Faitrin lightly grabbed his wrist before he could pull the door open. "Let me do the talking until we sit down. I imagine my manners are going to be better than either of you two animals."
Relm shrugged. "Momma raised me with a StarBeam, not a silver spoon. Lead the way, brothess."
Alistair pulled the door open and let the other two enter first, then he followed. This planet didn't have a lot of mutants, but they weren't discriminated against like they were on Earth. Eating in restaurants was fine, as was visiting shops. The Ascendant didn't rule this far out, and if mutants brought commerce, this planet accepted them.
Even with that, the girl standing inside the door stared at Alistair for a second longer than everyone else. Faitrin was about to say something when the woman finally smiled at the pilot. "Sir Nevo is waiting for you. If you'll follow me, I'll be happy to take you to him."
Faitrin wasn't fazed. "Of course. Thank you."
Neither Alistair nor Relm knew what to expect, and they walked behind Faitrin with their eyes searching for danger. The patrons were eating, and most minded their own business. The clientele in here was wealthier than those Alistair had seen on the street. Every table had some sort of alcohol on it, and he thought he was looking at actual bottles of wine, not the cloned type.
None of these people had any hardness to them. If they tried to murder Alistair and his group, they'd be cut down like the soft rich folks they were. The danger would most likely come, but these people wouldn’t be part of it.
The woman led them into a private room, where double doors kept their business private from the outside world.
The hostess said nothing as they entered. She held the door open, and as soon as the three had passed inside, she left.
A man sat at the back of a circular table with a glass of dark liquor and a plate of food Alistair didn't recognize. It looked like cheese if cheese was slimy. He couldn't imagine putting it in his mouth.
"Please, sit." The man gestured at the three chairs in front of him. Jeeves hadn't said how many people would be at this meeting, saying no one had asked. This person knew a lot.
Faitrin took a step back and let Alistair move forward as their leader. He sat in the middle chair, and the other two took the seats at his sides.
The man in front of them was bald, his eyebrows fair, and his face stark. His eyes were set deep in his face, and his clothing covering everything but his neck, head, and hands. His skin was pale, almost shockingly so, as if stepping into the sunlight might set him on fire.
There was no alcohol nor food in front of their three seats, which said only one thing; this man was all about business.
"You paid a lot of credits to be here, but you don't get a lot of time. Tell me what it is you want." The man lifted the brown drink to his mouth and took a short sip.
"I need to meet with your boss," Alistair stated.
The man slowly lowered the glass back to the table as a smile crossed his lips. "Do you now? I'm not sure I've had anyone say that to me before because people on this planet realize how preposterous it is, what you said. Why don't you start by telling me why you need my boss?"
Alistair wished Luna was here. This type of back and forth was what she was trained in. Her parents had made sure she knew how to use words to get what she desired. Alistair had been trained very differently. He couldn't let Faitrin drive this either; his leadership had been established with this man, and to switch now would show weakness.
He remained calm. "I need to find someone on this planet. The population is too great for me to do it on my own. I need his resources, and I'm willing to pay whatever is necessary."
"Who do you want to find?" the man asked.
"A friend of mine. Of ours."
The man leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. His face showed only disapproval. "You come to this meeting wanting to see a man whose power is greater than anything you'll ever accumulate, even if you had ten lifetimes. You ask to see him in order to find a friend, giving me no other information, and you offer only credits? As if he doesn't have enough. You are a foolish man, and these people next to you are foolish for following you." He leaned forward again, shaking his head. "You will not see him, and I recommend you leave this restaurant now. Those weapons beneath your coats will do you no good here. There will be bloodshed only on your side, I assure you."
Relm moved to pull his beam from his coat, but Alistair's hand was quicker. He placed it on Relm's elbow and shook his head slightly. "We appreciate the meeting." His eyes remained on the stranger. "I'm sure you know how to contact us if you or your boss change your minds."
Alistair stood, and the others did as well. Relm's hand was still, but his face showed hatred toward the man who disrespected his leader so blatantly.
Alistair turned and walked to the door. A different woman was on the other side, and she pulled it open as he reached it, allowing him to exit. Within seconds, they found themselves back on the busy street. Alistair immediately used the comm to talk to Servia.
"Are you and the AllMother okay?"
"We're fine, Pro. How was the meeting?"
Alistair sighed as relief washed over him. He had the distinct feeling
