Bounty. (Retribution and Penelope Zsasz)

[Penelope Zsasz]

"Show me the way to go home..."


Penelope sang through the empty street of Old Haven, her drunken slur and stumbling of words softly echoed against the crumbling walls. One hand held her body up against the brick structure for support while the other held a bottle of the worst tasting whiskey she had ever placed upon her tongue. Every few steps she took she would raise the bottle up to her lips and down a swig, you would think she wouldn't feel the burning aching sensation travel down her throat but with this chemical concoction she cringed every time she swallowed.


"I'm tired and I wanna go to bed..."


Removing her arm from the wall she stumbled back to fall backwards against the building. She checked her pockets to see how many bottle caps she had in her pocket. Pulling them out she counted only five. This bottle cost her big time so she needed to use the rest wisely. Penelope was never like this, it was rare for her to ever get drunk but the occasion called for it. Today marked the seventeenth anniversary of when Praxis took her from her family to use her, mutate her, genetically alter her to make her a walking disease. A plague that would walk upon this planet forever. She raised the bottle one last time but all that came out was a single drop of alcohol. Livid, she threw the bottle; making it break into millions of glass pieces. Standing up, she continued to walk.


"I had a little drink about an hour ago and it's gone right to my head."


Penelope didn't have a place to stay, she was constantly on the run. Her face was plastered on every wall of every town, Praxis wanted her found and returned back to him. She ran from him when she refused to kill her own parents. Because he killed them in front of her she swore vengeance forever. Penelope carried with her her father's colt .45. It was his prized possession, she thought that she would use it on Praxis when it came to executing him. Being killed by a dead's man gun only brings more value to the gun. She also had two large swords stored on her back. She was more into letting people suffer rather then a quick death, being very light on her feet let her knives cause great damage to any foe. Penelope always wore a shawl over her face, her eyes were only to be seen. Her curvy pear figure and dirty blonde hair did catch a few eyes but not enough to swoon her. Her stumbling body turned one corner to the next, finding a place to stay wouldn't be easy.


"Where ever I may roam, by land or sea or phone. You can always hear me singin' this song...show me the way to go home."

 

[Retribution]

"Damn, how big do you think he is? 7' 3"? I wonder how old he is, I heard they were taken as kids and turned into these supermen and women."


A couple of UNSC marines were talking amongst themselves at the front of the Pelican drop-ship. At the rear was the SPARTAN-II they were referring too. The White Knight, a nick name given by his Spartan brethren, was idling sitting in his seat. The marines couldn't see his face due to the assault helmet covering it. The golden colored visor glinted int he sunlight that was being allowed in by a small port in the side of the drop-ship. The impressive white color of his MJOLNIR powered assault armor, the black under lying suit composed of many layers bulged with the herculean body. The Spartan turned his head towards the talking marines, the letters UNSC flickered on the side of his helmet and the reflecting glass of the visor reflected the marines faces. It said in black lettering on his right breast plate "Zack-071".


The SPARTAN-II raised his hands towards his helmet and slowly he pressed down on the locks and allowed the helmet to depressurize and slowly he took off his heavy helmet from his head. A short well groomed head of white hair was revealed along with a very pale face who's eyes were closed. He had a few scars across his cheeks and lips but he still looked perfect. He opened his eyes and when he directed his bright neon blue eyes the marines gasped a bit. Zack smirked and started talking in a strange deep tone.


"If you ladies are wondering how old I am, I'm 18."

 

[Penelope Zsasz]

The alcohol was really getting the best of her, probably because she hadn't ate in a while so it was having a larger effect on her. Every step she took she felt like she was walking on air, her head was floating, limbs were heavy, eyes blurry, slurring her words. Yeah, it was official...she was drunk. But not enough to where she didn't know any better. Penelope had this sixth sense about her, she can act drunk one minute but sober up so quickly you wouldn't believe it. Technically it wasn't true but if she was in danger she knew what to do.


Whenever people would walk by she would raise her shawl up over her face, having your face on every corner caused you to be rather paranoid. Especially now that people were extremely desperate for money, bounty hunters galore here in town. She's had a few run ins with them but none had yet to capture her, some how she managed to keep under the radar. Turning another corner she heard a large crunching noise, looking down she saw a piece of paper under her foot. Stepping aside she saw what appeared to be a drawing...of her! It had every little detail right, down to the length of her hair. Shaking her head in disbelief she looked up to see a dozen posters of her face.


"What the..."


Taking a good look at the pictures she read the description:


Penelope Zsasz


Height: 5'7


Weight: 135 lbs.


Eye color: Green


Hair: Dirty Blond


Wanted for breaking into Praxis's quarters. Stole plans for a future project to protect the city of Old Haven, bottle caps, and other belongings. She's armed and very dangerous, last scene in Old Haven. Reward is seven hundred bottle caps.


She was furious, lashing out she grabbed at least half of the pictures and ripped them off the wall. Crumbling them up into balls she threw them on the ground. How could this happen to her, she was being framed for something she had never done. Praxis was getting desperate, she knew it, he knew it, the only way to get every bounty hunters attention was to pin something so unlawful that it would make them all drool at the mouth. A seven hundred bottle cap reward! She couldn't believe it.


"Praxis, you son of a.."

 

[Retribution]

The shocked marines just lowered their heads in order to look away from the SPARTAN-II's gaze. Slowly Zack placed his helmet back onto his head and allowed the pressure seals lock around neck portion of the black body suit. He blinked his eyes a few number of times in order to adjust to the HUD display. Zack stood up from his seat and slowly stomped over to the back of the Pelican and grabbed hold of a handle in order to lean over and look down at the desert land below. A training mission said O.N.I., he was sent here to just train and get rid of any Insurrectionists who had fled to this star system. The Pelican was beginning to last round, the vertical take off thrusters were beginning to ignite as the Pelican made for its landing. The Spartan reached over and grabbed his battle rifle and placed it on his back before grabbing mags to place them into his belt. His side arm was already on him as well his SPARTAN-II Cutlass.


The landing gear slowly deployed, three long legs folding outwards from within the ship and with grace the drop-ship landed. The boarding ramp lowered just as the 7' 2" supersoldier walked down it. The armor began to adjust to the surroundings, the advanced AI protocols telling the armor to shift colors to something less outstanding. A light tan rolled over the metal portions while the black body suit underneath changed into a darker brown. The SPARTAN-II looked around and sighed, there was nothing in sight, and knowing that this world was once riddled with nuclear fire didn't phase the warrior.

 

[Penelope Zsasz]

You do realize he's getting desperate right? He's probably doing this just to get your attention or he wants you dead. Don't let this go to your head Penelope, your vital signs are increasing.


Oracle was right, her blood was pumping. Nothing got her more riled up then being framed for something she'd never done. Especially since she hadn't seen Praxis for over three years. He must of hated seeing her face just on posters and not seeing her directly in front of him. He wanted to see her bend to his every will, do what he said, say what he said. He wanted his killing machine back.


"Either Praxis is in some serious stuff and needs my help or he's come to the final realization that me killing off his high ranking officers was enough to say 'she's coming after me, I need her dead.' This guy is seriously going to die at my hand."


Be that as it may you need to reevaluate the things you are saying. Praxis now has these super soldiers now that are similar just like you. They are hunting machines and they wont give up. My sensors indicate a large vessel leaving town. Be carful, you have no idea what could be on that ship.


Penelope huffed and rolled her eyes with a slight smile. Oracle was her bionic arm, you wouldn't realize it since it was just a regular hand. When Penelope was getting mutated Praxis placed a bionic cannon on her which soon turned back into her regular arm. Since it was attached to her it became apart of her, it started talking to her. An advance piece of technology that was able to adapt to anything, keep Penelope well informed, keep her updated on her surroundings, and above all keep her safe. Oracle was all she had left of a family which made it a rather complicated topic when it came to her making "friends." The random speaking out loud and talking to herself seemed rather odd but when it came to speaking about Oracle it was a touchy subject. It's not everyday you meet someone that has a bionic talking arm. It's odd.