"A Mess at The Maze"

[Joe Manning 0]

Broken glass crunched underneath the boots of Amanda Savoy as she moved slowly between the overturned tables and chairs in the taproom of The Maze. Many of the patrons were still gathered around upright tables, resuming their evening's drinking activities with replacements for the bottles that had been broken. Though many of them were bruised and even bleeding, they boasted and laughed as they shared accounts of the brawl that had just taken place. It was a scene that disgusted the Guardian Marshall and reminded her how lucky the guild was to have the Tranquil Seas Lounge in the city plaza.

 

Savoy looked over the two Guardian officers who were questioning patrons on opposite sides of the taproom. The Taurus Brothers had made it clear that bar brawls were not in violation of Tranquility law as long as they did not spill out into the streets. The Guardians knew that these brawls were never that simple, however. A single punch thrown during a brawl, especially one involving Klingons, could potentially plant the seed for a blood feud that could jeopardize the peace in Bull's Head in any number of ways. Further, brawls were always ripe opportunities for the Guardians to profit. If any of the patrons had been attacked unprovoked, they could file an assault charge. The Guardians would levy a fine against the assailant, a fine of which they would collect a small percentage. Predictably, the owner of The Maze had not filed any charges of property damage; Pete Gibbons was no friend of the Guardians, and he was rumored to have his own means of meting our punishment.

 

Savoy spotted her target slumped on the floor at one end of the bar; none of the bar stools, always a favored weapon in a brawl, remained standing. Joe Manning was drawing from a bottle of bourbon with the arm that's shoulder wasn't clearly slumping in pain. His left eye was swollen and blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth. Savoy kicked a chair aside as she approached, clearing a path as well as announcing her presence.

 

Joe squinted his good eye and looked up at the tall blond neatly wrapped in a leather body suit. She was stunningly attractive despite appearing to be in her late forties. Either that, or there was enough drink in Joe's body to begin distorting his vision. Either way, the thought of a pleasant end to this rough night was not far from his mind. "Captain Joseph Manning ... successful independent mercenary ... sitting in a glass-strewn pool of booze on the floor of a seedy tavern ... "

 

Maybe not. Joe looked down at the alleged "pool," and his eyes agreed with his backside -- the floor beneath him was dry. He looked back up at the woman. "Do I know you, Miss ... ?"

 

"Savoy," the woman haughtily grabbed the silver star on her chest and maneuvered it to catch the dim light in the taproom. Joe winced as the light flashed blindingly off the bull's head. "Marshall ... Amanda Savoy. Central Guardian precinct. Word is you started this brawl, Mr. Manning."

 

Joe looked away and made a noise with his lips. "Wherever did you get that idea, Miss Savoy?" he asked before drawing another swallow from the bourbon bottle.

 

"From eight of the other patrons," Savoy answered, making a general motion around the tavern with her arm. "Including Duke Redding."

 

Joe laughed, struggling to keep the bourbon in his mouth. He wiped his chin clear of blood and bourbon with the back of his sleeve. When he managed to swallow all of the drink, he replied, "Duke Redding is an insufferable ass who got less than was coming to him. Him and his pet ogre. You want to know who started the brawl, ask the Klingons."

 

"Regardless ... Duke is in the nearest infirmary with eight shattered ribs and a broken jaw. To say nothing of the stitches his ... 'pet' will require. It may come as no surprise to you to know that he plans to press charges. And considering that several of this bar's patrons will testify that the brawl was your responsibility, you could come out of our investigation owing restitution to a lot of people."

 

"Let'em come for it," Joe raised the bottle and took another swill. "Kind of folk that come to a place like this should know that a brawl comes with the territory. And they damn sure should have enough spine to take up a grievance directly, not to run bawling to the local sheriff."

 

Savoy kneeled and wrapped her hand under Joe's bad shoulder. He groaned as she lifted him to his feet with a strength that surprised him. She motioned to an unoccupied table in the corner but grabbed a hold of his arm and steered him toward it before he could move voluntarily. "You make it sound like I enjoy being in a place like this, Manning. Nothing could be further from the truth. And Redding is no more a friend of the Guardians than you." She swung him around the table and into one of the chairs, then took the chair opposite. She quickly glanced around to see if anyone was watching them before she continued. "But as we are expected to keep the peace on Tranquility with a blunt fairness, you -are- going to have to pay a steep fine. And the price could end up being quite severe; you may not be able to meet it without selling us your ship."

 

Joe waved a dismissive hand at her and turned his attention to the Guardian officers swooping around the taproom floor. "I thought you people didn't care about my ship? Last Guardian I talked to called it a winged junkyard, if my memory is right."

 

Savoy shrugged. "We could break it apart for salvage. Might not cover the fine completely, but you could always work for us until you've made up the difference."

 

Joe chuckled and took another sip. His expression became bitter as he gazed over the scene in the taproom. "Take the damned ship. I've lost half my crew. And it's not like it can leave the planet anyway. Speaking of which ... why are you badge polishers wasting your time with some brawl in the merc district? Don't you have a dangerous criminal to catch?"

 

"That's precisely why I'm here, Manning," Savoy replied coolly. "You see, there might be an alternative means for you to pay whatever fine this incident incurs." Joe's interest appeared nonexistent; he simply sipped from the rapidly depleting bottle of bourbon and stared away from the table. One corner of Savoy's mouth rose slightly as she continued, "How are things with you and Samus these days, Manning?"

 

Joe blinked and finally looked at the Marshall, piqued interest evident in his eyes. "Don't see how that's any business of yours."

 

"Really?" Savoy tilted her head at him. "Samus is quite the notorious criminal in his own right ... and you have something of a partnership with him, don't you?"

 

Joe raised his aching shoulder to point at her. "All of my business with him has been legitimate. And sporadic at best; we hardly have a 'partnership.' Hell, half the time, we ain't on speaking terms. Besides, last I checked, the Taurus Brothers haven't declared him an outlaw."

 

"No," Savoy shook her head. "Samus and his associates keep their activities clean enough for the Brothers. To say nothing of their discretion; we haven't been able to gather enough evidence to back up most of the criminal grievances that have been filed against him by third parties. There is one thing we've been able to determine though, Mr. Manning; one tidbit of information we've held onto until the right time -- Samus has done business with the Rainmakers in the past ... maybe with Minos himself."

 

Joe's brow furrowed deeply. "Samus wouldn't help Minos. I know him well enough to know that."

 

"Oh?" Savoy put on a confused face. "The man you're not on speaking terms with half the time?"

 

Joe scowled and looked down at his bourbon bottle. He grabbed the top of the bottle and spun it around lazily, losing himself in thought. Savoy continued, "Surely Samus doesn't let you in on all of his business dealings. Besides ... we know of only a limited degree of contact and exchange between Samus and the Rainmakers. Enough to suggest a certain level of mutual trust, if not association."

 

"Just tell me what the hell it is you want with me," Joe shot a look at her. "Because you're starting to ruin a good buzz."

 

Savoy nodded and made fast for the point. "We want you and your crew -- what's left of it -- to help us get Minos. The Taurus Brothers have put a price on his head. Enough for you to clear yourself of any fines."

 

"How am I supposed to get you Minos," Joe asked. "When you can't even find him?"

 

"Right now, Manning, Minos wants one thing more than anything in the galaxy," Savoy explained. "To get off of Tranquility. We don't know why he came here ... we don't know what his exact destination was ... and it goes without saying that we don't know where he's hiding now. But we know he's here. Whatever his intentions were on Tranquility, he has to abandon them and leave the planet as soon as he can. But to do that he needs two things ... someone he can trust, and someone who has the ability to get him off-world without our fleet noticing or being able to give chase."

 

Joe merely stared back at her and shrugged.

 

"We want you to contact Samus, Manning," Savoy continued. "We want you to ask him to reach out to the Rainmakers and offer transport off Tranquility for Minos."

 

"Ask him your damn self!" Joe waved a hand at her again. "Right now ain't one of our 'speaking terms' times."

 

"Samus has -never- been on speaking terms with us," Savoy replied sternly. "Certainly you've built enough working trust with him that you can propose a potentially lucrative deal with the Rainmakers. Besides which ... you would be the key to any plan to smuggle Minos off-world. About one of the only things on Tranquility right now that could get him off the planet without our ships pursuing him ... is a ship that can cloak."

 

"You assume that my ship can cloak," Joe said.

 

"Exactly what we'd bank on Minos doing," Savoy retorted. "Frankly, we don't care if your ship can cloak or not. But if you lead the Rainmakers to believe that it can, Minos would see it as his best ticket off the planet. It's quite a simple plan for the dividends it could pay for you. You arrange contact with Minos through Samus ... then as soon as you have a -confirmed- location, you relay it to us and we apprehend him. All your fines get squared away, and we can lift the blockade on Tranquility."

 

Joe took another sip of bourbon and looked over the taproom with a contemplative glint in his eye. Savoy watched him closely for a few moments before continuing, "Frankly, your remaining crew could use the activity. You'll all be grounded until Minos is apprehended ... and too much shore leave can be rather hazardous." She motioned to the bourbon bottle.

 

Joe emptied the bottle with one last swill, then shook his head at Savoy. "You can take your offer and shove it." A look of deep disapproval fell over the Guardian's face. "Only damned things I've ever heard from you people is how independents ain't good enough for your guild. Now suddenly you need my broken-down laughingstock of a ship. You're right, Savoy. I have managed to build up at least a modicum of trust between myself and Samus over the years. And there's no way in hell I'm throwing it away for the Guardians' benefit."

 

"I see." Savoy nodded and slowly rose from her chair, trying to put on a grin. "Mr. Manning, I'm going to be forgiving and bank on you finding at least a few hours of sobriety tomorrow. Our offer will remain on the table until Minos is apprehended. But should you decide that you're not capable of working with the Guardians, you'd best prepare your ship for impound. Good day."

 

The Marshall spun on her heels and strode to the entrance, leaving Joe to brood over an empty bourbon bottle.