“Yeah,” I said. “Let’s get the bleedin’ hole outa here. I know that place, and you’re right, we can talk there. It’s safe.”

I winked and headed for the broken window. As I passed the bar I tossed a coin onto the counter.

“Sorry about the mess,” I muttered. It just seemed appropriate somehow.

I stepped through the window frame and into the open port, checking to make sure the other two were following me. I ducked my head down and casually walked to the nearest tunnel entrance.

A few minutes later and we standing in front of the Azure Plantoid. The scene was more subdued here, away from the ruckus of the spaceport which is busy on a normal day. Add in a blown-up ship and it’s a little noisier.

I walked inside and spotted a table near the back. It wasn’t too hard, since only two other tables were occupied. One had an unconscious blue person lying face-down on an empty plate. The other was taken up by a couple of human-looking folks who had more than just idle chit-chat on their mind. They were pretty well grossed in each other, if you know what I mean. Hope they had a room for later.

I scooted a chair out and took a seat. The waitress, a pretty little thing, brought over three mugs. Wow, didn’t even have to ask.

“Come here often?” I asked Yaoksi.

--------------------

"Gentlemen, I mean not to distract, but would it not be more advisable to track down the purpetrators of this crime against your two vessels?" I asked, my fingertips upon the rim of the mug.

"For that matter, what is your intent to do with the purpotraters (sp?)?"

--------------------

But the expression in my eyes was anything but; I directed it at Muscles for a quick moment before letting the chair down softly and placing the tumbler on the tabletop just as quietly.

I turned to Ugly with a smile.

"That's just what we're doing, pal," I said with a flash of teeth toward him.

"You wanna tell us more about the guy who delivered that cargo to the bay and paid you to keep its contents all mum and tidy and nice?"

With that I cut another quick glance to Muscles, who was looking angrier by the minute. Suddenly there seemed to be a sparkling of truth about him after all.

"Yeah," I said in response to his earlier quip.

"It's a favorite place of mine."

With that I took hold of my tumbler again, and took a hefty swig from its contents.

[ 08-09-2005 01:17 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

--------------------

"The man who paid me said he was your broker, a human passing off as an Umbaran by all appearances, the usual bald head, pale purple skin, crystal blue eyes and one of those nifty shadow-cloaks they find fashionable." I took a drink of the liquid and hid a look of distaste behind the mug, the liquid tasting as though it had gone through a bantha's urinary tract.

"He did also, and most conveniently I might add, leave an imperial seal on the papers that he did fill out. A one "I.S.B." seal." I let one of the most feared initials slide from my mouth quite easily, before taking another casual sip of the disgusting swill.

--------------------

Why would the Impys go an try to blow themselves up? Unless someone else had infiltrated one of the SSDs or Coruscant itself and had stolen a seal, which would mean there was a rebellion out there somewhere I didn't know beans about.

Or... Ugly was as trustworthy as he was good-looking, and was making this up on the fly.

I cut a quick look over to Muscles, who seemed to have tensed up a bit himself. Then I turned back to Ugly, forcing myself to loosen up and lean more casually back in my seat.

"Thanks pal, that's all I ask," I said, smiling at him. Then my smile faded.

"But now, as to your earlier, ahh-- request, well... I just have to turn down your offer--"

I couldn't help grimacing at the use of the word.

"--of crewing with either my buddy here, or with me. Seems kinda on the moot side now anyway, doesn't it? I mean, between the two of us we maybe have half a ship; his is blown to smithereens, and mine is... well, gonna be in repairs for some time now."

A frown crossed my features; poor Devil's distress was really sinking in now, along with the realization that yeah, she probably was gonna be out of commission for months at the very least. Sullust wasn't known for it's repair facilities, I was gonna have to import someone I could trust to get the job done, and get it done right...

Giving myself a mental shake, I turned back to Ugly.

"So.. sorry about that, pal," I finished, and raising my mug gave him a little salute with it before downing half its contents in one fell swoop.

[ 08-11-2005 12:28 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

--------------------

“An ISB seal?” I had to ask. “Well, I guess that just adds up then, don’t it? I mean, of course the people making weapons here and shipping them off to an SSD are gonna have an inspector or something giving final approval before the stuff gets hauled. What I can’t figure is how they managed to sabotage or replace the stuff once the guy with the seal did his final ‘here ya go’. Unless…”

OK, so I was a little slow that day. I mean, come one, my ship just got toasted, and I was meant to have been on board at the time.

“Unless the guy with the seal was in on it.”

Yeah, I got the “duh” looks from the two of them. I shrugged it off.

“Oh great, so either someone is posing as an Imperial security agent, or the agency itself is involved. Either way, I was supposed to be dead by now, so I got a feeling that ISB bimbo is gonna wanna see to it that I get that way real soon.”

I looked over to Ugly, making my words real clear.

“And I wouldn’t be too surprised if he wanted to cover up all his tracks, if you know what I mean. Never mind your job, if he knows that you are the one who can finger him, then your life ain’t worth a bowl of bantha dung either. And since none of us have a way off the planet right now, we seem to have problem.”

I leaned back in the seat and took my glass in hand.

“Don’t know about you guys, but I say we find out who this bozo is, get to the bottom of it, and find out who is paying to have our ships fixed.”

--------------------

"That is quite possibly so, but then where is it that you two hide? I could go back to my place for a bit but I'm sure he'd track me back to it pretty darn quick. We could hole up in a hotel or something, but I think the best bet would be to actually get off planet if we just intend to lay low for a bit."

I decided to risk it and took a sip of the drink again, and regretted it immediately, setting it down again. "I seem to note you two must have some sort of experience with others, do you know anyone offplanet who could hold us? Or better yet do that and repair the ships?"

--------------------

Oh, this whole affair was quite suddenly taking a subtle turn for the worst, and if there's anything I've learned in all my gadding about the galaxy is that subtlety and I are strange bedfellows indeed...

Now my hand removed from the glass, my elbow propping itself on the table to allow that hand to then cup itself over my mouth. I studied both Muscles and Ugly a tad bit more carefully then, with greater scrutiny, paying particular care to their body language.

They were both screaming to the high heavens sad tales of assassination attempts and set-ups and lurking dangers and the loong, loooong arm of the Imperials and the degree in which both of them were immersed in all the above.

My eyes flicked from Ugly to Muscles and back to Ugly again. The index finger on the hand cupping my mouth lifted, pointed to him.

"Your life is gonna be worth bantha dung."

Then my glance cut to Muscles, followed shortly thereafter by the finger.

"And you've been set up as a fall guy for an apparent assassination attempt on the Impys..."

The words were not in any way accusatory. Just stating the facts, ma'am.

Both hands went carefully to the table top, there to lie flat-palmed as I pushed myself to my feet.

"Ahh-- it seems that I'm the only innocent bystander in all this, boys. Not to mention the only one with half a ship; my friend--"

Now I directed my full attention to Muscles.

"Seems like the offer you extended to me is as null and void as your ship; and you--"

I turned back to Ugly.

"--are most certainly not going to crew with me. I already have a crew..."

Surprise, surprise; shame ran a fast footrace through my body, starting in my head somewhere in the ol memory section and ending in my heart.

K'kihl. How could I have forgotten my ol' buddy K'kihl?

"It seems to me that you boys have more in common with each other than with me, so if you'll just excuse me I have to go see about repairing my ship..."

I got to my feet, drained the last of my drink, and tossed a few credi-coins to the passing waitress. Then giving the pair a smile and a nod, I departed the premises to retrace my steps back to the spaceport.

There I was met with a wild cacophony of apologetic Sullustan officials, who broke the terrible news about poor Devil while simultaneously waving signed docking waivers in my face. I just sighed, raised my hands, and with a little smooth talking managed to get myself permission to go to my ship.

Upon entering I made a beeline to the bridge, where I immediately fired up the com-panel and after a quick run-through of private frequencies, opened up a particular channel.

"Terrin Danner on Hornett, this is Captain Yaoksi Joao. Can I ask a little favor of you...?"

[ 08-15-2005 03:03 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

--------------------

"Captain Joao, this is Captain Aaron Barnes," he started out. "It's good to hear from you, and I hope that all is well. Terrin is...

... not available..."

Aaron paused, cringing at his choice of words, "...but I would be glad to help you out. What is it that you need?"

[ 08-15-2005 08:20 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

--------------------

"Ahh- er... " I garbled, then got myself under control. Ok, so Danner wasn't around; I remembered Barnes clearly. Since he was second to Danner, it stood to reason that he knew everything his boss did, which in turn led me to believe he would know all that I had done for the man back when...

Ok, back when you couldn't keep a thing from boarding your ship and ripping off his arm....

I tossed that away with a shudder. Maybe Barnes would be more forgiving of me than I had ever been about that horrible incident. Finally getting myself under control, I went on.

"Hey, well... sorry to hear that. When the ol' pirate does become available, tell him hi for me, right? Right.

"Anyway, I've been having a touch wee of a problem here on Sullust--"

Quickly I related all that had befallen me since running into the bookends and having my ship blown asunder.

"--and since I left K'kihl with you in Engineering -- how is the ol' cricket, anyway? -- I was hoping I could kinda bank on the help I'd given Mr. Danner--"

Another cringe.

"--and that you'd maybe send a repair crew here to give me a hand? Of course if all you could afford to send was K'kihl, that would be just fine and dandy."

Finishing with my coordinates and physical address in Piriingisi, I leaned into the mike and finalized with a single word.

"Over."

[ 08-15-2005 09:14 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

--------------------

"I'll relate the news of your troubles to K'khil; he's one of our best engineers and has done some fine work onboard the Hornett. As for Terrin..."

Aaron trailed, the pang in his heart almost audible, "He died over a year ago. I'd tell you more...

...but I don't feel all that comfortable about telling you the details over a comm frequency."

Leaving his communication at that, Aaron pushed the "send" button.

--------------------

Terrin Danner-- dead? What about that lil red-haired he was married to? Aww, that was just--

I shook myself. Time to mourn later; now I had my own problems to consider.

"Ahh-- I'm sorry to hear about Mr. Danner. Please accept my condolences."

An appropriate pause, then I continued.

"Thank you for your offer; I'm afraid my ship needs more than an, ahh-- overhaul; perhaps you could send some materiels so she could be refit?

"I-- I would like to talk with you over a drink sometime; hopefully after Devil is up and running I can stop by for some conversation."

Another brief pause--

"Tell K'kihl I'm looking forward to seeing him--" for of course the ol carapace would come running the moment he heard of my ship's distress.

"This is Captain Yaoksi Joao, out."

I sighed as I closed the link, then sat back in my chair and contemplated middle space for a bit.

Then I shut down all systems and left Devil, giving her hull a fond pat before I headed back out into the tunnels of Piriingisi.

[ 08-16-2005 12:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

--------------------

I turned to Ugly and said “Wait here.” I threw my chair back and followed after Yuckster, then turned back to look at Ugly. “On second thought, come on.”

I didn’t wait to see if he was following. I stormed through the halls, thought I caught a glimpse of Yaoksi, but in the end I couldn’t find him. I was pissed as hell and getting worse by the minute. Finally I gave up.

I turned my collar up and kept my head down, and peeked into docking area at my ship. Sure enough, there were officials swarming it and taking all sorts of readings. Cripes, even the poor guy at the Asteriod was getting questioned. Ah hell, this was way bad. What the bleedin’ palm was I gonna do?

Then I saw him.

Sure enough, it was Yaoksi, just walking out of his ship like it was a day at the office. He seemed a little distressed, oh boo-hoo for him. I stood where I was in the tunnel, waiting. In a little bit he came walking in, right by me, not even a ‘how do you do’. All right, well, I was trying to not be seen, but still! I stepped behind him and coughed.

Yaoksi stopped and glanced back just in time to see the fist coming for him. I don’t know if he tried to duck or not, but I sure as hell hit him full in the jaw and sent him sprawling against the wall.

I walked over and helped him up, not so gently.

“That’s for walking away with my gland deal and strandin’ me on Sullust,” I said, feeling a little better. “I know my life ain’t worth crap here, but neither is yours if I implicate you in all this. Now I suggest we go somewhere again and work out a deal. Someplace nice, someplace quiet. Plus, I think we really can work something out together that’ll be to your profit.”

I had no idea what I was talking about, but I’m sure I’d think of something. I figured he was either gonna go for his blaster or go for my pitch, either way I’d be ready.

[ 08-17-2005 08:05 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Rico Riven ]

--------------------

One minute I was strolling away from my poor, abused ship, heading off to my little apartment for a quiet drink alone in front of the holo-vid, when WHAMMY.

Here comes ol Muscles like a freighter from hell, and the next thing I knew I was down on my butt.

Then up again.

I shook the stars from my vision just in time to hear his finishing words to me... which, lucky for him, he just managed to squeak out like the rat he was before my own hand shot out and found a fistful of his collar, the other finding my blaster which in turn found a cozy little hidey hole under his jaw.

I yanked him up to the closest I could stand his breath, and shot dagger looks into his eyes.

"Look, partner," I steamed, giving his collar a meaningful jerk. And damned if the bore of my blaster didn't just up and plant itself just a little more snugly against his flesh.

"You can go right on ahead and implicate me all you want, you can implicate me until the rontos come home over the hill...

"...but sure as there's spice on Kessel it isn't gonna mean squat and you know it.

"I've been running a legt business here, and have the chits to prove it; the last thing I need is to get myself all tossed up in the salad with a couple of slime-oes whose lives aren't gonna be worth bantha fodder in the very near future.

"That is--"

Another jerk of his collar, this time hard enough to yank him up so we were literally touching noses.

"If it already isn't worth less than that right now."

I settled back then, tossing him from me as if he was yesterday's garbage. If he was expecting me to holster ol Bertha though, he had another thing coming.

"I've got a life of my own, pal; if it's any consolation to you when I'm finished with the animal gland deal -- assuming I have some kind of ship to complete the contract with, thank you oh so much! -- I'll tell the contractor that you can have it from now on.

"I've got other things to tend to; so, sorry to say it but...

"Sayonara, pal."

With that I holstered my blaster, turned my back on Muscles, and kept right on walking.

I was that steamed.

--------------------

I put a hand on Rico's shoulder. "Lets just go back to my place, drink a cup of caf, and figure out what we're going to do, because sure as sure sitting here angry as all hellfire wont get us anywhere."

Though possibly in time it could get a shot in the back of the heads for both of us, especially if there's ISB on our tails. I grimaced at the thought and began to think of that old disuader under the bed back home...

[ 08-18-2005 01:23 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Commisar Stern ]

--------------------

But hey, I guess that’s what you get trying to make a deal with a smuggler. We’re all alike, whatever gets us ahead and screw the other guy. Yeah, all right, I can cope with that, I guess. Except now I’m stuck on Sullust without a ship, and the guy who said he had connections to get some repair work done just screwed the pooch and didn’t even buy it dinner.

Ah, cool off. Just let it go, the next time you see him you can kill him, but for now the Ugly mug is right. We got big problems, and we need to solve them.

“All right,” I said, turning back to face old gruesome. “I guess we’re in this together, like it or not. If we can find the hut-face that signed for the cargo then that’s a good place as any to start. Just so you know, I like my hide and I’ll do anything to keep it. This could get messy. If you’re OK with that, then lead on.”

--------------------

But that was in the past, locked away.

And it would stay that way.

"Lets go." I said, immediately turning away from the hangar facilities, to begin strolling between the various avenues, back alleys and the like, making a few switch backs and zig-zags.

You could never be too careful after all.

After perhaps twenty minutes of walking I stopped before a plain black dura-steel door and thumbed the access pannel next to the door and stepped into a small stairwell that did switchbacks, upon each landing a small non-descript door sat with a number scratched into it's surface.

I led the fella up to my "pad", which was upon the fourth floor, and keyed in a small passcode, and stepped into the small two room apartment, at the far end the entrance to a dingy bathroom which he kept clean enough just enough to use.

"Home sweet home. I'll grab my stuff, tell the landlord he doesn't get anything else from me, and then we'll start hunting down the bastard."

I moved over to the small desk just across from the plain army cot and pulled out a few data-cards and a small box, pocketed them, then went to the cot and lifted it up, pulling out a long case, similar to "Ammo Drop Cylinders", and keyed in a long mechanical password that stretched the entire length.

It clicked open, and inside there was merely a long black "Suit-bag", like you got clothing back from a suit shop or the like, along with a long black sword-sheath, an ornate handle and leather grip at the top, set in with small jewels that had a faint glow from some internal power source, and a long pistol, perhaps three and a half decimeters in length with a silver casing.

The memories flashed back as I attempted to hide it as best I could, retrieving the pistol and snapping the rest of the case shut and pressing a small key on the side that set all the locks to 9, and then picked it up by a small handle on the side of the case and stood up, the slugthrower sitting in a black holster that it had sat in, the belt now snugly around my waist. "Shall we go then?"

--------------------

Great now i'm stuck here even longer. Before me stood the remains of my way off this rock. I was across the space port when it happened working on a new overlay for a ship to earn some quick cash when the explosion hit and rolled the ship i was in. By the time I made it back to the freighter that was going to be my ticket out of here it was apperent that it was a total loss.

Bettter yet most of my credits was onboard, which wasn't a problem considering how easy it is for a slicer of my caliber to earn a little cred on sullust.

I walked over to what was left of the Blue Astroid to set up shop. Sitting down at a table I pulled out my data pad and began slicing myself a new ID, incase i get suck on this rock longer then planned.

--------------------

"Uhm...uh...sir?"

The bartender's wheezy voice, shaking with what seemed to be fear, registered in my pounding head.

Blinking balefully, I looked up from my mug of swill and over at the man. There was no doubt he was afraid. He was trembling, causing the ice in the glass he held to rattle, and sweat glistened in a sheen across his forehead. I nodded at him to show I was listening.

"Er...my most sincere apologies, sir, but...uhm...I have to ask you to leave."

My eyes must have narrowed in the annoyance I felt, because the bartender began trembling so badly he sloshed the muddy blue (Blue? Who drinks something light blue?) contents of the glass down his shirtfront. Nevertheless, he did continue.

"It's...ah...well, I'm afraid you're...d-d-disturbing the customers, you see."

As he spoke, I finally realized that there was no clamor of voices surrounding us as one usually finds in a bar. The place was dead silent, and I thought I knew why.

Turning on my stool, I found that every single occupant of this tiny little bar was silently staring at me. As I swiveled to face them, they shrank back, as though expecting me to lunge at them and tear their throats out.

Turning back the the bartender, who was sweating even more profusely, I gave a throaty, exasperated sigh, tossed a few credits on the table for the swill, and stood to leave.

Instantly, the small crowd parted before me as though I were some sort of ruler or dignitary, giving me a wide berth to the door. As I walked to it, my annoyance mounted at the expressions of fear on each face I passed. Whether out of annoyance or for amusement, I let loose with a feral snarl.

Every single person in the room stepped back so quickly you would have thought I were covered in mynock droppings. And there were more than a few short yelps or shrieks from the less courageous.

My annoyance mounting, I wrenched the door open, stepped through, and slammed it behind me with a loud clang that did nothing for my headache. Almost immediatly, I heard conversation break out behind the portal I had just closed. Snarling again, I set off down the street.

It had been happening for years now, the staring, the silence, the trembling fear in the voices of those few who spoke to me. They were treating me like I was some sort of wild beast, and I was fed up with it.

Had none of them ever seen a Wookiee before?

Well, no, actually. More than likely, none of them had. But Bacca's blade, all I'd wanted was one drink! They couldn't even let me have that. They didn't even give me a chance to explain myself.

Granted, they couldn't have understood me if I had spoke. Shyriiwook is incomprehensible to most.

But I would have appreciated the chance.

Continuing down the street (the stares still followed me), I eventually passed by the hanger. There was quite a commotion emerging from there, people shouting, running around, and shouting some more. A regular fiasco.

My curiosity getting the better of me, I strode into the hanger and was met with a disasterous scene. Many ships were completely blown apart, many more were only half-intact. Wreckage was strewn everywhere. It looked as though somebody had set off a crate full of thermal detonators in there.

As I walked around, surveying the devastation (which seemed to emanate from what must have once been a freighter ship but now was little more than a twisted hunk of durasteel), I took note of the number of ships with extensive damage.

It was quite a large amount.

From what I could tell, the owners of these ships were going to need an army of repairbeings.

It looked as though I might be able to find some work on this rock.

After surveying the scene for some time, I headed out of the hangar and in the direction of the local "hotspot," the Blue Asteroid. I guessed at least one or two of the pilots who had lost their ships would be in there right now, drowning their sorrows.

And I was sure at least one would have drank enough that he would even consider hiring a Wookiee to do his repair work.

After all, many of these people were well-traveled pilots. Some of them had to know that my people were not, despite our appearances, monsters.

[ 09-02-2005 07:08 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Lowwarr ]

--------------------

“Those are some pretty nasty pieces of hardware. Who the hell are you? Sure as heck aren’t your every day run of the mill dock worker.”

I thought a second and shrugged. Didn’t matter, really.

“And, uh, where exactly are we starting?”

--------------------

"The best thing too do would to be too check the local custom office, see if any Umbarans have come by, or any officials. The trick is too look for something TOO convincing, like it's overdone, rather then underdone or normal."

I went to the door and opened it, staring the treck down the stairs.

--------------------

I checked my blaster at my side and patted it for comfort, and followed Ugly out the door. I followed him – I don’t know why, but I did. He made a couple of stops, during which I stood around nonchalantly, and we were finally on our way into the main corridors. It was interesting to see this guy in action, I had a feeling he had a bigger story to tell.

We ended up outside the door of the customs office, staring at the big letters on the window. I didn’t much care for this place, since most of my business involved cargo that would normally bypass this office. But I did have a legit haul every now and then, and they did know me here…

“Wait,” I said. “They know me here, and they’ll know that it was my ship. I’ll be detained. Cripes, you better go in and check without me, I’ll go hang out by the Asteroid. Hopefully things have calmed down there for now.”

I ducked my head to look inconspicuous, and stared down the hallway. The customs office was just off the main corridor of the dock, which meant the Asteroid wasn’t too far. I rounded the corner and paused at the entrance to the dock. The scene had indeed settled, now the fire droids had departed, and the area was taped off with a bright yellow energy fence that went about 5 feet up and encircled my ship – well, what was left of it – and the four other ships that surrounded it. I shook my head and turned the corner to walk in the bar, thinking as I did so that they might be closed for repairs. I glanced over to my ship once more as I reached for the door.

I pulled the door open and turned my head back away from the ship, and stopped just short of a mountain of fur. I stood with my nose nearly buried in a matted sea of dark brown, my nostrils beginning to sting from the proximity. Normally I might think before I speak, but I’d had enough of this day.

“Hey!” I yelled. “Is this a bar or a shag carpet store? Get this hunk of hair out of my way, will ya?”

--------------------

Big help.

Without any pause, knowing time was of the essence, I locked the door as a precaution, and sat down at the small datapad, tapping in a standard access code, I quickly rifled through arrivals and their purposes.

I came across three Umbarans, and checked their story. One was here on holiday to their aunt, unlikely for the match.

The second was here for undisclosed business reasons. I almost laughed, the customs office never let them slide without a bribe. But imperials tended to go more stealthy then obvious bribes.

I selected the last file and looked it over, as the person was here too "take in the sights", specifically eight locations, and with even a specific flight booked out.

"Bingo." I whispered, copying the data just as I heard the door click with the sound of someone touching the lock. "I coulda sworn I left this thing open!" Came an exasperated voice from outside.

I glanced about the office, no where to hide unless you were a six year old anorexic girl. With a not a moment to lose, I closed the datapad, cramming the chip into my pocket, and grabbed a waste bin, going to the door and unlocking it.

Before me stood an irritable looking rodian, and by irritable, I meant more then half past ugly. "What'r you doin in my office?" He asked, putting a hand across the doorway to stop me from leaving.

With a quick crazed thought, I let out a string of Hutteese about getting the trash and not understanding basic. He snorted; "Stupid ignorants." He glared.

I held up the trash in a ditch attempt, and he got the idea, moving his arm aside to let me by. That was close. Came my only thought as I ditched the bin in the hall and ran from the building, slowing to a brisk walk as I entered the street to make my way towards the blue asteroid.

--------------------

It was about this time when another more profitable venture came to me. Just then as someone entered the bar they almost ran strait into a massive wookie. Now normally this could have been survivable, but this wookie looked agitated, on edge. And the mans words only seemed to seal his fate.
“Hey!” He yelled. “Is this a bar or a shag carpet store? Get this hunk of hair out of my way, will ya?”

Seeing the potential in front of me I reached into my pockets and pulled out some credits still on hand and slaped them onto the bar tabe in front of me.

"I place 50 credits on the wookie?" I yelled.

With this started a chain reaction among the other patrons of the Blue Astroid of placing down bets as well. This should be a good match.

--------------------

I looked up where I thought this thing’s head might be, then kept going. Dang, but this thing was tall. OK, really tall. Probably strong enough to tear my arms off and beat me to death with ‘em, too. This day kept getting better.

“Look, I’d say please if that would help,” I said to the mass of fur at the top. “Right now I don’t really care. My day – along with my life and my ship – is ruined and I really need a drink. So either turn around and smash me to a pulp or get the hell out of my way!”

--------------------