Location: Market <Thullum, Thullok> (January 21, 2013)
Participants: Narai, Thalia Kael
The market is busy. Busy with traders, mercanries, soldiers, slavers. In the mix, the sole Opodian in the entire market - Narai, scurries around various people as he tucks an object he had just purchased into his sack. Without looking, he runs into a tall man, who looks down at him. "Sorry, sir!" Narai exclaims!
"What the hell is this?" The tall, armoured man shouts. "Puny alien. Will make a good slave! Or a good fur coat!" He goes to grab the Opodian.
Thalia Kael luckily appears to be walking in the direction of the Opodian, fully clad in a shimmering white armour of her own. "Hmm?" she murmurs as she looks to the almost-fight. Then, she walks with her general elegant, languid gait over in that direction.
"Sir, I suggest you release the Opodian." she says neutrally, gazing at the man with piercing emerald eyes. "I do not think you will enjoy the consequences if you take my suggestion lightly, either." she continues. One of her hands begins to glow a gentle orange, though whether or not the man notices this, Thalia cannot control.
The legendary explorer gasps as the slaver goes for him. "Unhand me, you vile fiend!" Narai shouts, acting all tough, even though he realizes he is probably screwed! He turns to the woman who is now getting involved, "What?!" He shouts in confusion.
The slaver stops his advance on the Opodian, looking at Thalia. "You're in for a world of hurt if you get in my way." He snorts, taking a step towards Thalia.
"You really do not want to attempt to inflict bodily harm upon my person." says Thalia with an emotionless sigh. "Trust me." She looks deep into the man's eyes, concentrating visibly. If she's successful in her penetration, the man will see her slowly rise to a gargantuan height, and probably grow some horns or tentacles, her visage turning monstrous and terrifying.
The slaver starts to look upwards as he takes a step closer to Thalia. He then suddenly comes to a stop, his hands rising in defense. "Well, look here.. We're all friends here." The slaver says, chuckling and patting the Opodian on the head. "No hard feelings there, fuzzy one." He says, chuckling again, before running off like a wimp that just lost a fight to the school yard bully.
The Opodian watches the slaver react oddly, shaking his head as he is patted. After the man runs off, he walks up to the woman. "Thank you. I probably would of been shipped off to some low tech world to work as a manual labourer for the rest of my days." He snorts, checking to make sure he still has his satchel. "I am Narai, Explorer. Head of Trans-Dimensional Expeditions. I must repay you for your assistance!"
"Thalia Kael, Wanderer. Truly there is no need for payment, but I would not resist if you were to insist upon it." says the tall woman, looking down at Narai with a faint smile, "I despise slavers." She looks around the market with an appraising eye, saying with a slow 'mmmm', "And what are you doing here, Narai? It does not look like the safest place for an explorer to visit."
"Yes, well since the rifts were discovered slave trading is really taken off." Narai replies. "As for what I am doing here, meeting with a contact. And to get an idea I need to trade for when I cross through the rift for some ancient artifacts. I know, not a smart move. Are you sure I cannot compensate you for your troubles? Credits? Something else?”
"Mmm. Well, I could use credits." says Thalia with a nod, "But nothing you cannot spare." She looks around again, scanning the crowd for dangers with almost cold, piercing eyes. "And I do not suppose you have any work? I am in dire need of a steady source of income, and I have not yet been able to find any."
The Opodian nods, reading into his sack and getting a datapad out. "I shall transfer some credits into your account. As for work.. TDX is more into exploration. We don't make much money. I could offer you a position, but it would not be very lucrative. I suspect someone of your.. abilities, could get high paying work with one of the regional governments in the Expanse."
"Thank you." says the Aukami, bowing slightly at the waist. "And any work is better than none. I do not believe many of the governments will hire me, and I do not particularly wish to work for some. The Danu Chroi Empire, for instance, is full of members who are prejudiced and overly pacifistic while lacking completely in logic. There are very few within their ranks whom I respect. The new Dominion appears to be a group of war-mongers, and are far too close to my home planet for comfort. The Hekayti are blinded by pride, and the Stellar Consortium commits acts that I cannot in good concience put my approval behind." She looks down to Narai again, saying with the same faint smile, "So, do you have any work?"
"I may have something. But I must get back to my ship. I need to get my ship moving to its next destination. If you can make it to my next destination, we can discuss possible employment opportunities there?" Narai says, walking towards the exit of the market.
Thalia Kael nods slowly, following Narai for a bit as she speaks. "Certainly." she says, flatly, "Where would your next destination be, precisely?" She keeps scanning the market in an almost paranoid fashion, though perhaps that's not exactly a bad thing in this sort of place.
"Fortrain." Narai, says, as he walks, "Meet you there."