Zenith Project

[Rhakshi]

Rhakshi watched as Moddex had approached him. Had he come to finish the job? Rhakshi moved his paw over the holster of his pistol. Even if he had enough strength left in him to pull it out thered be no way he would be able to beat him in the current situation. Though to Rhakshi's surprise Moddex did not attack, apparently he had a bit more honor about him then that. After hearing what Moddex had to say Rhakshi thought about it for a second.
     ("Hmm yes no ordinary assasin") Rhakshi said as he looked at the insigna that had been marked in his hand.
   "Well what do you want?"

[Moddex]

"I just need you to answer some questions. From there, I leave you to your business. But first, let's get out of this place. The guards will show up and 'dispose' of us", said Moddex as he gave a hand to help Rhakshi up. He looked to Scizm." We may still need to head back to Chase Arms. Defense forces are going to concentrate on this area more given the damage. In the meantime, we can get what we need at your place"

[SchizmWolf]

Schizm smirked, but with no real humor.  He was exhausted, but he owed it to these people. "All right.  We'll take a backway there.  If there's anyone waiting there, we'll take care of them first.  And you." Schizm pointed at the collapsed assassin. "If you ever try anything like that again..."  He left it off there.

"Come on. Just follow me, and stay close.  The way I'm taking will get you lost easily if you're not right behind me."  He grinned wryly. "Just try to keep up."  

Lungs still burning and legs dangerously close to giving way, he spun and vaulted off into the backstreets again, looking forward to a little rest in the midst of the crappy day he'd had so far.

[Jericho]

Jericho keeps the small squirrel-like creature on his shoulder as he turns his blade around to hold it more like a dagger. More of a carrying fashion as he follows Schism slowly, making sure Moddex and the assassin kept up. He didn't have to look at them, however. The creature on his shoulder stared intently at the assassin, the big rodent-like eyes never leaving their target.

[Rhakshi]

( i'm more of a bounty hunter just to let people know...)
Followed still in quite alot of pain from the wound in his side. He continued running with the sounds of his armor clanging together. He had a purfect chance to attack at this point since he was following, though he hesistated and decided not too. Perhaps maybe cause he didn't fully understand the targets, or perhaps he felt as if he owed something for sparing his life. He caught a glimpse at the creature glaring at him sitting on Jericho's shoulder wondering what it was doing. Keeping an eye out was his guess. They definately did not trust him, nor did he blame them.

[SchizmWolf]

Schizm tore open the door to the front of Chase Arms, quickly scanning to make sure noone was there before entering.  He walked carefully to the back counter, willing his legs to stand for him, and looked.  Oh no.

Jani, the old shopkeeper who had taken Schizm in after his parents and almost everyone he knew had died, tatoos snaking up his short-furred arms, lay sprawled on his back.  He appeared to be sleeping, but there was no movement to indicate that he was breathing.  Hardly believing what he saw, Schizm knelt down beside the old Anima.  No pulse.

"No.  Why...? What...?" Schizm's companions were out of his mind for the moment.  He looked at Jani's old, careworn face.  A trickle of dark blood was drying against his cheek, and more stained his chin.  Looking lower, Schizm saw the cause of his friend and guardian's death.  The rib cage was collapsed inward as if struck by a speeding car.  The death must have been quick.  "Who did this to you?"

He began to move the body when he noticed something fall out of Jani's hand.  A crumpled note.  Words.  Jani's last words to him.
I'm sorry that I can't be around to protect you any longer. The Andros offered me an ultimatum: give you to them, or die.  I don't know what you did to warrant their attention, but the choice is clear to me. If it could be any other way, I would have it so.  But I can't have you die. I won't let them take you like they did your parents.  Know that I have my own reasons, and that I loved you like my own son.  -Jani

Schizm sat looking at the note, unaware of anything else going on around him.  What had happened had happened.  He couldn't change that no matter how hard he tried.  But he would make sure that Jani hadn't dided for nothing.  He crumpled the paper and just sat for awhile, thinking about the good old days.  He would miss the good old days very much.

[Jericho]

As Jericho walks into the store behind Schism, he had smelled the scent of blood. He knew something was amiss already, for he had become attuned to the scent of blood from his companions. This was a new scent. Walking further in, he finds the source. As Schism kneeled down, Jericho steps forward, putting his sword away and placing his un-armored right hand upon Schism's shoulder, an understanding look upon his face. He knew exactly what loss felt like.

[Moddex]

Moddex looked down to Jani who crouched over him was Scizm. He went pale as his eyes relaxed to a tranqui expression. "This was my fault... You know they're after me, right..?", said Moddex as he panned his view around to everyone." Rhakshi should know as well why the Ivokians are at my throat. Why there have been attacks outside their borders"

Moddex walked over to a nearby crate and sat down with a look of conclusion. "I think it's time everyone should know the situation. It's only been a few hours since getting out of the hospital, so my memory's a bit fuzzy from my concussion. First off, I am Moddex Everest; the revolutionist of the Animas people and the commander of Project Rebirth. Over the past two years, I have been trying time after time again to stop the Ivokian regime and their assault on our kind.

Perhaps all of you believe that their attacks are an act of aggression and hatred, but there's a deeper reason. They want to stop us because we possess the potential of toppling their rule. What I'm saying is that we could be able to fight against Ivok the same way the Zeilodians did 200 years ago. We have the power of taking on their psycho-kinetic abilities..! You saw what I did back there with the bullet, and when I fought Rhakshi..!" Moddex paused for a moment, looking to see if what he had said was believable. Even he himself was having a hard time believing his story.

"They fear us because we can do the same kind of damage Zeilodia could. Our two races were allies in history and we worked alongside them in aims of prosperity. Zeilodia possessed the most fearsome weapons as well though. The Zenith is a prime example of their power. I'm not sure what they taught in school, but that smaller star at night isn't actually a star, but it's a satellite. An orbital weapon created by Zeilodia to monitor and defend the nations from others like the Ivokians. In school, they only tell you it's star... I can't believe that they would...

But enough about that for now. I need to ask you a few things, Rhakshi", finished Moddex.

[Rhakshi]

Rhakshi walked into the room, the air was polluted with the smell of death within. He watched as the animas mourned the dead one who had apparently been some significance to him at one point.  Rhakshi didn't care to much, he had been quite use to death at this point, it was all to familiar. After listening to what Moddex had to say, Rhakshi asked
     "what do you want to know?" a bit annoyed and suspicious

[Moddex]

" I want to know who sent you and what your stake is in coming after me. And of course, what do you think Ivok will do with you when your task is complete. And finally, how much do you honestly know about what's going on", stated Moddex, leaning forward on the crate. His stare was affixed at Joni who lay motionless on the ground.

[Rhakshi]

         "Well, who I was sent by Ivok or something, I usually don't ask to many questions. Why i'm going after you? Simple, theres a large bounty on your head that i 'm here to claim. And what do you mean by what will they do?"
Rhakshi hadn't thought too much about that, but he didn't bother answering the last question. He knew well enough about it, he had served all too many missions for them not to know what there plans were. Perhaps a little too much.

[Moddex]

"You realize that after you captrue me, they may not need your services anymoe, perhaps dispose of you if you catch what I'm saying. I know Llewellyn Ivok's thinking. He's the type that believe everyone can pose a threat to him no matter if they're on his side or not. I don't think you realize what kind of situation you threw yourself in signing as his bounty hunter", said Moddex with a rather shaken expression. "I understand that you're out for money, but you have to consider your options... And if money's all you're asking for, Ivok will have no problem doing away with you. He's a greddy murderous bastard. Cares little for progress, but rather more for control"

[Rhakshi]

Rhakshi had thought about it before, although it had crossed his mind before he actually never took it to heart.
      "And i'm not his bounty hunter, I belong to no one, at least not anymore..."
Rhakshi looked away from him trying to rid his memory. He then wondered what he would do, he couldn't go back, not to his home village, not back to Ivok that's for sure.

[Moddex]

Just run it over your mind for a bit and decide what next, Scizm, let's load up some equipment. We're going to break from this city and make war our own..!", shouted Moddex as he strutted over to a wooden crate of various stock and fire arms. As he was rummaging through, a thought just passed over him. Something that Istauri mentioned previously during their first encounter with Rhakshi. Something about 'The Masters'. He looked over to Istauri expectantly and asked "Istuari, back in the alley, you mentioned something about 'The Masters'. Who are they?"

[SchizmWolf]

Schizm stood as Moddex turned to address Istauri.  He'd only really been listening with half an ear, but he understood he needed to get evryone guns.  He guessed that was a good thing, to take his mind off of Jani.  The boxes and crates.  All a facade.  That was for the customers.

He walkied over to the back wall where there was a small desk littered with papers and he swiped them off, maybe a little too hard and scattering papers everywhere.  Reaching down, he opened the lid of the desk, reached under a stack of tax forms and pulled a little lever.  Jani and his playthings, alway where you'd least expect them.

Schizm walked back over to the gun case, displaying all the latest in projectile and plasma weaponry, and bypassed the handle for it, instead pulling on the frame of the case, which swung out.  There were the parts he needed along with some pre-assembled things he'd tinkered with.  Living in as armory for most of his life had taught him a little about mechanics.  He felt a remnant of his pride from when he had proudly announced he'd made one of the most deadly firearms in existance and Jani had agreed.

Pulling over a small crate Schizm sat down and and began to divvy out the guns into seperate piles.  He'd probably have to explain most of them, like the thing that looked like a small gatling-gun with a plasma battery on it (he hadn't named that yet.)  but the one that wasn't assembled was for himself.  It was a crossbreed weapon that he'd come up with a month ago, and he didn't want anyone else to have to touch the damned thing.  Hell, he didn't even want to touch it.  But he would.  And he felt sorry for the first person to cross him when he had it.

He made a small pile of his self-assembled clandestine arms for Moddex, Istauri, Jericho, and one for Rhakshi, in case Moddex decided they could trust him.  That done, he began his work putting together the behemoth weapon which he dreaded and loved at the same time.