The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

1. The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #1

   Setting
   
   The medina (old city, lacking any megastructures or embedded CogNet systems) of Cairo. The streets are narrow, most traffic gets around on foot or by electric bikes. The skyline is littered with solar panels, small wind turbines, and other energy capturing devices, as there is almost nothing of a grid left. There is still a bustling and vibrant population, people who live free from the intrusive machines and endless flashing adverts. There are plenty of open air markets where people sell produce, and wares, but there is a distinct Mad Max flare as many of these goods are scavenged from wrecks or the ruins and middens of other cities, and much of the food is as likely to be slickly packaged preprocessed synthetic food as it is to be traditional grown food.
   
   The People
   
   As a free city, lacking a public police department, there are many criminals, expats, and would be terrorists in the seedier parts of the city, where they often provide the law and order in those areas. The people, criminal and otherwise, are still very colorful, retaining their African and Egyptian heritage, as well as espousing the duality that arcanotech is either divine and arcologies are distant shrines, or evil, and that technology will destroy mankind again. There are many who have come to Cairo Medina to escape persecution and prosecution, and you can see genetically engineered people rubbing elbows with cripples, exiled pets, cyborgs, and people who's interests and tastes got them exiled from the shining towers.
   
   The Starting Point
   
   General Ellington is a large Congolese man, formerly a Federation soldier who was dishonorably discharged. He now runs a nameless cantina on the south side of Cairo Medina, not far from the river. Ellington was a private when he was discharged, but is now a self styled despot general who runs the south river side, Al Abijiyyah. His men patrol the streets, collect the 'rent' and keep the peace, even if it means gunning down people on occasion. His cantina is an important meeting place for shadowrunners, fixers, and people looking for special employment.
   
   Thing in the Local News
   
   Earlier in the day a small craft was leaving the Federation's Victoria arcoplex (major AtFed city on the shore of the now Sea of Victoria) and it was pursued by AtFed fighters and was shot down. Unusual, but it is likely the craft crashed not too far from Medina Cairo
   
   A group of Ellington's men were ambushed, but this has been happening around the riverfront, and the assailants come out of the river and vanish back into it. Talk is of a 'trashcan man' trying to take over any river front territory not being well defended.
   
   Silverback, the defacto ruler of Cairo Medina, is supporting anyone looking to get into piracy, especially stealing military hardware
   
   The Mawlid al'nabi is a few days away, and the city celebrates the birth of the prophet with it's grand bazaar, and there have been mag-rails, ships, and cargo haulers arriving for weeks in preparation.

2. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #2

   Blue strolled into the bar, adding to the colourful palette of patrons. The Arabic world, having preserved the tradition of loose-fitting clothing, offered quite a few options to hide some of the more exotic features a neo-ethnic could sprout; sadly, the horns (and the inability of conservative women to stroll around freely), meant that the 'walking black tent' option was out of question. Thus, Blue chose a high-quality fake beard, huge turban and embroidered kaftan, and resembled a djinn from fairy tale, so much that patrons occasionally asked for a wish. Blue used to reply "Who knows, I might?" A few times, Blue even whimsically 'granted' a wish.
   
   Roleplay wasn't the purpose of the visit, though - Dr. Feelgood was in town. Blue wasn't interested in the dealer's recreational products, but the good doctor had also some more useful stuff. Cutting edge pharmaceuticals, the grade A stuff, and often secret corporation stock that was not commonly marketed.
   The neo-ethnic was after neuroleptics, something to take the edge off the Maker's gift + the various amusing psychiatric symptoms that the genetic engineers built into the gift package that's Blue. The usual fare was unpalatable - haloperidol or olanzapine dulled the mind and the psionics, making Blue feel like having cotton instead of a brain; norquetiapine threw off the immune system and lab values somewhat fierce, and sedatives triggered a paradoxical anxiety/hyperactivity/aggression syndrome.
   But the good doctor had some pills and syringes likely tailored to the likes of Blue, which made the colours take back their original hue, and the voices fade into an unitellegible murmur.
   
   "Hello to the good caretaker, ever my savoiur" Blue greeted the pleasant dealer, whose round glasses, full moustache and bald head were as much a disguise as an identity and trademark.

3. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #3

   Jerome walked along the dusty street, his blades digging pits into the earth.  He was tall, a consequence of the somewhat overlong blades, along with his natural height. He wore a  form-fitting flight suit along with a partial respirator, an armored vest, and a helmet hung at his waist,  A combat rifle was slung over one shoulder, and a large pistol hung in a thigh holster.
   Beside him walked a small cargo-bot, even more heavily laden then Jerome.
   He was drawn here by money. A recent job gone bad had grounded him, and wrecked his credit rating.  Fortunately he had backup funds, carefully squirreled away from many missions, but not enough to live a life of leisure.
   
   In addition, he hoped to get an upgrade or two for his lungs.  He had been in space for several years, and the equipment had served well in the low gravity. Now back in oppressively heavy earth-normal, he could feel the extra load on his enhancements.
   
   He sighed with relief when the bar finally came into site.  He was to meet a potential employer for the first face-face. "Wait out here. Engage surveillance program 2," he said to his robot.  Somehow he doubted the barkeep would enjoy having that much ordinance under his roof.
   He stepped inside.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #4

   There is a little bit of a fuss, being armed in Cairo Medina isn't a bad idea, and most places are open carry, but strolling in like a walking arsenal is frowned upon in most establishments. While Jerome isn't forced to disarm, or asked to leave, the staff makes it apparent that his war gear isn't entirely welcome, and it the other patrons take notice, and the tension in the cantina ratchets up a few notches. Nothing has happened, but it is apparent that the other patrons have unsnapped their holsters, and they've switched their safeties off.
   
   The cantina was tense before Jerome entered, something Blue was well aware of. The Federation has scrambled several air patrols over the city, their sleek silver jets either cutting contrails high above the city, or screaming across at near rooftop level at incredible speed. The Feds were looking for something, or wanted to spook someone. The raids along the bank at night also had the cantina patrons nervous. Some were working night patrols, and had spent the night taking pot shot at Nile crocs and poor people along the bank.
   
   'I am sorry my friend, Dr. Feelgood said. 'My supplies were on the transport that was shot down, I have a few things, sedatives and pleasure stims, but none of your chems.' He leans back, trying to look calm and collected. 'I understand that one of the local bosses is arranging an expedition to find the downed ship, and to claim the contents. He's over at the corner booth, looking for takers.'
   
   The heavy set man in the corner gestured to Jerome, 'OY YOU! O'va 'ere' Dey told me you was 'ookin for work, gunnah with a bad rap yeah? Raspy bastid, c'mere sit down, let's talk yeah!'

5. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #5

   Jerome walked over to the offered table, apparently taking no notice of the discomfort his weapons brought.  He had been carrying them so often, he almost forgotten how the civvies reacted to them.  No matter. He was not looking for work as barstaff. His arms were as much an advertisement as defense. And where he grew up, able-bodied men always carried a rifle.
   
   Less then abled carried them too..
   
   He took his seat at the corner booth.
   
   "Jerome Peterson. And you sir?"
   

6. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #6

   'I be Deejay Jah, work for Boss Ellington I do,' the large man said.
   
   'I want that cargo ship, dey Boss wants that cargo ship, he do. We lookin for tough boys to go get it, bring dat cargo back,' he says in a heavily accented English. It is obviously not his first or primary language.
   
   'Dem Fedboys shoot it down, but the goods packed hella good, dey should be fine. Bring us back the goods, give you a cut, and give you pay, we do. Fedboys show up? killem dead

7. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #7

   The loud discourse between the mercenary and Deejay Jah was hard to miss; Blue muttered a curse and then had to regain composure as a plate rattled on the nearby desk. Oh, what a jolly good time, with plaisir in abundance awaiting.
   There would be no use in competing with Boss Elington's men - though brutes, they were greedy, ruthless, and trigger-happy. Blue had worked with them previously, peripherally, providing homemade ordonance. Fertilizer, glycerol, instant freedom for all.
   "Ahem" feeling their eyes drawn to the strange countenance, Blue continued "I could not help but overhear, that a certain cargo's lost quite near. I do have some interest in it being found, it's for the best - for all of us it's plain to see ... you've never had a friend like me."
   Melodic voice, faux Arabic accent, trained over the years to cover Arco English.
   Stop. Rhyming. Stop. With. The flowers.
   In a far more serious tone, Blue added: "I can handle a gun, or rather a range thereof. Similarly, I possess experience in various kinds of insurgency. Deejay Jah, you know me." We're basically family. You've never had a friend like me. the little idiot on Blue's shoulder added, for Blue's ears only. The urge to speak those words was there, tough.

8. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #8

   Of course he could not help but overhear. They were not being terribly subtle.
   He had met lots of odd beings through his career, and this one certainly qualified. He met his gaze for a moment, trying to figure out this new person.
   
   Jerome focused back on Deejay. "What terms is Mr. Ellington offering for this job?"  So long as it was reasonable, he was in. He had made sure his assistant had everything he knew already, including a few feelers to his contacts still ship borne.  Jerome was free with his profits, it cultivated loyalty in his friends. Though it made his goal that much further away.  He assumed this new fellow would be interested as well.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

9. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

   #9

   'Ellington has goods on that ship, yay. We get back dat which is ours, and you can have what you want of dey rest, you dig? Jah said. 'You gotta know, dey cargo pod gotta Mr Inspectah robot in it, couple dem pretty lady robots, a buncha arco-boy laser guns. Dont care bout dey rest, just dat, yay.
   
   'My boys, most of dem too busy walkin dey streets to go play in the sand

10. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #10

    "To each their own, indeed - walking the streets for your boys, and strolling the sand for us. Please forward any pertinent details and directions to my usual business address."
    The neo-ethnic grabbed the mercenary's hand: "I'm Blue. Not the emotion, the colour. Pleased to have you on board. Now, give me a little time to change into something more practical, and grab gear. There is an excellent coffee shop near here, and they actually serve coffee! See you there in an hour, friend."
    
    The colourful caftan swirled around, and Blue was off, just the red turban could be traced briefly bobbing through the crowd.

11. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #11

    Blue was known to Jah, but it was his business to know such things. He patched the information through to Blue's handheld, what telemetry data they had on the cargo ship.
    
    The data file contains: the last known location, approx 113 km south of Cairo Medina, about 15 km east of the Nile. It is a badlands area with rough rocky terrain and no sand dunes, as commonly depicted on media.
    
    The cargo craft is a SkyMaster 1500, crew of three, 8 ton cargo capacity, with a list of the goods that are earmarked for Ellington, and a guess at the rest of the cargo, including pharmaceuticals, stolen weapons, personal data files, and various valuable goods that would be on a fencer shuttle.
    
    Options for Leaving Cairo Medina
    
    travel on foot - bad idea
    Mag-rail hovercraft, likely a converted tour bus.
    Nile barge
    Hover bikes or strider units

12. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #12

    Jerome left as well, his robot following in his wake as he went.
    
    A few messages outgoing and Jerome headed for the coffee shop Blue mentioned.  He swapped his assault rifle for a cut-down smg from the robot's inventory. Hyperpnumatic like his pistol. It would fit better under his clothing, and unlike the Bar, he was no longer interested in advertising.
    
    He stepped into the shop.
    

13. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #13

    "Aziz, habibi, your transporter is exactly what we need, yes. Standard rate, I break it, I buy it, yes, you have seven children and should I die, Hassan will reimburse you, he owes me."
    Blue has changed, from the gaudy dress into comfortable combat fatigues in desert camouflage, revealing a decidedly feminine figure, and a sizeable rack of horns. A duffel bag at the side, a pistol by the hip, and a padded rifle case over the shoulder, with various tools and pouches at the hip, the neo-ethnic looked far more professional than before.
    "I've ordered us an eight-wheeler, decommissioned military vehicle, no guns but good cargo capacity, some light plating, handles terrain perfectly. Has those huge tires that never go flat. And a coffee. Two. I've ordered those as well. Not decommissioned, not military, just coffee."
    You've never had a friend like me!
    Shut up.

14. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #14

    Jerome took his seat with .. her? Guess he'd leave out the pronouns for now.
    
    "Sounds good. Have to see if we can get something to put on it.  I expect we won't be the only searchers. Doubt we got an exclusive 'contract'."
    
    He would also check if his contacts could get the sat shots of the area he asked for. He hated going in blind, and always wanted a second opinion.
    
    
    
    
    

15. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #15

    Jerome's contacts are able to give him some sat shots, but they aren't recent. His contacts tell him that AtFed security is elevated, and hacking a cam-sat is out of the question right now, unless he was willing to part with some serious currency, more than the mission was worth levels of currency. They do give him the heads up that despite all the heat on cyberops in the area, the Feds don't have any ships or aircraft in the area.
    
    The sat shots he does get show a salt pan in the approximate area where the shuttle went down, which would have been a temping landing spot for a damaged vehicle.
    
    There is also a wastelander campsite in the area, and they might want to avoid that, 20-30 strong, with a pair of mag-rail buses and unknown weaponry

16. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #16

    When the coffee arrived, and the wait staff departed, Jerome brought up his map.
    
    "Salt pan. Most likely landing place.    These wastelanders here are a tough nut, so we'll need to give em a wide berth.  Even odds they saw the craft came down and might already be there.  This one is gonna be rough."
    
    This contract was smelling worse and worse.  It was beyond saying there was a lot more to this then some sexbots and drugs. 

17. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #17

    "Well, who else is interested beside us and the wastelanders? We might be able to play them off against each other. As for allies, they usually want something in return, and with our friend Ellington claiming the slut-synths and weaponry, there may not be enough to go around. A shame, those guns - I can imagine a few people who would fry well on the business end of an arco laser. More than a few people. Actually, quite many, tantalising throngs of deserving targets. I am very imaginative, you know. A veritable visionary, vacated to these vistas by the vagaries of fate, or fortune" Blue mused in a rapid cadence, the first syllable of words emphasised, then laughing with a hint of self-deprecation.
    
    "While we wait for our ride to arrive and for your ideas on other claimants to our prize to coalesce, wager please a few words on yourself? What is there to Jerome but this rugged, reassuring countenance?"

18. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #18

    A woman walked into the cantina, tall with a mane of electric green hair, and a security model power armor suit. The shoulder pauldron had a hand painted skull above crossed wrenches. She carried a combination rifle, a monster weapon that combined a power suit 30mm anti-material rifle with an automatic anti-personnel rifle bolted under it.
    
    'I'm looking for the blue man, made a call for a ride' she says in a clipped accent that marks her as being from somewhere along the old Soviet border.
    
    Outside, there is a neo-Soviet model 8 wheel 'turbo tank'. Armored cab, cab over open topped turret with a belt fed heavy machine gun, and an open top but armor sided cargo bay big enough for 20 soviet conscripts and their gear. The vehicle was painted with vertical bars and horizontal stripes, a mixture of desert tan, black, and white, emulating the dazzle camo pattern used by warships in centuries past. The skull and wrenches logo is stenciled on the side.

19. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #19

    "What is there to say?  Lots of shit has happened.  Some of it to me. Some of it I made happen. 
    I've been in an army. Saw men die. Been in space, saw people die. Killed a few too. 
    
    But seriously, I'm a hired gun who knows how to fight, and make 'bots fight.  I'm in need of cash to settle some debts, buy some favors, and get some new spare parts."
    
    Jerome was spared the need for additional smalltalk by the arrival of their ride.
    
    "That was quick. Guess business must be scarce."
    
    

20. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #20

    "That, or I may be a preferred customer" Blue smiled at Jerome, then switching attention to the Russian valkyrie. "Yes, the Blue Man would be me. All this blue, all natural, too. I can forward you my certificates; inspection can be arranged upon request. But now, allow me to inspect *this* beauty." Blue saluted her, then examined the 8-wheeler, inside out, above and below, then took a few pictures of wear and tear.
    
    The excitement gave way to hypomania, a pleasant state if a bit carefree, one that Blue knew would last for quite long, as compared to the intense but shorter manic episodes.
    "Perfect. Who's driving? Can it be me?"
    "On second thought, it shouldn't be me."

21. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #21

    'How about I drive,' the Valkyrie said. 'I am Captain Arjan, of the 365th Osprey Squadron, this is my turbo tank' She looks at Blue, 'You seem quite excitable, it would please me if you were to take the dorsal gun,'
    
    She looks at Jerome, 'Are you involved with this? If so, you seem much more...restrained, you may navigate where we are going,'

22. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #22

    "Yes, to all, Ma'am."  Jerome fought his instinct to salute. He had held the rank of Captain only briefly, and temporarily. Old habits died hard.
    
    "Where do you want this put," Jerome pointed to his cargo robot. "We'll need to swing by this address so I can get properly suited up for the trip."
    

23. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #23

    Blue found a comfortable position behind the rear gun, as instructed. Despite the neo-ethnic's rebellious nature, there was something beautiful in how captain Arjan dispensed orders, something primal and natural. 'I'd love to be ordered around a little more later' Blue thought, grinning.
    
    Excitable. That's because I'm on a sub-optimal dose of my meds until Dr. Feelgood resupplies, or we find that cargo. Until then whoop-dee-doo and fiddle-dee, you've never had a friend like me.
    'Shut it.'
    'At least the psi's going to pack more punch when you don't poison your brain, Blue.'
    
    "All set!" Blue hollered after inspecting the gun, head-up display, and ammo feed. "Ready to fire at your command."
    Until then, Blue cycled through the various sensor feeds and whatever this position had to offer.

24. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #24

    Arjan gestured for Jerome's robot to get in the cargo bay, and it was little issue to make a small detour before leaving the city. The large vehicle couldn't make small alleys and walkways, well, actually, it could, but that was highly destructive to the surrounding buildings and street vendors. Once Jerome's gear was picked up, the large vehicle rolled south, heading towards the salt pan.
    
    As they head south, the vehicle encounters a small group of river front riflemen. These natives, armed with large bore rifles and intimate knowledge of the terrain, stalk along the river. They aren't really concerned with the Nile crocs, but rather strange things sometimes swim down the river, from the Sea of Victoria. The river stalkers wave to the passing vehicle.

25. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #25

    "Surprising friendly around here. Not used to that."
    
    Jerome was sitting in his armored flight suit, helmet on with visor open so he could offer some signs of humanity.
    
    "Anything about this area you can tell us about, Captain?  I've heard strange stories but they never really got into detail."
    
    

26. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #26

    
    "Surprising friendly around here. Not used to that."
    
    Jerome was sitting in his armored flight suit, helmet on with visor open so he could offer some signs of humanity.
    
    "Anything about this area you can tell us about, Captain?  I've heard strange stories but they never really got into detail."
    

    
    
    The friendliness of the river people is dependent on how armed you are, we are very well armed, so they are very friendly, Arjun said. I also imagine the djinn is making an impression with his antics back there on the gun. Don't smile, dont keep eye contact, dont speak unless they speak first, dont accept gifts, and dont offer any, there is a very complicated barter system here, outside of the city. Bullets and water are the most valuable things, and we are closer to the time of the prophet than the modern day out here.
    
    

27. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #27

    "I heard that an arcanotech 'Mech got taken out in Victoria lake, and was thought lost - only to come downstream a year later, piloted by some strange goo. After they took it out, it came back again and again.
    Apparently, the experimental tech on board kept duplicating the thing in some sort of spatiotemporal anomaly. They had to nuke the site."
    Blue laughed. "May be true, may not. Regardless, many exotic things come down the Nile. The croco-krakens are my favourite. Always make for a great spectacle when they come to shore in town."

28. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #28

    Jerome just shook his head.  Had things always been this weird?
    
    Jerome patched his sat data into the vehicles navigation system.  "Around here is where we want to go.  And here. " he pointed to the scavenger's camp, " is where we don't want to.  Too many hostiles."
    
    
    
    
    
    

29. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #29

    The turbo tank cruises through the path that Jerome has charted out for it, making easy work of the rough terrain. It does start slowing down as they enter rougher terrain, and they are close to making the cut east towards the salt pan with a bullet ricochets off the armor shroud of the vehicle.
    
    'Low velocity, large caliber,' Arjan says, grabbing another gear and throwing the vehicle forward.
    
    Outside, Blue is slung around in the gunner's position. He sees the shooters, there are a good dozen of them, on horses and camels. They aren't raiders like he's seen before, these are kill fetishes, people who like to dress up in borderline bondage gear and go out with guns and knives and kill people for fun.
    
    More rounds ping off the armor, from a single shooter. He has an antique rifle, and the rest of the killers seem to have much better weapons, but arent using them
    
    Note - The Thrill Killers have the high ground, and are mounted, there are 10 of them, and they are all armed. Turbo tank is heading up a wide desert wash/flood plain, and the TKs are to the right side of the vehicle, approx 100 meters away

30. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #30

    "Captain?"  She would know this terrain better then he. Not sure about Blue.  He closed his visor and checked his rocket rifle.  The rockets had much less range in an atmosphere, but their heat-seekers should work nicely.
    
    "Aim for the horses Blue. Better targets and if they are ground-poundin' they ain't a threat." Well, less of one.
    
    "If they persist, forget what I said about the Scavangers. Draw them together and get the hell out in the confusion. Unless you got a better plan Ma'am."
    
    

31. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #31

    "I think they may be just trolling, or whatever the wastelanders call this sort of entertainment - why else would they be using such a crude slugthrower first, and nothing else? I know it may sound strange from me, but what if we don't shoot for a moment?" Drat, Blue wanted to shoot them so much. But at the same time, the draenei wanted to live, and test how well the fount within could handle such a situation.
    
    With a deep breath, the neo-ethnic ducked behind the plating around the gun post, and focused that inner fount outward, into a barrier of pure turbulent force between them and the Thrill Killers, imbuing it with a little of the structured chaos so idiosyncratic of Blue. Projectiles entering the barrier would veer off randomly, or rather, randomly in any direction except the tank. At least that was the plan.
    The inner gate opened, and Blue guided that strange energy to follow mortal will.
    
    "Floor it."

32. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #32

    The fount opened, and Blue felt his skin turn to ice. He could feel the air, the moisture, the vibration, and the pulse of the River. It was palatable, and it pulsed through him. On the ridge, the Thrill-killers amusedly kept taking pot shots at turbo tank, but the rounds missed. The few that did hit the vehicle were either tumbling wildly or glanced off the armor at strange angles. This made the killers angry and they gave pursuit for a short distance, but their biological mounts couldn't match the speed of the tank.
    
    Arjan looked over at Jerome, 'Why does the djinn not shoot?' she asked.
    
    They put a few miles between them and the killers, as Arjan brings the vehicle to a halt near a cluster of dingy white metal towers. A transponder, a moisture evaporator, and a solar power generator... one of the terraforming stations that could be randomly found across the world, relics from when the world almost died.
    
    'One who DOES NOT SHOOT AT QATIWE TARIQ!' Arjun barked at Blue, 'Plug us up to the charger.'
    
    She looked at Jerome and his bots, 'We need protection while we charge, and while I make sure those tariq didnt hurt my tank'

33. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #33

    "No fuck'n idea," shrugged Jerome as he dismounted from the turbo tank.
    
    
    He shouldered his rocket rifle and activated its infrared tracker.  A few mental commands - rerouted through implants of course -  he was no Psiker, and a couple of his bots dismounted as well.
    One could only use the rifle 'buttoned up' as the backblast from the rockets could easily burn or blind an unprotected operator. 
    
    He directed one robot - a suicider - to about 100m between the tank and the likely approach from the Thrill-Killers or 'Qatiwe Tariq'. It quickly buried itself leaving nothing but a filament aerial sticking up.  Another, a small camera drone, he sent up near the top of the white tower where it alighted and began a wide scan with its camera.  The rest of the bots - including a pair of Skelbots currently folded into awkward positions inside their 'privacy' cocoons, he put on standby.  Tom and Jerry were quite useful, but not the most reliable things on God's creation.
    
    Now, to wait and hope for boredom.
    

34. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #34

    "Sorry there, I thought that first shot was just a challenge, and din't want to start the morning like a murder-hobo. If you don't shoot back, they grow bored, no?"
    If looks could kill, their gazes would have scorched blue into a crisp.
    Truth be told, killing got Blue *going*, in many ways. Take a life, feel alive. Which may not be the best thing every single time. Thanks to papa and mama genetic engineer, tacho-womb environment programmer, or whoever messed with the original design, Blue frankly enjoyed homicide, but as with many things we thoroughly enjoy, it's sometimes not easy to stop. Leave the last potato chip in the bag - can you?
    "I solemnly promise to thoroughly murder them now that my misconception stands corrected."
    Blue settled behind the gun again, swiveling hence and forth between possible approach vectors.

35. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #35

    'Murder hobo?' Arjan said, her lip curling. 'They are murder tourists, they will kill us for fun. If you shoot back, most will piss their pants and run away.' She spits on the ground and goes back to checking the hull of the vehicle, making sure the wheels and body are unharmed by the few shots that hit. She seems mostly pleased that the vehicle is okay.
    
    Jerome's camera bot chirped in his ear, and flicked him a visual feed. The thrill killers seemed emboldened by their flight and were confidently riding up the way the tank had gone. The man in the lead had a sun hardened face, a local, likely their tracker. They weapons were in loose ready positions, but he could see that these were no soldiers or mercenaries, they were tourists going on a hunt off the radar. No one cared what happened the wastelands.
    
    The camera drone chirped again, as it's motion detection picked out the thrill-killers dropship. It was a small job, expensive, sleek. Non-military so very low chance of being armed, which was good. It was a kilometer behind the TKs and about 100 meters above the ground, likely pinpointing them with it's own sensors

36. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #36

    "We have company incoming.  Also, they have a dropship bout a klick out." 
    
    Too bad he didn't still have his mobile mortar, that would end this charade real quick. But it was so expensive to feed.
    
    He armed the suicider, and targeted the 3rd Thrill Killer in.  The kilogram of neo-rdx and fragmentation shell would probably put a damper on their expedition.
    
    He fed his drone telemetry into his rocket rifle, all the better to smash the Thrill Killers. 
    
    He waited for them to enter optimum range.
    
    
    

37. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #37

    The desert air - as long as the wind was calm - had one great advantage: lasers went far, and didn't scatter. Blue's laser sniper rifle would have a clear shot. A few sizzling kisses would prompt the Thrill-Killers either to advance more quickly into the waiting robot ambush, or send them off crying for mother (or whatever aberration birthed them). Once (and if) they came closer, the Draenei would switch to the machine gun, and spray away.
    With an afterthought, Blue informed the rest of the band of this intent: "I figure I should say, got a sniper rifle here, will shoot a few to make up for earlier, okay?" The best pearl-white grin followed after.
    At least the gene techs did a good job on the teeth. And the skin. The joint work on the legs was ingenious. Coordination? Worth every penny. All they did mess up was my head. Is it messed up, though? Or is it just not to specifications? Definitely messed up; one has just to see one of the episodes. Euphemism. But, would I prefer to be as ordered, docile, eager to please? Nay. Worth the occasional ... emotional outburst.
    "Anyways, ready to fire at your command. Honestly. Command me."

38. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #38

    Over the comm, "What's your best range, blue? I'd say still get the horses first - might make them think twice if they have to hoof it back to wherever the hell they are from. Plus, being thrown sucks."
    
    "Captain' are you monitoring any of the other frequencies? Don't want anyone else crashin' this party."
    
    "Take your shot Blue. I'll wait for them to get in close - mine advertises my position a bit." 
    
    
    

39. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #39

    "No projectile drop, no wind impact, with the expected dispersion in this air I can do 2 and a half kilometers reasonably. If I go for the horses, I don't need to charge the capacitors for maximum power, they don't seem to be wearing armour or be shielded. I can max out the rate of fire, tune it up to heart's desire - or, to be specific, to what you could be used to from a projectile rifle. Which is way less terrific, but here we are."
    Poor horses.
    "I had a horse once. Sigificantly more pleasant than most people, by a margin at least as wide as its ass."

40. Re: The Silk Road Act 1: Old Cairo

    #40

    Blue's rifle made quick and terrible work of the horses. The streams never get laser injuries right, they show the beam of light and then the people falling over, or things bursting in a spray of pyrotechnic sparks. In real life, it was much worse, there is carbonizing and vaporization of the flesh. Pockets of water flash boil, and explode. In the case of the handful of horses and camels, this was flash boiled blood, exploding sinus cavities, and bursting eyeballs. The ones who were shot in the head slumped to the ground as their skulls burst and boiled. Those were the lucky ones. The thrill killers were greatly disturbed by this turn of events, and quickly lose their swagger.
    
    Those not already dismounted did so, and drew their weapons to attempt to lay down suppressing fire. They were not military, so their movements were not coordinated, and they were not accurate, luckily indicating none of them had SmartGuns. They still put up a wall of firepower that forced Blue and the others to either seek cover, or risk being hit by a random shot from a gyrojet rifle, magnetic coil gun, or hyper-velocity kinetic rifle.
    
    Pew Pew, indeed.
    
    One, a man, shouted something into his wrist, and the distant dropship started moving forward, either with reinforcements, or with back up for the hapless wanna be weekend murderers

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