World Tree MUSH

     A message has gone out. It would appear that the notorious outlaw mercenary, Wolf O'Donnell, has put out word of yet another open house meeting for potential employees and clients alike. There are coordinates encoded and encrypted that lead to a location somewhere on the planet of Macbeth within the Lylat System. 

     Macbeth is the third planet in the system and is known as the most mineral-rich world orbiting the twin stars. Despite the fact a freak geological event in the past caused the core to collapse and shrink, up to the point that the planet is now considered hollow, it still supports life and is, for the most part, geologically sound. A number of mining companies operate from Macbeth and those workers all very much enjoy their off-time. A number of towns are built up just by the employees that live and work there and, like so many other population samples, a hefty percentage enjoy cheap booze, dim lights, loud music, and lively company. 

     It is exactly that kind of place that the coordinates lead to: a dive bar by any sense of the word. There are ample shipyards about for landing and parking and a number of them provide services, such as repairs and refueling, perfectly independent of any umbrella companies over them. 

     The bar is called the Cheap and Easy, affectionately called the C&E by the locals, and is built inside of what was once a warehouse. There is a ton of space, a ground and top level, a stage, heaps of boxes and industrial goods littering the area, and out back is a huge open space where people are being rowdy. It's late in the day, most people are off work, and there are plenty present.

Trueth be told, this was the first time Ash had anyone on his ship in... ages. He wasn't sure how Miwa would find the place as there was only one room really for lounging and most of the rest of the space people could wander was taken up by differing work stationso r bits of equipment that served to keep his frame and gear in working order. There was also the transferrence room, which was technically the largest single space on board, but most of it wass taken up by glowing vine-like cables tht might or might not have been grown rather than manufactured leading to and from the pod Ash sat in when he linked with his warframe.

the lounge area with the sofa-like area around a jukebox like device, wall mounted fish tanks, shelves for his bobblehead collection and other nick nacks (the plush of miwa he picked up was hangign out with the Clem noggle,) and a nice view of outside the shp was much cozier anyway.

Ordis would try making small talk, giving anticdotes about the many adventures Ash has had with other tenno. most were bloody or messy affairs, but a few were more gentle and more fit for someone of Ash's apparent age such as sneaking out at night, doing stupid stunts to impress friends, and misadventures while fishing.

However eventually they would arrive at McBeth. They were here for several reasons; to offload refined materials Ash had in his hold, trade ores rare to this system, make what repairs he could to the orbiter, and try finding work. That last point is why he wanted Miwa to join him so soon after her wee mishap with Team Rocket. He was aware he lacked social awareness and experiance enough to understand when he was in over his head, or if he should ask further. That had gotten him in trouble in the past.

So that is how he wound up heading into the Cheap and Easy with a Primarina in tow.

He would glance about then look to Miwa, "Last chance to back out. How're you feeling?" He'd stay near Miwa both so he could hear her, and so the locals wouldn't get any funny ideas. A large armored figure with a sword on one hip and a gun at the other wold make her a less appealin target.

     Miwa had enjoyed the trip, even if much of it was spent wandering around the lounge area and looking at the various things Ash had decorated it with, while Ordis talked with her about it all and some of Ash's finer moments. The rest of the time she just spent lounging on the couch, practicing her singing a bit. Once they arrived, she followed Ash out of the ship and onto Macbeth, and she took a moment to look around, a distasteful expression showing on her face as she breaths in the air of a world filled with mining and industry. 

     As Ash asked how she was feeling and gave her a chance to back out, she shook her head a bit and smiled at him. "It stinks of pollution, but I'm here for you. This certainly looks like a place where you could go to hide though, so much going on, easy to get lost and forgotten in the shuffle of everything." She states as she keeps her eyes and ears open for any signs of things going bad. She knew Ash was protective of her, but she wasn't defenseless, and would just as quickly come to his aid if it came to it.

     The music playing ranges anywhere from a casual rock and roll style to something as heavy as death metal. Drinks are being served nonstop, the bartending staff look tired already but are in high spirits, and the conversation is loud and fraught with laughter. It doesn't look like much of an open house in the traditionally professional sense. Besides, with as many people are present it might be hard to locate this Wolf character amidst the raunchiness and drunkenly playful obscenities. There are certainly a great number of canines present: there are dogs of all shapes and sizes, plenty of foxes, and even wolves. There are pigs, too (and more than just the sloppy drinking or flirtatious kind), along with a few flavors of reptilians and felines and primates. 

     One cat, a panther, stands just inside the front door and is dressed up in a pressed white long-sleeved shirt, slacks, and waistcoat with his coat removed and draped over one shoulder. He has a cigarette in one hand and a scar on his cheek and seems to be eyeballing those that enter quietly. The observant eye might notice he talks to nobody in particular from time to time, often after certain people enter, while whatever he says is lost to the lively din filling the air. 

     The nearby stage has gear on it for live performing, including a number of instruments sitting at the ready, but nobody is currently using it. The music is piped in over the sound system. The quality isn't exactly bad, but it might be a bit abrasive to the sensitive of hearing. Like any noisy situation, the volume simply takes an adjustment period to get used to in which conversation isn't quite as hard to manage. Of note, the volume of music and boisterous conversation are the most intense near the front of the ground floor by the main serving bar. Further in, it lessens. There are also a number of armed people present, whether with pistols or otherwise, that are equally divided between drinking and being happy with standing around keeping alert. That's probably not entirely normal, so this must be the place.

     There's a sudden argument from upstairs and it breaks out into a fight and, for a moment, the conversation in the bar dips low enough to hear one person yell an expletive at the other in name-calling only to get, "You insolent brat!" in return as prelude to a series of shared blows. From what can be seen from below, a young-looking yet tall and muscularly-toned tiger gets grabbed by the neck, lifted up, and slammed onto what must be a counter with drinks on it. Glass smashes and falls below, some threatening words are spoken, the tiger breaks free and takes another wild swing -- the punch is blocked and immediately countered with a shattering uppercut that sends the tiger reeling backward over the edge of the railing, onto a stack of boxes, rolls down over them, and comes to crashing halt near the front door. 

     To make the situation more socially awkward, a warframe walks in through the front door just as this event happens. People look from the groaning floor-bound tiger to the newcomers. People stare. Things go quiet. The music is lost to the background.

Ash paused when he heard the commotion, hand strayig towards the pistol at his hip before checking the motion. No immediate threat. Plus he was just now growing concerned the door man either pretended to not notice or care about him being armed. Instead Ash teleports to the tiger on the floor and picks him up in a fireman carry before walking towards the door. "Alright buddy I think you've had enough," His voice was loud enough to hopefully carry across the bar.

then as he hit the door he whispered into the Tiger's ear. "I dunno you or whoevr you got in a fight with, but suggest you find somewhere else to be for the time being friend. Also feels like you've got a couple cracked ribs. IF youv'e got friends go to them." As he passed Miwa he gave a small shrug before gently letting the Tiger go if he was concious. If not he'd set the poor fellow by the door. Either way he'd then turn to the rest of the bar and offer his pistol to the door man along with his sword.

"Now then..." He would have smiled if his warframe had a mouth. As is he looked upstairs. "Guessing where we want to be is upstairs." THis could go good or go bac, but either way Ash marched in with all the confidence he could muster. He's literally faced entire armies before. How hard coul this be?

     Miwa's hearing was on the more sensitive side, so the volume of the music and the crowded bar in general did make her a bit uncomfortable. However that was nothing compared to the fight breaking out and a tiger crashing down near the entrance right around the moment she and Ash were entering the bar. She watched a moment as Ash took care of the injured tiger, but her attention was more focused on the bar itself, and it's occupants. She was feeling nervous as this certainly looked like a pretty rough place, and the fight breaking out only further confirmed that feeling. 

     Moving closer to Ash when he returns from setting the tiger outside, she leans in close and speaks to him in a volume where he would be able to hear her above the noise of the bar, but her voice would quickly be lost to anyone not standing directly next to them. "Lets be careful in here, find your contact, and get out. This place is already looking more than a little prickly, to put it lightly." She warns as they continue further inside.

     The panther near the front door doesn't even have to say anything about the new arrivals as their timing has granted them an introduction whether they like it or not. Stepping over the tiger, the feline wanders over to the bar where he can scoop up some ice into rag, ties it off, and wanders back over to deal with the new striped rug -- only it would seem the new arrival is playing clean-up duty for him. This leaves the panther standing there as Ash steps back outside, ice pack in hand, who finds his gaze falling upon Miwa. "Well, hello. Not often we find such purity in beauty willfully stepping inside a place like this." He doesn't have much time to introduce himself, however, as the warframe returns. 

     From above, there's a stare, as well, but it's from the guy that just ruined somebody's night. It's over and done quickly, though, and the face is gone about as fast as it was seen. Just when it seems the tension can't be any more thick, one drunken voice, regarding the tiger, yells out, "That's the funniest thing I ever saw!" Immediately, laughter consumes most everybody and a sense of relief falls upon the serving staff. 

     The scar-faced dark-furred cat makes eye-contact with Ash for as much as he is able as weapons are offered to him. He doesn't take them. Instead, after taking a drag from his cigarette, the panther asks, "Are you going to behave? Pretty sure you aren't here for the drinks. The Boss is upstairs. If you'd like, I can keep an eye on your lovely company while you talk business. Then again, I could be wrong and it's the other way around; she could be your bodyguard instead, mm?" 

     Again, he doesn't take any armaments. He simply emphasizes, "Just be good," before gesturing them to continue on in, and likely up the metal stairs in the very back, while he steps outside to make sure the young hotshot tiger is still breathing.

     A few people, which must be akin to an armed guard, polices foot traffic going upstairs. Normally the upper area is as public as the rest of the massive establishment, but tonight it's been reserved. The monkey guards make no motion to stop Ash or Miwa if they decide to head up. And above, the area is a private drinking lounge. Multiple sofas are pulled around, drinks line one side of the area near the railing (save for a spot that now has broken glass and various liquids pooling up), and on the other side of the central table sits one very rugged lupine with an eyepatch, scarred muzzle and ears, and is dressed up in his normal 'business attire'. A half-cigar is clenched in his teeth and he leans back into the leather with a drink in one hand. Beside him, leaning in over the armchair, is a chameleon who mouths the words, "This ought to be good, Cap'n." A few others sit with this wolf and lizard, but not directly before him. Those seats are reserved for those wanting to talk to the criminal.

Ash nodded to Miwa at her wanting caution before nodding to the guards and heading upstairs. It seemed to him this was in general reserved for more classy affairs, which made sense to him. Downstairs was the day to day 'break even' heart of the place, and here is where 'business' was conducted. Ash looked about the group, his frame's various lights dimming for a moment then returning to full illimination in an approximation of blinking before he pulled a chair out of arrangement and then sat down beside the spot he made, apparently having done this so Miwa could stay beside him. A deep breath as he looked about before folding his hands over his lap."I won't bother with my rep, scream, deed, or whatever sheet. That I have been given access here says that you know enough to entetain the idea of having me involved." His voice matter of fact as he looked the eye patched lpine over, idily wondering if the eyepatch fed information to him much like his own specticals did when out of frame, or if it was simply a covering for an old injury. 

Questions for later, or perhaps never.

"So with that out of the way I am Ash." He then gestured to Miwa, "This is Miwa, and the floor is yours." He would then lean back and listen, while thanking whatever powers that be were out there that the little facial twitches and tics of fear he exibitedprobably wouldn't translate across to the frame.

     Miwa would follow Ash up to where Wolf and his crew were waiting for him. She struggles a little with the stairs, but doesn't want draw attention to herself by using her powers to ease her moving around. She manages her way up even if she's decidedly slower than Ash, and moves to take the spot next to the chair Ash pulled out, sitting up balanced between her tail and her front flippers as she looked at the men Ash was meeting with. 

     They certainly looked like a tough group, fitting in well with the other sorts of people downstairs, while still having an air about them that places them above the common ruffians downstairs. However she waited to see how the conversation between them and Ash went before passing any judgment on them. For now, she is quiet, only offering a nod as Ash introduces her.

     This Wolf fellow seems to have a mildly split lip, but it just adds to the overall image. He clearly doesn't care; it doesn't bother him in the slightest. He reaches up to pull the cigar in his mouth away with the same hand holding his drink, grasping it between two fingers, before immediately taking a sip of his drink. While most prefer cheap pints of swill, it's clearly a very different thing in that glass. "The little punk made me break the bottle with the back of his head. You, McCreary, go see if Donaldson has another tucked away and pay him fifty-percent more as a service tip." One of the fellows sitting nearby, a dobermann, rises to go do that. 

     The chameleon so casually lounging against the side of the armchair's back wears a vest, too, much like the panther downstairs, only the reptile wears this purple waistcoat over...nothing else. He also sports black jeans and an eccentric necklace of eclectic beads: some are metallic, others pearlescent, and some might even be plastic, but they are all varying colors. "The other one was so boring, Cap'n. But this one..." The chameleon lazily pushes up into a standing position before sloooowly creeping his way toward Ash, step by step, in a very effeminate posture while completely overlooking Miwa. 

     Blowing smoke from the side of his muzzle before the remnants drift free from his nostrils, Wolf O'Donnell regards this pair for a long moment. He simply stares. "You have a very odd-looking ship," is the first directed statement he makes to Ash after that steely cyclopean gaze finally moves down to the nearby ashtray. Wolf puts his cigar down there but keeps hold of his glass. "Or so I was told. You can make some quick cash selling to the indies working shop, but if you want to make more from your trading it's best to work with an organization through contract." The mercenary boss sips his drink before looking back to both Ash and Miwa. 

     One might be a bit surprised to hear information traveling so quickly, but if this is such a special event then it makes perfect sense for eyes and ears to be everywhere. "Next time, you might want to hold on to it for a little longer when you're going to be stepping into a potential business meeting to broker work or a contract. I could have used it myself, but now Jones is going to get my money for it and not you. But that's not why you're here, is it?"

The chamelion stepping near Miwa made ash's head turn, but only just. HE did't want to give away that encroaching on her was a way t oset him on edge. He might not know protocol, but this was fight as much as any other he's been in. Deep breath. He forced himself to look back to Wolf in time to be chided about how free he was with his ship stores. "Well, I figure this place serves more than just the laylet government. I figure give them a bit of a tip that there is more out there if they decide to go poking about. Bit hard to convince people with just talk of ritches to be had even if you're obviously from Elsewhere." He won't soon forget the look on the assayer's face when the chunk of Oxium he brought literally floated once it was relieved of the bonds keeping it held down. 'Lighter than Air' was the claim the Corpus made about the stuff, and they were for once true in the advertising.

He nodded then. "I'm going off of something a friend once told me. Show just enough before a meeting to get people interested, but don't give just anything and everything away." He dearly wished he could have talked to Darvo right about now. Then again he'd rather be working for Darvo since fine the guy was a swindler, smuggler, and a few other things, but he was both a known and loyal commodity. "Unfortunately I am no miner or hauler. That is more a happenstance of 'I don't like waisting perfectly good materials I find while on the job.'" He took a deep breath, fearing he wasgetting sidetracked. "To get to the heart of the matter Sir. I am far from home and while I have been doing 'Fine' doing freelance work, until a way back can be found it would be better to be within an organization." Darvo would have cautioned against making himself look desperate, but he didn't want to have that bit thrown back at him alter, so may as well get it in the open now. "Not to put too fine a point n it, but I've been to a fewother meetings like this Sir, and at the end of the day I've found those would-be employers wanting." Rather he found the last few to be lying sacks that tried to railroad him into doing their dirty work. "Hence why I'm here."

     Miwa notices that Leon seems to completely ignore her, and Wolf is certainly giving more of his attention to Ash. It's not unexpected to her, as she knows he's the reason they are here, and to any who don't know better, it would likely be assumed she was some sort of exotic pet of Ash's. She eyes Leon carefully as he approaches, but still hardly moves and doesn't say a word. She hasn't seen or heard anything that set off alarm bells, the two were just talking business, and in the end, this was Ash's choice, she was just there to warn him if she felt anything was worrisome, and so far, beyond appearances, things seemed fine, and as the old saying goes, don't judge a book by it's cover.

     "The Cap'n's name is Wolf," points out the chameleon as he inches closer and begins to slowly creep around behind the pair. His hands are folded together as he has a good look over them, potentially each with a single eye's gaze, before adding, "Call me Leon. Or just call me." Leon straightens up before shaking his head. "No zippers, Cap'n. It's some pretty serious hardware. Probably fun to peel off." The altogether creepy and mildly sinister grin that follows that last statement stays plastered on his face as his peculiar observations swing from Ash to Miwa. 

     None of this seems to bother Wolf in the least. "I'm not going to tell you how to conduct your own business aside from that. It's your choice," says the lupine. "So, you're looking for work, then, and not looking to hire. That clears that up." Wolf shakes his head with a shrug of his shoulders. "What do you do? I assume that armor is for more than just looks. This is a casual setting and you show up kitted out and armed. That's fine. Being a little showy is good when you make an impression, but I expect people to be able to back it up. And, no, I don't want a resume or work history. Give me two lines of what you do and why you're the best at it and what you want from me. I'd be willing to trust what you say a little more if you did so after taking off your helmet." 

     Wolf seems very relaxed, all things considered, and puts his glass down to lean back in his chair. One arm lifts to grasp the top of the chair's back and one leg crosses the other to rest an ankle atop a knee.

Ash took a deep breath and the eyespots on his warframe dimmed. "That is where it gets complicated I am afraid." He was starting to get sketched out by Leon. "Firstly this cannot be 'peeled' off." His neck turned further than was generally possible for most species to look back at Leon. His warframe couldn't turn its head completely around, but to a casual observer it may look like he snapped his own neck before twisting back around to look at wolf.

"Operator it is exeedingly unwise to-" Ordis's objection was cut off as ash raised his hand within the transferrence pod.

"Miwa," Ordis's voice hissed through the com-bead that looked like a pearl decoration at the edge of Miwa's starfish-like ears, "Operator Ash appears to be doing something... Rash."

"If you will indulge me for a minute." Ash's warframe slumped in its seat, all of its lights dimming almost to the point one might think the entire thing had ran out of power. Ash's lander had quickly detatched and in spite of the distance between space dock and the bar Ash's lander would make the distance qickly. However this would leave miwa effectivly alone for the span of a handfull of minutes.

Then after several minutes the bar would see a teenage redheaded human dressed in a black double breasted tunic walk in and immediately head for the stairs. When Ash re-entered the room he would look from Wolf to Leon before standing beside his warframe. "As I said," He placed a hand on the warframe, causing the lights to slowly brighten before it stood, "It's somewhat complicated."

"Miwa," Ordis lamented in her ear-piece, "Ordis does apologize for the operator's rashness...."

     Miwa similarly turns her head and follows Leon with one of her eyes, and Wolf with her other as she continues to listen carefully to the conversation. Miwa was about to say something like how Ash could as easily remove his 'helmet' as she could remove her tail, but then Ordis is suddenly warning her of Ash doing something rash, and a moment later, she sees the Warframe slump over, and while she tries to remain calm, Wolf and Leon may notice a nervous twitch from her tail, as she is suddenly a little more wary of the situation now that she was alone. 

     When Ash returned, she blinked at him and gave him a glare as if to say "What the hell are you thinking!" She watches as he touches his wWrframe and it seems to come back to life, but clearly, he was much more vulnerable now. "Well, I guess he can sort of take it off... just takes a few minutes." She jokes with a nervous laugh.

     Notable, up here above the rest of the people having fun below, the sound doesn't carry that far and the music and conversation is somewhat muted. For being a warehouse it's not all that warm being twenty feet higher than the ground; there are panels on the roof that have been opened up to allow air to circulate. The next few minutes are a little awkward for most everyone sitting there. After seeing this armored and armed individual slump in such a way, especially after the strange head-swiveling display, there are a few glances between the mercenaries and their boss. The chameleon takes the chance to investigate a little closer. Wolf, however, directs his sharp gaze on Miwa. 

     While Wolf does not demand an explanation from Miwa of what is going on, he does study her during the interlude with a questioning stare and a lifted eyebrow. McCreary returns during this time, which is fortuitous in that it is more than enough time for O'Donnell to drain what's left in his glass. Wolf pours some for himself and some in another glass before scooting it over to the dog who takes it and sits once more. 

     "Okay, well, as exciting as this is, I think-" It's at that point that another shows up and approaches the group, makes a display by touching the...armor?, and restates the complication in taking off a helmet. This does make Wolf sit up from his relaxed slouch. He expected human, what with that design of armor, and he already has experience with them from other worlds. They really are so similar to hairless tailless monkeys that -that- does not bother him or surprise him in the least. "You're just a kid," remarks the grizzled wolf. This bothers him on a deeper level, but it's not something he outwardly shows. Eyes move back to Miwa. "And it speaks." 

     Wolf picks up his cigar. "See, now we're getting somewhere. No secrets. I like that. I'll let this dual revelation excuse your youthfulness for now." He points with the cigar at the not-Warframe not-Miwa person. "You're still a showoff. Now, okay, so what do you do and what do you want from me? And who is this with you, aside from just a name? You make such a strong showing that it's no surprise people want to offload work onto you, kiddo, but you need to give others something to work with, too."

Ash should have considered he was leaving Miwa in a potentially dangerouse situation. Alone. He should have realized he was her ride home if things went south. He didn't. The look from Miwa spoke volumes of how much he'd stepped in with that stunt, causing him to visibly flinch before taking a seat on the opposite side of Miwa, and in the process leaving his warframe to slump in its chair, and in its own way Ash showing that he trusted Wolf enough to effectivly disarm himself. Well, barring his void beam, but against hardened mercenaries that felt like it would effectivly be a token defense on par with a holdout pistol.

"As for my age." Ash kept his resentment at being brushed off in check, or at least attempted to, "I'm probably actualy older than you even if we remove cryosleep." His eyes closed and he took a deep breath. "As for what i do?" He pulled a datapad from his tunic and handed it to wolf. This footage showed Ash's warframe going invisible, several people crumpling from weapons fire that couldn't be seen. Then others falling to what looked like either smoke crafted clones, or Ash himself moving fast enough to trip the camera's feed up. Each man that fell were masked heavily armed, and speaking a rough mash and degeneration of several languages mashed together. "Those troops you're seeing? Grineer. Each one stands anywhere from two and a half to three meters tall, fanatically obediant through gene enforced loyalty to their rulers, and that place? That was shortly after i got woke back up and went to a colony at the inner edge of my home system trying to get help as they were sympathetic to my people." His voice was grim as he laid this information out. There were just shy of twenty thousand people that lived there. All of them were butchered because they dared to help me."

There was a hardness in his eyes as his mind was cast back to the first month or so of him awake after The War. "The Corpus you can do busiess with, reason with to degree even if they like stirring the pot for proxy wars. The grineer? Unless you get lucky and find the occasional clone that's 'defective' and tell their queens to slag off? Fanatic butchers."

This was the edited version. The true horror show lay with the Orokin themselves, and Ash didn't feel like spending months lecturing Wolf on that pile of bloody mistakes. "So if you wish to dismiss me for looking young, I admire that as you have a sense of ethics about you."

He then looked to Miwa and his expression softened. "As for miwa here? I'm pretty sure I've got a concert of hers recorded." He did, an island show, her first performance post-leaving her troop. "She also helped bail me out through loophole abuse on a job I took and didn't do enough homework on the target before agreeing. Nice guy, didn't deserve to have a hit put on him. I couldn't not go through with it after making the agreement, so she stepped in with a few friends to buy time until the contract period ended."

     Miwa at first lets Ash do the talking, regaining her composure now that he was back, even if the apparent limited ability of Ash to control his Warframe like this likely left her as the strongest between them if things got ugly here. She knew that he was a lot older than he looked, that much didn't surprise her, but the part about him trying to help some who were sympathetic to his people, only for them to be mercilessly slaughtered by the tens of thousands, that brought a horrified expression as she gazed at Ash in shock. Her world had enjoyed relative peace for quite a long time. There were history books describing wars in the past, but certainly no one she knew had witnessed anything close to death on that scale, to hear Ash had gone through that, pained her, and made her really respect his strength of character, while also explaining some of his tendencies. 

     "Oh Ash... I'm sorry..." She finally says, before falling quiet as Ash shows off her concert. It had many other Pokemon showing of their powers, but apart from controlling water with her singing, didn't really showcase her abilities so much. So she demonstrated briefly in a way that wouldn't make a mess or hurt anyone. She squirts a blast of water upward from her mouth, sings a quick high note which causes it to explode into a mist, and then blows an icy wind upward, turning it to snow, which she is careful to blow away so it didn't fall upon Wolf or Leon. "I can do more, but I don't want to make a mess or destroy anything..."

     Wolf seems to listen to this story patiently enough, perhaps since he has more booze now, and he even examines the footage in the same way. Leon has instead shifted his focus this other version of Ash, undaunted. And even that panther makes a showing eventually. Panther walks over and pours himself a different drink. "Seril dropped by to see if you had any spare help to offload onto him. I sent a message to Ros, Jericho, and Abraham and they'll meet up with him at the spaceport," reports the feline to his boss. 

     This is acknowledged by Wolf before he leans forward over the table, sitting on the edge of the armchair, to peer long and hard at this war-scarred individual. He sure looks young enough to be a child to him. "Okay. I'll ask a third time. What do you want from me? What can I do for you? I'm not sure I like the idea of a potential employee that leaves jobs because they had a change of heart due to negligence on their behalf. If you accept a contract, you do it. The only time I'd accept otherwise is if the client supplies false information. That voids the contract because the deal so hired for is not the deal being completed. I trust I don't have to explain the difference?" He isn't exactly angry or anything, but Wolf's not exactly impressed, either. 

     O'Donnell turns his attention to this Miwa. "So, are you here looking for work, too, or are you here as his emotional support or what? I can't say I've ever been approached by an entertainer, but I can promise with an absolute guarantee that I can create a schedule for you and a list of stations and offices that would enjoy some live entertainment." Wolf isn't alluding to anything untoward, either. He just wants some answers so he can know what is being negotiated. As much as he enjoys drinking, smoking, and meeting new and interesting people, he is around on business today. 

     Leon follows up with, "I can sing," with an almost sulky edge. 

     "As can I," affirms Panther. 

     "Well, that settles it," replies the chameleon to Panther. "We're going on a music tour," he jokes, then quickly emphasizes, "as a boy band." 

     There's a light smile from the feline, Caluroso, before he scoffs, then wittily jabs, "I suppose boy bands do get the most fangirls." This makes Leon make a face who then immediately drops the notion. 

     "Really, you two?" asks Wolf with an expression of incredulity. "Here and now? Shut it."

Ash shook his head and facepalmed at the Chameleon. He was actually grateful really since it broke the somber and outright depressing air he'd started to generate. "Frankly? What i need is to learn how things work elsewhere. I have skill, as youv'e seen." He looked at Wolf, figuring the man had gotten either drunk, annoyed, or perhaps both. "Were my home accessable i'd be working for THe Lotus," Organization or Indavidual was hard to say from context, "But home's somewhere i can't find and even with what experiance i have? I'm fairly green in how most places work. WHat I need is a mentor."

He looked around at hte rest of the outfit. "Thing is? I brought hte lady along less as a package deal, and more because I trust her opinion and would rather her meet you face to face rather than go off helmet cam footage." What he wanted to say is she had more experiance dealing with people than he did, but that would show just how poor his negociating position was.

He sat in his chair, hands on his knees as he took a moment to take a deep breath and clear his mind. "As you're seeing first hand I'm not exactly the best negociator, so finding an outfit to work with would give me a chance to work on the things I know I don't have a grasp on, and don't yet realize I need."

     It would be easy for Wolf to say that he doesn't have time to babysit and that the kid should cut his teeth elsewhere and come back once he's found his feet, but the fact of the matter is that Wolf doesn't quite operate like that. He inhales deeply as he listens, exhales sharply through his nose, then draws on the stub of his cigar before putting it out. Slowly allowing the tendrils of smoke to escape from between his very sharp teeth, O'Donnell contemplates. "You want training, huh? Here are the facts. I can hire in just about anybody and find something for them to do. But this-" He gestures with a hand regarding the whole history given and the footage shown, "Well, it's really extreme. That's not a bad thing. But the kind of jobs we get that require that level of efficiency in neutralizing enemies in a hot zone are rare. And I don't think that's the kind of training you mean." 

     Leaning back in his chair once more, pulling his drink along with him, Wolf rests the glass on the chair's armrest and slowly turns it one way, then the other, over and over again. "Basic jobs are a lot more mundane. Our heavies often get lined up for guard duty and escort services and usually nothing happens, the job is clean, people get paid, and we go on our way. This line of work isn't glorious. You understand that, right? We do it because we're good at it, not because we enjoy it...necessarily. So, here's my suggestion." 

     "You start low, shadow some of the other heavies, learn the basics of following orders of a contract when contracted. You get the say on if you do the job or not; not all jobs are for everybody. You make your decision based on contract information, but you can always ask questions. If you wait too long, one of your peers will accept the job before you. It's very basic. You can be forwarded contract information via comms, you respond via comms, you do the job, I get paid, then you get paid by me. What you are expected to earn for a contract is part of the contract information provided; no more and no less. You get paid for completing the parameters of a contract; no more and no less. You don't sideline, you stick to the job, because you aren't earning extra pay for doing sidequests. If I hear that you do so, your pay won't be docked or withheld, but I'll be sorely upset." He's probably not the kind of guy that people want to be upset, but at least he's lying all of the cards out on the table despite being a bit long-winded doing so.

A nod from ash as Wolf explained the boring realities of his otufit. "Hey, most of my work lately has been from Miwa's home world and all that's been is simple deliveries. No muss no fuss, get from A to B fast as you can." He smiled in spite of himself. "So it's not like I'm in this looking to go head hunting or asa thrill junkie. Frankly I'd love something fairly boring," Beat, "But I'm aware that my skillset tendsto lenditself towards either sweep and clear, single target removal, or other... less than generally considered sane activities."

That Wolf didn't immediately dismiss him was a positive sign. that he was offering advice rather than just telling him to either get bet or kiss his boots again raised Ash's respect for the man. 

"I do have a question," Ash leaned forward, " A very important one, Not that what you just said isn't important or inherently valuable to the idea of me having employment within any outfit," He added hastily. "What happens if I find out after the fact... oh... the client's intentionally trying to get us to do things that would either have been a hard 'no' from the onset, or is trying to leave the hired help out to dry? More interested in the former than the latter since if I take a job I really don't like the idea of breaking contract, but at the same time if the employer is lying through his teeth to get that agreement... I'd be fairly upset."

     Miwa actually does ponder Wolf's offer to find her work as an entertainer, while trying to hide a grin at Leon and Panther's antics about starting a boy band. She lets Ash explain why he brought her here, after that speaks for herself. "Hmm, getting the chance to do some shows on other worlds could be fun, so you have my interest there, though I am capable of more than singing. I can create blasts of energy, beams of ice, bomb like orbs of water, and even a powerful jet of water with enough focused pressure to cut through steel plate. I'm just, not as experienced with fighting than performing." The latter was surely an understatement, but she'd learned a lot in the last few months.

     "I've already covered my thoughts concerning misinformation given by a client. It's considered a breach of contract on their behalf and any contractual obligation is void. However, if at all possible, it's best for you to call that information in and let one of our operators confirm those details and record the objection. I don't need people wearing the name of my organization breaking loose due to a judgment call they make all on their own all the time." 

     Wolf knocks back the last of the liquid in his glass before plunking the vessel down upon the table and standing up. His generally relaxed posture while sitting in such a large chair may have hidden the fact that he stands over six feet tall. "If you absolutely can't call it in, understand that I'll need you to record and report as much information as possible as soon as you are able so that I can have people look into the issue. If you make the call solo and your call is wrong, it's on you, as is the breach of contract fee." 

     Stretching his arms high above his head before cracking his knuckles, it might show that a few drinks for a person of his size and implied constitution do little. He walks over closer to where Ash and Miwa are, heavy boots thunking against the flooring, before a hand reaches out to shoo Leon away before gesturing the 'kid' to stand up, too. "We have facilities for combat training," he says mostly regarding Miwa's declaration of inexperience. "Nothing really suited for your...physique. But my people are good, they can adapt, but training isn't free for freelancers. You want to sign on for jobs with your robot-controlling friend, that's up to you, but you'll have to split the pay. Best to invest that money into training first. It's not that I'm not confident you don't have your supposed abilities, but you clearly aren't confident in them or you wouldn't have mentioned your inexperience." 

     "Come on, kiddo," Wolf teases with a partial grin no matter the objection to the youthful appearance. "Give me your best shot. Let's see what you have without your super suit." He might be teasing about the seeming age, but he's not being cocky about the opportunity to get a free punch in. He's very much serious and, truthfully, in no way does this to seek or create embarrassment for this potential employee. He unzips his vest fully to expose his torso free of any padding save for his black muscle shirt. 

     "Oh, this I've got to see," remarks Leon with an expectant expression and with hands moving to his hips. "Impress me, sweet thing, and I'll grace you with a token of my affection." 

     "Hush," interjects Panther. "Lord O'Donnell actually wants him to do his best. You aren't helping."

Ash nodded at Wolf's spelling out that above all esle Everything needed to be logged, recorded, and forms filled out. As soon as that was said he smiled, quite understanding that order had to be mantained, but there was enough flex that so long as a review could be made the occasional call could be made... even if it meant pay docking.

And then Wolf asked Ash to give him his best shot. So Ash stoodand took a wide stance, one arm behind, the other in a forward high guard. Ash knew Wolf would paste him in hand to hand both because he knew his own limits, and because he had seen the rather large tiger that tried before. 

He rushed wolf, sliding forward, jabbing at Wolf's face with his forward hand. In that moment a sound almost like an inhale came from his other hand, the one further from Wolf and for a moment a finger fine beam of void energy shot forward aimed at Wolf's chest.

Ash wasn't prideful enough to think that would do more than distract wolf. Holdout-pistols were a thing, and many of the locals looked like they had claws, or possibly even could spit somethign fairly noxious. So instead of believing void devilry would shock and amaze he slid, attempting to use his legs to trip his opponent. Problem is if that didn't work he was now on the ground with a far more experianced fighter that could quite literally curb stomp him.

     Miwa listens to Wolf as he offers training resources, even if they weren't free, along with the prospect of working with Ash on some jobs, honestly that sounded very agreeable to her, but she wondered how Ash felt about the prospect of bringing her on jobs where there was potential that she could be hurt, not that this deterred her at all, she'd already been in her share of scrapes without him, and though she's gotten her tail handed to her a few times, she's been pretty quick to get back on the horse, so to speak. She simply nods to Wolf however, and watches as Ash takes the offered free shot, but instead fights as if Wolf was going to counter attack him, which is kind of the opposite of a free shot. She watches to see how Wolf counters.

     Typically, when somebody offers you a free shot, you do your best to show your natural upper body strength with a straight jab to the chest or gut. That's exactly why Wolf unzipped his vest to bare his front for it. Sure, one could punch a training bag that measures the force applied to it, but it's not the same as feeling, personally, the raw output from one person to another. It's a very, well, manly thing and a potential sign of respect between opponents. 

     Wolf O'Donnell is, without a doubt, a deadly hand-to-hand specialist. He is especially dangerous when defending. Much like the tiger found out, while defending the space pirate is much better able to predict, defend, and counterattack. However, Wolf is not defending. He assumes that this Ash fellow does little fighting without his armor thing and is curious as to what power he can provide in a worst case scenario, at least for general strength. That's not what happens, necessarily. 

     That jab at his face, while it doesn't connect, doesn't even make Wolf flinch. He could soak that strike even though he has a split lip from the rumble with the jungle cat. But, no, it's a feint and the real strike isn't even a physical one. Truthfully, the big boss doesn't expect this at all, so he does recoil and reaches out to give Ash a shove back. It wasn't meant to send him flying or anything; just to break off the engagement so he could laugh it off and ask for a -real- punch this time. 

     But, no, the reaching out meets air as the other drops to the ground in-motion with a sweep to upset his balance. Ash succeeds. But, no, Wolf does not eat the floor. Instead, he partially loses balance and lifts one foot into the air with a shaky turn, before bringing his foot back down to establish balance once more. A very large boot with metal straps comes crashing down, possibly very close to Ash's head, not as a stomp but as a means of recovering. That doesn't make the boot any less large or his weight any less heavy. 

     Whatever amusement was present in laughing off the atypical display of power has quickly melted into irritation. "You're being a showoff again," states the large lupine. "Get /up/ off the floor, pup!" He emphasizes this by lifting that foot again and stomping in place -- it's accompanied by the sound of broken glass. Tiger noggin broke a lot of it just moments ago and it's all over the place.

Ash .... wasn't sure what he expected, except it wasn't this. He scrambed off the floor and huffed in irritation. "I'm not /trying/ to show off." Annoyance crpet into his voice. "You wanted to see how i fight when it's me without anything else. Hitting you in the chest doesn't show that, it shows that I need to do more weight training." He surprisingly wasn't afraid from how close his head could have come to getting stomped in had Wolf wanted. Maybe later, but not now. 

Instead he pulled on the same place he did when he was about to fire his void beam. Instead of firing however he took a single step and not so much punched as attempted to shove his fist through Wolf's chest.

Truethfully the Tiger would easily have beat him in raw physical strength, and probably technique. Even void enhanced physics limited the sort of leverage his body could provide. that said the punch itself, if it connected, would feel like it came from someone with about fifty pounds more muscle than Ash had. Assuming Wolf's'free shot' still applied. If not? Ash's tecunique was flawed and he over-extended while leaving his core exposed. Sloppy.

     Miwa winces as she watches Ash end up decidedly on the losing end of that exchange, and Wolf certainly sounded annoyed by what he viewed as more showing off, whether that was Ash's intention or not. When Ash attempts another strike, she is surprised, and worried that taking another go without warning or Wolf agreeing to give him another free hit. She isn't about to get between the two though, not unless things really go badly, so she just watches, and hopes Ash isn't biting off more than he can chew.

     With more than enough time to see this advance, Wolf has a few options available to him. He decidedly takes the middle-of-the-path option, probably to the relief of some present, by shooting a hand out to intercept that punch with the flat of his palm. Pending success in such a block, surely the impact will be bone-rattling, likely sending a wave of the force through his arm and into his torso, and the sound created would be quite loud. Also pending such success, Wolf very well attempts to grab hold of that hand and simply not let go. "Enough! If you are so dead set on rumbling with me, kiddo, then we do it outside. But, later. You had your shot and took it."

Ash knew Wolf outclassed him in a straight fight. So Wolf catching his fist wasn't surprising. He'd expected that and tried to brace for the impact shock with... mixed results. Then Wolf did a thing which to him was super classy by giving him a chance to disengadge, which he gratefully took by pulling his arm back and giving a short bow. "While having more practice getting used to fighting as myself would be appreciated, here and now is not the place for it." Especially since he knew exactly what every single injury Wolf was likely to inflict already felt like thanks to his frame. Feeling all that on him? Not appealing.

"Your terms do sound quite agreeable and reasonable." Also not terribly diffrent from how Lotus conducted things by posting job listings and it being a first come first served with rewards being paid on successful completion. "I will wish to return Miwa to her homeso her fans don't think she's been kidnapped." Again. "I will return with a proper response once that is done."

Ash ten looked about the room at the rest of Wolf's squad before standing beside Miwa. "I assume taking some time to consider your terms is aceptable as opposed to an on the spot sign now or get lost, that is."

     Miwa is glad to see that Wolf, despite being annoyed, simply stopped Ash's second attempted attack cold and gave him the chance to back off, which he took. She breathed a noticeable sigh of relief as Ash began to speak on his acceptance of the terms Wolf had laid out, and then spoke of getting her back to her home, which was certainly something she looked forward to. She smiles to Ash, and then to Wolf. 

     "I'm glad I came along for this. I wasn't sure what we were walking into when we arrived, but I think Ash will be good working for you, and maybe we can work something out also." She offered before giving Wolf and his crew a respectful bow of her own, surprisingly able to stand on her tail to do so.

     Wolf feels Ash's hand pull free from his own. While he was ready to lock that hold for as long as was needed, at least it doesn't seem to have been necessary. The large lupine says nothing as he is verbally addressed, or even given some amount of reverence through a bow, and merely follows the human with his eye while idly rubbing at the palm of that hand with the thumb of the other. It would be a lie to say that didn't sting. "I already had to drop three others tonight and I'm not in the habit of hurting children." 

     A glance is given to Panther and Leon who have been standing aside observing quietly, then a jerk of the wolf's muzzle directs their focus to the two at the table. Wolf doesn't have much to say. He's not angry. He's in deep thought. 

     Panther steps in closer to Ash and Miwa, "I'll see you two out, unless you're staying for the drinks and music." His smooth voice would rock for a late night audio broadcaster. "We'll coordinate comms to be in contact later. Just be aware that anything you two do for and with us will be under the name of Star Wolf and your actions will reflect on us. Conversely, our name will reflect on you through its presence, reputation, and notoriety. These are tools as much as your, mm, suit of armor there. Like any tool or weapon, treat it with respect." 

     Leon chimes in, "Leaving your suit with me? You go ahead and go wherever it is you go. It's not like I'll, heheh, try to take a peek inside it or anything while you're away."

Ash twitched at Leon's comment, though at first he ignored the lizard i nfavor of Panther. "Yea. I try to not go in overkill on situations." Yea. like using an anti personnel shotgun in a pokemon battle? "but with more than just me riding on what i do? I'm going to hae t oconsider how everything rolls." He then glanced to Leon before putting his hand on his warframe to cause it to start moving. "Just tell Alad over there to keep his mitts off my stuff. If he wants though I'll send a few vids I've got of Valkyr. I'm pretty sure he'll enjoy watching her work."

For those unaware, Valkyr is pretty much Angry Blender that Screams. 

"I'll have my ship's cephelon give you contact frequencies and transponder codes so you'll know when I approach." He smiled in spite of himself before gesturing to the door. "Normally I'd say ladies first miwa, but if you don't mind I'd rather go out ahead." He would if allowed, and immediately go to collect his weapons before leaving.