>> Irreparable Damage?

## Current Funds: 135₣

Currency Selected: Karrak 'Fluid' ₣. Aka 'Old Blood'. Aka 'Blood Money'.

Notes: The nebulous nation of Karrak has no "official" currency, but "Blood Money" is the closest you're likely to get.

WARNING: Hording money is an act of treason! All sized/found assets must be turned over to a superior officer for the use of The People!

We, of course, hit that pizza joint like a freakin’ bomb full of hungry kids. Tufty mewling and hopping about - Badger whooping like he’s not eaten in days. I take a cautious look round, and raise my eyebrows. “Dang - pretty freakin’ swank.... for Pirates.” Lush red-and-gold wallpaper, illegal (well, not here) plastic plants, and even a brassy gold chandelier….

Zip’s avatar laughs, drifting beside us “Hey! Yeah! Here we go! Like, I got it on the good word - it’s totally legit, I swear! No giant mutant cockroaches or anything!"

"Words to inspire confidence." Kami deadpans.

"Yeah. Just, like, uh....... I hear this guy is kinda like a mob boss, so make sure you pay in full….. Right?”

“Copy that. Don’t stiff the stiff.” I mutter, barging in after the rabble to try. The bell on the counter tinkling as Badger and Tufty leap to smack it, jumping about and mewling for food. A few tough-guys peer at em from the tables - and snort. Others, weighing us a little harder. But barely more than a glance. "Yeah, hey.... settle down alright?" I hiss. Which may as well have been petrol to put out a fire, as far as Badger is concerned.

"WWOOOO! FOOOODDDD!!!!"

“Hello, small peoples! Welcome! Welcome!” Bellows a great big hairy-armed chonk of a man, squashing his belly over the counter to see us. “Please! Please! Be welcome, and have a seat! They call me 'Big Fat Turkish Tun', and I’m everybody’s uncle! HAH-HAH-HA!” His belly literately waggles with that laugh, and Badger stares at it in mesmerised awe. Momentarily silanced.

"So huuuuge..... So wibbbly....."

Seconds later we flumph down. Arranging tails, horns, and extra limbs to pack everyone into the booth. Zip, of course, sliding in at the end - on a virtual chair. 'Tuncay The Turk' - or ‘Tun’, as he prefers to be called - soon fusses back in with menus for all and crayons for Badger. Who promptly brings items one and two together before I can stop him. But Big Tun doesn’t mind - he doesn’t mind anything. “Oh, he’s fine! Don’t you worry! AHAHAHA! It's just a bit of plastic!”

“Mob boss? Seriously??” Kami mouths behind his bustling back, folding five or six arms. “Come on, Zip! You worried about that guy? I could take him! No guns or anything!” She flexes a thin steel bicep, and I laugh…. for a second.

But then I grow a little cold inside.

And dark thoughts rise.

“Hey. Y’know….” I mouth back as he sorts us out. Comms taking over, as my lips barely move. “That….. that bloody look-how-harmless-I-am routine he’s got? That seem familiar to you….?” Our eyes follow Big Tun’s chubby hands as he does some little magic trick with a napkin for the shorties. Badger oooing as Tufty claps - claws clicking. But I flick eyes at Kami. “Like, really familiar? Like......”

“Ah, c'mon mate, he’s like a big Badger.” Zip scoffs. But his eyes are suddenly cautious.

Flooded with memories.

Kami slides out with me, on pretext of needing the loo - which I sorta gotta. But five steps later, she turns on me - leaning a fine selection of hands on armoured hips. “Feels familiar? You don’t think….?” She doesn’t mention The School. Or the people hunting us. Or the way they trick, and catch, little kids. And I guess it wouldn’t mean much to you, or anyone, if she did..... But that’s the level of fear, here. She doesn’t even mouth the thoughts in both our heads. She doesn't have to. A little twitch of the head is enough. “he's... one of Theirs? A plant? Or maybe just ex LMG, or-” Her eyes widen. “WOAH, SPOOK! SHIT-! STOP!” She slaps my nervous, drifting, hand - and I realise, suddenly, where it was going. Where we are. And I rip it away from the gun beneath my cloak.

All the laughter in the room stutters to quiet.

I didn’t mean to. I didn’t think. I…. If she hadn't yelled....

“Children! What did I do?” Big Tun quails against the sudden, fixated, silence - a lot of the jolly leaving his voice. Several of Big Tun’s friends and ‘customers’ half out of their seats - staring at us.

“Mate!” Zip panics, flickering to block me. “Like, seriously - c’mon, Spook! It’s just some guy! He- Like- He’s been here for years! It ain’t an ambush! Yeah? You're safe, okay? You're safe. I totally checked up on him!”

“I’m…. s....” I let out a breath, staring at Tun. “Sorry. I’m….. Sorry. You ain’t…. We’ve…. It’s been a long bloo- A long…. day….” Shaking, I shove my way out the door. Dropping into the dark beside the steps.

Where I belong.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Fight the images. Fight the-

I lean against the wall, then turn my back to slide right down it. Sitting right on my SMG. It feels so much safer in the dark, even with the scabs on the corners, eyeing up my worth. I dunno why. Maybe it’s…. Yeah. I just don’t like being in that big box of light that everyone can see into, but no bugger can see outta….

It’s been a long few years in the light….

“Mew?” Something velvety flicks my face, and there’s Tufty crouched beside me - slow-blinking in worry. His cat-eared hoodie hanging half off his cat-eared head. Kid bats at me with his knuckles - but stops when he sees my face. Drooping into a low hunch over clawed feet, fretfully tucking that ear into its home with his sharp green nails. I catch a single, brightly slitted, eye - green as malachite - peeping beneath his fringe.

But he looks away.

On an instinct deep outta my past….. From when we were little…. my hand twitches up, as if to pet his head…. But then it drops back. Gripping the other. Damnit. I can’t even pat him, to tell him it’s fine. It’s a struggle to touch, when touch is used against you….. over and over.....

But he shifts away too, seeing it rise.

I guess we’ve both had a rough…. few…. God, how long did we ‘belong’ to…. Them….? To that School?

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

How much was real? How much was VR?

I mute my mic, so the others don’t hear, and he does the same. “Y’don’t…..” I start - but what? What can I say? Shyly, he butts his head under my arm - like he did when he was small. Flopping onto my lap.

But I can’t….

I shuffle out of it, and sit nearby.

Best I can do is 'arms length', as far as comforting hugs go. Him not looking at me. Me not looking back. He doesn’t even grab my hand or tail in his claws, or pounce on it, like he used to….

Damnit….

I feel like a voyeur in my own damn head….. Like I’m not actually me - I’m just watching me. I’m-

“SPOOK!!!” Badger screams, bashing through the door. Somehow out of breath. “SPOOK! SPOOK! Big Tun says he’s sorry!!”

“Whu?” I frown at the kid. “What?”

“YEAH!!! Tons of Big FAT Turkish Tun! Hehe! He, ah! He says he dunno what he did, but he’s super sorry and stuff…. Uh….”

“No. No, it ain’t him…. He didn’t do anythin’.” I look away, and shudder. “It’s all my fault. I… Just, like, tell the bugger I’m sorry? Okay?”

“OKAY!” Badger spins around. “SPOOK SAYS ‘SORRY’, MISTER BUGGER!!!”

Tufty implodes with silent giggles from his fuzzy huddle near my lap, shaking gleefully. I laugh - sorta - and push off the ground. “Yep…. damage control time again.”

Seriously, gonna have to watch my words with the lil one-armed bandit….

“OOH!! SPOOK! You coming!?! And Tufty?? We got milkshakes, and they’re BRUTAL!!” The boy bursts with glee all over me, tugging my arm. “C’mon! C’mon!! C’mon!!!”

“I guess….” We slip back inside - trying not to make eye-contact with anyone. Especially the guys with guns now laid out in VERY clear view. Guess they take their pizza pretty damn seriously round here…..

We make it back to a booth that would be a lot more discrete if Badger wasn’t in it. Big Tun bustling over to ask about milkshakes. “Anything you like - so long as it’s chocolate, strawberry, banana, mint-choc, or vanilla! AH HAHA!”

“Ah, mint-choc I guess…. And sorry about earlier. It was…. My fault. Old memories…..” Gosh that’s an interesting salt shaker…. Truly an example of its kind. And that napkin dispenser? A++.

Really tie the room together.

“No problem! No problem! HA HA HA!” I stare at furniture, and my claws, he bobbles off like a big balloon full of pizza. Another twitch of suspicion fires through me, but I lock it down tight. Breathing so hard I jump when Badger pounces Tufty.

“WOO!!!!! Look Spook! I’m a kitty too! A COPY kitty!” He yells, goofy bits of menu stuffed in his puffball hair like cat ears. Tufty covers his mouth, trying not to laugh as Badger crouches on the seat and mewls. Batting at Tuft’s tail, one handed. I shake my head, and laugh, but Kami’s laser-sharp eyes grab mine.

“We have to talk. About Moon.” She murmurs over comms, four elbows on the table. I’m expecting a rant - possibly about not getting shot in a pizza shop - but what comes next is maybe worse.

Badger’s milkshake.

“Every flavour. Are ya serious?” I groan as he skewers a straw into ice-cream thick - weirdly coloured - gunk.

“Mmmh!”

I shake my head. “Y’know ya got chocolate twice? Right? I mean….” I tail off as he starts emptying sachets full of ranch into the cup. “Kid, you need ya head examined.”

“Huuuh?? What for?” He blinks, reaching for the ketchup. One cat-ear dangling by a thread.

“Spook.” Kami butts across him as Big Tun swoops back in with a basket of sizzling fries. Freshly synthesised from premium nutriSlop. “You’re the bloody leader, but if you screw it up I’ll kick your ass.”

“Not likely.” I smirk.

“Hey, I’ll do it.” She growls, waggling a one of the chips. “Until then we’ll follow you. But you gotta step up. You gotta make the right choices here. With when to draw for one.” I wince. “But also with Moon. I mean….. Is this damn weapon really worth it?” She stirs her ketchup. Thinking. “I know…. I know you’re planning to screw him…. her…. it….” The fry waggles. “…..whatever that damn thing is. You’re gonna betray it. Right?”

“Right….” I frown, as Tufty steers Badger’s fistful of fries away from his admittedly ketchup-filled milkshake. I dunk one of my own - not in my drink - and shake my head. “Moon’s a total bastard, and it’s gonna double-cross us…. And it knows we know. It ain’t gonna bloody leave us alone, neither. It’s got out damn number.... somehow. So….. So….” I bite my chip.

“So, it’s Moon's favourite game again.” Kami keeps stirring, like she’s forgotten what she’s doing. "Who can double-cross who first."

“Yeah." I nod, shanking. "Hell, I bet that big scary-asshole routine…. that was part of it. Maybe to stop us thinkin’. Keep us in line.”

“Or some bigger game.”

“But we can’t ignore this deal.” I jab my own fry. More missions we do, the more we-” I hesitate, eyes flicking to the pirate-filled room. “-o’ that weapon we get.”

“It’s going to dangle it, that much is obvious. A few bits here. A few there. Enough to use it. But never enough to oppose Moon.”

I nod. “Spread it wide, among all the teams. Set us against each other.”

“That’s just the obvious part.” Kami growls as the fry squashes to paste in her fingers. She drops it, and rips another from the vanishing pile. Zip’s eyes fixed on the salty snack like a GMO. “It’s got some deeper game here. I guarantee it. Moon always does. Probably related to those actual missions it wants us to run.” She flicks the mushed fry into Badger’s begging mouth. “So. We want all of this thing, we gotta go off the books. Behind its back, I mean.” Her eyes flicker with little lights. “Those missions it wants done as payment. They’re aimed at getting it free. So. That means they’ll be rich with intel on Moon.” Her smile turns nasty. “Intel it can’t control.”

“Had the same thought.” I mutter, kicking claws under the table to fend of a little idiot.

“That’ll be part. But Moon said this ‘weapon’ was scattered. Broken. That means….” She leans in harder. “We play this right. We can find the bits Moon doesn’t know about. And doesn’t want to tell us about. We break the damn drip-feed, and take it for ourselves….” She leans back, sucking down a tiny slurp of choc mint cream. Then she wipes her mouth, balling the tissue weirdly. Making faces. Did she just- “What do you think?”

“I dunno.” I mutter, an image of that shard appearing in my hand. Unseen by all but us…..

“Uh, like, you guys gonna order for me?” Zip ventures in an unusually shrill voice. Jerking me out of it.

“What? Ye don’t like the fries?” I smirk, offering him one. “Aren’t ya gonna have any?”

“Mate! Ah, come on! Don’t tease me, yeah?” He winces as I devour it, with tiny nibbles. Winking and licking my claws.

“That’s the stuff.”

“Hey! Mate, like, c’mon! That’s just…. C’mon!” He sighs. “Maaaaateeeee….”

I lean in to Kami. “I dunno. Should we order for him? I mean, he was babysittin’. Right?” I point at Badger and Tuft. “Babysittin’ these two, to be exact.”

“Hey, like, and everything else! Yeah?” He protests. “Drone support, overwatch-”

“Uh huh? And what was that about your famed multi-taskin’…..? I snort. “Come on. Ya slipped. Ya let tha squirts escape.”

“Hey, like, come on! Everything was going nuts, and-”

“Mmmmmm…..” I gulp, pumping more of that synthetic chocolate-minty goodness into my veins. “Sooooo good.”

Bangles jangle as he throws his arms out. “Mate! Come on, they’re - like - the ones who snuck out! How come they get fed!?” He slaps his face. “Urrgh, fine - like, next time I’ll…. sit on em or something.”

“Hisssssssss!!!! NUUU!!!!” Tufty wails, tail puffing as Badger batts it idly. Slurping that horrific fifty-flavours-of-Hell milkshake.

“Hey, don’t worry squirt!” I beam at em. “We’re starvin’ Zip up pretty good, so he won’t be that heavy!” Kami goes rigid, Zip protests - and Badger leaps up.

“Oooh!! I’ll save you half of mine! Promise!”

“Ah, uh….” Zip’s eyes dip toward Badger’s waggling drink. “I’m good mate. Thanks.”

And it all devolves into rude jokes and nonsense, until…. “Huh? Are those pasties? They’re a bit big…. Wait, that one’s for us?”

“Ahaha! Calzone for you, and for you!” Big Tun gushes richly as plates swoop onto our table. “I do hope you like them, children! Please let me know if it’s not exactly right! I take my craft very seriously, you know!”

And off he toddles again, like some kind of food-based blitzkrieg. “So, not pizzas - but kinda?” I frown, poking the crispy, bulging, crust with a sceptical fork.

“Calzone….” Zip correct, mournfully. But Big Tun’s bombing run ain’t over yet. Back he scoots with a chunky box stacked with hot, and thickly wrapped, packages. With a special cold section, just for milkshakes and desert. The holo’s eyes widening. “Mate!”

“Hey, this was your horrible idea” I smirk as we head for the door. “So if we get poisoned, so do you.” Outside, Zip’s bomber drones are already locked into a carrier formation. With escort. And honour guard. Hooking the box up into the swarm - and blasting away. I wave, then bolt back in to crack open that Calzone. Molten cheese and simMeat balls spilling all over my plate. And, damn, if I don’t see the appeal. “Alright Zip.” I grunt, a few forks later. “Ya’ve won me over….”

And so we settle down to pile our bellies full of fat pizzas, desert, and then more desert…. And after a while, every bad thing is forgotten. At least by us. Though, I notice, whenever I look up, there’s always a stern eye on our table….

> > >< < <