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Post by SceneMod on Jan 30, 2010 12:58:10 GMT -5
Fetch meets Xaaron's flat stare with one equally as unreadable. Once the Autobot leader stops talking, Fetch remains quiet for a few seconds, chewing on his lower lip a bit.
And then he laughs, a loud and obnoxious sound that ends with him snorting and gasping. Eventually he calms enough to speak again.
"Okay, okay, you? You're a funny guy, but you obviously ain't been to Pz-Zazz before. We gots warrior races out the arse here. Got some of 'em on the pay, matter of fact. Don't need more. Need couriers, though," he adds as an afterthought.
"This," he spreads his arms wide and leans back, chair creaking, "is the great melting pot o' the universe."
Fetch waggles a finger a Xaaron, "Word of advice- don't run around raising the bet lest you got a damned good idea what the other guy's holdin'."
"Legal or not, it's still drugs. Warriors or not, there's still gonna be people whats tries ta get them drugs through alternate channels. You might be able ta handle them no problem, but the stations still gotta think of the safety and well-bein' of all it's parkers and workers, ya see."
"But I think I like ya, Em-r-ate, 'cause you got some big brass ones to try that mess on me. Well- maybe theys gold, but I ain't checkin' Don't swing mech."
"So what's say I knock fifteen percent off the total bill when you guys check out, eh? Maybe a bit better if there ain't no trouble on my station."
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Post by Kup on Jan 30, 2010 23:05:36 GMT -5
Kup doesn't correct Emirate Xaaron, and to his credit, he doesn't look startled at what the Autobot leader says, or at his offer. Perhaps his frown deepens a bit, but it was already pretty deep, anyway. Courier? Oh, hell, they've got a specialist in that one, not to mention a few others that are fast enough that they could do the job in a pinch. Kup doesn't mention that - he'll leave that portion of the negotiating to Emirate Xaaron. But either way, that sort of thing isn't for Kup.
He ain't fast enough, for one.
"Now, I know there's a need for retrieval specialists around here," Kup grunts. "If you ain't one of the ones needing, maybe you can point me towards someone who is?"
Retrieval specialist. In other words, bounty hunter.
Kup's not thrilled about revisiting that portion of his life, but hey, he can always turn down any job he doesn't like, and it'll help pay the bills.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 2, 2010 15:29:16 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron remains quite unreadable as Fetch breaks down lauhing and then outlines terms of a deal. He doesn't fly off the handle, declaring that his warrior honour has been insulted. He doesn't even frown.
He says smoothly, "I'm sure you've met purpose-built warriors before. Just wanted to make you aware that there is a difference in... style between my troops and perhaps some other organisations here."
Emirate Xaaron pulls out a deck of cards, his Decepticon spotter deck, where he happens to be one of the face cards, and he shuffles it absently, riffling it through his fingers. "In my experience, what you're holding is only as important as you let it be."
"Though couriers..." he doesn't sound overly interested, merely polite, "...what exactly would you be looking for, there?"
Kup the bounty hunter? Emirate Xaaron's own career prospects are likely rather limited, he suspects, but wrangling his men and making sure they don't get accused of... something they were probably doing anyway, is liable to consume his time. It's a shame he doesn't have the credentials, blackmail, or bribes to pass the bar.
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Post by SceneMod on Feb 2, 2010 17:07:00 GMT -5
Fetch's attention shifts rather abruptly to Kup at his request. He spends a few seconds sizing the old mech up- really looking him over this time, instead of the cursory looks he'd given Kup on arrival.
"Ain't you a little long in the tooth for that line a work, buddy?" Because even given the longevity of mech races, Kup still looks like an old fogey! "Still, you got that hardcase look, I suppose. Got some credent- cough, snork, hack...!"
Fetch breaks down in another coughing fit, and this time he snatches open a drawer and rummages around, eventually pulling out a one very large and very cheap cigar. He lights up, and after a few puffs, he's breathing normally again.
"Sorry, 'bout that. Time to clear the ol' lungs out a bit. As I were saying- credentials. Ain't gonna send no one to the Silver's what's can't pass the bar, know what I'm sayin'? Got my own standings ta consider."
His attention swings back to Xaaron, "I don't need no one special, see, just someone to run stuff back and forth 'tween here and the big bosses below. You'd be surprised how hard it is ta get peoples what don't think delivery work's beneath 'em."
"But Bossman," Fetch leans back in his chair again, puffing contentedly away on his stinky stogy, "He's been kevetching about needing someone fast to run some 'high-risk' somethin' or other." Fetch makes the air quotes, yes he does. "Because everyone he's tried seems to blow up halfway ta Point B from Point A."
Fetch is, of course, very aware that they are still in negotiations.
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Post by Kup on Feb 2, 2010 22:18:53 GMT -5
"Oh, yeah, Silver's!" Kup exclaims. He snorts. "You'll have to excuse me, been awhile since I've been in this section of the galaxy." That, and by the time Silver established himself, Kup had been back with the Autobots for a good, long while, and so he'd heard of Silver from the other side of things, through the sorts of alerts and bulletins that those in law enforcement tend to hear about Figures Of Interest who occupy the other side, or even just the gray areas that bounty hunters tend to belong in.
"Eh. You don't wanna point me towards him, so be it. I may be 'long in the tooth,' but I think I can manage to track him down on his own." Kup smirks. "It's a bit better that way, anyway. That sneaky ol' Sleazardo always did take being able to find him without inside help as being better'n any 'credentials,' anyway." And really, just knowing that much (especially the species) should suggest that maybe Kup's more 'in the know' than Fetch has assumed.
On the up side, if he is a bounty hunter, his odds of hearing about it if one of the other Autobots is in... a certain kind of trouble are pretty good, assuming that Kup himself isn't the cause of it!
He frowns as Fetch mentions exploding couriers. On the one hand, they don't get any faster than Blurr. If speed really is the issue, it'd be no problem for him. On the other hand, speed might not be the issue. He glances at Emirate Xaaron to see his reaction, but it's likely a futile gesture. The man's poker face is impeccable!
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 3, 2010 22:53:08 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron pauses in his shuffling, and he looks mildly contrite, the way one does when one's co-worker down the hall's paper boy's grandmother dies. He says quietly, "That is really a shame. I'm sorry you've had such trouble with so simple a task. I would think that people would be all over the opportunity for hazard pay."
He's fishing. Just what is this courier job worth? There is Blurr, yes, but there are any number of other Autobots who might also be suitable, depending on the exact nature of the task - Mirage, Override, Jetstorm, Jetfire, Synapse, Prowl...
But he won't show his cards yet, not if this is some worthless task. He cannot afford to seem too eager.
Emirate Xaaron inquires, "I must ask... is Death's Head about in these parts?" He moves one of his hands up under his chin thoughtfully. All Kup's talk of 'retrieval specialists' has reminded him of that frightful fellow from the reports.
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Post by SceneMod on Feb 5, 2010 23:18:39 GMT -5
"Heh, true enough that, buddy," Fetch laughs in reply to Kup's casual info dropping, "Welp, you think ya can cut it under his say, power to ya." No hair off Fetch's nose if Kup gets down there and gets his ass kicked, after all. So long as Fetch isn't the one what sends Kup there, that is.
"Hazard pay's only worth it if ya can live to spend it. Boss raises the stake each time; don't know what they's transportin', but I know the route starts out at AxisChem." Fetch rummages around in his drawer again and pulls out a couple more of his stogies. He starts to set them on the desk in front of Xaaron, and then Xaaron mention's Death's Head.
He scowls, "Now see, we was gettin' along just fine and ya had to go and mention that bugger." He stabs the cigars toward Xaaron's chest. "I even catch a hint of a wind that you or anyone on your ship's dealing with him, I'm a gonna toss you out on your ears. Or whatever ya got passes for ears. Even I got m' standards." Fetch gives a derisive snort and drops the cigars down on the desk.
Leaning back in his chair, he continues, "Back and forth usually, but I ain't heard that he's been planetside lately. And lessen he's finally learned tha meaning a subtlety, I'd a heard." He cuts his eyes at Kup, "You find Silver, you can ask him 'bout Death's Head."
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Post by Kup on Feb 6, 2010 0:14:35 GMT -5
Kup looks between fetch and Emirate Xaaron and does his very best (which is actually pretty good) not to give away the fact that he has no clue who Death's Head is.
He certainly has no idea that the Rodimus Prime they have along with them actually has had dealings with the guy.
He shrugs one shoulder, then snorts. "Eh, I just might," he answers, tone casual and confident. Not that he necessarily intends to go deal with Death's Head himself, but he's quite certain he can deal with Silver, and this sounds like something he needs to know about.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 8, 2010 15:45:25 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron folds up his deck of cards, reaching out a hand cautiously at the offered... object, and he gives Kup a look that clearly says 'what do I do with this'.
He says mildly, "I'll keep that in mind about Death's Head." Emirate Xaaron's never hired him and never run afoul of him personally. Just reports.
"Now, if I knew a bit more about the job, I might," maybe, "have a man," or woman, "up to it." He cannot afford to seem too interested. Desperate people get underpaid.
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Post by SceneMod on Feb 9, 2010 15:56:45 GMT -5
Fetch yanks his stogy out of his mouth and eyes Xaaron critically, almost like he's sizing the Emirate up the same way he sized up Kup earlier. The stationmaster worries at his bottom lip for a few minutes before answering.
"You wanna risk one a your folks on it, you'll have ta talk to the Boss planetside. I don't have all the particulars. Just supposed to feel out for interested parties and send 'em on to him. Pays big bucks on completion, like I said, and if ya don't complete- that is, ya go boom- then your listed dependent gets thirty percent a the negotiated pay as compensation. But ya gotta prove that connection. Gotta be a relative or spouse or legal companion, ya see."
Fetch snorts, then goes back to smoking, talking out of the side of his mouth now. "But me, like I said, I just need someone reliable what won't let my packages get filched. And won't be nosy 'bout what's in 'em neither. Pay's not steller, just a scosh better than ya get running for B'aytl's group on the ground."
"But," Fetch grins, "I got her way beat on the benefits. Free parking for one personal shuttle- or free room and board if'n ya wanna live on station- all the drinks at the station bar ya could want. And the gals- or guys if ya like 'em- at the Waystation 'll show a high time, every time, all on the house."
"Now that only applies for for one person, of course. Can't just write off all the bills for a whole warship worth of warrior robots, you see."
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Post by Kup on Feb 10, 2010 9:42:02 GMT -5
Kup looks down at Emirate Xaaron and the item he's managed to obtain. He nods his head breifly towards Fetch (preferably while Fetch isn't looking) to indicate, 'What he's doing,' then shakes his head, all minute motions. The boss can try to copy the dockmaster, but when it comes to cigars, sometimes it's more face-saving to just skip them than to look like a fool trying to learn on the fly.
He frowns as he hearss to what Fetch is asking for, and then looks again down at Emirate Xaaron, listening carefully to the 'negotiations' and any deals made. The thing about bounty hunting, at least to Kup's mind, is that it's not really too hard to find marks that actually need to be collected. The most noble of the noble types may scoff at the idea of accepting cash to capture and turn in someone who needs to be taken off the streets, anyway, but there are certainly worse ways to earn a shanix. The idea of delivering unknown packages to unknown parties bothers the oldster a lot more.
On the other hand, as the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers. It may just be a matter of bringing the jobs to the others and letting them decide for themselves.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 18, 2010 23:01:32 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron decides he doesn't have enough information on how to handle a cigar and just lets it rest for now. If that is offensive, he'll just have to deal.
Also, he wonders if any of his troops would be willing to marry him to commit insurance fraud. Back home, the answer would have been clear, but here... probably not. As Mirage has so pithily pointed out, he has a problem in that department.
Emirate Xaaron smiles and replies, "I think we have a few people who fit that bill." Anyone who is fast and the player wants the character to stay behind!
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Post by SceneMod on Feb 21, 2010 22:12:18 GMT -5
"Right then. Welp, you send whoever might be interested in my gig over. I'll size 'em up and see if one of 'em might cut it. If I give 'em a go, I'll call ya down here and we can draw up an amendment to the contract."
Fetch reaches over and taps the paper, "Ya still gotta sign, by the way." He adds another paper to the stack, "That's for the fifteen off, I mentioned earlier."
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Post by Kup on Feb 23, 2010 9:20:32 GMT -5
Kup shifts quietly. Looks like the meeting seems to be wrapping up, and he's ready to be on his way. Still, he does glances down at the extra paper thrown onto the stack, then nods to Emirate Xaaron, indicating that yes, that is what the paper says.
OOC: Looks like we're heading for a wrap?
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 28, 2010 21:27:31 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron has the nagging feeling that he could have and should have done better here.
There is a rather large impetus upon him to get the Autobots making money in a fashion that will not offend their morals, now.
He needs to find at least two couriers, too. One suited for danger. One suited for boredom.
Emirate Xaaron looks at Kup sidelong, and his hand hovers over the paper. Does Kup have any sage advice, any words of wisdom now?
Emirate Xaaron could use them sorely.
OOC: Please.
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