• Nobles of Null is a forum based roleplay site where sci-fi and magic collide. Here, Earth remains fractured and divided despite humanity reaching out to the stars. Worse still, the trans-human slaves of one major power have escaped, only to establish their own Empire, seething with resentment at abuses of the past. Even the discovery of aliens, though medieval in development, has failed to rally these squabbling children of Earth together with its far darker implications. Worse still, is the discovery of the impossible - magic. Practiced by the alien locals, nearly depleted and therefore rare, its reality warping abilities remains abstract and distant to the general populace. All the while, unseen in the darkness of space, forces from without threaten to press in. For those with eyes opened by insight, it is clear that an era is about to end, and that a new age will dawn.

Book 2, Chapter 2:

Uso

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"...the Heaven Forged Republic supports the right to self-determination of all interplanetary and interstellar city and station states. Recent years have been trying times for humanity across the stars. We must not abandon our principles of liberty and compassion, core traits that make us human."

Hundreds of light years away, plans had been set into motion. Just as the president of the HFR was announcing their new support of self-determination, the Magnetic Assembly was announcing the formation of the Atlantica Assembly which opened up membership to dozens of waiting space-colonies, all of which were voting to leave the American Union.

But not everyone was voting to join the Assembly.

In the Hawking System, Fuminsho station had just held their own vote. Quietly, the board of directors for the station had received rather large sums of money. In secret they had gotten together. Without informing the rest of the station they voted to go independent.

Suddenly the stalemate between the Neomni and Fudoramu Yakuza clans had come to an end.

The Fudoramu had new leadership.

They had guns.

And the local police were on their side.

The Neomni clan and the Magnetic Assembly suddenly found themselves hunted on the station. With the Magnetic Assembly’s own security confined to the docking bays at each end of the station. The neo-lit streets of the station were suddenly full of smoke and chaos.

—--------------

Fuminsho Station
Poppo Convenience Store
Just off the main thoroughfare


The lights of the store had been turned off as outside Cops and Yakuza were hunting down and beating other Yakuza who didn’t have police backup.

A store clerk was hiding under the counter, apparently unwilling to expose himself long enough to lock the doors or try and close the security shutter.

The group that had been following Exemplar Knowledge-bot had been split up. Schwoomy and Cletus had both ended up in this particular store.

The Neomni clan was also in the process of being split up by overwhelming force. It seemed that the blonde gunsmith and the bunny-like Yakuza assigned to keep control of her had also ended up in the same Convenience store.
 

LavaLung

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Poppo Convenience Store

News travelled fast in a tube-colony like this, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. One could easily believe that every car contained a roving hit squad, or even other desperate criminals fleeing the scene before the gates were shut for good.

Five minutes after Hilda entered the store, one of those Chloroban-type service clones walked in, looking characteristically calm and oblivious. Dark blue hair with ivory pale skin, and of course the characteristic bunny ears and tail- Normally you'd see them at trade fairs or serving platters at expensive galas, not wondering around, though.

"H'yes, Miss O, I presume?" A delicate gloved hand fetched a business card from the upper front pocket of their red leather jacket, passing it to Hilda with an unnatural grace. The accent was a strange combination of Belgian and Chinese, something that carried across to the bunny's angular and predatory facial features. "Because of certain complications, the mistress has sent me to address h'your security consarns. If you would not oppose my humbal self joining your entourage?"

The card did belong to one of Neomni's front organisations. And surely this was an overly elaborate way to capture someone, in a city already crawling with bought police?...

"Please, call me Ingrid. H'ye am at your total disposal."
 

NiceNecromancer

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Schwoomy slithered around the shelves of the store. Ducking around, her body suit squeaking slightly.

"I brought nothing! Can I borrow a sidearm?" She called out.

Schwoomy passes some chocolate cookie sandwiches. She gives them a long double glance before grabbing a pack and stuffing a pack in her belt.

The Bat figure moved toward the door. "I need that door locked."
 

CadetNewb

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Hilda shivered at the faint mention of her family name.

"Just 'Midnight' will do," she remarked with an air of authority, cheeks faintly blushing with embarrassment and irritation. "I'd rather not be addressed as 'Miss O' or anything so cringe worthy," the woman added, taking the card and tucking it away in her clothing. Unfortunately for her though, the chosen moniker and the 'dangerous beast' costume did nothing but undermine her attempt at being taken seriously. It was only when she saw the other two that 'Midnight' realized they were very visually striking. "One moment," she held up a finger. Reaching into her clothing again, she pulled out her credit chit. "Those synth-rain coats please!" the blonde, scantily clad woman addressed the store clerk. "The cloth breathable ones!"

Stations didn't really have rain, but people still enjoyed its facsimile if anything.

"So, who are you two again?" Midnight asked, still a little puzzled. "I made some hardware and now the whole station is going Mad Max for some reason. I just don't get it!" she lamented.
 

NiceNecromancer

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Schwoomy proceeded to lock the door. Turning on her heel she marched to an aisle and took cover. Sitting on the floor she just looked blank minded as her eyes floated around the store.
"We need to know more. I feel so out of control." She whispered. "We should organize ourselves first. No pleasantries please." Schwoomy spoke louder as she got more into a crouch. "Scanty-clad lady, you said you make hardware? Who do you work for?".
 

nasmorph

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Cletus roamed around the store doing little to protect himself behind cover. The short robot showed no concern for the danger of the situation, and found himself mopping the floors out of boredom. "The nearest source of weaponry I can confirm is to steal from the police," he responded to Schwoomy's request for a sidearm.

As cleaning path brought him to the spot on the floor where the other two stood, he paused and made a request. "Please move. And if you become injured due to present circumstances, please avoid spilling blood onto the floor."
 

Uso

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Outside of the Convenience store, the Yakuza continued their roundup of their rivals.

There was a deep rumble overhead as Z-23 flew by looking for people, her powerful leg-engines carrying her through the interior of the space station. This was followed by some of the Yakuza taking pot-shots at her with their sidearms before moving forward with their search of the area.

Once she was gone, the search continued. One of the suit'd thugs would reach the door to the store and try the handle, finding it locked. The man would bang on the door with his fist and try to look through the transparent parts to see if someone was inside, "Hey! OPEN UP!"
 
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CadetNewb

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"Ngh!" The scantily clad woman winced and blushed as she was so derogatorily labeled, but she steeled herself and took a breath. "I said, you can call me Midnight!" she began, wrapping herself in one of the raincoats. There wasn't much to choose from, but her shadowy silhouette was still visible through it at least. "And I was working for the Neomni-clan, but then I think the Fudoramu folks next? I just came here to make a living," she sighed. "No such luck though," the blonde haired woman griped. "First thing they did was take away all my tools, and then my stocks, and then, I'm sure they were going to take my dignity as a woman too!" she curled a hand into a fist.

"Um, should we let them in?" Midnight asked, pointing at the Yakuza-types as she stepped aside for....this short, cleaning robot who she didn't know.
 

NiceNecromancer

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Schwoomy made audible accompaniments to her thinking. Cover muffled her noises but you could hear her clearly when she spoke.

"Letting even one armed person in here loses us the control. We must arm ourselves. CLETUS! Bring me batteries, Chemical Cleaners, and anything flammable. Catwoman scavenge tools or weapons. Seize the keys from the clerk to unlock any doors. SPEED Guys if they grow impatient and break in we will fail." Schwoomy commanded with an eerie glee, attempting to act as an actionable leader in the moment.
 

nasmorph

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Cletus scurried around the store once more, haphazardly grabbing items and perching them atom his central body: batteries, lighters, a spray bottle of bleach cleaner. Once he was done, he circled back around to Schwoomy and carefully organized them onto the floor in front of her.

"If you mean to disable the man at the door," he instructed in his always monotonous voice, "I recommend disturbing his balance with the door and applying bleach to his eyes."
 

CadetNewb

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Midnight winced as the bat themed woman began...screeching? It wasn't barking? Bats didn't bark! Either way, the blonde haired woman winced and shrunk back from the control obsessed chiropteran.

"Hey, are they with you or something?" she asked, shielding herself from Schwoomy and Cletus with Ingrid's body. Hands on her shoulders, she asked, "And who are you trying to protect me from anyways? One of the groups?" Hearing the man outside demand to be let in though, Midnight felt the urge to answer. "Someone took a shit on the floor - we're closed!"
 

LavaLung

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"veel sterkte~" Ingrid shrugged to themselves, though their wistful lack of urgency continued without fail. Truth was, she was used to her assigned masters giving her orders directly, and normally took silent amusement in them freaking out when confused... But this was a bit different. Probably a better idea to get involved before everybody got shot in the head.

"Miss Midnight, in this type of situation where the enemy has superior numbers and firepower, mobility is likely our best asset." She placed the words carefully, as if to frame them as a suggestion and not an order. "We should perhaps move to the rear door, or the roof, and attempt to find a vehicle."

Zipping down the front of their glossy vinyl coat, a long custom laser pistol was dragged out from the middle of their brasserie. Not just a tool for murder, but an object of art used to maim with finesse.

"Might I suggest moving through the back rooms? Fangirl, small robot?" She regarded Shwoomy first, clearly recognising the persona, but mistaking them for somebody simply dressed like themselves. The robot was offered a small pat on the back, as if encouraging it towards the obvious exit sign. "These men are likely to shoot every last one of us, you know... It's a riot. Plausible deniability and all that."

Her sauntering boots placed her in front of Midnight after that. If that guy busted the door down, she'd shoot him in the face, law enforcement or not.

Benefits of being an identical clone. Ingrid had plausible deniability too.
 

Uso

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*WHAM!*

The Yakuza member slammed his hand on the door, the window shuttering in the metal frame.

"HEY! OVER HERE!" He yelled out, waving to some of the other Yakuza in the street to get them to come over. There were now three guys pounding on the door to get it open. "GUNSMITH! OPEN THIS UP AND WE WON'T HURT YOU. BOSS JUST WANTS TO TALK A BIT!"

Though it seemed the gathering group wouldn't get the door open with physical strength, one did get a small secondary sword out, working to jam it into the side of the door to wedge it open.
 

CadetNewb

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"I guess that's not a bad idea," Midnight admitted. Ingrid's suggestion was sensible. So sensible that they were probably going to make it out alright. "And the rest of you coming?" she turned to look at the rest of them. "Since you look so much like Schwoomy, you'd risk being put through all sorts of heinous acts if you stay!" Midnight pointed out, before gesturing to the...robot thing? The cleaner bot? She wasn't sure. "And, uh, whatever you are - I bet there's expensive parts inside! You don't want your insides pawned off!"
 

LavaLung

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Ingrid's rather vulpine features mulled over if they actually cared about the bat girl or the robot. It wasn't in the job description. Those yankie dildos outside might even ignore them after busting in.

Maybe time to just force a little dynamism on the subject?

Aiming her exquisite silver laser pistol at the gap in the door for the back rooms, a grating hum was heard, like the roar of small but godlike hair drier. The keypad sparked uselessly as the metal handle and deadbolt melted away inside, seeping out of the tiny opening with the consistency of grilled cheese.

"Oh no, someone is breaking into your store." They looked at the small robot whilst they nudged it open, daring it to follow her.

"Miss Midnight, if you would be so kind?~"
 

Uso

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The door into the back rooms would lead into a small service area. There was a small office and bathroom here, as well as an exit door that lead out into a back alley-way behind the store itself that could be unlocked from the inside.

This back-Alleyway wasn't lit by neon lights like the main walkways were. Instead it was mostly-dark with only the glow of vending machines lighting the way. Locked doors leading into stores marked only by numbers were along the ground level while the occasional staircase would lead up to some living space above the stores.

There were also large, empty, metal barrels back here for storing trash. They were all unlocked and there was a large wheel'd truck-robot to cart them away when full. It looked like it had a small cabin for one person, but numerous cameras had been bolted on to the sides and top to automate the whole thing.

The only other transport in the area was a small push-scooter that had a bike-lock connecting it to a nearby pipe.
 

CadetNewb

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Looking between Ingrid and the gangsters trying to get in, Midnight sighed and slumped her shoulders.

"I guess," she followed along. "Maybe we can find something more worthy of our time than those guys?" the Daqin woman asked. "Taking on maybe a super-secret cabal or The Man? That's always in style right?" Pausing alongside her foxy companion though, Midnight's blue eyes darted between the options. She didn't want to get into the trash can looking barrels since those were dirty, the garbage truck robot likely had a bad enough day as it was, and the scooter only had room for one of them. "Ugh. No good options. Do you just want to go vertical instead? I can just start leaping from fire-escape to fire escape, but I can just climb the stairs with you two if we need to," she glanced at Cletus in particular. "Actually, maybe I can carry you?" the blonde raised an eyebrow at the cleaning bot.
 

nasmorph

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Cletus, wanting very much not to be scrapped for parts, hurried along out back with the others.

"Fighting a super-secret cabal is not recommended without sufficient manpower. For maximum impact utilizing a small crew, I recommend an assassination attempt on the cabal-head," he commented, taking Midnight's remarks much too seriously.

Entering into the back-alley, the robot scurried up onto the side of the building, his adhesive pads holding him firmly against the wall. Surveying the area, he came to the same conclusion as Midnight. "If you can manage that, it will be out most reliable path. I have no issue with vertical travel, but if we must clear gaps I will need assistance."
 

LavaLung

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"The Mistress ordered that I kept Miss Midnight alive, and thus that is my only concern." Ingrid said to both of them, with considerable conviction. She might have curtseyed, if not preoccupied quickly dragging a trash barrel in front of the rear exit. "Might I suggest that becomes our collective objective for the time being, until we gain the resources for greater tasks?..."

They were being diplomatic, of course, hoping that their ward would forget about such gallantry before it came to that sort of situation.

And yet... It was easy to forget these Daqin bodies were made of sterner stuff? Genetically engineered for both looks and physical ability?

The bodyguard didn't have time to stand and ponder, merely giving a glance at the woman's body, but the seed of mystery was planted in there.

"...Up it is, I guess. This face could pass as a garbage tech at a stretch, but I don't have the uniform." A discouraged shrug, then a dubious glance upward at the robot suction-climbing up the sheer wall. "Doing something out of character and getting in the trash would have helped out chances, though..."

Ingrid was the opposite of Hilda; They daydreamed about finesse and sudden reversal, carnage and trickery. She'd rather test those scenarios when she knew if they actually had an organisation to go back to, though.

"Let's get going."

Made sure Hilda went first, and then ran up the outer edges of the steps to avoid the 'pong'ing sound of her heels.

This was gonna be a long night.
 

Uso

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As the group climbed to the top of the buildings, the climbing started to get a lot easier. On the ground it was easy to forget that they weren't on a planet given the comfortable gravity and fake sky, but once they were a few stories up they were experiencing less gravity. Up here it felt a lot closer to .5 which let Hilda easily throw herself up beyond the residential areas and right onto the tops of the building.

The roof of the structure housed numerous industrial boxes and neon lights... likely some kind of power transfer stuff alongside the signs and projections that were so omni-present throughout the station. More roofs stretched out in all directions.

On the ground below them, the culling of the loosing Yakuza clan was underway. The sounds of the occasional gunfire could be heard.

Off in the distance, and a hundred or so rooftops away. was the massive end wall of the space-colony where the starship that brought Cletus here was waiting.

And if they would head in any direction, they would be getting further away from the action unfolding below.

Below them in the alleyway, the back door of the store was being forced open. Yakuza would start swarming out onto the street to look for them. Some would head down the alleyway while others would start searching the area by checking the doors into the residential areas.

Above them were several small drones floating about looking around. The small quad copters flying around as an eager Z-23 zipped through the air. The flying Echoni's jet-powered lower body carrying them around as they looked for the rest of their group.
 
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