Thieves are some of the most elusive figures in Jarkkas. The city is almost held up solely by the criminal underworld. Though from the outside Jarkkas is the multi-millionaire's wet dream with the upper layers being peppered with five star resorts, travel centres, amusement parks, and gourmet restaurants. But the real strong arm of this less than perfect city is the shady dealings done every waking moment by the “Less-Fortunates” as the upper class refers to them.
To the lower classes the upper layers and those who reside there are considered a scourge that they have no choice but to cater to just to survive. The city is broken into thousands of layers that span hundreds of miles across and below the surface of the planet. To some Jarkkas has become their final vestige. The last place to scrape their lives together before ultimately laying down to die before their pseudo tyrants of the upper class. The thieves of Jarkkas are those of us who refuse this ending. Those of us who believe that they shouldn't bow down to those who don’t earn their keep. They are the ones who plan to destroy the vicious feedback loop their oppressors have created.
Layer 6,789, only a few hundred layers from the ‘foundations’ of the city. Titus pushes his way through a crowd of tightly packed denizens, They stand in an oblong circle ogling at something that Titus can’t quite make out. The young man finally breaches the seemingly endless swarm to find a Judicator ‘executing their right to order’ on his childhood friend, Nata, in the middle of the Dark Market Square. Titus nearly draws his dagger hidden beneath his tattered leather trench coat before a denizen grasps his shoulder and bows their head at him. The Judicator stood above Nata, his jointed armored hand clasped around her throat, he lifts her into the air and draws his stun baton with his free hand.
The Judicator garbles something through distorted speech and raises his weapon to strike the defenseless girl. Before the Judicator could land the blow a loud sound rang out through the square, something that sounded like a cross between a clap and a pop. Just then the Judicators hand released Nata as he crumbled to the floor, his pained and laboured breaths amplified by his speech distorter. The square falls silent all but the garbled heaving of the now dying Judicator, a hooded figure jumps down from a nearby ledge rolling upon impact, just as quickly as he arrived he grabs the judicator by his pauldrons and dragged him into a nearby nook, the sound of metal scraping against concrete was almost as loud as his screams of terror and defiance.
Once the square begins bustling again Titus rushes over to Nata his boots scraping on the ground as he slows his approach,he kneels down next to Nata his hands hovering over her motionless body, he begins muttering quietly “A-are you okay?” He manages to choke out between anxiety ridden breaths. He cups her head in his right hand and lifts it slightly off of the ground before snapping his fingers over her head. “H-hey?” Titus murmurs, Nata’s head rolled around in the palm of Titus’ hand before she mutters “You’re being too loud Verdammt.” She slowly shifts her weight upwards and uses her hands to push herself into a sitting position. “What did you do this time!?” Titus explodes, Nata’s expression is nearly blank as she's used to his emotional outbursts. “He caught me trying to klep a tourist's purse.” She retorts coldly. Titus stands up and sighs loudly. “I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t do this shit anymore!” Titus shouts, loudly enough for it to reverberate in the square.
Nata looks up at Titus and holds up her hand mocking Titus’ tantrum “And i thought we agreed you weren't my father” Nata replies whilst holding out her hand towards Titus. Titus reaches down to help Nata up, their hands clasp together and Titus helps Nata onto her feet. She stumbles slightly as she stands bobbing slightly, clearly still shaken from her beating. Titus and Nata slowly make their way to their hideout. The paths are bustling with people from all directions, chatter of indistinct words hum throughout the metallic innerworkings, Titus’ thoughts shift to the Judicator.
He ponders the strange sound and the figure who disposed of the dying man. Just then a man in tattered baggy clothing walks past Titus banging shoulders as he does, Titus looks back at the man, the man only waves his hand apologetically and continues on. Thinking nothing of it Titus and Nata continue a ways through the artificially lit
winding corridors. Titus and Nata arrive at a noodle shop nestled tightly in the wall of a corridor. “Hey Henry” Titus says, pushing through the cloth draped halfway down the doorway. A large man looks up as the duo enter the dining area “So I see that the young one has gotten herself into a bit of trouble again.” His voice is deep and gravely, a thick slavic accent can be heard in the man's words as he speaks. “If only it were just that this time, She got attacked by a Judicator.” Titus responds quietly. Henry's eyes widened slightly before speaking “Judicators? This deep? There has to be more of a reason they are here than a petty thief such as little Nata here.” he answers as he waves a ladle around in Nata’s direction. “Well whatever that reason is means that shits’ gonna’ to tighten up around here.” Titus retorts matter-of-factly
“That may be true, though it does make one wonder. Does she need help?” Henry questions. Nata pipes up whilst leaning on titus’ shoulder, her voice weak and hoarse. “I just need rest, and besides we don't need to owe Janis any more favors.”