Devil's Basement: Colony Ragnarok

Contention

"No, no, no," Rook replied instantly, "I've got a train to catch, I haven't got time to stand around here listening to lengthy expositions of plots and drama. "As he spoke, he took out a business card and held it out to Travertine, who ignored the card and leaned in close;

"You don't want to hear about the coming Grand Uprising and how the Red Wolves plan to bypass the Union outposts' defences?"

Rook sighed; "Look," He started writing on the back of his card, "go to this address, ask to see Kharlyria, and show them and her this card. Tell them Rook sent you. She'll have the best idea of what to do with your information. And whatever you do, don't tell the Union authorities." The detective shoved the card into Travertine's hand and made for the station platform,

"But this is urgent. We don't know how much more time we have."

"Then you'd better hurry." Called Rook without stopping.

"Well he was useless." Kyanite, who hadn't heard the exchange, said to Travertine, "Hey, why don't we call in a tip at the Union military headquarters in Ragnarok? I mean, it's their outposts that are going to be attacked."

"Absolutely not." Answered the surgeon, "I was in the Union military, I know how they operate. Even if we warn them about the special modifications to their air filtration systems and the outposts hold, they'll start the war themselves." He then examined the business card.

Comrade Sergeant cleared his throat louder than was necessary; "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I for one could use a drink. And we still need to raise one to Razor." In a silent but unanimous decision, the rest of the Comrades trooped off with him to find a bar.

"Hey, that sounds like a good idea." Piped up one of Immortal's men,

"Go ahead." Immortal nodded," Travertine and I will find out when the next train to Ragnarok leaves. Travertine?" The two of them headed off, leaving Kyanite and OC-1 standing alone next to the man-hole. They quickly followed Immortal and Travertine to the station platform, where a train was being loaded with munitions.

After checking the schedule board and seeing the next train for Ragnarok was due to leave in a little over an hour, Travertine looked at Rook's business card again.

"You think this 'Kharlyria' can be trusted?" Immortal asked him in hushed tones so as not to be overheard.

"I hope so."

"Maybe we should tell the authorities. If those traps the mechanics were talking about aren't uncovered..."

"The Union will launch an offensive of its own against the Republic—don't think that they don't already have their own plan in place in case of war. They don't need evidence that the Republic is supporting the Red Wolves."

"So it's war either way then."

"Now you're starting to sound like the fatalistic one." Travertine noted with a wry grin;

"Are we going to stand around here or go join the others?" Kyanite interrupted the two old men;

"Mm, yes, I suppose we should go check up on them." Immortal nodded his eye.

"OC-1?" Kyanite turned to the cyborg.

OC-1, who was a radical pragmatist with a far-too-efficient logic-assistance chip inside his head, rapidly calculated that alcohol would be detrimental to the continued effective functioning of his cognitive system. However, heal so did not want to appear to be rude, as that would degrade the friendly relations he had built up with Kyanite over their past few days together. Just then, something caught his eye.