Post by Argus Boch on May 10, 2017 12:34:20 GMT
The muted sound of drunken patrons filtered through an open door of the local bar. Customers slowly filtered in and out, a few loitered in random spots for in and around the building; drinking their preferred poison to either brood alone or party with friends.
Gradually, the sound of boots on concrete mingled with the chattering barks of the bar's occupants as an overly large Saiyan neared. A thin trail of wispy smoke lagged behind him; the burning end of a long, white stick stuck out of his mouth, intensifying in brightness when he took a drag or a particularly strong gust of wind brushed against it.
His lips peeled back into a toothy grin as he ducked beneath the door frame and called for the keep's attention as he neared an empty barstool.
"Whisky and wings."
The man behind the counter grunted in response before turning around, his gruff voice carrying to whoever prepared the food while he himself grabbed a large glass cup and bottle containing the brew of choice.
Argus sat and leaned forward with a grin on his face, crossed arms resting on the countertop while large puffs of bitter smelling smoke filtered out of his mouth until his order was placed in front of him. With a flick of his hand, he dropped the cigaret into an ashtray, trading the smooth smoke that filtered in and out of his lungs for deep gulps of burning liqueur that was content to settle right in his gullet and stay there.
With the rim of the glass cup pressed to his lips, he tilted his head back, giving the intoxicating drink a faster path down his throat and paid no mind to the overspill that poured out from the corner of his mouth in thin streams just to drip down his chin. When half the glass was gone he let out a loud burp and slammed the glass cup on the counter top.
He let out a satisfied sigh, eyes closed and contentment etched out onto the features of his face.
The edges of the large man's lips went from a slight upturn to an irritated line, brows furrowed to match his near instantaneous annoyance when a familiar meat hook of a hand slammed against his back, then moved to his shoulder as its owner greeted him with an overly cheery, "Just the man I wanted to see!"
The shorter Saiyan laughed, took a seat next to his large underlying, and called for his own brand. He paid no mind to the look on Argus's face.
Instead, he showed off a lightly packed mission statement, "Looks like we're finally making it out of the low-level grunt jobs." The man announced, then waited for Argus to react.
He didn't. Instead, he chose to focus on his wings.
'Figures they'd be nice and hot when this bastard decides to show up,' Argus thought, a sneer etched onto his features as the eyes of the shorter Saiyan burned into him.
The silence dragged on even after his commander was handed his drink. He was completely focused on the younger man, and the longer he waited the tighter the grip on Argus' shoulder became. The large Saiyan couldn't ignore the dangerous glint beginning to grow behind the excited gleam in his commander's eyes.
Despite the height difference of over a foot, this man had just as much bulk on him as Argus did himself, along with being significantly stronger.
Argus decided it was better to get on with it, as it was clear the other Saiyan wasn't leaving until he did, "You're full of shit, Calese, we haven't even been a full unit for 10 months, yet."
It was standard protocol that units made up of members under a certain power level needed all of them to have been with each other for at least a year before they were handed out any somewhat important jobs. Without a solid rapport, it was just a waste of good soldiers when some arrogant fool sends his unprepared team into something they can't handle.
Calese shook his head, "Oh no, YOU haven't been part of this unit for 10 months, the rest of us have been together for over a year at this point." He paused to take a sip of his drink, "Plus, you were on a unit before us, so there's no real reason to wait. Hazing period's over, boy, it's time we get some real action under your belts."
Calese chuckled to himself and took a took another swig, previous excitement now overriding his irritation from moments ago.
The commander liked to remind his subordinates that he, at one point, was in a squad of a much higher rank and had been sent on more important missions than simple genocide quests on cavemen level civilizations. Becoming a unit commander of a bunch of wet behind the ears soldiers set him back immensely on the 'Level of Importance' chart, but he was more than determined to drag himself back into the ranks of noteworthy Saiyans among the low-class scum and beyond, "Because this time those eggheads were more than willing to give us a real mission." He waved the folder in his hand.
Argus snorted. 'More like they got sick of your constant begging,' he mused. Quickly, he covered his silent chuckle with a swallow of his drink.
If Calese noticed, he must not have cared, as he continued on by slapping the statement on the counter, the plastic cover surrounding the paper inside protected them from ring puddles, "We're going in ten days."
The larger man's eyes narrowed, "Our unit's sojourn doesn't end for another two weeks."
The commander shrugged, finally taking his hand off of Argus, "I can't do anything about that, and I wouldn't if I could. I'm not waiting another two months for a real job just so you can lie around for a few days."
Argus grunted and picked up the now slightly damp folder, pulling out one of the files to see what they were getting into. After several seconds he put it down and muttered, "This looks like a suicide mission."
Calese shook his head, this time with exasperation, "Now don't be like that."
"5 elite units were destroyed there."
"When the planet was in its prime!" Now the commander was agitated, "Listen to me, we are soldiers, those hairy bastards are near extinction after the last full moon attack,"
"10 days ago, on a planet where the moon only shows up once every 50 years,"
Calese hissed, "Shut up, we just have to clean up what's left."
"Without the moon."
Calese stood up, "What are you, a toddler!?" The outburst brought some attention to them, and Calese got closer to his subordinate's face with his voice lowered, "We are intergalactic warriors, they're a bunch of savages living in dirt huts with numbers low enough that a few surprise attacks will get rid of all of them, and then we just need to take care of a couple of plants."
"I thought you were done with barely killing off barely advanced planets." Argus couldn't help but mock the irony in Calese's reasoning.
"No, I'm done with killing off unimportant, barely, advanced dirtballs." He spat, words laced with venom, "This is important, this is my ticket to much greater things."
Argus just shook his head, "Listen, you guys can get yourselves killed if you want, I'm not going." Rage sparked in the shorter man's eyes at his soldier's insubordination, but before he could say anything, Argus interrupted him, "I just think this is a little fishy. Something doesn't feel right about this."
Calese's narrowed eyes softened, and slowly a smile crept onto his face. A cold, humorless smile, "Argus, you know me. And you know I'm the one in charge here. And let's not forget that I know you. A spineless giant who thinks too much and couldn't win a fair fight without dirtying it up. Now, if you want to crawl back to the slums and start right at the bottom again, go right ahead. But I'm not going back there with you."
Argus watched Calese carefully during his speech. And when he was done, Calese sat down and began nursing his drink, suddenly not very interested in his subordinate anymore. Slowly, Argus turned his attention back towards his food.
Calese was, by all definition, an ambitious man. He wanted recognition and glory, something he couldn't get as a subordinate. At least, not as much as he would like in that position. But he was more than willing to work his way to the top as a commander. Something he couldn't do with just two soldiers under his command, not even the strongest units held only two members and an officer.
While he didn't need Argus to stay on, he wanted him, for both his intimidating stature and because he'd be set back another few months with managing a new recruit.
He was unwilling to wait any longer.
It also didn't help Argus that, while Calese didn't have any real influence over anything, he had many friends in all the places he needed to make Argus' life a living hell for years to come. Leaving the group wasn't really an option right now unless he planned to leave Vegeta altogether.
With his eyes closed, Argus dropped a meatless bone into the paper tray sitting between his elbows and licked his fingers. Without looking at Calese, he muttered, "Fine."
With that, Calese stood and gave the large man a solid slap on the back, harder than the one before, "Good to see you've come to your senses." Then, bottle in hand, he walked out of the bar and out of sight, leaving Argus alone with his thoughts.
He glanced at discarded mission statement next to his arm while haphazardly wiping off what was left of the sauce on his fingers with a nearby napkin. In his gut, he knew something was wrong, but Calese made up his mind and Argus didn't have a convincing argument against the assignment.
He narrowed his eyes before going back to his meal. No point in letting the issue bother him when he could get shit faced.
(OOC: Zeni Please)
(WC: 1,705)
Gradually, the sound of boots on concrete mingled with the chattering barks of the bar's occupants as an overly large Saiyan neared. A thin trail of wispy smoke lagged behind him; the burning end of a long, white stick stuck out of his mouth, intensifying in brightness when he took a drag or a particularly strong gust of wind brushed against it.
His lips peeled back into a toothy grin as he ducked beneath the door frame and called for the keep's attention as he neared an empty barstool.
"Whisky and wings."
The man behind the counter grunted in response before turning around, his gruff voice carrying to whoever prepared the food while he himself grabbed a large glass cup and bottle containing the brew of choice.
Argus sat and leaned forward with a grin on his face, crossed arms resting on the countertop while large puffs of bitter smelling smoke filtered out of his mouth until his order was placed in front of him. With a flick of his hand, he dropped the cigaret into an ashtray, trading the smooth smoke that filtered in and out of his lungs for deep gulps of burning liqueur that was content to settle right in his gullet and stay there.
With the rim of the glass cup pressed to his lips, he tilted his head back, giving the intoxicating drink a faster path down his throat and paid no mind to the overspill that poured out from the corner of his mouth in thin streams just to drip down his chin. When half the glass was gone he let out a loud burp and slammed the glass cup on the counter top.
He let out a satisfied sigh, eyes closed and contentment etched out onto the features of his face.
The edges of the large man's lips went from a slight upturn to an irritated line, brows furrowed to match his near instantaneous annoyance when a familiar meat hook of a hand slammed against his back, then moved to his shoulder as its owner greeted him with an overly cheery, "Just the man I wanted to see!"
The shorter Saiyan laughed, took a seat next to his large underlying, and called for his own brand. He paid no mind to the look on Argus's face.
Instead, he showed off a lightly packed mission statement, "Looks like we're finally making it out of the low-level grunt jobs." The man announced, then waited for Argus to react.
He didn't. Instead, he chose to focus on his wings.
'Figures they'd be nice and hot when this bastard decides to show up,' Argus thought, a sneer etched onto his features as the eyes of the shorter Saiyan burned into him.
The silence dragged on even after his commander was handed his drink. He was completely focused on the younger man, and the longer he waited the tighter the grip on Argus' shoulder became. The large Saiyan couldn't ignore the dangerous glint beginning to grow behind the excited gleam in his commander's eyes.
Despite the height difference of over a foot, this man had just as much bulk on him as Argus did himself, along with being significantly stronger.
Argus decided it was better to get on with it, as it was clear the other Saiyan wasn't leaving until he did, "You're full of shit, Calese, we haven't even been a full unit for 10 months, yet."
It was standard protocol that units made up of members under a certain power level needed all of them to have been with each other for at least a year before they were handed out any somewhat important jobs. Without a solid rapport, it was just a waste of good soldiers when some arrogant fool sends his unprepared team into something they can't handle.
Calese shook his head, "Oh no, YOU haven't been part of this unit for 10 months, the rest of us have been together for over a year at this point." He paused to take a sip of his drink, "Plus, you were on a unit before us, so there's no real reason to wait. Hazing period's over, boy, it's time we get some real action under your belts."
Calese chuckled to himself and took a took another swig, previous excitement now overriding his irritation from moments ago.
The commander liked to remind his subordinates that he, at one point, was in a squad of a much higher rank and had been sent on more important missions than simple genocide quests on cavemen level civilizations. Becoming a unit commander of a bunch of wet behind the ears soldiers set him back immensely on the 'Level of Importance' chart, but he was more than determined to drag himself back into the ranks of noteworthy Saiyans among the low-class scum and beyond, "Because this time those eggheads were more than willing to give us a real mission." He waved the folder in his hand.
Argus snorted. 'More like they got sick of your constant begging,' he mused. Quickly, he covered his silent chuckle with a swallow of his drink.
If Calese noticed, he must not have cared, as he continued on by slapping the statement on the counter, the plastic cover surrounding the paper inside protected them from ring puddles, "We're going in ten days."
The larger man's eyes narrowed, "Our unit's sojourn doesn't end for another two weeks."
The commander shrugged, finally taking his hand off of Argus, "I can't do anything about that, and I wouldn't if I could. I'm not waiting another two months for a real job just so you can lie around for a few days."
Argus grunted and picked up the now slightly damp folder, pulling out one of the files to see what they were getting into. After several seconds he put it down and muttered, "This looks like a suicide mission."
Calese shook his head, this time with exasperation, "Now don't be like that."
"5 elite units were destroyed there."
"When the planet was in its prime!" Now the commander was agitated, "Listen to me, we are soldiers, those hairy bastards are near extinction after the last full moon attack,"
"10 days ago, on a planet where the moon only shows up once every 50 years,"
Calese hissed, "Shut up, we just have to clean up what's left."
"Without the moon."
Calese stood up, "What are you, a toddler!?" The outburst brought some attention to them, and Calese got closer to his subordinate's face with his voice lowered, "We are intergalactic warriors, they're a bunch of savages living in dirt huts with numbers low enough that a few surprise attacks will get rid of all of them, and then we just need to take care of a couple of plants."
"I thought you were done with barely killing off barely advanced planets." Argus couldn't help but mock the irony in Calese's reasoning.
"No, I'm done with killing off unimportant, barely, advanced dirtballs." He spat, words laced with venom, "This is important, this is my ticket to much greater things."
Argus just shook his head, "Listen, you guys can get yourselves killed if you want, I'm not going." Rage sparked in the shorter man's eyes at his soldier's insubordination, but before he could say anything, Argus interrupted him, "I just think this is a little fishy. Something doesn't feel right about this."
Calese's narrowed eyes softened, and slowly a smile crept onto his face. A cold, humorless smile, "Argus, you know me. And you know I'm the one in charge here. And let's not forget that I know you. A spineless giant who thinks too much and couldn't win a fair fight without dirtying it up. Now, if you want to crawl back to the slums and start right at the bottom again, go right ahead. But I'm not going back there with you."
Argus watched Calese carefully during his speech. And when he was done, Calese sat down and began nursing his drink, suddenly not very interested in his subordinate anymore. Slowly, Argus turned his attention back towards his food.
Calese was, by all definition, an ambitious man. He wanted recognition and glory, something he couldn't get as a subordinate. At least, not as much as he would like in that position. But he was more than willing to work his way to the top as a commander. Something he couldn't do with just two soldiers under his command, not even the strongest units held only two members and an officer.
While he didn't need Argus to stay on, he wanted him, for both his intimidating stature and because he'd be set back another few months with managing a new recruit.
He was unwilling to wait any longer.
It also didn't help Argus that, while Calese didn't have any real influence over anything, he had many friends in all the places he needed to make Argus' life a living hell for years to come. Leaving the group wasn't really an option right now unless he planned to leave Vegeta altogether.
With his eyes closed, Argus dropped a meatless bone into the paper tray sitting between his elbows and licked his fingers. Without looking at Calese, he muttered, "Fine."
With that, Calese stood and gave the large man a solid slap on the back, harder than the one before, "Good to see you've come to your senses." Then, bottle in hand, he walked out of the bar and out of sight, leaving Argus alone with his thoughts.
He glanced at discarded mission statement next to his arm while haphazardly wiping off what was left of the sauce on his fingers with a nearby napkin. In his gut, he knew something was wrong, but Calese made up his mind and Argus didn't have a convincing argument against the assignment.
He narrowed his eyes before going back to his meal. No point in letting the issue bother him when he could get shit faced.
(OOC: Zeni Please)
(WC: 1,705)