Saving a Cripple (Sider/GM/Request)

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai looked at the very unhappy Asiv and back at Delilah.

"Well truth be told Sider there is a defective experiment and he wants to not be one anymore, so talking to my Uncle he said that the only possible person that could possibly even MAYBE make him normal again was Mr. Asiv. But that he was currently be held by Barker so, we decided we where going to rescue him using Sider as an inside man, and we hoped we could do this more quietly without involving Barker but shit hit the fan and, here we are."

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

Sider tipped his hat at delilah

"howdy"

[Lucien DeChain]

After the introduction of Sider, Lucien nodded, affirming what Raikotsu had said. There was nothing he could say to change what happened. Or what would happen.

Still, he wanted to try. "I helped them, thinking that maybe I could be of some assistance." But I wasn't.

He looked to Zack Asiv, who was not looking too happy, but at least he was out of that prison cell. Out of that place.

Then he looked to Delilah, and saw the look on her face. "Ma'am, I indirectly disobeyed orders, put the lives of myself, my brothers, and my First in danger. For that, I am truly sorry. But, I believe my actions may have done some good, and Mr. Zack Asiv has been freed from captivity. I know I'm in no place to say so, but part of being a Crow is owning your personal actions. I had an instinct to help others, no matter what, and I followed it without hesitation."

As his speech went on, he started to believe it himself, if only a little. His mood was still lingering, though.

[Delilah A. Black]

Her eyes steadily narrowed as Raikotsu spoke, but save for the finite movement of her eyes, the mechanic didn't even twitch. Blue eyes snapped over Sider (at least she had a name for the strange guy with the top hat now. A failed experiment. Who'dve thought) and finally to Lucien.

She would be silent as he spoke, unmoving as a statue in a park. Moments carried after he finished speaking before her chest rose and fell with a soft sigh. Her hands moved behind her back as she stared down at the three of them.

"This was incredibly dangerous and foolhardy. You're lucky you weren't killed, or worse, enslaved by Barker. I can only imagine what Mathew and Leon are going to do to you when you return."

Knowing them, probably congratulate you.

"You put yourselves at risk, your homes, Mr. Asiv's life, and everything our separated factions stand for. Barker acts on whims. The fact that I and Mr. Asiv are not dead right now is because it suited HIM. The same goes for you all. The fact that you stand here now is not because of me, your own misguided wit, or even FATE; it is because Sean Barker did not care enough to kill you himself. Think on that.

"...That said," she said with a begrudging sigh, "Your intentions, --WHILE MISGUIDED-- were for the benefit of another person and at great risk to yourselves. There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity, men, and I think it was crossed numerous times today...but sometimes, doing the right thing is the hard thing. And entering a Barker base and freeing the man who was likely one of the most heavily guarded prisoners with THE-MAN-HIMSELF present...well, that's no mean feat."

Her praise over, she leaned forward, looming over the young men (though she was speaking mostly to Lucien).

"AND DON'T DO IT AGAIN."

Not without back-up, at any rate.

She glanced over at Asiv, her expression softening a little now. "Anything you'd like to add, sir? Or shall I take you and these boys home?"

[Mr. Kaar]

Asiv looked over and sighed.

"While I thank you for the attempt and successful one at that, I honestly wish you would of left me there. I had to spring my trap early and missed my chance to kill Barker once and for all. He will not be fooled twice."

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai nodded at Delilah's words and turned to look at Asiv as he spoke and fell to his knees to hear that he was there to kill Barker... He had single handedly saved the life of the cruelest tyrant the would had ever seen on accident... He just sat there confused and silent he started thinking of how many people were going to die now just because he decided to do something he knew he had no chance of succeeding in doing...

"I... I saved Barker's life... Trying to save one life has lead to the death of countless others... What have I done..."

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

Sider stayed silent looking at Rai. i've felt pain before, pain similar that of what you're feeling now brother. but was it really your fault? was i not the cause of all of this and not you? i'm the one who needed asiv's help not you, i would have gone in alone if need be, but you....you helped me. had i gone in alone? i would have died. but you came with me, indirectly saved my life. someone you barely know. but why? why would you do that? i owe my life to you.

"Raikotsu Sudeki, i owe you everything i have due to your valued efforts. *sider knelt down on his right knee and placed his right fist on the ground* I swear with all the power within me, and by the witness of all these people here today that the black knight will emerge vic...., an oath to you. I will never leave your side, you have my allegiance, and i will use my own life to protect yours."

This was a matter of WarHazzard honor, yes sider wanted to get stronger, yes he wanted to make a lot of money, but this...what Rai had done for him....That debt can never be repayed unless through blodshed, be it sider's or the enemy's, and now because of this oath, sider had no enemies, he had Rai, and whoever Rai wanted to kill, is who sider wanted to kill, this was his pentance, his calling, his duty.

Really? Was i that stupid to not realize that barker was an evil man? did i care at that time? or was it just about money? just about power? No, i need to learn, i need to be tought what is right, what is good. Something has to change, and it's going to.

Accept this Rai, and know that this will forever forge a bond between us, you will have my everlasting respect, my faith, my sword.

Sider stayed kneeling on the ground until he received a response from Rai.

[Lucien DeChain]

After hearing Delilah's words, Lucien halfheartedly smiled. But then, as Zack Asiv explained that they had indirectly saved Mr. Barker's life...

Lucien got pissed.

While Raikotsu and Sider were doing their melancholy, blood-oath stuff, Lucien was just sitting there. He didn't move, not a single muscle, because he knew if he were to move, well.. Alarms were already going off in his brain about bad things. He needed to calm down, they said.

Lucien didn't know how much time passed, but when he finally moved again, the room was silent. He took a drink of water, and a long one. Tipping the bottle back down, he coughed, and then immediately wiped his hands with an alcohol cloth.

"How about we get these people home?" He would say to Delilah.

[Delilah A. Black]

Like Lucien, Delilah would stand perfectly still for a moment at Asiv's revelation before anger blossomed within her. She fought it, grinding her teeth as she raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. She paid little mind to the diatribe of Sider and Raikotsu. She didn't even hear Lucien speak. Around her,the members of Tengu spoke quietly amongst eachother, dismayed and alarmed at their leaders silence.

This would not do.

"That is no fault of ours," she said in a flat voice, dropping her hand and lifting her gaze to look at Asiv. "Boys, your actions have proven to have great consequences. I suggest you use this experience to remind you of that the next time you do something without thinking it through.

"On the other hand, you were just doing your job. Same as me and the Tengu," her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Asiv, nostrils flaring minutely in her anger. She was not mad at Asiv himself, per se. She was very angry at the situation and where it put those in the room as well as the state of the world. She was sick of being treated not as an equal, but as an inferior, someone not to be trusted with such knowledge.

"The lack of communication from yourself and --potentially, I'm not certain he was ever informed-- my superior officer is what caused your rescue. Wishes or no wishes, do not place the burden of your failure on these soldiers who were doing what they were told, what they thought was best.

"I can understand not telling inferior officers, as that could induce a leak and put you and your operation at risk. If I had known about this 'plan'[/u],"[/color] she uttered the word a little disdainfully, "I can assure you your 'wishes' would have been met and we would have simply extracted these three. No one would even have had to've known there was a plan at all."

As a First, she had the right to act independently in the field as a situation arose. She would not apologize for following the doctrine of the Crows, and she would not allow these young men before her to apologize for a fault they did not make.

And in so doing, she put the blame on herself. Because it is not a failure of the team, but a failure of the leader to obtain the correct knowledge prior to the event. She could do that because she was a First. And because these young men did not deserve punishment for this sin.[/size]

[Zack Asiv]

Asiv listened and let the speaking finish, he looked to each in turn as they spoke and nodded.

"This is no ones fault, both Kiyoshi and Unfettered had a basic understanding of my plan, though it was a long shot in the first place, there was no telling if Sean would even be surprised by any sort of attack on my part should he of been left open. There was even a smaller chance that I'd of been left alive long enough to get my chance. In the end it was more likely I die with Barker than have lived on."

~But such is my curse.~

Asiv would push off the floor slowly getting to a shaky standing position.

"It is however slightly frustrating. Excuse me for being so blunt. I am still getting accustomed to the rank system you Crows use."

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai was still unsure about this but he hid his feelings behind his mask again and stood up, thanked Sider by nodding his head and grabbing his shoulder.

"We should be going then, we are still really close to Barker territory."

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

GM Post: +2 exp for all participants.