'All, but lost' - he thought to himself and poured the drink down his troat.
6 foot 7 beast of a man sat in the corner getting himself drunk again. Buzz that cardamine used to induce was long gone, threfor he resorted to most simplest ways.
It's been months he haven't left the Luxury Liner Hawaii. But soon staff learned to use him well. As an old war veteran who's stories continued to fascinate tourists from house space. While his appearence was of dangeruose brute it only added up to general appeal causing thrills to those who are daring to talk with him.
This time was like any other. Some book writer from Liberty was sitting with him at the same table and talking about life in border and edge worlds. As with someone who saw both sides out outcast and corsair conflict.
'And that's how I end up getting myself exiled' - he continued - 'pride, feeling that supposed to give strenght becomes ones undoing if misplaced. Pride in blood and flesh rather than something you've achieved yourself. Useless nonsense ! It's what you have now with current corsairs. It's their downfall. Playing politics, aristorcrats of pure bloodlines of the familias while influence in the borders for which they should be greatful to us are being lost. So called "Empire" who are more than glad to throw away it's own soldiers to the dogs at the glimpse of fear or a chance to become more like them. Those aristocrats prostituted our ways to become more like you'
Young writer got intimitaded by the changed tone of the old Corsair as he leand towards him. He started to doubt his decision to have a personal chat with him, but soon curiosity won. And he continued to sit in his place waiting for more, while Antonio had one more mouthful of rum.
'It's they who betrayed me. Exiled me and sent hunters down my path. But we, Corsairs are good at surviving. Sometimes no matter the cost or the odds. Even if it means killing your own supposed kin. And that's why I ended up between elite ranks of the Outcast [101st] Guard. But well... that's new chapter of the story.' - he kept on talkin while his attention was caught up by seemingly recognizable figure at the bar table - '...and you'll have to buy another drink for the old man if you want to hear it.'
...From the logbook of "Gran Espana", 15 Jan 821 A.S., Ellias Fernandes De La Rosa
Entree 82, page 178
... the path from the Gamma was significantly safe no matter the constant danger of another bounty hunter attack. Today is a third day the "Gran Espana" is going on full throttle under my command.
Artifacts in our cargo hold are already being awaited by the Hogosha amigos I'v been talking before so nothing must go south this time, arrr to the hell it goes! I hate when it's just nothing interesting but moving the boxes here and there type of business - just like a regular House soft mierde bretonian with his shaking hands and fat face.
However this run must be an easy cake. We've approached the Hawaii and the crew began to unload the boxes around the docking bay 5. Nice then, time for me to finish out this log stuff and leave for a bar to dump my ennui into something like a glass of Ale.
The end, we're going to depart as soon as our cargo holds are empty and cash pockets are heavy.
/signed Cap'n Ellias Fernandes De La Rosa
He stood up from the computer panel and went towards the airlock that was now leading to the huge hangar bay of the Hawaii. His transport was the only ship in that docking bay for it was too big and the Hawaii owners didn't wanted someone's eyes to notice the business that was going here right now. So the Orbital's own security was "off duty" for this day. Because their pockets are getting an exciting weight as well.
Ellias went through few corridors that were connecting hangars and few lift shafts leading to the upper levels, took on of those and stood up into the passenger area. His favorite bar wasn't far from here and he decided not to let it wait for too long.
That wasn't a very popular place for the tourist folk, more likely they were avoiding it for a reason. With iron door sliding to the side he was stoke with a smell of a regular port bar on any other station with little to no lawful control. The smell of hangouts, alcohol brews of very various sorts, old vomit, cigarette smoke and dirty bodies. This unbelievable contrast of smells was coming from the few dozens of people sitting and standing around the hall, smoking, talking, fighting, usual stuff, your call.
He was already going to make his way right into to the barmen to order a nice load of whiskey shots to start up the right night when he felt that someone from the corner is watching his face. He didn't liked that eyeballing and decided that once his stomach is receiving it's alcoholic fix he's punching some ugly face for sure today.
Well I be damned - he mumbled silently while leaning towards the direction of the stranger ordering a drink. The small figured man who was earlier listening to his tale shrugged in attempt to ask to repeat the sentence. But before that Antonio risen up from this chair, pulled up a short blade and stack it into the table.
Beat it, scrub ! - Vilkas pulled out the blade back to his hand and launched himself against the corsair standing at the bar who seemingly didn't pay much attention to him. But before blade has reached the neck, Ellias stepped a side. Obviuosly he was tracking Antonio from the bar all that time, but due to hair covering his eyes, no-one could tell at what he was watching. However, as he was now getting ready to return the favour blood sprinkled on Ellias face from the general direction of his attacker.
... two corsairs and a slashed body of unfortunate rheinlander who was ordering drinks for his gang. For a few moments they all just stood like that, until body collaped on the floor in a wide pool of blood. Appearantly Vilkas couldn't stop in time to prevent the impact with random person standing behind the corsair he was previuosly targeting. As the gang at the next corner of the bar was about to rise up to avenge their friend, Ellies searched himself for a gun.
A habbit? You left your gun before entering this hellhole. - Antonio whispered to Fernandez - Do you think owners of this place will allow all sorts of scum with their fancy toys here? They don't like to drag bodies from here, doesn't click with their agenda. Ha, the irony: you came to kill me but probably both of us will die now. Those rheinlanders don't care what you have to say it's enough that our skin color tone is the same.
As the drink arrived he was carefully watching the corner where was sitting the suspiciously looking man surrounded by the company of more regular looking crew folk. Then the man suddenly stood up, he was huge and tall, and silently moved towards him. And as the knife flashed in his hands he figured out why he's moving to him. And he also remembered who could this possibly be as the man moved out of the corner to the open light.
Ellias didn't saw that face for decades... this wasn't a good sight to see him, but he was already preparing himself to fight like a tiger on the hunt. He was waiting for the right moment without exposing the fact that he knew about the man and what he was doing at the moment.
And here is the right moment as the knife was already on it's way he stood aside and the deadly blow crushed over the next person's neck. The poor lad didn't even knew what was coming to him as his body painted the floor and surroundings red and collapsed on the floor.
A group of the people at another corner, that apparently were somehow familiar with the dead body on the floor stood up with their faces showing anger. Ellias touched an empty gun sling. Well, he really left the gun at the Gran Espana. But...
So, Antonio,
*He shown a predatory grin*
You got us into the trouble, like you're used to do.
We might not have a guns with us to have a little quick draw festival here... but, at least I, as a Corsair, have something with me to let their blood splatter all over the room...
He turned the hem of his cloak revealing the sheath attached to his belt and pooled out the family's long blade decorated with carvings and precious gems. As the blade shined at his hands he saw the fear in some of the gangster's eyes.
'As much as I would want to slash and chat, can't do. There is more than dozen of them and only two of us. Besides, even if we win by luck, guards will want us pushed though the airlock without our ships. Our best bet would be get through to the exit, block the door from outside and when think of something that would work. Now we could use a little diversion'
Vilkas rushed towards the rheinlanders as they ready themselves for the hand to hand engagment, some of them broken a few bottles to make themselves glass shard type daggers, other one grabbed a chair prepering for initial collision. But Antonio wasn't planning to clash with them at all. Instead, on his way to the mobsters who were about to block the exit, he grabbed a young women of outcast origin who was hinding under the table out of fear and sweeped her onto the rheinlanders like she was some sort of boulder.
Stunned by the impact of the womans body being thrown towards them, rheinlanders froze. Partly due to the hit, partly due to the visual demoralizing effect such act had.
'Hey, Ellias, don't just stand there' - Vilkas yelled through all the chaos.
Using small window of opportunity Antonio and Ellias ran to the door. In split seconds they ended up on the other side, closed the enterence and pushed their backs against it. While clenching cardamine mask Vilkas took from the woman he had tossed seconds ago he looked at Ellias and whispered:
'No time to explain, strangely, there is no guards around, I think we have some time. But I bet not for long. Unfortunatly, my ship is not operational and in current situation I don't really feel like I would want to start another fight for escape vessels. So, Corsair, any ideas, because now it would be great time for taking initiative as I'm out of solutions'.
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