Eirik took in the sight as he walked down the ramp, surrounded by his command staff and friends. It had been over a year since he had set foot on a space station under full Terran control and the myriad of colorful commercial signs, the run-down part of the station that was conveniently pushed to the back so the front with the shops and nice apartments could remain in pristine condition, the police that always had a degree of corruption because of the leniency shown to officers when they broke the law. He could see those unfortunate enough, living a homeless existence in the dark alleys and corners.

He had not missed it. The hypocrisy and neglect of those that needed help the most. The pretty facades that cover the rotten interiors. It reminded him of why he had wanted to create his own empire for people to live in. A better empire.

As they strolled down the ramp a group of local police approached them,

"We need you to surrender your weapons and submit to a search of your person before we can allow you to enter the station!" An older, scruffy-looking man wearing the senior officer's badge on his uniform said as they came up to Eirik's group.

"Better check again old-timer, you are not in a position to demand that from me or anyone else on my ship for that matter," Eirik responded. He had expected this, but he would have preferred to fix it before the situation arose.

"And what makes a young buck like you so special that you do not need to submit to my security check?" The older officer sneered at Eirik as he planted both feet on the ground in an aggressive stance.

"Maybe you should ask her?" Eirik said as he pointed behind the older officer who turned his head to see an administrative worker, most likely from the Terran military branch on the station, flailing a piece of paper while trying to shout down the officers blocking the path of Eirik and his people.

When she reached them, panting and heaving, she handed the paper the to older officer before saluting and doing her best attempt at a dignified walk, away from the 2 groups.

The older officer read through the paper and the further he got, the redder his face got. When he finished and looked up, Eirik was staring at him with a smile plastered on his face going from ear to ear. "You are blocking my way, officer," Eirik said, smile still plastered on his face.

He thought the old officer's face was going to explode with anger, but it stayed in one piece as he stepped aside and ordered his troopers to do the same. As Eirik passed him, he looked at the older officer. "I assume there will no problems with the rest of my crew?" he said sweetly.

"None, Sir" The older officer managed to squeeze out through clenched teeth And Eirik threw him a salute before moving past him.

"What was all that about?" Las'Tai asked when they were far enough away.

"Terran dick-swinging," David replied before anyone could answer and the giggles from Jeanette and Signe spread throughout the group.

"Standard Terran procedure on space stations. All weapons get confiscated, tagged, and stored for the duration of your stay, to be returned once you leave the station again. It's one of the main reasons crime is so low in Terran space. Most people do not have it in them to literally squeeze the life out of whoever you might want to kill. Weapons, and especially ranged weapons, make it easier for Terrans to kill because we do not have to be up close and personal." Eirik explained as the giggling died down. "But we do not have to follow those laws."

"Because you created your own empire?" Las'Tai pressed the issue.

"Correct. Or rather, because I am the emperor. That, according to Terran law, grants me diplomatic immunity which I can extend to my immediate crew and ship. So, they could not touch us, even if we committed a crime in front of them. Of course, I would rather we do not do that and remain good neighbors." Eirik finished up the explanation. They were arriving at the market and Eirik wanted to get going. "We split up," he said "2 man groups. I will go alone. Jesper, did you bring it?" Eirik turned to Jesper who pulled out a tightly wrapped package from his backpack.

"Yes, Captain. As ordered." Jesper said as he handed Eirik the package.

"Thank you. You all know why we are here. Let's get to work!" Eirik said before he started walking away with the package under his arm.

____________

It took him close to an hour, but through exploration and Smalltalk with random strangers, Eirik finally found the type of bar he was looking for. "There has to be a bar like this in every single city, station, and settlement across the galaxy," He thought to himself as he pushed dor door open and walked in. The reaction was the same as it always is when a new face enters this kind of establishment. Every head inside turned in his direction and they didn't turn away. He was new, That meant he was an unknown. People living on the edge of the law did not like unknowns.

Eirik ignored them and walked to the bar where he rapped his knuckles against the bar twice. "What'll it be?" The hostile voice of the bartender sounded from the other end of the bar.

"double rum on the rocks," Eirik responded in the same tone. When the bartender brought his drink Eirik transferred the credits immediately. He noticed that the bartender did not remove his hand from the glass before the payment had gone through. "How much for information?" He asked when the bartender let go of the glass.

"Depends on the information that is sought" Came the stiff reply. "Cautious. That's a good sign" Eirik thought and spoke up "I seek information on an individual called Dalle." As hard as he tried, Eirik could not keep the resentment out of his voice when he spoke.

The bartender snorted in what Eirik assumed was amusement. "More than a greenhorn like you can afford!" He said, obviously delighting in insulting Eirik.

Eirik said nothing, He merely put the package he was carrying on the bar, undid the bindings, and reached inside without unwrapping it. Moments later, he pulled his hand out, pocketed something, and bound up the package again. When he was done, he reached into the pocket again and put his closed hand on the counter.

The bartender, now curious as to what Eirik could be doing, stopped his work to watch. When Eirik opened his closed hand he saw the eyes of the bartender grow larger than dinner plates before he closed his hand again.

"Is that-" The bartender began but Eirik cut him off, not interested in the rest of the patrons knowing what he was carrying. "It is! And I am prepared to pay a full half kilo for the information I seek. And before you think of having someone in here try to rob me of the rest, If I do not return to my ship within 2 hours, with the rest in possession, several hundred soldiers and crew members of my ship will tear this station apart in their search for me. Am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal!" Said the bartender, the greed painted on his face for the world to see. His hand was already moving towards Eirik's but Eirik pulled his hand away. "Information first!" He demanded.

"One moment," The bartender said. "HEY HAL! TAKE OVER THE BAR FOR A MINUTE. GOT SOME BUSINESS NEEDS ATTENDING!" He yelled to the backroom before signaling Eirik to come to the backroom office where he closed the door behind them.

"So, you want to know about Dalle?? I can only assume you are Eirik, then. He always said you would show up eventually. I always thought those stories were empty bravado." The bartender opened the conversation.

"You are right. Now, tell me what I want to know and this gold will be yours. give me information I was not expecting and there might be more coming your way." Eirik responded. He already had the man figured out, greed was the main drive of this poor excuse for a Terran.

"He was here, as you rightfully suspect. He stayed for around 3 months, recruiting heavily, or rather attempting to recruit. despite offering higher than normal wages, almost no one wanted to fly with him. They said they got a bad vibe, that their danger instincts were flaring up when they were alone with him. The last thing I heard, He was heading to station Tetrachyon 3, on the border between Terran and Kloxna territory. A single ship and around 75 crew members.

He was hauling several of the largest containers along with him. No one knows what they had inside, but he had 7 of them." The bartender delivered what he knew, short and precise.

"Good, that earned you half of the gold," Eirik said. At the sight of the bartender looking indignant, he continued, The rest of it is for your silence. I was never here, this conversation never took place, if anyone hears of this conversation your patrons will find your decapitated and disemboweled corpse hanging above the bar. Deal?" Eirik fixed the bartender's eyes with his own and he watched the man pale as he understood the threat issued against him.

"Deal," He said in a shaky voice.

"Excellent!" Eirik put the half kilo chunk of gold on the office table on rose to leave the room, but when he entered the bar area, 4 Terrans and a Ymsaar were waiting for him.

"Hand over the package and you won't get hurt!" Said the obvious leader. A head taller than the rest and looking like he was built out of nothing but muscles, he grinned in the confident way people do when they think the situation is resolved before it has even begun.

Eirik pulled the concealed pistol from his back and put a round through the eye of the man, splattering his brains and skull all over the floor and patrons behind him. Turning to the remaining thugs, he said "Threatening a diplomat is never a good choice. Any of you feel like joining the dead idiot on the floor?"

They were scrambling to run away before he had finished speaking. Shrugging, Eirik hoisted the package into a secure grip under his arm and left the bar.