(Untitled)

[k_in_black]

The Front Door opens, and here comes a Man in.... Yellow-Green. And Black

Comments

[gone_byebye]

There's something making small whizzy beeping noises from very nearby.

Surprise, surprise, surprise.

[k_in_black]

Without bothering to turn around:

"Got a whole new class of bio-residue here for you, Chief."

It's.... greasy.

[gone_byebye]

"Oh, sweet. Hang on a second, willya?"

There's the sound of rubber gloves being snapped on, and something being unscrewed.

"I'm gonna get a sample off the back here. Which body fluid is it, do you know?"

[k_in_black]

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere, trust me. Not 'til I've finished a couple more of these," he holds up his bourbon.

"Name's unpronounceable by the human larynx. We call 'em 'glow worms' and leave it at that. Sort of like Annelids, only eight feet tall and notoriously grouchy."

"They have the annoying habit of spraying this stuff wherever they go. Oh, and the part about considering the human brain a delicacy. That's a pain in the ass too."

[gone_byebye]

"Gotcha," says Ray. "I don't suppose they're vulnerable to prions or anything? Just curious- okay, I think I've got my sample now." He screws the lid back on, and he's removing the gloves by the time K turns around to look. "Speaking of samples, I have a knife for you."

[k_in_black]

"Well, I'd say diplomacy went right off the table, so I'm happy to throw any weapon you want at them. At least prions would make it last."

"Knife? You finished the crysknives?"

[gone_byebye]

"Yep," says Ray. "I had a friend of mine test one, and it held up pretty well in combat, but then he fell off a mountain and tried to use it to slow his fall. It did nasty things to the edge, to say the least. I can hone it down to usability again, but the other two're probably structurally stronger since they've never been abused that way. You want one of them now?"

[k_in_black]

"Need to tell your friend the point is to stay on the mountain."

K wipes some glow off his pants. Naturally, the Suit sheds the stuff effortlessly.

"But, hell yes, I'd love to have one now. Could've used it a few hours ago. Give it a trial run on that glow worm warlord."

[gone_byebye]

"I'm pretty sure he's figured that out by now," Ray says. "Hang on. I'll be right back."

It doesn't take long to head upstairs and get the aforementioned knife.

"I'm keeping the last one for myself. I think that's fair."

[k_in_black]

"Oh, I should say so. You earned it."

K takes a moment to look it over carefully, and then finally lets out a whistle.

"She's a beauty, Ray. Nothing less."

He holds it up, blade turned toward the lights overhead, and takes another look. There isn't even a trace of reflection along the blade's edge.

"Now would you look at that," he says with quiet admiration.

[gone_byebye]

"Remind me to thank Ari for his recommendation," says Ray. "He's my Diamond District contact. He's the one who hooked me up with the only grinder on my world that was even remotely suited to working with that level of material density."

[k_in_black]

"They did one hell of a job. Don't even want to think how many wheels the grinder must have gone through. But the result speaks for itself."

"Ray. Thank you."

[gone_byebye]

"Several. And they had to be shipped over from Russia, too. But it was worth it."

Ray grins. "You're welcome. May it serve long and well."

[k_in_black]

"Hell, I almost want to go back to Yekub IX now. Almost."

"So what's the story, Chief? What's been happening back home? Any more trouble with everyone's favorite bureaucrat sonuvabitch?"

[gone_byebye]

Ray scratches at his nose, thinking. "Let's see. Palmer House fire, several hauntings in Wisconsin- oh, we got a fax from the RCMP. He apparently came within spitting distance of the Canadian border and lost his nerve when one of their border officers started his way with a sniffer dog. Turned around and bolted back into the states before they could confirm his identity, but the description they gave of the gormless wonder matches."

[k_in_black]

"I keep a Series 4 set aside just for his profile."

"You think he's lost his government connections by this point? Or are they going to fund him for another swing at you?"

"I like to think rebuilding Foliage Census would put a dent even in that black budget."