Captain Hakase stepped into the Lounge, it had been many weeks since he last visited. He scanned the room and didn't find any familiar faces. As he made his way to the bar, the bartender, Andrews, noticed him,
"Ah! Mr. Hakase, it has been a while, what can I get you this evening?"
"Hrmm... whats today's special?"
"Kusari Seafood Spaghetti."
"Ah, no thanks then... I'll just go with the usual."
"Right, New York Steak, well-done, and a bottle of Sake. Anything else?"
Hakase thought for a moment, "No, that's fine."
"Be back with your order in a moment," assured Andrew.
Hakase watch the news for a while, a report of the Kusari/Bretonia war came on,
"Yesterday, Kusari forces managed to push Bretonia back towards Planet Harris in Tau-31. This marks the third time Bretonia has been pushed back since the start of the war. It is reported that 8 Bretonian fighters and 2 Kusari fighters were shot down before Bretonian Officers ordered the retreat. In other news, reports are coming in that pilots under the pretext of Bretonian officers, are refusing and engaging ships carrying goods between the Rhineland and Kusari in an attempt to slow down Kusari economy. Bretonian Officials have yet to comment..."
Andrew returned with a plate and bottle, "Your order sir, might I ask where is your crew this evening?"
"They're at Norfolk with the 'Aerith'," he replied as he cut into the steak, "in for regular maintenance Andrew-kun. Some of them should be by shortly."
"How did you get here then? Taxi?"
"Nope, found a ship a while back, abandoned in the Sigma-13 system, a Raven's Talon actualy. We managed to grab it by opening the docking bay and moving our ship around it."
"Lucky find then, space worthy?"
"Now it is, we got some Junkers to patch it up a bit at the time, but we got the guys at Norfolk to give it the old spit and polish. New shields, thrusters, the works."
Just then, another customer approached the bar, Andrew excused himself and attended to the newcomer.
As Hakase finished his meal, the bill came by, he stared at it in amazement,
"EH! What is this!? $200 for a meal and Sake? Takai..."
"Sorry," Andrew replied nonchalantly, "after our supply ship went down, we've had to raise prices to make up for the expenses"
Hakase heaved a sigh, as he dug out his wallet, a thought crossed his mind as he pushed two $100 bills over,
"Andrew-kun, what if I get food shipments for you, would you lower prices for your patrons? What do you say?"