• 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.

Chapter 2: Gathering

Ray of Meep

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Mid-December, 2320

Sol System, Ceres Station

Centuries past, reeling from the environmental apocalypse on Earth, the superstates of the human community sought out worlds beyond their gravity well for salvation. Thousands of fission and fusion torches lifted up from the homeworld, carrying men and material to reach for the riches of the larger universe that was denied to them for so long. The four superstates carved up the solar system amongst themselves, making claims and drawing lines from Jupiter's Io to Neptune's Triton. Some bodies were claimed entirely by a single superstate; Pluto of the American Union is the prime example. Then, when the first commercially viable SLE was built, the superstates started to grab entire star systems.

There were a few major exceptions to the land grab. Mars was one, but it was, and still is, a scientific and engineering curiosity, the biggest, most expensive symbol of human cooperation, a continuous attempt to create Earth 2.0 within the Sol system despite the existence of perfectly habitable worlds in other systems. The cynically pragmatic, more important exception was Ceres. In a moment of clarity, the human community did not prime the strategically important dwarf planet for conflict. The bare minimum of government oversight was agreed upon by the four superstates, while international corporations stepped in to turn the rock into the most important trade hub and resource silo that connected the inner system to the Asteroid belt and to the outer planets beyond. Now, after highly efficient fusion engines allow non-stop trips from Earth to Pluto, Ceres Station became the corridor for outcasts of Earth to find opportunity elsewhere in the void, as arrival and departure from the dwarf planet was relatively affordable. The lonely found family, the wanderers found direction, the lawless found order to their lives.

And for that reason, Alex Clyborn loved the dwarf planet. Stepping out of the Audentes, he took a deep breath of the recycled air as if it was as fresh as that atop the Himalayas. The station was made of a series of rotating, tapered rings that cooperated with Ceres' natural but weak gravity to provide a fractional semblance of that on Earth. It was an old design --- Magnuski Station of the Silbern system used lavish drums --- but it was efficient, relatively low maintenance. Alex walked through the cramped streets and corridors, making his way to the smaller rings deeper into Ceres, where the Coriolis effect was more pronounced, the gravity more peculiar, but where even corporate surveillance was limited. His true home as a smuggler.

Alex arrived at a hole in the wall, an establishment called the Demeter's Assets. It was fitting that he had his first kiss with his wife, Mirina here, then made love in the supply corridor in the back. Happier times. He would indulge himself recollecting those fond memories for a minute, granting himself a smile, then looked at his datapad. His employer took care of recruitment, while Alex got to pick the place and time for meet up. Should be any minute now before his new crew becomes known to him.

Walking in, Alex sat in front of the bar, eyeing the bartender. He recognized her, a scrawny woman who knew how to use a firearm and words: Linda. Made out with her before Mirina came into the picture, and even afterwards with Mirina in the mix. Alex shot her a smile, but she ignored him, tending to other patrons. That was weird. It's been a year since they last met, but they were on quite good terms before then. What changed?

When Linda finally came over to him, she slid a cocktail towards him. "This one's on the house." She announced, then spoke to Alex in a low voice. "You're not welcome here."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Why not?" He asked, but he vaguely knew the answer.

"Because you got caught. Please, leave before they come."

"Who? Look, I'm just here on business." Alex replied respectfully. "Once I get a new crew together I won't bother you anymore."

"A crew to do what? Spy on us?" A voice came from behind Alex. Before he could turn around completely, a swing came from his right that he barely dodged by ducking his head. With his back against the bar, he met face to face with a group of three in jumpsuits in different colors. "Get out of here before we have to make things ugly, Clyborn. You know the rules around here."

"Bullshit. This is a free state." Alex stood up. He was a scrawny, like Linda, the result of spending more time in no gravity than what's healthy, and was confined to contact lenses. He did know how to throw a punch though, and he had his pistol. Still, it was three against one, and they were packing heat as well.
 
A business proposition had never interested KB-231's personality before he had learned of the wonderous world of mercenary work and bounty hunting. For the longest time he'd assumed he'd be selling what soul of personality he had forged for himself from the fires of conflict for human resources that had pulled them apart by the seams of society. However, he had learned of an ancient Earthen saying: "If you love what you do you never work a day in your life." And he liked what he did. Not to mention, human resources was required to make a living and repair himself. Such was the sacrifices one made for order.

His new contact was to meet him at the Demeter's Assets, a name he had little context for. Was this built using the assets of an individual names Demeter? Was this perhaps an innuendo towards the sexual assets of this mysterious Demeter? Was Demeter even a person? Such questions plagued the mind of KB-231 as he marched into the building with little regard for etiquette. To his absolute delight there was a brawl in progress, or at least a standoff as of the moment. Standing around 7 feet tall with five horrific red eyes, the machine gazed on the situation. The man being confronted, surrounded, Clyborn. The woman behind the bar, most likely the attendant on staff, maybe the owner. Maybe Demeter? Was Demeter a masculine or feminine name? No matter. The other three were of no consequence, their bones and muscles weak from their life on the station. Humans broke so easily.

Without a word he marched up behind the closest one, feet stamping mechanically with an air of menace. Behind him drifted three extra arms, adding to the two at his side. One shot forward and gripped around the human's neck, the other gripping the human's wrist, a third arm moving to disarm the human. He spoke in such a monstrously cold voice, as of each syllable was edged with malice. "Such petty human squabbles. Amusing. Cease activity or you will get to become acquainted with the brain matter of your friend, so that you may forever mourn the day you were foolish enough to not listen to me." KB-231 looked to the two other ones with his cold eyes. If he could smile, he would.
 

Portia

New member
After his crew was killed, Skolos Kesi had wandered aimlessly between systems looking for an activity to get his mind off his past crew. He decided to spend his pastime getting used to his Daqinese enhancements. When given the option, he had chosen the Tiger Form because it closely applied to his manner of work. He would have preferred the Dragon Form, but he knew it was reserved for royalty. Although he was not completely used to the form, Skolos had gotten many a bounty by using his increased strength and agility.

Throughout his years of hunting, Skolos had made a name for himself so he wasn't surprised when a proposition came to him from one Alex Clyborne. He had been looking for a job for a while so Skolos didn't care about the details. He was just itching to get back in the field. The other part of the proposition that interested Skolos was the promise to help weaken the AU. Skolos had a deep dislike for the AU so he was automatically hooked.

Skolos arrived at the Demeter's Assets just in time to see a hulking robot grasp three armed men and threaten to bash their heads together. Skolos was disappointed he hadn't arrived early to test out his Daqinese enhancements. It was then that he noticed the man standing behind the large robot. "Oy, mate! You must be Alex Clyborne."
 
Sovanna is sitting in a booth around the corner, wearing her military uniform as she drinks some water and eats a small meal, her eyes focused on Alex as soon as Alex entered the bar. He was just the person she was looking to meet. She pushes her large jacket to the side and readies her pistol, in case anything goes sour.

She also immediately clocks the Daqin who addresses Clyborne, and scoffs audibly in disgust. The Daqin were a stain on both the legacy of Shen Zhou and on the galaxy itself, and she was not excited at the prospect of working with one.
 

Cindy

New member
Cindy just started this job, they never really thought they would be working with spaceship. So it confused them since they were an indentured slave, as they walked nervously in the bar with environment that was completely different from what they were used to. They sat at the vacant seat, fumbling in their seat and fidgeting with their braided hair as they anxiously looked around. "Hi, um. Can I get water." Cindy asked the bartender with a nervous smirk. "Wow haha, it's really hot in here." They start looking around, trying not to stare at wrong people when they see a robot walk in with its menacing eyes. They looked when the robot disarmed 3 men and held one of their friends their throat. The sweat poured over their forehead and armpit as they stared, they would run but its glowing red eyes held them in their seat.
 
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Ray of Meep

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The bartender didn't respond to Cindy at first, her eyes locked onto the developing situation, as was everyone in the bar. The human that KB-231 was manhandling was gasping for air, his two hands pinned by the bot. His two friends were in shock, trying to reason with the sudden turn of events, enough time for Alex to glance around the rest of the room, locking eyes with his would-be crew. He recognized them through the pictures his patron sent him, and smirked, then looked back at the baffled aggressors who tried to surround him.

"If the bot's not good enough for you, look behind you." He addressed to the two, then nodded at Skolos and Sovanna. "The neko and that military suit? They're with me as well." Alex casually drew out his firearm and pointed at one of them. "Listen to the bot."

Perhaps calming down too quickly, the bartender sighed. "Please don't spill blood in my place please, Alex. You know I have to clean it up at the end." She then grabbed a glass and a bulb of water, walking over to Cindy. She first placed the glass down and squeezed the bulb at a distance above the glass, the water pouring out sideways into the glass under the false gravity tampered by the Coriolis effect.

But as if expected, the two free aggressors took a few steps back, then quickly scampered out of the bar. Seeing this, KB-231 gave one last tight squeeze on its prey's neck, before letting him go. The man fell to the ground and breathed unevenly. "You'll regret this!" He croaked out an empty threat, then ran off as well.

Alex scoffed, taking a gulp of his cocktail, then walked over to Cindy just as the bartender was heading back to the bar. He waved over at the rest of his would-be crew. "Drinks on me. Let's talk."
 

Cindy

New member
They was shocked, more like baffled how people reacted to a very creepy robot strangling a live person while talking how amusing it was for him to see humans scared.
It was their dream job, sure but they did not plan to come here to immediately die.
"Is- is this normal thing here? Yall see this!?" They loudly say it, looking around baffled.
 

Portia

New member
Skolos looked around at those who he assumed would be on Alex's crew as well. A robot, a soldier, and someone who was afraid of the said robot. He sighed and called out to the bartender, "I'll have your most expensive vodka." He then turned to the nervous looking slave. "Barfights are completely normal. Usually they aren't so one-sided but there also isn't usually a robot."
 
KB-231 followed the individual now verbally confirmed as Alex, standing behind him, towering over the others in the bar. He spoke casually to Skolos, and thus indirectly with the nervous mortal he spoke to. "Combat in which I am involved is typically short, especially when pressed against humans and their subspecies. Humans are squishy, easy to rend apart, and yet some harbor intellegence. These individuals learn not to press their luck."
 
Sovanna flashes her pistol at the bartender, before addressing the bar in english, “Specialist Sovanna, ID 2-18-51-38. Haidao squadron, if that means anything to those on this backwater planet.” Moving towards the rest of the crew with an imposing and trained walk, pistol always at the ready. “I’m sure my comrades here share my sentiment, but if anyone in this bar so much as blinks in a way that implies you’re trying to call for help, you’ll earn the esteemed privilege of receiving a bullet to the forehead. Am I understood?”

Making the situation known, and ensuring some sense of safety for the time being, she directs her attention back to Alex. “Captain Clyborne, what is the plan going forward?”
 

Cindy

New member
Cindy just holds her forehead, sighing at what she has just heard and seen, already regretting to even Dream of this job. She took a glass of water and drank it all and turned her entire body towards Alex, tired look with dark circles made her look older, waiting for Alex's response.
I already too this job, it has good pay so be damned if theres a murderous robot in the ship, I will survive. she thought.
 

Ray of Meep

Administrator
Wiki Moderator
The bartender frowned, putting a bottle of Vodka in front of Skolos. "No blood in my place." She admonished to Sovanna, as she did to Alex minutes before.

Alex on his part laughed audibly. Standing up again, he emptied his cocktail and walked up closer to Sovanna. "Fucking suit." He looked her up and down, then laughed again. "I like your zeal though. Reminds me of my wife. Loosen up a little lass, it'll make it easier for all of us." He asked her politely. One of his hands was curled up in a tight fist, but his facial features were calm, his smile warm.

"Right, onto business. A higher up recommended you all to me." Alex sat back down as the bartender set another cocktail in front of him. "The way this works is the same higher up gives me assignments, and I do what I'm told, you do what you're told, and we all get paid. No fuss about it." He explained candidly, pausing for thought. "I assume you all have some skills one way or the other, but I need to get a feel for it myself, which is why I asked for a more straight forward job first. Thus, our first job is to acquire a small group of mining drones and its security carrier that are working on a rock." He slid his datapad forward, a standard model that didn't have hologram tech like the higher end models do. It showed a small asteroid in the belt; didn't even have a name, just a number. It was odd that Alex knew of such a rock, much less the fleet of drones mining it, but the existence of wealthy patrons explained it all.
 
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Taking Captain Clyborne’s order to ‘loosen up’ as an ‘at ease’ Sovanna puts the pistol back in its holster, still stood up straight.
“Do we know which company is mining the rock? And what of any defenses?”
 

Portia

New member
Skolos examined the datapad and narrowed his eyes.
"Adding on to General Stiff's questions, is this a boarding mission or a dogfight?"
He cracked his neck and added, "I'm fine with both."
 

lint

New member
“If we end up dogfighting with anything out there it’ll mean we’ve either fucked up tremendously, or someone is spending entirely too much money on keeping their rocks safe—Hey can I get one of whatever cocktail he’s having? I don’t know what’s good here.” A dark-haired human man in sunglasses and a distinctly out-of-style leather jacket speaks up from a few seats down the bar, putting away his datapad before continuing.

“Before you ask, the name’s Marius Noble, but you can call me…” He takes off his sunglasses dramatically and winks. “Anytime. I was technically already called, in fact I’ve been here the whole time. Consider it a demonstration of my skills. Can I call you Alex?”
 
KB-231 surveyed the crew that had amassed for this mission, and found them largely lacking. Perhaps he was merely self-confident, but if a bunch of fleshies were going to be the bulk of the crew so be it. Mortals had always been so interesting, in all their myriad justifications for murder and darkness. He liked to watch them come to terms with themselves. "Yes, a dogfight would imply they know we're coming. Ideally, they won't." His two cents added, he waited for their apparent Captain to speak up about more details for the mission.
 
Sovanna points her pistol towards Marius. “Captain Clyborne, can you confirm their statement? I would hate to go through with to my previous declaration.” She says, clearly wanting to do what she stated she would.
 

Piston1937

Member
Wiki Moderator
"Hey! Hold up. No shooting yet." Says James Andrew from a nearby table. His hair went from plastic transparent to it's normal bright blue glow as the speaker pulled himself out of the fuge and back into reality. Being previously distracted by tapping into the local networking nodes he didn't notice the pistol play moments before. Looking at his Hud and sending one of his virtual deamons to disable the local, and honsetly poorly protected, audio alert systems. "Okay now you can shoot him."
 

Portia

New member
Skolos sighed to himself. "Bloody hell you two, we don't even know each others' names and we're already gunning for heads. You can have your shootout after I get my money. Before then we need to work together." He shook his head in anticipation of the disasters that were sure to come and sipped on his vodka.
 

Cindy

New member
She was reading this task continuously, rereading over again just to absorb the words. First impression of her companions was that they were going get her killed. Especially savanna and that bloodlusting robot, but if she can get the money... then it's worth it?
"Can I just... can I get bloody Mary?" She called the barista. She needed something terrible to drink to distract her from her terrible companions.
Sighing and holding her head defeated while sovanna was threatening everyone in her vicinity.
 
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