Gath looks at the security footage on Cherry's device. "OK. Others can save this. Goldenarms, you saving this? We'll go to club. Locket, what was the club's name? Cherry, have you got any more information that could help us?"
Gath looks back over his shoulder, then swivels his head around until he finds Sen in front of him. "Oh. Great, Sen."
Locket accepts the transfer and downloads the footage to his comm unit. His ears perk up at the sound of his name and he looks over at Gath.
Scrubbing through the vid, the pahtra locates what he was seeking. "'Lolo's Tail Shake"," he reads. "Down in Botscrap."
"Might check in with a few friends and see if they've heard anything," he explains.
Senkuviene fails to find anything in the security footage that can be enhanced.
Locket tries to recall what he knows about the club, or if he's heard of any rumours in the area.
"Locket knows." Gath replies confidently. "And Sen's got the footage. Let's go find Kevya."
|
"I'll lead the way!" Sen declares, tapping her rig's touchscreen. Her board springs into action from where it stands propped by the door, lowering to the floor and squealing over to Sen, who promptly mounts it, keying in the name of the club to its navigation system.
With a rev and a hum, she zooms out the door and into the street!
"But we can't go that fast."
Gath watches the shirren zoom out, then looks at Locket. "Do you think she'll really make me one of those?"
He starts to push his way directly toward the door. "Let's go."
LOLO'S TAIL SHAKE is an ysoki techno club popular with a wide range of station residents. Of course the ysoki residents of the Bostscrap neighborhood down in the spike consider it their "local" dance club.
It's also a reason for many young people who want to dance to tolerate the interesting odors of Botscrap for an evening of throbbing bass and pulsing lights. In fact, a large number of more well-to-do youthful residents of Absalom Station find it fashionable to "slum" by heading down to Lolo's for an evening.
Approaching the establishment, you see that there are several ysoki and a vesk acting as security. There is a line of hopefuls waiting to get into the crowded club.
There are a few other local businesses taking advantage of the crowds, including street food vendors, an old run-down kiosk selling knock-offs of popular clothing, and a couple of smaller bars specializing in cheaper intoxicants.
|
"Thak... Thak..."
An iridescent voice traces Thak's ear like wings trailing sunlight. He smiles and moves toward the sound, brushing through folds of sheer swaying green. "Mmmmm...."
A female gnome lounges into a stack of colorful pillows, Thatck's head cradled in her lap, one of her legs tossed over his shoulder. He's curled into the bunk, completely lost in his dream. They're partially snuggled under a fluffy rose quartz blanket that makes a perfect counter to her bright emerald eyes and silky forest halter dress. Matching nails lightly spin patterns around his ear and across his face, stroking his wiskers and outlining his lips.
"He has tiny claws in his fingertips. They're like velvet fire... soft sharp fingers. Did you know that? They're delicious."
"Would you please stop?" Rani holds her hand on his forehead. "Thak..."
"Sharp too. Just a little. Sometimes, when he pinches..."
Rani's look could freeze space dust. "Nip. Stop. Now. That's my boss. I can't un-hear this stuff."
Like Nip, she wears a dance club outfit cut to make the most of her compact, lithe build. Her hands move to her hips. She looks like a mother called home early from a fantastic date night, and not particularly happy about it... but duty calls and she answers.
"How much did you say he drank?"
"Some. Not that much." At Rani's mom-look, Nip chews her lip and her shoulders slump. "A lot. Both of us did."
Rani sighs and turns toward the apartment's beige kitchen. There, she sets a glass on the counter and begins gathering ingredients. "This is my fault. I never should've introduced you two. I knew it was a bad idea. Where's the iris flour?"
"Left cupboard, middle shelf. Don't make it too strong."
"He needs it strong. Nut root?"
"Next to it."
"Hmm... big jar. Making this a lot these days?"
"Don't you start..."
Thak stirs a bit at the voices and shifts position, nuzzling his head against Nip's fingers. She leans close to his ear, her hand working in his fur. "Shhhh... shhhh... a bit more..."
Lost in his dream, the curtains dissolve into a cloud of translucent crystals moving across his face like an exhale. "Sssff..."
Nip glances up as Rani returns with a glass of blue-gray liquid. "I was cross with you," Rani says. "I'm sorry. It's just... I'm... he... he needs..."
He needed the last few nights. He needed the release, to let go, unwind, get crazy, forget. Mostly let go and forget. Now he'll have good things to remember. Maybe even space to forget.
Rani had found him in that corner behind the filing cabinet twice this month, gripping the scorched sign like a child both protecting and hiding behind a threadbare plushie.
Her old training kicked in by itself, so he never saw her. He doesn't know and he won't, because those are secrets she keeps.
But now it's back to work, boss. Forgive me. Gods, I hope you forgive me. But you really needed this.
"Thak... Thak... boss... big day today... everyone's waiting for you..."
In his dream, dark clouds turn into waves that break into a fluttering heather spray. "Nniii?"
Nip leans into him, pulling him tight. "Here hon, here. Rani too. We're both here. But Rani needs you, hon. Time to wake up."
"Rahhhnnn..." Fog covers the waves that turn back into clouds. Thak can't tell where they went.
Rani kneels softly next to the bunk, holding the glass to his lips. "Boss... Thak... c'mon... breakfast juice. Drink."
Nip cocks an eyebrow. Rani shrugs. "It's morning. So breakfast."
Liquid touches Thak's lips. They part, he sips, and swallows. Then more. The fog falls into a crystal beach. Rani tips the glass. Thak empties it.
It always goes down smooth. Should hit... about...
Thak's eyes pop wild open. There's no panic, no mania, just energy and thought powered by Gnomish herb mixes. Works every time.
Blinking, his mind begins focusing, shifting, and sorting.
"It's... um..."
"Monday," Rani finishes, with soft cheer.
"And I'm..."
"Waking from our dream." Emerald eyes smile by Thak's head and she kisses his cheek, mussing his whiskers. "For now."
He slowly sits up, thoughts, mind, and world spinning, trying to make sense of... what?
"Wait... party... no, funeral... funeral party?"
"Wake," Rani says. "A wake. Your first Gnomish wake, you said. You went with me because I couldn't go alone."
"Yes, right. Wake. People... so many people. We met... everybody..."
"And you made quite an impression," Nip said, tracing curls from his neck down his back. "Especially on me."
Her touch cleared his head some more. "Likewise. We... danced... a lot."
"And drank."
"A lot," in three-way unison. Laugher echoes everywhere.
Rani mock-coughs and time moves forward again. "Yes, but now it's Monday night and they're waiting for you."
"It can't be Monday. The wake was yesterday, on Wednesday."
"No, the wake started Tuesday. Then the bar opened Tuesday night, and the dancing started after that. And now it's Monday."
"But..."
Emerald eyes and soft breath moved close again. "Shhh... give the drink more time. It'll all sort out soon. Everything. I promise. And I'll still be here. Promise."
Rani pulled Thak's paws and helped him up. "But now, it's time to move. Your team called. You're supposed to meet them a some club. Address is in your tablet. One hour." She checked his gear and gave him a lopsided grin. "Your tie, boss. Get moving."
Thak's fingers slipped the tie through his collar and knotted it with practiced ease. Nip tried to hide a tiny shiver, and Rani pretended that she didn't notice.
More images sorted into memories and Thak smiled at nothing in particular. "Right. Club. Business at hand. Pad. On my way." He looked back to them both, and one glance said two very different things.
He bounced as he moved. He wanted to stay behind and go into the world and laugh loud love and... live.
Yes, he wanted to live again. Yes. He would live.
Nip and Rani watched his turn and listened to the door latch click. Then Rani elbowed her friend's ribs, perhaps a little harder than she meant.
"Hey!"
"Seriously?"
"He wanted to."
"He was drunk."
"So was I!"
"No excuse."
"You said he needed to let go."
"He did. But really?"
"He wanted us to match."
"Does he know?"
"He did on Saturday morning..."
"And it goes...?"
"About to there," and she poked the small of Rani's back.
"Hey!"
Down the hall, Thak smiled and almost strutted. He felt full and free and confident in ways that he hadn't for a long time.
He impulsively flipped a cred stick to a youthful halfling messenger and asked him to deliver a spray of emerald rozeens to Nip and an equal bunch of bluayia to Rani at his office. He threw in some extra credits because... well, why not?
The halfling watched him depart and then typed the flower orders into his pad. Those Brennari, they're a different lot. Sure know how to live. But I thought they weren't much for hair color. Huh. Oh well... see something new every day. His pad dinged and he was off.
If you had been watching Thak move through the crowd, you'd see an occasional flash of green marking his progress. Closer eyes could appreciate the dyed emerald ribbon curling down the fur on the back of his neck and disappearing under his collar.
You know... down to about there.
--------
Sorry for my lengthy absence, guys. Life got in the way. But I'm supper happy to be back. Thanks for your patience. Let's do this thing!
Gath stops a half block short of the club. "There it is. And there's Sen! I don't see Yon."
He looks around at the carts and kiosks, the crowd and neighboring businesses. "So now what? Do we just walk up and ask about Kevya?"
"Security won't look kindly on us asking too many questions," Locket says in reply to Gath. "They'll keep out anything that might kill the vibe for those inside." His whiskers twitch.
"It might be worth asking about out here first," he cocks his head toward the nearby businesses. "See if we can turn up some info before we check out the club."
He looks around to the others for their input.
|
|
On his way to the club, Thak goes through the video that Sen uploaded.
The face is blurry, but looks can be deceiving anyway. More than once he recognized someone — or something — through other means. It’s easy to wear new clothes or disguise your face, but it’s much harder to change the way you walk, which hand opens a door, or which foot begins your stride. Any of those can give someone away.
He stands to the side of the corridor, replaying the brief clip of Kevya leaving with the mysterious young human male, looking for anything that might learn or a gesture that could trigger his memory.
Culture 4 + Expertise die
Lost in thought, he continues through the station, down to the Botscrap. He takes a quick look around to get his bearings, but it’s easy to pick out Gath, then the rest of the group. He weaves through the crowd toward them.
"So now what? Do we just walk up and ask about Kevya?”
”We could try a more diplomatic approach…” He puts a jaunty emphasis on diplomatic as he slides around Gath and flashes an embarrassed smile to the group.
”It’s been a… complicated… time. I’m glad to be back. Caught up on everything as I headed down here.” He turns to Locket.
"It might be worth asking about out here first," he cocks his head toward the nearby businesses. "See if we can turn up some info before we check out the club.”
”I like that idea. Shall we try to talk to some of them, see if they recognize Kevya? If our mystery male comes here often or is rich and slumming for fun, some of the regulars might have noticed him when he arrived and mentally noted who he was with. They may look like they aren’t paying attention, but they’re tuned in to the gossip. And gossip loves a new face on a well-known arm.”
He looks around the group, happy to be back and eager to hear their thoughts.
As he turns his head, flashes of the green dyed fur on the back of his neck catch the light.
The street vendors all seem ready to talk to anyone. It's another nice crowd down in Botscrap, so the food and clothing hawkers all seem to be in a good mood. The smaller bars all seem busy, but you might be able to catch the attention of a bartender or server, or perhaps a customer who isn't already three sheets to the wind.
Thak notices something familiar about the young man escorting Kevya out of Yon's. It's hard to place. His face is indeed blurry. Perhaps it's his mannerisms.
Then it hits him....
"OK," Gath agrees readily to his companions' suggestions. When the brenneri turns his head to look down the line of customers and businesses, the shobhad gets a glimpse of the green stripe.
"Hey, Thak. Did you always have green fur?"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sen's stop at the club is nowhere near as graceful as the one on the bridge, her zoomboard careening down the neighboring alley and hitting the dumpster at just the right angle to flip forward and dump her directly into it.
She climbs out and begins shaking off various bits of garbage and picking up her board, which makes a pained digital whine.
"Hey guys! Thanks for keepin' up! We discussing a plan?
"Well, look who finally decided to show his ugly mug," Locket murmurs dryly as Thak's arrival.
"See? I told you he hadn't died of embarrassment," he says to Gath. "Doesn't have the decency." Face straight, the pahtra's bright eyes shine with amusement.
"That's a great idea," he remarks wryly. "Wish I'd thought of it."
With the twitch of an ear and faintest of smirks, Locket sets off to canvas the nearby businesses, video footage at hand.
|
|
Thak’s eyes go wide for a moment as recognition burns through his brain. “Hey… that’s it! The guy — our mystery man. I just figured out why he looked familiar. I’ve seen him around the Gallery… deals in low-level stimulants, and not the legal kind.”
He scratches his chin for a few thoughtful moments before continuing. ”Not the sharpest of decking bolts, as I remember. Tried to pawn off some of his goods to me one night a month or two ago. Come to think of it, I wonder why approached me like that. He must not be a regular in the area or he would’ve known that’s not my kind of play.”
Hey guys! Thanks for keepin' up! We discussing a plan?
Seeing the last moments of Sen’s dismount, Thak waves and welcomes the Shirren. “Sen! How’s your board? How are you??” Thak asks with gentle concern in his voice, touching Sen’s sleeve with one hand to cover the other one brushing off a bit or two of missed garbage.
”To your question, yes. Locket was just saying that we could start our search by talking to some of the folks out here. It’s a good call. Want to go with me? Um, I’ll be on foot, if you’re okay with that.”
”Well, look who finally decided to show his ugly mug.”
Thak sighs, a little embarrassed but appreciative of his friend. ”Yeah, yeah, I knew I’d be in for some teasing. But it’s fair and well-earned. Good to see you too, my feline friend.”
He shoots a teasing grin right back. ”And don’t worry… one of these days you’ll come up with—” but he stops in mid-sentence when Gath speaks up.
"Hey, Thak. Did you always have green fur?”
He turns toward him, blinking a couple of times like his brain just stopped or started or discovered that some starship parts are made from plants and day-old bread.
”Did I always have what?” The question comes out in confused astonishment, like it’s filled with surprise and a thousand other questions.
As he looks up into Gath’s face, he wonders silently… why in the motes of the Diaspora would Gath say green?
Absorbed in the discussion with Locket, Gath misses Sen's arrival.
Thak’s eyes go wide for a moment as recognition burns through his brain. “Hey… that’s it! The guy — our mystery man. I just figured out why he looked familiar. I’ve seen him around the Gallery… deals in low-level stimulants, and not the legal kind.”
He scratches his chin for a few thoughtful moments before continuing. ”Not the sharpest of decking bolts, as I remember. Tried to pawn off some of his goods to me one night a month or two ago. Come to think of it, I wonder why approached me like that. He must not be a regular in the area or he would’ve known that’s not my kind of play.”
"Drug dealer?" Something hardens in Gath's face.
”Did I always have what?” The question comes out in confused astonishment, like it’s filled with surprise and a thousand other questions.
As he looks up into Gath’s face, he wonders...
"Green fur," Gath replies evenly. "Like that." Gath points at trio of female ysokis in tight neon dance-club leatherette. They've spray-painted their heads and ears with lime racing stripes.
Then the shobhad is twisting away into Locket's wake to interview the locals.
Inside the latest in a series of local establishments, Locket nods as the woman recognises the mystery guy on the vid. He nudges Gath with am elbow - he knew persistence would pay off!
"Thanks," he says as she brings up a selfie with the man in question inside the Tail Shake. "Don't suppose you know his name? What line of work he's in?"
|
|
”Green fur,” Gath replies evenly. ”Like that.” Gath points at trio of female ysokis in tight neon dance-club leatherette. They've spray-painted their heads and ears with lime racing stripes.
Then the shobhad is twisting away into Locket's wake to interview the locals.
Several emotions fight simultaneously for space on Thak’s face as the Shobhad heads toward Locket. Confusion wins, leaving his head tilted, eyes tracking the Ysokis, and lips parted as if about to speak.
“Like that?” finally squeaks out of his mouth, but gets lost in the noise.
The two words ping-pong around his brain looking for a place to connect. They almost find something several times, but always bounce away too soon.
He stands that way for another few moments until he hears a familiar voice behind him. Shaking his head to clear his mind, Thak refocuses on the problem at hand. There’ll be time later to sort out this whole “like that’ thing.
”It appears that questioning the locals is the plan. Do you have any other suggestions?”
As Thak hears Goldenarms approach, he turns back toward the Android, the dyed green fur on the back of his neck now facing toward the crowd. Thak smiles and waves to his friend.
”Uh… yes, that seems our best play given what we have right now — the picture of our missing girl and a lead on the mysterious drug dealer she was last seen with. Plus we know the club where they were headed.” He looks momentarily toward the club’s pulsing lights and entrance line, weighing several possible ways to get in.
”Locket and Gath already started talking with some of the vendors.” He gestures toward the towering Shobhad, easy to spot from here. ”Want to dive into the fray and see if any of the clubbers saw them?”
Thak scans the area for a group that looks like they’ve been at their table for a while, nods toward Goldenarms and Sen to follow, and wades into the crowd.
|
|
Hey guys! Thanks for keepin' up! We discussing a plan?Seeing the last moments of Sen’s dismount, Thak waves and welcomes the Shirren. “Sen! How’s your board? How are you??” Thak asks with gentle concern in his voice, touching Sen’s sleeve with one hand to cover the other one brushing off a bit or two of missed garbage.
”To your question, yes. Locket was just saying that we could start our search by talking to some of the folks out here. It’s a good call. Want to go with me? Um, I’ll be on foot, if you’re okay with that.”
"I'm fine. I wear crash armor for this very reason."
Her board beeps a bit.
"I know you're fine, I built you to be fine in those situations."
She nods at Thak's suggestion.
"Sounds good to me. We doing that questioning in the club or out here on the street?"
Inside the latest in a series of local establishments, Locket nods as the woman recognises the mystery guy on the vid. He nudges Gath with am elbow - he knew persistence would pay off!
"Thanks," he says as she brings up a selfie with the man in question inside the Tail Shake. "Don't suppose you know his name? What line of work he's in?"
"I think he told me his name was Fikk Hubbins. I don't know what his day job is, but I know he tried to sell me some Blue Sneeze and some Moon Gas" She looks momentarily uncomfortable. "Of course I told him no."
Thak and Senkuviene lead some of you toward another group of revelers. There are several small groups congregating on the street, in the lineup to get in, and in another nearby smaller bar that is partially open to the street.
|
|
Sen taps a few fingers on her head as she observes and thinks. Her kind of charisma tended to be focused on "The Look" rather than actually talking with people, so she wasn't sure how discreet she could sound, even if the people here WERE drunk from likely pre-partying. Then she looks up.
"Hey, Mr. Poorida...or Thak, can I call you Thak? Are we on a first-name basis yet? Security cameras are EVERYWHERE on the station. Think I should see if I can get into one of the street ones, see what they've seen, or do you think that'd attract too much attention?"
"I think he told me his name was Fikk Hubbins. I don't know what his day job is, but I know he tried to sell me some Blue Sneeze and some Moon Gas" She looks momentarily uncomfortable. "Of course I told him no."
"Of course," Locket agrees smoothly. "Never thought otherwise."
"Thanks, again. Enjoy your evening."
Slipping his comm unit from his pocket, he messages the others: We have a name for the mystery guy. Fikk Hubbins. May even be real. He's in the "Supply" industry. Me and Gath will finish up here and meet you outside the club.
Turning to his shobhad companion, he asks "Anything else you want to try before we join the others?"
"I think he told me his name was Fikk Hubbins. I don't know what his day job is, but I know he tried to sell me some Blue Sneeze and some Moon Gas" She looks momentarily uncomfortable. "Of course I told him no."
"Good for you." Gath smiles, an expression barely distinguishable from the quickly following frown. "What's Blue Sneeze and Moon Gas?"
|
|
"Hey, Mr. Poorida...or Thak, can I call you Thak? Are we on a first-name basis yet? Security cameras are EVERYWHERE on the station. Think I should see if I can get into one of the street ones, see what they've seen, or do you think that'd attract too much attention?"[/b]
”That sounds like a great idea, Sen. I’m so used to talking with people all day long that I forget it isn’t everybody’s thing. Give the cameras a go. You’ll probably find some that aren’t terribly well protected down here.” Thak smiles. ”And yes, please call me Thak.”
Thak smiles to himself. Not everybody is in the talking business. How many times did you remind me of that, old friend?
He turns toward the revelers with the photo in one hand and strikes up a conversation…
Culture 4 + Expertise die
"Good for you." Gath smiles, an expression barely distinguishable from the quickly following frown. "What's Blue Sneeze and Moon Gas?"
Locket turns to look up at his much larger companion, his large bright eyes regarding Gath intently for some time. "Substances of vice and addiction," he eventually replies. "Not stuff you want to get mixed up with, my friend," the pahtra adds, patting Gath on the shoulder (or as near to as he can reach).
"Let's go find the others," Locket suggests and sets off toward the bar.
The area remains busy, and should be well into the night. There is a nice crowd waiting for their chance to get into Lolo's, and the various merchants and vendors are making nice coin tonight. Locket and Gath, someone offers to buy you drink. "Make those two a round on me--they look a little stiff! Have fun! It's a party!"
"Good for you." Gath smiles, an expression barely distinguishable from the quickly following frown. "What's Blue Sneeze and Moon Gas?"Locket turns to look up at his much larger companion, his large bright eyes regarding Gath intently for some time. "Substances of vice and addiction," he eventually replies. "Not stuff you want to get mixed up with, my friend," the pahtra adds, patting Gath on the shoulder (or as near to as he can reach).
"Let's go find the others," Locket suggests and sets off toward the bar.
"Okay." Gath is happy to follow the pahtra toward the club. Along the way he looks for any sign of Fikk or Kevya or Yon.
Locket and Gath, someone offers to buy you drink. "Make those two a round on me--they look a little stiff! Have fun! It's a party!"
"I'll be less stiff if the drink is," Gath trots out something he's heard his father say. "I'm Gath. Thanks for the drink. You're nice. Maybe you can help us find a friend we are looking for. Locket's got her picture."
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
After looking around the crowd, Thak selects a promising-looking table of eight liquor-happy clubbers. He centers himself for a moment and then moves close, crouching in an open spot at the table, face beaming an entertaining and slightly goofy smile.
“Ah, just the space I’ve been looking for. Hello, all!” The nearest revelers turn to him, but the thumping ambient noise keeps the rest of the table from noticing his arrival.
A Ysoki female with three empty cups stacked in front of her turns toward Thak and mirrors his grin. She waves drunken a greeting, then lets hand flop onto his arm. “Ooooo… soooooo sofffft,” she says, working her fingers along his arm. “Seemi, feel his fur. It’s sooooooo sofffft.”
Thak can’t tell if she draws out the vowels for emphasis or because that’s as fast as her mind can work right now. When her friend begins stroking his other arm, he realizes it’s time for businesses before something else strange happens to him tonight.
”You’re too kind, but I have an important question.” He pass the picture around. ”A friend’s daughter is missing, and I wondered if you maybe saw her here tonight.”
The group is fully engaged now, peering at the picture and trying to bring their brains back online. The consensus is that our missing girl has been here before, but not recently. “But yoooou can stay,” the first Ysoki says, tracing arcs along the back of Thak’s neck. He smiles and delicately puts her hand back on the table.
”Thank you for the offer, my dear, but not tonight.” She holds onto his hand as he bids the others farewell, then finally lets go.
“Call me!” She waves goodbye. “Cute green dye job. I wonder who he goes to?”
Thak sees Locket and Gath and heads that direction. As he smooths out his fur, he notices ink on his paw. “Tawn 48-227-019.”
Just the thing I need right now. I’ll never hear the end of this.
Gath's new drinking buddies take a look at the picture provided.
"Ohhhhh.....that's Kevya! Wait a minute! Is she missing? She would come down here to the club every so often. I liked her! I haven't seen her in a while. Can you keep us posted? Can we call if we see her?"
Gath's new drinking buddies take a look at the picture provided.
"Ohhhhh.....that's Kevya! Wait a minute! Is she missing? She would come down here to the club every so often. I liked her! I haven't seen her in a while. Can you keep us posted? Can we call if we see her?"
"Yes, please. Locket has a comm number. I'm not very good at tech things like that." The big toothed grin slides over Gath's face, before he becomes somber again. "We heard she was here last night with Fikk Hubbins. Have you seen him? Where would he hang out?"
Locket was about to decline the offered drink when Gath graciously accepted the beverage. Instead, the pahtra politely nodded and thanked the patron. He nursed the drink through out the exchange, however, beyond an initial sip as a courtesy, did not partake.
"Sure, we'll let you know when she's safe and sound," Locket says to their new friends. "Here's my contact."
"Anything you remember might help us find her much quicker," he says, nodding, in support of Gath.
|
|
Thak arrives at the bar just in time to catch the end of Gath and Locket’s conversation.
”Yes, please. Locket has a comm number. I'm not very good at tech things like that." The big toothed grin slides over Gath's face, before he becomes somber again. "We heard she was here last night with Fikk Hubbins. Have you seen him? Where would he hang out?"
”Sure, we'll let you know when she's safe and sound,” Locket says to their new friends. ”Here's my contact. Anything you remember might help us find her much quicker,” he says, nodding, in support of Gath.
As he slides into the group next to Gath and Locket, Thak smiles in appreciation of the big fellow’s skill setting others at ease and Locket’s ability to chime in at exactly the right time.
Gath might be a good resource for that Abadar contract. Strong and imposing, but with a soothing tone and calm demeanor. Heck, they both would be good on that job. Have to keep them in mind…
As the conversation continues, Thak wonders how Sek is doing with the cameras.
I hope he picked up something we can use. I'm really glad he knows how to handle that stuff. Video evidence is always helpful. Thak briefly winces and covers it with a cough and grin. Even when it's some kind of vehicular insurance claim on a hoverboard crash...
Your new friends at one of the smaller outside bars look troubled when the name Fikk Hubbins is mentioned. They look at each other uncomfortably. Finally one of them speaks up. "Fikk is a regular on this part of the station. He has a reputation as someone who is a reliable source of, uhhh, party supplies. Most nights you can find him spending at least a couple hours inside Lolo's. He's not a bad guy. Never truly causes any trouble. I hope he's not in trouble...."
"No trouble," Gath replies. "as long as Kevya is all right. Should we be worried about Fikk?"
|
|
Sen taps Thak on the shoulder to report her findings.
"Well, I got SOMETHING...not much, but something at least. Apparently a couple of ysoki were pushing some heavy cases or kegs in and out of what appears to be our club's back-door. May be helpful to see if the management's seen anything odd recently."