//Felt like trying to open up a different freeport station for Role play, and kinda figured that FP6 would work since it sits in between Bretonia and Kusari. So maybe Freelancers, Transport ships, etc. come here to settle down or to wait for certain things to end before proceeding on their route. *Shrugs* Well we'll see how this goes, I get pretty much ignored anyways xP.
Once Kevin's fighter was automatically docked and locked in place, a man in black old style military boots, dark scuffed up blue jeans, torn black shirt and a black leather jacket had slipped out of his fighter and brushed off his sleeves and shoulders as if expecting dust or dirt had landed on them. Kevin growled softly, "Dirty little dust bowl, rusting and shedding in a god forsaken asteroid field." he spoke to himself. "Who's bright idea was it to put a station in a asteroid field in the first place? Are they not worried that a rock could come breaking through a piece of glass and cause catastrophic decompression?" he randomly complained as he walked away from his craft to be approached by another man.
"Is that your fighter?" Asked the man.
Kevin raised a brow at him, and just stared. Kevin couldn't believe the guy would ask such a stupid question, he didn't see any other fighters on the hangar deck, at least not on this one if they're not joined together, so why ask such a question that the man should already know? And so they would be staring at each other for what seemed like would last for hours until Kevin thought that this was wasting his time.
Kevin turned his waist around a bit to the right, turning his head to the right a bit as well and looked at the crappy civilian fighter he just came out of. Then he straightened himself back up and looked at the man.
Kevin took a deep breath then smiled. "You mean that thing?" he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. The man just nodded. "You mean that hunk of junk?" Kevin asked again, and the man nodded. "The piece of crap that is sitting on your hangar deck with only three crappy gun turrets that couldn't be even more useless unless someone turned them into potato or rock shooters?" and the man nodded once again.
Kevin sighed heavily, as he hoped the man would be smart enough to catch on but obviously not. "Yes that is my pitiful, piece of junk-crap or crap-junk sitting there on your hangar. Why?" Kevin asked.
"I just wanted to be sure, you see normally we have a docking fee but if you allow me, I can make it sparkle and you won't have to pay a thing! Not even the docking fee." said the man.
Kevin raised a brow at him again before sighing. Kevin shook his head, as he was a bit confused to why this man would want to 'make his fighter sparkle' and not charge single credit for it. "What ever, just do what you want and get out of my way if you would. I am a cranky, tired man and I need my coffee or I will find something to hit you with." Kevin said before slipping past the man to head deeper into the station, hoping he would find the Cafeteria sooner than bumping into another blundering idiot.
Kevin was lucky to make it to the Cafeteria without another confrontation with a brainless twat on the station. Quickly he scanned it with his eyes before finding the counter area he was looking for and walked on over. "Could I get a cup of coffee please? Something strong that will make my blood boil and glue my eyes wide open until the next big bang." Kevin asked and the waitress smiled with a nod before walking away to get him what he wanted.
Kevin would then sit down on one of the stools and then look around the cafeteria once more, this time more slowly and more in depth than the last time he looked, since his first objective was finding this counter. Wasn't much there, it was nearly quiet, probably some traders getting a quick meal before heading on out again on their trade routes. Kevin sighed and pulled out a data pad from within his leather jacket and began accessing his fighter's data storage system and linked himself to it. He did this just in case someone sends a message to his fighter, he then could pick it up from his data pad and answer it from where he was.
A Neural Net Communication Television or what you want to call them these days, are hanging from the ceiling or from the walls in several different spots in the Cafeteria and one in front of him was the only one with the volume working, or possibly the only one not muted.
"The War between Kusari and Bretonia continues on, while there are reports of Kusari vessels being spotted in the Leeds System, obviously assaulting various structures and ships owned by the Bretonian Forces. And some of those Kusari vessels have been either severely damaged before retreating, crippled and captured or destroyed by Bretonian Naval Forces." said the anchor man.
Kevin sighed, 'Oh Joy, and since this station is like in the middle of it, at least that is what his charts say in the database that he...'did not' steal from Liberty Navy Database, that Tau 29 was a border system among many others between Bretonian Space and Kusari Space, even though Kusari Naval Forces operate in the Border systems adjacent to their space, plus operating in Bretonian Space...funny how he manages to get this kind of crap when toying with security clearence...would be pretty much expecting bunch of Bretonian and Kusarian ships here if the Bretonian Naval Forces decided to repel the Kusari Naval Forces all the way back from Leeds to Kyushu...' Kevin thought with another sigh and a shake of his head before he lifted his head up to watch the news some more.
The screen shifts to a anchor woman, "Lately we've been getting some rumors from trader pilots that there seems to be a pretty nasty war going on in Omicron Theta between Zoners and Corsairs. No one knows for sure if the war is official, why the war started, or when it all happened as we only got small bits of information about this from traders who manage to get in and out of Omicron Theta. But it seems to become even more difficult to sneak in and out, due to the intensity of the Corsair's blockade."
The screen then switched to the male anchor, "Isn't Freeport 9 in Omicron Theta?" he asked and the screen moves back to the anchor woman, obviously talking to each other while getting people to realize whats where and what the hell is going on. "It is Greg, and who knows what kind of cruelty they are going through. The network has attempted to get a reporter in there but all attempts have failed, as it seems the Corsairs don't want anyone knowing what is going on in there."
"Well I wish Freeport 9 the best of luck. On other news...." Kevin would block out the voice of the anchor man named Greg on the Monitor when his cup of coffee came. Kevin gave her a small grin, something he considers a smile. "How much?" he asked her. "Ten Credits." she said. Kevin sighed and began entering a few commands into his data pad. His data pad stuck a card out from the right side, where Kevin pulled it out and gave it to her to charge the ten credits before giving it back for him to slip right back into the data pad.
After setting the pad down, he took the cup of coffee in both hands and blew into it a few times before taking a sip. Kevin nearly spat the liquid out before knowing better, and swallowed it. "Oh god, what the hell is this?" he asked.
"You asked for a really strong coffee, and you got one." she said before walking away to attend to someone else. Kevin sighed heavily and shook his head before just accepting what he ordered and took another sip.
Edit:
//I've modified the post a bit to the information I was given, but as much as I look into the 'House Regions' map on Wiki (If its wrong, then there is a LOT of errors, typos, and other crap that needs updating) and just going as what it shows and says. I even saw the 815 or 816 Kusari zoi map, not the one on Wiki obviously, and know where KNF operates, but if Tau 29 really IS in Kusari Space then I'll correct it again and just remove this OOC for wasting space.
A void pitted Dromedary slowly angled itself onto the flight deck. It had been a while since Howard had landed on the station, and he'd been in an old and decrepit CSV when he had. He touched down next to an equally stressed civilian craft, on which an old man was doing unspeakable things. Flood lamps pinning the ships to the floor illuminated the singular word 'Cthulhu', scorched into the ship's flank. Climbing down the ladder from the cockpit, he proceeded through the living-space directly below into the cargo bay, weaving between the large crates of Niobium.
After the cargo ramp touched down, he hopped out and went off to go and find a mediator for the commodity dealership and stock market. Finding him, he exchanged credit chits, asked for a refuel, cargo unload and to be reloaded with local consumer goods. He'd return home shortly. He was given some excuse about the loading teams behind behind schedule and sent off to wait - the cafeteria would be a good place. Across Sirius, they were pretty much the same on all the Freeports.
Catching a service lift, he rode up to the main decks, where the cafeteria was located. Wandering inside, he had a look around. Business didn't seem to be doing too well - there was the waitress wandering around idly, a man sat at one of the stools at the counter and one or two patrons sparsely scattered around the room here and there.
Howard Lovecrepe wiped some of the grime from his forehead. Black rings had accumulated under his eyes from stress and lack of sleep, and a sort of semi-permanent grime had built up on his skin from almost constant work and scurrying through cargo bays and flight decks. Doing his best to block out the news feeds and growing headache, he dropped onto one of the stools a few seats down from the stranger. The waitress bustled over.
Kevin tried to enjoy the cup of coffee he had ordered but it just wasn't something a human would drink. In fact, it tasted like it could be for some alien, if this station ever had any here. So Kevin mostly took big gulps every time he would bring the cup to his lips. But every time he wanted to drink something, he would hesitate in doing so, constantly wondering why he didn't just get a regular cup.
Other than the noise coming from the monitor, it was really quiet and a slight presence of another person was easily detected by his ears and by how the air felt. See, Kevin had lived in a very...very quiet life, especially at home, so when ever someone walked by his room when his door is open, there would be an interesting change in the air. And if there were any sounds, it would be slightly muffled for only a bit, indicating someone just walked on by, blocking the sound waves from reaching to you.
But with the difficulty of ignoring the news feed, hearing the service lift would be slightly difficult, unless its wheels were rusted and screeching like the flat end of a piece of chalk being pressed down on a chalk board. Of course you really don't see many of those these days.
And now, out of the corner of his eye, someone sat down on a stool, few stools away from him and heard what the man ordered. Kevin chuckled softly before shaking his head and taking another big gulp of the coffee. Kevin licked his lips before smacking them, "You should try the coffee, it is a lot stronger than the tea, that's for sure." Kevin said, of course he didn't realize that the man has been here before, so Kevin don't know if the man has tried it or not. So it could be simply that Kevin just fallen into a trap of the crappiest coffee he ever tasted on this station, even if he asked for the strong one. Hell, it could be the only coffee they had, strong or not.
Howard looked down at the cup of tea sat in front of him, then to his left at the man sat next to him. He didn't look like he was enjoying the coffee particularly much. Mind you, the tea looked particularly limp as well - coloured water, really.
"S-Strength isn't r-really the issue, I'm a-afraid. J-just looking f-for something relatively p-pleasant to d-drink." He picked the mug up and sniffed it, wrinkling his nose in distaste at the pungent aroma of not-quite-tea that was wafting from the steadily cooling drink.
He put it down again and tried to ignore it. "H-Howard L-Lovecrepe at your s-service," he said, extending his hand to shake.
Kevin had a short laugh at what the man had said. "Good luck at getting that pleasant drink." he said as he gulped down the rest of the horrible coffee and pushed the mug again only to hear the man introduce himself and hold his hand out towards Kevin.
For a moment Kevin stared at that hand as wondering if to bite it or take it in his own hand and shake it in good gesture. Wait...why is he even thinking about this, let alone he could be freaking the man out just by staring at it. So Kevin quickly grasped the hand with his right hand before any more silence and staring made it anymore awkward.
"A pleasure Howard, names Kevin. And just Kevin. I dislike my last name and could care less about it. So I see you have some stuttering issues, huh? Now I assume everyone goes to school so the question is, how did that go well at school?" Kevin asked, but quickly added. "Not trying to be an ass on our first date, Howard, but I am just figuring that you being here means that you've had a rough life, right?"
"Of course, if I'm wrong, I'll buy that tea for you, even if you don't drink it." Kevin said.
There was a short laugh. "N-No offence taken, p-perfectly reasonable question. N-nice to meet you K-Kevin, by th-the way." He took a suspicious sip of his tea and wrinkled his nose again. Leaning forward, he dragged the bowl of SynthSugar over and tipped a liberal amount in. It might not help the taste, but at least it would make it different.
"W-well, there isn't r-really any d-dedicated school on F-Freeport 10. N-Not enough kids. Th-there's usually about 150-200 p-people living aboard, f-full time and th-that bounces d-depending on l-local stuff. S-so, homeschooled r-really. My m-mates d-didn't really notice, so it w-weren't too bad." He shrugged. "N-not too r-rough I guess. Here on a s-supply run."
He thought for a moment. "W-well, unless b-by rough you mean 'r-risking your arse daily b-by delivering g-goods to a C-Corsair infested w-warzone, supporting a c-conflict you don't b-believe in - on minimum h-hours of sleep - because y-your boss told you t-too?'" He nodded sagely. "I s-suppose that w-would be pretty rough a-actually." There was another wry smile as he swirled the mug of 'tea' and considered taking another sip.
Kevin slowly nodded his head as he listened to Howard, taking in what he has said and explained before thinking it over. "Home school huh? At Freeport 10? Might consider visiting that station then." Kevin thought out loud before looking back at the man. "Supply run huh, to a Corsair infested warzone...you don't mean Omicron Theta do you?" Kevin asked as he remembered the name of the system and what was said on the news.
"And before you answer that, another question for you. You don't happen to be one of the traders who've spoken to a reporter?" Kevin asked.
Freeport Six seemed to be abuzz with activity all of a sudden and the station's Administrator found it disturbing. The old warrior enjoyed his quiet and decided it was time to find out what the buzz was all about.
He walked into the bar area with a couple of his officers at his side. All three of them stood in the doorway and just watched for a moment. His face was stern as it always was.
The three warriors, all dressed in their traditional suits of battle armor, Matok himself in a Commander's robe, took up a table off to the side of the bar. They kept their conversation low, making an effort to listen in around them. They also spoke their own language to keep their subject matter secret.
"I do not like it," declared one of the officers to his superior, "something doesn't feel right."
"Hm.." replied Matok in agreement. It was at this point that the bartender approached.
"Commander, it is good to see you. Blood wine or something else tonight?" he asked.
"No, make it Chech'tluth for us all," he ordered.
"Yes, Commander," responded the bartender who scurried off. He respected his Klingon residents but also feared them.
Within a few minutes, he returned with the drink order. All three warriors sat, making small talk. They briefly mentioned happenings in the Omicrons.
"I already took the Vor'cha to fight the Corsairs once. It was a glorious battle until they brought up a battleship. I have not returned to the Omegas since," said Matok, "since I was given command of this station, I keep my eyes towards the Gallics."
All three picked up their drinks, toasted the Omicroners and drank. They would continue their small talk, station policy and so forth, trying to listen in on things, watching all those around them.
An old whale, using a TAZ transponder, entered in Freeport 6 No Fire Zone.
On the bridge, an aged zoner was looking at the large bay, his face showing a serious expression, as usual.
- "Initiate mooring protocol Twenty-Three" He ordered.
A zoner wearing a loose straitjacket stared at the old man.
- "Talking to me?"
He turned back and raised an eyebrow.
- "Oh Hype... What the hell are you doing here?"
Hype looked around and played a bit with some commands in front of him.
- "Not much Saaz.... Korbah is in the medbay so..."
Saaz rolled his eyes "Right... Stop touching this!"
He gave some orders to another zoner and looked back at Hype.
- "Would you be of some help and tell the cap'tain we're arrived anyway?"
Hype made a somewhat bored face, and kept looking around for a while. He then reluctantly moved out of the bridge, shouting : "Jabrownies beware! For i do not care!"
Saaz rolled his eyes again. "You tell them, Hype..."
He then focused back to the maneuvers.
- "Alright, gentlemen, let's get the Tau Ceti Central moored..."
...
Airlock of the moor point Five...
Three zoners are standing, waiting for the doors to open.
- "Come on, 'dose stuffs take ages ta open or wha'" Says a man holding one bottle of wine in each of his hands.
A woman wearing a scientist suit grunts "Come on Gabriel you know the procedure..."
- "I don't care much 'bout 'dose stuffs, tell 'em ta open tha doors already, uh?! 'der is a lass waitin' fer me in tha bar, i tell ye!"
The woman takes some distances from him as he speaks, trying to get away from his drunken breath.
She looks at the doors whispering "Yea... I really hope they will hurry..."
The third zoner talks on his comm unit "Yes, Holluz. I want you to monitor the unloading. No Holluz, i don't care you do not care. Yes Holluz... Just do it... 23's."
The lady looks as him "A problem Saaz?"
Saaz sighs "No Neena... Just holluz trying to avoid to work as usual"
Neena chuckles.
As she is diverted, the drunken zoner tries to grope her back softly, with a silly grin on his face.
But suddenly, the door from the TC² opens and a man with a worrying look enters in the airlock.
- "May i join you?" He stares them one by one, with a weird smile on his face.
Neena shivers and Saaz turns away as soon as he sees him.
Gaby laughs loudly and taps on his shoulder, almost making him fall.
- "Ah but 'tis our good doctor! How are ye 'lad? Come 'ere Korbah, ya will drink with me won't ye?"
The weird man known as Korbah makes a timid smile.
- "I would certainly, captain Angelos. But i have matters to attend in the Freeport."
- "Waddyasay? Ya would refuse ta drink with me, 'lad? What kind of hereseh is 'dat, uh? Saaz is already comin' with me"
Saaz rolls his eyes "No i don't"
- "Don't bloody lie like 'dat Saaz. Ya said ye were comin'!..."
As Gaby is talking, the main door opens.
- "... Ah 'der we go!"
The four zoners leave the airlock and start to walk on the station corridors, greeting the Discordians friends living on the station they randomly cross.
At a crossroad, Korbah looks around, and noticing that Gaby is currently occupied to stare at Neena's back, he starts to slowly leave the group.
As he is about to succeed, a large arm is put around his neck.
- "Where ya think yer goin', uh?" Gaby makes his cool face.
Korbah tries to escape from Gaby's grip, and then sighs, resigned.
- "Nowhere.... Obviously..."
- "'dat is right! Stay with me 'lad. Ye won't regret it" Gaby grins.
After some walk, Neena leaves them and waves.
- "See you... And Gabriel, bloody stop staring at my back, would you?!"
Gaby chuckles "I promise not'in'"
He then puts his second arm on Saaz's neck and leads the way to the bar.
- "Come on 'lads! Sing with me!" He starts to shout a bawdy song while he walks, the two other men trying to escape...
...
Freeport 6 bar...
The three men enters in the bar, Gaby still singing.
He moves to the counter and grins as he recognizes the man behind it.
- "Oy! Joe! How are ya old fella'?!"
The bartender looks at the tree men one by one, and stares at Gaby at last.
- "Greyface be damned... Gabriel!" He chuckles softly "I warn you good friend, i have men guarding the bar now..." He points at four zoners from the security teams, discreetly monitoring the bar's customers.
Gaby takes a bored look at the guards
- "Oh? Well good fer ye 'lad"
Joe chuckles again "Don't ever think to annoy the ladies here again, right?"
Gaby makes a shocked face
- "How can ye think i could do such a thing, 'lad? I'm a gentleman ya know 'dat, uh?"
Joe shrugs "Yeye.... Anyway...." He looks at the bottles "Oh, you bring again your own beverages here? Tssk tssk..."
- "Hey 'lad. 'dat is pure brand Gallic wine!" Gaby makes his cool face "Wha'd 'bout ya drink with me old friend uh?"
Joe stares at him, with a strict face, for a while.... Then smiles.
- "Old bandit! You know how to talk to people like me! Alright. I will forgive the offense for this time!"
Gaby grins. "Eh, i know ye 'lad. Remember 'dat time when we saw 'dat Gaian girl green panty?"
The two men burst out laughing.
- "Anyway, let's get some seats, uh?" Gaby takes a look at the people in the bar.
He then recognizes a zoner stuttering to another man, as they are having a coffee.
Gaby tries to think for a while "Eh... I think i know 'dat 'lad..."
He suddenly remembers, releasing Korbah and Saaz, and moving to their table.
- "Oy, 'lad. Aren't ye Howart or somethin'? I'm Gaby! We made some trade runs togatha, uh?"
Gaby takes a seat, telling the others men to come.
- "Oy Joe! Saaz! Korbah!" Come ova 'ere, ye damn 'lads!
Gaby chuckles and taps on Howard shoulder as he sips some Coffee, making him cough.
- "Ahahah! Are ye 'lad?"
Howard scratched his head. "Y-yeah, Theta. Literally a h-hellhole. We've g-got to k-keep them supplied though. Th-there's the warmongers, a-and the residents w-who've been caught in th-the middle of it, and it's i-increasingly h-hard to tell who is w-who." He pushed the tea away, finally giving up on any attempt at humouring the foul tasting concoction.
"And n-no, that w-wasn't me on the news. Th-the people who are actually w-working are the ones th-that shouldn't b-be noticed." Howard couldn't help but stare as some hideous parodies of men strolled in. It looked like they'd been victims of some horrible industrial accident. Maybe some strange and eldritch powertool had attacked their foreheads? Mercifully, he was distracted by the arrival of the captain of the 'Central, Gaby. From what Howard had gathered he was an alcoholic sex-pest, but paradoxically, also a good man.
It was good to see him either way, and reduced the tension on his nerves from 'breaking point' to 'highly strung'. He smiled a friendly grin of recognition as the man wandered over, and bickered with the bartender over the house policy on outside drinks.
When he was spoken to, he replied. "H-hey G-Gaby. It's g-good to see you again. B-been t-too long since w-we flew a convoy, r-right?"
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