| abstract
| - Ritter's Market The market is a bustling place, with different merchants peddling their different wares on the side. Pirated software at one booth, cheap replica pistols at another. The array of strange curiosities seems almost endless in this area. The clucking, barking and meowing of different types compete with the loud and general drone of the market going public. Gangs roam the area, looking for a moment of opportunity to cause trouble. A clear area lays around a run-down looking lift, which leads down to the wastelands below. Where's Pavel? That's right, behind his table. But this time, he's not busy with explosives- he's trying to hawk drugs instead, to a pair of hulking brutes who seem to be debating if they want to bother paying his price, a lower one, or not at all. "Da, you will not find a better supplier..." Sheppard walks into the market, rifle behind his back, and with that kevlar vest and pistol he's always had *coughcough* he begins to move towards that veggie vendor of his. "You charge too much, asswipe-" "I charge cheaper than you would get them legitimate, da!" The exchange seems to be getting a bit heated, Pavel scowling darkly as he and the bigger of the two duke it out- verbally, for now. "What do you expect, a free ride?" Sheppard pays for a few veggies, sticking a stalk of celery in his mouth, the others in his veggie pouch. He begins to head over towards Pavel's table, looking at the two arguing. It's a big fellow, easily over six feet and two hundred pounds, trying to loom over the diminutive and seated Pavel. His slightly less big friend, if cut from the same mold, hovers back a little- both with nightsticks at their sides. "I -expect- you oughta know when it's a good idea to give people a discount," growls the big guy, glaring down at a rebellious-looking Pavel. "And I would -expect- you ought to know better than to irritate your supplier," the Ungstiri retorts. 'Ey yah fucktards, quit pickin' on the fuckin' pedophile," Sheppard says as he nears. The perceptive might note his rifle swinging slightly forward and the safety's already been switched to off, probably never was on though. "I am NOT a-" "He's a fucking pedophile?!" Now they look actively pissed instead of just sneering and intimidating. Pavel sighs, a hand sliding surreptitiously into his coat. "Ah, hoop, -thanks- man..." Sheppard slides in front of Pavel, effectively blocking any sort of shot he could get off. The rifle is unslung and aimed at the biggest of the men, right at his head, "I /said/, quit pickin' on the fuckin' pedophile, yah either pay 'im or I shoot yah in the head." he says around that carrot sticking out of his mouth like a cigar, "An' yah better 'urry up and decide what it's gonna be, I got an itchy trigger finger, mate." Faced with a rifle in the face, questions of bargaining and of pedophilia both become moot. The thug abruptly goes pasty pale and forks over some credits with a shaking hand. Pavel wordlessly sorts through his bags and turns over one filled with a white powder, and after the transaction is completed the two slink off quickly. "Ah, spaciba, my mad drook," the Ungstiri murmurs, watching them go with a peculiar smile. "Damnit, felt like killin' someone." Sheppard says, pointing his rifle up at no where in particular and discharging a round, "'ats better." "Do not worry..." And Pavel waits until they've gained a fair amount of distance. "I gave them the loaded lot. They will regret being troublesome customers with their last moments, da? But your help is appreciated!" "Yea, sure fuckin' pedophile mate. Want my 'nades and yew wanted money, so I figured yah'd get money one way or the other, either off their dead bodies or by payin'." Sheppard replies, slinging the rifle over his back again. "Any chance you could stop calling me a fucking pedophile, though?" Pavel ventures with an air of resignation. Sheppard blinks, looking down at him, "Mate, yah /are/ a fuckin' pedophile. I call people what they is, like the school girl yah fuck, she always tells me she ain't a school girl, but I know better," "Pedophile means attraction to people who are not sexually developed," Pavel explains with a long-suffering sigh. "She is -very- much a woman under the outift, yes? Even if she was not of adult age- which she is- the proper term for being attracted to someone who has an adult body but is underage is ephebophilia. And -neither- term is proper to apply when you are within two years of the same age. Understand?" Shep shakes his head, "I knows what I sees mate, she's a school girl and you're a pedophile." he replies, opening his veggie pouch and withdrawing a carrot he offers it to PAvel, "Carrot?" "...Fine," sighs Pavel, reaching to take the carrot. "I do like the vegetables, at least." "Veggies is good for yah," Sheppard replies, munching on his own carrot. Pavel accepts the orange vegetable and takes a few hearty bites before noting, "The pomegrenade -works-, but it is not yet as deadly as I want. The thick skin insulates a lot of the blast so it is hardly more effective than my surprises. What I need is to figure out the shrapnel question and then, then it will be effective..." Sheppard nods, "If yah need more pomegranites, lemme know mate, can get 'em for yah easy." ge replies through the orange matter in his mouth. "I have enough for now. Two remain of the original stock. I do most of my testing with simpler models," Pavel explains, a yawn escaping him unbidden. "Hoop. Long days on Tomin Kora." Sheppard nods, "Spend mosta my time down in the lower levels, shootin' things. Don't ever decide ta live down there mate, might just shoot yah for some spare creds. 'S what I do." "No, I have the money to live up above," Pavel happily brags, "so I do not need to worry about it, da?" "Good, I'd hate ta 'ave tah shoot my fuckin' pedophile mate." Sheppard replies. He pauses and pulls the carrot from his mouth, looking at the end, "Yah 'ave a light, mate?" he asks after a moment. Pavel blinks, but with a swipe of a hand produces a lighter from inside his jacket. "Of course- what do you need it for?" Sheppard takes the lighter and lights...the end of his carrot on fire, "Got an idea," he says simply as he hands the lighter back to Pavel and sticks the smoldering carrot back in his mouth. Pavel just... stares, seemingly unable to even begin to comprehend this. "...What?" "See, was down in the lower levels the other day, and ran inta some trouble, five guys with guns attacked me...sure, maybe I shot at 'em first, but they attacked me, an' one of 'em shot the end o' my carrot off and it started smokin'. Got pissed off at the time, but thought I might try it." Sheppard explains in his flawless logic. "But you cannot... inhale, the carrot is solid," Pavel belatedly manages, still staring. Sheppard shrugs, looking down at the smoldering end, "I like it. Might try it on occasion, can't be wors'n smokin' cigs," he replies. "But... bah." Pavel just flicks out a cigarette and lights up, with a deep inhalation. "You make no sense. Why so many vegetables?" "They're good for yah, health is important, veggies give me vitimins an' minerals." Sheppard explains, "Don't get that much 'ere." "Ration bars have everything you need to survive. Although," Pavel admits, finishing off his own carrot, "they -are- less tasty, da?" "Yea, or da, whateva yah want. And they're good for yah," Sheppard replies with a nod. Makes sense in his head, apparently. "Well. Do you not think you eat enough, though? You are always eating them," Pavel muses, brow furrowing. After a moment he shrugs and takes another puff on his cigarette. "Yea, I think I get enough, but there's always room for more it seems. Jus' try 'ard ta stay 'ealthy, why I'm smokin' a carrot and not a cig, mate." the carrot smoking man replies. "Cigarettes keep me relaxed," Pavel grouses. "Sort of a necessity in my line of work, keeping steady hands." "'ear it's bad for yah lungs, though," Sheppard replies, "Eh, whatever, you smoke yah cigs, I smoke my carrots, works." he nods as he affirms his logic. "Like I am going to live long enough to get lung cancer," Pavel mutters with a smirk. "I have been in the underworld since I was fourteen. Where I will be when I am fifty or sixty is a laughable question." "I turn thirty one in a coupla days, never know mate, yah might grow old, then you'll be talki' tah some Demarian and complainin' an' whinin' 'bout 'ow yah didn't listen ta ol' Shep an' didn't eatcha veggies." "I am eighteen. I do not give a hoop," declares Pavel, a bit gleefully. "I like vegetables well enough. I will eat them. But I am not giving up my cigarettes for anything, da?" "Good, you make sure yah eatcha veggies, 'elp yah grown up." Sheppard replies, nodding curtly. Pavel scowls a little at that, snapping, "I -am- grown up, da? I am not so very small for an Ungstiri man." Sheppard looks down at Pavel, glancing at his arms, "Yah need more muscle, veggies'll help with that." he says after a moment. "The way I fight, I do not need more muscle. Would just slow me down," Pavel answers, inhaling deeply. Sheppard frowns, "Yah priorities are all fucked up mate." he states at that. "Says the man smoking the carrot, da?" Pavel dryly answers. "What -should- my priorities be?" "Well, first of all, eat veggies, then get you some muscle, then kill people." Sheppard replies with an affirmative nod. "I have all the muscle I need right here." Pavel swipes a Surprise out of his jacket, flicks it agilely through his fingers, and then lets it disappear once more into an inside pocket. Sheppard grunts, "That's not muscle, mate, 'ats a bomb. You're silly, yah know that yah fuckin' pedophile mate?" Pavel heaves a sigh, rolling his eyes. "...It is metaphorical!" He is smoking a cigarette frenetically at his table, Sheppard nearly, smoking a... carrot? Sheppard indeed, has a smoldering carrot sticking from his mouth, "What's a metaphickle, fuckin' pedophile mate?" he asks absently. "Muscle," Pavel explains patiently, "gives you strength to defend yourself, da? And my bombs do that for me as well, even if I am not very strong, da?" "Ya need ta be stronger, it's better. Eat your veggies." Sheppard replies, still smoking his carrot. Vladmir strolls in, tugging at her jacket for a moment and a Demarian striding along with her, heavily armed and not particularly happy looking. "I just ate the carrot you gave me," sighs Pavel. "I have always been small of stature. It is alright. My great genius mind makes up for it, da?" "Naw, the smart and scrawny dog never wins inna dog eat dog world, 'e jus' gets eaten first." Sheppard replies. Vladmir directs herself straight for the table and the pair near them. The Demarian's eyes dart back and forth and lets out a small growl at the sight of one of the building over in the shanty town over his shoulder. "I am still alive, am I not?" Pavel retorts proudly, his attention distracted by Vladmir's approach. "Eh, deyvachka, are you looking for some of my merchandise?" he calls her way, eyes flicking to her Demarian escort for a moment. "Jus' depends for 'ow long," Sheppard replies to Pavel, before glancing to Vladmir, "Gotcha self a new bodyguard?" he says with a shrug, still smoking that carrot. Vladmir glances over at Pavel and shakes her head. "Nyet, maybe employer made need later da? For now can use table for bit? Ya will pay if need." The Ungstiri waves a hand over at the Demarian that takes up a position near the table with a brooding silence. Vlad sashays over towards Sheppard and tries to stand on her tippy toes to place a more then a friendly kiss on his lips. "Nyet, not bodyguard. Vi bodyguard. Is paid in fully, and ya wants to keep vi. Vi want to keep ya?" A soft chuckle then she looks over her shoulder once again at the building the Demarian was growling out a moment ago, hovercars and people move along the lanes. Just another day. Violet-dyed eyebrows rise curiously. "What do you need my table for, deyvachka? Is it something I need to turn my tablecloth over for?" He glances back and forth between Vlad and Sheppard, rather uncertainly. Sheppard nods, not moving, "Gotcha, will keep yah," he replies to Vladmir. He looks down at Pavel, "What? Right, don't say a word, fuckin' pedophile." he says through the smoldering carrot. "Just need place for rest computer for short bit da?" Vladmir replies with a small shrug. She pats her bag for a moment and smiles sweetly in his direction. "Can pay vi if want, nyet will ruin cloth." The hacker looks Sheppard up and down, her slim hands placing on her narrow hips. "If can nyet be happy when pretty deyvachka kisses then fine." She sniffs then shakes her head. "Fine just look scary da and nyet pick fight." The Demarian idly taps his rifle's stock with a long clawed paw. His' gaze is locked on that building still, though he does try to play it off with a flick of his tail and twitch of his whiskers. Nothing really of notice on the building except for the number of camera and armed men milling about it. Traffic, foot and hovercar is unchanged. "Fine, fine," sighs Pavel, dropping his cigarette and grinding it under his boot. "You can use my table, is fine. Just tell me if you are expecting troubles so I can be prepared, da?" "What, was I supposed ta kiss back?" Sheppard asks Vladmir, raising a brow a bit, shrugging and smoking his smoldering carrot, which is now getting close to his mouth, but he doesn't seem to care. "Great!" Vladmir beams before she scurries to sit down. The goggles go over her eyes and a happy little grin crosses her face. Bug eyes sparkling she shrugs over at Pavel. "Nyet, but if get traced is good for have gun on right?" The hacker pulls out her computer and her hands fly across the board, her smile getting damped slightly at Sheppard's response. "Nyet vi don't have to do anything vi nyet want to except for keep ya safe. What color vi like by way?" Nothing yet really noticeable going on by the building yet but there are a few more large men milling about the market, and all looking a little tense. "Get traced? What, exactly, are you doing, deyvachka?" Pavel frowns a bit, pulling his leather coat off the back of his chair and shrugging into the heavy garment. Baggies of drugs are swept into its oversized pockets. "Red is nice," Sheppard replies to Vladmir, at the mention of guns though, he pulls out his rifle, safety off, but from the looks of it he doesn't keep it on, and stands there with smoldering carrot-cigar. Veggie Rambo. "Ya am working. He part of medical package." Vladmir replies without looking up but her hand flicks over at the Demarian. "Is all in place?" The little Ungstiri's be-goggled eyes narrow in concentration then a smile crosses her lips. "Red? One thing, never pay extra for navigation suite." The Demarian nods his head slightly then taps a commlink attached to his pointed ears and purrs lowly. At that moment a beat up red hovercar veers off the road and speeds up towards the building. Its driver screams an silent scream of terror a moment before the guards around the building start to open fire. All this is for not, the now torn up wreck as too much momentum behind it and it slams into the front door with a thunderous amount of noise. An eerie stunned silence crosses the market, only broken up by the slapping of boots from various men and the low rumble of trucks in the distance. Pavel simply stares a moment, eyes widened. "You hacked their nav," he half-accuses, though he sounds too amused to really make it an accusation. "Why? What do you want in there?" And this asked? The purple-haired Ungstiri ducks under the table, hiding under the long tablecloth, lighting up a new cigarette before taking a Surprise in each hand. Sheppard glances from the red car to Vladmir, "Yah did /that/? Fuckin' sweet." he says, looking over at the exploded car, and for an odd moment, sounds and looks geniunly excited. His rifle is still held ready, almost twiching in his hands. "Is job Pasha-kun." Vladmir smiles sweetly, her eyes half close at the explosion and grins seemingly enjoying herself. "Can do interesting things with computer is" The woman shuts up after a moment and keeps typing away as the Demarian nears and pulls its rifle out. "Hmm doing trace." The true purpose of all those milling men becomes apparent as the start to pull various arms out and open fire on the still dazed guards. After a few moments of getting shot at, they seem to get their act together and a raging gun battle starts even as all the lights in the building die. The low rumbling forms into the shape of a pair of trucks loaded with me. In the bed of one is a man armed with a rocket launcher. A loud fizzle and a vapor trail extends from it to an exploding wall. "Big job," notes Pavel with a raised eyebrow, staying *right* where he is but for cautious peeks out of the tablecloth. "Discretion, still the better part of valor..." Sheppard's eyes go wide as the operation unfolds, "Dude...I want in on this, don't care if I don't get paid," he says, taking his rifle and smoldering carrot and running forward yelling, "I'm with the hacker!", pointing his rifle at the guards, not the armed men. "Da." Vladmir states with a small smile. "First of many ya hope." She doesn't look up from her computer as she keeps typing even after Sheppard runs off. A hidden machine gun tears up the truck with the rocket launcher, causing it to smoke and slam into a nearby wall as its screaming shredded occupants get tossed aside. The battle rages and none of the armed men seem to mind another hand helping in on the fun. The guards are another matter as they start to retreat into the building, a few shots are fired off in Sheppard's direction. The Demarian's ears perk and he swings his rifle up as a group of two men and one woman start running towards the table and not looking all too happy. As for the rest of market? Most folks are smart enough to duck and cover or run away. Its Tomin Kora, and such little wars are nothing new. "Ah, hoop. I knew I should have made you pay to use my table," Pavel sighs as he sees the ones approaching the table. Remaining crouched under the tablecloth, he touches a Surprise's fuse to the cigarette in his lips and chucks it out, aiming for the men's approaching legs. Sheppard woops gleefully as he's shot at, diving into cover before crouching and returning fire with his rifle, unleashing as many shots as he's allowed per round, shouting out a rallying battle cry, "Eat veggies motherfucker!" Vladmir just blinks a few times then hunches over her computer, and tries to keep typing. Her eyes are wide and there is fear in them, but enjoyment is over powering that. The Surprise does its job and catches the three close by off guard. "Mafucker!" One of the men screams as his legs are twisted into a bloody mess only to be finished off by a burst from the Demarian's rifle. He sprays indiscriminately, though he misses the other two as they duck for cover, though he does manage to hit some random onlookers. As for the assault, the man Sheppard is shooting at, head's explodes as a shot rips through it and falls limp. The remainder of the guards retreat inside as the men outside rock it with gun fire and more rockets. Seems the battle might be winding down. "Bastards," growls Pavel, lobbing another Surprise in the general direction of the two under cover, perhaps just to make their life a bit more unpleasant rather than actually expect to hurt them. "These cost a lot of money to make..." Sheppard cackles as he takes one down, taking a pot shot at the nearest window or door. Vladmir grabs her computer and hides under the table as well. The large Demarian hisses and starts to keep laying down fire and actually manages to clip one. As for Pavel well the other man trips and rolls into a pile of doggie crap but his throw is so off he ends up hitting a random cinnabun stall but to the horror of all pastry lovers around. Sheppard's shot is just as bad hitting nothing but the board side of the building. A small figure can be seen in the window, a woman with an oversized machine. "Meat loaf you cunt!" She bellows before opening fire. "Hoop, I liked those cinnamon buns," cackles Pavel, his smirk very much amused at this point. Yet another Surprise- just how many does he have in his pocket?- appears, touched to his cigarette, and with a mighty inhalation to stabilize his hands he heaves it for the hiding folk. "Come out you fuckers! Haaa!" Shepp is unphased by the shot, but his stump of carrot gets shorter after the shot, "Damned mother fuckin' cunt whore ass bitches! You're gonna pay for this shit you bastards! CARROTS AND CAULIFLOWER" he roars, firing back at the woman who called him a cunt. Vladmir types under the table with a wicked grin. The Demarian just blinks and looks over at Pavel as he changes his clip. "You suck." He says flatly. "Those buns rocked." He says lightly. The two hiding out? Why they are just trying not to get shot at this point, and maybe not roll into dog shit again. The woman in the window cackles and offers a rude gesture over at Sheppard as she tilts her out of the way of a speeding round. "Yeah? Got your carrot right here!" She pelvic thrusts with her machine gun before she opens fire once again. "Well, you get them out of the damn cover then!" Pavel snorts the Demarian's way. Yet another Surprise, though surely he must be running low at this point, lobbed out from under the tablecloth. "You -owe- me, deyvachka!" "Damned fuckin' protein BITCH!" Sheppard roars as the bullet strikes him in the shoulder, tearing through his flesh and dribbling red blood on his black kevlar, "EAT GARLIC CLOVES UP YOUR MEAT LOVIN' ASS!" he screams as he returns fire again. "Owe you? Maybe." Vladmir winks as she types, her tongue comes out as she concentrates hard on something. The Ungstiri shakes her head and sighs. "Hoop." She mutters to herself. The Demarian simply shrugs as he keeps firing, a sweep of his rifle and the crates the men are hiding behind splinter leaving them defenseless even though they make it way from the Surprise. Back at the building, machine gun girl cackles and blows a kiss after her shots land. "Ya couldn't handle my ass!" She opens her mouth to call out more but ducks back inside quickly. The front door is finally breached and the men start to pile in, the sounds of battle ragging inside the building. "Nice shot," Pavel howls gleefully at the Demarian. "Heeeey, fuckers! You might want to hold onto your asses right about..." Yep. More Surprise. Fuse lit, bomb hurled- "NOW!" "Fuckin' sasage eatin' bitch, gonna fuck her ass up so much it wont even look like meat anymore," Sheppard says under his breath, shouldering his rifle and drawing a pistol for the short ranged firefight as he runs towards the breached door, still bleeding, "CHOKE ON ONION RINGS BIOTCHES!" The two men near the table get quite a surprise indeed. The bomb goes off in between them causing them to get burned and just all around a bad day. That bad day doesn't last long as the Demarian swings his rifle quickly over the two, a moment later, just bloody lumps remain. Inside the building, the lights are out, the only illumination caused by gun muzzles and energy bolts. Those are few and far between but all the men in the assault are heading for a central room where the last defenders are held up. Machine gun girl and a handful of others are there along with an elderly man. Pavel seems content now those three are picked off, sitting back to enjoy his cigarette and not bother to chase the fight in. He quietly counts his inventory, instead. Sheppard ducks inside, getting behind a crate a bit of the ways into the building. He takes aim with his pistol for machine gun girl, squeezing off a round, no war cry for the moment. That Machine gun girl is too quick on her feet. She ducks down and snarls as a bolt rips past her head. The men assaulting men start to count down from three to one. At one it doesn't really matter is machine gun girl dodged or not, the men go rushing in and even though half of them are cut down, there are none left but the old man who they start dragging off towards the rear exit. "Five left, that is not so bad," Pavel murmurs lowly to himself, nodding and glancing to Vladmir under the table. "You done with what you are doing, or are we likely to have more trouble, da?" Sheppard stands from the crate and moves over to the body of machine gun girl, discharging a few rounds into her skull and ass, and stomach, "Bitch," he says, before moving to walk out of the building, still bleeding from that shoulder wound. "Da? Well pretty sure they are done for the day." Vladmir murmurs as she rises to her feet and dusts herself off. The Demarian trots back and shoves a wad of cash towards her, whispers something then stalks off. A swift kick is given to the lumps as he exits. Machine gun girl? Just lays there. The men and old man start to pile into a truck at the back of the building and start to drive away. Pavel rolls out from under the tablecloth, idly dusting himself off as well, and with a long-suffering sigh wanders towards the weapons vendor. "I need a few purchases, da, again..." Sheppard walks out of the building, still bleeding from his shoulder. The smoldering carrot stump is snuffed out and consumed. Vladmir starts to put her computer way then she counts her money with a grin. "Hmm who wants to go up to tavern and have drink and cards later? Have to shower first." She asks with a big grin. Her eyes go wide and she moves over towards Sheppard and looks at his wound for a moment. "Hmm vi want ya to kiss better later?" Pavel passes over a handful of credits in trade for a dagger, tossing it idly up and down as he glances Sheppard's way. "You need some painkillers, da?" "Yea, get it patched up so yah don't get blood all over yah lips," Sheppard says to Vladmir, before he glances to Pavel, "Sure mate, would be helpful till I got over to the doctor's." Vladmir pats herself down for a moment then smiles over at the other two. "See you two later at tavern da? Maybe talk busines over cards." The Ungstiri winks over at Sheppard. "Thoughtful." The woman walks off. Pavel reaches into a pocket of his coat, pulling out a few baggies. He scrutinizes them before tossing one Sheppard's way, with several heavy-duty painkillers inside. Sheppard takes the pain-killer, popping it into his mouth and swallowing before moving towards the shanty town, "Thanks mate."
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