Change in Management

[Vincent Redfield]

OOC: The following is OOC knowledge only except for O members. i.e. if you're not a member of the underground, you'd have no idea this happened.

Vincent Redfield. 'The Harvester'. Only six or so people in the world knew of his alias, his double life, or at least thats what he thought. Sitting in a dank, fortified cellar at the far end of a huge stone table, Vince rest his head in one hand, and drummed his fingers on the table with the other. Around the table sat various other members of the Covian Underground, dubbed 'The Organization'. At it's head sat Kazuo, the leader and controller of internal affairs. 'The Boss'. Also known as the Trade minister slash Burgher of Cove.

"This will be our most lucrative venture yet" the aging Tokunese man began.
"Administration will be comming along for the ride, I'm told."
Immediately Vince's head shot up. Vince, being the newest addition to the team, had never gotten a chance to see the real heads of the Organization, the ones who gave even Kazuo the orders.
"We'll be holding a meeting with the ministers of Defence from Serpents Hold and N'ujelm. It is there we'll assassinate them."

Directions and orders were finally finished up, and a briefing on the next days mission. Everyone stood and, after donning adequate disguise, began exiting via different doorways. Kazuo stopped Vince.

"This will be a big step for you, Mister Redfield."
Vince stopped, and began grinning.
"Show them what we all know you're capable of. The bosses spoke of a special promotion for you."
Vince didn't stop beaming until he slept that night.

The next day came.


At the N'ujelomian moongate stood three cloaked members of the organization, and Vince. Vince was the only O member without a suitable disguise, most times he just wore a robe.  Kaz was in attendance.  After waiting a sufficient ammount of time past their due date, several cloaked figures, Vince counted six or so, exited from the moongate. One, in prominent red Tokunese garment, greeted Kazuo. Vince said nothing, but had his eyes fixed on this man. It was he who truly led the "O". The party, led by Kazuo, made their way to the Palace.
"This way." One of the cloaked guards from administration said, and took a detour, past the dining hall and down into the basement, and to a small chamber. Kazuo looked confused but said nothing, and noone thought to question this.

Redfield was too affixed on what Kaz had said. A promotion? Really? Finally! Unlike the guardsmen, Vince thought, rank was based on ability! He snickered to himself. He was too late in realizing a giant steel blade was hanging out of his comrade's throat.

One of the stealthy warriors was immediately dead. What the hell was going on? Vince's reactionw as delayed, as he saw the five members of administration leaping upon the two remaining "O" members. Finally, Redfield sprung into action, crushing one of the black-clad warriors skulls into a wall, bone fragments and expensive marbel splintering out. None of the four attacked Vince, but went solely for the other two.

Kazuo, taken off guard, had a shuriken stuck into his leg, and had fallen to one knee on the floor, the 'boss' standing over him.

"You've served your purpose, but now, I'm afraid your contract is being terminated." With a quick thrust, a blue dagger peirced Kazuo's chest, shock and fear in the aged man's eyes, the color from his occulars quickly vanishing as his now lifeless body slumped against the wall, Kasa falling over his face.

The "boss" Clapped once, and the three remaining ninjas lept to his side. The battle was a quick one. All three "O" members were killed in a similar fashion, their necks completely torn out and their blood filling the sealed room. Vince was left unharmed, pain and confusion in his eyes as he looked at the corpse of his old leader, two ninja corpses lying at his feet.

"Mister Redfield.." The boss began. Vince blurted something out, but was cut short. "Don't interrupt me. Also, don't insult me by thinking you won. These are experts...we could have had you killed before you saw your own blood."

With that, six more, similarly dressed ninjas dropped from the ceiling, behind Vince.  Ten on one seemed like crappy odds.

" Don't be alarmed. We left you alive for a reason. You're capable, Redfield...or, 'Harvester' was it? Mmh..Kazuo had a knack for appropriate names. Anyway. We've got a job proposition for you.."



Vince sat at the head of a huge, empty stone table, in what was once Kazuo's chair, marked by a large golden 'K'. Six seats, three on each side, were left empty. Rubbing his chinm eyes somewhat bloodshot, he stood, and sighed...

"Time to start recruiting."

[Moraine DiGoraz]

There was a knock on the steel door which protected the meeting chamber of the former Organization from prying eyes. A few moments later the heavy door opened and a robed man was greeted by two masked individuals. One who had opened the door, another who stood with his weapon at the ready should this visitor be an unwanted one indeed.

In the far end of the room, seated on a blue marble and red velvet throne at a skillfully crafted stone table sat the new leader of the local underworld. Slumped slightly in his seat with a heavy warmace resting in his lap sat Vincent Redfield, the newly appointed leader of the organized crime syndicate that was once known as The Organization. He squinted his eyes as he looked at the robed man and with a quick wave of his hand he demanded to know his business here.

The robed man threw back his hood and revealed himself.

"Moraine DiGoraz", the new underworld boss spoke softly. "Speak, what is your business here?"

"Gotten quite accustomed 'ere me sees... nay took ye long ter get settled ey?" was Moraine's reply as he glanced around the room. Slightly grinning as he glanced past the new faces that were looking at him in slight disbelief at his daring insolence. Were none to ever speak to Kazuo in this manner, Redfield's patience was known to be alot less and had this individual not been known to Redfield, he would surely have been struck down already.

"You are trying my patience, mister DiGoraz, and you should know that such thing would not be wise lest it turn into your unfortunately untimely demise." was a reaction Moraine normally would have gotten from Kazuo. But not Vincent Redfield, he just smirked and glared at the man. Vince was a man of few words compared to Kazuo. Few words but an alot more violent temper.

The new boss composed himself and kept a fixed glare at Moraine.
"I ask you one more time, what is your business here and you had best not waste my time!".
Moraine was not a trained warrior. He knew he had best made his point now or he would not leave the room unharmed. As he took a sealed letter out of his sleeve, his turned a grim face towards Vince and took a breath before he slowly approached the new boss and threw the letter on the stone table.

Moraine took a seat in front of Vince and folded his hands together.
"Whatever ye think yer knows 'bout the Organization... yer knows naught..."
and with those words Moraine nodded towards the letter he had just thrown on the table. As Vince looked at the letter he noticed the seal was Kazuo Shinrai's personal seal and frowned as he looked back at Moraine.

Moraine got slightly more comfortable his seat. He then slightly leaned back and started his tale. All the while the rest of the room remained silent, listening to what the man had to say.

Like meh said, what ye thinks yer knows 'bout Organization, ye'd best ferget ey!
This 'cause the Organization died with ter demise o' ole Kazuo.

There ne'er were any senior pa'tne's ey! The big boss o' the Organization was the ole man 'imself.  Heh an' now meh sees yer thinkin'! The big question ey! The big Why!?

Moraine grinned widely.

The ole man had yer all fooled.  T'all was a clever ruse ter keep ye all in check ye see? A form o' control 'e had ove' yer all! As with higher powers protectin' 'im none o' yer would ever try ter put somethin' over on 'im. An' it worked too!

The Organization started an' ended with the ole man. An' now it's up ter ye ter keep 'is work alive an' goin''!

A quick look around the room showed people trying to mask their surprise and disbelieve by a stoic glare. Moraine delighted in his and continued his tale.

Now ter answer some o' yer questions...
The higher pa'tners ye met.  Why ye got picked. The people ole Shinrai answered ter an' as ye may be askin' yerself... Moraine's pa't in it all!

After another look around the room, Moraine continued his story. It became obvious that his role in this all was not as unsignificant as everyone originally thought. Clearly there was alot more to this man than anyone would have ever credited him for.

Ye were due fer a promotion in the ole man's Organization an' aye, it was Moraine who made it clear ter people tha' yerself was a suitable choice ter be 'is successor.

Kazuo would've made ye 'is right 'and. The one ter take care o' business in 'is absence. We 'ad long talks 'bout this ye ey! Yer a bit young, aye. Also ye nay 'ave the wits like the ole man 'ad. But yer knows 'ow ter get things done. An' yer temper an' skill in the ma'tial arts be most decent qualities ter match yer current position ey!

Heh, the highe' pa'tners? They be people Kazuo 'ad ter answer ter. They be workin' fer Kazuo once. Oh aye, back when the ole man was a trade minister in Tokuno. With them Kotodama. But blades crossed an' t'ere was indeed quite a bit o' bad blood. But the ole man knew little o' this because Moraine 'ad covered 'is tracks well!
The ole man 'ad planned ter wipe t'em out alas... 'is plan ter conve't them ter take down their own nay quite worked... it still seems tha' honour be best bought with gold. As fer them adressin' ye as if them was the highe' pa'tners an' appointin' yer ter t'is position, tha' was Moraine's plan too!

For a moment, the realisation of Moraine's betrayal wanted Vince to order his men to strike down Moraine right then and there but logic stopped him. After pulling off a scheme of this magnitude, surely the old pirate would not be that stupid as to come to Vince alone without some sort of insurance. Redfield then realized something else. Another player whose name had not yet been mentioned. He tilted his head slightly and softly asked. "And the samurai?". Moraine grinned slightly. "As fas as 'e knows, ye be Kazuo's rightful successo'. But Kasei was ne'er affiliated with the Organization ey! The samurai followed Kazuo, nay one else. But with the right tactics, 'e just may follow ye as well!".

The new boss nodded slightly. He then grabbed his warmace, stood up and pointed it at Moraine. "And what is it that you want from me?" Moraine grinned.
"Naught... meh jus' thought it be time fer leade'ship change ey! Besides, the ole man an' Moraine 'ad a score ter settle. This be settled now ey. Moraine nay got no beef with yer. Heh, if ye wants, ye can even use Moraine's services as an advisor."

"You seem to be well connected...", Vince responded, "I may benefit from having you working for me... but I shall be keeping an eye on you!"

"O'course! Moraine would expect nay less! But ye keep in mind tha' Moraine be self employed ey! Moraine merely advice, nay take orders!". With that Moraine put his hood back on, slowly get up and left the room. Vince Redfield still had a look of disbelief over him. One thing was for sure though. Kazuo's Organization was his now and weither he would keep the Organization in tact to honour his former boss or turn it into his own crime syndicate was entirely up to him. He was now the new boss of the Covian underworld.

[Moraine DiGoraz]

A few days later, this statue was seen at an undisclosed location.
On the plaque was a rather unusual inscription.

"With the passing of the old man, his Organization would soon fade.
   It is up to those who have remained loyal, to never let this happen.