... and now for the big reward

For some reason, I figured people would be grateful for the stunt we pulled yesterday. For a couple of hours, I walked around feeling mighty accomplished. One threat gone. One problem solved.

I must have been hitting the hookah without remembering, because that was not the case.

What happened first was that one of the recon bots came back. Weren't so much with the recon this time, though, it was heavily armed, and in a mind to use me, Vega, Doc and the Blue Sun woman for target practice. It chased me around the landing pads for a few minutes, and then one swing of those heavy metal arms, and I saw pretty stars even though it was the middle of the day.



"Threat Level>Substantial // Further Information>Required," it said, flashing that damn scanner in my face again.

After a while Vega managed to take it out, but just a few minutes later, a second one appeared, and round and round again we went. I got knocked out again, but finally we caught up with it. Unfortunately it self-destructed like the others, so we have no way of knowing if it managed to transmit its data or not.

Me and Vega were hanging around the landing pad, licking our respective wounds together with Zade, when this not particularly charming gentleman came out of the Mayor's office and stomped over to us.

Nack Barnes: "Hey. You."

Gabe Yazimoto: "Howdy."

Nack Barnes: "Don't howdy me. Where's my property."

Gabe Yazimoto: "What property would that be?"

Nack Barnes: "Don't give me that." He keeps his hand next to his pistols. "Where's my gorram property. You people are playin' with things you do not understand."

Zade Karu: "Maybe it was them bots that been jumpin' around the city lately."

Nack Barnes: "Dangerous things, and yer gonna get a lot of people killed."

Gabe Yazimoto: "Oh, you talkin' about that death machine you had laying around?"

Nack Barnes: "Yes, my property. And I want to know where you put it, so as to save yerself from a possibly lethal case of lead poisonin'."

Gabe Yazimoto scowls. "Right back attcha, mister."

Nack Barnes: "Trust me, you ain't as fast as you think you are." He glances at Zade. "Now, where is my gorram property."

Zade Karu: "What? I didnt take your damn bot!"

Nack Barnes: "I know it. I got security tapes from my bar. I'm not an idiot."

Zade Karu: "I don't need a coat rack."

Nack Barnes: "Unlike certain thieves who think they can just steal away someone's stuff. If I gotta I'll find my sister and we'll track the gorram 'bot to where it was taken."

Gabe Yazimoto frowns. "Look, I was doin' this town a favour, fella."

Nack Barnes: "Stealin' my property is doin' folks a favor?"

Gabe Yazimoto: "Not two nights ago I saw a gorram scout bot in your bar, scannin' the other one."

Nack Barnes: "Scout bot. Huh." He paused. "Ain't none of 'em can fix that gorram prototype bot in my bar. That thing is one of a kind, ain't none of them being produced by whatever Neuman... Von New.. whathefuckever his name is, machine here on Hale's. If there was any like that bot of mine bein made here, ain't any be left around here still breathin'. I kid you not. Gorram thing is deadly. Very very deadly."

Gabe Yazimoto: "Well, you can talk all you like, ain't convincing me it ain't a danger. So we took it, and put it where it can't hurt noone."

Nack Barnes growls.

Gabe Yazimoto: "Gorram thing's a death trap."

Zade Karu: "Well...atleast she shouldn't be spooged on anymore..."

Nack Barnes: "I'll track it down, you know that, right. Just got to find my sister, we'll sniff out where you took it and put it back where it belongs. And you damn well consider this a mercy that I don't shoot your thievin' ass right here." He jabs a finger at Vegaslon, "Same goes for you, mister."

Zade Karu: "But Gabe's butt is too purdy to shoot!"

Gabe Yazimoto snorts. "Thief? I'm a gorram hero, mister."

Nack Barnes: "Gorram hero my muscular buttocks."

Nack Barnes stomps off to find his tracker.


And that was that. He can fancy himself a tracker all he likes, him and his gorram sister, whoever she is, they ain't ever gonna find it. I best talk to the others and make sure they stay clear of Firefly's, just in case the fella gets triggerhappy, him having a security cam and all.

I need a drink.