Forums » Sci-Fi Roleplay » A CATtastrophe III: Return of the Hani (Closed)

She held the vase as if it was an infant and nodded towards the woman with a chuckle. "Yeah, I got it. I'll take good care of it." She looked at the vase, wondering what was so special or precious about it... She tried remembering if she had any pottery like this back home but she couldn't think of any. She wasnt home enough to maintain it and believe it or not, when she's off work hours or in her 'casual' mode, she's quite clumsy.

"Cris?! Eyy guy, no way- whaddaya doin' out here!" Sprite blurted when a familiar fox-masked vigilante joined the party. With the thief dangling on her shoulder, it was sorta hard to get a full look at her, but she recognized the voice nonetheless; as did Randle. "Hey there, Cris. Long time no see, eh? We were just, uhh.." Yeah, how to explain this? She'd seen them in stranger scenario's for sure, but that didn't mean that the current sight of two gumshoes and two randoms bickering over a dismembered Kif screamed all flavors of shady. "..we were about to head over the hospital, actually! Appreciate the gadget, though," Randle decided to say, giving a nod to the lioness to thank her for stopping the bleeding at least. "Yeah, once 'em docs finish up 'em wonders, we're gonna interrogate him too- I'm sure it's spicy enough a shit that you'd wanna smell of it too, 'tis loser on m'shoulder screwed both us and lion-lady over t'ere by stealin' that neato urn from under our noses!" Not that awful a summary, but it was certainly a rollercoaster to invite their friend onto. Sprite showed her teeth to Cris in her usual happy-go-lucky grin, not at all noticing the patch of blood on her clothing that'd leaked from the merry Kif on her shoulders. "An' have your way, golden-ears, I'm drop it right off at our ship if y'll get to showing us t'way to the sick hut, cool?" Despite disliking Sprite's rash demeanor, Randle had to agree with her in a way here; standing around on the docks chattering away would only draw unwanted attention. They had to move, quickly. Proper explanation would follow later..

Shoved the Kif a few times out of spite

“Haven’t you listened? Thst thing is too valuable..unless you give me 2.5 million I’m keeping it” she waved taking the vase from the elf to hold between delicate paws, can’t leave this laying around

“Now are you coming? I need support explaining why a armless Kif suddenly turned up outside my ship” she smirked a toothy grin.

"Same old... picking the real scums off the street so that innocent people can keep resting easy", Cris assured Sprite, watching with a raised eyebrow as the hemorrage was cauterized with weapon - something she herself had had to dabble with in the past, and often the only way to prevent death by blod loss and shock.

At Sprite's words she glanced toward the urn in Barrah's arms. A fine piece, without doubt, though she wondered just how much importance it had for this person to go as far as risk their lives in the process. Most thieves were more than happy to get rid of loot that proved too troublesome, when their own safety was at stake. "Sounds like you're in to something big, indeed. Yes, but hospital's going to raise all sorts of questions, you're going to need a covert story or other. Police - you know better than me, Randle - need to get the facts out and the beaurocracy behind it would just cost you valuable time."

She wasn't so unexperienced to ignore that sometimes loss of a limb could still lead to death, even with first aid, even with the advancements of surgery. If this person had valuable informations, they could take no chances. "I can probably help you there, if you are okay with it?"

Neoma stood there, feeling a bit awkward since she belonged to neither of the groups and no longer holding the vase. She leaned up against a wall in the shade, her eyes glowing a beautiful golden yellow and her hair a gleaming silver. She continued to observe the conversation and most likely would head back to the bar once this little 'job' was done. Every once in a while she'd sigh or cough, not out of disrespect but because of past injuries.

Sighs a bit.

“Why this party of ours just keeps getting bigger” the cat wiggles her hips in frustration as the glowing red lights of the hospital begin to rise out of the curving deck beyond, meetpoint was a spin station afterall.

She moves ahead of the pack for a second

“Let’s move along now, this one’s friends might start getting ideas…”

Neoma followed in the back of the party, eyes directed towards the ground. She glanced up every once in awhile to see how close she was, and she'd quicken or slow her pace depending on how close and far she was to them. Her eyes almost gleaming every time they entered a shaded area and her pupils dilated to help her see. She smirked knowingly every time she held the thief's gaze, a vicious glint behind them.

"Look, doll, Sprite and I are only interested in whatever kind of clue our missing agent might've left in there- pot itself is all yours for all I care," Randle sighed when the Hani brought up the cash price of the urn. Of course, he did usually charge his clients for his detective services, but only so with goal of keeping his mortal friends alive in mind. Profit he could care less about.. unlike the other feline on the team. Hopefully Cris had an idea how to handle this. "Wait, y'mean help out keepin' 'tis sucko alive for questionin' or keepin' 'em cops off our back?! 'Cause I'm down t'see y'try both, heh!" Sprite grinned at their masked friend, wobbling from one leg to the other since she wasn't too sure which way to go: after the lioness, to the hospital, or to wherever Cris had in mind. "Y'comin' along too, right, Neoma? Gotta 'ave our combined muscle t'make sure 'tis birdy on m'shoulder keeps peepin' right." Intimidation was a wonderful tactic. Sprite didn't really think of the Elf as menacing, sorta friendly-lookin' if anything, but their suspect did and that was all that mattered. "Ehh, we didn't make too good of a first impression, so I doubt anyone but us'll vouch for taking this to your ship instead.. but it's good to have ya on our side, Cris." Randle'd much prefer taking the interrogating to either Cris's or their ship, away from the prying eyes of the likely corrupt law, but since he was convinced the Hani'd pretty much turn on them if they breathed the wrong way, he knew they had to play it safe and follow her to the hospital instead.

Neoma thought on the woman's question, she truly didnt know whether to join the PI's or to go along with the lioness. She sighed and shrugged after coming to a decision. "Sure, vhy not? Zough if I get called out to battle, I'll have to scoot on out. Zat's alright, right? Oh! I don't believe that I've caught your namez..." She didn't really pay attention when they were calling to each other by their names, which made her feel bad but she hoped they'd understand. And she did her best to a have a clearer accent, one that wasnt so... oh how did people say it to her?... Exotic?.... But she could never pronounce her "S"s correctly, they always turned out as "Z"s. She also rolled her "R"s. Damn! Why'd I have to inherit Father's accent? What made it even worse was that when she tried to sound less Russian, her accent became even heavier, and it annoyed the shit out of her. A look of annoyance crossed over her face but was quickly replaced with a friendly smile.

“Here’s what will happen if we go to a ship with him…they’ll follow us out toward the jump vector, interdict us and then board us..they’ll proceed to kill all of my crew and their man for failing and then take the Urn and do whatever…if we take him to the hospital the Kif Atleast have to rangle with station security afterward if they’re to attack us.

And if they do Atleast we have breathing room”


“The Kif are cruel but they’ll most certainly take a hit if they decide to burn an entire hospital doen looking for us”


She shrugs

“Besides..gives you perfect license to slice them up if they come”

"Eyy, when duty calls't calls, y'know? Could barely run a gig when t'Skylax owned m'ass," Sprite chuckled, flapping about with her free hand as they wandered onward. "Oh, an' no worries 'bout it- had more than enough sucko's struggle with mine. M'Sprite, an' ol' cat over there's Randle!" Her smirk of mischief towards the detective's wide back was answered with a chuff. "Flattering, kid." Clearly, he was more occupied with getting told off by the feisty lioness..

Neoma listened intently to the beginning of this argument. She smirked slightly to herself, knowing that if they did get in trouble, she'd just whip out the good ol' General badges and pins. "Well, pleazure to meet you, Zprite." She cringed as her accent ruined Sprite's name. She sheepishly smiled than took off her cloak, folded it and carefully put it in her satchel, making sure Simon, her bug-like creature, was out. As she put her cloak away, she looked up at the sky and a raindrop landed right on the end of her button nose. She pulled out an old trench coat that her father used as raincoat and pulled it on, flipping up the collar once her hood was placed on her head.

Cris's eyes briefly shifted to Barrah as she mentioned 'friends' of the injured target, inwardly taking note of it, just as she had taken mental note of the urn's appearance. If someone was ready to die to retrieve it, then it definitely called for further research... but she wasn't going to mention that. Not unless she actually found out something of interest.

Instead, she turned to Sprite. "Who said it's to be either or? I help you get him in hospital without hassle from police & staff, and help you get some answers out of him." As Barrah spoke of possible retribution from the Kif, her eyes narrowed behind the mask. "Hm. More reason to tag along, then? Security always tends to be very loud and visible, whereas stealth is a ninja's weapon of choice." Again something like an amused smirk flashed in her dark irises. She knew how ironic that sounded from a woman who had literally jumped on a table to hold an entire pub at gun point... but, like in the ages old rite of three cards game, the eye could be deceived by the trick of the hand.

Hearing Neoma's question, she turned to her and gave a half-nodd. "Cris will do fine. Nice to meet you." The hospital's lights were closer in sight now, and she lowered her voice, though still making sure the entire group could hear. "Now, if staff or security asks anything, let me do the talking, alright? I can minimize the troubles for all, but I need you guys to roll with it." She looked Barrah in the eyes. "Deal?"

Neoma nodded towards Cris. "I'm Neoma." She reached into a side pocket on her satchel and pulled her badges and pins out and stuffed them into her pocket, making sure no one saw them. She could already smell the cleaning alcohol wafting from the hospital, even though they were still a decent way from it. She shriveled her nose in disgust and pulled her silk mask and her pure white scarf up over her nose. She looked at the group as if they were crazy. "How ze HELL does ze zmell not bother any of you? It'z zo zuffocating!" She coughed a couple times, not for dramatics, but because of the scent. As they came closer, she began to cough more and more. Damn zese heightened zenzez! Wish I hadn't gone through all zat training!

Sitting up in the rafters, a figure wearing a jumpsuit, boots, and a cloak with the hood over their head is playing a song on a Hurdy-Gurdy, its haunting yet calm melody filling the air of the area and slightly entrancing.

(Song hes playing if interested.)

Suddenly becomes aware of another person joining them, a fox looking person.

“I don’t know who you are..so stay to the back please” she said pushing on to the building

The fiesty Hani follows after the gurney being taken to a room, they work on him for a while then let anybody inside.

“Alright you two do whatever, somebody watch the door” she sits down with the vase, looking it over for cracks.

“Sturdy ceramics huh?” She was a little amazed it didn’t break in the fall.

"Sensitive nose?" Cris turned toward Neoma. "Try breathing with your mouth as much as possible... my kids have the same problem with too strong smells." But then Barrah spoke to her and she looked up, a thin eyebrow raising behind the mask. 'Huh. And this time I wasn't trying to go unnoticed.' "Right, I have terrible manners. Name's Cris, I'm a -" she was about to say problem solver, but refrained with a bemused smirk, "... ah, I guess you can say I'm a travelling ninja with either too much free time on her hands or a schedule so busy it's spontaneously growing. Is it either? Is it both? As in most things in life - it's all in the eyes of the beholder." Cryptic, she? Nah.

The request to stay to the back of the group caused even the other eyebrow to raise. I've just finished saying I can help and you storm right over that? Heh. That's... quaint. She glanced sideways at Sprite, and if their eyes should briefly meet, Cris's own would definitely have the look of someone who was holding back what could either be a laugh, a snort, or both. She opted to stay silent though, and dutifully let Barrah and the others march onward while she lingered to the back of the group... at least, she did outwardly. Rear guard allowed her to slide close to one of the ER staff, reach out for their arm and say something very quietly; the stretcher bearer looked slightly unnerved, color draining from his face, and hastened off, but so discreetly it didn't really stand out from the ordinary hassle that you could expect in an hospital.

Even as the target was assigned a room, she stood near the doorway, but deliberately made no actual attempt to watch it; she had drawn out a datapad and was fiddling with it absently, the living picture of someone who minded her own business and didn't want to be in the way...

... until a nurse approached with two security guards in tow. Only then she looked up - and left the doorway to meet them halfway; but in such a casually arrogant way, it seemed almost as if she was keeping them out at the same time. "Ah, greetings. I'm lady Aliprandi, cousin of Viscount Roberto, representative in the Galactic Union embassy." As always, the flare of title and rank did not fail to get the two guards hackles down. "I figured you'd be looking into this unfortunate matter that occurred to my entourage, which is precisely why I requested discreetion. The embassador would hate any form of unsolicited attention to our dispatch, if you catch my drift..." Lies flowed out so nonchalantly, and with so much assurance, it seemed all legitimately true. Years as a space pirate had honed her silver tongue.

((Imma go sleep for now, everybody try to remai. In the hospital I’ve got plans for a thing

Neoma leaned in the doorway of the hospital room, watching the guards who had been stopped by Cris. She began fidgeting with her badges and pins in her pocket, ready to show them if need be. Her eyes flicked from the room to the hall, keeping up on both current events.

There was something else. An issue. Not the misfortune of carrying a dismembered Kif on her shoulder, nor was it the rackety case that Randle and her’d found themselves into- no, it was far more fundamental (and to her, stupid) than that. Burning white lights. Sweat on her back. Zapping pain in her bones. Clinical cleanness.. ”I-.. I can’t go’n there.” Right in front of the hospital doors, Sprite’d stopped in her tracks, the convulsing body on her back dangling above the concrete floor. Her skin’d lost some color, and she glanced towards Randle and then Cris with eyes that spoke both of shame and pure, unfiltered terror. ”Y’jus’.. jus’ take t’body offa me, ‘kay? M’sure y’ll manage primely without me. I jus’ can’t do ‘tis shit, sorry guy, I can’t.” Everything about it reminded her of the Lab. The long days in concrete cells, clawing for an escape until her nails broke, being shocked, taunted and tortured until she by miracle broke free. No matter how sweet the doctors might be, she wasn’t going in there. Never again. ”Hey, hey, kid, it’s alright- you and Neoma can stay outside and keep an eye on the streets, okay? We got this,” Randle tried to assure her, looking between the Elf, the Hani and his vigilante friend. He appreciated Cris’s interest in talking them through this; although it felt somewhat patronizing to an old sport like himself, he knew from experience that a young and bright dame like her usually had better success persuading the right people than a hulking horror movie creature like him. ”C’mon, I’ll take him for ya. Just stay put out here, alright? Can give us a call if something’s up, we’ll be in here.” He took over the Kif, but decided to carry him in a more respectful, medically responsible position. With that, he gave his buddy a pat on her shoulder and followed behind the rest of the questioning team; the hospital doors opened, and he followed them inside.