Dosarmas
in "Hovercycle Trash" guise

Day One

It's late evening and the rain on Cassidine hasn't let up in a while. Fafhd the Humma Star Lawman on suspension walks in and takes a seat at a booth against the far wall. Jim the Grunner walks in and takes a barstool at the far end of the bar. Dosarmas the Vrusk staggers through the door, taking the closest barstool to the front door. A'roar'a the Kat'sterie quietly enters, pauses while wringing her hair dry, and proceeds to a table close to the restrooms on the southern wall.

Britmoll the bionic barkeep nods to Dosarmas and asks what he'd like, after a brief exchange for hopeful info the Vrusk settles for a cup of stim cofie, sliding a credit tip to the barkeep before staggering away from the bar. Britmoll goes over to the other end and begins to chastise the Grunner, while a beat-up service robot wavers over to Fafhd's booth. A blond human sitting at a table near A'roar'a starts taking interest in her, with his two friends seated next to him.

Dosarmas staggers to a nearby table occupied by a fellow Vrusk and an elderly female human to make small talk, and looks over at Fafhd with a curious recognition. Fafhd also recognizes his old friend, with a friendly wave he motions the Vrusk to join him. A'roar'a begins to wonder what kind of situation she has just wandered into, with an air of tension about her. Grunner Jim starts asking questions that appear to irritate Britmoll, who snatches Jim's credits off the bar and slides half a glass of Yaz soda his way in frustration. Popular rumor has it Britmoll lost his arm to a Grunner...

The service 'bot proceeds to A'roar'a's table to take her order, and Jim persists with questions to the barkeep. Meanwhile the seated Vrusk that Dosarmas has tried striking up small talk with dismisses him immediately, so he nods at the female and staggers away towards Fafhd's booth as the service 'bot spells out the menu to A'roar'a. Dosarmas greets his old friend with a hearty handshake, and nods at the female Kat'sterie and offers a friendly word concerning Blondie's interest in her. The female Kat on the other hand suddenly becomes uneasy about something the blond man has done. Dosarmas' eye catches some powdery substance sliding out of the blond man's pocket as well as from one of his friends at the table, both are carefully hiding it from the Kat's view. Britmoll breaks his attention by aggressively barking something out to the Grunner. Both Fafhd and Dosarmas have slid a hand under the table by now to unsnap their holsters in anticipation of trouble. Jim the Grunner is attempting to sooth Britmoll's attitude with very little success.

The lady Kat has now calmed down a bit, suggesting to the blond man that if he wants to buy her a drink then to join her at the bar, but the blond man insists that his friend venture to the bar to fetch their drinks instead. This gets the cat's fur ruffled once again. Dosarmas is about to get up and intevene but is interupted by Jim who has made his way over to their booth, asking to join the duo.

Then the front door swings open again, this time a mysterously cloaked figure enters and scans the room for a few moments. He makes his way in and stops near the lady cat and gives her a good look up and down, and then straddles a barstool, finally removing his hood to reveal his cat-like features. The blond man realizes the female Kat will not be an easy mark so cuts his losses, nodding for his friend at the bar to return, although the drug holder ends up making his way to the restroom behind them instead.

Dosarmas and Fafhd are still taking in the various surroundings, and the Vrusk announces in a hushed voice to his lawman friend that the "bathroom boy" is holding some sort of drug. He also wonders what the deal was between the lady cat and the strange newcomer. Making small talk with their new acquaintance Jim, Dosarmas gives a vruskan equivilent thumb's up to the lady cat for the way she handled herself.

Meanwhile the cloaked Kat'sterie turns in his stool to scan the crowd once again, eyeing the Grunner before returninghis gaze uponthe female Kat. After a short time the newcomer Kat mutters aloud "strange one", which instantly seems to alarm the female Kat. A'roar'a glances around the room as well, not quite grasping the Vrusk's gesture but apparently more concerned with the cloaked newcomer. In an unsteady fashion she gets up and bolts for the ladies room.

The male Kat gets up as if to follow her and stops close to the door, pauses and takes one more step and stops, gathering his thoughts and surroundings once again. First he inquisitively scans the blond man and his Yazirian friend at the table, then he looks towards the Vrusk seated with the hopper and the Grunner and lets out a low soft snarl. He immediately rushes over to their booth and demands to see their hands.

Dosarmas is about to get up with Fafhd after explaining the situation to newcomer Jim when the cloaked stranger stops at their table. The Vrusk extends a cordial handshake for a greeting and introduces the other two, but is anxiously eyeing the men's room hoping to catch the drug holder before he either uses or flushes the powder. He appears irritated but remains cordial all the same. Jim also extends a warm greeting, but Fafhd is not so easily amiable, taking some offense to the newcomer's behavior. After some harsh words from the hopper the stranger pauses, and changes his tone to something friendlier and offers an apology and shakes Fafhd's hand, introducing himself as Hiss'ron. All the while the Vrusk, Humma, and stranger are constantly glancing at their respective restroom doors.

Fafhd and Dosarmas both excuse themselves to investigate the drug holder, giving the Grunner instructions to watch Blondie and the Yaz and alert them via chronocom if they attempt to follow them into the restroom. Then Hiss'ron tells the group not to worry about the blond man, and offers a sinister grin as he makes his way to Blondie's table.

However, the blond man sees the Vrusk/Humma duo heading towards the fresher and instructs his Yazirian pal to head out the front door. Suddenly the door to the ladies room opens and the female Kat steps out, nervously glancing about and locking on Hiss'ron's approaching the blond man. Hiss'ron stops as the Yazirian gets up and instead rushes to prevent the Yaz from leaving, and the Yaz bares his teeth and warns the Kat to step away.

Meanwhile a newcomer Yazirian has entered the bar and has been curiously examining one of the service robots. His attention is quickly diverted to the nearby tussle between the Kat'sterie and the Yazirian. Dosärmas stops Fafhd and suggests going after the ringleader rather than the small fry, but Fafhd doesn't like the idea of splitting up and suggests that he watch the fleeing Yaz while the Vrusk scans the crowd for more potential problems. Fafhd speaks to Jim via chronocom to prepare for some fun, the meaning of which is lost to the Grunner. The Vrusk then opts for some diplomacy and suggests another option, speaking cordially to the blond man. Dosarmas greets the blond man and apologizes for setting his group at unease, and fabricates a tale of desiring some of the drugs they have as curiousity on his Humma friend's behalf at the opportunity of disproving his race's tolerance/immunity to such toxins (which is partially true).

Meanwhile A'roar'a begins to slowly make her way across the room towards the bar, eyeing the firedoorsand the main entrance trying to guage her best "escape route". She pauses again to contemplate another move. The blond man dismisses Dosarmas' gesture and gets up to leave. The fleeing Yazirian glances at the newcomer Yazirian at the bar and tells Hiss'ron that his friend at the bar should stay out of this.

Hiss'ron snarls back at the fleeing Yaz that he has no friends here, that he won't move out of the way, and demands that the Yaz tell him about the female. Hiss'ron finally sees A'roar'a walking across the room, slightly distracted by it, then turns back to the Yaz and demands once again an explanation about the female before popping his claws out in frustration.

This is interupted by the Yazirtian tinkerer when he asks both of them to be more careful, as those claws could inflict some damage. The fleeing Yazirian steps back as his blond companion arrives behind the other Yazirian, poking a blaster into his back. The blond instructs them to both slowly step outside or he'll drop the Yaz. Many of the patrons have seen this but are ignoring it all.

Dosarmas unholsters his pistol and chastises the blond man, inquiring what kind of small timer he is by not selling his poison but giving it away freely to the lady Kat, ending it with an apology that he speculated the blond man was a professional as he tips the table over for cover. Sadly the gesture didn't stir the lady cat like he'd hoped, but it did garner some other unwanted attention. Fafhd unsheathes his vibroknife in one hand and stunstick in his prehensile tail, calling out to the blond man to give it up or go down, while Jim inquires as to just what kind of fun this is. Hiss'ron now strips his gun out and shoves it into the fleeing Yazirian's face, and bares his teeth with a grim warning of his own instructing the blond man that the other Yaz means nothing to him, that he would have no qualms firing away if the blond man fires.

Jim is still trying to comprehend all this violence, and the newcomer Yazirian nervously tries to walk away from the situation. Fafhd's leg muscles tense for a mighty leap, and A'roar'a freezes in mid-step at this time as well, pondering to assist her fellow Kat despite the uneasy feeling between them.

However, that aforementioned unwanted attention is from the bionic barkeep, who whips out a sonic disruptor and starts barking orders to all, insisting that everyone take their business outside or he'll start dropping them one by one or as a whole. Dosarmas glances at Fafhd while lowering his weapon and makes his way to the restroom, but the barkeep growls at him to leave with the rest so he turns to head out the firedoor instead, contemplating the future altercation that awaits. Meanwhile, Hiss'ron the Kat'sterie and the newcomer Yazirian are contemplating their next moves, but the thugs grin and the two humans both quickly duck out the front door.

Dosarmas pops out the rear fire exit, followed by Fafhd and Jim. Fafhd holds the door open to watch what transpires, calling out to the lady cat. Hiss'ron and the Yazirian walk out the front as well, but not before the Yazirian screams out in agony, as the remaining Yazirian thug apparently injected him with poison as he bumps into him on the way out, follwoing Hiss'ron. The Vrusk and Grunner start looking for a way up onto the rooftop to ambush the thugs before a three on one battle erupts against the cat. Jim checks a few doors and Dosarmas arranges some of the more solid objects inthe trashbin for Fafhd to hop up from, all the while looking for some other objects that can serve as climbing apparatus.

The lady cat hesitates but Fafhd insists that she come, saying they intend to help the other cat, so she scoots out the back door with Fafhd, Jim, and Dosarmas. Fafhd tells the "alley group" that the Yazirian appears to be in some sort of horrific pain. He lets the door close as the Yaz staggers out the front. Brief introductions are exchanged with A'roar'a the lady cat who states that she won't be much use in a firefight as she's a medic. Jim gives up on finding an open door and scuttles up the wall and unveils some ion bonding tape, calling out to the Vrusk if this will do for the short trip up the single story building. Fahd hops up and Dosarmas and A'roar'a climb up the makeshift tape-rope affixed to the metal lip on the rooftop.

Meanwhile Hiss'ron attempts to bluff the three thugs that have now surrounded him out on the sidewalk, but they close in on him with sinister looks in their eyes. But the good news is the rain appears to have finally let up. The bad news is there's no more good news. However, the bluff did have a positive spin, as the alley crew was now on the roof and making their way across for an ambush, and a city police car has just rounded the corner and approaching.

The squad car rolls by the group, slowing down at the suspicious activity. The driver looks at the group, and the blond thug smirks in acknowledgement. The car speeds up and makes right turn at the end of the street. Dosarmas draws his automatic pistol once more, eager to try the new weapon on full auto. But alas the group is too tight and there's a danger to Hiss'ron. The newcomer Yazirian suddenly bolts out the door wailing like a banshee, startling the other four on the ground. Add to that a new distraction comes from above, sounding like a jetcopter but a glance upwards reveals nothing.

Wasting no time, Dosarmas pops a doze grenade into the huddle and Fafhd drops a second one. Both hope that the copter sound hasn't drawn attention their way yet, and both hope that the legendary reflexes of the Kat'steries can assist Hiss'ron as the grenades drop.

But the distractions do some good for the group, as Hiss'ron looks up at the sky he sees movement on the rooftop and a small object dropping towards him. The reflexes kick in as he realizes a grenade is dropping upon him, he leaps over and slashes at the Yazirian thug simultaneously, tearing a gash across his chest and shredding one of his flaps. Blondie drops like a rock, out cold from the two grenades, but the third thug has donned a gas mask.

Great, thinks the Vrusk, as the group has separated...the time for gunnery is now! Two more patrons of the bar dart out, a pair of young Yazirians, and run down the street to where the police car turned, entering the corner building where a few hovercycles are parked. But once again his trigger finger will need rest, as an Explorer rounds the same corner that the polica car came from bearing a manned heavy weapon on the roof. Suddenly a jetcopter appears as well, apparently hidden from view all this time using some sort of holographic camouflage device. Its spotlight is on the group and a chin turret gun is also training on them as well. Both vehicles bear CDC logos on them. A voice on the PA speaker blares out telling them to cease all activity.

Dosarmas drops down off the roof now that the copter has fanned the sleep gas away and drags the unconcious thug towards the newcomer Yaz, who is now leaning against the wall with one arm limply dangling. He calls out not to shoot as there are injured beings. Then he calls out to the Grunner for the tape so he can bind the human's arms, and Jim scuttles down the wall to hand him the roll of ion bonding tape. Dosarmas appears to search the human for wounds but palms a grenade off the thug instead.

The thug with the gasmask does not heed the warning though. Cursing, he bolts down the street and the guns from both vehicles erupt and cut him down. The wounded Yazirian thug flops into the street as well, bleeding profusely from his wounds. Fafhd hops down and announces his ties to Star Law and stating that the thugs attempted to drug one of the group prior to their arrival, hoping to calm things down for the better. Hiss'ron retracts his claws and raises his hands up. Dosarmas binds the blond man's wrists with the tape, and calls out to A'roar'a to give the newcomer Yaz some assistance.

Dosarmas acknowledges the CDC group once more, calling out that there appears to be more at stake than a simple drugged seduction. A'roar'a diagnoses the wounded Yixzillian as being poisoned but lacks the med kit to do anything about it. The stimdose gives the Yaz some relief though, feeling renewed but knowing that he'll need some medical attention soon.

Meanwhile two more CDC troopers pop out of the explorer and scoop up the unconcious blond thug, dragging him back into the all terrain vehicle. Then they check out Yixzillian and slip him into a freezefield for transport back to medical facilities. A black hovervan pulls up and the side door opens, a driver in CDC uniform calls out to the rest of the party to climb in for debriefing.

One by one the adventurers start climbing in, while the two troopers sack up the gunned down thug offering Hiss'ron his gear. Hiss'ron mutters something in his native tongue to the female Kat'sterie, accepts the thugs goods and climbs into the van behind Dosarmas and Jim, the latter of which recieves a brief formal run down of corporate ops from the former.

The troopers then guide the wounded Yazirian thug into the explorer as Fafhd climbs into the van followed by A'roar'a. Once the doors close the windows ionize so the occupants can't see out, after a dizzying travel route they finally come to a stop and are ordered out. They are ushered into the building and remove all their gear and equipment to be locked in private bins, overseen by various CDC employees. They are then led to another facilitie for a complete bio/tech scan and given top grooming attention, finished off with fresh clean CDC outfits and a full meal, at which point the group realizes Fafhd is not amongst them. After the meal they are led to a debriefing room.

The CDC debriefer flicks a screen to life depicting the blond thug meeting with a cybernetic human, the latter immediately recognized by several as a Star Devil operative. The debriefer explains that the blond man is a slaver associated with the Star Devil, and the screen continues to depict other scenes such as a crippled star liner orbiting a desert planet and a Sathar concentration camp utilizing slave labor. The debriefer explains that the slavers are probably attempting to recruit a local hovercycle gang, the "Triad's Sathar", as muscle for the operation.

The CDC plan is to introduce a "Blondie duplicate" agent of theirs into the operation, a human that has been surgically and cybernetically altered and for all respects is a perfect double of the thug, complete with implanted memories. The CDC Blondie intends to introduce the group to the slavery ring as possible henchmen. He then offers the group a 10K credit reward for each member that can topple this ring, along with offering up their complete choice of gear to carry out the operation along with some temporary hypno-training for additional skills that can be used during the sting. CDC adamantly states that they cannot get formally involved and all records and equipment will not be traceable to them int he event that things go awry. Each person is also awarded a 1000Cr account to draw from as an incentive. The group starts a calm buzz amongst themselves and begins turning in their want lists. They are then given room and board for the night, to be reunited with Fafhd in the morning.

(End of Day One...hit the link to read about the rest or jump in and give us a hand with the evil-doers!)