[System]
Age:22

Gender: Female

Race: Nem

Appearance:

(As above, but with rounder ears! Though her hair is naturally black, she dyes it pink to stand out. A merchant's most powerful weapon is being remembered. In addition, on the occasion she needs to go outside during the day, she wears a cute, floral, wide-brimmed hat)

Personality: Sweet, caring, and good-natured on the outside. Calculating and selfish on the inside. Lirrah does what she can for the people she likes, and everyone else is scarcely a concern of hers. She has no particular investment in Velt or Ithillin aside from the knowledge that brewing hostilities are a good business venture. It would be easy to label her as another amoral war profiteer, but it's hard to make the title stick when she's personally serving hot meals to the folks on the borderlands (for a fee, of course). In any case, she is outgoing, personable, and really lays on the cute. Cute is good for business.

Brief Backstory: Born into a humble family of sweets-makers with three older brothers and three older sisters, it would be no exaggeration to say that Lirrah was the baby of the family. If she wanted acknowledgement, she had to work for it. Whether she had to lie or exaggerate or even shout, she was always yapping in order to get attention.

From a young age, this served her well, though it got on her siblings' nerves. She learned how to cook, and was quite talented, but her gift of gab often had her strutting the sand to entice customers instead. She and her family's trade became so well-known through her raw, extroverted moxie that she was considered by many to be the unofficial mascot of the store. She and her family's brand of sweets soon became inseparable.

For most attention-seekers, this amount of notoriety would be enough to live a lifetime, but Lirrah wanted more. Her cries yearned to reach more ears. She wanted to say something that the entire known world would one day need to listen to.

On her sixteenth birthday, people came from settlements all around to celebrate her. It was at this moment that she decided to cash in all the affection and goodwill she had earned from a lifetime of honeyed words as sweet as the ripest melon juice. She wanted to leave the village, and travel north. For that purpose, she collected many investors and partners who would fund and stock her caravan, with no proof of success other than the borderline disgusting amount of aplomb with which she conducted herself.

Everyone likes sweets.

Her network was enormous. The affection that everyone had for her was overflowing. And flow it did, into coins and goods and equipment that would enable her desire to reach north. As far northward as she could go… so far, and so high, that even she could look down at the world despite her people's relatively short stature.

It took a while, of course, to get everything ready. But within a few years, funds and equipment in hand, she reached Velt. This was only going to be her first stop, but it would be a profitable one. She had weapons to feed into the growing fires of hostility, and Nem glasswork and art pieces to appeal to nobles who wanted to show off how world-wise they were and who had more money than sense. With her charms, and the situation to her advantage, it was almost impossible to fail. She made a killing when she finally arrived and, happy with the numbers, decided to move onto Ithillin. What happened when everything boiled over wasn't important. What was important was making her money off both sides and getting out, continuing to reach ever northward.

The situation was not exactly as it was described to her.

The conflict was practically already happening, and the borderlands were almost a war zone, with skirmishes and bandits and monsters out in force. Lirrah learned this when she picked the most reasonably under-staffed point on the border to make her trip, and found her caravan surrounded by marauders. Though she could shoot a bow (her home village was small enough that everyone needed to learn), she was not a real fighter. Her hired muscle fell quickly to the deluge of bandits, and she was soon surrounded.

She didn't want her ambition to end there, but what could she do?

Then, the Lions roared.

Routed efficiently to the last, the bandits went from an overwhelming bellow to a simpering swan song within moments. Lirrah explained the situation to the Lions, embellishing to make herself seem less opportunistic, and she soon learned that things were more dire between the two nations than she had imagined.

A caravan cannot move north through a river of blood. Even avoiding everything else, the upcoming conflict could capture her supply chain and leave her stranded. There was nothing else for it. Thinking quickly, she talked her way into a mutually beneficial exclusivity contract with Velt during wartime. Her supply chain would be useful, and she could set up shop personally among the group that had helped her. Until the war was over, she would need to hold out. She didn't want to pick sides initially, but as it turned out, a side picked her.

Equipment: A diverse array of highly saleable wares! Within reason, of course. The art objects get sold far before they reach Lirrah, because warriors on the frontline have little need for such things. If there's something specific a soldier wants, however, she can usually get it in a week or so depending on rarity. She stocks generic weapons, along with some more interesting exotic weapons from her homeland. Nem bows, especially, are in high demand. With the ever-present threat of skirmishes, she stocks a ridiculous amount of healing potions. More high-end wares include enchanted rings and brooches, with a variety of protective effects, and even magical weapons. Nem alcohol is, to most, a novelty, but she gets enough requests from those who have taken to it to keep it in stock (and to drink herself).

When out and about, she carries a bow and a good supply of potions, as well as a few explosive flasks and acid bombs. She has an enchanted hat that cools her and gives her a lot of shade, though seeing beyond the immediate bound of that shade is still difficult as a Nem. Mostly it makes travel during daytime much more comfortable.

Skills:

Diplomancer: Lirrah is very good at talking to people, and even getting them to agree to things they normally wouldn't. She's that charming! She's a natural in any environment, from swanky party to seedy bar. She can lie as naturally as she breathes, and can make herself the center of attention with little effort. Conversely, during a combat encounter, she can turn up her cute and helpless act such that most reasonable enemies wouldn't target her unless they had no other choice. Very helpful as a merchant!

Swift: Lirrah is dexterous, agile, and quick on her feet. On the rare occasion she can't talk or act her way out of danger, she can usually escape it. Her sight, mainly in the dark, is immensely keen. She's good with a bow, though aiming far away is difficult for her during the day. She's practiced enough with the sling to fling dangerous flasks many feet away. Fast hands are useful in the kitchen, and she's also quite good at sewing and knitting.

Gourmand: Lirrah is an excellent cook. She's best at dishes from her home country, but picks up new cuisine quickly as well. Sometimes, the difference between a dead soldier and a living one is a happily-fed belly. She's especially gifted at desserts, which she can make at the level of a genius patissier. She can only make so many to her exacting standards day to day, that they run out quickly. People have gotten into fistfights over the strawberry shortcake!

[User]
Velvetica's tent was the largest in the camp, the same crimson trimmed with red that adorned the Lion's Banner. It was from here that she planned strategy, consulted with her advisors, and conducted official business.

It was also quite comfortable, but that was secondary.

Within, a large mat had been placed over the short, spikey grass, and atop it sat a table. Beyond that was where Velvetica slept, and kept most of her supplies, current concealed behind a draping set of curtains.

It was rumored that anyone who set foot inside Velvetica's personal quarters without permission would be subjected to a prompt and intense punishment. Velvetica herself saw no need to say anything else on the matter.

The map spread over the table was of the local area, the rocky plains of the borderlands, and she was examining it closely at the moment, icy blue eyes scanning each of the known mounds and rocky outcrops claimed(and sometimes proven) to house ancient tombs.

Certainly, a group of bandits could select such a place to use its reputation to conceal themselves.

However...

The tent opened before Velvetica could continue her train of though. The figure that entered was one of her personal retinue, a pretty woman several years her senior with her dark hair tied in a tight bun, wearing light clothing signifying her position as a noncombatant.

"Lady Hraesleg," she began, with a bow, "Your scouts have returned."

The blonde nodded, rising to her feet.

"Excellent, I'll meet them now."

Within a few moments, Velvetica had exited her tent. The first of her scouts to arrive was no surprise, given his speedy form of transportation.

"Sir Roger," she addressed the knight first, before her gaze shifted to the griffin, "Shortclaw."

Addressing the griffin as well was simply part of dealing with such creatures. Only an idiot would be unaware of the pride that a griffin felt in itself. To Velvetica, it was not dissimilar to the Hraesleg's pride, albeit that of a beast rather then a human's. Therefore, it was important to pay them mind when possible.

"As you have returned, I trust you and the other scouts have information for me?"

It was time to see if her suspicions could be confirmed.

Daze@Rin@AzureKnight@Psyker Landshark@The Otter@VKAllen@Eisenhorn@Crimson Paladin@Conscripts@HereComesTheSnow@Octo@PigeonOfAstora

[Assistant]
Gisela

The Hundi shrugged, "She's a demon, her nature isn't going to change so easily. If it did, I expect that our contract would be terminated in short order as she aligned herself to newer goals. But the odds of that happening in the next thousand years is vanishingly low."

Although, whether she would still be around a thousand years hence to take advantage of such a thing? That was hard to say. It was quite possible, but at the same time, her specialities could always lead to even more serious trouble if the sentiment against mages turned even more dire for whatever reason. Like a resurgence of the Witch-Queen, as vanishingly unlikely as she was to return from being dead. Rumour had it that the majority of her pupils had escaped unscathed, and were more than capable of causing havoc if the mood so took them.

"Hmm, I don't think you'd like to see any of my friends coming in unannounced. They're not all so friendly as I, and might be quite upset if the food didn't come with a good brawl," the demon laughed, rubbing her chin. And then she bent down to pat the nem's head... which would probably have been more humiliating if not for the gulf in size that meant she could do that to just about anybody here, "But you've got spirit."

[User]
Lirrah's cheeks reddened slightly as the knight loudly exclaimed his love for her pie. Of course, Lirrah knew it was the best. She had made it. However, the sheer robust earnestness with which the man conducted himself was almost an embarrassment. She had heard, around camp, of one who went by the epithet 'The Sincere'. She didn't have near enough knowledge to say for certain, but if the title was not ironic, she could guess that it applied to this man.

But he was definitely hiding something.

Lirrah knew that the more outwardly honest someone seemed, the more likely they were to have a skeleton in their closet or two. Or maybe it was a manipulation tactic? Well, it didn't matter for now. Lirrah could not be confounded so easily, anyways, and it probably had nothing to do with her besides. Whether he accidentally shoplifted once or routinely killed people in his basement, he liked her cooking and his money was good. Lirrah put a bright, cutesy expression on her face.

"Thank you so much, mister knight! I'm so glad you like it! Please come pack to the Matayannah Trading Company at pase camp for home cooking at its finest! I love having customers as enthusiastic as you!"

Lirrah noted, during her exchange, that Velvetica was meeting with some of the people who had been sent to scout. An announcement would likely be made soon, so it was probably time to start packing up her goods. She smiled sweetly as the Demon woman, with a strange joviality, explained how dire it would be if her friends were to show up for food. Lirrah swallowed.

And the woman patted her head.

Lirrah figured that many Nem would be borderline offended by the gesture, as infantilizing as it was. Then again, many Nem did not purposely put on a cute act to sell more. In truth, Lirrah had been patted so many times that she had considered selling them if she could word it in a way that didn't make her seem scummy. It was a part of building rapport, it was a tool in her kit, and she really didn't mind being fawned over. Adorability was a weapon, in its own way, and it was likely the reason she was here at all.

Lirrah wondered, briefly, what the Demon woman would think of her ambitions. The lengths she would go to stand at the top of the-

Ila-Nem, it was like being trapped under the massive paw of some great beast, and she was but a mouse. Lirrah's cheeks reddened a bit more, and she shivered.

"W-well, thank you so much for saying so~" Lirrah tweeted, turning her cute up a few notches, "I have spirit in apundance! I think you and I are speaking of different friends, though. I more meant comrades in the immediate area. Perhaps your Hundi friend, if the occasion takes her!"

Lirrah beamed up at the woman, punctuating her request with the world's most honey-soaked giggle.


[System]
Gender: Male

Age: 16

Appearance:
I don't want you to look at his body, but rather his face. His face being the only thing I want out of this pic . His face being slightly more plump. Micky stands at about 5'4, and weighs slightly over 200 lbs. Most of his weight comes from the excess fat he has around his gut and legs. He usually wears thick hoodies that cover up his body, but recently he's been wearing a few sweater vests that make him look slightly thinner. Micky had poor posture and usually slouches when he's sitting or walking, leaving him with a sore back most days.

Personality: There really isn't one word that can describe Micky. At times and in certain situations, Micky can be very lazy or very productive with his day. Micky could also be very shy, or when he goes to formal places with his family, very outspoken. The only thing that really sets Micky aside when it come to standing out in a crowed, is that he is a quick learner. Not in the traditional sense, like learning about school and stuff, but more of a practical sense.

Micky can pick up on little things quickly, social hints, peoples feelings through their expressions or words. He's very keen on things like that. Micky is also and avid reader, his favorite books being about true crime, usually about the Mob or righteous groups. This interest usually spills over to his real life, making him interested in the weird and brutal. Yet, he still gets a bit standoffish when the time of trouble comes by. It's much like how he is with people, at first he's interested in beings friend with someone, but if their interest gets to high to quickly, it'll freak Micky out and usually drive him away.

If Micky manages to ease himself into a friendship it almost always lasts a long time, resulting in a friend that you can trust with your life if need be. Micky is a reliable friend, when you do become friends with him, that is.

Background: Micky lived a troubled life ever since he started to attend school. At a very young age, Micky had fallen victim to bullies. The would tease him about his weight, and poke fun at him, calling him names and the like. When Micky was in grades 1-5, the bullying didn't really bother him,they just annoyed him, for the most part the bullies weren't that good at bullying. But as grades 6, 7 and 8 rolled around, Micky noticed the boys, and sometimes girls, started to get more vicious with their words and actions. The girls, taking it as far as making earthquake jokes when he walked in class, and the boys adopting a more physical approach.

Those last three years before high school were seriously hard on Micky, nearly everyday Micky would be left crying in the bathroom waiting out the day, or sent home early because the bullies had been particularly rough that day. Luckily, Micky's parents were the kindest souls in his life, and at the end of the day Micky would always have a place and people to come back to who would make thing better.

There was a change in Micky's life when they decided to move away from the city that they have been living in for years. They were moving just before the start of Micky's first year of high school. This was both a blessing and a scare for Micky as he knew what could come of it. Micky hated the idea of moving cities, leaving everything behind. But, on the positive side, Micky would be free from the chains of his bullies that tortured him everyday at school. This may be the opportunity to change and start a better school life. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because Micky knew exactly how harsh bullies at high school can be and his mom had just saved him from that agony.

Micky is now in a new city, with site and sounds. This being the perfect way for Micky to change the things he dislikes about himself and be a person that people want to hang out with. After the move, Micky started exercising and he started to be a little more outgoing, but everything is still a work in progress.

Relations: Open

Power:

[User]
Thursday March 21st, 2016

Ice Queen. How did that happen? Mina used to be a very friendly person, a person that everyone could easily become friends with. But after the accident happened, she started to block everyone out, not wanting to get close to anyone.

Mina tried not to remember, and shook everything off.

When Alden arrived, Mina looked up. Since everyone, except The Signing Girl, seemed to be here, she put away her book. As soon as she noticed him looking at her, she stared back. Mina took everything as a competition, and this one was going to be a challenge. After standing there stupidly for about a minute, she looked away first. Damn it! Mina could feel her heart beating, and she desperately tried to slow it down. Detention was going to start soon, after all.

[Assistant]
6:00 pm, Callahan household

Sophia stood in the center of her living room, three sets of eyes gazing at her. Since getting home almost half an hour ago, she had spent the better part of that time being chastised by her aunt, while her mother and uncle simply sat by with very serious expressions. And boy did it suck, especially since she kept her pinned with her "I'm very disappointed with you" look. Tic-tac's evil eye had been pretty impressive, but nobody could make you feel like you just got caught kicking a puppy like her Aunt Kailey. Honestly, facing a courtroom judge couldn't have been any worse.

It didn't help that Kailey was an actual lawyer, so she actually could become a judge if she wanted.

So there she stood, head down, with Kailey standing in front of her with her arms folded. "I mean, do you even know the kind of damage that you could have done to that boy? You struck him in the throat, and then put your knee into his head! What if you had given him a concussion? What if he had stopped breathing?"

Sophia remained unresponsive. She'd already had her chance to argue her case, now this was just facing the music. Kailey looked like she was ready to go on for another half-hour, when Joseph leaned forward from his seat on the sofa. "Kay, I think she gets the point." He smiled as his wife gave him a look, miffed at having been cut off mid-rant, then turned back to his niece. "Look, Lady, we're not mad that you fought back. Ricky's a good kid, and it's good to stick up for your friends. It's why I gave you my old punching bag to practice on, you're always going to be the first and last one to rely on when things get ugly. And I'm definitely going to be having a little chat with my old buddy about this Largent boy. If just getting bumped into gets him this riled up, then there's something wrong there."

Madeline glanced at him. "To be fair, he did get a plate full of spaghetti on him. I mean, when Jessica Andrews dumped her slurpee over my head in high school, I slapped her so hard you could still see the handprint the next day."

The corner of Joseph's mouth quirked, but otherwise his stoic expression didn't break. "The difference is what Ricky did was an accident. Jessica Andrews dumped her slurpee on you because you stole her underwear and taped it to the ceiling of the boys locker-room during gym class. With a sign saying 'Please get in me.'" Ignoring his sister's 'good point' look, he continued on. "What we're upset with, Lady, is that you went too far with it. I'm all for protecting yourself, but you don't want to do worse than what he was already doing. And unfortunately, we live in a world where sometimes the good guys get punished for being good. It sucks, but that's the way of the world. So!"

He stood up, looking down at Sophia with an imperious expression. "To make sure you've learned your lesson, you will wear pants for the rest of the week. INCLUDING the weekend."

Sophia's jaw dropped, and her face paled. The rest of the week! But… but… She looked to her mother and aunt, but the former was pointedly looking away, while the latter simply glared at her, daring her to protest. After a moment, she hung her head again. Yes Uncle.

Joseph gave a single nod, and pointed towards the stairs. "Good. Now march, Lady." He waited until the tiny girl disappeared down the stairs before sitting down, whereupon both he and his sister burst out in a fit of chuckles and giggles.

Holding her stomach, Madeline looked at him. "Pants for the rest of the week? Really?"

Grinning, Joseph leaned back in the sofa. "Hey, I'm not going to punish the girl for doing the right thing. Somebody hits you or your friends, you go on the defense. Besides, you know how much she hates wearing them." His grin faded for a moment. "I am going to have to talk to Charlie about this though. This kid can't just go around hitting people for every little thing."

A steady thumping sound announced Sophia's return, and she bounded into the living room, wearing black sweatpants, black backpack and a black hoodie. Giving a twirl, she smiled brightly. So, how do I look? Am I a proper delinquent? She pulled her hood up, tucking her hair into her collar, and gave a very unconvincing glower.

Her mother and uncle both broke out in chuckles again, and Madeline gave her a thumbs up. Even Kailey broke a grin at her niece's antics. "Very dark and roguish. You'll be falling in with the wrong crowd in no time."

Sophia immediately beamed, and tackled her aunt with a hug before dancing towards the front door. Thanks Aunty. See ya later! She immediately came up short as Kailey grabbed the handle of her backpack. "Wait, wait wait. Where are you off to?"

Sea Side Park for my detention.

Madeline glanced at the clock, frowning. "Already? It's only six o'clock, I thought you didn't need to be there until eight."

Rocking on her feet, Sophia tilted her head and shrugged. That's right.

"Okay, so. It's forty-five minutes to walk there. Probably less for you. What exactly are you going to do until then?"

Digging her toes into the carpet and looking up at the ceiling with her hands clasped behind her back, Sophia was the picture of perfect innocence. You know. Stuff. She gave an impish grin, then spun around and dashed for the door, leaving the three adults staring in her wake.

After a moment, Joseph shook his head and chuckled, looking at his sister. "You know she gets this from you, right?"

Madeline glared at him and smacked his arm. "Uh, excuse me? Whose idea was it to stash Jessica's underwear in the boys locker-room? Because it wasn't mine."

Joseph frowned. "What? Yeah it was, that has 'Madeline Callahan' written all over it."

"Nooo, YOU came up with that idea. I wanted to string them up on the flag pole."

Rolling her eyes as the siblings began arguing back and forth, Kailey made her way into her bedroom and grabbed a book from her bookshelf. "30 years old and they're still children." Taking out her bookmark, she settled down on her bed, then made a small smile. "Shouldn't have stolen my boyfriend, Jess."

---

8:00 pm, Sea Side Park

A single figure perched on a shadowed branch, distance rendering them invisible to the other kids. One of the taller trees in the park, it offered a perfect vantage point from which to observe nearly everything.

Lowering her binoculars, Sophia grinned, then grimaced and tugged at her pants. She'd been wandering around the park for nearly an hour and a half, learning the lay of the land, and she could feel her thighs crying out for fresh air. If it didn't drive her insane by the end of the week, it would be a miracle.

She turned her attention back to the little gathering at the entrance of the park, her grin slowly coming back as she peered through her binoculars. It wasn't ideal, a lot of open space, but she was nothing if not resourceful. Not her night of glory by a long shot, but a good exercise of her talents. A backpack full of goodies and unsuspecting victims, the perfect combination. Their division would be their weakness, their uncertainty her boon. They would know fear. Tonight, The Spectre would make her triumphant return. Let the games begin.

Stuffing her binoculars into her backpack, she dropped to the ground and darted deeper into the park, grumbling to herself as she tugged again at her pants. Stupid… fabric… leg tubes…

[User]
Micky could feel a slight breeze run up his back from under his shirt, the sweat that soaked his shirt underneath his sweater became ice when the air touched in. It was just one of the many things he was going to have to put up with today, and just like the breeze, discontent for this detention was inevitable. Micky let out a deep sigh, before giving the other students a glance. Half of them seemed like they were feeling the same way Micky was, bored and waiting for their torture to begin. By the looks of the park Micky figure they'd be doing a community service type thing, picking up garbage and generally cleaning the area. The best way to throw away the day, seeing as if this were the case, the park would be just as dirty in about a week or so.

"So, Does anybody really know what we're doing here? Like, you know?" Micky said, he realized he might have said it a bit quietly. He coughed once to clear his throat and sat up, "Anybody know what we're going to be doing here?" His voice was projected perfectly in his opinion. He continued to look at everyone in case they were planning on answering, he thought if he could be engaged in a conversation time would fly faster and it wouldn't be as boring as it is now.

Micky looked out at the park and started to wonder; How long will we be here for? Micky was sure if Om had said it or not, it was completely slipping his memory. If we're here to clean up garbage and sutff, we might actually be here for hours... A worried expression plastered his face as he looked down at his watch. Oh no... I might miss the new episode... Micky let out another, this one wasn't out of discontent but rather disappointment. He whispered to himself, "Damn."


[System]
Species: Barabel
Age: 25
Appearance:

Faction:New Republic
Equipment: A180 Blaster Rifle,
Skills: Hunting/Tracking, Close Range Combat, infiltration
Species benefits: Razor Sharp Claws, detatchable tail, infrared vision, strong sense of smell, blaster resistant hide, slightly above average strength/agility.
Species Flaws: Relatively primative, as far as sentients go.
Weaknesses: Doesn't understand much sentient behaviour, more primative than other species, lack of any real blaster training, can't read or write, can't use technology.
History:

Tesar joined the Rebellion after a Drunk Dug with a Gambling Problem sold out his clan on Barab to the Empire. The Empire came in with a goal to enslave the clan, after all Barabels are strong and fierece while also good trackers. Little more than literal animals in the eyes of the Empire his entire clan was enslaved, and it wasn't until Rancor Company came tearing through the prison he was being held in that he managed to once again taste freedom. With useful skills, and a debt to play Tesar signed up to serve along as a couple of his nest mates in order to repay the debt to the Rebellion. While initially unwilling to let them serve out their debt, the Rebellion finally conceded when they finally figured out that there was no real way out of the situation.

For a while Tesar and his nest mates worked together in their own team, however as time progressed and the Rebellion took major set backs as well as Rancor Company. Eventually Rancor Company would become Task Force Rancor as the Rebellion re-configured itself and built itself even bigger, at which point Tesar was moved into Detatchment Alpha. He distinguished himnself time and time again as an incredible tracker and hunter, however was largely isolated from the rest of his team due to his primative nature and inability to understand standard social situations. However as time went on eventually he came into a squad that understood him and how he worked, where he was finally happy.

When his unit was sent into Hutt Space to play the part of Mercenaries well... how could Tesar resist?

[User]
Skidder and Kast

Skidder sat back at the same quiet, out of the way and close to the exits seat at the bar that he'd sat at before Koren called him up to brief him on his latest job. He was trying his best to seem cool and relaxed, though he kept looking around and fidgeting in his seat every once in a while. He'd already sent out one of the many droids to ask for a meeting with one Zaheed Kast, the first mercenary whose name had caught Skidder's eye as not being too big-time for his needs while hopefully not being a fresh face. Skidder's cup was empty, but he didn't seem to realize it as he tried to look calm and prepared, bringing the empty thing to his lips to taste the air and wait for his potential hired muscle.

Kast entered the Tipsy Rancor and glanced around, his face covered in a polarized faceplate. Perhaps it was greedy for him to be taking so many jobs back to back, but a series of quick but profitable jobs back to back meant that he could afford himself more time to relax before needing to find more work. The Jedi job in particular went more smoothly than Kast anticipated. 120,000 credits for little more than a short taxi job. Sure it might've been more exciting to fight the Jedi, but that didn't necessarily result in his victory, and having him come in peacefully was definitely more cost effective- no resources spent, save for the sonic grenade trap and hunting down a drug smuggler no one would miss.

He found his contact with relative difficulty- no noticeable traits setting his contact apart from the other colorful sorts at the bar- a brown longcoat wasn't an uncommon sight in Hutt Space. Approaching the contact, Kast took a seat next to him.

"Skidder?"

"Ah! Zaheed Kast. Excellent." Skidder went to hand Kast a glass that was sitting on the table before he realized that it too was empty, so in a move pushed it next to the empty one to make it look as if moving the two empty glasses together was his plan all along.

Flawless.

"I hear you've worked for Mr.Graeff before? If so that is absolutely excellent. I need you for a protection job-" Skidder pushed over a datapad with the details listed. "-No questions asked about the cargo being exchanged, no looking at the merchandise… All the usual affair. The credits are good because they aren't mine. So if you have no questions, we should really get going."

Kast sat silently throughout most of Skidder's prattle. The man was eccentric, and a little bit on the annoying side, but he worked for the Golden Exchange, and he was offering good money for what was a simple enough protection detail. Chances were that something was going to go wrong anyway, but when you always expected trouble, you're rarely surprised by it.

Still, he'd be good for a break after this mission. He nodded, his polarized faceplate hiding any expression. "What's the pay?"
Skidder fumbled with the datapad, as he tried to look up the amount that he was supposed to be offering for the job. "One Hundred Thousand Creds." He wasn't entirely sure if that was as much as he should be offering, this was one of the first deals he was funding entirely for himself. Well, he wasn't funding it entirely himself he was given money by Koren to spend on a deal for them.

"You ready to go?"

"Fine."

[Assistant]
Scipio Industries and Finance

"Clone Troopers?!" Leonard couldn't help but shout in childish glee as he sat on his throne at the Venator's bridge. "Someone had the idea before I and Pau Je did?!" He then turned towards the Kaminoan by his right side, his expression a mix of fascinated, like a young boy in a candy store, and jealous, like someone who has had 'his' idea stolen even though it wasn't even patented. Pau Je turned towards him and said:

"There were rumors of a cell of cloners who left Kamino with a couple of thousand embryos and never came back. I was too young and inexperienced back then to be invited, but I heard tales that they knew the Empire was going to destroy our way of life and left to preserve it." Her tone was that of reverence with a tinge of envy.

Rule Findos, at Leonard's left side, then spoke: "We cannot trust smugglers and pirates, sir! Especially not ones who supposedly stood by as the Imperial Presence in the Tanarus System was supposedly destroyed by this 'Republic Remnant'. We only have their hearsay, after all."

After Rule paused, Leonard turned to an angry Raj Vizla, whose tense body language was not fully concealed by his Mandalorian Armor, and said, "Calm yourself. We will gain the resources and expertise to make new clones, one way or another, and you will have the opportunity to prove yourself worthy of being the template for this new army." Returning to Pau and Rule, Leonard would continue, "Send a transmission to the smugglers and pirates recently escaped from Tanarus. Tell them that we believe their words."

A pause. "In fact, send this message to all smuggers in Dandoran; that the CEO of Scipio Industries and Finance, Leonard L. Scipio, is posting a 100,000-credit reward for any information or evidence that this 'Republic-in-Exile exists, as well as their status. Tell them too that this reward will be collected in Paradise; we're going there."

Pau Je blinked. "But what about Dandoran? We are not going to build a base there?"

Leonard shook his head. "No, but give a few thousand credits to the local Church of the Force anyway so that they'd pray for my soul anyway; my soul needs it."

And with that, Scipio Industries and Finance, having made sure that their paint job was brown instead of red and that their transponders said 'Scipio Industries and Finance', would head for Paradise, ready to chase down leads to this very interesting faction...

[User]
Koren rarely chose where Paradise was stationed by random choice. He always chose it because it suited him, worked to his advantage. He had made a habit long ago of predicting and then playing every concievable angle. He sat in the dark now, him Ballick and a dozen Commando droids rocking around the small boarding craft. They had been dropped off less than a minute ago by a small transport Koren owned, which had subsequently jumped into hyperspace. Just incase the plan went awry and there were any witnesses, he couldn't have the attack leading back to him. After all his plans weren't anywhere near completion yet. The ship rocked as the spokes breached the hull of the target, the ships shield latching onto it's target creating an airtight seal as it forced the hull open. As the door opened, Koren dropped to the floor with a flourish. His coat billowing around him, pistols raised.

The landing was harder on his knees than it used to be. The hallways were illuminated red, the main lighting had been knocked out by the impact leaving them with the emergency lighting. Blaster fire could already be heard as Commando droids from other boarding craft deployed and began moving through the ship attacking the security forces. It was an old ship, unassuming due to it's size and speed. Relatively weak in terms of shielding and weaponry however the security forces that he was encountering let Koren know, that this was the right ship. He raised his pistols and fired two shots as a Weequay and a Twi'lek rounded the corner, both sporting the crest of Timana. Koren smirked to himself, of course it would be Timanas own forces protecting this. He wondered if the mighty Hutt Queen even knew of it's existence, after all she had the resources to make it work and then... well she really would be a force to be reckoned with.

Timana? He probably didn't have the tactical genius to realize what he had. He had a weapon far more effective than anything else in the Hutt Sector, and he had it burried in the hold of this old junker? After all that was what it was, a Hutt Junker. A ship full of wreckage and items from all over the Galaxy that the Hutts felt was worth their keeping. Known simply as The Vault it had remained secure in Jabbas hands for centuries on Tattooine, safely out of Korens reach. He barely knew anything about it till Jabba died and the cartel felt it was safer to bring it here and abandon Tatooine. Now it was within his grasp, he prowled through the corridors. Security was lax, why would it need to be high? Nobody knew about the ship, or at least that's what the Hutts thought. He passed several vaults, ignoring them. He had no doubt they contained untold riches, things beyond his wildest dreams and as much as he may want to add those items to his own collection he was here for a very particular, and much larger item than anything that could possibly be in any of these vautls.

As they approached the centre of the ship Koren turned to Ballick. "Meet up with the detatchment heading to the engine room, I need the self destruct ready to activate the second we secure the package. We can't let the Hutts know who it was that robbed them of this, I'm not really for the idea of all out warfare with the Hutts." Ballick nodded, he was a man of few words in a combat situation after all. He looked at his chronometre, they had been on the ship for half an hour. He'd been away from Paradise for nearly an hour, he'd have to find some marks to account for that time. Pay them off, have footage falsified. Koren Graeff couldn't just disappear for over an hour without anyone noticing.

He finally approached the door he was looking for, nodding at the panel Aurrie appeared practically out of nowhere - having been travelling back at a safe distance - before inserting a spike into the terminal. Beeping quite contently as he went to open the door, as the door didn't move within a minute Koren shot the droid a look, which gave a far less happy and far more disgruntled beep followed by a higher pitched cheer. There was a loud clunk as the locks unlatched and the door raised into a wide hangar. Lights flickered on, echoing through the room. The cold made Korens hairs stand on air as he stood face to face with his prize.

It was beautiful...

It was also impossible to recover. "Aurrie, I need you to get a full technical reading of the device. I need to know how to make one, get all the datafiles from the ships computer. You have-" he checked his chronometre. Kriff. "-Ten minutes, we need to be out of here ten minutes ago."


[System]
Race: Kneazle
Race Abilities: Besides the normal abilities any overly large housecat has, Kneazles can tell if a person/monster is trustworthy.
Gender: Male
Personality: Generally Simba prefers lazing around compared to working, however convince him that something is actually important and he will help you out. Because of how he died he suffers from a minor form of Aquaphobia. Despite his flaws though he is generally a nice guy.
History (Pre-Mortem): Before dying Simba was the only child in a family of nature lovers. Every year he and his parents would go on a camping trip, something which he kinda enjoyed. While on one of those trips the human Simba went swimming and due to getting his leg stuck drowned.
Appearance (Text or image, whatever works):
Other:

[User]
~Neix~

Wooooow.

someone just went off the deep end. When did she ever say she was calm? The accusation just made Neix snarkier than she usually was. In fact, it sort of pissed her off and considering she already wasn't exactly in the most stable of conditions...well...

"Oh, excuuuuuuse me princess" She hissed at the spider. Huh, she could hiss. Good to know. "Not everyone has to freak out and be a whiny little baby like you do! I just graduated college! In fact, I had it pretty good. You think I want to fucking be here? Because I sure as hell fucking don't."

Yeah, okay, that was a little bit harsh but...well...she honestly couldn't help it. She just...well, she wanted to get out of here. That's what she wanted to do.

Turning away from the spider girl with a grumble, she followed after the snake ignoring anything else the girl or anyone else might have said for that matter. She didn't want to say anything else, or deal with them at the moment. Besides, as soon as she stumbled into the next room, her thoughts quickly turned into something else.

Something really bad must have happened here.

"Well, we missed a party." Neix mused morbidly. Too bad most of the stuff looked in fairly bad condition and looked like it couldn't be used with any degree of efficiency. She didn't linger though, she shared Hyng's sentiments of getting the hell out of dodge before whatever did this came back. She would rather like to not be made into lizard jerky.

"Well, we don't really have much of a choice, do we?" She replied to Hyng. "Hanging around here's a bad idea, and I don't think we're gonna find anything useful on the bodies." As morbid as that sounded, she'd steal anything she could from these dead schmucks if it mean she could survive better in...wherever the fuck this was.

[Assistant]
As Simba made his way to the other creatures the group apparently decided to go somewhere else. Since he had no idea what else to do he kept following them, but he made sure to leave marks in case he wanted to go back to familiar territory. The lack of hands and the fact his claws weren't strong enough to leave easily visible markings in stone made anything other than the occasional pile of pebbles impossible.

When he approached the exit he noticed all the dead bodies and once again had to keep from freaking out, something helped by the fact that a lot of the corpses didn't seem human. Simba realized that if the group left the cave he might lose them so he and his companion had to hurry.  "I think we should start running."  He could only hope the others didn't take the sign of two catlike creatures charging at them as a sign of aggression.

[User]
More commotion with the panicked and now accusatory little drider followed the other creatures' attempts to tranquilize her. Though unfamiliar with her new facial muscles –or lack thereof- Otsune managed a crude and rather leering approximation of a smirk, for she had been right, after all; some children made trouble not to get better but to get attention, and the show wouldn't be over until she tired herself out. Until then, all anyone else would be doing would be to add fuel to the fire. Leaving seemed like a very attractive option to the snapjaw, and upon spying the snake Hing making his escape, she wasted no time plodding along after him.

On the threshold to the larger cavern, she froze. The sight of carnage strewn about the floor of the cave filled her with horror and repulsion. Her fellow reptile voiced what ran through her mind: staying in here was not an option. While he navigated through the mess, she opted to lope around the edge of the cavern, discerning the walls via the light streaming in through a promising hole on the other side of the slaughterhouse. In doing so she evaded almost all of the viscera, as well as a good heap of nausea. The dry wit of Neix did not reach her, but Otsune did reach the exit before her, and emerged into the dappled sunlight of a green forest. The whole scene marked such a drastic departure from the sickly spectacle seen only moments before that the snapjaw couldn't help but feel at the complete mercy of the world. Of course, had she been human, she wouldn't have been much better off, anyway.

Two more bestial faces in the cave exit made four new visitors to the forest total. Otsune cast an eye at Hing, Neix, and Simba, and found herself wishing they weren't there. The whole situation came of as so confusing and insane that the presence of others only made it more unmanageable. Besides, what sort of help could she expect from them? Perhaps they would react to their new circumstances badly, or one of them would snap. The risks outweighed the possible benefits but a substantial margin, and Otsune decided that she would rather go off on her own. If one of them wanted to follow, well…she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

Slowly at first, she began to run. In truth she did not pick up much speed, since she wanted to be at least somewhat aware of where she was going. She judged that if she were human, the pace she set would amount to a jog, and to the best of her knowledge nobody ever jogged off a cliff. Regardless, she did not run for long. After pushing her way through a thicket of long grass, she discovered that she stood at the edge of a gulch. It fell for about five feet before turning into a mass of reeds sitting in molasses-brown water, buzzing with flies and stinking in a way her new senses couldn't stand. Disgusted again, she backpedaled out of the long grass and began to follow the gulch to the right—the direction from which the barely-moving water trundled. As she moved through the underbrush, she realized just how adept her new body was at running: she didn't feel tired at all. A jaunt like this would have at least left her haggard had she been her old self. When the ground began to slope upward beneath her, she felt as if she were in to something, and in short order emerged from a tangle of wildflowers onto the shore of a small lake. A look to the left determined that a beaver dam, or at least something similar in function, blocked the water from flowing down the gulch. The sun sparkled off the surface of the open water pleasantly, but all the same Otsune remained alert. She harbored no clue what might be waiting for her in this world, or from what direction some unforeseen threat might spring.

[Assistant] It didn't seem like the drider was responding well to our attempts to calm her down, and honestly, she had it pretty well compared to the rest of us. She was still relatively human, and, even if her legs were now a spider... maybe she was afraid of those? After her, and Neix's outburst, I figured it was nearly impossible to get to her. The others already left, with her trailing slightly behind them. I suppose becoming something you're afraid of is a pretty horrible fate... and even then, not everyone can handle situations as well as some people can. I thought as I stayed behind the main group, and tried to stay closer to her, smiling warmly, as if I still could, given my new appearance, to try to show her that I wasn't a threat. "Don't worry, everything will, at least, eventually, be okay, alright? If there's a way out of here, I'll help you get there. It's a good thing we're making progress, I'm not sure what would happen if we stayed in that room," I spoke as calmly as I could to try my best at calming her down, however, the appearance of dead bodies at this point may have made that hard... and even if I was more than eager to see the outside world, at this point, I knew that things wouldn't end well for her if she was left here, alone. I would have done something like pat her on the back, but, she was currently out of my reach, thanks to being on the ceiling for some reason. I almost ached to see what this new world could be like... but, someone else's current mental state, even if it was, honestly was somewhat logical, given the situation, and even it was if a little annoying to deal with, took priority over my own curiosity.

[User]
"..."

Any retort Ariana could have made died in her mouth as she came across the horrendous sight in the cave. Dead bodies. Horribly destroyed, cut apart... Her main set of eyes was wide in horror, her legs feeling weak. For a few moments she was utterly silent, unable to say anything in the face of such a terrible sight. She'd never seen a dead body before, let alone something like this... she felt cold, but then and unpleasant heat rose in her body as nausea kicked in and she felt ill. Unsteady on her eight legs, she wobbled forward and took a hold of a wall in one hand to steady herself, her other hand clapped over her mouth.

She could feel tears welling in her eyes from both the awful scene they had come across, and from the effort of fighting back just how sick she really felt.

[Assistant]
Hyng turned to Neix as she made her own statement, the snake opting to ignore the venomous comments that she had tossed at the spider-girl. It wasn't as if he could use any of the stuff even if it WAS in workable condition, anyhow; he was a snake, for fuck's sakes! What kind of snake used armor and weapons?!

"So I guess it's off in a random dire-" Hyng began to say before being cut off by the dog/lizard hybrid creature bounding away from them without saying a word.
Well. Then.

"Hrm. Well... You'd think that the logical thing to do would be to group, but... Apparently not. Hell if I'm going to go after that thing; I can't even move that well yet, much less at that kind of speed. Though... Maybe we should be covering some ground. Actually, speaking of which..."

The comment was soon followed by a few more of the creatures from before popping out from inside of the cave; the drider and... Two cats. Okay. Well, at least the drider had stopped being moody. Though... The fact that she looked about as pale as... Well, the dead bodies that they had just left behind.

"...As I was saying... We should be covering some ground. Our first course of action is to GTFO from this place, so... Let's head that way, I guess. Neix, was it? You mind if I hitch a ride up there? Kinda sucks not being able to see more than a few inches in front of my face," he stated, pointing to a direction perpendicular to the entrance of the cave with his head. "We should probably move slowly, though; I don't know what the hell we'll find, but I'm fairly certain that waking anything big up would be a death sentence to us all. Dashing off alone... I really think that's far too suicidal for my liking."

[User]
~Neix~

Neix watched with mild interest as that dog/crocodile thing...whoever or whatever it was ran off. Honestly, while it was probably a good idea to get as far away from here as possible, it was probably a bad idea to do so alone. Well, not her problem. Not now at least. Whoever it was, was already far out of sight. Well, at least she'd have to put up with less shenanigans from someone who might have been a jackass for all she knew.

"...As I was saying... We should be covering some ground. Our first course of action is to GTFO from this place, so... Let's head that way, I guess. Neix, was it? You mind if I hitch a ride up there? Kinda sucks not being able to see more than a few inches in front of my face,"

She turned her head towards Hyng, tilting it slightly. Well, she had never carried anyone around before, but he was right. He wasn't gonna be getting anywhere fast in his condition. At least he seemed to have a cool head about everything, so she probably wouldn't mind his company too much, as long as he...kept his...erm...well. He didn't really have anything he needed to keep to himself. Well, whatever then.

"We should probably move slowly, though; I don't know what the hell we'll find, but I'm fairly certain that waking anything big up would be a death sentence to us all. Dashing off alone... I really think that's far too suicidal for my liking."

"Heh, yeeeah. Dunno what that crocodog thing was thinking. It's always good to have someone to watch your back, yeah?" She chuckled lightly, reaching down and lightly picking up Hyng. She brought him up to her head, and let him slither onto it and get comfortable. As soon as she did, she turned her head briefly to the spider. She did really feel kind of bad for snapping at her, but...well...she sighed.

"Yo, legs. It's probably a bad idea to hang around here so it'd probably be best to get moving." That was about as open of an invitation as she was gonna get - and she was free to do whatever she wanted to with it. She wasn't really one to babysit someone who was having a panic attack - that'd just make her own mood worse and would only serve to make her snap at the spider again probably. "Whatever did this might come back...and I'd rather not end up as lizard jerky." Despite her words, there was a clear hint of actual worry in her voice, though she didn't linger regardless and started walking, not checking to see if the spider came with them.

As she walked, she made sure to watch where she stepped in case she happened to step in something she'd rather not. It was easy enough, as the terrain wasn't difficult to travel. Trees began to surround them as they left, forming a shady canopy overhead.

"I really hope we don't run into something that likes lizard jerky." she said to Hyng. "So...got a plan or anything anyways, Hyng? I vote for finding some food before I start thinking snake sounds delicious."

[Assistant]
As Simba ran across the battlefield he noticed that a small girl with spiderlegs was falling behind the others, figuring that she would't be too tough if she proved aggressive he decided to use her as an in to the group. As he and his companion came closer he noticed the spidergirl didn't look too good which wasn't surprising all things considered.

 "Excuse me, are you all right?"  That question should at least indicate that the two felines weren't planning to harm the spidergirl. Simba had some idea how she felt, even he was surprised how well he handled things after the initial shock of finding out he had become a large cat.


[System]
Nickname: N/A
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Background: Petra was born in the most eastern point of Czechoslovakia, in 1983. When the Berlin wall was knocked down and the USSR dissolved, her family moved to America. Being new immigrants that spoke little English, they did not have the most luxurious life. Up until the time that Petra moved out, she and her family lived in a crummy apartment with cracks in the wall and flickering lights. When Petra was still in high school, her brother had graduated. Not having the money for college, he got involved in a gang. By the time Petra had graduated, her brother had gotten her involved with it as well and they were working together. However, some years later, during a deal gone bad, Petra's brother was killed. This prompted her to give up the lifestyle and lead a straight life. She used the money she had made to move to a different part of the city and finally enroll in college at the age of 26. Since graduation, she had been working as a cook and living alone in her apartment. This is the life she had during the outbreak.
Age: 35
Height: 5'7
Body Type: Average
Hair: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Personality: Being from Eastern Europe, Petra is naturally on the colder side. Smiles are a rare commodity and laughs are even rarer. She speaks only when she feels it's necessary and has little patience for nonsense. Her temper is somewhere in the middle; she knows not to snap over petty things but will not let others walk all over her and will not tolerate people wasting her time. She is rough around the edges and will not lie for your benefit. She will call things as she sees them. She is usually independant and will not ask for help unless she truly needs it. Another thing she takes from growing up in the Soviet Union is her communistic views. These will be prominent when in a group setting.
Unique Abilities: trilingual (Czech, German, and English), cooking skills, street experience, and negotiation skills.
Knowledge of Combat: while Petra was involved in street life, she did little fighting herself. That was up to the men and she was smart enough to avoid such confrontations. She has basic knowledge of guns as her gang dealt them and she knows how to properly wield blunt trama weapons. Despite this knowledge, she is not extremely experienced with it, but can hold her own at least for a little while.
Weapons: Fire axe and pocket knife
Equipment: backpack containing: bag of crackers, canteen of water, three cans of soup, some medical supplies, a dead phone, wallet, and a change of clothes.
Conditions: her English isn't exactly up to par and despite being in the country for twenty eight years, she still mixes her words up sometimes. This is mostly due to the fact that her family is still spoke Czech at home and she would only have to use her English when outside of her house. Can also be a little hard to understand.

[User]
James Morgan
James was sat on an old decrepit sofa in some dark forgotten apartment, the winter chill finding its way through every crack and nook to make the place even more unpleasant. As a result he found himself slumped forwards with his arms tucked in to keep his body slightly warmer. He was nursing a cigarette that seemed to give him little relief; other than the odd night out he wasn't really a smoker, but he'd found the pack the previous day and at this moment in time thought 'fuck it, why not?' At this rate the winter nights would soon reach a point where he'd end up freezing to death anyway, so why worry about a little lung damage? With each inhale he felt slightly warmer and a bit more relaxed, at least until he began to choke on fucking thing.

"KHOFF KHOFF KHAK KHAK KHAK KHAK!"

The short spurt of coughing was enough to make his eyes water, and he threw the cigarette a measly foot away in defiance. Only when he finally caught his breathe and recovered from the ordeal did he hear the sounds of groaning from the landing that connected the multiple apartments. 'The sound of my coughing must have attracted the buggers' he thought to himself as he quickly picked up his shield and machete. The NYPD riot shield was still in good shape, with no cracks, and only had a slight tinge of red to it (for he regularly tried to clean off any mess that he could). He always held it on his left arm, leaving his dominant right free to hold the machete and deliver some strong thrusts. He approached the door quickly and putting his shoulder up against it for reinforcement, he took a peek through the spy hole. Just the one walker. With a sweeping of his foot, James brushed aside the broken glass that lined up the bottom of the door; he always used crushed up light bulbs in front of doors so that it was harder for anyone to sneak in. Then, after unbolting the door, he quickly whipped it open and met his foe. The zombie lurched forward mindlessly but was held back by James' shield. James proceeded to push the zombie back and pinned it against a wall before quickly ending it with a quick decisive stab through the eye. Keeping the shield pressed against the zombie he gently lowered the corpse to the floor as to avoid a loud thump. "Just another day" he whispered under his breath before heading back into the lonely darkness of the apartment.

[Assistant]
As Anthony prepared himself for the confrontation with the insane cannibal in front of him, he saw a faint outline apppear in the shadows a few feet behind the raider. The unknown figure shifted slightly, and Anthony could make out a sling being drawn. Still gripping onto the corpse as a shield, Anthony could barely hide his smile. "Wat the hell you smirkin' at huh?" The raider asked, "Don't you know that you're gonna die soon?" In response, Anthony merely rolled his eyes, and watched as the small figure let loose a whistling stone at the raider's head.

 The raider, though insane, was lucid enough to turn around turn around toward the sound, and only caught the stone on his jaw instead of his eye. Anthony took that chance, and charged the insane man after tossing the corpse to the side. The raider was still reeling from the strike, and only put up minimal resistance as Anthony sunk his knife into the man's throat, and lead the soon to be corpse to the ground. Pulling out the blade, he wiped the blood of on the dying man's clothes. After kicking the dead raider a few times in the head, he nodded his thanks towards his benefactor, he then began rummaging through the corpses.

[User]
The stone connected, but Truffles managed to turn just in time, preventing the blunt projectile from splitting into the back of his skull; knocking out a few teeth, instead. This was only a temporary fallback, though, as the mysterious figure behind him took the opportunity to finish the job.

It was a pretty gruesome sight for Bobby, getting a full view as Truffles turned just enough to let Bobby see a bit of blood squirt out from his neck. But even worse were his eyes: blood red, crazed, and looking at Bobby with malicious intent. He attempted an angry slur of final words, but it just resulted in a pitiful gurgling as the other fellow lent him down to the ground.

The man, at this point having his clothes covered with splatterings of blood, would have looked just as menacing if it weren't for a less crazed face; only marginally so, but that was all you could really ask for in this new world. At the least, it was enough for Bobby to get the hint he wasn't going to attack him (for the time being) giving an approving nod before scavenging the bodies.

Bobby gave an uncomfortable nod back, not really sure what else to do, still a little phased from Truffle's death and the bodies littered around him. He was still weighing out his options. Should he just take what he can and run off before this guy gets any ulterior ideas for him, just like all the others? Or could Bobby have some use for him? In any case, he knew sticking around here wasn't an option.

"You're going to want to finish up with that. That was a... uh. Loud entrance."

[Assistant]
Hunter walked into his apartment room like it was any normal day. He cleared the floor as best as he could just so he could do that. Took him over 3 weeks to make sure it was clear and another 2 weeks to find where they kept getting in from. Now the only way on the floor is the elevator which is now powered by a home made generator, and the emergency stairwell. The generator isn't used much though. Unfortunately it's powered using an old bike and a few batteries, So this job takes a good long while to get enough power to run an elevator.

He walked into his apartment and placed the shotgun on top of the dresser, he kicked off his shoes and threw odd his hat onto the kitchen counter. He grabbed himself a beer from the fridge (Currently lacking power and just used to keep drinks separate) then he went and sat on the chip bag covered couch. The food he found in the building was always random, which was fine with him but he was once force to eat nothing but Doritos for a week because he had a large supply of them and no luck finding food. Why did so many people have so many Doritos?!

His feet started turning some peddles at his feet and he turned on the TV, He was living a life of luxury considering the events going on. Then his head ache came back, he was out of Excedrin, or anything else for head aches. All he had was prescription pain killers for hips or something. He had no idea where to find medicine though, that was normally the first thing he grabbed in case someone else was searching the apartments as well. TO find medicine he would need to leave the apartment building.

He looked out onto the street and saw dozens of dead just outside his building, and hundreds if not thousands spread out over the streets. "...Dammit." He knew this day would come when he would have to leave the safety of his building.

[User] Now that Anthony was close enough, he could see that the figure was nothing more than a pale, young, boy. "Wonder how many days it's been since he's seen the sun." The older man mused as he found more ammunition for his gun, and not much else. "You're going to want to finish up with that. That was a... uh. Loud entrance." the boy said. Anthony looked the boy in the eyes and saw how hard they were, and shook his head to himself sighing. He reloaded his pistol, and raised an eyebrow at the young boy. "So, coming or not?" Anthony asked, "Cause looking at you, I think you could use a partner."

[Assistant]
"So, coming or not?" Anthony asked, "Cause looking at you, I think you could use a partner."

The man reloaded his pistol, and he was making Bobby exceedingly nervous. He seemed to have no regard for how much noise he's been making, or how such noise attracted the raiders in droves, having just as much of a death wish as their friends. And even more concerning was how nonchalant the man was at having killed several people... crazed or not. Was the Overground truly so awful as to turn people as such?

Or was this guy even more insane than he presumed? He seemed to have a good handle of protecting himself, but for all he knew he'd use him as bait or start banging pots and pans together like a madman, as all evidence was starting to lead. But Bobby knew he would have to make the upward journey sooner rather than later, and this was probably his best ticket.

Only now did Bobby realize he was musing silently to himself, leaving the man staring at him impatiently. "I, uhh... okay. But one condition." In the time of half a second, Bobby released a rock in the direction of one of the corpses ten feet away, leaving a large indent in his skull. Bobby points at his craftiwork. "I have a no touch policy. ALSO! I'm a, uh... black belt in Tai Kwon Do. So. Yeah. Watch yourself."

[User]
The air was crisp, the sky clouded. However, the late fall chill was not the only thing that filled the air as Petra Novak sat perched on the rooftop of her apartment building. The groans and howls of the undead flouted upward from the streets and reached her ears on the rooftop. She had been camped out there for the majority of the time after the outbreak. After fleeing from her apartment with whatever supplies she could gather, she raced up to the rooftop, baracading the door shut. On occasion, when food resources were in the red, Petra would unblock the door and reenter the apartment building to scavenge before returning to the rooftop. However, as time went on, more and more people were turning and the weather grew colder and colder. Both the rooftop and the inside of the apartment building were becoming eliminated options for Petra. She knew she had to move soon - she just didn't know where.

This would be the last day she could scavenge through the building. Every time she went in, there seemed to be more walkers and she constantly ran the risk of raiders or residents of the building being less than hospitable when she barged in their door. This was the last time.

As Petra entered the building, she had her fire axe at the ready. She cursed the fact that she didn't have a firearm - she could never seem to come across them and after leaving her old life behind, she vowed never to own one herself. But times had surely changed since then. Slowly, Petra stalked through the hallways, flattening herself against the wall whenever she heard the groan of a walker or the creak of the floor boards. As she gingerly made her way across the top floor, the sound of gun shots from the floor below her caused her to jump. It had been a while since she had heard gun shots in the building. She cringed at the thought, knowing it would sturr up the walkers. She picked up her pace now as she made her way to the stair well and onto the next floor.


[System]
Age: 16
Appearance:

Personality: Friendly and Intelligent, with a terrifying sense of determination and bravery, while being calm and collected.
Brief Backstory: While no major tragedies occurred to him when the colossal Titan broke through the wall, the horrifying stories and sights were enough to light a fire in him, and he wants to take back what humanity lost. His father was a successful merchant, wanted to stay in the district where his customers resided.
District from: Shiganshina
Squad aiming for: Survey Corps
Skill level: Somewhere in between 8-9.

[User]
@Lady Athena

Hana got released from the infirmary and she went to the barracks, not caring where she went to sleep, she just needed sleep. The numbing agent was wearing off, so she knew she wouldn't get much sleep tonight. She sighed. She laid down and was asleep before she hit the pillow. Her face was contorted into a small mask of pain.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@DriveEMOut

Enya eventually goes back to bed and gets under the covers. She tries to hide her face under her pillow as she hears someone walk into the room. She peeks out from under her pillow and notices Hana fall onto her bed. She doesnt do anything really, she just watches and tries not to get involved with the girl she felt she scared off. Hours pass, Enya was tired but she was busy watching Hana

[User]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana woke from the pain in her back and sat up, noticing Enya looking at her. "You should get some sleep, Enya..." Her tone was more tired than anything.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@DriveEMOut
Enya doesnt reply, in fact she sinks back under her pillow. She was blushing from being noticed. The first person to speak to her.. Even notice her. She was filled with joy. She pretends to sleep so she wont be bothered

[User]
Athena@DriveEmOut

Hana bit her lip a little feeling her stitches throbbing and she laid on her side off her back. She let loose a groan of pain.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@DriveEMOut
Enya didnt like the sound of Hana groaning in pain. It just reminded her more and more of the event today

[User]
Athena@Nikki Moonlight
"What regiment are you guys choosing?" Archer asked, curious.

[Assistant]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana looked up at Archer. "Scout." She said, her voice laced with pain.

[User]
@Nikki Moonlight
Presumed the sun had rised as she hears Archer asking questions. She was so confused and she realizes that she probably fainted and woke up midday. She panics and rolls out of her bed. She seemed to be in a rush. She just points to a banner hung on the wall of the "Wings of freedom"

[Assistant]
Athena@Nikki Moonlight
"Great minds think alike. Do you guys want to get some lunch now? If we get there soon, we could snag an omelet." He was ready, dressed in a sharp black button-up, his uniform pants, and his cadet jacket. The majority of his hair was combed, except for his bangs, which naturally looked great. "Now come on, I don't want to grow a beard. Hey, Hana, if you need help getting out of bed I've got nothing better to do. I can't wait for the choosing ceremony. Think how surprised the other members of the top ten will be when we choose the Survey Corps."

[User]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana looked at him and tried getting up on her own but had a lot of difficulty. "Please help Archer..." she finally said. As he came to help she whispered to him, "And you never let me finish what I was going to say yesterday, you idiot." She gave him a pained smirk.

[Assistant]
@Nikki Moonlight
Enya rolls her eyes as she waits for the two love birds to finish there thing.

[User]
Athena

Hana glanced at Enya then looked back at Archer.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@Lady Athena
Archer supported her, and asked,"Then what were you going to say?" He feared for the worst, but still supported her gently, awaiting an answer.

[User]
@Lady Athena

She said, "I was going to say you're the only person I trust completely and that I care about you...a lot." She held onto him.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@Lady Athena
Archer grinned, and started to help her to the mess hall. "Well, let's get some food. And I care about you too." He whispered the last part to Hana only, and eventually sat her at a table. "I'll get food." He came back a little bit later with three steaming bowls of beef stew, and three cups of water. "Bon appetite."

[User]
Moonlight@DriveEMOut
Enya doesnt move while the two do creepy love bird things before they both leave for the mess hall. After a bit Archer returns with food. Enya just nods and takes the water but not the beef stew. She walked off and returns with a bowl of plain rice. She eats her rice quietly

[Assistant]
@Lady Athena

Hana smirked lightly, almost unnoticeable to anyone who hasn't known her for a while, and she sat down. Once Archer brought the food she smiled. "Thank you, Archer." She was beginning to let down the guards she often put up, but only let them down for Archer. She looked at Enya. "Enjoying your food?" she asked softly.

[User]
Moonlight@Lady Athena
Archer sat back, thinking of his father. "Ever wonder what citizens think of us? Not the kids, but the grown ups. I can't help but think that maybe they have some doubt in us, and it drives me insane. We keep them from dying day after day, yet they believe that we're wrong."

[Assistant]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana said, "My parents were that way...My sister...She was a Scout. When they brought her home...her legs were bitten off. She had bled out. When I said I wanted to be a Scout they forbade me from even speaking of it."

[User]
Moonlight@DriveEMOut
Enya doesnt say anything at all. She looked to her rice and sighs at what Archer said. She shakes her head. She felt an emotion within her that she had never felt before. She doesnt do anything still, just felt her trust in Archer drop. She pushes her food away as she gets up and begins to walk off to have some time to her own

[Assistant]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana looked as Enya left, then she looked back at Archer, waiting for him to speak.

[User]
Moonlight
"What did I do wrong?" Archer turned to Hana, confused.

[Assistant] Hana shrugged. "I don't know..."

[User]
Moonlight
"I'm going to visit my cousin. Want to come?" He asked Hana, not sure that approaching Enya was a good idea. "He's in the Scouting Regiment."

[Assistant] Hana nodded. "Sure." She smiled a little.

[User]
Moonlight
Archer led Hana to a room where a man who looked to be around 20 sat, adding upgrades to his omni-directional-maneuver gear. Archer tapped his shoulder. The man turned, and a smile crossed his face. "Archer?!"

[Assistant] Hana watched with the tiniest of smiles playing her lips. She waved a little bit at this cousin of his.

[User]
Moonlight
"Hey, Jon. Oh, this is Hana." Archer introduced them. "What are you doing?" Archer asked, wary.

[Assistant] Hana waited for Jon to answer his younger cousin.

[User]
Moonlight
"None of your business, Archie." Jon replied. "And this is Hana? I've heard all about you through letters while Archer was at training camp. All good things." He smirked at Archer, who looked infuriated. "Alright, Hana, we should go. Jon's inventions take up a lot of his time." Jon adjusted his glasses. "Quite true."

[Assistant] Enya sat on her own. She knew she shouldnt be around other people if she wanted to be happy and not be aggravated by Archer anymore than she was already

[User] Hana frowned slightly at this cousin. Was he a pervert possibly?

[Assistant]
Moonlight
"Trust me Hana, we should go." Jon took in Hana. "Leaving so soon, cousin? Quite fine. I'll give ms. Hana company." Archer grabbed Jon's hand. "Cousin, you can't beat me at a fight." Archer punched his taller cousin in the gut, and Jon's face contorted into a mask of rage. He swung at Archer several times, and Archer dodged, flipping Jon onto his back when he was off guard. "Let's go, Hana."

[User] Hana walked with him. Definitely a pervert. She made a vow not be to caught alone with Archer's cousin. She only hoped that he wouldn't be on the same squad as her. She would much rather be with Archer.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@Username
"Sorry about that." Archer eventually found Enya. "Hey, what did I say that was wrong? We've got to get to the choosing ceremony soon, and I want to make amends before we have to leave."

[User]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana gave Enya an encouraging smile.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@DriveEMOut
Enya doesnt reply to Archer. She kind of just hugs Hana quickly as she smiles slightly. She didnt want to speak to Jean, but she liked the warmth of Hana

[User]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana smiled a little. "Thank you."

[Assistant]
Athena@Nikki Moonlight
Archer walked away. "I'll be sparring with my brother." He called out, and left the room. Once he arrived in the hand-to-hand combat
room, he saw his brother walking in. "Oliver! Want to spar?" His brother laughed, and took off his uniformed Garrison jacket. "Let's go, little bro." He flicked his red hair away from his eyes, and got in his fighting stance. He charged at Archer, and Archer narrowly dodged. "Little rusty?" He went to trip his brother, but Oliver delivered a counter attack. They had a long fight, with Oliver landing a couple blows. Archer backed away, and did a low roundhouse kick, effectively winning the bout. "Nice try."

[User]
@Lady Athena

Hana sat down and sighed.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@DriveEMOut
Enya sits down beside Hana and places her hand on Hana's lap. She smiles

[User]
Moonlight@Lady Athena
Archer took a shower, and got dressed for the choosing ceremony. He decided he would try and avoid the girls, and hang out with some of the other boys joining the survey corps. He walked out of the room he changed in, and strode towards the streets. He still had a couple hours, enough time to watch a play.

[Assistant]
@Lady Athena

Hana wondered where Archer went and she sighed. Then she looked at Enya and she said, "Why don't you like Archer?"

[User]
Moonlight@DriveEMOut
Enya looked to the ground and sighs. She shakes her head and she points to her heart. She still didnt seem to want to talk with Hana even though she knew that Hana was probably the only trustworthy person around. She hugs Hana and smiles

[Assistant]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana sighed a little. "Still not talking, huh...? Can't say I blame you..."

[User]
Moonlight@Lady Athena
Archer walked back into HQ, bored. He had left the play near the end, as it was the worst plot he had ever seen. He saw the girls, and hid behind a column, making his way slowly behind cover to the end of the room. He started to open the door to the mess hall, wanting to get dinner.

[Assistant]
@Nikki Moonlight
Enya shakes her head very quickly and sighs "...." She didnt know whether to trust Hana or not. She did have a reputation of being in love with Archer. How did Enya know if Hana wouldnt tell Archer anything

[User]
Athena@DriveEMOut

Hana nodded. Then she looked forward.

[Assistant]
Moonlight@Lady Athena
Archer got up from his table and started to walk to the choosing ceremony, stopping at a small, unnoticed grave in a small park. He picked a few daffodils and dropped them, sighing. He ended up early, seeing the leaders of the regiments preparing.

[User]
@Nikki Moonlight
Enya notices people gathering and shakes her head. She knew that Hana was going to leave her, and probably join Archer...

[Assistant]
@Lady Athena

Hana said, "We should get ready for the Choosing ceremony..."

[User] Archer relaxed nonchalantly on the ground by the stage where the choosing ceremony would take place. No one seemed to mind, but no one had done as he had. He brushed some dust off of his jacket, and closed his eyes.


[System]
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Race: Aretan Hume

Appearance:
There are no fair or courtly words to encompass the horrifying appearance of Linus Kolbe. He is by every impression a dead man who refused to lay down. His eyes, one milk-white and sightless, stare from a red, patchwork ruin of deep furrowed wounds and unspeakable burns, the whole of his skin and skull held together with crude wire-thread stitching and scar tissue, hair long since burned away. His voice comes as a shuddering rasp from somewhere in his chest, deeper breaths rattling in his lungs. Few know what further atrocities are visible on his flesh beneath the padding of his armor.

It works well, in putting the fear of battle into the Crown's foes. Unfortunately, it often has the same effect upon its friends.

Brief character concept:
Quartermaster and record-keeper. He has one good eye and can still swing a blade or hammer with the best of men. And one thing you can be sure of: He isn't afraid of getting hurt.

History:
Who was he, before he was left an embittered husk, cast off from the crucible of war? It barely seems to matter, when few can say who he is now. And following his last return from battle, Linus would have been forcibly retired were it not for his unwavering loyalty and a curious pressure from the clergy that he remain available for duty. A compromise was reached, and he soon found himself relegated to duty as Annalist and Quartermaster; Battle-ready, but kept away from younger, idealistic recruits, those who still believe war is all glory and bright, shining armor. It would not do for the impressionable to see the true, terrible face of war.

As with many older knights in the service of the Aretan crown, Linus is a veteran of a few of the kingdom's renowned campaigns. But what follows him more closely, more cautiously, are the whispers of other, lesser-known campaigns, rumored forays pushing deep into the hidden east. Campaigns of which there are no songs, of which no tapestries are woven, of which there are no writings and any discovered are burned along with their authors.

There are no certainties in this whispered hearsay. But the rumors -- as surely Linus himself -- refuse to die.

[User]
'There's no rest for the wicked', or so the saying went. Annara was inclined to believe it as her head began to throb from the smoke as Lothren stopped them. How he had heard something, anything, over the horses and curses thrown at their prisoner was beyond her. In a more humorous mood, she had laughed with the other humans when somebody mused that, surely, sleeping by a mosquito-infested pond was to elves what sleeping in the middle of a lively street was for humans. It was a double-edged sword to be sure but perhaps it made the difference between life and death now... or maybe not, for now that they stopped, Annara could hear it aswell: Thunder, distant yet eerily close, a soft, oh so soft tremble that rolled through her from below.

Just like elves had a hearing that couldn't be matched by human ears, the Eretol were particularly sensitive to vibration, an acquired skill that was nurtured and refined in young years until the child could wake itself over even one footstep out of place, one of the main reasons - all racism aside - why Eretol rarely camped inside the city walls when they visited settlements like Marion Bay. As difficult as it had made it for Annara to adjust to foreign footsteps and noises at night with a group like this, she knew that sensing shifts in the sand was what allowed her people to travel through the desert as easily as they did, with no tribe lost to the dunes in human memory while Aretan caravans occasionally disappeared in the White Seas.

Lothren might have been the first to identify what it might be but Annara was certainly the first to feel that it was not coming from above ground, even though she had no idea what, other than an earthquake, could be responsible for it here. Their leader, however, seemed to be terrified by whatever it was he thought of and urged them on like never before. Could this be the threat he had warned them about, the reason they descended upon villages like Muon Pond week after week? Her stallion Skye whinnied, clearly as agitated as the other horses, and they pressed on.

They arrived at the camp to find Bolgar - the dwarf - and his fellow 'guards' mostly sleeping or eating, completely unconcerned by noise... or the absence of Alan. It didn't bode well that his horse was gone too. He couldn't have abandoned them, could he? Surely he wasn't that kind of man. Then again - what kind of king left his nation without ruler to chase skirts and join a band of mummers? Annara shook of the thought, it didn't matter now if he was king or not, even though the Lothren cried out in rage gave her the distinct feeling he cared quite a bit about Alan's title. The only thing that mattered now was to find the man who belonged to their group, who was... something to her, a friend perhaps, and to leave this godsforsaken place as quickly as possible.

But before anybody could say or do anything of note, the ground jumped up violently, so much so that Annara was almost thrown out of the saddle and Skye himself was struggling to stay upright, mortified by the ground's unnatural movement. The riders around her weren't faring much better, some horses scared to the point where they reared up or started running. The wagons shook and swayed, wood groaned, metal clanged, clay and pewterware shattered. No hand was idle now, hurrying to quench the remaining fires and pack their gear.

Not Annara, though. She turned to look at Aust and Juna, just as a few pebbles trickled down from the cliff above, surely just shaken loose by the quake. The earth's tremble was more noticeable now and doubly so to her, faint but constant between the waves, and her voice was all the more urgent for it.
"One of you can track, right?"

[Assistant]
Juna had been riding alongside Lothren, riding upon her steed named Kevala. Upon Kevala, Juna rode up on her steed, and felt the wind comb through her, her hair flying gently through the wind. She had done so an innumerable number of times. As usual, she tended to focus more on riding than what Lothren had been saying, yet she could tell that there was something serious in his voice. She could tell in it's tone.

"It sounds quite like thunder," Juna said. "Yet it's sound is far too low, isn't it?"

Lothren pulled the reins of his suddenly, his horse crying out and stopping in its track. He put up its hand as a signal to the rest of the Ytharien. Juna pulled on Kevala's reins, and he cried out before his hooves smashed against the ground and stopped further movement. She could definitely her the murmuring "thunder" uttered from beneath the ground. It sounded no different thunder, and most would not have given it any special thought if they did not realize that the sound surely came from below.

Lothren was startled. He seemed to be worried about something for sure, although Juna had no way of knowing of what. She knew better than to doubt him. He told her to ride, so she did. Kevala rode alongside Lothren's steed, both of them riding as fast and as hard as their horses could take them. Juna could still here the sound of thunder, but nothing spectacularly noteworthy happened to them on their trek back. All that was there was the anticipation.

They eventually returned to their caravan, and it was clear to Juna that nothing had happened. At least, nothing had happened yet. Bolgar, the dwarven poet, was there along with the others, and nothing had happened to them. Juna uttered a small sigh of relief just a moment before she felt a sudden quake from the ground that nearly threw her out of her saddle.

"One of you can track, right?" Annara said, turning to her and Aust.

Juna turned her head towards Aust.

[User]
"Where is the King?"

If only the Elven leader could know how recently those words had been repeated by others. In Areta, when even the royal bedchamber was discovered empty. In the Captain's quarters, whispered with an edge of bitter futility as their quest had pressed on. How they echoed, accused, demanded beneath the inscrutable blank helm of the rider now hunched atop its steed, mounted in silence as the young monarch himself gave his speech. Like the ghosts of his fallen brothers, flanking him loyally, even in death. One hand kept a firm grip on the reins as the traumatized mount twisted its head, whinnying plaintively with fear and adrenaline, starting back and forth and pawing at the sand with shaking legs. Thin breaths hissed in and out of the perforated helm in a low, metallic wheeze. Where is the king?

The act reached its conclusion, but there was no applause. No apology No protest or clearing of throats. Only when it seemed the desert could hold its breath no longer did that dry, broken voice shudder from beneath its iron shell.

"You think this a game?" it rasped.

The figure dismounted heavily, advanced. The standard of Areta, dusty and ill-used, that had not left Linus Kolbe's hand since the previous night, was thrown down to the glittering desert sand.

"An Elfish pantomime? You think yourself a hero, to sing upon a stage, beyond which lies nothing?"

The inscrutable helm was torn off, thrown to the baking sand as the standard had been, the abhorrent visage of death exposed to the blinding sun. Kolbe's hands took the front of the King's tunic in a hard, merciless grip, neither of the other two men immediately able to believe what was happening.

"Gerald of Antour--" Alonso's feet left the ground. The world heaved to one side as the caked earth of the canyon slope thumped hard against his back. "--Konrad Falkenberg. Good brothers! Loyal to the crown! Husbands! Fathers! GONE! Do you understand?" Kolbe screamed it up at him, voice ragged, "THESE MEN ARE DEAD FOR YOU!"

It was even more horrifying up close. Barely human. Tortured flesh and incurable lacerations, glistening with desert sweat. One white eye staring from a ragged, red pit, the other burning with a hot, unspeakable fire that was not sanity, that was not madness. The knight's shoulders heaved with raw, labored breaths as the words were torn from his throat, almost as if unbidden.

"Areta rots while you dally with harlots," Alonso was pitched backward, the hot earth thumping against his back once more a moment later. "Frolic with Elfen scum! Crows circle the empty throne. Barons and foreign sorcerers sharpen their knives. Your people are fatherless 'neath the shadow of carrion birds! Forgotten! Abandoned to chaos, to dogs like Harking! On a whim!" He rasped, "A boy's whim!"

"Kolbe, that's enough!" The Captain barked sharply, snapping out of the nightmare, "Stand down, that's an order! Kolbe! LINUS! You swore an oath! This is your KING, damn it!"

"Where?" Kolbe turned, pointing an accusing finger, leaving the apostate monarch to slide to the baking sand. Mister Hooves stamped, nostrils flaring, still turning tight circles behind him. "Where is my king?" he croaked, "Where the sapphire and the gold? Where the jackal, and the scale?"

He bent, snatching up the beaten standard. Red-tinged sand hissed from the dusty blue fabric as he held it palm-up in shaking mailed hands, horizontal to the earth.

"Duty, is a heavy burden. All my brothers knew this. Knew fear. Pain. Stared into darkness. But we gave no ground!" he turned back to Alanso, "Do you understand? Did as we must! Paid a price, greater than a golden ring, and a woman's bed!

"You seek traitors? Look to a mirror, and search thine own heart! And if still you would run, trade the crown for a vagabond's cloak and the kingdom for a ditch, then go! But this--" He paced closer, pointed; the grim visage with its canvas of unspeakable wounds as horrible now as ever. "THIS is the face you're spitting in!

"Thus I ask you. Because I must know." Kolbe's voice was strangled, now, winded, as though the flood of words had worn red what was left of his throat.

"Are you my king?"