Turbulence Aboard Kadesh

[Soban]

Kadesh, The public bar

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After a brief walk and a graceful waltz with the turbolift, Jonathan arrived near the bar. He had encountered several MFE ships and captains around Freeport 11, but Doc Holliday was something else entirely. Revered by some, met with skepticism by others, he nonetheless remained a prominent figure within the Zoner community.

Jonathan stepped into the bar Karen had mentioned, a public venue situated near the station’s bustling trade docks. Order operatives, Zoner envoys, and even a few Core personnel mingled within, bound by a fragile alliance against the Nomad threat looming in Zeta. Most notably, there wasn’t a single Corsair in sight. Kadesh remained one of the few Zoner installations to fully bar Corsair access until the situation in Theta was resolved. And with every Corsair refusal to engage in even the most basic diplomacy, the momentum behind such policies only grew.

His eyes scanned the room until he spotted the man—seated before a cluttered table of cards, seemingly adrift in thought. Jonathan approached, announcing his presence with a discreet, deliberate cough. He introduced himself in his usual composed and resonant tone.

“Greetings, Mr. Holliday. Welcome aboard Kadesh. I am Jonathan Cayran, current head of the Phoenix. I trust your journey through these troubled regions went without incident. Before we move on to the matter at hand—may I suggest we relocate to a quieter setting?”

Though surrounded by nominal allies, Jonathan knew Zoner diplomacy had no place in a bustling public hall. Anticipating this, he had arranged a private meeting space: a secluded patio nestled within Kadesh’s biodome, flanked by a meadow and an orchard, a serene refuge in stark contrast to the ever-turbulent Omicrons.