The New Hotness (Open, Combine)

GEAR

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Jun 15, 2018
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#1
August 25th, OE 102
Bunker 48 Factory Floor
L4 Cluster, Kunlun Colony



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"...So noisy."

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Eris Pseudea grumbled as she strode through the front doors of the "Bunker 48" factory. There wasn't too much in the ways of activity... Though, she thought, that was to be expected, what with the majority of the work being done by machines these days. Piles of scrap had been cleaned recently off the floor, and the place's new owners had put a fresh lick of paint on what had once been little more than an abandoned shipyard. Her fingers ran through her hair as she walked, nosily peering at anything that caught her fancy, before her attention was grabbed by the machine nestled in a berth at the far end of the room.

"That must be it." She mumbled, but before she could make her way over, she was interrupted by the sound of dress shoes clacking against concrete as a voice rang out to her.

"Eris Pseudea, correct?"

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"Sir Thane Ashford, at your service."

The Lunarian noble in exile flashed his patented smile as he approached. The time apart from the Moon had been... painful, to say the least, but here at least he had found fertile ground for his ideas. Meyven Elhirut had seen fit to give him shelter, and he was not so spiteful a man as to bite the hand that fed him. While the initial adjustment had been difficult, the time alone had allowed him to branch out, exploring new ideas, with the materials of the Colonies serving as an ample canvas for him to paint upon...

For a tidy profit, of course.

"It was I who designed this..." He paused for dramatic effect, closing his eyes.

"Masterpiece."

"Ashford...? Hrk."

Eris let out a noise like a strangled chicken, causing the Lunarian to pause in his explanation, raising an eyebrow quizzically as he looked her over again, skeptically.

"Hm? ...Have we met?" He asked, good naturedly.

"N-No! I mean, not directly."

Quietly, the woman's mind was flashing back to the many times she had stolen from stockpiles bearing that name on Luna. The life of a smuggler wasn't an easy one, and the past six months had made business practically dry up as the fires of war continued to rage. It wasn't as if she could do anything in a mere Axio either, so it had fallen to her to keep track of requests and information, leaving the heavy lifting to Sayuri.

"I uh, I just heard of you before. That's all."

To her surprise, Ashford's features brightened.

"Ah, from my latest exhibition?"

"Right, yes." Said the mercenary hurriedly, grasping for words as quickly as they would come to mind;

"Your work is very... Visionary. Inspiring, I mean."

Ashford laughed, giving the woman an appreciative pat on the shoulder from his gloved hands, and began to lead her in the direction of the unit she had spied earlier.

"You flatter me. Come along then... I think you're going to love her."
 
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Nov 12, 2018
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#2
Ahead of Eris and Ashford, a lanky figure waited, swiping at a lit datapad's screen. He was dressed in a bizzare, half-uniform ensemble - one that didn't lend a particularly groomed air to his current appearance, looking as if it had been assembled in moments. His now-disheveled hair and exhausted eyes only dug the grave deeper - had an ordinary citizen passed him on the street, it would have been easy enough to pass him off as a madman.

But taken as a whole, he still carried the slightest tinge of authority, enough to betray his position.

Meyven Elhirut had almost forgotten what it was like to fly a mobile weapon. Much of his military duties had been superseded by the integration of the Circle into the Combine, a task he'd hesitantly managed with the perpetual, gnawing feeling of inadequacy. He'd known the moment he learned of his new position - that he'd be locking his heart away, hardening its scarred surface to diamond for the people he was now expected to shepherd.

He wouldn't admit it, but - Madin. I'm not good enough. I'm sorry.

The thought was always there, haunting him with images of streaking fire.

"I'm doing it again," he observed, and sighed. He needed to refocus, reframe, return to the present, before he let the tightness strangle his lips and leave his mouth dry. His eyes crept upwards, seeking a distraction, and found it in the approaching pair. A stiff, short wave announced his presence, and he walked to join them, leaving the datapad deactivated on a convenient stack of materials.

"Ashford," he noted with a nod. "And - "

IT BLED ACROSS THE STARS FOR HER

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IT BLED ACROSS THE STARS FOR HER

"...Pseudea," he finished, failing to suppress the odd jerk in his phrasing. "I don't believe further introductions are in order, unless that offends your sensibilities. Thank you both for coming here. The post of Meyven extends its gratitude. Now, shall we continue?"
 

GEAR

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Jun 15, 2018
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#3
"A pleasure to see you again, my esteemed patron."

The warmth radiation from Ashford was entirely different from the cold, guarded manner in which he had greeted him so many months ago. Some time alone, ti seemed, had been exactly what the doctor ordered as the Lunarian shook Elhirut's hand. There was something in his features, a flickered look of concern, as Elhirut's own intrusive thoughts surfaced in relation to the blue haired woman.

Eris meanwhile, had been lighting a cigarette, and looked at Elhirut for a moment before adding, dryly.

"Right, right. The new guy."

That's right. He took over after what'shisname... Madin, wasn't it? Hard to keep these aliens straight. He looks normal, at least.

"Nice to meet you." She said, giving a casual two-fingered salute.

...He looked terribly pale, part of her thought as she searched her memory for anything related to him.

Oh. Oh.

He had been at that incident. That was how the story went, wasn't it? With his dying breath, Meyven Madin had handed over all the power in the galaxy to a relative nobody. Twin streams of smoke escaped from her nose as she exhaled, infamous poker face not moving an inch with the realization. Sounded a little too convenient, if you asked her, but her profession was hardly one anybody would call trustworthy.

What's he doing here?

"If you ever need something that isn't nailed down... Give me a call." She said, doubtless that the man had already heard of her profession.

Not like there was much work out there for EOT smugglers right now, she added to herself, glumly. At length, she gave a sigh as the three came to a stop, and nodded towards Ashford.

"Alright, show me what you've got."

Needing no further prompting, the Lunarian stepped aside, inviting the two to look into the berth before them. The tall, stilted Mobile Weapon that occupied it was unlike any ever before seen here or anywhere else - but there were signs of its pedigrees etched into every corner of its skeleton-like frame, the arms of which cradled a massive, imposing rifle that seemed almost as if it would make the thing topple over if it were removed from its restraints.



"I call it... The Bellzelute." He said, proudly.​

When no reaction of awe was forthcoming from the blue-haired woman, he continued undeterred, directing his attention to the Meyven instead. Perhaps he simply had more faith in the man's appreciation of art? Regardless, the gratitude and appreciation that radiated from him was infectious - and perhaps, a welcome respite from the misery of bureaucracy that had surrounded him since his... ascension.

"Designed with Terran sensibilities in mind, but with a flair for the grace and elegance my people have long prized. I drew inspiration from the poise and form of an ancient archer, my muse whispering to me all through the evenings as I painstakingly worked."

Voice swelling with the emotion of a man now fully immersed in the world of art and drama, Ashford gestured to each part of his masterpiece in turn as he spoke, excitement practically dripping from every pore in his body even as Eirs sauntered forward, hands shoved in her pockets.

"Through my blood, sweat, and tears... I have created a new generation of Mobile Weapon." He explained, "A symbol of friendship and gratitude to you, Meyven Elhirut. The head features a state of the art Lunarian sensor optimized for long-range combat, and a prototype Colonial-made Orgone Reactor beats within its chest. I completely redesigned the particle vents using the available materials, and while there are some slight deviations, it handles like a dream.

Its arms are lightweight and minimalist for power optimization and stability. Despite the large size of the Orgone Rifle, there are no issues whatsoever with balance or fire control - the stability is something that a Terran sharpshooter could only dream of. With dual modes of fire, as well as the ability to emit a sustained burst, this single firearm contains a response for every situation a soldier might meet on the battlefield.

The legs-"

CLONG.

"...Eh?"

Ashford stopped, turning his head in the direction of the noise.

Having hopped the metal barrier to the machine, Eris Pseudea took a step back - and aimed another kick at the Bellzelute's foot, letting her leg slam home before tilting her head up, as if to watch the frame questioningly.

"What-"

Without even looking back, Eris spoke up over the Lunarian, finally taking the cigarette from her mouth in irritation, letting a massive gout of smoke erupt like a dragon's belch.

"I wanted to see if it would fall over." She said, walking back over to the two.

"Trying to pull a fast one on me, huh?"

Ashford sputtered comically, as Eris jabbed her thumb back at the Bellzelute's feet.

"You call these legs? Where's the armor? It's only half-finished!"

"Legs are merely decorative on-"

"You charged me full price! You're telling me it's supposed to look like that?"

"Yes!"

Eris let out a noise that was somewhere between a groan and a moan, bringing her hands up to the side of her head.

"How am I supposed to kick people now...?" She mumbled to herself, now rubbing her temples. Reprogramming all her motion patterns was going to take weeks.
 
Nov 12, 2018
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#4
The Meyven couldn't help but wince when Eris lashed out at the Bellzelute's delicate frame, screening his surprise with a sudden cough. As little as he valued aesthetics and form over function, he could still respect the countless hours poured into the design's intricacies and visible tolerances. In this case, form only reflected function; one did not supplant or occupy space meant for the other, and there was no evidence of neglect on the part of its designer. Until that awkward, sudden moment, he'd been more than happy to nod along to Ashford's long-winded sales pitch; for the most part, he'd meant it.

"An impressive effort," he whispered. A quick glance down from the machine's visage allowed his gaze to settle on Eris' face; only a moment was needed, as her expression conveyed what her words already made evident. Clearly, she thought otherwise.

That star - that raging, twisting mass of metal - it had inspiration, hadn't it?

"Ah, ah - Miss Pseudea," he lightly offered, measured tone masking an uneasy composure. "I would recommend that you not engage in close combat with one of our most valuable prototypes, please. If it returns from an engagement a mass of dented iron, I'm unlikely to hear the end of it from our collaborator.

A lightheaded inhale followed, allowing the alien's apparently stressed body to recover. He awkwardly straightened up, subtly rearranging his clothes; having reclaimed most of his poise within that single gesture, he stepped forwards to offer a hand to the distressed woman before him.

"Please be understanding," he finally finished. "This arrangement is the best I can manage."
 

GEAR

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Jun 15, 2018
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#5
"A man shouldn't bow his head unless he needs to."

Eris gave Elhirut a quizzical look as he spoke, yet took his hand gingerly. He'd be handsome, she thought - if only it weren't for that sad puppy look. The smuggler shrugged, seemingly letting Ashford off the hook for the time being, azure tresses bobbing gently with the movement as she gave him a pitying look, the overhead lights glinting off her painted nails as she drew her hands back to herself.

"It's not your fault." She said lightly; "War going on, and all."

Ashford, sensing a swing in the momentum of the conversation, took the opportunity to raise his own voice, folding his arms as he defended his creation once more before this... this... philistine.

"I assure you it will meet your expectations, Lady Eris. If not..." He paused momentarily, as if reconsidering his words - but a glance at Elhirut, and he gave a concessionary sigh.

"I will remodel it."

Eris raised her eyebrows and let out a whistle, a mischevious smile flicking across her face that contrasted with the sudden look of regret on Ashford's face.

"...for free?" She wheedled.

"For free."

Beaming, the young woman punched her fist into her open palm. Another successful shazam, she thought to herself.

"Now that's more like it."

Suddenly she pivoted, becoming the very picture of professionalism as she snapped a salute to Elhirut.

"Ahem. Me an' Yuri'll take care of that business out by Mars as fast as we can, boss."

The red planet. More specifically, the Tech-Moon, Deimos. According to Cicero's most recent reports, trouble was brewing on the surface, though the exact nature of what was going on eluded him. It was a prime opportunity to have Pseudea and her companion pay the surface of Deimos during the confusion to see what they could learn - and whether it was indeed connected to the strange observers that had been spotted across the Earth sphere.

"Unless, there's something you need from me first?"

Maybe she had noticed the look in his eyes, something about the way he carried himself that was not nearly as forlorn as it appeared. A kind of tension beneath the surface, wavering on whether or not it ought to show itself. Those dawn-hued eyes blinked as they looked into Elhirut's own, almost challenging him to speak his mind.
 
Nov 12, 2018
52
0
6
#6
Like a fly to sugar, the Psychodriver considered. Was it that easy to sway someone like her? However, as unwise as it was, he allowed the sentiment to show on his face, a slightly narrowed eye meeting hers instead of some other acknowledgement. It was a drastic failure of an attempt to hide himself away, and he only realized it a moment after she asked her question, the words briefly scything through his increasingly muddled thoughts.

"N-no," he wavered, before attempting a firmer response. "At the moment, no - not from you. Your assignment is clear enough, I hope. Try to avoid risking your life or that machine's integrity too much, if you wouldn't mind." He managed a rueful smile, eyes briefly brightening as some stray thought reached the forefront. "There has to be something left to remodel in the end, after all."

Deimos.

The name still seemed unfamiliar, even after the hours spent poring over maps of Sol.

The smile slipped away. Just like "Earth", "Mars", "Jupiter", the myriad names from a mythology that was not his. When he thought of home - an impossible eternity away - he thought of something, of trees and cities and people who weren't merely words on a compiled report. Now, all he had was - what did he have?

His gaze returned to Ashford.

"All that matters is that the Orgone Reactor survives. I look forwards to seeing what works you produce in the future, Ashford."

He could not think of anything else to say.

"..."

A hole was in his chest.

"That will be all," he muttered, and began to walk away.