exsiliumlogs | Operation: Roll Out

Entry tags:

Operation: Roll Out

Date & Time: January 31st - February 4th, Present Day Exsilium Time
Location: Neo Las Vegas, in what formerly was called Turkey.
Characters: All Transports!
Summary: Transports have been sent to Neo Las Vegas to gather information on the origin point of the United Earth and the UE AI. Conference sabotage and the rest is expected and invited!
Warnings: Gambling and alcoholic beverages quite likely! Please PM the mod account for anything else.

By day, the landscape isn't desert, precisely, so much as it is dry. Winter's settled in and found in the biting chill of the wind when it finds you standing on the street. Hovercars and taxis thrum down the cobblestone streets, cavorting and honking like a noisy crowd of inelegant, overweight geese. Men walk by on stilts half in make-up, on their way back to their stage for the next night. Walks of shame are taken proudly in this district, one of the few approved and sanctioned vacation zones in the United Earth.

Evidence of law enforcement can be found all around, but they seem altogether too pleased to be there too. Talk with any one of them about crime rates, and they're liable to laugh at the idea. Those who come to gamble know the house is rigged to win. It's not about making or breaking the bank -- people whose funds dip too low are politely escorted back to their rooms and given a set of normal playing cards -- but it is about enjoyment.

Of the flesh too, and it'd be difficult to find anyone working in Neo Las Vegas who suffers from modesty, or anyone visiting who seems unwilling to politely ask visitors and staff if they'd like to keep them company for the night. In fact, Transports may find themselves needing to turn down multiple such requests! The refusal is always taken well. These are people looking to have a good time, and that's all.

No chance taken, nothing gained, right?

At night, the city really comes alive, the lights in all the hotels and casinos turning the Neo Las Vegas Strip into a carnival of sensation. Drinks and recreational drugs are freely passed around, men and women engage in a variety of sexual and other hedonistic excesses without regret, and the beautiful interiors and ostentatious or playful exteriors of the buildings hide and reveal a rich tapestry of events, delectables, and desires waiting to be fulfilled.

Neo Las Vegas is a fun place, and it is a safe place, and it is Where the Conferences For Our Future Are Made. Playtime is on, gang.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Vanadi is pretty sure he knows exactly what's going on over there, with the rather impressive amount being won. He's also pretty sure he doesn't want to unwind his arm from either of the lovely young hips to both sides of him, even as they (twins, he's really gotten lucky today) drag him over excitedly to see the day's "big winner".

So Vanadi stands across the table from Marduk, decked out in hologram humanity and looking far more sulky than anyone with a busty young woman and her lithe twin brother on either side of them should. He'd fully intended to avoid Marduk this entire time, yet here he is anyway.

Dammit. ]

[ ah. he doesn't look up, even though he knows vanadi's standing there, recently acquired dates and all; he does have the sense to shift around a bit, suddenly a thousand times more uncomfortable than he has been the whole night prior. not that he's any stranger to being doghoused, but... familiarity doesn't make it fun.

it isn't until the dealer is sweeping off the chips that marduk finally glances at vanadi, pretending to notice him for the first time. (and of course, he'd won.) ]

Oh, hey. [ totally casual. no problems here. ] You just get here?

[ It's not easy to hear conversation over the noise of the eternal party that this casino is, but not impossible. So you know him? and can we meet him? can be heard in snatches, as is the response, oh, he's no one in particular. But, finally, he does take his attention off his escorts to glance over at Marduk, with a perfect mask of indifference. ]

Mm, we aren't truly here, so much as passing through.

[ no one in particular, huh? his hand twitches, but he looks away, decidedly taking his time in responding again. there are bets to be made, after all. no reason he'd want to stop now. ]

Well, why not stay a while? [ marduk gestures at the table. it's not as crowded as it could be, you know? ] Plenty of room for everybody. [ and he nods at vanadi's arm accessories, there. ]

[ Vanadi has every intention of refusing the offer, if the look on his face is anything to go by, but his two new friends squeal with the offer and usher him forward to take a seat, all three of them. Vanadi shoots Marduk a dirty look for it, then promptly turns to begin kissing the twin to his right. Kissing is far more interesting than the gambling, or anyone else at this table, see? Far more interesting. ]

[ small victories. vanadi's displeasure only earns him a smile in return, though it quickly fades in the face of his continued spite. marduk turns his attention back to the table, as if there wasn't somebody here being incredibly fucking rude or anything like that.

it is probably a coincidence, then, that the leg of one of stools here just snaps clean off while they're all sitting here. not vanadi's, but that of one of his newfound compatriots-- the one that isn't currently preoccupied with his mouth.

marduk half rises from his seat at that, all gambling currently forgotten in the wake of feigned surprise and concern, with only the smallest glance spared for vanadi. ] Shit, are you okay?

[ Both Vanadi and his chosen twin jolt in surprise when the other one goes down with a yelp, and the former is off her stool quickly to go and help up her brother. For his part, Vanadi's glare at Marduk just intensifies. ]

Oh, now don't be too concerned, you've a game to... [ Cheat at. It almost gets said. ] ...Win. [ He slides off his own stool to lend a hand as well, carefully ignoring Marduk. ]

Please. [ that pause isn't lost on him, though he manages not to scowl at it. don't you dare, man.

marduk continues to watch the three of them, skipping the round of bets for the first time since sitting down. some things are more important than making loads of worthless money. like... ]

Sort of my fault, isn't it? Asking you to sit down and all. [ and he does feel oh so bad. can you believe chairs just break like that? ] How about a round of drinks on me. To make up for it. [ he adds on, staring at vanadi all the while. ]

[ That gets another darted glare, a quick narrowing of his eyes. Yes, it is Marduk's fault, everything is. And he's not done being angry at it all. He all but pulls the young man to his feet, though his attention is still on Marduk as he does. ]

There's no need to waste your money! As I said, we were on our way elsewhere—to greener pastures, as it were.

[ But even as he tries to step away, the twins simultaneously ditch him and head for Marduk, all smiles, all shades of we'll take that round. Vanadi glowers, arrested. ]

It's not a waste-- just sharing some good fortune.

[ not even a glance spared for the table, as he motions a waitress over. while he leaves her to take the twins' orders, marduk slides over towards vanadi, leaning in close to those ears that he knows are much longer than they look. he keeps his voice low, though the general noise level of the casino works well enough as a buffer on its own. ] Besides, that was fucking uncalled for. [ asshole. ]

[ There's a small tip of his head, the same he usually makes when one of those currently-invisisble long ears has flicked back and away. With the twins occupied, and probably done with him for the time being, Vanadi sees no reason to play civil anymore. ]

What, precisely, was uncalled for? [ He pitches his voice at a low hiss, to keep it between them. ] Enjoying the company of someone who won't run off to get themselves killed on me? Hmm? Because I was rather pleased about it.

[ wow. it's hard to keep the growl out of his voice in response to that one, and by this point marduk has given up all pretenses towards this being a pleasant conversation between friendly acquaintances. ]

You don't have to put it like that. [ he is still adamant about the fact that he wasn't actively wanting to end up dead, okay-- part of him is disappointed that vanadi just doesn't seem to Get It. ] And you're the one who ran off.

[ He grits his teeth, fists clenched and looking tense. But — it's not worth it. Not here. Not when he has yet to fully articulate the specific reason for the anger. So instead he throws his hands up, who cares? whatever, and turns to stalk away. The twins can stay. It's a large city, there are plenty more beautiful people to pull up his mood, after the most important one has dragged it through the mud. ]

[ why is this familiar?

seriously, why is it-- marduk reaches out to snag vanadi by the arm before he goes, frowning all the while. ] Come on [ he hisses, pulling vanadi close again. trying to. he is kind of hard to move when he doesn't want to. ] How long are you going to avoid me?

[ He strongly considers yanking his arm out of Marduk's hand and walking on, but he's no longer as angry as he was when Marduk had come home wounded again. So he at least pauses, although doesn't allow himself to be pulled close.

Glaring back at him: ] How long do you intend to keep up meeting with her?

[ wince. the wording is the worst part, really.he has no idea whether or not this is the truth, but: ] There's no more intent. [ maybe.

admittedly, it's a strong temptation, given that he's escaped lasting consequence twice now-- aside from this, anyway. another tug on the arm, as though that reinforces his point somehow. ] Are you really going to storm off again? [ and that just sounds tired, if anything. ]

[ He watches him closely, and doesn't at all like what he sees. This time he does pull his arm away, but doesn't leave just yet. ]

It's tempting. [ His mouth twists wryly. ] You ought not lie to a liar.

I'm not lying--

[ not completely. he leans back when vanadi pulls away, shoving his hands in his pockets and slouching even more. ] If it's so tempting, then just go. [ see if he cares! ]

[ Maybe it's the slouch, maybe it's the defeat, but either way — Vanadi decides he doesn't entirely want to go. He likes Marduk far too much for that, as every little thing forcibly reminds him. So, with a light sigh, he moves in to rest a holographically-improved left hand at his cheek. ]

I will. But meet me tonight at the Stagecoach hotel.

[ Somewhere a little quieter than the middle of the casino. And he'll even strongly consider showing up there himself, depending on just where his anger sits by then. ]

[ whatever. marduk turns back towards the table without acknowledging him, even though he's already planning to go. "tonight" and "at the hotel" are all pretty vague, but he can work with that. probably.

it does take him a while to find the right place, after night falls (signs!) but he manages somehow. marduk hovers outside for a while, before giving up and heading in to the hotel lobby; somehow, he gets the feeling that he's going to be waiting a long time, assuming vanadi even shows up.

... hopefully he shows up. ]

[ Vanadi does, eventually, decide to put in an appearance. There had been a good deal of waffling, and a few times he'd decided that he didn't want to see Marduk at all tonight. But in the end, about forty-five minutes after Marduk arrives (he's hacked into the hotel's security camera network to be sure Marduk is there), Vanadi pushes his way in through the doors. He pauses, eyes Marduk, and makes for him resolutely. ]

[ by that point, marduk has resigned himself to sulking on a couch for the rest of the night. when vanadi comes in, then, it's impossible for him not to perk up a little. not being abandoned is always nice.

they are still at odds, though. he breaks off any and all eye contact immediately, pointedly staring off to the side when vanadi comes up to him. ]

You came. [ not that he thought he wouldn't, or anything. ]

[ After a moment of consideration, Vanadi sets himself down on the couch next to Marduk. Then after a moment more, he sighs and tips his head against Marduk's arm. It's difficult drawing out the cold shoulder act when you're generally so fond of someone.

Quietly: ] I have a room here — we might have some privacy, deactivate the emitters.

[ a pause, while he looks over at vanadi. eventually, he glances away again, shrugging a shoulder not currently occupied by anybody's head. ] If you want.

[ Does he want? He's not sure it was wise to offer that. What if the talk goes poorly, and then Marduk will know where to find Vanadi — he'll have to abandon the room and find somewhere else, that would be a hassle. But despite the trepidation, he sighs and lifts himself to his feet again. There's no verbal answer, just a toss of his head indicating that Marduk follow him, as he starts for the elevators. ]

gimme a b

so mEAN!!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject