Page 26 of Captain's Treasure
“CaptainCyra? Where’s Captain Auvi or Varik?” The buyer was looking over her shoulder as if a male would suddenly appear so that he would have someone with whom he could conduct business. As if she hadn’t explained the situation prior to their arrival.
“As I explained, Captain Auvi is deceased. I was his designated heir. Your shipment is in perfect condition and ready for delivery. I just need the payment and delivery instructions.”
“I’ll have to review the contract. It appeared that the delivery wouldn’t arrive, so we dropped our original storage location. And I need to verify our payments to this point.”
“Of course. We will be on-planet for the next few cycles. If you elect not to receive the shipment in the next twenty hours, we’ll be posting the cargo for sale as our contract allows. There will be no refund of credits paid to this point.”
“Are you threatening me little girl?”
Cyra’s knees went weak at his authoritarian tone. She stiffened. “It’sCaptain Maejzur, and no, I’m not threatening you. I’ve reviewed our contract and I’m just reminding you of the provisions within.”
Habarek grunted. “I’ll be in touch.”
“I look forward to concluding our business.” So much. She couldn’t get on the other side of that contract fast enough.
Cyra was shaking but she wouldn’t let the bastard see it. He probably knew the contract as well or better than she did, testing to see what he could get away with. One thing she hadn’t considered was that there may have been more than one partial payment. She’d review the records with Veda and send the asshole a final invoice so that if he did pay, they’d get all the credits that were owed. And she absolutely had to secure another contract, immediately.
Cyra went to the bar near the dock to start networking. She could check cyber site postings, but Captain Auvi always got his best contracts by word of mouth. Anyone could post a job, but talking to someone in person was much more likely to seal the deal. With any luck, she’d also get some gossip on her client and his likelihood of stiffing her on the payment. What would she do with the damn spiders if he reneged and another buyer couldn’t be found?
Let them out in the lobby of that damn building.
Tempting, but the potential for innocents to be hurt would stop her from doing anything so bold.
The tiny bar was squeezed in between manufacturing warehouses. The door looked like salvage from an old ship, but she recognized the name from stories Auvi had told. Crain’s. If this was the right place. Not like the name was that unique. The inside was dark, and she paused to let her eyes adjust. The occupants varied from workers clearly coming off a shift of gritty labor to lifelong drinkers, with a smattering of more sophisticated types engaging in mid-cycle meetings away from their businesses.
Not the only female, but still a bit out of place, she sat at the bar and ordered a house cocktail. Auvi had told her that bartenders liked it when you trusted their mixing skills and were willing to pay a little extra for a nicer drink. It also gave her something to break the ice and talk to them with. This bartender was an odd-looking creature, four arms, an ovoid head that supported thick tendrils of not quite orange…hair? She wasn’t sure if it was male or female. Didn’t matter. This being would be her new friend by the time she finished her drink.
“What do you wish to drink?” The voice told her no more than the appearance. Gray, somewhat oily looking skin and large dark eyes.
“Do you have a special, house cocktail? Something that I can only get here?” Cyra leaned forward and smiled.
“Do you have any allergies?”
“Um, no, not that I know of.” That was an odd question.
A few moments later a layered drink of purple, iridescent blue and a white foam was placed in front of her.
“Wow. This is beautiful. What’s in it?”
“Taste it and I’ll tell you.”
Cyra sipped from the special straw that had a small hole at each layer, resulting in a perfectly mixed mouthful. “Oh my god, that’s good.” It reminded her of her home planet, tropical and fruity, with a hint of an ocean breeze.
“I call it the Auvi. There was a captain who used to come in here sometimes when he had a shipment. He was an odd specimen, like me. Only he was…”
“A fleshy being with dark blue circles rimmed in brown all over his body. His eyes matched his marking, and he had multiple appendages he could use as arms or legs.”
“You know him?” the bartender asked with a gasp.
“I did.” A pang of loss ricocheted through her. “He passed away and left me his ship. I’m Cyra, Captain Cyra.”
“You’re Cyra? He told me about you.” Their hand wrapped around hers, cool and smooth. “I am so sorry he’s gone. He loved you.”
“I loved him too.” She sniffed back her tears. “I miss him more than I can say.”
“He was very good to me. I feel your loss. But what are you doing on Morgual?”
“Dropping one of the last shipments Captain Auvi contracted.”
