Interstel Standard Band Transmission
To: New Empire Commerce and Transport, VBN Orbital City
From: ISS Reply (Mechan re-Tasking Project)
[INBOUND, RECEIVING]
XT7 LogTrans:RoutineD4 Low Priority
//Buoy launch unsuccessful//Location: 187,110 //Locations Complete:
4//Communications Applications: inactive: ThrynnConfedBand (A-E) ElanBand
(All) Hex'nixrBand HumnaBand InterstelStandardBand (A-C)// NavAid Beacon
Applications: awaiting upgrade// Detection Applications: dormant//You have
been delayed.//End.
[// END TRANSMSISSION //]
Vega Rillius: 144,80
Loman's Moon Base
Jova Lounge
While the brave captains and crews of 4620 had been looking for black egg bombs, Habby Loman was establishing a little spaceport on the third moon of the gas giant around Vega Rillius. He liked the way the blue light from the sun shone on the moon's surface. The Thrynn had graciously taken thirty-four cargoes of plutonium and alien curio off his hands, and with the resulting capital, Habby Loman had built a way station on the barren moon. In the years since, that area of space, between the local star empires and federations, had become something of a commercial and diplomatic crossroads. It was a tax-free no man's land, so naturally, the Humna Humna had found their way to the region, albeit in small numbers. Loman knew a deal when he saw one and sold out to the first Humna Humna who slid through the door. Habby Loman is rumored to be speculating somewhere near the hook.
Vx'mrhexxa sat at the bar in the Jova lounge, one of the establishments on Loman's Moon Base. (Humna Humna know the value of name recognition; Loman let them keep the name for an extra forty thou.) His ship, HMS Six by Six was on a layover for a burnt out Shyneum converter. Vx'mrhexxa was rather excited, using all six limbs to gesture.
"So whole fleet goes roaring the border with attack formation. Was unbelievable. Dreadnought and support ships go straight Ilsthish. B-line is most assuredly, too certain," he went on. The bartender was paying no attention as he was on the other end of the bar conducting a bit of purely innocent side business. Vx'mrhexxa's audience was a rather drunk human who slept peacefully at the bar next to him. Vx'mrhexxa continued at a furious pace: "Elowan defense net alerts, can tell from comm signals most many of them. Ships all sectors converge Ilsthish, come together ready fighting Thrynn most deadly."
Vx'mrhexxa was in a frenzy by this point, spouting his report. HMS Six by Six had been gathering signals intelligence near the upspin edge of the Thrynn/Elowan border. The Veloxi Intelligence Service had difficulty with secrecy. "Just as pickets come contact and two Elowan ships the very dead, the Thrynn ships hit brakes, pop smoke, bug out and go bye-bye home most quickly. G'Noon G'Nasch G'Nunk? Don't know, not caring. But certainly the most cowardly Thrynn, certainly." Vx'mrhexxa found this wildly funny. Translating Arth Veloxi was one thing. Her Majesty's Veloxi was another story altogether; Loman went cheap on the translation units, figuring alcohol would fill in the blanks. An Interstel type sitting in a booth by the window made a few notes on a cocktail napkin.
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Next: "Puzzles"
I've got this problem with "synthehol" in Star Trek. How in the world can you have a galaxy full of surly space jocks and wily knaves without alcohol? I want you to rest assured: there is no "synthehol" served at the Jova Lounge. Habby Loman encourages you to -hic- drink responsibly.
"Hilsfar & Company: Because Chakotay Feels Your Pain"