[20:54] <@Brett> [Date: The Next Day! Time: 8:30 a.m. Location: Good Luck Hotel, Soyo, Zakanar] [20:56] (Sending the log I have to you, Brett. Unedited and formatted, but whatever!) [20:57] <@Brett> [After visiting Major Tehma J'mail and Molutu the Smuggler, you became thankful the GM actually remembers what's going on. Or so one could hope. You and your bus escaped the East End without incident, and you returned to your hotel: a three story building. Rooms are cramped, but at least there's no roaches.] [20:57] <@Brett> [Since there's no penthouse to rent, either, you just started gathering in the common room.] [20:57] <@Brett> [Start] 06[20:58] * Montana is in the common room, sure! What's there to do in the common room? 06[20:58] * Gordo is there, and reading about the latest air travel news. (And his player is running away to be afk for afew min!) 01[20:59] (Can I have lined up a more suitable replacement for my hearing systems in the soon-to-now?) 06[21:00] * Shiho is next to Montana, chatting if he is down with that. [21:00] <@Brett> [There's newspapers (local, which you can't read, and international, which you can!) And a small TV that looks like it came out of the 1980s. It only gets 20 channels, too, and they're all from Africa.] [21:00] <@Brett> ( Yeah, sure. ) 03[21:00] * Retrieving #mc5 modes... 01[21:00] (HOORAY) 06[21:04] * Montana is totally down with that. Talking to Shiho is excellent. He's leaning back with his hands behind his head, just under his hat. "So you're tellin' me that everyone's wearing checkered jumpsuits in South Korea now?" [21:05] <@Brett> ( >.> ) [21:05] Yeah, it's a really big thing. I used to hate them, but the more I see them, the more used to it I get, and I'm starting to like them... it's really disturbing. [21:06] If not Stockholm Syndrome if it's jumpsuits, right? [21:06] (Funnily, Brett, jumpsuits are really a thing in high fashion *now*.) [21:06] (So it's not too weird to think that it'd wrap around by then.) 01[21:06] (unlike montana's face) [21:06] (My face is excellent, thank you.) [21:06] (Back) 06[21:06] * Nigel is sitting down in the common room, his face lit by the glow of his laptop monitor as he taps away at research. [21:07] (He is the good looking brother!) [21:07] (AHA HEAR THAT NIGEL) [21:07] (I wouldn't trust Gordo's opinion on that) 01[21:07] (it's true) 01[21:07] (he likes beaters) [21:07] Eh... nah. 06[21:07] * Montana grins suddenly. "Shoes, though. I'm thinkin' shoes, probably yes." [21:09] I'm going to agree with you there. Heels hurt so much, but they look so nice... oh, I saw a pair the other day that pretty much force your feet to be in, um, that ballet thing where you're on your toes? En pointe? 06[21:12] * Sonia comes out of her room with her hair natural and poofy, and also green. Rawr, green afro. She looks between Shiho and Montana, then says, "Shoes, really." 06[21:12] * Montana shrugs helplessly, then looks over at Sonia. "Most everyone wears 'em." [21:12] <@Brett> [Suddenly an angry marquis attacks! Roll initiative!] 06[21:12] * Shiho says innocently, "Shoes are a natural progression from checkered jumpsuits." [21:13] I'm having no part 'a this. [21:13] <@Brett> [Actually what really happens is Alysha shows up in the common room, yawning. "Hey guys." She has her long hair loose today, and is wearing a tank top and knee-length shorts. For once she's not grinning.] [21:14] (Brett is the man who cried initiative - one day it will be a real roll call and we won't believe him) 06[21:14] * Montana tips his hat to Alysha. "Ma'am." [21:14] (Ahahaha) [21:14] Morning, boss. [21:14] <@Brett> ( I already actually blew something up once. ) 06[21:16] * Gordo switches which hand he's holding his tablet computer with and throws a lazy salute. [21:17] <@Brett> [Alysha takes a seat. "I think we're going to have to deal with this underground slave market. I'm not sure how to take on something like that, but..."] 06[21:20] * Montana blinks. "No offense, ma'am, but I ain't got the fantest clue how to deal with somethin' like that. Usually leave it to the sort of people who want to arrest me." [21:20] <@Brett> [Alysha frowns and leans forward. "But I'll think of a plan. Give me some time. In the meantime, Major J'mail mentioned something about the N'mba capturing a foreign woman yesterday."] 01[21:20] Yeah? He just blowin' smoke? [21:21] <@Brett> [She nods to Montana. "Destroying an organization isn't an easy thing. Especially not something underground like that."] 06[21:21] * Gordo nods. "Y'want an army 'a bobbers, and maybe yer standing army behind 'em." [21:22] <@Brett> ["I don't know. Could be Julia. Could be something to keep us out of his way." Her frown deepens. "Could be a trap."] 06[21:25] * Nigel shrugs. "Won't know until we check." [21:25] <@Brett> ["We're operating on the assumption that he wants Julia found and wants to retain good relations with VA, but..." She shakes her head. "I don't trust him. It's hard to trust anyone who dabbles in black magic."] [21:27] Right. Any way we can verify the info before we go chargin' in? [21:27] <@Brett> [She leans back. "But I think you should check it out. It shouldn't be too hard to find a foreign-looking woman in this country. We stand out."] [21:28] <@Brett> [Alysha shrugs at Montana. "No idea. This is more your territory than mine."] 06[21:30] * Montana pinches his face. "Extractin' people ain't really my specialty. Okay. We got any more than that? Where they got her, maybe, where they're holding her?" [21:30] (s/his face/the bridge of his nose) 06[21:30] * Sonia nods slightly and pats Montana on the shoulder. "Findin' her, though... that I can probably work on." 06[21:31] * Nigel nods. "As can I. I'll see if I can dig up some information." [21:31] <@Brett> [Alysha shakes her head. "No, but.... N'mba territory is settled around Arbqa city, if that helps.] 06[21:32] * Montana smiles at Sonia. "Thanks, darlin'." [21:32] I'll sit around and be useless. Or we can call it the moral support position. [21:33] <@Brett> ["I'm staying here," Alysha says. "It's become pretty obvious that my presence would only hinder things."] 06[21:33] * Sonia looks down, then shrugs and says, "I know people. Drivers gotta know the land." [21:33] Yer in charge a stabbing people when we find the ones, in dire need a stabbin. [21:34] It's true, I -am- pretty good at stabbing things. 06[21:35] * Nigel nods. "You are at that. And goodness knows we're never sure when we might need things stabbed." [21:36] <@Brett> ( Stabbing contest GO! ) 06[21:38] * Sonia rolls her eyes behind her glasses, then says, "I'll see what I can dig up." [21:38] Lemme know if there's anythin' I can do to help. 06[21:42] * Sonia shrugs. "Your job's sneakin' 'round. This is just beatin' pavement." 06[21:42] * Sonia heads out the door to engage in a sweet urban tracking (underground) roll. [21:42] <@Brett> ( Roll fer it ) 01[21:43] 2d6+9 06[21:43] * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+9 for Sonia and gets a natural 10 for a result of 19. 01[21:43] (that's right, i have a 3 in urban tracking) 01[21:43] (go to hell, dice *fingerguns*) [21:44] (Bang bang) [21:44] <@Brett> [Sonia wins a new car!] [21:44] <@Brett> [I mean] 01[21:49] (I'm burning 3 hours. Anyone else has something that comes up in that time?) 01[21:49] (If not, I will return!) [21:50] (Not unless we suddenly develope a way to straif them from the air) [21:50] <@Brett> ( Montana gets heartburn, Gordo finds 24Zaknards ) [21:51] <@Brett> [Nigel gains +4 FutureTwitter followers, Shiho becomes an elf [21:51] <@Brett> ( I think that covers everyone ) [21:51] (I'ma hang out and chat with Shiho about shoes some more!) [21:53] (Fashion! Shiho's into it. She will be the most fashionable elf.) 06[21:53] * Sonia returns to the room and looks around a moment, checking that everyone's there, before saying, "There's another group'a people, they picked her up. Half-asian." [21:54] (Haha, my poor tired brain's first thought was, "Oh good, Shiho speaks Asian." WHAT.) 06[21:54] * Montana looks up from the cards he was flipping (while talking to Shiho, if she was game). "What, besides the N'mba?" 01[21:54] (yeah, that's bad of you, brain) 01[21:55] Yeah. They live in a N'mba city, but they ain't N'mba. 06[21:56] * Sonia snorts and says, "All the fuckin' racial purity around here, you'd think they'd know the difference." [21:56] (I'm also really tiredish...) [21:56] (To be fair, she speaks three Asiatic languages. Four if you count Canto and Mandarin seperately.) [21:56] <@Brett> ( I got 2 hrs of sleep :D ) 06[21:56] * Shiho is good with cards, and also looks up. [21:56] (Well that's better than my 4) 06[21:57] * Gordo rubs his face. "Starting ta think taking a match to the country's the best thing we could do fer the place." [21:57] (Er worse... whatever) [21:57] (XD) 01[21:57] (I managed a solid 5 last night before the plane flights. IT'S A GOOD FRIDAY) [21:57] <@Brett> ["Maybe it's not everyone," Alysha says. "Maybe it's just the Batu. I mean, they are the ones in power."] [21:57] (Sleep! Who needs it!) 01[21:57] Ain't how it works. 06[21:58] * Sonia shrugs. "Ain't my job, neither. We're headin' to the shittiest parts of Arbqal." 01[21:58] Have to figure out what happened to her from there. [22:01] Right. Better get a move on. [22:01] <@Brett> ["Good luck," Says Alysha. "I'll see if I can find out anything else from here."] 06[22:01] * Montana stands, stretches, and heads off to get ready. 06[22:01] * Shiho puts the deck of cards back in a neat pile and hands them back to Montana before grabbing her weapons. 06[22:02] * Gordo goes to collect his guns, although he probably won't have time to set up for sniping. [22:03] <@Brett> [Time: 1:00 p.m.] [22:06] <@Brett> [You arrive in Arbqal! It's not much different from Soyo. In fact, other than the fact that it's surrounded by a grassy savannah instead of boring brown dirt, it's hard to tell much difference at a glance. The poor section definitely stands out, though. People live in ramshackle huts composed of straw and sheetmetal. Men crowd around fires in rusty oil drums. They look markedly different from [22:06] <@Brett> the Batu in facial features and complexion.] [22:06] <@Brett> [As before, the bus draws attention. But these people don't look so menacing.] [22:08] <@Brett> [Their clothes look patchy, too. If the people in Soyo's East End looked poor, these guys must be destitute.] [22:10] <@Brett> [I'm pretty much filling space til you do something.] 06[22:10] * Montana looks out the window as they drive through and makes a small 'huh' sound. "Poor side 'a town ain't no lie." 01[22:11] (Sadly, I expended all my information telling you where we were going and who took her.) [22:11] Bets that the bus won't still be here when we're done? [22:12] Well, let's get out and ask around. 01[22:13] It ain't like I'm not gonna disable it again, Gordo. [22:14] <@Brett> [Sadly, you fail to leave the bus and slowly starve to death because you can't find a drive thru in this country.] [22:14] (;_;) [22:16] <@Brett> ( Alternatively, you could just leave the bus :o ) 01[22:16] (LET US :| ) [22:17] (Have we pulled up in front of a place, or just a random spot in town where people are burning trash?) [22:17] <@Brett> ( Just a random spot ) 01[22:17] (I don't know. Do we have a read on where the half-asians are?) [22:17] <@Brett> ( All around you >.> ) 01[22:17] (YAY) 06[22:18] * Sonia will stop and steps out to disable the bus again. Poor bus. [22:19] <@Brett> [You debus.] 06[22:19] * Shiho gets out and looks around. 06[22:19] * Gordo takes his sniper case with him and manages to totally look like he doesn't belong here as he looks around. [22:20] (Man, how does one even start with this.) [22:20] <@Brett> [The people watch you warily.] 01[22:21] (Finding a bar or gun shoppe or other place of people to ask.) 01[22:22] (More urban tracking!) [22:22] (Where the white women at? ) [22:22] <@Brett> [And then a six-year old tugs on Montana's sleeve. "Hey mistah. Where'd you get that?" He points at Montana's hat.] [22:26] <@Brett> ( Alysha's security force is defeated by a six-year old ) 06[22:26] * Montana grins at the kid. "Long story, but the short of it is, 's the most important thing I took when I moved out of my pa's house. It's a lucky hat." [22:27] (I was typing!) [22:27] (Also, I was just dealing with a six year old today.) [22:27] You got something lucky, too? [22:28] <@Brett> [He shakes his head. "Don't got a hat. Don't got a pa either."] 06[22:28] * Sonia looks around for places that are better for exercising people finding skills. It's not easy work. [22:30] <@Brett> [There's certainly no gun shop(pe), and closest thing Sonia finds to a bar is a bunch of guys sitting around one fire-drum getting drunk.] [22:31] <@Brett> ["None of us do," says the kid. "Mommy says only the lucky ones make it here. The unlucky mommys get eaten."] 06[22:31] * Sonia can start with that. "Boys. Seen another foreign woman 'round recently? Dark but not our kinda dark?" [22:31] <@Brett> [He looks up at Montana. "Did your mommy get eaten too?"] [22:32] <@Brett> [Meanwhilst, the drunks eye Sonia warily. "Who wantsta know?"] 06[22:33] * Montana shrugs at the kid. "In a manner 'a speakin'. She left when I was younger 'n' you and never came back." He very pointedly does not look at Nigel. 01[22:34] Me, n'if ya help, some bills. 06[22:34] * Shiho is keeping an eye on the whole group to make sure no one wanders off or gets kidnapped. It's a thing that sometimes happens. [22:35] <@Brett> ["Oh. So she made it out before your daddy ate her."] [22:35] <@Brett> [That stops the drunks. One of them starts to get to his feed. "Izzat right? Well--"] [22:36] <@Brett> [Another one grabs his shoulder. "Stop! You're not supposed to talk about it."] 06[22:36] * Nigel shakes his head and looks over to the kid with a raised eyebrow. "What kind of creatures eat them?" [22:37] <@Brett> [And the third one grins at Sonia. "We dunno anything about *hic* about no pretty lady.] [22:37] <@Brett> [And the second says, "Tahs right. 'Specialy not no American American lady."] [22:37] <@Brett> [The First says, "American?"] [22:37] <@Brett> [The second says, "Naw, double American."] 06[22:38] * Sonia nods along with the three drunk men, pulls out a bill, then says, "Sure, and I bet ya can't tell me anything about where she went either." [22:38] <@Brett> [And then a fourth guy wanders over. A tough looking guy. He's got dark skin, but his eyes are pronounced. No way he'd pass for a native. "You're asking the wrong sorts of people, here."] [22:39] <@Brett> [Meanwhile, the kid looks at Nigel. "Mommy says you can tell which daddies are bad because they have two faces. The second one's a monster, but they hide it. Mommy says they take mommies from all over the world and bring them here to eat."] 06[22:39] * Sonia glances at him a moment, letting her sonics do the scanning-over of him. 06[22:41] * Montana mutters, "Sometimes I thought my pa had two faces." He pulls a deck of cards from his sleeve, fiddling with it. "Are they here?" [22:41] <@Brett> [He seems normal. Albeit in surprisingly good shape. Very well muscled.] 06[22:41] * Sonia then says, "And who should I be askin'?" [22:42] <@Brett> [The kid shakes his head. "No, they're up in the other city with the batty men. The number men say we can stay here, but we hafta work in the mine when we get older. Everyone says it's terrible, but they still do it 'cause they don't wanna go back and get eaten."] [22:44] <@Brett> ["Vibol Pok," he says. I'm sort of the guardian for our part of the city." He glances from left to right, taking the destitute area in. "What little there is to guard, anyhow."] 06[22:45] * Montana frowns. "Sounds like a bad deal. Better 'n' gettin' eaten, but still bad." 06[22:45] * Montana sits down by the kid, if there's a place to sit. "You gonna do it? When you grow up?" 06[22:46] * Sonia is silent a moment, then just nods slightly. "We just want the woman back. She has a job and people who have the cash to give a fuck about it." [22:46] <@Brett> ["I don't want to," he says, "But I think I have to. If no one works, no one eats, and they don't let mommies work in the mines."] [22:48] <@Brett> [He holds up his hands. "Woah, hold on. You won't get any arguments from me. I can see you're not Zakanar. And if a bunch of people with money owe us one, that's all the better for us."] 06[22:49] * Sonia nods slightly and adjusts her glasses. "Just makin' it all clear." [22:49] <@Brett> [He glances around again. "You can plainly see we could use it. The N'mba treat us like shit, but it's not like we can just get up and leave if we don't like it."] 01[22:52] Works for me. Point us in the right direction, Vibol. 06[22:52] * Montana fiddles with the deck some more. "Sounds like you need some luck," he comments. "What's your name, kid?" 06[22:53] * Nigel nods to the kid. "Thanks. That's exactly what I needed to know." [22:54] <@Brett> ["It's...."] [22:54] <@Brett> ( Hang on while the GM looks one up ) [22:54] (Look up a name for the mom, too!) 06[22:55] * Nigel moves over to Shiho and whispers in Japanese, so, presumably, most of the locals can't understand them. " ( uuuuuuu ) [22:55] (s/"/>") 01[22:55] (look what you did) 01[22:55] (all over the quotes) [22:55] <@Brett> [".... Binh Ha," he says.] [22:56] <@Brett> ["Mommy says it's my uncle's name, but I've never met him."] 06[22:56] * Shiho looks startled. "" [22:57] Yeeeah, that happens. People get named after people they've never met a lot. Who's your mom? 06[22:57] * Nigel nods. "" [22:58] (Does Vibol have especially long hair?) [22:58] <@Brett> [Vibol shakes his head. "She's not here. We knew they were looking for her, so we gave her to the One-Eyed Witch." He frowns. "Have you got paper? And uh...." He makes a scribbling motion. "That thing they use on it."] [22:59] <@Brett> ( He does, at that. He's also got a short beard and narrow mustache, making him look more like an Asian with a really deep tan than a black guy.] ) [23:00] <@Brett> ["Anh," says Binh. "But I just call her mommy."] [23:00] <@Brett> ( BECAUSE SHE IS ) 06[23:00] * Sonia is silent a moment, then says, "Gimmie a second." She heads back to the bus and pulls a paper and pen out before walking them back to Vibol. 06[23:00] * Shiho eyes Vibol suspiciously and wanders over to Sonia. 06[23:02] * Montana tips his hat to the boy. "Pleasure ta meetcha, Binh Ha. I'm Montana." 06[23:03] * Sonia glances to Shiho as she heads over. [23:03] <@Brett> ["That's a weird name," says Binh.] 06[23:04] * Montana winks at the kid. "The name I was born with is even weirder." [23:04] I'm gonna see if I can manufacture some luck for you. In the meantime... [23:05] <@Brett> [Vibol waits patiently.] 06[23:05] * Shiho stays sort of in front of Sonia and to the side, basically between her and Vibol. She's not terribly subtle about it. 06[23:05] * Montana hands Binh Ha his deck of cards. "I've found these lucky in the past, and good for a change of pace. Maybe you can learn how to play. Could come in handy." 06[23:06] * Sonia gives the guy his paper and pen. She doesn't say anything else, because he asked for it! [23:06] <@Brett> [Binh stares at them with wide eyes. "Thanks!"] [23:07] You hang out here much? [23:09] <@Brett> [Vibol takes it and starts scribbling. Crudely scribbling. It looks crude. And like scribbles. At the end he hands Sonia a map that's most certainly not drawn to scale. "Sorry. Best I can do. You'll want to head East bearing South. You'll find a cluster of trees on a hill. That's where the One-Eyed Witch is, and your friend, too."] [23:10] (If it is a gingerbread house, I am turning this party right back around) 01[23:10] (agree) [23:11] <@Brett> ( Nah, it's candy corn ) [23:11] (Even worse, it's not even tasty!) [23:11] (I'ma buy a flaminwurfer.) [23:11] (XD) 01[23:11] (CORN THAT TASTES LIKE CANDY) 01[23:11] (SON OF A BITCH) 06[23:12] * Sonia takes the map and nods a little. "Better not be playin', boy." [23:13] <@Brett> [He glances down at the ground. "Might be off a bit. Not like we get much practice with drawing or writing around here.... Look can you do something for me?"] 06[23:14] * Sonia tilts her head slightly. "Depends how stupid it is." [23:14] <@Brett> ["Just.... When you find who you're looking for, tell her I sent you, okay?"] 06[23:15] * Sonia mms, then nods. "Can manage that." [23:16] <@Brett> ["Thanks. Don't forget about us when you get back to your country."] 06[23:16] * Sonia chuckles and says, "I ain't goin' back to my country, but don't worry, I'll make sure you get paid." 06[23:17] * Sonia turns and heads off to rejoin the group. [23:18] <@Brett> [The kid looks up at Montana. "We can't go anywhere else."] 06[23:18] * Shiho sticks with Sonia. [23:19] <@Brett> [Sonia doesn't get eaten by a Kishi. Or a grue.] 01[23:20] (GREET) [23:20] (Well, it's not dark out yet) [23:21] (If you can see in the dark, does the Grue still eat you?) 06[23:21] * Montana nods, then looks up at the others. "Seems it's time for me ta go. Hope to see you again, Binh Ha." He stands. 06[23:21] * Sonia flashes the paper at Montana/Nigel/etc. "Think that guy and a one-eyed witch are hidin' our target out." 01[23:21] Let's get there. [23:21] <@Brett> [Binh waves. "Bye bye Mister Montannnnna."] [23:22] Let's get gone. 06[23:22] * Montana grins and waves at the kid, then turns to the others. "Great. I've got a call to make on the way." [23:22] Yeah, definitely. [23:23] <@Brett> ( Soooo.... ) [23:23] <@Brett> ( Keep going or ... not... keep going? ) [23:24] (I... have to be up by like seven tomorrow, so if going is another two hours, I definitely cannot.) [23:24] (Pretty tired and having a hard time concentrating. I -can- keep going if you want, but it is late) 01[23:24] (I think we all sound like dead people.) [23:24] (I had no idea what Gordo was supposed to do here. He's not good at talking about things that arn't airplanes.) [23:24] <@Brett> ( Ok then ) [23:24] <@Brett> [End!]