(Page 1 of 4) Stellar Dust 5 - An Old Friend by Isaac Orr
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SUMMARY: Stryler encounters an old friend on Delta 2 and the pirates raid several cruise liners.Outer Systems Financial Services was not your average bank. It had a few branch offices scattered widely throughout the inhabited galaxy, several of them in the more densely populated regions of the Federation and the Empire. It had far more branches in more unusual areas though. Places like Roberts V Delta 2, for example, where they attracted a very specific group of clients.
Stryler already dealt with OSFS on a regular basis. In fact he had several accounts there. Pirates were not the only people who appreciated having a bank that kept less than accurate financial records, asked few questions and reported nothing to any government. He didn't want to pass on any of the details of those accounts to Loramy though, so he opened another. The few moments it took to sit at the service station and answer a few of the computer's questions while a retina and hand scan were taken were worth it.
Once that was done, he walked out of the small branch and was jostled by the bustle of pedestrians on one of Delta 2's busier commercial decks. He wandered for a while, stopping into a purveyor of personal weapons systems and other associated gadgets just to browse. Without the Duster, he wanted to conserve his financial resources to accumulate enough to make the down payment on a new craft as soon as possible.
He knew no one on Delta 2, and it was a while since he'd been anywhere near this region of the galaxy. Finding something to do to kill the time until the Anomaly's next departure was becoming difficult. He came upon the entrance to a bar and shook his head in response to an advance from a tall dark skinned prostitute next to the door as he entered.
It was still daylight cycle on Delta 2 and the place was emptier than he'd have expected given the common perception of pirates and how drunk most of the crew seemed to be after the last visit here. Still, the peace was welcome compared to the noise of the street outside. He walked over to the bar and took a seat.
The portly middle aged bartender came over to him after a minute. "What can I get for ya?" He asked as he dried a glass and placed it in its tray.
"Gimme an Orknards"
"Coming right up." The bartender poured the beer and put it down in front of Stryler, who took a sip.
The bartender leant back against a shelf and watched him and the other patrons of his establishment, making no real attempt at conversation. The folks who came here probably weren't much into idle chatter, Stryler decided as he drank his beer.
Someone moved up to the bar on his left side and he turned to look. She was staring straight back at him.
"Stryler? What the void are you doing here?"
Stryer blinked. "Elenia." He smiled. "It's been a while."
She grinned back and nodded, taking the seat beside him. "Sure has. What brings you to Delta 2?"
Stryler chuckled and took a gulp of his beer. "Didn't you hear? I'm a pirate now."
Elenia laughed. "Slugscrap. What's going on?"
He shook his head. "No, it's the truth. I lost the Duster, got press ganged.
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