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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shadowdancer" data-source="post: 2592737" data-attributes="member: 515">Chapter XXIIDate: 213-993Location: Warne Highport, Kerin's TyrOn the morning of the meeting with Jarvis, most of the crew of the Bray Keaven prepares to receive the Vargr businessman. Martha monitors from port engineering while Swann opts for his favored starboard turret fire control with the new anti–personnel pop–up laser warmed up, but not active.Vasilii and Ian wait in the lounge looking a little longingly at the food.Kevon and Aidan take charge of meeting Jarvis and his escort when he arrives at the berth. Jarvis appears to have three outriders: Barkolin and two of his guards. Interestingly, the two guards appear to be carrying laser carbines, which are usually not allowed for civilian use in Imperial starports. Jarvis and Barkolin both have gauss pistols on their hips and are wearing stylish garments of some weight.When Kevon asks that only Barkolin accompany Jarvis onto the ship, Jarvis looks like he was expecting such a precaution. Aidan mentions that Vargas has arranged for some food for Jarvis, but, surprisingly, Jarvis this time says, “Thank you, but let us take care of business first this time.”With that comment, Kevon and Aidan escort Jarvis and Barkolin to the improvised sickbay where Vargas and Saro wait.-----Upon entering the sickbay, Jarvis slowly inspects Vargas from the door before saying, “Looks like Dr. Talbek and Nateel Medical have done a good job. That I am glad to see.”Jarvis then strides into the room, glances at Saro who is steadfastly avoiding eye contact and sits in the chair next to Vargas.“You fought well, and now you present a bit of a conundrum for me. On the one paw, you seem to be Vargr enough to recognize that we now have a relationship. On the other, you are obviously loyal enough to the crew of the Bray Keaven to be willing to die for one of them.“You obviously can not be of two packs at the same time, and I choose not to test your loyalties. As such, I’m going to offer you several options.“The first is to leave the Bray Keaven entirely and join one of my businesses. You have some small sfik in my eyes at this point, and you would be in a good position to earn more.”-----“That’s the stick,” thinks Vasilii, who is listening to the conversation over the ship’s comm system with the others in the lounge.-----“The second is bring me a gift for my collection. I have always fancied the sculptures of Farns Bootil of Sentry. I believe that, with the right introduction, he accepts commissions starting at a million credits.”-----“That's the moonshot,” Vasilii thinks.-----“The third is to perform a small delivery for me. I have 55 dTons of goods that need to be delivered to Shanape, and I don’t happen to have a crew of proven ability handy to deliver the goods. Naturally, I’ll provide documents from Acting Administrator Mixon as to the legality of the goods. I trust that you’ll show the same discretion and care for my goods as you showed for Merkul’s gift to me.”-----“And that’s what he really wants,” Vasilii thinks.-----“Naturally, I assume that you’ll want to discuss the matter with your current pack, so I will expect an answer by this evening. Now, shall we dine on whatever you’ve had prepared for me? I expect that your friends will bring you a proper plate.”With that Jarvis looks at Aidan expectedly. Aidan and Kevon escort the two Vargr up to the lounge. Jarvis seems to enjoy the meal, but at times the conversation is a bit strained. Jarvis doesn’t seem to harbor any ill will towards the crew of the Bray Keaven and seems to expect the same in return.After a relatively quick meal, Jarvis and Barkolin depart, leaving the crew to consider the presented options.-----Vasilii laughs a bit and says, “Well, that saves looking for cargo. And it’s not like there’s any spec goods worth mentioning on the market at the moment. Which, incidentally, is pretty suspicious in itself.“I think, if we have papers from Mixon, we’re not too badly off. By our previous standards, anyhow. And it puts us relatively clear of friend Jarvis. too. Shanape’s three jumps via Alief or four otherwise, as I recall.“As for the statue — well, I think he never expected us to do that. But we could afford it, and remain a viable concern. It would be the cleanest way out, but very expensive.”“I agree, Vasilii,” Aidan says. “I can’t imagine that the cargo could be any worse than others of recent memory. And I’ll hope that it’s not 55 dtons of a dueling weapon.”Ian looks at Aidan. “I don’t think we’d survive that delivery!,” he says with a half grin.Aidan grins back at Ian. “I just hope Vargas doesn’t want to try to wrestle it to the ground.”“Sounds like the cargo route is the cheaper, but what is waiting for us on the other end?” Ian says. “I’m not opposed to it.”“Can we complete the delivery before we are required to make a trip from Sentry to Alief?” Swann asks.-----“Hmmpf. Perhaps this is the great karmic wheel turning,” Saro says over the comms from the sick bay, where he continues to monitor his patient. “Where we have previously gained a large sum of capital selling that which was not ours to sell, we now have the opportunity to balance the scales by divesting ourselves of another large sum.“I for one am not displeased with the notion of doing something to scrub some of the stain out of our karmic fabric.”“No, Doctor, I think it’s advantageous for us to deal with Jarvis on the cargo,” Kevon counters as he unfastens the top clasp of his undress uniform. “As Mr. Kugiikishshi mentioned, Alief should be on the way, and we can get our mandated cargo, killing two birds with one stone.”“Doesn’t that work the other way?” Vasilii says. “We take cargo from Sentry to Alief? And we have to check in at Sentry once on a while to see if there is any to pick up? I think we’d visit Alief on the rebound, if there’s any cargo yet.“Besides, this 55 dTon load is about our limit. We couldn’t take much more. It would be pretty much a straight run to Shanape, stopping for fuel and life support."-----As Vargas listens to the discussion over the comm, he agrees to reject the statue offer.“He said that the price STARTED at one million credits, and I do not think he will want the basic model. As to the cargo, the real question is can we deliver the cargo and meet our other commitments. If the crew is in agreement, that is a viable option and looks like the only way for me to stay aboard. I will leave the choice in the hands of the crew and will abide by their decision.”-----Martha listens quietly to the crew as they discuss the plan. When faces start looking for her input, she nods, somewhat subdued. “We’ll miss our due date, but probably by less than a week. It usually takes at least two days, with red tape, to get in system, dock, refuel, restock on necessities, then head out system to a safe jump point. One delay at all, and we fall behind.”In a softer voice, she mutters, more for herself than the others, “And we’re famous for delays.”Speaking a little louder, she continues. “Still, I think it’s the safest route, assuming that Vargas wants to stay with us, that is.”With that, she falls silent again, shaking her head a little at Vargas’ shirking of the choice of where he goes or stays onto the rest of the crew. “He can’t even say what his thoughts are on the matter,” she thinks. “No, he’s got to make us responsible for that. Men! They can never make a commitment on their own, unless it’s to beat someone else up and prove they’re a man! By St. Elvis, why are they so frustrating sometimes!?!” Similar thoughts continue to ruminate through Martha’s head as the conversation continues.-----Swann rubs a hand across his face as he looks around the room at the others. “What if we found some young, starving artist — someone who has studied the works of this Farns Bootil — to make a fake; a sculpture in Bootil’s style? We give it to Jarvis, say it’s an original. We could even forge some documentation, make it look legit.”“I thought we were trying to avoid trouble with these Vargr,” Vasilii says.“Or has this Bootil taken any public commissions?” Swann continues. “Something that was on display, say, in a public park? Maybe we could ‘liberate’ it from the pigeons, give it a nice home where it will be appreciated.”Vasilii grins at the thought of nabbing a five–ton statue on a 30–ton pedestal and getting away with it.“Y’know, some of us are still official representatives of His Majesty’s Imperial Government,” Kevon states, keeping his tone as neutral as possible. “And those of us who still have that career option would like to keep it available. No theft. No swindling the Vargrs.”Vargas says, “Jarvis probably knows the artist’s work very well and I am positive that a fake would be recognized immediately. Additionally, he would probably check on the payment of a commission. Judging from his reactions to the death of his nephew, I can just imagine what would happen with a deliberate insult like that. He has dealt honorably in the matter of my challenge and I, for one, will not stand for any deceit on his request of me.“I think that we should take the cargo and meet his request. If we do well on this job, who knows — maybe it will lead to better profits.”Swann smiles and says, “I’m not seriously suggesting we deceive Jarvis or commit a theft. I was just brainstorming out loud, considering the merits of all of our options.“Yeah, taking his cargo to Shanape is our best choice.”Grinning, Aidan says, “Well, a statue heist would have been fun in the process, but then we would have had to have sent pictures of it visiting all the different systems. That, and the law enforcement chasing us, would have been a bit of an issue.”Turning to Vasilii, Swann continues. “As to our obligations to Alief, did we contract with ImpEx to carry four tons of cargo every quarter from Sentry to Alief? When do we have to make the first run on that?”“Yes, I suppose they might have something for us by now,” Vasilii says. “Sentry to Alief is the other direction from here to Shanape, though, so it’s something we’d do on the way back.“So, much as I’d like to patronize the arts, I think we’d be better off taking this cargo direct to Shanape then coming back to Sentry to check on goods for Alief.”After a moment, Vasilii adds, “Didn’t our friend Mr. Salian with the frozen cows hail from Shanape? And he mentioned wanting a ride back. I think he just said Sentry, but he might have been aiming for Shanape eventually. Maybe we can sell him another freezer ride.”</blockquote>

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