Sitting back, I had my new assault rifle loaded and in my arms. I carried my sniper on my back and my handgun in my holster. My shotgun was in its holster as well as I watched Ura talking to the men in question. The credits passed properly, and the delivery was made with both smiling. I didn't know what was in the package and did not care at this point.

This spaceship was both Ura’s and mine, and we needed the credits to pay for everything. I didn't know everything Ura was up to funding the ship, but she seemed happy with the profit margins at this time. The man or thing taking the goods was almost a ball-like creature with six legs that also seemed to act like hands. It was odd to see, and the things smiled coming from the ball. The mouth was at the front of this ball, and the hands or legs seemed able to retract into themselves. The ball was at least a meter and a half in diameter.

Barely able to stop myself from staring, I made myself look at the other guards he brought with him, including the labor. There were two guards with guns, seemingly only handguns on their hips, but they seemed wary of me. One was a human, while the other was a red humanoid I didn't know the race of. He looked almost human, except the proportions seemed wrong. His legs were too short, and his arms were too long. It was odd looking at them, but I didn't eye him for too long.

The two laborers were human men with muscle on them and skin-tight clothing on them. You could see everything on them, including a collar that made me think they were enslaved. They didn't look happy in the least to be here, but they operated the machinery without complaint as they slowly took the containers from the ship.

The ball smiled at Ura, “Fantastic delivery time, Ura. Your ship is quite fast,” He complimented, “Unfortunately, I have no deliveries that need such a short turnaround time. If I have a business colleague that needs an emergency delivery or a delivery to somewhere where the ports would rather not have our goods there, I will recommend you,” He finished.

“Mr. Rollingtop, I will appreciate that. If you ever have an emergency delivery, we will be your women,” Ura replied with a smile, and the ball brought his hand up to his face and waved in a way that almost resembled a salute. Ura nodded happily and reached out a hand, and the ball took it. They shook, and both smiled, “Have a great day,” A moment later, the ball left with the suspected enslaved people and the bodyguards.

The unsuspenseful interaction made me smile, and Ura replied with a smile of her turning to look at me. “That was an easy transaction. What do you plan on doing?” Ura asked.

“I plan to take a look into this bounty,” I told her truthfully, “I need to see if it is worth my time. I got some information earlier, and I think I can just hit him with a sniper bullet and kill this mage. I am looking forward to a bit of a challenge as well.”

Ura frowned a little before shaking her head, “I think it might be better not to do it here specifically because of the potential backlash but,” Ura sighed, “He doesn't have protection, then you should be fine.”

I smiled and came over, kissed her lips, and backed up. “I will be heading out for now; see you later,” I said, turning to depart with Ura frowning. I took a couple of steps, then turned, showing Ura the Tablet, and smiled, “Don't worry, you can contact me if you need to. Also, because I am Rish, I look normal carrying all of these guns. Don't worry,” I told her again, and Ura chuckled.

“Be Careful Sleepy Wonder,” She replied with a wry smile now, and I nodded.

“I will be back soon,” I told her, this time getting into the personnel access area, and I hit the button on the elevator to the east area of the station where my mark was active. I walked out of the lift into a much different area than before. This area was much more metal and had less grass than the previous area. Different races were moving about, and the places looked much dirtier.

I quickly realized the area I had been in before was the richer area of the Two Bit station. This was the slums and the true side of the pirate station. People were shouting out wares, and things looked like they needed to be cleaned. I walked out of the elevator quickly, and someone jumped in a moment later. The chaos in this area was quite evident, and I quickly realized I was far from the only one carrying weapons here.

Everyone carried something that looked like it could somehow be a weapon. Some were carrying staves, while others were guns. Some looked like they were battery-powered, while others looked to be death machines like Miniguns on some big people. I saw a little girl walking around with a giant machine that, if it was a gun, it was nothing less than heavy artillery.

I walked deeper in and looked around, seeing some restaurants but mostly many darker-looking businesses. Then I saw the business giving a free slave for killing this man. Chains and Shackles stood there with two large windows with women and men partially dressed. All the people in the window had collars around their necks that were sleek and stylish; I had to admit. They were all in different styles and wore clothes that, although sexual, covered everything. I walked past, knowing I was getting close to where I wanted to be.

A research lab nearby provided discreet services for those looking to experiment in the Two Bit station without being bothered. It was only a couple of businesses over, and I nodded to myself, noticing it. I found the lab, now called Discrete labs, with a business run by a Drow right beside the Research lab. It seemed it was a restaurant, and many were on the floor.

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It wasn't a business I would eat if it were in real life, but in the game, I was willing to risk it. I quickly walked up to the Dark blue drow man standing there with long ears and dark black hair swept to the side and in a ponytail. As I approached and smiled, the Drow was cooking an unknown meat over a hot stove.

“What ‘ould you be ‘av’in?” The Drow said in a drawl.

“Whatever you recommend,” I replied.

“‘En the Meat on the Grill,” The Drow replied to me, looking up at me and smiling with stained white teeth.

“Thanks,” I answered and pulled out my tablet and pulled up an image of my mark. “Mind telling me if you saw this man around?” I asked, posting the picture of the man.

The Drow's eyes narrowed, and I saw a sneer appear on his face. I could see the hate in his gaze and felt my adrenaline spike. “You lookin’ for a friend or enemy?” He asked slowly.

I looked him up and down and thought. “I ain't looking for no enemy or a friend,” I slowly replied as he continued cooking the food. “I am looking for information for another friend that isn't happy with this man,” I told him, and the man looked at me for a moment.

“That ‘ere is Oxrock, a Fellow Drow. That is all we ‘ave in common,” The drow said, slowly looking past me. He looked down at the food, making sure I couldn't see his mouth moving, it seemed. “Oxrock is currently in the building beside us,” He said, tilting his head towards the research lab. “‘E will be out in an ‘our or so. ‘e comes ‘ere and eats sometimes. Tell your friend to be careful. Rut’less one that Oxrock.” The Drow finished and looked up, plating the food on the counter and passing it to me. “‘At there costs you two t’ousand Fed Creds.”

I looked at him, and I decided to smile and nod. I was wondering if this was too easy or not to get some reliable information. If he was coming out in a couple of hours, then that was enough for me to set a kill on the door. The crowds would make the shot hard, but I would run if I didn't hit in the first shot. I decided to pay and see this through. It would be a risk, and I smiled, taking the meat in hand. It was hot, and I plopped the food in my mouth, burning my tongue as I yelped a little before eventually finishing it.

I quickly paid, but the Drow man grunted and turned away.

—-

Current Balance:

Federation Credits:189630

—-

I sighed, and I got up and walked away from the store. I looked around, finding a hotel over a hundred meters away, and asked the same question to the receptionist about Oxrock. She seemed not to recognize the man, so I went to a couple of other places to see if I could get an identity on Oxrock.

Reactions to his face mainly were like they didn't seem to know the man, so I stopped looking. Instead, after thirty minutes of asking other people, I walked to that hotel and booked a room. I quickly got a room and told her I was expecting a man to come and meet me. I gave her the name Dan and that he was allowed up to my room with a smile. The receptionist rolled her eyes and looked jealous before sending me on my way with a card.

My expression turned serious, and I got up to the third floor and turned towards the street-facing rooms. I noticed a balcony over the love hotel when I first came here and wanted one of those rooms. I was not lucky enough to get one, but when I walked up to a door heading to a door of a room that I wanted. I walked up and knocked quickly, and a moment later, the door opened.

The woman looked at me, startled and eyes wide. “Who are you?” She asked.

“I thought this was my room,” I said quickly.

The woman was in leather that was tight to her skin and had a whip in one hand, and I quickly realized what was happening. “He ordered two people?” The woman said with a sneer on her face. “Fucking clients like this can fuck off. I have already been paid and am not doing anything with a Rish. Too many bullets are included with you fucking Cats.” The woman, I realized, was human, and she reached out of sight and pulled out a purse. “Clients on the bed for you, Cat. Enjoy, I have already been paid,” the woman said smugly.

I watched her go, and I smiled. I walked in and let the door close behind me, and I noticed a card with the room number on it. I took it in hand and stepped into the room to see a naked man gagged on the bed bound. I walked by, ignoring the man, and smiled when I noticed he was also blindfolded. My smile grew, and I walked to the balcony, took my sniper off my back, and looked down into the crowd. I watched the laboratory thinking if this was a good shooting angle. The balcony was thick metal, making a great cover for a firefight.

That was when I realized an important trait about everything around me. All the balconies over stores and this hotel made great vantage points with strong cover in case of a firefight. These streets were meant to be invaded and defended in case of a Federal invasion. I smiled and leaned on the railing. This was not as good a spot to ambush Oxrock as I had hoped. But I blended in and had time to aim and shoot from here. If I waited with my gun out, I would be suspicious as hell. Now, I grinned and waited.

I frowned a moment later, not letting my happiness show, and a moment later, realizing how unhappy I was with the location. The problem was that there wasn't another good angle to shoot at the Lab that Oxrock went to. All others were businesses that didn't allow others to head up toward their balconies. There was no location I could get a sniper vantage point from the inside. The balcony here was not a window but a door I left open to look at the tied-up, gagged, and blindfolded man starting to groan, wondering where his Mistress was.

He was paid in advance, and I shook my head at the man while keeping my eyes on the lab. Instead, I was contemplating which gun I should use when or if he came out. I leaned back, thinking and watching for Oxrock, waiting for the Drow to leave his research lab. I wondered what the other Drow problem with Oxrock was for him to hate him when he saw the picture. I was also looking back into the room just in case I got ambushed as well, waiting.

I leaned back to wait for my mark.