—
—
“Money to me is just another religion humanity has placed faith in… These digits on a screen or slips of paper in one’s pockets can get people to hand over entire a piece of food or an entire starship! Because we have collectively seen such material as equally valuable to the material possession being bartered for. We’ve placed faith in it meaning something… I place stock in my own teaching before any other religion or spirituality, but I can’t deny how useful it is to play along and accumulate as much money as I can… Not to Hoard of course, the money itself does not interest me, but what it can obtain - does. If these arbitrary numbers will get me what it I want in the moment? Then I’ll be more than happy to pay their price.”
- Suha Raibuya
“-I’ll buy her!”
March 14th YC 123
6NJ8-V IV - The Rabbit’s Warren Fortizar, unloading dock of hanger H-13
“-So just as we get tackled by a Navy frigate? Bam! Hit the burst Jammer and our ship’s warp core is freed up and we enter warp and blast right through their blockade!”
“That’s quite the gamble Captain! Lucky it paid off since you’re here now…”
“I admit, I was sweating a bit thinking the burst jammer wouldn’t drop their point and our grand escape from the starport would end right then and there. Either with us getting blown up or arrested. That’s just the nature of the job however, not the first time I had a close call, won’t be the last time so long as I’m still behind the helm of a starship! Hehehe…”
“Never a dull day smuggling, is it Captain Sobo?”
“No Ma’am, it really ain’t sometimes… I suppose I wouldn’t want it any other way though. A life of thrill, excitement that pays incredibly well? Or a dull 9-5 for a lackluster wage? I prefer the former…”
“The former I do envy sometimes… As to why I love hearing about the daring adventures of the men and Women in the Guristas fleet. I do thank you for humoring me, Captain.”
“Hey, at least I can do for coming in person with that pretty face of yours Mrs.Raibuya.”
“Oh - please! I’m not married Captain, call me Suha.”
“Works for me, well Suha - I suppose we’ve wasted enough time with stories, how about we talk business, yeah?”
“Of course! Of course!”
“Tel, show the lady the goods.”
< Case being placed on table and opened >
“Oooooh!”
“As requested, a kilo worth of some of the highest quality Blue Pill In region bagged and sealed nicely. Made with a H-PA Crew special recipe… You won’t find a better high anywhere else…”
“Does that claim come with a money back guarantee?”
“Does it look like it does?”
“No… No it doesn’t…Would you mind?”
“Be my guest… Here. Use my knife to cut the bag open.”
“You’re too kind ~.”
< Suha cutting Blue Pill bag open for a sample >
“You know, when I got back here wanting to offload the rest of the goods we failed to sell - I didn’t expect you’d be one of the first customers to come knocking… The supposive Windchime Guru Suha Raibuya, bringing economic and cultural Prosperity to the region here before me buying a kilo of Blue Pill for herself… Don’t get me wrong, I’m not judging you - Your life, but I’d never expect a woman of cloth like you to be dealing with someone like me over narcotics.”
“It’s not like I parade myself as some straight edge holy woman who never indulges in corporeal pleasures, Captain. I’m only human after all, no different than you… Care to join me?”
“No thank you - First rule of this business is to never get high off your own supply. I ain’t trying to build any craving for this stuff on top of that, don’t wanna have to owe my bosses any fingers for any lost supply, you know?”
“I can respect such professionalism Captain…”
“More for you to enjoy… There we go, I hear it takes about twenty minutes for to hit, but when it does - It gonna hit hard and you’ll be smiling for hours…”
“You hear that from your crew?”
“Nah, just the typical deadbeats I deal with typically… I make sure my crew follows the same level of discipline and don’t start getting those cravings for the cargo…”
“Certainly there’s no harm in letting your crew live a little Cap-”
“-Look Lady, you’re cute and all, this deal is more pleasant than most I’ve had - But don’t use this moment to start telling me how to manage what goes on with my ship and crew, okay?”
“… I meant no offence, Captain.”
“Sure you didn’t… Now, about payment.”
“Ah yes! Let us seal the deal! Now, based off your VPN listing, I’d be more than happy to pa-”
“-Captain!”
"Just a moment darling… Kelm! This better be-… Are you ■■■■■■■ kidding me?!
“Let go of me asshole!”
“We found her popping out of a crate in the cargo hold Captain!”
“Is that… A child?”
“She snuck aboard?! And you’re now just finding her?!”
“Captain I-”
“-Shut it Klem! I’ll deal with this myself!”
< Captain unholstering handgun >
“C-Captain Sobo! It’s just a child! This is a bit extreme don’t you think?!”
“What did I tell you about inserting yourself with how I run my ship…? Now go sit back down I’ll be be right wit-”
< ‘Okiku’ spitting down at the Captain’s shoes >
“… ■■■■■■■ runt!”
< Captain Sobo pistol whipping ‘Okiku’ >
“First you stowaway on my ■■■■■■■ ship and you have the audacity to spit at me?! ■■■■ this, say goodnight-”
“-I’ll buy her!”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“… My gun is still aimed at her, don’t quit talking now…”
“S-Stowaway is such a hasty term! Wouldn’t it be more fitting to consider her cargo? Ant cargo is worth selling, don’t you think?”
“How. Much.”
“I-I-I wouldn’t know what an appropriate price would be… Erm, how about I pay you triple the amount I was gonna pay for the blue pill? I would even quadruple it! Just for any trouble she may have caused you…”
“… I don’t know.”
“As an added bonus - I could get you and your crew complimentary VIP access to a high quality pleasure hub aboard this station free of charge… I’m sure you and your crew could use the R&R after slipping past the authorities…”
“… Well that offer does sound real nice but… Be lame just to have all us in the VIP section alone, I’d you could maybe toss in a condition that my crew gets picks of all the dancers there too… I’d say that be a fair bargain…”
“That could be arranged…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“… Okay Then! You got yourself a deal.”
< Suha signing in relief >
“Kelm, let go of the girl… Go on, run along to your new master brat…”
“…”
“… You eyeballing me now? Go! Before I rearrange this deal.”
“I want my black book back.”
“You what?”
"I want my black book back! You assholes still have it! Why’d you think I snuck aboard your ■■■■ heap of a starship for dickweed?"
“This lady rushes to your rescue and puts down a huge ransom for you to stop me from blowing your ■■■■■■■ brains out and you have the gall to start demanding your little ■■■■■■■ book back?”
“Yes.”
“Damn kid, you a dumbass.”
“Captain Sobo - If I may… I don’t know the full story of what’s going in here, and I’m fine with not knowing for the time being - But do you have this book in your possession?”
“… And I do?”
“Well… I’d appreciate it if you return it to her and we can all be on our way.”
“Maybe… Or maybe, I can give you the book if you purchase three kilos of blue pill. Good deal no?”
“I- < Sigh > Fine, it will save me the trouble of buying more another time…”
“Hehehe… Alright then! Tel! Go get the brat’s book. Kelm, go weigh out two more kilos of blue pill… Whew! I don’t know about you, but that round of negotiations has me a bit blown out! We all got a bit more than we bargained for, yeah? Hehehe…”
“That’s one way of looking at it Captain…”
“Eh chin up, about ten more minutes you’ll be beaming sunshine and rainbows.”
“We’ll see… Now, I’ll contact the Depository and have our payment wired to you.”
“Marvelous, it was a pleasure Suha…”
“Captain.”
“Ah here we are… The book. Here you go kid, go on and t- Alright, just snatch it from my hands then, whatever.”
“Thank you Captain Sobo…”
“No thank you, now if you excuse me I’m gonna handle some other matters, I’ll keep in touch because I wanna see this entire deal go through. Got it?”
“Of course, Captain - I’ll hold my end of the bargain.”
“You better.”
