does not look like it sheds. A small bow behind one ear is a fading purple and blue in color.

"What do you poor thing normally do?" She pets the dog a little bit on the way, and while doing so, looks more closely at the bow on its ear.

The dog cannot answer but seems happy to be outside. The bow doesn't look to be anything special, just something put in its hair to identify it as a girl, and it probably once looked very cute on the puppy.

Once business is done, Aruke looks at the dog and sighs. "I can't take you with me. It wouldn't be fair towards your owner, even if he may be is a bad person. But I will visit you from time to time. And once he gets to go to jail, I'll make sure you have a better life." She pets the doggy and tries to make her go back, towards the appartment.

(It will be able to run home on its own but there's the issue of the closed door keeping it from getting inside)

Arkue looks it in its cute little eyes, sighs, and despite the risk of meeting the Drug Maker, she would walk the dog back upstairs, and listen to the door, to hear if it was empty.

The apartment is still empty, for now.

Aruke teleports in, opens the door and lets the dog in, just to pet her some more. "I'll come back, promise, now you need to be a good girl and be your owner's dog." She then looks around making sure to leave the apartment as it was when she arrived. She would then close the door behind her and if no one stops her leave for her own apartment. In the middle of the night, her little brother would surely be sleeping which would give her a bit of time to go through the data. (stopping here to see if we even get there.)

(Admin/int)

!roll 2d6-1

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [4, 2] Result: 5

Most of it doesn't make sense to you. It looks very technical and the recipe doesn't make sense either to you. You can tell that it looks like they get a regularly scheduled shipment of "fuels" coming from the starport, that arrives at an industrial cleaning supply factory at the western edge of town.

"What do I do?" Aruke asks herself. "I could check the star port, but that might be dangerous. I have the feeling that I need to make my next move. Fuck, am I doing the right thing?" Arguing with herself about her next move, Aruke tries to copy the drive onto the two spare ones she got.

(No issues copying it, I tihnk we've done that already anyway)

Aruke was exhausted. The data before her eyes, which she didn't even understand, made her tired, infinitely tired. A few more pointless thoughts, then she went to bed and fell asleep. Her brother was already gone when she woke up again. Good thing, he shouldn't see her self-doubts. And he would feel her fear. Finishing her morning tea took a good hour, during which she mainly stared at the wall. The empty wall. Then she took a piece of paper and wrote down the address of the apartment block where the drug mixer lives. She could have taken just anyone, as long as it wasn't her own. She then added some text. If you want to know more. Meet me in the lobby tomorrow after sunset. I will have a white rose in my hands. She taped the piece of paper to one of the two data discs. The second one she would give to her boss, as promised. The original, she kept for herself. Just in case. Then she headed for the supermarket of Markos. But not to meet him, instead with the aim of giving the disc with the note to one of the observers who watch the Supermarktet. Observers she deemed members of the police.

(notice/wis)

!roll 2d6 -1

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [2, 1] Result: 2

You don't see any lookouts here today. If there are any around, they're better trained than the last person here you ran off and you see no evidence of them observing.

"Where are they? What do I do? If I want to find the right and most trustworthy police people, then I need to communicate with those who at least try to get something done with the lookout here. But where are they?" Unsure on what to do, Aruke stands where the lookout was positioned last time, and waits for a bit, to see if anything happens.

It doesn’t look like anyone is here today.

"Maybe another day then." She trots on, towards where she met with the gang leader the last time. She can't let him wait on her results too much longer. As for now, she needs to act like the perfect asset. The more important she becomes, the less questions she will have to endure, and the easier it will be to work with the police to bring the gang down, and a drug trafficking group as well, at least so it seemed.

(What did you need from them so I know what to prepare? I’m a bit lost for now this is all going )

(Well, Aruke was getting the data on who produced this Trance for the Gang. She just copied that data twice, once for herself, and once to give to the police and starting to work with them to bring both gangs down. Aruke just doesn't want to walk into a police station, as that would possibly be dangerous for her and her brother if she was seen. So as the lookouts weren't there this time, she will go to the one Gang Hideout she knows to show that she was able to get the data. That she is a good member of the Gang. As it is easier to undermine a Gang from a higher position. Well, and she would want to know if she should try and find out more about those shipments of "fuel" from the starport.)

(goti t)

7:12 AM

The gang leader is busy when you first get in if the sounds of power drills and screams are anything to go by. After a quick pat down for weapons, and the ones on you gently being placed into a plastic bin, you're allowed to enter the room where you recognize someone who owed the gang a lot of money is slowly being taken to pieces over it.

"OH FUCK" Aruke just glances at his ordeal, but it almost makes her faint. But she knows she needs to act strong. So without looking into his general direction anymore she says. "Serves him right." She looks over to one of the bulky guys who look like they break bones for fun. "You think I should wait for the big boss in one of the rooms in the back? I got something for him."

It looks like they want to hear the business now so this does not take more time than it needs to, and you're invited to speak.

Aruke has a really hard time at speaking straight while that man was still suffering, and while he still made noises that were hard to shut out. "So. I found out where one of their drug makers lives. And there I found some data. Got it extracted and checked if it was of use to us. Um. What was I, uh, so lots of information, too much for me. But what I read out of it is that they get some suspicious fuel deliveries at the star port. I guess that could be interesting. Your techies might be able to get even more out of it. I thing the Trance recipe is in there as well. I acquired this information as fast as I could."

"I see. I think we have some folks watching the port. What do you think, time to move on them?"

"Sure. But whatever we do, we need to be careful. It won't help us if we only get the people who work for them here. We at least need to find out who is behind all of it. Or else they just find other ways to distribute. Whom do we have at the port?"

"I've got some teamsters watching the place, small team under my son Ricky, He's usually smoking on the corner across the road from its civilian gate, he's got a hounds tooth shirt on normally"

"Alright. I'll find him. Do you have any cops in your pocket there? Just in case things get hairy?"

"There's a few we're paying, a couple are close to the airport but the less they're seen interacting with us the better their cover is. Just trust that they're watching our best interests" (edited)

"Good, I guess it is better if I don't know more. I will come back once I know more, or do you wish me to contact you differently?"

"COme back directly when you know more. Try to stsay off the phones, I think we might be picking up some new attention and I don't want to put anything at risk until we know what is going on"

"Sure sure, I stay quiet as a mouse. I'll report once I have more info." Aruke quickly leaves after that, not wanting to see the final moments of the man's torture. "So he really has some police in his pockets. I need to be careful, but he needs to go down. He is just sick!" There wasn't much she could do about it now. In fact with the son of the boss being involved, she had no time to waste, to not raise suspicion. So she would go to the place where Ricky overlooks the operation.

(sneak/dex)

!roll 2d6-1

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [4, 1] Result: 4

You’re unable to avoid the notice of patrols as you pass by the starport and are questioned for a moment by the rent a cops that are in service there. It passes quickly and you see Ricky across the street

Aruke walks past Ricky at first. Not wanting to go straight to him after being checked by the police. After a while of strolling around she stops next to Ricky and looks on her phone. And without looking at Ricky she says: "I like your shirt."

"Smokes, lets go" he says, nodding his thanks, and holding out his hand. From within the group, a skinny looking gangster hands him two cigarettes, one for him, and one for you.

"Smoking? Me? Damn, I've never done that before. But what the heck, keep up the facade. Tan de'i! (Let's Go!)" Aruke lets someone light the cigarette and takes a deep drag, followed by coughing, lots of coughing. "Strong stuff, haha." She tries to smile it away and laugh. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"No, but I know you're not a cop, and I know you've been in my father's office before. I've seen you around. What's going on?"

She coughs a little more at the mention of the police, but tries not to let it show her uneasiness. "No, not a cop. I'm investigating something for your father. Some other gang that's spreading in our region." She shows him the data on deliveries at the spaceport here. "I want to know who's delivering, and who's picking up. And for now, I don't want them to know we're watching them. Can you get me close enough?"

"Its why we're here. I know the gate guard. He's on the payroll and will let us in, after that, we should be able to find somewhere to put our heads down and see who is coming and going"

"Perfect. But no shooting today, okay? We want faces, we want names, we want traces. But if we run at them shooting, or just take out those who receive the stuff, they might chicken and we get nothing out of it. Are you alright with that?"

"More to shoot later if this goes as planned. Yes, I'm alright with this, lets go"

"Exactly. More to shoot later." Aruke would follow Ricky, as he seems to know what he is doing. At least here. Actually she doesn't trust him and his people at all. But will play along.

Ricky spends a few moments talking to the gate guard before you're let into the compound. Now, it come to finding a quiet place to observe.

Aruke would look around for any cargo halls that would allow overseeing the area quite a bit while also staying hidden from sight.

(hull like a ship, or hall like a hangar?)

(like a hangar)

(Sneak/dex)

(8)

You're able to find what looks like an empty customs warehouse to hide out in that is nestled among several other warehouses on this row. You might not be right on top of the other gang when they come, but they'll be close enough.

Aruke drags Ricky and the gang into the warehouse. "This will be our hideout. We need to scatter so we have different angles. We need pictures of everything. I go as far up as I can. Just in case I need to reposition later. How long until the ship should arrive?"

"About half an hour, not a lot of time" Ricky says, struggling to comprehend the little hand and big hand on his pocket watch. None the less, he seems to have an instinctual grasp of how to figure things out here.

"Get in position then, quick. Those further down, please open the windows, so you might hear something. But don't poke your heads up then. And Ricky, please give me your Binoculars." Aruke acts tough, but inside, she is afraid. Ricky and his gang could make her disappear. And if she botches this, she might be in trouble. But she still has some tricks in her sleeve.

He nods, happy to not have any responsibility for this, one though you do see him shoot a look at someone who just can't manage to stay off their compad for a minute

There was no room for error. And if Ricky can't bring them in line, Aruke won't either. But she can do something else. She would want to teleport right next to this guy, take his compad, give him an angry look, which he might not understand due to her being a 'Tre, and then, with the phone put on mute, teleport back to her position where she would want to hand the phone to Ricky.

He takes it with a nod, pocketing it for the moment. He yawns and is about to ask for more smokes when there is a clang from the gates as something happens outside. There is shouting, and a flood of headlights. (edited)

Aruke was about to resume her watch when the commotion coming from outside seemed to change everything. Hectically, she tried to find the source of the trouble.

There is the sound of a large engine as a chemical truck begins moving into the facility, flanked by four motorcycles and a smaller looking pick up truck. It looks as though the distribution is going to happen at the warehouse across the street from you.

(From where she looks, does she see any side alleys to this other warehouse, our could she even look into it from her position? And how far away is it?)

(They are next to each other , sharing walls, so no alleys. They're about 5m across the road or so from building to building)

(So they are actually close enough to the happening to observe it, unless they move into the warehouse and close the doors, right?)

(correct)

Aruke tries to get a good look on what is going on. With the window slightly opened she also tries to catch any words, but she needs to see them all, so they can be IDed. But for the beginning, she would want to be cautious, there was no need to risk anything right away.

(sneak/dex )

!roll 2d6-1

Daira of Artema| P| Andra| Aruke Roll: [5, 5] Result: 9

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [4, 2] Result: 6

You're not observed. "Demarcus Liquids and Refrigerants" is stamped on the side of the truck and you notice the company name on it in fading paint a few times as it positions itself into the warehouse. You can see everything else is brought and assembled on site by the others who have come with it. Some kind of quick burning chemical filtration and emulsification process is taking place here rending the liquid down into the powder you had seen in use at the bar.

Aruke whispers to Ricky. "Do you know any of those?"

(any of what? the people, the businesses? their process?)

Seeing the confusion in Ricky's eyes she adds. "The People, do you know them? Have you seen them before?" And while talking she tries to take some pictures with the Compad, and hopes some others do as well.

“Some of them. Another family and maybe some outside help or some new hires they brought in. Knowing the family those newbies are probably all going to wind up dead soon. No loose ends “

"The ship as well? Have you seen it before? Do you know where it comes from?" Aruke whispers in a hurry. To still have some time left to react if more information needs to be gathered.

"No, not much to tell them apart, all the box ships look the same to me"

(okay. So does Aruke get a view of the insides of the Spaceship? Or does she see a somewhat hidden spot that would allow her to look into the Spaceship? To make my plan clear. Aruke would try to find a way to teleport into the, how she thinks, empty ship, to try and find out more about the crew and where they are from, while they are occupied outside, pulverizing drugs.) (edited)

(the spaceship is not here, the goods were loaded on to a tanker truck and the'yre processing it in the warehouse across from you)

(okay.) Aruke just nods as she tries to film the process of making the liquid into the powder. Collecting just more and more material to be used later. And hoping that none of Ricky's crew gets trigger-happy, or does another mistake.

So far everyone seems to be behaving, this is important to the family, their business, and the amount of money in their comically oversized billfolds, so this is one of the few things that makes them pay attention over womanizing, drinking,and over eating

Aruke was getting a lot out of this already. Faces, company names, the process. It was all right there, in her Compad, in her brain. But as good as this all was, she also seemed to have reached the limits of her abilities to push any further here. Not wanting to risk anything, she just waits and films and listens, to see if anything else comes up.

(I'm good too if we're bunkering down until this is done)

(yeah, lets do that)

You get plenty of images of faces, record some overheard names, and have enough recordings of the truck where you know you could find it again if needed on a busy street. After another hour the group slowly begins to filter out, their duties done and the product scattered to those responsible for it.

Aruke sighs, as she is reliefed of the pressure of the observation. She turns to Ricky. "Thank you for your assistance. But you need to continue doing as before. Don't try to be the hero and go after these guys. Your dad will make the call. If we do it, it needs to be coordinated and at the right moment. Is that okay with you?"

"Top down organization, this is no different than how things are going already. I will wait for my father, and he'll probably put a bullet in both of us if I don't anyway"

Aruke nods and once the material is collected from everyone, she adds. "I work that through, then meet your father. Maybe we meet again over it, maybe not, we will see. Thanks for helping me." She leaves the way she came knowing even more now that the window of opportunity to involve the police and bring all the gangs down was dwindling now. Tomorrow she will try to contact them again. Maybe this time it will work As she reenters her hood, she looks out for some 'Tre Street food booth, to fill her empty stomach.

(Connect/cha)

!roll 2d6-1+1

Daira of Artema| P| Andra| Aruke Roll: [5, 4] Result: 9

You see your brother here, eating at the corner table in a rare moment where he has left the house for something. He looks to be eating with a few others, one of them a low level associate of your own gang.

"Shit!" Aruke gulps. Various thoughts fill her mind. Overcome her as she stands rooted to the spot. She is motionless until she notices that the man behind the counter is looking at her funny. Then she quickly looks for a place that lets her keep an eye on the group without ending up in her brother's field of vision. Her hunger had disappeared and been replaced by miserable emptiness. She orders a drink and watches. Sees her brother plunge into the same doom that engulfs so many in the neighborhood. She wanted to protect him, but she always knew deep down that she wouldn't be able to do that fully. But now? Just before a possible gang confrontation. Now? Now that she wants to sell them all to the police to put an end to it once and for all? She would find a solution. She sipped a spritzer while trying to hear snippets of the conversation.

It looks like things are friendly enough, not really related to business mostly just the results of recent soccer games and some other minor issues around the city. None of them are trying to recruit but this is a developing friendship that may lead to gang membership someday.

She downs her drink, pays and then leaves, all that while trying not to be seen by the group. She then walks straight back home where she sits down on a chair, waiting for her brother's return.

He returns after an hour and a half, with a faint smell of alcohol on his clothing but he has not been there long enough to get more than a little buzzed

Aruke has her chair positioned so she can be seen once he enters the apartment. Once he is just one step into it she starts to speak. In a stern tone. "Close the door and come in!"

He jumps a bit, evidently surprised by the fact that you are here, and awake at the same time as him. "Um, yes? What do you want? " he asks, closing the door and you can feel the tension level in the room rising.

"Tsag. What were you thinking. Going out and drinking with these. With these bad persons? Tsag. I try to be there for you, try to work on a better future for you, and you? You go drinking with dealers, and other scum?"

"I was already there when they came to sit with me. I couldn't get away, not without looking rude, or risking you. You know how these guys are"

Aruke teleports right next to him. Which will come to him as a surprise as he hasn't seen her do it since the scream. She hugs him, closely. "Oh Tsag. I just don't want you to get hurt, or worse. And I fear the soon things will become more, complicated. Please just come home after school, if I ever forgot to buy stuff, just order take out, I'll always leave you enough money here. We are all that is left of our family, of our village. I don't want to lose you, or see you hurt."

(Talk/cha)

!roll 2d6 +1

Daira of Artema| P| Andra| Aruke Roll: [3, 2] Result: 6

"Alright, I promise. School and then straight home"

She pushes him away a bit but keeps holding him by the shoulders while looking into his eyes. "Thank you." Her face is still somewhat sad looking but she adds. "So. Still hungry? Want to order something? After a day like this I have a craving for Kouign-amann (Butter Cake) like mom used to bake. Maybe one of the delivery sites offers them as well. You are more of a fan of the non 'Tre foods since we arrived here. So what will it be? Radji Pizza? Troll Boar Stew?"

"I think stew sounds good. The walk home was cold and something warm in me will take the bite out. I think it's going to snow soon, that's what they were saying at dinner"

Aruke finishes the delivery order and was for a moment happy for some family time, when Tsag said what he said. She stops and stares at him. "Who said that?"

(i didnt have a specific name, he's just giving you their idle dinner talk)

(Oh I don't need a name. For clarification, Aruke was just happily ordering food when Tsag says that one of the guys said it will be snowing soon. Now, Aruke is just in the dealings of this Trance drug, which comes as a powder. Now she is like hyper sensitive. That goon would most likely not know anything about it, and in fact just meant that it will be snowing soon. Aruke's response just shows the tension and pressure she has. So there is no need for any name. Aruke would most likely just come over awkward to her brother) (edited)

(That’s more or less what’s happening here. He’s just making chit chat)

"Nevermind, I have just had too much gang shit clogging my mind lately. Sorry Tsag." When they eat the take out at the kitchen table, Aruke looks at her brother once more, with a different look on her face. "Tsag. There might come the day when things become ugly. On that day, I will call you. And tell you to do something. It is important that you do what I tell you then, without questioning it, and without wasting time. I know it is still vague, but I can't be more precise now. Promise me that you will act on what I tell you."

"You got me here and have taken care of me all this time. If you need something, I will be there for you Sis" he says, savoring the last bite of the steamy rice and dumplings meal you purchased for the two of you. A hot dinner alone is a treat. One you share together with your differing schedules is almost unheard of.

Aruke enjoys the rest of the evening with her brother, sitting on the couch, watching some TV while killing snacks. It isn't until the next morning that she leaves the couch again. To once more walk to the fake supermarket to try and contact the police.

You see no informant here this time, nro anyone on a corner who might look like one. You don't have a problem finding the place again and it looks like both legal and illegal halves of the business are booming at the moment.

"There is no way around it. I need to go to the police station. But how to do it, unseen?" She makes her way to the central police station, but not to enter it. Instead she tries to enter a building right next to it.

There is a restaurant next door that looks to be popular with the police here , and right now is only half filled with customers. There are two floors of apartments above it.

Before trying to get up, she would take a quick look through the windows to see if there was like a lone detective sitting around, drinking some coffee.

You see one officer in their office typing reports. The rest of them don't seem to have anyone in them right now, but the lights are on and things are working, they must be in other places within the building.

Aruke would walk around the building once, trying to see if someone was following her. If not, she would teleport into the restaurant, standing right next to the officer and his report. (edited)

(notice/wis)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Andra| Aruke Roll: [3, 2] Result: 4 Request: [2d6 -1]

You don't notice anyone following, for the moment.

Even though nobody seemed to have followed her, she makes it hard for any unseen observer to find out where she is, by just peripherally looking towards the Detective and in the blink of an eye teleports next to the Detective. She touches his shoulder in an attempt to calm the person. "Please. I have only limited time and mean no harm. Could you please follow me somewhere out of sight of the windows? Just like you would use the restroom? I will be waiting there." After she said that, she quickly moves towards said restrooms, to get out of sight from the windows, to make any detection of her harder.

The detective comes in after a few moments and at least for now, you find yourselves alone in here. He seems a bit disarmed, and almost afraid.

One deep breath. If that one wasn't a faithful detective, she and her brother might end up dying in the most slow and gruesome ways. If it was a stupid one, that might happen as well. But sometimes one can't read the future. One doesn't know what is going to happen and needs to rely on luck and the right moment. "Hey. Um. I am Aruke. I." She looks around. "I have inside knowledge. Of a gang. And more than that. I. I would like to work with the police. Are you the right one to work with?"

"I'm in the police, and I'm a detective. If you're worried about being seen we can do this interview in one of the interrogation rooms in the basement, less awkward than, here" Previously unheard, someone is clearly now having the fight of their life with whatever they ate for lunch in one of the stalls close to the wall. (edited)

Aruke looses all color in her face and quickly grabs her phone. To type something and show him.

I would love to. I can help bring an end to some of the gangs. But I need some securities. And whoever is in that stall is acting weird. Could you please check? If that is someone who can ID me now, your information might not be in trouble, soon.

"It would be another officer, we'll just leave it be and head down to the interrogation room "

Alright. Then please get me there. Oh, and sorry for the insults, it just needs to look plausible. So use violence as needed.

She turns around and places her hands conveniently for the detective to handcuff her. All that while she yells. "No you sick fuck! I am not Anabelle! This is Specicism, just because you can't tell us apart! The drugs you found are legal, I am not a dealer. Fuck. I don't want to go to jail again."

He goes into the arresting mode he is perhaps a bit too comfortable being in, dragging you down to the interrogation level at the bottom of the station. You're not sure you saw anyone you know.

Once down there she smirks at him. "You had your fun, eh? But that way it at least felt believable. So before I begin. Can you protect one person? From any potential harm that he might end up confronted with if it ever comes to light who helped you?"

"If you're cooperating or giving us information we have ways of keeping you safe, but I think you need to start telling us what we know so we can make a case for you"

"It is not me who I fear for. It is my brother who I want to see protected. Can you do that too, even if he has no information, but I am?

"That depends on what you can give us. I think you should start talking"

She starts to share some insides of the gang she is part of, as well as mentioning the other gang that deals with the Trance and gets its supplies from the space port. And then she adds. "I do think that some gang war is at the horizon. I can update you on anything that happens, and it we do good. We might get to take out both gangs. How does that sound?"

You can see notes being made, locations, people, plots, as much detail as you can offer. You are there for hours, often asked to repeat yourself several times to make sure everything is correct and that they are working with the best leads possible. It will be a matter of days for everything to be fully investigated by the police, as they have their own procedures to go through and without them, are little better than a street gang themselves.

As the questioning nears its end, it is Aruke again who asks questions. "So, is that enough for you that you will protect my brother when things go badly? And how do we communicate when I have something to share? Should I just come here? I mean I have ways to come here without anyone noticing."

"It seems like that might be the safest option for you at the moment. Sending officers to shadow you or working out some kind of dead drop is likely to get noticed if you have anyone watching you. Do you suspect anyone in your gang might be?"

"Not yet. But I also didn't talk to you before. And I mean it isn't just the gang." Aruke points at the names of the officers at the spaceport who are keeping their eyes shut for Ricky and the gang's business. "I have no idea what will happen from now on. All I know is that it has to be done. That we need to bring them down. We will soon know if there is a mole here as well. Will you keep your eyes open as well?"

"Of course, no one here is safe if there is a mole among us"

"Okay. Um." She points at her left cheekbone. "Make a lasting impression. It needs to look real after all. Right? Like I did not tell you shit and you had to let me go because you have nothing."

He sighs and stands up, removing his wedding ring and another simple metal band he wears on his pointer finger. "Previous marriage" he says , noticing your gaze on it "Didn't want to forget him. " Waiting for your okay before proceeding, he begins walking over to your side of the table.

"Good that you took it off then, don't want to think about him whenever I look into a mirror for the next days." She says, trying to be funny when in fact she was damn afraid of the incoming pain. But it had to be. If they don't buy her story, she was done, her brother was done. All would be for nothing. And she needed to come forth with being here, as someone might have seen her. She gulps and nods. "Go ahead. I won't hold it against you. Make it look real." She closes her eyes and holds her breath. Trying to escape with her mind somewhere else. But she knows that she was there, and she will feel every bit of it.

There is a sharp blow, followed by another, and then two more before you feel the chair give way from under you. This is just to sell the illusion, not to harm more than necessary, so it looks as though this is all the pain you're going to experience.

After getting up again she holds her head in pain. "Argh, yeah, yeah I guess that was about the right level of force. I guess I will leave then and return unasked when there is anything new to share. What is your name? I guess I need that when I come back here and the other officers look weird at me."

"Detective Ozzie. Ask for me if you make your way back here, and try to stay off the streets for a few days. We're going to be making some sweeps based on the evidence you collected "

"Wouldn't that invalidate me telling the gang that I did not sing?"

"Just watching, no arrests, not yet."

"Alright. I will leave then. Wish me luck. And pray to whatever god or goddess you believe in. If we are successful, this city, this planet, will strike hard against those gangs, and get more freedom than ever." That said she would leave the Police station, trash her phone, and walk to the gang hideout and knock at the back door.

After a moment the door is opened and you're given a pat down for weapons, and wires.

12:59 PM

(not trying to conceal anything and we can move on, if you are, we'll need a sneak/dex)

(Nothing hidden) Aruke looks upset. The face is battered. But the expression on her face is one of rebellious arrogance. She doesn't speak until she gets to the big boss. "Sorry Boss. I don't know what's going on with the cops. It seems like you were right. They're grabbing more and more of us off the street, it seems. I didn't tell them anything. The bastards beat the shit out of me. And I didn't give them anything." She grins triumphantly at the boss. "Threw my cell phone away, afraid they'd bug it or read it. Now for the happy part. Spaceport was a success. Ricky and his people still have the pictures." She describes to him what she saw, and who. "And that's how they're bringing the trance in. Lots of stuff. They're taking away our neighborhood."

"I heard a bit from him" He gestures for two of the goons in the room to get you a chair, something to drink, and for one of them to begin looking at patching you up. "I'll get the family doc down here to take a look at you. Least I can do " he says with kindness. "You've done the family a great service, and I think it's time you were rewarded for that. "

Her eyes widen, like that of a child that gets handed a lollipop. Before looking more focused again. More concerned. "Thank you. I am honored, and take any reward, but what do we do? You surely have people who can identify the other gang's members, so we have names. At the same time the police seems to makes moves against us. What do we do? Take out the others? When we turtle, they could claim our stuffs."

"I think we are already turtling. We need to get this Trance off the streets, and then lock down what we have for when the feds come. I think its high time we act. Aruke, I'd like you to lead the crew responsible for taking this situation off our hands. and I'm going to make you a captain. A made...erm...man" he says, standing. His dark suit is sharp on his thin frame, but you can sense the strength in the old corded muscle there. "What that means is, if something were to happen to you , or if you were to go to prison, we would take care of your family. Your brother, and anyone else you take care of wouldn't need to struggle"

"Oh Fuck." "Wow! Thank you! I won't dissapoint you!" "Until you find out that you are going to rot in prison or end up dead, like the rest of the gangers." "Phew. Okay. So, um, what do I do? I guess I get more insight of our gang, and get to take some men to take out theirs, right?"

(just for clarity, you're accepting?)

(yes. Raising rank in the gang, means more insight and more information. All she needs to take them down completely in the end. She just needs to find a way to get her brother out of it faster.)

"We have something to do before we send you out then. Stand up Aruke, this is a big honor" One of the goons begins taking a small pen knife from the drawer, handing it to the family head. He reverently takes it, sterilizing the blade with his cigar lighter. You can feel one of the other goons in the room pressing one of the fine cigars into your shirt pocket, for after the ceremony. "In the old days, they used to take the entire finger above the knuckle, but we live in a more civilized age, so a little prick on the finger is all we need for the oath"

When there is talk about cutting off fingers, Aruke freezes, fearing that her true intentions had been uncovered. She is just seconds away from teleporting out and running away. But then she starts to relax again when she realizes that it is all for some kind of oath. So she reaches out with her left arm, hand opened, palm pointing towards the ceiling. "A little prick is fine with me." She says, forcing out a small laugh.

"Repeat after me" the family head says, opening a book and reading from a page as the knife is gently pressed in to a finger. "I will never turn on my back or betray the family, of which I am a member. May I burn in hell forever if I turn"

Aruke looks at him, and takes one deep breath. "I will never turn on my back or betray the family, of which I am a member. May I burn in hell forever if I turn." Then stops, waiting to hear if there were more lines to say.

There does not seem to be. A few congratulatory pats on the back are given out by the goons, and the head of the family. "Alright Aruke. Tell me what you know about this job, and the resources you need"

"Huh, well. I might need a contact of yours at the police. So we get to know more about some truck that I saw." She asks him to open the pictures that Ricky had sent him. Then points at the Pick Up Truck that accompanied the larger Chemtruck. "Instead of hitting the big thing directly, I would like to know where the Pick Up went. Your police contact could maybe tell me that. When we know were it parked, we know of a hideout of a member of that other gang. Then I need a small hit squad to pay them a visit. To get some first hand information, and a small fire will make it all seem like an accident in the end." "I feel dirty for even saying this. But I need to be the most Evil Aruke to get them in the end."

"That could work. Ill give him your number and explain what you need. You'll probably be waiting a day or two before all the information comes back, but when it does, you've got permission from me to make the hit"

"Perfect. I'll use the waiting time for my own research." She says, playing tough while almost peeing her pants in fear. Then she takes the number. "I'll report back once I have something. Is there anything else you want to know or tell me?"

"Not right now. Good luck , don't call until sometihng happens out there and you've got something to say. The authorities are probably going to tap phones if they have not already, try to use a public booth if you can"

"Will do, thank you for the advise." After some more fake smiles and small talk, Aruke leaves the base. On her way she would take a public booth to call the number that she had been given, noting down the name of the officer if he gives it to her, and asking for the last known location. She then says that she would call back in two days from now, for an answer. Once that was set in motion, she would make an internet search for "Demarcus Liquids and Refrigerants" the company name that was stamped on the side of the chemical truck.

(admin/int)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Andra| Aruke Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [2, 1] Result: 2

You're not sure what the actual address might be. This is buried in a few layers of shell companies and the confusion meant to stop the authorities is confusing you as well,.

What an unnecessary complication, if she was just better at this whole thing. But she wasn't, this all was already bigger than herself, but it wasn't about her, it was about the many poor souls who don't even know her, but will benefit greatly if she succeeds. So the address was not a thing. But she still knew the bar that was dealing trance tainted drinks. And they will get this powder delivered, and by how much drinks they sell there needs to be constant restock of trance. And maybe she can tail such a courier. So she makes her way to the bar and looks for a good lookout spot.

(We know that alley across the street seems to be okay since the cops were watching from there once. We could occupy their spot if we want)

With a few snacks and drinks from the supermarket two corners away, Aruke enters the alley across the street. Unsure on how long she would have to wait for a delivery to be made. But for the coming two days, this was all she had. She also didn't want to run to her contact already again, as those times needed to be sparse enough to minimize her risk. She changes position from time to time, but has her eyes at the bar, at all times.

It looks like you do not have to wait. Around 930pm , the truck pulls up and begins to park on the street outside so it can distribute its contents.

From the save distance of the alley, Aruke tries to see if everyone leaves the truck for the delivery.

Two people are delivering goods here, one to drive, and one looks to be responsible for handling the cargo.

(okay. So the driver stays. But what kind of vehicle is that? Like, a pickup or van or suv?) (edited)

(like a cargo van)

1:16 PM

(sliding door on the side, two hatch doors on the back that split vertically down the middle, and we don't know from out here if the cab is connected to the cargo bay or not)

Aruke staggers towards the car. As if she were drunk. As soon as she arrives at the driver's door, she knocks on the window. "Yo. Open up!"

Clearly not expecting this, or for someone to be so forward the driver opens the door half surprised before realizing what he is doing.

Using the suprise, Aruke tries to get a better look inside of the car, while trying to look completely plastered.

It looks to be a simple enough drivers cab. It is not connected to the cargo bay by the interior. You see the driver and passenger are also not armed.

The information is enough for her to know that she could ride quite safely in the cargo bay of the vehicle, if she can find a way in. To keep up the facade and not arise suspicion, she slurs, "Yo, you know where the nearest bathroom is? I think I had too much and I'm gonna puke." But all she wants is to get behid the car and get a view into the Cargo Bay, so she could silently teleport in.

The bay doors are open since cargo is being unloaded, and you can see half the current consignment of product is inside.

Here is where her plan gets really risky. Aruke staggers towards the back of the car, enters it, makes some gagging noises, then says: "Oh this is no bathroom, soooorry." Then leaves the car and walks away from it, towards some street lamp that allows her a look at the back of the car. She leans against it, still acting. What she wants to do is focus on the cargo area of the car that she just occupied, and once the doors are closed, she wants to teleport into the cargo area, to the spot she just fake gagged at. That way she could travel with the car, and maybe get to their base of operation that way.

(i think this would probably work in terms of teleporting in, but I could see needing a sneak/dex to figure out if the driver and his loader know they have an unauthorized passenger back there)

(perfectly fine. It is a pretty risky move after all. So should I roll?)

(yeah lets do that then)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [5, 2] Result: 6

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [5, 1] Result: 5

(they do not notice their passenger)

Aruke leans cautiously against the divider between cargo area and passenger area, to try and listen into anything they may talk about. To get hints on if there are more stops on the way, or if not, how close they are to the base.

It looks like for tonight this was their last stop. Half of the cargo looks to be consigned for a morning run instead, and it sounds like they'll be back to base within the next half hour, looking forward to getting out early and home to some proper sleep.

Aruke was concentrating. This whole thing was so dangerous, and she had no idea what she was doing here, yet she still did. She would wait. At least twenty more minutes, listening to their every words. Then she would sneak towards the rear doors, waiting for the car to slow down, this is when she would try to quietly open the door, to look out, waiting for a moment to teleport out and locate their base from a save distance.

They make small talk about sports, various troubles at home, and how shit the pay is for how hard the job is. They're both excited to knock off early tonight, and based on their conversation it sounds like theyre ignorant of the cargo they're carrying or the significance of the drinks and other chemical compounds they deliver. Turning into the parking lot of the factory, they park in their assigned space and lock the truck's cab for the night.

Aruke opens the rear door slightly before they stops the car and teleports to a sparsely lit area. There she tries to hide and wait until the two have left, so she can take a look at the factory.

(Sneak/dex)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [5, 1] Result: 5

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [6, 5] Result: 10

Two security guards come from the gatehouse watching the parking lot, and see you materialize near a street light. "Hey! This is private property! You can't trespass here!"

Aruke instantly raises her hands, afraid she might get shot at. "Oh fuck, I am soooo sorry, I might have fucked that jump up a bit. I leave, I leave. Where am I anyway? Just so I know I don't come here again."

"Doesn't matter, private property, now get out before we make this bad for you!" The other guard says, brandishing a club that he looks all too prepared, if not eager, to use.

(Alright. So we have 3 Effort left. How far away are these guards, and the one without a club ready, what weapon is he carrying?)

(he also just has a club, they don't look to have much else. They're shouting to you from 10m or so away)

(Aruke can, as an On Turn Action, use TK Armory to create armor and weaponry, doing so would immediately get us into initiative I guess, or could she do that and try to intimidate them. argh I guess it would be PAFO)

(If you were to just leave thet'd have no reason to fight, the real penalty is if you come back, they're on alert)

"Alright alright. Could you at least show me which way to go?" Aruke full well could challenge them, she could try to hurt them. Kill them. But her plan was for the Gangs to kill each other, she would only want to defend herself, not take a life just to get closer to her goals.

They gesture to their left, out to the service road that goes toward the city.

Aruke would nod and walk towards that direction, staying ready to bring a greater distance between her and them the instant they seem to make a move on her.

(if youre just leaving , they're not going to chase you, their job is to secure the property not kill anyone)

(she would just leave, as she also doesn't want to kill someone.) She leaves on the way she was told to. Once she is out of sight, Aruke would try to return and get a good look at the factory, so she looks around for multi story buildings whose roofs would offer her a good view over the factory and its fenced area.

There is a water tower nearby where it looks like with some effort you could reach the top and get a commanding view of the factory and its environs.

Aruke walks over to the water tower and just stares upwards, trying to grasp how high it was. She could try to teleport up there, but she only sees herself falling down. So standing at the base, she tries to make out a good path up, to make climbing it a bit easier. Maybe there was a ladder to be spotted or similar.

There is an access ladder leading to a platform midway up the tower. from there is looks like a cable car goes the rest of the way up.

The ladder seemed to be an easy way up, so she tried to climb it to see how the cable car works and if it was still stable.

The car works, the controls look to be rusty but there is enough here for a quick trip up and down. In time, someonewill need to replace these, but tonight it will suit your purposes well.

Aruke enters the car, and goes up, ready to get a nice view of the area, the night sky, and the factory.

(We;d be able to see the roof from up here if that gets you enough of an entry for whatever you want to do )

(how far away would that be?)

(From the tower to the roof, 200m)

(too far for her teleportation so I will be happy with what I already got) Aruke focuses on the roof of the factory. She tries to feel it, prepares for a jump, but nothing. While her strength gradually grows again, her connection to the MES becoming stronger and stronger, there were still limits. And somewhere between her and the roof, roughly two hundred meters away, lies the limit of her ability. She came far, risked a lot, but she won't do anything reckless to get even further. Not now at least. It was still to early. Instead, she takes pictures and sends them together with the address back to the gang. But with her being there already, she wanted to watch from afar, wanted to see if there was any more movement this night. And even if nothing more was to be seen, she wanted to at least stay until dawn, to see the local star rise, and thus mess up her sleeping rhythm even more.

Two more trucks come in from around the city overnight. They are configured the same and have residue of the same blue dust around their unloading ports.

Aruke takes some pictures of them as well and tries to register any movement around the factory. But at one point she just leans back and waits for the system's star to appear and bring the light of day to it. Once she bathed in the first rays of day she makes her way back home. Having successfully found a factory and thus target for her operation was the first cornerstone. One of the many until the gangs have been brought down. Back at home she just falls flat and asleep. When she wakes up again she gets ready for another night and then moves to a public phone to call the cop contact she got from the gang, to see if he found out where the Pickup truck from the Star Port went. Maybe it went to the same factory, maybe it went to some home, or somewhere else. Anything but the factory from the night before would mark the next point of interest for her.

The pickup did indeed go tot he same factory. The investigation is slow, they are trying to get a warrant to search the building but they must have friends in high places and the process is being dragged out for as long as it is legally allowed to be. They could search anyway, and likely would get away with it, but since it is unconsented anything found would be inadmissible in a legal case and any officer involved shootings would likewise be against the law.

Aruke calls off any police attempt to search the factory, instead she only wishes that no police was in the area, two nights from now, for reasons she doesn't further elaborate, all she adds is that he needs to remember who is making his life a bit more liveable, which is the gang leader who bribes him. That said she waits for affirmation.

(Youre asking him to keep his men away over the next two nights? or just hoping he doesnt come then?)

(keeping them away two nights from now, this is when she plans to do a hit on the factory)

(right, but are you asking them not to come? Or are you just hoping they dont)

(asking them not to come, but that is all she can do, in the end she needs to see if they come or don't come)

Ozzie pauses on the other end of the line. "We've got thousands of credits and several officers tied up in this operation already. What's going on over there where we need to wait to be able to raid the place?" he asks, sounding suspicious over th ephone

"I just don't want to be caught, yet, and I want their numbers to shrink. I mean, at least come late if you hear something, so they each decimate themselves a bit. Because let us be real here, you can't arrest them all for too long, there is just not enough evidence, but if they, well, get rid of each other, it just makes our work easier. And additionally, I need that raid to look like it is a success. If we all get jailed, that won't help."

(talk/cha)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6+1] Roll: [4, 2] Result: 7

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6] Roll: [1, 1] Result: 2

"Alright, you're the man on the street, but we're not going to be able to hold for much longer than that. Whatever you're doing, do it soon"

"Copy." She hangs up and leans against the transparent plastic of the booth. "I am so much in over my head here. That is fucked up, but that is still what is going to happen. I don't need to see into the future for that. She steps out of the booth and into the rain, but it wasn't able to wash away the dirt she was feeling all on her. The guilt. People will find death, many, she knew it when she entered the path she is on now. Bad people, sure. Better than them escaping jurisdiction, yes. Making a real cut, true. But still, there will be people dying and it was her who will initiate the bloodshed. She gets her phone out of her jacket and writes a message into a group chat. The Message is a time and place. The stands of an old sports ground, long since a lost place and in ruinous shape, four hours from now. The members of the group, an assembly of numbers of people that the gang made her use for such an endeavor. She won't contact the big boss. For safety reason, is what she will say when it comes to a talk. But it was mostly because she feared that he wouldn't allow an attack on the factory. Fearing too many lost souls. But exactly that was the reason she wanted to do it. To heavily disrupt the business of both gangs, and to create slight chaos, chaos that will make her work against the gang easier, and for the police to do their work as well. For the time being she takes a small meal in at some of the Streetfood stands, before making her way to the sports ground.

(We have 20 for this, so its a matter of just instructing them on what you;d like them to do)

Aruke waits for everyone to arrive. She sits on one of the not broken seats that are left in the stands, and everyone arriving gets greeted with a nod. That is it, a nod, no word, nothing. Once everyone is there, she starts to talk. "Welcome. Alright. Big Boss made me in charge of this, so you better follow the orders. It is in any case the better solution." She shares the pictures of the factory and the address. "Our new rivals use this place. For distribution, as storage, and more. This is our turf. If we allow them to hold onto this, it will greatly hurt us. And if the gang is hurt, you are hurt. If you are hurt, your families are hurt. So let us show them what they get for invading. We go there tonight. Storm it. Wreck it. Take anything that could be used as information for us. And no witnesses will be left alive. Understood?" She had been running these words through her head for all the time she had waited. That is why she didn't talk. She needed to focus on these sentences, to get them right, to not show how disgusted at herself she was for saying them. But it had to be done. And if it, no after it was successful, her influence would rise. More names, more evidence, better case for the police. "Understood?" She repeated her question.

They all understand, a few of them have some hesitancy when it comes to actually killing someone, and volunteer to be lookouts instead, an equally vital position. All of them have pistols or concealed submachine guns, ready for the work required of them. As your star rises, so may theirs and soon there may be more made men coming into the family behind you.

"Good. Lookouts, take position one hour before sundown. The rest will meet me here." She sends a map location, one street away from the factory. "Be there at sundown." She gets up, and walks away. Not much time left until she needs to be there. Her hands don't stop shaking as she wanders through the streets, hoping to wake up from a bad dream. But she knew it was real. It will happen. So she is there, early. Even before the lookouts. She gets on top of a nearby building and waits for all of them to arrive. There wasn't much in-depth planning. It will be a raid. People will die. She will make sure to destroy any infrastructure related to the drug making, and every drug that was there. She will say it was to damage the other gang, but in fact, it was to protect the people of the neighborhood, and the whole city, from a continuous flood of drugs.

(did you have any prep you wanted to do? )

(no. Just go there. Storm it. Kill everyone on the way. Use the surprise of the attack as an advantage. Aruke is no criminal or tactical mastermind. And in the back of her head, she hopes that both sides lose evil people in this attack)

(meant even for you, if you wanted a new gun or something befoer we go )

(nah, telekinetic armory is all she needs)

The time approaches and you can see gang affiliates beginning to fill into the neighborhood. Most of them armed with at least one gun , and you expect they're going to take great pleasure in securing their neighborhood from something that is going to steal their income.

Aruke comes down to the street and nods. "It is time. Any last second questions?"

The only thing thar comes up is, if fire is going to be allowed.

"Fire? Sure! But only in the end. For safety reasons. We don't want to end up trapped in a burning building." Aruke's clothes straighten and a shimmering rifle appears in her hands. "Lets go." (TK Armory for Armor and Weapon 2 Effort Commited 2 remain)

(our choices are going in through the front door, or the loading docks)

(The front door. Better statement.)

Entering the front door there is a receptionist who screams as the group of heavily armed men and aliens enter the front of the building. There is a gunshot as her computer is destroyed and papers fly everywhere. Behind her, the factory doors are opened, but she is reaching for the switch under her desk.

Aruke sees that, she instantly teleports forward, right next to her and tries to get her away from her desk, and preferably onto the ground. (I can teleport short distances Effortless and as a move action. I now want to force enemy movement. If it works like I described, I would need to hit a punch attack.)

(if we want to force her prone we would need to do that yeah)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [1d20 - 1] Roll: [13] Result: 12

(hits, she's unarmored)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6 -1] Roll: [4, 3] Result: 6

(opposed Exert Str, I guess for trying to get her to the ground. Mine is 6)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6-2] Roll: [6, 3] Result: 7

She is stronger than she looks and through you are now between her and the buzzer , she is not downed. The others begin moving as fast as they can, trying to get inside before the doors shut

Aruke stares at her for a moment. Before saying. "Run now and don't ever come back to that organization, or die here on the spot."

(talk.cha

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6+1] Roll: [4, 3] Result: 8

She looks up at you wide eyed, before booking it to the door. Men, women, and aliens of their word- the group allows her to leave unharmed since she did not impede the mission.

She could have killed her. Should have. But being that evil? It just wasn't what Aruke was good at. She instead turns around and shouts. "Let's go, trash that place!"

(did you want to play this out. or do you want a summary? We outnumber the gang enforcers here, and we took them by surprise. I think most would run as opposed to fight)

(maybe we don't need to play out everything, but Aruke would want to find some office to maybe grab some data, names addresses, those stuff. We could play that part out, or you could include that in the summary)

(lets get an admin.int for that)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [6, 3] Result: 8

You manage to grab a bunch of documents and stuff them into your bag. They look important but you don’t have the time to go through them now . You know once you have a place to work that you got a good enough look and can put this back together as soon as possible

Aruke is still tense when she stuffs the documents into her bag. She then tries her best to trash the office before leaving it again to shout through the factory halls. "Come on, we don't have all night. Trash it, lay fires, make sure we don't end up burned. Once we are done, we retreat and scatter, in case the police shows up." She would look around, trying to help those who need help trashing the place, making sure all drugs and processing machines get destroyed in the process.

(lead/cha)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6-1+1] Roll: [6, 2] Result: 8

Fires are set, machines are smashed, storage tanks are breached and the workers are driven from the facility. Outside, two of the trucks also catch fire as fuel from their own gas tanks are squirted all over their cabs.

With the damage done, and the team under control, even without too much unnecessary bloodshed, aside from those who deserved it, Aruke leaves the destroyed drug factory. She doesn't look back as she walks onto the service street. Some gas tank in the factory explodes, blowing out some windows. Aruke still doesn't look back. She signals the lookouts to leave the area, and hopes the rest of the squad does the same. Well, she actually wouldn't have a problem with some getting caught by police, but it wasn't necessary. This job was done. And she more and more realizes how dangerously close she gets to becoming a monster herself to destroy this plague. Without any turning around she tries to leave the area.

(3xp, 5000 credits)

10:40 AM

(no one has seen you leave the area in all the chaos)

Level UP!

LvL 2->3
Old HP : 10
HP Roll: 15
New HP : 15

2SP + 1 Psychic SP

Precog 0->1 (1SP+1PSP)
(Acquired Technique: Terminal Reflexion)
Notice -1 ->0 (1SP)

0 SP Banked

It was a success, and Aruke accumulated more and more moral dirt. "Noz Vat (Good Night)" she thought to herself after a long shower. She didn't even bother to look for her brother as he'd better be lying in his bed, sleeping, and she didn't want to wake him up. After a good night of sleep she would sit down at the kitchen table, looking through the documents she collected. To see what useful information they reveal.

Gudrun had a similar problem with a drug like this once. The designs were copied from those who escaped the law enforcement activities there and was brought here. On Gudrun, it was known as Trance, a slightly peach flavored drink that had a psychoactive compound- allowing the person drinking it to experience pleasant memories from their past once again.

8:04 AM

The chemical plant was making its own fumbling attempts at trying to develop something indigenously, and the gangs who owned it were on the cusp of perfecting the design. They would have become fabulously wealthy had to worked .

"Damn. With this, they could be rich in no time. And the people, they would be even more fucked, with such a dangerous drug." She takes her compad to make photos of it all. "So many are already hooked on it, and don't know it. Poor souls. But this find will help me rise even more." She will share this info with the boss, but before that, she put her head into the material again. This time in hopes to find names, aliases, or other leads that could lead her to the heads of the other gang. If there was nothing here, she would surely ask her police contact for any known criminals that with ties to Gudrun who are known to operate on Radji. But at first she tried to find such an answer herself, somewhere in the material in front of her. (edited)

(We would be able to link the head and senior bosses of one of the other crime families to this, allowing the police to mvoe in)

(perfect. We can play this out later, when I talk to my contact, if that is fine with you?)

(sure thing!)

2:53 PM

(I didn't have any other intel among what you gathered)

(that is more than enough to work with!) Aruke leans back and assesses her option. There are many. But the most important was success. Being the rising star, means getting all the insight she needs to bring them down. Once she had her thoughts collected, she puts the documents into her backpack and leaves the house. She passes the bar that had sold drinks with Trance and has to smile, as that will end now. And the bar will surely suffer once the customers aren't as addicted to their drinks anymore. After half an hour, Aruke reaches her first stop. The hospital that cares for most of the refugee populace in this area. She quickly finds the station responsible for toxicology and drug addicts, there she approaches the counter. "Good Morning! Would it be possible to have a short talk with the Senior Physician here?"

"It would depend on your reason for the discussion. The Senior Physician is unable to change triage procedures, and will not change the treatment list to get a loved one toward the top of it"

"This is not why I am here. Listen." She looks at the name plate. "Mindy. I do have some important information to share. You guys do great work with the refugees, and it would be a shame if the information would instead be shared with the toxicology department of the Radji Central, General Hospital. Right? So please, Mindy, just point me towards the right direction and we can all have a better day."

(Talk/cha, at a +2_

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6 +0+1+2] Roll: [5, 5] Result: 13

"Alright, I'll page him, but if this is a trick I'll make sure you and your family never get proper healthcare in this facility again, do you understand me?"

Aruke just stares back at her. "Sure. I'll be quick. And he will thank you later." She waits at the counter for the arrival of the Physician.

An annoyed looking physician arrives at the counter a few moments later, gesturing for you to follow him into the back so you can talk. He looks very tired, like he has been working for an extended shift.

She sees the tired man and gives him a smile. Her own heart is heavy, but if she met him with her own melancholy, no one would win. She follows him to a quiet corner and comes to the point, not wanting to take more time from him than just necessary. She hands him a copy with all the information about the trance, just the drug, nothing else, so a slimmed down copy of what she has. "It's a drug that's already around, making people addicts. The supply has, um, gone up in flames. And there's a large number of people who don't even know they're addicted to it, because it's been mixed into drinks and stuff. If people come in with signs of withdrawal, then maybe the chemical composition will help you get people the help they need. I hope that's a help. I am not a physician." She takes a deep breath after that and pulls a credstick with 20k credits out of her pocket. Money she had saved for a better future. Money she had earned through gang work. Bloody money. It wasn't all she had, but at least it was a large sum that she plans to donate to the hospital to ease her conscience. "I know it's not much. But the hospital does good work for the many refugees. 'Tre, Mosk, Noctua, and the many others who would live a much worse life without charity and love. Perhaps this small donation can help keep the work going. Would they accept both? The money and the information about the Trance?" (edited)

"I thought this was going to be another story about someone sick. I wish I could help them all, you don't go into this field if you don't want to help anyone who needs it, but..." he gestures at the waiting room down the hall from the office.

8:40 AM

"More come in every night than we can deal with. This money is going to vanish into the hospital administration if you give it to me, I'll have to report it. Give it to someone who could actually benefit from it and don't fill those stuffed pig's pockets"

Aruke nods. "Alright. I'll find some charity. Do you at least think the info about the drug is of any help? If not then I hope that me saying thank you for all your hard work, is at least some sun ray to brighten up your day a little bit."

"It might be. We'll need the tox lab here to do their own workup on this to see if its accurate, but this looks professional. You can't tell me where you got it, can you?" he asks. He leafs through the top two pages, taking in whatever information he can quickly scan.

"No. I can only assure them that it is accurate." Aruke fiddles with the credstick and changes the total to 100credits, then presses the stick into the doctor's hand. "Have a nice evening with it. Trust the data. And if anyone asks, forget you ever saw me. Goodbye and thanks again." After handing over the stick, Aruke teleports down, in front of the hospital entrance (3 of 4 effort remaining). She would then walk to the police station, or better near it, watching for anyone following her on the way.

(notice/wis)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6] Roll: [5, 2] Result: 7

You do not believe you have been followed to the police staiton.

Feeling kinda secure she teleports into the police station, from a block away, directly into the interrogation room. (2 effort remain for the day). She looks at the camera in the room. "Bring me detective Ozzie. Please."

There is some shuffling and stomping upstairs before he enters with a box of cigarettes , some water, and a sandwich from the cantina upstairs for you.

Aruke grabs the sandwich and sends him the files she scanned with her compad, for him to look at. With a slightly full mouth while eating she says. "Look at that, the Trance, the names. It is all right there. And I do have a plan on how we get the moles in the police. I'll give my gang leader the same documents later today. He'll get to read them. He will want us to get that leadership. I in turn will tell him to send the police. So his bribed cops get to shine a bit, which helps their reputation and the gang in the long run." She takes a large bit and chews, that way what she said can sink in a second. "Well. So you do know the full list of names. Find your senior chief or whomever high up you trust. Share that list of yours. They will congratulate you for your great contacts. You guys keep your mouths shut about it. But later, today or tomorrow, someone else will appear, with the list of names. Praising themselves for their great detective work. The one or however many they are who come forth with it. They are the moles. You guys can keep taps on them, and once we are ready for the final strike, you can take them out for taking bribes and working with the wrong side. How does that sound? "

“I mean on the surface it sounds good but why. Why give this to me?”

Aruke slams her hand on the table. "Why I am giving that to you? What have you been smoking? Or did you drop your balls on the way down here? I fucking risk my life. I risk my family. I risk it all to make life better on Radji. For the refugees and everyone else. And you told me that you are going to help me. That is why I give you this information and the instructions. And now is not the right moment to back out."

“Why would you go this deep. Altruism isn’t something folks here are known for. I know I promised to help. And I will , I just don’t know why you’re doing it. You say for the refugees , but is this just for yourself?”

"Why? See, my brother and I are the only living members of our family left. As refugees we fell right through the net. Like so many others. And who is there to offer jobs, and a place to live? The gangs, they use us, who are down below. And you know what, you won't get old if you work for a gang. If I die, my brother can't finish school, and what will happen? He will join the gang, and die. I want to give him a better future. And with him, so many others as well. You call me altruistic, but I am just a 'Tre. We feel different. We connect to others. Feel them." She looks down. "So call me whatever you want. Just help me. When it is all done, at least my brother should have a good future ahead of him."

"I didn't have any kids" he says, thinking for a moment. "This world was too dangerous, and too violent. I missed my chance to have them, but that may not be something someone else has to endure thanks to what you're doing here. You're doing this for the right reasons, and I'm not putting a bigger criminal back on the street by doing this"

Aruke looks relieved after realizing that the detective has not changed sides again, or abandoned her. "Thank you." Is all she gets out at the moment. She looks at Ozzie. She looks exhausted, but determined. After a short pause of collecting herself again, she speaks again. "So, bring the info to your chief. And as soon as a couple of cops will brag about exactly this information to raise their reputation, then you know who the moles are. You can handle that, right? I mean you guys then just play along and bring the leads of the other gang into prison. And I continue to bring justice the my gang."

"Playing along and sitting back eating doughnuts is something I am really good at. So, I think we can make that happen. Do you need anything before we part ways?"

"That Sandwich." Aruke grabs the other Sandwich and as fast as she appeared in the interrogation room, she also disappears again as she teleports out to the street. (1 Effort remaining) With the strength of two Sandwiches in her tummy she walks to the gang hideout, to talk with the boss.

The boss is in a good mood. The raid was successful, and most of the captains carried off at least something of value so they are likewise pleased. Dealers have disappeared from Family streets and he will likely be a great deal richer soon.

Aruke moves in on him with confidence. Played confidence as she still remembers the torture that the boss carried out to another living being, casually, in front of everyone here. And she was still afraid that one day she would end up like that. "I see you are happy. But wait until you see this." She puts the documents onto his table. Documents she didn't share with the gang yet. She goes directly to the page with the names of the important people of the other gang and points at them. "See that. Jackpot. You've got your contacts at the police. Why don't hand this to them. They get to play big guns, maybe get a promotion and get even better assets for us. And we don't loose anyone in a gunfight. What do you say?"

"I think this is a great idea, and making you a made ...erm...man, was the right thing to do. Are you hungry Aruke? My Nonna is in town from off world and she makes a pasta that will blow your mind."

"Sure! Who else were you planning to ask? The whole leadership? To celebrate our victory?" Aruke asks nervously. It came unexpected, and way too early, but it could be a perfect moment to bring the gang down.

"Almost everyone is coming in tonight, yes, and we should honor the person who put all this together. Our fortunes are finally changing" You can hear the relief in his voice.

"Phew, crazy. Um, what is the motto? I'd like to bring some cake maybe." Thoughts rush through her brain as she tries to create a plan.

"Come by tonight, around 8, we'll be sitting down for dinner then. Dress up, my Nonna worked hard to make dinner and would love to see everyone at their best"

"Perfect! I'll get myself a fancy dress and some cake. See you at eight!" She smiles, but is dying inside. This will be the perfect moment. This will be her chance. Tonight, people will die. That was for certain. It was either her, or the others. She left the base and quickly manoeuvred their turf. Among the many places that they sucked almost dry with protection money and the like, must be a bakery as well. One that hated the gang, but had no chance but to comply with whatever they came up with, only able to reach months end without being able to put much aside, as the gang took anything else of their hard earned earnings. That bakery would be her first stop.

You enter the bakery and you do not see much in the display case right now, but you can smell the golden loaves of dense bread they are making in the back kitchen.

Aruke places herself at the counter. "Knock, Knock! Someone there?"

You hear someone in the backroom shifting and someone makes their way up front. It is a woman, who looks to be of middle age. "How can I help you today?" she asks "If this is an order you need done today you've come just in time"

Aruke leans over a bit and speaks in a low voice. "You can help me by getting me the owner, here, and then by going back to the baking room and to listen to some podcast, or music, just for your own safety. But don't run, please, you will be needed later."

"okay, well that's me. What do you want?" She says , now sounding angry to be so lightly dismissed because she is a woman (edited)

"Sorry, you may know me, may have seen me once or twice, or thrice. I accompanied gang thugs, who took money from you. Protection money. Well, I guess that must be an awful feeling." She pauses for a second. "I am here as a neighbor. As a friend. How far would you go to pay them back for what they took from you?"

"We would do anything that didn't send us to prison. They've truly gone too far this time"

"So baking a cake for me would be good? I need something good, something big, something that I could place a gift in. I just don't know how big this gift will end up being, I never, um, had to get something like this." With her hands she tries to show how big of a bomb she would assume is big enough to wipe out the whole Leadership in whatever location they are going to party in.

"That's a big cake. What flavor did you have in mind? and what's supposed to be placed in it? "

"Something red for flavor, cherry? Make it red. And placed inside, I can't tell. A device, a device that makes them sad and all the people here who had to endure their shit, happy. You don't want to know more. Um, how much time do I have to bring the device when I need the cake to around 8?"

'It's going to take us a while to heat the oven and get everything ready for use, maybe two hours?"

"Two hours. Okay. Two hours. I'll be back by then. And thank you. Your service will do us all good. Oh, how much do I owe you?"

"If tihs is going to be something to get revenge on those bastards, we'll do it for free. We just don't want this traced back to us if it fails"

"There won't be anyone left to look for revenge." Is what Aruke says as she puts a 100credit credstick onto the counter. "I'll be back in two hours." She leaves the store and runs for the next public phone booth to call detective Ozzie.

He answers on the third ring and sounds like he hasn’t slept in a very long time.

"I need something. Quick. And. Um. Is this line secure?"

"This line is secure. Please go ahead" Ozzie says, waiting for whatever you have to say

"Um. Ozzie. I need a bomb. Something with a remote trigger, that could be put into some large cake. Yes it is what you think it is. No I don't have time, only two hours. This is the perfect chance. The once in a lifetime moment to fix it forever. And if you don't have anything you could snatch from the evidence vault, then you may know who sells this stuff on the street."

"I can get something for you. We can't do it here though. Where should I meet you? Any chance of you using those fancy powers to get into the evidence room on your own?"

"I am running pretty dry. I don't know how much more I can do today (1 Effort left). And if I do, I can't get easily away when the surprise is in place. I would be willing to risk that, but I am unsure if I could teleport and out of the evidence room. But I could try to talk myself in. If that is the only way. We only have two hours, you know the police better than I do. Will you risk it by bringing me a bomb, or will you at least make it easier for me to get into the evidence room?"

"I can make it easier for you to get in, but youll need to get out yourself if we do this" he says "Can't be in two places at once"

"Then so be it. Ozzie. Should I fuck up, should I perish in the flames like the rest of the scum, you keep your promise, right? You protect my brother, right?"

"You've made a promise, and so have I. It's time to end the plague of gangs on this planet once and for all"

"Alright. Wish me luck then. I'll be making my way to the evidence room now. Where is it located?" (Sometimes they are somewhere external, that is why she asks.)

"Basement of the station, behind two gates. I can get them open, and can create enough of a problem to distract the clerks. You'll need to sneak in, and do that fancy magic of yours getting out"

"Will do. Thanks Ozzie. Maybe we meet again." She ends the call without waiting for an answer. She knew that she was reaching her limits for today. But this was so much bigger than herself. It was worth it. So she walks to the station, always looking out to see if she is being followed.

It does not look as though you are being followed by anyone.

Aruke enters the station and would look around, trying to see if the way to the basement is blocked in any way.

You see Ozzie make eye contact with you as you come in. Normally two security gates would prevent someone from walking into the entry for the vault room and Ozzie looks to have just come out of it, making a show of spilling his drink all over the reception desk to ensure they have to clean anything up before pressing the button to close the gates (sneak/dex)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [4, 1] Result: 4 Reason: please roll God, one more time

(Ozzie will give you a +2 for his distraction, giving us a 6)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6] Roll: [5, 3] Result: 8

"Hey, this area is restricted!" the clerk says , looking up from cleaning up the mess, before Ozzie's fist punches into the side of the clerk's head, knocking him out.

7:05 PM

"I've done what I can. Hopefully when he wakes up he won't remember what happened. Get a move on, we don't know how long it'll be before he wakes up " (edited)

"You will be the public hero in the end, so don't worry." Aruke says with a smile, that is both one of sadness and happiness. She rushes into the room. Trying to find the stored explosives and hoping to find anything that looks like a timed or remote controlled one. Anything that seems to not be disarmed, or else it might disarm her, as in ripping her apart when she tries to retinker it.

It looks like you’ve got enough here to make something useful for your purposes , there’s enough former ordinance on the streets to do something here

(is the guard still out of order?)

(Yeah I'd say they'd be down for a few minutes as opposed to something that fits neatly within six second rounds. You don't have time to sight see, but you do have some time to get your equipment in order if you're efficient with your time. We can assume Ozzie is cleaning up, giving them aid so it doesn't look like he is as culpable, and probably keeping others from coming down )

She is not an expert. So she grabs more than necessary. Stuffs it into her back, and with the officer down, she walks back out and would only teleport if someone would try to stop her.

(no one will try, we won't know Ozzie's fate for a while, but you yourself will not be bothered on the way out, but no TP effort)

With this going somewhat quickly, she walks home first, before going to the bakery. At the apartment, she would empty her backpack, looking at the explosives that she found. Trying to make a bomb with it, a bomb that could be remotely detonated, or with a timer, and that would fit into a cake. And all that, without ever having to work with an explosive before. She knew she needed to rely on luck, but she knew it was the right move.

(fix/int)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6 -1] Roll: [3, 1] Result: 3

(okay, so I don't think this would be a fail , but I don't think we'd get all the features we want. So it would fit in the cake, but might not be pwoerful, and you'll have to decide remote or timer)

(makes sense, and it not exploding in her hands is a major boon already. So it fits the cake, but might not be super powerful, how powerful she doesn't know, she might not even know that it is not super powerful. For her limited knowledge, is there any tradeoff between remote or timer? Reliability or more/less space for explosives? As Remote obviously is the easier thing, as she wouldn't need to guess the time of the explosion, and can act naturally. The Timer would have to be guessed before putting it into the cake.)

(The remote might fail)

7:41 AM

(we got a 3 putting this together so there is going to unreliability with whatever method we pick)

(Okay, so she takes timer, and puts it at 2300, so three hours after the beginning of the dinner, that would work, right? So she can walk with the bomb and timer ticking to the bakery.)

(Right, I mean we hope it will be 2300 , but it's not going to insta-blow)

(So fitting for her adventure! Not fit for the job, but does it regardless, no matter the risk. Yeah she puts in 2300 as the detonator time) After tinkering with the bomb carefully but unknowledgeably she puts it back into a bag and into her Backpack before returning to the bakery. She closes the door and puts the sign on closed. "I am back, and um, I put your sign on closed, I am paying for everything you have left, you could give it to the poor then. How is the cake going?"

"ALmost done. Just need your secret ingredient and we will close it up. Can I ask you why you're doing this? I'm happy you are, and I want to help. but I want to know why" the baker says as she changes the sign to closed, and begins lowering shades to cover the glass windows that look out onto the street.

"Because I am selfish. I came here, together with my little brother. We." She looks down as she puts the bomb onto the counter to be put into the cake. "We lost everything before coming here. So I was young, and he even younger. I traded my future for the chance that my brother might actually has one. But where do you end up with nothing in your hands? In the arms of the gangs. The money I earned provided for my brother's education, for the roof above our heads. But the money I earned, was just stolen, taken from others. I felt bad, but had no choice. One day I decided that I was wrong. I had a choice. That is when I decided to work on a chance to end the grip of the gangs that is around the throats of mostly poor and weak." Aruke looks the woman in the eyes. "See. Even if this thing would take my life together with those of the gang leaders, it would still mean that power they once had, vanishes. That the police can bring peace to the streets for once. And that children, like my brother, don't come into the situation of ending their future by becoming a gang member. When the sun dawns tomorrow, this city, this planet, will be a better place. So I do it for my brother, but also for all the others who can't help themselves."

"You're doing a noble thing, even though you fell in with bad people. I hope this works" she says, handing you the finished product after spending several minutes closing it up and frosting it over. "I hope we see you in here again. '

"If so, then it will be a birthday cake. For us all. As we gain our freedom again. Thank you!" Aruke grabs her cake and realizes that she has no dress. So she reroutes through home, to wear some dress she can find and then makes her way to the address that was given to her.

You are welcomed into the manor home by security, and they have been expecting you. There is a quick wanding looking for wires and other listening devices but finding none, they let you inside to a large dining room where it looks like the families and their captains are coming together to meet.

Aruke takes a quick peek into the dining room to see if there was any piece of furniture, suited to put the cake onto, which was still hidden in its packing. The dining room was preferred, so a premature explosion would not be waste. If no such thing exists, she would go to the kitchen, or better, try to find it.

There is a server, off to the back of the room behind the boss of the family where baked goods, coffee, and other items not meant to be on the table, but available for guests to be placed, and it looks like there is a home for your offering as well. "What did you bring us, Aruke?" the boss asks ,noticing you coming into the room. "Everyone, this is Aruke, one of the only 'Tre in the family, and the only made 'Tre on the planet right now. They're clever and have been an asset to us over the last weeks"

She smiles and nods as the boss is talking about her, then leans in to him. "It is cake, from one of our bakeries. Smells wonderful, that will truly be a cake to die for! But everything has a time, and the cake's time is not now. I'll put it on the server, but it won't disappoint!" As said, she puts it onto the free spot and then moves to her seat. Looking at them, and feeling like she is part of a weird Last Supper. Now it was time to play the good gang member and to make sure nobody touches the cake, before the heart of the cake brought doom to them all.

(did you have any interest in roleplaying during dinner? )

(why not. If this goes badly in certain ways, the dinner could very well be her last. But there is also an outcome were all walk out alive, so having some RP with the others is beneficial, well and I like it anyway)

"So Aruke, you come to this world from elsewhere" one of the other Don's asks. He is a portly man in a tan suit that looks to be having a lot of trouble holding him in. You wish your arms were as strong as some of those buttons. "I'd like to hear about your home, since you've seen ours"

"Sure." Her eyes stop to look at the present scene as she starts to bring up memories of her childhood. Of a beautiful past. She absent but still present. "The name of the world, in the language of my people, is Enez Vriad. I don't know what it is in mandate, I have yet to find it on a star map. It means Island of Flowers. The word of my culture for planet, translates to Island. Because for us, they are Island in the endless ocean of the universe. Enez Vriad has a temperate climate but no seasons. It isn't tilted and I guess the orbit was pretty circular. But I am no astronomer. The world was mostly oceans with hundreds of thousands smaller and medium size archipelagos. The ocean was pretty shallow in most places. And in the archipelagos it was often possible to walk from island to island, as the water between the island was sometimes only knee deep. The 'Tre on this world were only one of two higher species, with a Mosk civilization being the other. And they actually were the higher developed. The 'Tre were mostly tribal in nature. The ocean was filled with fish, and coral like structures, crustaceans, shellfish, and large sea snails. Due to the abundance of these animals, the beaches were white. The snails did produce pearls. Well, I mean, it was actually their feces. But not different than pearls on other worlds. Colorful pearls. I loved to wander the beaches and collect these pearls. They were so beautiful. I had so many wonderful necklaces." She takes a sip of water before she continues. "But when the name of our world was island of flowers, not pearls then you know that we also have flowers. In fact, there were only some types of tree on the bigger islands. But the islands were full of flowers. Small ones. And large ones, two or three meters in height. And with so many wonderful scents and in soo many wonderful colors. Our housings were made out of these flowers. It was a simple life. But a wonderful one." She comes back into the here and now and takes a larger sip while looking at the other guests.

(lets get three luck saves)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Rolls: [8] Result: 8 [1] Result: 1 [18] Result: 18 Reason: vs13

(fail, fail, success)

(You have 1/3 your health remaining)

8:31 AM

The bomb goes off just as you begin looking around the table. It is very premature and shards from the furniture fly everywhere, impaling those at dinner and around the room. A few of the wounded mobsters are alive, but no one looks to be in the condition to walk or fight anytime soon. Blood covers the walls and floor, along with screams of those in pain. You yourself have a large shard of wood embedded through your leg.

(alrighty, great, great. So the bomb was on the server behind the boss and his family. Don't know if the leadership was close to him or scattered. But from where Aruke is, does the boss look dead or alive? From a non medics standpoint and from the distance in a chaotic room. Just to decide which way my post goes.)

(everyone is dead or dying, except for you, who is very close)

The loud bang has her vision, has all of her senses shaking. Blood, gore, death, wherever she sees. No clear words leave her mouth, until she looks down and sees her leg, and she shard of wood. "U, u, aaaahh, it hurts, it hurts. I am dying, I am dying!" She sobs and screams until she thinks about her brother for a split second. Under pain she longs for her phone and has to wipe away the blood, her blood that covers her phone. She sends Ozzie a message. Locate the phone call, it is the price. I lie in alley, be fast OR I DIE! She calls Ozzie and once he accepts she puts the phone on the ground and crawls forward towards the boss. Once she reaches him, dead or not she rams a wood shard into his heart, filled with anger and disgust. Once she knows he is no more, she teleports to the alley she came from when she walked towards the building. Lying on the ground she waits for help. Ozzie will surely come. Someone will. Unsure if she will pass out from pain, die from bleeding or whatnot, she lies there, waiting for what was to happen. (edited)

(didn't we use our last effort to get out of the evidence lockup? Or did we not ? )

(we did not, we walked out while mister guard was knocked down by Ozzie and nobody questioned her on the way out, so we saved that one point. What we don't know is if Ozzie can do anything. Because he might be in trouble because he knocked that guy out. So she might have called him, but that might not mean anything. She might be lying in the alley, with no help to come and no effort left.) (edited)

With a blink, you teleport into an alley, badly injured, but alive.

Without a phone there was no option to call anyone. With the shard in her leg, walking long distances was impossible either. Walking, was not a thing she was able to do right now anyway. Aruke leans against a wall and looks down the alley. She hopes for Ozzie to come, but was uncertain if he would. She didn't want to scream for help, afraid that some low gang members were still up, or even fleeing. Finding her here, crying for help, might raise their suspicion and might make them come to the right conclusion, which would leave her dead on the spot. And once the police arrives, she couldn't easily scream for help as well, as they would just arrest her. As long as she felt that she had enough life in her, she wanted to just sit and wait. See if Ozzie comes. But she knew that she needed to scream for help if her health was dwindling even more.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [1d20] Roll: [11] Result: 11

There is the sound of car tires crunching on gravel on the pavement and you see a police car, lights off, park at the foot of the alley. Your vision is cloudy, and red stained from what must be a cut above your eye but you feel strong arms grabbing you and lifting you up. "you're alright Aruke. Half the city is focused on the bomb site. Technician doesn't remember getting knocked out, just that I found them. "

"You are lying. I see it in your face. It is getting red. But that might also just be blood that colors my sight red. I knew you would come. Even without any power left to touch the colorful streams of the Metaspace and look into the future. Thank you Ozzie. And I think I did it. How bad do I look? It, it hurts so much." She leans heavily into Ozzie, hoping that he would support her enough, so she didn't need to put too much weight on the leg. But anything hurt. But she is alive. Nothing else mattered. And once the dust settles, she will know if she succeeded or if her work was not yet finished.

"You're going to live. You're probably going to walk again too, somehow. You're exceptionally lucky. Not sure how the house is looking, won't know for some hours now, but what happened in there?" You feel a towel being tied tightly just above the wound and something with a strong alcoholic smell beiing pressed under your nose to keep you awake.

"Walk somehow? Haha.." The words are interrupted by coughing and sounds of pain. "I still have my magic at times. And what happened? Well my bomb in a cake went off, a bit earlier than expected. But I am also no bomb Builder. It was bound to go wrong. But I hope it wenn wrong the right way. Most of them looked dead, or at least unable to flee. It was the whole leadership Ozzie. All of them wiped out. It is worth the pain. Please tell me you will bring me to a hospital and it won't be you stitching me together with a hot needle or something."

"It's not going to be me, but no hospital for you. They're going to place you as a bombing victim and you'll be investigated as a member of the family, probably jailed. We're going to see a friend of mine, he's a doctor, very discrete"

"Please tell me he doesn't usually work with animals. But I guess as long as I survive, I am fine with it." Aruke just wants to close her eyes for a bit, but she knows that this would be a bad decision, so she stares at the passing street lights. Groans at every bump that the car passes over. And continues to listen to Ozzie. Thankful.

"No no, no animals. People, kids actually, but he's got the skills. He's patched me back together more than once" You can feel the car speeding through the streets around you. Ozzie does not have his lights on as to not attract attention, but it is clear he is trying to get you there before the bleeding gets worse, or before the tourniquet is on your leg for too long.

"That is good to know, Ozzie. I feel so cold, my leg, my leg feels so numb." Aruke starts to shiver. Gently at first, but it is there. Sweat forms on her forehead. Cold sweat. "Thank you for helping me."

(3xp, 5000 credits)

7:07 AM

There is little that you remember over the next few days before you wake up at home. You remember bits of coming into a dark basement, of bright lights being shone in your eyes, of feeling pinpricks of pain and a stinging sensation as antiseptic was applied to the wound, and of feeling another in your arm. Ozzie sits next to you, a needle in his too. You remember the doctor not being sure if your blood is compatible, but absent any other solutions, it seemed better to try, because death would have been assured in either case. You don't remember getting home, or how you got here. The blankets are stained red, only thinly, near the wound, but the blood looks to be old. In the other room, the wall holo sounds like it is on. The news is being played but you're too far away to hear what is being said.

She could teleport to the other room. Maybe. She wasn't sure. And at first she needed to know how bad it was. So she tries to get up in bed and look under the blankets and then try to move her legs.

Your legs are pained, but they do move. You will be able to walk, and you can walk short distances now.

Slowly and carefully she sets her feet to the ground. Feeling the cold linoleum floor. And then, slowly getting up. She uses the wall for support as she walks towards the sound of the news.

The news has been left on. Your brother is not home from the looks of things, off at school most likely given the hour. The report shows the smoke coming from the side of the manor home, and a steady stream of reporting indicates that most of the victims were known or suspected senior members of powerful families here on the planet. The news cannot go as far as to call them criminals due to the legal and procedural rules of this planet's court system, but from your own time on the wrong side of the law, you can see that the victims are all important members of their own organizations, and this is a blow the families will not recover from.

(does that mean I finished my "Destroy the Gangs of Radji" goal?)

(it does, as a bounty I anticipated this being a few missions, but you were clever, got people into one place, and struck well, and this has been a lingering issue- so I am comfortable counting this as 3 missions toward bounty hunters guild too. Honestly, even the set up for this big payoff probably covers about 3 missions anyway, so however we slice it this feels fair)

Level Up!

Level 4

Old HP 15
Roll: 18
New HP: 18

New AB 2


2 SP + 1 PSP

Dex 13-> 14 (1SP)
Postcog 0-> 1 (1SP+1PsP)
Technique: Mortis Cry

Level UP!

Level 5

Old HP: 18
Roll: 27
New HP: 27

New Focus: Psychic Training(teleport) LvL 2 

2SP + 1PSP + 5 TelePSP

Talk 0->1 (2SP)
Teleport 1->2 (3 TelePSP)
New Technique: Spatial Synchrony Mandala

New Technique: Perceptive Dislocation (2TelePsP)

1 PSP banked

( all looks right to me!)

A few weeks have passed since Aruke literally blew away the problem with the crime families. The pain in her body hadn't completely gone away, some may never. But it was worth it. She sits in the window frame of the kitchen window of her tenth floor apartment, looking down at the street. It is raining, as it often does, and the neon light from the neon signs is reflecting off the wet asphalt. Down there runs the reason why she did all this in the first place. Why it was worth it. Her brother. She waves at him, and he waves back as he rushes towards their building, trying to not end up soakingly wet. His future seemed better now than it had been before the attack. But Aruke was careful not to look into his future. She never did. Family was always taboo. Because of her emotionality about family. She would not bear it if she found something dark in his future. And after all, he was all that was left of her family. She turns around, gets down from the window frame and closes the window behind her. She cooked for her brother. Mediocre at best, but he'll still like it. He always does. They eat together. Afterwards, she helps him with his homework. At least she tries, however, Tsag has already enjoyed far more modern education than she has, and thus was more educated. Aruke and her brother end up having a harmonious afternoon. Towards the evening, Aruke begins to dress up, and is met with comments and questions from Tsag. Whether she would have a romantic date. A question she answered in the negative. She didn't feel it was a romantic date, even if she didn't know how Ozzie felt about it. But for her he was just a friend. She didn't know if she could love a human anyway. They all looked alike, had this weird hair everywhere, and their skin was too smooth, and so thin. Still, tonight he was going to become more. Only he didn't know that yet. She said goodbye to her brother in the early evening and headed for a nice Mosk-led restaurant. Say what you will about Mosk etiquette, but they knew how to prepare sea food. She stands outside, waiting for Ozzie to arrive.

Ozzie walks up to the front of the building, eschewing the patrol car for the night, and is likewise dressed in a complementary fashion to you. He waves a hand in greeting, though not over enthusiastically. The last few weeks have been trying for him as well. His involvement in what happened at the crime family home was eventually known ,based on security footage, and the testimony of the evidence room clerk who did end up remembering something after all. There was a tense hearing, and he expected to lose his job, banked on the subject being a closed case in fact, when instead due to his initiative, and ability to think outside the box while still following mostof the laws, he was instead promoted to special inspector, though was given a few weeks off to recuperate from the tense ordeal. The streets are safer in some places, and more dangerous in others as the surviving capos try to re-create what has been lost. Of your former gang associates, you have not been contacted by any of them, though sweeps have taken almost the entire family off the street.

Aruke hugs Ozzie and shows him a smile. "You won't be disappointed, the place is really good. And I reserved us a more private area. Follow me." Aruke guids Ozzie through the restaurant and to an alcove like area where they could sit and talk more openly. "So how have you been? You look good. Paid off to put your trust in me, didn't it?"

"For a while there during the hearings I wasn't so sure, but even if things had gone differently, I'd still have felt good taking those people off the street. The department is dirty though. I feel like I'm at risk and need to watch my back while I'm out on the beat. Something's got to be done to clean out the department, and soon.

"And I assume you rather don't want that to hit the news like that other story." Aruke says with a smile as a Mosk waiter appears at their table. Their shell a shiny ruby colored eye catcher. "Hey." Aruke says. "Please bring us a bottle of water, and a bottle of the Ioanakos Blue Wine. And for starters, please a Platter of the Ocean, for two. Thank you." Once the Mosk left again, Aruke turns to Ozzie again. "I'll treat you to dinner, and as I know not many humans usually visit this place, I choose some good things. The Platter of the Oceans is an awesome starter. So many little tasty things. They even have these little live sea snails. They remind me of a similar species from my homeworld. They are best eaten by swallowing them whole, and then you feel them trying to crawl back up. A real delicate sensation. Something you don't get from the usual human cooks. But don't worry if it gets too much, there are those little filled balls, their contents sedate the snails and they will peacefully glide down to their final destination. You will love it, I know it! I don't even need to look into the future for that." Aruke smiles as she looks at Ozzie and quickly adds. "But with your problem in the department, I can help you, I am currently unemployed anyway, as I killed my former boss."

"Have you put some thought into what you might want to do going forward? I was watching you walk on the way over, seems like your leg is about better. Bounty payoff was good I'm sure, but not enough to retire on"

"It is better, yes. I guess I will feel it until I die, but it was worth this price. And yes, the payout was good. Got a slightly better apartment for my brother and I, but retirement, no. It would be a waste of my gift. It felt good to take out the bad guys. I guess using my abilities to continue that path, and make the universe a safer place. That would be something I'd like to do. But next time I might try to not get blown up by a bomb." She says adding a smile. "So even if helping you won't pay me anything, I would still do it."

"I had another idea regarding that. Have you considered trying to register for polity service instead? They might have more use of your gifts than I could make here. There aren't many bad guys left for you to do something about here"

She just stares at Ozzie for a bit. "Polity service? Really? You think they would take a 'Tre like me? And that would also mean off world duties. Who would look out for my brother?"

"I don't see why they wouldn't. Especially not with your talents. I can check in on your brother, or maybe they'd even let him go with you" Ozzie says, grimacing slightly as the snails are delivered to the table.

Aruke laughs seeing Ozzie's face. "Her look, this is how you eat them." Aruke takes one which tries to escape her fingers, she leans back, opens her mouth and lets it fall. Then swallows it, due to her natural skinnyness one can almost see the fight of the snail to escape her throat again, while Aruke gently swerves from left to right with closed eyes. About half a minute later she takes one of the little balls that almost look like pralines, she bites on it, swallows it, and then all is gone. "Wonderful. But that on the left, is the, um, more commonly accepted seafruit area. Exotic things too, but nothing too crazy, but everything is really delicious. Oh and my brother, no, I don't want him to leave the planet. I didn't almost die to make it a better place, just to bring him somewhere else. He is old enough to look out for himself when I am away. But if you could check in on him from time to time, that would be wonderful. With the Protectorate, um, I don't know, you who like, write me some recommendation? I would not want to go in there an tell someone their future just to show them what I can do. But I understand that you can't easily write what we did here."

"What about the academy branch here? They probably have someone on their staff who could figure out what you do ,and that you're not lying. They've got to have a teacher or someone there, right?" he asks, eyeing one of the snails. With a wince he thinks you did not notice, he tries one, immediately going for one of the prauline balls right after.

1:51 PM

"These actually I like" he says , looking at the praulines. "I think I just figured out what I'm going to do next time I have a sore throat"

Aruke giggles, and honest, warm, and kind giggle. "Thanks for trying, Ozzie. And I have not thought about the Academy, but yes, they could surely tell that I am legit. As long as they don't want me to teach others. I mean I would, but, once you are in such an organization like the Psychic Academy, you made it, you are out of harms way. I want to help people, and I want to bring bad people to jail. But you are right, the Academy could be a great stepping stone, towards polity service. And maybe I get to learn something more about my abilities. You know, where I am from, this gift was running through the veins of most of my families people. And we didn't learn it so structured like they do here in these schools. It was more about feeling it. Fishing in the endless colorful streams of Metaspace energies. Calming the storms and forcing them into the directions we need them in." "I don't want to dive into a boring talk about this, which might not interest you. Oh. The main course is coming to us. I ordered it beforehand, so they have it here. Longfin Snoek. A delicious fish from the warm southern shores of Radji. On a bed of Kroepoek, prawn crackers, and vegetables and seaweed. I asked my brother what humans like to their meals, he said fries, so I made them do some fries as well." Once the fish arrives at the table and Plates are placed for both of them, Aruke starts to cut the fish, and the best cut telekinetically flows over to Ozzie's plate. "The best, just for you, and untouched, thanks to telekinesis. I hope you like it." After she filled her plate as well, she asks. "Um, do you know about the 'Tre Bonds?"

"I'd rather hear it first hand from you. There are talking, rumors, and so on, but nothing I've heard has come from an actual 'Tre, or anyone I trust to know what they're talking about. That was all before anyone thought I'd make an investigator" he laughs, a quiet one mostly to himself.

"We are many and different. The 'Tre are a diverse species. There are some who only bond through, well, getting it done." She says uncomfortably before getting a bit more relaxed after. "Some just, click, bond with a willing partner. Then there is the who we bond with. Some do only bond with their lovers and life long partners. Some only bond in family. Others bond with whoever they see fit, like comrades in war. So this bond can be sacred or just be a part of everyday life. So whoever you meet, might tell you something slightly different, and they still aren't necessarily wrong. For my kind. We bond by standing in a body of water with the designated partner and by signing and focusing on each other. We bond out of appreciation, not romantic feelings. Appreciating each other's skills. After bonding, there stays something with the partner, even if one is separated. And in times of need it feels like one can pull from this bond. As if the combined knowledge of the partners stays with you. And yes, that means in my culture, one 'Tre could have multiple partners over the span of their lives. Yet that usually involves 'Tre on 'Tre bonds. I, I, my people were only 'Tre, we did not meet other species before being taken from our homeworld. Um. So. Ozzie. Um..."

"Are you asking me something?" he asks, one eyebrow arched. "I don't need to be an inspector to figure this one out either, I think"

"I, I do. But I don't want you to get a wrong feeling, or think badly about me. You have shown great instinct. And you have put your duty to do good, above your job and safety. And that made a really lasting impression on me. And you became a friend. So. I. I wanted to ask you if you would be interested in joining a bond with me."

"I would. I guess a bit different than our concept of marriage, isn't it. Should expect you to be moving in or anything?" he asks, trying to come to grips with the concept.

If she was a human, she would have been red as a tomato right now, but blushing is nothing that her kind of 'Tre do. The skin on her head just gets wrinklier. "Um, no, no, not like that. Not romantic marriage thing. Uh, see, uh, we stay friends. But. Um, more than friends. Somewhat. Once the bond is created, and we are close to each other, you will feel my presence, and I will feel yours. But even if we are separated, like me being on another world, something of you stays with me, and something of me stays with you. Listen, I never bonded before, I don't even know if it works with a human. All I know is hearsay of my people. Hearsay of other 'Tre. Don't think that you will be my husband, or that you owe me anything for this. Or have to care for me or look out for me anymore than you would do anyhow. We would enter a 'Tre bond out of trust and appreciation of the other's abilities. I know, it is not easy to grasp. I am sorry."

"I think I understand what you mean now. Well, where do we need to go to do this, I am interested"

"Really? I mean, wonderful, wow!" She says with a mix of suprise and excitement. "Um. Yes, yes, there is this small pool in that one hotel across Main Street. Not cheap, but we should be pretty alone there. And I know that they sell swimwear, as, well, I brought some, but I didn't tell you. So you don't have some. Will you go there with me, after dinner of course as this fish is delicious."

(if youd idn't want to add anything further to this I think that would be a good scene to move into next)

(nothing further to add, so I am good to move to the next scene, you can set it if you want.) (edited)

(I think I'm following your lead here since you've created this bonding ritual for your tribe of Tre)

After a sea themed dessert Ozzie and Aruke, who was now 200 credits lighter, make their way over to the aforementioned hotel. Access to the private pool and some swimming clothes for Ozzie bring the costs for this evening to 500 Credits for Aruke. But it was nothing compared to what Aruke, and Ozzie, will gain from this. Aruke is nervous and gets quickly changed into her swimming attire. As she gets to the pool, she finds it empty, no other guest seems to have found their way to the pool at this time of day, much to her relief. The night time skyline of Radji's capital city can be seen through the large windows, and the many lit windows of the far away skyscrapers appear like distant stars on a night sky. Aruke hops into the pool, diving underwater, feeling alive. It is like a flashback, back to when she was still a kid, and in the water every day. Back at the surface she waits for Ozzie to come to the pool.

Ozzie spends another few moments getting ready and no doubt undergoing some of the same mental struggles you are- before finally appearing in the pool. You can see his body is peppered in scars, and scratches. He has a small skull and dagger tattoo on his upper left arm, though the unit name and citation number are unknown. Tattoos are common like this among humans, especially those who have served. You've heard more than one grim joke during your time in the gang from some of the ex- servicemembers who joined, with some mirthful laughter saying it is another way to help identify a body if it becomes too mangled to otherwise tell coroners who had died. He has a small bit of a gut developing as he accustoms to his less active desk work, but you can see there is vast strength deep down in him.

Aruke stares at Ozzie for a moment too long, so that it might actually feel like staring. She looks at his scars, looks at his tattoo. Then, she smiles at him and waves him to come closer. Once Ozzie is only an arms length away, Aruke reaches out to take his hands, then, in the water, she goes into full lotus, and tells Ozzie to do the same. With the help of her telekinetic proves, she keeps them floating, parts of their upper body are outside of the water, while the rest stays submerged. A swivel of water rotates around them as Aruke closes her eyes and starts to sing. Words in a language alien to Ozzie can be heard, sung in a clean voice. There is a pull felt in their respective minds. Not unpleasant, just constantly there, connecting them. Once she reopens her eyes and stops singing, for a split moment, Ozzie can see through Aruke's eyes, and vice versa. From that moment on, there is a bond, a feeling that the other is there, with the other, but in their minds, and souls. Aruke hugs Ozzie. "Thank you. That was so so much more than I thought it was. I, I hope it wasn't unpleasant to you?"

"It was something new, but not unpleasant. I can feel you here, but I can see you in front of me, too. It is also more than I thought it would be, but I don't regret it "

Aruke loosens the hug again. "Thank you, for everything. You will forever be with me, and I with you, that bond is more special than any friendship could be. Now. Look me in the eyes. I can go to this Psychic Academy, and grow. But I want you to have a more relaxed future ahead of you. So is there really nothing I can do to help weed out the rats and dirt within the police, those who still make you a headache?"

"I think I'm going to register for polity service. They wouldn't dare touch me then, and I won't be investigating them anymore either. Even if I do rub out the dirty cops, their families, or other people who depended on me will hold me responsible. The circle is going to keep getting bigger and bigger, and I don't see a way out that doesn't end with me dying" (edited)

"I don't want you to die. And I won't look into your future to tell you if your decision is good or bad. I don't do that with family. And you are as close as family to me now. Is there anything I can do to help you get that spot? Or is it better if we aren't too close professionally for a bit?" Aruke asks as she submerges a bit more to not freeze.

(I'm setting up for either, we can help him ferret out the dirty cops as his last job as special inspector, or he can go off and do other missions, either with you, or privately so he becomes a companion and you'll have access to more skills as you/he level)

(I feel like, Aruke wouldn't leave before making sure that Ozzie is safe. So helping him get the dirty cops to jail, would be the best thing to do. What happens after that, we will see.)

(sounds good,)

6:23 PM

"Well, getting rid of them might buy me some time to think through other options. Suppose we could do one last caper together, before you submit yourself to the Academy. What do you think?"

Aruke swims around Ozzie. Playfully acting as if she was thinking it through. Then she starts laughing. "You already knew my answer to that, didn't you? We do this together. We'll make sure that your future will be free of any fear that someone is going to come for your life. We should start working on this tomorrow! I can be a civilian advisor if I should appear officially."

"I think everyone will know what the subtext of all this is, but I'll make it official, of course" Ozzie says, laying back to float in the water, looking at the dim lights on the ceiling in contemplation.

Aruke swims around the pool, enjoying the warm water and the privacy they have there. "They might. But they also don't really know me. For I officially have nothing to do with what happened in that apartment. What do you say. We enjoy warm water for now. And tomorrow morning we meet somewhere else and talk about work?"

Ozzie agrees, stretching out onto his back and looking skyward toward the dim lights. He is quiet now, enjoying the strange new sensations he feels

Aruke enjoys the peacefulness until they both have to leave the pool because it was about to close soon. Once they are back on the street and about to go to their respective homes, Aruke hugs Ozzie once more. "Thank you. I hope, aside from the bond, you did have a great evening as well? I know of no other Human that I would have taken to that Mosk restaurant, except for you. And for once, I felt so free again swimming with you. For me, tonight was perfect."

"New experiences, but I don't regret any of them. I'm going to need to find a connection for those numbing balls, I was not joking" Ozzie says , escorting you to the front steps of your building. "I guess this is my stop then"

Aruke smiles at him. "It is Ozzie. In a different life, as different beings, I might have asked you to come upstairs, to drink some coffee. But here, tonight, it is just a goodbye. See you tomorrow, Ozzie. It was wonderful. Where do we meet tomorrow? The police station?"

"The police station it is. I will see you then" Ozzie says, before heading off into the night, back to his own home.

Aruke watches him leave before she enters the building. Her brother was asleep already, and she would be too soon. A wonderful evening, she even forgot her paining leg. After a restful night, Aruke puts on her most business looking clothes and walks towards the Police Station.

(did we have any personal goals for making a bond?)

(no, she wasn't really wishing or striving to have a bond, it just happened because right now it was soo fitting. So I never set that up as a goal)

(got it! 3xp, and 5000 credits for what we did so far)

12:04 PM

The next morning, Ozzie is waiting for you outside the apartment building, a few minutes early for your meeting,such is his way.

Aruke leaves the apartment building looking towards the bus station when she almost bumps into Ozzie, slightly before impact she just teleports behind him, then turns around again. "Hey! Didn't see you! Didn't expect you! I already wondered why the bond felt so strong on the way down. How come I get to enjoy not having to walk alone?"

"Taking a different route this morning, trying to keep things unpredictable until we finish this investigation. I'm worried. I saw the same unmarked van pass my house twice last night- but I think they wanted me to see it. If they really wanted to be quiet, I would not have known"

Aruke looks worried at Ozzie. "Did you run a check on the van? Or do you think it is a red herring, set in place to both scare you and cost you investigative time?"

"I think a red herring. Not worth the time, just sending me a message. They're watching me, because they know I'm watching them"

"So you better be careful, at least until we have them where we want them." She walks at his side towards the police station. "How many rogue subjects do you expect are within the police? And what does your gut tell you, what is the highest ranked one?"

"I think one of the other special inspectors is responsible for this, but I would think about ten people under him, maybe a few more who aren't working on this full time, or at least most of the time "

Aruke nods. "I trust your feeling in this, but if you are indeed right, this will be a tough thing to crack, but that might also be the reason why they are still in business. Remember when I told you about the information of the other gang? When I told you to sit back and wait so those working with my former gang would reveal themselves? If they revealed themselves and got busted already, they might still be worth a new in-depth check again. As one group of shady people within the police, might had contact with another."

"True. The corruption here is rampant. It's hard to get to the bottom of it all and if I was in the EP management making decisions for this place, I'd dismantle the entire police force from top to bottom, and fill it all in again with new people. "

"But would that look all too good? There might also be no trust to the new police officers, and they would still need years of training before they could actually do the job. I guess we are better off if we find the foul fruit, and squash it. The spaces that open up can be filled with good people. But that as well is a hard task, as any foul fruit left could lead to others become that way too. Unless they know what happens with foul fruit..." She keeps the statement hanging before turning to Ozzie. "Sorry, I've been in that gang for way too long. But it is as it is, we need to find them. Did you have a number of suspicious officers that need to be checked out or are we fishing in the dark, with only the knowledge that there is foul fruit?"

"In the dark for right now, I don't even know where to begin , especially now I'm still getting a feel for the people below me, but I know there's dirty fruit in the place. We just need a way to get them into the open"

"I was part of a gang. Nobody knows that I worked with you to bring them all down. What if you introduce me as the new Officer? We throw hints of a potential shady past of me. So I might be attracting the dirty fruit as a potential ally? I know it is risking me once more, but." She teleports five meter forward and waits for Ozzie to catch up again. "But I always find ways out of bad situations, and even survive a boom. Better than risking you."

(Talk/cha)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6+1+1] Roll: [4, 1] Result: 7

"You're right, we did this once already, and we worked it out. I think if I bring you into the actual department heads are going to turn though. They're going to go cold, and we might never figure this out. "

"That is true." She drags him into a nearby shady alley. "That is why we won't go there together. You are influential, I still have some underworld connections. And I still sit on some money. I could forge some papers. Look like a new inspector or officer. And you make sure I get a position. Then you start spreading rumors, about my potential troublesome past. This should make me look like the ideal target for them to approach. It would be undercover work once more. But if we succeed, Radji will be a golden world. Crime families, wiped out. Police, cleaned. It will be a better place. And everyone with criminal intent will know, that Radji is a dangerous place to be evil on."

"Alright. But you need to promise me something, if something happens, or if you get made, you need to escape. Take your brother, and get off world without me"

"But if I find a way to take you with us as well. Would you come? Would you join us?"

"They'll never stop hunting me, especially if we fail .I'd love nothing more, but we might not get that chance"

"Okay. I will leave you behind then, to protect myself and my brother." It was a lie, she knew it the moment the words left her mouth. She knew she was powerful enough to protect them all. He just doesn't know yet. But then again, this scenario was only for if she fails. And she won't. "Alright Ozzie. I will get myself some papers, some certificates, I will look like a somewhat good officer, who just finished police academy. We won't talk until then. But you know that I will always be there. Just make sure I get a position in the right department once I come looking for work."

"I will. Do your part, I'll do mine, and we'll have weird seafood somewhere quiet again the day you turn your papers in. Sound good? "

She doesn't answer, she just hugs him. "Alright. Go. I have to see which old contacts still exist."

(did you have ideas on where you might want to find them, or if not we can do a connect/cha to see what we can scrape together) (edited)

(I mean, that supermarket might still be in business if they were not part of the gang but freelance criminals, so to speak. If they are, Aruke could construct a believable story. Else we have nothing established and a connect/cha would be the only choice to see if any off screen contacts can be used)

(we could try the market, we dont know if they are still around or not as things stand right now)

This time Aruke doesn't watch Ozzie leave. She turns around and takes a deep breath. Trying to get papers done, she returns to the best place she had in mind that already did some work for her, the supermarket.

(notice/wis)

deleted_user_ca92ecf351f7

used /r

Daira of Artema| P| Elisa| Aruke Request: [2d6+0+0] Roll: [6, 3] Result: 9

(this never lit up for me , I'm sorry!) The "supermarket" looks to still be in business. They are not as busy as they used to be, but are still operating for now. You see no evidence you're being followed, observed, or given any kind of undue attention by the poeple running errands in the area.

Aruke enters the supermarket and walks to the aisle with the dog food. "I have question wiz dog food! Some here to help?" She yells. Trying to act like a stupid customer. "I only had jellyfish as pets when I was young, don't want to kill dog with wrong food." She opens a package and tries to chew on one of the bites. "That hard! Is that normal?" The aim is to see if the usuals are still here, not trained in treating customers, or if someone new was installed, maybe by the police to try and snatch leftover gang members. She assumes that if the police took over, that they might treat customers well, because they don't know how little Markos and his people cared for the customers who were walking through his fake business.

"Just kill yourself and let the dog eat that!" an empployee yells from an aisle over. It sounds as though things are business as normal here.

"I don't think they eat 'Tre. I see the Aruke brand here, do you also have some Markos available? I know that they always do good." She replies, suppressing a laugh after what the other employee said.

"Markos is in back, behind the meat counter. I'll tell him a distributor is coming to meet him. You know the rules"

"Always have." She waits for a bit, then walks to the meat counter. "Maybe some fresh dogfood is better than the dry one." She eyes Markos and looks around, making sure nobody else is close. "You know me, do you?"

"More than I'd like to" he agrees "What do you need, besides a coffin for your pet when you feed them the wrong thing"

"I am not too good with pets, I guess. Well, what I need is rather delicate. Someone did this whole mess in the city. Someone sold us all to the cops. Some worm who surely still is creeping in that institution. I need a ticket into the police. Can you get me a certificate? From some Police Academy? Nothing too fancy, but also not too bad, so I could get a good position and find those who were connected. Can you do that?"

"Got it. So it needs to hold up to scrutiny then, right? They're going to run this and it needs to show you actually went somewhere right?"

"Yes. Depending on your skills, it might be best to choose some place not on Radji. Maybe not even within the EP. Just to discourage any attempts to check it with the actual place that is printed onto the certificate. I mean, I think you could fake a Radji one and get me into their systems, but they might check back with actual instructors and teachers, and they wouldn't know me. Unless we assume that they couldn't tell 'Tre apart. Money is not of the issue here, the only importance is that it works and gets me a spot as an inspector or something similar."

"No, you're right. Off-world makes more sense. Too many loose ends trying to do it here. How about Erdoza? Records there are a mess, probably easy to slip you in that way"

"Oh, right! Erdoza is a real shithole, at least so I heard. Yeah, it is EP but no place where one would even hope to find a competent contact to talk to. Perfect. So can you do that? And how long will it take?"

"I can have it done by this evening. Come back and ask for pet food. I'll make sure I come out. 350 credits at time of delivery, and we'll call it even"

Aruke nods. "Will do." She almost starts to walk out as she turns around once more. "Can you recommend any of your dog food?"

"For real? Like food for an actual dog?" he asks, incredulously, no longer sure if you're trying to set up some kind of code, or if you have an actual need for it.

Aruke nods. "Yeah, for real. I, uh, there is this dog, I don't know if it is still alive or not. I have to admit that I forgot about her, and her owner is a douchebag and might have gone to jail with all the others during the last wave of police activity. And I have nothing else to do until you finish your work, so I wanted to grab some good Dog Treats and try to find her. So, after pouring out my heart, is any of the stuff good?" She points at the isle with pet supplies.

"Oh, you mean actual dog food. Yeah this stuff is okay, not good for older dogs since its fattier, but if its younger this won't bother them too much. Might help your dog you forgot about. You should save that thing"

"I'll try." She grabs some of the dog treats. "I'll pay it with the rest later." She says as she waves good bye and leaves the store. Her destination is the apartment building where the drug mixer lives, or lived, depending on if he got put into jail already or not. Aruke knows that if he was put to jail, that the dog might already be in a dog shelter, but still, this place was the first to look for the dog. So she tries to get up to the door without drawing attention.

You can hear someone moving around inside the apartment along with the excited barking of the dog. The mixer is home, shouting at the dog to be quiet.

Aruke had been in this apartment before already. She could easily teleport in, take the dog and teleport out. But she doesn't. She opens a pack of dog treats to let its scent spread. She then knocks at the door.

The dog inside begins to sniff and bark. As predicted it has smelled the treats and has begun to pester its owner to try to get outside. You can hear him scolding the dog before the door opens a crack, kept mostly closed by a thick brass chain, you do not remember this from exploring here previously.

Aruke looks at the man and puts up a smile. "Hey! Um, sorry to intrude. I have been hearing you scolding that fine girl every day for like weeks. And I wonder if the dog might be too much for you right now? I could take care of it, the dog can live with me. I would even be willing to pay." Aruke tries to play nice, no teleporting, no aggression, nothing. Just a trying to be nice.

"What? No, of course now. This is my dog. I'm not going to sell Trixie to anyone." He looks very confused, and a bit offended, and makes to begin closing the door.

Aruke steps forward. Not the regular step forward, hit head at the closing door, or trying a test of strength to see if she can force the door open. No. She steps forward, and thanks to her knowledge of the room behind the door, she teleports in. It is almost silent. So silent maybe, that she lets the Drug Mixer stare into the nothingness that now faces him with Aruke no longer standing in front of his door. At least until Aruke kneels down, pets Trixie and gives her some dog treats. Same as she did a few weeks ago. "But you did sell drugs to unsuspecting people. You should be somewhere else now, and that somewhere else is a cold cell." She gets up again and turns towards the mixer awaiting his reaction.

"What are you going to do about it? You don't have any proof" he smirks. He has not seen you before, and thinks that you sound crazy. "Are all you cone heads like this? Just saying whatever crazy thoughts come into your head?"

She starts to laugh a bit. "You really believe in that, right? You do realize that I teleported into your home, right? What do you think am I able to do. Oh, and you do realize that Trixie does know me, right? She and I had a great day already. And I dislike how you treat her. Where this goes, is not written in stone, yet. There are many possible endings to this. But let me assure you, I can bring you to jail if I want to." Aruke stays vague, not wanting to show too many of her cards already. And at the same time, she doesn't want to force him to part with Trixie, if he was, despite being an evil guy who knowingly drugged innocent people, still a good owner to Trixie.

"Alright , alright, let me get her things" he says, before shutting the door. You hear the volume on the TV raise inside, and the hiss of a beer getting cracked open.

Aruke sighs and shakes her head. She closes her eyes and opens herself to the colorful streams of the MES-Space around her. She fishes for a certain stream, trying to get the answer if he will actually hand her over Trixie, without hurting the dog. (commit effort for the day to get an answer on this question, with the Oracle technique, 4 Effort remaining)

He will not voluntarily hand over the dog, but also is not planning on hurting it

Aruke tries to focus as hard as she can to touch the streams of the many possible futures that lie ahead of them. All she wants is to get a feeling, an answer to a most abstract question, one that the center of the attention can't answer in words. All she wants to know is if Trixie will be happy with the Drug Mixer. Because the last thing she wants was to take a happy dog away from its home. (another effort commited, she is still limited in her Precog ability, so we can only get a glimpse of the most immediate future. But I still thought it was worth a try.)

Trixie is not happy with the drug mixer and will not be in the future as far as you can tell.

A chromatically shining half transparent layer appears and covers her body. In her hand a likewise shining staff. She teleports back in, kneels down and invites Trixie to get onto her arm. "Try to stop me, and it will be the last thing you do." She says, directed at the mixer. "You should change your life, to the better, but Trixie won't be a part of this anymore." (1 Effort remaining)

The dog is released to your care after a moment of grabbing her things. The mixer doesn’t want t attention like this from either the neighbors or someone of your skill

Once outside the apartment, Aruke kneels down and pets Trixie. "Sorry for making such a scene. I, uh, never had a dog, so you need to assist me in this, will you? And are you ready to take a walk?" Aruke doesn't know what she expects the dog to do, as answering her questions in words seems unrealistic. But some sort of positive reaction was all she desired.

Trixie seems to know what walk means and happily brings you their leash so they can be walked outside. Its small stub tail wags as much as a nub is capable of wagging and it barks twice happily, the force of making the sounds almost lifting it off the ground.

Aruke grins. Twenty minutes straight. Happy. There is no more remorse about her taking away a dog from someone else. She just feels that it was the right move. And Trixie might also become a shining light in the life of her brother. With Trixie, a snack here and there, a potty break, and in an overall relaxed and playful mood, but without the Chromatic armor and weapon, she uses the rest of the day to enjoy it with Trixie before she makes her way back to the Supermarket by evening.

By evening the market is more crowded, and you have not seen this many people in here before. Some of them look to be actual customers using it as a grocery store and nothing more. You find your contact in the back near the butchers section, fileting a fish. Its scales have been washed off the plastic cutting board into the trash, and he smiles, satisfied at the good cuts and the work well done.

"Unexpected." Aruke says as she reaches the counter. "I see why you ended up here. Um..:" She gets Trixie, raises her up, grins and asks. "Is my ordered Dogfood ready?"

"Both kinds" he nods, leading youn into the stock room of the store. "You're lucky we work fast. Should pass though, be good for you, and your dog"

"All of us." She says. "Can I take a look?"

The credentials are passed over to your pad. They will work. Off world from Hergurdr- industrialized , modern, but in such administrative disarray this will probably never be noticed by anyone looking. Given the disarray there, and the gulf of time it takes to communicate between worlds, if anything is ever discovered, you can be gone long before any kind of investigation comes to a conclusion.

"Awesome work, as always! Alright. Anything I need to know about "me" that would be obvious to anyone looking at the certificate. What courses were I best at, or bad at? Does it say it anywhere?"

"Making you especially skilled at anything would make someone take a second look into your file, or maybe ask for verification, we made you astoundingly average. Competent, but nothing special. You're a good desk filler, and that should be more than enough to get you assigned to a shorthand department like the one you are looking into"

"Oh yeah, that makes sense! Perfect. I shouldn't come back here again once I am in the police. So thank you for your work." A credstick changes hands. "And don't worry, I won't mention this place. Um, you said you have something good for Trixie as well?"

"Ah yeah. I do." Moving to behind the bailer here in the back room he pulls out a large sack of dog food. It looks new, meaning it is fresh, and the packaging says it is scientifically formulated to give all dogs of all ages a long and healthy life with all the vitamins and minerals they need.

"Uhh, I guess that is good stuff. I mean, I really have no idea what is good for such pets, but it says scientifically proven, so, that means something. Thank you!" More credits move from Aruke to the one ahead of her. "I guess that means goodbye then. So. Good luck with your business. Keep up the good work. Maybe we meet again, but when we do, I will need you again."

"And I'll be here if you do. I promise" Bag of food and fake credentials in hand, you exit the store and head back onto the streets away from the building. You don't seem to be followed and all seems like a perfectly average night here in the Protectorate.