The badders voice was loud enough to overhear and she could feel a creepy crawly sensation along her body as the memory of her near capture rose up and urged her to flee away from the slaver.

 The war within her mind bothered her with wanting to flee and wanting to put a shaft into the head of the guard out there who was telling them to get lost and go around their turf.

 "We going to run from them again?."

Ophelia moved into the tunnels and hugged the shadows waiting for Bedlam to further instructions



OOC:14:47, Today: Ophelia rolled 24 using 1d20+11.  stealth roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:47, Wed 10 Feb 2016.

Bedlam's thoughts reach Rose and the crew as he continues negotiations with the badder. ~Patience, sis. All in good time.~

"That was the Troika?!" Bedlam seems surprised.

"I must confess," he apologizes with all the sincerity he can muster. "I am not very good at distinguishing between your clans. I hesitate between the two offenses of asking your clan name, and leaving without knowing. May I be so bold as to ask?"

The giant waits for the badder's reply before continuing.

"Given this excellent den," he again takes in the compound with compliment. "I am sure yours is among the most powerful of the clans. And while I understand your primary trade is slaves, still... slaves work better when they are fed. And when they have tools. And a dominant clan needs weapons and ammunition in addition to slaves. And cubs grow proud and strong when their elders give them shiny tech to adorn their den..."

The giant pauses, allowing the badder time to further consider the economics of trade.

OOC:
15:19, Today: Bedlam Jones rolled 24 using 1d20+16.  Interaction. Get badder to reveal clan name.

Arcus remains silent... as he has nothing civil to say to the Badder slaver... however he does remove the 'white-flag' of truce from his gun barrel.. though he doesn't actually point his Megashotgun at the Badder sentry.

The temperature of the area goes up and his hair ignites to its usual corona of shifting bright flames... clearly from the young Ranger's blazing eyes and expression he wants nothing less than to start killing Badders one by one, however long it takes, until they get the point that slaving is 'bad for business'.

But he hold's his piece.

His expression hardens when Bedlam infers opening trade with these miscreant curs... clearly he is opposed to such...

~Crew, do not confuse what I am saying with what I am doing. Charging into a badder den is likely to leave some, if not all of us bleeding out or in shackles. We need information. So I need to find common points of discussion.~

~Or do you want me to just ask this furry mug to muster the troops so we can meet them on the glorious field of battle?~

In reply to Bedlam Jones (msg # 54):

Arcus hears the Giant man's thoughts in his mind and his own thoughts come back with conviction...

{"Ah'm not interested in starting a fight that gits us all killed neither... but Ah'll be DAMNED if'n Ah'm gonna be a party-ta givin' 'aid an material support' to a bunch of dirt-bag slavers! Tha' idea that sentient free-willed beings are property ta be bought, used and sold like some pair o' ole shoes~ is not only offensive its jus' plain WRONG and EVIL at its core!  Ah'll have nothing civil ta' do with anyone who practices enslaving free-minded sentients.. tha' includes trading peacefully with them~ jus' so they can continue slaving!  I don't deal~ nice-like, with folk as spread oppression, suffering, fear and terror... nor scum-bag slavers!  As far as Ah'm concerned~ they git ONE chance... ta free their slaves and abandon slaving entirely... or they will face fiery DEATH at mah hands!  Slaving is EVIL and it is rapacious as 'everyone who is FREE is threatened as long as ANYONE is allowed to be forced ta' live in chains!'  I'll NOT abide tha'.. no sir, Mistah Bedlam~ Ya have ta STAND fur somethin'! So you can talk all's you want.. but if'n your planing on being friendly with these evil peoples.. then It might be best for me ta seek other companions!"}
This message was last edited by the player at 11:33, Tue 16 Feb 2016.

"We are the Burner clan" says the badder reluctantly. "I'll talk to the boss about your offer. See that?" - he indicates a rusting street light at the edge of the compound - "You see a red flag there when you come back, we can trade. You see nothing, walk away and stay away".

"Understood," Bedlam nods perfunctorily down at the badder. The word also seems to resonate through his thoughts in reply to Arcus.

The giant turns crisply. "Let's go, crew. We need to find an alternate route."

~Stay hidden if you can, Ophelia. Join us two blocks back the way we came as soon as it is clear. Thunderbird, be sure they can see you watching our back.~

Pulling the handcart, Bedlam pauses near the rusting street light to again make note of the landmarks. Then he leads the crew back the way they came until the rubble of the Sprawl has put a few turns between them and the Burner clan compound.

In a relatively open area which may once have been an intersection of roads he calls a halt. "This looks like a good spot to wait for Ophelia."

"So I've been thinking," he says. "Working with Arcus' premise that the badders must give up their slaves or face death at our hands, what do the badders use the slaves for? And what would they do without them? Is this something which will lend itself to a sudden transition? Or should we just skip all the tedious negotiations and assume their answer is 'no'. Then we can just attack them on sight, and inform any survivors to advise their kind to find another line of work?"

In reply to Bedlam Jones (msg # 57):

Arcus visibly clams down ... his corona of firey hair settling to it usual freakishly bright-red long hair and the heat in the air dissapating.  He sighs and comments.

"Ah'm... appologizing Mistah Bedlam sah, you handled tha' far betah than I likely would have!  Ah knows you all haven't signed up ta' fight no war against evil...jus' cause Ah'm here.. and Ah thank ya fur considering mah convictions on tha' matah!"

"As fur them Badders... If'n tha' is yur all in agreement ta' deal with them as they deserves... Ah, would prefer we handle them with stealth first.  Sneak into or, at least-ways, near their compounds and start tallyin' what their numbers and defenses are as best as we can determine.  Then decide how best to break their control.  Tha' aftermath o' a successful liberation ideally, Ah, would like ta' see the Badders hire their 'workers' fur fair pay and treatment for their work in their salvage workcamps with tha' freedom ta leave an go else where if'n things are not to their liking.  It would encourage tha' Badders to treat their employees much nicer to convince them to stay and work.. yet not ruin their society... hopefully."

"But before all o' tha' we need to know.. if the Restorationists are supplying them with new tech... like those nullification collars. We also, Ah think, needs ta' hire a few more guns.. ah'd say maybe four merc types ta help back us up?  Them Badders ain't stupid they will be lookin' fur us an ready.. plus Ah'm sure they are the type ta' hold grudges!"

"But all tha' takes funds to trade for info and for hired help..so.. {sigh}... despite mah desire ta' help those slaves... Ah think we needs to make a score o' some good salvage first!"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:42, Thu 18 Feb 2016.

Ohpelia mentally nodded and slipped deeper into the shadows. She waited until the group were clear of the Badders then slipped out and away from the area.

She circled round and came towards the group from the opposite direction.


OOC:11:17, Today: Ophelia rolled 20 using 1d20+11.  stealth roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:18, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

Thunderbird nodded before making a display of flying as he rode the thermals, keeping an eye on the badders down below. As he flew, he mentally mapped out the defenses in case they would be needed to assault the territory.

---

17:18, Today: Thunderbird rolled 26 using 1d20+11.  Perception.

 She was staring at the badder with a ugly expression and shifted her hvy xbow towards where the badder was floating and blocking their way.

 I dont think we should have any doings with these badders, they are all the same. Her thoughts hammered the group/Bedlam.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

~You are not alone in that thought, sis.~


"While I might not feel the same... motivation, I am, in general, in agreement with your the desired outcome."

"Yeah. Not our strong suit. But we could certainly scout their perimeter, see which paths they use, look for someplace we can watch from. Maybe start a propaganda war by posting anonymous signs advocating workers' rights."

Bedlam pauses.

"We will need more provisions for such a protracted campaign..."

"What about the rest of you," the giant addresses the crew. "Most of you signed up on the premise of making a better life for yourself by salvaging the Sprawl. Poking a badder might yield some swag, but we could just as easily avoid that fight."

Thunderbird headed back to rejoin the group. "For the time being we can avoid the Badders. If we are going to deal with them, we can start starving them of slaves so that they have to travel further. Once they start doing that, we can start hitting their raiding parties piece by piece to the point that they would feel safer staying at home. However, since nature abhors a vacuum, we need to be able to provide them with other means of supporting themselves. Maybe we need to research them further to see what talents they have that would be more useful to them (and us) in a civilized society." he said

Ophelia looked at those gathered round her, she'd promised herself she'd not get close to another group again after her last were killed but damn it she cared about these dirtbags " I will go with the majority, I joined you to help you make a better life for us all. I'm tired of killing for the sake of it and lost too many good friends to count. BUT if my family is attacked I will protect them. If my family decide to go on the attack then I will go to protect them, and sadly I seem to have chosen you lot as my family" she said with a smile

Bedlam listens to what the crew has to say, nodding his head.

"Ok. Seems we are agreed in that we don't like badders or their chosen profession. Seems we are also agreed that eliminating them, or converting them to a new economic enlightenment will require more resources than we have with us at this time. So we need to continue this discussion round the fire. In the interim, let's gather more info about this den."

He pulls out the map and makes some marks. "T-bird, is 'burner' spelled with an 'i' or an 'e'?"

"This looks like the main approach to the den. Assuming the fenceline is the primary demarcation, let's circle around that way, looking for other paths leading in. Remember, they like to dig."

"When we get to the far side, we will continue making our way toward the Sleeth Bridge."

"And, um, now that we've got this Burner group on conversational terms, when we come across any badders in the future do we just want to attack them on sight?"

Arcus speaks up, "Well.. much as I hates slaving.. and am not to fond of those who practice it... jus' attackin' someone cause they look like they might be is not fair nor polite civilized-like!  So.. naw, ah'm against jus' attackin' on sight.  Ah'm, not at war with Badders... ah've taken an issue with SLAVERS... whatevah race or species is engaged in tha' odious profession!  Actin' like Evil Folks, is no way ta be betah than them~ as Good people!  So ah say we do jus' what we did this time.. we be polite and neighborly respect their territory... but be sure as ta' get a full accounting o' what they consider their lair... an politely leave them alone~ until we have enough intel to attack and break up their activities!  If'n they attack us.. well .. they get what they asked fur.. no exceptions... and no more niceties!"

The young mutant ranger crossess his arms, "..well thas mah piece o' mind on tha' matah...!"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:31, Thu 03 Mar 2016.

Crinkles looks from one to another of the crew members while they discuss the offing of the clan of Badders.  He stretches his long arms after a bit and asks, "Crinkles wonders if we tell other badders we work for Clan Burner, if that might get them to leave us alone?"

He looks at Arcus, "Crinkles does not say we do work for badders.  Just tell a lie."  He shrugs his large shoulders as if to say it was just an idea, the hood of the pickup moving up and down with his motions.

"Not go to war with Clan Burner, Crinkles thinks.  Too many dead right now."

"Alright - continue talking before smashing skulls," Bedlam shrugs, absently scratching at the shaggy fur on his neck. "I don't know how you deal with all this fur, Crinkles. Can't believe I'm looking forward to the next flux."

"Now let's get moving - we're wasting daylight."

Grasping the handles of his cart the giant coaxes the crew to start circling the badder compound.

~T-bird and Ophelia scout high-low. Rose, follow up on anything that needs a closer look. Arcus, rear guard. Remember, not likely to be much salvage this close to the badders, so we're looking for their bolt holes and sally ports for now.~

"Burner with an "E". B-u-r-n-e-r, like in EPROM burner." Thunderbird said, listening to the conversation. "We could say that we know the Burner's but that might open a whole new can of worms if someone has an axe to grind with them."

With the order to take the high point, Thunderbird took off into the sky.

Ophelia gave a mental nod and was off at a long legged run before dropping onto all fours and leaping over a pile of rubble and was suddenly out of sight


OOC:
10:33, Today: Ophelia rolled 20 using 1d20+11.  stealth roll.
10:32, Today: Ophelia rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  perception roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:34, Fri 18 Mar 2016.

 Glad to be away from any badders, she moved off in the direction that everyone else was going. As she walked she took down he hvy xbow and looked at the design, of the torque bars and began to think about how to improve it..maybe mount a scope on it or add a box to make it a bit faster loading.

Crinkles falls in with the main group.  "Fur keeps Crinkles warm," he says with a shrug.

He checks the straps on his pickup and confirms that his auto-cannon is in place as he walks along.

The party performs a wide sweep of the Burners' compound under the suspicious eyes of the badder sentries.

Everyone make a Perception roll. Are you moving on the the South River after your scouting mission?

OOC:07:24, Today: Ophelia rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  perception roll.