2023-02-13: Zodiac Company
- Cutscene: Zodiac Company
- Cast:Solitaire Collier>
- Where: Port Rosalia
- Date: February 13th 2023
- Summary: A mercenary company decides to take matters into their own hands.
The Zodiac Company had a long and storied history after its founding by James Domino centuries ago but the current iteration had only existed since the Celesti Civil War and even then only one member of the Zodiac Company had actually fought in that war as members left and joined and died in battle but it was in its current iteration that it was at its most profitable.
Cani the Deadeye, the old dog of the Zodiac Company, decided that private security was a more profitable than war and so that's where the Zodiac Company went but their background as soldiers for hire meant that even their current employers, the Wei Corporation, wasn't inclined to let them linger in their nice hotels outside of work hours. And so, the Company had instead set up shop at the Seabreeze Port away from the nicer part of town in one of the nicer inns in the area.
Tauria the Tremor was banging her hands on the table they were sharing. "The Solitaire girl done made a fool of me, twice! If I could just get 'er alone." The ox-woman was red in the face from frustration. "But she keeps bringing in this weird alchemist as backup with all these weird powers... And now she's got important company intelligence! Cani, how could you lose 'em?"
It was actually Lapin the Quickfoot who spoke up first, swinging his metal foot up on top of the table and leaning back. "It's not Cani's job to cover for your mistakes, love. Your passions--they make you easy to run around."
"Enough," Cani said softly. "It's true that I lost our quarry and it is also true we shouldn't dwell on these mistakes. We should be thinking how to rectify them. If we lose Wei's backing, we'd have to find another client but more to the point--it is important to express professional competency and initiative so that future iterations of the Zodiac Company can rely on a positive reputation."
Scimmia the ARMwise said, "Not sure I can be much help here. The axe is obviously Hyadean tech but the other weapons I don't have a read on."
"I didn't ask you for your talents with ruins." Cani said. "I wanted to know if you could track down the guy who ambushed Tauria. He has a very distinctive appearance. That weapon gave me a bad feeling and it'll be easier to deal with the Rat if we can cut her off from allies. Can't do much about the Odessa agent but the scuttlebutt is that Odessa's got bigger problems to worry about and we can make our move on her then."
"I only fight as a last resort," Scimmia pointed out. "I can track him, maybe even trap him but someone'll need to fight him."
"ARRRIGHT!!" Tauria's mood improved instantly. "Let me at 'im! C'mon Cani, let me at 'im. He doesn't seem so tough!"
Cani shook his head again. "Sorry Tauria, but he knows your moves too well now. The ideal officer for an ambush..." His eye settled on Lapin. "Overwhelm him and finish him. Anaheim won't sit still forever and neither will the Rat. The only possible people I could imagine her stealing those documents for would be Anaheim itself. They're useless for anyone else and ARMS would shut it all down if they knew the Master was trying to take Wei's contracts for themselves."
"Yessir." Lapin said, throwing a sloppy but sincere salute. "Will move out with you when you give the word, love."
Scimmia frowned and said, "I can do this but--is it necessary? He might not actually have a vested interest..."
Cani nodded once. He liked to keep tings simple. Focused. "I am sure. Guys like that tend to get pulled into the orbits of others."
Scimmia didn't argue any further. She left with Lapin, leaving the other two behind.
"Don't like this," Tauria grumbled, gripping the table tightly.
"Don't worry, Tauria." Cani smiled. "I am sure your chance will come in no time at all."