dancers
We made a contact and got a deal, which means we're taking a legit cargo out of the system, making a deal in Target City, and bringing something slightly less legit back in through Hadrian's Point. The jumps are easy, and Target City a pleasant destination, and with some planning I'm sure we'll make it through the Point. Again.
We made the contact in a Jump Bar in West Jaidev . They call most music Electronica, now, its made by computers owned by Corporations. Humans still react to a pulsing beat and flashing lights, even if vocalists have been phased out and replaced with electronic beats. No one cares enough to tell the difference, we all just want some noise to drown out the silence of space. The sound was almost pleasant, almost moved me to want to dance. Strange reminders of humanity.
After the deal Caban insisted we stay in the club, he actually enjoyed the atmosphere. Ice and I sat to the side, pretending we didn't mind the head-throbbing crowd, watching Caban charming a small blonde woman at the bar. Another reminder of the strange dances humans insist on performing. I suppose he must get bored, flying with two near-silent women in a near-empty ship. If he weren't so easy to speak to, I would hardly speak at all, not with Ice spreading silence around her.
After the woman left Caban returned to our table, flush-faced.
"We ought to get a crew!" he shouted over the music. He looked back and forth between our skeptical faces. "This job is going to be rough without more. And we can afford to hire them."
"Less profit." said Ice finally.
"Well. For a bit, but we'll be able to take bigger cargos. More profit eventually."
I suppose he is right. I had gotten used to flying light; building a crew means risk, trust, taking a chance...but there are always new people to learn from. From this optimistic haze that surrounds me, I think they might even be friends. And just like that, I knew what was to come. Oberon will fill with strangers, strangers will become comrades, I'll have a crew to look out for.
We made the contact in a Jump Bar in West Jaidev . They call most music Electronica, now, its made by computers owned by Corporations. Humans still react to a pulsing beat and flashing lights, even if vocalists have been phased out and replaced with electronic beats. No one cares enough to tell the difference, we all just want some noise to drown out the silence of space. The sound was almost pleasant, almost moved me to want to dance. Strange reminders of humanity.
After the deal Caban insisted we stay in the club, he actually enjoyed the atmosphere. Ice and I sat to the side, pretending we didn't mind the head-throbbing crowd, watching Caban charming a small blonde woman at the bar. Another reminder of the strange dances humans insist on performing. I suppose he must get bored, flying with two near-silent women in a near-empty ship. If he weren't so easy to speak to, I would hardly speak at all, not with Ice spreading silence around her.
After the woman left Caban returned to our table, flush-faced.
"We ought to get a crew!" he shouted over the music. He looked back and forth between our skeptical faces. "This job is going to be rough without more. And we can afford to hire them."
"Less profit." said Ice finally.
"Well. For a bit, but we'll be able to take bigger cargos. More profit eventually."
I suppose he is right. I had gotten used to flying light; building a crew means risk, trust, taking a chance...but there are always new people to learn from. From this optimistic haze that surrounds me, I think they might even be friends. And just like that, I knew what was to come. Oberon will fill with strangers, strangers will become comrades, I'll have a crew to look out for.
posted by Scout | 3:10 PM
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