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☄ Closed to Peter Maximoff | Mini Colony

[It's been a long time since Niko's been able to get some decent chances to go driving. They're few and far between anymore, most of them having to use the training simulator. This is the first time in a while he's had a lot of access to usable streets. Not only that, a lax legal structure he can bask in for the first time since his visit home to Liberty City. He's all about it when Peter offers the chance. Sure the kid has his own abilities; speed in a vehicle means absolutely nothing. But Niko thinks there's something exceptional to being behind the wheel. To feel something large and ungainly and complicated obedient with the right turn of a wheel, mash of a pedal, the awareness of traction and weight.]

[This isn't a vehicle like he's immediately used to, but he has an aptitude for driving new things and extra practice in the last two (three?) years of having to adjust to god knows what.]

[That said, he nods to Peter as he enters the Cargo Bay and says-] It might take me a bit. It will be bumpy at first. I'll try to keep your paint job good, though. [He ignores his twinge of dislike for the Cargo Bay.]

[Peter's sitting on the hood of the car when Niko enters and he takes his time getting down. Today's not about his abilities, it's about the car. No reason to worry about speed.

He smiles, shrugs off Niko's warning. It's just a car, as far as Peter's concerned. He has plenty of ways to get around on his own.]

Don't worry about it. I mean, not like I really need it right?

[He holds out the keys, jiggling them.]

I trust you with it anyway. You're the car guy.

[He grinned at that "The car guy." It feels like it's been a long time since he's been that. But it's still nice to hear again, his old expertise still a point of pride.]

Maybe too much trust, but you know what? We'll have some fun anyway.

[That four letter word, "fun". He has less of it than people would think.]

[The keys look normal enough (who knows what to expect anymore) and he grabs them up and heads over to the driver's side.] Let's hope this matches the driver's side lane for these roads.

That's what I like to hear. Relax and just enjoy the ride.

[Peter's around the car and in the passenger's seat in seconds, fiddling with the seat belt and poking around the dash. It's almost strange being back in a car after so long away from Earth, like something he'd forgotten he'd missed.]

If it doesn't we can just see how good you are at dodging.

Sometimes I didn't bother to dodge. [More cryptic than he intends, but given the sort of history that Peter's told him about, he really doubts that the implications of that will be shocking. He's told the young man enough about his sordid mess of a history.]

[The driver's mirror is adjusted and he's pleasantly surprised he can just use a key. And he kicks back before peeling out of the parking area a little too fast (by human standards, likely not by Peter's) driving around and down the nearest exit ramp.]

So where did you get this?

Dude. You just let it crash? [He cackles, slapping his thigh.] Hardcore. It seems like a good way to lose your car though.

[Peter leans back in his seat, folding his hands behind his head as Niko takes off. To him it's a leisurely pace, like taking a walk. Normally it would make his skin crawl to be confined in a car moving at what feels like a snails pace, but he's in a good mood. Right now it's just relaxing.]

It seems like someone out there really, really likes me. I got it in the mail. Or rather, I got the note saying it got it with the mail call. Nice, right? Usually I just end up with food.

☄Closed to Liquid Snake | Mini Colony

[There are so many damn Snakes on this ship, all with their own unique problems. This time one is finding himself with incorporeal spasms, as one does. So far Niko and Liquid have got along okay, so, might as well make sure he doesn't poof his way into a wall or the floor while his body isn't being a body of familiar density.]

[There might have been a moment of pause regarding spending time with Liquid if he knew the history there. Solid has never told him about his relationship with his sibling. He's gathered that they're brothers from sparse bits of conversation, yeah, and he's noticed that they don't spend a lot of time together. But as an adversarial relationship? He's not aware of it. He is a little aware that Liquid has his own issues but, really, who doesn't have their own brand of terrorism related problems?]

[Niko meets Liquid by the food market he specified, ready to observe or possibly assist in whatever nonsense was about to happen here.]

[At first, Liquid doesn't seem to be where he said he was. Except when a floating cloud of smoke seems to be heading towards Niko.

And then it speaks, and an arm sort of materializes out of nowhere. You know, like normal things do.]

Alright, good, there you are. This is getting ridiculous.

[He says this like it's some kind of minor issue, instead of something that is extremely affecting him right now.]

I am having... a hell of a time.

[Arm. Leg. Head. Leg. Then, there he is, fully formed. Luckily, so are his clothes.]

Finally!

[Perhaps the thing that registers to him the strongest is that Liquid's fluctuations out of and into reality is that the people that are standing around do not seem to care. That says something for the uncommon nature of whatever this is- that it's actually not out of the ordinary.]

[Okay, some people are dodging around them, but it's more about the vapor man and his company being in their way than it is some sort of aversion.]

[Niko looks away from the pedestrians that just walked by and back to Liquid.]

Yeah, it looks like it.

I am glad you got good at your pants, too.

[That's a genuine compliment, if one not given often.]

Yeah, me too. This place might be weird, but I doubt they'd appreciate full frontal nudity. I'm going to skip out on trying the coat for a while though.

[Leaving his coat everywhere'd be a chore, and he's got enough to contend with.]

This is the first time I've been all together in hours. Nice not being a leg. Although being a floating leg terrorizing the colonists would be kind of funny.

[In a way. He clenches his glass hand into a fist, unclenches it, flexes his fingers, stretches his arms out. Ah, corporeality.]

Guess this is the point where I see if I can do it again. Ready to do some climbing?

Yeah, I'm ready.

[He looks up a tall building nearby, and then to the sides for any sign of a fire escape.]

Hey ah... there's a set of buildings? They look exactly alike? Somewhere across town. Don't go into them. They hold you captive and make you work for them.

[Ah, there's what he wants. A maintenance ladder. Locked from the bottom, but when did locks ever stop him? It's a pretty simple one, too. Not an over-complicated, futuristic mess. (Likely nothing valuable in there, then, just something meant to be an inconvenient deterrence for trespassers like them).]

[One of Liquid's arms dissipates for a moment, but it's back to normal soon after. He's hoping it stays that way. After looking around for handholds and pretty much anything that could be useful for climbing, he glances over at Niko.]

That's descriptive. Thanks for the heads up, though. Speaking from experience, then? What the hell is up with this place? Seems everyone's got a freaky story to tell.

[His own story wouldn't have been so freaky if it hadn't been for the smoke powers. Then he would've just had a nice little story about his rise to fame.

Oh well.

He looks to see what Niko's looking at, and nods.]

I like the look of that one.

They are the sort of alike that you would notice. [He assures Liquid.] It's pretty creepy.

[Niko stoops and starts picking the lock.] Turns out the mob bosses own them. Rivals. They are kind of fucks. But then again, most mob bosses are.

[The lock discarded over his shoulder, Niko starts climbing up towards the second floor landing. Smaller jump to be sure.]

I'll have to take your word for it. Funny thing, that, them running two of the same places. They fight a lot?

[That should be a given, but he's not sure how underhanded things are or not.]

So what do they make you do there?

[He starts climbing up after him with no hesitation. He should be just fine jumping off this thing, maybe even higher.

He's fallen off of much higher things.]

I guess. Childhood friend turned enemy crime drama. That sort of bullshit. I kind of dealt with it before.

Basic stuff. Heavy lifting. I did not have to knock anyone around if that's what you mean. [But he would have if he had to. And just hoped he didn't run into the person again.]

[At that particular landing, he stalls by the railing and looks over.]

Think you can poof in and out before you hit the ground from here?

Ah, like a bloody soap opera. Got it. So how'd you get out? Sneak out the back?

[He looks down towards the ground, leaning on the railing. It's definitely an easily survivable fall; his body'll stay in one piece, but that doesn't necessarily mean his dignity will.]

I can, doesn't mean I will. But you don't get anything without trying, so... here goes.

[He gets up on the railing, ready to jump off, but the second he jumps, suddenly he's gone and there's a cloud of smoke hovering there instead.]

...Damn. Let's... maybe redo that.

[Cue some time trying to get his body back.]

Nah, I just did what they told me 'cause I've done worse before, told them at the end I had to go see my girlfriend when they tried to offer me more work.

[But then Liquid leaps, and is left a drifting sliver of smoke. And Niko blinks hard at that.]

... Yeah here, let me get out of your way. Back onto the platform. To try and be altogether again. Shit, this is a weird predicament.

At least they let you leave.

[Well, Liquid didn't fall, anyway. He grumbles something as he tries to return to his usual form, a few body parts flickering in and out of existence here and there as he hovers himself back onto the platform. Or, well, slightly above the platform.]

A little weird, yes. [That's an understatement.] I'll get the hang of it.

[It's a good ten minutes by the time he's entirely corporeal again, and he looks more frustrated than he did on camera, for the brief moments he'd actually been humanoid.]

Alright. Second try. I am going to make this work.

[He climbs up again, glaring down at the ground below. Without much fanfare, he jumps. He's still solid on the way down, but before he hits the ground, he turns into smoke again. He doesn't turn back, but it's better than nothing. He floats back up, barely visible.]

This might take a while.

[The saddest part is that Niko grabbed out for him, just in case. But his hand hesitates, hovering in the air as he watches that vague form float upward.]

...Okay!

[He says it in a slightly distressed tone, because that's definitely a strange thing.]

Hey, you think you can keep floating up? I can climb and meet you on one of the upper levels.

[He didn't mean to distress the guy, but he can't really help it. He needs a better way to do this. But that's what all this is for, so. He automatically tries to nod, remembers he doesn't exactly... have a head, and just hovers.]

As long as I don't start getting body parts again.

[Being a disembodied voice is weird on its own. And hell if he knows how he's even getting anywhere. He's just gonna start floating up without thinking too hard about it.

When he speaks again, he's a few floors up.]

How high do you want to go, anyway?

☄ Closed to Solid Snake | Mini-Colony Docks

[Niko has had friends show up to back him enough times to know he's doing the right thing without question. Snake says he needs a man who can drive a boat? Without even knowing what the situation is, Niko Bellic is showing up at the docks ready to drive a boat.]

[Problem is, he's not alone.]

[In a jaunty little poncho to keep it from getting wet, made of the best flame retardent plastic he can find, is a little dog sized red dinosaur animal following him. It's cute, really. Big eyes, smooth skin. It squawks something that almost sounds like words as it excitedly bounds after Niko.]

[He was taking it for a walk. As long as he doesn't drop it in the water, he figures Tali won't mind.]

Hey. [He says the moment he sees Snake. And the little dinosaur thing says something one could almost swear was "char"!]

Edited 2016-10-25 10:51 (UTC)

[ That's the thing about the sort of friendship that Snake and Niko have forged here in the depths of space. If one of them calls, the other comes without question. There hadn't been time to explain by MID, not to mention that Snake would prefer to be as inconspicuous as possible, given that they're doing something illegal.

The thing is, Niko shows up with a companion in tow. As they approach from a distance, Snake thinks for a second that he's brought a toddler along. It's only once Niko gets closer that Snake can see under the poncho. It's a creature of some sort, nothing that Snake recognizes but that isn't a huge surprise when they're on an alien planet.

The creature starts talking at him, or at least attempting to. Snake narrows his eyes. ] Hey. [ He says it to Niko, but he's focusing on his new pet. ] Who's your friend?

[ If the thing doesn't know how to be quiet when necessary, this could be a problem. But Snake knows that Niko wouldn't have brought it if he didn't have good reason. ]

It's ah.... I don't think we picked a name for it. Tali got it in the mail.

[Niko picks it up under its arms and tosses it into the boat, where it lands easily on its back legs (if a little disoriented, and maybe the tiniest bit nervous that it's surrounded by water. It tiptoes up to the edged to look over one side, then the other.]

[Niko hops in himself, heading up to the driver's area to look at the controls. Thank god the future is simplified sometimes.]

It is called a Po-kay-mon? I don't know what type though. Just that it breathes fire. Is good and does what it's told, though, so either it understands or came trained. [He explains as he looks around, and the thing "smiles" happily up at Snake. It's mouth is sort of made that way.]

[ Snake follows both Niko and his new pet onto the boat. He's already spent time inspecting the thing from top to bottom when he'd snuck onto it before, so he doesn't go ducking into the cabin area like he might have otherwise. Mainly he keeps his attention half on the docks to make sure that no one spots them and decides that they're not where they're supposed to be.

As soon as Niko fumbles over that word, though, Snake realizes that he knows what he's talking about. He swivels back to look at him, then stares down at the little creature, which looks much happier than it has any right to given the situation. ]

Pokémon. I know what you're talking about. [ You couldn't be best friends with an otaku and not know these things. ] Like Pikachu, right?

[ He will never stop being baffled by the things that the Moira brings in.

But this is off-topic. Snake shakes his head and joins Niko by the controls. ] Just get us moving and I'll navigate you to the pick-up point.

Pikachu? Never heard of it. I knew a trainer on my shitty last ship. A fucking kid at that. In that line of business.

[There's nothing quite like leaving Snake with the knowledge that a poor pokemon trainer was commandeered into a planetary destruction business.]

[That's neither here nor there as Niko starts up the engine.]

There we go. So what we got to look out for?

[ So did this little Pokémon belong to someone at one point? If so, how had it ended up in Niko and Tali's care? Not that thinking about that sort of thing is really going to lead anywhere. Too many unanswered questions.

Snake finds some handholds once the ship gets moving so that he doesn't get tossed around if the water gets choppy, but keeps his gaze focused forward. ]

No one should know we're doing this, but we should keep a careful eye on any other ships just to be safe. I think it's coming back with the people on board that'll be more dangerous.

[ Both of them are used to danger, though. ]

Sounds like a plan. Just point me in the right direction.

[He pulls away from the dock and starts to drive, and the charmander tucks himself behind the driver's chair. Niko tips his head to talk at Snake, even if he doesn't look fully in his direction.]

Hey, I was talking to a guy. Adrien, he was a friend from the Nehada. There was a model of a ship like the Moira, and since I got a few of those exploration cards, I thought, "Hey, we should go have a good look around after checking out the fake ship."

But I think he's too confident about what it is we might run into in there.

[Because Ploiatos was a hell of a thing to accidentally happen across.]

[ They set off at a good pace, and the salty air running over Snake's face and through his hair feels pretty nice. He might have actually enjoyed this if it weren't for the circumstances, if they were just heading out for the pleasure of it instead of going to pick up a group of people who'd been forced into slavery.

He makes sure to give Niko directions when it's necessary, but doesn't mind the conversation turning to something else which sounds equally important. ]

I've spoken to him once or twice. [ Snake hadn't realize Adrien had also been on the Nehada before coming here, though. Interesting. ]

What'd you find that was interesting on the fake one? [ Exploring is always up Snake's alley, even if it might lead them into danger. He figures you won't find the good stuff unless you risk your neck a little (or a lot) to get there. ]

It is more that they found things that are interesting and I don't want them to do something stupid and let something else out. More than that, I want to know what happened to the first crew.

You're the guy around here I trust most at my back.

[But right now, they'll be liberating some slaves.]

Alright. So what is it I should be looking for?

I also found a couple of the dealers when I was in one of those buildings. Think we should kill them? [He asks incredibly bluntly.] Those types are not good news to have around. Any person willing to view a human as object? [They're a bad fucking scene, that's what.]

[ Snake gets where Niko is coming from. There's still so much about the Moira that they don't know, so it would be stupid to go poking around without being prepared. ]

Sure, I'll be there. Just tell me when you're doing it. [ Probably not until they've left the colony, since everyone seems pretty busy handling things down here. ]

We're gonna hit a canal that winds through part of the colony. They'll be waiting in a store that's off of that canal.

[ The question about whether or not they should carry out some vigilante justice is something that Snake dwells on for a few seconds before he shakes his head. ] We're already meddling enough as it is. [ Maybe those guys would be better off dead, but is that really Snake's call to make? ]

Fair enough. [Niko says idly. He can take or leave the vigilante justice. It feels good sometimes, and other times? Not so much.] Just look out for some real problems. When there is organized crime this big in a place where two groups can vie for almost monopoly? You end up with guys with near military precision and a lot less morals.

[He knows. He used to work for them. He's pretty sure Snake must have had contact with those types too, but considering Niko's spent a good half his life working for people like that.]

[The canal looks like its going to be a piece of cake, though.]

It's hard for us to make any real change when we're here for less than a month.

[ Snake has never been that interested in getting involved in the affairs of others, but sometimes it's so blatant that it's impossible to ignore. Like with the slave trade. There's no way they'll ever know how things turn out in this place once they leave it behind, but they can only save so many people, and when each new planet brings a new set of problems, well...

It's better to focus on one thing at a time.

As they approach the canal's opening, Snake nods toward it. ] Steer us down there. We should be able to fit. [ It might be a tight squeeze, though. ]