Alex Gryphon's Story

Alex wandered into the tavern in his android form. Alex sat down. To no-one in particular, Alex asked "Any work anyone needs done? I'm available for hire as a 'personal protection force'."

A steaming cup of tea was placed on front of Dyew. He picked the cup up with his right hand and managed to turn and nod at Rafeal. It was a silent, passing greeting to the man he shared the bar with. When Callandra entered he did not seem to pay her any mind.

For whatever reason it was Alex's entrance that sparked him to actually turn in his seat and say something. "Personal protection force eh? What is the going rate for such a service?", he said with slight foreign accent but with no hint of sarcasm.

Rafael tipped his whiskey glass to the man as he answered. He looked over his shoulder after another sip at the newcomers one of them being a woman taking no steps to hide her weaponry in a bar of all places. The other hulking figure would pass well for some politics bodyguard with his obvious mass and solemn looking face.

"Would we pay the pound? Maybe you could give us some sort of demonstration. Your bulk and size might be intimidating but if that's all you have then you're not much in the way of a protector." Rafael's calm voice entered after Vardens.

The woman watched Dyew and Rafael with mild bemusement. It was the large hulking android that seemed to catch her attention. She pondered to herself before she gestured towards the construct.

"I could use your services." Her smile was soft and genuine, and did not betray the thoughts that went on in her head. An AI Construct brought back to the Empire for study would put her in favor with the Emperor, and ultimately with Mr. Hagan. It was a matter of formulating a plan.

"Name your price." She said, slowly standing up. "Tech Con needs constructs like yourself, are you an AI?" She asked, approaching the group with her hand resting on her holstered plasma pistol.

Alex replies to Callandra's question "Actually, I am technically not an AI... I was human in the past. However, when my planet was obliterated, I only managed to escape by uploading my consciousness to a mining drone." he continues to answer the question of price "I am actually not looking for currency right now. What I am looking for is some anti-matter, as I need to synthesize more grenades... alternatively, I could use some secure electronic storage to back myself up to, as the space ship I am currently backed up to is far from indestructible. Please note I will not help you raid innocent ships, if that's what you want. However, if you want some bandits gone, or need a security guard, I'm your guy."

Turning to respond to Rafael, Alex responds "I keep a recording of all past missions recorded." Alex starts to show a hologram from his shoulder.

Alex is standing outside a small fortress. It is very old, and there are old, outdated cannons adorning the walls. However, inside there is a well armed crew of robbers, cut-throats and other undesirables. Alex kicks down the main door and fires an antimatter grenade into the courtyard of the old fortress where a couple of armed bandits are stationed as guards. The anti-matter explosive condenses everything within ten meters of the impact into a 1x1x1cm cube. Then that cube violently explodes, showering the surrounding area with dust, wood, stone, and inter- *ahem* external organs.

Alex then starts to push into the internals of the fortress. Alex encounters a guard who sneaks up from behind a corner, and fires on Alex. The bullets ping off of Alex's android shell. He then turns and repeatedly pummels the guard, each time the scarlet crescendo on the wall grows larger and larger. Three more guards appear, and Alex fires on them with his gauss rifle, killing one, injuring another, and leaving the third unharmed. The third fires an electric bold at Alex from his electro-gun, causing Alex's andriod body to freeze up.

Alex then scans the fortress for other electronics, and sees the remaining guard's artificial heart. Alex uploads a small part of himself into it, and shuts it off.

Alex then waits for the android body to reboot and then leaves.

Alex says "Is that the demonstration you wanted? Or do you want a live one?"

(OOC, I have no clue what the currencies are or about the economy, hence the request for a non-currency fee... SUPER NOOB, AWAY!!!)

Dyew watched and listened to Alex after Callandra finished speaking. "Impressive. Very impressive. Sadly I do not possess any anti-matter to pay you with were I to hire you on. I also have no ship that you could use to upload yourself into. As for the demonstration..." He picked up his tea and took a sip before placing the cup back on the bar top. "... it was adequate. I have no need of a live one."

Dyew turned to Rafael and then to Callandra as he stroked his beard with his left hand.

"Alright... what about everyone else?" Alex asks

"The holograph will do. But I do not possess on my person anything that would be of any use to you either. The only thing I could truly offer is a partnership." Rafael took another sip of his whiskey turning fully around to look at both the android and woman.

"I know I would not be able to offer you the marvelous treasures that the woman over there could offer to you. The only thing I have to offer is honesty and a fair partnership. One that would not have me studying you like some animal. I know such organizations exist that would want your kind just for what you can do or possess then throw you away once they have what they want." Another sip of the whiskey was taken and the glass placed back on the counter.

"I leave the choice open to you." The man stayed leaning on the counter looking back at both the android and woman gauging reactions.

Alex replies "Depending on what she says, I'll consider that offer."

"Apparently a cat has her tongue.", Dyew commented after some time had passed.

"I suppose so. I I think I will take you up on your offer, then."

"If the lady has nothing to say about her own proposition. Welcome to the team. With the team really only being you and I at this point in time. " Rafael's voice still mildly calm.

"Alright then" Alex Says

Kethyr Naethus sighed and went on his way, paying his tab and slinking into the night.

Winne Rineswurth loudly scootched her chair an inch closer to Awinita.

Ulrich Paternosta stepped into the warm interior of the tavern. He gave it a quick scan and grunted. She wasn't anywhere in sight; good. There was something off with Ms. Tauvyr as of late. More off than usual.

Stone and Boyle followed in shortly after. The pair of vampires sort of taking in the sights of a rather rich looking drinking hole. "Nice. Nice. Hey Stones! They got the nice chairs! Take a peep at them!" Boyles made his way over to a table. A chair with rich velvet cushions that he ran along his hand. "Look at that. Feel that. Good right?"

Stones followed in not even giving the chair a look.

"Ish fine." He said bluntly. He moved to the sight. Taking in a strong nostril fill of something. Hm.

"That one." he pointed to a bottle behind the counter. A cup? "No. That one." The whole bottle? Okay... He uncorked it and began to drink it very greedily.

Deliveries to the Tauvyr Tavern were more regular with the new ownership of Fantasma Vineyards. The bottles were stocked and varied though many of the labels familiar some a more threatening make. Labels with letters that squirm and images with unsettling angles. One such bottle festooned with the dual masks Sock and Buskin sported others etched into the glass. Though these of anguish and horror if one should peer closer. Perhaps a warning for its label 'Thousand-Faced Wine' that said little else of its make than bottled in Fantasma Vineyards. A cigarette alit behind the bar though the embers fell first out of memory than the light of one's eyes. A bit of red ash falling in life before the eyeless grin of Ebrabbos underneath her wide brim hat and thick cloak. Long hair pours from under her hat to float past her shoulders as locks snake around her shoulders as to threaten by rising there. Though the eyes obscured beneath her hat their ill-defined shape inviting one to stare too close as they stared back. The cigarette in her mouth flared but never burnt down as she unpacked a box of wine from behind the counter.

"Careful now, " the tone lost about some unclear sarcasm, "There are so very many faces of regret that deep in a bottle of wine."

Stone and Boyle were now separated. Boyle was now at the side of Ulrich beginning to get comfortable in this soft velvet chair. A wide grin as his shark like mouth slowly blended back into a row of normal teeth. "Blimey! This is delux ain't it!?" He asked the other vampire. Before he began to speak again. "Look. The two of us are on a hunt. But not to cause trouble. Stones can be a bit violent. He comes from a violent times you know?" He told the other. "We are looking for a criminal. Or someone close to that."

Stones was at the bar. He drank half of the bottle and was surprised that the alcohol actually had some affect on him. THe huge man now turned to the stranger. He looked to her fancy hat. He nodded. "Good fashion." He told her at first. "We both know this is not wine."

"I half think he's a bloody caveman sometimes. EH?" Boyle asked the other with a laugh.

Stones Acute hearing picked that up. And without even missing a beat CHUCKED a rather dull tankard right at his noggin. Knocking the other mercenary over the chair. "Ah! Sorry! Sorry Stones! Common! Just a bit of fun!" He uttered

Ulrich Paternosta hitched his pants and settled into a velvet chair himself. He listened close to Boyle. Ulrich asked, "Hunting who, or what? If'em any danger to the Hollow, best be on the hunt, too."

Ulrich Paternosta shook his head as the tankard bounced. If the lady of the house was here she'd shit a brick.

Stone and Boyle regathered back at the table. Stones standing there while Boyle got back up. Stones stood there as he handed the etching back to Boyle. The other vampire had been better at talking. Most times. Unless they wanted to frighten people. Stones was much better at that he felt.

Boyle handed the other a etching. An etching of a man done in charcoal. The likeness was very well done. Man in his forties, very long slant nose. Dark hair. Short cut. Very fierce looking eyes. "That is who we are looking for. And trust me he is dangerous anywhere we gather." He told the other Vampire.

"This shit gets powers. What does he do? Immediately what most shits start to do. Start to think he's a bloody god."

The visage was of a vampire in circles called Feastus. A Vampire that had started a sanguine cult installing him as their living deity. "But most of these shitheads don't try to bother the established covens... So we got the call."

Ebbrabos curled her mouth as she took her cigarette in her hand for a deeper dark to focus on Stones, "Oh, some of it was wine when I started. I hate to waste product acquired after some fortunate... firings. Now, much of it is whine."

Cigarette to her lips never seemed to draw down but alit with an ember where keen ears found outcries for succor, "Thus Feastus destroying things to which he is not entitled? How interesting a pyre is ordered by the powers that be. Good thing hunters aren't the only ones who know how to burn."

An empty gaze deep enough to drown hope in looked very pointedly at Boyle as she took the cigarette out. A grey cloud breathed out with a sickly-sweet scent of meat and charcoal unmistakable to those that know it. Hat down toward the empty tankard.