Welcome to Port Royal, Mr Smith (Part 2)

Posted on Thu Mar 19th, 2015 @ 11:32pm by N'alae t’K’manatran & Khiy Tal'ehrihn

1,777 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Trader Games
Location: Port Royal Station, border of the Kassae and Donatu sectors
Timeline: Back-post

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

"Dammit Khiy!" She hissed low enough so as to not be overheard. N'alae glanced around to be sure no one was watching, but the Gorn and the Nausicaan were still holding most people's attention. "What in the...are you mad? There are pirates three tables over! What are you doing here?!"

[NEW]

Khiy almost laughed as he was pulled into the chair. He suspected that she hadn't gotten a good look at him which meant she hadn't lost that keen sense of hers. He never asked what it was but he was grateful she hadn't lost it. Whatever it was had gotten the both of them out of serious trouble before. If she agreed to what he would ask of her today, Khiy was sure it would save her life many times over in the days to come.

Khiy straightened himself out a little bit as he settled himself in, pretending not to notice that he was only a few paces away from people that would want nothing more than to kill him where he sat...if he was lucky. "What, can't I sit and enjoy a drink with an old friend?" He quietly remarked.

"You don't have a drink, old friend." N'alae eyed him a little suspiciously, taking a sip of her own to emphasize the point.

Khiy reached into the folds of his cloak and retrieved an old weathered leather flask and sat it on the table between them.

During the Dominion war it was a tradition of his officers to share one last drink together from this flask before each run as it very well could be their last. After the war had ended the flask became an unsaid symbol between his shipmates when they were about to undergo a particularly dangerous run. No word needed to be said, just the flask, and people knew that the stakes were high; but so was the payout if they drank.

Khiy pulled back on the hood just enough to reveal his features to N'alae and leaned in. "Care to share a drink with me?"

N'alae stared at the flask as it sat on the table between them for a moment, then looked back up at Khiy, her eyes studying Khiy's face. They had earned each other's trust years before when they had worked together. Back then she had encountered this flask only once. That run had proved to be very dangerous, and just as equally profitable. It was a two-edged sword. He never offered it lightly, and considering the risk he was taking coming to her - here of all places, added considerable weight to his proposal.

"What are you up to Khiy?" She'd be lying to herself if she did not admit that she was interested, an it showed in her voice. The last year of freighting trinkets and love-letters had't been the most exciting or profitable kind of work. In fact, she had lost money on her last run. No doubt Khiy knew all this; he always knew the stakes before making the bet. So the question was: what was the risk this time, and would it be worth it? He wouldn't be here if he didn't think so.

Over Khiy's shoulder, N'alae noticed an middle-aged Orion male - a pirate - who had stopped watching the goons and was paying a little too much attention to the hooded figure at the table nearby. He was whispering to his companion, a Ferengi with a ill-look about him. They were working themselves up considerably.

"We might have a problem." N'alae told Khiy. "I think you've been recognized."

Khiy sighed and fixed the hood to once again hide his face. He sat back into the chair and his arms across his chest."Well that's unfortunate. How many?"

"Two." she responded, "For now. They're pirates. I saw them in the docking bays yesterday. There's at least six more in here." N'alae shifted in her seat, sensing a possible fight. "Perhaps we should continue this somewhere else? I've rented quarters on the habitat ring."

Khiy nodded his head "Then I think it's time for us to leave."

He quietly pushed away from the table and and moved toward the bar where his companions drank together in silence. After a few whispered words from their employer the two stood from their seats and started to move towards the exit. The Nausicaan was about to step away before he suddenly froze in place, the look on his face clearly showed that he was deep in thought about something. Having come to a conclusion he turned his body and slowly reached over the counter to grab at an unopened bottle, his eyes remained locked with the bartender in challenge.

The bartender frowned once he understood that this Nausicaan had no intention of paying. He started to open his mouth to protest when the Gorn, who had been watching nearby, growled loudly and took a step towards the bartender, adding his challenge to the Nausicaan's. The bartender, clearly outmatched by these goons, simply put his hands up and backed away from the bar.

Satisfied by his reaction the Nausicaan pulled out a fresh bottle and walked away with what some debate is the Nausicaan version of a smile.

The bartender plaintively looked at Khiy who simply shook his head at the exchange. He offered his credit chip to the man. "I'll be sure to leave a tip."

That seemed to appease the bartender who took the credits with a huff and moved off.

N'alae left the table with Khiy. The two pirates at the next table turned in their seats to watch them go, their whispering stopped for the moment. There was greed and hatred in their eyes. N'alae stared back at them, making sure they knew she didn't care what they thought. She noticed that they looked at little less sure of themselves when the Gorn and Nausicaan joined them, and didn't make to follow them out of the bar. N'alae knew that they would follow eventually however.

"Come on, lets go." She lead the way out of the bar and to the lift that would take them to the habitat ring. She pushed the call button and waited a little impatiently for it to arrive. She looked back at the bar twice, but the pirates were no where to be seen.

The lift doors opened and two people exited. However, when the company got on, the rest of the passengers took one look at the goons and also decided that this too was their stop. When the doors closed again, they were the only ones inside. "Habitat level two, section four." N'alae instructed the computer. The lift began to move.

Khiy folded his hands behind his back and looked over to his bodyguards. "You two will secure the shuttle bay for us. I have a feeling you won't be lonely there for long." In unison the Gorn and Nausicaan nodded, understanding that by 'not lonely' Khiy inferred that there would be pirates awaiting Khiy and his companions arrival. They clearly relished the idea of a fight as they both stood taller and their eyes betrayed a dangerous lust for battle. If not for their dignity, Khiy was sure they both would have been salivating.

The doors opened to level four and the goons quickly exited the lift, eager for a little exercise.

Khiy looked over to N'alae. "Lead the way."

N'alae shook her head at the eager look in the Nausicaan and Gorn's eyes, and shuddered inwardly a little at the thought of all those claws. It was a strange sight to see those two together, stranger still to see them taking orders from someone like Khiy. However knowing Khiy, it was not so strange to her at all.

"This way." She stepped out of the lift and walked briskly down the corridor. She kept herself alert for any possible trouble along the way, but the only people around were drunks who hadn't quite made it back to their room yet or other traders who were busy on their own errands. When they reached the rented quarters, she paused for a moment. It would not be too hard for the pirates in the bar to find out that she had a place on the station, and they no doubt had friends. N'alae concentrated for a second, trying to sense if anyone was in the room beyond the door. She tried to make it look as though she was listening for any movement inside, but somehow she doubted that Khiy had ever bought such charades. He had never called her on it, or asked any questions, and for that she had always been grateful. Still, old habits died hard.

She didn't sense anything, so she opened the door. "Computer lights." The lights snapped on revealing an empty room, so she stepped inside. The quarters consisted of only a small bed, a worn dresser and desk, and a tiny washroom with a sonic shower. It was not worth the price she had paid for it, but it was still cheaper than the shuttle fees she would have needed to pay if she had stayed on her ship. She quickly looked in the washroom, then walked back over the to bed where her bag sat atop the sheets. "No one's here. But talk quickly Khiy, I doubt we'll be alone for long. You're not the most popular man in this part of space."

Khiy took stock of the room. Small, cramped, and the sheets looked like they were last washed during the Dominion war. He remembered well the life. Khiy found himself suddenly aware of just how removed from it he had become. He looked to N'alae who somehow managed to look comfortable with her surroundings. It was more than that, she was comfortable with the room and the lifestyle that went with it. Even the dangerous situation he had put her in now didn't seem to phase her beyond a mild curiosity at his arrival after so many years.

Khiy suddenly felt dirty. But he had work to conclude. "No, I'd imagine i'm not too popular here. But then I've never been one for winning popularity contests." He flashed his winning smile as he pulled the hood over his head. There was no point to wearing it now. "I'll be quick, but I need to ask some questions first." The smile he wore faded a bit as he tilted his head to the side and examined her. "Why are you here, N'alae?"

(to be continued)

Tags
Khiy Tal'ehrihn
Trans Galactic Trading, Owner and C.E.O.

N'alae t’K’manatran

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