It wasn't until Jarin stepped out of the Albatross into the loading bay of the Eneac shipmesh that he realized to what order of magnitude Kareima had understated it's size. Even the Albatross, large enough to comfortably crew 300 individuals, was able to easily navigate inside the landing bay and set down on one of the larger pads. Jarin found he had to stop and regain his bearings. Looking up, one could see a few ships nearly five times the size of the Albatross docked within the confines of the exorbitantly massive landing bay.

"Welcome to the Eneac," came Vex's voice through the surprisingly quiet air.

"It's... huge," Jarin said dumbly. Indeed, he found himself with no better way of describing it's vastness than Kareima had.

"It's just the landing bay," said Vex. "And I'm sure you'll get to see some of it, but for now I want you to stick with me."

Jarin nodded, still gazing around at the enormous interior.

"Kareima and Newlin will be joining us shortly," Vex continued, regardless of whether or not Jarin was listening, which he wasn't. "For now we need to find transportation to Terra."

Jarin had finally forced his attention back to Vex. "Would we be able to see Earth?" he asked.

"We should get to Terra as soon as possible," Vex said.

Jarin didn't seem ready to let the topic drop just yet, but he found his dispute interrupted.

"Hey! Mortlef!" came a call from behind them as Tab caught up. "What's with the abandon ship order?"

Vex turned to face Tab. His expression was tired, but he humored him anyway. "We are fugitives and the Albatross is flagged."

Tab offered a sympathetic nod. "I suppose my ship probably is too, eh?"

"More than likely."

Jarin had already zoned out of the conversation in favor of admiring the vastness of the landing bay again. The floor encircling the landing pads was not what one would call bustling with activity, but it was well populated by various people going about their own business.

Despite the magnitude of the construction of the Eneac, it had surely seen better days. Even just within the landing bay there were large sections that looked as if they'd been under renovation for quite some time, and the lighting was no more flattering to the overall appearance than the grease and scorch marks present on all of the landing pads.

"Ok, you have my attention," Jarin heard Vex say, bringing him at least partially back to the conversation.

"He's a guy I do business with on occasion. The GSPS would love to get their hands on him, so he's experienced in not getting caught."

"Public security aren't exactly Labcoats," Vex pointed out. "They have neither the resources nor the skill."

"You haven't met my friend."

"Well, if you speak so highly about him, I'd certainly like to."

Tab nodded, and Vex immediately knew that it wouldn't be that simple. "Right. See, I'll need some compensation."

"In what way?"

"Well, I'll introduce you to him, but it'll cost you."

"You can have the Albatross," Vex tried, but Tab shook his head.

"The crap good is a flagged ship that needs fifty crew and some Hessians gonna do me?"

"Sell it," suggested Vex.

"Nobody's in the market for a flagged ship, Vex. I need something else."

"What did you have in mind?"

Tab shrugged. "Hadn't thought it through much to be honest. I just saw a market for business and figured I'd go on best offer."

"Well then," said Vex. "If you have a better offer from someone else, I'd go with that, because that's the best you're getting from me." With that, Vex continued along the path between landing pads on his way to the boardwalk encircling the landing area, Jarin following behind.

"Ok, ok, hold on," said Tab, hurrying to catch up. "The ship and fifty thousand credits."

Vex smiled pleasantly and replied simply with "I gave you my offer."

"Twenty five thousand," offered Tab, to which Vex merely continued walking. "Ten thousand." Vex still offered no reply. "Five?"

"I admire your persistence, Mr. Winwood, but I've offered you my ship which, even flagged, could be sold for ten million credits with minimal effort. I fail to see what another five thousand credits will get you." Vex had come to a stop on the edge of the boardwalk and turned again to face Tab.

"Fine," said Tab. "Franchot Brogan. He operates out of Copia usually, but he makes frequent trips here. He's partial to Steve's bar, up the boardwalk a few blocks."

"Appreciated," said Vex. "But I'd like a formal introduction before I hand over the Albatross."

"Of course."

Jarin had studied the parts of the conversation that he paid attention to. Vex had a much better aptitude in shady dealings than Jarin would have. In fact, Jarin would assume that Vex had a much better aptitude in most dealings, especially the shady sort.

It didn't take Newlin and Kareima long to find Vex. With them, of course, was Newlin's son, Kendrick, whose metal headdress immediately caught Tab's eye.

"Hi Jarin," Kendrick blurted, before burying his face in Newlin's side.

"All set captain," said Kareima, who offered a smile to Jarin that made his stomach perform a back flip.

"Mr. Winwood here has kindly offered to connect us with someone qualified to transport us to Terra in exchange for taking the Albatross off our hands," said Vex before Newlin could remark on the disgusted looks Tab was shooting Kendrick.

"How kind," said Newlin, his gaze still fixed unwaveringly on Tab.

"From his description, though, we may want Jarin and Kareima to wait outside with your son, Newlin," added Vex.

"And why is that?" Newlin asked, directing the question to Tab.

"Because he's not a friendly man," Tab said.

"Maybe we should go," suggested Kareima. "We only have until a ship warps out, and there'll be naval ships here."

"Right then, Tab, after you," Vex agreed.

Almost immediately, in otherwise absent conversation, Jarin and Kareima dropped to the back of the group where they could talk.

"I was meaning to ask you about earlier," said Jarin. "You were all upset..."

"Oh, yeah," Kareima completely missed Jarin's worried expression. "Crazy day. The navy showed up, pilot warped, and we lost our nav history so we were pretty much completely lost in deep space."

"Oh," said Jarin who, in his time aboard the Albatross, had become desensitized to most forms of surprise. "So it wasn't me then? Or something I did?"

"You? No." Kareima frowned. "Wait, you thought I was upset at you?"

Jarin shrugged. "It crossed my mind."

"Oh! No! I'm sorry, no, not at all! It was just stressful and crazy."

Jarin had really only heard the first two words of Kareima's reply, though, as it was then that she'd laid a hand on his shoulder, bringing on a deafening rush of excitement.

"Jarin?" Kareima prompted.

"Yeah." Jarin stowed his fantasy for later.

"You ok?"

"Yep."

Jarin's mind and stomach were allowed to settle when Kareima removed her hand from his shoulder, but he couldn't help but notice that she was walking a bit closer to him than most people did.

A few more minutes of walking along the boardwalk brought the small group to a door in the relatively nondescript walk, above which hung a sign that said simply, 'Steve's'.

"He'll be in here if he's around," Tab said, pointing lazily up at the sign.

"So me and Jarin can stay out here with Kendrick?" Kareima offered.

"I'd appreciate that," said Newlin, looking to Vex for approval.

"Great," said Tab. "Let's get this over with."

With Kendrick waiting with Kareima and Jarin outside, a prospect he entirely didn't mind since he'd taken a liking to Jarin, the others filed into the bar.

The sizable crowd inside Steve's Bar would have done a wonderful job disguising Franchot Brogan if he hadn't already blown his own cover.

"I'm Franchot Brogan, that's who!" Franchot shouted, apparently in reply to something said by the man he shoved. "Learn it or I'll see it's taught to you. You won't like that."

Vex glanced inquisitively at Tab, who nodded.

"That's him" said Tab. "Just let me do the talking." Leading Newlin and Vex through the randomly placed tables, Tab made his way across the large, poorly lit room. "Mr. Brogan," Tab prompted.

"Oh fuck, it's you," was Franchot's response.

"Yes. Hi, I have some business for you," replied Tab, who for a moment almost had Newlin's sympathy.

"That's a nice change. These other two hobos?"

"Three others outside."

"Keeping watch for something in particular? I don't want no trouble that's not my own," warned Franchot.

"One's a kid. This isn't much of a place for a kid. The other two are just keeping an eye on him so--"

"Stop talking," Franchot said, holding his hand up. "Your voice makes me want to kill myself. You talk." Franchot pointed at Newlin. "What's the business."

"Just transport," Newlin said. "The five of us to Terra. Quietly, and as soon as possible."

"I like him better than you," Franchot said to Tab. "You piss me off."

"What's your price?" Vex asked before Newlin's smugness convinced him to say something they'd regret.

"Did I say you could speak?" shot Franchot.

"Did I say you could?" Vex shot back. "I'm the one with the business, so if you're interested, shut your mouth about who can and can't talk."

Franchot rose slowly from his seat, staring hotly at Vex, who met Franchot's gaze with confidence. "Alright," Franchot said after a few tense moments. "But you take that tone on my ship and I'll have it you're not on my ship anymore, and I don't think you'll like how I'll have that done."

"Deal," Vex said, taking a seat opposite Franchot. "Now. How much for such a job?"

"Twelve thousand credits," Franchot replied.

"Right. Forget that," scoffed Vex. "Five passengers? Not likely."

"You really just passengers? Or is there some other reason you're comin' to me instead of public transportation?"

Vex stared back at Franchot. "Eight hundred."

"Ten thousand."

"One thousand."

"Nine thousand."

"Ok," said Vex. "We're going to go on like this for another few minutes. Two, eight, three, seven, three and a half, et cetera." Vex offered a shrug. "Eventually we're going to settle on five. Quiet transportation to Terra, no questions asked. What do you say we be reasonable and skip all this needless banter and get on to loading our effects, yeah?"

Franchot was surprised, at least, and wasn't sure how to respond.

"Five thousand isn't a bad deal. Right halfway, even."

Franchot pondered for a few moments, trying to figure out what to make of Vex before finally making his decision. "Lemme see the other ones and I'll let you know."

Outside the bar, Kendrick had finally found an opportunity to show Jarin his drawings.

"That's Kareima," Kendrick stated matter-of-factly, pointing to a collection of lines that vaguely represented a human shape.

"That's very good, isn't it Jarin," Kareima said.

"Hmm, yeah," Jarin mumbled, making a mental note to himself to try to become a better actor.

"Is my dad almost done?" Kendrick asked. Jarin had almost, but not quite gotten used to the boy's sudden, very random shifts in conversation.

"He's doing some work with Vex," explained Kareima. "I'm sure he'll be done soon."

Jarin, Kareima and Kendrick had found themselves a small table just outside the door to the bar, and while they waited for news on the arrangement, Jarin studied how Kareima interacted with Kendrick in the hopes that he may learn some secret that would make him feel less inept around the boy. With practice, perhaps.

It was then that Franchot, followed by Vex, Newlin and finally Tab, made their way out the door, immediately spotting the three that had been waiting.

"These them?" Franchot asked.

"Yep," Vex confirmed.

"Huh," Franchot commented, turning to address Newlin. "Didn't have you pegged for a gick-daddy."

"You'll watch your mouth around my son," spat Newlin.

"Hey bucko, no worries," Franchot said lightly. "I'm not judging. You know, whatever gets you going."

Vex's grip on Newlin's shoulder was the only thing that kept Newlin from attacking Franchot, and it was Tab this time who wore the smug expression.

"That's the guy?" Kareima asked Tab. "Hope he's not representative of his ship."

"That's enough," warned Vex. "Mr. Brogan, I'd thank you to have a bit more respect for the people traveling with me."

"Oh, no worries," Franchot said with a worrying grin as he sized up Kareima. "They're a good lot. And if this kid's as much of a stand-up guy as his father he won't turn out half bad." Franchot's grin grew broader as he kneeled down in front of Kendrick. "Go on and tell me a joke, kid."

Kendrick looked up to Newlin, who offered a his best smile before turning his attention back to Franchot.

"You got a joke, don't you?" Franchot prompted impatiently.

"Yeah." He looked again toward Newlin. "Why did the goose cross the road?"

"Dunno," said Franchot.

"'cause um..." Kendrick looked up to Kareima. "'cause it had to go to the bathroom... but it couldn't."

Franchot burst into uproarious laughter at Kendrick's joke. "Man, that kid's witty!" he boomed. "Fuckin' goose can't take a shit!" Through Franchot's noisy laughter, Newlin continued to stare coldly at him, softened only by how proud his son was that his joke had gone over so well.

"If you're finished, Mr. Brogan, I'd appreciate a place to put our things," intruded Vex.

"Yes, sure. Fine. You've got a deal. Pad sixty four," Franchot replied with a wave of his hand, still chuckling to himself.