Kanly part 6(2) Death of a Mentat

[coon.27@osu.edu]

Juhren face grows deep purple as the Ginaz mentat mockingly laughs in his
face. He draws himself up as if to attack him, but merely takes a step
back, and appraises him for one moment.
Bernh looks at Juhren, "Perhaps if Moritani weapons weren't being smuggled
this rag tag army of old men and boys, they would listen to reason! It
seems they follow the lead of their new General, the artifact of House
Moritani!"
With a loud *thwack* you hear the spittle from Juhren's mouth land on the
Ginaz Mentat's face. With a growl he turns away, "You are pityful..."
Ulrich's mouth drops open, as he realizes what Juhren has done.
Dominic glances at what has happened, but keeps his eyes on the three guards.
Juhren continues to shuffle away, as if tired, but you can hear him
muttering to himself, "Classic, too paranoid for..... has to ....... to
someone else... Never even.....what is really happening..."
Bernh wipes the spittle from his face saying, "Oh yes, act tough Moritani,
but there is nothing but show here! If you were a real man you'd face me
blade in hand, but you're a weak old man who hides behind words and gaurds
more defended than his Siridar, while he allows Ginaz assassins to show
that he is a weak paranoid old man who couldn't kill a Ginaz if he fell on
the old man's blade."
Juhren slowly turns around, and lifts his right hand. "You see this
/Mentat/? If you wish to fight an old and crippled man, I will be glad to
oblige you. I would not wish you to be to embarassed when you lose, so make
sure that you wish to do this!!"
Dominic crosses his arms.
Bernh turns on his sheild, saying, "Call your seconds, you seem too spry
for an Old Man, and we all know the geriatric effects of the spice melange!
I say do you're worst OLD MAN, the imperium would thank me for removing
you, you fossil!"
The Moritani Guards look at the old mentat as if he was crazy, which is
quite possible in this case.
Juhren chuckles, "Ah, but we cannot have the duel here, we must meet at
another place for it." He seems to think about it for one second, "Meet me
in the Spaceport, in 30 Solar minutes...I shall bring my second."
Bernh laughs, "Do you think I am as stupid as you look? It would be fitting
for a Moritani to run away from a direct fight!"
Bernh cuts the argument short as he moves forward, like a dancer, his arm
floating just slow enough to penetrate the Moritani Mentat's sheild.
Juhren turns his head slightly sideways, and looks at the Mentat for a
second, "I should have known." is all he says... He struggles to get his
greatcoat off, and one of the guards steps forward to remove it for him.
"Prepare yourself then."
Juhren, dispite his age, moves agilily enought to evade the cautiously
thrown jab.
Dominic slowly drifts over to the side to get a better view of the Moritani
guards.
Bernh continues with his momentum, using it to move closer to Juhren for a
quick stab.
The three moritani guards spread themselves out, so as to make sure no one
interpheres with the duel.
Juhren has his blade out now, and blocks the stab with his sword. He then
slids his blade off, and slides it towards the Ginaz Mentat's shield.
Dominic ignores the duel and keeps his eyes focused on the guards.
Bernh sees the blade, and attempts to move faster so his sheild deflects
the blade, unfortuneatly Juhren's tip gets caught on a button, and
scratches Bernh across his chest.
Juhren pulls his blade back a little, and readies himself again, his eyes
following the Mentat's blade.
Bernh attempts to hide his surprise, he quickly covers though following
swordschool training, his thoughts racing for a weakness in his opponent.
Juhren's eyes flick up to the Bernh's eyes, and he seems to almost grin for
a moment. The blade he is holding in his left hand sweeps backhanded across
to the left. His swing is to hard however, and the blade merely glances off
the shield.
Juhren pulls out of seemingly nowhere a small dagger, in his right hand. He
brings it up slowly and it penetrates Bernh's shield, sliding up and in....
Bernh looks a bit pained, mixed with deep surprise as the dagger penetrates
the sheild and his left side. The dagger stays within Bernh's body, even
though Juhren's hand is to arthritic to pull it out.
Juhren realizes he cannot withdraw the dagger, so he lets go of it, and
readies his left hand blade to a defensive position.
Bernh looks down to the side, he sees that the dagger is sticking in his
body due to several braids on the coat's side. It appears to be a surface
wound, and not too deep.
Bernh looks a bit shocked at the almost blatant abuse of the forms, he
readies himself, moving his center of balance on to his toes. Assuming a
position that looks alot like a ballerina on point Bernh makes a feint for
Juhren's abdomen.
Juhren shuffles back, his blade following the attacking sword. He is
panting already from the heavy exertion.
Bernh presses the old man back, feinting for his abdomen still.
Juhren swings his blade down as if to block, but, using his last reserve of
energy, he spins slighty to his left, and lets the blade continue on to
chops at his opponents legs.
Dominic uncrosses his hands quickly and a spring-loaded knife shoots out of
his left arm and buries itself in the neck of one of the Moritani guards.
Blood squirts from the man's neck as he collapses to the ground. His left
hand holds a maula pistol which fires a spread of darts at the other guard,
but they bounce off of his shield.
Dominic drops the maula pistol and activates his shield and draws his sword
and advances on one of the two remaining guards.
The last two Guards duck at the sound ot the Maula pistol, and rush to meet
the two Ginaz.
Ulrich quickly throws himself at the guard nearest him, there's a brief
struggle as Ulrich and the guard wrestle, then, a sickening crackle rings
out as Ulrich cranks the guards neck too one side
Bernh merely steps over the Mentat's feeble attack to his leg, then
twisting to match Juhren's wobble, Bernh buries his kindjal into the
Moritani's sheild, heading straight for his pelvis.
The ring of metal is heard as Dominic's sword crosses with that of the
remaining guard.
Juhren instinctivly bends slightly to get his pelvis as far away from the
blade as possible, he glances up, perhaps making a fatal mistake, and looks
over at the fighting with the guards. He shouts to the guard in Moritani
battle language.
Dominic easily blocks the guards incoming strike. He steps inside the
strike and drives the guard back into the wall.
Bernh notices his opponent's move, and sudden distraction, and uses it to
his advantage, sending his dagger upward into his stomach.
The remaining Moritani Guard nods to Juhren as he continues defending
himself against the Ginaz. He reaches down and turns on his com unit
somehow...
Juhren gags suddenly, as blood fills his mouth. His sword clatters to the
ground, and he convulses in pain as he tears at the dagger stuck in his
abdomen.
Dominic feints towards the shoulder of the guard, but then pivots and
slashes downward across the guard's wrist. Blood begins to flow down the
man's arm. The guard screams something into the communicator.
Bernh notes that his opponent is down, he twists the dagger so it peirces
Jurhen's heart, ending his pain.
Ulrich watches the mentat dying, and mouthes the word "ewww"
Juhren convulses again, and manages to scream out something about snakes....
 His body shakes, and slowly drops towards the ground..blood streaming from
the ripped wound, extending from his abdomen to his chest. As he collapses
to the ground, the last thing we hear is the sound of his guard screaming
in pain.
Bernh waits a moment to make sure there is no trick, then shuts down his sheild.
Bernh finally looks to see what was going on around him, "You Okay?" He
says to Ulrich, then looks to Dominic.
The guard continues screaming in battle language as he attempts to block
another strike by Dominic. He barely blocks it, but is too slow to prevent
Dominic from swiftly dropping to his knees and slashing the guard across
his abdomen. The guard screams in agony and drops his sword and puts his
hands on his abdomen and falls to his knees. Dominic stands and with an
swift blow, nearly decapitates the guard. The body of the dead guard
crumples to the ground.
Ulrich walks towards Bernh and says, "yes, but it's not safe here, obviously."
Bernh looks to Dom, "You okay?"
Bernh pulls the dagger out of his uniform, gritting his teeth as the blade
comes out...
Dominic looks toward Bernh with a grim smile "Fine, these two were not much
competition." He wipes his blade on the dead guards clothing and turns off
his shield.
Bernh looks nervous as he hears sirens coming, "Let's get out of here."

Courtyard -- Imperial Conservatory (Kaitain)(#1899RntJ)

The courtyard is designed in a simplistic square shape. An enormous marble
wall surrounds the courtyard, giving it privacy from the traffic beyond.
There is a cobblestone path cutting out a cross shape in the ground. In the
middle of the cross path sitsa large statue, smaller statues rest at the
four corners. Rose bushes adorn the sides of the path giving the four ends
an isolation from each other. The statues are fashioned in a Greco-Roman
style, very life like. Around the center statue are four benches placed at
each path branching off from the middle.

Dominic picks up his maula pistol and places it back into his shirt.
Dominic nods
Bernh motions south.

You walk through the Brick Archway.

Circle of Fortune -- Central District (Kaitain)
Running the edges of the street are various posts, all sized to stand at
the height of approximately two average-sized humans. On top of each post
is the flag of another House of the Landsraad. At the center of the road,
the traffic is parted by a large circular medium. The center of the medium
stands the largest post, with the flags of CHOAM and House Corrino flying
proudly. Setup around this are various booths for open market. The
buildings about the roadway also carry signs of the shops and merchants.

Ulrich walks in from Courtyard through the Brick Archway.
Ulrich has arrived.
Dominic walks in from Courtyard through the Brick Archway.
Dominic has arrived.
Bernh looks back at the conservatory, "Sarduakar coming soon, quick east!"

You pass the Via Pecunia.

City Center -- Central District (Kaitain)

A 200-meter tall statue of a lion dominates the City Center. The lion,
rearing up on its hind legs and roaring toward the north, appears to be
made of polished gold. A narrow road passes under the statue and directly
through the small park surrounding the lion's feet. Around that is a
multi-lane traffic circle, with wide tree-lined avenues leading to the four
corners of the city... and the Universe.

Dominic comes from the Circle of Fortune.
Dominic has arrived.
Juhren comes from the Circle of Fortune.
Juhren has arrived.
Ulrich comes from the Circle of Fortune.
Ulrich has arrived.
You request a staffcar over your communicator.
Bernh looks, "Damn! where is that driver!"
A Ginaz Staffcar pulls up near Bernh.
Dominic says, "The Kaitain police will be all over here in a moment."
Bernh hops in quickly.
Ginaz Staffcar

The soft leather seat can sit three comfortably and molds perfectly to the
form of the occupants. Tinted meta-glass windows help keep out the glare of
the sun and lights coming off the many buildings of the Imperial City.

Dominic has arrived.
Ulrich has arrived.
The driver nods.
There is a sense of acceleration as the staffcar picks up speed.
Bernh starts to relax as the staffcar starts moving.
The staffcar is buffeted slightly by a large gust of wind.
Ulrich leans forward, resting his head in his hands.
The staffcar continues quickly to its destination.
Bernh looks to his companions, as he puts a hand on his side, "Well so much
for peace."
Dominic looks out the window.
Dominic nods "It has been some time since I have killed a man."
Numerous vehicles can be seen darting through the avenues.
Ulrich sighs and says slowly, "yes...so much for peace"
Dominic says, "Not since I was a duellist on Gamont."
The staffcar decelerates steadily and comes to a smooth stop.
Bernh looks a bit remorseful, "It was too bad, had he been on our side, he
would have been a good comrade."
Bernh leaves out the open door.

Courtyard -- Ginaz Embassy (Kaitain)

Behind a wrought iron fence, with the seal of House Ginaz in the center of
the gate and two one man guardhouses, lies the open courtyard of the Ginaz
embassy. A road leads straight to the main entrance of the embassy,
encircling a four story fountain. The lawn around the building is a dark
green and groomed to perfection, with many pines and shrubs dotting the
area, in tastefully arranged randomness. The embassy itself is at least
thirty story structure designed like a giant six pointed Star of David. The
building itself is made of a dark blue granite that is native only to the
home-planet of the Ginaz. The embassy uses what would be considered a
Gothic style with flying buttresses and windows all coming to a point. A
'thopter pad can be seen atop the building as well as the rotating colors
of the crystal dome over the center of this gargantuan star.

Ulrich exits the Ginaz Staffcar.
Ulrich has arrived.
Dominic exits the Ginaz Staffcar.
Dominic has arrived.
The Ginaz Staffcar departs the area.
Dominic says, "It is too bad we did not have time to try to disguise it as
a robbery or something."
Ulrich sighs, "well, i'm gonna try and sleep this off, we can talk tomorrow."
Bernh motions north.

You walk into the foyer.

Foyer -- Ginaz Embassy (Kaitain)

The dark blue marble exterior of the embassy has seemingly desolved into a
gleaming white marble with gray veins in a circular room. There are high
arches and sweeping buttresses meeting the ground with Ionic style pillars
made of black marble with gold veins. A ceiling extends to the very roof of
the building. There is a kind of circle within a circle within a circle.
The flying buttresses sweep out and come down in the exact center of the
room ending in fourteen pillars. Between each of these pillars is a desk
with an attendant seated. The second circle is considered the inner circle.
This is made by a series of twenty-eight archways, which leave twenty feet
between the arches and the real wall, at each of these pillars stands a
Ginaz Out-world Guardsman in full-dress.

Ulrich walks in from Courtyard through the Sliding Glass Doors.
Ulrich has arrived.
Dominic walks in from Courtyard through the Sliding Glass Doors.
Dominic has arrived.
Bernh looks to his companions, "Well I shall endevour to explain this to
the Margrave."
You say, "Good Night."

Editor's Note:  With that all parties went OOC to go to bed.

FIN


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