Drinks at Dixie's

[Toaster]

Olivia blinked. Well, that was an easy sell, she thought. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved or suspicious, but decided to take the win when it presented itself.

"Don't worry about me and the artifact," she replied, waving one hand dismissively. "I don't want anything to do with those glorified paperweights." She closed her eyes and sighed, releasing the tension she hadn't even noticed building up inside her. Things were going well. She had it under control. Mavros was going to be hers. And anyone who tried to get between her and him would have hell to pay.

Opening her eyes again, the mercenary looked at the woman across from her, cocked her head, and gave her a mischievous grin. "I can slow down when I'm dead. Which - mind you - I don't intend to be any time soon. After all," she reached out and picked up her glass of ale, bringing it to her lips, "I still have a lot of work to do." She drank, not even minding the taste. In fact, it had become almost palatable. Almost.

---

Olivia Sable

[DarkTails]

"Don't be like me. Burnt out, can't sleep worth a damn on a peaceful night with my family. All it does is make my husband worried sick. It's not good for you. I know you won't listen to me but just.. take some time to relax. Recharge. You can't fight the best if your body gives out on you in the moment you need it the most. Trust me.. I would know." She would take another drink of her ale, thinking, strategizing. She was thoughtful on how best to approach her next subject since she usually doesn't ask more personal things of people.

"I have.. something for you in the meantime. Something personal I'd like done. I learned something.. really disturbing as of late but I'm not able to do anything about it myself. It's.. sick, twisted even. It turns out the sadistic wench of a woman preserved my arm in some sort of resin. Goddess only knows why but for one reason or another the rumor mill says there's a limb of a 'high ranking naval officer' floating on the organ market. It's said to be well preserved, and this presents a security risk. I don't need the wrong people replicating my palm prints. Hackers would be the most likely sort to try such a thing but the lower types of scum are likely the ones moving it. I want you to.. find and.. destroy my arm. Nothing left." Nicole seemed quite disturbed even just speaking about it with her hushed tone.

"I can't get a peep about where it is but it's somewhere north of the border. There's a common route cybernetics and organ runners use but I doubt someone with.. that important of a piece.. would stick to common trails. If I send in the troops, it'll disappear and I don't have the undercover assets to spare for this. I'm asking as a friend.. Let me get some form of closure on that, so I can move on with.. reality." It was certainly not something anyone would expect for Nicole to say or ask for, but given the possible problems it could generate and pin on her, it would be understandable.

[Toaster]

Olivia blinked again, mug of ale halfway between her lips and the table. What?

"You're telling me," she said, trying to wrap her head around what Prower had just told her, "that someone stole your real arm ... and is selling it?" She placed the mug down, shut her eyes, and rubbed them. Just when she thought she had gotten a grasp of things...

With a sigh, she opened her eyes again and looked at the woman across from her. "You're gonna have to rewind a bit and tell me what the hell actually happened. Because this sounds a little nuts even by your Libertonian standards."

---

Olivia Sable

[DarkTails]

"Its.. very long story. During the Gallic War all that time ago, I was in Gallia proper coordinating with the Council on clandestine operations and undertaking high-value missions. One such mission would turn out to be the assassination of a Royal woman who funded the Warwolf and Gallic Destroyer projects. Getting in was easy enough..." She would let out a deep sigh and a shudder, looking away from Olivia in a nervous manner.

"I fucked up. They caught me before I could carry it out. That.. vile woman. She relished in my torture, my suffering. Flaying me, slashing me with some antiquated sword. Just enough food, water and medical treatment to live." She looked uncomfortable and gripped her glass tightly as her breathing would pick up in pace, reliving those awful memories. It was clear that despite her ordinarily composed nature this cut deep into her and made her fear.

"When word reached the core worlds that the New London offensive had been broken and their prized fleets destroyed, she was furious and took it out on me. Thats when she used a dull, serrated blade. She would.." Her eyes swelled with tears She took in a deep breath to compose herself but it didnt help. She looked as if she were going into a panic attack as she tried to calm herself, inadvertently squeezing the glass mug so hard it shattered in her hand. "It hurt so much.. I couldnt take it.. They forcedme conscious every time Id pass out until the end. I thought it was over when they left.. The Council's clandestine forces stormed the place hours later, according to their report and rescued me."

Clearing the tears from her eyes and tried to steady her voice but it was obvious to anyone she was, justifiably, traumatised heavily by the incident. She could speak anymore, dropping her head into her arms and sobbing quietly.

---

No one can out boop me, not even an Admin!
Boop. ~Spuddo
GRAVE REPERCUSSIONS ~Ramke
Get booped on, nerd. ~Durandal
I wanted to be a part of the party, hi Tails. ~Inferno
Pokes are superior boops. ~Naz
Get patted, dork. ~Peti

[Toaster]

The mercenary lowered her mug back to the table. Glass shards crunched amidst the pooling ale. From the corners of her eyes she could see a few heads turning in their direction.

I just had to ask questions, Olivia thought as she processed Prower's story. She extended a hand to rest it on Prower's, then thought better of it, pulling back. Comforting others had never been a strength of hers; physical touch could trigger all kinds of negative reactions with the admiral being in the state she was in.

"So," Olivia started instead, speaking slowly and quietly. There was no need to attract any more attention from Dixie's other patrons. "A frog woman sawed your arm off and has been holding on to it since the war ended." She flicked a wrist at the barman as he approached with a wet rag. The man hesitated, then backed away at a glare from the mercenary. The other guests returned to their own drinks and conversations, only shooting a few occasional glances at the pair of women.

"And ... where exactly is your arm now?"

---

Olivia Sable