It's alive! It's ALIVEEE! (open)

[Jamo Jakatta]

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Well we’ll see if you’re saying that when I…”

“When you what?”

“When I’m … all the way over here! HA!”

Jamo whirled around the corner and almost slammed into another customer, mocking up as best a snarl as he could. He’d spent a few hours just moping about the bar getting hyped up on more sugar laced drinks and now was heading back to his room for a night in front of the warm glow of his LCD.

As he came into the hallway where his room was he rummaged in his pocket for his keycard, his yellow-tint shades almost falling from his brow as he bent double to search the deep pockets in his trousers. Still walking – or hobbling rather – he came upon his door and almost fell over.

The door was open.

“F-f-frell…”

Edging inside, he leant against the wall and peeked about. It was totally dark. There were no windows, of course, so that didn’t help. Most of the light in the room came from the hundreds of gadgets Jamo had laying about the room.

“H-hello?” the engineer cleared his throat and spoke in a deeper voice, “Hello!”

Tiptoeing further into his room it didn’t appear that anything was amiss … that is, until he came to his work bench.

!

[Synthia]

Meanwhile in the bar…

It took a lot to make the patrons turn and look en masse. On the whole they were a bunch who had seen a lot and lived through it, ending up a motley crew of cynical skeptics. If there was one thing that would make them look away from their Sabacc it was what had just entered the bar. The door had opened and in true dramatic style a collective inhalation of breath had taken place.

A completely naked woman was limping across the bar. The thing was she wasn’t just naked of clothes, she was also naked of some flesh. Half of her face, one hand, one forearm and one knee were exposing machinery beneath them and her sharp eyes flickered as though lights flashed beneath them.

scanning...

Her head tilted back and forth, like a CCTV camera taking in the area, before coming to lock dead on center once more. Her arms fell down limp at her sides, as one of the muscles beneath her left eye twitched and a little mechanical hiss was heard.

“J-J-Jay-…”

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten sank into her chair along the dark wall. The droid that entered the bar was frightening, not in a "boo" type way, but it gave her an eerie feeling in the pit of her stomach. She slid sideways out of her seat and followed a side door out of the bar.

Not knowing where she was going, Vysten walked hurriedly down a corridor. She spotted an open door and slipped inside, assuming it was devoid of any residents. Talking a few steps inside Vysten realised she was definately wrong. She turned to leave when her elbow hit a nearby stack of random objects, sending them crashing to the ground. A worried expression crossed her face and she turned to leave.

[Jamo Jakatta]

The sound of something toppling over caused Jamo to literally jump, and he almost landed right on top of the now vacant table himself. Stumbling back and trying desperately to find a weapon on his person, he looked into the darkness for whoever had barged into his room. A figure appeared to be moving towards the door and Jamo had finally laid his hands on a blaster.

“F-freeze!” he barked out.

“I said freeze you frelling drenbag… one more move and I’ll blow that pretty head of yours off!”

That sounded impressive in his head. He wasn’t sure how good it had sounded aloud. Waggling the gun in his head about he rambled on, a new lease of confidence and anger rushing to his head courtesy of the blaster.

“What the vulking hell are you doing in my room?”

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten blinked, trying to buy time for something to say. She decided the truth couldn't hurt. "I'm sorry, I really am." Her voice was genuinely apologetic in contrast to her usual abrasive self. "I was in the bar back there," she guestured behind her with her thumb, "and a weird droid just... creeped me out. I left and your door was open so I assumed this place was unoccupied." Vysten assumed her nervous habit of running a hand absentmidedly though her hair. "I didn't know."

[Jamo Jakatta]

“A droid in the bar?”

Jamo’s eyes lit up with a mixture of fear and excitement. If no one had stolen the assassin droid, then it could be the cyborg that was roaming about – that would explain the door being open. He wasn’t sure how that was possible, however; he hadn’t even finished building her yet and was sure her attitude would be a little unstable if not volatile.

“Waitwait… who are you anyway? You don’t look familiar.”

Suspicion set in and again Jamo’s trigger finger was at the ready.

[Vysten Ambre]

Here goes nothing Vysten thought. Gods, I am so screwed. "My name is Vysten. I don't look familiar to you because I'm not a regualr patron of Poseidon's Gate." She didn't dare add the fact that she usually came to bars looking for work, too much information could get her killed. Vysten avoided looking at the man's blaster. He won't shoot me, he won't shoot me...

[Ahron Harresh]

"He won't shoot you."

The voice that speaks is a low, gravelly bass, owned by a man bent nearly double to look in at what Jamo is raving about. Ahron is new to Shadowfaene as well, but unlike Vysten, he works here. He's legal in these backrooms.

"C'mon back t' th' bar...le's see this droid o' your'n."

[Jamo Jakatta]

Jamo stared up defiantly into the face of the new arrival. Who the vulk was he to say what Jamo would and wouldn’t do? The mechanic almost fell like shooting his fellow redhead just for the sake of making a point, but instead holstered his pistol and barged out of his room (which now seemed to be free ground for any one to walk in! wonderful!).

Groaning, he made his way down the hallway without stopping for the other two. Upon entering the bar he couldn’t help but cringe. There was Synthia, still stood in the center of the room with half of the crowd watching her and a small portion getting up and gingerly approaching, throwing lewd comments about.

“Shows over folks!”

He stepped in front of the cyborg and held up his arms before turning around to the woman who seemed to have a semi-smile on her face – it looked eerie.

“What’re you doing walking around huh?” he shook his head and shrugged off his jacket, attempting to cover her up with it – which was difficult, especially since she was so much taller than him.

[Vysten Ambre]

Unsure of what to do Vysten followed the man who had recently held a gun to her. If she slipped out now she might be dead if she ever saw him again. It was best to linger for a short while anyway.

She saw him cover up the droid with his coat. Vysten couldn't believe it. She fled the droid just to run into her creator. She backed away slightly, secretly thanking the older man who had quite possibly saved her from a premature death.

[Ahron Harresh]

"A nekkid female droid?" Ahron mumbles with a smile. "An' what's 'er function s'posed to be?"

He claps one big hand on Vysten's shoulder.

"Dun worry yer'self abou' him," he whispers so Jamo won't hear.. " 'e ain't much, I c'n promise y'that."

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten nodded to show her gratitude. "He's- he's not?" she asked slowly. "D'you mean that if you hadn't come... he still wouldn't have shot me?" Vysten scowled inwardly at the droid's creator. He was just another guy who was all bluff. She had no patience for liars.

[Jamo Jakatta]

“Fully customized assassin cyborg… built from an IG-88, all home built, fitted with the latest in humanoid replication technology. Self repairing boot system…”

And Jamo went on for a good minute, rattling off features of the droid. It was impressive and armed to the teeth, even if it didn’t look it. Synthia’s face framed an awkward mechanical smile at her maker, who looked back to his small ‘audience’ for a moment.

“Not supposed to be out yet though, until I finish installing the final rifle reload system into her forearm,” he added, with a nod down at the uncovered system of wires and machinery in Sythia’s unfinished arm.

[Vysten Ambre]

Okay Vysten thought to herself, that droid really is freaky. I was definately justified in wating to get outta there, no matter what Mr. Tough Guy says. But now she couldn't help staring with a sort of morbid fascination at the droid.

[Ahron Harresh]

"Toldja 'e weren't much," Ahron mumbles again. "Th' droid's s'posed ta do all the fightin' for 'im."

He steps forward, speaking up just a little bit so that Jamo won't have to strain his hearing to listen.

"Get'cher nekkid droid back t'yer room, b'fore th' guys 'round here start shovin' credits in 'er pockets. Y'oughtta keep better eye on it if it ain't done."

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten pressed her lips together and nodded at the man with the low voice. "You're right. I know now that I shouldn't've been afraid of 'im." Then the man started speaking to Mr. Tough Guy about his naked droid. Vysten snorted, thinking the entire situation had gotten entrirely absurd.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"Ahem."

The two pairs of eyes that swung around were met with a dark scowl. Daiq had walked up behind them in the middle of the conversation but had heard enough to know that the female standing before her had never been cleared through security.

Frosty blue eyes locked on the redhead.

"....and youre here..why?"

[Jamo Jakatta]

Jamo couldn’t help but scoff and crack a grin. Let them underestimate him and his creation. It would be more entertaining to watch Daiquiri deal with them than retort personally.

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten returned the new woman's stare. "I just came here for a drink then I left because of this freaky droid. Now I'm back again, though Gods know why." This much was true, she hadn't been looking for a job at the time, and if this lady wanted to be cold, Vysten could definately play that game. "And why should you care what I do with my time?"

[Ahron Harresh]

Ahron does what the locals call his specialty: he stands still and quiet as if he were a statue, stares straight ahead, and doesn't blink. He's pretty sure Daiquiri will want a word with him and Jamo next.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Vysten should have taken her cue from Ahron....it would prove to be a painful mistake that she didnt. For Daiq it was like a flashback to the night Katya entered the bar with her friend Rage, who wisely chose to sit at the bar and kept wisecracks to herself.

Imperceptibly, Daiquiris jaw muscles tightened as she took another step forward, twin blue orbs piercing the girl.

"You left? Obviously not out the same door you came through. Did it not register in that empty head of yours that you werent back on the street? Did the fact that you went through a door not marked 'EXIT' make any sort of impression on you? Yet you stand there and ask me why I should care??"

Daiquiri crossed her arms lightly over her chest as the thought of getting some of the mouthy redheads blood on her hands gripped her. It had been too long since the fight with Katya and she was yearning for another.

"Want to know what happened to the last person who asked me that, Red?"

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten raised her eyebrows. Why was she ever afraid of the guy who built the droid? This chick seemed deadlier, but Vysten was beyond caring.

She cocked her head to one side and replied, "It doesn't matter to me whether I find out or not. I'm pretty much worthless. All you'd get out of beatin' me to a pulp or killing me is one huge mess to clean up and hail away. So go ahead, strangle me, shoot me, slap me. I'll let ya." She stood still and stared unflinchingly at the blond woman.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

What else could she do? It was an open invitation and Daiquiri didnt want to be thought rude.

From her crossed arm position, the left elbow shot up and over, catching Vysten beneath her left jaw and rocking her head back and to the side, smacking it against the corridor wall.

Vystens eyes widened as she came to rest on the floor. Stepping over her, Daiq shot matching looks at Jamo and Ahron.

"Put her in the 'cage' for the night. We'll see if that doesnt help tighten up that loose tongue of hers. As for the two of you......this will be addressed."

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten found her head cracking against the wall hard, then slumping to the floor. Ouch. That was painful, but I've had worse. She rubbed the tender side of her head and smiled, still on the ground.

"Oooh a big scary cage! I've been kicked outta better places than this!" She then moved her hands to her mouth in mock horror and let her voice go shrill. "Please ma'am, don't make go to the scary place. I only went into that guy's room because I was a gal desperate for a little action." She then started laughing hysterically, amused at her own irony.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Daiq kept on walking, not bothering to turn around. In spite of her disappointment that Vysten hadnt put up a fight and in spite of the fact that Daiq detested punks who lipped off........her face cracked into a big grin at Vystens parting verbal shot.

We're really gonna have to start killing the trespassers around here.

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten let her lips part and open to show her teeth in a humored smile as she watched the woman leave. She then looked at the red-headed man with false expectancy. "So how about it? You heard what I said, you and me, right here right now, eh?" She knew she would probably be kicked in the face for that remark but she didn't care. Death didn't frighten her anymore. She wasn't wanted, needed, or loved by anybody in the galaxy and had nothing to lose.

[Ahron Harresh]

With Daiquiri gone, Ahron moves again. He throws her over one massive shoulder pad with the ease of a child carrying a doll and looks over at Jamo.

"Lead th' way. I'll carry 'er."

[Jamo Jakatta]

Synthia followed with mechanical whirrs as Jamo began to walk off, smug smile on his face, towards the holding pen. The bulky man in tow, he glanced back a moment before looking off down the corridor. This had turned out well!

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten didn't resist the large man. She couldn't wind and she knew it. Besides, she had better ways to spend her energy. She looked at the red haired man with a fauz confused expression. "Oh Mr. Tough Guy, whyever are you so amused?"

[Jamo Jakatta]

“Because you just got a verbal beat down from the boss, that’s why,” he replied with a big cock-sure smile.

“You new guys should learn some respect for your uppers, eh?”

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten squinted while still on the big man's shoulder. "Oh yeah. Right right right. You definately look like ther person who knows a lot about beatings. That's why you made that droid to fight all your battles for you...eh?"

[Ahron Harresh]

"Th' droid needs work. It's makin' too much noise t'be an assassin," Ahron grumbles.

They arrive at a dusty, rusted door of bars. Spiders have created webs in every open space, and appear to have been thriving here for quite some time.

Ahron kicks the door open, throws her in, and slams it shut behind, locking it with the outdated, barely functioning lock mechanism. With much fuss, the door locks, and the mechanism showers Ahron's hand with sparks.

"....'s broke..."

[Vysten Ambre]

Vysten looked at her surroundings. And she thought she had seen dumpy. "Nice place. Decorate it yourself?"

[Ahron Harresh]

"Sure. Jus' watch out fer the big black centipede lookin' things...those c'n kill ya, unlike th' spiders they like t'eat."

[Vysten Ambre]

"Great, I was kinda hopin' to die in a blaze of glory, but giant cendtipede work too. I bet I'd taste good smothered in lum sauce. Ya got any?" Vysten stretched out on her back and stared at the ceiling.