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Hawk · 11-30-2010, 12:26 AM,

'That went well I think,' Jack said to his friend when they were back out on the street.

'It was almost too easy.'

'It was as it should be. He's got contacts with goods that need to be moved and he knows we get the job done. Still, I'd like to be bringing in a little more money.'

'There you go again. I thought he was offering us a pretty good deal.'

'He is offering a good deal. I'm speaking as a man with a huge dept on my head. The sooner we get this paid off the sooner we can start living a very good life.'

'Won't that be the day? The way I see it, you're barely keeping the loan sharks at bay now. How do you really expect to get that thing paid off?'

'If Thumper can come through with the work he's promising it can be done. It's just going to require that we stay moving without a lot of down time. It's going to be a hard life.'

'Well, the crew hasn't tried to kill you yet. I guess they'll go along with this.'

Both men stopped talking as they passed an alley and heard a woman scream. Stephen turned to see a large man dragging a woman by her arm. Jack was already running down the alley.

'Dammit Jack not now. What part of low profile doesn't he understand?' he thought as he followed his friend down the alley. He got to Jack's side just as he was starting to question the man.

'What's going on friend? You're sure making quite a ruckus down here.'

'This is not any of your business. You'll do well to keep walking.'

'And will she do well for us to keep walking. I can't help but notice that she doesn't seem to want any of this.'

'Turn around now or I'll see both of you locked up.'

Stephen started to get even more nervous at this. What exactly had they just gotten themselves into? Then Jack answered the man, 'See, you don't exactly look like cop to me. The LPI doesn't usually go dragging people into back alleys like this, at least not that they want the public to know about. Why don't you tell me what's really going on here.'

'I've already told you all you need to know,' the man answered back as he reached into his coat. Jack saw the gun in his hand and instinctively grabbed the man's wrist. The last thing this large man saw was the top of his own gun rising up to meet his face. Then he was lying on the ground.

'Uh'¦.yeah,' Stephen cut in, 'That was helpful. What's your next trick?'

Jack turned to the woman, 'Are you ok?'

'Yes'¦.I'm fine,' she answered him 'He tried to proposition me on the street. Just wouldn't take no for an answer.'

'Well, this isn't exactly the part of town people come to meet women of high moral character.'

'I must have gotten myself lost ending up down here. I need to get to a place where I can get a shuttle off world. Can you help me with that?'

Stephen shot Jack a suspicious look. Then he bent down to take a look at the man lying on the ground.

'We were actually about to do the same,' Jack told the woman 'We can walk you to the shuttle docks where you can find transport wherever you need to go.'

'Uh'¦..Jack, you might want to have a look at this.' Stephen said as he stood up and handed over the pistol the man had been carrying. Jack took it and looked it over. It was small and compact. He had never actually seen one but he knew right away what it was. It was one of the most expensive handguns available on the open market. During his brief time in the navy he didn't even see officers carrying side arms of this quality.

'This is not a thug's gun,' Jack said as he turned his attention back to the woman 'I'm now seeing two people that don't really belong in this part of town.'

'You're right,' she said 'I don't belong here. I'm ready to not be here anymore if you know what I mean.'

'You running from something?' Jack asked her.

'That's one way to put it. I'm not a criminal if that's what you're asking me. I'm just in a bad spot and I need to get off this planet without attracting a lot of attention.'

'Where are you headed?'

'I don't know yet. Away from here, probably back to Denver eventually. At least I hope.'

'Is that home for you?'

'It's been a while since I've called it that, but yes.'

'Well this is a little too much naughtiness for us I think,' Stephen cut in 'I'm thinking we should not be heading into the spaceport for commercial transport right now.'

'Stephen, when you're right you're right. I think we'll make other arrangements.' As they were leaving the alley Jack dropped the man's fancy pistol into the pocket inside his jacket. 'Looks like this was a good idea after all,' he thought to himself.

'I wonder if you'd be interested in a little company,' the woman said to them. Both men turned and looked at her with a shocked expression. 'No. No, that's not what I meant. I'd just like to get out of here and I'd rather do it quietly. I'd like to tag along if you have a plan. You've already seen that there are too many people looking to take advantage of a woman traveling alone, especially in a place like this.'

'Lady, it's nice that you're so trusting but that's going to get you in even more trouble,' Jack told her 'We're not nice men either.'

'I'm Maria by the way, not Lady.'

'Nice to meet you Maria,' Stephen cut in again 'We need to be going. You ready to split Captain?'

'Indeed. We've been here too long already. Maria, I suggest you head down that road as fast you can and find a small transport off here. Once you're in space you'll find that you blend very well among the crowd. I suspect that will be very much to your liking.'

The two men turned down a different road then the way the came and took a different route back to the spaceport. Maria followed after them and called out, 'Are you really a captain? Does that mean you have your own ship?'

'That would be a kindness,' Stephen answered her. 'What we have is a means of interplanetary travel.'

'That's perfect she said. It sounds like exactly what I need.'

Stephen turned to face her, 'No, it's not what you need at all. My friend gave you very good advice. I suggest you follow it.'

'I have money. I can pay you very well for transport.'

'That would be great if we were running a cruise ship, but the fact of the matter is we ain't.'

'Wait a minute,' Jack said, 'You don't even know who we are. I told you we aren't nice men. Why are you so determined to travel with us and now willing to spend good money to do it?'

'I don't know you. What I know is you stepped in to help me when you didn't have to. I think that may have even caused you a little trouble, but you did it anyway. You aren't wanted men or you wouldn't have made it through the spaceport to be walking openly on the street. I get the feeling that you like to travel with a low profile which is exactly what I'm looking for right now.'

'What are you offering?' Jack asked her.

'I'll pay you half a million credits to get me to a safe port outside of Liberty. I can throw in another quarter mil if you can get me to a Freeport in the border worlds.'

'That's a tall order. You're offering us a Spa and Cruise fee and you aren't going to be getting anything close to that. In fact you may find it down right unpleasant.'

'I'll take it. I'll even do what I can to earn my keep on board.'

'Really?'

'As long as we keep it honorable, yes.'

'Ok. I still don't think you realize what you are getting into but come on.'

'Jack, have you lost your damn mind?' We're going to have a hard enough time getting off this rock after what you did back there. You want to throw yet another wrench in the works?'

'Well, we're now running a little behind. That's my fault I realize that. The money she's offering will help offset the damage done by that. Besides, it just feels right.'

'Well I'm glad it feels right. As long as you've got a feeling I'm sure everything will be just fine.'

'Stephen, we've been doing this too long. You know me. Trust me, we'll survive.'

'Ok mister survivor, how do you plan to get us off this rock? '

'That's the most fun part. Follow me.'

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