<span style="color: DarkSlateGray">Ol' Cowry couldn't help but feel very uneasy at the sudden appearance of that elephant-headed squid-man. Never the less, the man had paid up with some rather interesting looking metals, so he couldn't complain and handed the creature some of his best rum.<br/>
<br/>
It seemed that that would not be the end of a stream of colourful races filling up his bar. He flitted his gaze across the room to lock eyes with Alice for a moment, knowing that nothing good ever came from new people in his bar when she was on the verge of doing her business. It almost seemed as if the man begged her to not pounce on the young and frail looking bee-girl that had entered the bar after the Lamia did. <br/>
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Cowry suddenly turned his attention to the young woman before him, who mewled like a child in need. He almost felt sorry for her.<br/>
''Oh dear'' Cowry said, still wiping his glass that had already been thoroughly cleaned since Alice had entered the bar. The old man was tense and seemed very much on edge as his foot slowly opened the cabinet underneath his bar to give him easy access to his gun. ''I'm afraid you are in for a very unpleasant surprise my dear. Nobody leaves this planet within 24 hours of arrival, and it will cost you a fortune to board any of the ships. I sure do hope you have something of value on you, because you do not strike me as the type to offer services''<br/>
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Cowry then turned his attention to last person to enter the bar. A tall man with an ominous look about him. Dark metal arm and a black trench coat adorned by a thick layer of dust that could only betray a person who walked about the planet for a longer time than what was usual. He had been thoroughly instructed about the man, and cursed that he still felt that uneasy feeling of impending doom about to explode in his bar. Everything seemed to just happen all at once this night, and he was not happy about it.<br/>
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After he heard Jericho, he couldn't help but chuckle at the words ''tell <i>him</i>''<br/>
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''Hate to burst your bubble, mr Jericho... But 'he' is a 'she' and she is sitting there. You won't miss her, her skin is of pure gold. She has been waiting for you, but be careful. Don't underestimate her because she's a woman. Might be the last thing you do.'' Upon hearing the door, the barman turned away and kept a watchful eye on the other patrons. </span><br/><br/>Alice however was revelling in all of the new scents and sensations the newcomers were giving her. She was even amused by the little drone that had been sizing up every customer in the house. The Aurumilia closed her eyes and opened her mind, mapping the bar around her down to every little atom. She could feel the blood flowing through the veins of every patron, almost taste the anxiety and fear that pulsed through the frantically beating heart of the almost frost-bitten young hybrid woman with perfectly formed wasp-waist. It didn't take her long to pick up on the wonderfully finned creature that wasn't sitting that far away from her. She had seen those exotic creatures maybe once or twice in her life, none of those times on Dystopia. The coil of her tail and the subtle salt scent of her skin made Alice's mouth water just by the imagination of how wonderful it would be to let lose all of her sick and twisted fantasies... But she knew from experience that those creatures were not an easy catch. Her fingers softly rubbed over a deep scar that ran down over her collarbone. It almost looked like her golden skin had been carved by an unruly child that didn't appreciated the curves of her artistic stature.<br/><br/>But that wasn't the only interesting creature in the bar. There was another one, feathered and carrying dust from a planet unknown to Alice. She couldn't even figure out the mixture of blood that composed the creature, spiking her interest mildly at the prospect of mixblood in her midst. They were worth a fortune to her, if not clawed like the example before her. Too much rage in her mind and a fighting spirit that mildly boiled down underneath it all.<br/><br/>She could detect a very high amount of testosteron as well, most definitely coming from the Malcir that had sat down a while ago. A tremendous amount of minerals upon and inside of his body told her he was not one to be messed with easily. He either had a fortune to spend on those tinkerings on his body, or enough intellect to do so himself. She reminded herself to have a chat with him later, he might be of service to her in the future. A good mechanic or engineer was incredibly valuable on this planet.<br/><br/>Her search went further, looking for anomalies in the air, or upon the other patrons. Even within the veins of Cowry's customers she could sense whatever substance subsided in their bodies. Nothing abnormal passed her, just the usual metals, crystals, energy sources and a hint of sulfur and salt.<br/><br/>Suddenly she felt a feeling of being watched, and upon opening her eyes she saw the slithering salted serpent returning her gaze. It would have given her goosebumps if not for her inability to form them. Her face lid up in a smile, a smile that crept over her lips in a sultry yet amused way of letting her<i>know. </i>A moment shared between predators, almost equal to each other. Alice felt a feeling of respect for the woman, it always took them a long time to find her, or even know what was going on in her mind. Somehow this creature had, either from experience with her kind, pure luck or calculated desire. She hoped the latter.<br/><br/><span style="color: Teal">--- "The lab was experiencing some sort of emergency, so I simply can't wait for a transport shuttle. Every second counts, the sooner I can return and help solve the crisis the better it will be for everyone." ---</span><br/><br/>Alice finally decided it was time to end the girls suffering and stood up from her table and walked ever so slowly towards the bar.<a class="externalLink" href="http://image.dhgate.com/albu_283591784_00-1.0x0/white-faux-fur-warmer-winter-customed-long.jpg" target="_blank">Her dress</a>dragging behind her, almost painful to watch for its brightness underneath the neon gravity-powered lights. She lowered her hood with her glittering gold hands before taking a place between Jericho and the girl.<br/><br/>With unsettling ease the Aurumilia smiled comforting and kind towards the youngling. She gestured to Cowry, asking for a hot chocolate on her tab.<br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">''There there, little one. Don't worry about all of that now. Depending on whatever crisis there was that you've left behind, it is almost certain now that it has been solved or gone. Every minute on this planet is about 31.920 min outside of this galaxy, it would come down to about 22 days depending on where you came from. I know it must not be comforting knowing that you've lost all and everything you once knew, but try and see it as a new start. Today is very important, love. Because today your old self died, and a new person has born. One nobody knows, nor will ever know outside of this galaxy until you leave this planet. Today is the first of many days in a whole new life!''</span><br/><br/>Alice took the hot chocolate from Cowry's tensed hands and gave the cup filled with a lovely sweet aroma and warmth into the cold hands of the hybrid-girl.<br/><span style="color: DarkOrange"><br/>
''First thing you need is someone to help you. Someone willing to house and clothe you, give you a job so you can earn your way of this planet. No one will help you when you have nothing but empty promises to pay with. What do you say, miss....?''</span><br/><br/>The kind eyes of the golden woman smiled expectantly towards Syntropy, awaiting her name as she comfortingly pats her on the back when telling her the tough news. All the while the barman was avoiding to look at the scene unfolding before the bar, rubbing his clean glass as vigorously as he could.<br/><span style="color: DarkOrange"><br/>
''As for your qeustion mr. Jericho, I do. We will discuss this later, there are many options for you within the ranks of my... company. For now, let's have a drink and enjoy the company of this girl that seems to so sorely needs it on this desolate and unfriendly planet.''</span><div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>