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Post by Springer on May 23, 2010 12:34:37 GMT -5
Springer looks up, momentarily apprehensive. "Well, long as you're gonna be nicer than the three we just chased off..." he says, grinning a bit. 'And even if you aren't', goes unspoken, however.
"What brings you ever here? Usually after something like that, the only thing that locals wanna discuss is chasing us out."
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Post by SceneMod on May 23, 2010 20:57:32 GMT -5
The woman sits down in the chair moved out by Emirate Xaaron, and coincidentally sliding it nearer to Springer as she does. She gives Springer a winning smile.
"Because you can chase off a group off Atrocitans? I would think that would encourage people to want to be your... friends," she says warmly. Then she leans towards the table and reaches her right hand towards Emirate Xaaron to try to shake his hand. He's not the warrior, but obviously the boss, so not greeting him first would seem a snub.
"My name's Dahn'na Troi," she says.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 23, 2010 21:35:51 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron looks at her hand quickly and then shakes it. He doesn't go for a crushing grip - she's just flesh, unless there's metal under her skin - but he does try to get a gauge of her grip strength. Hopefully she doesn't have a paralytic touch or something equally nasty or worse.
"Pleased to meet you, Dahn'na Troi. I'm Emirate Xaaron." Yes, half his name is 'the state or territory under the jurisdiction of an emir' and the other half is nonsense, and he did just give out his real name there, but he hasn't agreed on any alias with Springer beforehand, and a bad lie isn't just a golf problem. He spreads his hands and inquires, "I take it these 'Atrocitans' are not welcome in these parts?" He's obviously an off-worlder, anyway; may as well confirm it and get some information.
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Post by Springer on May 25, 2010 18:33:34 GMT -5
Springer has a faint bit of smile. "Ah, it was no trouble, really," he says, offering his hand once Dahn'na finishes shaking Xaaron's hand. "Name's Springer, miss."
"And if the rest of them are like that, then it seems like they're just a bunch of posturing wanna-be tough-guys."
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Post by SceneMod on May 25, 2010 22:10:08 GMT -5
There's no metal, and no paralytic touch, but Dahn'na's grip is quite firm. "Not welcome, no, but they've been encroaching more and more." Then she turns a winning smile on Springer as she moves to shake his hand as well.
"Oh, you underestimate them, but here, 'bunch' is the most important word. There's quite a lot of them - dealing with three is one thing. Dealing with their full numbers..." she shrugs her right shoulder, then she smiles again and leans towards Springer. "Nothing that you can't deal with, though, from the looks of it."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 26, 2010 11:47:07 GMT -5
Under the table, Emirate Xaaron dabs at some of the lingering acid that is still eating away slowly at his arm with a napkin. The napkin is promptly devoured, and he lets the remains falls to floor without comment.
He inquires, trying not to sound too interested, "How many are we talking about here, exactly, Miss Troi?" Knowing how many people now want him to take a long walk off a short pier into a hot smelting pool would be nice. He takes another sip of his drink.
Miss Troi seems to be flattering Springer, and Emirate Xaaron wonders why. Is she hoping that perhaps he'll decide to take on all the Atrocitans alone and thereby rid her of some of her enemies?
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Post by Springer on May 27, 2010 14:56:08 GMT -5
Springer shrugs back at her. "If there were more, I'd be more comfortable if I had my team with me, but they're not here." A momentary pause, then Springer sighs. "However" he starts, motioning to Xaaron and himself "We've got our own set of problems to deal with."
Sure, the woman's situation sounds interesting enough to consider, but adding it to all the other stuff going on right now is probably not a wise idea.
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Post by SceneMod on May 27, 2010 22:45:45 GMT -5
"Oh, just a couple of hundred," Troi answers Emirate Xaaron. She looks at Springer and seems a bit put off by his reaction, including his lack of reaction.
She then lets her disappointment show. "Oh, I... understand. Too much for you to handle, after all. Pity." She shrugs her right shoulder and gazes up into Springer's optics. "it would have been... useful to have you around, if only for a short time, and I'm sure the arrangement could have been... mutually beneficial."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 27, 2010 23:24:10 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron now folds his hands on the table edge, and he demurs, "Well, if you're looking to hire some of us, we could possibly talk."
Though a couple hundred... that would call for a lot of guerilla tactics. Luckily, though, cities are suited to that kind of warfare. But they could use the money, because money is resources.
He could even just use some plain good will and some advice on where he might get a job, He'd like an excuse to learn the legal code here, he has to admit. The mental gymnastics involved sound fun.
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Post by Springer on May 28, 2010 6:55:20 GMT -5
Springer nods at Xaaron. "Hiring would be more up our alley, really. Not that we don't like helping those in need, but given our circumstances, you understand, we can't go helping every being in need."
He makes a bit of a face, now pondering on the nature of the situation, and again blind to the nature of Troi's imploring disappointment. "Even then, though - do we have enough in our group that could do this sort of thing without a preparation period, sir?" The question is aimed at Xaaron. "Granted, I am a bit more keyed to just 'turn up and shoot', but this would be a situation to take more care in."
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Post by SceneMod on May 28, 2010 13:58:50 GMT -5
Troi once again seems a bit put off by the complete and utter lack of anything like an expected response from Springer. Surely he can't be from one of those robotic species that lacks genders. Why make them appear so, well, masculine if that's the case?
Or maybe he's just dense.
Troi turns one of her smiles towards Emirate Xaaron. "Well, then, we can talk. I certainly wouldn't ask for your help and expect you to leave... uncompensated." And this is, indeed, true enough. Sure, she makes use of her charm to grease the gears at time, but this doesn't make her a dishonest person.
Then she turns back towards Springer, leaning forward. It's entirely possible that her knee 'accidently' touches Springer's leg, and her eyes are half-lidded and smiling. "And I wouldn't ask you to clear out the whole gang for me. Just... help me send a message that they should stay out of this area." She gives a deep, wistful sigh. "Business has been going down since they've started to try to move in. Several of the other casinos are almost ready to fold. It would be such a shame to see this place going to that type."
Might as well give it at least one last try.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 28, 2010 15:30:26 GMT -5
In Emirate Xaaron's reality, Primus fashioned his children after Unicron, and Unicron looked male because... uhm, look, gods are pretty ineffable. Don't expect them to make sense.
No idea what's with Springer's reality, though.
He does, however, observe, //She seems to want something out of you, in specific, Springer.// Emirate Xaaron can call another manipulator when he sees one, at least, though what exactly she wants from Springer, he's not entirely sure.
Still on 'business', though, Emirate Xaaron inquires, "Does this gang have any form of centralised leadership, or just squad leaders, like that feline?" A loosely connected network of squads is much more troublesome than something with centralised leadership - something Emirate Xaaron has put to good use many times himself. How many messages need to be delivered?
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Post by Springer on May 31, 2010 6:19:13 GMT -5
The only girlbots in Springer's world are a crazy experiment and an artist flub - and Springer never met any of them before he got yanked here.
Though he can be a bit dense at times, too.
Springer raises a browridge at Troi when he feels their knees bump, but otherwise does not react. "A message...hm. Going after main leadership could be good, or could be a disaster" he says, mostly to Xaaron. "No telling what might happen with the followers - if they'd just slink off or go nuts in retaliation."
Springer leans forward, resting arms on the table. "Squad leaders might be better overall..."
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Post by SceneMod on May 31, 2010 21:10:00 GMT -5
All right. Time to give up. Obviously Springer is completely dense or just amazingly stoic.
Fortunately, these robots seem agreeable, anyway, and hey, it might be nice to get something done without throwing around her breasts for once.
Troi leans back. "It's a bit of both, actually. Think of it as... a hydra with one 'chief' head, but if that one gets chopped, another's going to pick of the slack without much pause." She shakes her head. "Last time it happened, there was a period of in-fighting, but it doesn't last long. Still, if you guys are that bold, for that short period they'd be too busy dealing with each other to bother with us, and the new guy would have to spend time consolidating his position, anyway. But... even taking out one of the squad leaders should be enough to show we're not worth the effort, although the more expensive the strike is - to them - the better."
She sighs. "Lives are cheap, but the other things they trade in aren't."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 31, 2010 21:58:13 GMT -5
//Maybe she likes you,// Emirate Xaaron muses.
He holds a hand to his forehead and deadpans, "Oh. Lovely. Just what all else do they trade in, anyway?"
Emirate Xaaron drums his fingers on the table and realises, "The main thing is, for it to count as self defence, they have to attack first, which is... actually not a problem, as they seem to hate my gears for some reason."
Is he proposing using himself as bait again?
Well, yeah. It's Emirate Xaaron.
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