The Streisand Effect [Spectra Fanfiction, book 2/3]

7 - The Stinger

"Weltaro huh? That's a long way away. You sure you wanna go there?" Jäga said. 

"Well if Miss Doctor here is anything to go by, then yea," Jupiter stated, taking a gulp of coffee. Erica had insisted on paying for drinks and neither Jupiter nor Rix had any issues with that. Jupiter had opted for a black coffee while Rix was happy with a milkshake. 

"Well if you're sure. We don't wanna stay there too long though. Not if we value our lives anyway," Jäga huffed, resting his head on his hand.

"Why... why not?" Rix stuttered.

"Weltaro is a lawless place. It's about as backwater as you can get. No governments or anything like that. Pretty much survival of the fittest. Never been there myself but I've heard the stories," The mowlin explained. 

"Oh... great..." Erica whimpered.

Jupiter was indifferent, "I've got experience with backwater planets. We'll be fine. Question is, how are we getting there?"

"Well you said you needed a pilot. Fortunately, you're looking at one!" Jäga chirped.

"That's all well and good, but a pilot isn't worth much without a ship."

"Well, as it turns out, I have one of those."

Erica suddenly shook her head with surprise, "W-wait, you do?"

"Yup! Been saving up for a while now. Got her a few months ago. She's a lovely vessel," he quipped.

Rix quickly finished her drink, "Well what are we waiting for then? Let's get going!"

"That's the spirit. The hangar's not too far away. We can take my cruiser, it's parked just down the road. Turns out that trying to get parking here is a literal nightmare. Anyway, finish up, we've got a merc to find."

Jupiter scoffed with amusement, "You sure you know what you're getting into, kid?"

Jäga waved a dismissive hand, "Of course, Erica and I fought off a psychotic assassin once. A few drugged-up bounty hunters should be fine... I think."

"Your funeral."

--V--

After everyone had finished up the group quickly put the casino behind them. It was time to get moving. Jäga led them all to his cruiser which was parked a few hundred metres down the road. 

"So how'd you lot come to meet our little Angel then?"

Erica rolled her eyes subtly at the name.

"Um, shot and left for dead in an alleyway," Rix deadpanned.

Jäga suddenly stopped, a half-laughing, half-choking sound escaping his beak.

"W-wait, what? Seriously?"

"Not... not really the time," Erica hushed, however her complaints fell on deaf ears.

Jäga laughed, "No I wanna hear about this, you what?"

"Jupiter got shot."

"By who?"

"Some kid who thought a few credits were as valuable as his life. He learned quickly."

"Shit. Remind me not to piss you off," Jäga stated.

"I will."

"And what about you little Miss Rix? Where are you from?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out," Jupiter said.

"Huh? You don't know?"

"She fell out of the sky and landed in my backyard. There's a little more to it than that, but it gets the point across."