Gone & Missing

[Toaster]

“I’m heading to the bar,” Beige spoke into his neural wristlink as he strode down the corridors of Aomori Station towards the recreational decks located in the station’s main tower.

“Is now the best time to get inebriated, sir?” Victor’s voice replied from the small device’s speaker. Beige laughed in response.

“That’s not the plan, Vic. I’m gonna dig for some info.”

The dockmaster’s mention of Leon Rosary had given Beige a pretty clear idea of what sort of business Olivia had gotten herself entangled in. Years ago, Rosary - an accomplished smuggler - had hired the Colors to provide security on a particularly valuable run of alien artifacts. Olivia and Beige were assigned to the job and spent the next two weeks flying alongside the captain.

If Rosary was involved again now, Beige could be certain that Olivia had accepted a job that skirted the law by an astronomical unit.



* * *


Aomori’s bar was a large, if rather spartan establishment. Rows of tables with long benches on either side dominated the central area, a large bar taking up an entire wall. Recessed into grooves along the perimeter and mounted to the high ceiling were bright diffusion lights that dove the bar into a soft golden light.

The patronage was currently sparse. Around a handful of tables huddled small groups of weary travellers and bored transport crewmen. Here and there lounged Guild employees, discussing the latest trends in the fuel market. In the establishment’s very back, half hidden in shadow and soft light, sat a lone figure, browsing seemingly bored through a datapad.

Beige grinned and approached the table.

“Seat taken?” He asked, taking the seat. Settling in across from the figure, he looked him once over. A man with thick, unkempt stubble covering his jowls, wearing a coat that somehow was too large for his portly body.

The man looked up from his PDA with wary eyes, annoyed by the sudden intrusion.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

Beige waved off the first question, leaning in casually to answer the second.

“I’m looking for someone.”

The man squinted at him suspiciously.

“Not me, I hope.”

The mercenary gave a hearty laugh, slapping his thigh.

“No, no! As pretty as you are, you’re not my type.” He leaned in further, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I’m looking for Rosary.”

Observing the round man closely, Beige saw a glint of recognition flash through his eyes. A satisfied smirk tugged at his lips.

“That makes two of us,” the man replied irritatedly. “What do you want with him?”

Beige shrugged nonchalantly.

“Nothing, really. I’m more interested in someone I heard was flying with him.” He pulled his own datapad from his coat and pushed it across the tabletop for the man to see. The picture of Olivia with her ship was displayed on the screen.

The man glanced at it for only a second before looking back up at Beige.

“And what do you want with her?” He asked.

Beige shrugged again.

“She’s a friend and I think she’s in trouble.”

The man squinted at him again and fell silent, thinking.

“Trouble, huh? What kind?”

Beige smiled innocently.

“No clue, hoped you’d know.”

The man’s face soured and he leaned forward, resting his heavy head in his meaty hands.

“Between you and me, I think you’re right,” he muttered. “Now, I don’t particularly care about your friend. But Rosary was hauling valuable goods and they never arrived at their destination. Haven’t heard from him in weeks.”

Beige’s smile widened.

“Sounds like you and I could help each other out,” he suggested. The man nodded, looking down at his own PDA. Deftly, he tapped at the screen before spinning it around for Beige to see. Its display showed a flight manifest.

“This is the route Rosary was supposed to take,” the man explained. “Find out where he is and you’ll probably find your friend, too. When you do, tell Rosary I want him here ASAP.”

Beige nodded his agreement.

“Deal.”

---

Olivia Sable