War: Merc/RP: Now, How Do We Do This? (1/1)
By: Mildred
Date: Daytime Tuesday, after RP: Rat NOT Nat
Location: Merc Central
Everyone used with permission.

Mildred grabbed her Palm pilot and her bottle of water and lemon
slices from her desk in the computer lab and headed down to the
oversized living room, where she had set up the War-ly condition...
orientation.

The new Mercs, some of the Ratpackers, and some old timers came in.
Ann and Shadowstar sat next to each other, as did Ligeia and the
Professional.  Ligeia had dragged the Professional in, muttering
something about not allowing to get her into trouble by not know what
was going on and rushing into things.  Kate climbed the bookcase. Bast
was holding her two cats, and was considered the most blessed by some
(because at the sight of the cats the ratsies scrambled to get far
away from her).

A random ratpacker was pulled in by Liz, who protested "but oi wuz a'
thuh last won, 'an thuh won befor that."  Liz practically sat on the
Ratpacker, to make sure he didn't wiggle out of the room.

Mildred settled into area that had become the front of where everyone
was sitting.  "Ok, there are some basic rules for Mercs, some that
apply to the Ratpack."

The scrub clad Tessa muttered to the 'lil ratsie named Lassie, who
wearing ratsie sized scrubbs, on her shoulder, "Rulz? Oi thunk we
didn't 'af 'ny rulz." The other Ratpackers nodded in agreement.

Mildred scowled. "The rules for Ratpackers are the things that you do
or you get thwacked with newspapers." She began reaching for a rolled
up newspaper that was on the coffee table next to her. The Ratpackers
eeped and shut up for a second, bouncing in place.

"Ok, we have an unusual situation since Laurie's gone fishing and left
me in charge until she gets back.  But we'll handle it

Mildred went through a growing list of rules, adapted from the Guild charter:

"First, job requests come to I (then Laurie, when she gets back), and
if you take a contract, fulfill it to the best of your abilities.

"Don't do a job for free. It's bad business."

At this Liz snickered as she peered over her purple yarn..  "Can we
add to the charter that we can't give anything away?"  She giggled a
little as Mildred glared at the House Mommy and Liz went back to
knitting her sweater.

Mildred sighed and continued.  "If you can't complete a job, return
any fees you may have received.

"If you do a job, the Mercenary Guild gets a potion of your fee. If
you don't get paid, tell me and The Guild will fix it, with the person
who hired you."

She paused. "We're lucky in a sense. If we're on a job and we do
something, we're not responsible, but the people who hired us are. So
you cannot be retaliated against just because you repainted the Dark
Perk Mansion. The DP can try to bribe you for the name your employer
and retaliate against your employer, but they can't do anything to
*you*.  But if you aren't in a contract, you don't enjoy that
protection.

"If someone retaliates for a job you have done, then *all* of the
Mercs join together in retaliating against them! The same goes if a
faction attacks us.

"If you get caught during a job, um, there isn't too much we can do.

"Mercs do not act against Mercs. Ok, so we thwap Ratpackers," and at
this the ratpackers meeped and bounced, "but we don't *attack* them."
At that she looked at Meg and Rose, knowing how siblings can get.

"When she gets here, The Grand High Poohbah, who is Laurie, is
Goddess. Do what she wants, or she will use the VOICE, sing, or sing
with the VOICE. She's also *very* good with newspapers." On that line
she looked right at all the Ratpackers.

"There are individuals that need... payment. Liz's the House Mommy,
and you have to pay her rent. She'll get you later so you can make
those arrangements. And if you want computer access during the war,
you pay me. We have a great computer lab here, and it takes stuff to
run it. And to run me," at that she grinned. "With that, the
orientation is over and I am available to start making lab fee
arrangements now."

Shadowstar went up to the Merc Mommy General first.  "How much
chocolate, and of what kind?"

Mildred smiled at the new Merc.

"Actually, I don't want chocolate."

The room was so silent, you could hear the whiskers on the ratsies twitch.

Ligeia whispered, "Are you ok, Mildred?"  At this, Tessa looked over
at Ligeia, recognizing the voice from her long trailer ride to
Toronto.

Mildred grinned even wider.  "Hey, I'm watching my weight, and it's
been working.  I don't need the huge amounts of chocolate or caffine I
used to.  So you have to be a bit more creative in your fee
arrangements.  In fact, I'll give you a little time to think about it
before restricting access."