A technical objection is the first refuge of a scoundrel(Rhi)

[paganchick]

It was a busy day on cancer, a day that made the pickings easy for Neo. She was good at what she did, even among thieves and cut throats she could still manage to make a pretty good wage. Enough to pay her dues with her mother's pimp and enough to survive with. She walked around wearing black cargo pants that hung low on her waist, combat boots and a dark long sleeve, form fitting shirt. The color of her outfit contrasted greatly with her skin but helped hide any dirt that were on them. As she walked the shirt rode up a bit, revealing some of the pale skin of her mid drift as well as a hint of a tattoo on her side.

It didn't take her long to spot the her next victim, he looked easy enough. He was an asshole, she could tell that simply by the way he walked, he was also very attractive. That was what caught her eyes after all, the same thing that drew people to her. She acted like she was on the phone, talking, arguing a bit with whoever was on the other line before bumping into him, slipping his money out as she did so. She kept walking didn't even turn back to look at the man, still arguing with the imaginary person on the other end.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ari was on his way back to Sassy when it happened--some chick bumped that was too into her phone conversation bumped into him. It jostled him, and with a scowl he spun to tell her to watch it, but she was already gone. Jeez. Rude! Not that he was one to talk--aw fuck.

He slipped his hand into his pocket and let out a loud groan. Aw, fuck, he should have known! It was the classic maneuver.

Fortunately, it wasn't too late. And unfortunately for her, she'd just robbed a pirate.

Spinning on his heel, he shoved through the crowd and took off after her. He hadn't gotten a good glimpse of her--only of her cell phone and what she looked like from behind--but it was enough to go off of, and it wasn't long before he caught up with her. Hopefully it was the right girl, or this would be a bit awkward.

Grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling out his gun, he pressed between her shoulder blades. "I think ya got somethin' of mine there, sweetheart."

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Neo had long put the phone away and had thought that she was home free, already giving her the money to her mother's pimp and going to her little hide away to wait a few hours. That was until she felt the gun between her shoulder blades. She put her hands up, mentally cursing but not letting it show on her face or in her body language.

"I have no idea who you are, or what you are talking about sweet cheeks," Neo responded, not seeming exactly worried about the gun pressed against her back. What was he gonna do? Shoot her, that would be a complete idiotic move on him, of course, people weren't often known for their smarts around those parts.

"Go ahead, check me, you will find nothing but a cell phone babe," She added, standing there with her hip popped slightly, seeming a bit impatient.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ari snorted. Sweet cheeks, eh? Hah. She was a woman after his own heart--if she hadn't gone after his money. And now she was playing dumb. Well, fine. He could play that game.

Putting his gun away, he yanked her off to the side and out of the crowd, then spun her around and shoved her against the wall, front-first.

"Alright, then, darlin'," he said, leaning in close and speaking into her ear. "We'll have it your way. Ya wanna be frisked like a bitch, I'll frisk ya, but ya could save us both a whole helluva lot of trouble if ya just manned up." Grabbing her hands, he planted both on the wall near her head, then kicked her legs apart. "Not that it ain't fun for me or nothin'. Now hold that pose."

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"I don't have your money, I think someone else might have got you before I had the chance, unfortunately," Neo said holding the pose, chuckling a bit to herself, it seemed that she might enjoy this as much as he would.

"Rawr, I like a man who can talk dirty to me," Neo said leaning her head back slightly laughing.

"Now bastard be careful, I am a bit ticklish, and hey, who says that I won't like it," She spoke with a bit of a laugh. She grew up with a prostitute as a mother and a pimp for her so called daddy so there was nothing that this man could do to her that hadn't already been done before.

The only thing the man would find was a cell phone and a couple of blades, nothing else.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Honey, ya can't thieve a thief," Ari said, and started to pat her down, starting from her sleeves and working down her sides. "That bump 'n' run thing? It's a classic. And besides, darlin', ya give yourself away too easy. Ya ain't nearly scared and confused enough to be innocent."

His hands slid over her front and over her breasts, where they lingered a bit longer than they should have. "Didn't stash it in your bra, didja?" he asked, then moved on, patting down her belly and then down her hips.

He reached into her pockets and found the cell phone. Pulling it out, he turned it on, flipped through the menu screen, and accessed her recent calls.

"Hmmm. Ain't that funny. No calls made or received in the last ten minutes. Who were ya talkin' to, sugar?"

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"I live on Cancer, I have my entire life, when you live in a place like this there isn't much that scares or confuses you, trust me, this isn't the first time I have been patted down, but you are the most attractive guy to do it," Neo said looking over her shoulder and winking at the man.

"Usually you are supposed to buy a girl a drink first," Neo laughed as she left his hands slide over her breast.
"I am sure you would have felt it if I did, it isn't like I have triple d's to hide it in," Neo spoke with a laugh, not seeming to really care his hands lingered there longer than they should, she had gotten his money but there was no way he could prove it was her, just her word against his.

"Well if you couldn't tell, I wanted to forget the bastard, so along with his contact I deleted my call history. For a stranger with no proof I stole anything you are awfully interested in my history."

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Aww, well ain't that just convenient. Of course ya did." Ari slipped the phone back into her pocket and finished patting down the rest of her, checking her legs and even the sides of her shoes.

When he was done, he straightened up, took her by the shoulder, and turned her around so she was facing him. He leaned in close to her, his own hands planted on either side of her head as he kept her trapped there with his body.

"Might wanna just fess up, darlin'. If ya don't got it, ya better tell me where it is, or ya better start thinkin' real hard about how you're gonna make it up to me. You're cute and all, but I don't deal well with thieves. So think fast, and talk fast, 'cause I'm about ready to go medieval on your ass."

Reaching for his belt, he produced a military issue knife. He held it up for her to see.

"Startin' with with those sticky fingers of yours."

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"A thief that gets mad when he gets thieved, a bit hypocritical don't ya think?," Neo spoke, leaning against the wall appearing almost at perfect ease, she had been in stickier situations before, did this man really think she didn't have any blades on her?

She looked up into his eyes, nothing but stone and defiance there. She tightened her jaw a bit, her face was calm but inside she was thinking, idea's flowing. She couldn't get his money back and she knew that much, but should she confess?

Neo turned her head a bit when the man started to talk, making a face of displeasure, "God damn, when was the last time you brushed your teeth? Did you eat eggs and shitty ass for breakfast?" She spoke, making a bit of a gagging noise.
"Your breath is torture enough!" She spoke.

Neo pulled up her sleeve revealing a tattoo, a series of numbers that marked her as a slave because she owed a debt.

"My mother's pimp has your money, he won't give it willing, you would have to kill him, which I would be completely okay with, trust me," She spoke her head still turned sideways to avoid his breath.

"You said you were a pirate right? Well I am a hacker, I could work off my debt, would get me out of her, but you are going to have to sneak me out."

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ari pursed his lips and seemed to be deep in thought. "Hmm, naw. Not eggs. I think what you're smellin' is whore," he said with a grin.

When she exposed the tattoos on her arm, he regarded them with mild interest, but he was beginning to lose his patience. At least he'd gotten a confession out of her--which was always damned satisfying, he had to admit; she was sure acting tough, but he'd gotten her to crack--but he was none too pleased to learn of where his money had wound up. And she had yet to provide him with a means of making it right. With a sigh, he casually took hold of her tattooed arm and planted it up against the wall, then manipulated the fingers of her hand with his own to stretch out her pinky.

He was very close to following through with his threat when she spoke.

Ari paused, the knife raised. "Never said I was a pirate, darlin'," he said. "But that's an awful good guess."

He withdrew the knife and tapped it to his lips. "So tell me more about this hackin' business and why I should trust ya aboard my ship around my belongin's. Ya gotta sell yourself, honey. Make me interested."

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"I would wash  my mouth out with something, maybe bleach if I were you, you probably caught something if that is watch she smelled like , Jesus, bath and some mouthwash," Neo spoke, tensing as her arms was raised. If the knife got any closer she was all but ready to defend herself, and he would be worried about more than chopping off her pinky, especially if he were castrated.

"I followed you for a while, while you were here, and I have hung around enough unsavory characters to pick up on a pirate. No one is more serious about their money than a pirate," She spoke pulling her hand from his grip, gently massaging her wrist. She sighed deeply, she shouldn't have told him, he was getting too much enjoyment out of this. She reached up, rubbing the back of her neck thinking, or at least appearing to think about her response.

"Ya ain't much of a pirate if you don't know about hackers, I deal with breaking into places I am not suppose to be, not physical places, places in the interwebs. I can get information, better yet major dough with the right equipment," Neo explained, her voice full of sarcasm and sass.

[Rhi-Rhi]

And now it all came spilling out. Ari smiled as she unraveled.

"Darlin', I know all about hackers. Got a few that work for me. What I'm askin' is what're your credentials? What makes you special? Special enough for me to take ya on my ship after that little stunt of yours."

He reached up, drawing the flat of his blade over her cheek in a touch that was gentle as a caress but hinted at violence. He had to admit, he liked this one. He wasn't sure how he liked her yet--whether he liked her because she was fun to fuck with and would be fun to break, or because she didn't intimidate easy and would be useful to have around--but he liked her.

"Like I said, poppet, ya gotta sell yourself. So if ya wanna come with me, ya gotta impress me." He paused, the knife tracing her lips. "So how about this: we put ya to the test. If ya can use your hackin' to get me back the money ya stole, you're in. If ya fail, well..."

He smiled. "Don't fail."

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Neo had palmed a blade in the hand that was held to her side and as Ari but the knife to her lips she jerked the knife to his groin, pressing it there enough where he could feel it but not hard enough to actually hurt him, yet that is.

"I don't like knives in my face sweet cheeks, if you like having your.... Male endowments, I would suggest you get that out of my face!" Neo growled, leaning forward a bit, pressing the knife against his pants a bit harder. Her arm was tense, and with any movement she would deem as threatening, she would not hesitate to go through with her offer.

"I'll get you back half your money, so you have a reason to keep me, and doll face, if you think I am scared of all your little threats, you have another thing coming," She spoke, one hand pushing against his chest then other pressing the knife into his groin area.
"So why don't you back the hell up out of my personal space, I will get you half of your money back for now and you can go brush your teeth before I puke in your face."

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ari let out a low sigh and bit back a wince. They always went for the nuts. Perhaps he should have taken those blades when he'd found them, but a dark part of him had been curious as to what would happen if he didn't.

However, it was in that very crucial moment when she put the knife to him and tried to negotiate that he made a decision.

He held up both hands, knife still in the one, and took a step backwards. "Alright, alright," he said, and with a little twirling flourish he sheathed the blade. "Fine. Ya strike a hard bargain, sweetheart, but I accept. Now, the real question is, how do I know you're gonna be true and ain't gonna just run off?"

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Neo smiled victoriously. He had won the first battle and she had won the second, it seemed the war that would surely continue was tied at the moment. His wince brought her that much more satisfaction, she quickly realized that was at least one of his weak spots, as it was for most men.

Neo crossed her arms, her muscles still tense, in case he tried to lunge at her expecting her to put her guard down.

"Where would I run. It is clear that you can run faster than me, you did catch up to me after all just now? I can't just leave anytime I want, I am bound, I am a slave. As I said, you will have to sneak me onto your ship if you wish me to get your money back. An doll face, I ain't no sweetheart," Neo said, tapping her foot.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Sweetheart," Ari said, using the word now just to annoy her, "as far as I'm concerned, everythin' you've said is a lie. But alright. Alright. Y'know what? I'm gonna trust ya right now."

He smiled at her and lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "Ya got spirit, ya want offa this rusty shithole...well, shit, I empathize. C'mon. I get ya on my ship, ya get my money back. Deal?"

He held out his hand.

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Neo just stared at Ari for a moment, could she trust him. Or better yet, should she trust him, the man who several minutes before was threatening to cut her pinky off? Neo’s gazed moved to Ari’s hand. He seemed to have  decided to trust her, even  though he had no real proof she was what she said she was, so did she really have a choice.

So though a bit hesitant, Neo did take his hand, offering up a firm. She could keep  her word, she knew that much, hacking came natural to her. She wondered though how, when stuck on a much smaller  ship they would fare. A small smirk crossed her face, she knew one thing, it  would definitely not be boring.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ari clasped her hand in his and gave it a firm shake before releasing. He smiled, looking completely at ease, like he hadn't just threatened to maim her moments ago.

"Alright then, darlin', now that we've come to a nice little understandin' of sorts, how 'bout I show ya the ship, eh?"

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Neo was half expecting Ari to try to stab her or something but was relieved when he didn't, she still did not trust him though, and she doubted she would trust him any time soon. Neo slipped her blade back into her pocket as she crossed her arms.

"That does seem like the best idea don't ya think? Please tell me it isn't some rust bucket you can barely be called safe," Neo said raising an eyebrow, that is the last place she would want to be stranded.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"What? No! Why Sassy, she's a real beaut. You'll see." And with a sidelong glance her way, he added, "That's the first rule, by the way. I don't tolerate any insults toward her. She's the hardest worker among everyone in my crew so ya best respect her."

With that said, Ari motioned for her to follow. "Now, c'mon. Ain't a long walk to the docking bay."