Strange Accords 2: Good ole Mexican Stand off
16 Jun 2023Silvia Sharpe
After having been released from the hospital I made my way back to the bar in hopes to thank the people there for reacting in the way they had. As I entered the bar I was very quickly greeted with an interesting scenario.A man tucked back behind the wall to the entrance of the bar, Ina holding what appeared to be a flipping heavy rifle, and Creamy holding his fists up as if he were ready to punch somebody out. I continued in and the expression on my face said pretty much everything.
'What the hell is going on here? I leave for a couple hours and this is what the bar comes to? Shame on all of you. Put your damned weapons away and talk like civilized people. Creamy I swear on all I have I will put you in your place faster than your mother ever could have.'
Melli observed the scene and rushed over to Ina hopping up onto her shoulder. Obviously Ina very much so disapproved of the action, seeing as how she was trying to aim a very large weapon at the entrance to the bar. Ina didn't want Melli to put her paws, or tail, or any other body parts in front of her eyes or the rifle barrel.
"Silvia... Heck! I'm glad you're fine, but please, take the damn cove... Ow! You little fluffball, please... Things may get rough."
To Ina's surprise, Melli listened and jumped off her shoulder.
"Fuck that" Vodan said taking cover by the thickest part of the wall having seen Ina's rifle pointed in his direction.
He checked the walk way in both directions. Long and straight, no safety from Ina's rifle. If he took cover in another shop, he'd be cornered, and still have to make a long run in a straight line to get away if he did give us the slip. He took his guns out of their holsters and, holding the barrels, showed them round the door.
"Thats mine, take your fuckin anti-tank weapon off my balls"
Melli reacted extremely aggressively to the man who just entered the bar with what appeared to be sawed off shot guns. She crouched low to the bar counter and bared her teeth. The reaction was enough for me turn, draw my plasma pistol, and aim my laser sight square in the middle of Vodan's chest.
I motioned over to Melli on the counter
'That little thing will be on you faster than you can say lizard shit. So let's talk'
Seeing Vodan show his shotguns, Ina proceeded with whatever talking her mind managed to produce.
"Fine! Nice and easy, both guns on the floor! And your dagger too! You're not the only nutter with a gun now!"
She was a bit worried for me for obvious reasons. I was just out of medical, and, if I had started fighting with Vodan, she wouldn't have been able to do any good, since she didn't want to hit me accidentally.
"Moor mar mer oh-me mutma miv ma mar narrr" mocked Vodan in a childish voice parroting what Ina had just said from the safety of cover.
"Yeah yeah yeah" He undid his belt and gently swung it, with the guns, a pair of micro-grenades and plenty of cartridges in its many pouches and holsters into the room.
He was about to step in with his hands up and remembered his punch daggers.
"Hang on, I need to take my coat off to undo the punch daggers. Don't fuckin shoot your compensator, I'm cooperating"
Swinging the strappy contraptions around the frame, Vodan slumped his great coat over his shoulder and put his hands up, revealing himself to the bar again.
I lowered my pistol to the ready position and Melli relaxed a bit, keeping a very watchful eye on Vodan. As what I hoped was the last bit of weaponry hit the ground I holstered my pistol.
'Alright nice and easy now. Melli seasamh síos.'
I was at a disadvantage size wise against everyone in the room but with at least Ina and Creamy, hopefully on my side, I might have stood a chance. I grabbed a glass of water and another one full of just ice. Feeling somewhat weak I walked over and took a seat near Cass.
****
'You ok? Melli, come here.'
“Oh! Yea. Fine, thanks for askin’! Just. Does this always happen? I mean, every five minutes there’s some sort o’ big thing. First you collapsin’ -hope you’re feeling better- and now /this/“ she gestured to the room in general. “Just a bit much, really.”
Cass seemed perplexed by the goings on of the bar, which was somewhat normal but not frequent. Melli hopped down off the bar top and scurried over to my side. She laid down attempting to make herself as small of a target as possible. All while keeping Vodan in sight. She didn't trust that man one bit and I honestly didn't blame her. Both Ina and Creamy seemed to want to pile drive that man into the ground for just simply existing.
'From my understanding it happens quite frequently. When I took up the vacant position for bartender I was given a run down on recent events and well, while it's typically calm and peaceful, things tend to just....'
I motioned around the room as if to say welcome to Citi Gateway. I took a long slow sip of my water and plucked an ice cube out from the other glass and popped it into my mouth. I started to feel warm again but didn't really want to raise any alarms, and I certainly wasn't wanting to go back to the hospital.
“Must just be a weird hotspot for people.” Cass said as she shrugged
I looked Cass over carefully and pulled out a small concealed blade, still in its sheath, and handed it over to her. In a lowered voice I spoke only to Cass.
'I don't see any weapons on or around you. Here take this. It's not much but if you can get the drop on someone, it'll be better than nothing.'
Cass too, lowered their voice. “You certain? Thank you.” Cass took the blade, and stuck it in their pocket. Luckily with the sheath on.
'Yes I don't expect this to go south at this point but anything is possible.' I replied calmly.
Then, she turned her attention to Melli. “I’d like to ask about your pet over there, if you don’t mind. Looks like a fox but, not quite. Am I making sense?”
'Who? Melli? You'd be correct in that assumption. She is a hybrid of sorts. Mixed between an Arctic fox and a creature about the size of a coyote. They don't have an official name yet but I call them a Vulptex. Terrifyingly vicious if they feel threatened.'
I tapped Melli on the rump lightly with my foot to break her attention from Vodan.
'Melli, come sit up here. Let this woman get a good look at you.'
A bit of excited chatter came from Melli almost as if she enjoyed the attention.
Yes Yes! That means pets!
She hopped up on the table and sat in a very prideful manor. She tried to present herself in as cute of a way as possible so as to get a much attention as she could from Cass.
“Aw, well that’s adorable.” Cass began to gently stroke Melli. “Didn’t realize different terrestrial beings were able to hybridize.” she offhandedly mentioned.
While that was happening I diverted my gaze over to Creamy, Ina, and Vodan. If something happened I wanted to be able to react accordingly. I grabbed another cube of ice and rubbed it on the back of my neck to help cool me off. I began to think that I should have gone and grabbed my armor so it could at least help regulate my body temps but at the time the ice seemed to be helping. I popped another piece of ice into my mouth and let it melt.
'Don't let her out of your sight please. She is extremely valuable. But yes they can hybridize, very rare but it is possible. Earth has several of its own.'
****
"Okay. Now you sit down and tell us everything you know about Vengerfield's actions, his forces and whatever", Ina said to Vodan with her voice still loud, but not quite at shouting level. "You're not getting Creamy today."
Then, still keeping her eyes on, and rifle pointed at, Vodan, she shouted:
"Cream! He's here and all yours! Ask him whatever you want!"
"I genuinely recommend you tell us everything. This might also help you, with getting off the hook", she addressed Vodan again. "From what I know, nobody here wants you dead. Your luck. Try not to run out of it."
Saying that, Ina continued with her 'standing still and pointing a loaded weapon at a dangerous man' thing, she had noticed that people in the bar started chattering more relaxedly, and Melli, was in the spotlight now. Like there hadn't just been an armed thug waving shotguns a few minutes ago, and that standoff now.
"No good asking him, he's an idiot" Said Vodan sitting down, having the view down the long long barrel of Ina's comfort zone.
"That bubblehead probably doesn't even know who I am, and I've been up close and personal with him more times than most girls I've fucked"
"Let me give you the short version. This arse-wipe" he said as he pointed to Creamy "Stopped being careful with his identity, and now the master has found him. Vengerfield isn't interested in Creamy, he wants to know about his ex, Doctor Nerys"
Vodan checked the glasses close by looking for something to drink.
"Creamy's problem is, he doesn't know where she is. I know because I've been following him on and off for the best part of two years, and he's not so much as said her name"
"So, after you" Vodan pointed an accusatory finger at Ina "and JB took this guy out from under my nose, Vengerfield put me on his shit-list too. But there is light at the end of this tunnel. I've got a way to prove Creamy doesn't know anything about Nerys, and if I bring him in, I'll get off the master's shit-list. I have a good chance of keeping this worthless dickhead alive, and I may even get my position back"
"The sticky point is, this jack-ass doing his run-rabbit number. Trust me, the master has the jump points in every system around here watched, and when his carriers turn up, he'll have Creamy, or he'll take down what's left of this station until someone turns him in"
Hearing Vodan say that I stood from my seat grabbing another cube of ice and placing it on my neck. I removed my jacket and placed it on the table. Melli scooped it under her and made a "nest". I proceeded cautiously, now feeling my body temp begin to drop back down, and placed myself between Vodan and his weapons near the exit. Ina nodded after every sentence, though I don't think there was a single thing Vodan could have said to change Ina's mind in that particular moment in time.
"I'm still dead certain you're expendable here. So that master of yours let you chase Creamy for months and years, keeping an eye on you, to move his forces in after you capture the chap. My take is, if he did really want to take you off that shit-list, he'd give you an opportunity to prove you're a good boi", those last words were said as if Ina was talking to a dog, I had to hold back from laughing at it while she continued "a long time ago. But no, he went doing his master things, knowing you're too eager to exonerate yourself after pooping on the carpet, so you're not going to disappear. And also you honestly believe he's almighty, because he put that belief into your mind. No, there are too many arseholes without a moral compass in this galaxy, and replacing you is way easier than paying you and whatever. Put down one lap dog, pick up another. Maybe you're replaced already, but you've been too busy chasing Creamy to realize that. Hey, Cream, come in already, we should do something with him anyway!"
'Look here laddie, what's the likelihood we could take down your master? I've dealt with pirates and gone toe to toe with military brats. If you want a real way out I'm willing to help you rid yourself of him for good. Guy sounds like a right dick with how you talk about him.'
"Hey, Silvia...", Ina nodded towards the rifle that she held pointed at Vodan. "I have only one mag to get out of here. There are lots of them on my ship, but it's in the docks. By the way, nice haircut."
'Huh? You afraid you're going to hit a 5'4 woman when you've got that thing aimed at his head?' Motions exasperatedly at Vodan. 'He is 6 freaking foot tall, you'll miss me. Also...' points at my waist showing my belt with 6 pistol mags and what would appear to be micro grenades. 'If you're worried about a gun fight breaking out I can cover us long enough to get to the docks.'
"Nnnnnope, what I was trying to say is that I don't want to end up pinned down by a friggin' army in a lousy bar, having only eighty rounds. As such I don't want to fight a friggin' army, over somebody else's things, at all." Ina responded in a manor that made me thing maybe she thought I was too self confident.
'Right hmm makes sense.. though we wouldn't be trapped. There is an escape path we could use to get us to the docks. But you are right, not exactly the best place to be.' I responded trying to think of a proper plan that would be a better option to allowing us to be pinned down in the bar.
"I have a plan of what to do with all that, but these are Creamy's matters and I want to hear what he might say." Ina replied.
'What say you about getting your life back the old fashioned way huh? I can tell you fear this guy more than you care for your freedom. That is not a good way to live.'
I looked to Vodan. It was a long shot but I had been in plenty of skirmishes though in most of them I had heavy shields, at that point I had at best, an armored jacket and pants.
Creamy chimed in seemingly conflicted with the events. "I did stop using cover names and forged IDs after I stepped back from working for Errand of Mercy. I mean, it had been so long, and I hadn't had any trouble, I sort of, you know, felt it was alright to be ones self again. I may not know where .. the Doctor is, or why this brutish animal is so interested in her whereabouts, but I am causing problems for people and I can't have that"
Vodan responded in an almost cocky manor. "Yeah, and the reason you had such an easy ride, is because I was behind you taking out any bounty hunters that got close"
"Uhhhh...", Ina let out a long sigh. "So, my plan. We tie up that fuming hairy arse and one of us will take him to some random station away from here. I'm not a specialist at forging IDs, but providing him with one might be a good idea so that he will get off Vengerfield's radars. And you, Creamy, I think you should be more careful from now on. So, with Vodan invisible for Vengerfield, and you covering your tracks better, we might get all that situation defused for a long time. Assuming that Vodan will start enjoying his second chance life and stop doing shit. Otherwise, we may not be as friendly next time we see him."
"Whatever life you've had in the past", Ina spoke to Vodan, "is long gone now. But you're still holding to a hope to get it back, having no power at all. Because Vengerfield was the power. But that hope is false."
"But... Uh. Cream. If you want to surrender and go through whatever hell might happen to you, who am I to stop you?"
Turning to Ina, Vodan felt just pissed off enough to correct one insult.
"And the Master didn't let me do anything. Unlike Lord La-La here, I used good fake IDs and really covered my tracks waiting for the right moment to get close and talk to him about sorting this out" Vodan turned to Creamy again "Without, getting kicked in the fucking head real hard"
"Seriously, this guy can't stop kicking people in the head" Vodan told the room at large.
"And as for mounting a plucky defense force against some crumby little crime boss, for-fuckin-get it" he said to me, as if telling a child their stupid plan was stupid.
"You're talking about a guy that kicks the superpowers out of systems when he wants them. He's routed the Feds and the Imps; even the Goids were held back at his borders longer than the powers managed. He's coming here with two carriers full of ships, and loaded with troops. And I know how much firepower that is because I used to command one of his carriers before this....merc fucked it up for me"
****
"Hmm, it's a hard one to chew, but I do know that my being here is bad for you lot, and that's not fair"
"Run run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man" said Creamy under his breath.
I grabbed Vodan's weapons from the floor and walked them over to the bar top. I unloaded both shot guns and looked over the punch daggers. Vodan called over to me as I was messing with his weapons, clearly concerned for my safety.
"Oi careful whit those guns love. They got shock packs in them, coz another thing Creamy can't stop doing is whipping a gun out of your hands if you get too close. So don't pull too hard on the lanyard. Wouldn't want you to frazzle ya new do would I"
I nodded when Vodan warned about the shock packs. 'Thanks..... uh who the fuck are you? Never got the name.... or if it was said I didn't catch it... but besides that, you said they held off the Thargoids, doesn't mean they are actively willing to place themselves inside the hot zone of a fucking maelstrom. I on the other hand am crazy enough to go through one just to survive.'
"On one hand, I've done the old secret identity thing for a while now, and that's forced me to try a way of life I would otherwise never have sampled. On the other, I do rather enjoy being me, and what's the point of life unless you get to live it. In that respect, I can see how old Reg here feels" said Creamy pointing at Vodan.
"It looks like I get in my ship now, waggle my tail father at Vengerfield's chaps until they give chase, and then go on the run again. Or, we trust Reginald here to .. take me to his leader and smooth things over. Getting the rest of you deeply involved sounds like a bad investment"
"Your expert opinion Mrs. Muir? Silvia?" Creamy asked not quite looking at either me or Ina.
"I'm not playing a game of who the fuck are you Owl-Eyes, just be careful with my gear, it's rigged" Vodan faced Creamy "But who the fuck is Reginald? How did you get from Vodan to Reginald? You know what, it don't matter, you're thick as shit, I get that."
"I was only asking for your damned name hothead.'
I responded to Vodan fairly annoyed by his comment and looked to Creamy who I could tell was conflicted.
'Creamy.... gah why that name?.... not important. I'm kind of with Ina here. Though, we might be able to smuggle both of you off station. We can use one of my ships. They know nothing about me, nor my ships. Hell the ships aren't even registered to me. They are all registered to Venus, which could give us the ability to slip away and come up with a much better plan. It would also get us the hell off station before this army, if they are on their way, decide to show up.'
I thought for a moment before continuing.
'I've got an evac cutter on station, currently undergoing repairs on pad 02. We could use that and find a much better place to determine a better course of action.'
“Hey, uh. ‘Scuse me.” Cass stopped petting Melli and wandered over, leaving the fox on the table. “Really sorry, but, didn’t the ominous man say that all the jump points are guarded? Even if you do get off station, and to another system, it’s likely that they’ll have manifest scanners. The ones that scan for cargo and passengers, y’know?”
Melli took the jacket in her mouth and ran over to my side.
'OK sure but how likely is it they are going to put a wing in a maelstrom? My guess not likely. Nobody is stupid enough to try and sit there waiting. We have a maelstrom on our doorstep right now. My cutter well Venus' cutter is specially designated to get in and out of a Thargoid zone.....'
Seeing that the situation was calming down, Ina removed her left hand from the fore-end of her rifle, placed it on the table nearby, and lowered the barrel, getting into a more relaxed stance.
"Hm... That's possible", Ina replied to Cass. "Though there are some ways to smuggle people, shielding them from scanners, keeping them in the cockpit as if they were your crewmembers, or whatever. I used it to smuggle two people in the cockpit once, but it was a backward shit settlement without anything we may call a modern security measure."
"Oh. didn't realize you could do it like that." Cass paused to think about the Thargoid option or well, thinking if it would work, taking their pencil out of their pocket and spinning it between two fingers absentmindedly.
Melli hopped up on the bar top, dropped the jacket then made her way over to Creamy and sat directly next to him, her curious eyes observing him.
The look on Creamy's face said it all. Both options were life changing for him, one could change a very short life into death. Then his face brightened up.
"I say, I could run into a Goid mother ship. You know, put that doom-fleet this chap is supposed to have to some good use"
"You're going to risk greatly. I'd like to help you with something, but if you're going to surrender, I can't do any good there, they will just shoot me or worse. As much as I have trouble believing Vodan's words, I'm also hell certain about him not having a full picture and being manipulated. Sadly, I can't say how it feels, to want your way of life back. I definitely don't want to have my past back. So... If you want to risk it, it's your decision to make. But clashing them against the Thargoids sounds cool. I may as well cover you on the initial stage, keeping the pests out, to make sure you lead them into the swarm deeply enough. So, if you're, in general, willing to keep evading them, I'm up for a Thargoid option."