Shades of Grey - Part 2

Voral did not look at the node. That was interesting. Most people would have glanced at it instinctively. This one did not which meant he had already thought about this conversation and had decided in advance where he was going to look and where he was not.

"Storage units," Voral said. "Temperature controlled. Some of the components I carry are sensitive to the market environment."

"Temperature controlled storage," Zedd said. "Right." He put both hands on the counter and leaned forward slightly, not aggressive, just closing the distance enough to make it clear he was not going to be managed out of this conversation. "I have a dataport," he said, tapping the side of his neck. "I have been interfacing with computer systems for the better part of a decade and I know what a dedicated high draw power line looks like and I know what you run one into a building for. It is not temperature controlled storage." He paused. "I am not here to cause you a problem Voral. I am here because my ship needs a core upgrade and I have latinum and I have discretion and whoever told me to come here knew both of those things when they sent me."

Voral looked at him for a long moment. The flat patience had not changed but something behind it had shifted slightly in the way things shifted when someone was recalculating the value of a conversation they had been prepared to end quickly.

"Who sent you," he said.

Zedd smiled. "Someone who knows your operation well enough to know you don't just sell crystals."

Voral was quiet for another moment. His deep set eyes moved over Zedd with the particular thoroughness of someone running a final assessment and not bothering to hide that was what they were doing. Then he reached under the counter and pressed something and a soft click came from the direction of the partition on the far left wall.

"Come through," he said. "And close the door behind you."

The two men stepped into a small, dimly lit room that would have been rather cramped for more than two people. Only two things were present in the room, a console and what was unmistakably a two pad transporter. Voral stepped to the console and activated it. As the screen flickered to life, Zedd would be able to see flashes of what looked like Orion script on the screen before it became a blank interface. The Lissepian man began to input commands and had strategically maneuvered his body between the console and Zedd to more or less wholly cut off his view. After what may have been some back and forth, he shifted his large body to reveal the once again blank but waiting screen and leveled his gaze on Zedd.

“Input your requirements here.”

Zedd raised an eyebrow but stepped up and began entering the upgraded parameters and the projected needs for a new computer core, working to essentially future proof about 5 years ahead. He uploaded the physical species of the system and the dimensions of the housing as well before taking a step back. “What do you have for me, Voral?” The captain remained weary and watchful of the other man.

“I have nothing for you.” Voral replied in that low, almost monotone voice. “I deal in propulsion components.”

The information Zedd input onto the screen lingered and then suddenly vanished. After a few seconds of emptiness, the screen filled with a simple Orion script once more.

“I will send you to the one who deals in computers.”

He rolled his eyes at the other man's response but gave a nod as well in response. Zedd needed what he needed, and placed a tag on the crystals allowing the transporter for the ship to lock on a moment later and watched them disappear in a swirl of light.

“I’m presuming that means the transporter pad here, if that’s acceptable.” He didn’t wait for a response and stepped onto it, pulling out three strips of latinum and tossing them to the man. “For your trouble.”

Not one to waste words, Voral only waited until Zedd was finally holding still before he tapped one of the inputs on the console. Yellow light consumed Zedd one moment and then was releasing him once more in an identical room. The only thing that actually signaled he had even left where he had just been standing was there was now a very tall, very broad Orion man standing where Voral would have been. He eyed Zedd up and down with his deep brown eyes, but didn’t immediately greet the human.

He paused for a moment before slowly stepping down. Having dealt with Orions in the past, Zedd knew better than to make any sudden or threatening moves. “Zedd’s the name, Voral sent me over so I can continue my shopping, I need a new computer core. Could you point me in the right direction to where I might find the person responsible for selling it? Or is that you by chance?” He decided it was best to remain easy going until something told him to do otherwise.

There was no immediate response to his greeting, and instead the Orion looked him over again. This time, he seemed more focused on what Zedd was wearing than anything else. The Orion himself was immaculately dressed in tailored clothes made of fine, likely fashionable fabrics. He finally had enough looking, briefly pursed his lips in disapproval, then turned on his heel toward the door. “Come with me.”