Bribery

"Perney!"

Perne's pointed ears twitched at the shout. She released the trigger on her blowtorch for a moment, and waited.

"Peeeeeeerneeeeey!"

Content with the confirmation of who it was trying to get her attention, she resumed her work. The sound of the torch tearing through metal made it easy to ignore the following cries, and even once she was sure that the crier knew she could hear him and stopped, she made sure to secure the bolt she was trying to access. Just to make him wait a bit longer.

Rolling out from under the great machine she was currently working on, she flipped her goggles up. The rogue who stood above her looked as he always did. Just filthy enough to pass for a man of the streets, but with his beard trimmed so as to look dapper. She had never known a man to pay so much attention to his appearance, but had refused for ages to ever acknowledge it. He would have enjoyed it too much.

In his hands was a small parcel, wrapped carefully in brown paper. As she sat up and accepted it, she noted how much it resembled its owner. The paper had been shuffled around a bit, and cut at odd angles, which gave it the appearance of a rush job. The note attached to it had today's date on it, and only an hour or so prior. But the string was too carefully cut, and she assumed the entire thing had been prepared the night before. She gave it a small shake, and was satisfied with the metallic jostling noise it emitted.

Just as she was prepared to inquire as to the nature of his visit, he interrupted her, "Is this what I think it is?"

He was staring up at the machine, trying his best to look slackjawed, "If you think it's Garlean magitek armor, then yes," she said.

"You buy it offa one'r steal it?" He was circling the machine, poking and prodding at one of the legs.

"Built it off a shite I've scrapped," she said, knowing full well he knew that.

He gave her an incredulous look, "This legal?"

She rolled her eyes. They were right on his script, but she couldn't be bothered to diverge, "Since when did you give a goblin's arse about legal?" The parcel was sat on a work bench, and she leaned against it, ready for the rest of the performance.

"Well," he said, adjusting the collar of his shirt, "Ever since you put down yer stabbers, I've been thinkin' about goin' legit too. No more skulkin' about, gettin' some legit work."

"But," she said on queue.

"But," he said, stumbling a bit when he realized she'd beat him to it, "We just got offered a job, an' it'd be stupid to turn it down. And I figured I'd see if you want in on it."

"Uh huh," she said, motioning for him to speed it up.

"Well you're doin' the whole bodyguard thing with that gunsword you hacked together right?"

"Gunblade."

"Right that, and well we got this client. She's wantin' some cargo moved, but she wants it moved discretely away from her, so I figured," he made some motions with his hands towards her, "We move the goods, you guard the lady."

"Fine," she said, picking up a rag from her workbench and wiping some of the grime off her hands.

"And I know, it sounds like there's probably a catch," he started, before catching himself, "Beg pardon?"

"I said fine," she tossed the rag over her shoulder.

"Well, good. I'll let you know when and where."

"Yep."