Moments later, a Corsair woman sits 1 stool away to David's left. As she begins to squat on her place, she heaves a deep sigh and palms her face hard with a robotic hand, trying to cover a look that bordered between utter frustration, and to that of going berserk.
Jaden Armand was a cyborg: her left arm and leg had been replaced with a pair of crudely-constructed artificial limbs, the internal components glinting silverish-grey in the dim light of the bar, visible for others to see, so exposed were they that with every movement they made their pneumatics huffed and squealed a bit; where her left eye used to be was a cylindrical ocular implant, its plasteel lens capable of zooming and switching to various other viewing ranges like infrared and nightvision.
It's a real shame, for if she hadn't been cursed with such ugly and horrendous mechanical implements she would've been a mighty-fine catch with her exquisite natural beauty.
Too busy she was in her own affairs that she hadn't noticed David, who was only one seat apart. As the bartender approached her with raised eyebrows she gruffed, "... ugh... Barkeep. Give me whatever's the strongest, I don't care... I've been through a lot of [A.D.M.I.N. censored], and I need to drown my sorrows, heheheh"
When the man went away to get some Black Grog, she bowed her head low and gurgled to herself, "... This job can't get any worse than this... The ship banged up... all of us almost killed...
"... all because of one... man's... stupidity."
The Freelancer only snorted a chuckle to himself when he heard what she said.
The Corsair must've heard it cause she immediately afterwards takes her pistol out and points it at David with a glare on her face that would spoil Gallic Wine, "YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY, YOU FRA---" But she pauses when she realized it to be David, and her demeanor quickly calms down, "... Oh... It's you, Freelancer..." She slowly holsters her pistol back in its belt, and looks back at the back counters.
Still spinning his pistol, David initially in a cool tone, "No, I don't think it's funny..." which suddenly escalates into rage, "Because I lost ANOTHER SHIP to YOU idiots!"
She sassed at him, "SOOooo WHAT?! We were up against an Irra... A [A.D.M.I.N. censored] IRRA, of all things! IN A BWT! We could've gotten our ship tentacle-raped so bad it wouldn't even be funny!"
"I was in a fighter! You had a shield that could take a few hits, one took mine down, the second shot set the reactor off." He takes another sip of his huge drink.
"At least you could evade, dammit... We're just sitting ducks for cannon fodder."
"At the range we were, I had no chance, YOU saw it for yourself." He pointed out
Jaden was about to give another remark until she paused to think. Finally admitting in disgust she sighed, "... yeah..."
As her tankard arrives she leans back on her stool and said in pure sarcasm, "... And all of it... is because of our 'wonderful' captain. We sure couldn't have survived if he hadn't been there..."
Laughing to himself, David leaned on the bar counter and continued, "He got a fighter? Jack here didn't answer." He prods the knocked-cold Jack on his opposite side.
"Jack?" She raises her head a bit to catch a glimpse of him, "Huh... He's here... figures.
A fighter? Why? He does have 3 in his estate, however: a Starflier, an Arrow and a Moldy Crow." She swipes her drink and proceeds to drown herself in the black liquid.
"Crow?"
She only replies after finishing half of the tankard several seconds later, her face getting slightly flushed from the drink, "... Yeah... a Crow."
"Hmmm... Any chance he could bring it out here?"
She thinks for a moment before continuing, "... He might... It's an old ship he found in his Estate during one of his estate-expeditions. It may not be a very powerful ship, when he found the scrap of the thing and replaced it with another power-core... but it's somewhat reliable."
"Righto...I hope your right, otherwise he wont be leaving Iota..." He smirks for a split second before his face returns to normal.
"Iota? What's that got to do with the Cro---" Pausing for a moment, she rolls her eyes and said, "Pffah... what does it matter to me...?" She takes another sip of her drink.
He laughs again at her remark and continued, "I'm thinking of taking him on a little 'trip'... If he survives, I'm sure he'll be less aggressive towards Nomads." A very evil grin appears on his face.
"... 'Trip', you say...?" His words seemed to pique her interest and she scoots her stool a bit closer, "Do tell me more, Freelancer..."
"Iota jump hole, co-ords D1. It's a Nomad controlled system. Most people who go in don't come out... I myself have been lucky enough to survive my 2 trips. Maybe if he sees a Marduk or something, he'll realize he's nothing against them, and he alone can't do jack..." He looks to his side and at the sleeping man and remarked, "...Oops, heheh."
She snickers at the unintended pun, then sips her drink again, "... Hmmm... Humble him a bit? That WOULD be interesting, Freelancer... Hell! I'd pay good money to see that man get his arse kicked bad."
"If we got attacked, we'd be killed. They don't screw around like they do in Delta." He pointed out frankly.
"What does it matter? That man's a psychopath... and Mila's the only tether on him. I'm just lucky Stokes managed to use her as a shield back then... Heheheh... I owe that scientist a drink." Another sip from the strong liquid makes her cheeks flush even more.
"Well... What I'm thinking is, you guys head back with what Nomad remains you've got, cash them in, then send me my cut.
"Afterwards, get Leon to get his fighter, come out here, then we roll the dice and see who dies." He takes a swig at his own evil drink.
"Be able to head home...? Oh, I'd sure like that, heheheh..." She drifts off to herself, "Enjoy a nice, warm, uninterrupted baaath..." She sips her drink again before continuing, "I don't give a rats' arse what happens to that man... Either he dies, or he learns his place. Either way, the bottom line being that I don't see another blue squid in my life again..."
David also stretches himself, "I wouldn't mind another lazy week at my place in Kusari... You should see it sometime... real nice."
"Oh? Kusari? You actually a Kusarian, Freelancer? From your tone, you sound more like a Libertonian..." She takes one, long sip, and her face afterwards flushes red.
Laughing to himself he answered, "I am from Liberty, but a while back I bought an awesome pad in Kusari after I took some leave there. It's in another name, so the LSF can't track it...
"... And the best of all? No... TAXES..."
Jaden gives a thin, teasing grin and replied, "Hah... some guys have all the luck... What's your place like? From the sound of things, it'd be like a small boarding house."
"'Cept it's only I who lives there, when I'm there. It's got a couple of pools: one on the roof, the other out the back; awesome spa, nice bedrooms... Oh, and a 5-ship garage that could probably fit your BWT.
"... And on top of that, it's by a heritage forest, so not many other people around, and I can do anything I want in that area... It's great."
His explanation evidently elated her interest: her eyes noticeably glint as she replied with an impressed grin, "Niiiiice... Either you're more successful than I first thought, or the LSF must've made your account really fat...!
"Heh... never been to a pool before, though..."
"Not fat, just the bonuses."
Suddenly, she slams her free hand on the table, points her tankard at David, and speaks in a very cool tone, "... I don't believe you, Freelancer. I wager 1 Million Credits your place is just a schmuck bachelor hut..."
He simply grins back and said daringly, "Your on." He pauses for a moment before going on, "How will we fit in this bet? I have to take Leon and Mila to their graves, HAHAHAH!"
She doesn't move her head, but her eyes give a sly, almost seductive look at David, as if expecting something specific from him, "How's about this: I go along with you as your co-pilot. Not only I'd be able to witness you screw the guy, but would I be able to... see your pad..." She giggles lightly before one last sip finally makes her face flush very noticeably, "... Frak, it's friggin hot here... Damn Zoners not turning the thermostat down..."
"Co-pilot? She's a single-pilot craft... but then she is a tandem...
"Won't Leon notice your gone?"
"The fffrakker? Pfff! He'zz veeery lenient. All I have-ta do is ask for ma resignashun, an' he'll do the rest in the paperwork... And I'll be freeeee as a fish..."
"Hahahah... But with me..."
"Well... Anything's better than a total xenophobic psssssychopath, right..?
"... And besides... you look smart... you don't look like you'll head into danger too needlessly..."
Jaden finally turns her head at him, an audacious grin beaming wide on her face, "... and that's good enough for me..." She stands up from her seat, bringing her tankard, and sways her hips a bit as she transfers to the nearer stool.
David notices her get up, and, realizing she's really drunk, smiles, "You haven't seen the half of it... I take gunboats on solo."
"Huh... I guess. But that comes with the job as a mercenary, doesn't it?" When she sits down on the chair she swerves her pointing finger around the rim of her drink, and leans her head on one arm whilst still looking at him.
"Well if I take on 2 of those bounties that'll support my expensive tastes for the year... maybe 3 if I have... company."
"HAH! Don't coooddle me, Freelancer... I was once a mercenary mysssself. I can handle my own in a fight...
"But unlike in the Vagabond III, my... expertissse... isn't used to its full... potential..."
He turns away to think for a bit, "You'd need a ship... And to my knowledge you don't have one."
He pauses for another moment before deciding to look back, "When I was in Rheinland... I saw a ship I really quite liked... The Tiger Shark Rheinland civilian fighter... I was thinking of getting one... But then I have my Virage... perhaps you could fly it."
"... You sure you wanna use your own baby to suit my needs, Freelancer?"
David wryly smiles, "... Perhaps not... But what I'm offering, at the least, is the Tiger Shark. Test flew one myself, fast little thing like the Virage. Probably have the advantage that the opponent becomes over confident. Most people think the Virage is crap, till they're sitting in their pod, heheheheheh..."
"Nah... I have enough in my private account to buy myself several Rrrrrocs. I can buy my own sssshhhhip, thanks."
"Well the offer still stands: custom armour, weapons of your choice, AND... It comes in a nice paint job... Just like my baby."
Jaden knew better than to turn down a good offer, "Hmmm... That sure would be an interesting prospect, freelancer... I might just take you up on that offer."
"Well...First we need to head to Kusari...
"... When we can bomb el-cap-it-tan?" It was his turn to reply the flirt back, giving her a suave raise in the brow.
She slowly licks her lip eagerly as she replied, "... I wouldn't have it any other way...
"So that's the plan, then?"
He points at the Corsair with a teasing finger and laughed, "Your captain... your problem..."
Jaden couldn't help but snicker, "... Fine then... I'll resign from the Vagabond III crew, and afterwards come and see if you're pad is all that it's hyped up to be."
"Oh I know, bring him here. Oh, and can we get rid of Jack here? He's starting to drool on the table.
"I'll break the news to him... he'll love the idea of Iota... and as for you... well, you can tell him to kiss your arse."
"HAH! He isn't even worthy to have the priviledge to look at my hardware! He can lick pond scum for all I care, HAHAHAH!"
"HAHAH! I think 1 more drink will do me," and he signals the bartender for another.
Looking at her mug, Jaden realizes it's still 1/4 full, "... I can't finish ma drink... not if I'm taking the sleeper there back to the Vaga.
"... Maybe you can have it?"
He only hesitates for a split-second, "Hehe... sure" Finishing the drink dilates his pupils, "These things aren't bad."
"... Say... Jack's kinda heavy... I don't suppose you could... I dunno... help me?"
"... Oh fine..."
He yawns a bit from late night and tries to get up; but it's clear that the beer made him struggle to keep his balance, "Oh... looks like the stations gravity is out of wack... or... it's me... naw."
Jaden also has a hard time trying to keep herself from tipping over, let alone come to help, "... Frak, you're right, heheheh... Freeports... so unreliable these days..."
Grabbing one arm he signaled Jaden to come over, "Alright, ready to lift?"
She tries to sober a bit and gets the other arm, "Yup. Let's go... Ugh..."
Although the Corsair and the Freelancer are fairly strong, the drug's effects prove to be too much: when they get to the point of dragging him, David's legs start to buckle, and he begins to topple to one side.
"Ack! H-hey-w-w-whoa!"
The three crash to the floor as quickly as you could say 'jettison'. The next thing he knew he was being crushed at the bottom of the pile, with Jack on the top, and Jaden in between the two: she began to blush either because she realized just how close her face was with David's, or that it was simply Jack's body crushing her lungs.
"Y... you... bloody... stupid idiot...!"
Immediately, the two manage to muster enough strength to shove Jack aside. Catching his breath from the heave David blurted out, "Can't you just call Leon here or something?
"And Jack... wake up, will you?!"
Also trying to recover herself she replied, "... oh yeah... right..."
Raising herself up, and after helping David to his feet, she gets her PDA and tries to contact Leon; but after a few moments she becomes frustrated and turns the console off, "... The ffffrakker's asleep... But Stevie's still up... Think I ssshhhould call him?"
"Who's he again?"
"He's the systems programmer and... uh... 'idiot' of the ship..."
"Yea ok. I'll go wake Leon... where is he again?"
"He should be at rrrroom-20 on the Starboard Module of the Freeport 11." She tries to give hand directions, but her gestures are groggy and drunken.
"Ok..." Pulling his pistol out he said, "I'm going to have some fun, but don't worry. I wont kill him... much, HAHAHAH!" David then starts to stammer off to the Port Module.
Jaden was about to stop him, but then she goes 'meh' and then looks at Jack, "... You're llllucky you're useful to the crew when you're ssssober..."
But the Freelancer eventually heads off in the right direction, "... I know where I'm going... just forgot to turn around."
"Hahahah... You sure are blllloody drunk, pfff..."
"Your face is." And finds the exit of the bar.
"I'M NOT DRRRRUNK! *HIC*... Now..." She gets her PDA once more and contacts Stevie, "HEY, FRRRRAAKER! GET HERE, NAO! *HIC* Jack's out cold frruuuum liquor, and we need your help getting his sssorry arse outta here..."
"Why should I?!"
"YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT I CAN DO WITH YOUR SORRY BAAALLS, FRRRAKER?!" She screamed out.
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