Bay 12 Games Forum

"Are you looking for a specific match?" Agustina sighs most dreamily.

"That sounds like an easy question, huh? Well, to be honest, I need a guy who's cute, intelligent, and reliable. I mean we will run our world's administration, but I don't want just fellow administrator, you know?"

"It would be also a plus. If the potential mate for Miss Akrylla. Had nerves of steel. And penchant for banter."

"Those are not necessary."

"They would help. In the long run." Agustina glares at Chester, who looks at her, and then they sip their drinks.

A) "Ah, then, I can't help here."
B) "I know a police guy who's single."
C) "I know a cute courier guy who's single."
D) "I know a fashionable courier guy who's single."
E) "Why not Chester?"

"How's your own adventure going, Agustina?"

"Uh, it's going. I'm trying not to think about my marital status. It will happen when it happen, you know?"

"Miss Akrylla had certain difficulties. Due to nature of her behavior. And unwillingness to-" Agustina glares at the android.

"Thanks, Chester." She takes a sip, and lets out a sigh.

Then another sip, and another sigh. She scratches her nose and then...

"Hey barkeep, you don't know any guy who would be willing to marry a girl with deep pockets, right?" The young heiress looks at you, her stare betraying that she is only half-joking.

You consider the people you've met before, and the question itself...

A) "Nope, sorry."
B) "I know a police guy who's single."
C) "I know a cute courier guy who's single."
D) "I know a fashionable courier guy who's single."
E) "Why not Chester?"
F) "Are you looking for a specific match?"

"How about a Gut Punch?"

"I know that one! It is decent, but I would rather have something new."

"Queen of Tau Ceti?"

"Oh, that's a new one! Is it good?"

"I cannot tell, but it is mostly spicy and bitter, with dash of fruity sweetness to break the monotony."

"Hmmm... how much is it?"

"83 Credits."

"Deal!" Agustina says before Chester has opportunity to speak up. "Please prepare that one for me, then." You nod and prepare a Queen of Tau Ceti. Saproot, Fungus Malus, ice and the dash of sweet Grapevine.

You serve the tall glass to Agustina, and she lets you scan her credchip again. (+83c)

Today Earnings: 151.5c
Monthly Earnings: 3876.5c

Agustina takes a sip, smacks her lips, then takes another sip.

"Mm, this is neat." Chester drinks another third of his Grenadiere shot before putting his glass down.

"Please be mindful. Of your expenses. When procuring new beverages. Miss Akrylla."

"Hey, I am mindful! It's only eighty credits, Chester, chill." Chester rolls his eyes, and drinks remainder of his shot while Agustina takes another sip of the Queen.

A) "Want another shot, Chester?"
B) "So what brings you two here again, besides procuring new beverages?"
C) *idle bartender noises*

"Apologies, I'm a bit tired. Tell you what, I will give you 50% discount on this mistake if you take it along with the shot you wanted. Deal?"[/color] Chester stares at you in silence for few seconds.

"That is not the synthol. I wish to imbibe. At the current time and place."

"Come on, Chester. It's the discount that counts, not the synthol itself!" Agustina takes a sip of her mix, eyeing her android companion. Chester thinks a little longer.

"Alright. I accept this exchange. As an apology. Please refrain. From making anymore mistakes. If that is possible." You nod and quickly pour Chester a shot of Grenadiere, then tally up a 50% discount on the former shot using your Second Class Employee priviledge.

When the console confirms that the requested discount has been applied, you raise the credchip scanner (what else) towards Chester - the android extends his right hand towards you, and its index finger pops open like before, exposing a credchip that you freely scan. (+22.5c)

Today Earnings: 68.5c
Monthly Earnings: 3793.5c

Chester takes both shot glasses and brings them closer to himself, while Agustina takes a quick sip of her green mix and looks at you.

"So how's it going, barkeep? Why tired?"

"It's the middle of my sleeping period." Agustina purses her lips in surprise, while Chester nods.

"This has been the case. Last time I was here. At the time of your drunken uncounciousness."

"Oh. Why you didn't tell me before we got here?"

"I did tell you. A few minutes ago. But you were absorbed. By the idea of synthols too much. To counciously register my words. Miss Akrylla." Agustina blushes some, then takes another ship of her mix.

"Synthol's getting sour." She muses, and you're unsure if its directed at you or Chester or both.

A) "Feel free to stay as long as you want, I can manage sleep delays."
B) "I hope you understand then that I would like to go back to my sleep pod soon."

You decide to take in some more bartending trivias, they need a good brainy home like yours!


You learn that Saproot is made from composition of eleven herbal essences of plants native to Moebius Sector, one of central sectors and the home-sector of SRC itself. Seven of the original plants were long rendered extinct by overharvesting and industrial pollution, but the chemical compositions of their esters live on in Saproot's synthetization formula.

It goes without a mention that Saproot's formula is the most complex synthol stored in SRC replicator memory banks. It is the prime 'spicy' flavor, and most herbal of them all, too!

You disconnect self from the trivia articles and look at the time. Yep, just few minutes more.

You begin turning off the bar and the main hall.


[SLEEP PERIOD HAS BEG-]

You put the wetware processor in its place, as you're ready for sleep anyway - just gotta close the sleep pod and...

There. With a hiss, the pod begins releasing aerosol chemicals to help you fall asleep. Soon, your slumbering begins.


BEEP-BEEP.
BEEP-BEEP.
BEEP-BEEP.

Groggy and disoriented, you nonetheless leave the sleep pod when the automated system wakes you up. Something's approaching the station!

Dragging your feet and squinting your eyes to get the iris accustomed to the lights again, you make your way to the command room, and check the sensors.

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

Done!

"Minuet", a Freedom-class Cargo Barge, is approaching from the direction of Madagascar Jump Gate.

Standard docking and refueling request received.

Fuel Pump assigned: #3 (authority: Automated Refueling AI)

Estimated arrival time: 14 minutes.

This ship has been here before.

You rake your sleepy brain and sure enough you remember who this might be: Agustina and her android, Chester.

A) Imma ping'em, gotta make at least some money a day! They're decent company too, right?
B) Nah, they ain't, I'm back to sleep.

Manuals it is!


When you're somewhere about 70% done with SRC Hull and Power Network manual, you get that notification inside your head: your sleep period (1945-0145) begins within 1 hour!

And you had 0 patrons today.

And 0 patrons equals 0 profits.

And 0 profits equals... hm...

A) Start panicking!!
B) Resume reading the manuals.
C) Try to listen in on subspace comms if possible.
D) Just enough time for a Zirconius episode!
E) Do the rounds of the station, maybe they're hiding?
F) Contemplate loneliness.
G) Explore your mind and body.
H) Read some bartending trivia before sleep?

Hm, why not.

Enough fiction, time for manuals.


Twelve hours of studying later, you leave the manuals alone for a moment, and stretch, and rub your eyes. You are about 60% done with SRC Hull and Power Manuals!

You even go check the sensors but absolutely no one and nothing have entered the system.

Hm. Could it be? A day without a single patron? Without anyone even passing through Beta Carotenii??

A) Whatever, back to studying.
B) Let's break the monotony with more Zirconius!
C) Let's break the monotony with bartending trivia!