Mar 23 20:05:33 109 PA - Impromptu Gathering Outside the KEC
From Chronicles
Mar 23 20:05:33 109 PA.
MAIN STREET NORTH
Eight is a nice time of night, particularly in a late March, when the winter is finally starting to let up. Pavel comes in from the north, humming a broken tune and carrying his huge hammer over one shoulder, and a canvas bag containing a bunch of something angular over the other. The rain doesn't seem to bother him, simply dripping off of his long, wavy locks and directly onto his shoulders. Of course, this necessitates him flipping his head every once in a while to get the wet strands out of his face. Traffic on the street is as busy as ever, which means dangerous for anyone who wanders close to the road. He remains on the pedestrian path, possibly skittering toward the museum's steps. That may just be a means to get out of the main opposing flow, however.
Jokin is wearing a downy, water resistant treated vest to protect him from the rain, the water sloughing off of his bionic arm and he's just in the process of tucking something away beneath the vest. He's apparently just exited the Enhancement Center as he finds himself out on the streets, his gaze drifting curiously up and down as he decides where to head off too.
Pavel does indeed pause on the museum's steps, but only long enough to get a rest from bumping into other people on the sidewalk. A few minutes later, he's back in the fray, plowing south. It's good that he's a jolly fellow, because he could probably do a decent job of playing "cow-catcher" for a locomotive. At this point, the Enhancement Center might be a destination. It's tough to tell. It's dark, it's raining and everyone else is grumpy.
Jokin isn't so hampered by the dark, and rain like many. And it's not too hard to spot Pavel making his way through the crowds and he cracks just a bit of a grin. He waits underneath the awning of the building as the big fellow continues along, waiting for him to come near to say hello.
The smith does eventually start to pass by the door to the Enhancement Center. But he keeps going, that apparently not being his stop either. His humming has broken into a song with words. Russian words, but words. "Ya luchshego kraya na svete ne znayu, Da yest li takie kraya; Dorozhka stepnaya, tropinka lesnaya, Storonka rodnaya moya..."
"Howdy, Pavel." Jokin says in greeting to the man as he steps out into the streets, "Hear any exciting news lately?" he asks the big fellow as he moves to walk with him along the sidewalk.
"Allo, Jokin!" Pavel says happily, not stopping in his step, only allowing the other man to fall in line. "Ees good naheet fohr vahlk? Ohr?" Pavel lifts a finger to the Enhancement Center "- ees ovt fohr gyeht vohrk on ahrm?"
"Well, I was looking at their prices yeah. Want to get the strength on it amped up a bit more, but mostly need to get a good job or two to fund it." Jokin says with a grin, "But, seems that there isn't much in the way of good honest merc work here in town. None I can find anyway." He says.
"Oh?" Pavel slows his step a tad, though he continues to head south. "So Jokin knov hov to faheete, boot mehbe noht so good veesz faheendeeng eef noht ohbvious? Hahs traheed tahlk to perhsohn? Bahrt mehbe knov vhat to seh. Ohr Tek, he knov ahbovt mehrcehnehry vohrk. Sohmtaheems seemplyee ahsk sohmvahn, cahnnoht hoohrt, da? Jokin ees nev to ceety, da?"
"Who's Bart?" Jokin asks, "Don't know any Barts. And I'm plenty good at finding things, better then most really." he says with a shrug, "And I've been in Kingsdale a couple times before, but usually people who want honest merc work aren't hard to find I've found." He adds.
Pavel dips his head. "Sohmtaheems, Pavel has hehrd - ohnly heer, noht do - has hehrd szaht peepohl vhahnt mehrcehnehry, boot ees too ahfrehd to be vyehry ohpehn to haheeyr. Mehke sense, da? Pehrsohn need sohmvahnt to prohtehct... booht ees dehngehrouhs to ahs fohr prohtehct veesouvt mehkeeng bahd pehrsohn hoort fohr ahskeeng for prohtehct." He pauses, even comes to a stop. "Szees mehke sense? Ees vhaht sohmtaheemes hahppehned een Russia, smahl tovns afrehd to ahsk forh hyehlp vees szreht of vrasz." Apparently the actual personnel issue is tabled for the moment.
"Perhaps so. But the people who keep silent are more then likely going to continue suffering since they won't speak out for themselves. But it is what it is, yeah? If someone needs help and comes to me I'm more likely to help then the person who keeps quiet. Lot of people need help out there, and the ones who get it are the ones who make their plight known." Jokin says to the Russian fellow.
"So vould noht hyehlp eef noht ahsked vyehry dehrehctly? Pavel does noht knov vho joo trahee to hyelp... boot ees fohr faheened peepohl vho need hyehlp, geev hyehlp. Prohbahbly geev peh, da? Cahn ohnly seh vhy Pavel szeenk noht faheed szees peepohl, Pavel noht mehrcehnehry. Go to Tehk, go to Bahrszohlohmew, ahsk. Prohbably aht Oohncohmmohn Mehchahneecs, or aht Faheereeng Rhenge." Pavel is standing in the rain outside of the Enhancement Center with a man of partial-'Borg construct. As usual, he's obliterating the American language, but still doing his best to help someone out.
"Mercenary work is fueled by the people looking for Mercenaries, not Mercenaries going door to door offering protection for money. That's generally called Racketeering." Jokin replies. "I spend a lot of time at the range, and a few of the Merc Bars though, and with the end of fighting up in Tolkeen there's been a bit of a draught of work is all I'm saying." He shrugs his shoulders.
Horns blare in the street from traffic frustrated with the individual running along with it and dodging through vehicles to get up the street, Branighan's coat flaring out in the wind behind him. Almost getting himself killed by a truck going by, Bart leaps into the air hurdling another smaller vehicle to get out of the big truck's way barely breaking his stride.
Pavel is surprised at the man's speed, but is swift enough to hold out his absurdly out-sized hammer like a road-arm. "Bahrszohlemew! Stohp!" The words are bellowed, then he speaks more normally. "Do noht knov hov to faheened, eef Jokin seh noht hov to faheend. Boot ees hyehlp, Pavel seh good to knov. Steel, heer ees Barht."
Jokin huhs a bit as Pavel calls out to Bart, his attention wandering over towards the man as he takes him in, a little curiously. He offers a friendly enough nod towards the man, however as he stands with Pavel.
Bartholemew barely catches the bellow of his friend, its the big ass hammer that catches his eye as he zips by. About a block away he skids to a stop along the wet ground and starts running back the other way, and in a flash he skids to a halt near the two men talking. Through the speaker of his EBA, "Howdy Pavel. What's up?" an emotionless look from his masked face going to the borg with a nod, "Howdy."
"Howdy, pleasure to meet you. Pavel was just saying something about you, and looking for, and helping the downtrodden or something, I think?" Jokin says, then offers out his arm, "Name's Jokin." He adds.
Bartholemew accepts the handshake popping open his visor to be a little more personable with Jokin. "Most call me Bart. I help out where I can depending on the situation. I'm a mercenary for hire mostly though."
"Likewise. I was just telling Pavel how there's been sort of a drought in work, I've seen, ever since the end of fighting in Tolkeen." Jokin explains, "Then I think he was tryin to convince me to do some racketeering or something, not entirely sure..."
Bartholemew chuckles, "I doubt the big guy would suggest that, but peddling your services is how you find good work in my opinion. And speakin of Tolkeen, I'd have to disagree with you there. I have a job coming up I'm hiring on for that will bring us up into that area. Are you looking for work?"
Jokin laughs a bit, "Well, maybe I just didn't understand him, but I did hear him talk about finding downtrodden people who'd be willing to pay, and offer to protect them, I'm pretty sure. And yeah? Where abouts up there? I've done some work up there already, might know the area a bit." He offers, "And yeah, if the job pays I'm interested."
Bartholemew grins amused, "I think he probably meant escorting refugees back home or something like that, ya can't take him literal all the time. Anyways, whats your specialty?"
On the periphery of the conversation, Pavel has run into a lovely and tiny young woman with whom he has been engaged in a quiet conversation conducted entirely in Russian. She is wrapped beneath one of his arms as he starts to come back to the two men that he had so rudely left. But his philosophy? Chicks, not dicks. The inverse version of bros before hos.
"Maybe." Jokin says with a laugh, "But, I do a bit of everything really. I'm a Headhunter, bit of a heavy weapons specialist but I can handle most any type of modern weapon." he says, "Good at navigation, instrumentation, electronics, sensors. Can use computers, I'm a qualified field armorer and Demolitionist, amongst other things." He says with a little shrug of his shoulders.
Bartholemew smiles at the borg's resume giving a casual nod at all he mentions, "What kinds of vehicles can you pilot?" seeming impressed so far. As Pavel comes back he takes note of the woman under the big guys arm, "Who's your friend Big guy?" offering a smile in her direction.
"Anya," Pavel says with a wide grin. "Vee meht aht Yahkov's. Vyehry good vohmahn, da. Pavel sohrry to leeve, boot... Anya ees mohr preety szahn Bahrt ohr Jokin." Anya introduces herself in accented but highly-understandable American. The smith looks on, then. "Ees yes mehrcehnehry? Good?" The girl gets a squeeze.
"I don't know about that. I'm not too bad looking, especially when I polish up my arm." Jokin says with a grin, "And I can Drive Motorcycles, fly Jetpacks. I'm qualified in most types of Robots and Power Armor, though my last suit was scrap on the battlefield up near Tolkeen." He adds, "I can also drive, most tanks, and military APC's, as well as operate vehicle weapon systems."
Bartholemew gives a knowing grin to the smith, "Then I'll catch ya later, wouldn't want to keep you from the pretty lady." The headhunter gets a quick nod, nothing particular there catching his attention, "Have you ever been up in the Quebec area? That’s where we're planning to end up."
Pavel looks to Bart with a quirked eyebrow. "Vahs noht leeveeng, ohnlees joo vhahnt praheevacy?"
Jokin laughs, "Well, we are the ugly people and all." He says with a grin to Pavel, then looks to Bart, "Never been that far east, no." He replies with a shake of his head.
The three men and one tiny woman beneath Pavel's arm are standing in the rain outside and south of the Enhancement Center. One armored type and one partial-'Borg type round out the trio. Pavel and the girl appear to be off just enough that they may have just wandered into the conversation. It's an evening hour, but this doesn't mean that the traffic on Main isn't any less dangerous.
The rain does not keep Aya indoors. In fact, she is rarely under roof simply due to weather. Her cloak protects her well enough as she walks south along the street from the market and gates beyond. A metallic stave currently serves as a travel aid.
Bartholemew shakes his head to the smith, "Not at all, I figured you wanted the privacy." turning to Jokin, "By the sound of it so far, you might fit in good for this trip. Do you have your own gear for a trip like this?" The woman with the staff not quite catching his attention just yet.
It's Pavel apparently who first notices Aya. His head turns toward her, though he feels no need to call out yet. He lifts a big hand into the air and waves it toward her, trying to get her attention, or at least be pleasant. The girl at his side gets another squeeze, as he says, "Eto Aya, klient moe. Horoshii chelovek, no strannye slova."
"What sort of gear do you require for it?" Jokin asks, "I've got a selection of heavy weapons, and personal arms. Armor, some wilderness gear, etc., yeah. If there's anything specific though I may or may not have it. Can find most anything I'd need though."
Aya nears the group and returns Pavel's moving hand with a dipping head. "Hello, Pavel." The others' words also catch her ears. "You prepare for battle?" She turns in Jokin's direction, though it could be Bartholemew. It can be difficult to tell with the savageries of her cloakhood.
Pavel only says, "Ees Anya, Aya," as an introduction for the two women. Anya introduces herself as Pavel's girlfriend, in Russian-accented but clear American. As for the man, as Aya's attention seems to be elsewhere, and he is certainly not a mercenary combatant, he remains otherwise quiet.
Bartholemew nods satisfied with Jokin's answers to the brief interview. "Nothing specific as of yet, not too sure what were expecting just yet, but be prepared to keep the client alive. I'll know more soon enough. You got a radio?" he asks before offering a smile to Aya through the open visor of his helm. "You could say that. You might be interested as well Aya. Ever been to Tolkeen?"
"Got a couple radio options, don't have a portable one, though I've got one in my EBA and I've been looking at some implant options." Jokin replies to Bart. "Got a timeline on the job? Don't want to go under the knife if your job is real soon." he then glances over towards Anya, "Howdy, Aya." He says with a nod of his head, "Was talking about heading out to do some work yeah."
Pavel is clearly out of his element. None of this mercenary work is for him, though he can't help but be curious enough to ask, "Vho ees fohr prohtehct?"
"What is Tolkeen?" Aya questions Bartholemew, but her head does not turn. "Why would I be interested? What work?"
Bartholemew replies to Pavel as he pulls a communicator from his belt and tosses it to Jokin, maybe his hands are as quick as his, "The Ambassador." bringing his attention quickly back to the borg, "If you're serious about wantin work, take this and keep it tuned in. I'll call ya when its time to brief ya. I have more than just Tolkeen in the works." and not to leave Aya hanging, "A big city to the north of here, past Chi-town a ways. Figure you might want to make a few credits. I need warriors to protect the ambassador."
Jokin nods faintly to Bart, "Sounds good." He says, catching the tossed communicator, and tucking it into a pocket, "I'll look forward to hearing from ya." He says, "In the meantime, I've got places to go, people to see." He says with a grin, offering a wave to the gathered.
Pavel waves to Jokin as the man disappears. He and his girlfriend look between the other two. "Mehbe vhaht kaheend of prohtect ees fohr? Pavel mohr fohr mehke szeengs. Could hyehlp veesz szees? Ohr cohm veesz hahmmeyhr?" He chuckles at hismelf. "Prohbably Bahrt hahs mahny faheetehrs. Aya ees mahny good faheetehr, seh Pavel. Ees good fohr tyehl Bahrt, Aya cahn hyehlp. Booht nov?" Anya gets a squeeze. "Szeenk go hohm. Hav nev hohm fohr shov Anya." He ducks his head low and whispers something in her ear that makes her giggle, then the two of them turn back north. Whatever business he had in the city? Apparently there is new business elsewhere.
Aya's hood dips with another nod. "If you need warriors, I am interested and can help you. How far is this Tolkeen? I do not know it or any Chi-Town." She adds "Hello. Goodbye," for Jokin.
Bartholemew comments to Pavel as he heads off, "I don't know if Tolkeen is your cup o tea, but I have a gig going to Arcadia that you might prefer. Lots of metal to play with." To answer Aya, "It is many miles form here, but I am arranging transportation or an escort of refugees back in order to get there."
"I can protect refugees," Aya agrees, "As long as they follow directions." She pauses, as if to say more or ask another question, but does not. Knowing that Tolkeen is a city, she makes the assumption that talk of a cup does not mean the way it was said.
Bartholemew smiles, "Good then. Do you have a radio? I don't have another on me right now, but I'll get ya one just in case, I got extras just for this purpose. I like to be able to get a hold of my team quickly."
Aya nods again. "I have armor with a radio, yes, but I do not always wear it."
Bartholemew nods, "That’s fine, next time I see you, I will have a portable for you to keep on you at all times. It will insure I can reach you if work comes up. Unfortunately, I have another stop I need to make, so I will see you later. If able, stop by Happy burger tomorrow afternoon, around lunch time."
"I will be there at that time," Aya affirms, "If it is necessary."
Bartholemew smiles happily, closing his visor and like a bat outta hell he runs out into traffic and hauls ass, quickly gaining speed to match the vehicles on the road already, heading northward.
