RP thread : The Quest Into The Forbidden

[JadedSinn]

she was ahppy to see her team happy. laughing smileing and being friendly she spent most of her time during the last 19 hours of there trip siting in the back fiddleing with the remains of the ark tech that she had used to upgrade sarah. she was working the nanites into an injection saringe for later use if needed and was scraping down the remainder of the case the deviace was in along with a few other dead arktech peaces. no high pitch scream came from thes devaices that where allready fryed but thay did put off the smell of a dead hell bug that had rotted for 3 days when she axadently broke one open. her bad... she thought as every one seemed to be mad at her in there own way for it.

thay drove with the hatches and doors open for a good 30 miles to air out the carryer sadly enough .

as thay got closer to defiance she looked out the front cab at the arch her arms draped around the set of taffer while he was driveing and her head next to his so she could get a better veiw " im going to climb that thing when we get there " she said in a matter o factly voice befor giggleing and moveing back over to her bench to work the last few miles into town. thay wouldnt have to give there guns up but she did take invitory and locked away all extras that there where. only takeing with her 3 weapons her northstar flare. her auto lober also known as her area sapresser. and her charge blade witch all hung neatley on her weapon holsters that where atached to her armour witch she now put her helmet on for.

as thay neared town and came to the checkpoint barrier she swaped sets with taffer and took over driveing. she perduced the papers needed to get though and the officer on duty saluted her as she took the papers back " Its good of you to come to defiance sargent sinn please i hope you and your team have a good stay " she then noded her head and drove onwords and up the road as it opend for them she looked at the team and removed her helmet.

there bepuseled look said it all how was she a sargent ! she smiled at them " its a long story. lets just say iv done alot sence i was a kid " ya long. she was the first E rep solder to ever make the rank at the age of 15 she was the first E rep solder to retier at age 16 and she was the first ark hunter to ever have an eo inplant during the pale wars as a child. this girl had a history so deep she could damn well be the head of VBI for all anyone knew. or atleast the hairess of it . but she wasent telling .

the fact that they had just found out she was an Ex Erep that was enough for her to blush a little and put her helmet back on as thay entered town.

there first stop. a place to park pinky witch turned out to be behind the law keepers office. safest spot in town it seemed. irisa was no where to be found and neather was nolen for that matter eather. she hoped to see them agine. a young lutenet was head of law in town right now and she didnt know the person so she stuck to her self after finding out where the motel was. witch it seemed was a few blocks from the need wat. she divied up the credit chips agine to every one befor skiping away. " ill be back in a few days enjoy our little vacation and every one relaxe i have some things i need to atend to here in town . "

her first stop. the motel. her secend after changing into a full white gown that was floor length and showed off her vary beautiful well toned female form was the need want. she had passed though here once. met a nice women here once and planed to meet that nice women agine if she could. she was done up like a beautiful doll her alabaster white skin lightend and matching the soft silk white dress she was in her hair brushed back and pined away from her blue eyes she even had on a light pink lipstic that acsented her lips to the point that they were eye catching but didnt draw away from her soft beautiful skin the dress was a V cut and it showed off the top of her chest but was not low enough to reveal anything to naughty. it left just enough for someone to look at her and ponder what all was under it all. and keept the mystery alive. as to just what couldnt be seen ,

it took her all of an hour to get read at witch point she came out into the hall in the soft soled sandles and dress and almost ran over taffer as she went the smell of castathen lillys in the air as she stoped for a moment in the hall looking down trying not to make eye contact with him. " i.. i have to be going " she said befor he could say anything and she ran off. this time once down and out in the loby she ran into belle and agine with a deeper blush then with taffer she lookd down away and at the ground she lifted her head and smiled at belle " h .. how do i look " she asked her as she looked nervasly at belle. who answered " beautifly " she smiled at the complament and before belle could ask her any more she took off agine . disappearing out of the motel. she then ran into vo on the street. and agine like with taffer " i.. i have to get some where " she told him befor he could coment on her and ran off. the last one she ran into was chase. she blushed 3 shades of red and stammered on her words " i.. im sorry about what i did to your car chase. i. cant say it enough . i..i hope you liked the music it.. took me some time to get it all when we where in vegas . i..i have to go. " she said befor he could answer. and she scampered off one last time. this time makeing it to her destination she found amanda at the need wants bar and asked for a room in the back and for a certen girl witch was given to her after paying . she sliped upstairs with an irathian girl that could of been no older then her.

and that was the last time anyone saw her for the next 3 days.

[Belle Starr]

Rose really did look beautiful! Although still dressed in her Liberty Trooper armor, Belle planned to dress in something more appropriate to a casual setting, but she had nothing as elegant as Rose’s gown. In fact, besides the armor, the novelty t-shirts, and the ugly brown suit, Belle had no clothes at all. She had left Paradise so fast, she hadn’t packed anything but armor and weapons. The ugly brown suit was just too ugly and she might get arrested for just wearing a T-shirt as she ran around town, so she might have to spend some of the script refunded her by Varus for a nice outfit. She smiled at the prospect of shopping!

But first Belle needed to see Nolan! Belle wanted him to see her in full warrior-maiden form! She had polished her armor until it shined as bright as her pearly whites, so that when she smiled at him and struck a heroic pose, he wouldn’t be able to resist her.

Shoot, if things go right, I might not need a new outfit, Belle thought, and then giggled, I might not need any clothes at all!

Not at all the proper thought of a proper young lady, admonished Alfred, her EGO device

Belle retorted, I want you to mind your own beeswax Alfred, and I want you to also turn a blind eye if I do get… lucky! Belle smiled at the thought.

I know the drill Belle, replied Alfred, but quickly added, But I do not approve!

Belle got directions to the law keeper’s office from people on the street, and after getting lost only twice, she entered the small building with a small sign painted with the words “Law Keeper” next to the door.

Belle pushed open the door with such vigor that it bounced off the wall as it opened, then struck a pose with her hands on her shapely hips and a smile on her rose petal lips.

“Who the hell are you?” asked the pretty young brunette woman in the E-Rep officer’s uniform with “Rainier” over the left breast, sitting behind what was obviously the law keeper’s desk. Berlin Rainier's intense dark eyes looking at Belle with disdain.

“I’m Belle Starr. From Paradise. I’m a… friend of Nolan’s. Where is he? I came… “ Belle would have rattled on, but the look in the young E-Rep officer’s eyes softened in sympathy, and Belle knew something was fatally wrong.

Not another one, Belle could feel her spirits plummet and her heart literally breaking in her chest.

“I’m sorry. There was an accident in the mines over a week ago,” slowly began the young woman “He and his daughter both were underground when everything collapsed. We looked for them, but they were buried deep. But there is no doubt that they…”

“Please, Just tell me where these mines are,” Belle asked through her clenched jaws.

After getting directions to the mines, Belle went shopping but not for pretty dresses. Instead she paid cash for a used ATV, a flash light, rope, climbing equipment, pick, shovel, and mining explosives. The only weapons she had on her was her holstered Wolfhound pistol and her Thorn Liro charge blade that Vo had kept safe for her. She had been ecstatic when Vo had handed it to her, giving him a huge hug and a small peck on the cheek when he returned it to her. She was then at the peaks of happiness, but now was in the pits of despair.

As she drove her old ATV to the site of the collapsed mines, One phrase kept repeating itself, over and over in her mind! Not another one!

The site of the mining disaster was a huge crater, and she began her search shouting over and over again, “Nolan! Irisa!” She heard nothing but the wind and the occasional scamper of a skittering. Once in a while, one would come up hoping for an easy meal; where upon Belle would activate her charge blade and cut them in two with a single swing. Suddenly five hell bugs decided to attack at once, and in four swings of her charge blade there were ten halves of hell bugs. From then on, the hell bugs kept a healthy distance, but watched to see if she would tire and weaken, although larger warrior hell bugs had begun to gather as well.

Alfred sent a message to the team members' EGO units of Belle’s location and situation, and added, I fear for Belle’s safety and sanity! Please help her!

If a team member did find her, they would find her wild-eyed and disheveled, on her knees digging with her hands in the dirt, calling over and over again with a hoarse voice, “Nolan! Irisa!”

[CB2001]

As they got closer to Defiance, Chase was surprised by the fact that the carrier didn't slow down and allow him to pass so he could go up to the checkpoint at the stasis shield first. He was wondering what they were doing, and could already picture the scene about to unfold.

Great, he thought. Here comes the big guns.

The carrier came to a stop at the checkpoint, which Chase followed up to. He saw an arm reach out of the driver side of the carrier, handing the person on guard, an E-Rep Soldier, a piece of paper. He said something to the driver, radioed the control tower and the shield dropped. He waved the carrier in, looked at Chase and waved his car in too.

That's a first.

As they approached, Chase saw the Gateway Tower. It looked like a little work had been done on it, which wouldn't be surprising to him. He could see all the makeshift buildings and new buildings that made up the town. He remembered when he made the same approach nine years ago. The town was much smaller and much more cramped, with some of the buildings in the process of being built or slapped together. The Arch was off-limits to everyone due to structural integrity, as they were checking every inch of the landmark piece by piece, bolt by bolt to make sure it wasn't going to fall apart. He figured they must have confirmed years ago that it wasn't going to fall down and probably opened it up for use.

Chase followed the carrier until it came to a stop behind the Lawkeeper's office. Chase got out of the driver seat as the others unloaded from the carrier. He saw the smile on Belle's face, indicating that Varus must have given the full refund as Chase requested. Ms. Sinn came up to him.

“I’ve done some thinking,” she told him. “We won’t be needing your Challenger in Florida.”

Chase nodded understanding. She handed him a scrip chip before heading over to lead the others to find the hotel.

“Okay, I’ll catch y’all later,” he told the others.

Since he was familiar with the streets, he decided to go ahead and take his car to the garage. He was familiar with the owner, Nicholas Brendan, who used to work with Chase in the mine. Chase figured Nick had saved up enough scrip to finally leave the mine work and bought the old garage from Mark Lion. Nick had his black hair underneath a bandana, his brown eyes narrowed and sorting a goatee.

Chase observed the Lawkeeper’s Dodge Charger, which looked like Nicolas was in the middle of making repairs to.

“I’m surprised this thing is still rolling,” Chase told Nick.

“Yeah, especially with all the things that the last Lawkeepers put it through,” Nick chuckled. “I see you’ve got a different roller. What happened to the ’71 Challenger you used to have?”

“Sold it after I got to Columbia.”

“Shame really, it was really a tough vehicle. Remember that time Mayor Nicolette got kidnapped by raiders, and you threw Doc Yewll out of the car and then crashed that thing headlong into the kidnapper’s roller? You flipped that bastard in doing that, and it still ran like nothing had happened.”

“Ancient history,” Chase couldn’t help but reply when he brought up that event, which had occurred during Chase’s sixth month in town. “I still don’t think Doc Yewll appreciated me shoving her out of the roller. But at least I stopped before I did.”

Nick chuckled.

“Well, at least you got something you’re familiar with,” he told Chase. “Figured you to be a Mopar Man for life.”

Chase slid into the driver seat of the Lawkeeper’s roller. The seat felt like it was too far back. Nick was wiring in a new scanner from the passenger side seat. Chase felt something bad had happened in this car, but could place exactly what.

“You’ve visited Yewll yet?” Nick asked.

Chase shook his head.

“Well, keep in mind, a lot of things happened while you were gone. Nicolette turned out to kill Hunter Bell and Jerred from the Need/Want.”

“What?” Chase couldn’t believe it. “Why Jered? He was no harm to anyone.”

“Well, apparently, Jered helped hide Hunter’s body in one of the walls at the Need/Want. As you know, the two of them were friends or something. Doc Yewll seemed like she sort of shut off after Nicolette’s suicide. Even more so after her return from Camp Revere. Some claim that they say her talking to herself.”

“The Doc’s fortitude isn’t something easily breakable like a human, Nick.”

Chase told Nick where he was heading and made the arrangement of storing the Challenger in the back of the garage, leaving Nick with the keys with him. The agreement was that if Chase hadn’t come back in one year of leaving the car there, that Nick had permission to do what he liked with it.

“One year,” Chase repeated. “Not a month earlier.”

“You have my word, man.”

Chase pulled the duffle bag of his weapons and shields out of the Challenger and watched as Nick pulled the car into the garage. He began to make his way down the main stretch of the town with bag tapping against his leg. He knew he needed to visit her, passing by the Need/Want and the Lawkeeper’s office. He stepped up towards a building with a spiral staircase leading up to a living area constructed from a couple of cargo containers. Above the door was the caduceus, a winged staff with two serpents intwined around it.

He hesitated a the door for a moment before he turned the handle and entered. The room looked as if nothing had changed in the eight years he had been from the town. He noted the desk at the far left, a series of potted plants following the windows to the corner. To his right, more rows of plants, herbs mainly use for medical purposes.

“I’ll be with you in a moment,” he heard a voice from the back area, which he knew was primarily for examinations and procedure.

Chase began to recall the first time he came through the door into this place. What started as a disagreement between two drunks eventually lead to fisticuffs, followed by an all-out barroom blitz with everyone joining in on the action. Chase was hesitant to join in on the chaos, but when he saw that someone was about to swing a barstool, he realized that Kenya Bell was right in its path. In a brief second of thought, Chase Lonehart took the full hit with a stool across his back and head when that person took the swing. Hunter and Kenya had brought him to see Doctor Meh Yewll, a female Indogene doctor. Seeing her at that time didn’t help out with his traumas at the time. They stayed while Chase was being examined, with Chase insisting that he was okay.

“How many fingers am I holding up?” Yewll asked, holding up two.

“Three,” was his response.

“Yeah,” she said with a smirk and in her typical dry sarcasm. “You’re the picture of perfect health.”

Hunter Bell offered to pay for the checkup. Chase noticed how he looked at him, like he recognized some sort of talent in him that he could use to his advantage. He refused, kindly thanking him for the offer, even against Kenya’s insistence. Both the Bells left, and Chase paid out of pocket the full amount requested, leaving his scrip chip completely empty. He was stared down by Doc Yewll for a full minute with her arms across her chest, as if she was trying to make some sort of decision about him.

“Since that was the last of your scrip,” she began. “As long as you don’t try to steal anything or leave the place in a complete mess, you’re welcomed to stay here tonight.”

Chase gave his word and kept it.

He stepped forward into the examination room, seeing the back of the familiar head with hexagonal skin. She was looking into a microscope, apparently examining what looked like a desiccated Hellbug leg. He figured she was probably examining the effects on a Hellbug’s body after it’s death.

“The only thing you need to know about a Hellbug,” Chase piped up. “Is that the only good one is a dead one.”

She sat up straight for a brief moment before she turned around around to face him. The hexagonal shape of her pupils were enough to cut into his soul.

“Well, well,” she said dryly. “If it isn’t Mr. Painintheass. Long time no see.”

(To be continued....)

[Belle Starr]

Belle, you have to get up, implored Alfred, Belle’s EGO device. No one is coming to your rescue.

Belle looked startled, than asked incredulously, “Why not?”

Because my message to your teammates EGOs could not get through, Replied Alfred. It might be all the gulanite around here, or more likely, there is some strange alien ark tech buried near here, but if so, it must be powerful. Or both. It doesn’t matter, we are on our own. They are attacking Belle – now!

Belle leaped up, pulling her Wolfhound Pistol from its holster as she rose and firing at the closest hell bug warrior, the powerful slugs tearing through the tough exoskeleton protecting its vital organs. Beyond him, though, there were so many, the ground writhing with hell bugs of all sizes. Furthermore, there were at least five hell bug archers flying above the masses, spitting fire at Belle. She rolled and weaved, shooting down each of the Archers one by one, for her brain automatically processed that they were the greatest danger, at least until he arrived – the huge monarch of the hell bug nest.

The monarch rose up, but as he rose up to pounce, Belle fired the Wolfhound as fast as she could into his soft underbelly, stopping his attack. She activated her cloak and ducked to the side just as the monarch went into a roll, charging where she had been. As the monarch finished its rolling attack, Belle moved to its rear, knowing from experience that the hell bug Monarch always flexes the tail plates of its exoskeleton at the end of a roll, making it vulnerable. She emptied the clip of the Wolfhound into the Monarchs rear end, but also revealing her position as she fired. The huge hell bug turned towards her as she yet again rolled to the side, reloading the gun as she landed on her feet. Her cloak’s charge ran out just as the giant Monarch prepared to pounce, again revealing its weak underside. This time Belle stood her ground, firing repeatedly into her target until the Monarch virtually exploded, its legs and pieces of its exoskeleton falling around her as green ichors splashed everywhere.

The other hell bugs appeared to pause briefly at the Monarch’s demise, but then renewed their attacks with greater intensity a moment later. One apex warrior got lucky and set Belle on fire, but she took no notice for she was an automaton of action, a killing machine. She merely rolled, putting the fire out and then shot the offending warrior who followed his Monarch to the hereafter. Belle fired again and again, a skittering dying for each shot until her reserve clip was also empty.

Belle holstered the pistol with one hand and powered her Thorn Liro charge blade with the other in a single graceful move. She became a ballerina of death, slicing through jumping skitterings with ease, jumping over warriors’ backs and then plunging it into their vulnerable rears. Soon the ground was slippery with the green blood and guts of hellbugs, but Belle used even that to her advantage, incorporating slides in her deadly dance. Every move Belle made was governed by instinct as the logical part of her brain had turned off the minute the first warrior attacked. She sliced and cut and killed without thinking of consequence, just enjoying the adrenaline of the moment. Belle’s face lost all hint of humanity as with an ugly snarl she plunged her charge blade through the toothy mouth of the last warrior.

A lone fatally wounded skittering jumped from the stacked bodies of its brethren directly at Belle's blond tousled head, but before she could react, a single shot exploded it away from her. Belle turned toward the source of the shot, only to see the black bereted female officer she had seen in the law keeper’s office holding a smoking E-Rep standard issue pistol and surrounded by a squad of heavily armed E-Rep soldiers. Belle’s blue eyes narrowed as her brain turned back on to evaluate this possible new threat.

“The E-rep is always ready to help, not that you needed it”, stated Berlin Rainier with a hint of sarcasm. “Viceroy Mercado requests that you join him for dinner.”

[Keeper Riff]

Vo Kshaa rented a motorbike and rolled it away from city gates. The whole long trip in the carrier and tangible overcrowding of cities made him feel morally exhausted, so he figured he deeded a breath of fresh air. He rode through woodlands and fields not really paying attention where he's going, only keeping track of his coordinates to know where to return. He just enjoyed the wind blowing at his face and admired the beautiful scenery around.

"Hmm, I think I received a fragment of a message from some EGO device", said his EGO with uncertainty in her voice.

"And what is it about?", Vo stopped his motorbike and listened as if he could hear an EGO call with his own ears.

"I don't know, it was encrypted and the header was lost. I'm not even sure it's a valid EGO transmission or it's just some relay doing a loop-test with some noise-like garbage."

"Could you get me a direction?"

"It was too short to locate properly, so all I can give is a wide sector."

"Let's mop up this sector then. I don't have better things to do anyway."

He rode his bike in the direction specified by his EGO, doing wide S-turns searching the area. There were no other signals heard and he was about to give up on his search when he stumbled upon a large crater with plenty of hellbuds' bodies scattered around. He rolled to the center of the pit, covering his nose because of the smell they emanated and asked his EGO to scan the hellbugs' bodies for the cause of their death and search for traces of any human or votan.

"Some of them exploded whom the inside like they do when they are shot with a powerful weapon shot their weak spot," his EGO replied, "some were slashed with some energy beam, supposedly a charge blade. Someone was a very good shooter and slasher. And… I think I found some traces of Belle's DNA."

"What?!"

"Erm, don't panic Vo, I said it's only traces. It's not even her blood, more like small skin pells or hair."

Vo tried to contact Belle but failed. He tried to contact anyone of the group but failed too. His EGO informed him she doesn't hear any radio transmissions from here and all her calls are reflected back because of the 'environment mismatch', whatever that meant. He revved the engine of his bike and rushed out of the crater. He boosted it several meters before the border to jump as high as he could and tried to locate Belle's position when he reached the highest point in the air. To his relief, he found Belle was heading back to Defiance. He landed on the ground rolling over his shoulder, and his bike crashed, breaking its front rim.

"Okay," Vo thought, "Time to learn how to do a wheelie."

[JadedSinn]

she never got the message. and kept doing what she was doing. the team beleaved her to be at the need want with a freind enjoying her 3 day : vacation : in fact. it was a cover.

she had left the need want only a few hours after going there via a back door and her cloak. she had traveled deeper into the city and disappeared into the slums takeing the few secs to recharge her cloaking each time it faded in a dark allyway where no one could see her in her full armour that she had brought with her to her meeting with the VBI spy that lived in defiance. and worked for her.

moveing swiftly though town she made it to the location she was seeking and disappeared into the hidden base agine another vbi base in a strange location. this one was a weapons testing lab. and thay had something she needed for this trip.

after entering the base via stealth geting the item she needed. locking it away in pinky and disappearing back to her room at the need want with her female friend and female partner she spent the rest of the remaining 2 days there. and was for sure not going to be bothered.

[Belle Starr]

The convoy of three black Durangos wound its way towards Defiance, their headlights piercing the dark much like Belle’s charge blade had pierced the gullet of the warrior hell bug. Belle and Berlin rode in the middle vehicle, while Belle’s ATV and excavation gear rode in the last. The E-Rep soldiers in their car looked nervous to Belle, their eyes darting from side to side as if looking for something.

Berlin noticed that Belle was intently watching the soldiers in the car, and explained, “We’ve had a rash of attacks on E-Rep convoys recently. Some think its raiders, other think it’s local rebels who are not thrilled with the E-Rep presence in Defiance.” Berlin shrugged noncommittally, then after a moment’s consideration, asked, ”How long have you known Viceroy Mercado? He sure seems to know you and was anxious for me to get you ASAP.”

Belle’s blue eyes squinted and pale forehead wrinkled as she struggled in thought to place the name, Viceroy Mercado… Mister Mercado… Uncle Mercado!

Belle smiled as her mind became full of pleasant memories. When Belle was sixteen, her real uncle, Mr. Greenstreet, adopted her and took her from N’Awlins to live with him in his brownstone in New York. As a whole, her life for the next three years was fairly lonely as she was a shy teenager who did not make friends easily. However, one of the highlights of her life there was when Uncle Mercado would come to have dinner with them, which was frequently when his government job brought him to the Big Apple.

Belle remembered him as a tall redheaded man with blue eyes and an easy smile. He was always gregariously charming with a glib sense of humor and entertaining conversation, in which he always took great pains to include her in. Uncle Mercado was in many ways the opposite of her real uncle, Mr. Greenstreet. Mr. Greenstreet was cold, and as a high ranking VBI executive, felt her calling him uncle was disrespectful. Mr. Mercado insisted that Belle refer to him as Uncle Mercado and always gave her a big hug when he arrived and when he left the brownstone. Belle was so desperate for human contact at that time that she never noticed that perhaps his hugs lasted too long and that perhaps his hands lingered too low to be appropriate for an older man hugging a young girl. All Belle remembered was that she was extremely happy when he visited and extremely sad when he left.

Belle smiled as she answered Berlin’s question, “He’s an old family friend.”

Berlin nodded her head as if understanding, although she clearly didn’t. Berlin didn’t understand how this young, beautiful, and obviously capable woman of adventure could have anything in common with the old, craggy, and very autocratic man of politics.

Not my business, thought Berlin. I just follow orders.

The convoy suddenly turned down a side road away from Defiance, and minutes later stopped in front of a large elegant pre-war house. Belle could tell from the amount of E-Rep soldiers on guard and the tense way they held their guns that they must be on high alert. As they exited the Durango and headed for the old house’s front door, Berlin explained that the house used to be owned by the proprietor of the nearby gulanite mines. The house and mines both were confiscated by the E-Rep, and the owner imprisoned when a secreted cache of Votan Collective weapons were found on his property, assumedly for the rebels.

Belle paused at the unusual front door, marveling at the inlaid colored glass window in it. Before she could even put her hand on the doorknob, an elderly man dressed like a butler from the old 1940s movies she had seen as a kid opened it from the other side. Berlin gave a quick nod to Belle which Belle returned, and then turned and walked to the waiting E-rep soldiers standing by the vehicles, barking orders as she went.

“Viceroy Mercado apologizes for not meeting you in person Ms. Starr, but he is on the hailer with an important call,” began the butler, “But he has instructed me to lead you to the guest bedroom, where you can clean up and change into more suitable dinner attire.”

“Um,” Belle bit her lower lip before as she followed the butler down the wood paneled hall, knowing she must look a sight in now grimy armor covered in dried hell bug goo, “I don’t have any other clothes with me.”

“Not to worry Ms. Starr,” replied the Butler as he led her to the guest bedroom, “I have laid out an appropriate outfit on the bed as well as poured you a hot bath in the adjoining bathroom. Will dinner in an hour be satisfactory for you?”

Belle looked at the huge guest bedroom, five times the size of her hotel room in Defiance, and probably twice the size of her whole trailer in Paradise before answering the butler. “Make it two,” Belle answered as she entered the bedroom closing the door behind her, then looking for the attached bathroom with the awaiting hot bath.

Belle found the bathroom with the steaming bath, and put her hand in to test the waters, smiling broadly as she found it was the perfect temperature.

Belle, there are several hidden cameras in this room and the next, all deactivated at the moment, advised Alfred, her EGO device.

“Make sure they stay that way Alfred,” Belle said out loud as she stripped out of her flexible armor, folding it and placing it on a small nearby table.

Belle audibly sighed as she slid into the hot water and felt the tensions of the day flee her body. She spotted a safety razor next to the soap and shampoo at the side of the bathtub, thinking that the butler really had thought of everything. She stretched her right leg straight up into the air perpendicular to her body and examined it closely, raising a blond eyebrow in critique of what she found. Belle always considered her long shapely legs her best feature, so she took heed to take good care of them, shaving and moisturizing them every day. However, she had packed none of the usual sundries she would on a long trip, partially because they left so suddenly and partially because of the state of her mind when they left.

Belle sighed a second time as she narrowed her blue eyes in concentration of the job at hand. She shaved first her right leg, and then her left, taking care not to nick herself in the process. She then bathed her body and washed her hair, enjoying the routine of mundane acts. When she was finished, she rose out of the bath, drying herself with a soft oversized towel that had been laid out for her.

Belle wrapped the towel around her body and reentered the bedroom brushing her honey blond hair as she went, going straight to the bed where a very small black dress, black lace panties and black pumps in her size were laid out. She raised an eyebrow once again as she noted that no bra was included for the ensemble before she began to get dressed. An antique full length mirror was at the side of the bed, and Belle critically regarded herself in it when she was finished dressing.

The strapless black dress had an open back that ended just above the crack in her butt, and plunging neckline to give maximum exposure to her breast cleavage, just short of breaking any public indecency laws. It was made of a soft but clingy material that stretched to fit her body, albeit in skin tight way. Little pinpricks of light would sparkle against the black material like tiny stars twinkling in a night sky when she moved. Belle analytically determined that it must be caused by either nanos or some microscopic florescent alien flora. The dress was cut three inches above her knee, making her think that someone else must think her long legs are her best physical feature.

Belle glanced at the makeup scattered on a cosmetics’ table on the other side of the mirror. Belle never used makeup other than lipstick, partially because she had naturally long eyelashes and liked her freckled pale face, and partially because it was not practical for her line of work as an ark hunter.

Who needs mascara melting and blinding you in a fight with, raiders, volge, and who know what dangers? Thought Belle to herself.

Belle frowned in disappointment when she did not find her favorite color of lipstick, but then smiled as she remembered she had secreted a ruby red lipstick in the belt of her Liberty Trooper armor. She rapidly retrieved the lipstick, gazing in the mirror as she expertly applied it in three quick strokes. Belle smacked her rose petal lips and surveyed the final product in the full length mirror, looking first head on, then a right profile and next a left profile. Belle was always hard on herself as to her looks. Where others saw an attractive young woman, Belle saw a lanky teenage girl. But not tonight, for Belle felt she looked positively elegant.

Not bad, not bad at all! Thought Belle in self-estimation, smiling as she turned to go out of the bedroom and to the dining room.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Yes Richie, Belle is here now, although I don’t know why you were worried when she fell off your long range radar,” Viceroy Mercado spoke into his hailer with a hint of whimsy in his voice. “She seems quite capable of handling herself. My people tell me she took on a whole nest of hell bugs on her own, including a monarch. Furthermore, she didn't receive any injury in the conflict!”

“Go ahead and tell her I’m alive. We have a measure of her mental stability and how much she can take in terms of mental anguish, so that part of the experiment is over,” Mr. Greenstreet replied and then added with more than a little irritation in his voice, “And don’t call me Richie! Call me Mr. Greenstreet, or Richard if you must. Why do you insist on calling me Richie?”

“Because it annoys you and amuses me, of course!” Answered Viceroy Mercado with a laugh. “But I must hang up now Richie, as I do believe I hear dear Belle coming down the hall. I’ll call you later, at my convenience!”

With a flick of his wrist he turned off the hailer, and stood up from where he sat at the dining room table just as Belle entered the room. Viceroy Mercado opened his arms in greeting and grinned broadly as he walked toward her.

“Belle, you look marvelous! You know, I picked out that outfit as soon as I saw you leave the law keepers office!," he greeted her with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

“Uncle Mercado, or I guess I should call you Viceroy Mercado now, you look great too!” said Belle with a warm smile, although she thought he really had aged a lot since she saw him last. His red hair was more grey now, and his face had become more craggy with age, but his demeanor was just the same as she remembered.

“No, to you Belle, it will always be Uncle Mercado! I am so glad to see you!” he replied enthusiastically as he hugged her tightly, his hands drifting down her back to below her waist.

Belle gently reached back and pulled his hands to above her waist, breaking the hug before it became too long and awkward, but Viceroy Mercado seemed undisturbed by her actions, talking nonstop as he pulled her chair out for her to sit at the dining room table.

“Yes, I have been keeping track of your exploits on the west coast. What is the name of the town there? Oh yes, Paradise! How quaint! Richie has kept me informed about you. He is very proud of you. By the way, you did know he survived the New York terra-forming? VBI evidently had a bunker far below the city, and all of their higher management took refuge there. It kept them safe and secure, with plenty of supplies to sustain themselves. Imagine that?” Viceroy Mercado finally paused as he sat down.

When Viceroy Mercado referred to Richie, Belle’s ears perked up. There was only one man who he could refer to with that name: her uncle, Mr. Greenstreet. In the past, Uncle Mercado would sometimes tease Mr. Greenstreet at dinner by repeated referring to him as Richie until Mr. Greenstreet would get so flustered he would turn beet-red in the face, and upon throwing down his napkin, stalk out of the room. Teenage Belle and Uncle Mercado would then have a big laugh together. Belle smiled at the memory, then became serious as Mercado’s words sunk in.

“Are you sure he is okay?” asked Belle incredulously, feeling as if a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

Of course my dear girl! I just talked to him not long ago,” answered Viceroy Mercado, then turned to the kitchen and bellowed, “Jeeves, bring in the soup. I do believe we are ready to start dinner. And don’t forget the wine!”

Dinner was a blur to Belle as her mind sorted through what she had heard. Her uncle was alive! That might mean others she thought dead might also be alive. Hope began to grow in her breast, and with hope came a feeling of calm happiness. All Belle would remember about the dinner was that the food was excellent and the conversation even better, but her memory would be short on details.

After dinner, Viceroy Mercado stared at Belle for a minute before stating, “Belle you look exhausted! You must stay with me for the night! It’s not safe to travel at night anyway, and my guest room bed is more comfortable than any hotels’ in Defiance. I won’t take no for answer!”

Viceroy Mercado rose from the table and grabbed her hand and led her to the guest bedroom. He then gave her a warm hug and a peck on the cheek before saying, “You really have grown into quite the beautiful young woman Belle!”

Viceroy Mercado then turned and went his room alone, as she turned and went to hers.

Yep, and you, Uncle Mercado, are still the charming rascal!, thought Belle with a smile.

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Belle slept more deeply than she had in along time, whether because of the good news about Mr. Greenstreet, the day’s physical exertion, or the wine.

Belle, it’s time for your nightly report, began Mr. Greenstreet. Where are your teammates?

“Uncle, I was just thinking about you,” muttered Belle in her sleep, totally unaware of what she would say or the ramifications of saying it.

[CB2001]

“Out of all the people who could have walked through my door today,” Doctor Meh Yewll began, keeping her arms across her chest as she stepped towards him. “Mister Painintheass is the one who shows up.”

Chase couldn’t tell if she was happy or irritated, most likely irritated, to see him once again. She pointed to the table where he’s had many injuries repaired by the Indogene doctor.

“Sit,” she tells him in a stern, commanding voice.

Not wanting to be any more of a pain than he already has, he places his duffle bag down on the floor near the table, turns around and takes a seat.

“What brings you in this time?” she asked. “You certainly don’t look any worse for wear since you left.”

“It’s almost two weeks,” Chase told her. “I’d like to have diagnostics run on my EGO unit.”

“Someone entrusted you with an EGO unit?” she asked, showing some minor surprise. “The world has gone crazy.”

She went around to a table and picked up a case. She sat it down next to him as she stood behind him. Chase could hear the sound of one of her hand scanners as she ran it over the back of his neck.

“Are you moving back or is this a temporary thing?” he heard the Doc’s voice behind him.

“Temporary,” Chase told her. “Me and a small group are heading south.”

“Is that so? Where are you all heading?”

“Florida.”

He heard the scanner stop. He could imagine the surprised look on the Doc’s face at that moment without even having to look. She came around to the front.

“Are you insane or stupid?”

“A little Column A, a little Column B.”

“You grew up near the Quarantine Zone. You of all people know that its a death trap.”

“You’re preaching to the choir, Doc.”

She was silent for a moment.

“If you know how bad it is, then why are you going?”

“Because three out of the four is following a leader. And I happen to care about all four making it back to the Bay alive. If that means going in with them, then once more unto the breach.”

She just stood them silently looking at him a moment before she headed over to a table and picking up a case. He recognized the case right away as her Arkbrain Interface. He didn’t enjoy the next part, which was the piercing of the needle into his skin at his neck. She came back around as she held a small box to the back of her head with one hand. Chase remembered that Indogenes had implants that they used for various tasks of their field.

“Care to call it up?” the Doc asked impatiently.

“Yo, EGO,” Chase said. “Front and center.”

The blue hologram came up to Chase’s right, facing Doc Yewll on his left.

“Hello, Doctor Yewll,” EGO stated in a cheery voice. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Chase had noticed the color of Doc Yewll’s eyes changed from their usual dark color to a light blue. He figured that she had eye implants that allowed for her to see holographic interfaces.

“Okay, since the hardware appears to be functioning correctly, I’m going to perform two tests. The first is response time. When I say ‘mark’, you reply back with ‘sync’ as quickly as you can. Ready?”

“Yes,” EGO responded.

“Mark,” Doc Yewll said.

“Sync,” EGO replied at 1 second.

“Mark.”

“Sync,” this time at .5 seconds.

“Mark.”

“Sync,” at .3 seconds.

The Doc nodded with a slight smirk.

“Not bad,” she said. “Well within acceptable range. Now, EGO, describe what’s behind you.”

“The window, sink, several medical equipment and a decaying Hellbug leg.”

“Environmental awareness seems to be in working order as well,” Doc Yewll concluded. “Thank you.”

She lowered the box from the back of her head, and then removed the needle from Chase’s neck with a yank.

“OW!”

Chase turned and looked at her.

“Your bedside manner still sucks, I see,” Chase told her.

“If you want comfort, go across the street to the Need/Want and get a hooker,” she told him as she put up her equipment.

“You’re still mad about me kicking you out of the roller, aren’t you?” Chase asked.

“No,” she replied. “I am still slightly miffed from when you touched me.”

Chase recall the moment mentioned. Doc Yewll had been trying to pry into his past, probably at the request of Nicolette. He had told her about one particular moment, where he inadvertently had sex with an Indogene she knew of. She didn’t believe him saying, “I doubt she’d shack up with a human to save her life.” Chase took that as a dare, and proved it by reaching up and running his finger along her ear lobe. He remembered what he was told about that particular spot. Doc Yewll had to grab the table to keep from falling completely over, he knees probably shaking from the reaction. After that, she told him to leave.

“You said you didn’t believe me,” he told her.

“Still,” she replied. “Did not appreciate you touching me like that, especially without my permission.”

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry.”

She paused for a moment, and then proceeded to close the lid of the case.

“Thank you,” she told him. “That wasn’t so hard to do, now was it?”

Doc Yewll put the case back onto the table where she got it from.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “I mean about Nicolette.”

“What’s done is done, tis cannot be undone,” she said. “Macbeth, William Shakespeare.”

“Never figured you to quote Shakespeare,” Chase couldn’t help but chuckle.

She just looked at him from the side of her eye before she came back up to him. He knew what time it was. He pulled out his scrip chip and handed it to her. She disappeared into her office area for a couple of minutes. He took the time to picked up his duffle bag from the floor. Yewll came back around and handed him his scrip chip. Chase couldn’t help it, but after taking the chip, he grabbed ahold of her and pulled her into hug. She was still and stiff, not expecting this action. Out of all the people in Defiance, though probably with ulterior motives, she was probably the only one who actually bothered to try to know him and Chase appreciated the Doc for at least trying where as others in the town didn’t care about who he was, only the fact that he was there. She reached her arm around and patted him on the back.

“Okay,” she said. “Big boys don’t cry. Now gather yourself and get out.”

Chase stepped outside the door, heading in the direction of the hotel. He was sort of glad seeing Doc Yewll once again, despite that they only interacted mainly through his injuries. As he headed towards the hotel, he spotted Ms. Sinn, dressed rather provocatively and showing a little bit of her in pale skin. The dress showed how shapely her body was in ways that would make any man, or woman in that preference, notice. She was blushing, appearing to almost being embarrassed.

“I… I’m sorry about what I did to your car,” she stammered. “I can’t say it enough.”

“Hey, at this point,” Chase began. “It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know Sarah had a blind spot. And like I said, I rather have a wrecked car than to have a leader with a blindspot that could have gotten us killed. Go on to wherever it was you were heading, and don’t think any more about it.”

She gave him a brief hug.

“I… I hope you liked the music,” she told him. “It… took me some time to get it all when we were in Vegas.”

Chase nodded. She began moving off, heading in the direction he came from where he had come from. He watched her as she beelined towards the Need/Want. Chase didn’t put much thought into it as he headed towards the hotel. He bumped into Taffer, who was outside his door.

“Hey, have you seen Belle?” he asked.

Taffer just shrugged as he shook his head no.

“Have you see Rose?” he asked. “That was one heck of a dress.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Chase replied. “Catch you later.”

Chase headed on down the hall to the room that he had been checked into. He placed the duffle bag on the floor and shoved it under the bed. He laid back, closing his eyes to get a bit of a catnap.

[Belle Starr]

Belle woke up bleary eyed in the large comfortable bed to a light tapping at the bedroom door. From the position of the sun coming in the window, it must be late in the morning.

“Ms. Starr, are you decent,” asked Jeeves, the Viceroy’s butler, from behind the closed door. “I’ve brought you breakfast.”

Belle chuckled as she thought about giving a smart aleck answer of Never!, but then looked down at herself and found she was indeed not decent, for she was naked face up and spread eagle on the top of the covers, her clothes from the night before leaving a trail from the bedroom door to the bed. She surmised that after dinner she must have stripped, collapsed on the bed, and fell fast asleep.

“Moment please!” Belle yelled as she wrapped a comforter around her nude body, jumping up quickly to kick last night clothes under the bed, and then sitting nonchalantly on the corner of the bed. When she was sure that the comforter was covering all her private parts, she again yelled, ”I’m decent now!” She winced at how ridiculous that sounded.

Does that mean I wasn’t decent before, or that I plan on not being decent in the future? Her mind raced with the idea like a runaway train of thought, which was thankfully derailed when Jeeves entered with a tray of food, which he put on the night table next to the bed.

“I’m so sorry to disturb you Ms. Starr,” Jeeves began, “But Viceroy Mercado thought you might like to go shopping with him in the marketplace this afternoon, and then has a special evening planned for you both.”

Belle’s mouth began to water, and she licked her lips in anticipation of the breakfast. The tray was overflowing with delicacies, such as Eggs Benedict, honey baked POW, sweet rolls, various sliced tropical fruits and what had to be, by its smell, real coffee. She tore her blue eyes from the feast as she had a disturbing thought, and looked straight at Jeeves.

“Um, I don’t have any clothes to wear to go… clothes shopping,” Belle said regretfully.

“Not to worry, Ms. Starr,” replied Jeeves. “We have taken the liberty to bring you luggage from the hotel to that closet over there and I sent your armor to be cleaned. Your other belongings I put on your cosmetics table. Viceroy Mercado was positive you would be more comfortable here than at that dingy hotel.”

Jeeves frowned as he mistook her look of concern, and swiftly added, “Don’t worry, we paid your hotel bill in full.”

Belle thought, I’m not worried about that! I’m worried about what my friends will think when I’ll have checked out without telling them; that and I’m not sure how I feel with liberties being taken with me.

“Wait a second please, Mr. Jeeves!” Belle shuffled to the cosmetics table, taking care not to dislodge the comforter around her body. She found her holstered Wolfhound pistol, her Thorn Liro charge blade, her lipstick, and what she had been looking for, her stack of business cards embossed with, Belle Star, VBI Associate. She also found a pen on the table, and sat down to write a message on the back of one of the cards.

Please don’t worry about me! I’m staying out-of-town with Viceroy Mercado! He is an old family friend so I am perfectly safe! Cy’all in 2 days! Have fun! – Belle

“Would you please get this to the desk clerk at the hotel?” Asked Belle as politely as she could. “Instruct them to give it to either Vo Kshaa, Chase Lonehart, Rose Sinn, or Taffer – whichever one they see first. Thank you Jeeves.”

Jeeves nodded his head in assent, than exited the room, closing the bedroom door behind him as Belle tore into the platter of delicious food with vigor. Viceroy Mercado was patiently waiting on the other side of the door, and when he saw the card in Jeeves’ hand, he held out his own to receive it. Jeeves dutifully handed the card over, then turned on his heel and returned down the hall to the kitchen.

Viceroy Mercado watched the back of his butler recede in this distance until Jeeves turned into the kitchen. When Jeeves was out of sight, Viceroy Mercado tore Belle’s card in two and put it in the top pocket of the blue suit jacket he was wearing, turning as he did to go the opposite way of his butler, down to the parlor where he had an important phone call to make.

Once in the parlor, Viceroy Mercado made himself comfortable in a large wing back chair and opened his hailer to call Mr. Greenstreet. He did not like being at the beck and call of Richie, but everyone has to follow the orders of their superior, even him, and he had been ordered to cooperate with Richie, no questions asked.

“Hello Richie!" Began Viceroy Mercado. “I’ve separated Belle from her friends and it will be my pleasure to keep her busy for the next two days. I’ve given my men a description of each of them – quite a colorful bunch there – and my soldiers will turn them away if they even attempt to approach her, without Belle even knowing.”

“Good!” Mr. Greenstreet sounded quite pleased with himself. ”My operatives will then be free to eliminate all four of them without Belle’s interference or endangerment. They have interfered with VBI operations too often! I am - ”

“You mistake me for someone who cares, Richie,” Interrupted Viceroy Mercado. “I will keep Belle out of your machinations because you and I have had a profitable relationship in the past, and because I rather like the girl, nothing more! I and the Earth Republic will have nothing to do with your dirty work otherwise.”

Viceroy Mercado hung up before Mr. Greenstreet could say anything else. He smiled as he pictured Richie fuming over the lack of respect. His smile grew bigger as he thought about poor Belle, who would surely need comforting from an old family friend when she received news of her friends’ untimely demises.

[JadedSinn]

it was day 2 of her staying at the need want. and it was also the night the assassin failed and all hell broke lose in the town. first the assassin tryed to take her out in her room with er friend who amasingly enough did the killing for her. the irathian women was just as skilled as rose was and sarahs pre worning alowed them time to exscape unscaved. as soon as the law arived witch was the towns law she informed them what had happend and smiled as she walked away without so much as a secend guess.

she didnt need to know who it was that was after her. she allready knew. and it didnt take long for her VBI contact to end up dead witch gave it away for her. she left the need want after paying walked down the street as ifnothing was wrong and disappeared into the motel. she didnt find a note from bella but did find she was nolonger there. that set off alarms and she emedeitly hijacked all the comunications in the area via sarah and sent out an ultrasonic incripted ego message to every one in her team

" bellas missing VBI behind assassionastion atemp. gather team gather answers. kill anything that gets in your way that is not one of us. E rep or otherwise. we are ark hunters time to show thes VBI SOBs just who the hell there screwing with " along with the message she sent out the disarming code to her friends ego deviaces so that the kill switch could no longer be used. it was part of the intel she stold when she stold her nice new gun that was siting in the back of pinky. witch she whent to next.

she felt sorry for the corps she found outside of pinky. only a fool would of tryed to get into such a heavaly armoured peace of equipment not knowing fully well what the hell kind of carryer it was. the dark matter where only in paradise. even if thay had miner cells around in other citys. and this was the most hightect of all the carryers in paradise. right from the darkmatters main base. it was a prodo type. ment for mass perduction . and when she had found it she kept it along with all data on it.

the carryers systems where ment to recanise only 5 people. her self. chase. vo. taffer . and belle. who she after opening it up now removed from the database along with every one else. inorder to get in thay where going to have to find her first. and finding her was going to be a problum. she out ranked most R rep in the city all but 1 and he was her target. if he got in her way of finding belle she would kill him along eith every erep in the city. and she wouldnt think twice about doing it though belle if she had to.

as soon as she was changed out of her white dress inside the carryer she re equiped her weapons and gear. her shield she took out from under the dash a hidden chimera shield that had served her well in the past. along with her chimera fang. witch she straped to her hip. she doned her helmet and cliped everything into place. and then attached the over shield mod to her shield. she striped down belles becuse she didnt have it with her. and put the over shield mod into her pocket incase she needed to quick change it out.

next she opend the VBI case that she had brought earlyer that day into pinky. inside was a 50 cal turret that fired volge cold fire rounds. she took a few mins to swap out the old gun on pinky for this one. locked it in place. and had sarah hack any deviances that would of might of been in it and removed all of the VBI kill switches. witch took her only a few mins.

VBI screwed up when thay created her. thay screwed up when thay killed sarah nad made her her ego. thay screwed up even more. by trying to kill her after all her years training and hardaning her skills. VBI was now on her black list. right at the top and she was going to war with them. and thay where not going to like the outcome.

once pinky was ready. she started it up sent out another ultrasonic message though all radio channels in the area it comeing though for normel people as stadic this time. the message was simple " we go to war find me. and we will find the ones behind this. ark hunters are one. ark hunters are all. ark hunters are family. ark hunters for life. may we die with our boots on and our shields depleated. may nothing stand in our way. for we are the suprime we are the elite. we are . hunters. " inside the message incripted for egos only to understand . was the cords just outside the city. where the spirit riders once roamed and lived. after sending the last message. she started pinky and drove off.

she met no problums going though town it wasent till she reached the gates that she got one " were sorry ma'am we cant let you leave. " the guard said she smiled behind her helmet at him " how long have you been working as an E rep son " she asked. he thought about it a moment there where 3 others with him all there guns aimed at her in the armoured carryer " well little over 3 years miss i joined when i was 18 and have been here in defiance for helf a year "

" and how long have the rest of you been part of the E rep " she asked as she looked at the others witch where still aiming at her

each one came up with a short time. 2 years 5 years. 4 years. she smiled behind her helmet " i worked for the erep as the youngest solder i made my life and my rank in battle i watched the fall of the pale wars at a young age. and iv killed better men then all 4 of you combined. now you have two options. you eather let me pass. and let the three men that will be comeing this way that came in this game with me pass. or im going to destroy this barrier and make a call to some vary unfreadnly friends of mine who would love to get there hands on the content of the mine that you have here. but thats not befor i kill each of you " she put her northstar on the window edge

" and leave nothing but a smoldering corpse for each of you behind. and enough exsplosives to destory this barrier grid and helf of the town. understand. and if your CO comes asking if anyone came though here youll tell them no. that all was clear. all night. " the men stammered and feel back a little as the turret on top of the carryer aimed at the 4 men . " oh and my ego says she will take the first shot with that big gun up there befor eather of you can fire yours. " the men noded there heads and moved back

" i..i dont see anythign wrong with your papers mm mm ma'am your free to leave. " she smiled behidn her helmet " good. now remeber 3 more people might come this way. all of them men that where with me. if thay odnt meet up with me then ill be back to meet up with you " she looked at them the eye slits on her helmet glowing red like a demons as the men saluted her and she drove off down the road after the barrier was lowered for her to leave.

it took her 30 mins to get outside of town to the location she had spesafied. at witch point. she cloaked pinky. took up her sniper rifle and embarked from pinky she found a tree overlooking the site on a hill with a veiw of the main road. of the area to meet and also of all her saroundings. she could see anything comeing. and sarah switched modes to sonar sweep inorder to decloak anyone or anything. thay may try and sneek up on her. .

for now. sniper in hand. she waited. she waited for the rest of her team and for VBI to come