Sid Goldstein quickly scanned the flyers before him, A few seconds later he looked at the barkeep in the eye.
"Well I am quite experienced with space machinery. Been working at Baltimore for about 8 years. Learnt the ropes there and finally they lay'd me off."
He looked around the bar and then quickly turned his attention to the barkeep.
"Been working on them liners and transports. Gunboats and them cruisers. Heck even worked on a Dreadnought."
He paused a bit and then continued.
"Well if you are looking at some references, you ain't gonna get any from Baltimore" chuckling to himself as he said those words.
"Well if you wanna know my story, it ain't pretty i'm telling you before hand..."
He smiled a bit before continuing his story.
" Well a week before I got lay'd off, i went to this bar in Planet Pittsburgh. Had a couple of drinks with my fellow workers. Suddenly i see this young chick in a dress so fine, it made heads turn. Naturally, i went up to her and started chatting. Ordered a couple of drinks, had a nice time with her. Later on i got her PDA number and promised we'd be in touch."
"2 Days later I got a buzz from her.She wanted to meet up. So naturally I agreed. Well who wouldn't want to meet such a nice gal again eh?"
He scratched his chin a bit before he continued.
"Met in a bar in Planet Manhattan this time. Had a couple of drinks, same chit chat stuff. Things didn't get interesting enough till she ordered a Liberty Viper for both of us."
"Man that stuff was awfully strong. Before i knew it my head was swimming and i couldn't find my feet."
"She helped me to my apartment ... i guess coz thats where i woke up. Anyways tried calling her but she wouldn't pick my calls. What the hell i said to myself and went to work. "
He looked straight into the barkeeps eye "You wont believe what happened"
The bartender was listening, wiping another glass in the mean time.
"Sounds like perhaps the she-devil bit down on y'er tongue," he looked to the side, noticing someone motioning him to order." One sec..."
Sunny had called him, not really realizing the bartender was in a discussion. He ordered a bottle of vodka and a shot glass with some lemons and salt and the bartender quickly gets the order before walking back to the man he was talking to before.
"Well I went to work, and then I saw these LPI people at the door. They were friggin waiting for me. Its not everyday the LPI waits for you. I thought there must be a mistake. Yup there was a mistake. Yup and tats my mistake to begin with in the first place". He shook his head in disappointment as the said the last part.
"Well they cuffed me and took me up to the Boss' s office."
"I didn't know what was happening until they showed me the security feed. There i was all sloshed and blabbering like a monkey in the front gate of the factory. The girl was next to me. The guards showed up and next few seconds of the security feed was me totally incoherent and oblivious to my surroundings, the guards and the girl talking. Then suddenly she pounced on the guards and with a repertoire of moves incapacitated them. She then took out my security card from my pocket and opened the security lock to the section B5 door"
He half laughed as he continued. " You sure don't wanna piss this girl off. "
He looked to his right at the girls giggling at a nearby table. With his gaze still upon them he continued " The next few minutes of the security feed .... this gal walks f from room to room searching for something, while the other camera that showed the front gate, there Iwas passed out on the floor."
He returned his gaze back to the barkeep. "She finally found what she was looking for. She picked the safe in the boss's office, took out a PDA and walked back out.."
"She came to the front gate, whiped out her PDA and started talking to someone. Minutes later a shuttle came in and two guys came out. They hauled my sorry ass into the shuttle and took off."
He sighed. "Turns out I've become a security liability and my services were no longer required in Baltimore,".
"Well they wanted to haul me off to Fort Bush for questioning. As they were leading me out to the back alarms were ringing off. Pirate attack . Yup that did stir up the folks inside. In the ensuing chaos that followed, i suddenly got a nasty feeling that something was behind me. I turned to look back and i see three guys steadying their guns at us. Whatya know, a friggin gunfight breaks out. I layed low on the ground as lazers were being fired around me. One of the LPI drops dead next to me."
He took in a short breath. Leaned back a bit. "Somebody upthere likes me. This guy had the keys to my cuffs. I quickly used them to unlock my cuffs and took off. Stole a shuttle from the parking hangars and scooted away from there. Got to the nearest ATM in Newark. Withdrew all my credits. Had half a mind to go to Manhattan, but decided against it. Been on the run ever since.".
He stretched a bit.
"While I was in Beaumont base in Texas system, i got word from a junker the The Black Cherry || Blackport 66 's Night Club and Bar could be the place where I can find work as a mechanic. Well here i am trying my luck."
He looked at the barkeep straight in the eye, hoping somewhat wishfully he could help him.
The bartender shakes his head with a smirk. "Sounds like quite the smart girl you were with to do that to you. Shame that happened... I'd wonder what the cops would do to yeah."
He nods and continues.
"Well lets see..." he puts the glass down and puts both hands to lean on the bar table. "We dont operate with lare vessels here, mind you... The biggest we have are patched up junker funded 'pirate' transports and gunboats, really... oh and a Bustard. Mind you, it's pretty hard to get one of these ships to land all at once on the staiton. Probably the most that would be mourned here would be two at a time. What Blackport 66 mostly has are the smaller craft, especially light fighters. I don't suppose you have any experience with those?
"Anyway... you seem alright... though if you wana job you should be asking either the Chapter Official of Kepler or the head boss himself... though mind you... he's a bit wasted at the moment." He points with his thumb towards Sunny sitting down the counter.
"It's not to say you can't talk ta' him though. He's usually in a good relaxed mood."
Sid lit up when the barkeep mentioned light fighter. He always loved those sleek craft. He loved the feeling he got when he would push the craft to its limit, the way it cut thru space and its awesome ability for sharp turns.
Sid "Well those light fighters are my favorite to work on. I guess I should meet Sunny".
He thanked the Barkeep and walked over to where Sunny was seated.
"Well Excuse me sir, I was told by the barkeep you may have a job for me" .
Sunny looked up his eyes giving no sign of what was on his mind.
Sid gulped. He quickly composed himself.
"Well My name is Sid Goldstein, and I used to work on Baltimore Shipyard, before I was laid off. I am pretty handy with a wrench, can do repair and maintenance work and believe it or not, i can build a craft from scratch. "
He scanned Sunny for any expression. He got none.
"Well I got nothing to lose I suppose" he thought to himself.
"Well Sir, I was hoping you could have some work for me. I'm down on my luck and I really need this job."
Sunny took a shot of vodka after the man walked up to him and asked for a job. He was stoned though, so most of the things the man said just went in one ear and out the other. He grunted a little from the kick of the vodka and patted the side of the table next to him where an empty seat was. "Have a seat, kid..." He said and calling the bartender again.
"This guy good?"
"Yeah Sir... He says he's lookin' for a mechanics job."
"Yeah yeah... I mean you know if he drinks. Get him whatever he wants." He tells the bartender and waves him off. He takes a pack of synthetic marijuana cigs rolled up and takes one out, putting the back between them and takes his out lighter out and lights the cig. Taking a long puff in he blows a cloud in the air.
"So... you can build a craft from scratch?... Not many people can say that... You'd be willin' to give me a little ... I don't know.... example... ?" He says while waving the cig around slowly as he holds it between his fingers. He takes another puff...
"We've got a hangar. We've got the parts.... a whole mound of premium scrap and hull panels just to name a few things... everything you need.... some enthusiasts might say... heaven... of a sort..." He says, puffing one more time. "...So i don't suppose... you could make whatever you like to show your craftsmanship?" He asks the man.
Passing through the crowds of people inside, Sunny peeked at his PDA to see the time. Yoshida from the Lane Hackers would be arriving soon and coming up to The Black Cherry to meet him for Sunny's purposed business talk. As he passed by the people partying with drinks in their hands, dancing to the music and shouting to each other over it while the entertainers danced above them, Sunny also hoped what he asked the workers to get ready would be all set for the discussion. The private VIP lounge would be ready for them when Yoshida would come with drinks already on the table between two elegant couches. He had as well ordered special entertainment.
He would be walking out now of the club and waiting outside to wait for Yoshida's arrival in the hangar. He'd told the control tower to notify him when he'd be docking.
Inside, however, the party still keeps going on. Dance music is playing, drinks are being served, and all the club party activities have not stopped. Back in the bar as well where it is quieter, people are enjoying drinks, laughing, and perhaps the company of a dancer.
Five minutes later the traffic control room of Blackport picked 3 unknown vessels approaching in full speed towards the station.
"Approaching vessels, identify yourselves."
Ten seconds later, right before a second hail was made, a male voice responded.
"This is XS-338, I have business to attend onboard your station."
"Roger that, XS-338 you've been expected. Please use docking point 3B." The traffic control said a few seconds after verifying that this flight code was expected. However the ship scans could not match the ships with anything they had on their database, a concerning fact which was shared with the security of Blackport.
The three unknown ships docked at the designated points of the station's hangar and Yoshida emerged out of his ship shortly afterwards. He looked around, putting his distinguishable hat on while trying to refresh his memory with the pictures and faces he has seen during his previous visit at the Blackport. A minute later his men joined him after coming out of their own ships. They bodyguards were both wearing black glasses and, like Yoshida, a luxurious suit with a tie.
They three Hackers ignored the curious and interested looks of the people towards their unknown ships and instead headed for the hangar's exit.
Sunny got messaged on reports that his special guests had arrived from security. He smirked to himself and straightened out his jacket. This would be an interesting meeting.
As the elevator doors opened and Sunny walked out to the hangar, Sunny didnt expect several Lane Hackers to show up, though he was not bothered by it. He walked up to the mysterious looking men he noticed by familiar face was Yoshida and extended his hand in greeting
"Glad you could make it, gentilmen,... Yoshida." He says in a professional manor. "I hope you had a quite trip here?"
He looked to the side and noticed some ships behind them he didn't see before.
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