Not Quite Dead

Yep.

I think the best way to determine good versus bad oppressive dictatorships (inb4i'mkilled) is via standard of living and technological/cultural advancement. Makkybro shut down both so into the trash he went.

IC Brontes

"If cleansing a bunch of prisoners of war sounds good to you, maybe."

Turning my attention to the matoran again... "I'm not from around here. I just happened to end up in Ko-Koro because I was delivering things. Shady business unfortunately. I was waiting for the receiver to show up when the things starting going to karz. Next thing I know I'm in a hospital full of defenders, breaching the Sanctum to save people (which didn't work...) and fighting, then working with a bunch of stuckup mercenaries..."

...

"All said, it was pretty traumatizing."

"STANDING HERE" - Senator Armstrong" - Hideo Kojima

IC Brontes

"...?"

"Probably best to talk to some sort of military institution about that."

IC Brontes

The matoran trailed off, muttering curses and/or ideas.

I raise an eyebrow.

IC Forger

...

...

The Fe-Toa called "Forger" is not much of a fighter, but he is an experienced blacksmith. An occupation that builds quite a bit of strength, enough strength for him to slug an unexpecting Scholar in the back of the head, knocking him out.

"Veteran, where are we finding these people?"

IC Forger

I leave Krayzikk and the Ta-Toa to their devices. Between our conversation and helping refugees across the break, I have lost track of most of my team. I hear an explosion in another area of the courtyard. Past a corner, I turn it to see Veteran and the new one (Scholar?) speaking. It seems Scholar has a patero launcher. One he doesn't know how to use.

"Veteran is right, you can't use a weapon you don't know. In a fight you'd be dead instead of getting scolded."

This area of the courtyard is secluded from the other larger one near the cable car, so I can speak with Veteran freely without arousing suspicions. Though at this point, I didn't exactly care. Zero would be here soon, I kind of wanted the titan to stick around to meet her... A conversation between those two would be pretty entertaining.

I had the feeling that her list of things I messed up would already be at arm's length anyhow. What would one more issue matter?

"It takes years of training to use a weapon like that. Best to stick to one thing you know, else you end up like me. I "own" a thousand weapons, but haven't mastered a single one."

IC Onamazu

I spot a matoran, a su-matoran by the looks of him. He is leaving a nearby building, "a local?"

"Hey you!"

OOC: That's you Teclax

IC Brontes

The vo-toa pets the... ...whatever rahi it is, he is unfamiliar with it's species.

"You can only hope... Or pray if you're that kind of person." Brontes was still awaiting service from the bartender. "I'm sure once news reaches the other Koro's and their Akiri, SOMETHING will be done. As far as I know, those like you and me are the first people out of there. I guess I could be going around to warn people, but... Well I'm a little beat up for that. I'm sure the ta-koro guard will get the information to the right people. And quickly."

IC Skoll

Shooting Reson would solve our new problem, but create other problems in it's wake.

"Hey buddy, even I know a psycho like Kavala. You don't spend time around law enforcement without knowing some crazies."

IC Skoll

"Anything else interesting being worked on? Maybe Nuparu has sketched some powered exoskeletons, combat drills, new mining explosives?"

IC Brontes

I took the matoran's hand and shook it. "I'm a half dead toa from Ko-Koro... Well, not from Ko-Koro as in from, but came from... Temporarily." He was a small toa and the matoran was big.

And rather spooky. What the karz kind of mask was that?

"Bloody good beer. Bloody ##### conversation. I've asked a lotta people questions like a civilised bloke, and all I get is a bloody burnak on my feet."

The Skakdi doesn't seem too amiable. How unfortunate. "I'll have one of these bloody good beers this Skakdi is talking about!"

IC Brontes

"Good idea, I'll pay you back later. (maybe)"

The vo-toa leaves the Guard's HQ, walking around the section of town nearby. He isn't a fan of seedy bars, so he passes by several. Some with brawling or unconscious patrons outside...

He finds a respectable looking one, it's full of people and several standout-ish characters like a ta-toa, skakdi and eccentric looking matoran line the bar. Brontes takes a seat nearby.

"So, what's good here?" A question towards no one in particular, maybe towards the conversing bartender.

IC Onamazu

The quartet of toa disembark. The long train ride has brought them to Po-Koro's Iron Mahi station. Larger and more populated than it's counterpart on the coast. It hums with the subsonic tones of machinary, dozens of matoran (and even several exotic races like skakdi, vortixx and lesterlin) unloading, loading or moving crates of food, supplies or parts from the Mahi.

"The Koro has grown since I last came here. I think we'll need to find a local of some sort to guide us."

IC Karna

The Ba-Toa's display of power was quite the sight, as was the cloud of bright smoke obscuring the battlefield. His Akaku only provided perhaps a third of the clarity he had had previously. Still enough for him to see more than the others could. He wanted to see what else Skorm was capable of.

IC Skoll

Tick tock.

Tick tock.

...tiCK TOck...

It had been twenty and nine minutes since the Ussalry matoran Onepu had given them a thirty minute ETA.

Consider the following: the presence of Vezon means that a Spear of Fusion is likely to exist, and with its power in my grasp, nothing can stop me from bringing about an eternal night of Naokaz.

the bath-house owner?!

IC Karna

The priest runs ahead of the group, use Akaku and sensitive hearing allowing him to pinpoint Skorm quicker than the others. He stays behind a building, his mask allowing him to observe the three toa. One is the toa Vakua, the other two appear to be his allies. Skorm is nearby, he can tell.

"This should be interesting."

IC Karna

"You heard the waitress earlier, he lives in a hut near the greenhouses. We have no time to waste."

Karna started a brisk walk, taking them in that direction.

IC Brontes

"Well, in that case I'll just wait around here. I've never been to Ta-Koro, know no one and have little money."

IC Karna

The de-toa uses his Akaku to track Skorm, soon he activates his Huna and vanishes. Even with his enhanced hearing, the priest cannot track him further.

"He is singlemindedly driven by his goal of finding Vakua it seems."

IC Brontes

"Am I going to need to tell the Ko-Koro story to anyone else?"

IC Skoll

*unintelligible and resentful muttering*

"Do they serve here? I fear my continued sobriety will lead us to tragedy."

IC Skoll

...was this her way of showing anger or happiness?

The wolf-like Skakdi can only hope it is the former as he appraises the Ussalry headquarters.

It seems to look like many other police stations.

Utilitarian, sparse, empty at this time of night.

IC Forger

"Rickert," I give the titan my surname.

"Formerly first line of defense of the Sanctum against the... floaty magnet skeleton guy and pals. Now the kinda broken first line of defense, unfortunately. Can't win 'em all... glad you guys did."

"Echelon?" The dark toa fits that description. Another reason to be glad things turned out this way, allying with the likes of Echelon would've been likely to end very badly.