Aleran IV - Surface

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Once a mining colony, in recent years, this planet has become something of a minor stop along trade routes. The planetary climate is mostly temperate, with area of slightly more arid conditions.

One of the smaller ports on the planet rests in a town that borders one of the arid regions, although the town itself has temperate conditions. It was this port that the Dragon's Fang landed in, and it was also here that Umbral's "contact" ran a small bar.

"Okay...It's been a while since I was last here, so let's see if I can remember the route..." Umbral commented as he stepped out of his ship.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Thall looks around, one hand resting on his thigh, where the pistol-like rod rests in a hidden compartment. "How. . . civilized is this region? Should I have come armed - more?"

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Umbral begins walking, seeming to have remembered the route. "Reasonably civil. There's occasionally some trouble, but their security people are pretty fast. Honorable, as well."

Once they got to the bar, Thall might get a little nervous, depending on his knowledge of Terran history. The place strongly resembles a saloon from Terra Prime's "Wild West" time period.

The bartender, who also happened to be the owner, was standing behind the bar, working on a piece of leather. When he heard the door, he looked up long enough to see who was coming in. He suddenly stopped, and set down the leather. "James...What are you planning this time?"

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

"Have you been. . . working with him before?", Thall asks with a bit of amusement in his tone. His head turns from left to right all the time, trying to take in all the details and the general mood of the place.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

It is the bartender who responds. "He's been through before."

"Yeah...He's one of the people who helped me out of some trouble a few years back," Umbral adds, then turns towards the other human. "You've probably guessed it already, Michael. I need to do an alphabetic drunk."

The bartender sighs as his forehead comes to rest on his left palm, then proceeds to ready several drinks on a large tray. Without another word to Umbral, he gestures to an empty booth to one side...one that can easily be watched. After Umbral heads over, he turns towards Thall. "Well, is there anything that interests you?"

Thall would notice that there were several pieces of unusual design around the bar. The decorative pieces in question seemed to be from a variety of Terran cultures known in some records as "Native Americans."

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Thall tilts his head and motions over to the Native American ornaments. "Those are. . . interesting. Are those imported from Terra Prime? Oh, and. . ." A hatch on his suit opens, and Thall removes a small vial along with his bank card. "Could you fill this up with hard liquor? It's exactly a shot glass."

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Michael fills up the glass, then nods towards the decorations. "Some are. A few are hand-made."

After dealing with a couple more things, he picks the leather pouch he was working on back up, and continues working on it. "Some of my money comes from either making decorations like these for people, or teaching them how to make them," Michael points to a Dreamcatcher nearby, and continues. "That's actually one of the designs that gets ask about frequently."

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

"That's interesting. Thank you." Thall sounds completely sincere as he heads over to Umbral, closing the vial and putting it back into the hatch. Over the course of the evening the booze would be introduced into the Telarin's system - a nice, cheap way to get smashed. Of course, it doesn't take much to get a Telarin drunk, they are pretty lightweight.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

As Thall headed over towards Umbral...The latter let out a frustrated sounding "Dammit." Michael's response was to shake his head, and completely refill the tray he'd given Umbral before going back to what he'd been working on.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Thall chooses to ignore Umbral's curse and sits down across from him, studying his every move with interest.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Umbral seemed to be (somewhat) carefully checking the drinks in front of him. After a bit, he'd grab one, drink it, then go back to checking the tray. About two-thirds of the way through the tray, he stopped, checked what was left, think a bit, then swear again. Michael responded by heading over, picking up the tray, going over to refill it, then returning it.

Michael seemed both amused and somewhat saddened by the process.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Thall looks on fascinated. "So you're playing a drinking game? Care to explain?" He himself feels a slight buzz as the liquor is starting to enter his system.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Umbral starts to respond. "Not quite...Now, what's next?" The question like it wasn't directed at Thall, but rather was him thinking out loud.

A sigh, then Michael fully explains. "It's something he calls an 'Alphabetic Drunk'. It involves ordering one of everything the bar you're in has, and then trying to drink all of the drinks in alphabetical order. You mess up, you start over." It's pretty obvious that there's some disapproval in his voice.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Thall makes a short whistling sound. "That certainly sounds. . . effective. For a human, anyway." He turns towards the bartender, curiosity in his voice. "Isn't drinking a lot in your favor? Or is Umbral the type to get aggressive?"

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Michael shakes his head. "There's other reasons."

His voice quiets before he continues. "Sometimes, I think that his injuries still haven't fully healed...That the scars could tear back open at any moment. That's why he first did this."

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

"But scar tissue is. . . Oh. Oh, okay. Hm. I have very little knowledge of his past, there isn't much in the files." Thall falls quiet as he observes Umbral for a while longer.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Michael shook his head. "Not all scars are physical. If he hasn't spoken about it, then I won't."

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Thall nods at the barkeeper and keeps on watching Umbral. He slowly starts to feel the effects of the liquor himself.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

After a few more attempts, Umbral makes it all the way through without mistake. He then begins furiously sketching out detailed blueprints on a series of datapads that he'd brought with him. Most of the writing on them isn't exactly legible.

Michael walks over to the table to get the tray and glasses, but stops to look at one of the plans. He then sets it back down, shaking his head and saying, "I don't even want to know."

The plans that Michael had looked at seemed to be for some kind of chamber. Another set visible appeared to be for some kind of ground vehicle.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Aleran IV - Surface

Thall leans over the table to look at the plans. He nods slightly, trying to take in the details. However. . .
"Zachery" he quietly remarks. "We're here because of Zachery ,remember?"