6555/Knothing Good Happens in Knowhere

Knothing Good Happens in Knowhere
Date of Scene:	14 June 2021
Location:	Knowhere
Synopsis:	Knowhere is the site of another encounter between Rocket and Blackjack, with Groot as an added bonus. Halfworld comes up...again. So do concepts of looking out for others.
Cast of Characters:	Rocket, Groot, Blackjack O'Hare

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Rocket has posed:
A scrap shop on Knowhere. For those in the know, all manner of junk can be found for all manner of upgrades, inventions, and gadgets. Rocket's snagged many a thing here for purposes usually only he has in mind, and he hasn't been let down yet. Sometimes he even pays for what he gets! Other times, he barters and trades. The main thing is he remains welcome there because he knows how important it is as a resource, and getting in hot water on Knowhere is usually a bad idea.

"Groot, be a pal and tell me if you find any cybernetic hands. I got an idea I'm workin' on." More importantly, he's in need of a distraction from thinking about the whole Nebula situation. There are things in play there, things being worked on, but..Ronan and Thanos are no joke, and there's more to deal with than just the two of them.

Groot has posed:
Groot says, "I am Groot" He chuckles and holds up his hands thinking for a minute Rocket was asking if worked on any but he does point out a few that he sees, one attached to a rather tough looking person. He mentions them rather methodically with vivid detailed descriptioins, "I am Groot"

Blackjack O'Hare has posed:
    He'd come to Knowhere on business, because for obvious reasons when you've hired a notorious killer you don't want to pay them where people who care can see. Unfortunately for Blackjack, the sort've rep that gets him paid the big bucks cuts both ways. So whilst he would have been entirely content to stroll on back to his ship and enjoy a lovely spot of tea, the universe has dealt him a different hand it seems. In the hulking nine foot pile of scarred flesh and bio-chemically augmented muscle, parked directly in the middle of the snarrow street. One hand outstretched towards everyone's favorite Rabbit, <<You killed my brother, Torg kill you!>>

    Blackjack comes to a slow halt, and heaves a heavy sigh. Fixing the Dau with a decidedly deadpan expression, as he lets those gloved hands down to hang near those holstered PRDO Battle Blasters he's so well known for. "You looking to join him, pard?"

    The thin crowd outside scatters in a hurry, making no small amount of ruckus along the way. Not as if gunfights here are -that- rare, but a few of them know what that purple coat and chromite helmet mean.

Rocket has posed:
Rocket squints at Groot, and there's an expression that crosses his face which runs from his usual mischievous interest when it comes to cybernetics still in use by their humans (or aliens), mixing in with a more solemn seriousness. "..not today, Groot," he says, shaking his head. The poor saps with their personal cybernetics are safe for another day.

The moment is interrupted by words from the other side of the door back outside. A commotion of some kind, leading to Rocket shifting gears. "Hold that thought, tree. Might have a little action out there." He preps a gun, and as he pushes his way outside the words 'Black Bunny Brigade' reach his ears, which flatten.

"You have to be fucking kidding me. Here, too?" Beady little eyes dart around in search of the reason for someone to speak of that group, and he adjusts a setting on his blaster to go from 'stun' to 'knocked the fuck out.'

Groot has posed:
Groot can sense the significance that Rocket puts into it and spots the Rabbit. Given the propensity of calling Rocket a rabbit he studied Earth animals enough to know what a racoon is and what a rabbit is. "I am Groot."

Blackjack O'Hare has posed:
    Blackjack's pretty quick on the draw, which is something a clever opponent would likely try to nullify. Dau however are not terribly clever, so he simply goes for his blaster and never even comes close to making it really. A single shot rings out, and the Dau simply teeters back before clattering into the street. The majority of what -used- to be his head, sent hurling down the street in a fine mist.

    Blackjack lowers his pistol, before giving it a flourishing twirl on the reholster. "Well tha-.."And those cherry red occulars sweep over to lock onto first Rocket, and then up towards Groot. "Well I'll be a damned handsome Rabbit, if it isn't Rocket Raccoon."And immediately he's all smiles, occulars bright and full as he pivots in place and heads over towards the pair. "Well howdy howdy, who's your tall friend'ere?"Gloved hand already outstretched as heads towards the pair.

Rocket has posed:
"That's the last guy I'm in the mood to talk to," Rocket tells Groot, and before an explanation is given, the Dau's head is simply blasted to bits courtesy of Blackjack's gun. "Well, that escalated quickly," he mutters.

Keeping his weapon brandished, his eyes narrow as he's addressed. "You," he retorts, with a sniff of derision. "It's just Rocket, and don't you forget it. What the hell are you doing here?" The hand is left to hang there, a look had toward Groot afterward. "I'll let him introduce himself." Cold and frosty, here. And not talking about a beer.

Groot has posed:
Groot chuckles, and says simply, "I am Groot." He waves politely. "I am Groot?"

Blackjack O'Hare has posed:
    "Oh yeah, it's me."He responds instantly. "Oh makin the big money as usual, Client owed me big for some unpleasant garbage I took out. The usual you know?"And well he lifts that ignored hand up to sweep his ears back, all cool like. Groot gets a bright buck toothed smile though, and a little nod. "A right pleasure to meet you groot, I'm Commander Blackjack O'hare of the Black Bunny Brigade. Any friend of Rocket's is a friend of mine, we grew up in the same neighborhood."

Rocket has posed:
Rocket scowls. "He can't understand you, Groot, and I ain't telling him all of that." Someone's in the usual mood, but after Blackjack's given an explanation as to why he's here, and as a response begins to take place following the open killing that was done, Rocket scoffs, "This guy says he used to know me back in another time and place." Problem is, there's been more to suggest that's fact rather than fiction, and he begrudgingly has to admit, "Problem is, I think he's right. But we ain't friends."

Groot has posed:
Groot chuckles, "I am Groot." He nods politely to Blackjack since he knows he wasnt understood but, as he has learned over time, you can say a lot through non verbal communication so he waves his hand between Rocket and Blackjack nodding approvingly. "I am Groot?"

Blackjack O'Hare has posed:
    "We are friends."Blackjack corrects, immediately. "Used to play cards every week, hung out all the time." Finally casually resting his forearms on those holstered pistols. His glance swiveling up towards Groot "Half-world has a way of making us forget, so he's forgotten all about little old me. I reckon it ain't gotten no easier to watch this little guy's back, right? Always getting into trouble, right?"

Rocket has posed:
Rocket's doing a fair amount of scowling right now, and he snaps quickly at Groot, "No! He wasn't one of..them. I don't wanna talk about it, okay? I never asked for any of that!" A finger twitches next to the trigger of his blaster, his irritation growing as Groot does his best to determine how friendly Blackjack is, and how friendly the rabbit will remain toward them as Rocket objects to the notion.

"Halfworld's far in the past. There ain't nothing there for me to go back to," he insists, as from a few buildings down a couple members of the local security force turn up. "But this guy keeps trying to make me remember."

Groot has posed:
Groot says, "I am Groot." He looks at the security force and then looks at Blackjack and grins sheepishly. Nothing is said in that vein but ...you know when you're right you're right.

Blackjack O'Hare has posed:
    "Not remembering ain't the same as it never happening Rocket."Blackjack offers, stepping back as he roots around in a breast pocket to produce a stubby cigar and get it lit with a snap of the fingers. "They cut on us like we were dirt, then they tried to kill us when we became inconvient. They did all sorts of nasty shit, and it's alright by you that they got away with that?"Puffing as Blackjack offers a casual little glance towards the security goons. "You telling me you don't think they owe us, that they ought to be made to pay in blood for what they did to us?"

Rocket has posed:
"Maybe I don't wanna remember," Rocket counters. "You ever think about that, huh? Maybe they did what they did and now here we are doin' what we do and that's the end of it. Whatever's back there is gone. Dead. Just like anybody that gets on my bad side." If Blackjack knows what he's saying.

As the security detail gets closer he calls over, "Haha, that wasn't me this time! Look! Didn't even fire my gun!" Groot takes that moment to excuse himself, on the promise that he'll go tell security something to cover for them then catch him later, and Rocket just handwaves it off with a "Yeah. Sure. You do that."

He fixes the bunny with a challenging look after that. "Closet thing I got to a friend these days."

Blackjack O'Hare has posed:
    "It doesn't change the fact that we've been wronged, it was -wrong- and they don't get to get away with it because it's tough."Blackjack takes a single step back, watching security cooly. "Whatever is left of halfworld ain't dead, we deserve answers if nothing else."He takes another step back, casually flicking that cigar aside as he turns his gaze back towards Rocket. "How do we know they ain't still doing this, that we're really the last ones they did this to?"

    That backpack begins to whine as a pair of stubby little stabilizer wings unfold from either side. Getting ready for a little jet pack get away, a classic move really. "He seems nice Rocket, I'm glad you got somebody. You deserve somebody looking out for you."

Rocket has posed:
Rocket's frown is set in now. "Look. I ain't real good with crews and all that shit. This group I'm with now? I was just gonna use 'em until they weren't worth nothin' else to me, then I was gonna move on." Whether that means he was going to (attempt to) kill them or not is left undefined.

"But next thing I knew, they weren't all that bad. Now one of them got taken away by this guy workin' for Thanos, and I'm pretty damn sure she gave herself up to save us. Now I'm gonna do the dumbest thing I ever done and go get her back," he explains for reasons he's not all that sure of. A need to justify it to himself by voicing it to someone else who he may have been chummy with in the past? A need to affirm he's doing the..the right thing?

So he remains grumpy as Blackjack's backpack wings come out. "How about this. If we get through this thing, then maybe I'll go see what's what with Halfworld. Yeah, maybe there's a part of me that wants to make them pay. So you want in on it? You better not go too far. You're wrong about one thing, though. I don't need nobody lookin' out for me."

The unspoken part? He's started to look out for them.

Blackjack O'Hare has posed:
    "You need help, you get ahold of me alright? Friends and family discount and all that."And another step back, just to be sure he won't catch Rocket in the blast. "Just do me one favor alright? This crew you give a shit about now, Keep'em close like. You're a good friend when you want to be, and being forgotten sucks alright?" He'd stay and prattle on, of course but he did just spill some guy's noodle bucket all over the place. So he gives Rocket a casual little salute, and he's off.

    Everyone's favorite Flying-bunny lifts off, just barely in time and climbs up in a lazy corkscrew before rolling off towards the docks and rapidly fading out of view. I mean nobody -paid- him to fight security so...