Sir

Posted on Fri Jun 7th, 2019 @ 8:31am by Walter Jones

735 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Set 3: Session 1- Sold!
Location: Auction House Altari Prime
Timeline: Current

"Sir, you can't come in here dressed like" A haughty bellman paused giving Walter a once over. "I will insist that you are wearing formal attire, this is one of the most reputable auction houses in the galaxy."

"I've been thrown out of better places than this, I'll have you know." Jones stomped his foot. "You going to let me in or not?"

"Again sir, not as you are currently dressed." The bellman looked down his nose at Jones. "You don't even have a tie."

Jones fished in his coat pocket and produced a green piece of wire. He carefully wrapped it around his neck and let it hang like a tie. "Better?" At the same time he slapped a strip of latinum down on the desk and slid it towards the bellman.

"While tacky, you now meet the minimum requirements for entry." The bellman pocketed the strip and pushed a button on the station. The two large doors that led inside slid open, revealing an antechamber.

The auction house was massive, large enough even to give a Ferrengi pause about trying to cheat it. The antechamber led to a long corridor covered in rich looking wood paneling. After twenty meters, a double set of doors opened into a grand lobby. Hundreds of beings from the far reaches of the galaxy had assembled. The lobby was two levels flanked by several individual galleries, each with their own specific auction. Servers weaved in and out of the crowd, offering drinks of all sorts, illicit substances, food, and instructions. The grand staircase in the middle was made of what looked to be marble. Velvet red curtains draped the halls as well as the entrance to each of the galleries.

Walt, slightly taken back by the scene, grabbed a drink off a serving tray as one of the Orion servers rushed past..

The middle of the room contained a large display board with the current auctions, upcoming auctions, completed auctions. Walt weaved his way through the crowd and made his way to the desk. There was a finely dressed Lagashi woman quickly working a control panel.

"Can I," She paused for a moment trying to determine if Jones was supposed to be there or not. "Help you?"

"I'm looking for the auction that has the ship SS Warden in it."

A bell rang as another auction completed.

"Accessing that now." The woman, not taking her eyes from Jones pressed a few keys on her panel. "Gallery Twelve One Three, Second Level, Right Flank. Do you require a bidders number?"

"Sure" Jones, who was half way gone stopped.

"That will be a bidders deposit of Five Hundred Bars." The Lagash extended a thumb pad.

"Five Hundred Bars?" Jones scowled. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Mr. Jones." Her left eye focused on him while the other moved down to the table to continue the work she had been doing. "Five Hundred is the price, I have taken the liberty and scanned your total assets, while, somewhat lacking will be sufficient the cover the expense. It will be refunded to you after all accounts are settled."

"How..." frumpled his face again and extended his thumb. "Damn Lagashi... always in others affairs, worse than the Ferrengi."

"Thank you Mr. Jones. Please enjoy yourself, drinks and food are complementary." With little fan fair, The Lagash went back to monitoring the auctions while Jones turned back to the crowd.

The amount of people contained in the auction house was almost too incredible to behold. Diplomat, Fleet Captains, High ranking members of various trade organizations, celebrities, and several people who drew too much attention by not drawing attention. Walt tried to take it all in. He had hobnobbed with the lowest of the lowlifes in the galaxy, but this was a whole new type of filth.

Jones grabbed another drink as he made it up the stairs. Laughter and banter could be made out from people standing about. Trade deals, negotiations, diplomatic overtures, all mingled with the pungent smell of latinum.

Jones reached the top, took a deep breath, and moved towards where the auction was. The entrance to the room was a large double door, ornately carved with auctions through history. He pulled the door open, and went inside.

TBC

OOC: Should help give you all a bit of setup on what the place looks like if you are going to meet here.

 

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