Old Soldiers' Ways
14th of November 2006 A.D.
Monoc Security has needs, specifically it has the kinds of needs that Uncle Sam would rather no one who lives in the good old US of A have at least that is what Old Piotr tells you as soon as he carves his way though strictly necessary introductions the way a chainsaw carves though a redwood. No come to think of it you do not think he has ever been in the company of anything quite as lively as a redwood before. A block of ice maybe? A square one much like the shape of his head, perhaps? One gets the distinct feeling this is a man who disapproves of pink strands in one;s hair and nose rings, though to be fair he would probably disapprove of bangs and rouged cheeks.
You have an almost inescapable urge to ask him where 'Young Piotr' is or do a funny German accent at him, though in the end you manage to hold it in, it's too early in the day to be dodging bullets, especially from one's allies, or customers, strange as the notion of being a supplier of a private military company might be.
"Specifically Monoc requires vehicles that are rated for the more common handheld anti-tank munitions." Though his accent had been worn smooth by the passage of many years in death the precise cadence had not. "Specifically the RPG7, single and tandem charge..." he pauses. "In the vehicles designed for discrete insertions and extractions protection from only the fragmentation version and small arms fire is...
acceptable." He spits out the word as though the very consonants of it offend him. "Light camouflaged vehicles must hold a full squad and the driver as well as room for a VIP on protection missions, heavy vehicles must hold two squads including heavy weapons, proper heavy weapons not like your American Bradly. Machine gun, pish... What does a an old zmei in thick scarred hide care for many bullets going
ping ping ping?"
"A machine gun would be useful against those beings that are more fast than tough," you point out. "Vampires of the Red Court come to mind."
"You haven't seen one of those proper gorged in blood and gone feral have you girl? They can be tougher than a troll and twice as ornery." Piotr laughs, a surprisingly open and cheerful sound, as though the thought of battle was just a ray of sunlight in his day. "You are right though, it's good to have some machine guns for when the foeman sends thralls or zombies swarming instead of proper warriors. White Phosphorus that's the answer."
Without meaning to you smile, recalling something Sasha had said once in hearing of you and Daniel, much to mom's annoyance at the time.
"What?"
"Friend of my dad once said against zombies violence is not the answer, violence is the
question and the answer is Yes."
"Good man, in the business?" the old soldier unwinds a little.
"Kind of, he's fighting for a cause," you answer carefully. You know no Knight of the Cross would think of himself as a gun for hire, but at the same time you do not want to offend your customers.
"Aren't we all," he snorts. "You ready to go?"
"Go?" you ask surprised.
"You don't think we're keeping the kind of armaments you build tanks with in
Chicago do you? One Eye hasn't gone soft in he head on us yet. We have a base up in Hadley, Massachusetts, old American Air Force place, used to be called
the Notch, we call is the Hel's Warehouse, there are weapons there from every war on this bloody earth."
"You are hiding illegal military supplies in an old government base? How does that even
work?"
"Government lost track of it in the seventies, don't ask me what kind of strings got pulled I wouldn't tell you is I could which I can't. Way's pretty short and safe though, as safe as such things get. I heard you can take care of yourself. Heard quite a lot."
One gets the impression that he would like to imply he is above gossip while very much is not, not on something this novel
There is one thing you could do that would give him a hell of a story to carry back to 'Donnar'. Since the place you are going to is in the real world and not the Nevernever you could flow from water course to water course and be there in tens of minutes, an hour tops with no risk of interception. The question is do you want to reveal that power yet.
What do you do?
[] Take the Ways, as Monoc Intends
[] Use Rendered Villain Disposal to hop from body of water to body of water to get there faster and safer
[] Actually you would rather go by mundane means, you can make up for lost time
[] Write in
OOC: No rolls for this one since you are not doing social combat or anything, he is just telling you what the job is and where. A bit of a breather from all the combat and intrigue.