by Zev the Reveler Tue Jun 19, 2012 11:46 pm
[ The Users Room: ]
UZev: *Shrugs ambivalently* I'll keep you guys posted, once I get started.
*He idly inspects his nails*
~ ~ ~
[ Deep Space, Blue Heaven Space Station: ]
*The group has stopped to get Aisha a meal*
*Meanwhile, Hilda, Suzuka, and Axl are speaking to Gurruno and one of his mechanics*
Hilda: Why didn't you tell us this, Gurruno? You could have put us in serious danger by not informing us of the Kei Pirates being here sooner. Hell, we were here once before, and you didn't even tell us then.
Gurruno: Just stay cool, Hot Ice. They didn't hurt anyone, and I didn't want you to go off on a chase after them. Besides. While they were getting their ship re-equipped, I had my boys place one of our top-class trackers on it. Had it tailor made for them.
Mechanic: The boss would call it a real "cool" invention. It's tiny, hidden inside of one of the essential parts we refitted. Plus, it's covered in a special alloy of steel, carbon, and a depleted radioactive compound called altruite.
Hilda: Altruite? *Slowly gets a smile on her face* I see. Only forms on asteroids. And taoist magic can't detect anything made of or surrounded in it. You've come through again, Gurruno.
Gurruno: Heh. It's cool. Consider it a favor for all the times you've saved my backside.
Axl: 'Ey, I don't mean to interrupt, but what exactly is the deal with these Kei Pirates?
Suzuka: *Speaks for the first time since they set out* The Kei Pirates are the largest space pirate crew in the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies. They come from the Hoppo System, one of the closest Andromeda systems to our present Galaxy. The 108 Stars are one of their subgroups, led by a group of eight elders.
Axl: I see...Wait. Eight elders? Is one of them named Itezaemon? A fat old guy with mutton chops and a stupid hat?
Hilda: A particularly stupid hat, yes. How do you know of him?
Axl: He was the ruler of a planetary outpost I once passed by. My ship was stopped, checked from top to bottom, and I was held for seventy-six hours. He'd been assassinated during a meeting with one of the other old guys. Think it was with Hazanko or something.
Hilda: *Slowly facepalms* Well, that certainly figures. Itezaemon was the youngest, the richest, and most certainly the least intelligent.
Suzuka: The Eight Elders are meant to rule equally, but until another succumbed to disease and Itezaemon was elected in his place, they all viewed Hazanko as their leader. He's the oldest, the wisest, the most influential, and the most ruthless. He possesses a mastery of taoist magics, and even hermetic arts pre-dating the alchemy used today, that are second to none in the 108 Stars.
*She pauses, sighing thoughtfully, before finishing her explanation*
Suzuka: He is the one to command the Anten Seven, and he also answers only to the Tendo King. The Tendo King, himself, answers only to the Tempa Emperor, and the Tempa Emperor sits at the Table of Kings on Mariejois, the Capitol Planet of the Galactic Government.
Axl: ...Wait. Are you tryin' to tell me that this old codger murdered one of his own allies in cold blood, just because he didn't meet his standards or call him "Sir" or some crap?
Hilda: That's precisely what we're telling you. Hazanko will not tolerate weakness or disrespect in the least. He is a brilliant leader, but one whose control lies in fear.
Suzuka: He is normally calm and stoic, but his rage when sufficiently provoked is a thing of legend. Should anyone get in his way, it would be like trying to command a force of nature. No mere mortal can hope to defeat him. Even with the strongest combatants of our group as it were, I cannot pretend that we could win without truly dire casualties.
Axl: Wow. That's...That's pretty grim. And this guy has some beef with us, I guess?
Hilda: You can hop a space ferry from here, if you want. I wouldn't hold it against you.
Axl: *Grins* Hah! And leave that dumbass Raregroove to fight this guy? I'm not going to let him get himself killed! I'm in it for the long haul!
Gurruno: It's cool to pay witness to this pep rally, but are we going to talk wong today?
Hilda: Cool off, Gurruno. *Hands over a stack of five rectangular white cards with blue stripes along them just past the longer sides* Here's 5,000 wong. Consider the extra 800 a nice thank you for the tracker. Tell us when it calibrates.
Gurruno: You got it. I've learned not to try and turn down a gift from you, Hot Ice. I'll just say you're a real cool gal.
Hilda: I know it all too well. *Turns to walk off* Seeya, Gurruno. Keep out of trouble.
Gurruno: Heh. You too, Hot Ice. You too. Stay cool.
*Axl and Suzuka follow Hilda out*
~ ~ ~
[ Uninhabited Planet, Space Station Crash Site: ]
*Hardly anything is left from the explosion*
*Other than the scattered bits and chunks of warped, melted, and cooled metal and glass, the biggest sign of what transpired is the incredible area of scorched earth*
*Stretching down the mountainsides and onto the plains beyond, the ugly scar in the landscape leaves no trace of the crew's bodies*
*High above, the truly massive girth of the Geomancer looms everpresent*
*On the ground, countless of the cyborgs used by the Kei Pirates are picking through the decimated stone and disintegrated hull of the research station*
*Standing in their midst are Hazanko, Hamushi, and some kind of third figure*
*Hunchbacked, thin, and seemingly very old, his arms are bound in a sort of straitjacket; six odd-sized projections of sharp metal stick out from his back in a rough circle; and his face is covered by a black mask with some kind of stylized, white and orange six, as well as cords around the edges hooking into his flesh*
Hazanko: Hamushi, kindly give me a status report.
Hamushi: Yes, sir. Unfortunately, none of the computers survived. It seems that the engines were previously distressed, and exploded catastrophically. While we can be sure that the Galactic Government has the files backed up somewhere, and our spies are already on the task, there is no telling how long it will take to pinpoint the information we sought here.
Hazanko: I see. Round up your troops and prepare the Geomancer's Munchausen drive. Wait for us to return.
Hamushi: Yes, sir. *Lays a finger on the side of her hood/mask*
*The cyborgs all cease their searching, and begin lining up in square formation*
Hazanko: Jukai, I want you to take me to the temple that station was researching. We may be able to glean information on our own abilities, and by what has not been transmitted by the sensors due to having no receiver.
Jukai: *The hunchbacked, masked man, speaks in a wheezy, filtered voice* Yes, sir, I can get us there and back in time for our ship to reach the meeting with the Tendo King.
*Rocking back and forth, he begins uttering a chant under his breath, then louder*
Jukai: Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha, Pagua Sampha!
*With a swing of his torso in a circle, he generates a cyclone that surrounds himself and Hazanko*
*The cyclone grows in magnitude quickly, before disappearing*
*Not a trace is left of Hazanko, nor Jukai*