|
Post by Shizuka Jaeger on Dec 17, 2017 0:57:43 GMT -6
Arbita momentarily paused when the strawberry blonde showed interest in the explosives. She was no ordinary buyer. He briefly wondered what he was getting into.
Shizuka noticed the momentary pause. He was smarter than he looked. After a brief pause, he smiled again.
"Oh, so you're in a really rough part of town, huh?" He asked. He picked up one of the small, spherical explosives. It was silver and had what looked like a trench running along the equator.
"This... this is a new kind of incendiary explosive. They're technically called Mark II Miniature Heat Projectors, but people call them Heat Waves because they heat things up in a hurry. When they go off, they create a sphere of intense heat that can burn humans to a crisp and melt through most metal support beams. You wouldn't want to be near one when it goes off. If you're not worried about collateral damage or precision, then Heat Waves are a good choice." He answered.
"They're also a lot more stable than the Mark I Miniature Heat Projectors. The Mark Is have a nasty tendency to go off at the slightest jolt. The tradeoff is that the Mark IIs have a slightly smaller blast radius... say, 5 meters as opposed to the 7.5 meters of the Mark I." Arbita continued. When he recalled the strawberry blonde's question about the Guardians and Defenders, he took a moment to recall the prices.
"So you're interested in ten Guardians and two Defenders? I can do 1500 for the Guardians and 3500 for the Defenders." Arbita answered her query. Turning back to the Mark II in his hand, he decided to quote a figure for those too.
"The Mark IIs are 1000 apiece." Arbita added.
Shizuka was caught off guard. 1000 apiece for those small things?
"Why... why are they so expensive?" Shizuka asked.
"Two reasons, my friend. One, they're new to the market, so supplies are limited. Two, they're very popular with mercenaries, so demand is high." Arbita answered.
"Both are compelling reasons." Shizuka conceded.
"Any more questions?" He asked them.
|
|
|
Post by Annabelle Schmidt on Dec 18, 2017 22:28:53 GMT -6
Annabelle listened closely to explanation about the explosives. They were nice should the objective be mass destruction. They needed more stealth than bringing down an entire household. She might have given too much away. She knew ways of covering her tracks with a slight redirection. She heard the prices of all. It was more than they could afford at the moment.
A frown came to her face as she debated for a moment. She would keep with the current charade. She walked close to the dealer as she tossed her hair over her shoulder.
"I think our boss was not looking for something to keep his club in one piece, not destroy it. I think he said something flashy than again I was not really paying attention." She gave a tiny giggle.
She stood close to the man as she tapped her finger to her lips. "I don't thing he can afford all of that. We are just a small club right at that edge of really rough. I think we could do half of what he wanted. So five and one?"
|
|
|
Post by Shizuka Jaeger on Dec 18, 2017 23:09:27 GMT -6
"Five and one?" Arbita repeated. The strawberry blonde was an interesting one. If he did not know any better, the dealer would say that he was being picked for information. Or maybe she was just uncertain. Arbita dealt with uncertain customers a lot.
"Is there a problem with the arrangement?" Shizuka asked. Arbita turned to face her.
Some of them were uncomfortable with purchasing a weapon and the weight of the responsibility it bore. Others were intimidated by the security measures. Some were both uncomfortable and intimidated. It was of no serious concern to him. If his customers were happy, he was happy, and happy customers meant repeat business.
"Not at all, my dear." Arbita answered confidently. Time to make the sale.
"Certainly! We can do five and one. You don't have to buy all my inventory in one go. I'll be here." Arbita said to both ladies with a smile. At least, he hoped he would still be here. Now came the issue of payment.
"So, that's 750 for five Guardians and 1750 for one Defender. How will you pay?" Arbita asked them.
|
|
|
Post by Annabelle Schmidt on Dec 19, 2017 21:32:15 GMT -6
Annabelle nodded her head as he repeated back their order with the price. It seemed more reasonable. They would have to collect on bounties. It would help their credit situation for a bit. They needed a better way to fund their cause.
She let a playful smile cross her face as she pulled out a credit stick. "Hopefully this will work nicely. Our manager was not keen on us carry anything more on us."
She handed it over the dealer. A hand was placed on her hip as she watched him with care. He seemed to have bought their act. Or at least gave her that impression.
|
|
|
Post by Shizuka Jaeger on Dec 19, 2017 23:27:06 GMT -6
Arbita took the credit stick. He swiped it through a portable scanner brought to him by one of his guards. After a few seconds, the transaction was complete. There were no problems and everything was above board. Well, about as above board as illicit arms deals could get.
"Everything's ready to go, ladies. I've received payment with no problems." Arbita said as he returned the credit stick to the strawberry blonde. A black-clad guard brought the purchased weapons over in a nondescript gray carrying case. Arbita thanked the guard and presented it to the pair.
"I've taken the liberty of adding three magazines and enough ammunition for three reloads for each Guardian and three power cells for the Defender. There's no extra charge. That should be enough to get you started." Arbita said to them. He was not worried about his own weapons being used against him. He had enough security around to make an attempt on his life impossible for all but the most daring or foolhardy. Besides, he had a feeling these two would not be enemies unless he antagonized them.
Shizuka was impressed. She expected a sleazy snake oil salesman, but they got a fair deal and reasonably good customer service. He seemed like a good guy... for a back alley arms dealer.
"One last thing... how do I know you didn't give us blank ammunition and faulty magazines?" Shizuka asked. Again, Arbita did not take offense. He simply smiled and opened the case. He took out the bullets from each Guardian clip and took it apart, showing the gunpowder and lead for each bullet in the magazine. He took a Defender energy cell and opened it, showing functional electronic components within.
A guard brought him replacements for all the demonstration ammunition. Arbita took all fifteen Guardian magazines, loaded them to capacity, then unloaded them in front of the ladies. It was a somewhat lengthy process, but the goodwill he earned made it worthwhile. He was involved in one of the most deplorable trades in existence, but he did not cheat his customers.
"OK, I'm convinced." Shizuka said in embarrassment. She almost felt bad for making the man do all of that work. However, she had to be sure that they were getting what they paid for.
"Don't be embarrassed, young lady. You need to know that you're not getting faulty weapons, blank ammunition and defective magazines for your money. Customers want to make sure they're not getting ripped off in a transaction like this. I don't blame them." Arbita said without a hint of malice.
"Is there anything else before you ladies go?" Arbita asked as a guard handed him a broom to sweep up the gunpowder and empty brass casings.
|
|
|
Post by Annabelle Schmidt on Dec 20, 2017 19:09:57 GMT -6
Annabelle let out a silent sigh of relief. It was a little nerve wracking when seeing if the purchase went through, especially with a counterfiet stick. She wanted to make sure that there was no way it could ever be traced back to her or her brother. It would be a disaster should anyone find out. She watched as the bags where carried out to them. She smiled as she took her stick back.
"That is mighty kind of you to do that. Our manager will be most pleased with us. Hopefully if we should need more, we can expect the same kind of treatment?"
She took a step closer when Shizuka asked a smart question. It would follow the tiny game that they had been playing. It worked out as no one had ever suspected anything else. She watched carefully every movement that Arbita had made. She knew what to expect from each of the weapons. She was pleased to see he was smart enough to give the real thing. She could not count the number of times that someone had tried to cheat them.
"I think that will do. Thank you for helping us out. This way we will know what we are getting into the next time we need to buy from you." She gave him a smile with a quick wink of her eye.
She picked up one of the bags with a tiny little grunt. She started to head back the way they came. She knew if they were ever double crossed by him, it would be a tough fight. She kept the smile on her face, only to drop her sweet act once they were out of sight of the building. She cleared a path back to the more main part of this section of town.
"Nice work, Shizuka. You did well. I think we will drop these off then head to my informant. It will be nice to have someone around to help me not to kill the patronizing pig."
|
|
|
Post by Shizuka Jaeger on Dec 20, 2017 23:40:24 GMT -6
Arbita smiled.
"Of course. Come back any time!" He bade them farewell. He hated to see them go. It was not every day that two attractive women came in here. He then turned back to sweeping up the mess he made. It was worth it if repeat business came his way.
-Main part of town-
"Well, that went better than I expected." Shizuka said to Annabelle. She had been in some seedy places before, but she had never been inside such a fortified place. She had also never met an arms dealer before. When Annabelle praised her, Shizuka blushed.
"Thanks for the compliment. I mean that." Shizuka said to Annabelle. When she joined , Shizuka had no idea what she was getting into. She expected to be the muscle, but she was being challenged to be something other than just a fighter. The group was still small, so members had to play multiple roles. Still, it was nice to know that someone saw her as something other than dumb muscle or a sexual conquest.
"So you're about to visit your informant? Is he as heavily armed as Arbita and his guards?" Shizuka asked.
|
|
|
Post by Annabelle Schmidt on Dec 22, 2017 21:40:58 GMT -6
Annabelle shrugged at her comment. To her, Arbita was just another means to an end. She would keep going back to him until his usefulness was done. He was under the radar which is what they needed at the moment. Maybe next time, the explosive stock would have more variety. "He will be useful for now. Let's hope he never double crosses us. It would be a challenge though we could take him."
She smiled as they weaved their way through the streets. "I call it like I see. Some have blown deals like that up in a matter of minutes. Word of advice, always maintain your cover story, even if you know you will die, until things go very south. Some field agents forget that which only ended very badly for them. To surprise your enemy with a turn about keeps you alive. Or at least it has for me."
She sighed as she nodded her head. "She is quite the character. She has tried many times to inform me that I'm a stupid bitch and the likes of me should bow to her every whim. If she didn't have the useful information that she does, I would have killed her awhile ago."
The grip on the back tighten as she growled slightly. Every time she is called out for being a tease when she was in the presence of that woman.
Annabelle, in the past, had slept with various people for her missions. Normally they would be targets and easily seduced. In the recent year, she found that it was not necessary while on the run. She gave a shudder as she thought of the different ways she would eventually kill this woman.
Their surroundings slowly got nicer as they headed to the nearest port. A slightly upscale one allowed her some security that the shuttle would still be there when business was concluded. She nodded her head to the security guard as she lead them past the checkpoint. She tipped him well to keep others out of their business. She placed her hand on the side of the side as the biometrix lock read it. She signaled for Shizuka to enter the ship as she followed, closing the hatch.
She opened up the secret compartment as she placed her bag in. She motioned for the girl to do the same. She tapped her foot as she tried to come up with a cover for a stranger. It would be difficult unless....
"How do you feel about being my pretend jealous lover of sorts? If you are uncomfortable, we can come up with a new plan of attack. The explanation of your being there needs to be very good."
|
|
|
Post by Shizuka Jaeger on Dec 23, 2017 0:06:38 GMT -6
Shizuka blinked. The informant was a she? That was what the purple-haired teenager got for making assumptions.
"It might sound dumb and/or naive, but I think our... contact is on the level. I know the street code. If you're selling something that people want, you'd better not cheat the customer. Maybe he had friends who tried to break it only to meet a nasty end. Maybe his scar's a reminder of a time he tried to break the code." Shizuka opined in the privacy of the ship. She was new to the secret agent business. There was no doubt about it. She would have to get used to seeing people as means to an end. Attachment only made parting with them harder.
Part of her could not get used to that.
"I'll have to remember the importance of maintaining the cover story. But this time it was easy. We really did want weapons, so I didn't have to act too much. And the guards apparently thought that I was a club worker." Shizuka said to Annabelle. She would have to remember to carry a weapon next time. She caught a lucky break when there was no fighting at Arbita's. She could not just grab one off the table and start shooting because he was smart enough to keep ammunition away from the weapons. They would have likely been killed before they could prime a Heat Wave.
"Sounds like your informant's... interesting." Shizuka said diplomatically. Listening to Annabelle describe the dislike she had for the woman made Shizuka worry. It also reminded her to never make an enemy of Annabelle.
When Annabelle suggested that Shizuka pretend to be a jealous lover, Shizuka blushed. Furiously. She looked at Annabelle as an older sister, not lover material.
Well, Annabelle WAS kind of attractive. And pretending to be lovers would help the cause. And creating another convincing cover story would likely take time they did not have.
Time to take one for the team.
"Eh, why not? Coming up with another good cover story would take too much time. We'll go with the cover story that we're romantically involved." Shizuka consented to Annabelle's cover story. This was one time that being part Venusian came in handy. Sometimes she did not need to pretend to be interested in anyone.
"So, what's the plan when it comes to our informant?" Shizuka asked.
|
|
|
Post by Annabelle Schmidt on Dec 23, 2017 23:01:08 GMT -6
Annabelle liked the fact that the young woman was thinking about the past of the weapons dealer. It was a good skill to have with getting into other people's heads. It helped when dealing with people, that and body language. It had been an art she mastered long ago.
"Who can say really? In time, we might be able to get to know him a little better. It was smart that we didn't push our luck as strangers. He has trust issues that much is clear. We might get to know more about how he got into business next time around."
She liked that Shizuka took her advise to heart. It was nice to have someone listen to her about these things. Hell, she was enjoying training in a new generation. Maybe someday she would actually be able to retire from the game. She and Andrew had been doing this for two life times now.
She laughed as she saw the blush on the young woman's face. It might have been pushing the boundaries a little. She patted the girl on her shoulder as she smiled. It was good to hear that she was willing to do what was necessary.
"There is always time to come up with the perfect cover story. I was seeing if I could get this woman off my back a little bit. From your reaction, maybe not this time." Her green eyes looked straight into Shizuka. "What part do you think we should play? We will come up with a plan once we get that in place."
|
|
|
Post by Shizuka Jaeger on Dec 24, 2017 0:06:45 GMT -6
Shizuka was silently relieved when the lovers plan was dropped. Otherwise she would have had to bathe in scalding water to remove the dirty feeling. Well, she would have done it for the team. When push came to shove, the fate of the galaxy trumped her personal distaste.
"What role? Good question." Shizuka started. The purple-haired teenager was not much of a thinker. Maybe that was why Annabelle asked her. Maybe the point was to challenge her to grow into the role for when Annabelle was busy elsewhere.
"How far would playing dumb go with her?" Shizuka asked.
"If that's not a plan, what else besides romance or money works on her?" Shizuka asked another question.
"If all else fails, what's our last resort?" Shizuka asked a third question. She then paused to give Annabelle time to think.
|
|
|
Post by Annabelle Schmidt on Dec 24, 2017 21:33:37 GMT -6
Annabelle could see the relief in the girl's muscles. She started to pace the ship as the questions were asked. They were good which meant she was thinking. It might mean that they would have to think outside the box for this one. In the end, her informant would have a second person as a contact point. They would have to play their hand close to their chest unlike the weapons dealer. He was easily fooled.
"You would have do it extremely well, as in asking simple minded questions or going on an random topics. Which is to start with. Any slip ups, she would know you are lying in an instant. I have almost blown my backstory a few times. I never did say money works on her. This woman deals with information. She gives us something, we give something of equal value in return. She makes her money through buying and selling illegal drugs. Her cover business is an herbal medicine shop."
She let a finger tap on the end of her nose. "Our last resort is we turn and burn the whole place. It is something I want to avoid at all costs. Rumors would spread like wildfire if anyone noticed we were the last to leave. Maybe..."
An idea struck her as she walked around Shizuka. She took in a mental picture, it might work. For her apprentice, it would not be too much of a stretch to pull it off.
"My young sister who needs to replace her performance enhancing drugs for her local fights. You want something that is not detected by normal scans as you are looking to enter into the big time. It would allow you to play what you already know. Plus, being a little slow to respond at times might help sell it. Fighters here tend to get beat up fairly badly, often suffering many debilitating blows to the head. Think you can do that?"
|
|
|
Post by Shizuka Jaeger on Dec 24, 2017 22:47:35 GMT -6
Shizuka listened to the idea with interest. So she was going to fake needing performance enhancing drugs? And she did not have to think too much while she was at it? She could do that.
"So all I need to do is play dumb, go on nonsensical tangents and ask simple-minded questions? I should be able to swing that." Shizuka asserted. Annabelle's warning to stay in character would have to be remembered. This one would not be fooled by pretty faces. When Shizuka thought of faces, she had an idea. A painful one, but still an idea.
"Hey Annabelle, why don't you hit me really hard a few times so I look bruised up? If your informant's a smart one, makeup won't cut it. It might help us sell the ploy. If you're really worried about your contact seeing through it, just hit me until I start to bleed." Shizuka suggested. She was probably going to regret this suggestion. However, if it helped advance their plan, she would do it.
|
|
|
Post by Annabelle Schmidt on Dec 25, 2017 18:20:44 GMT -6
Annabelle smiled as the girl took to this idea much better. It helped to be able to brainstorm through a clever ploy. Her finger continued to tap her lip as the girl mentioned getting bruised up. It could work! She motioned for Shizuka to have a seat in the chair. She did not need their newest member to get hurt more than necessary.
"You are getting ahead of yourself. I said answer questions a little slower as well as asking for clarification should something feeling overly complicated. I don't need you to go over board as it might really seem we are trying to pull the wool over her eyes."
|
|
|
Post by Shizuka Jaeger on Dec 25, 2017 22:38:30 GMT -6
"OK, we can tone it down a little. Blood might be a bit too much. We don't need blood to sell the deception." Shizuka readily agreed with Annabelle.
"Do you think your informant has any medical training? Even a little? Enough to see through our plan?" Shizuka asked. Suddenly something else came to mind.
"If we say I'm a fighter, do you think she might actually know some of the local fighters? Do you think she'll ask promoters for fight cards to prove we are who we say we are?" Shizuka asked. She worried about contradicting Annabelle too much. Shizuka was the new guy.
Still, their plan had to be believable. The purple-haired teenager had as much stake in this as Annabelle, if not more. She would be the one doing the most challenging acting, so they needed to get their story straight.
|
|