Oct 23 16:00:20 109 PA - Last Recruit for a Rescue Attempt

From Chronicles

Oct 23 16:00:20 109 PA.

OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES

It's a good time of day for business, but apparently Gabriel has to stop by the office before moving on to whatever comes next. The door opens, and he walks in from the interior hallway that serves the entire building. In his own neat uniform, he manages to not stumble into Rasputin. Probably instinct at this point - this place is utilitarian, not comfortable. With a quick wave to Gracie, he asks the dwarf, "Rasputin! Hey, I didn't expect to see you here. Guess you're following up on that promise to visit?"

Rasputin smiles, "Da, da. Dwell, mink thinkink you left a note for me, da?" He grins, "Do you wanttink to talk in your office?"

Gabriel grins and waves Rasputin into his private office, giving Gracie the unnecessary but professional nod that Rasputin can come in with whatever's on him.

Gabriel settles himself comfortably in his chair, after taking a moment open a bottle of water to pour a little into the plant, and spritz it a little with a mister. Rasputin is waved to either one of the chairs, neither of them being exactly dwarf-sized. When the door is closed, "Yes, I do have something to talk to you about, Rasputin. I need someone to round out a rescue group, and I think you'd be a good person for the job. No offense, but you're the only mage that I know whom I have any respect and trust for."

Rasputin tugs his beard, "Net knowink too many mages, da?" He grins a bit, "What typink of rescue mission are you talkink about? Who dis needink help?"

"Maybe I just know the wrong types," Gabriel winks. "The short version is that there are D-Bees being held at a Coalition prison compound in Minnesota. They are to be transported to Lone Star for experimentation, and I'm sure you can figure out how that would end. As far as I know, they're just some D-Bees who happen to also be mages. So that's the job. It's paying one-hundred and twenty-five grand flat for everyone to helps free them. And lives, of course."

Rasputin blinks, "Minnesota?" He breaths through his teeth, then tugs his beard,"125K each? Or total?" He ponders a bit, "You havink much informations on guards dwich will be guardink dhem?" he thinks a bit, "And, how closink dwill we be hittink..." He chuckles, "Mink in, mink thinks."

"Yes, Minnesota. Southwest of the smoking crater that is Tolkeen. I only know the general area, but I do know how to get us there. And yes, that's a flat pay per head. One person, ten people... everybody gets that flat rate. If there's anything that we can grab before fleeing, there might be a little more. I already have three others, I'm hoping that you'd fill in the last slot." Gabriel drums his fingers on the desk to explain, "Not bother to go into details right now, but obviously based on pay alone, this is unlikely to be an easy thing."

Rasputin nods slowly, "Da, da. Mink wantink to knowink one think, we be hittink da convoy or base?" He tugs his beard, he seems already in on the idea but ha a question or two....

Gabriel chuckles lightly. "Well, it is a prison compound. It's not a military fortress, it's just holding civilians. But still, yes, it is a prison camp. Keep people in, keep people out. If it takes so long that we need to hit the convoy, our chance of success plummets immensely."

Rasputin nods slowly, "Da, da. OK." He sighs, "Da, when you plannink on goink??"

"Soon as we can," Gabriel replies easily. "It'll be you, Sage, Whitefeather, Alex and myself. If we need someone to drive a hovertruck, I'll pay Thomas a bonus to take it up there. He can pilot just about anything as long as it's not submerged. The problems that I see?" He leans back again to be more comfortable and ticks of a few issues. "Getting there without getting caught by Prosek's forces. I'm hoping that Alex will be a big help with that. Second, somehow scouting the place without being seen, so that we can form a plan of attack. Then whatever it is that we do to try and free the prisoners, then get them to safety." His face is slightly more comfortably when he supplies the information, "My client is going to be able to supply aerial transport to get the captives to safety, but they need to be isolated from enemy fire first. But at least that's something, right?"

Rasputin nods slowly as he takes this all in for a few moments, "Da, dwell mink can pilot da hovercraft. If you are likink." He thinks a few minutes, "Dhat dis a lot of distance to be coverink, CS territory, da?" He thinks a few minutes, "And aerial recoverink?" He tugs his beard again, "Dis a long distance," is all he goes back too and then nods, "Da, da."

"Yes, a long distance. But I have maps that I've been pouring over, so as long as we can avoid patrols and the random stuff that comes out of the countryside, that should be 'easy.'" Gabriel supplies the air quotes. "I don't want to really start in with details until we can all discuss it, but we'll obviously then need eyes on the target, and a way to deal whatever they have. That's why I've put together the... eclectic group of talents. I gave Jokin one last attempt to redeem himself, but he's still got a stick up his ass, so he's out. Out of the company, out of ever being hired by me again. If I can't trust someone to follow simple orders, it's worse than having a moron around."

Rasputin gives a shallow nod, "Dis your business. So, givink me details of meetink at mink deli if you can net findink me." He says softly, "Mink will havink mink gear ready to go, when you are needink it."

Smiling, Gabriel dips below his desk to retrieve two bottles of water, one if Rasputin should choose one. "Apparently Sithik and Tek were also possibilities, but didn't agree with something the clients requested. Dunno the details really. But, you probably know more about the wilderness, the Coalition and traveling long distances than I do. Even the area between here and there." His brow rises. "Any tips that I should look into?"

Rasputin shakes his head, "Net, net. Mink knowink how to survive and kindink travel in wilderness. Buttink, my mappink knowledge haddink me comink from east, net west." He tugs his beard, "As for CS, fast, and quiet da. Dhey havink massive forces, likink NGR and Gargoyles." he pauses a moment, "Da, you are net knowink about dhem. Dhey havink lots of flyink Samas suits. And borgs," He pauses a moment and tugs his beard, "Maybe askink KD Milita for known patrol patterns? Dhough, dhey may net offer?"

"That's a good idea. Although I don't think that Kingsdale patrols that far, do they? I mean, I thought they only went out with a radius maybe halfway to Whykin. But, maybe they'd know. I could try poking around the bars. Personally, for me?" Gabriel wiggles his brow a few times. "Unlike the rest of you, *I* can just dump my gear and run into the wilderness, crying for the Coalition to save a poor human beset by supernatural bandits!" Yes, the forty-three year old man then sticks out his tongue.

Rasputin chuckles softly, "Da, da. Dwell, unlink you, goink into CS territory for mink dis a sentence of death, da.?" He tugs his beard his voice a bit serious, "Of course, mink also try to disappear buttink Dog Boys and Psi-Stalkers makink dhat nasty." He sighs, "Keepink dhat in mind when you askink magic types to voluntarily go into CS territory, da?"

Gabriel nods his head slowly. "I have. Psychics, too. They'll hunt you for your magic, they'll hunt Sage for her mind powers, they'll hunt Whitefeather for her unusual nature, and they'll hunt Alex for his technology. Sometimes it's good to be bland. But I wouldn't have asked any of you if I didn't think it was important. These D-Bees... leaving them to be experimented on. I just can't ignore that."

Rasputin tugs his beard for a moment then closes his eyes, "Da, experimentink on peoples, or eatink..." He shakes off the thought or memory, "Da, just grink me. And I dwill beink ready, da? Anythink else?"

A shrug. "No, nothing else of business nature anyway. Unless you have some good news on the food front? I'm going a slightly different direction with the refuge... but I'll still be needing food," Gabriel says easily, his eyes obviously wondering if Rasputin is about to hope down from the plush high chair and depart.

Rasputin nods slowly, "Da, da. Dwell, dhere should beink a good surplus on he market right now. So somink of it should makink dhere way into dhere hands, da? Muchink was unloaded on surplus market, quick for sale." He smiles a bit, "Mink got to be goink, contact me da?" He doesn't take the water bottle, just waves he is fine. "Da?"

"Da," Gabriel replies before getting up to escort his friend to the door.

Rasputin follows you out, and then is out into the winds and erratic weather, "Good day mink friend." He heads to the magic district, to perhaps do a little business.