Pher

It was common knowledge that Vulcans were immune to Orion pheromones. Pher… wasn’t entirely sure the common knowledge was correct. There were tales whispered among Orion girls that Vulcan males felt the pull of the dust, but that their mental discipline was strong enough that they didn’t let it show. She had also heard that in extreme dust doses, an Orion might drive a Vulcan into pon farr out of the expected season. Pher had wondered if there was any truth to the talk, or whether it was just the bravado of slaves confronting the ultimate challenge. She had never had a suitable opportunity to test it. Vulcans just didn’t spend good latinum traveling to resorts like Evenstar Bay. It wouldn’t be logical. Pher wasn’t going to find out today, either. She didn’t have a research subject. While the ‘security advisor’ Selek that had been escorting the QoB’s crew waddled like a duck, swam like a duck, and quacked like a duck, he was no duck. The wanted poster back on Tranquility had shown him with round human ears. Audrey showed him to have the body chemistry and internal organ structure of a human. He was also showing subtle effects of reacting to Pher’s dust. He was hiding it well. She likely wouldn’t have caught it if she weren’t looking for it. Still, he was neither Vulcan nor duck. The question was what to do about it. A contract begun with lies wasn’t apt to end well. On the other hand, the wanted poster hand’t said who wanted him or for what. He had made someone with lots of latinum very mad at him, but they hadn’t been willing to give a reason. The wanted poster was an offer to pay for a kidnapping, with no endorsement by the Guardians or anyone else. It seemed premature to confront the guy. This was the sort of game Joe enjoyed playing. She’d pass him the information as soon as she could get something resembling privacy. As this planet was likely wired to the extreme, that might well mean waiting for return to the QoB. Meanwhile, it was amusing that only Pher and her chaperone had stayed with the faux Vulcan. Pher wondered how long it would take for Soora to figure out something was off, and how he might respond if she confronted him. Pher didn’t dare leave Soora alone with him. Soora needed… a chaperone. Which meant leaving Joe and Chris wandering free on a whole planet full of doors labeled ‘secret, do not enter.’ This might be worse than leaving Pher on a planet full of human males. Trouble seemed moderately inevitable. She had left them Byblos. Thing is, giving Joe and Chris muscle to go with their curiosity might not be precisely helpful. Ah, for the good old days of nice simple problems. Where is Redera when you need her?

Chris watched as Pher entered the office and waited until the door closed behind her. He wanted to test the herbal treatment given to him by Doctor Soona. This was the best thing he could think of. To see if he had any effect from even more of the Orion pheromones. He wasn't entirely sure he was wanting to test it or if he was in more need of them since he was now hydrated once more. Whichever it was, he was about to or at least hoped to be about to get another good dosing of the sweet fragrance he was becoming more and more drawn to. The Orion's Scent was more pleasant and sweet than the Deltan's and he was enjoying it more and more. "Pher, I just came from medical. This new doc is trying something new on me. Your right, I look under control at the moment but, I am wanting to test this herbal treatment she is using." His eyes then turned to giving her a flirty wink and he says in a seductive sexy voice., "Come give me some of your honey, Doll. Now Let's finish what we started earlier." Pher addressed her left wrist. "Audrey, implant safeties full, please." Her ODRI chirped a cheerful acknowledgment. Pher didn't feel so cheerful. She was a big girl. She shouldn't need artificial support to control herself. But this was Chris, he wasn't exactly being subtle, and right now she was bad for him. "Chris?", she said plaintively. "Could you listen to yourself? Suppose you were addicted to some hard drug, nothing to do with natural sex drives. Suppose some well meaning doctor gave you something to suppress the urge. Would it be a good idea, first thing, to shoot yourself up to see which drug is the stronger?" She shook her head. "You know I want to help you. I'm as hooked as you are. Worse. What you're feeling is what I am. Evenstar Bay wanted well motivated employees, so I'm well motivated. Soona wants to help you too, in her own damn the emotions shut everything down way. I think you'll need both of us, but both of us are bad for you too. The more you come to me, the more you are feeding an addiction, the closer you will get to frying your brain. Soona's drug? I don't know exactly how effective this one is, but most of the drugs that help against animals like me leave you down and depressed when you're not with animals like me. It's not about Soona, it's not about me, it's about you, Chris. If you absolutely need me, I can get you past your needs, but the less often that is, and the lower the dosage you take from Soona, the less I'll be worrying, and the sooner you might get back to something approaching 'normal'." Chris stepped closer to Pher. He heard what she said but wasn't exactly listening to what she was saying. He wanted to see how this herbal treatment would work and just getting as close to her as he was at this moment did prove a that it did help some. He was still feeling a slight urge to get a bit, but with Pher being able to keep control he hoped he would also. It wasn't only the dust but her physical attraction as well. She was as lovely as he had seen, a sight for sore eyes so to say. He placed his hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms. What she had said finally made its way to his brain and he could make sense of it. He wrapped his hands around hers, holding them tightly. "Thanks Doll. Just being here with you is letting me know that what the Doc is giving me isn't 100% but it does help. I'll have to really work to maintain control. I know you can. I just hope I can as well." He then releases his grip on her hands and backs away. "Pher, I'm glad your on our side." She smiled and gave him the lightest of kisses. "Glad to be on your side, at your side, beside myself, or wherever. When you really need me, I'll be here." Chris walked passed Pher to the door and looked back at her. "Thanks Doll. You do the same." He then turns and head out of the office and to the Lift. He needed a cold shower.

Joe? This thing is really funky. Shane’s device is a pretty fancy murder machine. Very small and hard to detect. Able to move through the body. Kills by poison. Delayed action is programmable. Controllable remotely. Really exotic. It’s purpose is to kill, but I don’t know what the delay timer is set for. If we send the specs, they might be able to get it out. It would be easier to send the control codes to turn off the timer. It is programmed to go to a specific point in the body. Assuming it is there, and they know what they are looking for, it should be removable. Troy, myself and perhaps Soora could learn more, but I would prefer to transmit the crucial information back to Savoy ASAP. She will likely have access to better people than we do. If they have difficulties, Pharmall has people that might help. Pher

All I’ve already talked to a few of you. For old timers, this won’t be a lot of news. Still, I figure I’ve got to talk about weapons policy. The Feds in some ways resemble chicken droppings. They don’t want ship crew to have real guns. However, they are really annoying chicken droppings. They can make more trouble that real guns can solve. Thus, I’d like to review what weapons everyone has, and beyond that how you are inclined to use them. How much conflict have you seen? What style of fighting are you best at? If you had a chance to plan a fight, what sort of fight would you like to start? Basically, if I end up planning or leading a fight, I’d like to know how to use you best. I’ll start with myself. I don’t really expect y’all to get as elaborate. I carry a pain stick with a stun setting. In my foolish youth I got involved in some messy stuff, so I’m pretty good with it. I’ve got a very small gun usually set to wide beam stun. It’s a stun them all let the First Energy Being sort them out kind of thing. For real trouble I’ve got a stun rifle with a grenade launcher attachment. I’ve got a decent supply of non-lethal grenades : flash-bang, smoke, sleepy gas and the like. I’m better in close with the stick than I am at range, so I tend to use range weapons that don’t require a lot of finesse. If they create problems enough to give me time to close, that’s all I ask. The other question is when to use that stuff. I’d rather seduce the opponent than stun him. If I have to fight, I prefer a nice ambush. If the battle is over before the other guy has figured out it has started, that’s good. Of course, you can’t get too much of a rep for doing that sort of thing. It’s hard to seduce somebody if he’s looking over his shoulder for the ambush. It’s also harder to seduce a guy if your shipmates have been trying to kill him. I hate that. We’ll get into a lot of trouble, anyway. Still, before you open up, could you try to consider your ship mate’s love life? Anyway, if y’all could send a quick note to give your own approach to things, I’d appreciate it. Thanks Pher

Joe Sal has been working the subspace relays, doing personal stuff. Are we in paranoid mode? I figure that the relay operators might be able to figure roughly where we are should we transmit. I’ve heard that if they have a very good reason and lots of spare computer time, they can break commercial encryption. I’m not too worried. I just figure if there is some Fed prowler out there somewhere looking for a ship to board, I don’t want him to know where we are. Should I worry about it? Pher

Joe? There’s quite a stink in the cargo bay. I encouraged Byblos to bring his hover bike aboard, but he didn’t mention that it has been sprayed by a stink vermin. Would you mind giving him a priority to end the biological warfare? I don’t like the competition. Pher

Joe OK. Got some opinions… Shane is likely trouble. Pretty much told me he has his own agenda, and told me not to get in his way. Through our recent affair, he has been bit more ready to start trouble than I’d like. He’s got courage enough and skills enough, but you’d want to talk with him yourself and judge if you can make him into a team player. I’m not confident I can. I’m not sure I want to. I’d like to be able to face trouble worrying about the opposition rather than my own people. Byblos has got himself in trouble. Ran with a street gang. Guardians and Klingons wanted his turf, he didn’t want to walk away from it, four guardians among the dead, and now the Guardians want him. Not a lot left of his people. With the city apparently about to burn, his response was to get abusively drunk. He talks like he learned some life lessons, hopefully about not biting off more than he can chew. He is saying the right things. Not sure he really learned those life lessons, or how he will apply them next time he walks into trouble. I doubt he is sure, either. He’s talking a good game, has some useful skills, needs a new chance, I’m inclined to give it to him, but if we didn’t really need new hands I’d have trouble recommending him. Will have to be watched. Soora and I are going to disagree somewhat on treatments for Chris. She’s got an herbal treatment that takes the edge off sexual desires. I’m familiar with the sort of drug that does this, but haven’t encountered this particular drug. Usually, the docs will have some sort of warning on such things, talking about depression and thoughts of suicide as a possible side effect of a sex drive killing drug. But, hey, a Vulcan might advocate a drug that reduces emotional urges and a Vulcan might have the discipline to fight emotional urges. An Orion? Well, we’ve got somewhat different attitudes towards emotional urges. Still, she is sincere. The style of drug she is advocating will help but is unlikely to be a miracle cure given the dosage Redera went for. Other than that, if you’re not a Vulcanphobe she checks out good. She has good training, not a lot of experience, but with you and Chris available to consult she should do well. Not a lot available on William Chocox. I didn’t get a chance to sit down and talk with him. He’s old Starfleet and doesn’t seem to like the new Starfleet. His training will be solid, though not on the style of stuff we have aboard. You’re former Starfleet. I figure you’d do better evaluating him than I. Far as I can tell though, he is what he claims to be. Sal Rosetto was the only one I wasn’t worried about in the last short ride on the QoB. He too is Old Starfleet. Has the technical skill. If there is a problem, it’s that he’s still living in the reality the Old Starfleet was supposed to create. He might encounter some culture shock out here, though it didn’t show in the recent mess. He’ll follow you loyally, at least until he gets to know you better. Me? I’m having my own doubts. It’s easy to say you and Savoy don’t make the ideal team. I don’t think she could have made the connections with Minos, and I don’t see how you could have done it other than as you did. Yet, by the time your plan was ready to take flight, you’d so alienated Savoy that I pretty much had to ride things her way to make anything happen. Your style had got enough of the crew arrested that I couldn’t get things going without distancing myself from you. We come from different places. Me? Even when I’m on the bottom of any given arrangement, I’ve had to keep the customer happy. You seem to enjoy ticking people off. I’d as soon make friends, or at least have people willing to work with me again. If I’ve got to make enemies, I want to choose them carefully, and I won’t let folks know they have earned me as an enemy until it is too late. For you, having all the right enemies seems to be a point of pride. If I have to double cross someone, I want to do it thoroughly, so they’ll never have a chance to get even. The way you operate, you’d think you get paid by how many people are angry at you. It’s fine to have an attitude, Joe, but you’re not alone in this. Your rep will splash onto your crew. Could you cool it some? Pher

Pher stepped into sickbay, such as it was, and looked about. “Soora? Got a few minutes?” Soora looked up from her desk. She was busy sorting out the files and papers that were scattered randomly through the desks and file cabinets. She saw the green Security officer, the Orion, and she stood up, her face blank, the green gone from her cheeks. Chris was sleeping on one of the biobeds still, and Soora had his chart constantly updating on her consule. She glanced at it every few minutes, and does so now. The line of fluids seemed to be helping. "Its Soora, actually. I do, just keep your voice down, please. What do you need?" “As I said at the bar, I’ve got a few minor medical skills, but in most cases I’ve no training to speak with and will let you pros handle it. I used to be a lifeguard. I’m pretty good at reviving drowning victims and other forms of mouth to mouth. Basic first aid, I can do. That’s mostly it… “Except I’ve had all too much experience with pheromone addiction. I came to this world as a lab rat. Big shot latinum pusher got himself addicted. Decided to research getting un-addicted, which meant buying up everything he needed, test tubes, vials, tricorders, computers, an Orion. You know… just the basics. They figured they’d treat it like any other addiction. Slowly decreasing dosages. Drugs to fight the physical symptoms. Isolation from the source of the problem drug. “If you want to try it that way, fine. I can supply you with the honey dust. Thing is, it isn’t just your ordinary addiction. If in the back of Chris’s little mind you become the source of the honey dust, you’ll have to expect to be on the receiving end of a sexual obsession. Don’t know if you want to deal with that. Let’s just assume you don’t want to deal with that. “On New Risa, ending a dust addiction isn’t about medical science. It’s a bedroom art, same as any other. A folk art. A woman’s art. Every case is different. Every addict. Every therapist. In this case, first step is to break his obsession with a Deltan called Redera, and about the only way to do that is to get him more obsessed with me than with her. That’s the easy part. Hard part is pushing him away, to lower the dosages, to get him off the dust entirely, if possible. Most humans? They just can’t sustain high doses indefinitely without some sort of burnout. “There is help you can give from the science side. Anything you can do to cut the pain of withdrawal would be good. Keep him hydrated. Help him sleep. I don’t know what else. Whatever you can do that lets me cut the doses and delay time between doses will be good for him. Got it? Hard part is knowing whether your stuff or mine is more harmful. We’ll have to work that out. “Problems? Questions?” Soora raised an eyebrow. "I know much about Orions, as well as Deltans, and their... addictions. I had the pleasure of treating such a case at the Academy." She reached down and pulled a jar off the desk. "On New Vulcan, we used some herbs in a combination to knock out the addiction... Although its not a cure, it allowed a Vulcan to come back under control of his own feelings. I... used it on a human once, one on a freighter crew that stopped in to the spacedock. Although he didn't fully recover right away, he was recovered and moving on to ... other conquests in a week and a half." Soora opened up the jar, smelling the herbs. "I gave some to Mr. Nickles, and now he sleeps. I am keeping him hydrated." She gestured with her free arm towards Chris. "His chart is improving. I am first working on getting him healthy, then I will focus more on his addiction. I thank you and am grateful for your offer for assistance, and I am sure that I will take you up on it if I find it necessary." She recapped the jar and set it back on the desk with a small thump. She stepped around the desk, standing in front of it. She struggled to keep her face straight. "As for your concern with... my becoming the source of honey dust. I know its a possibility. I am taking responsibility for that. It's my job, after all." She put her hands on the desk behind her, trying to keep her mind from what Chris and the Orion might have done. "Anything else?" “Not much else.” Pher considered. Soora had seen a few pheromone cases, one of the involving a Vulcan, which of course made her an expert. Doctors knew so much more than hookers, after all. On the other hand... “If that herbal stuff is as good as you suggest, we can make a fortune. You do your thing. I’ll do as little of my thing as seems prudent. Let’s see what happens.” Soora raised her eyebrow again, then let it fall. "Ma'am, the herbs just help him to ignore it. I understand that like with any addiction the cravings eventually fade, yes? With some willpower, this can work." She paused, searching for the right words, looking absently over at Chris. Then she returned her gaze to Pher. "I have never dealt with an addiction in which there is an Orion nearby during the recovery. I'm not sure what will happen if he is exposed again to your honey dust at this stage. He might be fine... or he might lose it." Meanwhile, Pher would have to consider what a cure to pheromone addiction would to the the culture of New Risa. The girls would no longer have to be so careful, which meant the resorts could exploit them with more confidence. The girls would no longer be skilled workers, balancing the need to give the tourists a good time while not getting them hooked? If they didn’t have to be skilled workers, for sure they wouldn’t be treated as such. “Thanks for putting up with me,” Pher said. She glanced at Chris. “Take care of him.”

“Byblos? You’ve got skills we want, with engineering wise, and with a blade. You dislike the Guardians, rather badly, I believe. And they want you just as badly, and not in a good way. In a lot of ways, a good intense clash with the Guardians might stand in place of a good character reference. We don’t much like em, either. “But we can’t afford to tick em off, either. I guess I have a few questions. Have you got an agenda you just have to push? Are you looking for revenge? Something little, something achievable, something that is done once and finished, sure, that’s understandable, and I might even help you out. We all might. But if you’re going to tick them off at us every time we land on one of their worlds, we can’t do that. We’ll have enough of our own fights to fight without taking on your fights too.” "Revenge?" Byblos queried, Then took a sip of his bloodwine. "It is revenge the Guardians have dealt me and my companions. We used to own the Unspeakable District until the Klingons got involved and that Engineer and the Ghost who has been unleashed by the Guardians against my brothers of the "Cycle." I have seen enough of my comrades corpses with their heads turned into Targ vomit, the rest arrested and never seen again. The time has come to move on. Oh don't get me wrong, I will still kill Guardians if asked." “The other thing? Dirt side, every time I’ve seen you you’ve been drunk and angry. Is that just shore leave syndrome, or is that you? I know all about addictions, about temptations. Believe me, I’ve been there, and I’ve done that, and am not looking to repent. I’ve lived and made a living dancing with the devil. I have to know, though. Are you riding the devil, or is he riding you?” "I confess I try to wash the visions of death away with drink. Seeing my allies..my friends heads blown off is something I try to blot out." Byblos paused briefly. "Minos had me sold that the city was finally going to burn along with it everything left I had here. I thought everyone was going to die..including myself. I decided to have one final ...toast. To the end." "You ask am I riding the Devil? Byblos drank from his bloodwine again and looked at it. "It does not control me. But clearly my fate on this rock is in his hands. I have been beaten, but have paid my debts to all I could repay. Including "Pete?". "I have nothing left, no currency, no family; no honor in this city. Just the sword on my back and a small disruptor and clothes..the Hovercycle out front, I offer for getting me of this cursed rock and back on my feet again! Away from the devil that haunts this city," Byblos set his drink down looking at the Orion female, not at her looks but at her eyes to convey his message. Pher met his eyes, and considered. She’d made something of a living off reading men, but was more used to those who could afford New Risa’s surf side than those who lived near the edge on the streets. Only in the past few years had she left the beach and started visiting what might properly be considered the real world where the company’s will was still openly contested. He seemed sincere. What he said sounded right. She couldn’t be sure. She’d see what Joe thought. She had another problem, though. “We might have to ask that you lose the disruptor. Starfleet stops and searches ships. They don’t like to find lethal weapons, and we don’t like to tick them off without cause. Might manage to let you keep the cycle. At the moment at least we’ve room in the hold for it. If we call it collateral, I’ll cover your debts until payday. Might come in handy on landfall.” "Fine. Take my disruptor," Byblos promptly hands the disrputor to Pher. It hasn't done me any good against the Guardians lately..nor the devil that plagues me in this city. The Hovercycle, I could see might be useful for a merc crew. I've made modifications to it so it's speed maybe a challenge so some of your crew. I can keep it running if it needs maintance. Bikes I can fix." Byblos ends with a chuckle. “How good at you with guns?” was Pher’s next question. “Between my stick, Shane’s claw and your blades, QoB would be fairly brutal in a close up brawl. It isn’t that much of a problem, but I’d actually like a few people who lean more towards shooting.” Over my lifetime in service on a Nausicaan "Raider" of as we call them nicely, Freighters and my Time on Tranquility. I have used a variety of weapons. As you know the bigger the weapon the more likely if you are boarded by Guardian inspectors, the more likely they'll find it..confiscate it and arrest you. The Unspeakable District, while riding hoverbikes and exacting tribute when we ruled the streets. Weapons were not of the "heavy" variety. Mostly pistols, we contracted out to other "organizations" if we needed something handled with a larger weapon," Byblos Paused. "In Nausicaan space and Federation space while I was a young lad learning my chops used a weapon left over from the Dominion War. Federation in make, not certain what it's designation was. But it was a rifle. So yes I have used them before boarding vessels". Byblos extended his full height and crossed his arms. "My question to you, is if you are so concerned about a disruptor pistol on your ship, how do you plan on having heavier weapons on hand? I hazard a guess you "acquire" your weapons wherever you go..." The Nausicaan leaves that one up to the Orion female to disclose. “Good guess,” Pher responded. “It actually varies depending who we’re up against and what they’ve got.” “And have you thoughts about Orion ladies? This isn’t a hire or not question, but I have to ask. I might be looking for a sparring partner. Your blade looks similar to my stick in length. If it’s a bit heavier, you’ve likely got the strength and reach to make up for it. I’ve had formal training for ritual encounters, while you’re from the streets where there aren’t so many rules and stakes are different. We might show each other some stuff… “But Orion ladies play the game at other levels. We have other defenses. Even my training… New Risan pain stick fighting is a spectator sport, and giving the front row spectators a whiff of honey dust is part of the game. Pain and fear make for lots of dust. Some think what happens after the game more important than the game itself. “Anyway, do you have enough of your own devils to want to avoid dancing with mine? Byblos laughed. "Ah, the lure of Orion women. Does it affect or attract Nausicaan males? Interestingly no. How do I know? Female liked to ride with us on our hovercycles back when we owned The Unspeakable District and other areas of the city. Girls loved a pretty ride. And some of those girls were Orions. Did any of them once pull a fast one on a "Cycles of Death" member with your Orion.. abilities. Not that I am aware of. We never had to hunt down an Orion Slave Girl/Prostitiute for ripping one of our members off." "As for combat with my blade," Byblos unsheathed his weapon and let Pher get a good look at it's size, and the decor of Shane's autograph etched it in. "I've never had any formal training. You just learn from other Nausicaans other tricks in sparring and hope you don't loose a limb. Thankfully that did not happen to me. I'm no fool..just because I am bigger and stronger than you are does not mean you'll sweep me of my feet with that stick of yours." Byblos sheathed his weapon. "But if you want to dance..I'm game." The Nausicaan smiled for the first time in quite some time. “Oh, sure. I’ll dance,” Pher replied with a genuine smile. “In fact it’s good to not have to worry about you’re partner’s poor fragile brain.” She sighed. “Doesn’t hurt to keep in practice, chasing a guy without cheating. “I think before we dance, though, a bit of shopping? You might have gotten away with sparring with live blades, but I’d feel better if you had something for practice with the same length and weight but less edgy? Maybe we could sell the disruptor, pick up a stunner? Might be good to pick up and ID with a different name on it? If you’re too hot to handle any of that yourself, I could cover it. If’ you’d rather use your own connections, that’s fine too. "I would know plenty of people who would purchase a disruptor like the one in you hands. However, all of them are in the Unspeakable District. I've been basically in exile here in the Merc District since the "Cycles of Death" were systematically dismantled by that fat sheriff. He's a persistent type, and it would be unwise for me to do any shopping there. This district has far more Nausicaans moving about. I shouldn't be an issue. As for purchasing a sparring weapon. As I mentioned earlier, I am broke paying my debts to all I owed latinum to. "The ID issue," The Nausicaan stepped back a second placing his hand on his chin. "We did have a forger in the 'Cycles' but he was arrested for attempting to sign off as the fat sheriff's deputy when we were trying to get some of our bikes back from impound. Again my lack of latinum haunts me." “I’ll handle the shopping, then. We might want to hold that until tomorrow, though,” she said after a pause. “I’ve got to clear you with Joe, and maybe check you out with a few people I know. I think you’ll be OK. I don’t get the last word, though.” "Your Captain, I noticed the last time I was in this bar clearly had a working relationship with Marshall Savoy. If he fails to clear me, I will know instantly when a bunch of Guardians arrest me and he claims the bounty on my cursed head" “If you truly believe that,” said Pher with a wry grin, “then you shouldn’t have applied in the first place. Look. You’re just a cop killer. One of our other applicants broke the Prime Directive! We aren’t in a position to be picky. Sides, Joe and Savoy aren't that close. They are both trying to hold the other over a barrel. Both of em are too clever for their own good. I might be able to tell you the story someday, but not on the planet. Too new. To hot.”

The sounds of Shane's footsteps echoed down the central corridor, as he stomped down the circular steps from the Engineering levels. His bionic arm hissed and whirred as it swung by his side, sending off small sprays of steam ever so often. Reaching the bottom of the stairwell, he turned and headed towards the bridge in a slow, casual gait with his face the usual stony and expressionless. Pher smiled as Shane came into her sight line, wondering if he was making an entrance, or if he always was that way. She thought of her own approach to walking into an arena, and decided she'd best not comment. "Shane? You're the engineer, right?" She walked out to the corridor and stood beside the still open door control panel. She couldn't resist giving him a bit of her own show walk. It wasn't about power and intimidation. It was about emphasizing curves and a little more motion than might really be necessary, but one way or another it said she was dangerous. "I've been trying to figure out how Troy got the door open," she said. "Could you take a look, then button it up right?" A slight look of annoyance crossed the cyborg's face as Pher stood between him and the bridge. However, the expression left as quickly as it had come and he continued on into the bridge, though seeming to give the woman a little more room than necessary. "Sorry, Orion," he said as he passed, "but I ain't hired yet. You're gonna have to do you're own dirty work for now." Shane paused by the primary weapons station and picked up his worn, gray duffel bag, sling it over his shoulder with his good hand. Turning back towards the open doorway, he made direct eye contact with Pher, as if in challenge. "However, if you're so curious, why not look it up on the security cams? Surely you could figure that out." Pher shrugged. "I tried that. Security records gave me funny information. Supposedly, the signal to open the door came from the console where you were sitting. Now, that couldn't be right, could it? Anyway, I thought I'd best get a second opinion." "You and I both know that you've already made up your mind," Shane replied as he stepped delibriatly towards Pher, stopping with a meter of her. His bulky frame towered over the smaller woman as he continued speaking, "If you've got an accusation, then spit it out green-skin. I don't take kindly to subtle threats. Just ask the Deltan." "Look, big guy," Pher responded, not backing an inch. "I've had a bad day. The bad guys went down nicely. They split up. Couldn't support each other. Didn't play a team game. They went down. Fell like rain. Easy. Not a problem. You'd think if the bad guys go down that nice, it ought to be a good day? "Tis the crew that's bothering me. One guy tries to gas me. You. Me. Everybody. Think I know why. Might be able to fix it. Another guy points a gun at me. I know why. Might be able to fix it. Lot of work to get there, but it's a fun sort of work. Captain was a no show. Don't know why. That's a problem. Not at all sure if he can be fixed. If he was fixable, he'd have been fixed by now. Then there's the frigging security boss. Half way through this charade she decides she's not working for the QoB, she's working for the Guardians. Full scale mutiny. Big problem. I know why. Not sure it can be fixed. Gotta be, though. If we're going to play at being mercenaries, we've got fight who we're hired to fight rather than fighting each other. Life expectancy gets real short if we don't." She shook her head. "Anyway, Captain called a meeting at the Maze tonight. Wants the whole crew, including the wannabes. Thinks we all need a drink. He might have a point. Might be his best idea since we hit dirt. You might want to have a story to tell. A believable story. See you then." The slightest hint of a grin pulled at Shane's mouth as he looked down at Pher. "I ain't out to fight you, Orion." Then the grin was gone and the cyborgs voice deepened, "Just don't get in my way." Readjusting the bag on his shoulder, he turned and walked out of the bridge.

Have to know how reasonable the rates would be. Hard work? Impeccable character? Don't think we qualify for this one. Not that thirsty. We do know a little about that... Worth asking about. Arecheology, though? Need to combine it with the free whisky, I think. Watch out for this bunch. They're half crazy. And... Err... Pay? How much pay? Watch out for these guys too. They have ethical issues. Better to talk to moral and upright guys like the Guardians or Taurus Brothers.

Pher held a small vial in her had. The vial itself was a bit expensive, high tech, secure. Pher had set it for a proper dose, and locked it so it couldn't dispense a new dose sooner than it should. But the content's were also expensive... potent, in demand and fresh. Pea squared. Pheromone's pheromone. It was temptation, not just for the would be addict, but for the producer as well. Finding a market to distribute without the marketeer trying to own the means of production was a bother. She'd managed to stay independent for the better part of a year selling her essence before the trouble became too much. She'd sought out other employment that came with a way off planet. Now her road off planet was getting as complicated as her life on the Tranquility had been. "Hello, Chris," she said. He was an addict. He was addicted to Redera, not to Pher, but Pher ought to change that. Red was gone, now. She would tempt him no more. He was a crew mate. She should feed his demons, and wean him away. It would be necessary for him, and in the doing he could feed her own demons. She was no less an addict than he. The difference was that the he had a chance of shaking off his need. He could become free. With discipline, he could learn to walk away. Unlike her. "You pointed a gun at me, Chris. You know I don't like that." Chris looked up from the biobed in the isolation room that he was tied down to. He was still shaking somewhat and his temp and Blood pressure were still elevated. His breathing was still short and shallow. "Pher, She had me under some sort of trance. I couldn't stop myself. It was a good thing that Redera fell when she did." He looks away from Pher and continues, "I may have hit you." He looked to her once more. "I apologize Pher. I need help. LOTS of help." Chris's voice was sincere, but shaking. He thought to himself that he couldn't be upset at her if she didn't help him and made him settle with, only what medical could do for him. "Trance?" She sighed, considering. She knew as much as anyone about the pheromone effects, but hadn't any training in hypnotism. A sad shortcoming, given twenty twenty hindsight. "You do know she's bad, don't you? Every promise she made, I'll end up keeping? If I released your restraints, would you take off on a one man charge to break her loose? Have you been thinking of that at all?" Looking away once more Chris replied, "I know she's bad. I thought I had gotten over her. Pher I don't totally understand what she did to me. I just know she excited me whenever she was around. At first I ... I tried resisting her but it got harder and harder the longer she was around me. Now I just have to have her around." He turned his head once more to face Pher. "All I want is to be back to normal. You helped me get through this before, I beg you to help me again. You know I will return the favor. We have known each other long enough that you know I will hold up my end. If you don't trust me enough to untie me at this time, I can't blame you. But I promise I will not try leaving. At least not unless she comes back around again. Please Pher get me or Give me some help." Pher had played this scene before. Tie the guy to the bed. Tell him he was a bad boy. Make him beg. His timing was way off. She was supposed to use her stick quite a bit before he really begged. Thing is, she knew full well that compared to the withdrawal, the pain stick set to recreational levels, or even several levels past that, was nothing. "Audrey, implant safeties off." Pher really disliked Redera. Little girls on New Risa were supposed to to have enough control of their emotions that they didn't need artificial help to control flow of dust. Red had been throwing enough dust around that she hadn't dared leak even trace amounts for the Guardian tricorders to pick up. OK, she would give him his help. She put her little vial on a shelf opposite the bed, well out of his reach. Her weapons belt followed. She then began removing other items, carefully folding them, and setting them down on the shelf as well. "Chris? I'm going to talk to Joe. Right now Redera is in custody. Should she ever get loose, should there ever be a hint that she might be in the same circles we're traveling, I'm going to say you shouldn't be in the chain of command, you shouldn't be carrying a weapon." Hearing what she was saying made sense. He knew she was right. If it just took Redera a split moment to gain control of him this time, She could do it again. He watched as she began shedding her clothes. She was such a beauty but he knew she was off limits unless SHE wished to be around. He was just glad that at the moment it was looking like she might 'BE AROUND' for him now. He just hoped it to be as it seemed and not a nasty trick. She finished her folding her clothes, and turned to face Chris. "And one other thing you better listen too. You'd best listen good. No argument. No back talk. No second chances. If at any point in your medical treatment, but especially during the most intense moments, should you cry out a certain bald person's name..." Pher couldn't think of an adequate threat just then, but she was a big girl. She'd been Queen of the Beach. If she had to, she'd come up with something. "I Wont, I promise I wont." He felt his heart rate raising even higher in anticipation of what was about to happen, or what he hoped was about to happen anyway. He took in a deep breath, breathing in the Pheromones that were in the air. He couldn't smell them but he SURE could feel the effects. Pher met his eyes, and gently rolled onto the bed. She knew what had to come next. To free him of his obsession with Redera, he had to become obsessed with her. This was the easy part. The hard part would come later.

Pheromone of Evenstar Bay had a headache. She needed water, she needed a shower, she needed a male, and not necessarily in that order. Talking to the captain out to fit in there somehow. Nickles would need some sort of treatment when he woke up. After he had pointed a gun at her, she was tempted to give him a small vial of dust rather than personal attention. She had a headache. First, though, she needed to really figure out what had just come down. Who had opened the door to the bridge? Were Shane and Troy working with each other or against? Did Shane do anything to Minos when he leaned over her? Too much had been happening at once. This once the QoB had needed both a captain and a security officer. She had managed to fake being both, but she had done neither particularly well. She sat down at the security console, began pulling up security camera footage, and tried to figure what had really come down. She found herself opening a communications channel soon enough. "Savoy, emergency, one of my people planted something on Minos, and he doesn't like him any more than I do. I'm forwarding the video. I'd check it out, and fast." She then called up security sensors. There would be only one life form attached to a large chunk of metal. She didn't care whether he left the ship or not just now, but if he was aboard, she wanted to know where he was. Inhale. Exhale. Calm. Naughty. Sexy. Green. Very very green. Trouble with a capitol T. Open comm. "Joe. Oh Joe. Oh you handsome man, I need to see you. Oh, come to me Joe." She still had a headache.

Whoops. Created the topic while logged in as the wrong character...

Pher settled in beside Nickles, allowing her body to touch his along their full length. "Gentle," she said. "We haven't the time to go crazy with this. Too much has to be done, and I don't want every guard in the place expecting a turn at this." "Thanks Doll." Chris began taking deep breaths as Pher settled in next to him. Her presence and her touch did have some effect. It would be enough to hold him for a short time. He felt his breathing begin to calm down as well as the shivering begin to slow. He knew Pher was right at too much needing to be done. Her hands touching all of the right places would do for now. Chris was a bit more about his senses and let out a deep sigh. "Chris, I'm having a problem. Back on New Risa, I played some political games. Oh, I was a slave, and a slave has different option than a starship captain, but… Well… Even on the political side, I ended up in bed with people I didn't like. I always needed more friends than enemies, and chose my enemies carefully. I've an unusual attitude towards latinum. The clients could afford me. It is possible to be wealthy and not be able to afford to buy one's self. I'd no formal education, but a post doctoral at pillow talk. I've seen the corporate side, few want to tear it apart as much as I. I've encountered revolutionaries before, and know a bit about whispering and patience. "I wouldn't invite Minos to my revolution. He is too busy screwing his allies to build a workable conspiracy. "And Joe isn't that different. Have you spent much time on Tranquility? Do you know the city? It's people? Do you care about it? I can't say that I've set down deep roots, but… I don't know. Joe is wanting his big payday, hasn't cared much about how much trouble he gets his people in to get it, or how many enemies he makes along the way. "I'm not sure I want that many enemies. I don't think I'd invite Joe to my revolution, either." Chris was taken by all of the questions, but tried to answer them the best he could. "As far as spending much time on Tranquility, I have only be here a short while. As far as knowing the City, I wish I knew it better I might have been able to tell you all were I was being held by Redera. In reference to its people, I also have not set down much as far as roots. And I do not care to. I would prefer be on the QoB." Chris looks over to Joe sitting across the room. "Pher, I think he may care, he just has an odd way of showing it. I'm not sure if he has a plan on getting out of here or not. If he does he hasn't disclosed it to me." Chris takes a deep breath and leans back against the wall behind him. "What shall we do.?" Pher considered. "Can't stop him from clashing with Savoy. He'll hold the city hostage. Even if she yields now, she'll be looking for a chance to get even later. There could be another game after endgame. If they can't get their acts together, well, I've got Audrey and a pretty good guess at where the stuff must be." She sighed. "But my big problem is trust. I'm not going to be a pawn, Chris. Even as a slave, I was a player not a piece. What I've seen of Joe's game, I don't like." "Pher, I know what you mean. Im not happy with it either but I have learned to trust him. He has odd ways of getting us out of trouble. All I know to do is pray he knows what he's doing, and follow his orders as Im told.. "Very well. All we can do at this point. I just haven't been with him long enough for that sort of trust. Not sure I want to be."

As far as I know, the Endgame has always been Minos aboard QoB, QoB well away, Minos tells his people on Tranquility to stand down, then we take Minos. As I understand it, this was originally your idea. As Joe tells it anyway, you guys originally blackmailed him into trying something that was no way his idea. Problem is, Joe didn't like your way of getting in touch with Minos. He had to get Minos his way, which involved getting his hands on LaHaye and some paperwork LaHay had stowed away in a bank vault. He has been going for the same endgame all along, so far as I can tell. He just had to do it his way, and he wanted his way badly enough to tick you guys off badly along the way. Minos had a similar end game, with him on QoB and away. He was going at it another road, though. Step one, his girl, the Deltan Redera, took our XO Nickles, dosed him up on honey dust, and tried to pry enough command codes out of him to steal the ship. Don't really know how far she got with that, except she dosed him up real good. He's going to be in withdrawal therapy for a good long while. That you'll be able to verify that in about another six to ten hours when Nickles starts to get very very horny. My role? Joe gave me a bunch of 'little' things. First, I was supposed to get Nickles back. Did it, too. Picked up a trace of Deltan Dust, and tracked it to Redera. Not sure if we were damn lucky or if she wanted us to pick him up. I'd guess it was the latter. Anyway, I dragged him back and started the withdrawal therapy. Next up, with Redera maybe having the control codes to lift the QoB, we pulled a few critical parts so they couldn't take her. I handled that. Your people at the port can verify that. We went in quite openly. Next up, I took LaHaye to a bank to get that paperwork. You had some people at the door, so we tried to get in from the service tunnels. Bout the time we were ready to go to the safety deposit box, Redera popped up, supposedly to rob the bank, but got herself cornered by your people. I'm not sure she was really after money. She might have wanted LaHaye's papers too. I decided on some mission creep. I was pissed at Redera, we needed a way to contact Minos, and there she was for the taking. We took her. If you found any money missing from the bank, it was your people who took it. We grabbed Redera and the contents of LaHaye's box and got out the low road. Next step was to set up the Endgame. Redera took us to see her boss. He's got the same disease as Joe. He so loves to double cross people, to use his men in high risk ways, that by the time Endgame came along he doesn't have enough friends left to pull it off. Tried to screw off Joe, the guy with the ship he wants out on. We left screwing Joe as a last minute option, and agreed on a rendezvous point. We're supposed to get aboard QoB and pick him up. He's going to have his people creating distractions soon, but didn't like the idea of joining the steal the QoB part of this op. We're supposed to be doing that ourselves. Now, as far as I'm concerned, this is your Endgame. We aren't pulling it off without you. We have no leverage to force anything. I don't know if you want to try to pull it off without us, though. Anyway, I'll give you my thoughts, three options. Feel free to make up your own option. Plan 1. I give you the rendezvous, you surround it with your people, and rush in. You get him, probably. Tranquility burns, certainly. Plan 2a. We get a crew aboard QoB, make the rendezvous, and don't try to take him until he gives his all clear. This assumes he intends to give an all clear. He so loves the double cross, I wouldn't bet either way. Plan 2b. You fake a coup. Someone takes over the Guardians by force, 'killing' you, and declares all ships can fly. Your successor caves. Your successor releases the blockade. This makes our getting the QoB up more believable. This reduces the rioting. This makes it believable that we manage to get out through the blockade. We still execute the 2a Endgame, we still take him captive once we're well clear of the planet, but maybe the burn the city countdown has already been stopped. If you want me along for the ride, I'll come. I think you want a good number of QoB people showing their faces to get them aboard ship. You want enough people who know the ship to fly it. OK. That's the base of what I've got. I'll answer questions, but if this is going to happen, it wants to happen fast. None of this is fancy. None of it requires elaborate planning. None of it requires clever. KISS clever. Just make your call, and roll the dice.

Pher hoped she was hiding her disgust. It was good, of course, that he thought her a gold digger. Heck, she'd been away from home long enough that perhaps she was a gold digger at this point. But he was making a typical revolutionary's mistake. If one tore down the vile old tower, a new and perfect tower is supposed to spontaneously leap into the sky in the place of the old one. The Federation didn't think it had enough fleet to defend the nebula. Death and destruction wouldn't change that. He was also a manipulator and a betrayer, rather than a team player. Pher quietly resolved to tell the others not to invite him to any revolutions. Meanwhile, maybe she should try to get a pretty bauble out of this?

This was not strictly speaking absolutely true. Pher was quite aware of the price Deltan honey dust brought on the black market. Pher's soggy blouse might just be the most precious garment on the planet. A healthy Deltan female, not descented, could be worth a lot of latinum in certain circles that Pher knew all too well. Not that Pher thought Joe likely to turn slaver. Should even a Rainmaker be sold to spend the rest of her life dancing in cages, with carefully placed fans controlling the amount of dust reaching the audience? Pher shook her head. She wasn't with the Sisterhood at the moment. Her Sex Police badges were hidden away, and if found would be considered a joke. No. Just now, it wasn't her job to keep the customers happy. No. Pher had no sympathy for the Rainmakers. None to speak of. Still, she thought she could guess how a female Deltan might turn revolutionary, might want to tear some buildings down. When it came time to tear down the cages? What then? Would the Rainmakers and the Sisterhood be on the same side? She glanced back up to the monitor, then down to read pheromone levels as read by Joe's ODRI. The Sisterhood, at the moment, wasn't her thing. They were her past, not her present. She was on vacation.

The Two-Cent Tour As they walked through the door of the warehouse with Nickles being literally dragged between them, Sal paused and looked down at the Klingon who had fallen in a heap onto the dry concrete. There was a single light burning from above that cast deep shadows in every direction. The rain had stopped just under an hour ago and the city had erased all evidence; consumed the moisture like a thirsty sponge. It was still dark but it would be light soon. Sal stared at the motionless man, knowing that he’d wake up in the morning sun with one heck of a headache. As he had just proven, Sal was no stranger to weapons fire. It came with the territory; something you never forget. It was like riding a bike. Some people believed that it was one’s years of ascension that were burnt into their memories but Sal knew then. It was the memories made during the years he had served in Star Fleet where he became a man that he would never forget. The whole scene passed through his mind again and he and Troy hobbled along with Nickles between them. Sal was worried about Nickles. His breathing wasn’t regular, almost labored and he was barely conscious. Troy had been carrying most of the dead weight and Sal was merely providing balance to the stumbling trio. He knew that Pher was no doctor but probably had a bit of knowledge concerning this pixie-dust. The only experience that Sal had was from what he’d gathered second hand. That incident could hardly have been considered life threatening. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Nickles had been pumped for information and it seemed likely that this Deltan’s pixie-dust was the drug of choice. He tried to imagine what it was like to overdose on pleasure and wondered if it had even been anything like what he’d imagined. Slowly craning his neck, Sal looked back at Pher, “Do you think he’s gonna be okay?” "No," Pher responded. "He's been dosed with Deltan Dust way way past human safe levels. He's not OK. He is going to need serious treatment. "First, That room he was in is dust laden. We have to get him in clear air, now, and keep him in clear air. Getting you two out of there is likely a good idea too. If either of you feel any sudden urges to be sociable, let me know, but stifle it until we get back to the hotel. I know lots of ways to get you relief, but Nickles has to come first just now, and privacy is traditional for that sort of thing. “Let’s keep moving, but I’d best talk to Captain Joe.” Pher moved with the others, and kept her eyes wandering about for threats, but she started talking into her ODRI as she walked. “Audrey, transpose to text, encrypt, and prepare to send to Captain Joe. “We have Chris. He is in a really bad way, honey dust overdose and then some. Sal and Troy are carrying him back to my hotel, and I’m with them. “He's got a bunch of problems, with an erection apt to run over four hours just being the start. He's currently semi-conscious. If he gets fully conscious he is apt to want female companionship really bad. He may become uncontrollable, though he should be too exhausted and weak to be all that uncontrollable. I should likely stay with him for a while. Some time after the primary effect peaks, he might well start into withdrawal. I'd like the Doc's support for that part, cutting the pain, keeping him hydrated, keeping his energy level up but not too up. If he can get the right drugs and the right dosages, it would be a big help. The other way is giving him Orion dust to ease the need for Deltan dust. It works for some humans, not for all. That would be gentler than cold turkey, but could result in a long term emotional mess. I will answer his needs, but no man owns me. “I can likely hold things stable for a half day or a day, but if you could send me the Doc it would seriously be for the best. I mostly like natural detox rather than drugs, but Chris is in enough trouble that he might need both. “I've seen this on New Risa. Take it seriously. “If Doc and I can't handle it, I might want to call Pharmall. I worked with one of their research groups specializing in just this problem. They'd just love to get their hands on a human under a bad Deltan overdose. “We had a one shot fire fight getting Chris out. Stunned a Klingon guarding Chris. No sign of Baldie. She was leaving quite a pheromone trail, and we might pick it up again, but I thought Chris should come first. “Sal is OK. We might want to keep him. Troy is nuts. I'll trade you Troy for the Doc.” “Audrey, end text, encrypt and send.” She glanced about, first for external threats, next at the guys, then evaluated herself. She was the problem. She was in combat stalk mode, walking point in the badlands, and looking the part. She pulled the binder from her ponytail, shook her head, and started walking just a bit drunk. They were far enough from Baldie’s lair that a counter attack seemed unlikely. Best now to avoid trouble rather than be obviously looking for it. She slipped the power pack from her borrowed Klingon weapon, stepped into an alley, and put the gun where it wouldn’t likely soon be found. She rejoined the guys, carefully holding up wavering buildings and poles as she passed them. How was it that all those building and poles were drunk? “Guys? Did I miss anything?” No comment. They wandered on in the direction of the hotel.

Audrey, record text message for Captain Joe. Encrypt. Begin. Have IDs. Heading your position. Quality, but expensive. Paid in part with honey dust. Seller has people in shadows. I have him asking questions about recently arrived baldie. Audrey, end and send.

How to walk? What was the message she wanted to portray as she strode into the Vice Zone? Nothing really that much different, tonight. Neither she nor the Zone had changed that much. She belonged as much tonight as on any of her previous visits, even if she wasn’t out tonight to scratch The Itch. She was known well enough from her Pharmall days as sweet sweet trouble. Did the guys change that any? She thought not. Rosetto needed some scruff before he belonged here. He might be seen as prey if folks were out hunting tonight. Fewer would be, of course. The big boys were playing. Most would be laying low. There would be some who might be tempted to prowl while the Guardians were looking elsewhere, but what could one do? And Shane would more than cancel out any notion that the group would be easy meat. The arm alone, let alone the attitude that went with it, declared he had anger resolution problems. She’d eventually have to find out what lay behind the wall, but that wasn’t tonight’s job. Tonight she’d just have to hope he wanted the job enough to play along. So she would walk like she belonged, not looking for trouble, but promising trouble should anyone insist on it… “Guys, I’m going to assume to start that Baldie is real trouble, and she’s with the Rainmakers. Best to assume the worst until proven otherwise. We have one real clue. She dropped the name of that rent by the hour dive. We’ve got to go through the motions of checking the one real clue. “But the clue was a gift from the Rainmakers, and the Rainmakers like bombs. Unless one of you guys is damn good at disarming stuff, we walk careful. Unless we see life forms that promise Nickles and Baldie are inside, I’m not that eager to look through Baldy’s bedroom. “If the gift clue turns sour, the Nickel Quest is apt to turn tedious. One approach is chase by tricorder. We can look for Deltan life forms and sniff for Deltan pheromones. There aren’t that many ODRIs floating around. We can scan for Nickles’. Thing is, there’s lots of walls and lots of interference. We’d have to stumble real close to them for that to work. “I do have friends in the Zone. I prowled here a bit when I was working here before I joined the QoB, and know a few people. One of them might know something about Baldie. “Those two approaches aren’t mutually exclusive. I can wave Audrey around in between asking questions. “But it’s a big city. If Baldie is playing it smart, we haven’t got a good hand. “Anyway, if either of you have another approach, I’d like to hear it. I’d also like to know if either of you is armed, and if you are armed whether you are any good.”

From the NY Times, Space Station Malfunction Prompts Shutdowns For discussion purposes, and a few chuckles... One of two coolant systems aboard the International Space Station malfunctioned late Saturday, triggering alarms and extensive power shutdowns to keep critical systems from overheating. The apparent failure of an ammonia pump in coolant loop A forced flight controllers to shut down two of four stabilizing gyroscopes, used to help control the space station’s orientation, one communications channel and several computer control units. The astronauts also installed jumpers between the Russian Zarya propulsion module and the U.S. segment of the lab complex to maintain proper cooling. "It seems like we’re in a sim right now," flight engineer Tracy E. Caldwell Dyson joked with flight controllers shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, referring to training simulations.

“I have one…. actually, a question and suggestion,” He retorted taking longer strides to catch up and raising his right index finger in query. “Let’s say that Nickles ‘is’ being held by Minos’ men. My question would obviously be, why? “The obvious guess,” Pher responded, “is that they want off this rock, and we have one of the better ships to make a run for it. Can’t say for sure what Minos’ plan might be, though.” “Like I have said, I am pretty much working in the dark here and I’m really not certain as to what you and-or the captain expect a job-applicant to do to become gainfully employed. Before I step into what may very well be a life-threatening environment, I guess I need to know why I’m here? Pher shrugged. “This is a bigger mess than we generally get involved in, but, hey, we get into muddles like this. QoB was designed as a warship. We have more expenses and less cargo spaces than a lot of ships. To keep flying, we can’t stick with just milk runs. If you want a job, and you stick with us through this mess, it would be hard for the captain to not hire you. On the other hand, if this is too tough for you, the QoB might not be the right ship to hire on. “I realize that there is the matter of trust, that you have relinquished some of your own personal security by bringing us along and of course, this.” He pointed to his chest and continued to talk, “but there seems to be more to this situation than what is being revealed.” “Might be.” She considered. “Our piece of the problem, though, you know pretty much what I do… which is not much. I suspect the captain is doing something else entirely. I hope he is doing something else entirely. If he is talking to people that shouldn’t be talked to, he’ll likely keep it need to know. Didn’t tell me a thing about it. Minos didn’t either.” “My suggestion, for what it’s worth, is that we slow the pace here and collect the facts; determine if and where Nickles is being held and then figure out a way of getting him free. I thought we were in agreement back at the Maze that it would be best to let them make the first move? I am used to and know how to follow orders but am also used to those orders making sense. So, again there’s that hanging question, why?” “Not unreasonable suggestions,” Pher said after considering. “At first, I figured Nickles was kidnapped for leverage. I expected to be contacted right off. Thing is, the longer without a call, the less likely they are to call. Could be they want him for something else.” She thought it over. “Might be they think they have a crew that could fly the ship. Maybe they think they can break him, and they don’t need Captain Joe or the rest of us at all. If Baldie is really good, they might really be able to break him.” She shook her head. She had seen more than a little of what a Deltan could do back on New Risa. “I think we have to leave the talking to the captain. I doubt the Guardians will let us board the ship to defend it, though that might be a good move. That leaves looking for Nickles as something to do other than sitting at a bar getting drunk. If Baldie knows her stuff, finding Nickles won’t be easy. “I figure we have to chase down the hotel lead, though we have to treat it as poisoned. I know some people in the zone who are rather desperately into pheromones. If there is a new Deltan running around, they might have chased her. Worth asking about. Other than that, we can run around talking to folk and waving Audrey about. “The more obvious we are about it, the more likely that they will find us before we find them. On the other hand, they are rather busy tonight. I’ll bet they haven’t got a lot of people sitting around looking for people asking questions about Deltans. Timing? I don’t know. Ideally, I’d like to find Nickles before this terrorist business gets out of hand.” She gave a wry smile. “Of course, one could argue it is already out of hand.” She looked him in the eye. “So, I’ll be looking to talk to a few specific dust sniffers, while doing what I can with Audrey.” She held up her left wrist, flashing her ODRI. “Both might be long shots. In between my dust sniffers, how’d you like to play it?”

"Well, Pher,” Sal said, “I don't think it's worth going back to my hotel for a pop-gun. However, if either of you have a spare weapon and we need to resort to using them then, I'm all in." “Would you mind using a little girlie gun?” Pher asked. Just for practice, she did her little slight of hand trick, making the the gun appear in her hand without it being clear where it had come from. It was a tiny pretty little thing, decorated by the same jeweler that had done her pain stick, with predominantly blue enamel work, gold trim, and few semi-precious gems complementing the piece. “Stunner only,” she told Sal, then worked her way through the controls. “Safety here, power setting there, angle of cone here, and of course, the trigger. Trigger is a bit sensitive. If you pull the trigger hard when you are on low power, the power goes up. I keep it set at wide beam heavy stun. I’m better with my sex toy here than the girlie gun.” She patted a holster at her side, which contained some sort of rod. “I have to close in to use the pain stick, of course. If we do get into trouble, just spray em, keep their heads down, make em duck, which ought to give me a chance to close the range. Try not to tag me, if you please. It’s small. The power supply isn’t the deepest, but it’ll get you through a quick fight and I’ve a few spare power packs.” She handed it to him. It was heavier than he expected, and obviously solid and well made. It might look like a girlie gun, but if the quality of the inner workings at all matched the quality of the decoration… Pher turned to Shane. “We’re not exactly on the Guardian’s list of favorite people,” she said. “We can’t leave too many bodies lying in pools of blood. If you can look mean and deadly enough that they decide to avoid trouble, that’s great. You look like you might be good at that. If you can be enough of a threat and distraction that we can settle things with stun weapons, that’s good too. Try to avoid going lethal if we don’t have to. Still, if they pull lethal weapons, do what you have to do. Don’t wait on me to tell you to open up.” She glanced back and forth to both of them. “And, anyway, we’re looking for Nickels, not trouble. If we can avoid pulling weapons entirely, that would be best all around. “Either of you have problems with this? Suggestions?”

Had he been listening? "I think she may very well be a Rainmaker, or working with them. If she's a Rainmaker, she's lethal. Did you hear that boom? Question is, do you know how to shoot and when to shoot? If you're a rookie who has just killed a bunch of targets, it might not be worth the time and trouble to double back to your hotel."