Polkitain blinked, "What do you mean Nyx ?" Polkitain was surprised at the mention of danger.

He did look at the technowizard manacles and applied his own internal knowledge to see if he could determine if that was the purpose of the manacles.

"Hmmm.... Coming out of Mexico is a feat. Coming out of Mexico during the Dark Ages was nearly impossible. So lucky this guy was indeed. Sounds like he was persistant. Fortunately for us Lady Kalista, the brothers Nyx and Doc and myself are familiar with chasing vampires. The others will pick it up fairly quick. He has an odd set of guns for a slinger so I think you are right he is a fighter. Water pistols won't be enough. We need reflec gear and rifles. I think rail guns might be best, but we don't have those. Huh. Not all elves are serious all the time and speaking for me and the boys plenty of the females too." Arulas simply smiles as if to say he misses a good hunt.

Doc looked to Iron Gut, and grinned, "Far too serious if you ain't got time for a lady now and again. Reflective gear would be good, but our best bet may be startin' with that Lord Raven fella. Any idea where he spends his time Iron Gut? If he's got that cyber eye, he may be able to tell us a little more." Doc looked down at his silver plated revolvers, "Time to add another notch to the belt it seems."

"Danger is close, Polk", repeated the elven gunslinger, "And I felt it when I entered here". He scanned the inside of the tent, one hand resting by his hip holster as he sub-vocalised to his brother, ++ Doc. Danger, source uncertain ++

"Lady Green, you might want to take cover my friend Nyx is often right about his feelings."

Doc tilted his head slightly to the left, his hands twitched almost imperceptibly, ever nearer to his hips, "Got it." he said aloud in reply to his brothers warning. "Arulas, can't you knighty types 'feel' evil? I got a hunch... if you wouldn't mind."

 "Um no that is paladins. I can however tell you what you want to know about folks." He turns and looks around the room. "Whom in particular?"

Activating Sixth Sense and See Aura.

Doc shrugged, and indicated Iron Gut, "Reckon everyone but us. Just got a feelin' as it were."

Polkatain studies the chains in his claws. His inherent connection with all things magic serves him well. The chains are exactly what they are described as being. These techno-wizard gadgets work as regular manacles until they are activated with a single point of Potential Psychic Energy. When activated, they release as a function of the Escape Spell. There is nothing inherently dangerous about the TW manacles.

Nyx finds that the bomb under the table, however, is inherently dangerous. A homemade explosive device uses no magic but is plenty dangerous without it. The lunch-box-sized bomb is built purposefully to look dangerous with an old fashioned count down timer built from an analog alarm clock, exterior wires, and a red painted block of explosive. The material of the casing feels dull to Nyx's psychic probing, and he probably would have a difficult time disarming it with telekinesis if he ever had to do that. The bomb is not currently ticking.

Doc can comprehend what Nyx is seeing through a psychic relay.

Arluas feels no eminent danger from his sixth sense. Using his See Aura, however, he learns a lot. (See private line)

"Sir Raven was last seen following a trail of disappearances on the road to Ciudad Juerez. I don't have any ears that far away, so he might already be there for all I know. Then again, his investigation might take diverted him somewhere else. I know he's got allies within Reed's Rangers, so there's a chance he could end up there at any time."

"Beneath the table, there's a bomb", pointed out Nyx to the hatchling and the sorceress. He backed out of the tent slowly

"Want me to get rid of ?" Polk asked Nyx.

Doc nodded to Arulas, "Lookin' like we got a bomb in the tent with Nyx and Polk. Ain't Reed a hunter?"

OOC: Does the table look light enough to lift ?

Arulas looks at Doc and says "Iron Gut has dark magic involved somehow. That guy isn't human. Tell you brother I am coming and to not move the bomb." Arulas heads towards the section of the tent that Polk and Nyx left towards.

With the mystic types dealing with the bomb, Doc turns to face Iron Gut, "Dark magic... interestin'... you got anything you wanna share boss? you a leech? a demon? or just an orc who is meaner than he let's on?"

With his warning delivered, Nyx backed out of the tent and saw to his own cover - though his eyes scanned the room and those in it looking for a guilty conscience or a familiar tell

Well, I have internet access again. I thank you all for sticking around. I might not have done the same.

Yes, the table is very easy to lift for a dragon like Polkatain.

Nyx merely observes a lot of small faeries looking very busy and not paying him any mind. He is able to exit the tent without any interference. Outside, it looks like there might be rain soon.

Kalista and Ethan are carrying on their conversation in a different game board, I think. They are unaware of the bomb unless someone here tells them, but their credit chips full of payment have been delivered to the front desk of the inn by now.

Doc poses a pointed question to the orcish warlord, Iron Gut. Old Iron Gut will speak for himself in the next comment...

In reply to Doc (msg # 67):

The warlord gives Doc a curious look. It might be possible to read this expression if it wasn't for -- you know -- orc face.

"Here I thought everyone in these parts knew about Iron Gut and the Long Tooth Clan. We keep the traditions of the old world alive here in Pecos. That includes recipes from way back, all the way back to the Times of a Thousand Magics. The term that Humans use for me is Cannibal Mage, but that's not entirely accurate, because I don't eat Orc. We orcs simply call it 'Grasselgrum' which means using every part of the enemy."

"That don't make you queasy does it, Elf?"

Polkitain lifts the table a tiny bit teleporting away from town with it.

Doc shook his head, arched an eyebrow and grinned, "No, it don't. I ain't dead. So you ain't eatin' me. And while we have an accord here, we ain't enemies. Now if you get to entertainin' a notion to eat me, or any o' my friends I 'spect to be told. Since we're friendly like right now." Doc hands twitched and his fingers flexed, "Long as we on good terms boss, we're good. You kill and eat all the assholes you want to, won't bother me none. I just ain't havin' dinner with ya, understand?" Doc wondered how a fight with Iron Gut would go down now.

At the pop and rush of displaced air from the hatching teleporting the bomb away, Nyx shook his head. He should have recalled Polk's peculiar abilities. Still, it was enough to sour im on the thought of being cramped in a tent with the Lady Green and he wandered off back towards the Behemoth, sending a short message to his brother and the dragon via radio to let them know he was turning in

Somewhere in the desert, "Nobody knows the troubles I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrow." Polk looks all around then leaps into the air to fly up so people can see where he is as he flutters back down.

Meanwhile, Samuel is trying to find a buyer for a half million worth of nuclear generator from that salvaged CS Patrol car.

Polk suddenly remembers the radio like someone who lost their glasses but they were on their head the whole time.

On radio Samuel I have the bomb and table. I am outside of town. Kind of lonely here.