"Andy. You. Why don't you come here and tell me what some Vanguard captain wants with Walker?" "Stray topsider wanders into my bar, asking after a man like Percival Walker. Raises questions. What do you want with him?"
I'm making a delivery for Hadrian Sanon. Look. I even have proof she sent me."Hadrian? A woman named Hadrian sent you, a member of the Vanguard, to find Percival? Hmm. If that tag's a forgery, it's a damn good one. All right, Captain. If you are who you say... "Supra et Ultra." Vanguard motto. What's it mean? Should've gotten that during your oath."
Terrormorphs might be threatening the galaxy. I need Percival's help to stop them."What? Someone give them keys to a battle cruiser? Look, you can make up whatever crazy story you want, but you should forget about Percival."
I'm on official Vanguard business. I need him to look at something."Is that so? Well, Captain, then you should have no problem answering a few simple questions about the Vanguard, right? Like knowing, for example, what "Supra et Ultra" means. You remember. Your Vanguard motto?"
Twinkle, twinkle little star."A member of the Vanguard and a clown. Well, no luck, chuckles. I know as much about Walker as you do about the Vanguard."
Over and Above."Heh. That's what I thought. You're full of it. Sorry. Can't help ya."
Far Beyond."Heh. That's what I thought. You're full of it. Sorry. Can't help ya."
Above and Beyond."Hmm. I see. And tell me, what grade was it you got on your entrance exam? A? C? D-plus?"
I did well enough to pass."Yeah. Sure you did. Sorry. Can't help you."
[Lie] You're looking at a straight "A" student."Oh, you're something all right. But I doubt it's actually Vanguard. So, why don't you quit wasting my time and yours and go."
I honestly don't remember."Convenient. Do us both a favor and get out of here, all right?"
The Vanguard entrance exam isn't graded like that."That-that's right. All right, Captain. Maybe you are who you say you are. But look, even if I decided I was going to help you get in contact with Dr. Walker, Percival made himself scarce for a reason. His debt to the Trade Authority. But if someone resolved that debt, well, Percival wouldn't have to hide anymore. Can bet that person'd make a friend out of Percival and the rest of us Devils. And I'm always inclined to help a friend."
You said you and Percival were "Devils"? What did you mean?"Red Devils were the meanest Marine unit the UC Navy ever had. Couldn't get in if you hadn't done at least one stint as a Martian dusty. Made us tough. Reliable. It's why they chose us as the handlers for the UC Xenoweapons. No other unit could handle that pressure. Percival, though, he wasn't a grunt like all of us. Science Officer. Made sure the monsters behaved themselves around the Devils and didn't with everyone else. But it was those monsters that did us in. When the Colony War ended and the Armistice came down, everything associated with Xenoweapons got shelved. Red Devils included. Now... now they're just a memory."
You worked with Xenoweapons?"Me? Nah. Infantry officer. But my grunts deployed alongside the things. Never seen anything like it, before or since. Monsters from the darkest corners of the black, rampaging across the battlefield. Can understand why they banned 'em. Brutal. Armistice hurt us more than most, but... well, wasn't all bad that came out of that agreement."
And how would you suggest I go about clearing Percival's name?"Well... Most straightforward way to take care of this debt would be to just saunter up to the Authority and pay 'em direct... if you've got credits to throw away. Course, rumor is the Trade Authority keeps all their records - and collections files - on a central server inside their storeroom. If someone was to break in there and adjust Percival's debt to something a little more reasonable, say, a few hundred credits, I'd be happy to cover the costs. But, uh, one friend of Hadrian's to another, Cydonia's full of old utility spaces. Wouldn't be surprised if there was one that let out right into the Authority storeroom... Say, with an entrance behind the bar at the Broken Spear? And you might need these. Maybe with a lock that's not as reliable as it once was? But who knows."
I'll see if I can get rid of the debt."I look forward to hearing the good news."
-
After altering Percival's debt:
-
"Yah?"
I hacked the Trade Authority terminal. I'll take those credits now."Not something you want to say too loud, now, but good work. Here. Go dig our man out of his pit."
-
After clearing the debt of Percival:
-
"Yah?"
I took care of Percival's debt to the Trade Authority."Did you now? Fine work. My end of the bargain then, I suppose. He's holed up in the old Red Devils HQ. Place was sealed up tight after the UC shuttered our unit, but we snuck him in the back entrance through the Deep Mines."
"Good you're going in there, actually. Bunch of Spacers moved in not long after we got Percival set up. Don't expect he'd run out of before they got taken care of... but I'm sure he'll appreciate not having to find out if left him with enough rations."
"Was also going to warn you about Spacers down there, but it sounds like you might've already tossed those dregs."
"Here. The passkey. And I'll let him know there's someone he owes one hell of a "thank you" on their way down."
Quotes[]
"Did you now? Proactive one, aren't ya? Suppose there's no need for me to keep him hidden anymore." - If Percival Walker's debt is cleared before speaking to Lou
