Curacao Meeting

["Raven"]

~~ Cruise Drive Bar ~ Samson Resort ~ Planet Curacao ~~

Raven followed the two women into the bar with the measured pace of someone who never truly stopped being on duty. The atmosphere was calm, almost disarming, warm light reflecting off glass and polished wood, the distant sound of waves brushing against the shoreline below. Too calm.

His eyes moved regardless.

Reflexively, Raven scanned the panoramic window, the corners of the ceiling, the seams between wall panels. Old habits from a life officially declared dead. Even here, even after assurances of layered Spa-Sec countermeasures, the feeling of unseen eyes lingered like static on his skin.

Once inside, he allowed himself a short nod toward Caitlyn and Stephanie.

"Thank you for the welcome. Samson lives up to its reputation."

As they took their seats, Raven gestured lightly to the woman who had entered alongside him.

"Allow me to introduce my commander,Miss Brenner or better Known as "‘The Sparrow". She oversees the operational and financial aspects of our endeavors."

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he added dryly,

"And before you ask, yes. She has a well documented tendency to be… enthusiastic about local spirits."

Raven reached the table interface and ordered without hesitation.

"Rheinbeer. The classic kind."

Old taste. Old memories.

As the drinks arrived, Raven leaned back slightly, resting one arm along the couch, posture relaxed, at least outwardly. With his other hand, he tapped a control on his datapad. The tabletop display shimmered to life, projecting a clean, organized list of cargo manifests and sealed container visuals.

"Let us get to business."

He tapped the first entry.

"Xeno Relics."
"Rare. Dangerous. Highly sought after by private collectors."
"Handled with care and delivered sealed. Their origin is… irrelevant."

Another tap.

"Artifacts."
"Pre collapse, post collapse, and everything in between. Items with history, the kind your guests pay obscene credits just to display."

The projection shifted again, crystalline blue glinting softly.

"Azurite Gas."
"Highly volatile, difficult to harvest, and nearly impossible to source in quantity without the right people."
"Industrial, scientific, and… recreational interests alike seem to appreciate it."

A pause, then the next line.

"Kernwer Technologies."
"High end experimental hardware originating from Order adjacent research."
"Not something you buy on an open market. Not something most people even know exists."

His gaze lifted briefly to Cait, measuring her reaction, before continuing.

"And yes…"

One final flick.

"Nuclear Devices."
"Not an offer, merely a statement of capability."
"If something exists, we can acquire it."

Cargo Hold

He looked up at Caitlyn, meeting her gaze evenly.

"These are merely samples. Proof of capability, not limits."

Raven then turned his head slightly toward Sparrow, one brow raising.

"And speaking of goodwill…"

A pause, deliberate.

"You did bring the weapon, yes? The relic you mentioned. I believe it would make quite the first impression."

As the conversation settled into a more relaxed rhythm, Raven accepted his Rheinbeer, lifting the glass slowly. For a moment, he simply watched the golden liquid catch the light.

He took a measured sip.

The taste pulled him back, to parade grounds, cold hangars, and a Rheinland that had once stood for something he believed in. Something worth serving. Something worth surviving.

Those days were gone.

But the discipline remained.

Even as Cait and Stephanie spoke of security and discretion, Raven’s eyes continued their subtle sweep of the lounge. Old soldiers never truly trusted walls, no matter how thick, no matter how often they were scanned.

Still… for now, this place felt solid.

For now, this was ground worth standing on.

He raised the glass slightly, a quiet gesture.

"To profitable cooperation."

And silently, to the hope that this time, when ghosts returned from the dark, they would find a place ready to receive them.