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 Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 8:09 pm
The aircraft's turbojets disengaged, allowing the main and tail rotors to kick in, allowing it to decelerate below the speed of sound as it approached the city of New Orleans. In the rear pilot's seat, Gaston grins. "Taka, cherie, you really should have told me you had a 72 hour pass from Balance earlier, we could have saved valuable time. No matter...one tends to make good time travelling at Mach 2 anyway, neh?" Gaston brought the aircraft lower over the beautiful Garden District of the city, where a multitude of Gothic and Victorian era palatial mansions are located. One of these is Gastons Home, thanks to loose family ties with the New Orleans Thieves Guild.  About ten feet off the ground, the Apache Helicopter decloaks...the ECS system no longer masking it from various detections systems including radar, infrared, and visible light...and gently touches down on the back lawn. Shutting down the engines, and powering the helicopter down in general, Gaston taps Taka on the shoulder. "Care for the nickel tour?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:12 pm
Taka jumped out and stared at beauty of the old house. Eyes wide, she pauses then realizes what Gaston offered.
"Definitely! This place is amazing. How long has it been in your family?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:24 pm
Gaston laughs as he starts to lead the way across the lawn. "Heh...that's a complicated and rather long story. This place has only been mine for about 70 years...my family's original holdings were taken over by a branch of the family involved with the Thieves Guild hereabouts...all the original family members were thought dead at the time."
He grins. "I had a run in with the lady who founded this and the rival Assassin Guild, an Immortal lady named Candra. Right after my Samurai days ended, I came back to see the new Marceaus involved with the Guild, and ended up challenging the lady. We stopped before any heads were taken, and I didn't bump into her again until just before World War 2...at which point we had a more amicable encounter, shall we say." He winks.
"Basically the surviving Marceaus gave me this house and kick back 5 percent of the clan's loot to me in return for me promising to stay away from Candra and thus avoid giving the other guild members chronic gout."
He shrugs good naturedly. "I seem to have that effect sometimes."
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:30 pm
Sprawled on the big bed in the master bedroom suite, sipping a beer and going through the pile of correspondence that Gaston had let pile up while he was away, Methos stiffened as the sudden racket of the decloaked 'copter hit his ears.
"Lovely," he muttered, rolling to a sitting position and grabbing his boots. "Now who th' hell...?"
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Immortal Methos Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:57 pm
Taka leaned over a little closer as they approached the front door.
"I don't know about that," she replied a little quieter. Smiling, she added, "I think you're quite charming."
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:37 pm
Speaking of which, Gaston gives Taka a rather charming smile. "I have my moments, I guess...especially when I'm in the right company."
Just before unlocking the door, Gaston keys a button on a little remote, and the helicopter cloaks once again. A privately owned Apache in the middle of the Garden District would likely generate some rather annoying attention.
As he pushes the front door open, Gaston tells Taka. "It's been a while since I've entertained down here. Actually, the place is a little large for my tastes...it's hard to find something to do with all the space, and I try not to be wasteful."
Moving into the entry foyer, his Immortal sense goes off, the tingle/chill/static/headrush thing cluing him in to the fact that this isn't some newbie in the house. Of course, as a mortal, Taka wouldn't pick up on any of that.
When Gaston draws a sawed off shotgun and wields it like a big pistol, it's a clue that something isn't right...or that he's been watching too much Firefly lately...
"Someone's here..." He explains. Against an Immortal, the shotgun won't do any permanent damage of course, but it'll disable them long enough to toss them outside. Gaston has a strict rule about no Quickenings in the house...
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Immortal Methos Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:07 pm
Methos was halfway down the long hallway when he felt the buzz, but instead of cursing under his breath he actually smiled. Silently he made his way back to the master bedroom he had been occupying, climbed into the bed, and pulled the covers up around his ears so that only his tousled dark hair stuck out.
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:44 pm
Hearing Gaston's warning, Taka's demeanor changes almost immediately. Her smile disappears and her eyes narrow, as she surveys the room quickly.
Feeling for any other living chi in the area, she felt someone up stairs.
"Whoever it is, is upstairs," she warned.
She opened a small bag she must have had hidden somewhere and began to pull a few things out. Immediately, she put 4 shuriken in her belt and a small length of chain with two weights at the ends.
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:45 pm
Gaston follows his sense, moving towards the large central staircase and going up to the second floor. Sure enough is senses lead him straight to his bedroom...an ironic pang making him wonder if Candra popped in...that would be amusing.
He pushes open the bedroom door, looks to the bed and immediately rolls his eyes. He knows that hair. With the slightest of grins, he holsters the shotgun, nods to let Taka know it's OK, then puts some gravel into his voice...making a halfway decent Kurgan impression.
"Hello pretty..."
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:35 pm
Methos pulled the covers down just enough to bat amused hazel eyes at the two newcomers, letting an exagerated shiver run through his lean body. "Ooo," he cooed at Gaston. "I just love it when you talk to me in Kurgan."
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Immortal Methos Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:59 am
Gaston switches back to his normal voice and responds without missing a beat. "Yes, and I'd expect that sort of deviant perversion from a man who brags about being married 69 times."
With a short laugh, he turns to Taka and begins the introductions. "This is Adam Pierson...the man who taught me the ins and outs of Immortality, which makes it rather surprising that I turned out as well as I did." Taka, like half of Balance Incorporated by now was discovered first hand the secret of his Immortality. Gaston will be nice and not reveal Methos' true identity for now.
He then indicates Taka. "And this is Taka...we know each other from work and are in town for the weekend...seeing the sights and so forth."
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 2:28 am
"I was married 68 times," Methos corrected Gaston with the utmost dignity he could muster as he sat up in the bed. "And as for my deviant perversions -- kid, you have no idea."
He stood smoothly, tucking his 9mm back into the small of his back. "Please to meet you, Taka. Don't believe a damn thing this guy tells you."
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Immortal Methos Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:37 am
Putting the various items back in her bag, she smiles again from ear to ear.
"It's nice meeting you too! Married 68 times eh? That's quite the....history."
Looking back at Gaston,"I trust Gaston a whole lot,"
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:44 pm
Gaston smirks over at Methos. "Yes, he's been around the block so many that it's a genuine miracle any of it still works anymore...Quickenings notwithstanding.
Of course, Taka's response gets his attention rather quickly. "Really? I am gratified by your confidence." He smiles Taka's way. "I'll have to be certain there are many occasions to validate that trust in the future." Assuming Taka's sister doesn't kill him for trying. Ahem.
Gaston will concentrate on entertaining Taka later. For now...
"Now you...what brings you here to drink my bear, soil my bedlinens, and read my mail? I find it hard to believe an old fart like you has so little to do that my life is of such appeal." Not that he minds the visit, but the banter is an important part of the relationship with these two.
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