Slaving Away (Group A) [Closed] [Finished]

As you were going about your business around Stableton – be it running an errand, patrolling the streets, or just aimless wandering – you spotted a flyer glued to the wall of some building. Intrigued, you approached it to give it a read.


For whatever reason – an opportunity for caps, a hatred of slavers, a way to fill time, uncomplicated bloodthirst, whatever – this job has grabbed your interest. You decide to head to the weapon store for more details.

You arrived at a rusty, corrugated iron mockery of a building sitting about as resplendently as it can upon what passed for a main road in this town. A thin verandah ran the length of the building, with two smudged and dirty windows either side of its flimsy front door. You pushed the door open and head inside; apparently, some others had also taken an interest. At the counter sat a wrinkled sack of weathered muscles in the shape of a pony, watching over the store’s eclectic inventory like a cantankerous gargoyle.



The sound of a clearing throat turned into a hacking – then wheezing – cough; after a few tedious moments, it died away. The store owner and source of the coughing, once he was satisfied he had everyone’s attention, addressed the room in a rumbling drawl. “So which of you all is here about them slavers?”

Diesel had been on his way back into town after one of his jobs, but before he got more then a few steps in he came face to face with a flyer offering caps for killing slavers. Reading the directions he found himself face to face with a metal building. Stepping inside it seemed he was the first one there. As he waited the shop slowly filled, after a while the owner cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. As he asked who was here for the slavers Diesel raised his paw high, for he was quite comfy where he was at.

Marcus had been "busy" wandering around Stableton when he spotted a curious looking flyer. It took some time to read, due to the written part of the Equestrian language being something he was still learning, but after a few minutes of reading he was able to find out what it was asking.

Ridding the area of Slavers? There is no question here, it must be done, though Marcus as he turned to head to the direction of the store. Upon entering, he noticed that more than a few others had already taken an interest in the chance to clear the area of Slavers. He briefly noticed Diesel sitting in a corner before the hulking mass that was the store owner cleared his throat to gain attention to himself and ask who was there for the job. Marcus turned his attention to the store owner and raised a hoof into the air, "I come to aid in the fight against the slavers, master trader."

Ale, being a caravan guard, had already know about the slaver problem before he saw the flyer. He was already considering going on a hunt for the slaver just to make the next few jobs safer, but now that somepony was offering pay to do so, well he found himself in the gun store after a few minutes. Ale looked around the room, it was full of new faces, maybe even a few new friends. When the sack of muscles that was the shop owner called out for those who were taking the job, Ale raised his hoof, "Eeyup."

Sanctity hadn't hear about the job from the poster, but Marcus had mentioned it when he had given him something he'd though might be useful in that potion stuff he did. And he just knew that he'd end up getting in trouble if he didn't tag along. Besides, an extra hoof never went amiss in things like this and considering his current finances, a few more caps would be a much welcome addition to his saddlebags. "I'm here for 'em" he said, adding to the chorus of calls.

Sanura trotted up to the growing group of people with those worn brown saddlebags on her sides and the single shotgun that looked like it probably would've been happier being dropped into a wood chipper than forced to live its miserable existence of neglect on Sanura's sides. This job was easy to find, ponies trying to read that sign out loud made it much less embarrassing than her staring at it for twenty minutes trying to figure out how to say everything. Trotting up behind Diesel who... she eyed for a few moments before deciding to scoot to the side, sure that he wasn't going to eat her in front of everyone.

"I can help!" she chimed, hopping once to make sure she was seen, she would need to buy things though... a gun and tool store likely didn't have potions or chems but if she could spot any kind of chem or potion or anything relating to a stimulant of some sort she had want to purchase for the coming trip!

Xeshir had been wandering Stableton from store to store, trying to see if they had any of her long-wished-for power hooves, but surprisingly enough nobody had in possesion a pneumatic hooves that could crush someones skull with a well aimed hit. Shocking indeed.

Xeshir sighted as she left another store, her search still not bearing any fruit. She was looking around when a poster caught her eye. Mmmhh...Caps for killing slavers? I like the sound of that. She thought, then trotted towards the store Dang Fine Guns n Tools (Who named his store like that?) and saw that a crowd had already formed by the time she arrived, but she was still able to listen to the question of the shopkeeper. "I am." She said, her voice echoing the others.

Old Spur Legs’ good eye slowly scanned across the group that had assembled before him. A diamond dog, two zebras, and three unicorns. Well, wasn’t that just dandy! He half expected a griffon to walk in the door and join the lot of them in a spontaneous song and dance number.

He shifted his meaty head towards Sanura, who seemed to be looking about the store for something. “Can I help you? Not all of the stock is on shelves; can’t trust every-dang-pony who comes in here not to help ‘emselves.”

“Right, let’s get down to business here. From what we’ve gathered, we reckon them dang slavers are set up somewhere along the road to the north. I reckon to get there and back will mean only being gone maybe a day or two, so I wouldn’t load up on too much food or water. The reward is one thousand five hundred caps, split amongst you as you please, and you can keep any junk you pick up along the way. Try and find some of the missing caravaners and traders if you can, and let ‘em know it was us Stableton folks that got ’em out, too. I don’t wanna deal with any dang ingrates, ya hear? Oh, and we ain’t gonna take responsibility if you go ‘n get yerself shot, so if you come back with a limp, tough biscuits.

“Now, ‘ve I made myself rightly clear, or do any o’ you lot want me to take up s’more of my dang time to explain something else?”

Sanura looks up as she's spoken directly to and then smiles sheepishly for his comment, "Ah well... I was just looking to see if you had any chems or health potions or... anything medical related." she shifted her weight from one side to the other, "Seein' as how we're supposed to be huntin' slavers an what not somepony's bound to get shot huh?" she glanced between the others of the group that had shown up and realized she knew all of... nopony, simply making the assumption at this point that there might not be another medic on the team so she would buy up whatever she could to try and help everypony out and bring them all back in one piece... or at least breathing if not one piece. The job sounded good to her though.

"Sounds well cut to me!"

Diesel looked over to Spur as he spoke about the job, it was a simple enough job, kill slavers and get the victims out. Standing up Diesel began to stretch before he felt his paws hit the ceiling, cursing a bit he let them back down and walked outside the building to wait for whoever else was going to join him on this mission. On his way out he looked to Spur, "Anything you failed to mention about them would be good to know old pops." Standing outside of the door Diesel began to stretch again, working his muscles up from the slumber they had gotten into from waiting for the ponies to show up. As he stood outside he looked around the town, watching as a few ponies went about business and tried to avoid looking at the massive Diamond Dog that had come to call their town home. Turning around he looked inside the shop to see who all was joining him.

Sanctity nodded his head as the big merchant spoke. The task wouldn't be too hard, and it sounded like they had a good idea of what was happening and where they were. He looked at his companions, noting the sniper pony he'd met at the Nightmare Night amongst them, alongside Marcus and Diesel, who he'd been in the wastes with previously. And, judging by her speech, there was a medical unicorn with them as well, which he was very thankful for.

In fact, the only pony he didn't have any idea about was the zebra mare. Hopefully she'd explain herself soon enough though.

"Sounds good tah me" he said in response

Xeshir listened closely to the gruff, muscular stallion as he spoke. She cleared her throat after he asked if they had any questions. The more information they had before they headed against slavers the better. "I have some questions. Do you have any idea how many slavers are there? How well armed are they? The amount of slaves they have? The more information you can spare the better our odds of succeding." She said with a faked smile, then added. "I´d like to see your stores stock as well."

Marcus nodded as Spur gave his small speech, saying, "Thank you, Master Trader, for your time and information." He noted that Diesel and the other Zebra had asked for more information that might be useful for their mission and stood by to hear what the larger stallion had to say. The more that was known about these slavers, the better chance this group had at success.

Ale stood near the back as the shop keep went over the job. His eyes scanned the shelves for any useful gear but when the green unicorn was yelled at he learned that the best equipment was kept in the back. He trotted up next to zebra that was asking to see his wears and added, "I'd like to do a bit of shopping before heading out as well." He leaned against the counter and looked at the muscle bound earth pony. "Let me cut to the chase for you, Do you have a scope for this here rifle and if so then how much?" Ale motioned to the hunting rifle slung over his shoulder.

Old Spur legs made a face when Sanura asked for healing supplies, and after an annoyed grunt, he reached under the counter and placed two healing potions and a bandage on the counter. “Free. These’ll come outta yer reward.”

He then showed his wares to Xeshir, before discovering that he had nothing of interest to the zebra, before finally turning to Ginger. “I might have such an item as a rifle scope. You tellin’ me ya got the caps for it?”

“As for other information, I heard it’s not a lot of slavers. There’d be no point in sending you if I didn’t think you could handle it, right? At a guess, what with all the traffic on the road and how long we recken they’ve been there, maybe 20 or 30? The honest dang truth is we don’t know much. Tha pony that told us this done died.”

With a shrug, he looked towards the rest. “The rest of you best go and get ready. The sooner you git, the sooner them slavers quit botherin’ us, and the sooner you get your reward.”

Ale raised his eyebrow at the earthpony, "Caps, sure I've got the caps but I was thinking about a different way of paying for it." Ale reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a plasma rifle, taking a moment to reassemble it from it's travel version before laying it on the counter. "I think you'll find this to be in prime condition and well worth it's weight in caps." ale paused a moment before digging something else out. "and if that isn't enough to cover the cost then I can pay for the difference." He dropped a big sack of caps on the counter as well.

Selling
-plasma rifle

Buying
-Hunting rifle scope

caps:3642

Old Spur Legs looked at the plasma rifle, picked it up, turned it over, then put it back on the counter. “Tell you what, I’ll give you the scope for this here rifle and 1900 caps. Deal?”

Marcus took a moment to collect himself as he heard Spur answer about the Raiders. 20-30 Raiders? At the least? He shook his head as he collected himself and prayed that they would be able to accomplish the task. He looked as the large stallion began bartering with the others and decided to head outside to wait for them to finish. He had little to his name, so bartering for more wasn't going to do him any good.

As he stepped outside, he spotted Diesel waiting and decided to stand next to him. "I am happy to meet you once again, Mr Diesel," he said, bowing slightly in greeting. "I pray for our success in this mission." He looked back inside to see the bartering and waited for the others to finish.

Sanctity winced as the number of slavers was put at 20 or 30. He was very glad he'd just stocked up on ammunition, or else he might've found himself short, which would not bode well for his well being. Though he did have his hatchet if things went south, he wasn't exactly well trained with it.

He looked over the shelves, noting several items he'd have to come back and purchase after he got paid, before he walked out of the store with Marcus. He bowed his head slightly in recognition towards the pair.

"Hello Diesel, Marcus" he said in greeting as he approached them.

"If I believed in anything, I'd join you in that Marcus. We're going to need all the luck we can get"

Sanura grins as he passes the items across and she'd float them over into her saddlebags, "Thank ya!" she chimed out, terribly unconcerned whether they came out of her reward or not, she was there for support and that's what she'd do! The following conversation had her thinking twice about this whole thing though. Their small group up against so many... that was okay, they just had to pick their fights, not charge in blindly. Everything would be okay... just bare careful. She nodded slightly to herself, looking toward the rest of the group an' offering a terribly pleasant smile.

Trotting over toward Sanctity, Viktor, and Marcus, since they seemed to not be involved in bartering right that moment, "Heya," she dipped her head. "Name's Sanura, I'll be the pony putting y'all back together." she grinned.

Ale took a moment to consider the offer, a large sum of caps on top of the rifle was not cheap, but the added accuracy, range and scouting capability of scoping his rifle almost outweighed the cost. "Deal." he said as he hoofed over the goods and levitated the mod into his bag. he took note to add it to his rifle later, when the had time to sit down and give the gun a complete overhaul but as for now time was wasting and he left the store to join the others that were ready to move out, giving them a nod of recognition as he walked past.

Diesel looked over the group of ponies he was with, he knew everyone except Sanu. "Hey Marcus and Sanctity, Been a while since we went to Ponyville hu?" Turning to Ginger he smiled. "I don't think we have met... What's your name? So that leaves..." Turning his head to Sanu, "you... Sanura was it? I believe this is our first time meeting. I'm definatly glad to have a medic with us, we are probably going to need you." Smiling at Sanu he stood back up and looked around at the group of ponies with him. At least he wouldn't have to put up with that idiot Bone Head this time.

Sanura nods, "That's me!" she chimed when he asked about her name, "Well hopefully not too much, getting shot is bad you know." The example of brilliance right there, he seemed friendly enough though even if he did look like a big ole scary mongrel. "And getting blown up is worse, and if something actually comes off Ima have to strap somepony err... dog down to a table to try and put it back on." she nodded firmly, "What was your name, by the way?" she asked the diamond dog before looking to the others there, intending to get all of their names no doubt.

Diesel smiled as the unicorn spoke, definatly a lot nicer then the last unicorn mare he had been with. "My name is Viktor Diesel, you may be seeing a lot of me by the end of this, you see my specialty is swords and getting up close to them." Pulling out his machete slowly he showed Sanu what he meant with a simple sword play swing into open air. "I'd like to thank you for my patch ups in advanced though." Smiling he slid the sword back into it's sheath as he leaned against the wall.

Xeshir frowned as the wrinkled stallion showed her his stock...And found no Power Hooves. She let out a slightly exasperated sight as he showed his inventory to others. When he finally got around to answer her question she bit her lower lip. 20-30 Slavers? Definitely not going to be a walk in the park, but they could handle them...Right?

The zebra mare walked outside and heard the diamond dog introduce himself and his skills, they all ought to do that. "Pleased to meet you all. Name's Xeshir." She said. "I'm good with my hooves or a gun. How about the rest of you?"