Jarek flicked his hand to pull up the holocall, flattening his face to avoid showing his distaste. He found the Lunari distasteful, but he'd worked with beings even more disgusting for lesser causes.
The Lunari's face appeared, instantly scowling, the features odd on his handsome face. He was an aristocrat at first glance, that long face, those cheekbones, the way he looked down on everything. His long blond hair went down to his shoulders, perfectly straight in a way that only Lunari could manage.
"Jarek." He bit out, giving a curt nod.
"Elathariel."
"It's a disaster, no?" He crossed his arms. "Nothing that can't be fixed, but—"
"Just a little bump in the road." Jarek said smoothly. "We'll look back on it and laugh the next time we share a glass of Ambervale."
Elathariel grimaced, looking to his side, the way he did every time he wanted to bring up a sensitive topic, even though Jarek knew there was no way he would talk about this if the call wasn't secure. "The bugs are angry." He murmured.
Jarek shrugged it off, lips thin. "The bugs fucked up, they can't be angry. We delivered her on a silver platter. They dropped their fork and then fumbled the whole platter."
Elathariel snorted at the analogy, but he looked even paler than normal and his voice dropped to a whisper. "Jarek, by Vashayna. What they did to the other Lunari."
Fucking Lunari, Jarek thought — last in, first out. "They did what was necessary, but it'll all be worth it in the end. We'll have this wrapped up soon enough. I'll talk to them."
The Lunari paused, swiped a hair away from his eyes, and firmed up his shoulders, eyes clearing.
Good boy, Jarek thought.
"The plan is still going ahead." Jarek continued. "Can you get her back onside?"
Elathariel smirked, more comfortable on familiar ground. "A few flowers, a heartfelt apology and a big media show, nothing I can't fix."
"We need her somewhere we can grab her, not on Sapenza."
"Trust me, women are all the same. She'll come crawling back. I'll petition the Queen again."
Jarek nodded — he didn't care what the Lunari would have to do. "This time, we'll take her in ourselves, since the bugs can't be trusted." He picked up his glass and saluted the Lunari.
"
Sarel-sarel."
Jarek toasted.
"
Sarel-sarel."
The Lunari downed his own whiskey, face twisting a little at the bitter taste.
Jarek smiled politely, wondering what type of fool downed whiskey.
Elathariel wiped his mouth. "What about Madam Mayko?"
Jarek pursed his lips. That was indeed the question. "She'll get a chance to prove her worth, one more time. Acropolis is so well placed, even though I would like to..." He trailed off.
The Lunari laughed, reading what he wasn't saying.
"It's not the same when you pay for it, even when you don't pay."
The Judge looked back, thinking on the mess in his cargo bay. The cleaning bots would take weeks to clean that up. "No," He sipped his glass. "No, it isn't."
***
Nate controlled his smile as he watched Ana finger her necklace absently, lost in the clouds as she stared at it. The necklace was a dirt-cheap candy necklace, all colors of the rainbow — Nate bought it as a joke for a single credit from a junk machine in front of the bar, while Ana was involved in an intense battle of compliments with the waitress who 'simply loved her style'.
When he gave it to her, Ana reacted like she'd been gifted with royal diamonds or the rare obennite.
"Baby, it's cheap as hell. You're meant to eat them. Strawberry flavor, probably."
Ana shook her head. "I won't! I'll keep it in my dresser." Her smile was angelic, unable to stop touching it. She leaned her head on his shoulder and nuzzled his chin, enjoying the feel of his shaven skin on her own. "A gift from my lover." She murmured.
Her hand crept along his leg. "Do you want me to—"
"No, Ana."
"Just checking." She smiled mischievously. She did like to keep him on his toes, her hand on his inner thigh.
It was a smoky bar, darkened but given light by decent replicas of ancient glass lanterns, the sort that would be carried by people through foggy towns. Now, they sat on each table and on the bar counter, giving just enough light to highlight the patrons who would, perhaps, rather not be illuminated at all.
At the counter were the drunk regulars, shady men well past their prime, finding comfort in their liquor and their lechering. The waitresses, dealing admirably with a skimpy employee dress code, handled them easily — they had more difficulty with the snappish figures at the tables, those conducting business of a sort.
A shady bar on a shady planet — Serrush Mining, one of those planets that had been named, or rather renamed, by the corporations that owned the majority of the industry. This was the place Cipher's agent wanted to meet. It was more of a resource-rich asteroid than a planet, but it had enough to sustain some busy cities and nightlife. The city they were in was a mix of shanties and skyscrapers, those doing well in life walking hand in hand with the girls that weren't. Nobody blinked an eye.
As Ana's hand crept up his thigh, Nate thanked the stars that Cipher's agent had chosen a suitable bar for the meeting. It had privacy bubbles, for a price. It was one that Nate happily paid, since he really didn't want anyone seeing Ana try her own adorable brand of seduction on him.
Though it essentially consisted of purring, stretching, nuzzling and general cat-like behavior, it would still look bad in the news. Nate shivered as something wet dragged along his neck.
"Did you just
lick
me?!" Nate pushed her away, only for her to come straight back, half of the leather bench of their booth unused.
"You taste so good." She grinned, unrepentant.
Nate pressed the button that authorized the waitress to emerge through their bubble, carrying her tray of drinks. A pint for him, something with an umbrella for her.
"No licking!" He scolded Ana, who pouted.
"You two are just so cute together, mah goodness." The waitress tossed her blonde mane, eying the two like she wanted to eat them.
"Oh, we, us, I mean, we're not together." Nate bit out.
"Sure, sugar, whatever you say. Sweetie, you need to work some of that fashion magic on your man here." She looked him up and down, unimpressed with his black shirt and black pants combo.
Ana beamed at her. "Oh, he's more of a uniform kind of guy. Either that or the shining armor."
Nate gave her a hefty tip, hoping she'd keep her mouth shut as she waltzed away.
"What's wrong with my—" Nate cut himself off as his armguard beeped. Or rather, Isabelle beeped, emulating the armguard. She found it funny.
"Beep-boop. Incoming text message from Natalia Antonova."
"Ooh, is she that Meka hottie?"
"You barely saw her." Nate said. "And since when do you say hottie? Your new friends are a bad influence, I'm telling you."
"I saw her face." Ana argued. "And I saw her through the front-frame of her meka when she saved us. I saw her enough to know she was a hottie." Ana sipped her cocktail. "Also, she's a Meka pilot — they're all hotties."
"Stop saying hottie." Nate grumbled. Though it was true what she said. Since a vast amount of investment was needed to put one through the intensive meka training, the Federation only did it when they thought they could make the credits back through sponsors. The Meka wing of the military was the only one that had unashamed sponsorship and ads printed all over their uniforms and their meka frames, and their pilots were often tagged for ad campaigns.
"What's it say, Isabelle?" Isabelle disappeared, scrolling text appearing in her stead.
Good to work with you, Captain, shame you missed the afterparty. It was one to remember.
I got a little cuff on the ear from the gods above, but nothing too bad, since we got the Kalaverkash and turned the tide with it. My boss says I might even get a medal.
I hope they didn't turn the heat up on you — you really saved the day with that crazy plan of yours.
I'm stationed on the Destiny again, with the rest of your unruly boys! My friend Clara is all doe-eyed over your man Pelridge — tell me he's one of your good ones?
Perhaps we can get a drink when you return — I'm hoping that will stop the rest of your boys from hitting on me.
x Natalia
"Ooh, she's into you." Ana giggled gleefully, a little tipsy. "She wants you to insert your wrench into her meka."
"You're such a lightweight." Nate rolled his eyes, laughing. "You're not still talking to that Lauren girl, are you?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Ana wiggled her eyebrows. She took a bite of the lime wedge in her glass, eyes squeezing shut at the momentary sourness. "Natalia definitely wants you to plug into her Versaport, if you know what I mean."
"You used to be such a delicate Princess." Nate sighed.
"She definitely wants you to put her in docking position, am I right?"
"You were so innocent."
"She really wants your fuel in—ah!" Nate tickled her relentlessly, enjoying her blush and squirm. "Stop, stop, stop!"
When she was done giggling, Nate pinched her side. "I thought you'd be jealous."
Ana wiped her wet eyes, sniffling with a smile, and shrugged. "I do like having exclusive access to the Taranasar, but the Taranasar had thousands of girls. I'd better get used to it. Besides, the Taranasar needed thousands to defend him. Powerful men make powerful enemies."
