124 Imperial Order (part two)
QJ relaxed poolside for a long moment, enjoying the sun after helping Lotte with her workout. His hud buzzed, but he ignored it in favor of a short nap.
"Really?" a familiar voice spoke from the fence separating QJ's home from his parents. Naomi Gajendra stood next to her capable, mohawked assistant, Gin. Both women frowned at him.
Sensing Naomi's earnest voice, QJ sat up and slipped on his tank top before slowly getting up. "What's up?" he asked his tone a mix of curiosity and concern.
"QJ..." Naomi was barely tall enough to see over the fence, so her angry expression was lacking by half. "I've been trying to contact you for the past hour."
QJ nonchalantly shrugged, his lack of apology evident. Napping was a necessary part of life, and since Naomi knew where he lived, she only had to walk a short distance to solve her issue. "Emergency?" he asked, his tone bordering on indifference.
"Wait for me, I'm coming around." Naomi's head disappeared along with that of her assistant.
As he waited for his uninvited guest, QJ slipped on his flip-flops and sat at the patio table, his mind buzzing with anticipation. "All that brain power, and they have to hound me."
"Sorry to bother you, QJ." Gin sat on his right side while Naomi moved to the left.
"I have ten minutes, shoot." QJ didn't want to get sucked into engineering debates, so he set a time limit.
Naomi opened a personal hud and displayed the blueprint for a section of the first floor of the building they were constructing. "We're having some difficulties with routing. Each room has to be adaptable to support constant high-resolution virtual rendering."
"I've been working on that problem," QJ replied.
Naomi shared glances with her assistant. QJ ran whenever he saw either of them approaching; how could he be working on their routing issue? They hadn't even told him about it yet. "Really?"
QJ nodded and stood up. "Follow me." Everyone was already logged into GnG, so the house was empty when QJ entered the back door and walked into his room.
Gin had never seen QJ's room, but she recognized the layout from the house Naomi shared with Hashtag. It was nice and clean; "I expected your room to be messy."
"You caught it on a good day," QJ admitted while sitting down and opening his desk hud. Ten separate floor tiles opened, and QJ picked one before enlarging it.
"What are we looking at?" Naomi leaned closer. "This is a circut board?"
"Circut board slash floor tile. I designed ten separate ones; this one is a memory tile." QJ swiped the tile to one side and enlarged the project's first-level blueprint. The floor plan was covered in small squares, each numbering between one and ten. "These are all floor tiles, but each has its purpose. We have routers, power adapters, defusers, amplifiers, memory tiles... You get the picture. It's all in my notes."
"This the the flooring?" Gin opened one of the other tiles. "We'll have to manufacture these."
"Unless you want me to do it for you." QJ grinned suddenly. "That's a joke, I'm not doing it."
"Can I sit?" Naomi asked.
QJ nodded and moved to his bed while Naomi studied the tile and the associated notes.
Gin sat next to QJ, letting Naomi look at the specs. "Have you seen the new Exodus game yet?"
QJ shook his head. "You talking about Data Stream? It's still in production; I hear they are way behind schedule."
Gin smiled as QJ's bored expression vanished. "I know the developing group. Would you be interested in taking a look?"
"Set a time, and I'll clear my schedule." QJ wasn't planning on jumping ship, but he wouldn't pass up a chance to see the next big Exodus game.
"You got it," Gin noticed Naomi getting up, so she reluctantly did the same.
"I sent this to my workstation. That's okay?" Naomi asked.
QJ grinned suddenly. "Wouldn't it be too late if it wasn't?"
Naomi hugged him tight, surprising QJ, who had been expecting a snarky comment. "This solves all the headaches I've been trying to work around."
QJ waggled his eyebrows. "Wait until you get my consult fee."
"Worth every cent," Naomi countered.
"Oh, and I already have patents pending on the flooring." QJ motioned for them to leave. "I have a thing, so it's time to go."
"Thanks, QJ!" Naomi waved and pulled Gin with her.
QJ waited until he heard the backdoor close before slipping into his VR suit and logging into Exodus.
"Oi there," Ren's voice called when QJ walked past the Songbird a short while later. "Heading downtown?" The pale blond wore a plaid skirt with a tank top covered with a retro bomber's jacket.
QJ nodded. "I was supposed to meet someone later but decided to move the time up."
"Your big sis will walk with you." Ren pushed a hand through his arm and fell in step. "I'm meeting some friends at the Exodus museum."
QJ frowned at his older sister; her avatar looked younger than him. "You're casing the place; don't make me an accessory to criminal behavior."
Ren's teeth flashed when she laughed. "You're not an accessory; you're the fall guy."
"Is this Robin's idea? Is she finally getting tired of me?" QJ scanned the crowds as they walked. Exodus was more crowded than usual.
Ren glanced at her brother's handsome profile and snorted before changing the subject. "Got a place for me in OP?"
QJ nearly stumbled on the cobblestone walkway. "What?"
The slim blond's blue eyes focused on her brother. "I asked if you got a place for me in OP."
"Are you serious?" QJ asked.
"Yes and no," Ren replied. "I want to level up a GnG character after the new lifestyle patch goes live; I'm not interested in raiding."
"I haven't had time to read the forums, but I heard they are adding a few lifestyle classes." QJ heard Wu mentioning it. GnG was the second game in Exodus to introduce lifestyle classes.
"I'll fit in nicely with OP; I won't cramp your style," Ren's pretty face grew excited as she spoke. QJ employed the same quick thought processes that his Dad favored; if he didn't reject something outright, there was a good chance he would approve.
"Hmmm," QJ listened intently as his sister devised a plan. "What's driving this, Ren?"
Ren shrugged. "Maybe I'm bored."
"Holy crap. Did you clear your path?" QJ stared at Ren, looking for a sign that he was right. Clearing the Assassin's Path was the ultimate goal of all TAP players. To QJ's knowledge, his Dad was the first and only person to manage it. "Sweet Georgia... You did."
Ren wrinkled her nose and nodded. "Help me set up a lifestyle character?"
QJ grinned and nodded. "Of course, although why do you need my help?"
"It'll be fun," Ren gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll come over later."
QJ watched his older sister cross the street towards the museum; she was definitely casing the place for the Songbirds. The introduction of lifestyle classes was an exciting twist for GnG. Instead of having skills like gunsmithing or baking that you had to nurture while leveling up your fighting class, your lifestyle character would have no combat ability (green target). It would increase levels with experience in the occupation you chose. "Damn... I hope gunsmith isn't one of the classes."
QJ walked casually to the southeast section of the Exodus Restaurant sector. A message he sent Ora Zun asked to meet for a late lunch at Naviyas, a popular Thai food place.
[Whisper: Mai'Tai/QJ] Can I take part in Junebug? I just hit level 40.
[Whisper: QJ/Mai'Tai] Forty is good enough; pick your shots and utilize the cover.
[Whisper: Mai'Tai/QJ] Thanks.
A slim Asian man dressed in black greeted QJ at the door. Apparently, he had been told to wait for him. "Please follow me, Mr. QJ."
QJ was escorted to a corner booth behind a decorated rice paper screen featuring the image of a red dragon.
A dark elf woman dressed in a black silk shirt and pants stood up when QJ was escorted to the table. She bowed deeply. "Sister Ora Zun greets Brother QJ."
QJ smiled at the formal clan greeting and replied in the same manner. "Brother QJ greets Sister Ora Zun."
The two shook hands, and Ora gestured for QJ to take his seat.
Ora had a notepad and pen in front of her. "I've already ordered several dishes for us. Is that okay? We can talk business before our food arrives."
QJ nodded. "Business is only part of my reason for requesting this meeting. Several years ago, you placed a child in Trevor Trahern's care on the Legends Server."
Ora's delicate features showed surprise before reverting to her expressionless gaze. "What makes you say that?"
QJ shook his head and laughed. "Lazun? Really? Who wouldn't figure that out? That's yours and Leilani's name combined."
Ora grimaced, the expressionless facade falling away. "Why does this concern you?"
"Samantha Trahern works for me and asked that I look into her birth parents."
"I see," Ora Zun said. "What's the information worth?"
QJ smiled. "What do you want? And don't ask for a presence on the Phoenix Server that isn't on the table."
Ora tapped her sharp nails on the table. "I don't need credits. I doubt there's anything else you could offer that I would find appealing. Unless..."
***************
QJ tapped his [Shield Brother] bracers together, instantly activating the stun feature on the rogue attacking him. Instead of following up, he dived to one side and slashed horizontally at the legs of the cleric, who had been avoiding his attacks. [Roll Credits] sliced entirely through the armor and one of the healer's legs, sending him crashing to the ground.
Ora Zun backstabbed the remaining rogue, stealing the rest of his health.
[Exodus Arena] That's five straight wins in the 2v2 competition! Ora Zun and QJ qualify for advancement into the next round of the Death Parade Tournament.
Ora wiped blood from her dark face, favoring QJ with a rare smile. "When I asked you to partner with me in 2v2, I thought you'd say no."
QJ laughed. "Going to tell me now?"
"The person you want is Shinzi Jala. She used to be one of our working girls. Shinzi still works for us as a bartender on the Orion server."
"Need an introduction," QJ stated.
"I'll have her meet you at the Songbird," Ora replied.
[Quest Updated]
QJ waved to the crowd and headed toward the Arena exit. Ora Zun walked silently, smiling slightly.
"We'll compensate you for the tower construction," QJ exited and picked up the conversation without missing a step.
"Fifty million credits," Ora suggested.
"Thirty million, and OP owes you one," QJ replied.
"Done," Ora replied with a handshake. "This means we're friends."
"This means we're friends," QJ agreed.
QJ took the GnG Exodus platform directly to Yaron.
[Welcome to Guns and Gore, the Phoenix Server.]
Location: Yaron
Time: 1700 hours
Server Population: 177,828 Your current level is 64.
[OP: Ringo] Were you at the Arena again?
[OP: QJ] Yep, work meeting. The Junebug Tower is officially ours for thirty million credits.
[OP: Ringo] That's not bad. I was expecting to pay forty or fifty. How did you get them so low?
[OP: QJ] I partnered with Ora Zun in an upcoming 2v2 competition and advanced to the next round.
[OP: Ringo] Gating to Yaron now, wait for me; we'll ride to Junebug together.
[OP: QJ] Sounds good.
Ringo nodded at her Vice Leader, as he had promised he was waiting at the Yaron platform. "Do you think we can take Junebug?"
QJ nodded. "Absolutely. Let me figure out the raid list, and we'll put together our strategy."
QJ worked the roster details while they rode to the Junebug Tower.
[OP: Ringo] Are we setting up near the Tower?
[OP: QJ] Yes, I sent the workers home for the day. We'll create three zones near the Tower; Healing, Buffing and Sniping. It will be messy; as far as I know, there is no boss here.
[OP: Ringo] If one pops up, we'll adjust.
[Top of Tower-Snipers]
Junzo
Maric
Chainy
Dunnie
[Healers and Base of Tower, North Side]
Sarah Jol (Cleric)
Ra (Cleric)
Dessi (Medic)
Horton (Medic)
Naseem (Medic)
Enju (Medic)
Travoli (Medic)
Niche (Medic)
[Buffing Base of Tower, South Side]
Shonie (Shammy)
Shell (Shammy)
Rox (Shammy)
Thirty minutes later, the members from the Main and Branch guilds assembled.
[OP: QJ] If you aren't listed in the healing, buffing, or sniper groups, start assembling into five- and six-person groups. I'll give you the raid brief in two minutes.
Ringo sent QJ an invite, and he joined Sato, Breeze, and Lotte's group.
[Wu] Hello, everyone; I'm already recording. I have three drones in the area and will try to catch all the groups in action. I have a team ready to edit the footage and produce something cool by tomorrow.
[OP: QJ] (Junebug Brief.)
We've set up three separate zones for healing, sniping, and buffing. If you need buffing or healing, report to the appropriate location immediately. Our snipers will keep the area around the Tower free of targets. Work together and try not to aggro big groups. There's no big boss here, but if someone difficult shows up, Breeze will become the MT with Lil Jack in reserve. Questions?
[OP: Sato] There must be thousands here. Are we calling anyone else?
[OP: QJ] We are enough. Get ready; we'll start in one minute.
QJ summoned Cleo, grinning when she hugged him tight.
"QJ!" Cleo's gold eyes glanced around the base of the Tower. "Lots of enemies?"
QJ nodd. "Summon the legion."
Cleo has summoned [Drone Army].
The buzzing of a thousand bees filled the air, instantly silencing the chatting players.
[OP: Breeze] Holy crap, they're all level 70.
[OP: Cleo] We've been working hard.
QJ patted Cleo's head.
[System Message] An [Imperial Order] has been activated. The city of Junebug is under siege. The entry and exit points, along with [Boothill], have been closed. All non-combatants are to sit in place with their hands clasped on their heads.
