T'Kesh pulls out her communicator and poses dramatically. Then she says bits of serious, stern conversation into the phone.
"I demand a meeting."
"I'm calling for Jabaxa. Yeah. That's right. I need help with a rocky relationship..."
"You'll see me with or without permission..."
"Ha! That's what I thought. Buckle like a baby!"
"Let's do this."
When she thinks she has enough conversation pieces for Nubb to edit it into the scene she stares off into the distance and says, "The hunt is on."
She poses long enough for the cameras to records her from a few angles, then stalks off...
...in the right direction.
"Beep... bop... rabbot... Let's go shopping... before going to... the meeting..."
Skitt nods. "You're right! We need supplies! And food! And stronger guns! And food! Mmmm... Fooooooood."
"Beep... bop... rabbot... no food... oil needed..."
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Navigating the streets to find the ringtrain station takes a little getting used to, but the group soon spies the platform looming high above the streets of Drifter's End. The trip this time is a little more relaxing as it is less crowded, and there are even a couple of seats available in the tube-shaped carriage.
The Freemarket's district is closer in resemblance to a planet-based bazaar than it is a city district, with entrepreneurs selling their wares out of cooperative storefronts, temporary street stalls, and vehicles. While station security and the priest-soldiers of AbadarCorp attempt to police the area and make sure that business stays relatively legal, it is said that the Freemarkets of Absalom Station is the place to buy and sell nearly anything.
The action within the Freemarkets is a prime example of organised chaos, with hawkers calling out over the top of people bartering and sharing gossip and trade chat as the AbadarCorp priest-soldiers patrol in their gleaming ceremonial plate armour. There appears to be no set structure to where a given type of item can be bought or sold, making it difficult for a first-time visitor to the neighbourhood. It takes the group the better part of an hour to navigate the layers of streets, balconies, shops and alleys to find vendors who will purchase your goods for a fair price.
T'Kesh hunts down a few rats in the market, and guts them. Then she purchases some extra ingredients from the stalls and beckons Rabbot over.
"Oven mode!" she commands.
Using her ingredients she cooks up an awesome meal out of station rat for herself, Skitt, and Nubb -- all recorded by her camera crew -- while narrating for the cameras (and the crowds!)
It's delicious!
Rabbot takes a seat on the ringtrain ride.
"Beep... bop... rabbot... comfy..."
Rabbot sells the goods and then goes shopping.
"Beep... bop... rabbot... oil needed..."
When T'Kesh is ready to cook, Rabbot transforms! Her tummy opens out into an oven!
"Beep... bop... rabbot... over mode... activated... oh yeah... we are cooking... now..."
When the cooking is done, Rabbot oils herself up!
Skitt sits down like a statue so he doesn't bug anyone. He doesn't even blink. But, his tummy does grumble loudly. He's hungry!
Skitt happily eats the rat food that T'Kesh has made.
Nubb devours the food.
"So good!" Nubb belches loudly.
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With oil and some food apparently the only thing the group needed, the group begin to make their way to one of the several stairwells serving as access points to the Spike - the colloquial name that is given to the hundreds of levels below the Ring's official districts. The Spike is filled with machines of both industry and support for the station as well as repurposed neighbourhoods for Absalom Station's poorest citizens.
The group descend through stairwells and access elevators to finally reach level 21. The streets here are crowded and noisy, with the ever-present thrum of vital station machinery vibrating the metal walls of the stores and tenements. The buildings reach two storeys above street-level, their rooves built just under the ceiling that separates level 21 from level 20. Unlike the artificial daylight halogens on the station's Ring, the levels of the Spike seem to have no such luxuries afforded to them. Instead, hanging between all of the buildings are lines of electrical lanterns, bathing the alley-streets below in dim, amber-coloured light.
Nubb and Rabbot double check the infosphere to get an address for Mama Fatts, but the map is a complicated schematic of adjoining alley-streets and open corridors through apartment building lobbies, with no set landmarks on it. Despite this, and after a somewhat confusing walk, the group manages to find themselves standing in front of a small neighbourhood convenience store with a metal sign hanging above it with the words 'Mama Fatts' painted onto it.
Rabbot adds a bit more oil to itself.
"Beep... bop... rabbot... ready to proceed..."
Skitt eats some food. "Oh, boy!" he says as he claps his hands. "I'm ready too!"
T'Kesh poses dramatically and narrates for the cameras. She has no other preparations to make.
"The hunt continues!"
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The group heads inside Mama Fatt's.
The aisles of the store are very narrow, to the point where barely more than one person can walk down them at a time, and yet the place is crowded with shoppers perusing the selection of canned goods, dried grains and noodles, bags of spices, and jars of easily preserved raw ingredients. At the front of the store are two cash registers - one with a diminutive elderly halfling woman with grey hair in a messy bun, and the other with a tall woman with pale skin and a single glowing eye who is chewing gum and looking incredibly uninterested in being there.
Rabbot enters the shop. She gets in line and waits to speak with Mama Fatt.
"Beep... bop... rabbot... I am here... to see... Jabaxa..."
Skitt looks around the shop.
"Look at all the FOOD!" he squeals. He wanders around and picks up a bunch of R2Es labelled 'chicken fingers and fries.' He also picks up a canned pop. Then he gets in line.
"Hi Nufriend! Are you Mama Fatt? I want to buy this! Also, I want to speak with Jabaxa! I have an appointment!"
Skitt smiles happily.
Nubb picks up a large container of cheese puff balls and cracks the lid. He begins to eat the cheese snacks as he waits in line to pay.
"Mmmmm. So tasty. Yum!"
"Beep... bop... rabbot... Oil required..."
T'Kesh struts into the shop and poses dramatically. She ignores the line completely and strolls right up to Mama Fatt at the front counter.
"T'Kesh! Killer Chef!" she bellows loudly. "Here to see," she leans in close and whispers, "Jabaxa."
Then she winks at the halfling and smiles.
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As Rabbot, Skitt, and Nubb wait in line for their turn in line to come up, T'Kesh strides directly to the halfling woman. The other customers let out a chorus of frustrated cries.
The halfling glances up, her eyes as hard as steel. "Back of the line," she begins to say, before listening to the rest of the ikeshti's words. "Oh, you're the one," she states, her stern gaze softening a touch. "You'll still need to wait, but I'll get the message to him."
She takes a deep breath and yells louder than her diminutive frame would otherwise belie. "Shaila! Quit chewing gum and open your register!"
The pale, disinterested, lashunta woman turns her glowing eye over to the halfling. "I better get paid for this," she says lazily, but she does not stop chewing her gum. She waves the first of the patrons in the halfling's line to her.
"You'll get paid if you decide to do any actual work around here," the halfling sneers before jumping down off of her stool and walking out the back of the room, mumbling curses under her breath. Shaila rolls her eyes and looks at the nearby customers. "Don't mind Mama," she says as she scans the items in front of her. "She's loud but harmless."
When it is Rabbot's turn in line the lashunta looks Rabbot up and down. "You too? You can wait with the lizard. Oil? Like... racer oil? We've only got cooking oil here. You want some?"
When it Is Skitt's turn in line the Lashunta blows a big bubble out of her gum. It snaps with a POP! She scans the R2Es and shakes her head. "No, that halfling is Mama Fatt. I'm Shaila. This food all for you? And whats that weird thing on your stomach? That'll be twenty credits."
When it is Nubb's turn in line the lashunta raises an eyebrow and sighs. "You've gotta pay before eating." She scans the empty cheese puff container. Then she mutters to herself, "At least your not burning the place..." Louder she adds, "That'll be 1 credit."
She looks at the group. "Wait anywhere you like - I'm sure the J-boss will find you soon enough." Then she waves the next customer through.
T'Kesh scowls and slams her hands on the counter. "This is an outrage!" she hisses. "T'Kesh doesn't wait! Not in line ups!"
As the halfling wanders off to let Jabaxa know the group had arrived T'Kesh grins and crosses her arms. "Yeah! You'd better!"
She turns and smiles at the camera, then she puts on a serious face and stares off into the distance dramatically.
While she waits, she continues to pose for the cameras.
Rabbot nods with a whirring sound. "Beep.... bop... rabbot... cooking oil... is fine...." She pays 1 credit.
While she waits, Rabbot opens the oil jug and pours it into all her creases and joints.
Skitt smiles and claps his hands. "That looks delicious! Hi! I'm Skitt! Of course this food is all for me! I'm starving! Oh, that? That's my extra mouth! All skittermanders have one when they're little. And then they fall off. I missed mine so much I got a mechanical replacement! Isn't it great! It helps me eat faster!"
He pays for his food.
While he waits, Skitt walks along the line up making friends with everyone he can!
Nubb pays her 1 credit.
"Burning the place? Have you had problems with your place burning?"
While he waits, Nubb wanders around the shop.
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Shaila shakes her head at Nubb. "Ugh, never mind."
Shortly after the commotion caused by Mama's departure, the halfling returns and offers a bow to the group. "This way," she says to T'Kesh. Then she looks at Skitt. "You as well, and the rest of your people. Come now, hurry up!"
Mama turns on her heels and scoots back into the aisles of the grocery store, weaving deftly through the crowded rows before stopping outside of the storeroom's door. "Jabaxa is in there - head past the back and you won't be able to miss him. Go! He doesn't like to be kept waiting."
The cramped storeroom on the other side of the door contains several pallets of stock for the store, and the dim bulb is barely sufficient to light the area. At the rear of the room is an opening to a further back room which is only visible because of a harsh yellow light coming from within. Surprisingly spacious, the room contains a large circular table with playing cards scattered around as if a game of cards had been interrupted in the middle. Seated at the table is a grizzled ysoki male with one cybernetic eye glowing in a baleful red colour set in amongst several deep scars in his fur, and his natural eye is likewise a bloodshot red colour. He wears a purple half-cloak secured around his neck over top of a stationwear flight suit, and he has several empty glasses and a bottle of clear liquid in front of him. The lead gang member joins two others in a guarding position at the rear of the room.
The first of the guards is a catfolk of some kind, with practically no hair, a pet mouse sticking out of his boot, and wearing beat up armour. He hisses at the group aggressively. The second of the guards is an android with long green hair pulled up in a tight ponytail. They seem to look female, although with androids ones appearance does not always match up with the soul inside.
"Come forward, friends," Jabaxa says, his voice raspy but clear enough, "and take a seat at old Jabaxa's table. Can I interest you in a drink?" he asks, pouring the clear liquid into a glass and setting it in front of himself.
"Mmm... Drink yes! Thank you!" He nods his head and takes a seat. He picks up a playing card and uses it to clean his teeth.
Skitt smiles. "WOW! YOU LOOK AMAZING!" he exclaims. Then he looks at Nubb, "You should put away those playing cards before my friend eats them--oh! Too late! He's already eating them!"
Skitt climbs into a chair. "Some of your people who were supposed to protect Durovar Kreel got killed down at the docks today by the Downside Kings. We were there. We ran away and saved some people too. We were hoping you could get word to the rest of the Hardscrabble Collective for us so that we can save them. And maybe if you tell us where the Downside Kings are we can fight them?" Skitt thinks, then nods. He claps his hands. "Yup! That's what we want! And that's what we want to tell you!"
He smiles.
Rabbot looks around with a whirring sound. "Beep... bop... rabbot... I do not consume beverages... no drink needed... it would be unpleasant..."
She extends her neck to make herself taller. It makes a loud WHIRR. She stares at Jabaxa.
Nubb has few cards in his mouth now.
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Jabaxa laughs at the skittermander. "HAHAH! Flattery will get you everywhere, my friend!"
He glares at the goblin. "Spit that out before I force you to."
He pours everyone except for Rabbot a drink, then slides them across the table. He raises his glass in a toast, then swallows it down.
Placing the glass back onto the table in front of him, Jabaxa frowns. "I'm not sure who this Duravor fellow was, or why he may have been targetted by the Downside Kings. But..." he pauses, scratches his chin, then leans forward. "We were hired to protect the Hardscrabble Collective's people and their interests on the station from interference and intimidation, and were told only where to be to oppose the Kings."
Jabaxa leans back, kicking his feet up onto a nearby chair casually. "As for contacting them - I'm afraid that even I cannot coax them from their hiding holes. We were contracted to protect from all interference, even from supposedly friendly parties external to their conflict, and my crew and I do not renege on a contract that we have undertaken."
The grizzled ysoki stares down the group in front of him for a long moment. Eventually he smiles. "However, I do feel that if the Downside Kings can be convinced to cease their assault on the Hardscrabble Collective's assets, then maybe Otal and his people will have some breathing room available to them and may come up for air. I suspect also that if you're looking to take down the 'leash holders' then the Kings will know who they are."
Pouring another measure of his gross drink into his glass, the ysoki turns to Skitt. ”There is not a member of the Kings that I wouldn’t sooner shoot than talk to,” Jabaxa says, eliciting a chuckle from the guards behind him, ”They understand only two languages - intimidation and violence - thanks in no small part to their current leader, Ferani Nadaz. Most of the other gangs on the station know not to cause too much in the way of strife, lest we all end up with station security breathing down our necks. Ferani and her Kings, on the other hand, not so much.”
Jabaxa leans back in his chair again, his thin lips pursed in thought. "I've not been there myself - none of my crew who are still breathing has - but I know that the Downside Kings use an all-day club on level 48 called the Fusion Queen as a front for their not-so-savoury activities. I'm not sure of their fighting numbers, to be honest, but given that the club is a popular one amongst tourists and residents both, I'd imagine that they would try to keep at least somewhat inconspicuous while doing business there. You want to get to the Downside Kings, then that's the place to go."
He waits a moment, curious if there's anything else you have to say...
T'Kesh poses dramatically and laughs. "Consider it done, Jabaxa! When we're through with them, the Downside Kings will be no more!"
"What do you know about this... Ferani Nadaz?"
Rabbot listens carefully.
"Beep... bop... rabbot... mission accepted... looking up the fusion queen..."
"Beep... bop... rabbot... inforsphere working... directions acquired... ready to depart..."
Skitt drinks his drink. He tries not to frown at the taste. "Thank you."
"Wow, thanks for your help! Do you know any other entrances to the Fusion Queen? Anyway we can sneak inside?"
Skitt waves goodbye with all of his hands. "Bye, Jabaxa! Can I come play cards with you one day? I love games!"
Nubb spits out the cards. Pegh
Nubb quickly downs the drink and soon begins coughing. Cough! Haack! Ack!
"Beep... bop... rabbot... are you dying... nubb..."
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Jabaxa bursts out laughing at Nubb chokes on his drink. He grins, takes another sip of his own drink, then looks at Skitt. "You the brains of the group, or what?" He chuckles. "Like I said. Neither me nor any of my crew have been to the Fusion Queen and lived. I don't know my way into the front door, never mind the back."
He turns and looks at T'Kesh. "Yeah... I've seen your show. You hunt, you kill, you cook. But, Ferani Nedaz ain't no animal. She's a psycho. A killer. Even if you corner her she'll fight to the end. Like a crazed beast or some fool undead or something." He shrugs. "Like I said. Psycho."
He leans back in his chair, thinks a moment, then sighs. "Turnover among the Downside Kings’ leadership is high, but the gang’s current boss is a barbarous human woman named Ferani Nadaz. Word is she killed her way to the top. You'll know her when you see her. She's the ugliest woman I've ever seen. Scars and red tattoos all over her. Her hair's nearly all fallen out. Just stringy white wisps of it growing down past her ears. They say she could make a grown man weep with a glare, but that's all hearsay. Not sure how you'll fare. You might want to pack an extra pair of shorts. She's not the brightest, but they say she's gifted with technology. Known to take a pistol into battle, but she'd rather beat you to death with a club, so don't think bringing the fight to her will help."
"Her second in command is a vesk by the name of Vrokilayo Hatchbuster. Blue scales, red armour, big gun, and dumb as a post. Got a scar across his eye that Ferani gave him. Word is he sticks close to Ferani. Not sure if he's loyal or scared of her. Doesn't matter, really. If you go looking for Ferani, you'll have to go through him."
Jabaxa leans forward and smiles. "Now get outta my place."
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With her computer skills Rabbot discovers that the Fusion Queen is a nightclub located in the lower levels of Absalom Station, deep in Downside Kings territory. The Kings own and operate the club, using it as a hideout and base of operations. The neighborhood is somewhat depressed, but still considered trendy in certain circles, and the club is usually filled with patrons (most of whom have no connection with the gang) at all hours, day or night. She finds a blueprint of the building which shows it has a front entrance, a small coatcheck, a large dance area, tables along the walls for socializing, and astaff area on the left that has two offices. She doesn't see any windows or other entrances into the building. She knows how to lead the group there without trouble.
T'Kesh laughs. "A crazed beast? Hahaha! We'll take her down, however feral!"
She poses dramatically, then leads the way out of the corner store. Back on the street she poses some more. "This way! The hunt is ON!" She takes off at a brisk walk, as if she was leading the group into danger. Then she stops and comes back.
"Which way?" she asks Rabbot and Nubb.
"And did you film me from my good side on that walk-away take? Or should I do it again?"
Skitt nods. "Oh, yes. I am the brains and the friendly one." He points at T'Kesh. "She's the strong and pretty crazy one." Then he points at Rabbot. "She's the other smart one." Lastly he looks at Nubb. "He's the.... Hmmm.... He's Nubb! The gross one, maybe? He's kind of smart sometimes! But... Hmmm... He also eats garbage and boogers..." Skitt smiles. "That's us!"
Skitt follows T'Kesh outside. He waves goodbye to everyone on his way out. He looks at his friends. "We should go act like we're nice, then lead Ferani Nadaz into someplace empty and alone so that we can fight her alone. At, like, a rundown warehouse of something. But remember, don't fight right away cause people could get hurt!" He thinks, then he points at Rabbot. "Find me an empty building near the Fusion Queen! Quick!"
Skitt smiles. "Maybe we can make the warehouse look like its NOT old and broken. Then she won't suspect a thing!"
"Beep bop Rabbot. Searching...."
When dismissed, Nubb eyes Jabaxa. Nubb quickly snatches a card and sticks it in his mouth and hurries out.
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Rabbot finds a few nearby spots that would suit their purposes. There's an empty warehouse a 'street' over from the Fusion Queen that was suddenly abandoned due to an dangerous creature living there. There's a maintenance tunnel that's tall enough to hold a person around the corner. Rabbot can tell that it winds around for a bit and leads to a secluded supply room. There's a home down the street whose owners went missing a month ago and is currently uninhabited. Lastly, there's a nearby apartment complex that has two empty suites up for rent. Both are currently unoccupied, but the suites are incredibly small.
T'Kesh grins. "An ambush? Yes, that would work nicely! A bigger problem is how we're going to convince Ferani to leave the building with us. She does't sound like the type who wants to make friends..."
Skitt lets out a loud "Auwww... We should go see the creature in the warehouse!"
Then he scratches his chin. "Maybe we could tell Ferani there's a fight nearby. She likes to fight!"
"Beep... bop... rabbot... I agree... let us go to the... warehouse..."
"Yeah, yeah! Warehouse is good! Yes!"
Nubb pokes at the air for a while "I find her comm code. Then we sent her message! Say we know where those Collective guys are and want to make deal! Finder's fee, yes?"
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The warehouse is a big place, with high double doors made of metal leading the way inside. They're shut tight, and a line of yellow tape blocks the way to the door which reads 'CAUTION!' Someone has sprayed paint all over the door that shows an image of a human without its head. Cartoon blood is shooting out of the body. In big colourful letters it the graffiti reads 'DEAD HEAD!'
Despite the busy hallways and 'roads' in this neighbourhood, everyone seems to be avoiding this building. Thy hurry across the street just to avoid it. There aren't any windows leading inside, or any other doors.
T'Kesh poses dramatically near the doors and graffiti. She pulls out her laser pistol in one hand and her survival knife in the other. "The hunt begins!"
Skitt puts a finger to his lips. "Shh! Don't break in! I bet it's goblins causing terror or something!"
Skitt pulls open the door and walks right into the warehouse. He looks around.
Nubb cocks his head at the mention of goblins. He draws his laser pistol and listens at the door.
When Skitt heads inside Nubb follows, sticking to the shadows.