Deck watched on the display as they came out of hyperdrive and N4D2 materialized in the distance. Compared to the previous station it was massive. One of the largest in this arm of the galaxy, not that there was many yet. It was a wild arm after all. Boasting real Earth level gravity, or what people claim was Earth level it was the pinnacle of civilization. More than forty levels including a botanical level with real plants. No algae tanks for this station, well not just algae tanks.
It was also home to a branch office of Next Gen Super Best Good Great Goods. Almost anyone would recognize an Alnimox company just from the name. They were odd little creatures who didn't understand the use of adjectives. Or maybe did but didn't understand the use of moderation. Rumor has it the galactic community put limits on company names to prevent Alnimox from trying to outdo each other with adjectives that proved they were the best company. Scrap swore he once saw a little shop in one of the stations with no less than thirty positive adjectives in the name.
Sleek and shiny it sat motionless in space, just a giant rectangle of metal powered by a huge Zero Reactor. "We have arrived, Captain." Eve's smooth voice announced.
"Get us docked." He paused and let out a long sigh. "Request the docking fee on credit."
"As you wish, Captain." Eve responded as the ship coasted towards the station.
"The interest alone will…" Nai started then flashed a glare at him and walked away.
Deck watched her walk away thinking how glad he would be when she was gone. His gaze dipped lower out of its own will making him think for just a moment he might miss some of her. Then he snapped his head back to the screen. 'No, getting rid of her will be the best thing.'
He paused expecting the ship to speak up. Instead, they sailed silently towards the station.
**********
"What do you mean you gave my contract away?" Deck had to struggle to keep his temper in check and not shout out at the tiny Alnimox. The tiny creature was only three feet tall. Humanoid in design and proportion with one major exception. Their legs were only about a third the length of normal humans. This let their hands touch the floor as they walked along on stubby little nubs. They were terribly slow on those short little legs and could probably have moved faster using their arms. That tho one would never see as it was considered a huge disgrace in their culture. Acting more like a primitive four legged creature than a mighty being of logic and reason.
This one had a wild mane of dark purple hair that fizzled out in all directions making their slightly large head seem huge. They wore goggles over their large bulbous eyes that magnified them to odd proportions. Alnimox had excellent telescopic vision, the glasses were more a fashion item used to make their already large eyes bigger. Something nonsensical that had been described to Deck years back as Earth women using a push up bra. His contact's glasses were huge, making his eyes look gigantic and watery. Normally a sign of a very vain or very wealthy Alnimox. Despite this, his contact hadn't ever acted in such a manner.
"Your name disappear from contacts. Gone, absent, away, truant, missing, lacking, unavailable, not there." The little alien shrugged.
"Mox you have to have something else for me then right? Come on, you may just be in charge of a branch office but this is N4D2 the biggest station in this arm of the galaxy!" Deck hated how much his voice sounded like he was whining.
"Biggest largest extensive most substantial… Terra Alliance controlled station." Mox corrected him. "Sorry had many numerous countless lots of business before when battle lines close. Now peace treaty. No longer pushing forward, further advancing into the arm. Business reduce decline falter slow."
Deck paused to rub his face with both hands. "Mox, you promised me a favor. Remember said I was your best great top supreme friend after I pulled you literally out of the frying pan on that one planet. Have you forgotten?"
"Mox not forget. Mox just does not have job to give now." The little alien looked up and blinked at him sadly, his eyes magnified by those strange goggles. "Would refer to contender rival adversary competitor but name bad. Red Star Recovery Inc? Not good name. Not…"He stretched out the word as if it was super important. "...Descriptive enough. Besides Red Star Recovery? Sounds like criminal illegal delinquent felon unlawful business. Not shipping business either. Bounty, repossession, salvage. Maybe Mox find you bounty mission?"
Deck sighed at the little alien. "Thanks, Mox. You are a real bro." He tried not to sound defeated. "But I am trying to live a peaceful quiet life."
The alien looked up at him, their eyes were now doubtful. "Mox not believe, Mox remember. Deck mighty fearsome ferocious dominant warrior. Fighting filled them with delight joy jubilation exultation… ecstasy. Remember such display Mox does, almost put Mox in a birthing cycle." They blinked rapidly up at him.
"Er yeah. That's part of the reason I want a peaceful quiet life." Deck always felt uncomfortable when Mox brought that up. It was odd enough that he couldn't bring himself to think of the stubby legged man as a female. Alnimox had no secondary sex features and all looked male to him. He was just glad they didn't go into their word salad description of HOW much they had been impressed by his rescue.
Deck had met Mox nearly two years ago while on patrol. They had boarded a merchant ship that didn't respond to hails. Apparently, one of the crew had been exposed to a type of parasitic spores. When they boarded all the human crew was unrecognizable. Massive amounts of moss-like growths covered them from head to toe making them look like hulking brutes. They had the intelligence to match. Reduced to a primitive level close to that of cavemen. They were in the process of cooking and devouring the non-human crew.
On a small ship, they had been forced into close combat. Thankfully their combat suits kept them from being infected but he had still lost a fireteam member, their suit had been compromised. Last he heard they were being studied to hopefully find a cure or vaccine against the infection.
Mox being a rather influential trader on the front lines of progression had requested him personally as guard during their quarantine and decontamination period. They might not play proper host to the parasite but that didn't mean it wasn't in them. It was long hours standing on the other side of a containment door that they made a friendship through the speaker. It only became odd after they were released and Mox admitted to what amounted to a crush. It had been really awkward but Red Star's didn't have many opportunities to make good contacts…
'Bounty hunting? Salvage? Repossession? Was that his only option?
'Captian about bounty hunting…' Eve started to speak but his attention was brought back to Mox.
"You stay. Work for Mox. Here personal guard?" Mox blinked at him almost hopeful.
'Captian it is important. Your love life can wait.' Was that a bit of jealousy in the AI's tone?
'This is NOT my love life. Just calm down, whatever it is can wait. Remember you promised me boundaries!' Deck felt his face flush, in annoyance he told himself.
"Sorry Mox but being free to roam was always my dream." He left unsaid it would be super awkward actually working for them.
"Mox understand." They sounded rather disappointed. "Mox give call. You meet other contact."
'Damn they must really be disappointed. I don't think I've ever heard them speak with so few words.' Deck felt kinda bad.
Mox shuffled forward and held up their arm next to his. There was a chime and he accepted the data transfer. Then Mox hugged both his legs. "Mox always remember. When have more work. Mox call."
"Uh, Thanks my friend." Deck hovered his hand above their wild mess of hair not sure if petting them was alright or not. Sometimes dealing with other species was hard.
"Go now. Mox will arrange successful lucrative profitable meeting with contact at Solar Flare cantina." Mox shuffled back from him after the odd hug.
"Who is this contact?"
"Bizarre crazy eccentric odd weird unusual…" Mox paused as if trying to think of more words to describe them which was odd. "... Different Alnimox. You will understand. They have job, transport need. Mox not know more, only made contact because other Alnimox and near to a birthing cycle. This one not interested. Mox not interested after meeting either." They added the last part with emphasis.
**********
Deck left Mox's office feeling depressed but shook it off trying to look forward to this new contact. Nai was leaning against the wall of the office glaring at a couple of stationers walking along who kept glancing back at them. Both men were wearing office worker clothes.
"They are probably more afraid of you than anything." Deck chuckled.
"They better be." She was still glaring at the two men. "How did your meeting go." She asked with a tone that sounded deliberately uninterested.
"Bad." He checked the time via his PDA implant. "I have another meeting then the station office should be open and we can conclude our business."
Nai pushed away from the wall as he started walking. "Fine."
'Great what is her problem. She's been moody since we got here.' Deck grumbled in his own head and was just happy the ship didn't chime in with their own comments.
*********
Solar Flare cantina was aptly named. Holoprojections of bright yellow and orange covered everything making it glow like a sunspot. Deck entered and got the normal looks. Mostly people sizing up either himself or his wallet. Perhaps it was due to the events of his last time in a cantina he was on extra guard that he noticed what seemed like more than normal.
Nai broke off from him almost immediately, getting her own set of different yet the same looks. Deck ignored the bar completely and found an empty table. There were only about a dozen people in the cantina at the time. Mostly human of course, they were the most numerous of any species outside their own homeworld. Human nature just seemed to be that of the explorer or wander, far more than most sentient life. On top of that, it was the middle of the night for the station. Though the station never shuts down there was still a "day/night" cycle established to make things more convenient.
Deck interfaced with the cantina's network and considered ordering water before realizing he couldn't even afford that. He could feel the eyes of others in the cantina on him and he was certain it was more than normal. 'Just being paranoid because of what SHE did last time.' He glanced to where Nai was standing and was surprised to see her looking at him. Their eyes met for a moment then both looked away.
It wasn't long before his contact entered. They were easy to spot, Alnimox weren't that common. This one was mostly bald with a rather bad combover, their ratty looking hair greased down and over. Their ears were comically large as well, proven by the amount of laughter he heard from other patrons. But the oddest of features was their goggles were tiny. Deck wasn't sure but he thought they might actually make the eyes look smaller.
They waved in Deck's direction and he gave them a small wave back. When they approached his table the stool lowered itself until they could sit in it then rose back up. "Hello. You would be Deck? My name is Aln. It is a pleasure to meet you." They held out their hand while smiling a gap toothed grin. Their voice was squeaky and nasally. But what really threw him off was the lack of word salad in their introduction.
Had he not been so distracted he might have noticed the group that entered just then. None of them were dressed as locals. All of them gazed over the cantina before letting their sights settle on him.