Mach stood outside the Benny?s down by the portal transport station enjoying that Malboro Red for all its worth while he sent off a few texts waiting for that timer that ticked down in the corner of his screen to go off. He hardly paid mind to the short woman in the brown coat and slacks that came out to join him, a briefcase tucked beneath her arm as she pulled out her own cell to look at a few things. Another drag, a few more messages and Mach was suddenly aware of the woman standing right next to him, peering suspiciously between his phone and his ruggedly handsome features
?Uhh? can I help you??? Blue eyes blue took in the woman more closely now. She had a stout but appealing build of one used to physical conditioning though her complexion was fair with muddy red hair drawn into a bun giving her naturally rounded features a severe edge. The coat she wore looked to be a military peacoat, a few patches and insignia sewn neatly here and there with three silver pips on her collar indicating a warran? shit.
?That timer set to exactly 63 minutes after your call with Major Bessick? Cute.? The woman shot Mach a grin.
A sly grin of his own crossed him, a sort of ?oops, I?ve been caught? look. ?What can I say, I really enjoy my smoke breaks?? Hands up in a placative gesture though this only earned him a snort from the woman.
?Give me a smoke and we?ll call it even? sir.?
He smirked mildly as he pulled out his pack, a mostly straight cigarette popped up and offered towards the woman.?Mach, I don?t hold much to rank and respect unless it serves me, yeah??
A smirk escaped her in turn as she took that cancer stick placing it between her lips.?Alright, then you can call me Hardings.?
?You don?t have a first name?? Asked mildly as he pulled out his cheap excuse for a Zippo, a pop and snap before offering the flame towards her.
?Warrant Officer for the time being, I don?t generally let folks use my first name until they prove they?re not a fuckup? so you might want to get used to Hardings for the foreseeable future yeah?? A wicked grin as she took a few puffs before offering a lazy salute in thanks. ? According to your file anyway? do you really have wild orgies with witches on a bimonthly basis??
Mach cackled at that. ?Only when I?m lucky?? A waggle of brows offered to the woman who gave him a decidedly uninspired snigger for his attempts to embarrass her.
?Good to see your personality profile is accurate at least.? Stated mildly as she took a drag off her cigarette, the smoke left to roll out lazily. ?Mmm, these are good!?
Mach chuckled working his own cancer stick.?Aren?t they? Earthrealm brand, cheap too.? Another drag taken. ?Oh? And what does that say? my profile??
?That you?re an asshole.? Stated deadpan though amusement lit the corners of storm gray eyes.
This had the man cackling. ?Too true, too true!? He continued for a moment, a drag taken escaping in fits and starts with his laughter. When finally he?d settle down the dead butt of that cigarette would be plucked from his lips and dropped to ground out beneath his heel. ?No disrespect but you don?t? uh, really seeeeem??
Hardings smirked. ?Like Maj Bessick? No, he?s a? special breed? of officer. Shoulda been a JAG or politician? maybe a cheerleader.? Touch of finger thoughtfully to the dimple of her grin. Mach simply smirked at the innocent gesture.
?I was going to say foreign relationsy myself...?
A shrug.?Same difference. I was actually ADoS to anti-aracane n? tech mass deployment training and normie troop integrations out in Ordlanesse but I guess I musta impressed one of the suits because last minute they hot jacked me over to D-FAM. Have been running handler for folks like you for 2 terms now? not a bad gig actually, at least you lot don?t snivel and whine over a little fireball.?
?Well, we like it hot usually so you know?? A carefree shrug and a wink to the woman.
?Aaannnd then there is that side to all of you? most narcissistic, jerky, assholic, manic bunch I?ve ever had the mispleasure of trying to deal with? think I?d have an easier time of things trying to get cats to put on a ten act circus show with vendors and clowns...? The woman smiled brightly as she spoke, that cigarette finished and dropped to grind out. ?Come on, breakfast is on me...? With a wave of her hand she was off into the diner.
Mach sniggered at her scathing words. ?O~oooh, free breakfast, you know how to win a hunter over!?
?Yeah? stomach or pants seems to be the carrots you folks respond to?? She shot Mach a sharp look over her shoulder before his tongue could wag. ?Pants aren?t an option. Seriously, even the women hunters have this frat boy mentality.? Hardings shook her head as she lead the pair back to a corner booth that already had a pot of coffee and a couple of mugs on it. Indicating the seat across the way for Mach before she flopped back onto the minimally cushioned seat.
?But pants can be an option in the future, yeah?? Mach offered the warrant officer a wry grin as he poured himself a mug of coffee before topping off hers.
?Thanks? we can talk about pants once you show yourself not to be a total waste of space, yeah? Believe me, I?ve seen all your measures... you Sir can waste a lot of space?? Mach nearly choked on that sip of coffee as the woman just stated that deadpan. He?d almost forgotten that kind of balls to the wall camaraderie you only got in the military. ?Don?t tell me I?m going to make you blush?? Hardings sniggered as she took a sip of her coffee before opening that briefcase. From that black leather box the woman would remove a few different files stamped pretty with U.R.T.A. property signs and vaguely threatening warnings. Each was laid out along the table. She would push one over to Mach before taking up the menu to give it a once over.
For his part Mach didn?t bother with the file yet, his focus solely on the menu as he bounced through it like a kid in a candy store. He was still looking by the time the waitress came over to take their order. Hardings ordered a relatively modest meal with a side of grits. Mach? ordered three entr?es, a couple of extra sides, an appetizer, and two slices of pie! This left the waitress only slightly dumbfounded and the warrant officer chuckling.
?You hunters really pack that stuff away and look good doing it too...? Her tone a little jealous as she took another sip of her coffee.
Mach's shoulders rose in a dismissive gesture, a friendly little grin upon him. ?Yeah, well, some perks to chuffing regen potions like they?re going out of style?metabolism like a sizzed out rabbit in heat.? A sip of his coffee taken before finally he?d take up that file, leafing through its contents lazily, that glib humor fading as he read over different parts here and there.
?Rabbit in heat indeed?? A scoff before she settled back with her coffee. ?Your target for this investigation is a Dr. Morten Nunezar. Got their Ph.D. in advance regenerative techniques at the Arcane Academy in Tajneran? you hunters actually benefit from some of his work.? A little shrug as she took a sip of her coffee. ?He?s a Class 6 Academic mage specializing in??
?Necromancy and Regenerative disciplines?? Spoken mildly as he flipped over a few pages. ?This looks an awful lot like a case I just did??
?It should, they?re not unconnected. Appears a number of academic mages from around Taj and a few of the neighboring nations are part of some strange cult to the dead god?? She?d flip open the notebook before her, a peak taken within. ?Dukra?nas Vu Sirill?merchaar or ?Lord of Destruction by the Sacred Power of Vitality? or ?The Sanguine Lord?? right cheery fellow from the Old God pantheon, was the go to god of blood magic.?
?Lord. Hmm...? A mild thought before a sway of head to dislodged it ?So they?re all part of a cult to some god dead by three millennium who promotes the use of blood magic?? Mach frowned mildly as he took a swig of his coffee. ?Why the hell has this particular boat of nasty been chosen for a joint effort? I mean, blood magic isn?t exactly the most dangerous kind mind but it is still really kinda nasty and can be pretty subversive particularly against normies.?
Hardings nodded. ?True and true but there?s a lot of evidence showing that this cult is setting up shop in Rhydin? at least fourteen academic necromancers from Taj institutes alone have in the past few months either booked one way portal trips here via legal and illegal means or went flip dip mad and killed enough people to power a trans-dimensional portal.? Another sip of her coffee as she leaned back.
?Fourteen that have been accounted for... any particular reason why they're gathering here??
?Well, four have been apprehended including Tom Hopel who you snagged a few nights back. As for motive or purpose we haven't a clue... but they've been snatching prostitutes, beggars, vagrants, urchins? even a few respectable types off the street which has certainly piqued the interest of the Watch. Of course I understand they have a few high profile cases of their own that they're working up so they're glad to have the aid of another law enforcement agency in dealing with this headache.?
Mach sighed as he read a few more things in depth. ?Looks like this Nunezar might be a bit of trouble... battlemage track through academy finishing out as a class 7 and has kept up with his combat classing...? He took a draw of his coffee, a friendly smile offered to the waitress as she approached with the bacon bites appetizer. Mach scooted the plate towards Hardings in a silent offer before starting in on the still hot pork wraps while continuing with the file in hand. ?...I take it there's a bead on this guy??
The woman offered an appreciative nod before joining the hunter in the consumption of those bacon wraps. ?Yeah... he's always ranked above satisfactory on combat drills and testing with a high aptitude score for mock combat. But then again he has no real life experience that is noted so everything is just academic...?
?Academic except with fireballs and stuff...? Added mildly as blues gazed at the woman from above the folder in hand.
Hardings snorted dismissively. ?Well, yes, he is dangerous none-the-less but at least he's more middling dangerous than some of the war vets on the list of mages that have made it over.? Popping one last bacon wrap in her mouth she'd follow it down with a greedy draw of the coffee. ?And yeah, we think the guy's setting up shop down in WestEnd. A name has come up in a few interviews, let?s see?? She took a peak at her personal notebook, a smirk escaping her. ?Cute. Club Shiv n? Jive? looks like our boy has a sense of humor??
?Club huh?? There was an odd sort of worried lilt to his tone at that word.
?Not the clubbing type? I?d think you of all people could cut a good rug?? A wry grin curled on the woman as she chuckled at that teasing comment.
Mach simply blinked as if realizing that his mind had been wandering off topic ?Huh? Oh... um, no, clubs are fine?rug munching and all that jazz?? A mild uptick of lips pressed upon features as he waved off his previous daze, eyes burying back into that folder. ?Hmm, yes?I see...? Ticking over a few more things before he would close the folder pushing it back towards the warrant officer who pushed the next one over for inspection with a mild look for the man?s odd actions. ?So... hypothetically speaking yeah... what if I were to pinch this guy before meeting with the collar??
Storm grays gave the man a wary look. ?Then you'd be hunting M.K.E. Colten with your 'collar'... or M.K.P. Damsen or Dr. Truman or any of the other remaining mages.? A sigh escaped the woman as she refilled their coffee. ?Look, I get your reluctance to have to work with a follower on this, I do, but it's a thing that is happening. Now Dr Nunezar is considered to be the least threat that will not cause any further trouble for your partner...?
Blue eyes blue stared at the woman with a quirk of brow. ?What do you mean 'not cause further trouble for my partner???
A shrug.?As in Colten and Damsen who are considered less threat tactically... at least compared to Nunezar, are also pervs and like their sacrificial victims... young.? A frown crossed Hardings as that last word rolled off her tongue distastefully, a sip of her topped off coffee taken to clear her pallet. ?And from what I've read of some of your future partners exploits they have some trouble reigning in their sense of justice when it comes to children involvement in violent crimes.?
Mach sighed as he finished off the appetizer, a gulp of coffee taken to wash down that bacony goodness. ?So what you?re saying is that they?re not a bastard yet? and a do-gooder to boot.?
?Too fresh and green to be the villain, yeah. Bit of a hell raiser as I take it but always in the name of justice and such?? Roll of shoulders. ?Nunezar just likes the hookers and gigolos so shouldn?t cook this one?s cookies too badly.? Hardings paused, a friendly smile to the waitress as they arrived with four plates precariously balanced on an oversized serving tray. The two cleared folders for the waitress so they could set down the multitude of plates. Afterward the girl moved to refresh the their waters and bring a fresh pot of coffee leaving Mach and Hardings as they both tapped two fingers to their brow and then their chest in an odd gesture. There was a pause as they realized what they were doing, a shared laugh at this custom before they set into their meals respectively.
It wouldn't be until the waitress finished her fussing that Mach would take up the previously held folder once more and Hardings would reopen her notebook. ?But yeah, the club is probably a front for Nunezar?s? gathering? but we don?t know this for sure. That entire area of WestEnd is party to seedier dealings so it?ll probably be worth your effort to do some leg work on your own on this info.?
?That?s resoundingly sound info?? Mach stated mildly between bites of egg and pancake.
The warrant officer simply shrugged as she added cream, sugar, and sausage to her grits. ?Can?t be helped, if they were an on the level cult of blood god worshipers I?m sure they?d probably have a legitimate church set up down in the Old Temple District. Since they?re a stealing people and murdering them type of cult though they tend to be rather illusive.? Stirring her grits she would take a tentative try before more sugar was added. ?At very least you won?t be going in cold with a rookie??
Mach swallowed down a few gulps of coffee before starting in on his second plate, the first already cleared of contents. Hardings simply shook her head at the pace and veracity which the man could put away food. ?Alright, alright, silver lining and crap. How long they been running out here??
?Nunezar is one of the first to have gone over? before we even started investigating this cult actually.? A sip of coffee as the woman leisurely enjoyed her meal, a few pages turned as she referenced her notebook. ?Requested a grant and a permit to come out here to Rhydin to do some research on rejuvenation and regenerative medicines with some other researchers at the Bristle Crios. That was back in January. He stopped calling back reports mid-February and by March had stopped all contact with anyone back on Tang. The Shiv n? Jive was bought on March 3rd and had its grand opening the 15th so it?s been going a few weeks now.?
?So what you?re saying is this guy has three months head start on us??
?Probably a month, month and a half tops. His reports and research notes and such until? February 4th were actually very detailed and informative. They started getting vaguer and vaguer though until his last one on the 19th. ?
?A month and a half is a lot of time to entrench, particularly for a mage? this club doesn?t have a tower sticking out of it or a very, very deep cellar does it??
?Ha Ha.? Hardings tone was dry. ?No, things look generally okay around the area? well, okay as things get around WestEnd from what I?m to believe. Whatever he?s doing there, if anything, is being kept pretty low key.?
?Ok? so Tom killed an entire class of fresh students, on cam, so pretty obviously guilty. Doesn't sound like we've got a clear bead on this Morten Nunezar. So what has he done to connect him to this cult? Well, other than being a necromancer that had a change of heart in career choices? terrible as that seems.? Blues ticked uninspired about the file in hand.
Hardings shot the man a wry look as she smirked. ?Your records don?t lie, you are a bit of a bleeding heart aren?t you??
There was a pause before Mach snorted dismissively while chewing on some French toast. ?Is that what it says? I don?t like the innate bigotry of the system and question questionable calls so I?m a bleeding heart??
Hardings sniggered at Mach?s sudden defensiveness. ?No, it says you have a high catch alive and release rate for an A class hunter that?s served as many combat roles as you have? though on personal assessment notes and disciplinary action reports the term does come up a number of times...? She quirked a brow at him. ?It does make me curious.?
Blue eyed gaze ticked upwards towards the woman. ?Curious? I?d have thought there?d be a whole crapton of subjective psych reports in there on every action I?ve been part of outlining me as a high taint risk or some similar rot.?
?Honestly, I got the highly redacted copy of your personal file? always do when dealing with hunters despite my high secret clearance.? A sigh escaped her as she rolled her shoulders. ?So got to miss the cheery theory discussions about how and why your messed up. I do have to say your file was a rather thick folder of black though... some permanent marker maker must be making a killing on you.? And then a wry chuckle broke on her features. ?Probably explains why your still just a 1st Lieutenant rather than a Captain or Major by now??
Mach matched the smirk.?Oh? Fascinating that? not afraid you?re offending me by bringing up my rank??
Hardings shrugged again.?You don?t give a shit about rank Mach, don?t need a stack of black ink to tell me that.? She?d top off their coffees once more. ?Look, sorry about the bleeding heart crack, yeah? It?s just??
?Your dad served in the Permiatic War? KIA in the Rosenthyl Action against the 34th Pyromancer Brigade?? Mach stated frankly between bites of waffles, a slight arch of brow at the dumbfounded look Hardings gave him. ?I?m sorry for you loss... that battle was hell.? A warm smile flashing despite the frankness of his words.
The warrant officer blinked once, twice, before finally she hid herself behind that mug of coffee to let her features normalize once more with a smirk. ?That's pretty good for thirty minutes of research on a phone.?
Mach shrugged. ?Not really, I just did a quick search and the rest I remembered... ? He'd finish off that french toast, a gulp of coffee while he tapped his right shoulder, a subtle indication that were he to ever deign to wear a uniform that that action was probably one of his merit tags.
?You must have a high Ruger score...your certainly insightful, begrudging, meticulous, manipulative, maladaptive, and crazed enough...? Stated bluntly before the woman finally scoffed, shaking her head. ?Yeah, my dad did serve and was killed by mages but that doesn't soar me to them... I wasn't that much of a daddies girl.? A wry smile pulled on her before storm grays ticked to the man. ?Just a healthy level of fear is all, comes with the business of weird we're in, or should." And a roll of shoulders as to dismiss the rest of the affair ready to move on. ?Anyway, Morten's link to this cult is an object that is of great interest to the man's research... you may recognize it...? A lean to tip that folder in Mach's hand down so she could see it before she flipped through a few pages until finally stopping on a page with several pictures of a dagger on it. The dagger was very familiar indeed... specially made with a hollowed out center that lead down through the tang and out the handle with ancient script engraved along the blade and pommel. It was the one Tom Hopel had been wielding that night that Mach and Sarai had captured him.
The hunter read over some of the included report with the pictures, a sip of coffee taken. ?He was here researching this dagger and properties of blood magic in relation to restorative abilities and... ah.?
?We know it's not a solid link but the man was tenure at the academy he taught at. Had grant funds coming out his ears and a cush life. The sudden shift in gears and the timing just seems far too convenient but yeah, this still is a bit of a shot in the dark. Some more evidence will be needed to pursue a proper conviction so no just kicking the door in and shoot, shoot, shooting until you get the bad guy. Another reason this was chosen as your first work together with the normie, there?s still police work to do. No need to alienate them and make them feel worthless to boot.?
Mach sighed, a sip of coffee as he took up a knife to butter and jam his toast. ?Aren?t we kind? help us prove this fellows a terrible, murderous cultist and then try not to die a gory, gory death when we apprehend them.? He shook his head, a bite taken of that toast before setting it aside to finish the other slices with different jams from the assorted jumble of packs that were brought out with the meal.
Hardings shrugged, a fork full of sausage pointed at the man. ?Well this isn?t really about being kind, it?s all about oversight and top board stuff. Watch gets some eyes on you to make sure you?re not just a thug with a card and perhaps to get a different perspective on normies taking on mages and madscis and such and we get eyes on you to make sure you?re not simply a thug we?ve given a card to as well as to watch your loyalty and purity and such. ?
?Yeah, yeah, Mach the Terrible?? Roll of blues as the man stacked his toasts together and began eating them as a strange multi-jam, buttery sandwich. ?Just because of a few associations.?
The woman scoffed. ?Mach... the list of your known associations here in such a short time and what little we know of them scare me and I didn?t even participate in the cluster fuck that was the Red Rose Incident. I mean, look at it from their side yeah? your lot are pretty much engineered weapons, real moral gray ground shit and then we pit you against others of borderline insane and corrupted mindset.? She?d chomp those speared sausage, chewing before washing it back with some water. "Like the saying goes: ?you don?t go in to be a crooked copper; a crooked copper is what goes into you?.? yeah? Except rather than taking bribes and snaking seized Sizzle or Ponray you're a lot of apathetic monsters with the destructive potential of a fully armed tank each.?
An uptick of brow before Mach chuckled at the woman?s rather frank words.?Well, don?t you just have a rosy perception of us??? Those storm gray eyes widened some at the realization of how biting her words may have been but the hunter cut off her apology. ?It?s fine, good to keep a realistic view on who you deal with.?
?I didn't mean... that is I think you lot are people too?? Added defensively, her grits stirred mindlessly. ?Just?? A shrug before she scooped a helping of the grits into her mouth effectively silencing herself.
?Just? you really do suck at this public relations thing?? Offered helpfully though he couldn?t hide the laughter that threatened to break free at any moment.
Hardings watched the man a tick, storm grays blinking in disbelief at the man's humor at such blundering words but she couldn't help to catch that infectious mirth.?Ass.? She sniggered along with his laughter.
?Hey, you are who you work with!? A coy wink to the woman before he?d redouble his laughter. The sound rolled from the man, slowly losing steam until he finally worked that out of his system, the last of those waffles finished off as his expression smoothed over. ?Alright, so we gotta link Nunezar to the cult and bust him if he is without dying...so, question of the hour now is who?s the schmuck that the Watch is throwing at me for this dubious honor??
Hardings continued to chortle for a long moment before spearing the last of that omelet. Another folder was pushed towards him as she forked that last bite of omelet into her mouth. ?You may actually like them, they got lady parts which from what I understand is your preference... though not solely.? A coy grin to the man before she continued. ?She's a beat cop that looks to have just made Sergeant recently... a real go-getter and plucky to boot. Name of... Hope Jubal...?
Mach sort of stared at the folder he had picked up from the warrant officer, his expression stunned before finally a moan escaped him.?Really? The girl scout!??
This warranted an uptick of brow from Hardings.?Damn... I heard you worked fast but that's ridiculous...?
A withering glare was shot at the woman before shaking his head. ?Hardly. I've met this one at an inn I frequent. Girl bought me some smokes after mine got crushed due to a random encounter with the business end of a faun.?
A puzzled look crossed the warrant officer's features before she shook her head. ?Okay... was that supposed to make sense??
?No?? Offered less than helpfully with a wry grin. ?Got a pack of consolatory smokes for getting pushed into a fountain by someone and then sent away for the company of a demon. So I went to drown out my sorrows when a fuan got spat out from the hearth? elemental teleportation, big thing around here.? A shrug. ?I got knocked over, celebratory smokes got crushed, I moped in dope manner, and this woman I?ve never met before goes and buys me some replacements! Limping around and everything? real damn girl scout stuff.?
Hardings just blinked, hand moving to pinch at her brow as she shook her head. ?You say all that so casually and you wonder why the brass is concerned about you and who you make friendly with?? A sigh escaped her as she pushed aside her plate, that coffee set front and center. ?When was this??
Mach simply shrugged off that concern. ?Beginning of March I believe...?
Storm gray eyes looked down into her notebook as she turned a few pages.?March? ah, that must have been after her assault at the hands of pixies during routine patrol. Got cut up from what I?ve read but was back at it the next day. She?s a real trooper?.?
?Or dumb as a post.? Noted mildly.
A smirk. ?I think that would make her cry to hear someone like you say that.?
Mach joined the woman in a snicker. ?Yeah, probably?? Stifling the rest of that humor with a draw of coffee the man would return to reading over the thin folder. Blue gaze would only tick up at the silence of his companion, noting the pleasant smile she gave to the waitress that was clearing their table, a couple of slices of rhubarb pie left behind. He offered a winning smile to the waitress while he pushed one of those slices over to the warrant officer who shot him an angry sort of glare.
?I didn?t want that?!? She hissed while eying the pastry.
?Oooh, it?s good. Trust me.? A wink to the woman as he took up his own fork to start into that slice. ?And you only live once yeah? May as well eat some pie when you get the chance??
A derisive snort was issued but Hardings was already taking up her own fork. ?Says the man with the boosted metabolism.?
Mach simply shrugged. ?Your beautiful, don?t worry.? A cheery grin offered as he took another bite of the pie washing it down with a sip of his coffee.
?Pfth? don?t try your wiles on me! I?ve read your record and dealt with your kind Mach.? A grin to the man as she dug into that pie, a surprised yet content sort of smile bubbling upon her features as she took a bite.
Mach simply grinned at the woman's response to the pie, his jaw working to hide how smug and clever he felt at that moment. ?Just making an observation Warrant Officer.? Innocent expression pushed upon his features before he returned to reading the file provided on Hope.
The woman offered another snort though continued working on that pie with aplomb. ?Right... ? There was a roll of eyes and a smirk before she pointed at the file with her fork to focus the man's attention before continuing with the pie. ?Anyway, she?s had a few interesting run-ins with weird so she shouldn?t exactly be so doe eyed to surprises that can crop up here. Appears to be an Earthrealm normie transplant? mundane at that. I doubt she?s actually had to go up against a mage proper but she appears to have guts, stupidity, and luck in equal measures so she shouldn?t be deadweight either. Smart seeming too with pluck but again, mundane base.?
Mach frowned as he heard the rundown, a few pages flipped here and there through the record before he'd start rifling through it in earnest.?Where's her ATPVD assessment??
?Magic and Tech affinity and defense scoring? They don't do that here it seems.? A roll of shoulders as Mach's gaze lifted to her. ?Don't look at me; guess any Tom, Dick, or Janey with the right sense of duty or lack of self-preservation or sense can become Watch. Suppose they figure enough high end users make up for the general weakness of the low end. That and this city isn?t exactly the safest around so obviously they're in over their depth at times it seems. Pick and choose which wounds to treat and which are alright to bleed, that sort of affair.? She wagged a piece of pie on the end of her fork at the hunter. ?Hell, they don't even do Ruger or Timeron-Bosch scoring on potential officers, now that's just reckless.? A thin frown issued from the woman at this before she gobbled that bit of pie.
Of course the frown on the woman was nothing in comparison to the one that marred the man's rugged features. ?So she could have all the potential to blow up in arcane fury as a powder keg, be as resilient to arcane forces as moist tissue paper in a strong wind, and be as susceptible to dominance as a tween is to a cute faced idol...? A sigh escaped him as he took a few angry bites of pie. ?I imagine they have little in the way of formal training in dealing with monsters, mages, and technomagic given how soon she went form transplant to ground pounding...?
?I know they're given a manual...? A cheery smile offered to the hunter who simply groaned. ?Oh come on Mach... if she's really as mundane as she seems she should be pretty null sum in the magic department and we can work around dominance and other things with equipment. Besides, you've got experience leading greenies from your record...platoon leader if I remember.?
A wary cast of blues was sent towards the woman across the way as that fork dropped away from his lips. ?They didn't redact that bit...? Assholes.?
There was a quirk of muddy red brow. ?Is that bad??
?You see me leading a platoon now?? Noted mildly.
The woman blinked at the man's sudden dry manner.?Uh.. no, but your a single A t...?
?Try to imagine why...? Stated with a blunt tone, that piece of pie finally making it up to his mouth. He'd let his gaze tick back down to the file in hand.
There was a long pause on Hardings part as her first instinct was to jump down the man's throat but as she considered his words realization would set in and she'd simply shake her head. ?Sorry.? Almost sheepishly. ?I didn't think...know...?
A sigh escaped him as he waved off the apology with his fork. ?Of course you didn't, it was redacted!? A few more bites take now would find him finishing off his piece of pie as he settled back. ?It's nothing to worry your pretty head over, I... just sucked at the role, yeah? Spent a few months in the clink for a bad call. Bad taste all around. Not so keen to be back in role since so many eyes looking for me to make another bad call.? A roll of shoulders, his expression mild and disinterested.
Storm gray eyes watched the man a long moment just knowing there was more to that but she'd let it drop with a shake of her heard. ?Yeah... I suppose.? Finishing her pie the warrant officer would set aside the fork to snag one last folder that was offered over to Mach. ?Well, hopefully we can get this all to go without a public relations incident yeah? Here's a list of the equipment that's on it's way... if you see anything else you think Hope might need then let me know.?
The man would close Jubal's personnel folder, setting it aside as he took up that offered folder though he'd block the woman from taking up the other folder. ?I'm gonna hold on to this, thanks.?
?Mach, I can't let you take any of these folders with you, they're...?
A wave off of the woman's explanation as he shooed her hand away.?State secrets and such, yeah, I get it. Still taking it... think of it as investment of trust in not seeing all this go tits up yeah??
?Lieutenant...? Spoken frankly.
?Warrant Officer...? A slide of blues up to the woman, a thin yet friendly enough smile upon him said it all: don't make me pull rank.
A moment longer exchanging stern gazes before a sigh issued from Hardings. ?Fine, you can keep the file...for the time being. Just... make sure it's in my hands again before all this is over. And if anyone asks you snaked it from me to be creepy over her profile pic.? Her tone was flat yet there was still a touch of humor to it.
Mach smirked.?Hur, hur, hur...? A roll of eyes as he looked over the list of supplies; hand held out to the woman who blinked at him a moment before that grub of fingers would trigger a thought. A pen was snagged from her briefcase and offered to the man who took it with a nod before starting in on making changes and additions to the list. A few minutes would pass as he worked, the waitress bringing the ticket in the interim and taking the plastic card from the warrant officer as payment. All was said and done for payment by the time Mach handed back the supply requisition list.
Storm gray eyes looked at the mess of marks incredulously.?You've changed just about everything... with similar objects... what's wrong with the vanilla special tactical assault kit??
?It sucks...? Noted mildly as he flipped that pen mindlessly amongst his fingers, that half forgotten coffee taken up for a gulp or three. ?But more it's made for a hunter and this girl is most certainly not that.?
?Okay, so I can see some of the upgrades...but what about some of the downgrades? Like this drop down to a TeAr-Golstave vest versus a full fledged hunters coat?? Hardings took a long sip of her coffee finishing it, the mug set aside.
?The Arte Scrapper coat weighs far too much for a rookie. And it has a very effective Kinetic energy gathering spellweave so that's only going to weigh the woman down more. I'd prefer her to be fast and lithe and able to run quickly than able to take repeated hits. Anyway, the hope is that any shots she does take will be non-lethal if not center of mass. And it's not like she could utilize a coats full potential without a caster and some spell manipulation training.? A shrug as Mach finished his coffee, the empty vessel set aside.
?Okay... so how about this scratch out of the Melpost Holdout??
?Don't want her with a handgun that belches a shotgun of hellfire...?
?She may need to defend herself.?
?A Melpost surprise isn't defense, it's complete and utter destruction of a target and anything around it. I thought you were just saying something about mistrust and bad things towards folks having the artillery of tanks in hands and such.?
Hardings snorted. ?That's one thing and this is another. Look Mach, RoE for this is full on, no kids gloves. If he resists at all you have auth to shake, bake, and serve Nunezar on a platter. No time for your little bleeding heart senses particularly with a tag along.?
Mach was quiet a long moment, blue eyes blue casting a level gaze on the woman.?If the time comes I will make the call on the amount of force to use, not someones nerves who are suddenly thrown out of their depth.? Blues ticked down to his hands momentarily, his expression stoic. ?My hands.?
The woman frowned slightly before finally sighing, a shake of head as she smirked.?Your just a softly aren't you??
Mach snorted. ?Soft where its needed, very hard where it counts...? A waggle of brows to the warrant officer would garner a snerk. Sliding out from that bench now he would snag the personnel file before dropping a few bills on the table.
Hardings blinked at the cash.?Hey now, I got this...?
?Tip... easier to keep off the books than cash.? Noted mildly in response to the woman's rising defense. ?Believe me, wait staff appreciate it.?
Storm grays watched the hunter a moment before she shook it off with a chuckle, hands gathering up the rest of the folders into her briefcase. ?Big softy...? Stated teasingly before she slid out of the booth as well, Mach's hand held out to help her happily ignored. ?Alright, I'll see what I can do about the requested items. As for a face to face with Hope I'll leave that to you but she is in the middle of some departmental change around so it may be a few days yet. Was going to forward you contact info but since your stealing her file I don't think you'll need it.? An adjustment of her uniform and the woman started for the door with Mach taking up beside her.
?Alright. So does she know what's going on?? Using his longer leg length he would pull ahead of Hardings just before they reached the door. Pushing it open he'd make a flourish of the act which only garnered Mach a smirk and shake of head from the woman.
And once outside she would sock the man's arm playfully before a shrug at his question. ?There's been talk back and forth between our offices over the past few weeks but I've not heard one way or another. I'm going to be having a business lunch with her direct sup Lt. Mallen this afternoon to go over the details I just went over with you and to give him what files we can.?
Mach sniggered. ?My file huh, this should be worth a giggle.?
Hardings joined in on that wry humor. ?I wouldn't be surprised if your name doesn't already generate frown and headaches response by some of watch.? Turning now the woman would thrust a hand out towards the hunter. ?Anyway, can't say that I'm looking forward to it but lets make the best of it, not screw it up, and have a good operation yeah??
A wry smile crossed Mach, his rather rough hand took the woman's in a firm handshake.?To distrust, political BS, and not fucking things up!? A wink before he broke into laughter at his less than inspired outlook of the situation.
Hardings simply snorted, a smile of her own cross her. ?Ass...? Releasing his hand she would snap into a military salute though that grin still held. ?...sir.?
Mach scoffed at the salute but returned one of his own before the woman's hand dropped as she turned, a leisurely pace taken up carrying her away for the parking lot. Blue eyes blue would watch her a moment before he turned himself, freehand moving to pat around for his pack of cigarettes as he flipped open that personnel file once more to gaze at it. ?Hope Jubal... hmm...? Lips thinned into a frown as he muttered to himself. There were so many questions, so much to go wrong... it all gave the man a headache. ?Guess it ain't all roses and peaches being an engineered apathetic monster that hunts other apathetic monsters... hopes she can keep up...? A chuckle at that muttered thought as he set off on his way.
