Pre-Game catchall stuff

[rhygret]

Who: Rhys & whoever would like to know him pre-game!
Where: Qresh, Leith, or Westerly which is like everywhere
When: The last 4 years
Summary: Any and all CR from pre-game!
Restrictions/Warnings: Rhys is rich and he doesn't understand why he has to be unhappy like, ever????

[ ooc; hmu at owlits, pm or just leave a blank top level and I will make you a prompt! ]

Comments

[rhygret]

Of course I deleted it! Why would I keep that?? What do you want? money? Is this blackmail? Because ohhhh boy I will have you dealt with like seven ways from sunday if you even think of trying to use this.

[ Rhys is blustering at best and he knows it. Whoever this is probably knows it. He has no idea who this is and that's already a point working against him, and that's not even taking into account there's no one he can trust enough to show this to so it can get taken care of. ]

[shikomizue]

I've already used it. [A slew of questions and a baseless threat are enough to tell Takasugi that he's got Rhys exactly where he wants him.

Nervous. Desperate. Isolated.]

Now I need to use you.

[rhygret]

[ He hits the nail on the head. And it doesn't make Rhys feel a lick better, predictably. ]

Are you blackmailing me??

[shikomizue]

[Stupidity made one easier to manipulate, but too much idiocy and the pawn would be useless.

But Takasugi is assured in his selection, even with the statement of the obvious.]

If you've fantasized about losing your job and your head, then you can think of it as a favor.

Otherwise, I have my own favors to request.

Company outposts, along with the number of active enforcers at each, and notification of plans for public displays - on both Westerley and Leith.

[rhygret]

Are you kidding me right now? There's no way I'm giving you that! What do you even need it for??

[ He's affronted sure, but mostly really...uncertain? Like this is starting to sound like the sort of thing he could get in a lot of trouble for. That information shouldn't be going to anyone but Company personnel. What's this person going to use it for? ]

[shikomizue]

If you're not interested, I'll take our business elsewhere.

I'm sure I won't be met with much questioning from your comrades, the video is quite clear.

[Expected resistance will be met with expected coercion. He's willing to make good on that threat, though he doubts he'll need to.]

[rhygret]

[ And Rhys's stomach promptly plummets all the ways to his feet. His fingers practically trip over themselves the way he types, trying as fast as he can to fire off another message. ]

Wait!! Wait wait wait don't don't okay??? Just stop.

[ He feels like he's going to have a heart attack. ]

Just tell me what you want it for okay? I'll

I can get it just don't show anyone.

[shikomizue]

[Takasugi waits.

And waits. His response comes a harrowing sixty seconds later, the time given for Rhys to sweat and let his desperation fester.]

Just as you want to keep your involvement with certain things a secret, so do I.

But I will tell you that you'll be helping a cause some call noble. [Some, but not Takasugi. He isn't among those who preach of the Resistance's humanitarian purpose.]

[rhygret]

Most "noble" causes don't involve blackmail you know.

Whatever.

If I get you what you want will you get rid of that video?

[ Just this one thing. This one, traitorous thing, and then he can put all this behind him and never think about it again. ]

[shikomizue]

[Most causes involved blackmail.

But his correspondent's ignorance only makes this easier.]

Yes, it will be deleted.

[Probably.

He'll be sure to save this conversation, however.]

[rhygret]

[ YOU DICK HE HATES YOU?? ]

How do I know you're telling the truth? Or when you do it?

[shikomizue]

You don't.

[Good.]

But it's the only chance you have, isn't it?

[rhygret]

But that's not a guarantee at all! You could just lie and ruin me anyway!

[ Can he tell Rhys has never had to deal with this sort of thing before? Because if not before now, this should make it painfully obvious. ]

[shikomizue]

Would you feel better if we made it a promise?

[Act like an infant, get treated like one.

Of course there's no way to prove it - the video could be hosted any number of places - though Takasugi wonders if Rhys would believe a screenshot of it being deleted at this point.]

[rhygret]

[ Wow if anyone's being infantile it's the guy resorting to blackmail?? In Rhys's esteemed opinion. Real adults sort this kind of thing out in non-totally incriminating ways that could potentially ruin Rhys's life forever.

Just saying. ]

Are you kidding me right now?

[shikomizue]

Ah. [Indignant petulance the response may have been, Takasugi is mildly surprised Rhys even managed to luck into 'catching on'.]

Yes.

I don't intend to make you any promises.

Do we have an understanding?

[rhygret]

[ Takasugi, you are rude. And Rhys dislikes you a lot. Rhys doesn't want to agree to any of this, he wants to get rid of this problem and whoever this person is and track them down so he can sock them once himself. That would be really, really satisfying. ]

Fine.

But if this video ends up anywhere and I find out I will find you.

[shikomizue]

[Getting someone to agree to something they don't want to do is the point of blackmail.

And this particular endeavor went flawlessly.] I look forward to hearing from you soon.

[If the video ended up anywhere else, Rhys would indeed find out, through the people coming for his head.]

two months later

[shikomizue]

[No great tragedy befell the Company in the weeks following their correspondence. A singular outpost had been raided by resistance forces, weapons and resources stripped and taken with only casualties left behind.

But one instance could almost be a coincidence.

It wasn't, but Rhys would be left to wonder.

The message comes near the end of the work day, 'toukai' the only identification of the sender yet again.]

Demons are voracious creatures. We consume until there's nothing left.

Luckily for you, this demon feasts on information before flesh.

[rhygret]

[ And of course after his heart finishes just about leaping right out of his damn chest Rhys goes "Are you kidding me??" aloud and stares at his computer screen like it's personally offended him. He debates heavily over not answering, of trying to track and trace the sender's locati...

Actually, that's a good idea? Rhys is going to try seeing if he can find an origin on this message first. Maybe he can do some blackmailing f he can find the culprit. ]

[shikomizue]

[A trace of the message would reveal a ping from a coordinate in the J, not the Quad, the source ship's registration a freighter reported stolen years ago.

The former owner has since passed, and the investigation shelved.]

[rhygret]

[ Well that's curiouser and curiouser... Rhys is putting out an immediate run-time search on the ship's history prior to being stolen, and quckly types up a reply in the meantime. ]

That's disgusting? Why are you telling me this.

weaves a convoluted web of bullshit

[shikomizue]

[The ship's history returns with unremarkable details, as if they could have come from any freighter in the J.

Conditions of it's upheaval, so far as the owner reported, included armed mutiny led by a crew member. The name connected is a moniker 'Blind Man' - searches on that individual will bring up old warrants, though all attempted searches end in the settlement that the man is missing.]

Why?

Because you have more to offer me.

perfect 8'>

[rhygret]

[ It's nothing he can use immediately, but... It may be worth it to consider putting a warrant on the ship. Rhys scowls. ]

What are you talking about? I gave you what you wanted! I never agreed to give you anything else.

[shikomizue]

Our last conversation was so pleasant, I couldn't help myself. Though, I think you'll find an agreement easier to achieve this time.

[He doesn't attach any file to the message yet, a slow process intended to make Rhys ponder the meaning of each word he reads.]

All warehouses reclassified within the past six months, including their former and current functions.