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Hopefully, though, you'll all enjoy it.\n\nQuestions and comments adored as always.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Finally cracking out of my writers block. This should have been up a long time ago. Hopefully, though, you'll all enjoy it.

Questions and comments adored as always.", "writing": "By Right: Hunt, part 2\nBy TerraMGP\n\n\tOld, brittle tracks rattled under the strain of the heavy armored box. An unremarkable blue-grey painted thing humming along the utility maglev with hard start-stop jerks as it was moved along from track to track. Winding it’s way on a carefully calculated and recalculated course outwards though the massive rotating station.\n\n\tThe box was spartan, both inside and out. Within the featureless metal walls, sixteen small fold-out seats rested, eight to a side. Above them and to the back wall there were racks where rows of rifles, bulkier armor components and other salutation dependant items could be loaded up as the need arose. Enough to arm a full squad of the stations finest and ship them to the proper station section in minutes without any worry of traffic or the labyrinthine confines of Class 3 and outer rim living\n\n\tNeither of the figures occupying the car now had bothered with any of that. On one side was a young girl. A chipmunk barely in her teens, if that. Her body clad in a comically missized Yggdrasil uniform complete with the largely antiquated dress skirt that most officers refused to wear. Her eyes were glued on a small tablet before her. The thin strip of hardened composites linked to the secured personal networks of the rail car’s occupants. Mediating and moderating the data between them without risk of it being tapped. Standard procedure. More a lesson for the girl than any sort of tactical advantage.\n\n\tStill, the focused determination of the young woman pleased the larger occupant. Taya split her attention between the ritual practice of arming herself and Gertrude’s methodical examination of known maps and situation reports from the last riot put-down. Watching the girl use it all to slowly build a situation profile that could be taken into the field without need to rely on the station utilities or the oh so easily hacked civilian Kenna shell that even CorpSec still insisted on using.\n\n\t“I still don’t think it’s safe to do this alone, Ma’am.” The munk girl muttered softly. “The lack of proper monitoring outside of designated dock areas will render any forces you face an unknown quantity. At the very least you should be more heavily equipped for the task at hand.”\n\n\tTaya smiled softly and spared a small glance up at the girl. Training instituted from childhood letting the Thylacine slip another of the thick composite armor plate sections over her thigh. The material slipped down onto hard molded studs protruding from the shock resistant body glove which formed the foundation of the armor. Allowing her to begin ratcheting the plate into place without so much as a glance. “This isn’t a boarding action, short stack. If I go out there in my power armor I’d be trying like hell not to rip a hole in the wall or tear though something structural. Besides, Reaver armor is the next best thing. I can’t imagine anything they have down there will do too much to it. Not to mention that anything worse might spook the locals. We’re not going down there on a pacification action. This is a hunt. Search, find, capture. That’s it. Get in get out.\n\n\tThe chipmunk girl’s eyes slid down to the seat beside her CO. Looking worriedly at the small kit laid out before her. She glanced up at Taya and bit back on a thousand things she wanted to say. Small streaks of neurotic panic bouncing around behind a barely covered façade.\n\n\tThe response was rather simple. Taya reaching down and snagging the grip of her well worn service weapon and hefting it up for a quick inspection. She gave the mechanics a quick once over. A mix of visual and AR assisted inspections rolling over the few moving parts. Her index finger barely seeming to twitch as she suddenly dropped the magazine from its seating fore of the grip. Taya lobbed the little composite case at Gertrude without so much as a word. Offering nothing more than a bemused smirk as the unprepared girl struggled and fumbled with the thing.\n\n\t“Pop quiz.” she barked happily \n\n\t“Peak discharge stun rounds sized for 12mmX150mm Gauss weapons including B-24 Sterling and B-202 Vagabond. Brittle composite of weak silica fibers and Ferrous strata break apart on contact with surfaces. Primary stun effect from binary sucrose battery discharge. Secondary from tranquilizer compound laced in silica strata. Requires recalibration of weapon from typical 3KM/s, 620KJ down to 2KM/s, 276KJ for muzzle velocity. Only viable at low rate of fire due to risk of fracture. Unsuitable for heavier 12MM weapons. Low armor penetration. Standard recommended use is-”\n\n\t“Ok ok, that’s enough. You got it down, kid.” Taya smirked and reached down to her boot pocket. She pulled out a small wrapped hard candy and tossed it to Gertrude before gesturing to the magazine once more. The girl fumbling with the candy while tossing the magazine short and sending it right between Taya’s boots where it slid against the wall behind her.\n\n\t“It’s a real good thing you’re not a field asset, you know that kid?” The half-equipped soldier twisted herself down and fumbled at the dirty, dusty floor until she laid paw on the magazine once more. She gave it a quick inspection to ensure everything was intact, then slid it back into the Vagabond. A small flick from her thumb giving the reassuring chirp that told her the battery was fully primed and charged. “Ok then. So is there anything else I need to know before we arrive?”\n\n\tGertrude slumped forwards and nodded softly. Her body shivering a touch. “I do have a secure connection waiting for you from the New Avalon representative on this matter, Ma’am. It might be prudent to take the communication before we arrive.”\n\n\t“Oh, right, her.” Taya muttered. Her warm smiling face grew cold and stern. Her jaw setting as she returned to affixing the armor plates around her other leg. Giving the shin plates a series of hard testing smacks. “Fine, Bring it up. No sense making this whole thing any worse.” No sooner were the words said than a flickering holo display shot up from the tablet. A nice big rectangle showing the face of a rather grim looking tabby woman. Her orange eyes flicking to take in the scene now before her.\n\n\t“I am glad that you were finally able to take my call, Miss Taya.” The woman barked as cordially as she could. A sneer held under the thin shell of cordiality. “Am I to take your current surroundings to mean that you’ve begun operations against the escapee?”\n\n\t“Once we hit our embarkation point, yes.” Taya nodded “You will forgive me if I’m a bit short with all of this, Ser Hastings. This really isn’t my forte.”\n\n\t“Taking prisoners?” The woman muttered shortly.\n\n\t“Diplomacy.” Taya quipped back. “Part of what my little assistant is here for. So, I take your communication to mean that you’ve gotten the mission outline? I’m going to trust there aren’t any objections?”\n\n\tThe feline was a long draw of a woman. Her face sour from the moment the communication opened. Eyes burning with hate that she managed to keep from her face for the most part. Little more than a few nervous ticks and twitches. Taya had to note that the woman’s discipline was remarkable, even if her attitude was slag.\n\n\t“Oh, there are quite a few concerns. But then, considering that you let some wounded little thief slip out of your custody from what I imagine is one of the most secure facilities on your station, I trust that much is understandable.” The projector sent up a second window near the woman’s projection. A long and drawn out data sheet Taya didn’t recognize. Though it looked quite scientific in places.\n\n“We checked the gene pattern you sent back when informing us of the girls capture. As our representatives were already quite clear to point out, she was no knight. She has no links to any household. No standing in the orders, No citizenship within our companies at all based on a rather rigorous investigation.”\n\nTaya shifted in her seat a bit and snapped her fingers a few times. Gertrude setting the tablet down and then hopping up. Small, nimble fingers quickly found the small ratchet lever on the back of the breastplate. She fumbled the small silver ratchet lever at a steady rhythm. Taya simply smirked, glancing up at the projected feline and tilting her head. “Well Lady Runa has already laid claim to her regardless. If I can be blunt, Ser Hastings, I don’t quite know why you’re so upset. If she’s not one of your knights I’d imagine this is all a fitting end.”\n\n“A fitting end would be if she was dragged back here to face a real court. Not left to some opportunist raider who happened to beat her in a fight. Ser Collins was one of King Bran’s most trusted advisors. Favored night of his father in their younger days and was formerly grandmaster to the Order of the Pillar. At the very least we insist that we know what happened to him and why she had his sword.”\n\nJust like that everything shifted. Taya’s grin curling mischievously. Her body shifting just as Gertrude struggled to get the breastplate locked fully into position. Barely managing before her C.O. rose from her seat. “So this is personal.” She murred gently. “Well now that makes far more sense. Ya know duplicity really doesn’t fit a noble knight, m’lady. Just because you want us all dead doesn’t mean I lack sympathy. It’s not business. It’s family.”\n\n“What would you know of family, Worldless?” Hastings spat.\n\nThe smile on Taya’s muzzle faded. She turned quickly from the image and grabbed the bottom plate and gorget of the armor. Locking it in to place snugly below her. “Insertion is in 30. I will get my lady’s property back, ‘Ser’ Hastings. What she decides to share with you after that is none of my concern.” Taya gripped the top portion of her helmet firmly. Hard enough that it might have cracked if this had been her power armor. She could already feel the blood screaming to burst from her fingertips. Yet when she looked back at the holo it was with a cool, almost playful resolve. “Who knows, Collins’ little concubine might just have a few fun stories to share. I’m sure you’ll find them quite interesting.”\n\nWith that the feed was cut. The soldier knew she’d be hearing about this later. Especially since Hastings had been granted authorization to ‘advise’ for this operation.\n\nOn the other hand, fuck the bitch.\n\n----------\n\nThe Insert was clean. There was no reason for it not to be. Normally the cars were used as a quick way to bust in and clear up labor riots or attempted strikes. Slipping in to one of the many cargo transport bays, delivering a nice shock payload of grenades, then dumping out a contingent of guards to clean up the problem. Without the riot the workers themselves barely seemed to notice anything that was happening. Most already far too busy working the heavy machines and bulky drones needed to offload countless tonnes of cargo. A few heads turned at the woman in combat armor. Mainly normal customs officers and guards who were probably gunshy about the odd merc showing up to cause trouble or trying to throw their weight around for a better deal.\n\nIt was a far cry from the training sims Taya had been subjected to in her youth. Not the heavily ordered chaos tacticians seemed to think would permeate such a cramped and confined space. It was all refreshingly alive. Bustling with a low key manic energy that hummed off of the simple grey metal and plastic panels and adding to the utilitarian air.\n\nTaya wandered the landing platforms almost in a daze. Barely aware of the dock workers and space faring crews who stared at her sleek grey body armor. The whole experience drew her mind off in ten different directions, thoughts only brought back on task with a familiar chirp ringing in her ears.\n\n“Secure connection established, Ma’am.” Gertrude chirped professionally. “Currently running the data from the scout drones though all standard data analysis protocols. The Kenna hasn’t processed any relevant clues yet but scanning patterns should cover the whole of the outer ring within three hours.”\n\n“Oh yeah, sure.” Taya sighed. She slipped the visor of her helmet down over her face. It hissed loudly and locked firmly into place as her HUD icons all moved from her immediate vision to the clear corundum sheet between her and the world at large. “Just keep in mind that the scan is probably going to take a lot longer than the estimate.”\n\n“You don’t think the blueprints are still accurate, Ma’am?” The munk girl whimpered.\n\n“I doubt the people who built this station would recognize it out here, honestly. My guess is that it’s no different than a ship. You get enough people calling it home for long enough periods of time, the basic schematics go right out the window. Far as I’m concerned this is just another boarding action.”\n\nIt felt odd to say. Years of hard drilled training told her it was the right call. Yet Taya found it impossible to shake some nagging feeling. Some little grain of sand in the back of her brain grinding away as she strode though the crowds of people and out to the nearest checkpoint between the dock section and the first segment of classless dwellings. She paused for a moment, fingers nimbly dancing a small sign above her heart where her Grav’ya rested under her armor, then proceeded forwards. Past the heavily fortified security checkpoint and into the oddly familiar off-white hallway.\n\n\tThe next few hours were difficult. If there was any consolation it was simply that it affirmed Taya’s decisions. As expected the people in the rim lived in utter squalor. Cowed, terrified wretches wrapped in rags and bits of metal darted to either side while the armored woman strode a dilapidated maze of old hallways and makeshift shops. Most of them, those well enough to do so, quickly dashed away the second they caught sight of her. A cleared pathway opening itself even as the sensors in her helmet ran over the wrenched figures with dozens of simple scans. The whole scene some sick mockery of a ship clearing action.\n\n\t“This would have been faster had you bothered to get more troops to come with you.” The grating voice of the knight chimed in. Her visage popping in to the HUD just at the corner of Taya’s vision.\n\n\t“How do you figure?” The Thylacine quipped back. She glanced down at her gauntlet. A physical touch pad, something more secure and harder to hack than the typical AR display one might expect, streaming readouts from a few of the nearby drones.\n\n\t“Well for one thing, you’d have more actual eyes to search. I can’t imagine you people keep your slums very well ordered. You could have kilometers of hallway to cover even before you get into all of the nooks and holes the little thief could have found.”\n\n\t“All the more reason to go I light, Right squirt?” Taya chuckled\n\n\tGretchen nodded softly and let out a nervous whine. The poor girl piping up in a terrified mockery of affirmation. “W-well yes, Ma’am. Odds are good that the target would go to ground if she detected a heavy offensive. Between the civilians she could use to hide and the unknown layout of the area this location would be a prime ambush point for a large group.”\n\n\tHastings huffed and growled bitterly. “Just another reason to send in a full squad while you’re at it. Clear out some of the gangs. Get the place in line. Give these people a chance for the Lord’s sake.”\n\n\tTaya fell silent at that. Her attention shifting back to the readout on her arm. Ultrasound sensors painted enough of a picture to go on. It was true that the form of the area had been altered rather heavily. The drones at least removing the chance that she’d end up blind sided in a dead end. She glanced at the display with the perturbed knight and sighed in frustration. “Even if she found a way to dampen it, her new leg should give off a tracking signal, and there’s no way she can get it off without bleeding out. Not unless she sees a street doc or lops the whole thing off at the knee. Gretchen, keep an eye on the drone scans. Anyone with a weapon starts moving on my position I want to know about it.”\n\n\tThe last thought caused her to tense a bit as she made her way though a small collection of shops. Broken apartments and vending printer kiosks long since dismantled and replaced by wretched people with goods laid out on blankets or in old parts baskets. Most of them pulled away, rightly terrified. A few, the young and the desperate, scrambled their way towards her with meager offerings. Scrambling over each other and pleading for credits.\n\n\tTaya pushed past them slowly. Her palm coming to rest on the back of her pistol. Not gripping the handle. Not even making a move to disengage the holster. The people scattered and she carried on.\n\n\tThis continued for some time. Gods only knew how long. The slow and steady search taking her past the skittering masses and occasionally into the smaller nooks and crevices finding only indignant gangers and terrified classless. The minutes slowly melding into hours. A slow rote routine of marching forwards and checking the few places the drones couldn’t reach, broken up by rather loud shouting matches with Ser Hastings, who found fit to pick apart every action Taya undertook.\n\n\tBy the six hour mark the Thylacine was already starting to feel the mental fatigue. She’d barely covered a fifteenth of the estimated ground and apart from a few run ins with local gangs had nothing to show for it. Worse still the tension was growing worse. It got so bad, in fact, that Taya didn’t even seem to realize she was moving when a hand came to rest on her shoulder. In a flash she had turned and held the offending wrist in the grip of her gauntlet. Hardened plates digging into soft fur and flesh.\n\n\t“Ah! Easy officer, Easy. I means ya no harm.” The voice was warm. Far more so than one might expect in such a place. An old mutt of a dog with perhaps a few other vestiges of different ancestors that couldn’t be picked out stood before her with a remarkable calm given the pain he must have been in. The man dressed simply in a pair of cheap pants and a canvas apron. Dark red splotches around the rims of it instantly recognizable.\n\n\tThe hard grip loosened. The man stepped back and rubbed his wrist firmly. He kept the smile on his stout muzzle and did quite a good job of hiding the clear pain that furrowed the corners of his eyebrows. “Sorry to startle, miss. I know it probably wasn’t a great idea. But ya see I couldn’t help but notice ya. Not like your kind is exactly common out here.”\n\n\t“No, we aren’t.” Taya said warily. “I always had the impression you all preferred it that way.”\n\n\t“Some of us do, yas. But at the same time you wouldn’t be here anyways unless there was a reason, right? Well, Ol’ Butch here figured that if CorpSec were out here, then that means something important is going on. And if something important is going on, I’m the one to talk to. At least around this bend of the ring.”\n\n\tBefore any further questions could be asked the man turned and slipped his way into one of the countless blast doors set along the hallway. A small flick of his hand the only indication that Taya should follow.\n\n\t“You can’t seriously be considering this.” Hastings muttered from her little HUD box. “You realize this is a trap, right?”\n\n\t“It’s a lead.” She growled back. Quickly slipping in behind the man.\n\n\tThe room inside was yet another modification. At least half a dozen of the hold living habitats along with an old galley all knocked out and moved around into some makeshift food store. Inside men and women in similar aprons worked at various stations. Moving materials around and working at something resembling a primitive ancestor of the culinary arts.\n\n\t“Well now, this was something I didn’t expect when I came down here.” Taya muttered.\n\n\t“Nobody does. It seems that the rest of you all forget we gotta eat out here.” The mutt laughed heartily and sauntered his way over to one of his employees, looking over some odd root vegetable currently being diced. “Careful with that now. Ten millimeters on the dice. We ain’t giving this away, cutty.” The man snapped. The junior quickly scrambling in some feeble attempt to accommodate.\n\n\t“I kinda figured you just tapped the printer lines going to the ports.” Taya shrugged, her eyes wandering to a few woefully out of date printers resting along the back wall of the shop. “And it looks like I’m probably not entirely wrong.”\n\n\tThe man nodded potbelly. The accusation didn’t seem to phase him one bit. If anything it only seemed to brighten his wizened old face. “It gets us part way there. But you need more if you’re going to live. Well, more than we can get without being caught. Plus you got big wigs out here, too. They make more than you’d think, and they want a bit of the good life. Aeroponic vegetables. Mushrooms. The occasional bit of real protien. Someone’s gotta provide it for em, eh?”\n\n\t“That does make sense. Until you consider that you’re confessing all this to an obvious representative of the corp.” Taya nodded “But I’m guessing you didn’t drag me in here just to offer me some rutabaga.”\n\n\t“If you’re willing to pay for it, sure you can have some.” Butch laughed. “But nah. I heard about you from half a bend away. Stomping down the halls. Your kind only come down here when you’re peepin’ out something. Or someone. That about the size of it?” The man kept one eye on Taya, but began to wander his way around the tables. A casual taskmaster delighting in the display of mastery he had over his craft. Slowly barking orders at the others around him and lending the occasional paw of guidance all while keeping himself firmly fixed on his guest. “You know, Officer, you don’t have to be so tense. Believe it or not, we like your kind out here. We’re out ta help ya.\n\n\tTaya kept in step with the man. She unlatched the helmet and slung it under her arm to catch an unfiltered burst of the odd food smells blending about in this absurd little kitchen. Her hand slowly traced one of the scratch-built refrigeration units. A chill hitting her bare knuckles even though the thick protection of the armor. “This is quite a bit of storage space here. I’m guessing it has to be deep freeze, right? No way you can keep all this valuable contraband stable otherwise.” She knocked on the fridge and leaned over one of the prep stations, looking carefully at an all too familiar hunk of bright red meat being cut apart. The pup with the cleaver doing a shockingly precise job with his makeshift tools.\n\n\t“Not enough to net you any gain from busting us, miss.” Butch laughed. “But it does win us favors. It means I get quite a bit of info in and out of here. Which means, if you tell me what you’re looking for I might be able to help. Assuming you don’t mind paying me a small finders fee that is.”\n\n\t“Naturally.” Taya laughed “I mean, I wouldn’t sell your operation here short. It’s quite a bit. Spices. Veggies. Meat” She drew the last word out, leaning lazily on the fridge “Quite a bit of smuggling involved, I’m sure. Not to mention the seeds needed for those veggies.”\n\n\t“Two hundred thousand.” Butch said rather politely “Transferred up front. For that I promise my info is good, in fact I promise to go with you and make sure it’s good. Don’t like it, You can beat the money back out of me. That’s my fee, and it’s not really one I’m in the habit of negotiating.”\n\n\tThe room fell eerily silent. The two looking at each other, sizing each other up. An unbreakable smile plastered on the mutt’s muzzle as he watched Taya with a relaxed confidence that could only come from years of habit.\n\n\tA few taps on the readout and a small gesture saw the old mutts eyes light up. His hand waving about on his own AR display.\n\n\t“I’m looking for an escaped slave. A criminal. A pangolin. She’s likely armed, extremely dangerous. She’s been on the run but as far as we can tell hasn’t left the station. You don’t need to know who she is or why we need her.”\n\n\t“Oh, oh certainly, absolutely” Butch nodded “Wait, did you say pangolin? Blonde girl? Real mean?”\n\n\tButch gave no warning. The man walking quickly past Taya, once again gesturing for her to follow. “I’m glad you came when you did, missy. I surely am. If I’d known you were taking care of her I probably would have helped ya cheaper. People like that going around, getting everyone all stirred up. Once the gangers go sideways after her, they start cracking down on the poor folk around here. Trying to reassert themselves. We try to take in what we can after all that. But I tell you it’s just crazy.”\n\n\tTaya nodded along. Her eyes tracing the walls as the two of them made their way down a confusing twist of halls. She paused for a moment, her eyes catching a small open slot in what appeared to be a makeshift door. She leaned in to see a barren, empty room. A young water deer girl curled up in the corner. Thick, heavy stains and rust from years of disuse resting heavy on the walls. “Take in what you can, hmm?” Taya asked as she pulled herself back in pace.\n\n\t“Oh yeah. Can’t leave all the people hanging out there with the gangs rampaging. It’s just a waste. We keep an eye on our own out here, miss. That we do. ‘Course I’s not gonna go in there and try to take out some mean gal like that myself. Lucky you, she’s right near here.”\n\n\tThe pair wound their way around corridors, this way and that. The old mutt finally stopping at a corner and pressing his back to the wall. He held up a finger to silence Taya and then gestured around the corner. Taya leaning over to see the long corridor tapering off into blackness. “She’s down there.” the man said softly. “been holed up about a week now. She’s prolly sleeping after that last scrap, too.”\n\n\tTaya looked at the old man and nodded. Her hand moving to the grip of her pistol as she slowly paced her way down the corridor. It took only a half dozen paces for her eyes to adjust. Signs of thick, heavy barricades popping out at the edge of her vision. It took only a few moments more for her ears to twitch, glancing back just in time to see Butch and a few of the others from the little kitchen make their way out into the corridor.\n\n\t“I prolly shoulda told you, missy. You ain’t the first CorpSec goon come around here looking to shut us down. Probably won’t be the last, either.”\n\n\tA few more gang members slowly filed their way into the dead end. One of them, a rather stocky mole man with heavy furrows in his arms and chest, strode up slowly and cracked his knuckles. He wore a heavily modified stun prod. The kind of thing usually seen on CorpSec officers, married though a Frankenstein of old wire to a heavy tool battery hanging from his belt. “Thisin’s gonna be easy, bossman.” He laughed. “It’s ok to has some fun with her before we add her to the pile, right?”\n\n\t“Oh yah, Baity. Ya see, Miss CorpSec. I wasn’t lyin when I said we don’t mind it when your kind come around. That it helps us. Can only get so much meat offa tings like the Runt in there. Be shocked at how much more all the pampered milksops will nab. Just a shame the rest of your squad ain’t here. Don’t worry though. We’ll make sure it’s nice and quicklike for ya. We’re not monsters after all.”\n\n\tA loud hiss caused the growing crowd to take a step back. Taya’s back remained to the butchers. Her face cast down at the dried rust-colored patch staining the floor where it hit the wall of scrap. The whole of her helm unlatched and came free. Tumbling to the ground.\n\n\t“Dar, see?” The mole laughed somberly. “Just like the last group, eh boss?”\n\n\t“True, Baity,” The patchwork mutt murred “Just let ‘em know the score and they’re easy pickings.”\n\n\t“Aye, dey is, boss.” Baity chuckled. “Now hold still there Miss Lawgirl, and don‘t you cry none. Disn’s won’t take long.” Dozens of gangsters, all leveling makeshift guns and crude knives. The mole man finally drew the rod level just about at the base of Taya’s neck, pulling back for one hard thrust. The crackling electricity promising to burn out her nervous system.\n\n\tNone of them heard the small click. The sudden flash. The thick spray of warm blood. Baity stood stone still. His body propped up by the paw that now held his killing tool by the shaft high in the air. His body far taller than hers even in his slumped state. Such that the gangers could barely see the face looking back at them from the few dying lights remaining in the corridors end. Just enough light to see the glint of glee and the sadistic jesters grin on the heavily shadowed face.\n\n\tHalf a dozen fire arms loosed their single-shot volley’s into the corridor. Most of the nervous, wild shots found home in the still twitching corpse of Baity while those more lucky or focused simply skimmed off of the carbon plate surface.\n\n\tTaya bound over the body with shocking speed. The wild mess of braids and tangles that made up her hair flowing behind her as she neared the gangers. She ignored Butch. The ringleader unable to do more than watch an armored knuckle find purchase in the stomach of the nearest gang member. A second punch delivering a bone shattering crunch that crumpled the unfortunate thugs muzzle with all the show of a car crash.\n\n\tThe next ganger barely had time to react before the Thylacine switched her momentum and traced her still dripping boarding blade along his neck. Her momentum spinning her close to the wall of the narrow corridor. She caught the flat of her foot on the surface and used it to body check one of the failed gunners firmly into the opposite wall.\n\n\tMost of the cannibals found themselves unable to move. The few that dared to raise their rusty weapons against her finding them easily deflected with a few casual flicks from the reverse-gripped blade. Butch was unable to do more than watch in horror as each member was casually butchered before him. Effortless swipes and heavy crunching stabs slowly ground their way into his ears as the still clean parts of the corridor were bathed in a fresh coat of blood.\n\n\tIn moments Butch was alone. Watching the black-clad woman now dripping with the ichor of his fallen compatriots. The mad grin never once left the woman’s face. Not when her heavy boots thudded sickeningly in the puddles of blood. Not as she slowly brought the blade level with her face. Slowly, lovingly licking along the flat of it. Blood pooling along the outer side of her tongue. Within moments the mutt found himself pressed up against his own kill pit. His trembling hands unable to reach for the cleaver at his hip. Confidence and bravado all washed away in the storm of blood.\n\n\tEven when Taya pushed herself up to the wall, her foe, her victim, was locked in fear. She pushed his muzzle up with the pommel of her weapon and then flicked it around casually to a proper grip. Slowly and carefully letting the blade run itself down his cheek.\n\n\t“I guess you’re right.” Taya cooed “You’re not monsters, are you?”\n\n\tButch’s mouth opened to answer. The only response a sudden trail of blood leaking from his muzzle. He glanced up at Taya in shock. Still unable to process what was happening. Unable to move with the length of ceramic alloy now pushed though his torso. Its simple utilitarian guard pressing against the worn old apron he wore.\n\n\t“We know our own.” Taya all but purred.\n\n\tThe blade came out, and the butcher was finally permitted to slump in the floor. Taya paid him no mind. Stopping only long enough to nab her helm and properly sheath her sword once more.\n\n\t“Gertrude, you there?” Taya muttered coldly. The thrill of the moment. That hot burn of bloody embers having already begun to cool in her chest. The withdrawal leaving much of her body feeling chill and restless.\n\n\t“Affirmative, Ma’am. You seemed to have gone dark for a moment. Ser Hastings was rather worried.” Gertrude whimpered. Not that she could very well hide her own relief at hearing Taya’s voice again.\n\n\t“I’m sure she was.” Taya nodded. She picked her way though the makeshift shop. Her nostrils flaring a bit at some of the meat already turning. The leaking coolant, the rust. She made her way back to the cell and looked in. The young water deer doe curled up in the pen sobbing softly. Her body a bundle of tension as she awaited her inevitable end.\n\n\t“Mark my location. Get two of the survey drones in to it for now, and have a pickup team come in. I want the target here taken to holding in my personal quarters. I think I have some things to take care of after I find this runaway knight.”", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "By Right: Hunt, part 2
By TerraMGP

\tOld, brittle tracks rattled under the strain of the heavy armored box. An unremarkable blue-grey painted thing humming along the utility maglev with hard start-stop jerks as it was moved along from track to track. Winding it’s way on a carefully calculated and recalculated course outwards though the massive rotating station.

\tThe box was spartan, both inside and out. Within the featureless metal walls, sixteen small fold-out seats rested, eight to a side. Above them and to the back wall there were racks where rows of rifles, bulkier armor components and other salutation dependant items could be loaded up as the need arose. Enough to arm a full squad of the stations finest and ship them to the proper station section in minutes without any worry of traffic or the labyrinthine confines of Class 3 and outer rim living

\tNeither of the figures occupying the car now had bothered with any of that. On one side was a young girl. A chipmunk barely in her teens, if that. Her body clad in a comically missized Yggdrasil uniform complete with the largely antiquated dress skirt that most officers refused to wear. Her eyes were glued on a small tablet before her. The thin strip of hardened composites linked to the secured personal networks of the rail car’s occupants. Mediating and moderating the data between them without risk of it being tapped. Standard procedure. More a lesson for the girl than any sort of tactical advantage.

\tStill, the focused determination of the young woman pleased the larger occupant. Taya split her attention between the ritual practice of arming herself and Gertrude’s methodical examination of known maps and situation reports from the last riot put-down. Watching the girl use it all to slowly build a situation profile that could be taken into the field without need to rely on the station utilities or the oh so easily hacked civilian Kenna shell that even CorpSec still insisted on using.

\t“I still don’t think it’s safe to do this alone, Ma’am.” The munk girl muttered softly. “The lack of proper monitoring outside of designated dock areas will render any forces you face an unknown quantity. At the very least you should be more heavily equipped for the task at hand.”

\tTaya smiled softly and spared a small glance up at the girl. Training instituted from childhood letting the Thylacine slip another of the thick composite armor plate sections over her thigh. The material slipped down onto hard molded studs protruding from the shock resistant body glove which formed the foundation of the armor. Allowing her to begin ratcheting the plate into place without so much as a glance. “This isn’t a boarding action, short stack. If I go out there in my power armor I’d be trying like hell not to rip a hole in the wall or tear though something structural. Besides, Reaver armor is the next best thing. I can’t imagine anything they have down there will do too much to it. Not to mention that anything worse might spook the locals. We’re not going down there on a pacification action. This is a hunt. Search, find, capture. That’s it. Get in get out.

\tThe chipmunk girl’s eyes slid down to the seat beside her CO. Looking worriedly at the small kit laid out before her. She glanced up at Taya and bit back on a thousand things she wanted to say. Small streaks of neurotic panic bouncing around behind a barely covered façade.

\tThe response was rather simple. Taya reaching down and snagging the grip of her well worn service weapon and hefting it up for a quick inspection. She gave the mechanics a quick once over. A mix of visual and AR assisted inspections rolling over the few moving parts. Her index finger barely seeming to twitch as she suddenly dropped the magazine from its seating fore of the grip. Taya lobbed the little composite case at Gertrude without so much as a word. Offering nothing more than a bemused smirk as the unprepared girl struggled and fumbled with the thing.

\t“Pop quiz.” she barked happily

\t“Peak discharge stun rounds sized for 12mmX150mm Gauss weapons including B-24 Sterling and B-202 Vagabond. Brittle composite of weak silica fibers and Ferrous strata break apart on contact with surfaces. Primary stun effect from binary sucrose battery discharge. Secondary from tranquilizer compound laced in silica strata. Requires recalibration of weapon from typical 3KM/s, 620KJ down to 2KM/s, 276KJ for muzzle velocity. Only viable at low rate of fire due to risk of fracture. Unsuitable for heavier 12MM weapons. Low armor penetration. Standard recommended use is-”

\t“Ok ok, that’s enough. You got it down, kid.” Taya smirked and reached down to her boot pocket. She pulled out a small wrapped hard candy and tossed it to Gertrude before gesturing to the magazine once more. The girl fumbling with the candy while tossing the magazine short and sending it right between Taya’s boots where it slid against the wall behind her.

\t“It’s a real good thing you’re not a field asset, you know that kid?” The half-equipped soldier twisted herself down and fumbled at the dirty, dusty floor until she laid paw on the magazine once more. She gave it a quick inspection to ensure everything was intact, then slid it back into the Vagabond. A small flick from her thumb giving the reassuring chirp that told her the battery was fully primed and charged. “Ok then. So is there anything else I need to know before we arrive?”

\tGertrude slumped forwards and nodded softly. Her body shivering a touch. “I do have a secure connection waiting for you from the New Avalon representative on this matter, Ma’am. It might be prudent to take the communication before we arrive.”

\t“Oh, right, her.” Taya muttered. Her warm smiling face grew cold and stern. Her jaw setting as she returned to affixing the armor plates around her other leg. Giving the shin plates a series of hard testing smacks. “Fine, Bring it up. No sense making this whole thing any worse.” No sooner were the words said than a flickering holo display shot up from the tablet. A nice big rectangle showing the face of a rather grim looking tabby woman. Her orange eyes flicking to take in the scene now before her.

\t“I am glad that you were finally able to take my call, Miss Taya.” The woman barked as cordially as she could. A sneer held under the thin shell of cordiality. “Am I to take your current surroundings to mean that you’ve begun operations against the escapee?”

\t“Once we hit our embarkation point, yes.” Taya nodded “You will forgive me if I’m a bit short with all of this, Ser Hastings. This really isn’t my forte.”

\t“Taking prisoners?” The woman muttered shortly.

\t“Diplomacy.” Taya quipped back. “Part of what my little assistant is here for. So, I take your communication to mean that you’ve gotten the mission outline? I’m going to trust there aren’t any objections?”

\tThe feline was a long draw of a woman. Her face sour from the moment the communication opened. Eyes burning with hate that she managed to keep from her face for the most part. Little more than a few nervous ticks and twitches. Taya had to note that the woman’s discipline was remarkable, even if her attitude was slag.

\t“Oh, there are quite a few concerns. But then, considering that you let some wounded little thief slip out of your custody from what I imagine is one of the most secure facilities on your station, I trust that much is understandable.” The projector sent up a second window near the woman’s projection. A long and drawn out data sheet Taya didn’t recognize. Though it looked quite scientific in places.

“We checked the gene pattern you sent back when informing us of the girls capture. As our representatives were already quite clear to point out, she was no knight. She has no links to any household. No standing in the orders, No citizenship within our companies at all based on a rather rigorous investigation.”

Taya shifted in her seat a bit and snapped her fingers a few times. Gertrude setting the tablet down and then hopping up. Small, nimble fingers quickly found the small ratchet lever on the back of the breastplate. She fumbled the small silver ratchet lever at a steady rhythm. Taya simply smirked, glancing up at the projected feline and tilting her head. “Well Lady Runa has already laid claim to her regardless. If I can be blunt, Ser Hastings, I don’t quite know why you’re so upset. If she’s not one of your knights I’d imagine this is all a fitting end.”

“A fitting end would be if she was dragged back here to face a real court. Not left to some opportunist raider who happened to beat her in a fight. Ser Collins was one of King Bran’s most trusted advisors. Favored night of his father in their younger days and was formerly grandmaster to the Order of the Pillar. At the very least we insist that we know what happened to him and why she had his sword.”

Just like that everything shifted. Taya’s grin curling mischievously. Her body shifting just as Gertrude struggled to get the breastplate locked fully into position. Barely managing before her C.O. rose from her seat. “So this is personal.” She murred gently. “Well now that makes far more sense. Ya know duplicity really doesn’t fit a noble knight, m’lady. Just because you want us all dead doesn’t mean I lack sympathy. It’s not business. It’s family.”

“What would you know of family, Worldless?” Hastings spat.

The smile on Taya’s muzzle faded. She turned quickly from the image and grabbed the bottom plate and gorget of the armor. Locking it in to place snugly below her. “Insertion is in 30. I will get my lady’s property back, ‘Ser’ Hastings. What she decides to share with you after that is none of my concern.” Taya gripped the top portion of her helmet firmly. Hard enough that it might have cracked if this had been her power armor. She could already feel the blood screaming to burst from her fingertips. Yet when she looked back at the holo it was with a cool, almost playful resolve. “Who knows, Collins’ little concubine might just have a few fun stories to share. I’m sure you’ll find them quite interesting.”

With that the feed was cut. The soldier knew she’d be hearing about this later. Especially since Hastings had been granted authorization to ‘advise’ for this operation.

On the other hand, fuck the bitch.

----------

The Insert was clean. There was no reason for it not to be. Normally the cars were used as a quick way to bust in and clear up labor riots or attempted strikes. Slipping in to one of the many cargo transport bays, delivering a nice shock payload of grenades, then dumping out a contingent of guards to clean up the problem. Without the riot the workers themselves barely seemed to notice anything that was happening. Most already far too busy working the heavy machines and bulky drones needed to offload countless tonnes of cargo. A few heads turned at the woman in combat armor. Mainly normal customs officers and guards who were probably gunshy about the odd merc showing up to cause trouble or trying to throw their weight around for a better deal.

It was a far cry from the training sims Taya had been subjected to in her youth. Not the heavily ordered chaos tacticians seemed to think would permeate such a cramped and confined space. It was all refreshingly alive. Bustling with a low key manic energy that hummed off of the simple grey metal and plastic panels and adding to the utilitarian air.

Taya wandered the landing platforms almost in a daze. Barely aware of the dock workers and space faring crews who stared at her sleek grey body armor. The whole experience drew her mind off in ten different directions, thoughts only brought back on task with a familiar chirp ringing in her ears.

“Secure connection established, Ma’am.” Gertrude chirped professionally. “Currently running the data from the scout drones though all standard data analysis protocols. The Kenna hasn’t processed any relevant clues yet but scanning patterns should cover the whole of the outer ring within three hours.”

“Oh yeah, sure.” Taya sighed. She slipped the visor of her helmet down over her face. It hissed loudly and locked firmly into place as her HUD icons all moved from her immediate vision to the clear corundum sheet between her and the world at large. “Just keep in mind that the scan is probably going to take a lot longer than the estimate.”

“You don’t think the blueprints are still accurate, Ma’am?” The munk girl whimpered.

“I doubt the people who built this station would recognize it out here, honestly. My guess is that it’s no different than a ship. You get enough people calling it home for long enough periods of time, the basic schematics go right out the window. Far as I’m concerned this is just another boarding action.”

It felt odd to say. Years of hard drilled training told her it was the right call. Yet Taya found it impossible to shake some nagging feeling. Some little grain of sand in the back of her brain grinding away as she strode though the crowds of people and out to the nearest checkpoint between the dock section and the first segment of classless dwellings. She paused for a moment, fingers nimbly dancing a small sign above her heart where her Grav’ya rested under her armor, then proceeded forwards. Past the heavily fortified security checkpoint and into the oddly familiar off-white hallway.

\tThe next few hours were difficult. If there was any consolation it was simply that it affirmed Taya’s decisions. As expected the people in the rim lived in utter squalor. Cowed, terrified wretches wrapped in rags and bits of metal darted to either side while the armored woman strode a dilapidated maze of old hallways and makeshift shops. Most of them, those well enough to do so, quickly dashed away the second they caught sight of her. A cleared pathway opening itself even as the sensors in her helmet ran over the wrenched figures with dozens of simple scans. The whole scene some sick mockery of a ship clearing action.

\t“This would have been faster had you bothered to get more troops to come with you.” The grating voice of the knight chimed in. Her visage popping in to the HUD just at the corner of Taya’s vision.

\t“How do you figure?” The Thylacine quipped back. She glanced down at her gauntlet. A physical touch pad, something more secure and harder to hack than the typical AR display one might expect, streaming readouts from a few of the nearby drones.

\t“Well for one thing, you’d have more actual eyes to search. I can’t imagine you people keep your slums very well ordered. You could have kilometers of hallway to cover even before you get into all of the nooks and holes the little thief could have found.”

\t“All the more reason to go I light, Right squirt?” Taya chuckled

\tGretchen nodded softly and let out a nervous whine. The poor girl piping up in a terrified mockery of affirmation. “W-well yes, Ma’am. Odds are good that the target would go to ground if she detected a heavy offensive. Between the civilians she could use to hide and the unknown layout of the area this location would be a prime ambush point for a large group.”

\tHastings huffed and growled bitterly. “Just another reason to send in a full squad while you’re at it. Clear out some of the gangs. Get the place in line. Give these people a chance for the Lord’s sake.”

\tTaya fell silent at that. Her attention shifting back to the readout on her arm. Ultrasound sensors painted enough of a picture to go on. It was true that the form of the area had been altered rather heavily. The drones at least removing the chance that she’d end up blind sided in a dead end. She glanced at the display with the perturbed knight and sighed in frustration. “Even if she found a way to dampen it, her new leg should give off a tracking signal, and there’s no way she can get it off without bleeding out. Not unless she sees a street doc or lops the whole thing off at the knee. Gretchen, keep an eye on the drone scans. Anyone with a weapon starts moving on my position I want to know about it.”

\tThe last thought caused her to tense a bit as she made her way though a small collection of shops. Broken apartments and vending printer kiosks long since dismantled and replaced by wretched people with goods laid out on blankets or in old parts baskets. Most of them pulled away, rightly terrified. A few, the young and the desperate, scrambled their way towards her with meager offerings. Scrambling over each other and pleading for credits.

\tTaya pushed past them slowly. Her palm coming to rest on the back of her pistol. Not gripping the handle. Not even making a move to disengage the holster. The people scattered and she carried on.

\tThis continued for some time. Gods only knew how long. The slow and steady search taking her past the skittering masses and occasionally into the smaller nooks and crevices finding only indignant gangers and terrified classless. The minutes slowly melding into hours. A slow rote routine of marching forwards and checking the few places the drones couldn’t reach, broken up by rather loud shouting matches with Ser Hastings, who found fit to pick apart every action Taya undertook.

\tBy the six hour mark the Thylacine was already starting to feel the mental fatigue. She’d barely covered a fifteenth of the estimated ground and apart from a few run ins with local gangs had nothing to show for it. Worse still the tension was growing worse. It got so bad, in fact, that Taya didn’t even seem to realize she was moving when a hand came to rest on her shoulder. In a flash she had turned and held the offending wrist in the grip of her gauntlet. Hardened plates digging into soft fur and flesh.

\t“Ah! Easy officer, Easy. I means ya no harm.” The voice was warm. Far more so than one might expect in such a place. An old mutt of a dog with perhaps a few other vestiges of different ancestors that couldn’t be picked out stood before her with a remarkable calm given the pain he must have been in. The man dressed simply in a pair of cheap pants and a canvas apron. Dark red splotches around the rims of it instantly recognizable.

\tThe hard grip loosened. The man stepped back and rubbed his wrist firmly. He kept the smile on his stout muzzle and did quite a good job of hiding the clear pain that furrowed the corners of his eyebrows. “Sorry to startle, miss. I know it probably wasn’t a great idea. But ya see I couldn’t help but notice ya. Not like your kind is exactly common out here.”

\t“No, we aren’t.” Taya said warily. “I always had the impression you all preferred it that way.”

\t“Some of us do, yas. But at the same time you wouldn’t be here anyways unless there was a reason, right? Well, Ol’ Butch here figured that if CorpSec were out here, then that means something important is going on. And if something important is going on, I’m the one to talk to. At least around this bend of the ring.”

\tBefore any further questions could be asked the man turned and slipped his way into one of the countless blast doors set along the hallway. A small flick of his hand the only indication that Taya should follow.

\t“You can’t seriously be considering this.” Hastings muttered from her little HUD box. “You realize this is a trap, right?”

\t“It’s a lead.” She growled back. Quickly slipping in behind the man.

\tThe room inside was yet another modification. At least half a dozen of the hold living habitats along with an old galley all knocked out and moved around into some makeshift food store. Inside men and women in similar aprons worked at various stations. Moving materials around and working at something resembling a primitive ancestor of the culinary arts.

\t“Well now, this was something I didn’t expect when I came down here.” Taya muttered.

\t“Nobody does. It seems that the rest of you all forget we gotta eat out here.” The mutt laughed heartily and sauntered his way over to one of his employees, looking over some odd root vegetable currently being diced. “Careful with that now. Ten millimeters on the dice. We ain’t giving this away, cutty.” The man snapped. The junior quickly scrambling in some feeble attempt to accommodate.

\t“I kinda figured you just tapped the printer lines going to the ports.” Taya shrugged, her eyes wandering to a few woefully out of date printers resting along the back wall of the shop. “And it looks like I’m probably not entirely wrong.”

\tThe man nodded potbelly. The accusation didn’t seem to phase him one bit. If anything it only seemed to brighten his wizened old face. “It gets us part way there. But you need more if you’re going to live. Well, more than we can get without being caught. Plus you got big wigs out here, too. They make more than you’d think, and they want a bit of the good life. Aeroponic vegetables. Mushrooms. The occasional bit of real protien. Someone’s gotta provide it for em, eh?”

\t“That does make sense. Until you consider that you’re confessing all this to an obvious representative of the corp.” Taya nodded “But I’m guessing you didn’t drag me in here just to offer me some rutabaga.”

\t“If you’re willing to pay for it, sure you can have some.” Butch laughed. “But nah. I heard about you from half a bend away. Stomping down the halls. Your kind only come down here when you’re peepin’ out something. Or someone. That about the size of it?” The man kept one eye on Taya, but began to wander his way around the tables. A casual taskmaster delighting in the display of mastery he had over his craft. Slowly barking orders at the others around him and lending the occasional paw of guidance all while keeping himself firmly fixed on his guest. “You know, Officer, you don’t have to be so tense.  Believe it or not, we like your kind out here. We’re out ta help ya.

\tTaya kept in step with the man. She unlatched the helmet and slung it under her arm to catch an unfiltered burst of the odd food smells blending about in this absurd little kitchen. Her hand slowly traced one of the scratch-built refrigeration units. A chill hitting her bare knuckles even though the thick protection of the armor. “This is quite a bit of storage space here. I’m guessing it has to be deep freeze, right? No way you can keep all this valuable contraband stable otherwise.” She knocked on the fridge and leaned over one of the prep stations, looking carefully at an all too familiar hunk of bright red meat being cut apart. The pup with the cleaver doing a shockingly precise job with his makeshift tools.

\t“Not enough to net you any gain from busting us, miss.” Butch laughed. “But it does win us favors. It means I get quite a bit of info in and out of here. Which means, if you tell me what you’re looking for I might be able to help. Assuming you don’t mind paying me a small finders fee that is.”

\t“Naturally.” Taya laughed “I mean, I wouldn’t sell your operation here short. It’s quite a bit. Spices. Veggies. Meat” She drew the last word out, leaning lazily on the fridge “Quite a bit of smuggling involved, I’m sure. Not to mention the seeds needed for those veggies.”

\t“Two hundred thousand.” Butch said rather politely “Transferred up front. For that I promise my info is good, in fact I promise to go with you and make sure it’s good. Don’t like it, You can beat the money back out of me. That’s my fee, and it’s not really one I’m in the habit of negotiating.”

\tThe room fell eerily silent. The two looking at each other, sizing each other up. An unbreakable smile plastered on the mutt’s muzzle as he watched Taya with a relaxed confidence that could only come from years of habit.

\tA few taps on the readout and a small gesture saw the old mutts eyes light up. His hand waving about on his own AR display.

\t“I’m looking for an escaped slave. A criminal. A pangolin. She’s likely armed, extremely dangerous. She’s been on the run but as far as we can tell hasn’t left the station. You don’t need to know who she is or why we need her.”

\t“Oh, oh certainly, absolutely” Butch nodded “Wait, did you say pangolin? Blonde girl? Real mean?”

\tButch gave no warning. The man walking quickly past Taya, once again gesturing for her to follow. “I’m glad you came when you did, missy. I surely am. If I’d known you were taking care of her I probably would have helped ya cheaper. People like that going around, getting everyone all stirred up. Once the gangers go sideways after her, they start cracking down on the poor folk around here. Trying to reassert themselves. We try to take in what we can after all that. But I tell you it’s just crazy.”

\tTaya nodded along. Her eyes tracing the walls as the two of them made their way down a confusing twist of halls. She paused for a moment, her eyes catching a small open slot in what appeared to be a makeshift door. She leaned in to see a barren, empty room. A young water deer girl curled up in the corner. Thick, heavy stains and rust from years of disuse resting heavy on the walls. “Take in what you can, hmm?” Taya asked as she pulled herself back in pace.

\t“Oh yeah. Can’t leave all the people hanging out there with the gangs rampaging. It’s just a waste. We keep an eye on our own out here, miss. That we do. ‘Course I’s not gonna go in there and try to take out some mean gal like that myself. Lucky you, she’s right near here.”

\tThe pair wound their way around corridors, this way and that. The old mutt finally stopping at a corner and pressing his back to the wall. He held up a finger to silence Taya and then gestured around the corner. Taya leaning over to see the long corridor tapering off into blackness. “She’s down there.” the man said softly. “been holed up about a week now. She’s prolly sleeping after that last scrap, too.”

\tTaya looked at the old man and nodded. Her hand moving to the grip of her pistol as she slowly paced her way down the corridor. It took only a half dozen paces for her eyes to adjust. Signs of thick, heavy barricades popping out at the edge of her vision. It took only a few moments more for her ears to twitch, glancing back just in time to see Butch and a few of the others from the little kitchen make their way out into the corridor.

\t“I prolly shoulda told you, missy. You ain’t the first CorpSec goon come around here looking to shut us down. Probably won’t be the last, either.”

\tA few more gang members slowly filed their way into the dead end. One of them, a rather stocky mole man with heavy furrows in his arms and chest, strode up slowly and cracked his knuckles. He wore a heavily modified stun prod. The kind of thing usually seen on CorpSec officers, married though a Frankenstein of old wire to a heavy tool battery hanging from his belt. “Thisin’s gonna be easy, bossman.” He laughed. “It’s ok to has some fun with her before we add her to the pile, right?”

\t“Oh yah, Baity. Ya see, Miss CorpSec. I wasn’t lyin when I said we don’t mind it when your kind come around. That it helps us. Can only get so much meat offa tings like the Runt in there. Be shocked at how much more all the pampered milksops will nab. Just a shame the rest of your squad ain’t here. Don’t worry though. We’ll make sure it’s nice and quicklike for ya. We’re not monsters after all.”

\tA loud hiss caused the growing crowd to take a step back. Taya’s back remained to the butchers. Her face cast down at the dried rust-colored patch staining the floor where it hit the wall of scrap. The whole of her helm unlatched and came free. Tumbling to the ground.

\t“Dar, see?” The mole laughed somberly. “Just like the last group, eh boss?”

\t“True, Baity,” The patchwork mutt murred “Just let ‘em know the score and they’re easy pickings.”

\t“Aye, dey is, boss.” Baity chuckled. “Now hold still there Miss Lawgirl, and don‘t you cry none. Disn’s won’t take long.” Dozens of gangsters, all leveling makeshift guns and crude knives. The mole man finally drew the rod level just about at the base of Taya’s neck, pulling back for one hard thrust. The crackling electricity promising to burn out her nervous system.

\tNone of them heard the small click. The sudden flash. The thick spray of warm blood. Baity stood stone still. His body propped up by the paw that now held his killing tool by the shaft high in the air. His body far taller than hers even in his slumped state. Such that the gangers could barely see the face looking back at them from the few dying lights remaining in the corridors end. Just enough light to see the glint of glee and the sadistic jesters grin on the heavily shadowed face.

\tHalf a dozen fire arms loosed their single-shot volley’s into the corridor. Most of the nervous, wild shots found home in the still twitching corpse of Baity while those more lucky or focused simply skimmed off of the carbon plate surface.

\tTaya bound over the body with shocking speed. The wild mess of braids and tangles that made up her hair flowing behind her as she neared the gangers. She ignored Butch. The ringleader unable to do more than watch an armored knuckle find purchase in the stomach of the nearest gang member. A second punch delivering a bone shattering crunch that crumpled the unfortunate thugs muzzle with all the show of a car crash.

\tThe next ganger barely had time to react before the Thylacine switched her momentum and traced her still dripping boarding blade along his neck. Her momentum spinning her close to the wall of the narrow corridor. She caught the flat of her foot on the surface and used it to body check one of the failed gunners firmly into the opposite wall.

\tMost of the cannibals found themselves unable to move. The few that dared to raise their rusty weapons against her finding them easily deflected with a few casual flicks from the reverse-gripped blade. Butch was unable to do more than watch in horror as each member was casually butchered before him. Effortless swipes and heavy crunching stabs slowly ground their way into his ears as the still clean parts of the corridor were bathed in a fresh coat of blood.

\tIn moments Butch was alone. Watching the black-clad woman now dripping with the ichor of his fallen compatriots. The mad grin never once left the woman’s face. Not when her heavy boots thudded sickeningly in the puddles of blood. Not as she slowly brought the blade level with her face. Slowly, lovingly licking along the flat of it. Blood pooling along the outer side of her tongue. Within moments the mutt found himself pressed up against his own kill pit. His trembling hands unable to reach for the cleaver at his hip. Confidence and bravado all washed away in the storm of blood.

\tEven when Taya pushed herself up to the wall, her foe, her victim, was locked in fear. She pushed his muzzle up with the pommel of her weapon and then flicked it around casually to a proper grip. Slowly and carefully letting the blade run itself down his cheek.

\t“I guess you’re right.” Taya cooed “You’re not monsters, are you?”

\tButch’s mouth opened to answer. The only response a sudden trail of blood leaking from his muzzle. He glanced up at Taya in shock. Still unable to process what was happening. Unable to move with the length of ceramic alloy now pushed though his torso. Its simple utilitarian guard pressing against the worn old apron he wore.

\t“We know our own.” Taya all but purred.

\tThe blade came out, and the butcher was finally permitted to slump in the floor. Taya paid him no mind. Stopping only long enough to nab her helm and properly sheath her sword once more.

\t“Gertrude, you there?” Taya muttered coldly. The thrill of the moment. That hot burn of bloody embers having already begun to cool in her chest. The withdrawal leaving much of her body feeling chill and restless.

\t“Affirmative, Ma’am. You seemed to have gone dark for a moment. Ser Hastings was rather worried.” Gertrude whimpered. Not that she could very well hide her own relief at hearing Taya’s voice again.

\t“I’m sure she was.” Taya nodded. She picked her way though the makeshift shop. Her nostrils flaring a bit at some of the meat already turning. The leaking coolant, the rust. She made her way back to the cell and looked in. The young water deer doe curled up in the pen sobbing softly. Her body a bundle of tension as she awaited her inevitable end.

\t“Mark my location. Get two of the survey drones in to it for now, and have a pickup team come in. I want the target here taken to holding in my personal quarters. I think I have some things to take care of after I find this runaway knight.”", "pools_count": 2, "title": "By Right: Hunt, Part 2", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "5", "name": "Strong Violence", "description": "Strong violence, blood, serious injury or death", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "1", "views": "96" }