Warning! A hard course of action.
30 May 2017Jubei Himura
ExoticaClair Dock, Tjakiri System
“Easy bub,” I said, raising my hands slowly. “I’m just here to talk.”
“Is that right?” Nicholas kept the pistol trained on my head. “Come to talk about what exactly? Imperial takeover? We’re fine out here without the Empire.”
“No, this is too far from Achenar. The Empire has no interests this far out.”
“Alright. Did Cassius send you?”
“Did Cassius-?!” I practically yelled in disbelief. “The hell kind of question is that?! Don’t forget, Nic, I took the full force of his wrath for helping you get to the Imperial border.”
“Fair enough.” Nic lowered his weapon finally. “So what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to assess the capabilities of Black Omega and see if they are a threat to Imperial sovereignty.”
The gun was suddenly pointed at my head again. I simply sighed.
“...and what happens if you find that B-O is capable and a possible threat?”
“Then I simply report back and await further orders. Currently I have strict orders to not intervene or make any move against Black Omega.”
Still holding the gun, Nic looked down at the corpse of his lackey. He looked back at me and smiled sarcastically. “Oh, but beating the ever-loving shit out of ‘Deady’ here isn’t direct conflict?”
“Not when you’re the one who shot him dead.”
With that Nic laughed and spun the pistol with his finger before holstering it. Falling back into his chair behind the manager’s desk, Nic pressed a button on the internal comms control and called for a cleanup crew as well as a bottle of Cubeo Gold. He leaned forward over his desk with a smile on his face.
“Let me show you the place or at least find a nice table with some entertainment while we talk business. The office has to get... cleaned.”
“Lead the way.” I extended my arm toward the office door courteously as he got up to leave. “It’s been years since I was here.”
Nic stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at me, eyebrows raised. After a few seconds he just shrugged and laughed. “Never figured that you, of all people, would visit a brothel.”
“Well, you could say I was a different person back then,” I replied as we walked into the hall where loud, bass-filled music thumped all around us. As we passed by Cindy I gave her instructions to go to Wrex’s place and speak with Veronica or Arcy about shelter.
Nic sat us down in a corner of the ‘bar’ area where dancers were wrapping themselves around the poles that were the centerpieces of the various tables. The air hung low with the smell of various carcinogens including the strong scent of onionhead. Sounds of the dancers giggling in mock amusement mixed with the sound of credit chips falling at their feet. Anyone trying to listen in to any further conversation would find it difficult.
“So look, you know that I can’t help you directly,” Nic said to me over the noise of the bar. “All I can offer you is a distraction.” As he said ‘distraction’ he made a rather uncouth gesture, but in that gesture were slight finger taps that signalled me to listen to what he had to say next.
“Well now, I haven’t had any down time in a while so a good romp would clear the head.” I set my head down in my hand, tapping on my ear.
“Well, the girls here love a guy who’s strong. You could prove that down in the fight pits. I mean, you always did love a good fight.”
“Aye. I did, and I still do.” I stood up and shook his hand.
“There’s a big tournament happening in a couple of days. Sounds like your kind of action.” Nic laughed as he shook my hand. “Hell, you win and you’ll see all the action.”
“Right. Thanks, Nic.”
“Watch yourself, Ju-”
“Hunter. The name’s Hunter Lionheart.”
“Hunter Lionheart… right. See ya, friend.”
I nodded and left the establishment. The message was clear. Fight pits, two days, fight in tournament and I could get an inside look at the ability of the Black Omega PMC. But, that last part: watch yourself, a warning.
I was expected.
* * * * *
Veronica was waiting for me outside of Wrex’s place when I came back. She stood by the front door leaning against the wall with her arms folded over her chest. A frown was visible on her face as I approached, but that soon faded when she noticed me.
“You know, Shisho,” she started, placing a hand on her hip. “You need to let us know if you plan on sending scared, underage girls here.”
“I knew she’d be safe here,” I replied.
Veronica smile and opened the door to walk inside. “Well, you’re right. Looks like Arcy’s taken a shine to her.”
We walked inside to find Arcy cooking in the kitchen and Cindy watching her closely. The smell of sauteing onions and mushrooms filled the dwelling with a savoury fragrance as Arcy expertly tossed the contents of the pan around in the air. She was always great with food, which was the reason she was the head chef at _The Mountain and Eagle_ bar and grill.
Wrex didn’t even turn his head away from the holofax when he spoke. “Hey, you know the girl waited outside for ya since that little miss showed up? Ya had her worried, kid.”
“Who are you, her father?” I shot back.
He turned and looked at me with hard eyes, he wasn’t joking. “Cut her some slack.”
“Well-“ I started but then I heard the harshness in my voice and I stopped dead in my tracks. Why was I suddenly so on edge? Watch yourself. “Sorry, Veronica, I should have let you know what I was up to.”
“Well it’s not like we’re in dangerous territory or anything,” she snapped back. “Shisho, something’s off, you’re never short with me. It’s this damn hellish station, no offence.”
“Some taken,” Arcy quipped. Wrex just laughed.
Veronica could go back to Shajn. That thought eased my mind a bit but not completely. That’s it! It’s not me I’m worried about. I looked around the room at Arcy, Wrex and Veronica. It’s them.
I ran to the room we were using and searched my bag. What could have I been thinking?! I put my friends lives in danger. Well it was time I fixed that. I smiled in satisfaction as I found the holoslate and pulled it out of my bag. My fingers touched a few points and the slate came to life with full Chapterhouse encoding. I selected the one name that I knew I could trust with this request.
“Hey Jubs! What’s up?” the cheerful voice of Seraphina Phrax sounded as her bright smile appeared on the screen.
“I need you to travel to the Tjakiri system.” I answered.
* * * * *
“What?! Why?!” Veronica was understandably angry with me.
“Because they don’t know who you are or why you’re here,” I explained, trying to keep calm. “I want you to be able to come and go as you please. There’s a lot that Arcy can teach you that I can’t.”
“That’s an understatement.” Acry’s wit was as sharp as ever.
“Could you just-” I flashed a look at Arcy before turning back to Veronica. “Look kiddo, I have a modified Sidey hidden in hanger ten. Use that and go to the co-ordinates I punched in your holoslate. Please.”
“Fine, but you owe me a vacation and shopping,” Veronica said as she grabbed her bag. She then hugged everyone before running out of the residence in mock panic.
“Alright Wrex, Now-”
Before I could finish my sentence Wrex socked me square in the stomach followed by a left hook to the jaw. The left sent me to the ground. Above me, Wrex was shaking his hand.
“Real enough for ya, kid?” he said, pleased with himself. “That was for Veronica.”
“Yeah, I deserved that.” I rubbed my chin as I got up. “You ready for this? Think of your wife-”
Another punch came and I went down, again. That time the punch was from Arcy.
“You don’t think I can hold my own?” Arcy’s said in a mocking tone. “Yeah, Hunter, this is happening. You happy about that?"
“Very happy, yes.” I got up and stomped my foot on the ground. “Let’s get this over with, I have shit to do.”
“For what it’s worth, Hunter, we’re sorry.”
I’m sure the sounds of broken glass and furniture that night must have been heard by enough people. The station police arrived just in time to see me flee out a window after leaving the couple in a beaten state.
Many, many thanks to Nicholas Locke for the dialog, Jemine Caesar and Desert Fox CXVII for editing, and all of the Inara Writers Guild for support!