A Business Meeting

[Josef "Gauron" Totschläger]

Gauron sat on a park bench, a look of malice adorning his face. The Britannians in the park - many of them with children - seemed so carefree, so happy. They were all lost in their own little worlds where things like war and hate didn't exist. In their minds, a being such as Gauron was unfathomable. They refused to believe that one person could be so willfully violent, regardless of the fact that there had been a rather large battle within the Settlement just over a week ago.

It pissed him off like few things had before. His hand kept twitching towards his knife and it was taking quite a bit of willpower for him to not go on a killing rampage. He took a drink of his soda and checked his watch. The contact was late. Whatever this is for, it had better be good, Gauron thought, his ire rising. It was another five minutes before a woman walked up to him.

"Mister Totschläger I presume?" she said, taking a seat next to him. She was wearing an expensive-looking business suit.

"You're late," he growled, not bothering to check his anger. "I dare you to give me a good reason not to kill you right now."

"Because I represent a certain company and our CEO is very interested in meeting you," she said with a sigh. She didn't seem very concerned. "And without me, you won't get to meet her."

"Fine, then. Let's go." He wouldn't ask how they had discovered his cell phone number. Yet. Without a word, the woman stood up and led him out of the park to a black limousine. On the side was a design - four yellow hexagons arranged on top of each other in a way that looked like a honeycomb. A man in a suit and dark glasses stood next to the door. Gauron could see the bulge of a weapon in a holster under his jacket.

The armed man opened the door and Gauron climbed in after the woman. As soon as they were in, the doorman closed the door and got in the front. "As you may already know, Irkalla Corporation-" the woman started before Gauron cut her off.

"Shut up. I'm not talking to anyone but your boss." His voice left no room for argument. The ride to the Irkalla building was short and gave Gauron time to think. The company's public face was one of compassion and goodwill. The truth was that Irkalla made an absurd amount of money through military technologies. Surely they could use a hand with some of their... messier dealings and the Chinese were starting to show signs of growing tired of him. This would make a perfect opportunity to find a new employer.

The car stopped in an underground parking garage. Gauron followed his contact out of the vehicle and to an elevator. While they were riding up, she said "You'll of course understand that we can not allow you to have weapons with you during the meeting."

The elevator dinged at the same moment she stopped talking. The two stepped out and Gauron allowed himself to be stripped of weapons for one of the first times in his life. Not that it mattered. Regardless of their fancy armor and weapons, the guards here couldn't hope to kill him if he was determined.

After they were satisfied that he was no longer armed, he was allowed to follow the woman once again. This time, she led him to a reception area. There was a secretary sitting behind a desk and a pair of double doors that no doubt lead to the office of Irkalla's CEO. Without even needing to wait, the doors opened and revealed an expansive office. Near the windows was a large desk with holographic displays floating above it, displaying all kinds of information. A woman sat, reading through the reports. Gauron's contact stepped out without a word.

Gauron stood where he was. "I don't like being dragged around at someone's beck and call," he said. Was it an impetuous thing to say to someone that he was meeting for the first time? Absolutely. Did he care? Not a bit.

[setsuna]

Aurora let out a hearty laugh at Gauron's words. She closed the file she was reading, putting it on the desk, her pink eyes focusing on Gauron as she looked at him over her sunglasses, a smirk on her face, "Well, I certainly didn't 'drag' you here, Mr. Totshlager... a man such as yourself could have easily killed my messenger and the driver."
Nergal, her sphinx cat, sat on her desk staring at Gauron with his blue and green eyes. Aurora stood, walking around her desk. Today she was wearing an elegant strapless black dress with a slit over her left leg reaching up to her hip. She leaned against her desk, popping her hip out slightly. Every move she made ooze of seduction.
Aurora took off her sunglasses, placing them on her desk, "I know you're a busy man, so I won't take more out of your time than I should. I suppose someone such as yourself knows about Aegis Enterprises? I've taken the liberty of adding you to it's trade list. Custom parts only that is. I could have had my messenger send you the message herself, but given who you are, I wanted to tell you about this personally."

[Josef "Gauron" Totschläger]

"Sure, I've heard of Aegis," Gauron replied with a little more respect in his voice. It was hard not to in his line of work. Their weapons were regarded as among the best. Anyone lucky enough to use them swore up and down by the firearms and armor systems. The truth was that he was very pleased with the fact that he was on their trade list. The Chinese Federation's weapons paled in comparison to those of Aegis. He smirked.

"I'll take it as a compliment that I'm already a preferred customer and I have to respect that you would meet me in person." He had to admit, however, that he was confused by her attempts at seduction. Such things had never held any appeal to him. He decided to play along, however, and watched her movements with the kind of rapt attention that he had seen so many men display towards the opposite sex. "And as thanks, I have an offer for you. You see, my current employers, the Chinese Federation, don't seem to appreciate the kind of work that I do. It is very likely that I'll be in need of a new job soon."

[setsuna]

Aurora gave a small curtsy, albeit a playful one, but still a curtsy none the less, "I am here to serve the people, right?" she said with a laugh, "But in all seriousness, I know you would make good use of my stock. Don't expect any discounts though... at least not yet." she winked.

Aurora raised her brows at his proposal, "Is that so?" Aurora chuckled, "I have to assume you've gotten sick and tired of their incessant red tape. I could always use a hand, though of course, this would be as a privateer. You won't be in the payroll, which means I will pay you under the table. This also means, and I'm sure you'll like this part, that none of my staff will be able to boss you around. I will simply give you an objective and send you off. When and if you accomplish this objective, I'll pay you for it. If you get caught, or if somehow my objective finds out about your attempts, I will deny any involvement with you..." she looked at him from under her brow, smirking, "But of course, that won't happen." she chuckled.

"That is my offer, Mr. Totshlager... or should I just call you Gauron?... I am, however, willing to negotiate." Aurora wasn't trying to be seductive to Gauron, it was simply her way of being. She could tell he wasn't the type to concern himself with sex, but at the same time, given her nature, she wondered how he would be in bed, given his reputation. She couldn't help but let out a chuckle at her thoughts.

[Josef "Gauron" Totschläger]

Gauron listened attentively while the woman spoke. Her offer was enticing. It was exciting. It was too good to pass up. He especially liked the fact that he wouldn't have to answer to anyone but her. Her choice to disavow any knowledge of his activities was something that he had heard countless times in the past and came as no surprise.

"Please do call me Gauron. Josef Totschläger is a name that I gave up long ago. There's no need to be so formal." He stopped and thought for a moment. "If there is room for negotiation, then I do have a request. It shouldn't be too difficult to meet for someone with your resources." Gauron hadn't owned a Knightmare in far too long and Irkalla's were the best that he'd seen. This was nothing short of a golden opportunity.

[setsuna]

Aurora's smile widened slightly, reading what little she could from Gauron's expressions. She could deduce he liked the offer. And it wasn't anything special from Aurora. She didn't hire outsiders very often, given she was a control freak, but it's not like she'd give Gauron any mission that required diplomacy... she'd just send him off to cause havoc, which was his specialty, so it was a win-win situation for both sides.

"Oh?" Aurora chuckled, raising a brow, "Please do elaborate." Aurora said with interest. She had a good idea what his request would be, but she was curious to hear his specifications.

[Josef "Gauron" Totschläger]

Gauron smiled wide. He got the feeling that working for this woman was going to be much more fun than any of his other assignments. "I want a Knightmare. Not some mass produced piece of crap, but a real Knightmare Frame made just for me. One that will strike fear into the hearts of all those who see it. One that will allow me to kill as quickly or as slowly as I like. I want a demon that follows my every command precisely, without any of the rigidity that all Knightmares display." It was rare for Gauron to get so worked up about much of anything, but he had wanted a custom Frame for years now. It was rather exciting. He quickly composed himself. "Before we continue, though, I think it's only fair that I know the name of my new employer." He had had enough of women knowing his name while he was unsure of theirs'.

[setsuna]

Aurora smiled at the description of the knightmare he wanted, "A man after my own heart." she commented out loud, taking a small keyboard from the desk. She pressed a button, projecting a large holoscreen to her right. She paused, staring at Gauron, raising a brow, "...you are serious?" Aurora had never met someone who didn't know who she was. It was almost... insulting. Almost being the keyword. She laughed, shaking her head, "I do apologize. I suppose being who I am has gotten to my head. I am Aurora Gallows." she smiled.

"Now..." she pressed a few keys on her keyboard. A video began playing of a prototype knightmare, stripped of armor, using synthmuscle technology, "This is prototype E-02. It was our first successful test of our new synthmuscle technology. I believe it speaks for itself..."
The knightmare was doing several maneuvers, such as punches, kicks, back flips... it looked like a human without skin. Synthmuscle was a fibrous black material that truly resembled muscle tissue.
"Synthmuscle is a material we use for prosthetic parts in our medical department. It was only natural we would use it in a weapon. I for one am tired of these archaic models all nations are using. I only wish I would have been around a hundred years ago... even after the war was over I would have continued weapons research... it is my job to update military technology, to make it worth our times... and of course, it is my job to decide who gets these cutting-edge devices of destruction. I'd love to build this machine for you. Now... should we consider it as payment for your first task?" she chuckled.

[Josef "Gauron" Totschläger]

"Aurora... Gallows," he said, testing the feel of the name. He liked its feel. Aside from that, it had a good fit when one considered exactly what they were talking about and what he would be doing for the company.

When she stepped behind her desk, Gauron followed, keeping his attention away from her keystrokes. Trust was very important, after all. He watched the video of the prototype with a calculating gaze. It moved wonderfully and displayed amazing agility. It looked as though the final product would have to sacrifice armor for mobility, but that would not be a problem. He kept watching the screens while Aurora spoke.

"That," he said, finally tearing his eyes away from the monitor, "sounds perfect." He looked at Aurora. "And on that note, what exactly is my first assignment?"

[setsuna]

Aurora smirked, "Have you heard of the name Aleksei Makarov? I had a little... incident... with him recently. Your task is simple: find out all you can about him. I would like all the information you could give me, but don't break your back over it... your task is to assess the situation. If you think he could be a threat to me and my operations... kill him. I leave it entirely to your judgement." she chuckled, "And no worries... if you decide to kill him I won't ask questions."

Aurora produced a data pad and a stylus, "So, what would you like on your knightmare?" she smiled, clearly enjoying designing custom knightmares and weaponry.

[Josef "Gauron" Totschläger]

Gauron recognized the name. Makarov was something of a terror, even among the Spetsnaz. Gauron smiled. "It's not often that I'm given such a fun assignment right away." Ever since he had first heard of the man, he had wondered just how much fun it would be to hunt and kill him. And now, just like that, he was being given the chance.

Gauron couldn't give her any information right now that she didn't already know, so he stayed quiet and considered his options. The Chinese had no way of knowing about this meeting and so could still be used. Mana might help if she felt like it. "If any of Makarov's men survived the battle then I can use them," Gauron said, his voice making it clear that it would not be a pleasant process for anyone that he got his hands on.

He was still thinking about how to gather the intelligence when Aurora asked him about what he would like on his Knightmare. It caught him a little off guard. He recovered quickly, though. "I've always had an affinity for knives," he said with a smile. "I'll need two of them, a rifle in case of long range combat. One Slash Harken will suffice. A Radiant Wave Shield would be appreciated, but I can get along fine without it." It seemed like a small armament list, but would be more than enough in Gauron's capable hands.

"It needs to be agile and fast. I'm willing to sacrifice armor strength for mobility. No Landspinners - I hate those things. And I believe that the time has come for Knightmare piloting to be rethought; I want a master-slave system." Gauron had always wanted a Knightmare that was his alone. For the first time in his life, he understood the saying "like a kid in a candy store."

[setsuna]

Aurora smiled, "Well, I do aim to accommodate my employees to jobs they are not only suited for... but jobs they will enjoy." she giggled.
"Unfortunately, none of his men survived the assault. And if any did, they did a good job at running away. I do not tend to take prisoners..." she chuckled, "You will find no red tape here, Gauron. I do not care how you reach your given goal... all I ask is that you kindly don't hurt my staff. I assure you they will stay out of your way."

Aurora wrote down the specifications, chuckling softly, "You have good taste, Gauron. I hate land-spinners myself. They are so archaic. That's where the synthmuscle technology comes in handy."

Aurora had more plans for Gauron. She was looking to open a privateer service... basically mercenaries in the Irkalla payroll who do jobs for others under Irkalla's management. She would see how well Gauron dealt with this task given to him. She expected nothing but excellence from him. If all went right, she would make the offer.

[Josef "Gauron" Totschläger]

Gauron's smile widened more than he thought possible. Working for Aurora was going to be fun. He found himself wishing that he hadn't wasted so much time with the Chinese. Such was life, however. "As long as they are as reasonable as you, your employees will come to no harm," he assured her. There was no telling if or when that would come to be a lie, but it was the truth for now.

He thanked her for the compliment with a nod. "Well, then I suppose I should get to work. Makarov isn't known for staying in one place for too long. He'll be leaving Area 11 soon, if he hasn't already." Hunting the man down would be difficult, but doable. he turned towards the door and began walking. About halfway there, he stopped. "If any of your men ever need training, I can turn them into some of the strongest killers you've ever seen... Just so you know." With that out of the way, he left. He didn't bother with giving her a card as it seemed that his new employers had no problem getting in touch with him. They had done it once, they could do it again.

[EXIT]

[setsuna]

Aurora laughed with delight, "I am sure some of us wouldn't mind being trained by you. As a matter of fact, I would love to be trained by the legendary Gauron myself. Maybe we can schedule something at a later date." she nodded, being completely serious about it.

"Happy hunting!" she added with a wave as Gauron left the office.
Things were looking very promising. With Gauron working for her there was little that stood in her way. She now had to schedule a meeting with a Britannian official about the attack on her company, as well as meet with her Chief of Research to discuss the advances on the many knightmares being developed. She also wanted to know how the Singularity Cannon was going... she couldn't wait until it was fully developed. It's creation would be the gateway to Irkalla's mission of absolute power.

[end of thread]

[Sylvana Li Britannia]

Topic Complete!

Josef "Gauron" Totschläger: (1840 Words, Normal RP) 184 Exp, 184 Credits
Aurora Gallows: (1290 Words, Normal RP) 129 Exp, 129 Credits

Credits and Experience have been added.