OT3-nanigans!

[phaselocknroll]

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[phaselocknroll]

Of course it is.

[ Maya is actually a little disappointed. She was silently looking forward to solving puzzles- it would be a nice reprieve from kicking the door in and shooting people in the face, per the Guardians' usual style. Not that she didn't love shooting people in the face, because boy did she, but it would be nice to change things up once in a while.

This was either going to end with them walking away empty-handed or with shooting people in the face, it seemed.

Maya has her trusty HellFire in hand, as they enter the vault. ]

Knock knock, anybody home?

[stealwithit]

[ Kasumi stays as still as she is silent as her company--there were two of them, it sounded like--made their way through, and the closer they got, the better she could hear. Those voices sounded awfully familiar.

When she sees the one and only Star-Lord and the very lovely Maya walk through the entrance to the vault, well. Color her surprised. She didn't even know the two of them knew each other, but you know? The more she thinks about it in the next few seconds, the more she's not actually that surprised.

As she speaks, she remains in her cloak; with their guns up, she's certain that a sudden appearance would only end in her being flayed one way or another, and she'd really like to avoid that. She's enough of a distance away that her voice doesn't seem to come from any particular direction unless they're listening really closely. ]

Well, well, well. Look what we have here? Two of my favorite people in this galaxy are hanging out together and didn't bother to invite me. I'm hurt.

[ After that, which she hopes is enough for them to recognize her voice, she finally reappears in front of them, some feet way. ]

Hey there.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ The sound of her voice is enough to make Peter stiffen, fingers squeezing down on the triggers of his blaster -- but instinct, at least, makes him pause. The voice is familiar, and it stays his hand. And the more she speaks, the more relaxed he becomes, and he lowers his blasters completely.

(Though he doesn't holster them entirely. He's a paranoid fucker, sure, but he's an alive paranoid fucker.) ]

Goto? [ A beat as his brain catches up to his ears, and he glances at Maya, slightly surprised. ] You guys know each other?

[phaselocknroll]

[ Call them both paranoid, because Maya's hand comes up, tattoos flickering in warning, though she recognizes the voice a bit sooner than Peter and lets her hand drop.

Still the same time Peter says "Goto", Maya wanders aloud: ] Kasumi?

[ And by way of explanation: ] We met on Pandora a while ago.

[stealwithit]

[ She folds her arms and swings her hip over to one side. ]

Yes, and yes. Now do I get to find out how you two know each other?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He pauses, then, ] She's my prettier and smarter half.

[phaselocknroll]

Peter picks up heavy things for me.

And carries my books.

[stealwithit]

[ She can't help but break into a smile, because you know what? These two make a damn good pair. ]

Aww, isn't that just sweet. Congratulations, you two.

But, just so you know? I'm totally keeping the thingy you two probably came here for.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter sighs, holstering his guns. ]

Yeah, kinda figured that was the case. You sure there's no way you can be persuaded? I mean, I've got six mouths to feed.

[phaselocknroll]

Barring that, could you at least tell us who hired you so we can go steal it from them later?

[stealwithit]

[ She looks contemplative for a moment as she reveals the ancient doohickey to be a tiny little thing in her hand, and she idly plays with it, just to. You know. Rub it in. But eventually, she nods at Maya and her suggestion because, see, that she can do. ]

Yeah, no can do, Star-Lord. I have a business deal to close out and a reputation to keep up. But whatever happens to this after I get my payment from a certain Dr. Aenisi on Illium is totally not my responsibility, so.

[ catch her drift? ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter frowns as his brain processes that name.

Then, he hisses out, ] Shit.

[ Then, he turns and takes a few away, bringing up his helmet to signal the Milano and let them know their boss has been double-dealing. Looks like he's leaving it up to Maya to explain why, exactly, he's so pissed off. ]

[phaselocknroll]

[ Well goddammit. She's been touring the galaxy with Peter for a while, and this isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened. She still doesn't understand why they do that.

She spares Peter a glance as he steps away before turning back to Kasumi. ]

I guess this guy wants that "thingy" bad enough he's willing to pay two people to steal it for him.

[stealwithit]

[ She pockets the thing with a little hum and folds her arms, her stance generally reading as "not impressed." ]

Sure seems like it. I'm honestly a little offended? I mean, don't get me wrong, you guys are great and I'm sure you're even better together, but you don't hire and then cross someone like me.

I'm going to have to have a little chat with Dr. Aenisi. I knew his sliminess wasn't just an outside appearance thing.

[ Seriously. Why aren't all salarian scientists as cool as Mordin? ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter returns soon enough, sans mask, looking marginally less pissed.

Marginally.

To Maya, ]

We're gonna go kick Aenisi's ass.

[ Yep. No coyness. No "having a little chat." ]

[phaselocknroll]

[ She expected no less from Peter, to be honest.

Once again she turns to Kasumi ] I don't know if ass-kicking is quite your style, but... wanna come along? Honestly, I'd just love to see the look on his face when we all walk in there together.

You know, the one he'll make right before I put him in a phaselock.

[stealwithit]

Oh, sure. Now I get to come along on the Star-Lord and Maya show.

[ She's really bitter about that lack of an invite, okay. But not really.

But like, really. ]

But count me in. You know, sometimes I feel like people forget how much ass I can kick when I want to.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter rolls his eyes. ]

I thought you worked solo, dude.

[ Because Peter has a team. And a damn good one. Although, granted, they're dysfunctional as fuck, and more than one night has ended with someone nursing a black eye, but-- there it is.

He turns on his heel and walks out of the facility. ]

Hope you're done shoppin' around in here, Goto. Drax is getting antsy to punch something.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She gives Peter a nudge with her elbow, as if to tell him to be nice. ]

Do you have a ship somewhere, Kasumi?

[stealwithit]

Unfortunately for Drax, I do have my own ship. Poor guy will have to find another way to blow off steam.

[ She sighs. Missed opportunities. Alas. Woe is she. ]

I'll meet you guys at Illium?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He gives her a wave. ]

Promise not to start without you.

[phaselocknroll]

[ When they go their separate ways, Maya teases Peter a bit- "So, how do you know her?" "Should I be jealous?", that kind of thing- but it probably worked out for the best that of all the people to run into out here, it was a mutual acquaintance.

The trip back to Illium is not exactly a short one, and Maya is almost wondering if she should have hitched a ride with Kasumi, given the annoyed tension humming in the air. This was the first decent paying job to head their way in a long time, so of course it would go to hell like this. Maybe if they were lucky, they could coax their employer out of their payment anyway. Maybe they could coax him out of like, three times their payment just for being an asshole.

When they finally reach their destination, Dr. Aenisi's complex is oddly quiet, and Maya exchanges a worried glance with Peter, weapons drawn as they disembark from the Milano. Kasumi is presumably around somewhere, having landed not too long before they did. Cloaked, probably, because of course she would be. ]

Do you suppose we're expected?

[stealwithit]

Right on time, you two.

[ Maya would be right on the mark about being cloaked, because of course she is. She'd arrived a few minutes earlier, and took that time to do some very quick, very cursory reconnaissance of the compound, because she too noticed that it was unnaturally quiet. Now, she decloaks just ahead of the pair, her pistol unholstered and in her hands as she stands right by the entrance of the compound. ]

I took a little sneak peek while waiting. The place is quiet as a nightclub during lunchtime. Any guesses as to why?

[ The answer is that the doctor has the place on lockdown. Also, he seems to have hired Eclipse mercs as security. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter seriously fucking hates it when a guy hires more than one merc, because it almost always ends in damaged goods or people getting shot, and by the time you come away with the item in question and tell them about the trouble you ran into, the guy inspects the goods and goes, "Oh, this isn't in the condition I expected it to be," and pays you less. Or sometimes you just get beaten out and have to travel back to the boss with your tail between your legs, and suddenly you've got a black mark on your once sterling reputation -- all because one dude got hired five minutes before you by the same guy. It's a waste of fucking time all around when you could be doing actual work instead of getting the run around.

Yondu was usually pretty good about keeping that kind of crap to a minimum. The Ravagers had a reputation for not putting up with that kind of bullshit, and when it did happen, the retribution was Biblical. Star-Prince or Space-Lord or whoever the hell this kid was? His name didn't carry the same weight as one Yondu Udonta. So once Peter went AWOL from the Ravagers and started picking up work for the Guardians, they suddenly ran into that shit a lot more.

So understandly, he and the others are pretty pissy, and his mood by the time he and Maya step off the Milano -- and he had urged the others to stay, because he knew Drax or Gamora or Rocket would go mental and either blow him up or rip out his spine or something -- hasn't improved. Still, he does his best to tamp it down. No need to take it out on anyone who doesn't deserve it. ]

What, they shut down? That's rude. I woulda thought the guy would be happy to get his stupid toy.

[phaselocknroll]

Which means either something bad happened while we were gone, or we really are expected and he'd rather not deal with us right now.

Or possibly some combination of both.

But, in the end, there's only one way to find out.

[ that's the point where she turns to address Kasumi ] Did you happen to come across any other entry points while you were looking around?