Caught Short again.
15 Feb 2022Creamy Goodness III
Chilton was not a bad place to spend time at all. Creamy had found a very well-equipped Zero-G Gym on the back end of the central spine by the transports to the habitation ring. With the fresh produce from the station and nearby agricultural worlds, Creamys’ dietary needs were being fulfilled with a satisfactory taste too. Even the name Chilton reminded Creamy of a childhood Holo-Show he used to enjoy. Whistling the bouncy theme tune from all those years ago, Creamy strode into the bar on the concourse and waved to Haley when she made eye contact with him.“Good afternoon boss, I see your staff found their way here today”
“Yeah, its amazing how motivated my guys can be after a lil talk about reliability. A Mint-Water, sparkling with a little ice?” asked Haley holding up a tall glass.
“Lime this time please, and I was wondering if I was too early to talk with the person you know about some work? Docking fees, hotel and gym membership are stretching my budget. Ninette is recommending I check the PF bulletin board, but I really don’t like giving the PF a cut of everything I do”
A lime water was expertly decanted into the low-G glass and put in front of Creamy “No, you picked a good time. She’s put away her slate and is just chilling out” said Haley checking on Sara in the periphery of her vision. “Should be a good moment to talk to her about work”
“Top draw! Thank you Haley, what will I be doing do you think? Any tips to get mi’self a better deal?”
“Ha!” A big smile owned Haleys’ face “A good Bar Tender know the all regulars’ business, but keeps it to herself you know? Just be yourself Creamy, Sara has taken on a big workload, and I think she’s about ready for a hand. Shes just there, good luck”
“Well then, no point in prevaricating about the bush. I’ll get to it”
Hopping off his stool, Creamy strode towards the person Haley had indicated. The woman hadn’t even noticed Creamy before he decided negotiations wouldn’t go well. Everything about her body language said ‘Leave me alone’ so Creamy just walked by where she was seated. Letting his sensitive nose find out what she was drinking, Creamy went back to the bar.
“A bottle of Harma please, and one glass if you would be so kind” requested Creamy politely.
“How did you..“ Haley remembered Creamys’ uncanny sense of smell from last night “Jeeze Creamy, you get that thing off a dog?” Handing over a bottle of the requested rum and a clean glass, Haley wished her new friend good luck.
“Excuse me, are you..”
Without looking at the person in front of her, Sara interrupted, and answered the question she had responded to with unwanted regularity.
“No, I’m not Jordanna Frost, I look like her, but that’s not me, ok? You can keep walkin” she side with deep exacerbation
“Who? I have no idea who miss Frost may be, but the universe must be truly blessed if two people have a countenance as captivating as yours” answered Creamy with a half bow.
It took Sara half a moment to work out what the stranger had just said. She was a little surprised to see a tall man in an expensive looking three-piece suit. He sounded as refined as he was dressed, causing Sara to impulsively stand up. She rallied against the unexpected visage before her and addressed the thing foremost on her mind.
“You roll on up and drop a line like that huh? You hittin on me?”
“No no, that was an honest observation inspired by your loveliness and nothing more” said Creamy stepping back defensively “However in the interest of truthfulness, had you have appeared into it, I would have answered yes”
Sara took a quick breath, ready to give this admittedly good-looking player a piece of her mind, but she was interrupted by him before she could begin.
“Before you slap me, perhaps I could tempt you with a drink to throw in my face instead?” said Creamy holding up a bottle of Harma Rum and a single glass like a shield disguised as a peace offering “While I pour it for you, I wonder if you would consider reviewing a verbal résumé as I am in need of employment, and Haley suggested you may have an opportunity for the right person?”
Sara gave Haley a brief glance that was returned with an affirmative nod of her head. Haley had been a good ear for Sara in the way of the perfect bar-keep, and the guys’ big open smile looked sincere.
“Ok Three Piece, you got until this glass is back on the table to impress me” said Sara, taking the bottle and glass from Creamy.
Mentally cracking his knuckles, Creamy beamed a confident smile now he was given an opportunity to talk about his favourite subject. Himself.
“I am an operatically trained signer with a range best described, from exulted angle to metal daemon. I can play any common instrument at least to session-band level, and I was admitted to an exclusive conservatory for the piano”
Sara had stopped pouring her drink to look at him in puzzlement, amusing Creamy. He continued talking quickly, but clearly. Sara didn’t seem the type to deliberately give away time in this situation.
“Dance is also a speciality of mine. I can perform acrobatically from zero to high gravity, that includes on wheels and ice by the by, and I’m not bad on the pole in any situation”
It took a bit of control for Creamy to suppress a laugh at the expression his last comment had caused on Saras’ face. She had also paused again with the glass just shy of her lips. Creamy pressed on to the last leg.
“On six planets including my home, I am was a sort after sommelier, though my qualification may have lapsed, I endeavour to keep my pallet clean and refined”
Creamy was pushing his luck, Sara had finished her shot of rum and the glass was about to start its short journey to the table ending Creamys’ interview. He produced his pilots’ licence as he finally got around to information relevant to the sort of work Creamy suspected Haley would have lined him up for.
“Finely, I hold an A-star Heavy Liner pilots rating from Saud Kruger, and I have over a thousand hours logged flying Anaconda Liners for a reputable company” Finished Creamy holding out his licence just as Sara put the glass on the table.
“Saud Kruger A-Star rating huh? Now, why didn’t you lead with that?” Asked Sara taking Creamys’ card and pressing it to her slate to read his flight record.
“Well, this way I was fortunate enough to tell you about me, and not simply what I can do for you” answered Creamy honestly.
Sara chuckled to herself. This guy had some front, and she had just read his name. Somehow, it suited him. She felt like she hadn’t so much listened to an employment pitch, but had been lured into a surprise speed date instead. His flight record for big ships was good, clean, and most importantly he had experience in a Type Nine hauling valuable cargo. She saw nothing on bounties claimed, or kills credited to Creamy, but neither did he have many interdiction cargo losses considering how many interceptions had been in. If he was as good as his record, Sara could almost double her deliveries, making splitting the pay worthwhile.
“Alright Goodness, I can use you. You’ll be subcontracted to me flying a Type Nine for Brewer Corporation, standard rates to start with”
"Now, no more of this” said Sara wiggling the bottle of rum “After my designated downtime, we’re loading up as soon as the corp deliver the ship. Oh, and Haleys' finders fee is coming out of your first payment"
Within a few hours, a Type Nine was loaded and ready for the next stop on the cargo pick-up and deliver run. Sara had given Creamy instructions to follow her out of the slot, and she would transmit the flight plan to his nav-computer once they were away from the station as a precaution against raiders stealing the rout of a loaded pair of cargo ships with no escort. Sara was in a Type Ten, and both ships were decked out with turrets, but raiders are not easy to dissuade once they have a target.
Sitting on the pad, Creamy looked up to see Saras’ Ten float by, putting him in mind of continental drift with a deadline to meet.
“Clearance granted Bre Twelve, I’ll follow once you’re clear of the slot” said Creamy communicating with Saras’ ship
“Rodger Bre Nine. We’ll.. ..”
Suddenly, the station lights turned red and the coms were overridden by Chilton control with an all points warning and accompanying klaxon.
<<Lockdown initiated. Clear the central lanes and await pad assignment. Lockdown initiated. Clear the central lanes and await pad assignment>>
The orders ceased, but the alarm was still sounding over his coms when he was put back in contact with Saras’ T-Ten. His new boss wasn’t talking while she carfully took the massive ship out the way of the slot, but he could hear another woman through Saras’ speakers.
"I'm engaging pursuit and I'll need backup.” said an urgent female voice
There was a short pause before what Creamy assumed was Chilton authorities responded.
"Departure clearance granted, speed restrictions waived. Good luck, Commander."
Shortly after that a small colourful ship left the station at blackout speed, too fast for Creamy to see, leaving only vapour as evidence of its passing.