Tower 07, Sonny Days Bar
Domitia doesn’t like bars.
They are full of loud, annoying people, who are usually too intoxicated for their own good. The food was nothing but empty calories, and the alcohol couldn’t affect her all too much. The only drink she ever had that had a real effect on her was Toakian Mushroom Wine. Only because it’s a mild neurotoxin, which causes the Legacy to have odd chemical reactions. It was like being drunk, at least Domitia thinks, it offered a strange, calming sensation, albeit she couldn’t really move all too well, and the room felt like it was spinning. She didn’t like it much.
So while Dell went downstairs she remained in the suite. With her partner gone Domitia went through the available reels and channels that were on the screen in the room. Not much in terms of things she likes, most of the reels were Space Knight reels or horror reels of some kind. She didn’t care for them too much, the former glorified mech pilots and bellators, and often just combined the two in some reels. It made her cringe, especially anything that depicted bellators as zealous defenders of humanity, screaming battle cries and not wearing their helmets. Horror reels were often boring for her, especially the ones centering around killers, like the Escape from Butcher Ship. She never liked how the characters seemingly lost all interest in living once they got on the ship, making the most foolhardy of decisions. Dell always told her there were good horror reels but they never got around to watching any.
The channels were no better, most were offline due to there being no Liminal Beacon. So no intergalactic net to broadcast reels or showreels. The local channels were also nothing but static, save for one. It’s a pirate station playing an eclectic collection of shows, most of them animated. The content ranged from child-friendly to more adult, but Domitia found a bit of nostalgia watching it. Despite her consciousness integrating with the legacy she still retains some memories of her life before being a bellator. One of those was watching similarly styled cartoons with her father. It wasn’t much, Domitia knew that, but it made her feel more human, having that foot in the past.
One show came on that caught her attention - Void Girl. It is the show she remembers the most; a girl who is given magical powers to fight evil that comes from a dimension called the Maelstrom. It’s corny, and a bit childish, that is certain, but Domitia can’t help but smile as Sage, the main character, fights evil monsters from beyond the Stars. She’s definitely the bellator’s favorite character - goofy, a bit dumb, but has a good heart and always tries to do the right thing.
Currently, the episode Domitia’s watching is about the ‘Wart Man’ who curses people with zits and warts that allow him to mind control them. He even infects Void Girl, she has a big zit on her face through a good portion of the episode, which she comically tries to hide under several layers of scarfs. Ultimately, she overcomes the Wart Man by becoming unafraid of the blemish, thus robbing it of its power and defeating him.
“Blemishes and pimples come and go, but just remember your beauty comes from your heart!” Sage declares as she blasts Wart Man into bits.
“Nooooo!” He screams as he is banished back to the Maelstrom.
Room service shows up with the Stark-Fish that Zac had recommended. She quickly turns off the channel before the waiter comes in. Dressed similarly to the bartenders, the waiter sets the platter of fish and steamed vegetables on the table in front of the couch. Domitia catches the waiter avoiding her gaze.
“Bon appetit.” He says before dashing out of the room, door closing.
Domitia sighs and turns the screen back on before eating her meal. The Stark-Fish is rather good, although it’s difficult to parse out the taste for Domitia. The same injury that gave her the scar across the left side of her face robbed her of most of her taste buds. Still, the meal is exactly what she needs, protein, vitamins, and fiber. Things she’ll need to help her body recover quicker.
She then took a shower, luckily the stall had every size in mind, including her own. As she washes herself she also checks for any scarring or any additional signs of internal injury. Her enhanced body does a good job fixing itself, although, bellators always need to be aware that Legacies aren’t perfect, especially a cloned one like her own. She’s heard tales of hands growing on backwards, or organs melding into one another. Fortunately, she hasn’t sustained an injury that bad in a while.
That injury was a head one, a lucky shot obliterating her helmet and taking half her face with it. As Domitia steps out of the shower, she looks in the mirror, running a hand down the uneven scar tissue that took its place. It bothers her a bit, her face, it’s rough, scarred, and somewhat unpleasant to look at. At least to her. She brushes such thoughts away as she dries herself off.
“I don’t need beauty for my profession,” Domitia mumbles to herself as she dries herself off.
Afterward, she goes to bed. It doesn’t really matter where she sleeps, she could sleep on the floor for all she cares. Yet tonight she found herself on the couch, eyes feeling heavier and heavier until she began to drift off to sleep.
----
In the bar, Dell is having the time of his life. The grumlian hadn’t had a real night on the town in years. Mayden never had a place like this, nor had any of the other shitholes Domitia and he had hunted in. As he took another long gulp of beer he couldn’t help but feel like he was back at home. Apart from the family again. Although his good feeling might have to do with the three beers, two whiskeys, and shot of... something strange, might have something to do with that.
He wasn’t alone, at some point, Sonny had joined him in the bar, bringing Dell up to his private booth which overlooks the whole of the bar. The pair of grumlians proceed to have a night spent drinking and waxing over the old days.
“You know...” Dell begins to say, losing his train of thought almost instantly, but getting it back just in time, “You know who I miss?”
“Who’d you miss?” Sonny asks, teeth clenching another stogie.
“Myra. You remember Myra?” Dell asks.
“Yeah... yeah...” Sonny takes a moment to actually remember Myra, “Yeah I remember Myra! Big thick thighs!”
“Father! You could get lost in ‘em.” Dell shakes his head, pantomiming, putting his face in between them, “Honestly... Not a bad way to die!”
“I wasn’t ever into those bigger gals,” Sonny admits, slumping back in his booth.
“Sonny,” Dell leans forward, “Aren’t you gay?”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Sonny nods, “Yep.”
“So... were you ever into girls?”
“Don’t think so.”
“So how can you have an opinion on something you ain’t even enjoying?” Dell leans forward, nearly falling under the table, “It’s just plain unethical.”
Sonny narrows his eyes and lurches forward, catching himself on the table, “You're going to lecture me on what’s unethical.”
Dell answers, “Yes,” He says so unblinkingly.
There is a pause for a moment as the two stare each other down before bursting out laughing. Dell leans back, beer in hand, and he downs the last of it. Once his eyes refocus he sees Worth standing beside the booth, crossing his arms as he patiently waits for the two of them to pick up that he’s there.
“Ah! Worth, shit, scared me.” Sonny shakes his head, “What can I do ya for?”
“Think I found my ship.” Worth answering plainly.
“That’s great to hear!” Dell cheers him, and tips the glass up to clench his thirst, only to find nothing in said glass to drink, “Darn...”
“So, you get it back, why come over and bother me about it?”
“Need your blessing, boss,” Worth leans in, whispering something into Sonny’s ear.
Dell’s eyes wander a bit before Sonny grabs the bounty hunter’s attention.
“Go back upstairs, rest, and sober up. I gotta job for you in the morning.” Sonny says, remarkably without slurring at all.
“Right... Uh... Shit...” Dell then starts to get up from the booth, “Will do.”
Getting out of the booth is a challenge, considering the level of drunkenness Dell is at. The booth feels like it’s trying to claim him as its own. The soft, black leather sank and bounced in ways his inebriated mind can’t really deal with. He eventually settles with simply rolling out of the booth and landing on his ass. The act sobering him up a bit, allowing him to get to his feet.
“I’m alright.” This is a lie, and while Dell believes it now, he will recognize it as a lie in the morning.
He stumbles his way upstairs, making his way down the hall like a drunken pinball. He smacks against the door, feeling like his legs are now on strike, he is just barely able to reach the handle and let himself in. Dell closes the door with little ceremony; he finds a nearby chair and crashes into it immediately. He feels his head start to spin, and his body begins to heat up. Dell knows he’s going to regret all this, but hey, he had a good time. It’s about then when suddenly he falls unconscious on that chair.
“Hey, get up.”
Dell blinks, eyes barely opening, not that he would want them to, everything is spinning. He lets out a groan as he sinks deeper into the leather of the chair.
“C’mon, up and at’em,” Another voice says, Dell thinks he recognizes it.
Before he can do anything else, or think anything, he feels something jab him in the arm, and a rush flow through his body. Suddenly everything stops spinning and his stomach settles. He jolts up, looking around as he sees Zac over him, injector in hand, a smirk on his face. Domitia is right behind him, clearly unamused with Zac’s actions.
“What did you inject my partner with?” Domitia asks ominously.
“Just a detoxifier. Helluva way to get rid of a hangover.” Zac says, looking back at Domitia, “Don’t give me that look, we can’t afford to wait. Clocks ticking.”
Dell stands up in the chair, feeling newfound vigor coupled with hunger, “Well, alright, I’m up now. Got a reason to inject me?”
“Sonny needs ya, he’s in his office,” Zac says.
“Oh shit right, I’ll be there in a minute,” Dell replies taking out his comb and making sure to fix his hair.
Zac leaves without another word, leaving Domitia and Dell a moment to collect their thoughts.
“Had fun last night?” Domitia asks.
“Blast.” Dell admits, “It was a blast. Been a while since I’ve been allowed to cut loose like that.”
Domitia nods, “Good. Sonny talk business at all?”
“Yes. Worth showed up, said something to Sonny, and now he’s got a gig for us.”
“A gig?” Domitia asks.
“I’m sure it’ll be mutually beneficial.” Dell defends Sonny, “‘Sides, he knows we got a gig ourselves. Pretty sure this will help us.”
Domitia hums, “I’ll trust your judgment.”
“Like I said, Dom,” Dell says, “Sonny is a good one. Know him well enough. If he’s got a gig for us, it’s cause he knows it’ll help him and us. A win, win.”
“Right.” Domitia nods.
“Alright,” Dell hops off the chair, “Let me piss, and will get going.”
---
The mood in Sonny’s office is different. With the storm gone, the hangar bay doors were now down, allowing for the sun to pour natural light into the office in the early morning. It’s beautiful, relaxing even, Dell having to nurse a cup of coffee to keep himself from falling back asleep. The fact that it’s real coffee and not synthesized chemical crap does a lot to raise his spirits.
Sonny does the same, working on his second cup as he starts talking, “So, here’s the deal. We found Worth’s ship. We also know where the thieves are.”
“Why haven’t you taken it back?” Domitia asks.
“Not in my turf.” Sonny admits, “Reverends are strict on where I can operate. Level thirty-seven ain’t in my jurisdiction. I can’t have any of my guys on that level.” He points a stubby finger at Domitia and Dell, “But you ain’t my guys.”
Dell understands immediately, “You want me to go in and snatch back the ship?”
“Partly. That’s your way out.” Sonny slides a data shard across the table, “That’s a master key, should allow you to get on board and get it started up.”
“What do you mean ‘way out?’” Domitia asks.
“Cause you’ll need a quick getaway, and taking the elevator up is out of the question,” Sonny explains, taking another sip of coffee. “Our thieves put it there to keep it out of our reach. So long as you don’t make a lot of noise, Reverends ain’t gonna notice. Snatch the loot, and throw it on the ship. Get the hell out of there and boom, we all get paid.”
Dell nods along, “Alright, like it, got a couple questions.”
“Shoot.” Sonny points a finger at Dell.
“Are we sure of the intel on this? Could easily be walking into a Ravenous Nest.” Dell asks.
“Got it from a good source. Will be yous guys’ help while you’re down there.” Sonny leans forward, “Tower Union workers saw ‘em stashing shit in a nearby container, probably waiting for a time to move it.”
“Sure they can be trusted?” Domitia asks.
Sonny takes a sip of coffee, “Positive. They hate the Reverends more than I hate my ex.”
“How will we find it?” Dell asks.
“Same way you’ll be getting down there.” Sonny explains, “Got a friend in the Union. Once you're down there, he’ll direct ya to the ship. Get the loot, and the ship, promise it’ll all be one helluva bonus on top of your payday.”
Dell looks up to Domitia, his partner eyeing Sonny with skepticism. She glances at Dell, raising an eyebrow, asking him if he trusts this. Dell, admittedly, sees this as risky, but what job doesn’t have a little risk associated with it. Still, it’s all very tempting and doesn’t sound too difficult to pull off. Whack some thieves, take their shit, and take the ship. Simple plan.
“Alrighty then. When do we step off?”