[D7 EN] Dog Days

[Diana Harper]

Cassius

Cassius did take notice of the jacket from Diana. It wasn't exactly a local gang or one that ever stepped foot on Luna for that matter, but they were a gang in New Angeles nevertheless. "I see that Bree has very good friends and you really flatter her...but I choose to disagree with that opinion. It was only by bare technicalities that Bree found herself the owner of Wyldside and she's not exactly a fit owner at that. You say revitalize but she's really been favouring the tourists and...well, non-wylders more. I'd say that our return here is really going back to our roots and a time where we were the protectors of Wyldside and all Wylderkind."

He gave a hapless shrug and gestured around the room. "Of course, my operation doesn't come cheap without some overhead that needs to be paid for and we don't work for free. She has more than enough credits to spend with her ownership, Bree has been very enterprising. If we're not going to be the owners, we may as well be stakeholders, so to speak. Wyldside only existed because of people like us. The Docklands has been admittedly passable when it comes to opportunities...but I'd like to think that perhaps our real home is at the Wyldside."

"What are technicalities here? She Is the owner, paid for it fair and square. Something, which you have not done." She gave him a pointed look. "Today's non-wylders are tomorrow's wylders, don't you think? How else are they supposed to learn about themselves and the culture if not given the option?" She let out a sigh. "Purity testing has never gone well in the history of...well, purity testing."

She tilted her head in thought. "So I guess you're not interested in earning some money and possibly getting back to the Docklands? So I guess I came here for nothing? I was told you guys are professionals, but well, if you don't like steady employment..."

[Boogiepop]

Cassius

"Having the credits is just one-half of the ownership, respect is another. Clearly, that's not something she earned with us. However, since she likes dealing with credits so much when it comes to the Wyldside and everything she does, I'm more than willing to deal with her dirty credits if that's all she knows. I've been quite reasonable." He shrugged haplessly on the matter.

"Look," he said as he narrowed his eyes with a tilt of his head. "I get the feeling that we're heading in a strange spot when it comes to purity. I suppose this may have less to do with what she associates with and more who she associates with." It didn't help that he was caught dealing with another non-wylder group earlier.

"If you're able to move mountains when it comes to something in the Docklands, I'd be willing to hear it." He said as he leaned back and crossed his legs. "It just better be good, considering that we've just made a large hassle of moving back and I don't think my people are too keen on moving back and forth without a good reason. Plus, maybe I've already been given one good deal. If you're any good, you'd better top it."

[Leo Knight]

As the meeting got underway, there was a notice that came from Leo's PAD (or potentially his cybereyes too) as it seem that Chief Slee was giving him a call...

Leo cleared his throat as the notification flashed across his enhanced vision. "Excuse me. Business." He said, rising to his feet, and stepping to the side to take the call.

[Debra Slee]

Debra Slee would appear in the video option of the call, looking a bit unamused. It was hardly a social call, if Leo even took any of them.

"Hey, Leo. Mister Knight. I just went through the wringer with Elizabeth Mills but I guess you should know that I'm not exactly calling you to tell that news. Nadia has gone missing and hasn't checked in for several hours. I'm sure Elizabeth has a million things she wants her to do by now. Not good. I'm going to guess that she's not with you either."

[Diana Harper]

Cassius

"Having the credits is just one-half of the ownership, respect is another. Clearly, that's not something she earned with us. However, since she likes dealing with credits so much when it comes to the Wyldside and everything she does, I'm more than willing to deal with her dirty credits if that's all she knows. I've been quite reasonable." He shrugged haplessly on the matter.

"Look," he said as he narrowed his eyes with a tilt of his head. "I get the feeling that we're heading in a strange spot when it comes to purity. I suppose this may have less to do with what she associates with and more who she associates with." It didn't help that he was caught dealing with another non-wylder group earlier.

"If you're able to move mountains when it comes to something in the Docklands, I'd be willing to hear it." He said as he leaned back and crossed his legs. "It just better be good, considering that we've just made a large hassle of moving back and I don't think my people are too keen on moving back and forth without a good reason. Plus, maybe I've already been given one good deal. If you're any good, you'd better top it."

"Well, duh. That is what purity testing is, isn't it. Who you hang out with?" She let out a sigh. "You know, gatekeeping is such an awkward, ugly tradition." She titled her head. "Respect goes both ways, you know. Respect must be earned. Your attack dog? He ain't earning you none. Fear isn't respect. It's nebulous." She blow out a small sigh, and leaned back, glancing to the side as Leo stood up, frowning slightly.

I hope it's all right.

"Do you want to advance the wylder cause? Keeping people out of the community and the movement isn't it. You1re barking up the wrong tree." She tapped on her thigh as she spoke. "But I guess we'll just disagree here."

Raising an eyebrow once again. "Top offer from top men I presume? Something tempting." She really want to snark about Scooby snacks, but it would not do well here. "I have some sway with the committee that is working on the Docklands and larger Heinlein project. And I know, that some muscle would do good. Especially muscle that is good at sniffing out potential threats. You guys are experienced, and you know the necessary contacts for any hunts we might need. We're talking about employment here, and potentially, getting a slice of your own turf."

[Boogiepop]

Cassius

"Fear is unfortunately what gets people motivated. You can see the same deal with the megacorporations and government. Sometimes you just have to trade in what's in demand. However, tall of this talk of gatekeeping does bring me back to the point about Wyldside, which was both our home and territory long before while Bree was still shaking drinks and making only tips. So really, who's keeping who out?"

He gave a shrug on the matter. "I'm being very reasonable and laying out my cards on the table. We've been promised a return to the Docklands by one group. So you're offering us a job there? Don't the government and megacorporation already have their own for that? I can't say we're a fan of wearing a uniform and tie either. What are we exactly talking about here and I'm not exactly talking about vacation days and employee benefits. As you can see, we work pretty well on instinct and not on a leash, like your boy over there."

He would give a gesture to reference Leo for a moment.

[Leo Knight]

Debra Slee would appear in the video option of the call, looking a bit unamused. It was hardly a social call, if Leo even took any of them.

"Hey, Leo. Mister Knight. I just went through the wringer with Elizabeth Mills but I guess you should know that I'm not exactly calling you to tell that news. Nadia has gone missing and hasn't checked in for several hours. I'm sure Elizabeth has a million things she wants her to do by now. Not good. I'm going to guess that she's not with you either."

Leo's teeth grit together. "No. She's not." He was silent for a few moments.

"Do you have any leads?" He asked.

[Debra Slee]

Leo's teeth grit together. "No. She's not." He was silent for a few moments.

"Do you have any leads?" He asked.

"Yeah, some," she said with a hint that it wasn't going to be all that helpful. "She was last seen around the lower levels of the twin domes, in the slums or development levels, a bad neighbourhood. That's what her PAD told us. We found her PAD too or whatever is left of it, smashed to bits on the tracks of the lunar metro. It's going to be an open and shut case if she flew off the metro and got gibbed on the tracks but I'm going to imagine that's now what actually happened."

She frowned deeply with a look straight at Leo. "We're thinking it might be corporate warfare, maybe. After what happened at the safe house for a while, anything could happen. Maybe some alien or feral animal got to her. We're still searching the tunnels and we're not finding a body. I'd keep an eye out but we're going to need to find her fast. If she's compromised, it's going to be bad for everyone involved."

[Leo Knight]

"I'll help as soon as I can." Leo frowned darkly. "Have you told Ms Mills yet?"

His frown grew even darker. "Perhaps I'd better call her just in case, either way."

[Debra Slee]

"I didn't have to, Miss Mills as the first one who noticed and she's pretty fucking furious. You can thank me for talking to her first so you don't have to get your ass chewed out by her." She gave a shake of her head with a roll of her eyes, not pleased about getting the third degree. "Figures I'm the one who gets no special treatment for saving her life. But anyway, you should know, at some point, it might be better to find Nadia dead than alive. Just depending on what's going on around here."

[Leo Knight]

"I didn't have to, Miss Mills as the first one who noticed and she's pretty fucking furious. You can thank me for talking to her first so you don't have to get your ass chewed out by her." She gave a shake of her head with a roll of her eyes, not pleased about getting the third degree. "Figures I'm the one who gets no special treatment for saving her life. But anyway, you should know, at some point, it might be better to find Nadia dead than alive. Just depending on what's going on around here."

Leo considered that for a few moments. "Thanks." He finally said. "Anything else?"

While waiting for a response, he composed a message to Elizabeth, sent via text. Slee just called me. Any info for just me?

[Debra Slee]

"Nothing else on my end," Debra would give a small shrug of her shoulders. "I'll let you know if we find anything else. I'm out."

With that, Debra cut her transmission.

[Elizabeth Mills]

While waiting for a response, he composed a message to Elizabeth, sent via text. Slee just called me. Any info for just me?

It seemed that Elizabeth hadn't gone to sleep yet when Leo texted her. Who could when an expensive walking hacking/security planner had up and gone missing on her?

Find her, that is all.
The priority is that she doesn't end up in enemy hands.
At all cost.

[Leo Knight]

Leo's lips peeled back into a very severe grimace. So. That's how it was.

Turning back, he sat down again, expression unchanging.

[Boogiepop]

"Well, duh. That is what purity testing is, isn't it. Who you hang out with?" She let out a sigh. "You know, gatekeeping is such an awkward, ugly tradition." She titled her head. "Respect goes both ways, you know. Respect must be earned. Your attack dog? He ain't earning you none. Fear isn't respect. It's nebulous." She blow out a small sigh, and leaned back, glancing to the side as Leo stood up, frowning slightly.

I hope it's all right.

"Do you want to advance the wylder cause? Keeping people out of the community and the movement isn't it. You1re barking up the wrong tree." She tapped on her thigh as she spoke. "But I guess we'll just disagree here."

Raising an eyebrow once again. "Top offer from top men I presume? Something tempting." She really want to snark about Scooby snacks, but it would not do well here. "I have some sway with the committee that is working on the Docklands and larger Heinlein project. And I know, that some muscle would do good. Especially muscle that is good at sniffing out potential threats. You guys are experienced, and you know the necessary contacts for any hunts we might need. We're talking about employment here, and potentially, getting a slice of your own turf."

[OOC: Okay, I'm checking up on this for confirmation and likely plot decision points. Is Diana using the favour from Elizabeth to provide a deal with employment and more importantly, credits? Thanks!]

[Diana Harper]

(OOC: Yes! My apologies, last 2 days have been crazy.)

[Boogiepop]

(OOC: Yes! My apologies, last 2 days have been crazy.)

[OOC: No worries! Okay, will be summarizing the proceedings here!]


Cassius

It would prove to be a rather lengthy back and with Cassius, certainly, a bulk of the discussion would have a good share of shifting the blame over to both Bree and the mayor's committee. There would also be some backtalk about how they were the norm in the Wylder community and they are a necessity, rather than an outcast. However, the conversation would soon turn to the heart of the matter of what Cassius and his gang truly desire, credits and power. Cassius wouldn't be shy about alluding that he had been in talks with other Loonie groups to secure a new territory from groups that aren't a fan of the government. The megacorporations were distrusted even more, considering their oppressive presence and their role in making life difficult with less well-to-do Loonies. However, credits from the Weyland Consortium were solid and they had plenty of it. In the end, the allure might be too much to deny, even if it is being on the corporate leash.

"...very well, Miss Harper, I think we have a deal then," Cassius would say before offering his clawed hand to shake.

[Diana Harper]

Di raised her hand delicately to shake on it. "Quite glad to hear Cassius." She smiled fondly. "I hope to see you guys at the Wyldside in a less aggressive manner then .Perhaps we can even dance."

[Boogiepop]

Cassius

Cassius would offer the same delicate touch to this shake before releasing her with a sly smirk. "Of course, seeing as we're now both strange bedfellows, I'd say that's a very real possibility in the future. Perhaps even other avenues too."

[Leo Knight]

Leo's expression was very, very, blandly neutral.