May 10 03:16:37 10 - Gyms and Jobs
From Chronicles
May 10 03:16:37 10 - Gyms and Jobs
Kingsdale - Harry's Gym
Erica is running on a treadmill dressed up in her gym clothes. Already having worked up a sweat she is showing her endurance as she is jogging up the incline that the treadmill is currently set to. A plug runs, from her digital disc player, into the base of her skull. The rest of the gym is fairly crowded as it almost is with both men and women working out hard to keep in shape.
And being part of said crowd, Jack is helping another person by spotting them for some weight-lifting. Give a little, get a little, right? "Very nice, very nice, can you do one more?" he asks, slipping his hands under the bar to help pull it up if need be.
Bridget is the late-comer, and hasn't quite made it to the sweaty or helpful part of the crowd. She only just now comes out of the changing rooms in shorts and a halter. There's also a rope in her hand, the jumping or skipping kind. Some do endurance, others are doing strength, she's working on coordination. A few strides to find enough room, and then she can see if she will win by not tripping and falling on her face.
Erica finishes her long run after a few more minutes and slows down to a walk for another few minutes before finally stopping the treadmill and hopping off of it. Using her towel she wipes off some of the sweat on her face and takes a drink of water. She looks around for a moment as she takes a little break from her daily workout routine. Noticing Bridget jumping rope she gives the other woman a quick nod of her head in greeting. After that nod she turns her head slightly to ponder the climbing wall.
Jack gets no answer, only a straining face! He grabs the bar and helps pull it up and ensure it's safeon the hooks. "Good job, good job!" he leaves the panting fellow there to recover a bit, just keeping an eye for a moment to ensure everything is okay, and steps away to get a drink of water. After this he looks to the wall as well, and then turns around to start heading somewhere which ends with a swish of a rope in front of his face - he backs up a step. "Ah, pardon me, lass" he says good naturedly.
Bridget begins her routine well enough, and is just starting to alternate her stepping when Erica nods. She'd wave back, but has to just smile and nod, instead, so she doesn't need to stop. Almost taking a man's nose off is something very different, though. She blinks and stops suddenly, letting the rope smack her shins. "Sorry, I thought I was out of everyone's way. You Ok?"
Erica hears the rope stop it's sounds and turns her head back to Bridget and sees what happened. She smiles slyly and takes a step closer to Jack and Bridget. She looks like she is about to say something before closing her mouth and shrugging her shoulders. She takes another sip of her water as she watches idly.
"I'm fine lass, I just wasn't careful, it's all good. You have a fierce swing though, yes." Jack replies with a wave of his hand, glancing from one woman to the other. "Ah, don't mind me, didn't mean to interrupt - I'll just go get some of that gear over there" he chuckles, pointing to the desk, and then makes for going that way.
"Thanks." Bridget grins to Jack. "I guess if I ever have to fight someone off with a jump rope, I'll be ready, right?" When he walks away, she spies Erica again. Now she can wave. "Hi. How are you doing?" Her jumping and almost hitting people can wait for a minute.
Erica grins as Jack moves away and nods her head to Bridget again. "Hey. Ya I'm doing pretty good. Just the regular gym routine you know. Have to keep in shape inbetween missions. I am here most days. How about yourself? How are you?" She glances at Jack for a moment regarding him with an expert eye before looking away.
Jack laughs, "Without a doubt lass!" he says as he heads off, spending a few minutes at the desk to rent out the shoes - no harness though. He chats with the person at the desk for a few moments before coming back with the shoes, and sitting on a bench to put those on.
Bridget trades in her grin for a smirk. "Sometimes, I'd rather be on them instead of in between." Then she's right back to a smile, and a large one. "I'm good. Better than good, even. What all do you usually do in your regular thing, here? I just started coming a few weeks ago, and I still haven't made it here very often."
Erica nods her head over to Jack as he gets his climbing shoes. "Well I usually run then climb. Or I hit the pommel horse and rings for a little while. Then most days I go into the sparring room and work out on the bags for a while. I teach knife fighting classes sometimes in there from time to time although not in a while. I mean when I'm not on a mission I live here or in the clubs and bars." She grins widely before shrugging her shoulders. "Work hard and play hard I guess. That and I like to dance."
Jack takes care to tie the shoes tightly, and then stands up, testing them and making a face for a moment. Looking up, he eyes the two women briefly; for a moment it looks like he's about to say something, but he decides to make his way to the climbing wall instead.
"I remember the dancing part," Bridget nods to Erica, energetically, "and I agree with that, too. After too many nights in the clubs, it seemed a good idea to come here. Wait, you teach? I didn't know that. I'll remember to not make you mad if you're holding something sharp." The move of Jack makes her glance after him, mildly curious.
Erica turns to watch Jack as he makes his way to the climbing wall. She takes a seat on a nearby seat and shrugs her shoulders. "Sure I teach some things for people. Friends or people who want a few lessons. I have military training and a lot of time those skills are useful to people in this day and age. The knife training is for people who just want a little extra defense. Vibro knives or claws are fairly cheap and damm useful. How about you what do you like to do at the gym?" She asks Bridget before taking another sip of water as she watches Jack and talks to Bridget.
Jack reaches the wall and then picks a spot to start from - not the easiest, not the hardest, something that requires an interesting starting setup at any rate, and pulls himself up to the wall, starting to move across it slowly in what can only be a bouldering session. He careflly picks his moves, leaning here and there to check what's available, following a route when available.
Bridget shrugs her shoulders as she watches the man climbing now and again. "Well, there's the rope, but I've been doing that for years." She wiggles the high-tech exercise tool in her hand. "Punched the bags a few times when in a bad mood, and swam in the pool. Not a whole lot, I guess, but this is only the ...third? time I've been here since I signed up."
Erica turns her head away from Jack to offer Bridget a brief, but warm smile before turning back to watch Jack's ascent. "Well welcome to the gym. I think it is a pretty good place. It sort of caters to a lot of merc types which is a good and a bad thing." She says with a quick shrug. "So how is the work front coming? You found a job yet, or are you still looking. I have been hearing about something coming up."
There's not much to say about a man doung bouldering, other than there might be some interesting stretching and minor contortion involved. Jack starts whistling to himself softly, probably to keep some semblance or rhythm as he goes across the wall, taking a hand off a rock to wave at someone now and then. At some point he stops, a bit at a loss as to how to proceed, the situation probably seeming impossible from his position, at least initially.
"Nothing steady, or big." Bridget now frowns some and shakes her head, "Not starving or anything, but I'm trying to put some away for all the rainy days, you know?" Erica now has her full attention. "If there's something coming up, I'm interested."
Erica is dressed in her grey gym clothes which are a hlater top and some shorts. She is currently sitting on a bench after taking a long run uphill on the treadmill. She is currently talking to Bridget while watching Jack as he works on the climbing wall. "Well I have met someone that is looking to hire a crew of Mercs, but we should talk about if you are right for the job first. Walking into the wrong job can be pretty harsh. What is your area of expertise?" She asks with a friendly voice.
Jack carefuly moves a foot onto another hold, and then an arm, trying to get across a particular set, slowly rotating so that he is attached to the wall sideways, with one foot actually high, hooked around another hold. There's a pause, and then, 'well shit' in that ozzy accent, along with a look of confusion as he looks around to try and quickly get out of this one. Can't be comfortable!
Bridget sports some of the same fashion, short and top, just in black. Now that there's some shop talk, she's more interested in Erica than Jack being a fly on the wall. "Well, I'm not sure if I have much of a specialty, but I can point and squeeze with most weapons. I wasn't lucky enough for any guys in uniform," she grins again, "and it was all ...informal, I guess. Not all gun's blazing stuff. Found a few people that were trying to not get found, slipped into a place here and there. A little bit of everything, I guess."
Jackson walks in from the street, walking confidently, which is a massive change from just a week ago. His deep green eyes glancing around at those present. He seems normal enough, but his eyes burn with an intensity and determination that is hard to miss. He approaches the front counter and starts talking to the guy behind it.
Bridget sports some of the same fashion, short and top, just in black. Now that there's some shop talk, she's more interested in Erica than Jack being a fly on the wall. "Well, I'm not sure if I have much of a specialty, but I can point and squeeze with most weapons. I wasn't lucky enough for any guys in uniform," she grins again, "and it was all ...informal, I guess. Not all gun's blazing stuff. Found a few people that were trying to not get found, slipped into a place here and there. A little bit of everything, I guess." Then there's Jack's little problem and she looks up to him after his little curse. She calls up, "Did you get stuck?"
Erica nods her head slowly as she watches Jack. "You can jump to that handhold on your right." She yells out to Jack as she notices his problem. "Well that doesn't tell me a lot. I mean what do you use? I myself do heavy fire support and protection. I also double as air support with my Triax armor and Triax jetpack. So for example are you able to scout? Are you fire support? Sniping support? If not I can teach you how to do some of these things. I myself am a sniper. Nothing like a shot from far up above to give an enemy unit problems. I don't mean to pry I'm just trying to get an idea."
Jack turns his head to looka t Bridget for a moment, smiling sheepishly, "It appears so lass, so it does" and then to Erica, then to the wall, tilting his head this way and that. "Ah, thanks lass!" he says, and carefully moves to facilitate the hop from one hold to the other, looking all cool flying through the air and ... continuing to fly trough the air, failing to grab onto the desired hold. Thankfully bouldering isn't done at height, and he only has a few feet to go to the mat: He falls and gets up, grunting and looking at the wall, then Erica, "I guess it's too good for me, but only for now" he winks.
Jackson shifts his gaze to the man on the wall, and a faint grin creases his lips. He leaves the man at the counter to deal with another gym jockey and he approaches the wall. "Need a hand big guy?" He calls up, his accent alittle off, maybe from up north. but as he calls the man falls to the mat below. "I guess not. You ok?" He asks the other man.
"Sorry." Bridget lets out a small, uncertain laugh. "Haven't had too many people actually serious about me, or they didn't care as long as the job got done. I can scout, but I don't have have anything fancy to fly around in or bring out the really big guns..." She winces as she watches Jack fall, but since he gets up, and then winks... he couldn't have bruised much more than his ego. "You're not bad at falling, at least." He gets a grin and then she's back to Erica with a shrug. "I've done some sniping, but it's not really a specialty. Just a grunt, I guess? There's been a bunch of little jobs all over the place in what was needed. I can't afford to be real picky."
Erica returns Jack's grin with a grin of her own and nods. "Well just take some practice. I'm sure you'll get there, well that and a bit of luck sometimes." She says with a quick shrug of her shoulders. She starts nodding her head slowly at Bridget's words and turns to give her a warm smile. "Not to worry then. Just this next job looks like it will be more of a defensive fight against some nasty characters. Some creatures that I have fought in the past. And if you are going to plan a strong defense you have to know what your working with. So what kind of loadout do you have?" She asks Bridget as she turns to regard Jackson with an expert eye briefly before turning her head back.
"Gotta do somethin' right, right?" Jack replies, and smiles back at them, and Jackson too, "I'm alright mate, thanks for asking though! It's pretty easy to throw a knee or something equally unpleasant. Still, pretty embarrasing in front of the lasses" he says that humorously, and offers a hand to Jackson, "I'm Jack."
Jackson glances back at the women, seeing the look Erica gives him just as she looks away. "William. But call me Jackson, everyone else does." He tells the other man, gripping his hand and giving it a firm shake. He lets go then and eyes the wall once, then turns toward the women. "You folks recruiting for something?" He asks, unable to help but overhear the conversation going on only a few feet from him.
Bridget lets out a little chuckle, "I can pretend I didn't see it, if that helps?" She doesn't turn her head to Jack, though, to help with the ignorance. Erica gets a nod, afterwards. "I don't blame you for asking. It's smart, even if it means I have to sit out. I don't usually travel too heavy, but I've got some armor, a pulse rifle, pistol... pair of maces if I'm worried about someone getting -that- close." She sighs. "Had a nice cycle until I had to hock it, so I'm either walking or hitching... which hasn't helped out the job hunting."
Bridget points a finger to Erica, for Jackson's benefit. "She's the one recruiting, maybe. I'm just one of the ones trying to impress her." A bit of extra grin follows that.
Erica looks up at Jackson at his question and her lips frown ever so slightly. "I'm just asking someone who is looking for work what her resume is like. I hire or find work for other mercs from time to time." She says to Jackson before grinning at Jack. Well just try harder to impress us then." She says with a wink and a quick grin and then turns to Bridget. "What kind of armor? What kind of rifle? And this job won't require a vehicle so that works out for you I guess."
Jack shakes Jackson's hand, "Sure thing, Jackson it is mate" he replies with a nod, and then to Erica he responds, "One of these days, right lasses?" he chuckles, and blinsk as his watch emits a few beeps. "Uhoh ... do excuse me, appointments, they come and come, but clients are not happy whent hey are missed" he adds, and runs off to go change.
Jackson blinks as Jack announces his need to leave, but as a business man himself he k nows how needy customers can be. Turning back to the women he gives a bright smile. He says nothing though, looking Erica over much as she did him just a few minutes before.
Bridget waves to Jack, and almost reminds him not to fall off any boulders on his way home... but she's supposed to not have noticed that. A brow quirks mildly at Jackson, but she doesn't say anything. If he wants to check out Erica, well, that's their business. Instead, she lets out a small sigh, and a good one, to Erica. "Finally some kind of break, at least. Oh, Newton's toys, mostly. A set of Carapace, the lighter style, and a Raptor for putting holes in things. Not as powerful as some of the plasma guns, but I like the kick. Some of those laser rifles make me feel like I'm just blinking a flashlight at people."
Erica looks up and meets Jackson's eyes with her own bright green eyes. She holds his gaze for a few moments before turning back to Bridget and giving her a quick shrug of her shoulders. "Well I'm not a big fan of a lot of the Newton hardware, but I can see it's appeal. I don't like the custom ammo, prefer exchangability myself. I myself use lasers or particle beam weapons. Part of being a sniper is being silent why a laser is a good sniper weapon. And that particle beam weapon is good for heavy support. That thing can do some heavy damage. The Raptor is a nice gun though. I'll keep you abreast of the situation then. It is likely going to be a defense plus search and destroy."
Jackson chuckles as he hears the two women going back and forth about ordinance and armor like the grizzled vet's he knew way back when he was a kid. "Hate to interrupt you two.. but maybe I can be of assistance?" He offers, then olds up a hand to ward of hostility. "When you're done of course."
"Yeah," Bridget smirks, "they did pull a sly one on the ammo. At least it's cheap, for now, and I can just walk down the street to get it. If I find something later I like better, then I'll use it." She turns to look Jackon over again. "Careful, we might bite." It's almost a warning, until she winks.
Erica looks back up at jackson and raises an eyebrow and smirks slightly. "Oh how can you be of assistance?" She asks in a sweet voice as she turns to maybe share a look with Bridget.
Jackson smiles and takes the few steps til he's standing where the two of you are sitting. A glance to Bridget and he grins, shifting his gaze between you both. "I have more teeth than you might think. I can likely be of some use in your.. search and rescue operation. Properly compensated of course. I am a merc."
Bridget's half of the look is part shrug and part apology. "The city's full of mercs, isn't it?" She throws in a bit of a smile before asking Jackson, "So, what's your specialty?" The least she can do is help Erica out, now that she has an idea of the drill.
Erica flashes Bridget a quick smile at her question and leans back on the bench taking advantage and having a sip of water. "It sure is." She offers as a comment while she looks up at Jackson studying him and waiting for him to answer.
Jackson nods in agreement. "Difference is, most mercs don't have my morals. My name is William Jackson, formerly of the Raven's claw Merc company based outside of Coalition capital. And before you ask, we fought against the skulls, not with them. My specialty is getting things done. I'm a melter." He says flashes a quick smile.
"Morals? That's something I never thought to put on my business card," Bridget now smirks, amused, "and I don't think anyone's ever asked me about them, either. A melter? Well... I guess you look like you're a little warm..." she looks him up and down, "but I don't feel real... melted."
Erica nods her head at the term 'melter' obviously knowing what it means. "Morals are good, but don't mean nothing just saying you have them." She offers to support Bridget as she sets down her bottle of water. "Either of you have experience with slavers before?"
Jackson smiles, glancing at Bridget. But he doesn't bother to explain, rather his gaze shifts to Erica. "No but i know who they are and what they stand for. They deserve to end up as drooling vegtables." He says, a little glimmer in his eyes showing that maybe he has the ability to do that. "Suffice to say that my abilities covera wide range, from scouting to defensive to offensive to healing." He says, his tone easy, but carrying a crisp of professionalism.
Bridget's mild smirk melts and sours into a scowl, and Jackson didn't need to do a thing. "Yeah, I know a thing or three about them. If they're part of that S & D, I hope there's a little s and a big D." Maybe she was only teasing Jackson about his meltiness, but if she were, her tease is gone now. She just nods to him without a comment.
Erica looks at Bridget with a raised eyebrow at the other woman's reaction, but she doesn't comment about it. "Well these slavers are a nasty bunch if they are the ones I think. The Splugorth are the most experienced slavers around and to go against them is never an easy task. The barges and the arrior women make a deadly combination that only an idiot wouldn't fear. " Jackson gives Erica a blank look at the word 'Splugorth' but he shakes his head either way. "I'm not a god.. but my gifts are powerful, and I'm still learning new things, how to flex my mind in new ways. Given time and opportunity there is no telling what I'll come up with. I'm sure I'd be an asset to whatever team you assemble."
"Gesundheit? Well..." Bridget sides in with Jackson and passes Erica's curious eyebrow back to her, "maybe I don't know about the ...whatever you just said. If they're supposed to be the best, though, that means they're probably the worst kind, so it still sounds good to get in their way."
Erica laughs softly to herself as she shakes her head slightly. "Sorry I guess being in the Lazlo defense force taught me things that others don't know. The Splugorth are those that control Atlantis they are infamous across the dimensions for their slaving and subjugation of peoples. They raid the eastern areas of this continent frequently."
Jackson listens to the explanation, then thinks on it for a moment. "So they are well established, well defended, and cross dimensional. Meaning they have at te very least.. a massive army. Fair to say?" He asks, taking a seat alongside the women.
Bridget's lips tighten as she considers that. "They sound like a pile of good times. I'm guessing they don't bring a whole army along? I'd like to think I would have heard of them if they did. Let me guess, they're damned ugly, too..." With a name like that, she'd think so.
Erica eyes Jackson for a moment and the giggles. "I'm not talking about assaulting Atlantis. Their slaving teams are usually smaller or at least the teams that are seen in the east. Usually a barge or two and plenty of their women. They come and take slaves then leave just as quick. They are experts at taking slaves alive so their attacks are not usually as straight forward as a laser blast."
Jackson shrugs, having gone along with crazier plans before. "I see.. so our mission, should we choose to sign with you is to stop these slavers and free whatever slaves they may have already taken. Is this a terminate on sight? Refferign to the slavers here." He asks calmly.
"If we don't," Bridget shrugs, "they'd just grab more people somewhere else, right?" She nods to Erica, and didn't really think there would be whole army of them. Erica would probably have recruitment posters up all over the place if there were. "So, chances are they'll just try to take us, too, if they see us? That's something on our side, or could be."
Erica shakes her head. "No not at all. I said this was a defense mission not such a vague order to eliminate all slavers. But I don't have full details yet. This is just a future job I'm courting." She says with a cautioning tone. "Sure people who can fight are prizes that are worth more money then just some farmer at least on the foul slave markets."
Jackson frowns at that. "Then I'm likely a good catch.. Still I welcome the chance to rip beings like this a new one given the chance. And I'm for hire.." He says flipping the frown into a grin.
Bridget tips her head towards Jackson and gets some of her smirk back. "He's got a good point or two. If you want me when you get everything all set up, I'm in. A little wait isn't bad, just gives me a chance to freshen up before we go out."
Erica gives both Jackson and Bridget warms smiles as she nods her head slowly. "Well I am in talks with someone about all this. What I would recommend you do is go out and do some research. Knowledge is sometimes just as powerful as a laser rifle. I will be sure to contact you both when the contract comes up. And if either of you wants or needs any training in the meantime I'm available."
"You are correct. The mind is a vast and powerful tool and weapon." Jackson tells you both, twisting the intent of the words a little. "I'm in, just let me know. One question though.. Are you two familiar with the murder outside the doors of the Alibi about three weeks ago? Happened Monday night, only a couple witnesses. Know anything?"
"I'll do some studying," Bridget nods to Erica, "and get some time in at the range, too, just to make sure. If you've got any pointers on either one of those, I'm not afraid to ask." There's a smile back to her before Bridget shakes her head at Jackson. "I didn't even know there was one, but it -is- in the Dregs. Alot of people find a way to die there... but the Alibi's usually pretty safe."
Erica shrugs her shoulders at Jackson as she offers him a smile. "Powers have their place, but never underestimate those without such powers. As to that murder the psi-stalker I met once or twice. I'm not sure what he was up to." She takes a sip of her water again before looking at Bridget. "Sure I'm happy to go to the range with you some time. As to the research I think there are a few people you can talk to. Maybe Nemain knows something."
Jackson smiles back at Erica. "I was not reffering to my powers, though they do play a role. You'd understand if you'd seen the things I have, and done the things I have. "But should you need me, this is my contact inforamtion." He tells her, writing a bit of information down on a scrap of paper from his pocket.
Bridget looks back to Erica, nodding again. "I'll talk to her about it, since I was planning to duck by the shop, anyway. We can set something up for the range, too, but something tells me I'll be there quite a bit. It's been awhile since I've shot at something... which tell you how much luck I've had finding jobs."
Erica takes the scrap of paper from Jackson and tucks it into her gym bag. "Alright I'll keep you in mind then Jackson. I am Erica by the way." She says to Jackson as she grabs her gym bag and puts it over her shoulder. Turning to Bridget she grins and nods her head. "Yah it is hard to get all the practice in that you need sometimes. But hopefully your luck will turn around. Anyways I better get going plenty of things yet to do." She says as she stands up. She takes a couple cards out of her gym bag and hands one to Bridget and one to Jackson. "There are some radio channels that I monitor regularly if you want to get in touch."
Jackson takes the card, and tucks it into an inner pocket. "I'll talk to you later. Let me know when you have need of me." He reminds her gently. Then he's off to work out, the actual reason he showed up here.
Bridget doesn't have a pocket at the moment, so she just keeps hold of the card. "Alright, and thanks. I'll get you mine, since I happened to run into you one of the few times I -didn't- have one on me." The card is waved some.
Erica grins and shrugs her shoulders as she gives her head a quick nod. "Well just have to run into you at other times I guess then Bridget." She starts making her way out of the gym. "Nice chatting with you." She calls over her shoulder as she heads out.Castegory:Jackson
