^^ Caleb's Battle Suit ^^
--- 90 Days AD ---
I rubbed my eyes slowly, groaning. "What time is it?"
"It is 23:15, Lord Caleb." A random man's voice answered.
"If I open my eyes, and a man is standing in my room, I swear to the Wild Gods I will rip said man limb from limb for his trespass. Leave your message and go, messenger." I hissed softly.
An envelope was placed on my desk, and he hurried out. I walked over, and picked it up, opening it slowly.
"Ahh, He caught my implication... Good." I nodded. The envelope help the location of what seemed to be an illegal drug smuggling convoy, and a simple message, as well as a few more odd jobs.
'A Simple problem. They have something of mine, a few servant girls. Bring the girls back, kill the men.'
"A Simple Problem... A test? Ha." I chuckled.
I started to get dressed, and then armed myself, wearing the armor I'd made for myself, which was a black mechanical armor, self camouflaged, unlike the Cop's garish Blue and White.
I strapped my Baldric on, sheathing my sword on it easily, placing my dagger into my breast pocket, and sheathing two black M-13 Manta's on my hips, plus extra ammo on my baldric, and a set of throwing knives on my hips, shoulders, and lower back. Then I placed the pieces for my sniper rifle in a bag, hanging on my shoulder casually.
"What are you gearing up for war for?" Jazz asked sleepily.
"Just a problem that needs solving." I smiled, and turned my helmet on, my display immediately linking up. My antenna's range wouldn't reach that far, but that was fine. I didn't need it. I scanned in the documents, and then walked out, catching the train to the surface.
--- 91 AD 10:20 ---
I kicked in the door of the bandit scout station, my sword swinging. I beheaded the first four men that stepped front of me, then began methodically searching the building for anything that might be useful, scoring some intel that I scanned into my portable database.
Then I popped the seals on their stash of gunpowder, and lit it, walking outside as the place liquified itself in a giant explosion.
I moved on to the next job on the list, saving the biggest for last.
--- 12:30 ---
I sighed and dropped a grenade into a tar pit, walking out of the small money laundering facility, locking the last exit behind me, just as burning tar painted everything inside.
The screams followed me as I walked away and mounted my stolen MagiTech motorcycle, kicking up the kickstand and driving away silently.
--- 13:30 ---
I walked into a bar, sat down at the counter, and looked around at all the people looking at me.
"What? An assassin can't stop a nights work for a drink of Æfè?" I quipped.
The bartender set a mug on the counter, and I tossed him a silver Fein, and then a platinum Koi. "Sorry about your bar." I shrugged, and drew my pistols, shooting every single person in the bar, seeing as this was a known hideout for a gang. All of them had the same Glyph branded somewhere on their skin, and I nodded.
I looked at the man. "You might want to leave before I burn this place to the ground." I smiled under my mask.
He took a swing at me, and I sighed, shooting him in the head. I took all the money from the register, then everyone's pockets, and carried the sack outside, tossing a grenade next to his rather extensive alcohol collection, and placing a glyph on the door to hold the explosion in.
Then I dropped the sack of money off at a nearby bank, to be added to my account, and drove out of the city, towards my last job.
--- 91 Days AD, 18:30 ---
I looked down the sights of my rifle, adjusting the scope. '52 meters... Six targets in the open, armed with swords and spears, one Target with a low-tech rifle; scatter shows four more figures sleeping in the third cart, unarmed, and one on watch with a sword... I'll take out the guards first.'
I started firing, calmly picking them off one by one, silent shots going completely unnoticed.
Soon all the targets were dead, and I disassembled my rifle, then trekked toward the caravan, keeping a careful watch on the different covered carts. I checked the two uninhabited ones, and then burned them, after confirming they held nothing but drugs. I gathered all the bodies, and threw them into the flames as well, after taking pictures of their faces.
I opened the flap on the last cart, and was surprised with a sword in my stomach, though it shattered on my armor.
The girl in front of me froze, and I slowly knelt, recognizing her. "You look a great deal like your father, Princess." I said, chuckling. She stood tall, not deigning to answer me, and I nodded, standing up quickly. "Let's get you back to the Capitol, then." I said, climbing into the drivers seat. I raised my Visor, using my natural vision.
--- 20:30 ---
"When will we be arriving at the city?" The princess asked, not even sparing me a glance.
I ignored her, waiting for her to show me a modicum of respect.
She snapped her gaze to me. "Answer me!"
I ignore her again, waiting for just an ounce of respect to enter her voice or manner.
"I order you to answer me, you stupid little-"
"When you learn respect, and gratitude, I might deign to speak to you. Do not, in any way, believe you have power over me." I snapped, my voice disrupted by my mask.
She blinked, and I looked forward. "I could have you flogged-!" She began to rant about punishments for disobeying and disrespecting princesses.
I interrupted. "Oh? Well, At the moment, you are a servant girl, and you should understand that I was not told of your Heritage. I could easily feign innocence, and say I killed you when you tried to kill me. Remember that incident? Hmm... I don't. It's a little fuzzy..." I looked at her slowly, my eyes shining with a baleful, cold light.
She fell on her royal buttocks as she tripped backwards away from me. I scoffed. "Don't make threats you cannot carry out, little girl." I spat harshly.
She sat with the other girls, hugging her knees.
--- 92 Days AD, 06:30 ---
I rolled through the streets of the Capitol, my visor back down, scanning for threats, and stopped in front of the palace.
One of the guards out front raised a hand, stopping me. I contacted his channel. "Words for the Emperor. 'Problem Solved', should be efficient. And say that Lord Caleb has sent a representative to deliver some servants he wanted fetched."
He nodded, and his partner sprinted inside.
Around fifteen minutes later, he returned, leading a Hooded Figure, who stopped at the edge of the bridge and gestured simply. I covered each of the girls in a hooded robe, and led them through the gates. I held out a hand to the Emperor, who was hooded, and slouching.
"Pleasure doing business. My Lord Caleb has told me he will be contacting you for your employer's opinion of my work soon." I said.
He nodded and spoke in a raspy voice. "The Emperor will speak with him in a few hours, in the throne room. Were your mission's completed?"
"To the Letter." I responded, and walked away.
--- 09:00 ---
I stepped out of my shower, and quickly dried my body and hair, then tied it back, and dressed in a set of nice clothes.
"What's up?" Tizzy asked.
"Meeting the Emperor. I solved a problem he needed solved. Nothing too serious." I hummed, tying my sash meticulously.
I nodded and walked by her, kissing her sweetly, and walked out, walking to the ferry, and taking a ride to the Train Station.
--- 10:00 ---
I knelt before the emperor, and he nodded.
"Rise." He said simply.
I stood up, and kept my eyes on him, not on the tall girl next to him, clearly the girl from last night.
"I'd like to ask you one simple question, and then impose to you one Edict. Is this favorable?"
"Of course, My Emperor, as you wish." I said.
"Good. Then, my Question. Were you the man who saved my daughter?"
"I believe you saved her when you sent a specialist after her, My Emperor." I deflected.
"Were you the man I spoke to last night?" He asked, almost impatient.
"... Yes, My Emperor." I bowed my head.
"Good. I thank you for your service. Now my edict. You are to marry my daughter-"
"Father!!" The girl snapped.
"My Emperor... I am already entangled romantically..." I said slowly.
"Emperors have concubines all the time. I myself have several. It doesn't matter." He waved a hand dismissively.
"Yes, My Emperor." I knelt, thinking quickly. 'Imperial couples barely ever are forced to interact, I suppose I could simply ignore her, most times... Sigh.'
"Father! Just because he saved my life doesn't mean you can just give it away to him!" The girl snapped.
"While I would normally tend to agree, watch your tongue." He said almost gently, looking at her with a stern gaze.
She gritted her teeth, and stepped back. "Yes, Father..."
"Now. This matter is set. I want this extremely useful and intelligent man to be a part of my inner circle. This is a good way to do so. If a better one presents itself, I will use it. Is that favorable?" He asked me.
"Whatever you wish, My Emperor." I replied, still kneeling.
"Good... Now Stand. You have no need to bow your head to me." He nodded.
"As you wish, Emperor..." I said, standing. I looked at the girl. "Hmm..." I scrunched up my eyebrows.
"Does something about her displease you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"She's too young. I'm sorry to say that I am not interested in younger women... Fortunately. I prefer mature women... But it is the Emperors edict. I can wait the years it will take her to mature. I am a patient man." I said apologetically.
He nodded. "Yes, it is fortunate you do not prefer young women. And patience is always appreciated."
"How old is she, exactly, Emperor? And her name? I know neither. I must say I've focused on my studies since visiting the Capitol, so I know nothing about her or your court..." I asked slowly.
He nodded. "Your studies are important, so I do not begrudge you them. She is 16, and her name is-"
"My Name is Teresa, and I can speak for myself, murderer." She snapped suddenly.
"And yet you likely shouldn't, what with your complete lack of control over your emotions and reactions. For the Record, I do not kill innocents. That makes me a Specialist, not a murderer. I assure you, the difference is rather simple." I said blandly.
The emperor grinned, and several courtiers laughed openly.
She turned red with an angry blush, and I turned to the emperor. "Speaking of my studies, I am late for a lecture, my Emperor, if it please you?"
"Hmm? Ah, yes, I am sorry for holding you. Go, then, we'll speak more of this later." He waved me off.
I bowed and walked out.
--- 12:30 ---
"You're getting married?!?" Tizzy asked incredulously.
"If no other way for me to be part of the Emperor's inner circle presents itself, yes, by 'Imperial Decree'." I groaned.
She hummed. "We'll think of something. She's only 16, last I checked..."
"Yeah. Four years younger than me." I sighed.
Jazz hummed. "Why not marry her and just keep pillows between the two of you in the bed?"
"My basic thoughts, yes. I can't do something to piss off the Emperor, not after all I've done to get where I am, so I'll marry her if I have to, and I'll just, I don't know... Like, keep her away from me, you know? It's not like we have to be together when we're not needed to be seen together." I shrugged.
Tizzy nodded. "Makes sense."
I sighed. "Problem solved... Hmm?" I chuckled snidely.