Analoy's Return: Merctown's Unease

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Underguard

Analoy's Return: Merctown's Unease

Post by Underguard »

It has been some weeks since you have emerged from the caves after getting separated from the rest of the GIRLS. As you emerge, it is night and cold and you're not even sure what day it is, let alone time, nor how long you've been down there. Not wanting to burn all your tattoo magic in light of possibly needing it on the road, you begin your trek back to Merctown using dead reckoning and a general knowledge of the direction Merctown was in. On foot, you're resigned for your trek to take weeks, possibly months and finding food and shelter would be a problem. During your first day, you manage to find a sort of road leading in the same direction as Merctown that looks extremely unkempt and hardly used, but at least it gives you something to follow.

Luckily for you, on day two of your stretch, you hear a variable rumble from behind you that nearly causes you to bring forth a sword from your tattoo, unsure of what territory you were in. Moving off of the road, you begin to make out a large armored convoy of six armored transports, the four in the middle seem to be a large load-carrying rig with the ones on either end are armored security vehicles. You're not exactly sure of the brand, but every vehicle has at least one turret and multiple firing rigs, and the security vehicles have much more. They look ready to fend off unwelcome guests, and not wanting to be construed as such, you pull off to the side and let them pass.

Shockingly, they seem to be slowing down and one of the turrets begins scanning in your general direction. After a loudspeaker calls out to you, you meet the commander of the convoy and find out they have a running rule of checking out life by the sides of the road to ensure that it's not dead/dying, or preparing to ambush them down the road. Having been neither, you are able to learn they are a convoy from New Lazlo heading towards Merctown, with varying stops along the way. It'll take a couple weeks to get there, but in exchange for being extra security, they offer you food and a cot on one of the transport vehicles.

The next couple of weeks seems to drag on, as they spend an extra fair amount of time in different cities and towns along the way, picking up or dropping off certain supplies. You find a common place to perch atop one of the transports, and quickly befriend one of the other security personnel; a headhunter named Torvi, who was about your age but a keen fighter who had a small arsenal at her disposal. Feeling less isolated, you found the remaining days easier to bare, but you were still eager to make it back to Merctown, for you had a bone to pick with your former employer for ditching you. Though, as time passed, you understand you got separated, and chances are they presumed you dead with nothing to go on and made a business decision. Irritating, yes, understandable, yes, personal, no.

Finally, after what feels like weeks, you see Merctown on the Horizon. As your convoy pulls up to the gates, you notice something you've not seen before. The gate is actually locked down and you're being redirected to a different gate, the main gate. Another few minutes of driving and the convoy pulls up to the Main Gate which is under heavy guard, but allowing traffic in. You notice you don't see any traffic leaving. The Defenders pause the initial security vehicle, then there is a legitimate inspection of every vehicle, more thorough than you're used too. Torvi has to relinquish her large rifle, but that's to be expected.

Running your finger across your ring, you wait impatiently as they finish their inspection and clear your crew. After arriving inside of the Arms Bazaar where the main shipment was heading you note the heightened security at each of the inner gates. You bid your farewells, and Torvi gives you her contact info, she would be heading to the Headhunter's Academy and probably remain in Merctown for a little while.

Free and clear of the convoy, you now stand in the Arms Bazaar. The air of Merctown is noticeably different, there is less traffic on the roads, it's like the entire city went into Lockdown. It isn't long before you see a pair of Defender's Hovercraft wiz overhead towards the northside of Merctown.

What are you doing?
Underguard

Re: Analoy's Return: Merctown's Unease

Post by Underguard »

Analoy feels the brisk breeze of Merctown's autumn air crest her face as she begins her trek. While walking, Analoy stumbles across a small individual huddled in a tight alleyway that seems to be trying to sleep amid, and hands off the older jacket which is met with a dirty but appreciative smile from a small D-bee.

When she approaches the inner gates to the Warrens, she finds it is locked down and a large Defender clad in full EBA approaches her from one of the squad cars with a hand raised. Analoy can see another Defender with a L-20 at the low ready watching the interaction, she can assume it's a spotter.

"Pardon miss, all thru traffic to the Warrens is temporarily blocked. Please state your business or be on your way elsewhere." The Defender says.

The travel into the Warrens hasn't happened yet, neither has the activation of your flight tattoo.
Underguard

Re: Analoy's Return: Merctown's Unease

Post by Underguard »

Conditions wrote:Location: New Paducah; 'Merctown'
Time: 12h:05m ;; December 23 111PA, Saturday
Weather: About 50*F (10*C) ; Clear Skies ; No winds
Analoy sees the Defender lower his hand and nod. "We're currently in pursuit of a dangerous individual, responsible for several deaths in recent days, in a joint effort with a mercenary unit. Unfortunately I cannot give you more information as this operation is on-going."

Analoy turns and makes her way back to the homeless D-Bee now wearing her jacket and holds up a 100 universal credit chit to the D-Bee as she asks her question. The D-bee looks up to her with pitch black eyes, and hurriedly nods. "This way. Not safe but if we are fast, is fine."

Behind the Titan's Showhouse , near the wall, is a small grated tunnel manhole. Analoy's never been sure or even really thought to ask about the sewer system in Merctown but the smell alone isn't very welcoming. The two of them can pop it open and drop down, where Analoy sees a number of huddled homeless type Dbees in various directions of the sewers. "Stay close. No talk." The dbee says quietly.

They don't go far, as the Arms Bazaar shares a wall with the Warrens, and the dbee points up at another manhole covering above her. Tossing the credit chit the Dbee's way, she climbs up and finds herself behind Sharky's in the Warrens.

What are you doing
Butcher's Bill
  • Analoy: -100 cr
Underguard

Re: Analoy's Return: Merctown's Unease

Post by Underguard »

Conditions wrote:Location: New Paducah; 'Merctown'
Time: 12h:06m (1 minute has passed) ;; December 23 111PA, Saturday
Weather: About 50*F (10*C) ; Clear Skies ; No winds
As Analoy shifts through her channels, she doesn't pick up anything on the GIRLS net but random static segments, but she can't tell what that could mean. She is able to piggy-back on the Defender's public radio signal and gleans the following message. "Public Access Points to the Warrens temporarily locked down. No traffic authorized in or out unless connected to Defender's Response. Limit traffic thru the corner of Ravenshome Road and Butcher Lane until situation resolved." It seems like a public service announcement on their net, Analoy figures she may have to reconfigure her radio to actually get into the secured radio, and even then would need to get past the encryption. She does know that the Hangman's Hotel and Tavern is near that corner, as it The Catacombs.
Underguard

Re: Analoy's Return: Merctown's Unease

Post by Underguard »

Conditions wrote:Unchanged
Analoy is able to dart through the alleyways and notices that the Defenders are not actually moving in in force yet, so she meets little resistance on her way towards the Tavern. As she goes to run past Redemption Hall and towards Shadow Magic, she spots the familiar face of Cordelia making her way towards one of the gates with her head low.
Underguard

Re: Analoy's Return: Merctown's Unease

Post by Underguard »

Conditions wrote:Unchanged
Cordelia stops and looks towards Analoy with a feigned smile and relays what's been going on to her former teammate. Analoy gets the gist that the GIRLS are in one of the houses across the way, are working in tandem with the Defenders and hunting an Assasin and being jammed, oh, and that she has been fired by Jezebel. Cordelia seems to appreciate the offer and gives Analoy her contact information of the cell phone she just bought.

Analoy knows at a dead sprint, it'll take about two minutes for her to cover the distance to the house in question.
Underguard

Re: Analoy's Return: Merctown's Unease

Post by Underguard »

Analoy darts between the houses and, using her thermal imagining, sees two heat signatures underneath a house before disappearing from her vision, likely due to distance and blocking of the sight. She arrives at the house in question and proceeds down the opened cellar access point and stops at the elevator with a torn hole in the bottom of it. She hears a great deal of commotion for several seconds before it suddenly goes quiet.

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