Carnifex gave a wry smile. "There is a hierarchy in clients for the League. It goes: Kusari government agencies, then Kusari corporations, the other house governments, then their corporations. Those of us with higher ranks and more discretion handle the clients that don't fit into those categories.
Any job from a particular group can't be accepted if it is not targeted at the same or lower 'level', so to speak."
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
#18 by Mens Rea
Kakera thinks carefully about this.
"We must be wary of what direction we take the League. We are not, after all, the emperor's lapdogs, nor his personal security. This is a mutual agreement to non-aggression, with the implied incentive that we will be offered work more or less exclusively."
She pauses to review her own claim. Was it really plausible to remain as distant from the Empire as she wanted, as unattached and unencumbered by political fetters as she had always been? No, this question was fundamentally flawed. She could not remove herself entirely from the political sphere anymore. The question had become one of distance, not of exclusivity.
This brought up another consideration...
"While it seems fairly obvious the Empire would frown upon our reducing their pilots to flaming shrapnel, what is the policy on taking missions from their enemies where the target is not of the Imperial persuasion?"
"We must be wary of what direction we take the League. We are not, after all, the emperor's lapdogs, nor his personal security. This is a mutual agreement to non-aggression, with the implied incentive that we will be offered work more or less exclusively."
She pauses to review her own claim. Was it really plausible to remain as distant from the Empire as she wanted, as unattached and unencumbered by political fetters as she had always been? No, this question was fundamentally flawed. She could not remove herself entirely from the political sphere anymore. The question had become one of distance, not of exclusivity.
This brought up another consideration...
"While it seems fairly obvious the Empire would frown upon our reducing their pilots to flaming shrapnel, what is the policy on taking missions from their enemies where the target is not of the Imperial persuasion?"
#17 by Carnifex
"The Empire has been quite receptive. It makes sense to them to have a bounty organisation tied only to Kusari in the current climate.” Carnifex thought back to the ‘talks’ themselves.
When he received a response to his contact attempts he’d been organising some side arms in a secure cargo bay.
“Who am I speaking to?” he began, dispensing with the pleasantries.
“You don’t have to know,” said the voice gruffly, “All you need to know is that I speak on behalf of the Emperor.”
“You’re aware of the disquiet among Kusari bounty hunters I trust,” continued Carnifex, “Some of us would like to know how you would react if Deshima changed hands to a group, shall we say more inclined toward recognising you as a house,” he made sure to imply with his voice everything he wanted this Kusari representative to infer.
“The Emperor would be quite grateful to anyone who could solve the security issue that is Deshima. The Bounty Hunters Guild has been quite a thorn in the side of the Outcasts,” he replied also making an effort to convey more than he was saying. Officially the true stance will take time to work out.”
“I hope that time will be a small obstacle to a future partnership.”
“As does the Emperor.”
“That is reassuring, thank you for your time,” and then, somewhat tentatively but still with a sly smile, “Please do me a favour and tell Mr Koga that I’m sorry for the time I almost killed him when I attacked him in his fighter.”
When he received a response to his contact attempts he’d been organising some side arms in a secure cargo bay.
“Who am I speaking to?” he began, dispensing with the pleasantries.
“You don’t have to know,” said the voice gruffly, “All you need to know is that I speak on behalf of the Emperor.”
“You’re aware of the disquiet among Kusari bounty hunters I trust,” continued Carnifex, “Some of us would like to know how you would react if Deshima changed hands to a group, shall we say more inclined toward recognising you as a house,” he made sure to imply with his voice everything he wanted this Kusari representative to infer.
“The Emperor would be quite grateful to anyone who could solve the security issue that is Deshima. The Bounty Hunters Guild has been quite a thorn in the side of the Outcasts,” he replied also making an effort to convey more than he was saying. Officially the true stance will take time to work out.”
“I hope that time will be a small obstacle to a future partnership.”
“As does the Emperor.”
“That is reassuring, thank you for your time,” and then, somewhat tentatively but still with a sly smile, “Please do me a favour and tell Mr Koga that I’m sorry for the time I almost killed him when I attacked him in his fighter.”
#16 by Mens Rea
"You have renounced your sins and are ready to live a life of good," Kakera observes lightheartedly.
She turns to face Carnifex
"Well we're here now. Let's make the best of it, eh? I've finished recovering information off the Guild data crystals that were damaged in the attack. We're missing a few vital pieces but almost everything has been salvaged. I've also activated our Neural Net account and it looks like we've got some requests coming in."
Kakera pauses to study his reaction
"All in all, we're doing pretty well all things considered. How about you? What's the news on our stance with the new Kusari government?"
She turns to face Carnifex
"Well we're here now. Let's make the best of it, eh? I've finished recovering information off the Guild data crystals that were damaged in the attack. We're missing a few vital pieces but almost everything has been salvaged. I've also activated our Neural Net account and it looks like we've got some requests coming in."
Kakera pauses to study his reaction
"All in all, we're doing pretty well all things considered. How about you? What's the news on our stance with the new Kusari government?"
#15 by Carnifex
“Oh, I’m no one,” joked Carnifex. Kakera gave him her practiced cold stare with a hint of something that seemed to say ‘how immature’. How very Kusarian he thought with a smile.
The smile faded a little as Carnifex began. “Roy, born in the independent worlds on Ames, educated by his father in basic survival techniques and then in Liberty in computer systems and lane and gate tech. After a couple of years in Liberty he fell in with the Lane Hackers.”
Carnifex quoted his file briskly before slowing down and choosing his words more carefully. “I... betrayed, a few,” he paused and smiled with a hint of irony, “Business associates. I turned myself in to some hunters to avoid being killed by the other Lane Hackers. Dodged jail by giving them as much information as they wanted, it didn’t help them much because the Hackers are well prepared for security leeks. That’s probably why no one else has ever left the Hackers.”
Casting his gaze out the window he continued with an air of statement of cold fact, “Bounty Hunter was one of the few occupations left to me after that. My cardimine addiction made a respectable job, shall we say... difficult.”
He made sure to give the impression he was winding down before dropping in the last sentence almost as an aside, “And there were the various stints in different house militaries and the like, nothing that interesting,” he finished dismissively, turning back to Kakera.
The smile faded a little as Carnifex began. “Roy, born in the independent worlds on Ames, educated by his father in basic survival techniques and then in Liberty in computer systems and lane and gate tech. After a couple of years in Liberty he fell in with the Lane Hackers.”
Carnifex quoted his file briskly before slowing down and choosing his words more carefully. “I... betrayed, a few,” he paused and smiled with a hint of irony, “Business associates. I turned myself in to some hunters to avoid being killed by the other Lane Hackers. Dodged jail by giving them as much information as they wanted, it didn’t help them much because the Hackers are well prepared for security leeks. That’s probably why no one else has ever left the Hackers.”
Casting his gaze out the window he continued with an air of statement of cold fact, “Bounty Hunter was one of the few occupations left to me after that. My cardimine addiction made a respectable job, shall we say... difficult.”
He made sure to give the impression he was winding down before dropping in the last sentence almost as an aside, “And there were the various stints in different house militaries and the like, nothing that interesting,” he finished dismissively, turning back to Kakera.
#14 by Mens Rea
Sometime later
"If i didn't know better Roy, I would have called you crazy. But here we are. Deshima is ours and our little upstart is going quite well. I have to say, I'm impressed."
Kakera takes a seat next to the window of the bar.
"Of course we cannot let out guard down. I'm sure someone, somewhere, will have their objections."
She pulls out a cigarette and lights it from a an ornate Kusarian lighter, the kind you get for having served the Kusari Naval Forces for a longer time and done more crazy shit than any pilot in their right mind would. Those days were behind her now, but the lighter was rather cool.
"But at least you can sleep a little better at night, knowing the new Kusari empire won't plunge its figurative dagger between your shoulderblades."
Carefully setting the cigarette down in the ashtray, Kakera turns to Carnifex.
"Now you've heard my story...more of it than any man alive save perhaps..."
She looks like she's about to say something but thinks better of it.
"...no. Anyway, I think it's only fair I learn some more about who you really are."
"If i didn't know better Roy, I would have called you crazy. But here we are. Deshima is ours and our little upstart is going quite well. I have to say, I'm impressed."
Kakera takes a seat next to the window of the bar.
"Of course we cannot let out guard down. I'm sure someone, somewhere, will have their objections."
She pulls out a cigarette and lights it from a an ornate Kusarian lighter, the kind you get for having served the Kusari Naval Forces for a longer time and done more crazy shit than any pilot in their right mind would. Those days were behind her now, but the lighter was rather cool.
"But at least you can sleep a little better at night, knowing the new Kusari empire won't plunge its figurative dagger between your shoulderblades."
Carefully setting the cigarette down in the ashtray, Kakera turns to Carnifex.
"Now you've heard my story...more of it than any man alive save perhaps..."
She looks like she's about to say something but thinks better of it.
"...no. Anyway, I think it's only fair I learn some more about who you really are."
#13 by Carnifex
Many hunters, it seemed, were already feeling the pressure on bounties in Kusari. Some still believed it a simple quiet period in business and didn’t give it more thought. When Carnifex ‘explained’ the situation to them they began to think differently. As the numbers grew, the rumours spread; rumours of breaking away from the rest of the Hunters Guild, of conspiracies to make Deshima into a platform for SDN attacks into Kusari and subsequently the hottest contested station in the houses. The atmosphere on the station was slowly developing an edge to it that Carnifex felt he could use to his advantage. If a new organisation was to come about it would need its own identity and polarisation of the hunters in Kusari would do that. An organisation wouldn’t just need an identity; it needed policies and connections, money and man power.
Policy was easiest, necessity determined who would be targets and who wouldn’t be. If Blood Dragons or Outcasts were hunted by a Deshima Hunter then the Empire would have the last word. There was no such necessity with other houses, Deshima being inside Empire territory made it untouchable unless the SDN went to war with the entire house.
Connections. Well connections could be made. Being able to kill someone’s enemy could make as many friends as enemies.
Lastly, in the bounty business, the money and the manpower where the same thing. All of these pieces were falling into place.
The last piece was Deshima itself. The mammoth station, capital class docking capable and four bio-domes to top it off, was the cornerstone of Carnifex’s little rebellion. The means to secure it were now the focus of those at the core of his plans.
Policy was easiest, necessity determined who would be targets and who wouldn’t be. If Blood Dragons or Outcasts were hunted by a Deshima Hunter then the Empire would have the last word. There was no such necessity with other houses, Deshima being inside Empire territory made it untouchable unless the SDN went to war with the entire house.
Connections. Well connections could be made. Being able to kill someone’s enemy could make as many friends as enemies.
Lastly, in the bounty business, the money and the manpower where the same thing. All of these pieces were falling into place.
The last piece was Deshima itself. The mammoth station, capital class docking capable and four bio-domes to top it off, was the cornerstone of Carnifex’s little rebellion. The means to secure it were now the focus of those at the core of his plans.
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