[i]Thessia[/i]

The bar they'd chosen was an open air venue, protruding on a balcony over the city's pristine river. The surrounding buildings were tall and metallic, but this place was small and rustic, made of wood and strung with colored lights that shone like stars in the gathering dusk. Nestled in the heart of the city's financial district, this was a hole-in-the-wall that catered almost exclusively to white collar workers looking to forget their office hours with some good old fashioned debauchery. Tonight's debauchery came in the form of a "Human Culture" theme celebration. Tonner didn't know much about Humans, but somehow he doubted this mob of drunken Asari dancing to "disco" and ducking under "limpo" sticks was an accurate representation of Earth. 

Not that he was paying any particular attention to the other bar-goers. The only Asari he had eyes for was standing on the other side of his table, leaning against the balcony's railing, a shot of riptide cradled in her hands. He thought she looked just as elegant and commanding as the buildings she was imposed upon. Even moreso when she turned to him, her smile flashing briefly in the light of the setting sun. "You're being paranoid, Tonner. This is the best opportunity we've ever had. Period."

Tonner fixed Nadene with a weary frown before responding. "A great opportunity, sure. But that doesn't mean shit if it gets us killed." He rubbed a nervous hand against his brow. "It's just not worth the risk."

Nadene opened her mouth to argue, but it was Vik who jumped in to defend her plan. "I think it's a [i]great[/i] fucking idea," he declared from his seat next to Tonner. His feet were stretched out onto another chair, and his trademark cocky smile was stretched in eagerness. "We get that artifact, and we'll have more money than we know what to do with. And you worry too much. If there's anyone who can get that artifact and get it to a buyer without incident, it's yours truly," he said, hooking one thumb back at his own chest. His other hand was clasped around a shot glass full of brackish riptide. 

"You just want to do it so you can stroke your own ego," Tonner growled, but already Nadene was nodding, ready to launch into the rest of her argument. 

"I know it [i]seems[/i] risky, but really, we've got a better shot than most. We've got ships, money, and manpower. We've got some of the galaxy's best pilots-"

"You've got [i]the[/i] best pilot right here!" 

"-including Vik, yeah. Even better, no one will expect us. Few people know we exist, even fewer know the extent of our operations. We're in the perfect position to grab that object and make a run for it."

"Assuming we can even find the damn thing!" Tonner was getting frustrated. He fiddled with his own shot glass, a bit of the acidic liquid sloshing out onto his fingertips, stinging him. "And if we do find it, you can be sure we won't be the only ones there to snatch it up. A prize this big is going to draw in a lot of competition; including plenty of organizations with more funding and more firepower. We're just a bunch of smugglers and degenerates, what could we hope to do against a professional contractor or one of the galaxy's bigger crime lords?"

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall. See, it's like the story of the pyjak and the thresher," Vik explained confidently. "The thresher was big and strong, but the pyjak was quick and smart and handsome. Also the thresher was dumb. So the pyjak stole all of his cash, and bought a private yacht and a beach house on Sur'Kesh." He shrugged when Tonner just glared at him. "It's not a perfectly developed metaphor, but you get the idea."

"Vik is...right," Nadene said with a grimace, "as stupid as he sounds. This is the job we've been waiting for. The one that can put us on the map, make Riptide into something greater than we've ever imagined."

"We're doing just fine without putting our necks on the chopping block," Tonner said slowly, realizing he was on the losing side of the argument. "Every year we get more contracts, more ships, more profit. Riptide's growing, slowly but surely. We [i]will[/i] be something great, but not if we go rushing off to do something stupid and get ourselves killed. And this job seems [i]really[/i] stupid."

When Nadene smiled at him, he knew he'd lost. "Jumping prison seemed stupid. Starting Riptide seemed stupid. Letting Vik have a deciding voice seemed stupid." The Turian in question nodded goodnaturedly as she continued. "But in the end, it's all been for the best. We've made it work. And I think we can make this work too. We just have to try." She raised her shot glass. "Let's make the call."

Vik raised his own glass instantly, but Tonner hesitated. For a moment he considered refusing, maybe continuing to voice his concerns. All decisions made at these meetings had to be unanimous, that was their rule. But Nadene was smiling at him, implacable as ever, and already Vik was getting impatient, ready to be out roaming the galaxy looking for treasure. With a sigh, he raised his own glass. "Fine then. It's stupid, but let's do it. Just don't get mad when I say 'I told you so.'" 

The three of them joined their glasses together with a quiet [i]clink[/i] before downing the contents. The liquid spiraled down Tonner's throat, hot like fire, scratching at his throat as if it was alive. He actually typically liked the taste, but now it just filled him with dread. The decision had been made, for better or for worse. He slammed the empty shot glass onto the table. "So what do we do first?"

Nadene waited for her the riptide to settle in her stomach and for her face to regain its usual composure before she outlined the plan. "Right, so the only information we have about the artifact is that its somewhere in the Rosetta Nebula. That narrows it down, though there's still a lot of ground to cover. So first things first, we need to get an exact location. I know plenty of information brokers, but the only one we've worked extensively with in the past is Jason Daxx of [i]The Lonely Spacer[/i], so that's where I'll be heading. Daxx is a smooth son of a bitch, but I think we can work something out with him."

Tonner nodded in agreement. "Sounds good. I'll start directing my smugglers and my own mercs into the Rostta Nebula. Low key, but in case things don't work out with Daxx, it'll be useful to have some extra eyes and ears in the area. Not to mention, once we do have a location, we'll have to be ready to jump into action."

Vik obviously wasn't listening to him. "Did you say you're going to the [i]Spacer[/i], Nadene?" he asked, with stars in his eyes. "I fucking love that place! I'll come along and help out."

"No." From Vik's expression, Nadene might as well have just kicked his dog. "I need you in the Rosetta Nebula too. Be ready to move. I don't know for sure, but I have a feeling that the next few weeks are going to get pretty hectic." She waved at a passing server, signaling for three more riptides. "Now then, let's work out the details..."