IC

Brenon pulls Payne aside and discusses the tactics they'll use in questioning the prisoner....
    "Basically, you'll play the role of the one just itching to cut the bastard's fingers off. I'll play the cool collective, 'Im really on your side' guy..... Just remember, don't hesitate to lop off one of his digits if he isn't quick with his answers or doesn't comply or if I give you the "look", but you gotta be quick about it.Don't show any sign of hesitation..... And it usually takes a finger or two to set in with these guys so....."
    Brenon and Payne pull the prisoner into the 'acquired' explorer and clear some room. Brenon asks the prisoner, "Are you right or left handed? I'd answer truthfully if I were in your shoes because right now it's in your best interest."
    The Prisoner  looks at the two, back and forth. He had been with these people for 2 days now, with hardly a word said to him. Well, if they were wanting to take on the base as if they were a bunch of commandos, heh, yeh he'll answer their questions. "I am right handed," he says, matter of fact.
    Payne sits on the ground in plain view of the prisoner, puts his hand palm down on the ground, with his knife he stabs it into the soft soil around his fingers, getting a little faster with each round, and stops after a half minute.
    Brenon picks the opposite left hand of the prisoner. "Well, good, we want to leave you the use of your left hand in case you need it in the future. So we'll start on your right hand."
    Payne will take a whetstone to the blade of the knife, turn to look at the pirate, "The knife will sever your little piggies better if it is really sharp. It would be really painful if I used the dull blade. You would just pass out from the pain." Getting right in the pirates face, he continues, "I don't want you to pass out." Moving back to his original distance from the pirate, he goes on to say "If I use this here sharp knife, there would be less pain, and the only thing you have to worry about is bleeding to death."
    Brenon now explains the rules of the game to the prisoner. "Well,here's your deal. If you comply, if you answer my question swiftfully and truthfullly. You'll get out unmarred. My friend here, Payne; a name that suitably fits his profession i might add. Well, basically Payne is going to lop off a finger each time you don't  play by the rules. Now, we're gonna start with your right hand because you told us that the other hand is your main hand. I'm going to give you the opportunity now to change your choice just in case there was a....'misunderstanding'.....
    The prisoner shrugs. "I am right handed," he repeats.
    "What is your name?"
                James Wood.

    "Mr. Wood, do you want to live?"
                He glances to Payne, then back to Brenon. He gives each a small grin. "Of course I would like to live."

    "Mr. Wood, How many pirates occupy Slave City?"
                James looks to the ceiling, seeming to figure. "Well, since I's been down south, I can't rightly tell you how many are over the now. Ever since we lost the jetcopter - which I assume was your doing, they've been on alert around here, so they may have increased staff. But if you want an answer I can tell you, there are 30 men in there, least there was a couple months ago."

    "How many would you say are security personnel?"
                "We're the Star Devil. Everyone knows how to use a gun."

    "Do you have any kids?"
                "I don't any kids, least none that I know of."

    "Mr. Wood, Are you aware of any bots on patrol there, or serve any other function".
                "Yeh, there are a handful of bots over there, in addition to the mining vehicles and bots. Seems I remember 5 security bots roaming around the place..."

    "Do you have a wife?"
                "Not unless you count those two on Outer Reach, but what's legal in that city anyway?" He chuckles at himself.

    "Mr. Wood, Where is the power room located?" Brenon will hold up crudely drawn map of the complex for the prisoner.
                The pirate points to the large building labelled #19. He poins to the eastern wall, towards the center, the area that appears barren of doors. "Now, that building is the main building," Wood begins, bored. "You got the Power Generator, Offices, all that sh*t. Radio Room, Computers, ding and dong, you know. Power generator is along that wall there, in a room. Don't know what kind of generator it is, I never went in there, but that's where I think it is."
    "Mr. Wood, Are the towers that surround the complex always occupied?"
                "Well, I'd think you could figure that out for yourself. Take your magnigoggles and look over there. I think you'll see a bot in each one, and as far as I know they stay there."

    "What's your favorite drink?"
                Wood's eyes dart to Brenons, and he snorts a quick laugh. "Yeh, drink. My -uh- favorite drink would have to be Kingley's Brew, nasty stuff really, but drink it enough and it grows on you."
 

    "Tell us where all the entrances are to the compound" Brenon will hold up the map for the prisoner.
                He points to the gate. "Only way in and out, right there."

    "Mr. Wood,What can you tell us about the Edestekai?"
                "Damn walking Peanuts. You know about what I know - I hear that Vrusk and blob talking my damn head off about it all the time. Planting radio transmitters in 'em, talking to 'em, making them do stuff, I don't know. I just crack the whip, if you wish. Actually, since I was moved down to the outpost, we don't have any around down there. Just a few for research. Brim went and killed the one we had though, so that was the end of that."

    "Are they helping the pirates?"
                "Yeh they are helping the STAR DEVIL. Got no choice. We tell them to."

    "How old are you?"
                He nods, expecting the occasional off-topic question now. "Twenty nine."

    "Does SlaveCity have a jetcopter?"
                "Well, used to. Since we haven't had a visit from them in a while at the outpost, I don't imagine they've gotten another one yet, but it can't be too far away. I imagine next pickup we'll have one. But you know, takes time to order stuff like that."

    "Mr. Wood, What is the relationship of the pirates to the Edestekai?"
                Wood sighs. "For the love of Greedall what do I have to tell you? Yeh we make them do the manual labor sh*t. They get out of line, they regret it. Do the work and everything's okay. It's quite a productive work relationship, actually. They think they are suffering these trials and tribulations to better their spiritual what-ever-they-call-it. Quite the fanatics, they can be. Don't know much more about them than that so don't go asking me what their favorite hymns are - I don't go to church with them."
 
    "How many pirates occupy Slave City?"
                "I think you already asked me that and I will tell you again. I know there were 30 there 2 months ago. I don't know how many are there now."

    "Where are the living quarters located?" Brenon will hold up the map for the prisoner.
                "Barracks all over the place. You should recognize 'em. Standard-looking barracks. Right here at #3, #9, #15."

    "Mr. Wood, Do you have any family here?"
                "If I did have any family, I sure as hell wouldn't bring them out on the edge of the Frontier to this wacked out planet. You seen the damn creatures here? Greedall used Volturnus as a test bench for creation, if you ask me. Those jellyfish topped it for me, that's for sure."

    "How long have you been on Volturnus?"
                "Three months."
 
 

Zhirrzh.

    Poly-Vox in hand, Zhirrzh takes off for the Edestekai village. Using the closest hill for cover, he sneaks around to the north western side of the city. The hill there gives a good view of the village and its proximity (about 600 meters) from the first building will have to be the Yazirian's avenue of approach. After looking over the village and surrounding countryside, it is more apparrent that this is an agricultural community. In one nearby farm, he sees a few Edestekai farmers herding a flock of dog-sized salamanders. Most farms however seem to yield a grain-like crop. To the Eastern side of the village, he sees several sunken farms. Irrigation has been used to flood the plains. Perhaps they also grow rice, or something similar.
    Back to the matter at hand, Zhirrzh studies the city, looking for a heavily populated area. Time and again he comes to the pyramid in the center of town. It appears to be a church, or some other governing kind of building. Finding a grouping of shrubs near the pyramid entrance, Zhirrzh decides that will be the hiding spot for the poly-vox. His recon and large loop around the town took quite a bit of time and it was approaching on 4pm. The sun would be down in a few hours - at least it would be a bit darker and he could sneak in better. The Holo-screen was good for hiding in an already concealed area, but you'd be a fool to walk through the middle of town and seriously think you'd go unnoticed. He could try it, but would rather wait until the sun was working on his side. After all, they were planning on being here a while anyway.

    Letting the sun drop enough to begin casting shadows, Zhirrzh springs to action, slithering over the hillside and activating the screen only when it seemed necessary. Creeping through a wheat field, Zhirrzh advances 100 meters easily. A few Edestekai come within earshot, and the Yazirian flips the poly-vox on. Their communication included a series of shrieks, groans, whistles, and sounds combined with clicks of their limbs and grasping tentacles. Zhirrzh chuckled silently and patted the poly-vox as if to say 'good luck, you'll need it.'
 
 

    Making his way to the shrubs, he crawls along the pyramid's side, burrows out a small hole and places the Poly-Vox in it, making sure the speaker is completely exposed and all lights have been taped over. Satisfied, he crawls back out, hoping not to disturb the shrubbery. There were a few Edestekai still around, clicking and whislting away.
[DieRoll Zhirrzh]
    Concealment
        Roll = 99    FAIL.

            Rattle Rattle. "Damn".  The silence of the nearby Edestekai was overwhelming. A few excited grunts follow, and through the branches of the shrubs, Zhirrzh sees two sets of Edestekai legs approaching the bush cautiously. Zhirrzh himself was on the ground, not a good position to be spotted. He moves ever so slowly, getting his legs and arms in such position that sprinting away would be relatively easy. Waiting.....waiting....had he been spotted? If only he knew what the hell they were yipping on about. Luckily, this wasn't, or at least he hoped it wasn't, a hostile environment. Finally, his answer was given.
    The two Edestekai take a few startled steps back and begin squealing loudly. Well, Zhirrzh thinks, at least they've never seen anything like this wavery-image Holo Screen....or have they?
    Regardless, those peanut-creatures had seen this waving image behind the brush and were now making a big deal of it. Not wanting to wait around to see what was going to unfold, Zhirrzh makes a run for it. One of the Edestekai gives short chase, while the other screaming creature draws the attention of a few passersby. Zhirrzh easily outruns the creature and vanishes in the field of wheat. Making another large arc around the village, making sure to cover any tracks he may have left, he keeps a watchful retreat. It seems the incident came and went with no further ado - someone saw something fly from the bushes, took chase, and lost this ghost image in the fields. The event seems soon forgotten, but Zhirrzh makes a note to keep an eye on those shrubs, in case a curious Edestekai comes snooping.
 

OOC
    Well, let me know what to do from here. It is getting to be dusk, around 5pm. If there are any further questions to ask of the prisoner, continue and Zhirrzh if you have anything else to add, let me know. I just haven't been good to ya'll lately with the rolls, huh? :)

Jeff