2011-05-29 - A Northern Exchange

Interesting times! Polite way of saying war, carnage, giant robots stomping through your home town... crushing your precious bike in the process and making you vow revenge...

But that is neither here nor there. For now let's follow a less giant robot infested corner of the blue-green marble of a world we call Earth. This little corner happens to be a reasonably sized city in North Africa along the mediteranian coastline. It has existed since time out of mind and enjoys, thanks to different quirks of history and location, a healthy amount of tourism. Nice place. Friendly place.

It also is a place one overly large accountaint in a rust red and bronze colored suit is apparently lost in. Briefcase in one hand, GPS doodad in the other, and he is a touch late for a meeting he had arranged.

"Why did I have to tell this kid I needed to see him /now/ instead of after I got an idea on where what is around here?" Sour sounding giant is sour sounding.

Well, it was not like Ascian was used to being in this specific part of the world either. Sure, it was Divine Crusader teritory, but he didn't visit these towns very often. The young man wasn't a big fan of Earth after all. But, in the end, he /had/ been there earlier than the other. Well, Edward had been late after all.

So when he finally stands there, looking all Sour, Ascian is watching him with a rather confused look. He's wearing a set of sunnies, one of his eyes bound off by bandage, and other than that is wearing a neat black business suit. It appears that no matter what this bluehaired young man wears though, he ends up standing out. A burly black man taps Ascian's shoulder, and holds his hand out to take the lemonade from the Martian. "There ya go." Ascian mutters, handing off the drink, before walking straight up to Edward.

It's kind of silly really, someone like Ascian, an Ender, suddenly standing before the big black Edward. And he's trying to look imposing, one hand on the sidearm at his hip. "About time you showed up." The framerunner snaps at the man. "What do you have?"

Perhaps Edward was unaware of 'don't give away what you can sell', or maybe him handing the briefcase over pretty as you please was only the first part of something larger the man had in mind. "Information on an orbital frame that's been salvaged, it's current location, details on the defenses of said location, and lists of the personnel." Soft smile before he let the briefcase go. Did he find Ascian's attempt at intimidation amusing? What? Seriously. Why was the guy smiling?

When Edward begins to start talking, Ascian's eyes widen behind those sunglasses of his. Now, what may look even more funny than before, is Ascian grabbing with his hands out at Edward and pulling at his collar. "Orbital frame!?" It's not often Orbital Frames get lost. Aside from Djehuty - in possession by Dingo, a few units under B.I.S., and a rather odd dad with Dolores. But he's fairly certain it's not any one of those. No, this had to be different. This had to be THE other unit that was missing.

"Gi~..." He's just about to manically start trying to tossle Edward about... but instead lets go and steps back. He is breathing rapidly, seemingly completely off of his game all of the sudden. "W... what do you want for this information." his hands are trembling.

The kid's reaction was, in Ed's estimation, a bit overkill. Sure he guessed Frames, crazy space rock powered gear needing specialized /expensive/ equipment was probably noteworthy, were probably a big deal. Then again the reaction seemed less 'treasure!' and more 'PERSONAL IMPORTANCE!'

"The information? Nothing." Casually tossed out intel to a faction that's done everything possible to make people on earth misrible, including attempting to BLOW UP said earth... for free?.

"For my assistaince and a dozen other Trailers to tag along so you don't have to pull resources away from more important assets?" Beat. "That'll cost...."

"Nothing?" Why would he need /Trailers/ anyhow? Ascian gives Edward an odd look. Obviously, he's not really trusting this angle in the least." The young man raises a hand to his chest for a moment, then looks at the coffer. "Are you sure? I mean, it's not like I /need/ the help from the Trailers." Did he? No, he was fairly sure the Divine Crusaders would assist him in this venture if it needed to be. "Just... gimme that." He moves his fingers beckoning, demanding the suitcase.

The briefcase was casually handed over. You'd think there was crack in there by how the kid was acting. "I'm just saying... even with as much as those things have to cost I doubt they'll send off the kind of force needed to break in." Ed took a sip of lemonaid before continuing. "Oh fine sure they'll probably send in enough numbers to scare the daylights out of whoever's there, but you're looking at sending probable newbies against a bunch of people clinging to screwy technology they wanna figure out how to make more of.... or whatever's got everyone so crazy over these things anyhow. "The guys I have in mind are all experianced, will be very professional about the work, and most importantly wouldn't obviously be crusader forces. Could be a private party wanting to collect the fancy space rock suit for a privet collection for all they know." He snorted. Not that he considered the idea likely, but still....

"Inside you'll also find my price in addition to cost of operation."

Along with the photos, written reports, disks containing God Knows What, and all the relevent information is another set of documents. These detail a Crusader sympathetic mining outfit operating out of the south pacific. More to the point it goes into great lengths about a crystal and metal Golem, potentially a mobile suit, that is in the process of being unearthed.

"These people have something that I am willing to pay lots of money for.

Ascian frantically grabs the briefcase as it is handed over and then waves over the large black man that came with him, as well as the table. Within moments, the table is brought to where Edward and Ascian are standing, and the briefcase is opened. It doesn't take long for Ascian to be grabbing at the pieces of paper that are inside. He isn't interested in what Ed is saying, about the Trailers who could help him. He wants the actual information itself. He looks through pages, then the photos... and halts. It's there. It's THE Blue Orbital Frame. "I... a... this..." Ascian can't seem to quite find the words, before he turns around and sets his hands against the table which is now behind himself. Almost like he is bracing himself. His sunglasses have slipped slightly off, and he's basically panting right now.

No way. This couldn't be. "W... where did you find this?" He's not threatening anymore - nothing of the like. He's floating between dread and happiness. He'd noticed that the facility had been A-LAWS. "Where did you find this?" He asks. "This... this information." His hand continues to tremble, before he turns back about and continues to look through the files, comparing them. "My sister..." He whispers to himself, "I can finally meet with her again..."

Ah. Ties of Blood and Family. "I've friends with the Leland family." Nevermind his friend had outright given him the information instead of going herself so he could have a chance at levering what he wanted. "Look." He tried sounding soft, but c'mon. Seven foot tall guy sitting that's still able to look most people in the eye while they're standing. Might not be the most comforting or gentile seeming people. "I was going to try levering and manouvering. Nickering over how much of my money I'd be willing to blow on this one."

Sigh from the big man. "I just can't. Don't like family being seperated. Give me a time you want to move and an idea on what you can pull together. I'll see how many people I can get that won't end up as pure cannon fodder."

Ascian continues to lean over the briefcase... but shakes his hand. "I refuse to accept help from others for this thing. As much as I appreciate the offer." Ascian replies, closing the coffer and giving it to the black man. "Put it in the car." He snaps at him, before turning about. "The Leland family huh?" Oh, he remembered that name. The catgirl. "So tell me... honestly, just tell me what I can do for you in return for this information." It's that simple to the young man, who is trying his /best/ to be more composed than his emotions want him to be. Currently, what he /really/ wants to do, is jump into the Amenthes and fly off to the location and shoot down anyone who'd get in his way.

Nevermind Edward had provided the paperwork. Maybe the kid just didn't notice, or maybe Ed didn't notice he never looked. "I want you people to back off on the archeology mecha salvage thing for a few weeks. There's a suit that's getting dug up I'm probably going to get disinheritted for since I'm probably going to break the bank in the process. It has great personal value for reasons that would take too damned long to explain even if you'd believe me." He looked down at Ascian not with anger, or determination, but with a touch of something softer. "Just keep the ships away when you start getting wind of an iron and crystal giant."

"Hrrm... it's not like I have that kind of authority." Ascian mutters, staring impatiently at Edward. "I may be a lieutenant, but to keep the ships away like that..." The young man lets out a sigh and shakes his head a bit. "Look, I will see what I can do, okay? But there's no guarantee." No, Ascian had indeed not looked at the other files. He didn't /care/ about the other files. The Ender then steps forwards and extends a hand towards Edward. "You may not understand it, but... thank you. This information is actually of great importance to me - personally. That Orbital Frame belongs to my long lost sister - Alina Luddite." He explains. "The last time she was seen, she was in that unit."

The name rang no real bells. Sure he'd seen a few martians on earth but- "Sorry." Ed shook his head. "No pictures or anything?" Slightly hopeful there, but only slightly. Chances are good this guy hasn't seen the girl in years, and the odds do not favor Ed having just randomly bumped into this guy's sister. It's a big solar system after all.

"Not with me." Ascian shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. Anyhow. I will see what I can do about your problem. But... for now, I need to be off. I don't know how new your information is, and any time lost is time wasted." The young man bows his head towards Edward, then turns about and runs off into the distance. He's in a rush, that much is sure.

In contrast Ed lingered for awhile, enjoying the chance to sit. Sure he's a big guy but it's been a long day with lots of walking. Oh and did we forget to mention he'd been walking for a couple hours trying to figure out where this place was?