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47. Dr. Lloyd Wyman M.D
Relaxing in the warm amber glow of control lamps that were all showing full operationality, Captain Sraer felt as good as ever. He was sipping on a nippled bottle of Divinia Rootbeer and listening to ambient/trance music, while hurtling his Behemoth XC loaded with luxuries through grey space. He always made sure before leaving station that his computer was updated with the newest information about pirates’ hideouts and killing grounds; today was no exception. He had logged the location of the two pirates he feared most into his route, avoiding them completely. And the one pirate he didn't fear at all blocked the last wormhole. He loved flying past this particular pirate, his membership of ITAN and high Itani standing made him impervious to the attacks from the pirate's ship, and so he had not been hurt at all ever when encountering her. Today would be the 56th run past Azumi, and as usual he would wave and thumb his nose at her while watching her fume with anger but unable to hurt him at all. He smiled as he entered the jump sequence and activated the jump engines towards Sedina B-8. Sure enough, her pink Rev C boosted towards him like a missile. He grinned; this was going to be fun.
Azumi: Filthy-rich trade guild member, stop your engines at once or I shoot. You must pay a fee of 300.000 or release your cargoes. 3. 2. 1.
He chuckled and thought about just ignoring it. Nah, where's the fun in that?
->Azumi: Hi Azumi. I don't think so, but you can shoot all you want.
He twisted the XC and presented the less armoured underside to the Rev C without turning away from the course towards the wormhole. "That'll piss her off major" he thought.
His next awake thought was back in Jallik when he woke up after the medical team of Miracle Outpost had resurrected him from his pod. And that thought was about how right he had been.
###
Azumi saw the XC turn the belly towards her and did what she had threatened. The extremely light armour of the XC disintegrated under the fusillade of accelerated protons that punched fist sized holes all the way through the ship. Fifteen shots or three seconds of continuous firing later and the XC exploded. It had been a slow day so far but killing Sraer in an XC was precisely what she needed for the party tonight. She called in the location of the liberated cargo and waited for the CLM hauler to arrive. She glanced at her watch and sighed. Merely two hours left and she had only killed Sraer on this watch, not any real traders. She wished for a TGFT or a PA member, or even the Holy Grail amongst pirates, an SSC member. That Xang Xi convoy that was inbound for the wormhole would have to do for now. She hit the boost button and accelerated at 5G's towards the convoy grinning all the way. They would never know what hit them.
###
She should have been at the wormhole between Dau and Nyrius where a convoy of two Moth XC's belonging to PickAxePete and Fluffy flew through towards Dau K-10, with an escort of two Valkyrie X-1's piloted by Mor Isil and Buzz. The moths docked and the crates were taken directly to Waldoze. The conspiracy was underway; the brothers in crime were ready.
###
Hortan woke in his room, the nasty dream disappearing as dew before the sun at equator. He got dressed and bounced down for breakfast, pancakes as usual, before dragging his feet down to Dr. Wyman for his weekly session. His mood dropped like a rock inside a super-massive black hole's gravity well as he entered the office, everything inside conspiring to drag his spirits down; the many synth leather-bound books on the imitated teak synth wood shelves, the brown and dark beige walls, the synth wood and synth leather furniture and the many diplomas on the wall framed in gold. But what made Hortan's mood drop the most was Dr. Wyman wearing his half glasses, leaning back in his chair with the notebook containing Hortan's stories in his suede pant covered lap. He looked up over the glasses when Hortan came in.
"Ah, right on time Hortan. I thought that today would be a good time to review what we have discussed, hmm?"
Hortan's already low mood dropped considerably. He had no real wish to go through all that again.
"I guess if you say so Sir."
"It is quite an interesting case you have young man. I am thinking about writing a paper regarding your illness. You will be anonymous naturally, and it just might land me a position with the Psychiatrists department in Dau senate. So, shall we start?"
He pointed with open hand to the heavy chair in front of the desk. Hortan sat and made himself as comfortable as he could.
"So, last time we talked about those roids that you have given girls names, and the breasts of a person named Buzz."
Hortan flinched at that last name.
"I see you have a reaction to that name?"
"Well, Buzz doesn't really have breasts anymore Sir, he has lost those and gained horns and long nasty fangs instead."
Wyman frowned at Hortan and started jotting into his notebook.
"Oh, and he had goat’s legs and fur all over and a long curly beard."
"I see, a bit like old images of devils? Is Buzz your demon Hortan?"
Wyman leaned forward in his chair; he might be at the root to all Hortan's problems here.
"Yes, I mean no he is not Sir, he is just Buzz I guess. But he sure looked like a demon now you say it. But it was dark and I can't really remember."
"So last time we were talking about your roids you were mentioning that you could call one of them Buzz."
Hortan actually smiled at that and then frowned and looked into the floor.
"I would never do that doc, they would never accept that. Maybe I could call one of them Azumi instead."
He looked straight at the psychiatrist and smiled a broad smile.
"Azumi you say. Is that a real girl you have met?"
"Yeah, she is really special."
Wyman scribbled some lines in his journal before noticing that Hortan was not going to say more and looked up at him again.
"Is it a girl that you are dating or are planning to date or even that you would like to date?"
Hortan blushed deeply and looked down to the floor.
"I guess I would like to doc, she is always so nice to me in a special way you know? But she said that we cannot meet because it is too dangerous for her and her friends."
"I see, and what does this sweet young girl do for a living, where does she live?"
Wyman had a plan hatching in one side of his brain. Maybe he could get this girl to confront Hortan in his office and see the response. He could probably charter a flight from TGFT that could get her here and return her the same day. It couldn't be that much of an expense, besides he would just send the bill to Surbius.
"She lives in Latos and is one of the councillors in CLM."
"Yes yes, Latos hmm? That is not a place for a young girl I think; and what does she do in that organisation?
"She is a pirate Sir."
Wyman mentally crunched his plan and sighed extremely deeply inside. Every time he sensed a plan, reality crushed it.
"I see. Back to square one, eh Hortan? I'll recommend you for another month's of the same medication and some better Lithium carbonate, a new formula that is more efficient. I'll see you in a week, okay?"
Relaxing in the warm amber glow of control lamps that were all showing full operationality, Captain Sraer felt as good as ever. He was sipping on a nippled bottle of Divinia Rootbeer and listening to ambient/trance music, while hurtling his Behemoth XC loaded with luxuries through grey space. He always made sure before leaving station that his computer was updated with the newest information about pirates’ hideouts and killing grounds; today was no exception. He had logged the location of the two pirates he feared most into his route, avoiding them completely. And the one pirate he didn't fear at all blocked the last wormhole. He loved flying past this particular pirate, his membership of ITAN and high Itani standing made him impervious to the attacks from the pirate's ship, and so he had not been hurt at all ever when encountering her. Today would be the 56th run past Azumi, and as usual he would wave and thumb his nose at her while watching her fume with anger but unable to hurt him at all. He smiled as he entered the jump sequence and activated the jump engines towards Sedina B-8. Sure enough, her pink Rev C boosted towards him like a missile. He grinned; this was going to be fun.
Azumi: Filthy-rich trade guild member, stop your engines at once or I shoot. You must pay a fee of 300.000 or release your cargoes. 3. 2. 1.
He chuckled and thought about just ignoring it. Nah, where's the fun in that?
->Azumi: Hi Azumi. I don't think so, but you can shoot all you want.
He twisted the XC and presented the less armoured underside to the Rev C without turning away from the course towards the wormhole. "That'll piss her off major" he thought.
His next awake thought was back in Jallik when he woke up after the medical team of Miracle Outpost had resurrected him from his pod. And that thought was about how right he had been.
###
Azumi saw the XC turn the belly towards her and did what she had threatened. The extremely light armour of the XC disintegrated under the fusillade of accelerated protons that punched fist sized holes all the way through the ship. Fifteen shots or three seconds of continuous firing later and the XC exploded. It had been a slow day so far but killing Sraer in an XC was precisely what she needed for the party tonight. She called in the location of the liberated cargo and waited for the CLM hauler to arrive. She glanced at her watch and sighed. Merely two hours left and she had only killed Sraer on this watch, not any real traders. She wished for a TGFT or a PA member, or even the Holy Grail amongst pirates, an SSC member. That Xang Xi convoy that was inbound for the wormhole would have to do for now. She hit the boost button and accelerated at 5G's towards the convoy grinning all the way. They would never know what hit them.
###
She should have been at the wormhole between Dau and Nyrius where a convoy of two Moth XC's belonging to PickAxePete and Fluffy flew through towards Dau K-10, with an escort of two Valkyrie X-1's piloted by Mor Isil and Buzz. The moths docked and the crates were taken directly to Waldoze. The conspiracy was underway; the brothers in crime were ready.
###
Hortan woke in his room, the nasty dream disappearing as dew before the sun at equator. He got dressed and bounced down for breakfast, pancakes as usual, before dragging his feet down to Dr. Wyman for his weekly session. His mood dropped like a rock inside a super-massive black hole's gravity well as he entered the office, everything inside conspiring to drag his spirits down; the many synth leather-bound books on the imitated teak synth wood shelves, the brown and dark beige walls, the synth wood and synth leather furniture and the many diplomas on the wall framed in gold. But what made Hortan's mood drop the most was Dr. Wyman wearing his half glasses, leaning back in his chair with the notebook containing Hortan's stories in his suede pant covered lap. He looked up over the glasses when Hortan came in.
"Ah, right on time Hortan. I thought that today would be a good time to review what we have discussed, hmm?"
Hortan's already low mood dropped considerably. He had no real wish to go through all that again.
"I guess if you say so Sir."
"It is quite an interesting case you have young man. I am thinking about writing a paper regarding your illness. You will be anonymous naturally, and it just might land me a position with the Psychiatrists department in Dau senate. So, shall we start?"
He pointed with open hand to the heavy chair in front of the desk. Hortan sat and made himself as comfortable as he could.
"So, last time we talked about those roids that you have given girls names, and the breasts of a person named Buzz."
Hortan flinched at that last name.
"I see you have a reaction to that name?"
"Well, Buzz doesn't really have breasts anymore Sir, he has lost those and gained horns and long nasty fangs instead."
Wyman frowned at Hortan and started jotting into his notebook.
"Oh, and he had goat’s legs and fur all over and a long curly beard."
"I see, a bit like old images of devils? Is Buzz your demon Hortan?"
Wyman leaned forward in his chair; he might be at the root to all Hortan's problems here.
"Yes, I mean no he is not Sir, he is just Buzz I guess. But he sure looked like a demon now you say it. But it was dark and I can't really remember."
"So last time we were talking about your roids you were mentioning that you could call one of them Buzz."
Hortan actually smiled at that and then frowned and looked into the floor.
"I would never do that doc, they would never accept that. Maybe I could call one of them Azumi instead."
He looked straight at the psychiatrist and smiled a broad smile.
"Azumi you say. Is that a real girl you have met?"
"Yeah, she is really special."
Wyman scribbled some lines in his journal before noticing that Hortan was not going to say more and looked up at him again.
"Is it a girl that you are dating or are planning to date or even that you would like to date?"
Hortan blushed deeply and looked down to the floor.
"I guess I would like to doc, she is always so nice to me in a special way you know? But she said that we cannot meet because it is too dangerous for her and her friends."
"I see, and what does this sweet young girl do for a living, where does she live?"
Wyman had a plan hatching in one side of his brain. Maybe he could get this girl to confront Hortan in his office and see the response. He could probably charter a flight from TGFT that could get her here and return her the same day. It couldn't be that much of an expense, besides he would just send the bill to Surbius.
"She lives in Latos and is one of the councillors in CLM."
"Yes yes, Latos hmm? That is not a place for a young girl I think; and what does she do in that organisation?
"She is a pirate Sir."
Wyman mentally crunched his plan and sighed extremely deeply inside. Every time he sensed a plan, reality crushed it.
"I see. Back to square one, eh Hortan? I'll recommend you for another month's of the same medication and some better Lithium carbonate, a new formula that is more efficient. I'll see you in a week, okay?"
Yay! My XC is gone! Hooray for Azumi!
*cough*
*cough*
48. A pretty girl is like a...
The scent of roses permeated the recycled air of the residential quarters of Dau K-10 and not the cheap synthetic version from the chemical foundries of Nyrius. This was the real smell of fresh Eo high quality prime cut roses. The scent emanated from the thousands of flowers that were placed outside of one small apartment with the nametag "M. Lockhill". A single person was standing in the middle of the roses easily recognised by the bushy eyebrows, huge moustache, hulking body and immaculate dark green uniform; Waldoze. He nodded to Buzz who were sitting out of sight from the door and pressed the door button. At the same time Buzz hit the enter button on his portable discotheque and played the tune he had found with the help of Hortan's massive collection of old Earth music. Old crackling music with a male singer that almost drowned in static noise but still audible.
"I have and ear for music, And I have an eye for a maid..”
The tune went on and Waldoze gave the thumbs up to Buzz before concentrating on the door in front of him. Nothing happened, the tune went on through the first part and was almost through the chorus when a door further down opened and a young girl peered out. Waldoze had seen her before on the commercial plaza standing next to Melody. He flinched but managed to nod to her and she smiled cautiously back. She turned and waved to someone inside. The chorus ended and the second verse started making Waldoze extremely nervous.
"A pretty girl is like a melody, That haunts you day and night..."
This had to work now or fail miserably. The door opened to the last half of the verse:
"You can't escape she's in your memory, By morning night and noon..."
Melody peered out; her make-up slightly messed up but dressed in a pretty white summer dress. She looked at Waldoze with loads of resentment but that faded a bit when he struck to his knees at the end of the song, singing along in his very deep voice.
"She will leave you and then come back again, A pretty girl is just like a pretty tune."
The hardness in her eyes faded slowly and when she peered down the corridor to her by now two friends that looked out of their door with giant smiles on their faces, it almost disappeared. When they noticed her looking they made shooing motions with their hands and nodded eagerly. She looked back at Waldoze who were looking up at her.
"Melody, gorgeous, I am miserable without you. I know I was a fool, but can't you just forgive me?"
She was almost swayed and this is where Waldoze pulled the coup de grace. From his belt pouch he pulled a small black box up and presented it to her, opening it slowly. Inside was a gold necklace with a single diamond shaped like a rose. She smiled and threw herself around his neck.
"Oh Honeybunny I have missed you too."
The two girlfriends looked at each other and hugged too. Melody grabbed Waldoze by the hand and tore him inside; that was the last they saw of him that day.
###
After helping his friend get the many crates of Roses, Fluffy steered his Moth towards the wormhole at Azek. He had a mission to deliver fifty crates of medical supplies to Remley Orbital that he would do free of charge for the guild. The medical supplies were essential and needed to be delivered within a very strict time limit. He decided to chance it and jumped across Azek directly to the wormhole nexus to Latos. He breathed out slowly, that had been a chance, but he cut about a minute off his time. He entered the wormhole to Latos and was hailed immediately.
Mephostopholes: Pay me 50.000 credits to pass this wormhole or eat hard vacuum. Thank you, Come again.
Fluffy ignored the hail and boosted at full power towards the 3k mark while keeping an eye on the radar. Mephostopholes kept on closing and Fluffy decided that he wouldn't make it on a straight run. He turned the overdrive off and flipped his ship around so it faced the incoming Corvus Vulturius that was boosting as fast as it could towards him. When the smaller ship was about 400 metres away it fired the neutron guns that were mounted one on each wing. The neutrons tore a pattern of destruction across the moth's front but drained the powercell on the Vulture. The shooting diminished to single shots, and that was the time Fluffy triggered the twin CHAOS swarm of homing missiles towards the light fighter and cringed when he saw the sixteen explosions envelop the ship. Knowing that it would not kill or even deter the pirate, Fluffy triggered another flight and then another watching the complete inferno that covered the ship in flames and debris before turning the Vulture into a hulk. Without flipping back Fluffy hit the 3k mark and pushed the jump button, leaving the pirate to the rescue services. The exit point was supposed to be just outside Remley Orbital but the Ion storm that was covering the roid field halfway there, wrestled his ship out of the express route and directly into the soup of ions that also had the unfortunate side effect that his systems only reached 500 metres. He checked his ammunition level and cursed, only two flights of sixteen missiles. Fluffy wished for an empty sector and punched the ID list up. No such luck, Orne guardians, TyCorps Assaults and one surprise, Azumi. He turned his ship towards the safe exit point and boosted for it. Two bleeps appeared on his screen, a set of assault bots. He turned and fired a ripple of missiles into the first one, exploding it. The second bot stayed outside of effective missile range and was soon joined by a new assault bot. Knowing that he could not kill two bots with one ripple of missiles and that he would not be able to outrun them, he decided that his cargo was more important than his pride. He opened a link to the piratess.
###
Note: The song is stolen from: A Pretty Girl Is like a Melody by Irving Berlin
The scent of roses permeated the recycled air of the residential quarters of Dau K-10 and not the cheap synthetic version from the chemical foundries of Nyrius. This was the real smell of fresh Eo high quality prime cut roses. The scent emanated from the thousands of flowers that were placed outside of one small apartment with the nametag "M. Lockhill". A single person was standing in the middle of the roses easily recognised by the bushy eyebrows, huge moustache, hulking body and immaculate dark green uniform; Waldoze. He nodded to Buzz who were sitting out of sight from the door and pressed the door button. At the same time Buzz hit the enter button on his portable discotheque and played the tune he had found with the help of Hortan's massive collection of old Earth music. Old crackling music with a male singer that almost drowned in static noise but still audible.
"I have and ear for music, And I have an eye for a maid..”
The tune went on and Waldoze gave the thumbs up to Buzz before concentrating on the door in front of him. Nothing happened, the tune went on through the first part and was almost through the chorus when a door further down opened and a young girl peered out. Waldoze had seen her before on the commercial plaza standing next to Melody. He flinched but managed to nod to her and she smiled cautiously back. She turned and waved to someone inside. The chorus ended and the second verse started making Waldoze extremely nervous.
"A pretty girl is like a melody, That haunts you day and night..."
This had to work now or fail miserably. The door opened to the last half of the verse:
"You can't escape she's in your memory, By morning night and noon..."
Melody peered out; her make-up slightly messed up but dressed in a pretty white summer dress. She looked at Waldoze with loads of resentment but that faded a bit when he struck to his knees at the end of the song, singing along in his very deep voice.
"She will leave you and then come back again, A pretty girl is just like a pretty tune."
The hardness in her eyes faded slowly and when she peered down the corridor to her by now two friends that looked out of their door with giant smiles on their faces, it almost disappeared. When they noticed her looking they made shooing motions with their hands and nodded eagerly. She looked back at Waldoze who were looking up at her.
"Melody, gorgeous, I am miserable without you. I know I was a fool, but can't you just forgive me?"
She was almost swayed and this is where Waldoze pulled the coup de grace. From his belt pouch he pulled a small black box up and presented it to her, opening it slowly. Inside was a gold necklace with a single diamond shaped like a rose. She smiled and threw herself around his neck.
"Oh Honeybunny I have missed you too."
The two girlfriends looked at each other and hugged too. Melody grabbed Waldoze by the hand and tore him inside; that was the last they saw of him that day.
###
After helping his friend get the many crates of Roses, Fluffy steered his Moth towards the wormhole at Azek. He had a mission to deliver fifty crates of medical supplies to Remley Orbital that he would do free of charge for the guild. The medical supplies were essential and needed to be delivered within a very strict time limit. He decided to chance it and jumped across Azek directly to the wormhole nexus to Latos. He breathed out slowly, that had been a chance, but he cut about a minute off his time. He entered the wormhole to Latos and was hailed immediately.
Mephostopholes: Pay me 50.000 credits to pass this wormhole or eat hard vacuum. Thank you, Come again.
Fluffy ignored the hail and boosted at full power towards the 3k mark while keeping an eye on the radar. Mephostopholes kept on closing and Fluffy decided that he wouldn't make it on a straight run. He turned the overdrive off and flipped his ship around so it faced the incoming Corvus Vulturius that was boosting as fast as it could towards him. When the smaller ship was about 400 metres away it fired the neutron guns that were mounted one on each wing. The neutrons tore a pattern of destruction across the moth's front but drained the powercell on the Vulture. The shooting diminished to single shots, and that was the time Fluffy triggered the twin CHAOS swarm of homing missiles towards the light fighter and cringed when he saw the sixteen explosions envelop the ship. Knowing that it would not kill or even deter the pirate, Fluffy triggered another flight and then another watching the complete inferno that covered the ship in flames and debris before turning the Vulture into a hulk. Without flipping back Fluffy hit the 3k mark and pushed the jump button, leaving the pirate to the rescue services. The exit point was supposed to be just outside Remley Orbital but the Ion storm that was covering the roid field halfway there, wrestled his ship out of the express route and directly into the soup of ions that also had the unfortunate side effect that his systems only reached 500 metres. He checked his ammunition level and cursed, only two flights of sixteen missiles. Fluffy wished for an empty sector and punched the ID list up. No such luck, Orne guardians, TyCorps Assaults and one surprise, Azumi. He turned his ship towards the safe exit point and boosted for it. Two bleeps appeared on his screen, a set of assault bots. He turned and fired a ripple of missiles into the first one, exploding it. The second bot stayed outside of effective missile range and was soon joined by a new assault bot. Knowing that he could not kill two bots with one ripple of missiles and that he would not be able to outrun them, he decided that his cargo was more important than his pride. He opened a link to the piratess.
###
Note: The song is stolen from: A Pretty Girl Is like a Melody by Irving Berlin
49. An indecent proposal
The ion storm was not really helping her in tracking the Moth that had avoided Mephstopholes, and the occasional scrap with a bot was only so satisfying. She lazily twisted the Rev C and avoided the neutron guns on the TyCorps before slicing the bot in two with a series of well-placed shots. She kept on scouting for the moth, it was reported to be a TGFT pilot and thus a very tasty target. An Orne came towards her and she just boosted away not deeming the armoured brute as worthy of her attention. Damn, only twenty minutes to go of her combat patrol and not any real chance to find this nice juicy trader. She boosted for the exit point, maybe she could ambush him at the Sedina/Latos wormhole. Her radio crackled:
"Azumi, desperate here. I need to get these medicals to Remley. I'll pay you good if you can help me. Almost anything, please."
"Define anything trader."
She could hear the strain in Fluffy's voice as he replied, no doubt due to trying to avoid the assault bot that was attempting to hammer its way through his armour and into his vitals. He would have to be truly desperate to beg like this.
"Money, a service. Please help me get this cargo away from the hive."
She smiled, this had potential.
"Sure trader, I'll come to you. Send your position and I'll kill the bots until you are away."
A position came on her recognised radar picture, only 1800 metres a way. She boosted hard and found the assault bot that had hammered the armour on Fluffy's moth. She fired a stream of protons through the bot and destroyed it. The other bot kept its focus on the Behemoth and that was its undoing. A set of well-placed bursts reduced it to so much scrap. She moved up close to the moth to provide the protection he needed. Another bot came hurtling through the storm and Azumi intercepted it halfway, twisting her ship in a slow spiral pattern that she knew nearly always defeated the tracking system on the hive bots, while pouring protons at the bot. Another bot exploded and Azumi returned to the side of the moth. They flew in formation until they were 600 metres away from the exit when Azumi's radio crackled again.
"I must say, you pirates do have some honour after all. For the people of Remley, I thank you. Now, how much do you want?"
Azumi smiled, she had an idea and just maybe this Fluffy was crazy enough to do it.
"I don't want money. I want a favour instead. Meet me in Latos Mining in four hours. Dress nice."
She could almost hear the hesitation on Fluffy's part. The exit point came closer, now only 50 metres away. She considered killing him if he jumped out without answering and readied her targeting grid.
"Ehm, sure. Later"
With that he jumped out and so did she, him to Remley Orbital and her to Latos mining to fix a couple of things.
###
Gramps was in a very good mood and walked down the corridor whistling an old tune to himself. It was slightly off-key but he could recognise it and that was his main goal. He turned down towards the offices of LL&S and walked straight in. The young attractive woman in the office ignored him completely while filing her nails and chattering away like a machine to someone unseen; Gramps suspected a two-way vidphone. He stayed still and waited, nothing could bring him out of the current good mood and the message he was here to deliver was worth any amount of waiting. The woman finished her nails and started to apply nail polish, methodically painting each nail and admire the result before deeming it was time to look up. Her voice changed from a normal voice to a high pitched nasal caricature of a female voice as she spoke, making Gramps smile even more.
"Welcome to Lector, Lecter and Shar, what can I do for you?"
"I need to see the lawyer that is handling the Melody Lockhill case. I have some information I think he needs."
The woman looked at Gramps with about as much loathing as if he was a condemned child molester before pushing two buttons on her screen. She pointed to a door to the left of her desk.
"Through there, Mr. Lector is waiting for you."
Gramps smiled at her as he walked past and towards the impressive looking door. He knocked and opened it, nodded to the lawyer inside and walked inside.
"Ole Gramps from the TGFT I assume?"
"Indeed Sir, and I am talking to Mr. Lector surely?"
The lawyer nodded and indicated a large comfortably looking chair in front of the desk.
"So, you have something for me?"
"Indeed I do Sir."
Gramps found the papers he had guarded since receiving them this afternoon and pushed them forward onto the table in front of him.
"The papers contain the withdrawal of the claim set forth by Ms. Lockhill herself. It seems that she would rather have the man than his money. I trust that the papers are in complete order and that the next step from you will be a formal withdrawal from the legal system here and in the Valent faction. Failure to do so by no later than tomorrow will result in a lawsuit from TGFT on the behalf of councillor Waldoze to ensure this."
Gramps smiled wide and leaned forward.
"I must say it has been a pleasure to deal with you trash. I expect that I won't have to hear from you again apart from the documents describing that you have withdrawn the case. Good day to you."
Without offering his hand Gramps got up and walked out of the office, head held high and in the best of spirits.
The ion storm was not really helping her in tracking the Moth that had avoided Mephstopholes, and the occasional scrap with a bot was only so satisfying. She lazily twisted the Rev C and avoided the neutron guns on the TyCorps before slicing the bot in two with a series of well-placed shots. She kept on scouting for the moth, it was reported to be a TGFT pilot and thus a very tasty target. An Orne came towards her and she just boosted away not deeming the armoured brute as worthy of her attention. Damn, only twenty minutes to go of her combat patrol and not any real chance to find this nice juicy trader. She boosted for the exit point, maybe she could ambush him at the Sedina/Latos wormhole. Her radio crackled:
"Azumi, desperate here. I need to get these medicals to Remley. I'll pay you good if you can help me. Almost anything, please."
"Define anything trader."
She could hear the strain in Fluffy's voice as he replied, no doubt due to trying to avoid the assault bot that was attempting to hammer its way through his armour and into his vitals. He would have to be truly desperate to beg like this.
"Money, a service. Please help me get this cargo away from the hive."
She smiled, this had potential.
"Sure trader, I'll come to you. Send your position and I'll kill the bots until you are away."
A position came on her recognised radar picture, only 1800 metres a way. She boosted hard and found the assault bot that had hammered the armour on Fluffy's moth. She fired a stream of protons through the bot and destroyed it. The other bot kept its focus on the Behemoth and that was its undoing. A set of well-placed bursts reduced it to so much scrap. She moved up close to the moth to provide the protection he needed. Another bot came hurtling through the storm and Azumi intercepted it halfway, twisting her ship in a slow spiral pattern that she knew nearly always defeated the tracking system on the hive bots, while pouring protons at the bot. Another bot exploded and Azumi returned to the side of the moth. They flew in formation until they were 600 metres away from the exit when Azumi's radio crackled again.
"I must say, you pirates do have some honour after all. For the people of Remley, I thank you. Now, how much do you want?"
Azumi smiled, she had an idea and just maybe this Fluffy was crazy enough to do it.
"I don't want money. I want a favour instead. Meet me in Latos Mining in four hours. Dress nice."
She could almost hear the hesitation on Fluffy's part. The exit point came closer, now only 50 metres away. She considered killing him if he jumped out without answering and readied her targeting grid.
"Ehm, sure. Later"
With that he jumped out and so did she, him to Remley Orbital and her to Latos mining to fix a couple of things.
###
Gramps was in a very good mood and walked down the corridor whistling an old tune to himself. It was slightly off-key but he could recognise it and that was his main goal. He turned down towards the offices of LL&S and walked straight in. The young attractive woman in the office ignored him completely while filing her nails and chattering away like a machine to someone unseen; Gramps suspected a two-way vidphone. He stayed still and waited, nothing could bring him out of the current good mood and the message he was here to deliver was worth any amount of waiting. The woman finished her nails and started to apply nail polish, methodically painting each nail and admire the result before deeming it was time to look up. Her voice changed from a normal voice to a high pitched nasal caricature of a female voice as she spoke, making Gramps smile even more.
"Welcome to Lector, Lecter and Shar, what can I do for you?"
"I need to see the lawyer that is handling the Melody Lockhill case. I have some information I think he needs."
The woman looked at Gramps with about as much loathing as if he was a condemned child molester before pushing two buttons on her screen. She pointed to a door to the left of her desk.
"Through there, Mr. Lector is waiting for you."
Gramps smiled at her as he walked past and towards the impressive looking door. He knocked and opened it, nodded to the lawyer inside and walked inside.
"Ole Gramps from the TGFT I assume?"
"Indeed Sir, and I am talking to Mr. Lector surely?"
The lawyer nodded and indicated a large comfortably looking chair in front of the desk.
"So, you have something for me?"
"Indeed I do Sir."
Gramps found the papers he had guarded since receiving them this afternoon and pushed them forward onto the table in front of him.
"The papers contain the withdrawal of the claim set forth by Ms. Lockhill herself. It seems that she would rather have the man than his money. I trust that the papers are in complete order and that the next step from you will be a formal withdrawal from the legal system here and in the Valent faction. Failure to do so by no later than tomorrow will result in a lawsuit from TGFT on the behalf of councillor Waldoze to ensure this."
Gramps smiled wide and leaned forward.
"I must say it has been a pleasure to deal with you trash. I expect that I won't have to hear from you again apart from the documents describing that you have withdrawn the case. Good day to you."
Without offering his hand Gramps got up and walked out of the office, head held high and in the best of spirits.
showed the dirty rotten scum!
50. A dilemma
Fluffy did not know what to do. After returning from Latos he had moved straight home to Dau and docked, allowing the dockhands to repair the damages from the many attacks he had endured traversing the ion storm inbound for Remley. He had made a promise but really didn't know if he could keep it. As a matter of fact, he didn't know if he were allowed by the TGFT charted. Wasn't it fraternising with the enemy? He needed some advice. He limped over and accessed the roster for today's missions and found the pilots that were in the station. Seemed like John Eldritch was eating breakfast and he was probably the right one to ask. He headed over to Soggy's pancakes and waffles cursing his buttock-graft that made him walk like a badly drawn version of Quasimodo all the way.
###
John had called Hortan and asked if he would join him for breakfast as he was on his way to his brand new heavy mining moth dubbed "The Queen". Even though he had just eaten he accepted; you could never get too many pancakes really. He joined John, Neagoth, Lambin, Pasquel and Ms Chi and started his usual attempt at world extinction of anything pancakie. The topic was naturally Waldoze and his newly re-found love-of-his-life Melody. The consensus was that they would give it another two weeks and then they would split again in a spectacular argument. Maybe continue the cycle of mutual love and hate for a while even before finding an acceptable level. When Fluffy limped over they nodded to him but continued talking among themselves.
"'Scuse me, I need to ask you a question John."
The group stopped talking and looked at Fluffy. This was unusual, Fluffy was rarely timid. Neagoth grinned, lifted his dark glasses up into his forehead, revealing the one green and one blue eyes he had implanted in honour of a long dead singer and pointed with his fork at him.
"Sure, you can ass a question, but no cheeky ones."
The group laughed except Hortan who didn't understand the joke. Fluffy smiled at Neagoth while taking one finger up and pulling down on his left eyelid.
"Right here buddy, right here. No, seriously I need a word John, please?"
John put his napkin down, nodded to Ms. Chi and got up.
"Sure Fluffy, let's walk."
They walked down to a table further in the restaurant and sat.
"So, spill the beans Fluff. What is the problem?"
"I have made a promise to someone that I am not sure I am able nor even allowed to keep."
John raised an eyebrow but didn't say a thing.
"I have...gosh. Okay, here goes. I did a run with pharmaceuticals to Remley, got in trouble and asked Azumi to help me. She did and wanted a favour in return."
John started smiling along with the raised eyebrows.
"And she is now expecting me in Latos Mining dressed nicely in around an hour."
"I fail to see what the problem is? I mean, so she wants a hot date with The Fluffy or something. No problem here mate, just make sure that you don't do anything that goes against your morals and I am sure you will be fine. Oh, and please don't tell Hortan buddy. Have fun and good luck."
John padded Fluffy on the shoulder and walked over to his pancakes again, a grin on his face showing that Fluffy was in trouble but okay.
Fluffy got up and limped out of the restaurant, waving to the crew as he passed and dragged himself to his rooms. He needed to change, the shorts and sleeveless shirt combined with flip-flops was probably outside of what Azumi defined as nice. He found the dress uniform and wormed into it, complete with all his mining ribbons, trade ribbons and the special TGFT ribbon for Successful Defence Against Pirates with the C on top of it for 100 kills. He looked in the mirror and was satisfied. Maybe not as flashy as John, maybe not as impressive as Dozer, maybe not as clear-cut as Surbius, but still looking pretty good. He picked a blonde wig and placed it on his head. There, it couldn't get any better now. He walked down to his Atlas TPG X special edition and launched for Latos Mining. He arrived without problems, docked his ship and sat himself in the dock area and waited for Azumi steeling himself for the encounter with some Helio Mists from his hip flask.
On the hour a pink Warthog Mk II trainer version docked at a breakneck speed, actually making a turn with full thrusters inside the dock. To the sound of super heated metal cooling, the canopy gull wings opened and Azumi jumped out. Fluffy managed to swallow some of the whisky into his windpipe and started coughing like as if he had tuberculosis. He had only seen Azumi once before, and that had been in a very intoxicated state in a dark room where she had been escorted by several pirates that definitely had taken some of his attention away. Not so this time. Azumi had dressed in a long black armless flowing dress that swirled around her feet like a lovesick puppy yet managing to avoid hindering her movement in the slightest, complemented by a jade green necklace with an obscenely large blood-red gemstone that matched her make-up. A pair of long black gloves that were adorned with red and green semi-precious stones in two swirling lines from her slender wrists to her elbows seemed to lead directly to her raven-black hair that was kept in place by a silver net with the same kind of stones as the ones on her gloves. She smiled at Fluffy and twirled, her hands out from her sides and showing her naked back where her second tattoo dominated. She grinned mischievously at him after showing off and walked over.
"You can breathe now, otherwise you'll faint and then you won't be of much use."
Fluffy realised that he had held his breath for more than a minute, actually the whole time he had looked at the piratess. He took a deep breath and even remembered to close his mouth. He got up and bowed formally for her, showing that he would vacate the chair for her if needed, even if his ass hurt like ever. She smiled coyly at him and shook her head. He looked somewhat confused at her and was about to ask her something when she put her left index finger on his lips.
"I am going to a party, and I want you to join me."
Fluffy was speechless, what could this Goddess possibly want him for?
"Relax, it is not as you think dear. I need you for a little gimmick. It won't hurt at all and you might even have fun if you are the least curious and flexible."
She opened her right hand and a long silver chain fell from it. She then explained her idea, which Fluffy hardly heard and merely nodded his agreement to. At this stage he would have agreed to just about anything.
Fluffy did not know what to do. After returning from Latos he had moved straight home to Dau and docked, allowing the dockhands to repair the damages from the many attacks he had endured traversing the ion storm inbound for Remley. He had made a promise but really didn't know if he could keep it. As a matter of fact, he didn't know if he were allowed by the TGFT charted. Wasn't it fraternising with the enemy? He needed some advice. He limped over and accessed the roster for today's missions and found the pilots that were in the station. Seemed like John Eldritch was eating breakfast and he was probably the right one to ask. He headed over to Soggy's pancakes and waffles cursing his buttock-graft that made him walk like a badly drawn version of Quasimodo all the way.
###
John had called Hortan and asked if he would join him for breakfast as he was on his way to his brand new heavy mining moth dubbed "The Queen". Even though he had just eaten he accepted; you could never get too many pancakes really. He joined John, Neagoth, Lambin, Pasquel and Ms Chi and started his usual attempt at world extinction of anything pancakie. The topic was naturally Waldoze and his newly re-found love-of-his-life Melody. The consensus was that they would give it another two weeks and then they would split again in a spectacular argument. Maybe continue the cycle of mutual love and hate for a while even before finding an acceptable level. When Fluffy limped over they nodded to him but continued talking among themselves.
"'Scuse me, I need to ask you a question John."
The group stopped talking and looked at Fluffy. This was unusual, Fluffy was rarely timid. Neagoth grinned, lifted his dark glasses up into his forehead, revealing the one green and one blue eyes he had implanted in honour of a long dead singer and pointed with his fork at him.
"Sure, you can ass a question, but no cheeky ones."
The group laughed except Hortan who didn't understand the joke. Fluffy smiled at Neagoth while taking one finger up and pulling down on his left eyelid.
"Right here buddy, right here. No, seriously I need a word John, please?"
John put his napkin down, nodded to Ms. Chi and got up.
"Sure Fluffy, let's walk."
They walked down to a table further in the restaurant and sat.
"So, spill the beans Fluff. What is the problem?"
"I have made a promise to someone that I am not sure I am able nor even allowed to keep."
John raised an eyebrow but didn't say a thing.
"I have...gosh. Okay, here goes. I did a run with pharmaceuticals to Remley, got in trouble and asked Azumi to help me. She did and wanted a favour in return."
John started smiling along with the raised eyebrows.
"And she is now expecting me in Latos Mining dressed nicely in around an hour."
"I fail to see what the problem is? I mean, so she wants a hot date with The Fluffy or something. No problem here mate, just make sure that you don't do anything that goes against your morals and I am sure you will be fine. Oh, and please don't tell Hortan buddy. Have fun and good luck."
John padded Fluffy on the shoulder and walked over to his pancakes again, a grin on his face showing that Fluffy was in trouble but okay.
Fluffy got up and limped out of the restaurant, waving to the crew as he passed and dragged himself to his rooms. He needed to change, the shorts and sleeveless shirt combined with flip-flops was probably outside of what Azumi defined as nice. He found the dress uniform and wormed into it, complete with all his mining ribbons, trade ribbons and the special TGFT ribbon for Successful Defence Against Pirates with the C on top of it for 100 kills. He looked in the mirror and was satisfied. Maybe not as flashy as John, maybe not as impressive as Dozer, maybe not as clear-cut as Surbius, but still looking pretty good. He picked a blonde wig and placed it on his head. There, it couldn't get any better now. He walked down to his Atlas TPG X special edition and launched for Latos Mining. He arrived without problems, docked his ship and sat himself in the dock area and waited for Azumi steeling himself for the encounter with some Helio Mists from his hip flask.
On the hour a pink Warthog Mk II trainer version docked at a breakneck speed, actually making a turn with full thrusters inside the dock. To the sound of super heated metal cooling, the canopy gull wings opened and Azumi jumped out. Fluffy managed to swallow some of the whisky into his windpipe and started coughing like as if he had tuberculosis. He had only seen Azumi once before, and that had been in a very intoxicated state in a dark room where she had been escorted by several pirates that definitely had taken some of his attention away. Not so this time. Azumi had dressed in a long black armless flowing dress that swirled around her feet like a lovesick puppy yet managing to avoid hindering her movement in the slightest, complemented by a jade green necklace with an obscenely large blood-red gemstone that matched her make-up. A pair of long black gloves that were adorned with red and green semi-precious stones in two swirling lines from her slender wrists to her elbows seemed to lead directly to her raven-black hair that was kept in place by a silver net with the same kind of stones as the ones on her gloves. She smiled at Fluffy and twirled, her hands out from her sides and showing her naked back where her second tattoo dominated. She grinned mischievously at him after showing off and walked over.
"You can breathe now, otherwise you'll faint and then you won't be of much use."
Fluffy realised that he had held his breath for more than a minute, actually the whole time he had looked at the piratess. He took a deep breath and even remembered to close his mouth. He got up and bowed formally for her, showing that he would vacate the chair for her if needed, even if his ass hurt like ever. She smiled coyly at him and shook her head. He looked somewhat confused at her and was about to ask her something when she put her left index finger on his lips.
"I am going to a party, and I want you to join me."
Fluffy was speechless, what could this Goddess possibly want him for?
"Relax, it is not as you think dear. I need you for a little gimmick. It won't hurt at all and you might even have fun if you are the least curious and flexible."
She opened her right hand and a long silver chain fell from it. She then explained her idea, which Fluffy hardly heard and merely nodded his agreement to. At this stage he would have agreed to just about anything.
51. Curtain
CLM headquarters was a hive of restless energy with all the pirates making ready for the party that was due to take place in almost no time now. The main dining facility had been transformed from the bare metal bulkheads into a true pirates nest as imagined from Old Earth complete with lianas from the ceiling, granite chairs, parrots flying around, several large treasure chests standing around, some open and displaying gleaming metal beneath and crate upon crate of alcohol. Sharingan had been in charge of the decorations, a task that Mystic felt he could handle very well especially after he had decorated her own chambers some three months ago. Wittman and Lebermac had been supposed to help, but by some slip of mind Sharingan had asked Leebs to put the alcohol that Swag Man had supplied them with into coolers. Two hours later he and Wittman had decorated the room with a drunken pirate as well, complete with twin black eye-patches and an empty bottle of Teh Killa in his hand.
The pair of them was standing at the bar underneath the banner proclaiming "YARR, good ta have ya back Retard-tile" drinking a Dark Lady and nodding to the guests as they entered. Sharingan was dressed in all black silk with a crimson scarf around his head and a deadly looking scimitar from his black leather belt with brass buckle around the waist. Wittman was wearing a pair of brown leather pants with a white blouse crossed in front and back with a broad leather strap in which he kept a pair of flintlock pistols. A cutlass was hanging from his right side. His ears were pierced by several gold earrings and he had a fake scar across his cheek.
Look came staggering in with a genuine hook instead of a hand on his right arm and a prosthesis on the left that ended in a large mug already half full or half empty depending on your own personal view on life. He had brought Tramshed, Mephostopholes and Swag Man along, all of them intoxicated to some degree already. Swag Man dropped his cowboy hat on the bar, sat down and put one booted heel on the table. Tramshed walked over to the computer and entered a code changing the music to something that was vastly different from what had been before. The drums fired away as the pistons on an old style petrol engine going at max revs, heavy guitar and bass creating a cacophony of sound to complement the growler's deep voice. Sharingan walked over and looked at what Tramshed had entered; Dying Fetus - Homicidal Retribution. Sharingan turned to Tramshed and shouted.
"Man, this shit is heavy dude."
Tramshed replied by starting to throw his head up and down in rhythm to the drums and playing imaginary air guitar, actually very appropriate to the all black leather outfit with spikes he was wearing. Sharingan grinned at the others and walked back to the bar. The four of them looked at Tramshed as he tore all over the place, even using Leebs as dancing partner even if he never woke up to realise it. Swag Man slowly drank his beer, apparently unmoved by the music until it changed over to some country sounding heavy guitar riff. He put down his beer, got up, walked over to Tramshed and pushed him hard in the chest. Tramshed pushed back and for the next ten minutes they pushed each other around, fight-dancing to the music. Exhausted they wandered over to the bar where Mystic had joined them.
"So, who won?"
Tramshed and Swag Man looked at Mystic and were about to come with some smart-ass comment but decided against it. She radiated leadership as always and they respected her too much to do that. Tramshed grabbed a Dark Lady and turned to face her.
"Wasn't a fight Mystic, 'twas a dance."
"Oh, for a minute there I was worried. That must be the only dance where it is fortunate to have elbows and foreheads surely."
Tramshed grinned and looked back at Swag Man's new pretty blue eye that was an unfortunate result of a collision of Tram's elbow and a vicious Swag Man headbang. He had received several blows himself without noticing it making his ear bleed from a small tear on the top of it.
"Yeah, blows off steam and shows you that you're alive Myst."
Mystic raised her glass in salute to him and Swag Man. The mojito, heavy on the rum fitted her image very well; besides it tasted so very nice. The group started a talk about the best wormholes to camp and the best trade routes to intercept when Azumi made her entrée. The outfit she was wearing had the same effect on the male members as if a Trident light frigate had decided to dock in the bar; the conversation stopped and all attention was focused on her. Mystic half choked on her drink.
"What the hell is that Az?"
Mystic pointed to the person entering with her. Well, entering with her is an understatement really; in reality he was entering connected to her. Clad in an immaculate TGFT uniform except for the leather strap around his neck that was connected to Azumi's hand by a silver chain, Fluffy limped in slightly hunched over making him even more Quasimodo like than he had ever been. When they had entered the bar, she pulled on his leash and he held a chair out to her before standing alert behind her. Anyone that knew Fluffy could see his nervousness but the pirates didn't so he was able to hide it.
"It's my pet TGFT member Mystic. You should get one, it is all the rage these days. It is like having a freak on a leash."
The pirates roared with laughter, even Fluffy grinning. Azumi pulled on his leash and made him walk over to the bar and get her a drink with loads of umbrellas and colourful things. He grabbed a bottle of Helio Mists for himself and limped back to his position behind his mistress. The pirates gathered around the table and started fretting Azumi and Fluffy about how he became her servant if only for a day. Several of the pirates had either pirated or attempted to pirate Fluffy over the years and they exchanged fight stories from both sides easily agreeing that TGFT and CLM were the best fighters, way above and beyond SYN and PA. The party almost stopped when Retractile walked in helped by RIBA 3.14RAT and Bidi, Bidi smoking on an obscenely large home made joint. Retractile spotted Fluffy and immediately frowned.
"What is that trader scum doing here?"
"Relax Retardtile, he is a cool cookie."
Sharingan walked over and hugged Retractile before grabbing him around the shoulders.
"Let me introduce you mate. Retractile, this is Azumi's newest pet, Fluffy. Azumi's newest pet, this is Retardtile. There introductions made, drink."
Fluffy handed Retractile a large glass of Helio Mists before tossing an identical one down himself. Retractile tossed his drink down and stared at Fluffy again. They both started coughing at the same time, making people laugh again. Helio Mists in such large doses were not without repercussions. Fluffy poured a new set and Retractile looked at his glass once more.
"Well, if you are 'Zumi's pet I guess you can stay."
He tossed his new drink, sat down next to Azumi and joined the discussion of best fighters in known space.
###
Leebs woke to a deep bass sound that had been thumping for at least an hour. He licked his dry lips with an even drier tongue and cursed the goat that had been French-kissing with him all night. He felt as if he had been the ball in a particular nasty game of polo played with spiked clubs. He opened one eye and discovered the thing that was making the noise, a cleaning bot that thumped against his head while attempting to clean the floor. He slowly rolled away and the bot continued the high whining noise of a vacuum cleaner. He decided then and there that he would stop drinking. This would be the last time ever he would wake up on a floor unaware of how he had ended there. He spotted a banner that was slowly being eaten by another cleaning bot; only the word "Retard" was still visible. Never again, this time he meant it. He got up and staggered up to the bar to get a soft drink when he spotted the bottle of genuine 52% proof Tequila. He shook his head, he had to be seeing visions but the bottle with the amber liquid did not go away. He grabbed for it, maybe just one more drink to have something to remember now that he was a teetotaller. He opened the bottle and had to close his eyes with pleasure from the smell. He opened them again and looked around for a glass, he only wanted one little drink really. After a few seconds of looking he gave up and took a swig from the bottle. Mmmh, very very good. Now no more, after all he was not an alcoholic, he could control it. He took another large swig and looked at the bottle. Oops, he had taken a quarter from the bottle. Now the others would think that he couldn't control it. He'd better get rid of the evidence. He drank deep from the bottle again while staggering towards his quarters. He felt pretty good now actually, maybe he had been a tad rash there before, I mean a drink never hurt anyone surely....
###
Fluffy had no idea how he had come back to Dau K-10, and even less how he had arrived in his bed. By some strange quirk of fate, the same goat that had French-kissed with Leebs had kissed an equal amount with Fluffy. He got up and staggered towards the door. He noticed the leash on the table next to the picture of him and Azumi in the CLM HQ bar and grinned. That had been a wild party; actually he had been happy that he had agreed to join as the freak on a leash. Smiling hurt his head, this was going to demand Nyrius dew, painkillers, chips, more chips and a lot of sports on the tube, otherwise he would not make it through the day. Just another average day in TGFT......
CLM headquarters was a hive of restless energy with all the pirates making ready for the party that was due to take place in almost no time now. The main dining facility had been transformed from the bare metal bulkheads into a true pirates nest as imagined from Old Earth complete with lianas from the ceiling, granite chairs, parrots flying around, several large treasure chests standing around, some open and displaying gleaming metal beneath and crate upon crate of alcohol. Sharingan had been in charge of the decorations, a task that Mystic felt he could handle very well especially after he had decorated her own chambers some three months ago. Wittman and Lebermac had been supposed to help, but by some slip of mind Sharingan had asked Leebs to put the alcohol that Swag Man had supplied them with into coolers. Two hours later he and Wittman had decorated the room with a drunken pirate as well, complete with twin black eye-patches and an empty bottle of Teh Killa in his hand.
The pair of them was standing at the bar underneath the banner proclaiming "YARR, good ta have ya back Retard-tile" drinking a Dark Lady and nodding to the guests as they entered. Sharingan was dressed in all black silk with a crimson scarf around his head and a deadly looking scimitar from his black leather belt with brass buckle around the waist. Wittman was wearing a pair of brown leather pants with a white blouse crossed in front and back with a broad leather strap in which he kept a pair of flintlock pistols. A cutlass was hanging from his right side. His ears were pierced by several gold earrings and he had a fake scar across his cheek.
Look came staggering in with a genuine hook instead of a hand on his right arm and a prosthesis on the left that ended in a large mug already half full or half empty depending on your own personal view on life. He had brought Tramshed, Mephostopholes and Swag Man along, all of them intoxicated to some degree already. Swag Man dropped his cowboy hat on the bar, sat down and put one booted heel on the table. Tramshed walked over to the computer and entered a code changing the music to something that was vastly different from what had been before. The drums fired away as the pistons on an old style petrol engine going at max revs, heavy guitar and bass creating a cacophony of sound to complement the growler's deep voice. Sharingan walked over and looked at what Tramshed had entered; Dying Fetus - Homicidal Retribution. Sharingan turned to Tramshed and shouted.
"Man, this shit is heavy dude."
Tramshed replied by starting to throw his head up and down in rhythm to the drums and playing imaginary air guitar, actually very appropriate to the all black leather outfit with spikes he was wearing. Sharingan grinned at the others and walked back to the bar. The four of them looked at Tramshed as he tore all over the place, even using Leebs as dancing partner even if he never woke up to realise it. Swag Man slowly drank his beer, apparently unmoved by the music until it changed over to some country sounding heavy guitar riff. He put down his beer, got up, walked over to Tramshed and pushed him hard in the chest. Tramshed pushed back and for the next ten minutes they pushed each other around, fight-dancing to the music. Exhausted they wandered over to the bar where Mystic had joined them.
"So, who won?"
Tramshed and Swag Man looked at Mystic and were about to come with some smart-ass comment but decided against it. She radiated leadership as always and they respected her too much to do that. Tramshed grabbed a Dark Lady and turned to face her.
"Wasn't a fight Mystic, 'twas a dance."
"Oh, for a minute there I was worried. That must be the only dance where it is fortunate to have elbows and foreheads surely."
Tramshed grinned and looked back at Swag Man's new pretty blue eye that was an unfortunate result of a collision of Tram's elbow and a vicious Swag Man headbang. He had received several blows himself without noticing it making his ear bleed from a small tear on the top of it.
"Yeah, blows off steam and shows you that you're alive Myst."
Mystic raised her glass in salute to him and Swag Man. The mojito, heavy on the rum fitted her image very well; besides it tasted so very nice. The group started a talk about the best wormholes to camp and the best trade routes to intercept when Azumi made her entrée. The outfit she was wearing had the same effect on the male members as if a Trident light frigate had decided to dock in the bar; the conversation stopped and all attention was focused on her. Mystic half choked on her drink.
"What the hell is that Az?"
Mystic pointed to the person entering with her. Well, entering with her is an understatement really; in reality he was entering connected to her. Clad in an immaculate TGFT uniform except for the leather strap around his neck that was connected to Azumi's hand by a silver chain, Fluffy limped in slightly hunched over making him even more Quasimodo like than he had ever been. When they had entered the bar, she pulled on his leash and he held a chair out to her before standing alert behind her. Anyone that knew Fluffy could see his nervousness but the pirates didn't so he was able to hide it.
"It's my pet TGFT member Mystic. You should get one, it is all the rage these days. It is like having a freak on a leash."
The pirates roared with laughter, even Fluffy grinning. Azumi pulled on his leash and made him walk over to the bar and get her a drink with loads of umbrellas and colourful things. He grabbed a bottle of Helio Mists for himself and limped back to his position behind his mistress. The pirates gathered around the table and started fretting Azumi and Fluffy about how he became her servant if only for a day. Several of the pirates had either pirated or attempted to pirate Fluffy over the years and they exchanged fight stories from both sides easily agreeing that TGFT and CLM were the best fighters, way above and beyond SYN and PA. The party almost stopped when Retractile walked in helped by RIBA 3.14RAT and Bidi, Bidi smoking on an obscenely large home made joint. Retractile spotted Fluffy and immediately frowned.
"What is that trader scum doing here?"
"Relax Retardtile, he is a cool cookie."
Sharingan walked over and hugged Retractile before grabbing him around the shoulders.
"Let me introduce you mate. Retractile, this is Azumi's newest pet, Fluffy. Azumi's newest pet, this is Retardtile. There introductions made, drink."
Fluffy handed Retractile a large glass of Helio Mists before tossing an identical one down himself. Retractile tossed his drink down and stared at Fluffy again. They both started coughing at the same time, making people laugh again. Helio Mists in such large doses were not without repercussions. Fluffy poured a new set and Retractile looked at his glass once more.
"Well, if you are 'Zumi's pet I guess you can stay."
He tossed his new drink, sat down next to Azumi and joined the discussion of best fighters in known space.
###
Leebs woke to a deep bass sound that had been thumping for at least an hour. He licked his dry lips with an even drier tongue and cursed the goat that had been French-kissing with him all night. He felt as if he had been the ball in a particular nasty game of polo played with spiked clubs. He opened one eye and discovered the thing that was making the noise, a cleaning bot that thumped against his head while attempting to clean the floor. He slowly rolled away and the bot continued the high whining noise of a vacuum cleaner. He decided then and there that he would stop drinking. This would be the last time ever he would wake up on a floor unaware of how he had ended there. He spotted a banner that was slowly being eaten by another cleaning bot; only the word "Retard" was still visible. Never again, this time he meant it. He got up and staggered up to the bar to get a soft drink when he spotted the bottle of genuine 52% proof Tequila. He shook his head, he had to be seeing visions but the bottle with the amber liquid did not go away. He grabbed for it, maybe just one more drink to have something to remember now that he was a teetotaller. He opened the bottle and had to close his eyes with pleasure from the smell. He opened them again and looked around for a glass, he only wanted one little drink really. After a few seconds of looking he gave up and took a swig from the bottle. Mmmh, very very good. Now no more, after all he was not an alcoholic, he could control it. He took another large swig and looked at the bottle. Oops, he had taken a quarter from the bottle. Now the others would think that he couldn't control it. He'd better get rid of the evidence. He drank deep from the bottle again while staggering towards his quarters. He felt pretty good now actually, maybe he had been a tad rash there before, I mean a drink never hurt anyone surely....
###
Fluffy had no idea how he had come back to Dau K-10, and even less how he had arrived in his bed. By some strange quirk of fate, the same goat that had French-kissed with Leebs had kissed an equal amount with Fluffy. He got up and staggered towards the door. He noticed the leash on the table next to the picture of him and Azumi in the CLM HQ bar and grinned. That had been a wild party; actually he had been happy that he had agreed to join as the freak on a leash. Smiling hurt his head, this was going to demand Nyrius dew, painkillers, chips, more chips and a lot of sports on the tube, otherwise he would not make it through the day. Just another average day in TGFT......
And that as they say, is that for now.
I'll gather all the chapters as usual in a pdf. Hope you liked it:)
Hort
I'll gather all the chapters as usual in a pdf. Hope you liked it:)
Hort
hee hee, I sure liked it!
*applauds
Very good Hort, although Im sad to see it end in a way..
:)
Very good Hort, although Im sad to see it end in a way..
:)
aye , excellent story .
Finally got around to reading it, as usual you put the rest of us to shame. A level above what an MMO's RP boards deserve, for sure!
Thank you Smittens, you make me blush...
...By some strange quirk of fate, the same goat that had French-kissed with Leebs had kissed an equal amount with Fluffy...
W.T.F?
Damn now I have to read this entire long-ass-thread.
W.T.F?
Damn now I have to read this entire long-ass-thread.
It should be required
You never actually kiss one in the thread leebs. That was Whytee's creative license for 'hangover.'
He still has to read it though. Plenty of Leebs involvement.
And it is MASSIVE hangover that is the cue word Aramarth:)
And it is MASSIVE hangover that is the cue word Aramarth:)
Ooh clever. I had missed that and just assumed Leber had a creepier side to his personality than we all knew.
I'll need a Cliffs' Notes version.
Sorry about barfing on ye, Hortan.
Sorry about barfing on ye, Hortan.
Could have been worse. You could have hit me