Went to the trade meeting at Bootleggers Bar in MacLaren. A lot of traders show up and people looking to be crew. Cody and Kerm show up for the drinking I suppose.
Teetop and Brooke was there. Sentry is part of their crew now and the local rep of their company on MacLaren I think. They were interviewing some gal to be part of their crew. I am not sure what she would be doing that would be useful, she all but admitted that many people are angry at her.
Cursa was chatting up the Companion Acolyte, Akasha. Akasha is nice, we have visited on Hale and Caliban also. Girl circulates. Brazen came by and some Darthish type fellow Colonel something or other.
I think Kerm and Cody were drunker than most or drunker than usual or... well, they were drunk. Kerm was going to drink something call Tequla, I hooked him up with proper Tequila. Savages in the border and rim.
Sentry told me that the Alliance SIU woman came sniffing around for him again. Major Salmionedes has been kind of dogging my steps too, but to interrogate, uh question, uh interview, uh chat with me. I explained that this is not going to end until we serve up a body to SIU that placates them. Kerm had some overly optimistic opinion about his romantic prowess, suggesting that it would have some effect. He was drunk, I was kind and let it pass. I might not be able to find the Major the relics of Saint Zenobius that she wants, but I think we are getting close to tracking down the organ leggers. I am hoping I can serve them up and get her breathing down someone else's neck.
I was in a good mood because I got paid by the Bihar Sanctuary for some easy peasy work. Hauling some art that the Zenobians has stashed in their various "summer residences". The Bihar Sanctuary is having an art exhibit officially opening October 1st about 19th Century "Orientalist" Paintings. Mostly European artists renderings of the Middle East and North Africa. I went over the advertising sign with Miya at Caliban.
Zeno brought me to the Zenobia Space Station via express transit. Must be urgent to spend that kind of money on me. She showed me the copy of Zeno's old wanted poster from when she ran cargo with Coop. We discussed that she probably still have open warrants and only her job as Zenobia's Estate Manager was giving her immunity. She better hold onto that job. Major Salminonedes left some veiled messages for me also. Only a matter of time.
Zeno was spooked and wanted to talk, but was worried about eavesdropping and other monitoring. She had to look at the Art Exhibit the Zenobian were sponsoring in Bihar, so we decided on there. The Bihar Sanctuary is not quite a Luddite Settlement, but not a lot of low tech. It is a safe place to talk. It's a beautiful place, if you can excuse the rain, the bats and the snakes. We spoke quietly about what we should do and our option between coffee and wondering what Odalisks and Almeh's were. Vascha from the Companions Guild came by while we were talking. She is very pregnant btw.
Zeno had to leave and Vascha gave me an application to be a companion acolyte. The cultural aspects are appealing, but I don't think I am appropriate for.. you know... that ... moving on.
Back from Bihar, We stopped to refuel the Behemoth and pick up some transhipment at Gateway Station over Shadow.
Sure enough, Major Pepper. Normally I would say she is tailing me, but Gateway is the crossroads. I don't know what the current jurisdiction is with the Alliance and Serenity Station, Gateway Station, Shadow or open space, but I decide its best to not act in a furtive manner and create reasonable suspicion. We chat.
Pepper knew my record. She knew I had no criminal record and had proven that I cooperated with Authorities. I actually got a permit to salvage the derelict "Persephone". When it turned out that it was being used for organ legging, I forwent the profit and turned it over to the authorities. I am still in trouble with the salvage brokers over that, even though it was a setup of some sort. She showed me a security picture of me wearing a Dharma Initiative uniform with Zeno, Coop and Desmond Serenity. Pepper thought it was incriminating. I told her that I didn't see how. Desmond Serenity is a public figure and the Dharma Initiative is a registered charity. She recommended that I cease my association with them. She seemed to think they had something to do with some terrorist activity and that collecting reaver bodies in Hale was suspicious. She had a copy of the photograph from Gallagher's desk showing Gallagher's old army unit. Desmond was in the photo too. I explained that it was not surprising. The Dharma Initiative was formed by veterans to take care of veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and head injuries.
Pepper alternated between subtle intimidation and hamhanded attempts at trying to build rapore and trust with me. She knew about my family being massacred by reavers and that it was denied by the local Alliance Garrison. Thus I have some trust issues in similar circumstances. When I sniff expediancy, I tune out. I may have been harsh with x0x0 and Seana when LilyBell was kidnapped because they exuded that Alliance type vibe. I have felt less safe ever since. My family's death was covered up as a convenience, I wanted the facts. Pepper agreed to get my the real file in exchange for some info.
I was at the Saint Zenobius Chapel with Zeno when Mirra was setting up the scanning equipment, but I have been out of the loop about the results. Everything else I knew has been rumor, gossip, hearsay, conjecture and guesses.
I could tell that the Major was disappointed that I had nothing to add that she did not already know. I told her that I really can't go around asking about the relics, it would compromise finding them. She rattled off some names. I recognized one of them, Ardra.
I explained about the illegal organ legging network and how Ardra was the transhipper thru the same salvage broker I used (not anymore). My cousin Moira managed to find links to an unregistered organ transplant company and the "Angels of Mercy" Medical Research Facility. I told her that I would be happy to turn over copies of the manifests. I wanted a copy of the real file from my family's massacre and I wanted these people put down a deep dark dirty hole of a prison to rot until the end of time. The Major made a backpedal statement. She blew it and I told her so. These Alliance goons are so turned around they can't even talk straight.
Their job is to protect the law and the establishment, not me. I don't go on these missions for fun. I can't trust these people to have my back. There is no rule of law. There is only the veneer of civility and the affectation of rights. I give them what they need and they serve me up to the dogs. If this is to end, I have to end it, not trust the authorized representatives.
Krenshar showed Captain Griffy and I his clone projects. Krenshar was missing a brain and was having to stall the Alliance who wanted to pick it up.
I knew who had it. LilyBell talked to me about it the other day. This was the bait I needed. Sufficiently coveted. Hopefully my friends would be able to back me up.
I ran into LilyBell, who was wearing some fancy threads, new hair and wearing some metalic makeup.
LilyBell showed off her new look to Raids in Firefly's.
Hey, is this Raids in Firefly's....
....and this Raids in Seana's Office the same Raids or different?
I ran around Hale and the tunnels with LilyBell. I am not sure the purpose of this, but we do this a couple or few times a month for some reason.
I show LilyBell the gold coins I got from Mr. Tevya at Bihar. LilyBell told me that AuroraBlue was visiting. I never managed to run into her. I was never really close to AuroraBlue, but worried about her.
LilyBell and I went someplace private where we would speak confidentially. I explained the troubles with the organ leggers and how the day after Gallagher started investigating it, he was shot down in his own office. LilyBell talked in circles a little bit, but wouldn't help me out. I told her that I was disappointed that she did not want to help me or catch Gallagher's shooters. She then brandished weapons and angrily suggested I leave. She had her own priorities, whatever they are.
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