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Mystery Chips
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We enter the store, and to my surprise, the shopkeeper is not in sight. In their place; a wall, with a mesh-covered slot for communication, and a flap, existing presumably for the transmission of goods. There are shelves around, but they are mostly bare. There are some provisions, but, as expected, nothing in the way of weaponry.
A voice calls out from behind the screen:
>”I don't have anything left, and I don't have any money.”
Gryr walks to the wall, and tries peeking through the flap.
>”Don't try anything, lady. That flap doesn't move unless I undo the bolt.”
>”Eh, apologies. We don't mean any harm to you. Tell us about yourself.”
>”I am just a shopkeeper. I have about as much to say, as I do to sell, so just spit it out, or get lost.”
>”Come on, now. There isn't any necessity for harshness. We are just curious~”
>”What are you? A detective? City interrogator? That guy over there - he's your muscle, right?”
“Hey.”
>”I am sorry. We mean to cause no fright or stress. Please, if you are comfortable with it, tell us about the mercenaries.”
>I dunno. I don't want them to come in here with a plasma cutter and a pair of exposed wires.”
>”Why would that happen?”
>”What? Because they are pushy, self-entitled scum. That fucking psycho leader of theirs threatened to burn me to death if I didn't give over my last gun. It was a family heirloom!”
>”So you do not like them?”
>”Hmm, whatever gave you that idea?!”
“We need to know more about them. What do they do? Where do they go? Spit it out!”
>”Easy, pal. Where's your manners at?”
“I apologise. Just tell us, immediately.”
>”Short answer; dunno, okay? I just stay in my home. I don't stick my nose where it doesn't need to be, in case I smell something bad. And those mercs – they smell fuckin' awful, if you catch my meaning. I mean, they gotta have a base or something, right?”
“Yeah, well, we had guessed this.”
>”Uhh, the whorehouse. That's where I'd go if I was stuck as part of your typical, sausage factory merc outfit. The main gates. They overlook the visitors coming in and out. Other than that, dunno what to tell you. They wander around. They're freeloaders pretending to guard the place. What would you do in that position?”
“Where do they get their supplies, normally?”
>”Well, they rob me, and the other shops. We occasionally receive goods via air from another settlement. The last time it arrived, the mercenaries received it, and took what they wanted from it. We had to scrounge through what was left. It's always the ammunition and the explosives, that they go for the most.”
I wonder if there is anything else we should ask him.
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