Jul 28 07:22:31 105 PA

From Chronicles

The current game time is: Tue Jul 28 07:22:31 105 PA.

The front door leads to a small foyer - just a closet and a heavy steel hatrack with a few cloaks and coats on it, a second open closet with a cloth covering over it that seems to contain weapon cases and armor suits that are hanging from reinforced wall mounts.

The foyer opens to a decent sized living room - the floor covered in dark wood flooring and the walls painted a warm dark green with soft yellow trim. Two couches are angled to face a television and disc player, a reading chair is situated next to a angled lamp.

The kitchen is clean and well cared for - a dishwasher, stove and fridge and freezer, the clear doors on the cabinets showing off plates, a heavy baker's rack that stores pots and pans and some pantry items.

One door from the living room leads into a guest bath with a shower and toilet, the floors tiled. A second door leads to guest bedroom - currently also covered in that dark hardwood floor, two large desks that almost take up an entire wall with two executive chairs. One desk has a dayplanner on the surface, an old looking pocket computer to one side. The remaining wall is covered with an old bookshelf on which a dozen or so books sit - otherwise there's several stacks of legal pads covered with neat, elegant writing. There's several boxes stacked neatly around the walls, a mat on the floor near one desk has several broken part engine and mechanical parts.

The final door leads to the master bedroom suite - dark hardwood floors, the major furniture being the kingsized bed with a heavy dark brown comforter that takes up much of the room. Two nightstands with lamps, an armoire and dresser. A door from the master bedroom leads to the master bath - an antique claw foot large tub, toilet and sink.

The whole apartment has a warm, well cared for and tended to feel.

Late afternoon and Caliopa has turned the livingroom into a workshop of sorts. Her toolbox is open and her one concession to the carpet is a blanket which perhaps transfers as much oil as the work does. Her hair is in a long plait and she wears an old t-shirt, cut off before her waist, and ancient combats, cut below the knee. She is barefoot, seated on the floor, her hands busy with work and her eyes staring into space.

There is a slight knock on the door, and there is a voice on the other side of it. "Atticus? You there? I need to talk to you about the magic guild idea..." He then waits a little, rocking his back and forht a little on his heels. He seems really sad too, but in a neutral facial expressive way. There is a gentle sigh from him too.

For a long moment, Caliopa is still in her own little world. But finally the noise penetrates the mist and she blinks, opening her eyes and looking around. She uncurls, putting down the piece of machinery, moving to the door cautiously. She tiptoes to peer through the peep hole, before opening it with a smile. "Renos, come in...Atti is out but reckon he'll be around later." She steps back.

"Caliopa?" He then opens the door with his shoulders slumping slightly, and then closes the door back after he enters the apartment. "Sorry, I didn't think you would be home, Caliopa. I...I thought you would be at work. I haven't had much luckw tih the schematics yet." He then looks at what she is doing. "You are doing work...here?"

She pushes her hands into her pockets, the smile fading. "Got to. They trashed my garage, 'n' things." Her hand moves absently to touch her stomach, the dressing visible beneath the hem of the t-shirt. "Kinda got rough, 'n' Atti won't let me go down there without him. You wanted Atti?"

Kid comes up the stairs slowly, not just from the obvious fatigue that she exudes, but a sense of reluctance. But she makes it to the top eventually to drag her heels down the hall. She looks up as she hears voices ahead. Pausing just a moment to peer down the hall. Then to look behind her briefly before she continues towards the door. She'll be coming up just a few moments after it closes. She pauses, waffling for a few moments before she reaches out to give a messy knock.

"Oh? Need some help cleaning up and repairing your equipment? I am almost as good as your are at fixing things." He then looks down at her hand, since it moved, and her dressing. "Oh, I am sorry. I didn't know you were hurt. Yeah...I discussed my ideas about a magic guild for those who wish to share resources, and can't get into the main one."

Her face falls, his offer getting him only a small smile. "They took a load of it. But I ain't been down, not since yesterday, ain't not tellin' what they done since." The knock draws her attention and once again, she cautiously peers through the peep hole, before opening it. "Kid." She gives a tight smile and a nod, turning back to Renos. "Atti mentioned somethin' on that. Do you want to come in, have a drink? Reckon I can make tea without burnin' the water."

" Hey.." Kid's response to Cali's 'greeting', though she pauses when the woman just turns away. Frowning slightly. She stands outside the door for a moment, an uncharacteristic uncertainty rooting her for a moment before she steps in. Habit has her kicking her boot back to nudge the door closed firmly, but she keeps that light edge of uncertainty. She glances at Renos and considers him a moment before nodding slightly. "Atticus told you I'd be.. staying around a bit, right?"

Renos just steps out of the way as Kid comes into the door. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind a drink." He says, a bit awkwardly, but then nods, and blinks when he realizes she wasn't addressing him, and his face looks a bit sadder, and sighs a little. "Well, I would help you with some of mine..."

"Yeah, Atti said. Spare room is made up 'n' all." Caliopa returns her attention to Renos, "Come through, 'n' I'll make it. Atti probably got biscuits in." With that, she turns her back on Kid and makes her way into the kitchen, running water, putting kettle on and gathering the needful things. "'m hopin' they ain't taken anything I can't replace either but I ain't fond of folks in my space, messin' with my things."

Kid knows something is up. Her expression, the subtle narrow of her eyes. They communicate that much. But after a moment, she seems to let it go in the now. Her lips pursed into a thin line, she turns and walks in the vague direction of the rooms. Won't take her too long to find it and she'll have to take a few moments, dropping off her bag and sitting on the bed to work off her boots.

Well, renos is certianly looking confused by the currents of the room. At least between the people. "Uh, sure..." He then walks along behind her. "Um...would that be me messing with your things?" He looks confused at her references. LIke its hard for him to keep up with her speech. He then looks back to Kid and looks puzzledly at her.

She shakes her head impatiently, reaching for the mugs. "You ain't been messin' with them. Those folks came in, threw a load of stuff, 'n' came back later, trashed it up." She pours water over the coffee in the pot, frowning. "I ain't sure what they took yet, Atti ain't happy for me to be there, 'n' it is gonna take time. Got the main tool chest here though, 'n' not much is gone. Ain't nothing I can't borrow or buy..." She pours his coffee then, giving him a questioning look as she adds cream to her own. Kid's departure is ignored.

Kid will linger in the room a few moments, losing the boots and giving her feet a brief rub. Glancing around the place. Still not her own. With a mildly displeased grunt she gets up and exit the guest room, moving back out into the main room. Pausing as she glances towards the kitchen. "Having missed the talk up until now, but as she lingers outside, she cants her head slightly, listening with her special ear.

Cali's looks is regarded with his own, and then a bit of a cough. "Yes Cali?" He looks a bit puzzled. BUt he takes the cup into his hands and sips the coffee lightly, only wincing at the taste a little. "I could go and do an inventory of the garage for you, if you wanted. Its not that hard, and I know most of the tools involved, and what should be there."

"It ain't safe. Not for anyone. Desmond got shot in the head there, jus' outside." She curls her hands around her mug, seeking warmth and comfort from it. "Gonna wait, 'til it is safe but then, if you'd come, I'd 'ppreciate the hand." She spares a glance towards the living area but makes no move towards it, out of the kitchen. "They ain't nice folks, but I'm sure there is some reason behind it, 'n' once Atti gets to talk..."

"When you can generate your own field, it really becomes a bit of a pointless endeavor to try and shoot, unless they use lasers or something similar. Plus, I have other ways of disguising how I get in. BUt its good to know that they are still watching the place." He then sips the coffee a bit more. "NO folks are really nice."

Kid almost misses Cali's approach towards the living room, amid her listening. But she catches on to it with time enough to shuffle to the side and dump herself on the couch. She breathes out a low sigh, not having to try and look relaxed as she settles in.

"Still watchin', 'n' still gonna be trouble." She leans her hip against the side, looking into her coffee, her expression sad. "I do reckon folks are nice, mostly, if you give them a chance. Some folks though, you think they are 'n' something happens..." She shrugs lightly, her gaze not even moving from the mug. "Then you gotta think over if that person is someone you oughta spend time with."

Kid frowns faintly. She thought Cali was coming.. She shakes her head a little, but remains seated for the moment. The talk softer to her now, not quite as easy to catch. Ultimately she breathes out a low sigh and pushes herself upward, moving towards the kitchen. Halfway there, her middle complains about the lackluster filling its been getting over the last few weeks. Thus when Kid nudges her way in, she wonders, "You got stuff to eat here?"

"Yeah...I hope...that Lucy just left." He sounds really worried now, and then looks up absently to Kid walking into the kitchen, then back down at the cup. "I hope nothing bad happened to her. But I can't seem to find her, no one has seen her. And I don't know where she went. Didn't even come back to her place. I moved back into mine."

"Lucy left? I'm sorry, Renos... Mebbe she had a reason? I ain't thinkin' it is likely for her to jus' go, not when you two were so close 'n' all." The look of sympathy she gives him changes as Kid's voice interrupts, the brown eyes hardening slightly. "Sure. There is loads of stuff. You help yourself. We'll get out from under your feet." Matching action to words, she turns, moving into the living room.

Kid blinks when Renos mentions Lucy. she just doesn't have to energy to bother veiling the frown that comes to her on that note. But she limits her response to that as she gets Cali's response. The girl frowns, but seems not about to let things slip this time, since she remains standing in the doorway, effectively blocking it for the moment. She crosses her arms across her chest defiantly as she asks, "So what is it, Cali girl? Cause obviously something has you pissed at me. You might as well let me know what the damn problem is," she prompts.

"I am hoping that she left, and not that she disappeared." He then looks down when Kid gets confrontational and backs up a little bit, sighing quietly and just looks down at the coffee. His hands holds it a bit tighter and doesn't really look at either one of them.

Caliopa shakes her head, giving Renos a smile that is gentle. "We can keep an eye out, see if something turns up..." She gives Kid a steady look, undaunted by the confrontation. "I ain't interested in goin' into this now. I got a guest, 'n' you're makin' him uncomfortable." She steps forward, forcing Kid to choose between remaining there and wearing Caliopa's coffee, or moving.

Kid is quite clearly displeased with being denied, evidenced by the subtle narrow of her eyes. But she does, in the end, shift aside a moment before a collision. "Fine, just keep treating me like a fucking pariah, Cali. Cause I so need that right now," she grouses as she moves into the kitchen. The girl will help herself as directed, starting to forage for something appetizing without another word said.

"No, please...don't fight...life's really too short for all this fighting and what not. And don't we have enough problems and enemies to worry about too?" He then looks from one to the other, and sighs quietly. "Cali...I have been uncomfortable a while now. Its not the fight doing it." He says, as way of apology.

"I ain't treatin' you like no pariah but I ain't talkin' this over now." Caliopa replies, her tone steady and reasonable. Renos' comments draw Caliopa's eyebrows together. "I ain't fightin', jus' not talkin' over an issue that can wait an hour while I got company."

"Yeah, cause barely saying one word to me ain't like that at all," Kid states, shooting Cali a glare. Her mood flares easily, but she manages to keep the majority of it bottled up. "Just.. go talk to your friend. I'll take care of myself." Muttered as she pulls open and stares into the fridge. Her eyes flicking about the contents rapidly as she looks.. ahh! She starts pulling out various forms of vegetation, condiments.. yes.. Her finds piled on the counter next to the fridge.

"You never know when that could be your last conversation. Never take life for granted so easily. You never know when you might have a second chance to fix things." He then moves out into the living room and sits down. He then blinks at being called a friend. "A friend?" He then looks at her for a moment, then at the doorway into the kitchen.

Caliopa gives Kid a look of irritated exasperation before moving into the livingroom, to settle herself on the couch. "True enough but there ain't always the right time or place to be havin' talks that ought to be done right." She comments, giving Renos a slightly puzzled look as he reacts to being called her friend. "You ain't had a chance to look over the papers then?"

Kid digs through the cupboards apace. Not exactly looking to make noise, but noise is made as she searches. Finding bread. Good, good.. A plate she secures for a workspace, starting to construct a small pile of sandwiches with whatever sliced meat she can locate. The exact composition matters little to her as the obvious presence of food adds to her haste.

"Papers? You mean the schmatics of the robots? Yeah, been doing nothing but looking over them. but nothing jumps out at me right now. Its seems all sound and secure so far. Basic building, pretty good frame, no obvious weaknesses." He then sips the coffee a bit more and looks down.

"There any way we could short it out? Mebbe use some power source to overload it?" She curls herself up on the couch, leaning back into the cushions, tiredness showing in her face, and pain in the stiffness of the movement, the hand on the waist.

Kid soon has four sandwiches made. But she still lacks.. she goes back to the fridge, looking over the contents again. her eyes skip over the beer with a grimace. Ugh. Then she sees something unfamiliar. Her lips purse, but after a moment she shrugs and pulls it out, securing a glass to fill to three quarters after dripping in a testing sip. Alcoholic.. good.

"Well, I was working on the frame and the joints first. Thats the most likely. Then next comes the power, which while probably easier to do, is also harder to figure out just how much it would take, and if it would work. You know as well as I that electrical diagrams can be particularly confusing sometimes."

She nods sadly, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully, her gaze only skittering once to the kitchen. "So the joins 'n' the frame, they look solid. If we look at the power, try to find some place we could put the power in..." Her voice trails off, her expression thoughtful. "Did you see Robert at all?"

Kid comes out into the living room and crosses steadily towards the second couch that is unoccupied, plopping herself down at the far end of it. Her glass carefully set on the floor by her feet, she leans over the plate as she takes up one of the sandwiches and tears into it without a great care for petty little things like manners.

There is a shake of his head at the mention of Robert. "No, I haven't seen him. I have been holed u in my room, looking the schematics over, and doing some calculations on stuff like body tolerate and shearing stress on the joints." He then looks over to Kid and tries to smile, but merely ends up giving a nod to her.

Caliopa nods thoughtfully, her forehead wrinkling slightly in thought. "Guess we keep lookin', 'n' see what we can do." She hesitates, casting a glance at Kid before speaking. "I'm gonna get back into Kalvin's place, take another look around." The words are slow. "I looked proper the first time but jus' in case."

Kid will miss the nod between viciously devouring the sandwich and keeping a 'distance' from Cali. Petty? Perhaps, but her mood seems to linger on the negative end of the register. Whether or not she gets anything out of what Cali says, it doesn't really show amid that. Once the first sandwich has been devoured, she leans forward and snatches up the glass for two slow, lingering draughts before she sets it down, more careful in laying it back down again. The second sandwich is soon under attack, Kid not even bothering to brush the crumbs of the first from her lips before adding more.

Renos looks a little sadder now that he's being ignored as well, and then looks to Cali. "Yeah, I suppose that we do." When her attention turns to Kid, he just looks back down into his cup of coffee and stares at it for a moment. Finally, bringing it to his lips, sips it, and then puts it back down near his lap. He tries not to look at the other two.

Caliopa's mind is on the work, her forehead wrinkled as she taps her fingers against the mug. "Reckon there ain't anything else we can do, not right now." She hesitates, before making a suggestion softly to him. "Kid is good at lookin' for folks, or Etienne. Mebbe see if either could track your Lucy?"

That gets Kid's attention, cause she can't help but listen. But saying something at first is foiled by a mouthful of sandwich, which takes a few moments to get out of the way. "I got enough to deal with now and to be honest, I don't care where that one has gone off to. I'm out a hundred and eighty cred cause of her disappearing on me." Her tone of so sour on that note. "So if you want someone to look for her, you can get someone else to handle it."

Now that gets Renos's dander up a little. "Fine, I will get you your damn money. And when I pay it off, if you ever say anything bad about her again...." He then grips the table and starts to breathe in and out. "And while I appreciate the asking, Cali, I will do it. Seems like everyone else is too busy to worry about her." He then turns away, looking still a little mad, the cup starting to crack becuase he's holding it so hard.

Caliopa shoots Kid a look that holds temper, and rises to her feet, moving towards Renos. "I ain't too busy, 'n' if it'll help you find her, I'll look with you..." The offer is genuine, her brown eyes soft. "Here, give me the mug..." She reaches out to take it, tilting her head back to look up at him.

Kid gives Renos a firm look. "It ain't owed, so keep your money. We had a job and a plan. She bugged out so I don't get paid cause the job didn't get done. And I'm not saying anything more than the truth, so don't whine at me. I could hold a lot more grudge than I am, so just.. drop it." Done, she looks back down to her sandwiches and starts to eat again, though not with the frantic air of before.

"Oh, well, another reason I am sure she is missing and not left. She would never pass up on an opportunity for money." He then nods softly and then looks up to Caliopa. "I really appreciate it, Cali. I am just...really worried. She never came home. And she's never really been gone this long. I think something happened." He then bites his lip with his teeth lightly. As the cup is removed, he blinks. "Oh, yes thank you."

Caliopa nods, giving him a gentle look, putting both mugs on the table. "Ain't unreasonable to be thinkin' something happened, 'n' worry. I'd worry if Atti didn't come home..." She smiles, a little one, "'n' he is always fetchin' me to find out why I forgot to come home." She reaches out, to give him a gentle touch on his arm.

Kid holds to her silence, working her way through the rest of the second sandwich without looking up once. And once that one is done, she leans forward to snag the glass again. This time she drains it down to a mere one third in a single long swig. A soft little expression of contentment following. ONce the glass is on the floor again, she starts into the third sandwich at a normal pace. Her eyes flick upward amid starting into it, glancing towards the two.

Renos looks down at the arm on his shoulder and then back up to Cali. "Thank you, its...appreciated. And yes, I have...been out of my mind with worry. Its lessening, but slowly. And all I can do is to trust in something to bring her back safe and sound. And a very good explanation on where she has been."

Caliopa gives him another gentle pat on the arm, before replying. "Guess time will show us..." She murmurs, grabbing the mugs and moving to put them into the kitchen before returning. "Reckon she'll explain good 'n' proper when she returns, 'n' I bet it makes a world of sense."

Kid almost says something.. almost. Lips parted and ready to go, but after a moment she makes a low, soft little grunt and looks down to her plate again, wrapping them around the third sandwich some more instead, still holding a generally sour expression as she goes on about her self fueling steadily.

Renos then looks at Cali and nods, and then looks over to Kid for a moment, thinking she is about to say something. And when she doesn't, he just nods his head. "Thank you...for not saying anything." He seems sincere in his tahnks, but then looks back down at his hands and sighs a little. "But, I figured, in the meantime, I would keep working on my plans, and making myself into what i planned to be. So that if she comes back, she won't ever have to work again."

Caliopa tightens her lips slightly, giving his shoulder a pat on her way back to her seat. She curls herself up, leaning into the cushions, the tiredness showing on her face. "Best plan, to get yourself sorted..." She gives him an approving nod, before going on. "Let me know when you get any ideas over the papers?"

Kid snorts faintly, but keeps her mouth full of sandwich rather than responding to Renos. The third goes down and she leans forward to snag the glass. Looking at it a moment as she notes it is near empty. She finishes the job with a quick toss back of the glass, then sets her last remaining sandwich aside on the couch, carrying the glass back towards the kitchen.

There is a slight nod of his head, and his eyes watch as Kid goes into the kitchen with a bit of a sigh. "I am sorry I am not up to my usual best...but I am trying to be." he then looks over to Caliopa, and stands. "Yes, I suppose I should be going. I need to continue to look over those schematics. I should hope to have an answer for you soon about them. Thank you, for the kind and warm greeting."

"Ain't doin' badly, considerin'." Caliopa replies softly, uncurling from the sofa. The movements are slower now and as she moves with him towards the door, she does press her hand into her stomach. "'ll see you soon, Renos, 'n' don't worry too much."

Kid won't be long in the kitchen, going right for the mead to pour herself another three quarters full glass before she emerges once more. She sees the two of them at the door, but will only look for a moment before going back to settle with her last remaining sandwich. But she takes a healthy swig from her glass before she settles in again to finish off her meal.

Renos stops at the door and then gives a little bow to each of them. "I will not try to worry, if you stop moving around while injured." There is a bit of a smile as he looks to the women. "Be well, get well, and stay that way. Until later. And, if you should have any problems, bang on the wall. I will hear, more than likely." He then outs the door.

The smiling comment gets him a rueful smile from Caliopa and she nods. "I ain't so good at stayin' put 'n' it ain't so bad." She closes the door behind him, turning back to her seat, curling up with a slow exhale of breath as she leans into the cushions. "Poor man. Losin' the person you love..." She stops abruptly and leans her head back against the cushions, closing her eyes for a moment.

Kid is halfway through her sandwich by the time Cali returns to settle in. She glances over towards the woman at her words, her shoulders rolling slightly. "Ain't hard to get used to, do it enough times. I should know," she mutters, taking less pains to swallow before speaking. But she's intelligible enough. No, empathy isn't something she has right now. But for now, besides that aside, she fixates on her sandwich.

"Guess Renos and I ain't like you then. Still bothers us when we lose folks." From Caliopa, this is nearly a snap, her lips tightening at the displayed lack of sympathy. "There are towels in the spare room, if you need a shower or anything. I'm gonna take his advice, get some rest." Indeed, her face is a little pinched around her eyes and mouth, a little paler than normal and as she moves towards the bedroom, she does snag a bottle of painkillers Atticus left there.

"So you're just not going to tell me, huh?" Kid's cross little response. "Sure, be pissed at me for not falling all over the guy and his issues.. that's fine. Having some fucked up assassin whispering into my head and breaking my back for your boyfriend makes me fucking crabby. Not like I don't already have enough to do without looking for lost loves left and right when the whole city is on the line. Even so, I tried to help out your boy by looking into the gangs you got on your ass cause you wanted to set up shop in the Dregs ever after I told you that shit wouldn't fly smooth. But that ain't the source, cause you've been like this since I walked in, so that's not what started it." She sits there, sandwich in hands. "Sleep, fine, but at least tell me what's got yours in a twist."

Caliopa turns around, leaning against the back of the couch, the pills gripped tightly in one hand. "You ain't got a piece of compassion nor carin' in your body, Kid. First I figured you jus' hid it, in case of comin' to harm but you layin' into me 'bout thinkin' harder over something I ain't able to stop thinkin' over finally made me think on a piece." She shakes her head slowly, her lips tight. "You reckon I'm pissed and I ain't. I just ain't spendin' fuel on things that don't fly, 'n' you being someone with a heart of gold is one of them."

Kid blinks at that. "What the hell, Cali? I've told you to your face I don't have a fucking heart of gold. Maybe when I was too young to know better, but look at where I live. You don't keep no illusions about what is what there and live to tell the tale." She snorts faintly. "So you're all messed up cause I tried giving you a talking to.. I know you Cali, you like to get stuck on emotions.. I wanted to make sure you were looking deep. Sorry if I wanted to try and help and maybe I didn't. Just pretty damn Ironic that what finally breaks your own illusions is when I was trying to do something positive." Indeed, she seems amused by the irony she sees in it. "So what? You only going to hang around heart of gold people?" She cants her head a bit as she looks at Cali. "Cause if you are, you'd best start taking a real close look at all the people around you, girl."

"But you ain't got any feelin's for other folks. You mebbe ain't got a heart of gold but I ain't that sure you got a heart that ain't just a lump of meat." She shakes her head, the plait swinging. "I ain't that naive that I think all folks are good but you know, most of them got a piece of carin' in them for others, 'n' you ain't even got a kind word for him, let alone reachin' out to help. I know you ain't in the best place of the world, but there ain't a person round here that is right now." Her hand moves to her stomach unconsciously, "He and I, we ain't been friends a while, but even he got a kind word to say, 'n' I got one for him. You, you're meant to be my friend and you got hard words for me, sayin' I'm spendin' my time feelin' bad over it and not tryin' to fix it, when you ain't seen me runnin' half the city lookin' for clues, fillin' my mind with the history of anything he might have touched ever."

Kid frowns. "I don't even know the guy. And I'm sorry if I can't muster up the words to comfort some guy I don't even know about some chick who screwed me over out of more money than I've seen in years. Hell, I could have gone off hardcore on his ass if I really didn't give a shit, but rather than do that I kept my mouth shut as much as I could. But I suppose that don't mean a thing cause heartless people always keep their mouths shut rather than making shit worse," she fires back tensely. "And no I haven't seen you running around, I've been too damn busy doing every damn thing in the world myself. So excuse the hell out of men if I didn't take a moment to try and make sure you were on target. Cause hell, doing that is just the most heartless thing anyone in the whole fucking world can do! I mean, no one ever makes mistakes, with people, do they?" She frowns and shoves her plate aside, snatching up the glass. "But fine, Cali. I'm heartless. I don't give a shit about anything and anyone. You arent' the first to think that and sure as hell won't be the last, so don't worry. I'll get by, cause like I said, after the first few times you get used to shit like that." She tosses back the glass, emptying much of it in a single go. The alcohol loosening her up nicely.

"Taking a moment to check I'm on target ain't the same as tellin' me what you said, 'n' you ain't doin' every damn thing, you just got a few of the pieces on the go. You ain't copin', you tell us 'n' then someone else can do it." Caliopa's tone isn't gentle, sympathetic or caring, but hard, practical and angry. "You want folk not to think you ain't got a heart, perhaps you'd consider showin' it sometime when you ain't lookin' for pity over how hard your life has been, 'n' how much tougher you had it than anyone else. Provin' to everyone how tough you are, all the time." There is scorn there too, "Only thing is, takes more to reach out 'n' take a risk at bein' a friend than it does to hide behind some mask, pretendin' you are so tough that you don't care. Reckon that is a cowards way out." The knock on the door stops the furious outburst and Caliopa makes her way there, her hand pressed to her stomach, the white edges of her mouth speaking for itself. She peeks through the peephole and opens the door with a forced smile.

Etienne is the one who stands outside that door. He's hearing quite a bit of harsh words, even though he can't really understand the words themselves through the intervening layers of 'wall and door'. When the sound of the voices, Cali's if he's not mistaken, stop, he takes a deep breath. Then the door opens, and he takes half a step forward, eyes narrowing as he takes in Kid and both of the women's expressions. "Wha' is goin' on 'ere?" he asks, his own tone level and even, and quiet enough not to be heard halfway down the hall. He looks from Kid back to Caliopa, "As if we dinna have enough o' a problem a' presen' withou' th' two of ye bickerin' like pages jealous o' th' same maid." His tone, at the end, is harsh with scorn for both of them, but still quiet enough not to be heard outside. Clearly, and easily, heard by the two women, but not outside. His expression is mostly neutral, but the lines of some negative emotion are there too. Surprise coupled with anger and disappointment. Astonishment at the behaviour, obviously.

Kid narrows her eyes at that. "Obviously you know all about what I do. Cause of course it has to be the easiest damn thing in the world and not at all dangerous, cause it isn't like I need some wacked out crazy following me around now so I don't get splattered by fucking robots." That someone is at the door doesn't slow her down this time. "I don't look for goddamn sympathy, but if you're bringing up your own sob stories and rag all over my trade, don't get surprised when someone else doesn't just roll over and take it. What is it with you and your black and white view of the world? Heart of gold this, heartless fucking that.. I'm not either. BUt fine, you can assume whatever the hell you want." She pauses, glaring at Eti for a moment before she turns on her heel, headed back to the kitchen with glass in hand. "Ask Cali, she has all the fucking answers!"

Caliopa pauses in the fight only long enough to give Etienne a glower. "Never said I knew all you do, nor that it ain't difficult nor dangerous but you ain't got a monopoly on troubles in your past, 'n' you keep shovin' at people to keep them away, so you get to say see, them folks all leave me, when it was you done pushin' 'n' pushin' til folks can't stand to be told they ain't enough any more." All the time, she has her hand pressed tight to her stomach, the pills held tightly in her other hand and her lips pressed tightly together. "Mebbe I ain't got a clue what you are, Kid but it ain't my fault. I ain't the one pretendin' to be one thing then the other." She turns back to Etienne, tilting her head back to give him a hard stare. "'n' you, don't even dare to walk in my house 'n' tell me how to be in it. You ain't got the right to speak to Kid nor me like that."

Etienne looks from one to the other of them again, and the focuses upon Caliopa. One brow raises ever so slightly. "I dinna recall tellin' ye how ta be. I stated an opinion," he says, expression going down to near complete neutrality. "I honestly dinna care wha' ye two do. Bu' perhaps ye should. Fighin' isna gettin' yer friend found or rescued. Nor is i' helpin' anybody in this figh' agains' wha's comin'." He pauses, watches Kid leave the room, and looks back to Caliopa. "I came here ta talk ta ye abou' Kalvin. Bu' since ye dinna appear ta be in a mood ta do anythin' productive, I think I migh' jus've wasted my time, and wha' time yer Kalvin migh' happen ta have lef'." Etienne, face still that neutral mask that practically shouts that he's not happy, watches Caliopa for a moment before doing anything further.

Atticus steps out from the office door that was closed, frowning as he rubs his face, a legal pad in his hand. "What's going on out here? What's with all the yelling and commotion?"

Kid stiffens and snaps a glance back towards Cali. "How soon you forget. Cause it was all about me when those boys screwed me over time after time again. Yeah, getting hit, used and abused when I thought I was in love was all my fucking fault. And I never pretended anything with you. I am who I am. You're the one who saw what she wanted to see." Her expression gone chill, but she doesn't stay to say anymore, shoving into the kitchen with her glass. She's getting the mead again. Two isn't hardly enough for her right now.

Caliopa's attention turns from Kid, from the fight, the moment Etienne mentions Kalvin. "Did you find something?" She asks, her voice level and quiet, the signs of anger draining from her face, leaving behind the tightness around her eyes and mouth, speaking of the pain she feels. A painkiller in the mouth is worth two in the hand. Atticus' arrival from the study gets him a faintly puzzled look. "Renos was here, I figured you were out. He wants to see you."

Atticus nods, "Okay, I'll see him," he tells Cali, frowning. "Cali, honey, sit down. Please? You're in pain. Sit down. Etienne, good to see you. Can you grab the pill bottle on the counter and get a bottled water from the fridge? Cali, I want you to take a pain pill. Now what are you two arguing about now? Kid, you're all pissed off and Cali, you're in pain. I want everyone to just take a few seconds and calm down."

A deep breath is taken, and Etienne shakes his head. "Nothin' on Kalvin, lass, I'm sorry. 'owever, I've heard somethin' tha' migh' interes' ye three... abou' Coleson." He pauses as Atticus asks him to grab pills and water, and he shrugs a bit. "I'll ge' th' water, bu' Cali's already go' th' bottle o' pills, methinks." He moves into the kitchen, following practically in Kid's wake. There, he comments to her, "Found some o' th' info ye migh' be interested in, on tha' Coleson." It's all he says as he opens the fridge, grabs the bottle of water, and heads back for Caliopa and Atticus.

Kid is in the middle of refilling her glass with mead when Eti follows her in. "Yeah, I guess we can see if what you heard meshes with what I've heard," she mutters, her mood remaining tensely displeased. When Kid emerges, she brings the mead bottle with her, stalking back towards the couch where he left the last remains of her sandwich without addressing Atticus' words to her. In a way, she's already calmed down somewhat, if not by the best of means. Enough that she actually sees Cali is in pain. Her cool expression falters slightly, but as others go about tending to Cali, she quietly nurses her glass, keeping her eyes lowered.

Caliopa moves to the couch, sitting on the edge, her face pinched and pale. Her shoulders slump at Etienne's words, the hope that had flashed briefly in her eyes vanishing. "Coleson..." She repeats softly, her head bent as she shakes two pills out of the bottle into her hand, reaching her hand for the bottle of water with a brief smile of thanks for Etienne.

Atticus nods, frowning as everyone gets together again and he takes a seat on the couch, putting down his legal pad. "Alright, Coulson. One moment, and we'll cover that. First, I want to say something. Cali, darling, Kid is gruff and cynical and hard around the edges, but she'd do anything for you. Maybe she has a heart of gold, maybe not, but that's not really important. What's important is that she's always been there for us and has always come through. BUt she's going through a lot now, she hates having to rely on people and now she's with us for safety, and that has her prickly. Kid, Cali looks for the good in others, she looks for that which shines and is pure. And she's hurting, both from her wound but from Kalvin and it's eating her up inside. Don't go proving to her how hard you are, if she wants to think you're nice on the inside don't go trying to prove otherwise just to prove how tough you are. Now, with that said, Etienne, please. Get comfortable and talk to us."

Etienne moves so he can hand the bottle of water to Caliopa easily enough. He moves a couple of steps and settles down into to the chair while he listens to Atticus speak. He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before he starts to speak. "Las' nigh' a' th' Nu' 'n Bol', I overheard a conversation. Some guys, only a few drinks inta their cups. They were talkin' about Coleson, tha' 'e's workin' fer Jelani's Adventures as a guard and guide. Said th' man's recruitin' people from th' dregs 'n lookin' fer payin' clien's ta take on a trip. Th' recrui's, they said somethin' abou' them bein' hired as cheap securi'y." He pauses, looking back and forth between the three people here.

Kid scowls as Atticus digs back into the argument. "Just drop it, elf," she mutters as she nurses her glass quietly. She keeps the bottle of mead leaned against her side, within easy reach. When the scout gets on with his findings, she bobs her head s lightly in response. "Yeah, heard that shit too, though I was thinking about finding out more before I said anything, cause all this does is bring up more questions." she states. "Makes you wonder why dregs folk and where he's going with em. I'll check the place out.. see if I can't get a sense for what he's up to. Hopefully it will have something to do with Kalvin or the cube."

Caliopa takes the bottle, tossing the tablets back and taking a large swig, her expression speaking of the taste of the drugs. Atticus' words cause a blush to rise in her cheeks, and the glance she gives to Kid is speaking, embarrassment mingled with the warm sympathy that comes so easily to her. "'m sorry for what I said, Kid." The blunt apology comes as she leans back into the couch, listening to Etienne's words, her forehead wrinkling, trying to slot the new information into the picture in her mind. "I'm gonna go back to Kalvin's." She murmurs.

Atticus nods, "Okay, I'll go with you Cali. Kid, be careful, the guy may be onto you. BUt you're right - you and Etienne should dig into this. We should try to find out more about what he wants these people for. Maybe he's trying to get back to the ship and that's the trip he's talking about. I feel like we're starting to unravel this some, that's good."

Etienne lifts his shoulders in a slight shrug to Kid's words. "Me bes' guess? Because th' folks from th' dregs willna be missed." He pauses, a slight frown on his face. The muscles around his mouth tighten for a moment, before he looks back toward Atticus. "Isabeau lives in th' dregs." He pauses, frowning in thought, and shakes his head. "I'll definately help with th' lookin' inta i'. Find ou' abou' this trip. Mayhaps hire th' guy as a 'guide'." Etienne falls silent again, and after a moment rises from his seat. "I need ta think on this. Migh' see abou' gettin' Isabeau ou' o' th' dregs. Dinna like th' idea o' her there with this Coleson guy recruitin' from there." Still frowning rather thoughtfully, Etienne starts for the door, but will likely pause if anybody does something to stop him.

"Don't go hiring anything yet," Kid states, stopping her drinking for a moment to focus on business. "Don't get too close to him." She looks towards Eti as he starts to go. "BUt yeah.. see if you can get a sense for things. Might be better for you to ask some questions there than me, cause you're the sort to go to a place like that. I 'll see if maybe I can get some words from those he's been hiring. See if someone has some sense of what he's up to from that end." She rolls her shoulders slightly, lifting her glass then to take a draught. She shifts her eyes towards Atticus then as she adds, "Question is.. do we want to bring him in eventually. Would tip our hand, but if we can drag answers out of his ass, he could have a lot to say.. however you might interrogate a robot."

Atticus nods, "The problem is, he could probably self destruct or something if we got too close. I don't know about that yet. I'd have to think about it, talk with Cali and see if there was a way we could prevent him from blowing up and stuff like that. But it's worth a thought. For now, I think we keep doing what we're doing - but Kid is right Etienne, be very, very very careful. Don't get too close."

Caliopa doesn't speak, listening to the words, a small wry smile as Atticus promises to go with her. She leans into the cushions, the pinched look still around her mouth and eyes, her hand resting on her stomach.

Etienne pauses at the door to grin back at Kid, "Nay, no' withou' talkin' ta th' res' o' th' group firs'. Fer now, I'm goin' ta look inta this trip 'n nothin' more." He lifts his hand to the doorknob. "I should've specified tha'. Sorry, me mind's elsewhere," he says as he opens the door and steps on through.

Kid watches Eti go for a moment before she mutters, "I'd try hacking into the fucker, but I doubt that'd be all that fruitful. Depends if I can even understand the language that is rolling through his circuits, but even then it would probably take loads of time we don't got, even staring at the screen for hour after hour. Though it'd be a nice long term project if I could get my hands on some functioning bits and pieces."

Atticus nods, "Possibly. We can think about it, maybe you and Cali can come up with some idea between the two of you about how we can get more from him or keep him in check if we interrogate him. None of my magic will really work on a robot, I'm afraid. Etienne, take care," he says as the man leaves.

Kid frowns faintly. "I don't know a thing about bots and AI and stuff, so I really can't help with that junk," she states. "I could hack his software, maybe.. maybe if I had a few weeks or months of solid, uninterrupted time to work, probably. And then I might be abel to synthesize a proper virus, but getting it into him is a w hole other nut to smash." She snorts faintly and shakes her head slightly, dipping back her glass. "I don't got nothing for you, elf, sorry."

The pills seem to be working, and Caliopa's pinched look fades slightly. She leans back into the cushions, briefly shutting her eyes, the relief on her face showing as a flash in brown eyes.

Atticus smiles, "WE'll come up with something. DOn't sweat it, like they say. WE'll be fine. WE're making good progress so far," he says as he shifts in his seat and waves to Etienne. He snags the pill bottle, smiling at Cali as he puts it back.

"Yeah, so you say, but to be honest, I can't find anything on Kalvin," Kid states. "I went back over his shit, but its a dead end. I just hope this Colson jerk leads to something, cause I'm running out of ideas. I have Hayate following him around.. hopefully he'll bring up something useful too." She tips back her glass, nearly emptying it in a heavy swallow before starting to refill it a fourth time from the mead bottle.

Caliopa's eyelids drift down, despite her desire to listen. "Gonna go back to Kalvin's, 'n' look at the wall." She nods, the eyelids growing heavier and her hand relaxes from her stomach.

Atticus nods, "Sure you will. WE'll look at the wall hon. For now let those pills do their work and you just rest," he tells Cali, leaning over to tug a blanket over her and kiss her cheek. He nods to Kid, smiling. "WE'll get there. I have faith. We're making some progress. Cali figured something out about Kalvin's, I think."

"Yeah? Like what?" Though calm enough, Kid is hardly in a positive mood. Her personal funk lingers. And she keeps drinking steadily. Which seems to have contributed to her calm somewhat. She glances down to the side after her question, eyeballing the remains of her last sandwich. Ultimately deciding she's done with it.

Caliopa gives Atticus a smile, almost a drunken one as she snuggles into the blanket, cuddling it to her. "The wall went weird..." She mumbles, the eyes closing, lashes dark against her pale skin. "Like it moved."

Atticus smiles, "Well, I don't know. But it could very well be a lead. We can't get despair take over, Kid. If we do, we lose our efficiency and we start fighting with each other and then we're lost. WE fight amongst ourselves instead of the bad guys."

Kid glances at Cali with a frown. At first the thought she gives doesn't seem to make a lick of sense. "Yeah, walls move.." Muttered lowly as she lifts her glass again. It'll be as she's drinking that the thought germinates in her head. "Moving wall.. secret compartment maybe?" She looks towards Cali, though suspects the woman might already be halfway to dreamland. She then flicks her eyes to Atticus and scowls. "Didn't I tell you to drop that, elf? We'll work it out eventually. I'm a professional and professionals don't let shit like that effect work."

Caliopa fights the eyelids of doom, giving Kid a lopsided grin. "Dunno..." Her voice is slurred, as the eyelids go down and the grin fades. The girl's breathing deepens, evening out and the hand holding the blanket relaxes.

Atticus smiles, "Could be secret compartment or maybe some sort of high tech thing I don't understand," he agrees. "We'll figure it out. And I'll drop it Kid. But you were letting it affect work. She was almost in tears and you're drinking like you're contemplating having to sleep with me and be hammered to forget it later," the elf jokes.

Kid snorts at that and stares at Atticus. "Yeah, I'd need a lot more fucking booze for that," she states. "I haven't had a nip in a while, cause my stash is at home and I don't do the bar thing. I'm having a night so I can calm down. I also plan to light up once I settle into that guest room too. I'm going to sleep it off tonight and I'll be back at it soon enough. And better for the relax time. So don't start acting like my father."

A small snore escapes the pile of blanket and red hair that is asleep on the couch.

Atticus nods, "Fair enough. Just relax and chill out. we'll be fine. We'll be safe here and we're making progress. I promise I'll shut up about it now. What are you in the mood to eat tonight? I'll make dinner."

"Jus' had four sandwiches. That'll do me fine for now," Kid replies, her mood slipping into the ambiguous as she sips at the glass, how half full once more. Ultimately she pops up and snags the bottle, walking towards the kitchen without another word.. for now.Tags:atticus, caliopa, etienne, kid