There Will Be Confusion [The Underground]

[Paddy Quick]

-beep beep beep beep -

A silent pause. A brief rustling of sheets ... and then the deep, guttural snores continued to battle with the incessant beeping of the alarm. This continued for several minutes. It was an ebb and flow battle of wills, much like a game of taniss was, and it was only interrupted by the sudden shuddering of the light freighter coming out of hyperspace. That was enough to wake Paddy Quick up. Most ships barely moved during the transition from hyperspace to real space, but the Subtle Gamble was not most ships. It was a piece of crap.

Paddy stirred, punched the alarm and sent it flying across the room, then sat up. He was groggy, his head hurt something fierce, and two empty wine glasses rested on the bedside table. His clothes were strewn across the floor. He sniffed the air, and then grinned.

"Smells like sex." Hands quickly went to his wallet, where he found it empty. "Gorramit!"

He flung the wallet across the room, where it hit the durasteel wall with a soft thud. At least she'd left his cards, but still ... she'd taken 500 credits. Apart from his worthless ship, that was pretty much his net worth.

Wait ... why the frell was he on his ship?

Putting on some pants, he stomped to the bridge with his throbbing head still going at it. The view was a surprise. A space station stretched before him, and truth be told, Paddy had no idea where the hell he was. Or which space station this was. Or whatever.

"What the hell ..." he paused for effect, "happened last night."

His only answer, for the time being, was silence.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Paddy Quick"]

Alexa Rekali -- Alec to her business acquaintances, 'Flexy Lexi' in certain circles for her quarter-Vahla flexibility -- unfolded herself from the copilot's chair after a long moment. She was wearing his longish undershirt, and very clearly did not have the missing five hundred credits on her person. This was not to say she might not have taken it; times were tough all over.

"I was going to ask you the same. All I remember is keying in the jump after I kicked out the Falleen." She stretched, nothing especially provocative; her upper back cracked in a satisfactory way, but now the crick had transferred itself to her neck. "It was definitely after. Like feth would I have taken her here. Welcome to the cause, soldier."

 

[Paddy Quick]

[member="Alec Rekali"]

Paddy's surprise at the chick's presence didn't register in his face; he was wayyyy too hungover for that. His survival instincts were shot at that moment. A puppy could have taken him out. He was prey. Discarding that line of thought, he instead surveyed his conquest of the night before. Or conqueror, or whatever. Paddy didn't really remember. He didn't even remember her name, or their encounter, but he was pleased to note that she was at least a seven out of ten. That was better than he usually did. He grinned. That grin gradually faded.

Falleen, you're kidding. Paddy wasn't usually that adventurous. As a result, he concluded that the kokai'ina had been, as the kids called it, good poodoo.

"Welcome to the cause, soldier." What ... Head cocked to the side. Chin elevated. Eyebrows rose sky high. Lips pursed in a way that suggested he was not at all pleased. Eyes closed briefly. His look was, how you say, exasperated? Si, si, exasperated is the word. None too pleased. Mildly annoyed. The calm before the storm.

"You're kidding." Eyes opened and flicked to the rapidly encroaching space station. Gorramit. I just got honeypotted.

With a massive, outlandish sigh, Quick flopped into the pilot's seat and put his head in his right hand.

"What did I agree to this time?" I need to stop drinking.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Paddy Quick"]

"No lie, I'm pretty sure you were a lot more enthusiastic last night. Begging, even. Good stories, though. If half of'em are true you'll fit right in." Back adjusted, she folded herself back into the copilot's seat, uncaring that his undershirt wasn't overly warm. "That station is Rebellion Actual; we're in the Altir system, in the Unknown Regions, just off the Blood Trail. I'm Alec Rekali, and I run guns for the Underground."

She leaned over to the comms panel. "Rebellion Actual, this is Rekali, access code Hapspir, Barrini, Corbolan, Triaxis."

"Confirmed, Rekali. Who's your guest?"