Mission Report (NPC Thread For Nagami)

I was disappointed that I wasn't going to get any more on the topic, mostly because now all I know is that there's a malicious entity potentially hanging over my life. However, with that, I had gained a new found respect for Gate. As much as he was crafty and cynical I could never imagine having to go down there and fight for my life. He and the rest of the Fleet were doing something that most people couldn't. He seems to respect and care for his subordinates but also had to be tough in the role of leadership. Even though he could be crass and aggressive.

I took my notebook back and flipped through the pages, first checking that everything was in order. After doing so I began sorting through the entries and showed the first one to Kazzie. "Tiny Tin, a robot that seems to be working in the Slums. Abilities include repairing and fabricating new objects that look almost new. It says that there's more of its kind down here but due to the nature of what it does I highly doubt that its backstory is as clean cut as it says. But what it could offer you is insight on the goings on when it's on its route. With any robot comes an accurate memory database that remembers clearly all events it comes across." After Kazzie recorded it down I began to search again, "I don't know his real name but we call him Viper. When I first came to Junction he was a small time gangster but throughout the years it seems he's built a reputation for himself. I won't lie he's a bit of a scumbag. I remember once when he raided my home with some goons, since we didn't have anything of value to him he just smashed the place up. It was the reason I built this" I say gesturing to the gun. "As his crew got bigger he doesn't do that much anymore but he's certainly one of the newer players on the block. For the last entry, it's a bit more of a rumor than anything. There have been reports of people who have gone missing down in the Slums. There are usually a lot of those but word started getting around about remains being found, almost like they've been eaten. Children have started to call it the boogeyman, some heed the warning but others seem to think it's a hoax. Whatever it is, it's crafty. So far no one has seen it in action, all we keep finding are leftovers. It also doesn't hunt in the same place twice, but because of that rumors of its existence has spread through many areas of the Slums."

Kazzie would shake herself off to try and act more professionally once Nagami came over to her to share the stories. She'd quickly note every word that he was saying down at impressive speed, ensuring that no detail was left unwritten and noticeably underlining certain words or sentences as she went that she felt was more important to keep track of. Or at least, she would do so for the first two stories he provided yet she seemed to stop and not write down anything at all for the last of the three stories that Nagami had supplied. "Sorry, sir. But we've heard that one before." Kazzie would address Nagami politely. "Rumors are just that, rumors. They spread fast and aren't always true, we have plenty of people out on the field who bring this kind of information to us."

Gate would let out a short lived chuckle as Kazzie finished. "She's right, sorry bud but that last story wont cut it. Rumors aren't useful to us. Try something else." Leaning back on his chair, Gate would swivel it to be facing the two who were now off at his side. "Though, this so called Viper we've never heard of before. Unless we've already taken care of that and just knew him by a different name, that is quite interesting to hear. How long ago did he attack your home?"

I flip through the pages again, the last one was a stretch but I was hoping to save some of the more detailed entries. Plus I didn't know what would be new or old news to these guys. "I've got this guy for you..." I say, holding up my notebook again. "No one really talks about him because of his small operations but his name's Gorax. Originates from the planet Sigma 7. The best way I can describe him is he's a lizard-like alien with pustules all over his body. The thing about his race though is their peculiar technology. He's able to make guns, but... they're organic. He cultivates some sort of plant, and by manipulating it during its growth he can turn it into some sort of acid shooter. He's been supplying them to some of the major players in the Slums, but of course, they've tried their best to keep it hidden. Not very practical in actual combat but really good at destroying property... or torture. I'm not sure where his exact location is but here are a couple people I've heard from who'd gladly help with the investigation."
Luckily there were other members of his kind, without them I wouldn't have been able to collect the info on his weaponry.

At the question about Viper my face visibly shifted to that of disdain. "I was getting settled into life in the Junction a couple years back. He was a small time gangster at that point. His job was pretty basic, collect on 'debts' and extort. However, he had a certain zeal for his job. The kindest way to put it was that he was never off the job. It was night time, I was just home from a shift at the store and at that point an... acquaintance I was living with was ill. It was a pretty normal night until his crew burst through our door. There was a lot of yelling, banging, breaking. They were armed of course. We were defenseless as they rummaged through whatever was left of our place. He pointed a gun at my friend's head, and threatened me to cough up whatever I had. We didn't have much in terms of savings but the meager amount we did collect was handed over to him. Since then I've begun hearing his name on the streets more and more often, each time his extorting and raiding growing more ambitious. Because of that, he's moved further up the Slums, usually the guys higher up have more to offer than we do. It's a pretty ballsy move, the higher you go the tighter security gets but as time goes on it seems the authorities have segregated the Slums more and more."

Flipping to a new page, Kazzie would continue to jot down extremely quickly all of the information that was being provided to her, even going back and adding points and small notes to certain sections and including more information to the previous entry when Nagami explained the Viper case in more detail. Once she was done, she'd suddenly snap her notebook closed and nod appreciatively toward Nagami and look over to Gate who would smile and wave his hand to show her she was dismissed.

"Well now, that sounds like an exciting way to be introduced to the Slums as your new home. I'm sorry that had to happen to you." Gate would look over his shoulder at an old, rusted clock that hung from the wall behind him. "I'd love to stay and chat, you've proven to be quite an interesting character to exchange information with. But I gotta get to business, leading this place is a full time job after all. I'm sure you understand." With a stretch, Gate would pick himself up from his chair and begin to walk his way over to the front door of the place. "Let me show you out, don't want to be a rude. Maybe we'll see each other again." He'd grin slightly in a joking manner, waiting until Nagami left before closing the door behind him and locking it so that no one could come inside whilst he was away. Then proceeding to head toward the back of his office and down in to the Under.

As I was hushed out the door I stood straight and walked a couple paces out. As I exited the building my shoulders slumped as I leaned against the wall and let out a deep sigh of relief. Wiping the sweat away from my forehead I pressed play on my CD player and began to walk away from The Gate. This certainly was an interesting visit, one that almost cost me something very dear to me. However, I couldn't hate Gate for what he did, the Slums were a tough place and sometimes you had to play dirty to get what you want. Whatever he did with the information I gave him would probably benefit the people in some way.

As much as I wanted to say to myself this was the first and last time I would come here I knew that wasn't possible. I noticed that I was walking at a brisker pace now, a chill running down my spine. I mean... how could I not come back. The Under, some sort of malicious presence that lurks within Junction... I couldn't just return to my normal daily life after hearing that. I had dove into a rabbit hole and I could not claw my way out. I knew I had to come back... to hear whatever I could get to understand the fate of this strange place.