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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Oct 13, 2018 19:32:10 GMT -5
Strange sights were not especially strange in Void City, but this was just... bizarre.
A tall, hulking, broad-shouldered, stern-faced man dressed in a suit and sunglasses sat at a table outside a restaurant in the Plaza. He didn't speak. He just sat there in dead silence, barely moving a muscle, paying no mind to any passersby. The atmosphere around him seemed cold, unsettling and full of malice. Or at least it might have if he wasn't currently reading a copy of Better Homes & Gardens.
Even stranger was that sitting across from this man was a green-skinned humanoid with birdlike wings, awkwardly propped up in his chair, very clearly asleep judging by his slouched posture. It seemed like the man was patiently waiting for him to come to rather than trying to rouse the bird man. Not immediately obvious was the fact that he had already attempted that with no results, only stopping for the sake of not injuring him. Hey, the guy just got punched out; that black (dark green?) eye could've been anyone's fault.
Mr. Stone and his boss needed this guy intact if they were going to complete their mission.
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 13, 2018 19:56:22 GMT -5
...
.......
..........
................ Why does my face hurt so much?
With a low groan, Liderc slowly cracked open his eye, instantly placing a hand to his face. Okay, he'd need to apply some magic to that. "Bishop," he mumbled, covering his hand in a soft, vaguely cobalt light. Upon contact with the light, the bruise around his eye began to soften, though not fading completely. "Good enough." Looking up, the green angel glanced around, not really noticing a certain someone in front of him. "Okay, I didn't wake up in a back alley in a tub of ice water, good enough..."
And then, he noticed the man in front of him. "GAH!!" Liderc jumped from his seat, awkwardly falling onto his face. "Ow." Getting back to his feet, he took a defensive stance. "W-Who the hell are you?! Have you been waiting for me to wake up for however long I've been out?! Cripes..."
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Oct 13, 2018 20:18:27 GMT -5
Mr. Stone's attention was on Liderc the moment the angel started to stir. He set aside his magazine and folded his hands atop the table, staring intently at Liderc as he waited to be acknowledged. He wasn't even fazed when the angel responded to his cold stare and looming presence with shock, merely watching the brief moment of slapstick with that same deadpan frown.
He wanted to know who he was. Mr. Stone didn't feel inclined to answer that. There were more important things to discuss.
Looking away from Liderc, Mr. Stone rolled up his left sleeve just enough to reveal what almost looked like a watch build into his wrist. A mental command was all it took for the glassy surface to light up...
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Oct 13, 2018 20:34:49 GMT -5
A small beam of light arose from the device, creating a semi-transparent, holographic image that hovered over Mr. Stone's wrist...
Within that projection was a woman. Quite clearly human and in her forties at least, but also stunningly beautiful. She had curly brown hair, flawless skin, deep green eyes, and full lips, the latter two combining into a sultry smile. She wore a white coat over a maroon dress, and her arms were folded atop the desk she was sitting at. And no matter which angle he stood at in relation to the hologram, she always seemed to be staring directly at Liderc.
"Good morning, sir," the woman eventually spoke. Her voice was warm, rich and smooth, like the finest dark chocolate. "I apologize for the abrupt accommodations. Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Cora Michaels. I am the head of development of the most prestigious technological facility on this island. And who might you be?"
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 13, 2018 20:46:13 GMT -5
"Okay, holographic technology. Like I've never seen that before..."
Liderc seemed unimpressed with the projection of this human woman, standing up to his full height in an attempt to create a barrier between them. He frowned, seeing as the hologram seemed to always be watching him. "... Well, as far as apes go, you're at least easier on the eyes than most of them..." He shook his head, trying to get rid of the faint green tinge on his cheek.
Once he was sure the blush was gone, Liderc cleared his throat. "... Well, seeing as you're willing to introduce yourself first... Keruv Liderc Shamash Serapis, and don't think you've earned the right to address me so casually." The blonde glanced up at the man projecting this woman, then back at the hologram. "Has your... assistant been waiting for me to wake up this whole time? How long was I out, anyway..."
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Oct 13, 2018 20:59:16 GMT -5
"I'm flattered," Dr. Michaels intoned, still somehow managing to sound warm and seductive despite her obvious sarcasm. "Well, it is very nice to meet you, sir."
She offered a smirk and a light chuckle. "Yes, please forgive Mr. Stone. I'm afraid geniality is not one of his strong suits. When he failed to wake you, he opted to wait for you to come to on your own over the past forty-five minutes, and I understand if waking up to his... presence... was not the most welcoming of wake-up calls."
Drumming her fingers on the polished surface of her desk, Dr. Michaels moved on from the pleasantries and got right to business. "I suppose you're wondering why we've gone to such trouble to speak with you. Well, sir, I would like to inquire about those two young men you were speaking with moments ago. The ones who rendered you unconscious."
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 13, 2018 21:07:01 GMT -5
Oh. Those two.
"... Doctor, with all due respect, I believe our definitions of speaking may be a bit divorced." Liderc scoffed and shook his head. "Those two children? Those two half-breeds? They're no friends of mine." The angel actually growled. "My intel tells me that their names are Percy Worcester-Isaac for the brunette and William Lowe for the blonde buffoon."
Glancing around, he saw the parts he had purchased. Still mostly ruined. "When I passed by the blonde buffoon, most of the parts I had purchased, with the last of my money, mind you, began to malfunction. Typical. I get assigned to pick up a single low-level artifact and this happens..." He looked at the hologram of Dr. Michaels. "... I'd like to paint a few pictures with the blood of that miserable blonde motherfucker..."
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Oct 13, 2018 21:21:57 GMT -5
"William Lowe..." Dr. Michaels seemed to take a particular interest in the aforementioned "blonde buffoon" of the duo, tapping her chin and nodding slowly.
She tilted her head slightly as if to glance around Liderc at the mess of mostly-broken parts scattered about on the sidewalk. "I see..." Then she grinned at the angel again. "Funny you should mention that, Mr. Serapis. I have my sights set on Mr. Lowe as well. You see, he's currently in possession of a highly valuable piece of technology, one that I have gone to great lengths to ensure is kept out of unfit, careless hands who would misuse its power. I don't suppose you could be so kind as to relay any valuable information on Mr. Lowe that may prove critical into this technology's safe retrieval... could you?"
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 13, 2018 21:29:20 GMT -5
"Close enough. Mr. Serapis is fine, if only for the sake of expediting this conversation."
Liderc seemed... curious. "What kind of daft moron would trust that buffoon with anything? Seriously..." And there came the headache. The blonde pinched the bridge of his nose to cushion the incoming pain. "... Hmm..."
He frowned at Dr. Michaels. "And why should I relay any information to you? As pleasurable as it would be to splatter and or burn him, I don't have the time. I need to fix my ship. I need to get off this bloody island before these filthy endotherms drive me insane..." He scowled as he looked back at the ruined parts. "... This could take some time with all the malfunctioned parts..."
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Oct 14, 2018 12:28:48 GMT -5
"The daft moron of which you speak delivered the technology unto him without Mr. Lowe's knowledge," Dr. Michaels explained. "See, the piece we're after is very small. So small that the lab technician who confiscated it sought to hide it inside a host body. Mr. Lowe just so happened to be the only one available to receive it after Mr. Stone fatally wounded the little lab rat. For this reason, we are seeking a means of bringing Mr. Lowe into our facility alive in order to extract it."
She listened intently to Liderc's show of stubbornness, hardly deterred when the angel refused to comply on account of his own concerns. To this, Dr. Michaels responded without hesitation, "I would be more than willing to repair your ship for you, Mr. Serapis. In exchange for information on what sort of resistance we may face in our pursuit of Mr. Lowe... perhaps even assistance in his safe retrieval... my technicians and I could quite easily restore your ship to peak performance. Well above that, even."
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 14, 2018 12:40:02 GMT -5
"... Hmm..."
Liderc placed a hand under his chin, thinking. "Good doctor, I assume you are familiar with the Paradiso Single Pilot Galleon Type I Retrieval model? Gale-Zemeckis coordinates? Quantum distorters type five?" His tone didn't seem hostile- just inquisitive. "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't. Of all the worlds I've seen, most had no understanding of even a type one quantum distorter..."
He sat down. "But, if you can repair such a ship... Then my lips are your firsttalon source of information, doctor."
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Oct 14, 2018 12:54:50 GMT -5
Dr. Michaels smiled and nodded, very much pleased with this turn of events. "Quantum distorters, I'm certainly familiar with. Your ship's exact model, I may have to run a schematic on, but I assure you that once I've familiarized myself with a machine, no matter what it is, the work I can conduct with it is poetry in motion. I've built complex vessels capable of crossing the boundaries of space and time with my bare hands. Your ship will receive utmost care, good sir."
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 14, 2018 13:03:33 GMT -5
"... Heh..."
Liderc closed his eye and gave a lazy smirk. "You got a deal, doctor. I'd offer to shake fronds, but the hologram might make this awkward..." A small ball of green fire burned in one hand as his eye opened. "Alright. The blonde buffoon can actually put up a fight, but thing is, he's not one for fighting. But not punching half-blind guys in the face with enough force to knock them out, apparently. ... A mug like that's not easy to miss." The flames grew a bit more intense.
"So, do you need him whole, or would you mind if I cut him up a bit? Also, rare or extra crispy?"
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Oct 14, 2018 13:14:54 GMT -5
"Excellent. My gratitude knows no bounds, sir. You will not be disappointed."
Dr. Michaels absorbed Liderc's descriptions thoroughly, pursing her lips slightly at his last couple of questions. "For the sake of maintaining the integrity of the technology inside him, I must request that he be delivered to me alive and intact. I suppose I have no objections to roughing him up if that's how you prefer to work, but no lacerations at the very least." She tapped her chin. "And what of his companion, the bare-footed brunette? I suppose he will pose a challenge as well?"
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 14, 2018 13:21:17 GMT -5
"Hmm, I suppose just punching and kicking him will suffice. I'll enjoy this challenge, doctor..."
Liderc dispelled the green flames, his smirk turning into a grin. "As for the brunette? Wouldn't be too much of a challenge to cause a commotion. He's a complete goody two-shoes. If he sees someone in distress, he can't help but rush over and try and help. How disgustingly noble." He snapped his fingers. "Maybe I'll skewer something and project my voice. While the Worcester boy stops to investigate, I'll bag the blonde buffoon."
Beat. "... Where am I supposed to deliver him after?"
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