“As ironic as it is, I strictly uphold a zero tolerance policy for any informers or spies within the Agency and our sibling institutions. In part due to our rather open recruitment policy, we make ourselves a rather easy target to infiltrate. We make ourselves a liability to the Guristas If we don’t act and allow these rats safe harbour in our ranks. Suha has entrusted me in carrying out the purge of these rogue elements, does she know how I choose to handle them? No, she doesn’t need to know the details - Just that I get it done.”
- Utatis Parinen
“Sir, my boss is a psychopath masquerading as a sane man.”
August 1st YC 123
6NJ8-V IV - The Rabbit’s Warren Fortizar, some scheduled alleyway in a residential sector
< Utatis stomping victim’s skull in >
“Utatis!”
< Utatis stomping victim’s skull and fracturing it open >
“Utatis! He’s ■■■■■■■ dead already!”
< Utatis stomping victim’s brains >
“Goddamn!”
< Utatis painting >
“What the ■■■■ man…”
“Is there a problem, Agent Thulun?”
“Problem? I mean… What the ■■■■ was THIS ■■■■ about? I thought you wanted me as a wingman for another talk with a business owner, instead I’m a goddamn witness to a ■■■■■■■ murder of a business owner.”
“This wasn’t the business owner I planned for us to meet.”
“… Then WHO the ■■■■ Is he and why did we meet him here and whack him?.. Actually lemme rephrase that, why did YOU literally stomp his ■■■■■■■ brains out?”
“… This is - former - Agent Yanyen.”
“An agent? WaitWaitWait, one of us?”
“No… He was never one of us… He’s an SCC informant.”
“No ■■■■?”
“Quite… They’ve been emerging more and more of late and I’m making it a uh… “Project” to clean house when I catch wind of it. This rat got sloppy, had some transmissions he was sending out intercepted and he was leaking Intel on us, but some surface level intel on the Guristas too…”
“Well ■■■■… I-I-I understand killing him and all - But couldn’t we have just shot him?”
“Too clean.”
“That’s a bad thing?”
< Utatis stomping spy’s brains in some more >
“Maker’s ■■■■! Warn me before you start doing that ■■■■ again so I can get out of the splash zone! Seriously, why do we gotta do it like this?”
< Utatis stomping once again >
“It sends a message… These CONCORD lap dogs are always trying to stuff as many spies and informants as they can into the Guristas and our organization is a bit a soft target for infiltration, specifically SCC dogs who don’t like our approach to the free market… Volunteers get to spy on us and report back while getting to observe Guristas activities from a uh… “Safe” distance. We have to make sure that we won’t be gentle with such people in our ranks. It looks good to the Guristas that were making sure we’re not a hotbed of spies, and when the SCC has to report about how their agent died - Well - I think future volunteers would hesitate to consider us an easy assignment…”
“So this isn’t even done out of hate?”
“Oh it absolutely is, but I gotta be a professional about it…”
“Professional… Right. So if you ever ordered me to whack some spy, do I gotta stomp his ■■■■■■■ brains out? Look as this ■■■■! ■■■■■■■ leaking everywhere. God. Damn.”
“If I ever call upon you to handle a… “Termination” of one of our employees I will leave it to you to handle however you please… though I would strongly incentivize you to be creative about it.”
“Creative?”
"Yes, a simple bolt to the head is all well and good. Quick and done, though if you went the extra mile of say… scalping them, severely crippling them, maybe enact some sick fantasy and roleplay a blood raider and bleed them dry? So long as you’re discreet and don’t draw the attention of the general public… it’s all well and good. We won’t people abusing the trust we put in them.
“…”
“… Are you a spy? Agent Thulun?”
“Wha-? WoahWoahWoah Bossman!”
“You seemed very sympathetic about former Agent Yanyen’s executioner here… And you sound very squeamish about the idea of doing what it takes to remove spies from our ranks…”
"Uhhh Sir, look - My mama didn’t raise no liar, okay? So… Believe me when I say that I would - NEVER - EVER - be some informant of CONCORD…O-Or the State, Fed, Republic, Empire or the ■■■■■■■ jovians.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“… Relax, I’m ■■■■■■■ with you.”
“… H-Heh… Heh? Good one, boss?”
< Thulun nervously laughing >
“I would’ve known well by now if you were a spy…”
“Y-Yeah! T-That’s right! I ain’t no spy.”
“…Or maybe I wasn’t thorough enough with my initial investigation?”
“Hey. ■■■■ off with that now, alright? Not funny anymore.”
“Hmph… Very well.”
< Utatis stomping the spy’s brains one last time >
“■■■■ man! You good now?”
“Yeah… Yeah I’m good.”
“Great, glad you got that out of your system.”
“Quite, now all that leaves is for us to do the actual meeting I was telling you about.”
“Which you still haven’t told me about.”
“Walk with me.”
“Lead the way…”
“A new casino opened up in the leisure district, independently owned by some Intaki straight out of the Syndicate looking to branch out and tap into the Guristas’ addiction to taking chances with their money. Bring in alot of exotic games and attractions that you’d find back in Syndicate space. Owner’s name is Shadhi Derup and he’s a people’s person. Phenomenal customer service that separates it from the competitors that only see a wallet to bleed.”
“Of course this guy is still very much interested in bleeding their wallets much like his Competition.”
"Of course, but doing it with a smile encourages customers to keep going to him when they’re feeling like losing some money.
“So… we are trying to kill him, or what?”
“Absolutely not, Just talk to him… see if we can make him a part of our family for a cut of the profits he’s making.”
“Uh-huh, you gonna clean up first?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Oh geez, I dunno - Maybe because of THE ■■■■■■■ CHUNKS OF HUMAN BRAIN ON YOUR SHOE?!”
“I’m aware of that, yes. Your point?”
“… You know what? ■■■■ it. I give up on trying to find some sanity inside you. You’re a ■■■■■■■ psycho, anyone ever tell you that?”
“Once or twice.”
“So long as you’re aware… Right, how we meeting this guy? Is he expecting us?”
“No, with any luck we’ll see him at the front doors. Apparently he frequently greets guests at the door, learn their names, give them familiarity with the people running the place. Otherwise we’ll roam the floor and eventually spot him.”
“Well let’s get this over with, lead the way.”
“Utatis, bossman. Is that our guy? Receding hairline over there in the tacky suit?”
“That’s him… Let me do the talking.”
“All yours boss…”
“-Alright! Enjoy the games! Hey! Tell my man at the bar I sent you, first drink’s on me!.. HelloHello Gentlemen! Welcome to Rebirth Fortunes! You two look like some highrollers with suits like that! But uh… Seems you’re tracking something over the floor here, don’t mean to be rude but… What even is that?”
“Brains.”
“Well staff can clean that, if you could just wipe your feet off ov- Wait hold on, what you say?”
“Human Brains.”
“…”
“…”
“Sir, my boss is a psychopath masquerading as a sane man”
“Thulun.”
“HeyHey - Just giving out friendly advice…”
“Uhh…”
“Mr.Derup I presume?”
“That’s me… W-What can I do for you?”
“I’m Agency Director Utatis Parinen and this is Agent Thulun. We’re here representing the Venal Prosperity Network and we have taken great interest in your establishment’s success and I was hoping we could sit down and discuss something of a partnership that we both can find very beneficial.”
“Well… I-If you would um… Dispose of your shoes in the trash over there, we could go to the back and talk details on this uh… Partnership you have in mind.”
“Certainly. Though I would like to keep my shoes… Thulun?”
“Sir?”
< Utatis removing his shoes >
“Hold onto these for me.”
“Oh you gotta be ■■■■■■■ kidding me.”
“Never throw away good shoes, they can be cleaned.”
“I’m gonna throw these ■■■■■■■ out the airlock.”
“You don’t want to do that… Now then, Mr.Derup?”
“Yes, Yes… T-This way.”