[gilga]

Marco smiles and say "This is as much flying as sailing in a ship is swimming... but I hear you" and indeed there was not much in common between the spending few hours trapped in a plane with very little personal space and being as free as a bird. People fantasize about the latter kind of flying - but nobody fantasized about the former. Well - never say nobody, but Marco have not yet met the client that fantasized on being on a suborbital - either because they did not exist or because they did not need Marco to satisfy that particular desire.

The rest of the flight is indeed uneventful, usually Marco would have spent it charming the assistant just in case he would need some leverage in the future - he once had that kind ambition. However this time Marco has so much to process that he decides to close his eyes and pretend to be sleeping. His faithful spirit the beautiful Velenkoradi has already traced the comb all the way to Poland. All there is left is to figure out is how to approach the fortified complex without being blown to pieces by violent murderers that had no morality at all - in fact these people seemed to treat any form of morality as a weakness to be eradicated. That much Marco has picked up from Nikolai.

Marco loads his equipment into the car, this is not much just a bag with necessities he will have to find some automatic rifle if he is to be participating in these atrocities - but for the meanwhile, some sets of clothes an armored jacket and glasses do the trick. One of the odd things about the aviation industry in 2076 is that they still require one to turn off all wireless devices upon takeoff and landing. Therefore, to prevent confusions and unnecessary questions about 'did you turn off your glasses' Marco has placed them in the bag. Another thing he did not forget where crackers,  Velenkoradi seemed to be addicted to them. Marco explaining him that this brand was the absolutely worst one, or buying him expensive crackers instead did not convince the peacock spirit. It knew what it liked and did not seem concerned about the fact that these crackers were so cheap they were handed to homeless people, and even them were not so eager to consume them. "The habits spirits pick up at homeless shelters are truly odd... I should write a book about it sometime." Thought Marco. Still since Marco liked Velenkoradi, most of the space in his bag was dedicated to the crackers Velenkoradi liked, Marco felt that it was wise to keep his peacock happy.

Velenkoradi, that seemed to prefer being materialized than hanging around in the astral materialized in the 'passenger' seat. Technically speaking, both seats were for passengers but the one that was traditionally dedicated to a driver had some knobs and buttons in order to configure the autopilot. Knobs and buttons few people used since the AR revolution - but Marco was happier to manipulate them instead of operating the car from  AR.

With Velenkoardi's instructions, Marco has extrapolated GPS coordinates that should be somewhere close to the fortified complex. "I will figure it out once I am there" Marco thought as the car closed its distance toward the complex.One thing Marco was certain:   there was no point in taking advice from a spirit about the proper etiquette and the social difficulty of raising from the dead, so shortly after your own funeral and cremation. That thing a certain Dragon has already taught Marco with her overly convoluted plan that relied too heavily on mojo.  "The last time I followed the plan of a Dragon, my minibar ended up in the yard... I am lucky nobody was hurt" He thought - and despite the pain of losing the minibar - there was some nostalgia in that emotion. How different was the Marco that tried to deal with the loss of the minibar to the person that is now seating in this car accompanied by a peacock spirit.

[Qwikfix]

At the knock, Yelena rises and goes to the door, opening it it to let Arc in.  She watches closely as her Srui goes to sit on the bed and pulls up a chair so as to sit looking at her.  She carefully puts out a hand and puts it on her friend's leg.  "Srui, is hard, yes?  Waiting and prepping but not doing.  But is time for focus.  Focus on mission.  Focus on target.  Focus on go home when done.  You are in Yelena world now.  Is strange for Arc, yes?  But is important to remain calm and focused or go crazy.  Yelena has seen other maybe assassins fail waiting part.  Too hurried.  Too fast.  Now dead.  Yelena do this much years.  Much practice so know what Srui feel.  Just try calm.  Can lay down on bed here.  Try rest.  Think of rigger man.  Think of rigger man family.  Then think of giving rigger man and Arc family of own.  Aunt Yelena spoil like crazy mad.  Unless rigger man want Yelena stay away."

Arc stopped eating when Yelena touched her leg, the human drinking in the words with a set jaw and a fairly grim expression.  The words echoed in her head, but they made sense.  Just like those Howler jobs where I had to wait...I hated it then too.  Heh.  Guess some things never change..  About halfway through the elf's piece, Arc averted her gaze, chewing on her lip a bit as she focused in on her breathing.  At the end though, the tusked mechanic snapped her head forward, a hand reaching out to touch her friend's gently.

"Whateva gave you th'dea that Jaime don't want you around, you get rid of it, aight?  He knowsh the bond we got, and doeshn't think you're the drek you may feel shometimes.  You cool."  She shook her head, slumping back on the bed and sighing.  "You right, thish ish yo world, not mine.  But I shigned on for thish, so I'm sheeing it through, no worrying bout that, eh?  I'll be ready.."

She trailed off, mulling the thoughts in her head and feeling a tightening in her chest.  Taking a deep breath, she focused herself. Gonna happen sooner or later...best time as any  Letting the breath out, she closed her eyes, hands cradling the back of her head as she lay.  "Ash for spoiling my family...well, I don't think I'm gonna have to think too hard on it soon enough."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena looks closely at her friend.  "Srui is pregnant?  Is why sick so much?"

[Qwikfix]

Reopening her eyes, Arc felt her cheeks grow hot under the elf's scrutinizing gaze and direct question.  Her breath caught, the human unsure of how to form the words before letting it out in a little sigh, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Partly.  Thought it was shurgery issues, but...they didn't go away.  I've known for boutta week..."  she looked away, tightening her fists a bit.  "haven't told no one either.  Didn't want you to keep me home.  I'm still good to help, Srui.  Don't tell me I can't help.  But now you get why I'm gonna make sure we get home.  All of us..."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena nods.  "Yelena was wondering.  And Srui right.  Yelena not let come if know sooner.  Srui should go home anyway.  Yelena glad Arc want come, but want Arc stay safe.  Does rigger man know?"  Yelena is quiet for a minute then adds, "And Yelena want Arc make sure about rigger man.  Sometimes is OK to be Arc friend and another to be friend of children.  Does he know I am assassin or just a runner friend?"

[Qwikfix]

Arc's face was directly facing Yelena in this exchange, her expression one of deep.contemplation and mild worry as she shook her head.  "I...I haven't told him.  But part of me thinksh I don't needa.  Way he been acting, wonderin if he knew before I did.  But either way, I'm not going anywhere."  She tapped her head a few times, allowing a smile to flit in.  "you know how I work.  I've learned shome things, I'll make shure to be safe eh?"

"As for you..."  she swung her legs up, sitting on the bed, face inches away from Yelena.  "He trushts me to pick who I have for my eth.  You keep calling yaself asshasshin, Srui.  That's what you do, but I don't think it's who ya are.  You are more than a weapon, and that's why you're coming home with me when all is done, k?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena laughs.  "Srui not worry.  Yelena go home to see niece or nephew..  Job here is justice needed.  Much needed.  Yelena go home after.  Not sure if stay Seattle.  Marco die and leave Yelena.  Yelena think go kill evil priests.  Not justice..................just fragging vengeance for what did to Marco and others.  Maybe just go back work for fixer.  Go somewhere.  Come back for visit Srui and family."  She shrugs her shoulders and her voice is almost a whisper as she add,  "Yelena lost, Srui.  No direction after kill Tsina Molovna.  Darkness pull Yelena somewhere.  But then lose what Yelena was.  What Yelena might be.  Shadow is calling.  Yelena not know what to do, Srui.  First time in ever not know.  Yelena try be strong, but..................."  The Keep assassin stops talking as tears flow down her face. 

[ismilealot]

Jed tells DreamMaker what he needs. It's hard talking to the young man, it's not just the language difficulties, but more a sense of feeling like his requests are trivial to the young man. Still, Jed was hit with the message that it was go time while he was at a party. And he needed what he needed dammit! And he was to old to worry about what some kid thought about him. At least that's what he told himself. So he gave DreamMaker his list of requirements, it wasn't long. Jed pared it down to the absolute minimum. And when he was done DreamMaker had looked at him with those flat, dead eyes and said, "Da. can get. Good price." He'd left then and less than an hour later a skinny kid with to many piercings and to much cyber had delivered his items.

@ Marco  Marco finally arrived at the coordinates, the roads were bad and the car had spun and had to recover several times. But, he'd arrived in one piece. Wherever here was. There seemed to be an old abandoned farmhouse and a small barn. Velenkoradi had preened and said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

[Qwikfix]

Arc felt her own eyes widen as her friend, her sister, started to break down before her very eyes.  Looks like I'm not the only one needing support.. the human thought as she darted quickly, scooting  to the edge of the bed and darting her right cyber hand out.  It was quick...quick as Yelena now... as it grabbed the keeb by the back of the head, driving her to lock foreheads with the human.

"Now let'sh get shomething fraggin clear.  You are Srui'Ken kal.  If you know anything in the culture I know, yannow that ish not a title jusht handed out.  You are not alone.  In the darkesht pitsh, when nothing else fails, so long as your eth, your family, draws breath, you are never lost."  arc recalled the day that Marco had jumped, and how Yelena had responded.  How both she and Jaime were there for her.  She wanted to punch that fragger for doing this to her blood.

"there is never a place without a hope, an option.  You have a home.  That won't change, srui.  Maybe...maybe this job is quick.  Maybe I help you get that biz done.  Cuz if that's what it takesh to get a future Tary'Ken back home with me, sho be it"  she flashed a little grin, still holding her there, shedding some tears of her own.  "now howsh that shound?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena freely cries.  Frustration, grief, anger, and despair all war inside her against the small spark that is the hope provided by Arc.  Inside herself, she knows that she can never take Arc into battle against a priesthood of killers, not now.  She has to do everything she can to make sure her Srui gets home to the rigger man.  The thought steels something in her and she raises her hand to wipe at her tears.  Nodding, she says, "Yes, Srui.  Family is always.  Yelena has family.  Keep family safe."

[Qwikfix]

Arc's lips curl into a little as she nodded, closing her eyes as she held the embrace.  "Exactly.  That's what we do, keep each other shafe. It's why I'm here for you now, why Jed ish here for you now.  So we can all go home"  She sighed, finally letting go without pulling away.

"maybe when this ish over we can go back and see about your idea bout picking up the club, yeah?  Would keep you near family at leasht.."  She shrugged, sitting up straight and rolling her shoulders to stretch as she wiped her face.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena nods.  "Club is maybe.  Need find out who owns.  Maybe buy if get reward for Tsina."  She puts her hands on either side of Arc's stomach and lowers her head.  "Hey, in there.  Whatever you are.  Aunt Yelena make sure you get home and born."  Standing, Yelena smiles at Arc and lays down on one side of the bed.  "Yelena thank Srui.  Arc remind Yelena of things to do.  Arc true friend."

[gilga]

Marco stops the car near the farm house and say to Velenkoradi, "Indeed... it is, look my beutiful friend - I suggest you keep in the astral as it may get dangerous".
With his famous cool resolve and self confidence he approaches the farm house, to make sure that he is unarmed Marco leaves his coat in the car, it seems like a reasonable move as Marco is actually unarmed. With broken Russian he says "YA prishel iz mogily, chtoby pomoch' Yelene dobit'sya spravedlivosti" That means something like "I came from the grave to help Yelena get justice"

[ismilealot]

@ Marco  Marco hears a match being struck behind him and to his right. And when he turns to face the sound he sees Nicolai's lean form drawing his first long breath of one of those obnoxious cigarettes Yelena favors. "Is hard to come from grave. But, vengeance is certain for those that return."

[Qwikfix]

"Ach...ah..."  the mechanic instinctively lifted her arms up when Yelena touched her, freezing in place and growing hot in the cheek from the motion.  oh...kay...is that gonna be common down the road or something?  letting it a chuckle, she tapped Yelena on the side of the head gently before getting up, grabbing her chips as the elf lay down.

"course.  Yannow I'm here, Srui.  I'm gonna go check on Jed, make sure he hasn't wandered off or shummat."  giving a casual salute, she stepped out of the room, slowly shutting the door before heading to the other occupied room.  "Hoi, omae, you in there?  Got shome toys you might wanna take a peek at..."  He did mention wanting eyes with us...wonder if my drones will do the trick...