01:17:10 Sunday, November 2 - New HQ
Thumper and Rico

Rico caught Thumper off guard, but the bigger ork literally had better reactions than humanly possible. The biker's fist grazed the side of Thumper's face as the sole member of the Hammperpack back-pedalled furiously. Rico pressed his advantage, swinging wildly after the larger ork as he fell back. Rico felt like he might be winning until he heard a sickening squelch, felt his foot agonizingly start sliding out from under him, and saw Thumper suddenly reverse direction.

Thumper's fist slammed into the biker's chest lifting Rico's heels off the ground and hurling him onto his back. Before the former Brickhouse Boy hit the ground, the big ork was on top of him raining down blows. A huge fist landed on the side of Rico's head, the world flashed a brilliant orange. He felt a rough elbow lean, with almost gentle precision, into his throat.

Rico tried to get free, but Thumper had all the leverage. Rico pounded the ground twice with his open palm in the universal signal "You Win". Still enraged, Thumper paid no attention and leaned a little more weight into his forearm, intent on crushing his opponent. Air was becoming scarce, tunnel vision was setting in. Rico felt his spur slide out of his forearm, smooth as spider silk and rest against the big ork's ribs, as he pounded the ground again. This time, Thumper got the message and he let up, just a little.

The rest of the world saw Thumper pause, one fist still cocked in the air. A conversation ensued at a whisper.

"I'll crush your throat."

"I'll puncture your lung."

A second's pause.

"We back the fuck down?"

"Yeah."

Thumper stood and offered Rico a hand, Rico lay for a moment thinking, then took the hand and stood.

Rico pulled close and gave two hard pats across Thumper's back. "You're fast hommes. Nice move with the dogshit too."

Wrestling awkwardly free from the embrace Thumper said, "uh, thanks," as he dusted off.

Rico sniffed, pulled his shirt off, sniffed it, wadded it up and threw it into the bushes. "So, what do we do about sleep?"

01:17:40 Sunday, November 2 - New HQ
Grack

Already hanging back near the rear of the crowd of onlookers, Our Hero slunk jubilantly back to his former roost in the most shadowed corner of the atrium. What he had seen was a cause of much celebration on two counts.

First, at least one of the newcomers was not a boyloving weakling after all.

Naturally it was the ork that had proved worthy. Skraa-fucking-skraacha indeed!

But second, and most thrilling, was the amazing breakthrough he had made in the Color World. For what had formerly appeared to be a random and indecipherable array of hues and tones was now much - oh, so much - more.

How could he describe it, even to himself? He was still unsure what the usual swirls of Color meant, but as the two had become progressively more aroused, and then as violence had ensued, and finally peaking as they both faced the possibility of their own mortalities, an entire new family of tints and shades had manifested themselves.

These were colors he had never before seen or even imagined (and, as he would later find, he could not even remember or conceptualize them when he was not perceiving the Color World!). These were sights altogether forbidden to those mortals confined merely to the electromagnetic spectrum.

They were colors for which he had no names.

And hence the breakthrough! For when he first realized he would have to come up with his own designations for these fabulous hues, their titles came to his exalted mind unbidden - that color was called Anger. That one Fear! Then Relief.

Of course, he could already read the thoughts of all he encountered, but this new power promised access to their most carnal and primal feelings as well! This was truly a defining moment in his Legend.

Sitting and watching the gangers file back into the room, he felt frustrated and starved. He wanted to see more of these new colors. And then it struck him - during the fight, these emotions had been at their sharpest and most scintillating. And so he, relatively uninitiated to these Mysteries, had been able to see them. But such feelings must always lie beneath the surface of all living things, masked by the mundanities of daily concern and muddied by the subtleties of higher, more nuanced emotion.

And so he knew it was a matter of time - now that he was on to what to look for, it wouldn't be long before he could look deep into the hearts of all around him.

He sat into the night, still watching, and wondering at what point he could go beyond looking and begin changing, and eventually feeding on, the colors he saw.

01:15:00 Sunday, November 2 - New HQ
Twiggs

... "Not a bad place, big dog, close to The Heights too, I mean I already flop there, ya know? got a working auto-nuke and everything, ya know? gotta squeeze ya flavors from a tube most tha time, but not an issue when ya just blast a soyrrito, ya know?" ...

01:15:40 Sunday, November 2 - New HQ
Twiggs

... "I mean with no roomies, ya can get down anytime, ya know?" ...

The sound of rebar striking concrete rang through the building, effectively stopping Twiggs' chatter. He had noticed the tension between the two orcs, but had continued on, hoping it would settle down. It seemed that this was now past the point of being ignored. Shrugging, he followed the small crowd outside to watch the fight, at least he wouldn't be involved directly.

01:29:44 Sunday, November 2 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Legion

The fight had ended without death, which was good, but also without too much blood shed, which wasn't that good. In the end, Legion supposed that it was better that Thumper hadn't taken a length of cyberspur to the gut or that the new kid, Rico hadn't had most of his face ground off by the pavement. But it would have been amusing either way. As the gang began to disperse into the new headquarters, people finding a place to crash for the night, he parceled out jobs for the day.

"Aziz, the doves are supposed to be back here in the morning. Grab 'em once they do and roll 'em out onto the street. Thumper, you and Grack keep up the recon. See if the morning light sheds any answer on why the Night Hunters were out last night. And why the Plague didn't do anything. Ink, find me after sundown tomorrow, I've got special tasking for you. Twiggs, we already know that the ghouls came through after the bodies, but scout the land anyway, see if anything got left behind that we can use. You know the rules: if it ain't nailed down, it's ours, and if you can pry it up, it ain't nailed down. Bockscar, I know you've got a stash that you need to go find, make it quick and get back here soonest. I'll need you on overwatch again come tomorrow evening. Rico, since we've proved that you're a tough fragger with no fear, sweep the southern edge of Raider Nation territory and see what they're up to. Take Shade with you. Everyone make sure you've got at least one other person's commcode, as well as mine. Check in if you find anything. The order of the day is still quiet running, don't get into anything you can't finish quick. Everything's still fragged from the war, but we don't need to relight any hostilities. Yet."

Manic fire gleamed in Legion's eyes, and the coldly cruel smile that twisted his lips was promise enough that there would be plenty of violence in the days to come.

0130 Sunday, Nov 2 - New HQ
Rico

Rico looked over at Shade and said, "Hey Shade, I know he meant tomarrow, but I'd sleep better if we did a quick sweep of the borderlands before we bed down. What do you say?"
Shade glanced at Thumper and then Legions back, making sure no one was going to challenge Rico before he said, "Sure, see if you can keep up on your tank".

Rico looked at Bockscar and said "I guess you're in charge of security. Trade comm-codes with me and I'll keep you informed while we're patrolling." They both fiddled for a second, and then Rico and Shade headed out.

They walked outside and went to their bikes. Rico to a huge chromed Harley Scorpion, and Shade to his sleek Yamaha Rapier. Before mounting up, Rico put on a clean t-shirt from one of the synth-leather saddlebags on the back of his hog, zipped his jacket up, adjusted his pistol and put on his shades. Kick starting the big hog, he followed Shade out into the street, then led the way up 128th to 144th Street, left down to 124th and the Treaty Bus, where Rico stopped.

Rico said to Shade and his comm link, "OK, we're gonna go up a little ways into Raider Nation. If we make contact haul ass. Were not wearing colors, so we shouldn't get any trougle. Legion said not to start anything big, but if they're getting ready to make a major move, I'd like to know about it." And with that, they headen North up 124th Ave to 145th Street, hung a right there and headed into the heart of Raider Nation. Keeping at about 60kph, they banked onto 144th Way. The streets were mostly dead, but in a cul-de-sac four blocks from 143rd St, there were a handful of guys playing Basketball, a couple of them in Silver and Black. They turned and watched the bikes go buy, but didn't make a move. As soon as they were past though, Rico gunned his hog and tore ass the last few blocks to the edge of Raider Nation. Shade passed him, and then the two were racing back to home.

They were sideways and side by side as they turned onto 143rd St, but the Rapier's superior acceleration won out and Shade was a good 15 meters ahead when they skidded into the parking lot. Rico laughed and shook Shades hand and said "good race. We'll do some serious foot recon tomarrow."

Rico rolled his bike into the garage, kicked enough shit out of the way for him and the bike, shut the door and went to sleep.

01:30:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - New HQ
Twiggs

"Huh? Oh, you got it big-dog, first light."

Twiggs checks the time on his com...

'Not bad, shit, before the wars, this would have been prime time, nothin happnin now though'

He sets the alarm to 10:00, notices the look in Legion's eyes, and resets to 9:00...

'Close enough, even the big dog sleeps sometime, I think'

Before heading out the door, Twiggs announces his intention to head back to The Heights and gives his com code out for anyone who wants it, finishing with a big grin as he announces his ID of "Harry Zass"

01:35:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Twiggs

Twiggs looks around, then comments to himself, "Well that was long trip to nowhere fast.", then drops his board and kicks off towards the apartment building.


01:47:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - Twiggs' Apartment, Evergreen Heights
Twiggs

Entering the apartment, Twiggs activates the the Trid from his comlink, then pokes sround in the mini-fridge, "Damn, no soyrritos left!", then fixes some basic soy-meal with a flavoring pouch, "Mmmmm, I can't belive it's not chicken" before setteling in, to search the channels, not remebering what time he falls asleep.

01:29:56 Sunday, November 2 - New HQ
Grack

I'd cut off my hand
I'd swim in shit
I'd drink puke
I'd suck out a zit

I would do ANYTHING!

I'd burn a baby
I'd fuck a dog
I'd pierce my cock
I'd crash my hog

I would do ANYTHING
Because I love you.

The lad sighed inwardly, touched as always to his very core by the masterful combination of sound and sentiment. Genghis Fang's chord progressions may not be as sophisticated as those of, say, Darwin's Bastards, but he more than compensated with the raw emotion and honesty he achieved through lyrics and vocal interpretation.

Continuing his Color World self-tutorial as he listened, the Young Lord watched from the corner as the Usurper took center stage and began to direct the activities of his ragtag band of sodomites and cowards. Of course he could not hear a word being said, but that was of less than no concern - if there was anything regarding himself, if it was important someone would let him know.

What did fascinate him was the milky-skinned smoothie's unique Color presentation. It was generally like the others, but something was subtly - how to put it - well, he was thinking of music, so off-key would do.

What was it that set the Usurper's color off from the others'?

So many questions, but then again, so much time. The fledgling god settled in to continue his vigil.

00:18:02 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - Old Splintered Crash / Los Locos Border
Felix

Each step made Felix's jaw twitch. He had thought that what little rest he had been able to catch might have done some good to his ankle. But now, after crossing a good part of Kingsgate, it felt like his entire leg was on fire. After a few more blocks, it was simply too much to endure.

Hugging the red brick wall of some rundown apartment building, the little mage finally stopped to catch his breath. With his hand holding him as steady as he could on the wall, he raised his injured leg on the tip of his toes, pulling his pants leg a bit up. It was bad. The sprain had probably gotten a lot worst with all the power walking he had forced himself to do. It was red. It was puffy. It was painfully as hell.

Something made a clinking sound down the street. Felix snapped back up on his two feet, his breath already short. Eyes widen, he froze dead on the spot. Slowly, he scanned the street, trying his best to keep his hearth from bursting out of his chest. All along the way, he had crossed very few Barren citizen... even without counting the fact he had done his best to avoid any contact. After a while, he had almost forgotten that this place actually had a lot of people living in it.

He heard it again. Like someone kicking an empty can.

Could be rats.
Could be kids playing.
Could be some guy going through trash piles.
Could be a pack of feral dogs.
Could be an army of hungry ghouls.

Felix swallowed hard. Actually, he had very little left to swallow. His hands began to shake ever so slightly. He wasn't quite sure why, but he felt it to his bones; something wasn't quite right. Whatever it was, the young mage decided that it would be wise to hide out for a few minutes... let whatever was out there pass by. He slowly crept to the mouth of a nearby alley, praying it would be cluttered enough for him to find a good hiding place. As he tip toed around the corner, he threw a long look over his shoulder.

Still nothing. Yet... he felt something...

As he turned around, Felix froze again... but this time, it was like all life had been drained away from his body in a single blow.
Further down the alley, he saw two white eyes.
No pupils.
No life.
No emotions.
Long, sickly and twisted features.
He saw the ghoul... and he was looking straight back at him.

04:09:13 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Legion

Legion leaned against the railing bolted to the stairway leading up to the front door of the Ravens' headquarters. Smoke from his cigarette curled lazily into the darkness of the night, illuminated in dim sodium orange from the streetlight on the corner. He could still hear movement from inside, but most of his fellow gangers were crashed out for the night. He wasn't quite ready to go down yet, his system still singing with adrenaline. Besides, the night was his preferred time to be active, its shadows as familiar and comfortable as a favored coat.

Flicking the butt of his cigarette into the gutter, he palmed the knife from his pocket and flipped open the blade with a practiced gesture. Stepping away from the concrete steps of the front door to give himself some room, Legion ran through the angles, slowly the first time, then with increasing speed. He ran through single blade strikes and disarms, flowing through the shadows with an unnatural speed and fluidity. Sweat beaded on his skin as he concentrated, forcing himself to remember circular and diagonal movement, his breath coming in measured beats.

After an hour, he brought out his second knife to practice two-bladed attacks. The shadows flickered as his blades danced in the half-light, moving from standard six to figure eight and back again. Again, he focused on circular movements, sliding in and out against his opponent's flanks. The human mind under the influence of stress and adrenaline reverts to its two dimensional reptile roots. It was a critical weakness that could be exploited, especially if the adversary was unprepared to deal with it. Legion flowed through double blade disarms, slow at first with the live blades, then quicker as he found the patterns.

Lastly, he swapped out the knives for his sword. He fought the long blade like it was a stick rather than a sword, but the movements developed for rattan worked equally well for razored steel. The night air hissed around him as he struck and blocked, sliding into and out of his adversary's lethal range.

Legion breathed in deeply, pulling air all the way down into his lungs. He felt his muscles burn with fatigue poisons, the welcome soreness after a workout. He rolled his shoulders, stretching his arms over his head for a moment. He exhaled sharply, releasing the stretch and turning back towards the headquarters. He would find a place to sit and relax for a moment. And maybe sleep.

02:30:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Thumper

Thumper couldn't sleep. He'd sacked out from 6PM to midnight -- or at least rested. He was edgy, jumpy, still ready to fight. He sat up from the chair leaned against the wall and rubbed grime out of his eyes. His hand brushed the butt of the pistol and he felt the characteristic thrill of having it.

He pulled it out and slipped outside, opposite Legion's furious slashing. He didn't want any witnesses as he ascended the ranks of the all powerful sprawl gunslingers. Cradling the surprisingly small weapon in his hand he explored it delicately. The hand fit here, just so, a nub sat at his thumb -- he flicked it twice. Safe and unsafe. An hour later he was comfortable ejecting and replacing the clip, holding it steady in his hand sideways -- execution style of course -- and pulling it out oozing with menace. He puased, pleased with himself.

He reflected on Legion's commands before sending a message to Grack.

<<@Grack: You want to roll tonight to do the recon. I can't sleep. Be rolling out about 1 otherwise.>>

14:00:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 – 8-Balls turf, Baby's Doss
Nevada

The rest of the girls inside Baby's doss had been up for various amounts of time, some hadn't slept well at all from the nightmares, the noises of unfamiliar streets or even their injuries. Meanwhile Nevada remained passed out on the mattress, hugging the wall as she slept like she hadn't caught a wink in years. Baby was occupied going through all the motions with Rags deciding with some difficulty just what they'd take with them from this place and what they'd leave behind. The Doves did their part staying out of the way and or helping where they could. Frankie finally volunteered to be the wone to wake Nevada once the rest of the girls had managed to pack the bike to the point of almost tipping over, anything that couldn't be strapped to a bike was prepared to be carried by one girl or another via some sort of bag or backpack.

By the time Frankie had finally gotten Nevada to not only open her eyes but keep them open, the look on the young ganger's face was enough to make the streetwise whore back up a bit.

"Sorry Mac, we gotta move. I guess they're expecting everyone back at the new HQ or something. Everyone else is up and ready to go, we tried to let you sleep as long as we could."

The voice registered as sincere within Nevada's head while the words took a little longer to decipher. She felt like complete shit, this crash was worse than most and somewhere deep within her brain the rational part decided it would be a long time before she took Long Haul ever again. Her clothes clung to her, soaked with sweat and her jacket that she had been using as a blanket looked as if it had been kicked across the room at some point in the night. She tried to speak but her throat was parched dry and she stopped herself and swallowed a few times before her voice came back in a hoarse whisper.

"What time is it?"

She was floored when Frankie clued her in that it was around 2 in the afternoon because she felt like she could still sleep for hours if they'd let her. She looked around the doss and the expressions on both Baby and Rags' faces told her that wasn't going to happen. The girls had come to terms with leaving this place and the rest of their material goods behind them as long as they left soon. If they had to wait around much longer, they might change their minds.

Nevada raised up onto her feet unsteadily, and Frankie was there to help her with a bag slung over her shoulder. Nevada made sure to grab her jacket and she was painfully aware with every movement just how much she ached along every inch of her body. It was going to be a long walk up to The Heights and the new HQ.

02:30:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Grack

From his recessed alcove deep in the shadows of the atrium, Lord Grack had crept soundlessly toward a window, the better to study the Usurper as he took his constitutional. With every layer of complexity he added to his bladework, his Colors grew more sharp, and the lad studied his moves with something more than academic interest.

Still, he was relieved when his Magic Box buzzed. He'd been puzzling over the mysteries of the Color World for something over two hours now, and his keen mind was quite simply exhausted from the herculean effort of mastering in one night skills that took mere mortals years to acquire.

The contrast between the choices The Duke offered him were, quite literally, as clear as night and day. Which made it a fool's bet which one Our Hero would select.

Eschewing wireless, he went and found his cerri, answering the question without ceremony or preamble, but certainly with his usual eloquence:

"Now. No sun."

Unknown Time Sunday, November 2, 2070 – The streets of Kingsgate
Twiggs

The misty figure chasing Twiggs through the streets of Kingsgate wailed with malice. 'What do they call that? Think! ...Banshee! Being chased by a Banshee' The figure grew legs and began to run, gaining speed, continuing to wail, and now added was the regular thump of it's steps...'

09:13:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - Twiggs' Apartment, Evergreen Heights
Twiggs

The thump of a dance beat drives through the fog of Twiggs' muddled mind as he starts awake.

Fumbling for the comlink, he looks at the display, '09:01, what fragger? shit nine, the big dog, what happened last night? Pops? wailing? was supposed to do...'

Canceling the alarm, Twiggs lets the music continue to play, the apartment is cold, 'check the power rations, available' tapping on the thermostat gets the system started with a hiss, and the protesting squeal from the heating fan causes him to jump slightly.

He goes to the only other room in the apartment. The small bathroom is a perfect example of Japanese design and efficiency. The apartments on this floor were once larger units, so the section that this apartment was made from, only had a half bath. It now held a simple one piece molded unit that had sink, shower, and toilet, built into it, the user simply sat on the closed lid of the toilet in order to shower. Considering the temprature of the room, he reconsiders against showering at this time.

He looks at the skateboard, propped in the corner of the room, but decides against bringing it along.

13:27:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 – The real streets of Kingsgate
Twiggs

Twiggs wouldn't normally be concerned with making a thorough search of the area, following the recent conflict. He'd much rather be closer to Touristville, looking for a few marks.

He sighs, 'guess thats a no too, big dog wants me to scout here, look for left overs to help The Ravens'

Over the next few hours, Twiggs spends the time looking the area over, not collecting anything yet, but getting a good look at “The Gate", and keeping moving. He doesn't walk, but instead jogs or sprints between cover, or climbs to the roof tops to take a look at the surrounding area.

Having decided which buildings looked to be the best targets for looting, Twiggs heads back to the apartment for a shower, before meeting up with the gang.

9:00, November 2 2070 October Ravens HQ
Rico

He woke up and took inventory. "I know where I am. My head's killing me, and I ache. OK, fight with Thumper. That dude's got to be wired. No one is that quick without help. Maybe I get a shot of Kamikaze and try it again? No point. But, get a couple of doses, just in case. Now, get the fuck up, work out, do another sweep of the area and get this place cleaned up enough to work in."

Rico went outside and stretched out while going over last nights fight step by step. Even though he'd handicapped himself by not using his spur, he felt he should have made a better showing. "That's what you get for slacking", he told himself. His former cellmate, Lincoln Kennedy, had shown him the first of 3 rutra forms. Rico had only gone through it a few times since he got his spur, and it's moves had been mostly forgotten. He went through the form, slowly at first, Stumbling and starting over several times as he remembered the moves. Finally, after about two hours, Rico could run through the entire form at combat speed in just under 8 minutes. Feeling pretty full of himself, he deployed his spur and ran through the Silat Djurus he had learned from a former 'bro for another hour. For another half an hour, he practiced the basic kick boxing moves that every kid who grows up in the Seattle barrens learns, a combination of Western boxing, Muay Thai, Hong Kong movie moves made dangerous by practice and lots of real-life execution. Then he took a run, up 128th and left on 144th st, making sure to stay on the south side, then down 124th to 141st and back up 128th.

He spent an hour dragging crap out of the garage, looking for any serviceable equipment still in it and trying to make a space to work. At 1330, he headed over to the Heights, to ask around about any of the Brickhouse boys who made it.

10:15:20 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - New HQ
Ink

Ink had figured that the two bruisers had pissed on each other enough after their first scuffle. So while there might be sniping at each other they would be reasonably cool.

The Cubano selected an unused corner of the new house and staked it out as his own. Basically by making a big mess with his clothes and backpack. His jones had finally made itself fully felt which meant that sleep was out of the question. So he dipped into his private stash. One of the little plastic tubes which everyone called pens but knew were not for writing went up his nose and rewarded him with a heady buzz. Infierno! Yeaaaaaaah.......

Ink knew the buzz would last for a few hours, so he pulled out Knives baby Maria. The knife was the late fighter's corazon, his alma.

Ink had heard some of what Knives had gone through to get the piece of deadly art now in Ink's hands. The Puerto Rican had rolled drunks and worked security for the pimps in LoCoS turf. He had dealt Nova till he couldn't handle seeing the shit anymore. According to Gonzo it had taken Knives eight months to gather enough scratch to get the knife. Then he made an epic five hour walk from LoCoS turf up to where Bernanke hung his colonoscopy bag. Knives had looked straight at the retired knife fighter and said "I want what jou wanted old man, back when jou were me." Bernanke had recognized a fellow enthusiast and done exactly what Knives had asked for.

Ink now held that product of a masters hands. The knife was eight inches of solid drop forged steel blade, a thumbflick swivel and a crisp lockback mechanism. Bernanke had taken six weeks to make the killling steel. Knives had named it Maria and never let it out of his sight till that last breath he had drawn. Gracias hermano, gonna get them punta Plague rats for you. For all of you. The Cubano slid into the first position Sertado's wrinkled old friends had shown him and went through some of the routines till enough of his buzz wore off so he could sleep.

Sleep was short and thankfully sweet before his routine morning wake up call had sounded from his link. Merda.... never enough hours in the day. Better check and see what hefe wants done. He shuffled over to the spot the Ravens new leader was sleeping. Shit well now what? He looked around to see what everyone else was up to and spotted the Asian muchacho. "Hey, Shade, right? Que pasa amigo? What's going on homes?"

03:30:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Thumper

The smell of his friend approaching prevented Thumper from being startled.

"Alright, figure we'll stay on our turf." The ork scratched his nose. "Don't want to startle the neighbors so soon after the Night Hunters rolled through."

The pair walked out into the night and scoured their turf fruitlessly for an hour.

14:00:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - 8-Ball Turf, Baby's Doss
Baby

The nightmares came as soon as Baby closed her eyes. Not even the fatigue could chase them away. She re-lived those terrible moments in the stark clarity that only dreams could bring. Her screams had caused the girl’s on watch to wake her on more than one occasion and each time they returned when she closed her eyes. Sometimes it was a replay of events or a smell or sound, but always pain and humiliation. Even the grotesque vengeance she had taken was sickening and gave her no relief or satisfaction. Baby wasn’t a killer and the three executions she had committed terrified her. Somehow the fires of the Night Hunters found there way into the dreamscape of her nightmares to make for a truly hellish vision of cruelty that replayed over and over again.

After waking in a cold sweat and tears for the third time in so many hours, Baby knew sleep was futile, so she relieved the other girls on watch to let them sleep and so she wouldn’t cause there already taught nerves any more damage from her nightmare driven screams and tears.
The rest of the night was blessedly uneventful. At one point Rags had woken up to check on her. They sat quietly for a while. Rags held to her like she never wanted to let her go. Occasionally the would quietly talk or Baby would cry softly, but sooner than either would have liked, light began to leak through the boarded up windows and the sounds of morning begin to creep through the house as the other girls stirred from sleep.

Breakfast was meager. Rag’s and Baby barely had food for themselves, let alone the group that had crashed in there home, but they shared what they had. One of the girl’s had started to complain, but the withering look Baby gave her shut the whore up before things got ugly. Packing was hard, but got Baby’s mind off of her nightmares and soon enough her bike was loaded down with more than it should really carry. Some of the girls had offered to help Rags bring some of her stuff. Whores need clothes and make-up and stuff that street rats like Baby didn’t. As run down and derelict as her home was Baby had some trouble leaving it all behind. Sure it was sentimental and stupid, but Baby was still young and those things still ment something to her and her sister.

They waited as long as they could to wake Nevada. If fact Baby was surprised to see her up when she did. One of the girls, Frankie was her name had taken the initiative as the were getting close to leaving. Baby had seen some pretty bad crashes before, but Nevada looked horrible. She could barely stay awake, let alone standing. Even still Baby envied the girl for sleeping at all. She briefly thought about taking a hit of Bliss before moving out and it hadn’t been the first time. Baby had thought of the Bliss she now had stashed in her jumpsuit. She had fought hard not to drop some last night and just slip away, but she had to keep everyone going. They had already missed there drop time for meeting Legion at the HQ and that wasn’t a good way to make a first impression.

She called up Legion's comm and sent a quick message

<<@Legion: We are moving the Doves.>>

Baby knew it was going to be up to her to get everyone to the new headquarters safely, but she wanted to be sure Nevada was taken care of. She waited until she was sure she had the girl's attention before speaking.

"We need to stop by your place ta grab your stuff?"

14:00:56 Sunday, November 2, 2070 – 8-Balls turf, Baby's Doss
Nevada

As she turned to look towards the familiar voice that filled the otherwise silence of the room, Nevada moved with the speed of a hardened drunk three hours into a binge at a bar. She blinked a few times before she shook her head and tried to find the words.

"Our shit can wait, need to get the girls to Legion first. My place is across the park, won't be hard to get to later."

She tried to smile, but the attempt was weak and barely touched the features on her face.

"We ready to roll? The sooner we get this trip over with the better."

In her addled brain she idly wondered if it wouldn't be better for Baby to ferry each and every girl on the bike up to the HQ instead of the group of them walking their way through contested turf. Then again it opened up a whole new set of issues making the smuggler a bigger target more often. Instead of saying anything she used a wall to hold her up as she leaned against it and waited for the signal to move.

00:18:03 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - Old Splintered Crash / Los Locos Border
Felix

To him, it felt like eternity. It felt like he was dead frozen on the spot for eons. In reality, the tense silent standoff probably lasted a mere second. As his legs suddenly found themselves growing heavy, Felix regretted deeply not telling Shade and Aziz where he'd gone. He wanted to prove that he could do something on his own... that he was not a burden. It hadn't taken long for him to see that the newly formed October Ravens were a much more serious league than the Crashers had ever been. He needed money for halo... money which would probably be earned under the watchful gaze of Legion. But now, no matter how courageous Felix wanted to appear, he simply couldn't. What little bravado had grown in him, it had now been snuffed out swiftly. Now it was just down to fight or flight. And Felix... well, he had never been much of a fighter. His options quickly narrowed down.

Through the light amplification provided by his glasses, the ghoul looked like a pale shade of white. Dry lips curled up and away from it's purples gums, showing crooked and rotten brown teeth... Teeth that had probably, at some point, torn fresh metahuman flesh away from bones. White eyes bulging out of their sockets and patchy hair made his head look like a balloon with too much air in it. An no matter how funny that might have looked in another light... to Felix, alone in a dark alley, with no help in sight... it was the worst of nightmare.

Felix breath had stopped, his mouth trembling behind the filter mask he wore. When the ghoul finally threw himself forward, running toward the tiny street kid with the frenzy of a crazed psychotic killer (which was, in a nutshell, what he must have been), it was all it took to snap him out of his torpor. But the world didn't speed back up for a very long time. Stepping back in both a hurry and a fright, Felix's sense of time started to slow back down as he lost his panicked footing on some garbage. Finding the alley disappearing from under his feet like someone pulling on a rug, his back and head thudded harshly. Letting out a grunt of pain, Felix winced as he found his vision blur away from him for a moment. For a split second, he forgot about the ghoul that was quickly closing in, and felt nothing but the throbbing pain behind his head. When he heard him growl; when he smelled the putrid rotting flesh from it's opened mouth, Felix snapped back to reality. Instinctively, the young mage rolled off to his side, trying his best to get out of reach.

Suddenly he felt light. Light as a feather. And his vision of the world went away with his weight. He saw nothing of the world around him. He felt nothing of the ground below him and of the sky above him. When his back connected, yet again, with some concrete floor, Felix yelled out in pain. In his mad roll to avoid the ghoul, he had apparently thrown his little body straight into a broken basement window, and fallen a few feet down to the floor. That was two fall in less and two seconds. His head was now spinning worst than before as he pulled himself to his feet. He was almost sure he had a concussion by now, and his lower back was killing him. Something hot and wet was itching his right cheek. There would be a time to moan and ponder over the injuries. Now was not that time.

Throwing a rapid glance around him, Felix quickly came to the conclusion he was in the building of derelict.... well, he wasn't quite sure what it was supposed to be or what it had been. The room was totally dark, and littered with trash of every size and sort. Mattress, broken toilets, rotting wooden dressers, a few turn of the century house appliances. Even stacks of dusty yellowed out magazines.

Through the broken window, Felix heard the scuffle of feet, followed by a growl.

He ran. He simply ran, throwing himself widely over turned over furniture, crawling under desks and kicking down piles of old newspapers. He simply took the route that seemed to be the most opposite to where he had come from and went. When he heard something hit the floor a few meters behind him, he didn't even bother to look back. He simply dashed forward, his lungs already burning. Each breath he drew in felt like someone stabbing him with an icepick. His eyes were clouded with tears of sheer terror. When he finally came upon a set of stairs, as heavily cluttered as the room itself, Felix started climbing over the piled up furniture. He had almost made it clear off some sort of mutated shopping cart with broken off nails took a old of his sneaker.

His weak grip didn't last very long, and when the ghoul tugged a little hard on his dangling leg, he pulled him clear off the cart he had been climbing on. Felix felt himself fly off backwards, as if someone had tied his leg to the back of a pickup truck. He also felt like said pickup had then rammed him straight in the face as he connected heavily with the floor. This time around, his head was spinning so much, Felix couldn't do much but moan and try to push himself back up almost lazily. Some part of him felt sad that it was all going to end like that. That he was going to die in this way. But most of him felt bad that he had let his friends down. He had let Aziz and Shade down. And most of all.... he had let Halo down. He had miserably failed her.

Rolling unto his back, arms spread wide out as if awaiting his crucifixion, Felix saw the darkened silhouette of the ghoul, hunching over him. His shoulders were rising up and down fast. His breathing sounded coarse, like that of a chain smoker. For some time, he didn't do anything, He simply stood over him. Watching him. His breathing slowly coming down it's high pace, until it was almost in sync with Felix's. He stood, enjoying his moment of victory. Or at least, that was the only thing the young mage could think of. Or maybe it was hesitation. But there was no escape. Simply no where to go.

As a tear rolled down the side of his now smugged face, Felix's head rolled to the side. This was it. Death. He couldn't watch it. He couldn't bring himself to see it coming.

He shut his eyes as hard as he could, feeling his entire body tightened up. And then he saw her. He saw the face that only an angel could have. He saw her, smiling at him from over her shoulder as she swung her leg over her bike.

Halo.

When the ghoul finally decided to dive down on to finish his meal of the night, Felix's hand found something cold next to him. He wrapped his hand around it, and yelling with all his force, he threw a wide side swing.

The ghoul's face froze a few few inches away from his tear filled eyes. It simply froze there, hovering over him; drool from his face dripping down from it's diseased gum. Slowly, his eyes rolled into the back of his inflated head, as his body started to twitch ever so slightly. Grunting and pushing with what little strength he had, Felix pushed the ghoul's body off of him. Scrambling on all four, ignoring the shards of broken glass that were embedding themselves in his hands, Felix crawled on the floor until his back hit something. Eyes widen in disbelief, hands trembling and dripping with blood, the young mage looked over the now lifeless body of the ghoul. Lying on his back, opened eyes looking straight up, he looked like some old plastic mannequin... at the exception of the rusted pair of scissors, impaled into his temple all the way to the handle.

Felix wasn't quite sure how long he remained in that basement, his back against some sort of beaten up dishwasher. He simply sat there, shaking and looking at the dead body. The body he had made dead. It might have been some nasty ghoul. It might even have been one of those that had torn his friends apart. But it didn't matter at that time. Part of Felix's brain had some issue with having just killed something.

The rest... The rest felt like he was sleep walking. The pieces of glass in his hands didn't hurt. The large cut he had on his right cheek didn't bother him. Even his now badly swollen ankle didn't disturb his walk. Feet dragging on the concrete, Felix walked the street of Kingsgate like a ghost. He drifted, slowly, in the night, heading North. His legs carried him slowly, without his brain putting nothing into it. In a daze, he made his was back to October Raven territory.

14:02:23 Sunday, November 2, 2070 – 8-Ball Turf - NE 130th Ln Eastbound towards 124th Ave NE
Baby

Baby nodded, acknowledging she had heard what Nevada had said and was relieved that they would not have to make any detours. There were getting a late enough start as it was. The younger girl had done her best to dress the other girls down, which wasn’t easy. It wasn’t like she and Rags had a lot of clothing to work with, but it helped some. At least they wouldn’t stand out quite as much.

Baby handed her Roomsweeper to her sister and keep the smaller Colt for herself. She gave Rags one last hug before gingerly climbing onto her new bike. Breathing still caused a stabbing pain from her ribs where they were broken. The ride was going to be excruciating. Baby pulled her helmet over her bruised and battered face. She was glad to have it covered. The puffy black and purple had been joined by a jaundice yellow like the rest of her bruises which made her face look even worse than it had the night before.

She checked her comm to make sure the rest of the girls with comm’s could hear her. They had gone over the plan a number of times this morning. Baby would act as an outrider, running a little ahead of the group to judge the road ahead and look for trouble. The route she picked had a number of bolt holes and safe houses she could pull the girl’s into if the streets got a little hot. She let Nevada, Frankie and her sister in on there locations in case the girl’s got split up. Sure it was probably overkill, but there was a lot of turf that could be in the process of being claimed and she had no idea where the Night Hunters had settled, if anywhere. Unknowns made her nervous, so she wasn’t taking any chances. If things got to bad they could whole up and Baby could ferry them one at a time to the Park.

Satisfied that everything was as ready as it was going to be, Baby pressed down the ignition and her bike growled to life. She eased it around the front of her former home and pulled out into the street making sure everything looked normal and the girls were following behind before she pulled away to get the lay of the land.

04:15:09 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Shade

After racing through Raider Nation turf with Rico, Shade had immediately sacked out in the HQ, deciding to stay in the conference room on the first floor. He figured he’d be able to see if anyone came to sneak up on him, and at the same time it was near the stairs and one of the exits in case he had to reposition himself in a hurry.

He slept fitfully, trying to get rest his body desperately needed but unable to really allow himself to fall into a deep slumber. The events of the past several days were taking their toll, and the uncertain tension that permeated the October Ravens was a far cry from the familial atmosphere that had been the trademark of the Splintered Crash.

After sleeping on and off for several hours, he finally gave up and walked down to the basement. Taking a quick look around, he settled on the old pool/spa room for his purposes. The room smelled stale, traces of chlorine, mold, and stagnant water thick in the air. But it was dark, cool, and silent. As he stood there, isolated from the world around him, it was almost serene, in an old sort of way.

He stood silently in the now dry pool, calming his mind and focusing his soul. With deliberate slowness, he began walking through the movements of his martial arts forms, feeling his balance at each point of each move, visualizing the movements in combat. Gradually he picked up speed, letting the moves flow seamlessly from one to the next, a perfect harmony of mind, body and soul.

Slowing down, he popped the spurs, one in each hand. A natural extension of the body, they nonetheless were unique in their application and required their own set of maneuvers and practice. He repeated the process, working in their moves to his repertoire and going from slow to fast.

He lost track of time, how long he was down there, battling imaginary opponents, singly and in groups, alone and with allies, with and without his spurs. His enhanced reflexes made him a literal blur as he whirled and danced through the darkness, a lightning fast blend of steel and flesh.

At last he stopped, body damp with sweat and aflame with the exertion as he completed his workout. Calm and now mentally as well as physically ready to rest, he returned to the conference room and went to sleep.

14:17:01 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Shade

Several hours later Shade awoke, his body slightly stiff with the pleasant soreness that came from a good workout. Making his way outside, he took a look at the sky. The sun would not be out today, covered as it was by thick grey clouds made even darker with smog and pollution.

The air was damp and cool, and his body felt nasty with the dried sweat from last night’s workout. If possible, he’d try to sneak in time and a place to take a shower today. He doubted that would happen, but it was nice to dream.

Behind him, the ex-LoCos, Ink, came up to stand next to him. “Hey, Shade, right? Que pasa amigo? What's going on homes?�

Turning to face him, Shade smiles at him in a friendly, relaxed way. No point making things more tense around here than they already were. “Morning Ink. Legion gave orders last night, I think he wants to see you after the sun goes down. Other than that, I get the feeling we’ve got a lot of room to exercise our own initiative here. He told me and Rico to check out the Raider Nation border, but we did that last night, so I’m not sure if he wants us to do it again today.�

He shrugs. “I’ll probably hang around here for a while, see who wakes up and what’s shaking, then figure out what I’m doing today. What about you, got anything going on today?�

07:36:12 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Aziz

Aziz headed up to the roof of the new building, Kalila in tow, to clear his head and practice.

Can't believe I'm still alive... he thought idly, watching his breath fog in the cold night air. Between the ghouls and the gang war, he found it amazing he was still kicking around. I better make sure I stay that way.

He shrugged off his jacket, letting it fall by his feet, and stripped off his ratty t-shirt, dropping it on top. He drew Kalila, the dull satiny steel of her blade glowing in the moonlight, and reflected lights of the city beyond. He sighed, looking down at the bandages wrapped over his arms and torso, the wounds under them still aching dully. His skin tingled in the chill, rising in goosebumps, and he let Kalila's sheath fall, rushing forward and striking at an imaginary opponent before it even hit the ground.

He stayed up on the roof for hours, composing symphonies in flesh with his instrument. Aziz was a virtuoso, his audience his challengers and opponents. Kalila never sounded so sweet, cutting through the night air, slicing flesh and rending limbs. The roof was slick with blood by the time the sun's first dull rays broke over the rooftops.

Aziz blinked, looking down at himself, and the sweat steaming off his body.

"Jesus christ... is it that early... ?" he remarked, looking around. The roof was still as empty as it was when he first walked up here, all those hours ago. He whistled low. "Fraaaaag..." He collected his jacket and shirt, sliding them on and heading back down the stairs. He creeped across the floor, not wanting to wake the others as he settled into what used to be the copy room. It was small, and with the one door, easily defended. He laid down and stared at the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity until sleep graced him.

14:17:46 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Aziz

Aziz awoke suddenly, and rose up, regretting immediately as his body screamed in protest. His wounds and tired muscles evidentally opposed to this action.

"Urrghh..." he groaned. He rubbed his face and walked out of the copy room, cautiously stepping down the stairs to the first floor. The Arabian Samurai looked around, and hearing voices in the conference room, headed in, to find Ink and Shade talking. He nodded over to Shade

"Hey man... What's cracking? You seen Felix around?" He asked. He nodded at Ink. "Afternoon uh... don't think we met."

14:02:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ
Rico

A ten minute conversation with Fat Cat and 50 nuyen got him all the info Fat Cat had, which was "no body I recognized as a former Brickhouse Boy has been in or out of here in the last 48 hours". Rico negotiated 5 minutes of a hot water shower as part of the deal, so when he headed back to October Ravens HQ he didn't smell like he'd been in a fight, slipped in dog-shit, and worked out for four hours since his last shower.

Rico walked into Headquarters at 1402, looking for Shade, to take another look around the edges of Raider Nation, or barring that, anyone else, to find something else to think about besides his old bros. They are all dead or gone, and it's time to get used to it.

03:45:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - Border of Plague Turf
Thumper

The border along the Plague turf was quiet. Thumper had kicked over a trash can just to announce his presence to any would be skulkers or informants. The turf was still dead -- the ghouls must have scared off the locals. Grack had wandered off and periodically wandered back. As the dynamic duo wallked across a balding meadow which might have once held a playground, Thumper said:

"I'm sick of all these new fuckers trying to get to the top. Like Rico, seems like an OK cerri then tries to take a chunk of our income all of the sudden. We don't even know the guy. Or Shade, all he did was show up and follow orders and the boos likes him. What the fuck gives?"

Walking with The Duke was one of the few times the lad deprived himself of the divine strains of Orxploitation orchestration.

"Vut. Weak loves weak. Boy loves boy...But cerri learned place. You taught him."

Speaking with Grack was usually and exercise in introspection. Thumper was pleasantly surprised that his friend responded.

"I guess so, this whole thing's vut. Knew where I stood with the pack, y'know?"

The Duke's words struck a chord with the Young Master. He stopped and looked at the other ork.

"Everything changing. Love hate. Hate love. Strong weak. Weak strong."

"Yeah, I hear you." Glancing around, Thumper expressed his frustration. "Fuck, figure I've got to talk to someone to find out what happened. I'll check out Plague Turf tomorrow. You're gonna have to cover me from underground or some shit."

Grack had already faded into the shadows as the pair started heading home.

14:00:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Thumper

Thumper started as he woke up and his chair clattered to the ground. He slept on a metal folding chair he'd found in the unfinished building. He chose the main room, to best watch the doors, he'd been woken up as people started their respective days, resting fitfully and not getting to sleep as late as he'd liked. He finally roused himself around 10. He was irritable and parched in more ways than one. Unfortunately, yesterday's brews were long gone -- as was breakfast.

He groggily and angrily walked outside and pulled out the gun again. He counted the bullets, if he was going to practice using it -- he'd have to pace himself carefully. He walked further away into the park -- he didn't want to disturb anyone, holding it up he rested his finger on the trigger and took a deep breath ... then lost his nerve.

He walked back and looked around for people. Ink and Shade were up and talking.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna go shoot this thing to uh ... check how accurate it is. So don't worry if you hear me busting caps or anything." He blustered to cover his lack of knowledge. He eyed Ink's piece jealously. The Cuban carried the gun so easily, he knew what he was about. Thumper couldn't ask for help though, lieutenants needed to be tough at all times and the best at everything.

He went back out to the space he had been at before and decided to spend some time preparing his firing range. He scratched a line into the cold dirt with a nearby stick and he carved an 'x' into a low wall at a distance that seemed reasonable. He passed four hours shooting very slowly and saved himself five bullets for the future.

Deleted

14:19:01 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Shade

"Hey man... What's cracking? You seen Felix around?"

Shade nods in response to his friend's question. "Yeah, I saw him sleeping down in the pool area last night. I didn't even notice him while I was practicing, only when I left. I think something happened, he's more quiet than normal and his hands are bandaged. Something might have gone wrong when he went back to our old turf."

Before Aziz could respond, the big ork named Thumper approached them. "Hey guys, I'm gonna go shoot this thing to uh ... check how accurate it is. So don't worry if you hear me busting caps or anything."

Shade looks at the ork and tries not to raise an eyebrow at what he considers an unusual waste of ammunition. When he speaks, his tone is polite and deferential. "This is just a suggestion, but before you go using your ammo like that, why don't you take it apart first, check the action and parts? If it's in good condition, it'll probably shoot straight without you having to fire it to be sure. Unless you just want some practice, that is."

14:19:20 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Ink

Ink nods at the other new 'mano. "Name's Ink, ese I do art and shit, lemme know if you need anyting. How's it hangin', homes?" He holds his right hand out in the traditional fist bump gesture.

The Cubano nods at Shade's sage advice. "Yah ese, bullets is 'spensive. Less jou muchacho's wanna go get some and we can all get some shooting time in."

He snaps his fingers in mock rememberance, "Hey, anyone ask el hefe what he wants done today?"

14:19:20 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ
Rico

Hearing the question as he walks towards the group, Rico speaks up, "I know he wanted me and Shade to scout around the Southern edge of Raider Nation. We hit it last night, rode right down 145th. Should we take another trip along the border before the boss is up? I'm bored, sober and close to broke. I need something to do."
He looks around at the other guys, "Hey I recognize a couple of you guys. Names Rico. From Payalup, Saurans Pets, The State Pen, The Brickhouse Boys and now, October Ravens."

14:19:20 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Legion

It was a restless seven hours of sleep, broken finally by Thumper's arrhythmic gunshots. For the space of five or so minutes he simply lay on the floor where he slept, staring at the dimly illuminated ceiling. He could hear voices from the common room, indistinct from the stairs. The unconscious listing of tasks ahead of him and his soldiers drove him upright, though. He ran a hand through his hair, hawked, and spit into the corner.

"On the fields of battle lie the blackened bones of countless millions who, at the dawn of victory, sat down to rest, and, resting, died."

Rolling out his shoulders, he stretched his arms over his head, feeling the aches from his practice last night unknot. With a sigh, he tapped out a cigarette and lit up. Slinging his sword over his shoulder, he headed downstairs.

He was glad to see most everyone gathered up, except the whores. He checked his commlink again, the muscles along his jaw tightening when he confirmed that it was after the noon deadline he'd specified for them to link up again. That meant that either the doves were in trouble and they'd have to mount a rescue mission, or he would need to inflict an example of why his deadlines should always be met. Either way it only added to his foul morning mood.

"Ink, you and I have business to discuss. Rico, you and Shade find anything last night? We need to let the civilians around here know that we're the power in the area. We need cash, too. Food and water."

He glances around until he realizes that Thumper is still outside. With a grimace, he moves to stand in the open doorway.

"Thumper! Find Grack at some point and see what the likelihood of us boosting power and water is from the mains. Find out what we need to get the job done, then take a couple of guys and go get it."

He turned back into the welcoming shadows of the building.

"Anybody else got anything to report?"

14:19:52 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Felix

“The ghouls have pushed as far as the Locos border.�

Felix's voice didn't sound as hesitant as usual. What it did sound, was a mix of tired and broken. His eyes were set deep within their sockets, black circles already showing under them. The young mage's glasses, usually on his nose, were hooked in the collar of his battered olive green hoodie. His breathing mask had left his mouth and dangled loosely around his neck, and a long and fresh looking cut ran on his right cheek.

Both of his hands were wrapped in what appeared to be medical gauze, fingers poking out like a fingerless glove, and red spots covering both palms. It also seemed that, where ever the little mage had been for the past hours, it had been dirty. Contrary to his usual shy demeanor, Felix didn't seem to care that most of his gang mates had turned their attention in his direction. Leaning heavily against the doorway, he simply looked beaten and tired.

“Crash turf is probably lost by now. And no one seems to be claiming Locos turf for now... so 162 might push even further... Which in any case means that Crowbar Bob is going to be in hot waters.�

He slipped his injured hands into the kangaroo like pouch of his sweater.

“He's either going to be diverting a lot of attention south, or looking for allies to break the ghouls off. Frosty's probably on her toes to....�

Felix took a deep breath in... and it looked as if he winced a bit. He almost lazily pushed himself off the door's frame taking a few steps toward the group.

“We might actually want to start going around to see who's left in the area. I'm sure people could use a hand with dozen of things.... We could see if there's anything they need.... Or if we can help whoever still lives in theses blocks.�

He looked over toward Legion, his tiny green eyes not avoiding his gaze as usual.

“It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved.� started Felix in way that sounded practiced “but the one who adapts his policy to the times prospers, and likewise that the one whose policy clashes with the demands of time does not. The people that live in this place most probably lost what little they had in the rampage that we caused. If we help them, we'll gain their trust. Such a trust might not bring anything to the table in the immediate future... but if we intend to stand this ground, there will be nothing sturdier to hold us up than the locals.�

Felix made a sort of little cough.

14:22:41 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Aziz

Aziz bumped his fist against Ink's and nodded.

"Its hanging alright man... I'm Aziz, me and Shade were the teeth in the Splintered Crash, so you need anything like that, just ask.", he said, smiling.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a length of red cord. "Yeah... Legion wants me to turn out the whores and play pimp today." he says, spitting on his hand and pulling the longer hair on his head into a group. He wraps the cord around it, and finally ties it off, fixing his hair back into his signature topknot.

"Never done that before, but it sounds like it could be fun.", he remarks. He looks over at Felix as he walks in, raising an eyebrow at the little mentalist's seemingly newfound resolve.

14:25:01 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Southwest corner of Kirkland City Park
Baby & Nevada

The trek to Kirkland Park had been nerve racking, painful and seemed to take forever, but was blessedly uneventful. At one point Baby thought she heard gunfire in the parks direction, but it had been some time since it had died down and there was no way to be sure it had come from there. The Gate had been relatively quiet and the gunfire echo could have come from any number of places.

Baby pulling up to the southwest edge of the park, under a scraggily-looking tree and killed the mirage's engine. She pulled the helmet from her head and scanned the area for potential trouble before giving Nevada, Frankie and Rags the ok to move up. Digging into one of the pouches in her jumpsuit, Baby pulled out her colt to cover the girls were moving out of the protective slum surrounding the park and into open.

The group of street walkers looked tired and disheveled. Relief shone on some faces and apprehension on others. Baby could understand, she too was relieved that they had made the trip with no trouble, but what lay ahead was an unknown and potentially just as dangerous as where they had come from.

"Get yourselves right, we're gonna say hey to Legion, so it'd be a good time to make a good first impression.�"

Baby tried to smile at the others, but her face hurt and it came out as more of a grimace.

"You to girl." She says looking at Nevada. "You look like shit." she joked to the half unconscious ganger.

Actually Nevada looked worse, but she wanted to make sure the girl was still with her and coherent enough to make the stretch run. It was funny really, the two girls wouldn't have given each other the time of day a few days ago. Baby had always thought that Nevada was a complete bitch who thought way to highly of herself and her value to the 8-Balls. As far as Baby knew, Nevada had barely known that she even existed. But when everything had gone to hell it had been Nevada that had extended a little kindness when she had needed it most. It had opened her eyes a little to a part of Nevada that she never knew existed and she found herself worried about the dark-haired girl's condition as she watched her sway unsteadily on her feet.

When they were all together again they moved off as a group. Baby's bike purred to life once again to pull out just ahead of the group to keep the noise away from the girls and to announce there presence to any lookouts.

14:28:56 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ - Kirkland City Park
Baby & Nevada

Surprisingly no one seemed to be on look out yet as Baby and the rest of the group stood outside of the park building. As gang hangouts went it looked pretty good. Lots of space, at least it seemed so from the outside. She didn't take too long looking things over. They were already very late and problems like that were usually dealt with pretty harshly. Baby sighed, tucked her helmet under one arm and lead the girls through the front door.

'Here goes nothin'.'

14:15:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - Evergreen Heights
Twiggs

Twisting the control for the shower portion of the toilet combination, brown water poured out for several seconds, but no hot water. He thinks, '...sigh, guess The Cat is dodging the utilities again, got to make this quick'

Following the cold shower and shivering in the cool, damp air, He grabs his skateboard, and turns for the door, jamming one hand in his jacket pocket, for warmth, but finding something more, that stops him in his tracks. Replacing the board to it's spot by the wall, Twiggs takes the small packet from his pocket, licking his lips, he discovers a thin line of sweat above his upper lip, despite the coolness of the day. Inside the small square of transparent plastic was the last of his Nova'. The baggie contains enough of the white powdery substance for about two more bumps, some of the gangers, that he met the previous night, might be able to cook it down into a smokable base, that would make it stretch further, but Twiggs had never learned that skill, and usually preferred to snort his Nova'. Carefully measuring out half the contents of the package into the crook of his hand, and thumb, he sharply inhales the powder, making his eyes water, and causing him to have to pinch his nostrils shut to keep from sneezing out the precious substance, before it can begin to work. Reveling in the clarity, that always came with the Nova', he regained his board from it's spot on the wall and stepped out, the door.

In the hallway, he noticed as two figures struggle to fit a large sofa through a fire door, and into the stairwell. Walking quickly away, Twiggs hurries down the opposing set of stairs, and positions himself near the foot of the stairwell that the movers are descending.

He allows one of the figures carrying the couch, an Ork, to bump into him at the foot of the stairs, “Hoy Chummer, watch where you're walking� Quick hands determine that the Ork is carrying nothing of immediate value, beyond a com, strapped to his wrist, which is unaccessible at the moment. Turning his head to glare at Twiggs, the Ork grunts, “Shove off! We're working here, rat. Get loss, fore I snap ya in half loike a twig.� Smirking at the remark, Twiggs notices that the Ork, and the other mover, are both wearing shirts with the logo of a company on them, 'Rent 2 U'. He replies to the Ork, “Null sweat, din'nt see ya had yer hands full there chummer� The Ork just grunts again, taking the final step carefully backwards, his partner, a Human, almost as large as the Ork, speaks up. “Yeah, sure, null sweat, don't suppose you'd be wantin to help open the door? eh chum?� Swiveling his head slowly around to look over his shoulder, Twiggs seems to consider his options, shrugging, he opens one of the double doors, and props a rock under the edge to hold it in place, as he holds the other door open for the pair.

Once outside they set the sofa down, while the door of their truck opens up, triggered remotely by the Human. The truck has the Rent 2 U logo, painted on the side. The human addresses Twiggs, “Thanks, suppose ya want sumpthn for your time eh?� Effecting his best hurt look, he replies, “I'm not homeless or anything, I live here ya know, pay may rent an everything, on time even, just not all of us can afford the luxury life of a grunt for, Rent 2 U, some us got real jobs ta worry bout ya know, stock traders, corp suits, that kinda thing, not for real, Rent 2 U, top shelf, suborbital hoppers, lunching in New-Yawk, breakfast in Hong Kong kinda stuff, ya know?� The Human laughs at Twiggs' comments, before replying, “Not likely, not breakfast, to speak of, or lunch break so far, been trying to track this couch down, all morning, renter listed a false address, no offense, but the company doesn't rent down here, and we still got shit to deliver before we can head back. Any place we can grab something to eat round here? Not promising you any pay or nothing, just asking, straight up, so don't hurt me or nothing.� Letting the comment slide, Twiggs gives directions to the Plastic Sushi, and Pizza Bank, taking note of the truck inventory, before leaving for the park.

'Hmm... the couch they are loading now, a desk, a troll size recliner, and a Trid, maybe something else in the corner, I can't see...'

14:23:10 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ
Twiggs

Stepping in the door, Twiggs surveys the assembled Ravens, “hail hail, gangs... almost all here?� He almost immediately realizes that he is addressing Legion's back, as the man is standing just inside the doorway. “hola, big-dog, just saw sompen' interesting, before heading this way, ya need a desk?�

14:25:37 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Legion

Legion sucked in a lungful of smoke as he pondered Felix's report. It was the kind of thing that he was worried about, what with the massive power vacuum left behind. He'd hoped for at least a few more days before the gangs regrouped enough to decide to increase their territory. But the 162's were pushing his plans forward. He grimaced, about to say something when Twiggs interrupted him. His first thought was why the frag would I need a desk?, and his lips snarled in anticipation of his caustic reply. The realization, though, that their new headquarters was profoundly devoid of furniture brought him up short, and his face cleared to something resembling craftiness.

"Actually, why not? Put it right there, in the middle, but closer to the back wall." He gestured to a spot towards the rear of the main room. If it didn't look good there, they could always move it. He returned his attention to Felix.

"You look roughed up, if you need to rest, let me know. Otherwise I need you and Shade with me. We're going to go see Crowbar Bob and talk business. It's time for the Ravens to start spreading our wings."

Legion drew from his cigarette again, his eyes cold and dark.

14:29:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ - Kirkland City Park
Baby & Nevada

It took Baby a second for her eyes to adjust to the change of light, she noticed the group of young men standing near her as she made room for the other girls to enter.

"Find a place for Nevada to crash. I'll check on her later." She told Frankie. The girl had stayed close to Nevada in case she needed her, which had freed Baby up to scout ahead of the group on there way in.

She walked over to the small group that she now saw that Legion was a part of. She knew he had noticed their entrance as had the others, but waited to speak not knowing what she would be interupting.

14:29:30 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ - Kirkland City Park
Rico

"Finally,"Rico thought, "something to do."
Rico spoke up, "I guess I'm with Twiggs then. It sounds like he's got crime on his mind. What's up?"

14:25:40 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Ink

Ink nodded at the new Ork. He stuck a thumb in his own chest "Ink, que pasa homes?"

He turned now and watched as Legion got his groove on. The hefe was dynamite to watch. Each problem or potential problem was solved and and incorperated into his master plan. Including the massive swarm of ghouls marching north. Fuck it all to infierno and back. The Cubano juggled his link a bit and was rewarded with its customary lousy pixel display. <<<@Nona&Papi: Familia Update: Ghouls on the move. Heading your way. BE SAFE! Please respond ASAP. Te amo, Ray.>>>

He turned and faced Legion again "El hefe, ci? What'chou need?"

14:26:00 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Felix

As soon as Legion started to pull on the cigarette, Felix replied.

“I'm fine.� he said, in a voice barely audible.

Felix's stomach growled much louder than his voice.

“Well.... I am.... I am hungry...�

His eyes went down to the floor for a brief moment, before casting a side glance at Shade.

“You.....� he started, hesitant.

The young mage swallowed, difficultly.

“You sure you want to have three humans meeting Bob?� he finally managed to get out, looking toward Legion.

Immediately, a slight hint of panic crept on the young mage's face. His hands came out of his pockets in a nervous twitch. Felix had just flat out questioned Legion's judgment of the situation. He probably knew better than anyone that Crowbar Bob was the most racist SOB in Kingsgate... but then again, who in Kingsgate didn't hate someone else for no real reason. Everybody had it out for someone.

“I mean, he will surely not greet us with arms open even if we display some membership variety...�

His bandaged hands slowly crept back in the pocket of his sweater.

“We might want to have a sit down with Father Ron while we trek South... He's not only a man of God, he's a good man. I do not doubt he will put the good of his community before the Plaguers'...� added Felix, letting the end of his sentence hang in the air.

Felix in his entire life, had never truly wished harm to come to anyone. He never wanted to inflict it, or see others suffer either thru his actions or by the actions of those around him. But somehow, the young mage couldn't barely stop himself from speaking out. Somehow, ever since they had picked up Halo on the side of the road, ever since he had heard the screams of his friends... something had changed inside. Nothing was the same anymore. Part of him had glimpsed at the shapes of things to come, and there was simply no way to avoid it.

He took a deep breath, trying to bury as deep as he could all his feelings of shame and guilt. What he was thinking and saying disgusted him.

“... If the ghouls do start moving toward Plague turf, chaos should blossom. If the ghouls don't make the move, I'm sure we can find a way to have them make it... This should give us a golden opportunity to take out Bob, score points with Tommy, and put someone slightly more reasonable at the helm of Black Plague.�

Felix made another one of those little raspy cough. It was starting to get obvious that without his breathing mask on, the mage's body was quite uneasy.

“But we cannot do such a thing without Father Ron's, and pardon my wording, blessing.�

01:30:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - New HQ
Bockscar

Lay about on the roof for about an hour. Securing things. Easy enough work. Plenty of time to think, and I'm actually feeling good being back on the right side of sleepy. Gonna need to push through tomorrow, get back on a reasonable sleep schedule. The albinos and shit 'round this hood are all fucked up on their scheduling; peeps do biz in the daytime and I do biz with peeps. In the mean time, securing things gives me some time to think about the world, the flesh, and the devil. Which gets boring soon enough, so I spend the rest of the time searching for nodes and tying to hack them - have an old field manual for tactical comm intercept sticking around in my head somewhere, and I call up the file and scroll it through as I'm guarding stuff.

Our recon-in-force returns after a while... Personally, don't blame them. I was thinking about a recon-in-sleep for a while, and I ain't the only mother fucker with some aches and pains. Mine are a bit closer to the heart, but such is life. Poke at the entrance wound a little bit when I think about it. Nice and easy, so I don't puke the lung out like I tried to this morning. Boss man says some orders, some of the kids with bikes roll off. Tells me to go get my stash; don't tell him it's crammed in a sock tied around my ankle and the liner of my backpack... Instead, smile, nod, go to my backpack and change a few clothes, try to look less like a banger. Go through a moment or two of heartache as to what the hell to do with my rifle, but I don't know these fools well enough to get far away from it. Wrap it up in an old shirt and pants and sling it over the shoulder like a bag of laundry, hope it's not too obvious. Trade commcodes with one of the new guys, tell him to meet me at the nearest major intersection to our turf if the shit goes down. Give him my throwaway code, monitor his off my real commlink.

02:45:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - ISU 90 Estates
Bockscar

I walk down the road near Raider turf, back to my old container yard. Take the dip out of my hip and the lean out my stance; I'm just another beat down mother fucker trying to get home on a night when I shouldn't be walking... It's all I can do to keep from flicking the slivergun in and out of my sleeve anyway. I look around too much for a beat-downer, can't resist counting the bulletholes on doors, burn scars, shit like that. Count the transformers hanging off the telephone poles and the neighborhood wiring people have been stringing up, compare it on the Raider side to the ol' Pack side of the street. Wanna humiliate the raiders, that's where to do it... The container yard is buttoned up tight, so I lever open the corner of the fence and slide through. Meander to the owner's shed and grab an old grocery cart, rusted stupid from the years since there's been a functioning grocery store in the neighborhood.

I dump the home electonics and the satcom link into the grocery shed. Satcom link is money, wrap it up in my bed linens. Dump the water out of the jerry cans and put them in there, since I loves me my showers. Ditch the box springs, but balance the mattress on top and tie it down with a filthy piece of shipping twine I find in a mud puddle. Think about the way home, pop the slivergun out in case the owner has beef about people ganking grocery carts full of shit. Finish off my old bottle of Jack, just two shots left. Throw it over the wall towards Raider turf.

Meander back through the side streets of the old Hammerpack turf, looking for gang signs, war damage, etc. Streets are still kind of quiet, which suits me and my rattly-ass cartload of crap just fine.

03:30:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - New HQ, racked out.
Bockscar

Get back to the new building and truck my shit upstairs, into the same little corner where I dumped ruck. Set up the mattress nice, try and scrub the mudstains out of it, make my bed. Leave the jerry cans and shit in a corner; them and the satcom can wait till morning. Set the alarm clock in my head to wake me up 'round sunrise, and nod off for a few.

07:42:15 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - New HQ
Bockscar

Wake up easy, peaceful; didn't sleep too much, but didn't need to. Jump a bit too much when my earbuds start pinging me to wake up. Smile that I'm still waking up before the alarm. Wink and thumbs-up to Legion as he comes in looking for a nap. First prioirty is the satcom; hit up to my little shelter on the roof and spend about a half hour fucking with it, trying to rig some contraption to keep it pointing the right way. Hook it to the batteries off my assault rifle and they both check out fine; now all I gotta do is find or steal some power.

14:00:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - New HQ and immediate area
Bockscar

Tear up the bulding looking for some power hook-ups; eventually end up ripping down one of the dead cables tied onto the local telephone poles and running it from the basement breaker box upstairs to the roof. So many local wires attached to these telephone poles nobody would know anyway, unless I disconnected someone's generator. Not my problem. Get some out-of-the-corner glances from the people waking up and walking down the street while I'm fucking with the power lines - too easy to see I'm banginng, they're not going to stick their neck out until they figure out where the pieces lay. Bullshit with an older dude sitting on his porch. Listen as he bitches about his property tax, even though we both know he don't own the house and the cops wouldn't give half a damn anyway. Say hi to an old lady. Ask a couple peeps why the little food stand down the street ain't open. Gauge the caution in their responses.

Hear some gunshots back at the headquarters - too evenly spaced out to be combat, so who cares. Most of the bystanders give an instantaneous little jump and then get back to business. They are conoisseurs of small arms fire just as much as any of us. Meander back to the head shed and see Thumper shooting all hollywood - move up into his peripheral vision in between pauses between shots. "Yo, dawg, you let me use your range here and I'll give you 10 rounds through my rifle and some pointers with your strap there." Ain't gonna undignify the dude by asking if he wants some help.

14:30:00 Sunday, November 2, 2070 - New HQ, gang huddle.
Bockscar

Sittin' here waiting for the huddle with my assault rifle in pieces, one magazine short, cleaning it off. Burned some ammo next to Thumper - thought it would be wise, let the peeps on the street know what kind of firepower we're packing. They can tell the difference in noises real well, and tonight we'll convince them it'll be a bad idea to start talking to the Raiders about us. Note the pretty ladies show them up, give 'em a nod and a wink, don't care if they notice or not. Pop the rifle back together when peeps start talking, but save my two cents for the minute.

14:29:47 Sunday, November 2, 2070 – New October Ravens HQ - Kirkland City Park
Thumper

Thumper took a moment to splutter at Shade's comment. He couldn't look bad like this, there was too much at stake. His new leadership demanded that he think on his feet as well. His retort was ready in mere seconds.

"Fuck man, practice? I got more skills than ..." He trailed off so as not to interrupt Legion only aware of his conversational irrelevance rather late in the game.

He shuts up, and listens to orders with growing worry. Why' shade going to the meet, why's it not me? Aren't I kinda the right hand man? Fucking power mains aren't my thing anyway.

He revels in a bit of self loathing as the discussion progresses. The girls arrive and ignore him too. I'm just a banger, why should they pay attention to anyone without rank, vut.

Thumper moped his way back out to the firing range only to be approached by another cerri ... what was his name ... Box. Seemed about right.

"Yo, dawg, you let me use your range here and I'll give you 10 rounds through my rifle and some pointers with your strap there."

Thumper respoded, "Fucking 'A', I'm sold on that shit. That's a nice piece, obviously Ares, but ... is it an Alpha. You don't see that shit down here much." He stepped back, range is yours.

He and Bockscar whiled away 20 minutes shooting. The idea that Thumper hold his gun with two hands was met with strong resistance, but he was impressed by the improvement in accuracy. And shooting the big gun was pure pleasure. He left the makeshift range smelling like yesterday's fights and gunsmoke, but in a much better mood. With that behind him, Thumper set about planning for the day and had a flash of inspiration.

"Hey, Box, I've got to do some utilities shit today. Find us power and water and other shit. I'm okay at finding the stuff, but I don't know getting it here from quaalz" (The word was clearly used here in the more-formal, noun form) "And I can use another banger backing me up. Legion didn't say what shit he had in mind for you, so I figure you're kind of a free man for the day."

While waiting for a response he messaged Grack. <<@Grack: Got some vutting tharon work to do first, then sneak go to Plague turf to talk, maybe start shit. Tell me if there's good water near here. We'll talk about Plague and Hunters when it's darker.>>

14:29:47 Sunday, November 2, 2070 – New October Ravens HQ - Kirkland City Park
Nevada

Frankie had remained by Nevada's side at Baby's instruction but didn't make a move to find the ganger a proper place to crash. Frankie knew better. Instead the girl remained by her side and waited until Nevada made the first move to find a place to sleep off the rest of her crash. The pair of girls stood back just slightly from the main group, surrounded by the other whores as Baby made her way up to the mass of Ravens and they waited and watched to see the fallout of their late arrival.

Right now in all honesty Nevada didn't give a crap if Legion wanted to pull rank and piss and moan fire about them missing a deadline for their arrival. She was tired and she felt like warmed over death, but she still had enough in her to give him a piece of his mind should he try to raise hell. Sure he was top-dog around here now, but Baby was family before the Ravens and she owed the girl at least that much after last night. The shit the girl had gone through when the 8-Balls crashed and burned had earned her that much at least.

Nevada kept her gaze focused intently on Legion's face from the short distance she'd kept between their two gathered groups.

14:31:04 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Legion

"Father Ron, huh? Well, I guess one intermediate stop won't make much of a difference. And any information we can get is going to help. We'll see if we can't scrounge some food, too. I'm getting kind of hungry myself." Legion glances over his shoulder as Nevada, Baby, and the doves as they walk in, then back to Felix and Shade.

"Meet me out front in five minutes and we'll roll out."

He adds Ink to the group with a quick gesture of his left hand. "You, too. We'll talk on the way. It's going to require razor blades if you have them."

Turning, he pins Baby with a cold stare. "Aziz is your shepherd today. Get the girls out working soonest. We've got soldiers to feed."

Waiting to see if anyone has anything else to bring up, he calls to his lieutenant outside.

"Thumper, you're in charge while I'm gone. Keep everyone tracking on getting this place up and running."

14:32:02 Sunday, November 2, 2070 – New October Ravens HQ - Kirkland City Park
Bockscar

Listen to Legion's l'l spiel with... mixed feelings, we'll call it for short.

Think up a quick text to Nevada - <<@Nevada [Bockscar] - I dumped my rucksack in a big corner room near the stairs to the roof. If you want to move it, yall can have the room - probably the only way to keep all yall more or less together. Your call - just move it near the top of the roof stairs. I'll figger out where to move my bed later. There's some water jugs up there yall could use for a shower.">>.

Them ladies helped me get through. Don't deserve to be addressed like that. Flash the shy girl a smile and a wink as I turn to Thumper.

"Yeah, I can do the power and water thing. Water first, power second. You know anyone who knows the sewers round here? That mother fucker who smells like shit know anything?"

14:32:35 Sunday, November 2, 2070 – New October Ravens HQ - Kirkland City Park
Baby

Baby tried to hold firm under Legion's stare, not an easy thing to do. She ignored the other for the moment. She knew what she said next would either get her some respect or get her killed, but you don't establish yourself early you get walked on. With a nervous swallow Baby shook her head. This had the added benefit of breaking that cold gaze that gave her the chills.

"I ain't no whore and I ain't no pimp and I sure as fuck don't need no sheppard. Far as I know I ain't even a part of this gang yet." She kept talking, expecting any moment that she would on the receiving end of a beat down. Guys don't like being talked back to by a girl, much less one as small and unassuming as Baby, but frag it all to hell she wasn't going to get pushed aside like she was one of the whores. She had skillz and damn useful ones.

"I know the 'gate better than most and probably better than anyone here. I've made drops for the 8-Balls in or through every turf in this slum, even your old grounds. with no one any wiser" She finally stopped with the head shake and looked back to the young leader's face. This was the first time she could met Legion's gaze and not waver. Baby was proud of her abilities and would put them up against anyone. "I got mad taggin' skillz and make a damn good look out, but will not be the one selling my sister on the street."

Baby tried to come off as tough, and by her standards was doing a good job of it, but really she was scared to death that he would put a bullet into her and be done with it. Either way she was not going to pimp out her sister, she just couldn't do it. She had reconciled the fact that her sister sold herself to keep them fed a long time ago, but she would never be the one handing her out for tricks.

"If you and I can get that last bit straight, I will put my neck out for you and this family."

14:31:49 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Shade

Maybe he wasn’t used to seeing Felix so assertive. Maybe he wasn’t used to this hardcore gang stuff just yet. Or maybe he wasn’t used to the idea of seeing Felix be so used to the hardcore stuff. Regardless, whatever had happened to his friend while he was gone the last several hours seemed to have profoundly affected him.

Shade caught the look Aziz sent to him and shrugged slightly in reply. He had no idea where this sudden toughness had come from, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it. He made a mental note to discuss the issue in more depth with Felix later, and was about to speak up in support of his friend’s idea but apparently he didn’t need to. Legion had already approved. He even agreed to bring extra backup in the form of Ink.

Shade probably would have preferred Thumper, given the ork’s obvious toughness and high ranking within the gang, but when Legion left him in charge during his absence, he couldn’t argue with the logic of leaving him in command as opposed to bringing him along. It was certainly a more logical decision than bringing that psychotic sewer dweller along or putting him in charge; no matter how tough he might be, Grack probably couldn’t even spell diplomacy, let alone grasp its meaning. And he’d be more likely to eat the other gang members than lead or protect them.

His inner monologue was interrupted as the new girl, he hadn’t caught her name, suddenly stepped up and started mouthing off to Legion. Shade wasn’t sure whether to admire her for her guts or wince at her lack of diplomacy. Regardless, as all eyes turned to Legion[b] to see how he’d respond, [b]Shade casually began sliding to the side, off to the girl’s left and behind her.

The odds were good she was right handed, which meant she’d probably try to draw her weapon, whatever it was, right-handed. Since he was now on her left and slightly behind her, that would give him an ever so slight advantage if he needed to make a move. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that, and everyone would talk their differences out peacefully, but the growing cynic inside him doubted things would be that easy. Down here in the ‘Gate, they rarely were.

14:31:55 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Legion

Legion found a knife in his hand without even being conscious of drawing it, the rough micarta scales fit to the callouses on his hand after years of use. He flipped the knife from a point forward to an ice pick grip and back again, the motion stilling the red pulse of his vision. An icy clarity swept through him, a familiar and welcome sign of adrenaline in his veins. He held Baby's gaze with his own.

"Aziz," he said in a clear, deliberate voice, "get the girls out working."

With exaggerated care, Legion took a drag from his cigarette, pausing to examine its red hot tip before looking back to Baby.

"All right. You're with me, then. We'll see if your 'mad skillz' can help us talk some sense into Father Ron and Crowbar."

With a final flick, Legion slipped his knife back in his pocket and turned to the front door.

14:36:23 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Aziz

Aziz nods.

"Whatever you say, boss." he says, motioning to the whores to follow him. He drops his hand to the hilt of Kalila and tilts his chin up.

Anything to get away from this tense-ass room. he thinks. He strides out of the headquarters, hitting the street and looking back at the whores.

Can't let them think I'm a puss. Gotta show 'em who's boss. I'm superbad! he thinks.

"Alright ladies, listen up. I'm sure you know the drill by now. Go fuck, suck, and earn some money, bring it back here, and don't fuck with me, we'll get along fine. Anyone fucks with you, even a little bit, smacks you like you don't like, stiffs you even one nuyen, even looks at you wrong, tell me and I'll cut his throat. Stay in at least pairs, and let me know where all you're going. I won't be far.", he says, addressing them in one long speech as they're lined up like soldiers.

Hope that got the point across... he thinks, tapping a cigarette out onto his palm and sticking it in his mouth. He pulled out his zippo, snapped it open, and held the dancing flame to the tip, finally flicking the old lighter shut once the paper tube was properly glowing and smoking.

"You all understand? Got questions, now's the time."

14:36:32 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ, Just south of Kirkland City Park, between 128th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Bockscar

I get pissed at watching the continued drama between these fucking idiots. The cute little blonde pipes up to Legion, and I cheer inside. Some basic, simple fucking morals, expressed with dignity. Part of me groans at the 'z' on the end of 'skills' - she pronounced it almost as if she fucking wrote it, but what the hell. It brings a smile to my face, one that isn't simple flirting.

Try for a second to catch her eye, mouth "damn straight, I got your back." I don't know if it's received. Bunch of folks looking around all confused like and shit.

Atilla the Arab gets up and does his thing. Don't much feel like particpating in any more drama, and water and pipes will give me plenty of time to think about making some scratch. Thumper had his little head to head, and who knows what he's gonna be running off to. I pipe up, a hair's breadth too strong for what's necessary. "Yo, thumps, I'll be in the basement looking at the water main. Have a hop on down if you feelin' it. Bring your boy with you." We'll see who shows.

Tramp down to the basement, track the wiring conduits from the breaker out towards the wall, track down the sewer pipes. Mark their locations roughly on the map. Screw with as many valves and faucets and things that look like pipe joins as I can - I don't know shit 'bout plumbing, but I know the water gotta come from somewhere, and it sure as fuck ain't coming from any of the pipes in here. Crack one pipe open and a wave of puked-up death stench hits me. Guess that's the shitter pipe.

14:37:32 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ
Rico

Watching the chaos of a bunch of gutter rats trying to have an organized meeting always makes Rico cringe, like chewing on cotton balls. Felix makes an excellent point, which Legion ignores, then Baby tries to get herself killed. She also makes a good point, but like a lot of split tails, she waits til she's all pissed off to say what's on her mind, then acts surprised when she finds herself on her ass with a split lip. Nothin wrong with having them around, but not many could pull their weight as soldiers. If anyone asked Rico, which they didn't, he'd say that women should stick to doing what women do best, and leave the pimping and dealing and shit to the men.

As everyone heads out, Rico walks over and talks to Twiggs. "Hey Bro, it sounds like you've got something cooking. Unless you plan on going solo, I'm in. Now let's get the fuck out of here before someone else starts talking. God damnit I hate meetings."

14:40:35 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ
Baby

The flash of metal as Legion drew his knife caused a gasp from Rags. Baby's mind barely had time to recognize she was dead girl. Her throat tightened instinctively and her eyes started to pinch shut, then...

Nothing...

'Holy shit, I'm alive.'

The blade never struck, though Baby was quite sure if Legion had wanted, she would be nothing more than a crumpled mass quivering in her own blood right now. Legion held her with his eyes, conveying all he needed to in his look. She had gotten away with it this time, but there wouldn't be a next. Baby didn't even notice those around her. She kept her eyes on the most dangerous man in the room, east to her, at this moment until he turned his attention back to the business at hand. They were going to see Father Ron and Crowbar and she was going to accompany them.

'Way to go Baby Doll, from one mess to another.' The idea of traveling to Plague turf with other humans to talk about Lord knows what seemed almost as suicidal as...well as what she had just done. She was in no condition to fight and she couldn't really see any other outcome to what they were about to do, but she sure as hell wasn't going to tell Legion no again. At least not so soon after standing up for herself. There were limits in a gang and Baby knew she had already pushed them...for now.

When she was finally able to break eyes with Legion she turned her head to give her sister and Nevada a little reassuring smile. As the others were getting their orders Baby took Rags aside briefly to retrieve her roomsweeper and give her a hug.

"Come back, ok" she said in little more than a whisper.

"You, too." Her sister replied.

It was a little ritual they had before they went to work. It was oddly calming to Baby.

She saw Aziz beginning to usher the girls out. "That's my sister." She points out Rags to the wiry ganger and says in a voice that is serious but not challenging. "Bring her back safe, ok?"

She waits for his reply before returning to the group that was going into Plague territory. Before they leave she makes sure to ask...

"We gonna walk or ride?"

The answer would determine what routes and safe houses if any were going to be available to them if things got out of control and Baby always liked to have as many escape routes as she could planned out before she went wondering into places that could get her killed.

In Kingsgate that was pretty much anywhere.


14:40:35 Sunday, 02 November 2070 - New October Ravens HQ
Nevada

'Oh shit.' Even through the fog Nevada knew that what Baby had done could get her killed, depending on Legion's mood. She tensed for the few seconds it took for Legion to draw his knife and decide not to kill the young ganger standing in front of him. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding when she saw that Baby was going to be alright. At least for now. Nevada had some idea of what had happened to Baby and seen some of the bruises, she didn't really think the girl was up to riding into Plague turf, but Baby had gotten herself into it on her own, so she would have to get herself out of it on her own.

Hell all she really wanted to do was get some sleep. As things died down and it was apparent that she wasn't needed for anything she asked Frankie to get her upstairs in someplace out of the way so she could sleep this long haul off. The two girls moved off as quickly as Nevada's feet would allow in her condition. They found the stairway and made their way to the second floor. There was an unused office, a number of them really, that had yet to be claimed. Frankie did her best in the limited amount of time they had to make her comfortable, but it wouldn't have mattered, Nevada was asleep again the moment she laid down on the floor.