[center][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjI0MC5mYWIyMDAuU0VGT1JGTlBUVVVnU2tGRFN3LCwuMAAA/mentha-rapture.regular.png[/img][/center] [center][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjE5OC5jYTJiMzMuVVhWcFpYUSwuMAAA/helveticrap.regular.png[/img][/center] [center][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjE5OC5hNjM0Y2IuUTJWa1lYSWdRbWx5WTJnLC4w/diediedie.regular.png[/img][/center] [center][u]Location:[/u][/center][center][b]2Fort- [s]Intelligence Room[/s] Handsome Jack's New Office[/b][/center] [center][u]Mentions:[/u][/center][center][@Eventua][@DracoLunaris][@agentnumalol][@FrozenEcstasy][/center] [hr] [color=gold]"Oh thank god."[/color] The words left Handsome Jack's mouth in a near whisper and a sense of relief washed over him as someone besides Quiet and Cedar arrived. The feeling was short lived as a cross between a super model and a [i]cockroach [/i]strutted into his office. Whatever sense of relief he might have had was overturned with a strange mix of concern and arousal. Nice face, natural heels, creepy chitinous body, and spooky looking wings left Jack unsure how to feel. [color=gold]"Wait, you're psychic? Even with half the crazy shit I've seen I'd have a hard time believing that if you didn't look the way you do. But thanks for the heads up about the whole mind reading thing sweetheart. Welcome aboard. And I know, this town is in dire need of- well, everything."[/color] Jack smiled a grin but he quickly began concentrating on hiding his thoughts. Were he back on Pandora he probably would of just assumed Kerrigan a liar without proof, but given where he was and how the women's eyes glowed like molten Elerium he wasn't sure he wanted proof. [color=red][i]"Are you really a mind reader, or are you saying that just to scare the suit?"[/i][/color] Quiet's mouth remained closed and her eyes locked with Kerrigans, showing suspicion and the guarded concern of a soldier. Her thoughts meanwhile were clear, intentionally made open in the hopes of testing the women. If she even ever was a women. Cedar meanwhile just looked at Kerrigan, wide eyed and grinning. The suggestion about shielding her thoughts seemed to go right over the girl's head, but in actuality she did make an effort to hide her thoughts. However Kerrigan would know that even with her diminished powers worming past the girl's mental defenses would prove worryingly easy. As Marston entered the room Cedar only barely suppressed a great exclamation of joy, a girlish squeee at the sight of the cowboy. A full smile exploded across her face as he tipped his hat to her. [color=C71585]"Wow! Are you a real cowboy? Can you lasso bandits, and ride horses, and-"[/color] Cedar turned her head and saw Jack glaring at her from behind his desk. His nonplussed look hiding a subtle, barely contained murderous threat. Cedar quickly fell silent and Jack smiled back at the polite cowboy. [color=gold]"Mr. Marston persistence and knowing how to shoot people is how I managed to restructure an entire company and nearly bring order to an entire planet. That and strangulation, but that's not important. Those two skills alone make you perfect for what we're likely going to be doing."[/color] Handsome Jack's attention was soon drawn from the spur jangling cattle rustler and to the 7 foot tall robot and the petite women who seemed to have him on a verbal leash. The SPARK reminded Jack a little bit of a Loaderbot, but nowhere near as utilitarian. It seemed older, far more experimental then the robots he was familiar with, but at the same time showed some obvious signs of good design and craftsmanship. [color=gold]"A lippy robot, fantastic. As long as he doesn't dance I'll take murderous intent and sarcasm any day. Nice to have you aboard Lily, Julian."[/color] Before Jack could continue however he watched the robot grab Kerrigan by the throat only to be lifted into the air himself by some unseen force. Only through the verbal orders of the petite engineer was a bloodbath barely avoided. [color=gold]"Hey, let's save plotting to kill one another for when we're not sleeping on the ground alright?"[/color] Jack stood up from his chair and placed his hands firmly on the desk, staring down Kerrigan, Lily, and then Julian though he naturally assumed the robot wouldn't give a shit. On edge from the robo-strangling he nearly witnessed Jack was taken back as the colorless Batter walked up to him. Something about the man's appearance, his bat, the very words he spoke and air that came with him made Jack's stomach turn. Quiet took a step away from the man as he drew close to the desk and Cedar's smile wilted into an unsettled grimace. [color=gold]"Uh, I'm not sure what a Spectre is, but if you're offering your services then I'll gladly take them Mr, uh, Batter."[/color] Handsome Jack looked over the motley collection of individuals before him and only barely held back a sigh. [color=gold]“So we have a mute assassin, a loud mouth teenager, a psychic alien who is hot in the ‘eat my eyes out while I sleep’ kind of way, a cowboy who looks like he walked off a cigarette advert, a murderous robot, an engineer with a serious hate boner for aliens, a baseball player who looks seriously creepy and uhh”[/color] Jack paused as he finally noticed Abe. [color=gold] “Whatever the hell you are.”[/color] [color=gold]"I'll be totally honest and say that frankly, none of you would be my first choice under normal circumstances. Except maybe the killer robot, the cowboy, and the clothes-hating assassin." Jack pointed a finger at Quiet and she rolled her eyes.[/color] [color=red][i]"If I was dressed like you the only thing I'd hate is my sense of taste."[/i][/color] Quiet thought as Jack continued. [color=gold]"The reason I've gathered you all here is because things are fucked. It's obvious just from looking around that we're not from the same place, maybe not even from the same times. The world, our worlds, are gone. Bits and pieces of them smacked together to form whatever the hell we're standing on. Maybe this is all just temporary or maybe it's permanent. I don't know. All I know are two things: That I was dead before I ended up here and that this dusty shit hole passing for a town is the only safe place I've come across."[/color] Cedar shuddered at Jack's words and closed her mouth as tightly as she could manage. Memories of the heat and deafening blast that flung her into the darkness of death tore at her. She didn't want to recognize that she'd died, alone and helpless, but she had. And apparently she wasn't the only 'dead person' walking around... [color=gold]"That's why I want all of you to become a regular group. I know from experience that a group of people can change things, whether you want them to or not. With your help this place, 2Fort, will become an actual town...and without your help it'll just be another graveyard."[/color] Jack's voice grew cold and firm as he swept his eyes over the group before him. [color=gold]"Since all of you have already made it clear you want to help, save for uh, you." Jack was tempted to use the word 'thing' as he pointed to Abe "I'll just give you your mission now..."[/color] [color=red][hr][h3][b]MISSION #1: "I Shot an Arrow into the Air..."[/b][/h3][/color] [u]Objective:[/u] Explore and acquire something of value. [u]Details:[/u] Pick a direction, leave town as a group, and explore. Bringing back any supplies or information will result in mission success and an improvement to 2Fort's well being. Mission Failure will occur if party is wiped out. [u]Reward for Completion:[/u] [b]???[/b] BONUS OBJECTIVE[ ]: [list] [*] The "Waiting Room" in the Underground Offices where Jack's office is located appears to have some junk lying around. Any characters interested in a chance to find items before leaving on the mission should head their and search. Results will be rolled and generated accordingly. [/list]