Rodney was pissed, but also curious. He also had to admit that he was impressed that she managed to dupe him. He’d been pretty sure she would try to run, but it didn’t occur to him that she would run into the castle compound. “We need to find out who she really is,” he said to Anil. How had she gotten into the embassy? Was she really related to the Embassador? Or was she a survent? Was she an envoy to the two boys he’d seen greet her at the castle? Rodney was missing information and he hated that.
“Do you just want to walk up to the door and ask?” Anil asked.
“No,” Rodney pulled down the drone and put it away. “Let’s find the inn that Sofia recommended. Our real mission is to get this song and get the hell out of here. This is taking too long.” Rodney wasn’t happy with that decision, but he’d learned long ago that attractive distractions could ruin missions. His discipline drove him to find the general’s sister.
It didn’t take long to hunt down the building Sofia had referred too. Nestled in the steep hills and valley of the Southern Metropolis, the Inn was located in a section dominated by humans. Moreover, the style was anything but modern. It reminded Rodney of something he might find in the Swiss alps, or ancient England. But he was not an architect. He could not name the style of the buildings, nor did he care to. What mattered to him was that of all the styles the settlers here could have picked, they picked this one. He couldn’t share the sense that it was form of rebellion. While the rest of humanity was hell bent on expansion at all costs, this enclave chose to live a more primitive life. That had to gall the governor. And to do it in the face of other species? No doubt there were political forces on Earth scheming to change the face of this section. But it had held. Why?
The three men worked their way through the narrow streets. Shop windows glowed warmly on each side. “Strange architecture,” Tony remarked. “Reminds me of the mining towns in Colorado, you know, those tourist traps?”
“I was thinking it was something older,” Anil added. “More European.” Tony shrugged. “Sure, could be.” Rodney glanced above the shops. There were rooms. Rooms with families. Families located well away from the Earth Embassy. This was an outpost on a foreign world. And then it hit him. Earth couldn’t do anything about it.
Rodney realized he needed to know more about who was behind this enclave. It had taken serious resources to set this section up.
They found the tavern, the Emerald Dragon at the cross roads of a busy intersection. Rodney could almost make out the neighboring sections if he stood in the center of the street. Everything here was designed to be closed in. Private.
The building had black wood beams over white washed plaster walls. A huge green dragon with ruby eyes glistened placard hanging from a beam over the door.
Rodney pulled the ornate brass handle on the door and motioned for the others to walk in. Just as he did, two women in long skirts and taffeta tops stepped out. They wore fur caps and had their hands inside fur hand warmers. They looked up at him surprised, then smiled. He smiled back. Only in that moment did he realize he could see his breath.
It was cold here. Much colder than by the Embassies. Anil and Tony stepped back, letting the women by and Rodney noted that the environmental controls around the power centers did not extend to this section of the Sothern Metripole.
Anil ducked his head and stepped in, Tony behind and Rodney followed. He felt the gaze of the two women upon him, he turned to look and the one on the right, the brunet smiled back at him. Unabashed. It was clearly an invitation. He stepped inside anyways. Enough distractions.
The low ceiling and dark oak beams matched the exterior. Saw dust on the floor with thick coating of peanut shells gave the place a “crunchy” texture. Rodney could smell the stale beer. With no obvious front desk, they walked up to the bar. A tall, red headed beauty with green eyes flashed Rodney a quick smile and set down the glass she was cleaning.
“What are you fine gentlemen looking for on a cold evening such as this?” She practically glowed. Rodney appreciated her style. She had beautiful ink covering her arms and neck creating a tangle of roses. The colorful flowers created a vibrant contrast against her pale skin. The pub wasn’t crowded, nor was it empty. Yet, she acted as if they were the only people worth talking to.
@@EDIT@@
“We’re looking for a place to stay,” Rodney started.
“During the music festival?” The red head smirked. “Good luck with that.”
“Sonia sent me.”
She paused, stood up straight then picked up a glass and with a brown dish rag started to clean it. “She did did she?”
“She said you would be able to take care of us,” Rodney continued.
The bar mistress snorted. “Take care of you. What do you think she promised you?” She looked Rodney in the eye, her glare challenging him.
“Safety and…”
“And What!?” She slammed down the now dirty glass.
“Information.”
She paused. “Are you sure that’s all she promised you?”
Rodney feigned a look of shock. “What else would she promise me?”
The barmaid seemed to consider it. “When men…” she or actually spit the word, “come from the North, they usually expect one thing.”
“We’re not here for breading if that’s what you mean,” Anil interjected. Rodney looked at him sideways, but otherwise didn’t take his eyes off the barmaid, not only because she was gorgeous, but also because he suspected she could defend herself. He’d seen pretty women make a mess of a stranger to make a point - not to him, but to the regular creeps lurking around. Never harm a regular. But a tourist? This pub would not appear on any travel guide. She wasn’t worried about the reputation of her walls, just her’s.
“It seems like we got off on the wrong foot,” Rodney reached out his hand. She ignored it. “I’m Rodney.” She looked at his open paw, just hanging there, then gripped it like her hand was made of steel and squeezed. Rodney’s eyes watered. Her hand was made of steel. Coated with a warm rubberized synthetic material that perfectly matched her real skin.
“Ema,” She said leaning in. Rodney held her gaze.
“That hurts like hell,” he said calmly.
“You noticed did you?” Ema whispered.
Rodney nodded but did not let go.
After a moment, Ema let up. Rodney resisted the urge to rub his hand. He lowered it below the bar and then made a fist and released it, flexing his hand to try and dissipate the pain.
“Can you help us?” Rodney asked, ignoring the shooting pain in his had.
Ema nodded, “I can put you up, but I don’t have three rooms. Just one.”
“We can make it work,” Anil said.
Ema pointed at Anil and Tony, “you two, this way.” She nodded at Rodney, “You wait here.”
“Yes mam,” Rodney nodded and sat down. A young barback came out of the kitchen carrying a case of steaming beer mugs freshly cleaned. Without missing a beat Ema said, “Get that tall guy at the bar a drink. What ever he wants.”
“yes mum,” the boy said.
Tony and Anil grabbed their packs and followed Ema down the length of the bar and then through an archway that lead toward the mountain.
Rodney nodded to Tony who waved back. Nothing was going the way he wanted it to. Damn Oshenai and his stupid errands.
The young man, who Rodney had first assumed wsa a boy, stepped up to the bar and asked him what he would like to drink. “Blue tea, with creamer, no sugar.”
The boy nodded and headed back toward the kitchen. The selection of alcohol behind the bar was impressive, but Rodney needed to keep his focus. Without his medical nanobots, he had no way to mitigate the effects of the alcohol. In fact, some of those bottles might even hurt him. During his time in the military, Rodney had watched his troupes down some toxic drinks. It was as if the enlisted wanted to test the healing limits of the tiny machines that kept their bodies running optimally. He’d heard rumors of men (and some women) going too far, but he’d never seen it in person. It was probably one of those myths the drill sergeants spread to keep the enlisted in check.
Rodney’s grand mother drank blue herbal tea, so he figured it had to be mostly harmless.
Ema returned to the bar, carrying his tea. “You ready big fella?” She asked handing him his drink.
“For what?”
Ema didn’t answer, she nodded for him to follow. He did.