Yep. ^^
**********All I have to do is stick to the story, and I should be fine. He can't detect what isn't there, and he can't read my mind from a distance.
After a second to calm down, I chuckled, scratching the back of my head sheepishly. "Sorry. You startled me. I take it you're the..."
He smiled. It was a genuine smile- laid-back, and boyish. "Inspector Verossa Acous, TSAB. I hear you found something interesting?"
I smiled back, this time with genuine relief. Seems like a decent guy... and not suspicious of me yet. Good sign. "Sure did." Thanking my lucky stars I'd thought to check, I reached out a hand, and introduced myself. "That is, if you find ex-buildings interesting. I'm-"
He waved me off, suddenly professional. "No need, Mr. Mustang. We know who you are."
Half a second later, the easy grin was back on Acous' face. He chuckled, and gave my hand a vigorous shake. "Always wanted to say that. Seriously, I watched the statement you gave to Martha- assume I know all that." He turned to face the public computer- still unoccupied, despite there being people waiting- and spoke to the open air. "You can hang up now, Martha. I'll take it from here."
The public machine stopped displaying a hold screen, cutting to a very-much-still-listening receptionist. When she spoke, all trace of the 'bored public servant' act she'd used before had vanished. "Of course, sir. You think you'll be gone long?"
Acous shrugged, nonchalant. "No way to tell, yet... but I don't think I'll be long." He flashed a look- I got the feeling it was supposed to be charming, but I didn't see it- at the screen, then gave her a wave goodbye. "I'll be back soon, okay?"
Turning to me, he stepped closer, stopping just inside my (fairly large) personal space. "Right. You good to take us both, or do you want me following?"
I shook my head, grinning confidently. "Nah, I'm fine for it." My circle appeared on the ground, growing to encompass both of us as I did the calculations. Man, this translation is taking forever! If only I could- no. Better to do things the normal way, just to make sure this guy doesn't notice anything odd.
Then we were gone, and already there.
The compound I'd attacked belonged, at least in a legal sense, to Amalgamated Deliveries, a fairly unremarkable transportation company specializing in secure couriers. It was a perfectly legitimate business, based just outside the mishmash of administrated worlds that was TSAB space- perfectly legitimate, that is, until you noticed that 40% of the company was owned by Syndicate members, and another 20% belonged to non-members under their influence.
Given that, Uno wasn't all that surprised to find Syndicate units operating out of more than a few of AD's compounds.
This one was someplace between a large business campus and a small military base in size. It had a large, underground garage, a handful of barracks, a command building, and some actual offices, all surrounded by a decently high concrete-ish wall. Emphasis on *had*; I'd done a number on the place before I called it in.
The moment we appeared outside the compound, a Belkan triangle appeared around Acous. Two phantasmal beasts, hunting dogs made out of darkness and green light, faded into existence at his sides.
So that's the Unending Hunt? Interesting. I seem to remember him using four dogs at once in the future- is this just a partial invocation, or is he just not that good yet?
...come to think of it, the dogs aren't full-grown yet. I think he's not up to full capacit- awwwww, that's so cute! One of the dogs nuzzled its head into the investigator's leg; in response, he knelt down- I presume he intended to rub its head in response- only to get a face full of ectoplasmic slobber in return.
...wait. How does that even work?
Oh, right. It's Ancient Belkan- it doesn't have to make sense.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
**********All I have to do is stick to the story, and I should be fine. He can't detect what isn't there, and he can't read my mind from a distance.
After a second to calm down, I chuckled, scratching the back of my head sheepishly. "Sorry. You startled me. I take it you're the..."
He smiled. It was a genuine smile- laid-back, and boyish. "Inspector Verossa Acous, TSAB. I hear you found something interesting?"
I smiled back, this time with genuine relief. Seems like a decent guy... and not suspicious of me yet. Good sign. "Sure did." Thanking my lucky stars I'd thought to check, I reached out a hand, and introduced myself. "That is, if you find ex-buildings interesting. I'm-"
He waved me off, suddenly professional. "No need, Mr. Mustang. We know who you are."
Half a second later, the easy grin was back on Acous' face. He chuckled, and gave my hand a vigorous shake. "Always wanted to say that. Seriously, I watched the statement you gave to Martha- assume I know all that." He turned to face the public computer- still unoccupied, despite there being people waiting- and spoke to the open air. "You can hang up now, Martha. I'll take it from here."
The public machine stopped displaying a hold screen, cutting to a very-much-still-listening receptionist. When she spoke, all trace of the 'bored public servant' act she'd used before had vanished. "Of course, sir. You think you'll be gone long?"
Acous shrugged, nonchalant. "No way to tell, yet... but I don't think I'll be long." He flashed a look- I got the feeling it was supposed to be charming, but I didn't see it- at the screen, then gave her a wave goodbye. "I'll be back soon, okay?"
Turning to me, he stepped closer, stopping just inside my (fairly large) personal space. "Right. You good to take us both, or do you want me following?"
I shook my head, grinning confidently. "Nah, I'm fine for it." My circle appeared on the ground, growing to encompass both of us as I did the calculations. Man, this translation is taking forever! If only I could- no. Better to do things the normal way, just to make sure this guy doesn't notice anything odd.
Then we were gone, and already there.
The compound I'd attacked belonged, at least in a legal sense, to Amalgamated Deliveries, a fairly unremarkable transportation company specializing in secure couriers. It was a perfectly legitimate business, based just outside the mishmash of administrated worlds that was TSAB space- perfectly legitimate, that is, until you noticed that 40% of the company was owned by Syndicate members, and another 20% belonged to non-members under their influence.
Given that, Uno wasn't all that surprised to find Syndicate units operating out of more than a few of AD's compounds.
This one was someplace between a large business campus and a small military base in size. It had a large, underground garage, a handful of barracks, a command building, and some actual offices, all surrounded by a decently high concrete-ish wall. Emphasis on *had*; I'd done a number on the place before I called it in.
The moment we appeared outside the compound, a Belkan triangle appeared around Acous. Two phantasmal beasts, hunting dogs made out of darkness and green light, faded into existence at his sides.
So that's the Unending Hunt? Interesting. I seem to remember him using four dogs at once in the future- is this just a partial invocation, or is he just not that good yet?
...come to think of it, the dogs aren't full-grown yet. I think he's not up to full capacit- awwwww, that's so cute! One of the dogs nuzzled its head into the investigator's leg; in response, he knelt down- I presume he intended to rub its head in response- only to get a face full of ectoplasmic slobber in return.
...wait. How does that even work?
Oh, right. It's Ancient Belkan- it doesn't have to make sense.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.