The Skeleton Key

[Tailsdoll]

The bright room seemed oddly empty with only the ocasional jumpsuited maintenance worker drowning down the day's misery. The barman spent his days reading old newspapers and watching space fust flow by outside the window.


For all the construction work both outside and inside the station, Key Axial's bar seemed like a fish out of water. Only muffled hammering could be heard through the padded walls, sporadic announcements over the station's comm system breaking the silence.


Above the counter, a large lighted sign offered promises of fresh food and drinks. It was a secret known only to regular users that the fridge held nothing more than a couple of bottles of Sidewinder Fang. Still a good drink.


The stools are warm and the only drink cold. One could sit down and relax for a long while in here...


"Willy!"


The barman knew that voice. A tall man in a suit entered the bar, his leg wrapped in linen and with a crutch supporting it.


"Get me a drink. It's been a long day..."

---

<span style="color:#000000">The awful plight of he who cannot draw to save his own life.</span>

[Xenord]

One man entered bar

Hmmmm...usual bar....reminds me... Westfalen

Herr Bartender....one drink please

---

[KST]

A Screen built into one of the walls fizz's and blinks to life. A little smoke curling up from its keypad as text scrolls across the screen.

"01001011 01100101 01111001 00100000 01000001 01111000 01101001 01100001 01101100 00100000 01010011 01110100 01100001 01110100 01110101 01110011 00100000 01000111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01101110 00101110 00100000 01010011 01101000 01101001 01100101 01101100 01100100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01000011 01101111 01101101 01110000 01101100 01100101 01110100 01100101 00101110 00100000 01000001 01110100 01101101 01101111 01110011 00100000 01000111 01101111 01101110 01100100 01101001 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011 00100000 01000111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01101110 00101110 00100000 01000111 01110010 01100001 01110110 01101001 01110100 01101001 01100011 00100000 01010000 01101100 01100001 01110100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01000111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01101110 00101110 00100000 01010000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 00100000 01000011 01101111 01110010 01100101 00100000 01000111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01101110 00101110 00100000 01010111 01000101 01000001 01010000 01001111 01001110 01010011 00100000 01001111 01000110 01000110 01001100 01001001 01001110 01000101 00101110 00100000 01001101 01001111 01001111 01010010 01001001 01001110 01000111 00100000 01000011 01001100 01000001 01001101 01010000 01010011 00100000 01001100 01001111 01000011 01001011 01000101 01000100 00100000 01000001 01001110 01000100 00100000 01001111 01000110 01000110 01001100 01001001 01001110 01000101 00101110 00100000"

[Tailsdoll]

The man in the suit looked up at the monitor before grabbing the drink in front of him. Bloody third-rate junk...


"I think we need better stuff" - he said to the second man, who had just entered the room - "What brings ya here, buddy? Weren't you supposed to be halfway across Sirius by now?"

---

<span style="color:#000000">The awful plight of he who cannot draw to save his own life.</span>

[Xenord]

Hi there....

Man smiles

Have a seat....I wandered for too long

What is your name?

---

[Tailsdoll]

The man in the suit smiled. He just remembered where he saw that face before.


"Jonathan Cook, Outer Project diplomat and head of Base Sec. A pleasure to finally meet you"


He took a sip from his glass as another pang of pain shot through his leg.


"Drink?"

---

<span style="color:#000000">The awful plight of he who cannot draw to save his own life.</span>

[Xenord]

Nice to meet you Herr Cook

Mark Neumann at your service

Hey Willy bring us something to drink

---

[Tailsdoll]

"I know your name, Mr. Neumann... It's in my security files"

Jonathan took a sip from his drink as Willy brought another glass to the second patron.

"Rheinlander by birth, distinguished military career in the Rheinwehr. Ran off to the join the ranks of the Order and eventually found his way to Cerberus"

He took another large gulp, emptying the glass and beckoning the bartender for more.

"I do my homework. S'what I'm paid for. Which is why I'm so surprised you're here and not in the deep Omicrons...

---

<span style="color:#000000">The awful plight of he who cannot draw to save his own life.</span>

[Xenord]

Hmmm....heard about your "abilities"

Omicrons are in ruins....at least Order part

Joe Daniels mentioned our outpost.....

Mark smiles

Mark Neumann,Cerberus Strategic Command Member,Wichita's Defense Grid Commander

---

[Tailsdoll]

"Oh, so YOU'RE the one I have to thank for the odd missile being shot at my ship every time I pass near the Equator"

Jonathan laughed as he gulped down the second glass in one full swig, seemingly unaltered.

"What brings such a big shot to a half-abandoned piece of floating scrap like this?"

---

<span style="color:#000000">The awful plight of he who cannot draw to save his own life.</span>