Pennybrooke stories

[Karst]

CHAPTER FOUR - ELISE

Elise was sitting in the heavy, leather backed chair of the Onyx Bazaar's administrator's office, kicking at the heavy metal desk in front of her to spin the chair around.

Obviously, it had all gone wrong somewhere, she thought. She wasn't entirely sure where, but it didn't really matter.

She slid open one of the heavy drawers in the desk.
A bunch of old-fashioned, untraceable paper forms, a Kishiro Baby Buzzard, and, oh joy, a bottle of Glen Ardoch scotch. Three-quarters full.

What a lame blaster, she thought, as she pointed the miniscule Kishiro gun around the room, aiming at imaginary foes.

"I'll just have some'a this instead, thank ye very much!"

She shook her head after taking a generous gulp right from the bottle.

"You want some of this too, paper? Of course you do. Everyone loves scotch!
But don't get greedy now! I want the rest!"

A little dash of scotch in the drawer, that would be fine. Elise pulled out her lighter and held it close. The resulting flash flame shot up a little higher than expected, singing her fingers.

"FFFFFxshshoeino!! Why does this always happen to me?"

She poured another dash of scotch over her burnt hand. Surely, that would help.

At the same moment, there was a beep from a little disk stuck to the ceiling, and small jets of water started dousing the small office.

Elise sighed deeply. Predictably, perhaps. But she didn't really mind.
Perhaps she would be cold later, being wet and all, but for now it was time to take action against that annoying smoke detector.
The little Kusari blaster would surely suffice for this.

She took aim and fired a single photon bolt, reducing the smoke detector to a black smudge on the metal ceiling.

Sitting in the rain, alone, on an abandoned, decaying base.....it might be a poetically depressing sight, but Elise was feeling rather positive.

She thought back to when she was planning the future of this place.
When Geodin had left the first time, and she was considering taking over with Amanda.
They would have their own little palace, not too glamorous, but it would be theirs.

Well, now it was hers. Her own little palace. It wouldn't be there for much longer, so she needed to get work, fixing it up. Time to make it a little more cozy.

Groaning, she heaved against the heavy desk. With an echoing crash, it tipped over, the desk lamp breaking and the few remaining items on it scattered around.

It was a start. But there was more to be done.
Elise left the drenched room, dripping water, and made her way to the partially furnished bar.

It could have been quite nice here. The bar was all in place, as were a number of tables and benches. Nothing too classy, nothing too cheap, mostly used, but high quality furnishings.
A number of areas were still separated with plywood walls, under construction. And there were boxes everywhere, some empty, some filled with dishes, unassembled bar stools, and various other items.

Elise pulled out her out her own blaster - a Detroit '73 plasma pistol - and started picking off remaining glasses on the tables and the bar, laughing as broken glass spread around the area.
Trashing a place was such fun. Especially with so much of it to trash.

The alcohol though, had to be saved. Although turning it into an inferno of burning ethanol was tempting as well, she decided to pack the remaining bottles in her shoulder bag instead. Would be a shameful waste, after all.

She overturned a table and took cover behind it.

"Commander, we've got hostiles behind the bar. Proceeding to eeee-liminate."

With that, Elise pulled a concussion grenade and pulled the pin.

"Fire in the hole!"

The grenade bounced behind the bar, and seconds later the bar was filled with shards of broken glass, molten metal, splintered wood, and assorted debris.

Elise laughed heartily. Yes, this was truly becoming her ideal palace. A playground for adults, very immature adults.

She twisted one of the legs of the table she was crouched behind until it came off in her hand.
Time to wreck stuff.

Walking over to the nearest comm console, Elise was breathing heavily.
She swung at it with all her strength, her shoulder taking a painful jolt as the metal table leg connected with the computer.
Again and again she swung at it, though it really didn't leave that much of an impression. The screen was shattered, but the pedestal it sat on was merely dented.

Panting heavily, she let her improvised weapon drop.
What a crazy world this was, she thought. After all the time and money she had spent on this place, she was enjoying trashing it.
The very electric components that comm station was made of were likely brought by her.
She chuckled bitterly, shaking her head. No, it was time to cut some ties.

A bleep from her comm pad brought her attention back.
She pulled out the device - 1 message from Nevaeh Morgan.
Elise hit play.

"Elise, where are you? I've missed you, haven't seen you in so long."

Hitting the reply button, Elise quickly recorded an answer.

"I've, uh.....well, things have been a little weird. I missed you too, Nev.
But don't worry, everything will be better soon. I'm coming home, hope to see you."

It was time to leave.

END OF CHAPTER FOUR

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