It was 2am and the Brutor built Archangel owned station bar was busy as it always is. Men and women drunk away there sorrows, threw there isk away gambling or lost there clone fighting someone they really should have let take there drink. Calling this grim backward blood soaked beer fouled room a bar was a over statement it more resembled a battle field, Just someone had bombarded it with kegs of beer. The smell was over powering but you got used to it, or someone broke your nose either way the problem got solved. The room was small as far as station bars go, it was manned by a guy who had seen it all and then some, the eye patch pulse laser and multiple scars gave the impression he was not someone you wanted to make angry. Despite being in disrepair the place always buzzed with people, mostly pirates who had left there morals and their lives behind years and years ago.
I sat down at a table in the corner of the room it was dark it seems someone previous had taken a dislike to the furnishings and broken the lights. About five minutes after taking my seat Dusty and Counter strolled in. Dusty's gaze fell on me and they made there way over.
"So... It's been awhile eh?" Dusty said his voice was deeper then I remembered it. "Aye, it has been a while my friend... You got my mess...." my voice trailed off as I spotted Counter who had just wandered over to a patron I could only describe as a bear dressed in men's clothing and punched him square in the nose... He then turned around and came back to take his seat. "Sorry about that mate! Had some err... Unfinished business" I stared in shock and then we all burst out laughing. Nothing had changed about Counter, still the same brash crazy son of a bitch Id met all those years ago.
"Guys we have a problem... I have a problem.. The nightmares are getting worse and the Sansha draw closer each day.." I took a drag from my cigarette, "I need your help"
Dusty and Counter looked at me and then each other and simultaneously said "what do you need?"
"I need a fleet... And not just any fleet I need a fleet that would dwarf anything we currently have in empire. I need the craziest son of a bitch's with nothing to lose... We have to make a stand" I could feel my throat tighten, I had to tell them.. So I explained about my dream all those months ago with Imagi's home world being decimated... That voice that kept speaking to me in my nightmares. Counter and Dusty listened. When I finished I said "So... Can you guys help?"
Counter got up off his stool "your gonna need a lot more people then us two at your side and I know just the people to ask. Counter got up onto one of the bar tables and shouted "Will you bunch of cut throat son of a bitch's shut up for five god damn seconds", the crowd fell silent and all eyes were on us. "much better.. Now what do we love most eh? Riches and blowing shit up?" there was a chorus of agreement from the uncertain crowd.. A few were fondling there side arms. "And I know! A few of you be sending Isk back home to help out ya ailing grandma!" feet shuffled. "Well what happens when these Sansha bastards take over empire eh? And wipe out everyone? Family.. Friends.. Our prey? Who we gonna rob and blast into dust then? Now I know for a fact these guys roll with some nice loot all it'd take to cash in is a good sized fleet. I know you all hate each other and ya hate the empires. So how about instead of defending them.. You consider this defence of our riches? Or livelihoods.. Our freedom to do what we want!"
Counter stepped down off the table and grabbed a drink of the bar and knocked it back, "So what do ya say to going out there and letting the Sansha know there messing with the most fucked up clinically insane bad ass mother fucking pirates in the entirety of null space! And get some shiny's while we're at it?"
The room fell deathly silent... After a few seconds a voice in the back of the room spoke. It was a deep voice.. Reverberating around the room. "those bastards killed my partner... She was the best pilot I knew... She dove into a fleet of them about 8 months ago.. Pulling them off me so I could escape she wasn't so lucky.. I've been stuck running this bar ever since..." The rage in the voice grew as the crowd parted you could see the barman pulling off his eye patch.. "Its time they paid the price for taking away MY WIFE!" He let a laser burst spew into the bar disintegrating it on impact. The crowd erupted guns were raised the room boomed with the noise of a hundred pirates after blood. I realised then.. We were all the same. In this together right to the end.
Counter stepped back to our table.. I got my guys In how about you Dusty?
Dusty hadn't spoke much during the whole thing he'd been focused on a comm device.
"I've messaged my employer..."
I looked up at him "And what's the reply?"
"Light me a cyno" Dusty grinned.
The Barman had walked up behind us so I arose to meet his gaze. "So you think you can stop them?" he asked... "I don't know.. But I'll be damned if I don't die trying!"
The Barman laughed and put on his sunglasses. "Whats ya name?"
"Rand" I replied "And yours?"
"Ah... You'll be finding out soon enough" he chuckled and walked away while tossing me a comm device over his shoulder.
"Just give the word" he said as he left through the rear exit arms draped around two amarrian women.
A bit longer then normal I got bored at work! I wanted to try and set the scene a little bit. I think overall my writing needs work but it's improving, but I find that if I enjoy reading my own stuff hopefully someone else will as well!
No comments:
Post a Comment