Lone wolf of pandora (14)

The others hoe's of Pimp Black lightning’s runner team died with no more ceremony than the first. Next was the School girl  
hoe.
She was sitting at a one person table in an open matrix cafe, a cooling cup of soy-caf and cream from an automated vending  
machine sat next to her cyberdeck. She was oblivious to the world around her as she was jacked into the matrix, her eyes  
were staring into space but seen into the digital landscape of Sanctuaries grid node.
Despite the war on Pandora, there were thousands of credit transactions per-minute on the commerce grid and she was trying  
to re-rout money from those transactions to a false account in the local bank that she had established. Her master was  
expecting to find funds over $50,000 in that account and then transferred into his personal storage deck.
People could keep whole fortunes in their storage decks, digi-structed down into a palm size device that could hold vast  
sums of money and various items, but there still needed to be a medium to conduct transactions, be it through a cred  
stick, a bank or the general commerce grid and it was this grid that School girl was skimming funds in the form of  
hijacked grid use tax sprites.
Rouge killed her without touching her, while School girl was distracted with her digital theft and her eyes blind to the  
real world, Rouge had slipped by and dropped a capsule of poison into her drink. There were only two other patrons at the  
cafe, neither were any more aware of their surroundings than School girl was and Rouge's act was un-noticed.
The shell of the pill dissolved to release a colony of Dust water into her drink. This nasty virus was a heinous killer,  
it operated by assimilating almost any fluids around them and multiplying until what looked like a body of water became a  
new colony, and this is what happened in School girls coffee to wait for unwary prey to consume them.
When she was done transferring the funds into her masters account, she jacked out of the matrix and re-oriented herself to  
the real world. The open air cafe was shielded from the worst of the storm, aided as it was by the taller buildings around  
them to deflect the gritty wind, the cafe vending machine's lights flickered from the lack of repair but otherwise  
functioned.
She began to pack away her deck when she realized that her drink was getting cooler and cooler and picked it up and poured  
it into her mouth.
She drank it in several gulps, the taste was horrid, but the energizing caffeine was all that mattered to her.
The viral colony was quick to begin its insidious work, like a swarm of predators the microbes attacked every molecule of  
moisture in her body and the multiplied to continue the inner body assault.
The effect was obvious as within seconds as School girl stumbled and tried to hold herself up wit the edge of the table.  
Her hair fell out in dry clumps and her skin cracked and split to crumble apart like particulate cascading sand from her  
body as it constricted around her bones as the virus devouring her bodies moisture, her eyes sank into their sockets and  
her organs became as ash.
Blind, she tried to stand but her brittle bones snapped under her weight in what were her legs, the impact with the ground  
was more than enough to completely shatter her body, leaving behind the skimpy school girl outfit filled with the remains  
of her body reduced to a pile of dust.
Her gear and loot would be stolen by passersby’s and the dust of her body would be swept away by a claptrap, a rather  
sarcastic custodian unit that would dispose of the remains into the garbage chute to the local incinerator, caring not at  
all that the dust was suspiciously mingled with a set of skimpy clothes.

The next of Rouges targets was the Biker Ho, she was located in the west district in a warehouse converted for an entirely  
"Reputable" and not illegal skag fight pit. She wasn’t there because she wanted to be, her brain wash programing simply  
encouraged her to do things that were considered "tough" as was expected from her "tough girl image" program persona.
And partaking in a violent animal fight while draining deep mugs of ale was certainly within those programmed parameters,  
It was a combination of those parameters and her own inebriation that led to her death.
Biker hoe made her way closer to the fight, shoving past an orc, a dancing psycho and a white big boobied bat-woman to  
find herself leaning against the loose fitting and completely hazardous safety rail ringing and overlooking the arena.
Down in the bloodied dirt of the arena were three skags, all Alphas. They were under attack by a swarm of Kriltic's,  
scorpion-like beasts from off world. The scorpion beasts surrounded the skags who fought back to back, the armored hide of  
the Pandorian beasts deflecting the snapping claws and thrusting stingers.
Despite their relentless assault, the Pandoran wolves natural armor was proof against their off-world attackers and one by  
one, the skags pulled in their enemies and crushed them under their greater weight and savage claws and fangs.
It was over quickly, the victorious skags received the cheers of the crowd and winnings were collected while new beast were  
being corralled to the gates to be readied for the next round.
Biker hoe took another drink, her mug of ale still more than half full and it filled her vision as she tilted it back to  
drink again, she was beginning to realize how drunk she was becoming, she would have to return to the billets at Moxxis  
pub to recover, despite her persona programming, her priority was being an effective member of the pimps team.
She would never be able to get to bed this night because the sudden impact on her back tipped her over the rail to tumble  
head over heel down into the beasts fighting pit. Her mug hit the ground spilling the remnants of its contents onto the  
bloodied dirt, but that was quickly forgotten as the sound of her sudden arrival drew the attention of the still agitated  
skag alphas.
The crowd took notice of the woman in the arena, but in typical Pandoran fashion, did nothing to come to her aid, rather  
the bets suddenly changed to accommodate her odds accompanied by cheers in favor of the mounting stacks of cash against her  
odds and jeers toward the woman stumbling to her drunken feet.
Biker hoe upholstered her shotgun, but in her shaking hands, the explosive munitions of the Tourge made weapon flew wide  
of their marks, the explosions reducing the already pulverized bloody remains of the scorpion-beasts to splatter and mist.
Rouge ate a delicious hot wing from the pack she bought at the food stand of the arena, for all the faults of these  
barbarians, she had to admit that they at least could get this finger food right, she looked over the rail to make sure  
that the hoe she pushed over was in fact dead.
Seeing that her target was in fact, torn apart limb from limb and leaving her corpse bloody and mangled, she returned her  
attention to the spicy wings in the palm size box.
She returned to the food kiosk by the time she finished the little meal of breaded and spiced bird wings and legs to order  
another pack, her appetite was becoming more demanding in recent weeks, she knew why.
But she had to focus, after this mission and only after this mission would she reveal to her family that she was  
pregnant.
A masked midget psycho was punching the sparking vendor, the dents and scuffs on the machine clearly indicated that  
beatings were common in its use, but she already figured out how to get the treats within out.
Her leg lashed out with a powerful side kick right over the midgets head, the impact of her boot rocked back on its base  
to slam back forward.
The machine spat out boxes of breaded and spiced meat to pile onto the floor. The midget snatched up a pair of the same  
and hopped about squealing with joy of gaining free food and scurried off into the crowd to watch a new fight in the pit.
Rouge gathered a few of the waxed paper boxes and slipped out one of the many doors leading out of this "legitimate"  
establishment.
Outside she melted into the shadows between the buildings and with a few flaps of her wings, landed upon a roof top of a  
dilapidated Sunset Sarsaparilla facility, a small one at that, merely three stories tall. She perched on the back of a  
stone gargoyle, why a soft drink manufacturing facility would need stone gargoyles she couldn’t guess at.
She ate her modest meal, it would be sufficient for the time being. And while she ate, she considered which of her targets  
would be next.
She was rather disappointed.
With only four hoes, a gene-forged post human, a wretched wife and their pimp left on her kill list left, she figured that  
she would be don’t with her bloody task within the next two hours at most.
Finishing her modest meal, she tossed the empty box and cleaned bones and the refuse box away to fall to the dark alley  
way below, the food waste and garbage would be scavenged by vermin for bedding or whatever scraps of food Rouge missed.
She leaped and spread her wings, she glided easily over the roof tops of Sanctuary, the sounds of the city night life  
drifting up to her carried by the wind.
She needed to find the next target, and her eye piece snapped over her eye, Tails was a genius with technology and  
gadgets and this particular device provided many useful functions.
It was tracking each of her marked targets by picking up on the tracking beacons the pimp kept on his hoes, even his wife,  
son and the vat-grown post humans. Over her right eye, the device presented her with a detailed hud highlighting the icons  
representing the targets, in chibi form at that, no doubt a bit of humor on Tails part, likely insisted by Amy.
Aside from the targets she’s already taken care of herself, it was indicated that the son of the pimp and two of the super-
soldiers have already been terminated on the landing pads.
Just as well for her, Amy likely did that herself, she was aching to get out of that ship, probably ran afoul of the  
arrogant boy and his mutant bodyguards.
From her vantage point in the air she could get a glimpse of the approaching demonic horde outside the walled city to her  
right. It was still rather distant and the blowing sand obscured her vision, but she could just make out the imposing  
figure of cyber-demon silhouettes in the flashes of gunfire and explosions. Doom demons were hive beasts, like ants, and if  
their numbers were greater, the local defenders would be overwhelmed. But she was confident that she and her teammates  
would not have to get involved, she knew she could easily kill any one of those demons, but that would draw a lot of  
attention from the wrong people. Still, they would be near the walls soon enough and she wanted to be done with her task  
before then.
She angled away to the left and her flight path took her toward the cowgirl icon with crossed six shooters and an over  
sized hat.
She really needed to talk with Tails, sure she didn’t mind him showing off a bit, but some practicality was needed when it  
came to the job.

Carmelita rounded the corner and strode toward Marcus munitions, an actual store which would be manned by Marcus himself,  
a rarity in a nation dominated by all-in-one shops in the form of vending machines. This was the place that Moxxi directed  
her to, her ex-husband and gun runner.
He had better be worth it Carmelita thought as she descended the stairs to the main foyer, there were a pair of vending  
machines, both belonging to Marcus munitions. A man was standing in front of the shop keeps kiosk, behind the protective  
grate was Marcus himself.
'I don’t think it works. Can I have a refund?' asked the customer, he was clearly nervous
Marcus manipulated the pistol in his hands with expert grace, he re-assembled the parts and casually aimed and shot the  
customer in the torso, killing him instantly.
'Looks like it works to me!' chuckled the heavy set man behind the protective barrier, he looked up and took in the sight  
of the beautiful sight of the foxie before him and displayed a pleased wide smile; 'Welcome to my humble shop, may I  
suggest a S&S Torment or if you prefer something more elegant, a fire hot maliwan SMG?'
'Maybe later, but I have more important business. Moxxi sent me.' Carmelita said. She stepped around the corpse on the  
floor and slid Moxxi's card to Marcus.
He plucked the card up and pulled a tab Carmelita didn’t notice before, he opened the card and was reading the contents  
within. Not many would know how to read the language within, as it was french form old terra, but Marcus clearly could.
Gunshots sounded from within the shop, the sudden sound in the confined space startled Carmelita, her tail stood up and  
fluffed out. Her nerves were still on edge after her encounter with Moxxi, she would have to calm herself and keep her  
head in the game she thought to herself.
'I have a firing range in the back, a customer is trying her new set of fine jakobs. Not very talkative, unlike you.' he  
joked with a smile.
Rouge quietly descended the stairs and slipped past both Marcus and Carmelita, gliding like a ghost down the hall leading to  
the range. Her foxie friend was busy and was sure she didn’t need a distraction, she was busy herself.
'So Ms. Goozangas has finally decided to get her toys back, should have done this sooner. Ok, I'll help, It'll get me some  
profit anyway. No because I care enough to have her back, mind you, its just business!' he hastily exclaimed
'I'm so sure. Look, we need you to off load a ship of its cargo to make room for the mission, its all weapons and...'
'Yes yes. I know all about that, it was in the note.' Marcus interrupted 'I'll send someone with some of my robot peasants  
to do take your odds and ends.' Marcus said, sliding a high grade credstick across the desk to her.
Rouge found the Sherriff girl hoe practicing dual wielding a pair of purple (deltaware) grade Jakobs revolvers. She was  
shooting a corpse of a now unidentifiable humanoid that had a crude board nailed to it chest exclaiming 'NO REFUNDS!'
It was during the moment that the hoe reloaded that Rouge struck.
'So you know what she’s planning, considering you are paying.....800K without seeing what we have to offer. Seems like you  
really want to see us on our way.' Carmelita asked as she pocketed the downloadable cash device.
Marcus gave an easy laugh as he shrugged his shoulders, despite the clearly practiced pose of nonchalance, it was  
exaggerated to the brown foxie. No matter how he acted here in front of her, it was clear to her that he had something to  
gain from the success of the mission, and was irrelevant what it was to her, she and her team had to stay on their toes  
regardless.
Rouge drove a strong punch into the vulnerable woman’s kidney and the effect was exactly what the bat-girl was shooting for.  
The stunned hoe dropped her pistols as the breath was driven out of her body as she fell to the side. Her hat fell off and  
in a smooth motion, Rouge slipped a auto-garrote over her targets head and onto her neck. The auto-garrote activated  
immediately, it consisted of two strong metal cords, that when loose, could fit around a targets head. These cords were  
linked to a small but powerful motor device and when activated tightened the cords, quickly crushing the neck of the  
victim.
Sheriff hoe didn’t have time to make a sound, the garrote constricted around her neck to tight. Panic overrode her  
brainwashing. She rolled across the floor, her back arched in spasms of impulse and her fingers tried to find purchase  
around the deadly device around her neck, but could find none as the metal sank too deep into the already purpling flesh.
The lack of oxygen slowed her struggles, her tongue expanded until it protruded past her lips and soon her eyes rolled up  
into her sockets.
Rouge didn't savor the death, she made sure it happened and nothing more. Her keen ears detected the conversation her  
partner and the gun merchant had concluded, Marcus would send a work crew of droids to the starport to off load the cargo,  
and like the foxie, Rouge shared her unease. Marcus was a stingy merchant, willing to kill his own customers to avoid a  
refund as he demonstrated.
And to give a credstick with so much cash and not knowing what he’s buying is practically a cardinal sin for a merchant.
Carmelita finished the arrangements with Moxxi's still living ex-husband and turned to leave, Rouge's keen ears allowed  
her to count each step back up to the top of the stairs until she was sure she was gone.
Rouge plucked up her dead targets hat from the floor and after pulling Sherriff girls wide poncho, put on the hat low over  
her head.
With her body and face obscured, she made her way out of the small shooting range.
'Come back anytime to practice my dear. And no refunds!' called Marcus form behind his armored shop counter
Rouge said nothing as she ascended the stairs without comment, it would do well to avoid Marcus from possibly recognizing  
her later, just in case he did get involved with Moxxi's operation later.
Outside the shop, Rouge made her way into a milling crowd before she discarded the poncho and hat. She had to pick up the  
pace, there were only a handful of targets left and she didn’t want to linger on the task.
Marcus, however, would discover the body an hour later. He would claim any loot, including the discarded guns and re-sell  
them, but would wonder who that other woman was, but give it little thought.
This wasn’t the first time a patron was murdered in his shop after all.

Rouge certainly picked up the pace and with gusto. She located Police girl in the streets, seemingly on a ceaseless  
patrol. Likely because her brainwashing calls for it given her "sexy uniform image."
Rouge sneaked up behind her and pulled her chin up by the hoes hair. Rouge reached her curved blade around her neck and  
with a vicious pull, decapitated the police girl.
Rouge dropped the severed head next to the body and slipped quickly away.
A group of locals who witnessed the killing were not phased by the violence and quickly descended on the body to pick it  
clean of loot.

The last two hoes were together with the third and last of the vat grown super humans, lingering at the pierce station  
bounty board, the two ladies were taking notes on local bounties, their rewards and whether any other runners had already  
taken the various jobs while Unit-7, the uber-human stood watch, his massive big daddy shotgun held low but ready.
On the other side of the street was a local gang, consisting of masked psychos and local marauders, their guns and blades  
hanging loose in their hands. They were speaking through their masks, and to casual onlookers, despite their muffled  
voices they were carrying the conversation on quite well.
The truth of the matter was that the gang really couldn’t understand each other’s muffled words, they simply responded with  
laughter and friendly gestures to the same. It simply wouldn't do to be rude to friends in public after all.
Rouge crouched low in the shadows above them on the roof of the building directly above the street gang, she noticed that  
neither groups were paying particular attention to each other, the masked gangers continued to hop about and shove each  
other and generally pal around. The two hoes studied the bounty board and the vat-grown super soldier focus was toward  
Sanctuary's central court yard, the local mechanic Scooter was manipulating cylinder shaped devices around a slowly  
rising central structure.
The super humans relatively simple mind associated the loud noises coming form that direction as the most possible threat  
to his charges, evidently Black lightning didn’t spend enough to develop his bodyguards brains as much as the rest of their  
bodies.
A fact that Rouge took advantage of. She had constructed a explosive device, made from bundles of a particularly loud brand  
of fire crackers, wrapped around and adhered to a smoke grenade. She was a talented espionage agent, she could make  
devices like this to assist her to sneak past a vigilant guard.
This device was a one of such improvised in her arsenal.
She lit the entwined fuses and pulled the grenade pin and dropped it down to the walkway between the gang and her targets,  
then leaned back and watched to see the results.
The smoke grenade spewed an obscuring grey cloud quickly, filling the space between the gang and her targets. The  
firecrackers ignited seconds later and the desired results came right after.
The blinding smoke and the firecrackers that simulated gunfire and both groups thought they were under attack. The uber-
human bellowed and opened fire with its oversize shotgun toward the sparks and noise, while the gangers did likewise and  
turned their collection of pistols, rifles, SMG's and shotguns and fired a storm of projectiles toward the loud booms of  
the trans-human shotgun blasts.
Librarian hoe took cover behind Unit-7 as he absorbed the brunt of the incoming fire, Nurse hoe was not so fortunate. Her  
shields instantly collapsed under the blind fire assault and her thin body was ravaged by bolts, her limbs were sheared  
off and a shotgun blast that happened to strike her face directly, burst her head to paste.
Unit-7 blasted again and again with his oversized shotgun and managed to cut down a pair of axe-saw wielding psychos that  
charged from the now fading smoke screen, but with the fading smoke the targets became clear.
A marauder armed with a Hyperion made calescent rapier railgun aimed and fired. The energized slug round hit the shotgun  
wielding giant directly in his chest.
The velocity of the slug created a vacuum effect, the entry/exit wound was no wider that the projectile itself, but his  
gene-forged altered organs and more were sucked out with the consistency of jelly. Librarian hoe was no better off, she  
suffered the same fate as the bolt slammed through her as well.
Their hollow bodies collapsing in on themselves to lay in a bloody heap on the ground.
Rouge watched unpassionately as the gangers fell upon the remains, snatching at their victim’s loot with celebratory glee.  
Such savages, she thought. The dead of their friends would be picked clean and left to rot in the street until sanitation  
claptraps come by to sarcastically clean up the mess.
In just over an hour, all but two targets were left. Her HUD tracked their datajack commlink signal was coming from the  
red light district, she suspected that they were spending their cash at a night club.
She left the scene of the latest killing on Sanctuaries streets to cause at least two more. She leaped from one roof to  
the next until she stood to overlook the club 'Pond punk', evidently a popular drinking hole as it seemed from the crowds  
coming and going.
From what she understood, Black lightning and Dark clouds were in a troubled marriage, if she didn’t want to get her hands  
dirty, she should make a plan to take advantage of that fact.