One scruffy looking nerfherder

Posted on 06/24/2021 @ 2:00am by MU Rebellion Jack Patton

1,759 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Mirror’s Edge
Location: Cerelos 3 colony
Timeline: weeks after the wedding

This place stank. It was dingy and dark and full of people who looked awful. It was nowhere where anyone would look for them. Niska and Cade had been on the move for days. She needed to work out her next move. She was thinking of trying to get to either Jon if she could locate him or the rebellion. She had paid for a room, in physical credits. They had slept and she had coloured her hair to hopefully ensure no one recognised her. Now they had to eat.

The young boy followed meekly. His empathic side knowing half the people in this bar were dangerous. "Stay close," she told him as they requested whatever they could get from the kitchen. She kept the boy in front of her at all times.

"I'm looking for someone with a ship that can get me out the system," she told the owner. "Get anyone come by these parts. Discreet, strong. Tall dark and handsome. I'm willing to pay well." She made sure to blast him with her pheromones. "id ask you but I think you have your hands full here, but again I can pay for linking me up," she smiled sweetly.

Jack had been sitting at a booth in the bar enjoying a drink he had just taught the bartender how to make. Half cider and half mead a Beesting always reminded Jack of home. His feet were crossed and up on the table the dead Naussican lay slumped on the bench across from him and his phaser still smoked. I love the smell of phased energy in the morning. Smells like victory... he thought having just closed a deal with the Naussican to Jack's benefit. The sight of an Orion woman was not something unknown around these parts. However, the sight of an Orion woman as beautiful as the one who just walked in and especially when she had a young boy in tow was something little known around here. Jack raised his tankard to his lips and turned his eyes in her direction.

Niska signed inwardly as the man in front of her started actually drooling. He didn’t seem to be able to get his words out instead merely shrugging his shoulder in the direction behind him where a human male sat having clearly shot another person.

“Bring our food over to that table sugar,” she said winking at him. “And him another whatever …. “that” is he is drinking.” The poor sob nodded and she rolled her eyes. If she wanted to she could stay here for free she mused. Hell she could run the place.

Holding Cades hand she walked over and boldly kicked the dead Naussican off the bench and both sat down. She might look pretty but she was far more than a pretty face that was for sure. The heavy set alien rolled down onto the floor.

“I hear you have a ship,” she said simply locking her dark eyes with him

"Aye, I do have a ship and a crew, and now some cargo no thanks to that lump. What's it to ya toots?" Jack said. Jack was curious what she had in store for him. But if she thought that she was going to tempt him with her pheromones, boy would she be in for a surprise. He turned up the boyish charm and smiled ear to ear.

Niska grinned inwardly as her Betazoid side knew exactly what he was thinking. So she didn't need pheromones then.

"We need to get out of this system. I can pay."

She wasn't sure where exactly she was going but if she kept going system to system she might hear wind of this Resistance. I mean how hard was it to deflect to the other side? Apparently not that easy.

The bar keep came and placed 2 bowls of something in front of her and the boy and another tankard in front of the man.

Jack eyed everything that was placed in front of him warily. He dared not touch anything until the woman in front of him did. Ever the cautious man, Jack knew poison to be the weapon of choice among women, especially Orions. "And where praytell am I to take you for all this money that you have. Gallivanting the cosmos is no place for a young lad. In fact it is downright dangerous." He said eyeing the young boy that was with her.

Niska cocked her head as she looked at him, "Really? Even out here away from the belly of the Empire everyone thinks everyone's out to kill them. Or is it my species. You think your so important to me already just having met that I would poison you ..." she rolled her eyes.

"Allow me." She picked up his tankard and tasted it for him. "There." She pulled a spoon towards her and nudged Cades to his. Tasting her, well if you could call it soup, she tried not to retch. She was used to the finer things in her many years of service in the court. This was certainly a downside of leaving.

"I just want to keep heading in the direction away from this system. I'm looking for people but I don't know how to find them which is ridiculous really," she told him. "But I will find them. And a good pirate ...... privateer ...... businessman whatever you pertain to be .... takes the money and doesn't ask too many questions," she indicated the boy. "So can you do it or shall I have our lovely bar keep point me in the direction of someone else?"

Jack wondered exactly what people she was looking for. If it were the same people that he called friends, this Orion had better had a good reason or she and the child would end up dead. He smiled broadly. "Of course I can take you. However, the price is set by the destination. So where you goin toots or am I scour the galaxy until we stumble upon whoever you are looking for."

“I don’t answer to toots,” she said simply. “The next planet in the next system on please,” Niska told him simply. “If we don’t find them there and your still around we pay again. Next system on. If your gone we find another ride.”

"Alright I think I can do that, although it would help if you told me who you were looking for and I can take you right to them. However, if you want me to drop you off and go that will cost you ten thousand Imperial Credits. If you want to guarantee that I wait for you that is fifteen thousand. Your choice..." Jack said with a boyish smile. This woman intrigued him and she damn sure was nice to look at. Something within Jack told him that he should leave this well enough alone. But the will to see what this beautiful creature actually wanted was too strong.

"Deal," Niska stated. "I will contact my friend to organize your payment. I don't carry that kind of credits of course. I'm not sure I can trust anyone yet in telling them who I am looking for. I'm sure you can appreciate that," she gave him a killer watt smile. "Can we leave straight away?"

"Whenever you and little man are ready. The Tomahawk is in orbit, a signal from me and up we go." Jack said as he returned a smile of his own. She has money and is looking for someone. Either defector or spy. The question is which. he thought. "I can understand the lack of trust, however, out there is a tumultuous and dangerous place. Sooner or later one of us is going to have to trust the other."

"Where do you want your credits sending?" Niska asked ignoring the trust statement. She knew if someone was lying but perhaps he wasn't aware she was half Betazoid and empathic. That was something not to share right now. An advantage was an advantage after all.

"You can have it sent to the Tomahawk Trading Company. Once payment is confirmed and you are ready we will transport to the ship. Before we go I am going to have to get you some cargo crates." Jack said as the wheels began to turn in his head. "I am a cargo ship, and you are about to pay me to transport you and some cargo. So we are going to have to make it look real."

"As long as we do not need to be inside those cargo boxes then I shall go purchase clothing for them and food to share with your crew. We get a cabin of our own yes?" she insisted.

"Looking to make friends already. There aren't to the crew the Tomahawk is a small ship. But I am sure that they will be appreciative." Jack stood up and drank the dregs of his drink.

"And is there facility to bathe?" she asked him. She was not built for this life at all. All the dust and dirt. "Private facility. I do not wish an audience and I will not be doing any private dances or entertaining for your crew." Well except maybe him. He did have some nice arms she noticed and space travel could be rather long and boring. Hell who knew how long it was going to be until she located this resistance.

"We are not inhuman of course there will be a bathroom. You will also have your own quarters and dinner with the Captain." Jack winked as he suggested dinner.

"I'm sure you serve better food than here," she said with a smile. "I accept Captain."

"Excellent. I will go off to make sure all is ready. Contact me when you are ready to transport to the ship." Jack said with a flirty grin. He will make sure to tell the crew that they will have something nice to look at for the time being. Although he was sure that his XO wouldn't care for this mission, it paid well and that should be enough for her.

She nodded. "Come on Cade. We have some shopping to do."

The young boy set his eyes to the man for a moment. He might be only 6 but he knew what the older man was thinking.

"Thank you Captain," he forced himself to say following his green friend.


MU Niska
NPC Liam

Cade - Prime Liams son
NPC Liam

MU Jack Patton
CO Tomahawk

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