A rich idiot manages to trick a couple of Pax Humanis enforcers into going after an innocent whose only "crime" is that they're a Lucker who managed to win a lot of money off the rich idiot. Once the enforcers learn the truth, well, the idiot's lucky they got away with only a severe beating. -- Anon Guest
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool Pax Humanis - they'll be lucky if they find your body. -- Terran Sayings Adjusted for the Modern Era, by Glorx Vamb'lnak
People make a lot of presumptions regarding Pax Humanis. They presume, for example, that it is a rough conglomerate of deadly Humans who are restrained from polite society for everyone's wellbeing including their own. They presume that the members are brutish and dumb, and easily mislead with the correct sob story.
It takes a lot of smarts to be a serial killer. Picking the 'correct' victimology, for instance, that slides past Security's radar. Though that has faded into worlds where Security is more than a little lackluster[1]. In the greater Galactic Alliance, it's the Educators who catch them early and recommend them for corrective procedures.
Thusly, when Eniola Khan employed Brutus and Jack specifically for interview-only task management, the first thing they did was their homework.
Their assignment, Yoshioka LaChance appeared to only be having fun in the casino that Eniola owned. A lot of fun. In their favour, they were a heavy tipper and tended to buy high-ticket items with their chips. Nevertheless, it was clear that ze was going to break the bank when ze finally cashed out.
Other than that, hir record was spotless. Not even a parking ticket.
For hir own safety, Brutus and Jack escorted hir outside. Brutus cracked his knuckles threateningly, but only for the casino cameras.
Yoshioka smiled winningly for them both. "Have I done something wrong?"
"Ze has to at least suspect," rumbled Jack as ze blocked off egress. "You haven't broken any laws, we know that."
"But you have attracted the attention of a very rich, very stupid Deregger type who owns this casino. They sent us to 'deal with' you and they don't care how many bags we send you home in." Brutus had a small plastic rectangle in his meaty fingers. "Spit on the big pink square, please. This is for confirmation purposes only, but we suspect you're a Lucker."
"A what-er?"
"Just spit," said Brutus.
"A Lucker is someone who can, consciously or unconsciously, alter fate in their favour or disfavour. The Bad Luckers generally seek a cure, but according to some philosophers, the universe needs balance. So they generally pair up to even things out." Jack was reading off hir vambrace. "If you are a Lucker, then it is illegal for you to continue to gamble at any gambling establishment."
"Spit," menaced Brutus.
"My... mouth seems to have gone dry," whimpered Yoshioka.
Fully prepared for this, Jack took a lemon out of hir pocket and cut it in half. And then... slowly, deliberately, and in full view of Yoshioka, licked it.
"Don't worry," said Brutus, collecting saliva. "We'll be dealing with Mx Khan very soon."
[1] It's okay. You can think "Greater Deregulation". They are, by far, the largest offenders.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / cidepix]
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