The Muddysnout Settlement

Athena Offices 

The small office suite is severe and spartan. The rock is carved in rough swaths, pilasters and natural stone columns adding the only touch of articulation. The lighting is soft, a contrary highlight, reflecting off the slightly curved ceiling coffers from column mounted light fixtures. The steel floor plates have a utilitarian diamonds pattern, and are set in a structural grid, allowing access to the ductwork and wiring chases below. Weaving throughout the office is a collection of systems furniture, forming individual task stations and small group work areas. In the back is nooked a small but efficient kitchenette, adjacent to a open conferencing area.

At the moment Marlan is leaning over a crewman at one of the workstations, pointing something out on a datapadd.

"Ranix!" the Demarian noble, Stumppaw Sandwalker, bellows as he stalks into the offices, absently scratching at the stump of his blunted arm.

Marlan grimaces, taking a minute and letting the grimace fade off her features before she straightens out and turns in the direction of the voice. Calmly, with no rise in her voice she inquires, "Is there something i can help you with Sandwalker?"

"We had an *arrangement*," Stumppaw Sandwalker growls as he comes to a stop a foot or two from Marlan, snarling and revealing the rows of sharp, glinting fangs bristling from his snout. His whiskers flare. "An artifact?"

"And." Marlan inquires, not moving an inch, "Where exactly would you like me to GET that artifact..taking into account the fact that we never even found the planet?" a pause, "Want a piece of my ship...i'm sure New Murmansk has plenty of them lying aroudn, da."

Stumppaw snorts. "No. I do not want a piece of that rattle trap you call a *ship*. You failed to keep your end of the bargain, *Captain*. So, either turn over my servant or buy out his servitude. One hundred thousand credits."

Stumppaw is standing in the office area, glowering at Marlan.

Marlan to her credit appears to the most part be holding her own, "I told you when we reached Pansheera i would bring you an artifact. This is still the case. The time table has only changed slightly."

Jordan pushes open the steel door and steps on through into the offices, rubbing at her eyes a bit tiredly. She pauses at the scene, crossing her arms in front of her chest and frowning. It's obvious she wasn't expecting to see anyone other than maybe a fellow crewmember in here at this hour, and she eyes Stumppaw with no small amount of suspicion.

Stumppaw blinks. "Pansheera?! You claimed you were going to Palisade! Lying hairless creatures! Altheor's teeth! The Sand Mother take you and your wretched kin!" His ears flatten and he snarls, jabbing a clawed finger of his good hand at Marlan. "No more delays. Turn Muddysnout over to me or buy his freedom. I wait no longer for the promise of a Kamir artifact from Palisade. You test my patience far too much already."

Marlan's expression hardens but a grimace upturns the corner of her lips as he yells out Pansheera. "It was a slip of the tongue...Palisade was always our goal." a pause then, "And if i'm purchasing Sharptongue." she makes a point of saying his name, "Then i expect to see paperwork detailing what i'm purchasing and his value....including the length left on his contract with you and the value of his contract with you, da."

Jordan has just entered the offices herself, and stands off to one side observing Stumppaw and Marlan, arms crossed over her chest and looking non-plussed at the intruder. For the moment, she listens without comment.

Stumppaw tilts his head, snorting as he narrows his eyes at Marlan. "If you wish it to be a battle of paperwork, *Captain*, then perhaps the matter is best settled in a civil court." He glances around at the offices. "Rather dismal and stark, I suppose, but once I own it, I could do *so much* with the place."

LeBeau steps into the offcies and almost immediatly a smirk is brought to his lips before he makes his way towards the small group and takes a seat, kicking his feet up on a nearby desk. "Ahh da troubles o working fo someone else. Da red tape, da paperwork...I don mis id one bid." He loops his fingers together and places his hand against the back of his head "How do yu pud up wit id all Marly?"

Marlan shifts her gaze to Lebeau, by all appearances her irritation only grows. She pauses, turns back to Stumppaw and in her best approximation of a level tone motions towards the office, "We seem to be drawing a crowd...i'd much appreciate it if we could continue this conversation in private."

Jordan steps forward, closer to the volatile conversation, and tilts her head a bit at Marlan raising one eyebrow in question. Her eyes track Lebeau for a few moments, before she decides the Demarian remains the more difficult matter in question.

"I think not," the Demarian grumbles, scratching once more at the stump of his blunted arm. "If you do not intend to honor our agreement, which *I* accepted in good faith without requiring a contract from you when I already had a valid claim on Muddysnout, then I have little recourse left to me but challenge this matter in court. So, you make the choice, here and now."

LeBeau stays silent as his eyes pass from Marlan to Stumppaw and back again as the two seem to be quarreling over something he missed before he walked in. Not about to interrupt any futher, at least for now.

Marlan takes a defeated step back, "You will get your money." she snorts and shakes her head, "But you will regret it, da....an artifact from Pallisade would of been worth considerably more to you." she turns, taking the few steps before her and an empty workstation.

Stumppaw follows after Marlan, fangs clacking together. "I am quite certain I would not regret it. The Odarites destroyed the map. Sixmoon is *dead*. So, unless you know something that has otherwise not been released to the general public, you are bluffing."

Jordan sighs, rubbing her eyes again, and shaking her head at Stumppaw and Marlan both. She turns her gaze back to LeBeau, for the moment. "Something I can help you with?"

Marlan taps away at the computer for a moment and when she's done turns to Stumppaw, "Its done. The money is in your personal account. You can confirm it. But mark my words, you *will* regret the decision. Now...good day Mr. Sandwalker."

His attention pulled away from the argument LeBeau looks to Jordan and shakes his head. "No nod really. Was jus gonna stop en a check on yer capitan. Maybe crack a joke aboud how I di no feel dat yu all god ento enough trouble so I was jus gonna stop by. Bu id seems yu hav all proven me wrong."

The Demarian noble lowers his snout, grinning a feral, fangy grin. His whiskers flare outward. "Captain, the only regret I have is that you didn't happen upon Muddysnout sooner. In this transaction, I have recovered my entire lost investment in that incompetent fool. Had you stolen him away sooner, I might be making a profit." He chortles, then turns and stalks away, waving absently with the stump of his blunted arm. "Farewell, Captain Ranix. Safe travels."