Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 8, 2022 19:43:27 GMT
Conor stroked his chin for a moment. "Saying that I have taken it down would be boasting too much. I was not alone. The desert was on my side. You see.." he dropped his arm again "A man has to understand the desert. If one does not, it has very little patience. Most of the corporate types don't understand that. They bring guns, and energy weapons and augumented people and hired guns and tools and vehicles and lots of other gizmos, and they hope this will save them. Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not. A hunter knows when to strike weakened prey." he shrugged "Perhaps not the most honourable and warrior-like of methods, but you have to take what you can get out there"
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 8, 2022 21:38:52 GMT
Tarsys considered this. He thought about battles, and operations that he was a part of. Conor was humble. A rarity among soldiers, and only those that had really experienced the horrors of combat held themselves in check. "The badlands are a place not to be trifled with. And with all the tech the Corpos possess, they always seem to fail. Profit over safety. So I say let 'em fall."
He shrugged his beefy shoulders.
"If I wasn't in a position of public safety I would most likely be a marauder now. Not that would have happened. At least yer free of the Corpo contracts. Last thing you want is a specter squad huntin' ya down.
He tilted his head. "Honor is one of those things, and I think, yer an honorable man. The fact that you've given me a chance despite the years of fightin' between our people. Granted, I use my people loosely as I'm not an orc no more."
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 8, 2022 21:44:02 GMT
"Only very simple things remain functional yes." he nodded, then listened to the orc. "You are in a position of public safety?" he asked, curiously, before folding his ears at the compliment. "Thank you." he gave a small bow. "You are a kind soul, in a world that, more often than not, is unkind." he raised his paw and gave the orc a smile, a big, geniune one. "We are who we are, by influence of our birth, and by what we have done and by what has been done to us. But the future is for us to shape. Our past defines us, it does not hold us hostage"
Or does it? a small voice whispered in his head.
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 8, 2022 22:15:52 GMT
"Aye. That I am. A firefighter. It was part of my release from my corporate contract. They didn't want to loose their science experiment completely. But I wanted out. I wanted something that I could do to serve the people, but not in enforcement. I'm done what that."
Though he knew for a fact that he wasn't. At any time, at any point MiliTek could show up in his life, and take him from everything he had built here in this small town.
"As you said, don't let the past take ya hostage."
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 8, 2022 22:24:01 GMT
"A firefighter." the gnoll's eyebrows rose for a moment then he bowed his head respectfully. Fighting was one thing, but someone who was brave enough to deal with fiery infernos, especially without being forced to, was someone Conor respected. He himself had seen (and caused) enough conflagrations to know that staying away from them was usually the best way.
"This is impressive" he said quitely, then smiled up at the orc "Bet with that bulk your a great asset to your crew."
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 9, 2022 1:28:03 GMT
“Aye, that it does.” The ork agreed. His bulk was advantageous in many aspects if his job, mostly because of how physically demanding it was.
“I’m sorry, I ‘aven’t introduced meself. Tarsys. So, what brings an outlander such as yerself to this city?’
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 9, 2022 1:36:26 GMT
"I'm Conor. Well met, Tarsys." he said solemnly, before, again, shrugging, and hooking the thumb of his free paw into the hem of his leather trousers. "I haven't tried city life before. It's hard out there, especially alone, but who knows. Maybe at some point I'll return. For now..." he waved at his shop "I'm staying. I got a bunch of things to fix" he laughed.
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 10, 2022 16:26:29 GMT
"Bein' busy is a good thing. Keeps ya out of trouble." the ork smiled a tusky smile. He considered the gnoll for a moment more. The man was fit, and he was new to the city. "Hey man, I was noticin' that you're pretty fit n' trim an' not t'come out of left field or anythin' but I have guest pass t' a gym if her interested."
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 10, 2022 16:30:33 GMT
Conor scratched his arm for a moment, then looked up at the orc. "A gym" he said quietly.
His first instict was to decline, of course, but then he stopped himself. He had not left his workshop much. there was money on his account and he hadn't spent it on anything.
"Yeah... um.. sure. I'd love to come" he said, before looking down at his leather-clad body "one does what one can to stay in shape. Though, I would have to take it slow with my hand.."
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 10, 2022 16:41:09 GMT
Tarsys noticed the reservation. And he understood it. The gnoll had be living off his wits in the badlands, where survival means a certain paranoia about people. Very much like corpo-life. Eerily similar.
"Of course man, Gotta give your hand some time to heal."
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 10, 2022 16:52:18 GMT
*timeskip to 1 week later* ------
For the first time in his life, Conor had actually taken an afternoon off and gone shopping. Not just the odd trip to the corner place for food, no, he had visited an actual store and bought actual clothing and shoes, and a little bag. Cleaning products, too. It wasn't that he never washed. he liked showers. He loved the fact that water was not a rare luxury in wayward city, however he had never paid his body any conscious attention, aside from the bare minimum of maintenance.
Now, he was standing in front of the gym at the appointed time, wearing shorts and a tank top, carrying a bag that contained shampoo and a brush, and even a fur trimmer, and, of course, fully loaded, his shotgun. He wasn't making the same mistake again.
He hoped the orc would come by soon. He didn't have a lot of experience as to how one entered a gym and how the entire guest-pass worked, so he figured he'd wait for tarsys out on the street.
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 10, 2022 17:22:08 GMT
Tarsys arrived at the designated time. He was wearing a cut stringer tank-top, a pair of tight gym shorts, ankle socks and a pair of laceless well worn leather boots. He walked up to Conor and held out his large, clawed calloused hand in greeting.
"Oi. You did a bang up job on me truck. She's purrin' like a kitten."
He opened the door for him, and just inside was counter with a lovely human woman working the terminal. She looked up with a bright smile. "Heya Tarsys."
The ork responded. "Ey, Evi. I gah a partner today, and I'd like to gift him my guest pass. He's new t' Wayward.
She smiled at the Gnoll. "Welcome to the Iron Asylum! I just need a bit of information from you to get you in our system, issue you a pass. Just need your name, age, and release of liability."
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 10, 2022 17:32:04 GMT
Conor reached out to Tarsys' hand and shook it, before giving him a quick smile "That is good to hear" he said "Thank you for doing this to me."
He entered the gym and gave the woman a nod. "Hello" he said solemnly. "I.. err. I mean my name is Conor.. Conor Al-Sahra. I've been born on..." his brow furrowed for a moment, almost as if he didn't remember his birthday, before shrugging "21. August 2395"
He took a step up to the counter and put down his bag before holding out his hand so he could quickly sign the liability release she had prepared.
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 10, 2022 18:10:59 GMT
"Thank you." she said, as she worked her terminal. It took a few minutes, and she had printed off a laminated card.
"Here you go." she handed the card to Conor. "They gym is open 24 hours a day. I'm sure Tarsys here will show you around. Have a great workout."
Tarsys nodded, and beckoned the Gnoll to follow him. "I'm gunna warm up first. About 10 minuets on the stair climber, Then stretch. Then after that see how things go and work around that healin' hand of yours. Whaddya say?"
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 10, 2022 18:27:31 GMT
"Warm up, yes. That's propably the best idea. I'll... uh..." his eyes moved around the room, quickly checking it for entry and egress points, before turning back to the orc halfway through his paranoid routine. He'd best break out of it. He wasn't alone, and Tarsys seemed like someone who he could, at least to a degree, trust.
"Normally I go with running for a warm up, I suppose they have treadmills here, so I'd say I'd match your ten minutes on the stair climber with a ten minute jog" he giggled "Then we can come back and meet and do the stretching"
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 10, 2022 18:37:19 GMT
"Awesome. Meetcha' back here in 10 minutes." He gave Conor a nod, then headed off to the stair climber. After 10 minutes of a vigerous stair climbing, the back of his tanktop that nestled between the strapping back muscle was damp with sweat.
He headed over to the stretching, floor section, grabbed a mat laid it out and sat on it, leaning forward touching his toes. Some other people who were entering the gym gave the ork friendly waves and smiles.
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 10, 2022 18:42:49 GMT
Conor was used to running long distances on foot, but still, after ten minutes is fur was lightly damp in patches and his ears were twitching slightly. He stepped off the treadmill and then joined Tarsys, gripping a mat and started stretching himself, not without staying still for a moment and looking at te ork. He was truly a massive creature, muscles bulging and Conor felt a slight twitch in his belly. He looked away and then got down on the mat, starting to stretch himself.
While not as strong as Tarsys, his body was certainly flexible, the scarred skin stretching under the tank top as he bowed and bent his body in various shapes to loosen up his joints and muscles.
He looked at the ork again after he was done and gave him a smile. "So, what do you reccomend, big guy?"
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 12, 2022 18:51:35 GMT
Tarsys considered the gnoll, his firey eyes had a piercing quality to it. The color a byproduct of his genetic augmentation.
He switched to stretching his other leg. He was finding that he rather enjoyed Conor’s company.
“I was thinkin’, in the interest of lettin’ that hand heal, to focus on legs. Start with leg extensions, then leg curls. Move t’ the Hack machine and leg press. Then bodyweight lunges and finish up with calf extensions.”
He smiled a tusky smile, and noticed the quick gaze from the man, and his sudden aversion of his eyes.
“Whaddya think?”
|
|
Conor
New Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by Conor on Feb 12, 2022 21:59:14 GMT
"I think that would be perfect. Thanks, uh, for the help." Conor said, quietly finishing his stretching. He was slgihtly inflexible around the hip, but eventually got up, rolling his shoulders and gently moving his jaw, wriggling it slightly and rubbing the joint, before looking at Tarsys again, this time promising to keep his focus on the man's face, and his smile. Humanoid creatures had strange, flat faces, very different from his own muzzle, but smiles worked the same almost everyhwere. He returned Tarsys' smile with a wide, toothy grin himself.
"So I'd say we both go along with our respective routines and meet .. halfway through for a drink again, take a small break and then continue?"
|
|
|
Post by Tarsys on Feb 13, 2022 17:55:27 GMT
Tarsys eyes were still fixed on the gnoll. He watched as he worked the jaw joint
This gnoll has seen a few fights. And the hip, that’s an injury. He’s been through the wringer. One tough bloke.
“Sure, man. That’ll work.”
The large ork hopped up, pretty nimble for a person of his size and age.
He headed over the the free weights, grabbed the set of 200 pound dumbbells, and proceeded to lunge the length of the gym and back before stopping and taking a breath.
|
|