To Give or Not to Give IC
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To Give or Not to Give IC
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Thirty minutes later Batshit was looking like a drowned rat. She cut a pathetic, bedraggled figure leaning against the door.
“wow” called Harry, the owner “look what the tide washed up”
Batshit flicked him the bird and stuck out her tongue from under the red hair plastered across her face.
She raced to catch up., clearing tables in between loads in the dishwasher. She hoovered up left over salads as she went. Gross but what you going to do?
As she work Harry chatted about the next day.
“just do the prep for breakfast,” he instructed as she cashed up “it will be a busy day so sleep tonight, yeah?”
“yes dad. Wash my face, clean my teeth and get a good night’s sleep” she winked at him “look ate my green” folding at lettuce into her mouth
She placed the cash in the bag and looked at Harry, “why is tomorrow so important Harry? I mean to you?
” there was this girl did your job. Nice kid but wrong crowd, wrong guy, wrong decisions. Couldn’t stop it, just had to stand by and watch her. “he sigh and sat down on a chair, rubbing in distress” star ended up shooting her during a stick up. Could I have done more? Who knows but if this is karma, blood money, atonement. Who knows” he slapped his knees and stood up “I am to home and you are to bed young lady.
She locked the door after him. She finished her breakfast preparation in double quick time. While she worked she filmed her diary.
Work done she unrolled her bed in the office and exhaustion dragged her to a deep sleep. It was not enough. She fought the urge to smash her alarm when it went off. She washed and fixed her hair. Minty fresh breath and she fired up the coffee machine and opened the door
It was busy with a steady stream of Dock workers looking for carbs and caffeine. As she cooked served and took order she had no time to worry about how tired she felt. Harry came in and they soon fell into an easy pattern to cover the service.
At nine o’clock the flow stopped. While Harry received more deliveries, she washed up and served.
Harry came in from waving off the last delivery van.
“good job little lady. Go rest, sleep. I’ll wake you in a bit.”
She collapsed on the desk. Harry woke her gently “brought tea and some biscuits n gravy” he smiled “eat up drink up, lots to do”
She found four tattooed women beavering away in the kitchen. As she looked for a task to to Harry called
“over here help me make room for the stage”
Two. Hours later the room rearranged and a small sound system set up
“go get you guitar, sound check”
She didn’t know why she chose the song as she started to sing everyone stopped to listenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NJqUN9TClM
when she finished she got a round of applause
One of the kitchen helpers muttered as she wiped her eyes “hope she sing something more cheerful tonight, that hurts”
“awww megaton, you cryin’ did der widdle girw make you sad”
“frack off Sally cumon dem burger no gonna make em selves”
Batshit spent the rest of the afternoon serving customers. Time passed quickly between the girls messing around the customers and getting the signs a such set up. Seven o’clock flashed up so fast.
Harry had the sign out
“Ok show time”
The door open and four young men with instruments shuffled in “hey we der holy rollers looking for Harry”
“thats me set up over there guys, master switch at the back” he laughed “and you pay for what you drink boys” -
Evening, May 7, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya steps out of a cab two blocks from Harry’s Bar and walks the rest of the way, an umbrella providing some protection from the rain coming down. Fortunately, the promised downpour has not yet materialized or the poor umbrella would not be up to the task. She has done her research on the venue and has dressed appropriately for the location and the expected crowd. She is also armed with the information Rose was able to dig up and feels a bit less apprehensive about donating some money to the cause, but she is still digging for anything that might lead her to think something is off.
There is a short line to get into the bar and she waits patiently for her turn to slot a credstick to pay for the cover and the expected donation. If she is satisfied, she will add more to the donation later in the evening. Once inside, Tanya moves to the side of the door and lets her eyes adjust to the dimmer lighting. The smoky room has an effect on the ambiance, something that Tanya can appreciate. She looks about for Bronwean but does not see her right away. She moves carefully to try to find a table that is not completely full, expecting to share in a crowded bar such as this.
Attendance seems good and there are lots of people sitting or standing and milling about. Tanya orders a beer and slots the charge and a small tip. She holds the stick in the slot as if prepared to increase the tip and looks the harried waitress in the eye. “I am supposed to meet Bronwean here. I think she works here and does something on the stage. The name ring a bell?
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“Bronwean? Bronie! ‘nother girlfriend lookin’ fer ya”
The slight elf bangs through the kitchen door, apron on, hair in a messy bun out of the way, Tanya marvels as she wends her way through the crowd balancing four plates, without touching a soul.
She gets back too the bar and talk to the bar girl how gestured in Tanya’s direction. As there eyes meet, Bronwean smiles waves, she hds up a finger mouthing “one minute”
She emerges with a battered old guitar Tanya remembers from last night
“I’m on in a minute” she explains “thanks for coming don’t forget to by a hat” she says pointing “the fire men are going to do a burger eating race two different engines”
She was going to say more but Harry pushed his way through the crowd motioning her closer.
“The next band is caught up in road works can you fill in for twenty minutes?”
“Er yeah I guess, but I’m a busker not a rocker I’m not that good”
“little lady you made everyone cry at sound check” Harry states bluntly
“was it that bad?”
“funny, please batshit”
“Er excus me… Er TANYA! looks like I’m on”
As she approached the stage area one on the guys from the last band looks at her
“they’ll not hear that old lady in here no with those pickup. Hang on a moment” he came back “here borrow this and don’t bust it please”
Bronwean pulled the strap of the electric and the messed up her hair by flinging her head forward, the young Rock gave her the sign of the bull
“hell yeah, frack shat up girl”
She stepped up to the mic
“oh peddles, fancy wa wa noises, shiny ” she rumbled in deep voice
Tanya realised she was holding her breath, she also realised she could spot all the people who knew her as they were watching too
“erm the band git held so you got me for twenty destroying your favourite song” she looked through her hair at the crowd “wow nothing, tough crowd, OK here we go”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkiCuHHs_ZE
“thats cool so now for all the guys out there, don’t say I didn’t warn you”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLfP8M9jNkY
This one is always fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcpzYO-_4Mg
She looks at the orc woman from lunch time
“hope you brought your painkillers”
The woman stopped dancing to listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2H9g24FNuY
And one for all you headbangers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2vephW-g4U
As she wound up, Harry nodded, pointing at the floor the held up a finger “one more” she made a sign like eating and she git two thumbs up. she couldn’t resist it
“the bands here so you only have to put up with my cat calls for one more song, so here we go”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkif00t5vPk
As she plays the band give her pretend evils and birds, she takes a moment to blow them a kiss. That she winds down the crowd cat calls and whistle for more.
“if I’m singing you ain’t spending” , she called back “please remember why we are here, please folks dig deep, next up our local heroes, stand up guys. Sorry but none of them are up for sale except for him on the end there, his partner will take fourteen hundred and a new tumble dryer” as the laughter ripples through the crowd, the food is brought out and attention switches to Harry and the fire fighters.
Batshit fled the stage
“thanks for the loan” she smiled at the guy
“no sweat, you nailed it, can we talk? The guys wanna talk that is”
“I’d love to but I’m working”
“OK, later? Please?”
“yeah, maybe, got to go”
Tanya tried to track through the crowd but that girl really knew how dance through a crowd.
As batshit made the kitchen the four helpers all congratulated her. She smiled and looked for a job to hide behind, she grabbed a tray of burgers and rushed off to the race. As she deposited the tray, Tanya finally managed to intercept her
“hey”
“oh hi, sorry about that, thanks for staying” -
Evening, May 7, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya smiles at the waitress and puts an additional tip in her cred slot. She watches as Bronwean moves through the crowd with practiced ease and smiles to herself. The girl moved in a way that reminded Tanya of herself at a much younger pick pocket. She pays close attention to her young friend and smiles as she approaches the table, only to be almost instantly diverted to the stage. Bronwean’s music is better than expected and Tanya finds herself singing along with the tunes.
If possible, the crowd increases as the evening goes on and many seem to know the girl and her music. She might have lost track of the girl except for the fact that she used her ultrasound generator to tag and follow her every movement as she slipped between the people crowded into the small bar. Tanya makes her way to intercept Bronwean and takes her arm just after she places a tray of burgers on a table that was to be used for the burger eating contest. She almost has to yell to be heard over the noise. “Hey, no problem. You have a gift for a voice. Why are you not taking advantage of that? I really think that you could go places.”
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“truly, I’m not that good, it doesn’t record well, and I got people to find, have to keep moving or I get sick” the girl smiles “stick around, I’ll be back in a while, gotta clear some tables and things”
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Evening, May 7, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya smiles and lets the remarks go past her. She nods at Bronwean’s comment. “I will stick around a bit longer, yes. After all, I might want to put in a bid on the guy for rent. Is he any good in bed, do you know?”
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“I wouldn’t know, I’ve only been in town for a few days. And any way I’m really not I the market.” she looked around “you know, I’m like the littlest hobo, gotta keep moving on” she shrugged “we’re not doing an auction this time, firefighters are hounds, apparently we get lots of pissed off partners. You want me to give him a drink if I get the chance?”
“well I’m sure a drink and a chat are harmless” Tanya smiled
Batshit hurried to clear a tray of glasses and hurried to the bar the fill the wash.
“Louise, you know that tall elf firefighter from the Ladder345, with the muscles? Is he single”
“why? You like what you see? He’s a hound got a wife and all but always sniffing around”
“oh OK, not for me mind” she replied absent mindedly as fought with the washer door.
“Ok what can I get ya” she shouted turning to bar
After the roaring from the end of the race subsided, the fire fighter was there
“schooner… Please”
“sure”
“not seen you before” he shouted over the
“new in town.. There you go and its paid for”
He gave her a winning smile “thanks I’m…”
“not me. It from that lady over there”
“oh” he said rather crest fallen “we’ll it would be rude not to say thank you”
“yeah it would. Hi WHAT CAN I GET YOU” -
Evening, May 7, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya raises her hand as Bronwean points her out to the firefighter and her makes his way to her table, taking an empty chair and lifts his schooner in a salute. “Thanks for the drink. This sort of activity can make a man thirsty.” He takes a large drink as he eyes as much of Tanya as he can see. He mentally shrugs; the woman is not his normal, type, but he can close his eyes and pretend. He can pray that she is not the clingy sort and is up for some kink.
Tanya smiles, reading a lot about the man from the way he looks at her. “I don’t think that you firefighters get enough credit for the risks you take.”
The man grins. He can almost taste the woman already. He leans forward a bit, so as to get a slightly better view of her. “Darned right we don’t. Sometimes, even our families give us more grief than we deserve. We are just misunderstood and underappreciated. Now, just how much appreciation are you willing to show?”
Tanya frowns slightly before smiling again. She has already noticed the skin color difference on the man’s hand that would indicate he has just removed a wedding ring. “Right to the point, eh? Well, for now, I am showing appreciation by buying you that drink. Unfortunately, that is about the extent of what I am willing to do. I am sorry if I gave you any indication otherwise.”
The man frowns. He is not used to being rejected in such a fashion, at least not before the sex. Still, the night is young and there are other women in the bar. He rises from his seat and lifts the schooner. “It is not polite to lead a man on. Still, thanks for the drink.” As he moves away, Tanya’s enhanced hearing picks up a muttered curse directed at her. She smiles.
Looking about, she spots Bronwean still slogging drinks and plates and nods to her. She orders another beer from a passing waitress and nurses it as she waits for the young girl to take a break.
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The band did two sets, as te rush from the end of the second set subsided, batshit looked at Harry and made a break sign.
She snagged a burger and glass of fries and slipped out of the back. She found her usual spot taken by a copulating couple. She moved to and other spot. The sound of the ring pull she relaxed a little, taking time to chew. The burger was nice, even nicer tat she had not had to cook it herself. She stretched her legs out -
Evening, May 7, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya watches Bronwean leave the main room and frowns when she does not return. Even though there is no reason to suspect anything wrong, Tanya sends two of her small drones out to find the girl. They zip through the opening to the kitchen and then out the rear door when a quick check does not show her in the kitchen. In the alleyway behind the bar, the drones split up, each going a different direction then congregating when one finds her. Satisfied for the moment, Tanya relaxes, but leaves the tiny drones on watch duty.
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“I wish I had your confidence Megan you would have loved it. There’s this band of cute boys want me to join them. Lead singer. Not going to but might see if I can sneek on to the roller Derby, even if I am too young. No adult to sign the waver see anyway back to work love you all ”
She pulled herself to her feet.
” Bronwean you out here, ewww get a room you two, like ick, so gross,, we need to change the keg can you help? ”
” yeah be right in ”
Lizzy was pulling ineffectually at the huge keg
” get behind me and pull”said Bronwean. She channel her manna feeling Lion push through her and she lifted it over her head
“quick! Clear a path lizzie!”
Tanya saw the smallest elf carry the keg over her head, oh my lord how? Oh that’s how. That would explain the sneaking out and the way she danced through the crowds. Interesting very very interesting -
Evening, May 7, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya watches Bronwean move the heavy keg and nods. She is no stranger to sorcery, having seen its effects many times. She might even have gone that route once, before she was blown up and had large parts of her body replaced by metal. Still, she has no regrets about that decision. But she knows enough to know that the girl is either heavily augmented or using sorcery and she would bet on sorcery. Her drones return to her shoulder on command as she can watch the girl herself from her vantage point, especially now that the crowd has thinned quite a bit.
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Harry climbed up on the bar.
“everyone, everyone please. Just on the door and the shenanagens we have made the main target already. That means we have the insurance for the girls paid. The locks for the project and the new ring for the docksmans boy boxing academy. Thank you so much. Its all a personal favour to me. There will be more from the tills when our little heart breaker finishes cashing up we got your comm codes. Now the bad new our late permit runs out in ten minutes. So with out further adue. COME ON YOU LOT DRINK UP. DON’T YOU HAVE HOMES TO GO TO? “ -
Early, Early Morning, May 8, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya rises from her table and walks over to the girl taking donation, where she slots an additional 25K nuyen to each of the two causes, most of it from donations she had cadged from her friends. Turning about, she looks for Bronwean and goes to wait at the bar near where the girl is working. She catches Bronwean’s eye and tips her head. “So, I hope this was a success? Do you get off soon? I would like to talk to you.”
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Before she could answer a large matronly troll lady came over. Her wild eyes only one pace behind her tongue.
“oh my word oh my word, young lady young lady! has Harry made any transfers?”
Tanya saw Batshit boil then breath “sorry lady but we ain’t cashed up yet, we won’t be able to do much till Monday to be truly honest. Lemme talk to Harry…..”
“THEN WHERE’S THIS COME FR…”
Her word were cut off by screaming from the corner as two of the roller girls jumped up and down screaming.
“we got the fit we got the fit!” they chanted
Harry’s head shot out of the office “what the hellis going out here, everyone OK?”
“we’re fine Harry, someone” she fixed Tanya with a knowing stare “just dropped a tonne of money on the girls and the refuge”
“What do you mean by a tonne?”
Batshit shrugged “I dunno but it’s go to be big cos they freakin’ out”
“aww hell! knew today was a good day!” he hurried over to the chattering organisers
“Ok lady let’s go I got maybe 15 minutes before I need to be here for Harry to finish up” -
Early, Early Morning, May 8, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya weathers the stare without giving anything away. She shakes her head at Bronwean, though. “Hey, sometimes an additional pair of hands helps with the work. Give me an apron and some gloves and show me where to start and I can help you finish faster. I spent some time working in a place just like this and I think I can remember how everything works. What do you say?”
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“OK deal” she threw her a pair of blue gloves “go round scrape all the food in to that trolley bin, oy food mind”
Batshit hefted a big tray “I’ll get the glasses”
Tanya worked double time remembering that old Diner where she had scraped the rent, just. She looked around admiring her progress. The boss was still talking animatedly, so Bronwean came over
“Let’s get this lot outback”
Once by the dumpster, batshit whistles shrill. It seemed every shadow held a little pale face
“We better get back inside, we’ll spook them otherwise, that will mean going hungry and maybe a beating”
At the door she pulled out eight bottles od dead beer
“for the alcoholics, keeps them away from the kids”
Harry was waiting
“here, got your first weeks” he tapped her link “cash up now, clear up tomorrow, I know you were going to anyway”
The excited chattering group all filed out with calls of goodnight and blessings of four different religions
“well best get on with this while you pitch”
The look on her face was a veteran not the 16 year old girl she’d seen the night before
“press enter when I shout the number on the back” -
Early, Early Morning, May 8, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya pitches in energetically. She has a natural grace that allows her to move effortlessly through the diminishing crowd. She smiles as she remembers just why she has the experience in a bar. She had needed to get close to a very suspicious and careful man who had something she had been hired to steal.
Tanya watches Bronwean donate the unused food to the children in the alley, remembering when she was one of the kids there. Consequently, she make a couple more trips to the alley herself with what she salvages from the rest of the tables. When the cleanup is completed, she listens as Bronwean gives her some instructions on how to help close out the receipts. She blows a stray hair from where it has fallen in front of her face and smiles when all is done.
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“Good night Harry!” Bronwean shout as he leaves the bar. She lock the door and pauses.
“tonight was BRILLIANT” she back flicks a slow cartwheel across the room till she is at the bar then hops up on it and fixes Tanya with direct impudent smile
“we are in fact alone now and you I seem to remember had some pitch you wanted to make” she leans right backwards and returns with two genuine sodas one of which she tosses in an easy Arc at Tanya head
“here! Heads up OK so shoot I’m all ears” she drums her heals against the bar still with the cheeky smile -
Early, Early Morning, May 8, 2078, Harry’s Bar, Seattle
Tanya smiles at the enthusiastic girl and catches the bottle tossed her way. She twists the cap off, using the motion to pass her ring across the now open container. When the device lets her know that it is safe to drink the beverage, Tanya takes a big swallow and wipes lips with her forearm. “That is good. Hits the spot after that work.”
Tanya tips her bottle to Bronwean. “I am not certain it is a pitch, strictly speaking. I have been watching you tonight and you interest me greatly. Are you willing to tell me if your, uh, unusual talents are from augmentations or some sort of sorcery, be it adept or mage? If you care to answer me, I may have something that may be of interest to you.”
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