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The Drifter looked through the Annex thoughtfully, an open box on his table and several empty bags on the bench behind him. What would a civilization cut off from humanity with more advanced tech want most? Books, definitely. He packed a wide variety. If nothing else, they’d be worth more than gold to a librarian. Cultural shit usually went over well. He tossed in some old-school music recordings and a pre-golden-age player he’d managed to scavenge and get working again. He’d already asked Mithrax for some cloth samples from the weavers of House Light. Alcohol would normally be pretty standard but Eris had informed him the entire city was in cold storage. Still, it couldn’t hurt to bring a few bottles of the good stuff. Never knew who you might come across who might enjoy, and, worse case scenario, they could drink it themselves.
Recordings of Gambit matches were a must. They were a captive audience after all, all stuck there with very little in the way of entertainment with their home a war zone. Entertainment was always scarce and coveted in a war. He picked out some of his favourite full matches in addition to the two minute highlight reel he’d already put together. Couple decks of cards wouldn’t hurt. Card games were great ice breakers, especially when the people you wanted to break the ice with were experiencing a lucky streak and winning. Ol’ Drifter was suspiciously good at ensuring someone got a lucky streak when he wanted ‘em to. How would he play cards with someone in a digital interface? Fucked if he knew but they could figure something out.
Guns would normally be pretty well received by a city at war, but again, this was a unique case and the cloud-person he’d heard about probably had more advanced tech than he did. Maybe some functional antiques might be interesting. He packed a couple old reliable standards that would for sure take Vex or Cabal ammo since that’s what he’d heard they’d be most likely to have lying around.
Food would be another usual favourite but people in cold storage probably weren’t into food any more than they’d be into alcohol. Damn shame. Still good to stock up on stuff Moondust would like, especially cheese. Not in this box though. That’d be a special trip to the market in the morning before they left. She’d enjoyed going the last time, even though it got loud, and he’d enjoyed taking her even more.
There was something delightfully mundane and domestic and... normal about shopping at the market together that made him stupidly happy. Plus there was something particularly hot about how she held onto him in large groups of people. It made him feel… not protective. She was the one protecting him most of the time. But it was that this badass who took no shit from anyone was willing to have that vulnerability with him and let him be there for her in that situation. Publicly. An open display of confidence. Trust and intimacy. Once she’d pointed it out it was impossible to ignore that that was a thing for both of them. It was… fucking beautiful was what it was…
“There ya go gettin’ doe-eyed again. Stop bein’ a idiot, Drifter. Yer gonna get yourself killed,” he muttered to himself, forcing his brain back to the present with a visual check of his surroundings for hostiles, confirming every shadow was where it was supposed to be and none were missing. Still smiling despite his own self-chastisement, he grabbed two handfuls of jade coins and tossed them in the box before sealing it shut.
Eris walked through the wrought-iron gateway just as he was setting the last tripwire mine for anyone who might get handsy with his stuff while he was away.
“Hey, hey, Bane of the Swarm! Don’t go past the stairs ok?”
“Why?”
“Just my standard away-from-home hospitality,” he grinned up at her and then climbed up over the railing onto the platform. “What’d she say?”
“The Vanguard is understandably concerned regarding your interest in Neomuna but, as I pointed out, they have no way of stopping you and so they are grateful you are at least informing them of it.”
“Ha!”
“And, despite our proposal to drive through a battlefield and her instinctive desire to forbid it, the Vanguard spymaster admitted that she has learned that forbidding me from going somewhere is generally ill-advised. Your accompanying me is… personally appreciated by Ikora, although I was charged with…" She paused and smirked. "Keeping you out of trouble.”
He laughed. “Like I’m the one of us most likely to get into trouble. Right.”
“Hmmm… I see you appreciate the humour in this as much as I do. She also asked us to visit Saint-14 before we go. I trust that will not be an issue.“
The Drifter sighed. “Yeah. I suppose if Osiris knows, he knows too. He want us to bring something?”
“I believe so. Ikora, too, asked me to deliver a missive. It seems we have become postmen.”
“Won’t be the first time I delivered mail behind enemy lines. Did Ikora at least agree not to tell my one-horned competition?”
“She promised nothing, but noted that she does not routinely discuss your activities with Lord Shaxx and saw no reason to begin doing so. She will be informing Saladin, however.”
“Dammit. He’s just as bad if not worse. How am I gonna get my media foothold if they’re already all there first?”
“Caiatl is presently in Neomuna and any Vanguard or... affiliated... presence there could impact Cabal-human relations. It is important that he know, although again, it is being framed as an investigation of the artifact, not a marketing venture for your game.”
“With my luck, Iron Banner and Trials have already taken up all the prime viewing slots and all I get is the leftovers. Ugh. Fucking Iron Lords still screwing over the little guys, even now when we're all on the same team.”
“Saint has never been an Iron Lord and I’m sure your rat race will have some appeal, even if it is not… prime.”
“Oh don’t you even start with that, Three-Eyes. Do not go there. I am still pissed off about that.”
Eris smirked. “I know.” She walked behind him and looked at one of the books he’d left on his table. It hadn’t made the cut of ‘potentially interesting to Eris.’
“Hmmm… “ She picked it up.
“You like that one? Wanna bring it?”
She opened the cover and read the title page. “Twentieth Century Poetry and Poetics. It looks… academic.”
“Textbook, I think, yup.”
She looked back at him. “I never pictured you as the textbook type.”
“Textbooks are valuable. When the world goes to shit, textbooks are all ya got left. All the professors are gone, but ya can still learn shit as long as ya got books to teach ya how.”
“True. I wouldn’t mind bringing it, if you’re ok with it.”
“Hell yeah. You’ll have to carry it, though. Box is full. I put some others in there you might like too.”
She gave him a small smile.
The Drifter, professional con-man, vicious murderer, wanted criminal, unprincipled mercenary, cutthroat pirate, heartless smuggler, stone-cold killer, caught his breath and felt like he might float away in delight at the sight of that smile. He opened his mouth to say something but immediately forgot what he was going to say so he just shook his head and chuckled, his characteristic grin replaced by a rare soft smile of his own.
“Will we leave in the morning, then?” she asked after a few moments.
“Yeah," he reached a hand out to brush against her elbow. "You gonna stay over so we can hit up the market just as it opens before we go?”
“I will need to visit Luna.”
“Not a problem. We can do that tonight, still, if you like. Should I bring a box?”
“No. I have nothing of interest to bring.”
“Oh I doubt that, but I get it, you travel light. Bag then?”
“I do. And yes, a bag would be lovely.”
He handed her one of the ones from his table, picked up another and stuffed the remaining ones into it.
“I am unused to traveling… ‘in style’ as you have previously put it. Normally if I wish to be somewhere, I simply go there, and do not plan departure times and supplies.”
“Yeah, well, that’s how ya end up havin’ to live offa vitamin paste for weeks at a time.”
“Hmmm… You’re not wrong.”
“This’ll be nice. It’s our first road trip together. It’ll be fun. Trust.”
“How is it a road trip if there is no road?”
“It’s metaphorical. All figurative 'n shit.”
She smiled again.
He frowned. “I used that word right, yeah?”
“Yes, you did.”
His eyes glittered.
“Oh hey… did you still want me to teach ya how to cook some stuff? This'll be a perfect time to learn a few dishes if you like.”
“I… yes. I would like that very much.”
“Alright, alright, alright.” He rubbed his hands together. “This'll be great.”