Post by redwolf on Jan 31, 2022 9:26:51 GMT
It wasn't that Jack didn't appreciate how useful the Inn was. In fact, knowledge of the Inn was a well-guarded secret amongst smugglers and mercenaries in his own galaxy. He was incredibly grateful that he'd been able to make use of this place. There was no better spot for a quick evasion from GTC authority, or for negotiating a deal or a drop. A perfectly neutral territory outside of all known governments and ideological groups. And the facilities were very accommodating to boot. They seemed to accept virtually any form of currency that sentient beings used, and there was always a well-stocked bar and comfortable rooms.
Jack did appreciate the Inn. It was just that he was starting to get antsy. His current stay was becoming far longer than it was originally supposed to be. This was supposed to be a fairly quick job, and the client should have been here to meet him about a week ago. He was supposed to escort Senator Alfrisk out of disputed territory, keep him safe at the Inn for a few days, and then the smuggler who was taking him the rest of the way would show up with Jack's payment in exchange for his human cargo. Simple and easy, just the way Jack liked it. The hard part should have been getting Alfrisk out of the warzone in the first place.
Only he was now finding himself wishing he could go back and face a hundred fully-armed battle cruisers, if only to get some reprieve from his passenger. Alfrisk was an insufferable narcissist, and it had been necessary to share a room with him and keep an eye on him at all hours of the day just in case his rivals somehow gained access to the Inn. They couldn't kill Alfrisk here, but Jack wasn't entirely sure that the Inn would protect against kidnapping. He didn't want to test the rules and endanger his payday, anyway. A payday which should have happened a week ago.
Needless to say, Jack needed a drink. He left the Senator behind with instructions not to leave their room (which made the man indignant, of course, but at this point Jack had stopped caring about his emotional state) and headed down to the bar. He glanced around at the oddball crew of patrons. He'd made an effort not to socialize much and was not overly familiar with any of them, but he had a vague awareness of some of the regulars from the past few days. The loud, reptilian being that called herself a 'Setarian' had been impossible to miss. She always demanded prompt service and made no illusions about the fact that she felt she was superior to every other being in the room. Her name was difficult for Jack to pronounce, and he didn't want to know what wrath he might incur if he attempted it, so he'd steered clear of her. There was also the large arachnid with the computerized voice...he'd had a brief conversation with her before, and learned she was called Chela, and that her race were the Istosi. She hadn't been impolite, but gave off the impression that she thought of others as nothing more than potential snackfoods. It unnerved Jack, so he wasn't inclined to talk to her either. Then there were two humans conversing that Jack hadn't interacted with before. A man in stained robes sipping on a glass of wine at the bar, and a man wearing a blue suit and carrying a cane who was currently trying to speak to the Setarian. Not a good move, in Jack's opinion.
There was also the strange seven-eyed creature in the metal mask that spoke only in brief chirping noises. His appearance was grotesque, but Jack thought he seemed friendly. He'd taken to referring to the creature as 'Chirp', since he didn't seem to be able to make any other sound. He decided that the odd one wouldn't make bad company, and after grabbing his drink he went over to sit at it's table.
"Evening, Chirp. How's it going?" he asked, giving it a friendly nod as he sat down. "Needed to get away from my cargo for a minute."
Jack did appreciate the Inn. It was just that he was starting to get antsy. His current stay was becoming far longer than it was originally supposed to be. This was supposed to be a fairly quick job, and the client should have been here to meet him about a week ago. He was supposed to escort Senator Alfrisk out of disputed territory, keep him safe at the Inn for a few days, and then the smuggler who was taking him the rest of the way would show up with Jack's payment in exchange for his human cargo. Simple and easy, just the way Jack liked it. The hard part should have been getting Alfrisk out of the warzone in the first place.
Only he was now finding himself wishing he could go back and face a hundred fully-armed battle cruisers, if only to get some reprieve from his passenger. Alfrisk was an insufferable narcissist, and it had been necessary to share a room with him and keep an eye on him at all hours of the day just in case his rivals somehow gained access to the Inn. They couldn't kill Alfrisk here, but Jack wasn't entirely sure that the Inn would protect against kidnapping. He didn't want to test the rules and endanger his payday, anyway. A payday which should have happened a week ago.
Needless to say, Jack needed a drink. He left the Senator behind with instructions not to leave their room (which made the man indignant, of course, but at this point Jack had stopped caring about his emotional state) and headed down to the bar. He glanced around at the oddball crew of patrons. He'd made an effort not to socialize much and was not overly familiar with any of them, but he had a vague awareness of some of the regulars from the past few days. The loud, reptilian being that called herself a 'Setarian' had been impossible to miss. She always demanded prompt service and made no illusions about the fact that she felt she was superior to every other being in the room. Her name was difficult for Jack to pronounce, and he didn't want to know what wrath he might incur if he attempted it, so he'd steered clear of her. There was also the large arachnid with the computerized voice...he'd had a brief conversation with her before, and learned she was called Chela, and that her race were the Istosi. She hadn't been impolite, but gave off the impression that she thought of others as nothing more than potential snackfoods. It unnerved Jack, so he wasn't inclined to talk to her either. Then there were two humans conversing that Jack hadn't interacted with before. A man in stained robes sipping on a glass of wine at the bar, and a man wearing a blue suit and carrying a cane who was currently trying to speak to the Setarian. Not a good move, in Jack's opinion.
There was also the strange seven-eyed creature in the metal mask that spoke only in brief chirping noises. His appearance was grotesque, but Jack thought he seemed friendly. He'd taken to referring to the creature as 'Chirp', since he didn't seem to be able to make any other sound. He decided that the odd one wouldn't make bad company, and after grabbing his drink he went over to sit at it's table.
"Evening, Chirp. How's it going?" he asked, giving it a friendly nod as he sat down. "Needed to get away from my cargo for a minute."