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LORETech ((Lucid and Puzz))

P

PuzzlePieces

Super-Earth
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
The last tendrils of smog slowly spiraled up into the clear night sky as the factories shut down on the edge of the city. Now it was the shop, the restaurants, the clubs and the cafes' turns to be bustling with life and people. The early evening air was warm and dry and stars began to speckle the skyline as the sun finished setting on the horizon. Children ran through the park at the center of town and around the large oak tree by the bridge that went over the artificial stream, goldfish shining as she swam about in the lantern light.

Not too far from the park was a specialty tattoo parlor, said to be one of the bests in the area and have some of the best service. The woman who ran it was pretty, her platinum blonde hair cut short and curved around her cheeks, faded copper highlights striping it. She dressed for the job, a simple white blouse that she kept the sleeves rolled up, fitted faded gray trousers and tall worn out brown boots that came to her knees. The two belts at her hip kept her from having to worry about a purse that would have a strap easy to grab out in the market, each pouch sewn on. There was the fainted peek of a ruby colored corset under her blouse as she leaned forward, going over receipts and designs that had been done during the day. Despite her working for a tattoo parlor, she had no visible in on her body besides that on her fingertips from a pen that didn't want to agree with her earlier.

She lived in the apartment above tattoo parlor behind the neon sign that read "Ink This" but she kept heavy dark drapes to keep out the light while she wasn't working since that light was rarely ever off.

She sighed to herself as she looked over the appointment book. "Another slow night," She said to herself as she sat down in the large swivel desk chair, tossing the book aside and taking a long sip from a glass of water.
 
A few blocks away, a honky tonk bar was filled with noise from its excited piano player and the burlesque dancers who were putting on a lewd comedy for the usual men who had come in. Old businessmen inviting clients to a good time, young husbands escaping their nagging wives and reminiscing of the days when her body didn't resemble a sack of rotten potatoes. And finally the dapper young man with strange hair, tattoos on his face and rather androgynous features. Though, within the handsome shirt and vest were small breasts and a slender woman's shape.

Kalin Wolfbane took a sip of her whiskey, hoping that the law the senator was speaking of would finally be abolished. It was about time women were allowed to drink, from what Kalin had seen, it would be a necessity in this city. The wave of the future. Alcohol in a woman's liver. Why, it was the next best thing since airships, she'd dare to proclaim! Kalin downed the last of the whiskey and tossed a bill onto the counter. She saw a man's wallet leaning out of his pocket as he leaned forwards to get a better look at the lovely gams. Kalin took advantage of this and snatched the wallet from him, quickly pulling the bills out before tossing it aside and heading out the back door. She counted her bounty, a measly fifty. But at least it would do, maybe she could get one of those robots to help her about the house and tell jokes. As long as it wasn't too noisy like the more economical models she had seen.
Feeling the tattoos on her face, she pondered upon getting more along her body. Kalin paused to look up at the rather dark airship descending from the smog-laden sky, only for a moment before ducking into a rather peculiar tattoo parlor.
"Good evening." She said, thankful that her voice was that of a young boy, "I believe I had an appointment. You see, my name is Sir Seymour Butts." Kalin lied outright, praying to the Muses that her guess was correct.
 
Summer looked up from her lack of work and at the person in front of her. "I do not believe that I have an appointment for that name at the time. However, since you can see that I am practically dead for the night, I can serve you. What would you like?" She asked pulling out a large book of designs and laying out on the desk, leaning forward. "Would you like anything fresh to drink?" she asked. Her shop had a reputation of great service, she even catered to the needs of her not so tough customers with a special ointment that slightly numbed the area, in fact, she sold jars of it behind the counter, all with labels that read "Calming Ooze" with a list of uses underneath.

She tried to figure this person out. "And I will need to see an ID. I can't be giving under aged teens tattoos without parents approval," she added as she waited for the person's decision, walking out from behind her desk and leaning against it.
 
"No thank you, I'm quite fresh as it is." She grinned at her own little joke and looked through the designs, pondering upon getting one on her bottom. Yes, that would be quite amusing. Having Bridget's Crest upon her butt cheek, a symbol of love and fertility. Kalin arched her back at the thought in a highly feminine gesture.
"I assure you, I am of age." Kalin frowned sternly, looking at Summer straight in the eyes. She felt herself get nervous. Gah... What was she to do now?
"Unless you'd rather I took my business elsewhere? And from what you can see, I do treat my body as a canvas." Kalin spoke, showing off the abstract tattoos she had on either cheek.
 
She gave a wave of her hand. "Standard procedure. I have to follow rules you know. As long as you look under the age of 40, I have to card you. I take pride in my shop, I like to keep my standards. I'll take your word on it. Wadsworth!" She called moving away from the desk for a moment.

There was the sound of small tires on the tile floors and then the sound of a mechanical voice with a British accent. "Yes, Madam Summer," it stated.

"Go prep the room for me, get it nice and clean," She said not even looking at it.

"Yes Ma'am." It responded before going off to follow orders.

Summer turned back to her customer. "Anyways. Decided yet? Just tell me what and where. And if you're sensitive about someone seeing your body, you have the option of either me or Wadsworth doing your tattoo, though I can't promise he'll be as gentle."
 
Kalin let a small grin crack across her lips as Summer finally gave in. She was reasonably unnerved when she witnessed the vaguely humanoid shape wheel into the room, its head resembling a teapot with the handle and spout cut off. Goddamn automatons... They were an abomination in her eyes. The Muses created man in their visage, and for man to replicate that in such a horrendous manner bordering on parody! Regardless, Kalin was a modern woman, of logic and money-minded business. Yes, she should think of the benefits of having an automaton, while ugly aesthetics were but the only downside.
"I'd like Bridget's Crest on my left butt cheek." She said in a shameless manner that belonged to an ignorant child, "And I'd rather you do it." Kalin purred softly, rather enjoying Summer's striking appearance and inviting company. The strange 'boy' ignored the figures a swathed in black armor and helmets walking down the street. Probably the Empires' new soldiers or whatever.
 
She nodded after a while with a smirk. It wasn't a choice for a young man, she knew that. She knew some women would do anything for a hard drink. "Sure think. How big do...." She trailed off as her eyes drifted to the window, that wasn't the armor she recognized marching down the streets, she'd know, she had several of the Empire's men in here just last month, all of them had heard of her services, and wanted her mark left on them.
She went behind the desk and grabbed something from under it, putting it on the loop on her belt before walking back over to her customer. "Those aren't the Empire's soliders..." she said sounding a little unnerved. "And I don't think that's a good thing, either. I suggest that you wait until tomorrow to get your tattoo. "
 
Kalin's eyebrows furrowed, "Now hold your horses, just because some weirdo in armor walks down the street you're not going to give me service?" She said, disbelieving. Any response Kalin would have heard was washed away by the low boom of an airship activating its engines and making a rough landing. Soldiers flooded out, the dropship quickly departing away as the men held their musket rifles and began to rush down the streets.
Kalin reached into her back trousers and pulled out a lavish, silver revolver that had probably belonged to a government official of some sort. She held it at her side, leveled on her waist.
"Well, this is nothing short of unexpected." She said in a shaky tone.
 
"Wadsworth," She called out, keeping her eyes on the windows as she backed up slowly towards a door.

"Yes, Madam?" He wheeled back into room.

"Home security mode," She said with a nod to her customer to follow her. "This way," she said simply.

"They shall taste my plasma riffle," He said in reply as his arms switched out, giving off a faint flow.

She opened the door, revealing a flight of stairs. "Follow me, It will be safer up here. Wadsworth will keep an eye out and send a command to servo," she pointed to a strange part of the ceiling," and he'll take down who enters. Don't get nervous, and I sure hope you're not trigger happy, the last thing we need right now is an accident."
 
Kalin watched in wonder as the robot's arms seemed to transform into rather fearsome plasma rifles. She shuddered slightly and decided to ponder upon such things later, when they actually had time to. Kalin was from the eastern continent, as was evident from her hair. People were mostly ignorant and more focused on agrarian achievements rather than inventing calculators and automatons. She kept her gun leveled as they proceeded into the attic, her eyes glowing a light shade of glacier once they were inside. Another thing about the people from the Eastern Continent, they could see in the dark.

Two soldiers walked up to the door and bashed the lock in, "Everyone put your bloody hands up!" The leader said in a northern accent, holding the flint lock rifle out. The power armor he wore spat out steam with every brusque movement, the gears shifting noisily.
 
Summer quickly slammed the heavy metal door to the attic as they reached the top, a high speed mechanical whirring picking up and the sound of gunfire and then a couple of of heavy thuds. Summer locked the door and let out a sigh, placing her pistol back on the loop on her belt. "Until they can get a heavy plasma saw up here, we're safe," she said gesturing to the door. "And there is only one in the city," she pointed to the one on the wall, it seemed homemade and a little on the old side, a picture of an old man with a little girl in his lap hung above it.
 
Kalin examined all the equipment and trinkets that were sewn about the attic. She examined a doll, an old painting and an instrument she could not recognize. Hiding the gun in the back of her trousers, she pulled her suit back over it and tried looking for a window.
"Who do you suppose those were? I bet you ten dollars they're those fools from the southern continent!" She said excitedly, always eager to bet. Usually, she won.

Norm was a former General from the Southern Continent. A slightly aged man with a droopy face, loose gray hair and perfectly round spectacles. He was clothed in the very unflattering battle suit, company policy. Proceeding down the deserted streets of the area that had just recently been cleared, he looked around satisfactorily.
"Very nice, men, very nice. Your employers will be pleased." He said, frowning at a building that still had cogs sticking out of its walls, still in motion. With the pistons working hard. A soap factory. Norm let it be, a few extra bars of soap wouldn't hurt anyone. He ordered two men to take the building and gather the supplies. This town was of no use to anyone except LORETech now.
(feel free to introduce his right hand man or woman or anything. :3 )
 
A slender woman with high set cheekbones stepped into the light. "You know we should be collecting subjects too, we have a deadline and we need to continue our tests. Would you like me to call the trucks in to start gathering people...with or without discrimination?" She spoke calmly, a notebook in her hand and a pen poised for taking notes. She looked at him from behind thin rimmed glasses that had metal roses worked along the sides. She was pretty, long nearly black hair flowing in waves to mid back.

Summer opened another door and walked in. "This way," she said simply, peeking out the door. "If you want a bite to eat and wash up that is," she added, brushing her hair out of her face. She walked into the room and turned on a dim light that caused the doorway to give an inviting glow.
 
The clockwork on Norm's battle armor sped up as he crossed his arms, a bit of steam shooting out of the shoulder of it.
"Yes, start gathering people. But, have the Southerners put on a different truck. And propose this to the higher ups; people of different race have different genetic makeup. Should keep them occupied for quite awhile." Norm smirked arrogantly and proceeded into the factory. Long beams of light shot in through the glass roof of the factory, coating the workstations and vats of liquid soap in a sepia glow.
"Have this area cleared out entirely, I find it ideal for a new set of barracks while we occupy this region." His wise, booming voice projected throughout the large space.

Kalin slid inside, peeking through first. She removed her fedora and finally walked inside. It was like a tiny room. With a fridge, a proper faucet and a rather comfy looking cot. The lank woman quickly looked inside the fridge and stuffed her mouth with ham, having not eaten since yesterday.
"Where dif loo get thif fham?"
 
She had already gotten a bit more comfortable and she was checking the phone to see if it worked. She had unbuttoned her blouse and pulled her arms from the sleeves, leaving it tucked into her pants. She turned to looked at her after hanging the phone back up. "There is a small market down the street I do all my shopping at, they give me a good price." She said as she sat on the cot and pulled a picture from the wall, dusting it off and staring into it.


The woman got on the radio and started making her report on what was going on and what they planned to do. She hung up and looked to a few men who had dragged along a couple of their number behind them and explaining what they found. The woman looked as if this was no surprise. She walked back over to him. "The boys found two dead, killed by plasma weapons, found them outside a tattoo shop called Ink This," she told him, the men behind her nodding.
 
Kalin stuffed the rest of the ham into her mouth and swallowed painfully. The rather intrusive woman then turned to her savior and peeked over her shoulder at the picture. She robbed a slightly lustful gaze at the girl's shapely form and ample bust. Now, if she was wearing a proper dress instead of these dreadful work clothes... Kalin allowed her mind to wander for a second before focusing on the picture once more.

The lines on Norm's face grew even deeper at this news, "Plasma weapons!? Intel stated these people were somewhat primitive. Clear them out." He hissed, and then noticed the soldiers shifting nervously in place. Norm rolled his eyes and tore the submachine gun from one of them, "Let me show you how we used to do it." He growled. Cocking the gun, he allowed them to escort him to the store. Norm then went around to the alley and shot at the wooden part of the wall before kicking it open and firing blindly into the first floor.
 
It was a picture of the man again, like the one over the plasma saw. She let out a sigh and murmured something that sounded like a promise before putting it back She shot up when she heard the gunfire below and killed the lights instantly and pinning the girl down to the bed quickly. "Keep quiet," she whispered.

"Ah Sir. I must inform you that you are trespassing on the property of the Neils. You have until the end of this nursery rhyme to leave the premises. Ou clair..." It was Wadsworth, glowing green from the light of plasma riffles built into his arms. Two turrets lowered from the ceiling.

The woman, her name Elizabeth, had followed behind, to take notes of the events. She pulled on Norm's arm when the robot began to speak, stating the family name. "Sir, I suggest we get out of here," she said in a nervous voice. "Now. Sir, It's him, the one who got away."
 
Kalin yipped as she was suddenly pulled into bed with the woman, "Don't you think it's a little soon?" She whispered, nuzzling and nipping at her neck playfully. The Strange Woman rested her hands on Summer's waist, surprised by the tightness of it. Most women in this city were not physically fit, as they were often flaunted like toys or symbols of power. Not like in the Eastern Continent. Goddamn rich people...

Norm hesitated and quickly retreated, gesturing for the soldiers to follow him, "Yes, Our Clair... I remember him." His frown grew furious at the memory. The smell and feel of mud, rain rusting his armor and clawed gauntlets mere inches from his face. No, he was just a rookie back then. That fool wouldn't run him out of his current status, oh no.
"Elizabeth, I want you to search through our files and look for Ou Clair. Have one of the publishing houses here print out a lithograph with a picture of him on it. Distribute it to the areas where bounty hunters might be interested. Bring him to me alive." He hissed, tossing the rifle back at one of the soldiers, "And have my claws polished and repaired. My rapier as well."
 
Summer nearly fell onto the floor as she jumped. "What the heck do you think you're doing?!" she said in a hoarse whispered. She turned the lights back on when she stopped hearing noise from downstairs. Her face was dark red, either out of anger or out of embarrassment. "I don't know what's going through that head of yours, but this is no time to get all touchy feely," she added.

"Yes, Sir, " Elizabeth responded, as they headed back. Brian "Ou Clair" Neils was the man's full name, no one in LORETech had heard anything of him in nearly 18 years now. She got to her work as soon as they returned and send an errand boy off to have the lithographs made. Something was odd though. When the errand boy returned to say that they were being printed, he informed her that according to the owner or the publishing house that the man died a couple years back of a heart attack, shortly after his wife. She went to tell norm, though she didn't know if he would be happy about it. "Uhm, Sir," she started. "I might have something you wish to hear."
 
Kalin blinked, "Well, you pull me into bed. A man thinks things, you know?" Keeping up with the facade, even though one could easily determine at this point that she wasn't a male at all.
"And it looks like we're going to die soon, might as well have a little fun before we go." She grinned wittily, her lower lip jutting out in a teasing manner. Kalin approached the door and pressed an ear to it curiously, "Think we can leave now? I'm getting a little bored of just sitting here."

Norm looked over a map of the city in the repurposed soap factory. The soldiers' cots were already being moved in, along with other things. He had taken off his battle armor and redressed in his officer's uniform, no longer seeing any need for the suit now that the city was entirely occupied.
"What is it, Elizabeth?" He gave her his bitter you're interrupting me look.
 
"We're not going to be dying anytime soon if I have anything to say about it," She said pulling out a box from under the bed and opening it. She pulled out a riffle and tossed it at him. "You know how to use one of these?" she said as she pulled out the other one. It was a plasma riffle like one of the ones in Wadsworth's arms, but adapted for human use. She held hers against her shoulder just as another woman would check to see if a top still fit. "Besides, you're not my type," she added.

"Sir....He's already dead. According to the citizens, he died a couple of years ago...of a heart attack. It was shortly after his wife died and they mentioned something about a daughter," She said removing her glasses, and looking at him. "He was known for for his advancements with robotics and the use of plasma weapons. Perhaps we just stumbled upon his home." She looked a little concerned actually.
 
Kalin yipped a bit, fumbling with the rifle in her hands before getting a firm grip. Thankfully, it was one of those fancy new ones that didn't need gunpowder or anything. Just the bullets and the cocking mechanism. She got a feel for it before aiming the long rifle about, "Well, why not? I'm charming and beautiful and quite literate if I say so myself." She rolled her eyes, completely appalled that someone would not be interested in her, "Maybe you're not my type."

Norm seemed to be having a stroke as he stood there and shook in utter rage. However, he slowly contained himself and glared down at the map. He gripped the table for several seconds, pondering on weather he should throw it over or not.
"Go to his home, and capture his daughter. As for the bastard automaton who's guarding it, turn him into scrap metal. We're short on tanks." He said, the soldiers behind him fumbling uneasily.
"Now!" Norm roared, his voice echoing throughout the huge factory. The soldiers quickly skittered off, "I'm sure our employers will be highly satisfied with Ou Clair's genes." Norm stated lowly.
 
She looked up at her and stood, resting the weapon over her shoulder, putting her free hand on her hip. She only looked at her, standing there in her tight work pants, her blouse hanging around her hips and her corset the only covering her torso. "Look. We have a powerful organization that's probably taken control of the city. If we leave, we'll most likely be shot down within two seconds. Here we have food and we have two lines of defenses before they could get to us. Which do you like the sound of better?"

"Right on it, Sir," she said, bowing and rushing out of the room. She knew that it wasn't good to be in his company when he was mad about something. She sent out a group of 12 skilled men and radioed higher ups of what was going on.
 
"Where's the part where you kiss me?" Kalin wondered, her superb acting skills allowing the question to actually sound honest. She sighed and sat down next to the fridge, resting the gun on her lap and then turning to Summer, "So how did you get into tattooing? It's not exactly a respectable profession for a woman." She leaned back on the chair, making sure the rifle was loaded once more before aiming it at the door nonchalantly.

Norm soon joined Elizabeth as his soldiers tossed a grenade through the hole he had made earlier.
"I just had an idea. Demolish the house." He ordered, his eyes turning to one of the massive transports down the street. It could easily plow through the house if the driver was brave enough. Norm crossed his arms behind his back, regarding a few of the structure's features with his spectacles. That low cobblestone wall would be a little bit of trouble.
 
She simply raised an eyebrow then plopped herself down on the cot. "It was my father's business. I took over when he died a couple of years ago. He passed on what knowledge he could before he died, tips on how to repair Wadsworth, how he work and how to fix the turret system. He was very protective of me, and I didn't want to loose what he left for me. So here I am, permanently leaving my mark on people," she said with a grin, laying down on the bed with a sigh. "And what do you do for a living? Besides give charming girls fake names to get something you want. Seymore Butts, you gotta be kidding me, I haven't heard that one since I was five," she said with a laugh.

"Demolish, Sir? But She'd get injured. Don't we need her alive?" Elizabeth looked shocked at the idea of taking down a whole building for just one little girl. Though they had no idea just how old she was. She covered her ears as the blast went off. They used a elogrenade, it did horrible things to machinery and not very great things to the surroundings either.

Summer shot up again as the building shook, killing the lights again and peeling back the curtains of the window slowly, just a sliver so she could see outside. "Crap, they're back."
 
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