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Techn0geist

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  1. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa "Figures," he scoffed. "Sensin' a trend 'round 'ere. Shoulda known there was somethin' fishy 'bout 'er." Wind blew. The Kinloka, its meal not agreeing with it, hacked up the Necrofinch. It stumbled through the air on spit-slick wings, whistling all the while. "I'll uhh... stick to the rousin' speeches..." Sohmak took a step back, starting to disengage as much from embarrassment as from the natural conclusion they'd reached. "Thanks for the chat, geek. We got a path forward now." His tone betrayed relief, tinged with excitement. "An' again, don't let no one say you didn't make the right call. They regret livin', I'll oblige 'em." The words sounded awkward coming out, the idea of killing still very much foreign to the Sarke fighter. He turned on his heel, making for the stairwell down into the fortress. As he went, he whirled back around with a familiar cocksurety adorning his face. "An' I weren't kiddin' before! I wanna see you in that ring, rotter!" Before T'harrak had a chance to respond he was out of view, his raucous guffaw echoing up the stairwell and off the battlements. It didn't take long for Sohmak to find his new dwelling, the threshold of Zanakra's former warlord quarters adorned with an intricate and uncharacteristically delicate mosaic of fishbone patterns; battles, myth, ancestors and gods all on display. Visions of lavish and luxurious spaces swimming in his head, he took a deep breath and shouldered the door open. "...huh." As unlike the door was to the rest of the fortress, the room was equally as unmatching to the door; furniture was sparse, decoration even more so. A bed in one back corner, a desk and stool in the opposite; parchment and writing utensils sat atop the desk, and on closer inspection Sohmak found they were unused. Hooks for cloaks and other accoutrements, empty. No windows, illuminations provided by the one luxuriant affordance, a lightstone hanging from the ceiling. "Hmmm." No. This wouldn't do. Not very bossly at all. Procuring a big cloak would be a good start to fixing the vibe. He tested the bed. Surprisingly comfy. The brawler could have dozed off there but forced himself back on his feet, claws tacking on cold stonework as he paced the room. He would pay Gashril a visit. Try to get her read. And an excuse to familiarise himself with the halls of Razorfish;Vaa. When the warlord-in-shadow had finally found where the Shrill Blade was bunking down, the warriors' quarters were otherwise empty. Still no reason to show his whole hand. Sohmak looked over Gashril's inert form and a tiny, ignored intuition swore he was interrupting something other than sleep. "A-hem. A word?" OOC: @Nato G @ARROW404
  2. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa The brawler nodded "Sure she'll 'ppreciate it." A pause. "An'... 'pologies for gettin' off on the wrong foot with you two. If I knew the mess we was fallin' into I may've held my tongue." He smirked now. "May've. Guess we'll never know," he added with a chuckle. Sohmak stood and stretched. "Night's wearin' on, suppose we wind down work in a few and set up a watch?" Even in his position as a figurehead, a mere public face for the fort's true leadership, it was hard not to fall into the groove of thinking like that leader ought to, at least on a base level; adopting that simplified mindset will help the real orders from T'harrak sound more convincing coming from his mouth. Considering winding down himself, he came to a realisation. "Zanakra's boss digs!" he started more abruptly than he'd meant, "Where they at?" OOC: @Nato G
  3. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa Again he looked over the terrain of their little delta fiefdom, trying to visualise T'harrak's plans for the abundance of the land around them. "Once work's started proper we should 'ave plenty opportunity to tackle this." His mind's eye struggling, he shook the thought free and turned back with a soft, almost-hopeful smile. "Think we might be in this for the long 'aul anyways, nah?" OOC: @Nato G
  4. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa There was something desperately reassuring in that, a security that burned brightly now in his core. Someone had his back. Someone had his back! Again his laugh joined hers, soon replaced by a harmonious whirring as he lifted his arms, his Sluggers, out in front of them both. "Help me get these bloody things off, yeah?" And so he told her his deal. His whole deal. About how in the Sarke circuits of Irnakk's Tooth he'd made his name and taken his glory by rejecting all advantage that lay beyond his own two fists. How he'd gone so far as to rebuke the parasite so ubiquitous among their kin. "Fan|Siirasul;Ka," he pronounced lavishly through a grin, so proud of how his ring name sounded in the old tongue: One, who is Without a Spine Slug. The Spineless Slugger. The glow of his smile slowly faded as he recounted how the geek, the coward, Syntak had entrapped him within the exoskeletal Sluggers and robbed him of his reputation without landing a single blow; his honest intent of a gift given only a passing mention. The following trek of self-exile he'd made across their homeland searching for a soul who could release him from the mighty shackles, by brawn or brain (brawn preferable, he omitted). The rest, she knew. "Tell you what," Sohmak concluded, leaning again on the parapet, "if you get 'em off without breakin' 'em, they're yours. Then they'll 'ave to listen to ya, right?" The same bird woke again, chirped, and was shortly after devoured by a wily Kinloka. The Necrofinch sung all the way down. OOC: @Nato G
  5. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa Only the one eyebrow went up this time. "Really now?" A scowl settled on his face; his master stroke and already it had been compromised, undone, within the day. Within two hours. "And she don't want nothin' in return for 'er silence?" Sohmak looked off into the distance, at T'harrak's vaunted trees and rocks, his mind abuzz. To think he was going to approach Gashril with gratitude for her party's allegiance and praise for their steadfast fortitude. "Nah, don't like the smell of it," he said, cutting off any answer the tinkerer might've had. "Reeks. 'For now' is a promise, boss. Shrill Blade's gonna want somethin' for somethin'." His fingers played against the triggers inside the gauntlets. Wind blew. "I'll keep an eye on 'er." Quiet. Stewing. A bird woke up somewhere, stretched its wings, and fell back asleep. "I want somethin'. Need somethin'. A favour." OOC: @Nato G
  6. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa Sohmak's eyebrows lifted, and he glanced again at the courtyard. From down below and in amongst it, he had seen what he thought was scattered wear, weathering and damage from simple age, though he'd not known the fortress was far too new for that. Now from on high, almost the whole construction in his view, he had the full picture; myriad scars borne from the ultimate expression of 'rough-and-tumble'. He whistled, impressed, then adopted a late grimace. "Ancestors forbid that poor sod expires, though. I ain't abidin' rulebreakers." T'harrak's laugh summoned his own, and her answer brought the compulsion to clap her on the back; he resisted, lest he blow her torso wide open. "Half everyone says the same thin' 'fore their first bout. I can find ya a small fish down there, a light snack for the bosswoman, eh?" He could at least give her what he thought was a gentle elbow under the ribs. The wind whistled over the parapets. It was a clear night. "'ey," Sohmak started, pivoting, "'bout Jojax... you should check up on 'er. Weren't givin' anythin' away when we chatted earlier. Dunno if she 'members how she got back. I feel it though, she's hurtin' somewhere, 'er body or 'er pride. Call it fighter's...in-tu-i-tion." His eyes unfocused over the courtyard, the blurry forms of warriors and workers scurrying beneath the pair. "Guess all's a bit like that..." Snapping back to lucidity, he brought his gaze to the tinkerer once more. "She ain't trust me easy, on 'count of the needlin'. Stakes were lower then, right? Now I'm boss, well, you're—anyway, we gotta get 'er on side. Say what ya gotta, she'll listen to ya." He pursed his lips over his tombstone teeth and blew air idly. "Our deal stays hush, 'course. Guess I'm an 'ypocrite like that." The brawler tried his best to look apologetic. OOC: @Nato G
  7. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa Sohmak took umbrage with that last comment, standing tall now. "Oi, clobberin' each other for fun's got its place, even 'ere. All well'n'good puttin' up walls and catapults but the folks behind 'em can't be gettin' soft, warriors is warriors for goodness's..." A pause, a deep breath, and again he came down to her level. "I see your point. 'bout usin' the trees and rocks, I mean." Sohmak turned now, walking to the other side of the battlement and looking down over the central courtyard, Skakdi like ants from this high up. "We can have both, gotta have both. No random acts o'violence, though. We'll organise us some Sarke and other trainin' drills if you think we need 'em. s'good for keepin' our lot sharp, swear it." The fighter looked over his shoulder to T'harrak, the twinkle now in his eye. "Good for the soul, too. Vent some heat in there, everyone's chillin'." He thought he may already know her answer but allowed his curiosity another win. "Ever tried it?" OOC: @Nato G
  8. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa He chuckled at T'harrak's yelp, hardly becoming of her station, then leaned over the parapet beside her and turned his attention toward those same peaks. This was beginning to fall outside his wheelhouse. "Think I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down... you say it first though." He was not. OOC: @Nato G
  9. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa The brawler let his arm drop, staring through where the wrestler had been standing. He pondered. "Heh." If these were the kind of holdouts to his 'reign' he could expect going forward, maybe things were to go smoothly after all. He would try again later with Jojax. For now, Sohmak made back for the fortress. Still had something to ask his warlord-in-shadow. He felt an unexpected swell of pride seeing all the Skakdi, his Skakdi, potting about the grounds; making repairs and reinforcements, taking stock of available resources. Some were even becoming jovial, a stray joke drifting above the courtyard, followed keenly by raucous laughter. The Spineless Slugger could close his eyes and be back in the clubhouse in Irnakk's Tooth for a few precious seconds, were it not for the night's chill. Those that weren't so jovial, the layabouts and no-hopers, he felt a certain satisfaction in telling to get off their lazy behinds and contribute something dammit, bellowing like righteous thunder. He would conceal a devilish grin as he continued on his way. Among the busybodies Sohmak sighted the remaining Tahtorak bunch, Gashril's crew, and he was glad for it. He made a note to thank her for their continuing loyalty. Finally he reached the armoury, poked his head through the door and frowned; no T'harrak in sight. Not without a lead, however, his keen ears pricked up; down the corridor and up the stairwell, the unmistakable sound of excited scampering. Must've just missed 'er, assuming it was her. He followed. Serendipitously, he emerged onto the battlements to find a certain tinkerer with a twinkle in her eye. His query was forgotten again, replaced with another curiosity. "A-hem," he announced himself, assuming she hadn't already heard his claws thumping up the stairs, "what's got you all in a tizzy, geek? Find somethin' hot in the arsenal?" OOC: @Smudge8 @ARROW404 @Nato G
  10. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa He went to move and support Jojax on seeing her face pale, hesitating when he heard the infernal whirr and saw the hulk of the Slugger gauntlet entering his view. Even now it was easy to forget the damnable things. Sohmak settled for holding his arm out, something to pull herself up with should she collapse. "Just checkin' on ya," A bossly pause, "don't need my men strainin' themselves. Y'should be restin'." Sohmak pondered silently, aloud. "What d'you remember? 'bout the attack, I mean?" He couldn't help picturing Krex atop his bike, the grenade lofted high. "D'you remember gettin' back?" OOC: @Smudge8
  11. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa The brawler wasn't expecting relief to wash through him with T'harrak's approval, though he welcomed it all the same. He crossed one leg over the other, bringing a hulking Slugger up and resting his cheek on it. "Won't lie, this is a nice chair. Can't 'ave you standin' around though, I'll get the boys to bring a little stool up for ya." The banter flowed like wine. The twin warlords surveyed the work for a time, fortress denizens scurrying back and forth from task to task, mesmerising in its own way. "Boss," Sohmak said, breaking their contented quiet, "after you've finished your inventoryin', I've got a favo—" CRACK. Teeth set tense against each other. Thoughts of Fortress Garsi. "Nah..." SPLASH. "Nah nah nah, already?" Sohmak leapt from the throne, then from the overlook, landing with a dulled but heavy thump in the courtyard below. He rose to his full, towering stature, having only attracted the attention of the few Skakdi closest to him. "...as you were, lads. Stay sharp." Awkward pauses and dramatic pauses were so very alike. Sohmak came now to the hole he'd smashed in the fortress wall, night wind still blowing through. He peered out and down to the river, expecting landing craft, a rocket barrage, stone-brown jaws of a Skak:Dii war-god to close on them all. Instead his gaze was met with a rather less dramatic sight, and a rather more melodramatic one. The ingress of cool twilight air was momentarily halted by a loud sigh. "JOJAX! A word!" He met the wrestler halfway to the fort, striding with purpose towards her. He decided "[name], a word" would be a catchphrase, the implication of a reprimand to follow. Some other Skakdi lugging stones towards the fortress gave only glances in their direction, deciding it would be best not to disturb the "boss" at such a time. Once he was sure they would not be interrupted, Sohmak again let his stern features soften. He couldn't help but feel... responsible for Jojax since saving her from the failed assault, despite their rocky start. He would never admit it to her face, but he couldn't shy from demonstrating it. "How ya holdin' up, kid? You were pretty banged up back there, sure you're good to be haulin' like that?" Condescension and concern, like pauses, are a similarly fine line. Given their short history, he hoped Jojax would hear him erring on the latter side. OOC: @Nato G @Smudge8
  12. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa He grinned and restrained an earnest laugh at T'harrak's indication. "My home makeover not to your likin', eh?" He nodded; his orders, thus their orders, clear. Sohmak turned to leave, giving one last look over his shoulder, towards the warlord-in-shadow. "Oh, boss... don't take anythin' I say personal. 'member, all just showin' off." With that, the warlord-in-light strode to the edge of the overlook, clawed feet thumping loud as he approached the courtyard. If that didn't draw the throng's attention, the loud CLANG-CLANG and shower of sparks from the Sluggers striking together did. "AL-RIGHT, ROTTERS!" A captive audience. "King's dead." He held his arms, his huge exo-gauntlets wide, an invitation to take a swing. Silence. A wicked smirk. A look to kill. "Long live the king." CLANG-CLANG. "Zanakra reached too far, too fast. Made that big shooter of 'ers look like a love tap. Surprised she weren't DEAD sooner!" An honest-to-Irnakk guffaw, summoned from deep inside, the dark pit every Skakdi holds buried in their being. To laugh at another's death was unfamiliar to Sohmak, uncomfortable. He snapped back to attention. "And worse, Zanakra made you look like CHUMPS!" He turned his head and spat. "Zanakra weren't gonna let you die in glory! You was stepping stones to 'er!" He spat again, with genuine anger towards the woman who nearly got him killed; everyone killed, needlessly. Burying her legacy was only partially showmanship. "And WORSE, you ran! You fled! You're a band of cowards and sooks!" He ran, he fled. He dared anyone to challenge this hypocrisy. The Bite of Irnakk's Tooth cast his gaze back to T'harrak, addressing the Tahtorak in the room and unsure quite how to spin it. "The geek told you to run. 'Full retreat.' You might not like it, might make you feel sick to your stomach... but you're alive, and annoyingly, cowards get another shot. You might thank 'er when you get finally that death in glory you're cravin'." He met the tinkerer's eye with a sinister sneer. "Don't worry, I'll be keepin'er on a tight leash." A promise of protection, in the veil of a threat. Back to working the crowd. "Now, we gotta clean up Zanakra's mess! Garsi'll be gunnin' for us, and when they come knockin' we gotta give as good as they did, better than they did! Make this land..." he hoped he hadn't paused too long coming up with the right word. "In-hos-pitable. Make 'em regret runnin' up on us. Make 'em cry." CLANG-CLANG. Sohmak raised a Slugger to the open sky, the crisp night wind whistling over the walls of the fortress. "We ain't cowards and sooks! We ain't gonna be easy prey! We ain't gonna be tread under Garsi's foot, or anyone else's! WE ARE RAZORFISH;VAA!" The roar of his warcry echoed around the fortress, the delta, Spineless Bay. The immediate response was rather more scattered than he had hoped, but his speech was enough to begin raising the spirits of most of the fort's doomers. He set about pointing to groups and shouting orders, 'reinforce the stonework', 'more spikes on the walls', 'fix that bloody hole'. Soon the courtyard was a flurry of activity, Skakdi laying down weapon and taking up tool, loosely organised but organised all the same. Keeping them occupied would keep them from picking any holes in his image. Sohmak allowed himself a smile, relieved more than anything. No one saw how he shook. He took a few steps backwards, letting the light of the torches guide him, and ascended the throne. "Geek!" He barked, before T'harrak had a chance to shuffle away to the storerooms. As soon as his face turned from the courtyard his features softened, a cheeky smile spreading wide. "How'd I do?" OOC: @Nato G (NPCs are yours to bunny, your fort after all 😋) @Smudge8 @ARROW404
  13. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa "Make this into a proper fort, just like those Garsi geezers." Sohmak scowled, remembering how the world fell to pieces around him at their command. He began rehearsing his 'address' under his breath. The brawler chuckled, low, bassy. "See? Already a better plan than that Heu:Nii. You was built for this, T'harrak." He straighted up his posture again, towering above the tinkerer, above just about anyone of Fortress Razorfish;Vaa, once more. "Anythin' else you want me to add, boss?" OOC: @Nato G
  14. IC: Mard & Ahmoa - Training Ground, outskirts of Atero You stay away the hell away from Del, Ahmoa wanted to say. He settled instead for drumming his fingers on the axe's haft, wondering if Lutenus was aware of the miasma of dishonesty oozing from him "Nothing more than you will have heard, I wager." Truth. "Our friend was not exactly forthcoming with regards to any happenings in Ferrum, if they are even aware of them." He let a little softness creep into his voice, hoping to dissuade the Glatorian from pursuing Del by playing on any capacity for guilt he may have had. "They were so weak when we found them, and very hesitant to speak with us at first. Even so, we thought it... callous to be so probing. Perhaps Del will tell, but in their own time." He cocked his head to the side, ready to flip the script. "What have you heard precisely?" "No hard feelings, Miss Lorqua. Look on the bright side, you get a fresh view with each gig! You ask me, that beats getting the tar smacked out of you on the regular." Mard pointed a thumb over his shoulder to the other cyborg, what a maroon it said. "And funny you should ask," he was ready to yap, keep her busy, "can't really say this is to our taste either. Ahmoa and I kicked around with a stage troupe for a while before they split; we tried doing duologue here in Atero but folks would rather spend their denarii on booze and ringside seats than anything with a bit of class... uhh, no offence of course." He blushed, quickly circled back. "A-a-anyway, we couldn't afford to act full-time any more, saw an ad looking for staff for a new training ground, figured we could use the scratch. What was meant to be a side-gig became our main gig." He let a sigh escape, his heart becoming visible on his sleeve. "It's lucrative, especially coming up to the Gee-Tee, and sometimes it's fun, like you guys were... you ever see a good couples' dance? There's a lot of overlap between fighting and dancing, you'd be surprised! But... I don't think I like being sidelined like this. My scene's... a scene, a script; a laughing, crying audience. That's where I thrive." Mard cast a look, a smile, over to his partner. "I suppose anywhere with him's fine by me, though." OOC: @Toru Nui @oncertainty
  15. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa The clanking colossus turned to look over the courtyard, passing judgement. "Rule two..." he mouthed, turning back to T'harrak." He let his posture relax some, no longer seeming so monolithic standing over the tinkerer. "I ain't asking you to. I know what this warrior wants," He grumbled, unknowingly experimenting with the third person. "I'm smart enough to know I ain't smart like you. And enough to know that dyin' in glory's comin' for all some day." The bruiser grimaced. "'bout the only thing I am smart like you on, is I aim to enjoy much time as possible 'fore I get there. Don't get me wrong, fightin' strangers is 'xactly my idea of a good time. But that nonsense... nah, not my scene." A pregnant pause hung between them before Sohmak spoke again. "I'm dead serious. Ain't never been more serious. I don't want no advisor, I want a boss who's not gonna kill me before I'm good'n'ready. Whatever you want for this joint, that's what I want. And what I want's gonna be what they want. They want somethin' else, they'll hafta take it from us." Us, he noted. A twinge of embarrassment. He wondered if it was visible on his face. Hoped it wasn't. Attempted a diversion in case it was. "From these." He flexed. With an infernal high whirr of hidden servos, the damn showboating motormouth flexed. In fairness, raising the Sluggers aloft gave the illusion Sohmak was now twice as tall as the typical Skakdi. An image to make a typical Skakdi think twice. "Not dyin' sounds good to me, how do we make it sound good to them?" Sohmak flashed what was becoming a trademark grin. He really believed in his plan. More than that, he'd begun to believe in T'harrak. OOC: @Nato G
  16. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa "Rope-a-dope." Gesticulating angrily, speaking softly (as much as one of his make could, of course), Sohmak proceeded to lay out the extent of his overthinking. "Far as I'm seein', and I admit that ain't much, only been 'ere a day... you're the only one with the 'ead to run this show." He shot a glance back to the courtyard, the rabble below. "And those Stone Rats'll eat you alive for it. They see a scrap-tinker geek, and..." he remembered the purple bastard who got him in this mess, there was the scowl now, "... and they don't see the value in ya, even now you're the reason our sorry behinds're 'ere at all. Reckon some of 'em'd fancy takin' your piece off the board." He slammed the Sluggers together suddenly, CLANG. Sparks flew, briefly illuminating T'harrak's face, Sohmak's forming grin. He seemed taller all of a sudden. Torches either side of the throne silhouetted him, stretched his shadow long over the tinkerer. "They see me... ya think any of those chuffs'll step to me?" He laughed. Low, sinister. "I can face any of 'em, anyone—" His grin now dropped, realising he may have begun to give the wrong impression. Ancestors, was he trying to sound sincere right now; humility was a rare emotion for the Spineless Slugger. "BUT... but, I ain't got your brain. It takes a certain blighter to run an op like this, and I make no bones about not bein' that certain blighter. But I look like I could, BUT you actually could. So 'ere's how I see it." Sarke was equal parts combat and showmanship. Years of practice had imparted to Sohmak the qualities of a born yapper. He brought the giant gauntlets together now, slowly, gently as he could muster. "I'm the new boss. 'cept I'm not the new boss, you're the new boss. But we make 'em think I'm the new boss and you're my..." it came to him with a twinkle in his eye, like he was making the word up just now, "Advisor. But when you're advisorin' me you're actually just bossin' me, and then I'm bossin' the others." He was rambling now, genuinely really excited about this plan, failing to see any shortcomings someone with the aforementioned brain might spot immediately. "You make any dud calls, 'sorry lads, my bad, shoulda listened to the geek,' no one bothers Boss Sohmak because I can scoop their 'eads off. You give out some real belters, 'cheers lads, good ol' T'harrak had the juice on that one,' they don't kill ya 'cause I got your back; they start to see that you got some real skin in this fort stuff. Y'know, sometimes, still gotta make 'em think I'm half-good at this." He'd forgotten to breathe in his fervour, pausing to take in a big gulp of air. "I take the hits, you make the big swings." He spread his colossal arms wide, grinned even wider. "I'm ya rope-a-dope." OOC: @Nato G in which Sohmak shares my issues with brevity. And foresight.
  17. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa T'harrak proceeded to the upper level, the Bite of Irnakk's Tooth close behind. Once behind the throne, out of view of the rest of the party, Sohmak faced out towards the courtyard and pulled the triggers inside his gauntlets, the uneasy silence once more punctuated by two loud CLANKs. "You called a full retreat." He sneered over his shoulder, just loud enough that any eavesdroppers would catch him scolding the tinkerer. "Your words, geek, 'full retreat.' Words've a coward, plain as day." He turned now to face T'harrak, but she wasn't met with a perhaps-expected scowl. Any and all venom had slipped away, he looked... sullen? Humbled? His voice now little more than a whisper, a low rumble directed only in front of him, perceptible only to her. "Says the kinda fool who woulda called that a "glorious death." Ain't no glory in the clusterfu..." a wry smile, "...pardon, mess we got out've." Gracious. Sohmak looked gracious. "Thanks geek, you made the smart call. Saved lives. No use wastin' a good Skak' on a stupid tussle like that." Over all this, a couple more CLANK-CLANKs for good measure, some unnecessary gesturing to fill the quiet with the din of servo-motors. Some showmanship, some misdirection. Make the plebs in the cheap seats think she's getting a bollocking. "But smart ain't strong. Now y'gotta wear it." He hoped T'harrak could sense the unless approaching. OOC: @Nato G, also @Smudge8 poor Jojax
  18. IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa - One Day Later The throne above the courtyard sat empty. Not all the party had made it back to the fortress. Those that did interacted little once they had disembarked, the adrenaline receded. Listless, directionless. Gathering themselves. Some found the wherewithal to wash in the river, cleansing what signs they could of the trial inflicted on them. Others... "The Rift with this." He abandoned stealth, stood from behind the rubble. The fool stood. Lifted a heavy-clad arm aloft, pointed at the fallen wrestler. Projected. "We 'eard ya! I'm takin' THIS rotter and we're leavin'!" He grappled for the word to justify his loud folly, eventually it came. "Parley!" It could hardly be described as such, but the terms were set. He made his cautious, clanking approach towards Jojax, expecting to be blown to the Ancestors by that pretty little grenade any moment. Sohmak blew up instead. "This was stupid!" He whirled around to Krex again. His voice carried above the tumult, toward Fort Garsi, and the scrapper made sure of it. "Zanakra is a mad bint who lead us to slaugh'er! You can 'ave 'er!" He would never know if Krex felt amusement or bemusement in that moment. The Slugger hefted Jojax roughly over his shoulder, having to hold her clumsily between the bulk of the exo-gauntlets. The grenade never came. ...others, like Sohmak, sat as they had arrived, covered in bruises and gashes, caked in dust and dried blood. His stomach joined a rumbling chorus. Instead he digested the previous day. Zanakra's reckless opening salvo. The hillside collapsing down like a great maw closing. The biker hurtling towards his fist. Hounds. Explosions. The biker hurtling towards his fist. Bodies. The biker hurtling towards his fist. Fortress politics. When Sohmak's arm lashed out, he was thankful the stone block it annihilated wasn't load-bearing. The great CRACK resounded like a gunshot around the courtyard, a few Skakdi jumping. A twilight breeze whistled through Fortress Razorfish;Vaa's newest window. The Sonic Striker's bellow followed, shot and chaser. "T'HARRAK!" He stood, puffing himself up, the Sluggers he wore making this task exponentially easier. He stared at and singled out the geek, his whirring exo-arm now indicating the throne. No, the space behind the throne, away from the courtyard, from prying eye and ear. A plan had formed, against his will. He injected as much menace into his voice as possible. "A word." OOC: [tap-tap] Testing, one two, one two. @Nato G @Geardirector @Smudge8 @Snelly @ARROW404 (are Gashril & co. still with us?)
  19. IC: Mard & Ahmoa - Training Ground, outskirts of Atero Mard suppressed a shudder; just when he thought they were out of the woods. He became acutely aware of their abandoned guardsman spears, leaning a short distance away against the ring fence. He sorely missed the collection of javelins he'd just stashed away. He glanced at his partner, happy to let him take the lead. Ahmoa returned only his warm smile, the focal point of his entire world the blunt training axe under his hands. He hefted it up onto his shoulder, casual-like. In his hands, it could do little more than bruise shins. In full focus again, both Agori experienced the crescendo of their creeping realisation; something looming, much bigger than the guardsmen, the Glatorian, Atero and the Grand Tournament. The mystery of Ferrum. The mystery of— "Del." Ahmoa stated curtly, offering nothing more than what the cyborg had asked. He would not lie, but obfuscation was certainly in his arsenal. "That was the name they gave us." If Lorqua was to be believed, then Lutenus seemed to make a habit of casual manipulation. Mard took another angle; deflection, trying to draw at least Lorqua away from the line of inquiry. "Uhhh, what is your scene then? You've got some fighting talent, you a guard like us maybe?" A pitiable attempt at rapport-building. OOC: @Toru Nui @oncertainty
  20. IC: Mard & Ahmoa - Training Ground, outskirts of Atero Play it cool, Ahmoa thought, planting the handle-end of the axe in the sand and crossing his hands atop the blade. "You're right on one count, ma'am, but sadly mistaken on another. We follow the Grand Tournament season as closely as we can, we could be said to be "fans"; alas our position does not afford us the luxury of travelling to see the bouts themselves." Play it cool, Mard thought, awkwardly hugging the bundle of javelins to his chest and trying not to let any spill. "Yeah, we don't own this joint, we're just staff. Our boss, that's the lucky sonovabitch who jets all across the desert for the Gee-Tee. And every other damn fight. 'Business trips', my be-hind." Mard had no fear of admonishment for his comments, given the target of them was scarcely present for anyone to report them. Ahmoa was caught halfway between rolling his eyes and chuckling at Mard as he shuffled away to stow the javelins in the equipment shed, deciding on neither. "We look after the grounds while the proprietor is tending to his many-other ventures. As such, it is rare for us to attend Tournament matches even when they come Atero-way, given those tend to be our busiest seasons." The Vulcanusian put on his best customer-facing smile. "Don't fret, after tonight's performance we'll be sure to keep an eye and ear out for your names in the Tournament roster. Should either of you make it to the Atero stages, and if fortune smiles on us, you may even see us ring-side." He didn't even tell this to every client, honest. "You'll definitely see me at the betting tables!" Mard exclaimed as he returned, dusting off his hands. "Lorqua, your odds just went up." His excitement was only half-put-on, the green guard known to make the odd wager. "It would only be fair for me to put some coinage down on Lutenus here, then." Ahmoa replied with a grin, and no intent of following through on that. OOC: @oncertainty @Toru Nui Apologies! I've been remiss in posting these boys for some months now 😅
  21. IC: Del - Celrys's Workshop, Tajun The Ferrumite only stared, Celrys's reach seeming to exceed Del's grasp for the time being. Any wariness they felt about the wreath however had slipped away, trust in the artificer reasserting itself. An electrical impulse, of a sort. He was, somewhere between coy knowing and playful obliviousness, beginning to speak their language. <<Celrys to perform external diagnostic.>> "Celrys to perform external diagnostic...?" The tiniest tonal upturn. <<Celrys to— >> "—test Del I?" OOC: @a goose @Snelly
  22. IC: Del - Celrys's Workshop, Tajun The Glatorian stared unblinking, taking the engineer's brief cardiologic explanation as given, subconsciously connecting word to sound to substance to function. Optimising their understanding of their frame. Del gave a little nod. This explanation was taking a great deal more processing for Del to wrap their head around. The leap from literal to metaphorical was still just a span too far. Del lifted their hand away from their chest. Clink. The glass of the stethoscope tapped against Del's helmet. The expected thu-thum, thu-thum, thu-thum was absent; instead the quiet vibration from the cooling fans, running at low speed now, gently sounded into their ears. <<Query.>> "Mind... no sound?" In a surprising few ways, this was true. OOC: @a goose @Snelly
  23. IC: Mard & Ahmoa - Training Ground, outskirts of Atero The duo returned Lorqua's bow, Ahmoa flashing another rare grin "Oh no, thank you. You're our first clients of the tournament season; if the field is of this calibre, I believe we're in for a hell of a show." Ever the jovial host. Ahmoa restrained a sigh of relief. As much as he enjoyed the spectacle the Glatorian provided, he didn't much fancy their continued company. His partner didn't quite catch himself and exhaled much more heavily than usual. Overcompensating, Mard attempted to mask it with a cheesy smile and a loose salute. "Hate to see ya rush off! Where're you two headed?" He and Ahmoa both felt they knew the answer, that familiar fear for their rare companion washing through their beings again. IC: Del - Celrys's Workshop, Tajun "Nominal," Del asserted, but quickly reassessed. "Optimal. Thank you, Skyra Daring. Del I always look at the glass as half full, ya know?" Again the driver's words, and returning the thumbs-up, had seemed the right thing. Mileage may vary. As before the Ferrumite regarded the device Celrys presented to them, now with a measure of analytical curiosity, reaching out slowly and taking the stethoscope awkwardly between thumbs and forefingers. "you put the buds in your ears," Del repeated in word and act, sliding the apparatus under their helmet and nestling the buds in. They bore a little of Celrys's body warmth. "against the left side of the chest." Again to the letter, they gently placed the disc. The glass was cold and it radiated out— Thu-thum, thu-thum, thu-thum, thu— Del pulled the disc away with a start, trying to throw it away but stopped by the buds in their ears, the stethoscope clattering against their breast. The sound had filled their ears, their skull, startled the Glatorian. Wide-eyed seconds passed and curiosity reasserted itself. With a hint of caution, they again took the disk and pressed it to their chest. Thu-thumthu-thumthu-thum thu-thum thu-thum, thu-thum, thu-thum, thu-thum, The thudding was faster but gradually slowed and steadied and stayed steady. "What is..." Del struggled for the words, finding no suitable substitute for the sound, "...buh-buh buh-buh buh-buh?" The obviousness of the impending simile would elude Del, and perhaps Skyra. OOC: @oncertainty @Toru Nui @Snelly @a goose
  24. IC: Del - Floor, Celrys's Workshop, Tajun They did not immediately take the helmet from Celrys, instead peering inside at the new installed "wreath". A perceptive individual would have seen the uniform micro-movements of their eyes and sworn Del was regarding the device with uncertainty. <<...>> Perhaps even suspicion. <<...Maintain awareness.>> "we gotta have a positive outlook." they mumbled as they reached out to reclaim their headgear; it seemed the right thing to say. The helmet slid on smooth and fit only a little tighter than before. The moment it settled on the crown of their head the concealed fans whirred to life, dispersing the last of the implant's accumulated heat. More stretching, and motor control was much closer to acceptable parameters. Del sat now on the edge of the chair, formulating their next query. "Oh, yes, the wreath?" the Glatorian mimicked with an upward inflection. OOC: @a goose @Snelly
  25. IC: Del - Celrys's Workshop, Tajun The Glatorian cocked their head a couple degrees, holding Skyra's gaze. A droplet of cool water rolled down the side of the bag and dripped off the corner. Lords only knew what buzzed around Del's head in those moments, those thoughts entirely disconnected from the Ferrumite raising their curled hand to return the thumbs-up. Their little finger stayed tucked in this time. OOC: @Snelly @a goose
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