Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in The Not So Odd Couple

Posted by Civilian Eryn Romanov (Colonial Intelligence Agent) in The Not So Odd Couple

Posted by Civilian Kodek Vonn (Clandestine Associate) in The Not So Odd Couple
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Hashirk nodded, nonplussed at the request. “The Orion model I dont have, and I won’t get 9ne anytime soon since someone disintegrated the Syndicate Undetboss here in town.” and he cast a dirty look at Vonn, who simply shrugged. “He should have hired better security. His enemies didn’t shy away from spending.” Hashirk just shook his head dismissively and looked back at Eryn. “I can get you a modified WTR-600 no problem. And the Fed kit is trash. Tellerite miner’s array is what you want. And as far as weaponry, I have a matched set of Balkarian throwing blades and Syndicate sleeve sickle you can leave here with. What about ranged? I have a better Type III than what you have, racked and balanced with digital optics. Match-grade frame and overclocked power cycler. Oh, and I have a crate of Bajoran Militia Phasers.” and he grinned broadly.

“I also do discounts for bulk purchases.”

Vonn and Hashirk

Eryn sat forward pinning Hashirk with her gaze. “Mr Hashirk, I am a voman who know exactly what I vant. If I say I vant zee Federation Metallurgy kit that is what I mean. It may be trash but it it serves a purpose for me. I vill take the Blkarian blades, the sleeve sickle, and” she shrugged, ranged wasn’t her thing, but it was prudent, “The type III. I have no use for a create of Bajoran Militia Phasers. Anything Bajoran tends to draw attention I do not vant.”

“For now I vill take the modified WTR-600. You get me a Klingon pocket scrambler, a klugat - the natives of Ceres use it, and a Federation Duroplas Body shield. You get me zhese things, and you do it vith out any trace or problems. You do and I vill arrange for you to access goods you lost access to with the disintegration of the Underboss.” The items were difficult to get. She trusted Vonn’s opinion, but it didn’t play out well for people to know that. Every once in a while it did well for Eryn to remember her ties to the Korda family. And it had been a long time since Eryn had made a gesture towards the family.

Eryn Romanov

Hashirk looked at her for a moment and then at Vonn. “You should train your pet to be better mannered in public.” Vonn leaned forward and the visor’s color shifted from the normal sickly green to a vibrant crimson. “I don’t have pets. And if I did, they would kept hungry and used to raw meat. Now can you get her what she wants or not? You are not, after all, the only supplier on OED. You aren’t even the best, but that is a matter for another day. We have latinum. Do you want it or not?”

Eryn watched the by-play with a look of amusement. If the insult bothered her it didn’t show. In truth it didn’t bother her at all, did it bother Eryn no not really. Eryn’s tendency would be to wait and if the man said such an insulting thing again, to show him what it was like to be attacked by an animal. He would survive only if Eryn felt like prolonging his agony. Eryn gazed at Kodek. That was an interesting color to see on the visor. How interesting. The green had been sickening to see through, the red would have been down right disturbing. “The zhings I vant are not easy to obtain. The difficulty may be worth more than the latinum we vould pay. I offer connections to the Family in exchange. He does not vish to do business. We take our latinum and business elsewhere.” Eryn addressed Vonn and not Hashirk, she was ready to walk out now, she didn’t have time for games. Maybe before their visitor, but not now.

Hashirk took a breath and steadied himself. “Of course I can get it.” He looked at Eryn and said “When I say the Federation kit is trash, I mean just that. Its easily detectable and not easily modified. It’s also not contraband, so if that is what you want? Just go buy one. With all the increased mining activity over that past few months, you can pick one up cheaper than I can get it for you. The body shield is no problem. Neither is the scrambler. Don’t know what a klugat is, but if it’s from Ceres I may know a guy. Will take a bit, though. Everything else you can walk out with right now… provided you have payment up front.”

Vonn

Eryn turned steely eyes on the man. If Vonn’s red visor was disturbing, the flicker of read in her actual eyes was more so. “You do legitimate business here. You have plenty of goods in your store front for such zings or at least to give the appearance. Yes the Federation kit is trash, that is vhy I vant it. The imperfections create unique discolorations in the metal I use and make the metal weak. It adds a dimension of delicacy to zhe sculptures. Now a business transaction is a compromise of sorts, for our mutual benefit. The knowledge of where I obtain my sculpting supplies will bring interest and profit.” She shrugged, “I vill get them else where. A klugat is 15 centimeters in diameter, with a sharpened jagged edge. Similar to Earth’s Japanese shiruken but heavier. As for payment, zhat depends on vhat you are charging.” The accent was starting to grate on her nerves, but she needed the heavy use of it to make its use natural.

Eryn

Hashirk shrugged and said “I don’t make a profit on the standard stuff. It’s for show. And honestly, I don’t trade in publicity. If I did, I wouldn’t have a shop here… now would I?” He turned his canine visage to Vonn and said “Errand or cash?” Vonn pulled out a small pouch from one of the many belt compartments around their waist and tossed it on the table. Hashirk, to his credit, didn’t even open the pouch to count before sliding it off the table and letting disappear below the desk. “Done. Wait out front for delivery, or I can send it to you. Your call.” Vonn stood and said “Hold it for delivery instructions. Except the Disruptor. She takes that and the blades now.” Hashirk nodded and stood up and disappeared between tall racks of shelves.

Eryn’s demeanor didn’t soften but the hard edge was less lethal. Hashirk would get the correct impression that he had just been evaluated and deemed - acceptable. If that hurt his feelings or pride, Eryn didn’t much care. The man was most certainly doing the same thing to her. Hashirk might not be the only supplier or the best at what he did, and he was asking to get hurt with that sense of humor, but as far as arms dealers went, he was almost pleasant. Eryn attributed that to Vonn’s presence. Delivery of the more specialized items would determine if she and Hashirk were willing to conduct business on their own.

A few minutes later, he returned with a metal case and a rolled up hide or leather container. He opened the case, and inside was a pair of the most immaculate disruptors either operative had ever seen. As he unrolled the other object, the blade handles were visible. All the weapons were perfect in every way: balance, weight, polish and structure. Vonn looked at Eryn and said “Acceptable?”

Vonn

Eryn wasn’t much for fire arms but even she was more than impressed by the disruptors. She left those in the case, for now, but the blades she took immediately and they disappeared. If they didn’t know she’d just picked them up, there would be no way to know she was carrying them. Eryn was comfortable having weapons on her person, and she moved as if she wasn’t. But wasn’t that the way with all operatives? “Exceptional.” That was high praise. Eryn didn’t make the offer about the family and the more rare items she wanted again. Hashirk could take the offer or not. She would pay handsomely for the items whether he wanted the connection or not. “Do skorogo, Mr. Hashirk.” Which roughly translated to “until next time.”

Eryn

“Indeed. Please let me know if I can be of service in the future.” and he looked at Vonn, whose visor was back to the sickly green. “Kodek.” he said and the helmet inclined slightly. “Hashirk.” was all the voice said and the Breen stood and walked out of the room.

Eryn turned and walked out with Vonn. She waggled her fingers and winked at one of the guards they weren’t supposed to see. She didn’t do it to the others, that would be insulting and too telling. As they stepped back into the bizarre she lifted the bag higher on her shoulder, balancing it more evenly. As they walked she made note of the vendors she hadn’t passed earlier. She noted a few to return to later for the metal sculpting things she would need. Those things could wait though.

Once outside, Vonn said “Living quarters is next on the list. Lower end is more anonymity, higher quality is less but more security. How do you wish to proceed?”

Vonn

“Lower end provides it’s own type of security. The people tend to keep to themselves but they observe a lot and are more sideways loyal than ‘better’ neighborhoods. We can always add our own security measures.” And higher end, as he said, was less anonymity, and with Intel and others potentially coming looking that was bad. Not to mention that folks living in higher quality areas tended to see a badge and felt secure in passing over information. Eryn had no idea if that trend held on Oed. Oed had a reputation for being different. “My habit is to lower end unless our personages” she waved a finger between them, meaning their cover stories, “require higher end. But I think we must first consider our visitor.”

Eryn

“You obviously haven’t been to OED before.” came the flat reply. “The lower end here will sell their own children if the latinum is right… and do. Loyalty is only paid for… and if that dries up for any reason, then the payer becomes a liability. But yes, let us consider our visitor… but somewhere less crowded.” and they began leading her out of the marketplace.

Vonn

Eryn waved her hand as if clearing the air. “That’s exactly what I mean. It’s sideways loyalty. They are loyal only to themselves and who pays the most. But once you’re established as a part of the environment and someone comes messing with things they will notice. They won’t necessarily help you, but they will help themselves by watching and adjusting their behaviors accordingly. That alteration in behavior is just as valuable as information that might be bought from them. At least to an astute observer. On the flip side, the higher end is likely to give information away to anyone who carries a badge, real or fake, if they think it will ingratiate themselves. They rely too heavily on their technology and illusion of being ‘above’. They go blithely about their lives never noticing the disruptor at their back or stopping to help the child being bullied, the woman cruelly attacked just to scare her, or the actual criminal that stops to chat just because they can. Even when things directly effect their lives their behaviors and routines never change.” Eryn shrugged, “Neither option is totally safe or totally dangerous. In the end, how comfortable do you want to be. Higher end will allow us more power draw and the ability to give you appropriate living accommodations.” She shrugged again weaving her way through the crowd as they left the marketplace. “No, I’ve never been to Oed, never anywhere near the system.”

Eryn