Upon Umber's departure what was a rose became a ball. The ball then rolled off the table, on to the floor and out of the Bar. Presumably in search of its master.
"Almost certainly a stupid idea to come here" was the first thought when he read that **** happens. No one would put that up as a rule. Or not as far as Calix knew.
What he did remember was this place being a top hot spot stop for meeting a jackass, or Reaver. "Both applies equally".
So, taking the risk of being shot, beaten and then getting his liver removed in the clinic, Calix entered, looked around, raised his eyebrows a couple of times, and, against all odds, didn't immediately make out his target. It's not space afterall.
Slightly annoyed he took out an ace of clubs, sat down at an empty table, three seats, and put down the card. He contemplated what to do next, waiting for his luck of a Reaver noticing.
Umber walked into the bar. She liked this one, although the main one was now in the bowls of Poena, deep in hell, as her boss called it. The multitude of different people made her zoner upbringing emerge. From corsairs to hessians, bretonians to rheinlanders, the whole spectrum of possible people were there to enjoy a drink and discuss deals without troubling themselves.
She transversed the multitude of people and reached the counter. O'Reilly grinned at the sight of her and nodded. A Tropical beer, GC made, fresh as ice, found it's way to her hand. With a wink, she thanked O'Reilly and made way to the various tables around. Sipping it, she spotted a most curious sight. A man, playing with an ace of clubs poker card.
"Ace of clubs.. ace of clubs... where did i saw that?"
Umber wondered. Shrugging it off, she sat down in a nearby table, and pulled her data-pad to start doing an extraordinary amount of paperwork that would make a zoner clerk sigh. As she did. Two minutes later, her eyes raised from the data-pad to the man, still playing with the ace of clubs card and all she thought was.
"Uh?"
[13:37:45] Tyler: ****** seems butthurt and Haste seems to be going in without lube or spitting atleast on it for decency sakes.
A chance, possibly. Most likely ? Being prepared was a good thing afterall, or, at least going through some pictures of R's associates.
"Well. This is the moment. **** of now, nerves. 'Nuff playtime."
Two thirds confident, a bit unnerved, but too much ego involved to show it, he walked over to that table. Discreetly put down the card, as if that was his trademark.
"Calix 's the name, possibly you know I wanted to talk to the likes of you"
Sitting down he realized what this turned into: All in. Time for his best pokerface.
With a raised eyebrow, she eyed the man and the poker card. Nevermind the communication in the recruitment channel. Interesting. Seems that the boss was right in changing the scenery.
"Mr. Calix. Not even waiting for a reply. Speaks volumes of you."
She picked up the card and checked it. She had heard that the Silver Reaver also had a very rare poker card. Thirteen of something. If hunting and cards went side by side, then this man would be someone worth their salt.
"So..."
Umber sipped a bit of her cerveza.
"References, noticeable work, past employers... And why the Company?"
And with that, the distinguishable energy loading sound of a very nasty handheld laser gun was heard under a table, as Umber kept sipping the cerveza. No chances left to the unknown. Pressure since the first step. And hell would await if something did not felt right.
[13:37:45] Tyler: ****** seems butthurt and Haste seems to be going in without lube or spitting atleast on it for decency sakes.
Now Calix felt why the doorsign was up there. Not really a subtle hint. He was trying to play it cool. Stay cool. But a gun below the table ought to make everyone nervous, to some degree, anyway.
"Bodies, fear and mostly myself aren't game for an answer anymore, I suppose. Well.
I dropped out of the business shortly after the Samarran Mercenary wing was dissolved. Had the chance of working with an Outcast militia, but eh. Rookies. not my thing.
Made a living off bunch of the more, .. eh, let's say extreme kind of sniffers. I still carry one of their pilot's initials."
He noticed quickly his past isn't as illustrious as he imagined, a rather young pilot, a hand for combat, not for quickly inventing three and a half years of lifetime.
The card.
"And this card ... is that very initial."
While its front side was nothing but a regular card, the backside had a special print on it. Instead of the "Ace of clubs" face, the silhouette of a ship would appear.
A Sabre. Turned towards the viewer, as if it was the last thing he saw.
"Why the R's ? Perfect job, perfect pay. And certainly more fun than a bunch of weirdo drug fanatics."
He eased out in his seat, took a swift look around the bar, shortly rested his eyes on Umbers drink.
Then, looked straight into her eyes.
As he finished his sentence, Umber removed her hand from under the table. The gun was kept in the holster, as she grabbed the data-pad she was working with and typed a few keywords in a search.
"Raiders, uh? I remember them.. Passing by the Omegas. Slavery, drugs.. Not the best of crowds."
She raised her eyes from the data-pad, checking Calix and raised her hand to call for a waitress.
"Have a drink, Mr. Calix. On the house."
Umber said, sipping more of her cerveza. Information was flowing freely through her data-pad, bits and pieces, populating the database. Some hits in the database, and more files opened.
"And i'm glad you think the Company's work is fun. That also speaks volumes of you."
[13:37:45] Tyler: ****** seems butthurt and Haste seems to be going in without lube or spitting atleast on it for decency sakes.
A bit of refreshment wasn't what he expected, but he ordered some mundane drink and thought about a way not to turn it into an overly awkward talk.
"Not so formal from now on ? Fair'nough."
The waitress came back, Calix received his man-made confidence, had a mouthful of it and continued.
"I am afraid I can't tell you any story of a life-time, haven't lived in a movie yet. But hey, I am open for a change.
You're looking to know something special ? I should warn you, I am terribly boring when it comes to storytelling and alike."
Now. he couldn't help it, but it certainly was the one question that was on his mind for some time.
Umber chuckled hearing about the boring storytelling.
"You could say i am a zoner by birth. Believe me, i do know boring."
She put the data-pad on the table, and grabbed her cerveza. Sipping it, taking a good look at Calix, thinking on how to proceed for a silent couple of seconds, she finished what was left of the beer and placed it down. She kicked back in the chair and sighed, looking at the horizon.
"Independent mercs, slavers, shady agents of some house, cops, revolutionaries, rapists, terrorists, lawyers, businessmen, geniuses and madmen.. You find it all in the Company, Mr. Calix. Be it by money, be it by fun, be it for security."
A waitress came by and picked up the empty beer bottle. Umber nodded with a smile, and fast enough, another opened Tropical was there, cold and calling. Umber grabbed it, not putting it to her mouth, but just feeling the chill.
"And then you have the likes of Silver, Crimson, Titanium, Ghost, Cerulean, Violet. People that are just that, people. And still manage to shake a whole house. Probably they aren't people after all."
Umber placed the beer at her lips and had a good gulp of it.
"Probably they are a wake up call for us all. Which one you want to be, Mr. Calix?"
[13:37:45] Tyler: ****** seems butthurt and Haste seems to be going in without lube or spitting atleast on it for decency sakes.
He had emptied his glass before reflecting, briefly, on that question. This one was key. But a simple yes or no, first or second, black or white, is never what one is looking for.
"Either.
I'll stay classy."
The glass was taken away from the waitress, Calix picked up his card and put it into one of his jacket's pockets, his hands almost shaking. Suddenly the scene felt intense.