Apr 09 17:33:31 105 PA

From Chronicles

The current game time is: Thu Apr 09 17:33:31 105 PA.

Sally Ann's is busy tonight as it always is. Men and women crowd the place and it is the sort of bustling and boisterous environment that one could loose themselves quickly in. The old woodsman is on a bench in the very back, just beneath the pianist with a young whote of about twenty in his lap. He keeps peering over her shoulder though, waiting for someone.

Atticus makes his way into the whorehouse - his heavy cloak settling over his shoulders and his arm - hiding his armor and weapons for the most part. He makes his steps with a purpose - angling his way past the various clientele to head towrds Sev Arris.

Sev Arris sees Atticus coming a long distance away. Practiced eyes are good for that. He reaches down, and as Atticus grows closer he pats the whore upon the ass and sends the giggling girl away. "Good of you t'come." He murmurs. "I'll get straight to th' point. I got jumped by a robot outside of t'city and was able to fight it off... kinda. Thought it was a man at first, covered 'n skin and wearin' armor. Cut 'is hand off. Figured you'd want t'hand to investigate with, since yer involved in the Robot Defense. If'n I'm right?'

"You're right, I do help fight them," he offers, "Do you have the hand now, do you mind if I take it for some investigation?" he asks as he moves to find a seat himself, getting comfortable.

Quietly, Sev Arris reaches into his cloak and draws out what looks disturbingly like a human hand. Right down to fingernails and grime upon it. It looks like it was severed with a vibro weapon, neatly through the wrist. Some internal circuitry and the like can be seen inside of it along with a few dribbling fluids. "I didn't catch much of the rest of him. It wasn't a borg though, I can tell you that. He was using weapons like I've never seen, and I've seen some guns in my time, boy."

Sev Arris has just given you '{Severed Alien Robot Hand -- designed to imitate humanity from the outside. Occasionally still twitches with bizarre life of it's own.}'.

Atticus wraps up the hand neatly in a small sack, storing it away on his belt with a frown. "Did it say anything? Was it talking at all? Did it fight with any sort of laser weapons or guns that you recognized anything of?" he asks finally,t houghtfully.

Sev Arris nods his head quickly. "I was out huntin' for a deer or the like, t'make a roast and it jumped me. Hit me on t'back and knocked me down' and my pistol went one way 'n my bow the other. I keep me some Xiticix weapons that I got up North a few years back, 'n happened t'have my swords with me that day. Kept tauntin' me the entire time we was fightin' an' sayin' things like humanity's days were numbered, 'n tha' I couldn't hope t'survive and tha' the active agent or whatever that was was goin' to be the downfall of Kingsdale. Somethin' about bombin' vital places or somethin' like that. I'd have been a goner, but he sliped (OOC: Haha, natural 1!) and fell an' I lopped off 'is hand and he went runnin' away. Didn't seem right in the head."

Atticus grunts, looking thoughtful. "INteresting. OK. That's all very good information. Do you mind if I take notes?" he asks, indicating a notebook he tugs out and a pencil - taking down the notes carefully. "So you cut off his hand - that's really good work. And that was today - about how far outside of town?" he asks.

Sev Arris moves his head quickly from left to right in a shake. "Ain't natural like. Dun like them robots. People say I'm plenty weird cause I was too shy t'talk at first.... but, I know them woods like the back 'o my hand and I don't like them metal things creepin' around. Ain't nobody that knows the woods 'round here like I do. And it wasn't today, boy. It was about three or four days back. I been thinkin' what I needed t'do about it all. Was sorta nervous 'bout bringin' it to anyone, cause I get weird looks and people steppin' away from me everywhere I go."

Atticus nods, and looks thoughtful as he touches the bag at his hip. "Three, four days. OK. Do you think you'd be able to recognize their tracks if you saw it?" he asks. "I should get this to our technical specialists as soon as possible - so they can dig into this. This is a really good find sir, a really good find."

Sev Arris puffs up slightly and squares his shoulders. "Son." He says. "There ain't no better tracker between here and Chi-Town. If the trail still exists, I can find it. 'Fraid in this case it don't, tho. I was back there yesterday, 'n we got rained out. I'm thinkin' however, that t'agent in Kingsdale ain't got himself a left hand no more. I'm glad t'help you guys, if'n there's anything I can do."

"Hrmmm. Good point. DId you get the sense this creature was talking about being the agent themselves - or having knowledge of this agent?" Atticus asks as he furiously takes notes. "That tracking is a good thing - I"m glad you tried that. Never could learn, no matter how much my father tried to teach me." he says. "I think we could probably use your skills - I'll talk to our leader, definitely."

Sev Arris shrugs his shoulders. "Ain't able t'say. If I had to figure, I'd say that he was talking about being the Agent, but it could be a decoy. I mean, you'd think someone capable 'o masterminding soemthing like this would have the sense t'keep their fool mouth shut about it, yanno? Even if he was sure they were goin' to kill me. Yer probably selling yourself a little short, boy. I'm sure Old Sev could show you a thing or two that you'd remember. Anyway. You let me know if there is anything I can do?"

Atticus nods, "I will. And thank you sir, I mean it. Woodsman or no, you did good work and I really, really appreciate this. YOu said this looked just like a man, you didn't know he was a robot until you cut off his hand?" he asks as he rises, offering his right hand with an easy smile. "This is really, really gonna help us out. All of us." Your vote has been recorded.

The old woodsman nods. "Yea. Tho I gotta say, I knew he wasn't human once we started to fight. Was movin' way too fast. I thought maybe he was a juicer or a... whatchamacallits." He spins his fingers in a circle around his ear. "Yanno, where it makes them go all wiggy. I'd have been a gonner.. I think he coulda finished me off even with one hand, but for some reason he decided t'beat it."

"Crazy. WEll. Maybe he decided to run rather then be exposed," he says, thoughtfully. "I think this could be a real good break for us, though," he offers. "I'll get this to our scientists and I'll see what work they may have - that you can help us with. I think we don't have anyone with your particular skillset at all."

Sev Arris nods, and holds his hand out to Atticus. "Right, then, boy." He says. "You let me know. In t'meantime, maybe you can leave Old Sev back to his 'horin? Don't get much time anymore." Atticus takes the hand, shaking the hand firmly. "You get back to that, sir. YOu done good. Thank you so much," he says with a smile. "I'll get back in touch with you this way, or how should I reach out to you if I need to talk to you again?"

Sev Arris gestures around him. "This here's my home till I find my daughter, 'n get outta here." He gives Atticus a pseudo salute and then dissapears.