as written by Calcos, Saarai, and Lialore
Thalgan strolled up to the pub, a thick, fur-hemmed coat draped around his frame as he stumbled in, kicking the snow off of his boots on the wall outside. Arrora and Veshi weren't far behind him, and the trio prepared to enter the building and out of the cold.
Thalgan spotted Lars, Hesh, and a girl he didn't know as he made his way to the door. "I made it," he said humorously.
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"That's very odd." Lars told Freja as she and the others entered before him. He cast a final glance at his watch and prepared to head inside until he heard Thalgan's voice.
"I hoped you would. I heard you were good." Lars said, offering the Mandalorian a nod. "Let's get started." He said, heading inside.
Hesh stood beside Jacob, nodding to Thalgan before trying to push the Englishman along towards the bar. It was clear, not to Jacob, that Jacob wasn't part of the meeting.
"Here's fine." Lars said, taking a seat at a table near the entrance.
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If Lars found the sentiment odd, she was sure he’d be baffled by the gift itself.
Freja chose her seat and sat to Lars' left, leaning back against her coat that was folded over the chair. She watched Hesh not-so-discreetly usher Jacob away with an amused expression, but she averted her gaze before she got irritated by the barmaid’s squinty self. The woman’s flaw annoyed her far more that it should of.
She eyed the newcomers instead, recognising them by sight mainly due to the female of their company. With one of the world’s freshest mass murderers.
‘Fine’ – it’d do - was how Lars described it. The place smelt too much like men and beer and still, that lingering fishy aroma for her liking.
Her arms itched to fold, but the hope of some injected enthusiasm had her sit up and prepare to listen.
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Thalgan took a seat at the table, with Arrora taking the chair at his right. Veshi continued to stand, his arms crossed in front of him as he stood back a good couple of feet from the table, his attention firmly on the group.
Arrora was all smiles, as usual, not wasting a moment to have the waitress bring her a glass of the "good stuff." Thalgan, on the other hand, was all business.
"Let's get started. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can move on to getting paid."
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"I got paid a visit by someone, or something, earlier. They want to take us down." Lars began, "Most of what needs to be done is already done though." He continued, looking to Freja.
"Freja, you're arresting Jacob and turning him over to the authorities after he tries to continue his part in a terrorist campaign." He explained, "Thalgan, my employer wants to steal you as needed. She likes you." Lars told the Mandalorian.
He looked back at Jacob, "He's been told by his people to kill whomever is in charge where you take him, Freja. Kill him immediately and save them. Endear our mutual friend to the world."
"She is not the old guard. Things are changing."
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By the time he’d finished talking, Freja’s head had took on its usual tilt of interest.
When Lars looked to Jacob, she set her own eyes on Hesh for a long moment. They then slipped back.
She nodded – serious - and smiled sincerely. For such instruction to be the thing to bring out her genuineness should have been a troubling sign. And there was that childish smugness at having something important to do that she wasn’t sure she was hiding so well.
“I always knew I was the hero” she said, the sarcasm breaking her strange shift.
If anything, her only worry about what had been said was the visitor.
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"Depending on your point of view." Lars said to Freja, "Who you take him to is up to your discretion after he reveals himself as a player in the game. I suggest giving him to the Aschen. And then you put him down."
Lars said, standing slowly.
"They may not like the Invictus, but the idea of change in leadership may be enticing. Especially if this new leadership is willing to aid them." He continued, "Mr. Breux is going to wire payment as soon as I make contact with my employer." He then told Thalgan.
"Lay low. You're a wanted man in some circles, I'm assuming."
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Thalgan nodded, smiling as his well-deserved recognition was put out in the open; not that he was the boasting type, but it was always a proud moment for him to hear when he had done well to please his employer. He also found himself amused that he was now a wanted man; it wasn't his first choice of things to be, but he would own it. "I'll be ready to go again once things cool down. Or not. Doesn't matter to me one way or the other, so long as I get paid for what I do next."
Arrora cast him a sidelong glance, a smirk crawling at her lips as well. She knew Thalgan had to be relishing the fame and/or infamy he was building for himself. She was already three drinks deep into the evening and thinking about how she would try her luck with the Mandalorian again later on, now that he had some time off from killing people.
All previous attempts up to that point had failed.
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Another nod, slower this time. Entangling with the Aschen, with their nature, probably wasn’t going to be the simplest of routes. On a technical and personal level. But for the reputations involved, it’d be worth it. She’d need to think some more.
Freja watched Thalgan calculatingly from across the table. She was perfectly happy to admit that she loved money. Especially gold – coins used to be her trademark weapon. There was little she wouldn’t do for it. But she’d bet a lot of it on this person doing more for it.
“Soon you’ll be able to buy your own planet, far, far away from all the people that want to murder you” she said to him, jokingly bright.
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Lars nodded once, beginning on his way towards the exit. "My part is done." He said as he left. Hesh and Jacob watched the man leave, Hesh having kept the Englishman distracted.
"You remember what Hannibal needs you to do?" Hesh asked, finally breaking his silence. "Yeah, I remember. Can we leave now?" Jacob asked, "We missed all the debriefing." He said.
"I doubt we missed anything important." Hesh said, eyeing Freja and then Thalgan.
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Freja got to her feet as the door swung shut behind Lars. She took her time, picking up her long coat and folding it over her left arm then pushing the chair back to its original position carefully. With a final, playful look to the remaining triple, she left the table in a swish of blonde ponytail.
Now would come the most unpleasant part of this task: acting like she had some care left in her.
Trust would be handy here, but, she knew that was unlikely. Still, she thought some kind of watered down trust could be bought. It usually started with the batting of eyelashes or biting of lips.
She made it obvious that she was approaching with her strides, her expression arranged into one of thoughtful contemplation which broke into a smile with an elusive, nasty sheen as she drew closer. There was no point in acting innocent. Few people fell for that. Especially not people who knew what she was involved in.
“He doesn’t mess around” she said about Lars, coming to a stop near Hesh and Jacob. She didn’t look at them at first, just brushed a hair from her coat.
“Are you heading off now? I think the snow picked up…” Freja trailed off, her observation holding no concern like it might had it been said by most other people.
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A young man with sandy brown hair entered the bar, garbed in loose-fitting jackets and large, blackened boots. The licks of ash bruising his cheeks and neck over a sheen of dried sweat suggested he'd just come from a long day of work. A miner, no doubt. He took a passing glance at the gorgeous blonde sauntering across the bar (who wouldn't) before assuming a seat on a stool near the counter and ordering a pint.
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"I can stay if you'd like, bird." Jacob said to Freja, deciding to put on his sleazy charm. Jacob usually had his father's money to help him with the money. Without it he was just like every asshat hitting on women in a bar.
"We should go." Hesh said to Jacob, "We have work to do." He added.
Like Lars, Hesh was serious about his work. He was very clearly a military man. It was just a mystery which military he once belonged to. His accent wasn't much of an indicator, it wasn't the most authentic.
It was a cover for Hesh.
"Don't be like that. We can stay for the lady." Jacob said.
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“Oh. It’s fine” Freja tweeted along after swallowing a cringe. “I was just going to stay and enjoy the weather and the scenery.”
She genuinely would enjoy the weather, but the gist she was going for - as demonstrated by the busying tavern – was that staying inside was the only way to enjoy this weather. Suggesting heavily that Jacob had just lost out.
“But if I’m not going to have any company I might as well get going too” she said, beginning to unfold her coat.
Her mourning over the lost good obsidian would be short lived. She could find her sister a gift elsewhere. Abigail always insisted she hated birthdays anyway. More time to evaluate this one was more important, and if she was paid for this job before the date, then perhaps her sister would have even more to look forward to. She wondered idly on the possibilities, her eyes passing just as frivolously over the sooty newcomer at the bar.
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The newcomer sipped his ale slowly, as if unsure if he wanted to be consuming the absurd amount of alcohol packed into the near-overflowing pint. He took off his mitts and rubbed his hands together, warding off the cold. He put his hands underneath the counter and scooted himself closer.
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"That's for the best." Hesh said, staring daggers at Jacob. It was clear that he didn't want to stay longer than they needed to. Especially not if Jacob was going to be trying to have sex with their current allies.
There were things to get done. A mission to complete.
"Another time. He'll call you." Hesh told Freja, Jacob sighing in disappointment and acknowledgement of the fact that with Hesh around he wouldn't get to have fun.
But, he did have a point. Jacob was trying to get back into his father's good graces. He couldn't get distracted. Even if the distraction was sexy.
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“I suppose. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing to get a head start myself” Freja started as she began to unfold her coat.
“He can try to call me” she then said with a sly undertone. Even if she hadn’t been playing a game, that still would’ve stood. She wasn’t the easiest person to get hold of.
Jacob really did seem to be wound around some fingers. Maybe this would be even easier than she’d originally thought.
The coins in her pockets made music as she went to put on her coat.
“Mind if I catch a ride out with you?”
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Jacob looked to Hesh for an answer to Freja's question. The enigmatic mercenary nodded in approval. Freja was an asset, helping her out helped out Hesh and his mission.
"Great. You can bunk with me, love." Jacob said to the woman. Hesh gestured to the outside, their vehicle not far from the tavern.
"We need to go soon. Tight schedule." Hesh said.
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Great.
Freja nodded without much commitment, not entirely trusting the way her words would come out if she replied. Her coat then settled on her shoulders after a swish and a waft of something apple-smelling.
She only really had a bag to collect, but it was probably time she dosed up too. Tentatively, she tested her reserves. Blue lines, visible only to her, shot from her chest where she now felt a comforting glow. Each led the way to a possible, strange salvation. There weren't many. This city was mainly wooden. She watched them for a couple of seconds; those attached to rings, tankards, and hidden weapons dancing now and again. But yes, she could feel that she was low. And her method of administration wasn't best for public spaces.
She stopped burning.
She shot them both a smile.
"I'll be outside in fifteen."
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"I'll be outside in fifteen..."
The patron's head inched to the side, something black glinting in his irises. He turned back to his drink and finished the last few sips of his pint.
"Excuse me," he spoke quietly to the bartender, "where's the bathroom?"
The burly tender pointed the way. The man scooted off of the stool and labored to his feet.
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Fifteen." Hesh said, making his way to the exit. He practically forced Jacob to follow him despite never laying a hand on him. Just a quick beckoning gesture towards the young man prompted him to follow.
Hesh and the young Englishman walked back to their vehicle, climbing inside to join their driver.
"We're waiting for someone." Hesh told the driver.
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Freja savoured the cold as she went, boots leaving slushy tracks and coat flapping about her calves. It would probably be a while before she saw snow again. She administered herself as she rounded the first corner which led onto the street her tavern stood. There was a tiny smash as she stood on the discarded vial that she’d just used. It seemed to disappear into the snow.
There wasn’t much to collect. A bag. Another one; a small collection of gear. And a black umbrella.
She stopped below her balcony, took out her key, and dropped a coin onto the floor.
Eleven minutes later, she climbed into the vehicle.
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As she stepped into the car, the man from the bar stumbled out of the entrance - clearly a bit whoozy. He crossed towards the vehicle, tripped in the snow and fell flat on his face, picked himself up, kicking a bit of snow on the bumper of car as he rose. Shaking his head and mumbling something under his breath, he kept walking.
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Hesh watched the drunk man carefully, tapping the driver on the shoulder to indicate that it was time to leave. The vehicle drove off, making it's way down a road that would lead it out of town.
"Contact the others. Let them know we should arrive within two Terran hours." Hesh said to the driver.
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The car left. The man walked over to where Freja had been, reaching down into the snow and retrieving the discarded vial. He pocked it, looked in the direction the car had gone, then disappeared into an alleyway.
