Realistic or Modern // Ignite the Spark // open & accepting

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais nodded as Shasta worked through his proposition. Not acting on the information immediately was a good move; investigating the accuracy of the information before making any decisions one way or the other was excellent. He was a little bit surprised to learn that their supposed contact wanted to meet again so soon. It could mean several things, but Kais there were more important things to do than to speculate. If they were going to send people into Tranquility to investigate the guard schedule tonight, that needed to be planned

now.





"Do you intend for one group to deliver and watch the rotation?" A small group was the best choice--as Shasta had already noted. The fewer people, the more likely they would be to slip past unnoticed. It was, strictly speaking, possible to do both, if one of the pair was a sniper and had a good vantage point.


When Shasta suggested Kais go, he nodded without any particular surprise. Though it was unusual for him to be sent into Tranquility, these days, tonight it made sense. This wasn't simply a Pill run, it was an important investigation of something that could, potentially, change how the Spark operated. He felt a flicker of excitement; it was dangerous and possibly even stupid--but he wanted to go anyway. No one was better suited for it than he--the best person to watch a guard rotation was a sniper, and Kais had certain familiarity with good observation points. This was entirely because good observation points coincided with good places to take a shot from, but tonight that benefited them.





"If you want me to go, then I'm there," Kais said. He wouldn't have argued if Shasta had said it would be best for Kais not to go, but he certainly wouldn't pass up the offer. Still, he didn't cherish the thought of working with Nolan. There was always a finite probability of Kais accidentally shooting him in the head. He would have preferred to work with Sola, but...


Several thoughts filtered through his mind. Sola was, objectively, one of their best scouts. Furthermore, if there was anyone he worked best with, it was obviously Sola. This mission required a delicate touch--if things went south, the scouts out there needed to be able to rely on each other. He considered Nolan, Damien, and a handful of others and knew that he would never trust them to not mess anything up, to get them out safely. The only people he trusted for that were Sola and Shasta, and Shasta needed to stay in the Ruins. But Sola was injured, she had done something stupid, and he hated the idea of putting her in that situation. Then again, he had gone into only slightly less dangerous situations with her countless other times. Kais gave a sigh, draining his coffee and setting the mug down in front of him.


"I hate even suggesting this, but I'm going to anyway," Kais paused, meeting Shasta's eye, "Let Sola come with me. If things go wrong--if this turns out to be a trap, the two people who have the highest chance of getting out alive are the two of us. We knew each other's limits, we work well together, we trust each other--I'm the best sniper we have, and no one else works as well with me."

 

[RZA]

Veda Creed | Location: The Market


Veda had never seen anyone as excited as Sola. She let her neighbor steer her away from the lovely scent of what could only be cinnamon rolls. As the pair neared their stall, Sola told her who they were, and Veda was to the point where surprises were just everyday occurrences. Revelation after revelation presented themselves, and looking around her, Veda could see and smell and feel the cultural and societal differences. It lingered in the air, seeped into the earth, and swam in the hearts of every Spark citizen.


Though a bit nervous - Kais’ darkened face leering at Keanu suddenly flashed in her mind - Veda was a smidge… excited to meet more people. Her nerves died away slowly, they were both smiling and waving them closer. Sola unlooped her arm and gave the woman, Savina, a quick but tight hug.


“Oh, it’s so good to see you!”


Why does this seem like a reunion? Veda wondered silently. Are they not around often?


She glanced between her two new acquaintances, and it was obvious they were siblings. They had the same nose and identical green eyes. Come to think of it, they even had the same smile… it didn’t happen often in Tranquility, but she did teach a set of twins once, and if she wasn’t mistaken, they were twins as well.


Veda wasn’t sure what to make of the fake punch Sola gave Lugh; all he did was laugh even harder and rustle her hair. Friendships, or just relationships in general were drastically different here. She knew neither of them were hurt, but why fake violence? Veda stored the question for later as Sola introduced her.


Savina nodded her head and extended her hand with a small reassuring smile. Veda shook it, smiling back hesitantly. She was older than herself, but not by much. It wasn’t that she looked older per se, but there was knowledge and experience in those eyes and Veda couldn’t help but feel the callouses that had lined Savina’s palm.


“Veda, huh?” She looked over to Lugh when he spoke. He seemed totally at ease, standing there with his arm draped over Sola. “She’s probably the prettiest recruit you’ve ever brought in Sola.” He chuckled before winking at her.


“Lugh, really?” Savina spat out with a roll of her eyes.


Veda was confused, what the hell was that supposed to mean?


“Oh!” Lugh said, grabbing both of Sola’s shoulders and grinning harder than she’d ever seen anyone grin. “Congrats on the run by the way!” He gave her another hug and then looked over to his sister.


“Your little prodigy brought home four new recruits the night before last.” He looked over to Veda again, and she felt a strange heat crawl up her neck and into her cheeks.


“That’s gr—” Savina began before being interrupted by her brother.


“Only thing is she went all by herself.” Lugh said, ruffling Sola’s hair again. She watched Sola swat his hand away, her face reddening slightly.


Veda watched the subtle change in Savina’s face. She almost rolled her eyes but it seemed like she was able to stop herself. Savi crossed her arms, a small crease between her brows despite struggling to keep a small smile off her face. A myriad of emotions danced across Savina’s face and Veda couldn’t help but wonder what was going through her mind. She herself was struggling to keep up with the conversation.


It was clear now why Sola had gone running off with Kais after their arrival. She had been in trouble and caused a lot of people to worry. Yet, something still nagged at her.


“Why wasn’t Kais with you?” Savina asked darkly. “To the heavens Sola!” She said with a sigh. “I won’t lecture you, I’m sure Shasta’s already done that - but what the hell were you thinking? Did you bring any backup?”


Veda felt distinctly uncomfortable, and a bit of something she didn't recognize. Sola had brought back two doctors, herself, and the woman she hadn’t seen since that night. So what if she broke the rules? The Spark was planning a damn rebellion, did they not expect their own to become rebellious every once in awhile? Her stomach growled and her hunger resurfaced with a vengeance.


“Starkey told me Kais is the Spark’s new leading strategist. No more time for our poor Sola and her runs.”


“Shasta put Kais in charge?” Savina asked surprised; the frown gone in an instant, an indescribable look flashing across her face. “Well let’s hope he can speak in front of the Council.” Savina said quickly. She shook her head, and looked at Veda who was rubbing her stomach. Whether it was a quick change of subject or Savina could tell she was starving, Veda was happy with what came next.


“You know, some cinnamon rolls do sound good. Jaime was here before I was this morning, and I’ve been dying to get one. And you know Mama Cat would really like that Sola, maybe we can go to her studio later today. I haven’t seen her either.”

 

[Zoola]

Nolan Salem


Nolan's Room | | The Ruins


As Nolan's eyes fluttered open, rousing him from a deep sleep, he awoke to two sensations: a rumbling deep in his stomach that could only be allayed by food, and a feeling of utter amazement that he had actually been asleep. And for the entirety of the night, too. He couldn't remember the last time he slept for more than a few hours. Not that he was complaining. He supposed yesterday's events had rattled him enough to actually shut down and get some sleep. The rumbling sounded again, demanding to be heard. Nol groaned, rolling out of his bed. Stumbling in front of the mirror, he noted that he was still in yesterday's attire: a black t-shirt and stained pants. He couldn't even recall what had caused the stain. Even his cap was tangled up somewhere in his bedsheets. He ran his hand through his hair, his fingers getting caught in the curly mess. For a moment, he debated on whether or not he should change, eventually decided that he valued his dignity more than a stained pair of pants. After splashing his face with cool water, he pulled a random set of clothing out of his overflowing drawers. After he changed into the fresh clothing, he threw the old ones into one of the many different piles strewn about the floor. With that, he fetched his cap, pulled it over his head, and was out the door.


Nol's first order of business: eat. He made his way to the market, greeting whoever it was he saw along the way. The market was, undoubtably, Nolan's favorite place in the Ruins. It was the hub of food, people, and all sorts of interesting goods - a combination that could keep Nolan there for hours. He enjoyed visiting the different stalls, conversing with the owners and looking at their wares. His room was evidence of this; scattered all about his cluttered was a random array of objects that he had bought from different vendors, some of which were utterly useless to him but he purchased anyway on a whim. One hardly had any use for the market with Nolan around; a trip to his room would suffice. As Nol strolled through the crowded area, scanning the different booths for anything particularly interesting, a red mug caught his eye. He did need a new mug; he'd come back after breakfast to haggle for it. Just as he began to pass the stall, he caught a glimpse of the vendors: Lugh and Savi! The Melrose twins had returned from their lengthy expedition.


Nol turned on his heel, momentarily abandoning his breakfast plans as he made a beeline to the twins' stall. The day after a looting outing was Nolan's favorite, since many vendors had new merchandise to showcase. He'd check out what kind of new goodies the twins brought in from their latest expedition. After all, he did need a new clean pair of pants, and perhaps they'd want to grab a bite to eat with him. A cheerful grin broke out on his face as he approached, eager to welcome his friend back home from a particularly long journey.





Eve Salem


Eve shook Ava's hand as she extended it to her, giving a cordial nod. "If anything comes up, please don't hesitate to let me know. " she assured. The meeting had gone about as well as she could have expected. Of course, there were several points in particular that called for deeper inspection. She now had an abundance of new information to investigate on her hands: namely, what Ava had given to her during the meeting. The areas of interest that arose during the meeting would call for a long, in-depth conversation with Luna. She could already feel the on-coming wave of weariness washing over her. There was one good point that Ava had brought up, however, and it was the point about implementing more forms of placation in throughout the city. Luna would certainly be interested to hear about this plan of affirmative action.


"We should have lunch sometime if you aren't too busy. No business, just lunch." Ava said, her invitation followed by a look of cheekiness across her face. Eve smiled gently, lacing her fingers together in front of her body.


"Of course; how could I decline?"





@whitefoxkiller

 

[RZA]

Lugh Melrose | Location: Expo Center


“Well I’ll be damned,” Lugh said with a small laugh. He ruffled Sola’s hair once more before walking around the stall to greet an old friend. “Well, well, well Rich Boy, how you been holdin’ up with me not around?”


It had been awhile since Lugh laid eyes on the only Diamond Sector recruit the Spark has managed to relocate. He looked well rested despite the bags under his eyes, and the thought made Lugh glance back over his shoulder to his sister. Lugh had been, and will probably always be perplexed by the insomniacs that surrounded him. There was nothing better than a good night’s sleep. Or even a six hour nap.


That old grey ballcap looked even more tattered then the last time he saw it. “When are you gunna’ let me find you a better hat Nol? That poor old thing is about to give up. C’mon, I want to introduce you to one of our new recruits.” He leaned in close and whispered, “She’s an eyeful.”


He walked back over to the trio of females and introduced his friend.


“You two already know him,” Lugh said to Sola and Savi with a wave of his hand, “But Veda I’d like you to meet Nolan. He’s like, my second or third best friend,” He chuckled at his own joke, and winked at Veda. “Nol, this is Veda, one of our newest recruits.”

 

[Skeleton]

Keanu Forrester


Location: Market



​

Sunlight leaked from the gaps in the trees as Keanu made his way past the dormitory buildings. The air was crisp all around him. Something about the atmosphere in the felt fresher, sweeter, more full-bodied. It was like up until this point, he had only ever living like a person in a book- made of paper, existing in a 2D world.


He felt like a child experiencing life for the first time, making his initial vivid memories. A smile touched his face as he began to jog through the wooded area into the city. His hair flew untamed around him, the wind carrying it in the breeze as he moved. This is what it was like to be free. Keanu felt like a leaf tumbling through the air, a wild animal set free in its home, a sprout that had just begun to see the sun. How had he managed to live without all of this sensory stimulation? Life seemed so much bigger now. He was just a hatchling, and he wanted to feel every emotion there was to be felt.


Slowing his pace as he entered the city, he smoothed his hair back. A kind person from the dorms had told him that the market was a good first place to get some things...such as a dark green blanket. They had even given him some "credits" for trade. Though, the old metal coins he received seemed much different than the electronic currency in Tranquility. He made his way to a hulking glass building. True to what his guide had told him, it was impossible to miss. The way it absorbed the concentrated blue of the sky made the glass look almost liquid in its reflectivity.


He went inside, guided by people here and there until he made his way into a giant open space in the center. His heart beat accelerated as he saw the patchwork of people filling the area. A feeling of anxiousness crawled in the back of his mind as he looked at the crowd. He had felt much more at home out in the woods, surrounded by the plants. Steeling himself, he took a breath and reminded himself to be brave. This was a new experience, this was what he wanted.


With a self-assured nod of his head, he made his way into the crowd. He felt very small, getting pushed around by the steady stream of people. Looking around apprehensively, he saw a familiar flash of red-brown. Narrowing his eyes, he saw Veda! He also saw Sola standing close by. They were talking to people, but Keanu couldn't help the huge wave of relief that crashed over him. It was so faces that he recognized. He navigated through the crowd, joining them.


"Hi guys," he said shyly as he approached the group. "This is my first time in here. Can I join you? This place is really overwhelming."


He smiled at Veda and Sola, the relief evident in his face. Embarrassment lurked in his belly as he remembered his last interaction with Sola, a blush spreading across his face when he looked at her. He could barely look her in the eye. What was this light, jumpy feeling? Was there some sort of index he could refer to in order to place it?


He remembered that he hadn't made a very good first impression on Sola or Veda, but he was hoping to change that. He didn't really know what friendship looked like in this context, but he really wanted to learn. Hopefully his nervousness didn't show through. Everyone in this group seemed at home, except for him and Veda. He was thankful that she was here. Surely she had been experiencing some of the same things as he, being new to the ruins as well. It was nice to not be alone.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





It was clear that Savi was shocked at Kais’ new promotion. Sola blinked, considering whether or not to say something. She had no idea how Savi would react to hearing about her new relationship with Kais. Eagerness to have some quality time with her friend flickered at the back of her mind. Now more than ever, Sola wanted to talk to her about what had happened. Savina was always honest with her, and that was something that she so appreciated.


Before she had opened her mouth to say anything, Savi seemed to have noticed the way that Veda was rubbing her stomach. Sola glanced back over as Savina asked about going to Aunt Cat’s studio. A smile blossomed on her face. Solara loved visiting her godmother.


“I’d love to visit Aunt Cat! She misses you so much while you’re gone, Sav. I was over at her studio last week because we had tea, and things got so nostalgic. She told me some stories from when we were kids. Said that I used to mope around the Oak all day when you, Lugh, Shasta, and Kais were at school and I was too young to go with you,” Sola paused to laugh, looking back over at her friend. “You should come to my suite today after if you don’t have plans. I’ve got some new drawings to show you. Plus…there’s quite a lot to catch up on,”


She added the last bit with a slight raise to her eyebrows, as if to telepathically tell her friend “this is important!” Before anything else was said, Nol appeared. Sola swatted Lugh’s hands away and playfully punched him in the arms as he moved to greet his friend. Smiling, she gave a small wave to Nolan before her attention shifted to yet another person.


Keanu had appeared out of the crowd, a look of nervousness on his face. Sola noted the way that he avoided meeting her gaze, coupled with the blush that had worked its way across his face. The last time they saw each other had not been ideal, but Sola hoped that he was ready to move past it. It was easy to feel like a little fish in a big pond when at the Market. Seeing that Lugh was talking with Nolan, she smiled at Keanu before turning to Savi.





“Of course you can join us. We were just on our way to get some cinnamon rolls. Savi, this is Keanu. He’s also one of the new recruits,” she said, gesturing towards him.


Savina shook his hand, nodding. “So you must have met in Tranquility just a few nights ago, then?”


Keanu’s face got redder, and Sola knew what he was thinking about. He gave an embarrassed laugh as he responded. “Yes. I’ve only seen Sola and Veda one other time after that…and I can’t say it ended well for me. That’s why I’m a little nervous right now. Someone this morning already recognized me as the guy who brought out 'The Professional,’ whatever that means,”


Sola nodded as she recalled the events of yesterday. It felt like an eternity ago.





“I don’t know what gossip you’ve heard, Sav, but Keanu was the unfortunate soul to trigger Kais into professional mode the other day,” she paused to look back over at him with an apologetic look on her face. “I’m sorry about that, by the way. It must have been kind of terrifying. I promise you that’s not what your experience in The Spark will be like. You caught Kais at a less than ideal moment, I think,”


Sola glanced back over at Savina as they left Nol and Lugh at the booth. As they made their way to the Helene and Jamie’s, she wondered absently if Savi had caught wind of the news. Gossip tended to spread like wildfire within their community.


S H A S T A || F E I V E L


Spark Alpha





A group delivering and a group watching the rotation might be too many people to begin with, Shasta thought. It would be risky to send in four people at once. It was a little too much activity than what he was comfortable with for the unfamiliar territory they were traversing.


“Maybe just one group. You can go in early, observe the rotation. Then see if there are any Tranquil waiting at the alley behind the Library of Unity. We should avoid going to Peace Park for awhile, what with the guardbot incident,”


Shasta stood up and moved to his desk, retrieving a small map of Tranquility. Sitting down again, he studied it as he considered who should go into the city. Nolan Salem popped up in his mind once again. The man was their one Diamond Sector recruit. He knew his way around the city well; and worked well in close range. Shasta wondered suddenly if the name Ava Sebastian would mean anything to the former Diamond resident. He looked up at Kais, about to suggest asking Nolan, when Kais spoke.





“Let Sola come with me,”


His eyes instantly narrowed slightly as Kais talked. Irritation slithered around in his chest, but he didn’t allow it to show on his face. How did he even go about suggesting that? Sola may be one of their top scouts, but there was no way that Shasta was going to allow her to go into a Tranquility territory that she was unfamiliar with, especially while she was still injured. This shouldn't even be a discussion that they were having.


“Sola still has a bullet graze wound, if I remember correctly. She’s not going,” Shasta said the words firmly, leaving little room for argument. “I'd appreciate you picking someone else. I’m thinking Nolan Salem will be your best choice. He’s capable in close range. More importantly, he knows how to navigate Tranquility,”


Shasta set the map down, looking in his friend in the eye. This is one thing he didn’t want to argue with him on. He was tired of being at odds with Kais, but this was a topic he would not be willing to compromise on. He knew that his words may not be well-received, but it was a risk he was willing to take.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

The instant change in Shasta's demeanor was enough to tell Kais the response to his suggestion; a part of him had hoped that it would be turned down, anyway--the part that wanted to keep Sola locked away safely. If there had been doubt left in his mind when Shasta spoke, there certainly wasn't by the time he finished. Kais knew that tone and he knew it wasn't up for negotiation. Had it been anyone else he would have taken it as a challenge. But this was Shasta, and Shasta was in charge; Kais didn't dispute that, and never had. When Shasta put his foot down on matters of business, Kais backed down gracefully. He dropped his gaze to let Shasta know that there would be no argument from him--a sign of submission, as it was.

He was right, at least, in his observation of Sola's condition. But he was wrong if he thought that Nolan would work as well with Kais as Sola did. This was mainly because no one worked with him as well as Sola did. There was something irreplaceable about growing up together and years of experience. Wrong as Shasta may have been on that point, Kais made no mention of it. If Shasta said he was to go to Tranquility with Nolan then he would go to Tranquility with Nolan. He was annoyed, but it didn't show on his face when he looked back up at Shasta; only a flicker of irritation showed in his eyes.


"Very well," Kais' voice was level, though it had occurred to him that not only was he going to have to go to Tranquility without Sola, he would likely have to deal with the backlash from Sola for her brother's decision. Even if not directed at him, it wasn't likely to be a fun experience. The annoyance bubbled in his stomach, boiling over into anger. There was nothing he could do, so he shoved the anger away, burying it deep. His only tell was the twitch of a muscle in his temple.


Kais visualized the space they needed to move through. Observe the rotation of the guards in the Rust District, then move to the blind spot in the Glass District. He didn't much like the idea, but it was the best they had. If there was a blind spot in the Rust they would have taken the PIll there--that would save him the trouble of moving; he would have been able to choose a suitable perch and watch both the guards and Nolan without ever changing location. But instead they needed to cross nearly half the city to get to the drop point. It would be difficult to find a place to observe the guards within the Rust District; he was less familiar with the place and the information they had been given was quite extensive. Clearly it was impossible to verify the full schedule. They would simply have to see if the times they were there in the locations they were able to reach matched up with the schedule and hope that meant everything else was true, as well. Still, a challenge was a challenge--and while it would be distinctly less comfortable without Sola at his back, he was willing to rise to any challenge.


"Will you tell him, or shall I?" Kais would need to discuss something resembling strategy with Nolan--but, of course, the walk to Tranquility was nearly two hours. He could think of no reason why that time shouldn't be sufficient to do any planning necessary.

 

[Zoola]

Nolan Salem


"Damn if it ain't Lugh Melrose in the flesh. It's been pretty tough making on my own without you here, I gotta admit," Nol joked, chuckling heartily as he gave his friend a solid clap on the back. "Sorry man, this thing goes with me to the grave." Nol tugged on his beloved cap, readjusting it to ruffle the hair underneath. He had a horrendous tendency of growing sentimentally attached to completely replaceable items. He'd had the hat for years and worn it every day since; it became like his trademark. A glimpse of a grey baseball cap in a crowd was certainly indicative that one would soon be graced with the presence of Nolan Salem. Upon scanning the faces in the group, he spotted an unfamiliar one, that of a young woman. Nol nodded in agreement with Lugh's observation about the newcomer.


"But Veda, I'd like you to meet Nolan. He's like, my second or third best friend." said Lugh.


Nolan looked at Lugh with an expression of mock surprise, over dramatically touching his chest in shock. "Second or third? Sorry to break it to you, bud, but you're only, what, my fourth or fifth." He shrugged comically before breaking out into a playful grin. Being that Veda was a new recruit, Nolan could bet she was utterly perplexed by their interactions. While he was never under the influence of the Patch himself, he'd met enough newly Patchless people to know that they found real human interactions... well, strange. Not that he could blame them; after all, the Patch and PaxCor had a twisted way of altering their perception of life. "Nice to meet you, Veda," he said, smiling politely at her.


Within moments of their little reunion, another man approached the group, one that Nolan didn't recognize. Another one of Sola's new recruits, he decided. "Hey," Nol greeted the man, grinning brightly. "Nice hair. I'm Nolan," Before he had time to say much else, the group set off somewhere else, leaving Nol and Lugh at the stall. Nol leaned against the booth, inspecting the red mug on display. "So how was the run? Looks like you got a lotta new stuff here. It must've been a pretty big haul, huh?"

 

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian

​

With that, Ava nodded her head at Eve and left with her secretary. Ava left Eve’s building and headed home, where Lilai was waiting. “You know, sometimes it’s almost creepy how you’re always here exactly when you’re needed,” Ava laughed and flashed her eyebrows at Lilai. Lilai just smiled in a cheeky way that implied something supernatural.


“How’d your meeting with Eve go?” She politely asked


“Terribly.”


“Sorry to hear that.”


“Yeah well -say Lilai do you think you contact our friends on the force who got us that guard schedule,” Ava changed the subject completely.


“Ava that schedule was him repaying a favor. If you need something else, you’ll have to take out a loan,” She tried so hard to be the voice of reason. Ava looked at her and raised her eyebrows, putting her hands oh her hips as the two moved towards Ava’s room. Lilai sighed, “Okay what do you need?”


“I need two VPN communicators I can use off the Tranquility grid. I know the force has them in plenty.”


“Well, if it’s to contact your friend outside of the borders-” Lilai started, sounding exasperated.


“Don’t assume too much Lilai.” Ava interrupted her, sounding threatening. Ava didn’t tell Lilai a lot about what she was really doing; she wanted her to have plausible deniability if Ava was ever caught. While Lilai was payed very well, Ava was pretty sure she had anti-PaxCor sentiments. When she first hired Lilai she‘d made some odd requests, but none that hinted rebellion. Over the years, however, it slowly was understood what Ava was doing, and slowly understood that Lilai either didn’t care or supported the cause.


“Of course, apologies Ava. Either way, you’re gonna need someone to hack into the communicator so that your transmissions aren’t interceptable by the authorities.”


Ava stared blankly at her as she removed her heels, sitting on the corner of her bed. Lilai sighed again. “-And of course I can set that up for you.” Lilai finished her thought. Ava smiled and, going into her closet, passed by Lilai to give her a peck on the cheek.


“You’re a wizard!” Ava called as she changed out of the dress and into a robe. When she came back out she gave her a panicked look, “Oh wait, tell me I don’t have anything else to do today.”


Lilai pulled out a datapad, pushed a few buttons and looked back up at her “Not anymore you don’t”


“Oh! Another favor Lilai-”


“It’s what you pay me for”


“Right. Actually I’ll just do this myself.” Ava went, now in a red silk robe, into her office. She sat down at her large desk and logged onto her computer. As she was sending study results to Eve as Lilai came sauntering in with a sultry look.


“Since you don’t have anything to do today till Rafael’s party, do you want me to…” Lilai draped herself across Ava’s desk, “Stick around?” Ava laughed and gave her another kiss.


“What a great idea Lilai,” Ava responded cheeky.

 

[RZA]

Savina Melrose | Location: Expo Center


Before she walked off with Sola and her new recruits, Savi walked over to her brother and Nolan. She clasped hands with the latter, mumbling an apology about not being able to stay.


“Can you watch the booth while I’m off with Sola?” She asked, rubbing her eyes.


He rolled his eyes before answering, dramatizing the action. “Go get you something to eat and for heaven's sake get some damn sleep, you know I got this.”


She nodded her head in reply, waved Nolan goodbye and took off after the trio lead by Sola. It took a minute or two to navigate her way through the dense, body and merchandise filled market. The air was thick with exotic scents as she passed the Spice Tin, which was run by a small family who lived in the Oak. She slowed her step as Hale called out a welcome back. With a random thought, she walked over and asked if he had any beginner spice packages made up. He tossed her two and she slipped it them her apron pocket, hollering out an I-Owe-You.


Thankfully, the trio was only a few paces away, looking to be having a hard time making their way through an aisle blockade. Savina fell into step with them, walking on Solara’s free side. She nudged her shoulder into Sola’s, giving her a look that clearly said she knew something was up.


She loved reuniting with old friends and even enjoyed meeting new ones, but there were so much external stimuli that she found it hard to keep up mentally and physically. Thoughts swarmed in her mind, one after the other taking forefront. A nice warm cinnamon bun sounded delicious; living off canned food and wild game for over a month straight had given her one hell of a sweet tooth. Despite the exhaustion seeping in her bones, she was curious about Sola and what that telltale brow raise meant. It had something to do with Kais, that she was sure of. Yet something made her think Veda was somehow a part of it all. New recruits usually stayed in the dorms, yet Veda had acquired the empty room next to Sola’s.


Looking over to Keanu, whose face was finally returning to it’s non-flushed state, she pondered on what he could have done to bring out the “Professional.” She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, and instead voiced her curiosity.


“So, Keanu… what did you do to Kais?”


Lugh Melrose | Location: Expo Center


Lugh watched Sola and her recruits, and then his sister walk away before turning back to Nolan. He leaned against the stall, scrutinizing the red mug Savi had found. Beneath the jovality, Lugh could only guess how he was feeling, or how most of the citizens within his home felt. It had been years since an attack, and the loss of a Spark was always harrowing. Lugh wondered if he had been on the front lines. Nol was a scout, like Sola, and unlike himself and his sister who were looters.


“Took us forever to get back with all the shit we found.” Lugh said with a sigh, letting to dark thoughts flow right out of his mind. What happened had already happened, there was no use wasting time on the negative. To Lugh, thoughts and prayers for the surviving families were the most important things to focus on. “Savi still has to write up an inventory slip for the guns we brought back. The run was slow going actually - there seems to be more and more activity whenever we go out.”


He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, trying to capture what it was like to be out there. No one to rely on except the man or woman by your side. Isolated from their little world of the Spark, navigating through defaced buildings, crumbled cities overgrown by mother nature, even smaller towns were disfigured after centuries of abandonment.


“It’s strange out there ya know? Completely silent save for the wind and wild animals. When we first started going out we rarely saw people, and now we’re lucky if we don’t see someone on the roads.” He fell silent for a moment, absorbed in his thoughts. “Anyways, is there anything I can get for ya? You’re starin’ at that mug pretty hard my friend.”

 

[Skeleton]

Keanu Forrester


Location: Market



​

The market truly was a feast for the senses. Walking with Sola, Veda, and Savi helped him feel more confident in his surroundings. Before the pill, he never knew what it felt like to really feel lost in a wave of people. Now, he was beginning to understand that crowds were maybe not his niche. He had underestimated how valuable familiar faces were in such a setting. They anchored him and helped him feel more independent somehow.


It was easy to be independent when under the influence of the Patch. It took a whole new sort of courage to do that outside of it, when you could feel things like fear and anxiety. He remembered the gossip that had spread through the dorms that Solara had gone into Tranquility on her own. How did one get to be that brave, that independent? He felt that same jumpy feeling in his ribcage. If he ever got to really be Sola’s friend, he would ask her. He glanced at Veda. He hoped that the two of them could become friends as well. She reminded him a little of where his home used to be, if you could really call it that. He wondered if she felt pain at the people left behind.


Savina’s voice brought Keanu’s thoughts back on the topic of his run-in with Kais. He was embarrassed before, but he was feeling a little more bold now. He laughed, looking over at Savi.


“I just told Sola that she was beautiful,” Keanu said, throwing a shy smile in Solara’s direction. “But that happened after I accidentally knocked her over. I was just so happy to be here. He didn’t get all scary robot man until after I called Sola beautiful though. Kind of possessive, if you ask me,” Keanu stopped with a halt, a blush coloring his face again. “Which you didn't ask me. I’m sorry if that was impolite or rude,”


He didn’t want to offend anyone. The way that Kais had stepped in front of Sola had struck Keanu as very territorial. Sola didn't seem like someone that needed to be protected. Especially not from a flimsy new recruit like him. However, he had now speculated without considering if it would hurt anyone. Thinking about other people’s feelings was also new territory for him. People under the Patch didn’t consider such things, but now he had to. Keanu looked back over at Savi with a sheepish look on his face.


“Either way, I hope that answered your question."

 

[Ashmorne]

S H A S T A || F E I V E L


Spark Alpha





A drop of relief brushed Shasta when Kais ultimately didn’t argue with him. He hadn’t thought that he would, but things had been somewhat strained and he didn’t want to write off anything as impossible. Kais conceded, albeit with some irritation. Shasta had noticed the muscle twitch on the side of his temple. It was his job to notice all the details, and that was one he didn’t miss.


He knew that Kais would’ve rather been with Sola, but he appreciated that he hadn’t fought this decision. Solara’s best interest was, indeed, something that they usually found a way to agree upon. He didn’t doubt his sister’s abilities, but he did sometimes doubt her judgment. Throw an injury on top of that, and it didn’t make for a convincing argument to him. Kais could be irritated, but Shasta knew that a part of him had to agree.


Neither of them were men of many words, so Shasta nodded his thanks to Kais, holding his friend’s gaze for a moment. Having a second-in-command that was as loyal and dependable as him was something he would never take for granted.


“I need to go and visit the families of the departed, may they rest in peace. They take top priority. If you could find Nolan and speak with him, that would be ideal. If you run into Savina or Lukas, please direct them my way. I’m expecting them to be back any day now, and I'd like to touch base with one of them regarding possible inventory. I’ll meet you at my office in two and a half hours.”


Shasta stood, taking both the cups and placing them in the sink. He moved to his hallway closet and extracted a grey suit jacket and tie to wear over his shirt before going to the families of the deceased. This was one of the most painful tasks that he ever had to do. Shasta wasn’t particularly emotional…but at times like this, his feelings ran very deep. It was something that Shasta considered to be a strength, because it reminded him of the driving force behind their cause. These were things that needed to be felt, things that demanded to be noticed. With the pain came an unyielding sense of gratitude and respect that was rooted to the very core of him.


His people would never die in vain.

 

[Space Cowboy Ein]

Domenic L. Kader ~ Minister of Defense


Dom had left work earlier than usual. Normally he would not shirk his work, and he did not. He elected to take lunch in his office to increase his productivity just so he could get everything he needed done finished for the day. And so, he was able to get out a half hour early, all to go retrieve his tuxedo from his favorite tailor. It had been some time since he last wore it out in public, but the event being hosted by Raphael would call for such a formality. Of course, he had put on some muscle mass since he last donned the suit and as such needed it redone. The tailor was extremely skilled, but kept unusual hours that interfered with Dom's own. So with a little effort, he'd be able to arrive just in time to get it picked up.


Eventually he returned home, the new and improved tuxedo in hand. Mist and Rem were eager to great him at the door and would not leave his ankles until he could manage to hang up the suit and bring them both into his arms. "Hello little ones." He cooed in a low voice as they rubbed themselves against his chest. It was their weekly bath time and for whatever reason they loved the water. He dropped the furry pair onto the couch as he passed through his living room and down the hall to his room. He elected to change and shower first before filling up the tub for his feline companions who were chasing each other around the apartment. When he did finally corral them into the bathtub, his mind couldn't help but settle on the day's previous events. He had seen the video of the attack on the Cloud District's security bots. He had ordered everything from the scene to be poured over. Boot prints, bullets and their casings. He was requesting additional footage from other cameras watching the exits and entrances to Peace Park, he'd leave no stone unturned. Rem squirmed between his hands and brought Dom back to the real world. "Right." He said with a smile before moving to give Mist his turn to be washed. On the counter nearby, his tablet lit up with a number of messages. He leaned over to get a look at the sender and it's contents. His smile went away.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Find Nolan


Find Savina & Lukas


Kais' mental to-do list started back up; he rose to his feet, nodding to show that he had registered what Shasta had said. He didn't envy Shasta's job of telling the families of those who had been killed last night. Then again, no one in their right mind would have sent Kais on a job that required empathy. It really was better for everyone involved if Shasta dealt with that sort of thing. Shasta was busy preparing for his own work, so Kais took his leave, making for the door.


"Two and a half hours," he confirmed verbally, before turning the knob and leaving.


What he really wanted was a shower and a nap, but it looked like he wasn't going to get either of those things. Even if his room in the Oak was on the way out he just didn't have time. He didn't often spend much time there, but it was a nice enough place--perhaps if he ever got used to the idea of living in the Oak he would properly move in. But probably not. Shasta had requested he take the room when he took the position of Strategist, mentioned something about having him on hand. Sometimes there were just too many people in the Grand Oak, though, and he needed something that put a bit of distance between him and the rest of them.


His first order of business was to find Nolan. One of the few things he did know about Nolan was that he was something of an insomniac--and the only reason he knew that was because Sola had told him. This made it rather unlikely that Kais would find him in his room, but he didn't have any better leads and that seemed as good a place to start as any. So he made his way across to the university before realizing that he had no idea where Nolan's room even was. Luckily he had a guess about who to ask--since he knew how people went about getting a room in the dorms.


There was a main office, something like a reception, which usually had someone available to distribute keys to new recruits. As expected, there was a woman there, looking incredibly bored.


"Do you know where Nolan Salem's room is?"


"It's here--but you won't find him there."


Kais waited for her to extrapolate without saying anything.


"It's just that he's not usually there--if you're looking for him, he's probably at the market expo. That's where he's usually at, anyway."


Kais nodded his understanding and turned on his heel, heading back out and making for the Market Square Expo Center. He was calm, inside and out, his emotions muted by his list of things to be done. There was no trouble interacting with people when he wasn't thinking about it--it didn't concern him to ask questions to someone he hardly knew when there was a definite reason for everything he did. No feelings of awkwardness followed him, only a single-minded determination to get things done.


The Market Expo was a hub of human activity; it was the sort of place Kais usually avoided like pock-marked tramp. But today duty brought him to the square, so he made his way to the massive glass building and waded into the crowd.

 

[Zoola]

Nolan Salem

​

Nol inhaled deeply, nodding contemplatively as Lugh spoke. "I can imagine," he said, his mind somewhat absent as his thoughts drifted elsewhere. "I don't know if I could do it. Going out there, you never know what you're gonna find or who you're gonna run into, you know? Being out there creeps me out, too. Everything's so... desolate, I guess. At least with scouting, you're in and out of Tranquility. There's a risk, but you know what to expect. Guard bots, security cameras, the usual. But I guess the more people are out there, the less in that hell hole," By the "hell hole," he meant Tranquility, of course. A small grin broke out on his face as Lugh mentioned the mug that had caught his interest. "Yeah, I've kinda been drinking coffee out of a measuring cup these days," he chuckled, rummaging through his pockets for a leather pouch, its contents clanking together inside.


"I'm, uh, guessing you heard about what happened last night?" he asked, his previous spirit of joviality melting away as a more serious tone overtook his voice. He shook his head solemnly, his eyes shifting blankly to the ground. "I heard we lost people." He sighed a deep, heavy sigh, one wracked with mournfulness and exasperation. "At least you weren't there last night, man. It was... bad. Bastards," Nolan recalled the last incident of looters. It had been his first encounter with an attack since joining the Spark, and an indescribable feeling of fear flooded his senses. Growing up in the Diamond Sector, violence simply wasn't something he was accustomed to. Of course, working in security he sometimes saw instances of altercations, but it was hardly the same thing. After having been a part of the Spark , he became somewhat inured to violence, but deaths, especially of those he knew, still took a toll on him. And it always would. "Anyway," he raised his brows, exhaling in an attempt to lighten the suddenly somber mood. He held up the pouch, waving it in the air; in his other hand, he held the mug. "2 coins?"

Eve Salem

​

Once Ava was out of the office and Jasmine shut the door, Eve exhaled a deep breath through gritted teeth. For a brief moment, she glanced between her desk and the door before once again taking the seat behind her desk. As soon as she did, notifications about messages from Ava illuminated her computer screen, and Eve deduced they were regarding the information Ava had promised to send her earlier. She would pore over that information later. For now, she had other brief orders of business that needed to be addressed. The first was to contact Domenic Kader, the Minister of Defense for Tranquility. Though she had already spoken with a man at PaxCor Security, she wanted more information on the attack. Perhaps Mr. Kader had more information to enlighten her with. The second was to update Luna on her progress thus far.




"Domenic,
​

I assume that by now, you're aware of the security breach that occurred in Peace Park, and that you've already been looking into it. President Pacecco has tasked me with looking into the incident. I'd like you to investigate Peace Park as soon as possible (if you haven't already done so), and relay your findings to me. Any information regarding the identities of the shooters is of particular interest. I look forward to hearing about your discoveries.

Regards,


Eve Salem"

Message Sent.
​

"Luna,

I've been looking into the Peace Park incident. After a meeting with Ava Sebastian, some important topics have arisen that I hope we can discuss in person as soon as possible.

On another note, I heard about Raphael Tores's party this evening. Will you be in attendance?

Eve"



​

Message Sent.





@Space Cowboy Ein

 

[RZA]

Veda Creed | Location: Market Square


Veda walked through the market in between Sola and Keanu, with Savi on Sola’s right. It was slow going, making their way through all the bodies, but they did so as patiently as possible. Despite her aching hunger, she had time to search all the merchandise with her eyes. There were so many strange and beautiful items that called to her. A red scarf, a cream-colored crochet nightgown, and a necklace similar in color to the ring she took off the woman in the clearing.


The thought sent goosebumps down her arms, and she wondered if their bodies had been removed and properly disposed of. Did the Spark bury their enemies? She held the question in, like so many others, and reminded herself to ask Sola later.


When Keanu answered Savina’s question, a shot of curiosity flowed through her as she finally understood what had happened the other day. Veda looked at Sola searchingly, and yes, she was beautiful, but why would that cause Kais’ to react in such a way? All these unrecognized feelings and emotions, whether from herself or someone else, were becoming a pain. There should be a damn ‘What To Expect’ manual for new recruits, this is so frustrating!


Savina’s voice cut through her inner monologue and she snapped out of her mind quickly, keen to hear her response.


“Well that’s interesting,” Savina said with a laugh, eyes boring into Solara’s. With a glance over to Keanu she spoke again, “Don’t put too much thought into it, we all know our girl here is beautiful, Kais just needs to get out more. He’s what I’d call a bit antisocial.”


Veda noticed that she conveniently didn’t note on Keanu’s other comment. She was wishing she would; Veda knew the definition of possessive but her mind had a hard time wrapping itself around the concept of being possessive towards a living being. She began putting the question in the back of her mind for later, but realized with a start that Solara had better things to do than answer a million silly questions. Veda bit her lip nervously, wondering just how much she needed to relearn.


Lugh Melrose | Location: Expo Center


Lugh nodded at the mention of the attack, his thoughts torn from the Ruins outside the Spark. Starkey had told him the news when he woke up, but he and Savi had stumbled upon the mass burial at the edge of Spark territory when they had returned home. Lugh had passed out in his and his best friend’s studio once depositing all the supplies in Savi’s room three doors down. He slept through the sunrise as though he’d slept all night, and woke to the smell of burning sausages and running water hours later.


“I heard we lost four of our people,” Lugh said sadly, wondering if Shasta would throw them a wake. “Savi and I came home to a mass burial; I would’ve given anything to get back faster… Might have been able lower our casualties.” He shook his head, knowing deep down that no one could have prevented what had happened.


“Anyways, I can’t let you drink coffee out of a measuring cup.” He said in an unusually false cheery voice. “Two coins is the price my friend.”

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais kept his eyes fixed on the people around him as he moved through the crowd. While he

did have an inclination to see if there was anything that caught his interest for sale in the booths, he was too focused on his task to let his mind wander. Most of the things for sale in the market didn't interest him because the sorts of things that did interest him were the sorts of things that weren't fore sale. Instead they were stored in the basement of the Keys Tower. Any weaponry and ammunition that was found didn't go up for sale--it went into the Spark's storage. And while Kais was usually content with his own small arsenal, there was always a little room for something new. If they ever succeeded in taking control of Tranquility, Kais couldn't wait to get his hands on their, significantly improved, armory. It was the only personal drive that pushed him toward the goal that others pursued for selfless and moral reasons.


Besides guns, the only thing Kais was interested in that might be sold at the market were odds and ends salvaged from computers and other electronics. That in and of itself was worth scouring the market for--he had very little free time to do with as he pleased, these days, but when he did have the opportunity his time was often spent in building computers out of salvaged parts, or otherwise re-assembling and repairing something he had picked up at the market.


He wasn't interested in food, or clothes, or baubles from his room. Food was usually something he ate to survive rather than for enjoyment--the one exception was alcohol, which was enjoyable and could be bought in plenty at the market. His clothes were the same ones he had been wearing since he'd grown out of his last wardrobe. Eventually he would be forced to admit that they had too many tears and holes to make them worthwhile any more and would be forced to find something new to wear, but until then, these clothes would suffice. As for decorations or anything of the sort to supplement his living space... most things that he needed he made, and anything that he didn't need was extraneous and therefore there was no reason to buy it. All these things combined tended to mean Kais had plenty to spend, and nothing to spend it on.





With a start he realized that Sola was likely here, still. Would he run into her? She was friends with Savina and Lukas, so there was a possibility that if he found them he would also find Sola. Still, besides personal desire there seemed little reason to seek her out. He needed to talk to her to tell her how the meeting with Shasta had gone, of course, but was this really the best time? She was here with friends, and she needed to spend some time with them. He could always talk to Sola later.


It took some time of scanning faces in the market before Kais caught sight of Nolan. Conveniently enough, Nolan was at a booth, having a conversation with Lukas. Two birds, one stone. Savina was no where to be seen, but it hardly mattered. He really only needed to deliver a message to one of them and the other would get it, as well.


Kais approached, his face was calm and neutral, but not robotic--it was a comfortable blend between casual and professional Kais; it was the face he wore when he had work to do, but there was no need to go full professional. Still, there was no trace of the socially-awkward, bumbling fool that had sneaked out of Sola's room that morning when Veda appeared.


"Nolan, Lukas," Kais greeted evenly. He didn't know either of them well, though he knew that Sola was friends with them. Then again, Sola was friends with most people, while Kais only knew them by face and name. He had no familiarity with them, nor any anonymity. They were simply people that he coexisted with in these Ruins, whatever they may think of him.


"Shasta wants to see you and Savina, when you're free," Kais said to Lukas. Probably he already knew that; they were looters, and they were certainly competent. They both, more likely than not, knew they needed to talk to Shasta when they returned from a mission, but Shasta had asked Kais to tell them to see him, so that was what he had done.


Kais turned his eyes on Nolan, "And he wants you to come with my to Tranquility tonight--for a delivery, and... some investigation. We'll be leaving earlier than usual."





He wasn't sure exactly how much information he should give Nolan at that time--obviously he needed to know what they were doing and why, and Kais would tell him in due time. His concern was that they were in a very public place, and their mission ought not to be public knowledge. With that in mind, he decided to leave things a little vague and fill Nolan in when they spoke more privately.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





An ember of anxiety burned in Sola’s stomach as she recalled yesterday’s events. She couldn’t have imagined what it felt like to be on the receiving end of that situation. Fresh out of Tranquility, and suddenly confronted with more initial emotions such as terror and fear. She had hoped new recruits would have a smoother transition, with more pleasant feelings.


Keanu didn’t know the connotation of Kais’ actions. Sola herself didn’t understand why he done it until after they had gotten to his house, until after they shared a kiss that made her face feel warm as she remembered it. It wasn’t possessive. Nothing that resulted in something that made her feel so very good could have been sparked by something bad. Besides, Kais had always been protective over her. He kept her safe, and she never doubted those motives. For the most part, he was uninterested in the larger part of her social life. He had never tried to keep her from anything unless he considered it dangerous…and by her impulsive and stubborn nature, she usually did what she wanted either way.


Sola was about to respond to Keanu’s statement, to apologize again…when she caught Savi’s gaze. The stare she gave her was pronounced, and it said “what the hell happened?”. Solara raised her eyebrows in response. It made her all the more eager to get some one on one time with Savina. She hadn’t told anyone about the new relationship with Kais. It was too new, and she couldn’t very well bring it up in the middle of the market. Her mind blanked, unsure now about what to say to Keanu.


Savina took the pressure off of her by making a small joke, talking with a laugh. Solara threw a thankful smile in Savina’s direction as they approached Helene and Jamie’s. Forgetting to respond to what Savi had said, her focus instead moved to the promise of sweet treats. Helene sat behind the table laden with baked goods, waving at Sola and Savi. Her chestnut hair was streaked with silver, tied in an bun on top of her head.


“Savi, welcome back! Hello, Sola and friends! Here for a cinnamon roll or two?” she called to them, an easy smile on her face.





“Hi Ms. Helene! Yes, I’m going to need a few, actually. Eight please,” Sola responded eagerly. She looked over at Savi with a confident grin on her face. “Sav, I think you’d agree when I tell Veda and Keanu that these are cinnamon rolls are probably one of the best foods on earth.”


They approached the booth, Helene already placing the pastries into a cardboard box. Sola retrieved the box and held it out to Veda and Keanu, an excited look on her face. From what Veda had told her on the way over, Tranquility didn’t have the best food options. She couldn’t wait for them to try the rolls before exploring the rest of The Market.

 

[Skeleton]

Keanu Forrester


Location: Market


​

Keanu grinned at Savina’s words. He liked the sound of her laugh. It was melodic. Somehow her humor had taken the edge off of his embarrassment. She had something about her that made him feel more at ease...sort of like how he felt when Sola talked too. Savina and Solara seemed very similar...kind, welcoming, fiercely independent- a little bit intimidating, if he was being honest. He could tell by the way that Savi and Sola exchanged quick glances that they were close. It was like they were having a secret conversation without even saying a word. Their faces spoke in a code that only the other understood. It only made sense that a certain degree of familiarity would bring about such an intimacy. Things like this didn’t exist in Tranquility. While it puzzled him, it filled him with a certain sort of hope-- a hope that, someday, he too would be able to talk to someone without saying a word.


He thought about the incident with Kais once more. This time, from his perspective. The way that Savina had said that Kais needed to get out more made him think that maybe he himself didn’t understand the circumstances. Something about what he had said caused Kais to pull Solara away. What was so predatory about calling someone beautiful? He wondered if it was appropriate to ask Solara about why that had happened. Yesterday, he thought it was normal Spark behavior. It was clear today, through meeting and getting to know people like Savi and Sola better, that it truly wasn’t typical. Savina had found out that he called Sola beautiful, and she didn’t care. So, why did Kais? Still, he didn’t understand.


His thoughts were interrupted as Sola went to a friendly vendor and brought out something called a cinnamon roll. She held the box out to him and Veda. Inside was a type of rolled pastry topped with a creamy glaze. The smell made his stomach growl. Reaching in, he thanked her as he removed a roll and bit into it. The world stopped rotating for a moment. The explosion of sweetness on his tongue caused his eyes to close so that he could concentrate all his senses on the taste of this divine dessert. It was unlike anything he had tasted before. He couldn’t pinpoint this euphoric feeling that invaded him as he chewed. He looked over at Veda with wide eyes.


“Did you ever have anything like this in Tranquility? I never even bothered spending credits on those little shortcrust jam things. But if they had tasted like this, I would have,” he said to her with a silly smile plastered to his face. Who knew that food could make you this happy?

 

[Space Cowboy Ein]

Domenic L. Kader ~ Minister of Defense


No sooner had Dom closed the investigative findings did another message pop up. This time it was from Eve. He wasn't able to get a proper write up to her desk earlier in the day mostly because he was waiting on the preceding message to hit his own. He read through the information while cleaning up Mist. "Record message." He commanded to the tablet while he picked up Rem and wrapped him up in a nearby towel. Thankfully the kittens mews weren't enough to confuse the voice recognition and soon a ping prompted him to deliver his response to his superior.


Eve,


I just got the first bits of information from forensics based on what he could collect from the scene. Seems whoever caused this breach is walking among us. The bullets and their casings were made here in Tranquility, and the patterns of the boot prints in the park's dirt match that of our usual issue. These might be the same people running around and tagging the city with those that pill nonsense. I'll get a digital report to you later tonight, and a physical on your desk by noon. I'd do it earlier but it seems Raph's party is too big to not be at, even as the MoD. Will you be attending with the President?


P.S. Rem survived yet another bath.


- Domenic L. Kader





With the message sent, Dom was able to finish up drying off the kitten and reached back to to do the same for Mist. His mind swapped between the party and the security breach. It made him even less relaxed to think about the fact that someone in there could likely be a spy. There were forces at work against the city, and he had a feeling they were just getting started. The thought gnawed at him though, with the patch, how was something so brazen be possible? It certainly couldn't be anyone outside of the city, even though life existed there, it couldn't be so organized and intent to work against them.


With a sigh he let Mist loose and turned to drain the tub. He was thinking too much. And if he did that, he wouldn't look good at the party. They were issues to be addressed come the morning, for now he had to go make sure his tailor got his tuxedo right.

 

[RZA]

Veda Creed | Location: Market Square


Intrigued by Keanu’s wide eyed glance and Sola’s declaration, she reached out and grabbed a cinnamon roll as well. It was ambrosial and Veda couldn’t help but smile as she chewed. Who knew a pastry had the divine ability to bring smiles and good feelings?


She swallowed and took another bite, chewing slowly and savouring each bite. Spices blended in the warm, buttery dough, and Veda couldn’t get enough. Her stomach growled again, clearly thanking her for such a delicious breakfast. The white, sugary icing melted on her tongue and she held back a peal of delight. Veda agreed with Sola’s declaration; this cinnamon roll was the best thing she had ever tasted.


Tranquility had nothing on this and everything about it suddenly seemed so dull. You tasted the food in Tranquility but you didn’t enjoy it; you ate simply for sustenance, and never dreamt that anything better could exist. Deprived of true taste since birth, the Tranquil didn’t have a clue what was waiting for them outside it’s peaceful bars.


Veda looked up at Solara and then to Keanu. “These are delicious,” She took another bite, and spoke with her mouth half full - “I might need another one though…”


Lugh Melrose | Location: Market Square


When Kais walked up to his booth, he was pleasantly surprised. Not by his message from Shasta, he and Savi both had planned to visit him after lunch, even if they hadn’t told each other. No, what surprised him, was the fact that Kais delivered the message himself. It wasn’t hard for Lugh to connect the reasoning when his eyes flicked to Nolan and then spoke. Lugh nodded his head thoughtfully as he listened to what Kais had to say.


It was vague, like Kais, yet held nuggets of information that was easy to piece together for someone like Lugh. So Starkey’s ramblings might have been true, Lugh thought quickly. Reconnaissance was the name of tonight’s game, and he’d bet his rifle on it. Kais was one, if not the best sniper Spark had to offer, and Nolan had intrinsic knowledge of Tranquility. Starkey was probably right, Shasta brought home something that could help the Spark’s rebellion…


Lugh glanced at Kais, taking him in quickly. He looked tired, as anyone would who had spent the night protecting Spark territory, but there was something hidden beneath his calm exterior. Besides seeing him with Shasta or Sola, going to school together when they were younger, and the brief three-month training that everyone took before specialized training began, Lugh had rarely been in contact with Kais. If he had known him better, Lugh might have asked what was on his mind, but the thought was humorous. Sola had told him long ago that Kais only had true conversations with herself and Shasta.


What a shame, Lugh thought.


“So how’ve you been Kais? You likin’ your new promotion?” Lugh asked with a cheeky grin, unable to stand the growing silence. He glanced over at Nolan who had yet to say anything, wondering what was on his mind.

 

[Zoola]

Nolan Salem


Nolan was surprised to see Kais approaching the booth. Certainly he wasn't there to strike up a friendly chat with them; if he took the time to weave through the crowded building of the Market Expo, he meant business. As Kais approached, Nolan found himself unwittingly straightening his posture and tightening his muscles. Something about Kais's presence caused Nolan to become tense, as if he had to behave in a certain manner. His reaction was not unlike that of a rowdy student in the presence of a strict teacher. Nolan was well aware of the reason for his reaction: Kais scared him shitless. Which was a rare feat in and of itself, since Nolan was usually a man of few fears. Something about Kais reminded Nolan of his father. Perhaps it was his all too familiar taciturn, down-to-business nature that stirred up feelings of uneasiness in the otherwise dauntless man. Nolan listened carefully as Kais elaborated on his reason for hunting him down, his brows raised in curiosity.


"'Investigation'?" Nolan repeated. As a result of curiosity, his first instinct was to push for further information. As he begun to do so, he realized there was likely a reason behind Kais's vague explanation, and stopped the words in his throat. Instead, he simply nodded. He did wonder, though - what kind of investigation called for such confidentiality? Needless to say, Nolan was eager to find out. He was slightly less enthused, however, to carry out the task with Kais. Nolan's natural inclination was towards talkativeness. From what Nolan knew about him, Kais's was not. His exterior was cool, professional - everything Nolan was not. Still, perhaps the opportunity presented the chance for the two to build some semblance of friendliness between them. "Alright, the two of us out in Tranquility! Sounds like a good time. What time are we heading out?"

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

There was a distinct note of surprise on the face of both men as Kais addressed them, but Lukas looked surprised and pleased while Nolan looked surprised and afraid. The latter he understood, at least--most people in the Ruins were either wary of him or simply had no idea what to make of him. When he had discovered, early in life, that socialization was simply not something he had a knack for, that he would never truly be able to make people like him as they liked Sola and Shasta, he had begun cultivating his appearance to earn respect in a different way. As a boy he had been teased and bullied for being different; these days people were too afraid of him to even try. Perhaps it was not preferable to truly being liked, but it was definitely preferable to being stepped on. Kais took what he could get, but it didn't stop glimpses of what was underneath showing through from time to time. He didn't often socialize with people anymore, if he did it was because he needed to; being caught off-guard by a social interaction turned him into cat fleeing from an over-affectionate human, but when he knew a social interaction was coming, as he had this time, something a little bit different came through.

“So how’ve you been Kais? You likin’ your new promotion?”


Lukas seemed the sort of person who talked to break silence, who was uncomfortable standing around, not saying anything. It was probably best that he wasn't going to Tranquility with Kais; it likely would have resulted in Kais not saying anything at all the entire time, just to see how long his partner could bear it for. Stoll, when he spoke Kais met his eye, but didn't return his smile.


"I am... killing it." Kais said, face perfectly straight.


It wasn't the sort of thing that people usually said with a straight face. It also wasn't the sort of thing that most people expect to come out of Kais' mouth. The fact of the matter was, though, that such wry and often in-bad-taste comments were usually bubbling right below the surface under his dour demeanor. It was what caused the other half of the Spark population to have no idea what to make of him.


The past few days had been one stress after another, with not a moment to breathe. Needless to say, that sort of serious environment had a habit of killing Kais' humor before it made it to the surface. But things were calmer, now; yes, they were about to go on a mission that was, in all probability, a trap, but what was fun without danger? He would be off enjoying himself in Tranquility and trying not to get shot while his best friends were safe in the Ruins, which was exactly how he liked it.


"Alright, the two of us out in Tranquility! Sounds like a good time. What time are we heading out?"


"Half-seven; I'm sure we'll become fast friends," The expression on his face and the neutrality of Kais' voice made it impossible to tell if he was serious or not. He spoke again, as if struck by a sudden thought, "Wouldn't it be hilarious if the whole thing turned out to be a trap, and in the rush to escape with our lives, I mistook you for a guardbot and accidentally put a bullet in your head?" Neither his tone nor his expression changed from polite disinterest the entire time he spoke.


It didn't really occur to him at the time that this was a poor time to make such a joke--though it had long since occurred to him that most people didn't recognize his jokes as such; this was the time he had been thinking about it, and so this was the time when he voiced it. Personally, he thought it was hilarious--he would laugh about it later, but for now he merely flashed the two of them a huge smile that never reached his eyes, and turned on his heel to leave.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Reconnaissance and Delivery: Part I


Kais Wiltchil & Nolan Salem
​

8:00PM


En Route to Tranquility


The sun had sunk below the horizon, plunging the forest into darkness, and Kais and Nolan were on their way to Tranquility nearly an hour earlier than was custom. Kais was dressed as any self-respecting sniper ought to be: he wore black pants, tucked into black boots, with a long-sleeved black shirt. He had taken the time to groom and plait his hair, so that it hung in a loose knot at the base of his neck--out of the way but still comfortable. His face was smeared with black greasepaint and a pair of fingerless gloves covered his hands. The weapons he carried were usual, though he had left Scorpion in the Ruins and carried only Venom, Bane, a knife, spare ammunition, and a pair of binoculars. In the dark he looked like a shadow, the only part of him not obscured were his already-dark eyes.


Nolan, on the other hand, had hardly taken care to prepare for the mission, at least physically. He was still wearing the same attire from earlier that day, the stained pants included. He'd abandoned the hat for the time being, for identity's sake, and instead had a black hoodie pulled tight over his messy hair. He'd taken a shower, at least. The two traveled in silence, the night time forest ambience the only sound that accompanied them.


"So, uh," Nolan cleared his throat, breaking the silence, "What's our plan gonna be?"


“We received a datapad detailing the guard rotation for Rust District; our job is to verify that information in what little time we have,” Kais was halfway sunk into his professional persona; there was enough time between now and Tranquility that he felt no pressure, but the pending excitement had called his cold-blooded side to the surface unbidden. “How familiar are you with the Rust District?”


Nolan paused for a moment, retrieving the memories of Tranquility from the corners of his mind. “When I worked security for PaxCor, I got a pretty good view from the cameras and sometimes I had to go down there to investigate security issues. It wasn’t often, but I’d say I’m pretty familiar with it. Some things probably changed in the last 6 years, but I think I got a general idea.”


“We’ll need a place where we can observe the guards without being observed--a vantage point that will fit two of us. Or two vantage points that will fit one each,” Kais considered, “That latter would be preferable. The more guards we can see, the more information we can verify in an hour. Can you think of something that will work?”


Nol took a few seconds to consider their options, piecing together a mental map of the Rust Sector in his mind. “The Rust District is full of buildings and factories, so I’m thinking our best bet is to get to the top of one of them to scope out from above.” He nodded thoughtfully, continuing, “The bots don’t patrol upwards, and we’ll get a good view from there, too. We can use the service ladders to get to the top.”


“Good. We’ll plan on that then,” Kais said before letting silence fall between them again; everything that needed to be said had been said.


They covered ground together in silence once more, making good time toward Tranquility. After nearly an hour of nothing but the sound of twigs snapping beneath their feet, Kais was struck, recalling the joke he had made when he’d spoken with Nolan in the market. He grinned through the darkness, moonlight flashing off his teeth.


‘Wouldn’t it be hilarious if… I mistook you for a guardbot and accidentally shot you in the head?’


A laugh built deep in his stomach, until it bubbled up out of his mouth, starting as a low cackle, hardly discernable from the sound of the squirrels in the surrounding trees, and building into a laugh so salient and hollow it was unnerving. By that time he had sunk entirely into the professional; if it had been daylight Nolan would have been able to see the sharp and terrifying contrast between an emotionless face and a laugh so jarring it nearly prevented Kais from walking straight.


At first, Kais's gradually increasing chuckle had gone unnoticed by Nolan - until it had escalated into a full-blown laugh. It took Nolan by surprise, and he whipped towards Kais, a look of concern painting his face. It sounded like he was laughing, but it had come on so suddenly - and out of nowhere, they had been walking in utter silence up until then, after all - that at first Nolan thought Kais was gripped by a sudden illness. Confusion gripped Nolan, and he looked towards Kais, his brows raised, perplexed.


"Kais?" Nol asked, "Kais, you-you alright there?"


“Eheh… wouldn’t it be funny… ha ha… if I.. aha ha… shot you in the head…?” Kais managed, between spurts of hollow laughter.


In that moment, only one thought consumed Nolan’s mind: what in the hell? Kais’s explanation only deepened Nolan’s confusion, until he recalled their first meeting that morning. He was slightly comforted upon coming to that recollection, in that he wasn’t traveling with a complete psychopath who randomly decided to have a chuckle about shooting someone else in the head. Nolan allowed a small, albeit somewhat forced, laugh to escape from his throat.


“I guess it would be a little funny if you shot me. I mean, not for me, but, you know. That’d make a pretty funny story to tell: ‘Hey, remember that time I was running for my life and shot Nolan in the head’?” By that time, his chuckle was coming more naturally (though still somewhat uncomfortably), and his demeanor eased into a more casual one.


Truth be told, Kais had not expected Nolan to actually find it funny. It was a rare occasion when anyone laughed at one of his jokes, excepting himself. Beyond the spark of surprise from finding the unexpected, though, Kais felt no particular emotion associated with Nol’s laughter--he was neither pleased that Nolan had thought it was funny, nor disappointed that he hadn’t been permanently unnerved by it. Instead his laughter died away gradually and he flashed Nol an empty smile in the darkness.


“No one would believe me.” Kais said, smile gone once more and only a blank, robotic face looking back at him. His tone was equally bland, matter-of-fact. No one would ever believe that the best sniper in the Ruins had accidentally killed his partner. But there was no remorse in his voice that suggested that this knowledge meant it would be a bad idea to shoot Nol. Instead he simply kept walking in silence; Tranquility, and their mission, loomed.

 

[Zoola]

Reconnaissance and Delivery: Part II


Kais Wiltchil & Nolan Salem
​

9:30PM


Rust District





The tunnel into Tranquility was unguarded, their progress to the Rust District unhindered and uneventful. When the reached the belching factories of Rust District, Nolan took the lead. “This way,” he said, his voice low. Though they were clear so far, he kept his hand near the knives sheathed in his belt, ready to reach for it at any given moment. He expertly navigated through the empty streets of the Rust District. For a fleeting second, his mind wandered as he walked through the familiar roads of Tranquility, and he couldn’t help but think of his sister. She was just beyond the wall that separated the Diamond District from every other sector in the city. Then he remembered the task at hand, his mind fully focused on their mission now. As they neared a building, the familiar whirring of a nearby guard bot approached. Quickly, Nolan motioned to Kais, and he speedily ducked into a nearby alley, taking refuge behind a dumpster. Nolan’s eyes wandered the alley, spotting exactly what he was searching for - a ladder attached to one of the factory walls that would lead them to the top. Silently, Nol jerked his head in the direction of the ladder towards Kais, an unspoken signal for him to follow.


Kais mounted the ladder behind Nol and together they climbed to the top of the factory, keeping close to the wall with one eye on the lookout for approaching guards--in spite of the fact that they didn’t patrol the factory tops, it never hurt to be cautious, and getting caught on video was not on the agenda for the night.


The top of the ladder spilled out onto a ledge, bordering a smoke stack and connecting in a series of catwalk-like maintenence paths. Kais cast his eyes over the Rust District; it was a nice view, even if it was a disgusting place to stand. There wasn’t much cover anywhere, but they had very few options--watch the guards or die trying. A little farther along the catwalk was a niche in the adjacent factory; from that point, Kais guessed he would be able to see around the building they were currently standing on, and get a different view of the district while still keeping in contact with Nol. He caught Nolan’s eye and pointed toward the niche, then to himself to indicate that was where he would station himself. Nol nodded, flashing a thumbs up as a signal that he understood his intentions.


Kais made his way across the walkway to the other factory; the niche was just small enough to conceal himself and keep Bane out and ready. He settled himself back into the shadows in rather awkward position and watched.


The next hour passed without event; Kais and Nolan took careful note of the guard rotation, stowing the information away to later cross reference with the datapad that Kais carried. By the time Kais was certain the cramp in the back of his neck was going to become a permanent part of his life, the district clock struck eleven and it was time for them to be off once more.





11:30PM


Glass District: Behind the Library of Unity


Things were always quiet in Tranquility at this time of night; it was the tense kind of quiet that Kais had come to love, the kind of quiet that meant anything could happen at any time… But it didn’t. Not that night, at least. Their trek from the Rust District across to Glass was as uneventful as their walk in to Tranquility. The only difference was this time Kais’ back felt like someone had his him with a hammer, repeatedly. He almost would have prefered a trap to being stuck in a two-foot cubby for an hour and a half watching robots move back and forth.


The delivery point was set for the blind spot behind the Library of Unity, but delivery was Nolan’s job. When they reached the alley, Kais cast about for the drain pipe he knew was there, and motioned to Nolan that he was going up. Up was always the best place for a sniper to be--he wouldn’t do anyone any good if he couldn’t see the guards coming. He wouldn’t even get a chance to shoot Nol in the head, from the ground.


So he climbed the drainage pipe with the dexterity of a monkey. The top of the library was much more comfortable--Kais had the space to properly situate himself and Bane, and he lost no time in doing so, choosing a spot that would give him both cover, and a clear line of sight to Nolan.


With that, Nolan started towards the delivery spot, rustling through his pockets for the package that contained the pills. Nursing his hands in his pockets, he glanced around for any signs of movement or anyone approaching, alone save for Kais watching him from above. Then, he waited.