Carth's magical adventure, ROUND TWO, MOTHERFUCKERS!

[Anastasia]

After a few moments of looking, you find it, behind a swinging metal protective plate. Fiddling with it takes about two minutes, as it's a decent system.

The door opens with a soft magnetic swoosh, a bit of cool air greeting you as the way opens.

[Carthrat]

Carthrat slips inside the door, and shuts it from the inside, then slinks towards the voices..

[Anastasia]

"...Right. Thanks, Greck," Tir's voice comes out from the next room, the metal door not entirely muffling his voice.

"That's what I owe you," he nods. "Most of it, you'll have to take a check on the last 400 credits. But why the rush," another voice, gruff and demanding, asks.

"I'm off for another star system, and it looks like I'll be needing all the funds I can get," Tir replies, laughing a bit. "My friends aren't overly endowed with credits, yet I suspect at least one of them will go through them quickly enough."

"Yeah...Earth looks to be going to Hell," Greck notes. "Beating the frantic rush out, eh?"

Looks to be about collecting an old debt of some sort.

[Carthrat]

Carthrat hangs around, deciding to leave when Tir does.

[Anastasia]

"Yeah," Tir says, a touch of regret in his voice. "I've always been fond of Earth's crazy one hundred nations approach to things. Reminds me of my homelands."

"Bah, give me a central government that's only partly hung up in it's own sea of bullshit anyday," Greck growls, amusement shaking in his deep voice. "At least you only have to deal with one main group of pests."

There's a short pause before Tir speaks again. "Regardless, if things continue to fall apart, where are you headed?" he asks, his voice back to normal.

"Back home, likely. I have enough favor with the Command to get a nice inside job if I want it," Greck replies, pride in his voice. "If you're ever in the neighborhood...you know to look me up, Tir."

"Thank you, Greck," Tir sounds genuinly grateful. "It's always good to be able to skirt the Piolian customs and checks."

[Carthrat]

Carthrat becomes acutely aware of the need for contacts within various institutions.

Figuring he'll learn nothing more here, he gives Tir's hand a quick scan, figuring he won't work out much...

[Anastasia]

Scanning...

"Amen to THAT. I'm an agent and I still have to spend a week in customs each time I go back home," Greck grouses.

Scanning...

"Maybe they're trying to tell you something," Tir says, a bit of amusement in his voice.

Scan complete. Unknown anomaly/life force detected. Unable to scan.

[Carthrat]

Carthrat ponders bashing the scanner against the wall. Maybe it'd work properly after some percussive maintenance.

Stupid lousy non-detecting $5 piece of magic-fearing junk..

[Anastasia]

Greck snorts, explosive air passing through his nose(?). "Bah, homeworld LOVES me, or I'd still be on meteor duty,"

Carthrat hears this as he grumbles about his scanner.

[Carthrat]

Figuring there's not much left to be heard, Carthrat starts getting ready to leave.

[Anastasia]

"Riiiight," Tir laughs as you leave...

Once out of the spaceport, the neon signs of the casino again entice you, as well as your stomach grumbling AGAIN. That Cone of Cold must've really taken a chunk out of you to require this much food.

Or the Ring is just an overly consuming piece of shit. Whichever.

[Carthrat]

Carthrat sighs, and goes to play a couple rounds of blackjack, preferably sitting at a table with a smaller number of players.

[Anastasia]

Finding a quiet table is a simple enough task, with only one youngish looking, green scaled and black eyed alien playing. He glances up at you as you sit down, the dealerbot asking how much you wish to bet.

[Carthrat]

Carthrat throws a cocky glare at the alien, slapping down 500 credits.

[Anastasia]

The alien bets 100 credits, and the game begins.

Dealer shows a 10 up.

Carthrat has a 9 and a Jack. (19)

The Alien has a Jack and a 10. (20)