09-19-2015, 01:59 PM
Kopaka obligingly plucked the information table out of Casey's hands and began to pick through the information available. The Toa did not enjoy being the subject of delegation, but pride has no place in the line of Duty. As the two stood amidst the riff-raff of Tier 4, Kopaka pondered on the nature of the case. Intellectual dissidence was not usually something so harshly punished in his native universe, but then again...there was a difference between political differences and abject rebellion.
Kopaka's head tilted to the right slightly as his optic indicator squeezed shut. Memories began to reassemble themselves inside his jumbled mind.
Rebellion. Dissidence. Pride.
Many long years had the Makuta served Mata Nui to their fullest. They maintained the order of the universe and saw to the governance of the Tohunga and Turaga. Toa served as their hands and eyes, seeking out those who would disrupt the perfect order of Mata Nui. They also tended to the creation of the myriad Rahi; the beasts that nourished and balanced the land.
Miserix, their leader, has always been seen as a trustworthy, if not somewhat enigmatic, proponent of the tenets of Mata Nui and the Great Beings. Not all Makuta were so beholden to the whims of the divine, however. Many Makuta, especially Makuta Teridax, were jealous of the renown and reverence with which the Toa of the universe were venerated. The Makuta were seen as mysterious figures, at best. Shamans and Wizards whose agenda could never match the heroic valiance of Mata Nui's chosen Elemental Warriors.
In time, Makuta Teridax gained sufficient following so as to banish Makuta Miserix from the known lands of the universe, taking the ancient being's seat as chief of the Brotherhood of Makuta. Slowly, over the course of untold years, Teridax and his thralls brought to fruition a plan that would depose the natural hierarchy of Mata Nui, making them ascend to their self-proclaimed spot as rightful leaders of the universe. Wars were raged. Bionicles died in droves, and when all seemed to be hopeless, the...
...the...
Kopaka shook himself free of the phantom images of fire and hatred that had been coursing through his psyche. Everything would be pieced together in time. Right now he had to maintain his focus on the mission at hand.
"Yo Kop...you uh...you okay man?"
Kopaka looked down at Casey with his icy gaze, level as ever. He simply nodded before relaying the information he had attained.
"Smith has no official address, but has been known to spend time within houses and..." Kopaka trailed off, as he was unfamiliar of this word he now encountered, "ap...art...ments...of his friends and followers, many of which are laid bare within this manifest. The nearest is a female human named Lilian Peters. She resides four blocks to the North." Kopaka said gesturing in the same direction with his free hand. Casey refrained from making any Hooked-On-Phonics jabs at the Toa for the moment.
"Alright then. Guess we'd better get to hoofing it."
...
Two hours later, the pair of Primes arrived at the mega-structure that housed Smith's compatriot. Kopaka was rather nonplussed by having to walk such a large distance; traveling by foot was largely the only means of getting places on Mata Nui. Casey, however, was slightly frazzled.
At first he had assumed that Kopaka had meant 'forty' blocks, but as they travelled, it was simply appearent that Coruscant did not measure distances in their city the same way Manhattan did. Still, the length of their journey gave the Primes a chance to review the legal policies of interrogating suspects and inspecting private property. Both were slightly surprised to find that, for the EPD, there were essentially no limitations. Casey was even more surprised when Kopaka actually expressed his approval at this.
"So...it's cool to you that we can just do whatever the fuck to get the job done."
"Yes."
"...Huh."
Honestly Casey hadn't figured Shell Head for a 'ends justify the means' kind of guy. So far it just seemed like Kopaka had a great love of rules and procedure.
"Isn't that kinda...chaotic though? Not that I'm tryin' ta get all philosophical up in here, but..."
"It's only chaotic if the people with the power wield it with carelessness."
"Okay sure, but you can't always be sure how other people-"
"I am only ever sure of myself. The integrity of others is not my concern."
"Yeah, but, like, what if-"
"We're here."
Casey and Kopaka stood outside of the meager doorway of that smacked heavily of 'low-income housing.' Really, even though the building they were in was almost ten times larger than the average housing project, it was all the same stuff Casey was used to. Kopaka, however, was feeling slightly uncomfortable with the environment; the Toa was used to the verdant and wild landscapes of Mata Nui. This smog ridden and cramped city-scape made him feel more cut off from his natural element even more than a usual. A volcano would have more ambient ice elemental power than this...fabricated domain. Still, if this was where the people lived, then Kopaka would protect it. The biomech didn't trust himself to be able to handle any potential exchange with the Lilian Peters human appropriately, so he kept his distance from the door.
"Alright uh...here goes." Casey said, walking up to the door with the kind of bravado he always saw those TV cops stepping around with. He knocked loudly three times on the door and did his best to sound official and stuff.
"Lilian Peters! EPD! Open up!"
Silence. Casey knocked again.
"Ms. Peters! We just need to have a word with ya! Open the door!"
More silence. Casey looked back at Kopaka with a wry expression on his face.
"What'cha think Kop?"
"One moment."
Gathering his will, Kopaka called upon the powers of the Akaku upon his face and gazed deep through the decrepit dry wall into the apartment beyond...
Kopaka's head tilted to the right slightly as his optic indicator squeezed shut. Memories began to reassemble themselves inside his jumbled mind.
Rebellion. Dissidence. Pride.
Many long years had the Makuta served Mata Nui to their fullest. They maintained the order of the universe and saw to the governance of the Tohunga and Turaga. Toa served as their hands and eyes, seeking out those who would disrupt the perfect order of Mata Nui. They also tended to the creation of the myriad Rahi; the beasts that nourished and balanced the land.
Miserix, their leader, has always been seen as a trustworthy, if not somewhat enigmatic, proponent of the tenets of Mata Nui and the Great Beings. Not all Makuta were so beholden to the whims of the divine, however. Many Makuta, especially Makuta Teridax, were jealous of the renown and reverence with which the Toa of the universe were venerated. The Makuta were seen as mysterious figures, at best. Shamans and Wizards whose agenda could never match the heroic valiance of Mata Nui's chosen Elemental Warriors.
In time, Makuta Teridax gained sufficient following so as to banish Makuta Miserix from the known lands of the universe, taking the ancient being's seat as chief of the Brotherhood of Makuta. Slowly, over the course of untold years, Teridax and his thralls brought to fruition a plan that would depose the natural hierarchy of Mata Nui, making them ascend to their self-proclaimed spot as rightful leaders of the universe. Wars were raged. Bionicles died in droves, and when all seemed to be hopeless, the...
...the...
Kopaka shook himself free of the phantom images of fire and hatred that had been coursing through his psyche. Everything would be pieced together in time. Right now he had to maintain his focus on the mission at hand.
"Yo Kop...you uh...you okay man?"
Kopaka looked down at Casey with his icy gaze, level as ever. He simply nodded before relaying the information he had attained.
"Smith has no official address, but has been known to spend time within houses and..." Kopaka trailed off, as he was unfamiliar of this word he now encountered, "ap...art...ments...of his friends and followers, many of which are laid bare within this manifest. The nearest is a female human named Lilian Peters. She resides four blocks to the North." Kopaka said gesturing in the same direction with his free hand. Casey refrained from making any Hooked-On-Phonics jabs at the Toa for the moment.
"Alright then. Guess we'd better get to hoofing it."
...
Two hours later, the pair of Primes arrived at the mega-structure that housed Smith's compatriot. Kopaka was rather nonplussed by having to walk such a large distance; traveling by foot was largely the only means of getting places on Mata Nui. Casey, however, was slightly frazzled.
At first he had assumed that Kopaka had meant 'forty' blocks, but as they travelled, it was simply appearent that Coruscant did not measure distances in their city the same way Manhattan did. Still, the length of their journey gave the Primes a chance to review the legal policies of interrogating suspects and inspecting private property. Both were slightly surprised to find that, for the EPD, there were essentially no limitations. Casey was even more surprised when Kopaka actually expressed his approval at this.
"So...it's cool to you that we can just do whatever the fuck to get the job done."
"Yes."
"...Huh."
Honestly Casey hadn't figured Shell Head for a 'ends justify the means' kind of guy. So far it just seemed like Kopaka had a great love of rules and procedure.
"Isn't that kinda...chaotic though? Not that I'm tryin' ta get all philosophical up in here, but..."
"It's only chaotic if the people with the power wield it with carelessness."
"Okay sure, but you can't always be sure how other people-"
"I am only ever sure of myself. The integrity of others is not my concern."
"Yeah, but, like, what if-"
"We're here."
Casey and Kopaka stood outside of the meager doorway of that smacked heavily of 'low-income housing.' Really, even though the building they were in was almost ten times larger than the average housing project, it was all the same stuff Casey was used to. Kopaka, however, was feeling slightly uncomfortable with the environment; the Toa was used to the verdant and wild landscapes of Mata Nui. This smog ridden and cramped city-scape made him feel more cut off from his natural element even more than a usual. A volcano would have more ambient ice elemental power than this...fabricated domain. Still, if this was where the people lived, then Kopaka would protect it. The biomech didn't trust himself to be able to handle any potential exchange with the Lilian Peters human appropriately, so he kept his distance from the door.
"Alright uh...here goes." Casey said, walking up to the door with the kind of bravado he always saw those TV cops stepping around with. He knocked loudly three times on the door and did his best to sound official and stuff.
"Lilian Peters! EPD! Open up!"
Silence. Casey knocked again.
"Ms. Peters! We just need to have a word with ya! Open the door!"
More silence. Casey looked back at Kopaka with a wry expression on his face.
"What'cha think Kop?"
"One moment."
Gathering his will, Kopaka called upon the powers of the Akaku upon his face and gazed deep through the decrepit dry wall into the apartment beyond...
C O L D