Nov 08 02:47:53 106 PA - Challenge from Sunshine to 'Slinger

From Chronicles

Kingsdale - Moe's Tavern

Erica shrugs her shoulder quickly as you grunt at her. She takes another sip from her beer before placing it down on the bar. She gives you as much space as she can in the crowded place while her hands and head move to the music. She squeaks a bit as a large borg bumps her as he moves past, but she quickly regains her warm smile.

The assessment mostly completed, Celaeno finally takes a moment to turn back to the space-maker at the bar, just in time for the squeak. With another ruffling of her coat, she gives a shiver before finally opening the conversation, "What's got you so happy then, hmm?" The question is bluntly posed, if quietly given the large crowd and the music, before she moves to siphon off another quarter pint.

Now it's back to the bottle, but at least Brady doesn't need to strip off all his iron to walk in the door. Walk in, he does, and heads for the bar with a casual mosey. Those already loitering are skimmed idly en route. Big. Mean. Ugly. Really ugly... then he grins as he sees some that ain't so ugly, and maybe not /quite/ as mean. "Well, if it ain't Sunshine and Freckles. Small city, afterall, eh?"

Erica turns her head in response to the question. Her eyes widen slightly and she shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know I guess I find life pretty entertaining. No reason not to smile." She offers Celaeno another warm smile before taking a drink from her beer. Hearing Brady's voice she turns to him and raises her beer to him. "Hello Brady. How are you?"

Celaeno doesn't turn at the voice from behind her, and if there's any recognition or comprehension, it doesn't show. Draining off the rest of her beer (or is it chugging?) she moves to refill it, turning slightly as her de facto companion responds. Another grunt is given, followed by a general wave.

"Bright and cheery's always." Brady releases a chuckle at Celaeno and bends his hatbrim to Erica. "Better than usual, I reckon. You snooker anybody else out of their credits, lately?" He belliess up to the bar next to the ladies, and requests his beer.

Erica listens to the grunt and then shrugs her shoulders again. She turns around to look at Brady as she leans back against the bar. She has her cold beer in one hand as she gives Brady a sly grin. "Well I haven't gotten anyone to give me as good terms as you did. Want to go again? Your shot against the best of my two?" She offers Brady a quick wink before taking a long pull from her bottle of beer.

As the two get their own conversation underway, Celaeno goes about stretching her neck and back as the alcohol kicks in, not bothering to turn around. Another sip, and she seems to be content to keep her eyes forward at the bar.

Brady shakes his head. "Nah. I can't have you risk all your creds, Freckles. You need to have some saved up for when you need to upgrade your iron." He winks, then steps in close to her, so that he can lean closer and reach past for his arriving bottle. After cracking it open and taking a swallow, he gestures to Celaeno with it. "How about you, Sunshine? Or am I messing with your atmosphere, again?"

Erica laughs in her high pitched voice. "Yah I don't have a need for that anytime soon. When you getting my stun gernades anyhow?" She leans back getting out of Brady's way as he leans in to grab his bear. She shakes her head as she smiles to herself. Turning to Celaeno she looks to watch for her reaction to Brady's questions.

"Always, always," Celaeno says, finally turning around to face the two, beer in hand and smirk in place. "Always are you screwing up my atmosphere. But that's all right. We've all got our flaws to work with - you've just gathered a few more than everybody else." A sip is taken, before she gives an indifferent shrug, "But to answer the question, I'm plenty fine."

"Just makes me more memorable than the rest." Brady flashes a grin widened on one side, then turns it to Erica. "Don't you worry none. I'll have 'em soon enough. Just in time for you to blast something with 'em."

"well I think she has you dead to rights there Brady." Erica giggles softly and grins at Brady. "Well good glad to hear it. Hate to think you couldn't find something so simple." She waves at the bartender for another bottle of beer as she drains the last gulp of beer.

Celaeno waggles her eyebrows briefly as she takes another stab at finishing the pint. "So, what're the grenades for, hmm?" she asks Erica idly, dragging one finger around the rim of her glass. "They're not exactly the most subtle things in the world," she says.

Brady smirks and waggles his bottle to Erica. "Neither is putting holes in things, but Freckles, here, is good at that, too." A brow quirks at Celaeno. "Can't say you seem the subtle type, neither. Course, maybe I missed that on account of you being too subtle."

"Well for capturing people alive if need be. Not like they kill people. Just stun them." Erica says at Celaeno raises an eyebrow curiously at Celaeno. "Not like it's a plasma bomb or anything." She accepts the new bottle the bartender brings and pays for it quickly before taking another drink.

"Maybe, maybe," Celaeno equivocates as she finishes off the pint in her hand. "Still, they're loud and they're bright, if by design. Even if you're dodging the question of why you want them." Turning to refill her own glass from her pitcher, she says over her shoulder, "And putting holes in things can be as subtle as it gets. Just depends on what and when."

"Got a point, there," shoulders roll beneath his duster as Brady acknowledges both women, "and I'm partial to lead poisoning over stun, any day. Less chance somebody gets mad and shoots back. Losing an arm or two takes the fight out of most people."

Erica laughs again as she shakes her head. "I told you why I want them. They are for stunning people so they can be captured alive. I'm not dodging anything. Lasers tend to kill things. No need to kill people unless you don't have much choice." She shakes her head slowly. "Most people are too quick to kill."

Celaeno gives her own shrug, "Alright, fine. No particular goal in mind, just something nice to have, fine, fine, fine. I give up." With a spin back toward the bar, she tacks on as an afterthought, "Though I've gotta agree with him. Gotta be a better way to do it. But it's your call, your life."

Brady looses a chuckle and drops a hand to Erica's shoulder, patting it as he offers some explanation to Celaeno. "Freckles, here, is a mighty firm believer in the good of her fellow man. She'll have everybody shaking hands instead of pulling triggers, and everything'll be fine and dandy. Everybody just needs a hug now and then, right?" He looks to Erica with a grinning curiosity following his teasing, rather than mocking, tone.

Erica's lips curl into a sly grin. "Yes it is my life. How nice of you to notice." She shrugs her shoulders as she shakes her head slowly. "Sure Brady that's what I meant. You just go on shooting stuff and thinking with your little gun instead of your head." She looks up at the vid-screen watching the game for a moment as some of the patrons give a cheer.

Enjoying the hostility as it builds, Celaeno continues whittling away her drinks, the pitcher itself beginning to look empty. "Though, there's got to be a way to make a spot of money off this whole thing," she says innocently enough. "You two were talking about a wager earlier, no?"

"We had ourselves a little test of marksmanship," Brady notes with a tip of his head to Erica while letting her huff and puff and peek at the screen, "and she caught me good. A mighty fine filly with even finer hardware. I shuould've known she'd be able to use it, too."

"Eh it was a lucky shot. I'm sure I couldn't do the same shot if I tried again." Erica turns away from the screen back to both of you after watching one of the teams score. Her fingers tap on her fatigues as she idly listens to the music. "I'm sure if we tried again you would beat me."

"The only words you'll ever hear a grifter utter," Celaeno says, smiling widely at nothing in general. "Buy either of you another drink?" she offers before killing off just enough of her own beer to refill the glass to the top. "Though marksmanship's not exactly my strong point. Surely you two're able to pull off something a bit more interesting, hmm?"

Brady smirks and rolls his shoulders. "Can't blame anyone for holding more luck than the rest. Don't mean I want to push mine too much, though, neither." Erica then gets a smile. "I'm sure I would, Freckles, but I don't need to. I'll get the credits back when your little package comes in, and there's no luck needed for that."

"True those stun gernades will likely cost much more then what I won off of you anyhow." Turning to Celaeno she raises an eyebrow. "And what game would you suggest? Are you going to gamble with Brady then? Cause I need to try to hold on to my credits, but I sure enough will let you buy me a drink." She quickly finishes off the last of her beer and sets it back on the bar.

With one affirmative, Celaeno orders up two middle-shelf whiskeys, turning to Brady and reiterating the question, "So, was that a yes or a no?" The correct action then taken, she shrugs. "A wager's a wager's a wager. We could do a drinking game, but that's pretty crass. We could play a game of darts, but that's pretty boring. Cards might work, but that's a little bit boring. Hell, we could always go after some live combat, but I doubt you two'd be up for it. So, not to just shoot down the ideas, but I figured you two might have some."

"Always a yes, Sunshine," Brady winks to Cel, "though I heard I was supposed to be the one buying the drinks. No complaints, mind you. Drinking ourselves to the floor ain't exactly a good idea, here, less you want to wake up light, or worse. I play a mean hand of poker, but something rascaly sounds more fun to me. What're you thinking, Sunshine? Don't count me out of any scrap."

"You can get the next round, if you're so set," Celaeno says with a shrug. "And I'm with y'there. Other than a general spar, well, there're a few beasties over in the Junkyard who gave me trouble the other day. Big nasty things. Too much for us right now, but given the right time, could be nice to bet on kill shots. Alternately, we could have some fun with drivin', or climbing, or any number of things." At that she sips at her whiskey before quaffing at her beer.

Erica listens intently as you both try to plan your way out of another night of drinking with a sly little smile on her face. "Oh what kind of nasty things were in the junkyard? You recognize any of them?" She asks as her smile vanishes and a more serious look appears on her face. "If they are dangerous then they could come out of there and harm some of the people who live around there."

Brady's interest piques further. "Beasties, eh? I ain't so sure about them being too much to handle, but ain't in no hurry to find out wrong, neither. If you want a little tussle, I can oblige. Bit of ridin' sounds mighty nice, too. Ain't had a chance to let her run hot since I got here."

"They're nasty, lemme tell you. There're at least three, wrapped in concrete, with lots of tentacles and a big-ass thing to hit you with. Trust me when I say, now ain't the time. And as for them getting a hold on people, well, that's the price you pay when you life in the dregs. Sometimes something goes bump in the night and grabs you." Another sip. "But if we want to ride, well then, that sounds best to me."

Erica frowns as she hears the what the creatures in the junkyard look like. A slight shiver runs up and down her spine. "Those are defintly not good. Going to have to figure out some way to get rid of them. You might not worry about the people who live in the dregs but they certainly don't deserve to get eaten by some junkyard beast." Her hand moves down and taps on her utility belt as she starts thinking.

"Sound like charming varmints, to me." Brady smirks. "Glad I ain't bothered to look there for salvage, yet. Gettin' smacked around makes it a bit harder to pick through things." He polishes of his bottle and looks between the ladies. "So, we gonna have ourselves a ride?"

"Honey, I live down here - this isn't slumming to all of us. I'm just saying, the slight possibility of getting hauled off's a hell of a lot better than most of the other things that'll get you down here. That said, I owe them one, so I'll definitely be heading back. Eventually. As for the moment," Celaeno rallies, with a slight nod at Brady, "I think we should finishes our drinks, and maybe attend to figuring out what exactly we're betting." And up goes the rest of the whiskey, followed by half the pint and a shudder.

Erica shrugs her shoulders again as she taps her lip with a fingernail. "Well as long as they aren't posing an active danger I guess they can be a problem for another time." She turns her head back to both of you and a smile appears on her lips. "Well I'll watch you two ride. I'm not the best rider anyhow." She giggles as she takes her beer and slams it down drinking it quickly despite her small size.

Brady nods to Celaeno, nursing his brew casually, at least in comparison to the guzzling. "Always drinks first. Course, we can talk wagers. What're you willing to ante up, Sunshine?" He slowly drains the remainder of his bottle while awitin her offer, then sets the empty on the bartop with a wink to Erica. "No sweat that you won't run with us. We need somebody to watch the line, anyhow."

"Well, I've a sword or two I might be willing to put on the line, if you're looking for a big wager. Otherwise, pff," Celaeno muses with a wave of her hand, "well, that depends on how high you'd be willing to go, and the format. I'm going to be on my 'cycle, unless you want to try and even the playing field and stick to yours. I'd think tricks would be more fun than a straight up race, personally. Maybe a game of HORSE."

Erica grins to herself as she listens to you two. "Well whatever your game is I guess I can judge it if you all want." She bites down on her lower lip and gnaws on it fro a moment. "But be sure you agree on the rules and how I should award the winner before you begin." She takes out some credits and pays her bill. "Well where do you want to do this?"

"What kind of blade you offering?" Brady lifts fingers to chin as he considers. "Ain't got much hardware I'm willing to part with, but ain't going to short the ante, neither. Tricks're fine by me. Better, even, and I like the way you're thinking." He turns a broad grin to Celaeno. "Maybe we ought to keep the wager neighborly. Hate to dampen that smile of yours, and all, Sunshiine."

Mikjel wanders over to the bar and grudgingly lays down the credits for a plastic tumbler of whiskey. Turning, he glances around the room, expressly looking for someone.

Erica is leaning with her back to the bar, talking to both Brady and Celaeno. She toys with an empty bottle of beer as she watches the two discuss a race with a sly little smile on her face

"Chirp, chirp, chirp," Celaeno says, with accompanying hand motions. "All I'm hearing. But that's alright, if you don't want to go for something solid, we can slide pieces of paper to each other. How's a thousand sound? It's nothing staggering, but should keep it interesting." Down goes the final half pint. "And outside the gates. An urban run might attract just a bit too much attention."

Mikjel looks around carefully until he spots Erica in the crowd. Slowly, to avoid jostling anyone or spilling his drink, he walks over. He shrugs at her, sipping the drink. "Talked to a garage. Said our salvage weren't worth the time spent hauling it."

A challenge, and a mocking one. How wonderfully prodding, if not surprising from Cel. "If you want solid, fine. Offer up your pig-sticker and I'll match it." Brady's grin is still there, but hardened, then flickers wry. "Yeah, don't think knocking loose a gawker or dumping a lawman's worth points in this game." He straighten up from the bar and fixes his baby blues back on Cel. "C'mon, then, Sunshine. Ya want to go for broke, then let's get to it."

Erica turns to Mikjel and smiles warmly at him, but her smile is quickly replaced by a frown of concern. "Well we have a problem regardless of the salvage. Apparently that worthless hunk of junk belonged to someone. I guess KDPD is looking into it. I figure we should take that junk over to them and tell them what we did as soon as possible." She shakes her head a tad sadly. "It was my idea although how anyone can say they owned that junk is beyond me. I'll take responsiblity. What do you want to do?"

Celaeno sets her gaze on the man, glancing briefly at the Erica and the newcomer before barreling on,"If that's what you want to do, then that's what we'll do. If you can't match it with something I want, and are entirely sure you don't want to back down to something," her smile is like a fire, flickering and dancing, "then you'll have to over-match me for some point down the road. You're a dealer, I'm sure you can come up with something. Want to gear up, grab anything you need, and meet me outside the gates in 20?"

"Sure can." Brady's grin flickers hard with the matching nod to Cel. His hatbrim is then bent to Erica. "See ya 'round, Freckles, soon as I teach miss Sunshine, here, a thing or three. Hope she don't keep me waiting too long..." A swift turn and his duster trails him as he heads out the door.

Mikjel shrugs, turning to roll a cigarette on the bar. "Weren't like it belonged to no one. That's why they call it salvage rather than stealing. Ain't the police's job to start asking around about an unclaimed wreck anyhow." He finishes rolling and lights it, taking a long drag and considering options. He exhales, a plume of smoke leaving his lips as he says, "Don't matter anyway. Pile of junk's not worth shit. Couldn't even sell off the copper. Someone wants it, it's dumped over in the trailer park, leastways till I get around to tossing it into the junkyard."

Erica nods her head to Cel and Brady. "Yah I hope to see you both around soon." Still frowning she nods her head slowly at Mikjel. "Well I'll haul the junk down myself then. You don't have to worry about it then." Sighing softly she looks at the bartender as if to order another drink but then shakes her head. "Well I better put everything into storage in case they decide to put me in jail. Have a nice night Mikjel."

"If you're going to be meeting us, hell, I could go for a side-wager or two," Celaeno grins at Erica and Mikjel, "You can bring your friend, it'll be a party. We could probably even use a judge or two, your call," and without even waiting for a response she shoves off the bar, and elbows her way out to the door.

Mikjel nods amiably and begins to turn to leave the bar. He shrugs at Erica. "Have fun, and remember, that salvage is ours by rights. Ain't no one who marked it as their claim. Not our fault if someone was thinking it was theirs when it wasn't."