Plan B - A Risk Worth Taking

[aerelm]

Jack Darrow wasn't the most popular among Corsairs, if one could even consider him a Corsair to begin with. He had his own reasons for doing what he did, and he always kept his distance from the rest of Corsairs. That's why he was there, in Freeport 5, one of the least famous Zoner Freeports, sitting at a table which was further away from the rest of Corsairs, trying to follow their pattern, doing nothing before rushing to engage Hessians in the Hammen hole.

aerelm always found the situation in Freeport 5 rather ironic, considering how the base was supposed to be owned by Zoners, and yet, housed a notable population of Corsairs who practically ran the whole base with their under-the-table deals. Walking into the Bar there wasn't much unlike walking straight into a bar on a Corsair base, which was why he rarely used Freeport 5 for anything but a quick hull repair caused by the radiation when passing through the system, but when Freeport 9 Zoners had let him down, he needed to find someone even greedier than them, and where would've been a better place to look for a greedy Zoner other than Freeport 5, where everyone suck up as much radiation as their body can take, just to make an extra buck?

Entering the bar, aerelm walks straight toward the bartender, ignoring all the pairs of eyes locked on him, but as soon as he reaches the bartender, something more interesting catches his eyes. A familiar face, sitting at a table in the far end corner of the bar, him too trying to ignore the crowd of Corsairs. Walking straight to the guy sitting at that table, who had Corsair flight suit on but even one glance was enough for aerelm to bet the guy's no 'Sair at all, he taps on the guy's shoulder.

aerelm: Hey, I know you.. You're that merc!
"Darrow": No idea.

aerelm pulls a seat next to the guy, sitting at the table with his back toward the crowd of Corsairs in the bar to block their view.

aerelm: Yea, I remember you. You're that dude who used to fly with Nat and his guys.
aerelm: Liberty's Finest, yknow. I remember they hired you for a mess we were about to make in o52.
aerelm: But what's up with Sair flight suit?
"Darrow": You mean Fuyu, aerelm and so on?
"Darrow": As for the uniform, ugh, long story.
aerelm: That second name would be me.

Lowering his voice and leaning toward Darrow, aerelm continues.

aerelm: So you're actually tellin' me, those cannibals took you in?
aerelm: Don't tell me you're actually one of them now cause that would be one of the worst jokes I've heard in a long time.
"Darrow": A foreigner can't ever become a 'Sair.
aerelm: So whats with the suit?
"Darrow": Temporary stuff.
aerelm: Huh.. One true sneaky merc! *Chuckles*
"Darrow": You knew I can take the Titan with me anytime I wish, hm?
"Darrow": Whatever, what's with Callahan and the rest?
aerelm: Never liked that thing, it's just too fat and bulky for my tas-.. Wait a minute, what did you just say?
"Darrow": That I got a half-wrecked Titan?
aerelm: You're tellin me them Sairs actually gave you one of their ships? And you're wearing their flight suit, and you're not a Sair?
"Darrow": You know Silver?
"Darrow": Gotta thank her.
aerelm: The Reaver? You gotta be kiddin me.
"Darrow": No kiddin'.
aerelm: Everyone's sayin she's dead or gone missin or somethin.
aerelm: but that girl did have a cut.
"Darrow": 'Sairs treat her as some sort of cursed icon but at the same time 'serves' the Imperio in a way.
"Darrow": At least under the Brotherhood's banner.
aerelm: Huh.
aerelm: So... She's still around and she's still a merc?
aerelm: And so are you?
"Darrow": Planning myself to get back to the merc business once I've run into Omega five a couple times more.
"Darrow": For now, getting used to being mistreated and fighting like a Coalitioner back when we used to assault them.
aerelm: Hmmph...
"Darrow": Poorly and badly organized, you see.

Studying the expression on Darrow's face carefully, aerelm continues in an even lower voice after a short pause.

aerelm: Interested in a headstart back to your merc business?
"Darrow": I'm listening.
aerelm: I found this Zoner out in the Theta Freeport, we were goin to get some risky but well-paid stuff done.
aerelm: But then he chickened out. Which's what brought me here.
aerelm: Was plannin on looking for another Zoner, but you seem to be a better option.

aerelm pulls out his notepad, tapping on the screen a few times, then turns it toward Darrow. Guncam of a Gladiator is on the screen.

aerelm: Think you can get your hands on one of these?
aerelm: And I'm talkin about one fresh out of production line, not a worn-out piece of junk.
"Darrow": A brand new Gladiator.
"Darrow": For you. Who's paying for it?
aerelm: Let's just say... A mutual friend.
"Darrow": Mutual?
aerelm: Right. Forgot you're a Sair now. *Chuckles*
"Darrow": I'm as Sair as Hessian because I was flying one of their Odins, you see. *He replied with a mumble*
aerelm: Yea, I remember that one.
aerelm: And let's just say.. It's not only the ship I want, but the blueprints as well.
aerelm: Now, how would that work out?
"Darrow": Definitely if you talked to somebody else with more influence among the sairs.
"Darrow": I'm just 'poop' for them.
aerelm: Well, don't really need -you- to get the prints for me.
aerelm: If you can just get me on Tripoli, snatchin them off their database shouldn't be that hard.
"Darrow": You a hacker now?
aerelm: Huh, you definitely don't know me if you're surprised by that.
aerelm: How you think I got all my cash? Begging people halfway through lanes?
"Darrow": Oh, well. Anyhow.
"Darrow": I might have a better idea than that.
aerelm: Which is?
"Darrow": Silver.
aerelm: Riiight.
"Darrow": What's gonna be my share in this?
aerelm: Hmm... Depends on what you're interested in.
"Darrow": So I've got options. Nice.
"Darrow": Guess I'll give it a thought meanwhile.
"Darrow": First things first, gonna see if she wants in.
"Darrow": But for now, let me just suck more radiation, hm?
aerelm: You can never get enough radiation here, that's for damn sure.
aerelm: And that's exactly why I'll be out of here. Sairs and radiations ain't a good combo for my taste.
"Darrow": Aye. Anyway, will hit you up once I get a response from her, by tomorrow, hopefully.

Silver was a good bet in this whole mess, aerelm was sure of that. Even though the girl was known for her backstabbing skills, she was also known for getting the job done, and no matter what sort of weird trick she had up her sleeve this time, working for Corsairs and all, aerelm knew if there was one person who could help him get the job done clean and smooth, it would've been Silver.

One thing he wasn't expecting when he walked into the bar, was actually finding a solution for his 'problem', yet he did, which meant he had no reason to hang around that base any longer. He knew every extra minute he spent there could do nothing but raise unneeded suspicion, and that was exactly why he had to leave right away.