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Lobby <Red Eclipse, Comorro Station>
You enter a small waiting area first, complete with a couple of couches and some magazine-laden small tables. A holo-screen on the central table cycles through the latest news-briefs, focusing mainly upon the assorted tumultuous dangers of Hiverspace. There is a clear polycarbonate wall between the waiting area and the actual room, so one can see what is within without being able to hear it.
Through a set of double doors is a much larger room; the front left-hand side is the training/workout area, also behind a clear polycarbonate wall so that potential candidates and clients alike can observe the available mercenaries in their natural habitat. Music is usually playing at a boisterous volume, the playlist consisting of bass-thumping, parent-offending, wall-rattling tunes from many eras and planets.
Beyond the training area is a door marked "Captain's Office," and a mess hall/break area separated from the rest of the room by a chest-high wall. On the right hand side of the room is the reception desk; just beyond that, smoked polycarbonate cubicle walls designate a private area for interviews and consultations. In the far wall, a door leads into the barracks.
Somewhat unusually for a weekend, Joca is back in the HQ, dragging her little wheeled luggage behind her. Most of the contents are tossed into the laundry chute over by the barracks, and the rest of it is unceremoniously pitched into her office. As is her usual, she pads off into the mess area to grab herself a boozy coffee.
James Sterling is still wearing his beach attire as he wanders into REM HQ. His black duffle bag slung over one shoulder, he whistles tunelessly and makes his way across the waiting room toward the barracks.
Kethren stretches a little as he comes wandering in accompanied by his white tiger, and a calico ser perched on the tiger's head. He's not exactly dressed for the beach, but since this isn't one, and Baile isn't beach country, this is hardly surprising.
"'urry up and get chaanged, I want to go back to se boat," Joca calls, over her coffee, which has of course already reached optimal drinking temperature due to being diluted with so much Kahlua. "'allo, Monsieur Kethren," she adds, when she sees him coming. There is an approving nod when she notes that he is not under heavy guard, considering there's plenty of heavy guard to go 'round out here to begin with.
"Orright, keep yer shirt on!" Sterling calls in return, chuckling as he disappears into the barracks. When he returns a few minutes later, he's back in his typical merc wear. No sign of beachiness remains except the slight increase in the degree of his tan.
Kethren scratches Nuala idly as they walk in. "Afternoon, all."
"Mate, if'nsheoffs th'sherrt? Gonnawinfirstround, eh?" Rennie pipes up, amidst sophomoric laughter from the rest of the weekenders hanging in the front office. Joca gives him a high five as she passes, finishing off her coffee and gifting him with the empty mug. "Hokay, darling, let us go and do our best to put each usser down, ehn? Rules are simple. First to three solid 'its (that would be by a margin of success greater than 1) is winner. Questions?"
Sterling gives Kethren a lazy wave. "G'day, there," he drawls. He chuckles in the direction of the weekenders, then grins at Joca. "Me dad taught me never t'hit a girl, but I'll make an exception this time, given th'circumstances." Kethren chuckles "Sounds like fun."
Jocaira wags a finger. "'abit worth breaking, sis is se future now, girls can kill you just as good. Sometimes bettair. Especially when shirt off." How's that for equal opportunity? "Made it easier to kill boys back in my time, you know, being a girl." She sniggers, and saunters off towards the VR suite.
Jocaira heads into Virtual Reality Tactics Room.
Jocaira has left.
Virtual Reality Tactics Room <Red Eclipse, Comorro Station>
This room appears simple - just a cube-shaped alcove with a great deal of circuitry along the walls and ceiling, and grid lines on the floor. The interesting part of the room is on the wall nearest the door, where the holographic controls are. The unit is preloaded with a quantity of planets, environments, and scenarios for safe, but not painless, training. On the other side of the door is a shelving unit containing appropriate props for a variety of weapons; these are translated into realistic-seeming but nonlethal counterparts once the suite has been activated.
Kethren arrives from Lobby.
Kethren has arrived.
Sterling follows Joca into the VR suite. "Good point," he says. "There's a point where chivalry becomes a liability. Pretty old-fashioned anyhow. An' besides," he adds with a laugh, "who said I ever listened t'me dad?"
Kethren shrugs and follows along into the ole VR room, keeping well out of the way of course.
Jocaira saunters over to the control panel, and starts tapping away, as she is wont to do. There is that slight perceptual vibration as the sky starts folding outwards, lightening from 'grey and circuits' to 'twilight'. Stars dot the faintly cloudly sky, Earth stars, over the clear vibrant blue ocean. Pale sands bubble forth as though rising from pores in the floor, sprouting scrubby beach grasses in the thicker spots. In the distance, trees blossom and unfold, adding the whisper of wind in leaves to the sound of water. Then come the cries of seabirds. "You say you fight wis knife, ne?" she asks, while selecting two as yet empty hilts from the wall rack. "Come and pick."
Xanya arrives from Lobby.
Xanya has arrived.
Sterling watches as the room transforms itself. "Never get used t'that," he murmurs. He crosses the sand to the wall rack and picks up a knife hilt. "How d'ya tell it what kinda knife t'be?" he asks.
Jocaira saunters over to the control panel, and starts tapping away, as she is wont to do. There is that slight perceptual vibration as the sky starts folding outwards, lightening from 'grey and circuits' to 'twilight'. Stars dot the faintly cloudly sky, Earth stars, over the clear vibrant blue ocean. Pale sands bubble forth as though rising from pores in the floor, sprouting scrubby beach grasses in the thicker spots. In the distance, trees blossom and unfold, adding the whisper of wind in leaves to the sound of water. Then come the cries of seabirds. "You say you fight wis knife, ne?" she asks, while selecting two as yet empty hilts from the wall rack. "Come and pick.""
Micky arrives from Lobby.
Micky has arrived.
Kethren uses Nuala as a seat and settles in against a conveniantly bare patch of wall. Well away from Sterling and Joca, who are preparing to start the afternoon's gladiatorial shenanigans.
Xanya knocks on the door to the vr room. Wondering if anyone is there or not.
"Pick se bottom sat looks like knife you want," Joca explains, and is about to demonstrate when there's a knock at the door. Raising an eyebrow, she pads across the newly-sprouted beach to flip the intercom. "Allo yes? Training is in session, who is sere?"
Sterling peers at the knife hilt in his hand, then at those remaining on the rack. He ponders a moment before replacing the hilt he's holding and choosing a different one. "Okay, I reckon I'm ready."
Kethren raises an eyebrow as he looks over at the door "Didn't realize this was a major spectator event." Floriana looks at the door from Nuala's head with equal curiosity.
And, it's at this point that Micky, bottle in hand and duffel bag on back, shows up out there with Xanya. He doesn't knock. He just stands there with his general purpose vague expression.
Xanya responds to the intercom. "Hello it's me Xanya Harden I was wondering if I could ask a few questions?" She says. "if you have time?"
The door cycles open, and Joca is standing there, backlit against the virtually simulated sand-and-scrub beach at twilight. Thankfully she's still got her pants on, and Kethren is there, so it's unlikely that there's any kind of wild party going on. The first person she sees is Micky, who she just chuffs at. Xanya gets a bright, glinty smile and an "Aahn, Madame Xanya, 'ow nice to see you again! Please, come in. I am just going to combat test our new recruit and sen you can ask upon me all of se questions you like. You want to sit? Moment." Darting back to the control panel, she summons up a tiki-style bar and some cushy beach chairs.
Sterling looks toward the door as it opens and offers both Xanya and Micky a lazy wave. He rolls his shoulders a few times, glancing to Jocaira as she calls up the bar and chairs.
Micky's response is an even lazier head nod as he moves into the VR area and takes a seat on good ol' duffel. He undoes the top on the plastic bottle of liquor.
Kethren nods to Xan briefly "Afternoon."
Xanya smiles seeing joca awsner the door and gives her a bright, glinty smile. "It's good to see you too joca." She says and looks over to joca's new recruit and waves kindly to him. "I see I am interupting a training." She says and looks over to the newly created tiki-style bar with cushy beach chairs. "Oeh, that looks coosy. I'll wait right there. you go have fun." She says and walk to the bar and waves to kethren. "hi there."
Xanya
A light tanned human woman with violet eyes and long pure white hair, braided in a thick French braid, almost hitting her lower back. She stands at around 6'2" (190 cm) tall and weighs about 176.3 lbs (80 kg). Despite her athletic build, her figure still presents an hourglass shape and prominent chest. She also has a cybernetic right arm, with black cybernetic parts and white metal cover plates shaped to look like her old arm. Currently she is wearing a white colored suit style jacket and pants each made to be worn by women. Underneath her pants she is wearing black high heel shoes. Underneath her jacket she is wearing a purple and black corset.
Jocaira makes way for people to sit, and heads back over to the cleared out spot on the beach where, presumably, she is going to fight James. At least hopefully this is the case, as there are thin, slightly curved blades shimmering into view under the weapon hilts she's picked off of the wall rack. She gives the newly-'minted' knives a bit of a theatrical flourish.
Sterling watches the blades appear on Joca's hilts, then turns his attention to his own. A seven-inch blade typical of 21st Century combat knives appears on the hilt. He gives Joca a lopsided smirk. "Double swords, eh? Sometimes I forget yer from the 18th Century."
"Whelp," says Micky as he sits there on the duffel bag. "Smart money is on the boss."
Kethren scratches Floriana idly "Hrm. Shoulda brought popcorn."
Xanya sits down on a chair leaning agaist the bar. "this looks like it's going to be a fun movie."
Jocaira bares her teeth in another grin, and sheathes the knives briefly to unzip her hoodie and carefully unload her nonessential accoutrements into said hoodie in a somewhat haphazard bundle. "Ehn, two knives, sword and knife... I sought per'aps it would be unfair advantage if I used sword... too much reach, ne?" With that, she flips the knives to a reverse-grip and shifts her weight in what appears to be no recognizable stance at all.
Sterling nods, holding the knife about waist level and flexing the fingers of his free hand. He inclines his head to Joca, his expression neutral.
Micky's face twitches some before he shakes his head. "Despite their flowery showmanship and cavalier attitudes, someday their livin', breathin', not shufflin' off this mortal coil and all will depend on how well they can stab a fool with a knife." There's a pause, "More to the point, if you get some violent fools angry at you in your lines of work and you wanna hire somebody to keep them angry, violent folks from killin' you, well, then, you might wanna comprehend what's goin' on with more than just a blank stare and vacant smile. Today, though, is your lucky day since you got me to give you a play by play commentary of what's goin' down before you very eyes."
Kethren smirks at Micky before returning his attention to the shenanigans. Xanya watches the stances of joca and the new recruite with interest.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Two-Weapon Melee trait. The level is 1.
With the barest of hops backwards, followed by a significant leap forward, Joca unleashes the first strike. This is actually -two- strikes, one about belt-level, with the left hand, followed up by an upward slash from the right.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 7.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 8.
Sterling turns his body as Joca leaps in, deflecting the blades with his combat knife. As he pushes the second blade away, he swings his left fist at Joca's jaw.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Unarmed + Striking at a modifier of 0. The result is 12.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Two-Weapon Defense trait. The level is 1.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 9.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 10.
"Now," says Micky as he observes from his duffel bag. "A lot of people have some misconceptions about the whole two weapon phenomenon. They think that the person is operating them independently of each other. That's not the case. They're moving in coordination, yeah, almost always in practiced moves and manuevers. That's the only way it works. Gives you an advantage in a fight, I guess, if you're willing to devote the time and effort to learn it, but I wanna see somebody try to stab two people flankin' 'em just because they have two knives in hand. Goin' to look mighty dead. Can't focus on two things at once. Most times one weapon is the way to go for your amateurs. Plus, like ol' Sterlin' is showing us. Just havin' one weapon doesn't mean your other hand is just floppin' around like a wet noodle. Grab stuff, punch stuff, talk on the radio, whatever."
Xanya turns to micky. "both have there advantages I'd say. it all depends on the situation I guess. but then again I'm not into combat anymore." She says and turns to watch the battle.
There is a hiss of metal on metal as Joca's blades are pushed away, followed by a dissatisfied, catly hiss as the former courtesan twists around for a return strike. She sees the fist coming just a little bit too late, and while she raises both blades in a cross formation to intercept, James' incoming punch catches her on the jawline. The dissatisfied hiss raises in volume and then changes in pitch as she turns with the momentum of the strike, both knives coming around full circle for a parallel slash.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 9.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 7.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 12.
Sterling's eyes narrow, the corners of his lips curling upward as he makes contact. He sidesteps, meeting her blades with his own and turning them aside. He shifts his weight and lashes out with a half-kick half-stomp aimed at Joca's knee.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Unarmed + Striking at a modifier of 0. The result is 15.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 6.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 5.
"I tried," Micky tells his bottle before he takes a long drink. There's a pause as he watches the kick thing unfold. "Lookin' like I was wrong, anyhow."
Kethren continues to watch fairly passively. Floriana is far more excitable about all this, occasionally scampering from one part of Keth to another to get a better view of the action.
Jocaira's upper body is pushed back by James' block, and is then pitched -extremely- forward by the kick to the knee. Facedown in the sand forward. Somewhere amidst the flurry of multi-lingual obscenity is a gasp of "two," and then she's pushing off of the ground with both hands. She sinks back briefly onto one knee, and then launches into a forward spring. The knives are brought up in a cross-patterned slash, similar to the previously attempted block, just in the other direction.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 13.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 10.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 14.
Sterling's knife deflects the incoming blades and he steps in toward her, aiming an elbow for her temple.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Unarmed + Striking at a modifier of 0. The result is 10.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 13.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee Counter-Strike trait. The level is 1.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of +1. The result is 10.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of +1. The result is 9.
At this point, Micky is just sitting on his duffel bag and drinking. Every so often he'll scratch at the back of his head. His bloodshot eyes follow the fight, and he has resumed his vague expression.
Kethren scrathes Nuala's head appreciatively. Tiger chairs are the greatest.
Xanya looks at the fight with interests smiling with each new move she sees. "it's these times when I wished I stayed up to date with my combat skills."
Jocaira whips one of the knives upwards, intercepting the impending temple strike with the cross-guard of the weapon. Still favoring the kicked leg, she drops back slightly again. One blade is brought up in a high sort of slash, followed shortly after by the second, which comes straight forward in a thrust. The usually chatterboxing merc captain is free of banter, and her teeth are clenched in a manner that suggests she is not having as much fun as she was expecting.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 5.
The manner of the counter-attack surprises Sterling, who makes a clumsy attempt to backpedal as Joca's first knife comes whipping up to slash the side of his head. The second finds purchase in his abdomen, eliciting a growl of pain and a muttered, "Fuck!" as he stumbles to one side. He crouches, glaring at her, his teeth bared in a feral expression, then launches himself bodily at her with the intent of bearing her to the ground.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Unarmed + Grappling at a modifier of 0. The result is 5.
"Fallin' into the whole get pissed off and stupid trap," notes Micky from the supposed safety of the sidelines.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 14.
Xanya bites her lips as the fight seems to turn more serious and more like a real battle.
Jocaira leaps, seriously -leaps- into the air, letting her opponent just go rocketing underneath her. She lands with a solid *piff* on the sand, crouching briefly before pivoting neatly to face him. With another, albeit much -less- theatrical twirl of the blades, she switches the grip for a double downward strike.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 10.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 15.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 14.
Sterling rolls as he hits the ground from his ill-timed leap, coming up in a crouch. His combat blade swings up in an attempt to block Joca's, but his timing is off and he only partly deflects them, leaving them to bite into his forearm and shoulder. He snarls wordlessly, slashing at her throat with his own blade.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Melee + Edged at a modifier of 0. The result is 11.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 7.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Blocking at a modifier of 0. The result is 12.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of +1. The result is 12.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Melee + Edged at a modifier of +1. The result is 11.
Xanya watches the battle wondering if she should have perhaps become a docter instead of her current profetion.
"And this is why we have guns. Don't get me wrong. A knifer is deadly within a couple of yards even if you do have a gun on your hip," commentates Micky as he sits there drinking. "It ain't a bullet that kills you. It's lack of blood or oxygen to the old brain. That or gettin' the brain destroyed. Rare to pull off a head shot at a chargin' guy with a banzai sword, though."
Jocaira's answering hiss is drowned out by the shriek of metal upon metal as she just barely deflects the incoming slash with the edge of her own blade. With a rapid, spiraling gesture, she clears his knife hand out of the way in order to clear room for her return strike. Again, it is that hastily slashed 'X' cross-swipe with both blades, breath whistling raggedly through her teeth as the fight rages on.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Unarmed + Defense at a modifier of 0. The result is 13.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Unarmed Counter-Strike trait. The level is 1.
[Skill System] James Sterling tests his Unarmed + Striking at a modifier of +1. The result is 13.
With his knife pushed aside, Sterling has no choice but to grab for one of Jocaira's wrists with his free hand as she swings her blades at him. The maneuver gives him enough time to bring his knife hand to bear, but instead of utilising the weapon, he simply aims the closed fist at the center of her face.
[Skill System] Jocaira tests her Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 13.
"Nnneh!" Joca blurts, whipping backward and quite -narrowly- avoiding the incoming fist. So narrowly that James could probably feel the heat of her exhalation on his knuckles. She whips herself backwards so hard that she ends up planted quite firmly on her butt in the sand, sweating and wheezing.
"All right, sat's enough," she says. "You are good, I am tired. I need showair." Much like a cat, Joca has apparently decided to change her mind, and leaves the bar and sand for people to enjoy.
"It's all about the cardio," notes Micky from his duffel bag.
Sterling relaxes, slouching with fatigue himself. He manages to smile faintly at Joca's retreating back, then remembers his injuries. "Er, this'll go away once I get outta this room, right?" he asks Micky, regarding the rapidly-spreading bloody patch on his abdomen.
Xanya raises her shoulders at james question. "I have no idea. I never did anything like this in a vr room."
Kethren shrugs "If it doesn't, there's no shortage of good docs around these days. Alternatively you could probably make the room produce some virtual leeches."
"Can turn it off in here. I just can never remember how. Mess with the controls," suggests Micky somewhat helpfully.
"Th' level o'competence in 'ere's a marvel t'behold," Sterling mutters, stumping over to the control panel.
Judging from the mild ruckus outside, apparently only two people in the betting pool put money on Joca 'getting annoyed/tired and leaving early'. One of the people was Rennie, who, in a show of scheming intelligence, passes a credit chit to the boss as she passes in her tromping path over to the barracks and showers.
Xanya watches into the direction joca has left and wonders if she will be oke or if she should follow and see if joca needs any help.
Kethren stretches "Rather nice scenery in here today."
"Secret is to duck and run away," explains Micky before taking another swig of booze from the bottle. "Then, you don't need to know how it works."
Sterling scowls at the control panel for a few moments, muttering barely comprehensible epithets, before stabbing at a label, then dragging a slider to the left. Though the blood is still present on his clothes, he visibly relaxes as the pain of the simulated injuries subsides. He turns to frown at the room in general, then flashes a sarcastic grin at Micky, offering him a one-finger salute and stomping out the door.
Micky presents his own social finger to Sterling before he finishes off the bottle of booze and gets to his feet. He drags the duffel bag up after himself as he, too, makes to leave.