The good thing about the uni-mod parts; DSE made just about every station the exact same. That meant at every bar there was a table 4. This table was the farthest from the bar itself and in a corner of the window. Just enough that the occupants could see what was going on in space but concealed enough to prevent eavesdroppers trying to read lips through a high power ship mounted telescope. Cole Dogson was not a paranoid man. He just made a point of using such off beat techniques himself. Its always wise to protect yourself from your own tricks.
His guest however could benefit from a little paranoia. Seth Driskill. 27. No nationality. Born on a IMG asteroid miner. Spent his youth stowing away on one transport to the next. When he was sixteen he and a bunch of cohorts stole a dencommissioned prison ship. Ran scrap steel for the junkers.
More or less the kind of criminal that were a dime a dozen around Sirius. What made him special was that somewhere along the lines he became good at stealing people. And selling them. Having known Driskill for 3 years, Cole could safely say that the mans lack of capture had an awful lot to do with blind luck as opposed to any measure of skill. All Cole needed to do was tip of his boss and the man would be shoved into a cubby hole for ever.
But, Driskill had one thing going for him. He was valuable . At the very least, what he knew was valuable. If Cole and his Boss ever wanted to stop the corsairs, a man like Driskill is what they needed.
"Cole why the frak do you always take this fraking table?"
"Meh, mainly because it is always free"
"Oh I fraking wonder why." Driskill punches the cousin on his chair. "This fraking thing ain't even broken in yet goddamit"
"Liberty ale?"
"Thanks"
"Normally I am the one asking you for information." Clucking his hand Cole leans in closer "So what have you got for me?"
"Just a sec" Driskill takes his ale and empties it into an air exchange on the floor by his feet and replaces it with another liquid in from the flask he keeps in his jaket.
"That smells fruity Seth, What did you do raid the stores of a Dock Lizard transport?"
"Frak off, I like it ok? only place you can get this **** is on Honshu"
Cole shakes his head "Anyway you have something for me?"
"Yah what can you tell me about these fraking lunatics?" Driskill slides an enhance photograph of ship markings onto the table.
Ancient Russian runes. Cole only recognized them from his school days. Ironic since he spent of his time sleeping in history.
"The writing is from the coalition era."
"Yah fraking A sherlock. Who is flying them?" slamming his glass down with a thud affter a massive chug.
"I don't know what you want me to tell you. Lunatics like you said. Writing like that is enough to get anyone lynched."
"Listen these butt wipes were organized. top of the line fighters and bombers. These caused the mistress damage. I have some friends I want to send their way." finishing his glass "You keep eyes and ears on people. There is no fraking way you haven't heard of them"
"Maybe, where did they attack you?"
"Crete, they claimed to own the place and were trying to kick me out"
Crete. The word made Cole care about this conversation. If he could just learn where it was the corsairs would be out of life forever. Her majesties fleet would rain fire upon it It would probably get him a commendation . And an assignation. Cole lost his wife to a corsair raid. The price was wort it.
"Well......., I will tell you what I will do do. Give me the grid codes and I will go out there a snoop around a bit"
"Frak, Cole you know I can't fraking do that. I'd be mounted onto the frond door of Cadiz. If you are supposed to know where it is, you are told. Them is the fraking rules."
"Then I can't help you. I am sorry"
"Frak. Frakin frak frak. Here take this, it will more than compensate for your drink" Driskill throws a orange bag of dust at Coles chest and storms out of the bar.
Taking the bag and placing it on the table, Cole adds the credits for the drinks and collects the photograph Driskill so conveniently forgot. There was one organization that Cole had heard rumors about that would fly these markings. If SCRA was indeed in league with the corsairs, finding Crete became even more important. KNF and that stupid war be damned. Maybe it was time to call Amy and send her Seth Driskills way............
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