Chapter 1, Part 1: It always starts in a bar.
-Marsbase Sara, September 3rd, 2018-
Miranda Petite always enjoyed coming to Mars as she stepped off the Tarantula with the rest of her mercenary team as the rest of the ship's crew got to work purchasing supplies while they passed through customs and onto the streets of the city. Miranda smiled, there was an advantage to being a small mercenary group, and the pay from their steady clients was more than enough to live comfortably without having to put on airs like the Dorsai or Roughriders about being noble white knights half the time. Plus, the Talons had a few tricks up their sleeves.
"So, the usual place Mir?" Snake, one of the other Gear pilots spoke up, bringing Miranda out of her daydream with a blink as she registered the question and then nodded with a smile.
"Let's go see if our usual shadowy corner is still available." With a shared laugh at the joke made, the group approached their usual bar. Of course, they never bothered to learn the name, just called it 'The Usual Place' and left it at that. It was a good place to go to relax after a a few contracts in the black; good food, better drinks, and while the place was well lit, the usual corner table the team shared would always be known as their 'shadowy corner' since anyone on Mars who knew about the group tended to give that area a wide berth. Which suited the team just fine as they entered and immediately a few people sitting near their usual spot moved away, giving them dark looks as Miranda gave them a one-fingered salute as they walked over, "Fuck you too."
As they took their seats, another one of the pilots, Argo, pulled out a deck of cards and began dealing them as the others began setting up the pot while a waitress came up to them, "The usual?" Miranda nodded and the woman walked off as Miranda picked up her cards and immediately took a new one, discarding a two of clubs in the process.
"Call it."
And so began their usual routine in The Usual Place, a game of cards while waiting for drinks and food, and like always, Argo was winning as Rhino suddenly groaned and shouted, "Fucking Cat-Eared Bitch! How the hell do you keep winning!" A few glares were thrown his way as he stabbed a meaty finger towards Argo, who stuck her tongue out.
"Neheheheheheheheee! Argo's a better card player, that's all! Besides, you were too busy looking at Argo's tits!" She laughed as Rhino blushed as the team joined in just as the drinks arrived and Miranda slipped a tip to the waitress as Argo grabbed her beer, "Cheers! To another group of dead people and another payday!"
The rest joined in the toast, "CHEERS!" and began drinking as the game continued. As they continued playing, laughing at some joke or statement as Argo won more money, before their good mood as soured as someone came up to them.
"Hey!" Eagle, the team's sniper pilot, turned to see some young punk, probably full of idealism, glaring at them, "Why are you celebrating killing people!"
Eagle noted Miranda smiling, "Because we're not dead! That's cause to celebrate after every contract. Geez kid, get a clue. People die out there all the time. Wild West and all that." The others nodded as she continued, "Look kid, just turn around and go back to your friends, and we'll quiet down. You start something however, and we'll finish it."
Argo smiled, "Argo thinks punk would bend in interesting ways!"
The punk spat on the ground, "I'm not scared of you."
Miranda smiled sweetly as she stood up and approached, "You should be. Fuck off, before you get hurt."
The punk glared back, but flinched at the ice in Miranda's eyes, her smile never wavering, before turning away, "Whatever."
Miranda walked back over to her seat and glanced at her cards, "What the..? ARGO!" She tackled the laughing catgirl as the the other pilots started laughing and egging on the impromptu wrestling match as cards and money went flying.
The bartender looked up from serving a drink and rolled his eyes, "Right on schedule."
-Marsbase Sara, September 3rd, 2018-
Miranda Petite always enjoyed coming to Mars as she stepped off the Tarantula with the rest of her mercenary team as the rest of the ship's crew got to work purchasing supplies while they passed through customs and onto the streets of the city. Miranda smiled, there was an advantage to being a small mercenary group, and the pay from their steady clients was more than enough to live comfortably without having to put on airs like the Dorsai or Roughriders about being noble white knights half the time. Plus, the Talons had a few tricks up their sleeves.
"So, the usual place Mir?" Snake, one of the other Gear pilots spoke up, bringing Miranda out of her daydream with a blink as she registered the question and then nodded with a smile.
"Let's go see if our usual shadowy corner is still available." With a shared laugh at the joke made, the group approached their usual bar. Of course, they never bothered to learn the name, just called it 'The Usual Place' and left it at that. It was a good place to go to relax after a a few contracts in the black; good food, better drinks, and while the place was well lit, the usual corner table the team shared would always be known as their 'shadowy corner' since anyone on Mars who knew about the group tended to give that area a wide berth. Which suited the team just fine as they entered and immediately a few people sitting near their usual spot moved away, giving them dark looks as Miranda gave them a one-fingered salute as they walked over, "Fuck you too."
As they took their seats, another one of the pilots, Argo, pulled out a deck of cards and began dealing them as the others began setting up the pot while a waitress came up to them, "The usual?" Miranda nodded and the woman walked off as Miranda picked up her cards and immediately took a new one, discarding a two of clubs in the process.
"Call it."
And so began their usual routine in The Usual Place, a game of cards while waiting for drinks and food, and like always, Argo was winning as Rhino suddenly groaned and shouted, "Fucking Cat-Eared Bitch! How the hell do you keep winning!" A few glares were thrown his way as he stabbed a meaty finger towards Argo, who stuck her tongue out.
"Neheheheheheheheee! Argo's a better card player, that's all! Besides, you were too busy looking at Argo's tits!" She laughed as Rhino blushed as the team joined in just as the drinks arrived and Miranda slipped a tip to the waitress as Argo grabbed her beer, "Cheers! To another group of dead people and another payday!"
The rest joined in the toast, "CHEERS!" and began drinking as the game continued. As they continued playing, laughing at some joke or statement as Argo won more money, before their good mood as soured as someone came up to them.
"Hey!" Eagle, the team's sniper pilot, turned to see some young punk, probably full of idealism, glaring at them, "Why are you celebrating killing people!"
Eagle noted Miranda smiling, "Because we're not dead! That's cause to celebrate after every contract. Geez kid, get a clue. People die out there all the time. Wild West and all that." The others nodded as she continued, "Look kid, just turn around and go back to your friends, and we'll quiet down. You start something however, and we'll finish it."
Argo smiled, "Argo thinks punk would bend in interesting ways!"
The punk spat on the ground, "I'm not scared of you."
Miranda smiled sweetly as she stood up and approached, "You should be. Fuck off, before you get hurt."
The punk glared back, but flinched at the ice in Miranda's eyes, her smile never wavering, before turning away, "Whatever."
Miranda walked back over to her seat and glanced at her cards, "What the..? ARGO!" She tackled the laughing catgirl as the the other pilots started laughing and egging on the impromptu wrestling match as cards and money went flying.
The bartender looked up from serving a drink and rolled his eyes, "Right on schedule."