[Wistrel]

Gone

As usual it was dark and gloomy in the Belk Bar and, equally as usual, more or less empty save for the bar staff and one man sat at a table near the back his face hidden in shadow beneath a wide brimmed hat. As the woman who had just entered approached, the man looked up and addressed her with a grin proffering one of two beverages on the table before him. “Evening DD, care for a drink?” She grimaced at him, “Juice? Again? Aren’t they ever going to get anything decent in?” “Seems unlikely” he replied pulling over a chair “I’ve been involuntarily stone cold sober for 5 years now. Somehow, the thought of obtaining a ‘proper drink’ seems more like a joke than a desire to me these days...” He added, with a smirk, “How’s the ‘gun running’ coming along?” Rolling her eyes she sat down next to him. “Hilarious Az, some of us are still trying to earn a living y’know? We can’t all just sit around in holes watching the world go by”. “My my, how the tables have turned.”, Az chuckled, leaning back in his chair and gesturing toward the bar staff. “If its rep you’re concerned about you needn’t worry about those two”, he added with a wink, “especially the blonde”. Glancing up in exasperation DD ignored her former boss’ crudeness and asked instead, “Where’s Wistrel?” “Gone”, he replied simply. “What! Already? Heck, I’m not even late”. “No, not gone ‘just now’ gone”, he corrected, “’Gone’ gone”. “What do you mean, ‘gone’ gone? Gone where?” DD asked with exasperation. “Who knows?” replied Az leaning back and yawning “beats me what’s in that girls head, I just tend to roll with the punches these days and let her get on with it”. “Jeese Az, you might have stopped her! Did she say when she was coming back?!?” “Nope.” he replied with disinterest. “Just showed up yesterday looking as spaced out as always but this time wearing some kinda crazy ass armour that made her look like a robot. She announced she was heading off for a while then vanished. Didn’t really give me time to ask where although something tells me, knowing our little Wisty, she wouldn’t have said even if I had…. Heh knowing her actually, I doubt she even knew herself”.

DD leaned back and crushed the empty juice can in frustration. “Dammit! She’s ALWAYS doing this” Az cocked an eyebrow. “Fairs fair DD now that’s hardly true, it’s only the… “, he closed an eye while mentally counting on first one, then two hands. “Ah…”, he added with acceptance, “fair enough”. She glared at him. “Great! Just brilliant! So what am I gonna do if vehicles show up? Or the nutrio trade kicks off again? Or, heaven forbid, people actually want to go to space??? I need her Az. I can’t be expected to do everything by myself and no... don’t suggest the new kids. You know darn well they’re about as trustworthy as a Molisk and probably twice as stupi…” She stopped as her partner reached out and placed a hand firmly on her shoulder. “Trust me.”, he began, “When we really need her, I know that she’ll be back and, until that time, I know also that you’ll do just fine.” He finished, favouring her with a rakish grin before finishing his drink and leaning back. DD slumped in her chair defeated. It was the very last thing she needed right now but somehow somewhere, she knew in her heart that he was right.