Cantenelli couldn't help a cursory glance at Maethia's figure at her phrasing. He spared another glance up at the dancing asari at the mention of her being payment.<span style="color: Blue">Payment?</span>He started, looking across Afterlife at the the other crew members and their dancers. Even to Cantenelli that many dancers seemed excessive and expensive - but he was in no position to scold them for using their credits how they pleased. Still, it provided him a convincing reference.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">Them.</span>He said, letting his eyes point to them.<span style="color: Blue">They're the other members of the combat unit for this operation, plus one other Asari. The job's pay is dependent on how we do, and what we salvage. Our most recent venture proved lucrative... and extremely dangerous.</span>He looked back at Maethia.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">This job also requires considerations of discretion, which you will be compensated for. We have our own med-bay, so you won't need to pay any medical expenses. Oh, and the ship lacks certain considerations of privacy. She's Turian built. If you can manage with all of that, then your hired.</span><br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Put us down for a private booth, then.</span>Sorv said, standing up. The dancer grinned at him and winked, swinging her legs over the edge of the table and standing. Sorv put his arm around her shoulders. Firas stood joined Sorv.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">After you.</span>He said, watching the dancers.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Besides, what's secret about it? If there's that many people after it, then a lot more probably know about it.</span>Sorv added as the dancers led the group away from the booth down to the club floor.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">We're here to relax, remember?</span>Firas interjected, more interested in the Asari dancers escorting them to the private booth. The group passed an armed Turian standing guard by a ramp down into the private booth, which he opened as the three men and the dancers approached. The door closed behind them, and the Turian stood by outside, ready to intercept anyone wanting into the booth after them.<br/><br/>The booth was a stark contrast from the club outside the door. Where afterlife was a chasm of thumping beats and voices, the private booths were smaller, more intimate, Bathed in red with sharp white accents on the two lounge sofas against the wall, turbines spinning behind them, moving the endlessly recycled atmosphere.<br/><br/>When the door closed behind them, the heavy beats of Afterlife dulled. Firas sat down on one of the sofa's and draped his arm across the back, relaxing comfortably.<span style="color: Blue">Have any more friends?</span>He asked the dancer.<br/><br/>She smiled and nodded. Shortly after, another Asari dancer entered the room with a tray of refills for the group. Firas took his drink, looking over the woman.<span style="color: Blue">Why don't you stick around for a while...? Help us relax?</span>If their bill was being dismissed, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. It wasn't likely he would see such generosity in Afterlife again in his life. The dancer with the drinks grinned at him, leaning forward, showing him her cleavage.<br/><br/><span style="color: MediumTurquoise">Sure... I could use some... <i>down</i> time.</span>She handed out the other drinks and set the trey down, hitting a key on the small holo-interface on her wrist to indicate that she was busy and wouldn't be able to run drinks for the time being.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">You two should dance together. I think you'd look good doing it.</span>He said to the two dancers.<br/><br/>One of them walked to the wall, a holo-interface appearing. She turned on some music in the booth, letting the solid rhythmic beat drown out the club outside. A small platform in the floor raised one foot up, and spot lights in the strip on the ceiling changed, bathing the platform in white and blue. The two asari dancers got on the platform, and began dancing together, feeling each other, not sparing themselves any contact.<br/><br/>The two moved together, one of the dancers sliding in behind the other, running her hands up the dancer's abdomen while she swayed, reaching behind her and putting her hands on the other dancer's hips. The dancer behind slid her hands up her partner until she cupped the asari's breasts, feeling them through the outfit. The lead dancer bit her lip gently, pushing her chest forward into the hands on her, while they slid up above, then down inside the outfit, her hands filling with the soft blue flesh of her dancing counterpart. She removed one hand and parted the outfit at its center seam, slowly exposing a growing line of blue skin down to the dancer's navel, then peeling the material away, exposing her pale blue breasts to the air, her nipples already hard in the asari's hand.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">If this is Ashana's way of saying thanks... then I'm alright with her trying to get herself killed.</span>Firas said, feeling the worries of the last few days melt, flowing off the dancer's curves, down the slope of her breasts into oblivion.<br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>Taseer gave pause as Kala explained why she was ill at ease.<span style="color: Navy">Well,</span>she said,<span style="color: Navy">If you see someone about to try and kill us, let me know please.</span><br/><br/>Taseer opted to make the trip quick, hailing a cab to ferry them on their way to the "Gerard" that was mentioned to them. The cab set down and Taseer made for their destination. She stopped as they found it, looking at what may have qualified as a storefront. It was a single door with a dingy window to its right that was barely transparent enough to see the room behind it. Above the door was a floating, spinning holographic gunship that flickered occasionally with "GERARD'S" under it.<br/><br/><span style="color: Navy">I hope he spends more on buying parts than he does on his store. Shit.</span>Taseer said, dismayed at the dismal first impression.<br/><br/>She opened the door to the shop and cautiously stepped inside. The shop itself was small, two walls lined with dimly lit racks displaying smaller parts. Nothing worth the effort of stealing. To their left was a counter that spanned the room, a single bright spotlight above shining down on the surface and the chair behind it. It made the grit and grime on the counter all the clearer. The chair behind the counter was empty. Taseer slowly walked toward the counter, the only logical place to go in the empty shop. She looked around, but the only thing behind the counter was a locked door, the glow from its red holo-interface faintly outlining it.<br/><br/><span style="color: Navy">I think...</span>Taseer said, turning to look at Kala<span style="color: Navy">this may be a waste of-</span>Tasser stopped mid sentence as the door behind the counter opened. The Asari whirled, her hand instinctively going to her hip.<br/><br/>The man was shadowed beyond the spotlight. He paused at the doorway, looking at the two.<span style="color: DarkRed">What?</span>A human voice, that sounded as grimy as the place looked, asked.<br/><br/><span style="color: Navy">You Gerard?</span>She asked, still on guard.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkRed">Yeah. What do you want?</span>The silhouette asked, impatient.<br/><br/><span style="color: Navy">I was told you had ship parts.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkRed">No shit.</span>The voice mocked.<br/><br/><span style="color: Navy">Rare ship parts, asshole. The ones I can't get at some corner kiosk.</span>Taseer bit back harshly.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkRed">Oohh. Yeah I got them too.</span>The silhouette waved waved them behind the counter.<span style="color: DarkRed">We talk about those parts in here.</span><br/><br/>Taseer didn't move, eying the shadow suspiciously.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkRed">Look, </span>he said, annoyed,<span style="color: DarkRed">I don't have all day here. You either come in and we talk, or you fuck off.</span><br/><br/>Taseer looked at Kala, the look she gave her making her reservations clear.<span style="color: Navy">Fine.</span>She said, looking back.<span style="color: Navy">But you pull anything I blow your head off.</span><br/><br/>The silhouette laughed, coughing several times.<span style="color: DarkRed">With what, your tits?</span><br/><br/><span style="color: Navy">I'm an Asari, dumbass. Biotic.</span>She lied.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkRed">And I'm a business man, what the fuck do I look like? Last chance grease tits.</span><br/><br/>Taseer frowned contemptuously. She didn't like the attitude, but on Omega, she couldn't expect much better.<span style="color: Navy">Kala, you can wait here if you want.</span>She whispered as she started forward. The human hit a key on the wall next to him and a portion of the counter slid open. Taseer entered, pausing before the door and the human. He backed up slowly, into the room, Taseer following.<br/><br/>Inside was an office almost the size of the tiny store. A wrap around desk sat in the corner, a closed crate against it that was decidedly cleaner than the whole establishment. The console on the desk had a paused porn vid on it, an the camera close up on an Asari with a blonde haired human girl's face buried between her legs. On the wall was a poster of an asari, on her back, legs spread with her finger spreading her azure cunt. Taseer's eye twitched in disgust.<br/><br/>The human sat down in the chair in front of the desk, reclining casually. He wasn't much to look at. His face was pocked with scars and his dark brown hair was nearly black with grease. He wore a tattered black shirt and baggy greyish brown pants and worker's boots. It was hard to miss the bulge that the vid was no doubt the cause of.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkRed">Welcome.</span>He said, chuckling ironically.<span style="color: DarkRed">What do you want?</span><div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>