Docked at Mora; let the Commerce Commense!

"Birstag Foshba" responds in the affirmative. "There is no problem with goods. All legal here, but must be discreet. On Fornice Santanocheev most important person. I will X-boat message the household. They expect. Pay 5,000cr upon delivery, normal freight contract at five times minimum. All approved through C&I (customs and immigration). Documents stamped. But must deliver direct. Very important.

"You will see this easy. In future maybe you buy direct from me, then sell for your profit. Not always have items on order."

Foshba's mechanical voice continues...

"Will personally escort delivery and will meet your time declaration. We meet."

The negotiation between Thessa Ting and LC seems rather fraught. But the young woman finally settles on 2 nights aboard prior to departure. "600 creds, that's jump-space robbery. Eats into my fee big time. But I'll do it just to save some trouble."

She seems to find Bronz's company reassuring in some strange way. And she visibly relaxes once away from L.C. "That sophont gives me the creeps" she confesses, but then shuts down the personal 'chat' as thoroughly as Bronz does.

"I've seen enough Free Traders in my time. This is just a variation on the Beowulf class, right?" It takes like 5 minutes max to show her around the passenger deck, and then she's left alone in her stateroom. Which seems to suit her just fine.

(Is someone serving as Steward at this point? They might want to check in on her.....)

"I'll take care of it, Cap'n," Tharrok says tiredly. He gets back to his stateroom and strips down, dropping his clothing to stay where it lay for the moment, thinking only of the sonic shower and hoping it rejuvenates him. He works the controls for a heavy bombardment in a massaging pattern he had labeled 'T-Jive Deep Scrub' and steps into the receptacle. The sound waves, set beyond Tharrok's hearing threshold, begin their bombardment, the tiny, rapidly collapsing bubbles in the enhanced aerosol medium of the shower breaking up the grime and dust of the station. The popping microcavatations buffet his skin like billions of infinitesimal sonic explosions, exfoliating and reinvigorating each millimeter of his skin deeper beneath his fur than any liquid-based bathing ever could. In the aerosol cloud, loose dander and fur is drawn away by the swirling air currents like a mini-tornado swirling around and then up and into the shower's filter for cellular disassociation and dispersal or reclamation.

The normal duration expired relatively quickly in most sonic shower default settings. The efficiency of the units are well-renowned as only needing 90-120 seconds to correctly cleanse a standard-sized body. For most species, the sensations are so intense that most cannot handle more than a few minutes of the process, anyway. However, thicker skinned and in Tharrok's case, thicker furred sophants can enjoy as much as 6 or 7 minutes, but rarely more than 10 minutes. The personalized settings of this particular Vargr's shower doesn't shut down until Tharrok issues a verbal command, which doesn't happen until more than 12 minutes.

When the sound waves finally dissipate, the aerosol mist thins slowly until all the particles are finally filtered out of the shower. Tharrok finally emerges, his fur fluffy and gleaming white, looking as if freshly shampoo'd and blown dry. He combs out his coat with long, relaxed strokes which allow him to stretch out his muscles before he stretches out on his bunk, not to sleep, but to roll out his back and stretch side to side before getting up and pulling on a fresh crew jumpsuit and boots. Then he grabs his hand comp and heads back to the galley. As he exits his cabin, he is already working on the clearances LC requested. In the few steps it takes him between his hatch and the galley, he had already worked up the schedule in Emerald Sidereal Time and begins inputting the information required for the SPA for the Departure and Arrivals Plan (aka 'Flight Plan'). He pauses momentarily to grab a rather large mug of hot kaffe and a crunchy 'biscuit', then he sits down at the crew table and takes a large drink of the heavily caffeinated beverage. A crunchy bite of the biscuit and he works up the Bonded Courier Declaration, finishes the DAP and hits submit on the documents. A few moments later, he gets a pair of notifications. SPA Traffic Control and Planning logs a "Received" reply and almost immediately, Mora COAAC logs and "Approved-Tentative" message. Tharrok's snout crinkles slightly at the "Tentative" suffix. Though its not unusual to receive minor holds and changes from the Close Orbit And Aerospace Control on any busy planet, a Flight Plan is usually either approved or modified. "Tentative" is usually a middle ground and is often considered too broad or abstract to be used regularly. It gives Tharrok a moment of pause and opens the message to see if there is an explanation listed. Looking up, he sees LC walk back into the galley from... well, Tharrok cocks his head to one side, looking back down at his hand comp.

"Well, Boss, the Flight Plan is submitted..."

Right now, everything carried by the MISS FORTUNE is legal cargo at Mora. At Fornice it should be, too. But there is a bit of gray area...

Tharrok nods to LC as he finishes his mug and biscuit. Leaving his empty mug, he gets up and brushes imaginary crumbs from his jumpsuit and heads down the hall, taking the lift to the passenger deck. He locates the courier and takes a moment to introduce himself.

Bowing formally, he says, "Welcome aboard Miss Fourtune, Miss Ting. I am Tharrok, Imperial-Certified Chief Pilot. I apologize for not meeting you when you came aboard, but I was on ship’s business in the Commerce District at the time and just got back aboard, myself, a short time ago. I just want you to rest assured that you’re in good paws aboard our ship. We’ve got some of the best crew aboard. If you have need of anything we can provide, please don’t hesitate to let any of our crew know."

Tharrok is careful and conscientious, making sure his body language shows the requisite deference to the courier but still maintaining his own confidence.

"Do you have any questions or needs at this time? Any spare cushions or towels, perhaps?"

Tharrok is polite and discreet, but he mentally notes any unusual signs such as smells or sounds either from Ms. Ting or her suite, or even just on the Passenger Deck as a whole.

Once Ms. Ting has assured him she has no needs or questions, Tharrok will formally bow again, then proceed back down the lift to the crew deck and then to the Flight Deck to begin the pre-departure checks.

Thessa Ting gives off odors that Tharrok associates with a human under stress, but otherwise she looks calm and collected. There is nothing about her stateroom or 'follow-bag' that seems suspiscious.

"Thank you, Pilot Tharrok. It is not always the case that crew come and introduce themselves to a passenger.

"I sometimes travel aboard Free Traders, though it is more common that I use Scheduled Spaceliners. Still, I know the 'drill'. Your medic Said Ma has come to see me, and I expect I should meet the steward soon.

"All seems in order. This ship seems to be well in order and I will be comfortable enough. I travel light, but with everything that I find essential. I appreciate Miss Fortune's exercise and entertainment modules; that will certainly help pass the time in jump-space.

"Your Captain seemed....exceptionally curious. He must know that my ability to share information is extremely limited. My clients depend on my discretion. There are messages and sometimes small packages that certain sophonts do not trust to the X-Boat service. Or, sometimes, they simply want a courier as a status-message.

"Once we are in jump-space, well then I might be a little more free in my communication."

Tharrok maintains his demeanor, but on the inside, is relieved that the courier was not in want or need of any assistance. "Very well, Ms. Ting. Please forgive the Captain, he is a very cautious man and I am certain that his inquiries were more about keeping the ship and all aboard safe and no other reason. You can rest assured that anything said to him is given the utmost confidentiality. He is a man who holds dear the trust and confidence of those he interacts with."

Tharrok is genuine in his regards of LC, his tail rising a little and he stands a little taller, straighter, as he speaks of the former Barrister turned merchant. It is an easy read that Tharrok is proud to know him and work with him. "Again, please do not hesitate to let one of us know if there is something we can do for you. Assuming all goes well with our departure plan, we should be in Jumpspace by 2100 hrs. I will take my leave for now, I have duties to attend to before we depart." Tharrok bows, turns and heads back to the lift going back down to the crew deck.