Encounters at Toolfa
02 Mar 2016Sinaarrgghh
"Docking Request Granted" said the voice in my ears as the coriolis station of Crook Hub rotated before me. It looked the same as they all did, you loose track eventually. I was in Toolfa, looking to source a good Asp Explorer from a contact of Andrews'"Any idea where I can find a guy called Needham?" I asked the voice.
"Any number of those around here. It's a common name, can you narrow it down?" came the slightly amused reply. There's a station in this system called Needham Keep, I idly wondered if it was related in some way.
"Maintenance Chief Davey Needham, got an accent so thick I'll need a translator I'm told."
"Ah he'll be on the concourse at this time of night, you might catch him at either Dangerous Dave's or Hutton's Hovel."
It was later that same day and I'd heard about some good trading opportunities not far from here. Crook Hub boasted a reasonable shipyard and outfitters and I'd also had a glowing recommendation for this guy from Andrews. Well in truth he'd described him as an 'angry, short-arsed, drunken prick' and told me we'd get along famously. He did then add that he knows his way around a ship and thats high praise indeed from Andrews and that will do me. Our's isn't a world filled with happy clappy types after all.
I docked inside without incident and got out of my gleaming Vulture. It was no trouble finding the concourse, they might all look the same but at least you don't get lost. This world was an independent and it showed, the people looked outlandish compared to the federation ones I'd become used to. It was loud and lively and there were more bars here too. My hangover was feeling better now, the high oxygen mix in the ship always helped.
I found Dangerous Dave's after a little wandering about and headed in. It was a fairly typical smoky spacer hangout but a bit softened for the masses. The ceiling was low and the room was dark but the stools at the bar were all neatly upholsted and intact. The bottles behind the bar were all clean and neat, not plastic either which was a good sign. My eye lighted on a bottle of Indi Bourbon that was the cause of all my suffering and I shuddered. It wasn't made too far away so was fairly affordable here. I settled for a simple beer and looked at the other patrons of the bar.
They were a mixed bunch to say the least. In the corner were a group from the empire by the look of them, their clothes lacked colour and they tended to stare suspisciously at people. They weren't talking. A tall couple, probably locals, with bright green hair and shiny red clothing, looked like they were having a row. Their movements were short and fast and they were keeping their voices down. A fat man watched them from the other side of the bar too, his jacket displaying his trade rank of Broker. I didn't wear my insignia outside of the ship, I wasn't fond of drawing attention to myself.
A few others were dotted around, those alone mostly spacers and a few small groups of spaceport workers. A group of three caught my eye as one of them did seem to match the description I'd been given. He was talking to a tall and gangly young lad with long hair, shaking his head and occasionally tapping the table to emphasise his point. The other person had their back to me and was long haired too, their clothes bulky and padded as was common for outfitters and maintenance people. They approached the bar and I walked to stand beside them.
It was a girl, I'd not been sure but up close there could be no doubt. She turned her large almond shaped eyes on me but didn't speak. An eyebrow slowly climbed up her forehead while she waited.
"I was going to ask if that was Chief Needham but I think I'd rather ask if I could buy you a drink?" I asked with a smile.
Her eyes narrowed slightly but she smiled back.
"Yes and no in that order. I might let you buy a drink somewhere more interesting though?"
She didn't wait for my response but headed towards the door, looking back over her shoulder as she went. I quickly necked my beer and followed, Needham could wait.