Wazzu
25-07-2005, 04:50
A long time from now in a galaxy far, far away, lies a pub at the edge of a chaotic and wild sector of space. It's alien owner's name is unprenouncable, but the name of the place roughly translates as "Bob's Bar."
As if hitting a glass wall, the three pirate vessels suddenly pealed away from the merchant ship they were chasing. This came as something of suprise and shock to the crew of the light freighter, for their ship was heavily damaged and couldn't run much longer. The pirates ought to have had them...so why did they fall back?
A quick check of the nearby systems showed nothing unusual, in fact, it showed not much at all. It seemed the only thing nearby was a small bar, it's location and identity only known because of it's FTL transponder...a stupid little thing that played the same bad commercial over and over and over.
With little other choice, the small crew turned their ship towards this only known inhabited place, crossing their fingers they were not walking into something worse.
******
The outside of the bar was quite messy. As some might say "A hole in the wall", this dump was definately "A hole in a 'roid." A small semi-spherical mining habitat (the cheap dome-type that could be found on countless asteroids in countless systems) seemed to make up its center, with the rest of the place an odd mixture of half-destroyed ships, scavenged satelites, and other junk.
A few spaceworthy (if barely) ships were docked outside; a small hydrogen fuel tanker, a Kaynik Anarchy spacecraft, a smooth ceramic alien looking ship colored in soft pastelles, a much rougher industrial style ship, a tiny ship with no apparant drives, and a small odd-looking ship full of holes.
From the dockyards, it was obvious this was not the type of bar frequented by merchants. But the pirates weren't nearby, and the crew was desperate for a place to stop and make repairs.
******
A short dock and EVA later (the place didn't even have true pressurized docking ports...or at least not one for the merchant freighter), and the crew entered the bar. If anything, it was seedier then the outside.
The patrons of the joint sat in their own isolated groups, speaking in whispers in the ruddy yellow light. The squat, blue Kayniks had moved a couple of badly damaged tables together to seat their group of 9. A Sirnef at the bar was serving something that looked entirely too big for a tiny Piquino customer. A Knnn sat wailing in a corner (nobody else save one dared sit near it), singing a strange alien language that only another methane breather might understand. It's T'CA ('n) buddy didn't look to happy, it's multiple heads wavering as tiny animals that looked like three glowing sticks attached to a ball walked all over it's body.
And with a shout of laughter, there was one more patron noticed...an odd looking creature that the crew was sure would look quite unstable even if it were not drunk. It's pale white, wrinkled skin was framed by a thinning silvery-white mane. For a few seconds, it tried to get up, to support it's portly frame on its two long, slender legs, but sank back into it's chair uneasilly.
It waved over to the newcommers, apparantly happily drunk and certainly not much of a threat. And hey, why not? Maybe it was an easy target to get some spare parts or fuel. And so the three Merchants who had entered the bar walked over to the old alien, trying to look casual.
The alien broke out in a grin of yellow, broken teeth, and spoke in a thick accent, "Hey! Welcome! Have a seat! Barmaid! Drinks for my friends!"
Then he turned to look at the crew. "You fellas look like you got yourselves stuck in a hole, uh?" the alien laughed, "Well don't feel too bad, you lot aren't so alone here. You should see the bind I'm in!"
With quizical looks more brought on by understanding only half the words though the aliens thick accent and thicker drunkenness rather then by actual interest, the three merchants inavertantly spurred the old alien on.
"Aye. I betya never seen one of me haveya now?" it inquired. "Some of these fine patrons are passing threw, the barmaid, ('HEY BARMAID!' he shouted again) says she's stuck, and me? I'm lost far from home. Come from a place called Earth ya know."
Earth, even out here in another galactic cluster, the name was recognizable. The legands about it were various...the capital of the universe's largest empire, the universes largest cesspool, a huge fracture in space-time. It was the Jackelope of merchant lore, and no one really believed the stories. But they were fun to tell and listen too, and it was rare to see it from a (friendly) alien's perspective. So the group decided in silent to listen to the old ruffian's story....
*********
OOC: More to come later.
As if hitting a glass wall, the three pirate vessels suddenly pealed away from the merchant ship they were chasing. This came as something of suprise and shock to the crew of the light freighter, for their ship was heavily damaged and couldn't run much longer. The pirates ought to have had them...so why did they fall back?
A quick check of the nearby systems showed nothing unusual, in fact, it showed not much at all. It seemed the only thing nearby was a small bar, it's location and identity only known because of it's FTL transponder...a stupid little thing that played the same bad commercial over and over and over.
With little other choice, the small crew turned their ship towards this only known inhabited place, crossing their fingers they were not walking into something worse.
******
The outside of the bar was quite messy. As some might say "A hole in the wall", this dump was definately "A hole in a 'roid." A small semi-spherical mining habitat (the cheap dome-type that could be found on countless asteroids in countless systems) seemed to make up its center, with the rest of the place an odd mixture of half-destroyed ships, scavenged satelites, and other junk.
A few spaceworthy (if barely) ships were docked outside; a small hydrogen fuel tanker, a Kaynik Anarchy spacecraft, a smooth ceramic alien looking ship colored in soft pastelles, a much rougher industrial style ship, a tiny ship with no apparant drives, and a small odd-looking ship full of holes.
From the dockyards, it was obvious this was not the type of bar frequented by merchants. But the pirates weren't nearby, and the crew was desperate for a place to stop and make repairs.
******
A short dock and EVA later (the place didn't even have true pressurized docking ports...or at least not one for the merchant freighter), and the crew entered the bar. If anything, it was seedier then the outside.
The patrons of the joint sat in their own isolated groups, speaking in whispers in the ruddy yellow light. The squat, blue Kayniks had moved a couple of badly damaged tables together to seat their group of 9. A Sirnef at the bar was serving something that looked entirely too big for a tiny Piquino customer. A Knnn sat wailing in a corner (nobody else save one dared sit near it), singing a strange alien language that only another methane breather might understand. It's T'CA ('n) buddy didn't look to happy, it's multiple heads wavering as tiny animals that looked like three glowing sticks attached to a ball walked all over it's body.
And with a shout of laughter, there was one more patron noticed...an odd looking creature that the crew was sure would look quite unstable even if it were not drunk. It's pale white, wrinkled skin was framed by a thinning silvery-white mane. For a few seconds, it tried to get up, to support it's portly frame on its two long, slender legs, but sank back into it's chair uneasilly.
It waved over to the newcommers, apparantly happily drunk and certainly not much of a threat. And hey, why not? Maybe it was an easy target to get some spare parts or fuel. And so the three Merchants who had entered the bar walked over to the old alien, trying to look casual.
The alien broke out in a grin of yellow, broken teeth, and spoke in a thick accent, "Hey! Welcome! Have a seat! Barmaid! Drinks for my friends!"
Then he turned to look at the crew. "You fellas look like you got yourselves stuck in a hole, uh?" the alien laughed, "Well don't feel too bad, you lot aren't so alone here. You should see the bind I'm in!"
With quizical looks more brought on by understanding only half the words though the aliens thick accent and thicker drunkenness rather then by actual interest, the three merchants inavertantly spurred the old alien on.
"Aye. I betya never seen one of me haveya now?" it inquired. "Some of these fine patrons are passing threw, the barmaid, ('HEY BARMAID!' he shouted again) says she's stuck, and me? I'm lost far from home. Come from a place called Earth ya know."
Earth, even out here in another galactic cluster, the name was recognizable. The legands about it were various...the capital of the universe's largest empire, the universes largest cesspool, a huge fracture in space-time. It was the Jackelope of merchant lore, and no one really believed the stories. But they were fun to tell and listen too, and it was rare to see it from a (friendly) alien's perspective. So the group decided in silent to listen to the old ruffian's story....
*********
OOC: More to come later.