This time Rin really did blush. Quite violently. "N-no y-you-"
He was such an idiot.
He couldn't believe he actually felt a twinge of guilt for this man- since he CLEARLY WANTED TO DIE.
But his body remained frozen, as if in a permanent state of shock that anyone would do... this... to him.
"S-stop tha-at," he said weakly, trying shake him off instead of killing him and just kick him into the ship. His arms felt like jelly, legs sluggish. Oh god, he needed a distraction from... From THIS. HE CAN'T DEAL.
If there is a deity out there, he thought, starting to breathe a little funny, his eyes were crossing- ugh, stupid man- Please, for the love of- Devil Eye better be here soon. Like, RIGHT NOW.
He was such an idiot.
He couldn't believe he actually felt a twinge of guilt for this man- since he CLEARLY WANTED TO DIE.
But his body remained frozen, as if in a permanent state of shock that anyone would do... this... to him.
"S-stop tha-at," he said weakly, trying shake him off instead of killing him and just kick him into the ship. His arms felt like jelly, legs sluggish. Oh god, he needed a distraction from... From THIS. HE CAN'T DEAL.
If there is a deity out there, he thought, starting to breathe a little funny, his eyes were crossing- ugh, stupid man- Please, for the love of- Devil Eye better be here soon. Like, RIGHT NOW.
D A E D A L U S - Nasser Station
"Hmm." Kete nodded and gave an assenting sound to Nirix's comment about getting blood out of clothing - and he gave a nearly identical wince at the same time as herslf, quite unintentionally. Granted, it was more often his own blood that he had to purge from his beloved jacket, but that was beside the point. It was a startlingly awkward moment for both of them, and he was glad for Nirix's shift in tone.
"Ah, you're not so bad at talkin'." he said with a reassuringly dismissive wave of one hand. "In fact you're just about one of my favorite people to talk to~"He seemed genuine. Before he could possibly make more headway in reinforcing this assessment however, she said somthing that seemed to make him think right off the bat.
He tilted his head a little, blinking and generally expressing as thoughhis friend had something markedly profound - some mind-blowing truth of the universe that he had never seen until this very moment.
"I...don't usually think that far ahead." he said after a moment, almost as if he were realizing it himself for the first time. He looked up at her, still thoughtful. "Things usually just tend to work out in the end."
So maybe, he seemed to be thinking, things should be done differently this time. One might have gotten the impression that it had not occurred to him the news would have already gotten out - but Nirix was right, he was just realizing. Maybe that was why most of his past escapes had been such close calls?
I guess," he added introspectively, "Plans only work if things go as expected. But if nothing ever goes as expected, it's better to not have a plan that you might accidentally end up wanting to stick to. An oiinteresting bit of philosophy - readiness for any situation via a total unreadiness for anything at all. Dubious, but intesting.
Nevertheless, she had made him think about the future for a moment, and he still seemed to be pondering what they would do when they reached the station.
After another long moment of turning gears and narrowly averted eyes that scanne the floor as if the answer might be hidden within the rice-patterned metal, he finally gave a helpless shrug and a look of placidity. "I guess if the cops show up we just....run?
Good plan, Kete. A true master strategist right there. Who ever could have come up with something as brilliant as that? If the cops show up, run. They were saved!
He didn't seem completely satisfied with what he'd come up with though, given the continued scrutiny on his face. Looking up through stray orange hair, and crossing his arms he started again, talking as much to himself as to his companion; "Well...usually when this sort of thing happens, it gets all over the news and people go a little crazy - but most of the time nobody seems to make the connection if they actually see me. Since we haven't been grounded yet, I'm guessing they haven't started restricting space traffic yet - or if they have, we must'a missed it. That means that the cops won't be expecting us to already be offworld. They'll have most of the security down at the Starport and around the city borders."
So, perhaps there was a sliver of analytical intelligence in there? Fascinating!
" So, there probably won't be much of a lookout for us on the station. Usually if anyone does think they recognize me, everyone calls them crazy without even looking~" This part made him giggle impishly, possibly betraying his true nature on the subject. "So I guess, considering all that..." Here came the big plan; "What we should probably do if the cops show up is..." This was going to be good!
"Run."
Clearly satisfied with his answer, he gave a hearty, single nod and smiled broadly up at his friend as if too say 'pretty good plan, right~?'
He realized something, however - possiblty it occurred to him belatedly that his plan was no plan at all - yes, he needed to add something.
"Oh but before that...we should grab something to eat. I'm thinking chili dogs."
And the crowd went wild.
It was business as usual on Nasser Station, despite the news bulletins relaying stories of destruction and wanted criminals all over the monitors and feeds. There was the slightly heavy aura that came about when a great crisis was found to be happening somewhere else - most people would look at the screen, and say 'That's terrible, someone should do something." and then promptly return to doing whatever they had been doing before that interesting bit of trivia had caught their attention. It was lucky that nobody had been living in the unfinished Silver Stars Upper-Class Housing Community, else it would have been a tuly catastrophic disaster. As it stood though, nobody knew anybody who might have gotten hurt, so nobody was particularly worried.
Granted, the obscene sum of Standard that the old, faded, but omnipresent wanted posters displayed was still enough incentive for some people to go nuts - there would be three instances of people with orange hair being beaten half to death around the whole of the Planetary Capitol before the day was out.
But business was as usual on Nasser Station, and this was clear from the moment the big door slid open after their smooth landing in one of the cargo docks. Kete had again opened it halfway, allowing the two of them to duck under and into the pleasantly room-temperature, urban-marketplace environment of Nasser Station. The usual scents associated with these places - cooking food, burning insence, cigar smoke, the occasional whiff of an unwashed hobo or a delightfully aromatic puff of some moderate-quality opiate. The dull roar of humanity bartering, living, working, talking, laughing. This particular area of the cargo docks was conveniently placed for the two wayward vagabonds - right around an obscure corner, but just on the edge of where the docks ended and the marketplace began. Nobody paid them any mind.
The pair's first order of business was to acquire 'chili dogs' - whether or not the Eoclu had any idea as to what exactly those were. Kete completed this objective in his usual manner - that being petty theft - when, upon locating the chili dog stand, he casually strolled by and plucked two from the warming tray and kept on walking, right under the vendor's nose. How in space did he do that? He had openly confirmed that he could read minds - but could he also see through the eyes of others as well? He handed one of the morsels to Nirix.
Notinng Nirix's inevitable twinge of disapproval he commented, after taking a wholesome chomp out of his bread-rolled meat-tube slathered in tomato-bean-paste and melted cheese - "Paying for things seems silly when it's little things like snacks or jackets. Especially when the people selling them don''t seem to care enough about it to keep a better eye on there stuff~!"
That and, obviously, he simply enjoyed the act of pilfering. One of the fun little luxuries that came with virtual omniscience and a stark apathy toward the world.
"I'll keep an eye out for a boat that's goin' where we're goin', and we'll take it from there." he said through a mouthful, wiping his mouth with the side of a hand.
Humanity buzzed round them, and Kete was in his element. All those brains, those eyes, those thoughts on which he could ride the current of consciousness and become one with every neuron in the collective human existence. That incredible, shallow glaze of 'unity' that tricked him - if he tried really hard - into feeling that he wasn't quite so alone.
But then again, he thought, shooting Nirix a seemingly random, affectionate glance, and simultaneously pondering for a moment the presence within him - at the moment, he really believed it.
As usual, his practically univrsal obliviousness to the world would contrast sharply with what was likely to be Nirix's sharp alertness.
By the time a pang of discomfort, humiliation and UTTER LOATHING poked into the edge of his consciousness, he was half done with the food. By the time he was disinterestedly, passively noticing a short guy in white armor being accosted by a tall guy dressed like a circuis freak - likely making passive, disinterested eye-contact with the short guy for a moment - he was just shoving the last bit into his mouth. All the emotions coming from that direction were perfectly normal. If he had been bored and alone, he might have gone over to intervene just for the fun of it, maybe make a friend or get into some trouble - but he had no desire to bother with any of that now. In fact, the idea hadn't even crossed his mind. He'd all but forgotten about the unusual couple within seconds, instead pointing loosely up at a small sign on the wall, having moved just around the corner and out of sight.
"That passenger rig's headed to Menard's Grove, but it's the last stop." He said, leaving the fact that this would make it a two day trip to assumption. "And we'd probably have to actually buy tickets." He added with a chuckle. Though, it didn't leave for another couple of hours, so if nothing interrupted them, there would be no rush...
Over a few of the sparsely placed speakers in the ceiling and walls, the radio was playing one of those ancient songs. A high, mellow voice crooned "I don't want to set the world on fire~ I just want to start a flame in your heart~"
"Hmm." Kete nodded and gave an assenting sound to Nirix's comment about getting blood out of clothing - and he gave a nearly identical wince at the same time as herslf, quite unintentionally. Granted, it was more often his own blood that he had to purge from his beloved jacket, but that was beside the point. It was a startlingly awkward moment for both of them, and he was glad for Nirix's shift in tone.
"Ah, you're not so bad at talkin'." he said with a reassuringly dismissive wave of one hand. "In fact you're just about one of my favorite people to talk to~"He seemed genuine. Before he could possibly make more headway in reinforcing this assessment however, she said somthing that seemed to make him think right off the bat.
He tilted his head a little, blinking and generally expressing as thoughhis friend had something markedly profound - some mind-blowing truth of the universe that he had never seen until this very moment.
"I...don't usually think that far ahead." he said after a moment, almost as if he were realizing it himself for the first time. He looked up at her, still thoughtful. "Things usually just tend to work out in the end."
So maybe, he seemed to be thinking, things should be done differently this time. One might have gotten the impression that it had not occurred to him the news would have already gotten out - but Nirix was right, he was just realizing. Maybe that was why most of his past escapes had been such close calls?
I guess," he added introspectively, "Plans only work if things go as expected. But if nothing ever goes as expected, it's better to not have a plan that you might accidentally end up wanting to stick to. An oiinteresting bit of philosophy - readiness for any situation via a total unreadiness for anything at all. Dubious, but intesting.
Nevertheless, she had made him think about the future for a moment, and he still seemed to be pondering what they would do when they reached the station.
After another long moment of turning gears and narrowly averted eyes that scanne the floor as if the answer might be hidden within the rice-patterned metal, he finally gave a helpless shrug and a look of placidity. "I guess if the cops show up we just....run?
Good plan, Kete. A true master strategist right there. Who ever could have come up with something as brilliant as that? If the cops show up, run. They were saved!
He didn't seem completely satisfied with what he'd come up with though, given the continued scrutiny on his face. Looking up through stray orange hair, and crossing his arms he started again, talking as much to himself as to his companion; "Well...usually when this sort of thing happens, it gets all over the news and people go a little crazy - but most of the time nobody seems to make the connection if they actually see me. Since we haven't been grounded yet, I'm guessing they haven't started restricting space traffic yet - or if they have, we must'a missed it. That means that the cops won't be expecting us to already be offworld. They'll have most of the security down at the Starport and around the city borders."
So, perhaps there was a sliver of analytical intelligence in there? Fascinating!
" So, there probably won't be much of a lookout for us on the station. Usually if anyone does think they recognize me, everyone calls them crazy without even looking~" This part made him giggle impishly, possibly betraying his true nature on the subject. "So I guess, considering all that..." Here came the big plan; "What we should probably do if the cops show up is..." This was going to be good!
"Run."
Clearly satisfied with his answer, he gave a hearty, single nod and smiled broadly up at his friend as if too say 'pretty good plan, right~?'
He realized something, however - possiblty it occurred to him belatedly that his plan was no plan at all - yes, he needed to add something.
"Oh but before that...we should grab something to eat. I'm thinking chili dogs."
And the crowd went wild.
It was business as usual on Nasser Station, despite the news bulletins relaying stories of destruction and wanted criminals all over the monitors and feeds. There was the slightly heavy aura that came about when a great crisis was found to be happening somewhere else - most people would look at the screen, and say 'That's terrible, someone should do something." and then promptly return to doing whatever they had been doing before that interesting bit of trivia had caught their attention. It was lucky that nobody had been living in the unfinished Silver Stars Upper-Class Housing Community, else it would have been a tuly catastrophic disaster. As it stood though, nobody knew anybody who might have gotten hurt, so nobody was particularly worried.
Granted, the obscene sum of Standard that the old, faded, but omnipresent wanted posters displayed was still enough incentive for some people to go nuts - there would be three instances of people with orange hair being beaten half to death around the whole of the Planetary Capitol before the day was out.
But business was as usual on Nasser Station, and this was clear from the moment the big door slid open after their smooth landing in one of the cargo docks. Kete had again opened it halfway, allowing the two of them to duck under and into the pleasantly room-temperature, urban-marketplace environment of Nasser Station. The usual scents associated with these places - cooking food, burning insence, cigar smoke, the occasional whiff of an unwashed hobo or a delightfully aromatic puff of some moderate-quality opiate. The dull roar of humanity bartering, living, working, talking, laughing. This particular area of the cargo docks was conveniently placed for the two wayward vagabonds - right around an obscure corner, but just on the edge of where the docks ended and the marketplace began. Nobody paid them any mind.
The pair's first order of business was to acquire 'chili dogs' - whether or not the Eoclu had any idea as to what exactly those were. Kete completed this objective in his usual manner - that being petty theft - when, upon locating the chili dog stand, he casually strolled by and plucked two from the warming tray and kept on walking, right under the vendor's nose. How in space did he do that? He had openly confirmed that he could read minds - but could he also see through the eyes of others as well? He handed one of the morsels to Nirix.
Notinng Nirix's inevitable twinge of disapproval he commented, after taking a wholesome chomp out of his bread-rolled meat-tube slathered in tomato-bean-paste and melted cheese - "Paying for things seems silly when it's little things like snacks or jackets. Especially when the people selling them don''t seem to care enough about it to keep a better eye on there stuff~!"
That and, obviously, he simply enjoyed the act of pilfering. One of the fun little luxuries that came with virtual omniscience and a stark apathy toward the world.
"I'll keep an eye out for a boat that's goin' where we're goin', and we'll take it from there." he said through a mouthful, wiping his mouth with the side of a hand.
Humanity buzzed round them, and Kete was in his element. All those brains, those eyes, those thoughts on which he could ride the current of consciousness and become one with every neuron in the collective human existence. That incredible, shallow glaze of 'unity' that tricked him - if he tried really hard - into feeling that he wasn't quite so alone.
But then again, he thought, shooting Nirix a seemingly random, affectionate glance, and simultaneously pondering for a moment the presence within him - at the moment, he really believed it.
As usual, his practically univrsal obliviousness to the world would contrast sharply with what was likely to be Nirix's sharp alertness.
By the time a pang of discomfort, humiliation and UTTER LOATHING poked into the edge of his consciousness, he was half done with the food. By the time he was disinterestedly, passively noticing a short guy in white armor being accosted by a tall guy dressed like a circuis freak - likely making passive, disinterested eye-contact with the short guy for a moment - he was just shoving the last bit into his mouth. All the emotions coming from that direction were perfectly normal. If he had been bored and alone, he might have gone over to intervene just for the fun of it, maybe make a friend or get into some trouble - but he had no desire to bother with any of that now. In fact, the idea hadn't even crossed his mind. He'd all but forgotten about the unusual couple within seconds, instead pointing loosely up at a small sign on the wall, having moved just around the corner and out of sight.
"That passenger rig's headed to Menard's Grove, but it's the last stop." He said, leaving the fact that this would make it a two day trip to assumption. "And we'd probably have to actually buy tickets." He added with a chuckle. Though, it didn't leave for another couple of hours, so if nothing interrupted them, there would be no rush...
Over a few of the sparsely placed speakers in the ceiling and walls, the radio was playing one of those ancient songs. A high, mellow voice crooned "I don't want to set the world on fire~ I just want to start a flame in your heart~"
Laurent just smiles drunkenly as Rin fruitlessly shakes him off. "Seee you likesh it" he slurs as he moves his hands under Rin's arm pit and lifts him into the air and twirls him around giving him a quick glance at Nirix and Ketin. "Your a like a big kid with a license to kill!" He declares happily as he gives him another lazy bear hug, his grip around quite loose for Rin to shake off he wanted.
He listens to the song being played and only commented "What a nice song" to himself as he remains focused on Rin ignoring Devil Eye and his femme fatale companion.
He listens to the song being played and only commented "What a nice song" to himself as he remains focused on Rin ignoring Devil Eye and his femme fatale companion.
At the very moment before Rin was twirled around, he managed to catch the eye of-
"Ack!" he gasped, both from Montagne's unexpected move and from the sensors on his helmet honing in on- "It's him-"
The Devil Eye.
In a quick burst of adrenaline-induced strength, he grasped Montagne's elbows and dragged them inside the Nemesis. "J-just- um- just stay here," he stuttered, blush still visible through the helmet. He paused. Should he say something else? Was there something else he should say? ... Maybe addressing-
NO.
NOPE NEVERMIND THAT- he jerkily nodded his head and whirled around. His face felt really hot.
Focus, he mentally berated himself. Right. Bounty.
Devil Eye.
Focus.
He put his armor in camouflage mode- white turning black, gold turning silver- and his helmet lit up, the pinkish light somehow illuminating the gold of his eyes.
Focus.
He activated his hand daggers, hearing, feeling the familiar cackle of electric shocks sparking around the pink plasma blades. He activated his skates- "Hard to master," Commander Wyr remarked"- pink plasma sharp and ready.
Focus.
All of his anger and confusion, all of his frustration and worry, at not being home, at the fried hyperdrive, the broken Eisan Generator, at Montagne- all of his emotions he poured into one single purpose.
Focus.
Capture Devil Eye.
He grinned.
He shot out of the Nemesis, a blur of black and pink, quickly making his way over to his target and-
Someone with him, he mused. He could work with that.
He skated in between the two, making fast slashing movements toward their legs.
"Ack!" he gasped, both from Montagne's unexpected move and from the sensors on his helmet honing in on- "It's him-"
The Devil Eye.
In a quick burst of adrenaline-induced strength, he grasped Montagne's elbows and dragged them inside the Nemesis. "J-just- um- just stay here," he stuttered, blush still visible through the helmet. He paused. Should he say something else? Was there something else he should say? ... Maybe addressing-
NO.
NOPE NEVERMIND THAT- he jerkily nodded his head and whirled around. His face felt really hot.
Focus, he mentally berated himself. Right. Bounty.
Devil Eye.
Focus.
He put his armor in camouflage mode- white turning black, gold turning silver- and his helmet lit up, the pinkish light somehow illuminating the gold of his eyes.
Focus.
He activated his hand daggers, hearing, feeling the familiar cackle of electric shocks sparking around the pink plasma blades. He activated his skates- "Hard to master," Commander Wyr remarked"- pink plasma sharp and ready.
Focus.
All of his anger and confusion, all of his frustration and worry, at not being home, at the fried hyperdrive, the broken Eisan Generator, at Montagne- all of his emotions he poured into one single purpose.
Focus.
Capture Devil Eye.
He grinned.
He shot out of the Nemesis, a blur of black and pink, quickly making his way over to his target and-
Someone with him, he mused. He could work with that.
He skated in between the two, making fast slashing movements toward their legs.
Laurent only grinned as he was dragged into the ship. He sat on the floor of the ship and slowly began to sober up a little bit. He quickly exited the ship and see's the little conflict between Rin and Ketin and his companion beginning, Laurent smiled and decided to make himself scarce for a little while as he went back to his ship to grab somethings so that this little conflict will fall in favor towards Rin or at the very least his favor.
If it hadn't been for the electric crackle of the plasma blades extending from his wrists, Rin might have stood a chance at sneaking up on them - assuming that the Eoclu's virtually supernatural senses didn't catch him first - but only because of how glaringly obvious his presence was to the Devil Eye. For he who saw the universe not only by the spectrum of light, but the spectrum of electromagnetism was precicely the worst target to go after wearing any kind of power armor. Rin was, to Kete, no less then a shining beacon whos' presence actually dominated the spectrum - all that energy being given off. There was no literal, visual aspect to the perception - but the effect was the same.
There had still been some minute chance that Kete would assume this gigantic disturbance to be something harmless - generator malfunction maybe? Nothing worth looking at.
Rather, it was the spark from the blades that got him looking at this unusual entity coming up behind them - watching from one of the many security cameras and getting a view of his - their - attacker's back. The spark that indicated not merely an electronic charge, but the charge that could only be associated with some kind of weapon - or...something interesting at least.
"We've got company." Ketin said suddenly in a low, half-muttered voice.It was very likely that they had both become aware of this newcomer at about the same time - but he was the first to speak about it.
Then he turned around and looked his attacker right in the eye - or, in the faceplate - with a look that was so perplexingly meaninfgul that it conveyed a whole host of messages even in that one instant.
The dominant message was that the Devil Eye was completely and totally unconcerned with the fact that he was being charged at. It didn't bother him at all - he wasn't even pumped up about it. This was an annoyance to him - what kind of monster could this person be? It wasn't the false, boasting confidence of someone trying to seem like an immovable object, either.
The second message the look conveyed - this slightly disinterested, slightly confused, and slightly concerned - and it was that concern that constituted the strangest and most startling aspect of this infinitessimal glance. For it was not concern for himself - but for Rin. It was the kind of look one might give a friend who was dead-set on shooting up, or doing some other stupid, dangerous thing that was going to wind up getting them badly hurt. A sad kind of concern. An expression in the mismatched eyes that said 'You're making a mistake, and I'm so sorry I can't change your mind.'
All that in an instant.
It must have taken a very long time for those eyes to become so expressive, so sensitive to emotion as to send messages like that.
And then he stepped to the side, dodging the attack like it was little more than somebody clumsily tripping over their own feet beside him.
It was virtually impossible to strike someone when they knew what you were going to do before you did.
But then, Rin hadn't actually done any research into exactly what was so special about this criminal - except for the atrocious crimes he had committed.
The sadness and concern was mostly gone from his eyes by the time Rin would be able to get himself turned back around to face them once more, possibly making one wonder if they had seen it at all. Now it was more of a stupid-baffled concern.
"Hey, you'd better be careful with that. You might hurt someone!" He said, like a moron - very much like a moron. He was delusional. He was totally unaware that he was being attacked. It was no show of courage or attempt to intimidate - it was simply impossible to take this as anything but true, genuine expression. He wasn't even offended! Just a little worried that this fellow's reckless behavior might get someone hurt.
The idiot.
You couldn't fake this kind of stupidity.
Or was it arrogance? It could very well have been the arrogance of a man who thinks he's untouchable and above the law. Perhaps it was time to bring him down a peg?
This was going to pan out as a very interesting encounter.
There had still been some minute chance that Kete would assume this gigantic disturbance to be something harmless - generator malfunction maybe? Nothing worth looking at.
Rather, it was the spark from the blades that got him looking at this unusual entity coming up behind them - watching from one of the many security cameras and getting a view of his - their - attacker's back. The spark that indicated not merely an electronic charge, but the charge that could only be associated with some kind of weapon - or...something interesting at least.
"We've got company." Ketin said suddenly in a low, half-muttered voice.It was very likely that they had both become aware of this newcomer at about the same time - but he was the first to speak about it.
Then he turned around and looked his attacker right in the eye - or, in the faceplate - with a look that was so perplexingly meaninfgul that it conveyed a whole host of messages even in that one instant.
The dominant message was that the Devil Eye was completely and totally unconcerned with the fact that he was being charged at. It didn't bother him at all - he wasn't even pumped up about it. This was an annoyance to him - what kind of monster could this person be? It wasn't the false, boasting confidence of someone trying to seem like an immovable object, either.
The second message the look conveyed - this slightly disinterested, slightly confused, and slightly concerned - and it was that concern that constituted the strangest and most startling aspect of this infinitessimal glance. For it was not concern for himself - but for Rin. It was the kind of look one might give a friend who was dead-set on shooting up, or doing some other stupid, dangerous thing that was going to wind up getting them badly hurt. A sad kind of concern. An expression in the mismatched eyes that said 'You're making a mistake, and I'm so sorry I can't change your mind.'
All that in an instant.
It must have taken a very long time for those eyes to become so expressive, so sensitive to emotion as to send messages like that.
And then he stepped to the side, dodging the attack like it was little more than somebody clumsily tripping over their own feet beside him.
It was virtually impossible to strike someone when they knew what you were going to do before you did.
But then, Rin hadn't actually done any research into exactly what was so special about this criminal - except for the atrocious crimes he had committed.
The sadness and concern was mostly gone from his eyes by the time Rin would be able to get himself turned back around to face them once more, possibly making one wonder if they had seen it at all. Now it was more of a stupid-baffled concern.
"Hey, you'd better be careful with that. You might hurt someone!" He said, like a moron - very much like a moron. He was delusional. He was totally unaware that he was being attacked. It was no show of courage or attempt to intimidate - it was simply impossible to take this as anything but true, genuine expression. He wasn't even offended! Just a little worried that this fellow's reckless behavior might get someone hurt.
The idiot.
You couldn't fake this kind of stupidity.
Or was it arrogance? It could very well have been the arrogance of a man who thinks he's untouchable and above the law. Perhaps it was time to bring him down a peg?
This was going to pan out as a very interesting encounter.
Out of everything that had happened between them, this was by far, the oddest of things.
"I don't understand," Nirix commented, a deep furrow in her brow. Lavender eyes focused on the object in her hand, the Eoclu flipped it over as if to expect a sudden change from the item of food Ketin had stolen. Money wasn't really an object and Nirix had been planning to scowl Ketin for taking such a thing but her mind couldn't wrap around exactly what it was supposed to be.
"Da'len this is not chilly at all nor is it a dog. Or is it? Is it dead? Are we eating some form of canine?" The assassin seemed upright baffled at the concept of the chili dog. It was the exact opposite of what its namesake spoke of, being it was warm and decorated in some kind of red paste and Nirix thought...cheese maybe? It was an odd choice of food but the Eoclu was determined to at least try it.
Nirix was surprised that it actually tasted...well, good.
However, unfortunately, her taste buds would have to wait. The oddly named chili dog was nearly abandoned as Nirix reached for the hilt of her sword. The "company" as Ketin, so aptly named it, blurred past them in a fury of bright colors and sharp static sounds as they expertly dodged the blur out of the way.
"Hurting you might really be the objective, da'len." She mumbled, pointing out the obvious. It was clearly plain to see, yet Nirix wasn't entirely worried about Rin at the moment. Were there more? Would others notice their affair?
Whatever was to happen, the Assassin would be ready.
"I don't understand," Nirix commented, a deep furrow in her brow. Lavender eyes focused on the object in her hand, the Eoclu flipped it over as if to expect a sudden change from the item of food Ketin had stolen. Money wasn't really an object and Nirix had been planning to scowl Ketin for taking such a thing but her mind couldn't wrap around exactly what it was supposed to be.
"Da'len this is not chilly at all nor is it a dog. Or is it? Is it dead? Are we eating some form of canine?" The assassin seemed upright baffled at the concept of the chili dog. It was the exact opposite of what its namesake spoke of, being it was warm and decorated in some kind of red paste and Nirix thought...cheese maybe? It was an odd choice of food but the Eoclu was determined to at least try it.
Nirix was surprised that it actually tasted...well, good.
However, unfortunately, her taste buds would have to wait. The oddly named chili dog was nearly abandoned as Nirix reached for the hilt of her sword. The "company" as Ketin, so aptly named it, blurred past them in a fury of bright colors and sharp static sounds as they expertly dodged the blur out of the way.
"Hurting you might really be the objective, da'len." She mumbled, pointing out the obvious. It was clearly plain to see, yet Nirix wasn't entirely worried about Rin at the moment. Were there more? Would others notice their affair?
Whatever was to happen, the Assassin would be ready.
Rin skidded around, circling the pair slowly as he really studied them.
The female was tall, so she would be strong in mid-range combat- especially with her sword. The weapon was thin and seemingly light- probably more slashing motions, though there was the capability of blocking. Athletic build, so she had the strength advantage, and she was able to dodge his attack quite expertly- so she was trained. Which means...
She would probably keep me in mid-range combat, he thought, clenching his fists even more. I'll have be be very quick to dodge instead of outright blocking. The target...
That look, he thought. It reminded him of...
NO. No, it didn't matter, because- because-
He was alone.
He just wanted to go home.
Home.
What WAS home?
Home was... It wasn't a place. His mother- "Grandmother more like," your mother said- found you on the street, freshly abandoned. You never even visited your home planet- "Don't you want to?" she asked, tone neutral, eyes betraying her fondness for her... For her child. "No," he replied, matter-of-factly- She was safe, retired, resting. She deserved it. She shouldn't be burdened by him any longer. He was older.
Home was- "Calm is control," Commander Wyr said, setting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He allowed the contact- "You did well," she said, a little put of breath as they barely managed to escape again- "You're my rival," Vaxur stated, smirking like no tomorrow, "I'll beat you one day-" "Hey, we're a good team, huh?" he said, nudging him with his elbow gently. He didn't protest at the touch-
No. He... He couldn't tell them. He couldn't confide in them the knowledge that he was about to kill someone who... Who looked like them. Their eyes. His... His teammates... His friends.
Who would be friends with a murderer?
Mother, did you kill someone with those eyes? You were a war veteran, you said, an Airman of Earth- Commander Wyr? In the battles you've faced, though quite young- have you ever witnessed this kind of combat, or was the distance enough to not see?
... Vaxur? ... No. No, he could console himself with the fact that- that Vaxur was too pure, too innocent. And that if he did, then he was too far away for the innocence to be marred.
Home was... It was not the base. It was not even his beloved ship. It was not a place.
Home was a person.
He was alone.
... He...
... Then why was he...
... He knew why.
He was too- too selfish. He wanted to go back, even if it was to end in him being left again. Because... At least he would have closure.
He abruptly shot forward, sending a quick flurry of slashes toward the female before breaking off and going after the male, aiming to incapacitate him with a quick elbow blow to the back of his neck.
The female was tall, so she would be strong in mid-range combat- especially with her sword. The weapon was thin and seemingly light- probably more slashing motions, though there was the capability of blocking. Athletic build, so she had the strength advantage, and she was able to dodge his attack quite expertly- so she was trained. Which means...
She would probably keep me in mid-range combat, he thought, clenching his fists even more. I'll have be be very quick to dodge instead of outright blocking. The target...
That look, he thought. It reminded him of...
NO. No, it didn't matter, because- because-
He was alone.
He just wanted to go home.
Home.
What WAS home?
Home was... It wasn't a place. His mother- "Grandmother more like," your mother said- found you on the street, freshly abandoned. You never even visited your home planet- "Don't you want to?" she asked, tone neutral, eyes betraying her fondness for her... For her child. "No," he replied, matter-of-factly- She was safe, retired, resting. She deserved it. She shouldn't be burdened by him any longer. He was older.
Home was- "Calm is control," Commander Wyr said, setting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He allowed the contact- "You did well," she said, a little put of breath as they barely managed to escape again- "You're my rival," Vaxur stated, smirking like no tomorrow, "I'll beat you one day-" "Hey, we're a good team, huh?" he said, nudging him with his elbow gently. He didn't protest at the touch-
No. He... He couldn't tell them. He couldn't confide in them the knowledge that he was about to kill someone who... Who looked like them. Their eyes. His... His teammates... His friends.
Who would be friends with a murderer?
Mother, did you kill someone with those eyes? You were a war veteran, you said, an Airman of Earth- Commander Wyr? In the battles you've faced, though quite young- have you ever witnessed this kind of combat, or was the distance enough to not see?
... Vaxur? ... No. No, he could console himself with the fact that- that Vaxur was too pure, too innocent. And that if he did, then he was too far away for the innocence to be marred.
Home was... It was not the base. It was not even his beloved ship. It was not a place.
Home was a person.
He was alone.
... He...
... Then why was he...
... He knew why.
He was too- too selfish. He wanted to go back, even if it was to end in him being left again. Because... At least he would have closure.
He abruptly shot forward, sending a quick flurry of slashes toward the female before breaking off and going after the male, aiming to incapacitate him with a quick elbow blow to the back of his neck.
If there was one emotion that truly stood out to the Eye, it was loneliness. It shone like some luminescent black hole, tugging at the heart and mind with the spiraling pull of isolation, the solitude of the mind, the curse of being utterly desolate even amidst a crowd.
As the bounty hunter studied them, doubtless planning his attack, the Devil Eye never took his mismatched gaze away. There was a slight, lopsided grin on his face, but the eyes were infinitely more telling - and infinitely more enigmatic.
"There's one more with him." Kete said very quietly, barely moving his lips - likely only Eoclu ears would pick up on it, and the distance was probably too great between him and the bounty hunter to determine that he had actually spoken. "Tall guy dressed like a circus carnie. Purple. This one's boyfriend I think."
His first instinct was to try something stupid to get between Nirix and the flurry of blades when the bounty hunter did unleash his lightning assault. He was, however, smart enough to trust that his Nirix could not be taken down so easily, and would have little trouble fending off this guy. He certainly was fast, though. Very fast. Ketin was quick and agile too, but not so inhumanly as the two who were now engaging in mortal kombat before him.
What he lacked in mobility however, he made up for in an infinitely more potent means of evasion.
It was very possible for someone to conceal their thoughts from Ketin, especially if he wasn't focusing excessively upon them. The DEU had mastered the technique over the centuries - it was a simple matter of intense mental control, of not allowing oneself to think of anything at all - or perhaps divert their actions with misdirected thoughts. It was possible, but difficult - and this guy wasn't even trying. That was a comfort to Kete - clearly the guy didn't know what he was getting into. He had no reason to believe that the Devil Eye was seeing through his eyes, thinking with his thoughts, and acting with his impulses. No reason to believe that in the microsecond between the thought to act and the decision to act, Kete hijacked the impulse and knew what the attacker was going to do even before the attacker themselves did. This had been the primary factor in his survival for all this time. Always one step ahead.
Kete stepped to the side as the bounty hunter came charging at Nirix - fighting down that impulse to be stupid and try to help in an area which he was positively useless. When the swift, expertly maneuvered attack came looking to render him unconscious, he just happened to be an inch or two to one side, dodging it almost absentmindedly. It might well have seemed that he simply got lucky.
Glancing around through the other eyes and cameras, it was becoming obvious that, here and there, people were starting to take notice. It wouldn't be long before people started closing in, with their damned curiosity leading them right into a live combat zone. But presently, he stepped back a few more paces to reduce the likelihood of a stray blade slicing him into halves, and waited for a brief lull in the clashing of plasma on monomolecule. He was fidgeting now, almost absently, with something on the inner left lapel of his jacket.
"You'll have to kill her, y'know. She won't give up." He said, speaking up loud enough for the bounty hunter to hear, but his voice was mostly flat and toneless - if deeply ponderous as well. (If Rin had any kind of communications transmitter in his helmet, Kete's voice would come over that instead - regardless whether he had had it switched off or locked to outside transmissions. These were not barriers to the Devil's Eye.)
"Nobody wants to be friends with a murderer."
As the bounty hunter studied them, doubtless planning his attack, the Devil Eye never took his mismatched gaze away. There was a slight, lopsided grin on his face, but the eyes were infinitely more telling - and infinitely more enigmatic.
"There's one more with him." Kete said very quietly, barely moving his lips - likely only Eoclu ears would pick up on it, and the distance was probably too great between him and the bounty hunter to determine that he had actually spoken. "Tall guy dressed like a circus carnie. Purple. This one's boyfriend I think."
His first instinct was to try something stupid to get between Nirix and the flurry of blades when the bounty hunter did unleash his lightning assault. He was, however, smart enough to trust that his Nirix could not be taken down so easily, and would have little trouble fending off this guy. He certainly was fast, though. Very fast. Ketin was quick and agile too, but not so inhumanly as the two who were now engaging in mortal kombat before him.
What he lacked in mobility however, he made up for in an infinitely more potent means of evasion.
It was very possible for someone to conceal their thoughts from Ketin, especially if he wasn't focusing excessively upon them. The DEU had mastered the technique over the centuries - it was a simple matter of intense mental control, of not allowing oneself to think of anything at all - or perhaps divert their actions with misdirected thoughts. It was possible, but difficult - and this guy wasn't even trying. That was a comfort to Kete - clearly the guy didn't know what he was getting into. He had no reason to believe that the Devil Eye was seeing through his eyes, thinking with his thoughts, and acting with his impulses. No reason to believe that in the microsecond between the thought to act and the decision to act, Kete hijacked the impulse and knew what the attacker was going to do even before the attacker themselves did. This had been the primary factor in his survival for all this time. Always one step ahead.
Kete stepped to the side as the bounty hunter came charging at Nirix - fighting down that impulse to be stupid and try to help in an area which he was positively useless. When the swift, expertly maneuvered attack came looking to render him unconscious, he just happened to be an inch or two to one side, dodging it almost absentmindedly. It might well have seemed that he simply got lucky.
Glancing around through the other eyes and cameras, it was becoming obvious that, here and there, people were starting to take notice. It wouldn't be long before people started closing in, with their damned curiosity leading them right into a live combat zone. But presently, he stepped back a few more paces to reduce the likelihood of a stray blade slicing him into halves, and waited for a brief lull in the clashing of plasma on monomolecule. He was fidgeting now, almost absently, with something on the inner left lapel of his jacket.
"You'll have to kill her, y'know. She won't give up." He said, speaking up loud enough for the bounty hunter to hear, but his voice was mostly flat and toneless - if deeply ponderous as well. (If Rin had any kind of communications transmitter in his helmet, Kete's voice would come over that instead - regardless whether he had had it switched off or locked to outside transmissions. These were not barriers to the Devil's Eye.)
"Nobody wants to be friends with a murderer."
The fight, however a tad bit short, was...thrilling.
Never before had the Eoclu fought someone who was as fast as herself. While Rin's slashes were quick and flashy, Nirix turned out to be an opposite of sorts. With each slash he gave, she countered with controlled motions of her blade. The Assassin was focused, determined and prepared for whatever Rin would be willing to give out.
Ketin was right. Rin would have to kill her to get her to give up.
That was if Nirix didn't end up slicing him to pieces first. Her blade was very sharp. Granted, Nirix would have rather not want to kill the fast bounty hunter. She was only doing her duty to protect Ketin...She was just very efficient at killing and sometimes it was unavoidable.
Taking a step back, more so in defense, Nirix whirled around to see that her target was no more and currently near Ketin. Readying herself for another attack or to move in the defense of Ketin, the Eoclu watched Rin very carefully, before briefly allowing her lavender eyes to skirt over to wherever the Bounty Hunter's friend was. He would be watched too.
Never before had the Eoclu fought someone who was as fast as herself. While Rin's slashes were quick and flashy, Nirix turned out to be an opposite of sorts. With each slash he gave, she countered with controlled motions of her blade. The Assassin was focused, determined and prepared for whatever Rin would be willing to give out.
Ketin was right. Rin would have to kill her to get her to give up.
That was if Nirix didn't end up slicing him to pieces first. Her blade was very sharp. Granted, Nirix would have rather not want to kill the fast bounty hunter. She was only doing her duty to protect Ketin...She was just very efficient at killing and sometimes it was unavoidable.
Taking a step back, more so in defense, Nirix whirled around to see that her target was no more and currently near Ketin. Readying herself for another attack or to move in the defense of Ketin, the Eoclu watched Rin very carefully, before briefly allowing her lavender eyes to skirt over to wherever the Bounty Hunter's friend was. He would be watched too.
For the crazed man, he went to his ship and came back out with a tool box as he whistled towards a circuit box. He pops the old box open and was manipulating it. With a little know how he changed the cameras into that they have a repeating loop of the same image, having the fight on a loop. He also caused the an emergency closure of the cargo area, separating it from the rest of the station and the looming masses of "peasants" as the sound of emergency alarms blared as the music began to play
With an entire area at his disposal, his essential play area and so he clicked a button and his ship slowly lowered its loading pad, which put a smile to his face. Soon almost covered by the sounds of the alarms, a motor engine can be heard and scream from around the corner was Laurent riding an very old motorcycle. The bike itself look like a piece of junk, with closer inspection this kind of pick was for exploration from the moderate armor on it as well as the spikes from the tires. "You check in, but you don't check out!" he yells as he guns the engine causing a column of black smoke to puff out as guns straight towards Ketin with a highly sharped shovel in hand. As he screams across the cargo bay floor intending to wack the fox-kin in the head with the shovel as Rin distracts Nirix. He intend to bash him really hard to either kill him on impact or at the very least knock him out.
With an entire area at his disposal, his essential play area and so he clicked a button and his ship slowly lowered its loading pad, which put a smile to his face. Soon almost covered by the sounds of the alarms, a motor engine can be heard and scream from around the corner was Laurent riding an very old motorcycle. The bike itself look like a piece of junk, with closer inspection this kind of pick was for exploration from the moderate armor on it as well as the spikes from the tires. "You check in, but you don't check out!" he yells as he guns the engine causing a column of black smoke to puff out as guns straight towards Ketin with a highly sharped shovel in hand. As he screams across the cargo bay floor intending to wack the fox-kin in the head with the shovel as Rin distracts Nirix. He intend to bash him really hard to either kill him on impact or at the very least knock him out.
Rin faltered, a slash going wild and out of control as he whirled around, eyes wide with shock.
H-how- He nearly choked from the overwhelming tide of emotion that threatened to consume him-
Fear.
Self-hatred.
No.
I-
Stop. I- he breathed shakily. I have to go HOME. That's all that m-matters. Home.
You don't have one.
He gritted his teeth, moving to attack the female- but his concentration was shot. He knew. She might kill him. She would kill him.
She should kill him.
No, he thought, desperately, I need to go home-
You have no home.
What is home?
You have no home.
You have NO home
YOU HAVE NO HOME
YOU ARE ALO-
He snarled, attacking with the ferocity of a lightning storm, hitting harder than he could handle and slashing wilder than he should.
He was going to die.
H-how- He nearly choked from the overwhelming tide of emotion that threatened to consume him-
Fear.
Self-hatred.
No.
I-
Stop. I- he breathed shakily. I have to go HOME. That's all that m-matters. Home.
You don't have one.
He gritted his teeth, moving to attack the female- but his concentration was shot. He knew. She might kill him. She would kill him.
She should kill him.
No, he thought, desperately, I need to go home-
You have no home.
What is home?
You have no home.
You have NO home
YOU HAVE NO HOME
YOU ARE ALO-
He snarled, attacking with the ferocity of a lightning storm, hitting harder than he could handle and slashing wilder than he should.
He was going to die.
That roaring tsunami of emotion from the bounty hunter almost overwhelmed Kete. It was dizzying - the kind of intensity that made the vision fuzzy and the eyes buzz with imagined electricity. He bit his lip, glancing with disinterest at the maniac circus freak that was baring down upon him with a screaming motorcycle and a very sharp looking shovel. He knew instinctively that dodging this one was going to take more than a casual sidestep, and he would have to act with haste - so, still looking the maniac disinterestedly in the eye until the very last second, he simply dropped to the floor in a basic tuck-and-roll maneuver which would send the screaming bike by with all the velocity it had been coming.
To add to this, he would belatedly fry every possible component he could in the thing with the most basic of manipulations - electromagnetic overload. It was very easy to fry electronics. This also had the effect of sparking the fuel source, which would likely turn the bike into a popping, sputtering hunk of scrap for real.
Someone had sealed off the area, he realized - that was good. He wasn't going to have to go with his usual tactic of causing mass chaos and panic and making everyone flee the station in terror. This might smooth things over nicely, he mused.
But the situation at hand was urgent. Taking advantage of what seemed now to be a stifling silence in the wake of the noisy bike sputtering into lifelessness - and possibly a small, but final explosion - he spoke again - either speaking loud enough to be heard, or quietly through Rin's helmet communicator. He had to keep talking. It was all he could do - and so long as his Nirix was in danger, he was going to do everything within his power to protect her. Returning the favor. He knew this bounty hunter's weakness now. He could destroy him. Words could kill, Ketin knew that intimately. It would only take a few carefully arranged sentences, and this conflict would be over. It was hypocricy incarnate, but that didn't matter now. What mattered was getting out of this with him and his friend still alive - at any cost. He had destroyed for the love of another before. Why not do it again?
...
"But you don't have to be a murderer, friend." he said, still being sure to continue passively dodging the crazy top-hat guy with all the effort of avoiding the impotent wrath of an angry toddler. The tall man was getting only the barest of Ketin's attention paid to him, and still there wasn't a chance in Space that he was going to get so much as a scratch. Not now.
There was an intensity in the very flatness of his voice that penetrated the soul.
"Everybody makes mistakes and does things they regret. But your mistakes aren't what define you as long as you choose not to repeat them."
To add to this, he would belatedly fry every possible component he could in the thing with the most basic of manipulations - electromagnetic overload. It was very easy to fry electronics. This also had the effect of sparking the fuel source, which would likely turn the bike into a popping, sputtering hunk of scrap for real.
Someone had sealed off the area, he realized - that was good. He wasn't going to have to go with his usual tactic of causing mass chaos and panic and making everyone flee the station in terror. This might smooth things over nicely, he mused.
But the situation at hand was urgent. Taking advantage of what seemed now to be a stifling silence in the wake of the noisy bike sputtering into lifelessness - and possibly a small, but final explosion - he spoke again - either speaking loud enough to be heard, or quietly through Rin's helmet communicator. He had to keep talking. It was all he could do - and so long as his Nirix was in danger, he was going to do everything within his power to protect her. Returning the favor. He knew this bounty hunter's weakness now. He could destroy him. Words could kill, Ketin knew that intimately. It would only take a few carefully arranged sentences, and this conflict would be over. It was hypocricy incarnate, but that didn't matter now. What mattered was getting out of this with him and his friend still alive - at any cost. He had destroyed for the love of another before. Why not do it again?
...
"But you don't have to be a murderer, friend." he said, still being sure to continue passively dodging the crazy top-hat guy with all the effort of avoiding the impotent wrath of an angry toddler. The tall man was getting only the barest of Ketin's attention paid to him, and still there wasn't a chance in Space that he was going to get so much as a scratch. Not now.
There was an intensity in the very flatness of his voice that penetrated the soul.
"Everybody makes mistakes and does things they regret. But your mistakes aren't what define you as long as you choose not to repeat them."
For Ketin, this heap of junk did have something that was advantage over him in that it still kept going...the nothing on the bike was electronic! One of the biggest evidence would be the lack of a front light or any lights on the damn thing. Everything on it was either hydraulic or analog, from the transmission to the accelerator, Laurent is a true junkion with the piece of crap he rides. Knowing how slippery the fox was put a grin on his face as he reaches for the pipe looking thing on his bike and pulls out and points at Ketin and after a loud screech and steam come out of it, a large red hot railway spike came flying at him, he made a railway spike gun out of a old steam gauge. Of course his attention in firing the gun made not pay attention and pulled the turn a little too late which made him and the bike slid across the floor and hit the protective barrier hard. He pops the bike up once more and begins to drive towards them, but with a much different purpose. As he drove he went to time just where Rin was going to be and snatch him up and get to the Nemesis, he could tell that the kid was not on his A game since his movements were getting sloppy even for a military boy.
"Time to retreat and figure out a different plan" he says to himself as he goes to grab Rin
"Time to retreat and figure out a different plan" he says to himself as he goes to grab Rin
Rin growled wildly, plasma blade raised to stab the heart of the person who held him-
Before slumping, daggers and skates dissipating as a broken sob escaped his chest. He couldn't stop- every negative thought sang out to him, as clear as day:
Selfish
Weak
Amateur
FAILURE
ALONE
A beat.
You will always be alone.
"You sh-should have left m-me," he managed to choke out, hiccuping whimpers and tears still dripping down his face. He opened his mouth to say more, but another gut-wrenching sob rattled through him. He let it be. He was too tired to resist.
Before slumping, daggers and skates dissipating as a broken sob escaped his chest. He couldn't stop- every negative thought sang out to him, as clear as day:
Selfish
Weak
Amateur
FAILURE
ALONE
A beat.
You will always be alone.
"You sh-should have left m-me," he managed to choke out, hiccuping whimpers and tears still dripping down his face. He opened his mouth to say more, but another gut-wrenching sob rattled through him. He let it be. He was too tired to resist.
Thank goodness for his length and holding him like a bad puppy who crapped in the house that plasma blade only burnt a part of his shirt. He looks down fearfully and sighs and says "Jeez my luck is going to run out soon enough" as he guns into the Nemsis and sits in the what he assumed was the pilot seat. He listen to what Rin said as he sat him on the floor and closed the doors of the ship up and says "Shot through the heart and your too late...Hah! Well I can't leave you there" as he figures out the controls of the ship and takes off. His own ship also taking off and trailing the nemesis.
"Alright sweet beauty what do you got!" He yells once out of the station and engages the hyperdrive not wanting to stay by chance around those two are going to do. He and his ship that is trailing jump to a random coordinate and quickly appear in a new system with no planets nearby...really nothing.
Only two bad news really...one they got there ass handed by Ketin and his tough assassin and the drugs and and alcohol fell out as they took off since he didn't board the panel back up again. Laurent just slumps in his chair to get a breather. "God that was too much excitement in one day" he states as he sits back and coordinates with his ship so that he can dock Rin's ship in since his ship El Dorodo is big enough to store his fighter since of the a very large cargo bay it has.
Once the docking computer got the orders from Laurent he slowed the ship down and let his ship do all the storing. He turns around to check on him and walks towards him and takes a knee by him and says "It's alright let all those bottle up emotions out" trying his best to comfort the lad.
"Alright sweet beauty what do you got!" He yells once out of the station and engages the hyperdrive not wanting to stay by chance around those two are going to do. He and his ship that is trailing jump to a random coordinate and quickly appear in a new system with no planets nearby...really nothing.
Only two bad news really...one they got there ass handed by Ketin and his tough assassin and the drugs and and alcohol fell out as they took off since he didn't board the panel back up again. Laurent just slumps in his chair to get a breather. "God that was too much excitement in one day" he states as he sits back and coordinates with his ship so that he can dock Rin's ship in since his ship El Dorodo is big enough to store his fighter since of the a very large cargo bay it has.
Once the docking computer got the orders from Laurent he slowed the ship down and let his ship do all the storing. He turns around to check on him and walks towards him and takes a knee by him and says "It's alright let all those bottle up emotions out" trying his best to comfort the lad.
It hadn't bothered Ketin that the bike had continued to function. Nor had it been any significant chore to dodge the railway spike - or, rather, to move just so, tilting in the other direction as he watched through the crazy carnie's eyes as to exactly where he was aiming.
And then, almost as suddenly as the ordeal had begun, it was over.
And the Devil Eye stood there with Nirix not far off, and he watched the bike go tearing down the way, presumably toward some means of escape - a ship, obviously. And he stood there, watching them go, and gradually trying to come to terms with the hollow feeling in his chest. The black pit where his lungs and gut should have been. The sensation that he was nothing but air-light bones and surreally floating flesh.
He had acted remarkably logical for the duration of the battle, which had seemed to drag out much longer than it actually lasted. The fighters had exchanged innumerable clashes of their weapons, the monomolecular blade unable to penetrate the plasma, and vice-versa - but now it was over, and Ketin Clarke found himself resisting the violent urge to double over. He had handled the whole ordeal expertly - past his initial comment he hadn't acted like his usual idiot self at all. Could it have been that, under all the weirdness and stupidity, Ketin was actually more logical and reasonable than he might have appeared? Not so much a slave to his emotions?
Unfortunately, he was about to prove that he was still very much the same hopelessly irrational kid that Nirix had come to know.
Why was he just standing there, looking with that bizarre expression that merged - what? Regret? The realization that he had done something terrible and desired intensely to fix it?
He blinked, and then proceeded to do precisely the opposite thing of what any even vaguely rational person should have done.
The fool took off running after them.
He took off at a desperate sprint, looking as though he were trying to warn them that they were driving off a cliff. Waving his arms in the air as he bolted down the way, as though they might have seen. Rin might have, if only for a moment, since he hadn't been the one driving.
"W-wait! Waaiit~! I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry!"
Yes, he had lost his mind. He was chasing down the very people who had just tried to kill his best friend and capture him for the cash on his head - apologizing.
The airlock door separating the dock from their ship had closed behind them by the time Ketin got there. Almost colliding with it when it refused to open - probably because he was too distraught to find the 'switch' in his mind - he instead gave a few solid knocks on the door with a balled fist. He could likely be heard, muffled, from the other side.
"Hey! Heeey! Mister Bounty Hunter Guy! I didn't mean it like that! You totally almost had me there! You did a really good job! I-I'm really sorry!!" And there was no doubting that he was. The despair and regret in his voice were paramount. This must have been what he was talking about when he mentioned 'never thinking ahead' - because this was precisely the single most stupid, most utter ludicrous thing he could possibly have done.
And then, almost as suddenly as the ordeal had begun, it was over.
And the Devil Eye stood there with Nirix not far off, and he watched the bike go tearing down the way, presumably toward some means of escape - a ship, obviously. And he stood there, watching them go, and gradually trying to come to terms with the hollow feeling in his chest. The black pit where his lungs and gut should have been. The sensation that he was nothing but air-light bones and surreally floating flesh.
He had acted remarkably logical for the duration of the battle, which had seemed to drag out much longer than it actually lasted. The fighters had exchanged innumerable clashes of their weapons, the monomolecular blade unable to penetrate the plasma, and vice-versa - but now it was over, and Ketin Clarke found himself resisting the violent urge to double over. He had handled the whole ordeal expertly - past his initial comment he hadn't acted like his usual idiot self at all. Could it have been that, under all the weirdness and stupidity, Ketin was actually more logical and reasonable than he might have appeared? Not so much a slave to his emotions?
Unfortunately, he was about to prove that he was still very much the same hopelessly irrational kid that Nirix had come to know.
Why was he just standing there, looking with that bizarre expression that merged - what? Regret? The realization that he had done something terrible and desired intensely to fix it?
He blinked, and then proceeded to do precisely the opposite thing of what any even vaguely rational person should have done.
The fool took off running after them.
He took off at a desperate sprint, looking as though he were trying to warn them that they were driving off a cliff. Waving his arms in the air as he bolted down the way, as though they might have seen. Rin might have, if only for a moment, since he hadn't been the one driving.
"W-wait! Waaiit~! I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry!"
Yes, he had lost his mind. He was chasing down the very people who had just tried to kill his best friend and capture him for the cash on his head - apologizing.
The airlock door separating the dock from their ship had closed behind them by the time Ketin got there. Almost colliding with it when it refused to open - probably because he was too distraught to find the 'switch' in his mind - he instead gave a few solid knocks on the door with a balled fist. He could likely be heard, muffled, from the other side.
"Hey! Heeey! Mister Bounty Hunter Guy! I didn't mean it like that! You totally almost had me there! You did a really good job! I-I'm really sorry!!" And there was no doubting that he was. The despair and regret in his voice were paramount. This must have been what he was talking about when he mentioned 'never thinking ahead' - because this was precisely the single most stupid, most utter ludicrous thing he could possibly have done.
Rin couldn't function. He couldn't pay attention to where he was, where they were going- hell, not even to the cries of... Regret? He didn't know.
He couldn't function.
He could vaguely make out Montagne- sober, it seemed- asking him how to pilot the ship. He mumbled something, pointed and even walked over to the pilot controls, explaining in a dull monotone- then he was ushered quietly away, over to a corner of the ship. He felt the buzz of the hyperdrive activating... a ship docking... and Montagne's face in front of him.
How long had it been?
... Did it even matter?
Everything was blurry. He didn't even know how he felt anymore. It seems he'd absently picked at what he was wearing, because his face was free of his helmet and the rest of his armor was scattered around him. He knew he should be feeling a little cold- his body suit had places where his skin was showing, especially around his waist and shoulders- but he also felt numb.
He didn't deserve...
He couldn't function.
He could vaguely make out Montagne- sober, it seemed- asking him how to pilot the ship. He mumbled something, pointed and even walked over to the pilot controls, explaining in a dull monotone- then he was ushered quietly away, over to a corner of the ship. He felt the buzz of the hyperdrive activating... a ship docking... and Montagne's face in front of him.
How long had it been?
... Did it even matter?
Everything was blurry. He didn't even know how he felt anymore. It seems he'd absently picked at what he was wearing, because his face was free of his helmet and the rest of his armor was scattered around him. He knew he should be feeling a little cold- his body suit had places where his skin was showing, especially around his waist and shoulders- but he also felt numb.
He didn't deserve...
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You don't get it, do you? I thought you did. We talked about this.
Don't want to feel like a wasted case
So his plan of attack, defense, to protect didn't exactly go as planned. Reaction speed wasn't top notch like it should've been. But how could he have expected for it to go like this? He had no experience on what all could be done nowadays. Maybe he was not exactly the best to go out and try to secure their backs. But at least he was trying, right?
How ever badly it went.
Even still, everything in his head would come to a halt with the weight of another crashing against his back. Had he not noticed? Was there backup on their side as well? Had he been too hasty? Thoughts roamed in his head, but he couldn't quite grasp them. Instead, he'd try to focus and reflectively turn onto his back to try and protect his face and insides from the inevitable collision with the floor.
Eventually that impact came to hit his back, though with the partly unconscious state he was in already, there wasn't a whole lot for him to feel. Everything felt so distant even if he did recognize that they were there. The feels. The pain, the pressure, the weight, the burning. All of them were there, but his body was numb to most of them.
At least as long as his eyes stayed closed.
No sounds were made. Even as teeth may have been bared to sign out that the impact against the floor and the burning of the plasma drops was felt, he let out no sounds. Just wrinkled his face and tried to filter them somewhere.
Expression changed a little once he got to open his eyes.
Christofer was, to put it simply, rather horrified at the sight. This wasn't what he wanted. Not what he wanted. Eyes almost as wide as Kallenger's he'd be looking right back at her.
Why... Why did it end up like this?
Don't want to feel like a waste of space
He did not want for it to be like this. He wanted them to think that he had finally made himself useful. That he finally actually did something. Finally.
But no.
Here she was, hands squeezing themselves with knuckles white around his collar, but they might as well be draped around his neck because that's what it felt like.
And it was hurting.
And she would keep hitting him against the floor, vision flashing with each hit as there was no control on either of them.
Some lone klink and chings of tags on his neck, clicking against each other, chiming, but drowning into the blaring sirens. All the other sounds echoing from far away around the hallway became nothingness. Everything else was just gone.
It was just the two of them...
But there was no stopping in sight. Who knows how long she could keep at it?
He was gurgling, his own blood in his mouth. Not the blood of an enemy like he had planned, the kind that he had sought out after by turning. Not this. This wasn't his plan. At all.
His plan had been to protect. To help. To do good.
He hadn't meant to hurt the woman. He was trying to protect her. It was the opposite. He wanted her best. Her best...
But here she was, hurting him, hurting herself. Hurting. Beating him up. Bleeding. Swearing. Hurting.
And all he could do about it was cry. He had tried not to, but he couldn't stop it. He didn't need to notice it from Kallenger, for he was already crying himself. It was no use to stop it. He had tried, and failed. Again.
And she just kept on shaking him. Hitting his head against the floor. And he would keep trying. Try not to suffocate in his own blood or pass out - even if it did seem like the better option at this point. But it was too easy. Of course his body didn't agree to it.
Collecting tears from the weak
Nothing just ever went like it should have. It just never did.
Two fairly depressed people that had lost pretty much everything except each other at this point. They should have gotten along so well. And here he, was crying. They were both crying. They were both hurting each other.
How did it get to this point? How did this happen?
He was so useless, failed again. Like always... ...... Why wasn't he here? To end it all, get this situation over with. He could always do it... Always had a plan... He.... ........
But at least this time there was someone who actually wanted for him to live. Though he didn't quite grasp it to its full degree nor meaning here. It was just senseless beating, yet it was getting the point across.
He was crying.
Pained, quite possibly still bleeding, confused, terrified, lost...
He was crying. Though as of now, it was just a silent sob, likely not easily carrying its way to anyone's ears. But it was there... And what better would he be able to do here anyway? Was he any better than her?
Hurting. Bleeding.
Lost.
Both of them.
Pained and beaten.
Waiting for you to die
In the moment, there were no names.
There were no names. It was just him and this woman.
Do what you're told is right
It was a miracle all in itself he managed to stay awake while the woman kept shaking him, head hitting the floor and had it not been for the occasionally flashing red lights the red mark that it left and enlarged with each hit would have been clear for all to see.
But that wasn't really a possibility now was it. Still, he stayed awake. Ears ringing, vision blurring, becoming so messed up that he could actually see the woman just as if there was never anything to hinder the vision what so ever. Under all the surrounding distractions, he could hear the words she spoke oh so clearly.
Noisy sirens became just straight screaming. Banging on the floor making him only bleed more, but at this point he might as well have bled enough to be out of it. Yet he stayed awake like some relentless beast.
Must have been partly dead already. Even as he kept his own grip on her hands. A reaction backed by instincts.
Shouldn't one always play for themselves? To survive as long as possible? For their own good.
For themselves.
You don't own me
Anymore
Mold breakers...
He could have retaliated, done just the same as her. Grabbed her, pressed his claws and dug down deep. Shouted, screamed. But at this point, the words coming from him would most likely have just been resembling to those loud incomprehensible growls of a wounded animal. Screaming. Pained. Hurt. Hurting.
It was slowly getting the better of him, the beating, dragging out his instincts.
But he was hurting.
His head couldn't manage to even form proper words of comeback. No sounds of proper disagreement were made.
But with the bleeding and beating continuing, there were some animal like instincts that told him to kick the woman. Kick her. Shred her. Rip her guts open with the sharp claws of an untameable creature. And if it weren't for the sirens and loud sounds echoing across the walls and hallways of this cursed hell space, there would have been a high-pitched feral... bluster. He was not well. The pain pushing him past those boundaries. Control was dropping. Fangs were showing. And they would be latching themselves right onto the woman's face, possibly taking an eye with them.
Would
Would.
But they didn't. He came close, but there was enough control to keep himself from mauling the woman further than what she had already gotten herself to go through. Fangs were shown and some guttural sound let out in retaliation to her anger, but that was it.
Besides.
What good was he going to get from such action?
Victory?
Escape?
Temporary pain?
Hurting?
Head was dropped and not a drop of her blood spilled by his doings. None.
Even before the gun was brought up. He was done. She could press it against him all she wanted, think that he could give out any kind of reaction to it again. But no. He really was done.
All he could do was all just crying now. No more strength could be put to him fighting back. It had been brief, disappointing. It achieved nothing. He was nothing.
Beat him as much as you want. Kill him. Shoot him. Hurt him.
It would all be the same now. What was he good for? What good was he?
The gun at this point really held no good important meaning to him. Sure, he should have feared for his life, ran, screamed, begged for mercy. But no, he was crying already, hiccups being the only sounds his body could produce, fast breathing aside and the gurgling from almost swallowing a good mouthful of blood. He would not spit it out, paralyzed on place, too scared, useless, pained to move. Hurt.
He had already given up.
I'm not the way you wanted
I'm not the way that you wanted me
Considered on finally being helpful. Yes, it was a sacrifice but it was for the greater good. And here it was nulled. The harsh decision that was to either slip your life into the hands of the others or take it in your own hands.
Do it.
Make it yourself.
Be capable of something.
Pain.
You useless loser. Piece of garbage.
Just kill him.
Let him die.
But she didn't.
Damn it.
All of it.
And her.
Curse her.
You must work in symmetry
You must earn their empathy
But he knew that she was hurting as well. It was not fair... Nothing was ever fair... Hurting was never fair. Nothing. Ever. Never.
Kallenger finally retreated her gun, placed it away, out of sight and they'd both stay silent after she had hauled him up. He couldn't really do anything to the situation anymore, and it was all just him being dragged around by others. Their hands might have been tightly held around each other's wrists, but really, that and the forced moving was all he was capable of.
Empathy...
She was dragging around a corpse. A corpse. Just one with a still beating heart that is. One who moved their legs along her's, having no strength of their own to go further. Followed without questioning the steps they took. Followed somewhere... Out of this mess or...?
Was it a corpse...?
Or was it just a broken man...
Sheathing her sword, Nirix let out a deep sigh, as if she was having trouble contemplating on what had just occurred.
What had just occurred? Like everything, it seemed to be happening so fast. One minute she had been having a fierce and fast-paced battle against a seemingly calculating young bounty hunter. And the next...
He was running away with his tail between his legs, crying no less. The Eoclu didn't know what to make of it. Was it sad? Disappointing? A prepared and seemingly smart bounty hunter would never run away from its target. At least, that was what Nirix would have done. She never ran away from a challenge and accepted a reasonable one whenever it presented itself. Yet she supposed she had forgotten how young the hunter had looked. Though his armor and skilled combat spoke of some form of formal training, he still had all the mannerisms of youth. He had been reckless in his strikes, having them be fueled by his emotions rather than with clear thought.
He would never get anywhere by acting that way. It was a shame. He actually showed potential.
"Shall we purchase our tickets now, Da'len?" Nirix went to approach Ketin, only to discover that the fox-kin was nowhere near her. Whipping around rapidly, the Eoclu began to search frantically for her missing companion, much like a mother who had suddenly lost her child in a crowd of people. Running around the general area of where all of their hijinks had happened, Nirix nimbly jumped over the gathering of people and soon found herself amongst the ships at port.
"Da'len?! Where did you-"
And then she saw him. Ketin was, rather loudly knocking on the airlock door of a ship. Running to him, Nirix had to calm her emotions as she approached. With a warning on her tongue, she suddenly paused when she noticed exactly what he was doing. Ketin was apologizing to the Bounty Hunter, no less!!
Had he lost his mind?!
"Da'len, when you ran off, I was not expecting you do be doing this. Why are you doing this, exactly?"
What had just occurred? Like everything, it seemed to be happening so fast. One minute she had been having a fierce and fast-paced battle against a seemingly calculating young bounty hunter. And the next...
He was running away with his tail between his legs, crying no less. The Eoclu didn't know what to make of it. Was it sad? Disappointing? A prepared and seemingly smart bounty hunter would never run away from its target. At least, that was what Nirix would have done. She never ran away from a challenge and accepted a reasonable one whenever it presented itself. Yet she supposed she had forgotten how young the hunter had looked. Though his armor and skilled combat spoke of some form of formal training, he still had all the mannerisms of youth. He had been reckless in his strikes, having them be fueled by his emotions rather than with clear thought.
He would never get anywhere by acting that way. It was a shame. He actually showed potential.
"Shall we purchase our tickets now, Da'len?" Nirix went to approach Ketin, only to discover that the fox-kin was nowhere near her. Whipping around rapidly, the Eoclu began to search frantically for her missing companion, much like a mother who had suddenly lost her child in a crowd of people. Running around the general area of where all of their hijinks had happened, Nirix nimbly jumped over the gathering of people and soon found herself amongst the ships at port.
"Da'len?! Where did you-"
And then she saw him. Ketin was, rather loudly knocking on the airlock door of a ship. Running to him, Nirix had to calm her emotions as she approached. With a warning on her tongue, she suddenly paused when she noticed exactly what he was doing. Ketin was apologizing to the Bounty Hunter, no less!!
Had he lost his mind?!
"Da'len, when you ran off, I was not expecting you do be doing this. Why are you doing this, exactly?"
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