Cantina

“I think he’s in here,” muttered Arado to Tumim as they entered the cantina and looked warily around the dimly lit lounge. The man they were looking for was sometimes hard to find particularly if he didn’t want to be found. He was also hard to define, sometimes mercenary, sometimes patriot. He was not just a loose canon he WAS the canon, a walking arsenal, armoured and reinforced and almost indestructible.

“Barkeep!” a voice bellowed from the corner, “Another flaming wookiee!”

“Ah, there he is,” said Arado nodding towards the man seated in the corner with a massive canon strapped to his back and black helmet sitting on the table.

The man finished another drink and slammed the empty on the table. “Barkeep!” he bellowed again.

Arado approached the man cautiously, “Colonel Auer…long time no see,” he said quietly

Colonel Serp Auer turned his head and raised an eyebrow, “Never thought I’d see you again Arado. You’ve changed a bit but I’d recognise you anywhere.”

“Mind if we sit down,” said Arado.

“Sit at your own risk,” said Auer, “I know why you are here and what you want.”

Arado and Tumim both raised their eyebrows and turned to look at each other with mild surprise then back at Auer.

Arado leaned across the table, “Colonel…there are three things I need from you. A pilot I can trust, some muscle and a set of Starfleet access codes. Can you help?”

Auer slid a data padd across the table, “I can provide the codes, the pilot and…well….” he looked down at himself and chuckled, “…a lot of muscle.”

Arado reached for the padd but stoped with his arm suspended over the table watching in stunned amazement as figure strode across the cantina directly towards them.

“Oh looks,” said the approaching man in an overly loud voice, “a family reunion!”

All three stared at the man, he was wearing a close fitting uniform with an unusual blue trim, he had the face of their Captain but they knew from his voice and attitude that he was not.

“Speechless, I know,” he said condescendingly, “I have that effect on people.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” said Arado through gritted teeth. “Why can’t you just go and stay in the 29^th century.”

“Oh that’s a fine way to say hello,” said the time-hopping Aimhigh Seelowe from the future. He pulled up a chair and sat down, “So who is leading this merry band of misfits?” he said smiling around the table. “Not Auer…please say it’s not Auer.”

Auer chuckled, “Oh that’s a thorn in my hairy ass. No, I’m not in charge, just a fellow tormentor and guide.”

“A guide?” laughed Seelowe. “Anyways…” he looked around as he spoke, “I heard you were getting the band back together and were searching for the Carolina.” His eye alighted on a woman sitting at the bar. “Since we were all so close….” he said with mock sincerity as he looked over Arado’s shoulder at the woman, “I thought I could…” he stood up, eyes fixed on the woman, “…lend a hand….” His voice trailed off and he started walking toward the bar.

“Well,” began Arado, “we are trying ….” He stopped as he watched the man walk away. “Seelowe…?”

Seelowe waved him off as he approached the woman. “Hello there my beauty,” he said with a lecherous smirk, “You are certainly not with this motley assemblage of riff raff.” He nodded toward the other three. “My name is…well…what’s in a name.” He moved in close beside her, “You can call me darling.”

The woman at the bar slowly turned her head and looked the man up and down. She had been watching the other men from the bar and following their conversation. The mention of a ship had caught her interest.

“If you are looking for the bought women, they are out the door and across the street,” she said turning herself away from the man who had approached.

“Every woman has her price, my dear,” said the man.

She turned back, “But no one has come up with my price,” she said mildly.

Arado, ignoring the show at the bar, continued his conversation with Auer.

“Serp, do you know of anyone who could remove these nose ridges on the quiet. No questions.” He said rubbing his finger up the bridge of his nose. “I’ve had enough of hiding as a Bajoran. If I’m going to be an outlaw I want it to be in my own skin.”

“I could do it,” Serp Auer chuckled tapping the canon on his back, “but I might take your head off too. I know there are a few good robo docs around though.”

“You don’t look as if you need a doctor,” piped up the woman at the bar as she caught the end of the conversation.

“I don’t ‘need’ a doctor,” said Arado turning towards her. “But…”

“I might know where you can find one,” she said with a smile, “but the price is high.”

“And what would YOU know about doctors my pretty barfly?” joined in Seelowe.

“You could say it’s a close acquaintance,” said the woman.

“Is this acquaintance reliable?” asked Arado.

“As reliable as the amount of latinum in your pocket,” she said and sipped her drink.

Seelowe looked down at the woman. “And where do we find this…um…doctor my lovely ale swilling princess?”

The woman raised her hand and gestured around, “Oh here, and there,” she said nonchalantly.

“I see,” said Seelowe with a sneer.

The woman bought her hand up and tapped her chest, “But mostly here,” she said with a slight sound of triumph in her voice.

Seelowe snapped his head back and gave her a look. “Wait…” he questioned. “You’re a doctor?

“More to me than a pretty face,” she said sipping her drink again.

“Apparently,” said Seelowe with undisguised amazement. He turned to Arado, “Hire her. You’ll need a doctor.” He looked back at the woman. “I will be the first to get a physical,” he said with a smirk.

Auer grinned and muttered to himself as he finished off another drink, “How much things change yet they stay the same.”

“I should mention one….small problem,” said the woman quietly from behind her drink.

All four men turned towards her.

“Oh?” said Seelowe.

“There is a man,” she said. “He…well…he owns half the planet, and he has decided I should…shall we say…show him my devoted friendship.”

“So what you are saying,” said Seelowe, “is that you are a slave and you need to get off this planet and we will be on the run if we take you…right?”

“I’m a free born citizen,” said the woman with dignity. “Bacca has taken a fancy to me but the feelings are not shared.”

“He owns half the planet and you can’t muster up a little fake enthusiasm to share the wealth?” said Seelowe in amazement.

“You obviously have never laid eyes on Bacca”

“Is he uglier than Auer?” Seelowe pointed at the armour clad man seated at the table.

The woman shifted her eyes over to the mercenary and the corner of her mouth lifted softly, “Your friend is not bad at all,” she said.

Seelowe turned back to the woman his mouth open. “She is a blind doctor,” he said with mock horror. He looked down at her and smiled, “Come, stand up my pretty.”

The woman folded her arms and looked him firmly in the eye. “If you want to keep all your body parts after I ‘examine’ you I suggest you drop the ‘my pretty’ when addressing me.”

“Fine, fine,” said Seelowe hurriedly. “What is your name….doctor?”

“Illyan…” said the woman, “Illyan Nal.”

“Do you want off this rock or do you want to make babies with Mister Ugly Planet Owner?” asked Seelowe.

Illyan sighed, knowing all her other attempts to find passage had failed. “Can you manage to get me off this rock with my neck intact?”

“Yes,” said Seelowe, “Yes I can. Now stand up and come and join us.”

“Let’s get one thing straight,” said Illyan moving toward the table where the others were seated but still addressing Seelowe, “You are getting a doctor not a whore for your bed.”

“Wow,” said Seelowe acting shocked “was I THAT obvious?”

“Nooo…” said Arado, as he offered Illyan his chair, “You were being Captain subtle over there.”

“Anyways, Arado…” said Seelowe moving his own chair unnecessarily close to Illyan’s, “what was your plan before I graced you with my presence?”

“Get a ship, hire a pilot, gather as much of the crew as we could find, and go looking for Carolina,” said Arado.

“Great,” said Seelowe, “I can cut out the middle man. I have a ship.”

“Do you have a pilot?” asked Arado.

Seelowe pointed across the table at Auer, “Him.”

“I mean a proper pilot,” said Arado. “He won’t be able to do helm and tactical if things get hairy.”

“Hey,” piped up Auer, “Leave my ass out of this. Arado, I have your pilot.” He tapped the data padd sitting untouched on the table. “I been trying to tell you, I have the location of Miral.”

Arado gaped at him, “You mean Miral is alive?”

“Of course she is alive,” said Seelowe breezily. “Everyone is alive at one point in time…or another.”

“So Arado…” continued Seelowe, “unless you have a better plan, we can grab our pilot after we go through the wormhole and get on my temporal vessel.” He smiled smugly around the table at everyone. “Then we find the Carolina and take her back to my time so we can study…um…protect her.”

“No!” Arado slammed his fist hard on the table and glared at Seelowe. “No, you are NOT going to vivisect her just to satisfy your morbid curiosity.”

“It’s just a ship,” said Seelowe testily, “We’ll put her back together.”

“A sentient ship,” emphasised Arado, “she can FEEL. And it’s not you she is calling for, it’s her crew”

Illyan looked around at the four men then tossed back the rest of her drink in one gulp. She needed something to give her courage to join these insane people on their ‘mission’.

“Fine, fine,” said Seelowe knowing he needed them almost as much as they needed him. “Do you know where your Captain is?”

“I have no idea where our Seelowe is,” said Arado as he sat back in his chair with a sigh. “He could be anywhere…or any time.”

“The one thing we do know…” said Seelowe, “the one piece of temporal intelligence we have is…find Seelowe, find the Carolina.”

“He’s with the ship,” said Auer impassively.

Seelowe looked at him. “The ship was empty. I was there. No one was left on that ship.”

Auer chuckled, “She makes her own tricks.”

Seelowe continued to stare at Auer.

“Think Seelowe,” said the colonel as he tossed back another drink, “You know that ship as well as me.”

“Find Seelowe, find the Carolina.” Seelowe rose and began pacing around the table. The others watched him silently as he continued talking to himself. “Maybe… Seelowe was… with the Carolina…” He shook his head. “No…it means…Seelowe is WITH the Carolina. It makes perfect sense. All we need to do is find her, board her, find Seelowe, and the ship will be tamed.” He sat down and smiled triumphantly.

“Seelowe,” said Arado, “We still haven’t agreed on anything.”

Seelowe looked at the other man in surprise. “You have no ship, no money, no plan. Not a very good position to bargain from.”

“He does have me,” grunted the walking weapon from across the table.

Seelowe rolled his eyes. “Good thinking Auer. Kill the guy with the ship. Brilliant.” He added mockingly.

Arado remained calm. “I can get a ship, I do have a plan, and I have a way to track the Carolina.”

“Of course I could just tag along,” said Seelowe flippantly. “I’ll just watch. Don’t mind me. I won’t get in the way.” He feigned biting a nail.

Illyan looked around at the others and shook her head wondering what she has gotten herself into.

“Arado,” growled Auer, “I say we take his offer. It’s better than stealing a ship and besides he’ll have a better ship than any we could get away with.”

“I agree,” said Arado. “But we will need a specific person on board, someone who can track the Carolina.”

Seelowe looked up from his nail, “Who?” he asked with interest.

“You may know her,” said Arado. “Mimp’s sister Miki.”

“You know where she is?” said Seelowe the nail forgotten.

“I know where she lives and I know she’ll be looking for Mimps…” Arado looked carefully at the man who looked like his captain, “and for you…either one of you.”

Seelowe swallowed once then paused for a moment before standing and addressing everyone at the table.

“I guess we have a deal.”

He tapped his 29^th century com unit.

“Five to beam up.”