Missing the Point

Red's Tavern 

A sickly sweet odor dominates the smoky atmosphere of this tavern, which is noteworthy for the infamous drink that saw its genesis here: Odari Red.

A holographic image behind the primary bar counter depicts the original owner and drinks fabricator - a crimson-shelled Odarite known to natives as Kalakar, or "Red."

The floor seems perpetually sticky from where inebriated patrons have spilled their sugary inebriating concoctions.

At the bar, the ship's engineer, bundled up warmly in his bulky jacket stands atop the barstool. He is facing down the Odarite barkeep, one hand upon the barkeep, the other pointing to a tall glass filled with liquor. "GREENZZ! not redzz ... greenzz zztuff! If wanted redzz zztuffzz would have asked for redzzzz ztuffzz. Greeenzz! gee-arrr-eeenz!"

"They're color blind, you know," Sixmoon offers by way of explanation as he walks over and stands next to the engineer's stool. He nods briefly to the bartender, then returns his attention to Tryklynn. "Not much sense getting upset about it. They all taste the same here, anyway."

Tryklynn waggles his whiskers, looking between the barkeep and the scientist. "Colorzzzz blindzzz? So allllzz theyzzz reallyzz zzell here izzz grayzz-zztuff?"

"Right," says the professor, a faint smile on his face. His gaze drifts back to the bartender. "Something not so sugary, if you have it." The Odarite tilts his head, antennae twitching. Sixmoon chuckles, then says, "Just make it so my teeth don't fall out right here on the counter."

Jordan steps in shivering a bit, and then wrinkles her nose at the odor. Spotting first the bar, and then Tryk, she makes a beeline in his direction.

Tryklynn flounces down on his barstool, settling in with a rattle of pocket filled tools and a fall of his ears. "but it alwyzzz tazztezz betterzzz greenzz. Ozer wize it wouldn't be greenzz zztuff." The lotorian looks up to the odarite with his beady eyes. "baahhppsshaa ... will zzzhipzz in greenzz zztuff and make enough moneyzz to retire to ... to ..." Trylynn looks about. "Where do yoooz retire to herezz?"

Voliarin walks into the tavern, his aura glowing a weak blue color as well as being dressed heavier than usual. He moves towards the bar, the aura moving to a darker green as he does so.

"We rektire to the grkeat merkantilke bekyond," comes a chittering sort of Odarite voice as an opalescent-shelled insectoid flutters his wings and clacks his mandibles, emerging from the crowd to stand on the left of the Qua archaeologist. "Prokfessor Sikmoon, ikt iks kood tko skee ykou akain." The shiny Odarite rests one of his four clawed hands on the bar top.

Jordan grins at Tryk as she gets within earshot. "They are green-stuff defficient here, I take it?" she asks in a teasing voice, settling onto a barstool next to his. Her attention is rather curiously focused on Tryk and Sixmoon, trying very hard not to look to closely at the other patrons or bartender.

Sixmoon smiles a little, glancing toward the newly arrived Odarite. "Y'rktkl, hello." The Qua gestures toward the various Athena crewmembers in turn. "These are personnel from the Athena. They are trusted. Do you have what I seek?"

Volidana enters the bar wearing a heavycoat that feats snugly. She looks decidedly uncomfortable in it but taking it off is simply not an option

Tryklynn turns his head, ears rising as he hears the clickityclak speech from behind the professor. "Nonononozzzz ..." The lotorian uses a rare chain of negatives. "before you signzzz on to the Great Guildhouzzez in the ZZZkyzzz."

Voliarin looks over to Sixmoon, not saying anything, then he looks at the others. He shivers somewhat, the aura turning blue as he does this.

Jordan takes in Rin's arrival only after he's been gestured to, but then gives him a smile and a nod in greeting. "Heya doc."

Y'rktkl angles his head, mandibles clacking as his compound eyes fix on Tryklynn. "Propker guildkers kan fkind somekthing tko selk unktil dkying dkay." The Odarite then rotates his opalescent-shelled head to regard the Qua. "Hkave ikt, ykes. Okthers wankt, ykes. Moskt kompektitive. Know okf ykour misksion. Trkoubling tko somk."

Volidana nods her head and wraps her hands about herself as ifto draw the coat closer to her. She shifts from foot to foot, a dark blue color emnanates from those parts still visible

Tryklynn 's ears perk even taller, whiskers trading. "Bahhzzz ... one tradezzz to mak betterzz and betterzz tradezz." his snout docks, as he spins atop his barstool. "Package?" The engineer queries Sixmoon. "What are we tradinzzzz for?"

Sixmoon takes the PDA from his hip, setting it on the counter. "Yes, well, Y'rktkl, competitive or not, our past dealings should give me some advantage, I should think. Besides, I'm not looking to take the item from you. I just want to study the back of it and perhaps store the image in this PDA for further review. And I'm willing to pay just for that glimpse. You don't lose, regardless."

The Odarite merchant rubs his upper clawed hands together clackingly, compound eyes gleaming as he looks around at the other Athena crewmembers. Finally, his attention goes back to the professor. "Mkay hkave miskspoke. Dko nkot hkave iktem hkere. Kan gekt, ykes. Nkot eaksy. Queenk hkas. Queenk nkervous. Nkot akbout mkoney. Queenk nkervous akbout Palkisade. Kamir arktifaks. Nkot likek. Nkot wankt fkound."

Jordan's gaze flicks to Sixmoon for a moment as he speaks, before returning stubbornly to Rin.

Shaking snow from the shoulders of her purple AES issue uniform Marlan steps inside wearing the long sleeved version of the uniform, "Hoop." she mutters under her breath, "Worse then the rocks." before lifting her gaze to the room at large.

Volidana nods her head again "Understandable" she says then she starts turning a deep rose color. She casts a quick furtive gaze at theprofessor. perhaps to judgeif she has spoken out of turn

Sixmoon knits his brow, resting his hands on either side of his PDA on the countertop as he stares at Y'rktkl. "Your Queen has no right to withhold that map. It originally belonged to the Vollistan Light Singers, possibly even the Kamir. It *should* be in a museum. I cannot imagine that she is keeping it in proper long-term storage. Now, is she just holding out for the highest bidder *just* to get a glimpse? If so, then I'd ask you as a long-time acquaintance to do me the favor of sharing who our competition might be - and what price range we're looking at."

Seeing the negotations at work Marlan begins to make her way over to the table, albeit slowly and with rapt attention.

Tryklynn draws himslf up, his whiskers snapping straight out. The lotorian listens, and watches intently, clapping his paws together.

"Ikt iks nkot allk thkat skimple," the Odarite merchant replies to the Qua, antenna twitching and mandibles clacking together. "Compektition inkludes okther mkerchant hkives. Okther Queenks. Mukch profkit poktential in Palkisade. Guildkers mkost inktrigued. Allk guildkers okf anky wkorth wkant thkis itkem. Tenksions akre gkrowing rapkidly."

Voliarin smiles to Jordan a moment, "Hello, Volir's light." he then listens to the negotiation. Then the Vollistan looks at the Odarite, "So sell it to them." he says, "Or maybe ask a price or something, or do you just not want to sell it?"

Jordan glances over from Rin as she hears Marlan's voice, watching her with single minded attention. "Hey captain," she greets.

Volidana turns suddenly a bright purple as she hears the Light singers mentioned she frowns "What does she fear. The Kamir or the anger of the other buyers after she has made a choice?"

Y'rktkl turns toward Voliarin, regarding the Light Singer through compound eyes that reflect multiples of Voliarin back at the alien. "Kan nkot sellk wikthout Queenk's blessking. Evken thken, wkould nkot sellk tko profkitable akwaintance Sikmoon. Mukch dankger fromk thkis itkem. Mky Queenk fkears powker okf arktifaks, bkut alkso fkears inkterhive konflict."

Marlan walks in from behind the merchant, stepping around him to find a place at the table, "So sell it to us." she pauses and nods towards Sixmoon, "Not him." she refocuses on Y'rktkl, "Your queen is intelligent. She knows the map can't be sold to any of the other hives....you youself mentioned the power of the artifact...tell me, is that power she wants in the hands of a possible future Queen?"

Renkek Kashaan walks in and looks about briefly nodding to those he recognizes and goes to find a seat not interrupting the negotiations.

Sixmoon shakes his head. "He can't sell it to anyone. He doesn't have the authority. It's not that he doesn't trust me, Captain. This isn't about us. It's about the Guild and the clans within it. Each clan is based in a different hive city, with a different queen. And all the clans are serious about their competition." He looks toward the Odarite merchant. "If we get the map, for *any* price, some of the less scrupulous clans within the guild might target the Athena for piracy. He's trying to protect us." He frowns, turning his gaze back toward Marlan. "I don't like it, but I appreciate it. The Odarites can be very cutthroat when it comes to business. You *do not* want to be caught in the middle of a guild war."

Marlan looks across the table over then over towards Sixmoon, "But can you find Palliside without this map? Because nothing is ever fixed in stone,da."

"The map would have made it easier," the archaeologist says, shrugging. "Faster. Now, instead, we will simply have to settle for doing it slower, using the Athena's sensors as originally planned." He picks his PDA off the counter, then says, "Sorry about the wasted time for the detour, Captain." He nods toward Y'rktkl. "Please, let the other guilders know we no longer seek the map. Perhaps that will reduce the tensions between the clans."

The Odarite merchant leans closer to Sixmoon, clawed appendages clacking. "Ykou shkould gket offkworld kwickly, Sikmoon. Kan tellk guildkers nko sellk itkem, bkut thkey thkink Y'rktkl tkell ykou somekthing valkuable. Profkitable. Akthena alkready ink dankger."

"So if we're already in danger how much worse can it get?" Voliarin asks the Odarite.

Y'rktkl turns to answer Voliarin, and spreads his mandibles to begin speaking in his clicky interpretation of Standard when he's cut off by something long, sharp and glittering black k-chunking through the carapace of his upper torso. Looks like a fairly nasty spear, with a jagged point that crunches out the back. His antennae go lax and he collapses on the floor, twitching autonomously as four Guilder Odarites wearing blue sashes and psi blockers start closing in.

Volidana blinks turnin an even brighter purple "I'm not sure i want the answer to that but I do wonder if they can even read the map they...Vol's dark....you had to ask"

"Thatzzz ..." Tryklynn blinks and starts and pushes bac up and away from the bar, "Thatzzz wazzz notzz a goodzz tradezz!" The lotorian's tail sweps put to snare his yt untouched mug of red stuff.

Volairin's aura turns to a dark red as this happens. He looks at Volidana a moment, but doesn't say anything, remaining quiet.

Jordan makes a violent movement back, getting off her stool and knocking it over in the process, muttering a series of expletives as she does.

Marlan pushes off from the bar, rising to her feet, "Ranix to Athena, we have a situation in Red's Tavern, have security lock down the ship, power the engines and leave in 5 minutes if there's no furthur contact." she says into her headset. She turns to face the approaching bugs.

Renkek Kashaan stands in a hurry as he knocks over the chair he was in and looks about he moves towards other crewmembers if possible not trying to make any offending moves, at all. He's the least one that wants to offend anyone at the moment.

Sixmoon stares in shock, mouth gaping open, as his old Odarite companion is felled by the spear. He kneels next to Y'rktkl, touching the dark ichor oozing from the wound where the weapon impaled him. Then he gapes at the four blue-sashed Odarites approaching - three of them still carrying their spears.

Crelsk lumbers into the tavern, tongue flicking out and tasting the air. Tastes like bugs. His eyes nictate as we swivels his snout towards the Odarites, unslinging his assault rifle and aiming it at the insectoids. "If you would be so kind," The Grimlahdi says, "Please step away from my Captain. And crewmates," he adds as an afterthought.

"DOCZZZ!" Tryklynn brings the goblet to his paws, rising to stand on his stool. "Bring outzz bezzt weaponzz ... got enough creditzzzz to buyzz them offzz?"

Voliarin ducks himself, nearly balling up on the floor, well, best as a 7 foot tall Vollistan can. Then he says, "Please don't hurt anybody." The aura is a red wavering with a purple, very rapid change back and forth.

Jordan looks at the door with nothing short of heartfelt longing, and stays very still for the moment.

The four Odarites stop in unison as Crelsk speaks. They turn to regard the reptiloid and his large, deadly gun. Again, in an eerie sort of unison, as if choreographed, the Odarites crouch and then spring up into the air, settling in among the shadows of the rafters overhead. Three of the insectoids bring up their spears, aiming them at Crelsk. The fourth just says, "Ykou shkould lkeave. Allk okf ykou."

Volidana stands still displaying both hands as being empty. Purple aura vilot bright 'We were just going" she remarks

Marlan shifts her gaze down to Voliarin and snaps, "Get up." then raises her gaze to the Odarites in the rafters. Her left hand moves towards the energy pistol at her utility belt but doesn't grab it, "We were in the process of doing just that before our conversation was so rudely interrupted, da." She nods towards Jordan, eyes still on the rafter, "Grab Sixmoon and get out of here...wait for Crelsk to exit." she instructs.

Renkek Kashaan looks to the four Odarites as much as he can and is ready to leave himself but doesn't move just yet. He'll move soon however, he's not one to stay around where he's not wanted.

Jordan takes a deep breath, and tugs at Sixmoon's arm. "C'mon-- you can't do anything for it now," she says in a low voice trying to be as gentle as she can about it, and still get them moving.

A mother lotorian is no fool. Bouncing quicky off his barstool, still carrying his red stuff, Tryklynn padpadpads rapidly towards the door, making a weaving arc so he never passes beneath a warrior bug. At the door he stops and turns. "Doczzz, never look giftzzz bugzzz in mouth, yezyezyez!"

Sixmoon is back to staring at his dead friend when he feels Jordan tugging at him. After a few moments, he nods wordlessly and then stands. He still looks shell-shocked. He doesn't even gaze up at the Odarites in the rafters as he sort of staggers on autopilot through the tavern and toward the door.

Volidana looks back at Voliarin to asses how he is doing taking small steps toward the door

Crelsk hisses, keeping his eyes trained on the Odarites. A faint *click* is heard as he readies the weapon and aims it up towards the bugs as they move. "I take it Dealbreakers are out of fashion?" he comments. "I might not be able to aim at you very well," he notes, "But this thing fires a *lot* of bolts." His tail flicks back and forth lazily, as if used to this sort of thing.

Voliarin gets up, as commanded, though the first thing he does once this happens is make a run for the door, fast as he can, the aura still flashing.

Jordan steers them towards Crelsk, and lets the Grimlahdi proceed them out the door. Her eyes flick continuously up to the rafters, and then to the rest of the crew, making a circuit of constant wary watchfulness.

Volidana breaks into a run of her own as she sees the rest are safe and follows on the others heels out the door

Once the others have begun to move Marlan follows but not before sparing a glance at the Odarite on the ground to confirm he is in fact dead. She crosses the distance between her and Crelsk, focus on the Odarites in the rafters.

In unison, the four Odarites drop out of the rafters, going once more into a springy crouch as they land, three with spears. They watch the Athena crew members departing, motionless as segmented black statues, compound eyes gleaming malevolent black.

Crelsk keeps the rifle trained on the bugs as he himself backs out the door. "Thank you for you time," he snorts.