Bay 12 Games Forum

You decide to spend time with net articles on bartending.


You don't find anything interesting on the Net this time, and even local spaceweather report was rather dull ('no gravitational anomalies, no ion storms, have a pleasant cruise through Zanzibar!').

But that is okay - the console notified you a minute ago that the 'Islander' has docked. You straighten up at the bar, tap the console a bit, and gaze at the gate.

Soon.

Just in a second...

Suredly...


With a hiss, the gate opens.

A tall, dark-haired woman with a slim figure comes in, followed by a rather average-shaped man with blad head.

The woman wears a dark and grey jumpsuit with several white stripes going down from her left shoulder all the way to her left foot. Her hands are covered with black siber gloves, probably member of the crew? Her silvery eyes scan the surroundings with some apprehension, or perhaps, disdain.

The man wears a clean, dark green suit with a cleavage that shows his sparkly white shirt underneath. Instead of suit pants, however, he wears a wide skirt, of the same pressed material as his suit. His nose and left earlobe are adorned with several golden rings, and he wears much larger ring around his neck. The man's skin seems to have some sort of reddish-orange tan to it, and he is all smiles, his eyes partly shut.

"May the Path-Ways bless you on your trek through life, good bartender." The man speaks first, with a loud, happy tone, but instead of taking a seat, he ventures to inspect the neon lamps.

"Again with your proselytizing, Roand?" The woman brushes her hair, and sits down at one stool.

"Tis but a blessing, not an attempt at conversion." The man explains, rolling his eyes, and then paces to sit at the woman's left-hand side.

"One Cornflower, please."

"A shot of Wet Jet." You set to work. Typing away 'Cornflower' at the console, being pretty sure it must be some sort of a mix, you pour the man a shot of Wet Jet in the meanwhile. You pass it to him, and from the breast pocket of his suit, he pulls our a curious-looking, oval, brown-tinted credchip. You scan it just like any other, though. (+20c)

Today Earnings: 620c
Monthly Earnings: 6757.5c

Patron ID: Roand Tyneck
Occupation: Religious Preacher (Cult of Path-Ways)
Conv.Style: CHATTY
Liked drinks: wet jet, grenadiere
Disliked drinks: soft

Connecting...

Connecting...

Done!

Queries: cornflower

>1 result found:

CORNFLOWER: 67c

2 Shots of Wet Jet
Shot of Ribesnero
Shot of Dry Jet

Serve in a tank glass with cherry and lemon slice.

After checking the instructions, you quickly set a tank glass, then pour in the two Jets and Ribesnero, watching the mixture settle on some deep blue-purple color. You pop in a defrosted cherry and garnish the tank with a lemon slice on the side, and pass it to the woman.

"Thanks." She pulls her credchip - an unadorned, gray rectangle - from her jumpsuit's left pocket, allowing you to scan it. (+67c)

Today Earnings: 687c
Monthly Earnings: 6824.5c

Patron ID: Audrine Steiner
Occupation: Crewmember of Light Transport "Islander"
Conv.Style: CHILLY
Liked drinks: fiery, sweet, Cornflower
Disliked drinks: N/A

Audrine takes a sip of her drink, while Roand downs his shot and then passes the glass back to you. "Thank you, young man."

CHOOSE YOUR CONVERSATION STARTER!

A) To Roand: "Another?"
B) To Roand, CHATTY: "Thank you for the blessing, even if I know little of the Path-Ways you speak of, what are they?"
C) To Audrine: "Where's the captain?"
D) To Audrine, CHATTY: "My sensors notified you that you're a crewmember of a 'light transport', I assume, seeing Roand here, that you carry passengers?"
E) FLIRTY: "Not to push or anything, but if either of you are interested, I'm sure I'm capable of providing more than just drinks~"

You go and take it easy for, well, however long the universe shall give you.


Which is slightly over five hours.

That's when the sensors console gives that obnoxious warning that a ship is on approach-and-docking vector. You lift yourself from your bed and march to check the sensor screen.

Sensors Station Alert! IFF beacon translation in progress...

Done!

"Islander", a Centaur-class Light Civilian Transport, is approaching from the direction of Gamma Urquanii Jump Gate.

Standard docking and refueling request received.

Fuel Pump assigned: #4 (authority: Automated Refueling AI)

Estimated arrival time: 27 minutes.

That's a slow one.

A) Eh, I can just wait!
B) Enough to squeeze in an episode of Zirconius, perhaps?
C) Enough to squeeze in some bartending trivia, perhaps?

"Yes, can you tell me who else was invited to the Seating, for I have no word on that?" The bearded man nods.

"Ah, well, of course King Bartasz of Livoni and Prince Vallurvo of Ingar. Queen Vigda of Reval and King Atam of Murra. We've sent polite invitations to the distant ones in Suisto and Ryga, hoping they would feel inclined to send at least a delegation, but they've laughed at out invitations, those coastal barbarians."

"I see, thank you." You consider the reply-

A) "Now I wish to rest."
B) "Now I wish to meet with King Herykk as soon as possible."
C) "Now I wish to meet with Prince Vallurvo as soon as possible."
D) "Now I wish to know, what about King of Ulko? You have not mentioned him, and yet he is downriver from Herykk's shores!"

You decide its nothing of concern.


The beeping scanner performs a physical scan of you and study of your brainwaves. It has spent quite few minutes collating and summarizing data.

The medical computer finishes its work just in time for another sensor ping. This one is unannounced prior, you believe.

A) Check the medical examination log first.
B) Go check what's the ping about.

You make your way to the med-bay.

Accessing the terminal, you lay down and prepare for the auto-scan of your body functions and brain activity.


As the medical scan is nearing completion, you hear a ping from somewhere in the commander center.

You wager it is Conquest departing.

A) Nothing of concern.
B) And yet, what if it is someone or something else?

Ryuuji, Tatsuya, Joji:

As the trio continues their walk through the corridors, they turn a corner and... (Ryuuji/Tatsuya/Joji: +2 Experience each!)


Hearing an eerie sound coming from behind the door, Ryuuji decides to check it out. At first glance, the abandoned classroom seems empty. Once his eyes get used to the darkness, he discovers an unusual sigil drawn on the floor, a dusty old book laying in front of it.

Judging by the smoke, someone put out the candles the moment Ryuuji entered. Matches and spare candles are thrown haphazardly around the room as the blackboard is covered in strange writing..

Ryuuji Kurenai:

A) re-light the candles
B) pick up the book
C) study the writing on the blackboard

"Where are other Kings? I would like to meet with at least some of them, if this is possible?" The man in charge of welcoming you smiles.

"Ah, but you're one of the first to arrive. Only King Bartasz of Livoni has arrived, as he was requested by our liege, and so did Prince Vallurvo of Ingar. Other invitees are yet to arrive. Now, please, come this way, this way." He leads you through the lowest floor of Herykk's keep to spacious quarters. Your guards and servants are given temporary quarters in the Keep or in the houses of Herykk's servants elsewhere.

"Is there anything you wish to know, or need to be taken care of, King Cyrus?" The bearded man asks, bowing his head slightly.

A) "No, I think I will just rest for now."
B) "Yes, arrange a meeting with King Herykk as soon as possible. I wish to see my in-law at last, and before the Seating begins."
C) "Yes, can you tell me who else was invited to the Seating, for I have no word on that?"
D) "Yes - why is Prince Vallurvo of Ingar here, and not his father, King Astri?"