MERC XVII: You Can't Take the Pay From Me

[Recaiden]

What an odd turn of phrase.

The lackey comes in and does seem relaxed, finding a chair or other suitable piece of furniture to lean on.
"Pleased to meet you, Lt. Xifhara. Thanks for seeing me."

[Shadowcaller]

[Westside - Dena's Office]

"Pleased to meet you as well, yet you seem to have me at a advantage, miss...?" Dena asks.

[Artemis97]

[Astrana's Office]

"That's probably a good idea. Will he mind us dropping in, do you think?" Raril asks.

[Shadowcaller]

[Astrana's Office]

"I don't think he'd be too busy. As you said, not much is happening around here so you'd only give him something to do." Astrana replies as she suddenly gets off the desk. "So lets go visit him." It can be assumed will lead Raril to the door to Dipsnig's office.

[Gullara]

[Kirk's Room]

She mostly hears muttered swearing at this point. Nothing else is being destroyed just yet, but his temper is merely simmering at the moment.

[Zefir]

Jacob turns to Fade. "I came to catch up on the status of the mission, bit I believe I just did. Do we have a plan?" He follows Fade out of the office. (Sorry Astrana)

[Astrana's Office 2]

"I'm currently discussing this with the boss." Fade says as he walks through the base.
"The problem is, Illophen now knows that Nadas made a contract with MERC. Which means the fake kill got even more complicated , since she knows about the rules we got here."

[Shadowcaller]

[Kirk's Room]

Sounded like he needed some help in there, this wouldn't be very fun. She knocks on the door against her better judgement. Perhaps she could run some damage control.

[Astrana's Office 2]

"Is this something I can help you further with? Otherwise it might be best if you discuss it outside my office." Astrana suggests.

[Artemis97]

[Dipsnig's Office]

Raril walks up to the door and knocks. He flashes a nervous smile at Astrana while he waits for a response.

[Morty]

[Dipsnig's Office]

"Come in," Dipsnig simply says. The door is unlocked.

[Artemis97]

[Dipsnig's Office]

Raril steps inside. "Hi, Dipsnig." He looks a little surprised to see a goblin, but doesn't comment on it. "I, uh, wanted to say thank you and talk to you a bit about, well, me. I've forgotten things, you see. Pretty much everything about myself. I was hoping you could fill me in a little."

[Shadowcaller]

[Dipsnig's Office]

Astrana positions herself behind Raril. "Yeah, just... fill him in." They could discuss the finding of his soul later.

[Morty]

[Dipsnig's Office]

Dipsnig blinks, then one of his ears quirks upwards. If Astrana confirms that Raril lost his memories, then he can go with that.

"My name is Dipsnig Razortooth, and I'm the Chief Executive of MERC. You and I have done business with the past, since a discount in your bar is part of the benefits package we offer to people who purchase our license. We're also paid to protect it. Both of which are why my people bailed you out when some amateur tried to kill you."

[Artemis97]

[Dipsnig's Office]

"I'm glad they were there. I don't think I would have made it out without them." Raril says, serious. "I owe you people my life, but I don't know what kind of life I had. I've got someone trying to kill me. I'm wearing some sort of slave collar. My soul is missing, and so are my memories. I don't know if getting my soul back would restore them, and I'm not sure I want them to be restored. Maybe I can make a fresh start of things, but I don't know what I'd be missing, what I'd be leaving behind. Can you help me sort that out? Was I a good person? Did I have a life worth picking up again?"

[Recaiden]

"Pleased to meet you as well, yet you seem to have me at a advantage, miss...?" Dena asks.

"'Rust'. But that isn't important." Rust leans in a tiny bit closer.
"You were recommended-requested by one of your licensees, a woman by the name of Electra."

[Morty]

[Dipsnig's Office]

Dipsnig's ears dip slightly. This is not a question he hears often. Or ever.

"Good person? As far as I knew, yes. I know you had a murky past, but I never pried into it. You ran a honest business with the Den, and if I could say 'pillar of the community' with a straight face, I might call you that. So, yes, I'd call your life worth returning to. Besides, I don't think amnesia induced by a murder attempt is a very good fresh start. Can't tell you what that collar might mean, though."

[Dipsnig's Office - Fade]

Dipsnig's ears twitch.

"It could work. You've been us for a while, though, so we'd need to make sure she doesn't know you."

[Shadowcaller]

"'Rust'. But that isn't important." Rust leans in a tiny bit closer.
"You were recommended-requested by one of your licensees, a woman by the name of Electra."

[Westside Office]

"Electra, eh? You have my interest, tell me more about this job please." Dena replies as she leans back in her chair.

[Green Elf]

[Astrana's Office 2]

"I'm currently discussing this with the boss." Fade says as he walks through the base.
"The problem is, Illophen now knows that Nadas made a contract with MERC. Which means the fake kill got even more complicated , since she knows about the rules we got here."

"Who told her he was with MERC?" Asks Jacob.

[Artemis97]

[Dipsnig's Office]

Raril tugs at the collar cinched around his neck. "You have a point. It's probably better to know what this is about, instead of bumbling around unwittingly."

[8BitNinja]

[Outside MERC Base]

A pigeon lands at the front of the base and drops a rolled up piece of paper. The pigeon walks around for a moment, pecks at the ground a few times, and flies off. The message inside is written in Hiragana, but thanks to the strange way everyone speaks the same language in the nexus, the message can be read.

Spoiler: Message

Show

To Whomever this May Concern,

You do not need to know who I am, but you do need to know that you have a target of mine in your custody. I have no quarrel with you, and only wish to carry out justice, but if you do not hand him over, I will kill every one of you just to get to him. His name is Raril, and he is wanted for the murder of my client's family. I understand that you are mercenaries, and work for the highest bidder. Is that correct? If that is the case, if you kill Raril and put his head outside the base (I don't care where) I will pay your organization 1,000,000 gold pieces, which I'm sure is an offer that you might want to think twice about before turning down. Use a silver weapon, as he is a werewolf. If you do comply, the money will be in a bag in front of the facility entrance within a week. However, if you do not comply within the next half an hour, I will go in and kill him myself, and anyone who gets in my way.

Also, don't try to track the bird, it's just a wild pigeon I found and put a scroll in his mouth and then directed towards you. It's not any magical familiar so it won't come back towards me. Also, if you wish to communicate, write on a piece of paper and put it on the ground. Don't worry, I can get a good view of it with this scope.

X

((EDIT: Sorry for the confusion. I thought that Dipsnig's office was on the surface level.))

[Gullara]

[Kirk's Room]

Sounded like he needed some help in there, this wouldn't be very fun. She knocks on the door against her better judgement. Perhaps she could run some damage control.

[Kirk's Room]

Dena finds Kirk standing with his back facing her. He's gotten only partially dressed. He managed his belt, but he was struggling with his shirt when Dena walked in. He turns his head so the side of his face is visible. "What is it?"

Next to him is a small bit of carnage, the likely result of the noise earlier. The lamp and clock that had been on his bedside table are smashed to pieces on the floor, and the table itself has some significant splintering.

[Zefir]

[Kirk's Room]

Sounded like he needed some help in there, this wouldn't be very fun. She knocks on the door against her better judgement. Perhaps she could run some damage control.

[Astrana's Office 2]

"Is this something I can help you further with? Otherwise it might be best if you discuss it outside my office." Astrana suggests.

"Who told her he was with MERC?" Asks Jacob.

[Astrana's Office 2] - > [Hallways]

Fade nods to Astrana.
"Only if you would know more about Illophen." He says in his typical voice. "Otherwise thanks for your work."
He will then head out, assuming Jacob follows he will answer is question.
"You. Didn't you go to Illopfen for more informations about a job you got from Nadas? Even if you kept MERC away in your talking, Illophen knew exactly that he is here."

[Dipsnig's Office]

Dipsnig's ears dip slightly. This is not a question he hears often. Or ever.

"Good person? As far as I knew, yes. I know you had a murky past, but I never pried into it. You ran a honest business with the Den, and if I could say 'pillar of the community' with a straight face, I might call you that. So, yes, I'd call your life worth returning to. Besides, I don't think amnesia induced by a murder attempt is a very good fresh start. Can't tell you what that collar might mean, though."

[Dipsnig's Office - Fade]

Dipsnig's ears twitch.

"It could work. You've been us for a while, though, so we'd need to make sure she doesn't know you."

[Dipsnig's Office - Fade]

The shadow nods.

"Sadly I don't have a clue how to get on those informations. Do you have any clue?"

[Recaiden]

[Westside Office]

"Electra, eh? You have my interest, tell me more about this job please." Dena replies as she leans back in her chair.

"Yes. A very unusual person, but the General considers her reliable."
"It's information-gathering about Eastside's electoral candidates. We want to be ready if the district invades, or gets dragged off to hell, starts a casino trade war, or whatever." In a reasonable city only one of those would be a concern. But this is the world they have to deal with.

[Shadowcaller]

[Westside Office]

"Eastside you say? Rough business, so your concerns are understandable. We'd all like to know what they're doing down there. However, plans change, especially in elections. If I'd accept this mission, there is no way that I'd guarantee that whatever information I'd find it still accurate once the election is over."

[Kirk's Room]

Dena finds Kirk standing with his back facing her. He's gotten only partially dressed. He managed his belt, but he was struggling with his shirt when Dena walked in. He turns his head so the side of his face is visible. "What is it?"

Next to him is a small bit of carnage, the likely result of the noise earlier. The lamp and clock that had been on his bedside table are smashed to pieces on the floor, and the table itself has some significant splintering.

[Kirk's Room]

Kirk will see that Dena is wearing her goggles now, those eyes of hers safely hidden from view. "Kirk, let me help you with that at least. You can complain it all about what you want, but just let me do that." She takes a step into his room before stopping.

[Recaiden]

"That's right, Eastside. The fact that it could change so much is part of why we need the information. We don't need you to see the future - although if MERC offers that, you should publicize it better, and we might actually be interested - I'm sure your best-effort will still be worth something.

[Shadowcaller]

[Westside Office]

"Not to my knowledge, no. But as for regular information, how would you be paying me exactly? Since you're hiring people for this, I expect that you want some may- or may not existing hidden agendas a person couldn't just ask a candidate of. You'd be paying me to find information which might not even exist, or be completely irrelevant to you." Dena inquires.

[Green Elf]

[Astrana's Office 2] - > [Hallways]

Fade nods to Astrana.
"Only if you would know more about Illophen." He says in his typical voice. "Otherwise thanks for your work."
He will then head out, assuming Jacob follows he will answer is question.
"You. Didn't you go to Illopfen for more informations about a job you got from Nadas? Even if you kept MERC away in your talking, Illophen knew exactly that he is here."

"And how is that?" Asks Jacob.

[Zefir]

[Hallways]

"The tracking device." Fade says with his soundless voice. "It was with Nadas Stuff. It must have been there since befor he came here."

[Green Elf]

Jacob looks down and thinks before speaking. Could we turn it off and then change the location of it, maybe through reprogramming?"

[Morty]

[Dipsnig's Office]

"Ignorance is very rarely a bliss. And besides, that might be just what the people after you want."

Then a message is brought in. Dipsnig reads the letter and frowns. His ears quirk upwards.

"Now that is just insulting. Why does no one believe us that we have professional standards?"

[Dipsnig's Office - Fade]

Dipsnig shakes his head.

"The only person who'd know that is Ilpholin herself, unfortunately."

[Artemis97]

[Dipsnig's Office]

Raril frowns and gives the goblin a curious look. "What is it, if you don't mind me asking?"