Void's Edge felt familiar. The light was dim, but not too dim, a soft color like a hazy morning day, with shadows rolling over the spots where tables were set up. The gray of the concrete floors was mirrored in the chairs and tables, but with a light maple color to the table tops and surprisingly soft and comfortable seating. I immediately felt right at home, as I found a booth in the far corner and sunk into the cushions.

I could see myself being a regular here, grabbing a meal and a drink, seeing my buddies, talking shop or making deals. Of course, I knew that in reality this was one of the most dangerous places on Itokawa, but it just didn't have that vibe about it. I realized this might be intentional too, so I noted that I would need to keep my guard up.

@golfswinger and @horsehead were not too pleased with my arrangement, but since I had a copy of @zerogstar's data and the Thrusters were just passing me over to another contact, they had agreed. I suspected that this was in part because they still had no intention of letting us off Itokawa, but that was a future problem. They were just a barrier for me, thugs that @diamonddocker tipped off - not my real target anyway.

@zerogstar and @foxcutter stayed back at Earth's Appraisal. I appreciated finally being alone. After the hundreds of years being a solo Wavepilot, I had gotten used to the silence and comfort of my own thoughts.

Once I arrived at Void's Edge, I immediately ordered a hibiscus lemon happy bevvy to help me forget about the potatoes of Psyche, the responsibilities of a new crew, the zombie virus, and my negotiation with the Thrusters. @golfswinger had left me with @horsehead as my "price to pay." She held a gun to my head and made me pay homage. I had to drop to my knees to present @horsehead with my gravity hammer and lick her salty and oil smudged fingers, while she neighed like a horse and stomped the ground. I don't think anyone ever wondered what to get her for her birthday. If I ever returned to Itokawa, I'd bring apples with me and a bucket for her to poop in.

I closed my eyes and took a nice long chug of the hibiscus lemon drink, letting the cool taste run down my throat, trying to reset myself. It was just me and the background noise of a bar. But I couldn't quite escape the pressures and anxiety of being a Vanquisher.

I needed a lead. I needed to find the lab and stop the virus. It wasn't just me. I knew the Extrovert Starmada would be doing more than just relying on me, but the pressure felt real. If I did get the lead I needed, then that would set off more troubles. I had to escape. The Pharaoh was waiting for us with the rest of my crew. I had to hope @foxcutter and @zerogstar would make it. I had to sell @bitchfrog! And then I had to make sure I could rescue her.

I could feel my fingers trembling and my heart rate increase. A few more seconds of sitting with my eyes closed, and I could start to feel the effects of the happy bevvy, calming my nerves. I would be more focused but a little slower, but it was a fair trade compared to complete panic.

"Ugly as a rock, huh?" I heard a voice say, catching a slight draft of air from movement as someone sat down across from me. It was the woman from the Cosmic Gutter. She was wearing her long brown hair down now, with a simple brown t-shirt and jeans.

I opened my eyes and smiled, but inside I cursed to myself. I was still working on calming myself, but I knew that if things worked out in my favor, I'd be meeting someone. The real question was, Is it this woman?

"You weren't here at ten."

"No, I wasn't," I said, matter-of-factly, setting my drink down. "I got caught up, but I made it. I'm glad you're still here." At least, I think I am, I thought to myself.

She laughed. "I didn't wait around for you. I work the night shift here."

I shrugged. "Well, at least now I know where to find you." I took another sip of my drink and sat quietly, while she looked me over, trying to practice my be quiet and let others speak way of extracting information.

"You gonna ask me out or what?" she finally asked.

Oh, so this was kind of a date-type situation. I certainly couldn't be going on dates, and if I did, I wanted it to be with @auroraloon, assuming she wouldn't kill me first.

"You're not from here. You should get used to people here taking what they want." She smiled again, tapping her fingers on the table. "Hmph," she grunted. "Or not."

"I'm here on business," I said, waiting for my brain to process the situation.

"You're not that attractive anyway," she replied, standing up and waiting next to the table. "Just better looking than a rock."

I wasn't sure what to do. I hadn't asked anyone on a date in the last fifty years or so. It just wasn't something a Wavepilot had the luxury of doing. I had to wonder if that was something I even wanted in life. But a quick reflection told me that it was. I needed to get used to other people, and I surprised myself by acknowledging that maybe finding someone to love was a good thing. I probably wouldn't ever see @auroraloon again anyway. Why waste an opportunity? Sure, the timing was completely off, but maybe that's what made it the perfect time.

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I started out strong. "Um," I said.

She tilted her head at me.

"Sorry," I continued. "I just wasn't expecting this."

"Neither was I," she replied. "But people happen."

My brain was spinning and the happy bevvy didn't help. I started thinking of options. I could show her my ship. We could play a game. I could invite her to dinner. Maybe a stroll along the gardens?

"I have bubble wrap," she said.

I think she saw my brain explode.

She started laughing uncontrollably, drawing attention from others in the bar. I watched helplessly while everyone noticed me. I guess if I had a contact to meet, they would know exactly where to find me.

"I was going to suggest maybe a walk through the gardens." My face was flush, and I suddenly was very aware of the look on her face, the shift in her posture as she managed to stop herself from laughing.

She placed her hand on the table. "A walk it is," she said. "I get off at eight. if you want to hang for a few hours, we can meet up when my shift ends."

I smiled and finally took a breath. @kittyboy, the Vanquisher, fearless in the face of death. Terrified in the face of women.

"That's perfect," I lied. I knew I'd have to run out of here if I successfully made contact, but it felt good, it felt like personal progress, and I knew that I would indeed walk with her if my lead didn't pan out.

She walked away back toward the bar, and I watched her go, satisfied with myself. Then I looked down to grab my drink and saw that she had left a note on the table on a tiny piece of paper. I reached over and slid it away from the small puddle that had formed around my drink, holding it there for a moment. Despite the scene she had made, no one was looking at me now. I wondered how much of that was just for show and how much was authentic. I thought I knew the answer, since I didn't even get her name.

Am I that gullible? I asked myself. I probably am. Years of being a Wavepilot hadn't done me any favors in how to interact with others. My life experience was fly, shoot, die. I suddenly felt very much like a child in a world full of immortals.

Shake it off! You are bright. You are brilliant. You are amazing. I took another sip of my drink, closed my eyes again, and centered myself. Finally, I slid the paper over and looked at it.

Dream of love, son of Venus and Mercury. XOXO

I stared at it, nervously. Only thing to do was see how this played out with the ugly rock woman. Was she being really direct with me? Was this a message for @wrench from my contact? I still didn't know, but I got the feeling this wasn't just about going on a date.

I ordered another happy bevvy, orange flavored this time, and a small plate of synthetic bacon and sourdough toast. My server was noticeably not the woman I met, who wandered in and out from time to time, glancing my way occasionally.

The place was getting a bit busier. A small morning crowd flowed into the bar, one or two people at a time, looking for breakfast and a bloody mary. The smell of food started to take over the smell of smoke and dirt. I suspected most of the people here had been around since the evening. New faces appeared from the back rooms as well, exiting in twos or threes, a few sitting at tables to order while others left to get on with their days. The food was what you'd expect at a place called the Void's Edge. It wasn't bad, but it was greasy. I needed coffee to wash down the toast.

As I flagged down my new server, a man walked slowly past my table. "Look for the shoe maker," the man said. "He'll keep an eye out for you." He placed a pack of old fashioned cigarettes down on the table. "Keep this with you."

I tried to study his face, memorize his features, but he only turned briefly toward me when he spoke, and I hadn't been looking. It happened so quickly that even playing it back in my mind, I could only recall bits. He had long brown hair with bits of gray, a slight beard. His jeans were noticeably clean, and he had a long army green duster that hung down to his knees.

My first thought was to get up and follow him, but then I remembered where I was. Had she been looking at me when the man walked past? I thought so. How many other people here were watching me?

I pocketed the cigarettes in the inside pocket of my leather jacket. They would be trackable most likely, or something I needed to show. Surely I would know what to do when the time came.

The shoe maker?

I had no idea who that was, but again, I could research that on my way to wherever we were going. I got my coffee and finished my breakfast calmly, thinking about my plan for what was next. My intention was to go on my garden walk, assuming that was still happening, and then create a scene and run for my life. I wanted to see the ugly rock woman for a few reasons. One, she was starting to grow on me. Two, maybe she had more intel for me.

I told myself I was foolish for reason number one, but I agreed to let myself be foolish. I looked at the note again.

Dream of love, son of Venus and Mercury. XOXO

My databases told me that the son of Venus and Mercury was Eros. Processing that along with the message from the man, it started to make more sense to me. Eros was very much an Introvert asteroid. Its orbit even carried it "close" to Earth, by asteroid standards. Its very nature as a love destination made it the obvious choice for human trafficking. I didn't like obvious, but it was all I had to go on. Besides, this wasn't even my primary goal. I was just following the trail, contact by contact, to find the aiways being shipped off to the zombie starlab. If the flow led to Eros, I guess I was going to Eros.

I added a quest to my log. Go to Eros. Look for the shoe maker.

To my surprise, at eight in the morning, the ugly rock woman waved to me from the entrance to Void's Edge, a black jacket flung over her arm, motioning for me to join her.

I stood up and downed the last bit of cold coffee from my mug. Then I headed off to the exit, ready for a new adventure, wondering what in the world I was going to say to her.