Barter Town

[Kings Anointed]

Gabriels mouth fell open in shock at Ira's words and responded with a hint of scorn but more in defiance. "I did the deed Ira, it's my crime and I'm going to pay for it by appeasing these savages lust for fighting. You may be armored to the teeth but you aren't in any fighting shape sir. " His eyes would set completely on Ira only to be drawn a way from him as Francisco pushed the other woman a way like a piece of finished steak. "Francisco!" Gabriel shouted, "Why must you treat them so lowly? Isn't their status low enough? Animals are treated better than these women and It's not right!" He then slammed his fist down on the table in frustration. He literally raised his voice for the first time among them. Tears of anger trickled from his eyes and down his cheeks as he clenched his jaw and glaring down Francisco after the pig of a man's stunt of verbally man handling the singer's owner. The group would look at Gabriel in shock for he'd never displayed anger, but he could barely stand Francisco's horrid behavior any longer. "You may have helped in New Zion and for your help I am unwaveringly thankful, but this this is just wrong. Do you not even care about these women as far as their humanity? Or do you just care for what hey can do for you?!"

By the time Gabriel had finished, he was on his feet shouting at Francisco who's new piece of meat had arrived. Gabe sat down with a heavy sigh and shook his head closing his eyes breathing slowly. He heard the guards words to the singer as he pushed her onto the table top. Gabriel gritted his teeth opening his eyes which were burning with once again quiet righteous rage now directed toward the delivery guard. "And in that day, The day of my coming, the wicked will be stripped away from the land forever. So saith the Lord God Almighty..." He spoke no more and handed the guard his cup. "There make sure it gets back to the kitchen "kind" sir."

As the guard left laughing in blatant mockery of Gabriels words, Gabe breathed easier. Not out of fear but glad he wasn't holding anything more in. The bottled up things came out in a glorious explosion. Gabriel hardly cared about Francisco's response, knowing it wouldn't change the man's mind or anyone around them be affected by his speech. "Again Ira, You're not fighting in my place. Just so we're clear." His voice was simple and pleasant once more not elevated in rage, his eyes fell back on to Jazz again. "So, I'm Gabriel, I don't believe we've been properly introduced." He smiled soft and kind to the woman he was studying moments earlier.

[Toneh]

Ira’s head snapped around at what Jazz had said, and he of course felt a hard rush as Francisco had the performing slave drug kicking and screaming to his table. It was all occurring so fast, the instability, the utter chaos of conflict always found its way to saturate the air. These people were animals. His teeth gritted, and his temper began to flare, when Gabriel made his outburst at Francisco. Francisco, he was a killer, a monster and he and Ira had much in common. But they had different methods.

Gabe made a raw critique of probably the most dangerous man sitting at this table. His walk, his talk, the way Francisco look at everything truly frightened Ira.” So that gloved hand reached up and locked over Gabriel’s shoulder and with a sharp jerk Gabriel, who was well muscled and very strong man, would come crashing back down into a sitting position, and he would find him self nose to nose with a fuming Ira, his brown eyes boring a hole into the depth of Gabriel’s soul “That is a hell of a thing for you to say to me.” He snarled with gritted teeth.

Ira then drew silent. They were right, he could in no real way improve the odds, and might possibly end up getting killed. He would sit in silence, his eye sliding around in his head from person to person as he entertained the though of this. He would then turn back and whisper to Gabriel “If you die in that Dome, I will fucking kill you.” He said slowly, enunciating every word to the fullest. Ira then turned to and locked his sight onto the red head as she was slammed into their table.

Ira’s pistol snapped out, and he clumsily jumped to his feet. “Touch her again and I will paint the walls with your blood….outsider.” He hated these people. He hated the slavers, the raiders, the fucking outsiders who were to weak to defend themselves against these monster, but most of all he hated the whole scene. It made his stomach churn. The guard, his hands still gruffly grabbing the singer glared at Ira, much more stubborn and fearless then the raiders he faced earlier this evening. “Hey boys we got us a brave one!” He shouted loudly. The other Guard’s in the room came to life, and began immediately advancing on the table, six of them, large muscular disgusting looking men.

“Fuck Bravery, f they rush this goddamn table, they will be cleaning up the bits of your skull for the next twelve hours. HANDS. OFF. OF. HER.” Ira said as he advanced, Placing the gun into the guard’s face. Ira looked around as he spoke. The advancing Guards halted their advance, but clearly did not back down.

[poonwrangler]

As Gabriel fussed at him Francisco made a masturbatory motion with his hand, and imitated the flinging of reproductive juices being flung all over the preacher, when Ira in a moment of utter brilliance did what he does best. He skinned his gun on the guard in defense of the innocent.


“HA HA! POETRY IN MOTION! FUCK IRA I LIKE YOU, YOU CAN COME TO MY HOUSE AND FUCK MY SISTER!” Francisco said as he jumped at Ira drawing his pistol. “Whoa whoa whoa WHOA!” He said rushing in between the guard. “Listen man, I’d uh, let the lady go, my brother here is quite serious about using your blood as a new scheme of paint for this fine establishment you have going here.”

The guard sneered, revealing a disheveled set of green teeth, and separated from the slave/singer. “Get fucked.” He said in a raspy monotone voice.

“What?!” Francisco said as his hand came out and lowered Ira’s pistol. Before he had been all smiles, those pearly whites accenting his symmetrical facial features, and providing to be a fantastic interruption to his silken brown skin.

“Suck my dick, bitch.” The guard said as his fists tightened. Francisco turned his head, and looked at Gabriel, Jazz, and Ira. He smiled, and then his brown eyes went to the floor, and his hand flashed up, smashing into the Guard’s throat, his face holding the caricature of a demon in the throws of a fucking orgasm.

The guard’s hands in reflex snapped up and grabbed his throat as he began choking and gaging all at the same time, his face wrinkled up in pain. Like a bolt of lightning Francisco has both of those alien looking pistols drawn and pressed against the guard’s face.

The bar owner piped up “Come on Francisco don’t hurt any body!” Francisco howled back immediately “SHUT THE FUCK UP FAT MAN THIS DON’T CONCERN YOU!”

At this very moment in time, the red head, Ira, Gabe, Jazzmine, the did not exist, it was just Francisco and this Guard. Francisco was in his face, talking softly, cooing to the man in an almost child like voice. “Now…pull your pants down.” The guard’s eyes flashed open in utter shock. “You if I remember correctly told me to “Suck your dick, Bitch.” Correct?”

The Guard nodded yes very, very slowly. “Good, you remember too, pull your pants down..” HE said smiling “Come on I wanna see that mother fucker..” He said as he brought his guns down and at both barrels touching the man’s package.

The guard hesitated, but forced his massive hands to unfasten his pants and drop them to his ankles. Francisco was dancing like and antsy child. “That’s right big boy, show it off!” He said in an excited voice. “Now!” He said loudly and cheerfully. “I want you to apologize to my family.”

The Guard with his junk hanging out for the entire room to see Looked at Ira and Jazzmine with an animalistic rage and muttered “I’m sorry.”

“Good, now to the lady.”

The guard looked to Chloe “I..I am sorry…”

Francisco flipped his guns around so that the butts were facing the man and now held both of them by the barrels. “Now to me.” He said winking.

“I am sor…”

“I forgive you…” He said sounding sincere. But his right arm drew back, and like a whip; came flying forward, those ivory hilts slamming into the guard’s testicles.

The man let out a guttural squeal and curled up like a shrimp writhing on the ground in sheer agony. Francisco Smile brightly. “How is that for the treatment of slaves Gabriel?”

With that question uttered, the entire room broke into a simultaneous applause. Francisco began bowing, and saying thank you.

[Dreamer]

“Touch her again and I will paint the walls with your blood….outsider.”

Echo froze on the table where she was bent over and squeezed her eyes shut.
I don't want blood in my eyes. Don't look. Don't watch. If you don't see it you'll be ok.....no, no, not here. I am not here. Nope I am not in the middle of a gun fight. SHIT...gun fight...bullets and blood and ringing ears...no, no, not here, not gunna think about it nope. Keep your eyes closed. Don't think about it...don't think about the blood. I mean MUD! Shit shit shit........Not here. not happening.........OK FUCK! fine ok it is happening. I am in the middle of a gun fight. There is a chance I will have blood splattered across my back, in my hair, in my eyes. So what can I do to lessen the damage? Ok...I already have my eyes closed. Eyes:Check. Do I move to get under the table? If I move will he shoot me? Maybe, maybe not.....he is "defending me" right so if he shoots me he looks bad.....ok lets move down slowly...

Echo relaxed her muscles one by one, willing the knots of tension coursing through her veins loose. She turned her body into liquid as if in a dance. She let her toes glide ever so slowly to the floor. Then when she was sure she hadn't gotten shot, she shifted her weight untill her bare feet were firmly planted on the cool damp earthen floor. Then came the tricky part so far the movements were small too small for those locked in on the conflict to notice. Slipping to her knees was a MUCH bigger movement...

Do I drop and tuck. Speed might get me safer faster, but the sudden movement might spook the man with the gun...Fuck it. If I am going to get shot...."And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence" she whispered to herself.

She suddenly with clusmy grace that fear gives the scared, dropped to her knees balled into a tight hug around her knees after scurrying under the table to protect her softer organs.

......"Save to brave him when he takes thee hence," She finished when she thought herself to be protected as she could get.

“Now…pull your pants down.”

What the FUCK? He did not just say that!

“You if I remember correctly told me to “Suck your dick, Bitch.” Correct?”

He DID just say THAT! She knew that by opening her eyes she could screw up her safety plan, but she just could not resist looking. She peeked her eyes open.

“Good, you remember too, pull your pants down..” HE said smiling Her eyes flew open wide with shock.

“Come on I wanna see that mother fucker..” She could see the guns go down and both barrels were touching the man’s package.

I should shut my eyes again. If I don't want blood in my eyes the last thing I want is testicle debris AND blood in my eyes Jesus this mother fucker is insane......But she did not close her eyes she was too shocked, too apalled, and too curious to obey her mind.

The guard hesitated, but forced his massive hands to unfasten his pants and drop them to his ankles.

Yup should have closed my eyes!She turned her face away in disgust. Eww...fucking really man? Who the fuck..no what the fuck are you jesus.....

“That’s right big boy, show it off!” He said in an excited voice. “Now!” He said loudly and cheerfully. “I want you to apologize to my family.”

“Good, now to the lady.”

The guard looked to where Chloe had been and then slowly after a confused moment bent down to Chloe “I..I am sorry…”

All she could do was be appalled that her jaw dropped in shock. She was so taken aback that by the time the man took down the guard by the balls she had forgotten to breathe. She was the only person in the bar that was eye level with the embarrassed pained man on the ground. Oh my god.....he must be furrious...but then why does he look scared? Weakness maybe? I wonder if he'll die for this....She gave him the full attention of her soft brown liquid doe eyes and tenderly stated,
"Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye
That thou consumest thyself in single life?
Ah! if thou issueless shalt hap to die.
The world will wail thee, like a makeless wife;
The world will be thy widow and still weep
That thou no form of thee hast left behind?
No love toward others in that bosom sits
That on himself such murderous shame commits."
With that ending statement Echo begins crawling, squeezing her way past the clapping audiences thighs and ankles away from the guard and towards the door.....

[Nose_Meat]

The vulgar display was just about all Jazz could manage without losing her mind. She held onto her ratted black hair and hid her face in her thighs, squinting her eyes tight to block out the debauchery around her. The voices went crazy consuming her whole,feeding off the horrible hatred, pain, and fear around them. She cried. She held her breath, and squeezed herself to keep from exploding, from killing , from hurting herself again.

"Where am I?"
"You know where you are...don't be infantile. You have a job to do and you know it. Do it. "
"What are yo talking about?"
"SHUT UP, CUNT" The words were a slap to the face, searing deep "Don't play dumb. Get out."
"....what.."
"GET OUT! GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!" The hatred made her shake her head violently.
"No! I'm not listening to you!! Go away!! I don't want to do it! You can't make me you ain't real. YOU AIN'T REAL!"
A deep inhuman chuckle ran through her ears and made her eardrums pump with her heartbeat, fast and insane.
"...you have no idea how real we are."
A loud high pitched scream made her flinch and rear back, holding her ears. Then, almost as abruptly as it had started.....silence

She opened her eyes and looked up, everything around her was quiet, no sound, eerie silence that made her think of death. The bar around her moved slowly, the rebel fell to his knees in slow motion, his anguished face drawn up in pain, hanging in time like a surrealist painting. Fernando reminded her of someone...but she couldn't point it out...everything was too fuzzy. She breathed slowly, her hands flat on the table, in almost a drugged state. The pub filed with a hazy dark fog, the silence choking her. Her pulse almost at a standstill. She smiled slightly, at least she thought she smiled, and closed her eyes and was about to let the darkness consume her.
A jarring voice came from nowhere.

"So, I'm Gabriel, I don't believe we've been properly introduced."
She looked up, her wild blue eyes panicked. The light returned to the room, time flowed as normal, and the sound was almost deafening as compared to coming from complete abyssal silence. She drew back, and tensed unaware of where she was. She looked around with wide eyes and remembered the pub and sitting down....but nothing of what had just happened.
"Miss?" The preacher said, leaning forward a bit to calm her. She breathed in, exhausted. The fight had been won by Fernando, the crowd had cheered and dissipated by now. The pub was a bit lighter than usual. Maybe it was her imagination. She felt better...and for some reason safe. Jazz swallowed hard, cleared her throat, and held out her hand for a shake. An ancient custom that her military outfit insisted on using when greeting newcomers. Her eyebrows darted upward in distrust, but her toothy smile was infectious.
"I'm Jazzmine Right. You seem to attract bad luck. You might want to look into that."

[Kings Anointed]

Looking on in disgust and slight humor Gabriel answered Francisco, “It's a swell and grand-standing gesture Francisco..." Gabe smiled begrudgingly, then admit slightly choking up a bit at the deserved brutality rendered to the guard. “How will you treat the women from here on out sir?" He looked to the guard on the ground asking the question. Then looking to Francisco with the same question implied. Looking down at the man, Gabriel would only sigh softly knowing that things didn’t have to be this way. These people if they’d only give Christ a chance and live in accordance to His word would have no need for violence. Then again that would make the world perfect and Gabe knew no matter what, this world never will be until it is refined by God’s fire and made new.

He looked away from Francisco then back to Ira and then to the woman who seemed to be having some strange argument with herself. Gabriel watched her for a little bit and smiled as she picked her head up once more. He was attracted to her brilliant blue eyes. He'd never seen any so full of life as hers. There was a fire to them and he like a moth to the flame was drawn in. For that moment he forgot about the female slave attending his back muscles. "Jazzmine Right? Pleased to Meet you, most people call me Gabe but my full name is Gabriel, Gabriel Judas." He smiled again and extended his hand to hers and shook it kindly with a firm shake. "So may I order you a drink or are you content with what you have?" Asked pointing to the dirty water in disapproval, then to her once more.

Gabriel didn't look at her with lust but kind eyes always. He would have his attention distracted from Jazz once more by Francisco and Chloe. "Lady Chloe, you have there with you a disgusting but well meaning man. A man who gets things done and gives no quarter to his enemies." He said looking down to the groaning guard. "While keeping them alive if only for the sake of their broken pride." With that he found his head turning back once more to Jazz beholding her. He'd never truly gazed upon a woman more beautiful than her. None of these women here could even on a good day measure up. Not even Aaron who sat back in the ruins of New Zion.

[Toneh]

Ira kept his eye locked onto the guard the entire time as he observed Francisco’s spectacle, even doing little as Ira did nothing to allow the strange city dweller the privilege to touch the barrel of his powerful weapon.

With a cold complacency and a calculating mind Ira loomed behind the both of them, not a very big man Ira most certainly cast a rather large shadow in this ramshackle filthy bar. Silently his pistol was slid back into his holster which was strapped to his thigh plates, and Ira turned and moved back to his seat at the table, eventually he lost interest at Francisco’s theatrics, but Gabe knew him. Gabe knew Ira was ever on his guard.

When ended the entire place broke into a simultaneous applause. Hoots and hollers could be heard as well as cat calls to the fallen guard.

He lay on the ground moaning until his friends rushed over and carried him off and into the back doors of the building, keeping him out of sight. Ira who by this point slapped his helmet onto his head turned to see Echo crawling on that dirty disgusting floor. Pathetic, weak. The sight made Ira want to vomit as he watch this beautiful creature on the ground clawing for a new life.

It was at that point on of the bar patrons walked over to her and helped her to her feet. “No leaving today Slave.” The older man said playfully. “You better get back over their and keep em happy…by the time the preacher bites it at battle dome, the other two are dead and the girl is fucked. Show em a good time.” He snorted with a smile.

Ira who had not heard this exchange was already cleaning his rifle on the table. The weapon lay stripped and bare on the table, and Ira sat brushing it. “Well City Dweller.” He said in a monotone and callous voice. “Well done, but you should have shot him, something tells me that humiliation does not go over to well in these parts. Retribution on the other hand does.”

Ira resumed cleaning his rifle. “Gabriel…get your jaw off of the floor.” Ira said in a rather stern and demanding tone as he began looking over the girl in a much more studious gaze. She looked familiar, but he had no idea where to place it.

[Dreamer]

She felt a rough hand grab her by her hair and yank her to her feet.

One of the bar patrons had walked over to her and "helped" her to her feet. “No leaving today Slave.” The older man said playfully. “You better get back over there and keep 'em happy…by the time the preacher bites it at battle dome, the other two are dead and the girl is fucked. Show 'em a good time.” He snorted with a smile. He tossed her violently towards the table much like the guard had earlier.

SHe hit the table with her hands braced but still had too much momentum to stop, and her stomach slammed into that table with an audible sound. She doubled over holding her self, and she tried her damnedest not to cry. She took a moment to lay there on the table to glare angry, unfallen tears at the table. She took even breathes in through the nose out through the mouth calming herself. She was raised better than this. Her tribe had taught her no matter what happened, she was a performer;no matter what circumstances.Plus now that she had been lumped in with this misfit crew, she realized it might also be he last night alive. Barter was that rough of a place indeed, and if they survived, she wanted out with them. She had made up her mind, she was calm, and she looked up at the patrons of the table, her potential heroes, with a strong smile, but her eyes ....the warmth of that smile never reached them. " You wanted something?"

[poonwrangler]

“Merely the chance to admire your beauty my lady.” Francisco said with silken honey soaked words to Echo. He had moved over close to her and had gently helped her off of the table. His smile was warm and lucid, but those eyes stared into her. They were an off color, and there was something most certainly unnatural about them, because when he met her gaze she would feel this man studying into her very soul, and very clearly trying to see what makes her tic.

Gabriel. That little snot was kept undermining him and berating him. He would nip that in the butt very soon. But Ira would not allow that, but Ira was not as fast as he was, hell he could barely stand. But he held the keys to that interesting vehicle they drove all the way here.

Francisco would reach out and grab Echo’s right hand with his own. It was gentile, but cold, very practiced as he leaned for ward and planted a soft gentle kiss back of her hand with his soft lips. “Cinnamon.” He said calmly as he brought her around and helped her into a chair. “We just wanted your company.” He said cheerfully. “Nothing…more.” He said deliberately lying through his teeth. Francisco would pull Ira’s plate of appetizers from under him and offer them to Echo, as well as a cup of water.

Francisco hovered over her like a vulture waiting to descend down onto his prey. “That was a lovely song miss, I was wondering where such a lovely creature of obvious talent learned such a trade, and how did you end up in this hell hole?”

[Nose_Meat]

Jazzmine smiled genuinely
"Gabriel Judas, eh? has a nice ring to it. Seems familiar."
Now that her mind was clear for the moment, she noticed him for the first time. He was a shorter man, but very well polished for a person of the badlands. She leaned forward slightly, and that toothy grin turned from hesitant to warm.
When he offered her something more to drink she nodded, happily. Even though the water was good enough for her(having nearly dehydrated in the desert) she thought the wine was a nice gesture, and didn't want him to feel like she was being snobbish. A small slave boy with a broken leg wrapped in bandages poured her drinks. She felt sorry for him, but utterly helpless against all the odds. She just put him out of mind.
"So where did you learn that fancy slingwork? Pretty deadly. If my outfit had that much accuracy I wouldn't be in this position right now."
She chuckled, and realized maybe she had said too much, looking down into her dirty mug full of red wine.
" I suggest you bring a lot of pebbles if you want to win the cage-match tonight."
When she looked up the grin was replaced with a smirk, her sharpened incisors poking out from under her top lip. She didn't trust the guy...but she decided to trust him more than the other two. Fernando's voice could be heard from the opposite end of the table, she looked over, and found the slave girl in his grasp, his eyes raping her while he spoke seductively. She was surprised he even attempted to talk to her. She scoffed, uninterested and caught a glimpse of Ira. He was staring at her . How long had he been doing that? That one brown eye burned right through her. She looked back with disdain and for a moment she looked a bit harder, her interest somewhat piqued. there was something he was searching for, but what? Her heart stopped...she had seen him before...she remembered who he was...and he knew it. She quickly broke the stare and went back to her wine, as if it were much more interesting that the cyclops beside her. She looked back up at Gabe, her eyes low, and wondered how long it would take his friend to remember who she was and kill her.

[Dreamer]

“Merely the chance to admire your beauty my lady.” Francisco said with silken honey soaked words to Echo. ha! Bullshit...Oh trust meShe thought to herself as her lips parted and slowly her mouth curved up into a smile only a woman could fake You can't bullshit a bullshitter my friend..and bullshit is my profession He had moved over close to her and had gently helped her off of the table. She came off the table like a cat in heat stretching her stomach to draw attention to the curve of her lower back, then rolling in her stomach to suddenly like liquid movement standing to arch her back to present her voluptuous bosom. She settled into herself with comfortable grace. " O' Kind sir, You do just what to say to make a girl blush." Her voice was like cyanide, swwet and dangerous. She batted her eyelashes up at him with not even a hint of a blush on her cheeks. His smile was warm and lucid, but those eyes stared into her. They were an off color, and there was something most certainly unnatural about them, because when he met her gaze she felt this man studying into her very soul, and very clearly was trying to see what made her tic.

Francisco reached out and grab Echo’s right hand with his own. She pretended to be flustered as if not every scumbag she's met hadn't tried that cliche move on her. It was gentile, but cold, very practiced as he leaned forward and planted a soft gentle kiss back of her hand with his soft lips. “Cinnamon.” Oh you are a slimball aren't you, you Casanova you. So practiced in the art of breaking hearts She bit the inside of her cheek to fake a blush. That's right asshole, grim, smirk, think that you have me fooled, fool He said calmly as he brought her around and helped her into a chair. “We just wanted your company.” He said cheerfully. “Nothing…more.” Bullshit Francisco pulled the one eyed scarred man's plate of appetizers from under him and offer them to her, as well as a cup of water. She was appalled! How dare this man attempt to deprive a crippled man from his food! She gave him a pointed look of disgust. She would show him......she pegged this man as territorial of his "prizes" and he seemed to think quite a bit of himself. She wondered how well his pride would stand up to being less favored to that of a crippled man. She was about to find out in 3....2....1 She got up out of her chair and sashayed her way to the scarred man. She took her time swaying her curvy hips and even paused to smile back at Francisco and pointedly shake her ass. Turning back she smiled down at Ira, her eyes becoming softer. She wondered how long since he had been touched with kind fingers....seemed like quite sometime indeed. She slid onto the table top to sit with her legs dangling, facing Ira. She shifted the plate back towards him. With one hand she daintily picked up an appetizer and offered it up to his mouth for a nibble. With the other hand her fingers, while at first hesitant to get herself hit again(but too stubborn to listen) gently brushed his hair through her finger tips, calming, soothing. She gave him a weak smile.

“That was a lovely song miss, I was wondering where such a lovely creature of obvious talent learned such a trade, and how did you end up in this hell hole?”

She didn't answer him for a long drawn-out awkward deliberate pause. She waited until everyone was obviously waiting for her to respond. " Hmmmmm?" She looked around back to Francisco,"I'm sorry, Sugar, Did you say something?"

[Kings Anointed]

Gabe looked to Francisco, "I do truly thank you sir for that and I am glad it didn't escalate further. I want you to know I mean that." He was sincere in his word of thanks this time.

He looked back to Ira hearing his scolding. "You recognize this woman? " Gabe looked to Jazz, and he did indeed pick his jaw up off the ground. He drank some of his wine brought by the handicapped child. Gabriel sighed softly feeling pity for the child but was otherwise incapable of doing more for him other than being kind. The sound of Jazz's voice was mildly alluring to him, he sensed it had a tune to it. "You've never sung have you? I think you'd be great in my church back in New Zion, well once the town has been repaired. " He was ignoring the question of his stone lobbing and sling skills for the moment. Gabriel was pretty taken with her. By now he'd all but forgotten her silent episode from moments earlier.

There was more Gabe wanted to know of her but knowing now would most likely not be the appropriate time. "I welcome you to join our group, regardless of what others may say." Gabe turned his head slightly to Ira. "She is welcome isn't she Ira?" He didn't wait for any conformation and resumed conversation with Jazz. "We've come from New Zion, I met Ira and his partner in Serpent's Canyon south east of New Zion a week ago I believe. Then we were attacked by invaders from the North a day or so later. Saddly we lost a lot of good Godly men and women." Gabriel took a moment of silence pausing before continuing, "Then it was here we came, the survivors stayed back to bury the dead and start rebuilding."

Gabe sighed and finally spoke of his skills with the sling and stones to answer her,"When I was a boy, my father had me herd sheep, wolves would come around and It was my duty to fend them off with my staff. If I saw them coming I used my sling using stones I'd gather in Serpent Valley. Smooth round stones are the best to use in a sling, that way they wont hang up in the sling and miss. Though, that is usually as a deterrent, to kill, sharper rocks are best especially for distance, they fly better. However, a fist sized, ball shaped one will do also." Gabriel emphasized noticing the dead raider's cohorts passed by slowly. Each of them eyeballing Gabriel with evil intent sneering with contorted dirty facial expressions. He didn't let it bother him and he took another sip of wine, he in fact waved at them with a smile wishing them well. Gabe then smiled looking back to Jazz. "Yes, let's hope they'll allow me to use the sling and stones I have. If not I'll be capable of taking down their challengr in melee combat, which I am also quite skilled."

Suddenly, one of the raiders came screaming at Gabriel, obviously drunk and full of belligerent rage. "I'm not waiting for you to bite it in the Battle Dome preacher, I'll kill you dead here and now I can make it in Battle Dome!" He shouted as he charged toward Gabriel. "Excuse me ma'am." he said to Jazz as he got up. Then the raider brandished a large hunting knife when he got within striking range of Gabriel thrusting it at him. Gabriel stepped to the side dodging the knife, then reaching out at the hand holding the knife and grasped the wrist tightly. Gabe twisted the knife from the man's hand disarming him then swiftly plunged his knee into the man's gut and up to his chin sending him backward. "Go now while you can still walk!" Gabe said commanding the raider raising his voice. He listened evidently, because the man crawled away from Gabriel back to the door where his embarrassed group stood waiting. However, he mouthed one last thing, "You're dead meet, Battle Dome or not punk!"

[Toneh]

Ira was diligently cleaning his gun, and was seemingly completely zone out from the world around him at this point. Francisco’s banter with the singer went nearly unnoticed, but he did make a sarcastic grunt and chuckle as Gabriel mentioned “Wolves” wolves have been extinct for over 1,000 years, in fact the only evidence of their existence lays in the hands of ANC genome specialists. But the fact that Gabriel could read showed that he retained enough knowledge from humanity’s past to make such far fetched references. Then of course Ira figured by sheep he men the “Barren Sheep” squat little reptiles, utterly harmless, and about the size of ten year old child. Wolves he was probably referring to the “Briar Wolf” a strange looking mammal, one of the last on this world that had come to very prevalent pack hunting chase predator.

Ira had reassembled his gun, and was shifting it around and examining it down to the last little binding attachment. It was a monstrous weapon grey like his armor, and harboring various contusions scrapes and scratches from all the ware and tare it had seen, the boxy digital scope still functioned, and the weapon as Gabriel had witnessed was quite capable of dispensing some indiscriminate justice. The barrel was pointing in the air when an auburn headed beauty managed to sit her curvaceous figure almost on top of him.

Ira’s eye locked on to hers. He did not peer at her body like a lecher or pervert, a simple deep brown eyes looked into her with a flash of utter brilliance. Where as Gabriel’s eyes were warm and welcoming and Francisco’s were cold and calculating, Ira’s eyes burned with fury. His face was handsome, his hair was a thick unkempt curly mess, but he was freshly shaven, and strangely enough his teeth were indeed white. He looked utterly boyish how ever, he was in his early twenties, but he could easily pass for a teenager

A delicate soft hand reached down followed by a weak smile, however Ira made no move for it. He merely glared at her, and that large rifle soon fell into her lap with the barrel resting into her stomach. It made a soft click. “Safety is off…” He said softly as he leaned forward. The woman would hear a soft whirling noise. “Magnetic coil is spooling up.” He said calmly as his finger rested on the trigger. She would then hear a sharp slicing noise. “Round has been carved and chambered.” His voice was monotone, and utterly emotionless, but his face had contorted to the caricature of a stone gargoyle as it loomed over a busy city intersection.

“If I pull this trigger, the table under your well fed ass will shatter, you will then feel razor blades in your chest, throat and mouth. You will try to cry out, but nothing will happen. It is because this round is fired at speeds nearing that of how fast light travels. Do you know how fast that is? No…you are a simple outsider believing light is magic. It is fast enough for the round to make Gabriel’s and that wench’s ears bleed because of the sudden change in air pressure as the vacuum it creates causes the air to collapse in on it self and making a noise very similar to thunder. Behind you, in the small of your back will be a hole the size of a small ball. Your innards will be liquefied and sucked out behind the round leaving a small thin trail of red that will stretch out in a thin line behind the bar. You will then go limp and fall over, and for the last ten seconds of your life you will stair into my eye as I look down on your and growl as you pass into what ever form of the after life exists.”

“Yes, all of this will happen in under ten seconds if I pull the trigger. I will pull the trigger, if you do not get out of my fucking face with your bullshit. Ya feel me dawg.” Ira in a calm well enunciated voice speaking to the woman as if she were a child, and at the very end he did a very convincing impression of Francisco’s voice.

Ira would then turn and look to find Gabriel fending off a raider. Bout time that boy grew some balls, he would then look over to Jazzmine. “What are you doing here?”

[poonwrangler]

Echo Broke away from him, and Francisco's face formed into a harsh seething grin of utter jealousy. Her little rouse had worked far better then expected as he was a horribly vain man and utterly self important. A gloved finger reached up and tapped the tip of his had as she set about giving Ira a pitiful display of attention. His seething venomous smile contorted into one of utter amusement. Ira was not the type to indulge him self in the flesh and affections of an outsider. They were beneath him, a sub-human disgrace that lacked the ability to save it self from this rolling darkness. Echo for all of her charms, had decided to tame this world's version a cobra. Those pearly white teeth flashed amidst the sour murky air of the bar as his eyes fell onto another form.

He hardly even looked at Gaberial as he managed to show he had a spine against a raider. What was best is that he did it all on his own, something he would have to remember when Battle Dome was above his head, and he had a trainer killer threatening to expose his insides to the world. No those eyes and that smile fell onto Jazz. Unlike Ira, Francisco recognized her immediately. She was NCR through and through.

He settled down behind her, resting his hands on the back of her neck. He would close in bringing his soft supple lips with in an inch from her right ear. He was on guard, and ready for her to try something, so he chose his words carefully.

"You are NCR." He said in a whisper that only she could hear. "Yea...I met some patrols of yours are few years back...nice folks, easy to trade with. You look like an officer.." He said as he moved his hands an caressed her tattered green uniform. His fingers did not dig into her flesh, they hovered above it, touching the ragged fabrics. "Ira...as you have met him is Army of the Northern Cross." He said chucking, that voice whispering.

"I heard about what the NCR did to the 401st convoy division dispatched from the east...Ira is 401st." A malicious smile stormed across his face as he genitally moved her face to watched the scene unfolding between Echo and Ira. "I advise you get a change of clothes before he figures out who you really are.

[Nose_Meat]

Her eyes were into her wine, trying to seem inconspicuous when Fernando's overpowering smell cam over her, his slimy hands on her shoulders. She tensed up and sat straight, his hot breath in her ear made her want to vomit, and her face showed it, though Fernando could only see half of it.

"You are NCR."

The words seared her. Fuck. He knew. He had her by the ass here... could throw her to the wolves. She clenched her teeth, and spoke in a low hush hush under her breath.

"Yeah, what about it?"
"Yea...I met some patrols of yours are few years back...nice folks, easy to trade with. You look like an officer.."
His slimy hands moved down her arms, over her red and yellow patch of a simple eagle in a sunset and lingered there, the NCR seal."Ira...as you have met him is Army of the Northern Cross."
"I know. I recognize him already."
"I heard about what the NCR did to the 401st convoy division dispatched from the east...Ira is 401st."

She turned to look him in the eyes, and she spoke with a strict strong voice, even in a whisper
"What do you want from me? If you expect some sort of extortion you're sadly mis---"
He shushed her and moved her head in Ira's direction,

"I advise you get a change of clothes before he figures out who you really are."

She shivered, and said nothing. He was right. She was outnumbered by them all, and however shifty Fernando seemed, he would side with whomever in his best interest....and that wasn't her. She would be history. Fernando had sat back down, and rested his hand on his fist, staring at Ira and the slave girl, casually looking back at Jazz with upward eyebrows. That man was trouble.....or loved to see blood.. or both. She couldn't tell anything about him. Jazz heard Ira's gun clicking and she shivered, nervous and pale...but she didn't show it through actions. Gabriel had an odd expression on his face. She smiled back at him reassuringly, and ran her hand over her precious badge on her arm, the one that Fernando had caressed and decided whether to rip it off or change completely as Fernando had mentioned when Ira's icy voice pierced through her again. She clenched her teeth and swallowed.

“What are you doing here?”

Fuck. She gave him a look, a pokerface. Did he know? Was he testing her? She couldn't take that chance.
"It's none of your business....but since you're gun is loaded and ready, that kind of changes things. I'm running. My husband is chasing me and he wants me dead."
She looked away for a second to sip at her wine, and then looked back at him.
"You look pretty ragged yourself...why you here? Or are we playing that 'only I ask the questions around here' game?"
She gave him an icy stare. Not as icy as his, but she was beginning to think he was a sociopath anyway, so she couldn't' match him, unfortunately. She downed the rest of her wine and set the mug upside down on the tabletop, grimacing slightly at the grimy dirt in the bottom of her cup. She wiped her mouth with her dingy sleeve and stared the worn soldier down.